AMW Reports: One Fine Day at the Benefit Brow Bar

I have once joked my sister: "When God splattered "good hair" genes to the world, you got them all but when it came to "good brow" genes, I was at the forefront" :P

I have very thick and healthy strands of eyebrow hairs, each pluck of hair would send me to tears!  I can still remember the first time my sister and I bonded over brow plucking, it took her an hour each side as I was shedding approximately 2-3 drops of tears ON EACH pluck!  Imagine how swollen my eyes got!

From that day on, I'd go for eyebrow shaving rather than plucking to save me from "hell".  And let's not go into threading!  I've done eyebrow threading multiple times but I would probably go for that direction IF and only if I have special occasions to attend to (ex. Death Penalty)  *hahaha* I'm just joking!

When Benefits Brow Bar opened its doors locally, I was intrigued to give this a try because I have watched an American show once on how a certain brow place can transform a person's look just by creating the perfect arch depending on a person's facial structure!  That show was a decade ago and it costs a whopping $150.00 for that service in Beverly Hills!  

*faints*

Back to Benefit, when I visited the store, I checked their Brow Waxing Price, it was pricier than regular eyebrow threading and way more expensive than eyebrow shaving, here's my experience and I'll let you know if it's worth it or not at the end of this post!

This photo was taken BEFORE I had my brows done, it was okay far away but it was unruly, long and has its own mind!

By the way, the good thing about the Benefit Brow Bar is the fact that you can just walk in even without appointment!  For someone who doesn't have much "me" time, it is very difficult for me to follow an appointment that I set so this is a huge plus for me!

The Brow Expert, Marissa,  set up the table ready for BROW WAR I (BWI). 

Marissa drew the "right arch" manually with a brow powder prior to waxing.  (Note to readers: Don't go brow waxing before or during a date!  *winks*)

At this very moment, Mr. AMW was giggling telling me I look like Shin Chan!  (How dare him!)

 

Ehhhh....
he's right! :P

With the right temperature of wax, it was applied gently onto my skin, keep in mind that it is a first for me to have my brows waxed! 

Okay, 1...2....3....

I was actually ready to let out a huge YELP!

Guess what?  I didn't!  There was a slight pain but it was super bearable!  I've had worst in eyebrow threading and I was told by Marissa that Brow Waxing at the "right direction" is the key to lesser pain or almost no pain for people who have thinner brows!

Mr. AMW was a bit worried on how red the area looks!  Marissa explained to me that it is normal to have reddish skin right after brow waxing, a soothing gel was applied immediately after.

To match the color of my hair, Marissa pulled out the Benefit Brows A-Go-Go which I love because I have this inside my makeup train case and have been using this on my clients for the past months!

Since I'm in a rush to leave the Boutique, a light concealer was applied to reduce the look of redness because I am not comfortable walking around the mall with redness on my brow area PLUS upper lip area!  Yup, you read it right!  I also had my Upper Lip Waxed and its not for the faint-heart!  I have actually been using the Magic Hair Removal Wand and the Benefit Upper Lip Facial Wax Service is nothing (in terms of pain) as compared to the hair removal wand that I've been using for a years!

A photo of me and Marissa 

who took care of my waxing needs

I am very happy with the result!

 

True enough, 30 minutes after, the redness was gone!  I'm left with gorgeous looking brows and I can skip using brow pencils or brow powders but I just tint it with a brow gel that matches my hair!  I'm loving the fact that my brows are low maintenance!

Brow wax service costs Php700.00 (approx $16.30).  Overall, it is indeed pricey for a regular Joe/Jane who's used to plucking/shaving their own brows.  But if you're a "bride-to-be", a debutante, or if you have a special events or functions to attend to, this is definitely a must as it gives you the clean, very natural-looking brows meant for your face shape!

A tip for regular Joe/Jane :)

Have your brows done at the Benefit Brow Bar and keep your brow shape the way you have them done by tweezing the excess and do it until you can't manage your brows anymore!  Waxed brows remain its shape for at least 3 weeks to a month so you don't have to do this on a weekly basis! 

