AMW Reports: The Philippine Blog Awards 2010

The Philippine Blog Awards, has been around for the fourth year!  As I walked in the Carlos P. Romulo auditorium, I can't help but look around and just feel blessed and happy that the Philippine Blogging industry has gone a long way!  I can still remember the first post I've done and how tiny the photo I chose because I don't want people to recognize me! *duh* Why put a photo if you don't want people to recognize you?  Call me weird, but I was!  Still am!  *lol*

Look what I've become now!  LOL Years of practice, face turned thicker a couple of centimeters per year!

Back to the Philippine Blog Awards..I am glad to be invited to this event not only as a blogger but ...yours truly is a finalist for the Best Beauty and Fashion Blog division!  I did not bagged the award but let me tell you why I felt like a winner!

AskMeWhats came to be a blog that gives me the chance to speak out what I want to share to the world!  I may want to start this originally as an advise column but I didn't mind giving advises on Beauty and Fashion instead!  

I can still remember that fateful day when I got my first reader comment, "Liz" from Dublin, you were my first commenter and I won't forget that!  It was the best feeling in the world!  Then the reader comments started to pour in, and I found myself enjoying post after post sharing what I learn!  You guys where there for me all throughout, and I'm glad to say, I've found wonderful friends in blogging!  

Here are some highlights on who I met during The Philippine Blog Awards 2010...

Vaseline Girls Unite!

with Ada and Hannah

AMW with DJ Vince from When in Manila,

Hannah and found a new friend Kristel

AMW with the Food Bloggers

L-R John, Frances, Richard, Irene and Carlos

And let's not forget, my beauty blogging friend Shen 

was also there with me!
(*waves hi* to the rest of Team E)

Congratulations to all the winners on this year's Blog Awards!

And congratulations to Gabe Mercado for hosting this event, made my tummy ache from laughing the whole night!  Can I just say, I want to run to the stage and grab his bedroom slippers?

You can click this link to view the complete listing of winners for this year's Blog Awards.  Congratulations to all the winners!  And congratulations to Reluctant Stylista for winning this year's Beauty and Fashion category!  You deserve it!

I, on the other hand, is keeping this photo for the coming months, it's my bragging rights...right? :D  Thank you so much to the person who nominated me and to the Philippine Blog Awards for including me on this year's roster of finalist!  I'm glad to be part of this prestigious event! :)

Thank you to my dearest AMW readers for making this possible, without my readers, I am nothing, well, I could be someone though --- someone Crazy talking to myself over cyberspace (that's new!)

I am hoping to know some of you more!

Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

AMW Makeover: Wedding Day Make-Up

Dear AMW Readers:

Wow, would you believe I get so many wedding related make-up queries?  Does that mean, a lot of you are getting married soon??? *grins*  Probably, a lot of you are planning for your wedding soon?  That is so exciting!!!

Wedding make-up for me, is the most challenging make-up any make-up artists need to master.  These are the moments the bride gets to be photographed (at all angles), cameras zooming in for a close-up shots and that leaves no room messy eyeliners, unruly brows, chapped lips or pimple marks showing up!  There's always Photoshop right? 

Wrong!  

As a make-up artist, I don't depend on Photoshop because you cannot depend on photographers to always correct on your mistakes, imagine, hundreds and thousands of photos to be photoshopped?  Come on, wedding suppliers are there to complement and help each other, not make each others' lives miserable!

To cut the long conversation short (don't I always try to?) *lol*  I've recently done make-up for a wonderful wedding!  It was a referral from my previous Bride and let me show you the reason why I love weddings and why it helps me improve my craft...

The Bride: Brigette

Can I just say brides are seriously blooming on the day of her wedding?  Brigette told me she only had an hour of sleep (and she looked even better than Nikki with 12 hours of sleep!) because she was quite emotional and the neighboring hotel room is too noisy to relax!  *laughs*  But look at her!  I did her trial makeup a month ago and her skin improved drastically!  I remembered mixing 2 shades of foundation and primed her skin with 2 types of moisturizer!  On her special day, I did not use a lot of product and I can't help but admire her skin!

