Makeup 101: Clean Canvass

Braze yourself for my longest post. EVER. 

Before applying the actual makeup, it is best to figure out what skin type you have: oily, dry, combination, sensitive or normal. One should also make sure to have a clean face before adding on makeup so you won't clog the pores and prevent blackheads, whiteheads and God knows what more. :o

Below is just a general guideline on how to take care of your skin. I'll suggest only a few affordable products that I've tried myself and have worked for me. Do try several products yourself to see what suits your skin type the best. We all react differently to products.

Acne prone skin

For this skin type, I can't really have a say on this as I have never experienced this personally. Rather than referring you to a professional, I'd like to refer you to someone who has had a first hand experience with acne. I have found the most extensive read that you can find on the Internet locally, and if you click on this link, Donya Poorita, I'm sure that it will help you girls/boys out when it comes to your skin. 

Based on rave reviews, I'd like to recommend Clinique Clarifying Lotion 4 as a moisturizer as it really prevents acne from occurring.

Oily

You have an oily face if you wake up in the morning and your face is rather shiny.

Do exfoliate on a general basis and use a facial scrub. I do recommend St. Ives Apricot Scrub and personally I this every other day. It makes my skin smooth and clear.

The best toners for oily skin are those with alcohol in them and has Salicylic acid. Some brands that I have tried are Neutrogena, Celeteque, Pond's Acne toner (my fave) or Godiva.When I used these products I could easily see on the cotton pad that the toners really stripped my face of all the grime even after wash and they would really lessen my pimples.

Moisturizers to go for would be those that are oil-free. On the local shore for me would be Pond's facial cream (it really makes my skin matte), Clinique Acne Solutions Clearing Moisturiser and Cetaphil DermaControl Moisturizer. The one I get the most is from Pond's but the one from Clinique is really good too.

Dry

If your skin is tight and sensitive after wash, before applying moisturizer that is, you have dry skin. Should you have red patches on your skin do remember to drink lots of water to keep yourself hydrated as these are signs you lack water. Bottoms up!

Do use a cleanser that does not dry your skin and keeps it moisturized. You can try using the Neutrogena Facial Deep Clean Facial Cleanser. This did not dry out my skin and kept it moisturized, but since I have combination skin, this one would suit dry skin better.

The thing with dry skin is that it might be too sensitive for a toner. There was even a time that my skin could not handle a toner and it felt as if my skin was burning up. Should you still choose to use one, get the Dickinson's Witch Hazel Toner at a whooping prize of Php 55 at Healthy Options. Beat that! Best to transfer the contents to a different container. You'll know why when you buy it. Another product to try out is the Physiogel Cleanser. It isn't harsh and it takes away the grime.

Pond's Cold cream or Olay Total effects are your best friends. A cream is the way to go if you want your face to be less dry. It feels cold on the face when you apply it. I used to use these before when I was living in Norway because I had dry skin back then due to the cold weather. They worked wonders on my skin.

Combination

For combination skin it is best to use gel or foam cleansers that will cleanse your skin but not make it dry out at the same time. A good cleanser I've tried is the Cetaphil Cleanser but a personal favorite of mine is still the Pond's Clear Balance Line. It never fails.

As for oily skin, it is good to remember to exfoliate as well to prevent product build up and pimple causing bacteria. Products to keep in mind are ST. Ives Apricot Scrub Cleanser and Netrogena Deep Clean Daily Scrub.

Tone afterwards still as there always is grime left even after cleansing and even for combination skin, it is still best to stick to the routine. Do try out the Pond's Facial Cream, Clinique Lotion No 4 and the Celeteque Moisturizer.

Sensitive

 When I had sensitive skin, I always thought it was really difficult to find anything that wouldn't irritate my skin. I did though come to the solution that any mild cream would calm my skin down. Eventually my sensitive skin would go away. Cleansers to take note of are Liguid Neutrogena mild cleanser, Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser, Cetaphil Gentle Antibacterial Gentle Cleansing bar and also the Physiogel Cleanser.

Of course like the ones above, even sensitive skin has to tone but sometimes if you feel like not toning and you think it will set your skin on haywire, just drop it and go directly for the moisturizer. Use the Dickinson's Hazel Witch Toner as it is mild on your skin. Another option is the Human Nature Nourishing Facial toner.

For moisturizing, do go for Olay Complete All Day UV Moisturizer for sensitive skin. Keep in mind that yo have to choose a moisturizer that is not cream based but use a light water based that doesn't include any greasy ingredients.

