Have you joined Sampleroom yet?

Since I got into makeup, I have been envious of our US and European counterparts. First of all, they have access to most mid- to high-end products at lower prices (did you know that a MAC lipstick only costs about P600 in the US as compared to P1000 here in the Philippines). Then, they have better customer service and online shopping options. To further the envy, most department store brands generously provide samples whether you buy anything or not; in the event that you do buy a product, use it and just don't like it, you can return it too.

However, since Sampleroom launched, the green-eyed junkie residing inside me has been somewhat appeased. In fact, I still can't get over the fact that for once, we Pinays are actually enjoying something even better than those subscription sample boxes which are such grab bags. I recall being so envious when US bloggers began talking about Birchbox and Jolie. Ironically, now that we do have sample boxes here, I just haven't been interested in getting a subscription because I'm getting my fix with Sampleroom.

If you haven't joined or heard about Sampleroom yet (WHY???) it's a genius of an idea. You simply open a free account at their website which will automatically earn you 100 points. These points can be spent by choosing from any available samples, which will be delivered straight to your door upon payment of a shipping fee. Metro Manila members are charged P100 for a maximum of 3 samples (with extra charges for the 4th sample), while provincial members have to pay P130. You can avail of samples as long as they are in stock and you have enough points for them. You will be posting a short review for your samples after using it and thus, earn back the points you have used to get them in the first place. You are also given two extra points just for adding a rating and submitting a review.

Being an online shopping veteran, I now that the courier they use (XEND) only charges P49 for Metro Manila deliveries. Which means that about half of the shipping fee I pay goes to Sampleroom. But really, for the convenience and value that they provide, I don't begrudge them that. In fact, I think it's more than fair considering all the logistics they have to go through in order to pull off something like this.

Since becoming a member when it first launched (yes, the website crashed that day!), I have gotten  total of P2500++ worth of beauty products divided in three shipments. P300 paid for samples/full-sized products that I want to try based on my needs and preferences. How great is that? The five images in this post are all products that I have availed using only my initial 100 points.

You can use Paypal or credit cards to pay the shipping fee. BPI or BDO also work, if you prefer over-the-counter transactions. For more information, head on over to Sampleroom and create your account.
Happy holidays!  Stay pretty.

Guerlain Meteorites Perles in 01 Rose Teint Review: Updated

So I have had this beautiful tub in my vanity for several months now, and I think it's about time to write a review on what I think about Guerlain Meteorites Perles in 01 Rose Teint, which retails for $59 (30 g):

10 Ways to Kick your Online Dating Profile up a Notch

Online dating, as far as it goes here in the Philippines, is not really something popular. Or maybe I'm just running around with a different crowd? Anyway, it is still an option for those singles out there; God knows there have been a lot of romantic comedies which have built their premise on this phenomenon. Just in case you were thinking about trying it out, guest author Lauryn has some great tips.

A few months ago you decided to enter the online dating world. You created a profile at an online dating website, but have yet to reap any of the rewards. If you’re considering a complete rebuild of your online dating profile, consider these ten ways to kick your online dating profile up a notch.

Be Truthful

Many people can see right through a fake profile. If you don’t write what is true and what comes from the heart, you won’t get any replies.

Not Too Short, Not Too Long

Most online dating websites have an “about me” section where you can write a paragraph or two about yourself. While there is really no correct word count for this section, if you only write a few words about yourself people may not take you seriously enough to contact you.

Post a Picture

This has to be a given for any online dating profile. Chances are you will never get a profile view if you don’t post a picture.

Make Sure you are the Focus of the Picture

Don’t post pictures that include you and three of your friends in a drunken frenzy. This makes everyone have to guess which one is you, and seems a bit deceitful to those who view your profile. A few, nice full body pictures will do just fine.

Don’t write Overly Negative Descriptions

You may be surprised, but some people write “cautionary” type descriptions about themselves. While honesty is the best policy when creating an online dating profile, some things should just be left unsaid.

Avoid Repeating Cliché Phrases that Others Use

“I love to laugh” and “looking for someone special” are just some examples of greatly overused phrases in dating profiles. Obviously, everyone loves to laugh, and we are all looking for someone special; why else would we resort to online dating?

