NARS Bridal Palette

Before my wedding, I was on the hunt for the perfect makeup items that would complete my arsenals on the big day. Never mind that I already got tons in my collection that I have previously used on other brides. I was particularly on the look out for the perfect blush. The cult favorite NARS Orgasm was something I had to have. Browsing through the NARS website, I chanced upon the Bridal Palette that seemed to scream out my name.

It was dubbed as the greatest hits palette because it contained the bestsellers of the NARS makeup line. Besides the Orgasm blush that I badly wanted, the eye shadows and lip glosses were too fabulous to refuse. Despite that NARS only accepted credit cards billed in the US, I took my chances and it was a good thing that they accepted my order and delivered it to my aunt in Seattle.

It got to me 2 days before the wedding. In the end , the makeups I used on the day itself were mostly the staple items in my collection  because I had limited time roadtesting this new baby. In the 2 days of getting oriented with the NARS Bridal palette, I decided that the Orgasm blush, Albatros highlighter and Night Fever eyeshadow were a must to pull off my contemplated bridal look.

by Raychard Kho

Orgasm Blush- I used it on top of NYX Pinky blush. The subtle shimmer and peach shade gave the blushing bride look a new perspective.

Albatros Highligter: W-O-W! This is my idea of the highlighter. I swept it on my cheekbones, temples, bridge of the nose,  under eye areas and chin. It added an instant glow to my face without looking like an oil spill.

Night Fever Eyeshadow- this shimmery black-lavender shade was used to blur the black contouring I applied  on my eyes. I also used this to the outer 2/3 of my lower lash line. I’ve always wanted a hint of lavender on my eye makeup and this was a good choice. This can instantly transform your daytime makeup into a diva drama during the night .

The other eyeshadows are:

Edie, Nepal and Ondine- lovely, classic shades that are perfect for a bridal and daily makeup. Since I am more into the “pop” factor, I sticked with my staple MAC Woodwinked. But for work and subtle everyday look, this suits me well. The quality is good: pigmented, not chalky, does not fall off and stays long enough with the aid of a primer.

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The lip palette:

MItzi, Babydoll, Sexual Healing and Roman Holiday- These are great choices for the smoochers but since I already set my mind on NYX Paris and Revlon Coral Color Stay lipsticks as my bridal lip colors, they were practically untouched except for the  Baby Doll lacquer which is obviously my favorite among the four, as evidenced by the craters it accumulated.

Image from Narscometics.com

Sorry for its dilapidated appearance on my pics. I should have taken shots of it when it was still unused. I am including the pic from the NARS website to give you an idea on how it should look like. The Night Fever shade is better captured in their shot.

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In summary, I consider it to be among my best buys. For $65, I get to own  smaller sizes of the 10 more popular selections from NARS in one handy palette with a mirror. The packaging and quality reflect the classy appeal of NARS Cosmetics. I highly recommend it not only for brides but also for anyone who want classic, polished look for everyday use. It would also make a good travel kit because almost everything you need in a makeup set is here.

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TameraOnline: A New Makeup Shopping Haven

A few months ago, I wrote on my facebook status update: “I wish Sephora would start shipping to the Philippines.” Don’t you just hate it when you know there are a lot of good stuffs out there but you can’t have them because of geographical restrictions? When I tried shopping online at Sephora and MAC to have my orders delivered to a friend in Cleveland, my excitement went phloof when I learned that they only accept credit cards that are billed in the  U.S.  I guess a lot of online shopping companies still have trust issues on international customers.

My next best bet would be eBay but good luck on the mark ups or the bidding. The cult favorite makeup you’ve been eyeing on will either have skyrocketed its cost or have gazillions of bidders edging each other out til it reaches a price higher than its SRP.

Living in a city down south in the Philippines, I have been deprived of access to the best cosmetic brands that are only available in Manila. No fancy brands like MAC, Shu Uemura, Smashbox or Make Up For Ever here. At best, we have a Shishiedo counter at Limketkai mall. When a new collection comes out, I can only ogle at it from afar or use my deadly weapon in the form of a credit card to order online wherever available. That’s how I mastered the art of online shopping.

My wish of Sephora extending its services to Philippine customers hasn’t been realized yet, but TameraOnline is something which brings me closer to that hope. It is a newly establshed online cosmetic company owned by Tamera Szijarto, a former Miss Philippines Earth finalist. I checked out the site and I must say it’s very promising. To date, the products are still limited (sorry, no MAC or Shu or MUFE) but they offer products that are hardly available locally. Benefit and Physician’s Formula goodies are ready to ship anytime. Apart from these two, they also carry Neutrogena and Smashbox (at least the primer is in the catalog). Not to be missed are the Benefit brushes and tools.

