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Doll Up Mari

Doll Up Mari

Mari's Online Playground since 2013. dollupmari@gmail.com

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Blog Origins

Blog Origins
I started blogging late 2012 (October-ish) with my other blog called Teenage Creamery. The blog was a hodge podge of all the stuff I do, from food explorations to the crafts I did to the other beauty related stuff I got into. It was an okay blog, I guess, but I realized later on that it looked like a hot mess as there was too much stuff going on. I wanted to have a blog that focused on beauty and makeup, my long time love. This is why I started Marilene the Alkene (now Doll Up Mari) in April 2013, a blog devoted to my makeup and beauty explorations. 
I just loved makeup so much that I wanted to take it to the next level, which is why I went on and attended professional makeup artist classes. I obtained a certificate in beauty and fashion makeup. 
Initially, the stuff I put here on the blog were photos of the makeovers I’ve done in makeup school and at home (because we had to do extra makeup as homework) just so that the photos would be documented and I would have an online space for them. I later added in photos of myself with different makeup looks. And at the time I also had a few photo tutorials. 
 Since people would always ask me on what to do about this or that makeup dilemma, and that I enjoyed making a makeup tutorial back then for fun, I decided to make more tutorials on YouTube. I am constantly working to see what kinds of information do people want to know, and how can I better improve my videos for a better overall experience. Also, since part of my friends’ dilemmas were on what products and tools they should try, I added in makeup item reviews to the blog so that I could share information about the things I liked and what I could recommend to someone for a given occasion. 
As time went by, even I myself had more questions about makeup. It used to be something I was so sure about, but then I realized that I was an Asian girl in the middle of an Asian country whose culture is so Americanized that its ways of makeup were also very Western. I learned along the way that when it comes to makeup, it’s about finding what suits you, what feels right, and finding your own balance of which influences to take in.  
———————————————————————————————————————
On The Blog Names
My blog is now currently named Doll Up Mari, but it used to be named Marilene the Alkene. I renamed the blog December of 2013. This is why you will see the two names on my photo watermarks within the site. 
On The Old Blog Name: Marilene the Alkene

I know it’s quite an unheard of term, that word ‘alkene’, especially to my readers who aren’t into chemistry. So basically, an alkene is an organic compound whose featuring characteristic is a double bond. Say wah???
So I’m going to make an analogy of these bonds with hugs. The closer you are to someone, the tighter you can hug them and the stronger your bond, and the farther you are to someone, the less likely that you would be able to embrace them as tightly, making a weaker bond. For chemical compounds, you can have a single bond, double bond, or triple bond, with the triple bond the shortest and strongest.
I thought of this name because for one, I was a chemistry major for quite a good amount of time. I didn’t want to forget the chemical-related side of me even if I’m now into the usage of makeup and not the creation of it. 
Another reason is because basing from the analogy I gave on bonds, I’ve always wanted to be close to my readers, to have as little distance as possible, and to form strong bonds with my readers and fellow beauty bloggers. The internet is such a great resource and I’d love it if I could use it to reach out and communicate with people whom I otherwise wouldn’t meet had it not been for the internet’s invention. 
I envisioned the blog to be casual, down to earth, and most importantly, engaging.
I want to make people believe that you need not be born pretty to feel beautiful and confident because makeup can do so much for you if you use it correctly. 
As for why I did not choose to name my blog after a triple bond which I indicated as the strongest, it was simply just because alkene rhymed with my name Marilene well, unlike the word alkyne (the term for a chemical compound with a triple bond).
On the Current Blog Name: Doll Up Mari

My old blog name may have been cute and meaningful, but the problem with it was that it was too long and too hard to spell. As it is, there are already many people who cannot spell my name correctly. I have seen Marlin, Marlen, Marlene, and many other abhorrent misspellings of my name. This meant that people had a hard time to enter my blog whenever they were not in their own computers or when their computers had deleted the history or cookies pertaining to my blog (and that they had not followed me on social media yet). Moreover, the name itself being too long was difficult to remember. None of my friends could recite Marilene the Alkene, and even the word alkene posed problems as it was too scientific that it was hard to remember. 
This is what led me to choose a domain that sounded cute but was easy to remember and easy to spell. 
That’s basically the reason behind the current blog name. And that it sounds cute. And that I don’t really wear makeup and primp everyday that this blog has been the avenue where I doll myself up for, this is why this is the place where you doll up Mari. 

