Dressing Down Button Downs

The longest job I ever had was with a very conservative company with a very strict dress code where casual Friday was unheard of.  My go-to outfit was usually a long sleeved button down shirt with slacks or a long sleeved button down shirt with a skirt, you get the picture.  So when I resigned, I had myself a closet full of button down shirts.

Now that I don't have to dress up as much, I'm trying to incorporate my business-y shirts with my more casual outfits.  Here are some of the looks I've come up with.

The Obvious Choice 

Shirt: Old Navy

Shorts: Greenhills

Shoes: SM

I know, it's such an obvious choice but I like the casual vibe going on here.  This is my take on the boyfriend shirt look, the kind of boyfriend who's into flowery prints.

A Stripey Affair

Shirt: my closet

Red tank top: my closet

Denim skirt: People are People

Slip-ons: Mphosis

I like the stripe on stripe detail here.

White Wash

Shirt: Mango

Shorts: Greenhills

Belt: my closet

Sandals: People are People

An all white ensemble reminds me of a cool breeze in the heat of summer.  It looks so calm, collected and put together.

Any more ideas on how to dress down a button down?

*first image courtesy of www.kpao.org

Of Bubble Gum and Cotton Candy Nails

I was in the mood for pink this week, not the screaming fuschias or very summer-y corals.  I wanted soft, candy colored pinks. 

The frosted shade of Twinkle's Pretty Old Rose on my nails reminds me of Cotton Candy, the pinkish childhood sweet treat long before I could properly pronounce, let alone worry, about diabetes. 

My toes have the subtlest shade of bubble gum pink.  Nice, sweet and appropriately named Love from Careline Classics.

Tip: Both Love and Pretty Old Rose make nice base coats for French tips.

Nokia Contest from Manila Reviews

I like joining contests online, it's easy and convenient.  But luck doesn't seem to be on my side, I never win anything.  Sad no?

Anyway, I joined another contest, Manila Reviews' Nokia: My Life Contest.

Up for grabs is a cool Nokia 5230.

The ideal phone for bloggers and camwhores alike, as it can store a lot of photos with a 70 MB storage, 128 MB RAM for its internal memory. It also has a card slot for a micro SD that can store up to 16GB.  For more details of this wonder phone please visit Nokia's website.

I'll keep my fingers crossed and hopefully I win.

My Morning and Night Basics

My morning ritual after I step out from the shower is to wash my face with Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser.  I know, I should be doing this anytime during shower but I'm just more used to washing my face with a sink in front of a mirror.  Wala lang, trip ko lang.  I've been using Cetaphil since the 1990's and I'm really hiyang with this brand.  It also doubles as a moisturizer (I put this on my face, wait for it to dry then rinse everything off) when I feel that my skin is kind of dry and make-up remover of sorts. 

After washing my face I put on my contact lenses (when I'm going out) then moisturizer and tinted moisturizer.  Right now I'm using Nivea Refreshing Fluid with SPF 30 and Pond's Anti-aging Day Ceam (mine ran out when I took this photo) and Myra Vitaglow Tinted Moistrizer.  I moisturize my face first before putting on the tinted moisturizer.  Also, I like the combination of Pond's and Vitaglow better.  Here's why.

When I'm done with my face, I put lotion on my arms and legs, something which I don't really enjoy.  I'm lotion averse, you see, I don't like anything sticky on my skin especially during the more humid days.  But I have dry skin so tiis ganda na lang.  I use Bath and Body Works lotion or body cream, the usual pasalubong from friends and relatives from the States.

At night, I wash my face before going to bed.  On most days it's Cetaphil which I sometimes use as a make-up remover by applying it on my face then wiping everything off with tissue.  But please note that this doesn't work with heavy make-up and stubbornly waterproof eyeliner and mascara. Once or twice a week, I exfoliate using St. Ive's Apricot Scrub.  I still have the one with the old packaging because a friend who knows that I love this product gave me a couple of tubes a few years ago.  Like Cetaphil, I've been using St. Ive's since the 90's. Lasty, I put on moisturizer again.

So this is almost daily ritual unless I'm too sleepy to wash my face at night.  Yeah, I know that's bad but sometimes I'm just too lazy to care.

