WHEN IT'S TIME TO TOSS THAT LIPSTICK.... A heads up on the shelf life of your favorite make up products. =)

Hey ladies!


I just finished doing my weekend clean up and thought I'd share a helpful tip or two about the
"tossing and keeping" of your favorite beautifiers! hihi Excuse me for the perkiness. Seeing my vanity all organized gives me a natural kind of high. I'm sure it has the same effect on you too, my fellow make up lovers! =) Now let's cut to the chase, shall we?


How long should we be keeping this and that?Article per article, i've read different opinions from renowned make up artists/ beauty experts and came up with a list where almost all of them intersect. So far, this has worked mighty fine for me. I hope it does the same for you too.



1. MASCARA - 3 to 4 months

2. EYELINER  - 12 months

3. LIP LINER -12 months

4. FOUNDATION - 12 months (water-based); 18 months (oil-based)

5. CREAM EYE SHADOWS - 18 months

6. BLUSH - 12 months (cream/liquid type); 2 years (powder type)

7. CONCEALER - 12 months

8. LIPSTICK - 1 to 2 years

9. POWDER EYE SHADOWS - up to 3 years

10. LIP GLOSS - 2 years

11. PRESSED POWDER - 12 months



When i got hold of my very first MAC LIP GLASS gloss at the age of 16, i wanted to keep it forever. It was a gift from my aunt and to me, it was the prettiest lip gloss i've ever set my eyes on. I told myself to use it only when i really needed to- like special occasions. Lesson learned? Make up products weren't built to last forever. I just woke up one day and found myself with a tube of dried up gloss and a broken heart. From that day on, i swore to make the most out of my little "babies".

 Let's keep it real, not all palettes out there come cheap. And who wouldn't want to pass up on saving a few moolahs by regulating usage? I've been there, and i've done that. But mind you ladies, using make up way beyond the time it's designed to be used has its downside. These prettifiers serve as a breeding ground for bacteria. And bacteria leads to infection. We can't risk that, can we? Mascaras for example, have led to several eye infections- the wands of expired tubes come closest, if not almost always touch the eyeball when applied. Those days you find your eyes red and itchy? Check your mascara/ liner, darling.

Note: My list above is just a guide for everyone. Your make up products may or may not live up to the time frame mentioned above depending on the ingredients they are made of. I have read somewhere that mineral make up, because of its composition, has a longer shelf life. 

As a general rule, "if it smells funky, it probably is." So go on and have a smelling-spree ladies! Toss or keep? I'm done with mine. Now's your turn..... <3

                                                              Cheers!

                                                Zandra Len x

10 Things Every Girl Should Never Live Without #3: A NO FAIL, FUSS-FREE RECIPE.

Hi darlings!

I don't know if it's just the cold weather today but i actually found myself in the kitchen... putting out my pots and pans to cook dinner. Now before anything else, let me just say that i'm no master chef. Heck, i'm not even a cook to begin with! hehehe 

Earlier this evening, i posted photos of my cooking over the internet. And to my surprise, a lot of people asked for the recipe. So here you go guys. This blog is for you. It may not be the best recipe out there, but it sure does work for me. Simple and easy.

As a child, my grandma would often call me into the kitchen and ask me to help her slice vegetables for every amazing dish she would make for the family. There were times my 8 year old self would hesitate because it meant lesser play time. But now, you could just imagine how grateful i am of her for dragging me into those kitchen moments. I spend 6 days a week living on my own at the pad. And for every single time i crave homemade food, i am taken back to those times with her--- how she strictly wants the carrots and ginger to be uniformly sliced for her escabeche, how she precisely measures 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and not a single morsel more for her chop suey.. and so on. It's amazing how, even when i haven't even tried cooking some dishes, they turn out to taste satisfactorily well (right dad? hahaha). No recipe books. Not much help over the internet. Just memories of what my lola would do- from start to finish. 

Below is my recipe for braised pork stew in brown sugar (humba).. made simple and easy! (apartment-friendly for those living away from home like me.)

