mineral makeup galore..

i absolutely love mineral makeup.. feels light on your face.. great coverage.. lasts all day.. and i have oily skin! and while on that, controls the shiny! 

anyway, if to see is to believe.. manila folks can try it out at the greenmeadows bazaar:
 

YOU ARE INVITED TO THE GRAND

MINERAL MAKEUP WEEKEND!

When: December 20 and 21, 2008 (10am-6pm)
Where: Greenmeadows Clubhouse
(inside Greenmeadows Xmas Rush Bazaar)

After the huge success of last year’s Mineral Make-Up Weekend, we are bringing back the much-awaited event this week!

The Mineral Make-Up Weekend brings together different mineral makeup brands in one venue to celebrate mineral makeup and create more awareness about it. Six brands will be joining, and as a treat, FREE SAMPLES will be given away to all pre-registered visitors, as well as free makeovers and skin consultations.

Moreover, talks will be held by skin specialists, makeup artists, and mineral makeup brand owners as they showcase their strengths and advantages, and show us how to create simple yet stunning day and night looks.

FREEBIE ALERT!
We are giving away 300 FREE mineral makeup lootbags, worth Php500 each!!! Each loot bag contains product samples from all the participating brands. Plus a free mirror if you come on Saturday!

To avail of your free loot bag, here’s what you need to do:

1. Post about this event, together with the banner, and a link back to this site on your multiply blog or blogspot. (Just copy the text above until this part - procedure on how to avail of free loot bags, then include a link at the bottom.)
2. Send your blog entry URL together with your full name, address, and mobile number to claudbaron@yahoo.com, with subject: MMU Weekend. Also, please indicate if you are a mineral makeup user or newbie.
3. Only one free loot bag per blog, per person. Sorry, but we cannot accept submissions for your friends.
4. To claim your free loot bag, simply attend the event and present a valid picture ID at the MMU Room Registration area.

source: http://www.themineralmakeup.com/

the shopaholic is getting married..

yey!

but unfortunately.. this means that i must now be a more responsible spender..

also.. my weekend shopping time will now be taken up with wedding planning time..

hence posts here will be few and far between.. (are already)

boo!

not to worry.. i still have a lot of products i want to rave about..

smashbox o-glow

and just as i had established my love for compartments.. i have also established my love for makeup on the go..

and now it's smabox o-glow's turn to be featured..

 

aside from the ease of putting on, i love the faint pink color on my cheeks.. it looks quite natural and not clownish..

Experience instant chemistry as your complexion is transformed from so-so to oh-so-glowing! The first intuitive blush, this clear gel reacts with your personal skin chemistry to turn cheeks the color you blush naturally, in just seconds! O-GLOW works on every skin tone, from the lightest to the darkest, to give everyone a customized flush of color. When applied, your skin's moisture activates the innovative formula, producing a rosy blush that lasts all day.

although i've read that the transformation of clear gel to pink flush is nothing but ph reaction, i can agree with the rosy blush all day part.. and this also worked for my friend with different skin tone.. :p

now i also want to try the o-gloss.. :p

* photo from smashbox

multiply find: dream collection / pslove make-up bag

i've already established that i loved bags with compartments.. what more a bag with customizable compartments? and not just the compartments.. you can customize everything! well, everything except the main structure..

but you can choose the fabric/material you want for the exterior.. you can have a different one for the front, back, sides and pocket..

as for the compartments, there are a lot of velco strips of various sizes to really fit your needs:

and this is not just for make-up.. it's also great for scrapbook supplies:

so head on over to dream collection for your customized pslove bag.. :p

earth therapeutics anti-stress eye mask / anti-stress jet lag pack

i feel great the whole day today.. because for the first time in a long long time, i had a good night's sleep..

i didn't get to sleep early.. i think it was almost 12 when i slept.. i had a headache the whole day yesterday..

so before i went to sleep, i put on my anti-stress eye mask.. and was able to sleep immediately (and i usually have a hard time sleeping even when i'm tired).. and slept undisturbed until my alarm clock went off this morning.. and i didn't feel groggy or fatigued like i usually do.. even during some saturdays that i wake up very late.. in fact, i was able to get up after the first song from my ipod ended.. normally i wait until 4 or more have played..

