How to Pull Off Dark Lipstick

I used to wear neutral lips.
Then I got older and discovered lots of cute bright matte lipstick, I was hooked. Bright matte lips are my staple. 

I have some dark lipstick because I wanted to do the ombre thing. But last week I decided to wear it separately, in the day time, for work in the ministry. Here's the selfies:

Purbasari EC87

Wardah Intense Matte 12

Wet N Wild Sugar Plum Fairy

and I love the result. I didn't get much compliment, but that wasn't I intended to. I wear them to please myself. 
Also I realize that Wardah Intense Matte 12 is not flattering for my skintone because it's too brown.

So, what does it take to wear dark lips?? Here's some advice:

1. Wear it with confidence.
2. Being old helps too. I didn't have the confidence before I hit 35.
3. Confidence itself is useless if the color doesn't suit your skintone. So pick the right shade.
4. This kind of makeup requires flawless skin (or concealer, if you don't have good skin).
5. Keep the eyes neutral. Don't wear dark eyeshadow AND dark lips if you don't want to fall into goth territory.
6. Exfloliate. Dark, patchy, flaky lips are not flattering.
7. Have fun. It's just makeup, not a tattoo. Wipe it off if your friend says it's ugly!

Vlog

Last February, in one online store, I saw a very good deal of hair styler/straightener. So I google-ed it and found a review in youtube, by a girl named Bunny the Grav3yardgirl. The video at that time had 4 million hits.

Guess what? I'm hooked. I love the way she talks. I love the way she reviews the products, both cosmetics or As Seen In TV thing...I also enjoy her Follow Me Around video or 'tea vlog' where she talks for 20 minutes about things like salon experience.

She has tween, teen fans and I'm 37!!! WHOAA!! But I don't care, I love her videos.

I'm writing this because she inspires me to do my own makeup tutorial. I'm not makeup artist, but in my world (yeah), at least among my friends, I'm the guru of makeup. I've been wearing makeup since collage, just because in Indonesia it's forbidden for high school girls to wear makeup. Other wise I'd wear them.

Screenshot of Bunny The Grav3yardgirl on Youtube

First, I post a Facebook status "if I make a makeup tutorial, would anyone watch it?" and I got tens positive replies.

So, I did it. Bought a cell phone tripod and filming with my Samsung S3 Mini. The result? Not bad, but still FAAAAAAR from perfection (if Bunny the standard is 10, probably I gain 2-3 points). No, I don't have the ambition to have 5 million followers because the more people watch the video, the more bullying we'd get. Poor Bunny, people call her 'ugly' 'lazy' 'horse teeth'. That's horrible. I don't think I can handle cyber-bullying. I just post in on my Facebook page and only selected friends can view it.

Screen capture of my 'tutorial'

I did self-evaluation:

• I know I'm not Bunny, I'm not hilarious and funny. I want to be like her, but it would be fake if I try to act like her. 
• I know I don't sound bad. It's not good to hear high-pitched vlogger, right?
• Sometimes I speak too fast.
• It's hard to stay focused while doing monologue with the camera. I don't know how Bunny does that. I have tons on my mind, like product description, but I just don't say them right. It sounds very good on my head but sounds terrible on camera. 
• I don't know where to look. I know I should look at the lens while filming, but I did makeup tutorial and it's impossible not to look at the screen (and create weird eye angle on film).
• Sometimes I didn't prepare the makeup and tools properly so I was busy looking around and looked stupid. 
• I think I should name it 'The Way Indira Apply Her Makeup' because Tutorial seems too bossy and guru-y.

I also got some feedback:

• I should put before-after pics.
• I should not talk while fast-forwarding. 
• More on description: if I do a contouring, I should explain about contouring little bit.

I edited some part using Movie Maker in Windows8, I fast forward and add subtitle. For example, when I applied foundation, I fast-forward because it would be boring seeing myself with makeup brush for 2 minutes. Then I put some subtitle because I wasn't good with product EXACT name and spent too many times turning the packaging and reading the description. Not attractive. 

Then I realized that I like the editing more than filming!!

