OMG! This was taken shortly before the Ipanema show started. I'd like to write something longer to gush about this momentous highlight (lol) but I need to pack for a 2-day family reunion.

You can view the gallery here. Thanks so much Stylebible! It's an honor to be included in your style spotting feature. <3

Photos courtesy of Stylebible.ph

Lookie what arrived on my doorstep this morning! I can see this with my favorite little black dresses and heels. It's such a conversation starter don't you think? I love the peacock design! But you know what it makes me think of whenever I see it? This line from The Other Guys: "I'm a peacock, you have to let me fly!" Haha.

More photos after the jump!

I bought the Muji Cleansing Oil a couple of weeks back and I've been exclusively using it since then to remove my makeup. It works really well for me, and you can't beat the price at only P395 for a big 200ml bottle!

What I love about the product

• Removes face makeup, eyeliner, and eyeshadow pretty well. I get half a pump of oil on my fingers and then gently massage it into my face. It feels oily (of course), but it does a great job of breaking down the makeup without needing to tug or pull the skin.
• It's oil, but it washes off easily with water, leaving the skin fairly clean with no greasy residue. If my makeup is light, I actually skip using facial wash afterwards. But if I have heavy gunk on, I need to soap with Pond's White Beauty Deep Cleansing wash to take out everything.
• No smell or fragrance.

Last Monday I went to the House of Obagi at Greenbelt 5 to check their products and hopefully get a couple for myself. It wasn't a big clinic, but the products we're arrayed neatly in front with informative brochures while the back area is where the treatments are conducted. I was surprised to see an endless stream of people waiting for treatments, new people coming in to book appointments, and others just to inquire about Obagi! One lady asked. "How much for the whole system?" to which the friendly receptionist answered "around P20,000!"

I gasped internally. I knew Obagi was expensive, but I hadn't known it was that expensive. What does Obagi have to merit such a hefty price tag?

The Obagi Condition and Enhance line is clinically proven to lighten, tighten, firm and turn your skin cells over on a daily basis

According to Obagi, they've got skincare down to a science - literally. Unlike other skincare systems that treat your problems at the surface, Obagi is supposed to initiate healthy skin from the cellular level, bringing it back to its baby-smooth state. The brand has lines for skin concerns like acne, eyebags, chloasma, melasma, senile lentigines, sun damage, and visible fine lines and wrinkles.

Now Obagi products are not like other skincare you can buy off the counter. Like any potent medicine, you need a prescription from your dermatologist before you can purchase Obagi. Read on for a short rundown of some Obagi systems as well as what I got from their clinic!

People have been complimenting me on my "great" skin these past couple of weeks. I always tell them "It's NARS!" I've been breaking out heavily up until last week so my skin really looked like crap underneath; only a miracle could have made me look presentable. That miracle is the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation.

Let me cut to the chase and say that the NARS Sheer Glow is the best foundation I've tried to date. Trust me when I say that I've tried quite a lot in the past! Now before I go on and on just raving about it, let me debunk a couple of things about this product.

First of all, it's not sheer. I'd say that the coverage is medium to heavy (two layers). Second, it's not glowy at all - at least, not in the sense the word is usually taken in cosmetics. It's not shimmery nor luminescent. In fact I'd say the finish is more matte-satin. Lastly, while this foundation is especially formulated for dry to normal skin, it works perfectly for my oily-combination skin.

What I love about this product

• My skin looks amazing with it on. It covers the lighter blemishes and uneven patches on my face while smoothing the overall appearance. The effect is "hyper real" - it's my skin, but loads better! The foundation just melts seamlessly.
• The feel is lightweight, like I don't have makeup on.

A couple of weeks ago I visited Ferretti Shoes in Glorietta 5. I have passed by the store many times before, but I've never entered because the name "Ferretti" already sounds expensive. I also got the impression that their shoes are for mature women who work in the office - totally not my style since I prefer trendier footwear!

Boy was I wrong. Ferretti had shoes for different styles - for the yuppie who needs versatile and comfortable office shoes for commuting, for the older woman who needs something for a semi formal to formal party, for the ultra-casual urbanite, for the trend-setter who likes edgy shoes - there's something for these people in Ferretti. The brand has teetering heels, sophisticated flats, wedges, and even those canvas espadrilles we see everywhere now. It also has handmade bags and clutches.

