Drugstore Wallflower: Bobbie Cosmetics Retractable Eyebrow Pencil

Bobbie Cosmetics Retractable Eyebrow Pencil in Medium Brown
PHP 119 at Watson's SM The Block

HI! Last week I roamed around malls for some errands and in between I checked out my ever reliable beauty hub, Watson's. I found good finds, but with the few loose change I have I can only spend as much. Screw sembreak. Hahaha.

I was already curious with Bobbie Cosmetics when I saw its cute pink concealer at a Mini Stop store near my place. But since the testers were not accessible (you have to get them from the cashier), I didn't take the chance to buy it. So when I saw a Bobbie Cosmetics counter (with testers, thank goodness), I went straight for it! But instead of the concealer, I ended up taking the eyebrow pencil because it looks like my HG eyebrow product, the Etude House Drawing Eye Brow pencil.

Curious, huh? I was too! Check out this new product after the jump!

EOTD: Easy Pink and Plum

Hello there! It's been three weeks since I last made a post and the obvious reason to that is I was too busy. As much as I wanted to post something, it was the last 2 weeks of the semester, and it was devoted to exams so I had to be on a cycle of reading, chugging down Toffee Nut Latte, more reading, a little bit of sleep, answering exams, a little bit more of sleep, then repeat. I am at the end of this 2-week tunnel, and I'm just glad that my brain is still in one piece. I spent my recent days playing with my dog, reading novels (I've finished The Selection Series and Something Borrowed/Something Blue Series in a week), and basically just lying around. Now that I'm recharged and relaxed, I'm ready to post stuff.

I still managed to play with makeup in between though, as it was a way for me to cope up with the stress that I was in. This time I used colors that I haven't really used when going out, but given this autumn-like vibe of a weather, I might wear this out real, real soon.

Get the look after the jump!

Outlet Store for the Girly Ones: Beauty Scents Paseo de Santa Rosa

So last weekend me and my siblings went out and played at Paseo de Santa Rosa, and I took a side trip to Beauty Scents to buy another bottle of the ZA moisturizer I was raving about last week. Beauty Scents is actually an outlet store devoted to beauty products, the first of its kind in the country, I bet. And where else would you find it other than the ultimate place for outlet store shopping, Paseo de Santa Rosa?

Beauty stuff in an outlet store? Curious? Get a sneak peak of what's in store in this delightful place after the jump! ;)

LipsWatch: Fanny Serrano Luscious Lipstick in Creamy Fudge

Fanny Serrano Luscious Lipstick in Creamy Fudge
PHP 299
at The SM Store Beauty Section

This is my first post to feature a lipstick, so let me say a few words of apology: I'm sorry because I suck in describing color. But because I really, really want to feature this, I will bravely tread the waters of the world of lip swatches.

To compensate for my poverty of words, I made sure that the pics will be as true representations of the color as it can be in real life.

Moving on...

When it comes to lipsticks, the first thing that makes me fall in love with it will be its color, and then its finish. And then its lasting power. But I don't usually scrutinize lipsticks in terms of its feel on my lips - whether they feel heavy, or if it feels drying, or if it's too wet. And in the case of this lippie from Fanny, the way I fell in love with it was in reverse order - I loved how creamy and moisturizing it felt on my lips first before I got to appreciate its color. This is serious good stuff.

Check out this lippie after the jump!

DRUGSTORE WALLFLOWER: Quick FX No Shine Mattifier

Quick FX No-Shine Mattifier
PHP 49 at Watson's

If you wear makeup and have an oily skin like moi, for sure this sachet of gold will make your head turn. Big white letters saying No-Shine on it is enough to make me pick it up.

I was also curious with the words, "mattifier" and "matte wax". I mean, having wax in that packaging almost made me feel that it was meant for the hair! Hahaha. So yeah, needless to say, this product intrigued me. And I haven't been intrigued so much in a long time.

More on this oily-skin must-have after the jump! ;)

FOTD: The medic with four eyes

When I entered med school, a lot of my classmates were wearing eyeglasses all the time, and I hoped and prayed that I would not share the same fate as I don't really like to look geeky 24/7. What I loathe to happen most is that I would get too dependent on them like my sister is - she could not even navigate inside the house without her glasses/contact lenses on. 

