Nail Art Tutorial: AMW Nails on StyleSpeak July 2011 Edition

Happy Tuesday!  Because of my super busy schedule over the weekend, I wasn't able to do my nails but it does not mean that I won't be showing off my nail art for the week!

Last month, I was contacted again by the wonderful staffs of StyleSpeak Salon & Spa Journal (India).  I've contributed to them my Christmas Nails which was featured January 2011!

One feature was enough to put me on Cloud 9!  But thanks to the people working for StyleSpeak for entrusting me with another nail project!  I was requested to do a Water Marble Art specifically for The Nail Issue StyleSpeak!   How can I say no to such sweet request?  

If you have seen my nail art tutorials, you've probably noticed how I don't do Water Marbling because I find drawing my nails therapeutic, and I didn't know I was going to enjoy this nail art design as much as regular drawing! 

After a couple of tests, I've finally came up with my favorite shades which is evident that I like them so much because it was the similar color I used as my wedding theme.

Blues and Pinks!

A closer look on how random the lines are but still look presentable!

I finally got my own hardcopy of 

StyleSpeak Salon & Spa Journal 

The Nail Issue July 2011!  

My own 2 full page article on Marble Art

You can checkout instructions by clicking the photo to enlarge!

2nd page to finish the Marble Art technique

Some tips to keep in mind if you plan to do Water Marble Nail Art ---

• Always test your nail polish by dropping it on distilled water and see if the polish will spread out.
• Do this on room temperature and never do this in front of a fan.  It may dry out the polish easier thus preventing it to spread out.
• Be creative, do not worry about color combination but drop as many shades as you want!
• Tape your fingers as this can get really messy!
• Use a sharp tip to spread or create random designs!  Each nail doesn't have to look exactly the same so...chill! :P
• When it comes to dropping polish shades, work fast!  Super fast!
• For the water marble to show up better, use a Matte White polish underneath.  Then once you're comfortable with this technique, you can experiment with different shades as base.

Any other tips you may share? 
Thanks StyleSpeak India for yet another chance!
I will hold onto the copies for life!

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

AMW Reviews: Celeteque Advanced Anti-Wrinkle Ultra-Hydrating Cleanser Light Cleansing Oil

Remember the event I attended regarding the 3 Celeteque Star Products?  If you don't remember, I reported it HERE.  Since I still have tons of moisturizers to test, and if you remember me saying how I "drink" my cleansing oils!  I am halfway done with my Bobbi Brown Cleansing Oil which leaves me to try different brands and save up the pricier one if I have more make-up on! 

That made me a smart girl right?  If you disagree, consider yourself *whipped* :P  Out of the 3, I've given Celeteque Advanced Cleansing Oil a test and used it for more than a month before I've decided I'm ready to spill the beans!

Celeteque Advanced Anti-Wrinkle 

Ultra-Hydrating Cleanser Light Cleansing Oil says ---

It's a make-up remover, ultra-hydrating cleanser and an anti-wrinkle product in one bottle.  It gently and effectively removes deep-seated dirt and impurities while maintaining the skin's natural level of moisture, instantly leaving the skin velvety soft and dewy without the grease after-feel.  It has Dual Vitamin Regenerating Complex that promotes healthy tissue regeneration, increasing elasticity and moisture content that helps firm and strengthen skin. With continued use, it improves skin smoothness and dramatically reduce fine lines in 6 weeks.

Available in 50 ml and 100ml.

AMW says ---

Pros

• Simple clear bottle makes it easy to see how much product left.
• Can remove eye makeup and a bit of mascara.  For a product this inexpensive, I am impressed with its make-up removing skill!
• Leaves skin soft and supple even after using your favorite facial cleanser.
• Helps relieve dry and itchy skin.
• Though product instructions did not advise us to use this on the eye area, I tried using it and doesn't feel a sting!  
• No weird scent.
• No skin allergies or irritations after use.

Cons

• Not available worldwide.
• Oily-skinned individuals may find this cleansing oil too rich for their taste.
• May still cause allergic reactions to some super sensitive skin as this product is so rich.

Overall

Proud to be Pinay! 

This local product is inexpensive and works!  I can't tell about the Anti-Wrinkle claim yet but this product is effective as not much tugging is needed.

Tips

•  Put a few drops of the product on a cotton pad instead of cotton ball.  I find that the product gets distributed easily and you don't need a lot to cover up the pad.

