IN LOVE. Been using this constantly for the past 3 weeks. Maybelline Japan released this Super Mineral 24 Healthy Long Lasting Foundation with Perlite (Phew, that was a mouthful!) last March, and I was fortunate enough to be in Japan a month after it was launched. I saw it being promoted in nearly all beauty stores I went to, and Mai Miyagi has a wonderful spread in ViVi magazine June 2013 issue promoting the product.

Saw a ton of girls (with the most fabulous skin and makeup) grab a bottle or two, so I was convinced this was going to be good. And it did not disappoint. I hate touching up my make-up, especially my foundation, so this was just what I was looking for. Something that lasts the whole day! It sells for ¥1995 for 25ml, which is quite expensive for something so small. 

Just now, I did some more research about the product, and in the process found out about how they tested its effectiveness in front of the public. They put the foundation on some fabric, stretched it, and displayed how the foundation kept its form despite the strong pressure put into the stretching the cloth. I guess the message behind it was that the foundation will always stay good as new, even if you move your face muscles by smiling, talking, raising your eyebrows, smiling, etc. True enough, it really does the job even if it feels super light and velvet-y. Kind of like primer!

I think the only downside to it is that it’s only available in 3 shades - OC1, OC2 and OC3. I’m an OC3, while OC1 and OC2 would probably be around Crissey’s skintone. 

Anyhow, I fell too much in love that I got an extra bottle for myself. <3 Thinking if I should get some more just in case I run out in the future!

Photography by Tricia Gosingtian. Make-up by Ais Liao. Model: Lissa Kahayon.

Last February 27, I was invited by shu uemura to an afternoon fete / press launch at SoFA where they unveiled the new spring collection, ob for shu uemura! ob, as I mentioned in my previous post, is an up and coming contemporary artist in Japan, and is also the apprentice of well-renowned artist, Takashi Murakami. 

We had afternoon tea and snacks in a dreamy setting that very much reminded me of Alice in Wonderland! 

Macarons, anyone?

No one could resist all the french pastries being served at the event! Yum!

Besides the scrumptious food, there were also other activities for the guests to participate in. There were three activity areas - the calligraphy art area, nail art area and post your dream area.

The talented girl behind the calligraphy is actually my friend Alexis who was my batchmate in Ateneo! She blogs regularly at Ink Scribbler. It was her debut as a calligrapher, and it wasn’t surprising that everyone at the event loved her work so much! You can really pass it off as a real font!

In the post your dream area, I wrote down on a piece of paper that I wished to have unlimited flights to Japan and Europe, LOL.

The spring sakura display by the entrance, featuring the four princesses in the collection. Now I can’t wait to go back to Japan for cherry blossom season!

(Not in photos: Forest Princess collection.) 

Moon Princess. High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula + UVUB Mousse POREraser 

Ocean Princess. Whitening Clear Brightening Gentle Cleansing Oil + UVUB Brightening Mousse Whitefficient

Cherry Blossom Princess Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil + UVUB POREraser

The cutest Cherry Blossom Princess snow globe! <3 

Long-time college friend Reggie who works for Cosmo now! Bumping into her always makes my day. Also, can we trade faces please? I wish to be effortlessly stunning too T_T

Back at the press launch, shu uemura took the opportunity to recognize four prominent ladies in society as tribute to women’s month! Here is Cherry Blossom Princess Jenni Epperson and her daughter wearing matching outfits. I could only wish to be half as fashionable as her when it’s my turn to become a mom!

Ever-so-bubbly Ocean Princess Tessa Prieto-Valdez and her daughter  also in the cutest matching outfits. As usual, she was so funny! Definitely the life of any party.

With Forest Princess Anna Sobrepena, and Moon Princess Rorie Carlos.

Me with shu uemura retail manager Nadia and shu uemura senior brand manager Nina. 

Bloggers with junior product manager Karen! With beauty bloggers Jheng of I Am Brigitte, Angela of Lush Angel, and Martha of The Beauty Junkee. I love how we all came in theme! I swear we didn’t talk about our outfits! (Thanks to Apartment 8 for my cut-out shoulder top.)

I’m totes getting my hands on this collection once it’s out in stores because everything just screams kawaii and I can never resist effective products WITH beautiful packaging. <3

Visit shu uemura on Facebook and Twitter for more details.

First dibs on the new shu uemura spring 2013 collection that’s inspired by one of Japan’s most closely watched contemporary artists, ob. Her artworks for shu uemura are characterized by the combination of dreams and reality, thus the surreal, fantasy-like feel to them. 

