Pores No More!

I discovered a new product called Pores No More Vacuum Cleaner by Dr. Brandt. Saw it in a makeup store called Murale, which just opened in Oakridge Centre. It is said to rival Holt Refrew or Sephora. Some of the products that were there are $900 per jar and it's only sold in Murale in all of Canada. Quite impressive.

Anyways I've been looking for a solution to get rid of those nasty blackheads sitting on my nose. Continuous facials will probably help but I don't have the money for that. Cheap scrubs end up damaging the skin. Nose strips also damage the skin. I was introduced by an esthetician to Pores No More and I'm really attempted to try it. However, it's $50 a bottle so I'm just crossing my fingers that someone will get it for me for Christmas!

http://www.drbrandtskincare.com/p/pores-no-more/pores-no-more-vacuum-cleaner

Counting down to Dec...9!

The day when I could possibly breathe again. Dec 9 is the day of the Catering Club's Frosty Corner Cafe. We decorate the front of the school and mark off the restaurant premises. Students decorate the area, bake, and serve as waiters/waitresses, host, cashier, cleaners, food decorators, etc. So much to do and I'm just dreading the shopping needed to be done for that. All the events leading up to that day is slowing burning me out. I've been going to school feeling like a zombie, thinking of things and then forgetting them the next second, just to remember it again, and then forget it again. Too much going on in my mind and all I want to do is have time for a photoshoot before my pictures are launched into the website (launched in January - www.EnvyMe.ca) After my bro had the swine flu, feel like I'm about to get sick now too with my head feeling heavy and my throat feeling scratchy. Have been trying to combat it by exercising and got a free 10 pass to Steve Nash Sports Club. Been there twice already and I like it but now my body feels so sore that I need even more rest. Dec 9, please come faster!!

"How are you?"

Not bad at all.

I have been super busy and I look tired and half dead most of the time. Sometimes I wish there were more hours in the day and sometimes I wish I can pause time and just take a nap. In general though, life is going well. Praise the Lord! It's Thanksgiving and there really is a lot to give thanks for, even things that I don't normally notice. I'll just list some majors that I'm thankful for.

1) Jason

The bum is in Victoria most of the time studying, but things couldn't be better. Though apart, we're more together now in goals and values and outlook than any other time. Plus, I love the boy! (To Jay: Wajuh! Hahaha)

2) Family

I still need to work on being nicer to my family because I still tend to be very short-tempered with them. Oftentimes, I wish that I'm living on my own so I could sleep without noise and do things my way. But I'm thankful for them because sometimes when things are too quiet and lonely, the thing I would yearn for the most is some annoying noise from some annoying people that I would not trade away for anything else.

3) Work

Yay, I have a job! Though there are worries in finances and future (i.e. retirement pension plans looking pretty bleak), I'm still working with a full-time contract! Unlike many people in this economy, I still have a stable income. No extremely crazy kids this year (crazy is still part of adolescence, so I cannot escape). I have a great bunch of students running the Catering Club which is taking a lot of time but is super exciting. And who knows? Maybe through this experience, I will use it one day to actually run a business. And randomly this week, one student had a guitar in my room during lunch break and people were saying praise songs in my room. How nice!

4) Make-up

Lots of fun and I wish I could do it more! Enjoying the photoshoots and longing to develop my photography and photoshop skills so I can accomplish what is in my mind. Only just over a month before the program is complete and then I'm on my own. Freelance makeup artist - who knew I'd end up here? Interesting journey of life. Hopefully after classes are over, I can get back into more routine church on Sundays and more time to hang out with people again.

As I look around me and into my life, I see God's glory shining through - and He has blessed me!

A relatively productive week

The past week has been relatively productive. I managed to make 6 lessons for the grade 9/10's and hoping to do the same for the grade 11/12's by the end of this week. The constant nightmares of being unprepared have finally pushed me off my vacation mode. How could I relax with all those dreams?

Thought of the day:

Proverbs 26:4-5 says:
"Do not answer a food according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.
Answer a man according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes."

Song of the week (click blog title to listen):
Addison Road - What Do I Know of Holy?

