I used to consider mascara as an unnecessary part of my makeup routine. It’s a hassle to wear and a hassle to remove, plus they keep hitting my glasses whenever I blink! Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice extra to wear for special events, but I don’t use them every time I go out. That is, until I started wearing contacts recently.

A lot of things changed since I started wearing contacts. I’m now more meticulous about my eye makeup since every mistake is easily seen. I’m more careful about the junk I put near my eyes too, since I can’t risk irritation or worse, infection. I also started going crazy over mascara - I rarely go out now without at least one layer of it. 

So, I’d like to share my current favorite mascara: the Colour Collection Triple Effect Mascara (P499). I didn’t like it at first, but when I got the hang of it, this mascara and I have become inseparable! 

What I love about the product

• Looks very natural, close to real lashes. I haven’t tried mascara like this before! Although one layer doesn’t do much, it’s in the second coat where the magic happens. It makes my lashes look like a thick fringe, thanks to the small fibers in the formula.

I only buy bags once a year. That kinda sounds ridiculous now that I said it out loud, but the truth is I've never been that interested in bags. I did consider those uber chic Cambridge satchels above but I'm not one to blow P5,000- P10,000 on a bag - at least, not yet!

So when I saw this bag in Market! Market! yesterday I practically jumped with joy. 

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the price tag - P650 - but I still managed to haggle it down to P580 since it's the last piece in stock.

Estee Lauder is essentially a Western brand, but you have to give them props for being responsive to Asian needs. More than just whitening, we are obsessed with achieving brighter, more even skin. That concern is something tha Estee Lauder seeks to address with its reformulated, Asia and Europe-exclusive CyberWhite Brilliant Cells line.

According to Estee Lauder, there are four key factors that contribute to dullness and discoloration of Asian skin: dehydration, uneven skin texture, disorganized collagen and poor microcirculation.

Estée Lauder’s scientists developed a comprehensive and advanced brightening system ever with NEW CyberWhite Brilliant Cells. Incorporating exclusive Full Spectrum Brightening technologies, Estée Lauder now addresses the four key factors that contribute to dullness and discoloration to reveal translucent, luminous skin, while highly targeted Anti-Spot technologies address all four key dark spots that can cloud your complexion.  This powerful system helps reveal fresher, fairer, brighter cells delivering full spectrum brightening results to illuminate every facet of skin for a beautiful translucency and luminosity that seems to radiate from deep within. 

Liz of Estee Lauder discussing CyberWhite

The launch was short and sweet, with guests having delicious canapes from Bizu while the Estee Lauder girls talk about their latest product.

Here we go again! I visit Charles & Keith in BHS once in a while, you know, just to see what's up. There have been a lot of pretty shoes throughout the last few months, but I've been able to resist so far. Not this time, obviously. I can't let this pair go!

I've actually been vacillating between three pairs: white snakeskin platform pumps, camel pumps with gold chain, and this one. In the end I picked this pair because it's extremely comfortable. The footbed is sort of cushioned plus the heels are not that high. I think they're three inches, minus the half inch platform. Very walkable.

I haven't had the occasion to wear them yet, but I'm thinking these go best with the sexy secretary look.

Last Saturday, I hosted a Clinique Party for my friends and readers. It was an afternoon of beauty consultations, kikay talks, and discovery. Mira, the Marketing Manager of Clinique, said she thought that everyone knew each other. I guess that's a compliment to everyone, because most of them met each other only for the first time!

I think everybody had fun because the event was so chill yet very informative. Clinique has its own beauty system - philosophy, if I may call it - that's been consistent since it was founded in the 60's. The core of the brand is the skin consultation where a Clinique expert determines your skin type and prescribes products for your personalized 3-step skincare system.

Aside from the 3-Step System, Clinique has the half face makeup demo. This is perfect for beginners who want to learn how to apply cosmetics on themselves. The Clinique consultant does half a face of makeup and then teaches you how to duplicate it. Neat right?

Here are more photos!

My mom and I are lipstick buddies. When I was still in school, I would always borrow her lipsticks. But now that I have a collection of my own, she would always borrow mine! So when we had lunch the other weekend she complimented my loud pink lipstick - mind you, she's 51 - and asked if she can wear it too. Of course I said yes. We went around the mall, arm in arm, wearing the exact same shade. Ah, how beauty products make fond memories!

The Colour Collection Color Intense Lipstick (P350) is supposedly patterned after NYX's wildly successful Round Lipsticks, but I dare say that CC lipsticks are better than NYX ones. Why? Color Collection has the intense pigmentation and moisturizing properties of NYX lippies, but they last longer and smell better (NYX lippies smell and taste kind of soapy).

Let's go through the pros and cons!

What I love about the product

• Intensely pigmented. One swipe will deliver rich color on your lips.
• Creamy and moisturizing, although I would still suggest a light layer of lip balm
• Delivers a satin finish (my favorite kind).

Here are the winners of my last contest, as drawn by the representative of Inches Off!

I've ranted before that I don't like liquid eyeliners. I found their built-in applicators difficult to use - they're either too thin, too stiff, too awkward to maneuver around the contours of the eyes. Don't get me wrong, I love the precise effect and lasting power of liquid liners, but the applicator is usually the deal breaker for me.

And then I met the Majolica Majorca Perfect Automatic Liner (P695).

I am in love with the brush of this automatic pen. It's made of synthetic hair that's actually close to the quality of a professional makeup brush. It's soft and delivers a perfect line with no fuss. It does take a bit of practice,so you have to try it for a couple of times to get a feel for it.

