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

MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

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.