Tutorial: Curling Your Hair with Paper Bags

Who would've thought that you can actually curl your hair with a paper bag!? This is probably the best and most ingenious and inexpensive hair tutorial I've ever watched on YouTube.

Watch RiceBunny's hair tutorial on how to curl your hair with a paper bag. Yup, a paper bag. For the ladies who love curling their hair, you can give your hair a break from all the heat damage you're causing to your tresses by trying this method instead.

Swatches: MAC Brunette, Blonde, Redhead Collection

Released (North America) January 8, 2008 (select in-stores and counters); January 9, 2008 (online) --- (International) February 2009

TO EACH THEIR OWN. Three dramatically different personalities, three perfectly personalized palettes. Eyes, cheeks, lips, formulated to be coiffure-complementary. Bombshell or bookworm, no matter. Colour-coordination this comprehensive makes it work! Designed to play-up the most potent and powerful accessory a girl has: her hair. The complete opposite of contrivance – this is simplicity itself. So basic it’s brilliant!

SWATCHES
Eye Kohl $14.50
Eyeshadows $14.50
Mineralized Skinfinish $28

Smolder - Intense black
Deep Shade Dusty blue
Henna Dark gold
Femme-fi Frosty golden cream
Brunette MSF Soft coral to copper bronze degrade

Phone Number - Smudgy charcoal
Top Knot - Deep black purple
Knight - Dark grey
Pincurl - Dusty white
Blonde (MSF) Soft Pink to Rose degrade

Teddy Dark - eyed bronze
French Cuff - Burgundy purple
100 Strokes - Ice pink
Flip - Bronze gold
Redhead MSF - Gold to salmon pink degrade


Lipstick $14
Tinted Lipglass $14

What A Do! - Neutral pink coral (Frost) (Brunette)
Chignon - Red plum (Chignon) (Brunette)
Quick Tease - Red purple (Brunette)
Soft Wave - Tan bronze (Brunette)

Marquise D‘ - Sandy cream peach (Lustre) (Redhead)
Blow Dry - Pink coral (Lustre) (Redhead)
Peroxide White pink (Blonde)
Strawberry Blonde Deep pink red (Blonde)

All’s Fair - Light purple pink (Frost) (Blonde)
B-Babe - Rich pink (Lustre) (Blonde)
Red Devil - Coral orange (Redhead)
Live and Dye - Cool pink (Redhead)




Credit maccosmetics.com

Overall: The whole collection was ok. I only picked up a couple of items that I thought I didn't have yet. I got the Redhead MSF and Pincurl eyeshadow. Most of they eyeshadows were dupable from my opinion especially if you already have Sumptious Olive or Mink & Sable (Starflash) which almost similar to Henna. Flip, however, is gorgeous, but I already own too many variations of gold eyeshadows. You can pass up on Deep Shade if you already have Deep Truth while 100 Strokes looks like Expensive Pink except the latter is a bit more orange.
Femme-Fi is a repromote color from Neo-Sci Fi, so if you missed out on that color pick it up because it makes an excellent highlight color (or you can go to your nearest CCO and hunt the Neo-Sci Fi version of that).

As for the Mineralized Skinfinishes, I actually liked the Blonde MSF, but I feel like it's like any other pink blush once it goes on your cheeks. I chose the Redhead MSF because it can make a great highlight and would pair up nicely with a bronzer to give you that California glow. This collection's Mineralized Skinfinishes (MSFs) were a bit different from your usual swirled MSFs since it has four splits of color you can either use different ways or make your combination or use it all together. It's almost like a bigger version of the eyeshadows from the Red She Said collection, except in blush form.

The collection is also now available online at maccosmetics.com.

Was there anything in this collection that caught your eye?

Kawaii Overload: New Eyeko Nail Polish

As if Eyeko doesn't have enough cute things available in their online store!

Eyeko has recently released a set of six shades of nail polish to add to their growing collection of cosmetics items. I can't get over how cute these nail polish bottles are!! They remind me of milk bottles for some reason.

