MOVED

I've found a new home at HelloBeauty.ph :)

Face of the Day: Feminine, Natural

Foundation: Shu Uemura Glow Enhancing Powder Foundation (applied using a damp Beauty Blender so it doesn't look cakey :D)

Undereye concealer: Benefit Erase Paste

Eyebrows: MAC Eye Brows in Brunette

Eyeshadows: NARS Bengali, Urban Decay Naked 2 (Tease and Bootycall)

Eyeliner: K-Palette Super Black Eyeliner (upper lash line only)

Mascara: The Face Shop Collagen Volume Mascara

False Eyelashes: The Face Shop Daily Beauty Tools Eyelashes

Contouring: Shu Uemura Glow On in Medium Amber

Blush: The Face Shop Face It Designing Blusher 02

Highlight: Benefit High Beam

Lipstick: Laura Mercier in Barely Nude

Lip Liner: MAC Lip Liner in Subculture

some of the products I used

My favorite makeup look!

Nails of the Day: OPI Samoan Sand

One of my favorite shades of nude nail polish!

forgive the imperfect application XD

For nude nail polish, it's not a one-color-fits-all kind of thing. Of course you should consider what your own natural skin tone looks like and go from there. Warm skinned, NC15-NC20 girls... this polish is for us!

My Asian Skincare Routine

I always hear things about Korean women using about 18 to 20 different products at night for their skin. Although I'm a little doubtful of that statistic (if I used that much product at one time, I think my face would start melting), it makes sense why people would say that. Koreans have amazing skin! 

Following the habit of the Koreans and the Japanese, I've also updated my skincare routine accordingly. I've actually rediscovered my love for The Face Shop about a month ago when I was bored at the mall and got a bit tired of going to Rustans/the drugstores for cosmetics and skincare all the time. So hooked!

My skincare products - day and night. 

Take note: I have extremely sensitive, acne-prone combination skin. Sensitive as in it burns easily with strong products. Has a lot of redness. Flares up/reacts to many cosmetics which don't have really good quality. So yup I try to spend on the stuff I use for my face because there was a time in my life I would just buy anything that looked nice and I ended up breaking out all over. -_-

It makes sense to use a different set of products sometimes especially when you have combo/oily skin. In the daytime, I try to use lighter products which have oil-controlling properties. In the evening, I use heavy, clarifying products to nourish and deep cleanse the entire day's dirt and residue off my face.

Day skincare

1.) Pre Cleansing: Shu Uemura White Recovery EX+ Brightening Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula -one of my favorite skincare products! Evens out the skin tone and gives and overall radiance to the face after cleaning.

2.) Salicylic Acid Cleanser: Olay Total Effects 7-in-1 Anti Aging Salicylic Acid Cleanser. -This is a great cleanser for those who have troubled skin, or just want to have a prevention plan in case acne wants to break out lol. It has fine micro-beads which lightly exfoliate the skin gentle enough for everyday use. I don't know if this is available here in the Philippines though.. but Garnier has a new anti-acne line called Pure Active and they carry a salicylic acid scrub cleanser too. :)

3.) Light Toner: The Face Shop Clean Face Mild Toner - a light, non-drying, oil-controlling toner that doesn't leave your skin tight/dry after application. I use a light toner for the day because having a skin that's too dry might cause your makeup to look cakey during the day.

4.) Serum: The Face Shop White Tree Snow Facial Treatment Essence- another light serum with a really fresh scent! This essence evens out the skin and gives a radiant and dewy finish without feeling heavy on the face.

5.) Day Cream/Moisturizer: Clarins Multi-Active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream - I love Clarins! I love their Multi Active age prevention line. It's moisturizing without the oily feel.

6.) Sunblock: The Face Shop Natural Sun SPF 50 PA+++ - I think this is the only sunblock I've used so far that didn't break me out or didn't give me a harder time with makeup application. My old Shiseido Very High Sun Protection Lotion was terrible. The Neutrogena Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock was terrible. You can definitely trust Koreans to make a sunblock that's safe for sensitive Asian skin.

Evening skincare.

1.) Pre-Cleanse: Shiseido Pureness Refreshing Cleansing Water (Oil-Free, Alcohol-Free) - a nice cleansing water that preps your face for deep cleansing.

2.) Deep Cleansing: Shu Uemura Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil - I use this at night because it's made to unclog pores so I'd have less problems with blemishes such as blackheads, whiteheads and acne caused by the makeup I wear during the day. I find that this has a denser formula than the Purple cleansing oil too.

3.) Anti-Acne Toner: Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clarifying Lotion - I use this every night as a preventative toner even when I don't have acne. It's a little drying, much like the feeling of a salicylic acid treatment on the face. But it gets the job done!

