In any long-term relationship, sometimes, you just run out of things to say. Perhaps it's the lack of something new to explore, or the absence of inspiration and interest. How do you stay interested in something or someone for six years? 

Commitment, however, is not a passive thing. You choose to stay interested and to say something even when it bores you sometimes. You choose to keep the relationship because it's part of your identity and it keeps you happy. That's why I still blog, even when I feel like doing something else. It's just who I am. 

In addition to that: The thing about trying to write as quickly as possible is that I don't get to say everything I already take for granted in my head. There are simply days when it is difficult to do what I need and want to do, but often it's as easy as breathing air. There are rough patches in any relationship, but I choose to step over them instead of getting caught up. At the end of the day, it's not really an issue.

Anyway, it's time for my monthly hit list! Here are ten things that I loved last March. ^_^

Not gonna lie - the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in 45 L'Adoree is rather drying, but I love it because the color is so unique and sophisticated. As The Rolling Stones would say - you can't always get what you want! But this color is what I need. (Naks)

I adore the super shiny formula of the Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm. My fave shade is Flirtatious - it's such a fun color to wear! It reminds me of chilled fruit juice, haha. I'm always up for complexion-brightening colors like it.

The Clinique Cheek Pop in 01 Ginger Pop is a beautiful warm color that's perfect for summer. It has a buildable formula that blends on my skin seamlessly. Ginger Pop is definitely a welcome change from pink and peachy blushes!

One thing I love about the local beauty blogging community is that we are not a toxic bunch. I'd be lying if I said we didn't have egos or felt jealous, irritated, etc. at each other every now and then, but the negativity is minimal. We don't hold on to it. If there's an issue we settle it quickly and privately or just move on like nothing happened! I guess that while we find beauty blogging tremendously fun and rewarding, it doesn't rule our lives. That why (I think) we're pretty relaxed about it.

Anyway, today I'd like to share with you my top ten favorite finds last month! Here are ten things that I feel enriched my existing collection.

Ahh, Shiseido, my love. The Shiseido Sheer and Perfect Liquid Foundation + the White Lucent Brightening Spot-Control Foundation is a match made in heaven. Even when my skin looks like crap (like right now, pre-period pimples UGH), these two can hide everything without looking heavy. It's a "my skin but better" tandem!

I love all the Maybelline Color Tattoo Eyeshadows, but my absolute absolute favorite is Bad to the Bronze. It's a beautiful, rich color that can be used alone on the lids then blended up the crease. It makes my eyes look more exciting and polished at the same time. Grab it n' love it!

I don't know why I ever put off owning a metal palette. It really helped me apply makeup better since it opens up new ways for me to mix my products. Such a great find! Get the MONDA Studio Mixing Palette from Digital Traincase.

Products come and products go, but these ten(ish) things are permanently clutched to my heart. I found them all this year alone and trust me, they've managed to elevate my makeup and skincare routine to heretofore unheard of heights. Yes yes I think you get it. These things are awesome and I'm soooo lucky I got to "discover" them! 

Here's my list! (Warning: crazy, gibbering raves are about to explode in your face.)

Shiseido Ibuki Skincare Line. Are you tired of me talking about this yet? I owe the niceness of my skin now to Ibuki. I mean, guys, last night I just went out with just a dab of concealer on my face. I didn't need to powder or apply any foundation anymore. Those blessed with awesome skin may think that it's no big deal, but for someone like me who breaks out every so often, this is like, science fiction.

This is the single best thing that happened to my face. 

Cure Natural Aqua Gel. Aaand this is pretty much the next best thing that happened to my skin this year. Seriously, the Japanese have the best skincare products! If you haven't switched to Japanese brands yet (at least for your face) then you are missing a ton.

Dead skin is actually one of the top causes of our problems - acne, blackheads, even whiteheads. Cure keeps away dead skin like the plague. 

Bifesta Sebum Cleansing Lotion. This is the best makeup remover I've tried. It's water-based but still super effective in melting off the thickest, most long-wearing makeup. It stops short when it comes to waterproof mascara but everything else, it can wipe off within minutes. (I use the Shiseido Instant Eye and Lip Makeup Remover for long-wearing mascara).

My skin feels clearer whenever I use this. Plus, it's inexpensive and can be found in most Watsons.

Lancome Visionnaire Yeux, Advanced Eye Contour Perfecting Corrector. I've had a healthy skepticism of eye creams for the longest time. I thought they were the biggest hoax perpetrated by the beauty industry. I didn't expect them to do much other than moisturize and maintain whatever is left to maintain...but then I tried the Lancome Visionnaire for eyes. It's like a slo-mo moment. 

Facebook is not a good place to be in at the moment. Ideally it should be a source of stories that will inspire and galvanize the country to do more for those affected by Yolanda. However, it has mostly become a breeding ground for false news, righteous comments, and a feeling of helpless hysteria. Perhaps I'm exaggerating. In any case, I'll be keeping to Twitter for now. 

Let's all stay calm and carry on helping. 

