The New Me

When I was going through my old Photo folders, I had a really tough time deciding on whether or not to expose these photos to the world. On the one hand, I knew that my message would be more powerful if I showed these pictures, but on the other hand... they're just SO embarrassing.

PART 1: BEFORE
Back when I was in college, I was a huge sports person. I was the captain of the UP Archery team for a year, then after that I switched sports and joined the Arnis team. We trained for hours everyday, and on top of my huge workload (I was a Fine Arts major), I just didn't have time to primp, dress up, or take care of my appearance.

This is what I looked like on most days:

(Click to enlarge... *shudder*)

For those of you who don't know much about arnis, I will say that it is as tough as any other martial art out there. It's a stick-based sport, which pretty much means that the types of injuries you get from it are no joke. I trained for 5 years and earned the rank of fifth degree black belt!

After getting bruises like this, I didn't feel very pretty.
(Click to enlarge)

My entire college life was pretty much spent like this. My boyfriend at the time was also a sportsman who was a horrible dresser, and if there was an award for "Most Horribly Dressed Couple Of the Year", I think we would have won it!

PART 2: Transforming
Then came the year that I got a scholarship to study in Chuo Daigaku in Tokyo. UP had a 1-year exchange student program that I signed up for on a whim, and no one was more surprised than me when I got in. Little did I know that my whole life would change when I arrived there, as Tokyo is one of the most fashionable cities on the planet.

Transforming little by little through experiencing
a whole new culture! (Click to enlarge)

Unlike the very relaxed atmosphere of UP, walking into Chuo university was like walking onto the set of a Korean soap. Everyone is completely dressed up-- the women are all perfectly made up, the men tweeze their eyebrows, and everyone has their own style. It was like fashion was an artform, and everyone was a painter.

This was when I realized that clothing was every bit a venue for self-expression as art, music, and even sports were. I learned as much as I could about styling, makeup, and fashion, and I became more confident in myself and what I could be.

While there, I met many dear friends, had a small art exhibit at the Tokyo Design Festa, and learned that taking care of one's outward appearance is just as important as taking care of your inward self.

(Click to enlarge)

PART 3: The New Me

When I got back home to the Philippines, I felt like a whole new person! I finished my second degree from UP, got a great job as a designer/illustrator, and met my lovely boyfriend (who lets me dress him up, heehee). All my beauty rituals are now part of my daily life, and even though I still go to the gym to work out, I'm careful not to let sports overrule my life. :D

"The New Me!"

(click to enlarge)

I use Glutamax skin whiteners for blemishes and to keep my skintone even, and it helps me maintain a naturally lighter version of my color even throughout the summer. This ritual goes hand-in-hand with my passion for fashion, my love for makeup, and my affection for all things stylish!

Thanks to my inner confidence boost, I was able to transform my outward appearance into something I could be proud of. It's been years since my time in Japan, but I'm proud to say that "the new me" is here to stay!

GlutaMAX, See the Results.

B.B. Cream: SkinFood Mushroom Multi Care Review!

I've heard so many good things about BB Creams that I finally decided to try them out for myself. While my mineral makeup has been serving me well (pimple-free since '08!), I've been dying to try a new sort of foundation. Possibly because my skin is looking a bit better, I can now brave tinted moisturizer-types and even just a light dusting of loose powder. I guess what I dislike about mineral makeup is that it's a chore to touch up. The powder case is a hassle to bring around, and the brush takes up a lot of space in my makeup kit.

Enter BB Creams:

SkinFood Mushroom Multi Care BB Cream
Php 1,550 (purchased from SkinFood Megamall branch)

I did a lot of research before buying my BB creams, but most of the top Korean brands just aren't available here. SkinFood's Mushroom BB cream was the most readily available (Face Shop in Eastwood was out of stock), so I snapped up a tube just to try it out.

Since this is my very first BB cream, my first impression when I squeezed it out of the tube was that it was a lot like liquid foundation. I got Shade #2 (natural), and was really hoping it would match my skin tone. BB cream boasts that aside from encouraging regrowth of skin, minimizing pores, and treating pimples, it also blends into your natural color.

When I put it on (instructions say to use your fingers and spread/pat to even it out), it was so obviously the wrong color for me. I felt like I was wearing a white mask on my face. :| BB creams also state that you just have to wait around 15 minutes for it to set, and after 15 minutes this was the result:

100% no Photoshopping (natural light source)

As you can see, the cream went a few shades darker but didn't really match my skintone perfectly. It still looks like I'm wearing something 2 shades too light for me. A definite pro is that it did minimize my pores AND it provided pretty good coverage. I had a dark spot on the bridge of my nose (from 2 decades of wearing glasses), and while it didn't hide the spot completely, it did lighten it enough.