There are 4 princesses that are featured in this collection - Cherry Blossom Princess / Sakura Hime (pink), Moon Princess / Tsuki Hime (yellow), Forest Princess / Midori Hime (green), and Ocean Princess / Umi Hime (blue). I’m not going to spoil everything yet, but there are definitely more stuff coming out other than the ones in this post. Like, new rouge unlimited lipsticks… *shuts up now* :)

Thanks to the shu uemura team, I got the Moon Princess / Tsuki Hime (SO ME) High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil, which is the cleansing oil that I’ve been using for years now. Only this time, it comes in the most adorable packaging! I really swear by this stuff. <3

I also got the UVUB mousse POREraser which I am obsessed with right now. Definitely makes my skin look so much better. I’ve been layering it under my foundation recently because not only does it make my foundation last longer but it also gives my skin a smooth, pore-less finish. Works like magic!

And where do I start with these sakura flower mini lashes? They are so pretty I don’t want to use them (as with all shu uemura lashes)! T_T There is nothing more ideal for spring than these sparkly lashes.

Will post photos from the unveiling ob for shu uemura event as soon as I can!

Visit shu uemura on Facebook for more details.

Mary Kay goodies that were given to me in a giant gift box during the Mexx Outing a few weeks ago! Haven’t tried everything yet, but I’m loving the Mineral Powder Foundation (lower left) so far. Been using it everyday now. It’s a good weightless powder foundation in a way that it makes my skin look wonderfully smooth, and (fortunately) it doesn’t break my skin out. I’m also really into the limited edition Sheer Dimensions Powder (pink sparkly one on top) because it provides a nice and subtle shimmer without making me look like a vampire. I still can’t contour to save my life, but I don’t mind highlighting at all. Cool stuff!

Photography by Tricia Gosingtian. Make-up by Kaycee Lim-Santos. Model: Patricia Prieto.

The sequence of these photos tells a lot about what is going on / what has been going on.

Bringing the old blog format back, as promised. The old blog format means… no format. Which is just how I started. I used to do these kinds of personal and spontaneous posts often in the past, if you didn’t know and are quite new here! :D

MAC nail lacquer in Skin and MAC blush in Dolly Mix.

The nail polish was quite a splurge but justifiably one of my favorite (if not most favorite) neutral nail polishes. I’ve been looking for a light muted peach color for a while now and this is perfect. It’s not too tan but not too peach either. The in-between color makes for a good everyday nail color that can suit different outfits.

On the other hand, I’ve been eyeing this blush in all MAC counters since forever! Never got to buy it because I already have a ton of candy pink blushes, and at one point in my life I felt like I had too much. But I threw some old ones out so now I have room for more. Huzzah! First blush on my list was MAC Dolly Mix because it’s such a cute pink and it’s surprisingly not as shocking as the color in the pan when applied. Gives me a nice doll-like flush.

Etude House Lovely Cookie Blusher #6 Grapefruit Jelly, Etoinette Crystal Shine Lips in PBE001, and Bling Bling Eye Stick #5 Silver Milky Way.

I haven’t bought Korean cosmetics for months so I asked Crissey to accompany me to the nearest Etude House a few days ago. I only realized how much I missed it after seeing all the new stuff and how incredibly affordable they all are compared to my favorite Japanese brands! T_T I got this light peach-pink blush and nude-pink limited edition lipstick in time for spring! The blush is light and sheer but definitely buildable, which is my primary reason for this purchase! I needed a warm, healthy-looking color that would go well with my almost no make-up days. 

I admit the lipstick was an impulse buy. The Princess Etoinette packaging was just too adorable! <3 But you guys would know that I already have a ton of these my-lips-but-better colors based on 3 years worth of Lookbook pictures. It looks so good with the blush though. Plus stocks are running out fast because it’s only available for a limited time.

The eye stick is like fairy dust on steroids. I have to be extra careful not to overdo it or else I’d end up looking like an alien. I used to only improvise by using light glittery eyeshadow if I wanted to put something on the inner corners of my eyes, but this makes the whole process sooo much easier. 

Let me know if there are any “it” items that I need to pick up, beauty addicts! I’ll probably do an updated beauty must-haves posts in the next few weeks or months.

1) Celebrated my boyfriend RG’s birthday at Draft in Rockwell! Had this yummy meal all to myself while he ordered a scrumptious burger. NOM

2) Salmon sashimi at Marufuku in Ortigas.

3) Macarons at Chez Karine in Serendra.

