Wondering which neutral palette to get? As your resident beauty addict, I had to take a closer look at these palettes Revlon just recently launched here in Manila, the ColorStay Not Just Nudes Palettes.

Finally, a beauty post! Sorry that I'm wearing my mommy blogger far too often now. I promise to resume being a beauty blogger role stat! I really do have soo much in store for you! I'll make it up to you, I swear it! Let's proceed, shall we?

It's just me but I consider a brand worth paying attention to when they come out with impressive face products. Colors are fun but it's the face base that are the toughest to perfect. I would like to think that a brand and its people did a great deal of testing and research. And not put anything out there haphazardly done when it comes to their foundation and face powders because they know their color products like lipsticks and shadows are going to carry them. When you want to do something, you might as well pour all your heart and soul in it, right?

That's why on the top of must-try lists from the Pink Sugar line are their BB cream, concealer and face powder.

It's been awhile since I really dolled up.

Since I had baby Claud, I barely had time to put on makeup on. Taking care of her is all I wanted to do from the moment she opens her eyes in the morning to the minute she closes them at night. I'm a lucky mom though because my baby is easily content. That's why I allow myself an hour or two sometimes to attend events here and there and to write here on my blog.

And when I received the invite to Pond's Beautiful Story event, I took this chance to try to glam myself up. Well just a little bit. So in between breastfeeding and rocking baby Claud to sleep, I started to spruce up.  I missed this! Don't get me wrong, I love motherhood but it really does take so much of my time. So getting to play with my makeup again was such a sweet breather. Thank God, our baby Claud wasn't so fussy.

So here's my very first Face of the Day as a Mom! :)

Do you really need an excuse to party? I don't think so. Rather, seek out the opportunity and say yes when the DJ starts to play his music. Believe me when I say that time will come that you won't even want to go out on a weekend. :)

When has life started to get dull for me? I use to stay up all night dancing and wearing out the DJ's playlists. I was then always the last girl on the dance floor. Well, those days are far behind me. I am nearing my 30th birthday and I can say that my life has turned pretty mellow.... and yes, it is for the better.

My kind of partying now compose of attending evening events for different brands who invite me and going out for drinks with friends. It may not necessarily include shaking my booty but I'm more than okay with that. After all, you never know where the night will take you oftentimes.

So for that, I choose my go-to evening makeup look, a bronze-gold smokey eyes and nude lips. When paired with a little black dress and pumps, you are half assured it's going to be a fun night. I turn to my Urban Decay Naked Palettes when creating this look. For this tutorial, I chose the second Naked Palette. The base is cool but definitely a great palette for creating looks such as this.

1. Apply Half Baked on the lid. I prefer to pat it with my ring finger for a more vibrant look.
2. Contour the outer V with Snakebite (a deep bronze shadow). Wing it out and this helps with extending out your eyes and lifting them up. A great answer to droopy eyes like mine. 
3. Deepen the crease with Busted or a black eyeshadow to ge the illusion of a rounder eye lid.
4. Extend it down to the lower lids for a more realistic effect of a larger rounder eyes.
5. Define the eyes with a gel liner.
6. Apply false lashes to enhance your real ones and to open your eyes more.
7. Apply mascara bring real and false lashes together for a natural effect.

Paired it with MAC Peachstock, my favorite nude lipsticks and topped it off with Mary Kay Nourishine Lip Gloss.

Healthy looking cheeks should be paired with this look so apply blush liberally and MAC Gleeful did the job for me here. And of course, don't forget to contour. :) For the complete list of the products used, here they are:

Products used:
Benefit Porefessional as primer
Vichy Dermablend in Nude (review here)
K Palette 0 Kuma Concealer (review here)
MAC Studio Fix Concelaer for dark spots and pimples
Bobbi Brown Sheer Pressed Compact powder
MAC Mineralized Blush in Gleeful
Benefit Hoola
K Palette Real-Lasting Eyebrow Liner (review here)
Majolica Majorca Brow and Lash Colorist (review here)
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette (review here)
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner
Fairydrops Platinum Mascara (review here)
Hurraw! Mint Lip Balm
MAC Peachstock lipstick
Mary Kay Nourishine lip gloss
Mary Kay Makeup Setting Spray

This look was achieved using the brushes included in the Charm Sonia Travel Pro Set (review here).

