To Nude or Not to Nude?

Nude lips is a classic yet trendy beauty statement of our time. The barely-there lip color is just gorgeous on anyone and everyone. The thought of it may appear non-complex, but there is actually an art to pull it off (beautyblitz.com). One has to keep in mind that in order to look good wearing nude lipstick, think FUSE - right Formula, right Undertones, and wear it with Strong Eyes. 

Right formula means nude lipstick should never be matte or opaque (Nick Barose, beautyblitz.com). Nude lipsticks need to be sheer with slight sheen. Right undertones means one should consider own skin tones and undertones of lipsticks. The key is to make sure the color is not lighter than your skin tone. For fair skin, opt for pink or cool undertones; If you are tan or have darker skin, go for one with orange or warmer undertones. To pull off the whole look, it is a must to have strong eyes! Alway pair your nude lip with smokey eyes or a bold cat-eye.

Here are some of my favorite Nude lippies. I am medium skin-toned so you would see that most of my nude lipsticks have orangey, peachy undertone or pinks with warmer undertones.

First off is my inspiration of this blog - Rimmel's Moisture Renew Lipstick in shade To Nude or Not to Nude. This lipstick is glossy, rich and balmy at the same time. Color is frosty rosy nude with brown undertone. It gives a sheer to medium coverage. Although, I feel like the sheen is too much for me, it actually looks nice. My problem with this lipstick is that it is not camera-friendly. My lips appears silvery on the camera, which I believe is because of the frost, but in person, it really looks nice. Also, like other glossy lipsticks, this does not stay long on the lips.

Milani lipstick in Shade #27 Dulce Caramelo is the exact color of my lips. Shade is a mauve nude color with gold shimmers, which give a  pearly finish. Coverage is sheer to medium. It is creamy and lightweight. Moreover, it is infused with Vitamins A, C and E, which is always a plus. Love it!

Up next is a make-up bag staple of mine - Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Liar. This is a pinky-brown nude color - warm, rosy, medium brown with a creamy and luminous finish. The creamy formulation can give from sheer to full coverage.  Color just glide on smoothly and evenly on lips and is buildable. I just love, love, love this lippy!

One of my all time favorite nude lipstick is from MAC in shade Jubilee. It is described as a pinky-nude lipstick, however, it appears peachy-nude on my lips. It has a lustre finish, just enough shine to make your lips look healthy. Jubilee is always my go-to lipstick when I cannot decide which one to wear. It works with a smokey eye or even neutral eyes. 

You guys know how much I love my YSL lipsticks, and this is of no exemption. YSL Rouge Volupte Shade #3 Ultimate Beige is just gorgeous! This color - mauve -taupe, would look beautiful on women of color, especially with medium tones. I absolutely love it! This has easily become a holy grail for me. It is creamy, pigmented, long lasting, moisturizing and packaging is to die for, hehehe! It gives a satin finish with sheer to full coverage. The only downside  to this is its price, but I would gladly do an overtime just for this, nyahahaha!

Another love of my life... Benefit Hydra-Smooth Lip Color in Nice n' Teasy. This is rosy nude lipstick with sheer finish. This is a perfect my-lips-but-better lipstick. Formula is creamy with some gloss to it and is super hydrating. What more can I say... I love it!

Ladies, meet my baby (hehehe!) ... Revlon Lip Butter in Peach Parfait. One word: Perfection!!! I do not leave the house without this. I am terrified that it will ever be discontinued... Please no! I have repurchased this 3x already. This is a warm-toned peach pink color. Color is flattering. It gives a sheer to medium coverage. It may not be long lasting, but, I don't really care, haha! This is one of those lipsticks that you do not need a mirror to reapply. This will forever be my favorite! hehe!

So, what is your favorite nude lipstick? Let me know so I could try them too... Till next blog lovelies!

Stay beautiful!

Pretty in Pink: Spring Makeup Tutorial

Hi lovelies! We are at the peak of spring time and a better way to enjoy it is with a makeup look with  a pop of color embodying the essence of the season - fun, alive  and radiant! So without further ado, let's keep calm and pink on! :)

First off... apply foundation to make a flawless canvass. I am using my True Match LUMI foundation in shade W5. This is my second time trying it on and so far I am liking it. I have a combination dry skin and this foundation does not cling on to my dry patches. Moreover, it has not break me out so that is a good sign. That pimple on my chin area is not due this foundation; that is because of junk food and stress at work, heheh! Anyway, this foundation gives a sheer to medium coverage and is lightweight.

