Dedicating this long overdue post to anyone who's sweet enough to give me a gift, a.k.a. myself. 

1.) I just realized I really w̶a̶n̶t̶  need a hardbound Harry Potter set in my life, preferably before the rumored (?) 8th book will surface because we all know that it will no longer be the same when the 8th book comes out.


2.) A ream of Dunder Mifflin bond paper, which I probably won't use. And yes, THEY EXIST FORREALZ!


3.) Urban Decay's Naked (1) Palette. Self-explanatory.

4.) MAC Retro Matte lippies. Nyx Matte lippies if on a budget. 

5.) Cuisinart Ice Cream Maker. Because who doesn't love ice cream! 

6. It's in the only-in-my-dreams level, but I really want a trip to the Tomorrowland Music Festival at least once in this lifetime.

 

While everyone is on the Ben Nye Banana Powder bandwagon, here I am having just received my first theatrical powder, the Palgantong Theatrical Powder.

I originally ordered the shade Beige Ochre (Read: suits Medium-Dark skinned girls) but Original Beige was the one that arrived in the mail. I have already confirmed from the correspondence with a Joan that there was a mix up and she expressed intents of getting the item replaced, but as shown in the photos below, I have already opened the sealed jar so I just accepted my fate. Haha!

Backlog kung backlog but I just wanna say two months ago, I finally gave in and bought myself my first MAC lipstick. Hurrah!

I don't know about you but for me, there is something sentimental about buying my first MAC lipstick. Not only do I not really wear loud colors on my lips but it was bought with my own hard-earned cash. It costs a thousand bucks! I think that alone deserves a moment of silence. Heh.

Long time no post. I haven't even my quota for January, much more for February. I hope to blog again even with all the stressful work hubaloo. Having no creative outlet while at work takes a number on my skin, I can feel it. So to kick this off, here's what greeted my good morning when I woke up. (night shifter)

Just today, the My Shopping Box delivery men arrived in our apartment bringing packages I ordered from Amazon all the way to the Makati, Philippines. (If you wanna see the detailed ordering process I went through, click here.) Even when I should have been sleeping 5 hours ago, I still managed to snap a few photos before my camera batteries got depleted. (Of course Penny Blanco! Just when I need you the most, you die on me!)

I just thought of showing you the actual photos before I go to slumber land.

I changed sheets. The brushes didn't stand out as much as it deserved.

real Techniques Core Collection.

real Techniques Stippling Brush; not as wide and dense as Charm's.

Just like everything new, they looked (and smelled) divine!

I didn't have much cash left so I only picked those I can afford at the time. Next time, I'll buy more pink and purple brushes. Oh yeah, if you didn't know, they're color-coded: Orange handles for the base, Purple handles for the eyes, and Pink handles for the finishing touches. I'm no expert in applying makeup and I don't do full makeup looks often, but it does help when you have good tools to help you when you need to be extra polished.

Hoping to post more about this one day and I cannot wait to give them their first bath!

I have never been a daily blush wearer. It's something I only sport when I perform, go to weddings and other special occasions. It's not that I don't like having to fuss over an extra step in my daily routine but I'm just too afraid that it will make my cheeks break out again, just like what happened when I was using one in my daily makeup.

Currently, my routine is very basic:

1. moisturizer, 
2. sunblock,
3. lip balm, 
4. spot correcting using foundation, (LOL I don't know why I couldn't just use a concealer)
5. loose/pressed powder,
6. eyeliner,
7. [Optional] and when I have more time, I fix my brows 

Pretty basic and can be done in under 5 minutes. But due to this current stage in life where I'm in, where I'm trying out new things, I'm playing with the idea of actually buying a blush that won't cause more skin problems. My skin is already damaged as it is and I don't wanna add to the damage that lack of sleep and drinking have clocked in.

Earlier this year, I tried on a blush that was good on my skin, the Lancome Blush Subtil. It didn't clog my pores but I was hesitant to purchase in Rustan's since it costs too much. There's another one I currently have my eyes on, but I haven't personally tried it.

As for the skin imperfections that I currently sport, it's nothing that my dermatologist can't remedy but I can't, for the life of me, wake up on the time I set my alarm clock to go to my dermatologist's clinic that's all the way in Ortigas.

I reckon it's too late to go for a Spanish Peel since the holidays are just right around the corner and I wouldn't want to celebrate Christmas and New Year with snake-like peeling face so an appointment is out of the question. It'll have to be scheduled on January.

And yes, I just wrote this much petty information about myself that no one will be interested about.

I haven't been posted anything this week because every Christmas party was jam packed in the entire week. We even had to skip the party last Friday because a.) we're tired b.) teammates will skip it c.) we'd rather work from home. I am glad to say though that my 12.12.12 did live up to be the most memorable and once in a lifetime event that I hoped for.


