FOTD: Blue & Yellow Gradient

My failed attempt of gradient make up. Hehe oh well, practice makes perfect.

I was itching to play with my make up a while ago, unfortunately, my favorite ones were left at my hometown.. Even my favorite brushes were there too. So, I used those that I have here in Manila.

List of products:
• BH cosmetics 120 color palette (1st edition)
• NYX jumbo eye pencil in milk
• Maybelline Volum' Express Mascara
• Benefit High Beam
• NYX round lipstick (iconic)
• BH Cosmetics Blush and Contour palette
• Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation
• Rice Powder
• Clinique's perfectly real compact make up
• Smashbox concealer stick

Amazing Shoe Rack

I purchased this shoe rack a couple of months ago from Ensogo. It was delivered 2 weeks late. I got it last Sunday and I assembled it now to see if it was really worth the purchase.

Price: P399

Material: Polymer Plastic (Sides and base) and Steel Tubing

Size: 139x24x52cm

The rack can store up to 30 pairs of shoes. I used it to store my collection of slippers because we don't like the idea of having our shoes exposed to dust (especially the suede ones).

RAVES:

• Easily assembled and disassembled.
• It saves up floor space as it can hold up to 30 pairs of shoes.

RANTS:

• I find it too expensive considering the material of the shoe rack is made of polymer plastic only.
• It is not sturdy enough to hold that much shoes. Although you can put the light ones here like your slippers and flats.
• It is not stable. It would be one of those pieces of furniture that would topple down during earthquakes. But to make it stable, you have to put heavy shoes on the bottom.
• The width is too small. Bulky shoes won't fit here.

Will I repurchase?

No. I got two sets of this rack and I was really disappointed when it was delivered. First, it didn't came on time. Second, it didn't looked as good as it was on the pictures. Lastly, I think I could buy something similar somewhere that would cost P250 only. Not so amazing after all.

Review: NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk

NYX JUMBO PENCIL IN MILK

I know that this has been raved by the whole blogsphere but,  I only started using this last month after my October Haul. Better late than never right? Because, this pencil does a lot of wonders. 

The NYX Jumbo Pencil (particularly in this shade 'Milk'/'604') is a multitasking product. Why? Here are the many things this jumbo pencil can do aside from being used as an eyeliner.

1. With it's creamy consistency, it can be used as an eye shadow. Not all skin tones work well with it though. 
2. You can use it to highlight your brows.
3. It can substitute primers as it makes eye shadow colors more vivid.
4. It works as a great base for loose pigments (i.e. mineral make up etc.)
5. It is also good to highlight the inner corners of your eyes with this product.

Price: P220

Where to buy: I always buy my NYX make up from Pretty Goddess who has kiosks at Pop Culture Trinoma and Alabang Town Center (Both located at the 2nd floor). You can also catch them on most bazaars especially at Eastwood during weekends.

Will I repurchase: Absoultely! I am also dying to try other shades because they really come in handy in your make up kit. Plus the price isn't that steep!

*Disclaimer This is not a paid advertisment and I bought this from my hard earned money. The reason I recommend this shop is because, it is one of the few bazaar stalls/ online shops that I trust as I am prone to being fooled when buying make up haha. Plus, they also have the friendliest staff who all don't mind if I take too long swatching products.

This is how it looks like when lined (upper) and blended (lower).

Here's how it looks like when it is being used as a primer. The same amount of eyeshadow were swatched here. You will notice that the one with the NYX jumbo pencil is more pigmented and vibrant.

And that's about the rest of it. I hope you girls enjoyed this post. Feel free to share your comments about this product if you have tried it already. And for those who haven't, I highly suggest you add this to your growing make up collection.

Until my next make review,

<3 The Beauty Geek

Review: Real Techniques Core Collection

It took me 7 months before I could write something about these brushes! What took me that long? Well, ever since my friend gave these brushes, it instantly took stardom on my desk, that I forgot that I had other brushes! This is (currently) my favorite set. I use them all the time, that I didn't get a chance to take pictures whenever they are newly washed - except for today!