Skin type: combination of normal and oily

Skin Condition: redness, tiny pimple marks

Her request: To make sure her makeup lasts long

Products used:

Smashbox PhotoFinish Primer Light

Becca Moisture Primer on dry areas

MAC Studio Fix Foundation in NC20 mixed with a tiny bit of NC40

Paul & Joe Dual Powder Foundation in 050

Graftobian Foundation Palette as concealer

Paul & Joe eyebrow pencil no. 3

Various MAC eyeshadow

Stila Cream Blush + Revlon Matte Blush Blushing Berry

Revlon Lipstick in Soft Rose

The Maid of Honor: Odette

Odette is like my long lost sister!  She looks quiet at first but oh man!  She's so funny and it was such a light wedding preparation with her around.

Skin type: very oily and acidic

Skin Condition: redness, pimple marks and open pores

Her request: To make sure her makeup lasts long and conceal her pores and spots

Main Products Used:

Smashbox Photofinish Primer Light

Graftobian Foundation Palette 2 shades lighter than her skin color

Conceal with Make-up Forever Concealer Palette

Tears Eyebrow Pencil 

Contoured with MAC Sculpt and Shape

Paul & Joe Blush

Clinique Lipstick in Blushing Nude

The Sister-In-Law: Khel

Khel, used to be my bride and I am so glad to see her face again!  She turned out to be a dear friend of mine after doing her Bridal Makeup.  Khel is used to safe make-up and this time, I changed her look and gave her a more dramatic eyes as the wedding is done outdoors and I want her make-up to stand out as well! 

Skin type: normal

Skin Condition: not much problems

Her request: No request from her

Main Products Used:

Moisturized with Paul & Joe Moisturizer

Primed with Becca Primer

Revlon PhotoFinish Primer in Nude

Tears Eyebrow Pencil

Dior Eyeshadow 

Nars Blush in Orgasm

Clinique Lipstick in Nude

Mother of the Bride: Mrs. Katipunan

A quiet lady who doesn't have any special requests on make-up and leaves the make-up artist her freedom to do whatever she wants!  I love doing her make-up again because she appreciates the effort done to her!

Skin type: dry

Skin Condition: Lines, spots

Her request: Just to prettify her :)

Products Used:

GoodSkin Labs Total Face Instant Line Reducer

Moisturized with Estee Lauder Moisturizer

Thevi Foundation

Paul & Joe Eyebrow Pencil no. 2

Various eyeshadow from Stila Quad

Nars Blush in Orgasm

Revlon Lipstick in Carnation mixed a bit with MAC Russian Red

I also did 2 guys makeup, the brother-in-law and the Groom.  I am lucky both guys have gorgeous skin to start with.  What I did was to conceal spots that needed to be conealed with a light foundation then dusk the face with MAC's Mineralized SkinFinish Light in Dark as contour powder and setting powder!

Congratulations to the Bride and Groom!

Thanks to the family for entrusting me to be their wedding supplier on such special event!

Weddings maybe stressful!  I've been there, I've done that!  But it all boils down to how you handle it and how you try to enjoy the moment no matter how stressful preparations could be!  Let the suppliers do the work for you! 

AMW, as a past bride, now a make-up artist can vouch on letting yourself enjoy the moment and feel the love around you on your wedding day and you'll be A-ok!

If you are married, how was your wedding makeup?
If you're soon to be married, what's your dream wedding make-up?
If you're not getting married anytime soon, what are you doing here? *hahaha*
You know I'm just joking!  Share me your thoughts on anything wedding make-up related!

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

Readers' Corner: Applying Nail Polish the Right Way

I've been applying nail polish for decades!  That's not a joke!  So applying nail polish is like breathing for me!  *laughs*  Thanks to my wonderful readers for pulling my feet back on earth!  There are indeed some readers who are not used to applying nail polish on both hands, how dare I force you to do nail art right?  I'm sorry I haven't really thought about it and this time, I am dedicating this post for the readers who requested for tips on how to apply nail polish on your own! :)

First things first, you've forgiven me right?  Pretty please?  *BIG SMILE* :D

Okay, forgiven or not, let me proceed with my simplest Nail Polish Application Technique, after this post, I hope you get to learn something :)  To those who are already experts..what are you doing here? :P  Well, thanks for reading still and you can just enjoy my gorgeously "ugly" nails! :P

Step # 1
Make sure your polish is not dry and the consistency is just right.  Lift the brush just like photo below...

And wipe one side of the brush against the bottle,  leaving one side of the brush with nail polish.

Step # 2

Brush the "wet side" of the brush through the center of your nail from base to the tip.  Try not to touch the brush on the cuticle area, but if you did, do not panic, you can always clean it up after!

