The 2010 To-do List

This year's Christmas Eve celebration was THE worst one I have had. Ever. Such a shame too because it is my favorite holiday, I even love it more than my birthday. I won't go through the details, but there was a bit of family drama, and everyone is hypersensitive these days because our grandma has been in the ICU for the past 2 weeks, and well, we are all worried and sad. Actually, I am just sad but not worried because she is in a hospital, and I don't know maybe I find hospitals comforting in the sense that I know if ever something happens (like another bodily dysfunction or whatever), she is in a place full of medical professionals who can come to her rescue the moment it happens.

Anyway there are a few days left in 2009 and I think the time is ripe for new year's resolutions, or what I like to call my "to-do" list. Not that I was able to accomplish everything that was on last year's (actually I'm too lazy to go through my previous blogs' archives to look for the said list and I'm not really sure if I was able to accomplish anything at all hahaha) but what the heck I'm bored and there's no penalty for wishful thinking anyway. We never know, maybe this year I could actually get to keep one resolution until December of next year hahaha.

In the year 2010 I plan to:

• Update my blog more often. I have sort of moved to blogspot to give beauty blogging a try, but I am still keeping my livejournal for more "personal" entries
• Ask my photography-lovin, SLR-ownin friends (hahahaha) to teach me how to use my regular digicam to make the freakin eyeshadow colors pop.
• Try not to be late for work. I don't really get reprimanded for arriving after endorsement (and at times after rounds hahaha), and there's no salary to be deducted from as penalty for being late, but it wouldn't hurt me to try to show up for work on time. Like once a week maybe? Hahaha just kidding.
• Lose weight and do a bit of lifestyle modifications. I did not feel so good after the AIF christmas party wherein I scarfed down on 2 palm-sized slabs of beef, lots of chocolate, alcohol, and junk food. Plus I went home around 3:30 am and I had to go to my cousin's daughter's baptism the next day. My blood pressure shot up a bit during the baptism's after party which I was not able to enjoy much because I couldn't participate fully in the activities, i.e. drinking and overeating. I know this has been on my new year's resolutions list every effin year but instead of losing I seem to be gaining weight but it has become a tradition of mine so here it is again.
• Stop spending a huge chunk of my allowance on beauty products
• Start Odesk already. Seeing as I won't be getting hired as a regular, salary-earning employee anywhere anytime soon. The waiting lists are so long, it'll be a miracle if I get hired before my volunteer experience turns a year old. I need money!!!
• Read 50 books

Cross-posted on http://kikayfetz.blogspot.com

As I was saying on the first item on my new year's to-do list, I am sort of moving to blogspot. I have like six entries on it, mostly about make up, but I am hoping to post product and book reviews as well. Please do check it out if you have the time, or better yet, be a follower! Hahahahaha As of the moment I have 12 followers and one active commenter (Hi Maui!! Hehehehe). Suggestions on how to improve my blog and what you want me to blog about are welcome :)

Adopt A BB Cream This 2010!

Please click on the picture for more information on the contest details. Anyway, I would like to be this BB Cream's new mother simply because I have read so many good things about BB creams but I have yet to try it out for myself. The reason why I haven't is because I find the ones from Skin Food too expensive (I'm still on a student allowance so I cannot afford to shell out a thousand pesos on something my skin might not agree on) and I am not really comfortable with buying make up online, because I wanted to try and swatch the product on the back of my hand first. Really. It took me awhile to get on the mineral makeup bandwagon and I only did when Ellana had a booth on SM Makati. Anyway, thanks to The Beauty Bin and Babyjaprn for having this contest! I hope I win! Hahahaha

Strawberry Fudge

I was bored and decided to play with my stash. Strawberry Fudge is a Clinique eyeshadow trio I have that I do not get to use a lot, not because the colors are not wearable for daily use, but because I sort of forgot that I had it. Mine is a sample (from those Clinique gift promo things), that's why it's a trio but I think the full-sized shadow set is a duo. Still with me? LOL Anyway, just an EOTD because I was too lazy to put on foundation.

Super ungroomed brows!

