Battle Against Fat with Zumba

Hi everybody,<br /><br />So, today's post feels like a deja-vu, doesn't it? At the beginning of last year, I started a battle against fat with Jillian Michaels's "30 Day Shred." Somewhere around day 5, I failed. No, scratch that. I got sick and all things came to an end.<br /><br />Since then, I realized my pattern: I either get sick or get bored before I stopped exercising. Also, the longest amount of time I constantly worked out was 3 months. Then, for some mysterious reasons, I just stopped.<br /><br />Entered my cousin and her persistent persuasive power. One day, she told me, "Dao, you need to try Zumba. It's really a lot of fun!"<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXVH1zTmHcF1RydKKSTL-NDpYT7iHOV9NwXcDMPb49mojCibsXTNJAweJ8pgBsfl-rKjQFvi5rk5LKX1w0zaOw_HJbTz6Jbn03ItXQjq1vKIYEXRk6aJoGS3yGzBvPz6ozMfPFJddEiyu/s1600/Zumba-Fitness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXVH1zTmHcF1RydKKSTL-NDpYT7iHOV9NwXcDMPb49mojCibsXTNJAweJ8pgBsfl-rKjQFvi5rk5LKX1w0zaOw_HJbTz6Jbn03ItXQjq1vKIYEXRk6aJoGS3yGzBvPz6ozMfPFJddEiyu/s1600/Zumba-Fitness.jpg" /></a></div><br />I gave her this look: o_O and gave her a bunch of excuses: I can't dance, I don't like dancing, I am more of a yoga type person, yada yada yada.<br /><br />But did I tell you she's persistent? Well, she gave me a 11-DVD collection and let them do the talking. I played the step-by-step DVD and to my amazement, I enjoyed zumba. The first try, I did 1/2 hr and the back of my t-shirt was soaked. The next day, I did 1hr of that same disc and the whole shirt was soaked with sweat. Wow!<br /><br />Now, I just finished day 3 of zumba. Unlike the other step exercises, Zumba is not so complicated. The instructors explain the steps well enough for me to copy (and I do have 2 left feet and have no rhythm whatsoever!) I could follow the whole thing and had fun doing it. Most of all, it does not feel like exercising at all. I like it.<br /><br />So, here is my goal: <b>to work out with Zumba 5 times a week for the next 100 days</b>. Since I already started 3 days ago, this exercise trek will end on November 7th, 2011.<br /><br />Each week, I am going to report my progress. It's time to get fit once and for all. Are you with me?<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/?action=view&current=endcredit.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/endcredit.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">P.S: If you like my blog, please </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0pt none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">subscribe to my feed.</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Thanks a lot!</span></td></tr></tbody></table>

Battle Against Fat with Zumba

Hi everybody, So, today's post feels like a deja-vu, doesn't it? At the beginning of last year, I started a battle against fat with ...

Read more »

