When I decided to try becoming a "beauty blogger" in the Summer of 2013, I was a bit apprehensive considering I just turned 30 and most gurus (the popular ones) who I've been following are younger than I am. Why now? Honestly, way before I learned that a highlighter is not just a neon green Stabilo Boss or a hot pink Faber-Castell pen, there were but a few things I bothered buying back then and have always been a staple in my kikay kit -- an eyebrow pencil, a kohl eye liner, a tube of mascara, and a pressed powder. I hardly ever wore lipstick or lip gloss before! I did own a couple of other makeup items such as a foundation that did not match my skintone, a blush that was too pink, and eyeshadows that I didn't know how to use. I didn't even own a single brush! I SWEAR, CROSS MY HEART, AND HOPE TO DIE! Let's just say 75% of my makeup stash were all presents and pasalubongs from friends and relatives from the US. (Who can relate? Raise your hands!) So yeah, I figured I might as well learn to use these things especially now that I'm older and besides, I'm already a mom!


Remember that old TVC for Flintstones vitamins where a younger sister asked her big sister, "Why are you wearing mommy's lipstick?" "BECAUSE..." I think that got into my subconscious since and for me, wearing lipstick is only acceptable when you have kids (to show that you are the mother). IKR!? But yes, I am serious. That was what I thought and besides none of my buddies were makeup junkies. We only wore makeup during special events and weddings. There wasn't any peer pressure to look like a million bucks. After all, the provincial life doesn't demand it.


It also was a major plus factor that during my adolescence/twenteens my battle for acne and my crazy hormones was controlled with medications as well as following a strict skincare routine. But when I got pregnant and laid off of all my beauty supplements and treatments, I got the worse of it and until now I'm still desperately trying to overcome this skin problem. (Maybe I ought to go back to using the Local Obagi now?) So then I figured since I couldn't do what I did before, maybe I could learn the art of maquillage to help me with my ongoing dilemma. And so my beauty journey began.


It all started with the search for the perfect concealer which, to make the long story short, ended with my discovery of NATURACTOR. Months later, I can still say it is the ultimate concealer for me and that I cannot live without it anymore. Say what you want, but I have regained my confidence because of this product and I am not even paid to advertise it! Seriously, believe the hype. I'm here to prove it.

And then I discovered contouring, which made all the difference! My gosh! If I knew how to contour I wouldn't have been so depressed while I was trying to lose my post partum weight. With the correct application of bronzer or (in my case, most of the time) a dark powder foundation, any angle of a #selfie can be perfect! Goodbye chubby cheeks and high forehead, I can disguise you now. KTHXBYE.


The best part about learning makeup tricks is also the boost of self-esteem that I garnered. Because truth be told, I am fairly insecure with my looks even though my husband just rolls his eyes every time I act so dramatic about it and reminds (assures?) me it's not the reason he married me. LOL! Yeah, I am shallow sometimes. Aren't we all? I mean, anybody who's going through PMS know that feeling all too well.


And then I got addicted, well, let's just say super enthusiastic about makeup, largely in part because le husband Noodle Boy bought me a vanity kit with mirror and lights and now I have a makeup station whereas before I simply sat on the floor perfecting that winged liner.

My current makeup station. It's super messy though it's not much, but it's a work in progress.

Right now I'm getting requests from people who want me to do their makeup. Whoa! And I'm not even a pro! Seriously, I'm so amateur at this and such a n00b that when I attended the Avon workshop, I felt absolutely small (and literally, too!). The ladies of the Avon Makeup Council are way beyond my league! They were all so beautiful that I had to stop myself from staring at them. But passionate as I am with everything that I do, instead of retreating inside my shell, I realized then and there what I needed to do. I wanted to get better at this. I was driven to become the best that I can be and so I continued to learn and teach myself all about makeup by scouring the interwebs at dawn and watching countless YouTube tutorials... even contemplating about creating a makeup channel myself... or not.


Anyways, time flies when you're having fun and when I look back at my old photos on Instagram, I can very well criticize myself and I'm glad to see the improvements I've made. So you see, posting shameless #selfies does have a purpose. I have kept track of my skills and found out where I need to work more on. I'm not becoming a beauty blogger just to promote products. I would continue to rave (or rant) about something especially when it has significantly impacted my life -- a product or an event, it doesn't matter. I am also excited to try new products because for the past 3 decades I've always stuck to popular and trusted brands, not considering what is actually appropriate for my skin type, etc. Armed with an open mind and a fresh new outlook, now I choose to be a beauty blogger because I'd like to show you guys, especially the people who know where I'm coming from (acne, oily and problematic skin), that there is something we can do to primp and prettify... and with practice, become drop dead gorgeous bombshells, too! Plus who needs to learn Photoshop or edit pics when you can transform yourself with makeup instantly?! Tee hee.


