The Travel Make-up Bag: Christmas Holiday Edition

Another quickie post today as I'll still be on a plane headed home for the holidays!! This time round, here's a sneak peek inside my make-up bag! Seeing as I'll only be in the Philippines for a short while, I decided to pack 'light' and only take the essentials - with a few options, of course. 

For my base, I've got the mini NARS tinted moisturizer in St. Moritz, MAC Pro Longwear concealer (NW26), MAC Prep + Prime highlighter in Bright Forecast and my Rimmer Stay Matte powder in Silky Beige. These products have been tried and tested for me, and work perfectly in the hot, hot, hot weather in the Philippines! 

For eyes, I've brought my trusty Urban Decay Naked palette (got to have options right?), Urban Decay eyeshadow primer potion and of course, my MAC fluidline in Dipdown. I'm also currently trying out the new Covergirl Full Lash Bloom mascara, so we'll see how that fares in the humid climate. Other bits I've packed are the NARS blush in Almeria, a sample of Clinique's universal face primer, a MAC blush in Gingerly and two MAC lipliners in Staunchly Stylish and Kiss Me Quick (LE from the Maleficent collection). 

Now lips - every girl needs a few options! I've brought along my MAC lippies in 5-Alarm (Red Red Red collection) and Pander Me (Matte Lips collection), NARS Short Circuit (Guy Bourdin collection last year) and L'Oreal's Color Riche lipstick in Laetitia's Pure Red. I mean, these four lippies are all you will need for a quick holiday - a red, (cause you gotta wear a red lip on Christmas day!) peachy nude, orange and deep berry - no?

As for brushes and tools, I've got my trusty Revlon eyelash curler (which really needs replacing), Real Techniques buffing brush, Sonia Kashuk buffing brush (for foundation) and blending brush, Ecotools eyeshadow brushes and angled liner brush, an unnamed blending brush, Real Techniques blush brush and the ol' Tweezerman mini tweezers. Oldies but goodies!!!

Hope this post helps you pack your own make-up bags, or if you just like looking into other people's cosmetics bags (like I do!), then I hope you enjoyed it!

What's In My Bag: Long Haul Trips

Here's a quickie post today cause guess who's homeward bound for the holidays!? Yepp, I've got a long haul trip back to the motherland today, and thought when better than to share what I pack in my handbag to survive over 15 hours on a plane? You read right - over 15 hours. Pure joy.

For reference, I live in Ottawa and have to head over to Toronto (which takes about an hour) to catch the Philippine Airlines plane back to Manila (14ish hours) - which stops over at Vancouver (Toronto - Vancouver = 5 hours) too to pick up the rest of the passengers. Yey. 

If you've noticed from my last travel 'What's In My Bag' post, I love using quite big handbags, cause well, I kind of pack quite a lot (I'm a serious overpacker, but I'm working on it - I promise!). And hey, this is a long haul trip, so I gotta have things to prevent me from dying of boredom. The bag I use is this floral carpet-bag-inspired shopper from Pull & Bear (a brand which I'm uber glad is finally available in the Philippines!) and my gosh, it's got to be the roomiest bag I've ever owned. It's structured but you can definitely fit a lot in there, and plus, it fits underneath the plane seats - while still giving my feet space. Love!

As for its contents, well, I've got:

- Reading material (this one is Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick and if you'd seen my Book Wishlist, this was on the top LOL!) I usually bring two books with me, and I'm debating between The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion and Strange and Ever After by Susan Dennard!

- Earphones and iPhone because who doesn't travel anywhere with their music library?

- Wallet and a smaller pouch (for coins, cause I like having them separate), of course

- My compact tangle teezer (which you can get at Sephora) because I swear, whenever I travel, my hair just... ugh.. it's a knotty mess!

- My skin-care/beauty travel essentials bag (which I'll show more of later on)

- A notebook for list-making, jotting down ideas or any funny anecdotes I hear while on the go 

- And of course, my passport and holder!

