Yesterday I managed to get home juuust as the rain started to fall. The storm raged in earnest soon after, and Snaps came close to hyperventilating because of his thunder phobia. That said, Manila is supposed to have a Signal #1 storm right now but I don't see it yet - I hope I don't! I have a lot of plans this weekend.

Anyway, I just wanted to update you about the Naturactor Cover Face Foundation. You might remember that I loved its finish and texture, but was sorely disappointed about the shade selection. The 141 was way too light, so I thought the darkest shade won't work for me. Well, it did! The 151 is about half a shade lighter and leans more towards beige than I'd like, but it looks okay on me even though my neck is darker than my face.

What we want to happen versus what actually happens are two completely different things. And you know what, that's perfectly fine. There are many variables in any given situation that it's difficult to predict the exact outcome. The trick is to be flexible and to adapt as quickly as possible. When life throws you lemons, you can do better than lemonade! Find a chicken then bake it with lemon sauce. 

Just don't give up, is the hardest and most important part.

Anyhoo, today I'll be reviewing a foundation that you're probably super curious about: the Naturactor Cover Face Foundation (P790 at Digital Traincase). There have been a lot of rave reviews floating around the web for some time now - is this Japanese foundation worth the hype?

It is. It is. When I first wore it, I exclaimed out loud: "Seriously? This is intense!" I can't believe the ultra-smooth, baby skin finish! I've never tried a foundation with this kind of finish before. The cream felt thin and light, yet it has medium to heavy coverage. It sets into a powdery layer so I doubt that I'd even need a finishing powder. 

Do you notice how I rarely review skincare or foundation here? I might feature them and give a bit of information about them, but I probably don't use 90% of the facecare products I receive. It's because I am deathly afraid of breakouts. They come in swiftly if I happen to use a product that has ingredients I am reactive to. They multiply even if I only use the product once. It takes about a week to heal the damage, and a couple of months to fade out the acne scars left over. 

This is the "unfun" part of beauty blogging. It's always a serious risk to try a new face product, so I usually only test those from brands I already trust. Stuff from brands I'm not familiar with get relegated to the "I'll Review It Someday When My Face Is Clear Enough To Take Any Potential Damage" box. Something like the Dermalogica Sheer Tint SPF20 (P2,250).

Dermalogica is a brand that's famous for cosmeceutical products. I remember severely wanting to try their spot corrector and exfoliator after Lisa Eldridge talked about them, but I was unsure where I could find them. Apparently, there's Dermalogica in Rustan's! I checked out a display once and found a wide selection of items to choose from. Also, the pricing isn't unjustifiably far off from the US price. Always a good sign.

So okay, let's talk about the Dermalogica Sheer Tint! This is primarily a gel-based illuminating moisturizer that promises to improve skin texture and reduce the appearance of dehydration lines with powerful plant extracts. A mouthful, but the summary is that this. Stuff. Works. It immediately brightens up my skin and makes it feel smoother and healthier after application. It's also a great makeup base, in the sense that it helps your makeup adhere better, though not necessarily last longer.

Many tinted moisturizers/ BB creams today are foundations masquerading as part skincare. The Dermalogica Sheer Tint is primarily a skincare product. You can feel it once it sinks on your skin.

Ola! It's almost the end of July. Next week I'll be in Hong Kong with my parents, a trip I'm looking forward to! It's going to be my first time there so I'd love to read your advice on where to shop and eat. ;) I'm not looking for makeup per se. I'm more interested in clothes and shoes at bargain prices. 

Anyhoo, today I'll be talking about the latest products from Celeteque. It's been a while since I've used Celeteque, so the level of quality in its products is a surprise to me! The BB Cream and Brightening Body Cream are pretty good, ha. I'll be reviewing them quickly in this post.

The Celeteque Anti-Stretch Mark Cream has elastonyl (to improve elasticity), phyto collage (derived from soybeans, for plumping), alchemilla vulgaris (herb that has medicinal qualities), and shea butter, four ingredients that are said to lessen the appearance of stretch marks. It is recommended for women who just gave birth, to help stop stetch marks in their tracks as the skin tries to regain its elasticity. 

And here is the star of the trio, for me! The Celeteque Multi-Benefit BB Cream (P325) brightens skin instantly and has a yellow-neutral tone to it that should match light to medium skin. It has the texture of a long-wearing face base - it's water-based, a bit difficult to spread, and sets completely in half a minute. It kinda reminds me of the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Foundation (liquid) and Estee Lauder Double Wear Light in terms of texture.

