Maybelline Gel Foundation and Fuchsia Lipstick Review

Can't believe it's been a decade since my last beauty product review. What does it mean? It means, I've been pretty lazy putting on makeup for a while. Haha. Mind you, I don't have a gorgeous celebrity bare face but I love it when it's smooth and clean. Normally, I would apply the basic foundation, concealer, lip gloss, and lipstick alone when going to school or malling. If there's enough time, I would add blush on and eyebrow liner. Anyway, enough about my beauty regimen kuno and let's get down to my back to back review of two Maybelline products-- gel foundation and pink lipstick.





Maybelline Clear Smooth Aqua Foundation 24 True Beige at P349 and Maybelline 160 Fifth Ave. Fuchsia Lipstick at P399



I call this the tapon proof nozzle! :)



It's not cream.. it's gel.



beautiful pink color..



Before and after.. my bare and then colored lips.



Before and after.. my bare face without and then with foundation.



Do I like both products?
-No.

Am I going to purchase the gel foundation again? Why or why not?
-Not really. I prefer Maybelline Clear Smooth Mineral Liquid Foundation. It's easier to apply and the coverage is lighther.

Am I going to purchase the the pink lipstick again? Why or why not?
-Certainly! I love it so much better than my fist pink lippie. It is affordable too!

Join the Belle de Jour Fair 2012!

Hello ladies! This is an invitation to join the Belle de Jour (BDJ) Fair 2012 this coming October 14, 2012 at the SM Mall of Asia.





Read the following BDJ information for reference:

BDJ believes in every Bella’s capacity to live her life to the fullest, whether it be through pursuing new dreams, or trying out new experiences, or making the most out of a single day.  We’re here to help you and inspire you with novel ideas and amazing adventures!

And after 7 years of providing you the ultimate tool to help you live out your best life, chase after your dreams and do it all in style, we invite you to be empowered and celebrate the certified Bella that you have become!

Join us in our woman empowerment-themed festivities and booths, as we match it with various activities and talks from coaching experts, bloggers and celebrities!

To top it all off, we’ve dedicated 100% percent of the fair’s activity proceeds to helping Rocked Philippines find alternative ways of education, and to helping SKR assist Romblon schoolchildren get to school.


FOR THIS DAY ONLY!
You can get almost 20% off on your BDJ Planner! All BDJ Fair attendees can buy the 2013 BDJ Power Planner for only Php480! Yes, you read that right! Your fabulous power planner is made more affordable and packed with the special pages and discount coupons that you love!

PLUS GET A CHANCE TO WIN Free BDJ 2013 Power Planners and many more special prizes from our lifestyle brands! TO WIN! --- Play an active role in the fair’s festivities. Pre-register in any of the following activities below.  Please note each activity is limited to certain number of slots =) First come first served.

10:00AM-11:00AM Kick-Ass Krav Maga (50pax)
Unleash that Strong Bella inside you as you learn self-defense techniques from the expert coaches at IKMF-Philippines.  Be proud and confident in the knowledge that you can protect yourself!

11:00AM-11:30AM Style Me Over! (50pax)
Give yourself a style update with this mini-workshop by Jasmine Mendiola as she shows the ways you can look even more amazing!

1:00PM-3:00PM Bloggers Extraordinaire (200pax)
Listen in as Tricia Gosingtian discusses how she has kept her blog current and relevant amidst the constant changes of the blogging world; while Patty Laurel talks about her love for travel and her lifelong goal of visiting a new destination for every year she’s on this earth.

3:30PM-5:00PM Beauty Bootcamp (200pax)
Know the essentials of Georgina Wilson’s skin care routine as she shares how she keeps her skin fresh and glowing all day.  Erica Paredes teaches us the basic items we need for our kikay kits and demonstrates how to use them.

5:30PM-7:00PM  Life Lessons (200pax)
PJ Lanot will get you all charged up and raring to go as he guides you toward the self-realization that the Power is in you all along!  Fitz Villafuerte from the Ready To Be Rich blog shares with us why we need to start planning for our future now.

7:30PM-9:00PM Fierce Fashion! (200 pax)
Watch as BDJ Girls sashay down the runway in stylish outfits from SM GTW, Ladies Wear and Parisian. Learn from stylist extraordinaire, Donna Cuna-Pita as she talks about the ways you can infuse fun, bright colors into your everyday work staples.