Now I'm on my 3rd year of wearing prescription glasses. It was okay for me, as I only wear them when I have to see something from a distance, like projected Powerpoint presentations and then I take it off as soon as the lecture's done. But these past 2 weeks, I was having a hard time to see once I take my glasses off, and I'm also having a hard time seeing from afar even when I was wearing them, so I went to an optical shop last Saturday to have my eyes checked and get a new pair of specs.

The bad news now is, I now have an increased dependence to my eyeglasses. Not as bad as my sister's, but dependence still the same. So now I have to adjust my makeup routine accordingly.

Find out why (and see my FOTD) after the jump!

Loving It: ZA Perfect Solution Moisturizer

ZA Perfect Solution Moisturizer
PHP 300 (Sale Price)
at Beauty Scents, Paseo de Sta. Rosa

I was obsessed in skincare way before I got hooked into makeup. When I was in high school, I used whitening soaps and creams (Pond's, anyone?), while in college I was obsessed with anything that promises lesser oil production and finer pores. Ever since I've hit my 20s, aside from battling acne and oily skin (which still happens all the time), another need surfaced: moisture.

Find out why I'm planning to hoard bottles of this after the jump!

DRUGSTORE WALLFLOWER: Careline Oil Control Blush-On

Careline Oil Control Blush-on
PHP 90 at Watson's
PHP 99 at Mercury Drug

I admit, I perceive Careline's cosmetics line as toys, one that's catered to tweens and young adolescents who are taking baby steps in makeup. I think it's because I purchased my first eyeshadow palette from them when I was in high school. That palette had sky blue, pink, purple and gold eyeshadows on it - colors that a girly kid who has zero knowledge on makeup will like. I bought it because I liked the colors, but I never considered how garish it would look on a 14-15 year-old me. So I cluelessly used it for a couple of times, then I realized that it's something I shouldn't be using for school, and the palette ended up in the dark abyss of my dresser.

Fast forward to August 2014, when school has just started, and I was longing for an innocent-looking powder pink blush like Pony uses in most of her makeup tutorials. But Pony's blushes were usually from Shu Uemura's, and I simply do not have a budget for that! So when I saw this at Mercury Drug near my place, I immediately got it.

Read on to find out more about this blush that I love!

FOTD: Birthday-slash-School Day Look

I had a really busy birthday week. Aside from my crazy school schedule, I also attended novena masses in honor of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary La Naval in QC every afternoon. So forgive me for the long break this blog has had. 

Anyway! My birthday fell on a Thursday so really, I had no other birthday outfit other than my uniform, but I did try something new with my perpetually-neutral eye makeup.

Get the look right after the jump! :)

Drugstore Wallflower: Ever Bilena Advance HD Concealer Pencil

Ever Bilena Advance HD Concealer Pencil in Warm Honey
PHP 100 at Watsons

This isn't a wallflower, this is more like a hidden gem. I first saw it while I was lining up at the grocery counter this weekend and I thought, "Ever Bilena actually has this?". I was almost always lining up at that particular counter every Sunday yet I only saw it that time. I ended up purchasing it at Watson's later that evening and even at this store it is quite hard to find. Maybe because the pencil is short.

Continuing my new found pencil addiction, here's my review of the Ever Bilena's concealer pencil.

New Blog Series: DRUGSTORE WALLFLOWERS!!

When a beauty item comes with a cheap price tag as in most items in Watson's, I almost always snob it, especially if it's not Maybelline/Nichido/Fanny Serrano. Yeah, I'm such a snob. But since I now got a bit adventurous by making a blog, why not be a bit adventurous on what to feature here, e?

So here comes a new series for you and me! I roamed around Watson's and looked for items that has been hanging around their shelves for quite some time yet I chose to ignore. Nope, I did not even look at reviews before purchasing, which makes this more thrilling/risky on my part.

The best part? So far the items that I found are all below 100 bucks! And they're great in their own ways. Yay!

Stay tuned next week! ;)

Stay girly!

Kat

BEAUTY FIX: The Girly Medic's (almost) Definitive Guide to Walking in High Heels

I love high heeled shoes. Sure, it makes you look like a fashionista wannabe, but there's more to the stilettos than being a fashion upgrade tool. It slims the calves and it improves your posture - I suffer from low back ache when I am in flats more than when I am in heels (weird, isn't it?). But girly as I am, what I like the most is the way it makes its wearer decidedly feminine by altering the way she walks.

