NYX Champagne and Caviar Eyeshadow Palette

I've read a lot of good reviews about NYX Cosmetics, so I decided to purchase the Champagne and Caviar 10 Color Eyeshadow Palette to try it out.

The palette case is sleek and travel-friendly.

The collection had pretty neutral eyeshadows that looked fairly pigmented in the palette.

Unfortunately, the colors didn't look the same on my lids.  They looked washed-out when applied.  The darker browns looked more like grays.  The lighter colors were too light I can't see them.  The light pink in particular didn't look pink on my lids at all. 

I also had to apply a lot of the product before it could show up on my lids.  I noticed it was too powdery and not that compact or 'pressed' compared to what I'm used to (I have mostly Bobbi Browns, Shu Uemuras and Lancome and one Fanny Serrano eyeshadow quad, which is a GREAT product, by the way.).  When I apply eyeshadows I press them on my lids, so I can't really appreciate powdery ones.  They scatter, and they fall off.

Will I re-purchase?  Nope.  Nyx eyeshadows are not for me.  If you're looking for eyeshadows in the Nyx price range I'd recommend Fanny Serrano eyeshadows. 

But that's just me  =D 

The Amazing Thing Called Spanx

Spanx is one of the greatest fashion inventions of all time.  It gives women a leaner silhouette AND it eliminates VPLs, which I totally abhor.

Here's the Spanx story for those of you who haven't heard about it yet.  The idea of making her own underwear came to Sara Blakely twelve years ago when she couldn't find the right underpants for her white slacks.  So she cut the toes off her pantyhose and unknowingly created the first prototype of Spanx.  She then invested $5,000 of her own money to further develop this prototype, and made the phenomenal move that would change her life -  she sent her invention to Oprah, got featured in Oprah's Favorite Things, and the rest is history.  Now celebrities from Jesicca Alba, Angelina Jolie and Kim Kardashian to Queen Latifah and Oprah wear Spanx.  Do you get the picture?

I LOVE clothes, and I would definitely try something that can give me a better fit.  I got my first set of Spanx shapewear from Rustan's early this year.  I like wearing dresses, so I chose the Hide and Sleek Hi-Rise Body Smoother in black and nude.  To say they are AMAZING is an understatement.  These are perfect for formal wear and dresses.  They banish VPLs and give my body a smoother and sleeker silhouette.  Of course the butt lift is a welcome bonus.  I also got the Hide and Sleek Hi-Rise Panty in nude for my dresses with shorter hemlines.  I was worried I would have to sacrifice comfort for the perfect fit if I wore Spanx, but I'm happy to say I didn't have to.  They're made from cool and  breathable fabric that doesn't make you sweat.  I don't have a problem putting them on because the silky smooth fabric just glides on your skin.  Another great feature?  They don't cling to my clothes.

I also got the Simplicity Girl Short for my low-rise slacks and jeans.  Yup, I totally got rid of those tasteless VPLs.  And need I say comfort plus butt lift again?

Now what about Visible Bra Lines or VBLs?  Spanx addresses this with their Bra-llelujah, which I got in nude.  I swear it eliminates VBLs and gives your upper body the smoothest silhouette ever.  I wear it under fitted shirts and sheer white tops.  The bonus is it's SOOO comfortable because there are no annoying clasps and wires that dig into your skin, because it's made from hosiery type fabric that just molds into the skin. I can't wear mine under sleeveless tops though, because the straps are quite thick.  That's why I WANT the Sexy Sheer Back Bra under the Spanx Haute Contour line.

The only drawback I can think of for this product is the steep price tag.  But to deliver high quality and comfortable shapewear I guess they'd have to invest in good materials right?  In this case you get what you pay for.

Spanx is for all women AND men who love clothes, and who are smart enough to know that being well-dressed means you've got to have the bases covered.

Trust me, SPANX should be one of your closet staples.

Mac Fix + Spray

I like buying makeup at Duty Free, so when I learned about their 'Life Begins at P40' sale last month I just had to go.  Check out my loot  =D


Got the Shu Uemura cleansing oil (460ml) for $66 or P2,640.  Current price at Rustan's is  P4,000.

The Smashbox Photofinish Makeup Primer was only $35 or P1,400.  I purchased my last one from Beauty Bar at P1900.

MAC lipsticks were  $16.50 or P660 each.  Rustan's sells them for P950.

I never used this MAC product before, but it was on my list of stuff to try so I got it  =D

At this price.  

Last time I asked the MAC counter at Shang it was selling for P850.


It's called MAC Fix + spray and guess what?  After two days of using it I'm hooked . . .  BIG TIME!!!


MAC describes this spray as as "an aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi. Adds radiance, finishes makeup."


Do you notice that after application makeup usually needs to 'set' or be absorbed into the skin to make it look more natural and not mask-like?  MAC Fix + 'fixes' this problem and eliminates that downtime.  It sets your makeup immediately after application and makes it look more natural and fresh. I noticed my makeup stays on longer too.   And surprisingly, it doesn't make my mascara smear. 