The line of Real Techniques brushes is created by Samantha Chapman. If you are familiar with the Pixiwoo sisters, a famous channel in YouTube, she is the other half of it. I actually found out about these brushes through my friend Leona of Your Makeup Call. We originally wanted Sigma Brushes but we couldn't afford to buy a set (even until now haha) so she suggested we pick a cheaper alternative. Our friend who comes home yearly buys us make up and other related stuff that we can't find here in the Philippines, so we had him search for these brushes before he left the States. Luckily there were two sets left when he found it on ULTA. (I guess it was meant to be for us! Haha)

These brushes were given to me last April. That explains the scratchy plastic cover above. I kept it because I really intended to blog it even if I didn't even had a blog at that time. I knew, the moment I first laid my hands on these that they were worth the share and the hype. 

The Real Techniques brushes are separated into three categories (and color coded as well). Gold for a flawless base, purple for enhanced eyes and pink for a perfect finish.

The Core Collection (Gold) is intended to create a perfect base for make up. Four brushes are included in this set (The Buffing brush, Pointed Foundation Brush, Contour Brush and Detailer brush) which I will talk about individually, so please bear with me and this long post.

All the brushes are densely packed and super soft. I could not stop stroking in on my face when I first had it. They are light and free standing, except for the detailer brush. These were washed several times already, and yet no shedding and bleeding occured.

Material:

• Hand cut synthetic Taklon Bristles
• Aluminum Handles

Price:

• $18.00
• Around P800.00 only

Where to purchase:

• You can order it online on Real Techniques
• They also have a list of other stores where the brushes are readily available
• Back when I first had these brushes they were still not available here in the Philippines. However, I found a few online stores that sell them now. Most of them would sell these for P1500 ( a bit over priced) but I found one who gives these brushes for a reasonable value. Carefree Shopper (click the link to be directed automatically to the FB page) retails this for only P1150. If you are gonna sum up all the expenses like the shipping fee, this price is reasonable since shipping fee and tax may be a bit costly when bought overseas.

BUFFING BRUSH

*Ideal for full coverage application of powder and mineral foundation.

This is the reason why I wanted this set. If only they sell it individually, I would purchase an extra one. It is perfect for cream and liquid foundation although, it goes well with other base products too. Whenever I use this brush, my make up appears as if it was airbrushed, even if the foundation that I used  is a cheap drug store find. It makes applying foundation so easy! Despite being a newbie with make up, this brush helped me create a pro look. This brush helps eliminate the visibility of my pores. The size is perfect, it is not too large to put a lot of make up to waste, and yet not too small to make application take up too long. This is my favorite brush as of the moment, and no one stole the spotlight yet.

CONTOUR BRUSH

*Delicately applies highlighter to contour or create sheer, soft focus finish.

I have to admit, I didn't like this brush at first as I was used to the angled brush for contouring. But, when I tried this on, it became an instant favorite like my buffing brush. Unlike an angled brush, the tapered cut of this brush makes it easy to soften the lines of contouring. The size just makes it easy for you to apply it precisely on your face especially if you have a smaller frame. Didn't know that it was possible to make contouring appear natural on the face until I found this brush. 

POINTED FOUNDATION BRUSH

*Use with liquid foundation to build custom coverage.

Contrary to what the product says, I do not use it as it's purpose. I find it too small to be a foundation brush and it will take forever before I finish of my huge face when I use this in applying foundation. The buffing brush is just too good to be true that you wont be needing this brush for applying foundation. However, this works well as a concealer brush. The pointed shape makes it easier for you to reach the corners of your eyes and nose. It doesn't give out a scratchy feeling either when you use it.

DETAILER BRUSH

*Precision cut to effortlessly conceal problem areas; or use with lipstick for a long lasting shape and definition.

I use this brush the least, among all the brushes in this set. But having this set for more than half of the year, you gotta find something special about it right? And so I did, as I use it now to highlight my brow bone. I don''t use this as a concealer brush, since I find the foundation brush more efficient in doing the job. This could also serve as a lip brush.

PANORAMIC CASE

*Dual carrier and stand keeps brushes organized on your counter or on the go.

