My favorite toy was Barbie Like most girls my age then. I never left the mall without getting my mom to buy me a new pair of tiny shoes, clothes, or accessories! I just loved dressing up my toys and imagining their world as one grand catwalk. Oh, nostalgia. I stopped playing with Barbie, but she will always have a special place in my heart - she's one of the reasons I am who I am now. 

Drama aside, I'm impressed that Barbie has moved out of her kitschy, childish style phase into something more glamorous, sexy, and a little bit dangerous. Perhaps she's just mirroring today's woman, a woman who not only knows what she wants, but also how to get it. That's what I believe is at the core of the launch of Barbie Basics, an event held in Glorietta 5.

Members of the Young Designers Guild designed one-of-a-kind little black dresses for the muse of the night. I loved that while the designs are couture, they're still very much wearable. They've proven that the magical little black dress need not look plain!

I got this uber cute bag from the Vanity Fair event yesterday in SM North EDSA (more on that in the coming days)! The brand of the bag is named Naraya, and I believe that it can be found in Robinsons Midtown and SM North EDSA.

I'm not that much into cloth tote bags - or bags in general, for that matter - but what drew me to this one in particular was the lovely floral print, big blue bow (!), and the sturdy make. The stitches are tight and fine, plus the bag has a soft wire frame. It's big and roomy enough, but not so much that you look like you're bringing luggage when you're out.

It's impossible not to like this! It's P799

White high-waisted shorts are trending again, but I hate how they add at least two pounds to the hips and legs! I don't recommend them for hip-heavy women like myself.

I love purple eyeshadow. Its different variations seems to suit the Pinay skin color best, which is why aside from neutrals you will see me wearing purples a lot. So when I heard about the NYX Purple Smokey Look Kit from my favorite blogger Karen, I was immediately hellbent on procuring one for myself. Aside from the palette being all about purple, the $11 price tag is just calling my name!

Well, since we don't have NYX in the Philippines, the $11 price for this palette is just a dream. I asked Armie of Carefreeshopper if she had the palette so she immediately reserved one for me. I only spent P725 including shipping - not bad, not bad at all! 

The palette has a small drawer containing the applicators and lip gloss

So how was it? Well, I am sad to say that I am disappointed. I really wanted to love this palette, but there were some things about it that I thought made it a "meh" product. 

What I love about it

• The bloggers weren't lying when they said that this palette's eyeshadows are extremely pigmented. One layer is all you need to get a good color payoff.
• Compact and nicely packaged. The sleek black plastic looks quite classy.
• Has a mirror, very useful for retouching on the go.
• Travel-friendly

I've always wanted to try a Paul & Joe foundation since reading a lot of rave reviews online. The only reason I haven't bought it before now is how expensive it is. A refill and a compact costs upwards P2,000; it's a bit too hefty for me. So, when I got an invite to the 70% off sale, I jumped at the chance to grab my own Paul & Joe foundie!

I spent only P870 for the whole thing, which makes it one of the best makeup bargains I've come across. I've been using it since I got it and I must say, it IS a great product. If it's something I'll buy at full price remains to be seen.

What I love about it

• Light to medium coverage. Smooth, my-skin-but-better effect. You can't believe how very few foundations can give you this!
• The coverage is light to medium, with a semi-matte finish. Don't expect it to cover your darker blemishes. You can use the foundation by itself but it's also a great base for powder foundation due to its creamy nature. It will help the rest of your makeup show up better and stay on longer.

I paid a visit to Makati Wellness Studio after I went to the Paul & Joe private sale. Thanks to Google Maps, I was able to find the place and was delighted to know that the spa is just a short walk from The Prestige building. Once I stood on JP Rizal corner Antipolo St, I got a bit lost as I didn't see anything that looked remotely like a spa. Fortunately I saw a big sign that points to where MWS is - apparently it's upstairs atop Chowking, unmarked except for the sign.

The spa is clean, cozy, and welcoming. The services are very affordable (starting from P119 with the most expensive treatment at only P800), perfect for women on a budget. Of course, don't expect high-class, chic interiors - the floors are made of wood and is quite thin (you will hear every single footstep reverberating) and the treatment room looks a bit crowded.

Feet/leg treatment area

Super comfy chairs

I had the Coffee Facial Treatment (P499), Diamond Peel (P799), and Foot Spa (P299).

I was very dark-skinned when I was younger. My parents and brother are all fair, so it was a mystery as to why I was so tan! Well, I didn't really mind because even at a young age I was taught to be happy in the skin I'm in. Fair or dark-skinned, I still can achieve the things I want to achieve.

Coming up, a LOL high school photo!

