One product I've been using ever since I got it last September is the Paul & Joe Eye Crayon in 01. It's a shimmery beige pencil that, at first, I didn't know how to use. The point was too big to line the upper lids with any precision, and it was too shimmery and creamy to be a useful eyeshadow or eyeshadow base. So I decided to use it on my waterline and poof, problem solved!

It's the best thing I've come across to line the waterline. It provides that instant brightening effect (indispensable for puffy or tired eyes) when applied. I use it on the inner corners of my eyes as well as the inside of the lower lash line, or the so-called waterline.

What I love about the product

• Creamy, shows up nicely with just one swipe. This is an admirable feat when you're lining the wet waterline.
• Stays on all day! This is the best thing ever, since it sticks even after I wash the makeup off. 
• The shimmery beige color looks very natural when applied; I don't want any of those white eyeliners that look weird on the waterline. 

More than a month ago I visited a spa in Makati called Qiwellness. The spa distinguishes itself from others all over the metro because of its focus on centuries-old acupressure combined with modern massage techniques. The spa's clean, elegant minimalist interiors are very relaxing, a quiet retreat in the middle of a bustling city. Of course, it helps that the spa is located in the more "genteel" part of Makati, just besides Picasso Suites in Salcedo.

The waiting lounge. They serve tea once you're settled in.

I decided to try out their latest treatment called Mother of Pearl (P1,680 for 90 minutes). It is supposed to smoothen and brighten the skin with the help of exfoliating sea salt and a body polish/wrap made entirely of powdered pearls. Yep, you heard that right! Powdered pearls! I wouldn't know if the pearls are real or pure, but the very idea tickles my mind. Just the thought of being wrapped in pearls is priceless.

Ingredients

Exciting news! Beauty Bar, the Philippines' closest thing to Sephora, is now selling online. Brands like Burt's Bees, Smashbox, Styli-Style, Youngblood, Prestige, etc. can now be purchased directly from Beauty Bar's online store. Neat huh? 

I like that the prices are prominently displayed, with clear pictures of the product one can zoom in. I also appreciate the feature on top ten best sellers in front; very useful for those who come just to browse. Lastly, I like that the online store pretty much has everything a walk-in Beauty Bar store has. The selection is pretty comprehensive!

Of course, the shipping is door-to-door, so this saves us busy gals from having to go out of our way to visit Beauty Bar. This is also good news for those who live in the provinces.

Now on to the cons.

Hola! How's your long weekend? Me I didn't do much except shop, eat, read and watch fantasy movies. It's cool. I spent it with my family. 

At the Bobbi Brown Beauty Rules classroom!

So! I'd like to tell you what's new at Bobbi Brown. They recently launched the Bobbi Brown Beauty Rules Book and a Face Palette to go with the theme. The book is about makeup for teens and young twenty-somethings, so that's something you should own if you want to learn new techniques on the best possible makeup for your age and features. Of course, it also features Bobbi Brown's philosophy not only on beauty, but motherhood as well. 

pictures from Temptalia.com

The Beauty Rules Face Palette ($45, around P3,000 locally) is created for girls who are just starting to use makeup. It has the colors you would need for a natural day to an evening party look, and the makeup is formulated in such a way that you don't need to use a lot of tools. In fact, the makeup artists recommend using your fingers! Bobbi Brown Singapore makeup artist Cecilia Tay demonstrated how to pull it off to the press:

When I was younger, Christmas meant new clothes. That's not to say we don't buy any clothes before the holidays - it's just that my mom would always get me a new outfit for my school Christmas party (which my adolescent self was totes excited about) so that shopping trip is something I looked forward to every year. 

Anyway, if you're looking for something to wear to the string of Christmas parties you're probably going to, or if you need a gift that looks more expensive than it isn't, I'd like to invite you to visit Robinsons Department Stores, particularly the Midtown branch. They're on a 50-70% off sale! Well, not everything is on sale, but you're bound to find good stuff there at great prices. Seriously, the stuff there are so affordable, especially the ones from the in-house brands!

Allow me to take you to a virtual tour of the department store in Ermita (my favorite Rob branch) and share my top finds.

Never Been Kissed is a brand for fashion-forward teens. It's got the latest stuff and at great prices too. That sheer knit top you see on the right? That's only P330. Most of the stuff here are under P500. The brand has nice skirts and tights; I bought a denim tulip skirt from here before for only P250.

Cute white cabaret dress

Fab has a more daring quality to the trendy clothes.

Today (and yesterday) I went shopping. I've "outgrown" some of the clothes I already own, in the sense that a good number of them don't fit my current style. It's time to inject some key pieces I can match with what I have. 

White jacket from Studio Line/ Trousers from Soiree/ Accessories from SM/ Shoes from Charles & Keith/ Bag from LuLu

Can I just say, I am crazy about these khaki trousers! When the drop-crotch/ jhodpur pants trend came out, I thought it was ridiculous and just plain unflattering. The trend somehow grew on me though. I got these pants yesterday from the SM Makati department store, under the label Soiree. These are the same ones featured at the SM Department Store show at Philippine Fashion Week S/S11. Neat huh?

