Today's Dispatch: Ten Things

This post is brought to you by this delicious smidge of cuteness in French Bulldog form, whose doppelganger was spotted walking alongside The Hotness in NYC a few days ago.

Source: images.google.com

Yes, The Hotness has been reading my mind. (See also: this previous entry on manly men with tiny dogs.)

*****

So the lovely Laura from Ladies Who Critique came up with this blog-posting prompt, which I thought I'd try out for this blog. It's a great way for me to get folks updated on what I've been up to lately, since I do a lot of regular rambling on this blog as well. Thanks, Laura! :)

1. Eating this: Oatmeal with two slices of raisin bread, with a side of papaya cubes. Every morning. No fail.

2. Reading this: Actually, the storm ruined my chances of getting some work-related reading done because the power outages prevented many of my students from submitting their papers. After this, however, I'm going to Manila to pick up more books.

3. Browsing this site: I've been following How Sweet It Is through Twitter. And why wouldn't I, when the cupcake photos look like this?

Photo credit: HowSweetEats.com

4. Writing this: I've started making a few dents on Nominated (my WiP from Camp NaNoWriMo), which means I am close to rescuing my protagonists from plot-mired limbo. Currently I have three critique partners looking at this manuscript, as well, which means that this baby should be in tip-top shape when I'm ready to send it in for publication.

Once Nominated is fixed - with a deadline of possibly mid-October - I will have the NaNoWriMo proper in November, though I haven't decided on what to do for this. Originally I was going to use this time to revise the previous year's NaNo (World on a Plate, aka "the Pinoy foodie novel"), but now there might be a possibility that I'll have time to write a new one, either a new chick-lit or possibly an alternate-reality espionage thriller with fairy-tale elements.

Photo credit:
We (Love) Delicious Food

5. Drinking this: I would have said "water," since it's the only thing I've been drinking lately, but right now I could really use more Oreo milkshakes. This, I blame on the mysterious #CookiesNCream hashtag that the rugby boys from the Philippine Volcanoes have been using every day on Twitter. No, I do not want to know what that's about, either.

6. Using this: In the software department, yWriter5 (excellent novel-writing software!) and the desktop version of Tweetdeck (faster than Tweetdeck for Chrome, plus it doesn't get in the way of work). In terms of beauty products, Neutrogena Rapid Clear acne treatment, Bench Fix Clay Doh, and Nivea's Fruity Shine tinted lip balm in Pomegranate, which is a lovely red stain that will get its own Glosswatch entry soon.

7. Watching this: TV-wise, I'm getting sucked into Law and Order: Criminal Intent, which is still my favorite series within the franchise. (Law and Order: UK is a close second.) I also caught my first episode of Sherlock (so intense, and Martin Freeman is so, so good as Watson), plus I've also downloaded the pilot for New Girl on iTunes as well.

As for movies, I have added The Descendants to my must-watch movie list for the fall. George Clooney, Alexander Payne, and gorgeous shots of very familiar neighborhoods in Hawaii? I am so in.



And I can't wait till Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy comes out, too.



8. Buying this: Mascara and (possibly) eyeliner. The last time I went shopping for makeup, an overzealous saleslady tried to push a lipstick on me, even though the lippy I wanted was in a different formulation. She was stubborn and persistent, and I gave her none of my money. This time, I'm going to branch out and try more mid-price Asian brands, like Etude House and Majolica Majorca.

9. Listening to this: My three favorite podcasts right now.

The Moth:



The Sporkful:



and Popspotting.

Screencap: mine.

And "Called Out In The Dark" by Snow Patrol, whose actual video isn't as awesome as the song itself.




10. Using this new word: Inveigle. 


From Dictionary.com:

From Thesaurus.com:

Want to chime in on the discussion? Show us some blog love by leaving a comment below, or following @stella_meimei on Twitter!

Today's Dispatch: Serenity Now

This post was NOT brought to you by the recent batch of photos from the Avengers set in New York.



- First, a shout-out to my gorgeous friend-from-high school Marie (aka Ms. LadyCakes), who now fashion-blogs on a regular basis for Instylation. Here's her most recent entry as of this writing, where she totally rocks the mod look for fall.