Makeup Tips to Look Fabulous over 50

Hi everyone,<br /><br />Last weekend, I got a chance to do a makeover for my mom before she went to a wedding. Normally, she would do her own makeup but I'd like for her to have a different look. This is the second time I did my mom's makeup and it was a lot better than the first time around.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_YBoDVpIqtyKcaOJz6u3b1S8RG9_1Z8jtG0wWlCPiws-ajKEM4z4jxOPeSKcFa-Z687iRra5pkA4qmlthtswediSLfHnFtA6ehHN2Srdn7teaI1Is2qRjUL24hjyett15cObx4wo6MNL/s1600/BB+working.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW_YBoDVpIqtyKcaOJz6u3b1S8RG9_1Z8jtG0wWlCPiws-ajKEM4z4jxOPeSKcFa-Z687iRra5pkA4qmlthtswediSLfHnFtA6ehHN2Srdn7teaI1Is2qRjUL24hjyett15cObx4wo6MNL/s1600/BB+working.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bobbi Brown doing makeup on some model. Imagine me looking like that when I did my mom's makeup.</td></tr></tbody></table>After this session, I have realized why my mom's makeup was a lot better. Here are the tips:<br /><br /><b>1. Moisture, moisture, moisture:</b><br />No matter how much face cream my mom put on, her skin was dry. To add more foundation and powder on top was a disaster. It enhances the dryness and accentuates the line.<br /><br />To have a fabulous canvas for makeup, my mom put on the cream, waited for it to dry, then put on a facial serum that has silicone. Not only the silicone seals in moisture, it also smooths out her skin. It was a lot better this way.<br /><br /><b>2. A good primer is key:</b><br />The first time I did her makeup, I used MAC Bare Canvas as an eyeshadow primer. It is a decent primer on me but since its texture is dry, Bare Canvas did not work well on my mom's already dry skin.<br /><br />This time around, I used Urban Decay Primer Potion on her and the eye makeup just blended so easily. I did not notice that when I did my own makeup but it was a significant improvement in blending my mom's makeup.<br /><br /><b>3. Liquid foundation and selected powdering:</b><br />As my mom's skin is dry, we decided to use liquid foundation and buffed it with ELF Studio powder brush to get a flawless finish. Then, I powdered her t-zone before adding blushes.<br /><br /><b>4. Go easy on the shimmer:</b><br />As much as I love shimmer, it does not go well on my mom's skin. Too much shimmer is not a good thing. Instead, I use a light hand to highlight certain areas (cheekbones and underneath the eyebrows.) As a result, my mom's skin did not look dull but has a nice glow.<br /><br />I had fun doing makeup on my mom. Believe it or not, it's a whole new ballgame to do her makeup. The challenges are different and although I've heard or read about it, doing her makeup gave me a whole new outlook on makeup artistry.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/?action=view&current=endcredit.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/endcredit.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">P.S: If you like my blog, please </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0pt none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">subscribe to my feed.</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Thanks a lot!</span></td></tr></tbody></table>

