MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation

Hi Guys! It's the last day of January today! And tomorrow starts the love month plus Chinese New Year! Everyone will be busy preparing  again for their Valentines dates! Of course girls would prepare by putting on make up and making sure to look good on your dates! Make sure to look good but I suggest go on a natural side. Yes yes I know! You may all comment that it's an occasion that you would want to be bolder with your make up since you'll have a very romantic dates. But when I say go natural, what I mean is what you put on your face as base. To understand what I mean.... just continue reading. :) 

What's in it? It's something that I recommend that you can use for your Valentines mu. It's MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation.

 I prefer if expiry dates are indicated on the products rather than the manufacture date.

I'm using NC 25 shade. 

Let's look at the actual product.

with out flash 

with flash 

Look at how matte it looks, no glitters just the powder itself. It looks as if it's a regular press powder and not a powder foundation.

It's inclusive of a sponge and not just a regular powder buffer.

Now let's swatch it.

with out flash

with flash

It looks very powdery right? Staying on top of my hand. 

Now let's blend it. 

with out flash 

with flash

Look how it blended with my hand as if I didn't applied any MAC powder foundation on.

What I like about the product:

• Matched my skin tone very well, it's not white or lighter on my skin
• With very light powder smell
• Very easy to apply, just dab on the face
• Silky texture on the face and it doesn't look like just plain powder
• I don't feel and see it as a foundation which I like 
• With medium coverage
• Though it's "foundation", doesn't get oily or sticky - it's really more of the powder
• I notice that I don't shine too much, no need to retouch too much. For me, only 1 retouch per day (at times no need to retouch)
• Very good product when in a hurry specially to those who doesn't want piled up products
• Very natural on the face, as if didn't put any powder or foundation on

What I don't like about the product:

• Expensive for a daily use
• No SPF

Here's the final look. Just applied sunblock, concealer on blemishes plus MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation.

Overall, I liked it! This is great for my travel mu so that I don't need to bring my daily foundation plus loose powder! It's very handy and very user friendly. 

P.S. This is not a paid post. Bought the item on my own.

-XOXO-

Sagada Delicacies: Part 1 Lemon Pie of Lemon House

If you follow me on instagram, you may know that I've been to Sagada during the Papal visit. It was a different adventure which I truly enjoyed and thanked God... for such a wonderful experience and making us safe all through out the trip and the activities. Part of my adventures would always be food trip making sure to try local dishes. And of course also bringing home some for pasalubong. So this is Part 1 of my Sagada delicacies post and let's start it with the famous Lemon Pie from Lemon House.

This is so popular at Sagada that when we went to Lemon House, it was full house and with a very long queue. When we tried to order for us to bring home for pasalubong, we need to order it in advance for us to be able to get it after 2 days! Look how in demand are these Lemon Pies. But good thing we were able to get our orders the day after.

It looks like egg pie on the first look. It also smelled very good! As in! Though I didn't smell that much the lemon scent. The size is the same with the regular pies.

Now let's look at the layers.

It has actually 3 layers - crust, lemon pie and cover layer

The top most layer is like or the same of that brazo de mercedez. Sweet but not too sweet, feels and taste somehow like that of brazo de mercedez.

What I think of the product:

• The crust is still hard in a way that it doesn't break
• Though the crust is hard it's very bitable
• Can really taste the lemon but it's not too sour 
• It's not pure lemon only but a great blend of their ingredients
• Very lemon not over of the lemon
• Sour in taste but not super sour

I like it! This is something different. It's worth the long queue. 

Make sure to try this when you go to Sagada!

-XOXO-

The Body Shop Tea Tree Concealer

I can't believe I haven't shared this with you yet. I've been using this for so long already... I think since high school or early college. Part of my daily mu routine would be applying some concealer specially when I have red spots that's brought about by acne. I normally use concealer to cover up blemishes or the redness of my acne. But I know! It would be better if I don't apply anything on it, but I don't know and I can't help not to cover it. Back in the days (wow ganun na ba katagal! haha), I know that anything tea tree is good or for treating acne. Since I would still cover my red spots this The Body Shop Tea Tree Concealer was and is the answer! I am very satisfied and is continuously using this everyday!

This is available in 2 shades. Shades 1 and 2, 1 is lighter while 2 is darker. Of course I use shade no. 1.

I really appreciate products that are sealed properly. 

 The Body Shop Tea Tree Concealer is in stick form, not super creamy but blendable.

Time to swatch:

with out flash

with flash

 Look that it's flesh or skin tone shade.

Now let's blend it on my skin. 

with out flash

with flash

Look how it blended on my skin.

Now sharing with you how great is this product. As you all know, I am prone to pimples even if I am no longer a teenager. It's duly due to stress and lack of sleep. So here's my actual photo of my blemishes. Yes! This is so embarrassing but to share with you actual product review I will share this embarrassment. :)

What I like about the product:

• Stick form, not oily nor creamy that is scary for acne prone skin
• Has the normal tea tree and concealer smell, but can't smell it when applying
• Since it's stick form, doesn't melt even the weather is hot
• Moist appears during hot season, making it easier for me to get some products
• Easy to apply and blendable even if in stick form 
• Match my skin tone
• Can be used for a long time depending on the condition of your blemishes, but I can still use this for a very long time
• Affordable  (though I hope price won't increase )
• Easy to get one since The Body Shop is available everywhere
• Very handy and not bulky

*Tip: Just dab your ring finger after applying concealer so as to set the product. The hotness of the finger will help you melt the product and the ring finger lightness won't make you rub your face. 