4) With my friend Kim at Starbucks Solenad! We spent a whole day with our friends swimming at West Grove. Top from Yesstyle, shorts from Bayo, sunnies from Zara.

5) Squinty eyes and pretty plants on a very sunny day. L-R: me (lol my legs are so landi), Tracy, Teptep, Kim and Krissy

6) Awesome double rainbow after a perfect weekend getaway with your equally perfect friends.

7) Celebrated my eldest twin brothers Chase and Juju’s birthday at Nanbantei at High Street Central. SO MUCH FOOD, DECEMBER. A few weeks prior to this occasion, I also celebrate my birthday on November 24 while my youngest brother celebrates it on November 27. Then it’s my boyfriend’s turn on December 3, before my brothers who celebrate theirs on December 10. Yep, we’re all Sagittarius.

8) Wearing my Baby-G x Ke$ha watch from Time Depot.

9) Had a shoot for ETC’s Etcetera with fellow bloggers Camille and Laureen! Thanks to all those who tweeted me good stuff about it. Actually, there were even some people who thought it was going to be a weekly thing. Huu, sorry guys. I wish it were possible to just do those cutesy videos on TV and NEVER speak, lol.

10) Got sent ProStyle Fuwarie hair styling mists right after it became available here in Manila. I’ve been using this for quite a while now (check out my Beauty Must-Haves post last January 2012) and I’m so happy they’re finally here! The one who brought it to the Philippines discovered it on my blog first. :D

11) Wearing my Haute Lifestyle dress for my boyfriend’s cousin’s wedding.

12) My favorite Brooklyn Omelette from Borough in The Podium.

13) With my niece Zoe at my grandparents’ (her great grandparents’) house for Christmas Day lunch.

14) Pizza and drinks at Locale Gastropub in City Golf with my boyfriend the night before I flew to Japan.

15) My happy self after arriving at our hotel room in Fukuoka. Wearing a JEANASIS sweater which was a gift from my boyfriend from the Collect Point in Singapore. 

16) My fashion bibles! (SCawaii not in picture)

17) Ippudo ramen right after dropping our stuff at the hotel.

18) Okonomiyaki in Hiroshima!

19) Floating Torii in Miyajima!

20) Got myself the Vanilla Onyx body mist from MURUA! The other two I gave to my friends as late Christmas presents.

21) Wearing new purchases! EGOIST bag, SpRay jacket, CECIL McBEE sweater

22) Ramen again! From one of the restaurants in Ramen Stadium Canal City.

23) The cutest bath stuff at Tokyu Hands at Hakata Station. <3

24) Still at Tokyu Hands. TOY CAMERA HEAVEN! I got myself a Megane Cam but I wish I had all the money in the world to buy everything, lol. And I wish I already knew that I was going to get an Instax from my boyfriend for our anniversary in January because they had a complete row just dedicated to Fuji film.

25) Spotted these luxurious-looking macarons at one of my favorite places, the food section of Hankyu department store. The packaging and the colors make them look so precious.

26) Ichigo overload. It’s not too evident in the photo but these are HUGE. And insanely expensive!

27) The Japanese have the best food presentations ever! Everything is so cute, you wouldn’t want to ruin them by digging in!

28) Added one more CANMAKE blush to my already growing collection of Japanese brand blushes. The other one I gave to Crissey as a late Christmas gift. Gave in to consumerism and got myself this limited edition Hello Kitty eyelash glue just because the packaging was too cute to resist.

29) New rings from L.CHANGE at Canal City. Unfortunately, my favorite one on the right recently got lost/stolen/IDK. :( So I’m really careful with the other rings now.

30) My last meal in Japan. :( BRING ME BACKKK

Finally, gone are the days when I would always do dark, droopy eyes! I feel like I’ve really matured when it comes to doing my eye make-up recently. Blame it on my obsession on Japanese magazines (SCawaii and JELLY are my two new bibles after ViVi), and how they’re all crazy about winging their eyeliner upwards, after so many years of attempting to replicate that doll-like look with eyeliner that curves down (though I still do this, tbh). 

I’m totally chalking this up to the whole MODE gyaru revolution, which takes a lot of inspiration from Western fashion and beauty trends. Those like me who graduated from Popteen/Popsister have now found something new, edgy (and less kawaii) and age-appropriate to follow. I’m turning 24 on the 24th of November. I think it’s about time I grow up? :P

Anyhow, I hope you can try to get a copy of SCawaii October 2012 issue with Kojima Haruna (Coincidentally, my AKB bias!) for more cat eyes inspiration! It has about 4-5 pages just showing different ways how to do it. This particular style in this tutorial is something like a combination of my favorite techniques shown in the magazine. :)

1. After putting eyeshadow primer all over your eyelids, apply a neutral shimmer eyeshadow. I’m using the lightest shade of my CANMAKE Eye Nuance (#27 Golden Kuchen) eyeshadow trio.

