Happy Halloween, Dia de los Muertos and all souls day

Hi everyone

I hope your having a wonder full holiday, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays though growing up we celebrated all souls day. Halloween is such a treat for me and this year in honor of a friend that passed away I will be continuing our tradition of dressing up. This year i decided to paint my face and my inspiration is the sugar skulls for the day of the dead celebrations. Its relatively cheap and it made use of make up that I didn't like or make up that I will never ever use like red and blue eye shadows. This is not a tutorial and I am no make up artist but a make up aficionado anyway here are some pictures how I created my look. The only things I bought is the white and black cream base the colorful eyeliners. Everything else is from my constantly evolving collection of make up

If you need help here is a few links to how to create sugar skulls michelle phan, makeupgeek. These tutorials really helped me a lot

 

Update*** I know day of the dead is almost done but other parts of the world is still celebrating all souls day till the weekend. :)

 

 

 

The items I used here are items I bought from the drugstore except for the 88 palate that I received as a Christmas gift. This is relatively easy make up to do but the effects are striking. I kept getting compliments at work and a lot of people where quite impressed.

 

Before anything else first moisturize I can't say that enough this make up will dry out your skin so moisturize and apply a very thick application of lip balm you will thank me later when your skin and lips is protected and not so dry. Also apply a good make up base to help protect your skin even more and allow the make up to apply even better.

 

So for the base I bought some white and black face make up from rite aide each cost $1 I used the white based all over my face, I find that if you mix the white cream make up with a little bit of light foundation you get a much easier and even application also using a buffing brush helps a lot. Set the white make up with powder to keep it from moving and smearing.

 

For the eyes I used a combination of black eyeliner and black face make up. I wasn't very comfortable using the black face make up on my water line so I used black eyeliner to tight line my eyes and around my eye area and create the border for the eyes and the half circles the spider web and the line along my mouth. I used black eye shadow to set the black eyeliner and black cream make up along my eyes. I initially planned on using black cream eyeliner but the cream eyeliner was much harder to remove.

 

For the colorful flowers I used some cheap bright eyeliners from NYC, Wet and Wild and Essence. All of those eyeliner cost 99 cents. Since the eyeliners doesn't have a good staying power I set it with a complementing eye shadow. The 88 shimmer palate really came in handy it had an excellent variety of colors from shimmery reds, matte blue, neon green and yellow.

 

I added a few sparkly stones used eyelash glue to apply them and then applied supper long eyelash they are from ardel double up line. To be honest with you out of all the make up I have piled on my face the eyelash where the most uncomfortable. It was just so heavy I don't know how some women can wear this kind of lashes everyday.

 

As a final touch I spritz on some of the Urban decay all nighter setting spray, to set everything I think it faded some of the colors but this make up stayed put for 12 hours I had to retouch the lip area after eating lunch and dinner.

 

I plan on doing this sugar skulls or dia de los muertos make up next year. I might do something more creative with my outfit since I only wore an all black out fit.

 

To remove the face make up, it is very thick and it is a lot of make up. So you need a really good make up remover. Used the bioderma cleansing water, first I soak to cotton pads with the make up remover and put that on my eyes and let that sit on my eyes for a few minutes. While that is sitting on my eyes I get another cotton pad soak that with the make up remover and just run that all over my face. You will need a lot of cotton pads and a lot of make up remover. I am not kidding that when I say this is a lot of make up. Your letting the product work instead of rubbing that way you don't  irritate your skin further.

 

After removing all of the make up and eye make up wash your face with a creamy cleanser and apply a hydrating serum and moisturizer.

 

I know creating the face make up and removing the face make up is equally time consuming but it is worth it.

 

I hope this somewhat helps you out there, it's relatively cheap the only items I had to buy is the colorful eyeliner and cream base everything from my collection. Everyone has a black shirt and black pants and black shoes.

