Kris Aquino Is Olay's Newest Brand Ambassador

A few weeks ago, Olay launched its newest brand ambassador, someone who loves and firmly believes on the product and has been exposed to it ever since she was a child.

Kris Aquino - actress and tv show host has been acquainted with Olay. Her mom was an Olay user back then with the pink Oil Of Olay bottle. She jokingly reveals that she uses Olay from head to toe. She's got a collection of Olay body and skin care and even uses Olay Total Effects on her body. That's how much she loves the product.

Olay Total Effects has been around for quite some time and you all know that this is my brand of choice for skin care for my own personal use, and sometimes for clients. If I've done your makeup lately, you might have noticed that slim bottle of Olay Total Effects in my skin care kit. Actually, let me tell you a story. I just started using Olay in 2008, when Regenerist was first introduced. Before I got into makeup, I wasn't into skin care, so I was using whatever was cheap and if I should use it. With proper skin care, we should also know what proper products to use. Case and point, the stuff I've been using when I was 16 will not work now that I'm nearing 30, because a 16-year-old has different skin care needs from someone who's 30.

At a certain point in life, our skin care needs an extra boost. Whitening (in most cases, as I've noticed a lot of Pinays have an obsession for fairer skin) isn't enough when someone's older so skin care needs to address the signs of skin ageing. I've been told that by age 25-28, we should start using anti-ageing skin care due to the stress that age is exposed to as well as the exposure to the elements - smoke, pollution, sun, and all. I kinda started at 26 so I guess I'm not too late. So when you reach that age, it's best to start switching to anti-ageing skin care like Olay.

Kris relates to everyone that not only did she have great reviews with the product. She relates how her makeup artist for the event, Juan Sarte (and also one of my makeup idols) used this to do her makeup and he said that the quality of makeup wasn't affected with the product, to think Olay contains sunscreen. The common problem with some sunscreens or moisturizer infused with sunscreen is that makeup doesn't seem to adhere well to the skin for some weird reason. But for Olay, makeup melds well and it in fact, looks like second skin. I believe that too because I used Olay on my trial makeup with my client and I took a picture of her using harsh flash from a point-and-shoot. Skin looks the same and protected from sun damage, so thumbs up for outdoor shoots, outdoor/garden/beach weddings, and even studio shoots where fluorescent lights and hot studio lights can contribute to skin damage.

Kris and the event host for the day, Boy Abunda. Kris looked absolutely pretty! Looks like I have to take her head-to-toe Olay regime into consideration.

Actually, here's the thing, my pole teacher told us that relief for chafed skin is moisturizer. Understandably, we can't use moisturizer during pole days, but we can use them at night or off-pole days provided we soap it off when it's time to pole. Since our skin can get discolored from all the friction from our tricks and I sometimes go home with chafed skin on my wrist, thighs, waist, and back-of-knee, guess what's my cream on those areas at night? :)

Donna+Jeff

Sharing the SDE video of my client a few months back, one of the coolest I've ever worked with. What made this day also fun was I was working with my teammates, iSnap Creatives and Wonderful Occasions.

Jeff and Donna SDE from iSnap Creatives on Vimeo.

As usual, the appearance of my KSP-pink toolbelt.

Church and Reception: Christ the King
Event Coordination: Won Derful Okeyzions (Wonderful Occasions)
Makeup: Bambi de la Cruz Makeup Artistry using airbrush makeup on the bride
Hair: Maricel Basaysay
Photo and Video: Isnap Creatives

I Love My Epilator!

I first learned about epilators from a V-log done by Pursebuzz, and seeing how convenient and quick they seem to remove hair like a razor but have results that last as long as a wax. Two of the celebrities I worked with before in a theater production swear by it as well. I wanted to buy myself one but I found the rates to be deathly expensive (around Php 4,000) hence it took me quite some time to buy.

While at Singapore a few weeks ago, I chanced upon an epilator on sale, currently priced at SGD 45 (approximately Php1,620). Well, here it is, it's now in my possession. I've been scraping myself too long on razors and changing razors every so often is getting more expensive.