2. Apply a darker shade of brown. I’m using the middle shade from my CANMAKE Eye Nuance (#27 Golden Kuchen) eyeshadow trio. You can actually use any color since the magic of this make-up style doesn’t rely heavily on eyeshadow. 

3. Wing it! I’m using MAKEMANIA DATA Gradation Tip Shadow in light brown. Follow the natural angle of your bottom lash line.

4. Using the same eyeshadow pen, draw a line under your eyes.

5. Draw a thin line using K-Palette Jet Black eyeliner.

6. Wing it! I like my cat eyeliner more subtle so I draw a slight curve instead of a sharp, blunt angle. 

7. Almost done! Now it’s time for mascara. I’m using Fairydrops Platinum Mascara (pink), which is perfect for both lengthening and volumizing. It’s a gift from heaven for those with sparse Asian lashes.

8. Do the same with your bottom lashes. 

9. Get some eyelash glue, stick your falsies as close to your lashline as possible and there you have it. I’m using Diamond Lash brand ones that I got from Japan. I also put eyelid tape from Etude House (or was it Tony Moly?) because imho falsies look better with parallel eyelids.

I hope you guys enjoyed this tutorial as much as I did! This is my most favorite one so far because it’s quite easy to do and it’s not too intense to wear daily. You can wear it with pink lipstick like me, or with red lipstick for a more classic, sophisticated look. I haven’t really tried wearing this with nude lipstick yet, but I can already feel that it might end up looking too pale, if you don’t match it with dark, smokey eyes.

As always, much thanks to Japanese Candy for my pretty circle lenses! 

Some of the products that I used for this look: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, Okuma Concealer in 02 Yellow Beige, CANMAKE lipstick in Marshallow Pink, Fairydrops film type mascara, MAKEMANIA DATA eyeshadow pen, K-Palette Jet Black liquid eyeliner, K-palette eyebrow tint, Benico x Hello Kitty petit macaron can cheek blush in PM03.

Feel free to comment if you have any questions :D Let me know if this works for you!

“I wanted to invent my personal vision of a Japanese manga.”-KL

Mon Shu Girl is here in Manila! Don’t you think the mascot is super quirky and stylish? It’s even sporting Karl Lagerfeld’s signature tie!

I’ve always been a huge fan of Shu Uemura AND Chanel, so it was such a dream come true to be able to ogle at all the new Karl Lagerfeld x Shu Uemura holiday collection way before it was launched in the boutiques.

I could liken this collaboration to your ultimate OTP producing the most perfect baby you can ever imagine. Flawless of combination of fashion and beauty, if I should say so myself.

Did you know that for over 20 years now, Karl Lagerfeld has been using Shu Uemura eye colors for his fashion illustrations? 

I was invited to this exclusive blogger event at UMU Restaurant in Dusit Thani Hotel. I’m always joking that I’m allergic to events, but this one was one event that I couldn’t miss because it’s something I feel very strongly about. Love!

Here’s most of the collection! Colors aren’t accurate because of the intense purple lighting, but let’s just focus on the packaging first, shall we? It’s Mon Shu Girl everywhere! Red, black and white is a classy combination as always. I absolutely love the adorable limited edition eyelash curler with the bright red rubber and the Mon Shu Girl keychain. These lipsticks are the same size and container as their regular ones, but they all have the mascot printed on them, making them extra kawaii.

Internationally-accredit Shu Uemura make-up artist (and friend) John Pagaduan working his magic using the Smoky Velvet Palette. He did a glittery smoky eye look which he paired with matte red lipstick… which was coincidentally my HG red lipstick Rouge Unlimited Supreme Matte Lipstick in M RD 165. 

The finished look. I can’t believe John did this in like, 10 minutes! Teach me your ways. I can’t even put dark eyeshadow without it all falling on my cheeks.

Patrick Alcober did another look using the Bordeaux Palette, which is my favorite palette from this collection! I COVET. It features a few jewel tones that can make for a more playful smoky look that isn’t as harsh as compared to black or gray. 

The final look, finished with a peachy nude lipstick. I want to try this on myself too!

