Stash!

My "kikay" hormones are now back, 4 months post partum. I can remember how I hated putting stuff on my face when I was still pregnant with Sword. My big cosmetic pouch turned into an old camera case which carried the most basic of all the basic makeups: a compact foundation, colored lip balm and a blush cream. On days my face needed a level up, I just fix my brows. That was all.

Gladly, my part time hosting job did the trick of bringing the "new woman" in me. The used-to-be old camera case is now safely kept in the room and cosmetic pouches occupy my bag now. I also opened the window to try more products and became OC-ier when it comes to skincare. My age helped too. At 25, it's possible for our skin to age faster due to factors like stress and pollution. Syempre I still want to look young and beautiful! I want to embrace my motherhood in a way na hindi naman ako mukhang napabayaan, na-haggard, at higit sa lahat ipagpapalit lang kung saan at kung kanino man. Although Audrey Hepburn said that "Happy girls are the prettiest," I must say that we also need to be pretty if we want to be happy. It comes from within and it should start from you. 

Being the sort of beauty junky that I am, I want to show you my current favorites and my most basic of all the basic makeups these days. Yay, goodbye to my boring compact foundation, lip balm and blush! My kikay mantra: "It's always better to be prepared. Bring more shades!"

Beginning from top:

1. Laura Mercier Creme Cheek Colour in Oleander
2. Shu Uemura Fluid Foundation in #764
3. Ben Nye Luxury Powder in Banana
4. Shu Uemura UV Under Base Mousse POREraser
5. Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Cheekcolor in Sunkissed Coral
6. Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler
7. Revlon Photoready Two-Way Powder Foundation in Natural Ochre
8. Laura Mercier Lip Pencil in Baby Lips
9. Nars in Dolce Vita
10. Nivea Med Repair -- an essential!
11. MAC (Lustre) in Lustering
12. No. 7 in Siren
13. Nature Republic Smudge-Free Mascara in Black
14. MAC Brow Set Gel in Girl Boy
15. Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Opal
16. Revlon in Coral Berry (674)

I'm trying to update my stash most especially during hosting events to develop more, matured looks. I find a hard time convincing my audience that I am already a mother of 1. LOL. But with all the new things I'm trying out now, some things remain--like my Nivea Med Repair lip balm. I'm a user for yearssss now.

Also, I'm about to update my skincare regimen but unfortunately, my face developed rashes after walking under the sun a couple of days ago. :( Not sure what it is but I do hope this is nothing serious! I'll blog about my new discoveries if there's a day like this soon when Sword takes a calming, unkabogable afternoon nap. I swear you'll love these brands even more.

Enjoy your weekend, loves!

♥,

Marianne

Only This Summer

Summer has officially started! 

April marks the beginning of sun, sea and sand peak where flight fares go as high as 100% from its regular rates. So before filing that vacation leave and get your boss' signature, be sure you get these essentials that can also be used all year round!



1. Denim fringed shorts. Three words in one--denim, fringes, shorts! This is perfect with the season's loose hanging tops and can make you feel fresh! 

2. Maxi dress. A maxi dress is a sure attention-getter. For lazy days when you don't feel like mix-and-matching clothes, this is the perfect way to go. Maxi dresses come in different colors, prints and designs too!  

3. Cetaphil UVA/UVB Defense SPF 50 Facial Moisturizer. It's inevitable to go swimming with kiddies this summer so aside from using Shu Uemura UV Armor, you can grab and share this Cetaphil with the little ones. Known for its non-comedogenic properties, Cetaphil is perfect for everyone with its broad spectrum sunscreen and protects even the most sensitive skin from the sun's harmful rays.

4. Nivea SUN Block Lotion SPF 50+++. Another quality brand that I adore, I don't have any doubts at all with the way Nivea takes care of my skin. It gives long lasting moisture and reduces the risks of skin allergies caused by sun exposure.

5. Swimwear. What is summer without fashionable swimsuits? I personally Polyvored this printed two-piece sets because sometimes, plain can be boring. Plus, I know that orange is making a come back this season. It's always fun to play with colors, think of color blocking. The two pairs above also spell ooomp--bandeau and bead details.

6. Havaianas. Of course, Havaianas will always be Havaianas. It's the most comfortable footwear ever! Ballerina flats are love but I just can't imagine myself wearing two-piece while walking with a closed footwear on! 

7. Rings. Can be worn anytime, anywhere. Laureen Uy breaks her style with her wonderful collection of rings so break yours too! That little bow reminds you of Hello Kitty, eh?

8. Flat sandals. If you want to be extra fashionable and don't want to depend on Havaianas alone, you can always wear flat sandals. Also, some bars do not allow guests in flipflops inside so bringing a pair will save you and allow you to party all night!

9. Sunglasses. Do I need to further explain why it's in my list? Skin and eyes are the most essential body parts that need extra protection against the sun. 

