All posts filed under: Features

Nosy Beauty Vol. 11: Tina

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I’m Maria Kristina or Tina. I’m an Investment Counselor by day and Graduate Student by night. On my days off, I like to watch movies, try different restaurants, travel and shop. I don’t have a lot of makeup compared to others because I try to hand pick products that I will actually use day to day. Since I work for a bank where looking professional is business, most, if not all, of my makeup lean towards neutral colors. I don’t mind wearing smokey eyes or red lipstick but wild, trendy colors are a big no-no. Since I also don’t have the luxury of time to fix myself in the morning, I bring with me products that I can apply in the car. For my face, I alternate Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20 – Oil Free in Nude and Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation in Medium Beige depending on my skin condition. I love these because they even out my skin tone and give a dewy effect without looking thick on the face. They’re sheer to …

My MAC Eyeshadow Palette (Swatches, Looks & Video)

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I know I’ve shown these before, but I have this feeling that it shouldn’t be left out of any eye month. Someone is bound to ask for these, so here: My MAC Eyeshadows. MAC eyeshadows seem to be the gateway to makeup madness. It’s a phenomenon quite unlike anything I’ve seen—anyone who’s at least knee-deep in the business of beauty knows what Satin Taupe, Woodwinked, and All That Glitters all mean. I don’t have a lot of MAC shadows and I don’t have a special relationship with them. I bought my first two eyeshadows in October 2012, and bought the rest in one go. Today, I’ll show you my MAC eyeshadow palette (plus, 2 that don’t fit), and give you a rundown of what they look like and how I use them. Here’s a pretty short video, if you want to see the swatches in action (different angles, etc): Here are the two out-of-palette stragglers. The Runaways: Amber Lights, and Trax — Amber Lights is a “peachy brown with shimmer” and has a frost finish. …

Check in your bags for the long haul with these concealers

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An overview of my current concealer products. In case you have no idea what these do, concealers hide our blemishes, red spots, acne, and dark circles. They do almost nothing to your bags. I mean, let’s be real. No matter how much concealer you put on a surface that it not flat, the protrusion will cause a shadow. Like Krysty, I don’t really like hiding my bags because lighter concealers emphasize them and make them look baggier, or at least more noticeable. I think my issue is more on the ‘puffy’ side than ‘dark circles,’ so when I conceal under my eyes, I keep my expectations in check. Of course the puffs will show when I smile! The best thing I’ve ever done about that is come to terms with it. But that’s neither here nor there! I have found a favorite to use, however! Can you guess which one I like the best? 🙂 THE BODY SHOP TEA TREE CONCEALER (02) I think this might be my pinkest shade. I used this on my …

One-Shadow Eye Looks

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For the lazy bones in you! Each look featured here was made using just one eyeshadow. I was going to make a tutorial… but that would be pointless. Just follow the one-step directions and you’ll be fine! SMOKY EYE — I used Le Métier de Beauté’s Alexandrite, and you can see the tutorial here. WASH & WEAR — Here’s a look that’s pretty similar as well, but you kind of just pat down a shade all over the mobile lid and hope for the best. Using shu uemura’s ME medium brown 885, aka my favorite eyeshadow: Using OCC’s Loose Colour Concentrate in Hum: Using MAC Paint Pot in Rubenesque, a rose gold cream shadow: Using Rouge Bunny Rouge Eyeshadow in Solstice Halcyon, a light almost imperceptible neutral taupe: QUICK LICKS — a lick of shadow, a lick of eyeliner, a lick of mascara, and you’re done. This is great for pairing with a bold red lip. Using Bootycall from the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette + liquid eyeliner + mascara on top and bottom lashes. …

Quickie: Urban Decay Primer Potion Original & Sin

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The Urban Decay Primer Potion is perhaps the best eye primer I’ve tried. It’s right above the NARS Pro-Prime Smudgeproof Base (which I can’t get to work on my lids, strangely), the Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer, Benefit’s Lemon Aid (which is great upon application but creases as well), and tons of other eye bases like cream shadows and such. This is just the best, basic one for me. I do like the MAC Paint Pots also, but the ones I have are shimmery, and if I want a neutral base, my go-to is the UDPP. A great thing about this is also its applicator. No doe-foot unsanitariness here! I bought the PP twin pack in Original and Sin from a Friends and Family Sale eons ago, and I realized I haven’t spoken about these wonders yet. The original looks like an opaque pinky cream here, but it blends out into an invisible base. Sin is a beautiful champagne color with a finish that reminds me of LUSH’s Sophisticated. Here, I am wearing UDPP …

Stash Shopping No. 4

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Hello everyone, here’s this week’s edition of Stash Shopping! I accidentally posted the concealer post early (for those of you who saw it—sorry!), but this is actually what I had planned to post today. Like I did with the last S.S. post, I will post photos of some looks throughout the week. P.S. For the past three weeks, I started posting these editions on Tuesdays, now I’m moving them to Monday, so it’s not so confusing. 🙂 Tuesday, Meeting + Book Launch: Chanel Ombres Fleuries (Délicatesse) over LUSH Cream Shadow (Sophisticated). NYX Powder Blush (Raisin) as a contour; Smashbox Whipped Blush (Dusty Rose) as a blush. Maybelline Lipstick (Chestnut), MAC Lipglass (Flight of Fancy) on center of lips + L’Oreal Lucent Magique Liquid Foundation (N5), Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder (Luminous Light), K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner, The Body Shop Brow & Liner Kit (02) Wednesday, Brunch: Shiro (Victory Road) + Chanel Ombres Fleuries (Délicatesse, Purple shade) over LUSH Cream Shadow (Sophisticated). Smashbox Whipped Blush (Dusty Rose); Revlon Mineral Blush (Roseberry) over it. Maybelline Lipstick (Chestnut) + …

Nosy Beauty Vol. 10: Regina

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Can you believe I’ve bugged ten people for this already? Time flies so fast when you are a creeper! For this week’s installment of Nosy Beauty—an excuse to nose around people’s belongings—we have Regina Belmonte, who is the associate beauty editor for Cosmopolitan Philippines, and a lifestyle/beauty columnist for the Philippine Star. As what usually happens with my friendships, I met Reggie online and then met her for real in college, as we were part of the same org. I truly think she is one of the most beautiful people, with such a unique face. She told me to feel free to edit her since she tends to ramble about makeup, but you know me: I’m totally all for that. I bolded general statements and things I generally agree with (lol), but the words after the next photo are all her own. Check out what’s in her bag!