Short, Pink, and Sweet with a cut too

I love wearing pink. It makes me happy. And so do short dresses that hug every ab and quad. It makes me feel pretty when I'm done with a day of work/chores.

dress: Gift from the States

scarf: an old Marks and Spencer scarf bought 15 years ago in Hongkong

shoes: Aerosoles

watch: Mickey Mouse watch from Hongkong Disneyland

leg bronzer: None. that's my natural color.

Wear this with a scarf if I wanna dress it up and pump up the height in heels or wear it with flip flops, bundle my hair in a messy bun, don shades and it's okay for a casual but comfy-sexy vibe when I want to have milk tea in Serenitea.

Dresses make me look tall and I love it. I must be swimming a lot more because I'm getting darker, which I love. I hope that my guilty pleasure indulgence of Gong Cha wintermelon tea and Potato Corner fries didn't show.

Another place I like to rave about: Lucy Britanico salon in Glorietta. They gave me a trim and blow-dried my hair to Victoria's Secret sexiness waves and volume in less than 30 minutes. Their price is okay too. My trim is only about Php400. I'm usually scared whenever I enter a new salon for a trim but they did a good job in knowing to cut only the dry ends and maintain the length and shape of my hair, which I've been trying to maintain for like 3 years now. I told them I'm growing my hair and I prefer that it fall on my waist or a little above it since it's more low-maintenance that way for me. No experimenting or anything. Yay!

My Barbie Costume in Detail

So for those who want to know in detail how I put together my Exercise Barbie costume, here's how:

This Exercise Barbie can Gemini yes? :P

outfit:

Top: Forever 21

Shorts: Sassa Swimwear

Shoes: Fila

Headband and Socks: Landmark

As you can see, the original Exercise Barbie is in a full bodysuit. Obviously, I can't pole in a full bodysuit since I need my skin to grip the pole so I thought of a pole fitness adaptation but it had to be still close to the original. Thankfully, I had aquamarine blue pole shorts and sports top so I didn't have to spend much. And one of the two sneakers I owned was a happy lilac color, which sorta matched my gear. In place of leg warmers, I wore rainbow socks. I wasn't able to find a sky blue headband so I used white instead. safe. :)

For the makeup, knowing that I'll be pole-ling, I made sure that's makeup to last from warm up till cool-down. I used pastel pinks for my eyes and cheeks and finished off with cat eye style liner (using the Barbie gel liner from Stila, and I'm so glad they're still with me) and brown mascara since I had to take note that I'm blonde. Taking that into consideration, I made sure my brows were also matching to my hair so I used MUFE eyebrow corrector in 0 topped with MAC Charcoal brown on the ends and used MAC Brow Set in Sophisticated to groom my brows in place. I know Sophisticated has been phased out worldwide, so I think Girl Boy would be a good substitute in case you want to recreate this or Shu Uemura Eyebrow Manicure.

You all know that I've got dark hair by nature so how did I get to be blonde like Barbie? I didn't dye my hair but used colored hairspray! First, I styled my hair in a curly high ponytail like Barbie. Then, I sprayed my hair thoroughly first with silver spray and then misted blonde spray all over. I got the idea from a photoshoot I did weeks before. Since I got really long hair, I finished off an entire spray bottle. Hahahaha. Don't worry, it washes off easily with shampoo. I'm back to dark hair now, but I had to subject my hair to deep conditioning treatment since products can dry my hair.

Barbie isn't Barbie without bright pink lips. So I used two of my favorite MAC bright pink lipsticks: Candy Yum Yum and Hollywood Nights for an in-your-face pink and topped it with Superglass for high-shine. Come on, Exercise Barbie is an 80's Barbie so she shouldn't be afraid of color. Since My my hair is pulled back, I wouldn't have to worry about my face having gloss all over.

Like I said, Barbie is my favorite doll ever! So this look was done for love. And with that, it combined with my favorite sport too. Can I not be happier? :)

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?

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.

