saying goodbye to falsies

I think it's about time for me to write a whole post about my lashes. 

I always get asked whether I'm wearing falsies or not. It's gotten to a point wherein even my guy friends step closer to actually touch (and almost poke) my lashes. There are days when I do wear party lashes but lately I can't be bothered to spend too much time on my makeup, even when I'm attending an event that's late at night. Lash glue can also be bothersome to contact lens wearers like me, since I can blink and glue can transfer to my lenses when it hasn't dried yet. That means I have to wash them thoroughly in the middle of my makeup ritual, or worse, I have to get a new pair if they've already dried up since it can coat the lenses and make everything a blurry mess.

(without any trace of eye makeup, just some tinted moisturizer from Laura Mercier)

I discovered RapidLash last December 2011 during my trip to Hong Kong. I've heard about other lash growth serums but they've always been too pricey for me. A mandatory trip to Sasa (it's like their Watson's in Hong Kong) caused me to grab 2 tubes out of impulse since my mom was paying for my beauty loot. I Googled some before and after photos and the results looked impressive. As with any beauty product I thought I'd have to wait about a month to see results.

Two weeks into using the product I noticed that my lashes were thicker/fuller. Fast forward two months and I'm already seeing dramatic results, and that's when people started noticing my lashes. I only apply them at night and I make sure to coat my lashes after applying it to the roots. I also place them on the bald spots of my brows.

photos WITHOUT eye makeup & mascara:

Compared to other Asian girls I think my lashes are relatively longer, but the strands are quite thin since I always wear mascara and sometimes a few strands get pulled out because of the tackiness of the glue. When you're coming home from a night out the last thing you're looking forward to is that tedious process of removing every trace of product on your face, especially if you use waterproof makeup. No matter how careful I am, some lashes get sacrificed and I used to just shrug it off since I could always resort to thick, fake lashes. 

I've tried using 2 other lash growth serums when I ran out of RapidLash (none of our stores carry them in Manila), but those nasty formulas only left my eyes teary and red after every application. They didn't make my lashes longer or thicker. I had to endure three months of those random brands until I decided to ask my friends from America purchase new tubes online so they could bring them back for me. I'm down to my last tube but I'm expecting new supplies after Christmas. My mom used RapidLash for about 4 months, too. She has the shortest lashes I've ever seen but RL really worked for her as well. She's just too lazy to stay with it so she's given me all of her tubes. More for me, yay! 

with 2 coats of Revlon's GrowLuscious mascara:

Since my first RapidLash purchase I've also stuck to Revlon's GrowLuscious mascara. People can't confirm the effectivity of their lash growth benefits but it does a great job in plumping up and lengthening my lashes. It's my new favorite drugstore mascara since I hate waterproof formulas and Revlon carries non-waterproof versions of this in blackest black. I can also feel that it strengthens my lashes. My friends were also impressed with this mascara and they've all bought the same one after my recommendation. 

I am hoping that our stores will start carrying RapidLash tubes soon. I've found local resellers online but I don't want to pay the extra Php 500 for each tube, plus I don't want to end up buying fake formulas! I like that it's not the priciest one in the market but it really works. If you have a friend or relative who's visiting Hong Kong or America, let them buy you at least two tubes! Thicker lashes really open up your eyes, and I love that I don't have to glue on false lashes now. Don't bother telling me to get extensions- those are the worst. I've seen my friends' lids going bald cos their real lashes end up falling off with the extensions! Opt for the lash serums and thank me later. :) 

face: Laura Mercier oil-free tinted moisturizer + Chanel's Purete Mat pressed powder

brows: K-Palette 24 Hour Real Lasting Eyebrow Liner + MAC eyeshadow in Espresso + MAC brow set in Beguile 

eyes:  black gel liner from MAC + Revlon's Grow Luscious mascara

lips: Russian Red by MAC 

❤

BLOGGERS UNITED 4

Reese was my boothmate this year but I didn't get to talk to her as much because of all the buyers! 

