I am 24 today. After all that drama about my age earlier, I just don't care anymore! Lol. This morning I was dour, but then I walked the dog and the weather was so nice - who can be dour on a nice day? So yeah I'm quite happy on my birthday, thanks to everyone who wished me one.

So. I just want to show a look I did last Saturday. It's not groundbreaking but there are two things that are *new* to me here: using the Shu Uemura eyeshadow in Soft Gold with MAC Amber Lights - they are made for each other! - and then this new lipstick I got which I will keep a secret for now. Okay fine. It's from Colour Collection!

Face: Cinema Secrets concealer, Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Mineral Makeup, Smashbox Photo Set Pressed Powder, Cinema Secrets makeup sealant

I woke up early today, before sunset, and walked my dog. It always puts me in a contemplative mood. I was remembering a conversation with someone about makeup. She asked, why do you love makeup? I said, I love collecting them. I love having them. But that's a stupid answer, isn't it?

I had the whole weekend to think about that. Hehe. And here's my answer: I love makeup because it helps me enhance the things I love most about myself. I love it because I think of it as a toy, to play around and just have smashing fun with. That's it, really.

Anyway, I just want to share a look I wore last Friday!

Face: MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer, Colorescience pressed mineral foundation

I've done quite a few looks in the past, but I think this purple eyeshadow confection is my favorite yet. This deep-socketed, sunken eye look gives the face a sense of drama and mystery without looking overdone, methinks.

For this look, I used the Lancome Teint Miracle + Benefit Watts Up highlighter to get luminous skin. I did my eyebrows using the Benefit Brow Zings, contoured with the NARS Laguna Bronzer, and blushed with Benefit Hervana. And now, for the eyes!

Step 1: Apply an eyeshadow primer like the MAC Prep + Prime Eye Base. Then, apply a matte purple like Allure from the Sigma Flare Eyeshadow Palette on your lids.

Hay, I keep making FOTDs but I keep not posting them! I am back to my neutral streak since these days I only go out of the house to work; there's hardly any opportunity to play with eyeshadows. Nonetheless, I thought I'd show you a simple peachy  gold look I did last Friday. I really enjoyed wearing this one.

Face: Lancome Teint Miracle liquid foundation, MAC Studio Sculpt conceaer (blemishes), Clinique Airbrush Concealer (undereyes), Clinique Blended Face Powder in Invisible bend (loose powder to set)

Cheeks: Benefit Hervana Bush, NARS Laguna Bronzer

I was so busy running around during the Bloggers United Bazaar last Saturday, which means that I can't write any useful post on it. Nonetheless, I just want to say that I had so much fun! I got to meet a few sweet Project Vanity readers, plus a lot of people dropped by the Ferretti booth to buy and look around. 

Anyway! I just want to share what I wore to the event. I went for something simple because IT WAS SO HOT OUTSIDE and I wanted to be comfortable at the venue. Thanks to Paul for the photo!

Ferretti pumps | Nine West satchel | Thrifted top | Tomato skirt

As for the makeup, it was in keeping with the black/ taupe color theme. Here's how I did it!

Face: Smashbox Studio Skin Foundation, MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer, Clinique Airbrush Concealer (undereyes), Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Mineral Makeup

Last night I watched Lisa Eldridge's video on how to wear red eyeshadow. I was so inspired, I re-recreated the look as soon as I woke up! I'm bored with all the neutrals I've been wearing lately so I really wanted something that would POP. I also wanted to play around with some of the new makeup I got.

Obviously, this isn't a look that you can wear to the office. But if you have a party to go to or if you just really don't care if you get stared at, then by all means try red eyeshadow! Anyway, since I have yellow-toned skin, I went for a bright, tomato-red eyeshadow. I just used one color and blended it up the crease.

Here's how I did it.

I have a red lip version, see it after the jump!

