SMASHBOX Photo Finish and Foundation Primer

In interior designing, it is best to apply a primer first before painting a wall, to smoothen out the surface of the wall and to make the paint stick longer.

 The same goes to foundation primers, it is like a moisturizer that helps make the face smooth like a clean canvass and a barrier between face and foundation that helps ease the foundation application. Here's my two cents on my try on two of Smashbox' foundation primer.

• SMASHBOX Photo Finish Foundation Primer UVA/UVB SPF15 with Dermaxyl Complex

It’s a vitamin packed primer with added sun protection plus, it has anti-ageing skin treatment that promises to reduce appearance of wrinkles and lines over time.

The first thing I notice about this primer is its creamy orangey almost transparent color. Its viscous enough but not heavy on skin. It glides and it doesn't dry fast so no hassle! :) No residue or greasy feeling, just soft smooth skin!

• ·        SMASHBOX Photo Finish Light Foundation Primer

This primer is perfectly made for oily, acne-prone and sensitive skin! Its 60% water based, oil absorbent and light diffusing, hence it provides a smooth matte finish all day, minimizes skin imperfections! It also has Vitamin C and peptides that even out skin tone and promote collagen production over time.


These primers are easy to apply! All you have to do is pump or squeeze a pea size on fingertips and smooth an even layer directly on clean or moisturize skin! :)


What's your recent/favorite primer? ;P

LASHEM Measurable Difference Lash Gel

I love lashes! W_W But since I inherit the chinese eyes of my grandmom, I'm usually monolid with almost not-there lashes, sparse, thin, not to mention, weak (easy to fall out) T_T

false eyelashes

eyelash extensions

I tried using mascara, false eyelashes and eyelash extensions. Eyelash extension is a bit expensive plus the maintenance eat time and money plus, it makes me conscious not to rub my eyes or sleep with my head buried in the pillow! Mascaras are OK but I hate having raccoon eyes, let's face it, even if its waterproof, the weather always got its way! And putting falsies is a long routine but so far I'm having fun with it...

But then, there's more!

A youtube guru introduce me to LASHEM! :) I was impressed on Ambersaurus' review and I tried to enter her contest on YT.

After a month, I saw this video was up! and Yay! I was the winner! Crazy fun, I know! Thank you so much Ms. Amber! xOxO

Finally, I received my package!

LASHEM Measurable Difference Lash Gel

This eyelash growth gel in layman's term, is an eyelash conditioner. It is dual patented, clinically tested, ophthalmologist tested, paraben free, prostaglandin free, fragrance free and best of all, not tested on animals. :D

3.5mL, that's a lot of product! :)

Easy to apply! Face should be free of make up, cream residue and no eye contacts please! Just apply one gentle continuous stroke across the base of the lashes. :) This product promises big, bold, dramatic lashes in weeks! If people (mostly) go gaga getting their eyebrows shaved and striped, well I'm at the opposite pole! It's so good to know that I can also apply these on my eyebrows! Wow! That's one stone beating two birds!

What I notice was, it doesn't smell. No fragrance at all. The fluid was clear and its viscous but not heavy! It doesn't burn my eyes nor irritated it. The tip of the brush is flexible enough so the application of the product is hassle free.


The original price is US$69.99 dollars plus a shipping fee of US$5.00 that's a total of US$74.99, almost Php3400.00. Fret not! Lashem frequently have sales and discount. To know more, like them on Facebook or just visit their site at LashEm.com.

It's happy to know that LashEm also supports thinkpink.com and a portion will be donated to the fight against breast cancer, research and treatment! Women should support women! :)

Well, I'm gonna wait a couple of weeks since I just started using this today and will try to squeeze this on my  before sleep routine. :D

P.S. Good thing its safe for pregnant women. :)

INEX Health Beauty & Infrared Heat Massager

Toxic lifestyle nowadays causes body pain and fatigue, and a massage is always the perfect way to loosen up! And since not everyone have the luxury (money and time) to have a regular spa date, a handy home massager is the best solution!