Real life Mon Shu Girls modeling different looks using the products from the Karl Lagerfeld x Shu Uemura holiday collection. They were all so in character, with their clip-on bangs and black suits. Even I was inspired to dress up like this after the event. I couldn’t go to the launch in Rockwell last weekend (October 20), but I heard they gave away special prizes to those who went in Mon Shu cosplay! Talk about turning Japanese!

I don’t know if there are still stocks left but I do hope there’s still some left for me after I get back from my HK trip! ;_;

Thanks to Nina Solano, Karen Crisostomo, and Nadia Bautista for this successful launch. “Feeling Mon Shu Girl” Tricia Gosingtian loves you and Shu Uemura forever! <3

It’s been a while since I last did a beauty post. I am quite inspired to take a break from posting a personal style entry today because I finally got to meet some of the country’s top beauty bloggers yesterday, and their blogs (which I have encountered at least once in my life for their immensely useful reviews) totally motivated me to add more of these entries in my own blog. I’m no guru but I do love make-up and beauty products from the bottom of my heart.

Anyhow, I’ve mentioned it in my previous make-up tutorials that I have always been biased towards Japanese brands, and that I splurge at all the Sasa or Watsons stores overseas whenever I see them selling the brands that I really like. It all started during my Popteen phase a long time ago, when I would always try their make-up tutorials out on myself. Once in a while, they would show pictures of the products that they would use, and being the fangirl that I am, I gave into consumerism and tried my very best to purchase all these products. Forgive me for having low shopping EQ! I easily believe claims about beauty products… TT

True enough, all these products worked wonders for me. If you saw my old “Beauty Must-Haves” post, you’ll notice how most (but not all) of my make-up are Japanese brand ones! Since they’re made by Asians to suit Asian skin, it makes sense for us Filipinos to also lean more towards these brands, yes? 8D

We’ll never know when most of these will ever be available here in the country. But, going back to the point of this entry… I COME BRINGING GOOD NEWS TO ALL! For some time now, Beauty Bar has been selling K-Palette and Fairydrops! These baby steps are more than good enough. Hope they bring Hada Labo, CANMAKE and Dolly Wink/Candy Doll next! I will love them foreverrr

They sent me a bunch of stuff recently, and here are my favorites! Not paid to do this review but I really do believe in Japanese products so I hope you guys can try these out too! I already used the K-Palette Deep Brown liner in this tutorial, and the Super Black liner is now my perfect dupe to Dolly Wink liquid liner, which is not available here.

The Jet Black eyeliner is one of the top three eyeliners in Japan with 1 sold every 24 seconds (they really like this kind of description, no?). Love how the brush is only 0.05mm, making it ideal for those who just want a subtle line on their eyelids. 

My new HG concealer! I’m using the 02 Yellow Beige shade now, which is for dark circles + dull skin + pigmentation. 01 is for dark circles + dryness while 03 is for dark circles + poor blood circulation. Before this I’ve been using the Revlon PhotoReady concealer and OMG, I just totally stopped using it after I tried this K-Palette Zero Kuma Concealer. ;_; *tears of joy*

Fairydrops Candy Bar BB Cream in Ochre! I still stand by my statement before that Japanese BB Creams »»> Korean ones. The latter kind, based on my experience, usually have a grayish white cast to them, which makes your face look off in pictures. I guess it’s because of the high SPF? This one doesn’t have SPF so it looks great in pictures and it matches your skin properly without making you look like a ghost.

Comes with a sponge applicator but after trying it out for the first time I concluded that the sponge just absorbs everything, LOL. Too messy… or maybe I just don’t have good make-up skills. :( Just use your fingertips or a foundation brush for better and easier application.

Feels a bit more matte than my all-time favorite Ettusais BB cream, but it still suits my combination/dry skin since this Fairydrops BB cream still has moisturizing properties.

I layer this under my Shu Uemura Illuminating Moisture Fluid Foundation (764) and I’m good to go.

Fairydrops Platinum Mascara in waterproof type (purple) and film type (pink). I’m still finishing my Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Eyes Mascara (which I also love by the way) but I’m so obsessed to the pink one now. Currently using it for my lower lashes! Since the fibers in the mascara are good for both volume and lengthening, no need to stick false lower lashes. The curved patented “3 teardrop” wand is actually effective and not just some random gimmick!

On another note, Karl Lagerfeld for Shu Uemura is coming to Manila real soon! Finally! I’ve been lusting over this for the longest time! Fashion meets beauty. East meets west. Just the fact that it’s a combination of both Western and Asian aesthetics made it so hard for me not to love every single thing about this collaboration. :”)

I was one of the lucky few who were able to get first dibs on some of their products at the event yesterday at UMU Restaurant in Dusit Hotel. YAY. *happy dance*

Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Lipstick in Celebrity Beige. Perfect everyday lip color much!