Step # 3

Continue to pick up more polish using the same technique on Step # 1, do the same stroke on the other side.

Then the last part that wasn't covered with polish.  At this point, your nails are covered with polish.  You can try to clean off excess with a tool or just leave it as it is and clean it up later.  You are done with the first coat.

Repeat the same steps when first coat gets dry!

Easy right?  But how come you're doing the right steps above but still comes up with a not so smooth polish application?  Or worst, bubbles showing up when polish gets dried?  There are several tricks and tips I'll share with you!

• Before you start using the polish, do not shake the nail polish like you hate it!  It will create bubbles, try to roll the polish between the palm of your hands to "warm" the polish instead for a smoother application.

• Always remove old polish prior to new polish application.  Make sure there are no old polish residues at all!  Especially on the cuticle area.
• Wash your hands prior to polish application, making sure your nails are free from lotions or creams.  
• Aside from protecting your nails, using a Base Coat of your choice creates a smoother surface.  Think of a face primer for the skin, base coat acts as a primer for your nails!  *ahhh, that was a smart one right?* *LOL*
• Never apply polish in front of an electric fan, it helps you dry up your polish faster --- YES, that's true, and helps your polish appear bubbly too!  If that's your thing, go ahead :P
• Each stroke should be done once, do not pile on polish while polish is still wet!  It will create uneven coats!
• Apply second coat of polish ONLY when the first coat is dry!
• If you are not ambidextrous, just like myself, and found yourself having a hard time applying nail polish using your left hand, here's a huge tip I can share, hold the brush steadily with your left hand, then move your fingernails on the right hand instead!  It's quicker that way! A photo below to show how I move my fingers instead of the brush!

• Last but not the least, there's a reason why the brush holder is made that way, it is for you to use it wisely!  Hold your nail polish brush the way I did on photo below for a steadier application.  It makes a whole lot of difference...trust me on that! :)

You hold the nail polish brush cap with both your thumb and forefinger, the forefinger prevents the brush handle from moving around while the thumb is used to control the movement of the brush.  Yes, there is a choreography in nail polish application!  *winks*

I'm sure the tips above are old and a lot of you probably knew about it since first grade!  *laughs* It's nice to be reminded at times and it's nice to feel like a teacher all over again! :)

I hope these simple, yet effective tips help the nail polish enthusiasts and soon-to-be addicts out there!

Have a lovely day!
Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

AMW Gives: Kustie Cucumber Body Butter and Body Scrub --- CLOSED!!!

Dear Philippine Readers:

Here's what I promised you!  A chance to win your own set of the Kustie Cucumber Body Butter and Body Scrub!  Please read instructions below on how to join...

1. Click comment and type in your name and email address.
2. Answer the question: "Why are cucumbers good for you?"
3. One entry per person, no duplicates please.
4. One winner will win his/her own Kustie Cucumber Body Butter and Body Scrub using Interactive Fruit Machine.
5. Contest ends December 24, 2010 11:59pm Local time.

Thanks to LifeStrong Marketing Inc. for supporting AMW and her readers!

Goodluck!
Keep smilin'

Stay happy!

AMW Reviews: Kustie Strawberry Body Butter and Body Scrub

Good morning gorgeous people!  How was the weekend?  Mine, felt like regular weekdays because I have been out most of the days and I've been busy with makeup gigs, events and of course, gatherings!  I hope yours is as exciting as mine, and of course, let's not forget to give thanks to God for giving us such a nice week ahead!  Christmas is coming, I am super excited!

Recently, I got an email from Lance of LifeStrong Marketing Inc., to give their products a test!  I am usually uneasy to try on Body Scrubs as I try to pry away from drying out my skin furthermore!  After reading the product details, I've decided to give these a try for our lovely readers out there who may find these useful!  And of course, there's a special surprise after this review for one of our readers to try the set as well (in different variant).  Scroll down to read more about my experience on FDA approved, 100% Natural body  products! 

Kustie Strawberry Body Butter and

Kustie Strawberry Body Scrub

A closer look on the Kustie Body Butter in Strawberry

Kustie Strawberry Body Butter says ---

The creamy strawberry butter is rich in natural ingredients that nourishes and moisturizes the skin.

AMW says ---

Pros

• Sealed with freshness when newly purchased.

• Smells super good!  Best smelling strawberry scented body butter to date (in my opinion)
• Moisturizing enough that lasts the whole day!
• Does not feel heavy or oily on skin.
• Gets absorbed to the skin easily.
• Inexpensive for a good body butter.
• Skin looks healthy after prolong usage.