Long Gown Competition, Boho Edition

Megamall for me has the widest selection of Forever 21 merchandise. I somehow landed in Megamall yesterday since I had lunch with my star sign twin and her mini-me. After stuffing myself to the brim with prawn pasta (yummm!!!!) and detoxing with rose leaf tea, I stopped by Forever 21 to take a look at the new goodies. I put 4 items in my cart at first and went to the fitting room, among them, this billowy and flowy skirt won the deal. I like long skirts and dresses and they make me look taller. I wore it a while ago, in a mall day. It's so pretty and comfy.

I'm size S but it's really long. For busy prints like that, I thought a plain tank would do the trick, and yellow is my color choice so I could show the tan I had from my swim session.

• top: bazaar-bought, those generic tank tops in all colors
• skirt: Forever21
• shoes: The Ramp

(cat not included)

I thought of letting my hair down and loose in a rumble-tumble of thick and messy waves, very little makeup and just relax and enjoy a day where it's all for me.

Okay, not entirely for me, the cat needs feeding. The skirt's so flowy I could capture the cat in it. Heeheehee!!!!!

Casual Oversize

I want to be pretty but still be comfy, like wear flowy airy fabrics, easy-fit leggings I could jump into, and flats that enable me to walk for long distances and still not have my feet complain and kill me. Oh, and Zara was on sale so I saw an oversized tank top. Normally, it's a little too big but I always wear it over my sports bra and tadaaaaahhhh! Instant I'm-on-my-way-to-dance-class glam!

I think when I bought that top in Zara last Monday, I was the last customer in Zara. I saw that the sale sign was still up, so I'm bound to find something. Of course, all the small sizes were first to go, but I'm glad that there's medium and while working around something, it could work with me. The top's now Php395 from Php995 and I'm glad Zara allows us to pay in debit card because I didn't have enough cash with me and I don't want to use my card.

Top: Zara

Sports bra: PRP

Leggings: tiangge-bought (as all my leggings are)

Flats: Rainskimmers

Bag: Also tiangge-bought, but it's very sturdy I love it!

I passed by Serendra to buy Cupcakes by Sonja on the way home. I love their cupcakes and since I did a great job at class for two days, I think I deserve a treat as I have their cupcakes only occasionally (the frosting's too sweet for me to have sugar rush, one that I love and they're quite expensive).

Oh yes, and I wore makeup too! And effort with smoky eyes and winged eyeliner. Why makeup when I'm going to dance class? Well, why not? I'm getting better at getting the wings even at a quicker time, yay! It took me quite a while to remove the eye makeup though (MAC eye kohl+ fluidline = pain to remove) but I gotta remove all that gunk off always before I go to bed.

That Hansel Effect

People all over Plurk have been raving about Hansel Premium Cheese Sandwich, telling everyone how good it is, complete with self-portraits with the product. I breezed through the discussion while it was already midway, so I asked Fritz what was it about since well, I'm always out of touch with anything. Apparently, it started with a discussion among themselves about their favorite crackers. Fritz has been raving about this and he posted a self-picture of himself with the product. I thought it was really cute and witty, but I have to admit, I got intrigued.

While at Podium last Thursday, I was contemplating if I should join in the fun, and asked Fritz if I could. With much encouragement from my friend, it got me going, and he even pointed out that it's available at 7-11 branches. Perfect! There's a 7-11 right beside Pearl Plaza. Hmm... 7-11, Pearl Plaza, Pearl Drive... I think you guys know how I'll do my self-pic. Since I like to be bongga (magpapaself-pic lang, itodo na) I decided to have a partner with me to join in the fun. By partner I meant the pole, who didn't complain at all.

Outfit:

Top: Gigi Amore

Shorts: Landmark

Makeup: See FOTD

This was taken after our 7-8 class and while the Intermediate girls were having their warm-ups. While I was still warm from class (better so it's easier and safer for me to do tricks). I had to choose tricks that would give me one free hand to hold the product of course, and I had to use a trick that would lookl really nice and something that I mastered na. My choices were the skater and the front cupid since they look really graceful and I have space to make pacute.