Makeup Tips to Look Fabulous over 50

Hi everyone, Last weekend, I got a chance to do a makeover for my mom before she went to a wedding. Normally, she would do her own makeup bu...

Read more »

Dior x Style Me Pretty Wedding Makeup Contest

Hi everyone,<br /><br />I saw this in my inbox today and thought some of you who are brides-to-be may want to join it. Dior and Style Me Pretty joined together for a contest. One winner will receive a 2-hour makeup session by Dior. Amazing, yes?<br /><br />For more details of this contest as well as how to join, <a href="http://www.stylemepretty.com/wedding-day-makeup-by-dior">click here</a>.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6c8ili6GVdYAMu11-MeZASjJ3JaLjpod4dT3k3c6lyF1h3ZoQMhMmGcyl_yi2weB1xykzEpsFIvlEiqXajuKKF4d4KDTxgvQpz-_Mdhyphenhyphentn8dqJjM8zjQMhY-_tIJ9LeRi_dZA9Zm2fTv/s1600/Dior_stylemepretty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg6c8ili6GVdYAMu11-MeZASjJ3JaLjpod4dT3k3c6lyF1h3ZoQMhMmGcyl_yi2weB1xykzEpsFIvlEiqXajuKKF4d4KDTxgvQpz-_Mdhyphenhyphentn8dqJjM8zjQMhY-_tIJ9LeRi_dZA9Zm2fTv/s400/Dior_stylemepretty.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.stylemepretty.com/">Image source</a></td></tr></tbody></table>And while we are talking about wedding, I'm totally in love with this wedding gown from <a href="http://www.airebarcelona.com/home">Aire Barcelona</a>:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrxl61XLwZzfUyE__RdC_TTbvNXAbt-4iKVltnsU4eKqHoO-78k8fkhIaguFb_0ki93plPNYFNxiiGpGy3HaLu8QallB2V0dAD9q4k48JsyE6tA7ptRL9ehGtOVREbd9xcfvCBHAxnmco/s1600/Aire-Barcelona-Ball-Gown-nuria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXrxl61XLwZzfUyE__RdC_TTbvNXAbt-4iKVltnsU4eKqHoO-78k8fkhIaguFb_0ki93plPNYFNxiiGpGy3HaLu8QallB2V0dAD9q4k48JsyE6tA7ptRL9ehGtOVREbd9xcfvCBHAxnmco/s400/Aire-Barcelona-Ball-Gown-nuria.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6sghbli5kTqjYM5pXDEDRSD2g0N3owdH_dAy-8B7_y8NfY8I6xvIprm3boF4z-UStEcHkFebBtWyNSWpCGjjES7Y06Plnjemf7T0kA6Xdky59RnnTBHH-g_Zad4yFx3rpNMtscZW3gmy/s1600/aire-barcelona-monica-cruz-2011-nuria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW6sghbli5kTqjYM5pXDEDRSD2g0N3owdH_dAy-8B7_y8NfY8I6xvIprm3boF4z-UStEcHkFebBtWyNSWpCGjjES7Y06Plnjemf7T0kA6Xdky59RnnTBHH-g_Zad4yFx3rpNMtscZW3gmy/s640/aire-barcelona-monica-cruz-2011-nuria.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />It's white, it's fluffy, and it has rosettes! A totally fun gown to wear on your wedding day. It's called "Nuria" and the model is Penelope Cruz's sister Monica. I love the hair and makeup she had in this ad. They are both simple yet elegant.<br /><br />For those who join the Dior contest, good luck to you all! Also, have a nice weekend!<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/?action=view&current=endcredit.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/endcredit.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">P.S: If you like my blog, please </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0pt none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">subscribe to my feed.</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Thanks a lot!</span></td></tr></tbody></table>