Not pictured are my camera (currently charging as I write this), a spare iPhone cable, a portable charger (for my phones, just in case) and a snack or two. I definitely also carry my laptop with me, but that usually gets transferred from my handbag to my hand-carry (you know, the one with wheels) when I can't be bothered to haul it around on my shoulders anymore. I also don't tend to use my laptop while on the plane that much, cause I usually like the inflight entertainment, and I've got my books to occupy my time. Also, I like to sleep during the flight - well, as much as I can in those stiff and cramped spaces anyway. 

Here's a look at my skin-care/emergency kit! Wayy bigger than that pouch from NaRaYa from my last post. I actually got this case from Philippine Airlines last year when for once in my life, I flew business-class (man, that was AH-MAZING!) and I've been using it for travel ever since. It's the classic travel case with three zipped sections (the top one being netted and see-through) and you can hang it (though I wish it was a hook instead of a ring). I don't wear any make-up at all when flying, so it's mainly skincare and miscellaneous little bits that are housed in my case.

Anywho, I tend to keep most of my travel skincare products in the top section - I've got a mini Proactiv moisturizer, Maybelline Baby Lips lip balm, eye drops, a sample of philosophy's Eye Hope eye cream, a Clarins mini skincare set (hand cream, facial wash/serum, and lip treatment), bobby pins and my anti-allergy pills. I also keep a mini rollerball of Kate Spade's Twirl (which I believe is no longer available at Sephora or Ulta, sorry!), for when I get off the plane and want to smell good when I (finally!) see the parentals! In the second section I throw in miscellaneous essentials such as a compact mirror, a headband (and a few spares), dental floss, emergency feminine products (duh!) and boscia facial blotting linens.

In the last section, I throw in a toothbrush and mini toothpaste, emergency medication (for headaches, colds, what have you), a few bandaids, another moisturizer/mask (I'm trying out The Body Shop's Vitamin E moisture cream and the corresponding mask) and a boscia spot treatment pen-thing (also trying this baby out, we'll see how they work). I don't normally use facial wash while I'm on planes, and tend to reach for the Ole Henriksen facial wipes - I'm not into the whole notion of depotting my current facial wash into little pots and using them in the tiny bathrooms. I used to be, then it was just too much of a hassle, especially when they tended to either spill out of the packaging or I couldn't get them out.

As you can probably tell, I'm not one to let my skin go while I'm on the go. I hate that drying feeling airplane environments can have on my face, and of course the stress of traveling for almost 24 hours definitely means my skin will go absolutely crazy. I can't handle that. Just. NO.

So there you go - a look into my long-haul travel handbag! Perhaps reading this has helped you prepare for any future long-haul trips! I know it seems a bit excessive, but it works for me. What do you usually take with you on plane rides?
Happy discovering!

November Faves!

Here we go again with another round of monthly favourites! Prep yourselves, there's quite a lot this month... You've been warned.

Like always, we're starting with face products, and I've been loving my NARS Sheer Glow Foundation. Because the weather has been going down to the negatives and my face is getting quite dry, this foundation has been working wonders! It's lightweight and buildable, which definitely helps to hide a few of my facial sins here and there. In all honesty, a little bit goes a long way with this foundation hence, the price is pretty worth it. I've been finishing that off with the Maybelline FIT face powder that I have fallen in love with once again - not to say that it has dethroned my Rimmel Stay Matte powder. To add a nice flush of colour, I've been reaching for my MAC blush in Ocean City from the Proenza Schouler collection last spring. Let's just take a moment to look at how pretty that ombre effect it has... *drool*...

 For eyes I've been keeping it quite neutral most days with MAC's Woodwinked and Brun, and completing the look with my MAC fluidline in Dark Majesty. I never saw myself as one to wear black liner cause I love my browns, but Dark Majesty is just so beautiful, I couldn't not. It's part of MAC's new Heirloom collection (which is definitely worth checking out!) and it's this shimmery, grey-black that is gorgeous! The shimmer isn't so in-your-face, so it's still workable for everyday looks.

My absolute favourite discovery would have to be the Flower Zoom to Ultimate Mascara! I gotta say, this mascara has dethroned the Covergirl Clump Crusher for me. I love how you can actually twist the wand to make it thicker, so it's very versatile in terms of the lash looks you prefer.

