A Piece of Cake

Koji Linequeen Oval Eyebrow Pencil - THE Ultimate Eyebrow Saver

2011-06-07T07:53:00.000-07:00

Hail to all the super women who are stuck with sparse eyebrows!

If you are a woman, has problems with barely there eyebrows, live in Indonesia, then you must be living 6 ft. underground if you have never heard of Viva eyebrow pencil. It said to be waterproof but based on my experience it melted a bit when I sweat and definitely lost its staying power after 4 hours, so reapplication is a must. Or in most cases I needed to do eyebrow status check-in the rest room at least once during office hours.

Pensil alis Viva - pic from pipikedut.wordpress.com

As this comes in black and brown, this pencil is most suitable for those with dark brows. If you have lighter brows, you can still use it but definitely you need to apply with very very light hand.

Despite its cult status in Indonesia, though, this pencil is a b*ch to use when I'm in a hurry and just don't have the time to draw my eyebrows because it is really have dark color transfer. It's easy to overdo the coloring.

But eversince the trip to KL last month, I made a drastic change and just put away my beloved Viva that I'd been using for years for this amaaaazing new product made in Japan called "Koji Linequeen Oval Eyebrow Pencil."

This pencil comes in 3 colors dark brown, red brown and yellow brown, for the lighter brow ladies out there and comes in a twisted pencil form. The following are the reasons why I think this is such an amazing eyebrow pencil :

Dual head -- one end is the brush

The other head - fine oval tip

One just can't go wrong with this pencil. The pencil tip is soft so it's just impossible to end up with hars lines. Just brush the brows and put them in place then start drawing my brows just the way I want them to be. The application is so effortless.

And the other best feature is that it's waterproof and long lasting. I could put it on early in the day and come home late and my brows are still in top shapes.

Top : Viva; Bottom : Koji

These kind of brows are a piece of cake these days!

I haven't seen this across Jakarta stores, but if you have a quick trip to Singapore or KL, check out the drugstores or makeup counters grab this baby.

OCC Lip Tar swatches

2011-06-06T02:02:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to test out the OCC Lip Tar for ages, unfortunately these tars are not sold anywhere in Jakarta so I have to patiently twiddle my thumb until somebody is generous enough to do a purchase order.

That moment has finally arrived! You can follow the link here to purchase order at Lena's Shop, although let me convince you that ordering does not cause massive headache as choosing the shades you want. I spent hours looking at various websites like Temptalia, Leesha, Queenofblending, OCC Makeup, Specktra and google to get some ideas of what certain colors look like because 1) I obviously can't buy them all 2) I can only buy two. It's just ridiculous that I think a dress/shoes or a bag which cost more than Rp 200.00 as expensive but I have no qualms dropping major bucks for a lipstick.

After several hours of staring at the computer screen, these are some of the shades that made the line up:


Strutter, Harlot, Grandma


Strumppet, NSFW, Stalker

See what I meant? Different lip tars came out different on different ladies. I actually was pretty interested in buying the nude colors; Trick and Petty Beige, but I have several nude shades at home I hardly touch so I decided to stay clear of those colors.

In the end, I decided to get Harlot and Anime (bright pink fuchsia) and just hope that I don't change my mind overnight.

(pic courtesy of Leesha (xsparge), Christine (temptalia), Aru89 (Specktra member)

Unfolding Another Secret to Radiant Skin : The Artistry Intensive Skincare Renewing Peel

2011-05-10T06:26:00.000-07:00

Jakarta (pic from Jakarta-indohotels.com)

When you are living in Jakarta, harsh weather and dirty polluted air are a given. Add the aging process into the equation and sooner or later your skin will seem dry ad dull. Thankfully there are plenty of skincare products that promise to shed that dull skin away by exfoliating dead skin cells thus giving you back the bright glowing skin that’s so rightfully yours. However, with different ranges of peeling treatment out there, it’s very important to know your skin type and its possible reaction to the treatment. If you have a sensitive skin, even the mildest type of peeling product might make your face itch, red and flaky and before you know it, you’d rather lock yourself up in your room rather than face the world.

Those with healthy faces should hold off holding the party, though. According to the post in the FashioneseDaily (Deszell 2011), your face might be home to bacteria called porphyin, an organic compound that can be found in living tissue or in byproduct of living tissue. It’s produced by Propionbacterium acnes bacteria (P.acnes) that usually live in the pores. This is one factor that contributes to the development of acne and when exposed to the sun, the prophyrins may release harmful free radicals that can accelerate skin aging. Ugh! I have a feeling that I might be a host of these bacteria given how easy my skin had breakouts these days.
I was recently invited by the Fashionese Daily to participate in reviewing the Artistry Intensive Skincare Renewing Peel that was just launched recently. I immediately jumped up and down because I was a long time member of Team Peeling and the chance of reviewing a peeling product was not something I would pass up.

The main ingredient of the Artistry Intensive Skincare Renewing Peel, according to Deszell’s note was an enzyme of Mucor Miehei Mushroom (say that with me, everyone!), which will work to lift up your dead skin cells until it reaches the cells where the PH is balanced. That’s where the Mucor Miehei Mushroom will stop lifting anymore of your skin cells and therefore it will not cause any irritation. Now, one of my top 10 ten favorite words is mushroom (chocolate and sambal are others) , so a “smart” mushroom is exciting!

First Application – Saturday Evening

The Artistry Intensive Skincare Renewing Peel promises that after 8 minutes of application, you would have smooth and glowing skin. Now what woman wouldn’t want that? While I was ecstatic to receive the samples, I was a tad disappointed because I couldn’t experience the real packaging. The instructions suggested that user applies 8 pumps of the gel-like product thinly onto clean face. I applied the Peel gel evenly and thinly across my face and neck, then waited for approximately 8 minutes for the product to do its magic. While waiting, I felt my skin warmed up a tiny bit but that’s that. No feeling of itchiness or burning sensation that I usually experienced when trying out stronger peeling product. Once the 8 minutes were up, I softly massaged my face to help the exfoliating process. Cleansing off the product was easy as the warm water washed the gel away.

The Result

In short, I felt nothing. I was a bit worried that I might not do the instruction right because I didn’t feel and see any change on my face. However, this might also due to the gentler and naturally derived ingredients in the Peel that hold off irritation that usually accompanies chemical peel. I could still feel that my face was a bit warm after 30 minutes but that’s the only sensation I felt. Unfortunately, the next day I had one new spot on my left cheek which made me wonder if the Peel was to blame.

Second Application – Wednesday Evening

Since the product was not supposed to be used more than twice a week and not two days in a row, I chose Wednesday for my second application. I followed the previous regimen, washing my face, and then use the 2nd sachet of sample of The Artistry Intensive Skincare Renewing Peel. Since I was so used to a peeling treatment, I actually was pretty tempted to lengthen the waiting time. Again, during the 8 minute wait time I experienced a warming sensation on my face which lingered a bit after I washed off the product.

The result

Bingo! Now this time, I felt a big difference on the way my skin felt. My face was really smooth to the touch, glowed a bit and looked fantastically suppler and moisturized. Too bad it was late and the only place I’d rather be was my cozy bed.

2nd Week

I applied the Peel two more times after the first week. While I could not really feel the lasting difference in my skin texture, I can definitely feel how smooth my skin feels seconds after taking off the product. It's definitely as smooth as baby's bottom and I just couldn't stop touching my face.

The Verdict

image source : http://mychildmalaysia.com/

The Artistry Intensive Skincare Renewing Peel is a product that might make a difference the longer you use it, just like any skincare. To decide whether this product really delivers, I'd suggest at least 6 weeks of application. This is the rule of thumb I follow for other skincare products.

Since I've religiously used dermatologist prescribed AHA night cream for years, the Artistry Intensive Skincare Renewing Peel is very mild in my book. However, those who never use any peel and posses sensitive skin would perhaps benefit more from this Artistry product. An additional note though, I noticed that my face doesn't look as dull as when I forgot to put on my usual night cream and it certainly looks radiant. Whether I should put this down due to my using The Artistry Intensive Skincare Renewing Peel for 2 weeks is still yet to be confirmed.

Price wise, for a 20 ml product, The Artistry Intensive Skincare Renewing Peel is a bit steep at Rp 995,000. 1 bottle would take you approximately 12 applications for 6 weeks of continuous usage. However, since this Peel was part of Amway skincare range, you can join Amways’ Privileged Cuss.tomer Program so you could get The Artistry Intensive Skincare Renewing Peel at member’s price. Visit http://www.sehatplus.com/ for more information.

Review - Oriflame Forever Eyes - Cappucino Beige Eyeshadow Cream

2011-03-16T02:22:00.000-07:00

I have a love and hate relationship with Oriflame products, some of the lipsticks are worth having; not holy grail worth but not too bad, some feel cheap even though they are more expensive than the international drugstore brand. However, I'm constantly lured by the pictures in the catalog. When it comes to self-resistance, mine is like that of a 2-year old's.

I recently purchased impulsively its eye shadow cream. It's a discount at Rp 39.000 this month so I had no qualm whatsoever (I should've, though)to try it out. I thought it's going to be a good eye shadow base and help the shadow pops more AND I just wanted to have a gold-ish base.

I must say, the Cappucino Beige eye shadow cream does not disappoint. In fact, I could see myself reaching out for this eye shadow cream, both as a base and as an eye shadow. The best thing is of course its staying power because I would just hate a product that washes away whenever I have to wash my face for my shalat.

This last picture was AFTER I tried to wash it off. Still as bright as it was in the first take, right?

Got a friend who's an Oriflame beauty agent? Get this product this month before the price goes back to Rp 80.000 something.

s

FOTD - Urban Decay Gunmetal Feat. NYX Black n PAC highlight

2011-03-09T00:09:00.000-08:00

Dear Beauty Goddess,

I have a confession to make. It's been exactly 36 days since I last blogged. Since then I bought an Urban Decay Naked Palette and a new MAC Mehr lipstick eventhough I posted in my last post that I was NOT supposed to buy a new lipstick. *bows in shame*

Regardless, can we still take a moment of silence for the splendor of Urban Decay Naked Palette?

A total beauty, right?

The palette consists of 12 colors of supposedly neutral colors, but they are far from boring. I guess, that's why it's called Naked because seriously, when you're pretty and awesome, your being naked is always a good thing.