So now I'm thinking I'm actually not too old to become a beauty blogger. I mean, I don't care if I'm Jurassic compared to these young ones. This is the right age for me to wear makeup. I once tried asking my mom to buy me a Revlon lipstick back in college, the slim one with the elegant gold tone casing which I reckon was MoistureStay™ or I'm not sure what it was called back then and it had this minty taste which was very cool on the lips (I don't know for the life of me why I even tasted it!), but it was pretty costly at more than PHP500 in Metro Ayala. (Take note this was back in 1999. That absurd amount was worth my one week's allowance!) Of course, she refused and told me it was not appropriate and I need to learn the value of money. Meaning, I was still a student and it was too expensive! Also she stated that when I earn my own money, then I can very well buy whatever I want. And she was absolutely right! I may have sulked a bit back then but I never hated her for denying my request. Cue in the Flintstones commercial which played incessantly in my head.


If I am ever going to have a daughter, I'll probably tell her the exact same thing and that there is a right age to wear makeup. Please don't misunderstand because I'm not saying these younger (more nubile, vibrant, and spirited) beauty bloggers out there are doing it wrong. In fact, they are indeed very knowledgeable about beauty and the current trends. Suum cuique. To each his/her own. If you can afford makeup and need/want it, regardless of age, by all means... WEAR IT! Makeup really is an art and a wonderful way to express yourself. As for myself, I'm not quite the artist yet, but I'd just like to say... BECAUSE.... It's about time.



Journey into the world of beauty with me! Thanks for reading and please come back for more blog posts, beauty reviews and giveaways!


Don't forget to follow me on IG: @bastaigat_sikat to find out about what products I use and currently loving. :) Ciao!


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As I write this blog entry, I can hear the wind howling outside my window. The weather hasn't been entirely great the past week forcing a number of people to miss the Sinulog because of cancelled trips, although some managed to take trips to Cebu in spite of the very rough seas and braving terrifying boat rides armed only with their faith, all for Sr. Sto. Nino.  And now with tropical depression Agaton making its way across the Philippines, we, the traumatized Yolanda (Haiyan) victims are on the alert, not only because we are afraid of what might happen but it's because most of our houses here in Leyte haven't been completely fixed. A lot of houses are still roofless using only tarpaulins or trapal as shelter from the torrential rains. Actually, when I went outside to check earlier, the trapal that we are using as cover in our balcony is already partially blown off. *sigh* At the rate it's going, it will probably be gone by morning. Thank goodness though there's not a lot of rainfall because the scenario would be set for a long sleepless night surrounded by buckets of water due to a leaking roof. Oh well.

So what are we doing about this right now? A majority of people are waiting for shelter kits to arrive so they can start building. The small percentile of affluent people (the 1%?) have been able to fix their houses already, while most of us are still living one day a time, earning and saving to be able to rebuild. With electricity just recently restored (2 weeks ago in our neighborhood though we were told it will take another 6+ months of waiting until power is fully restored throughout the entire city), we have just begun operating our micro business but the damages caused by Yolanda completely cleared out not only our inventories but our bank accounts as well. So right now, I am sad to say, we are back to square one, like most affected people. But we are thankful still to be alive and resilient enough to get back on our feet to return to living.

But life really isn't back to normal 10 weeks post Yolanda (Haiyan) yet. I can see a lot of individuals still struggling to get by and many consumers still hoarding groceries, especially the ones living in far-flung barangays, but the Ormocanons are pretty disciplined people and we do what we can to survive. Remember the 1991 flash flood? Eeek. I was only 8 years old back then and there was 13 feet of flood water in our house! But that's an entirely different story I'll write about some other time. *pushes memory aside*

