Makeupdweeb's Blog

Moving out =)

makeupdweeb — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 10:13:48 +0000

I’VE MOVED!

Lights and Shades

(click on link)

So after my short stay here in WordPress, I’ve decided to transfer to Blogger. I was an avid blogger back in highschool, though not beauty related. I made an account in wordpress primarily because my cousin recommended that I try it. I am absolutely fine with WordPress. It is actually a great platform. However, I choose to stay with Blogger for a number of reasons.

For one, I think I chose a tacky username for wordpress. (it was the first thing that came to mind when I made the blog) Haha. Also, I find it easier to navigate pages in Blogger since I have been accustomed to it. Another reason would be the blog list gadget in Blogger. For the longest time, my routine in reading beauty blogs would be: start with Askmewhat’s site and then navigate to other pages in her blog list. Haha. So basically, it all boils down to my personal preference. =)

Wishlist: Coastal Scents Concealer Palette and Hot Pots

makeupdweeb — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 07:50:15 +0000

I visited the Coastal Scents website and found items I want to add to my already long list of things I want to buy. Stress on want. I need to be scrupulous in drawing the line between what I need to buy and what I want to buy since I’m now officially unemployed. I quit work since the project I’ve been working on had finally come to an end plus I’m planning to take a full-time master’s degree (which has yet to start this june).

Anyways, I was surprised to see a lot of new items since I’ve last visited the website. On top of my list are:

Coastal Scents Professional Concealer Palette

taken from CoastalScents.com

What the website says:

$16.95

Coastal Scents 10 color Camouflage and Concealer Palette has been created for us using the most commonly applied shades. All makeup artists will benefit by having this in your beauty arsenal. These are cream concealers that offer terrific coverage.

Full opaque coverage, easy to apply with a concealer brush, very blendable to create the shade you need.

Pans measure 1 3/8″ in diameter (nearly 1.5 inches)

Matte black case with Silver Logo and content design on front

Measures 9″ in length and 4″ wide when closed

Ingredients: Squalene, Octyl Palmitate, Beeswax, Talc, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Petrolatum, Propylparaben.

May contain: Titaium Dioxide, Iron Oxides

I am curious on how this product delivers. One person made a review on the website that the lightest shade of the concealer makes a good eyeshadow base, similar to MAC paint pot in Painterly. I checked with Pearl of Dollface Cosmetics and she actually has it for Php 900. I will probably check it out at the Summer Lovin’ event at the Fort on May 1 – 3, 2009 since she will be having a booth there.

Coastal Scents Hot Pots

taken from CoastalScents.com

What the website says:

Our magnetic Hot Pots make it easy to set up your 12 or 4 pc carry along palette for any occasion. Choose Blush (B) or Shadows from Matte (M), Satin and Shimmer (S).

Size: 26mm, Net Wt.: 1.3g/0.04oz

Ingredients: Talc, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Mineral Oil, Magnesium Stearate, Methylparaben. May Contain: Mica and Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Ultramarine Blue, Manganese Violet, Chromium Oxide Greens, FD&C Red No.40 Al Lake, FD&C Yellow No.5 Al Lake, FD&C Blue No.1 Al Lake

I definitely WANT to try this out. They have 38 shimmer and 23 matte eyeshadow shades available. Unfotunately, Dollface Cosmetics doesn’t carry these so you have to order it online (and shipping costs are pain in the ass).

Review: 4U2 eyeshadow palette

makeupdweeb — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:28:11 +0000

I absolutely love hunting for good cosmetics at affordable prices. That’s why I love Watson’s too much. One of my recent discoveries is a brand called 4U2 (Thai). I already have one of their quads (neutrals) and a single eyeshadow. I love 4U2 eyeshadows primarily because it’s highly pigmented and cheap! The only problem I have is that they don’t have matte eyeshadows.

…or so I thought.