4.) Serum: Neutrogena Fine Fairness Brightening Serum - I've read good reviews about the Neutrogena Fine Fairness line as it's exclusively distributed here in Asia because every product from the line was made in Korea. I love this serum because not only does it brighten and even out my skintone, it also has Retinol which is has great healing properties for the face (anti-aging, anti-acne, etc.) Although putting retinol on the face makes it more vulnerable to the sun so better use all your retinoids at night!

5.) Eye Cream: Clinique All About Eyes Cream - In all my experiences, eye creams or eye treatments which claim to lighten under eye circles are usually bogus. (I honestly believe that if your undereye circles are genetic or caused by allergies, your eyebags won't ever lighten - that's what concealers are for!) This eye cream is good for puffiness though. Sometimes when I cry at night and apply this, my eyes don't look puffy the next morning! lol! As for eye wrinkles, I don't really know as I don't have them yet. hehe

6.) Night Cream: Clarins Multi Active Night Youth Recovery Cream - this is the counterpart of my Clarins day cream. It's much more rich and moisturizing. Although if I put on too much, my face ends up greasy the next morning! If you have combo/oily skin like me, make sure to put just the right amount of moisturizer XD

*Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover - something I use before pre-cleansing/deep cleaning if I wore makeup that day.
~Human Nature Sunflower Oil - a treatment I put all over my face if I wear extra-heavy makeup on a certain day like a wedding or when I go out at night.
+Garnier Pure Active Roll On - a salicylic acid treatment I use on troubled spots to remove/prevent acne.
^Clean and Clear Active Speed Clearing Gel - a salicylic acid spot treatment for those ugly cystic acne.

It's definitely better to use salicylic acid than benzoyl peroxide for acne. Benzoyl peroxide products like Panoxyl actually leave those dark acne scars on your face after it removes the pimple!

Weekly exfoliation

I exfoliate once a week with my Olay Pro-X Cleansing Brush and Cleansing Scrub. Again, I'm not sure where you can buy this here in the Philippines as I bought this from abroad... but this is a great product! A $20.00 dupe to the famous Clarisonic MIA which costs around $200.00!

Facial Masks

Also, I try to remember to put on a mask once a week too. The Face Shop has nice masks for different skin types and skin problems. I only managed to get a COOGI once because I ordered something from a Korean website and the lady gave me free samples, this mask included. I would recommend getting a Raspberry Roots Sleeping Mask from The Face Shop. Makes your skin look dewy and supple in the morning when you wash it off. I also ordered a bunch of Queen Helene Mint Julep Masques from amazon so I'll definitely post a review once the orders arrive here at my house. :)

Hope you liked this post! What's your skincare routine?

Amy Pond

Does anybody here watch Doctor Who? XD

I love Amy (*o*) Counting the days until Series 7...

Purple Blush: Flattering for all skin tones!

Did you know that purple blush gives a softer look than the ordinary pink/red toned blush?

My Shu Uemura Glow-Ons that I customized using their color atelier palettes :) a matte amber (contour), medium peach (color/accent), shimmery brown (contour), matte lilac/lavender (color/accent)

This purple blusher I'm using has some pinkish undertones

So I googled images "purple blush" and saw that not much people wear it - but when they did, it looked so soft and flattering.

Miz Naomi wearing a purple blush. 

Lara Stone for a Tom Ford fragrance ad with purples all over, including her cheeks! 

So I was convinced that the barely used purple blush should look flattering on all kinds of skin tones! 

I experimented a bit and put dark foundation/bronzer all over one-half of my face, and the lightest foundation on the other half.

Purple blush shows up looking like a "natural flush" even on darker skin tones. Surprisingly, it still appears subtle even when applied to lighter skin. :)

natural looking cheeks for everyone! 

lol! Hope you liked my little experiment! And definitely check out Shu Uemura's glow-ons. I saw 3 different purple blushers displayed in their store. Pick one that gives you the most natural looking flush! :)

Shu Uemura YUME Advanced Makeup Class

MOVED TO A NEW HOME AT http://hellobeauty.ph :-)

Wow, I'm really glad I took this class. At first I thought "oh, I'm just taking this for fun. I don't think I can learn any more tips and tricks more than what I've learned from watching so many Michelle Phan videos." (... ... ) but I was so mistaken! Apart from the fact that it was really FUN, I learned so many things including the technical side of makeup like Color Theory, Shape and Texture, and even Face Structuralization.

We were made to go through the following steps: Shu Uemura skincare routine, Healthy glowing makeup, Day-to-night makeup, and Runway makeup. 

Unfortunately I didn't get to take a lot of pictures as I was really focused on the class XD lol! I took a bit but only using my camera phone. I'm glad I was classmates with Nikki (http://askmewhats.com) and Wendy (http://animetric.blogspot.com) who I noticed took a LOT of photos. So I'll just ask permission to steal from them when they post. hehehe. 

