Ashy Weekend

Basically most areas in Yogyakarta are now covered with volcanic ash. So everywhere you go, you'll see people wearing masks to avoid respiratory infection. Everything is grey in color, even the leaves are grey!

It's so depressing.

The past few days I've just been wearing the same kinda makeup; dark brown eyeshadow + heavy eyeliner job. Recently I discovered a better black eyeliner than (what's used to be) my HG Urban Decay 24/7 in Zero. It's cheaper and available locally so I don't have to pay for shipping. I'll let you know about it next time I've taken pictures of the product! Haha, yeah, I'm evil like that! :P

But seriously, look at how intense the eyeliner is especially on my waterline. I love it.

I'm wearing MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC37, Urban Decay Afterglow Blush in Score, and LA Girl Lipstick in Fling.

No idea why I didn't take pictures of my whole outfit but it was very casual anyway. I wore dark jeans and flats down there. I wanted to wear my nude pumps that I just bought a week ago but my friends advised me not to. Haha yeah I was going to a metal gig, that's why.

This gig was for local underground metal bands to promote their music and for the fans to get together. I am obviously not a metalhead but I enjoyed the atmosphere. People were really cool and no one laughed at me when I told them I only know ONE Indonesian metal band (that is Kekal). LOL.

Attending live music is one of my favorite activities, hehe, but I'm pretty much doomed because most of the time the big gigs are all held in Jakarta. Like earlier this month The Smashing Pumpkins came to Indonesia again but I couldn't go. Sucky sucks. :(

Anyways,
this is the pair of shoes I talked about earlier... my first nude pumps. :D

I fortuitously encountered a sale event at Centro Dept. Store when I was at the mall a week ago. The shoes were priced at Rp 249.000 (around $25) but there was a 30% discount for Centro card holders so I bought it. The coolest part is... this pair is SO comfortable despite being cheap. It's from Chrysalis, if you're wondering.

That is all and now I'm going to end this post with two pics of my ultra cute cat, Aslan. :)

"Leave me alone, I want to sleep! KTHXBAI"

Dropping by to say thanks :)

Yesterday morning we had a mild earthquake in the southern part of Yogyakarta but I didn't feel the tremble because fortunately, I was far from the epicenter. I don't think there's any casualties or damages but I haven't seen anything in the news. Merapi on the other hand is still very active. Things got pretty hectic up there, many aid groups and volunteers have arrived to help the refugees. Diseases spread fast because people have really limited access to clean water and at night it is so cold up there.

I just want to stress again that I live far from the mount merapi's peak even though I can see the mountain from where I live. So I am all fine and I am not affected by the eruption. Thank you so much for your concerned messages and emails. It's hard for me to convey my sincere feelings through texts but I really do appreciate every one of them.

I think we can all learn from this disaster. It reminds us to be grateful over even the smallest privilege we are blessed with. Cherish what you have while you have it because you never know when your life could change.

Be safe and have a nice weekend, guys!

*PS: Aslan is doing fine too :)

Mount Merapi Erupted

Hey guys,
this is just going to be a quick update. Perhaps some of you have already seen in the news that Mount Merapi erupted again. Some people have been reported wounded, even killed. This is a very saddening news to our nation. I hope all the people around the mountain have been evacuated and that no one will get injured anymore. I am going to go there today to visit one of the evacuation posts in Pakem, hopefully I can do something to help. If you don't live in Yogyakarta, you can help by sending money to Bank BPD Sleman with the account number 005.111.000802 or go to this or this link.

I also want to say thank you for your message and email asking if I'm okay. I do live not too far from the mountain but the area where I live is pretty safe. Thank you again for your concern, I feel so blessed to have great e-friends out there. :)

Magnumize Me!

We're so late. So super duper late. But I guess it's better late than never, huh?