Normal

If your skin is not too dry nor too oily, then you have normal skin.

Luckily for the normal skin type, you have a wider range of what products to buy so you can just do trial and error. Items for you are as follows, Dove beauty moisture facial cleanser, Neutrogena Deep Clean facial cleanser, Cetaphil Cleanser and the list goes on. Lucky you. :)

Most toners and moisturizers will do really. Just go for the normal skin products to be safe as skin also changes according to the weather, stress and other factors too.

A few last words no matter what skin type

• Do remember to keep yourself hydrated at any cost.
• Use products with SPF. 
• Don't sleep with makeup on.
• Stick to your skin care routine: cleanse, tone and moisturize.
• Use a maske once a week to add to your beauty routine. I love the selection they have on affordable masks on Watsons. Don't forget to add the cucumber eyepads for a cooling effect for your eyes!
• Do make sure to get enough Beauty sleep as most of the times when people have less sleep, the skin tends to breakout more.
• Stick to a well balanced diet and don't forget to add on the greens for better skin.
• Eat less junk food.

Personally, I've just added more ater to my daily routine and less junkfood as I've chosen to go the healthier way. I am and will forever be a foodie. It is certainly hard, but I'm also stubborn and goal oriented.

'til next time.

Makeup 101: Back to basics

I've got a request on how to do basic makeup. First, I'll start with this post which will practically be about what you need to do your makeup.

Color

First of all, I think color is the most important to decide as this is what people wil see when they look at your face. Rule of thumb is to choose the opposite of what is on the color wheel. Or if that confuses you, just remember that if you already have a strong eyeshadow, go for a more pale lip shade and vice versa. You can pair a warm color with a cool color. I'll show you below.

You don't necessarily have to totally follow the color wheel but it's the basics for you not to look like you've got the rainbow on your face. :) I've tried mixing colors and it just didn't work for me. Hope that helps.

Brushes

When I started out I just bought the most affordable set that I could find as I was a bit confused what to get. I don't use them now since I got the e.l.f. Studio Line brushes.

 

These are the basic brushes that I use and I'll categorize them for you so you'll get an idea of where to actually use them:

Powder brush - in the name itself, it is used to add pressed powder to your face. I used this one when I want to lessen the shine on my face.

Complexion brush - this for me is a dual brush as I use it for contouring (I'll explain further later) and for adding blush to your cheeks.

Fan brush - I use it to remove loose particles/eyeshadow from below my eyes.

For my Eyeshadow, I use these brushes (insert from a previous post My beloved brushes):

Concealer brush - I use this one to blend my eyeshadow at the upper lid.

Small angled brush - This one I use when I want to be precise with my eyeshadow C-line.

Small Smudge Brush - I use it to blend out my eyeliner pen. 

Small precision brush -  This one I use for more precise strokes like adding eyeshadow to my upper and lower lines on my eyes.

 

Next post will be about what products I use that you can use too and how to apply them.

 

 

Fun under the sun

As requested by my mentor/writer/fellow MegGurl, Veronica Inoturan, I'm going to show how to survive wearing makeup under the heat of summer. I'm sure we all are very much drained by energy nowadays because of the intense sun rays. Even though it's hot, there is always a way to look good  without sacrificing how you look.

Best thing to avoid is actually any liquid foundation or, yes, even the beloved BB Cream. It really tends to melt off. Trust me, I've been testing out my EH BB Cream and even though it does state that it's good for outdoor activities in the sun, sadly it can only take so much. 

Hence my surprise when I used the Pond's Pinkish White Day Cream. Cream tends to melt off but on the contrary, this one stays. I don't use it because it actually lightens my skin (I don't think it does anyways) but at least it makes me less oilier than usual. I also love the facial wash because it's perfect for my skin type as it totally cleanses my face and gets rid of excess oil (always good to have a good skin routine before adding the makeup ;). Going back to the Pond's Day Cream, it actually mattifies my skin and I'm very satisfied with it and I've been using it religiously since I came here back in 2001.

As you can see above, my items are really simple. I also like to use e.l.f Two Way Cake Foundation  on top of my facial Cream because it eliminates shine and makes my skin even. Powder foundation is the way to go now as the weather is so hot. Still, you have to do retouches and also use blotting paper or plain tissue will do.