Yesterday was my bridal exam. I really hope that there is no mix-up with the names this time and I get my pictures on time. Originally, Ursula was supposed to be my model but a couple of days before the exam, she woke up with some allergic reaction/virus that caused little red spots (like little mosquito bites) all over her face and body. So, I called upon my good ol' reliable model who just so happens to be getting married in two years - Paula. Voila! Is that a bride or is that a bride?!

*Bindi*

I'm very much enjoying being back in makeup class again. I've especially grown to love Indian bridal makeup and accessories. It's so colourful and creative. Anything goes! Whatever you're wearing, you can use all those colours on your face and it's still not too much. Jackie and I did each other's makeup matching what we were wearing and both wearing colourful bindi dots. It was so much fun! I didn't plan on it, but I think I would like to do more Indian weddings.

Money saving strategy: cut your own hair. I haven't had a real haircut in probably two years, with probably bi-monthly visits to get my bangs trimmed ($5) which I have also saved now after having purchased this awesome razor comb from Daiso ($2).


It did a much better job than going all the way downtown and paying money to get my bangs chopped inconsistently, which I still have pictures to prove. Last night, I made Ursula trim my hair and then layer it with the comb. Woohoo! Saved $25 and the transportation costs.

Made a sudden trip to Victoria on Wednesday since Jay will be leaving very soon and we had to go check out places for his stay. Much harder than it looks. Investors, think about buying a place in Saanich, particularly near UVIC because people will be begging to stay there. Shared rooms, apartments, basements are all getting snatched up the moment they are posted (and the prices are definitely higher). It's crazy considering Victoria isn't my primary choice to reside but it's a lot harder getting renters in Vancouver. At any rate, one of my goals is to touch a bunny at UVIC since Jay told me the place is practically infested with rabbits the last time he went. They're usually pretty alert and dart away as you approach them so I was just hoping to be able to poke one in the bottom BUT then we met Tiberius.


He is so CUTE! Not only did I get to touch his bum, he just sat there and let us pet him. Clearly, he enjoyed it because he barely moved when I was petting him, and then he continued eating his carrot (that some kids threw to him) when I stopped petting him. And he's so small! Jay named him Tiberius Prime - a strong name for a tiny bunny. I miss him already. Bunnies are so cute but they are procreating so quickly that they are considered rodents now. Oh well, if I had to pick between rats or bunnies, I'd rather have more bunnies.

*EDIT*

After much emailing chasing, and finally going to the director of the makeup department, I finally got the pictures back from my first exam! Yay!! The photographer really took her time on this I was pretty upset at the lack of professionalism since I already paid her upfront. Oh well! I'm happy with the pictures.

Makeup Madness

A long awaited photo shoot since I started my program. This long weekend, classes are canceled and a few of us decided to use this opportunity to get together and do a shoot. We did it at Jackie's place because she has a home stay who did photography as a hobby and is quite talented at it. You can check out his work at tonyworkshop.com. The shoot was fun but probably would have been more enjoyable if it wasn't so hot that our makeup melted off. It was a lot more hectic than we expected and we definitely learned from this experience. Stupidly, I forgot my usb drive I so don't have most of the pictures other than the few I sent to my own email.

It's already August and my birthday is coming up soon! Chris, where are the birthday plans? I'm turning 25 which is a big number! It's that age that if you say you're old, the people in their thirties and forties glare at you. But you can't really say you're super young anymore when all hot singers, actresses, and pageant girls are in their teens or very early twenties. And many things start to cross you're mind, like marriage and financial state which hopefully will lead to owning some kind of living space. Sometimes, you feel like you're running out of time and life is already closing in on you but I'm sure that perspective is laughable to anyone older. That's a little problem I have when I'm at work considering my departmental colleagues are at retirement age and I have to hold my tongue when it comes to making comments about me feeling old. At any rate, being 25 is a milestone because this is the age that our brains have finally reached maturity (well, most people based on cognitive studies) so if I haven't killed myself by making stupid decisions by now, I'm probably going to be alright. Well, it's not exactly my birthday yet, but praise Him for carrying me through 25 eventful years and blessing me in many outward and hidden ways!