I love this look and I'm sure you'll love it, too! So go on! Go out with your friends, have fun and look great doing it!

From a former party girl,

And for a New Year's Eve look, take emerald to your eyes and celebrate the last of 2012 in style!

To recreate this look, just follow my instructions (and then add you're own twist!):

1. Prime your eyes. A party can last all night long, avoid your shadows from creasing by using a really good eye primer or cream shadow. It also makes the shades more vibrant. (Bobbi Brown Cream Eyeshadow in Shore, Php1,200)
2. Make your eye shadow pop. Apply a cream-based product for a smokier effect. (Makeup Forever Colour Case Palette, Php4,100)
3. Apply a glittery black eyeshadow on the outer V. Or a matte one, which ever you prefer for this look. Smokey eyes are suited for evening event, it gives edgy dramatic look and shows great on photos (She Space Minerals, Stolen Soul, $.50)
4. Apply a striking gold eye shadow on the inner corner of your eyes. Dab it with the pad of your ring finger for better pigmentation. (Laura Mercier Illuminating Eye Colour in Gilded Platinum, price upon request)
5. Trace a shimmery green eye shadow on your lower lids. (sample pigment in Enchanted, price not available)
6. Add emerald eye shadow on your outer-crease to harmonize the whole look, use a blender brush to distribute. (sample pigment in Enchanted, price not available)
7. Define your eyes with your favorite eyeliner. I used a liquid one since it stays on longer than pencil. (K Palette Real Lasting 24h Eyeliner, available at Beauty Bar)
8. Accentuate your waterline with a lasting and waterproof eyeliner. (Estee Lauder Doublewear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil, available at Rustan's Department Store)
9. Highlight your brow bones with shimmery beige eyeshadow, make sure it's warm toned to match the warmth of emerald green. (Sassy Minerals in Chantilly, price unavailable)
10. Volumize and lengthen your lashes with your favorite mascara. (Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes, price available upon request)

Will show you what I used for my face after! :)

Happy New Year, dear and wonderful readers! Cheers and here's to another year of beauty and confidence-boosting posts!

The reason why I've always favored the Charm Travel Pro is it's ability to provide me with all the brushes I need to create a complete makeup look. From blending the eye shadow for smokey or natural makeup look, to contouring and highlighting my cheekbones. It practically has everything you need.

That's why I didn't backed down when a friend challenged me to use only Charm Travel Pro Makeup Brush Set. She's just not convinced that she'd be able to use all the makeup brushes in it and find it "too many". Well, CHALLENGED ACCEPTED, I say. :)

This look was done solely using Charm Sonia Travel Pro Makeup Brush Set

Face brushes:

1.  Foundation Brush - great for applying moisturizer, primer and foundation (duh!).

Tip: To avoid brush streaks, try patting the brush instead of sliding it away or downward.

2. Duo Fibre Brush - one of the most versatile brush. Good for foundation using the stipplling method, for applying cream products like cream blush or cream/liquid bronzer and of course for powdered products, too.

3. Powder Brush - great for pressed powder, setting powder, HD powder, blush, bronzer and body glitters.

Tip: To avoid moving your foundation, pat the brush onto the face instead of swiping it. Dust lightly to remove residue.

4. Concealer brush - use this to apply all sorts of liquid to creamy products. The tip is very precise to conceal specific spots.

5. Angled Blush Brush - doubles as a contouring and blush brush. This compact and quite precise angled brush makes it easy for me to contour my cheekbones and to apply blush in a more defined manner.

Eye Brushes: 

1. Wet/Dry Eye shadow brush - great eyeshadow brush. The best by far from local brands I've tried. Picks up products well and it can be used for foiling method.

2. Angled Shadow Brush - makes those shadows appear more cats eyes and create the outer V flawlessly. Use this also to contour the bridge of your nose.

3. Blending Brush - Use this to apply cream products if you want a more softer feel and lighter pressure. It can also be used to set eye concealer.

4. Pencil Point brush - create a false crease, define the lower lash line like a pro with brush.

5. Flat Liner Brush - Use this either as a brow definer or eyeliner gel applicator.

6. Bent Liner Brush - a PRO MUA favorite. Bent liners are often mistaken as broken but it's actually one of the bet tool. For drawing in those winged liners to drawing in designs for body and face painting. You'll love the precision of this brush.