The case is one of the most interesting things that the Real Techniques brushes have. Fold it on one side and it could stand neatly on your make up station. Fold it on the other side, and you are ready to go. I don't use this on my make up stand though. I am preserving the elasticity of the garter that holds the brushes. Just kidding! Haha! I find it a hassle to shoot them on the garter so I opt to use the acrylic stands I have as it is more convenient and easy to pull out and put the brushes back. I also don't use this case for travel, because the little knob on the toggle deforms my brush when you fold it close. I prefer a brush roll when travelling, because it secures the brushes more than this kind of case. But, I love this case for another reason! I use it to dry my brushes! How? I just place them upside down to allow the water to drip! Similar to the use of the Sigma Dry n' Shape (I think so! haha). Although the Dry n' Shape is still on my wishlist. I have yet to prove my assumption when I get to purchase one already haha.

Pro's:

• Very affordable! The price of the set is actually worth it even for the buffing brush alone. 
• Versatile! I would love to call these the MacGyver brushes because you could use them in so many ways than the ones intended for it.
• Unlike other ferules of brushes, these ones are made of aluminum rather than wood. It's an advantage, since wood expands with water. When we wash our brushes with wooden ferules, it may cause permanent damage to our brushes. That's the reason why we try as much not to let water touch the ferules when cleaning.
• It is made of synthetic taklon bristles, which means no animal was harmed in the process of making these brushes.
• The taklon bristles also makes it dry up faster than the brushes with real animal hair.
• The white bristles on top makes it easier to see if the brushes are in need of cleaning already.

Con's:

• I have no qualms about these brushes except that it is not available locally except through online stores. I recently had a bad experience from an on-line store (they sold me fake Eco Tools brushes which I will blog about sometime soon), that explains why I am hesitant over buying on-line.

Will I repurchase?

I will in a heartbeat if I have extra money. The buffing brush and contour brush is worth a repurchase, especially if you are the kind who separates make up brushes for you clients and those for personal use.

Overall:

These are quality brushes that won't burn your pockets. I still could not believe how much it costs because of the quality it gives. I have always wanted to blog about this ever since I started The Beauty Geek, but the brushes never had the chance to rest for pictures as they currently are my go to brushes. Whenever it dries after cleaning, I use them right away. They were that essential to my make up routine. It goes to show that these are my favorite brushes.

And that's about the rest of it! It is getting a bit long and I think I am boring you out already. hehe. I hope this has been helpful if you are deciding whether or not you will purchase Real Techniques. I still have another set up for blogging and I might do it this week so keep posted!

Would love to hear a thing or two from you ladies! By the way, what do you think about my new way of posting pictures? Would you believe that they were just taken from my trusty phone? I learned something today from a fellow blogger Carla Samson about how to enhance pictures using a DIY light tent. Really amazing! Anyway that is it for now! Hope you enjoyed this post!

Love <3,

The Beauty Geek

Halloween VOTD: Cruella de Vil

VOTD : Villain of the Day!!! Because Halloween is just around the corner!!

I thought of doing Villain portrayals last night.. I hope I can post every day until Halloween. Wish me luck..and free time for that!

We will be having Cruella de Vil for tonight. She is a fictional character from "101 Dalmatians" and plays as the villain who keeps stealing the puppies for their fur.

I hope I give justice to the cartoon. Hehe please don't hate! :)) I originally intended to glue my eyebrows to make it easier to conceal. But I do not have a washable one at the moment. Since i am itching to do this make up look, i decided to continue without it. That explains the messy eyebrows. You will notice alot of improvised things here. I used my suesh brush as a cigarette, and wrapped my sweater because that's the closest I got in my closet that would give that Cruela look.

What I did for this one was just conceal and set my face with baby powder. I made sure to hide my eyebrows and made a higher arc - reaching my forehead. I did alot of contouring since Cruela has a prominent jaw line and pointy nose. For the lips, I simply lined it and swiped on deep red matte liptick.

Sale Alert: Loreal

I have been checking out the Base Magique Primer at the Loreal Counter near work for quite some time now. And because I kept coming back at the counter just to check and weigh down my options if this primer is really a good buy, I noticed this little sign.

Hooray!! All make up from Loreal will be discounted from Oct 20 -28! We have until Sunday ladies! Is this a sign that I should purchase the base magique now? I am nearly running out on my ellana primer anyway.