My point is... we still need HELP, in terms of rebuilding and livelihood. We are grateful for a lot already and even though we are disappointed by the government's response to this tragedy save for some which eventually reached us, there were many good samaritans and NGOs/private organizations who have extended their hands to help us get back on our feet with their relief goods and financial assistance. But what to do about our shelters and in the long run, will it last? WHAT IF ANOTHER SUPER TYPHOON COMES ALONG? Are we prepared? Will we survive another round? Climate change is only getting worse and I am starting to feel it's like an end of an era (or have I been reading/watching too many sci-fi books/movies?). I guess the only thing we could do right now is help each other, rely on each other for support, and live on.
With #GLOBEProjectWonderful2014 asking this question: “If there is one thing you can give to the Philippines, what is that gift?” My wild imagination wishes the whole archipelago to be moved away from this calamity-prone location. But a continental drift will probably warrant an end of civilization or something in the lines of extinction, so I do realize and un-wish it because that's not possible. Now if there's one thing that's totally viable and probable, I really want to give the Philippines, especially those who experienced the wrath of typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), a chance to live and prosper AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. It will take a long time to rebuild if we are to rely on just savings from meager wages and foreign donations to come (if they ever will!). I'd like houses to be built already because typhoons are not going to stop coming, rains will continue to pour, and the winds won't be letting up anytime soon. I've also read and learned about 100% sustainable hybrid homes and eco-friendly houses that combine rainwater harvesting and clean energy generation (THINK: UNLIMITED WATER SUPPLY & SOLAR POWERED HOUSES!). I want to give all THAT to the Philippines -- to the staggering number of people who lost their homes and have been affected greatly by the typhoon and furthermore will more likely be in the way again of future storms.

An example of a sustainable eco-friendly house. Photo credit: Mesocore.

If Globe, a huge company and major provider of telecommunications services in the Philippines which support many humanitarian projects, can grant me this wish, expensive that it is, I'm not going to be the only person who will be unbelievably overjoyed. If this wish can be turned into reality, we can surely make not just a little but a GINORMOUS difference. Especially to the lives of tens/hundreds (thousands!) of Filipinos.

Here are some inspiring and ideal house models I've come across online.

Photo credit.

Photo credit.

I've found out that there are plenty of things we can utilize to conserve energy such as eco-friendly resources like solar power, photovoltaics, wind power, rainwater harvesting, insulation, and going off-grid solutions to name a few.

WISHFUL THINKING, INDEED! 

Pardon my imagination for going on hyperdrive again. The houses may be too costly to provide for all the victims, however wonderful and remarkable they truly are. If Globe can provide these eco-friendly houses, that would be extremely amazing!!! But honestly, if there's anything the Yolanda (Haiyan) experience taught me, it's to take what I can and be thankful for what I have and what I can get. But do you know there are some things that stand out among all the things we got after the typhoon? These babies right here...


A solar panel donated by my cousin to charge our gadgets and LED bulbs so we have illumination at night & a hand-winding solar lamp/charger given by an aunt that not only provides light but charges gadgets through USB cable as well. After Yolanda, people went almost berserk looking for places to charge their mobile phones so they can contact their loved ones.

Post Yolanda charging station at the New Pongos Hotel. Photos by Raymund Tan.

If only the whole lot of us had solar chargers at our disposal back then, we could have spared our relatives from being worried sick because we had no communication and no battery power after the super typhoon. Solar chargers are indeed valuable things which can give us some comfort during these trying times especially when evening comes. Never underestimate the power of the sun. In the darkness, it's something you can certainly turn to.

Image from Google.

I want to give light (literally!) to the dreadful ordeal that we are going through. If Globe can help me give these gifts to the people of the Philippines, then my #GLOBEProjectWonderful2014 wish for a better Philippines will not just come true but will make a whole lot of difference most especially to the victims of Yolanda (Haiyan). Take note that utilizing solar energy will not only decrease electric bills but will also cut carbon footprint! BOOM!

Guys, help me send this message to Globe so they might consider my wish. Please share my blog post to your Facebook, Twitter, or any social media sites. Also don't forget to COMMENT after this blog post your answer to the same question: “If there is one thing you can give to the Philippines, what is that gift?” If Globe hears me out and grants my wish, one lucky bastaigatsikat.com reader and "commenter" will WIN an iPad Mini 2 from Globe! 


Try to imagine what it is like to be roofless or homeless until now. But you know what... in spite of all that, we are definitely not HOPELESS! #BangonOrmoc

Let’s extend our gifting and make this start of the year another gifting season!
Let’s all make a wish that will go a long way.

Help create a wonderful Philippines. If you’d like to volunteer or make a donation, visit www.projectwonderful.ph!


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I've already done blog reviews for THE BLUES and THE GREENS, and naturally comes the last but not the least, THE METALLICS. This is another 8-in-1 palette consisting of various different colors that are frosted/satin/shimmer. They are mainly dark and pigmented colors which would be perfect for evening events.


As for swatches, you can see that they are pigmented enough but I suggest wearing a primer for a more intense eyeshadow color. From left to right (top to bottom), we have these shades: A peachy pink, a deep color somewhere between aquamarine and turquoise, a yellow gold, a periwinkle, a bronze, a maroon, a silver, and a dark gunmetal (almost black but not quite so) shade. Sorry, if I'm not too accurate of the color descriptions, but hey, I tried. Tee hee.


