Hi everyone,

I was in New York for a few days last month with my mom. We did a fair bit of everything: eating, touring, and of course shopping. I posted a few shots on my instagram if you want to check those out. We stayed in downtown Brooklyn near Brooklyn Heights which is an incredibly homey and pretty place to walk around. There were lots of places to eat and all the shops were close by. I popped into Target and Sephora to nab a few beauty items while I was there.

The first two I picked up were from Maybelline. I got the Fit Me Concealer in 15 Fair (I really should have gotten Sand though) and the 24Hr Color Tattoo in 25 Bad to the Bronze. The concealer gives fairly good coverage, but it can get a little cakey so I thin it out with my Laneige Water Bank Essence. I am loving how buildable and blendable the Color Tattoo is. The color is a cooler tone than it looks in the jar (it's a glittery taupe). I've been using this a lot since I got it.

When I went to Sephora and I picked up 0.30 oz version of the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, which every beauty guru I follow has raved about for ages. Saving this for a special occasion or when curiosity finally gets the better of me. I repurchased the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone. I also picked up the Go and Glow set from Ren which comes with the Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial and the Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal. I've been telling myself "today is the day to try this" for about a week now and I keep putting it off thinking I need to save it. I will check back when I finally give it a go.

The last item, also from Sephora, was a gift from my cousin, Kim from her trip to Singapore. It's the Fresh Sugar Rosé Lip Treatment. I brought this with me to try out on the trip and it is absolutely lovely. I know a lot of people aren't very fond of rose scents and products, but I find them classically feminine and soothing. This balm melts onto my lips and leaves the subtlest tint. It feels very nourishing and I really enjoy using it.

Hope you're all doing well!

Hi everyone! For March I am featuring one of my best friends for TMB. Ladies and gents, I give you the makeup bag of Danie from That Nugu! I went to the same grade school and high school as Danie, but we really only became friends in Uni. This girl is absolutely amazing! She is incredibly smart, talented, and kind-hearted. I could not have gone through university and post-grad life without her. We aren’t very much alike in terms of personality and personal taste, but there are two things we both care very much about: Make-up and Korean Pop Culture (this of course includes the road makeup shops because makeup is very much part of pop culture in Korea). Both of these things feature a bit in this TMB as you will see.

Her influences are mostly Korean and East Asian beauty bloggers and makeup artists and she is very good at keeping track of all the latest K-beauty trends. I remember how she got me into BB creams and the gradient lip when those were just starting to get popular. Her current look is a little more like a mix of Cheon Song Yi (Jun Ji Hyun’s character in You Who Came from the Stars) and 4 Minute’s Hyuna with her bright red lips.

The day I met up with her was a red-lip day and she had a NYX Lipstick in Snow White. I remember how she really wanted a red lippy after she saw the teasers for Hyuna’s Red. “It’s the perfect red I was looking for. It doesn’t stay on as long as I want it to, but I am in love with the color. It makes my skin and teeth look whiter and brighter.”

As an alternative, she also brought with her an A'Pieu The Red Tint in Berry Red. “I bought this by accident haha it was on sale for KRW 5,000 and I got the last piece. The tint is a blue-y red and it can be slightly dark and bordering on vampy. I usually use the gradation technique. The other side is a gloss which is really pretty in fairness.”

Underneath her rep lip, Danie uses a Nivea Med Protection SPF 15 balm (see Danie's review here). “I’m taking acne meds which makes my skin drier. Including my lips. I need my lip balm to have that extra moisturizing factor. It’s my favorite.  I’ve bought more than four sticks of this already."

Because she has sensitive skin, she really needed a base that was lighter and non-irritating. Gone are the days when she slathered on thick Etude House BB Creams. She has since moved on to a BB with a better formula for her skin concerns, the Céleteque Dermo Science Brightening Multi-Benefit BB Cream “I chose this because it’s non-comedogenic – it won’t block your pores. I broke out because I started using a lot of makeup to cover my pimples, which only made them get worse.”