- Speaking of mod, how gorgeous are the new Stardust lip glosses from Urban Decay? I'm already a fan of the Stardust shadows, so I can't wait to try these in person... if I could find a place out here that sells Urban Decay, that is. (Link: a review of the glosses from Karen of Makeup and Beauty Blog, who gives them high marks for shine and staying power.)

- So, for some weird reason last night, I spent the whole night looking at shoes instead of doing... whatever it was I was supposed to be doing (okay, WRITING), and now I'm officially obsessed with these shoes from Valentino. Sparkly and chic: gotta love that combo!

- Another sparkly obsession: Miriam Haskell jewelry, which started with Michelle Obama's earrings from the State dinner in El Salvador. I just love the craftsmanship that goes into these designs, which are so classic and avant-garde at the same time. I'm also besotted with this breathtaking pearl-and-crystal statement necklace, which is practically begging for a bare-shouldered formal dress to be worn with it, and the formal event to match.

- Finally, going back to our movie-related WTF news: What is this about Adele (possibly) recording a song for a new James Bond movie? Surely they must not be kidding... or are they?

Today's Dispatch: Skin and Tones

This week's tutorial was brought to you by Pixiwoo.



- Since I already brought up my new dermatologist last time, I might as well share the rest of the regimen with you guys right now. I currently use proprietary prescription-strength products for my sensitive skin, but I think this can be easily replicated with OTC products as well.

• DAY: Gentle cleanser, followed by oil-free moisturizer mixed with refining cream, and BB cream blended on top. 
• NIGHT: Gentle cleanser, followed by creamy moisturizer mixed with refining cream (on a relatively moist face), and a little cortisone cream for red spots. 
• PRODUCT SUBS: The cleanser I have right now is basically a creamier version of Cetaphil, which is not too hard to find at your local stores. I already mentioned BB creams in my previous posts, but you can also use an oil-free tinted moisturizer with sunblock instead. (The cream I'm using is similar in consistency and coverage to Benefit's You Rebel.) 

And after the jump: Too much analysis to bear, just for one single picture.

Today's Dispatch: Updates on the Previous

Our first Dispatch starts with a few recurring players from the Domesticity archives.

- I have fallen in love again with the Levi's Mens 505 Slim Straight jeans that I wore in Queenstown this May. Yes, they're baggy enough to look like Walk of Shame jeans - and super comfortable, to boot - but not too baggy that they're practically dragging on the ground. Part of it has to do with the combination of the dark wash and the fade pattern on the front of the pants (sorry, not really up-to-date with denim terms), which still gives the impression that I have actual legs instead of tree stumps under them. I love them enough to wear them on days when I don't have to dress too formally, like non-teaching work days, casual trips to Manila, and girls' nights with my friends.

- On the other hand, I have fallen out of love with the dermatology situation on my face, partly because I got sick and tired of my post-cauterization skin care routine and partly because I could not go one more day without wearing makeup. Long story short, I broke down and got a second opinion with another dermatologist, who correctly diagnosed my skin as sensitive and dry and gave me a more suitable (and livable) solution for my face. One of the things he prescribed to me was a combination tinted sunblock and BB Cream, which - once again - has changed my life for the better. This one also has a high SPF and titanium oxide (last seen on my face at Bondi Beach), but it's tinted and covers smoothly (even under my eyes) without leaving a chalky finish. I try to put this on with my fingers as much as possible, and buff out any unblended spots with a sponge for good measure. My BB cream is a doctor's brand, but you can also get good ones from Missha, Dr. Jart, and Smashbox; there are also Asia-exclusive ones made by Maybelline, Estee Lauder, and MAC as well.

- Good news: Law and Order: UK is airing in the Philippines on Universal Channel Asia! Bad news: I'm only one episode in, and I'm already in full drool mode over Jamie Bamber. Odd, because I honestly did NOT get the big deal with him when Battlestar Galactica was still running... but put him in a suit, and have him keep it on for a good chunk of an entire season? Oh, hello, officer!

- Dear moviegoing public at large: Yes, that really is Rafe Spall hanging out with Anne Hathaway in One Day. Yes, he is a ginger. Yes, he really is that talented. (Did I mention that he's also turning up in Anonymous?) Yes, it looks like he's turning into the British version of Edward Norton. And yes, he is ten million times foxier without all that hair, plus he only looks like his Dad whenever he stops working out. Now will somebody please cast him in something more significant, for a change? (No, Domesticity: The Movie does not count. He's way too tall for the role of Potatoface McHotness.) 