End your Profile with a Question

Try to engage the customer at the end of your profile with a question. Come up with something clever that will make them want to reply to your ad with their answer.

Use Humor

Keep your profile humorous and engaging for the reader. Most online dating profiles all sound the same. Try to include some sly, between-the-lines jokes to let the reader know you have a sense of humor.

Specify Activities

Don’t just write “I enjoy hiking, going to the movies and more”. Where do go hiking? What movies have you seen recently? Remember, the whole point is to stand out from the rest of the online dating profiles.

Learn to Spell!

Misspellings and “text-speak” should never be used in online dating profiles. You aren’t in high school anymore, so don’t write like you are.

While following these basic tips will help kick your online dating profile up a notch, the most important thing is confidence. You must always remember that persistence pays off in the end!

Lauryn Winterson is a professional writer that enjoys reading, hiking and spending time with her family. She also has extensive relationship experience, for more information visit Onlinedatingsites.net.

Clarisonic Pro Sonic Skin Cleansing System Review

Last summer, tired of breakouts and enlarged pores, I finally caved in and bought myself a Clarisonic. I have been reading a lot of blog reviews saying that this nifty little device does help with the skin issues I have been having and more.

My $200 kit came with the Clarisonic holder, a Face Brush, a Body Brush, three cleaners for  sensitive skin, normal skin, and oily skin, a tube of Skin Polish, and a charging dock.

Different cleansers-- I didn't really find them that amazing, just your basic cleansing formula.

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque Review

For the past month or so, my hormones have been acting up. This, combined with my erratic sleeping hours have combined to give me cystic acne breakouts. While makeup could cover up the acne scars, those who have had cystic acne knows that there is absolutely no cover-up for those bumps. I don't really have the time or the patience to have acne surgery right now, and so I sought some home-based remedies.

I bought this 8 oz. tube for P300 on Multiply. 

If you have read my post on the haul I got from last month's Multiply Frenzy, one of the things that I bought was the Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. This inexpensive clay-based product has been around for years, and has earned a lot of beauty blog reviews, although they are some who say that it has been largely overrated. Well, I have been using it for a month now, which means that its time for me to cast my own vote.

My Love-Hate Relationship with MAC Pink Nouveau

When I first saw Pink Nouveau worn, it was on a MAC SA who had on a grey smokey look. I was asking another MAC MUA for a nice pink lipstick suggestion and she pointed out Pink Nouveau which I liked on the tube. The mistake was in also pointing out that her associate was wearing it too, because to me, it looked rather neonish. Not a good look for me because I needed something safer, so I passed and got Cosmo instead.

For a few weeks after that, I was feeling more adventurous and wanted a statement pink color, so I hied off to MAC again, this time, in quest of Girl About Town. This was a permanent shade so I was crestfallen to learn that while it was permanent, it was not for Southeast Asia release. I had to come home with something and so I said to heck with it and got Pink Nouveau.

And thus begins a love-hate relationship with MAC Pink Nouveau. If you would like to know how it all ends, read on after the jump.

Suesh Makeup Brushes Haul

I bought my 21 piece makeup brush from Suesh, just a few weeks before I enrolled in the Suesh basic makeup workshop (click link to see post).  That was last summer, so it has been more than six months now.

So, how did my Suesh brushes stand up to use/abuse so far? Scroll after the pictures to know what I thought.

this 21-pc suesh brush set retails for P4500

How to help your lashes look their best

Today's beauty post is from Idol Lash.

Every woman wants gorgeous, long, lush eyelashes. But not everyone is born that way! If you're one of the many women who need help getting their lashes to look long, thick and beautiful, there are plenty of options you can try to boost your eye-framing fringe. 

NYX Extreme Matte Lip Cream in Stockholm, Swatches and Review

Ever since I discovered Mac lipsticks, I rarely stray from the brand especially since I don't really wear makeup everyday and a single bullet takes me ages to finish anyway. But NYX matte lip creams have always been something I wanted to try out, even though I am not a fan of mattes in general. When I attended the Maven event a few weeks ago, I saw that Digital Traincase had a booth there and I was able to swatch me some of the lip creams. I took home Stockholm (P280).

