{Vanity on a Budget} Review: ELF Brightening Eye Color

Hiya ladies!

I am back with another Vanity on a Budget post, and today on the spotlight is the ELF Brightening Eye Color eyeshadow palette. These are just two of the things I got for my birthday goodies which I talked about in this post.

ELF Brightening Eye Color in Luxe (left) and Ocean Dreams (right); 129.75php

Without further ado, let's get on with the review, shall we? :)

**Warning: I am no professional beauty blogger nor photographer. I will try my best to give as much detail as I can, but if I lack the skills of doing reviews, please bear with me.**

**Disclaimer: Colors of the products in the photos may vary from the actual item. I suggest that you check them out personally at the counters and test them out if they have samples available. :) **

I got two of them, Luxe and Ocean Dreams. Luxe is more of a reddish golden palette, while Ocean Dreams (from the name itself) is of blue tones.

Product Description and Directions for Use

Price and Ingredients

Unopened

Ocean Dreams Palette

Back has palette name

Luxe

Back of Luxe palette

Okay, enough of the packaging photos. I'm pretty sure you are excited by now for the most important part of the review - SWATCHES!

Ocean Dreams Palette. Top-No base; Bottom-With base. Swatched with one swipe.

 The reason I got the Ocean Dreams Palette is because I do not have a navy eyeshadow color yet in my stash. So, I decided to pick this up. I went through a couple of brands before I landed with this (glad I saw this!). The other navy colors I swatched had too much glitter in them, and since I will be using the navy for the crease and outer edge, I wanted the least amount of shimmer I could find. I was going for a single eyeshadow (was eyeing for Essence), but when I found this, why not pick up a palette which has 4 colors total? Definitely a great steal!

Anyhooo. Let's get on with the swatches. I LOVE all the colors. Reminds me of the ocean, indeed, and I think would be a great palette to take along during the summer. But, it can be adapted to other seasons depending on how you pair each shadow.

I am no good with color descriptions, I will try my best to describe each color. First is very pale aquamarine color. Second color is somewhat Turquoise-ish. Third and fourth are two different shades of navy, the 4th color having a more purple undertone to it. First and second colors are quite shimmery, while the 3rd and 4th have very little amount of shimmer. I would say semi-matte.

As you can see, they go on better with a base. I know the bottom is a little blurry, but judging from the last two dark, navy colors, the color payoff wasn't great without the base. They faded out towards the end of each swatch. So, I definitely recommend you use a base such as primer or concealer prior to application for the best color payoff and to ensure your shadows last all day long!

Luxe Palette: Top-No Base; Bottom-With Base

Color Descriptions: Pale Gold, Burgundy-ish or Maroon, Antique Gold, Copper-y Bronze. All colors are shimmery, and more shimmery than the Ocean Dreams palette.

I got the Luxe palette mainly for the burgundy-ish color. It may be quite light, but it can be darkened a little more with black or dark brown. ;)

What I love:
♥ Very pigmented (except for the two navy colors)
♥ In my experience, ELF eyeshadows never creased on me (I always wear primer though)
♥ Very affordable! Just 129.75php for a pop!
♥ Easy to carry and lightweight
♥ Colors are very blendable and buildable
♥ 4 colors in one palette! You can use them individually and mix and match with your other eyeshadows.
♥ I love that the name of the palette can be found at the bottom/back of the palette. Although I don't do FOTD's and tutorials, sometimes people ask what palette it is and it's a bummer when you can't find the name anywhere on the product's packaging. ELF does have products that don't have the name on the packaging.

What I loathe:
♥ None, really, except for the two navy colors. I am just hoping I got a bad one. But, I can work with it anyway. :)

Will I repurchase? Absolutely! Although it may take a while before I get to use them all up, but I would definitely when I run out! :D

Please don't mind the automatic watermark Blogger/Google placed on my photos. It  would've been fine if it wasn't the other blog link it put on them (Thrifty Crafty Things is my craft blog). I still have this to figure out, so if anyone has any idea how I could change or remove them, it would be highly appreciated.

I hope I covered everything there is to say for a review. Please let me know in the comments below your thoughts about this! :) I would definitely love to hear from you guys for me to improve. I will be explaining on a separate post why I decided to make reviews and all that jazz. But for now, I bid you adieu.

Cheers!


DISCLAIMER: I wasn't paid to make this review. All products mentioned are purchased with my own money. ;) Add it to your boards!