Enrolled with my one of my closest friends Jen. Taking a break. Still wearing "natural look" :) 

Our teacher, Ms. Sharon Soledad Malig teaching us how to do a smokey eye using colors (not just black or brown) :D

Me and forever youthful Nikki being becky with our lashes!!! hahaha!! 

Jen's runway makeup 

chos

lol! thanks for the picture Ms. Sharon! Keri lang ang lashes!

with Roy, who always assists me when I shop at Shu Uemura! :) 

Jen and I with our finished runway makeup :)

And we got to take home a Shu Fanatic Black Membership card (which can only be retrieved when you have a single receipt purchase of P 12,000)! Although I'm a little problematic as I still have points in my white membership card so I can't use the black card yet. le sigh. That, plus discount and makeover coupons and a gift from Shu Uemura.

If you take this class, there's also a culminating activity you can join in the future which can earn you P10,000 worth of products from Shu Uemura! Gah! I don't think there's a definite date yet, but I will ask around. :)

It was really tiring (we extended an hour so we took the class from 1 PM - 7 PM) but really fun and worth it. I love Shu Uemura!!! :) 

Concealers 101

Acne scars, redness, uneven skin tone, dark under eye circles, hyper pigmentation, huge pores. If you're someone who's had any of the following problems with the face, it's a safe guess to say you're a huge fan of concealers. 

Almost everyone I know who wears makeup has at least one concealer stored for everyday use. For emergency breakouts, late nights, puffy eyes, and touch ups throughout the day... concealers are definitely "holy grail" material for anyone vain enough to pile up gunk on their face. (that is me, yes) 

In this post, I'll be discussing the different types of concealers and the specific skin condition it's supposed to be covering up. (Note: All from experience! :D) 

My collection of different types of concealers.

1.) Correctors 

Bobbi Brown Corrector

Correctors are mainly used to even out the skin tone. You can get away with using just this if you have relatively clear skin and light under eye circles. This is a godsend for redness around the nose, lips and eyes. It can also cover up hyperpigmentation/sun spots fairly well. The consistency is kind of stiff, which makes it stay put pretty long throughout the day. 

Bobbi Brown has the best corrector as far as I know. Although for fairer girls living here in the Philippines, they don't carry the Ivory shades Bobbi Brown releases worldwide. This is the lightest color they have - Light Peach (for warm undertones). The lightest they have for cool undertones is Light Bisque. It goes on a little dark on my skin (I switch between NC15-NC20 in MAC) but it works anyway!

 2.) Pot Concealers

Pot concealers are best for covering up blemishes such as pores, acne, scarring, and age spots. Consistency-wise, these are pretty heavy - sometimes too heavy to be used for dark circles. If you use pot concealers under your eyes, you probably notice them crease throughout the day. The skin around the eye area is thinner compared to the rest of the face so the weight of your products tend to pile up.

Laura Mercier Secret Concealer, MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer

3.) Concealer Palettes

Most concealer palettes come from brands who cater to studio/professional makeup (e.g. Ben Nye, Graftobian, Make Up Forever, Kryolan, Coastal Scents etc.) and they usually comprise of at least 5 shades including colors like green, purple and red for very specific skin coverage. Laura Mercier's famous Secret Camouflage is a very usable concealer palette which only comes in two shades - a yellowish one, and a salmon-y one. This concealer is very versatile - it's stiff enough to be used on blemishes, but creamy enough to be used under the eye (albeit sparingly). I use it mainly on my blemishes by first patting on the salmon color to even out the skin tone, and then finishing off with the yellow color to cover up the area :) 

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage - HG Blemish Concealer!

4.) Liquid/Creamy Concealers

If a concealer is liquid or is being marketed as being "creamy", it's safe to say that it's meant to be used under the eye area. Like I said above, the skin around the eye is pretty delicate so it's best to use aqueous products with light and buildable consistencies around it. Also, these concealers tend to have a "brightening" effect which is perfect for tired eyes and dark circles.

Benefit Erase Paste and Lancome Effacernes. The Lancome Effacernes is my HG Undereye concealer! It doesn't crease or budge! Most concealers run because I have oily/combo skin but this one just stays put. 

5.) Highlighter/Concealer Pens

AAAHHHH! These things are miraculous! At first, I wasn't convinced as my first experience with a highlighting/concealing pen was the YSL Touche Eclat and it didn't really do anything for me. But then I got to try the Clarins one, then the Dior one... then okay, I am hooked! These pens are great because they not only conceal, but they also have little speckles of light reflecting particles which make your eyes 10x more brighter than just wearing an ordinary under eye concealer.  This is wonderful for girls with light under eye circles. But for girls (like me!) who have dark ones from genetics or perennial allergies (p_p. me again), this is a great product to layer over your favorite under eye concealer. :) Miracles!!!