Makeup by Yours Truly #1: Grandma

The 'victim': My 85-year old grandma (hugs)

In her heyday, my grandma was a very handsome woman. She had prominent cheekbones, a strong jawline (a very strong-willed dame, this one) and a dark complexion. She never was much for makeup, as I recall. In fact, no one in my family really had makeup artistry ambitions-- I'm actually the first  :)

At her age, my lola does not really like putting on makeup except for very special occasions like weddings and debut parties in the family. One day though, I was in the mood to doll her up just for a quick trip to the grocery, nothing too over-the-top but a fresher version of herself.

The main thing was just to tint and shape her brows, apply a smooth face base to make her skin look more plump (the hard part was buffing the creases out!), and then add some subtle eye and cheek colors. Kasi naman sa grocery lang ang lakad, di ba. The after photo was actually taken about two hours after I finished, which is why she barely had any lipstick left. Sorry for that, but at her age, our grand dame is not really into camwhoring and no one can make her.

Shoe Love in Blinged Out Flats

Hi, everyone! Just wanted to share this awesome black ballet flats that I got from Figliarina. When it comes to making a fashion statement, nothing quite does it like a pair of stilletos but every now and then, a girl has got to settle for something more sensible. The Swarovski detail on this pair, however, saved it from being just a boring pair of flats-- I love how it catches the light with every step I take.

I love that the insole of the shoe is gold-- it can't be seen when worn but small details like that sure adds to its prettiness.

Bought at Trinoma department store for P1500.

And while we are on the topic of shoes, you might want to head over to Denise's blog and join her shoe giveaway-- tomorrow she will choose three lucky winners who will get the pair of their choice from her online shoe store. You don't have to go through the whole Rafflecopter circus too: just pick out what prize you would like to win and tell her your shoe size. Pretty cool, huh? Of course I joined already :)

Revlon Colorburst Lip Gloss in Papaya and Rose Gold Swatches, Review

Just last week, I posted a rant about Revlon's Sculpting Blush palette. This week, I am reviewing two of the most popular shades in their Colorburst Lip Gloss line: Papaya and Rose Gold. Is this another dealbreaker product with Revlon, or are they back in my good graces? Find out more after the jump.

Revlon Colorburst Lipgloss in Rose Gold 

Beauty confession: Foundation Color Matching

There was a time when I insisted on wearing pink-tinged foundation shades on my very Asian skin. In my naivete, I actually thought that foundation was like eyeshadow in that you should pick the color that you want your skin to look like.No wonder I looked so chalky! Also, whenever I wore foundation, it looked so unnatural rather than flattering.

It took me a while to realize that even though I had relatively light skin tones, I had warm yellow undertones!

I'm so yellow! How could I have missed that?

How about you, do you have any beauty confessions you would like to share?

Rant: Revlon PhotoReady Sculpting Blush Palette

Since I switched to trusted makeup brands like MAC, Urban Decay and Wet n' Wild, I only have to do minimal touch-ups during the day. At most, I would only need to blot and reapply powder and lip color because I have oily skin and well, I talk a lot. While I love putting on a full face on makeup, I don't do it everyday just to let my skin rest. So sometimes, something comes up mid-day and I need to put on a more elaborate face than my usual minimal look.

I prefer doing my own makeup at home because there I have all my tools and whatnot. As much as I would love doing a complicated three-color foundation routine on the go, I can't always tote a traincase around. This is why I am on the lookout for palettes that are both small and sophisticated enough to bring in a kikay kit. And I thought, since Revlon is generally a good drugstore brand, the Revlon PhotoReady Sculpting Blush Palette would be a good buy.

Beauty Confession: I can never have enough lip balm

I have lots of lip balm tubes. In fact, I don't recall ever being able to finish one. I carry them around when I'm home (and then often forget where I left them), I always keep some in my bag, and always in my train case. I skip moisturizer and sunblock (bad, I know!) but I swipe on lip balm after washing my face or taking a bath.

Half of the gang is somewhere around the house...

My favorites lip balms: Avon's Simply Pretty Jelly Belly lolly lip balm (love how it subtly enhances the color of my lips) and Estee Lauder lip conditioner (because it's packaged just like a lipstick bullet).

