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Thursday, December 16, 2010

Pretty Little Things

There's nothing like new makeup to make any girl grin from ear to ear. My recent acquisitions are some cute makeup items from Paul and Joe's 2010. These items are part of their 2010 Autumn line, Clair de Lune.


My favorite is the line of lipstick they came out with. I have the shade "over the moon" which is a sheer lipsitck with a hint of orange. Though sheer, it contains a variety of champagne gold frost which gives off a translucent sparkle.





Isnt it so cute? I super love the cat print that I use this with a lip brush and get some product off the back of the tube haha. I like my lipstick with more color and rarely use sheer ones, I sometimes apply a thin layer of concealer on my lips before applying this lipstick to make the shade pop more.


Other available shades (cant wait to get my hands on these too!)



"Moon Shadow"

Exotic red with a hint of pearl






"Clair de Lune"

Soft Pink



Another new item in my kit is Paul and Joe's Face Color. Its a highlighter in pressed powder form which has 2 shades which can be mixed and worn together. Its high shine shimmer powder is perfect to highlight your cheekbones! Whats unique about it is its formula. It's formulated to absorb excess sebum and to adhere to the skin - because you dont need to be oily and luminous at the same time haha.

Here is the one I have =)



"Luna"



Other available shades:


"Harvest Moon" and "Pagan"
(I have my eyes on Pagan, looks so pretty! )





Dont forget to drop by Paul and Joe this weekend, and finish off that christmas list! 25% off on all items =)






Maui Manalo

Primed and Poreless

About a month ago mi hermano flew to San Francisco for a quick vacation, since I couldnt tag along you bet I made a list of things I neeed him to buy me haha. After much consideration, I narrowed it down to just the essentials which was pretty tough. But when he arrived, a whole bag of goodies including the ones I asked him to buy and so much more greeted me haha. Thanks to my mom who is ever supportive of my makeup adiction.


One of the things she got me that was not in my list was Too Faced Primed and Poreless. I didnt think much of it since I also asked them to get me Benefit's The Porefessional. I also dont really use any other loose powder aside from my trusty ol RCMA or Kryolan loose powder.


However, switching to a bigger case has proved to be more difficult in terms of keeping track of what I have and what I dont. And during one stressful week I forgot to replace the Kryolan loose powder inside and had no other choice but to use the Too Faced Primed and Poreless.


Photo borrowed from: Sephora

Too Faced - Primed and Poreless Powder - $28 (o.16 oz)



What it says:

A silky, translucent finishing veil that adjusts to any skintone while minimizing the appearance of pores and fine lines.

Primed and Poreless Powder contains a high-resolution, reflective powder technology that transforms skin by visually minimizing pores, fine lines, and imperfections for an airbrushed-looking finish. Our weightless powder can be worn alone, or under and over foundation to prep skin, lockdown makeup, and control shine for a complexion-smoothing, flawless finish.



Why you should buy it:


- This powder has a velvety feel to it. Much like the regular primers were used to.
- Instant mattifier and helps control oil.
- Great for quick touch ups and retouches through out the day.
- Will not make your makeup look cakey after several applications (i've used this on a wedding gig and the bride remained flawless from start to finish! )
- Does give the illusion of slightly smoother skin and pores look a little less more noticeable
- Blends with your complexion. Initially leaves a sligh cast, the powder is sort of very light yellow. But within minutes of application, it blends with your skin tone or foundation.
- The packaging is just too darn cute, much like any ther products from Too Faced.




What you should consider:

- $28 dollars is a bit steep for a 0.16 oz loose powder, imho
- I wouldnt use this as base for makeup unless I was just going to put powder foundation. For regular liquid/cream i'd stick with smashbox, benefit, etc.
- Needs constant re application. While it does not make your makeup look cakey, it doesnt give you that flawless finish all day unless you re apply every now and then.
- I love love it but I wouldnt say that its comparable to RCMA and the kryolan loose powders.
- I hate loose powder containers just because it always makes a mess.


Would I repurchase?


Probably not anytime soon. I can get the same effect with my trusted loose powders without costing me $28. Put that money into good use and just get a regular primer. Its a nice product to have but not necessarily something you need.



Maui Manalo

Monday, December 13, 2010

A Chic Christmas!


Head on over to Paul and Joe to get a fill of all the makeup goodies you need to be chic this Holiday Season! Get 25% off on all items and get a chance to meet Makeup Artists Paolo Maranan and Isabelle Arches!!


