Matte Moment

Well if you were born in the late 60's or early 70's, you probably love Madonna... I knew all her songs from way back and I used to dress up like her... Who wouldn't? I remember during the 80's, she used to wear matte red lipstick. I tried Chanel, Mac and Revlon matte lipsticks just to reach Madonna's perfect matte lips! But way back, it really made my lips very dry. Probably because during those times, not too much lip protectors were readily available...

And then came the 90's, even up to now, glossy and shiny lipsticks and lip glosses
rule the girls' make up kit...

But now, matte's coming back...

First, for the glittering glamour of autumn, Too Faced Matte Palette will just make you look stunningly sophisticated... With all the velvety shades with cashmere soft matte finish brings out smoky eyes in time for the Fall...


Secondly, the matte nails. Offering the luxe look of matte to nails, this limited-edition topcoat instantly gives any nail colour a velvety-soft matte finish.




And now, Chanel has introduced its new, moisture rich Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colours, available in 8 different shades.






So excited to try them all and can't wait for my Matte Moment!

I'm such a BB Addict

Nothing can ever replace my BB... I'm just so in love with my Blackberry Bold 9700, that I am too hesitant to upgrade and use my new BB 9900. I think I don't have a choice but to, as what they always say, "MOVE ON"...

Here's a pic of my pre-loved BB phones...

The one on the utmost right is the latest model, the Blackberry Bold 9900, blogged about it here. It's light, slim, but a little wider than the 9700. And it only comes with black (as of this date).

The black one on the left is my BB Bold 9000 (if i'm not mistaken). I used it for my Sun line. My Sun line is my business line. Just calls and texts. No internet, no bbm, just plain cellphone. Too many clients already know that number and I can't let go of that particular line. However, the white one is the BB Bold 9700, I call it My Berry, to which I fell in love with. It's my social phone. Wherein I get to know everything because of her...

Now that the BB 9900 is here, in my hands, I don't have any choice but to let go of one... Of course I'm letting go of the oldest one, but my problem right now is making My Berry my Sun Line... I can't accept the fact that I'm using My Berry as a phone only and not maximize its features...

Sometimes I think I want to let go of it, sell it, so that it can be used by a much worthy person, someone who can maximize the phone's abilities...

Then I'd just get an ordinary phone for my Sun line... What do you think???

My Semi-Smokey Eyes...

Since I do not own great set of eyes, smokey isn't really my thing. I don't think it matches my oriental features... But, what the heck, I want to try it!!!

I did my semi-smokey eyeshadow by not applying too much dark shades. I replaced black powder shadow with a black glittery pencil so I can easily blend it. Here's how:

(Note: I am not a professional so it is just okay to make fun of my make up, plus, I'm not pretty either so fine, you can laugh)

1. First, using my Too-Faced eye palette, which I blogged a few months ago, (click here to read the blog) I chose Silk Teddy to be my base color eyeshadow. This helps balance the light and dark colors of my eyeshadow by blending the colors.


2. Then I put on dark brown eyeshadow, also from the same palette, Sexpresso, applied from the outer corner of the eye, blending it towards the center.



3. Blended everything


4. Then I applied a thick eyeliner on the upper and lower lids, just right beside the lash lines. I used the Black Glitter eyeliner (H & M). Then blend all colors together, using my ring finger (how rookie?)





5. Topped it off with 2 coats of black Maybelline Mascara




6. Finished it off with Mac Amplified Cosmo A21 lipstick


7. Topped with Mac Lip Glass in Elle (only at the bottom lip) for a shiny gloss.


8. Outcome - it looks a little pale in picture but irl, I really think it's too dark. At times when I look at myself in the mirror, I see raccoon eyes...

What do you think? Don't laugh!!!

Bags on Nails?

Essie has launched its latest collection for fall, and I am really excited to try them all. Why? It is because it's named for bag lovers!!! The Power Clutch, The Lady Like, The Glamour Purse, The Case Study, Very Structured, and The Carry On... Such a clever idea to put those names in color shades, makes going to the salon for a nail spa more exciting!!! I think, I'd go for uhmmm, let me see... oh, I love The Carry On... It's so me....

Good thing Amazon.com has the mini version of this collection, I don't have to get only 1 bottle!!!

The Easiest Smokey Eye Make Up

For smokey eye makeup what feature color eye shadow best suits dark brown eyes? First, arrange all the eyeshadows you're going to use.

1. It's best to use dark brown and black. Do not use creamy texture eyeshadows as they are difficult to smudge and blend. Use POWDERY SHADOWS.

