Blog Breakaway: Whipped Dreams & Sprinkled Should Haves – I’m Not Made of Make-Up

If you’re in no mood for a human about to take a dump on your head, you may excuse yourself.  Sorry I skipped a day yesterday (BlessMyBag is supposedly a daily delight now), was out doing the Sunday session with the fambam.  Today I do not feel like “blogging” on beauty, don’t get me wrong I have more to blog about than ever before in terms of “stuff”.  There are beauty bits and bobs ’til the rafters, almost through the “roof”, unexpected gifts left and right.  Nothing in particular happened, consider this a very much delayed quarter life crisis spell.  This usually happens around that certain time of the month where you’re a little more emotional and everything that isn’t right comes at you like a freight train…a train of thoughts…without brakes.  In fact it’s so bad that this is the 2nd day I haven’t worked out (it may be nothing to some of you but that’s still a dent in my physical progress where I’m concerned).  I’ve just sat down and realized I’ve not become who I set out to be…to be more precise, the sad thing is I never really set out to do something or be someone.

I didn’t get how some people could have dreams to pursue and I didn’t…I just didn’t.  Now I want to be SOMEONE but don’t know how.  I’ve prayed for revelation…countless nights since I was a student even if it was just learn how to be somebody who knew how to do things for herself and it seems that even though I had all this time to myself growing up, being artistic and all that, I didn’t know how to properly invest and make the most of my time.  Something always held me back, something fearful.  I didn’t bother to lay the groundwork for my future because I really didn’t know who I wanted to be.  You know how some kids know for sure what they want to be super early in life?  I never understood kids like that.  I really didn’t understand it.  I had ideas about what I was good at…singing, art, and stuff and so at first I wanted to sing and be one of the Disney princess voices one day or be in musical theater, but when that opportunity presented itself when a certain repertory heavyweight teacher proudly scouted me in drama class Dad wasn’t too keen on the abnormal schedule of  a theater child, for good reason.  Then there was the subject of my artistic ability, sure I could write and draw but to what end?  I was one of the most creative in my highschool batch…but productivity and discipline to develop my craft for a specific purpose or to be the best didn’t grasp me or rather…I didn’t GRASP it.  Why wasn’t I hungry enough and even if I prayed and why didn’t I care about my time enough?  Not that I never did, in school, even college I was OC about my time, a few of my groupmates said they never knew someone more organized but why did I become a clueless wanderer after university?  There’s now also the question filled with regret on why didn’t I discover my path as a makeup artist as a fresh graduate in 2003 instead of as a career alternative 9 years later?  Even the subject of the blog enters my psyche…why didn’t I begin this beauty blog when I had actually started blogging online in 2002?

My handwritten journals to the Lord were always full of questions and pleas fettered with Bible verses so they looked better on paper, lots of those entries were pathetic now that I look through them…I should have declared more, listened more, DONE MORE, and asked less but how do you realize what you’re supposed to do before it’s too late?  You know those moments in movies where something unique grasps the lead character and in that moment somehow, they miraculously know what they’re supposed to do.  Read more to the end if this hasn’t bored you yet…

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Missha Luminous Color Lipgloss (RD02) – My Favorite, Lipgloss Love at 50% Off

I’ve only ever liked and purchased 3 brands of lipgloss in the past 4 years of my rediscovering makeup as a blogger…a total of about 2 or 3 tubes, minimal yes, I know.  That’s because not a lot of high street lipglosses have impressed me since Elianto pulled out of the market.  When I say lipgloss I mean these checkboxes: a wash of translucent noticeable color, high shine/gloss that isn’t sticky & fades away well, sophisticated shimmer if I choose a shimmer, and… important one… desirable scent and taste.  Meet locally available Korean brand Missha and its Luminous Color Lipgloss…check, check, check, double check.  Shining, shimmering, splendid.  Boom.

A major win factor is how pretty the tube is, I love the size and the demi-curve the tube has.  It gives a hint of sophistation that lifts the product.  Last year I got a tiny keychain version of this lipgloss, as in micro mini, in a lighter more nude beige pink shade.  That one mom and I tried and liked to bits and were frustrated that we didn’t know where to get a full size of it at the time.  I was psyched to find the Missha Boutique at SM Pasig Hypermart (near Tiendesitas) yesterday when I met up with my best friend and this cost me Php500, FYI they’re currently 50% off.  The last time I bought an honest to goodness FULL SIZE lipgloss was 3 years ago.  I’m not counting the intense, opaque color lip creams like the NYX Soft Matte lip cream that are like liquid lipsticks, those are different.  Here we’re talking real lipgloss.  Read more to see application and more details.