For the lips, I don't really recommend using lip gloss for example because it makes your lips really sticky. Best way to go for me is the Nivea Lip care stick as it gives me just enough moisture and color and it doesn't dry my lips.

For the eyeshadow, I do suggest you use a primer so that the eyeshadow stays put. I hid my Urban Decay Primer Potion (it's totally divine) in the background because you can clearly see it has been used so many times. You'll be amazed at how long your eyeshadow stays put so make sure that what you do is right as it is hard to correct it afterwards.

So to summarize it all:

Do's

Use a good facial moisturizer so that it stays put or even choose a tinted moisturizer.

For a finish, do use Pressed Powder as it stays longer and lessens shine.

Remember to blot with a blotting paper. 

Use a lip care balm for the lips. 

One thing I have not mentioned is that you can also get a Face primer to set the makeup and make it last longer.

Wash your face and then redo your makeup instead.

Powder blush is the way to go.
Use less makeup than usual.
Use waterproof mascara and eyeliner

 Dont's

 Avoid any liquid foundation or facial lotion as it will most likely make you look like a drenched cat as the day goes on.

You shouldn't use lip gloss for example as it makes your lips sticky and awkward.
Don't use a mousse blush on as it won't last long in the hot climate.
Use pencil eyeliner as it will smudge off.
Don't wear lipstick as they have a tendency to melt in hot weather.

Just additional advice, go for a bronzed look as it turns you into a sun kissed goddess in the hot weather. 

Last advice is to go for mineral makeup and always think less is more!

If you have any suggestions or would like to add anything yourselves, then be my guest. By all means. Hope this helps though :)

My beloved brushes

I've noticed people have been asking me about what brushes I use and which ones I prefer. Well, since I'm only starting out, I decided to invest in an inexpensive set as I am only experimenting for now. I did my research and finally I decided to get my hands on the e.l.f. 11 pc. Studio brush set. I was so excited because it's inexpensive and their brushes are pretty much decent. 

I got this set from ebay and you can also get them here

as I have yet to see them in their stalls. Let me know if you've seen them because I need to get another for my giveaway. :)

Above is the box and it looked nice to me as this is my first brush set. I've heard it's not good to buy sets, but I need one for practice. Below is a picture of how it looks opened. There is still spaces left for additional brushes. I'm very much pleased about the casing as it is waterproof as well. I'm sure it's not totally waterproof but somehow is fine by me. :)

This is my favorite brush in the line, the Powder Brush. It is soft to the touch and it doesn't make me wanna itch. It gives me a pretty even finish. I usually use it for my pressed powder as I just add liquid foundation with my bare hands. Doesn't feel right if I use a brush. 

This is the complexion brush which comes 2nd in line to my Powder brush. My main use for this one is for my blush on actually as I find the size perfect for my cheeks and it gives a natural blush finish.

 

Below is the Blush Brush. To be honest, I don't really use this one that much as I find the size too small for its purpose. 

 

I'm not a fan of brushes to put on liquid foundation because I feel that it gives a streaky application. This Angled foundation brush is sadly not an exception. I don't use this one that much either.

 

This is also one of my favorites in the line, Fan brush. Actually this fan brush is rather sparse but maybe that's okay so it won't leave any traces when I use it. I use this one predominantly underneath my eyes to take away any fallouts from my eyeshadow. A few brush sweeps and I don't see any fallouts.

 

My favorite for Eyeshadow, Contour Brush. I use this one actually as a blender for my eyeshadows. It really picks up the eyeshadow very well.

 

From L-R

Concealer brush - I use this one to blend my eyeshadow at the upper lid.

Small angled brush - This one I use when I want to be precise with my eyeshadow C-line.

Small Smudge Brush - I use it to blend out my eyeliner pen. 

Small precision brush -  This one I use for more precise strokes like adding eyeshadow to my upper and lower lines on my eyes.

Yes, I guess by now you have noticed that there is actually one brush missing and it is the C Brush. I must have left one at our family house as I can't find it anywhere. I did a makeover on my mom! :) It's a nice brush actually and I use it for blending my eyeshadow.

Overall, I'm very much satisfied and I use all of my brushes. I do wanna make additional purchases but maybe from other brands too so I can compare.

Just a suggestion, if you want to get brushes from e.l.f., I do suggest the Studio Line as you get more for your money than by getting the regular ones.