Hello Philips Satinelle epilator! This looks just like the one that Pursebuzz reviewed. It looks like an electric razor except for the head, which looks like this up close:

It looks like a torture device really, but these are stainless steel discs that act like multiple tweezers that grab body hair from the root as they rotate, removing hair at half the time it takes tweezing or threading.

It operates by the flick of a switch. It has two speed functions. The faster one can be used on legs while the slower, I use on underarms or during my first epilation session ever. Yanking hair from the root sounds too painful for words but if you're like me, who's used to waxing every month, the pain is just the same. Unlike shaving though that you could do in the shower, for this model, skin (and surrounding areas should be dry) as you use this device as it's plugged on a socket. So it's great to use this after shower before going to bed or when you're wearing your miniskirt before you head off the door. Take note too, that some redness could occur depending on your skin condition so do a bit of test or "practice session" before using this on an important event.

For me, it's definitely way better and longer-lasting than shaving my legs and less messier than waxing. Although there can be a few stubborn hairs left after, that's where threading or plucking comes to clean them up. It's even easy to clean too. All I have to do is remove the cap containing the discs and rinse them on running water, dry them up, and it's good to go (I still kept the sheet with the directions and made sure to read all safety precautions and instructions before using). I use this on my legs and underarms. I leave the brazilian waxing to the professionals. :)

Angelina Jolie Simply Beautiful in Louis Vuitton 2011 Core Values Ad Campaign

Angelina Jolie is your modern-day Superwoman. She's got talent, style, and a big heart. From red carpet glam to helping the needy as a Goodwill Ambassador, to being a mom to six beautiful children, Angie has it all. To add another feather to her cap, she's the latest star to pose for Louis Vuitton's "Core Values" Ad Campaign.

Ad campaigns usually involve the endorsers in haute couture garments and glamorous makeup. We see a simple but still beautiful Angie wearing her own clothes, minimal makeup (just earthy tones to define her eyes), barefoot, and her flowy dark hair windblown as she sits quietly on a wooden boat. That LV bag hanging on her shoulder, is in fact her own Louis Vuitton Alto bag, a discontinued style, which she has owned for years. This picture was shot by none other than Annie Liebovitz and this scene was taken in Siam Reap, Cambodia's province. Her visit to that country sparked her humanitarian activism.

Here's a video of her commercial, where she talks about her journey to Cambodia, how that country touched her heart and the day she met her eldest son, Maddox. She relates that it was filming in Cambodia that got her to become aware of land mines, and the thought of having people - men, women, and children walk along grounds that may blow up any minute like it was just part of their lives. As the film states, it was how one journey could change someone's life.

The Morning I Rescued My Hair

I've had a lagas (i.e. hairfall) problem that's been going on. I've dismissed it though since I know hair naturally sheds on its own, but I've noticed a great deal of hair on the floor, on my (wide-toothed, take note) comb, on the dance studio, and on my hair tie that I've panicked. My regular anti-hairfall shampoo didn't seem to stop the problem though. Avy read my status message on Facebook as I related another lagas woe, when this bunch showed up when I ran my fingers through my hair the moment I woke up.

I know my hair naturally sheds a few strands daily but that amount in the morning and another amount when I shampoo and then comb is red alert. I am not undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therap, mind you. Avy asked me if I got a trim because my hair must be too heavy already. I said I did and the stylist took 2-1/2 inches off my waist-length hair, and he told me that my hair needs to get treated. Avy echoed the same suggestion as he did. Come to think of it, I last had my hair treated (and I mean went to the salon instead of DIY) almost 10 years ago. I guess it's time, which I haven't found yet.