For starters, check out Benefit Posie Tint which was recommended by celebrities Alex de Rossi and Ciara Sotto when I tweeted them asking what’s their staple blush. The one available in the site comes in mini size but that should do for now. I think they are still filling in stuffs because some categories are left blank.

The good news is, they ship for free in the Philippines! Yayness.  International customers are also welcome to buy. Prices are quoted in dollars and pesos. As a bonus, they throw in samples for every order above $35. Payment is through the trusty Paypal. No need to go to the mall to load your gcash wallet (Gcash being the popular mode of payment for most online sellers in the country). Since it is within the Philippines, local buyers don’t have to wait for weeks to receive their orders. However, the prices are something they should work on. The Smashbox travel size primer that normally sells for $16 is sold twice its price for $32 on TameraOnline.

The store is fresh and I  hope to see more variety in the cosmetics array soon. To ensure their success, they should offer competitive pricing of goods. Otherwise, customers could always turn to eBay or Strawberrynet which ships internationally for free.   If any of you have tried shopping through the new online store, please don’t hesitate to share your experiences. I’m not in any way affiliated with them so I would love some information too.

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Analyzing Color Schemes

This is an analysis of the makeup I did during a photo shoot a few months ago. I had the easiest time prettifying my already beautiful model Paola. To make a pleasantly shocking turn from her preppy style, I did a colorful variant of the Arabic makeup.  I don’t know how to call it exactly but the photographers gave me the liberty to work my thing and this is how it turned out:

Going back to our lesson in color theory, the eye makeup popped out with the right choice of color combinations. The main color in this design is hot pink ( a tint of red) which is accentuated by adding its complementary color, green, in the outer corner of the eyes. Yellow, which is analogous to green, further adds to the drama.  The white was meant to add a gradient effect to the hot pink by blending it upwards. White is not a part of the color wheel as it is produced by the absence of colors.

To balance the outrageous eyes, I chose a pale pink lipstick using Nyx Strawberry combined with Nyx Paris.

Here are the eyeshadows for the curtain call:

• Ben Nye Azalea (hot pink)
• Elianto Green
• Shu Uemura ME Yellow
• Mac Gesso (white)

This is an addition to the previous article on examples of color schemes.

Hope you enjoyed this look.

non 12 step

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Barbie Loves Twilight

Mattel, the maker of our favorite childhood companion- Barbie Doll- will be coming out with Edward and Bella Dolls this November. The launch of these collector items will precede the much awaited showing of “The Twilight Saga: New Moon ,”  which is slated for release in theaters on November 20, 2009. These dolls are currently available on pre-order basis at the Entertainment Earth site for $29.99 each.

As you can see below, these are practically Barbie and Ken donning Twilight clothes except that Ken here is painted kabuki white (too much glutathione?). Hmm.. is it  just me or does this Edward Cullen action figure remind you of Adam Lambert in his famous “Track of My Tears” performance? Maybe it’s the sleek hair or the Adam fan in me speaking. But I wouldn’t mind Edward crooning to that tune for Bella.

See, Twilight is so hot that Barbie didn’t mind the vampire transformation. Well, if being a vampire means having an Edward Cullen by your side, I can’t blame her. And that saves her from purchasing a life insurance policy. Err..

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Charlie Chan Chicken Pasta

This gastronomic delight is sure to make your tummy growl. I’ve learned about Charlie Chan Pasta from friends but I never got to try it until recently.  The other day, my hubby brought me a take out from Yellow Cab,  so I got to try it for the second time. Before I could indulge myself into the mouth watering box of Charlie Chan Pasta, I took pictures of it. The bad news is, looking at it now makes me hungry again.

Yellow Cab is advocating an earth-friendly campaign by using recyclable materials for its products. This one comes in a box and is wrapped in a paper bag. A serving costs P215 but is enough to feed 2-3 persons, depending on how voracious your appetites are. This may look like your run off the mill “pansit” but the taste is uniquely rendered by the oyster sauce.  Alternatively, barbecue sauce could be used.  For those with arthritis, go easy on this one as peanuts are part of the ingredients.

It may be a good idea to try this recipe using kettlebell at home some time. I researched it on the web and I found this on recipezaar.com:

Ingredients

* 1 whole boneless chicken breast
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 3 tablespoons sesame oil
* 1 piece onion
* 2 garlic cloves
* 1 1/4 tablespoons char siu sauce (lee kum kee)
* 1/4 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce
* 9 tablespoons oyster sauce
* 1/8 cup sugar
* 4 tablespoons water
* 1 kg cooked pasta
* peanuts (optional)

Directions

1. Sauté onion and garlic in a little olive oil.
2. Cook chicken until brown.
3. Mix sesame oil, char siu sauce, oyster sauce, chili garlic, and sugar in a bowl.
4. Add liquid mixture to chicken and simmer for a few minutes.

Yum.. Happy eating!

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