Asian skincare: Sexy lookbook

Hi everyone,

I hope your enjoying the cooler weather. Today i will be reviewing the sexy lookbook black head cleansing set. As you all know I am always looking for a pore cleansing system that would get rid of my whiteheads and shrink my pore size.
This kit  is a 3 step system. The first step is a liquid to soften the gunk in your pores allowing the 2nd part of this system yo extract all the dirt and sebum that's been trapped and the final step a pore minimizing step to tighten those pores.

the box so cute

the back of the box with instructions in Japanese :(

 Product Claims:  

your products, numbered so it can be easily used

Unfortunately I couldn't find the company claims translated in English so sorry guys

Product Experience


Step 1



step 2 sample of the mask

 

Step 3

So to use the product I had to do some research, you can kinda make out the instructions even though it's written in Japanese. I did my usual skin routine cleansing and my mask then I used the the first step which is the deep cleaning solution to soften the sebum that's in your pores. Your supposed to massage the product on your skin for 2-3 min. Afterwards I just washed it off then apply the mask and let it dry for 20 to 30 min. The mask has a nice pink color and smells of strawberries. When the mask has dried just gently peel it from the side and then with a cotton pad just swipe a little of the pore tightener on the area.

Pros:
Comes in a package so you don't need to buy extra items.
Smells of strawberries
Quickly and easy to use

Cons:
It's a little pricey I paid $19.99 for the entire set
The instructions are in Japanese :( but can be easily understood.

This a really good set good at getting rid of your blackheads or whiteheads. I wish the instructions came in with an English translation. I know it's pretty self explanatory, the products themselves are good. It's not very time consuming like other pore cleansers. I really like this product as well and will repurchase

Tony Moly 3 point easy eyebrow pen

Hi everyone,

I hope your all doing well today I will review for you the Tony Moly eye brow pen. Now I'm some what frustrated with my eyebrows. What I do is I just clean the scattered hair and even that is some what a chore for me. On special occasions I get my eye brows waxed and shaped. I've tried to shape my eye brows myself but I can't seem to make them look even. Forget penciling them in, for a long time I stayed away from doing that I feel that when I pencil them they look thick and heavy. My eyebrows are thick but when I pencil them in I feel they look weird. They don't seem to look natural. I tried a few products I noticed I preferred powders to pencils but when I found this product I really started to like the results.



Product claims:
The pen has three pronged triangular shaped brush, so even beginners can easily create beautiful natural looking eyebrows by simply following the direction of the eyebrows.
It dries fast and has a long lasting one day tatoo effect without smudging
Directions:
Step 1 after trimming the eyebrows lighy touch them up by filling the gap between eyebrows with the brush kept directly under the eyebrows
Step 2 as you move toward the thin end of each eyebrow where careful drawing is required raise the brush slightly where necessary.


Product experience:
This product is a liquid brow liner, the pen has a tri tipped and the liquid is a light grey color. I really like that this darkens my brows fills them in and still looks natural and not harsh like pencils can. Even though the product is liquidy it doesn't run all over the place and when it sets it will not budge. The tri-tip fills in my brows and looks almost like hair.
I paid Php 478.00

Pros:
A revolutionary tri-tip
Looks natural even though the color is dark
Easy to use intuitive

Cons
Can only be purchased online or any Tony Moly stores
A little in the pricey side I paid $13
I think this only available in asia I went to the tony moly website and other websites such as yesstyle, imomoko, sasa etc and I couldn't find this particular line

a swatch if you can see it, it's a really light grey

I should've bought a back up of this eye brow pen but didn't. I would recommend this product but its only available in the Philippines. It's still an awesome, easy to use product. Just not as widely available as other Asian products.

Website Review: Pretty and cute.com

Hi Everyone,

I hope your all doing well and enjoying the cool Fall weather. So Cal has doesn't transform very much but I can still smell and feel Fall in the air. I love Fall for me it's one of my favorite seasons besides Summer. Fall is the time of transition where the tree leaves start to change color from green to the amber. The weather gets much cooler without being harsh and my favorite holiday Thanksgiving.