Dior x Style Me Pretty Wedding Makeup Contest

Hi everyone, I saw this in my inbox today and thought some of you who are brides-to-be may want to join it. Dior and Style Me Pretty joined ...

Read more »

I'm Into You FOTD

Hi everyone,<br /><br />Thank you for your lovely encouraging words from the last post. I'm very touched and thankful for your support. Lately, I've been digging the new Jennifer Lopez's music video "I'm Into You." Ms. Lopez is know for her glowing skin. Beside the usual neutral makeup, she had a very interesting futuristic cut the crease look in this music video. I've wanted to do something similar for a very long time and I couldn't wait to get into it.<br /><br />Now, before we get into the makeup, let's take a look at Ms. Lopez's look. I took some screen shots from the video:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLu7ogeZVc9XumBXiR8g22wpZu2TC_oDtF428ruGtZPmO9yh6Om2lYf0TkrL9Bo5ZpzqjtxywTwKJbVtAPWoD5IMD7P0yPhniLZcNG7pqnMu5-EvAudAmkJLpz5lTrjjbdLiTyZMpJlzB/s1600/jlo+eyes1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfLu7ogeZVc9XumBXiR8g22wpZu2TC_oDtF428ruGtZPmO9yh6Om2lYf0TkrL9Bo5ZpzqjtxywTwKJbVtAPWoD5IMD7P0yPhniLZcNG7pqnMu5-EvAudAmkJLpz5lTrjjbdLiTyZMpJlzB/s400/jlo+eyes1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu17BKNeddM3TOdOm0CLAfNROrzkuT1M5SNwwB7XjKO5iWw1uRAw4QIbFZ7rkSsrtOHAfvhJFVAbDWKsM3d938Cdk-41mOpH-P64qZsV-bwu96hhR1MiDPrELP8XvOEbR6u4Xezu8KlDYm/s1600/jlo+eyes2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu17BKNeddM3TOdOm0CLAfNROrzkuT1M5SNwwB7XjKO5iWw1uRAw4QIbFZ7rkSsrtOHAfvhJFVAbDWKsM3d938Cdk-41mOpH-P64qZsV-bwu96hhR1MiDPrELP8XvOEbR6u4Xezu8KlDYm/s400/jlo+eyes2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>and here's the video:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="314" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/IgLcQmlN2Xg" width="500"></iframe><br /><br />It doesn't look like what she usually does, which is more of a neutral eye look with bronzy, glowing skin. This is something Lady Gaga and Katy Perry would do but nevertheless, I had a fun time recreating this look. Here's my rendition:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uKOFzjB7aFCz_DtXqQWL-nGj5pW-OTBY5i-JQJ914kbCw-3Qjs6x9E7_kZbdc9l45kU90CC0S65asysYkXQ3RHMLvfoWootSAhA6YjVintSj1ijEwGO6d1clNQN_f7o_agmG8gtGWbR_/s1600/IMG_4337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1uKOFzjB7aFCz_DtXqQWL-nGj5pW-OTBY5i-JQJ914kbCw-3Qjs6x9E7_kZbdc9l45kU90CC0S65asysYkXQ3RHMLvfoWootSAhA6YjVintSj1ijEwGO6d1clNQN_f7o_agmG8gtGWbR_/s640/IMG_4337.JPG" width="442" /></a></div><br />Wanna know how I did it? Jump!<br /><a name="more"></a><div style="text-align: center;">Stuff I used:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmvjO3MZF118hUXRSki2B5ZmlGmEozb4QO05Of3BoarP8lPoSF6dCGQP5uEjMg3oa_5EC9S4suNIm10D8c1ZQHlMA9Vcpr8lGszlqvP_hYfakWWTtlvV3rB-_MVMSMNzYJPqS8onpSDyT/s1600/IMG_4352.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFmvjO3MZF118hUXRSki2B5ZmlGmEozb4QO05Of3BoarP8lPoSF6dCGQP5uEjMg3oa_5EC9S4suNIm10D8c1ZQHlMA9Vcpr8lGszlqvP_hYfakWWTtlvV3rB-_MVMSMNzYJPqS8onpSDyT/s400/IMG_4352.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The eyes:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMWcE_euDFFlmTEhYFF34VN4Z_IL9FuO0rV8AQGk7F4nf86LaSMbHmERjbDgtPw5HtwF3UzNlRISAneJ5GzznYwrHNPCqUPVk408PIyhGjnn_e3R1WgYD2vNSlNRdpb2y7Qu5RUG2D5MG/s1600/IMG_4332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmMWcE_euDFFlmTEhYFF34VN4Z_IL9FuO0rV8AQGk7F4nf86LaSMbHmERjbDgtPw5HtwF3UzNlRISAneJ5GzznYwrHNPCqUPVk408PIyhGjnn_e3R1WgYD2vNSlNRdpb2y7Qu5RUG2D5MG/s400/IMG_4332.