After a few months of derma treatments when the acne was less active, she started using this to conceal pigmentation. “The coverage is light to medium so it’s enough to cover redness, but not blemishes. The texture is thin and watery.” Aside from that, she also says it’s really affordable. “It’s not an exact color match, but it blends very well onto the skin. My derma can’t tell I have makeup on and says my skin has improved. She had a magnifying mirror and everything so it’s pretty seamless.”

For concealer she uses the Misha Under Eye Brightener, a brand that has her favorite boy group as the endorsers. “I got this from a recommendation by a Korean Youtuber, She was looking for a cheap concealer that works. When I tried it ‘whoa coverage!’ I use it on my eye bags. My only problem is it’s kind of thick and it’s not as easy to spread so you have to be quick and you need powder to set it or it gets cake-y. It’s really good medium to heavy coverage and it costs less than KRW 3,000."

When I opened up her makeup bag, one of the first things I noticed was how many products she had for eyes. She had the Too Faced Boudoir Eyes collection I gave her last year. “I really like that it’s safe for office wear. I usually use my fingers and the texture is super smooth. It has light browns, beiges, a grey, and purples. They aren’t too heavy and even the dark colors go on pretty light. I like it even though the color in the pan isn’t true to what color it is on your hand or eye. Satin sheets is my favorite color and looks pink in the pan, but it’s gold on my eyes.”

Her current eyeliner is the Innisfree Gel Liner in #07 Brown. Danie used to like using gel liners that came in pots, but has made the shift to gel pencils. “In pencil form, gels are really easy to use and are more flexible. It’s really creamy as well. I’ve had it for several months, but it still goes on creamy and it really lasts. I eye-smile and I have a lot of creasing around my eyes, but the smudging is really minimal. I just don’t like that it has shimmer. Other than that it would have been perfect."

For her lashes Danie uses a Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler (which she wrote a review on here) and the Innisfree Skinny Microcara. “This mascara is PONY’s fault. I agree with what you wrote about it in your favorites. It’s very natural, but defining and it has a really good formula which stays, but isn’t difficult to remove. It’s also good for separating lashes and it’s very light."

Brows are something she feels are necessary to every makeup look. She uses an A'Pieu Eye Fine Brow Liner in Brown. It has the tiniest nib. “It’s finer than your normal brow pencil. It’s really thin because it’s supposed to create thinner natural looking lines. I outline the shape I want with this and I fill it in with my Nature Republic Brow Powder."

The last item in her makeup bag was a decanted Victoria’s Secret Fragrance Mist in Mango Temptation.  “I like smell of sweet fruits. And you told him this so this is a Valentine’s Day gift." I may or may not have helped a mutual friend pick out her present using insider knowledge of her likes and dislikes haha, but we digress. "I find it sweet, smell and the other meaning haha. It was a non-traditional gift so plus points for that and it’s pink!” 

Danie’s makeup philosophy is all about looking bright-eyed and awake. Bright skin, bright eyes, bright lips, all of these bring her look together and give her a healthier and livelier appearance. When I asked her what we should name her kit she took her time and with the help of Google Translate, she came up with the "선명한 빛 Kit" or the Bright Light Kit, "The point is to not look dead haha~ A pop of color on the lips plus the nice base and defined eyes make me look more alive at work." Here's to looking alive!

P.S. Danie and I when we last met up~

Haven't done one of these in a while wew! It's been pretty busy the last few months, but I've finally gotten around to this. February was pretty stressful for me and it was really showing on my skin. I thought it would be best to cut down on the foundation and treatments. Plus truth be told, I've been very lazy this month in terms of makeup. That said, I've made it a point to be much more consistent with my skincare. The results have been promising so far and I have the products below to thank for it. Aside from that I also have a few items for those days when I felt I really wanted to have a bit of make up on which helped brighten my day as well.

Innisfree Apple Juicy Deep Cleansing Foam

I use this every morning because I figured that the apple juice scent would help wake me up a bit more. It's chock full of natural ingredients and Apple extract has AHA's which are good for reducing sebum (a fairly new skin issue for me). It gives a good cleanse and is pretty gentle. My skin feels soft and moisturized after use. It was also an absolute steal at KRW 10,000! 

