Dawn's Journal: October 2016

How I got into makeup (my makeup journey)

When I got interested in makeups, I didn't know what products to buy, what specific tools or whatever.

People love the way I draw my brows, but believe me, my eyebrows were a mess and I was always asking for my friend's help to put my eyeliner, I wasn't good at makeup.
For this post, no matter how embarrassing this is, I will be sharing the transition to when I started learning how to do my makeup up to now.

This is to encourage everyone that are not YET good with something they love to do.
I started using makeup when I was in college because I had to. Everyone was pretty and I don't want to look haggard or "dugyot" that's how we call it in the Philippines.
I had a liquid foundation, a mascara, powder foundation and lipstick. Those were the first items on my pouch.

Eyebrows weren't that big of a deal before. LOL

Say hi to my photobomber. :D

I seriously look like an alien without eyebrows T.T

After a long time, I finally decided to learn how to do my eyebrows and how to put an eyeliner, it was messy at first. I didn't know how to properly draw an eyebrow and I hated looking at photos during the times when my eyebrows were poorly drawn.

Look at my freaking eyebrows :(

The eyeliner is just.. I have no words for it

After some time, I finally found the best product for my eyebrows, I decided to take them seriously. I also upgraded the brands that I use. I practiced how to properly blend foundation, I watched too many tutorials so that I could get it right.

After so many practices, I haven't mastered the art of eyebrows yet but at least they were decent looking.

See the improvement of the eyebrows. Hihi

After some time, I learned the importance of moisturizing my face first before putting any makeup. I also started practicing on how to properly draw an eyeliner. I started with the basics, I also started taking care of my skin cause that's very important.

It wasn't perfect but it's getting there

After so many attempts

Then I started practicing how to do my eyeshadow, how to contour, I basically tried to upgrade my skills.

Everything wasn't perfect at first, but then I on kept trying. I always try to figure out what's wrong, what's good and how to improve it.

The first photos were really embarrassing but that's how I know I really improved. A LOT! :D

The secret to improving is to never ever be contented of your skills. Explore, learn, practice. Don't stop watching tutorials. Don't stop learning by yourself. Don't be discouraged if someone says your eyebrows look bad, your contour should be blended, or you didn't blend your foundation right but use that as a step to improve.

Just be passionate and you'll learn, you'll improve.

Lately, I've been doing experiments, I know I still have a lot to prove and to learn, but for now, I'm really happy of how I improved.

It's a never ending process, there's always something to learn, something to improve. Don't just stop there, if you love something, whether it's blogging, makeup, games, or whatever it is, never ever stop doing what you love.

I hope you were encouraged by my embarrassing photos. Haha. Thank you for seeing my progress, thank you for allowing me to share my experience.

Let me know what you think in the comments below. Have a nice day!

18Comments

, by Dawn Flores

In Dawn's Advice, Personal

5 Tips On How To Be The Best Fangirl/boy

Hi, everyone! There are a lot of comebacks lately that's why my feels are exploding and MAMA 2016 is coming soon so I decided to write something to ease my fangirl mind. Or heart. I would like to dedicate this blog post fo my fellow Kpop fans, or other fandoms I belong to as well.

Being a fan makes us happy, it gives us joy that no one would understand apart from our fellow fans, but sometimes it can also make us sad. Sad to the fact that no matter what you do, your idols will not recognize you. There are millions of fans in the world and the chance of you getting to know them is like .1%. LOL.
Enough chitchat, here are my 5 tips on how to be the best fangirl/fanboy:

1. Always support them regardless of the ups and downs

It's important for our idols to feel loved and supported, we may be just a small portion of the fandom, but our support means so much to them. It means that their hard work pulled off. Our simple streaming, voting, buying their merch/album (although buying albums aren't really necessary if you can't afford something, make sure to work hard for it. Don't do inappropriate things just to go to a concert or buy an album) are some of the best ways to support them.
It's also important to give them the most support when they are facing too many issues. It's hard to be a star, so don't make it harder for them. Be sure that you'll give all the love and support despite the negative things.
Awards aren't important, what's important is we have them and they have us so don't be upset when they don't get the award that we want for them. Just support them, that's worth more than any trophy in the world.