Two things I've been avoiding since forever: jumpsuits and wide-legged pants. You see, I have a short, straight torso that looks even pudgier when highlighted by wide legs and once-piece suits. It just doesn't work! However, when I spotted this wide-legged jumpsuit at NAVA in Market! Market!, I got curious enough to try it on, just to see how it would look like.

NAVA jumpsuit | Ferretti wedges | Parfois necklace | Pinkbox accessories | Tiangge belt

...and it was a great success! I got compliments when I wore it yesterday to a meeting and a Lancome event. I like how it streamlined my body and looked flattering in the right places. It cinches at the waist (well, it comes with a fabric belt that I swapped for a woven belt) so it looks like I have curves. Oh, I also LOVE how it swishes around my feet when I walk. Very dramatic.

Will definitely buy more colors! Anyway, here's the makeup I wore with it:

I thought I'd do something classic

You know what, I've never done an all-out pink makeup before. I just didn't think that pink looked good on my eyes, or maybe I just haven't found the right combination of pinks for my skin tone. The latter was actually the correct assumption, once I found these In2It eyeshadow palettes (my review of which is super overdue).

Anyway, I actually built this whole look around the new Clinique Lid Smoothie in Pinkgo Biloba since I wanted to try it out as an eyeshadow base. It's a pretty simple look (just three eyeshadow shades), but I was really pleased by how the pinks flattered my skin and made it look fresh - at least, to my mind. Hehe. I enjoyed this look so I'll definitely wear it again.

If you want to try it out for yourself, the trick is to get the right shades of pink for your skin tone. Fair women can pull off most pinks, medium-toned girls can go for warm peachy-pinks with golden shimmer, while those who are dark-toned will look good in deeper, heavier pinks. Still, this isn't a hard and fast rule, so feel free to experiment!

Face: Jane Iredale Dream Tint, MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer, Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup, Guerlain Meteorites

Jane Iredale is one of the few brands that offer truly 100% mineral makeup. It costs a pretty penny - up there with Colorescience, just less expensive - but unlike cheaper MMU the efficacy and convenience of the products are compararable to high-end traditional makeup. If you have super sensitive skin, true mineral makeup is definitely the way to go.

I've heard so many good things about Jane Iredale way before, so I was psyched to try out their Starter Kit in Golden. It has everything a girl can need for a full face of makeup - tinted primer, foundation, concealer, blush, lip color, and even brushes! However, it's not something you should get for daily use since the products are in sample sizes. It's really more for people who want to try out JI makeup without paying full price.

After using it for a few weeks, here's my review of and recommendations for each product in the kit. You can buy them separately so you don't have to shell out the P5,000+ this Starter Kit costs. ;)

Pressed Mineral Powder with SPF20: This light coverage mineral powder is da bomb. It has a nice glowy finish that looks like skin, just better!

One of my best finds in a while is this Randy Ortiz x Kashieca convertible dress I got in Greenbelt 5 some weeks ago. Did I say convertible? It can be worn as a skirt, a venus cut dress, or as a tube dress. Best thing about it is that I got it at 70% off! It was originally around P2,500 but I got it for ~P700. It's an old collection, but it's definitely timeless.

Randy Ortiz x Kashieca dress | SM belt | Ferretti bag | YRYS boots | Pinkbox and Parfois accessories

I wore this look to a coffee date with a Project Vanity reader (hi Sara!) yesterday. She will be reviewing a couple of cool products for the blog soon so that's one thing I'm looking forward to.

Oh, here's my bronzy blue eyeshadow. It's a combination of Shu Uemura and Majolica Majorca colors! Patrick Alcober, one of Shu's top makeup artists, mentioned that the best way to wear blue is to mix it with brown.

Friday fun day! Hope everyone is feeling perky and happy. As for me I feel like Marvin the Paranoid Android, dour and in a perpetual funk. A new book and a movie should fix me up quick.

Anyway, I just want to share a couple of FOTDs I wore this week. They're neutrals because I wore them to meetings; their main difference really is the color story. One is predominantly peach while the other is coral-y. Lately, these are my favorite themes since I find that they brighten up my face instantly. So if you're yellow-toned, you must try peach or coral makeup (if you haven't yet!) with gold eyes. Always a winner combo!