Today I will be reviewing a website for you, I know I'm obsessed with memberships and Asian beauty and skin care products. I lived in Asia for most of my life, even though I currently live in So Cal now. I still want those things that reminds me of home, also my skin has changed dramatically in a few years so the American drug store products although cheap I feel doesn't help my skin as much anymore. You can't always get the best deal from one website and I have to look around to get the items that I need. Asian skin care and beauty products can be pricey and sample sizes are hard to find. Majority of my time is spent looking for sample products either on sale or being given away. I like to test items out first and samples are great since I won't have to spend a lot of money on an item that might break me out or do other worse things on my skin.

Today I signed up for the website Prettyandcute.com, it is a Korean and Japanese beauty boutique

How to Sign up:

It's easy and just like any website you just go to prettyandcute.com and click on sign up. to set up an account which is easy. It will ask you for basic information, email address, name, billing address, shipping address etc just set up a password and wait for a confirmation email and you are set to shop.
Signing up is not necessary for this company you can sign in your own account using twitter, facebook or google.

Products and what nots:

This website only sells Asian beauty and skin care products. What I mean by beauty products is that they have Asian brand make up from eye make up, BB creams, lipstick to eyeliners. They also carry items that I think only Asian would be interested in like the Y tool to create the double lid look. They now carry skin care items from cleansers, toners and mask. They have brands such as Lioele, Tony moly, My beauty diary, skin 79 etc. There is not a wide variety of brands on this website but they are slowly starting to branch out and carry other popular brands.

Shipping, handling and customer service

This website has a 3 different shipping methods typical of any websites, there is economy usual 8 to 10 day delivery, 3 day rush and over night delivery.
There is an available customer service representative for live chat for any questions you have. If you have any questions you can send them an email at inquiry@prettyandcute.com Right now if you live in the states you can avail of their free shipping all you need to do is spend $50 of more and for people who live in Canada a minimum of $100.
A few hours after my order has been placed I already received an order confirmation and a few hrs after that a shipping confirmation was sent to my email. My products was shipped via united states postal service so tracking my package was a little annoying. I received my package in a weeks time which not bad, considering I waited over 3 weeks for my stuff to get shipped through yesstyle.com

Method of Payments:

This website is one of the few websites that allows express checkouts using paypal or your credit card. If you have a paypal account you don't even need to sign-up for an account with the company.
You also can sign in using your facebook or twitter account but I myself don't feel comfortable using that method.

Issues and other stuff

When I first signed up with this website I noticed they only carry a few Asia brands. My main goal was to gain a sample of Lioele BB cream. I know Imomoko sells the full size product and after having a reaction with skin 79 or legere BB cream I am more determined to find samples of this products. Unfortunately only certain websites carry the sample and prettyandcute has the samples that I want. They have promo right now where you can obtain 3 pc sample of different brands of BB creams for $3.00 or 3 pc sample of the same brand for $2.50
I noticed that of all the other websites, prettyandcute.com has a lot of products that is out of stock. In my case it was okay because I have other websites that I can go to, in order to try out the the products.
Also the company is trying to branch out to other brands and skin care products. They don't have the big selection like Imomoko and yesstyle but they are starting sell sample size of popular items.
When I received my purchases I received a little business card from prettyandcute.com. They are based here in the US their address is 18809 SE McLoughlin Blvd Portland, OR 97267 USA tel. 1-503-964-5207. Shop walk-in hours Sunday through Thursday 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm PST

My haul

my haul including some freebies :)

Since it's my first time purchasing from this site I was a little leery from my experience with yesstyle.com. So far so good so I purchased the 3 pc sample, I bought the Lioele beyond the solutions BB cream, Lioele triple the solutions BB cream, and holika-holika water march moisture green full cream BB cream. Etude house skin: Mal gem in smoother, Koji eyelash curler in wide curve, DUP eyelash glue in rubber and Holika holika Pig-nose clear blackhead 3- step kit. Since this company is based here in the US I didn't get hit with duty tax and international purchase fee. Shipping is so much faster even though I chose the economy which is 8-10 businesses days.