By the time I sent Fritz my photo, a lot have already joined the bandwagon in their own unique way. Yay! Just click them for a larger version. By the way, none of us are being paid for this. All are done for the love. Cute!

The Hansel effect gets me to picture Owen Wilson's character in Zoolander doing slo-mo catwalk everytime I take a bite, just a side story (Hahn-sel.... tugshhhhh..... Hahn-sel). But really, these crackers are really good, with the right amount of cheese flavor and the right crisp and thin crackers. I kid Fritz that this might be a cause for a bilbil, so I have to take control into eating them.

So you guys intrigued? Feel free to grab a box and grab a bite. In fact, if you feel like it, post a self pic too. Be as crazy or as bongga as you like. No one's stopping. ;)

Panther and Red Tights

Rainy days make me gloomy. How to be happy? Dress up and feed the kitty to be happier. Rainy days call to be protected from the weather so I need a nice jacket and of course, my ever-so-trusty rain boots!My black panthers and I share a story yesterday. I was on my way for my 7-8 class when hell of all hells EDSA was a parking lot in the rain so what I did was take the MRT to Shaw and walk from Shangri-La Mall to Pearl Drive. When I got out of the mall, It was flooded at the hotel, super puddly at the streets. The waters at San Miguel Ave and Lourdes Drive were about a centimeter high and I see girls in flip flops and heels teetering just to go through. My wellies and I roughed it through the flood enough for me to get to Gen Studios by 6:30 p.m. My umbrella though got bent from the wind and pressure but I made it to class without looking like I swam in the rain. Kemerlu the baha.

After washing them last night (Plueys care could be found here), I wanted to treat my boot-boots right by glamming them up for errand day Friday. After all, they are made to make us look human despite the whole of the Metro is raining.

Jacket: Zara

Dress: Promod

Tights: Dorothy Perkins

Shoes: Redrain boots in Panther

The boots aren't your everyday ordinary bota. They're fasyon and could be worn with jeans, dresses, shorts, anything that strikes tour fancy. The slimfit look makes them look more like riding boots than rain boots, but they're just as cute. Since everything's black, gray, and white, what better way to say POW! with a pair of opaque red tights? Finally the tights that got my fancy (aside from the fact that they were on sale at Php 99.00) got to good use!

Yes, these boots are comfy. I have no blisters whatsoever and I've owned them for a year. So I guess since the happy sunny skies have bid adieu, the only way to make the most of the rainy season is, well, to bring out our boots and stomp the bad vibes away.

I'm Exercise Barbie!

The challenge is to wear all-mineral makeup today for my makeup come pole class today save for lipstick and mascara. Mmm why? just a bit of rest to make the skin breathe. I also tried not to use primer on the eyes today for a sheer wash/sweep of color. Para akong lalagnatin. I'm overly dependent on primers. And no eyeliner. WALANG EYELINER!!!!

Face:

Ellana Minerals foundation in cinnamon latte

MAC Mineralize Blush in Merrily

Eyes:

Shu Uemura Eyebrow Gel in Seal Brown

Elegant Minerals in Rainforest

Clinique High Impact Mascara

Lips:

MAC Candy Yum Yum

Rainforest is a pine green sparkly color that came out as a sheer minty wash without primer. Since it's quite loose, I made the mistake of forgetting loose powder under the eyes so I had to do major cleanup for cheeks. No eyeliner means lots of mascara and I'm glad Clinique's powerful in boosting lashes.

The hot pink lipstick plus my OOTD spells Exercise Barbie. High ponytail not included.

Midriff top+ sports bra+ aqua dance shorts. Leg warmers and it's Exercise Barbie on a seat up the pole.

Top: Bazaar bought

Sports Bra: Forever 21

Shorts: Sassa Swimwear

Shoes: Rainskimmers. They're climb-friendly! Wore them today because it was drizzling.