Next, contour face using a highlight and a bronzer. For my highlight, I am using Elf Tone Correcting Concealer in shade light beige. I am using this concealer to hide my dark circles and other imperfections, and since this shade is lighter than my complexion, it will be great to us a a highlight as well.

I am using my all-time favorite Benefit's Hoola face powder as my bronzer and contour. This will bring back the warmth in your face and gives that illusion of slimmer face. apply it at the hallows of your cheek, at the temple area, at the hairline, sides of the nose and at the jawline. Make sure that everything is blended!

Next, set your concealer and foundation with your favorite powder. I am using Too Faced Primed and Poreless, which is my favorite. This will help your makeup to stay put and last longer.

Then, for the brows, I just outline mine and lightly applied Tarte's Amazonian Clay in taupe over it. My brows are a mess right now. I am trying to grow it for now and will have it reshape soon. :)

Now, to the eye makeup... I am using two palettes - Too Faced A La Mode eyes and Urban Decay's Naked 1 palette. I have the color used numbered so yo guys can follow how I applied it.

I first applied Naked shade (1) as my transition color at the crease of the eyes (picture - a). Next, I pat Monacco color (2) all over my lid stopping at the crease (picture - b). This color is highly pigmented and a little goes a long way. Then, go back to the transition color and blend it with the lid color so no harsh line will be obvious.  When all is blended and nice, apply color Cote d'Azur (3) at the outer V of the lids just to deepen the eyes. And then blend...

Then apply shade Riviera (4) to the inner corners of eyes and below brow area. Again, blend... Then apply your favorite eyeliner. I am using my Smashbox Limitless Eyeliner in Java to line my waterline both on the upper and lower lid.

Curl you lashes and apply your favorite mascara. I am using Benefit's They're Real Mascara, which is also one of my favorites. They volumes my lashes and makes them appear longer. 

To make our eyes stand out more, I used a blush that is subtle but brings warmth to your face - MAC's Warm Soul. This blush is amazing. It just looks pretty and natural on my face! :)

To finish my look, I used, of course, a pink lipstick (cool toned) from MAC in Lovelorn.

And whoalla! The finish look... 

I hope you like this look, as much as I like it. It is pretty and pink, what else can I say?! hehehe!

Be Pink and Stay Beautiful!

Roses are RED and so are my Lips!

Red, red, red... a color of passion and energy.  Though such pigment can be bipolar - good energy at one time, then negativity at some point, one can never deny the the power it exudes.  Red color is always associated with that woman who is charismatic, fearless and graceful - the woman who most of us wants to be. And yes we can be that woman, even just for a day. You will be amazed on how one color makes you feel like you can conquer the world---a red pout is all it takes! 

So ladies, here are my top red lippies that changed my life! :)

Urban Decay Revolution Lipsticks are simply the best lipsticks I have in my collection. Formulation is great! It is creamy, lightweight, very comfortable to wear, glides on smoothly on your lips and, most of all, they are moisturizing. These lippies are unscented, which is a bonus for those sensitive with perfume. Packaging wise, its is very sleek, in a gunmetal mirrored case and the signature Urban Decay violet color as the barrell. Simple but gorgeous! I just cannot say enough about these lipsticks. I love, love, love them! It is of no surprise that two shades in this line came up on top of my favorites.

First off is the red lipstick that has the most intriguing name of all my lipsticks---Urban Decay's Revolution Lipstick in shade 69. This is a bright red lipstick with pink undertone. Color is bold and rich in brightened red with subtle cool undertones. It leaves a creamy, satin finish and fairly one of the long wearing lipstick in this line. Coverage is opaque due to its awesome pigmentation. It does stain your lips though, but consistency is amazing! I does not set on the cracked, dry areas of your lips, rather, it moisturizes them. I super love it!