I love that Revlon always has something new every other month or so. I believe that they're trying to revamp their old image as makeup for older women into makeup that caters to a younger market's pressing needs. I feel that it's working! I like what Revlon has come up with in the last few months - Luxurious Color eyeshadows: Satin and Perle, Grow Luscious by Fabulash,  PhotoReady Powder, and my favorite, the Colorburst lipsticks. I'm very excited about the goodies they'll be releasing next year!

For now, Revlon's newest products are the PhotoReady Compact and Just Bitten Lip Stain + Balm.

The Just Bitten Lip Stain + Balm (P595) is a collection of lip stains that do NOT give a "just bitten" effect! Well maybe if you were kissing a hungry vampire...lol. The lip stains look like highly pigmented lipsticks when applied. If you don't like lip stains because of the drying effect, Revlon has thoughtfully added a lip balm on the other end of the tube. I love the lip balm actually - the feel is reminiscent of my HG lip balm, Aquafina, but without the minty sting.

Yes Virginia, it's a felt tip marker!

The PhotoReady Compact Makeup (P995) is the answer to the prayers of fans of the PhotoReady Liquid Makeup.

Do you know that Estee Lauder is actually more popular for its skincare products than its makeup? The brand was born when Joseph Lauder and his wife Estee started selling skincare in 1946. Six decades of experience and technology later, Estee Lauder has produced a cutting-edge skincare product called Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lift Age Correcting Creme.

The new Re-Nutriv Ultimate Lift Age-Correcting Creme designed to repair, recharge, and restore. It is a fusion of Estée Lauder’s exclusive Life Re‑Newing Molecules™, the most advanced lifting technologies, and precious Black Tourmaline, a charged mineral known for its energetic properties. Together, they deliver a revolution in luxury skincare with Estée Lauder’s most dramatic age-correcting results ever.

The launch was held at The Establishment, The Fort, where members of the print media and bloggers where invited to a classy dinner all dressed in black. We all got to sample the Re-Nutriv Creme by way of a relaxing hand massage by EL assistants. I felt a difference in my skin texture immediately after the product was applied; it wasn't just absorbed, like most skincare products are.

I haven't been wearing colorful makeup for months now. Well, okay, there were a few times during evening events but most of the time I have neutrals on. So what happened? Just two things, really. When I go to meetings of course I have to look polished and professional. When I go to events, I sometimes meet people I want to work with in the future, so I don't want to pile on the color. In between meetings and events I run errands, and even though I love makeup, I don't love it enough to wear eyeshadows all the time!

BUT. If there's one thing that will bring back my love affair with colorful eyeshadow, it will be the Mini Bobbi Brights Palette by Bobbi Brown!

I saw this in an event for Bobbi Brown's new book and palette called Beauty Rules. Anyway, I swatched some of the eyeshadows and was wowed by the pigmentation and how buttery smooth the texture is! Love.

It's hard to keep track of all the latest skincare products, at the rate and speed they're being released! It's all for the better, don't you think? More choices means more potential solutions to our beauty problems and better prices. Anyway, L'Oreal Paris is one brand that just came out with three products that targets major market concerns: cleansing (for men), whitening (for women), and smoothing/priming for makeup users out there.

The Pure & Matte Charcoal Black Foam (195) is designed to cleanse and mattify skin. It's for men who are concerned with oily skin that's exposed to a lot of pollution and stress. I think it's a pretty basic cleanser, as male skincare products go! This might not be for us girls, but there's no reason to NOT give this to our guy friends. It will benefit us in the long run, dare I say!

The White Perfect Day Cream SPF17/PA++ (P595) offers UV protection and promises whitening using melanin-blocking ingredients. It's light and non-greasy as promised - heaven sent in a world of uncomfortable day creams with SPF - but use it sparingly if you have oily skin!

This is an old post from the old Project Vanity blog. Thought to put it here in case you haven't read it yet - I think it's useful!

Good makeup is usually expensive. Of course there are exceptions, but any make-up guru will tell you that it’s often a safe bet to invest your money on high-priced, but quality products out in the market (like MAC, Shiseido, Shu Uemura, and so on). But then, there’s eBay! It’s like you died and went to make-up heaven, with all the cheap but branded stuff they’re selling over there. All you need to do is browse, click, send your payment via your cellphone or computer, and voila! Your order is at your door.

You have to realize, though, that buying online is risky business. For one, you can never really know if the product that looks so pretty on the computer screen is authentic. Buying cosmetics online is not like buying a shirt—if it doesn’t fit, no biggie, no harm done (unless it’s to your pocket). But once you buy bad makeup and use it on your face, terrible things like zits, allergies, skin darkening and peeling may occur.

Do you feel Christmas in the air? Me, sort of! The weather is definitely colder (at least during mornings and evenings) and the neighbors are putting up wreaths and trees. Shopping malls are playing Christmas songs on loop, which I think is sneaky since it makes people mellow and make them want to buy more stuff! Anyway, I'm already making plans for the holidays - gifts to give, food to prepare - but I'll never forget the most essential thing...what to wear!