I found this at the Loreal counter at SM Department Store (Marikina). Go and check the ones near you!

Please hit a comment if this has been helpful. I really appreciate it! :)) I'd love to know your purchases too!

<3 Katrina

Haul: MAC, The Balm, e.l.f., NYX, etc.

Hello girls!! This is a very very late post, I know! I have been really really busy lately. Good thing my phone works wonders! Lately, I use it as a blogging device. I take pictures here (my phone) edit, and post via the blogspot application! Good for those who are always on the go!

Anyway, I just wanted to share with you girls my September haul. Hehe told you it was really late! These are just accumulated purchases. I haven't been buying make up lately because I am saving up for Make Up school and league fees for my favorite sport ---- Ultimate Frisbee. So here they are:

•MAC Studio Fix foundation (NC30) -P1700 (MAC kiosk at Eastwood)
•The Balm's Time Balm in medium - P750 (Beauty Bar)
•e.l.f. Stipple brush and Powder brush- P249.75 each (SM dept. Store)
•Andrea modlash adhesive "Lash Grip" - P195 (Beauty Bar)
•False Eyelashes -P300 @kayboodles instagram shop
•Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in Warm Sand - around $7
•NYX Jumbo Pencil in Milk -P200 Pretty goddess booth in Trinoma Pop Culture
•24 pcs brush set -P990 Ensogo Deals

Well, that's about the rest of it. I really bought only the stuff I needed - or I think I needed.

I bought the Balm's time balm because I was looking for a concealer at MAC, unfortunately they didn't have the shade closest to my skin tone so I headed to Beauty Bar which is just beside the MAC kiosk. Luckily I found this gem!

I will be posting reviews later on! Let me know which one's you'd love to read about! ;D

Love,
Katrina <3

How to: Spot a Fake Coralista

Hi girls! Well, if you are wondering why I am writing this blog post, that is because (as much as I hate to admit it), I was fooled months ago into buying a fake benefit product. I was aware of  fake benefit make ups lurking around online stores and bazaars. That was why, when I bought my benetint I thoroughly checked the samples they had on this bazaar at Eastwood.

The samples they had were authentic! But I failed to check and inspect the exact product they gave me when I purchased. So when I went home, and I compared it to my old bottle, I was shocked to see that what I have with me was a fake one. Believe me, it feels awful! You were at the thought of saving up 600 pesos (I bought the benetint for 1200) only to realize that you spent more. Lugi! as what we Filipinos always say.

When I was at Divisoria, I found a store that was full of fake products. Mac, Bobbi Brown, Ecotools, Benefit, Urban Decay - and the list goes on. I purposely bought a fake Coralista Box O' Powder to blog and compare it to my old one which was bought from Sephora. I just don't like another 'girl-gets-fooled-into-buying-fake-makeup' incident. So I hope this blog entry would be a bit helpful to those who will purchase this coveted box o' powder.

 

 

FRONT PACKAGING:

I am sorry if my Coralitsa is a bit old and worn out. To help you more on comparing, here is benefit's site, directed to the Coralista blush: http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/product/view/coralista

Just by the texture of the cover, you would know if it is fake. The original has a matte texture, despite the little shimmer it gives when you move the box. The fake one on the other hand is more glossy. You would also notice bumps from glue when you run your fingers on it.

Check the font. On the lower left of the box, you will see that the original Coralista has a normal font on the 'benefit' written on it while the fake has a bold font. Below that should read '12.0 g Net. Wt. 0.42 oz' the fake one has a mispelled one saying '12.0 g Nef. Wf. 0.42 oz'. This may vary, but any mispelled label is a fake one.

Check the lettering of CORALista. Notice the 't' on it. The original has a pointed 't' while the fake one has a shorter tip on the upper part of the 't'. Also the sticker of the coralista looks more like a foil sticker and it hardly sticks on the box.

 

The edges of the original are more flat and sharp while the fake one is a bit cuved and irregular.