I don't buy popular lip balms like Kiehl's, Jack Black or Lucas Papaw because they are expensive locally and my lips do well enough on the more affordable ones so I just save my money for other beauty treats. I stock up when Avon puts Jelly Belly on sale. However, I have always wanted to own a tub of MAC tinted lip balm-- if you give me one, I surely won't refuse  :)

Off topic anecdote: One time, my son the Wonder Boy swiped on one of my lip balms without me knowing. I only found out later when I used it, and noticed that it felt gritty. Turns out that the gritty bits were chicharon (pork rind) crumbs!

What's your favorite lip balm? Any lemmings? Do share!

Kikay Mom Beauty Day at Nail Spa & Co

It was with a great sense of relief that I pulled in the parking space at Nail Spa & Co. It has been YEARS since I last treated my self to a spa day and I could really use a break. Running after the Wonder Boy, not to mention working full-time, has really taken a toll.

Nail Spa & Co's welcoming facade

I push open the glass doors of the spa and I am greeted by nature sounds and soothing music. I like the smell, akin to mildly-scented lotion. The color palette used in the place also happen to be a favorite: purples and tiffany blue.

 The efficient and pleasant manager, Alwyn, greets me with a friendly smile and we plan project pampering; I wanted a body scrub and massage (package B) but sadly, the body scrub service was unavailable for that day. I just opt to have an extra long full body massage, foot spa, and a manicure-pedicure combo.

Thoughtful touches like rose petals in the soaking water make each treatment extra special.

I sink into one of the comfy chairs and eagerly anticipate my treatment. From that point on, everything was bliss. Nail Spa & Co is certainly much better than other nail salons which just appropriate the term “spa” in their business name. They had extra touches like warm herbal pillows for my shoulders and legs while I was getting my foot scrubbed; and a complimentary snack of hot tea and yummy chocolate cookies that were obviously homemade.

This light but satisfying snack made me enjoy the spa treatments even more.

The massage nook: gold and Tiffany blue. I likey very much.

But the piece de resistance of the day was the full body massage. Now, I am a fan of the Swedish technique but I have certain peculiarities. See, some parts of my body are sensitive to pressure while others are less so. What I hate about most therapists is that they do not seem to have a sense of proportion. I mean, areas like the forearms and the foot should be kneaded less strongly, while fleshier areas like the buttocks and the upper thighs should be massaged with more force because they are denser, in a matter of speaking. In a typical massage, I have to tell the therapists: “not so hard” then later “More force, please”.  But the therapist Rachel (I asked the manager for her name, she was THAT good) hit each spot perfectly without me saying a word.

The day would have ended perfectly if it weren’t for a pair of clients who came in the last thirty minutes of my spa visit. They were both having foot spas. Though they were together, they somehow chose to seat themselves across the room from each other and then proceeded to gossip about their complicated family history. By the time all my nails got painted (they have a wonderful array of designer nail polish), I was ready to bolt out. God, that was really really annoying. Maybe the spa should institute (mandatory) adjacent seating protocol for clients who come in together, to keep the noise level down to a minimum.

Overall though, their services were definitely exceptional and reasonably-priced too. (Click here for their spa menu and rates) I found it interesting that they even offered pre-natal massage and For HIM packages.

But I will be back, soon. I just have to remember to bring earphones next time.

Nail Spa & Co. is at 39 Malingap St., Teacher’s Village, QC

You can call them at 383-4707 or Like their Facebook Page



Note: This is another blog post which was originally published January 30, 2012
Disclaimer: This post features a product which had been provided for review purposes. However, all opinions are entirely my own.

Kikay Mom was there: Maven beyond the Blush Beauty Blowout 2

After learning from my tita that I missed out on such a great event when Maven magazine held a beauty event at Trinoma, I just knew that I couldn't miss the second leg at the Glorietta. So despite a rainy afternoon, I hied off to Ayala Avenue and signed up for a day of workshops and beauty loot.

Yummy Specialty Cakes on Sale by Sweet Sentiments, Anyone?

I usually frequent group buying sites like Ensogo and Metrodeal because although they do include some bad apples every now and then, the majority of their offerings come from merchants who offer great products and services. One of the deals that really gave me bang for the buck was discounts on baked goodies from Sweet Sentiments.