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Fresh Seaberry Exfoliating Soap – Smell the Holidays in a Cake of Soap

Fresh is the brand name.  If you’re actually planning on giving soap to people this Thanksgiving or Christmas from the U.S. or elsewhere, or momentarily have access to a Sephora store, then bless them with this bath soap and this bath soap alone.  I actually now wish I’d gotten 2 or 3.  Friends brought this home from Sephora for me and it cost me about US$16.50 or Php690.00 in total. No bath soap scent so far reminds me of the holidays as much this one does.  I particularly appreciate how it doesn’t smell overly “gourmande” in nature but brings in warmth and freshness of the holiday season at the same time.

KEY INGREDIENTS: Shea butter, Seaberry/Seabuckthorn Oil, Cranberry fruit & seeds, Bitter Orange Peel, and Bamboo.  Seaberry oil, also known as seabuckthorn oil, is a powerful antioxidant rich in Omegas that restore and soften the skin, Shea butter also helps nourish and hydrate.

Paraben free | 100% Natural fragrance | Rich in Omegas 3, 6, 7, & 9 | Triple-milled to last longer

Look at this thing, it’s GI-MONGOUS!  It’s a well-equipped multitasking bar and scrubs the skin surface well if you apply more pressure.  You can feel the cranberry, bamboo, and bitter orange bits as you scrub the bar against your skin, it might feel a bit grainy for some so it might not be their cup of tea, but if you go gently it’s just as good as a regular soap bar.  I kind of went scrub happy so part of my arms got a bit red because of my excitement, but only temporarily.  It’s so great that the soap bar itself sort of “doubles” as a scrub puff or loofah.  It lathers like forever and a day plus the lather is quite silky and buttery, building up steadily as you rub it in.  This reminds me of the Snoe soap I sung praises of several months back but that one dissolves away much quicker.  Since this is triple-milled this Fresh Seaberry soap won’t melt away fast on you like the wicked witch  other soaps tend to.  It’s a heavyweight hitter this soap and although I love my bath oils and gels I do once in awhile miss the act of directly foaming myself up with a bar of good solid soap.  I wouldn’t use this on my face directly, I believe it’s really a body soap, if I were to try I’d take some of the lather on my hands and test it on my cheek.  This smells so, so…in tune with the last months of the year because of the strong scent of cranberries and orange wrapped up in the creaminess of Shea butter.  I sniffed this and got flashbacks of candles and cookies and presents, and even turkey because of the cranberries and I like that for once it’s not that sickly vanilla base scent that so many gourmande type soaps tend to have.  Quadruple Like, as in.

St. Ives Moisturizing Olive Cleanser – Cleans & Oh Joy, Removes Makeup!

I got this sort of by accident and it turned out to be the most unexpected multi-tasker.  My FACE SHOP Rice cleanser went missing after some sleepover and I ended using up my Clean & Clear Deep Pore Purifying Cleanser which took awhile (big tube) and at the end my skin started feeling tight or bored with it and sought rotation.  When I finished that one at the same time I had also run out of makeup remover.  At PCX I spotted this St. Ives Fresh Skin Moisturizing Olive Cleanser and saw that it was about Php220+ for a good size, 200ml the thing was I THOUGHT it was an emulsifying oil cleanser like the Shu one (I was obviously in a rush).  It turned out not to be but it’s a foaming cleanser that contains Olive Oil Peg-7 Esters and Olive Leaf Extract which contains super anti-oxidants.  What impresses me is, I’m not kidding, it actually removed my makeup and most of my mascara (Benefit They’re Real mascara was dribbling down on contact with this) without making me cry!

“KEY INGREDIENTS: Both OLIVE OIL and OLIVE LEAF EXTRACT are rich in skin-softening glycerides, which means they not only cleanse gently, they can help to improve your skin’s appearance with easily absorbed moisture. They also offer multiple benefits.