{Vanity on a Budget} My Birthday Goodies - Drugstore Products!

Hiya all!

I'm back with a birthday post! Yay! I am so excited to share what I got myself for my birthday. :) I usually don't go out and shop "one-time-big-time" for makeup products, but I promised myself to go, for at least one (and very first!) time for some makeup shopping! I saved up for it until my birthday and shopped my heart out (well, still on a budget. Hihi).

I did not call it a haul because, it ain't really a haul. Besides, the real meaning of haul is some stuff obtained illegally or things you dragged. O.o Although I know it's a term in the "beauty world" and I am not against those who use the term as well, but I just couldn't find myself to call it a haul. So, I called it goodies instead. :)

So, here is a photo of all the things I got. A couple, though, I wasn't able to get a photo of. But, we'll get to that later. :)

Excuse the poor quality of the photo. This was taken with just my tablet camera and it's not the best. I was just too excited and grabbed the nearest camera that I have. LoL. Anyway, I will go more into detailed photos of some since I will be making a review on a couple.

From left to right: Sakura Bella Travel/Gift Pack from Watsons (Shower Gel, Body Scrub, Hand & Body Lotion/99.00php); Italia Deluxe 3D Stay-On Eyeshadow (149.00php); Fashion21 Aqualicious Lipstick in Deep Sea (~150.00php);  Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadow in 09 For Fairies (209.00php); Pinkies Collection Single Eyeshadow in Skin(? I think/~70php); Shawill Makeup Brushes (Flat Eyeshadow Brush, Thin Eyeliner Brush, Lip/Small Eyeshadow Brush/99.00php); ELF Brightening Eye Color in Luxe and Ocean Dreams; FS Cosmetics Eyelash Curler (125.00php)

A couple of other things I got was some bandeaus from Genevieve, 4 for 100php, a tablet sleeve (180php) and universal gadget stand (60php), both from CD-R King.

All in all, I only spent 1,500php for everything. Not bad, right? I was pretty darn happy to actually go out at least for once to shop makeup! :)

A few notes:
♥ The travel pack, I bought because I wanted to try them out first if they were nice before buying the full sized product. This is a great tip for those who want to actually try something before getting the full-sized product. ;) Though, not all variants have this travel pack, at least here at SM Clark.
♥ My Essence Stay All Day Eyeshadow, I was quite disappointed with because it kinda dried up. You can't even check it in store because the price was in between the cover and jar itself. But, I still manage to make it work. I guess I just have to use it more often.
♥ I couldn't make a review of the Aqualicious lipstick because I gave it to my cousin as a gift. :D

As mentioned, I will be making a review for a couple of the items, so let me know what you think about it and if you do want to see the reviews. :)

Cheers!


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Thrift Finds At Marquee Mall

Who doesn't love sales? Well, I most certainly do, and I feel so happy and accomplished when I could get stuff I want for discount prices.

For those of you who do not know, Marquee mall is located here in Pampanga which is owned by Ayala, and can be found at the NLEX Angeles Exit. And, they always have sales (sometimes I feel they have sales every month) and, when they do go on sale, items are really marked down, even to as much as 75% or more! Unlike other malls who mark down just about 10%. Really?!

Well, anyway, I just want to sure a couple of my thrift finds, both sale items and non-sale. Either way, they still have really low prices compared to other shopping malls/department stores.


My little 'haul', as they say.

A cool digital bag watch. Regular price (RP): ~150php; Sale price (SP): 79php

Zipper purses/pencil cases (given by my Aunt). RP: 59php; SP: 10php

Oh My Golly (OMG) Crystal Sand Nail Polish in Emerald and Indian Red - 18php each, Not on Sale

2 sets of Sassy elastic headbands. 49php per bundle/set, Not on Sale

Bath headband. ~30php, Not on Sale

Fanny Serrano Eyelash Curler. ~130php, Not on Sale

Fanny Serrano Eyelash Curler Refills. ~45php, Not on Sale

Shoelaces which I will use for a DIY project that is long overdue. ~30php/pair
There ya go. Just a couple of items that I don't usually see at SM Clark. Marquee mall is quite far, so I only get to go there very rarely.

How about you? Do you love thrift finds. Share them in the comments below. Add it to your boards!

