Update - Friendly Reminder for Naked2 Giveaway

Please be reminded that in order for your entries to the Naked 2 Giveaway to be counted, following Make-up Maite via Google Friend Connect is mandatory. I would hate for your entries to be disregarded because of a technicality. Following is the easiest thing in the world. All you have to do is put your cursor over the JOIN THIS SITE button under the FOLLOWERS section of the sidebar, then click!

This is what it looks like:

Don't miss out on the chance to win Urban Decay's hottest palette yet!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


I've added this reminder to the original post which you can get to by clicking the link below.

Click for original post.

Good luck!

'til next time,
Maite

Haul - MAC + Reviews

Before I get to the haul...

For those of you who haven't heard, I'm holding my first giveaway. I'm giving one lucky reader a chance to win a Naked 2 Palette by Urban Decay. By completing a few simple tasks, you increase your chances of winning. Don't miss your chance to snag UD's hottest palette yet!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click for original post.

Moving on...

I haven't done a haul in so long. I've been either too swamped in schoolwork or too cheap to shop. Lucky for me, my family understands my passion. Thus, they did all the shopping for me.

If you read my last post, you know that my dad just came home from Thailand with a bunch of presents for me and my brother. What I failed to mention was that before they [my parents] left, I gave my mom a list of stuff they "could" get me "if" they wanted to. I never dreamed they would get more than two things on that list. Apparently, I lack imagination.

Lo and behold!

The haul:

MAC Eyeshadows in Expensive Pink and Brun

Expensive Pink, which has a shimmery texture, is closer to a peach than a pink. As I tend to go for warmer tones, this was a happy surprise. I didn't know this when I put it on my list. It will work perfectly with the soft understated looks that I favor for school.

The same can be said for Brun. I put it on the list fully intending to use it on my brows. Looking at it now, I see that there are several possibilities. The matte dark gray-brown could line the eyes if I'd rather not use black. It could also give the eyes more depth if applied in the crease and outer corners.

MAC Blush in Peachykeen

Peachykeen is, as its name suggests, a warm peach. It has touch of shimmer to it which gives a nice glow when applied to the apples of the cheeks. I believe this shade would work well with all skin tones.

MAC Blot Powder in Medium Dark

This one gave me pause. I am really fair. I didn't think this would match my skin tone at all. Then I tried it on. I did not notice a significant difference; at least not a negative one. The color did not look too different from my usual setting powder. I'll have to keep using it before I can pronounce judgment.

MAC Lip Pencil in Subculture and MAC Lustre Lipstick in Plink!

Subculture and Plink! are nude lip colors. As I mentioned earliler, I like soft understated looks which makes a good nude lip color essential. What I love about these colors is that the applications are endless. I can use them on their own, I can use one on top of the other, I could top both off with a gloss, etc... And they go well with so many looks. These two will definitely see a lot of use once school starts.

Subculture

Plink!

MAC Brow Set in Boy Girl and MAC Eye Kohl in Smolder

I usually just use a clear mascara to set my brows. I've wanted to get a tinted brow gel forever but have never gotten around to doing it. I was thrilled with this one.

I have horrible brows! I'm trying to grow them out. Please do not judge.

I combed through my brows with a spool brush then used the brow set. I'm afraid my camera didn't pick up the color very well.

Smolder is one of the blackest liners I've ever tried. The kohl was just creamy enough that the application was smooth and flawless. I'll probably do an update on this one in the future.

Thank you to my family for thinking of me even while on vacation! I love you guys!

'til next time,
Maite

Eyeshadow - Stila Dream in Full Color Palette

Before I move on to the review...

For those of you who haven't heard, I'm holding my first giveaway. I'm giving one lucky reader a chance to win a Naked 2 Palette by Urban Decay. By completing a few simple tasks, you increase your chances of winning. Don't miss your chance to snag UD's hottest palette yet!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Click the photo for original post.

Moving on...