Because I have been rocking the nude eye look lately, I've been adding colour with my lipstick choices! This month I've loved MAC's Heavenly Hybrid (a bright purple, LE from the Fantasy of Flowers collection), NARS Scarlet Empress (a dark, blue-red that on occasion pulls a bit purple), MAC's Frank N Furter (deep berry, LE from the RHPS collection) and MAC's Pander Me (a dark peachy nude with a matte finish). 

What did I say? I promised I would get out of that red-phase I went through with last month's lippie faves, and I must say, I almost did a good job! You can't blame me - it's the season of dark lips! 

With nails I've been loving the pinky/mauve nudes, and I've been trying out the new L'Oreal Collection Privee lacquers in Liya's Nude and Julianne's Nude. And of course, because a little sparkle never hurt anyone, I've been loving MAC's Just Jewels (from the Heirloom collection). If you can get your hands on Just Jewels, I suggest you get it NOW! It's got the perfect amount of shimmer without being too overly girly, and I swear, it looks good on everyone (well, based on all the photos on Instagram I've seen!)

 Now, I've saved the best for last. The Mask of Magnaminty face/body mask from Lush! This has been a lifesaver! How I had gone on with my life without it, I don't know. But I'm so glad I've got it now. Thank you to the sales assistant who suggested this baby to me! As the name suggests, it is minty so it definitely has that tingly and cooling feel whenever I put it on my face. It's got honey, vanilla and aduki beans (for exfoliating) as well so it's the perfect way to deep cleanse your face without breaking the bank (a small tub is about $13, and a little bit goes a long way!). I've tried so many other face masks and I gotta say, this is the BEST one I've come across. I've been using it once a week, and as sad as it sounds, it's something I look forward to. Update: I've been using it three times a week now because it's just so darn amazing! It's so soothing and refreshing, and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who needs a pick-me-up every week.

I did purchase the self-preserving one, meaning that I don't have to store it in the fridge to keep it fresh - I believe the ones that aren't self-preserving only last a week or so, so if you want to get your money's worth, definitely go for this one. 

My non-beauty faves!

 Candles don't count as beauty right? I mean, I've seen a few people here and there place them under that category, but whatever. I've been loving this Spiced Cider 3-wick candle from Bath and Body Works. I've never been one to like apple scents, but this one just smells heavenly! I've actually had this candle for about a year now and just never got round to burning it until now. Not sure if it's available this season, and if not, they need to bring it back soon!

 On my lazy days, you can find me wearing these Old Navy thermal leggings which I think are the comfiest things ever! I bought these two last year, and GOD, I love them. Not only do they keep your legs warm but the print is so cute, how could you resist? I'm definitely hoping to get another pair or two sometime soon - that is how much I love them. If I had the guts to wear these out, I would cause I could live in these. No joke.

As for munchies? Tim Horton's pretzel bagel FTW! Anytime I walk into a Tim's, I gotta get this. If like me, you love pretzels, you HAVE TO TRY this out if you haven't already. I like mine with plain cream cheese (and of course, a dark roast double double) and mhmm... hunger satisfied. So so good! If you've got a Tims anywhere near you, go have one! Such a treat... 

Now, I've always been a fan of the Jonas Brothers (I admittedly did enjoy watching Camp Rock and Camp Rock: Final Jam), so no surprise that Nick Jonas' Jealous is another thing I've been loving this month. It's constantly been on repeat, and yes, part of my morning playlist. The beat is just so darn catchy and his voice? Me oh my, shmexy! Other beats I've been listening to from his self-titled album are Numb (ft. Angel Haze) [which yes, is pretty similar to Katy Perry's Dark Horse, I KNOW] and Avalanche (ft. Demi Lovato) - shocker! - but Jealous has to be hands down my favourite. And if you haven't heard the gospel version of this single yet, you MUST. 

What have been your favourite discoveries this month?

Happy discovering!

Black Friday's when the damage is done...

 Oh dear...

