Lullabies and Lippies

Make-Up Junkie Turned Mommy

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In honor of Valentine's Day right around the corner, I'll be sharing a few make-up tips for a first date. ❤ (As always, these thoughts are my own and are only suggestions. Please feel free to do whatever you like or whatever you feel suits you best. :) )

When I think first date make-up, I think easy, pretty, but still natural-looking. Of course, you want to look pretty, but still natural and like yourself. I'm not a fan of super heavy make-up on a first date because: a.) it will look like you "tried too hard," and b.) your date might not remember you after your first date! (Kidding, but you get me.)

Here are my tips:
1. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!
The key to nice-looking make-up is well-moisturized skin. Well-moisturized skin not only makes a good canvas for make-up to sit on, but good skin always looks glowy, dewy, and well.. just better. So make sure to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize, not just in time for Valentine's, but all the time, really.

2. Use a mineral foundation
I love mineral make-up because it's good for your skin, controls oil well, and gives great coverage while still looking really natural. When done right, you can't even really tell that you have it on. It does take some getting used to though! So practice, practice, practice, if you can a few days before! :)

I love using my V&M Naturals mineral foundation in Hazelnut Latte. The container is teeny tiny, but you really only need a small amount to buff onto your skin to get good coverage. As you know, I have very acne-prone, combination-oily skin, and this stuff keeps my face matte all day and doesn't break me out! Double thumbs up for being a local product, yay! :) Got mine from Andi of PeaceLoveAndOrganics on Instagram. :)




This mineral foundation is so finely milled, it feels like it just melts into your skin! :)
3. Conceal sparingly
Concealers with a light formula, but still brightening are my best bet for this. My picks are the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles and the Rimmel Wake Me Up. Just put a few dots on your undereye area to brighten them up a bit, and spot conceal on other  areas which may be red or if you have any blemishes. You definitely don't want to be caking it on, though. So, use sparingly! If you have certain blemishes which still kind of peek through even after concealing, personally, I say, just let it be if you can. You'll look waaaay more natural (and low maintenance) this way!

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to the rightful owners.

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to the rightful owners.
4. Fill in your brows
No matter what look you're going for, I always recommend filling in your brows. Filled-in brows frame your face and make you look so much more polished. Makes a world of a difference! Any neutral-toned, matte brown eyeshadow works well as a brow powder. Just fill them in and comb through them with a spoolie brush. Brow powder is definitely the way to go for natural-looking brows!

5. Use a lip & cheek stain
Easy, quick, and doesn't really look like you have anything on - it just looks like you're naturally blushing! Also, since it's a stain, it doesn't really add on another layer on top of your mineral foundation like a powder or cream blush would! Less layers = less possibility of cakey make-up. On your lips, this will last waaay longer than a regular lipstick or gloss would, so you can be eating, drinking, and laughing all night without worrying about retouching your lip color. :)

6. Curl your lashes and apply mascara
Doe-eyed look? Check! Just give your lashes a few quick squeezes and put on some mascara. It's a small step that makes a huge difference. Your eyes look instantly brighter and wider. There's just something about long, fluttery lashes which is so pretty and girly! ❤ The mascara that I recommend all the time to anyone and everyone is Maybelline The Falsies. It separates, defines, and thickens your lashes and holds a curl really well!

7. Set your make-up with a finishing spray
This is optional. If your skin is dry to normal, you can totes skip this step, but if you're somewhere from combination oily to oily, definitely set your make-up with some sort of finishing spray. It takes care of any powdery-ness and helps your make-up to last longer, so you don't have to worry about blotting your face or retouching throughout the night. The Urban Decay All-Nighter setting spray is tried and tested for me!

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to the rightful owners.
This is not necessarily just for a date, you can use these tips anytime, really. I use these a lot, even when I'm just hanging out with family or friends, if I want to look very casual, natural, but still polished. Good luck! ❤

P.S. I'm trying to think of more Valentine's-related topics to blog about in the coming days. If you have any ideas, please do leave it in a comment down below! :)
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I've got a lot to talk about and not much time, so here we go with the beauty faves!

Starting with skincare, I've been loving:
Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate & Midnight Recovery Eye cream
I use these in conjunction with one another at night, the concentrate as a serum, and the other (obviously) as an eye cream. This is probably Kiehl's two most popular products and over the years, and I've heard so much raves on how this truly is a miracle product to make your skin look more youthful, supple, and fresher by morning. I'm always skeptical about things like that which promise results immediately in such a short period of time (by morning? Are you kidding me?) but it truly does! The serum is nice because it doesn't leave a greasy film on your skin, it sinks in really nicely. And the eye cream - you can tell it's very potent, but it's still thin, so it gets absorbed really quickly. By morning, my skin looks refreshed and I look super well-rested!