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

I switch to something slightly stronger at night and use the Innisfree Green Tea Pure Cleansing Foam. Afterwards, I put this on freshly washed skin. This was yet another great recommendation from Pauline of Catpacking. I put 3-4 drops on my palm and warm it up in my hands before patting it on. I love love love how it makes my skin feel and look healthier. The scent also helps me get in the mood to sleep.

Clinique Moisture Surge Intense

Finally got my hands on a full-sized pot last January and I'm already a fourth of the way into it. I have to contain myself every time I talk about this product because I love it so much. It's a great gel moisturizer that also helps calm and smoothen my skin. Most of what I really like about it is in a review which you can read here. I use it at night to lock in the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate and in the mornings after I wash my face. 

Innisfree Skinny Microcara

I've been keeping my makeup fairly minimal out of general laziness, but one of the things I find easiest to do is to put on mascara. This mascara has the slimmest brush I have ever seen and it is great for getting into the roots and is very defining. The finish is matte and it looks pretty natural even when you layer it on. For days when I go bigger on the lashes and use fibrewig mascaras, I swipe this on the lower lashes to keep them from looking clumpy. I have to thank Danie of That Nugu for this lovely present and for getting me the cleansing foam as well!

Eyeko Eye Do Liquid Eyeliner

Really been loving this eyeliner. My friend Kara had one (as well as a stunning collection of pictures on Instagram) and I immediately wanted one. I've always been a big fan of a brush tip for consistent precision when drawing wings, but a sponge tip is fantastic for pressing into the roots and one-swipe application. Alexa Chung, who designed this pen, designed it to be easy and quick and I've found that to be true. I also cannot get over how this is able to replicate the matte look of a gel eyeliner. It also has great staying power, but is never difficult to remove at the end of the day.

Too Cool For School Roll Lip Pop in #01 Pop Red

I did not expect to like this lip balm at first as I didn't think it was anything special. That was until I noticed that unlike a lot of others, this did not make the dry bits flake off the moisturized lip. My lips felt moisturized and smooth for hours. The tint it leaves is a raspberry color which also stays and it builds up with reapplication. It is very similar to my VDL Tint Bar Triple Shot, but the consistency is thinner, more gel-like than a solid balm. I've finished mine up and I'm planning to repurchase this soon.

VDL Expert Color Lip Cube EX SPF 10 in #502 Hello Stranger

Despite it being a minimal makeup month for me, I couldn't resist a red lip when I went out. I did use quite a few other reds this month especially around Valentines. My favorite of the bunch is this incredibly gorgeous one from VDL. It's got it all: it's a pretty shade of burgundy red, it has great pigmentation and color pay-off, it has moisturizing formula and SPF 10, it really stays on when applied properly, it has classy packaging and an amazing rose scent. Really, what't not to love?

Marcia Shiny Nail Colour

I think this may be the first time I've mentioned a nail polish on this blog. It's really good quality for such a cheap polish (HK$3 for 1, HK$5 for 2 at Sasa). It doesn't chip easily and the color is very vibrant even with just one coat. Most nail polishes go bad before I can even get halfway through them, but this tiny bottle has just the right amount for me. This cutie is a vivid tangerine color with very small specks of gold and pink glitter. I really like this color and how bright it is. Perfect for spring!

Keeping things simple has done my skin a lot of good. I have a lot of fun putting on a good base, blush, eyeshadow, the whole shebang, however, I've learned that I really cannot have a full face of makeup on all day every day. These products are a few of the ones that helped improve my the condition of my skin or just my mood that day. It really is amazing how just a bit of mascara or a hint of color can make you feel a bit better when you think you look less-than-your-best. I don't know if I'm alone in thinking this, but I find that when a day isn't going so well, I take comfort in knowing that at the very least I look okay haha. Hope you had a good month!