Also, this cream is WONDERFUL for taking pictures. It looked brighter and more mask-y in person, but on photos my skin looked really radiant. :D

Another thing of note is that I have oily/combination skin. After about 3-4 hours of wear, my nose got quite oily (thanks to Philippine humidity), and I had to reapply some cream on my T-zone. The dewy, fresh look suddenly looked very much like I applied unnatural light makeup and ran around and sweated on it. :(

The Body Shop's Skin Primer Moisturize It

+ SkinFood BB Cream

I then got the idea to use primer before the cream, and the result was a paler hue right off the bat. I guess the fact that TBS's primer makes makeup stick more meant that the light color was way too strong in the end. :P

I will say this, though: After just one use, my skin looked and felt smoother. I also imagined that it looked a little whiter, (one of the "extras" on this BB cream was the whitening aspect), but I can't really be sure. Please note that all BB creams are just like makeup and must be removed as such to avoid breakouts. :)

All in all, I'd give SkinFood a 2.5 out of 5 stars. The horrendous price tag is more than double the price if you purchase it in Korea, and I can say that it really is only worth half of what I paid for it. In terms of the repurchase factor, I'd have to say NO. Again, the color is wrong, the oil control factor is wrong for the Philippines, and I'd rather stick to my pimple cream + moisturizer + mineral makeup routine if it means I don't look like a ghost. :P (I might still wear this if I take pictures, though. Hehe.)

If you have dry, pale skin, then you should definitely try this cream. I swiped some on my boyfriend's jawline to check out the tone, and it was *perfect* for him. (He's Chinese and very pale, plus his skin is on the dry side.)

Skin Food BB Creams may be purchased at any of the plethora of stores in Metro Manila. I bought mine from the Megamall branch (2nd floor, bridgeway,), though I recommend you search ebay.ph for it. There are some Korean sellers there that sell it at the real price (around Php600-800), and it's all on-hand and ready to ship. They're based in the Philippines also, so it'll take all of a day to get to you. I recommend Sun Kim, because I bought my Skin79 BB cream from her and she's very prompt and lovely to deal with.

International buyers may purchase this from Amazon.com; Mushroom Multi Care shade #2 is linked to the left.

I'll be reviewing Skin79 and Tony Moly BB creams next. Happy Holidays, ladies! :D


Check out my other BB Cream reviews:
SkinFood Mushroom Multicare, Skin79 Diamond Crystal Pearl Lightning 3D, Maybelline Clear Smooth Minerals BB Cream

My Christmas UnWishlist: What Not To Get Me For The Holidays

A lot of lovely bloggers have been posting their Christmas wishlists lately, and while I enjoy looking through their lists, I find that posting one's Un-Wishlist may be more useful. After all, Christmas means gift-giving with much of your extended family, and while they undoubtedly love you (at least a little) and want to spend money on you (maybe), I'm certain they'd rather spend their cash on immediate family and/or significant others. After all, you can't really expect second cousin (twice removed on your mother's side) "Ned" to spring for, say, a box of your favourite expensive chocolates, right?

So here we are. Instead of posting about all the things I *want*, I've decided to post a list of things that I absolutely, hands-down, do NOT want. I mean it. Come Christmas day, when the little ones rush out of their beds and down to the well-decorated tree, I do NOT want to see any of this stuff. (And by little ones, I mean "me". And yes, I don't have a tree this year, nor would it fit in my shoebox of an apartment. Blarg.)

1) DO NOT GIVE ME... stuffed animals. They're cute, they're cuddly. I don't WANT them. I live in a tiny, tiny shoebox of an apartment where every piece of furniture, every appliance must serve two, three, or possibly four purposes. A stuffed animal serves no purpose at all, and thus will never find a home here. (Shuttup, my Pooh bear serves as pillow, huggamuffin, AND confidant.)


2) DO NOT GIVE ME... flowers. Not a lot of people are weird enough to give flowers as Christmas presents (I'm looking at you, big bro), but whatever the reason: NO. They breed insects, die within a week, and I could think of a million better uses for your money than this. Flowers are classic presents from men who are either a) romantic or b) too lazy to think of an actual present because hey, all women love flowers, don't they? :P


3) DO NOT GIVE ME... figurines. Yes, you know what I mean. Little fairies perched on a tree, mermaids perched on a rock, heck, they even have teddy bear figurines. Glass, plaster, porcelain... whatever they're made of, I have neither the space nor the interest for them. Next!