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up #1 (taken indoor)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtKHcomO0nFav5ktOuI1Obmdf_L_7RKr-EYSuRsGAPN4EvFf-gxOG56STvNGfX-TSxH0rkOSNMhyphenhyphenqhEwaa4Z6k7UYmvte3UUOetZunQFLbpvmjxRwzhpMGGr1ypgs_VV50v-0idahYm5L/s1600/IMG_4347.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtKHcomO0nFav5ktOuI1Obmdf_L_7RKr-EYSuRsGAPN4EvFf-gxOG56STvNGfX-TSxH0rkOSNMhyphenhyphenqhEwaa4Z6k7UYmvte3UUOetZunQFLbpvmjxRwzhpMGGr1ypgs_VV50v-0idahYm5L/s400/IMG_4347.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close-up #2 (outdoor)</td></tr></tbody></table> What I did:<br /><br /><ul><li>Apply MAC Bare Canvas paint pot all over the eyelid as a base</li><li>Use L'Oreal eyeliner in Black Shock to outline the eyes. Notice the wing has 2 tails joined together at the end. You probably can't see it since my eyes are very deep set. I had a problem doing it, too. Also, it is a lot easier to use ELF waterproof liquid eyeliner to create the wings.</li><li>Use the same L'Oreal eyeliner to create the curve on top.</li><li>To waterproof your makeup, line everything with MAC Blacktrack fluidline.</li><li>Use a white eyeliner as a secondary base to whiten the area underneath the curve</li><li>Apply Urban Decay Uzi on top of the white base</li><li>Line the lower lash line</li><li>Curl lashes and apply mascara.</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;">Cheeks and Lips</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjDtJ5gu_-cULEDFV-5beRZUMWEgOHKQ7NbDG4plvUzj7BfrNzGzasGYRYfN-HFrNccSHvCtOZkCrMZA1YQPQmx0QnGiqnl3TCX_vXMtArHkFCF6vZ3YpLA1nFvRuhyphenhyphen9ZG6yo-fxNSnT1/s1600/IMG_4336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWjDtJ5gu_-cULEDFV-5beRZUMWEgOHKQ7NbDG4plvUzj7BfrNzGzasGYRYfN-HFrNccSHvCtOZkCrMZA1YQPQmx0QnGiqnl3TCX_vXMtArHkFCF6vZ3YpLA1nFvRuhyphenhyphen9ZG6yo-fxNSnT1/s640/IMG_4336.JPG" width="454" /></a></div><div><br />For that J.Lo glow on the cheeks, I used this combination of Puppa Luminys blush #4 and ELF Studio Gotta Glow blush after contouring with Physician's Formula bronzer.<br /><br />For my lips, I lined the whole lips with NYX lip liner in Natural and applied Yes to Carrots Playful Nude lip gloss on top.</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RFSq3hGOTV1GO4Wa7R9sFu-2xjK6qPQnkajS1GPN-copnCXkiwl_izIi34yJ86wVYomj-ZgbLiDb7wKOrmVVX3q9gO_9LeDdUq9WFrM7Q5Q2kkuACjns-k9vhyJ8MYe1Wn8pBpPKjqeR/s1600/IMG_4346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-RFSq3hGOTV1GO4Wa7R9sFu-2xjK6qPQnkajS1GPN-copnCXkiwl_izIi34yJ86wVYomj-ZgbLiDb7wKOrmVVX3q9gO_9LeDdUq9WFrM7Q5Q2kkuACjns-k9vhyJ8MYe1Wn8pBpPKjqeR/s640/IMG_4346.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blooper: this is what happened when you take pictures in the wind :)</td></tr></tbody></table>I hope you enjoy today's post. It's a surprisingly easy look to do and I had fun with it. So much fun that I forgot I have a cold (ugh!) I'm quite happy with this look, especially when I used minimal amount of foundation (only 1 layer, yes!) My skin has been behaving and I'm thankful for that.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/?action=view&current=endcredit.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/endcredit.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">P.S: If you like my blog, please </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0pt none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">subscribe to my feed.</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Thanks a lot!</span></td></tr></tbody></table>