and the whole day i felt energized.. i didn't feel sleepy.. not even during the drive home.. i was alert the whole time! normally it's such a struggle for me to keep awake when i drive home after 10pm..

and i attribute all these to my having used the anti-stress eye mask last night.. which i got as part of the jet lag pack..

 
the mind repair and massage lotion are actually great as well in easing headaches and shoulder tensions.. i admit drinking paracetamol will have the same effect.. but i'm trying to avoid medications right now.. as i believe my sickness early this year was made worse by too much neozep.. :p

* photo from earth therapeutics

multiply find: digital printing / tamrac camera bags and accessories

although hidalgo is still the place for affordable cameras and camera equipment, digital printing online is a good option still.. in terms of convenience, you can bring your car to their pasong tamo branch and they accept credit cards with no surcharge (as opposed to commuting to hidalgo.. and with loads of cash since there's 7% surcharge for credit card purchases).. they also offer 0% interest.. and now, you can order online!

they also offer a pretty wide range of products.. but as i still haven't made the switch to SLR (it's quite heavy.. i already find my S3IS bulky and heavy :p and i'm sure i won't be able to stop buying lenses! gaah).. i went for their tamrac products:

velocity 6x camera bag

i love this camera bag.. i went through 3 camera bags in a period of less than a year prior to this.. but a year later.. im still using this bag.. and i'm not likely to replace it.. unless i finally go for SLR and get velocity 8x instead.. hehehe..

i like this because true to it's advertising, it really takes just 3 seconds to shoot:



this solved my previous dilemma of using shoulder camera bag.. or putting my small camera bag on a backpack.. shoulder bag is more accessible.. but i really had a difficult time climbing all the steps in the cambodia temples.. using a backpack makes balancing easier.. but it takes so long to get the camera out.. and i sometimes wind up losing the moment..

and as mentioned before.. i'm really a sucker for compartments..

apart from being able to put in my expansion ring, hood, and wide angle lens in the compartment in the main bag, the cover also has a zipper compartment where i can put my tripod quick release and cleaning cloth.. in front there are also pockets and compartments for memory cards, batteries, other camera accessories, and personal effects: 

and another good feature.. you can attach more compartments at the sides! hahaha.. so i bought the following:

compact filter case

holds 3 filters up to 72mm.. so i can change among my UV, CPL, and ND8 filters easily.. too bad no room for my IR.. but it's ok since i don't use it as often..

memory & battery management wallet

compartments galore! hahaha.. i can put 2 sets of batteries (8 AA batteries in all) and 3 SD cards.. and my ipod camera connecter.. for easy battery and memory card changing as well.. :p also, you can use the red flaps to indicate which ones are used up already.. so very nice..

these are very nice for photo outings.. i'm going to buy the water bottle carrier next.. hehehe :p

* photos from tamrac

ilog maria follow up

so it's been more than two months since i first tried ilog maria products..

and i've ordered 2x in their online store since.. and close to a third time.. :p

anyway.. i absolutely love their soaps.. they're my favorite of all their products.. i particular, i like the ff:

spearmint & oatmeal

this soap leaves your body feeling minty cool.. leave on for 2 minutes before rinsing to really feel refreshed.. my boyfriend also loves this one.. and it really alleviates his skin asthma..

milk & honey

while the previous soap is for exfoliating, this one is for moisturizing.. it really feels luxurious on the skin.. and leaves it so soft..

lavander

this one smells very nice.. and great to use before going to a restful sleep..

apart from the soaps, here are the other products i like and will continually buy.. :p

propolis gold

this immune system booster really works.. normally when i lack sleep, i really get severe colds.. now, in the two months i've been using this.. and really heavy stress.. and getting very little sleep.. and also getting rained on.. i haven't gotten the colds..

additional points for this one is that i get to drink milk regularly now. :p you can mix this with juice.. but i'm hyperacidic so i can't drink juice on an empty stomach.. and i don't want to mix it with water coz it tastes awful. :p with milk, you hardly notice the difference..