Last Saturday, I passed by Watson’s after class to restock on wetwipes and tissue. I passed by the 4U2 counter and was surprised to see a matte eyeshadow palette (Classic). The sales lady said it was the last one and that they seldom restock on it. But since I didn’t have money with me then, I tried my luck the next day in the nearest Watson’s to my place. And fortunately, they had two! So I got one for myself…

Swatches:

4U2 I-Pro Professional Eye Make-up Palette in Classic

Price: Php 994

Pros:

Highly pigmented
Affordable
Nice packaging ( i like the mirror haha)

Cons:

No other shades available
Other than the first one, I can’t think of any

Overall, I think that this palette is a steal for its price. The texture is just alright, not too powdery unlike other drugstore brands. The shimmery palettes are nice too. I just want a matte palette. I especially like how the black and brown turned out. I also recommend their eyeshadow duos and quads. Really worth the price.

Homemade Makeup Brush Cleaner

makeupdweeb — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 01:26:15 +0000

I’ve been searching for a good makeup brush cleaner for quite a time now. I tend to be obsessive compulsive when it comes to hygiene and sanitation. And so far, the only one I’m sure of is MAC’s brush cleaner since I read that other brands tend to leave the brushes stiff and sticky. While I’m still allowing my (currently non-existent) savings recuperate from my uncanny expenses, I decided to settle with a homemade brush cleaner.

Ever since, I’ve been using Burt’s Bees baby shampoo to clean my brushes and they work perfectly fine. They actually smell great after cleaning! My only dilemma is when we’re supposed to do many faces one after another, I need something to clean and disinfect my brushes pronto. So after googling for a good recipe , I came across Koren’s homemade brush cleaner.

I know a lot of people already know about this but I just have to rave about how good it is! Even my classmates loved it and we were all using it last night at the show. Here are the ingredients for the homemade brush cleaner:

1 cup distilled water

1/4 cup alcohol (70% or 90%)

1/2 tablespoon dishwashing liquid (I prefer ones with moisturizer)

1/2 tablespoon shampoo ( I use baby shampoo)

1 tablespoon leave-on conditioner (I actually added a bit more to the solution)

I mixed all ingredients in a bowl, carefully stirring to avoid forming suds. And then I transferred the solution to an atomizer and voila! I was actually hesitant to use it at first because of the dishwashing liquid but it definitely cleaned and left my brushes soft.

Collective Haul

makeupdweeb — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:03:39 +0000

After buying the stuff I need for makeup school, I did a mental note to set out on a no-buy mode (which I keep telling myself to do over and over again). But who am I kidding? I always seem to find a reason to buy something (despite my meager wallet and bank account). By far, this month has been the most extravagant in terms of my spending on beauty products. Since I was in a positive mood today, I decided to take pictures of some of the stuff I got over the weekend.

1. MAC lipstick in Russian Red

Okay, so I’ve been looking for a good red lipstick. I found one at The Face Shop but I decided to check with MAC first thinking that I might find a better one. And I did (and its the last one they have)! I looooove the shade of red. It’s matte and is on the bluish side of red. However, I’ve been so used to wearing nudes that I’m not too comfy wearing a red lipstick. But we’ll see…

2. MAC eyeshadow in Ricepaper

Ricepaper is a peachy gold e/s with shimmer. I decided to buy this because Mikee from MAC told us that this is a perfect shade for a highlighter. and he was definitely right!

3. Maybelline Brow Definist in 02 Brown

I go to Maybelline for mascaras (hands down!). It has been my brand of choice for mascaras before I discovered The Balm Two Timer Mascara (my HG! I’ll try to review this some other time). It’s affordable and does its work. So as I was lurking around Landmark looking for a good and cheap eyebrow kit, I was surprised to see that Maybelline now has an eyebrow kit (and eyeshadows! LOL.) I wasn’t expecting much from it but when I swatched it, I was surprised by the natural light brown color. I’ve been looking for a lighter and more natural shade of eyebrow kit because I wasn’t satisfied with the one I bought from In2it and The Face Shop.

Anyways, Maybelline Brow Definist has two shades of brown in it. One smooth wax (darker shade) to define the brow line and one silky brow powder (lighter shade) to build intensity. I find that it easily glides and packs color to the brows.

