What M is loving now...

Here's what I'm obsessed with right now:

1. Combining tinted moisturizer with BB cream. Like Clinique's moisture surge TM and Etude House BB cream.

2. Nars Soft Touch Shadow pencil in Goddess- it can also be used as a highlighter. It's a shimmery light pink and feels velvety when you apply it.

3. I'm currently using Peter Thomas Roth's Un-Wrinkle Foundation in Medium- feels light on the skin like a TM. Thanks for giving me a sample sis. :)

4. Sugar Tinted Lip treatment in Rose- one swipe gives my lips a pop of color and moisturizes easily.

OOTD: The Maxi(mize) Dress

The MAXI dress has been gaining popularity among the ladies whether they are full-figured or stick thin. The great thing about it is its versatility and its ability to hide those "imperfections". They are usually long hence the name MAXI being the opposite of MINI.  You can wear it day or night and with the right accessories it can transform from a casual look to formal in minutes. Here are 2 versions of a MAXI dress. 

This one is from Rachel Pally. It's made of cotton, eggplant hue, empire-waist that is tied for shape from the front to the center back. This can be worn during the day plus if you don't feel comfortable with your arms hanging out then this is the one for you. L paired it with a black bag and black thong sandals.

Makeup/Skincare...you decide

Before applying makeup I make sure that I have previously applied sunblock.  It gets tiring sometimes to have to use so many products before actually getting to the makeup.  First, moisturizer...second, sunblock, then you have different primers, and lastly, foundation.....phew!!

So whenever I find a product with a built in SPF, I notice.  Recently, I have decided to remove my sunblock lotion from my regimen.  Gasp!...yup, you read that right.  Only because I have been using a primer/base with an SPF 50 PA ++.

It is part of my A.M. Skincare regimen and what actually made me want to try it is it's texture.  On the label it says Cotton Touch and believe me, it is very soft.  It has that cream to powder finish to it and has a light pink tint to brighten up your face.  It does not feel greasy after it is applied unlike some products I have tried ...think Whipped Foundation from Cover Girl.  Let it sink into the sink before applying the next product.

This costs around Php600.00+

New Discovery: Lipstick Shade Alternatives

I noticed that I have this habit of getting similar shades of lipstick from different brands.  But I haven't found anything from my stash that has a duplicate ..... until today!!

I love NARS Dolce Vita lipstick and I am almost done with my 1 tube and  I described it as "similar to your lips but better".  So when I found the ELF Mineral lipstick in Rosy Raisin, I was immediately excited....my kind of shade.   And what do you know, they are very similar!!! at a cheaper price too!!! nice! :)

They both go on smooth and sheer so I found that I need to apply a few coats of it to show on my lips.  They do not dry out my lips and gives a subtle sheen as well.  But 1 thing I noticed with the e.l.f. is that it is moisturizing.

Treasure Find: Eye Brow Brushes

I have been looking for a good eye brow brush and I found it!! It is from Makeup Forever, it has a long handle so I find it very comfortable.  Has short and angled bristles and it is not too thick nor is it too thin.  perfect for giving you that fine tip for your brows.  Unfortunately it costs Php1,050.00

Since I am still unwilling to pay that price I have been trying to look for a good enough alternative.  So far I have the following brushes:  

1. The first brush is from the Sigma Professional Brush Kit and it is the SS 266.  I use it as an eye liner brush and eye brow brush.  Although it is on the soft side to be an eye brow brush, I don't really have any choice because I like the fine point it creates.  
2. The second is from the Body Shop.  It is their Slanted Brush.  It is also on the soft side plus the brush is wider, but I like how thin it is.

                                                       

3. The last brush and the newest find, also the reason for this blog post, my newest discovery...the Fanny Serrano Eye Brow Brush.  It is a synthetic brush so it is not too soft.  It too creates a fine point so I am very happy.  Plus, it costs Php150.00 

Brushes available at Sigma, The Body Shop, and SM Department Store

Tuesday Fashion Tidbit: The "Skinny" on Belts

I started collecting skinny belts when I decided to work again. Every time there's a chance for me to travel, no fail I always bring home a new belt.  So far I have 8 or 9 pieces.  Not that much though but enough to mix and match. My favorites are the animal prints and bright colored ones like the Hot pink and purple.

