Certified Movie Buff: Christmas With the Kranks

Hi guys. Just a quick post here about my favorite Christmas movie. It's plot is a little unusual, which made it such a good film. Besides, who could pass up a movie with Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Christmas With the Kranks (2004) is actually the movie version of John Grisham's 2001 novel, Skipping Christmas. I read the book after I watched the movie, which I don't always do because I always end up liking the book better.

IMAGE FROM GOOGLE IMAGES/tvlistings.zap2it.com

Christmas With the Kranks, tells the story of Nora and Luther Krank, who were faced with the fact that they were about to celebrate Christmas without their only daughter Blair, whose Peru trip clashed with the holidays.

When Luther realizes that they spent over 6,000 dollars for last year's Christmas celebration, he came up with the disturbing idea of not celebrating Christmas, and splurging their money on a Carribean cruise on Christmas Day instead, since Christmas won't be the same without their daughter.

Despite Nora's doubts, she goes on with Luther's ridiculous plan, which involved not buying Christmas cards, not taking out Frosty, not putting up lights and the works, much to their neighbors' dismay and being dubbed as Scrooge.

All hell breaks loose when Blair calls on Christmas Eve to say that she was about to come home to celebrate Christmas with her family, bringing her new fiance along. Now, Luther and Nora must come up with the plan to bring the Christmas spirit to their house in a few hours.

Although this movie has received a handful of negative remarks because of its negative message, I actually find the movie quite interesting. The movie isn't entirely about skipping Christmas but also about realizing the meaning of Christmas. Plus, I enjoyed watching Luther and Nora scour for every possible Christmas thing just to decorate their home on Christmas Eve.

This is definitely a must-watch, but I must ask you to keep an open mind as you watch this. =) Cheerio!

Maybelline Clear Smooth Aqua Gel Foundation in True Beige

Hi guys. Sorry for being gone for almost a week. My eyes decided to take a break from staring at computer screens. Anyway, when I started investing on makeup products, I skipped foundations and went straight to BB creams. It was just now that I realized I needed to try foundations as well.

Having oily yet sensitive skin made it hard for me to find the right foundation. I've heard that I should go for oil free ones, and I've heard raves about the Maybelline Clear Smooth Aqua Gel Foundation. My next problem was finding a yellow-toned one. With my sister's help, I think I just found the right one.

I've been using this for a couple of weeks and I think I'm ready with a verdict

Sorry about my sister's minions. =) The lighting was better on her bed.

30 ml for 349 bucks

 Pros:
1. Water based which makes it dry easily 
2. Very light on the skin
3. Has light to medium coverage
4. 100% oil free ( at least it says so on the container)
5. Hygienic tube opening. Controlling the product is easy.
6. 24 True Beige is a cross between yellow and pink tones. I thought it would be too pink for me, but I think it actually lies more on the yellow tone
7. Finishes matte
8. Last for about 4-6 hours before oil starts building on the T-zone area which is good enough for me. 

Cons:
I only have two problems with this foundation. Having it water-based and easy drying can be a con for some. I actually tried applying it using a brush, and it's a bit taxing because it can dry up before you can blend it well.  I suggest applying it with your fingers so it can stay warm until you can blend it.
And it doesn't have SPF, so using a sun cream before it remains crucial.

All in all, I think for its price, it's a very good foundation for those who have oily and sensitive skin like me. Its cons are something I can deal with anyways.

Any favorite foundations? Lemme know. Cheerio!

Certified Movie Buff: Last Holiday

Hi guys. Since the holidays are fast approaching, I thought that I might as well share with you some of the holiday movies that I absolutely love. You might want to check 'em out if you're into having Christmas movie marathons.

My family and I are confessed movie buffs, and we have probably watched Last Holiday more than 20 times and not strictly during the Christmas season.

FROM GOOGLE IMAGES/CELEBRITYWONDER.UGO.COM

I probably love this flick so much because I'm a sucker for heart-wrenching films that make me pray for happy endings.

Last Holiday is a 2006 film starring Queen Latifah and LL Cool J. Queen Latifah plays the role of Georgia Byrd, a sales clerk/aspiring cook at the cooking ware of a department store who lived most of her life too timidly and safely. When a small accident leads her to have a CAT scan, everything goes haywire when Georgia finds out she has the Lampington's disease and has about three weeks to live.