Fine tune your fabulous look with perfect base makeup to carry your color all through the holidays. You’ll be attracting a lot of whistles with sexy lip colors, pick the one that gets you in a party mood. Make all your holiday parties that little bit more colorful and unpredictable with stunning facecolor that suits every occasion. Harmonize your eyes this holidays season and lead admirers on a merry dance. Come on, show them your moves. Get skin that’s smooth and lustrous and super healthy, treat your skin well all year round and you will glow with beauty. Be perfect right down to your fingertips with the perfect nail colors. Creating your makeup masterpiece needs the right tools, these deliciously soft brushes are ideal for any and every occasion. Complete your Paul & Joe look with the cute range of pouches and makeup accessories, beautifully designed and oh-so convenient

See you there!

XOXO,

Paul & Joe




Maui Manalo

Kryolan Blush Palette

I recently got the Kryolan blush palette after looking around for a replacement for the blush palette I was using. I decided to get this because the shades were all matte and it had a good range of colors. All the shades are very pigmented.After using it for about a month here is a short review. =)




What I like about it:
- Shades are vibrant, good color payoff, not chalky
- The color range in the palette is good. You have a soft pink, darker pinks a red-ish shade and a peach shade
- Palettes are handy to have instead of bringing a lot of singles.


What you should consider:

- It has a tendency to streak when not applied carefully. I now use a fan brush to apply it to avoid uneven streaks. Even with a very light hand, it has a tendency to deposit unevenly on the cheeks.
- I also found that its not very long wearing, much to my surprise! You might need to re apply after a while, also has a tendecny to fade unevenly which I find weird.




Here is photo of the Blush palette (Photo from Cabyness' blog haha )



Maui Manalo

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

SALE Alert: Urban Decay

After the Primer potion and the Naked Palette im totally sold on Urban Decay. If you haven't tried any of their products, nows the best time!







Maui Manalo

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Finally!

I've been scouting and looking around for a train case that perfectly suits my needs. And let me tell you, it took quite a long time! I didnt want to buy a traincase and then replace it just after a few months so I had to make sure I get the right one. And finalllllyyyyyy I have it! A sort of early Christmas gift for myself too!



Okay so here were a few of the most important things I was looking for in a traincase:

1. Lights and a mirror

I wanted/needed one with lights. Sometimes the lighting is just impossible! Ive done makeup under GREEN lights, a badly lit room with well barely any lights haha so this was a must because you never know when you might need to reinforce the available lights at the location. I also wanted a traincase that needed bulbs instead of the flourescent tubes? whatever you call those haha

The mirror is a plus. I used to bring a huge mirror with me and I broke it. I cant keep breaking any more mirrors, its bad luck! haha







Double plus! The lights can be adjusted. Im not sure if you can tell from the first 2 pictures but you can adjust the lights intensity. One of its coolest feature! :)


2. It has to be lightweight

Now this was tough. There aren't a lot of options when it comes to lighted traincases. Theyre almost always huge and as heavy as I am! But I needed something that I could carry, because well I dont have a car of my own so lugging a 40 pound (I don't weigh 40 lbs, btw! haha) traincase is just going to be a nightmare and would possibly break my back.

It was a good thing that a friend showed me his traincase and it was considerably much lighter than the ones I've seen. Mine weighs approximately 20 pounds with all the necessary makeup stuff inside.


3. It has to have wheels

Again, I have to consider that I spend a lot of time walking here and there. Wheels are a must because I almost always was in the verge of tears when I had to go to a gig carrying my old traincase. Needed a traincase that I could handle carrying for short periods but not the whole time. I considered getting a makeup suitcase or that smaller one with lights at Suesh but it would be like carrying my old traincase, it would be hell-ish.





4. It has to be sturdy

It does not make me happy to see it with scratches or dirty. But let's face it, during times when my weak muscles fail me haha I could accidentally hit it against something. I cant have a traincase that could easily break from carrying and walking around for too long.