 

 

 

 

BACK PACKAGING:

 

Again, when you find any mispelled word, what you have is fake product. At the bottom, you will see 'PEEL HERE'. The original one can be peeled twice, and inside you'll see 17 different versions/ languages of the product content. The fake one that I have cannot be peeled completely, but I checked other's which can be peeled once, and they have chinese characters in it. If it is all written in chinese, that is one big sign that you have a fake one with you.  Beside the BARCODE you will see a 4 digit number in grey (left side) where as the fake does not have any. You would also notice that the first and last numbers of the barcode should fall right after the first and last lines below. The fake one is a bit far than the original one. On the last paragraph you will se the DISTRIBUTOR. London is underlined boldly on the original one and the site 'benefitcosmetics.com' is written in a smaller font and is bold as well.

 

 

SIDE PACKAGING:

 

The original Coralista has the colors, pink (salmon), black and a little bit of gold streaks. The fake on the other hand has less streaks and is in black and bright pink. You will also notice that the leaves on the original one is thinner on the fake and the color is in a lighter green as well.

 

 

 

SIDE (INNER) PACKAGING:

 

The leopard print (correct me if I am mistaken please, this looks like a leopard print to me hehe) is smaller, but fatter than the fake one. The colors are also more of a salmon pink, and this time it has orange 'streaks'. The fake one has orange on the sides of the leopard print only. Again the edges are symmetrical, flat and a bit sharp on the original. While on the fake one, you will see the sticker peeling out on the corners.

 

 

BRUSH:

 

This one is obvious. The HANDLES of the original Coralista is made out of wood, while the fake one is made of plastic. You will also see that the original is slightly longer than the fake one. While the fake one is already soft, it is still not as soft as the original brush. There is also shedding on the fake one even if it has not been washed yet.

 

 

 

 

BLUSH:

 

OOOPS!! I hit the pan with mine, sorry for the big hole. There you will see that the original has a more salmon tone of pink, it also has a bit of shimmer. While the fake has a baby pink color - not even close to being 'coral' as it should be.

 

 

 

SWATCHES:

 

The original is more pigmented and has a hint of shimmer when swiped as swatches. The fake on the other hand is more pink, and chalky.

 

 

This is how it looks like when blended. Not close enough right? Also, try smelling the product, because original benefit make up has a floral kind of scent with it. And the smell doesn't wear out. The fake smelled a bit musty at firt then it now smells like plastic.

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:

 

It's better if you buy from the store itself. Benefit opened a number of stores here in the Philippines. Back then, I was lazy to go to Makati to buy Benefit so I resorted in this Bazaar and got fooled by it. (Lessons learned for me!) Well, another good thing is, Benefit Philippines opened more branches and I found one near my area! HOORAY! If you are to buy online and on bazaars, make sure you purchase only to those you know and trust.

 

You will initially feel that you are saving alot when you buy fake products, but quality wise, you still loose in this part. Say, you bought a number of fake products, but since it is not of good quality, you hardly get to use them. The coralista that I have, obviously served me well, as I forgot that I had other blushes when I first used it. And who knows, that 500 peso you saved up from buying the fake one orignally costs 50 pesos on a factory some where in China.

 

The reason high end make up is expensive is that it goes through alot of quality control before being released in the market. They make sure that what you put on your face is safe. This is something you won't gurantee from fake products.

 

Okay this has been pretty long already. Hehe. I hope this has helped in any way. I appreciate your comments and if you like something to add up in this post, go lang! Stay smart ladies!

 

P.S. To the lady who fooled me into buying fake make up.. I believe in karma. =)

 

Love,

Katrina





 



Bollywood Make Up

Client: Lean Aliangan-Domingo

Face:
•Ellana Make it Last Primer
•Bobbi Brown Compact Foundation in Warm Beige
•Ever Bilena HD powder
•Smashbox concealer stick

Eyes:
•Purple and Brown matte eye shadows from BH cosmetics 120 color palette 1st edition
•Gold eyeshadow from Profusion shimmer palette
•Gel liner BH cosmetics
•Liquid Eye liner BH cosmetics
•Maybelline Hyper Curl Volum' Express mascara
•IN2IT waterproof eyebrow color
•Etude house drawing pencil 03

Cheeks:
•BH cosmetics contour Palette

Lips:
•Carmex lip balm
•NYX round lipstick in Indian Pink

EOTD: Leopard eyes

I have been practicing my eyeliner skills, (which I am not very good at) and I ended up doing this instead. Rawr! Just kidding!

