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Beauty & Fashion

in Beauty & Fashion

Beauty + Review: MAC x Toledo Collection Sin Lipstick

March 12, 2015

MAC, MAC Cosmetics, Sin, Lipstick, Ruben Toledo, Isabel Toledo, Toledo, Toledo Collection, Dark, Bold, Red

As I recently posted on Instagram, I was actually looking forward to getting a lipstick from the Cinderella Collection but was rather turned off about how the colours washed me out. I guess I’m just too pale for them and I need my lipsticks to have a bit of opacity and not just shimmer all over.

It was a good thing that MAC Cosmetics’ Toledo Collection was also out and so I had another collection to turn to for this season (the Bao Bao Wan collection is also out, by the way but I wasn’t in the mood for colours that were that bright).

The Toledo collection is inspired by Isabel and Ruben Toledo – arguably one of the most prolific couples in the art world and in fashion too. Their creations are known to be… err.. what’s the term? I don’t think there’s actually one word to describe their works but let’s go with eccentric-chic. Bold colours, vintage cuts with a modern twist for clothes, exaggerated lines for illustrated faces. It’s quirky yet with such an air of sophistication that only this couple can pull off.

So it’s no wonder that when MAC announced that they will have a collection inspired by this couple, bold reds and a parade of colours suddenly appeared in my brain. And I was right. The collection does not disappoint with the variety of colours available – especially for the eyeshadows. But of course, I was there for lipsticks that day. 😉

I was leaning towards getting Oxblood – a peachy-nude colour. I don’t really have enough nudes in my collection and I have a tonne of reds. But then I realised that I miss Sin – a shade that I used to wear back in college when I was totally into anything gothic.

MAC, MAC Cosmetics, Sin, Lipstick, Ruben Toledo, Isabel Toledo, Toledo, Toledo Collection, Dark, Bold, Red

I ended up getting that one as I found the other reds to similar to ones that I already own. Sin is a permanent colour so yes, I was basically buying this for packaging – which is gorgeous by the way. On the brighter side of things, I won’t get my heart broken once I finish a limited edition lipstick and MAC is no longer re-releasing it. Hello, Maleficent Collection’s True Love’s Kiss. (I know what limited editions do to me but I still buy certain colours. Call it a bad romance of sorts.)

Sin is quite popular when it comes to being included in certain collections. Aside from the Toledo collection, it was also recently included in MAC’s Rocky Horror Picture Show Collection launched last year.

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in Beauty & Fashion, Skincare

Beauty + Review: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

February 23, 2015

First Aid Beauty, Ultra Repair Cream, Moisturiser, Sephora, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Beauty Another quick review! 🙂 By now you probably know how much moisturiser means to my daily life. If you didn’t know it yet prior to reading that sentence – well, now you do. I confess my love for good moisturisers time and time again. I never get tired of trying out new stuff, raving about or hating on it afterwards then going through the cycle again. That’s just how it is. 😀 So for this entry, I’m going to rave about First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Cream. After going through my Ziaja Natural Argan Oil Protective Face Cream, I knew that my next moisturiser would have really big shoes to fill. That’s how much I loved that stuff. (It’s not available in KL so there’s no chance of repurchasing it ASAP) First Aid Beauty, Ultra Repair Cream, Moisturiser, Sephora, Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Beauty I did my research on which brands of moisturisers other girls are going gaga for and I decided to try out First Aid Beauty after seeing so many good reviews about it online. So far, it’s been one of my best purchases. Continue reading

in Beauty & Fashion

Beauty + Review: Sephora Blush Me Twice Duo Versatile No 2

February 21, 2015

Sephora, Blush Me Twice, Duo Versatile No 2, Review, Beauty Blogger

Here’s a really quick review on my current favourite blush/bronze duo. I’ve been using this for months and I’ve already been hitting pan on this baby.

I bought Sephora’s Blush Me Twice months ago, thinking that it was going to be something that’s worth my money having these two must-haves for a price that’s only a wee bit higher than if I were getting a full-sized blush from the same brand.

The shades that this compact comes with are brown and apricot.

Brown is a dark-tanned coloured powder that has a matte finish while Apricot is peachy-pink with a slight sheen from the fine golden glitter in the powder.

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in Beauty & Fashion, Fashion Tips

Fashion: Golden Globes 2015 Faves

January 13, 2015

A bit late to the party and admittedly, I wasn’t able to watch it live. Thank goodness for replays and the internet! And of course, I won’t be able to forgive myself if I didn’t make a post on my favourite looks. Honestly, I watch award shows not just to find out who wins what but for the fashion as well. Nothing too spectacular about that. All I’m saying is I’m like every other girl who catches the replays and checks out the best/worst dressed lists so I can go ‘oooh’ and ‘aaah’ and ‘eeew’ at people. Pretty normal.