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to the rightful owners.
Totally unrelated but doesn't the bottle look like something a mad scientist in a movie would pull out from his shelves??? Not that you would care, hehehe!

The Body Shop Vitamin C Daily Moisturiser SPF30
I caught a cold at the beginning of the month, and so I swapped in my usual Aveeno daily moisturizer for something a little more 'awakening' such as this one! And even after my cold had gone, I have not stopped using this! I love how certain instances like that bring you back to a product you once loved, and you think to yourself, "Why'd I ever stop using this??" I've been trying to be really good about applying SPF daily, and this has been helping me with that. The stereotypical moisturizers with SPF formula is thick, goopy, greasy, and sticky. This one however, for the SPF 30 content it provides, is surprisingly light and truly gel-like! I could hear my skin drink this up when I put it on (not really, but you get it!)

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to the rightful owners.
MoroccanOil Light Treatment
I love Argan Oil, but it's usually too heavy for my very fine (but unfortunately frizzy, so it doesn't look fine at all) hair. This Light formula is really the only thing that won't weigh my hair down! Feels like nothing when you put it on, but it's super nourishing.

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to the rightful owners.
For make-up:
Christian Dior Creme de Rose lip balm
The chilly/windy weather has made my lips so dry and chapped, this is the only thing that helps! Other lip balms I have are too thin or slippery, and they just don't cut it! This one is nice and thick and feels really nourishing and luxurious on my lips. I'm just about to run out of this one, but probably won't be repurchasing because it really is crazy expensive for a lip balm. (Any suggestions for a cheaper alternative that works just as well? Chapstick doesn't cut it for me!)

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to the rightful owners.
Shu Uemura Face Architect Glow Enhancing Powder Foundation
This was my first ever powder foundation. My mom got this for me waaaay back in high school. (Admittedly, I still have the same one, yikes! But no worries, it hasn't gone bad yet.. or so I hope.) I've been digging the whole minimal make-up look lately, and I've been opting to go for a light dusting of powder foundation. This one provides a good amount of coverage too, so I find when I use this, I don't have to use nearly as much concealer as I normally would if I were to use another powder like my 3W Clinic or my Maybelline Dream Matte. Doesn't get cakey or oily, and I find that the more 'worn-in' this gets on face, the better it seems to look!

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to the rightful owners.
NYX blush in Taupe
Staying with the whole minimal make-up look trend, I've been opting to define my face a little bit more vs. putting on eyeshadow. I'm okay with no eyeshadow, just give me contour. You know when you see someone and notice they've done something different to make them look better, but can't seem to tell what exactly it is? THIS.

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to the rightful owners.
Benefit blush in Bella Bamba
Because I've been going so minimal on the rest of my face, I do like a little bit more color and just a taaad bit sparkle on my cheeks to give me more life! This blush is the perfect peachy pink with subtle golden sparkles for everyday to make you look fresh and happy! :)



Wet N Wild Megalast Lipstick in Stoplight Red
On days that I do have to look a little bit more put-together, I'd rather sport a bold lip rather than wear a bunch of eyeshadows. Takes waaaay less time and effort to get ready, and you look just as polished (maybe even more!) This one by Wet N Wild is my favorite bold lip to wear because it goes with any outfit. It certainly is dramatic in person, but in pictures, it looks really nice and surprisingly, almost natural! I think I wore this one out on all weekends of January.

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to rightful owners.
That's it for my faves. I'd love to hear yours! :) Comment down below?

I hope your February is full of LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. ❤
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One of my resolutions for 2015 is to be brave and try new things. New things like a new bold lipcolor!

For bold lips, I usually stick with the red or pink family. With summer coming up (and summer really is the time to go all out on crazy bold, bright colors!), I wanted experiment with an orange lip. 

Bold, orange lips have been a popular trend through the years and is especially popular during the summer. My best friend, Daryl used to be obsessed with orange lips - she even went out to get MAC Morange, but later on, she told me that she felt it made her teeth look yellow! I've never seen her wearing it, but I think what she said is kind of what scared me, so I never ever thought of even trying it!