The colors are incredible and it takes just one application to make it comes out, unlike some other lesser brands. This is awesome because it means the palette would last forever. I could hand it down to my daughter as a keepsake, and she in turn will give it away to her granddaughter. Imagine a palette that lasts for generations, provided I didn't ruin it next year of course, and mind you this is not impossible knowing how clutzy I am.

Look what I've come up with for my today's look.
For this look I used Gunmetal, a bluish grey color (the 2nd color from the right); NYX Black to define the crease and PAC highlighter from PAC Palette #2 and MAC blacktrack to line. As a base, a must for my oily lids, I use the mini UDPP that also come with the palette.

Last but not least, the face shots; using MAC Stark Naked blush, Body Shop beige lipliner and L'Oreal Aishwarya's Beige.

Pretty good, ye?
Kamsahamnida.

Revlon Cherry Crush and Friend

2011-01-31T01:12:00.000-08:00

Since I do pretty much most of the housework, I always feel hesitant to do my nails as they tend to chip easily especially after several minutes soaking the dishes or doing the laundry.

But, naked nails are nagging me something fiercer, so I would usually give in and have the manicurist do my nails, too. Today, it's Cherry Crush time to take center stage. I've been taking Revlon too much for granted, obviously as I always reached for it last when I hurried to the salon. But I've been looking for a partner for my The Face Shop (TFS) pink glitter and so I snapped Cherry Crush on my way out.

And they didn't dissapoint.

Pretty, ain't it?

MAC Rebel & Kisch for a Muggy Day

2011-01-21T00:16:00.000-08:00

The weather had been totally unpredictable in the past few days. Dark and drizzly in the morning, and suddenly a full blast hotness from noon. It's hard enough to choose my outfit on normal days, now this. However, today was sooo gloomy on the get-go weatherwise, and might possibly well into the afternoon, so I picked out a grey and black outfit, busted out my dusty boots and crumpled tights for work. And face...smokey with dark burgundy and purple lipstick.

Left home with MAC Mattene Kirsch

And possibly would leave the office with MAC Rebel.

I want this weather to last!

On eyes I used MAC Warm holiday palette 2009 and MAC Bite of an Apple from Venomous Villains collection on my cheeks.

MAC Lip Pencil "Spice"

2011-01-11T08:05:00.000-08:00

I had plenty of nude lip liners but I just had to shout out on Spice because based on Who's Wearing What plenty of celebrities (Tori Spelling, Mary J. Blige to name a few) put Spice as their pencil of choice.

pic grabbed from makeupalley.com

If only I could justify another lip pencil, this one will be mine! #nolipstickpurchase

Red and Nude

2011-01-11T07:37:00.000-08:00

I finished reading Sophie Kinsella's latest "Mini Shopaholic" and was inspired by Becky's resolve to wear her outfits at least twice before she bought another one; so much so, that I, Ms. Cake, will not buy any new lipsticks before at least wearing them in at least 2 FOTDs in 2011. Oops, I totally forgot that already purchased MAC Rebel, and Mehr from MAC Mickey Contractor. So those 2 would be included in my 2011 lipstick resolution.

So help me God...

I actually have started taking my nude lipsticks for a little spin on my lips. Today, I wore Revlon Matte lipstick #003 Mauve it Over, a really great to-go lipstick when you didn't want to bother with your look. I lined my whole lips first with the Body Shop lip liner #02, a muddy coral, as a base, then swiped Mauve it Over, then topped the lipstick with MAC Fleshpot lipglass. And the result was FABOOOSHHHH! I chucked Fleshpot as one of the lipglass I thought would never work on me (too pale!) but I would never let go (Heatherette collection!). I owned it for 2 years already and I probably wore it twice tops!

So, here it goes! I did similar face 2 days in a row: Maybelline BB cream and MUFE F&B #4, local powder, MAC Moon Reflection mineralized e/s; Oriflame Copper shadow stick (disc.), Milani Java Bean, MUFE e/s, Feline black kohl, Raani kajaal, MAC Bite of an Apple blush (Venomous Villain collection) and MAC MSF Light Flush.

Hah! Excuse the grainny pictures. I haven't been able to pick up my camera and too lazy to ~~use~~ search for my old one so I resorted to my BB; which according to the latest hoohaw would be useless in a couple of months.

I'm still in two minds about my under eyes, though. Should I do something about them? Use a concealer perhaps?

Hapy New Year, Universe!!

2011-01-07T06:44:00.000-08:00

The Hassanuddins

There are tons of exciting things I'm expecting to happen this year. So, Universe, hear me out:

My eldest, Hanif, will get an awesome score on his UASBN (I can't even believe this year he's finishing elementary school); preferably 26 something because he's so smart!
He'll be accepted at a good school (SMP Lab School, SMP 216, SMP 99, SMP 77)
We have enough savings for another big holiday, good education and a new room for Hanif
All my kids are healthy, happy and are always learning new stuff
I stop my endless shopping
We can do some kind of smallish renovation on the guest bathroom and the kitchen
I'm feeling happy and feeling grateful for all the little (and big) things coming my way
I stop procrastinating.
My husband is getting healthy (blood sugar back to normal) and he loves me more no matter how bitchy I am.

Those are all the things that I want to happen, so help me God!

Hold Your Horses - Dupe List

2010-12-18T09:26:00.000-08:00

If you're planning to purchase Make Up For Ever Rouge Artist Intense lipstick #45 or Moulin Rouge, then take a moment to read this post as I had an amazing revelation. Now, quick! See my picture above, and choose which one is Moulin Rouge or MUFE #45. Clueless? One of the top 3 is Moulin Rouge, while the other is NYX round lipstick Chaos and MUFE #45.

Give up?

Based on swatch above, I came to believe that NYX Chaos, MUFE #45 and MUFE Moulin Rouge are triplets albeit separated at birth. MUFE #45 and Moulin Rouge were adopted by the rich uncles, while NYX Chaos was raised by a less fortunate relative. The MUFE artist that I talked to last night even insisted that I wore Moulin Rouge (I had Chaos on) when I stopped by at the counter to do some swatching. Undoubtedly #45 is pinker but all three have similar undertone and lasted as long (at least on my hand). Chaos glides better on the lips (more moisturizer, perhaps?) while the MUFE ones drag a bit on the lips.

There you have it. 3 almost identical lipsticks, one is Rp 60.000 while the others are Rp. 235.000. You're welcome.

Swatches from top-bottom: MUFE Moulin Rouge, NYX Chaos (l), MUFE #45 (r), MUFE #44

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YSL Beauty Workshop

2010-12-04T08:14:00.001-08:00

I always love to go to brand beauty workshop because 1) I get to learn new tips from a famous makeup artist that the organizer invited 2) I get to play with the collection without the SAs breathing down my neck. This afteernoon I stumbled into a YSL beauty workshop at Grand Hyatt. The entry fee was Rp 150.000 but participants got Rp. 150.000 worth of YSL voucher, free delicious full course meal (happy tummy!), a chance to see Gusnaldi, a FAMOUS makeup artist, who had handled the makeup of Indonesian celebrities and socialites and had published several makeup application books AND a chance to try out various YSL makeup line. Truly fabulous deal!

I definitely had so much fun trying out different YSL products; first and foremost was the YSL Top Secrets line which included Flash Radiance, Pore Refining, UV Block and Replumping for lips; blushes, lipsticks, liquid eyeliner, mascara, and perfumes, you named it! I must say I was impressed with the Flash Radiance and UV Block from Top Secret lines. My face looked glowing and smooth. The price of these babies are steep but much lower than I expected: less than Rp 700.000 each. What makes these excellent are the brush attached to the packaging. It really makes applying the product effortless and not to mention hygienic. I would suggest that you skip the Top Secret Replumping for lips because I believed the wrinkle-free claim is dupeable in less expensive products. I meant to try Top Secrets Pore Refining Skincare Brush because the SA said it reduced the appearance of pores and mattified shine (WANTs) but was too lazy to take off my makeup again. However, the girls in my table tried it and their faces were amazingly smooth and shine-free.

Gusnaldi and the model (not the woman in pink, sadly)

In addition to the skincare products, I got my hands on some of YSL foundations : Perfect Touch from YSL's Radiance Essentials and Matt Touche Compact SPF 20 These products didn't feel heavy on the skin at all. However, I wish there were more shades available as the counters here only have up to #5 (#5 worked on my NC 35-37) compared to 10-12 shades on the website. I didn't pay much attention to the powder, although I did put it on and in my opinion it didn't feel significantly different with the much much less expensive powder I had at home.

Any makeup junkies would definitely heard of Touche Eclat, YSL's best selling product which was sold every second all over the world. That's a LOT! Although the product perhaps deserves its own post, but from my experience, this works better as a brightener and eyeshadow base than a dark-eye concealer. The YSL girls and Gusnaldi used Touche Eclat #2 for the eye to make eyeshadows stick and under the eye to brighten the eye, and around the mouth to highlight. I tried my MAC paint pot Soft Ochre and I was happy to report that the result was similar.

The workshop also let us girls playing with the different eyeshadow palettes, Ombres 5 Lumieres Color Harmony. At Rp 685.000 they would put a huge dent on your wallet, but if you don't have any eyeshadows or palettes that resemble these babies, I would suggest that you stop visiting Starbucks and buy one or two of these beautiful and very pigmented palettes. They are permanent, I think and the YSL stores definitely had most of the set in stock. I applied the shadows from paletter #2 (Indian Pink) and the pink and purple shadows truly complement both acool and warm skin tones and wear time as excellent. My eye makeup stayed on till well into the night. The picture truly didn't do this palette justice because I just used my blackberry camera.

YSL Ombres 5 Lumires Color Harmony #2 Indian Pink (pic from BirkinBagBeauty.blogspot.com)

What the SA did was applying the pink shadow at the center on my lid and under the eye, and the dark purple shade (bottom right corner) to define and contour my eyes. I was totally satisfied with this look and wish I could sleep without removing the eye makeup and wear this look to work the next day.

Other note-worthy products that I got a chance to play with was the YSL Everlong Mascara which definitely lengthened my lashes and was also waterproof and Eyeliner Noir. Just like other YSL products, these stuff was priced at Rp 300,000 - 310,000 each (why oh why do you have to be so expensive, YSL??) . I actually bought the mascara because it was awesome and just couldn't help counting the days till I run out of liquid liners to bring Eyeliner Noir home.