Karl for Shu premium lashes made from some sort of paper material so they’re not as heavy as they look, and nail polish in Karl Black that comes with the most adorable nail stickers that I have ever seen in my life. They are too adorable, I don’t want to use them! I also want to add that the polish has metallic flecks in them. Nothing short of amazing, Grandpa Karl!

Other things I want in this collection: Royal Beige nail polish, Parisienne Pink lipstick, Eyelash Curl & Karl (the new eyelash curler that comes with a little Mon Shu charm), and the Prestigious Bordeaux Palette. So excited! These will all be available this month so follow Shu Uemura Philippines on FB and Twitter for updates and announcements!

So much time has passed since I last created a make-up tutorial! I’m really set on doing more of these beauty posts in the next following months since the feedback on my old entries have been quite good! I’m happy there are people who have learned to love make-up because of my entries - there is nothing like the feeling of knowing that you influenced a part of someone’s life, even if it’s just as shallow as make-up.

As you all know, how I do my make-up transforms my look completely! Recently, I came out in a magazine cover (more on that in my next post), and I got a few “You don’t look like yourself!” comments from my friends, which were totally non-offensive and understandable because I thought so too! Everything they put on my face was totally opposite of what I normally wear - white sparkly eyeshadow instead of my usual brown/gray preference, zero eyeliner instead of my usual downwards wing, barely there falsies instead of my usual heavy Japanese ones, and thick and defined eyebrows instead of my usual thin and natural ones. It wasn’t a bad thing though! It was all actually super fun and interesting, since I seldom present myself in that somewhat default showbiz cover girl make-up since I’m no natural beauty like Anne Curtis! I wish I could look as good as her with zero make-up on. *sigh* I look so crappy on an off-day, haha.

After the cover shoot, I realized I didn’t look so bad (allow me to be vain, please?) without the usual black eye make-up, so I decided to find a compromise between the make-up from the cover shoot and the make-up that I usually do. Then I discovered brown eyeliner. The one that I’m using is the K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner, but you can use anything from brown gel liner (for something darker) to brown eyeshadow (for a subtle smokey look) as well. Brown eyeliner leans toward a more natural look that is most suitable for daytime. It doesn’t create a dark, harsh line, preventing you from looking too made-up.

I recently got a Shu Uemura orange and pistachio palette from the Chocolat Donna Autumn Winter 2012, which I think is a fun alternative to dark smokey eyes! Besides the usual brown and beige, the palette includes a hint of spicy orange glitter, nutty pistachio, hazelnut and crystalized ginger peel with gold accents that you can play around with. From the same collection, I’m lusting over the raspberry and mocha palette and the framboisier powder blush too! Ugh, too much perfection, Shu Uemura! You make me want to spend all my money on you. </3

Now, on to the tutorial…

I know that I used to do tutorials step-by-step with separate pictures, but for this one I decided to compile everything in one photo in case you want to save it on your phone or computer for reference. Thanks to Shop Dainty for the circle lenses!

Step 1: Use a brown shimmer eyeshadow all over your lids. Here I’m using MAC Casino. You can also try looking for Shu Uemura P dark brown 861 and Laneige Snow Radiant Eyes 03 for different shades of shimmery brown. Or if you’re not a fan of shimmer, try MAC Cork (which you can also use for contouring, btw!)

Step 2: Using a brown pencil, gel or liquid eyeliner, line your eyelids. Extend it upwards to create a classic wing.

Step 3: Highlight your brow bone! Here I’m using the 3rd color from Shu Uemura’s orange and pistachio palette which is a satin light peach shade that is slightly lighter than my normal skin tone. 

Step 4 and 5: Apply mascara on your top and bottom lashes. Here I’m using Laneige Perfect Lash Mascara. It’s one of new discoveries! It’s quite good for lengthening, so on a normal day, I pair it with a volume mascara so I can get the best of both worlds. Don’t know if this actually works but it makes sense to combine, right?

Step 6: Get some brown falsies and stick them as close to your lashline as possible. These ones are just some random ones I found in Singapore. Call me obsessed - they are ideal for that “my lashes but better” effect, or that “I know I’m blooming and I know you can never tell what I added to my face to achieve this *evil laugh*” effect. :)

Optional: Eyelid tape. I like using eyelid tape because I think false lashes look better with parallel double eyelids instead of tapered double eyelids!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Feel free to comment on my DISQUS if you have any questions or any suggestions for future tutorials.

