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This afternoon, I saw my dad and bro for the first time since I learned some kickass makeup skills in Manila.
“Wow, you look different… like a Hong Kong film star now!,” dad said.
My bro concedes by saying with a smirk, “Yea, now you know how to use makeup!”
It felt great! 😀
I was at Greenbelt last night (Manila) at the Beauty Bar looking for a set of brushes, because the Korean Palgantong brush I bought from Hong Kong (it’s awesome BTW) somehow got lost during the Makeover Contest I was involved in on Sunday afternoon.
Problem is, the brushes there were Japonesque professional brushes that were selling at PHP 1,000 – PHP 2,500 (About RM 80-200) per brush.
Firstly, the handles were too long for self application and secondly they were way too expensive for a newbie like me. I might look into ultimate pro brushes as I get more serious, but for now, I kind of just need entry level brushes that are shaped right and don’t scratch my face. You know, brushes to learn with!
Budget Tools
Thank goodness I made the right decision to hold off on the purchase because, today I stumbled upon that new Magicboo makeup supplies store on Gaya Street (Kota Kinabalu). I ended up spending merely RM27.50 (PHP 364.50) on 5 pro Chinese brushes!!! Isn’t that crazy cheap?
To be honest, the quality’s not bad at first analysis. I might even get a second set if they hold up well. They are soft to the touch, and while I can’t verify this the store owner said the black ones are natural?! Anyhow, they feel pro enough for me even if they’re an unbelievable bargain.
Reasonably Priced Makeup
Generally, I won’t tell you to use cheap makeup over the pharmacy counter, because of irritants and carcinogens. For example, I’ve used eyeliners that sting, and blushers that make me go into a sneezing fit even though they come from reputable brands. I find that this happens a lot less with dermatologically tested, natural products.
Usually, I go for high quality makeup that are organic or natural, which usually cost a lot more than commercial makeup brands. But there are good quality stuff out there that are priced reasonably, are good to use like Carnival, and without harmful chemicals like Human Nature (Philippines) (great for SE Asian skin with brown undertones).
These days the makeup industry is very competitive, and a lot of brands and starting to eliminate harmful ingredients from their products for market positioning so you’re in good luck.
Korean brands like The Face Shop, Holika Holika, and Etude House tend to carry colours that are more suitable for Oriental skin, whereas The Body Shop is an all around good place to start if you want to look great at an affordable price for any skin color.
Saying that, to be absolutely honest, I do find that premium quality makeup has a much smoother finish and feels better on my skin because of the nourishing ingredients in them.
I personally use Artistry, Dr. Hauschka, Juice Beauty, and also 100% Pure. The trend so far seems to be safe Organic American, German, Japanese, and high quality Korean beauty products.
Since I don’t like to apply thick makeup on, it’s imperative that the coverage I get is good even if I don’t slap on layers of it.
Makeup Essentials
There’s another way to keep your makeup tab low, and still use the best of the best items. This is getting too long so I’ll cover that in Part 2. Stay tuned 🙂
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