propolis bath salts

for the aromatic squeaky clean experience.. hehehe.. i use the salts as body scrub.. then followed by the milk & honey soap.. pampering bliss.. :p

honey propolis shampoo

i like this for the minty refreshing feeling on my scalp.. but as i mentioned before, i don't like the texture it leaves my hair in.. but as conditioning remedies this, then i can use this shampoo.. :p

and for all bath products.. i love the smell.. so refreshing.. both the bathroom and my room smells so good.. hehehe :p

* photos from ilog maria

art deco eyeshadow base

this is somewhat connected to my previous post..

my only problem with the skin food eye glimmer stick is that my face is super oily.. so by noon, there's creasing already.. and by late afternoon, the shadow has melted.. and i'm left with faint shimmer just above my eyeliner..

so i decided to try out art deco eyeshadow base..

as i put it on for the first time, i'm already loving it coz of the nice smell.. :p

now for the stress test: i put it on at 8am.. then i use my glimmer stick.. at 3pm, my lids still looks the same as in the morning! this is despite my t-zone being super oily already.. at 9pm, shadow is somewhat less.. but most still intact and the color is still vibrant..

so the verdict: this product is a very good buy. :D

* photo from art deco

skin food eye glimmer stick

  
these shadows on a stick make on the go makeup a breeze.. application is so easy.. just roll on your lids.. then just build on as you desire..

now i can put both eyeshadow and eyeliner while in the car.. more time for sleep.. yay! :)

they're pretty and shimmery.. they make my droopy asian eyes seem bigger and more alive.. :p

i'm such a fan, i'm collecting all colors. .:p while what they have right now are all nice shades, i do wish they come up with more colors.. :p

multiply find: fab manila

fab is the right word.. as their bags are really fabulous.. :)

functional and stylish.. how can i resist?

i already bought the ff:

these two bags are great for everyday and office bags.. the capacity is big enough for pack rats like me..

and there are compartments for keys, phone, and other small items that you need easy reach of..

for weekends and gimik nights, these hobos look small.. but are still able to pack the essentials (of pack rats again) that you can't squeeze in normal clutch bags..

and if you feel you may need more storage space later on in the day.. you can bring these shopper bags..

they are foldable and come with sleeves for easy storage.. also great for summer outings..

and these travel envelopes are sooo pretty.. and lightweight too! the length is just enough for your tickets and other travel documents..

really.. all their items are pretty.. and come in many fabrics to suit your style.. and reasonably priced as well..

* photos from fab manila

modelco lashwand

my lashes, aside from being very thin.. are also super straight.. after using traditional eyelash curlers, my lashes would go back to being straight in an hour..

using modelco's lashwand on the other hand, my lashes are curled nicely, and stay so all day.. longest time i've had mascara on so far is 16hours.. and my lashes stayed curled the whole time..

the tool is easy to use and doesn't burn my lids.. a very good buy, if i do say so myself.. :)

my only regret? it now comes in pink! :(

* image from modelco

scholl party feet gel cushions

unfortunately for me, i have very small feet.. aside from the fact that i have difficulty finding my size, i can't really do very high heels as my feet would then be so slanted already.. normally my limit is 7cm..

but as i browse through the charles & keith outlet.. a really nice wedge tie-up sandals caught my eye.. and it's only SGD19! the drawback though is that the height is 9.5cm..

as i tried the pair on, it's not very comfy for my size 34 feet.. but i thought to myself.. i'll just wear it on occasions where i don't have to walk much..

so i bought the pair.. wore it to office.. and i bore the pain on the balls of my feet from my room to my car.. and again from car to office..

but luckily for me, i brought along a pair of scholl party feet gel cushions..

and boy do they work! instantly the pain is gone.. and i happily walked tall all day.. :p

i actually also have the sore spots variant.. which i wear with peep toes and prevent the sides of my feet from aching and blistering..

i'll try the heels shields and slingback strips next. :)

         
scholl has just increased my shoe-buying range.. oh no! (oh yes! hahaha :p)

* images from scholl and mytights 

the great singapore sale..

finally i get to have a trip to singapore that coincides with the great singapore sale.. :p

unfortunately.. my credit card doesn't share my excitement..