BE A SUPERMODEL: Strut your Sexy Self! (24pax)
Walk the runway in styles that that are bold, daring and fun! Be part of the 24 models for the BDJ 2012 Fashion Show showcasing the trendiest ensembles from SM GTW and SM Ladies Wear.  You must submit a full body photo wearing fitted clothes with your vital statistics (bust, waist and hips size), height, weight, and contact no. Please send by October 3. We will pre-select models for a go-see on October 6.

To participate, email us at bdjfair@viviamoinc.com  with the following details:

SUBJECT: The 2012 BDJ Fair: LIMITLESS!
Name
Email Address
Mobile
Activities/Talks to Join:
1. Top Choice -
2. 2nd Choice -
3. 3rd Choice -


What are you waiting for?
Send your email at bdjfair@viviamoinc.com now.
See you there!

www.belledejourpowerplanner.com
facebook.com/BelledeJourPlanner

Crystal Nail File: Ideal Nail Tool for Manicure and Pedicure

Have you heard of crystal nail files? Crystal nail file also better known as glass nail file is an ideal tool when it comes to nail care like manicure and pedicure. The website czech-glass-nail-files.com boasts a large collection of crystal nail files from clear and plain colored to the hand painted ones. They also have jeweled crystal nail files, animal-printed and then luxurious and limited edition nail files.

Crystal nail files are commonly used by professionals at nail spas and salons. But take note, Czech nail files are not for professionals alone. It is perfect even for a stay-at-home moms like me. In fact, they're best to be given as a gift to a girlfriend, best-friend, female boss, sister or mother who has a big interest in taking care of nails.





I have an ordinary pink nail pile in my personal grooming kit. I love it because of its design and color but I hate at the same time since it's already retiring even with minimal use. Mind you, I normally just clean and color my nails. I don't always use a nail file to shape them, that's why I am kind of expecting my one and only nail file to serve its purpose when I need it and be able to keep it a bit longer. Seeing these pretty nail files just made me drool. I love the fact that they're not just beautiful but also durable. My favorite is the one with Swarovski crystals. I am adding it to my Christmas list this year!

Gucci Spring/Summer 2013

Gucci opened Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2013 with lots of colors. The Italian fashion brand famous for luxurious leather goods featured pieces in pink, yellow, green and blue. Here are my top picks from the runway.




short and long dresses in white and black..



pink dresses and large ruffles..



this mustard coat dress is love..



the greens.. really reminds me of the 60s - 70s fashion..



the blues.. still ruffles that flows..



still blue.. graphically printed this time..



snakeskin at last..



Photo Source: http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk

Sale Find: Push Up Jeans

As I experience the joy of losing weight, I also have a bit of a problem with my wardrobe. Dropping a couple of inches off my waist made my choices of jeans minimal. My old jeans became baggy and lose. Yesterday, while running an errand at a mall, paying for my daughter's cake in advance, I also took advantage of the free time by shopping for a new pair of jeans. After trying 7 jeans from 3 different brands, I ended buying these from JAG.




This design is called Push Ups.



It has heart shaped risers for a curvy bottom.


Sale Find: JAG Push Ups
Sale Price: P950
Original Price: P1399.75
Sale From: SM Dept. Store - Megamall

Baguio in September

I was in Baguio the first weekend of September to attend a seminar at the Teacher's Camp. Of course, I expected the weather there to be colder than Manila, so I took a jacket and a scarf with me. When we touched down, it was quite chilly and the city was foggy. It was a bit hot in the midday though, and then cold again in the afternoon till the next morning.




I'd spent my spare time going around and shopping during my last day in the city. Good thing that the crochet top I wore was just enough for the temperature.



This was my fourth time to visit Baguio, but my first at the Teacher's Camp. No ghost story to share except for no enough water running at the third floor of our building.



Standing beside the map of Teacher's Camp - Baguio. The camp is huge with lots of old buildings and an oval for sports.



There were lots of flowers and pine trees around the camp. This one looks unique. I don't think I have seen anything like it before.



I should've taken home this flower and add to my urban garden. This is called hydrangea, famous for wedding bouquets.



Here is just a random centerpiece at the dining hall. So cute that I joked about taking this to our room to my classmates. Haha.



I ate mostly meat and vegetables in Baguio. This was my first meal upon arrival. In my plate were pork steak, steamed veggies, and plain rice. I also had water, light soup and banana.


Baguio is no longer as beautiful as before. Hence, this post doesn't have tourist spots photos in it. Truthfully, I was enchanted the first time I went up there way back year 2001.. now not anymore. If I were to go to back to Baguio, I will only have a few reasons to do so. First is shopping.. a lot of thrift shops and very cheap vegetables. Second is food.. 'cause I love vegetables!