I dropped by a Maybelline counter at the Matahari Department Store early this weekend and guess what? I found out that Maybelline has finally released a new mascara. It is called The Magnum Volum' Express and is priced at Rp 65.000. This mascara was released in other Southeast Asian countries like The Philippines and Malaysia quite a while ago. Despite of some bad reviews I stumbled upon online, I decided to buy one and get over with my curiosity. I've tried every single Maybelline mascara available in our country so why not try this one? Besides, I did come to Maybelline looking forward to replace my current mascara that I've been using for more than three months. It's started to flake like crazy and hurt my eyes (do your eyes a favor by replacing your mascara BEFORE it reaches three months of use!).


If you spend at least Rp 100.000 including a purchase of this mascara, you'll get a free canvas bag. I didn't know this at first, I just picked up the mascara and a bottle of makeup remover so my total amount of purchase was Rp 106.000. Oh and another good news; if you're a Matahari card holder, you'll get a 10% discount.

So let's see how this mascara performs, shall we?

First of all, I have to say that I like the brush of this mascara a lot. It's the pefect size; not too bulky but not too small either. The curved shape makes it easier for me to reach my inner and outer corner lashes, and it separates my lashes better than the Volum' Express Turbo Boost does.

price: Rp 65.000/9.2ml
made in: China
ingredients: ISODODECANE, CERA ALBA/BEESWAX, CERA CARNAUBA/CARNAUBA WAX, DISTEARDIMONIUM HECTORITE, AQUA/WATER, ALLYL STEREATE/VA COPOLYMER, ORYZA SATIVA CEAR/RICE BRAN WAX, PARAFFIN, ALCOHOL DENAT, POLYVINYL LAURATE, VP/EICOSENE COPOLYMER, PROPYLENE CARBONATE, TALC, ETHYLENEDIAMINE/STEARYL DIMER DILINOLEATE COPOLYMER, PEG-30 GLYCERYL STEARATE, PROPYLPARABEN,METHYLPARABEN, HYDROGENATED JOJOBA OIL, SILICA, SOLUBLE COLLAGEN [+/- MAY CONTAIN: CI 77499, CI 77492, CI 77491/IRON OXIDES, CI77077 / ULTRAMARINES, CI 77891 / TITANIUM DIOXIDE, MICA, CI 77288 / CHROMIUM OXIDE GREENS, CI 77289 / CHROMIUM HYDROXIDE GREEN, CI 77742 / MANGANESE VIOLET, CI 77510 / FERRIC FERROCYANIDE]

How to apply:

According to the brochure, you're supposed to use the inner side of the brush first to lift your lashes from root to end. Then, turn the wand upside down and use the other side of the brush to add volume and to separate your lashes. I tried out this method and here's the result:


Hmm, not exactly 9 times of volume but it does deliver good result! It lengthens and volumizes my thin lashes significantly. I also notice that this mascara does a better job separating my lashes than any other Maybelline mascaras I've tried.

But since this mascara is rather watery, I'd recommend waiting a few seconds first before you apply a second coat.

Until now I haven't had any problem with irritation or itchiness. The formula does somewhat smell funny, but it doesn't bother me. I wore this out for hours and then took a shower without wiping it off first. And well, it definitely survived the waterproof test! It didn't smudge and it still holds my curl! Although that might mean that this mascara is a pain in the ass to remove, I'm still very much impressed by it so far.

At such reasonable price, I think this is a good bet if you want to buy a mascara that you can wear everyday. It gives a natural finish, but is still able to define the lashes.

Now, my only question is... why the hell did it take so long for Maybelline Indonesia to release this?!!

Quick FOTD with MAC Fanfare Lipstick

I broke my Fanfare lipstick within two months I bought it. Somehow I find MAC cremesheen lipsticks very easy to crumble and living in a hot, humid country doesn't help either.

Bringing this lipstick with me for touch-ups during daytime is a risky affair. Perhaps that's why I don't wear it as much as I thought I would, aside from the fact that it also wouldn't go with my usual dark eye makeup. Some people find this lipstick "nude" but it is completely the other way around for me. It goes on bright, cool-toned medium pink which I can only wear with natural eye makeup. Even though it's a pretty natural shade (I'd call it a My Lips But Pinker shade), it's far from boring. I think this lipstick is perfect when you just want some color to brighten up your face but nothing too bold or overpowering.

