BB creams are some of the most convenient bases in the history of forever to use. They're much like liquid foundations but with added benefits of hydration, sun protection, and skincare properties. This type of makeup is generally fuss-free to apply, but if you want to maximize them, I just have a few suggestions!

Apply sunscreen beforehand to get the right amount of sun protection and to create a smooth base for your BB cream. Just because your BB cream has SPF so-and-so, it doesn't mean that you'll get that exact number. You will need to apply a whole teaspoon of makeup all over your face to get that promised SPF - but who does that? Realistically you would only use a third of a teaspoon lest your face looks like unbaked cake. You'd still get some sun protection, but it's considerably less than what's noted on the bottle.

CC creams are excellent sunscreens because they're so sheer! Or you can use an ultra light sunblock like the one from Kiehl's

If your BB cream has SPF 50 then you can skip the sunscreen. But at SPF30 you won't be getting much, so just apply your usual skincare with SPF.

To maintain your protection from the harmful rays of the sun, either retouch your BB cream with a powder containing SPF every three hours, or re-apply the BB cream. The former is more convenient. :)

Smooth the BB cream equally all over your face using your hands. Personally I like the smear the BB cream in neat lines, to make sure that I am distributing the product evenly.

This was a difficult decision as there are about four regular, wonderful commenters who are all equally deserving of the Charm vegan brush set. However I only have one set to give away, so I did a raffle to decide who wins this round. And it's Maybelle Guzman. :) Congratulations Maybelle! Please email me your address so I can have your gift shipped.

For February I'm going to give away products from a brand that I love to distraction. It's Fairydrops! Cheryl, the distributor, is once again generous enough to sponsor three of her brand's best-selling and most coveted items: the Fairydrops Candy Bar BB Cream (my fave BB cream), Volume Burst Mascara, and the non-waterproof version of VB in the pink tube. Read my reviews to see just how well these products perform. ;)

Whoever wins this will have fabulous skin and lashes for the next few months, indeed. Now please don't forget to like the Fairydrops Philippines Facebook Page to catch updates and promos!

I'm sure you've already seen the raves about the Fairydrops Candy Bar BB Cream (P1,550) from the other beauty bloggers. No question about it, this stuff is da cheese! It's a great face base for two reasons: the flawless satiny finish and color match (at least on me). It's also the first BB cream I've encountered that has no SPF whatosever.

While other BB creams focus on skincare claims and sun protection, the Fairydrops Candy Bar is all about perfecting the skin. A Japanese newscaster, who needed something that will look good on harsh studio lighting, is credited for helping formulate it. It's supposed to have micro-gold pigments and soft focus powder in the waterproof formula.

Here's what I think!

What I love about the product

• It makes my skin look fantastic. Not just good or nice, but fantastic both in person and on camera. It has light to medium coverage, which evens out my skintone well. It won't cover major blemishes or acne but it can give brighter-looking skin.
• This has no perceptible shimmer. It has a satin finish which means that it's not glowy or dewy; more like matte but with a bit of fresh lustre to it. Like real skin.

Do you guys still like FOTDs? I rarely post them these days because, well, I don't often wear interesting looks. On a normal day out I'd be in neutral makeup and a bright lipstick. It's only for parties and events that I go all out! As it should be, at least for me.

Yesterday I was taking a few standard photos of my face since I used a couple of new products. Yes it's vain but because of this blog I have the valid excuse of, erm, documentation for purposes of reviews. Hehe. Anyway I was really surprised with how the photos turned out.

Zero editing. At first I thought it was the light, but I don't get photos this good at 4:30pm when the light is starting to fail. So what could it be?

Here's another one of those "are you wearing falsies?" mascaras! I've had the Fairydrops Volume Burst Mascara (P950 at Beauty Bar) for a while now and I'm vvv happy with it. I use the Fairydrops Platinum variant when I want clean and enhanced lashes, while Volume Burst is what I reach for when I want full and super-curled lashes. 

I made an odd observation just the other day while I was using Fairydrops. I noticed that the formula gets goopier over time, more viscuous. That's just normal because mascaras lose moisture everytime you open the tube. But what's not normal is that the Fairydrops mascaras actually look better when they're thicker! Platinum now makes my lashes look super thick and fat (as opposed to being natural before) while still being washable. Other mascaras would just start clumping and being all crackly but not Fairydrops. Cool huh? I've been using FD for two months now.

Anyway back to Volume Burst. I love it because it holds the curl of the lashes with an iron grip ALL DAY, does not smudge or smear, and makes lashes really stand out even in photos.

Have you guys heard of Fairydrops? It's a fairly popular brand from Japan, known for their mascara's patented "3 teardrop" wand. The brand is so popular, in fact, that it's also distributed at Sephora in the US. Google it and you'll find a lot of rave reviews. ;)

And so, I'm happy to announce that Fairydrops is finally here in the Philippines! They set up shop last week at Beauty Bar branches in Manila. Aside from their best-selling mascaras, there's also a BB cream, loose powder, and a glossy balm in the selection. I swatched the BB cream and it looks super promising!

What I will be reviewing today is one of my current fave mascaras: the Fairydrops Platinum Mascara (P1,195). It's a super black, clean finish mascara that washes off with only water. I've been using it for three weeks now and I love it! Did I say it washes off with just water? Yet it's smudge and smear-proof, and fairly water resistant as long as you don't rub it.

Here's a more detailed take!

What I love about the product 

• It's an office and school-safe mascara since it has a clean, enhancing finish. It's not in-your-face. It volumizes and lengthens just enough to make your lashes stand out, but not so much that it looks TOO much!
• Curls lashes and holds them all day. It's best used with an eyelash curler, but the wand does wonders by itself.