Bare tummies and Plueys don't match so I covered up for pictorial purposes. Learning choreo was easier this time and I was able to do a few choreo rounds without looking like a lost duck. Plus new spins today like the close leg hook and the martini. I love spins! I think spins are my ultimate forte. :)

Seeing Red: OOTD

I spotted this really, really pretty long maxi dress a week ago. It's deceiving really, it's in a solid color, with a high neckline and for once, it's sleeved yet it cuts low at the back. I loved the fit of it and since it was on sale at Topshop at a good Php399, I was so lucky that it had my size. I was contemplating whether to get it in gray or maroon, but I've never had a maroon dress before, and it looks so elegant and hugs me well at every way.

I like how it cuts low on the back and the solidness but at the same time boldness of the color. I wore this dress to this afternoon's tea/press launch of the newest Elizabeth Arden scent, which I'll blog about it a bit. I know that a dress with a deep back like this requires me to wear my hair up but I thought of just wearing my hair down that day. Kitty Chompy's by my side eating her post-dinner dinner.

Chompy decides to take centerstage and be the center of the photo and not the front of my dress. Hahaha. It looks very formal, and could actually pass for a formal dress with the right accessories but with flipflops or flats, a scraggy handcombed ponytail and fresh face, I could channel the model off-duty vibe. This dress is definitely part of my "raket dress" collection, a term I use for dresses that I could use for my formal event works which require me to be comfy but presentable at the same time.

Even with the chore of feeding the cat.

This was the part where she rubs her head on my hand. Awwww. Another share... I just love the job the guys of Piandre Greenbelt 1 did to my hair. They blowdried it with volume at the ends so it doesn't fall scraggly or flat. Swear, I needed to have a picture of it before I wash it off the following morning. Walang shampoohan sa gabi ito mehn! Since the dress is already bright and bold, I just made do with red lipstick and little accessories for it. Summer's too hot to pile up with a lot of trinkets so let the staple stuff take the show.

Dress: Topshop

Shoes: People R People

Watch: Fossil

Taking Aldo For A Spin

Went out for dinner and movie Saturday Night. To guarantee that I'm no loshang, it's time to play dress-up and make-up. Also, it was time to take my Aldo out.

I miss wearing all black. It's instant inches to the height and pounds off. The top is actually a bodysuit which is a pain whenever you wanna go bathroom. My uniform short shorts with comfy heels and a red scarf since movie houses are always so darn cold.

Makeup detail:

Red lips, neutral eyes with a wing.

Concealer: MAC NC30 studiosculpt concealer

Foundation: Maybelline Angelfit Healthy Ochre

Contour: Stained Cosmetics Countouring Palette

Blush: MAC Stark Naked topped with MAC Soft and Gentle

Brows: MUFE Eyebrow corrector in 0

Eyes: MAC Nylon on lid, MAC Ricepaper on browbone, MAC Mineral to contour

Liner: Blacktrack topped with Kryolan Black and The Body Shop Glitter Liner on the inner corners

Mascara: Maybelline Cat Eyes

Lips: Ever Bilena Love That Red

Ever since I purchased Ever Bilena's Off Beat Pink and got exposed to their mattes, I became an instant fan and purchased another one, Scarlet, an orange red and then purchased their bestseller, Love that Red. I'll better do an in-depth review on that soon, as a very nice, very bold, and super affordable red lippie. By the way, Ever Bilena matte lipsticks are slashed down to Php 99.00 only!

Going Girly at the Havaianas Event

Inspired by our Audrey Hepburn photoshoot the day before, I went for an Audrey-inspired outfit sans makeup since I came from work. I wore this dress to the Havaianas launch last Thursday, which was a summery event.

It looks so girly and it goes well with flats or heels. I chose flats since I was working that day, and stilettos would be too owie. It was a good thing I had my hair fixed that day though (had my hair trimmed to nix the split ends) so I look more human like I didn't come from work.

Some shots too during the event:

Clowning with the guys while munching on veggie sticks, cream puffs, and unlimited iced tea. Normally, I'd wolf food like no tomorrow but I ate a lot at work so I thought to keep my dinner light. Food was also the reason why I chose a loose dress, so I get to eat a lot. I got a lot of compliments with my Audrey look. Maybe I should try outfits like this just once in a while.