In the tube Fanfare looks much deeper and coral-ish.

But once applied...

See? Cool-toned pink on me. Hmm what a tricky shade. :P

I was indecisive about what blush to wear with this lipstick and decided to go with Everyday Minerals' Nick Nack (a pale rosey pink shade - doesn't show up much on pictures but in real life, it works!).

products I used...
FACE
- BE Prime Time Foundation Primer
- MAC Studio Fix Powder
- Everyday Minerals blush in Nick Nack
- MAC Blot powder

LIPS
- Nivea Lip Care SPF25
- MAC Fanfare lipstick

EYES
- ELF studio eyebrow kit in dark
- ELF mineral eyeshadow primer
- NYX Taupe eyeshadow from TS-03 trio
- Too Faced eyeshadow in Heaven
- NYX jumbo eyeshadow pencil in Milk (waterline)
- Revlon fabuliner liquid eyeliner in Black (upper lashline)
- Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in Bourbone (lower lashline)
- Maybelline volum express mascara
- fake lashes

Random Tidbit Vol. 1: My Old Treasure Makes Me LOL.

Hello!

Perhaps one or two of you remember my ranting about having another blog that contains my non makeup related musings? Well, I reconsidered it and I thought it's probably best just to stick with one blog for now. Nurturing one has already been a challenge for me, so I'm not sure if I can do two.

In this case, I decided to have a "random-themed post" at least once a week so I get to let out all the crap in my head that has nothing to do with my makeup fixation. I'm pretty (awkwardly) random sometimes, so it might be fun. ;)

At this series premier, I'm gonna show you some things I found in my old room. ;)
I took these pictures when I was visiting my parents several weeks back.

Cassette tapes!!!

These are some of the records I own during my high school years (yes, there are more in different places I stored them). These, I tell you, are my most precious treasure. You can point at any one of them and I'd still remember when or where I bought it. I have more than 150 records in my possession and 80% of them are from American artists. I listened to quite a broad range of genres; from nu metal to radio-friendly country songs. That's why looking at them makes me giggle. It's such a weird collection and I listened to some really weird stuff. XD

Okay. So you might be wondering why I didn't collect CDs instead. Well, in Indonesia (at that moment, I don't know about now since I don't buy cassette tapes anymore) cassette tapes were still king of the music industry market. Most people find CDs are too expensive and most cars have cassette tape players instead of CD players, so there you go! I was just a poor high school student so I had to save up my lunch money and all to buy every one of these. I think that's exactly why I appreciate this collection of mine so much; it was such an effort to collect and keep them in good shape (aww I get all emotional, Lol). One day my kids will inherit these and go, "WTF? How do these things work?". HAHAHAH xD

Told you I listened to some really weird stuff. Crazy Town, anyone remembers them? They got that hit song called "Butterfly" and somehow I always get the creeps watching the video.


I wonder what happened to these guys. One of my besties in middle high was a big fan of them. Hit song: Wherever You Will Go.


Now this is where it gets interesting... Apparently I was a fan of the early years of American Idol!

I collected some comic books too...
I think I have more of them but maybe my sister went into my room and grabbed some.

Yes yes, manga is VERY popular in Indonesia. There are all sorts of them, but mostly I think we Indonesian girls love the ones with romantic stories and female superheroes. Take Sailor Moon for instance; when I was around 7, every girl's wish is to be her or at least to be one of her sidekicks. I was Sailor Jupiter because green was my favorite color and she's such a badass. :D

All I see is... LEGS. xD

All in all, I feel happy having these stuff as a memorabilia of my past and when I saw them for the first time in years, I was all excited. It was like finding an old diary of yours and you started to giggle the first minute you re-read it. :)

Bonus picture:

My boring ol' desk. Such a wreck! xD

The Mousse Experience

Some people have "wash & go" hair, I have a "wash & hide somewhere safe" hair. :P

Don't get me wrong, I do feel blessed having a sleek and healthy hair. But at some occasions I wish my hair could have been more voluminous without looking like I spent hours teasing it.