What do you girls think? Should I keep this look or throw it out? Although, I know this is not wearable for a normal day haha. I was just trying to be artsy fartsy.

I road tested the new stuff I got and incorporated it to this look, so I could give them reviews later on. Here are the products I used for this look:

FACE:
1. Rimmel Match Perfect Foundation in warm sand
2. Clinique Perfectly Real Compact Makeup in Shade 142
3. Ellana Make it Last Make up Primer
4. Ever Bilena Concealer Stick in Medium

CHEEKS:
1. e.l.f. Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder

EYES:
1. Beauty and Minerals Gold Pigment
2. BH cosmetics Liquid Eyeliner
3. Etude House Drawing Pencil no.3 (eyebrows)
4. False Eyelashes (I sell them! Haha 200 pesos for a box with 10 pairs)

LIPS
1. Carmex Lip Balm
2. NYX round lipstick in Iconic

Repost: Philippine Cosmetics Expo 2012

Looking forward for this one on my next off! Who will join me? 😊 Click the link and read on!

http://renz15.wordpress.com/2012/08/03/5th-pilipinas-ang-ganda-mo/

Storage Solution for Make-up Brushes

Hello ladies! The weather has been really bad in Luzon. I wasn't able to go to work because of the flooding, and there are areas which are not passable. I work near Marikina River, so it is really scary, I would not want to jeopardize my safety since I don't even have hazard pay. I'm done securing the house for possible flooding, (Yes! Even our "frigider" is now upstairs) and since I can't go out and help because it's flooding outside, I am devoting my time to my dear blog, whom I have not paid much attention lately.

Don't you just hate it when your make up brushes accumulate dust? As much as you want to keep them on their respective brush rolls, it's too much of a hassle to take them out every time you have to use them. That made me ditch the acrylic and netted holder I once had for my brushes and replace it with this one:

TADAH!!

If you notice, it's a holder for kitchen utensils (i.e spoons, forks, knives etc.) Found it while I was doing a little grocery at Shopwise months ago. And the good thing about it: IT ONLY COSTS 69.00 PESOS!! I place it by my desk so it will be easy to reach out when doing make up. When I do make up else where, that is the time I use the leather brush rolls. Here is how it looks like with the cover:

It keeps things tidy! :)

I am still on the look out for a perfect brush holder. I have this acrylic box in mind that is used for storing special toys, but I still could not find one. I last saw one at Toy Kingdom. This works out well for my brushes while I am still searching for that dream brush holder. Muji has tons of acrylic holders  especially for make-up but I am not ready to shell out that much money for one yet.

I would love to know how you store your brushes, do comment here as it may help me find the perfect one. Hope you enjoyed this random blog post!

500 Peso Make-up Challenge ++++ GIVEAWAY!!!

Hi ladies!! I know this is due already, sorry if it took time for me to post this. I hope you are just as excited as I am, for this is my first blog giveaway! (HOORAY!)

It really took time for me to pick out the items for this entry. To fit in everything for 500 pesos could really be tricky! But being little miss frugal, I gladly took this one as a challenge! Yes! That 500 peso bill you got there could really go a long long way! It took me 3 malls to complete this, so pat my back for the extra effort HAHA!

The Products:

1. San San Matte Finish Liquid Foundation (04) -P 132.00

(HBC Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall)

2. G-lish Lip & Cheek Tint (Pink Crush) - P 100.00

(Trinoma)

3. e.l.f. Duo Eye Shadow Cream (Butter Pecan) - P 129.00

(SM Department Store, SM Marikina)

4.  Ever Bilena Color Pencil (Brown) - P 55.00

(SM Department Store, SM Marikina)

5. False Eye Lashes - P 29.00

(The Landmark, Trinoma)

TOTAL: 445.00
You still have 55 pesos left to save!

Will be  giving out a new set of these products to one lucky reader!

I am still shy to post a video tutorial. Let me know if I need to post one. But for the mean time, I hope this step by step will work well for you girls!

