With all the junk food I've consumed and the sleepless nights plus add the daily stress, I'm in dire need of a change.

A healthy change!

What I eat, sleeping habits and less stressful situations.

When you're stressed, your skin shows the first signs.

A lot of celebrities turn to plastic surgery, while others really just age gracefully.

It's so hard to tell who went under cosmetic procedures but it's also just amazing to see some of these women:

1. Christy Turlington, 44

I love her! She's not a bombshell or an ultra sexy girl but her beauty is really just easy on the eyes

Source: http://izismile.com

Source: http://pieway.com

When you're so stressed they pop out of nowhere in the most visible areas.

I will not show a very graphic (and horrible) picture of my zit...plus, it's almost gone...in just a day!!!

I don't market the products that I don't use and don't believe in.
I test stuff before I recommend too. It comes with being curious and being a mom...both have to be present if you want to know what works, what's more practical, affordable or higher in quality.

I have 2 pimple answers, unfortunately, the first one, unfortunately is no longer available locally:

When you get to organize (sort of) your vanity stuff, you can't resist doing a "test run" hehe.

Had the time yesterday to get my things organized (pat on the back..hehe).

"Organized" Vanity (I'm still getting there...hehe)

And was able to experiment on 2 looks.
Here's one of them.

I'm not a professional MUA. I just like putting on make-up (ever since I can remember - maybe because my grandma always made me her guinea pig for over 30 years of teaching cosmetology).
I still try to learn and find out several useful tips.

After I gave birth to my 2nd, I seriously slacked off until I went back to working with a fashion company.

So recently I tried to complete my make-up product line-up. (I can feel my husband shake his head - disapprovingly - men just really don't understand...haha).

I'm pretty blessed that my current job deals with a lot of beauty products and a lot of my colleagues are very pro-active in sharing their best kept secrets and tips.

For moms like me who do not have much time in the morning, somehow, I have mastered a faster way of applying and achieving certain looks.

Mind you, the way in placing make-up and how long or quick it takes depends on your skin type.
I have slightly corse skin, the woes of post pregnancy and it takes a couple of years to rejuvenate. But with the help of awesome products (suited for your skin), it's still possible to achieve glowing freshness! (yes, I am a marketing person..obvious ba?).

The Red Lipstick 
*Deep Coloured Lips + Light Eyes = balance (tip from one of the MUAs I have worked with before)

What I did and maybe you can too:

1. Base basics (Here's mine: Primer on eyes and face creases, BB Cream, Foundation, Concealer)
2. I used a bronzer under my cheek bones, blended it in with a little foundation powder and applied a light cheek blush 
3. I like to have my eyes simple when wearing strong lip colours so I applied just a beige/nude shimmery shadow
4. I then applied a liquid liner and deepened the color with a liner stick (as the liquid one that I have is shimmery - get jet black if you only want to do it once but be sure of the control to avoid smears, do it slowly but surely...wag hihinga! hehe)
5. I like my brows full in the same colour like my hair (will do a step by step DIY post on this soon as one of my online buddies requested..good luck to me, I'm no expert, pero happy to share - do at your own risk hehehe). I just used a basic brow liner and evened it out with the brush that came with it
6. With a toothbrush, I gently exfoliated my lip then patted it dry
7. I applied a thin layer of balm, massaged it on a bit to take off excess dead skin and to recondition my lips
8. I hate using lip liner, it always somehow never matches my lipsticks (or maybe I don't have enough colour choices in my stash haha) so I used a lip brush to apply especially on the corners and to get a better outline instead
9. If I don't have time to use a lip brush, concealer or foundation hides out the excess (hehe)
10. Blot lips lightly using a tissue - if you feel it's too thick for you
11. I applied pink lip gloss, starting at the center of the lower lip before spreading out evenly 

I'm not so used to sharing step-by-step tricks but I'll try to post more instructional ones next time, but I doubt I will go that path (aka Tamad or Toxic).

Like I said, in the future my kid may see my blog and say: "ganito pala itsura ni mommy way back..."

Hehehe.

Photo from Makeupgeek.com

If you haven't heard of Cath Kidston then you're losing out on all things girly.

If you're not so much into florals for bags and little knick knacks like pouches, home decor and fabric, then you can try their personal care products.

I was ecstatic during the last holiday when I found these in Rustan's.

Reasonable priced and they smell so good!

Lots of nice, safe ingredients too, mostly Paraben Free.

The Hand Cream in Honeysuckle (limited ed) is my favorite at just 595!

I cannot spend the day in the office without applying my make-up.

I feel vulnerable, naked and blank. Basta I don't feel right.

I've been into nude lips recently and a lust for black lined eyes and soft brown brows.

So I want these, mahal pero they're so fab!

Camille (colleague) was right to want these!!!

MAC Wonder Woman Lipstick! I WANT: Marquise d’ Sandy cream peach (Lustre) Php1,050

Opulash I WANT: Black Black Php900

Powder Blush Duo I WANT: Mighty Aphrodite Warm peach coral with gold pearl/Bright coral pink with gold pearl (Satin/Frost) Php1,575

Mineralize Skin Finish I WANT: Golden Lariat True coral with fine gold shimmer/Soft suntanned bronze/Soft gold with fine shimmer Php2,125

How good my make-up case would look! haha. OC-ness.