Estate Weddings

I seldom hear about estate weddings in the Philippines. In my observation, most Filipino couples prefer a church wedding because majority of us, if not Roman Catholic, are Christians. As I see it, just a few choose a beach wedding, garden wedding or destination weddings for that matter. In the States, couples opt for rental estates, or luxury retreats for the wealthy and rich, as a wedding location. Choices are endless from an old castle to a private haven with a panoramic background of the mountains, the forest and a lake just like in the photo below.




Check all the luxury retreats at estateweddingsandevents.com and I'm sure you'll be amazed with lots of romantic and breathtaking event places like this.



The Americans surely know how to throw an extravagant wedding, huh? The kind of weddings that I normally read in wedding magazines or see at David Tutera's show.



I swear I will choose a dream-like location for my renewal of vows, if given the chance. Here in the region, Baguio, Batangas or Tagaytay are the cities where you can find magical estate wedding locations.



I guess I need to show this post to hubby and give him a short briefing about estate weddings events. We already talked about renewal of vows before, so this will serve as a reminder.

I love a lot of things about weddings and I am still dreaming of getting married. I am not satisfied with my beach wedding in 2009. I still want my dream gown and fairytale wedding to happen.

Sale Alert: The Great Brazilian Madness

Hello flip-flops and sandals lovers! Wanna do and early Christmas shopping? Good news because the Great Brazilian Madness is happening in a matter of 10 days. Enjoy up to 60% off on brands like Ipanema, Grendha & Rider.







Visit TriNoma Activity Center from September 24-26 to avail of the madness. See you there!

For more sale updates, like iPanema Philippines in Facebook.

Ooh la la.. La Senza!

First and foremost, I would like to thank one beautiful lady for tagging me to this event. She won in an online raffle and took home 3 invites to this exclusive La Senza lingerie launch with gift checks worth 1K each. Carmi dear.. thank you so much for your kindness!




It was an intimate event, launching La Senza's newest line called the Show Off. Lingeristas or lingerie enthusiasts, fashion bloggers and some people from traditional media attended the event.



The charming Miss Patty Laurel hosted thelaunch. Look at the gorgeous blue dress she's wearing. I love the sweetheart neckline.



These brassieres were sold 2 pieces for P1895. Part of the Show Off collection are Demi, Plunge and Balconnet characterized by ribbon slot, push up, and interchangeable straps.



And the models came out for a mini fashion show, wearing items from the Show Off collection. When I first saw girl at the farthest left, I knew I just have to get myself a set of those pink undies.



From left to right: yours truly, Carmi of Carmi's Caprice and Diane of Style Grenade. Acckk.. I need some more height, standing side by side with these ladies. Haha.



Still us with Miss Nadine of La Senza Philippines. Btw, I wore my mustard cover-up for the first time.



My take home souvenir is this lovely lace bra. The matching panty is my personal purchase.



Again, thank you Carmi sweetie for extending your winnings to me. I enjoyed the event so much, most specially the free gift. Hope to see you again soon.. muah!





Note: Photos without watermark are not mine. They belong to La Senza Philippines through facebook.com/lasenzaph.

Virginia Olsen Mineral Eyeshadow

I read about mineral makeup from other bloggers before, but I wasn't really interested to know more. You know, I am a kind of lazy and not very good when it comes to face painting. My hands are shaky and I tend to apply makeup sloppily. Just to add a little color to my face, I normally use a lip gloss, lipstick, powder and blush on. I seldom use eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow, etc.




Things changed a bit when these mineral eyeshadows arrived at my door last week.
I was honestly excited to open and apply each to my face for the result.



Bronze Sparkle. I am thinking of wearing this for night parties.



Pink Diamonds. This I can wear from day to night.


As I see it, mineral makeup becoming more and more popular in the Philippines as alternative to conventional or traditional makeup. Virginia Olsen is one the brands that beauty bloggers endorse or support. To explain more about Virginia Olsen products, I am sharing the following information from their website.

The Naturally Fun Stuff

Mineral makeup has been an increasingly popular alternative to conventional makeup. Hugely popular in the United States, the benefits of mineral makeup have now been recognized in the Philippines. So what is it all about?

Virginia Olsen is 100% natural, paraben free, bismuth & talc free, and pure mineral make-up suitable for women of any age, ethnicity or skin type. Our formulations are calming to the skin, making them ideal for women prone to sensitivities; and being fragrance-free, they are particularly compatible with delicate skin, giving a sheer, natural, flawless coverage. Further, our makeup unlocks the therapeutic properties of zinc oxide and the natural sunscreen provided by titanium dioxide.