[R-L Clockwise]

• I came to the event knowing I'll get a chance to get a photo taken with Ramon Bautista. I'm no super fan but I really think he's intelligent and hilarious. Smart minds, for me, are sexy and such a turn on. That enough made me take that chance when he was at the side of the stage, getting a photo taken with another Groove friend, Dada. *cue memory snippet*
  
  Jenn: *makes my you're-the-only-other-person-in-the-world-right-now eye contact* Hiiiii! Pwede rin ba akong magpa-picture? *pa-cute smile*
  RB: Ang ganda mo naman!
  Dada: *sisingit* Thank you!
  RB: Ay hindi ikaw, siya! *points to me*
  Jenn: *slowly dying while getting our photo taken*
  
  And this is a highlight of my 12.12.12 night why? Because you know, abandonment issues can also make you feel really ugly, insecure, not worth it, plus every other negative thing, ALL AT ONCE. So really, this made my night in ways you can't imagine.


• Being that the production team sucked, we were not able to do tech runs on the stage, which eventually posed a lot of issues later that night. But being the sport that we are, we tried to enjoy the event and warm ourselves up before the opening dance segment. We did this by singing and dancing to the company bands' songs at the side of the stage. It was fun, even though everyone else in the audience probably didn't enjoy their performance as much as Groove did.


• The only action shot that I have from all the albums that surfaced so far. It's not perfect, projection-wise but I love seeing that my hair has gone this long. 

The POREfessional, Benefit

When the weekly getting drunk since November routine already showed it's effect on my skin, a.k.a. large pores, tiny bumps, coarse skin, and pimple scars, I immediately thought, "Shit, pano na yung mukha ko sa photos?" Then, I remembered that my BDJ Box subscription did include a renowned primer as a freebie on the first box!


I took it out of the box and lugged it into my makeup kit before I ran late to the call time in MOA SMX. Yes, this part of the blog post is still about the same day, 12.12.12.

After the last few rehearsal runs, we proceeded into getting our hair and makeup done. Everything was DIY so I had to pretend I know what to do in that hour. After I washed my face, I looked for my moisturizer and ta-da! It wasn't there so I skipped on to the primer.

Or any other niche blogging theme.

Early this year, I attended a company-sponsored hobby class with Mr. Anton Diaz, the mind behind Our Awesome Planet, Mercato, Mezza Norte...you get it. The class was kinda about how you'll become a better at blogging and the secrets into making it big online. One tip was to find a niche and build up on it.

1. I can take photos of what I buy but it's hard for me to follow through with a review, unless of course I strongly feel something about this product. It's either I truly love it on me or I hate it and it was too horrendous that I just had to share my thoughts so you'd stay away from it too. 


2. I talk too much. Sometimes to the point where my segues become a new topic on their own, totally different from what I was originally talking about. Lest you are a friend in real life, I don't see how my lengthy babble would endear any stranger.


3. I am interested in too many things and I can't be limited to just posting about a certain topic. 


4. I am lazy often. If only you could see how many draft posts I have right now. I have everything in my head: a carefully thought out topic, a mediocre title and photos that I snapped. But really, where do you get the time? Hopefully now that my love life's bleak, I can squeeze an hour or two. 


5. I don't have the money to finance possible blog themes. Truth be told, writing a fashion blog, a travel blog, a food blog, a beauty blog, and so on, requires that you have something to write about and preferably, something that you experienced first hand. Scratch that. Not just preferably, but mandatory. Imagine posting a review about the food served in Spiral when you haven't even eaten there.
   
   But then again, nothing stops you from making an all-DIY beauty blog or a homecooked meals blog or an ukay-ukay fashion blog. All good ideas if you have time. (If you have one, I'd love to read them! ^^)


6. I easily get bored.


7. I am self-absorbed and I won't apologize for it. Notice that everything in this enumeration starts with an "I"? Yeah, me too. And as much as I want to share the actual consumer experience, a post usually becomes a journal entry of how I eventually managed to buy this or do this. 

The one blogging tip that I'm trying to follow religiously now is to post frequently. Last month, I set myself a goal of two posts per month and I achieved it. This month, I'm just aiming for a higher post count than November.

*This is me looking into your soul

I'm doing this blogging thing since it has quite proven to be a good distraction from the urges of giving up to this quarter-life crisis I'm in. And since what usually gets me into misunderstandings is when I get overly expressive about my thoughts that the words I say comes out unfiltered, I thought I'd just divert them into something that I could also benefit from. Sometimes, I don't even mean it but my mouth just HAD to say it. So hopefully by writing, I'll get to limit myself from tactlessly spurting out words without enough consideration.

