A Great Makeup Query

You could consider this blog post totally unplanned and done out of the sheer momentum of my situation. Despite the fact that I promised myself that I will refrain from pigging out on the internet (if you could call it that), I simply could not ignore my inner self telling me that this issue is something worth blogging about despite my previous vow of temporary internet fasting.

I was cleaning my makeup kit this morning for lack of nothinganything better to do. After all, the extremely unwelcoming weather prevented people from even stepping an inch out of their houses. As I was stacking my eyeshadow palettes, I came across my BAXI eyeshadow in shade 009* (which I absolutely adore), and a thought crossed my mind. Does BAXI have a website like other makeup brands? Thus begun my search on the internet.

I knew for a fact that BAXI is a brand manufactured by Siloran Cosmetics in China, so I skipped the part where I would pretend to be ignorant and went straight to googling the manufacturer name and not the brand itself. True enough, they have a website, which by the way looks absolutely cute and legit. As I was browsing through their product page, I was greeted by the list of the brands they manufacture. For the sake of this blog post, my lovelies, allow me to enumerate Siloran's brands:

• BOB
• VOV
• BAXI
• MengDu
• RUI
• Color Park
• 688
• USV

Yes, you have read it right. VOV.

I could say I went through the Kübler-Ross model when I saw it. I was in denial, thinking that maybe it was just some weird coincidence. I checked the pictures provided in the site and felt a pang of anger as I saw that the pictures were the same as those sold by VOV Korea. I fumed for a while and still not convinced, bargained in my mind for some sort of explanation for this uncanny makeup phenomenon. But as I searched for legit VOV makeup pictures, the depressing truth seemed to be staring at me. I had no choice but to accept the truth, what I think is the truth based on my observations. The brand VOV which I know is from Korea is manufactured by Siloran.

I am posting this not because I am a victim of this weird mentality that everything that comes from China sucks. Not at all. If I was, I wouldn't have a BAXI eyeshadow in my possession and I'd probably resent the fact that every new acquaintance I make asks if I'm Chinese, and I probably would dream of getting plastic surgery to look like a Caucasian, blah blah blah. My point is that the prices of VOV cosmetics in our malls are waaaaaaaaaaaay up high compared to BAXI, MengDu, and other Siloran brands we could purchase at our friendly neighborhood tiangges.

I am not 100% sure about this blog post. There could be other means to explain this confusion I had. But for now, I judge this case with the evidence I have in my reach and draw my verdict from there. If you have information or whatever which could clarify, support, or disprove this theory of mine, please do tell. I would love to be enlightened.

This is my theory, my fabulous gals. I would love it if you would not quote me on this. i am merely sharing my thoughts with you and asking you to think about it as well. Maybe you could do your own research on the brands, perhaps? As for me, I probably should geet some rest now as I plan to go BAXI and MengDu shopping ASAP.

Siloran's site: http://www.siloran.com/index.htm
* BAXI shade 009 is a lovely silvery-white
**My VOV information did not come from the VOV site for my browser warned me that the page probably has a virus. I based my VOV information on pictures and reviews found in non-virus infested reliable makeup sites.

It's in Your Hands

Don't we just love shopping for makeup and beauty essentials? Some people even spend tens and even hundreds (imagine!) of pesos to undergo facial treatments to maintain their youthful glow. Indeed, these products and treatments may keep your face looking always fresh and young, but are we forgetting something? Yes, we are! We are forgetting our hands!

Yes, our hands. Because no matter how much we strive to keep our faces young looking, our real age is reflected in our hands. Imagine, a pretty lady with smooth, dewy skin who looks like she's in her 20's... then we see her hands--dry, gnarly, and with bulging veins! Oh no!

Amidst all the products and procedures made for the face, it is often our hands that are forgotten. After all, their use and function is rooted from simple muscle movements which are almost purely instinctive that we do not need to think consciously to use them--which is the same reason why they are neglected most of the time. We may not have gnarly hands right now, but don't you think it's time to consciously start taking extra care of them? Here are my tips:

1. Keep them clean. Clean hands are certainly desirable, even a three-year old can attest to that! Always keep a hand sanitizer handy. Choose one which contains moisturizer so it won't strip you of moisture.

2. Moisturize! Keep you hands soft and silky and leave a lasting impression on that guy you shook hands with this morning! Use a moisturizing hand lotion and choose one with a lovely scent. As for me, I like slathering cocoa butter on my hands before I go to sleep. The heavely chocolate-y scent lulls me to sleep and I wake up with supple, pinkish palms--which smell like chocolate!

