I realize that, in a lot of ways, I'm not a likeable person. I've been working on my likeability for years now and while I think I've achieved a modest amount of success in that regard, I'm never going to be one of those women other people just take to. I guess it's because for me, it's important that we know where we both stand before we can have any meaningful interaction. I don't have much time to waste (I wish I do) and if we're not on the same page then, well, we're not. No harm done. Let's move on.

(I bet that just made you like me less haha, but that's okay! We'll survive it!)

Anyway today I wanna quickly talk about the Colour Collection Ultimate Wear Lipstick (P350), which was introduced to bloggers by Sample Room recently. I'm sure you've seen the giveaways and the swatches! There are LOTS of exciting, intense colors in this collection, but to simplify I've chosen the three I like the most.

The Ultimate Wear Lipstick is a slim tube packed with this staining pigment that wears well throughout the day. It has a dry texture (even drier for colors with a matte finish), but I'm happy to say that it's not drying. It's still best to wear a lip balm though!

I have always enjoyed standing in front of a crowd and doing my thing, whether it's speaking or singing. That was why weird little me looked forward to reporting, especially in college! Lol. That's why I was very excited to give a talk on beauty and fashion in one of Manila's top schools, Adamson University, upon the invitation of Tupperware/ Colour Collection.

The huge purple tour bus and I

The Colour Collection / Tupperware team - I love you guys!

Inside the bus, a Colour Collection paradise awaits

I dished a lot of makeup tips for college girls - from applying base to working with color, all under 15 minutes -and then shared some advice on how to dress for certain occasions like job interviews or romantic dates. Many of the girls asked me tips on specific concerns like how to make thin lips look fuller, how to contour, and so on. It's like a hyperactive, live version of Project Vanity, and I loved every minute of it!

I am super duper mega excited for Friday! I will giving a beauty talk to Adamson University students as part of the Colour Collection Tour. I am just this close to bursting with all the things I want to share to the students, not only when it comes to makeup and fashion, but how to cultivate their self-confidence and hopefully go into a career they love.

It's really more of me sharing my story. I was a reclusive college kid pretty much, and now I'm in PR and marketing. Makeup plays a big role in my life beyond the fact that I write about it almost everyday. It helped me find the courage to face a future that I wasn't sure would happen to me. 

The purple bus!

Whenever I wear my Colour Collection Color Intense Lipsticks, I always get compliments and questions about where to get them. That explains why I looked forward to the new Colour Collection Mineral Lipstick line (P350), touted to be a long-lasting lip product with the benefits of mineral makeup. 

I love that this lipstick line is intensely pigmented and has no parabens or preservatives. Not bad for a P350 lipstick. Not bad at all.

What I like about the product

• It stays on for five hours with only a little fading. It'll leave a stain after you eat or drink.
• Colors are opaque in one swipe. 

At last, something new from one of my favorite brands, Colour Collection! I know some folks have been having trouble tracking down a Tupperware dealer in search of their excellent Color Intense Lipsticks, but I tell you, it's worth it. And now there's something else to pine after with the release of the Mineral Cosmetics Line and Age-defying BB Cream.

First off, I doubt that the makeup is actually 100% mineral - BUT there are no parabens or fragrance involved in the making of this line, and they also threw in some soothing ingredients like aloe vera, green tea, shea butter, and jojoba oil. The lipsticks are mostly made of oils, waxes, pigments, and silicates, so they can pass off as mineral makeup.

The powder makeup is mostly mica, talc, zinc, pigments, and chemical binders. So not entirely mineral makeup but they do have less irritants than the usual makeup. IMHO, that's a good job already because so many companies who got into the mineral makeup bandwagon are FAR from actually being MMU.

On to the collection!

They released five new shades of Mineral Lipsticks with SPF15: Plumberry, Creamy Coral, Satin Shell, Brick Rose, Smooth Wine. They're all pigmented and delightully loud!

You know, it's just Tuesday, but I'm already tired. What's up with that. Working from home is not a piece of cake, believe me. You actually end up spending more time working because you more or less have to be on call. It's not a 9 to 6 thing with free weekends.

Don't get me wrong though, I love my job and the people I work with! I just need to better manage my time since I juggle a lot of things right now. Anyway, before doing my tasks for the day, I just want to show you what I wore to Parfois when I became their stylist for the day.

Topshop maxi dress/ Topshop cardigan/ Fuchsia top from dept store/ Parfois bag/ Charles & Keith mary jane platforms (photo by Kari)

Once again (drat it), I didn't have much time to do my makeup so I settled for heavily-lined, semi-cat eyes and a loud pink lip. Eyeshadows were used to just contour the eyes while the blush was as understated as possible. I just used a stippling brush both for blush and contour to get that natural, barely there effect.

It's been two years and BB creams are still popular. They're not a topic for hysteria anymore, but there are still fans out there. And why shouldn't there be? Claims to providing blemish-free and beautiful skin aside, BB creams are awesome makeup bases or even substitutes to foundations. One such BB cream that's just been recently released is the Colour Collection Gluta-White BB Cream (P379 for 40mL).

I'll save you the suspense and tell you straight out that CC's BB cream is a pretty good product at a crazy cheap price. Never mind the BB cream label. It's a great makeup base and tinted moisturizer that doesn't make Pinay skin too oily or too white! It also has sun protection.

What I love about the product

• It's the right shade for me. I do wish it comes in a slightly darker shade though but it works for me as is. The shade is best for medium to light-medium skin with yellow undertones.
• The coverage is sheer, but it evens out my skin nicely and hides lighter blemishes. It basically lets my skin shine through while concealing minor imperfections.

I used to consider mascara as an unnecessary part of my makeup routine. It’s a hassle to wear and a hassle to remove, plus they keep hitting my glasses whenever I blink! Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice extra to wear for special events, but I don’t use them every time I go out. That is, until I started wearing contacts recently.

A lot of things changed since I started wearing contacts. I’m now more meticulous about my eye makeup since every mistake is easily seen. I’m more careful about the junk I put near my eyes too, since I can’t risk irritation or worse, infection. I also started going crazy over mascara - I rarely go out now without at least one layer of it. 

So, I’d like to share my current favorite mascara: the Colour Collection Triple Effect Mascara (P499). I didn’t like it at first, but when I got the hang of it, this mascara and I have become inseparable! 

What I love about the product

• Looks very natural, close to real lashes. I haven’t tried mascara like this before! Although one layer doesn’t do much, it’s in the second coat where the magic happens. It makes my lashes look like a thick fringe, thanks to the small fibers in the formula.

My mom and I are lipstick buddies. When I was still in school, I would always borrow her lipsticks. But now that I have a collection of my own, she would always borrow mine! So when we had lunch the other weekend she complimented my loud pink lipstick - mind you, she's 51 - and asked if she can wear it too. Of course I said yes. We went around the mall, arm in arm, wearing the exact same shade. Ah, how beauty products make fond memories!

The Colour Collection Color Intense Lipstick (P350) is supposedly patterned after NYX's wildly successful Round Lipsticks, but I dare say that CC lipsticks are better than NYX ones. Why? Color Collection has the intense pigmentation and moisturizing properties of NYX lippies, but they last longer and smell better (NYX lippies smell and taste kind of soapy).

Let's go through the pros and cons!

What I love about the product

• Intensely pigmented. One swipe will deliver rich color on your lips.
• Creamy and moisturizing, although I would still suggest a light layer of lip balm
• Delivers a satin finish (my favorite kind).