Also, it is actually fun to do.

I have already come to a conclusion that this will forever be a personal blog, one which contains multi-topics that have my candid views into everything I encounter, being that I'm a probinsyana and all that naivety. (Yes, I'm still doing that persona haha) Although, I really must sort out my labels for those who are selective in what they read.

To the people who message me or leave comments saying they were able to endure all the blabbing I do, thank you for the appreciation.

*On an unrelated note, here's a random self-portrait to keep the vanity alive. Also TL;DR posts make me sleepy as well.

10 NYX Lip Smacking Fun Colors

Sleek PPQ and Original Eye Shadow Palletes

And finally, they have arrived.

I did.

Will I buy this again? Yes. But I think I'd reserve this for special occasions and stick to Clinique for everyday makeup. They're too pricey for my budget. I'm thinking of buying setting powder in Beauty Bar just so I won't have to use the MUFE setting powder often. Though I am contemplating on buying a Mat Velvet compact too.

MUFE Super Matte Loose Powder: P1450
MUFE Mat Velvet +: P2250

Like any normal human being (well okay, human being that's my age), I am intimidated to go inside Make Up For Ever Bonifacio High Street. It's just because I would leave the store without buying anything anyway, so why bother.

And then this fateful day came when both my powder and liquid Clinique foundations ran out. Because of the heavy traffic from Taguig to Rustan's Makati, going to Glorietta was not an option. I had to find anything right away I can use for our department's year-ender party in Republiq.

I have never been a concealer person. I used to think that my undereye area is fine as it is but alas, the sleepless nights has taken its toll on me. I now have what they call dark circles. So to counter that, on a whim I bought the inexpensive but raved Fanny Serrano stick concealer. But because of my self-proclaimed busy-ness, I always neglect to use it.

Actual photos to follow. Shade: Cashew (for undereye area)

Yesterday, I was getting late for work and I accidentally got the concealer from my makeup kit. This is the first time I have opened it by the way. Since it's already open, I just gently patted it on my undereye area (Read: pat not smudge) and set it with my compact powder. The result was wonderful. I even hurriedly texted my boyfriend and the short convo went like this.

Jen: I feel pretty today
Him: Everyday bhe

Of course, he's just being sweet.

Things you might wanna know:
-Price: 350 pesos (Market! Market!); I heard it's cheaper to buy from Natasha dealers (less than 300) but I don't know a dealer who is accessible.
-Lasting power: I have a very oily face but I must say that it didn't wear off until I had to remove it using my makeup remover.
-It's only my 2nd day using it. If there will be harsh skin reactions, as I do have sensitive skin, I shall report as soon as possible.

I am now having second thoughts.

I don't really put on makeup everyday, especially now that my derma is prohibiting me, with the exception on everything Clinique and mineral makeup, which he allows.

Mineral Makeup
To those who have not used mineral makeup, it does wonders on sensitive skin. On the other side, it is a hassle to bring everywhere since normally, the foundation, blushes, and eye pigments are contained in small pots. As an additional weight to your vanity kit, you'll also have to bring separate brushes for each of them. These reasons added to my laziness in the morning would just not do so I...

Clinique
...put on my Clinique pressed powder after putting on sunblock and moisturizer. This pressed powder is the only Clinique product I allow myself to buy for obvious reasons-- the price. One of these days, I will eventually give in and maybe invest on other things but I will do it piece by piece because hey, I still need to eat too!

Eyeliner
This is starting to become a necessity. I own a brown Revlon Colorstay eyeliner and it's starting to deplete so I will buy another one, this time I will also grab the black one. It is retractable so there's no need to sharpen, also it is very soft and creamy. Apart from these, I also have my E.L.F eyeliners which are good but not for a long wear. I'm thinking of getting a gel liner for my upper lids (Maybelline, maybe), though, as I am finding it hard to apply pencil liners thinly on my upper lids.

Yes, I'm talking about the rats nibbling everything they can put their little mighty teeth into.

I thought I have won the fight when I placed Raccumin all over the house on Saturday night. I woke up on Sunday morning without the sounds of the rats running around.Then just right now, I saw my VMV Skin Alchemy foundation tube leaking onto its side. Damn you pests! Did it even taste good, huh? I'll be sure to setup a good revenge on you. You better watch out! Your days here are numbered.

My poor foundie, Peachy (Yes, it has a name!), is damaged. She does her job really well and she does not deserve this.

By the way, my Skin Alchemy shade is Pecan. It used to really suit me well but lately, I think my skin became fairer than before so I seldom use this foundie now. I'll just blog about the foundie experience on different entry.