MAC Studio Finish Concealer SPF35

I'm on the lookout for the best concealer out there. After much research, the candidates were:

Make Up Forever Full Cover Concealer

MAC Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage

I was looking for a concealer that gives good and lasting coverage for blemishes, doesn't require a Master's Degree in Engineering to apply, matches my skin tone/color, and won't put a hole in my pocket. After doing much research, the winner is.....

MAC Studio Finish SPF35

Bought it from Rustan's in Greenbelt, P870 for 1 pot (7g)

I have a very oily, acne-prone, medium colored skin, with yellow undertones. I asked the sales attendant to help me choose a concealer that would match my skin tone and color. She used NC35 and tried it on my chin. I thought it was too light and looked heavy. (I am spoiled by mineral makeup. I'm so used to its light and barely there feel on the skin and look so this non-mmu was new, and a little scary, for me.) Then I realized she put way too much and that's why it looked cakey and heavy.

The consistency of MAC Studio Finish Concealer is very thick and creamy. That said, this won't make a good undereye concealer but would be perfect for everywhere else. The color I chose, NC35, is pretty close to my skin but it's not a perfect match. I tried it on my face earlier using a small concealer brush and applying a little at a time. I would touch my brush lightly on the pot and then pat it on my blemish. Then blend the edges so it doesn't stand out. After doing this several times I got pretty good coverage. I also put my BareNaturals Ultimate Concealer on top just to make it blend better with my skin. I tried topping it all of with just a mineral veil/finishing powder to see if this could pass for an everyday look -- and it did. Yey! Although, I must say that if I put foundation on top, it would have looked better. My blemishes would have been better concealed. I noticed that after I swiped/buffed on the veil, the covered parts got a little exposed. So, I guess I better not buff it on next time.

So in conclusion:

MAC Studio Finish SPF35 Concealer

Coverage: 4 out of 5.

(I would say it can make your blemishes less noticeable by about 75-80% on it's own.)

Lasting power: No rating yet.

(I have yet to find out. Will let you know.)

Color: 4 out of 5.

(It's a close match to my skin but not a perfect one.)

Consistency: 5 out of 5.

(It's thick so it gives good coverage.)

Price: 3.5 out 5.

(It's P870 or about $18 for 7 grams of product. It's not cheap but it's not very expensive either compared to other concealers out there.)

Packaging: 1.5 out of 5.

(Pots are good breeding grounds for bacteria. To use the product you either have to use your fingers or a brush -- not hygenic. But then again, where else can you put it? It's too thick and creamy for a tube.)

Overall Rating: 3.6 out of 5.

Would I buy this again? Most likely.

NC35

Boyce Avenue: Apologize

These guys rock! I accidentally discovered them on (where else?) Youtube, and WOW! They're good. I especially like their rendition of Apologize. Enjoy!

P.S. They were in Manila lst Feb. 14 and had a concert, I didn't get to watch them, though.

Bye-Bye Blackheads!

If you've ever been plagued by stubborn blackheads on your nose then I am sure you can appreciate the value of a good pore de-clogger. Unfortunately, I have never found any product in the market that could do this effectively and satisfactorily. That is, until I discovered baking soda and Cetaphil.

How To Make:

1. Mix equal parts Cetaphil and baking soda on the palm of your hand. (About 1/4 tsp. each.)

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2. Using your fingers rub the baking soda until you get a grainy, paste like consistency. There should not be any big lumps of baking soda left. If there are, just pick them off.

3. Now apply this mixture to your slightly damp face. Using your middle and ring finger, lightly and gently massage your face. Do not apply pressure. The baking soda will do all the srcubbing for you.

4. Wash face and pat dry. Follow with toner and moisturizer.

Get a mirror and look at the pore on your nose. Amazing isn't it?

In the past, I've used this once a day (usually at night) everyday and have had no adverse reactions. If you plan to try this, please listen to your skin. If your face gets red, burns, or shows other signs of irritation, please stop using it. Listen to your skin. I hope this woks for you, too!

Lois Battle: War Brides

My sister and I were strolling in the mall yesterday and I saw my local bookstore was selling 2 books for a very cheap price. I couldn't resist. I bought a book about France that was supposed to be hilarious but instead I found annoying and tiresome. Didn't bother to read after a few pages. I'm seriously considering burnig that book. Now, on to the book that I want to review.

War Brides is the story of three Australian women who married American men during the first world war. The book tells about theiry indivudual stories: the struggles and challenges, joy, pain, adjustments to married life in a foreign country and the general plot of women. We meet Dawn Mueller, loving mother of two, wife to a vaguely enstranged husband, practical, efficient but never receving the love she deserves. Gaynor Cunningham, truly lives up to her name for she is as cunning as she is clever. Manipulative, neurotic, the kind of person you wouldn't want living next to you. Sheila Hickock, sweet, naive, stubborn. Out of the three I think the had the happiest ending the book. If you can call it an ending.

Rating: 1.5 out of 5

I honestly think that this book would have been a good read if not for the horrible ending. Actually it had no ending. That's why it's horrible. I feel like the author just kept on writing and writing until one day she realized that she had reached the ultimate maximum number of pages she's allowed to write but she hadn't written the ending part yet so she decided to just leave the story as is. No closure. I mean, you are left with a burning question in your mind, "Well, what in the world happened to them?!" After finishing the book (yes, I finished it) I was left dissatisfied, confused and a little angry at the author. I threw the book away.

It's also a little confusing when you read the book because every shapter is about one of the three women. It's like reading three books in one. Also, the point of view/speaker in the book keeps changing without warning. There were several times when I had absolutly no idea whose train of thought or observation I was reading.

I wouldn't recommend anyone to read this. Sorry Lois Battle.

Sophie Kinsella: Can You Keep A Secret?

First, a short backgound.

Emma Corrigan. Twenty-five years old, Junior Marketing Executive in Panther Cola, flatmates Lissy (whom she's had a very lesbian dream about once) and Jemima (whose expensive clothes, shoes, bags, you name it!, she "borrows" all the time), hates G-strings but wears them anyway, boyfriend Connor who thinks she's a size 8 when she's really a 12, never been in love, has a Barbie bedspread, and absolutely terrified of flying. Which is why she blabbered on for an hour to the man sitting beside her basically every single secret of hers. Which wouldn't have been so bad if he didn't turn out to be the founder of the company she works for. Her life turns into a chaotic mess, with lots of ups and downs and in the end she learns (hopefully) a valuable lesson: Telling a lie while you keep your fingers crossed behind your back is not the same as telling the truth.

RATING: 1.5 out of 5

Why?

The story was funny and interesting enough when it started, however, it failed to develop depth and substance. The first half was funny enough. Emma was hilarious and entertaining but later on she just became annoying. For one, she starts many of her sentences with "ehr, um, er...". She lies a lot and lets other people walk all over herthen she feels all sorry for herself. I could not feel sorry for her. Jack does not seem like a real person, the story is predictable and the big secret in the end? Ridiculous. My recommendation? Read the first half and skim the rest.