Thought I'd end foundation week with a tool instead of makeup! The Charm Pro Angled Foundation Brush (P700) is the latest creation from the popular local brush brand. It's a flat brush with a gentle angle to it that allows you to blend in liquid foundation even in tight spots. It's super easy to use, and works best with watery foundations and BB creams to get maximum coverage.

The brush has soft synthetic hair that's dense and stiff at the base. It's pliable on the tapered edge, which gives it this nice blending action if you swipe it back and forth. I wouldn't recommend it for heavy-coverage, thick foundations since you will need a denser, rounder brush to get those properly worked onto the skin. This however is perfect for light foundations that have sheer coverage - it somehow increases the opacity of these types of foundations, and give them a smoother finish. 

Truth be told, I have yet to find a drugstore foundation that I would use everyday. One thing is for sure though: drugstore products are getting better and better with each release! Take for instance the Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse (P599). This is a watery foundation that gives a demi-matte, natural finish while feeling light on skin. It promises to give an airbrush finish and it can do that with the right brush.

Coverage and finish. The Maybelline Liquid Mousse is a nice daily foundation that has light to medium coverage. It's sheer on the first layer, so I recommend that you use a minimum of two generous layers if you need medium coverage. If you just want to even out and brighten up your skin, one layer would be enough.

This can cover minor blemishes and light eye bags if you use a generous amount. The finish is very natural - not completely matte, I think, since it has a hint of dewiness to it. It would be great to use during events when you'd be heavily photographed. It doesn't have SPF and is quite photogenic with its demi-matte coverage!

I've done many events for my clients but I still get nervous. What if no one comes? What if something goes wrong and there's no way to fix it? What if I look horrible in all my pictures? The jitters usually strike on the event day itself. So I'm a bag of nerves right now!

But let's talk makeup before I start fixing the final details for today's work. I know that most girls would be worrying about their outfits during a special occasion, but my main concern is always the foundation. The observer's eye tend to focus on the face, so if the face is a weird shade of gray or white then nothing else would look right. In my opinion anyway!

If you're part of an event then you should be ready for the long hours sweating it out behind the scenes and/or in front of the crowd. Your foundation should be able to stay on and look good in person AND in photos! So choose wisely. The foundation I'd be using today is none other than the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish Compact (P2,400).

Sorry about the messy compact, I couldn't find the first set of photos I took of it

Coverage and finish. Its liquid sister is actually my favorite for events, but this cream version is waaay easier to use! A few swipes with a sponge or dense brush and I'm all done with my base. The coverage is medium to heavy, hiding most blemishes with just one thin layer. If you don' want to bother with concealer

The Estee Lauder Double Wear Light Stay-in-Place Makeup (P1,900) has been in my stash for over a year now, but I must confess that I haven't used it - until recently, that is! The shade I have (Intensity 4) is a bit pink and light on my skin so I haven't used it as often as I should. Shade woes aside, I love the formula of this product. It's a heavy-coverage, long-wearing foundation that girls with oily and troubled skin will love!

Coverage and finish. Intensity 4 is kinda light and pink for me but as long as I use a sheer layer only, it will eventually adjust to my natural coloring. The coverage is quite heavy so I won't recommend using a thick layer in any case. A light application can already cover my eye bags and dark blemishes! It can also cover redness from fresh pimples and allergies.

The finish is matte, but it's not the flat kind of matte. It really perfects the complexion and gives it this flawless coverage. Just be careful about the amount you apply. Too much and the DW Light will look cakey.

It's been a while since I reviewed a foundation, no? I've been so enamoured with my favorites that I haven't been exploring outside of the things I already have. That's perfectly fine, of course, but I'm a beauty blogger. I'm all about options for you guys, which is why this week I'll be talking about five foundations worth looking into. You just might find a new favorite!

Let me begin with a drugstore product: the BYS Minerals Naturale Compact Foundation (P699). I liked it as soon as I swatched it - it had this pearlescent sheen and a silky, smooth texture, two qualities that mark a good foundation. I'm quick to judge when swatching foundation, and I'm happy to say that I made a good call in buying this one!

BB creams and CC creams are easily available in the market. However, if you want to save a few bucks by simply re-purposing some beauty products you already have, then make your own! It will rock. You will probably be able to get a better shade match and a skin-beneficial product in the bargain.