Product blurb from the Eyeko website:

Nail the latest trends with Eyeko Polishes in six fashion forward shades. At just £3 for each 9ml bottle they're the perfect finishing touch for fashionistas with a price tag that won't nag your conscience.

Eyeko Punk Polish: Neon brights are hot this season so make fluorescent pink Eyeko Punk Polish your must-have accessory and get ahead of the fashion craze.

Eyeko Red Polish: This hot, hot, hot red gives a glamorous finish to your mani-pedi. Think old-skool Hollywood style like Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguilera.

Eyeko Pretty Polish: Go au naturel with just one coat of sheer pink for luxe-looking, super groomed nails.

Eyeko Vamp Polish: Keep nails short and blunt to nail this deep, dark midnight blue for a cool, vampy look like Gossip Girls Leighton Meester and Blake Lively.

Eyeko Disco Polish: For instant embellishment one coat of Eyeko Disco Polish will dazzle you with total glitter coverage minus the gritty feel!

Eyeko Pastel Polish: Dip your toe into the pastel trend. Two coats of this gorgeous baby blue will create that opaque sugared almond look Lily Allen craves.

Purchase your bottle £3.00 (approx $4-5 USD) at Eyeko.com and get free shipping on any orders all over the world. Enter code E122 on every order to receive a free gift!

Traveling with Makeup 101 - What's on Your Carry-on?

As you all may have known, I recently made a trip to the Philippines to see my family and friends for the holidays. I was really excited to come back home and spend Christmas with them. But one thing for sure, I was not looking forward was the packing... especially my precious makeup.

I kid you not, but it took me a whole week to finish getting everything inside my two luggages. I know I was only going to be gone for a week, but I just dread packing my clothes and everything I need for my trip. What if that's not what I really wanted or needed? Or worse, what if I forgot something I needed.

One thing I had to keep in mind was to be organized and make things simple. Making a list and pairing outfits together already. As for my makeup, the greatest tip I probably got is "sticking with the essentials." Remember, you're going to go on a trip. Chances are you might not be able to do your whole routine where you'll be at. You would probably be in a super time crunch because of where you have to go, but you still would want to look presentable to where ever you're heading.

I've gone on trips where I brought my whole makeup stash (and I'm sure most of us have), and trust me, you won't get through all of them. You wouldn't need all of them. You wouldn't even touch all of them. So save yourself all the trouble and leave most of them at home. Besides, you wouldn't want any of them breaking or getting lost in between transportation.

Like I mentioned earlier, pack the essentials. The more convenient an item is (i.e. multi-purpose) the better and easier for you since that's one less item you have to carry with you. The less you bring, the better especially if you're flying especially with airport security being so much stricter with what how much liquid item can go on board with you or how heavy your luggage and carry-on you can bring.

So what did I end up bringing with me on my carry-on?




So this is the makeup bag I brought with me for the whole trip along with a quart size ziplock bags for my liquid items that I thought I may need for my 16 hour flight.

Ok, 16 hours is a long flight. Sometimes, some airlines would provide you with the basic things you might need to freshen up before landing. I remember getting a mini bag two years ago with a pair of socks (to keep my tootsies warm), toothbrush and a toothpaste, and a lipbalm. But with budget cuts happening left and right with some airline companies lately, most likely those things probably had to go to keep their rates low. And, I made sure I was prepared then.

Because we are only allowed a certain amount of liquids in our carry-on bag, we have to pack smarter. Instead of hand sanitizers, I opted for wet wipes to "wash" my hands. It's a bit more convenient than standing up and going to to lavatory to do that and disturbing your neighbor. And most especially, it doesn't count or need to fit in your ziplock baggie because it's liquid. And to freshen up my face, why not get face wipes especially packed for traveling? Just toss it after you're done! No need for that face cleanser or trying to hold and push the lever in the lavatory so you can get some water out to rinse your face. And there's also my toothbrush right next to it. You can easily purchase these wipes at your local drugstore or Target for about a buck each.