2. For your secondary shade, you need to contrast the dark colors with either: champagne, taupe, nude, or a sand color. I prefer nude so as to match the common Filipina women's skin tone.

3. Choose your eyeliner pencil. It should be a soft eyeliner of the same color of your dark eyeshadow, in this case, Black. If possible choose a Powderliner or a Charcoal eyeliner pencil. They are easier to blend and are sometimes available with a sponge tip for easy blending. Never use liquid eyeliner. Liquid eyeliners are better for sharper lines, not a soft and sultry finish.

4. Now you're ready to start... Note that it is normal to apply full foundation before applying your eye make up. In this case, I recommend you to put thin foundation around the eyes only, and then apply loose powder to set the foundation. This will give you a clean canvas for your eye shadow and will also help to prevent the eye shadow from creasing. This will also give you more even, accurate, eye shadow application. That way, if you get some of your eye shadow on the rest of your face you won’t ruin your foundation. This also helps avoid a raccoon eye look under your eye.

5. Apply the light color (nude) from the corner of the eye up to the crease. For Asian especially Filipina women, it is hard to apply up to the brow bone since many of us have very small eyes. I suggest you apply up to the crease only, and then, apply just right below the brow bone, so as to highlight the brows.

6. Apply the brown eyeshadow on top of the nude color and blend.

7. Add black eyeshadow at the outer corner of the eye going towards the center of the eye. Blend.

8. Apply black eyeliner at the rims, at the upper lid, from the inner corner to the outer corner, if possible, apply as near as possible to the water lines or eyelash lines. Make sure to complete the line from the inner to the outer corner. Smudge it with cotton swabs for a more subtle look.

9. Apply the same black eyeliner below the eyes, from the center of the eye going outwards. The more you reach the outer eye, the more you darken the application. This way, Asian eyes become bigger and wider.

10. Apply black mascara at both rims of your eyes, make it double to emphasize the smokey effect.

And voila! You now have a smokey eye look, just in time for partying "cooler" nights here in Manila...

Petra and Tamara

The two luckiest sisters in the world... The two daughters of the 4th richest person in the United Kingdom, according to Forbes World's Billionaires List of 2011, Formula 1 Supremo, Bernie Ecclestone.

The elder one is Tamara, born in Milan in 1984.

The second is Petra, born in 1988, who recently had a lavish wedding ceremony with James Stunt at the 15th Century Odescalchi Castle in Italy.

They both have everything a woman could ever dream of... (Sigh...)

Photo Credits: Birkin Watcher

The Best Almost Lipstick

Who doesn't know about Clinique's Black Honey??? Well if you don't, I think you've been living under a rock... I've been a fan of Black Honey for about 8 years or so, and I'm sure there are a lot of you out there who shares my sentiments about this "almost lipstick"... It is dark, but when applied, it magically mixes with your natural lip color and makes it look irresistibly smooth and beautiful.

And Clinique's got even better news... They introduced a new, limited edition Black Honey Lip Duo, which makes it Perfect... Now, we can use the the Black Honey Lipstick and top it off with Black Honey Long Last Glosswear for that shimmering look...(Click the image to buy)

I swear, you will not be disappointed, this Lip Duo is worth buying...

Workout DVDs

Hittin' the gym isn't my style. I hate dressing up over and over again, changing from work clothes to gym clothing to going home clothes to sleeping clothes, and the thought of driving from office to the gym, then home, just makes me feel depressed... I don't know why... Probably because when I was younger, I've had "not so nice" experience with gym colleagues, nutritionists, trainers, etc. And also, I once read that if you can't see yourself enrolling to a fitness gym, then don't force yourself, otherwise you'll never reach your goal...
Why prolong the agony when you don't enjoy what you're doing... True, isn't it???

Anyways, my cousin P, who was overweight during her younger years, is an inspiration... She tried losing weight by doing home aerobics via betamax watching Jane Fonda... In one year of religiously exercising, she lost almost half of her total body size... And what inspires me is that, even now that she has a body of a model and a posture of a ballerina, she still commits herself to exercise every single day...

She keeps on telling me to pursue my goal in this lifestyle changing quest... She advises me on which exercise dvds I need to buy... Because when you talk of exercise dvd, name it, she has it!!!

Last week she sent me 3 DVDs. I want to try them one at a time... This way, it helps me not to get sick and tired of the same old dull routine... I can switch to different types of exercises every day...

Currently, this is my favorite: It's actually on sale at Amazon.com!!!

It energizes and motivates me, and makes me sweat in buckets!!!