{Vanity and Me} ELF Eyebrow Stencil Kit + Official ELF Online Shop Review

Hello everybody! So, I am starting another new blog series - Vanity and Me. I was actually planning on making a separate blog for it, but come to think of it, I am really not in the "professional world" or make up blogging. I mean, I don't really go out to buy products I don't need just to make a review of it. So, I decided to just add another section to my blog since this will be more of an occasional thing, though I love makeup so much. :D

Anyhoooo...

For the first post on this series, I will be reviewing the ELF Eyebrow Stencils and the website itself. If you are just like me who find shaping their brows consuming half of your make-up time just like me, then this post must be for you. LoL.

** I would like to warn you that I am no professional makeup product reviewer, so please spare me to rude comments. I am all in with constructive criticism, but if you are here to bash me with rude comments, just leave. :D Plus, this is my first time. Hopefully, I will get better in time. **

Shipped with tissue paper (inside the LBC packaging of course. LoL) The ELF sticker is actually just a cheap looking sticker that you could get done on an internet cafe. O.o Even I could make my own, even better.

It came wrapped in bubble wrap with this little thank you card from the ELF Team.
From top to bottom: Soft Arch, Structured Arch, Curved Arch, and Full Arch.

Product description found on the back of the packaging:

Achieve perfectly shaped brows to accentuate your face. The reusable stencils is easy to use and with 4 stencils: Curved Arch, Soft Arch, Structured Arch and Full Arch to choose from, it makes these brow stencils suitable for all brow shapes. Now your brows can look picture perfect everyday!

The stencils are made of  plastic they call PVC, I think? You know those gradeschoolers use as plastic envelopes? These are the same material, only a bit thicker in my opinion.

To use, you basically choose the stencil that works best for your brow shape, and simply line it up with the start, arch and tail of your brow, and simply fill in with brow powder or pencil.

Pros:

• Very affordable, only Php129.75
• They are indeed reusable and quite sturdy for the price and material.
• Putting on my eyebrows is such a breeze! (Though it takes a couple of practices to get used to)

Cons:

• I only found mine on the online store/website of ELF Philippines. Not sure if this is available at the stalls at some branches, but here at SM Clark, they are not.
• ELF Team took a loooooong time to deliver my item (will go into detail on this below)
• The stencils are not labeled according to the type of brow it is, so you have to match it with the photo on the front of the packaging (which is not easy, I tell ya!)
• Poor packaging. I was expecting it to be like those from the Original ELF products

Overall, despite more Cons than Pros, I still like my stencils. Putting on my brows definitely takes a lot faster now. :) Plus, it's by far the cheapest stencil I found. Though I don't own any other or seen other brands, they do say that some stencils cost more than 1k! I am not willing to shed out that much for just a couple of stencils. O.o 

Now, for a short review of the website. As mentioned, I got mine from ELF Philippines website. It took a while for them to arrive. In fact, I ordered from them first a day before I ordered some products from another company (online, as well). And, guess how long I waited ---- 3 LONG WEEKS! For just some stencils, I think it wasn't worth the wait and trouble. Being a consumer, of course, it scares us when we don't receive our package in time, thinking the sellers ran off with our hard-earned money. And, I love ELF and all their products, but then, I am not really impress

Cheers!
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Testing, Testing BlogIt App

Finally!!!! An app for Blogspot that works on my tablet. A shout out and big thank you to Mommy Hanny! Can't wait to get back to regular blogging. It's like my social life is sooooo lacking right now. Not to mention, I might start over again to get the interest of my viewers again. Whew! Add it to your boards!

HELP!!! Mobile Blogging

Okay. So, I promised myself that as soon as I got myself a tab, I will be blogging more often since I missed it so much and thought I could manage to update during the wee hours of the night when I can't fall asleep.

Now, I've got a problem. Not really that major, but would be great if I actually found a solution to it.

Let's get to the point, and I shall try to stop babbling so as not to bore you. I could not manage to download the Blogger app on my Droid, which is really, REALLY frustrating. I have a Jellybean version, yet I still could not install the app (what a bummer!!!). Does it mean that Google only allows "known" brands to install the app and not the more generic tabs? *sigh*

If anyone could actually help me with this, I would truly appreciate it.

Though, as I've mentioned earlier, I don't find it to be a major issue. I could still compose a post on my Chrome browser (which I am doing right now). I just thought it would be easier if I had the app for easier posting, so I don't have to go through all the navigating on the browser before I could actually make a post.

But, if it really can't be resolved, I'll have to stick to this method as it works anyway. Yet, any help at all would be highly appreciated, so please do leave a comment below or email me for your suggestions. =)

'Til my next post!!