Best part? The shoes are not expensive at all! The most expensive pair I saw in the store cost only P1,500. Flats and wedges range from P800 to P1,000. That's pretty good considering the fact that the shoes look sturdy and feel really comfy.

Ms. Cecille, the super nice owner of Ferretti, let me pick three shoes to take home, and these are what I got!

Let's take a break from makeup and clothes today, shall we? I'd just like to share my newest toy!

It's true what they say: once you go Mac, you can't go back. Okay that doesn't really apply to everyone but it does to me and Marco. We love Apple computers because of the functionality and design. We love that Apple thinks of computers differently and encourages other people to do the same.

Tools of the trade: 16-gig iPad, Macbook, 32-gig iPod Touch, 4-gig iPod Shuffle

When I first got my Macbook I had no idea how to use it.

When I meet Project Vanity readers, they always tell me that they're surprised I'm not...fatter. I don't know what's up with cameras, but in my photos I look five to ten pounds heavier! I fit into small and medium clothes. Bah.

Case in point:

Ukay Manila dress/ belt from Market! Market!/ Ferretti wedges

Oh well. I really like this dress. I didn't want to wear it to the La Mer event at first because it's too Stepford wife for the occasion, but I was in a hurry.

I am born with stick-straight pudgy lashes. It sucks because my brother was born with curly, thick lashes that no decent boy should have had! When we were kids all my parents' friends and visitors would compliment his lashes! Huff. Oh well. Even though I'm not happy with the lashes I have, I'm not obsessed about them at all. I don't use lash enhancing products and services unless you count mascara - I'm much too lazy for anything else.

Bare lashes

So I wasn't that psyched when I received the Glambox Mink Lashes for review. I seriously can't afford to put extra time in my usual routine, plus I have really short patience for "matrabaho" procedures when it comes to beauty. But hey, I might as well try these falsies right? Always be adventurous when it comes to beauty, I say.

So how did I find the Glambox Mink Lashes? One word: transformative! I loved how it looked on me. Read on for my detailed review!

What I love about the product

• It's made of 100% genuine mink hair. No animal cruelty involved is the claim.
• Hypoallergenic. There are lots of cheap plastic lashes out there, but when it comes to putting stuff at or near my eye, I don't want to leave it to random testing. I didn't suffer any allergies or redness from these mink lashes.

A lot of enterprising Pinays have built a business out of selling US-brand makeup online. This is great news for us makeup lovers, but many of these resellers overestimate the demand for such luxury products so they tend to overprice their goods. But really, while I want this really nice piece of makeup, there's no way I would pay for a 40%+ markup! Frustrations just rage all around.

Thus, I'm glad that Shirlina of Get Sophisticated contacted me to check out her site. She sells Urban Decay products, Coastal Scents brushes, NYX makeup, China palettes, and a mix of popular items from other US brands like Too Faced, Rimmel, and E.L.F. What I like about her store is that the prices are competitive. The items she sells are also well-picked - she's obviously a makeup enthusiast because she knows some cult favorites.

I decided to get a Too Faced Shadow Insurance eyeshadow primer (only P1,100) since I read some rave reviews. Many contend that this is better than the Urban Decay Primer Potion.

So you've read all the raves for Asian Secrets lulur on GirlTalk and on my posts. Have you ever wondered though - what makes Asian Secrets effective in terms of whitening and moisturizing? Well, some of its key ingredients are green tea, Vitamin E and squalane. They're nothing extraordinary since there are tons of beauty products featuring the same ingredients but together they are an unstoppable force.

Green tea helps with sun protection and aging. It combats free radicals and reduce inflammation instead of blocking UV rays (which is what sunblock does). The result is smoother, more supple skin.

I had a grand time yesterday accompanying Kirby (Asian Secrets grand winner) to her makeover as well as hanging out with the Estee Lauder girls. Thanks so much for the company! Anyhoo, I decided on a super laid-back outfit for the day since I knew I would be waiting and walking around most of the time.

Muji shirt/ Levi's ID Curve jeans/ Ferretti flats/ NaRaYa bag/ SM belt/ Avon accessories/ Landmark headband

I was already late for my appointment so I threw on the fastest look I could think of: red lips. Fifteen minutes tops and I'm done! Full FOTD details after the cut.

