BATTLE OF THE LIP BALM: BURT'S BEES VS CARMEX.

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I was one of the lazy people out there who neglects a lot in taking care of their body. I just recently start paying attention to every single part of it. And the most that I didn't care about before are my lips. I ended up pulling dry parts of it using my teeth (which sometimes leads to bleeding) or over wiping it with a towel. But now lip balm is one of the many essentials I cannot live without. I apply it in the evening before going to sleep and reapply it in the morning after I wake up. By doing so my lips now are more soft and moisturized.

I came across these two products in the market. I started comparing them and see which of these lip balm really does works. I got the tube one since it is easier to apply than the ones in a pot in which you have to use your finger (not very hygienic).

Let's start with BURT'S BEES Honey Lip Balm which is 100% natural and has Vitamin E.  

Pros: 

+ 100% natural ingredients.

+ Keeps lips moisturize, preventing it from being dry. 

+ It has a cooling sensation.

Cons.

+ A bit pricey for a lip balm.

+ Not very long lasting, you have to apply it again once in a while. 

+ It has some sort of minty-flowery scent that I do not like. Strong smelling compare to Carmex.

Now let's move on with CARMEX Moisturizing Lip Balm with SPF 15. 

Pros:

+ Cheaper price compare to Burt's Bees.

+ It has a cooling sensation.

+ Long lasting. 

+ Helps heal chapped lips.

+ The sticky formula makes it easier to glide on the lips.

+ It contains SPF 15.

+ It has a minty-vanilla scent, very mild and soothing. 

Cons:

+ It has chemical ingredients.

As for the overall review both lip balm are amazing, I love them and they work really well. But if you have to choose only one then I'd go for Carmex since it doesn't only prevent lips from being dry it heals chapped lips compare to Burt's Bees that only prevents dry lips. Also, if you consider the price range Carmex is cheaper. But if you're not a fan of sticky lip balm and you want a product that is organic then go for Burt's Bees. 

I hope that helps.

(Lazy to take out my camera so I used my phone to take photos and some cool camera applications.)

♥ Kat

WHEN IT FAILS I ALWAYS GO BACK TO THESE.

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I think I abuse my skin by testing a lot of different products. I was never satisfied because my skin becomes imune after a month or two of using the similar brand or medication. I have a combination skin (my t-zone becomes really oily but there are some dry areas where you can literally see flakes of dry skin up-close) and I am prone to breakouts. I keep on testing products that will help solve my problem. It started back in college when blemish started showing on different parts of my face and even acne during that time of the month. I even have facial treatment once a month. I also tried seeing a dermatologist but I couldn't keep up with all the checkup and procedure she offers me. I continued using what she prescribed but I ended up throwing everything after two months since my skin is no longer taking the medication. The only thing that is left and I'm still using it until now is the Cetaphil moisturizing cream.

I won't state every product that I have used (it's such a long list). But a lot of it doesn't really work even how expensive it is. 

Oh well... 

Anyway, these are the products that I am currently using. I used all these back in high school since a dermatologist also prescribed it and it works really well. But I wasn't having trouble with breakouts and oily skin before (I wish my skin would stay the same). 

After testing so many brands I still go back to using Cetaphil. They have added a lot of new cleanser and moisturizer for different skin condition.

I always have their gentle skin cleanser, it is very mild and you can use it as often as needed. I recently bought the oily skin cleanser hoping that it will prevent my skin from breakouts and it did. Out of all the cleanser I have used this one helps the blemish to dry-out faster.

I have also switched and start using the moisturizing lotion after finishing the moisturizing cream. I think I'll stick to using the moisturizing lotion since I can use it to moisturize my whole body and it is gentle enough to be use on my face. I also like that Cetaphil doesn't have a strong fragrance. I just hate those products that have a strong fragrance because it can trigger my allergic rhinitis.     