I do like the this website and it is reputable, you receive your order in a timely manner. Even though shipping through USPS postal can be annoying. It is just hard to track your packages online. Having to wait 8 to days for your purchases to arrive is decent. I am starting to compile a list of items I am intending to purchase.

Cleanser review: Boots Sensitive skin cleanser

Hi everyone,
I hope your having a wonderful weekend. Today I will be reviewing the Boots Expert sensitive gentle cleansing wash. You all know of my quest to find good face cleanser. That will not strip my skin of it's natural oils and leaving it tight and dry but at the same time cleanse my face.
I have indeed found that cleanser through my sheaterraorganics rose hips black soap. But I needed a cleanser that I can take on my trip. I needed something that I can travel with and if an accident happens say the bottle breaks, or a relative askes for the product. I wouldn't have issues finding a replacement.


bottle


I decided why not try boots, boots is a European drug store/ high street brand. I am currently trying the sensitive skin cleanser.


Pump


Product claims:
Sensitive skin needs extra care when being cleansed. This hypoallergenic foaming wash is specially formulated to be less drying. With soothing aloe vera and mineral water it leaves skin cleansed and refreshed. Fragrance-free. Lanolin-free. Dermatologically tested.
Massage onto wet skin and rinse off thoroughly.

Foam cleanser

Product experience:
The cleanser comes in this opaque bottle with a pump. The cleanser in the bottle is liquid but once you pump it out it turns into foam. So I just use one pump on my silicone scrubber or my hands and on a wet face gently rub the product. I didn't notice and stinging or drying effects after I have washed my face. The cleanser is not very creamy, it does clean well. I don't feel that my skin is tight after using this cleanser. I like to interchange this with my sheaterraorganics rose hip blacksoap. I like to use this in the morning to cleanse my face without any the drying effects.

Pros:
Very gentle cleanser
Foams easily and stay that form even on wet skin.
Inexpensive
Easy to travel because of the cap
I love that it has a pump and dispenses the right amount of product

Cons:
Availability
Not a very creamy product

I like this cleanser it can be used almost daily because it is super gentle and still cleanses your skin. Definately worth to try this product out. I brought this with me to the Philippines and it survived the humidity and the plane ride.

A cummulative fall haul sept 2012

Hi Everyone,

Happy Autumn I hope all is well and hopefully the weather is getting cooler and cooler by the week or day. I was a the mall a few days ago and decided to get a few things. Some are staple in my beauty routine and few a brand new things that I have been itching to try. I decided to get a few accessories that I thought were just so cute well I hope you like them. It was supposed to be one shopping trip but it ended up as a cummulative haul

Skin Food store
Pore strip
freebies
sample black sesame seed hot mask
sample size rice emulsion
If you spend $10 at the skin food store you get a card with stamps, I think after 10 purchases you get a free gift. In this case it's a bottle of their nail polish

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Target
Neutrogena foundation
Grow luscious mascara

Target Run because I was in a rush and needed a few things :)
Maybeline Falsies flared
Hair clamps
Elf eyelash curler
Dove dry shampoo

Ulta

Real Techniques brushes

Eyelure fake eyelashes

Asian skincare review: Skin Food Brown sugar scrub

Hi everyone,

I hope your having a good start to your week enjoying the much cooler weather. Today I will review, skin food sugar scrub. I recieved a free sample pack when I purchased a bunch of mask at the Skin food store here in So Cal.