Cons

• The packaging makes it a bit difficult to carry around during travel.
• Unhygienic as you need to dip your fingers to get some products.  A bit difficult for girls with long fingernails like myself!

Tips

• Use a spatula to get product instead of dipping your fingers for hygiene purpose.
• Best used after a warm shower while skin is still damp.
• Re-apply on dry areas like your knees, elbows or heels during night time before you go to sleep.
• Wear socks at night if you choose to apply this on your feet.
• For better results, use both day and night after taking a shower.
• Great to be given as gift because the "presentation" of the product looks nice.

Will I repurchase?
Yes. 

To whom do I recommend this to?
Anyone who loves body butter!  This does not feel heavy on skin so it works to all skin types.  For strawberry scent lovers!

Where to purchase and how much?

Kustie Body Butter 200ml for Php299.00 (approx $7.00) available at Watsons Malls, SM Beauty Department Store, Ever Gotesco Department Stores and other major retail outlets.

Light pinkish color of the Kustie Strawberry Body Butter

reminded me of a whipped cream.

Texture is just right and easy to apply all over the body

Now let's proceed to their bestselling product, 

the Kustie Strawberry Body Scrub

Kustie Strawberry Body Scrub says ---

Strawberry body scrub is has natural seed granules that effectively exfoliate aging skin cells.  It has strawberry amino acids that moisturizes and smoothens skin.

AMW says ---

Pros

• Very nice packaging.  Sealed for freshness once purchased.
• Does smoothen out my skin after shower.
• Skin feels moisturized after shower even without following up with a lotion or body butter.
• Skin does not dry out!
• The strawberry seeds feels luxurious onto skin, imagine having your own expensive scrubs at the comfort of your own bathroom.
• The seeds does not feel painful against your skin.
• Inexpensive for a good body scrub.

Cons

• The scent!  Has a weird plastic-y strawberry scent. 
• Packaging, unhygienic as you need to dip your fingers again and again during shower.

Tips

• Use a spatula to prevent water from getting in the Body Scrub when you take a shower.
• A bit runny in texture so be careful not to waste the product while taking a shower.
• Gently rub the product in a circular motion against your skin, never be in a hurry when using this product to prevent from rubbing too hard.
• If you feel it dries up your skin a bit, then follow up with a "creamy soap" or "liquid soap".  
• Do this once a week or once every 2 weeks as needed.
• Follow with your choice of lotion or body butter after you get out of the bath.

Will I repurchase?
Yes!  As this is one of the few body scrubs that does not dry out my skin.

To whom do I recommend this to?
Oily, Normal or Dry skin individuals who like to have a nice, luxurious scrub at the comfort of their own home once a week or once every 2 weeks.

Where to purchase and how much?

Kustie Body Scrub 200ml for Php349.00 (approx $ 8.10), 450 ml for Php599.00(approx $14.00) available at Watsons Malls, SM Beauty Department Store, Ever Gotesco Department Stores and other major retail outlets.

Overall, I am quite impressed with the products!  I love the fact that they are 100% made of natural ingredients and of course, they are FDA approved and the price isn't expensive so it gives people the chance to try on good products at a not so rocket-sky high price!  I love the Kustie Body Butter a lot and the Kustie Body Scrub could be a cult favorite of mine, I guess the downside is just the scent!  The strawberry scent itself is wonderful, but my nose just can't understand the "plastic" or "chemical' smell!  Could be from the packaging or some of the ingredients included I won't be able to understand.

For it's price, it's worth to give these 2 products a test!  Very luxurious indeed!   You can click photo below to enlarge to see their other product offerings and variants.

Here's a good news to Philippine readers, one reader will get the chance to win the Kustie Cucumber Body Butter and Body Scrub!  Kindly wait for instructions on my next post!  I do apologize that this is only open to local readers due to shipment restrictions!

Thanks LifeStrong Marketing Inc. for giving me the chance to test these products, and thanks for agreeing to give a set to my loyal AMW readers!

Have you seen this brand around?  Oh, I've been around Watson's over the weekend and I've seen so many new stuffs around!!! So many things to try!!!

Have a great week ahead!
Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

(Note from Author: Product was sent by company for review purposes.  The writer did not receive any kind or form of payment for positive reviews.  The review has been done base on personal experiences.  Please purchase at your own discretion.)