3. Keep your nails neat. This doesn't mean that you have to go to the salon every week to get a manicure. Simply keeping the tips of your nails dirt-free and smooth is enough--remember, nothing sucks more than having dirty, chewed nails! Plus, you could get sick from ingesting the bacteria lodged between your nails when you nail-bite.

Tip: Do you have a lip balm you aren't using anymore because you don't like its taste? Don't let it go to waste! Instead, use it as a nail balm. Coat your nails with a lippie you're not using anymore and see how it keeps them moisturized and healthy. You won't see those white spots near the cuticle anymore because lippies pack moisture, moisture, moisture!


How about you FAB girl? Do you have some tips in keeping our hands young, soft, and smooth?

Open Book: My Routine

Routine. Ritual. Regimen. You may call it whatever you want but you cannot take away the fact that the routine we do beauty routine we do bears a great importance in our overall look for the day ahead. It does not matter whether the products we use are those ordinary, over-the-counter kinds or those branded, pocket-burning types. What matters is whether you do it religiously or on a rare whim--it's the long term effects that count.

Tagged by fabulous oOchaOo to share with you my everyday routine, I immediately felt the excitement of being semi-obliged to divulge my regimen. But seeing that there is nothing so special about how I do it and what I do it with, I felt that certain low for knowing that this blog post will not be able to unearth the next biggest beauty revelation. But hey, I thought, if this works for me then why the hell should I not post it? So here it is, my fabulous gals:

1. I wash my face twice. I don't know about you, but I am quite obsessive-compulsive when it comes to cleansing my skin. It's not because I reek of oiliness, but it's more of my personal choice. I use Kojie-san Kojic soap followed by IWhite Korea Vita Whitening Facial Wash.


2. After cleansing my face, I never forget to daub a small amount of Benzoyl Peroxide with Erythromycin gel, which I got from my dermatologist, on some zits when I have them. I let my skin absorb it a bit before I start putting on some prescription sunblock gel as well.


3. I use IWhite Vita Facial Cream as a moisturizer. I love the fact that it's a 3-in-1 product which gives me the benefits of a sunblock, whitening cream, and makeup base. The scent is so mild and sweet, so it scores huge points in the scent department! I put mine in a small tub just like the one where my Benzoyl Peroxide is stored because I like my concoctions in uniform containers. How OC is that?


4. I like using as little makeup as possible. Considering that my classes require me to go out and shoot videos on location, wearing too much makeup could be such a hassle. On a normal day, I just conceal with my Fashion 21 cream concealer stick in Light Beige and set it with a light dusting of SanSan pressed powder in shade 02, mixed with a little white baby powder since I'm too fair for it. I proceed to put some blush because I'm naturally pale. I like using Avon's Blooming Peach blush when I'm not in a hurry. But when I'm running late, I just use Penshoppe's Cheek Tint in Blushed.

5. Finally, the lips! when I'm feeling ultra-lazy, I just coat my kissers with Face Shop's Freshian Tint followed by Allue's lip conditioner in Berry. It doesn't leave a hint of color and it gives minimal shine, but I love its fruity scent and moisturizing power, so I'm not bothered at all. Plus, who could resist its ultra cute packaging? And it's good to know that the case is actually made of paper, so it's recyclable.


On those days when I'm feeling I need a little extra, I use either Clinique Glosswear for Lips in Juicy Apple or Estee Lauder's Pure Pops Gloss in Berry Twist. It's just that those shimmery glosses magically brighten up my mood.



An average routine done with pretty much ordinary and average products is pretty much my routine. I'm not a big fan of splurging on makeup since I'm still in college, and a senior at that--which explains my reasoning that I'd rather spend my allowance on photocopying mountains of notes, buying production paraphernalia, or pigging out on my favorite comfort food. Don't get me wrong though; I love makeup and I surely want to experience the thrill of buying my first Nars Orgasm blush using my own money, but I believe that that moment will come at its own time--perhaps a few months from now when I have graduated and not living off my parents' money. Too much drama, I know; but you pretty much get what I mean because real fabulous girls are not just oozing with beauty but also have a chock-full of substantial things in their minds as well. After all, it's the entire package that matters.

Juuya after a day of
doing production
work on location--
still looking pretty
decent with just melted
"estudyante" makeup.

