Okay, I'm cheating here. I technically won't be writing about five eyeliners only, because that's not as fun as, say, a dozen ones! I will however be talking about five brands that make crazy amazing eyeliners. These are the ones that smudge minimally, if at all, and never fade even if you wear them until the sun sets (or rises if you roll that way). These are the eyeliners I always pick up simply because they're reliable. 

I have also included some eyeliners worth an honorable mention. ;) Let's get cracking!

K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliners. My current HG eyeliner is the K-Palette liquid eyeliner - the waterproof one. This is the best in terms of staying power and ease of application! I've worn it for 15 hours and it has never, ever fallen apart. It's what I wear when I know I'm going to have a long day and have zero time to fuss with smudgy eyes.

The K-Palette pencils have amazing pigmentation and staying power as well, but they do smudge if they're not applied on some sort of powdered/primed surface. They're great just as long as I am wearing something underneath 'em.

MAC Fluidline, Technakohl, and Powerpoint eye liners. The MAC Fluidline was my HG eyeliner before K-Palette. K-Palette beats it only because the gel eyeliner requires a clean brush everytime I use it; I simply don't always have the time to rummage for a brush and then wash it.

Since I got a lot of positive feedback regarding my first themed week, I thought I'd continue it with a new series about - guess - blushes! Every girl needs a flattering blush to make her complexion look brighter and more alive. This week, I'm going to talk about some of the latest, most exciting blushes I've come across, and hopefully I can help you find your new cheeky best friend. 

To kick the series off, I'm going to start with a list of my five favorite blushes (not including the NARS Super Orgasm because it's such a cop out to do so). These are the blushes I always pick up because their color works perfectly with my skintone and I can rely on them to stay put for a decent amount of time. They're also versatile, delicately nuanced shades, which means that I can easily pair them with most looks I can think of. ;)

Okay enough yapping, here's the list!

There's no rigid right or wrong way to do makeup. It's supposed to be fun, a way for you to show off your best assets and express yourself in the process. So what qualifies as a "makeup mistake"? Well, you're making one if what you're wearing is unflattering and uncomfortable on your face - with or without your knowledge! It could also be a technique that you overdo. 

Are you guilty of these common makeup mistakes?

1. The wrong foundation. Foundation is a tricky, tricky beast. We obsess about getting the perfect shade, as we should since this is quite a feat during the first few tries. If done incorrectly you have a useless bottle of makeup and a few hours seething in embarrasment over your too-white (or dark) face.

However, I feel that not enough people think about the correct formula for their skin and their lifestyle needs. For example, if you're a stay-at-home mom you will probably not need to wear something as heavy and matte as Revlon Colorstay for your day-to-day activities.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: BB creams have come a long way. No longer are they thick and unwieldy, they're now more comfortable in humid weather, with a more perfecting finish. Well, the shade selection is still limited but if you fall in the fair to medium range then you shouldn't have any trouble.

Now three of the BB creams featured here are too light on me, but that's because I didn't get the chance to choose the right shade. That notwithstanding the formula of these BB creams are amazing! Here's why I highly recommend them. :)

The Fairydrops Candy Bar BB Cream is hands down my favorite BB cream ever. It stays put, matches my skin perfectly (luckily), and has such a flawless, photogenic finish. It's definitely something I would buy when I run out!

A lot of people don't like that this doesn't have SPF - it's unheard of for a BB cream to have no SPF! - but for me that feature is a boon. At least this product can be worn pretty much any time during the 24-hour day. It's not a big hassle for me to just use my preferred SPF moisturizer/base if I am going out in daylight.

Best for: girls with oily skin, who need a photo-ready face base. Light to medium range only (two shades).

The lip balm is perhaps the most basic beauty product a girl - nay, anyone - should own. They lock in moisture on the lips, help heal chapped skin, and provide a bit of shine to instantly enhance that area. Now most lip balms do the same thing, but some are more equal than others (to borrow a phrase). The elements of scent, packaging, and overall efficacy comes into play.

So what lip balm should you get? It depends on what you need and how much you're willing to spend. You can get a P60 lip balm from the drug store and you'll probably be happy with it. But if you're willing to spend a little for a lip balm with more features then here's a nice list! These are the lip balms I always reach for.

Mentholatum Lip Ice lip balm. This is my all-around basic lip balm. It's slinky, never waxy, and really hydrates my lips instead of just sitting on top. It's also easily available in any Watsons branch for only P89. I keep backups of this, and have at least three lying around the house at any given time!

MAC Suntints SPF20 Liquid Lip Balm in Au Rosé. I gave a rather lukewarm review of this balm, and for that I am kicking myself. It has become my favorite lip balm to use before makeup. It smoothens the lips like nothing else I've tried, as if it deeply conditions those dry areas!

Remember my list of five expensive beauty products that are actually good bargains? That turned out to be a pretty popular post! So I thought I'd do another version, this time on super affordable products that I think should cost way more. :) Isn't that the sweet spot, beauty products that are too good for their price tags?

Here's my top five!

Etude House Nail Polishes. Smooth, opaque, fast-drying, and fairly tough, it's hard to believe that these nail polishes only cost P50 to P175 (for the pricey lines). In my opinion, they're better than O.P.I. and Orly in terms of quality. High-end brands do have the best colors, but Etude is simply easier to wear. Can't believe they're only fifty bucks.  

In2It Waterproof Blushes. Actually, anything In2It is such a steal! I love their eyeliner, foundation, and eyeshadows. I thought of including the blushes here though because they're my best find from that brand. Smooth, pigmented, and long-lasting, In2It blushes are worth more than P375 (for me). The colors are so flattering too!

"You're not wearing falsies?!" is something I've gotten used to hearing these past few months. Okay I'm bragging but only because I happen to own some of the best mascaras in the country - by themselves, my lashes are all sad and thin! So mascara and an amazing eyelash curler take all the credit.

I've raved about and used up my favorite mascaras from last year, so this time I thought I'd share my top mascaras this year as of August 2012. There are the ones that I always reach out for - they're all good, but they have different features that I need for certain looks.

Let's get started!

If I have to choose only one mascara to use forever, it would have to be the Shu Uemura Ultimate Natural Mascara. It's everything that mascara should be  - lengthening, volumizing, and still natural-looking overall. Most importantly, this baby washes off but doesn't smudge or budge while you're wearing it. San ka pa!

Best for: natural, clean looks