* BRAISED PORK STEW IN BROWN SUGAR (HUMBA)

 I don't really know how to sequence everything so that it would appear similar to that of an online  site recipe. But here's what i like to do. First, i list all the ingredients i need according to the order i'd be using them. And the rest is history. Now let's start.

> 4 eggs    (if you prefer to add some to your humba. i added some to mine but took a photo just before i did. hehehe) 

>5 tablespoons vegetable oil (i don't really take the measurements seriously. if i find it too little, then i add some more. it's your cooking after all!)

>1 large onion, cut into half and sliced

>5 to 8 cloves of garlic, diced

>1 kilo of pork, cut into squares (i go to good 'ol Rustans for this. conveniently cut and ready to go.)

>3 cups water

>soy sauce

>vinegar

>brown sugar

>5 pcs. bay leaf

>1/4 cup azucena

>salt

>pepper

Ready? Here we go.

1. Fill pot with water, put eggs in and bring to a boil. If you live in a pad like me where time is of the essence and there's only 1 electric burner per  cooking episode, here's what i do. Since i'll be cooking rice, i place the eggs in the rice cooker too. Just as it boils and cooks, so will the eggs. Now that's conserving time, space and energy. wink. hehe. When eggs are nicely hard boiled, peel off shell and set aside to cool.

2. Saute' onions and garlic in a pan. You'll know they're ready when the onions turn white/transparent in color. This is my favorite part. I looooove the smell of ginisa (saute')!

3. Add the pork. Mix the ingredients for about 5 minutes, just enough for the pork to be bathed in oil. 

4. Add water, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaves and azucena. Add salt and pepper to taste too. Cover pan and bring to a boil. This gives the meat time to cook and soften. Do take note: i did not specify any measurements for the soy sauce, vinegar and brown sugar since that would mainly depend on you-- if you want your humba a little on the sweet or salty-sour side. 

Now here are some tips i picked up from my lola:

* When you add the sugar, don't sprinkle it directly into the pan. Some parts of it may not dissolve completely and you'll end up with a grainy humba. Place the sugar in a small bowl, and paddle out just an ample amount of water from the pan. Mix well until completely dissolved.

*Here's the weird but effective part: Drop 3 forks into the pan and allow to boil together with the rest of the ingredients. Yup. You read it right. hehe I've always wondered why lola would do this. As a child, i thought it was a magical ingredient of some sort. haha Actually, the forks help in heat conduction, allowing the meat to soften more quickly. Sssh. Not too many know this. It's a family secret. Wink.

5. Upon boiling and you find that the pork is not yet as soft/tender as you want it to be, add another cup of water and bring to a boil.

6. Taste. Add some more soy sauce/vinegar/sugar as desired.

7. Bring to another boil. 

8. Simmer. Add in the hard boiled eggs. (This is the part where you remove the 3 forks too.hehe)

9. Place on a bowl. Serves 3-4. Enjoy.

Not all of us are blessed with a talented hand in the kitchen. We're lucky we weren't born in the days when the number one qualification for a woman to be "marriage material" was a knack for creating the best/yummiest dishes imaginable.( Insert sigh of relief here. hehe.) But i do believe there will always be that one recipe a woman will learn to master in her lifetime. 

And you know what? To me, the secret to a wonderful dish does not lie in how famous the recipe is, how expensive/imported the ingredients are, nor how high end the utensils being used. When i cook, i think of happy thoughts. I think of the people i'm cooking for. I think of my lola. And you know something? The dish just happens to come out pretty well. Dad, my number one food taster is happy. And i couldn't be any happier. (I couldn't tag him as a food critic. He's too biased. hehe)

Here's hoping this recipe brings you a little closer to home. 

                                                                  all my love,

                                                                ZANDRA LEN

  "Every woman holds a song in her heart and an apron in her kitchen...."

10 Things Every girl should never live without #2. RED LIPSTICK. =)

Hi darlings!

I'm back! It's been quite a while since my last blog entry... eight months in hiatus to be exact! teehee hospital work and business juggled altogether make a perfect combination in keeping one from making an entry, yes indeed.