With a new perspective, and a life deadline, Georgia takes on the risks to live her life to the fullest and the best ways she could, all while sending those around her in a reality check whirlwind of optimism and self-faith.

It's a fun story of Georgia's journey of this new road to self-discovery and the path she has never actually taken or looked at. It was great to see her transform and transcend into this whole new person who's willing to try everything in such a short amount of time. She just redefined "blowing" every penny she has.

What to check out: Georgia's funny self conversations with God, and her drop-dead gorgeous outfits like the one on the poster that she wore to eat out. Yes, to eat out.

Well, if you do have the time to watch a movie, do check this out. It's funny yet heart-warming, just perfect for the holidays. Cheerio!

Way Too Early Birthday Presents

Hi guys. A couple of hours ago, my sister insisted that I open my gifts from her. I thought she was kidding since my birthday is not in two weeks. She also reminded me to take pictures so I wouldn't forget that she already gave me gifts.

Despite me asking incessantly why she was asking me to open them now, I got no answers until I opened them. Way before, she kept on asking me if I wouldn't mind getting make-up. Of course I didn't since I was trying to grow a collection.

Here they are =)

Forever 21 Love and Beauty Glitter Gloss in Champagne

Etude House False Eyelashes

E.L.F. Get The Look Smokey Eyes Set

It turned out that she wanted me to know my gifts immediately because I was unconsciously buying items that she was about to give me, like the lashes that I bought from Daiso, the eyeliner from Nichido, the mascara I had swapped from Clinique, and others.

I'm actually ecstatic because I now have more items to review. =)

I hope you had a nice weekend. Cheerio!

Maybelline Baby Lips in Menthol

Hi. Days come by so fast. Although the days are not as chilly as they used to be, my lips never fail to dry up. So, aside from lip stains, I've got a couple of balms.

The first balm I've ever tried was a Nivea one. It was blue, menthol I think it was. But it was way too soft that I had to transfer it to a pot because it collapsed. Since then, I've been loyal to Blistex. It's medicated so it worked very well for me. I've finished two sticks of their mint one and a berry one. 

When Maybelline came out with their Baby Lips line, I was just so attracted to the packaging. It was perfect timing because I just ran out of my berry Blistex. My sister bought this for me by the way.

The Verdict:
First off, cute packaging. Period. This actually got me sold. I always opt for menthol/mint balms because they give my lips that refreshing cool feeling, and I'm glad that this actually gave me that.

It smells great too. Kinda reminded me of Mentos. My Blistex one smelled like hardcore mint so this was more candy-ish.

Affordable at 79 pesos. And of course, it's very moisturizing. Cures flaky lips in a few minutes.

Mine has already been tainted by splotches of pink because the color of my lipsticks have rubbed off but it doesn't color or anything.

I actually like this, but I can't say it's better than Blistex. Yet. I think they just released the tinted versions of Maybelline's Baby Lips. I may be checking those out.

What's your lip saver? Lemme know. Cheerio!

Clinique Lash Power Curling Mascara

Hi guys. Last October 27, I found out from Clinique's Facebook page that they were having a mascara swap in Trinoma, and since it was so near my place, I decided to give it a shot. I already saw their ad a few weeks before but the swap were in places I've never been to. =) So, I'm glad I waited. They were swapping their 3-week worth/2.5 ml Clinique Lash Power Curling Mascara for any new/empty/old mascara.

So, their regular sized one is 1,400 for 6 ml, so technically, I got a little less than half which would probably cost around 500-600..(sorry, no math genius here.)

The Verdict:

The first thing that got me excited was the wand. I've only tried 3 mascaras in my life, 2 were from Avon and one from Saizen (which I had swapped) and they all had straight wands and this has a curved one, which made application much easier. It also can coat every strand and since it's quite small, reach the short hairs. Plus, it's easy to tuck away.
Smell is your typical mascara smell.

The only thing that got me was that it's not long wearing. I know it says so on the container, but I have a tendency to rub my eyes, and this flaked all over on me. With my waterproof one from Avon before, I didn't have the same problem. The wand also takes too much product that I need to scrape most off so I wouldn't end up with super clumpy lashes.

It holds curls well and although it's not lengthening, it gives my lashes a little boost, kinda like the effect of the one from Saizen.

All in all, I like it. Nothing too special, but good nonetheless.

Cheerio!