Dior SkinFlash Radiance Booster Pen and Clarins Instant Light Brush On Perfector. The Dior has more highlight while the Clarins has more conceal. The downside to highlighter pens: they tend to be on the pricey side especially because they contain a lot less product than other concealers. This isn't a makeup "need", it's really more of a makeup "want". :) 

 If you want to try what it's like to have a highlighter/concealer pen without the commitment of buying one, try dabbing on a tiny amount of liquid highlighter (like Benefit High Beam) after applying your favorite under eye concealer. :)



Hope you enjoyed this post! And if you have any more concealers to recommend, please do tell me! I'm a HUGE fan! :D

Japonesque Silhouette Brush Set + Everyday Travel Essentials

I've been on a makeup brush craze recently and bought one 24 pc professional set and one 12 pc vegan brush set from Charm Essentials (a local brush brand which has GREAT quality brushes! If you took away the label, I'd say it was exactly the same as MAC. And I think it is. They're all made in China anyway lol!) But I wanted a travel size set since I was planning on refurbishing my makeup bag.

So yeah I saw this on the Japonesque shelf in Beauty Bar Shang and thought it was perfect. Travel size with brush pockets + separate divider for storing travel cosmetics. And it came with a mirror too. Yay!

Japonesque 5 Piece Silhouette Brush Set

Details, etc etc

The bag looking classy 

There's the mirror!!! and my arm lol

It's kind of two tier i guess 

Powder/Blush Brush, Eyeliner Brush, Concealer Brush, Eyeshadow Brush, Lip Brush

There are enough pockets to fit maybe one more fluffy brush and two more thin eyeshadow-type brushes. I was still able to fit my Smashbox mini Contour Brush! :D

Travel Kit Makeover! Makeup Remover (Clarins), Facial Cleanser (Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil), Facial Moisturizer (Shiseido Brightening Emulsion) , Sunblock (Shu Uemura UV Armor), Highlighting/Concealing Pen (Dior SkinFlash Radiance), Neutral lipstick (Shu Uemura BR 710), Sheer gloss (Smashbox Sheer gloss in Radiance), All Purpose Concealer (Laura Mercier Secret Concealer), Lip balm (Korres Lip Butter), Eyebrow Pencil (MAC Eye Brow in Brunette), Eyeliner (Etude House Oh My Eye Line), Blotting Powder (Chanel Purete Mat), Neutral Eyeshadow Palette (Smashbox Eyeshadow Trio) 

organization perfection O_O I love this cosmetic case!!! On the first divider is where I store the brushes and the skincare stuff.

On the other pocket is where I store the cosmetics.

Aah! If you still don't have your travel brushes/everyday makeup case, try to get this one if you can! What a great find! :)

Clinique: Take the Day Off!

Most makeup removers are only formulated to remove eye/lip makeup, but Clinique has one that's gentle enough to be used on the entire face. 

Clinique Take The Day Off 

I love the pun! 

Packaging is okay - typical Clinique. and it didn't come with a box (which is alright i guess. just makes it more environmentally friendly)

Here's me with makeup. And before you ask, the reason why I'm wearing two different eyeshadow colors is because I got a new palette and I wanted to try different colors at the same time to see which fits me more LOL. Anyway yeah I was wearing  a full face of makeup here...

Using a cotton pad wet with Clinique Take the Day Off on my right eye

Now on the left..

Oooo all gone!!!

YAK!

For added cleaning, I use a gentle cleansing water like Shiseido Pureness Refreshing Cleansing Water. Lancome also has its own version and so does Shu Uemura. I use my Shu Uemura Foaming Cleansing Water whenever my face becomes oily (gah.. hormones!) and my Shiseido for normal days.

My face is even cleaner. It's so clean that you can see all the redness and pores and imperfections... T_T heheh.. but that's what makeup is for anyway hehehe. And that pink thing is a Japanese hair velcro which I discovered from my friend Jen. It's so cute and convenient for putting on makeup and cleaning your face. If you want to save yourself from cowlicks, buy them! Only 60 pesos a pair!

Just in case you're curious about my nighttime skincare regimen: 1.) Makeup Remover (Clinique Take the Day Off) 2.) Pre Cleansing (Shiseido Pureness Refreshing Cleansing Water) 3.) Oil Cleanser (Shu Uemura WEX+ Brightening Cleansing Oil) 4.) Toner (Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clarifying Lotion) 5.) Eye Cream (Clinique All About Eyes) 6.) Serum (TheFaceShop White Tree Snow Essence) 7.) Heavy Night Cream/Moisturizer (Clarins Multi-Active Night)

Happy cleaning!