It begs the question: why don't you just apply these things seperately and call it a day? That works too but it's a lot more time consuming. With a (home-made or store-bought) BB/CC cream, you can skip several steps in your routine!

So, I've decided to make a tutorial on how to make your own BB cream and CC cream. BB creams are technically mid-coverage bases with a lot of SPF and skincare properties thrown in. CC creams on the other hand are also beneficial to the skin but have sheerer, more illuminating coverage. To create one, all you need to do is tweak your DIY or store-bought BB cream. ;)

Let's get started!

These are the basic things you need. The beauty is that you don't have to use these exact same brands posted here! Just use skincare that works for you and your favorite liquid foundation. I will also include alternatives.

1. Moisturizer with SPF. It ain't a proper BB/CC cream without SPF. ;) If you use an SPF 50 cream, don't expect that number per application since it will already be diluted. What I used: Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF50 PA+++

It was only a matter of time before Etude House, the Korean beauty juggernaut, came out with their very own CC cream. I find it to be a unique product because unlike the other CC creams I've tried, this is a white cream with tiny pigment spheres! It's sheer but gives this glow-from-within finish, as if there's a softly lit light bulb trained on my face. Can't think of a better way to describe it!

The Etude House CC Cream in Glow is off-putting at first because it starts out very, very white, like a kabuki mask. But as I rub it starts to slowly blend in to my natural skin color. There's still a bit of whiteness due to the SPF30, but it's not obvious unless you flash a bright light. I love the finish; it's subtle enough that it's difficult to capture on camera! There is shimmer in the formula although it's very fine.

Here's a quick run down!

What I love about the product

• Its main purpose is to correct and care. It corrects the dullness and uneveness of my skin, while moisturizing and protecting it from the sun at the same time.
• Gives a soft focus, glow-from-within finish (with a bit of vigorous blending). It also sort of counteracts the yellowness of my skin, and gives it a more neutral tone - if that makes sense.
• This CC cream is an excellent makeup base!

There was a time when flawless makeup involved layers and layers of products on the face. Sure our skin was smothered in all that gunk, but the result looked convincingly pretty enough that we didn't mind. Thanks to technology though we have all these new face bases. They successfully cut down on the amount of liquids and powders that we need to combine to get that naturally gorgeous skin effect. 

One such base is the new Clinique Even Better Powder Makeup SPF 25/PA+++ (P1,950). This is a light to medium coverage powder foundation that promises  luminous, porcelain-like radiance that would give the skin a youthful look. That's a lot to promise, but I believe it delivers! I only wish it offers better staying power for long-haul days, but to its credit it's also a great retouch powder due to its super smooth, satiny texture.

That texture is really something. It's so fine that according to Clinique's Marketing Manager, they weren't able to stamp the logo on the surface of the powder! You'll notice that other Clinique compacts have that ubiquitous stamp. Even Better doesn't have that because it falls apart. To the touch, it feels creamy, almost (though not quite) liquid. It applies as a powder.

Morning! So, I decided to do a Clinique Week because I've been receiving a lot of wonderful products from the brand lately. These are the latest releases so some of them might not be availble yet but you can ask your preferred counter to reserve. ;) To kick off the series, here's a review of something I've been using whenever I get the chance!

CC creams have brought a lot of confusion when they started popping out last year. What are they, really? Do you need them? It depends on your preference and skin type so there's no definite answer to that. But I can tell you that CC creams are specifically for color correction, with a focus on skincare rather than the cosmetic effect. CC creams are for treating and maintaining skin, not for covering it up the way BB creams would.

That said, I am loving the Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream (P1,850) because it is my ideal face base. I don't need to layer moisturizer and/or sunscreen, foundation, and powder on a day-to-day basis! I apply a generous amount on my skin, wait for it to dry, and voila - nice, primed skin that doesn't need layers of product to achieve.

Okay let me break that down in a neat list, before I degenerate into a raving maniac. :P

Why I LOVE the product

• It has this lightweight, non-greasy texture that melts on skin and somehow makes it look brighter. 

Pond's joined the BB cream bandwagon rather late, but they believe they came out with something that's totally worth the wait. True enough, the Pond's Flawless White and Age Miracle BB Creams (P399) did not disappoint. It's fairly good considering how much it costs.

