Look young...longer!

What a catchy title huh? Who doesn't want to look and feel young forever? When I was in my early 20's, I used to read a lot of articles about taking good care of the skin, as prevention for wrinkles, crow’s feet, dark spots etc. that will surely come with age… I never really took them to heart, after all I was still young. My skin was still taut and wrinkle free. Now I’m in my 30’s, and I’m forcing myself to come to terms with the fact that we are all aging by the minute, by the second. It is a fact of life. It is also evidenced by the dull face that peers back at me in the bathroom mirror every morning. There is no procrastinating with age. We’ll get old as sure as the sun rises and sets. We can’t do anything about it really except to try to age as gracefully as possible. Here’s how:

• Start a skincare routine. Regular washing of the face before going to bed is not considered as a routine! It involves a process, a series of steps. If you haven’t been cleansing, toning and moisturizing, better start now.
• Use a sun block. Yeah-yeah, I know you’ve heard it all before, ultraviolet rays and stuff right? It is often said because it is true. Our ozone layer is getting thinner at a rapid pace, it is not capable of protecting us from the harsh rays of the sun anymore, we need help. When going out, apply sun block on your face and other exposed parts of your body.
• Be conscious of what you eat. Garbage in, pimply and dull skin out. Try to stay away from fatty foods and alcohol. Load up on leaf veggies and fresh fruits. Foods rich in B complex vitamins will help give you a youthful glow.
• Quit smoking. Not only is smoking bad for your health, it is bad for your skin as well. It causes skin to dry up, not to mention the pucker marks that can worsen with age.
• Have enough sleep. Take in at least 8 hours of snooze so that skins cells can regenerate and undergo repair. Also, night sleep is irreplaceable.
• Smile. No amount of make up can beautify a frowning face. A frown not only uses up more muscles, It also causes ugly frown lines. So smile, even if you feel like there is nothing to smile about… if you look hard enough, I’m sure you’ll find something.

It is a mistake to regard old age as a downhill grade toward dissolution. The reverse is true. As one grows older, one climbs with surprising strides - Sands

* photo from  (http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com)

Celeteque Brightening Multi-benefit BB Cream

Being a woman with large pores, I read somewhere that BB creams are better to cover up my pores. I've tried Maybelline BB stick and I love its effects on my face, the coverage is great but it does clog my pores and quite difficult to remove. 

I decided to try Celeteque's Brightening Multi-benefit BB Cream. I figured that Celeteque is known for being gentle and caring for one's skin. Actually, I was quite surprised to know that the brand offered a BB cream.  Not only does it claim to cover up one's blemishes, with the help of the Biowhite technology, it has other benefits as well as whitening and moisturizing. You can apply it liberally on your face and neck before make up and it will act as your moisturizer, primer and make-up base. It will help the make-up last a bit longer. 

I bought a tube and immediately tried it. Here's my review.  I put a small amount on my hand. It felt smooth and light on the skin. Here are some swatches.

Smell was ok, it didn't smell like old make-up. =) Coverage was light to medium. It was really easy to apply. Too bad the Celeteque BB Cream is available in one shade only. Some might find this limiting as it might be too light for some skin tones. Luckily, it fit well with my skin tone. Having a combination skin though, I found that I had to put on some powder on top of it because the finish is a bit shiny and after a few hours, my T zone was already oily. It is best to have blotting paper ready and to touch up every few hours to maintain matte finish. It was easy to remove too. 

My Verdict:

Good: 

Affordable at less than P300.

Easily available, can be bought at Watson's and beauty counters at SM Department stores.

Easy to apply.

Gentle on the skin, doesn't clog pores

Has SPF 15 and acts as moisturizer and make-up base

Easy to remove 

Not So Good:

Has only one shade

Not a matte finish

Pores still visible after application

Combination/oily skin is oily again after a few hours. 

I like how it is gentle on my skin and that it has SPF but it doesn't really work that well for me as a BB cream. I think I'd just finish my tube but I won't repurchase anymore. I would definitely recommend it for people with dry or sensitive skin beause they won't need heavy coverage and won't be as oily after a while. 

I hear Garnier has a BB cream for Oily and Combination Skin. I'd have to try this once it is available here. 

 

Basic Personal Makeup Workshop held at Glambox Studio

A few days ago, I chanced upon Say Tioco Artillero's instagram account saying that she will be having a basic makeup workshop. I immediately texted her number to inquire if there were available slots. She replied in just a few minutes confirming that yes she still has a couple of slots l left. I decided I wanted to attend. I have been watching Say's YouTube beauty videos and vlogs and I find her funny and thorough in her reviews. Her videos are so amusing that I keep coming back for more!

I worked in corporate for years and when I first set foot in Makati, my makeup kit contained only my face powder and one shade of lipstick. Over the years, my kikay kit grew but I never really learned how to use makeup well. I would just make sure I powdered my face, lined my brows, curled my lashes (without mascara) and put on some lipstick then I'm good to go. I never learned the fine art of eyeshadow and blushes. I had no idea how to blend or contour or highlight.

Now that I work from home, have more time and opportunity to experiment with colors and makeup. So I decided to learn the basics thru YouTube videos, and that's where I got to "know" Say and other makeup gurus.

Yesterday hubby dropped me off at the Glambox Studio located at the corner of Gamboa and Salcedo streets in Legaspi Village Makati City. When I arrived Say was filming one of her videos which was a collaboration with her fellow YouTuber , a 12 year old girl who also gives make up tutorials for young girls. (I will have to check her channel out) it was fun watching the actual filming.. It gave me ideas on how I would film hubby in this project we're cooking up..

My first impression, this girl was taller than I expected. =) She looked smaller in her videos. And she's so bubbly, and perky, and nice.

Anyway, we only had 2 hours for the workshop. It started well enough with Say telling us tips about basic skin care, answering our questions . I have oily/combination skin and apparently I still needed to moisturize everyday. I just have to choose a water-based product so I won't be greasy.

She went on to explain the merits of putting on primer before applying makeup to make it last longer. She then took our "before" photo. She also taught us how to find out what the right shade of foundation for our skin tones. She proceeded to apply foundation on the model as she encouraged us to do the same ourselves. After the foundation came the powder, blush, eyebrows, eyeshadow, lashes and lipstick. She also taught us how to switch from day makeup to nighttime makeup.

Say let us use her products and brushes. She also had lots of tips and stories as she went along with the workshop. She would hop over from one participant to another checking our progress, answering our questions, demonstrating the correct technique. She then took our "after" picture.

In the end, 2 hours are just not enough! Haha... She gave us our certificates, recorded our comments for her vlog and even offered to trim the other girls' eyebrows. Too bad hubby and I had a photo coverage to go to or I would have stayed longer.

I do admire this young lady who has identified what she wanted to do with her life early on and is now pursuing her dreams. I really enjoyed Say's makeup workshop. I would recommend it to girls and professionals who'd want to learn the basics of putting on makeup. This July she will again be having a series of makeup workshops. For more info follow her on instagram @saytioco and subscribe to her YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/saytiocoartillero