                             

                            

I also have what I call "practical" belts because they're reversible. It's patent on one side and leather on the other. Most of the pieces I have are from Uniqlo. The yellow polka dot one is from J.Crew.

Monday Skincare:A Review of Clarisonic Mia Sonic Skin Cleansing System

I'm pretty sure you have heard about the Clarisonic Mia.  It has been getting rave reviews and I finally decided to buy one!

 Unpacked Clarisonic Mia

It comes in different colors and I had a hard time choosing what I wanted because they were all pretty.  I finally got the Turquoise, because it's such a refreshing color.  Other stores are selling them but I bought mine from Clarisonic.  With the Mia it came with an extra  Deep Pore Cleansing Brush Head, 2s Gel Cleansers ( 1 big and 1 small) and 1 Pouch (which is very cute).  I noticed that you don't get the additional freebies if you buy at other stores so do your research before purchasing.

Makeup Review: Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl

Another Highlighter on my shelf. I already have the High Beam but I kinda like this one because the consistency is lighter and the "pearly" effect is not too much. Packaging is the same as their primer. Very portable. I apply it over my foundation, targeted on my cheeks and nose and just a bit on my forehead. Even after a long day, the glow is still there. Fantastic! It's a tad pricier than the High Beam though.

If you do want to get one I suggest you go to Amazon (it's cheaper).

Sigma Round Synthetic Brush Review

Since my Hakuhodo brush is still shedding I wanted to use another synthetic brush to apply my foundation.  Sigma came out with 3 of these synthetic brushes probably to apply anything liquid or cream.  I have the round and the angled brush.  The reason I didn't get the flat buffer is because I already have 1, the Sonia Kashuk flat buffer and I am still loving it.

I love the round brush because I can use it on the inner corners of my eyes and under the eye area without poking my eyes out.  They are also very soft so it's gentle on my skin.  You can also use it to apply your powder foundation and you will have a flawless look.

Sigma also came out with an angled brush which can also be used for applying foundation or powder products .

Visit Sigma to see all their wonderful brushes.

OOTD: The "Just Because" Outfit

I've been getting mixed reactions with this one, not with the whole ensemble but more of the dress itself. 

Nothing wrong with the green/white/black combo but it’s the fabric because it is crunched up at the right side and it’s catching their attention....like what's up with that? or the "I don't get it" look ( I know who you are! haha!).  Well that is what actually attracted me to it. My friend Monica said "it was very parisian" and so it made me more confident to wear it.

 

 The dress is by COS, Gladiator heels by Matisse, Black Longchamp Bag and a simple ring. 

The dress itself is very busy so no need for flamboyant accessories.

OOTD: Brunching with the Ladies

Brunching with my girlfriends is the next best thing to shopping so i wanted to look a bit casual and dressed at the same time. So I thought of wearing my DVF wrap-around dress

Paired it with a gold chunky ring and a gold watch

matching it with my Nine West brown suede heels and Ivory Chanel bag ( aka "Ivy")

Nail Care Review: Dior Vernis Nail Lacquer

I bought 2 colors of the Dior's Nail Lacquer. One is Nirvana and the other one is Rose Aristocrat. Their nail polish now has a different brush meaning it's wider so painting your nails becomes somewhat faster. The bristles are softer and has that oval shape to it for those hard to reach areas of your nails. Nirvana sort of looks like Teal (blue-green color). Very bright and it's so perfect for the beach. While the Rose Aristocrat is pinkish in color with a bit of frost so it has that marble effect. This color is safer than the other one so it makes for a "wear anytime" kind of polish.

Check other colors at Rustan's or Diorbeauty.

Makeup Review: Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Foundation

During M's recent trip to Europe she got me this because she knows how I love my matte foundations.  Thanks M!
It says that this foundation has up to 12 hours of natural shine control.  Meaning, it uses cotton to help control shine.  Hey, don't ask me but that's what it says on the container.

After application I noticed that it looked a bit dewy but after dusting a loose powder over it, it was completely matte.  After an hour of doing errands around the mall, a couple of hours of taking pictures with M and doing things around the house, I saw that my face wasn't as oily as it would have been if I used  my Covergirl or my Maybelline Aqua Gel Foundation.  Of course the 12 hours natural shine control didn't happen for me but, maybe if I were somewhere cooler it would have.  Has a nice medium coverage and the shade that I have (303 True Nude) is perfect for my skin tone.  Too bad it's not currently available here in Manila.