Weekend Calls For Short (Thrifted) Dresses

Hey it's a weekend and there's nothing to do... much. PANIC NOW!

No, don't panic! Declare it a short-dress weekend. And even better... they're all thrifted!

This shift dress has been hanging for quite a long time in my closet. I've worn it for like around four times I guess but never got to use it. I used to wear it for the office and sometimes I'd get teased at since it was too short. Too short? It's normal for me! :P I like short skirts, short dresses, and short-shorts. I think they're more practical during the rainy season than the flowy long maxis, which I save for summertime.

'Di yan short! Conservative lang kayo. :P

Dress: G2000 (hand-me-down)
Bag: Cole Vintage
Shoes: Aerosoles
Shades: YSL

That dress technically is a hand-me-down from one of my sisters. So in my closet it goes. I'm happy it fits me, although it was shorter for me than it was for her. But I like it that my hemlines go mid-thigh. I think the print is very retro-like. Twiggy much? I blow-dried my hair that day, that's why it's not that wild. In place though, I got shades to cover the no-makeup face. I

Come Sunday, I wanted something, well, sorta feminine. I was with Tin just last week at Robinsons BF and we decided to hit the ukay at Jaka, where she frequents. Tin sources out her funky clothes and beat-up chic bags at the ukays. So there we go. She fell in love with vintage-y ruffly dresses and when I pulled out an ecru Swiss lace dress, she squealed that she wanted to use it for her shoots. I loved the dress too and said I'd buy it but I'd lend it to her in photoshoots.

Lace dress: Ukay

Bag: Cole Vintage (peeking behind me)

Shoes: Naturalizer

The thing I like with ukay-ukay is that I get really good deals and funky pieces that aren't found anywhere. Okay, so these are old clothes but hey... kumukulong tubig at laba lang katapat nyan! Heck top fashion models also go to the ukay-ukay even! Still in good condition though. This one is short, like it goes like 3 inches below my butt. My solution is to wear them with white short-shorts. Still, It's a dress. If I want it to be a top, pair them with leggings. But I like it as a dress, and a dress shall it be. The box behind me holds my Sew Cute Plueys, which I brought in case it rains. It looks pretty cute with them too. It didn't rain though and the sun was shining with feeling. Bu-mmer. Why did I choose moccasins instead of dainty sandals? Wala lang!

Never thought these old-new dresses could rock it still. :) That's what they say I guess, how one's old junk could be another one's treasure. Lurve!

Clean lines and Short Hemlines

So here's what I wore to the Downy event last Monday. The night before, I stared at my closet for what to wear. As usual, I'm more of the clean silhouette type when it comes to clothes. I knew I was going to eat, so I didn't want anything cinching my waist or abdomen yet since it was a hotel event, I still had to look good.

I settled for my favorite classic: The (very) little black dress:

My nice and naughty dress from Carlotta Manila walks the red carpet with me. The hemline's up to the midthigh already, elongating and exaggerating my height. Throw in wedge leopard sandals to add more height and if anyone asks me, I'm 5'11".

The bareback dress enhances toned shoulders and balances my wide hips too. It's a good contrast to the relatively high neckline the dress has. I kept accessories simple with not too much blings and baubles. I just had a watch that day and that's it, one of my staples and something I can't live the house without, superstitions and old wives' tales begone. I'll wear a watch even if it's old as long as it works. My shoes were quite comfortable and they provided me better support than stilettos.

In contrast to the clean lines and shapes, My hair was pincurled with lots and lots of volume. I take inspiration from Angelina Jolie's trademark long and wavy locks. I wanted hair with shape and character. Curls made my hair shorter than it usually is though, but it's long enough for the effect I wanted. I don't want curls that are too structured and I just pulled the top part back to give a bit of height. Okay, now I'm 6'1".

With the hair wavy and voluminous, I thought makeup should be clean this time. The dress is already short, even though the cut is very clean, so I wanted makeup that's fresh. Besides, it still is a daytime event. Pinks and peaches was the color of my palette here. Pure pink might be too cool for my skin tone and I bronzed prior to this event so I wanted a tad of warmth too.