Like the other 8-in-1 palettes, this doesn't disappoint and it gives you more variety of shades. The only thing one might find lacking are the matte ones but then again, this palette won't be called THE METALLICS for nothing. Perhaps AVON might release a pure matte palette in the future and I'll be sure to get that one to add to my collection.

For my #FOTD, I picked Avon's Ultra Color lipstick in BERRY BRIGHT. They are very rich and you only need one or two swipes and you're all set. It's the same kind as the Hibiscus one I used in my Barbie/Princess makeup tutorial but this one's a deeper pink/fuschia shade.


I also used Avon's Glimmerstick lip liner in Pink Bouquet which makes lining lips easy because it's retractable. No more sharpening!


Additionally, I got to test out the new SUPER DRAMA mascara from Avon. The wand is pretty unique although the consistency of the mascara isn't what I hoped for. It's kind of "wet", I should say. I like my mascaras "dry".



My lashes are, as you might already know, the short and straight type and it takes a whole lot of curling and mascara to get it looking decent enough.


MYMARIA's MAKEUP HACK: What I do between mascara coats is dab some powder on the tips of my lashes so that the product has something to adhere to and I get longer looking lashes with more coating.


So that's it for my #faceoftheday blog post. Hope you liked it and stay tuned for more reviews...

#FOTD with Avon 8-in-1 The Metallics eyeshadows, Super Drama mascara in Black, Ultra Color lipstick in Berry Bright, Glimmersticks lip liner in Pink Bouquet, and Luminous Blush in Peach.

To find out more about Avon's affordable and excellent quality makeup products, visit their website at www.avon.com.ph to browse their online brochure.

DISCLAIMER: I did not pay nor got paid for this blog post. The products were given to me since I am an AVON PR Blogger Partner and a member of the AVON Makeup Council. I received no incentive to offer a favorable review and the only compensation I get is to experience and try out the products for myself so I can share with you an objective review and hopefully help my readers make an informed decision before buying.

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Have you seen my previous post about Avon's 8-in-1 palette in various shades of BLUE? Well, this one is a similar palette with mainly greens and neutral colors. I should say I love this palette more and that it somewhat reminds of me of my Urban Decay Naked palette though this comes with more shimmery eyeshadows.


For day makeup, it's very easy to create different looks with the 8-in-1 palette. Take a look at this fairly neutral combo of colors for a casual daytime look.


It's pigmented enough to wear during the day and I didn't need any eye primer. If you like all that shimmers and glitters, there's no reason why you shouldn't wear it when you want to. Mattes are actually preferred for daytime looks but if you wanna stand out and sparkle, why not, chocnut?

Swatched ONCE using a finger.

For a night about town, you've got plenty of options such as choosing the darker colors and blending that shiz out to create a decent smokey eyed look.


The look above was accomplished with the additional use of Avon's Eyeshadow Duet in Maize (Lemon Ice and Latte) serving as eyeshadow primer. It's quite creamy (and a bit oily) for my skin so I'd rather use it as a primer to make the powder eyeshadow colors pop some more! And boy, it didn't disappoint.

Regular price is PHP 299

Also I picked Avon's Glimmersticks eyeliner in Galactic Green to line my eyes instead of my usual black liner... 'coz I'm sticking to my GREEN-EYED MONSTER theme. Tee hee. Although my eyes aren't near verde, I find that the different shades of green eyeshadows bring out the light brown color of los ojos. (Perdóname... sorry about throwing in some Spanish words around for I'm recently hooked on Duolingo! Add me please?!)

On sale for only PHP 199 (regular price is PHP 250) or BUY 2 for only PHP 299!

So what else can I say? I truly adore this palette and I highly recommend this to add to your kikay kit! It's very versatile, because you can use it for both daytime or evening looks. The 8-in-1 palette is also very affordable and is currently on sale at only PHP 339 (regular price is PHP 499!) until January 15, 2014. I suggest you call your Avon lady now or drop by your nearest Avon outlet to check out their latest promos and get an instant makeover! You can also visit their website at www.avon.com.ph to browse their online brochure.

DISCLAIMER: I did not pay nor got paid for this blog post. The products were given to me since I am an AVON PR Blogger Partner and a member of the AVON Makeup Council. I received no incentive to offer a favorable review and the only compensation I get is to experience and try out the products for myself so I can share with you an objective review and hopefully help my readers make an informed decision before buying.

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