Time somehow found me a while ago, when I had my day free and so I decided to hunt a salon to get my hair treated. The first salon I went to was David's Salon. I heard good reviews about them and they're known for doing hair really fast, and since I was the first customer of the day, it was good to go. At first, I thought a regular hot oil would do. When I told them about my hair fall problem, they suggested that I level up the treatment with Kerastase Concentre Vita-Cimente. When I asked the cost, for the length of my hair, they said it would amount to Php 1,950 since they'll be needing two vials for my really long hair (but it's thin!) I almost chickened out but the thought of carpeting our floor with more of my hair sent me to the shampoo chair to my treatment.

[image from bizrate.com]

The vial looks like the one above, a clear fluid in a bottle but to apply it to washed hair (my hair was washed by a pro prior to vial application), they attach the vial to an applicator spritz- pump like this, so it spritzes the product onto the hair so no product is wasted.

This product was recommended to me since my lagas problem is due to my hair becoming brittle and dry. The stylist even confirmed my hair fall problem when she was combing my hair out with a wide-toothed comb and a big clump of hair was stuck on the comb. Mind you, this is someone who knows how to comb and care for hair the right way. This serum fortifies hair fibers making it strong and resilient to the chemicals and heat styling I do to my hair when I do style my hair, and probably the pool chlorine too.

The two vials of Vita-Ciment was massaged onto my hair from roots to tips (head massages are the most wonderful thing on earth). Then, my hair was clamped and covered in a plastic wrap and I was left with the product on for a good 20 minutes with magazines to read. No heat necessary. Twenty minutes later, the product was rinsed and my hair blow-dried to shampoo-commercial straightness.

Hours after treatment, my hair still looks sleek and straight and not fluffy and funny. It's straight because it was blow-dried straight. It can be blow-dried with a bit of wave but I just said straight.

It was so cool that I can run my fingers through my hair and not have any strands of hair on my hand. My hair feels much smoother and healthier. I even ponytailed my hair and I was surprised that my hair maintained its shape when I took the ponytail out.

Kerastase Concentre Vita-Ciment is available as a treatment in salons. I got mine at David's Salon in Greenbelt. I've also seen reviews online that this treatment can also be done DIY once a month when you purchase the vials. It's my first time to use Kerastase treatment actually, as I've been hearing a lot of good reviews about it. Looks like the reviews are true. I actually thought that super sleek hair can be achieved by professional blowdrying but even if I get to have my hair blowdried by a pro, it still mushrooms up after some time with sweat and humidity. This power-treated hair was tame enough to withstand Food Court smoke, the concrete jungle's humidity, and a tight, tight ponytail. As for the scent, I'm actually nursing a cold now, so my sense of smell is dead as my fallen hair so I can't say anything about the scent. But I'm telling you guys, my hair has never been this pretty and healthy.

I was told to wash my hair the following day and just let my hair as it is, but I don't mind. I was supposed to go home though after but I lingered around the mall a bit and did some errands because it's not everyday that I get to have hair this sleek and pretty. I was also told to rest first from my old shampoo in the meantime and switch to a gentler shampoo or a different shampoo formulated for my hair condition. If you think it's straight because my hair's weighed down, that's not true. My hair feels really light.

My only qualm of course, is the price, but I guess it's a price that I should pay if I want to maintain healthy, long hair. I can do this occasionally when I feel that my hair longs for it. I'm really happy with the result and I'll let you in a few days after on how my hair turned out.

Sweet-Smelling with Avon Sassy Swirls

I love vanilla-based scents. I have a vast collection of vanilla-scented Body Sprays, Body Gels, and Lotions (used at night only or on non-pole days of course). I find it sweet but comforting, and it brings fond memories of favorite food. Vanilla extract in baking gives that oomph and mellow sweet flavor in cookies and cakes. Whenever I smell a faint vanilla scent, I get reminded of all things nice and sweet- ice cream, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, and strawberries with whipped cream on top. It's sweet but not overpowering. Some people say vanilla is a sensual and sexy scent, but I just get reminded of food. Well, I guess that's me.