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POV: You want to live at Mermaid Lagoon ๐Ÿงœ๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿš

@tokyodisneyresort_official @visitjapanjp @visitjapanph
#tokyodisneysea #disneysea #cinderelladress #fashionnovadress #birthday #birthdayatdisney #ๆฑไบฌใƒ‡ใ‚ฃใ‚บใƒ‹ใƒผใ‚ทใƒผใ€€#ๆฑไบฌใƒ‡ใ‚ฃใ‚บใƒ‹ใƒผใƒชใ‚พใƒผใƒˆ #ใƒ‡ใ‚ฃใ‚บใƒ‹ใƒผใ‚ทใƒผใ€€#ใƒ‡ใ‚ฃใ‚บใƒ‹ใƒผใ‚ทใƒผใงใ€€#ใƒ‡ใ‚ฃใ‚บใƒ‹ใƒผ่ช•็”Ÿๆ—ฅ #ๅƒ่‘‰
#disney #disneyseatokyo #partofyourworld #์ €๊ณณ์œผ๋กœ #disneyreels #mermaidlagoon #mermaid #ใƒžใƒผใƒกใ‚คใƒ‰ใƒฉใ‚ฐใƒผใƒณ #ใƒžใƒผใƒกใ‚คใƒ‰
Birthday at Disney Sea ๐ŸŽ‚๐ŸŽ‚๐ŸŽ‚ (this was in A Birthday at Disney Sea ๐ŸŽ‚๐ŸŽ‚๐ŸŽ‚ (this was in April so it's not my birthday today ๐Ÿ˜†๐Ÿ˜†๐Ÿ˜†)

P.S. Cinderella dress from @fashionnova, heattech from @uniqlo ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿฅฐ 

@tokyodisneyresort_official @visitjapanjp @visitjapanph
#tokyodisneysea #disneysea #cinderelladress #fashionnovadress #birthday #birthdayatdisney #ๆฑไบฌใƒ‡ใ‚ฃใ‚บใƒ‹ใƒผใ‚ทใƒผใ€€#ๆฑไบฌใƒ‡ใ‚ฃใ‚บใƒ‹ใƒผใƒชใ‚พใƒผใƒˆ ๏ผƒใƒ‡ใ‚ฃใ‚บใƒ‹ใƒผใ‚ทใƒผใ€€๏ผƒใƒ‡ใ‚ฃใ‚บใƒ‹ใƒผใ‚ทใƒผใงใ€€#ใƒ‡ใ‚ฃใ‚บใƒ‹ใƒผ่ช•็”Ÿๆ—ฅ ๏ผƒๅƒ่‘‰
Korean-style Nails done in Tokyo at @rey_nail_ Omo Korean-style Nails done in Tokyo at @rey_nail_ Omotesando branch by the talented and oh-so-sweet @eri_nail__u ๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿป๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿป๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿป

(I paid 8000yen for this setโ€”7500 yen package rate and 500 yen additional fee for 1 nail extension. I made my booking through HotPepper but for those who donโ€™t speak Japanese I think you can DM them or call the salon from your hotel room, or ask a Japanese person to help mehehe) 