Up next, is another favorite of mine from Clinique Butter Shine Lipsticks in shade Cranberry Cream. I love butter lipsticks and the ones from Clinique's are one of my favorites. They are creamy and rich. It is however, in a gel formula, that gives a shine like a gloss but the comfort of a lipstick. Cranberry Cream shade is dark red color. It gives a vampy look, but a wearable one. It comes in a silver packaging with a bamboo-like shape - very sleek. Consistency is nice - it is creamy,  light, non-sticky and gives a medium to opaque coverage. I love wearing this during Fall and Winter. When you wear this lipstick, I recommend buffing first the lips to remove dead skin and make it smooth - this lipstick tend to set on chapped area of lips, hence my picture! hehe! This color is flattering on me and brightens my face, that is why I love it. 

Now, my all-time favorite red lipstick - MAC's Riri Woo. I adore this color. It is the perfect matte red lipstick for me. Color is a deep, medium red with strong cool undertones - very flattering to all skin tones. Packaging is in a bullet like form - simple and sturdy. What's cooler, is that the lipstick itself has Rihanna's signature inscription on it.  It may be matte, but its formulation is very moisturizing, highly pigmented (it stains) and long-lasting. This lipstick is simply gorgeous and stunning! I'm matte-ly in love!!!

The next lipstick that I will share to you may not be as pigmented and as great as the others. I just feel that this is worth mentioning since I used this lippy during my transition from wearing coy shades of lipstick to the bold red ones. If you feel like you are still shy with wearing the in-your-face red lippies, this lipstick is perfect for you - Calvin Klein's CK One Shine lipstick in shade 600 Alarm. Color is a medium red with orange undertones to it. I am not a fan with the packaging though, just because they are wobbly in my lipstick stand, but other than that, the casing is decent and secure with a rubbery texture on the outside. Consistency wise, this lipstick is more like a balm - highly moisturizing giving a sheer to medium coverage. Lasting power is not that great and may be due to its high shine finish. Still, it is one of my most loved lipsticks and one of the most wearable reds I have in my collection.

With my great love for butter lipsticks, I just cannot pass the chance of sharing how great the Revlon's ColorBurst Lip Butters are. I have tried and tested this line - by far, it is the most hydrating, most loved lip butter in the whole world! hehe! The shade Red Velvet in this line is amazing. Color is true to its name - it is deep, rich red that resembles that of a red velvet cake. Pigmentation is incredible considering it is a butter lipstick giving a medium to nearly an opaque coverage. It does not have any shimmer on it but finishes with a shine due to its gel, buttery formulation. This however, accentuates my dry, chappy areas of the lips, but is not as bad as the Clinique's. Again, one should exfoliate lips first before applying this.

Another butter lipstick that I love is from Tarte Butter Lipstick in shade Poppy. I love Tarte and who wouldn't??? It is a cruelty-free and all-natural cosmetic line. Packaging is cute, but may not be as secure and sturdy as the others since they are made up of cardboards only. Their butter lipsticks are said to be very hydrating. Unfortunately, other shades seem to be waxy at times and makes my lips chap. However, shade Poppy is not like the others. The shade Poppy is a warm bright red color. It is creamy and moisturizing, with a color that is buildable from sheer to semi-opaque coverage. The finish is smooth and a little shiny, as expected from a butter lipsticks, but lasting power is not that great. Among the other shades from this line, Poppy is the only shade that lived up to my expectation with regards to pigmentation, hydration and smoothness of application. I am so glad I picked up this color.

Lastly, but definitely not the least, is another shade from Urban Decay's Revolution Lipstick - FBomb. It is another outstanding lippy that is slowly becoming one of my holy grail in lipsticks. FBomb is described as a classic red, appearing as a neutral-warm medium red with a satin finish. Like the other lipsticks on this line, this is moisturizing and long-wearing. This lipstick is highly pigmented, very creamy, very luxurious, very sexy and just gorgeous! I am truly, madly in love with this one. 

So... these are my lovely reds. What do you think? What's your favorite red lipstick? I hope you enjoyed reading my blog... till next time!

Be bold and Stay beautiful!

I "Pink" I'm in Love

Spring time is coming! And I have been craving for colors that spring time can offer. What better way to start this season with the colors of universal love, tenderness and compassion--- Pink!

In color psychology, pink means unconditional love and nurturing. Pink, which is a combination of red and white, contains the need for action of red, helping it to achieve the potential success and insight offered by white. It is the passion and power of red softened with the purity, openness and completeness of white (www.empower-yourself-with-color-psychology.com). Moreover, it gives the femininity feel, inspires romanticism, exudes intimacy and sweetness,  and has been a sign of hope. No wonder, this color has been a favorite of the many, not only for the ladies but also for the gents.