In the spirit of Black Friday, I went down to Rideau Centre today and well, I did a little damage. But oh, how could I not? Such awesome deals were going on in seriously every shop (I don't remember it being this awesome last year) and I just got sucked in. Damn. 

I'd been wanting a good, sturdy faux leather jacket for quite a while now, and when better to snag one than Black Friday? I walked into the Aeropostale store and made a bee-line towards this one from the Bethany Mota collection. I'd actually seen this one from my previous trips, but always stayed away from it because, uhm, it was $73. As much as I loved the quilted sleeves, I didn't think it was worth shelling out almost $100. But low and behold, today? I got it for $20. OH EM GEE. BARGAIN. How could I say no? 

My first stop: Sephora. Every year they've got these $12 deals (in the U.S. it's only $10, lucky bums) and this year the range was pretty kickass. I'll be honest, I was trolling the internet for about three days trying to get a sneak peek at what would be in store today! Uber happy I was able to get my hands on the stuff I wanted, and really proud that I didn't purchase anymore make-up (not to say I wasn't tempted)! Hah! I've been really into fragrances and skincare recently, so I snagged up the TOCCA Beaty set (two hand creams and mini rollerballs), boscia pore-purifying duo (mask and blotting paper) and my, absolute favourite, the NEST fragrance mini-rollerball trio!!! Why settle for one fragrance when you can get three?

And instead of the standard paper bags I got this cute tote bag (which was also given out during the VIB/Rouge sale), so all in all, I think I got a pretty good deal. I believe these exclusive babies are still available online, so go snatch them up while you still can!

I also managed to head over to Forever 21 early enough and they were still handing out their little 'Black Friday mystery' scratch cards for a little surprise discount! And as much as I hate to admit it, I took advantage of that damn discount. *sigh*

I didn't just shop for myself and of course I picked up a few bits for my parents. So in some cases, my purchases were justified. Maybe. 

Thank goodness Black Friday only happens once a year, because I swear, I don't think my mind (and feet) could take another round. That being said, Boxing Day is just around the corner...

Did you manage to get any good deals today?

October Faves!

So, it's that time of the month again where I share with you my favourite discoveries (and re-discoveries) from the past few weeks! How is it already the last week of October? I don't know.

Anywho, I've found myself reaching for my Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer once again this month. It was a definite must-have for me during the summer, and I've fallen back in love with it. It's a lightweight formula so it's great if you don't like that cakey feeling foundations can sometimes have. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone. I've also been pairing that with my MAC Pro Longwear concealer (another fave from last month and it get's a double feature!) and I've been applying that with the Sonia Kashuk concealer brush. I gotta say, those two products (and a tool) are pretty much all I need, especially when I'm in a mad dash to get to class cause you know, who doesn't like to sleep in for an extra five minutes?

That being said, I've been good with giving myself enough time to finish making myself looking half-decent, so I've also been loving the Passionate Quest quad from MAC. The purple shades are absolutely beautiful for both daytime and nighttime looks - I particularly love Brazenly (the top right shadow in the photo) all over the lid! And because no eye-look is complete without eyeliner, I've been using the Kat Von D tattoo liner in Trooper. I haven't quite yet mastered the cat flick, but with this, I'd say I'm pretty close to perfect 90% of the time! Once my sample of it runs out, I may just have to get the full sized product. 

Other products I've been reaching for are the Kat Von D Immortal Lash mascara (you can get the mascara and liner set like I did from Sephora here), MAC blush in Gingerly, MAC bronzing powder in Sculpt (in the LE Maleficent packaging that I just adore!) and the NARS lipgloss in Viva. 

As for my favourite lippies this month? It's definitely been a red/burgundy type of month! You can't blame me - after all, it is on trend for the season no? Anywho, I've been loving (t-b) MAC's Fashion Revival (a purple-berry mix with a matte finish), Rimmel's Diva Red (a deep, brick red), Rimmel's Bordeaux (a vampy red colour) and MAC's Darkside (a deep burgundy). 

I'll definitely try to get out of this red-phase I'm currently in! But honestly, you can never go wrong with a nice ol' red lip. 