Please Please Please Make This Happen Soon

To be fair, this one is currently exclusive to QVC for the next six months... but after years of wondering why BB creams are only available in - literally - "pinkish white," don't you think it's about time we tanned and darker-skinned gals got a chance to try one that's much closer to our skin color?

(And if so, wouldn't be a good idea to have this one available in Manila, in the full shade range shown here?)

Don't let us down here, Smashbox. We're counting on you folks to make this work.

Face Time

An update on "the procedure": My face is actually healing quite nicely - not a lot of scabbing now, but I still need to put cream on to get the remaining red marks under control. Still trying to stay away from the sun, though (not that hard to do with typhoon season underway) and makeup - apart from a little lip gloss - won't be an option just yet.

Other than that, I'm actually back at work: my actual job has started up again with less stress (finally), my fiction-writing hobby is more manageable, and even my blogging is now up and running with a vengeance.

So, since I'm back on my feet (but not with my usual face), I've decided to share a few YouTube makeup tutorials with you.

The Case for The Basics: Your Dermatologist

The story started back in mid-April, when I went to the friendly neighborhood dermatologist's office to get myself a facial for the first time. My skin had been bothering me a lot in the last few years, but - healthcare expenses being what they are - I decided that this would be a good time for me to get checked at The Derma.

Right away the assistants knew that something was horribly, terribly wrong with my skin.

The signs of sun damage, while not entirely visible, were manifesting in gross and disgusting ways. My skin was getting rough, and the spots that I thought were sties in my undereye area were, in fact, a manifestation of something more insidious.

I can't go into much detail here, because I know that there are medical terms here in the Philippines that are always questioned Stateside... but I do know that our family has a history of invisible, age-related benign growths that practically have to be burned and/or lasered off before they start spreading all over the body.

That's what prompted me to get an estimate for the procedure from the dermatologist herself, right before I was due to leave for New Zealand. She concluded that the growths have already started spreading around my face, especially in the under-eye area. It wasn't urgent - in fact, she wasn't taking any patients until June - but I knew that I had to have this done when I got back, just so I could get it out of the way.

Finally, I got the "procedure" done yesterday, and... well, details after the jump.

(Warning: The rest of this entry is not for the faint of heart. Proceed to read at your own risk. Also, we do not recommend reading the hot-guy sections of this blog after the jump, for the same about-to-be-obvious reasons.)

Domesticity Moments: Wellington, NZ

Just for the record: I HATE THE YANKEES. And I replaced this one with an All Blacks cap anyway.  

Ignore the hellish state of my skin here for a moment, because it's all about the lips and lashes here.

The retouched version. (No, I didn't crop out the Yankees cap here; it just happened that way.) 

The lip gloss I'm wearing here is Clinique's Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in Kissyfit, which was basically the only gloss I wore throughout the trip - and, heck, the only non-balm product that I sported during all my jaunts. (This, by the by, will be reviewed in an upcoming Glosswatch Extra; it's about time, too, since I've had this one for a while.)

The mascara I'm wearing, on the other hand, is Maybelline Lash Stiletto, which was a grab-and-go purchase that I made at the Duty Free Philippines store in NAIA-1 before leaving for Auckland. I purchased this for US$7.50, but it has turned out to be one of the best purchases that I've made for this trip. While it's not exactly my holy grail of mascara - that one will always be, now and forever, Cover Girl's Lash Blast - I've actually grown quite fond of Lash Stiletto throughout this trip. The pointed brush does get those little lashes in the corners, and the formula itself does lengthen like nobody's business, so it actually does give that doll-eyed effect that most folks usually get with false eyelashes. Plus it lasts all day, so I don't have to worry about waking up with runny black eyes. If there is one complaint that I can make about this mascara, though, it's the clumping; as much as I like how it lengthens and lasts, it does look and feel like asphalt going on, and could get even more asphalt-like throughout the day if I'm not careful. That means I have to do the extra "work" of wiping the brush and applying the mascara in thin coats rather than going all-out in one swipe, which is something I can't faff with if I don't have the extra hours in the morning. Other than that, though, I'm actually quite happy with this, and I might actually consider this as a repurchase. 