4. Nichido Girl’s Night Out Eye Contour Pencil in Deep Blonde

What can I say. I love the shade of brown. It can be used as an eyeliner and a brow pencil. My only concern is that it smudges easily.

5. Fanny Serrano Blush in Georgia Peach

The photo lost its quality upon upload. It looks totally different. In the picture, it looks pink but this blush is a perfect peach shade, which is a bit on the shimmery side. I bought this for my class but I think I might use it. LOL.

I have yet to try their eyeshadow quads, which I saw from Aika.

6. My first batch of NYX round lipsticks

My mini lipstick army from Nyx. I ordered these from Nonpareilboutique about a month ago but I had to wait for my uncle to arrive to get these. I also ordered 2 round lipglosses, 1 megashine lipgloss and 1 eyeshadow trio (which I forgot to take pictures of). Anyways, I cannot stress enough how much I love these lipsticks. They’re not MAC quality but they’re good enough for me. They glide well and don’t dry my lips. And they’re cheap! I can’t wait to order more!

7. Eyeko Cream

FINALLY! After a month long of waiting, I got my order. I’m not sure though if this was my original order, or the one they re-sent (since I filed a dispute in Paypal). I love it. (and how cute is the packaging?!) It makes a good highlighter. You can even wear it alone, giving a healthy glow to your skin. I applied a thick layer for visual purposes only (I wanted it to be really visible in the picture). The smell reminds me of sunblock but oddly enough, I love the smell. LOL. The only con I can point out right now is that its in a tub and I have to dip my finger to get the product. So what I did was I bought those little containers with spatulas and transferred some to it so I don’t have to get straight from the tub.

So there. I’ll post the second part of my haul when I get in the mood to take pictures again.

On Thursday, I will be joining my teacher and some of my classmates in a fashion show at Bureau (Makati). Janna, my classmate, told me that we will be doing 30 faces (SRSLY?!) for the show. But we’ll only be doing the base (foundation etc.) since that’s what we’ve mastered. I’m excited and nervous. I hope I do well… *cross fingers*

MAC Workshop

makeupdweeb — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 21:09:41 +0000

We had our 2nd session for the makeup class yesterday and it was all about the Prime Look. I brought my friend Maru to model for me. My teacher’s comment was that I had to practice on eyebrows. I could’ve made my friend look like Frida. I’m probably going to practice on my family and officemates this week. LOL.

Anyways, we had a MAC workshop after the class. It was actually more like a MAC demo. Mikee from MAC was the one who facilitated the group discussion and Maru (again) modeled for the class.

It was actually fun. Mikee was really entertaining. Plus we got to play around the MAC counter afterwards. I love the fact that we’re only 6 in the class and that my classmates are easy to get along with. (It’s a fun class!)

So I ended up buying an eyeshadow in Ricepaper and a lipstick in Russian Red (last one!). I also saw Bambi of MakeupbyBambi and she was nice enough to talk to me when I approached her and introduced myself.

Well it was a fun day and I can’t wait til next Saturday.

Eyeko Order Dilemma

makeupdweeb — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 05:00:12 +0000

http://www.eyeko.com

I ordered for an Eyeko cream last March 1, 2009. I have already been charged by Paypal but my order, according to the website, is still pending. I e-mailed Eyeko a couple of times and got no response. So I resolved to reporting it to Paypal.

Has anyone experienced this? I’m worried. It sucks coz I’ve been really interested in the eyeko cream.

My very first false eyelashes

makeupdweeb — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 03:58:32 +0000

I went to The Face Shop the other week to buy a nail polish and a nail polish remover. I saw their false eyelashes and remembered Nikki’s blog. I asked if they had the XLH but it was out of stock. So I ended up buying the XL falsies. I also passed by the department store and bought a 4U2 eyeshadow and an E.L.F. lipliner.

Anyways, I already have long eyelashes (since I have big eyes lol). I just wanted to try how falsies would look on me and also, I wanted to practice putting them since I intend on using one for my class (if I get a chance to do so).

So this is me without the false eyelashes

And this is after applying the false eyelashes..

See the difference?