First thing's first. Succeeding blog entries from me may seem plain in terms of color and background... that's because i recently downloaded a blogger app for iphone. i find it convenient especially for busy bees like me... hehehe the only downside is that it lacks the basic settings =( just type, type, type and publish. no edits, no nothing. sigh. but not to worry. i'm crossing my fingers for an update of the app soon. Now let's carry on with the blogging, shall we?

I do recall my last post was about the 10 things every girl should never live without. We started off with the classic, all time favorite LBD. Now let's go to number 2.

Second on my list of musthaves is the red lipstick. Yes, THE red lipstick. hehehe =) Let's face it, most of us opt for the casual pale pink stains for regular days. But who doesn't feel that extra dose of glam when you swipe red lipstick on? Who hasn't gone through those nights when friends suddenly call for a spur-of-the-moment dinner and all you've got is 15 minutes tops? Bath.. check. Blow dry.. check. No time for make up? blush + red lipstick then off you go. Guilty as charged, your honor! hehehe This is so me. But what's truly amazing is that it actually works. I swipe it on my lips and no one seems to notice that i've been juggling heaven and earth in a hurry for that party. People actually think i came all prepared. I do love that fact- looking all prim and proper plus a touch of glam.. minus the effort. There are far more important things to do than spend hours and hours in front of the mirror after all! teehee

So moving on, here are my top fave red lipsticks (and some pinks and pales too! red.. pink.. nude... i'm a sucker for all things lip worthy.) . These are the ones i swear by for every party, event, date night, night out and everything in between.


1. MAC cosmetics in Russian Red.

Sigh. I love this lippie. I'm not so keen with red-orange-y hues and this lipstick is everything but. Its rich bloody red color has taken me from shoots to classy family dinners. And no, you don't need to reapply. It comes on so rich that you'll get that nice bright red color in just one swipe. Do exfoliate and moisturize your lips first before applying. Russian Red boasts of color but not too much in the moisturization department. I'm very particular with this since my lips are always dry. So don't forget to carry a trusty lip balm to match, lady loves.


2. MAC cosmetics in Ruby Woo.

This baby right here is a cult fave. Ruby Woo has that deep ruby red color (thus the name.. i presume. hehehe) that matches almost any skin type. It goes on smoothly on your lips and gives you that oh so gorgeous matte finish. I find this lippie perfect for morenas. And it's not drying on the lips too! Plus points for that.


3. CHANEL rouge allure in Famous.

Now this one, i have yet to get my hands on. I've read so much about it being one of the top faves of make up mavens the world over. They say Chanel lipsticks are known for their rich, lustrous color and unbelievably satin soft finish. I scouted the make up counters along Rustan's just recently, eager to buy myself one, only to find out that all stocks got sold out on the day they were displayed! The lady at the counter told me this lippie has its fair share of followers. Quite a number, in fact, that they get calls everyday for reservations when new stocks arrive. I went home empty handed to my dismay, but I did manage to swipe a tester on my lips. The verdict? Let's just say i find the fabulous reviews understated and i can't wait to get my own rouge allure. And when i do, you ladies better be ready for my review. Wink.


4. MAC cosmetics in Girl About Town

Those days when i find red lips too overpowering? I switch to good 'ol pink. Nothing like a lighter, bubblier and younger shade to spice up a boring day. MAC girl about town is one my absolute favorite fuchsia shades ever. It gives you just the right amount of fun, flirty and fabulous appeal. And yes, it's totally hydrating! Barbie meets Audrey. Definitely a musthave in every make up kit.