Speaking of favorites and pinks incorporated with the lipstick addict in me, I gathered my top seven pink lipsticks in my collection. So without further ado, here are the zeniths of my pink lippies.

First off, is Smashbox - Be Legendary Lipstick in  Posy Pink. This shade is a warm toned light pink making it flattering to ladies with warmer skin tone. It comes off like a peachy rose or pinkish nude lipstick but more on pink shade. This lipstick is on a pricey side but I tell you, it is all worth it! I love the formulation of this lipstick. It is creamy and highly pigmented. Its quality formulation includes Vitamin C and E. This glides on nicely on the lips leaving a smooth, sheen finish and is fairly long lasting as well. This is the perfect light pink shade that would compliment medium skin toned. So fab!

Up next is definitely the most expensive lipstick I have ever owned. My hubby gave this to me as a gift during our tour to South Korea. And I have two words to describe this lipstick - Glam Overload! This is the pinnacle of all my lipsticks, the YSL Rouge Voluptes. The packaging of this lipstick is ultimate luxury - gold tube with YSL logo on the base, with glass background on logo letting you peek through the color of the lipstick itself and the perfect gold lid that clicks into place. The formulation of the lipstick is great! These lippies are creamy, really pigmented, very moisturizing, has gorgeous smell and on top of that, it gives protection through SPF 15. I am so in love with this lipstick, if not for their price, I might have own all the color, hehe! Oh well, I own two shades of this lipstick and of course, both made it to my top pink lipsticks.

I have the shade #7, the Lingerie Pink. This shade is a lovely bright bubble gum pastel pink with a subtle warm undertone to it. This gives a creamy glossy finish. I use this color mostly when I do smokey eyes. This color may work to medium skin tones, but I believe this will absolutely look gorgeous in lighter complexion. This color is just sexy!

Another YSL Rouge Voluptes lipstick I have is in shade #8, the Fetish Pink. This shade is a vibrant blue-based pink with cooler undertones. For me, this is the perfect barbie pink. I super love this color!!! Even with just this lipstick on, you will look polished and seemed like you have spent hours in your vanity, hehe! Like all the YSL Rouge Volupte lipstick, this has a rich and creamy consistency that applies evenly and smoothly. So adorable!!!

Ofcourse, when it come to pinks, I just can't leave out MAC's Candy Yum-Yum. This shade is a neon blue-based pink with a matte finish. This color is definitely as show-stopper. This lipstick is creamy and applies opaquely. This is the longest lasting lipstick in my collection. It does stain your lips. What's amazing is that its formulation is not drying at all, as expected in matte lipsticks. This may not be wearable as an everyday lipstick, but one can definitely pull it off wearing it on spring season. Love! Love! Love!

Up next is a lipstick that has a packaging to die for. It is the Etoinette Crystal Shine Lips Lipstick of Etude House. Etude House is South Korean cosmetic brand owned by Amore Pacific that is the most famous beauty house in Asia. The Etoinette Crystal Shine Lips lipsticks are smooth with subtle shimmer encased in light pink tubes with princess-y gold detailing on both base and lid. The lipstick itself has an embossed Etude House logo. Very pretty!!! Formulation of this lipstick is good. It is moisturizing and gives a pearlized finish. It also has a subtle floral scent to it. First application may not give you the color coverage you want but it is definitely buildable. Due to its slick texture, staying power is not that great, but then, I do not mind re-applying this lipstick in public (yes! in public) due to its adorable packing, hehehe! I have four shades of this lipstick. The shade PPK003, which is a light rose pink, is my favorite. It is almost the same as the Smashbox's Posy Pink, but this one has more shimmer to it.

I recently discovered Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick and has quickly become a favorite of mine. Not only were they affordable, but their quality is comparable to Revlon's Lip Butter and Urban Decay's Revolution Lipstick. I went crazy over these lipsticks and bought all the colors I can see in the shelf in Walmart, hihihi! Rimmel Moisture Renew lipsticks are very pigmented and highly moisturizing. It is formulated to reduce lip dryness with vitamins A, C and E. It is very creamy, colors are vibrant and is simply beautiful. It comes in a purple colored  squared tube with its logo is engraved at the lid.