Dark in sophomore (?) year

It was when I was in the senior year of high school when my skin started to lighten, apparently all by itself. I used lotions, but they were purely just for moisturizing. Not that I complained! Having lighter skin gave me confidence when I was in college. I just maintained this color until now with a healthy dose of SPF when going out and making sure to stay out of the sun as much as humanly possible.

Take note, I'm not that maputi, but I suppose I'm fair enough to be mistaken as Korean by around 90% of all cab drivers. -_-

So let me segue to a question: should we lighten our skin? On one hand we should be happy with the color we’re born with. On the other hand, we want to feel better and more comfortable about ourselves by having fairer skin.

My answer?

I just got back from the far-off northern lands of Eastwood and QC. My morning started early as I rushed off to Eastwood for a meeting on a new project, then whisked off to Mr Kebab with Lauren and her pogi boyfriend Marco to have lunch. It was my first time there and wow! I want to take home the yogurt sauce! I would go more often if it weren't from the far-off nothern lands of QC.

Then we went to a shoe supplier (!!!) to meet the owner and check out the rest of her merchandise. We are so excited to launch shoes on Ukay Manila. We're going crazy racking our heads for a great name for a sub-brand. What do you think? 

Anyway I am wearing shoes we got from our supplier. Unfortunately this design is not included in the collection since it's not in keeping with the theme. Wah I'm talking too much.

Polo from Ukay Manila/ Necklace from Girl Shoppe/ Jeggings from F21/ Shoes from Ukay Manila (to be available soon)

I have already reviewed the Revlon Corlorburst lipsticks (which I love) so I'll only be sharing some product photos, swatches, and notes on a particular shade in the line. Soft Nude is a light beige with a hint of pink. It's a tricky color to wear if you skin is anywhere from medium to dark; I can barely pull it off myself! However, this would be perfect for light to fair skinned girls.

Some notes 

• Soft Nude is not as opaque as the other Colorburst colors I've tried. I need to layer a bit to get it to cover my pigmented lips.
• I recommend this for light-skinned women since this can easily make morenas look zombie-like. Lol. Wear this shade with dark eye color and chiseled cheeks to prevent your face from looking washed out.

If you've always dreamed of bottling the clean, just-stepped-out-from-the-shower smell, then you definitely need to try out CLEAN Shower Fresh. The name of the product really says it all! The brand says it's "not heavy, overwhelming, or pretentious" and I would have to agree. 

I find the scent a bit sharp at first spray, smelling of soap, but it lightens up with citrus notes almost immediately. The heart of the scent hints of floral notes (jasmine, Lily of the Valley, orange blossom) while the dry-down is a woody musk.

Estee Lauder is an old skincare brand from way back in 1946. The icon, Audrey Hepburn, once said in 1992 when asked what her beauty secrets are: "...health, lots of sleep, lots of fresh air, and a lot of help from Estee Lauder". That's perhaps part of the reason why it's a name associated with elegant, mature women who like to splurge on beauty goodies. However, with its latest products, I think that I can safely say that Estee Lauder is now also catering to a younger (albeit more refined) market. Their latest releases illustrate as much.

I visited their counter in Rustan's Makati to see first hand just what's up with the brand. First off, let's check out the eyeshadows designed by their creative director, Tom Pecheux: the Pure Color Eyeshadow.

The packaging for these eyeshadows is extremely luxe, done in faux gold casing with the logo embossed on the top and side of the case. There's a bit of heft to it.

Watsons is a paradise for the makeup and skincare junkie. They carry dirt cheap to high end products that address specific needs - and actually do a good job of it! I heard from a person who markets a brand exclusive to Watsons that its difficult to get the personal care store to carry your product. Their staff tests it rigorously, and it may take months before it gets approved, if at all!

This is not to say that every single thing in Watsons is gold. It's just that I've observed that this year, the store has brought out a lot of new, unique products for every budget - quite uncommon for competitors and even some department store beauty aisles.

I've reviewed a lot of Watsons products in the past so I thought to compile my best finds from the personal care store. It's this thread in GirlTalk that inspired me to write this post! Take note, most of the products featured here are exclusive to Watsons.

Himalaya Herbals Protein Shampoo with Conditioner

This is my Holy Grail shampoo/conditioner. I am already on my second bottle of this! I love how it makes my hair feel soft and moisturized while minimizing hair fall. 

Finally, my review of Eyliplex-2

Eyliplex-2 claims to lessen your eyebags and wrinkles. Does it work? YEAH! Check out my before and after photos in my review. You have to regularly use it though, like everyday. My bags are bothering me again so I'm using it again. Recently discovered trivia: the day gel is amazing as an eyeshadow primer! It really makes the eyeshadows pop and blend better! However it's too expensive to use as just a primer. ;)