This season means more parties to attend, whether they're with family, friends, or co-workers. Allow me to suggest a look that features two major holiday themes: sparkle and the color red. What I like about it is that it's versatile and has that "wow" factor. If you're not comfortable with a strong red lipstick, you can easily replace it with a toned-down shade.

Are you ready for my tutorial? Read on!

Step 1: Start with a well-primed and evened-out face. Parties tend to last until late, so your makeup should be able to keep up! I used the Smooth-365 Peptide Serum as primer, then applied the Paul & Joe Creamy Compact Powder Foundation, MAC Studiofinish Concealer, topped by Ellana mineral finishing powder. In2It for the brows and Too Faced Shadow Insurance as eye primer.

Step 2: I patted on a sparkly white eyeshadow (Urban Decay Polyester Bride) on the lid. It's whiter and more glittery in person! I always thought it's a lot like snow.

A few things I like about BB creams in general is that they are designed to moisturize, have SPF, and provide some coverage. Very handy if you're just stepping out or simply too lazy to put on makeup. Anyway, the kind folks from Purederm sent me the Purederm 3-in-1 Magic BB Cream to try!

Now I'm sure you've already seen a lot of bloggers reviewing this product, so I'll just run through some quick points and show you what it does for me.

Hot pink tube with silver cap

Freshly sealed

What I like about the product

• Good coverage with the tiniest amount of product
• Has SPF 30
• Good for oily skin since the product absorbs and stays on for half a day. Use a finishing powder to lengthen the wear time.
• Yellow-toned. A lot of Korean BB creams tend to be beige-toned, thus casting a gray shade on yellow-toned Pinay skin.

I'm not a foodie, but I love good food (who doesn't?). We eat out a lot but the bulk of our meals are cooked by me! Therefore, it's important that I always find new flavors and new sources of ingredients. The healthier and more natural, the better. Location is also important!

So when I heard that a new weekend market is opening behind Bonifacio High Street, I immediately rushed to the opening this morning. Take note, I wasn't invited as part of the media. I was there to see what the place, called Mercato Centrale, had to offer. I admit though that the biggest draw for me was the location; it was near our condo, plus I love the atmosphere and crowd at High Street.

There are quite a lot of suppliers (three huge tents) so I wasn't able to take a picture of everything, but I did take photos of the few I bought from.

This is the first tent you'll see upon entrance. Opening day was packed with people! The first tent had a lot of pastries, cookies, and other sweet desserts. There were also vegetables, herbs, free-range organic chicken, and cooked meals. Leyende was there as well as this line of baby products.

Organic produce straight from the ground

Granola bars. I bought a sugar-free Chips Ahoy-flavored pack.

I love Charles & Keith! The brand's current selections are seriously amazing. They have a lot of neat office wear but it's balanced with edgy pieces closely patterned after the season's hottest shoes. The shoes are on the pricey side, but still quite affordable considering the quality and comfort you get out of every pair.

Anyway, following my last conservative C&K purchase, I got a daring one for a change. I was at High Street yesterday and couldn't resist these P2,700 beauties.

The needle-thin heels may look quite daunting, but the wide platform makes these shoes stable and comfortable. I was so surprised the first time I tried them on.

I think its about time I show you guys the upgraded Project Vanity Headquarters. Hahahaha. Okay seriously, this spot in the condo is where all the magic happens. This is where I come up with looks, do all my swatches and product photos. It's also where I store my current makeup, skincare, and scents. I store my unused stuff somewhere else but that's another story for another day.

So, I'll try not to talk much and just show you what's here.

The top level contains my day-to-day brushes, skincare, hair care, and a couple of liquid foundations.

The so-called "prime look" is the makeup that's put together to enhance your natural features. The colors used are the ones nearest to your actual skin tone and color, and they are applied in such a way that will highlight or recede your features. Okay, now that sounds more complex than it is, but it really isn't.

A prime look is simply the look that makes you appear your best. In other words - perfect glowing skin, neutral eyeshadows, flattering blush, and lipstick close to the real color of your lips. It's not that hard to achieve with makeup you probably already have!

Now the makeup I use for my personal prime look varies from time to time, but the technique I use is the same. Read here on how I fake the perfect skin. For eyeshadows: I only use two or three - a light brown on the crease, a dark brown to contour, and a beige to highlight. Then I use black eyeliner and mascara. Easy peasy!

Face: Smooth-365 Peptide Serum as primer, MAC Studiofinish Concealer, NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Barcelona, Colorescience pressed foundation in California Girl

I have received a lot of emails and comments asking me about the camera I use. When I tell them, they're always surprised that I'm not using a DSLR! I take pride in my clear macro shots which is indispensable to good beauty blogging. So if you've always wondered, meet my camera:

I use a three-year old (pushing four) Canon Powershot A710 IS. I would recommend this to everyone, but I'm pretty sure that Canon doesn't sell this model anymore. Now I'm not a photography enthusiast and I don't want to pretend I am so I can't help you with the specifics. What I do know is that this camera takes pretty awesome pictures and it's as tough as a diamond cookie. It's almost four years old but it's working perfectly!

Thus, I didn't have second thought when Canon Philippines asked me to take one of their latest PowerShot models, the Canon PowerShot SX210 IS, for a spin.