2. Know your limits

As a fan, you must know the limits between a fan and an idol. Don't own your oppas, they belong to the world, not just yours. Don't be overly attached to the point that when they start to date someone, we become upset about it. To avoid such pain, please know your limits.

I experienced this kind of attachment before, when I knew that one of my bias is going out with other girls, I got too upset, that was when I was still in college. It was too immature. I do understand what every fangirl go through, but for your own sake, know your limits.

3. Avoid fan wars

Joining a fan war doesn't prove anything. We don't need to defend or get to a fight just to make a point. Think about how your idols would think if they knew that you are bashing other groups. They wouldn't like it. Sometimes the fandom affects the idols as well. Just live in a peaceful world. Stop fan wars.

I have something to say about this by the way, especially to the newbies who started liking Kpop recently, stop bashing sunbaes or Generation 1 to 2 idols. During their time, they were not allowed to lip sync, unlike today, most of the performances are lip synced. But they killed every performance. So you have no right to say that the older Kpop groups are a flop, there's a reason why they are still in the industry. Even your idols respect them so much so if you really love your oppas, give the older generations of Kpop a lot of respect as much as they do.

4. Get to know your idols

I know we don't really get the chance to meet them personally, have a small chat, but there are other ways. Like trying to search for facts about them. Watch reality TV shows, you may not get to know them well, but you'll have the chance to get a glimpse of their personalities and who they are.

5. Lastly, love your fellow fans

We have that special connection because we understand what each other goes through. It is important for us to love each other. To bond with them. For me, I have never felt happier whenever I have new friends who share the same love for our idols. It doesn't matter if it's a new fan or an old fan, what's important is we understand how each other feels.
This is one of my favorite perks of belonging to a fandom, the friendship, the unity and the love you get from other fans. It's not a fandom, but a family.

Credits to SHINee World PH for this photo

There's no competition when it comes to being a fan, it doesn't matter if you have the complete set of albums, if you have joined every concert, those are just the bonus of being a fan. What's important is we support our idols, and we are always there for our fellow fans.

So there you have them, my 5 tips on how to become the best fangirl/boy. I know you have your own thoughts as well, I'd be so happy if you can share it with me in the comments below. Have a nice and lovely day! Enjoy spazzing.

3Comments

, by Dawn Flores

In Dawn's Advice, make-up

My Daily Make-Up Routine

Most of my friends ask me how I do my makeup on a daily basis, and it is very simple. I used to bake my face going out, but lately, I'm into simple, no make-up look, because it's not time-consuming, and you also won't worry much about your makeup fading at the end of the day. So here's a step by step list of my daily routine.

If you're a beginner, you can also use this post as a guide to how you're going to do it and what products to buy.

Most of the products I used are Korean cosmetics, mostly because, I feel safer using them, unlike drugstore make-ups. Even though they are a bit pricey, the quality stands out and doesn't damage your skin.

1. Moisturize

Moisturizers are very very important, especially if your skin gets dry and looks tired throughout the day, so it's very important to take care of your skin first before applying any cosmetics.

I am using the Nature Republic Aqua Super Aqua Max Water Moisture. I super love this product and if you want to check it out, I made a review for it, you can check it here:

Nature Republic Aqua Super Aqua Max Water Moisture Review

2. Prime

It's very important to prime to protect your skin from all the products you are going to put on your delicate skin. It also helps your makeup to stay long for hours and also smoothens your skin before you apply your makeup.

I am currently using Banila Co's Prime Primer in Blur. I also made a review about it so please check it out. :)

Banila Co. Prime Primer "Blur" Review

3. Apply your foundation / bb cream / cc cream

Next step is to apply whatever it is that you are using. Foundations are very important because it enhances the color of your skin and it also helps you look radiant. Just be sure to choose the right shade.

If you're trying to make up your mind if you want to use a foundation, bb cream, or cc cream, I've made a blog post comparing the products. you might want to check it out to see what suits you best.