But everyone thinks that it ain't easy. It is true that there is a certain amount of period wherein you would wobble and possibly tumble. And as with any new shoe, you are bound to get blisters. But walking on high heels is not tough all the time! I walk on high heels to school thrice a week, across possibly all the tough surfaces known to the stiletto-wearer. Here are some tips to make your stiletto voyage a successful one.

Review: Rimmel Stay Matte Primer

Rimmel Stay Matte Primer
PHP 400 at Love Manila

I have combination-severely oily skin, thanks both to my parents' genes and to my polycystic ovaries. So no matter how drying and oil-free my skincare products are, my face will still be oily and acne-prone particularly on the T-Zone. And the weird part is, there's really dry patches of skin mixed in between. 

Base makeup becomes a challenge both in applying it and in making it stay put. And despite being contraindicated for my skin type, I still prefer cream/liquid type of base makeup, as I find them easier to work with and delivers a more natural finish. So unless the makeup is oil-free (like the Revlon Colorstay), there is a big chance that oil will seep through my makeup in a nick of time. 

The answer to my problem came when I found out about primers. 

My first primer was Etude House Dr. Oil Solution Dual Primer. My cousin gave it to me when I was in college and I really felt the difference in terms of ease in applying makeup, blurring of pores, and oil control. Now I had an event to attend to so I felt the need to purchase a primer again, but now I realized that they really don't come in cheap. 

That is, until I saw Rimmel Stay Matte Primer.

Follow me on Bloglovin'!

I wish I had met Bloglovin way earlier. Everytime I browse thru my favorite blogs, my browser is clogged with tabs it gets confusing sometimes!

Bloglovin' is a feed site where you can follow blogs, whether it's from Blogspot, Wordpress, or even those that have custom domains. I think it's similar to Pinterest, but have blogs as feeds instead of pictures. So it simplifies the way you follow and discover blogs! And they have an app for iOS and Android, so this is really a heaven-sent tool!

I have just signed up, so...Follow, follow me! Use the Bloglovin' widget found at the sidebar of this page, or simply search "The Girly Medic" on Bloglovin'.♡♡♡

Stay girly!

Kat

FOTD x BEAUTY FIX: Get Pretty with Pencils!

In my review on the Etude House's Drawing Eyebrow Pencil, I featured an eyebrow pencil that was too red on me I only used it on my brows twice. I only bought it out of panic as I haven't brought with me any brow-defining product when I went home one weekend, and there was no Etude House store in sight. I was reluctant to throw it away, and thanks to Pony, I had a crazy idea.

So if you're like me and did the mistake of buying a brow pencil that looked off or an eye pencil for tightlining but gave you panda eyes or any makeup pencil that you ended up not using, read on for one crazy (but fun) tutorial! ;)

ALL ABOUT BROWS Series: Review on Etude House Drawing Eye Brow Pencil

Etude House Drawing Eye Brow Pencil
PHP 148 at Etude House Robinson's Place Manila

To end my first-ever blog series, "All About Brows", I would like to post a review on a brow product that I have been using for more than 2 years. This is hands down, my "holy grail" (HG) product for defining brows: the Etude House Drawing Eye Brow Pencil.

FOTD: Retro in Red

Why am I covering 1/2 of my face? Read on to find out. :p

I like transforming myself. Making myself look good makes me feel good so I always turn to makeup whenever I'm stressed, which happens almost everyday. But aside from school, church and occasional trips to the mall, there is really not that much occasion for me to wear them. I'm such a loser, I know. :))

That did not stop me from playing with makeup though. I always take pictures after every makeup play session - some of them I upload when I feel brave enough to show it - but I save a lot of them in a folder on my phone. Seeing them from time to time makes me feel accomplished on how much I have learned.

ALL ABOUT BROWS Series: REVIEW on NYX Brow Gel in Brunette

NYX Eye Brow Gel in Brunette
PHP 400 at Love Manila

When the various online makeup stores that I was following on FB started posting preorders for the NYX Brow Gel, a lot of makeup lovers went gaga over it! After all, it was a brow product in a very different form, and even I got curious with this brow-in-a-watercolor-tube.

ALL ABOUT BROWS Series: How I fill my brows

A number of my friends compliment my brows and they even asked me how I did it. Of course I thought it was just a casual question, so I never answered them in detail. The only time that I answered it in a detailed manner was when a total stranger asked me about it. 

