Hello Everyone!

A few weeks ago my friends and I spent the weekend together on a Harry Potter inspired getaway. We went to an amusement park and later our friend's house where we played games based on the books and movies. We were sorted into houses, "conjured" Patronuses, and collected Horcruxes every time we won a game. I was sorted into Slytherin~ very happy to say that my team was the overall champion! We all had a lot, lot, lot of fun and towards the end of the event, we had a Yule Ball photoshoot (even though it was technically still summer haha).

(photo: A. Aquino post-processing: T. Rosario)

We made the decision to make sure that Slytherin streamlined and we had a unified look. The end result was very "Old Hollywood" with the warm defined smokey eye and red lips.

For my base, I did my usual routine with the Bourjois 10-hour Sleep Effect Foundation in #72 and the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Moonstone on my cheekbones and down the bridge of my nose. I also used my new Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 15 Fair under my eyes and mixed in with my foundation to cover blemishes. On my cheeks, I used my YSL Blush Variation in 3 Camel. 

On the day itself, I had Danie of That Nugu, do my brows, but here I used the Majolica Majorca Lash & Brow Colorist in BR555 Maroon Brown. On my eyes, I started with the Maybelline 24hr Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze all over the lid and layered on more in the outer V. I deepened that with Erotica, a cool-toned dark glittery brown from the Too Faced Natural Eyes Palette. I took the warm gold Honey Pot shade onto the center of my eye. I blended everything in with Cocoa Puff, which is a warm glittery chocolate brown. Everything applied with fingers and blended with my BYS Synthetic Domed Shadow Brush.

 Then I went in with the Nichido/Precise Eye Pencil in Black Ebony in light dots and small strokes right on the lashline for subtle definition. I used the NYX Retractable Eyeliner in #08 Silky Cashmere on my lower waterline and on the inner part of my lower lashline (not on the tear duct!) I put a line of the Jessica Automatic Lip & Eye Liner Pencil in #22 Metallic Brown winged out slightly parallel to the lashes to elongate the eye. To further elongate the eye, I used my Eyeko Alexa Chung Lengthen & Strengthen Mascara, combing them up and out toward the sides and on the lower lashes. I also used some Andrea Individual Falsies right on the outer lashes. 

Finally on the lips, I prepped with Fresh Sugar Treatment in Rosé. On the day itself, I used Pauline's Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Mandore. To re-create that, first I stained my lips with L'Occitane Lipstick in #0141 Améthyste, then I mixed my Covergirl Queen Collection Lipstick in #Q415 Tawny Port and the VDL Expert Lip Color Lip Cube EX in #502 Hello Stranger.

(photo: A. Aquino)

Pauline (in blue & white) wanted to do a dark red lip (she's also done a post about this look here), Bella (in white) wanted a brown-toned smokey eye, and I wanted to use bronze-gold shades. We even put some bronze and brown shadows on Niño (in blue), which gave a nice sheen and some definition. I'm really happy with how everything came together and we all looked pretty damn good :)) The decision to have similar elements really paid off.

On this shoot, I also got to do makeup for five of my friends and they were all quite happy with how they turned out (especially my friend Marty who tried contouring for the first time XD) This has gotten me really excited for future photoshoots and I hope I get to do another one soon~

P.S. #SlytherWIN

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!

Hello!

Very excited to show you the first ever collaboration on this blog~ Pauline of Catpacking and I are big fans of period pieces and vintage styles. One of our favorite eras is the 1940's. We're particularly fond of films set in that period (of which there are many!) Pauline's look was based on Rachel McAdams in The Notebook, which you can check out here.



The look I went for was a slightly more modern take on the classic forties makeup. I looked for a something that was wearable and translated well to how makeup is worn today. So I came across a backstage picture from Miu Miu RTW Fall 2011, which was a collection centered around the 1940's aesthetic.

One of the things to focus on is the pale clear skin. It was powdered, but not matte enough to hide a glowing complexion. For this I used my Bourjois 10-Hour Sleep Effect Foundation in #72, Pauline's Maybelline Master Conceal in 30 Light Medium, both applied with fingers, and my Innisfree No Sebum Mineral Powder, applied with my Real Techniques Powder Brush. On my cheeks I used Happy Skin Angled Blush Brush for a light dusting if YSL Blush Variation in 3 Camel right on the apple of the cheek over my Bourjois Cream Blush in #04 Sweet Cherry (reviewed here).

The semi-matte red lip was of course quite prominent as well and very drawn on. I decided against that and went for a more like a slightly shimmery color with my Chanel Rouge Hydrabase in #78 Shanghai Red. I applied it to look more stained than painted on so it looked more lived-in. If you read up on forties makeup, you'll learn that even during the war when everything was rationed, they made red lipstick available because they believed it was empowering and raised morale (makeup history tidbit yay!)

