Etude House Moistful Collagen BB Cream

With only a few days left before law school starts, I started preparing the essentials. From notebooks, to markers, to clothes, and yes, even the make-up I will be needing to look alive in law school. Since I would have less time to experiment once school starts, I decided to buy another bottle of my favorite and most trusted BB cream -- Etude House's Moistful Collagen BB Cream. 

I fell in love with this product two years ago, a couple of months after Etude House opened its first store in the country. It was my first ever BB cream, and truth be told, I was actually a bit hesitant in trying it. BB creams were fairly new at that time, and I didn't really know much about them. In the end, I took the "risk" and tried it out. SO here's the 411 on Etude House's Moistful Collagen BB Cream.

This BB cream is bigger than others. Most BB creams I saw back then were 30g bottles only. This is a 50g bottle. It actually looks bigger than 50g, but I wasn't always good in math. :D

Etude House Sun BB Cream

A few weeks ago, SM North EDSA had their annual super sale. Gus accompanied his mom to go shopping since the first day of the sale usually had a lot of perks (think, getting up to 40% off a product from 10%). Thanks to a boyfriend who understands one of my girly necessities, I was able to go "shopping" during the sale.

Gus bought Etude House's newest BB cream for me -- the Sun BB Cream. The original price was P978, but we were able to get it for around P780. Anyway, I've never tried this one before that's why I decided to purchase it. Based on the reviews, it was as good as the previous EH BB creams but I had to check for myself.

First things first. According to its packaging, Etude House's Sun BB Cream has SPF50, whitening, anti-darkening and anti-wrinkle properties, and is waterproof. This one also comes with a puff end to help with the application.

MUA Experience 101: The First of 2012

This is my second attempt, a successful one I guess, at being a "make-up artist." My fried needed someone to do his model's make-up for one of his photoshoots. Since I am also an amateur at what I do, he decided to let me do the make-up of his model (he's a budding photographer) so I can practice my skills too. His theme was something along the lines of fierce. Here is my attempt at making Iza, the model, fierce.

I began prepping her face by applying a primer all over. I used Skin Food's Black Egg Pore Primer. I then combined Etude House's Nymph Aura Volumer #2 with Skin Food's Peach Sake BB Cream #2 in a 1:3 ratio. Skin Food's Peach Sake BB Cream, I think, is best for girls with a more Filipina-like complexion. It is not too white, and it doesn't make the skin look oily after application.

For her cheeks and lips, I used Tony Moly's Backstage Sure Tint in Peach (02). It made her cheeks and lips look very much alive, but not in an overpowering sense. I also added a drop of the Nymph Aurora Volumer on top of her cheeks to give it a certain glow.

For her eyes, I lined it with a thick layer of Maybelline's Waterproof Gel Liner, for that rockstar, I-am-fierce effect. I finished the whole look by dusting Majolica Majorca's Skin Remaker Pore Cover in OC20 all over her face, and neck.

Again, I am still getting to know make-up so don't expect expert-like make-up results. Here she is. :)

Disclaimer: I am not an expert, constructive criticisms are most welcome.

Photos courtesy of Christopher Lee.

MUA Experience 101: December 2011

I am no make-up artist. I just enjoy hiding my pimples, pimple scars, EYEBAGS. That's it. The first time I learned about make-up was sometime during my late elementary years. My best friend was a looker. And with that, she possessed different sized, and colored foreign objects. A cylinder with colored, "clay-like" paint inside, pink powder, powder that came with a built in mirror, black, sticky liquid that's supposed to make your lashes longer, etc. Being the nerd that I was back then, I never really knew what these were, and what they were for. All I knew was that, these things make a woman, beautiful. Oh yes. For a smart kid, I was pretty shallow and stupid.

Now that I know just a little bit more about make-up, I was asked by my boyfriend's sister to help her put some on for a friend's debut. I am not promoting myself as a make-up artist, nor is this a tutorial. I'm just documenting my first ever, official make-up session with someone else. I have yet to learn so much more about make-up, and creativity before I can teach others professionally, or make a living out of it. For the pros out there, constructive criticisms, and tips are very much welcome. :) Here is my first try at being a make-up artist. 

Model: Gin Yu

Products Used: Skin Food Black Egg Pore Primer, MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC20, Etude House Precious Mineral All Day Strong BB Cream in Sheer Glowing Skin #2, Etude House Nymph Aura Volumer #2, herbench/ Paintbox PrettyWhenPinched, MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation in NC30, (not shown in photo) Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes Eyeshadow Quad in PK785. (Model's Own) IN2IT Eyeshadow Duo in CE39 Natty, Fashion21 Eyeliner in Black, MAC Frost in AC9.

Happy Time! EH's Happy Teatime Aloe Tea Cleansing Cream

I was never a fan of cleansing creams. My daily skin regimen included a facial wash/soap, and a moisturizer. Sometimes, I use a toner. That's if I remember. But even if I have tons of make-up on, I never really used any make-up remover. Just my facial wash/soap, and clean, running water.

However, during one of my shopping trips this year, I stumbled upon this cleansing cream. I've seen it during my first, few trips to this Korean make-up store I discovered just this year, but I never really came within two feet away from it. I usually just go directly to the make-up, or facial masks section. But after reading a description of its packaging online (yes, it was the packaging that stirred my curiosity), I decided to check it out the next time I visited the store.

The description said that the packaging resembled a porcelain container, especially when it has been emptied already. I wanted to know if a shop would really invest in porcelain containers to sell a product. The end result, however, not just gave me an answer, but a current "favorite." Introducing Etude House's Happy Teatime Aloe Tea Cleansing Cream!

on thin lines and thick lines: eyeliners

I'm no make-up fan. I don't love make-up but I do like fixing myself up. Since the day I noticed how bad my eyes look, especially my eyebags, I started paying attention to how they look. Concealer became my best friend. It wasn't until a couple of years later that I stumbled upon these eye-popping coloring materials they call eyeliner. They help divert the attention away from my under eye are, which I would really want to happen, especially when I wear my contacts.

Over the years, I've tried different kinds of eyeliner. The pencil liner, the liquid liner, colored liner. Then I discovered more like the automatic, no sharpening needed cream liner, the pencil cream liner, automatic liquid liner, and most recently, the pen type liner. When I was first trying out eyeliners, the most common problem I encountered was the smudging.

I rarely had air-conditioned classrooms back in college and most of my org activities involved me running around campus. No matter how made up I was, I almost always ended up looking like an emo zombie because of the smudged, black eyeliner under my eyes. I didn't know much about eyeliners back then so my only solution was to make sure I wipe away at the slightest hint of smudging, usually after running or sweating during hot, summer days.