Her booth was obviously more colorful compared to mine

Danika & Alyssa's booth was located to my right. They arrived at the venue early like me and it was nice to catch up with them. They're both so bubbly! Major head-bobbin ensued when the music started playing. Loved the playlist that Aisa made from all of our song suggestions! 

I also got to meet the supercool Maya Kibbel. Major hair envy!

She wore these new Gold Dot wedges (she modeled for them last week) and I knew I just had to reserve a pair for myself. 

Didn't get a chance to chat with Cams this year since her fan girls bombarded her when she arrived!

Our Defensil ads were released and I don't know why they revealed such vital information on our tarps... Well, good to know? Heh.

Sam sold some of her stuff at my booth and I'm glad she was there to help me rearrange my items again and again! This girl knows which displays work during bazaars-- such a pro! 

I actually met Ashley before she moved to Japan & started her blog. Her booth was behind mine and I got to chat with her and her best friend Daphne who modeled for me before. Small, small world!

loved the cheeky print on Kryz's outfit

Finally got to meet the sweet Abbie Almasco! Totally screamed when I met her. We've been online friends since 2006!

Mike attempting to look very butch

my idol in handling watercolors, Tin

Performing with the sis while snatching lyrics off my iPhone. Oops.

It rained so hard on the 2nd day of the bazaar & the AC was on full blast- glad I decided to layer and bundle up. Thanks to Ashley for this photo.

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Enjoyed the 4th Bloggers United bazaar at the World Trade Center last Dec. 15 and 16! I was actually glad that we had 2 days to sell. Not everyone liked it but I sold everything this year, unlike the previous ones wherein I had about 10 items left at the end of the bazaar. I sold Skinny Sweets cake pops on the 2nd day since Essa stayed home to bake while I was at WTC the day before. As usual, I enjoyed meeting my readers, dealing with extreme hagglers and performing a couple of songs. Good thing we got to perform early this year, there were tons of people during our set! The first day was kind of crazy so I didn't get to take too many photos with people, but it was great seeing everyone. I absolutely loooove all my fellow bloggers and each time we see each other we can't help but scream like we haven't bumped into each other in years! It's also funny how you guys always comment on how tall I am in person. Do I really look short in my photos? Oh no. Thankfully you guys weren't too scared to approach me. See, I only look snobby in photos and I'm really talkative IRL! 

Congrats to the BU organizers and to all the bloggers for another successful event! See you all at BU5 this coming May 2013!

❤

neo-baroque

dress- Cotton On, shoes- DAS

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Currently on an antisocial, staying in for work phase but I managed to drag myself out of the house last Thursday for a night out. A few years ago it was normal for me to brave the clubs alone and then find friends, but I haven't done that in a long time (is that even safe?). I can't remember the last time I've worn a little dress out either. I remember my buddy from NYC saying that he always thought girls here were merely peacocking with all the skimpy dresses, but then he understood why there was a need for us to wear those in clubs when he came over one summer- it was just too hot! After that comment I somehow kept in mind that I should be more discerning when it comes to short dresses. 

I thought this baroque-print dress wouldn't be too warm but I managed to sweat in it under harsh lights during the event. Is it just me or is it getting hotter this December? Whatever happened to the holiday weather we all used to look forward to? My goal is to avoid looking frumpy and still look dressy by wearing things that are breathable to all these upcoming parties. Comfort and quality must always be at the top of your list when shopping- that'll ensure that you'll get the most out of your clothes.

Sometimes I hate how it's so hot here, but then again I'd rather be in the tropics than suffer subzero temperatures. I'm slightly glad that my dad moved our NYC trip. I really can't take the cold and that's one of the many reasons why I'm so thankful that I live in the Philippines! I feel for those who suffered during hurricane Sandy. I think we're used to power outages during calamities but can you imagine going through fall or winter without heat? 

Gotta take advantage of the weather instead of complaining about it. Now if I can only convince my beach-phobic family to spend Christmas at some resort..... 

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