What's Inside My Make-up Kit?

Hello mates! During Tuesdays and Fridays I love doing a full make-up look when I go to school because those are the days when I have Speech and Filipino classes (Meaning, NO PE! And I won't run the risk of sweating my make-up off.). I always go for the natural or no make-up effect. After all no one wants to look like a crayon raped face...

From Left to Right:

• Silk Secrets Aloe Vera Oil Control Sheets
• Gel Type Sunblock (Given by my mother)
• Garnier BB Brightening Eye Roll On in Natural
• Retractable Blush Brush (Given by my Grandmother)
• Pond's Powder Finish Day Cream
• Nichido Lip and Cheek Tint in Tickled Pink
• Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Pink Frosting
• Bench Ultra Glow Pressed Powder in Fair
• Nichido Clear Mascara
• Love and Beauty Mascara in Black
• e.l.f Eyebrow Treat and Tame in Medium
• Human Nature Lip Balm in Peppermint
• Lip Ice Sheer Color in Strawberry
• Vaseline Lip Therapy in Cherry
• C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine in Ultra

How I achieve my Everyday Make-up Look:

Directions:

1. Apply Gel Type Sunblock on your face and neck liberally.
2. Apply Garnier BB Eye Roll On in Natural using a Retractable Blush Brush.
3. Spread Pond's Powder Finish Day Cream all over your face.
4. Put a dot of Nichido Lip and Cheek Tint on the apples of your cheeks then blend.
5. Seal everything by patting on Bench Ultra Glow Pressed Powder in Fair on your face.
6. Seal in your cheek tint by swiping on your desired amount of Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush in Pink Frosting.
7. Brush your brows using the clear side of e.l.f Eyebrow Treat and Tame in Medium then fill them in using the other side.
8. Apply a coat or two of Nichido Clear Mascara on both your upper and lower lashes.
9. Apply a coat or two of Love and Beauty Mascara in Black on your lashes.
10. Swipe on some Human Nature Lip Balm on your lips to moisturize and plump your lips.
11. Swipe on a coat or two of Lip Ice Sheer Color in Strawberry to add color to your lips.
12. To add shine, apply Vaseline Lip Therapy in Cherry or C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine in Ultra for a glossy finish.

Tip: Use Silk Secrets Aloe Vera Oil Control Sheets when your T-zone or any part of your face gets oily before retouching your make-up to avoid cakiness.

-Aly

P.S. - I have recently changed a few items in my make-up kit.

The Lydia Martin Challenge (Day One)

Hello, darlings!

As you may well notice, this is my first blog post - mainly because I usually don't have time to put my thoughts into writing, and because I have left Aly free reign with the blog. She makes better reviews anyway. Haha!

But moving on... Do any of you watch Teen Wolf? It's this show about, generally, a pack of teenage wolves trying to save their town from oncoming danger. Which happens in just about every episode in the whole series. No, I'm not even kidding.

One of the characters is a girl named Lydia Martin, who, starting from season one, I've noticed has incredible taste and style - I mean this girl mixes preppy with hipster like it's nobody's business. I just love her. 

Anyway, aside from her sass, wit, and wardrobe (which I look out for every single episode), one of the best things about her is her hair. She's a redhead - and if that wasn't awesome enough, she fixes it/gets it fixed in various styles that just make me go "O_O", especially her braids.

As such, I've decided to try to recreate some of my favorite looks from her, and, I'll be honest - this may result in major fangirling and insertion of Teen Wolf spoilers, so be forewarned.

Today, I decided to go with a half-crown braid (this is what it looks like when Lydia wears it), which is a braid running over the crown of your head as if it were a headband. To be honest, I never figured out how to do this (for some reason, I never looked it up on YouTube or Tumblr or anything) until about a week ago, and decided to wear it to a bazaar I went to this afternoon.

You can try this look by taking a section of your hair from underneath the rest (I use the thicker part, which is my right side) and braiding it upwards, placing it over the crown of your head, then pinning it on the other side. You can do the same with the other side of your hair to get a more even-looking style. (Does that make sense?)

I'm happy to report that I did have people compliment it, so achievement unlocked!

-Zel

P.S. I make the worst faces when posing for something. Just ignore my expression, please. HAHAHA.

G-lish Lip and Cheek Tint Review

Hello loves! I decided to do a review on one of my current favorite lip and cheek tints. Before I get started let me inform you what G-lish is...

About

G-lish is a color cosmetics and body care brand which aims to prettify girls on the inside and out to unleash their full potential. ♥

Description

The brainchild of friends who wanted to provide girls with cute and trendy cosmetics, G-lish first opened its doors to the market in 2005, and was quickly embraced by the trendy youth. Its initial mission was to simply highlight natural Filipina beauty with basic make-up staples. Later on, G-lish ventured and evolved according to the demands of the market. It started providing girls with not just the basics but the embellished – the cute became cuter, the plain became chic.