Here's how it look on me after applying sunblock, very thin application of face powder and then The Body Shop Tea Tree Concealer. It totally covered my blemishes. I am really satisfied with this product. 

*BTW, I use a different concealer for my under eyes that is 1 shade lighter than my skin tone - no application on this post.

P.S. This is not a paid post. Got the product on my own expense.

-XOXO-

Casino Royale outfit

How time flies, it's already the last week of January! 2015 please be good to me! Anyway, here's more backlog post from last year specially during the Holiday Season. To share with you one personal thing about myself, I am already in my late twenties and I felt that I want to wear something like a crop top just before I hit the big three. Though my crop top peg is J.Lo, I don't know if I can pull off wearing a crop top when I get older. So here I am trying to check one of my fashion bucket list with out looking teeny bopper.. :) 

Here's what I wore during our departmental party. Of course wore a crop top / backless in dark color and matched it with a sexy bottom  (slit long skirt). In this way I can look age appropriate but still looking fun (btw, our theme for the party was Casino Royale). Wore very minimal accessory, just a sparkly necklace to match the theme and a little contrast with a pop of color. Lastly, to final the look I then again wore my sparkly heels. 

 What do you think? Can I do more of this even after I hit the big three? Share me your thoughts. :)

-XOXO-

 (American Eagle cop top, Cotton On slit skirt, American Eagle necklace, Ice Watch, Charles & Keith heels)

MAC Chatter Box

I can't believe I haven't been able to blog about this! For 2015, my mantra would be to always wear lipstick! haha For the past few years, I lie-lowed in using lipstick since I was in treatment with my teeth and jaws. But for this year, though I am still wearing braces it's already manageable. haha

First lipstick post for this year.... (though I don't know how many could I do for 2015 haha) MAC Chatterbox lipstick. I've been using this several times already and I totally forgot to take photos of it before using. :)

I told the MAC lady that time that I am looking for a pinkish color and I don't know why I was in the mood that time for pinkish lipstick. I just find it safer than any other colors. It's not too bold but will be able to provide me some color to lighten up my face. :)

with out flash

It looks very pinkish like barbie pink right? It looks too bold and girly right?   

with flash 

Now let's do some swatches.....

with out flash

Upon swatching... it still looks very bold and very barbie pink.

with flash

Now let's try to smudge it and see how it looks or staying power. I actually smudged it for 2 times and as you can see, the color lightened but retained on my skin.

with out flash

with flash

What I think about the product:

• No strong smell, usual lipstick smell
• Very pigmented! 
• Easy to apply and doesn't dry lips
• I feel like it's somehow with moisturizing feel
• With this kind of color and texture, now worries about chapped lips too much
• In my experience it stays long around at least 3 hours except when after eating
• Color fades after eating but still there, I just re-applied to make the color fuller
• I like the packaging, sleek and very handy.. great for inserting in party bags 
• Color is pinkish but upon applying it's not too barbie pink 
• I think this shade is great if you are not in the mood to put on mu and just dab this on your lips and you're ready to go

It maybe a little expensive than other brands but I think it's very worth it. I think I'll try to look for a shade that I can use everyday. But I would still have to finish my other lippies. From now on! I would buy mu as long as I finish one of my current. haha

This is what I actually used during our last Christmas Party. :)

I'm excited to wear lipstick everyday! haha 

-XOXO-

Avea Naturals Lotion Cocoa Butter

A very quick post for today. I've been testing this lotion late last year so that I can share it with you guys. I've actually tried using Avea Naturals lotion before but not Cocoa butter variant. I saw that it can help minimize stretch mark and scaring so I decided to try it (though I don't have evident stretch marks yet but with a few scars but not that noticeable).

To know more about the product:

The packaging is very simple but color coded. The whole to squeeze out the lotion is just right. Not too big nor too small to get the right amount of lotion. I can control how much lotion I would want to get.

What I think about the product:

• Smells very good - very cocoa butter
• At first I find that it's not moisturizing enough, but after a month of using it.. I noticed that my skin is like shining
• Not sticky when applying 
• With constant use, softens my elbows
• Since I find that it's not that moisturizing at first, I didn't like it that much
• After a month of using, I just notice that some of my scars are gone (though I wasn't able to document it) I am thinking that it may just bound to be gone too haha
• Lastly it's very affordable - less than Php 150.00 only

I will use it again! I will get the other variants again. Have you tried Avea lotion already?

-XOXO-

Attempt to look Mature

Hi guys! Another late post for me.. Took this on one of my dinner during the past Holiday Season with mi familia. Hayayay! Had buffet for this ootn and of course made sure that I will wear something comfortable and will give my tummy enough space to breathe. haha You may notice that this another outfit that I am trying to look a little mature but not old. Button down tops are the way to go to look more mature but pairing it with printed pants will keep me from looking manang. I only want to look a little mature and not manang. haha

I actually love this pants! It's stretchable and super comfortable. I can wear it casually or even in the office.

Again! I am very into sling bags right now and used this new sling bag that one of my officemate gave me last Holiday Season. This is actually just right for my attempt to look more mature. I also like it that it can hold several things in it.

Though it's cold season, I still find myself wearing minimal accessories and more of classic and or textured accessories like this classic watch and bangle.

Lastly, since it was Christmas season I wanted to feel and wore a sparkle ballet flat shoes. I hope that I was able to post this during the Holiday Season and greeted you Merry Christmas!

Here's my blooper post. Trying to look serious but failed! hehe

-XOXO-

(Taiwan button down top, H&M pants,  Casio Watch, StyleCo. bangle, Marithe Girbaud Sling Bag, Parisian  Footwear)