So without further yapping (I should try to be less verbose, right? But really, that just won’t be me.), here are my favourite, favourite looks from the last Golden Globes (cos T&A won’t be hosting next year – and really – who can ever replace those two?!):

1. Emma Stone

Emma Stone, Golden Globes, 2015, Lanvin

Photo from MTV

Surprise! Not. Everyone who knows me personally knows how much I love this girl the moment I saw her on Superbad (Loved her more in Easy A). She is fun, she is quirky, and she has great taste. A couple of friends have told me for years how much I remind them of her cos of the humungous eyes and the quirky personality (in reel and real life) and I’ve always had one reaction to it: I’ll take it! Haha! That’s how much I love this girl. But really, my love (read: bias) for her is not really playing a huge part on her being my number one. Just look at that outfit.

I mean, really. Look at that Lanvin number on her! I practically drooled when I saw it. It’s classy and elegant with just the right amount of oomph to it. It’s crisp and sleek and shiny but not too loud. It’s so many things rolled into one. Damn, girl. I want that on me.

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Asia Fashion Week, Mercedes Benz, Stylo, 2014
in Beauty & Fashion, Diplomatic Incidents, Events, Fashion

Events + Fashion: Mercedes Benz Stylo Asia Fashion Week Favourites

December 18, 2014

Last October – yes, October! This post is so late! – I attended the Mercedes Benz Stylo Asia Fashion Week here in Kuala Lumpur with some of my husband’s colleagues from the embassy. Our Consul General, my friend Johann who’s a Vice Consul just like my husband, and Ms Gigi who’s the embassy’s trade attache. No, my husband wasn’t with us as the seats allotted for the embassy were limited – and let’s face it. I’m of more use at a fashion show than he is. And he knows that. So he willingly stayed at home for some guy/alone time. Who says the wife is just an accessory to the diplomat? Hmm? 😉

Just to warn you, this is going to be a picture heavy post. I’d keep the text down to a minimum and just share photos of my favourite pieces from each collection that we saw. And a bit of side stories here and there. Cos really – would you want me yapping about cuts and silhouettes and colours and patterns instead of just checking out the photos? 😛

 ALBERT ANDRADA (Philippines)

(Related: Albert Andrada wins ‘Most Connected Designer’ award at Asia Fashion Week)

Albert Andrada, Asia Fashion Week, Mercedes Benz, Stylo, 2014

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in Beauty & Fashion, Skincare

Beauty + Review: Ziaja Natural Argan Oil Protective Face Cream

December 3, 2014
Ziaja, Moisturiser, Argan Oil, Facial Cream, Protective, Skin Care

My new favourite moisturiser – which I’m about to finish off! 🙂

While I am head over heels in love with makeup, I’ve got to admit that I’m more obsessed over skincare. I can wax poetic all day about how having clear, healthy skin is the key ingredient to looking good. No matter how much makeup you put on, at the end of the day, if your skin isn’t properly taken care of, it will show. Unless you use some magic called Photoshop or slap a filter on a selfie.

Great skin has a lot to do with genetics and I thank all the saints for letting me come from bloodlines that don’t have any skin problems. I’m pretty sure both my mom and my dad, as well as my grandparents on both sides, never had a tough acne problem. Come to think of it, the best example would have to be my grandma (dad’s side) who just turned 95.

Carolyn Ramoran, Carol Ramoran, Carolyn Malasig, Carolyn Ramoran Hamilton, Carol Hamilton, Carolyn Hamilton, Greta Hamilton

My grandma when she was younger. I think this was in the early 40s. Isn’t she a beauty? 😉

Carolyn Ramoran, Carol Ramoran, Carol Malasig, Carolyn Hamilton, Carol Ramoran Hamilton, Greta Hamilton

And this is her just a couple of weeks ago during her 95th birthday. Look at her skin! It’s too beautiful for a 95 year old! And I’m not just saying this cos she’s my grandma who swears by how much I resembled her when she was young. 😉

But my grandma, who already had great skin to begin with, didn’t keep her skin healthy just by letting it be. She nurtured it and kept it hydrated. According to my dad, she has always (and still is) been religious in applying her creams and moisturisers. I started taking care of my skin quite seriously at age 23 and now that I’m 25, I can honestly say that I’m gonna be making my grandma proud. 😉 Moisturiser has also become my religion and I intend to stay devoted till I die.