With all natural anti-oxidants • Non-irritating • dermatologist-tested • 100% natural extracts • Formulated without parabens and phthalates • does not contain animal ingredients.”

The bottle does say at the back ” avoid direct contact with eyes”.  Once the cleanser foamed up I had it all over my made up face (not reading lol) because stupid me, I thought it was an emulsifying OIL CLEANSER right, the appearance and packaging is a bit confusing because it doesn’t say foaming or oil, but it looks like an oil inside.  I noticed my Benefit They’re Real Mascara began coming off super fast as the cleanser began gently foaming, so did my foundation and powder, and hey, that mascara is quite water resistant/waterproof as many girls who’ve reviewed it have said.  I also slowly realized my eyes weren’t hurting (pls. note it may be different in your case), even when I took the foaming cleanser with my fingers into my lashline, eyes tightly shut, as it quickly removed my eyeliner and eyeshadow.  I opened one eye to check and it wasn’t painful.  I thought I was imagining things.  I washed my entire face and rinsed in disbelief…realizing that I didn’t have to use makeup remover and my face was completely clean, PLUS it didn’t feel tight.

Updated Bottle

“The precious qualities of olive oil are offered in one multifunctional ingredient. Olive Oil PEG 7 Esters are water soluble and provide outstanding emolliency and conditioning with virtually any product—lotions, creams, shampoos, conditioners, scrubs, facial cleansers, etc. In addition, Olive Oil PEG 7 Esters have qualities which allow them to be used as a co-emulsifier (HLB 11) and solubilizer.” – TheHerbarie.com

I have a feeling that the whole experience of my makeup coming off is complete proof that this cleanser does contain olive oil.  I can’t explain how a regular foaming cleanser would be able to shift makeup off skin otherwise so the Olive Oil peg7 Esters and the anti-oxidant powers of olive leaf extract take this up another notch.  Now the only minor disadvantage this product has is the scent and it isn’t major enough to throw me off because this just leaves my skin so fresh, makeup-free, and soft.  The scent isn’t bad but the first note that hits you is mildly funky, kind of like chalky  (in scent).  It is strange at first because I think they tried to mask or balance the olive extract scent (which is a bit strong) with fragrance and the combined result was a little weird to say the least.  It even smells a bit OFF just in the first note but once it foams up it smells nice when the fragrance kicks in and once you wash it off there’s no scent left on your skin.  No biggie for me, I’m just saying because it may or may not bother some of you, but in my opinion the fact that it doesn’t smell PERFECT proves it contains natural ingredients that are for real.  I purchased this wonder cleanser for about Php225.00 from PCX and I’m so glad that I had no clear idea how it worked because it surprised me in a good way.  I recommend still removing eye makeup completely after by going through lashes with a cotton bud/pad and regular makeup remover or lite mineral oil.

My Anteprima Illustrated Tote Bag – My Most Major HK Purchase

I didn’t expect to find a uniquely classy bag I could afford at this point, but trekking to Citygate in Tung Chung, the 30-min last stop on the orange train line from Hong Kong central, made it possible.  I’d ventured out to visit a friend based near the fishing community of Tai O (a charming, rustic place) and on my way back to the city I scored this absolutely charming, illustrated Anteprima tote at Citygate, for 30% off at the final price of $HK 976/approx. Php5200.

“The brand was conceived by Izumi Ogino in year 1993, in hope of creating a brand for a modern woman with an appreciation for timeless luxury and contemporary style. A woman who can exist anywhere in the world, her flair transcends borders.The ANTEPRIMA woman, as created by IZUMI OGINO.  She has captivated the fashion world since the label’s debut – as its name means in Italian – at Milano Moda Donna in 1998.” – ElementsHK.COM

I liked the brand Anteprima the first time I laid eyes on the boutique in Singapore.  It’s a brand that absolutely gets me.  Anteprima basically means “a preview” or “debut” in Italian but it was created by the effortlessly beautiful Japanese designer, Izumi Ogino in the mid 90s.  She absolutely loves Italy and works mostly with materials from that region and always presents her collections in Milan. Izumi’s dainty but modern creations remind me of a more delicate Asian take off from luxury brands that know women inside out.  These brands get that it’s not about being full-blown regal 24/7, it’s also about being elegantly chill in those moments when you need to be.  Brands like those aren’t afraid to get playful in terms of design and know how to do it properly, NOT AT the expense of taste, like for example Chanel or Kate Spade.