but how can i resist the huge 50% and 70% off signs?? i'm only human.. and a shopaholic at that..

to date, i have bought 6 pairs of shoes (*).. 4 bottles of perfume (although only 1 for me), 4 tops, 3 dresses, and loads of skin food stuff. :p also bought scrapbooking stuff from art friend and frames from ikea. :p and i bought new luggage.. though this isn't really the place for cheap luggage.. coz the one 1 bought from india 4 years ago is now patched with duct tape.. :p

      
at least i had the self-control not to buy anything from sim lim.. coz i didn't see the kata bag that i wanted.. wehehe :p

here are my staples in every trip: shoes and perfume :)

* Update: I wound up buying 8 pairs of shoes. :) 

"sephora inspired" makeup brush holder

getting inspired by EnKore..

went to sm basement.. in the vase and artificial flower section part.. and got me transparet pots and colored fillers..

and voila..

 
aint it pretty? :p

l'oreal pure zone deep exfoliating wash

i wanted to try out a new facial scrub.. so i went for l'oreal pure zone..

it feels so nice!

i really feel it scrubs my face thoroughly clean.. and my skin doesn't feel dry afterwards.. not even after i massage for so long until the suds disappear.. :p

and after rinsing, it feels cool and tingly.. so refreshing!

i've been using this since november.. and i haven't had major breakouts since.. usually when i lack sleep i get breakouts.. now not so much.. and i sleep even less now.. and blackheads are minimized as well..

and as mentioned before.. this is cheaper in thailand.. so i hoarded.. :p

HG in facial cleanser! :)

my ilog maria honeybee farm loot

went to tagaytay yesterday supposedly to take some photos.. it ended up as a shopping trip.. sonya's panaderia, bag of beans, and ilog maria honeybee farm: 

i wanted to buy everything!

but of course i needed to exercise self-control.. and anyway they have an online store so no need to drive all the way to tagaytay.. :p

the loot is actually missing 1 soap.. coz i had low EQ and had to try it already. :p i actually also tried the shampoo as well, hence less content. :p

anyways, i'll provide details on the trials after a week or so of using the products.. but first impressions:

shampoo - very minty on the scalp.. such a cool feeling.. i felt my scalp was being really cleaned.. the texture of the hair leaves much to be desired though.. though i didn't follow the after shampoo instruction. :p kinda tedious. i'll try with conditioner next time..

soap - sudsy.. but not lusaw.. feels good on skin.. let's see how it is in smoothing.. :p

lotion - really milky.. kinda hard to spread.. and a bit greasy.. but good on smoothing..

for all of them.. smells nice.. left a clean smell on my room.. :p

anyway, here's the listing of the loot :D

Rosemary Soap
Stimulates circulation, relieves headaches, stimulates hair growth, prevents dandruff, effective against gout, stimulates the brain & kidneys, quiets a weak heart and relieves depression.

Eucalyptus & Ginger Soap
Cool & Spicy. Fights scaly dry skin and all forms of dermatitis.Circulatory stimulant. Recommended for psoriasis.

Bamboo Charcoal Bergamot & Lime Soap
Whitening action. Absorbs skin odors & toxins. Astringent for Oily skin. Uplifting. Energizing. Bergamot oil is anti-bacterial, antiseptic, antiviral, deodorant and helps clear eczema. Lime Oil is antiseptic and antiviral, so it aids in beating many common skin illnesses and ridding the skin of acne.

Milk and Honey Soap
Offering your skin gentle moisture and a glowing complexion. Wholesome, nutrient-rich buffalo’s milk has a low pH level. Maintains skin at its natural balance. Recommended for problem or sensitive skin

Spearmint & Oatmeal Soap
Cooling, refreshing. Perfect for hot days. Alleviates skin asthma. Oatmeal is a mild exfoliant for sensitive skin.

