The uber raved Beauty Blender is finally in my hands!!

Well, it was just quite a blessing because a friend and fellow classmate from Basement Academy, Stef, decided to import this "beauty" to our wonderful tropical islands!


Along with other famous HD cosmetics that she will be selling, beauty blender has become a favorite for us who were lucky enough to try to it (that's why I got one for myself). Dear Jaimie, Mizzmakeup, raved about it here. I knew I had to get one but it was just mighty expensive to have it shipped or even buy it from Philippine-based sellers.

God must have been listening, because although my new beauty blender didn't come with the container and cleanser, I got it at a reasonable price of Php1200.00. And this baby lasts like crazy. The Beauty Blender that I got to try was used several times (and cleaned, too) for their gigs but it works like it was new again. Now I understand the hype for it.

Don't mistake me for giving up my brushes. But this blender made me forget to use my brush for contouring! The tip was just right to get that perfect slant in shaping that cheekbones and nose. Love!

And have you worked with airbrush foundation? It's very liquid that is why its best to use an airbrush compressor. But with the beauty blender I was able to experience applying an airbrush foundation sans the whole machine. Yeah, I know. Fantastic, right?

This little beauty blender provides an soft airbrush finish and doesn't eat up a lot of product. Rather it delivers it on to the skin. It truly isn't your regular sponge. I really can't explain it but its just love. I especially love using this with my graftobian cool palette, where the cream foundation is ever so light on the face and I could go out even without using concealer. And with this blender, I was able to practice a certain technique a Shu Makeup Artist taught me. I forgot the name of the technique but its like layering where in you pinched the blender and apply it on your dark spots to cover them. Really, I'm bad at explaining so I'll just stop.


I know a lot of beauty enthusiast doesn't have the love for sponges as it often attracts bacteria, but really it just boils down to how hygienic you keep your tools. :) The beauty blender doesn't need a lot of maintenance. I just use my Bare Natural's Brush Shampoo to clean it, spray a few pumps of alcohol, let it dry and store it in a ziplock. Just that simple and same as I do with my brushes. :)

So yeah, I'm sales talking a bit too much. Why don't you just try it for yourself. :) Maybe you ask the Mister to get one this for you for the Holidays, another present under the tree wouldn't hurt. :)

Check more of Stef's stuff at her Facebook page Hi Definition Make-up Studio or multiply page http://hdmakeup.multiply.com/.

Oh, and did I tell that she will be selling OCC Liptars! :) I got a few colors reserved already since it isn't here yet. :)

Gotta shut-up now, I'm writing way too much!

much love,
Shen

I wouldn't mind receiving these babies for Christmas.
Every girl need a little pink (or more) in their lives!
Wouldn't be better if that pink are makeup brushes??











New Charm Luxe Collection: Retractable and Kabuki Brushes

Price range are only Php500.00-580.00!!

And it's launching at
St. James Bazaar on November 27-29, 2008
Free Admission. Over 600 concessionaires!

(this post is primarily for the BF, who may or may not
have an idea what to get me for Christmas or just any ordinary day.)

lol!

much love,
Shen

P.S. More gift ideas to come!

I admit it. I am a big big fan of Ellana. So every time they have anything new in their catalogs, I immediately order them. I just can't help it. And who doesn't love going home with a package waiting for you?


Four new colors added their Mineral Multipurpose Eyeshadows.
Php130.00 (0.7g)


Sublime, bright strawberry pink
(belongs to the family of Pinks/Reds)


Seabreeze, teal green
(belongs to family of Greens)


Serene, matte red brown (eyeliner/eyeshadow)
(belongs tot he family of Browns/Bronze/Beiges)


Dawn, deep orange frost
(belongs to the family of Golds/Oranges)

SWATCHES:





Sample work:

Used Seabreeze (upper lid), Serene (outer V to Crease), Dawn (inner lid crease)









If you love playing with colors, I suggest you grab some these new mpm and get those creative juices flowing. :)

much love,
Shen

How I wish I could do this every week but a good brush is hard to find. The reason for me reviewing the limited edition MAC 214 is not entirely to rave about it. :) As always I try to provide you with an honest opinion with every brush I feature here especially those that are expensive.

MAC website describes the 214 Eye Brush, "Short shader brush, short, rounded, double-chiselled brush with soft, natural bristles." Can be used with shadow to line and smudge around the lash line and very effective for densely shading lids.

If I'm not mistaken, it first came with the Blond Brunette Redhead Collection and relaunched again with the Style Black of this year. Its very thin and could really give a nice even color when shading your lower line. For those with less experience with makeup brushes, taking advantage of all the different uses of this brushes may not come up immediately. I myself found it difficult maximizing the use of this brush.


But thanks to the ever reliable internet and some experimentation, I found additional uses for this brush.