I have availed of Sweet Sentiments vouchers time and again and despite being a home-based business, I have to admire that their quality is very consistent. The truffles, cake pops and cupcakes are what I have purchased from them (because they are the ones offered through discount vouchers) but Kathy, the mommy baker behind SS, does make very lovely fondant cake designs too.

Truffle cake: very sophisticated because of the bittersweet taste. My personal favorite too.

I just found out yesterday through Facebook that Sweet Sentiments is holding a cake sale for the entire month of September: an amazing 30% off their yummy creations. They are including their bestsellers such as the truffle cake, the rocky road, cookies and cream, and caramel. At 30% off, they are slashing their prices from P1200 to just P700. I have to say, the P500 discount is really something, especially since each cake is lovingly baked and decorated, not just slapped together in mass assembly fashion. I have already placed an order, needless to say; my sweet tooth is up for a treat. Woot! woot!

For orders, you can send a PM on the Sweet Sentiments Facebook Page. Kathy usually just offers pick-up in various points in QC and Makati but for the duration of this sale, you can opt for delivery depending on your loaction, so just ask.

Feast your eyes on these lovely cakes-- don't they just call out to be taken home?

Choco caramel cake-- another winner, promise.

Cookies and cream

The classic: Rocky Road

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with this company, nor am I being monetarily compensated for writing this post.
Images courtesy of Sweet Sentiments

MAC Russian Red Lipglass is like a secret lover

When it was time for me to go to college, one of the things that I was excited about was finally being grown-up enough to wear lipstick everyday. I figured that because I was no longer in high school and I was going to UP (known for its freedom), I could assert my adulthood by wearing lipstick to classes. Yes, it was that shallow :0  You see, I grew up in a very strict home (my grandparents raised me) and before UP I couldn't even lay claim to tinted lip conditioner.

Now that I'm a mom myself and earning my own money, I can be as kikay as I want to be. And while I can be quite comfortable walking around in the daytime sporting a smokey eye every now and then, I have yet to own up to red, in-your-face lips. And that is why my MAC Russian Red lipglass is being treated like a hot and steamy secret lover: in the privacy of my bedroom, I love the heck out of it and sing its praises. And yet, before I go out in public, I remove all traces of it on my lips and pretend that it does not exist...

Poor MAC Russian Red lipglass; what we have is so beautiful but I just can't bring myself to let the whole world know. Alas!

Ok, ok. I'm stopping the melodrama. On to the review, shall we?

Stephen Gallup Book Review: What About the Boy? A Father’s Pledge to his Disabled Son

(Kikay Mom Note: This is yet again one of the posts from my former blog which I just couldn't bear not to republish. I read this book about a year ago, when I was considerably less confident of my ability to keep up with an active toddler while being a newly-singled mom. You can also read Stephen Gallup's guest post by clicking here.)

With free time at a premium, I have been very selective about what I have been reading lately.  Reading Stephen Gallup’s memoir took me about a day, in between attending to the Wonder Boy.  Now that I have read it twice, I can say that it was free time well-spent.

A few minutes after I had picked up my copy of the book at the Post Office, I read a few pages while sitting in the backseat of the car.  The first few pages telling of Joseph’s difficult birth had me instantly hooked, and I could hardly wait for my Wonder Boy to settle down for the night so I could continue reading.  I read the rest of the book straight until the wee hours of the morning, and it left me so affected that I felt I had to let a few weeks pass before writing a review.

The Multiply Frenzy: Seche Vite, CND, Zoya and Queen Helene

About a week ago, shopping site Multiply held one of its frenzies. Apparently, this is a regular thing where you get an amazing P500 off P1500 when you buy from their trusted online shops. I only got to know about it because some sellers like Digital Traincase hyped it up on their Facebook pages. So I followed the trail and was led to Multiply's own FB page and waited around for the frenzy to begin.

This was my first time to join this, so I didn't quite know what to expect but from reading previous entries and following conversation threads on the page, I understood that for one hour, Multiply will be releasing a P500 discount code applicable for minimum purchase of P1500 from trusted shops (these are stores which bear the Trusted Seller logo). A good strategy is to browse ahead of time and place your picks on your shopping cart, so that when the discount code is activated, all you have to do is to key it in and checkout within the allotted hour.

Do you have to spend the entire P1500 at just one Multiply shop?
This is actually something which was asked by another Frenzy newbie like myself.