Since I’m already on the topic of make-up and beauty, I might as well share to you my favorite skincare products! I think it has only been about 8 or so months since I was suddenly enlightened to take care of my skin. I’ve never been the pimply blemish-y type, so I thought I could do away with putting so much gunk on my face. #HUMBLEBRAG! However, I read somewhere that it’s never too late to start taking care of your skin! Better to start early so you can prevent panicking with anti-aging products when you’re in your 40s or 50s. I’m trying to prevent that moment in the future when I finally see signs of wrinkles but regret that I took my skin for granted when I was younger. I also have generally dry skin, so there’s a possibility that in the future, I might look older than I really am if I don’t moisturize properly. 

Here are a list of products that I use:

1) Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil - 1 bottle is sold every 15 seconds. This is something that I swear by! This might sound exaggerated, but I don’t feel comfortable removing my make-up with anything else but this. I’ve been using the Advanced Formula since college, but I decided to switch to the new Ultim8 complex because I got sold on their claim of “8 outstanding skincare benefits after 4 weeks of use, skin feels 88% revitalized, 98% refined, 90% more translucent, 94% smoother, 90% more radiant, 94% suppler, 90% nourished and 92% moisturized”. True enough my skin has never been better since I switched to this.

2) Shu Uemura TSUYA Skin - DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THIS. I’ve been using this for a week now, and it’s like magic. I’m not only saying this because I’m Japan-biased, lol. Before this, I used to put 2 thin layers of liquid foundation on my face. Now, I can do with just 1 thin layer.

I love it so much that at the end of the day, I just want to remove my make-up ASAP just so I can put this stuff on my skin. It’s true that with this product, you can achieve porcelain-fine, petal-soft, translucent glowing skin in 7 days. I saw a major difference and it makes me want to cry buckets of joy every time I see my no make-up face in the mirror. *sparkly eyes*

3) Laneige Water Bank Essence, Laneige Water Sleeping Pack EX and Laneige Water Bank Mineral Skin Mist - Wanted to look like Song Hye Gyo so I got these, LOL. She swears by the Water Bank Essence, by the way. Laneige is one of my favorite Korean brands for skincare! They’re a bit pricey than other Korean brands like Etude House or Tony Moly, but Laneige is totally worth every peso. Don’t you find it so depressing when you touch your face and it doesn’t feel bouncy? I think mine is caused by bad sleeping and eating habits, so I use the essence and sleeping pack once a week so all the work stress and unhealthy food will never ever show. Prevention is always better than cure.

Anyhow, the mist is something I just like spraying on my face when I need a good perk-me-up on a hot and humid day! I guess you can compare it to MAC Charged Water of Evian mist.

4) Hada Labo Superhyaluronic Hydrating Lotion (toner), Hydrating Milk (moisturizer) and Moist Eye Cream - I get these products every time I go to Sasa in Hong Kong or Singapore! Would you believe that 1 is sold every 4 seconds in Japan? Must be really effective, since I personally think Japanese girls have the best skin in the world. These are my default skincare products because they simply work - no frills, no scents, no anything complicated. I’m still hoping for the day Sasa comes to Manila so these products can also be enjoyed by Filipinos…

Shu Uemura and Laneige can both be found in SM Mall of Asia, which will have another 3-day sale soon! Up to 70% off on select items from participating stores. September 14-16 is *the* time to Enjoy the “Good Life” at a discount! See you at their Big! Big! Sale! Follow them on Twitter for fun giveaways and mall announcements.

Sponsored post.

(Romwe top and shorts, S&H heels, Bayo glasses, LV bag, Lovisa earrings, ClubCouture cuff) Hype this look on Lookbook here.

The power of red lips! I can’t believe I am just joining the red lipstick bandwagon now! After much encouragement from my make-up artist friends, I decided to wear red lipstick for consecutive days to be able to get used to it. It really does create a totally different look, especially on someone like me whose comfort zone switches from nude to pink lips only.

Here I am wearing MAC Ruby Woo (with clear gloss) to complement my minimalist black and white outfit. I feel like red lipstick makes this rather simple outfit seem fierce and sophisticated without having to pile on accessories to achieve that effect.

Also, am I the only one who thinks that Ruby Woo is *the* universally perfect red? Thanks to Reggie for always being my red lipstick inspiration. I wouldn’t have discovered this lipstick if it weren’t for her.