5. REVLON colorburst lip butter in Sweet Tart.

The name speaks for itself. I am in love with this lipstick because of how it amazingly moisturizes my lips! Take my word for it, it truly IS lip butter! hehehe This just came out in the market recently and at first i thought it was just another lipstick. Reading through a lot of magazines and their articles of how "drug store make up" has drastically improved and promisingly sworn to give famous make up brands a run for their money, i decided to give this baby a try. (Note: In the US, brands such as Revlon, Loreal and Maybelline are easily found in drug stores, thus the coined term.) To my amazement, this new line truly exceeded my expectations. The colors are very vibrant and so "now". They have this famous orange shade, Peach Parfait,  modeled by Emma Stone. But i prefer the warm pink tone of Sweet Tart. So yes, this one right here is a keeper for me. And at a fraction of the cost of the above mentioned lippies, how can you ever resist?

I've always been a lippie girl by heart. And to cut down my favorites into five was truly hard. (Refer to above photo. The writer's everyday stash.) But there you have it ladies. I hope this entry helps you whenever you feel like updating your make up train case. Remember, it's not the brand of the lipstick, the price nor the popularity. How it suits you, how it complements your skin tone and most importantly, how it makes you feel like a million bucks is what truly matters. And when you do find that imperially gorgeous shade of lipstick you truly cannot live without, don't forget to pair it with a smile. Lots of it. Then you're good to go. Wink.





All my love,

                                                                 ZANDRA LEN




* The writer is sporting Revlon Colorburst lip butter in Sweet Tart.

my take on LOVE and FRIENDSHIP.

with all the love songs bombarded in my head today, i felt like writing about something cheesy for a change. hehehe so i'll skip the 10 musthaves for today and write about something under the love and life category.

at 24 going on 25, i must say i still have a lot to learn about life.i feel so old already and yet in reality, i'm too young to even think about all these things. hehehe assuming i'd live to be a 100, i can safely say i've spent my first quarter well- i finished school with flying colors and gained a master's degree while simultaneously juggling a blossoming business in retail plus a job i truly love and  have sworn to keep at the highest of standards.in between all these, i've been lucky enough to be blessed with wonderful friends who will always have my back no matter what, a family whom i can always count on for support, true love that brings out the best in me and a loving God who guides me and keeps me grounded and humble at all times.

i don't know about most people, but i'm the type of person who loves to write about the things on my mind for different reasons. one, i write to clear out and organize my thoughts. the ideas sprout suddenly and writing them down makes it easier for me to rank them according to priority. two, i write so that i can easily remember what i'm supposed to remember. looking back on my student years, i recall writing the night away every time i had to study for an exam.  i was never too much of the read-memorize-recite type of person. and three, i write to share my thoughts, lessons and learnings so that i may be able to inspire others. i always enjoy reading touching stories whether in books or over the internet. so i figured, i shouldn't break the chain and i should just share whatever wonderful insights i have to pay it forward. who knows, one day i just might touch someone's life the way those stories touched mine.

so here we go. 

FRIENDSHIP. i'm caught between so many ideas contradicting each other on this. but since we don't have all night let's tackle one, shall we? hehe when i was younger, the nuns in our all girls private school taught us a hefty load of things. i remember them teach us that a friend will always correct you if you commit something wrong. and that was my mentality ever since. but just lately i realized something different. a true friend is someone who will always support you and keep you strong no matter what. she is someone whom you run to for something as simple as not having anything to wear for a very important dinner date, or something much more serious like needing someone to help you bury a dead body at 3 in the morning. both of which she will gladly offer all out help without any questions asked. this kind of friendship struck me as something far more genuine than the former. in my opinion, each of us already knows where we stand when we commit something wrong. and only a true friend understands that at that very moment, we don't need a second mother who will scold us for committing such a mistake. more than anything else, we need someone who will make us feel that we are not alone and that someone is ready to help us get up and get things right. yes darlings, find these kind of friends and see yourself laugh, cry, go crazy, grow old and paint a colorful rainbow of a lifetime with them. lucky enough, i found mine. and yes, i'm keeping them forever.