Pauline did a bit of subtle brow definition on me with her Liole Auto Eyebrow Pencil in #3 (because I cannot do brows at all.) For very subtle lash definition, I dotted a Nichido Precise Eye Pencil in Black Ebony along my upper lash line. On my lids I used Naked 2 from the first Urban Decay Naked Basics palette all over for the base. Then, I blended Faint, also from the Naked Basics palette, with a milk chocolate brown shade from a brand called Pinkies Collection, all across the socket right up to the point near my nose bridge. I finished with curled lashes and my Eyeko Eyedo mascara, which I should have gone chunkier with . I also could have used a few individual falsies, if I had them at the time.

I was really intrigued by just how modern a vintage look could be and really pleased with how it looked on me. Strobing and contouring aside, lots of the key points in forties makeup particularly the emphasis on clear looking skin, are very current and are still very wearable. I also had a lot of fun doing this with Pauline :)) It's great having someone to bounce makeup ideas with as you're figuring out how to do it (whilst also lip-singing to old songs haha.)

 

P.S.  Pauline and I trying to find the light haha

Hello, everybody! This May Makeup Bag has been a long time coming. Sephie of Just Sephie Rojas was one of the first people I approached about this project. We finally got to talk about it after several failed attempts (read: we would meet up, remember we should talk about it, then get distracted haha). Sephie and I have been friends for ten years and I have to say that in that time she does not look like she has aged a day. She has always had a bright and youthful look and I got to learn more about how she maintains and achieves this.

Sephie really is not into putting on lots and lots of makeup. "Cleansing and moisturizing are what I normally focus on. I think if you have a good base, you don't need to put much gunk on to make yourself look 'prettier.'




" 

Skin matters so much, and looking naturally younger is the main goal. I have been blessed with a youthful look which I am incredibly grateful for, and I make sure to stay within the boundaries I'm given. Like I said, I'm a huge fan of the 'no makeup' makeup look and looking fresh, because I know that's what suits me best.









"

Aside from the Maybelline Pressed Powder, Sephie really doesn't bring any base makeup with her. Choosing instead to make room for moisturizers and skincare.

Nature Republic Soothing & Moisture Aloe Vera 92% Soothing Gel (Decanted)

-     "I don't really think it's sticky. Actually I think it's easily absorbed into my skin after a few rubs, which is why I love applying layers of it onto my elbows and knees.  I do prefer gel formula over cream or liquid formulas since gel doesn't necessarily feel sticky. Creams usually feel oily and sticky when they dry. Liquids tend to spill and evaporate too fast so I get to consume it too much too fast and that gets pretty expensive in the long run.








"

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Etude House Aloe Moistful Misturizing Cream

-     "Since my skin type is combination-dry (dry U-zone + oily T-zone), it gets kinda challenging to strike the right balance of makeup used on my face. My skin is also pretty sensitive so I was really happy to finally find my moisturizer that doesn't stings my face, nor irritates it, but it still does its job well."

-     "Epiduo is my 'go away pimple' cream. it's really strong so it has to be prescribed by a derma for you to use.




 I use it twice a day especially on inverted pimples since it's that strong, it tends to dry my skin if used too much too often.








"

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

Though Sephie really is all about the skin, she does not shy away from products that help enhance her natural beauty. "I limit myself with eyeliner, mascara, naturally defined eyebrows, and lipstick. I'm a huge fan of the 'no makeup' makeup look.




 Less is definitely more for me.









"

-     "I used to love doing gradient lips, and the Etude House Rosy Tint Lips (in Before Blossom) is a pretty nice item to use to achieve just that. But gradient lips tend to take so much longer to apply, so nowadays I just do a full lip look instead.








"

Etude House Perfect Brow Kit

-     "I like using powder since it's easier to build up than with light strokes of a pencil. I use an angled brush to make more defined but still natural-looking feathered strokes using the brow powder that doesn't look too strong and gives my brows a natural softer finish than what a pencil could give.








"

-  

MAC Black Track Gel Liner

-     "Tips for applying gel liner? I prime my eyes with eye primer first, then wait for 30 secs before applying powder over my eye lids and blending it properly so it doens't look weird or cakey.
 As for actual application of the liner: First, I draw the wing tip on both outer corners of my eyes. This way, it's easier to see if they're balances and aligned properly."

      Next, I know they said you shouldn't do this, but I still do it (lightly/with not much pressure), I close my eye then stretch the outer corner so my eyelid is stretched, then with the use of the gel liner brush, I do small back and forth strokes starting from the middle part of my lash line towards the outer corner of my eyes, then from the middle part again towards the inner corners. Although I don't completely line till my inner corner, I usually feather it lightly so its ends will blend properly at the inner 1/3 of my eyes. Then I connect the inner wing tip to the lash line for either a cat's eye or a puppy eye look.








"

-    

In Sephie's book, makeup is less of the key point and more of an "accessory." She goes on to say that, "It's not supposed to be the main attraction to your overall look, but it can make or break your look when done right or wrong. Makeup is supposed to enhance your natural beauty."

I have tried experimenting with different makeup looks. I tried falsies, shadows, liners, lipstick shades, etc., in the end, I realized that what works for me doesn't necessarily work for everyone else and vice versa. Like with fashion, just because it's a trend now doesn't mean it's for everyone.