Domesticity Moments: Bondi Beach, SYD

I was just looking at this picture the other day (because I'm vain like that - hello, would I be a beauty blogger if I wasn't?) and I immediately thought, "Hey, my skin looks pretty good here."

My secret? THIS:

Yes, SUNSCREEN! Or, to be specific, NIVEA Sun Moisturizing Sunscreen Lotion. The version I have at home has an SPF of 50 PA++, which means that the stuff is highly capable of filtering out UVA rays on top of providing regular sun protection. Perfect on a day like this, where the crazy combination of bright sunlight and a brisk cold wind can do a number on one's skin.

A caveat, though: This sunscreen also contains titanium dioxide and bismuth - both excellent physical sun-blocking ingredients, but could also be potentially irritating to the skin, on top of making darker-skinned folks look chalky. I personally didn't mind them in this context, but anyone who has a problem with these ingredients may want to take that into consideration.

I'm Back.

And I really need to moisturize.

More pictures from the trip later, including some prime Domesticity Moments and a few product reviews.

Also, there might be a Hotness post sometime this month. Hint: There's a reason why The List just got reconfigured.

A Life Well-Lived

An obituary, from The Telegraph. 

A series of final tweets from @dameelizabeth herself, using her iPad, dated July 22, 2010:

I would like to add something to my earlier tweet. Always keep love and humility in your heart.

Never let yourself think beyond your means...mental, emotional or any otherwise. 

You are who you are. All you can do in this world is help others to be who they are and better themselves and those around them.

Give. Remember always to give. That is the thing that will make you grow. 

That is the thing that will give back to you all the rewards that there are. Don't do it for yourself, because then it becomes selfish.

Because then it becomes about yourself...which is wrong. Giving is to give to God. Helping is to help others.

Every breath you take today should be with someone else in mind. I love you.

In honor of Elizabeth Taylor, I have decided that I will not face this day without perfume.  

Domesticity Reviews: Urban Decay Stardust Eyeshadow in Retrograde

This is how my new Urban Decay Stardust Eyeshadow came to be in my possession:

Not a picture from my own camera, BTW. But still, it's so FURFLE!!!!!!! 

Now, I have to tell you, I wasn't sure about getting away with this, especially with my current life being non-conducive to wearing shimmery purple eyeshadow. But this is a gift from a dearest friend - along with another life-changing item that I need to review soon - and she assured me that this was going to work especially well for me. 

And so... 

Urban Decay Stardust eyeshadow in Retrograde, worn with Sephora Super Shimmer lip gloss in Pink Ballerina

Subtle, yes. But so pretty! And not at all drag-queenish, considering that I just brushed it in dry powder form on my lids without any primer. 

Here's the fun part: I wore this look to the office. Why? Because I can, and also because I needed a little jolt after spending the rest of the semester with barely-combed hair and a perma-scowl. 

The uncensored "fashion pictorial" version of the same.

I was expecting a lot of sparkly purple fallout for the rest of the afternoon, but guess what? After hours of checking papers, stapling midterms, and the occasional eye-rub, I went to the bathroom and found that the eyeshadow was still very much on my eyelids, with no intention of leaving before I decided to wash my face and be done with it.

How could I have taken Urban Decay for granted all this time? 

Retrograde is a true keeper. The UD website describes it as a "dark purple with iridescent shimmer," which is exactly what this product is in real life. The sparkle isn't gritty or frosty, and I could look at this pan all day long and never get tired of the iridescence of it all. One day, when I'm not as pressed for time, I would also love to use this as an eyeliner because this is the kind of purple that really brings out the eyes. 

The first and last UD shadows that I have purchased (one of which was ABC Gum, which is basically the matte-powder version of the MAC Paint Pot in Painterly) were as long-lasting as advertised; it's too bad that I never got around to keeping them, because they were fantastic. After reading the reviews for the Stardust shadows, however, I'm glad that my experience with has been confirmed... and now I want to reconsider the whole brand all over again, at least for their eyeshadows. Can't wait to try more! 