Of course I wouldn't dream of getting home before I tried out and swatched all the lipsticks! I was really in my own lipstick heaven because I got to decode all those numbers on YSL lipsticks and tried out several Rouge Voluptes lipsticks. I might not a fan of Volupte formula but the packaging was so gorgeous that I felt guilty if I didn't own just one more. OK, I'm not a lipstick junkie for no reason, y'all. I swatched Rouge Volupte lipsticks: #10 (bright pink), #2 and #7 (nude greyish on me), #25 (brownish), #14 (salmony orange, love--> BUY)

Oh boy, this sure is one long post! But here's some makeup tricks I learned from Gusnaldi:

Use foundation in color that an exact match of your natural color. How to find that shade? Try it out on your chin because you can see how the shade compares to your neck. You don't want an obvious difference.
Apply skin care, foundation with a really light hand. If your skin feels "hot" when you apply your makeup, lighten your application. His hand really felt soft when he tested foundation on my face :D
Don't be afraid to try out different colors for your eyes, even if you are old.
Instead of using black/brown liner, use color eyeshadow to line your under eye.
To make the whole eye makeup fresher/more unique, tap blush brush on a pinkish/orangeish colors and very lightly sweep the brush across your eye makeup. Amazing effect I must say!
The current trend of blush application is only on the apples of the cheeks, in swirly and tap-tapy way.

Spray a bit of hairspray on the mascara applicator in your eyebrow pencil and use the tool to shape and tame your brows.
Apply lighter foundation underneath the eyes to make them pop and to also cover the dark shadow underneath. Gusnaldi and the SAs recommended using Touch Eclat (I tried #2, and my YSL girl use the pale pink from palette #2 as well).
The secret of perfect eye makeup is BLENDDDD.

Overall, it's been a great makeup adventure, thanks YSL!!

Good Morning!

2010-11-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

Come November, unveil what you have in store for me and I'll take it with open arms and a smile.

On lips: Chanel Coco Rouge in Cambon
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Sunday Fun Day

2010-10-24T00:21:00.000-07:00

It's been a nice day today, sun's out and kids were behaving (almost) nicely.

Today we went out for my parents' anniversary lunch. Imagine being together for 42 years, through thick and thin, raising 3 kids, caring for 3 grandkids and still pretty much in love and in partnership. I've seen my parents having shouting matches from time to time and yet through the years, they are always stick to each other. My fondest memories are seing them talking early in the day and afternoon; my dad telling my mom that she's the most beautiful woman he's ever met and mom driving my dad for their weekly lunch out. If I can have the same relationship with my husband just like my parents, I will be considered blessed.

Happy 42nd Anniversary, mom and dad!

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Simple Makeup for Quiet Friday

2010-10-22T09:49:00.000-07:00

I was mopping the floor and wondering how many chores to do this morning when my mom called and told me that we're leaving in 30 minutes.

Oh. No!

Wishing I could sweep the floor with a wink of an eye, I quickly finished the laundry, cleaning up kitchen mess, took bout 15 minutes before I ran up the flight of stairs to get ready.

If I'm not pressed for time, I'd take about 20 minutes to be ready. But today calls for a quick touch up. I'll need less than 10 to finish.

So my amo of the day was:
* Lancome Renergie Morpholift Repositioning Cream SPF 15
* Make Up Forever Face & Body #34 « love this!
* derma's loose powder #4
* MAC Vivacious lipstick
* MAC Dazzleglass Love Alert
* MAC mineralized blush Pet Me

And hey! I was out of the door when the car honked. Make up mission accomplished.
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October is for BCA and Mom's Beauty Advice

2010-10-06T08:44:00.002-07:00

When it comes to beauty, I look up to my mom. She IS beautiful. As simple as that. She has a really glowing from within skin and at 62, she could still pass for someone in early 50's. She's originally beautiful but she does maintain a discipline skincare routine as long as I could remember. Back when I was in my junior high school, she would so worried about me having pimples that she dragged me to a salon for some extraction works. I was probably the only person up to my senior high school years that was a regular at a salon for some skincare maintenance.

I don't share her glowing fair skin, unfortunately, but I do share her oily and excessive forehead sweat glands, if you could call it that. When we are on the go, no matter how cool the temperature is, we would end up patting our forehead to wipe the 'sweatfall'. That and an oily skin are definitely a makeup nightmare. However, despite my despise for my type of skin, she always reminded me that women with oily skin will look youthful even when they are older. However, it is very important not to forget washing makeup no matter how late it is.

Since she used to run a beauty salon, mom is always the best person to go to for beauty and hair advices. Although, just like any normal (?) teenagers, I would ignore her tips and just went about doing things my own; hence resulting a regular trip to the salon. Her other advice would be to religiously wear a sunscreen/sunblock when I'm out. She played golf when I was little and she hardly ever worn a sunscreen/sunblock. Why, Mom? As a results, for years she tried out different treatments. Her latest regimen that seems working so far is Obaji. Because of her experience, she definitely never tires to remind me to put on sun protection when I'm out.

The above picture is of my mother, her older and younger sister. Don't you think we look similar? Although perhaps you didn't see it for being blinded by the light reflecting off our face.

I still couldn't fathom how quickly the year goes. It's October already and God above is perhaps stepping on the accelerator because days do fly so fast.

Since October is also a Breast Cancer Awareness Month, let's take a moment to get updated on the information regarding breast cancer and how to prevent it. My aunt Lena was diagnosed with breast cancer early this year, and she put off getting the lump taken out believing that she could survive it through alternative medicine. Fast forward 5 months later, her breast had swollen so much and she was under so much pain that she agreed to have her breast removed. She had a mastectomy a month ago and went through several bouts of chemotherapy. Although she is out of the hospital now, the family is still crossing finger that the cancer doesn't creep back.

Another Blue FOTD

2010-08-16T01:25:00.000-07:00

I'm crazy about this blue hijab. I couldn't name the exact shade, is it turqoise? cyan? teal? Regardless, I love it! In addition to purple, this shade is my favorite. No matter how determined I was to stay away from blue eye shadow, I couldn't resist not applying the teal shade on the outer corner of my eyes (which goes to show my level of determination).

FOTD - MAC Purple Rite

2010-07-30T03:08:00.000-07:00

The only thing that I hate about MAC frost formula is that it is never frosty enough. On me, the frost seems disappear and I usually end up with light sheen/shimmer on my lips.

Anyways, on this look I had on MAC Purple Rite (frost), Orgasm blush, and I used the Red, She Said warm palette to create the eyes.

Chanel Rouge Coco in Cambon

2010-07-19T22:33:00.000-07:00

What words do I associate with Chanel? Grace, femininity, luxury, class, style, expensive. I might never be able to buy a Chanel 25.5 bag (someday, someday) nor the suit. I don't think I would be able to have the pose and the style that Coco Chanel might give a nod to, but by all the power of beauty goddesses, I shall be able to wear Chanel lipsticks and carry each well.

Thanks to Indrya, who helped me purchase Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick, I'm now the proud owner of Cambon. Yay!

Rouge Coco line was launched last March and it was a pretty huge collection with 30 different colors (US$30, RM95) each of its name was inspired by Coco Chanel's life. Vanessa Paradis, the icon of the collection, was sporting "Mademoiselle", by the way.

Peter Philips’, Global Creative Director of Chanel Makeup, said that

Rouge Coco fascinates me, because I’ve never seen a texture this comfortable and easy to apply. It’s the ready-to-wear lipstick. Just one sweep over the lips colours them and covers them in a melt-away balm … I like the idea that women from the gloss generation, who are afraid of lipstick, can return to this essentially feminine beauty step with Rouge Coco.

I think what drew me in to Rouge Coco lipstick was because it seemed soft with a touch of sheerness to it and yet. I'm a fan of lipsticks and although a nice coverage is great, sometimes I want to wear a lipstick which whispers the color instead of announcing its presence. I know a lip gloss is an alternative for a sheer wash of color, but I have to admit, some formula can get uber-sticky and make lips seemed like they're covered with saliva (ick!). And shall I mention the staying power? Almost non-existent. So I'm always leaning toward lipstick when I'm on my lipstick binge.

Here's a picture of my Cambon and me wearing the lipstick. Don't you think I look faboosh?

All about Lipsticks - Maybelline Colorsensational

2010-07-18T22:46:00.000-07:00

Having been a lipstick junkie all my life, the minute an opportunity to get more lipsticks arrived, I'd immediately be clicking sites for swatches, salivating over new colors, latest collection from X brands and when my evil shopping twin's around, I'd click buy, buy, buy!

And when the goodies arrived, I would be so excited until I saw the lipstick. Oh. I had that color already. At a fraction of the price. As in the case with Maybelline Colorsensation 205 Nearly There and Oriflame Color Attraction Metallic Nude (Rp. 75.000 vs. Rp. 20.000). Bwaaahhh! They're exactly a dupe, down to the shimmer.

See for yourself here:

Maybelline Colorsensational 025 Pink Please is also another dupe for something which I already own (just need a little diggin, y'all). So, *sighs* Me:0 - Online Shopping: 2

Pink Please is slightly easy on the eyes. The swatch on hand isn't exactly accurate. I'd say the picture of the lipstick above is true to its color.

I rummaged through my work desk, and swatched some lipsticks that was in the same color family; pink nude.

Left to Right: Oriflame Vivid Baby Beige 4286, Maybelline Colorsensational 025 Pink Please, Revlon Superlustrous Ginger Rose 131

Oh well.

On a side note, don't you just love it when the online shop owner sent you a cute little thank-you card along with your purchase? How courteous! See, sometimes this little note is all it takes to make buyers recommend the store and at least browse the shop. I salute Doreen Valencia from http://beautedeamour.multiply.com. She also has a fanpage : beautedeamour.

So, to all nude-lipstick explorers out there, check for dupes first in your drawers, dressing tables, cosmetic bags, etc, before you try purchasing another one. Leason learned.

NARS Turkish Red

2010-07-16T01:48:00.000-07:00

The best thing about shopping for a beauty product was getting it at a discount. Nars Turkish Red was such a product. I didn't know why the seller let it go, but darn it, that was the best decision she ever made because that fabulous creamy blush was mine to have *evil laughs*

I always felt a little wary toward a cream blush because a) germ transfer possibility so hand has to be clean, and b) it's not practical. But it's NARS! At a discount! So, yeah!!!