Things used:
-E.l.f. tone-correcting concealer then clarifying face powder on top, both in Apricot Beige
-Sinful Colors Eyeshadow stick in Diamonds and Pearls as a base
-Pink on the lid and lower lashline, dark brown on the crease, white on the brow bone, from the Strawberry Fudge Trio
-Black eyeshadow on the outer v and lower lashline from the g-lish smoky eye trio
-Maybelline liquid eyeliner

My lovable BENQ reflected on the dirty mirror LOL

I skipped the mascara so that make up removal won't be too much of a pain in the ass later on. The pink shadow had gold sparkles and looks almost exactly like the Careline pink loose powder eyeshadow, which I also have. Maybe that's why I don't use this trio a lot.

In natural lighting

My camera washed out the colors as usual. I even tried to take pictures outside in our backyard so that I will be in natural lighting. It did work on the eyeshadow pallettes though.

MESA Photoshoot

The cast and crew (L-R Miel Nkanta, Fetz Serdena, Leia Gutierrez, Ego Faylona (on the chair), Alexandra Lapa, Sarah Galaroza)

Photography: Ego Faylona and Neil Cuestas
Stylist: Alexandra Lapa
Gown by: Mae Aguinaldo/MESA Designer Wear & Stylist's own
Models: Sarah Galaroza and Miel Nkanta
Make-up: Leia Gutierrez and Fetz Serdena
Location: The Living Room Studio

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This was my very first photoshoot, both as a makeup artist and spectator (LOL). Please click here and here for the non-makeup part of the shoot.

I had an awesome time. It didn’t feel like work at all. I think the experience was comparable to a poker game or shooting hoops with the boys (if I were a guy that is LOL). Had I finished college and gotten a real job four years ago like I was supposed to and if I had more money, this would be the perfect time for a career shift. My friend, the stylist for this shoot is taking styling classes (?) and we can do our portfolios and get famous (LOL) together. But my nursing career hasn’t quite started just yet, and make up classes would cost a lot of money. Not to mention the “school supplies”. But I still want to take make up classes and shop for “school supplies”, maybe in the near future when I have more money? Anyway, right now youtube videos and beauty blogs would have to suffice. I really, really need to learn contouring eyebrow lining and shaping, and how to apply concealer properly.

I was given a week’s notice to practice, but on the morning of the shooting day, I still found myself watching make up tutorials on youtube. Yep I’m the queen of cramming LOL. I was nervous. I mean sure I’ve been dabbling with make up for the past 4 years and lately all I do in my spare time is read beauty blogs and watch tutorials but this is the first time that I have been asked to do a certain look

(because usually I just stare at my eye shadows until inspiration comes LOL), plus it’s going to be photographed and will appear in somebody’s portfolio. Yikes. Anyway, here are the pictures:

We had a little problem with the foundation. As you can see from the pictures, the model, Miel's skin color is super different as compared to mine, and since I am not a professional makeup artist, I don't have multiple shades of foundation in my kit. The darkest foundation we could borrow still looked a shade lighter than her skin. Thankfully when we did the test shots, the foundation blended with her skin tone.

Face:

-Revlon Mineral Mousse (?) Foundation in the darkest shade. I wasn’t sure about the name because it wasn’t mine and I think I would like to purchase this for myself when I get tired of my tinted sunblock + mineral make up routine because like what I have said in the previous paragraph, it blends beautifully on the skin.

-Ellana Mineral Finishing Powder (Oil Absorbing Finish) in Pumpkin Pie Latte..I think. LOL because again, this powder is not from my own kit but I also want to buy a jar of this for myself because it didn’t change the color of the foundation, even though the powder looked way too light for the model’s skin tone, and I think it could be a cheaper alternative for the Mac Blot Powder which I have been lemming on for the past 2 years now LOL

-E.l.f. tone-correcting concealer in Apricot Beige

-The Body Shop blush-on (Of course it still wasn’t mine LOL)

-Some highlighter thingamajig from The Body Shop, applied on the brow bone, cheekbones, nose bridge, and chin.

Eyes:

-Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin. Still not mine. LOL Does UDPP come in another shade? When I went over to a friend’s house to play with make up, she had a tube of UDPP and I swear it was a yellowish shade. Sin is sort of pinkish/beigish I think? Anyway I want a tube of this baby too! Unless I can find a primer that works, is cheaper, and locally available first.