On Face:

• Olay Total Effects with Cooling essence as Moisturizer
• MAC Just a Pinch Gel blush for a rosy glow from within
• MAC Studiofinish concealer in NC30
• MUD Corrector in BC3 on undereyes to neutralize only 5 hours of sleep.
• MUD foundation in YG1.
• MAC Studiofix powder foundation in NC35 to set and then topped with MAC Select Sheer in NC30

Contour:

• MAC MSF in Dark to contour cheeks, nose bridge, jawline, and forehead.
• MAC MSF in Light to highlight

Blush:

• The Body Shop Blush #06
• MAC MSF in Blonde as a highlight

Brows:

• Make Up For Ever Eyebrow Corrector in #0
• Paul and Joe Eyebrow Pencil #04
• MAC Brow Set in Beguile

Eyes:

• Laura Mercier Eye Base in Eyebright
• MAC Paradisico on lid
• MAC Amber Lights on crease
• MAC Espresso on Outer V and lower lashline
• MAC Bountiful brown to line top and bottom lashes
• MAC Ricepaper to highlight brows.
• MAC Blacktrack for top lash only

Lips:

• MAC Pink Nouveau

I forgot to put mascara here. At first I thought I'd do that at the restroom, but since I was wearing glasses, I got lazy. Anyway, I'm glad for the Blacktrack, which created the illusion of full lashes even though I haven't curled them yet. If you've notice how much fond I am of layering blush, I like to focus on creating a 3D look by combining several colors and textures.

A little trivia I had for you with my dress was that prior to wearing, I washed the scent and used Downy Attraction fabric conditioner, which I purchased a few weeks ago at the grocery so I could try it out. The light and fresh floral scent combined well with my fragrance at that time, which was D&G Light Blue.

How I Made Gray Not Drabby at Nouveaute

I thought I'd try on this new dress I got. It's a V-neck shift gray dress that's just above the knee. I thought the classic fit was a bit interestng but when I fit it alone, I thought I'd need an extra coverage since it plunges a bit too low. Since I would be doing makeup for the Nouveaute 2009 fashion show, and knowing that there would be pictures even at the frazzle of backstage makeup, I thought I'd have to look good too with all the pressure.

The bandeau provides coverage while the lacy details provide an interesting contrast that's somehow sexy too without anything peeking out. I sported wedges that would give me height without sacrificing comfort. As usual, no hand accessories save for a watch to keep me on time. Since the neckline was quite open, I sported a huge statement necklace of my own design. Had I wanted to skip the necklace, a wide belt (as Mike suggested) could be a better alternative. What's with the shades? Well, no makeup yet. I was thinking should I blowdry my hair or let the hair be? As I was lacking time (still came from a shoot before the show) I just pinned my hair in a bun and let it loose when I want waves.

As for the makeup, I just did my red lips but drew attention to my eyes with a sorta smoky look:

Brows:

• Make Up For Ever Waterproof Eye Corrector 0

Face:

• MAC Studio Sculpt concealer in NW 20 on undereyes and NC 30 on blemishes set with MAC Studiofix NC30
• MAC MSF in Soft and Gentle on cheeks as a highlight

Eyes:

• MAC Paint Pot in Fresco Rose
• MAC Palette in Smoke and Diamonds (just 4 eyeshadows there, a highlight, a lid color, and contour color, and a bit of black for smokiness)
• MAC Technakohl in Brownborder
• MAC Plushlash in Plushblack

Lips:

• Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited in RD 165M

For the makeup, I gave a smokey look on everyone. Here's me and my model, Jovy:

I strengthened her contours and added bronzer on her cheeks to warm her face up and highlighted her cheeks with Soft and Gentle. Brows had to be defined as it was a fashion show and the eyes, I used solid black kohl and falsies to make the smokey-reddish brown colors pop. reddish-caramel lips made her stand out. Of course, for fashion shows, makeup had to be thickly applied as the stage lights could drown out her look.