Today, it continues to experiment and expand its merchandise mix from color cosmetics to body care products. Quality assurance is the very first on its checklist. Indeed, all of its products are approved by the Food and Drug Authority.

To learn more about G-lish, visit: https://www.facebook.com/pages/G-lish-Inc/

Product Review:

I was reading some reviews about G-lish Lip and Cheek Tint and while looking at the swatches I absolutely fell in love with the colors! I already have the shade Nude Rush beforehand and so I wanted to purchase the shades Pink Crush and Berry Blush. There are only three colors available.

          G-lish Lip and Cheek Tint in Pink Crush and Berry Blush (Fr: L-R)

                                                                        10 g

                                                                      (P 120)

What it claims:

LIP AND CHEEK TINT

A lip and cheek stain in a mini tub that brings out the natural glow with the no make-up effect. Lip and Cheek Tint also has a surprising candy scent on the cheek that would surely bring out your inner confidence as you flash your #FOTD (face of the day). It comes in a paste form that could be used for a long period of time due to its highly pigmented additional feature. Verdict: I use this lip and cheek tint on days when I don't feel like wearing too much make-up. I put on some face cream powder (I like Skin White Face Cream Powder or Pond's Powder Finish Day Cream) and dab on a bit of lip and cheek tint and voila! I'm done. I like that this gives me a no make-up look. The product is a little sticky but is easily blendable on both cheeks and lips. Pink Crush is my favorite of all three shades because it gives me the most natural look. I use this in school specially on PE (Physical Education) and NSTP (National Training Service Program) days. It gives my cheeks a just pinched effect and it looks like a lip stain on the lips in a perky barbie pink color! Berry Blush is something I prefer to wear whenever I have a presentation during my Speech class. It is more reddish in color rather than pink. I read in a couple of magazines that people are bound to look at your lips longer when you have red lippy on. It isn't too red so don't be afraid to wear this in school! On the cheeks it looks like you just blushed. Nude Rush is what I wear to dinner out with my family or when I am an assigned PA for the Goddesses of Bellydance. It has a coral shade so it isn't your typical nude. The color doesn't come off as orangey just in case you guys were wondering. When applied on the cheeks it is close to brown blush but not too dark so fair skinned girls like me can still be able to use it. The packaging might be a problem for some girls who have OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) since you have to scoop out the product with your fingers but you can use lip brushes instead. I can't say the same about using blush brushes though... The product is pigmented but it doesn't stay long on my lips and cheeks so I find myself constantly reapplying this but that doesn't bother me in the least. -Aly

Turning Legal

Last October 19, 2013 I celebrated my 18th birthday at The Sulo Riviera Hotel. It was a day filled with much laughter and happiness. However cliche it may sound, I truly felt like a princess that evening. I just wanted to share how I looked like on that particular night.

As you can see my make-up artist chose to give me a natural look which I think is very fitting for the occasion. My mother and I have been a client of his ever since I can remember. I really liked the way he defined my lips. It isn't noticeable at first glance but the middle top part of my lips are not filled in with lip gloss. This is to create the effect of heart shaped lips.

In the picture above I am wearing a nude ballgown specially designed and made for me. I always wanted to wear something skin tone ever since reading Gossip Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar. I really loved the way the author described Blair Waldorf in a nude dress and red drugstore bought slippers. It's chic without trying too hard. I just had to wear something like that! Luckily my designer got the color right. You know how others perceive nude as a mocha or brown shade? Well that's not how I see it. For me the color is supposed to be similar to a person's natural skin tone and that's what I got! I was so happy when I finally saw the gown. Not only was the color right but the design was beautiful as well! Not to mention the amazing bead work my designer did. He is such a talented and wonderful designer!

I also had a second dress for that evening but I'll show a photo of that some other day. 'Til next time!

-Aly

Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush Pink Frosting

I first read about this blush in Candy Magazine. The name caught my attention because how often do you see the word bouncy and blush together, right? When I bought this in Landmark Trinoma there was a sale and I got a hundred twenty nine pesos off! How awesome is that?! Originally, I was looking for the Fresh Pink shade but I ended up buying the Pink Frosting shade because it is more pigmented. This is what the blush looks like.

                                   Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush Pink Frosting

What it claims:

Feels lightweight like a powder, yet melts into skin like a cream.

Verdict:

First of all, I'd like to apologize for yet again forgetting how much this blush costs. I can assure you though that it is less than P 500. On to the product...it feels like clay doh but before you guys get to excited, need I remind you that this blush is called bouncy for a reason. It easily takes shape of whatever it comes in contact with so if you're going to apply this with your fingers be gentle. I do not recommend using a blush brush when applying this product because that defeats the purpose of it's cream like texture. Besides, using a brush will totally murder the appearance of your blush. And who would want that? The texture is a lot like mousse blush. Based from experience, those type of blushes eventually dry out. I hope that Maybelline's formula for their Dream Bouncy Blush doesn't disappoint. So far, I really love this blush! It gives a naturally pink cheeks effect! The only problem I have with this is its staying power. I discovered that it lasts longer paired with a liquid blush of the same shade underneath. My pick is Nichido's Lip and Cheek Tint in Tickled Pink.