It looked pretty terrifying on the pan, but as you could see from my FOTDs (my neck looked strange in the first picture), it didn't look clownish (blending and blending) and it gave my cheeks a just-been-pinched look).

So, say it with me now: Nars Turkish Red is awesome.

The Secret to Thick Long Lashes, Unveiled At Last!

2010-07-16T00:36:00.000-07:00

As a (sometimes) proud owner of barely there lashes, I have been a continuous search for a holy grail mascara, one that would seriously lengthen, thicken and if it's not too much to ask waterproof and easily removed, too.

Imagine my delight when I saw L'oreal Double Extensions at my mom's dressing table. Now, rummaging through my mom's dressing table is always fun for me, even at this age. Because as a skin care fanatic and ex-beautician, my mom knows a lot of good beauty products. It's a new product, at least for me because mascara is not something I wear on a daily basis, and in addition, I didn't have to purchase it before. I'm trying to live a slightly frugal life here.

At first glance these mascara tubes were pretty bulky, but bear in mind that it's a 2-step mascara. First to be applied was white tube which contained white feathery liquid. I was slightly appalled when I saw the white mascara on my lashes but when I top them off with the mascara from the red tube, that's when magic happen. My lashes thickened and lengthened like you wouldn't believe. It looked like I was wearing lash extensions, without the heavy feeling one would experience when wearing extensions. To top it all off, the mascara was waterproof and easily removed.

More on the good stuff can be read in the link. Double Extension Beauty Tubes

~~I definitely need to post pictures to show you how amazing this mascara is.~~ See pictures of the small miracle!

Naked eye

After a coating of the white liquid (1st step)

VOILA!

Needless to say, that day I ran the the nearest store to get my own L'oreal Double Extension.

Here's Looking at You, 2010

2010-07-07T04:01:00.000-07:00

Although this blog has been pretty much hibernating in 2010, but I still took pictures regularly of the make up I put on in the morning, or what's left of it at the end of the day.
So, without further ado...

My Face 2010: January - June

Lifting Product for Mature Skin - RoC® Comlete Lift Serum

2010-07-06T02:56:00.000-07:00

Looking into the mirror and see a wrinkle or a sag is not one of the "Eureka" moment. I'm not sure about men, but I don't know a woman yet who upon spotting a wrinkle would invite some friends for a wrinkle bash. Some well-known celebrity here swore by puffing her cheeks and then letting the air out slowly for her firm skin. My guess is some knife works gotta be involved.

But for the less fortunate (me), there are plenty of products out there which claim increased firmness and elasticity while at the same time lifting the skin. Too good to be true?

In May, Fashionese Daily asked me to test RoC® Complete Lift Serum. According to its description in the website "the smooth, silky fluid glides on easily and absorbs quickly leaving your skin feeling velvety smooth. Patent-pending PROTIENT® lifting & firming technology – a high-performance tightening agent – works to help firm and tone skin for a visibly lifted and more defined look."

Mind you, I don't know how long I'm supposed to apply the product to get the desired result. I tried it for approximately 2 weeks, and so far I haven't seen the result yet. Then again, expecting a skincare product to do a difference in 2 weeks is unrealistic. Still, some customers would definitely want to see a difference in a couple of days.

The good thing is this creamy serum sinks fast into the skin and it makes my skin looking fresh. In my book, any product that could help moisturize my face scores a point, and RoC® Complete Lift Serum did that.

The label on the box of RoC® Complete Lift Serum warned users of possible tingly sensation. Unfortunately, unless I used a toner with alcohol content (Clinique), I hardly felt any sensation. However, when I left the product on for more than 10 minutes, I could feel a slight lifting sensation that felt incredible! So, one does need some time to feel the benefit of this serum.

Would I recommend this serum, though? I'm not sure how much the retail price for RoC® Complete Lifting Serum is, but if you can find a cheaper solution to a facial serum, by all means, go try that one first.

Slacking Womon's POST - Estee Lauder Pure Color Eyeshadow

2010-07-05T01:44:00.000-07:00

PHEWWWW!!!

Just couldn't believe how behind I am on posting. Half of the year passed my by and no single post??? Tsk tsk tsk! The batman of all lame excuses!

Anyway, when it comes to makeup and skin care, I'm quite surprised that almost no youngish/maturish bloggers care to post about Estee Lauder because let me tell you the products I used were top of the mark!!

Of course you do know my love for Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair serum? The only serum that made impact after the first couple of days of using. See my previous post on this one.

Next will be the Pure Color single eyeshadow. On the eyeshadows website there are about *are you ready?* 39 colors!!! Now, Estee Lauder does not create traffic-stopping bold colors, instead, it has wearable hues that even the blue (lagoon) and green (ivy) are still appropriate for the most formal office.

The colors aside, what I totally love from these cubes are the textures. The ones I have, Mink and Bronze Cube have the smoothest and silkiest textures which easily grabbed my eyelids and so so easy to blend and best of all, long lasting. I'm totally totally in love with these eye shadows and the pearly shimmery finish are excellent for morning to evening make up.

See pictures and swatches :

Mink & Bronze Cube

In Indonesia (Jakarta), this eyeshadow's retailed for Rp 230.000/pot. Don't own a single Estee Lauder Pure Color eye shadow? Run to the nearest counter in Sogo/Metro/Debenhams.

Somekind of Safety Blanket

2009-12-03T16:48:00.000-08:00

I remember back in college and in my early teaching years, I used to cram every related information in preparation of the big tasks and bring along heavy textbooks just in case. Apparently, I can never shake that feeling of I'm not being prepared enough till now, as evident by my makeup pouch.
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FOTD et al

2009-12-03T07:37:00.000-08:00

Finally I got my hands on Chanel Lip Lacquer Dragon. I was crossing my fingers that it wouldn't turn out bright hussy orangey red, so I was definitely elated that the red was vintagey and didn't make me look like a pimp.

I definitely should've lined my lips first, but I was so in a hurry that I just put on Dragon on my lips in the car. A moving car. And that was hard! I don't recommend it to anyone unless you have a steady hand.

On cheeks I used MAC Stark Naked bpb.
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The Guliver and the Dwarfs

2009-11-25T23:31:00.000-08:00

That was what actually came to mind when I received the mini Urban Decay 24/7 collection. I know they are great and everything, but these extra tiny pencils would definitely go puff knowing how clumsy and disorganized I am.
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Revlon Matte

2009-11-12T17:27:00.000-08:00

I finally nailed a holy grail nude! It's Revlon matte lipstick 003. Look! Nude! Purrrrrtyyyy!
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FOTD Nov 8, 2009

2009-11-08T06:44:00.000-08:00

I absolutely adored the cottonink shawl in acid rose and honestly I didn't know why I had not gotten my hands on it. Look at it and see how it instantly brightened up my look. I wore purplish lipstick and lipgloss combination before actually putting the shawl on. Instantly as you could see in the pictures, the color instantly gave my whole look a lift!

Now I'm a tad obsessed of finding a lipstick that could match the shawl color. Some girls from the FD/Twitter suggested MAC Lickable, cremesheen Speak Louder or Dior Rose Panoramique. I would definitely check them out soon, but not before checking at the Revlon or NYX counters, first!.

FOTD-Nov. 2, 2009

2009-11-02T01:36:00.000-08:00

My arms still ached after on and off picking up Kasih during my office Fun Walk yesterday. Today's highlight though was trying out the new products from NYX.
The makeup bag that I won included this ver pretty baby pink single shadow. The naming was quite a misnomer cos this baby was really a ver light lavender.

I also used the lip pencil in purple rain and topped it off MAC purple grape warrior collection lipstick.
I'm eyeing 2 fabulous mega shines at the stores and couldn't wait till next month to purchase it.

FOTD-Oct.31, 2009

2009-10-31T01:27:00.000-07:00

I'd been on denial. I'd refused to believe that the tiny short handled brush included in my MAC red holiday palette actually worked. Well, the truth isa it only works when one's planning to dress up for Haloween in which the eye makeup could be totally bat crazy! I didn't do my eye this morning cos I planned on doing my brows. At work,I took out my palette and started primping. WHOA! Who's that crazy lady staring back at me. And my palette is a warm one, so one could hardly do wrong with it. It took me several minutes, 15, to get everything back to normal. Thank the Lord I brought along my elf eye shadow brush.

NYX FOTD Contest

2009-10-31T01:25:00.000-07:00

YAYYYYY! I won!!!!

I'll post the prize basket when I get to claim it later today.

FOTD - October 22, 2009

2009-10-22T01:14:00.000-07:00

I'm rocking the same makeup for like my previous NYX post, but this time, I use Ulyses round lipstick gold. This stuff is pure star! It applies like the usual burnt dark orange, but it turns brownish red later. Really flattering.

See!

My FOTD for NYX Contest

2009-10-19T19:21:00.000-07:00

I was running out of time!!! It was one day before deadline of the NYX Contest in Fashionese Daily. So I rushed out of the shower and then put on all the NYX products in my posession : jumbo eye pencil in Black bean, round lipstick in Chloe and megashine gloss in Beige.

The rest of my face I used my usual Revlon foundation, MAC blushes Fun & Games.

My Makeup Pouch-what's inside

2009-10-13T02:13:00.000-07:00

The thought of having just one lipstick scares me. Eventhough my lipstick of the day is red, I need to have other lipstick on just in case I change my mind on my next touch-up.

So here's a peek of my makeup safety blanket and a tiny swatch of each lipstick.

Pouch content :
NYX round lipstick Chloe, Bobbi Brown Ruby, Christian Dior creme de gloss 845, NYX lipgloss Beige, Clinique High Impact Magenta Rose.

Oh I forgot to take a snapshot of Burt's Bees replenishing lip balm with pomegranate oil and Burt's Bees Honey lipbalm. How I have 2 lipbalms in my pouch is beyond me, but I would say it's probably out of laziness.

7 products inside a smallish pouch. My pouch should get an award!

FOTD - October 13, 2009

2009-10-13T01:43:00.000-07:00

A very simple look for today.

I've been loving my new lipstick combination: NYX round lipstick Chloe + YSL Rouge Pur #19, Revlon lip pencil in Mauve, top by NYX lipgloss in Beige.