Cheers!
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The Perks and Downsides of Working Online {Freelance}

Nowadays, freelance work is becoming more and more popular. For those who are not familiar with freelance work, simply put, it's working online. Freelancers are individuals who are not committed for a long-period of time with an employer. Freelancers could be anybody - parents, students, professionals, you name it. There really isn't any qualification on who can and cannot be a freelancer. As long as you are capable to do the job that needs to get done, then you are good to go.

Online work has both its perks and downsides. As the saying goes, "You cannot have everything." If ever you are wondering whether or not to work online, then this might help you decide.

Let's start with the perks, shall we?

• Online work allows you to stay in the comforts of your home. If you are a single mom like me, you'll find this really a good option. I am very hands-on with my daughter. So, I like to work and be around her at the same time. Also means no transportation, saving you money. 
• Work anytime you want. Though, this not apply to every employer. But, most of the time, you can choose to work whenever you want, on the schedule and time you are available on, provided that you finish the tasks given. You can work on your spare time, just on weekends, whatever suits your schedule.
• You can have more than one employer. It does not matter how many employers you are working for, as long as you can handle the workload. Again, this depends as some employers require you to work full-time on the job. 
• You can quit the job easily. Unlike companies who require you to work for them for a certain number of months before you could resign and not have a bad record, freelance work allows you to resign whenever you need to. 
• You do not have to have a degree in college for you to be able to work. This is very much applicable for students who want to work part-time and don't want to commit fully to a company which could hinder them from studying.

And now, for the downsides.... 

• If it's your first time to look for a job online, you need an AWFUL lot of patience. It's tough to land a job and impress an employer you cannot see face to face. Unlike in a company where you are competing for a position with just a hundred or thousand people, with an online job, you are competing with millions of other people. It makes it more difficult when the other applicants have more experience working online already than you. 
• An employer an end the job any time they want. Since you have no long-term commitment, an employer can terminate your job any day, any time. This, I find, is the worst downside, because I could wake up with no job tomorrow, which is why I normally work for two employers always, to make sure I've got back-up when one lays me off. This could happen when an employer has nothing else for you to do or they've run out of budget to pay for your services. 
• You don't have medical or extra benefits like some company have. (Though oDesk have health benefits for those living in the states if I'm not mistake). We still have government organizations though that we could apply for, but definitely, the company won't have any extra benefits for you when you get sick or stuff like that. 

I may have missed out on some, but these are the few pros and cons I find when I work online. All I can say is you just have to be patient, and apply to as many jobs as you can. Start from the bottom, and work your way up. Chances are you'll find a really good employer that you can build a long-term relationship with. 

Good luck, and hope this helped in a way. ;)

Cheers!

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The Woes of a Single Mom

I know it's been a while, but for now, here is a collection of my current thoughts as Mother's Day is approaching.

By May 12th, Mother's Day, I am celebrating being a {single}mom for two years. It's really unbelievable that I've made it this far, but fulfilling and wonderful at the same time. For those who are new to my blog, or never knew, I've been a single mom ever since my BabyLove was born. She was born without a father in her life to start with. But, she is not loved any lesser than any child with both parents in their life.

Generally, we instantly know that being a single mom is tough. I am pretty sure that during my younger years, just the thought of raising a child alone scared me. Working to provide their needs, having to take all the responsibility, staying up late all night since there's no one else to take over your place even if you're dead-tired, and your little darling baby is crying and wants to be held in your arms. Yes, I've experienced falling asleep on the sofa, with my little BabyLove held tight in my arms, because my eyes couldn't stay awake any longer. But, not everybody know that it's more to that when you're a single mom.

In just 2 years, I've learned so much. Aside from the lessons on how to change diapers and give your baby a bath, I've learned that my little girl is always the top of my priority. I've always had a low tolerance with pain. A simple headache would instantly bother me, what more when I get excruciatingly painful migraines. Now, unless I have a migraine, a simple headache can't be a reason for me not to work, not to change BabyLove's diaper and everything else a mom needs to do. The same situation goes for when I get sick and suffer from colds and fever. Aside from that, there are many other lessons I have definitely learned, but for this to be less boring, I'll be moving on...