I Heart Urban Decay Hearts NYC Palette

I saw this on Facebook and to say that it's so fabulous is an understatement.  Though a lot of the colors in this palette are included in the Book of Shadows I and II and Alice in Wonderland palettes, I still badly want this one.  UD Hearts NYC also includes 24/7 Eyeliner Pencils in Zero and Ransom and UD Primer Potion.

I heart!  I heart!

This palette will be available on October 1.  For those who can't wait that long Urban Decay will have a sneak peek event on August 28 at Sephora in Times Square, where 1,000 pieces of babies will be sold.  Check out their event invitation on Facebook.  Lucky duckies!

Dear Santa, I promise to be nice from here on, just let me have this for Christmas.  Please...pretty please.

*images taken from Facebook

Gift Ideas from Sephora

I saw some items on sephora.com. which I think will make nice gifts for kikay friends. All of the items in this post is below Php500 (I used a conversion rate of $1=Php48), most are below Php250 if you divide the total price by the number of items in each set.   Pretty affordable if you ask me, and the best part, your girl friends' feeling of being special, priceless.

Korres Vitamin E 10-color Pencil Kit

This set has a $160 value but retails at a more affordable (or should I say bargain) price of $32.50 (approx. Php 1560).


Sephora Favorites Best in Bronze Deluxe Sampler Set

I think this set, which has a value of $113 but retails for only $39 (approx. Php1872), is really sulit because it contains 10 of Sephora's most loved bronzers and luminizers.  Check this out:

• Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals All Over Face Color in Faux Tan
• Josie Maran Bronzing Argan Oil
• Lorac Tantalizer Baked Bronzer in Golden Bronze
• Too Faced Pink Leopard Bronzing Powder
• Sephora Collection Nail Polish in Bright Red
• Benefit High Beam
• Temptu Retouch Highlighter in Gold
• Smashbox Artificial Light Illuminating Lotion in Glow
• Tarte EmphaseyesWaterproof Clay Shadow Liner in Bronze 
• Korres Monoi Oil Bronzing Powder in Sunglow Light 

 

Sephora Favorites Eau Girl Scent Sampler 

Sephora gathered 8 of their eau de parfum bestsellers valued at $80 and retails for $40 (approx. Php1920).  The deluxe sample size fragrances in this kit includes:

• Michael Kors Very Hollywood Eau de Parfum
• Clean Eau de Parfum
• Calvin Klein euphoria Eau de Parfum
• Givenchy Very Irresistible Eau de Toilette
• Yves Saint Laurent Parisienne Eau de Parfum
• Bvlgari Omnia Crystalline Eau de Toilette
• Gucci Flora Eau de Parfum 
• Tocca Cleopatra Eau de Parfum 

A Eau Boy Scent Sampler is also available. 

 

Rosebud Perfume Co. Three Lavish Layers of Lip Balm

Let me just say, a lip balm is a dry chappy lip's best friend.  This cult classic brand retails for $16 (approx. Php768).  The set includes:

• Strawberry Lip Balm
• Rosebud Salve
• Minted Rose Lip Balm

Stila Lip Glaze Twinkle Set ($55 Value) $20 (approx. Php960)

 

Ideal for your girl friends who are into lip glosses.  I have one of these in Grapefruit, while I'm not a lipgloss person, I appreciate the fact that the lip glaze is not that sticky, as other lip glosses tend to be and it has this nice fruity taste.  I'm just confused about the pricing of this set, individually it retails for $22 but as set it only costs $20 (approx. Php960) and a set contains 4 pieces so this is pretty good deal.  The variants are:

• Grapefruit
• Mauvelous
• Pinkle Twinkle
• Cherry Pie

 

Stila Collectible Travel Palette Road to Radiance Across the USA and Pretty In Paris 

Across the USA

Pretty in Paris

I love palettes so if there's a gift that I would like receive it would definitely be this one, friends, hint...hint. This palette contains 4 eye shadows and a convertible color, a product that can be used both on the cheeks and the lips.  Originally priced at $65 but it now retails at $10 each (approx. Php480).  That's practically a steal!

You may think that it's a bit too early to think about the holidays, but with the "ber months" just around the corner, the sooner you start on that list, the better.

*all images taken from Sephora's website

4U2 Sweet Girl Dream Eyeliner Pencil

I got this on sale at 50% off.  I like that it's retractable and I was sweet talked by the saleslady who told me that this is one of their more popular items. 