Face: MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer, Revlon Photoready Compact Foundation, Jane Iredale mineral foundation

Cheeks: Yves Rocher Bronzer and Shimmer Powder Duo (matte side to contour), In2It Waterproof Blush Set in Sentiment

I went to the office yesterday so, again, I wore a neutral look. Actually I just really wanted to play with my new toy, the Bobbi Brown Tortoise Shell Palette in Sand. Will write a full review on it soon! Off the bat though, I find the palette gorgeous when it comes to the unique packaging and the timeless shade selection. Bobbi makes the best neutral eyeshadows; they never look like makeup, instead melting and blending into the skin as if they've always been there.

I also wore my new favorite foundation, the Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup SPF15/PA+++. Other than concealer, I didn't use any other face product - no silicon base, illuminators, or finishing powders yet the finish is absolutely fantastic! I didn't edit my photo here except for a retouch of the eye bags (my eyes are SUPER puffy lately due to late nights), so you wouldn't believe that I have several dark, big acne scars underneath.

Ahh, the power of opaque concealer and a glowy foundation.

Face: Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer, MAC Studio Sculpt Concealer, Clinique Superbalanced Powder Makeup in Medium

Let me tell you the story of this pleated chiffon dress. I found it in a moldy thrift store somewhere in a dusty corner of Manila. I knew this dress was made for me so I wasted no time taking it home and cleaning it up. The first time I wore it, everyone gave me nice compliments! I was on a high. Then, that same day around a year ago, I got food poisoned while wearing it.

That's probably not a big deal to some, but I rarely ever get sick. That food poisoning incident was the only time I got seriously sick enough to go to a doctor last year. Now, I know it's irrational, but since then I just didn't want to wear this dress. It hung untouched in my closet - until last Friday, that is!

I'm over the stigma now and I'm happy it still fit.

Thrifted chiffon dress/ Topshop blouse/ Forever 21 belt/ Schu clogs/ Ferretti satchel/ Pinkbox accessories

Guess where I was!

The theme revolved around soft florals - green, yellow, pink, and cream were the predominant colors. I really enjoyed this look, if it were up to me I'd wear this head-to-foot every day.

Face: NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, MAC Studio Finish concealer, Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit (for dark circles), Clinique translucent loose powder, Guerlain Meteorites

Cheeks: Estee Lauder Silky Powder Blush in Tender Petal (wearing this a lot lately, looks so natural and pretty on cheeks plus the lasting power is amazing!)

I know that I don't have any earth-shattering new tips and techniques in applying makeup - I don't use crazy colors and I have a pretty standard way of doing eyeshadows - but I share my FOTDs mainly because I want to document what I wore and hopefully give you an idea of how to better maximize the colors you have. My philosophy in makeup (and style) is simple: have fun, but make it wearable.

So yes, green again. I've been wearing some form of green all week! I don't have any particular explanation, I just like it right now. Here I have mint on my lids.

Face: NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, MAC Studio Finish concealer, Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit (for dark circles), Clinique translucent loose powder, Guerlain Meteorites

Have you guys seen and heard the rain? It's furious. Take care while commuting to and from work! Of course, don't forget to wear your fabulous boots out. With this kind of weather you can't even call wearing boots a fashion decision - it's a practical one!

Weather ramblings aside, I just want to share a look I wore yesterday. It's subtle but I think the colors work together. I chose green eyeshadow, peach lipstick, and a pink-orange blush.

Face: NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, MAC Studio Finish concealer, Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit (for dark circles), Clinique translucent loose powder, Guerlain Meteorites

Cheeks: Tony Moly Partylover Shine Blusher in Love Orange, NARS Laguna Bronzer

So, this is what I wore to a meeting last week! I just got my Sigma Flare Eyeshadow Palette from Pink Slippers Boutique and I was super itching to use the greens, but I restrained myself and went the plum route instead. Can't look too crazy in the boardroom, y'know.