 

A take on the L'oreal 2013 S/S look

I got the news not from media but from the one whom I used to look up to (still do actually) when it comes to writing, Veronica Inoturan. You might know her as one of the better freelance writers of  Meg. 

I've always loved the Smokey look as it really does put emphasis on your eyes and makes them stand out. Although that look is great, I'm also very much excited about the L'oreal S/S Makeup look as it is quite the opposite of the Smokey eyes. It takes on the lips as it's main focus and has less focus on the eyes. 

Source

As excited as I am, I give you my take on this look.

As I understood it, the look for me is almost pinupish. I managed to use a new product on my eyes called Nichido Gorgeous Eye Pencil.

What to do:

1. Put foundation all over face.

2. Add face powder afterwards.

3. Prepare the eyebrows (I use a brown mascara to make mine look stronger but natural).

4. Add eyeshadow primer on eyelids.

5. Put black eyeliner at the edges of the eyes (except for upper and inner eye corner)

6. Draw white on the upper and lower inner part of the eye (follow the whole lower line to create a smudgy effect, use sponge).

7. Curl lashes and add the mascara.

8. Add the lipstick.

9. Add blush.

10. Do some contouring (add some light blush powder at the jawline, temple and on the nose).

Hope it helped! Tell me what you like to do.

e.l.f. Super Glossy Lip Shine

The other day I stopped by the e.l.f. stand to check out their products as they're now my first go to when it comes to affordable products. As I am fairly new to the makeup world, I don't wanna waste money on more exprensive items while I'm still practicing. As a person on a restricted budget (self restricted that is as I have a tendency to overspend O_o), I found these two items on sale and take note: buy one take one. :)

 As I experiment more with different eyeshadow colors, I notice that not all lip shades fit the shades I choose. I have merely red, nude and pink. These are just perfect as additionals. The shades I got were the Malt Shake and Candlelight.

My favorite for everyday use is the Candlelight (darker shade) as it is perfect for everyday use and the eyeshadows I like.

Here is how it looked like with the package.

Samples of how it looked like on me (it's like super close to my skin so you can see practically everything but that's fine. LOL)

The lighting in the picture isn't that good as the camera adjusted to the closeness and the lip shade, but these are somewhat the colors.

Samples:

Candlelight

Malt Shake

Pros

The consistency is fine. 

The smell is okay. 

This one in particular has a tendency to even out the longer you use it and it doesn't dry my lips.

Very much affordable.

Cons

I can't really think of any.

Verdict
Personally, I think they both are perfect as I like both the natural shades. I would really like to finish them both and purchase them again. 

Price

129.75 ea but I bought them both at this price because they are on sale and they still are! :)

You can easily find them at Landmark at Trinoma where I got them on sale.

5 beauty/healthy habits from my mom

Ever since I've always been addicted to to beauty and health. In fairness, I think I have to give my mom credit for that. Since I was a little kid, I would always notice the many products my mom got for herself. as her  I was now surprised to recall that when I was little, my mom already had the La Mer facial creme which was one of her favorite ones. Back then I didn't even know what it was. From there, my curiosity kinda grew. When I was 5, I already tried my moms makeup and was caught red handed "wearing" on of her red lipsticks.

Through the years, I learned or shall I say got accustomed to a few beauty and health habits that I shall never get rid of.

Scrub it off

 Source

My mom always had these different scrubs. Name it, she had it. My mom would always do a foot scrub when she needed it so as to prevent calluses. She also had body scrubs and especially those from The Body Shop. Those were or are here favorites until now. Now, I'm not perfect but I at least I try to maintain the best that I can.

The good ol' multivitamins

 There isn't a day that I don't take my vitamins. I may be a girl who really loves to eat and I'm sure I get a lot of vitamins from food itself, but one can never really be 100% sure now, can we? These are the ones I use on a daily basis. I know my skin is quite fine,my hair is getting healthier and I've always have had good sight. These are the stuff that I get from taking care of myself. My mom always wanted me to take my vitamins even as a child. It surely has paid off.

Run, baby, Run

Source

Already in kindergarten, I was a very active kid and loved to play. My mom enrolled me in Football when I was in 3rd year elementary due to me having difficulty breathing and I had asthma at that time. I eventually enrolled religiously every year until I was 15 and left for the Philippines and I started going to the gym when I was in college and until now I still go to the gym or I jog the doggies. I just can't seem to stop being active. I've built a healthy built. Although I'm bigger than some girls, I'm fine with that as long as I know I'm healthy. One should never be sorry for that.