Sandalwood & Honey Soap
Sandalwood oil is soothing, relaxing and healing. We add it to our natural soap base of beeswax, honey & propolis to make a truly relaxing, fragrant and cleansing soap.
* bought 2 of rosemary (hence 6 soaps in pic, 6 descriptions, 1 missing soap in pic. :p)

Honey & Propolis Shampoo
Handmade in our Beefarm from natural ingredients: Honey for conditioning &hair growth. Propolis for scalp infections, dandruff, falling & greying hair. Natural oils like palm kernel oil, castor oil and  coconut oil for gentle cleansing. Aromatherapy grade essential oils from herbs and fruits nourish and heal your scalp, while fighting skin ailments.

Honey & Propolis Liquid Soap
The mildest soap we produce with the same premium ingredients as our shampoo. Use it on your face and hands to gently cleanse your skin.

Sting-Less Mosquito Repellant
Repels mosquitoes without chemicals.
Citronella, lemongrass and other plant oils naturally repel mosquitoes all day.

Royal Jelly Honeymilk lotion
Handmade in our beefarm from: beemilk or royal jelly, honey, beeswax, propolis & natural flower, herb & seed oils.
Excellent as a moisturizer. Gently rub into skin. Quenches dry & scaly skin to make it supple & smooth.

Royal Jelly Cleanser Moisturizer
Handmade in our beefarm from: beemilk or royal jelly, honey, beeswax, propolis & natural flower, herb & seed oils. We add more royal jelly to this cleanser – moisturizer, which is directly absorbed in your skin; rejuvenating it.
Can be used as a make-up remover. Wipe dry with tissue paper.
Can be used as a moisturizer. Just rub into skin and leave on.

* descriptions copied from website

there’s no stopping me..

i just can’t stop shopping.. i am an addict yes..

*** photo from gucci

skin food black bean eye line pencil

applying eyeliner isn’t something i can do quickly.. i’ve tried different kinds of eyeliner in an effort to find one which i can work with..

i first tried normal pencil eyeliner.. i find it painful.. i feel i would scratch my eyes before i get a decent line..

next i tried automatic eyeliner from elianto.. it also takes some tries before the color sticks to my lids.. which results to uneven application..

next i tried gel eyeliner from face shop.. while it goes on nicely, i find the effort of using a brush tedious for everyday use..

so i went back to auto eyeliner.. this time contour resist from l’oreal.. this is easier to apply than elianto, though prone to smudges while drying..

then i tried the black bean eye line pencil from skin food.. it’s so easy to apply.. so easy that i can do it in a semi-moving vehicle (though i’m not the one driving).. and the effect is soft.. suitable for day use..

now i want to get the other colors as well.. :p

 *** photo from skinfood

vanitibasics mirror

i love this mirror.. this makes applying eye make-up so much easier.. also grooming the eyebrows.. and it's really not the same without the light.. there's no shadow..

there's also a 10x variant.. but i find 5x is ok already..

*** photo from vanitibasics

the shopaholic goes to bangkok..

bangkok is shopper's heaven!

there's of course the chatuchak weekend market.. we spent two days there.. emerging with armloads of goodies.. while only covering less than 1/4 of the place!!

 how can you resist with all the sale 80 (baht) and sale 100 signs??? 

and apart from the tiange shopping.. there's mall shopping where you can find branded items being sold for less than half the price in manila.. like naturalizer, l'oreal and maybelline..

we got three pretty umbrellas free! :)

my boots loot! :)

and the food.. we also brought home lots of tamarind, seaweed, and even instant noodles!
i'll try to post on the items i bought.. (there are so many!!)

sigh.. thailand has such a special place in my heart.. i wouldn't mind living there.. even with the traffic, the heat, and the language barrier..

my only shopper's remorse is.. i wish i bought more!! :p

 *** photos courtesy of freelysaid

maybelline makeup remover - eye & lip

i started using loreal double extension mascara.. while it's a wonderful mascara, it's super tedious to take off..

i would start by leaving a pad of makeup remover for 20s.. a little will be removed.. then the repeat process of using a cotton bud dipped in petroleum jelly and swabbing a few lashes at a time.. tiresome and oh so long.. when i want to sleep already..

so i gave the maybelline remover a try.. soak a pad.. leave on lashes for 20s.. bye bye mascara! and my eyes don't feel irritated at all.. no stinging sensation.. and another bonus.. the skin around my eyes feel oh so smooth! no greasy after feel.. loving it! :)