I have tried using volumizing mousse a long time ago, but it didn't blow my mind so I've forgotten about it ever since. Recently though, I was chit-chatting with some of my girl friends and someone mentioned this product. I decided to buy it and try it for myself since it's pretty affordable.

L'oreal Studio Volum' Max Amplifying Mousse Review

Price: Rp 58.000/150 ml (around US$6 - though I think it's only being sold in Asia?)
I bought it in a salon supplier store so it might be more expensive anywhere else.

What it says on the back of the packaging:
Volum' Max amplifying mousse from Studio Line creates long lasting volume even on flat hair. The latest generation of volumising agents allows you to amplify and volumise your hair from the roots for all day. A formula enriched with vitamins and proteins. Strengthens the hair fiber. Alcohol free.

How to use:
Shake the can well before each use and dispense holding upside down to give ultra-expanded mousse. Apply uniformly to dam hair. For amplified volume and body, apply the mousse from roots to tips. Leave your hair to dry naturally or use a hairdryer.
For even more volume, dry your hair upside down using a round brush.

Usually, I would need two pumps to cover the top and the back of my head. I would apply the mousse onto my hair roots when my hair is still damp. Then I blow dry my hair upside down with a paddle brush.

The result?

I'd say using this mousse gives me 20-30% more volume and texture than blow-drying without applying mousse first. The key is to blow dry your hair upside down and aim the nozzle of your hair dryer to your roots. Then use hair spray to make the style more long-lasting. If I don't use hair spray afterward, my hair would fall flat again within 2 hours. With hair spray, I'd say it'll last around 4 hours depending on how strong your hair spray is.

The good:
- cheap!
- does give hair more body and volume after blow-drying
- smells nice, not too offensive like old 80's hair mousse products (lol)
- the finish is natural; bouncy hair without looking too stiff
- has vitamins that can strengthen hair fiber

The bad:
- it leaves that sticky residue on your hands
- don't think it'll work as good on dry hair
- effect does not last long (at least on me, maybe it's just my thin and flimsy hair!)

I'm not sure why hair mousse products seem so underrated. If you're currently sporting a bob-cut or one of those hairstyles with short layers at the crown then by all means you should try it! Overall, I think this mousse is pretty good for its price. I won't be repurchasing though, as I've already laid eyes on another mousse product I'd love to try next.

How about you? Have you ever used hair mousse?

Euro Beat (fotd + ootd)

I don't think I've ever featured this dazzleglass before on any of my FOTDs, which is unacceptable considering how often I wear this gloss. Euro Beat dazzleglass was released last year (Fall 2009) as a part of the MAC Euristocrats II collection. I didn't buy it when it came out though; I picked it up during a sale on allcosmeticswholesale.com (yay me!). Now I know that many people dislike the gooey and gritty texture of some MAC lipglosses, but this one actually feels a-okay on my lips as long as I put lipbalm beforehand.

I usually pair this gloss with a "minimalist" eye makeup since it really is a bright peachy coral color with TONS of gold glitters, just like the way MAC described it. It's definitely one of those "look at my lips" glosses.




SWATCHED




I also wore my Summer Stroll blush by Everyday Minerals in this FOTD. I haven't worn it in a loooong time. I think EDM blushes rock though, they seem to adhere onto my cheeks and they last pretty long. But you know, sometimes with mineral makeup the packaging is not the most convenient. That's probably why I rarely reach for my mineral blushes despite how much I like them.