Steps:

1. For the face, use a buffing brush to apply San San Matte Finish Foundation.

2. Fill your brows with Ever Bilena Color Pencil and brush them using a spoolie to achieve a natural, groomed look.

2. Apply the peach/ lighter shade of the e.l.f Duo Cream Eyeshadow to the lids, and blend the brown color from the crease. To add more depth, use the Ever Bilena Pencil to line the eyes, and create a deeper shade of brown on the lids.

3. Apply the Lip & Cheek Stain from G-lish.

4. Glue false eye lashes and VOILA!!

GIVEAWAY ALERT!!!!

Yes! I will be giving away a whole new set of these products to one lucky reader. You could "either" do the following:

1. Like my Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Beauty-Geek/233485623433483
2. Follow my blog for those who have a Google account.
3. Share this giveaway on your Facebook account.
4. Comment on this blog entry about your own 500 peso make up budget.

**** Make sure to check rafflecopter to make your entries count!! Happy reading ladies!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Store Update: MAC at SM Mall of Asia

Hi girls! It's been two weeks since I last posted something here. I know it's such a shame! I was really caught up with work, but like what Liz Lanuzo of Project Vanity told me, it would be possible to juggle everything as long as you give time for it. My words are jumbled there, but that's the whole thought of what she said haha! I really admire how she can post tons of entries and still manage to do well at work (she has like 3 jobs or something, IMAGINE??!!)

So it's August already! I'm just here to warn you about MAC's opening at SM Mall of Asia. There is no particular date yet. (I am trying my best to look for the exact date) But I passed by the store and it says there "August 2012" only.

It's located at the 2/L Marrionaud Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Central Business Park Bay Blvd., Bay City Pasay City, Metro Manila. It is just beside the kiosk they originally have there (I am talking about the store opeining here, I hope I don't confuse anyone.)

MOA is too far from my place. I live in Pasig area, so I might not update you as to when it would really open. But if you happen to pass by and see if they already have the exact date of opening, kindly let me know haha! Although I wish I'm the one to spill the beans!

By the way Cotton On is also opening it's flagship store there soon! Don't you just love having those kind of stores around here in the Philippines? I hope H&M opens one too!

Lillholmen Table Mirror from IKEA

I know this is random! But I can't help but share the newest addition to my make up nook: The Lillholmen Table Mirror from Ikea.

This was given by my sister as an advance birthday present. She was thoughtful enough to include this while hauling at IKEA. I saw an older version of this mirror from a stall at Tiendesitas that sells original IKEA products, but i hesitated buying for I find it expensive. My sister bought the more updated one for a really cheap price because it was, (and still is) the Great Singapore sale back there. Lucky me!

• What the Geek likes about this:
1. It has a magnifying mirror (magnifies 2.5 times) on one side, and a regular one on the other.
2. It is made of stainless steel (sturdy!), water resistant, and is good to use on humid places (perfect for the bathroom!)
3. It is very easy to assemble. It took me around 5 minutes to get the job done!
4. It comes with a little tray on it's base to catch all your frequently used make ups and accessories.

• What the Geek dislikes about it:
1. It is not available locally, though there are IKEA resellers here in the Philippines, the prices they have are a bit bigger because of the shipping.
2. Just that! :))

Price: $14.99 (but it was purchased for around $9.00 only!) really cheap! :))

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this product. I hope mine helped! :)

Shu Uemura's Opening at Trinoma

I FORGOT TO BRING MY CAMERA!! These photos are from my Ipod. And they are just few :( I was running from one errand after another before I dropped by at Shu Uemura's opening. I was there around 10:30.. Even if I was busy, I still came early haha so much for being excited!

During the event, I also saw a friend whom I haven't seen for like 5 years already. Catching up with her while testing make up, I failed to take pictures even more! Haha

Too bad, I was the 11th buyer! They give out a bag of freebies for the first 10 buyers.. But that's fine with me cause all items are 20% less (except for the color atelier and the 24k gold eyelash curler) They were still able to squeeze a few testers on my bag so GOOD JOB SHU!! (I am such a sucker for freebies!)

Honestly, it's my first time to be on a make up event.. and I enjoyed it! From the ribbon cutting to the make up testing! Don't you just love those me time's with the make up counter? And aside from meeting an old friend, I also made new ones too!