There's nothing sweet nor dreamy about this product.  Heck, it's not even fit to be called an eyeliner!  It's just an overpriced retractable pencil.  See for yourself.

It's all over the place

Let me just say, raccoon eyes

Looks like an ugly black eye

Just to get my money's worth, I also tried using it as a base for a dark smokey eye do but no can do, it was like ugly raccoon eyes times ten.  Totally not fit for public viewing.

4U2 Dream Girl Eyeliner, IMO, is a total rip-off!  Really, really no likey.

Repurchase?  Obvious ba?

Project Peklat: Week 6

I talked to a doctor/brother about my keloid worries.  He impatiently told me and as I imagine trying to keep his voice from laughing, that unless you're a keloid former (the term he used), chances of a scar developing into a keloid is a medical curiosity.  The lumpy appearance of the scar is directly proportional to how deep the wound is.  But, the lumpy appearance may or may not disappear.  So yey to no keloid!  Boo to lumpy scar.

Anyhoo, there has quite been an improvement on over the last two weeks.  My peklat is definitely smaller.  Though the color is not yet even, it appears to be a monochromatic shade of flesh now.  The other edges are not as dark brown anymore.

It's not as lumpy anymore! 

Looks like there's hope for me yet.

Update on Myra and Nivea Reviews

Something totally weird happened when I used my Nivea Moisturizer and Myra Vitaglow!

I changed my moisturizer (from Pond's) to Nivea Replenishing Protect SPF 30.  I did my usual routine, applied moisturizer on my face, waited for a few minutes for my skin to absorb the product then I put on Myra Vitaglow.  I was running late so I never bothered to look at the mirror again.  Later, someone asked me if I've been to beach because my face appeared darker.  I checked my face and true enough it was darker, not in a bad way, more like a bronze healthy looking tan.

As soon as I got home I tried to reenact everything I did that day.

My hands looked two shades darker.

Just Myra Vitaglow

Nivea Refreshing Fluid +Vitaglow

Even my E.L.F. Matte Mauve palette looked darker.

Original swatch

Nivea+Vitaglow+E.L.F. Matte Mauve

I swear, this is the same palette. 

I wonder what could be the possible explanation for this?

I'm a Hoarder

I'm such a hoarder especially when I see something really cheap (I'm referring to the price) that works.  Want proof?

Exhibit 1: Random Make-up Brushes

Seeing that these only cost Php29.75 at Ever Gotesco I tried this out.  I bought an eye make-up brush and an angled make-up brush.

I don't care much for the angled one but the eye make-up brush is pretty decent.  It's works well as a blending brush and can double as a concealer brush.  The size is quite ideal for traveling, plus it wouldn't be such major heartache if I lose or misplace one of these.

Needless to say, I was pretty happy with my purchase so I bought two more.

Exhibit 2: Myra Vitaglow Tinted Moisturizer

See posts here and here.

Exhibit 3: Nivea Sun Refreshing Fluid SPF 30

See post here.


Exhibit 3: Gel Shoe Cushions

See post here.  Just an update, I bought another pair of the heel cap and the heel liners.

Exhibit 4:  Random Eyeliners

I like playing and experimenting with these Php10 eyeliners.  But that's all their good for, these are quite dry, pretty challenging to apply and the staying power is really crappy.  I guess I got what I paid for.

These just show that I'm both a cheapo and a hoarder.

Neutral Territory

When I was younger I looked at neutral polishes as "pangmatanda".  I always preferred the more colorful and glittery shades.  But now that I'm older, I think neutrals look more sophisticated. 

Careline Classic Nail Polish in Apricot Beige

Matchy-matchy

Hay naku, ganyan talaga pag tumatanda.

Palette Obsession

I chanced upon my latest palette obsession while indulging in my guilty pleasure of the moment a.k.a. You Tube make up tutorials.

The Best of Both Worlds Palette  by yaby Cosmetics, a Canadian cosmetics company developed by make up artist Liz Yu. This palette contains forty of the most popular eyeshadow colors of the company.

Ain't that pretty?

Check out the swatches from MakeUpByCrystals.

Available at yabycosmetics.com for $120.  Yikes!  Expensivo for a cheapo like me.  But if you do the math $120 for 40 colors boils down to $3 dollars per color or Php150, not bad if you think about it, pwede na.  Not (yet) available here though, so I'll just continue drooling over this pretty baby.