moisture mist, shiseido’s drugstore brand, proudly declares “specially formulated for new zealand women”, but that didn’t stop me from purchasing their compact foundation.
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i have been in fiji for a sun-glorious six weeks now. and it shows in my skin color. i used to be fair, now i’m brown. i’m not going to describe my skintone in newfangled shades that make me sound like i’m a metal (like bronze or golden) because brown is exactly what i am. like a caramel brown (yes, i’d rather be described in dessert terms), that is, a kind of tan with the yellow undertones characteristic to most asians.
while back in manila, i admit, i was among the brainwashed denizens who took insufferable measures to keep their skin away from bright spots or those light beams that shoot from open cracks in the concrete skyline for fear of getting dark, i am now enjoying the tanning effects of the fiji sun.
i could use a fresh glow like vanessa hudgens'.
yesterday, we just received our long overdue freight of personal effects from manila. as i excitedly reunited with my cosmetics, i also came to realize that most of my make-up have now become the wrong shades for my new skin tone. the pale frosted pink lip glosses, latte and silver-gray eye shadows, and cotton candy blush have been rendered unflattering if worn by themselves or worn at all.
so i gathered some online data and went on some sample shopping to see which colors can now thrive in my tropical make-up kit.
face and cheeks
brown complexions do typically have deep honey undertones, a rich warm color, so shades like peach, praline, apricot or those with gold shimmer are best.
i am crazy about l'oreal blush delicieux. i use golden apricot (as shown) or sugar praline.
eyes
the best part about getting a tanned face is now gold and copper eye shadows are part of my neutral palette, not just shades i wear when going 70′s disco dancing.
estee lauder pure color eyeshadow in sun block.
many of my tried and true browns, like the cappuccinos and fawns, can still retain their places in my arsenal.
for times when playful shades are required, a strong navy blue or fatigue green seem the most frivolous yet sensible choices. it’s goodbye to my sky blues and apple greens. as for purples, extreme care should be observed in choosing, as the wrong purple can make me look as if i have a shiner. ouch.
i am loving ysl eyeshadow duo in pearly peach and mink brown.
lips
yay! this time, i have a wider range of oranges to choose from, in fact just about the entire spectrum looks great on brown skin: from peach to coral to red-orange.
i used to stay away from red lips, but now i can actually wear deep or fire-engine red without looking as if i’m off to my burlesque revue.
many of the balm's plump your pucker shades make great color for brown skin. i use cherry my cola (6th from right) or tutti my fruity (4th from right) just about everyday.
considering a tan yourself? don’t forget to run through your makeup along with your skin color change.
not too many people talk about, much less recommend, avon cosmetics. i have to admit, there is a looming stigma against direct selling, which makes girls shy away from catalogs. but i love catalogs. really, i love them. i patronize avon. and i like that they are giving hardworking, entrepreneurial ladies an alternative income.
it’s strange though, it was quite a mission for me to find an avon lady just a few days ago. i used to assume they were all over town. i guess with the boom in direct-selling businesses, many brands vie for the loyalty of but a few dealers.
anyway…
there are items in avon which i think can outdo many higher-priced variations in the market.
avon glazewear liquid lip color. under P400.00.
i started using glazewear eight years ago, and it hasn’t failed me since. full coverage, creamy, not goopy, and it has such a sweet pleasant scent. i get compliments when i use this. and it comes in so many luscious shades, the color wheel will make you dizzy!
avon supershock mascara. on sale now: less than P300.00
it certainly does deliver the shock, volumizing even the puniest lashes to their greatest potential. like many mascaras in season now, the rubber brush promises to separate each lash and minimize clumping.
avon daring definition mousse mascara. on sale now: less than P300.00
aside from the supershock, i like the daring definitions mascara. it’s the blackest mascara you can find on the market and the mousse glides on easily upon application. it doesn’t flake nor fade, thus saving you from the dreaded racoon-eyes effect.
i used to order the first generation avon anew microdemabrasion scrub. it looked something like this, but in a plain white tube:
avon anew clinical microdermabrasion scrub
i think this new advanced formulation replaced the old one. it’s so sad to see brands cease production of your favorite products, but even facial scrubs have to evolve with the times. i am more than willing to try this new one, but i didn’t see it in the catalog today. either it’s not available locally or it has yet to come. i’ll wait. avon’s anew line is more expensive than other avon skin care products, but it does deliver visible results.
since i’ve been ordering the same products from avon for a while now, i think it’s time to try something else. i found that this had many rave reviews online, so i quickly jotted it down for the avon lady to order:
avon tinted magix skin perfector. on sale now: less than P400.00
ok, i admit. reese witherspoon’s radiant photo sold this to me.
the tinted magix skin perfector promises to hide imperfections, improve texture and even minimize the appearance of pores. since many ladies gave it a 5, i would surely love to try it. it’s a cream-to-powder make up base that glides on smoothly for a natural finish. i’ll find out on monday if it also gets 5 stars from me!
how about you, do you have favorite direct-selling products?
this is my entry to the contest posted by posh pinay.
as i normally select which of my personal items would be useful for certain days, then leave behind the rest which won’t be of any purpose, i maintain a general weeday pack and a general weekend pack.
this is my weekend junk:
my favorite red bag
weekend pack
this is my weekday junk:
my typical weekday bag
weekday pack
what’s in your bag?
indulge me: what smell reminds you most of your childhood? mine is sunblock. i think my consciousness was awakened with the heavy scent of coppertone. true story.Â
the summer heat makes me want to burrow in a fully air-conditioned nuclear bomb shelter. but where’s the fun in that?
so much rhapsody has been sung about sunscreen since baz luhrman came out with that spoken music of the same title, but not enough people (specifically in the country) have actually taken his words to heart. i myself am a sporadic sunscreener, but there were a couple of years when i religiously plastered my face with the best spf i could find. so this year, when i realized my skin investment will mature without me knowing, i reincarnated my childhood love affair with sunblock.
for this active summertime, my favorite is vmv armada sport hands down.
vmv armada sport spf 70
possibly the most powerful protection you can find in the local market, i find that it is also the least noticeable upon application. it goes on clean, and feels light enough even for your face. no need for separate face and body sunblocks. as an avid user of the other products in the armada line, there was no doubt i’d rely on this during that hottest day on the beach.
as for my little girl, who is one year and five months old, there will be no early memories of the usual sunblock smell for her. because i am a stickler to brands, no question as to what sun protection she should get.
vmv armada baby spf 60
gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin, this won’t irritate a child like other chemical sunscreens. plus it has vitamin e beads. whatever that does. i just trust it works…
now that we have our face and body covered, we normally neglect the most sensitive part of our skin: our lips. of course, these need just as much sun protection as the rest of our body. but i don’t think any of us would be too eager to slather sunblock on our peckers. screw that.
we have found the solution:
chapstick ultra spf 30
from good old chapstick comes another lip thingy to keep your kisser soft even against the most intense day under the sun. and how could we go wrong? this is concerned about our health, not just our looks. more than the aesthetic value brought to us by cosmetic companies, chapstick is brought to us by a pharmaceutical company. which means they are dead serious about protecting our lips.
so no need for hiding under that coconut tree. they’ve got you covered.
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