 

 Hello, hello, hello! This month I’m featuring my lovely cousin, Kim! She’s studying to be a nurse and then a doctor (best of all, she wants to be a dermatologist and has promised me discounts haha!) 

She also does hospital duty as a nurse-in-training. At the hospital her makeup looks are more subdued and natural. After hours she amps up everything from the big lashes, to the red, red blush, to the bold vampy lips. While she was at my house we had a long chat about the contents of her makeup bag and which products she felt she had to have with her, on-duty and off. 

Lips

I use Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain in LA Exclusive and Parisian. They’re very longlasting. LA isn’t as longwearing as Parisian though, maybe because it’s a lighter color. It’s moisturizing, glossy, but not sticky. I can’t wear Parisian when I do hospital duty though, because the patients get surprised. I don’t want to give them heart attacks.

When I have extra time, I gradate the Etude House Play 101 Pencil in #23. It’s really good for the gradated lip look. It’s not drying and stays on for a long time so you don’t need to reapply it too often. It’s a bit expensive for me at over Php 300 for a pencil from a Korean road makeup shop. When I do the gradated lip, the boys in my class ask, “May kinain ka ba?” (Did you eat something?) Boys don’t get it.

I use the EOS Lip Balm (in Sweet Mint) every night after I do my skincare routine. It’s great because in the morning you feel your lips get really moisturized. Afterwards, I just scrub and apply my lip products. The scent is relaxing as well. I’ve been using it for a year and there’s still a lot of product. The only thing I don’t like is that it gets sticky and you can’t use it over lipstick because it will stain the EOS.

I just bought this Maybelline Baby Lips Electro Pop (in Mint Sheer) and it isn’t very good. It smells like Lemon Maxx candy. I expected it to smell minty. It’s very watery too and you have to blot it after applying. Unlike the EOS, you can use it over your lipstick because it’s cheaper and you won’t care out it getting stained.

I got this (Estée Lauder Pure Color #14 Rose Petal) from Mama. If I don’t do a dark lip, I use this.  I use this when I’m on hospital duty so my patients aren’t too shocked by the color. It’s like a lighter version of a berry color. It’s moisturizing too.

Blush

The Mocha MAC Powder Blush is my first MAC product. It’s called mocha, but it isn’t mocha-colored. The color is like, what is it like? Pink, but not pink? It’s mauve! That’s the word. It seems more like a sculptural blush. I use it under my cheekbones, on top of the Happy Skin powder I use to contour. It’s matte so I use it when I’m going to be under the sun. So when I’m walking to school, I won’t look oily.

I only use (Nars Blush in) Torrid for special occasions or if we’re going out at night. It’s a bit dark so you need to apply it lightly. I use a flat Etude House brush that came with a contour kit I didn’t like. I don’t like the packaging of this though. It gets dirty and end gets dented easily. So really, it isn’t okay to put it in a makeup bag unless you have partitions, but I still keep it in there in case my friends want to go out after hospital duty. For people with my coloring, instead of Orgasm, this is the shade.

Eyes

I should really throw this K-Palette (Real Lasting Eyeliner in Black) away it’s gotten so watery. I only keep it when I want to do a wing or if I’m going on a night out I don’t worry so much about it smudging.

The 3CE (Creamy Waterproof Eyeline in #1 Cats) irritates me if I use it on my waterline otherwise it’s okay because it doesn’t smudge and the color is really black and the finish is matte. I use it more for above the lashline. The finish is more natural than the glossy K-palette. Sometimes it breaks when I sharpen it though

I have the Revlon (Colorstay Eyeliner Crayon Contour in Black) for tight-lining. It’s a lot like the 3CE, but it breaks really easily. I haven’t really found the eyeliner that I really, really like. I want to try the Bobbi Brown gel liner, but it’s in a pot so I need to practice. I used the Tony Moly backstage gel liner before and I enjoyed the process of applying it so I might like the Bobbi Brown.