I'm Into You FOTD

Hi everyone, Thank you for your lovely encouraging words from the last post. I'm very touched and thankful for your support. Lately, I...

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An Apology

Hi everyone,<br /><br />I haven't been blogging much lately and as a result, I've missed out My Makeup Blog's 3rd anniversary. Yes, MMB has been around for 3 years now. Dinosaur age for a blog, I guess.<br /><br />A lot of things have happened in the real world and it put everything down. One thing after another snowballed into this huge thing that makes me so busy and upset that I can't find a way to put words into proper sentences. That's how upset I am. Usually, blogging is my getaway but this time around, I found not blogging would help.<br /><br />But this is not the end. Although I may not blog as often as before, I still keep MMB alive. Once in a while, I am going to pop up and write a few posts here and there. I want to thank you for your support and readership during the past 3 years. Let's hope this is just a phase and I can write more often soon.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/?action=view&current=endcredit.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/endcredit.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">P.S: If you like my blog, please </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0pt none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">subscribe to my feed.</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Thanks a lot!</span></td></tr></tbody></table>

An Apology

Hi everyone, I haven't been blogging much lately and as a result, I've missed out My Makeup Blog's 3rd anniversary. Yes, MMB has...

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It's Harder to Be Vain with Sensitive Skin

Hi everyone,<br /><br />I was having a <strike>bitchfest</strike> <strike>melt down</strike> heart to heart tweeting session earlier today.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63KGs_em012jMXDZf9WmfZc6R78cIOYtNky_2IblNmmoTXw_jNT-irArOBp14hnkwiKK9296lEh72elItk8DRzAc7GWKHUy_jvBb047pdI_0PWUGCxi2vZAj11rFa_U6FfximBwuefnpG/s1600/IMG_2778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63KGs_em012jMXDZf9WmfZc6R78cIOYtNky_2IblNmmoTXw_jNT-irArOBp14hnkwiKK9296lEh72elItk8DRzAc7GWKHUy_jvBb047pdI_0PWUGCxi2vZAj11rFa_U6FfximBwuefnpG/s640/IMG_2778.JPG" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Belly: Oh, no! You di-dn't! I'm playing "Angry Birds." Stop disrupting me with your ranting tweets!</td></tr></tbody></table>Ok, Belly! Go back to playing your game.<br /><br />You see, I got careless. A few months ago when zits still occupied on my face, I did not dare to touch a non-mineral foundation. I would be dead to the skin. Zip, bam, boom! Gone! Zits, zits, and more zits if I used it. But now, things changed. My skin has become smoother to the point of zit free. I am so proud of it.<br /><br />And that's when I got cocky.<br /><br />Two nights ago, I played with my makeup stash and suddenly, a "bright" idea came to my head. "Yesh! I'm gonna use this liquid foundation on my face and see how it looks."<br /><br />I gleefully opened the jar of foundation, used a dual-fiber brush to stiple it on my face, and contour, contour, contour. The foundation was good: not only did it cover my dark spots, it also concealed the dark circles. My actually looked quite amazing afterward. I was happy with the result but since it was time to go to bed, I removed everything off my face.<br /><br />Yesterday, I woke up wondering why I had these tiny bumps from my forehead down to my chin. I washed my face again and applied coconut oil, which soothed my skin tremendously. Today, I studied my skin again and realized they are not acne bumps. It took me a while to add things together and I realized the culprit was the liquid foundation I used!<br /><br />Needless to say, I was more than upset. It took me months of diligent skincare and drinking herbal medicine to get me to a clear skin state. But a few minutes of having liquid foundation almost destroyed it. I'm thankful that I didn't wear the whole face out. My skin could have been even more tragic state than this.<br /><br />The morale of the story: <i>know your skin. If it's sensitive, only stick with what benefits it.</i><br /><br />I do admit that I miss liquid foundation. Mineral foundation is fun but sadly, it does not last as long as liquid or cream. If you have oily skin like me, any mineral foundation that lasts more than 4 hours is a miracle. Right now, I'm using a turmeric cream to remediate my skin. I'm surprised that my skin loves products with turmeric. A big part of it being clear is from the turmeric cream and face wash.<br /><br />That's all for now, folks! I hope you'll have a nice weekend.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/?action=view&current=endcredit.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/endcredit.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">P.S: If you like my blog, please </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0pt none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">subscribe to my feed.</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Thanks a lot!</span></td></tr></tbody></table>

It's Harder to Be Vain with Sensitive Skin

Hi everyone, I was having a  bitchfest   melt down  heart to heart tweeting session earlier today. Belly: Oh, no! You di-dn't! I'm p...

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One Dollar Wonder: ELF Plumping Lip Glaze in Baby Doll