4) DO NOT GIVE ME... blouses, skirts, or pants. You don't know my size and even if you think you do, you don't. The only exceptions to this point are my mother and my boyfriend, both of whom have seen me naked at various points in my life and actually really do know my size. :D

5) DO NOT GIVE ME... Twilight books and/or anything by Dan Brown. I know you've heard "nice things" about them and perhaps actually like them yourself. I do not like Twilight. I do not like Dan Brown. Do not give me anything like this, or I will cross you off my Christmas list from now until the end of time. That is all.

And thus endeth my list. :P What about you guys? What are the presents you would hate to receive (or presents that you've received and hated? :P)?

Christmas Gifts: Gift Idea for Dads and Your Special Guys

How can you go wrong with a Brad Pitt-endorsed watch? Lol.

Christmas is here in full force and for the late shoppers out there, have no fear! You don't have to brave the crowded shopping malls and the out-of-stock boutiques. Online shopping has never been more convenient or handy.

Of all my Christmas shopping, I always have the most trouble looking for a gift for my dad. When I was younger, my smaller budget had me coming up with really creative presents for family. Homemade presents crept up a lot, and I looked forward to the day that I could give something fashionable or useful. When I started working, I gravitated towards expensive shirts every year, and 2009 has proved no different. Still, even though I'm done with my purchases for the year, I can't help but do a little cyber window shopping. ;)

I recently unearthed a lovely little online watch store called Blue Dial. They carry tag heuer watches and I totally love their selection. It's going to be a few years yet til I can afford such an extravagant gift (at my current salary, the most I've managed was a designer money clip from Tiffany's for my dad), but it can't hurt to bookmark early, haha!

They're currently offering up to 70% off on some watches and free 2nd day shipping. So for those of you who haven't yet bought your dads (or special guys) a present, I greatly recommend taking a look at the site. ;)

Star Wars Art Exhibit at Ride and Roll Diner

So I joined the Star Wars art exhibit at Ride and Roll next week, and I've got absolutely no idea what to make. I actually had this vague idea of building a lightsaber and mounting it on a wooden board, or making a Darth Vader mask out of papier mache. It seems a bit too ambitious now, since I've got exactly a week (and not even a full week since I've got things like My Job to contend with) to carry out my dastardly plan.


Perhaps I can just do a quick painting of Luke and Leia (boring), or a scrapbook diorama of the Battle of Endor. This might be a bit difficult because I don't know where to find Star Wars-themed discount scrapbooking embellishments, though. Blarg.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll think of something. For those of you who like Star Wars and music, please check out the upcoming exhibit:

STAR WARS ART EXHIBIT
Exhibiting Tribute Artworks of the Series!
Opens on DECEMBER 19, 2009 7:00PM
@ Ride & Roll Gallery 59 Xavierville Ave. QC

I'm pretty sure entrance is free. ;)

The Perfect Pair of Black Flats: A.k.a. My Holy Grail

If I could name a certain kind of shoe as my "Holy Grail", it would be the quintessential pair of black flats. I have a ton of shoes, and around 5 or 6 pairs that are black and flat. Still, whenever I go out and I need to wear black flats, I always have difficulty choosing which pair to wear. The pretty ones aren't comfy, and the only comfy pair I own isn't pretty. Ugh.

What's a girl to do?

Because of this, I'm always on the lookout for the next wonderful black flat shoe. I think it may have turned into something of an obsession for me, as I'm forever checking bazaars, boutiques, and expensive shoe stores for that one elusive pair.

If anything, I'd kill for a pair of custom runners shoes that looked both formal enough to go to work in but comfy enough to run around a mall in also. :P Ahh, choices, choices.

A few days ago, I went into VNC in Eastwood Mall and spent half an hour trying on different black flats. There were some REALLY gorgeous ones over there, but they were soooo uncomfortable. The one I finally found that was very comfy and pretty enough was this pair:

VNC Black Pointed Flats

They were certainly comfy enough when I walked around the store in them, but when I wore them out to dinner with my guy, they chaffed a little on my yucky big toes. :( It's still not the perfect pair, but it'll do for now. While it's a bit painful, I've endured far worse in the name of shoes and am quite happy to bear this small inconvenience for a while. After all, I'm sure I'll be breaking them in soon enough.

