I was intrigued by the Pond's Gold Radiance Boosting Cleansing Mousse because it promises to remove makeup while also serving as a facial wash. Who doesn't want to save one step in their routine, right? Also, when Gold Radiance first landed on Philippine shores, this particular product wasn't available because it sold out in other Asian countries. Now if that's not enough to make you curious I don't know what is!

As promised, the product is a foamy mousse that becomes a rich, thick lather when you lightly rub it on your skin. It feels quite soft on my face which makes it enjoyable to use! It does melt off makeup in one wash, but it doesn't remove all kinds of makeup. The mousse removes foundation, blush, concealer, and unprimed eyeshadow, but it does a poor job taking off primed eyeshadow, mascara, and eyeliner (or most eye makeup).

Let's get on the nitty gritty, shall we?

What I love about the product

• Literally melts off powder makeup. Once you get it to a lather, all the junk just comes off.
• A little goes a long way, surprisingly. I use half a pump of the product for each side of my face. The trick is to massage it in small circles.

I was really impressed by the color payoff and texture when I first swatched the Nichido Stardust Eyeshadow in Blue Lagoon (P168) at the mall. I didn't think twice and added it to my cart. When I got home though, I was really dismayed when I re-swatched the newly opened palette. Well, it wasn't a total bust, but it's honestly not something I would use.

So why was there a difference of quality between the tester and the new palette? I read an explanation somewhere that the oils in the fingers of those who swatch makeup tend to mix in with the powder, making it creamier and somehow intensifying its color. I know, gross! But that's how it works. 

The eyeshadow is pretty useless by itself, but over a base like the Urban Decay Primer Potion or the Too Faced Shadow Insurance, it will come out nicely.

Sigrid Villamil, the product manager of Guerlain, once told me how Guerlain perfumes are distinct from each other with their own stories to tell. I completely agree. Shalimar is rich with tradition, the anthem of sophisticated women who never take no for an answer. Herba Fresca is a field of grass dotted by wildflowers, with sunlight streaming in a gentle glow.

And Guerlain Idylle? It's a bouquet of flowers presented to you by a charming gentleman as you walk in a candle-lit room wearing a gorgeous, flowing dress and strappy stilettos. You just met him, and you're excited to get to know him better, drunk with the promise of love. That moment in time is an idyll - a perfect scene, beautiful because you know it will never last.

I find Guerlain Idylle (P2,998) to be a truly versatile fragrance. It's not as heavy and musky as Shalimar nor as light and sharp as Herba Fresca - it's right in the middle, which allows you to wear it during the day or night.

How do you feel about frosty lipsticks? Me, I wasn't a fan. I found them tacky and outdated. But hey, it seems that I haven't been looking in the right places! If the MAC Viva Glam IV lipstick (P1,000) is to be used as a benchmark, MAC frost lipsticks are actually pretty good. In fact, I do think I like them better than the Amplified Creme ones!

MAC frost lipsticks feel lighter on the lips and has a nice, smooth finish. The frost isn't too obvious to begin with - it has more of a luster than the usual frost effect. Like most MAC lipsticks, this has good staying power but it's not as good as, say, Satin or Matte types.

Hello! Here is the list of winners for my Avon contest and my Beauty & Music Giveaway. Are you ready? :D

You know what, it's been ages since I last reviewed eyeliner here! It's just that I'm so happy with my MAC Fluidline and Urban Decay 24/7 Pencil that I've stopped bothering to look for something new. However, when Revlon sent me their ColorStay Liquid Liner in Blackest Black (P550), I just had to try it. I've read really good reviews about it so I put it to the test.

What I love about it

• Solid black line in one go. No need to layer! It creates lovely winged eyes that even Dita Von Teese would envy.
• Characteristic of Revlon's popular ColorStay line, this eyeliner stays on all day with no smudging. It's very reliable in our humid, unpredictable weather.

Peacocky is the latest MAC collection to hit Philippine shores. It's inspired by the gorgeous and fierce colors of one of nature's most magnificent birds. Aside from the unique color story, what's different about this collection is the release of the Mega Metal Eyeshadows (P1,175), a step up the usual MAC eyeshadows when it comes to pigmentation, texture, and even the size of the pan (they're larger). Another new release is the Kissable Lipcolor (P1,150), a gloss-cum-lipstick that will impress you with the pigmentation! It's as good as liquid lipstick and comes in bigger tubes.

I asked MAC if they can demonstrate how to do a Peacocky look, so here's what makeup artist Mikee Raymundo came up with! This look is perfect for evenings out with your friends or when you're going to a special event with a compulsion to wow. Here's a step-by-step photo coverage of the look.

Before: Say hi to Angela!

After

Remember this Shu Uemura palette I picked up last December?

Here's a look I did with it! I find it a bit too cool for my warm skintone, but I think it looks ok. I love the taupe and black eyeshadow in the palette. I really can't get over how creamy and pretty these colors look when applied!

More details after the cut!

Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of finally meeting the product manager of Guerlain and Bulgari, Sigrid Villamil. She's a vivacious, beautiful woman who is obviously passionate about the brand. Over delicious food (thanks Sigrid for letting me know about Chelsea's cookie dough cheesecake!), we talked about Guerlain and how it is one of the oldest brands in the industry, representing quality, tradition, and the ultimate luxury when it comes to beauty.