Other beauty items I've been loving this month are Revlon's nail polishes in Divine (sparkly burgundy, no surprise there!) & Motorcycle Jacket (black), Essie polish in No More Film and the Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Treatment for my hair! Because the weather has been dropping lately, it hasn't been great for my hair and this oil definitely works wonders! It keeps the frizz and dryness at bay, and because you basically just have to spritz it on and comb through, it's foolproof. 

And on those days where I'm feeling quite up to playing around with my hair, I've been loving accessorizing with bows! The ones pictured are from Aeropostale, and I am in love! So girly, but not overly so. 

My non-beauty faves:

Lattes from the Nestle Toll House Cafe, particularly with a caramel shot? Love! This was a fairly recent discovery, and I am hooked! Suddenly heading downtown (it's right in front of the UO by Rideau Centre) has gotten a whole lot more exciting for me. If like me, you are a tad bit addicted to caffeine and love caramel, this is the one to try out. Plus, they have a 10% discount for students, so score!

As for the song that's constantly on repeat in my head? That'd have to be Sarah Paulson's cover of 'Criminal' from American Horror Story: Freakshow! I am just... in love with her voice. It's so sultry and smooth and I could listen to this cover for ages. No lie. I'm definitely hoping she's got more songs coming up in the next few episodes. Oh, and Jessica Lange's cover of Lana Del Ray's 'Gods and Monsters' is pretty kickass too. Definitely pleased with AHS this year - minus the clowns though. It's still a bit of a struggle for me to sit through scenes with Twisty without squirming. Just... no. 

What have been your favourite discoveries this month? And if you're an AHS fan, how are you liking this season?

As always, 

Happy discovering!

September Faves!

Here is what I have been loving this month beauty-wise, and I guess you can kind of consider these as my back-to-school beauty necessities as I have been reaching for these products so much to make myself presentable!

As I am now in a much cooler climate (but still quite sunny, mind you), I have been using Perricone MD's No Foundation Foundation (which was actually a hand me down from mi madre as she wasn't using it and we do have a similar skin colour). It's quite light-weight but it has got a buildable coverage, good for those times where I haven't gotten much sleep and need to hide the tiredness from my face. I've been pairing that with my MAC Pro Longwear concealer and MAC Prep+Prime highlighter in Bright Forecast, and I feel that it's a great combination for making me look as flawless and awake as I can. I've also been using Clinique's All About Eyes serum quite regularly, and I feel that it's been doing an excellent job at keeping the puffiness under my eyes at bay. Definitely recommend it to anyone. 

Other products I have been loving are the MAC mineralize skinfish in Rio to brighten up my face when I feel it's looking a little dull, my MAC blush in Gingerly (which is a gorgeous terracotta colour that looks like a natural 'blush' for my NC40 skin), the L'Oreal Voluminous Miss Manga mascara (in I think deep black) that gives my lashes a little more 'oomph', MAC fluidline in Dipdown (a gel liner that I daresay rivals Bobbi Brown's Espresso Ink) and the MAC An Amorous Adventure quad (from the A Novel Romance collection) colours are just to die for. I actually have yet to touch the pastel blue colour from the quad, as I have no idea how to wear such a light blue on my eyes. Any suggestions? 

As far as lips go, I have definitely gone for much darker colours, and I'm eagerly waiting for autumn to come just so that I can rock more dark lips. For "my lips but better and darker" I've been loving MAC's Bad Girl RiRi (from the Rihanna holiday collection last year) and Rimmel's Tower of Mauve (240). For days when the sun isn't out and instead rain has graced our presence, I've been reaching either for my Rimmel Electric Plum (300) lippie or MAC's Hearts Aflame, a brick-red colour, to match the dark and damp mood. 

Other beauty products I have been loving this month are my Bioderma makeup remover which takes off all my makeup at the end of the day in a jiffy, my mini Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir perfume, the L'Oreal Total Repair Replenishing Detangling Care spray for my hair after I take a shower, and three pastel Essie nail polishes in Ballet Slippers (light pink), Urban Jungle (nude) and Who is the Boss (pale blue). 