ARTISTRY: A Total Mascara Review

I was lucky enough to be invited to another of ARTISTRY's beauty workshops by Victor Ortega last week, and this time the focus was on their new product called "Total Mascara". I'm a huge fan of eye makeup, and I'm always looking for the next awesome mascara.

I've got next to no eyelashes due to an unfortunate incident with semi-permanent eyelash extensions (they itched; I pulled), and this lovely little gem from Artistry was simply divine! I usually have to put on fake eyelashes in order to get a half-decent bit of volume from my balding eyelids, but check out what happens after a few swipes of Total Mascara:

I won't go into how difficult it is to pull off smokey eyes with almond-shaped eyes like mine (not to mention the skintone, haha), but rest assured that it is *difficult*. Artistry pretty much eliminated the need for sticking on the falsies, and it volumized, elongated, and thickened my lashes perfectly.

The only con I can think of was that it was that the wand was loaded with a bit too much product when you pull it out of the case, but you can easily slick off the excess on the container lid. A little bit of this stuff goes a looong way.

Smokey eyes with Artistry Mascara

They also have a dark Brown mascara in this line, and this mixture was a lot less thick. They both boast the same volumizing properties, but for some reason the black mascara was a lot more viscous.

Artistry Mascara Swatches

The brown mascara felt a lot like your normal mascaras, and I was a tad bit disappointed that it didn't volumize as much as the black did. Still, I think it's a good alternative to smokey eyes, and it's always good to have a simpler version ready for work.

Artistry is a product from Amway International, and you can purchase their products through their website here: http://amway.com.ph/artistry.html

Love makeup? Accessories? Fashion? Join this blog's Christmas giveaway by following this blog and commenting on my Christmas Post Here.

Fun At U.P. Diliman: Of Picnics and Playing A Real-Life Where's Waldo Game

I haven't been to my alma mater in a little over a year now, and last Sunday the boy and I decided to have a picnic. It was one of the things we'd never done together, and for some reason the idea just popped into our heads. So I threw together a quick lunch, grabbed a picnic mat from the house, and off we went to the UP Diliman lagoon!

Isn't it pretty?

The spot we found to lay our mat on was very nice and sunny. There was a bit of shade and we didn't stay long enough to get any trouble with the local insect life. There were some kids shooting a video on the nearby outdoor stage, and we listened to them play the same song over and over again. Lol.

Our picnic lunch. Gimme a break-- I only
had 10 minutes to prepare it, okay? :P

Our actual lunch wasn't that great-- just some sandwiches and take away from 7-11, haha. (The pastarrific wasn't so bad...)

Yay sunny day! :3

Afterwards, we decided to go for a quick walk around the academic oval. My mum had donated some money to the fixing of the walk for UP's centennial birthday last year, and in exchange we'd gotten a small square with all our names on it. (Mum and dad met at college there, and both I and my brother graduated from Fine Arts courses).

Anyway, the boy and I aren't really exercise people. We agreed to take a quick stroll to the main library (where I'd mistakenly thought mom had mentioned the names were), but when we got there, we didn't see it. What was supposed to be a 5 minute walk turned into an hour and a half of fruitless searching around the (very large) academic oval.

We were both sweating profusely and I was ready to give up when we finally, FINALLY found them.

They were right in front of the AS (Palma Hall) main steps. This is maddening because this was maybe 10 feet away from where we started... EXCEPT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION THAT WE WENT. So yes, we doubled back, went round twice, only to find the square in the place that we started. Ugh.


Anyway, here are the squares. My brother first, then me. (Yes, we have ridiculously long names. Blame my parents.) And before anyone makes any eternal student jokes-- it only took me 8 years to finish college because I had 2 majors AND was an exchange student for a year! -_-;;

Anyway, then we get to my mum and dad's half of the square...


ZOMG. They misspelled her middle name, lol. (That should be an "M" instead of an "N".) I'm not sure if my mum has seen this yet, but I sure don't want to be the one to tell her, haha.

Either way, I'm glad I finally found our spot. I have no doubt that these will be dirtied up, defaced, and/or painted on in a few year's time, so I'm glad I got to see it while it was still readable. :)

Christmas Loot: Drop a Comment and Win One of Three Fah-bulous Christmas GiftPacks!

Christmas is the season of giving, and what better way to share the love then by sharing lovely, lovely goodies?

To join "I Draw For A Living's" Christmas giveaway, you simply need to:
1) Follow this blog by clicking on the google FOLLOW button on my sidebar-->
2) AND answer the following question by commenting on this entry:

"What is the most awesome Christmas gift you've ever received?"