Anyway, here are my best finds last month! I realized that I reviewed (and enjoyed) more products than usual. I'll just be picking out the best of the best. :)

The Shiseido Natural Finish Cream Concealer is my current favorite under eye concealer. It's light and easy to blend, but it covers up darkness under the eyes well. What I love most about it though is the fact that it doesn't sink into my lines in the middle of the day! Good stuff.

Another one of my recent Shiseido finds is the Perfect Rouge Lipstick in Fuchsia RS320. This is a crazy bright magenta-fuchsia that never fails to draw quick glances whenever I'm wearing it. It's a fun lipstick to have in any kit.

Aaand here is my lipbalm-of-the-moment: the Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Moisturizing Stick! It's something I can wear under my lipstick without ruining the texture of the product. This is a pretty neat feature to have in your lip balm if you love lipsticks as much as I do.

Most days I can not be bothered to wear more than one shade of eyeshadow. Or any eyeshadow at all for that matter! But since I like highlighting my eyes, I at least make an effort to quickly swipe a cream eyeshadow on my lids. The Maybelline Color Tattoo Metal Eyeshadow in Barely Branded (golden cream) is a great daily color that'll brighten the eyes and stay on all day even with no primer.

I eat street food because I want to see just how tough my stomach is. I want to challenge fate, spit in its eye, you know? I feel invincible because I've never gotten typhoid from all the unnamed fishballs I've consumed. Related (but not really) is the fact that a random flu bug can take me down swifter than any street isaw I deliberately ate. Well played, Fate. Well played.

Anyway. Here's my monthly list of ten amazing finds!

My current favorite cheek beautifier is theBalm Instain Blush. This is incredibly long-wearing and pigmented! I like how it makes my skin look like it's just naturally blushing. Highly recommend this for oily girls.

Here's another one from theBalm - the What's Your Type? The Body Builder Mascara. I love this because I get major volume in just one coat, plus it doesn't smudge or smear on me. It's also very easy to take off - it melts right off with just my water-based makeup remover!

I adore the Naturactor Cover Face Foundation because it has this smooth, baby-skin finish that I haven't seen yet in other foundations. It's just one of those things you have to try and see for yourself! I promise you'll be amazed. However, the shade selection is severely limited. If you're medium yellow like me, I don't think that 151 (darkest shade) will work. But who knows! I might be able to try that shade out soon.

Man, I noticed that I only published 30 posts last month! My average is 40-50, and yes I can still get that number even when I'm busy. I guess August was just a generally uninspired month for me. Call it a minor break from blogging! I'm sure September is more interesting, beauty-wise. The brands are getting ready to launch their autumn and holiday collections so I'm sure we'll have lots of awesome things to look forward to. 

I also want to post more FOTDs this September. I remember the good ol' days when beauty bloggers would share more FOTDs and tutorials than reviews. Sure reviews are useful, but looks of the day show those products in action. I'd like to polish up my eyeshadow chops and try out new combinations - I have a few new good eyeshadow palettes that I can't wait to play with!

Okay okay I'm done with the small talk. Here is my monthly list of favorites! :)

The Clinique Long Last Lipstick in Runway Coral is probably my banner lipstick this August. I love the formula and the elegant silver bullet, but really it's the color that got me all infatuated. Coral-watermelon-pink shades never fail to brighten my complexion even if I'm not wearing much makeup!

The ZA Plumper Lips Lipstick in Rose Vintage is a more subdued lipstick - something more appropriate for work engagements or errands. Hey, a girl can't have too many MLBB lipsticks if you ask me! (Which just gave me an idea for a blog post, hehe).

I've lost count of the number of lip balms I have - and their exact locations - so I pick up whatever is in my line of sight. I make sure that the Hurraw! Grapefruit Lip Balm is always in my line of sight. It's one of the best lip balms I've tried so far! Check out my other picks: my top five favorite lip balms.

I just realized that I did three themed weeks last month! Do check out the Lipstick Week, MAC Week, and Shiseido Week. My plan was just two with a week in between, but I found it easier to have some direction when choosing what to write about. There are so many unreviewed products here that I have stopped trying to figure out which goes first! I'll just go with the theme, or whatever I am liking at the moment, because I want to hold on to my sanity.

If you have suggestions for future themed weeks, I would love to hear them! I actually got the Lipstick Week idea from one of the comments on this blog. ;) Anyway here's my top ten favorite products from June. Let me know if you found anything interesting.

Lipstick fiend that I am, one of my favorite things last month is MAC Rebel. It's an amazing purply fuchsia that I feel works with my coloring perfectly! It's a unique shade that I'll keep close to my heart for years to come.

The NARS Satin Lip Pencils have been making waves in the beauty world ever since they came out early this year. The buttery texture, opacity, and gorgeous shades had everyone swooning over these sophisticated black pencils. My favorite shade is Lodhi, but I would also grab Yu in the near future! Hyde Park, a berry red, is also a great shade to have on hand.

What is it they say - happiness shouldn't be a goal. It's a journey. We spend much of our life thinking that if we suffer just a little bit more, we'd be rewarded with happiness in the end. By who or what we're not likely to know, which is why we shouldn't bet on it so heavily. We ought to try to find pleasure and joy in what we have right now. It might all end in flames - or not - but at least we know how things stand in the present, and that we can influence it.