Skin food is a Korean brand skin care and make up company. This brand boast it self for being made with all natural products. Making them good for you and good for your skin. Skin food was a wide range of products to choose from from whitening systems, gel mask, toners and make up.


sample packet


Product claims
Moisturizing and exfoliating wash off scrub mask with minerals, vitamins and glycolic acid. Cleanses and revitalizes the skin.
A leave-on mask with generous moisturizing and effective exfoliating ingredients. Grainy sugar granules slough off excess oil and grime, while a self-heating formula opens up pores, allowing skin to fully absorb the rich minerals and vitamins. After cleansing, gently rub mask all over face, leave mask on for 10-15 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water. Experience renewed luster and softness immediately after use. By Skinfood.
Black sugar mask with rich minerals and vitamin to provide luster and smoothness to skin.
How to Use:
Apply evenly after cleansing.
Avoid eye and mouth area.
Gently scrub adding water frequently.
Wash off with lukewarm water.
Pack Size - 100g


a nice thick scrub



Product expereince:
This scrub uses brown sugar as an exfoliant. That way there is no chance of over exfoliating with the sugar scrub because sugar dissolves with water. The scrub has a thick dark brown consistency. When you first put it on and massage your face the sugar is on the sharp side and but the sugar dissolves rather quickly and your left with the cleanser and a sweet scent that washes off cleanly.

Pros:
A natural product.
The sugar in the the scrub prevents over exfoliating.
A nice sweet smelling scent

Cons:
The sugar granules can be sharp.
Can cause break outs.
Can only be purchased at skin food store or online at imomoko.com, sasa.com, yesstyle.com etc
Expensive I think for a full size it cost $16.95 a 100 g tub

full size tub

Initially I liked this product, it has a nice thick consistency made me feel that it is very hydrating. I liked that I sugar granules dissolve in time and I did not end up over scrubbing my skin. I think the consistency of the scrub is great but it broke me out so I can't fully recommend this product.


HAIR product review: Carol's Daughter Hair Milk lite

Hi Everyone,

Happy Friday!!! today I will be reviewing a hair product for you. I have been looking high and low for products that will help me deal with my hair. For some basic information I have naturally curly hair, it's not a very tight curl but I would say a nice S shaped curl. As much as I have come to love my hair I still have my frustration. For one I have very, very dry hair, I'm always looking for good shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner and even leave in conditioner.

Today I will review Carol's daugter hair milk curl booster in lite. I happen to see this at Macy's while doing some end of the year errands. My cousin Love's this line so I figure why not try it. It is on the pricey side I think I paid $10 for this sample size but I was not disappointed.

Product claim:
Infused with apricot kernel oil, cocoa and Shea butter.
Curl Boosters work to add more bounce and spring to waves and curls
• Cocoa Butter provides intense moisture for curls so they’re softer and more manageable
• Shea Butter works to control frizz and flyaway to tame those locks
• Apricot Kernel Oil works to boost your curls’ shine
A curl boosting, weightless lotion that tames frizz, while defining your waves and curls. Adapted from our famous original formula, Lite is made with essential oil of Lemon and with Vitamin C for an extra light, moisturizing hold.
PLUS, No Parabens, No Petroleum, No Mineral Oil, No Artificial Colors

Product experience:
This product comes in a squeeze bottle reminiscent of old milk bottles.
On clean damp hair I just rub a pea size on this product on my hair, one is I have distributed the product I gently scrunch my hair. The scrunching action will encourage your curls to form.

Pros:
All natural product
a lighter version of the original
A pea size amount is all you need, very potent
Has nice scent but not cloying

Cons:
Pricey 2 fl oz or 60 ml for $9 10 fl oz for $20.
Can be greasy if accidentally used too much.
You have to shake the product because it separates. It doesn't have additives that keep the product together.

I love this curl creme, it smells great and it feels great on my hair. It's very potent and a little goes a long way or else you will have a greasy hair.