Hi everyone,<br /><br />Once in a while, I'd like to blog about a product that costs only a dollar but works really well. Looking back at all these posts, I realized we should call it "The ELF Section" already. After all, who does dollar products better than <a href="http://www.eyeslipsface.com/">Eyes Lips Face</a>?<br /><br />Normally, I don't buy ELF makeup as much. In order to have a successful haul from ELF, research is the key. It takes a lot of time to determine what to buy since there are so many products from the site and all of them look so tempting. To feel safe, I stick with their brushes but once in a while, I braved up and ordered some makeup.<br /><br />When I did my research, ELF Plumping Lip Glaze got mixed reviews. However, that did not stop me from buying one in "Baby Doll." Somehow, I'm attracted to sheer pink-coral lip colors and I can't help it. Plus, the discounts and deals ELF usually has made it easier for me to add an extra item to my order.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFwktwuhwOYSrE7kabERijP79FLuXDVv00uU_MOIsaiIv9HHCa4-lXKsWmiB-uearezkBfQjcy21EwMq4gEB8dNpCdZQxNpEBoS7zq053d-IPwkTJEuuz3lhbnl5s8QMWFDcdGjXAiF8J/s1600/IMG_4048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpFwktwuhwOYSrE7kabERijP79FLuXDVv00uU_MOIsaiIv9HHCa4-lXKsWmiB-uearezkBfQjcy21EwMq4gEB8dNpCdZQxNpEBoS7zq053d-IPwkTJEuuz3lhbnl5s8QMWFDcdGjXAiF8J/s400/IMG_4048.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.eyeslipsface.com/elf/lips/gloss/plumping_lip_glaze">ELF Plumping Lip Glaze</a> in Baby Doll ($1)</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2rFpP27wI1tP_pWQFKrwUGFyNw_wfjwNZKUYWqh-w4-hTH_OjmTnq3bHefkjIDFRw5EDZTc8SPzOgXGAokkMgkT2hTnpD1k_0Hp8XmNNb4omXA4oefgTmSbrd6h6C7IzVxS3ZXp8uVL_/s1600/IMG_4057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS2rFpP27wI1tP_pWQFKrwUGFyNw_wfjwNZKUYWqh-w4-hTH_OjmTnq3bHefkjIDFRw5EDZTc8SPzOgXGAokkMgkT2hTnpD1k_0Hp8XmNNb4omXA4oefgTmSbrd6h6C7IzVxS3ZXp8uVL_/s400/IMG_4057.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The label</td></tr></tbody></table> This lip glaze has two parts: the white iridescent part acts as a primer. You are supposed to use it first as it contains mint that would swell your puckers up.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjIh1tIfFermKgUiIipLiX8_TbCF4gRb9iGL4070C52YsOozEkrcnJDGQPCUHzmT7cV0xliMD0mfETdoKoGFVxnTcv31UqSP2DkjX3Ys8hGGhsps8mFTdEwOaL0kW6rNpM6mnfv_Tj_jl/s1600/IMG_4058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihjIh1tIfFermKgUiIipLiX8_TbCF4gRb9iGL4070C52YsOozEkrcnJDGQPCUHzmT7cV0xliMD0mfETdoKoGFVxnTcv31UqSP2DkjX3Ys8hGGhsps8mFTdEwOaL0kW6rNpM6mnfv_Tj_jl/s400/IMG_4058.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White part with a doe foot applicator</td></tr></tbody></table> Then, you apply the glaze on your lip. You can buy different colors and the glaze is the part that's not the same. That means, if you buy 10 glazes, you get 10 white iridescent primers with mint in it. I guess this explains why I only bought 1 lip glaze that time.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJH6DG-D6H-YzyrBFEEbPdhid9l3r0HdjlUPLIQsc0CHmIVcg0RyCqqY8qcQrXCd2aF-x87JJTADAJc5Jj7psK3o7Fhm08KymNJyYuqNySzqOyNigjbRTeOjKCQjq6WzqJKtAOazMD7Sc/s1600/IMG_4059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJH6DG-D6H-YzyrBFEEbPdhid9l3r0HdjlUPLIQsc0CHmIVcg0RyCqqY8qcQrXCd2aF-x87JJTADAJc5Jj7psK3o7Fhm08KymNJyYuqNySzqOyNigjbRTeOjKCQjq6WzqJKtAOazMD7Sc/s400/IMG_4059.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The color glaze. This is Baby Pink under sunlight. It looks more coral.<br />Under incandescent light, it veers toward pink.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLS5UmMT2B4aMB0MYi8u8hyphenhyphenrjWcd3mUkxzKgKJPk9j0MisHd3WaBDHWM51lpAEKZRDpWaa20JG6t55eneoni1TEmuO9U6eDRIXSHsI5TJRiwIhQjnqzrkVpWoYz_Vum0O6YiF7t9mPh0C/s1600/IMG_4062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLLS5UmMT2B4aMB0MYi8u8hyphenhyphenrjWcd3mUkxzKgKJPk9j0MisHd3WaBDHWM51lpAEKZRDpWaa20JG6t55eneoni1TEmuO9U6eDRIXSHsI5TJRiwIhQjnqzrkVpWoYz_Vum0O6YiF7t9mPh0C/s400/IMG_4062.