When Your Child Has a Disability– Three Things to Remember

Guest post by Stephen Gallup

(The Kikay Mom note: I initially published this guest post last year on my now-defunct blog. At that time, my own Wonder Boy was still less than two years old and it got me thinking how blessed I was that he turned out so healthy, so intelligent, and so loving. Steve is the author of the book What About the Boy? A Father’s Pledge to His Disabled Son; I will be republishing my review of the book next week because I still feel then, as I do now, that it was a good read, containing interesting insights in between gritty anecdotes of a family dealing with a special child.)

Sooner or later, all parents deal with unexpected crises. Worry is just part of the adventure of raising kids. However, a surprisingly large number of parents also discover, usually sometime in the first three years of their child’s life, that a developmental disability is also part of the picture. Their child could be given a label like Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, ADHD, or autism. Or perhaps no diagnosis is offered, despite obvious problems.

My son Joseph was one of those who with no useful diagnosis. His birth in 1985 started our family on a very long odyssey in search of help. Here are a few lessons I learned along the way.

Steve with son Joseph at 3

Kikaymom Find: Ellana Angled Kabuki Brush

It’s no secret that I love Ellana’s mineral foundation (click here for review). With my skin acting up lately plus me having to wear makeup a little more frequently, I really needed something that will give good coverage while still letting my skin breathe. And so, I ended up putting away my MAC Studio Fix and using up my entire stash of Ellana French Vanilla in Perfect Blend.

A good thing too, because as it turns out, their Intensive Blend is actually much more suited for oily skin types like mine. I just had Perfect Blend before because when I shopped online on their website, I failed to see the distinction between the two formulas. Perfect Blend was actually for normal/combination skin. I was also glad that this time around, refills were available. And so, for 6g of product, I only had to pay P295 instead of P425, quite a savings for just reusing my old tub with the rotating sifter.

When I headed over to their West Avenue showroom to buy the refill, I also got to see that they had new makeup brushes in stock. Now I already have flat top and conventional kabuki brushes, but I still didn’t have an angled one so this baby came home with me:

(Scroll after the pictures to know what I thought)

Blog Anniversary Giveaway by ShensAddiction

Hullo, ladies! Just wanted to let you know that the lovely Shen of Shen's Beauty Blog is holding a blog anniversary giveaway (her 4th!) from Sept 8 to Oct 8. Lots of cool sponsors have given fabulous loot too. Of course, yours truly has joined already. Head on over to her blog and show her some love, won't you? Have a great Sunday-- will be reviewing some yummy Revlon Colorburst lipglosses just as soon as I have formed a opinion about them :)

Unboxing: Guerlain Meteorites Perles in 01 Teint Rose

Normally, any new product that I buy will be sitting in my train case for weeks before getting featured on my blog but unboxing my Guerlain Meteorites Perles in 01 Teint Rose is just too momentous for me and I can't wait. For one thing, this product is very pricey ($59) so I have been dreaming about these for years, even since as a teen I saw it featured in a high fashion magazine. However, because I had a chance to buy it as half off, I took a leap and clicked BUY.

My mini-haul: a client paid through Paypal and rather than go through the trouble and expense of converting it to cash, I decided to indulge myself. I have been feeling burned out and stressed lately, and I just needed to be kind to myself. (Rationalizing much? LOL)

NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer Review, Swatches

Last Thursday, after being stranded and unable to go home for a few days because of the flooded impassable roads, I felt badly in need of a pick-me-up. I have ran out of cream concealer and was fully intending to buy another tub of MAC Studio Finish at the end of the month but while browsing through some beauty blogs, I noticed that the NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer appears to be having some good reviews. So I headed over to Digital Traincase and ordered me some. I got Beige and Orange.

NYX Above & Beyond Full Coverage Concealer in Beige and Orange. Don't let the pictures fool you-- they are darker than they appear in the pictures. Beige is perfect for me and I am NC 30, light-medium.

Avon Ultra Rich Mega Impact Lipstick in Fuchsia Fun Swatch, Review

In my review for the Avon Ideal Luminous blushes (click link to see post), I already complained about how hard it was to pick specific colors based on their catalogues. I was looking for a good dupe for MAC Girl about Town, which was a bright fuchsia pink color, because that particular shade was only available in North America. As a MAC makeup artist had recently texted me that this shade will never be available in their local stores, I bought Avon Fuchsia Fun. On Anne Curtis’ catalogue images, it looked very opaque, and very pigmented.