Etude house black head remover dual sheet

Hi everyone

I hope your doing well and staying cool in this crazy weather we are having. Today I will be reviewing the Etude house blackhead remover dual sheets. You all know about my constant annoyance with my large pores and my quest to de-gunk and shrink them a bit.
While I was in the US I found out about this product. I didn't purchase it because I was having issues with yesstyle.com my chance came when I went on vacation :) The brand etude house is quite popular in the Philippines and stores have popped up on almost all the popular malls.

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Product claims:
Black Head Remover Dual Sheet is a two-stage blackhead removal and care system formulated with fruit and herbal extracts, which are natural and do not irritate skin. It offers perfect black head care that removes sebum stuck in nose and tightens the pores while not causing any harm to your delicate skin or any unnecessary enlargement of your pores
It has been considered by the beauty bloggers as a very effective product to remove blackheads within a short period of time. Try it! You will love the feeling when you take the strip off because you would immediately see the results.
Two stage blackhead removal and care system formulated with fruit and herbal extracts:

• Step 1: Black Head Remover Sheet [Vol. 3ml (0.10 fl.oz.)] is formulated with a fruit complex to supply Alpha Hydroxy Acids for mild skin peel exfoliation. The remover sheet draws out pore residues for wipe off removal. Contains Orange, Lemon and Grape extracts.
• Step 2: Tightening Gel Sheet [Vol. 1.2g (0.04 oz.)] is formulated with fresh herbs to heal and soothe pores. The gel sheet tightens and nourishes pores with cooling sensation. Contains Rosemary, Lavender and Peppermint.

[Direction]

1. Remover film from and adhere remover sheet over nasal area. Leave on for 15 minutes then remove.
   * Tip : Use either warm water or steamed towel to open pores prior to application.
2. Use cotton swab or pad to wipe exposed sebum, blackheads/whiteheads with downward motion.
3. Remove film from and adhere gel sheet to same area. Leave on for 15 minutes then remove

the back of the sachet and instructions

Product review:

The directions recommend that you either have a fresh steamed face for the product to work better. Since I don't own a steamer I just did my usual routine. I used warm water to splash on my face and used my black soap facial wash and followed by my rose oil clay mask. I let it dry a bit since I have a few break outs. Then I used this blackhead remover. The first step/pack that your supposed to use is a cotton wool soaking in serum. It's like a mask but just for your nose. So you just place the cotton wool on your nose and cheek area and then wait 15 min before removing the mask.

After 15 min I removed the cotton wool and I noticed my white heads had swollen up. The directions recommends to take a q-tip or cotton pad and wipe the exposed black heads with down ward strokes, you should be able to take out your black heads.


step 1 which a cotton mask soaked in serum


I have white heads and large pores around my nose and cheeks, the wiping action did not work on me. I have tried with q-tips and cotton pads. I just ended up with a raw and red nose from all the wiping. The white heads did not get fully removed so I was quite disappointed. I didn't have any available nose strips at the time so I just continued on with the second step which is a gel mask to tighten pores. Since my pores were not properly de-gunked the second step didn't work as well.

I tried the system a second time, this time I used a pore strip instead of wiping my white heads, I used the skin food egg white pore strip. The pore strips made a big difference with ease of removal of the white heads. The skin food pore strips are really good at cleaning out my pores. The product in itself is not very good even the pore tightening step 2 did not make a big difference how large my pores where.

Pros:
It's a two step process that comes neatly package in sachet
Easy to use
The directions are in English and Korean

step 2 a gel mask with serum to tighten pores

Cons:
The product doesn't work as well alone it is incomplete, you need to use other product such as nose strip to really clean everything in your pores.
Price and availability, I don't exactly recall how much I paid for these at the store in the Philippines but Imomoko.com sells them for $14.99 for a set of 5 http://www.imomoko.com/etudehouseblackheadremover. Yesstyle.com sells them for $20.00 for a set of 10 http://www.yesstyle.com/etudehouseblackheadremover.

The idea of a two step system to remove black heads is good but the product doesn't work well.In this case the system is incomplete and would greatly benefit from an addition of a pore strip. I can't recommend this product at all.