Anteprima is mainly known for its famously pretty and dainty “wire bags” as well as shoes and dresses, but those were off the budget for me.  Read more to get the full review, a closer look at the bag’s features, and my musings on this bag that I’m quite happy to own.

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United Colors of 88 Nov.10 RUN , Last 2 Days to Register – @ Mizuno Outlets or Xavier

I owe my aunt an apology, this got railroaded by products and events and today is the 2nd to the last day for United Colors of 88′S NOV.10 RUN registration,  for today you can proceed to the following Mizuno outlets to register: Eastwood, Shangrila, or Alabang Town Center or at a special reg booth at Xavier School beginning today till tomorrow Nov.8.  The following alma maters, Maryknoll/Miriam College, La Salle Greenhills, Xavier, St. Scholastica and Ateneo have partnered to make the batch of 88 run possible for this Saturday, November 10.

If OCHO-OCHO was your batch you may see a lot of familiar faces while breaking  a sweat!  Choose from routes as short as 3.88k or as long as 21.88k!  The run will be kicking off at BGC Fort at I’ve included the race route maps by distance below.  The longest distance group, the 21.88k runners should assemble at the start of their race route by 4am, the rest of the runners for the 10.88k distance and below will assemble at 5am.

RACE ROUTES BY DISTANCE (CLICK TO ENLARGE)

Whether you were batch 88 or not, the run is special because it is open to beginner, intermediate, and advanced runners as well.  I was invited (but no won’t be running, keeping my sked open because of TVC shoots), and neither am I from any of the participating schools nor am I batch 88 so feel free to “gatecrash” as an outsider…but AHEM, just register before you do.  For registration venues refer to the selected Mizuno outlets I mentioned above or if you miss registering tomorrow you have one last chance on November 8 to hop over to Xavier and sign up at the Admin area, outside the AAXS office.  For more information Like the United Colors of 88 page on Facebook.

L’Oreal Lucent Magique Oil-Free Foundation – aka L’Oreal True Match LUMI

These three words I almost always read or hear, LIT FROM WITHIN.  That there, my friends, is the solemn vow that almost all radiance promising base products spell out for every glow-seeking consumer.  It’s even taught to salesladies so that after they say it with well-placed enthusiasm “kaching” can follow only minutes after.  To some, like me, I’ve remained a skeptic and scoffed at the phrase…until now.  It has been used so many times that when you hear the phrase being used again for yet another primer, highlighter, or dewy foundation, you really fight the urge to roll your eyes.  I’ve also said 4 words repeatedly to myself when those other 3 are in my face, “I DON’T DO DEWY.”  Well, now I eat those words and am actually a bit floored because L’Oreal got this one quite right.

“L’Oreal Paris invents LUCENT Magique, the first light creating foundation that illuminates every inch of your skin for a lively complexion.  Light, refined texture, oil-free for a fresh moisturizing skin finish.  24-hour hydration.  Infused with liquid light technology to bathe complexion in a radiant halo, as if LIT-FROM-WITHIN.  A new era of flawless coverage it lets light through the skin, naturally enlightened, your complexion is full of life (they make it sound like some sort of skin messiah).”

L’Oreal LUCENT Magique is the Asian name counterpart for the True Match Lumi foundation range in the States.  I bought the LUCENT Magique light-infusing foundation from Sasa in Hong Kong along Canton Road for $HK 155 or about Php830.  The shade G4 Gold Shell which is a perfect Asian tone for me but a quarter shade too tan, hardly noticeable anyway, I just balance the tone with lighter powder afterwards.  It looks dark in the 2nd photo only because the shot is backlit.  I’m not surprised that L’Oreal put out a light infusing drugstore foundation, seeing that L’Oreal global actually acquired YSL, the luxury brand now famous for its Touche Eclat Light Infusing Foundation ($US55) there may or may not be a connection between the release of this drugstore foundation and that luxury one, options for everyone.  The message may just be that we all should get the chance to be…cough…lit from within.  Read more to see how this foundation looks applied on me and how I was impressed the minute I put it on.