Glosswatch 2011: Two for the Taking

The gloss: Sephora Collection Super Shimmer Gloss, $10

Pink Ballerina (very sheer pink)

Rusted Rose (rosy-tan nude)

What Sephora says: "Coat lips with a shot of glistening, glassy color from these innovative tube glosses. Just a gentle squeeze of the tube sends a wash of sexy shine over lips. The convenient applicator tip makes perfecting your pout goof-proof! Available in cream and shimmer shades."


First impressions: This is not the first time I've owned a Sephora Collection gloss - remember that one year when I got this set for my birthday? - so I never really thought about them much until recently. These two have replaced the other shades from the previous Sephora set, and are great companion pieces to the golden-pink Rosy Glow.

Texture: Very slippery, unless you've got really dry lips.

Color saturation: Sephora glosses are notoriously sheer - as evidenced by the pictures above - but they do photograph nicely, and stand out best when accompanied by complimentary makeup.*

*Note: I'm actually wearing a new eyeshadow in the "Pink Ballerina" picture, above. Review to follow!


Minty-fresh factor: None. Which is odd, since Sephora insists that these glosses contain "lip plumpers."

Hydration capacity: Here's the thing - I didn't really think much about the hydration capacity back in HNL, because it always goes on slippery. And yet, after being exposed to windy weather and crazy air-conditioning in the Philippines, I find myself reaching for these glosses even more so, because they provide that smooth barrier that I need to keep myself from licking my lips.

Trendwatch 2011: When Kawaii Girls Grow Up

kawaii wallpaper by ~cupcake-bakery on deviantART

Before I start, let me make it very clear that I, as an Asian woman of a certain age, have no problem with cuteness in general, and everything that's considered kawaii in particular. In fact, if it were up to me, all of my bed linens and office supplies would be decorated with tons of tiny, happy, smiling Japanese cartoon characters, and be generously shameless about it as well.

I do, however, have a bit of a problem with the image of the Asian woman as the perpetual kawaii girl: slim build, pale skin, tiny high-pitched voice with matching giggle... and, yes, in certain instances, the occasional short skirt or low-cut top.

On one hand - and from an academic standpoint - there are some situations where the kawaii-ness actually works, especially when it involves a discussion of Asian culture. (I once had to use this line of reasoning to defend a colleague of mine who used her high-pitched kawaii voice in teaching Japanese.) That doesn't mean it can't be a problem for a grown woman; it's one thing to speak in a cutesy, high-pitched voice for cuteness' sake... but when you're, say, a news anchor in Honolulu reporting on a raging fire that has left several casualties in its wake, THAT might be a problem.

(No, I'm not naming names. For that, you will need to go to Scribey; just make sure to offer a week's worth of free babysitting in exchange for the information.)

Which is why I love watching the kawaii archetype getting turned on its own head by Asian women in mass media.

Glossy New Year

In the beginning, there was this box, which arrived from SisMei in Honolulu:

And in this box, there were several lip glosses:

And Meimei, who opened the box, was so amazed by what she saw in it that she thought to herself, "Ten lip glosses in a single box, with promises of lip-plumping action? Plus a full-size tube of Buxom Full Color lip polish? Hey, this must be the blog-writing opportunity that I've been waiting for all year! I MUST TEST-DRIVE THEM ALL! "

And so, she started researching what other folks have said about each gloss. Full color saturation? Annoying mintiness? Definitive lasting power? Then she noticed that the weather was getting cold - no thanks to La Nina and whichever cold front was threatening to come down from China -  which meant lip gloss was going to be a necessity in this household.

Thus, a series was born: Glosswatch 2011. 


(What can I say? Pump and Lift was already taken.)

Holidays With an Extra Punch

This holiday look from Smashbox intrigues me. 

Taken as a screencap from my email account. 

Here's how to achieve it, from the Smashbox website: 

Apropos of nothing, this is the second time I've mentioned a lip product named "Maple" in this blog. Hm.

Compare this to the "holiday" looks sweeping the Philippine press these days, using examples from Preview magazine: 

November 2010: Cristine Reyes, looking very much like a cross between Maggie Cheung and a cleaned-up Amy Winehouse (not a bad thing, let's face it)

December 2010: Model/ designer/ makeup artist/ reality show darling (and current national girlcrush) Solenn Heussaff;  check out a list of colors and techniques used here

There really is nothing wrong with all three looks, to be honest; mileage always varies when it comes to makeup, so there's no universal rule saying that everyone should only adopt Trend X, Y, or Z in any case. 

