Cut the pants so that it becomes a pair of shorts. Cut the middle part so that it will flow like a skirt.

The trimmed long pants should likewise be cut in order to use it as a strap.  Cut  only a thin portion like 2-4 inches.  You should be able to produce at least 4 strips as this will be used as the strap of the backpack.

sew the edge of the trimmed pants in order to make a balloon effect as this will be the main b

a preloved printed cloth maybe used as a design or an accent, choose where you want to place them:)

sew in order to connect the short strip of cloth from the trimmed long pants in order to make them lengthy and good as a strap

sew the edge of the strap in between the corner of the opening of the body of the bag while the other one on the edge of the bag in order to make a backpack strap. do it again for the other side.

THE FINISHED product.  there you go!  simple yet stylish and functional.  You can use a sewing machine or bring it to a tailor shop so they can  sew it professionally:)

promise it will look good and make it more sturdy!

I didn't expect that this lipstick can be as dry as an old pastel crayon stuck in a drawer for years.  

This was really the initial reaction i had when i first applied Mac Ruby Woo on my lips.  The first aplication didn't even seem to cover heavily on my lower lip as the dryness refuses to color my lips fast and solid-strong.  

And yet, I still find Ruby Woo as one of the sexiest red red red lipsticks there is:)

My recent purchase of Mac lipstick has got to be Ruby Woo, I said to myself months ago after purchasing Mac candy yum yum (click on link for my write up on lipsticks and some tints _) which has neon pink shade.  

Though I met Ruby Woo during my first Mac purchase, I still chose Mac Russian Red as it was very well-recommended by the Mac booth attendants.  Perhaps as a first time user of the brand Mac, they knew that Ruby Woo would quite surprise me (and perhaps turn me off!) But it didn't. 

After reading few reviews about Mac Ruby Woo, I decided to give it a try and see what they really meant by Ruby Woo causing the lips "dry."

Ruby Woo: How was it then?

My verdict: well. It-is-dry. Mac Ruby Woo has a matte-finish just like Russian Red except that Ruby Woo is seriously FLAT and DRY.  Russian Red, though matte and likewise dries my lips a lot, has a shinier finish and thus smoother effect (like by 2%) compared to Ruby Woo. 

Mac Ruby Woo costs 1000php in Mac Trinoma.  You can check it out and apply it on your lips to see if it fits "your kind of lipstick." 

I can say that I'm a little "sadista" when it comes to my lips as i do not have the habit of putting on lip balm and/or lip gloss to smoothen it.

I like my lips dry and chapped.  I don't feel comfortable with sticky, shiny lips (don't ask me why, I really do not know why I have that kind of preference).  
 i supposed this is the very reason why I fell in love with the brand Mac, especially their matte lipsticks as it is the only brand that makes my lips real dry compared to other brands that have matte-labels but produce satin-finish on the lips. 

Shown here in the picture are MAC russian red, retro and ruby woo swatches:
 top pictures shows  ruby woo (first application).
left picture: 
first line is russian red
second line is retro
third line is ruby woo
on a pale/ fairer skin (white complexion).

Meanwhile, the right side of the picture shows the same order of lipstick swatches only applied on a medium-skin complexion.

So far, Ruby Woo completed my most coveted Mac top finalists!  

(1) Russian Red though is still my favorite. Classy and lovely. first application, you get the red red red that you want!
(2) Creme Puff (not on the picture) is the least of my favorite because it has a pale pink almost nude effect that makes me look sick when i apply it.
(3) Candy Yumyum is the most girly and fashionable barbie pink lipstick that I have so I carry it with me whenever my mood suddenly swings.... :)
(4) Retro is perfect for laid back style as it is simple and offers a sub-fashion statement that gives lovely look in a photo. It is not daring so i love wearing it in an ordinary day. (it was given to me by my loving auntie, Tita Ann).
(5) Ruby Woo is now my second favorite Red lipstick. i love the way it creates smudge, it gives me a rockstar bold red attitude.  

"it's red, and hell i care if it smudges!