Okay hope that made sense. :P Moving on, here are my top ten favorite finds last month! 

I am a huge fan of Avon lipsticks. I was already pretty happy with the Ultra Moisture Rich formula (even with its limited staying power), but the Avon Totally Kissable Lipstick blows the UMR out of the water. It stays on better, while the colors are pretty daring. Hope Avon makes this line available again, stat!

My favorite brow product right now is the MAC Fluidline Brow Gelcreme in Dirty Blonde. It's the perfect shade of brown for me, and it still works even with my new slightly reddish hair color. It's easy to apply, doesn't slide off in humid weather, and looks quite natural while still giving much-needed definition to the brows. I wish MAC makes this permanent in the future.

And here's my current concealer - the Vichy Dermablend Corrective Foundation. I've always wanted to have this since Lisa Eldridge featured it. Now that Digital Traincase carries it, I've finally gotten my hands on it! It's back in stock girls.

March was a slow month for beauty products, probably because it's that odd time when our routine transitions to summer. I didn't have as many reviews as I usually do because I spent that time trying many of the things I received a month before...huh. I need to work on my pace because I don't want to be too late when I publish something! Late being the product is no longer available for sale!

Anyhoo, here are my top 10 best finds last March.

The Clinique Chubby Stick Intense is finally out! I have Mightiest Maraschino, a bright tomato red that feels absolutely lush on the lips. It stays on, moisturizes, and flatters. What more can you ask from a lip color? Definitely grabbing a shade or two.

The BYS Brow & Eye Pencil in Blonde is a good drugstore find. It's a soft, waxy brow pencil that has a dual purpose of shading and taming the eyebrows. I wish I got the darker color, but as it is Blonde looks okay on my brows. Can't complain when it's only P250!

Ah, and here's another drugstore favorite - the Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick in Red Revival.

I can't believe I survived February. It's only the second month of the year but I've been ridiculously busy! I noticed that people like to brag that they're busy, as if it's an achievement. Like a badge of honor. For me, busy - or in my definition having too many things to do that I'm at my wits' end - is not good. I like to take my time doing my work so that it's polished and perfect before I turn it in. Being rushed all the time is no way to live.

Not that I'm complaining. I love my work, I just need more time to do it! And to rest afterwards. :) Anyway, here's my top ten best of February!

Headlining the list is the Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner. Don't you just adore it when products are affordable AND work amazingly well at the same time? This gel eyeliner doesn't smudge or fade and comes with a really good brush too. :) It's not going to rival the MAC Fluidline (my fave gel liner of all time) but it comes close in terms of wear.

Another good drugstore find is the L'Oreal Lucent Magique Foundation. This is the drugstore version of Lancome Teint Miracle! It has a brightening, glowy finish without the shimmer, and makes skin look amazing in person and on camera. However, this doesn't last particularly long so if you have oily skin you might want to consider other options.

Believing in something does not instantly make it true. Still, it's often beneficial to believe in anything that would keep you functioning at optimum level. Being optimistic can calm you down and keep you focused on the task at hand instead of wallowing and quitting when things get tough (as they always do).

Of course, good things won't just randomly happen to you. You have to set the stage for them, plant the seeds, feed the hens, etc. Anyway! Here's the monthly roundup of my best finds last January! I have a nice mix of affordable and high-end products here. 

Let's start with the Bobbi Brown Rich Caviar and Black Pearl Holiday Palettes. These are unfortunately limited edition, but thankfully Bobbi always comes out with new and exciting palettes. They're always wearable and chic at the same time so you really can't go wrong with one. :) I have oodles of neutral palettes but my Bobbi Browns are probably the most abused of them all!

Here's another must-have: the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. This is a collection of six neutral shades that you can mix with each other or with your bright eyeshadows. It's a neat basic product that every eyeshadow lover would love to have. Looks boring, yes, but when you have it you'll be able to unlock your other hard-to-match eyeshadows. (Assuming you don't have something similar already okay!)

I almost forgot to write this one! The last month of 2012 was a big lump of murky goings-on for me. I wasn't particularly busy, but neither was I especially lucid. Well I'm just happy it's over for January is always an exciting month. :) Here are my top 10 best finds last December!

I'll put the Snoe Poudre Extraordinaire on top because it's something that I always reach out for. I use it almost every time I got out! It makes my skin look smooth, bright and flawless even if I'm just wearing it as is. It has medium coverage, almost like foundation in retrospect. The SPF30 in it is a nice bonus!

The Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer is possibly the most pigmented concealer I have tried to date! That's good for people who need to cover drastic body/face marks, but they ought to be prepared to spend time blending it properly and then smoothing the whole thing over. It's not an everyday concealer for me, truth be told, but it's great when I have an angry red pimple. ;) It's so good covering up that it feels like cheating.

I have developed a taste for handy, pre-meditated makeup sets like the Benefit She's So Jet Set box. It's a nice kit for travelers and low-maintenance girls alike! Those four eyeshadows are pigmented and long-lasting enough without a primer so they're winners in my book.