SweetShugaHon's FABULOUS MAC Giveaway

What are the prizes?
1. One M.A.C Eyeshadow (of your choice)
2. One M.A.C Lipstick (of your choice)
3. One M.A.C LipGlass (of your choice)
4. One M.A.C Blush (of your choice)
(but be sure - you must pick the product thats only available at the M.A.C online Store http://www.maccosmetics.ca/)
plus you will receive some goodies, it'll be a surprise!

How to enter?
Easy, all you have to do is leave a comment in this post and tell me the names of what M.A.C Eyeshadow/Lipstick/Lipglass & Blush do you girls want!
For example:

You must write..

PLEASE GIVE ME MY:
1. MAC (Smoke & Diamonds) Eyeshadow.
2. MAC (Costa Chic) Lipstick.
3. MAC (Florabundance) LipGlass
4. MAC (Pinch O' Peach) Blush.

and the link of this post on your blog.

RULES:
1. You must be a follower. If not then you are welcome to be my follower =)
2. You must blog or post this on your blogspot and link to it.
3. Must be 18+ years old.
4. write in the comment box, like the example above and the link where you have reposted my giveaway.

Notes:
>Everyone can enter-any where in this world.
>Contest Ends Sept.25, 2009 ( you have lots of time to enter)
>I will randomly pick one winner or i might write your usernames in a piece of paper and ask my hubby to pick one. ^_^

What are you girls waiting for... ENTER NOW!
Good Luck Girls!!


Visit SweetShugaHon's wonderful blog at http://sweetshugahon.blogspot.com/

The Best Foundation

Different kinds of makeup are out there. Each bear their promise to either hide your blemishes, even out your skin tone, give you the perfect flush, brighten up your peepers, soothe your chapped lips, and so on. However, just like everything else, a great endeavor has to start with a good base; or in makeup terms, a good foundation.

Foundation is applied to create a good canvas for makeup. It evens out the skin and conceals its flaws. But think about how nice it would be if you don't have to cover your skin so much just to look "nice" and "presentable". Yes girls, I'm not going to talk about makeup foundation, but good skin in general--the best foundation there is.

Achieving good skin is not easy. Many factors are out there which could pose as hindrances in our journey to clear skin. These could be our genes, our diet, or our environment. I admit, to avoid these elements could seem next to impossible with our current lifestyles. But nevertheless, we must not fret for there are ways which could help us in one way or another to better our complexion and eventually obtain the clear skin we have always wanted. Here are some tips:

• Never take water for granted. Water keeps the skin hydrated and may eventually prevent or delay the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Drink at least 2 liters of water a day. It's refreshing and beautifying at the same time.
• Fruits and veggies are your best friend. Bursting with vitamin C which is an essential component in the creation of collagen, it also helps in preventing wrinkles. Vitamin C also helps the skin by reducing the damage caused by free radicals. So munch on Vitamin C-rich foodstuff and get that natural glow.
• Sleep. Eight hours a day is ideal, but our busy lifestyles just won't let us get the zzzs we need. So even if it's just two hours, grab the opportunity and go hit the sack. You'll see how sleep rejuvenates your skin and eliminates that tired look. Always remember to cleanse your skin and remove your makeup, though. Let your skin breathe.
• Cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize. Cleansing removes the dirt and makeup lodged within our pores. Exfoliation brings out new, healthy skin. Moisturizing feeds our skin with hydration which gives that fresh glow and prevents wrinkles. However, exfoliate twice a week at most. Frequent exfoliation could do more harm than good.
  
• Protect yourself from the sun. Premature skin aging is just one of the harmful effects of chronic sun exposure. So whether you're hitting the beach or just going out, slather on some sunblock with at least SPF 15. Don't forget to reapply!

I know that these tips are pretty much common knowledge, but I cannot help but stress how important they are. Sometimes the most basic things are actually the most important ones, and the same applies to our skin. Remember: the best foundation is clear skin!

A Broadcast to the World

I finally got myself to set up a fashion/beauty blog after months of planning it in my head. Indeed, rainy nights and sleeplessness can work wonders and get you to do what you only have lazily sketched out in your mind.

Welcome to FABULOUS--a blog featuring what girls want. Deviating from the usual beauty blog scheme, FABULOUS will captivate you with wit and humor injected within makeup reviews, tutorials, do-it-yourself projects, fashion newscasts, and more.

Philippines-centric but not limited to local products and trends, FABULOUS will bring to light and review affordable beauty products and fashion picks which are definitely up to par with more expensive brands.

Stay tuned for updates. Be FABULOUS!