Anyhow, try to imagine me wearing this outfit but with my usual pink blush and pink lipstick. So different, right? Here are some tips if you want to try red lips too:

1) Keep your eye make-up to a minimum. Avoid looking like a clown by keeping your lids and lower lashline free from anything heavy and dark. Red lips work best with just eyeliner, mascara, and a neutral barely-there eyeshadow.

2) Choose a shade that works best for your skin tone. Warmer reds are generally more flattering on medium/olive-toned Asians. 

I know I haven’t updated my blog for a few days now since I’m quite busy with other work (mostly post-processing and photography-related work), but don’t fret as I’ll be trying to post more often after this! I’ll be out of the country again starting this weekend, so I’ll definitely be queueing all the Lookbook outfits that I haven’t posted here yet. Watch out for my last Paris post too! I’m so excited to share it with all of you.

It’s been 7 months since my last make-up tutorial, and my technique has changed so much since then! I can’t wait to show you guys how to do this kind of eye make-up because it’s really fun to do and it creates such a unique look.

Not quite sure if this is universally flattering as I don’t personally know anyone else who does this kind of make up, but I do think you have to have a certain eye shape to begin with so you can pull this kind of make-up off. If you have tapered eyelids or monolids, you have to invest in eyelid glue or eyelid tape for this to work. I already have somewhat parallel eyelids, as you can see below, but I still don’t think it’s enough for this style. Thus the eyelid tape in the first photo and the “after” photo right after this paragraph. I get mine from The Face Shop or Etude House, fyi. They’re really easy to use once you get the hang of it. 

Before and after. Haha, my left eyebrow in the bottom picture has a life of its own. Also the first time to show my no make-up eyes, I think. This is to show you the magic of make-up! Even false lashes make all the difference in the world. I’m also using Kumicky’s Girly Chip Soy Latte Brown lenses (thanks to Japanese Candy) to create an innocent look since my favorite light gray ones tend to create a more mature look.

Interested to try this style out? Here are the steps to achieve big, droopy, gyaru-inspired eyes:

Step 1: Apply eye primer! I ran out of Urban Decay Primer Potion recently so I got a dupe at Etude House. Primer prevents your eye make-up from creasing or smearing and makes your eyeshadow color appear brighter.

Step 2: Apply eyeshadow. I’m using the green one from my tokidoki x Sephora Sandy in the City palette. You can actually use any color since the magic of this make-up style doesn’t rely heavily on eyeshadow. 

Step 3: This is where the magic begins. I’m using Dolly Wink’s liquid eyeliner to create a thin, defined line. You have to wing your eyeliner DOWNWARDS. You can extend it even further if you want your eyes droopier.

I know it sounds silly to make your eyes appear droopier, but there’s something about it that makes you look more doll-like!

Step 4: Apply mascara on your top lashes. I’m using my favorite Dolly Wink volume mascara. This part is optional since you’ll be putting false lashes anyway. I just like to do this step because I feel better with mascara on (lol)

Step 5: This step is super important! After you’ve done your droopy wing and it’s finally time to apply falsies, you have to follow that downwards wing instead of your natural lash line. 

It might feel and look weird at first, but I swear it works like a charm! I’m using Decorative Eyelash falsies I got from Fukuoka last December.

Step 6: Time to apply lower lashes! I’m using Crayon lower lashes I got from Watsons (Eastwood) some time ago. YES, WE HAVE LOWER LASHES AVAILABLE LOCALLY! And they’re pretty affordable too, compared to Dolly Wink which is a little too overpriced. I can’t wait for a future where they decide to bring Diamond Lash and all the Japanese lash brands in here. /cry

Anyhow, this is the last of the 3 most important steps in this tutorial. Don’t follow your natural lower lash line. Instead, use the downwards wing as a point of reference and connect the top and lower lashes there. It’s hard to explain but I put a green line so it’s easier to understand. 

And that’s it! I put purple and green lines to illustrate the effect of doing your make-up this way. The purple line is the “before” while the green line is the “after”. I hope this proves to be useful to those who want to make their eyes bigger by just using eyeliner and false eyelashes. No complicated eyeshadow blending and yet it’s possible to create an illusion of a totally different eye shape.

If you have any questions and tutorial requests, feel free to comment on this entry. I can’t really do complicated ones with lots of colors and blending, but I’m all for ulzzang and gyaru-inspired ones. If anyone gets inspired by this, take a picture and let me see! Hope this tutorial helps. <3

P.S. I’m wearing extensions in the first photo to give my hair more volume. Thanks Cotton Candy Hair Extensions!