IN2IT Waterproof Gel Liner in Dark Brown

Hi. This product I'll be reviewing is actually my sister's. When she goes to school, the one thing she can't forget to put on is eyeliner. But one time, she asked me to look for an eyeliner that won't make her look like she's a panda by the end of the day. She also doesn't like anything that requires a brush so potted gel liners and liquids are a no-go.

After taking swatches of a lot of pen/pencil eyeliners, I came across this IN2IT Waterproof Gel Liner in Dark Brown.

The claims of the product.

Priced at around 380. But they have this 2 pcs for 500 promo. I don't know though if it's still up.

Pros:
1. Creamy and very pigmented
2. Very cute looking pencil design
3. Comes with a sharpener and it's also easy to sharpen because it's not your usual pencil material. It's sort of like a plastic
4. Really smudge-proof and waterproof after drying. The waterproof though only if it you run it through water but if you wet it then rub it, it'll come off.

Cons: 
1. If you want a really thin line, you probably won't be able to use this because it doesn't get sharpened and become really pointed. When you over sharpen it, it breaks. I suggest using an angled brush and running it through the tip
2. I find it quite pricey for an eyeliner, given the amount of product it has.

Have you tried this one? Lemme know. Cheerio!

An Attempt on Nail Art #3: Eyeshadow Nails inspired by Jung Saem Mool

Hi guys. I have this weird habit of dropping everything when I learn a new nail art, so my mom knows when I do because I run upstairs to grab the nail kit.

Anyway, a few hours ago, I learned this nail art from one of my favorite Korean make-up artists, Jung Saem Mool. It's a nail art that requires nail polish, patience, and eye shadow.

Watch how it's supposed to be done here. Don't worry, it has English subtitles. (Actually , I just watched it on my laptop. It seems as this one doesn't have subs, really sorry) =) But my phone can't read the subtitles, so I had to rely on gut feel and what my sister taught me.

So here's what it looks like. It looks kind of a light gradated nail art. You can have the color more intense, depending on how much eye shadow you use.

What I used:

Shiny Powder Eyeshadow in Blue
Sassy Colorless Nail Polish
A dipping bowl
Sponge Wedge

You can use any powder-form eye shadow. It needs to be powder because you're going to dip the sponge with clear polish on. You can also use any sponge. I suggest cutting it into a small piece about an inch long so it'd be easier to handle.

In the video, a base coat and top coat were used, but since I have neither, I used clear polish for both purposes.

Here's how to do it, at least how I did it: =)
1. Make sure your nails are dry and clean and put a coat of clear polish or base polish. Let it dry.

2. Put some of your powder eye shadow on a plate or bowl. Grab your sponge and put a coat of clear polish. To save your clear polish from becoming too glittery like mine, put the nail polish on a piece of plastic and dip the sponge there.

3. Dip the sponge immediately to the eye shadow. Make sure you do this fast since the nail polish dries up easily.

4. Dab as you like on your nails. When I did my ombre nails, a dip on the polish allowed me to coat at least 3 nails. But here, one coat of polish and one dip on the shadow is enough for only one nail. I tried using it on more than one nail and it didn't quite stick

5. Jung Saem Mool tapped the shadow on the nail to make sure it sticks, but what I did is run my nails under water. This would allow you to see what your nail would actually look like without the excess shadow. When you put on the top coat right after dabbing the shadow, the shadow would just spread on your entire nail, losing the effect. This also cleans your nails.

6. If you already like the color pay-off of the eye shadow, you can put on the top coat. But if you want a more intense color, repeat steps 2 to 5 until you get the color you want.

Hope you guys enjoy this like I did. Cheerio!

Tony Moly Cottony Essence Sheet Mask in Wine

Hi. Here's another mask review. This'll be a quick one. Promise. =)

I bought this during Tony Moly's selected items at 50% off. This one retails for 98 but I got it for 45 pesos. I actually bought two, the Cottony Essence Sheet Mask in Wine and the other in Lemon, which I gave to my sister.

See how cute the packaging is? =) I actually was about to purchase their regular masks but the SA suggested that I try this out. Since it looked cool and it was on sale, I was like, why not?

The Verdict:

The first thing I noticed was the shape of the mask. I don't know why but I think it was too round that it felt kinda awkward putting it on because some areas are too short to reach my hairline.

It also had "flaps" on the eye areas. My sister said that maybe if it was if you wanted to wear the mask with your eyes closed. Makes sense.