ใˆใ‚Šใ•ใ‚“ใฏใŠๅฎขๆง˜ใฎใƒ‹ใƒผใ‚บใ€ใ‚ฏใƒฌใ‚คใƒ†ใ‚ฃใƒ–ใƒ“ใ‚ธใƒงใƒณใ€ไบˆ็ฎ—ใซๅฟœใ˜ใพใ™๏ผใ‚ตใƒญใƒณใฏ12้šŽใซใ„ใ‚‹ใฎใงๅˆใ‚ใฆๆฅๅบ—ใฏใกใ‚‡ใฃใจๆ€–ใใฆใ‘ใฉ่กŒใฃใŸใฏ่‰ฏใ‹ใฃใŸ๏ผใƒใ‚คใƒซใฏ็ถบ้บ—ใซใชใ‚‹ใ ใ‘ใงใชใใ€ใŠๅ–‹ใ‚Šใ‚ฟใ‚คใƒ ใ‚‚ๆฅฝใ—ใ‹ใฃใŸใงใ™ ๐Ÿ˜ป๐Ÿ˜ป๐Ÿ˜ป

P.S. Long time no post!! Been brain fogged for the past few weeks but i hope to edit all my backlogs soon ๐Ÿฅบ๐Ÿฅบ๐Ÿฅบ

#ใƒใ‚คใƒซใ‚ตใƒญใƒณใƒฌใ‚ค #ใƒใ‚คใƒซใ‚ตใƒญใƒณใƒฌใ‚ค่กจๅ‚้“ใ€€#reynailsalon #rey่กจๅ‚้“ #ใƒ“ใ‚ธใƒฅใƒผใƒใ‚คใƒซ #japan #tokyo #omotesando #nailextensions #lavendernails #purplenails #koreannails #๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿปใ€€#dollupmari #nailreels #crystalnails
Doll Up Mari is 10 ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’• When I actually tu Doll Up Mari is 10 ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’• When I actually turned 18, I didn't feel like having a debut party nor having a shoot, but looking back, it was a good decision as a 10th blogversary shoot is much more meaningful!!! ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿฅฐ

When I started blogging 10 years ago, I had no idea how long I'd last as I was often criticized as the girl who couldn't stick to anything. I can't blame those who said that as I really jumped around a lot of hobbies as a teen. I didn't realize that time went by so fast as I went through each blogging year. And then I actually really thought I was gonna give up doing this after I suffered a nervous breakdown in 2020. But somehow here I am. 

Thank you to all the readers, commenters, and silent likers who have made the journey worthwhile. Many thanks are also due to all the brands and agencies I've worked with in the past 10 years!! If anything, 10 years is not the end but merely the beginning of many more amazing things to come. ๐Ÿ”Ÿ๐Ÿ”Ÿ๐Ÿ”Ÿ 

#dollupmari #dollupmari10th 
๐Ÿ“ธ: @elrafafashionandportraits
I tried out root shadow hair (or i think some peop I tried out root shadow hair (or i think some people call it dirty blonde)! ๐Ÿ‘ฑโ€โ™€๏ธ

The general idea is that dark colored gloss is colored over bleached hair such that over time, as the gloss fades and new regrowth springs out, the colors will harmonize to make a smooth gradation. At first, it looks and seems like unsightly regrowth. I took two weeks to get used to it!! But as the dark gloss started fading and the colors fell into place, it turned out to be a practical hairstyle as the actual regrowth doesnโ€™t look too abrupt and there is a balayage effect to it. ๐Ÿ’๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ’๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ’๐Ÿผโ€โ™€๏ธ

This was achieved by @shadesofblondeqc through @milbonphilippinesofficial Deep Silver and 13-Neutral Brown. They also used Tint Clear (hair color remover) to get rid of the teal tones in my hair. 