Good thing massager is easy to find and quite affordable and of different forms! INEX Health is offering a multitask Beauty & Infrared Heat Massager... :)

The box includes the body and seven (7) different head attachments that serves different functions.

Infrared Heat Massager

Soothing massage and heat enhance blood circulation to relieve stress on muscles. This massager can be use in any part of the body like the upper and lower back and behind the legs and thighs. :)

Body Massager

Gentle massage for sensitive areas near neck and inner arms. The convex shape produces concentrated penetrating suction that reverse the effect of strained tissues of the muscles.

All-Purpose Massager

Gentle massage to relax and stimulate large muscle groups. This can be use in any part of the body including the lower extremities like legs, feet and thighs.

Scalp Massager

Soft finger-like scalp massager stimulates the scalp and massage for back of the neck. This could help in growing healthier and thicker hair.

Roller Massager

Since the neck area is one of the most sensitive parts of the body, the roller massager is best made to gently massage the neck area and is like a smaller version of the all-purpose massager above.

Lotion Massager

Instead of using bare fingers, lotion massager can help evenly apply cream or lotion while delicately massaging the muscles of the face. This is also perfect after putting facial mask to massage the face before having your beauty rest. :P

Acupoint Massager

Acupuncture was a technique derived from traditional chinese medicine that usually apply acupressure to acupuncture points that spot massage on muscles to relieve stress.

Body

The body has a sleek handle for easier use, not that heavy and the cords are long enough. :)

I suggest not to throw away the box, because its the safest, most organized place it could be.

This massager is quiet with strong motor, it also have high and low massage settings for flexible superior experience! It's easy to clean, just use a damp cloth without the use of any strong chemical cleaner. No hassle!

Thanks Ms. Beth for the photos! :D

Book Review: Lemony Snicket's The Series of Unfortunate Events Book 2: The Reptile Room

Lemony Snicket's The Series of Unfortunate Events Book 2: The Reptile Room

In the reptile room,

Where the baby screams,

Weirder creatures loom,

Than in all of your dreams.

In the reptile room,

Hither and thither,

Creatures from cartoons,

Slither any-whither.

In the reptile room,

Anacondas dance,

Will they be our doom,

Will we be their bon-bons

And you wanna know, wanna know, wanna know why I

frown,

Well I'm smiling, I'm just smiling upside down. 

In the reptile room,

There's an evil man,

In a strange costume,

Do not ride in his van.

In the reptile room,

Are pythons at play?

In the murky gloom,

What a horrible day

The second book is included in the film starring Jim Carrey as Count Olaf, Emily Browning as Violet Baudelaire, Liam Aiken as Klaus Baudelaire and twins Kara and Shelby Hoffman as Sunny Baudelaire.

The Reptile Room is a place on Dr. Montgomery's mansion where different kinds of reptiles are kept and taken care of altogether with a library about herpetology. Count Olaf's threat continues here that wraps a shadow over the Baudelaire's future.

Dr. Montgomery Montgomery 

Dr. Montgomery Montgomery is a well known herpetologist, a zoologist that specializes on reptiles, amphibians, turtles and crocodiles. He wants the children to just call him Uncle Monty and he is fond of calling the children "bambino" which is an Italian word for small children. According to the banker Mr Poe, if Count Olaf was their "third cousin four times removed, or their fourth cousin three times removed",  Dr. Montgomery is the Baudelaire's 'late father's cousin's wife's brother." (made my head ache a little while analyzing that! lol) Uncle Monty wants to do an expedition to Peru with the children and his assistant Gustav Sebald who mysteriously resigned on his job. 

children meeting the Incredibly Deadly Viper!