To be quite honest I don't know how I feel about this palette yet. It's nice, but it didn't meet my expectations, considering the price. Will talk more about it soon, but in the meantime here's a look I did with the plum/violet eyeshadows!

Face: NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, MAC Studio Finish concealer, Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit (for dark circles), Clinique translucent loose powder, Guerlain Meteorites

Today is going to be a super duper hectic day. I'm trying to get blogging out of the way so I won't have to fidget the rest of the time. Blogging for me has become such an ingrained habit that I'm uncomfortable if I don't blog according to schedule! I can't focus if I don't blog, so here we are. 

I just want to share a quick look I wore last Monday. The lips are a little loud for the office, but I thought I could get away with it with neutral eyes and almost bare cheeks.  It was the first time I took the Colour Collection lipstick in Crimson Pink for a spin and I have to say - I love it! The shade is very flattering on me as it brightens my whole face, plus I find it a nice break from the typical reds. 

Face: NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, MAC Studio Finish concealer, Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit (for dark circles), Clinique translucent loose powder, Guerlain Meteorites

Cheeks: Shu Uemura Glow On blush in Amber

A lot of things are bothering me lately. That statement should logically lead to the "what", but since I don't really like wearing my heart on my sleeves online, well. I'm just not happy. However, I am the ultimate optimist so I know I'll get over this soon, but I just want to wallow a little, just a few minutes, until I move on.

I'll just leave the Bene Gesserit litany here because it's calming.

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain. 

On to the kikay post! Nothing cheers me up than nice kilay, good skin days, and the color blue.

Face: Guerlain L'Or primer, Tony Moly Baby Doll BB Foundation, The Balm Time Balm Liquid Concealer, Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit (undereyes), Clinique Blended Loose Powder, Guerlain Meteorites

I started this day by watching Hello, Dolly! with Barbara Streisand in the lead role. It's lovely! The elaborate gowns, hats, and of course the catchy songs made me fall in love with the film. I often wish I lived in an earlier era, where romance was less calculating and more passionate. As it is I can only settle for old films like this.

Anyway, I just wanted to share what I wore yesterday. I went to two events: Shu Uemura in the afternoon and Smart x HTC in the evening. I was ready to just plop in bed by the time I got home! It was fun though, I got to see some people I haven't seen in ages.

Topshop blouse/ Tiangge skirt/ Charles & Keith oxford heels/ Parfois necklace and ring/ Avon bracelet

I know I said I shouldn't wear loose tops, but I can't help it. They're not flattering in photos but they're practical in the real world. Time for the makeup!

Face: NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, MAC Studio Finish concealer, Makeup Forever Full Cover Concealer (for those really pesky blemishes), Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit (for

I woke up at 2am today and decided to watch a movie until I felt sleepy again. I'm into period romance dramas these days, so I decided on Curse of the Golden Flower (2006) starring Chow Yun-Fat and Gong Li. Other than the gripping, operatic story, I loved the movie for its moving visual landscape, the costumes, and of course, the makeup!

I first watched Gong Li as the anti-hero in Memoirs of a Geisha - loved her there, and in fact I'm watching it again soon just to see her. In Curse of the Golden Flower, Gong Li cuts a beautiful, regal, and cruel figure in her role as the Empress of China during the Tang Dynasty. She is always dressed in exquisite silks and heavy, rustling robes with embellishments that tinkle as she moves. Her makeup is perfect, with a dewy, flawless face, angled eyeshadows, and full lips with gold dust.

Here are her best looks! Actually, I just failed to include two (one almost bare-faced and another in lilac makeup) because they weren't as striking as these.

This is her first look. She sports gold eyeshadow on the inner lid, with a plummy, slightly purple eyeshadow that goes up on her outer lid. Her eyes are lightly lined with a bit of mascara. The lips are a plum shade with gold dust patted onto the bottom.