Some Makeup Tips

Note: I'm not a pro, just want to share what I've done in years

I was little bit late weeks ago, didn’t have much time to apply makeup and only wore makeup base, little eyeliner and eyebrow pencil. (Yesterday I was late too, didn’t apply any makeup accept makeup base, it was disaster I looked like a sick person). When I was heading to my desk, a friend from another unit commented on my lipstick and we talked on makeup, and because I didn’t wear much I told them “please come to my unit’s meeting room and play with some makeup”

I left 2 blushes, many lipstick colors, 1 eyeshadow (4 colors), 2 lip liners, 1 liquid eyeliner and 2 pencil eyeliners in my office drawer –hey I’m a makeup freak- and brought 1 Mustika Ratu blush, 2 eyeliner (liquid and pencil), 1 eyelash curler, 1 Maybelline The Rocket Volum Express.

Then the ladies came to the meeting room and I tought them some tricks.

I’m not saying I’m an expert, but I’ve been wearing makeup regularly since I was collage girl, so I have 18 years of experience.

I’m old huh

While everyone’s skin tone, facial shape and taste are different, there are some universal things I guess.

FACE:

• Some people has warm, some has cold skin tone. Warm skin tone looks good with gold, brown, green colors and cold tone looks good with purple, blue, pink shades. Mine is cold tone. How do I know that? Easy. I got compliments every time I wear pink. Well, most of the time.
• You can wear bright, unnatural color to your face, but keep your FACE color and EYEBROW shape (and color) natural.
• Makeup base is important if you want flawless and fresh look. Everyone’s taste on foundation and powder might be different: some like it light, some like it heavy and full covered, but always test it on YOUR FACE, not on the back of your hand. And look for one or half shade lighter than your natural skin tone.
• Some loose powder, like MAC, can turn darker after worn, so choose a shade lighter.
• I believe in expensive makeup base. Most of the time they don’t cake and has variants of colors.

LIPS

•  I still don’t get the ultraexpensive-lipstick thing. It’s the lips not the lipstick. (I wrote this because I can't afford them LOL)
•  If you want to experiment with crazy vivid bright color, try sample size lipsticks from Sophie Martin. They offer cute supersmall 3 finishes sample lip colors (shiny, matte, and pearly).
• I rarely wear lipgloss, I don’t know why I don’t like them. It’s just a matter of personal preference.

EYES/EYEBROW

• For those who need eyebrow coloring, I love Etude Drawing Eyebrow in dark brown or Revlon dark brown eyebrow pencil.
•  Unless you’re red-headed, don’t use reddish-brown eyebrow pencil. One famous cosmetic brand (V1va) is known for its eyebrow pencil, but I don’t like it because its reddish shade.
• Keep the shape as natural as possible.
•  It’s easier to apply liquid eyeliner on upper eye and pencil on bottom eye. Probably for most people it’s easier to have only 1 pencil eyeliner, so it’s not applicable for everyone. Right now my favorite is PAC pencil eyeliner in black.
• Everyone with glasses can wear dark smoky eyes every day. Or probably it’s just me :D

Last(s) but not least:

• If you do dark eyes, wear neutral lipstick. If you wear red lipstick, don’t wear smoky eyes. Errr…I do dark eye and bright lips actually, but I’m wearing glasses J (please refer to previous sentences)
•  Look at the mirror and always trust your judgment. If it looks ugly, probably you’re doing it wrong.
•    …or ask a honest friend for honest –but gentle- opinion. I told my coworkers “please tell me if I look terrible”.

So the key is experiment. Keep trying (and watch youtube tutorials) until you achieve your desired look!

Manila Trip

While I don't like travelling, I won't complain during business trip to Manila. First of all, it was located in five stars hotel

We arrived early (at 6AM local time) and I did early check in because I couldn't sleep on the plane. I won't reveal what I did there, there would be boring, but here's some activities I did:

The meeting ended at around 17 so we had plenty of time to go to malls. And EDSA Shangri-La is located NEXT to two malls (Shangri-La Plaza and new Mega Mall). I went to Plaza everyday for dinner and practically got nothing to buy. Here's some view of my  room.

Here's some pool side view

I visited an industrial park. It was exciting to see a WWTP again!

We got chance to visit Fort Santiago. Too bad it was raining, I didn't had chance to take many pictures.

The food was amazing, I mean, cakes and pastries are my weakness

A reason why I hit the gym TWICE a day

 This is what we found on the way to the airport (on last day)

it's like 'ojeg' in Jakarta, but it can carry up to SIX passengers!!