There's a special treat from Benefit Philippines since it's GLOBAL BROW WEEK:

**Note 3 months after, Waxed brows at Benefit can last me up to 3 months.  I just need to pluck/shave regrowth but the shape of the brows stayed for quite some time.  I'm happy with the result thus making it every penny worth spending!

Avail any of the Brow Bar Services with a friend and both of you get to choose an instant Benefit Pretty Treat!  (*until supplies last).  Add Benefit Cosmetics Philippines on Facebook to know more details and future promotions.

Benefit Boutique

G/F Phase II, Greenbelt 5, Makati

Tel. No: (632) 729-9854

Call the boutique for details and reservations (for Body Waxing services)

Who does your brows for the moment?
Do you like the look of your brows today?

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

Update: My Bath Essentials

Bath Essentials, I'm quite simple with my needs, I need a bath soap/wash that works for my sensitive skin at the same time, gives me the moisture I deserve! 

I've used up bars after bars after bars of different variants of Dove! 

From the regular Dove White Beauty Bars

 Dove Pink Beauty Bars

Dove Go Fresh Fresh Moisture Beauty Bar

then the Dove Extra Sensitive Beauty Cream Bar

**non watermarked photos were taken from Google images.

I guess I was using a lot of Dove Cream bars for the longest time that I haven't really thought of taking photos of them or even reviewing them!  I've liked all of the variants but I've realized the best out of the 4 I've used is the one for Extra Sensitive Skin!

That's when I realized it's time for me to switch back to what babies use as we all know, they have the most sensitive skin!  I'm not implying I have baby skin (how I wish!) but I do have sensitive skin for sure!

I have been using 2 star products from the Nivea Baby line.

Nivea Baby Nutri Sensitive 

Milk Wash

Ingredients

and the Nivea Baby
Tenderly Caring Cream Soap

Ingredients

I alternate one after the other and so far, I can get away without lotion on some days!  My skin doesn't itch, flake or dry up even when I'm inside an air-conditioned room for hours!  Both products are mildly scented and the scent won't linger for long, so great for sensitive noses!

What about you?
What are your current bath essentials?

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

Weekend Food Tripping at: Hossein's Persian Kebab

What have I done to deserve this....

Well, it was a full day makeup gig that left me famished!  Seldom can you find me around Trinoma area, oops!  Correction please, seldom will you find me roaming around mall area as I've always been up and busy doing something else and "going to a mall" will never be part of the plan!

Now I've come to realize, my life is boring!  *laughs*

On a lighter side of the note, I was seriously tired, sleepy and hungry and I would always go for comfort food!  Comfort food for me will always be something "soup-y".

You'll know it's love when I gave up the "comfort" food for Kebab!  I saw the sign of Hossein's Persian Kebab and I remember how Mr. AMW loves his kebabs that I even took him to a quaint local Indian restaurant in Little India, Singapore just because .... just because, love is give and take and I've been taking so much so it's time I give back! :: *cheesey* :P

Pita Bread

Php29.00 (approx $0.50)

Served warm!  We love this so much that we ordered 2 of these and I used this to wipe my curry sauce off the plate!  In hard times like these, let's not waste Curry Sauce!  *laughs*

 Roti Chanai

Php105.00 (approx $2.40)

Malaysian freshly baked sweet bread served with cashew curry sauce

Mr. AMW was craving for something he ate at Singapore and exclaimed to the waiter he wants something he had in "Malaysia"!  (.......)  Now you understand why we never have a dull moment?  We were laughing so hard when he took a bite and said: "This isn't what I had in Singapore", well of course dear, you asked for something from Malaysia!  hahaha

It was a (literally) sweet surprise!  Imagine the sweet taste of Churros!

Indian Beef Curry Solo

Php222.00 (approx $5.20)

Traditional South Asian curries cooked delicately with Indian herbs, 

Pakistani spices and hint of Persian essence

The Indian Beef Curry was a hit!  No joke, I finished everything down to the sauce using my Pita bread in wiping them all off!  The beef cubes were tender plus the potatoes and eggplant were cooked just right blended with the perfect curry sauce!  I went for mildly spicy version as my tummy wasn't that 100% well.  I'll definitely go back for this one and go for the spicier version!   