I liked that the wheels look sturdy. I didnt like some of the huge traincases that had really small wheels. It's also made of ehrm some metal thing (im sorry im not sure what it is exactly haha)





Im perfectly happy with my new traincase! Plus I no longer needed to choose between which of my stuff were more important haha I could bring more makeup! But this traincase is elusive! I couldnt find it anywhere else except Quiapo! I was told it would be available after a week, which turned into 2 weeks, 3 weeks and then a month. I actually kind of forgot about it until I found their calling card. I called in to ask and they said it was available and was selling like pancakes. Ofcourse you know what happened.....I dragged my butt and Caby's to Quiapo and got it! haha

The Damage: 8,000 Php (I was actually told the first time I went there that it was 7,500. Greed oh well. They wont let you haggle, we tried for an hour! haha) It comes with the power cord and 6 light bulbs (which I was afraid to use, replaced the bulbs right away haha)

Where to buy it: That mall near the Quiapo church (2nd floor, they have it on the 3rd too but their prices are more expensive. If you want a good deal, dont look rich! hahaha)



A peek at whats inside (and more on that some other time):




Can fit around 15 powder compacts on each side. Compacts on the left, Foundations and some palettes on the right. Kryolan and Urban Decay Palettes on top


It actually comes with a box/container for the middle part which
has a divider that splits it into 4 parts but mehh my palettes wouldnt fit.
And more palettes in the middle haha!



Anyway, the only downside is that it doesnt have a lot of space. It was a bit frustrating trying to arrange it at first. I finally managed to get everything I could possibly need inside. Its a good thing a lot of my things are already compact - Foundations, lipsticks and eyeshadows are mostly in palettes. I end up bringing an extra case for a few more things and my brushes. But other than that, im completely happy with it and its perfect for me so all in all it was worth the wait! =)



Maui Manalo

Monday, November 1, 2010

I'm alive?

I know ive been neglecting my blog, but the past couple of months have been crazyyy. With just a few more weeks left before this year ends, I promise to blog more often ( haven't I said that more than 1,000,0000 times? LOL )

This usually is the time of the year when I blog like crazy trying out Halloween looks. Unfortunately, I kinda lost track of time and next thing I knew it was Halloween already. Out of fresh ideas, I stole my boyfriends costume mwahaha.


Presenting.........................................

Me, freshly dug out of my grave!! hahah



And the boyfriend from whom I stole my costume from hahaha


He actually did the skull part on me, isnt he awesome? haha I did his makeup but hmm I think he did better than me. Well, what can I say? Cant compete with an artist haha. Oh and we used snazaroo for this. I would die if we had to use my regular makeup for this haha


Happy Halloween Everyone! :)



Maui Manalo

Monday, August 30, 2010

Kryolan Loot (Pic Heavy!)

Finally got to post this! One of the many awesome gifts I got from my lovely mother for my birthday! :) This was the last one I saw from the gift bag, and I tell you my eyes welled up when I opened this one! haha =) Thanks Momma!



Look at how cute and handy the case is. It has the compartments (which are detachable) on the side. The are a few slots for your brushes and a handy (also detachable) mirror.



Palettes!


Kryolan Dermacolor Palette, Concealer and
Lip Palette and Eyeshadow Palette



Aquacleanse (makeup remover), Brush Cleaner, Cake Mascara,
Individual Lashes, Translucent Powder and Hand Sanitizer



Brown/Black eyeliner, Lip pencils, spatula, two brushes




There are so many things in the kit, I actually haven't tried everything. But there are a few favorites already, here are the top 3!


Kryolan's Concealer and Lipstick Palette
BU201911

Concealer Colors: D61, D5, D375
Lip Gloss Colors : LP641
Lip Colors: Natl' 4, 080


The first 3 from the swatch are the concealers, next is the lip gloss and the last 2 are the lip colors. I use all of it as lip color. I find the consistency of the concealer a bit too thick and a bit dry for my liking. What I love about this palette though is that it allows me to mix colors! I sometimes just bring this and leave the other lipsticks at home and just mix the color I need


Mixed the colors together on my palette.
And here they are quickly swatched:









Kryolan's Transculent Powder
Art. 5703
20g/ .7 oz




A good alternative to RCMA's invisible powder, i've been using this a lot lately. Similar to the RCMA powder, this doesnt not change your foundations color and does not leave a white cast. This costs more than RCMA but I believe this is locally available through the distributor here in the Philippines. It is finely milled and dissapears as soon as it touches your skin.



Kryolan Professional Makeup Brush
Art. 4308


I find this brush very handy. Its a square tipped synthetic brush. And I use it for concealing, applying concealer, cleaning and defining edges.



That's it for now! Will post the rest when I've had
the chance to use and play with them hehehe =)


Maui Manalo

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