As a beauty junky, I made time to visit the supermarket, drugstores and bought something that's not available in Jakarta

Posing near the scale in Ninoy Aquino Airport

Glutathione is a hit there, I guess

I splurged on Chanel Mat Lumiere Powder (from Duty Free) 

Cetaphil and two glittery nail polish by Revlon 

Here's the Revlon nail polish in Scandalous

Mini Maybelline powder! Cute huh?!

 

Revlon nail polish in Sun Candy 

Mini Rexona for Men

This was the first day of meeting:

I didn't expect this traditional Philippines top, otherwise I'd wear something with no pattern

 Aha! Ms. Indira Siregar

My name!

Clarisonic Brush

Last year, my friend Wina generously gave me a Clarisonic, a skincare gadget.

www.clarisonic.com

I never had a change to write a descent review about this thing because my skin is VERY fluctuating. Here's the example: 

I have superflawless skin during and couple months after chemotherapy. 

I know it sounds very bad, but i miss what chemo did to my skin. It was glowing. No oil. No dryness. Just perfection. Also I had microdermabrasion on June 2011 so the skin was very very very beautiful. There were times when all I needed was under-eye concealer and loose powder. Seriously.

Then...after 6 months...hormone eruption. That's my own terminology, not the doctor's FYI. I had breakouts allover my chest. My back. My forehead. Cheekbones. I'm just glad that I had no zits on my cheeks, otherwise it would be disaster (because it's easy to get scar on thin areas like cheek). At that time I use Clarisonic twice a day and bathed with antiacne soap...and it didn't help much. 

I still had zits. 

Right now I'm using the brush once a day, at night. Wait until my skin in normal condition again, I'll write a descent review about it.

20 Juni 2012

If you look carefully, you can see zit allover my forehead. and FYI, I wore foundation and loose powder for this picture. 

Benefit Chacha Tint

Right now I'm little bit obsessed with lipstain, so when my aunt went to Malaysia, I asked her to get me a lipstain.

She bought me Benefit Chacha Tint (and got herself a Benetint).

FYI, Benefit is not available in Indonesia at the time of writing.

What is a Chacha Tint? It's "This mango-tinted stain beautifully blushes lips & cheeks with a tropical sunset hue. Smooch-proof & smudge-proof, this sheer stain will have you looking deliciously sun-kissed for hours." according to the company.



It took many trial and (LOTS of) error to apply this product.

First, I dot it on my cheek, closed the caps, then worked on my right cheek first,then my left.

BIG mistake.

I got streak on my left cheek!!
At that time I realized that this product absorbed very very quickly. So now I can give you tips to apply the tint:

Open the cap, dot it on one side of your cheek, then blend immediately. Dot the other cheek and blend right away.
Then you can close the cap.

A-Ha!!!
Beautifuly flushed-cheek that lasts all day long!!

This is me wearing the tint. Please pay attention on my blush. I look fresh-er with this.

PS: don't forget to wash your hand after wearing this pigmented tint!

Pixy Color of Delight: Eyeliner and Eyebrow Pencil

Right now I'm interested on local product. Simply because they're cheaper, hehehe. Affordable cosmetics are something good when it comes to something we dont' use everyday, such as bright eyeliner.

I saw Pixy Color of Delight cosmetics in Hypermart. I was interested on their eyeliner because it seemed cute. According the website Mandom Indonesia Tbk this product is "multifunction pencil that can be used as eyeliner and eyeshadow. Available in white, maroon and green". Mine was green.

What they didn't mention is that this pencil had glitter...and also super long lasting. I washed my face many, many times that day and the green liner stayed. Well, not the glitter.



The second product I have is an eyebrow pencil. It's black.
I noticed my eyebrow became thinner since the chemotherapy, so my dark brown Revlon eyebrow pencil no longer natural on my eyebrow since it created reddish brown eyebrow! I don't want something expensive, hopefully my eyebrow will grow back after the chemo :)
The Pixy pencil is a good product. Not too hard, not too soft for eyebrow pencil. I love it. I mix it with my Revlon.

Probably because its dark color, I think it lasts longer than the dark brown Revlon.

I don't remember the price (both eyeliner and eyebrow pencil!), but I think it costs less than IDR 40,000.

Bottom line: Indonesian cosmetics have good quality these days, but I haven't found good local foundation. Yet.

Microdermabrasion in Natasha Skin Care

About a week after hearing the bad news ("Darling, you need a chemotherapy"), the first thing in my mind was "Oh I'm gonna be bald" and I need a proffesional skin treatment!

I've been longing for microdermabrasion or probably chemical peeling, so it's the right time to do it.

