Saturday, January 23, 2016

2015 In a Nutshell + Favorites

Hi everyone! Such a late post, I know! 2015 has finally and officially ended and the roller coaster ride's over! It was so bumpy yet adventurous. It's full of thrill, changes and challenges. 2015 has gotta be one of the most unforgettable year on my list, next to "The Fast and the Furious 2013". I can also consider it one of the most tiring year as well. I think I've had so many jobs, like I literally worked my ass off on different fields, mostly freelance. But they're all my dream job, couldn't complain for it. This year came so swiftly, like I still need more days so that I can say I've fulfilled my wishes and goals, but it's okay, there's still a new year to look forward to. There's so many things to do for yet there's always so little time. Most of my time were either well spent, or wasted over non sense things. Time to get wiser this year, and like what I've said on my December Facebook post, fiercer!

BUT FIRST, 2015 IN A NUTSHELL

I just don't know how to start, but when 2015 started I was a bum, like I only stay at home with my baby and husband, then in the later part all jobs/opportunities came that I have to grab them all! There was a time when I even told my husband that why is it that when an opportunity comes, another one will, like you're being tested. One advice he gave is that I should grab them all as much as I can. I've worked as a property specialist, a makeup artist, a dance instructor, a  tutor, and more sidelines. During free time I blog and get a few invitation to several events. Ironically these so called opportunities didn't come when I was still single and had so much free time on my hands. They all come together now that I have a family of my own, and where I don't even have a "me time". Sometimes I ask myself, "why now?".. but then for sure there's a reason for everything. I think some goals were partially met for 2015, not disappointed with what everything has turned out. What I wouldn't forget is that most of my dreams and wishes from the past came true this year.

** long post with heavy pictures. other pictures not included.**

MISS VIXEN'S FAVE

Now I'm sharing with you my favorites this year, and I hope you'll try some of these and love it as much as I do. Yes I'm talking about makeups and everything that relates to beauty but later I'll be sharing more of my all time fave in no particular category.

FAVE MAKEUP LOOK

The matte brown lips of the 90's has made a huge comeback for 2015 paired with bad-ass contouring, bitch brows and highlight on fleek. It sure looks good every time we see beautifully dolled up ladies on Instagram and Pinterest. Though it's fab over there, it's not what I really dig in real life. My favorite go-to look is still brown/bronze eyes paired with peachy pink cheeks and peachy pink or peach lips. Whenever I feel bolder or go on dinner dates I pair my brown/bronze eyes with vixen lips, so that's when I rock fall-inspired vampy oxblood/plum lips. This year I'm also in love with bronze eyeshadows paired with cranberry shades.


FAVE FACE PRIMER

I have used NYX HD Primer for a long time and some samplers of Lioele Secret Pore Balm, but this year my favorite will definitely forever on my makeup stash. Why? Coz it's simply affordable yet delivers good results. I'm talking about Quick FX Oil Mattifier. Most local MUAs were raving about this and highly recommended if you want a poreless finish. Prior to this I was lusting over Maybelline's Baby Skin Poreless Primer but then I've found out they're almost identical, even the finish/result so I'm sticking to the cheaper one of course.


FAVE POWDER (PRESSED/LOOSE)

I've tried Naturactor Powder Foundation as well and it matches my skintone. It's not even too heavy on face as I didn't even feel I have powder on. Coz of that, so I had to say goodbye to Sephora's 8hr Wear Mattifying Foundation, Fashion 21 Two Way Faoundation, Mary Kay powder foundies and more. But I'm also afraid my love for it will soon be replaced by Mac Select Sheer powder, which is my husband's christmas gift for me. We'll see. It's too expensive to finally get attached to it.


FAVE FOUNDATION

I've finally replaced my Jazzy Collections Cream Foundation. I thought it'll be my forever holy grail foundation, but I finally gave it to try Naturactor Cover Face Cream Foundation/Concealer, I was totally hooked and frantically bought a couple of it just in case I'll ran out of it. The result was flawless, glowing and fresh. No need for concealing under eye circles coz it also does the job. I love using it with my City Color Dual brush, the angled one, or my Sigma P84 Precision Angled Brush.


I also have my Match master foundation from Mac that's just for personal use, and rarely mix it with Naturactor if I want a more yellowish toned foundation shade. It's not as thick as my old Studio Tech and Studio Fix but enough to match my skintone and can easily make other my pale and fairer foundation match my skintone. I apply it with damp beauty blender or Real techniques Foundation brush.


FAVE CONCEALER

Still hands down, it's Naturactor. It can cover everything! Sadly I have to say goodbye to my Sugar Skull Cosmetics Correct and Conceal palette. Naturactor does the job twice better, and saves time from reaching for other concealers. Those bags under my eyes have been camouflaged.