• Gently apply on face and neck and gently massage if needed.
• Rinse off excess oil with lukewarm water and follow up with your preferred cleanser.
• If you have very dry patches or areas on skin, apply a good amount concentrating on the dry area and leave it overnight, you'll wake up with softer skin!  I tried it on one rough spot on my elbow which works!
• If you plan to remove eye make-up or brow powders/pencils/gels, close your eyes and do not open it until you are sure the oils have been washed off completely.
• Different individuals may react to certain ingredients, always do a patch test first before you apply all over your face to prevent mishaps.

Will I repurchase?
Yes!  I like using this to remove my face makeup and lipstick!

To whom do I recommend this to?
Anyone who's comfortable to put oil on their faces! :)

Where to purchase and how much?
Available in Watson's for Php199.00 (approx $4.75) for 50ml Php369.00 (approx $8.80) for 100ml

I use this to remove my 

powder foundation and blush

 

I used one side of the cotton pad with 3 tiny drops

and gently leave it on the eye make-up.  Gently massage and wipe off.

I forgot to take a photo but I did use this to remove my lipstick too!  

One side of my eye,

Eyeshadow, Mascara and Gel liner removed!

Local readers, have you tried this inexpensive Cleansing Oil from Celeteque?
What's your take on this?
International readers, what's the most inexpensive Cleansing Oil you tried that works?
Brand names and price details will be well appreciated by me and readers!

Have a great start of the week!
Keep Smilin'
Stay happy!

Weekend Food Tripping at: Golden Fortune Seafood Restaurant

Over the weekend (Saturday), we celebrated my mom's birthday at King Chef restaurant!  Yup!  A repeat performance!  I was there for the Grand Launch of King Chef Fine Dining Restaurant and the meals served are really good that I wanted my family to give it a try and I'm glad they did and enjoyed it!  Since I blogged about the said restaurant last week, I won't be writing about it but instead, I'll talk about another Chinese Restaurant we visited over the week.  In our family, bonding means EATING! :D

Golden Fortune has 2 branches at Binondo, the newer one serves dimsum and rice toppings while the Golden fortune Seafood Restaurant can serve food that is good for 1 whole table! (12 people).

We arrived a bit late so my sister did the ordering!  I don't have the price details because it wasn't our treat!  It's embarrassing to stare at the prices of each dish! 

Yang Chow Fried Rice

Birthday Noodles

Beef with vegetables

Tofu

Fried Chicken (Whole)

Over the weekend the place is always packed with families for gatherings so better visit the restaurant as early as possible!  The service is just ok, everyone's so busy so it takes 2nd to 3rd call to get what you need!

Golden Fortune Seafood Restaurant

G/F, Peace Hotel, 1283 Soler St., Binondo

Manila, Metro Manila

Philippines

Tel no: 632-244-2777

What's your dish craving for the weekend?
I'm thinking BonChon Chicken after make-up gig! :)
Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

AMW Reports: The Launch of Shu Uemura's Color Atelier

Make-up palettes... best friend of any make-up artists out there and I am sure a lot of you MUAs are nodding!  I love palettes as they save up space and you can bring a lot of shades without using much space inside your train case!

**various photos taken from Google Image

"But I'm not a make-up artist!  I do not need all those shades!"

Those are the lines I heard from readers who reads my blog to learn makeup to prettify themselves!  I'm sure not all of you plan to do this professionally, and because of that... I'll be reporting a palette so wonderful because..

You can be the stylist of your own palette.  Feel free to mix, match and customize your colors for infinite make-up repertoire.  That's the promise of Shu Uemura's Color Atelier!

I was invited to be part of the launch of  Shu Uemura's Color Atelier at Shu Uemura's Boutique at Rockwell a couple of days ago! I got in the boutique, I can breathe and feel....home!

I was greeted by the super friendly Ms. Nina Solano, Business Development Manager of Shu Uemura Philippines.

She explained and showed to use the Custom Case Refillable palette which is available in 3 sizes to enjoy customization.

**Photo taken from Shu Uemura

Yes, you can purchase the custom case palette and purchase eyeshadow shades or glow on shades depending on your mood, occasion, fashion, or style!

Mono Case Php450.00 (approx $10.50) - can fit 1 pressed eye shadow
Duo Case Php500.00 (approx $11.60) - can fit 2 pressed eye shadows or 1 Glow On
Quad Case Php1,095.00 (approx $25.50) - Can fit 4 pressed eye shadows,  2 pressed eye shadows with 1 Glow On or 2 Glow On.