The shade that is worth mentioning is Rimmel's Back to Fuchsia. Hands down, the most gorgeous shade of pink that everyone can wear, everyday, all-season! I'm in love!

Pink Chic is another shade I love. This color is blue-based light pink. Even with its cool undertone, it still looks good on warmer complexion. There is something in this color that exudes playfulness. And I like how this color makes me feel happy even by just looking at it, hehe! Believe me, I  am attached to this color. This, for me, is a perfect spring lipstick!

Ok lovelies, this is pink overload! heheh! I hope you had a great time reading my blog. Tell me what you think. What is your favorite pink lipstick? :) 

Think pink and stay beautiful!

Simply Blushful

Happe New Year beautiful!

As promised, I am posting reviews for my pretty blushes!!! I was never a fan of blushes, but when I tried Milani Baked Powder Blushes, I am obsessed! These blushes have easily become one my holy grails in make up. Colors are fabulous with good lasting power, texture is sensorial and the powder is considerably light and finely milled. It is so easy to use, very blendable and very affordable. In this post you will see swatches of these blushes, how they  look on me and my thoughts about. So, without further ado, lets blush!

Milani Baked Blushes come in gold packaging. It is made out of plastic making it light-weight, but could be bulky at times making it not travel-friendly. The blush can be seen through the transparent lid and when you open it, you can see a brush encased at the bottom compartment along with a mirror. I am not a fan of their brushes though, it is scratchy and of poor quality.

Ok ladies, believe the hype! Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso is simply gorgeous! It is true, it is universally-flattering. This is my most-used blush. When I cannot figure out which blush to use, I always end up reaching to this. It is a peachy color with a subtle sheen to it giving a sheer glow to the skin - luminous it is! Trust me, my picture does not do any justice at all, hehe! 

Another favorite blush of mine is the Milani Baked Blush in Corralina. Corallina is a beautiful coral shade with white and gold shimmer. This blush is super pigmented; you will need a light hand to apply this. One swipe is all you need! This is an intensified Luminoso - brighter peachy-coral color and more glitter. I find this color flattering on medium to darker skin tone. May work on lighter skin tone but has to be careful not to look orangey. One thing to be careful with this too, is the presence of the glitter. Some glitter may set on your pores making it humongous, so just make sure it is blended well and buff out the chunky glitters. 

Up next is my Milani Baked Blush in Red Vino. As the name suggested, it rich rosy-red color with gold sparkle and sheen to it. This blush is heavily pigmented! You need just half a swipe and it is enough. I rarely use this blush, just because I still have not mastered way to apply this and use this. I was trying to just tap the color on my cheeks and still it looks too much (see below! lol!)

Surprise, surprise! Milani Baked Blush in Berry Amore is my new love! Off from the rack, I thought this color will not be flattering at all with the lilac color peeking through intimidating me. Girl, I am wrong! Berry Amore is a golden mauve pink with heavy shimmer. It gives that luminosity that Luminoso gives but in dusty lilac-pink color with intensified sheen. I love it! I feel that this blush will flatter all skin tones also. This color just blend out dreamy!

Another beautiful blush perfectly made by Milani is the Baked Blush in Rose D'Oro. It is described as pink and gold blush with shimmer. Applying it on me, it appears peachy-pink with gold shimmer. I love this color too, a beautiful everyday blush. Shimmer is not overpowering the color. When blended out well, golden shimmer would appear sheer.

Lastly, but definitely not the least, is the Milani Baked Blush in Dolce Pink. Another stunning color! It is a pink blush with silvery shimmer. I am not that a fan of pink blushes, just because I feel like peachy shades flatter me more, but not this one. If lightly applied, it appears like my natural blushing color. Love! Love! Love!

Obviously, I LOVE these blushes! I enjoyed the colors and I highly recommend it. If you are looking for quality-highlighting-gorgeous-super-pigmented-gives-you-healthy-glow blushes, then you are on the right page! 

Stay beautiful!

My Favorite Fall / Winter Lippies

Here are my go-to lipsticks for fall or winter time! I hope you lovelies will like it too.