It was good news to me that Avon launched Sassy Swirls Eau de Toilette Purse Sprays in three yummy vanilla-based scents, depending on the wearer's personality. Not only are these purse sprays super affordable (Php 475) but they could fit in the skinniest purses so no need to tote bulky body spray bottles around. The scent lasts pretty long too.

Vanilla Blossom is a florally scent that's sweet and romantic with the scents of violent and peony petals. The warm vanilla scent makes it mellow and sweet, and also youthful if floraly scents are sometimes associated with "oldie" scents. This is the one I'm currently using. It's not too overpowering so I can wear this even on a hot day.

Vanilla Bean - nuttier and mellow, this is for those who prefer a bit of musk in their scents instead of fruity bursting. Mandarin, Exotic sandalwood, and lush orchid swirled with rich vanilla makes this a very sensual, alluring scent perfect for a night out on a date.

Vanilla Berry - outdoorsy-type girls prefer usually fruity scents, maybe because they're lighter or the scent just bursts with yummy things in life - tart, rasperries, and blackberries swirled with creamy vanilla remind us of vanilla sundaes laced with fresh picks of the day.

Personally, I find myself gravitating towards Vanilla Berry or Vanilla Blossom since I'm the more energetic on-the-go girl. I see the Vanilla Bean on days when I want to add a bit more mystery and allure. Since they're quite affordable I can mix and match or choose depending on my mood. Playing chemist to scents can be tricky though so I suggest practising the mixing part at home first and wearing the fragrance a bit. If you don't seem to agree with it, you can always soap it off. But it would be fun though, to come up with a scent that's uniquely yours. How to find it out? Just try and have fun!

The rain that poured around 3 pm today made clouds hover and cover the sun around lunchtime. But rain or shine, I wanted to look presentable today. I think that should be my motto: To always try and strive to get away from the rut of shorts-and-big-tshirt and take time to put a look together. I do however, get away with the put-together keme with simple lines and solid colors, like a bright blue cobalt dress like this, which costed me less than 600 bucks by the way. Dresses like these always seem to love me and I love them back, so I have like four of these long body-hugging cotton dresses, in several cut variants, but same solid color and body hugging pegs.

Dress: Forever21

Bag: Cole Vintage

Flip Flops: Havaianas

(gave Fitflops a rest today and I need easy-to-wear footwear since I'll be getting a pedi today)

I usually dress up like this whenever I have raket like a wedding or casual event to go to or a client meeting especially on summers, or what the heck, even rainy days like today. The only problem was that I had to teeter the skirt like a gown so I don't soak up my dress. And no, that's not a white tank under the dress. That's a tan line that never went away. Long dresses also tend to make me look taller than my real height, which is ironic as some girls shrink when they wear anything past the knee. Swear any permutation of this dress (solid colors though) shall be hunted by me and put straight to my closet. Although I can't seem to wear light-colored ones. Just bolds, warms, and darks. Remember the backless dress from Topshop I wore last summer? I was supposed to choose the light gray one but the light didn't quite like me back. The red one did though, even if it was a deep red instead of in-your-face bright red.

My makeup for the day, as usual is kept simple as I'll just be in the mall for bank errands and stuff, but I took inspiration from Angelina Jolie - light cat eyes and nude lips.

Face:

• MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer NW20 on undereyes
• MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer NC30 on blotchiness
• Paul and Joe Creamy Compact Foundation #5
• MAC Studiofix Powder NC40
• Fanny Serrano Two-Way Powder Foundation in Rajah to contour
• The Body Shop Blush
• MAC Lightful Foundation NC15 to highlight undereye

Brows:

• MAC Espresso

Eyes:

• MAC Paint Pot in Painterly
• MAC Beauty Sleep all over lid
• MAC Saffron on crease
• MAC fluidline in Blacktrack
• CoverGirl Lash Blast

Lips:

• MAC Style It Up

A look like this was kind of fast to do, so at least I have a trademark look, somewhat when the need arises for me to wear makeup at work (come to think of it, I really should) and I have time now to do something too: comb my hair. :P So I guess I ought to be stocking comfy and low-maintenance dresses like this, yes?