Maybelline the Magnum Volume Express Waterproof. This one for when I am stressed. Just this so I look more awake and so I don’t look so haggard. I like that’s waterproof. I’m oily so it’s easier for mascara to smudge. I like the brush. It reaches the lashes on the corners. The only thing is my lashes clump together so I really need to use a lash comb. It’s metal and I have a hard time cleaning it. Sometimes I get lazy and just leave the clumpy lashes.

The Oh! M’Eye Lash Top Coat is supposed to be a top coat, but I use it when I don’t want my lashes to look too done up. First of all, when my lashes are too done up, it’s hard to remove. Secondly, if you’re just in school, especially since we’re all in uniform, I don’t want to stand out too much. We’re trained as nurses not look too bold. If my makeup is too bold I might get told off by a professor. And my patients aren’t allowed to get shocked they might have heart attacks. Deadly pretty.

Powder

I used up my Makeup Forever HD powder, I’d hit pan and finished it all off.

Unlike the Makeup forever, Clinique Stay Mattte Sheer (pressed powder oil-free in 02 Stay Neutral) doesn’t make you look too matte. You still retain some dewiness. And since I have dry patches, I need certain areas to look brighter and healthier. I was supposed to get a translucent shade, but it was out of stock so this was recommended to me.

Etc.

I have Chronic Rhinitis so when I get attacks, I put Vicks VapoRub on my nose. When I have a cough I put it on my chest area and it’s soothing. I keep it my makeup bag because I need it all the time and I don’t really have a medicine bag. I keep it there so I know where to find it when I need it. It’s also the product in my makeup bag my friends borrow the most often. They dab a bit on the sides of their nose to decongest.

As a nursing student she has seen it all. From people being born to people at the end of the road and has her fair share of interesting stories and anecdotes about curious ailments. It comes as no surprise that when I asked her what she wanted to call her makeup bag, she answered, “a Myocardial Infraction Makeup Kit or a mini-heart attack kit. It won’t kill you, but it will paralyze you for life. My beauty will paralyze you.” I must agree that she is very pretty and kind of looks like Pocahontas haha. 

P.S. Kim posing as Pocahontas

My first makeup bag post! Makeup bag posts and videos are one of my favorite things to read about and watch. I like riffling through other people's makeup bags as most of my friends already know.

This is something I've been pretty excited about for a while. Though I have to say at the get-go that my makeup bag is not at all very exciting. Still, if there is anything I have learned from rummaging through my friends' makeup bags, it's that you learn a lot about what's most important to them in the realms of makeup and skincare by what they absolutely need to bring with them. I suppose I wanted to share a bit of what I really valued here. 

The Makeup Bag

The bag I keep my makeup in was an old Ermenegildo Zegna Flight Kit. It is supposed to be for men, but I couldn't help but like it. What drew me to it initially was how the fabric wouldn't get dirty easily. A lot of light colored makeup bags can look grubby with time. I also really like that you can open it up all the way and it lays down flat. 

It also has pockets on both sides that serve as dividers and help keep the bits and bobs inside organized. It saves me from having to dig around a pouch where things tend to jostle around or collect at the bottom. Since it is made of fabric, it's expandable and perfect for when I have lots of stuff. 

Powder 

Powder is a must for makeup bags especially in hot and humid cities like mine. This Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder does live up to it's name as it has managed to control shine and oiliness. (Big thank you to Danie of That Nugu)

However, I am not a fan of loose powders for travel. I've managed to keep messiness to a minimum by leaving half the sticker on where the powder comes out and lifting it up only when I need it. I also use the puff to keep the powder from going everywhere. 

It's also not the quickest thing to use because I have to sprinkle the powder onto the lid every time I want to use it. I'd really like to invest in a pressed powder for my makeup bag and keep this at home.

Mirror

Everyone needs a mirror in their makeup bag. I got this for free on my trip to Sephora in Singapore. It's a pretty standard mirror with one regular side and one 5x magnifying side (great for doing eyeliner and checking lip lines). 