Difference between Foundation/BB cream and CC cream

I am currently using Face Shop's CC Ultra Moist Cushion. I love it cause its medium coverage, perfect for achieving that no make- up look. But there are times when I use L'oreal True match Liquid Foundation when I want a full coverage. I also made a separate review on both, so if you're thinking about using them but kinda hesitant, please go check it out. :)

Face Shop's CC Ultra Moist Cushion Review

L'oreal Paris True Match Liquid Foundation Review

4. Eyebrows

There are times when I do my eyebrows first before priming or applying a foundation, it mostly depends on my mood, make sure to make time for drawing your brows because it's the most important part of our make-up routine. LOL. I'm just kidding. But please, take your eyebrows seriously.

I have here a tutorial on how to draw your eyebrows, please check the link below

How to make your eyebrows on fleek

5. Apply eye makeup

By eye makeup, I don't mean putting a full eyeshadow on your eyes, Just use mascara or eyeliner or even a white eyeliner to make your eyes pop even more. :)

I'm using Maybelline products with my eyes because they are less expensive but they are very very effective.

6. Blush and powder

Don't be too overwhelmed putting on your blush on, be sure that it will look as natural as possible, after that you can set your makeup with powder.

I am currently using Missha's Tension Blusher which I got from a giveaway by BB Cosmetics and I am using The Face Shop's powder foundation to set my face.

7. Lastly, I put on my lipstick.

Now on this part, the shades I use depends on my mood. I use several types and brands of lipsticks so I cannot list them all but I'm currently using the Chateau Labiotte Wine Lip tint, it is very long lasting that's why I really really love it. I'll be posting a review about it soon, and I'll also be trying the current trend, April Skin's fixing tint and I am very very excited to use it.

If you noticed, I don't usually conceal because I'm really trying to achieve that no makeup look, so I conceal depending on my mood. Since my under eyes are not that dark, I leave it at that.

So there you go, this is my daily makeup routine, I hope you can use this as a guideline if you want to start doing your makeup. And regardless of the brands, I've listed the products that are very important for you so I hope you find the right brand suited for you.

Here are some of my photos with my makeup on a daily basis

I hope this helped you in any way. Let me know if it was indeed helpful, let me know if you have any thoughts or questions, I'd love to answer them!

Have a lovely day~

13Comments

, by Dawn Flores

In Dawn's Advice, Personal

How I got into blogging

Hi, everyone! So I've been thinking a lot lately about what new blog post to share and started thinking, why not I share how I got into blogging.

When I was in college since I was still in school and have no income, I couldn't buy the make-up products I wanted to try, so I was using drugstore makeups at the time. When I had my first paycheck, I started buying the Korean products that I wanted to try.

I got the hang of it for some time, I really got into Korean cosmetics, I love how cute the packaging is, how authentic it is, and how healthy it is for your skin. But before buying any products, I would usually read other blogs first just to see if my money will be worth it.

So from then on, I started relying on blogs. When I realized I have the tools I need, I've got the ideas, I published this blog, Dawn's Beauty Journal, I got help from a friend, I started discussing my thoughts, how to begin, what topics should I write and she even checked my first blog post. I was encouraged by her words and by the love and support my friends gave so I continued doing it since it is very very exciting. You might want to check her out, she's really good, her blog is www.rsbeautydiary.com

But blogging is not easy, I eventually ran out of ideas, the eagerness to monetize my blog kind of took the fun away because I pressured about what others would think, instead of just being able to inspire other readers.

I idled for a while but eventually found my way back. From now on, my purpose to blog is to reach out and inspire readers through my personal beauty journal. I promised myself not to trap this blog inside the box, but to explore my skills, explore my thoughts and also expand my knowledge and passion for makeup.

My journey as a blogger is just starting and I am so thankful that I have gurus helping me, mentoring me, and encouraging me to push harder.

So if you are thinking of writing a blog, or you're blog went down for a while, never be discouraged, you'll never know how writing could change your life.

That's it for now. If you have any questions or suggestions, or if this blog helped you in any way, please let me know. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

10Comments

, by Dawn Flores

In Dawn's Advice, make-up

Banila Co. Prime Primer "Blur" Review

Hey ladies! It's been a while since I last posted a review. I'm very excited to share my experience on this product since I've been dying to try this for so long, now that I finally have it, I can truly say that it's worth the wait.