Hairy Business

Learning to do hair has been a bit of a drag compared to makeup but I'm finding myself enjoying it more and more. Working on a judy dolls is easy because the hair has been used so much, even though they are real and were probably really healthy at one point, it's just so worn now that it becomes really easy to work with. So far I've just been messing around and haven't used any products on the hair, so it's less than perfect because there are little bits sticking up that needs hairspray or pomade but it's all good.

Simple french roll. Tease the top and comb smooth and finish with a barrel roll. As you can see, the puff on top has not been perfected here yet. Still a little lumpy from behind.

Hair twisted all around and then pinned. Flower bun is pinned in place. I added some gorgeous Indian hair accessories to dress it up that belongs to my classmate. I love that stuff. If only Chinese people still continued to make them from what they used back then, but Indian stuff is actually very similar. I would love to do an Indian theme photo shoot.

Jackie wanted me to french braid her hair Princess Leia style. I'm quite proud of myself here because I rarely french braid and I remembered I used to love that look as a kid (well maybe not tucked under but long french braid) but no one really knew how to make it look neat on my head and I couldn't do it properly.

Ursula had been my doll head at home. A messy elegant bun. Looks great with a long gown, showing off the shoulders and decollete. Again, slightly messy looking because no products were used.
Hot rollers made her look like a poodle head here, so we styled it and headed downtown for a day out! Her puff is still less than perfect.

Definitely a wedding hairstyle. Yesterday's hair exam on (1) setting with hot rollers and (2) any updo. First time I used products and took my time. Puff is finally perfected! I'm extremely proud of myself this time around because I was actually able to create what I intended. Before this, I just wing it and do whatever to fix what's ugly and if the product looks good, then yay! But obviously I can't do that for a wedding if the bride wants a particular hairstyle. Instructor also commented on this being well done so *puff up* very proud!

Still planning my photoshoots but thinking of themes, locations, and finding photographers who wants to build their portfolio. I have a very particular vision on what I want the pictures to look like so it's tough.

So far models who have volunteered:
Leanne
Nicole
Gershom
Adam
Danielle

Good Eats (and Sees?)

I've always been a fan of Granville Island because it's one of those places that reminds me of my childhood. Daddy used to work in one of the restaurants part-time and we drove him to work every Sunday morning where we also buy a cup of hot chocolate and a $1 bag of bird feed to feed the pigeons. Good times. I've been more of a walker than a shopper or an eater there because I always assume that it's really expensive being a tourist area.

On Saturday, me and Ursula ran some errands (if you consider waking up early to check out a sale an errand, and then some) and Jason was meticulously cleaning the insides of his car at Peter's place. So by the time we're both done, it was pretty late for lunch. So after much contemplating, we decided to eat at Creekside which we originally thought was at Granville Island but wasn't. So, mistake was made and we picked a place in Granville Island and chose The Sandbar Restaurant. Peter was saying that this was where he and his wife Linda had their first date. It was a lovely place. We sat on the patio with a great view. Their clam chowder, salmon burger, and oyster burger was amazingly delicious! I'm picky with seafood and generally when they're overcooked or lack flavour due to freezing, it's just not worth my money (which was what I was expecting when I ordered). Also, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that the menu wasn't overly extravagant. At any rate I didn't have to worry about that cuz Jay treated everyone that day so he was the only one left with a hole in his wallet (Thanks! ^_^).
So Sandbar again, people? Let me know if you wanna go!



I haven't seen a movie in...a long time. I think I watched Max Payne over half a year ago just because I tagged along with my friend, her boyfriend, and his friends. So finally, with some take-out food and Jay's gigantic TV, I finally got to watch Taken and Transformers (the first one). Most people probably have already seen them so I'm really behind.

Taken (2008) - I liked it a lot. A lot of action without a lot of gore (*thumbs up*) and I think Liam Neeson is a great actor with a lot of charisma and pretty darn fit for a man his age. Like any action movie I watch, I always wish that I had the same butt-kicking skills. A childhood desire that was never fulfilled.