Since Uncle Monty is friendly, the children adjust easily and feel at home instantly! They were fascinated by Uncle Monty's reptile collection stored including the Incredibly Deadly Viper which he recently discovered. The snake's name is a misnomer (misleading) since it is actually harmless, Uncle Monty named the snake in such manner to play a practical joke on the Herpetologist Society in revenge for ridiculing his name; Montgomery Montgomery. Uncle Monty gave each children a task on the Reptile Room to prepare themselves for their upcoming journey to Peru. Violet to invent traps that'll be use for the new snakes they will found without hurting the animals. Klaus to read books about snakes that can be found in Peru and Sunny to bite ropes into usable pieces. Sunny found a new friend in the Incredibly Deadly Viper. :)

Mr. Poe, the banker

When Count Olaf denies that Sunny is in danger because the snake is not really poisonous when he claimed awhile ago that he knew nothing about snakes, Mr. Poe started to doubt. Just in time, Violet's invention of an improvised key opened the Count's luggage, she showed up and presented the evidences which includes a powder puff and the syringe used to inject snake venom into Uncle Monty.

Everything was happy until Stephano arrives, the children easily recognize him as Count Olaf in awful disguise! They try to warn Uncle Monty but failed all the time. Count Olaf always threatens the children privately. If only the children didn't told the Count that he will not join them in their trip to Peru and that Uncle Monty even torn his ticket already, they wouldn't see Uncle Monty dead in the reptile room the day they are about to leave. With more threats, Count Olaf still intends to take them to Peru where he can easily find ways to get their fortune. 
However, on their way to out, Count Olaf's car crashes into that of Mr. Poe who plans to visit the children before they leave and gave them their luggage.
After knowing what terrible thing happened to Dr. Montgomery, Count Olaf and Mr. Poe discuss things to do with the children, while the three orphan desperately try to prove it was Count Olaf, who disguise himself as Stephano who killed Uncle Monty.
Since Mr. Poe cannot believe the children's accusations. Violet, Klaus ans Sunny decided they have to have evidences, So, while Klaus pretends that the Incredibly Deadly Viper is attacking Sunny, Violet put her hair in a ribbon and thought of an invention on how to open Olaf's suitcase in where the real poison that kills Uncle Monty is hidden.

Immediately, Mr. Poe asks Count Olaf to show his left ankle, where a tattoo of an eye is inked. The tattoo was there, and to consent the children's insistence that it was covered with powder, Mr. Poe wipes his ankle with a handkerchief, and an eye was revealed. And, since Mr. Poe avoid violence, Count Olaf run away again and the Baudelaires are to be drop off to another guardian. They were horrified while watching the reptiles taken away by Bruce including the Incredibly Deadly Viper that Sunny befriended.

The Count, The Herpetologist, The Grammar Enthusiast and The Orphans

Trivial Facts:

In the bad beggining, the Baudelaire mansion was destroyed by a suspicious fire, Count Olaf adopts the three orphans and Violet invented a grappling hook to save Sunny.
In the reptile room, a herpetologist, Dr. Montgomery Montgomery discovered the Incredibly Deadly Viper. Uncle Monty, Violet, Klaus and Sunny watched a film "Zombies in the Snow' by Dr. Gustav Sebald. And someone disguised as a taxi driver passed by (and I bet it was Lemony himself).
My say: Things are getting more and more exciting! I was saddened that their happy days with a loving guardian, Uncle Monty was short lived. And I wished they kept the Incredibly Deadly Viper as a pet, to make their lives less unfortunate.
I'm thrilled to meet the next guardian and the Lake Lachrymose, its leeches and wrong grammars in "The Wide Window".

SCRAPBOOKING!

Whether you wanna preserve important memoirs, express your creative side, release stress, start a hobby or just want scraps and crafts, scrapbooking is the answer!

I bought myself some scrapbooking materials and I wanna share them with you!

cute, vintage and is ready to stick on :D

these are perfect for the background and frame of the pages

buttons and earrings!

Aside from the things I bought, I also collect buttons, pins, earrings, old bracelets and ribbons for the touch up and to add a little drama! :D

i bought these at 50% off! Amazin'!

a teddy bear, a sunflower clothes pin and more sunflowers

random stickers with engrossment

scrapbooking is incomplete without the colored glitters!

This Kit is perfect for beginners like me

it comes with a CD that talks about tips, do's and don'ts on scrapbooking!