Mac Ruby Woo is flat and hence it is perfect even worn in a bright broad daylight.  It doesn't look off yet it still gives that classy smeared or stained-look.  If you are planning to purchase Ruby Woo, i hope you are warned about it.  As for me, really, am enjoying it:) 

Tell me what you prefer: dry lips or shiny/glossy one and why? I'm not closing doors to that glossy pout:) C'mon share! :)

comment below!:) xoxo

caroleenish:)

caroleen wearing Mac Ruby Woo.

Humorous. Fun. Exciting. These are just some of the adjectives you'd probably associate with Benefit when you get to discover the looks and the tricks their products can give you!

I'm talking about the no-boring make up brand, Benefit Cosmetics!  A wonderful invention from San Francisco,  USA. Benefit Cosmetics totally changed the way I shop for cosmetics! As the original Bene-gals, the Ford twins would always say " Laughter is the best cosmetic.." so true that you'll find yourself buying their products not just because it totally works but because you find yourself smiling at the gift you give yourself.

Perhaps, what makes Benefit Cosmetics popular is the way they style the packaging of their cosmetics.  Creative, lovely, daring and brilliant, Benefit has got me obsessed with their products that honesty, I would really want to try everything! (Warning: you really have to save a lot since Benefit is not just a typical make up brand). ^_^. Then think of it as an investment! A gift to yourself, a piece of collection:)

My first purchase of benefit products started just last month when I finally gave it a try.  Since I don't really look for complete make up, I mean with all that concealers, foundation, etc. I never gave it a chance until I passed by its newly opened pop-up store in Trinoma and was invited by their bene-babe assistants to try on POREfessional.  

Velvety and amazing. I was like, "really?" There is a product like this??? LOL. As funny as it was, I have realized that yeah, I have not really given it a try.

Let me guide you through this kit.  If you haven't tried on any benefit products or if you are new to this brand, I advise that you buy the Primping With The Stars Kit as a good starter!
It is easy to use and really BENEficial at 1700 php:)

What's IN it?
Let me give you a basic product decription based on what I have researched and what I have experienced:) All photos were taken at the same area, same day, and under the same incandescent light:)  TOTALLY, NO FILTER or any effects to let you see how it is really when applied:)


Let's start with this clean, bare and NO make up face:) this is me, without any thing on:)

Now let's start!

a. Stay Don't Stray is an eye shadow primer.  A primer is the base that holds your eye make up/eyeshadow and makes it stay/last longer.  It likewise brightens the eye area.  How to apply it: Using the brush, make three dots around the eye area and then gently spread it using your finger outwards.

b. POREfessional: this product puts Benefit on top of the game together with Benetint as POREfessional is a beauty invention that minimizes appearance of your facial pores as it gives it a velvety feeling and acts as a primer as well.  The product gives you an INSTANT result, NO Kid!

c. Some-kind-a-gorgeous!  is a foundation faker. You apply it all over the face using your fingers. Apply it after POREfessional:)  The packaging is cute and the quality of the foundation is excellent. You should try this!

d. benetint is a lip and cheek stain that has a rosy smell and tints naturally on the skin. Benefit Cosmetics actually started with this product back in 1977 when "an exotic dancer ordered nipple stain to Ford sisters."
Using your fingers moving circular in motion to your cheeks, you create a wonderful blush stain that is gorgeously natural.

e. girl meets pearl is a liquid highlighter you dab with your fingers on the cheeks to give a luminous rosy pear effect on the stain you previously created.  I love the smell of this product! Try this and complete that glowing look:)

f. They're real.  Last in this kit is they're real mascara.  This one is highly recommended especially if you are the type that doesn't like smudges, bludgeoned-looking-eyes after wearing a mascara for an hour or so!
I swear, amongst the mascaras I have tried, this is the only one that does not fail you in terms of its water-proof and volumizing/lengthening effect.  Max factor, Revlon, Estee Lauder and other mascara brands have failed me a number of times:( But with They're Real, I found hope! HAhaha. Imagine I trained kickboxing and got sweat all over my face but it was still there with no mess!  Imagine the sweat--really dripping and even as i wiped my face with a towel, the towel got mascara stains but not on my face/eye area.  Cool huh! My sister gave it a try (as I was making "kulit") and she got herself convinced! Now she owns her own Primping with the Stars kit, initially, because of they're real! hehe

There! I'm ready to go:) Bye girls! thanks for reading. More posts to come:) If you have a product/service/event that you want me to blog about, just email me:) Go to Connect with Caroleen page and send me message:)

Let's celebrate being us--girls:) everything lovely is about beauty that is shared. 