-Aly

e.l.f Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick Pink Umbrellas

As promised, here is the much awaited e.l.f Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick review! I bought mine in their kiosk at Landmark Trinoma.

                                       e.l.f Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick Pink Umbrellas

                                                                     0.099oz/2.8g

•                                                                         ($2.00)

What it claims:

Details

The Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick is a tinted lip color that glides on like a lipstick but looks like a gloss. With nourishing Jojoba, Soybean and Vitamin E key ingredients, it conditions and moisturizes the lips. The twist-up component and smooth glide formula is easy to use for on-the-go application.

How to

Twist up and apply to lips as often as desired.

Ingredients

Polyisobutene, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ethylexyl Palmitate, Ceresin, Tridecyl Trimellitate, Disostearyl Malate, Microcrystalline Wax (cera microcristallina), Polyethylene, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Glycine Max (Soybean) Oil, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil, Tocopherol, Propylparaben, Methylparaben. May Contain: Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Red No.27 Lake (CU 45410), Red No.7 Lake (CI 15850), Yellow No.5 Lake (CI 19140), Blue No.1 Lake (CI 42090), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Mica (CI 77019)

Verdict:

There are eight shades available and I have two, Pink Umbrellas and Coco Loco. Pink Umbrellas is a pretty pink color. The color is buildable so if you want it to appear light on your lips put 1-2 swipes but if you want it to look darker put 2 or more swipes. I do not suggest putting lip balm before applying this because it is already moisturizing. Besides I tried putting some lip balm before swiping this baby on and the color doesn't stick to my lips. 

Coco Loco on the other hand is a brownish shade.

Both are wearable colors for day to day living but if you're a girl who's more on the sweet side go for Pink Umbrellas. If you like earthy colors then go ahead and purchase Coco Loco.

-Aly

P.S. - Some of you might be confused as to why I put the amount in dollar form. I can't remember the actual price of the product but I think it's around P 200 or less.

e.l.f Luscious Liquid Lipstick Pink Lemonade Review

Hello everyone! Thank you for visiting our blog. I am going to do a review on e.l.f''s  Luscious Liquid Lipstick in the shade Pink Lemonade. e.l.f stands for eyes, lips and face. This is not a local brand. However, their products are very affordable specially for students like me. Before I start the review here's a little background information on their brand:

WHY CHOOSE E.L.F. COSMETICS?

e.l.f. cosmetics is the premier retail source for all your makeup and beauty needs. Our products offer affordable and high quality design to enhance your natural radiance. e.l.f. cosmetics offers an entire line of luscious lip glosses, with various shades and styles to choose from, as well as intensive hydrating lipstick for long-lasting color and shine. Our natural Mineral Makeup will help you on your way to healthier glowing skin, while our bath and body product line - featuring Body Lotion, Hand Cream, Body Butter, Bath Gel, and more - will leave you feeling freshly pampered and pretty.

Try our color-lock, chip resistant nail polish for an unforgettable shine. Our ergonomically designed makeup brushes are professionally tested to provide precision application of blush, bronzer, mascara or any other purpose. e.l.f.'s eyeshadow and eyeliner products can be combined to form your personal favorite look. In addition to our online store, check out eyeslipsface.com for professional makeup tips from our trained professional makeup artists.

This is what I got from their kiosk in Landmark Trinoma.

                                    e.l.f Luscious Liquid Lipstick Pink Lemonade

                                                                          (P 129.75)

What it claims:

Therapy is here. Intensive hydrating agents along with natural pigments leave lips with long-lasting color and moisture. This luscious liquid lipstick creates wearable color that flatters a multitude of skin tones and looks.

Verdict:

There are eleven shades available and I have two shades the first one is Pink Lemonade and the second one is Strawberry. Pink Lemonade is a lovely light pink color with a few gold specks in it. e.l.f claims that this is lipstick but for me it feels more like lip gloss on the lips. I don't mind this though 'cause it glides on smoothly and is perfect for girls who only want to enhance their lip color.

Please forgive my apparent lack of photos for the Strawberry variant. Anyway, this shade has a reddish tint but it is still a wearable color for everyday use.

I love that the color pay off is very natural. On the down side, the amount of product is just minimal but for the price they sell it at I think it's a good deal already. Stay tuned for my review on their Jumbo Lip Gloss Stick!

-Aly

Welcome to The Rag Trade Edition!

Hello dear readers!

Welcome to The Rag Trade Edition, a playground of the imagination, an escape from reality, a wonderland to bookworms, fashion forward individuals and free thinkers. A blog about two girls' exciting escapades of existence.

-Z&A