#dollupmari #haircolor #milbon #milbondeepline #milbondeepsilver #milbonneutralbrown #rootshadow #rootshadowing #dirtyblonde #rootshadowblonde #haircolorreels #hairreels #hairreel #blondereels #ใƒŸใƒซใƒœใƒณ #ใƒŸใƒซใƒœใƒณใƒ‹ใƒฅใƒผใƒˆใƒฉใƒซใƒ–ใƒฉใ‚ฆใƒณ
After watching #pinkchella, my mind is back here a After watching #pinkchella, my mind is back here again ๐Ÿ–ค๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿฅน Itโ€™s still safe to say we were louder than the #Coachella crowd ๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿป๐Ÿ’•

#blackpink #blackpinkconcert #bornpink #bornpinkmanila_bulacan #blackpinkinyourarea #blackpinkinmanila #howyoulikethat #dollupmari #blinkchella
Blackpink Nails ๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿป๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ–ค Not the neatest s Blackpink Nails ๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿป๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ–ค Not the neatest set of extensions Iโ€™ve done but at least I was able to rush this in time for the concert!!! ๐Ÿ’“๐Ÿ’“๐Ÿ’“

#blackpinknails #blackpink #bornpink #shutdown #bornpinkmanila_bulacan #blackpinkconcert #blackpinkinmanila
Take me back ๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿฅน๐Ÿฅน๐Ÿฅน #bornpink Take me back ๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿ’—๐Ÿฅน๐Ÿฅน๐Ÿฅน 

#bornpink #bornpinkworldtour #bornpinkmanila_bulacan #blackpink #blackpinkinmanila #blackpinkconcert #dollupmari #blackpinkinyourarea #jennie #lisa #rosรฉ #jisoo
[GIVEAWAY ALERT] 10 Years this April ๐Ÿ”Ÿ๐ŸŽ‚ I ca [GIVEAWAY ALERT] 10 Years this April ๐Ÿ”Ÿ๐ŸŽ‚ I can't believe this is Part 1 of my 10th Blogversary Giveaways!!! Time flies so fast! โœจโœจโœจ For this giveaway, simply follow me, like this post, and comment on when and how you started following my blog ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿฅฐ Winner to be chosen on May 20, 2023 and to be announced in the comments of this post. ๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’•๐Ÿ’• I NEVER DM WINNERS, SO BEWARE OF IMPOSTERS!!!

*No tagging of any account allowed. Comments that are out of the theme will be ineligible. Any form of pleading to win via comment, DM, or email will render disqualification. Winner selection is based on those who are loyal and active followers.

#giveawayph #contestph #olens #dollupmari #contactlens #olensgiveaway #dollupmari10th
Born Pink In Manila Look Details For Today's Vidyo Born Pink In Manila Look Details For Today's Vidyowww โœจโœจโœจ (ISTG if I ever become a grandma my grandkids will never stop hearing about @blackpinkofficial concert stories ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ๐Ÿคฃ) 

๐Ÿ’• My custom-made earrings are of course from @shopsmoochbaby so I was sure I was the only one in the entire arena with such earrings 
๐Ÿ’• I used @etudeofficial Double Lasting Foundation to make sure my makeup didn't cake all day (it's easier to pat some BB cushion and to dust powder over faded areas than over cakey areas)
๐Ÿ’• I used a combo of @maybellinephshop Superstay Matte Ink Loyalist and Ringleader for the least mask transfer no matter how much I screamed and sang
๐Ÿ’• For the lenses, I used @olens_contactlens Scandi Gray 1-day as these are comfy enough to use all day (I wore them for over 17 hours as I put them on around 9AM and got took them off around 2:30AM) and look-wise, it appears well on photos taken with both camera (pics 1-3) and phone (pic 4)
๐Ÿ’• My OOTD didn't have pockets, so I got a lightstick strap from @kpophaul_ph and used a white tumbler carrier from @shopee_ph as a mini pouch
๐Ÿ’• I wore an @adidasph sports top underneath my hanbok initially for modesty as the hanbok had the tendency of lifting upwards, but in hindsight, it proved to be a great idea as the Aeroready material was good with dissipating sweat. The fabric dried up 10-15 minutes after I entered the main hall making it a comfy choice. 

#BORNPINKMANILA_BULACAN #blackpink #blackpinkbornpink #bornpink #BORNPINKinMANILA #olenscontactlens #scandigray #dollupmari #makeup #kpophaulPH
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