7. Eyebrow Defining Brush - one of the best brow brush I've used, it picks up products well and deliver it precisely on the brows. It's stiff and tough as it should be. Don't use this to line your lashline, this is not for gel liner.

8. Brow Spoolie - great for grooming brows or removing excess mascara for a more softer and natural look.

9. Lip Brush - Great for applying all kinds of lip brush. It's so precise, you don't need a lip pencil.

Yes, my friends also agree that I can go infomercial when I talk about Charm, but I just just can't help it. When something is really good, worth every single penny you earned, you just rave about it.

Products used:

Palgantong Ceramic Face Primer
Shiseido Radiant Lifting Foundation
The Body Shop All-In-One Face Base 05
The Body Shop Honey Bronzer in 04
The Body Shop All-In-One Cheek Colour in 03 Flushed
The Body Shop Brow and Liner Kit 02

Bobbi Brown Cream Eyeshadow in Shore
The Body Shop 4 Color Eye Palette in 01 Smokey Copper
Bobbi Brown Long-wear Eyeliner in Mahogany
Maybelline Eyestudio Drama Gel Liner
Sleek Lash Out Mascara

Nyx Xtreme Lip Cream in Strawberry Jam

Have you tried Charm Travel Pro Makeup Brush Set? Let know how it was and let's talk about it on the comment box below!

Charm Brushes are available at http://beautyandminerals.multiply.com/products/listing/10120/Limited-Edition-Charm-Travel-Pro-SONIA-Makeup-Brush-Set.

Happy Monday, ladies!

On my third installment of using the Sleek I-Divine Palette in Oh So Special, I promised to give you a smokey eye or a dark makeup look.

Here is it! And I called it Party in Purplisia since the look achieved a purlplish tone. Mixing shades can really do wonders so I recommend you to experiment. Remember when we were in pre-school and we were encourage to mix colors and wasn't it fun? Good thing that even as adults we can still mix colors, this time though with cosmetics. :)

Fall is here and it's definitely time to play with cooler and darker shades . Purple is a predominant shade for Fall looks and you can never really go wrong with using it. It compliments our eyes and our skin tone along with the fact that it's more fun compared to using just greys and blacks.

Despite the crazy things that are happening in our country, I still love living here. After watching the recent episode of Grey's Anatomy, Meredith said something truly that made a mark on me, soemthing I truly connected with... As much as this place has taken so much from me, it has also given me every reason to live. I know it's easier to run and it's easier to give up and say "to hell with it." But if there's one thing I know, one thing i'm sure of, I love my country and I will continue to defend it to those who disrespects it along with my own pride and my own reputation.

And who doesn't love the vain-fact that we can bronze night and day no matter what season we're in. It's the country wherein bronzers isn't an option, it's practically a must! :)

Here's a bronzer that's great for this coming holiday season. :) Meet Mememe Goddess Rock Luxury Bronzing Rocks (Php825.00 at MakeupHolics). It reminds me a lot of the one from The Body Shop. This one though is a cool pinkish bronze/gunmetal finish. It's satiny and gives a slight sheen when applied.

I wouldn't advise using this a contour though given it's texture. It's more for a glam effect than it is for doing basic makeup. Get this if you like to party and add a bit of pizzazz to your look. :)

AS you can see in the photo, it's complimenting to my skin and pair well with a pink blush. :) It's great neutral makeup for that extra fabulousity. :)

You can use a medium dense brush to apply this or your regular angled blush brush. Less dense the brush the better. :)

Mememe Goddess Rocks Luxury Bronzing Rocks is available at MakeupHolics. :)

Face:

Clinique Derma White Foundation
The Body Shop All in One Face Base Powder
Unbranded Pink Blushes
The Body Shop Matte Bronzer in 04

Eyes:

Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer
Revlon 16 Hours Eyeshadow Palette in Serene
Maybelline Gel Liner
Majolica Majorca Lash King
Revlon Eyeliner and Brow Pencil

Lips:
Avon Ultra Moisture Rich Rose Collection Lipstick in Blushing Bride Rose