1. Creating that perfect outer V shape. Since this brush is thinly packed, rest assured that you will have that perfect (depending on expertise) Outer V all the time.
2. Foiling eyeshadows as it does eat a lot of color but delivers them onto your lids perfectly.
3. As an all over eyeshadow brush for small lids as it is perfect fit.
4. As a highlighter. Despite the shortness of this brush, the packed hair would give that perfect highlight to your brows.
5. Nose shader for contouring my flat nose.
6. Lastly, as a precision brush for applying color to the lower lids.


But do really need this brush? If you are a brush collector and can afford this one, I say go for it! It is MAC and truly high quality, your granddaughter will still use this in the future. But if you can already achieve a lot of the those I mentioned above with your current brushes, then you can live without this brush.

Let's just say I have a bit of love and not so much love relationship with this brush. I guess, if you're a professional makeup artist, you'll have more use for this brush but for those just starting out you may want to explore other option before settling on this one. As for me, I like it enough but I can say that I can live without it for personal use. But for my gigs, I sure love it as it makes things a lot more convenient for me.

So there you go, I hope I was able to give you an honest albeit confusing review. (giggles)

I miss you all, ladies! Can feel how cold the air at night is? It truly is Christmas (Shopping) time! As for me, I'll DIY'ing a lot of my gifts for friends this year. :) Which reminds me to start fixing my craft area. There's another one for my long list of to do's. :/


much love,
Shen

Here's another FOTD I made a few days/weeks back (really can't remember). I used a lot of my mineral makeup samples from different MMU companies and those given by friends. I realized that I haven't given so much attention to those mmu samples when they give out such pigmented look.

I'm sorry I can't remember all the names of the colors but you can surely recreate this verdant look with your own collection. :)








Face:
Shu Uemura Face Architect
Bare Naturals Dollface Cheenee Mineral Blush


Lips:
Bare Naturals Glamor Liquid Lip Color

Hope you like this look!


Sorry I haven't been doing a lot of the blogging duties but last week was my Mom's death anniversary and I just wasn't feeling a lot of things. I just wanted last week to pass by and I've been spending a lot of my time with my closest friends to distract me... staying home was just really painful and makes me think of how gone Mom really is.

Hopefully this week, I will be getting back on the grind because I really have a lot of new products that I would love to share with you. I already took photos of it and will upload soon on flickr for blog posting.

I'm spending a lot of time as well on FB playing Cafe Word, FarmVille and FishVille. Keeps me mighty distracted. Oh, and watching a lot of tv shows, too. Really, I'm a big helluva a BUM.

I really do apologize for the lack of significant posts. I'm hoping to remedy that soon. Please do bear with me! :)

much love,
Shen

I first found out about this when I was at Landmark, Trinoma looking for the old liquid liner from Maybelline. The SA said that they already phased it out in exchanged for the Maybelline Impact Express Smooth Felt Liner. She convinced me that it was way better and much more easier to use than the previous one.

At first, I was a bit skeptical. It made me think of those other reviews on felt tip liners where the reviewers were left unsatisfied with their products. I didn't want it to be the same with this one and regret buying it. But at first swatch, I was just impressed. The tip was long and really user friendly. But the best thing is that it was really pigmented, very much like the other brand that I really love. And because of the BF's insistence (and financial aid), I went home with Maybelline Impact Express Smooth Felt Liner.

It's been months sicne I got this and I still get the same results as I did the first time I used it. The felt tip didn't change shaper, the pigmentation is still the same and it still lasts a whole day on me (eye primer was always used).

Here are some photos I took for you to see:

There are only three things that you need to look for when buying a liner.
1. Durability of the tip. You need a liner that will stand everyday use and tons of practice. A good tip will also give a precise application in my experience.
2. Pigmentation. Liquid liners are known for the intensity it gives compared to their pencil counterpart. To buy a liner that doesn't provide it, is a complete waste of your hard-earned money (or your parents).
3. Long-lasting. Many of the oily-lid ladies out there like myself prefers a liquid liner as opposed to the pencil since pencils are famous for smudging and traveling to the lower lids. A long lasting liquid liner will not give you that panda eyes throughout the day.


In my honest opinion, I am much more impressed with the Maybelline Impact Express Smooth Felt Liner when it comes to pigmentation. It provides a patent-shiny effect while the High End Brand Felt Tip Liner gives a more matte finish. As to precision, Maybelline Impact Express Smooth Felt Liner is easier to use because of the longer tip while the high end brand will need a little getting use to. As for the price, nothing beats the Php399.00 that I paid for Maybelline while the high end brand is three times more expensive. But when it comes to staying power, the high end brand wins. It last longer and won't even budge even without a primer.

Overall, there isn't much difference and I would immediately buy another one of the Maybelline Impact Express Smooth Felt Liner when I ran out of it. Fortunately though, one pen of this will last me months. But I wouldn't say either that the high end brand isn't worth your pretty penny. Those who can afford, then go for it. But if you are tight on budget and would like a quality product then Maybelline Impact Express Smooth Felt Liner is a great choice.

But why bother with liquid liner and felt tip pen at that.? Here are a few reasons why this writer loves it.