Farewell, My Dear

Just taking this moment to say goodbye to a dear blogger friend of mine.

[AJ's blognapinoy portraits, shot by Mike]

AJ Matela, fierce, fasyon, and forever a fighter passed away yesterday. For months, he's been fighting mycobacterium avium complex, which complicated his tuberculosis. Tomorrow would have been his 29th birthday.

To my dearest AJ/Bakla, thank you for the memories, friendship, and fun times, and the little lambings over at Plurk. You'll be our rainbow angel, an inspiration, and a fuel to our fighting spirits. Malibu Barbie loves you.

Information on how we can help AJ's family can be found here. Let's all spread the love.

Browns and Earth Tones On A Rainy Day

I admire makeup artists who dress up during a shoot, whereas I'm either in a tank top or t-shirt with either leggings/shorts and flip flops as footwear. To top it all, my hair is in a scraggly no-suklay ponytail. As I was prepping my outfit for a shoot I'll be going to, I saw that it was raining. Rainy days signal me to, well go beyond my uniform. I pulled out plain black rain boots, a miniskirt, and a loose top for this combo:

TOP: Get Laud

SKIRT: Urban and Co.

SHOES (not shown): Plueys Panther

EARRINGS: Green and Purple

Would you believe I had that skirt since high school I think? The brand used to be in the Philippines I think a decade before and it had a clearance sale until I never heard of it. Too bad, it had really nice outfits. The top I've had it when I was still working in the office, still glad it fits though and I like the fact that it's loose so it could accommodate an entire bowl of pho. Since my skirt's got prints, I went for plain black rain boots and pulled my hair back in a high ponytail. Well, I still got the no makeup and scraggly ponytail look.

A picture with my trademark pink toolbelt with my tools in the background.

Picture them while they're still orderly. :)

Had so much fun in the shoot. Did both hair and makeup for one model, and Mike told me to just do one look with focus on the eyes. I tried a new technique for smoky eyes without the need for much black overload. Just did depth and all. Anyway, I'm looking forward to more shoots when peak season catches up.

Obsession

Just got to posting another shoot I did two months ago

Photo Credits:

Photos: Christine Day Lorico

Accessories and Styling: Dennis Celestial

Models: Francisco Matos and Fatima Gonzales

Makeup and Hair: ME!

till the next collaboration guys! My brushes are forever ready for any shenanigan

Shopping in Singapore

I was in Singapore a week ago for a nice weekend and I really had so much fun! It was tiring since we were walking a lot but it was a fun experience. I fell in love with the country and the food and it's a place I'd like to visit again. Aside from the beautiful and organized system and crisp, clean air, Singapore's residents are very fasyon. You see girls in the train in perfect cat's eyes and falsies, cute heels (yes! heels!) and almost every girl looked like they were models stepping out from the folds of a fashion magazine. And who wouldn't blame them? With almost every train stop being near a mall housing a lot of stores selling makeup and clothes!

Orchard road is an entire strip of malls in Singapore. We were in Orchard road on our second day after a zoo visit attempt fail. Anyway, it was a blesssing in disguise too, because we were inside the famous Ion mall. We got off Orchard station and lo and behold- Ion!

Ion mall is a multi-story mall. You find bargain hops at the bottom floor and as you go higher up, it houses luxury and designer brands. We found familiar stops like Charles and Keith and Aldo plus luxury brands like Armani, Louis Vuitton, and Prada.

It was home too to the largest Sephora branch in Singapore. I was really jumping up and down when I saw the black and white striped pillars. I remember doing the same thing twenty years ago whenever I was in the Barbie lane at Toys R Us. I felt like a kid once again.