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A Bare it All Beauty Book: “No More Dirty Looks” – The Ultimate Guide to Safe & Clean Cosmetics

I’m baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack from Hong Kong!!  Did ya miss me?  *Crickets* Anyway, I’ll be teasing you a bit with something that’s NOT from Hong Kong for now because this book I got off Ebay for about $US 16 (Php650+) is the first book I’ve ever bought online for myself (and obviously not the last) and it got me super duper excited when I saw it arrived for me in the mail before I got back.  It’s only proper that this is the first actual book to be featured on the blog.  Two lovely journalists based in New York decided that they had had enough of “ignorance is bliss” when it came to beauty.  Siobhan O’ Connor and Alexandra Spunt decided to research and test the most common, within reach, frequently used beauty products on the market and put them under a simply worded microscope for us to really know the truth behind what we put on ourselves…almost everyday.  The No More Dirty Looks book gives us a 1000x zoom in on the chemical “DNA” of our most favored beauty products.  It’s a pretty paperback that’s about an inch thick and the conversation within (that’s how it feels, like a well-informed friend came over) is engaging as well as super informative.  I’ve only skimmed over the first few chapters but I’m already excited to read it all the way to the end.

“You probably bathe daily.  Every other day, sometimes?  Fair enough; us, too.  But every time we decide we want to wash, plump, moisturize, nourish, shine, buff, soften, bronze, and otherwise play around with how we look and feel, we are reaching for a bottle whose contents are largely a mystery.  That’s not because we’re all idiots; that’s the way the cosmetics industry has set it up.  They will boast about one or two ingredients in their ads –usually the natural ones– while obscuring the bulk of the ingredients in four-point font in a barely contrasting color on the edge of the bottle.  And yet ingredients lists are the most transparent thing these companies provide us.” p. 4,  No More Dirty Looks.

I know right?  They sooooo understand beauty enthusiasts like you and me because they love beauty as well.  You needn’t go and give yourself a ban on several beauty products afterwards, that’s everyone’s own personal choice to make but for make-up professionals like me it’s good to be informed.  I’m so excited to read the entire book.  I learned about the No More Dirty Looks book from an online video conversation I had last September with Soapwalla brand founder, Rachel Winard who likes calling herself a “chef” in a kitchen of organic beauty.  She was in Manhattan and I was up late to join in the class conversation.  I was issued an online VIP invitation for the  fashion week project spun together by PowHow, Colette beauty boutique in Paris, and French VOGUE .

“My name is Rachel and I’m a Brooklyn girl who is the creator and chef of Soapwalla. I started making luxury organic face and body products in my apartment kitchen to alleviate my painful sensitive skin rashes caused by lupus, a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune illness.  Soapwalla products are comprised of the highest quality products available, made with organic, vegan, food-grade ingredients, and never harmful or synthetic additives such as petrochemicals, parabens, pthalates, or sodium lauryl sulfate.”

Rachel Winard’s skincare brand, Soapwalla, has reached European shores and is currently being “curated” in Paris by Colette and in the UK as well.  I was invited to participate in a complimentary online class  by PowHow and I met some indie beauty brand owners who were being streamed live from Manhattan New York.  Rachel was one of the people I met, her organic skincare brand, SoapWalla has been recognized as one of the most admirable quality luxury organic brands in the indie beauty market.  She recommended that I have a look at the No More Dirty Looks book and I’m so glad I took her advice and made the purchase on Ebay.  If you’re in the States you can try Amazon.  I haven’t tried Fully Booked locally so I’m not sure if this is available in retail.

The Stowaways – Last Minute HK Stuff I Brought Along

Okay, so I showed you what I packed before coming to HK, but it can’t be helped.  Last minute before heading out the door for a trip abroad you do tend to grab one or two more things.  Sometimes the bag you’ve decided to use already has items you realize can’t do without.

I grabbed my Crabtree & Evelyn Summer Hill hand cream, NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in addis Ababa. My Shiseido Sun Protection Foundation and Venus & Mars Smooth Lip detox were already in the side pocket of my bag. The random last minute “selection” of “stowaways” makes a point.

Hong Kong Holiday Excuses

Sorry it’s been quiet, I’ve been a bit…

…preoccupied, if you don’t mind my saying so.  There’ll be lots to tell, soon. Wink*