-Lancome eye shadow in limelight and Careline eye shadow powder applied all over the lids, inner corners, and lower lashline

-Matte black eye shadow from the Patrick Rosas smoky eye shadow trio on the outer v and crease

-Maybelline studio something pencil eyeliner in black. Still not mine.

-Maybelline Lash Stiletto. Miel had very nice lashes that I didn’t need to use an eyelash curler on her, and she looked like she had false lashes on after I applied the mascara. Lucky, lucky girl!!

I exaggerated the outer v a little. So I guess I should call it an outer y instead? LOL I’m such a dork. Anyway I was having second thoughts about the outer v thing because I still wasn’t so good at it. The stylist wanted green smoky eyes, and I was deciding between two of the eye shadow styles I have done a hundred times: first was a dark green color on the lid and lower lash line and thick black eyeliner. The second choice was light green shadow as a base then dark green on the crease. I’m glad I took a risk and did an outer v instead. It’s a fashion photo shoot anyway, and the stylist did say she wanted a dramatic eye make up.

Before the unleashing of Miel's fabulous hair (Not really one of my flattering angles I know LOL)

Lips:

-Chapstick

-Clinique Lipstick in Perfect Beige

-Nude-pink lipliner from The Face Shop.

I love love her hair! And she’s a modeling natural! I love how she does her “model” face in front of the camera and when we’re not shooting, she’s actually really down to earth and goofy.

Pictures grabbed from http://www.reluctantstylista.com. The crappy shots (including the goofy picture and close up ones of Miel's face) are from my digital camera.

Giving Green A Go

My apologies for the dorky blog entry titles since the previous purple one. Anyway this is another look I did to practice for my friend's shoot. My face looks lighter than my neck because I seem to have gone overboard on the foundation and didn't realize it until I took these pictures. I decided to tie my hair back and not use lipstick or gloss (just carmex lip balm) because I am going out for errands after I did my practice make up for the day, and I didn't want to look overdone or anything. Plus I wanted the focus to be on my eye makeup. Same reason why I didn't wear earrings either. I am still road testing my new elf blending brush, and I am not used to the size of the brush head that I didn't realize I was putting the crease color on my brow bone already until it was time to apply the highlight shade. I had to remedy it with cotton buds and make up remover LOL and I kinda messed it up that's why the asymmetry of the shape of my eyes was a bit obvious.

Messy hair as always LOL

Face:
L'Oreal UV Perfect (Even Complexion)
Bare Escentuals Mineral Foundation in medium tan
Physician's Formula Color Corrector in Green
Mary Kay Signature Concealer in Light Ivory
Bare Escentuals Well-rested Multi-tasking Eye

The camera's flash washed the colors out :( The eyeshadow is really darker than it looks in here

Eyes:
Mary Kay Signature Concealer in Light Ivory
Sinful Colors Eyeshadow Stick in Diamonds and Pearls used as a base
Lancome Eyeshadow in Limelight on the lid and lower lash line
Careline Eyeshadow Powder in Green Luster on the lid
Lancome Eyeshadow in Blink on the crease
Black matte eyeshadow from the Patrick Rosas G-lish Smoky eyeshadow trio on the crease and outer corner, and used as an eyeliner
White eyeshadow also from Smoky eyeshadow trio on the brow bone
Maybelline Lash Stilletto

Practicing Purple

I think my picture-taking skills are improving. Well as compared to my first attempt anyway. So, I made a purple eotd because I am practicing for a friend's shoot for Saturday, I am helping out with the make up. I have to admit I am bit scared because make up for me is a hobby, kinda like reading or video games, and this shoot will be my first time to practice this said hobby sort of professionally.

Please excuse the messy hair.

Face:
L'Oreal UV Perfect (Even Complexion)
Bare Escentuals Mineral Foundation in medium tan
Physician's Formula Color Corrector in Green
Mary Kay Signature Concealer in Light Ivory
Bare Escentuals Well-rested Multi-tasking Eye



Eyes:
Mary Kay Signature Concealer as base/primer
Careline Eyeshadow Powder in Pale Violet all over the lid
Lancome Color Focus Eyeshadow in Blink on the crease
Careline Eyeshadow Powder in Mestiza White on the browbone
Ellana Mineral Eyeshadow in Laugh on the upper and lower lashline, used as an eyeliner
Maybelline Lash Stilletto in Black

Lips:
Clinique lipstick in Perfect Beige
New York Color Lipgloss, in a peachy-pink shade with glitters

Yep I need to practice, practice, practice. Especially the outer-v thing. The careline eyeshadows are surprisingly pigmented, but do not last long. I mean what can we expect with 80 pesos?