Sephora houses popular makeup brands like Make Up For Ever, MAC, Urban Decay, Bare Minerals, Benefit Cosmetics, Dior, and of course, their house brand. Sephora lipsticks are really cushy and they smell really nice, like grape-flavored Bubble Yum. The SA's in Sephora are really helpful in assisting the customers with their needs, and they're well-versed in the products. I went there to Back-to-MAC some of my containers. When I was choosing lipsticks, the SA was really nice in picking out what's nice, even swatching them for me.

Another home away from home is Forever21. A staircase from the train station peppered with Forever21's logo leads you straight to the store.

I was all smiles at Ion up until the train ride to Raffles City mall. Oh, if you're going to Raffles City mall, get off at City Hall train station it would take you directly to Raffles City mall.

Raffles City is located at Singapore's business district, sort of like Glorietta's counterpart here. So the crowd on weekdays is mostly yuppies after office hours or on lunch breaks, and of course tourists like us. What welcomed me in raffles is a very familiar place. Can you guess what? This would be a clue:

That's right! MAC! I could stay all day in the MAC store here. Although I've got my fair share of Sephora and MAC at Ion, I just had to go here.

They have the Cinematics collection here, which had eyeshadow duos you can pick your combo in. On the right are the colored brush sets, which were sold out when I got there. Awwww.....

Lipsticks!!!!!!

MAC Singapore also had lipsticks not sold in MAC Philippines. Among them were two of my favorite reds: Chilli and Lady Danger.

They look so pretty! They're on the orange/warm side though but that's okay. I like them just the same.

One of my friends who used to work on counter in MAC Philippines is already based in Singapore. Say hello to Frances! She used to work at MAC Mall of Asia here in the Philippines. It was nice to see one of my friends in Singapore.

I spent a theme day at MAC MoA with her! I miss guesting again at MAC.

I behaved with my purchases though, as you can see. In the makeup department, I purchased an eyebrow pencil in Dirty Blonde, since I stuffed my suitcase with food already.

Another mentionable is a famous Korean skin care brand here in Manila, Etude House.

And if you're on your way home, the duty free at Changi airport (both Changi and budget terminal) houses cosmetics and fragrances for last-minute buys.

Brands like Bulgari, D&G, Elizabeth Arden, Dior, Chanel, and The Body Shop are located in the store at lower prices than most malls. The tiny Shu Uemura booth holds skin care like Red Juvenus, Phyto Black Lift, Cleansing oils, and travel-size goodies not seen in most stores. The Duty Free Shops also hold SK-II, with its famous face masks forever being sold out during New York Fashion Week. I was thinking whether to purchase a bottle of pink Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil for stock or Elizabeth Arden Green Tea perfume, I chose to buy the 30mL bottles of perfume. I kept one bottle for myself and one for my mom.

My first Singapore trip was definitely fun. A weekend isn't enough to experience it fully. Maybe when I go back, I'll go around more sights and enjoy the country more. :)

Beautiful Makeup Wherever, Whenever with Charm Travel Pro Makeup Brush Set

My Charm brush sets never fail to make a statement in my gigs. It must be their candy pink handles or their performance and quality that's at par with luxury makeup brands. Nevertheless, Charm brushes are staples in my matching pink toolbelt, thanks to beauty blogger/beauty entrepreneur/makeup artist friend Sophie who introduced them to me ever since, well, practically when we got to know each other. Her products reflect the love she has for her work. Her new product, awakens each and everyone of us to get dolled up no matter where we are in whatever part of the country, or globe.

I never seem to wear makeup whenever I travel, resulting to me masking my un-defined brows under a pair of big shades in my pictures. For me, I'm scared to bring my brushes since packing them can get bulky, and to do a full-production makeup, five brushes aren't enough for me. But not with Charm Travel Pro Makeup Brush set, which houses 14 professional-grade brushes made from high-quality natural and synthetic hairs safely tucked in a pretty black and pink pouch so I can bring on the smoky eyes and loud lips wherever I may go. So say hi to defined brows, cat eye liner, a crease, and contoured cheekbones!

This faux croc pouch really looks so pretty, the bright pink and black contrast, it's a statement on its own. Who would have thought that the tiny patent black pouch houses 14 makeup brushes?