Lipsticks 

I have found it impossible to leave the house with only one lipstick. I tend to do my lips in the car or when I get to work so unless my makeup look is particularly lip-centric that day, color choice is always left to the last minute. As a result of this I bring my favorites with me everywhere. 

Pictured here are my Covergirl Queen Collection Lipstick in Tawny Port for my red shade, my VDL Tint Bar Tripleshot in Triple Burgundy for my everyday pinky berry shade, and my Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Moss lipstick in #08 for my MLBB.  I've managed to whittle this down quite a bit because I used to bring six around with me and many of them were essentially the same color and finish (oops!)

Eyeliner

Admittedly, this is not something I bring every day as I make it a point to finish doing all my eye makeup before I leave the house. On the days when I am in a terrible rush or when I know I am going  to primp a bit after work, I've been opting to bring this rather old Tony Moly Easy Touch Eyeliner in #02 Brown.

Moisturizers

A definite must for me. I need to have moisturizers because I get dry patches in the weirdest places. My lips chap easily so I need an extra strong product that counteracts that. I've talked about this C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine in Ultra No. 1122 before in my recent haul and I meant it when I said it was a makeup bag staple. 

I have really loved this Nature Republic Hand & Nature Avocado Hand Cream. So much so that I've bought my third (and fourth because it comes in a 1+1 deal) tube. I really like the light fresh and fruity scent is has. Avocado has a lot of benefits for your skin as well (lightens scars, skin, and spots, prevents wrinkles, is an antioxidant, prevents breakouts, and is a natural sunscreen). The texture is not too heavy either, so it does not make your hands sticky for too long.

Brush

I used to prefer puffs for applying powder products until I realized how much product a puff packs on. I picked up this Body Shop Blush Brush a few months back and I've been using it to apply the Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Powder. I love that it's retractable because not only is it great for travel, it also means you can control how densely packed the bristles are. In effect it becomes a powder brush for applying product onto larger areas and a mini domed buffing brush for applying product onto corners and under the eyes.

Sprays

These next two sections are really just tiny bits I feel I need to bring with me all the time and fit conveniently into my makeup bag. I always need to bring a hand sanitizer with me, which in this case is rubbing alcohol in an atomizer. I also carry around a few perfume samples whenever I get my hands on them. Here I have samples of Victoria's Secret Angel Dream and Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet.

 For Emergencies

My family and I absolutely swear by Axe Brand Universal Oil. It's one of those brilliant Chinese ointments that does everything. I've used it for headaches, nausea, insect bites, muscle pain, and as a decongestant. You will not believe how many times this has come in handy (it is a godsend on road trips out of town).

I also pack a lot of bandaids. I use them less for cuts and scrapes and more for when my shoes rub me the wrong way.  Better to have it and not need it than to need it an not have it.

Back in school I'd have a mascara, cream blush and sometimes two colored eyeliners in addition to the three extra tubes of lipstick. Aside from that I had wet wipes, medicine, and at one point a shoe mitt. For work though, I saw the need to get it down to the essentials.

Evidently, my makeup bag philosophy of late has more to do with practicality than anything else. I put a lot of stock in having things that I know will be useful. Each item usually addresses certain needs and I tend to save the fun stuff (pink eyeliner, purple lip tar, blue mascara, and the like) for nights out on the weekends. 

I do make an exception for my lip products. I packed three lipsticks and a lip treatment - four products dedicated to just one area to me says a lot about what I find important. Because lips are very, very, important.

----

All of this aside what this post really way for was to make an announcement and serve as a starting point for this new project. Ladies and ladies, I am very happy to announce the launch, shall we say, of The Makeup Bag Series! Every month I will feature a makeup bag I've riffled through and the makeup philosophy of the beautiful person who owns it. 

Fingers crossed I will have the posts up at the end of the month every month (if I interview more people, maybe more makeup bags~ who knows?) so that by this time next year I will have featured twelve or so makeup bags. 

I'm beyond excited about this project and  I am happy to report I already have four lovely makeup bags lined up for posting. At any rate, if you've read this far thank you and I am sorry this turned into an inconceivably long post.