Now, as always, here are my non-beauty faves!

 Now who doesn't love chocolate? If you're as much of a chocolate lover as me, you have got to try out the Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations chocolate bars! Chocolate heaven mixed with jelly, beans and popping candy, I must say. It does take quite a while to chew because of all the added sugariness but it's well worth it. My cousin introduced me to these babies while I was in Singapore last year, and I am hooked. I need more. I haven't seen these around, so I'm not sure if you can only get them in Singapore or so. Either way, if you ever see these at your local supermarket, GRAB THEM! You won't regret it.

Because I am in the 'back-to-school' mode and have been spending most of my days working away on my laptop, coffee is essential. I'm particularly liking this Kopiko Brown Coffee mix that I brought over from the Philippines. It's not too strong and not too sweet, which is great when I can't be bothered with having to hunt down for milk or sugar in the kitchen. Hmm... a cup of this definitely wakes me up - especially when I've had a late night (and I'm sure there will be many more of those in the coming weeks)! I definitely will be stocking up on these over the Christmas break...

My jam? Definitely 'Find You' by Zedd ft. Matthew Koma and Miriam Bryant. It gets me pumped every morning and the upbeat melody always puts me in a good mood. I do believe this is the most played song on my iTunes library - that's how in love I am with this song ever since it came out in January (it's part of the soundtrack for Divergent, which I actually have yet to see!). I do have tons of similar songs in my "morning playlist", but this one I will always put on repeat. Do you have a morning playlist to get you ready for the day?

What have been your favourites this month?
Happy discovering!

August Beauty & Non-beauty Faves!

It's that time of the month again where I show you guys what I have been putting on my face and loving! I do like to switch things up every month, and I have been discovering (and at times rediscovering) quite a few beauty products that I wanted to share.

Because I have been under the Manila heat for quite a time this month, I definitely relied on my Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation (wow, that is a pretty long name!) to cover up any facial sins. It actually feels more like a BB cream/tinted moisturizer as it is very light-weight but buildable if you feel like you need more coverage. If you're like me and have quite oily skin during the summer months, I'd definitely recommend you try this one out. I've been pairing that with my MAC Studio Finish concealer and setting with my Rimmel Stay Matte powder (that I featured in a beauty faves post I believe in June).

Other beauty faves have been my EOS lipbalm in the Honeysuckle scent, Stila smudge stick waterproof eyeliner in lionfish (which I think, is the perfect metallic brown colour), MAC lipliner in Kiss Me Quick (from the LE Maleficent collection),  MAC blush in Melba and apply lightly with my EcoTools fluffy powder brush, the little sample I got of MAC's Zoom Fast Black Lash mascara and of course, my personalized MAC eyeshadow quad that's got (T-B) Naked Lunch, Smut, Sumptuous Olive and Humid. I realize I have been a little MAC happy this month, but I have just been loving quite a few of their products lately!

As for lips, I've been loving my nudey/mauvey colours such as Happy Skin's Shut Up & Kiss Me moisturizing lippie in Crushing On You and Rimmel's Kate Moss lipstick in 107. As for days where I want a little more colour, I've been reaching for either MAC's Red Balloon (from the Playland Collection) or True Love's Kiss (from the Maleficent Collection) that I pair with the Kiss Me Quick liner. 

My non-beauty faves:

Goldilocks came out with these Caramel Pusong Mamons recently, and I am in love. If you don't know what mamons are, they're these fluffy, chiffony-type bread treats that aren't too sweet but tasty nonetheless - like a mini cake (but not a cupcake) if you will. I love Goldilocks's regular mamons as it is, so having it with a caramel filling just thrilled me. And I just love how it's heart-shaped. Mhmm... I'll definitely be sneaking some of these babies in my luggage. I'm gutted Ottawa doesn't have a Goldilocks!

French toast has been quite the little indulging treat for me this month, and I've been finding any excuse I can to make these babies. So easy to make, and so, so delicious! I actually think I learned how to make these before I ever learned how to cook eggs! I remember asking my dad to make these when I was little and having them as a midnight snack. Oh, french toast just brings back so many good memories! Is it weird that I've associated food with fond memories? I hope not! I love pairing them with either peanut butter, cookie butter or Nutella, and it's just urgh, food heaven! 