As for the scent, I'm not a big fan of. It smelled like grape juice/wine. It's not that strong but it was more wine-y scented that I thought.

The best thing about this mask is it's so cool. Cool like refreshing, and that went on for about 5-10 minutes which felt so good. It also made my face feel smooth.

If the lemon one is as refreshing as this, I might buy that one instead.

I can smell the weekend coming. =) Btw, if you're a big fan of Taylor Swift, come see the Red T-Party happening at Robinson's Galleria on Saturday, November 10. A couple of sweet singers will be serenading you with songs off Taylor's new album, Red, including my sister. =)

Cheerio!

Nichido Mineral Kohl Pencil in Onyx

Hi. Ever wished for a panda-eyes-proof, water-proof, creamy AND affordable eyeliner? I had one of those before (click here), but it was phased out or something. I've been through three pens of that and then none. Since then, I've been trying out a couple of eyeliners that wouldn't hurt the budget but none of them works as well.

I've heard about this Nichido Mineral Kohl Pencil in Onyx from bloggers Ms. Say and Ms. Donnarence. Although I know it's not really smudge-proof, I still decided to risk it and give it a try. Plus, I was taking advantage of Landmark's Cosmetic Fair.

Original Price is 138.00

I don't think It'll take me 24 months to finish this though.. =)

Like I said, not smudge-proof

The Verdict:

It's creamy and it glides on smoothly. It's very black too so it's good for tightlining. It's also easy to smudge out if you're planning on using it for a smokey-eye look. Easily removable by soap and water.

Here comes the "buts" though.

Despite it's claim to be water-resistant, I personally can't say that it is. Maybe because my eyes are watery. But then again, some gel liners still stay on me despite my eyes being watery. It also smudges. It's okay if you're into smokey-eye look, but if not, I don't suggest getting this. 

I think it's a bit pricey for an eyeliner, but it's one of the best ones I've tried so far, so I think I'll stick with this unless I come along something better. 

Any fave eyeliners? Lemme know. Cheerio!

Noconi Circle Face Brush

Hi guys. Here's another brush review. It's a brush that I picked up from Landmark on the last day of their Cosmetic Fair. I don't know what it's called exactly, but it's really like the brush I really, really want. 

Yep. It looks a little like Son Dae Sik's The Face Shop Circle Face Brush (Wanna see what it looks like? Click here for Ms. Marge of kikaytrekkie's review).
Unfortunately, that cost more than 500 bucks. This I got for around 99 bucks (10% off) since it was priced at 109 something.

When I actually found out that he was having a show at Trinoma, my heart kinda fell because I knew that I wouldn't be able to go. I've been his fan since I watched him do make-up magic every Thursday in Style Show, a Korean beauty/fashion program that used to air in TvN. He's buddy in make-up is another Korean make-up artist, Park Tae Yoon, whose picture I think I saw once in Etude House.

Anyway. More about the brush.

It's just the same height as my eyelash curler from Face Shop

The Verdict:

It's a good brush to use for cream/liquid/powder foundations and powder because it's so small that it can get to the sides of your nose and under your eyes, and just the corners that your everyday brush can't reach.

My fault was that I used this first with my Maybelline Aqua Gel Foundation which dries up reeaallly fast. Since it's small, I had a bit of a hard time trying to get the foundation blend just right. But given that it doesn't leave streaks of any kind, I bet this will be great to use for BB creams or other foundations.

It's also a good powder brush if you want a near-sponge-application finish. It's also travel friendly that it can fit your make-up purse.

As for shedding and bleeding, no problem. Soft hairs? Yep. It just smelled awful when I took it out of its plastic container. Really strong chemical scent, but a little shampoo washed that off.

Although I have some problems about its size every now and then, it's still a good brush because it's versatile. But because I'm using a water-based foundation now, I think it'll be best to just use a bigger brush.

If you wanna check out Noconi's other brushes, they actually have a website.

Have a nice week guys. =) Cheerio!

Artist Studio Blending Brush

Hi guys. Here's the promised review on the blending brush I recently purchased.

A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to see the new makeup brushes in Landmark. Landmark carries pretty cool and affordable brushes. Unfortunately, they easily disappear too. So, if you've been wanting to try one, might as well grab your brush while it's still there. =)

It's 59.75 but I bought it during Landmark's Cosmetic Fair so I got it at 10% off. Kinda affordable for a brush.