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in Beauty & Fashion

Beauty + Review: MAC Cosmetics’ No Faux Pas Lipstick

November 27, 2014
MAC, MAC Cosmetics, Heirloom Collection, Lipstick, Makeup, No Faux Pas, Limited Edition

Loving the packaging for MAC Cosmetics’ Heirloom Mix Collection! 🙂

The past couple of days haven’t been too busy. I have no excuse for not posting here other than me trying to get back into my not-so-daily grind a.k.a. scheduled activities which include writing here.

So before I get carried away talking about something else (like I always do), I will get to the subject of this blog entry – a new lipstick! I can only imagine my husband’s face right now and his slight amazement at how I can have so many tubes and still feel like I don’t have the particular colour I want to wear for a certain day. 😉

This was actually something I picked up a couple of weeks ago, while my in-laws were still here. MAC’s Holiday Collection called Heirloom Mix just came out and I was totally loving the packaging of their makeup sets and the colours of some of the lipsticks I saw online got me intrigued! They looked promising in photos!

When I got to the MAC store in Pavilion KL the first time, I left without swatching or buying anything as I already have Rebel (a permanent colour) and some of the colours were already quite close to those that I have. I even said that No Faux Pas just basically looks like Candy Yum Yum. But man, was I wrong.

I went back to the same store after a couple of days to buy a lipstick for our Cultural Attache at the embassy who was having a birthday (I got her a permanent shade called Speak Louder which she loved! Yay! Happy birthday, Ms Grace!) and as usual, I ended up chatting with one of the makeup artists. I told her I was kind of interested with No Faux Pas but seeing as it already had the ‘Sold Out’ sticker on its tester, I felt like it wasn’t meant to be. But then she told me that someone who had it reserved cancelled so they still had one last tube.

I took it as a sign and practically forced my money on to the cashier. I’m glad I did it. No Faux Pas is actually a great shade and a smart buy!

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in Beauty & Fashion, Diplomatic Incidents, Events

Republish: Albert Andrada wins ‘Most Connected Designer’ award at Asia Fashion Week

October 24, 2014

(An article I wrote yesterday, originally published on Rappler.com.)

MOST CONNECTED DESIGNER. Filipino Fashion Designer Albert Andrada (2nd from L) is named Asia’s Most Connected Designer at the Mercedes Benz Stylo Asia Fashion Week in Kuala Lumpur. The award was presented by Mercedes Benz Malaysia CEO Roland Folger (L), Bloomberg TV Malaysia CEO Michael Chan, and Stylo founder Datuk Nancy Yeoh. All photos by Carol Ramoran

MOST CONNECTED DESIGNER. Filipino Fashion Designer Albert Andrada (2nd from L) is named Asia’s Most Connected Designer at the Mercedes Benz Stylo Asia Fashion Week in Kuala Lumpur. The award was presented by Mercedes Benz Malaysia CEO Roland Folger (L), Bloomberg TV Malaysia CEO Michael Chan, and Stylo founder Datuk Nancy Yeoh.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – It was a night of glitz and glamour with designers all over Asia coming together to showcase their latest creations, and it came as no surprise when yet another Filipino stood out among the talent pool.

Filipino fashion designer Albert Andrada took home the Most Connected Designer Award, one of the three awards given at the Mercedes Benz Stylo Asia Fashion Week held in Kuala Lumpur from October 17-22.

ASIA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL. This year's Most Influential Designer, Joe Chia (L), in a light moment with last year’s winner, Avel Bacudio

ASIA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL. This year’s Most Influential Designer, Joe Chia (L), in a light moment with last year’s winner, Avel Bacudio

Andrada’s collection was composed of soft-colored, whimsical pieces that – in true Andrada fashion – celebrated the female silhouette.

He says he drew inspiration from “under the sea,” bringing to life patterns that call to mind the gentle movements of waves, with flowy skirts taking centre stage.

Well-known shoe designer Jimmy Choo was also at the event and sat up front to watch Andrada’s show.

For about two decades, Andrada worked as a designer for the royal family of Fujeirah, one of the seven kingdoms of the United Arab Emirates before he made his way back to the Philippines.

His designs are coveted not just in Manila, but in different parts of the world. His work has also caught the eye of hotel heiress Paris Hilton, who wore a sequined ivory dress that was a part of his Chinese Empress collection, featured in Philippine Fashion Week 2013.