Multipurpose Vaseline

 

Source 

This was the 2nd placer my mom had besides her La Mer Creme. This is definitely a lifetime saver. I use it for so many things because it is versatile. I use it for my hair if its unruly, lips if they're too chappy, makeup remover, treatment for dry skin and the list goes on. It's really a must have and the best thing is, it's very much inexpensive. I actually have the one in the picture but I rarely use it because I don't wanna use it up.

Not just for babies

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I bet we all remember the Johnson's baby shampoo back when we were little. Well, I still use it now, but just like once a week to get rid of product buildup in my hair. It actually helps. Before I used this, my hair would always be a bit oily because of the products I use on my hair. Now, when I use this one, it feels as if my hair has been detoxified. What I do is I dilute just an ample amount in water and use that water to wash my hair. If too much is used, it will definitely dry out the hair.

 There you have it. My go to habits that most likely will not change. Tell me your habit if you want. I love to hear from my readers. :)

The Brow Facts

We all have days where we feel less inclined to put makeup on our entire face or there are days where we are running out of time to do anything at all. That's fine of course, but to keep yourself looking neat, it is important to take care of your eyebrows. Your eyebrows can make or break how you look. In one way, they shape your face and make you look good.

Here are examples on people have reshaped their eyebrows clinically (I am not promoting the clinic that had the work done, it's just an example):

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You can clearly see the differences above. See how all of them look a bit tired with the uneven eyebrows but when they had their eyebrows reshaped, they looked more youthful and perky.

There are many ways to get good eyebrows, but the first step to do if you're not good at shaping is to get them fixed with a professional. They will shape your eyebrows so they fit your face. Now there are many eyebrows to choose from so I have included samples below. Be careful to not get your eyebrows too thin as it tends to age the person. Thick eyebrows tend to make the person look younger. Well groomed eyebrows tend to beautify the person.

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Just in case you are unsure of what face type you have, here are examples.

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If you look closely at the different face types, you will notice that the eyebrows are shaped differently. When in doubt, ask a professional. When you have achieved the perfect eyebrows, all you have to do is to maintain them. Keep stray hairs at bay by waxing, tweezing, threading or shaving them with an eyebrow shaver.

Personally, I'm so OC with my eyebrows that it's crazy, but I feel I have to anyway.

Good luck with those brows!

Color me Blue

After all the products I posted from the previous posts, I return to what I originally said my blog would be about. Affordable makeup. Every time I look at a palette, I'm always so confused about what colors to use but I tend to experiment a lot, specially lately. The color blue was first on my mind after a few seconds as I knew it would really make my brown eyes come alive (sounds like storytelling ha ha). As I keep on practicing, I notice that I do my makeup better when I have enough time as I don't stress too much to get it on.

FYI, I look funny in this picture. LOL

Here are the items that I chose for my makeup session:

Ever Bilena ProFlawless Finish Foundation (Beige)

Maybelline Clear Smooth Shine Free Powder Foundation (Natural SPF 20)

Etude House Eye Brow Pencil (No2 Dark Brown)

Ever Bilena Brown Mascara - I used this one on top of the pencil to darken.

Ever Bilena 24 Shades Eyeshadow Palette

Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion

Koshize Pink Delight Blush On (BLH 2)

Nichido Length & Curl Mascara

Stila Lip Glaze (Jolly)

Here is a short list on what what shades I used and to make it better I enumerated them to make it easier.

 

 1.) Entire eyelid

2.) Outer lid and upper crease

3.) Upper lashline (Just for pictorial purposes, but an eyepencil or liquid eyeliner can also be used)

4.) Brow Bone/Highlight also used for Inner lid/Inner Lower Lash Line

Here are better photos of the Eyeshadow.

 

Here is also a picture of the brushes I used.

From Left to Right: Eyeshadow C Brush, Contour Brush, Concealer Brush, Small Angled Brush, Small PRecision Brush, Blush Brush, Complexion Brush, Powder Brush and the Fan Brush.

These are 9 pieces of the e.l.f.  11 piece set I got a few months back. I'd love to splurge on more expensive ones, but I'm currently satisfied with these ones. My favorite is the Complexion Brush and the Powder Brush and they're really soft. Will do a separate review on the entire set after this post.

The outcome was more satisfactory than I thought it would turn out. The color is really nice and the palette is not that bad. Hope someone would benefit from my post.

Goodluck and see you soon!