MAKEUP TUTORIAL: Neutrals

Here's a makeup tutorial using only neutral colors --- meaning all brown / flesh tones. You'll be amazed with how just all brown tones can make you look really fresh and most of all, your makeup will look really natural.

You can use an eyebrow palette (one with two or three tone colors), and use this both for your eyebrows and as eyeshadow.

First of all here's a before and after shot of what this tutorial is about:

Here's the palette I used:

I normally use this to fill in my eyebrows, but I also love it for contouring my eyes as eyeshadow. Here's how:

Make sure to start with a clean face. Absolutely no makeup. Always cleanse, tone and moisturize before starting to apply your makeup. Here's me after washing my face and applied toner and moisturizer.

Next step is to apply foundation. I apply several dots all over my face and spread with a foundation brush. Just a thin layer of foundation will do. Not too much because you don't want to look "cakey". =) For my foundation, I used Loreal True Match in Golden Beige or G3.

Next, set the foundation with powder using a powder brush. Just lightly brush powder over the foundation as soon as it dries. I used Maybelline Clear Smooth All In One Shine Free Cake Powder in NATURAL or #03.

I don't want my face to look flat so it's time to contour.

A little bit of contouring on the nose and on the cheekbones. =)

Next, fill in the eyebrows. I used the medium brown tone to match my brown hair.

After filling in my eyebrows, I used the lightest brown to cover the whole eyelid. careful not to go beyond the brow bone so that it doesn't look too much.

Then I use the medium brown (same one I used for my eyebrows) to contour the eyes. Just apply a small triangle at the corner of the eye.

Next, apply the darkest brown with an eyeliner brush at the top and under the eyes.

Done with eyeshadow, now it's time for blush. Apply a neutral color blush on the apples of the cheeks.

For the lips, first apply some lip balm and then top with a neutral but slightly pinkish shade lipstick.

Enhance the lashes with an eyelash curler and some mascara.

and VOILA! Finished! Very fresh and natural looking =)

Here's my before and after shots... See the difference? =)

Try it, it's super easy! And I'm sure you will love the results. =)

RECIPES: Easy Shrimp Bake

I saw these magnificent babies at the wet market and I just couldn't resist! I wanted to try something new (and EASY), so here's the recipe I used:

EASY SHRIMP BAKE

Ingredients:

Giant Prawns

1/2 cup butter

1 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice

Step 1: Butterfly shrimp but don't cut all the way through.

Step 2: Spread and flatten. Place shrimps in a baking dish. Sprinkle with a portion of lemon juice.

Step 3: Combine butter, bread crumbs, cheese, salt and lemon juice.

Step 4: Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly over shrimps.

Step 5:  Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes, or until shrimps are cooked and topping is golden brown.

VOILA! Your Easy Shrimp Bake is ready to eat! ... SUPER EASY and SUPER YUMMY! =)

BLOG GIVEAWAY: My First Blog Giveaway!

One lucky winner will receive 3 OLEIC Cocktail Rings from the OLEIC Fashion Gallery! It's very easy to join! All you have to do is follow these steps on Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Terms & Conditions:

1. This blog giveaway will end on June 11, 2012 (Monday) at 12noon. 
2. You can go back to this blog page daily to click on the Tweet button for additional entries. That means more chances of winning!
3. Rafflecopter follows EST. Therefore, cutoff for each day is at 12noon. This means you can go back every afternoon to retweet for additional entries 
4. Winner will be announced on this blog. We will contact the winner within 48 hours from the closing date.

Good luck ladies!

AT WORK: Carla Chameleon

Carla Dunareanu, is an international artist based in Singapore. One of her projects was the famed THE KITCHEN MUSICAL which aired on Studio 23. I had the chance to work with her a few weeks ago at a photoshoot where we literally revamped her in a gazillion ways... hence, the title CARLA CHAMELEON. She is indeed a chameleon, a pretty face that can seem to turn into different personalities in a snap. I looooved doing her makeup and she certainly rocked in my jewelry designs. Had a blast working with her and special thanks to the SUPER TALENTED team : 

Photography: Ahleks Fusilero

Assisted by: Manuel Edralin

Model: Carla Dunareanu aka Carla the Chameleon

Makeup: Cielo Fronteras

Hair: Cha Vicuna

Styling: Pauline Macapagal and Zaira Abela

Accessories: OLEIC by Cielo Fronteras

Dresses: Jeffrey Rogador

All these concepts were done in just half a day!  =) Snaps for the team!

DIY: Gift Wrapping Guru

Christmas again! And yes, I confess, I am addicted to wrapping gifts. Lately I would find myself happily wrapping gifts til 3am. My boyfriend already suggested I get a job at a department store's gift wrapping section. (Yes I'm THAT addicted!)

Every year, I have a "theme" for my gifts. There was one year my theme was "Microwaveables". All my gifts were inside plastic microwaveable containers, wrapped in japanese paper and covered with confetti. Another year it was "The Blues" --- Blue wrapping paper, blue cards, blue ribbon, blue boxes... everything blue! Last year was "Metallics". A mix of Gold, Silver and Bronze wrapping and ribbon --- very bling! For this year, I was thinking of  an earth friendly theme --- First thought, newspapers? EWWW. No way. Its an old idea, plus it's not very clean. I know I'd end up with black fingers after each wrapping session. So my GENIUS idea --- recycled boxes! Yep, I became a major collector of wine boxes, flour boxes, pasta boxes, tea boxes... lahat ng box! Everyone in my household was already asking me why boxes were piling up in one corner of the house. All I said was... BASTA!

BOXES GALORE

I thought the idea was pretty cute. Add a colorful ribbon and voila! But then as I was walking around "SUR DE VI" (That's Divisoria said in class --- Thanks to a new friend, Ben Redulla for introducing me to the most sosyal way of calling it.) I found a GORGEOUS black and white wrapping paper from a street vendor. I just had to get it! I immediately bought everything he had (around 50 sheets - it was so inexpensive, promise!). And so my earth friendly theme transformed into a Earth-Friendly-Black-and-White-with-colorful-ribbon theme. So to the recipients of my gifts... don't think I'm going el cheapo on the packaging. When you tear of the pretty wrapper and see my recycled boxes --- remember, EARTH FRIENDLY!!! =)

My pretty black and white wrapper and ribbons

Recycled boxes inside the wrapper, finished off with colorful ribbons

 

and because I'm super ARTE... the gifts for the boys and men are made to look like shirts with ties (Feeling gift wrapping pro!)

Half of my gifts almost done... I think I'll be able to fill up the staircase! Hehe =)

DIY: Handpainted and Embellished Jeans

For my blog, i'll be sharing with you some Do-It-Yourself projects. Out the number of hobbies I got on my plate, designing and crafts is my first love! =) So here you go, my first DIY post!

HANDPAINTED and EMBELLISHED JEANS

Let out your inner bohemian and personalize your favorite pair of jeans. A little bit of paint, a dash of beads and sequins and a whole lot of imagination is all it takes for you to turn a timeless classic into a statement piece. 

Materials you need:

Textile Paints

Paint Brush

Mixing Dish

Beads

Sequins

Needle

Thread

A Pair of Jeans

STEP 1:  Start painting your desired design on the jeans.

STEP 2: Hang the jeans and let it dry overnight

STEP 3: Check if your painting is completely dry. If it is, sew on beads, sequins or buttons. 

Use your creativity! =)

VOILA! Finished!

Wear and flaunt your design. =)

Photograhy by Filbert Kung

My hair by Charisma Vicuna

=)

This article is on the latest issue of DEPOT FASHION Magazine... get a copy now, to view my article and to shop for the latest fashion items! =)