But yesterday, I told myself to stop being a chicken and try out Wet N Wild Megalast Lipstick in 24 Carat Gold. (Purchased this December last year in preparation for the whole being brave resolution thing)
Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to the rightful owners.
Here's what it looks on:

Messy hair and bold lips - my uniform everyday!
Still haven't decided if I like how it looks or not. Looks a little pasty to me, but I could just not be used to it yet. Thoughts?

What are your favorite orange lipsticks?
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I've wanted to talk about my favorite drugstore products for a while now, and I think this tag is the perfect way to get in a broad discussion about it. I'll be talking about both local & foreign brands alike. :) (WARNING: Lengthy post ahead!)

Here are the questions!:
1. What is your favorite drugstore makeup brand?
Has to be Maybelline. I love so many of their products. Their Color Sensational line of lipsticks is amazing - color selection is huge, color payoff awesome, and they feel nice and moisturizing on your lips! I have Make Me Pink, Warm Me Up, Pink Me Up, Fifth Ave. Fuschia, and Vivid Rose (from their Vivids line which is sadly not available in the Philippines)



L-R: 1-Warm Me Up, 2-Make Me Pink, 3-Pink Me Up, 4-Fifth Ave. Fuschia, 5-Vivid Rose

The Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles Concealer is also one that I've repurchased over and over again. (More on this below!)

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to rightful owners.
I've also used the Maybelline Dream Matte powder for years (since I was in high school) as a light powder to use alone or to set my foundation/BB cream - it keeps my face nice and matte, feels super light, and never looks cakey. These days, I do prefer my 3W Clinic Powder, but I take the Maybelline one whenever I'm traveling because it's compact and easier to use since it's in a pressed format.

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to rightful owners.
Lastly, mascara. I'm sure I've told you some time in this blog before of my undying love for Maybelline The Falsies mascara. It's the one mascara I keep going back to. Trumps any other mascaras I've tried, even high-end ones. (Armani Eyes to Kill and YSL Faux Cils, I'm looking at you!) Super black, keeps my lashes separated, lengthens, thickens, holds a curl all day (and all night), and doesn't budge! Love this stuff!

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to rightful owners.
Apart from The Falsies, I've also tried several other Maybelline mascaras (all of which I loved) like the One By One, Mega Plush, Colossal, and the Hypercurl.

2. What are your favorite face, cheek, and lip products?
Face: I love the Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles concealer as an undereye concealer or brightener. Formula is light, so it never looks or feels heavy while still being brightening. You could also use this as a subtle highlight on your cheeks, forehead, and down the bridge of your nose if you're into that Kim Kardashian-esque contour and highlight look.

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to rightful owners.
Cheeks: I've got two products to talk about here - Revlon Photoready bronzer in Bronzed & Chic & Careline Oil-Control Blush On in Fresh Tomato.

The Revlon Photoready bronzer in Bronzed & Chic is the best drugstore bronzer out there. It's got four colors, so you can mix and match whatever colors you want to get your perfect shade. Usually, I'll just swirl my brush in all four and do an all-over bronze; color is perfect, it's not too orange, not too muddy. If I wanted to do more contouring, I'll take more of the two darker tones.

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to rightful owners.
I have to talk about the Careline Oil-Control Blush On in Fresh Tomato. I've raved about it before (read it here), but I'll rave about it again. It's such a pretty red-orange color. On warm Asian skin, it just looks like the most natural flush. The best part is that it costs only PHP85. (Grrr, I really wanna go get their other colors, but I'm trying to be a good girl!)


3. Least favorite product?

The Maybelline Cheeky Glow blushes were pretty popular back when they came out two summers ago. They're more popularly known as the Dream Bouncy Blushes in the US or UK. These were pretty hyped up because of their memory-foam-ish texture (see it kind of squishes down and up when you touch it) and were supposed to be really good cream blushes for the summer. You know me, I'm all about the cream blushes, so I was pretty eager to try this! When I tried to put it on, it just patched up on my face and would not blend out. I've used natural hair brushes, synthetic hair brushes, my fingers, nothing! It just wouldn't blend out right. Was pretty disappointed with this one. :(


Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to rightful owners.
4. What is the best makeup bargain?