Transformers (2007) - I was surprised that I enjoyed it. Maybe it was all the hype about it that I just thought it'll be one of those things that everyone says is great but ends up sucking (i.e. Harry Potter; Tokyo Drift). I think I heard more about Megan Fox when the movie came out, but I still don't see what the fuss is all about. Yeah, she's eye candy and all but her performance didn't really have much impression on me. I found that Shia LaBeouf (doesn't that translate to 'beef' in French?) was very witty without being an obvious goofball, and gave his character many dynamic traits. Although, if anything I was quite attached to the autobots. I actually felt a shock of sadness when Jazz was ripped in half and when Bumblebee lost his legs in the explosion. Nooooo!! Such tragedy! What do you know? I've become a tranformers geek. I remembered listening in on a conversation 2 years ago about something 'bot' and something 'tron' and thought 'Man, this is the epitamy of geekiness.' Things change. However, with the less than excellent reviews about the sequel, I think I'll wait until it comes out on DVD.

Today's tasks - get more clear make-up bags from Daiso ($2 is a great deal compared to $20 per bag at Hollynorth, just fyi); Buy food at Costco; Get magazines for my photomorgue project.

Adore this but too broke to buy it now:
http://www.lisewatier.com/en/products/eyeliners-1/eye-shine-aqua

Rewind to previous module

So I've completely skipped over the first module where we focused on skin, day/natural look, and evening/dramatic look.

Here are some of my subjects:

Jessie - first picture is the day look; second evening; third close-up on the evening eyes (eyeshadow made with mixing fushia with black and blue)

Jackie - first picture is without makeup; second is day look; third is evening look

Paula - First is without makeup under natural light; second is evening look under yellow light which is no good because it got dark by the time we finished and yellow light was all that was in the house so it took a lot away from the makeup; third is practice run for the final exam, trying to recreate the evening look under natural light. No lashes on the last one b/c I got a stomachache.

So I went to ask about my CD of photos but the photographer seemed to just have burnt double of my classmate's and didn't burn mine at all so now I need to wait for her respond. Darn it!! I want to see them!

BTW did anyone try Kozy Shack pudding before? It's delicious!

Back to blogging

A few years back I was a pretty constant blogger on Xanga. Something happened and my password was probably hacked but I couldn't get back into it so I just gave up on it altogether. Never been able to keep a diary for more than a couple of pages but type-ranting comes so much more naturally, and it's nice to share about what's going on with me to those who care to wonder where I've gone. Facebook certainly does not cut it.

So a bit over a month has gone by since I started my freelance makeup program at Blanche MacDonald. According to many, I've disappeared from the face of the earth since I started this program because it takes up all of my Sundays and Monday evenings. The rest of the time is reserved for work and whatever else needs to be done, including a lot of much needed rest. Now that work is over (somewhat, unless you include prepping for the next school year), I have a bit more relaxation time with a wee bit o' stress thinking about what I could be doing.

Last week, we finished up our module on makeup fundamentals. Paula was nice enough to be my model even though she had a late night, so I did my practical exam on her - a day look (45 min) and an evening look (30 min). I was really looking forward to seeing the pictures today and I got the disc from the photographer but turns out that they labeled the wrong one and gave me my classmates (her name is Elana) so now I have to wait until I get the right one back. Can't wait!! That was a bit frustrating. So since that module ended, we started hair and today was our first full day. Pretty...boring, actually. The class wasn't very structured so it was just like 8 hours of playing with a dummy. Some things I came up with randomly:

Up-do french twist on the bottom and randomly pinned curls up top.

Simple teased bun. Popular wedding hairstyle with some flowers and a veil.

Teased puffy top with french twist bottom.


Braids. First time I did an inverted braid so the shape shows more than the normal way I used to do it. Fingers weren't used to it so was a bit awkward but looks kind of 'juliet-style' which is kind of cool.

A lot of teasing and backcombing just for the heck of it (bored). Freaky, eh? But with a bit more work, it could look like something on a fashion runway =D

Jessie did this hair for me, trying to reduplicate what someone did on her for a wedding. It's pretty, but I straightened it so it doesn't look so formal when I left class. Now I'm rethinking cutting my hair, since I can be more creative with long hair.

What Jackie did on me the class before. I like the volume ^_^ My first real intro to backcombing.

So am I going to do hair after finishing this program? Eh...we'll see. I certainly know why a lot of makeup artists just stick to makeup. The 8 hour classes didn't seem so long until today. Sleep time.