I will never forget that incident. I went to the school clinic that day because of dry cough, and after the nurse took my history and blood pressure, she told me:  "Alam mo, 'di ko mapigilang mapatingin sa kilay mo. Pano mo nagawa 'yan? (You know, I can't stop myself from looking at your brows. How do you do that?" That was like, the best compliment, ever! Hahaha.

Taken while I was waiting for the doctor, still recovering from the shock of having to answer the nurse's question. Hahaha.

I did try to tell it to her in as detailed and as clear as I could, but well, let's say that this is my definitive answer to her (and my friends') question. 

FOTD: Sweet Pastels

N.B. That's Fanny Serrano E/S in Frosty Chic. My bad. 0:)

With makeup, I had an on and off relationship. When it was too busy in school I’d just ditch ‘em. When I could not work with the makeup that I got, I’d ditch ‘em.

And then in college I took baby steps. I started with mineral makeup powders (hello, Ellana) plus tinted lipbalm, then progressed to bb creams and lip tints. On my college graduation, I did my own makeup, which is composed of BB cream, lip and cheek tint, a sparkly gold eyeshadow, and mascara. Looking back, that is actually my everyday makeup now…and more. Hahaha.

My makeup kit grew exponentially as I learned more about blushes and bases and smokey eyes and Korean style of makeup. I watched too many Pony’s Diary and Get It Beauty episodes on Channel M for the past three years.  And I’ve read too much makeup tutorials.

School starts at 7 AM everyday, so there is a need for my look to be quick and easy to do yet I want it to be detailed. I usually become a bit more detailed on my eye makeup, because as Lisa Eldridge said, drawing the attention to the eyes would draw attention away from my flawed areas.

But don’t worry, for this makeup look is no rocket science. What I like about doing this is that it does not require expertise in eyeliner since everything is smudged, because when I'm in a hurry, precision is one of my worst traits..

ALL ABOUT BROWS Series: REVIEW on Browhaus Lucky Chinatown

I can't remember when I first started to mess around with my brows. Maybe it was in my Senior Prom, because when I was a Junior my Dad was inside the salon when I was being made up, and he stopped the beautician from shaving my brows at that time. (Way to go, Pops. Hahaha.)

Even after that, I didn't get to care about how they looked or how they were shaped. I didn't even give a hoot if my brows looked like that of a caveman, like this:

Sometime in 2012, when I was growing my brow after
neighborhood beautician shaved it waaaaay too thin. :/

 But in the recent years, the more that I learn about make up, the more that I got conscious with my brows. But then I just I wanted them to be neat, so off I went to neighborhood brow salons and soon I sported brows that were dangerously thin, or too arched, or not pantay (symmetrical) and I never knew the difference. Hahaha.

My (recent) brow history. The best looking of the bunch, (Mar 2014 photo)
was all thanks to Benefit Brow Bar. After that I tried Cara Delevingne's caterpillar brows. :))

Then one fine August day, I noticed that something that was terribly wrong with my brows - one was arched way up high, while the other lay flat. I don't know when it started to happen, but the last time I had my brows threaded was at Bench Fix before my classes started last July.

Right brow was flatter and fatter compared to my left brow,
which had a really defined arch. Also, my left brow is shorter than the right. Got too tweezer-happy, I guess.

At first I didn't mind it because on most days I wear my hair down and so my flat right brow would be mostly out of sight. So I gave my brows time to grow and hopefully find one salon that can fix this anomaly.

The Girly Medic Says Hi!

Yesterday at a brow salon while I was filling up their feedback sheet the lady behind the counter asked me: "Are you a blogger?". To which it took me 3 seconds to reply.

Yes I do maintain a blog and it was born out of love of writing and a whole lot of raging teenage hormones. Ergo, that blog was like diary to me. *insert shy, nervous laugh here.*  I would love to post my kikay musings and all,.but to place them alongside my emotional rants would make them quite out of place doesn't it?

So I thought about it the whole night and well, why not make another blog? I know and revered a handful of beauty bloggers and while I think I'd be nowhere as good as them, I think I have something to share to you. A view of things,  a product review cannot be relied on a single blogger after all, so might as well share what I know. Who knows, I might become a blessing to others through this blog. 0:)

So let the girly adventures commence! :)