My dad came home from Manila a few days ago with a bag of goodies. You see, my family has been away for most of the summer. My parents, along with my aunts, uncles and a few of their good friends, spent my mirrored time in Singapore in Thailand. Before that trip, my dad's older brother and his wife spent a few months in the US. Not to be outdone, my grandmother did some retail therapy in Manila. It's no great wonder that we were showered with presents!

One of the gifts my dad lifted from his bag was the Stila Dream in Full Color Palette. My eyes grew round the moment I set them on the box. Even unopened I could tell it was going to be amazing.

"Inspired by fanstasy, whimsy and dreams, our limited edition palette contains an array of beautiful colors where the possibilities are endless to create countless looks for day and night."

The palette itself reminded me of a view through a kaleidoscope; 36 different colors (29 eyeshadows and 7 cheek colors) arranged to form a dreamcatcher on a large circular pan. Apart from its unique design, the different textures of the eyeshadows (i.e. shimmer, matte and semi-matte) also add to the palette's beauty.

The Stila Dream in Full Color Palette also comes with a 12-page artistry lookbook. The lookbook holds step-by-step instructions for 7 looks that be recreated using the palette. The colors are assigned numbers so application almost feels like the paint by number sessions I used to do as a little girl. The book also contains photos of the completed looks as well as Stila pro artist tips and tricks.

Lastly, the Stila Dream in Full Color Palette comes with a Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in Stingray. The eyeliner, according to the packaging, is one of Stila's topselling products. With the palette, you get the eyeliner absolutely free.

The Stila Dream in Full Color Palette goes for US$39, US$366 value (CAN $50, $469 value).

'til next time,
Maite

Giveaway - My First Giveaway: Naked 2!

The Naked palette 2 came out late last year and, apparently, could not stay on the shelf for more than two hours every time they put it on display. If you're one of those who lucked out and walked into the store only to find they were sold out, or simply don't want to dole out the ridiculous amount on the price tag (it retails for around SGD80 or USD50), I have good news: You can get one FREE!

Win the Naked Palette 2 by Urban Decay!

Yes, that's right! I am giving away Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette! This is my first giveaway since starting this blog late last year. This is my way of ending the summer (and welcoming the new school year) with a bang.

Here's a sneak peek of what you'll be getting.

Comes with a mini-tube of Lip Junkie lipgloss.

Naked 2 boasts 12 neutral colors (5 of them new!) in matte, shimmer and glitter textures.

The palette comes with a dual-ended Good Karma crease and eyeshadow brush.

*The pictures above are of my own Naked2 palette. The one the winner will be receiving is sealed.

Please be reminded that in order for your entries to the Naked 2 Giveaway to be counted, following Make-up Maite via Google Friend Connect is mandatory. I would hate for your entries to be disregarded because of a technicality. Following is the easiest thing in the world. All you have to do is put your cursor over the JOIN THIS SITE button under the FOLLOWERS section of the sidebar, then click!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


This contest is open worldwide.

Good luck!

'til next time,
Maite

Update - Sephora Adventure

I know I have not written anything of note in a while. I've been making the most of my summer vacation. I haven't thought about school in weeks and I feel so much better for it. However, enrollment starts in a few weeks. Having thoroughly neglected my blog this summer, I'd like to make up for it by filling you in on my Sephora adventure.

The most exciting part of my stay in Singapore was my trip to Marina Bay Sands. Naturally, the lights of the city took my breath away. However, it was the mall that sent my heart racing. The moment I saw Sephora from the second floor, I knew I would go home happy. Broke, but happy.

My boyfriend insisted that he take pictures of me going through the store. He kept hiding behind counters and shooting as I went around. Apparently, I was like a kid at Christmas time. Except I had to pay for all of the things I put in my cart.

The lady at the register could possibly be the nicest person on the planet. She tried to help me out with everything I wanted, but I was so overwhelmed that I just kept saying, "Ummm... ok." to everything she asked me.

I ended up burning a hole through my wallet. It was totally worth it!

I mentioned making up for the lack of updates in the beginning of this post. To do so, I am holding my first giveaway. Check in regularly in the next few days to see updates on that.

Here's a teaser of what you might be getting.

'til next time,
Maite