(Check Mazaira-zhi's blog for a better view of how Shu Uemura opened it's doors here in Trinoma: http://fugine6wind.blogspot.com/2012/06/shu-uemura-grand-opening-at-trinoma.html )
 
If I could stay there all day, test all the make up they have and erase it, (because I also love the cleanser!) I would! But I had other things to do too. :(

So after testing several products...I realized that these were the ones I needed most! And it all went down with these two!

Went home with these goodies. The other bag is for a friend :)

Here are my new babies!!

Silver: P1095 Gold: P1400 (The silver was 20% less!So thats P876)

Made sure I left a note for them! :)

Review: Dove Foaming Make Up Remover

Dove Foaming Makeup Remover

I spent the entire day  in heels and make up, taking up a series of exams and interviews in my favorite hospital. Welcome to the real world for me! I have to snap back to reality and look for a job! My vacation days for passing the boards is officially OVER! Boo!!

So much for that emotional intro! Anyway, I am here to tell you girls, that no matter how tiring your day was, NEVER EVER FORGET TO TAKE OFF MAKE UP! You will regret not doing so! You can skip eye liner, primer or whatever, but never this step. It has to go off, COMPLETELY before you hit the sack.

And here comes DOVE FOAMING MAKE UP REMOVER! I have been using this for over a month now, and I am impressed! It's the lazy girls' make up remover if I were to describe it.

WHAT THE PRODUCT SAYS:
* Transforms from liquid into an ultra fine foam, to effectively remove make-up.
*Works by effectively removing even the heaviest of make-up including waterproof mascara, eye make up, and foundation.

HOW TO USE:
Use approximately 3 pumps of the lather. Pump into your hand and apply to your wet or dry face, including your eye areas to remove make up. Rinse off. For best results, use dry hands on a dry face and rinse off. After using Dove Foaming Make up remover, we recommend to wash your face with Dove Beauty Moisture Facial Cleanser

INGREDIENTS:
Water, PEG-8, Isopentyldiol, PEG-20 Glyceryl Triisoterate, Glcerin, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Potassium Cocoylglycinate, Ethanol, BHT, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone.

WHAT THE GEEK SAYS:
Like I said earlier, it is the lazy girls make up remover. Why? Just look at how easy it is to use. Just pump a few times (BTW, 2 pumps work well for me already), lather your face and rinse off. Just like washing your face with your regular cleanser. It is not oily (it has a foamy consistency), it does not irritate my face, and it leaves it squeaky clean as well.

WHAT THE GEEK LIKES ABOUT IT:
1. It does not irritate my face. Do you get the prickly, hot feeling on other make up removers? This product, does not give you that.
2. It is not oily. When you look at it from the bottle, you might think that it is oily, but NO! It has a surprising foamy consistency once you pump the bottle.
3. It can take away eyeliner!! Gel, liquid, pencil - you name it! Yes! Even the heavy ones!
4. It is CHEAP! Around P300. (I will update the real price when I find the receipt around my desk!) And I bought this for HALF the price! (Yeah, I know, I am always on the look out for cheap products on sale!)

WHAT THE GEEK DISLIKES ABOUT IT:
Nothing much, except that, it cannot remove mascara easily. I use a cotton pad to wipe away the mascara. It is tricky taking every bit of make up on your eye lids and water line, since you avoid getting the product in your eyes. You can't just take away mascara by rubbing your eyes (That would cause you wrinkles too! Crows feet.. Not cool!) So use a cotton pad, wipes or tissue.

OVERALL, THE GEEK THINKS:
This is great value for your money! Not only should we invest in make up, but also on good cleansers and skin care products. A good skin, is always a good canvas for make up. So, start taking care of it. Especially, since the age of the 20's (my age) is where your skin is at it's best. Take good care of it, to make it last til your 50's!

How it looks once pumped from the bottle (From oily to FOAMY)

P.S.
I appreciate those who visit my blog, I may not have a lot of followers or readers, but whenever I see hits coming from different parts of the globe, my heart leaps! It keeps me inspired to write more! I hope that, even if my blog is a bit of an amateur (Okay, not a bit! It is very amateur!) you girls still learned a thing or two from it. Okay, I'll stop now, this becomes annoying. Hehe Just comment away if you have questions! Oh! I would love it more though if you girls followed ;)