10. Nivea Med Protection lip balm. I can run out of shampoo and conditioner but I will never, ever run out of Nivea lip balm. I have sensitive lips and my puckers always get dry (and dark) when I fail to apply Med Protection. Chapstick, Blistex and Carmex don't work well with me. Only Nivea kisses my lips even before applying lipstick. With SPF 12 too!

11. Straw bag. The perfect buddy in the beach. I Polyvored this straw bag with neon lining because neon colors are also a hit this summer!

12. Colorful nail colors. OPI has a collection called "Brights by OPI" that offers a wiiiiide range of bright new hues. It also has six edgy new shades and recently paired with Paige Premium Denim. My favorite is "A Grape Fit!" and "In My Back Pocket".  

Be HOT this summer by keeping it COOL! :) 

No-Grease Protection

Oops! It's not the kind of protection that you think. And Ayala Alabang approves of it! Hehe. :D

(Wet) Summer is here! Perfect time to hit the beach, lose some pounds and get the perfect tan! If you're a beach bum like me, you don't have to wait for SSS=S aka sand, sun and sea = summer! All year round, I make sure that I have all the things I need to bring whether a trip to the beach is planned or unplanned.

Number one item that you must not forget to bring is an SPF lotion. I love the sun as much as I love getting a tan but I am sure that you're all aware of getting a skin cancer if we leave our skin unprotected. Getting a tan also means that your skin will peel after few days of hanging out in the beach. AND THAT'S SOMETHING I CONSIDER CRUCIAL. It's so hard to apply makeup and it really makes our skin, most especially facial skin, dry. 

Another Shu Uemura product I adore...

Shu Uemura TTL Defender SPF 25 P++

This purplish product is a great protection from the sun's harmful rays leaving our skin soft! Not only considered as a beach buddy, it can be used as a makeup base too. Plus, it's not sticky that even after hours of direct exposure under the sun, you'll feel no eeek-y feeling! Kinda perfect for a tropical paradise like ours. :) 


Sadly, this sunscreen milk has been discontinued from Shu Uemura Skin Care line three years ago... But the best part about this sad part is that they created an all-new and improved replacement:

Shu Uemura UV Armor SPF 50+++

From SPF 25 to SPF 50, this product totally rocks! No purplish fluid anymore but here comes the purple tube (I guess they have a new packaging now). Waterproof, non-greasy and consists of anti-pollution and nourishing benefits, Shu Uemura UV Armor keeps harmful UV rays away to prevent premature aging, severe sunburn and decreases the possibilities of getting skin cancer. 

They say the higher the SPF, the oilier/greasier/stickier it gets but this purple ranger proves them wrong. Plus, I use this every other day, even without a trip to the beach, because even indoor lighting (i.e. fluorescent lights) has UV rays. During days of not using this, I use another moisturizer which I'll blog about anytime soon. 

I really feel so protected and moisturized whenever I apply it on my face. Buy yours at Rustan's for P2,200.

Back Acne, Goodbye!

You saw a beautiful LBD in your favorite store and you know it's gonna look awesome on you. You picked your size and when you were about to fit it in, oops! Backless. So what if it's backless, wouldn't it look like a little sexier? Yes, sexier.. but you have a wide collection of annoying zits on your back that even the perfect concealer can never conceal. Sadness.

I was once like that. I've let go of several backless and  plunging back dresses and tops because I couldn't imagine baring my back at all. Whenever I went to the beach and bun my hair up, I felt very embarrassed. When I got my Ballerina tat I felt like Joe was like in "Eew!" because it was so rough! 

Back acne, also known as bacne, is caused by clogged pores with excess oil and dead skin cells that attract bacteria. One of the reasons I thought that caused my bacne was my long hair so I was tempted to have it cut last January 2010 thinking my bacne would also go away. But I'm wrong. I also changed my shampoo and conditioner because I read somewhere that shampoos and conditioners have chemicals which are too strong for our skin. For the second time, I got a big NO.

But one Sunday changed my life. My Dad, my younger sister and I dropped by Watson's to buy something we didn't find in the supermarket. I stumbled upon a white box named Acne Aid. It caught my attention because it bears the word acne and without any hesitation, I bought it.

Acne-Aid Cleansing Bar by Stiefel

 Believe it or not, in as fast as two weeks, my bacne are all gone! It even washed away the scars that remind me that I used to have bacne! Like Cetaphil, it has no perfume, color and abrasive and is safe to use daily. I use it everyday (only for my back though, I still use Dove/Olay/Body Shop for the rest of my body) and a bar lasts for three months. 

Still unconvinced? Look at this picture:

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE.

DYAHE TO DEATH. I can't tie my hair because people might see it. I can't let my hair down because it was irritating.


And 6 months after using Acne Aid:

NO EDITS, I SWEAR!

Take a closer look at my picture, do you see any signs of bacne? :)


So if you're worried about your bacne, go to the nearest Watson's or Mercury Drug and buy your own Acne Aid! For only P168/bar, who needs Belo or Calayan? I believe it's also safe for facial use! So sulit!


Acne Aid works wonders!! I promise! And yes, you can buy that LBD! Who knows it's already for sale? :)