After seeing these pictures, I think I went from scared to being terrified.

6 Things I Love

Just replying to a tag from my fellow kikay nars Cindy. And because I am bored, and my thoughts are too scattered to form a single coherent entry. In random order:


1. Books. This is a picture of my then meager collection, taken around May 2008 I think. Yes, I love Chuck Palahniuk. I was fortunate enough to be living with a cousin who's a book shopaholic because I don't have to buy a lot of books.












2. Food. This is a picture of Pepper Lunch's Beef Pepper Rice. I am just craving for this but really, I love to eat anything and everything.






3. Nintendo DS. I actually own the crimson red model but only because the metallic rose one (as shown in this picture) was not available at that time. This baby was a passing-the-local-boards-slash-welcome-home gift from the parents last year and this really saved me from boredom on the first few days that I didn't have an internet connection. Nowadays I don't get to play it that much, because of number 1 love and number 4, which is..


4. Google Reader. I lurk a lot of beauty blogs lately because of my enormous amounts of freetime, and this nifty little program (software? whatever hahaha) makes it easier for me. Now my bookmarks are not that cluttered anymore, I don't have to click on each and every blog link to know whether a certain blogger has updated her blog or not because google reader shows me when this happens, and marks certain posts as unread or new. I know my explanation is sort of unclear but really everyone should try this because it is an incredible time-saver! Plus I can access my subscriptions (aka the blogs that I stalk/follow LOL) on another computer because it works just like an email account. I think I should have just said this in the first place LOL



5. Make up. It's an expensive hobby and since I do not get paid for this pseudo job I have, I have to satisfy myself with gawking at other peoples' make up stashes and hauls. I am not complaining though, because I do have make up stuff to play with, it's just that I WANT MORE!!! LOL





6. Scrub suits. This is one of the few things to love about my profession. Ironically this is one of the reasons why I didn't want to take up nursing in the first place because I am a fan of dressing up but after my first shift (and night out LOL) in these things, I realized how comfy they are and maybe they're not as bad as I thought. I still wouldn't wear this say, when going out or on gimik nights, but really I sometimes I don't mind being robbed of the opportunity to dress up for work anymore.

My First Attempt at an EOTD Entry

And it was harder than it looks. I actually made two looks, did a different color for each eye. But that's not the hardest part, photographing my creations and the stuff I used was. I know what you're thinking, I mean how hard could taking pictures of make up and one's self be? But I found it so frustrating, the colors not showing up the way I want them too, the camera's flash washing out all the colors, and the pictures too dark when I turned the flash off. Maybe I should have used a base to make the colors pop out more and I should have used more eyeshadow. LOL.

Shades of orange on the left (your left LOL), pink on the right

Yep it gets worse. I really suck at taking pictures :(



4 sunset palette for the orange eye, some random makeup palette for the pink eye, both from Lancome. Yay for free makeup samples!

I don't have a black pencil liner so i just used the black metallic eyeshadow on the random Lancome palette on the bottom lash line of both eyes, then applied the darkest orange and pink color on top of it. Skipped the mascara so that removing the eye make up afterwards won't be too difficult. I know, I need more practice. I usually use two colors when doing eye makeup and this is the first time that I tried 4. I tried to empasize my outer v, just like what Maui and the youtube tutorial girls usually do, but obviously I failed to do that. No, it's not the camera and my faulty picture-taking skills' fault this time.

Barbie Session's EOTD

Yep that's me but I was not the one who did the EOTD. I, together with my friend Cindy came over to our friend Maui's house today for a barbie session. It's basically a kikay session, but we just wanted to kikay it a bit more by calling it a such. Hahaha. Anyway, Maui did a fantastic job in doing our eye make up and I learned loads. I learned that I need more kikay tools, and that paint brushes are a great and cheaper alternative to the ones used for eye make up application.