Well I like how it makes my eyes pop out. But I doubt I’ll be able to use it much since it really calls attention to my eyes.

Major Haul

makeupdweeb — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 23:08:33 +0000

Today marks my biggest haul ever. I finally decided to take the makeup artistry class after months of contemplating. And it seemed to work on my part. Our class is the smallest batch our teacher ever had, which meant a more focused and personal training.

Anyways, for the tools and makeup products, our teacher recommended a variety of products ranging from low end brands to high end brands. I was so excited that I went straight to the mall to buy the stuff that I need (well most of it).

I went to the MAC store at shangri-la to buy foundations and powders. I was too busy thinking about my list that I wasn’t able to double check what I bought. Turns out the SA gave me a wrong foundation and shade. I asked for a Studio Fix Fluid in NC20 and she gave me a Select SPF 15 in NC25. And she didn’t even give me freebies because it was out of stock. So i have to go back tomorrow and have it replaced. As for the gel liners, I got them from a friend and my cousin.

I bought blushes and lipsticks from Ever Bilena since our teacher highly recommends it for low end brands. I wouldn’t have thought of it but hey, it works. I still have tons to buy on my list and I need it by Saturday.

I’ll be housing these stuff in the traincase I bought at Quiapo a couple of weeks back. I wanted to get a plain black case but I didn’t like the compartments of it. So I got this instead…

I’m now officially bankrupt. I just hope I do well in school. =s

DIY hair removal wax

makeupdweeb — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:36:18 +0000

Waxing is one of the most popular methods of hair removal. Personally, I prefer waxing because I get more ingrown hair and blotches from shaving and depilatory creams. Out of all the methods, not only do I find waxing as the most effective in hair removal, but it also takes the longest time for hair to grow back.

Over the years, I’ve been going to this affordable waxing salon called Lay Bare to get my waxing done. They use cold wax and I find that it is less painful than hot wax. But since I’m flat broke (and stuck at home), I opted to try the DIY wax. Thanks to my good friend, Google I found the perfect recipe for a homemade wax. For this, you will need the following:

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 1/4 cup honey

- juice of 1/2 lemon or if not available, 3 calamansi

- cornstarch / baby powder

- clean cotton cloth strips

- wooden stick or spatula

1. Combine and mix the brown sugar, honey and lemon/calamansi in one microveable glass bowl.

2. Microwave it for about 2 minutes but stop and stir your mixture every 30 seconds. The mixture should have a thick consistency.

3. Let it cool to a comfortable temperature. (NOTE: Now I could not emphasize this enough. Be careful not to touch it as it is super hot. I was stupid to dip my finger to check the temperature and I ended up with a mildly burnt finger)

4. Dust the area that you want to wax with cornstarch / baby powder. (This will make the wax stick more)

5. Use the wooden stick or spatula to spread a thin layer to your desired area, in the direction of the hair growth (since I don’t want to use our kitchen utensils and I can’t find a wooden stick, I used the spatula included in Veet. It’s plastic but it worked well. Just be sure the mixture is not too hot). I suggest you do small patches first.

6. Immediately cover the patch with a strip of cotton cloth. Briskly stroke the strip several times in the direction of the hair growth then pull the skin taut, and quickly pull the cotton strip against the direction of the hair growth.

As so you proceed with the waxing, you may opt to reheat your mixture in the microwave to keep it warm (just make sure not to overheat it as you could easily burn your skin). In my case, even if the mixture was cold, it still was able to get the hair)

I still had some leftover wax. So I stored it in a plastic container and placed it in the refrigerator. You can just heat it up to use it again. As for the cotton strips, you can reuse it by washing and hanging it to dry.

My verdict: The wax is perfect. It was not painful at all. I actually had fun doing it. Plus I think the honey left my skin soft. My only problem was that I do not know how to go about the process of waxing, so there were really small areas that I accidentally skipped and had to go back and wax. I’m pretty sure 1 or 2 tries will get me accustomed to it.

So if you’re on a tight budget and have plenty of time in your hands, I suggest you try this DIY wax. You can actually have fun, while keeping yourself hair-free.