Primers are the miracle workers in this day and age. Gone are the days when you directly apply your foundation right after your skin care, for skin is “primed” first, to be as perfect as possible, for a smooth canvass prior to applying makeup. I have large pores, and unsightly pitted scars ( much to my regret ) as lessons learned the hard way during my younger days, and primers just offer me some salvation as silicone-based ones fill in the pores and depressions, and make my skin look a bit more bearable and smooth as foundation is applied. For those who have problems with wrinkles, primers are heaven-sent as they prevent foundation from sinking in fine lines and emphasizing them, temporarily smoothing them out.

So there, that began my obsession with primers.

One really amazing primer that I have tried while I was living in Singapore was the Make Up For Ever All Matt. While I was hanging around the eye-candy display of Make Up For Ever Singapore’s Academy, and I was asking my teacher for some oil control tips for airbrush. She told me that skin needed to be prepped before airbrushing, so it was best to mix the Make Up Forever HD Primer and All Matt. I asked the makeup artist manning the counter over at MUFE what she thought of All Matt, and she chuckled, “ah, it’s a lifesaver! It’s saved me tons of jobs outside.” Without thinking, I went home with a bottle of All Matt.
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You just know how close mineral makeup is close to my heart. It’s what saved my skin, and the reason why I am happy and smiling. It’s a miracle product for acne prone skin that doesn’t aggravate our condition, and yet helps us look and feel beautiful without harming our skin.

Well, great news ladies!

My favorite mineral makeup brand that is available in malls finally hits Manila! Colorescience Mineral Makeup now found a first, new home in “Beauty by SM,” the new beauty section of SM Department Store in SM Megamall.

What I love, love about Colorescience is the quality of their mineral makeup. The ingredients ( excluding the always debated about bismuth oxychloride ) are undeniably very good - that can be seen in the face. Diane Ranger, founder of the brand, sought to make the best mineral makeup around using only the best ingredients available, that it’s even endorsed by Dr. Zein Obagi! I’ve been using their products for two months already and people always notice how better my skin looks. Take note on the emphasis of skin, not makeup. Colorescience is a luxury mineral makeup brand that definitely delivers results, and is worth every penny.

My recommendations?
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Best thing about having classmates in makeup school who are equally, or even more passionate as I am is that I don’t just explore makeup or beauty products on my own - we share information and ideas! We’re like giggling girls going gaga over makeup everytime we see new products!

I remember a few months ago suggesting a great makeup primer, Smashbox Photofinish in Light. Yesterday, my eyes absolutely brightened up with classmate Sherry ( our local resident kikay classmate ) showed me her new baby - it’s the Smashbox Hybrid 2 in 1 Luminizer. It comes in a tube, so you squeeze out product to use.
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Mineral makeup will always be my first love. Until now, it’s the only thing that first touches my skin because of the nature of my skin - very acne and blemish prone, open pores, and being oily. My skin is highly sensitive to pore-clogging products, so I could have none of the traditional makeup, specially with foundation. With eyeshadow and blushes, sometimes I can, as long as it’s mineral makeup that touches my skin first, much like a base.

Colorescience is a luxe mineral makeup brand that was created by Diane Ranger, also founder of Bare Escentuals. This brand has so much promise, and has even earned Dr. Zein Obagi’s thumbs up because it truly compliments dermatologist treatments, instead of hindering the rejuvenative process, in which what traditional makeup really does - ruin the dermatologists’ work by clogging pores, and damaging the skin. The science of today is just amazing - whoever thought that there would be some kind of makeup that would actually help skin get better and not damage it?

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Last week, I received an email from a good friend from Manila, that she’s coming over Singapore. I wasn’t sure if I would be a fit tour guide for her since I’ve only been here for roughly two weeks, and she flies to Singapore four times every year. Ruby Gan, franchisee of Singaporean shoe brand Schu, did not only show me where the best shopping places are here, but she also brought me along with her at the buying office of Schu here. I would have to say this - oh. my. god.

As I entered the Schu office, I was stunned, and I felt I was dreaming. all the four walls of the room were filled with racks of an endless array of shoes of all styles and colors, and I said to myself, ahh, Ruby has the best job of them all! I was able to observe her pick the styles she believed in and loved, and I must say, the new designs that will come out by second, and third quarter of the year, both in Schu shops and the Chocolate Schu Bar in Rockwell will definitely be promising. I’ve been a Schu buyer ever since, and I have seen the brand progress, in terms of style, and quality. By the end of the buying session, I was able to note 5 designs that I would be getting from Schu as soon as they release those styles. So, I’m telling you, be on the lookout for Schu’s designs. I’m officially in love!