I use this product when I want a quick refreshing fix, usually when I feel hot.  I spray it on my eyeshadow brush prior to application to make my eyeshadow last longer.  I also use it before applying makeup to prep my skin, and in between for more effective layering.


I love the fool-proof nozzle.  

To use just hold the nozzle around 10 inches from your face and spray.  Make sure to cover your whole face.


This product will definitely be one of my staples  =D

I Love Shopping

Look what I got on sale.

Lucky Jeans at 75% off.

And bronze Melissa Campana Favelas at 30% off.

I also bought some nice stuff this afternoon.

Another electric oil burner from Giga.

And some kikay stuff from Suesh.

What can I say?  I'm addicted to the store  =D

Watch out for my reviews.

How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes

Good quality makeup brushes can last for many years if properly cared for.  I wash my brushes at least once a month and spot-clean them as the need arises.

For spot-cleaning I use Parian Spirit Pro Makeup Brush Cleaner.

It comes with a foldable spout, but I find that transferring small amounts in an atomizer and spraying it on the brush is easier and more economical.

Here's my MAC eyeshadow brush before spot-cleaning:

Here it is after I spray it with Parian Spirit.  See the makeup coming off the brush?

Wipe the brush with a tissue until all the makeup comes off.

Here's the brush after spot-cleaning.

You can buy Parian Spirit from Suesh Makeup Toolkit.

When washing your makeup brushes use baby shampoo or a mild liquid soap like Ivory.  Pour this on the palm of your hand, add a little water, and swirl the brush on it until clean.  Rinse well, squeeze gently and re-shape the brushes to their original form.  Lay them on a towel in this position:

Note that the bristles are hanging over the edge.  This would ensure they are completely air-dried.

Be careful not to submerge your brushes in water.  Doing this will make the bristles come off as they are only held together by glue.

Hope you learned something new  =D

Poco Deli

Last weekend the hubby took me to Poco's for dinner.  It's a deli-cafe near Charlie's in Kapitolyo, Pasig.

These signs greeted us as we entered:

It was a nice enough place to drink and talk . . . though you won't be comfortable sitting on their hardwood benches for long.

We had pumpkin soup for starters.  It was perfect!  Not too creamy but very tasty.

We ordered the Single Sausage platter for our appetizer.  It came with toasted bagels.

We had the Angus Beef Strips for our main course.  We were expecting the strips to be similar to the fajitas at Chili's, but it came out thinly sliced just like tapa.

It was yummy!

Don't forget to ask for the drippings.  Mix it with the rice and perfectly cooked bacon and forget about your diet.

We had the Blackout chocolate cake for dessert.  They claimed it was made from Valrhona chocolate,  but the flavor doesn't explode like the Valrhona choco cake at Momo's.  Other than that it was good, and very affordable at P120 per slice.  The hubby said it reminded him of Polly's when they were still selling only at BF.  He swears it was a LOT better then.

The red velvet cupcakes looked interesting.  We'll try it next time.

Maybe the callos too.  The phrase "slow-cooked at home" just makes the food more appealing to me.

They have Dave's Naturals frozen yoghurt.

Our total bill (with drinks) was a very reasonable P700 plus.  If you live in Pasig and you want to meet up with friends 'somewhere in the neighborhood' this is the perfect place.  They're open till 1pm on weekends and 11pm on weekdays.  

To reserve contact them at 6640519 or 09228929211.

Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer

Cle de Peau Beaute Concealer is my HG concealer.

Before Cle de Peau I've been using Bobbi Brown corrector and concealer for the longest time.  Although the coverage is good, it makes my undereye crease.

Cle de Peau Beaute is the high-end skin care and makeup line of the Japanese brand Shiseido.   I've been reading very good reviews about their concealers.  In fact it's been in the In Style Best Beauty Buy List of Undereye Concealers from 2005 to 2006, and from 2008 to 2010 (I wonder what happened in 2007?).  Unfortunately it's not available here. So last year I asked my friend Minnie to buy it for me in Japan.  The price is pretty steep at $70, but I never regretted it.

I'm using Beige, which is best if your skin is medium to fair.  For reference I'm a MAC NC35.

The texture is very creamy, and it does not travel once applied.  Consistency is thinner than other concealers I've tried, like Bobbi Brown and MAC.  But the coverage is really good.  And it doesn't crease at all.

I layer my Cle de Peau thinly a few times in my undereye area and I use Bobbi Brown face powder in pale yellow to set it.  This is important because powder locks the concealer in place.

I highly recommend this powder for setting concealers.

It's so silky and the color is just right to brighten your undereye area.

One stick of Cle de Peau lasts almost a year, even if used everyday.  The product is so concentrated a little goes a long way.

It can be purchased online or from big department stores in major cities around the world.

Will I purchase again?

I just did  =D

Thanks to my friend Elize who asked her hubby to buy for me during his Nagoya stopover  =D

And thanks to MY hubby for funding it  =d