Friday, December 20, 2013

Topaz Beauty: Happy Skin review plus an interview with Jacqe Yuengtian-Gutierrez

Happy Skin is the cutest makeup ever! The makeup line was launched recently and I'm sooo happy that I was one of the lucky few who got to try out the products when the new beauty brand came out.

Here are the products I got: SS Créme, Don't Get Mad Get Even Liquid Foundation, and two chubby sticks of Shut Up & Kiss Me Lippies. I also got Get Cheeky With Me Blush but I can't find it! My kids must've played with it.

What's so special about Happy Skin? It's makeup that actually cares for your skin! The products are infused with skin-caring ingredients like hyaluronic acid (brings up moisture from the deep layers of skin to the surface), shea butter (for healing and moisturizing), Japanese tea leaf (antioxidant that lightens, heals, and reduces inflammation), cherry blossom (locks in moisture), and more.

Jacqe Yuengtian-Gutierrez and Rissa Mananquil-Trillo are the women behind these fabulous prettifiers that pamper skin. Rissa, who's one of the country's supermodels, says, "I've been modeling for more than a decade and I have had every imaginable makeup brand on my face. Many of them instantly prettify you, but the biggest makeup woe is going home with ruined skin."

That is true! That's why I only learned to apply makeup when I was in my 30s (yes, I only learned a few years ago!). Every time I tried makeup when I was younger, my skin would break out in a rash or I'd get pimples! Makeup was never fun for me.

Rissa adds, "Truly good makeup should be your ally—not your enemy—in making you look and feel beautiful."

I think Jacqe and Rissa achieved that with Happy Skin. My ultimate test? I applied the makeup one evening and went to bed without washing my face. Big skin no-no! Whenever I forget to wash my face, I always wake up with a pimple. Always! This time around with Happy Skin? Not one zit. I looked so pretty pa!

Here's my mini review report:
Shut Up & Kiss Me Lippie, P499.

Sorry for the yellow light! I took these photos in the dining room. The colors are not right. Anyway, the Lippies are fat and cute and so deeply pigmented, you only need a few swipes to get your puckers pretty. My lips also didn't get dry. This kinda feels like lip balm actually!

Second Skin Créme, P1,199.

The SS Créme is a liquid foundation that I use when I'm just at home. I use it as my BB cream. I actually use Bobbi Brown BB Cream but ever since I got Happy Skin, I find myself grabbing this tube more!

Don't Get Mad Get Even Liquid Foundation, P999.

This, my friends, is my ultimate favorite Happy Skin product. I use liquid because I'm old. It's kinder on skin that has fine lines and wrinkles. Anyway, again, my liquid foundation is Bobbi Brown but since I tried Don't Get Mad Get Even Liquid Foundation, I've been loving this Happy Skin product instead.

Wanna see me without makeup, just with a sheer layer of Don't Get Mad Get Even Liquid Foundation? Tada!!!
I look perfect!!! And my skin is never perfect! All the years of pimples and scars and freckles and sleepless nights have taken a toll on my skin. Granted, my skin is better now ever since I started using Shiseido Ibuki (review next week) so it's not like my face is super bad. But I am never this flawless looking! And this is just foundation! No concealer! No Photoshop! 

Don't Get Mad Get Even Liquid Foundation, I love you!

I'm featuring Happy Skin founder Jacqe Yuengtian-Gutierrez on my Manila Bulletin column today, by the way! I ran out of space so I'm putting the rest of her interview here:

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Topaz Fashion: Karimadon online shop

My dear friend Kat Dy is getting married in exactly 3 weeks. Vince and I are ninong and ninang!!! We're just a few years older than Kat and Pat so we were really surprised haha, but the couple explained that they got people who are happily married. Besides, if they got old people, by the time they might need guidance in their marriage, the oldies would be dead!

So the motif colors are gold, blush pink, navy and cream. I don't have dresses yet (there are two ceremonies). I'm putting off shopping because my pregnant shape is changing. I'm always heavily bloated during my first trimester, then weirdly enough, when I hit the 4th month, my body becomes nice and shapely. The bloat goes, the boobs come, the fat transfers to where curves should go. So weird.

While I may not be getting a dress yet, I'm definitely buying my gowns from Karimadon. I've always shopped at Karimadon for special occasions, beginning with my high school graduation 19 years ago. Thank goodness for online shopping, I've checked out Karimadon's online shop and narrowed down my choices to these lovelies:
Say hello to Felicity. This is my top pick! It's so goddess! Of course, I don't look anything like Marian Rivera but this is just so gorgeous! It comes in many colors but of course I'll get royal blue for the wedding. Only P2,499!

My second choice is Rose. I love the soft drape, the simple embellished belt, the exposed shoulder. Available in red and black, too, for only P2,999.

If I'm not too big by next week and if I can squeeze into this corset gown, maybe I'll get Juliet. But this one I actually want to check in the store first. Kat wants gold or cream. I have to see the color in person to see if it's just what the bride wants. This is also available in teal for P4,999.

I love this! This is Alexia. I need to see this in the store, too, because this is actually violet (the other colors are black and red). If it's a blue violet, I think I'll get this. It's just P3,299! Plus, the V-neckline will make it easy to breastfeed Iñigo.

Thanks, Marian, for modeling these lovely gowns. You are quite fetching yourself!

Go check out Karimadon's online shop to see more fab dresses. Just please don't buy all the ones I like! I'm shopping next week!

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Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Happiness is one, two, three!

Proud daddy Vince said, "Why are you still keeping it a secret?"

Why indeed? So here goes:

We're pregnant again! We are so thrilled and happy and so excited!

We've known since my birthday a little over a month ago so that was the best birthday gift. Then we waited for a new ultrasound to check if Baby Chicken has a heartbeat and, hooray, the baby's heart is beating strong so the baby is the best Christmas gift, too!

Baby Chicken is the nickname of the baby now. We named our baby-in-the-tummy after candy (Vito was Jelly Bean, Iñigo was Wiggle, you know, like the sour worms) so this third baby was supposed to be Gummi Bear. But Vito took one look at this, saw the egg shape, and promptly said, "Hi, Baby Chicken!"

Hi, Baby Chicken! We can't wait to meet you! Be strong and healthy in Mama's tummy! We love you!

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