I also started using sunscreen. This is a must!!! The harmful rays of the sun can cause our skin to age faster and some skin condition may also occur. NEVER GO OUT WITHOUT SUNSCREEN if you don't want to be sorry for your skin. If you are expose to any heat (like staying in front of the computer, cooking and the like) at work or in school or where ever you are wear sunscreen. 

I like this Shu Uemura UV armor because it doesn't feel heavy to wear alone or under a makeup. It is not sticky and it glides easily. Also the fact that it has a SPF 50 PA+++. 

Even if you have sunscreen don't dare expose yourself on direct sunlight. Be cautious! 

   

After going back to using Cetaphil I noticed that my skin becomes softer and less breakouts. Cetaphil also helps to balance the pH level of my skin since it is now less oily around my t-zone and I can no longer see any visible flakes of dry skin. It doesn't sting as well unlike other products I have used. I think I will no longer try to change this product from my regular skin regimen. 

♥ Kat

A WEDDING TO REMEMBER.

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Brian Bayona - Katrina Ambrocio

MIDAS Hotel and Casino, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City

August 11, 2012

Almost a month ago, 11th of August 2012 at MIDAS Hotel and Casino in Pasay City when my long time boyfriend and I tie-the-knot. It was a simple celebration with our dearest family and closest friends.  We had a civil wedding, which is officiated by the Pasay City RTC Executive Judge Edwin Ramizo. 

We prepared this wedding for only a month. We opt for something simple yet elegant since we invited a few very important people.

 

  

The groom's pinya tuxedo was designed by Ronald Magalang of Bergamo and my wedding gown was made by Puey Quinones. 

Hairstyle and makeup by Jerome Ocampo (photo on the right beside me). My high school friend introduced him to me last year when we had a shoot for my online shop. Since then I never trusted anyone else to cut or color my hair beside him.  

Two lovely ladies with me, on the left is my cousin who I asked to be the emcee for our wedding program and a dear friend of mine on my right. 

The groom together with his younger brother, looking dashing in their suits.

 

It was a great honor for us that our Ninong Vice President Jojo Binay was able to attend our wedding together with other important people. 

We had unlimited food and drinks at our wedding. 

 

The Walkie Talkies (Raleene Cabrera and Rizza Cabrera) performed during our wedding program. 

That's all I can share for now. Looking forward on planning our church wedding. 

SOON!!! 

All photos are photographed by Cramnet Photography. 

♥ Kat

LET'S TALK ABOUT FOUNDATION.

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I took a class on basic makeup last year. It helps a lot knowing the basic and the importance of every tools in makeup. I also learned a lot base from experience and some friends who works in the industry. I am going to share a few things about what I know and I hope that this will also guide those who are starting and have an interest with makeup.

Let's start with the basic, which is the foundation. Wearing the right foundation will create the perfect looking and even skin tone that will look like as if you are not wearing any at all.  

There are different formula of foundation depending on the needs and type of our skin. There are tinted moisturizer (which has a sheer, light weight coverage that provides a natural look), tinted face balm (for extra dry skin, this hydrates and gives the skin a dewy look; a great example is the blemish balm/BB cream), stick foundation (easy spot coverage from medium to full coverage depending on the needs of the skin), liquid foundation (which most of us use, this provides medium to full coverage and hydrates the skin, ideal for dry skin), oil-free liquid foundation (which I personally prefer, this is for combination skin as it absorbs oil and provides a medium coverage), oil-free cream foundation (for normal to oily skin, this is a good choice to cover acne and large pores just like how concealer works), then there is oil-free compact powder (for oily skin and great for touch-ups), mineral powders (for very oily skin) and so on... you just have to choose on which type that soothes your skin best.      