For cheeks I've started to get a hang of my PAC blush in brown which I used to contour, then I blended either TBS blush on #4 which is a peachy pinkish color that a horde of people claimed pretty similar to Nars Orgasm. I disagree, though, and had made a comparison swatch to it in this post.

As always, can't leave the glasses-on look cos my glasses always the last piece of make up (well, not really makeup per say) I have on my face.

FOTD - October

2009-10-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

Last week I became an MC for a relative's wedding. It's not really an elaborate one but still, it's a wedding. And I've never been an MC. Mom told me to improvise but I'm no story teller nor am a stand-up comedian. I could be up all night trying to think up things to say, witty or not.

Anyway, just want to share my look on that day. Funny how my makeup could stay on longer when I didn't have important event to go to while this event definitely a makeup nightmare.

I had Milani Java Bean and MAC rice paper and L'Oreal Metallic black on eyes. The lips were concoction of colors. I had nude lipstick on but then I made a mistake of hanging out around my mom and older relatives and they all said I looked too pale. So I ended up wearing different colors of lipsticks that they thought would make me look more colorful. Ugh I hate being a mature adult and still being talked down like I was a mere 10.

FOTD rocking purple

2009-09-25T21:30:00.001-07:00

I'm so in love with this look. Rarely that I wear colors on my face that I feel really happy with at one go.

Here's my poison:
eyes: sharkskin, java bean by milani, ricepaper, br201 missha, lancome oscillator mascara
Cheeks: fun and games, brown blush by Pac, msf medium natural/shimmer
Lips: velvetella, #19 ysl, purple rite

But, this picture didn't come easy. View the transformation!

FOTD style black wanna b

2009-09-25T14:08:00.001-07:00

What does beauty junkie do when she wakes up at 2 am and can't go back to sleep? Try out new looks, fo sho!

FOTD - Sept. 10 Gold and Blue Cutting Crease

2009-09-09T20:23:00.001-07:00

This look was inspired by the same look done by the super talented, the nick said it all, queenofblending. Unfortunately, I didn't have similar shades so I made do with what I had. Being a non-creative person, with almost zero ability to combine colors other than the usual matchy-matchy, I jumped at the opportunity to practice this one. My camera phone was so low-tech that the colors weren't as good as irl.

Products used : Revlon Beyond Natural, Pond's Day Cream, MAC HK Fun & Games, MAC p/p Groundwork, EL Gold highlighter,Sari Ayu Kasmaran palette the gold shade, MAC e/l Indigo, MAC e/s Electric Eel, Noor Kajal, CG Lash blast.

Lips were a combination of Revlon l/l very mauve, MAC, Oriflame & Sari Ayu Kasmaran pink gloss. I was in a hurry!

Noor Kajal

2009-09-04T14:54:00.001-07:00

Being always on the lookout for a truly black eyeliner, I got attracted by an Arabian booth selling stuff from Saudi Arabia. In addition to getting 2 lace shawls which the seller said just arrived from Dubai, but upon inspection later on were made in China (shocked), I got new kajal liner.

The kajal is really really soft, no tugging at all which is a real big plus. It applied to the lower liner like a dream and the best part was it was BLACK! Yeehaw! Now I need to swatch this next to my HG mother of smudger, Feline, but that's another mission for tomorrow.

Eye swatch :

P.S.
Well, after doing some late cooking, I went upstairs to freshen up. And.. (Drum rolls) who's that pretty racoon staring back at me. However, to Noor Kajal defense, my lower water line were still looked real black.

Mad about Matte

2009-09-01T02:43:00.001-07:00

Behold! Zoya matte is here. Out of the 3 shades in this collection, I love Loredana the most. It's charcoal greyish shade that looks similar to my car's interior.

FOTD - September 2, 2009

2009-08-31T21:18:00.000-07:00

I haven't been photograph happy for sometime after my laptop's system was rebooted (don't know if that's a correct term) and things weren't working as well as it used to. Now, it's harder to transfer files from my cell via bluetooth.

Anyway, it's been a bright day and I just primped myself proper today wearing some new stuffs that I absolutely adore.

Face : Pond's Day Cream; Revlon Beyond Natural Foundation, MAC Sheer Select Powder, NARS Taj Mahal & MAC Enough Said

Eyes : MAC Satin taupe, Sari Ayu Merak Kasmaran palette (purple & blue); the blue didn't show, I was blend happy then, MAC Claire de Lune (I adore the name!), My Darling eyeliner.

Lips : PAC liquid lipstick (it's pink mauvey one)

Well, I threw in some eye bags for y'all to enjoy!

Lancome Oscillation Mascara-The Mascara Queen

2009-07-14T23:34:00.000-07:00

When Fashionesedaily (via Affi the beautiful) contacted me and told me that I was to test Lancome Osccillation Mascara, I almost screamed with excitement. I felt like ripping the box opened right in front of Affi, thankfully, my manners stopped me. Since last year I kept reading about it in beauty bloggers but I couldn't find it in our local counter. At first I was very sceptical about a vibrating mascara and wrote it off as another beauty hype. However, after reading more about it and finding out that I didn't have to zig-zag my way to thicker lashes, I concluded perhaps Oscillation mascara was a real deal.

Here's my review on the formula, application & result and my verdict.

Formula

The amazing thing about the formula is that when I pulled out the wand out of the tube, I didn't see any gunk on the wand. In fact, when I ran the wand across my finger, there's hardly any trace of the mascara. Oscillation mascara applied evenly across my lashes and with 2 coats I could hardly feel that I had mascara on. It's definitely lightweight and yet it stick to the lashes. In fact, on my 3rd try, I was pretty satisfied with how my lashed looked with just one coat of
the mascara. Oscillation mascara is not waterproof, but I had no problems with it. It didn't run on even after washing my face several times during the day.

Result

The application was supposed to be easy. I just had to place the wand underneath my lashes nearest to the root and just swipe it upward toward the tip while pressing down the button. However, having not seen anyone worn an oscillation mascara before made me anxious and thought that the oscillation would make the wand vibrate like a cell phone does and I would end up coating my eyeballs. No such thing's happening. In fact, the mascara's oscillation is hardly noticed/felt. It was that subtle. However, it took getting used to because on Day 1 I used it like I used my regular mascara; swiped the wand several times to coat my lashes. As a result, my lashes looked too thick to my liking and I could see some clumping although it was only visible
up close.

From the pictures it's obvious that Oscillation mascara offered excellent coverage. At first, I wondered whether I needed to curl my lashes beforehand. So I made an experiment to curl my right lashes and leave my left lashes alone. Based on the pictures on Day 1, there's no noticeable differences.

On Day 2, I finally had the hang of the Oscillation mascara application. I just slowly coat lashes from the root to the tip. This is very important for perfect application, in my opinion. Just
pull the comb through the lashes and run the wand slowly again on some clumping. One coat is enough to thicken and lengthen my non-existent lashes and I was very very happy with the result. However, coating the lower lashes was a bit tricky and perhaps it was due to the long
wand. However, I still managed to thicken my lower lashes and see the difference.

I had the mascara on from 8ish in the morning to 7ish in the evening and on both days I didn't experience any smudging or flaking. Removing the mascara is also a breeze, I just use my usual L'oreal Make Up Remover and the lashes were gone completely without any tugs
on my eyes. This would be hard to achieve with my MAC Plushlash and Cover Girl Lash Blast.

My Verdict

This mascara definitely lives up to its hype. It doesn't disappoint at the slightest degree. The formula is amazing and the coverage is fantastic. Despite not having any experience with oscillating mascara before, I'm happy to report that Oscillation mascara gives me perfect long and thick lashes. One coat is enough for day wear and two coats are plenty for thicker lashes. The vibration is not something to be anxious about, and this is from someone who wears mascara everyday but manage to poke one eye every now and then with the mascara comb. I did not have to curl my lashes, something which is quite bothersome when I have to be in a hurry (which is waaay too often). It's long wearing with no streaking and super easy to remove. If I see the product in the local Lancome counter, I definitely purchase this.

Great job, Lancome!

Latest haul

2009-07-09T21:42:00.001-07:00

Finally my MAC F&F arrived this morning. I'm so thrilled, my day's looking up. Here I posed with my MAC brush 188, it's so soft and it blended my foundation beautifully. See my bright red lips? That's my new MAC Lady Danger. The color wants me to get out of the office, put on my killer heels and stop traffic. I also bought Magnetique lipglass, to be swatched later. All in all, awesome haulage. Thank you, MAC! See you in the next F&F!

Indonesia election July 8th

2009-07-07T19:09:00.001-07:00

Today is a big day for me. As a citizen of this country born in the late 60's, I didn't get to fight for independence, not that I regretted it. However, I strongly believe when my country wants me to exercise my citizenship, yes, that includes paying taxes, I rise to the occasion. So here I am, electing my presIdent. My vote goes to JK-Wiranto.

Javanese wedding

2009-06-06T21:42:00.001-07:00

The happy couple, my sister-in-law's sister and his husband, photographed with my brother and my sil.

Purple FOTD

2009-05-30T21:37:00.001-07:00

Call me matchy matchy but I don't care because when you grew up with a mom that went all out to match, you became a believer. So I got a purple outfit tailored and when I saw my reflection in the mirror, I knew exactly what color to use for my eyes. Violet pigment!

Ciciero Purple Bag

2009-05-23T08:19:00.001-07:00

How can one ever resist a temptation of a patent patern purple bag? I know I couldn't.

I ordered this bag even before actually seeing it on anyone. Oh the excitement of placing an order and waiting for your eye candy to make an appearance. And actually saying, "wow!" after ripping the package open. Like the power above said, "This is your package, now go have a good day."

And of course, I did.

Party Face

2009-05-21T09:44:00.001-07:00

I haven't posted for ages cos I left my camera at my parents' and I have been lazy to pick it up. May is slacker month, people!
Anyway, I went with my mom to a relative's wedding and that's the face I went with. I looked happy because I was full. So excuse the goofy smile.

I hope the blue in my eye look is pretty visible. I got to wear MAC blue peep fluidline again after half a year hiatus. I use it as lines for the whole eyes cos I just wanted to show a tad of support for Adam Lambest. Americans, are you blind AND deaf??