Maui first primed my lids with Urban Decay Primer Potion. Then she used about 4 shades of green from the Coastal Scents Matte Pallette, black eyeshadow for the crease, and a neutral color to highlight the browbone. Oh, and the shimmery yellow/gold Mac eyeshadow for the inner corners. Then Wet n' Wild liquid eyeliner on the lashline, then Maybelline Lash Stilleto on my lashes.

My lips are usually dark and both the upper and lower ones are each a slightly different color from the other. Maui remedied that with RCMA foundation (yes on my lips, which is not as icky as you think), a nude lipliner (didn't see what brand it is), Bare Essentuals Buxom Lips in Bunny, and voila! Hello nude pink lips! I forgot to take picture though, and I wish I had because well it looks real nice and it goes really well with my eye make up.

I was sorry that I forgot my camera at home, so I wasn't able to take pictures of Maui the make up guru in action (hehehe), Cindy's eye make up (which was awesome as well), and the make up tools.

Testing 1-2-3 and Getting To Know You

Yay a blogger account finally! I can now stalk/bloghop and post comments easily without having to log in and out of my livejournal! Hehehe I would still be keeping my LJ though, because my friends update theirs from time to time, and I have had it since 2003 so I can't really just abandon it or something. I am still too lazy to change the layout, put up a chatbox, etc etc, so for now I will be answering this survey thing because I have been tagged by Cindy, and I love surveys! Hehehe

1. What time did you get up this morning? 10 am I think

2. How do you like your steak? well done with gravy, A1 sauce, and.. rice. Fo realz. Hahaha

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Final Destination 4. Nearly gave me a heart attack. Hahaha

4. What is your favorite TV show? CSI, Grey's Anatomy, House, Scrubs, Ugly Betty, American Idol, and the Disney Channel tween show line up.

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? Anywhere as long as there's an internet connection and food. Hahahaha

6. What did you have for breakfast? Coffee

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Italian..

8. What foods do you dislike? I eat anything and everything. Hahaha

9. Favorite place to eat? The oh my sisig booth at shopwise. Hahahaha kidding

10. Favorite dressing? Whatevs. Hahaha not really a salad person

11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? Don't got one.

12. What are your favorite clothes? I'm into kimono blouses and empire cut stuff because i have a big tummy :D

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? I'm in an anywhere-but-here phase right now

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? 1/2 full i guess

15. Where would you want to retire? Haven't thought about it yet

16. Favorite time of day? Early morning, because it's usually quiet and the whole house smells like coffee :D

17. Where were you born? Philippines

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Cheerleading? Hahaha

19. Who do you think will not tag you back? Dunno

20. Person you expect to tag you back first? dunno either

21. Who are you most curious about their responses to this? Hmm my blogger stalkees I guess :D

22. Bird watcher? Nope

23. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night I guess

24. Do you have any pets? None

25. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? I have blogger account now yay! Hahaha

26. What did you want to be when you were little? A nun

27. What is your best childhood memory? hmm can't think of one right now

28. Are you a cat or dog person? Dog

29. Are you married? Nope

30. Always wear your seat belt? Yep when I'm in the front seat

31. Been in a car accident? Nope

32. Any pet peeves? Salesladies who follow me around when I'm shopping.

33. Favorite Pizza Toppings? Cheese

34. Favorite Flower? Stargazers

35. Favorite ice cream? Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough

36. Favorite fast food restaurant? KFC. hahaha

37. How many times did you fail your driver's test? I passed on my first try :D

38. From whom did you get your last email? An online buddy from the girltalk forums :D

39. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Definitely mac! hehe

40. Do anything spontaneous lately? A nightcap with our senior nurse and co-volunteers :D

41. Like your job? I think I'm getting there, because of the super comfortable scrubs and sneakers

42. Broccoli? Sure why not

43. What was your favorite vacation? Again, anywhere but here

44. Last person you went out to dinner with? The AIF girls!

45. What are you listening to right now? Brighter Than Sunshine - Aqualung "Let the rain fall I don't care, I'm yours and suddenly you're mine..."

46. What is your favorite color? Blue

47. How many tattoos do you have? none

48. How many are you tagging for this quiz? none

49. What time did you finish this quiz? 7:14 pm

50. Coffee drinker? Tagging everyone and anyone who wants to do this :D