" I completely agreed with this point. Sephie's makeup philosophy really boils down to knowing how to keep it simple, knowing your face, and knowing what looks good on you. And really, when you keep that in mind, you cannot go wrong.

P.S. Sephie and I with a couple of our friends at a birthday party from way back when.

Hello everybody! The makeup bag I got to dig through this month belongs to the ever so lovely, Pauline of Catpacking! I thought it was high time I did a feature of her since I never fail to include her in my posts. I mean seriously, there are very very few posts on this blog where I do not make even the slightest mention of Makeup Queen Poreen. Our taste in makeup in terms of colors and consistencies is very similar and I find it very difficult not to want the things she raves about (and I am told the same is true of her haha!) Really excited to get started so here we go!

A quick look at her blog and you'll see immediately that more than anything else, Pauline is all about skin. She talks a lot about having the right products for cleansing and nourishing her skin and all her primers and the bases she's tried. It then comes as no surprise just how many of these products she has in her makeup bag as you will see later on.

"I've had (the NARS Translucent Crystal Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder) forever. I've already hit pan, but it's still usable and there doesn't seem to be an end to it." It's a great powder if you don't want to alter the color of your base and great for setting makeup as well. It isn't so great if you're looking for oil control though. "It's better for drier skin. So it's nice, but not something I'd repurchase."

The NYX Powder Blush in Pinched has been lauded as one of the top Nars Orgasm dupes in the drugstore. Pauline says though that it is "not as shimmery as orgasm; there's more color than shimmer." This color is also a very big deal since she normally isn't one for coral tones. "I like this though the color is uplifting." I feel that a review of this coming soon on her blog so watch out for that! 

Pauline absolutely love, love, loves the Koh Gen Doh Aqua Foundation. I see her talk about it all the time. "I have a lot of bumps and textured skin so I need a smoothening thing." She spends quite a bit of time on her base makeup (often up to 25 minutes!) She used to use a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to buff this in or her Too Cool For School sponge, but recently she's been using this method to apply it.

The Fairydrops Platinum Mascara is something she and I both love. She posted a review of the Waterproof one recently and I did one for the Film Type one sometime last year. We both agree that, "it’s an all-in one: lift, volume, length, curl, and without any flaking." However, it is getting harder and harder to find these anywhere. "It's magic. What am I going to do without it?" What indeed :(

"I first saw this on Jen of frmheadtotoe. Everything she uses is so good." The Lioele Automatic Eyebrow Pencil is what Pauline has been using since she recently got into brows and says that, "it's nice for beginners." The shade she uses is quite dark, a grey-brown as a lot of the lighter ones tend to be too reddy-browns which just make brows look orange. 

This lipstick is a fairly new addition to her collection and is in fact her first MAC product. She initially stayed away from MAC lipsticks because "they dry your lips and turn it into a desert." This isn't the story with MAC's See Sheer as it is a Lustre so the finish is more moisturizing than the others. "The official color description is a grapefruit pink, but I think it's a muted warm coral." 

Fai"

The Maybelline FaceStudio Master Conceal is also very new to her collection as she had bought it the day before we met up. Her first impressions of it were along the lines of how light it was and how it was "liquid enough for undereye concealing, but not too slippy for spot concealing." She also says that it's quite pigmented and a little of this goes a long way. 

"It smells nice!" Pauline is really cute sometimes :)) She says EOS Lipbalm in Strawberry Sorbet is better than her Kiehl's Lip Balm #1 in Mango during the day, but she combines the two at night for when she's going to bed. She also says that the EOS is great under lipstick, but not so good for touch ups because it will stain the the lip balm.

Pauline didn't used to be a fan of the Benefit Porefessional, but this has since changed when she discovered that the trick was to apply the smallest amount so it wouldn't look patchy under makeup. "I don't know if it's a security blanket or if I really need it, but I cannot go out without it. It just feels wrong. My makeup lasts longer with it so why stop a good thing."

"I don't do powder highlighters. It's either a lot of shimmer or a lot of glitter." So she uses the Benefit Watt's Up. It's a cream formula that is better for blending into the skin. Plus it comes in a stick which is always good. Other highlighters also tend to be more white or gold colored and when they do get warmer the shade takes on a more pink tone. "It’s a golden champagne highlighter it look more natural on my warm skin than a pink highlighter."

Pauline has quite a few skin concerns so really addressing those with her makeup and skincare is very important to her. "I am a person with acne prone skin who wants to pretend I don’t have acne prone skin and does not want to aggravate it." She also feels like something is off when she puts on makeup and doesn't do the primer + concealer + base + powder formula. So when I asked her what she would call her makeup bag (I jokingly suggested "All Your Base Are Belong To Us") we came up with Cover All Your Bases. Because with five out of ten items in her makeup bag devoted to skin, Pauline's makeup priorities are very clear indeed.

P.S. Poreen and I snapchat each other a lot 

Just