I'm using all sort of yellow and gold and blue in my eye tonight. Cheeks were decorated with Enough Said MAC
and Orgasm Nars. And I had on my new favorite lip combo, Gladiola lipstick and Pink Manish lipgloss, both were MAC LE's, Dame Edna and Manish Aurora, respectively.

NOTD - China Glaze OMG

2009-04-29T19:19:00.001-07:00

2 of my favorite polishes arrived today, Adore and OMG. Last night I applied OMG while sitting at the loo and was wondering whether I'd have to wait till my feet slept on me to have my nails safely dried.
Suprise surprise! My nails dried in a minute! I added an extra 3 minutes just to be on the safe side. Besides, I needed to read some updates on twitter.
The above nails were 3 coats.

FOTD

2009-04-23T20:03:00.001-07:00

I know I always good in red but I can't help trying out different nude lipsticks, pink ones, purple ones, all the different colors out there. Sometimes I found a true gem, ahem syrup and gladiola, but most times I lucked out. But red, never fails me.

I'm busting my old vintage Estee Lauder re-nutriv China Red, the only lipstick I ever finished and repurchased. Topped that with EL pure color gloss in plum nectar, the world is again on my feet.

The rest of the face :
fun and games blush, milani java beans, the brown shadow from Mac warm palette 2008, nanogold, love connection, blacktrack and lash blast.

FOTD - Vis-a-vis Violet

2009-04-14T00:40:00.000-07:00

I just found these pictures from my camera's memory card and thought that these were worth posting eventhough I totally forgot what else I was wearing. The lipstick might be MAC Wild About You.

Wedding Party Look

2009-04-11T22:37:00.001-07:00

This was my look yesterday for Rane and Eka's wedding yesterday. Green abaya with pink pants and green scarf. Politely pink lipstick and Pink Manish lip glass and Nars Angelika blush.

Manped of the Week

2009-04-11T22:30:00.001-07:00

Zoya Kotori for my pedi and China Glaze For Audrey.

A View from San Diego Hills

2009-04-11T22:03:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday my family and my parents were off to check out the luxurious final resting place; San Diego Hills. The entrance was truly posh, it's like entering a billionaire's housing complex surrounded by green hills. The sales office and the restaurant overlooked a peaceful lake and with nobody but us up and about the area, this place is what peace looks and fells like.

Hijab Style - The Dubai way

2009-03-28T03:21:00.000-07:00

Before the current "hat-bandana", I wore a piece of cloth underneath my scarf. However, my personal stylist aka mom always insisted I looked fugly in it. She kept looking and even had some headscarf with lining. Instead of making me pretty, I looked like I had a big head what with that thick bandana.

These days, I'm really in love with the this particular head gear. What's interesting was that it has a soft bun lined inside the set so when I put it on, it seems like I have this nice bun on top of my head. Thus, shaping the head nicely underneath the hijab.

I planned to post the pictures, but for some reasons the files are missing, so I'd just post my face with the Dubai style. By Dubai style here was using a flat headgear and my usual slip-on jilbab.

Happy Monday - FOTD March 16, 2009

2009-03-15T21:50:00.000-07:00

There are several new things I wear today; my new orang jilbab...absolutely love the cheerful-in-your-face color, and then my new geeky glasses, a hand-me down from my lovely brother. I took the glasses to ITC Kuningan last night and voila, new look.

Today it's all about orange:
MAC fresco rose, melon, and the brown shadow from my Dior Incognito palette, Rimmel Apricot blush, Maybelline Extreme Coral Pink, and Maybelline Water Shine 3D in Coral Pearls.

Hijab Style - Little hijabis

2009-03-13T01:39:00.001-07:00

Baby is not too keen on wearing a hijab for more than 1 hour. Strange because when she's a tot, she hardly ever put up a struggle when we put on a jilbab on her. She absolutely loved the loving adoring look she got from people.

This picture was taken when she took a placement test in Madina Islamic School. Look how stylish she looked with her pink jilbab, Zara black jeans, Next T-Shirt and the Hello Kitty umbrella.

Hijab Style & FOTD - March 13, 2009

2009-03-13T01:39:00.000-07:00

I found this great jilbab in Tamita last week. I rarely wear black jilbab unless a) I go to a funeral or b) I have an evening do, but this one is so pretty that wearing it outside the house in a broad daylight is not too formal.

And here's the butterfly up close :

Separately, I'm loving the simple eye makeup I had on today :
MAC fresco rose p/p on lid,
MAC illegal cargo e/s on lid
MAC p/m blue brown on V & crease
MAC ricepaper e/s as highlight
MAC syrup l/s
MAC prrrr l/g
Revlon very mauve l/l

I'm off to Buddha Bar. Hopefully it's still there considering its' Friday so heavy traffic is on the horizon.

Toodles.

2009-03-12T22:54:00.001-07:00

There were absolutely tons of things I planned to do on my off-day, but none of them included me driving to Hanif's friend's house to drop him off for school and then went back home again because his friend and his dad left already and then found out that the car just left the house. And involved in a shouting match (I won, of course) because hubby didn't bother to tell me about the dropping kids off plan. Swell morning, indeed.

Anyway, some of the plans for the day included visiting Lula's dad at the hospital, picking up some cakes and flowers for her dad, picking up Hanif, registering them at the spelling bee competition, buying birthday cake (I hated him for ruining my morning, but a birthday is still a birthday), then cooking for dinner, replenishing my night cream, picking up baby at the reading course and if I wasn't dead by then, perhaps I could just have a long restful sleep.

So, here's how I prepared my face for the tasks ahead :

I thought I looked pretty good.

I had on my usual base for my face (Olay regenerist serum, EM golden winged butter, Revlon blush - 2008 LE forgot which) and for my eyes :
MAC groundwork as a base
MAC sable on lid
La Tulipe palette - copper
L'Oreal Hip Dio e/s Platinum - black
MAC Ricepaper - highlight

Lips :
Maybelline Extreme Tea Coral
MAC l/g tartlette

And the best thing of all from today was I could happily report that I crossed off all the tasks on my list. How about that. It went without saying though that my old self was begging me to take it to bed asap.

NOTW - The Face Shop #21

2009-03-10T01:30:00.000-07:00

I don't like TFS. Its product is for all girly girly population; you know, those who look good in sheer lip gloss, have transparent complexion (not vampires, I could assure you that), and who are, I suspect, would consider themselves goth girls if they wear transparent glitters on their nails.

I don't know what possessed me to buy the nail polish. Oh maybe the fact I was wondering alone after eating 4 half-cooked eggs from Kun Kaya Toast. But still, I brought it home.

Fast forward two weeks later, I decided to try it on. First layer, I could still see my nails. It's that transparent. The color was not even me. It's palest purple. I almost tossed it up if it's not for I-never-throw-away-makeup-product principle. So I added another layer, then another layer...then another layer. To my amazement...it turns out real pretty. The color is similar to that of the bougenville flower.

Look!

pic. from www.menlh.go.id

In Search of Holy Grail - Maybelline Water Shine 3D

2009-03-06T00:25:00.000-08:00

Coral Pink, 3D #10
I can't rave enough about Maybelline Water Shine 3D #10. It's the perrrrrFECT lipstick for me, given my dark upper lip and pigmented lower lip, strange lips, I know. Sadly, it's discontinued. The whole line is discontinued! I've checked Maybelline's site and sadly, they don't have any dupe recommendation for it either. Why do I love it so much? It makes my lips plumper and it's pretty shiny and yet pigmented and it stays. The 3 things I (read almost the whole lipstick wearer population) look for in lipstick.

So, as I wallow in front of Maybelline counter, I discovered Maybelline Extreme in Coral Pink (#830). It's a different formula, true, but swatched in my inner arm, it look pretty similar with my HG Water Shine 3D #10, except that Coral Pink has more coral than #10 which is a bit more pink coral. Thankfully this mission only cost me Rp 42.100. A relief!

Time to take a rest now and just make a good use of my new lipstick. I'm not 100% happy but sometimes you need to take whatever you have and just put your feet up.

Attack of the Jollieness & FOTD - March 6, 2009

2009-03-05T19:50:00.000-08:00

Last Wednesday after picking up my kids, I stopped by at Prema Salon. It's brow-threading time! I'd been having difficulty drawing my eye brows and realized that I needed to take action stat!

Well, I asked Acu to take care of me and apparently made a mistake asking for a slight arch. As a result, I ended up looking consistently surprised until my next threading schedule. Yes, they look pretty clean and shapely, but, I still couldn't pull off being a Jollie gal with my thin lips and plumpy cheeks. *le sigh*
Anyway, Acu does help ~~drawing~~ shading my brows easier and my face looks a tad slimmer what with my arches, but I'm staring at a face which is quite alien to me.

See for yourself!

Anyway, this morning was a hurried day as usual, except I was woken up by this weird dream of me not delivering Hanif's share of lunch sharing on time. I started the day cooking up a storm aka heating up sambel goreng hati. Luckily the meal didn't go bad eventhough I forgot to put it on the fridge last night. Hence the dream, I figured.

Putting on a morning face was not going as smoothly as I wanted since MAC Deep Truth was a blitch to blend. Perhaps POND's eye cream made my lids too oily, but even after I smoothed Groundwork paint pot and NYX jumbo pencil Black Bean, deep truth still acted like a kid who insisted to stay at the toy store and no amount of dragging would make him step out. When such case happened, I just use my finger to blend.

As always, blush and lipstick came to the rescue when I had a bad eye look. The day is saved today by Nars Orgasm, a concoction of MAC Syrup, Revlon Ginger Rose & Estee Lauder Pure Gloss in Plum Nectar.

And voila!

But at least I look pretty decent.

NOTW- Misha Chocolate Icing

2009-02-02T01:17:00.000-08:00

I'm kinda surprised (in a bad way) that this polish has a red tone in addition to chocolatey color. I really want an opaque chocolate color and I haven't been happy with the ones I found here. But on first swatch, I was pleasantly surprised that this looked very nice on my nails, not at all like my CG Rodeo Diva polish which was supposedly goldish brown but instead it's goldish poop.

Here's my new obsession, pretty enough for the whole week of wear!