A lot may not know that raising a child can be emotionally draining (at least in my case). Raising a child alone is very different, in SO MANY ways, than raising them with a partner. Not a lot understand this, and honestly, not even family may understand EVERYTHING there is to being a single parent. Don't get me wrong, my family has been ever so supportive of me, helping me in any way they can, financially, physically, mentally and emotionally. But, then again, I grew up with a complete family, and Mama and Papa were hand in hand when it comes to raising us. Which makes it different from how I am raising BabyLove, as I am mostly the only one in-charge of raising her, and that part they may not still completely understand.

**Note: This is for every other single parent. And if you find that you relate to this part, know you are not alone. This applies to everyone else who "overlooked" our situation as a single mom**

• For times when a child of single parent gets on your nerves, try to hold it in. In my case, when I am doing chores or cooking, I couldn't watch my daughter at all times, it gets frustrating when anybody loses their patience, and tells her to come back to me. She'd come out crying, and I am frustrated whether I'd leave cooking or washing dishes. Because, if I do, lunch or dinner will be delayed.
  If only I could hire someone to do the watching or chores of me, I would. But, I am not financially able to hire someone to do these things. 
• For when you come in my room and find it messy, it does not mean I am neglecting it. After spending two hours of cleaning, it takes just 5 minutes for a toddler to get everything messy again. Trust me, it's more frustrating on my end, and there's nothing I could do but let it be for the meantime, as I also have to work, being a freelance worker and working online*.

*I choose to work online for 2 main reasons. One, I want to be hands-on with my BabyLove, as much as I can! Working online allows me to work and watch over her at the same time. Two, leaving her to a complete stranger scares me. Watching the news of nannies hurting children scares the HELL out of me! No way I am leaving her to some stranger, at least while my daughter isn't capable of relaying to me if she's been treated nicely or not.

I was always said to be a strong person. I am, but, no one knows of my silent cries (until now). I hate showing that I'm weak. I try to handle things as much as I can, because if I don't, I'm going to lose it, and I'm the only one BabyLove has to lean to. Sometimes, it just hits me hard, and normally, I'd do my crying when no one sees. 

And when I hit rock bottom, it's only Him who comforts me completely. He has never let me down. When I needed, He provided. When I was in extreme difficulty, I offered all my sufferings to Him. And for two years, I've always had my prayers answered. I've lost friends (LOTS of them) 'cause they never understood me. But, He made me understand that it wasn't a reason for me to give up. And, I always thank Him forgiving me such loving people around me, both family and relatives, and friends I could count on the fingers of my hands.

Sorry for such a length-y post. Sorry if it wasn't a well-written post that's "bestselling author"-worthy. LoL! I just wanted to take time to reflect and, hopefully, make people understand that it is TOUGH to be a single parent. But, it shouldn't be a reason to give up at all costs. I am happy to be enjoying all the love and happiness my daughter gives, and not having to share it. I get ALL of it! :)

To all single moms like myself, I salute you for being so great! 

To my Mama, thanks for everything! No words can completely explain how thankful I am for you. 

And for all the moms out there, Happy Mother's Day! :)

'Til my next post....

Cheers!

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I'm back with a Project! :D

Hello again all!

First of all, I want to greet everyone a Happy 2013! I hope the year is treating you well so far. :)

Anywho...

I've been away for a loooooooong time, again! I feel so bad that I have not been able to connect with my fellow bloggers anymore. :( And yet, I will strive to get back on my feet and maybe earn back the few little readers I have. No matter how little viewers I have, I still love 'em all so dearly!

I am starting the year with a brand new project which I have already posted on my craft blog! Yay! To see my Week 1 for Project Life, check out my post here. You can also join in the fun by creating your own Project Life page and adding a link to your blog post sharing your work! Let me know in the comments below if you need any more info to join in the fun. ;)

I will be definitely striving to update my blog as often as I can this year (it's kind of my New Year's resolution). :) I missed you all so much! Please don't hesitate to show me some love in the comments below if you have missed me. :P

Cheers!
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What Have I Missed?

I can't believe that I still haven't gone back to blogging regularly. =( Well, probably I got used to doing nothing because I used to be so loaded with work. So, now that I have so much time to spare, I end up just browsing the net, instead of updating my blog. Shame on me, indeed!

I have so much to catch up with. My Project Life plans, accepting another blog award I received months ago, and so many more I could not think of at the moment.

Hopefully, everybody else is doing perfectly fine. I sure will try to get back to regular blogging (I miss my blogging friends so much already!) and get back in the loop.

Have a wonderful start of the week, my dears!

Cheers!
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