Purity also explains the ultra-smooth texture and versatility of Virginia Olsen. Even the sheerest of applications goes on smooth, creamy and consistent and will not clump or fade. Other mineral makeup are stretched with a variety of fillers, such as talc, to bulk-up the quantity of the product and the margin of profit. Not only do these products cause caking and creasing, but they can cause skin irritation, rashes and allergic reactions.

Virginia Olsen's pure mineral cosmetics are weightless, long wearing, water resistant and provides naturally high UVA and UVB protection. In this regard, Virginia Olsen is also recommended by dermatologists and cosmetologists for use on sensitive skin, and is safe to use after surgery, micro dermabrasion, laser and other beauty treatments.

Our extensive and affordable product-line includes foundations, blushers, eyeshadows, eyeliners, primers, finishing veils, concealers, HD makeup base, and makeup brushes. Virginia Olsen's eco-friendly and sustainable cosmetics are of the highest quality, celebrated by make-up artists, stylists, celebrities, dancers and models.


How to use mineral makeup?
Swirl, Tap and Buff Technique
1. Sprinkle a small amount of Virginia Olsen mineral makeup into the lid of the jar. Swirl your Virginia Olsen beauty tools in the powder so that it is infused in the bristles.
2. Tap off excess makeup on the lid. There should be no visible product on the outside of the brush.
3. Buff onto the skin in a circular motion. Remember, a little goes a long way. You can always apply additional layers until you are satisfied with the coverage.

Website: Virginia Olsen 
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Virginia_Olsen

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VirginiaOlsenMinerals

Be the Homecoming Queen with a Milanoo Dress

If every girl deserves to be a princess once in her life, then every woman also deserves to be a queen. We know in western countries, a young girl becomes an instant princess on her sixteenth birthday or coming of age party. The prom night also gives an equal "princess opportunity" to that girl who look the loveliest in her night gown. On the other hand, big girls may get a chance to be the crowned queen during university or high school homecomings. And, just like the prom princess, a homecoming queen wins a crown by wearing a lot of charm and dressing the part.

I remember in high school, we didn't have a prom night because of low student budget. Besides, living in the province makes the search for a cocktail dress or a long gown difficult and expensive. Fashion stores and boutiques are very much limited there and online shopping wasn't a trend yet. Lucky are the girls of this generation because they have options of going to a mall or shopping online. Take for example Milanoo, an online retail store with a wide selection of wedding gowns and dresses for special events in a competitive price.




While browsing through the pages, this green homecoming dress caught my eye. Its off-the-shoulder style and tiered hemline make it look perfect for a goddess-like homecoming queen. This dress is for women with hourglass, slender, inverted triangle, rectangle, or pear frame.




They have a lot of lovely pink homecoming dresses, too. This floor-length pink rhinestone flannel dress in a soft pink color is just one of them. This dress is good for ladies with rectangle, inverted triangle, pear, hourglass, or slender body shape.




And now, take this purple homecoming dress for that ultimate queen look. I am sure anyone could turn into a party stunner with this gorgeous piece. This dress is for women with rectangle, pear, inverted triangle, hourglass, or slender body figure.

In my opinion, this lavender dress is the most beautiful among the three. I didn't have a chance to join a prom night in high school, but if I were to attend a homecoming, I am sure I would want to wear something like it. I have a thing for one-shoulder dresses, although lavender isn't my favorite color. I don't know, there is something about asymmetrical dresses that makes me feel royal. That's the same reason why I wore a dress with a similar style and silhouette in my wedding.

DIY Hello Kitty Printable Invitation

I made a printable invitation for my daughter's upcoming 4th birthday. Hubby and I agreed that she -celebrates her birthday at school. It's her first time to attend a pre-school, so we thought it's a good idea that she shares her special day with her classmates and teachers.





first choice..




second choice..



These prinatable invitation are easy to do. I made them using Paint and Picasa. If you need a printable invite with a Hello Kitty theme, just copy mine but please also comment down what you think about it. Thanks!




NOTE: This post was originally published in my old blog, utotmopink.com, dated Sept. 11, 2012.

Let Me Shoe You

I was supposed to be rushing home that day. Apparently, I cannot drag myself away that easy if I pass by a section in a mall where there is a display of adorable pairs of shoes. In all honestly, shameless drooling happened on those pink cap toes and more drooling on these gorgeous pairs.




yellow wedges..



black and orange..



sequined open toes..



Maryjanes with gold heels..



golden stilettos..



more in orange, green, cream and black..



and more in a different style..


Why too many sexy shoes these days? Seriously SM, are you trying rob my pocket again?! :/