FOTD 21 January 2009

2009-01-22T23:20:00.001-08:00

I like orange, the color not the fruit because it complement my complexion and brightens my face. Orange is my go to color on gloomy days when I feel cheerful enough to greet the world. In addition to my old treasure MAC Electro, I have since discovered new orange lipstick Clinique High Impact in Orange Burst. I have love and have relationship with this brand, all started when the beautiful silver tube turned black ugly after a couple of weeks. Next, the 3-step skin care that didn't work on my oily skin. The turnaround cream that didn't do anything even after my second jar. But then, I love its single eye shadow; it lasts forever, the glosswear, not sticky enough, and the eye kohl, waterproof with a smudger on one end of the pencil. But, after reading Karla Sugar's post on High Impact lipstick, I decided to use my Debenhams gift card from Devita and got me one.   Here I used my MAC Nuance, Sharkskin shadestick, Groundwork paint pot, Satin Taupe shadow, L'oreal Hip Duo Platinum and Revlon Espresso Yourself eye shadows. To make my lips brighter, I use the gloss part of Red Flame pro lustrewear.  I'm ready to set the world on fire!

NOTD - oh to be 25 again

2009-01-14T18:00:00.001-08:00

I'm trying to make sense of the name of this O.P.I polish as a) back when I was 25, this kind of color was non-existent b) what would brownish red have to do with being 25. Nevertheless, this is a dark non vampish safe for the office color, one which wouldn't get your boss to flip.

Agenda 2009 - Elle Magazine

2009-01-11T23:28:00.000-08:00

This new year, I gave up and bought 2 women magazines, something I've almost never done in the past years, unless the magazines were a year old. I read quite fast and I hated to spend money on something I could browse through and finish looking in 1 hour flat.

Last weekend, I bought EVE Indonesian version and I was happy to say that it would be my last buy of the magazine. The content was boring, nothing to ponder at and the fashion and beauty pages were nothing to talk about. I finished the magazine in less that 30 minutes. When even the feature articles didn't strike your fancy, why bother, right?

Today, I bought Elle Magazine, Indonesian version as well. Honestly, I didn't buy the magazine, I got the magazine because I absolutely must have the agenda 2009. It was a hard bound agenda, and it pictures 24 vintage Elle magazine covers on the outside. Very pretty and lemming worthy. I was terribly surprise to like the inside pages as well, it's not over the top, very stylish paper and totally something I'd unashamedly whip out during formal meetings.

I'd go over the magazine later and post my takes on the inside. May this one doesn't disappoint.

Nail Color - December 2008

2008-12-30T23:52:00.000-08:00

Last day of 2008 and I tried to cram everything on my to-do list in a futile attempt to tick them all off so I have a new list on the new year. Nuh-uh. Certainly focusing on tasks at hand is not my thing (at least not for the past months) and I still can't stop not tinkering on small things.

But that's one of the things I need to fix in the new year and I've listed it down as one of my 2009 resolution.

so, here's to another nail post. I scooted to VOV counter in Sogo, KGM2 last weekend, and scored this pretty nail polish #7820. It's glittery but not in your face, it has light purplish pinkish silvery hue with some red, silver and pink glitters. It's just so hard to capture eventhough I tried to take pictures in different locations at the house. I even asked my husband to stop the car so I could take a picture of my nails. The color still looked darker than in real life. No matter, here's the pictures:

Happy New Year To All! Stay beautiful!

If you're ever in need of bold orange...

2008-12-14T10:29:00.001-08:00

Then let's hope you own this limited edition Electro.

And here it is in my face

My Manish is Here

2008-12-14T10:23:00.001-08:00

My very first MAC palette. Beautiful! Especially since I don't have any of the colors yet. So there's (L-R)nylon (yay! now I know what it's look like), going bananas, bitter ( but I have bio green), playful ( a tad blah), electric eel (AWESOME!), and deep truth (just so I get to know what's all the hype about). Hmmmphhh... I have no idea how to put them together. I'll definitely work on the palette, once my mouth no longer waters at the sight of the packaging. It's luxuriously posh, don't you think. Of course, it set me back Rp. 475.000 (thank God! back then US Dollar was still hovering around Rp 9.000/dollar

Oh... and don't forget to bow at Pink Manish lipglass.

Eyes on Manish

2008-12-14T10:16:00.001-08:00

Review coming up. Enjoy the eye candy.

FOTD - December Twilight

2008-12-04T01:14:00.001-08:00

I'm quite pleased with the result of my quick work this morning. I used Sharkskin shadestick, Golden Olive pigment and Bio Green eye shadow, then use Satin Taupe on crease and Ricepaper for highlight. Then finished the look lining my eyes with Emerald Green pigment (beautiful color!) and Lash Blast.

For cheeks, I pat Nars Orgasm on thick then layered it with MAC Hipness. I put on Chanel Jaipur Coral lipstick and MAC Tartlette lipglass. Then off to face the world!

I played hookie in the afternoon, taking off during lunch hour to SMS Mall in Serpong to see Twilight. I absolutely adore the series, although Breaking Dawn did nothing much to me. It's pretty bland but one just have to keep on reading when one is following a series, right?

So here's my take on the movie. It's ummmm ahhhh....ummmmm... well...it's not worth watching it at the movie unless you have a craving for movie's popcorn and soda. I already kinda anticipated that the movie would hardly ever be as good as the book, because it's just too hard to capture the emotion and the nuance in that thick novel. However, to me, both the actors who played Edward Cullen and Bella Swan failed to capture the internal struggle and the intensity of the couple. I wish there's more drama between the two before they actually confess their eternal love for each other. As it happens, the movie doesn't show that part much. Why not? *cries* I just reread the first few chapters of "Twilight" and I'm still hooked on all the conversation between the two. And seriously, Edward doesn't do much snarling at the beginning and thank goodness for that because he's not much good at it.

Despite my reservation, I still went anyway, my curiosity of seeing Edward, Bella and Jacob still got the better of me and oh, the makeup. I kept wondering how the makeup artist will create Edward. And oh boy. That's my second disappointment. Terrible makeup! I could actually see the line between the face and the neck. Vampire isn't supposed to have cheek color, not even when it's supposed to be bloody cold. In my opinion, Christine Stewart will be a great candidate for a vampire because she's so pale, but Edward? He looks bloody human to me. However, he does have an amazing smile! If I were a teenager, I'd probably scream out loud whenever he flashes a smile. Unfortunately he doesn't do it much in the movie, although in the novel he's kinda a giggler.

How about the rest of the Cullen Family? I'd say Emmet, Alice, and the Doctor are the ones that stood out in terms of their ability to make the novel characters alive. Jasper's character looks real weak, and his snarl isn't totally convincing, especially compared to the way he's portray in the novel and where he's supposed to be coming from. Once you see him snarl in the movie, you've seen all of them. Unfortunately, you've seen one failed curled lips too many.

So who's my favorite vampire in the movie? Well, Laurent, of course. He is smooth, with a body to die for, awesome dreadlocks, and he speaks like what I imagine a vampire would. Except yeah...he's black.

My money is still for Jacob Black, though. He was exactly what I pictured Jacob would look like, and oh boy, is he a real looker except for the wig. The hair stylist should have paid attention more to the placement because it looks real fake on the screen. But once Jacob puts on his hat, oh my, totally drool worthy. His is the one that I don't expect to like.

All in all though, if you read the novel and would like to see the characters come alive, go! Just check your big expectation at the door, first.

Weekend Look

2008-12-02T00:50:00.000-08:00

Seeing 3-s

2008-12-01T22:55:00.001-08:00

I have to kick myself on the butt for having 3 (almost) identical cheek colors. Seriously, I have a problem finishing up one blush, let alone having 2 similar ones to hit pan.

Some might say Nars Orgasm is peachy pink, but side-by-side comparison with Rimmel Apricot showed very little difference. Rimmel Apricot might look a tad red, but on the cheeks, it look similar with Nars and TBS. Formula wise, TBS and Rimmel blushes are more powdery so you need to be careful that you don't put on too much while with Nars the effect is a bit different. You can put on loads but since the blush is finely milled there's not much chance that you'd look all clownish.

My Kind of Porn

2008-12-01T06:49:00.001-08:00

In the world of porn, peepers get excited over the color of pink. After my brief interest in all kind of erotica, it's hard not to blush over the slightest inuendo of the pink vocabularies. Or perhaps I just have an overworked imagination.   These days, though, any mention of new varieties of colors in liners can cause minor hyperventilation to major panting in my part. I've experienced some orgasmic bliss just by looking at my new liners.

MAC & UD 24/7 glide on: top to bottom: Wolf, UD 24/7 1999, Rave and Black Russian. Funny how Rave looked glittery blue in the picture and I half wished it could look like that versus the more subdued blue purplish hue in real life.

Not a sleeping beauty

2008-11-25T00:43:00.001-08:00

My husband took this when I was waiting for him to check on his project site.

My little girl

2008-11-25T00:27:00.001-08:00

Oh she loves makeup

I remember when I was a little girl, how I loved to play dress up and put on my best dress, then I pretended I was this big shot secretary or big boss. Although I didn't remember really what kind of outfit I was wearing, mind I only remembered busily scribbling notes as I barked orders to my subordinates.

When I had a baby girl, I prayed that she would love makeup and just be a little girly instead of a big tomboy like her mother. I terribly want her to always feel like she's the most gorgeous girl in the universe and not like me who grew up thinking that I wasn't pretty enough. Big pyschological babble coming up but I digressed.

I remember how charmed Kasih was when we (my mother and I) put some lipstick and eyebrow pencil on the first time. She looked so pretty and she didn't fuss at all. She was less than 1 year old then. She would look in the mirror and smile her beautiful smile at her reflection. Even when she's just a tod, she already understood the power of makeup.

I never stopped her from playing with my makeup and over time, she thought that my makeup stash was not the most exciting playground (oh a relief!). She already decided that she didn't like lipstick/gloss yet (good!), but still, when we took a bath, she would play around with my brushes and powders and touched up her face.

We were both playing around with makeup one evening and that was the first time I saw her totally engrossed in applying makeup. She dusted her face with my blush brush, then lined her lips using my lip blush looking all so serious and grown up. She even hummed this little tune and started primping in front of the mirror. The cutest sight, one I would never forget.

Party Look to the Reunion

2008-11-11T21:51:00.000-08:00

I have a 20 year reunion to go to in New Jersey that I couldn't go to. So instead, I cooked up some idea of what I'd like to look like. Mind you, it's around 8:30 pm, I just got back from work, was about to wash up before bed. Why not? That yellow dress wasn't a dress at all, just this shawl I tossed on my shoulder. The bottom? None! I' m at the bathroom, anyway. It was fun, though, playing dressed up. I had to dig several boxes to find me some earrings.