My jam for this month is hands down Celine Dion and NeYo's Incredible. I have loved Celine Dion ever since I was like four years old (I distinctly remember belting out My Heart Will Go On, albeit out of tune, when I was little and just embracing my diva mode), and this song absolutely consolidated that love for her - is there anything she can't sing? This pop collaboration with NeYo has been a regular listen in our car, and I doubt I will ever get sick of it. The lyrics, the beat and the harmony between their voices never fails to make me smile. The music video actually reminds me of Katy Perry's Firework, just you know, a little more tamed down and minus the fireworks shooting out of breasts. Please, please give it a listen if you haven't already. Let's share this love. 

What have been your favourite discoveries (or rediscoveries) this month? Do share!

Happy discovering!

July Beauty (& Non-beauty) Faves

Time for another round of monthly favourites! In terms of beauty products, I haven't exactly used as much new items and instead, I rediscovered a few old loves from my stash.

Here's what I've definitely been reaching for this month - Olay's revitalizing eye serum (which was actually a new purchase cause I thought, heck I may as well start using eye creams), my Bobbi Brown gel liner in Sepia Ink and apply with my Eco Tools angled liner brush, Nars Daydream blush from the Guy Bourdin collection, my mini of Dior's Hypnotic Poison scent and my custom Urban Decay Quad that includes (l-r, t-b): Secret Service, Laced, Freelove and Toasted! As an everyday eye look I tend to put Laced all over the eyelid and put a smidge of both Toasted and Secret Service in my crease and outer-v. 

For lips? Definitely a pink/mauve appreciation month, as I have been reaching for my Happy Skin moisturizing lippie in 'The Morning After' and L'Oreal' Colour Riche in Rose Taffeta (174) as everyday 'my lips but better' colours. But of course, I do like to mix it up with my brights such as MAC's Toying Around (from the Playland Collection) and Pink Poodle (By Request, 2014).

My non-beauty faves!

Mhmm... my food favourite? These cheese cupcakes that my mom and I baked! Uber yummy (and I'm not being biased here, other people have said that these are good too) and I think I've baked these babies about three times now in the last month! Sorry diet, perhaps next month again?

 A new show I have been obsessing over is GMA's My Destiny starring Carla Abellana, Tom Rodriguez, Rhian Ramos & Sid Lucero. It's on every weeknights at around 9pm, and I have not missed one episode since it aired! Yes, I was in Phnom Penh for awhile, but that's what we have YouTube for right? It's this light-hearted romantic drama centering around Grace (Abellana) and Matthew (Rodriguez) who are destined to be together, however certain circumstances hinder them from having their happy ending, such as Grace's younger sister Joy (Ramos) who happens to be in love with Lucas, who, without her knowledge, happens to also be Matthew. It sounds quite cheesy and rather complicated, but I am really doing a bad job at explaining just how amazing this show is. I like how they don't over do the drama (you know, hysterics, tears, super pang-aapi to the main character, that sort of thing) and show that positivity is definitely needed to be able to get through the toughest of times.

And oh dear Lord, my heart! The chemistry between Carla and Tom is just... I'm speechless. I've loved them since My Husband's Lover, and I so wish that they were an item off-screen! Perhaps? Jokes!

So if you haven't guessed by now, I'm a huge Kapuso fan and another show I have definitely been loving is Marian! It's a "musical-variety" show hosted by primetime queen Marian Rivera every Saturday night at around 7pm and features Rivera rocking all sorts of dance genres and interviewing various guests. My God! She's amazing. It's a great breather from watching her on dramatic primetime shows, and she proves that there's more to her than meets the eye. Marian is another reason why I love, well, Marian Rivera, even more!
Saturday nights are Marian nights!
Edit: OMFG! Who was able to catch her special birthday segment! Holy...! I don't want to spoil anything if you haven't seen it yet (though I doubt that you haven't heard about it yet) but oh my! Kilig to the bones! My heart could not take it and I seriously teared up. No joke. 