As for me, I've been using MAC Studio Fix Fluid (liquid foundation) with SPF15. I have two shades, which are NC42 and NC37.  I have recently learned that combining two shades (a lighter and a darker shade of foundation) can create a prefect foundation that will even out my skin tone. Also, it looks more natural compare to using only one shade as our skin tends to have uneven tone because of its exposure from the sun (and you can also skip the bronzer with this technique). You just have to know the points of your face where you should apply the darker shade (I apply this on my forehead and the side of my cheeks going to my jawline) and the lighter shade (I apply this around my mouth, on top of my nose line and on my forehead the top where my brows are), you can also mix the two shade to create another tone which can help balance the color (I do this on the part of my cheeks). You may use a foundation brush, a sponge or your own fingertips (as long as it is clean, don't want bacteria dancing on your face... haha!) to apply foundation.  

If you prefer to use only one shade of foundation to your face it is still handy to have a 1-2 shades darker. It will accommodate the change of your skin tone during summer or in case you went on a vacation and have a little fun under the sun. 

I also have two shades of MAC Studio Fix (powder foundation) in NC42 and NC35. I seldom use the darker shade as you can see from the photo (the lighter one is the more abuse one). I use this to just dust-off a little amount on the areas where my skin tends to be oily (that is the t-zone). This is also perfect if I needed touch-ups. This comes with a sponge but I prefer to use my kabuki brush to apply it.

I don't recommend this specific brand because I'm using it, feel free to explore every makeup counter and find what you need. This is the only second product I have tested and it soothes me well. I will probably check another brand after I'm done with this set. 

 Here is a little reminder: 

1. Never be afraid to test and experiments which formula of foundation will best soothe your skin type.

2. The right shade of foundation will disappear from your skin.

3. If your skin is too oily sometimes the foundation turns a little bit darker (or ashy). Make sure to check and adjust accordingly, you might have to choose a foundation that is 1-2 shades lighter from your natural skin tone.  

I hope you find this helpful. More tips and reviews on my next post. Do comment below in case you want to ask something or what you would like to see more on this blog.

♥ Kat

EVERYDAY MAKEUP ESSENTIAL.

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Every girl has their beauty essential and their must have. I'm sharing a few tools that I usually use everyday before leaving the house and which I carry with me all the time. I put everything inside a small Hello Kitty pouch, which I didn't include here.  

1. Sigma Angled Top Kabuki Brush. (I use this to apply powder blush or bronzer.)

2. Sigma Round Top Kabuki Brush. (I use this to apply foundation powder or finishing powder.)

3. Sigma Small Angle Brush E65. (I use this on my brows in applying eye shadow.)

4. MAC Studio Fix in NC35. 

5. MAC Powder Blush in Melba Matte.

6. Benefit Dr. FeelGood. 

7. MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC35. (First concealer I've tried so far. Been using it for a year now. A pot of it is worth it.)  

8. MAC Eyeshadow in Cork Satin. (This is for my brows.)

9. MAC Studio Finish Concealer in NC30. (This is for my under eyes.)

10. Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliner.

11. MAC Lipglass in Russian Red.

12. Urban Decay Lip Junkie. (I got this from the NAKED 2 palette that I bought. This is really nice whenever I want to have a natural look on my lips.)

13. Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express. 

14. MAC Amplified Cosmo. (My favorite shade and perfect for an everyday natural look.)

15. MAC Pro Longwear Unlimited. 

I have a different set of makeup whenever I need to attend an event or a special occasion but these items are the ones I use everyday. And yes, I do have a lot for my lips because I tend to change depending on my mood. This is all for now and I'll probably make a few makeup reviews on my next post.

♥ Kat

A START OF SOMETHING NEW.

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Here I am decided to start blogging again after deleting every single post on my blog. I don't really know if I could continue this again but then again why not. It is never too late especially when there are so many good reasons to start with. 

How do I begin... 

First, I want everyone to know that I have engaged to a new chapter in my life, which is to settle-down together with my long time boyfriend. We have been together for more than five years before we decided to tie the knot. 

Here is a little sneak peek of our wedding. I will post a new entry once we have collected all our photos from our photographer. For the meantime this teaser will do. 

Brian and Katrina | 081112 | MIDAS Hotel

Photographed by: Cramnet Photography

Come back again next time if you want to see more photos and details about my wedding.

♥ Kat