And you're probably wondering what's the bag inside the bag. Because I had a smaller makeup bag, I decided to put my essential makeup items in there. The ones that I wouldn't even think about packing in my check in luggage. I didn't want to risk breaking or losing them while they handled my luggage. I just put it inside a bigger makeup bag for sorting and organizing purposes when it's time to throw it in my big purse.

So that's pretty much what I brought with me to make my face. Although I had my brushes packed in my luggage. I had to narrow down my choices to a more reasonable amount. It took me awhile, but I did it. You really don't need a lot to get by for the few days you're gone.

Inside the bag:

1. MAC 4-well Pro Palette (Woodwinked, Shroom, Goldmine, and Clue) - this was my neutral palette I suppose. I chose this colors because they're pretty much fool-proof colors for me and it's flexible that I can use it as my day or nighttime look depending on the application.
2. Kat Von D palette (in Beethoven) - was my "creative" palette. This one has the purples, blue, and green. It was my only palette that has a good variety of color packed in one just in case I want to play up my eyes with some colors.
3. Bihada Ichizoku blush in Peach - my go-to blush everytime to give me a natural blush. Pretty much works with any color I throw on my eyes too.
4. MAC So Ceylon MSF - for some sun-kissed or bronze look. It can also double as your contouring powder.
5. Paul & Joe Compact Powder - much more convenient than carrying a liquid foundation and less messier than a mineral foundation.

And that's pretty much my makeup stash for the whole trip. A few tidbits to keep in mind:

Have two small palettes. One neutral and another one if you want some color. There's really no need to bring your 88 Coastal Scents palette with you. Chances are it might even break while your traveling because of it's ginormous size. Keep it simple. Or you can simply bring ONE MAC 15-well palette and customize the eyeshadows that you need. Fifteen eyeshadows are probably more than what you'll need. But it'll be better if you have two smaller palettes that will fit your needs.

For your cheeks, one blush and one bronzer. Pick your favorite out of your whole collection; the one that really compliments your skin. No need to bring four, five, or all of them.

Powder over liquid. If you need foundation, bring a compact with you. It's so much more convenient in the end. If you really and have to use liqiud foundation, just transfer a it to a 3 oz bottle which will go in your ziplock bag.

And now, my ziplock bag. TSA regulations prohibits carrying liquid or gel items on board that's more that 3 oz. Anything more than 3 oz must be checked-in your luggage, and if it's found on your carry-on it's most likely going to get tossed out. For all carry-ons, the 3-1-1 rule apply: 3 ounce bottle or less (by volume) ; 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-top bag; 1 bag per passenger placed in screening bin.

A quart-sized ziplock back is as big as a sandwhich bag (not the freezer bag). You can put as much as you can as long as they're less than 3 oz (anything over that has to go) and the ziplock bag can close.

I know some people have gotten away with using a freezer bag, but you are risking it. I've read stories online about it. You'll never know, so just stick to the rules so there's no argument.

And these are my liquid or gel items that I carried on-board with me:
1. lotion
2. deodorant
3. mascara
4. cheekstain
5. lipstick
6. lipbalm
7. eyeliner
8. lipgloss
9. toothpaste
10. moisturizer

Ok, some of you might argue that half of the items are not considered liquid or gel, so why are they in the ziplock bag? Just to play it safe. I really love my Dior lipstick and I really wanted to bring it, but I'm not about to risk it getting thrown away in the bin just because I didn't put it inside the bag. I know you can easily put this in your purse, but you can easily just include it in your ziplock bag. I've heard horror stories where some airport officials consider lipsticks as gel items. I'm sure you can argue that but obviously they would most likely win. Interpretation of the rules varies from different airports. Sorry, but the world is not perfect and there's one person that probably will want to ruin your day and pick on you. So if you're unsure, just toss it in the bag or check it in. Arguing or throwing a fit is probably not a good idea over a lipstick or mascara. Some are sticklers about this, but they're just doing their job.