My jam of the month will definitely have to be Demi Lovato's cover of Ed Sheeran's 'Give Me Love'. I am so in love with this cover, and even more in love with Demi Lovato. I've been a fan since her Camp Rock days, and am a true Lovatic, so don't judge. Her cover is full of emotion and you can see her raw talent in this, which makes it such a great listen. I've been listening to this cover everyday now, and I highly doubt I'll ever get sick of it. I can't help but sing along and feel quite happy every time it comes on my Ipod. If you haven't heard it yet (and love acoustic covers like this), do give it a listen!

How about you? What have been your favourite discoveries (or rediscoveries) this month?
Happy discovering!

June Beauty (and non-beauty) Faves

Being a bit of a kikay (Filipino slang for girly, trendy), I couldn't help but have a post that featured a few of my beauty (and non-beauty) favourites that I have loved this month. 

Being in quite a hot and sticky environment, I thought for sure that I wouldn't be able to put on any make-up without it melting on my face the minute I stepped out into the heat. But alas, I've discovered the perfect combination of products that works for me, and might for you too. 

Just a little breather from all the travel posts I've put up on this blog - and heck, you can even look at this as some of my recommendations in terms of what to bring (and use) while on vacation?

I don't put make-up on everyday, but when I do feel up to it, I love to use my Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer in Sand as my base. It's lightweight and has quite a sheer coverage, which is perfect for all this heat. I'm also loving the Rimmel Stay Matte Face Powder to set my moisturizer. That's essentially my summer face make-up done - quick and easy. 

Also pictured above are the Urban Decay eyeshadow primer (for the times that I decide to actually put on eyeshadow), Covergirl Clump Crusher mascara (waterproof!), my Revlon ColorStay eyeliner and MAC lipliner in Staunchly Stylish. 

To change up any of my make-up looks (which really depends on my mood), I rotate between my MAC Enjoy It All (Playland Collection, Asia exclusive), MAC Goddess of the Sea (Alluring Aquatic Collection), MAC Naked Bud (Fantasy of Flowers collection) and Revlon Wild Watermelon lipsticks. These four are definitely my current summer picks - a bright purple, dark purple, nude and coral. 

I'm also loving my Bourjois cleansing wipes to remove my make-up in a jiffy, and Taylor Swift's Wonderstruck rollerball perfume. And of course, you can't go wrong with the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer sunscreen for those sightseeing days walking under the sun, and Cream Silk Damage Control hair treatment to keep your hair well moisturized while in the heat. 

My non-beauty favourites

My family's been pretty obsessed with the Four in a Row game after my dad downloaded the game on his Android a few days ago. As the title suggests, the objective is to get four of your circles in a row. Pretty old school game, but I'm still loving it. I swear, I could spend hours playing this on my Ipad and not get bored.

It would be so wrong for me to make this post without including my new favourite TV show, The Master's Sun. It's a Korean TV series that I began watching on GMA late last month, and I am completely hooked. It's like a rom-com version of Ghost Whisperer, with the lead character having the ability to see ghosts and help them with their unfinished business. And I will warn you now, a few of the ghosts have creeped me out immensely. But it's got that Korean comedy flair and kilig factor that always keeps you wanting more. And major heartthrobs So Ji-Sub (who plays President Johann Joo/Joo Joong-Won) and Seo In-guk (Jul/Kang Woo) are total bonuses - heck if I was the lead, I'd have the hardest time picking between their characters. My mom and I haven't missed a single episode since stumbling upon this show (thank you YouTube!). I've never been this into a K-drama before, so that's saying something.

It is no secret that I have a GIANT sweet tooth, and last week my mom and I baked these yummy peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips in the centre. I'm a huge fan of anything with peanut butter so this was definitely right up my alley - as well as my dad's! They came out way smaller than I had expected (I'm a noob when it comes to baking cookies) which was bad as it made it much easier to scarf down these tasty babies. Lesson learned. 

What were your favourite discoveries in June?

Happy discovering!