One of the readers said last Saturday, "I think I cant afford Shiseido. But do you think it is worth saving up for? I mean if I were to buy cosmetics, should I go for Shiseido rather than the more affordable but quality products [out there]?" 

I've answered a similar question like this before in my Why Luxury post. But I suppose it's worth answering again in the context of Shiseido. Why Shiseido, then? I think that they spend enormous amounts of money and work on their products. I think they are obsessive about detail (which is a pervasive Japanese quality, from what I've observed first-hand). Their products have always worked well with my skin type and tone. They have a rich history, and this (along with the packaging) gives me a small thrill of luxury whenever I use one of their products.

If you have the cash to blow on beauty products then I highly recommend Shiseido to be one of your first stops. ;) If you're on a budget then there are definitely a lot of other options that work well for the price. Or, you can always consider Majolica Majorca or ZA Cosmetics, which are Shiseido's direct drugstore counterparts.

So! For round two of Shiseido Week, I'm going to start with the Perfect Rouge Lipstick in Fuchsia RS320 (P1,250). This is a gorgeous magenta-fuchsia lipstick that has a creamy feel and a luscious sheen. The color is opaque in one swipe, and it lasts for a good amount of time (about five hours) as long as you don't eat or drink.

I've said this once and I'll say it again: Estee Lauder is no longer your lola's brand. They have actually finished reformulating their color cosmetics under the Pure Color line and I tell you, everything is fantastic! From eyeshadows, liners, nail polishes, down to the lipsticks EL has a lot of fabulous, rich shades for you.

To prove my point, here's my lipstick of the moment: The Estee Lauder Pure Color Long-Lasting Lipstick in Fuchsia Fever.

Yes, it is as daring as it looks! It's a bright, ultra creamy fuchsia that just glides on the lips like butter and smells like EL's signature fig scent. It's not drying at all even though it's designed to be long-wearing. While it's rich and heavy with pigment, I find that it doesn't feel thick on the lips even with a couple of layers.

Hey folks! I have some new products from Maybelline that I'm excited to finally talk about. I've had them for a few weeks now and, well, color me impressed! It's been a while since I used anything from the brand so I'm surprised by how nice their stuff are now. 

Here are capsule reviews of Maybelline's latest: The Jewels by Colorsensational Lipsticks, Master Liner 24-Hr Cream Pencil, and Eye Studio Lumineyes Eyeshadow.

The Jewels by Colorsensational Lipstick (P399) is a collection of six jewel-toned lip colors in uber creamy, pigmented formulas. They're not waxy and they stay on for a loooong time given that the colors are on the dark, brilliant spectrum. They leave a nice stain too without feeling too drying!