Muah! 

A lipstick person is one that holds certain fondness for lipsticks---whether she is actually applying it on her lips, or just merely collecting lipsticks by color, texture, or brand, a lipstick person has a quite significant impulsive behavior on buying lipsticks as spotted on a make up stall or in an online make up shop.  As trivial as it may sound, there are a number of girls that hold certain fondness on this powerful tube.

In fact, lipsticks are popular even during girls' early childhood.  For instance, i can remember how i played with my Barbie doll and just stare at her lips and adore its color.  Growing up, I see my Tita applying ONLY lipstick whenever she goes out.  In a way, i grew up with an understanding that a face make up will never be complete without that stain on the lips. 
Stain on the lips brightens your face and gives you a kind of personality or character or attitude.  It can be soft and subtle, lovely as pink or bright and witty, hot as red; simple and bare as beige or nude or vibrant and eye-catching as neon orange.

There are a roster of lipstick colors you can choose from depending on your skin color, occasion to attend to, depending on your mood or probably the way you just want people to notice you (or your lips!).

Based on research, lipstick invention started during the ancient times when Mesopotamian women crushed gemstones and apply it on their lips (wikipedia.com)!

I wonder how gemstones feel on the lips. haha!  Nowadays, lipstick variety includes those that have matte-finish, glossy, or semi-matte. Matte-finish is my favorite!  Perhaps amongst the brand that has good matte-finish, MAC lipsticks stand out.  My personal choice is MAC candy Yum yum and Russian Red.  It gives you the full lip pigmentation you want to achieve as it stains and stays long without the oily/shiny effect.  However, during my high school days, I would always wear Revlon gloss, as it makes my lips soft and look pouty! (Perfect for a teen!)  Semi-matte however gives just the right color and protection for the lips.  I must admit, my lips are chapped and always dry because this is the side effect of Matte lipsticks---they make lips really dry.  Anyway, if this happens to you just take care of your lips by using a balm or petroleum jelly applied overnight or whenever you take a break from your matte lipstick.

MAC Creme Puff on my lips in this photo.  The color is pale pink, subtle and simple.  However, I think this color is quite sensitive with skin color matching, morena or tanned girls may find this more appealing.  hahah. For those who have whiter/fairer complexions, you may look a little pale when you wear this.  i guess, deep smoky eyeshadow paired with this lip color will give it an elegant or should i say, vampirish-twist:)

Lip Tricks:

Before i buy lipsticks, i make it a habit to read reviews first and look at images of women wearing the lipstick i plan to purchase.  Blogs, reviews from the official website of the brand, random images---they all help so you may execute a "wise buy" and be not sorry about your purchase.

Consider visiting the physical store and try on the lipstick/ tint first.

If you want something bold--something that makes your lips noticeable/ full or if simply you want to emphasize your lips, try Mac matte lipsticks.  Look for Russian Red, Ruby Woo, lady Danger, Saint Germaine or Candy YumYum. 

If you want something natural, more like just a stain on the lips, try lip tints!  Benefit Cosmetics' Bene-tint has a nice rosy smell, however it does not stain much especially on first application. Face Shop's My Lips eat Cherries stains perfectly and instantly and it is much economical compared to Bene-tint, if you are considering the budget:)  

With my sister Athenna!  I tried Bene-tint on her cheeks and lips. See how natural it appears, for everyday make up:)

There! I hope i have helped you guys on your next lip tube purchase:)

What's your favorite lipstick, by the way?