All the Vanity Blog :: Beauty, Fashion & Shopping

Hallo from Belgium! I had a blast staying in Ghent for a week of work-slash-travel-slash-shopping. It’s my first time out of the tropical zone, so I made it a point to bring racks of clothes, particularly coats &  jackets to adapt to Belgium’s cold temperature.

Instead of buying heaps of clothes made especially for uber-cool weather, I just indulged myself layering my existing clothes. Of course, I also shop for some stuff in addition. Weather’s such a blessing there, since I have more reasons to pull off a stylish garb.

Last April 4th, we visited Antwerp–one of the largest cities in Belgium. I decided to be tinged mainly in blue, as I donned  a blue flowery scarf, blue-green tights and a flowery bluish tiered skirt! I got in touch with the animal life as we barged in Antwerp Zoo beside the  Antwerpen Centraal station. Then, we decided strolling on the busy bricked streets of Antwerp, where we found lots of picturesque landmarks,  monuments and shopping districts (hence, stressed the last part). We decided to go inside Bozzy, one of the many gift shops we passed by that sells Belgian bric-a-bracs and other stuff. I got myself some keychain and makeup!

Next, we visited H&M, one of the few fashion havens where you can hoard loads of clothes and accessories without actually burning a hole in your pocket! Here, I got myself a basic newsboy cap for only €4.50 (will blog about it soon!). And for some sweeter indulgence, I got myself a box filled with pralines at Devinas and a specialty chocolate brownie ice cream at Ben & Jerry’s!

What I Wore?

Ha-ha. This is not my most flattering fashion pic, but I guess this shot highlights all the stuff I wore during that day.

Blue scarf with black and silver flowery prints – Thrift shop

Green-Grey anorak – Zara

Baby blue tank – Mango

White short-sleeved collared shirt – Guess

3/4’s button-down Grey cardigan – H&M

Blue flowery tiered skirt – Kamiseta

Blue-Green tights – Lucky Doll Store at Mutiply

Black boots – Matthews at CMG

Sling bag – Lacoste

Of course, touring Belgium won’t be complete without shopping! So, I got myself these cutesy lil’ pieces from Dark Dudes in Bozzy, a gift shop found in the streets of Antwerp.

This actually reminds me of the cute, cuddly yet dark characters of Happy Tree Friends. Obviously, it won me aesthetically. It’s very affordable to boot. Each only costs € 2.35 (about $ 3.10), so grabbing a piece or two won’t hurt my skimpy pocket.

So there, I had an eyeshadow duo in baby pink and purple, enclosed in a tiny metal-like canister that’s really, really handy. I also had this blackberry flavored lipgloss in rose that comes with a cute bear charm (which also doubles as a phone charm[!])

I haven’t tried them yet, but I’m so giddy to finally open and give ‘em a swipe. It may not be as good as MAC, Smashbox or Bobbi Brown, but surely it’s worth a fab collector’s item.

During the Guerlain and YSL launch in the Philippines, I got myself to try this liquid-slash-mousse foundation from Yves Saint Laurent.

Yves Saint Laurent Matt Touch Foundation claims to have an oil-free formulation that controls excess oil and conceals imperfections for a flawless looking skin without losing its natural radiance. Skin never looks dry or overly made-up.

Thanks to its white water lily extract that controls excess oil, and star radiance booster pigments that conceal imperfections and illuminate the complexion. Its smoothing, silky-soft texture cares the skin with a long-lasting radiant matte finish. Not to mention, it’s packed with spf 10 for added UV ray protection.

It’s especially made for normal-to-oily and combination skin, and provides light to medium coverage.

The Verdict?

Lightweight, and Makes Skin Breathe

I attest to its lightweight formulation that feels so comfy to the skin, as if I’m not wearing any makeup at all. It has a mousse-like texture that makes application easy and mess-free. Plus, it’s really easy to blend, and really has a matte finish. It also somewhat brightens my skin complexion when applied.

Lacking Coverage

However, it seems like this one’s your average tinted moisturizer, as it offers little or no coverage at all. It’s not that buildable to boot. Another factor is its short mattifying power. Though it claims to have a lasting oil-free coverage, it didn’t quite control my very oily complexion.

I would recommend this to those who have virtually flawless skin, with normal skin types. The price is a bit of a low-down to me. But I guess, it’s a good try should you want to splurge for a luxury product like YSL.