I did it a week after my surgery. Natasha Skin Care in Cibubur placed its treatment room on second floor, so it was kind of painful to climb up those stairs!

First, it was doctor consultation. He recommended facial and microdermabrasion.
Then, the facial. Extremely painful extraction (really!)then followed with microdermabrasion.

After that, I purchased lots of creams and those treatment and creams weren't cheap. I don't remember the exact number, but the facial and microdermabrasion cost each IDR 400,000; the creams were about IDR 400,000. Not cheap. Really really not cheap.

But the cream themselves: I have to admit I'm little bit sceptical. For around IDR 400,000 I get:
day cream
night cream
day NECK cream
night NECk cream
suncreen
anti-irritation cream (worn for 2 days after)

===to be continued==

Oriflame Eyeliner Stylo

I was interested on the shape: the tips looks like a marker!


Now here's the review:
The color (mine is black) isn't too intense. I need about 3 coats to make it dark enough for my standard.

I can't blend it because it dries too fast (probably good for other, but not me.

It doesn't stay long either, but at least it didn't smudge.

Also the applicator takes time to master.

Bottom line, I don't like this product...but this is good if you like precise line and not-too- intense color.

Morning Ritual

These are products that I apply in my face (and neck) every morning.

The Body Shop seaweed facial wash, Vitamin E serum and moisturizer; Ristra eye cream; and...alcohol to clean up my wound and creams for my scars :)

Revlon Beyond Natural Blush and Bronzer

This one is a gift. I don't play much with my cheeks so I rarely buy a blush.


Photo: Revlon.com

Anyway, mine is 430 Plumberry.

The name of the product reveals anything: Beyond Natural Blush & Bronzer is a blush (the plumberry color) and a bronzer (the tan color)...and just like the name, it's very natural. You won't overdo...even after 3 layers of application.

Yes, I've tried that.

This is amazing product if you want sheer, healthy look.

Sariayu Koleksi Nias

Newest trend from Sariayu, Koleksi Nias



Photo: Sariayu.com

Sariayu Koleksi Toba

Newest trend from Sariayu


Photo: Sariayu.com

Orflame

I purchased some discounted product on Oriflame (hehehe), they are:

Oriflame Forever Eyes Cream Eyeshadow.
This is my second time purchase. It's not a cream eyeshadow, it's a liquid one with good staying power, I use it as eyemakeup base.

Giordani Gold Eye Pencil in black
Love the texture, it's so soft and glides easily. It has applicator tip too. I wear it right away after I received it, so I can't comment on the staying power.

Giordani Gold Rouge Future Lipstick SPF 15 in Ravishing Red
Honestly, it was a mistake. I ordered the tester but the consultant got me the real one. Can't comment on this product yet.

The Body Shop Shopping

I went to Pasaraya on last Saturday night, purchased some The Body Shop (TBS) product:

1. Seaweed Purifying Facial Cleanser (a milk cleanser for combination skin)
2. Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial Wash (a facial wash for combination skin)
3. Deep Pore Cleansing Pads (accessories, 4 cute small soft towels for your face, packed inside tiny string bag. Cute!)

I'll post a review.

Caring Colours Has Cute Color Set!!!

yesterday I was looking for umm...Diatabs *shy* in Guardian when I notice 6 'pocket book' by Caring Colours.

What? A cosmetic brand produced a book??!

Turned out it was a makeup palette!!!! It came in 6 sets, each has unusual name, all career-related.

How to Stay Awake from 9 to 5

How to Make Your Boss Notice You

How to Love Your Job

How to Deal with Tight Deadlines
How to Take Your Career to the Top

Anyway, I made mistake of searching in the Internet by typing 'Biokos', turned out the makeup is named Caring Colour.

It had no testers back in Guardian so I couldn't see colors in that cute palette. The size is small, very handy, about the size of their 2-way foundation.

I think it's very useful for touch up...or to be shown off to your friend because it's sooooooo adorable.

I'm not a fan of their 2-way foundation, but I love the blush...and I think the eyeshadow is pretty OK.

I got the pictures from Martha Tilaar Online Shop. I can't copy the picture of every sets, but here's the five ADORABLE set.

Price (from the online shop): IDR 79,500; in Guardian about IDR 82,000, sorry I don't remember the exact figure.

Somehow, the names and the packaging reminds me of Benefit , a brand that isn't available in Indonesia