This isn’t the first time a Filipino has made waves in the fashion industry in Kuala Lumpur and Asia. Just last year, Filipino designer Avel Bacudio was named Asia’s Most Influential Designer at the same event. Winning the award, he said, changed his life.

FILIPINO PRIDE. Philippine Consul General and Charge d’Affaires Medardo Macaraig pose with Filipino designers who participated in the event

FILIPINO PRIDE. Philippine Consul General and Charge d’Affaires Medardo Macaraig pose with Filipino designers who participated in the event

Before the 2014 winner was named, Bacudio showed his latest collection of ready-to-wear fashion both for men and women featuring digital prints of church interiors. The crisp lines of Bacudio’s clothes paired with intricate gothic designs make for wearable yet elegant pieces that can be dressed up or down.

Despite all the success, the Filipino designer’s feet stay firmly planted on the ground. Bacudio thanked his friends, family, and the crowd that supported his designs, ending by saying “And lastly, I am very proud to be a Filipino.”

Bacudio also dropped by the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur for a courtesy call to Consul General and Charge d’Affaires Medardo Macaraig. During the meeting, the designer expressed his interest to promote Filipino talents further while helping his fellow Filipinos abroad in whichever way he can.

WINNERS. The awardees pose with designer Jimmy Choo, the organizers of the event, and the models wearing their creations

WINNERS. The awardees pose with designer Jimmy Choo, the organizers of the event, and the models wearing their creations

This year’s Most Influential Designer Award went to Malaysia’s Joe Chia who also won the Asian Industry’s Choice Award last year while Taiwan’s Chung Ting Liu was named Most Promising Designer.

This year’s Mercedes Benz Stylo Asia Fashion Week was held within the inaugural Malaysian Fashion Week. The endeavor is backed by the Malaysian government and is seen as a significant partnership in promoting Malaysian and other Asian designers to an international audience.

Other Filipino designers who were also featured during the event include Jeffrey Rogador, Rosenthal Tee, Roland Alzate, and Noel Crisostomo. – Rappler.com

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MAC, Nouvelle Vogue, Lipstick, The Matte Lip, Matte,
in Beauty & Fashion

Beauty + Review: MAC Cosmetics’ Nouvelle Vogue Lipstick

October 17, 2014

My latest squeeze. MAC’s Nouvelle Vogue lipstick from The Matte Lip collection. <3

I AM IN LOVE! And no, this isn’t the anniversary high talking (though admittedly, it’s still there). This is the lipstick-crazy, MAC fanatic me taking over my whole persona. I know, I know. I’m known among my friends as the girl having way too many bold red lipsticks.

However, contrary to popular belief, I also wear different shades and own a lot of them actually. From pale nudes to electric pinks down to shocking purples. Okay, I think I have way too many lipsticks already but it’s my only vice. So let me have this one, okay? And I declare – on this day, 17th of October 2014 – that my favourite pink lipstick ever is MAC Cosmetics’ Nouvelle Vogue! As soon as I saw it on display, I knew – we were meant for each other.

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in Beauty & Fashion, Skincare

Beauty + Review: GoodSkin Labs Circleplex-2 Dark Circle Specialists for Eyes

October 7, 2014

GoodSkin Labs’ Circleplex-2 Dark Circle Specialists for Eyes.

I don’t remember how many times I’ve said “The bags under my eyes are Givenchy (or insert other designer brand her)” in my lifetime, followed by either a sly smile or sarcastic laugh. Maybe around a thousand?

The dark circles under my eyes and the puffiness that comes with them when I’m tired or lacking in sleep has been the bane of my existence. Pair that with my ultra-white skin (MAC NC15/NC20 – pale!) that only enhances the dark colour… Well, you get the sleepy/tired-looking picture.

While I don’t get much skin problems like blemishes or too much oil, my under eye circles have been enough of an annoyance. Though I can hide them with concealer everyday, I’ve often toyed with the idea of just making them go away and skipping a step in my morning makeup routine. So it’s one of my many missions in life to get rid of them – permanently. I’ve tried a good number of eye creams due to various circumstances.

Friends and brands (back when I was working in the media) giving skincare stuff to try, samples being included in makeup and skin care products I buy, and sometimes just out of curiosity and giving in to cute packaging or what new ingredient is written on the box. Lately, I was given GoodSkin Labs‘ Circleplex-2 Dark Circle Specialists for Eyes to try out and since I was already about to finish my sample-sized Benefit It’s Potent Eye Cream which was also very helpful in reducing the dark circles, I was fairly open to trying out a new product before deciding on which one to purchase next.

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