Wait! There's no earrings on the 1st picture.

Pretty festive, ain't it?

FOTD - 11 November 2008

2008-11-11T02:46:00.000-08:00

Aghhh...I need to be on a diet! I have a 20-year reunion with my AFS pals coming up on November 28, and I need (must must) look a tad slimmer than I am now.

But alas. My day started out with a slice of bread thickly layered with peanut butter and hazelnut jam, a cup of cappuccino and two sunny-side eggs for brunch. I didn't plan on having lunch, but I have a box of Cheddar Shapes on my desk which at the time of writing was a quarter full. A guest came in with a huge glass of Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino and prior to that glass of goodness knocked on the door, I was having a fried instant noodle topped with an egg. And after a peek of what my in-law was eating, I decided that I wanted to have a bowl of pempek from the street vendor in front of the office.

I'm stuffed and I have 15 days to redeem myself.

But that aside, here's my face. I'm trying to use my pigment again so it's the golden olive time to get some lovin' this morning. I used loads of MAC Light Flush on cheeks but to my surprise it didn't show much on the picture.

FOTD - November 10, 2008

2008-11-09T21:18:00.000-08:00

Arggghhhh...why is my morning always hectic? My brain is probably brainwashed by images of moms reading papers and having hot steaming coffee on the dining table.

Instead, my morning started with me waking up the boys, Aca was as usual the last time to get up, then banged the window to get the breadman's attention, dived into the purse for bread money, then went downstairs to start banging the pots (eh eh...I always loved that phrase : banging the pots), cooking up fried noodle (with angel hair pasta, minced beef and soy sauce), laying out the uniforms for the kids, had a quick second to slurp my hot coffee, distributing the breads for snack at school, then compiling school papers for Hanif to study in the evening, rushing all the boys to brush their teeth, screaming at their father because he took 1 hour to get ready, oooohhh I just had headache typing this all up. I had some extra minutes to put my feet up before rushing Baby to the bathroom and getting her ready for school, then brushing her hair, making sure she had everything for school, then getting myself ready.

So here it is, I tried using my long-neglected pigments; pinked mauve and lily white on lids, and then contrast eye shadow for more definition. I then brushed Orgasm and PAC brown blush and tried applied Avarice lipglass, Oriflame lipgloss (blah), and Oh So Scarlet lipstick.

OPI - 2009 Holiday Collection

2008-11-06T19:07:00.000-08:00

This collection is MAD! I love all the reds but then given how lukewarm the rave on my Affair at the Red Square was, I decided to pick Don't Toy with Me from this collection.

The color in this picture was a bit off, I'd say my ring and pinkie fingers showed the closest match to this color in real life. However, the picture didn't do the color justice at all. Don't Toy with Me has some gold flecks that beautifully reflects light. I just put one layer of coat, but I'm sure with two or more layers, the color will pop off even more.

I'm expecting the Back on Skates on my mail anytime. Until then, I'd be off soon to the salon and have my nails professionally done with Don't Toy with Me. Yippieee!

OPI - Holiday collection

2008-11-06T18:44:00.000-08:00

Viva La Vespa _ Essie

2008-11-04T00:14:00.000-08:00

It's always amazed me how the nail color manufacturer could come up with incredible names for their products. Consider the cheeky name that OPI has for its nail colors. Every single name makes me sit straight at the edge my chair, leaning forward staring at my screen, trying to make sense of the colors behind the names. Now Essie, consider Viva La Vespa. Vespa never comes in purple, does it? Or else I already had one back in my uni days. But the color of this polish...lookie!

My cellphone camera is a bit on the crap side, but the colors on my ring finger and pinkie are the same in real life.

Isn't She a Doll?

2008-11-04T00:08:00.000-08:00

The cheekiest girl in the whole wide world!

I just wish she stops growing!

Manped with OPI

2008-11-03T23:53:00.000-08:00

In Rima Salon, a nearby beauty salon near my house, a manicure pedicure costs approximately Rp 90,000 (including 10,000 tip for the lady). Is it expensive? I could always do it for free, of course, just relying on my so-so expertise. And some salons charge a LOT for a manipedi. House of OPI charged about Rp 300.000, Prema salon charged about the same. Well, after a relaxing and nice manipedi, would you think much of the cost?

Say hello to my little piggies, swathed in OPI Russia collection and my fingernails in You Don't Know Jacques.

Fried Banana

2008-11-03T23:47:00.000-08:00

I don't like fruit. I look at bananas with suspicion since it contains a lot of sugar and stuff that makes you feel full, and who wants to feel full just by eating bananas? I certainly am no monkey. But, I could never say no to fried bananas. Especially those that come steaming hot in a plate. This crunchy ones were no exception.

Pisang goreng pasir was found on the street side on the way to BSD.

Happy Halloween!

2008-10-30T01:28:00.000-07:00

I've only been to 1 Halloween (1987), I was dressed up just wearing my praying outfit (a mukena and sarung) and went door to door for some treats. I was in my senior year but that didn't stop me from being a 5-year old.

Fast forward to the future, I still adore Halloween and the idea of going out in costume. I so understand the temptation of being someone else, dressing up as a monster or fairy and all that.

Happy Halloween. May you stuff yourself with all the sweetness life can offer!

Nifty Storage Solution

2008-10-29T08:50:00.001-07:00

The best thing about going shopping is finding stuff you need without you actually shopping for it. No, it's not like you go to a makeup store and says, "aww, I just remember I need to have that particular shade of nude/pink/coral/red lipstick." The gem of my mall wandering was this wooden tea box. It's made of a regular plywood but what's drawn me to it was the craftmanship. I went ga-ga when I saw it and just decided to bring it home. So there it is now, happily housing the content of 2 makeup bags, in my bathroom. I could see that this would well be a heirloom when my baby girl said she wanted it when I'm done with the box.

FOTD - October 28, 2008

2008-10-28T03:50:00.000-07:00

I must say it's hard to post regularly every day. I don't know how other bloggers do it.

Here's my look today. I've been using mineral make up from Everyday Minerals in the past week. It seems that the foundation (I used a combination of Golden Medium, Buttered Tan and Medium Tan) works quite well with my prescribed sunscreen lotion. Neat. Now I just need to stock up.

I tried a mixed of MAC melon pigment, MAC love connection e/s (the solid one) and Revlon Espresso on my eyes but I wasn't too happy with the result.

On lips I used MAC "O" and Dior gloss. Look pretty good!

Cheeks : Fashion Frenzy and EM Waffle Cone.

FOTD - October 11, 2008

2008-10-14T02:49:00.000-07:00

A quick post on my look when I went to the wedding last Saturday.

Pink and green

2008-10-09T22:06:00.001-07:00

My closet's a total mess. Kasih has a fever when I have already played hooky at work planning to take my kids to the beach or to somewhere else fun before they start school again next Monday. It's almost noon and i just finished getting ready. It looks like all the plans will be off, too as my girl wants me to take a nap with her.

Lips : MAC Vivacious l/s & Too Fab l/g (dress camp collection)
Cheeks : MAC Nuance

FOTD Oct. 7

2008-10-06T19:45:00.001-07:00

This is the look inspired by one of the Cult of Cherry looks. I used my La Tulipe palette, MAC love connection, Revlon pinking of you blush, MAC bronzer, Russian red lipstick and Cult of Cherry lipglass.

More picture :

EID Celebration - Oct. 1

2008-10-05T23:30:00.001-07:00

Sorry for such random postings, as I said before, there were tons of photos I would upload that was taken during the holiday.

Early at 5 a.m on October 1st, I woke up the kids to get them ready for the morning prayer. We went to Arcici Sport Field since Uda thought that place was quite nice. I disagreed. The rows weren't managed well, so when everyone stood up, instead of having tidy rows we had crooked lines. It was a bit disorganized. Not to mention the lady in front of me, who carried a baby, suddenly got out of her praying mat and just moved to the end of the line, causing other women to scrambles hurriedly to fill her spot. In Islam, when we pray together, it's important that there's no blank space in between prayers as it's thought it would be filled with the devils.

I had my period so I just sat amongst the prayers, next to my lovely 5-year-old Kasih. She looked like an angel in her pink outfit.

The night before, at my dad's house, we all went out and had a firework party. It's something that the authority frowned upon and there were actually a fine if you're caught doing this, but Eid festival without fireworks were no fun! Besides, it's an event that they're going to remember till they're old.

EID FOTD - Oct 1

2008-10-05T23:26:00.001-07:00

This was taken during the Eid sermon. I did a natural look using my Dior mini quint over MAC Layin' Low paint pot.   Kasih was wearing her new pink praying outfit. She has become quite camera-shy lately, hence the pouty face.

In Bed with Queen of Giggle - Oct. 4

2008-10-05T22:44:00.001-07:00

It's bed time and the lil dragon kept wanting the big blue blanket. Not so fast, I said. Not without a fight! Series of tickles attack later, she posed for her victory picture.

Spending spree with Eid money - Oct. 4

2008-10-05T22:35:00.001-07:00

No Break is what 7-11 to us Cempaka Putih residences. I don't know if it has other branches outside of my area but the store has been a blessing for late-night snack supply and last-minute-oh-we-run out of milk/soap/bread.   My kids have been going in and out of the store for the past few days spending their Eid money. It's just fun watching them ringing up their purchase at the cashier.   

Overheard on a recent visit between Kasih and the cashier :  

How much?
Rp. 3750
*sad confused face* But I don't have three thousand rupiahs
*mommy to the rescue* You have Rp 5000, you certainly can pay those.
*glad face*

FOTD Oct 6

2008-10-05T21:45:00.001-07:00

I've been using fresco rose paint pot for several days now and I'm happy to report that this is a purchase I would never regret.

Back-to-Work Headache

2008-10-05T21:36:00.000-07:00

It's first day at work and I could hardly get up. I stayed up 'til 3 am downloading songs to my new muse W880 and then had to stay up a tad later because Kasih had a fever (not down yet at 10 am) and woke up at 7:28 am, a couple of minutes before my alarm went off.

I've made a promise to post plenty of pictures during the Ied holiday. Well, I did take pictures, just didn't have the time to post them. So expect lots of pictures in the next post, fellas!