The Grand Mineral Makeup Weekend This Dec 20-21!

I am such an MMU addict, I CANNOT not post this!

I have been quiet lately but my mailbox has been steadily busy receiving packages, hehe. Since my last few posts, I have gotten new goodies, currently having new favorites. :) But even so, I am excited for this event, as it happens, I am flying back in Manila for Christmas on the 21st and will be catching the tail end of this event. Can't wait!!!!

Read on!



From the huge success of Manila's Mineral Makeup Weekend last year, we're definitely bringing it back! It'd be so exciting to see mineral makeup addicts drag along their friends and introduce them into mineral makeup. Mineral makeup is such a wonderful thing to share because it's absolutely safe for everyday use, it's beneficial to the skin, and it's not too expensive as well! Most of all, it brings forth better looking skin without looking like makeup at all, that further boosts self confidence that I embrace it with all my heart for it changed my life, first and foremost. I began to love me when I started using mineral makeup. *wink*

Anyway, for details, my lovelies, read on!
YOU ARE INVITED TO THE GRANDMINERAL MAKEUP WEEKEND!
When: December 20 and 21, 2008 (10am-6pm)
Where: Greenmeadows Clubhouse(inside Greenmeadows Xmas Rush Bazaar)

After the huge success of last year's Mineral Make-Up Weekend, we are bringing back the much-awaited event this week!The Mineral Make-Up Weekend brings together different mineral makeup brands in one venue to celebrate mineral makeup and create more awareness about it. Six brands will be joining, and as a treat, FREE SAMPLES will be given away to all pre-registered visitors, as well as free makeovers and skin consultations.Moreover, talks will be held by skin specialists, makeup artists, and mineral makeup brand owners as they showcase their strengths and advantages, and show us how to create simple yet stunning day and night looks.

FREEBIE ALERT!

We are giving away 300 FREE mineral makeup lootbags, worth Php500 each!!! Each loot bag contains product samples from all the participating brands. Plus a free mirror if you come on Saturday!

To avail of your free loot bag, here's what you need to do:
1. Post about this event, together with the banner, and a link back to this site on your multiply blog or blogspot. (Just copy the text above until this part - procedure on how to avail of free loot bags, then include a link at the bottom.)
2. Send your blog entry URL together with your full name, address, and mobile number to claudbaron@yahoo.com, with subject: MMU Weekend. Also, please indicate if you are a mineral makeup user or newbie.
3. Only one free loot bag per blog, per person. Sorry, but we cannot accept submissions for your friends.
4. To claim your free loot bag, simply attend the event and present a valid picture ID at the MMU Room Registration area.


This event is brought to you by: Bare Beauty (Bare Escentuals), Beauty & Minerals (Monave), LaurEss , Blusche Minerals, Pure Anada, Mikabella, and Minerales.

For the first time...

I got to see For The First Time (KC Conception and Richard Gutierrez) here in Singapore when Jenny managed to get ahold of two tickets (plus free coke and popcorn to complete the movie experience!) to Starhub's free screening at Plaza Singapura. I must say, it is definitely THE first time I spied a nice array of designer handbags on a Pinoy flick.

If my eyes got 'em correctly, KC started off with a silver Gucci Boston bag as she makes her way to the office, lugged some LV luggages for her trip to Greece, toted a Prada Gauffe (I think) sling as she explored Santorini, then a black Chanel clutch in another scene. Two girls likewise had some LV's on them -- one had a black Speedy 30 in Epi leather and another (one of Richard's character's ex-girlfriend, i think) had an LV Rosewood on her.

I am pretty sure I still missed out some bags but nevertheless, it made me enjoy the movie more (hehe, yes, I enjoyed it even without the bags-- Santorini looked so beautiful!). It was such an eye candy treat! :)

The art of letting go

I thought it would be hard to let go.

After reading a couple of articles in Elle’s Sep08 issue on credit crunch and ethical stance on eco-friendly shopping, I got a bit guilty about my hoard of mineral makeup just sitting prettily on my table. I’ve got this huge loot and I won’t be able to use all in this lifetime alone. They must be pretty disappointed as well since they are not fulfilling their purpose – of making some other kikay happy. So I packed away those that I am not using (and will not use ever again), brought them over to a friend who’ll bring them to Manila for my sister and friends (but not before saying a tearful goodbye, of course).

My MMU trays looked incomplete after that. It felt like a part of me was gone and I brooded a little. To fight the urge of buying MORE, I thought about how I’d rather not let them just go to waste. I thought about how little acts such as this, matters when it comes to saving environment. And I thought about how I'd like to do my part in making this a better world for my daughter to live in.

All that thinking made letting go an easier thing to do. :)

MMU on the go!

Now that I started talking about it, I can’t seem to stop!