LOVE. okay so let's not start on this and end up gabbing an all-nighter shall we? hehehe it's a many splendored thing. period. let me just  collect my thoughts on all those four letters as a whole. back then, i used to associate love with- it's you and me against the world, if you truly love me you will never hurt me, if i love you i must let you go, hurt me once and it's goodbye.. and all that jazz. it's amazing how much one learns in a span of 25 years. 

first, i've learned that true love isn't really about you and me against the world. when you love someone, you don't limit her. you let her grow. you let her discover and appreciate the world. you let her become the best she can ever be. do not be afraid to lose her in the process, because in the end, she will always be thankful. in a relationship, couples need to give each other space to be able to do the things that each of them deem most important. it's a given that both of you should spend a lot of time with each other, but it's also important that you give each other time to grow as an individual. wouldn't it be nice to get busy, ggb (gulo-gulo ang buhay) and all, then talk all about it with your special someone at the end of the day? i find it very attractive when a guy is smart enough to make his own decisions, when he plans for the future with confidence, when he knows how to run his life in the best possible way he could, and then finds time to share his experiences/ideas with me at the end of the day. nothing is better than a man who knows what he wants in life-career, family, and love included.

second, i learned that if you truly love someone, you will never give up on him. just like my thoughts on friendship, loving is about being there for someone no matter what. that person may one day hurt you, anger you or disappoint you.. but no matter which way you put it, you already chose to love that person. and when you say love, there will always be patience, understanding and forgiveness. the bottom line is, loving isn't about i love you-you love me-you hurt me-it's goodbye. if you really love each other, no matter how difficult the odds, both of you will always find a way to work things out, come hell or high water.  someone once told me that in love, the real thing sets in long after the fireworks die down. it isn't so much about "sweeping each other off your feet" but more of how much you are willing to put up with and compromise with each other to make it work. it took me a while before i truly understood this. and i'm glad i did. 

                                             (hehe excuse this darlings. i couldn't resist)

third, love isn't about "hurt me and it's goodbye." this is something i'm working on understanding better. nobody wants to get hurt. it's a fact. each of us will always do what we can to protect our hearts from being broken. after all, who would want to go through all that drama of a love found and lost, right? i'm with you in this ladies. but here's something to ponder on. if you have found that one person you want to spend the rest of your life with, you should always learn to let go and just trust. i'm writing this not just for the sake of sharing such an insight but to remind myself too. because we are so afraid of getting hurt, we are always onguard with every little detail. we are always paranoid to think ahead. we want to, but we are afraid to have faith.

funny as it may sound, i wrote to myself last night. hehe blame it on the hormones, maybe? i'll spare you the cheesy details my loves, but i'll let you in on the juicy part. 

True love is about letting go, and leaving the rest to god. trust that people around you love you and will never hurt you. the more you doubt, the harder it is for those around you to deal with you. and all the more harder it is for you to be happy. trust that the people whom you love truly do love you in return and will never do anything to hurt you... but if one day they do break your heart, cry, get over it and move on. life will always give us thorns to serve as lessons. these are what makes us stronger. so never be afraid to get your heart broken. it hurts like hell, yes it does. but the experience, however hurtful, will make you a better person in the end.

If you've never been hurt, you've never truly loved... If you've never truly loved, you have never truly lived. remember this len.

love, 

yourself <3

so there you have it darlings. my thoughts on life, love and friendship- raw, true and sincere.

keep on loving and spread the happiness =)

to the next blog entry, yes? teehee

                                                                  all my love,

                                                                     

                                                             zandra len

10 things every girl should never live without =) NUMBER 1.

I've been getting a couple lot of facebook personal messages (PM's) lately. Mostly inquiries for the dresses i sell, others for my longchamp bags, others from friends who just want to catch up... and a couple lot from friends/buyers alike asking me what beauty products i use for my face or what brand of shoes i'm wearing. So here you have it ladies... my top ten musthaves, starting with musthave number one.

I never was the super high maintenance type of girl. But i also make sure i'm no plain jane. There are things every girl should have, things she truly needs. Of course, one woman's "musthave list" may differ from that of others. It's a case-to-case basis.So you may add more to your list if you wish. In the meantime, here's mine.