The Verdict:

I've got to say that I love this better than the first blending brush I bought because it didn't  shed nor bled. My first one unfortunately still sheds a few hairs. It's inexpensive too and the design of the brush looks sleek. It picks up product well and does a good blending job.

The only things that bothered me about this brush is first, it's length. I find it way too long and slightly uncomfortable to use. But with a slight adjustment of handling, it could work.

It could also use a few more hairs/bristles. I find that it's not too packed as I would have wanted.

Nonetheless, it's a good blending brush. I've seen the other Artist Studio brushes and they look promising. Can't wait to try their other products out. =)

Cheerio!

October 2012 Hit Listers

Hi guys. Since another month has ended, I would like to share with you the stuff I got hooked on last month.

During the end of September this year, I did a fan-girling round up and some sort of beauty products favorites. As much as I love the idea, I realized that I didn't have enough stuff or budget to share with you 10 beauty items that I love every month. Maybe in the near future I could do that. But for now, I decided to bring my fan-girling moments and love for other things into one monthly entry. So here goes! =)

Here are my 10 favorites for the month of October in no particular order. =)

1. Etude House Happy Teatime Lemon Tea Cleansing Cream
-Although I almost always hurt my eyes when I use this, I love using this as my makeup remover. This was my sister's until I asked for it because she rarely used it.

2. Kabuki Brush from Landmark
-I've had this for a while but it wasn't until a couple of weeks ago did I start using it again. It's one of the most versatile brushes I have. I use this to apply powder or a hint of powder blush.

 3. Etude House Shine Up Stick in Rose Pink

- I've reviewed it here and I just love using it as a white-ish eyeliner for my lower lashline. Totally opens up the eyes and it's creamy too.

4. E.L.F. Professional Eyeshadow Brush

-I've had this for almost 2 years and I still love it. It's my go-to eyeshadow brush and it has never shed nor bled.

5. Saizen 12-pc Sponge Wedges

- I use this for nail arts and liquid/cream products application. Despite its price, it's actually of good quality that allows me to use each piece for a long time.

And now for the non-beauty related stuff but still cool for me... =)

6. Tru Calling

-For the quite scary month of October, I started watching Tru Calling over and over again. Although it only has 1 and about a half seasons, I completely hooked.

Tru Calling is about Tru Davies (played by Eliza Dushku), an almost medical student who winds up with a job at the morgue...on the graveyard shift. Throughout her stay as a morgue attendant, Tru discovers her uncanny gift. When a dead person, who isn't supposed to die, calls for her help (the body literally tweaks and says "Help me" ever so creepily), Tru relieves the day and tries to save the person. Most of the time, the episodes are creepy but good nonetheless. Personally, I think it has one heck of a good arc and plot. I don't know why it was cancelled. =(

PHOTO FROM GOOGLE IMAGES

7. Faith

- One name: Lee Min Ho. Should I end this now? Kidding. Although I’ve only watched snippets of the episodes, I’ve read the recaps in Dramabeans. Every single recap. It’s good, at least for me. The whole time travelling never gets old for me. Plus, Lee Min Ho looks good in a soldier kind of costume, and curly hair that’s much better than his Jun Pyo curly hair.

PHOTO FROM GOOGLE IMAGES

8. Demi Lovato’s Intimate Performances

- I am and forever will be a Demi Lovato fan, and if you are too or if you just wanna check her out, go and watch her intimate performances. I don’t know how she does it but she just makes me cry when she sings. Watch and you’ll see why.

9. Ailee’s I’ll Show You

-When I caught a part of her music video “Heaven” when she debuted, I immediately thought, “Wow, she sounds so good.” There was a Western twang to her singing voice that made me love her. Her new song is about showing her former lover that she’ll be this better and prettier girl that he would want to get back to.

PHOTO FROM GOOGLE IMAGES

10. Jen of frmheadtotoe

- I make it a point to watch YouTube makeup tutorials on a regular basis. And while I can’t always watch new ones, I make sure to check out those I love. I first discovered Jen of frmheadtotoe when I was looking for a tutorial on IU’s makeup, and I then started watching all her videos. (Check her blog here and her YouTube site here) She’s really good and I loved her more on the short webseries “Away We Happened.” (Wanna watch it? Click here)

So that's it! Hope you guys had a great October. Cheerio!