Different Combinations

Mono Case + 1 Pressed Eye Shadow (Php1,145.00/$26.60)
Duo Case + 2 Pressed Eye Shadows (Php1,890.00/$43.95)
Duo Case + 1 Glow On  (Php1,595.00/$37.00)
Quad Case + 4 Pressed Eye Shadows (Php3,875.00/$90.00)
Quad Case + 2 Glow On (Php3,285.00/$76.00)
Quad Case + 1 Glow On + 2 Pressed Eye Shadows (Php3,580/$83.00)

Here are the shades of Pressed Eye Shadows.  

Refill costs Php695.00 (approx $16.15)

Shades for Glow On

Refill retails for Php1,095.00(approx $25.50)

We were assisted by Shu Uemura's professional and talented make-up artists Roy (L) , Patrick (R).

Tara choosing her favorite Glow On shade.  I think she got a very bright pink Glow On which suits her skin!

Patrick giving Shen a makeover!  She ended up with refreshed look and gorgeous looking brows!  Can't stop staring at her wonderful brows after the makeover!

With eyeshadow and blush pigments all over my hands (from all the swatching), I was telling Tara that I love make-up so much I'm eating them together with Dulcinea sweets!  Really yummy!

The Bloggers and Guests who were there for the launch of

Shu Uemura's Color Atelier

 

Some suggested looks worth sharing!  I am so excited to create different looks for different occasions.

Thanks Nina, Roy and Patrick for the gorgeous time and warm welcome and assistance!  Thanks Shu Uemura Philippines for the invite!
Would you purchase this palette?
What shades/combination would you choose?

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

Readers' Corner: Bright, Dewy Look

To have a successful makeover, a good base/skin is a not-so-secret "secret" that we need to master!  No matter how gorgeous your eye makeup or lipstick shade is, if your skin looks blotchy or reddish, it may divert the focus to your flaws!

And we don't want that!

Not everyone is lucky enough to be born like goddesses we see on magazines or television! Not everyone has porcelain looking skin like that of Korean Actresses.  But you know what?  We may not have perfect looking skin but we can (at least) fake it a bit --- with cosmetics.

Yes, you heard it right!  That's why cosmetics companies are multi-million dollar business!  The right way to apply your makeup can make your skin glow naturally!

We do not have to be make-up artists to follow us around on a day-to-day basis! Nobody knows your face the way YOU do!  So, it pays to master your own skin and face before you move on mastering other make-up techniques!

To answer AMW Reader Request, I will be showing the quickest, easiest way to (at least) fake a glow!

Step 1:

After your skin care routine, you can choose a BB Cream that has a bit of sparkles like or gives glow like my Skin79 VIP Gold or use brightening primer!  One that I can suggest is from Benefit's "That Gal" brightening face primer.  If you are not comfortable using both primers or bb cream, use a moisturizer that gives a good glow.  On top of my head, a very inexpensive product you may try is the Myra Vitaglow Tinted Moisturizer.  (Smile and click HERE for review).

Step 2:

Cover dark areas with a concealer or a foundation you own that's a shade or 2 lighter.  I concentrated on my under eye circles and the sides of my nose.

Step 3:

Make your cheeks pop with a cream blush or shimmery blush!  One nice suggestion to use is a bronzer!

Step 4:

If you have oily skin, you can pat on a shimmery powder blush on top of the cream blush.  Highlight your cheekbones, the bridge of the nose with a light eyeshadow shade or powder foundation for that instant glow!

Skip setting powder application as it can mattify your skin!  You can opt to spritz MAC Charged Water or Evian Brumisateur to prevent powdery look!  Step back, check out your reflection making sure your face matches the color of your neck!

Now you're ready to do your brows, eye makeup etc... as you already have a clean, bright, dewy-looking canvass to work with!

Acck! See how my brows are full but there are gaps in between?  Now you understand why eyebrow pencils are vital for me! :)

If you want a very natural look, here's what you can do:

• Fill in your brows using brow gel, brow powder or brow pencils.
• Curl your lashes and apply coats of mascara.
• Apply a very natural gloss or a clear lip gloss!

You're ready to face the world looking nothing but YOURSELF!
Have a gorgeous Friday everyone!
Readers who requested for this, I hope this helps!

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!