Wearing Draven shoes in my thirties

Even when I was younger, I have mostly stayed clear of sneakers, preferring heels and strappy sandals when it came to footwear. In fact, aside from the gym (or before that, PE classes) I went for years without wearing rubber shoes. So it was with a bit of chagrin that I visited the Rouge Shop in Trinoma to cash in the GCs that I got from Tita as an advance birthday gift.

Avon Ideal Luminous Blush in Cool Plum and Peach review

Avon Ideal Luminous Blush in Peach and Cool Plum

So, as promised in a previous post containing swatches of the Avon Ideal Luminous Blush, (click link to see review) I will be going into more details about how these blushes performed on my NC30, oily skin:

Ellana Minerals Loose Powder Foundation and Finishing Powder Review

I opted for the oil-absorbing formula and the perfect blend because the Ellana website explains that they are best for oily skin like mine. The smaller jar is actually the awake concealer.

Last summer, I was in desperate search for a great blush. You see, my HG blush was actually from Elianto and when I finding something I absolutely love, I stock up on it. That time, I had already hit pan on my last blush, but I thought I had enough time to shop around for a replacement. Until my friend J dropped it and that was that.

It was only a few days after that I found out that in the past two years that I have been using up my blush stash, Elianto had pulled up stakes in the Philippines. I went on their website and checked how much it would cost to have my order shipped internationally all the way from Malaysia, and said to myself: forget it. In the meantime, I just trolled a couple of beauty blogs and found a few reviews about Ellana blushes.

The blushes themselves were as cheap as P100 each (for 2g jars) so I thought why not? After all, mineral makeup was supposed to be good for your skin, so even though I tended to have reactions to some makeup, I plunged ahead and took a risk.

Avon Ideal Luminous Blush in Peach and Cool Plum Swatches

Avon does have some great products but a pet peeve of mine is that their catalogues are such a dud. I mean, if you are looking for a specific shade, chances are that you won't end up with what you want exactly.

This month, their Ideal Luminous Blush is on sale. The special intro price is listed at P319, from a regular price of P370, so you save P51. These blushes are 6.23g each, so you are getting a lot of product, and it has SPF 15 to boot. You can choose from three shades, Peach, Rose Lustre and Cool Plum.

I have two of these blushes, Cool Plum and Peach and while I will be reviewing them in a few weeks or so, I thought I'd share some swatches just in case you were thinking of getting these while they are still on sale.

MAC Angel and MAC Touch plays Mix-and-Match with MAC Pink Swoon blush

I have really been into brightly colored lipsticks for the past several months but I think the bright streak is over. These days, I am now more into the neutral or subtle lip worn with a smokey eye or just for a no-makeup makeup look. These two babies, MAC Touch and MAC Angel, can pretty much do everything in the neutral lip department. I like pairing both with MAC Pink Swoon, stippled along the cheekbones just for that subtle glow.

Suesh Basic Makeup Workshop

Ok, so this is something that I have been planning to write about for a few months now, but I have somehow never gotten around to doing it. Until now. It's the weekend and I finally have a few minutes to write a beauty-related post.

So last April (told you this post is long overdue), I enrolled in one of Suesh' basic makeup workshop for kicks. I have somehow never really learned to do makeup properly-- and it is only lately, as I descend more comfortably into my very early thirties that I have enjoyed makeup. So, I thought it was just about time.

As you will know if you have ever been on the Suesh website (suesh.com), the price of the workshops depends on the makeup brush set that you want to get. This makes sense, because you will definitely need your own brushes. As for me, I had actually purchased a 21 piece set along with a foundation kabuki brush and a Beauty Blender dupe about two weeks before that so that means that I would have to pay for the full price of the workshop, which is P2000 + a 5 piece brush set.

I texted one of the owners, Ms. Sheryll, about wanting to enroll. I had been texting her previously because I had ordered my brushes and tools online as opposed to one of their branches and she remembered me. (Don't worry, I plan to review my Suesh tools in a later post, when I get around to it.)