That tiny kit can fit in a traincase, makeup case, a decent-size shoulder bag, and that compartment in your suitcase that stores accessories and toiletries. I was able to try this out first when I did Martha's Drew Barrymore look and it really worked well for me.

I'll let you in with the brushes and their uses, should you guys get overwhelmed and confused with the brushes, starting with the eye brushes (and the lip brush too!). Eye makeup is usually the concern of a lot of girls, and for eye makeup, I don't settle for just any brush. To execute really good makeup means I should use really good tools.

A. Wet/Dry Eyeshadow Brush - The flat paddle head can be used to apply cream/powder eyeshadow or if you're still with the wet eyeshadow technique, you can use this since it grabs pigment quite nicely than fluffy brushes and the shape can be used to deposit pigment on the eye area. You can also use this to spread eyeshadow primers or paint pots.

B. Angled Eyeshadow Brush - To blend eyeshadow to avoid harsh demarcation lines. The angle is great to get the contours. And speaking of contours, you can use this too for nose contour.

C. Pencil Point Brush- This is like MAC 219 brush, which I like using to deposit darker pigment on the crease or for smudging in kohl liner or setting smoky kohl liner with powder so it doesn't run.

D. Blending Brush - As its name suggests, it blends all deposited colors seamlessly so there's a smooth transition of colors. You can use this to put loose powder on the undereye area to catch eyeshadow fallout and then sweeping it out.

E. Flat Liner Brush - I use this to line the bottom lashline with powder or gel liner tightlining. Some like using this to apply gel eyeliner on the top lashline or to define brows. It's up to you.

F. Bent Eyeliner Brush - The bent angle gives it more co

ntrol. This can be used to apply gel or liquid liner for easy cat eye effect.

G. Eyebrow Shading Brush - This tiny angled brush can be used to apply brow powder on the brows for a natural look.

H. Brow Spoolie - It can be used to tame brow hairs, brush off excess brow gel/mascara clumps.

I. Lip Brush - Precision application for the lips. When you store them, be sure to not forget to put the pink cap back on, as this helps keep the insides of the brush pouch clean and free of lipstick smudgies, especially if you like using pigmented lipsticks.

Now it's time for the bigger brushes, the face brushes.

J. Stippling Brush - Stippling brushes are soft, cushy, and pretty. They're great for a nice dusting of glitter, mineral highlight, mineral blush, or setting powder. This could also be used to apply a light airy coat of liquid foundation for even coverage.

K. Powder Brush - This can be used to apply loose/setting powder, pressed powder, powder foundation, or blush. I like that this one is small enough to get in those hard-to-reach areas so everything is all set. This can be used as well to apply powder blush for a nice flush of color

L. Angled Blush Brush - For contouring cheeks for that supermodel shape or applying blush.

M. Foundation Brush- This is made of synthetic hair because it applies liquid or cream foundation to the face. The dome shape makes it easy to get foundation around the eyes and the nose and sides of the mouth

N. Concealer Brush - Can be used to spot-apply concealer or cream eyeshadow.

Aside from being able to apply a face full of makeup without sacrificing baggage space, this can be brought by a pro makeup artist come touch-up time say for a wedding gig or photoshoot since it doesn't occupy that much space in the touch-up kit instead of lugging an entire roll or belt of big brushes, so no more embarassing "lugging-your-entire-house-look" during gigs.

The Charm Travel Pro Makeup Brush set costs only Php 2,200 with free shipping nationwide. You can order this online at the Beauty and Minerals (fill in their order form here) Or you can purchase them yourself at the following stores:

Crossings Shangri-la

PurBeauty, Serendra

Beauty & The Geeks stall, Robinsons Cyberpod Eton 1

Pretty soon, you'll be seeing a less colorless me in my travel shots. :) Well, I just booked my next travel destination!!! I'm glad there are girls who tell us to look pretty wherever we are and make it oh-so-convenient too!