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skin swatch<br />(L-R): glaze in Baby Pink, incandescent primer</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRc4VI_36EKxs83z6MJ_54HyFY2113opw4qQ7kKfpWD-1sKaiwefojpOlIgp05oh9Pb36xMz2g-jIOFRdcZPwA3onSC6JTJYKSjiWSdJJ821kHMxVwY7GvD-NR88HGOjwex_cMEd_M3k-u/s1600/IMG_4042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRc4VI_36EKxs83z6MJ_54HyFY2113opw4qQ7kKfpWD-1sKaiwefojpOlIgp05oh9Pb36xMz2g-jIOFRdcZPwA3onSC6JTJYKSjiWSdJJ821kHMxVwY7GvD-NR88HGOjwex_cMEd_M3k-u/s400/IMG_4042.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On my lips<br />Picture was taken indoor. See what I mean about it being more pink under incandescent light?</td></tr></tbody></table>And now, here are the good and the bad of ELF Plumping Lip Glaze:<br /><br /><b>The Good:</b><br /><br /><ul><li>It costs only $1 and is very decent</li><li>It is not sticky: the glaze feels more like a balm than a gloss. In fact, I think it's between a balm and a gloss. For those who opt for comfortable lip wear, this one is for you.</li><li>Color is sheer but layerable: Baby Doll just gives me a hint of color. It's one of those "my lips but better" products. In fact, it looks exactly like my natural lip color on a good day :)</li><li>Does not feel goopy when layered up</li><li>Lasting power is quite nice: I ate and drank and still felt a hint of glaze on my lips</li></ul><div><b>The Bad:</b></div><div><ul><li>The white primer part stings. Really, really stings: the first time I used it, I almost yelled out some profanity. No, actually, I cursed in all the languages I can speak. Yup, this stuff is made for the thick-skinned people. If you are allergic to mint, run away. This is not for you.</li><li>It does not shine: this is one of the biggest gripe when I first used it. But again, it is a glaze, not a gloss.</li><li>The glaze part is quite small: I don't use it a lot but it seems to be half-way gone already. But again, it's only $1. I can't expect a Wonder Woman size lip gloss for it, can I?</li><li>The number 1 ingredient is paraffidum liquidum: this is mineral oil, which explains why this product is so inexpensive. </li></ul><div>After yelling some profanity the first time I used it, my lips kind of adjusted to the pain. Now, it's mildly irritated for the first 10 minutes or so. After that, the tingling sensation goes away.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><i>Does it make my lips look like the ones on Ms. Angelina Jolie's face?</i></div><div>You judge for yourself. I think my bottom lip swelled up quite nicely. </div><br /><br /><i>Do I have to apply the white part first?</i><br />Nope, not really. I got creative one time and put the glaze on first. Then, I dotted the white part to the center of my lips. Kapow! Awesome lush lips. It still stung, though. But I think applying it later makes it less painful.<br /><br />I think ELF Plumping Lip Glaze is the budget version of DuWop Lip Venom but with a hint of color. Or Bare Escentual Buxom Lips. I tried them all before and they stung like *insert profanity here* (haha!) I think Baby Doll looks similar to Buxom Lips Bunny. Instead of dolling out $18 to get bee sting lips and yell some profanity, I'd go with the ELF Plumping Lip Glaze instead.<br /><br />Disclaimer: I bought this product.<br /><br />So, what do you think? Have you tried it before? Please let me know in the comment section, ok?<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://s2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/?action=view&current=endcredit.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" src="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y33/shortylam/endcredit.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">P.S: If you like my blog, please </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img alt="" src="http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" style="border: 0pt none; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/MyMakeupBlog" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml">subscribe to my feed.</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Thanks a lot!</span></td></tr></tbody></table>

One Dollar Wonder: ELF Plumping Lip Glaze in Baby Doll

Hi everyone, Once in a while, I'd like to blog about a product that costs only a dollar but works really well. Looking back at all these...

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