Keep in mind...

Only use 3 oz bottles. No, you can't use a 4 oz bottle half filled. It's just not going to fly (pun intended). Make sure that the bottle you're using is airport approved.

Make sure the weight of the product can be clearly read. Even though you think that it's small enough not to be over 3 oz just in case they do argue and say it is otherwise. At least that way, you can prove that it's not over 3 oz because it's imprinted.

Don't use a your freezer ziplock bag.

If you're unsure, just put it in your ziplock bag or check it in your luggage.

For more information, check out the TSA website.

I know some of you may argue some parts of this, but that's just how I packed my makeup for my trip.

You're probably wondering where's my sunscreen? Well I mistakenly packed it in my luggage. Make sure to bring it with you in a small container while you're on board. You'll need the sunscreen even though your inside an aircraft since it's when the UV rays are much stronger because you're much higher into the atmosphere. So don't make the same mistake as I did and forget on including sunscreen of all things. This is also when all those sample sizes will come in handy!

Happy flying!

Manila Pow Wow with the Pinay Beauty Bloggers

One of the greatest perks about getting into beauty blogging is probably meeting new people that eventually become your friends who shares the same passion as you. I never thought that I will meet the same people behind the blogs I read religiously everyday. It's just amazing how real and amazing these people are in person. It was all fun and laughs meeting these girls, and it just feels like I've known them for quite some time now and it was just like old friends getting together again.

Here are the pictures from the Pow Wow. Thank you Sophie for the pictures of the night. I forgot my camera in my luggage so I didn't have any pictures in my camera. I'll edit this post again once I get the pictures from Shen's camera.

Before dinner, and after hauling at The FaceShop in Shangri-la.

A better and closer picture. Left to right: My elementary school friend Georgina, me, Nikki, Shen, Sophie, Jaime, and Anvi.

Shen and I. Look how straight my hair is. I got it rebonded (straightened) that day. It looks a bit weird there, but it looks so much better now. I love how really soft, shiny, and straight my hair looks and feels. And it's soo much lighter now too. It only cost me $57 including tip. If I were to get it done here it will easily cost me $200. How do I know? I got it done before and it only left my hair fried and ugly :(. Sad story of my life.

I was like this the whole night. Laughing my heart out. These girls are seriously sooo funny! I thought Shen will be a shy one based on my impression of her on her blog. But this girl was so hilarious. She gave me a serious ab workout from laughing.

Anvi and Jaime

Jheng and Shen. Jheng's makeup skills are amazing. This girl can blend! It's soo much better seeing her makeup in person. These two girls are even more hilarious together...

..as you can see from this picture. I think that's all I did the whole night was laugh. I seriously had tears in my eyes from laughing.

Our food was sooo good! Thanks Shen for taking me to this place. I love it! The meat is still raw when they serve it to you and you have to cook it while the plate is still sizzling. It's making my mouth water just thinking about it.

The whole crew. I think I was the only one who didn't have makeup on lol. Unfortunately, Nikki wasn't able to join us since she already had previous engagements for the night. Although the get together was arranged last minute, I was surprised that they were able to come out. I thought I was only going to meet Shen and Nikki. Thank you soo much for coming out and making time for this mini-Pow Wow.

Sophie, Jheng, and Jaime. Sophie was the photographer of the night. This girl means business with her DSLR camera. I also learned some good stuff from her while she was talking about makeup that night.

Thank you girls for a wonderful night and memories. I really had so much fun. Thank you for the gifts and I'm soo happy I have my very own Charm brush travel set. I really love it! Thanks Sophie! Oh and for the yema too :). Thanks Shen for the Ellana samples and the handmade necklace, and Nikki for the Nail Art pen I can't wait to use.

I really can't wait to make my return there. Hopefully next time I'll be able to join you guys for drinks :D. Our mini Pow Wow was definitely a great ending to my short trip!