Chelo Chicken Kebab Solo

Php279.00 (approx $6.30)

Boned chicken breats cut into cubes and marinated in a special yoghurt sauce, 

delicately cooked in charcoal fire and sided with steamed saffron rice.

This is yet, another hit!  The chicken cubes were very tender and grilled just right!  The sauce served were perfect on both rice and pita bread!

The ambiance of the restaurant is perfect for couples, family, friends and even business meetings!  I've seen a group of professionals discussing something while enjoying the food.  The restaurant accepts both cash and credit card.

Hossein's Persian Kebab

Trinoma Mall

Tel. No: (632) 901-5613

We will definitely go back!

What's your weekend food trip?

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

AMW Reports: My MAC Naturally Makeover

Today...marks my "Official Pampering Day", though I have an important schedule in the morning, I marked the afternoon for "ME" time!  

Speaking of "ME" time, I had a short "me" time when I visited MAC Cosmetics in Rockwell to get to know about the collection that's made for ME...the naturally........naturally.......Beau...beauti....okay, just Natural!  *laughs*

MAC Cosmetics are known for their colorful collections and I'm glad a collection was finally made for girls like me!  Girls, like me, who like the natural, fresh look!

 "Nature Girl...for a look that's understatedly sexy and gloriously "undone" - a new collection of nothing-to-hide hues. Soft shades, rich patinas and sheer loveliness. Just what you need to keep your look dreamily down to earth! "

MAC Naturally Collection includes ---

• 4 x Lip glass (Naked Space, Hot Spell, Fresh Air, The Wee Coquette) Php950.00
• 4 x Lipstick (Sweet Sunrise, Beach Sand, A Perfect Day, Pillow Talk) Php1,000.00
• 3 x Mineralize Blushs (Fresh Honey, Early Morning, Subtle Breeze) Php1,500.00
• 2 x Mineralize Skinfinish (Redhead, Blonde) Php1,750.00
• 5 x Mineralize Eye Shadow (Cloudy Afternoon, Summer Haze, In the Sun, Twilight Falls, Daylight) Php1,200.00
• 1 x Zoom Fast Black Lash Php800.00
• 2 x Eye Pencils (Coffee and Ebony) Php800.00
• 187 Duo Fibre Face Brush Php2,000.00
• 286 Duo Fibre Tapered Blending Brush Php2,450.00

I was able to swatch some of the products out of the collection!  I apologize I wasn't able to finish the rest as there were customers checking out the collection and I don't want to take up the space!

Mineralize Blush

Swatch without base

Mineralize Skinfinish in Redhead

Mineralize Eye Shadows

Swatch without base

My favorites are --- Twilight Falls and Summer Haze

I was given the chance to have a quick makeover for "MAC's Naturally" Look!  Pardon my look but I was transformed from "Stressed from Traffic" to "Fresh and in love" lol!

 

The Counter Store Manager and Makeup Artist, Odessa (thanks to readers who typed her name here) of MAC Rockwell set up the area for my makeover!  I will try my best to recall everything she used on my face! :)