You all know I love Avon, particularly its makeup and underwear. But after the launch of its Summer collections last March, I was able to better appreciate the brand's accessories. Frankly they're not trendy nor something that would appeal to me at first glance, but I find that the designs and quality are enduring. I've had these for almost eight months and not a single one of the pieces have tarnished. Don't you hate it when your faux gold/silver jewelry fails in that department? *Cough* Forever 21 *cough*

Anyway, I'd just like to show you some of the newest pieces Avon is currently offering. Because! A real girl loves pretty shiny things!

What's up with black boxes tied up with pink ribbons? Eh? I'm not complaining!

Dare To Dazzle Collection (sans earrings since I forgot to take photos). I'm giving these away soon!

Have you ever seen Ruffa Gutierrez in person? You should try one time! She's stunning in every sense of the word. Her beauty is like a physical wall that hits you when you lay your eyes on her. And no I'm not going lesbo, it's just that I am a keen admirer of beauty (hence this blog)! Anyway, I also like that Ruffa is always perfectly poised and well-dressed, with her makeup flawless.

Allow me make a comment in true showbiz fashion: she lost weight!

Ruffa hosted the launch of Avon's latest offerings: the Jet Holiday Eau de Toilette and the Dare To Dazzle Jewelry Collection last October 12. The event was held at Society Lounge. It was a pretty straightforward launch where guests got to experience and take home the Avon's newest products.

Gwapo models went around spraying Jet Holiday (P1,350) for the guests

Jet  Holiday  is described as an "enticing  blend of fresh citrus, sun-soaked orange blossom and exotic fig wood". I love the scent because it has this unexpected kick of something like ginger.

I've been thinking about little black dresses all week. I don't know how it started, but there it is. My guess is that I'm in a black mood, that is, all I want to wear is black. I want an LBD in every shape and size!

When the kind folks at Pond's invited me to a soft product launch last night, I was wondering: knowing the extensive skincare lines the brand has come up with to address every Pinay skin concern, what else can they possibly have up their sleeves?

The answer is delightfully surprising: gold! I was completely caught off guard. Can it be that something as luxe as real gold be available in drugstore skincare products?

We all love cheap clothes, but sometimes, it's wise to invest in choice pieces that will serve us for more than a few washes. Basics like the little black/white dress, stunning cocktail dresses, and evening gowns are items that need to stand the test of time in our closets. It makes more sense to blow a few thousands on them and then recycle until you get fat, or die. Lol.

Anyway, that's the idea behind the SM Fashion Forum located at the third level of SM Makati. The clothes there are in the P2,000 to P5,000 price range, but they are picked with care to reach a balance of quality, trendiness, and versatility without sacrificing timeless style. The clothes are from US brands like Adrianna Papell, David Meister, Donna Morgan, London Times, Max & Cleo, and Maggy London, to name a few. Miss Couture is a line for the younger set in terms of cheaper pricing and styles.

If you're looking for clothes to wear for important business meetings, power lunches, and parties/events from semi-formal to formal, I highly recommend Fashion Forum as your first stop. However, if you're into cheap and trendy disposable clothes for malling, clubbing, or coffee dates, go to Forever 21! Or any mall department store and tiangge, really.

Here's a virtual tour of the SM Fashion Forum:

Bright, well-lit interiors and spacious aisles will greet you upon entering

Muji is a Japanese "no-brand" brand that specializes in minimalist lifestyle goods. The brand sells things from clothes to toothbrushes, bed frames to makeup. I've always been curious about Muji because friends who have visited its stores abroad have raved about it. Thus, I dutifully went last night with Marco and braved the sea of chi-chi shoppers, poodles (clutched in the arms of chi-chi shoppers), and yayas in uniform, toting hyperactive kids.

Muji's minimalist, utilitarian clothes are not my style, but there are a lot of nice basics like plain tanks and shirts which one can incorporate in any outfit. The prices of the clothes started from P600 to P2,500. Frankly not all the clothes are worth their price tags. They were selling these plain cotton dresses for ~P1,600. The fabric or quality wasn't anything special, if that's the major argument for the price.

The cardigans and blazers for women, however, are worth a gander.