Okay, so, I’m not really turning this in a fashion blog, yknow, I’m still trying to explore my fashionable side, and I still love black amongst everything, but this post is about the beauty addict in Ruby Gan. Ruby , I confess, is someone that I’d want to be like because as a mom of two, she is still as stunning and beautiful as ever, and her body is just so fit! Also, she is an inspiration as she is a very good businesswoman, gym addict, and a sports lover who loves running. She’s someone who’s clearly passionate about life !

I have noticed the beauty addict streak in Ruby as she asked me to meet her in Watson’s in Takashimaya Mall. As I walked in and found her, I saw her cart full of beauty products! Her must-hoard for this trip? Klorane Shampoo, a dry shampoo that you just need to spray on to keep your hair clean! Aside from the fashion boutique stops we made, we also raided Sephora, and the beauty sections over at the Paragon Plaza and Takashimaya Mall. It’s amazing, to see her face light up in such radiance whenever we’d talk about blush ons, self tanners, eyeshadows, nail polish shades, amongst alot of things!

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Sephora must be the world’s most prestigious beauty store chain, carrying 200 classic and emerging beauty brands in different categories - skin care, hair care, cosmetics, body care, fragrance, smile care, tools, and also with their own in-house private label. Whenever I’d like to check out brands, I simply have to go to their website, and just scroll through their drop-down list of very, very good brands. Now, it’s time for the 2008 Best of Sephora Awards, whose results came from more than 100,000 beauty mavens who have cast their vote for their favorite products!

Well, let’s see them shall we? For my personal touch, I am including some side-notes on the products that I have tried!

BEAUTY ADDICT’S FAVORITE TIP

“I love to prime my legs and body with the Clarisonic brush before I shave, so that I can attain that flawless application of self tanner. “ < --hmm I only use Clarisonic for my face! This is a nice idea! I am also wanting to try self tanning, like what Phoebe does!

BEAUTY ADDICT’S FAVORITE

* Bare Escentuals Buxom Lips ($18) – This mineral-infused lip polish imparts a high shine without feeling sticky. An infusion of antioxidant vitamins A and E help keep lips soft, smooth, and protected, while the tingly and cooling sensation reminds you that your lips are plumping.

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Now that I’ve revealed the insides of my toiletry kit ( or big beauty kit, that is, ) let me let you peek in my makeup kit! This is the kit that I’d be bringing around me all the time. Singapore is a beautiful city, and the night life is said to be just wonderful and glamorous- and I am definitely going to glam myself up Friday night to go partying with my classmates from highschool whom I am meeting up! ( They’re working there already ).

The insides of my makeup kit :
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What I love most about Sephora is that when they offer gift sets or collections, the prices will just make you buy. Period. They bundle products into a collection, and slash almost 50% off the pricetag. First, I’ve bought Smashbox’s Master’s Class Collection ( Vol. 1 - Smoky Eyes Set ) , and now, my recent purchase is Cargo Blu Ray Collection. The set sells for $59, but all products, when added up, totals to $130.

Set includes a pressed powder, a blush/highlighter, a mascara, and a primer, and a lipgloss quad.
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I could just go on and on on how much I love Aromaleigh products. Their Pure Shine Glosses are the best, as well as their lipsticks ( review, in a week! ), and I’m just happy to have stumbled upon their Eyeshadow Primer and Base!

With my dried out and nonfunctional Urban Decay Primer Potion that lasted a year on me, I was a very sad Beautynomist. It’s like, my pet that died. It’s so precious, and hard to find, and I couldn’t get one immediately because it isn’t available here. So, I was contemplating if I should get a MAC Shadestick, but the price just makes me flinch - I don’t know why. Usually I’m not particular about the price of the product, since I’m always game for quality, I just don’t know why in this case , I didn’t feel like buying MAC anytime soon though I really wanted to.

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When I reached the advent of my womanhood, I realized that eyeshadows weren’t for the extreme vain only. Eyeshadows further enhance someone’s eyes - make them more dramatic, fun-looking, and pretty. A wide palette of colors are around in the market for the ladies to choose what they think is best for them. But one day, wearing my favorite eyeshadow, I notice, my eyeshadow’s gone by lunch time. What might the reason be?

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