Which leads us to the next point: Who says we have to stick closely to the script when it comes to beauty? Maybe you do want to wear sparkly eyeshadow with the flashiest gown in your closet, or maybe you're the kind of person who could pull off a smoky monochromatic mauve with your office-to-party outfit. That doesn't mean you can't shake it up a bit. Maybe you should start with a monochromatic face and add a bit of black eyeliner. Or take the same black eyeliner and pair it with some bronzer and/or shocking pink lips for a little walk on the wild side. 

(Aside: I wouldn't be surprised if Santa handed the perpetually naughty Cristine Reyes a tube of  Nicki Minaj's Pink 4 Friday lipstick from MAC; she could probably pull it off, too.) 

Either way, this should teach us that we can all afford to be a little more adventurous when it comes to fabulousness during this prime party season. Cheers! 

Because It's Never Too Early to Plan for the Holidays...

Two entries ago, I mentioned that I wanted this on my gift list:

(Buxom City Slickers holiday set, $39 at Sephora.) 

And because I tend to have a wandering eye when it comes to these things, I thought I could put this on my wish list too. 

(MAC 5 Sassy Neutral Lassies, $29.50; screenshot from MACcosmetics.com) 

That, however, does not compare to some of the things that I actually do want: 

Jillian, you affectionate little meanie, you. I'm already getting 30 Day Shred from Scribey, so this would be a nice addition to my stash of workout videos. 

Also:

OMG BRITISH LAW AND ORDER OMG OMG OMG!!! 

Corny-sounding, I know, but you're looking at the person who will deliberately watch old Law and Order reruns whenever they're on. (But only the first three seasons, though, especially the ones where Chris Noth was still quite hot.) While people may scoff at the UK edition ripping off scripts and plots wholesale from the first few seasons of Law and Order: Original Recipe, I personally think it's a reminder of why the original series was so great in the first place. 

And then: 

OMG MARTIN FREEMAN OMG OMG OMG!!!!!

A friend from NaNoWriMo Philippines recommended this series to me; apparently it has become quite a popular torrent download, which is weird because Filipinos don't always lean much towards the Anglophilic end of the TV spectrum unless it involves Mr. Bean. Also, it has been a while since Mr. Freeman has appeared on my radar - especially after last year's constant marathon of Hot Fuzz - so I'm pretty optimistic about how he does in the Watson role here. 

(Benedict Cumberbatch, on the other hand, will always be on my good side, especially since I'm used to watching him run around frantically in The Last Enemy. I wouldn't worry about his career just yet, is what I'm saying.) 

...Santa? 

The Case for the Shout-Out

We interrupt our usual schedule of off-blog lesson planning, NaNoWriting, and other distractions for some breaking news.

Be In Style has just featured Domesticity in their Best of the Web series, which runs every two weeks with a running theme. This week's theme is "first impressions," and here's an excerpt from their entry 

The blog’s “Video Style Moments” entertain readers while subtly encouraging us to exercise our aesthetic muscles.  Keep an eye out for the microcosm moments where editor Meimei posts thoughtful moments from her life.

Sweet! Once again, many thanks to the staff at Be In Style for the awesome feature story. :)

Also, for those of you who have just found this site, a few pieces of worthy beauty moments...

First, a Face for The Moment.

This picture is from more than a year ago, taken right before I was about to go out for speed-dating. This is actually more of an earthy-style look, with a lot of browns from Stila and a bit of bronzer to go along with the brown-and-orange theme I'm working with here. The whole night was a bust date-wise - remind me to tell you that story about Wow Guy and This Is Not a Job Interview Dude on this blog -  but I ended up hanging out with a bunch of super-cool girls with whom I ended up watching Star Trek with over the weekend. (Wish I'd met them earlier, before the whole move to the Philippines happened. Miss 'em.)

Second of all:

WANT. That's all. If ever, though. (Christmas?)

And third:

I'll admit to liking the mascara and the lipstick (well played!). Putting aside all speculations about Shakira's weight, the crazy wardrobe, and the rattiness of her hair, though: Am I the only person who goes around saying "DAHNCE... OR DIE!" at every random opportunity?

...Just me, then? Okay, then.