I'm pleasantly surprised by how nice the texture of this Pond's product is! It's water-based and therefore non-greasy, and it does help brighten and even out the complexion instantly. It's easy to apply and it also dries in a few minutes. You won't even need a setting powder if you're not particularly oily, but if you want to extend the wear time then you must set it with foundation or at least a face powder.

By itself, this BB cream lasts for about 3 hours before it starts to fade. I don't like to think of it as foundation - it's really more of a skincare/ makeup base, the way BB creams were originally supposed to be.

I first heard about the Vichy Dermablend Foundation (P1,390) three years ago when Lisa Eldridge, celebrity makeup artist, used it on a girl with severe acne. You'll see in the video how Dermablend magically hid the spots with only the tiniest amount of product! It was just the thing I needed since I had serious acne scarring at the time. Unfortunately, Vichy wasn't a popular brand back then. It was practically impossible to get it in the Philippines short of shipping it from the UK.

Thankfully, Digital Traincase brought it in early this year. *cue trumpets* I just had to get it when I visited the store in Ortigas a few weeks ago! It's out of stock at the moment but expect fresh stocks to arrive next week.

So how was it? It's every bit as amazing as shown in Lisa's video - as a concealer. My shade, Nude, matches me perfectly when it's just on spot patrol, but when used all over my face it looks quite, erm, pink. I suppose I could still get away with wearing it as foundation (did it once) but only if people don't look too closely! My face looked light and pinkish in comparison to my neck and shoulders.

Even if I can't use the Dermablend as a proper foundation, it's still a great find. Here's why!

What I love about the product

• It has heavy, full coverage. It can cover very dark blemishes in a couple of layers, and normal blemishes and under eye circles in one dab. Redness is easily banished even if you have fresh pimples and rosacea.
• Even with that coverage, it feels weightless on skin due to the watery, easy-to-spread texture. It's also non-sticky and non-greasy.

Have you always wanted to try the Lancome Teint Miracle Foundation but balk at the P2,200 price tag? Well,  I have news for you: the L'Oreal Lucent Magique Foundation (P845) is a very close drugstore dupe. That's not surprising since L'Oreal owns Lancome, after all! The texture, finish, down to the ingredients are very much the same with only minor differences. 

Lucent Magique promises to give skin a "radiant halo" with its liquid-light technology. True enough, it's quite illuminating - I love how my skin looks like with this foundation on. Now this kind of stuff is right up my alley, but if you're oily this might be something you want to think about.

Here's the run down!

What I love about the product

• It gives a gorgeous radiant finish on skin. I don't see any shimmer in the formula but it has a subtle satiny shine. It looks absolutely natural with its sheer to medium coverage. Expect to it to cover reasonable blemishes and discoloration! 
• Watery texture is light and easy to smooth all over the skin. It never feels greasy or mask-like even if the humidity is in full force.

How many foundations do you have and whats your current fave? - ManilaJen

Hi Jen! Fab question. I love foundation, and even on good skin days I still prefer to wear a little. It really helps enhance the skin, to take it to the next level of flawlessness not humanly possible. Well maybe it's possible if you have genes the aliens would like to keep in storage but that's beside the point. Foundation can make skin look even better and hey, I'll take that any day!

Currently, I have 22 foundations in my collection (I forgot to add the Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme and the Age Defy since I can't seem to find them!). I don't use all this all the time - I still have exactly one face - and there are a few that I haven't actually tried yet. But I do like to rotate. I use only light foundation if I'm stepping out, and the long-wearing, heavy ones are reserved for special events.

I regularly cut down on my foundations. If something isn't my shade or if the formula does not suit me, I give it away to someone who would appreciate it better (after I've reviewed it). I honestly hate things going to waste!

I've read good things about the L'Oreal Lucent Magique Liquid Foundation (or Lumi Magique in the US) and I'm so happy to announce that it's finally here in Manila! Lucent Magique is all about "light-infusion" or brightening, but without the obvious accompanying shimmer. I immediately used the foundation as soon as I got it, and mark my words, I sniff a new favorite low-cost base! 

The liquid foundation is only P845. Very, very affordable yet it feels so high end. It reminds me of the Lancome Teint Miracle, actually. Same finish but the Lancome I think is more long-lasting.

Another interesting product is the Lucent Magique Concealer Pen. It's only P545 and works much like my favorite Clinique Airbrush Concealer, although the peg is the YSL Touche Eclat.

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).