FACE
- BE Prime Time foundation primer
- L'oreal White Perfect Pearl foundation
- Everyday Minerals blush in Summer Stroll
- MAC blot powder

EYES
- ELF mineral eyeshadow primer
- Too Faced eyeshadow in Heaven
- Too Faced eyeshadow in Sexspresso
- Thevi matte eyeshadow #250
- Maybelline unstoppable pencil eyeliner in dark brown
-Maybelline volum' express mascara
- Fake lashes

LIPS
- Nivea lip care sun SPF 25
- Urban Decay 24/7 lip pencil in Zero
- MAC dazzleglass in Euro Beat

Here's my casual outfit yesterday. How often do you guys wear RED? I'm not really a fan of the color but my mom is. When buying me clothes, she always picks either red or purple. Me? I mostly go with neutrals; black, white, grey.... I desperately need to brighten up my wardrobe a bit.

the back of the blouse.. it's really cute :)

Someone tells me I look like Audy when I wear a loose top. Indonesian readers would know her. She's a singer. ;) I take that as a compliment, but seriously she's way prettier and I don't see any resemblance whatsoever.

Gosh I have a lot of stuff I have yet to review. The past few weeks of my life have been hectic, so please excuse the lack of updates. I'm trying though. I'm trying! :)

Bright Orange/Purple Look + Outfit

This is an outfit I put together on Friday just for the sake of dressing up. I wasn't really going anywhere fancy or anything, but an anonymous commenter (by the way, you don't have to be anonymous, just type in your name without the link, that would be fine) wanted to see how the F21 necklace looks like when worn so here you go.

I bought the dress online (it's a one piece) and the shoes are from Nine West.







I've been having some problem with my internet connection lately so uploading big pictures can be such a bitch. It kinda pisses me off because internet in Indonesia is pretty expensive yet it's still very slow (and unstable) sometimes.

Anyways, I finally made use of my NYX 10 color eyeshadow palettes again after neglecting them for several months. I wanted to make a picture tutorial of this look 'cause it's such a badass but at that moment I couldn't get good lighting and I was in a rush. Lame. But maybe some other time. ;)

Face
- Monistat (as primer)
- NYX concealer in jar in Medium
- MAC Studio Fix Fluid foundation SPF 15
- MAC blot powder
- Everyday Minerals blush in Snuggle

Lips
- Maybelline Moisture Extreme lipstick in Natural Nude
- NYX Megashine lipgloss in Crystal Soda

Eyes
- UDPP
- NYX jumbo eyeshadow pencil in Milk
- NYX eyeshadow palette in Mysterious Brown Eyes & Romance
- Stila Smudgepot in black
- Maybelline Volum Express mascara
- Elise fake lashes

Hope you're enjoying your weekend! So far mine has been awesome although it's mostly spent by watching downloaded Arrested Development episodes with my boyfriend and my cat. :)

Forever21 purchase & FOTD

It's totally unexpected but I received my first Forever21 purchase in the mail today! I thought it would take a few more days to arrive but I'm glad it's here already. I only bought two pieces of jewelry, though. Sheylla over Creamymilk put them on sale since the person who ordered them didn't pay for the stuff. I ended up buying them with better price. :D

Antiqued Doyenne Necklace

This necklace is rather bulkier than it looks in the picture, lol. I rarely wear layered necklace but this one is lovely. :)

Ornate Oval Earrings

I like big earrings but woah this pair is HEAVY. My ears are sweating. Hahah :P

And well, here's my first FOTD in October. I felt bad because I bought a Milani bronzer but never really use it. So today I tried it out as a blush and it works! I love it but I know I need to put a little less next time.

FACE
- Everyday Minerals Bisque Color Corrector (under eyes, on blemishes)
- MAC Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15
- MAC Blot Powder in Medium Dark
- Milani Powder Bronzer in Light (on cheeks)

LIPS
- Revlon Colorburst l/s in Soft Nude
- NYX Mega Shine l/g in Tanned

EYES
- UDPP
- Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Covet (as base)
- Milani e/s in Garden Mist (all over the lid)
- Too Face e/s in Honey Pot (gold on the crease)
- Too Faced e/s in Cocoa Puff (dark brown on the outer V)
- Stila Smudge Pot in Bronze (upper & lower lashline)
- Maybelline Volum Express mascara
- Elise Fake Lashes #10

The fake lashes I wore today:


It's Elise #10. Some people keep asking me how I'm able to put on falsies perfectly. Trust me, I sometimes mess up too. Keep practicing, that's all I can say, really. It's not as hard as some people think it is. :)