Tabang Sendong

I know I promised to give you an update on the make-up front and I will... Some other time. What I am going to share with you today is a make over of a different sort: the make over of the City of Golden Frienship.

For those of you who don't know, the City of Golden Friendship is Cagayan de Oro City. It is the provincial capital city of the province of Misamis Oriental in the Philippines. It lies along the northern coastline of the island of Mindanao in the country's southern portion. It is known as the City of Golden Friendship for the camaraderie and hospitality that are inherent and traditional traits of its people. It is also my hometown.

On December 16, 2011, Typhoon Sendong hit and left thousands homeless, missing, injured and dead.

Since then, the people of Cagayan de Oro have banded together to help those affected by the storm. Volunteers all around the city have been giving out food, water, medicine and clean clothes to the victims.

The association of law students from my university has been running relief operations since the flood. I've visited most of the affected areas and can honestly say that even with all the donations coming in, it isn't enough. Children are sleeping in muddy blankets. The dead are lined up in the evacuation centers where the victims sleep. The rice goes uncooked because there is a shortage in drinking water. There is still so much to be done.

If you would like to help, please visit the Tabang Sendong website.

'til next time,
Maite

What I Got in Manila

During the break I spent seven glorious days in Manila with my family. While there, I did a little shopping. I hit the local Duty Free and went loco over all the make-up counters. I also made a few online purchases while I was there. Free shipping within Metro Manila and all. Here are a few of the things I bought:

I finally got a Sleek palette! This is the Sleek I-Divine palette in Original. I've used it a couple of times since I got it and I love it! The warmer tones, particularly the browns, are my favorite. They make for a great smokey eye. I love them so much that I'm thinking of getting the Sleek palette in Au Naturale too!

The colors in this palette are a little more shimmery than I'm used to. However, they are extremely pigmented so you don't waste a lot of product when you apply it. A little goes a long way.

Another thing I appreciate about this palette is the mirror on the inside. The entire backside of the lid is a mirror. I look into it while I do my eye make-up. It's wide enough that I don't mess up as often in the process.

Another thing I finally got, and I've wanted this for such a long time, is the MAC Prep+Prime. I know this is probably not news to most people as this product has been around forever, but I just got so excited! I've been needing a primer for ages and there aren't many places you can get good brands from in my city. If I want to get the good stuff, I either have to stock up on them when I go to Manila or Cebu or order them online and hang myself on the shipping fees. So, yeah, I was really excited to get it.

The last thing I got are a bunch of NYX jumbo eye pencils. I absolutely love these! They are so easy to use! I can use them as eye liners or cream shadows. Either way, they just glide on.

The fact that they come in so many fun colors wan't lost on me. It took me forever to pick which ones I wanted. Even before they arrived I was already looking through the online catalogue to see which ones I would get next. They are just so convenient and they just look so pretty on. At least, the ones I have do. I definitely recommend them.

The NYX Jumbo Eye Pencils range from PHP120 to PHP200 online.

'til next time,
Maite

Update

I know I have failed miserably in keeping this blog up to date. I got so caught up in studying for finals that I've neglected my blog, among other things. The good news? I passed all my subjects and have been cleared for my second semester in law school!

Yes, all that hard work paid off. However, I ended up so drained after the examination week that I decided to join my family for a week out of town. I spent seven glorious days shopping in Manila. I just got back yesterday. I dropped by the MAC counter at Duty Free while I was there. I also made a few online purchases. I might post reviews for them within the next few weeks. No promises though! Enrollment and all. You know how it is.

Finally, I am also working on the lighting in my room. I want to be able to work more pictures into this blog. Essentially, I want to show you some of the things I have on my vanity without having to drag them outside to get natural light. I'll post details of the progress on that front.

'til next time,
Maite

Prepping the Canvas

At my first Art class I learned how to prepare my own canvas. I learned that before I put paint onto the material, I should prime it with several layers of gesso. The gesso helps the paint stick to the canvas and makes the colors appear brighter. I've learned that make-up is the same way. Before I apply any of my favorite products onto my face I need to, in a sense, "prep the canvas".

These are the steps I take in prepping my skin:

Step 1. I wash my face.

I used to think this was the silliest suggestion. Why should I wash my face when I'm just going to dirty it up with different products? However, I found that when I did start washing my face before putting on my make-up, my skin did'nt break out as much. This is because our skin has all kinds of impurities on it and if we don't wash first, we will simply be spreading all those impurities around our face when we apply our make-up.

It is also important to choose a facial wash that works well with your skin type. You don't have to spend a lot of money. There are plenty of quality cleansers at the drugstore. I use the Pond's Perfect Matte cleansing foam. Most Philippine dermatologists recommend Cetaphil which works well with most skin types and does not dry out the skin. Other good brands include Neutrogena, St. Ives, Celeteque and Olay.

Step 2. I use a toner.

Once I've finished with Step 1, I use a cotton square to sweep some toner along my face. I do this to keep my skin safe from any harmful bacteria. (Click here to find out how.) I use Clean and Clear but Neutrogena and Nivea Visage are good too.

Step 3. I apply moisturizer.

I used to have an issue with using moisturizer because I have oily skin. What I recently found out is that moisturizer does not add to that greasy look. What it does is help rehydrate the skin. It restores water, not oil. (Click here for more on moisturizer and oily skin.)

Once again, you do not have to spend so much on a good moisturizer. Check out your nearest drugstore. They're sure to have several for you to choose from. I use the moisturizer by Celeteque. It's water-based, hypo-allergenic and fragrance-free. Other options are Pond's, Olay and Nivea.

Once I've finished all three steps, my canvas is prepped and I am ready to put on my make-up.

I hope this helps other beginners and make-up enthusiasts out there.

'til next time,
Maite

New Blog

My name is Maite. In my head I'm an artist. In reality I'm a law student.

Law school does not really leave much room for art or creativity. It doesn't leave much room for anything, really.  Even the way we dress has to conform to the university dress code. The only creative outlet I have these days is my face. My medium: MAKE-UP.

I love make-up! I'm not an expert or anything like that. I work it like I would paint. I'm slowly realizing that they aren't exactly alike. I started this blog to share my discoveries on health and beauty as well as my experiences as a frustrated artist, law student and make-up enthusiast.

Follow my transformation from frumpy law student to sassy attorney at law right here on my blog.