FAVE HIGHLIGHTER

Strobing made it in 2015, and I'm actually addicted to it more than contouring. The fever for it never dies down and I'm dying to get Jaclyn Hill's Champagne Pop from Becca Cosmetics, or Mac's Mineralize Skin Finish in Soft & Gentle. So while my pocket's crying and couldn't afford any of those, I was thrilled to find out how Kiss me by Isehan Heroine Make Eye Jewelries do the same trick! I use both its cream primer and champagne colored eyeshadow and apply it on my brow bone, cheek bones, bridge of the nose and cupid's bow. I also use it on my clients and the results were amazing. Another on the go highlighter I use is Mary Kay's Single Eyeshadow in Gold Coast. It's a faint gold shimmery mineral eyeshadow that's also good for highlighting.

 


FAVE CONTOURING CREAM/POWDER

This is when I use my Sugar Skull Cosmetics Correct and Conceal palette. It actually has highlighter (using the lightest shade) and the darker ones were for contouring. Talk about those expensive Anastasia Cream Contouring Kit, or Lorac or Kat Von D's Light and Shade for a fraction of price.


  FAVE EYEBROW ARSENAL

My eyebrow game this year has definitely improved! I had a tough journey on my own brows, so I'm glad it has improved (shape, tools and more) and I've been receiving compliments for it from people I know and complete strangers. I just use my Marionnaud Slanted Brush or Anastasia Beverly Hills # 12 Large Synthetic Duo Brow Brush (not in pic, I gave it to my student Sera) with Makeup Geek's Matte Brown Eyeshadow in Mocha, Nichido Mineral Pencil Brow Liner in Chestnut or Avon's eyebrow liner in Soft Black and Bobbi Brown's Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in Dark Chocolate (used as dip brow, applied very gently/lightly imitating my brow hairs)


FAVE EYESHADOW

Makeup Geek Matte  Eyeshadows. I'm in love with it. Highly pigmented and budget friendly. They're now inside my old Mac eyeshadow pots and yes they're actually more awesome than Mac. Coz of that I'm really planning to get more neutral toned and foiled eyeeshadows and buy a Z-palette. I have a review of MUG eyeshadows here.


Next eyeshadow I love is Mac Tempting. It's a gift from my bestfriend. Though it's expensive it lives up to its promise in delivering really good results. No need for eyeshadow base for both MUG & Mac Eyeshadow. Plus, my favorite eyeshadow combos for this year: Mac Tempting + MUG Bada Bing & MUG Bada Bing + Victoria's Secret E/S in Cranberry.


FAVE EYELINER (PENCIL/LIQUID)

I love Kiss me by Isehan Heroine Make's Liquid Eyeliner that I got as a freebie from their event. It's long lasting coz it's waterproof, very pigmented and doesn't smudge plus the liner itself is very precise and sharp. I also use it on my clients. If I'm too lazy to use liquid eyeliners I reach for my Bobbi Brown Gel Liner, and always seal these liners with my Makeup Geek Matte Eyeshadow in Mocha with my Maybelline Eyeliner brush.

FAVE CHEEK PRODUCT

Mary Kay's Mineral Blush in Shy! The perfect dupe for the cult's fave Nars' Orgasm blush. I just need a magnetic palette for it since carrying it with its plastic container is very risky and prone to breakage. It's a gorgeous pinky peach blush with gold iridescent. Next is Revecen's Mineral Blush in Orange that I got as a sponsored gift from koreana_ph. Don't be scared coz of the shade's name, it's actually a pale peach color on my cheeks, minus the shimmer. I love pairing it with BYS Matte Lipstick in Day Dreamer for a naturally peachy FOTD/MOTD.



FAVE LIP PRODUCT

Being a lipstick addict, I indulge myself with lipstick hoarding this year, and they're all matte. My most used lippies were Mac Flamingo (the only non-matte l/s I have coz it's a lustre l/s) which is my perfect everyday peachy pink lipstick. I also love BYS Matte Lipstick in Day Dreamer (peachy nude) and for bolder lips I reach for my Wet N' Wild Megalast Lipstick in Cherry Bomb. There's a new one and I'm sure it's going to be my 2016 fave: Maybelline's Cream Matte Lipstick in Bold Crimson.


FAVE TRAVEL MAKEUP

Saying goodbye to my Christian Dior Travel Kit (don't like the shades inside it at all, ever), I was so happy to welcome Mary Kay's Custom Palette. Here, I get to choose the eyeshadow and cheek colors which are all on the neutral side, and they're easier to apply if my ring finger is used than if I use a crease brush. I chose the eyeshadow shades French Roast, Amber Blaze and Gold Coast. My fave mineral blush in Shy is happily sitting there, and what I love the most is that I can easily carry with me any Mac Lipstick that I love since it fits perfectly on the lippie slot. Review for my Mary Kay Custom Palette here.


 FAVE BRUSHES AND TOOLS

City color dual brush for contouring and highlighting. It has so many use coz aside from just for contour and highlight, I use it on my liquid and cream foundations, shimmer powder and more.

Real Techniques Foundation Brush can easily cover up my flaws my foundation application seems seamless.

Gosh Stippling brush: I use it for my powder blushes. It gets just the right amount of pigments. (not in picture)

Beauty Blender: I love it when it's damp and I have to experience it's softness and smoothness on my face, though sometimes I prefer to use brushes.