First off, my MAC Rebel Lipstick. It is described as a mid tonal cream plum color with a satin finish. This semi-matte lipstick just screams fall / winter season. It looks to me like it is a combination of red and violet color. This beautiful color is creamy and is buildable to give an opaque look. But if applied with just one coat, it could appear sheer. I believe this color is good for almost all skin tones. With this color and confidence, for sure one will look good with this.

Next is my MAC Up the Amp Lipstick. This lipstick is described as lavender violet. For me, it looks lilac with a pinch of pink to my skin tone. I love this color. It makes me feel fierce without being over-the-top or being steered to goth department. It is under an amplified formulation making it one of my favorite lipsticks. It is very moisturizing while giving off great pigmentation. Love! Love ! Love!

Who says we cannot wear nudes on fall / winter? Well, I love wearing nude lipsticks during fall or winter! And that is also because I love wearing dramatic, bold, strong eye-makeup on these seasons. MAC Blankety Lipstick is one of my favorite nude lipstick. I feel like this is the perfect nude for the cold season. Its color is a muted browny pink. Being an amplified finish, it is so creamy, very moisturizing and very pigmented as well. I believe this color would suit well for lighter complexion. But it doesn't look bad on a tan skinned like me. It may look pale when applied heavily. I just pat this on my lips and whoalla! Perfect nude lipstick.

 Lastly, but definitely not the least,  MAC Jubilee Lipstcik. I adore this lipstick!!! It has a lustre finish to it, which is one of my favorite finishes as well. With this lipstick, I do not have to be precise making to so easy to wear. Moreover, it gives a slight shine making your lips look healthy as well. This naked beige-pink color falls under my-lips-but-better category. I so love it! This is my second stick already, making my most used MAC lipstick. You should try it!!!

So, what are your favorite fall or winter lipsticks???

Enjoy your day! Stay beautiful! :)

Highlight of Seoul City Tour - October Escapades Continued...

So, after the Temple Tour we joined the Highlight of Seoul City Tour. The course is good for 5 hours and  highlights the must-see in Seoul. 

First stop, Insadong. Insadong is a neighborhood of the Jung-gu District of Seoul. It is an antique alley which is lined with art galleries, antique shops, craft shops, pottery shops, traditional restaurants, tea houses and street food stalls. We ate lunch there, gladly an authentic Korean food!

The food was amazing! Me and my hubby love it! It has some distinct taste to it… and I don't even know the name of the food we had, hehehe! But this is not my favorite food while in Korea. My favorite is a street food, believe it or not! It is the Ho-tteok - a sweet Korean pancake!!!

This yummy treat is basically a cinnamon and brown sugar pancake, fried on a griddle. It cost a 1000 won, approx $0.90. I shared one with my hubby at first, but it wasn't enough, so I got another one.

And then another one… nyahahaha!

And, I am going to make one, now… I'm not kidding, I am looking on recipes on how to do this one now, hehe! But before that, I will finish this blog, hehe!

So aside from the gastronomic adventure, we saw some exciting and note-worthy finds while roaming around Insadong. This place truly exudes local and traditional charms-- so amazing, so authentic. An hour trip to this place is just never enough.

Next stop is Jogyesa Temple!

Jogyesa Temple is the head quarters of jogyejong sect, the main sect of Korean Buddhism. This temple was first established on 1395, at the dawn of Joseon Dynasty. This historical temple is located in Gyeonji-dong, Jongno-gu, in central Seoul.

After a brief visit to Jogyesa Temple, we went straight ahead to Gyeongbokgung Palace.

Gyeongbokgung Palace, a former seat of power, is probably the Korea's most famous royal palace.  Its name means a palace greatly blessed by heaven. This was built in the late 1300s, and has been destroyed and reconstructed numerous times. It is located at the northern end of Seoul's main boulevard, Sejongro.  It took us a good hour to tour the place.

It was a long, cold, tiring walk touring this place. This place is ginormous! And we have only toured half of it. Some parts of it are still under construction, some we refused to go into, hehehe! But, it was all worth it. It is amazing how the Koreans took pride in restoring and preserving this historical place making not only the Koreans, but also the foreigners understand the people, their culture, their way of life before and the power that this place exudes. Each of this structures showed how creative, innovative and skillful Koreans are. No wonder that a nation such as theirs is strong, dynamic and beautiful. Nothing changed with the way I look at South Korea. It will always be my dream home away from home.

Stay Beautiful!