The prospect of applying my makeup used to be enough to get me out of the bed in the mornings – I just find it too fun putting powdery stuff on my face (to which my husband complains as “inefficient” since I spend about 20 mins on it and still looking “the same” afterwards). So after getting enough MMU to be used at home, I ventured out to get the appropriate accessories to be able to take out the powders with me. (Apart from buying pressed MMU which is actually less messy to bring along)

Depending on where I am going (and the bag I’m using for the day) I’d have different sets to use. For days (or nights) when I know I won’t be needing touch-ups, I’d just have my EM puff jar , with a couple of lip glosses. The EM puff jar is something new – it became available when they launched the new EM site. It is similar size to Philosophy’s The Supernatural Airbrushed Canvas SPH 15 or BE’s Rare Minerals. Affordable at USD5.00 – I use it with my finishing dust but it can be used with any powders – foundations, blushes, etc.

For days when I’d have a bigger bag and more time for touchups (like during work days), I’d bring a kikay kit with lipglosses, my refillable powder brush from SEPHORA or my BE refillable mirror compact or the BE Flawless Face Case (depending on my mood). All three are more pricey -- and bulky actually, but I really like to bring my powders along and these three are good options. My current favorite is the SEPHORA brush – the bristles are very soft on my face and are packed just right that gives good coverage. It also comes with a small spatula for you to scoop the powder into the handle.

Now, for those days when I need to do full makeup outside the house (i.e. when I’m still going out after a yoga class) – I’d use my makeup bag with appropriate compartments for small pots and makeup brushes. I’d bring one big pot of whatever – so that I can use its lid to swirl and tap my MMU.

And of course, for going back to Manila where I can put my makeup kit inside a luggage, I’d use a bigger kit with more compartments for my loose powder in jars (so I can bring more colors!) and full-size brushes identical to the ones I use at home. Of course this is apart from the kit I’d have in my hand carry bag, hehe

The only time I don’t bring my makeup along is when I go out with my baby and would only bring her baby bag (I’d just stuff my wallet inside). No time for touchups anyway. =)

Out of my kikay closet

Ok, am FINALLY ‘fessing up. I have been this mineral makeup addict since I first tried it out after reading an article about it in Kikay Exchange. I blame online shopping and shipping availability to Singapore for my continuing addiction. Hehehe.

I have spent $$$ (an amount I can’t fully disclose since my husband reads my blog) on various MMU brands but for now, I am suki of Everyday Minerals. Nothing beats EM’s value for money – cheap but superior quality of products with weekly specials (discounts and free makeup!). I found my perfect foundation shade with EM – they have a wide range available and a number of shades are suitable for Asians. Aside from foundations, I have just about everything -- their blushes, eye shadows, finishing powders, lip glosses (in sticks and pots), concealers, brushes and skin & body stuff. And I am not exaggerating on the plurality of the items that I’ve got... (I plead fifth on the actual quantity)

I had my Bare Escentuals’s phase as well – their products are so prettily packaged -- but their prices (and unavailability to ship to Singapore) made it a short-lived one. During that phase (that spanned maybe around 4 months?) I was able to try out their foundation, mineral viel, blushes, eye shadows, lipsticks, and various prep stuff. Until now, I am using some BE stuff for prepping my face prior to makeup but I stopped using their foundation and mineral veil already. Anyone out there (close to my shade) interested in trying them out?

My heavy duty mineral concealer comes from Lumiere Cosmetics – I use them under my EM concealer during those darker-than-usual-eye circle days. Their concealer comes in creamier form which I found more effective than loose powder form. Their primer is similar to BE's Prime Time -- but cheaper, so its another good buy. Although apart from their concealer and primer, I haven’t found any real favorites from this brand. Am just not that keen to try out their samples since they come in baggies.

Another value for money MMU brand would be Pure Luxe Cosmetics – you can buy generously sized samples (that comes in a jar) for only USD1.00 – USD1.50! isn’t that great?! My favorites from this brand are their USD1.00 eye shadow samples – they offer the most extensive variety that I’ve seen, as well as their eye shadow primer. Their primer really made my eye shadows stay put for the entire day. I tried their cream blushes as well but I think still prefer powder blushes.

Youngblood Cosmetics is another great MMU brand although they are a bit pricey as well. I tried their pressed foundation, blush, eyeshadow, lipstick and mineral dust – all of which I liked (although I can only afford one of each, hehe). Their kabuki brush is one of my staples for applying foundation. I got my YB stuff in Manila from Beauty Bar and I think they are locally available in Singapore as well.

Locally (in Singapore) I have tried TLC’s blushes, eyeshadows and brushes. I have also tried (and liked) the kabuki brush and lip gloss from leezmineral.


So there! My sizeable MMU loot as of now.

*photos from their respective websites, except for Pure Luxe which came from this site (am still a bit shy to show my actual stuff, haha)