I cant wait to get started! I hope to have my finished product soon! I'll be doing one for my graduation, wedding day and for my little baby soon! *Excited!*

BDJ Rendevouz: Breaking Free

First of all, im so sorry for this very late post. i'm always sleepy. :3

To enter this BDJ Event, I had to show the things I am working on so far on the 100 Checklist-Things-Must-Do this year. And yes, because of BDJ i started this blog.

before the event strated

See? I was literally the first bella who arrived! Talk about excited early bird! Tweet tweet!
The talk talks were juicy and informative!

The event was held at The Ramp Crossings Glorrieta 3 last September 24 around 2pm. (I know! Its better to be late than never anyways!)

I didn't get the chance to take my lunch but its worth it!

BDJ Affiliates and Sponsors

 The talk wrap ups:

RISE UP IN STYLE: halt your state of unhappy and step up to the challenge of change! with Ms. Katrina Dy, former fashion editor Cosmopolitan magazine, Refinery29.com (New York)

What I learned: we must know what we want want, we must have our own personal vision.

There's a reason for setback = reset.

Connect the dots - Steve Jobs

Don't fear failure! Risk taker have guts! lol

Don't waste your freedom.

Lets stay Positively Optimistic! (redundant! lol)

Strategize. Research. Learn. Be Smart!

and my favorite:

'When a door closes, break a window!"

"Never step on people, so they can catch you when you fall!"

GAME FACE ON: do what you want and look like you own it! Be a pro in projection with make up do's and don't! with Ms. Jasmine Mendiola which is our MC for the event, a make up artist and John Roberts Power Instructor

What I learned:

the different make up products and its help on emphasizing the assets and concealing the blemishes.

We need to have the right foundation to even out skin tone and by picking the right shade we should remember that:

more Melanin = brown/tan complexion

more Carotene = yellowish skintone

more Hemoglobin = reddish to orange-ish skin

HIGHLIGHT WHAT'S RIGHT: stock up tips to conceal and contour. Achieve perfect face for golden reveal! with Ms. Kris Bacani, Professional Make-Up Artist and Instructor, Make Up Designory Manila

We should remember that our skin is like a canvass, the smoother it is the better!

Steps on taking care of our face:

1 Cleanse - clean face

2 Tone - closes pores

3 Moisturize - for dewy look

4 Exfoliate - remove dead skin cells (twice a week)

5 Sunblock -protection against UVA and UVB

Aside from the tips, Ms. Bacani pick a bella for the make over. From day time turned to night time look! :D

 SEXY IS A STATE OF MIND with Ms. Dona Cuna-Pita, fashion stylist, Image Consultants and Writer of Philippine Star

What I learned:

There are five basic body shapes and if we know how to dress up,
we can look and feel good!

The Pears - thin upper, full hips and thigh
Solution: light colored tops and dark colored bottom, A - line skirts and straight or slightly flared pants.
Assets: trim waist, curvy hips


The Apples - full breasts and stomach, thin extremities
Solution:   dark tops and light colored bottom, full skirts, skimming tops, tailor made dresses
Assets: full breasts, shapely legs

The Rulers - athletic frame, no curves
Solution: belted dresses, ruffled tops, soft flowing skirts
Assets; slim legs and arms

The Full Figured - chubby to plus size
Solution: skim the body, not skin tight. Go for monochromatic combination and wear heels to add height!
Assets: curvy hips and full breasts

The Hourglass - the perfect shape! proportional bust, waist and hips
Assets: proportional and curvy frame
Remember: Do not show everything! Examples: Sleeveless with pants, long sleeves with skirts/shorts.

Busy doing the Human Bingo!

The food was "awesome"! We even notice that the paper plate was cute. Did I mention I didn't eat lunch? and I went crazy on finishing up my human Bingo and so I was 2nd to the last person on the line to take on the buffet. And it was a blessing in disguise! lol I took a whole lot! heehee

Huge Meatballs!

We played games and the event was not complete without the goody bags! Here's what I brought home:

and a had new friends! lol

So everyone, before you go, say Prune!