I thought primers weren't that important until I met this primer. From now on, I will take note that primers are very very essential to our daily make-up routine, keep that in mind ladies. You should always prime your face.

But before that, let me have an introduction about this product and it's claims.

banila co. is one of the leading brand for Korean cosmetics, luckily for us Filipino, we now have access to its amazing and best selling products. I bought this primer through Lazada.com since it's one of banila co's trusted online shops here in the Philippines.

I got this for 1,060 PHP (around 22 $)

Product claims:

1. Blurring effect

Diffuses and deflects lights to blur imperfections and boost the radiance of base make up with soft focus finish.

2. Shiny Skin

A perfect blend of light-diffusing three addictive primary color pearl formula imparts soft higlights, gorgeous luminosity, and youthful radiance to skin.

3. Make-up boosting

Helps create a refined appearance and preps skin with a smooth, radiant finish. It's hydrating formula adds moisture-rich feel upon smooth skin-perfecting application.

This product also claims a "just like a photoshopped blut-out complexion finish".

Price:

22,000 won / 950 PHP (as converted)

How to use:

Apply after moisturizer and before putting on foundation / BB cream.

Tip: Don't go crazy and apply too much product on your face, with primers, less is more.

You can find more information about this product on banila co.'s website: www.banilaco.com

Swatches:

BEFORE

AFTER (You can see the shimmering, right?)

You know how Koreans love a glowy, radiant and healthy look, this product helps you achieve just that. But I have to admit, I was a bit shocked when I saw that it was shining shimmering splendid when I applied it. I panicked and thought that I wasted money so that my face could shine as in literally shine with glitters. But don't worry, once foundation / bb cream is applied, the glitters or the shimmering will no longer be visible. The three addictive primary color pearl formula as mentioned earlier is what causes the shining thing. It's actually one of its claims, to give you a glowing look.

So I put this product to the test, to see if it does last long, gives you a glowing look, and hydrates your face at the same time. Oh and also have that photoshopped effect and these are the results:

Pros:

Stays long (as claimed)
Gives you a glowing look (as claimed)
Smoothens/preps/perfects your skin so that the foundation would be flawless
It seriously gives a photoshopped effect on your face. (seriously guys, I'm not kidding)
Good for dry skin
Protects your skin
Good for lazy people (like me) who hates retouching all over again

Cons:

Too pricy (but it's worth it)
Might get you oily throughout the day because of the hydrating factors

I actually did a test on this product. After long hours of commuting, and sweats from the heat, you'd still look radiant and glowy. You won't look dead tired because of your make up wearing off.

What I love about this product is that it truly does what it claims, I promise! I've never been satisfied with a product before. My make-up would just clog and clamp under my eyes, the foundation would be gone around my mouth in three hours, but thanks to this primer, it does help my make-up stay longer than it should, after so many hours, believe me, you would still look flawless.

MAKE-UP FOR 7 HOURS | NO RETOUCH | NO EDITS

AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE SOME SPOTS FOR MY BLEMISHES BUT THEY'RE NOT THAT VISIBLE. SEEMS LIKE MY FACE HAVE BEEN FILTERED WITH A GLOW / BLUR EFFECT BUT NO

FINAL CONLUSION:

Guys, I'm telling you right now, you should prime. LOL. This is a very good product I must say, I'm so satisfied that I wanted to recommend this to all my friends who love make-up. Still, I haven't explored the primer world but so far, this is a good start. I'd like to try others as well but for now, I think I'm gonna hold on to this product for a very long time.

OVERALL RATING:

5/5 (I'm not kidding)

If you guys have any suggestions, which good products should I try next, please do let me know on the comments below. I'd love to try them! Let me know if this was a helpful review. From now on, priming is important. Okay? ;)

Have a lovely day!

5Comments

, by Dawn Flores

Pages

How I got into makeup (my makeup journey)

5 Tips On How To Be The Best Fangirl/boy