1. Easier to bring around. Being on-the-go, I appreciate a product that is travel friendly.
2. Easier to use as compare to the brush tip. Felt tip or pen type ones are shaky-hands-friendly.
3. Intense pigmentation makes my eyes look more wide awake.
4. No sharpening required.
5. Gives more control on how thin or thick I want my eyeliner to be.
6. Less to no smudging and most of the time, waterproof.
7. Definitely no racoon/panda eyes.

I guess it's obvious already how deep my love affair is with felt tip liners. But this blog is after all everything I am addicted to. :) And maybe with my sharing, you'll find them worth your while as well. :)

Happy weekend, ladies!

much love,
Shen

I know, I know, I haven't been blogging for awhile. I won't try to make excuses but will just try to get back in the grind this week (despite a very hectic sched). I really just want the days ahead to pass by... especially that my mom death anniversary is fast approaching.

But even with such things approaching, there are just some events that you look forward. Like just last tuesday. I was able to spend some quality time with my best friend, Cam, in elementary. I went with her to Ellana sales office in West Avenue. She hoarded quite some good finds that she is extremely enjoying in her flights (she's a flight attendant soon to be pilot). We had late snacks at Don Henrico's (walking distance from Ellana). After which we chatted more at Starbuck's. It was also a pleasant surprise that her mom invited me over to their new place where I got to see Cam's fam again after more than a decade. Thanks to Facebook, I was able to reconnect with a dear friend. Until now I can't believe how alike we still are in so many ways.

Of course, I didn't leave Ellana empty handed. I got myself of one their newest product, Ellana Mineral Stick Concealer in Neutral Golden Beige. Or what I would call a yellow undertoned concealer.


I'm sure most of you are eager to know the consistency and lasting power of this concealer. At first, I was expecting a gooey-alsmost-paste like texture but I was quite please that it was not at all. The Ellana Mineral Stick Concealer has a smooth and soft consistency that provides an even application. Not the soft type that it would instantly melt upon application but the blending is super easy. It covers my dark marks quite well especially when i top it with my favorite mineral concealer Radiant, which sets the stick concealer beautifully. Suffice it to say, for a mineral stick concealer, this one surpasses most expectation.

As for the lasting power of this concealer, I would advice those with oily skin like me to not forget setting it with mineral powder concealer to make it last longer. But with those less oilier or fortunate people who doesn't oil up at all, this concealer will surely be you new best friend. The travel size tube is really handy for a quick touch up. Ellana Mineral Stick Concealer has replaced a high end concealer that was residing in my kikay kit for more than a year already, it's that good.

The Alive shade, a Neutral Golden Beige is what I would call a yellow undertone shade. It is similar or within the same shade family of NC of Mac and Beige of NYX. It is great for the pinay skintone as most us are yellow undertoned. Meaning you can use this either for blemishes or undereye dark circles. Although the Refresh variant is so much better for under eye for it is a neutral salmon which has a pink undertone. For better to cancel out the purple shade, my dear.

Enough chatter, I suggest you try it out for yourself. Here are some pics for your perusal. :)

MAC Pink Nouveau topped with MAC Creemsheen Glass in Melt in your mouth


As always, I gravitate to my Urban Decay Book of Shadows Vol. I when I know its going to be a good night.


Face:
Shu Uemura Face Architect
MAC Dsquared Sculpt and Shape Bone Beige Emphasize (for review)
The Body Shop Hot Brights Blush in Fleur De Soleil
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Redhead


The BF and Me. :) Happy Birthday, Love!

til next fotd!

much love,
Shen

If you ask me my favorite cuisine, I would instantly say Filipino cuisine. For me, my own heritage of different dishes provides the palate a myriad of experience. I can't imagine not eating Adobo, Mechado, Sisig and Crispy Pata. I am very much in love with Filipino food that I wouldn't mind choosing it over an Louis Vuitton Eclipse (but who would be so cruel to make me choose, right?).

I'm very much proud of Pinoy Cuisine and eating at Crisostomo only made me more proud. Who would have thought that an Angus beef would taste so well cooked like bistek tagalog? Suman fondue? Ahhh... my two new favorite dessert words. What about crispy calamares, golden fry? Let's stop there as my stomach is growling from reminiscing my fantastic meal at Crisostomo.

Crisostomo couldn't be more Pinoy in name (Spanish really but the name holds a different meaning to us Filipinos). Taken from the novel El Filibusteristmo, authored by our National Hero, Jose Rizal, could speak of what the restaurant is trying to put out there for their customers. Filipino fusion at its finest.

Sorry that I don't have the menu posted here. I didn't even get the names right.. But its still the one of the best Pinoy cuisine I've tasted. :)


It is quite expensive to dine here and many have said that the servings are quite minimal.

As for me, I wouldn't let a chance go by to eat here again. The overall ambiance and the food makes for an intimate dinner date with a loved one. And what is more intimate than the dishes you grew up with transformed in gastronomic gourmet.

Hoping that I could up more Yum! Yum! posts!!

much love,
Shen