The contest will run until January 1, 2010, and prizes will be shipped to any address in the Philippines. That means anyone who has a Philippine address can join. ;)

Also, don't forget to leave a real email address so I can reach you if you win. Remember, you have to both comment and follow this blog in order to join the contest. With three awesome gift packs, you're sure to win something, so join now! ;)

*All winners will be selected via random online draw and numbered 1 to 3. Winners will get to select the giftpack they want to keep.

The PRIZES:

The San San Gift Pack: 1 bottle of San San Eau De Parfum in "Passion", 1 San San SKIN PACK (that includes Facial Creme Wash, Toning Fluid, and Tinted Day Creme), and 1 San San AGE DEFENSE Makeup set (this has three tray levels and includes 4 eye shadow pans, 2 blush pans, 1 foundation pan, and 7 lip gloss pans).

The Exclusive, Hand-Made-By-Yours-Truly Accessories Pack: 1 Garden Blooms Hairclip, 1 Purple Burst Headband, 1 Red Feathers Headband, 1 Heart Locket Bracelt, and 1 Key To My Heart Necklace (this has a little padlock and a heart-shaped key attached to it!). I'm a craft hobbyist, so all these pieces are one-of-a-kind and handmade by me! :D They all come in little gift bags, so you can wear them, keep them, or give them away!

The Bobson Giftpack: A little something for the boys. ;) Includes: 1 M-sized black Series II Bobson t-shirt, 1 Bobson Blue Cap, 2 Belts, and 1 Best DAD coffee cup.

Visit our lovely sponsors at: http://www.hbc.com.ph and http://www.bobson.com.ph

Alba Botanica: Terratints Lip Balm are L-O-V-E

Beauty Find: Terratint lip balm in "Bloom"

So I just discovered the wonder of Terratints the other day! I'm a complete lip balm- with- a- hint- of- color junkie, and when I was checking out the Healthy Options aisles at SM City, these little babies just LEAPT OUT and screamed "buy me!"

They're supposed to be 70% Organic and ALL OF THEM have a hint of color. Naturally I chose the pale pink one and it smells and feels delicious. No crappy flaking off at the end of the day, just soft, supple smoothness. Perfect for the days when I don't want to go full makeup (which is whenever I'm home, natch), and I don't have to be scared of using too much.

I can finally replace my old Blistex Lip Tone (a touch of color, total care-- bleah! They only have one lousy color, lol), which kinda sorta doesn't really do much for me. Lol!

Anyway, these are all 100% mineral colors (i.e. the only type of foundation that I can use that doesn't cause me to break out in a million zits), and they are fantastically cheap. I think I only paid around Php150 (probably less, I can't remember exactly, but for sure it was between P120 to P150) for the one stick, and now I want to go back and get all of them! (Okay, maybe not all of them. Maybe just Dawn, Garnet, and Blaze. :|)

Lipsticks are all well and good, but for silky smooth lips with the perfect hint of color, I'm totally loving Terratints! :D

Christmas Must-Haves: Bobson Jeans' Series II Collection

Ladies, I hope you haven't finished with your Christmas shopping yet, because you're going to want to make room under your trees for Bobson Jeans' Series II collection! Featuring flirty floral tops, adorable puffy-sleeved blouses, and the hippest designs on their leather-embellished jeans, you're definitely going to be tempted to snag some of these babies for yourself.

At the price ranges of P499.75 – P599.75 for tops and P849.75 – P929.75 for the bottoms, both men and women's lines are completely affordable. The pockets hemmed and/or decorated with various bits of colored leather are wonderful examples of surprisingly good craftsmanship.

Check out the embroidery on this baby. H-O-T!

The Men's Line is no less impressive, as they feature equally intricate stitching and trendy prints. This pretty much ensures that the more couple-y fashionistas out there can step out perfectly matched, lol!

The boy, gamely holding up the shirts that caught his eye. :)

The text on those two shirts are embroidered, while the base pattern on the right shirt is a print. The technique of mixing and matching techniques is way hot right now, and the workmanship on these pieces is on par with anything that brands from abroad can throw at us.

Sexy red leather trimmed pockets!

Bobson Jeans can be found in a plethora of places (most notable SM department stores), and you can check out their website (and its handy store locator) over here: http://www.bobson.com.ph/

I'll be giving away a Bobson giftpack through my Christmas giveaway within the week, so stay tuned for more news! :D