• MAC Lightful Marine-Bright Softening Lotion was applied all over my face.
• MAC Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Essence/Serum was patted all over my skin with a stippling brush.  
• As soon as the MAC Lightful products were absorbed into my skin, a tiny amount of MAC Prep+Prime Beauty Balm with SPF35 was used!  I can see the redness and dryness around my face reduced at this stage.
• MAC Pro Longwear SPF10 Foundation in NC25 was used, the same stippling brush that was used to "prep" my skin was also used in this foundation application.  I was told that MAC Pro Longwear is lighter in formulation and coverage as compared to the MAC Studio Fix Liquid Foundation.  This foundation can hold up until 10-13 hours!
• MAC Select Cover Up concealer was used for my under eye circles and the areas on the sides of my nose.
• A tiny amount of MAC's Mineralized SkinFinish Natural in Light was used to set some of the areas around my face.
• To create dimension on my "almost flat features", my face was contoured by using a medium colored mineralized skinfinish natural.
• A matte brown eyeshadow was used to fill in my brows and was set with the famous MAC Girl Boy Brow Gel.
• MAC Paintpot in Painterly was used to even out my lids and for the purpose of the mineralize eye shadow to adhere to my lids easily.
• 3 eyeshadows were used from the collection --- Daylight for the inner corner of my eyes, In the Sun for the crease area and Summer Haze on the middle portion of my lids.
• Pencil eyeliner in Ebony was used instead of the usual gel liner or liquid liner that I love using to make the overall look softer and more natural.
• And of course, a bit of mascara was applied.
• For the cheeks:  MAC Mineralize Blush in Subtle Breeze was used to match my top! :P
• I was told that I have full lips + they are naturally pigmented so it is best to tone down the original lip color by using a shade or 2 lighter lip pencil and apply it all over the lips and top with a lip glass to prevent dry lips!

Voila!  Makeover = Accomplished!
Thank you for the lovely makeover and tips

Kirsten, Brand Coordinator of MAC Cosmetics Philippines, was also there when I had the makeover!  Thanks Kirsten for inviting me and for setting this tiny "me" time that I think, I deserve!  I really love having my makeup done by other people because I always get extra tips on how to enhance my *ahem* beauty! :P  

Speaking of added knowledge...

DID YOU KNOW THAT?

MAC Prep+Prime Highlighter was used under my eye not only to create fake "10 hours of sleep" but it also helps clean out the mess or fall outs from  eyeshadow application!  

Mr. AMW is very particular with other people doing my makeup as he always go for the "natural Nikki" look, and so far, he's liking this!

What about you? Do you like my makeover?
What are you eyeing for in the MAC Naturally Collection?

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!

Eureka Moment: Hair Arrange Set

Happy Friday!!!  I think I do not have sense of "days" anymore as I thought yesterday was Friday and today is Saturday!  *hits head*

Nevertheless, it's a day worth celebrating as we survived the entire week!  YES!!!  Let's give ourselves a nice pat on the back for a wonderful job!  As for me, aside from a huge pat from Mr. AMW (He treats me like a li'l puppy at times..lol), I finally have scheduled a hair treatment!  Finally!!!  I haven't had my hair color redone after THIS.

Speaking of hair, you won't believe me if I tell you that I have so many queries over email regarding the Spin Pins and what-nots.  Honestly speaking, I find myself loving my hair down so I never really took interest on purchasing these.  

One day, as I was strolling around the 88 Heaven, a.k.a. Daiso *laughs*, I found these....

Hair Arrange Set

So Php88.00 (approx $2.00) for both the spiral pins and the chignon-maker (I invented the term by the way), not bad!   Looks like a "Eureka-moment" post worthy!

Instructions at the back.  They were all written in Japanese but you'll get the drift just by looking at the step-by-step diagram.

My hair is super layered by the way so twisting it into a bun will always be a challenge!  Out of the 2, I like the one for modern updo better!  I find it easier to manuever with my current hairstyle!

Step-by-step:

• I gather my hair into a mid pony tail.
• Twist the ponytail as you wrap it around your head to create a bun.

•  Insert the pin upwards through the base of the bun.
• With a light hand, twist the pin going downwards for it to be secured.

As you can see, the pink is hidden yet, I have this huge chunk of chicken hair showing, you can choose to leave it that way or you can secure them with bobby pins.  Ahhh, the agony of layered hair!

Overall, I still prefer a regular hair elastic to create casual looking updo on a regular basis but, I will definitely recommend this set to anyeone with medium to long hair minus the extreme layers!

For the price of less than a hundred pesos, the Daiso Hair Arrange Set definitely deserves its Eureka Moment slot!  You can purchase these at Daiso at the hair accessories section.

Update: I have found quite a  number of ways to use both hair product from the Hair Arrange Set!  I'll definitely share more in this blog once I get the chance to take photos :)

Have you used a similar Hair Arrange Set?
How do you find them?
Useful or useless?

Keep smilin'
Stay happy!