Guerlain was founded in 1898 by Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain in Paris. His perfumes were so popular that he became the perfumer of the royals, first by the King of France, then by Queen Victoria in England, and also by Queen Isabella II of Spain, among others. Some of the Guerlain scents that are part of perfume history are Jicky (recognized as the first modern perfume), Après L'Ondée, Mitsuoko, and Shalimar, the flagship fragrance. Read my review! 

The 183-year old house of Guerlain eventually started producing skincare and makeup, the most famous of which is the Orchidee Imperiale skincare line and the Meteorites. 

Guerlain must-haves: Midnight Secret, L'Or makeup primer, Orchidee Imperiale Cream, Rouge G lipstick, Meteorites, Lingerie De Peau liquid foundation

According to Sigrid, Guerlain believes in beauty - the kind that a woman naturally has and in the things that she uses on herself. Hence, Guerlain products are always in beautiful, luxurious packaging which makes them keepsakes in their own right.

I've read about Mario Badescu years before in magazines, but my curiosity was piqued when Kristine of Temptalia raved about it in 2009. I never got to try it though because I had the impression that MB products are expensive, but that idea is quite off the mark!

On a trip to Rustan's Makati the other day I chanced by the wall of Mario Badescu skincare in the Essences section (near the Glorietta 4 area). I quickly checked the price and saw that the Drying Cream (for drying acne) was only P795. Well, it's not dirt cheap, but it's certainly not expensive.

Eeeeek! The article I wrote for OK! magazine is out! This is the first time I've ever been published on print. I've been featured a couple of times, but I've never actually written anything. OMG.

Okay, okay, I'll calm down. The article is about fragrances - how to pick one that suits your personality, great perfumes to try, and how to properly wear that hard-earned bottle of goodness.

Last Thursday I had the pleasure of going on a conference call with Anthony Gonzalez, the Senior Manager of the global research and development center of Avon skincare products. He's based in New York and wanted to share the latest Anew line called Reversalist to the Asian press. The talk happened at the Avon Philippines headquarters in Makati Avenue.

ANEW Reversalist's Activinol technology boosts Activin, to reactivate skin’s repair process and help recreate fresh new skin and dramatically reverse the look of wrinkles. Avon’s patent-pending Activinol Technology is shown to increase the production of Activin to help boost skin’s ability to repair itself and recreate fresh, new skin.

Anthony Gonzalez

Now I know a lot of you are jaded about anti-aging products since so many of them come out with claims of miraculously solving skin issues, so I cut straight to the chase and asked Mr. Gonzalez The Question: what makes the Anew Reversalist unique? He answered quickly and confidently, "Other anti-aging products focus on stimulating collagen and elastin. But we approach aging differently. We go to the cellular level and look at aging as a result of tiny wounds to the skin."

I was initially torn between getting a MacBook Pro and a 128 gig Air (they're priced about the same), but after watching great reviews online and seeing Marco loving his 13" Air, I decided that the Air is a better match for me. My work doesn't really require me to use heavy software so I don't need something as powerful as an MBP. I do need something portable and super fast, which is where the MacBook Air comes in.

As expected, I was wowed by the performance of this slim (to the point of skinny) and lightweight laptop. Heavy apps like iPhoto and Garageband open in three seconds with no fuss. Basically, doing ANYTHING is a breeze in this machine. It's now my work computer! It's a bit smaller than I'm used to, at 11 inches, but the high screen resolution more than makes up for it.

One of the lipsticks I reach for a lot lately is the L'Oreal NutriShine lipstick in Rose Guava (P675). It's a great shade but what distinguishes it from the other brands I have is the super cute packaging! You see, most of my lipsticks are in black tubes. It's kind of a hassle sifting through a heap of them when I'm in a hurry so I just grab what looks interesting. This L'Oreal lipstick certainly fits the bill!

Rose Guava is a warm pink with blue undertones. At first I thought it wasn't a good match for my yellow-toned skin, but since this pink isn't too cool, it still manages to flatter my color. However, I think this would look gorgeous on those with beige undertones, better than on yellow skin.

What I love about the product

• Has a glossy, shiny finish that works well in brightening the face. Great color for the day.
• Glides on smoothly. Love the watery, non-waxy texture.

A couple of weeks back, Kira and I were in a Make Up Forever classroom at The Fort. The whole line of MUFE merchandise was there, but I zoomed in on the MUFE Star Powders. I read that they're one of the best eyeshadows around, and I guess Makeupalley agrees with me because it has a 4.7/5 rating!  

The Star Powders are incredibly pigmented and smooth. It has only one caveat (and deal-breaker) for me: it's in loose powder form. It's quite messy to work with. But if you don't mind the extra hassle and if you're also ok going the extra mile to bind the pigments into a solid eyeshadow, then by all means, get these! They're a bit pricey at P1,080 but that's just about the same price as other similar brands like MAC or Smashbox.

I have swatches of the most interesting colors out of the bunch. They're sooo drool-worthy. My top three faves are the shimmery beige (their best seller), iridescent mint, and this black with multi-colored shimmers. Enjoy!