FAVE HAIR COLOR

It has to be Ash blonde. At first I thought I wouldn't like it, but turned out nicely though sometimes it makes me look so pale/sick. I get a lot of compliments from families and friends, even my cousins like it and it looks really nice in pictures. I've attempted "red" haircolor for this year but it's not the 'red" that I want it to be, and it faded faster than a bullet.

FAVE NAIL POLISH

I'm loving black nail polish since high school, all my life it has always been black. though I play with other colors, there was never a month that I'll skip having black nails. This year I've used Essence Colour & Go Nail Polish.



MORE OF MISS VIXEN'S FAVE

GIFT

My husband has grand slammed this year. Three perfect gifts: Suesh Studded Makeup Traincase, Gladking 4 bulb Matte Black Traincase and Mac Select Sheer Pressed Powder. He's not clueless when it comes to gifts, and there's always a rationale behind those stuff I receive from him.I gave him a good gift as well, his fone. lol (hey LG G4 isn't cheap!)


! and I almost forgot this beautifully bad-ass Moschino Star Studded Blazer!!




TRAVEL/VACATION

The only vacation I had for 2015 is our Boracay Escapade. I'm fine with just one vacay for this year coz I'm not really into wanderlusting. I was never a person who's fond of travelling, for me it's too tiring and I don't like to spend money that way. I'd rather buy stuff I can use for a long time. Going out with my friends, their families and my own family's fun, though I wish we can do it again once my son Draven's bigger. It's hard to travel carrying a very hyper baby around, with lots of diapers, milks and tantrums.


Another travel by plane this year but not really a vacation was when I get to visit Cebu and meet the rest of Kong Family (my husband's familly from Papa's side). Activities were jampacked in one day coz my sister in law Christille and brother in law Marcel needs to report to their work the next day. We visited my late mother in law's grave and it was supposed to be her birthday. I also get to meet my Father in law's brother in Cebu, their old house, and some famous tourist spots in Mactan, the Chinese temple where my husband and his siblings used to have pictures when they were toddlers. It was really fascinating and fun and the same time, wish we could do it again this year and eat at Rico's! Their lechon was amazing!


 FAMILY GET TOGETHER

My cousin and I's dance performance where we had our shirts printed, a good dinner with my aunts and uncles and my grandma received an award for having 11 of us (my cousins) enrolled in one school. We love our shirts and we love wearing it together. My cousins have grown a lot.


Our Cebu trip as I've mentioned earlier, my husband and I's Summerniversary at Saniya Resort, Draven turned two and has two celebrations, my husband turned 31, and lastly and my father in law's birthday celebration at Vikings Luxury Buffet in Mall of Asia. The Kong siblings are really into buffets, they eat so fast I couldn't even keep up with them, not to mention all those meat and sushi they can eat!


PURCHASE/THINGS I'VE BOUGHT

My current fone Samsung Grand Prime, Mac Match master foundation for my personal use, H&M Floral Blazer, Naturactor Cover Face and City Color Dual Brush.

BAG

My two XOXO black bags. I love black and I have the big one for work, and the small one if I just need to hang out or go malling and dinner date without my baby.


SHOES

Sunny Sister's Studded boots. The ultimate head turner.

OOTD

I love dark fashion and gender bender clothes. This has been my favorite OOTD of all time. So comfy yet stylish. I love black, studs and spikes, shirt and just jeans.


Contrary to the dark and alternative fashion, I've found out I have lots of floral tops this year, and this sexy off the shoulders floral top from Cotton On is also my favorite.


SINGER

The Queen Bee. I love her concert The Mrs. Carter Show. I'm trying to learn the choreographies coz when 2016 comes I'll be doing tutorials for her famous singles. She's always been my fave, at her age and she's a mom as well she still got her moves.


SONG

Yonce, Partition and Blow all by Beyonce. But late of this year I keep listening to Love on Top coz I also need to learn the dance. Beyonce's songs were always on my playlist and I listen to it twice or thrice a day. I'm a big Beyonce fan.

MOVIE

Hotel Transylvania 2!!! I love Mavis Dracula's wedding gown and her son Dennis' cake. :) I've been a fan of it since the first movie was released in 2012. Mavis is one of the coolest characters in stop motion animation. Surely if I'll get married with my husband for the second time I'll really push for a vampy-gothic, me in a black dress type of wedding.


EVENT

I got big events for this year, and they're so unforgettable. Firstly, these pictures where from the makeup workshop and product launching for Kiss Me by Isehan Heroine Make Eye Jewelries. It's my first big event where I received an invitation from Mandom Phils. Corp. Unforgettable coz I really get to experience what it feels like to be invited and attend this kind of big event with my fellow bloggers, coz frankly and honestly, I never thought I really have readers from my blog. lol.


Next is just another reposted photo from "Beauty Bound Asia', a contest and search for beauty creators that will soon be the next Michelle Phan. I could still freshly recall how unprepared I was but then I bumped into famous bloggers and vloggers and I was like dazed and confused.


I hope 2016 will be as fun as 2015, but everything will be better and in its place. I have high hopes/expectation for this new year and I have bigger goals that I must accomplish. What I actually look forward for 2016 is my 30th Birthday. Oh God! I'm turning thirty!!!


Happy New Year Everyone!!!


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