1. First and foremost on my list IS and will ALWAYS be the LITTLE BLACK DRESS. 

Gorgeous, isn't she? Audrey Hepburn's character in Breakfast at Tiffany's, Holly Golightly, is my all time favorite epitome of class and elegance. No wonder i'm a sucker for LBD's. hehe Seriously, i strongly believe every girl should have a little black dress in her closet. It's the most versatile piece of clothing i can think of. Dress it up with sky high stilettos or keep it simple with classy pearl earrings. No matter what the occasion, you can never go wrong with an LBD.

I'm pretty sure most of you have gone through those "unplanned" dinners where you suddenly get a call and what seemed like one peaceful day turned out to be a mind boggling one after all... what with all the endless hours of scanning your closet for the perfect dress to go with those heels you've had in mind or vice versa. And just when you've finally decided what to wear, you're left with only 10 minutes to shower, dry your hair, change into your outfit and do your make up!  I plead guilty for this ladies. teehee I'd be lying if i said i've never gone through such an ordeal.

But you know how they say, with age comes wisdom. And indeed i've truly learned my lesson. Now i always make sure my closet's armed with an LBD or two. No time? No sweat. You can be sure of that.

And yes, it will always be a basic. You'll be surprised with the many different looks you can come up with. Play with your imagination ladies. Pair this musthave with a sequined bolero, an animal print scarf, a skinny belt or a classy shrug... the possibilities are endless. Soon you will realize you're left with so many looks to "wear" and so little parties/cocktails to attend.

 My favorite shops to snag the perfect little black dress? There's forever21, plains&prints, mango, promod, topshop, tyler, jessica.... the list goes on and on ladies. But do remember this, it doesn't matter what brand you're wearing, as long as it fits you well and you feel like a million bucks in it, it's the perfect one. Looking good in a dress never was about the price tag nor the designer. It all comes down to the wearer- how she carries herself in the dress and how confident she feels wearing the dress. Everything else will follow.

So the next time you think you have "nothing" to wear, think again. There just might be one tiny piece hanging at the back of your closet with "let's paint the town red" written all over it.

 

                                                                
                                                              love and light,

                                          zandra len                                       

LONGCHAMP BAGS ARE LOVE

hellllooooo darlings!!!! <3

my first blog will be about  longchamp bags.. teehee and here i thought id start my entry with something like a "get to know the author" section. but nah, decided to skip that boring part and get on to the juicy part of life, love and lip gloss. so for tonight, longchamp bags will be written under the lip gloss category- beauty and fashion.

<3 WHY I SUPER LOVE THESE BAGS:


aside from the fact that they come in almost any yummy color imaginable and in different sizes to fit your taste and lifestyle, longchamp bags are first and foremost very convenient. whenever i travel, i always make sure i bring one along (refer to pics) and who wouldn't? they're so easy to stash because of their foldable design. i love to keep them in the zipped part of my luggage. bring one or two along your trip and this bag would never add any excess weight to your luggage what with its light material. who would've thought you could be stylish in your travels and still live up to "traveling light?" hehehe =)

longchamp bags hit me as  very VERSATILE. get one in a classy shade and you can take it from work to a cocktail. get one in a bright solid color and you can bring it to a party, night out or a summer getaway. the possibilities are endless with this bag. and with my pics, it's obvious how much i love to tote it along whether i'm shopping, working, doing meet ups or having fun with friends. i especially love my fuchsia bag. it has been with me for almost 2 years now and no matter how many times i've used it, it has never given up on me.

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE ONE, WHY GET ANOTHER PIECE?


who can resist all the new colors this bag comes in? longchamp bags for me goes way past any trend. to me, it's a classic. something that you must have in your closet, locker, luggage. it goes way beyond being the "it" bag of the moment. and with all the new colors and designs that are continuously being manufactured, you just can't help but get your second, third or even fifth bag BECAUSE you know no matter what you wear or whatever the occasion, it will always be a great companion.

trust me, with proper care, this bag is indeed a KEEPER .. <3

 

 for orders/queries: visit my online shop:  CLICK THIS LINK.

all my love,

zandra len