If you're looking for a some good eyeshadows from the drugstore, please PLEASE go check out the Wet N Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Trios/Palettes. They're my pick for best makeup bargain because you get super good quality shadows for a ridiculously low price! (I remember getting mine for below PHP200, it was something ridiculous! They've raised the price to PHP300+ since then, don't know what happened..) They have tons and tons of colors to choose from, from the neutral to the super cray and out-there. The shadows are so buttery soft and smooth and pigmentation is out of this world! The ones I have are Walking on Eggshells and Silent Treatment, both neutral and perfect everyday. I prefer Silent Treatment just a liiiittle bit more because it's one of those trios which can take you from day to night. And if you love taupe eyeshadows (think MAC Satin Taupe or NARS Kalahari-type shades), you need to get Silent Treatment if only for the taupey eyelid shade! It's the most beautiful taupe shade with a rose gold sheen - I've never seen any other taupe shadow like quite like it, it's ridiculous!!




L-R: 1-Walking on Eggshells browbone, 2-crease, 3-eyelid, 4-Silent Treatment browbone, 5-eyelid, 6-crease
5. What is your favorite underdog product? (Something you love that often gets overlooked?)

I feel like the Revlon Brow Fantasy doesn't get as much love as it should! It's a double-ended eyebrow product; one end is a brow pencil, the other end is a tinted brow gel. I don't have one right now though (wow how ironic) because I'm using other things. Back when I did have this, I could just use the pencil end and come in with a separate clear mascara. Whenever I was in a really big hurry, I could get away with just combing through my brows with the tinted brow gel that comes with it. It's not too dark, so it fills in sparse areas and thickens your brows just a bit. The thing I like most about the tinted brow gel is that it doesn't leave your brows feeling stiff and crunchy.


Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to rightful owners.
6. A drugstore product that is overpriced?
I have to go with the Revlon Colorstay Foundation for this one, both Original and the Whipped formula. They run for more than PHP800 (maybe even PHP900?) To me, that's waaay too much to be paying for a drugstore foundation. I know a lot of people love this, but I've just always found this to be too heavy for my liking.




7. Show your best drugstore dupe(s)!!

Wet N Wild Megalast Lipstick in Stoplight Red is a very close dupe for MAC Ruby Woo. I don't have the MAC one, so the picture I'm sharing below are swatches I found online.

Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to rightful owners.
Note: Pictures are not mine. Credits go to the rightful owners.
The only difference is the finish - WNW Stoplight Red is a satin, while MAC Ruby Woo is very matte. I prefer a satin finish anyway, because that way, it's not so drying. Color-wise, it's pretty close. If you've been wanting to try MAC Ruby Woo, but don't want to spend the money for it, go for this one. (More about this on my red lipstick collection here)

8. Drugstore product that isn't worth the hype?
The Revlon Nearly Naked Foundation got a lot of hype last year for being super lightweight, natural-looking while still providing nice coverage. You know me, I'm all about dewy, lightweight, and natural-looking foundations, so I ran out to get it as soon as it hit shelves. Since I've haven't had the best luck with Revlon foundations (refer to my rants on the Colorstay foundation above), I was super excited to try this and I thought, this could be it! But, alas! It didn't do it for me. Instead of making me look dewy, it turned my face into a grease ball and I had to blot my face within just three hours of application, and every two hours thereafter. (And FYI, I have combination-oily skin, so I shudder at the thought of how this might look on oily-skinned gals!) This might work for dry to normal skin types, but to me, it just wasn't worth the hype.


Note: Photo is not mine. Credits go to rightful owners.

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I love blush. It's my fave make-up item among all. I love how even a light dusting can make you look that much healthier. And you could totally change up your entire look just by using a different type of blush. (And okay, I love accentuating my chubby cheeks with blush to make them look even chubbier.)

On regular days (wherein I always seem to be rushing), I would normally just use my Ever Bilena lip & cheek tint - it's quick, easy, lasts all day, and I can slap it on in literally just five seconds without a mirror. On days that I do have extra time, though, I will use a powder blush, just to break the boring habit. My blush picks have evolved over the years - long ago, my picks would normally be of the pink to peachy-pink families. These days, I prefer peachy-pinks to rosy-nudes or rosy-tans for my blush.

L-R: 1-Benefit Blush in Bella Bamba, 2-Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso, 3-Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed; Swatches are down below! :)

1. Benefit Blush in Bella Bamba
Bella Bamba is a peachy-pink with tiny shimmers running through it. I would normally stay away from blushes with shimmer but with this one, the shimmers are really fine, so it doesn't make your face look like a disco ball. This is one of those peachy-pink blushes which can work for a wide range of skin tones because it's not too pink, not too peach. I go for this one on minimal make-up days because I know this blush will just amp everything up, even if I'm just wearing some concealer, mascara, and lip balm. As with all Benefit powder blushes, this smells super good, too! - kind of like peaches. (Note: This is as pink as my blush pick these days is going to get.)




2. Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso
I've said it in my previous entry, this blush is everything I hoped NARS Orgasm to be (read about it here) It's the perfect glowy, peachy-pink blush to make you look healthy. If you want glowing skin, this is THE blush for it! Definitely a lot peacher than Benefit Bella Bamba. The shimmers in this one are so finely-milled (even moreso than Benefit Bella Bamba) that when you put it on your face, you can't even really tell that it has shimmer - it just looks like your skin is 'glowing from within.' This doubles as a cheek highlight also for me because it gives my face an extra 'lift.' I love it even more for the price, I got mine through an online shop for only PHP400. Amazing!




3. Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed
This is another cult fave in the beauty community, and I will go ahead and say that I totally get the hype on this. In the pan though, it's really not that pretty. And by swatching it, it's just a matte rosy tan (and almost brown) color that looks, you know, boring. But this is one of those blushes that trick you! When you go and actually apply some on to your cheeks, it's the prettiest rosy tan color that just makes you look so sophisticated and put-together. Doubles as a subtle contour, too, so when applied correctly, it can give you a slightly more chiseled look (I think this is what makes it look sophisticated.) I would say this is the most versatile among the three in this list, because I can wear it on "no make-up" make-up days or with a full-face of make-up and it will look good, just the same. On "no make-up" make-up days, it just adds a lil' sumn-sumn that ties in your entire look without looking like you've used an actual blush. Just the same, with a full-face of make-up, this ties everything in nicely without overpowering any other features you might have played up. I would use this the most back when I was still working in corporate because it was muted enough to where it wasn't distracting, but it still gave me that extra kick. The formula on this line of blushes is also known to be incredibly long-wearing, and good for both dry or oily skin types. I have combination-oily skin and it certainly does last well throughout the day. I'll go a 10-hour workday and still have the color on my cheeks intact with zero re-touching.




As promised, here are the swatches:
L-R: Benefit Blush in Bella Bamba unblended & blended, Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso unblended & blended, Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed unblended & blended
That's it for my fave blushes! What are yours?

P.S. I'd love it if you'd follow my Instagram @heynicoleyu :)
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NARS Orgasm blush has to be the most popular blush in the beauty industry. You see it everywhere - on beauty blogs, websites, and glossies, and everyone talks about how this is the most universal, most flattering, and the perfect blush for anyone - goes well with all skin tones, from light to darker skin.

I don't get it. I really don't.




When I look at it in the pan (pardon the picture please, it's quite beaten up), it does look like the perfect everyday blush for me. It's a peachy pink with subtle gold sparkles. When I swatch it on my arm with my fingers, pigmentation is great. I don't know if I'm using it wrong, but I can never get it to look that good when I try to apply it with a blush brush on my cheeks. I've tried it all - with a stippling brush (MAC 187), with a traditional blush brush (MAC 129), and with an angled cheek brush (MAC 168) - nothing. I was never able to get that same type of pigmentation. It'll either look like: a) I have nothing on, or b) if I try to build it up with several layers, the gold sparkles will get all over my face (from the swatch below, you can tell a little bit that the sparkles in this kind of goes all over the place) and end up accentuating my pores without actually improving the color - I look like a disco ball, but the color still isn't there.

Bottom-unblended, top-blended with fingers. How I wish I could get it to look that good on my cheeks! :(
NARS blushes are popular for having a great formula, and being that this was their most popular one, I wanted so bad to get into the bandwagon and like this. I do still continue to try using it up to this day (which explains why it is all beaten-up; I take this whenever I travel so I'll have no choice but to use it), but I still haven't gotten good results. :( I feel really bad about this too, because this was one of the first high-end beauty products I've ever purchased with my own money. Since then, I've tried the Milani baked blush in Luminoso, and I've found that to be so much better! It has been said that Luminoso is a dupe for NARS Orgasm - and I agree. I totally get the hype on that one. It's a warm, peachy pink with a subtle sheen (so subtle that it looks like your skin is just glowing rather than sparkling) that makes you look oh-so-healthy. It's everything I hoped NARS Orgasm to be!

I'm sorry, NARS Orgasm! I have been mean to you. But it just didn't work out between us.

Anyone share the same sentiments? I can't be the only one!!
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About Me



Hi! I'm Nicole, 20-something, and based in Manila. Allow me to share with you what goes on in my make-up-loving mind. I hope you'll also join me in my new adventures as a wife, and as a first-time mom. ❤

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