I like the brush so much that I plan to use it for my gel eyeliners when I run out of the Majo liner! :D Anyway, it's time to talk about the formula.

What I love about the product

• Stays on all day with zero smudging

I promised you guys that I'll show you what I got from Bambu, and here it is! 

I like Ipanema's strappy flip flops, but I'm usually too lazy to adjust and fix the straps before I leave. I want fuss-free flip flops that still look stylish and I think this pair, the GB Hot Sands Thong Fem with a ribbon, fits the bill.

If you know your local fashion ABCs, then you should know who Bianca Valerio is. Aside from being fashionable and multi-talented (she's a makeup artist, TV and events host, and model, among other things), Bianca sets herself apart by being intelligent and incredibly frank. She's honest where other celebrities would play coy. Example: when asked where she got her jacket, Bianca said, "From Hong Kong! It's only P500!" If she said it was from Chanel, we would have believed it.

Bianca has a knack for looking expensive from head to toe, but this girl is a bargain hunter at heart. Her "designer" bag? From a tiangge. Her accessories are only a couple of hundred pesos from Bangkok. Thus, it's no surprise that she agreed to be Colour Collection's Chief Makeup Artist considering her passion for spotting great, affordable finds that work.

I'm sure a lot of girls are wondering what Colour Collection is by now. It's Tupperware's makeup brand! Who would've thought that the plastic container giant dabbles in makeup?

Call me typical, but one of my favorite movies of all time is Breakfast At Tiffany's. A favorite scene of mine is the one where Holly Golightly wakes up late on a Thursday. She fumbles all over her flat for her shoes and her dress, rushing down the stairs to visit mob boss Sally Tomato in Sing Sing prison. Nevertheless, Holly was groomed in five minutes, finishing her look with a nude pink lipstick and a few spritzes of perfume.

Holly is the kind of woman who loves beautiful things, carefully chosen pieces that she can afford with her limited "glamour girl" money. She's also the kind of girl who isn't ready until she has lipstick. "Hand me my purse, will you, darling? A girl can't read that sort of thing without her lipstick," she says.

This memorable woman is the first person I thought of when I tried the Guerlain Rouge G Lipstick in Galia. The beautiful packaging looks just like something Holly Golightly would carry in her purse or keep in her apartment cubbyhole if she were alive today. Of course, I'm sure she would love the nude pink color of Galia, which is similar to the lipstick she's wearing in the photos.

I went to a couple of events yesterday - Estee Lauder's launch of their reformulated CyberWhite Brilliant Cells skincare line and Paul & Joe's annual Birthday Bash (they've turned 4). I really enjoyed both events since they were quick and straightforward! I'm not fond of fussy events. When I know the event will have a long program and a lot of people, I rarely go anymore. That is, unless I know it's a hot topic or if I personally know the PR/brand manager.

Anyhoo, I just want to share what I wore:

This airy linen tunic is from my online store, Flair For Drama. Speaking of, I have a lot of summery pieces at the site! Here are some of my favorites:

Rose Brier, P450. Romantic, indulgent, exotic.

I'm 23 but the sad fact is that I still break out regularly. Sometimes it's before my period, often because I am trying out a new product for a review. I've heard from countless magazines that Mario Badescu is good for acne-ridden skin but thought that it's too expensive for me - wrong! It's quite affordable so I decided to buy the Mario Badescu Drying Cream (P795) when I was at Rustan's some weeks ago.

The Drying Cream promises to "heal and conceal under surface blemishes". I was a bit baffled about what the copy meant when it said surface blemishes, but I suppose it means pimples. The cream does heal pimples (albeit slowly), but I wouldn't recommend that it be used as a concealer since it's too white!

What I love about the product

• As promised, it dries pimples. I give it two to three nights, depending on the pimple's severity. Really bad pimples won't get worse if you use this cream.
• Great for pimple poppers (I'm guilty!). It covers up the wound, dries it, and sanitizes the area without stinging.

I'm not an addict, baby that's a lie! Says K's Choice in their iconic song. I have dozens of tubes of lip products, but I still keep on buying a few here and there. I can't help it. I blame it on my curiosity! It doesn't help that most lip stuff are cheap and easily accessible, what with all the online resellers out there. NYX is one guilty pleasure of mine.

The NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream is one of the brand's newest lip color lines. It promises to be "nothing you've experienced before" - and I agree! It's certainly unique, defying the definition of what lipstick or gloss should be. I love the color payoff and how it feels on my lips, but I find that it dries in a rather unflattering way. Here's a quick run-down of the pros and cons!

Antwerp

What I love about the product

• Pigmented. One dip is enough to make the whole lip opaque with color.
• Dries quickly enough.

You guys know that I'm already happy with the jeans I have, so when Promod launched their Denim Bar, I wasn't that interested in getting a pair. They gave the guests GCs to spend on whatever we want so I went around the store looking for something to buy. A new bag? This cute cardigan? So many nice finds inside the store! Jeans were frankly the last thing on my mind. The Promod product managers insisted that I try a pair, but I politely declined.

But then I saw Shen, Tara, and a couple of other ladies clutching jeans to the cashier. I asked them why and all I got were raves! That was the point I decided to try the jeans on for myself. And this, my dear readers, is what the fuss is about.

Nine West heels/ Warehouse blazer/ Flair For Drama top/ Promod jeans

Love the fit, love the stretch fabric, love the understated wash.

The Majolica Majorca Trick On Powder eyeshadow (P795) is easily one of the best drugstore brand palettes I've tried to date. The quality is at par with the high-end eyeshadows I have in terms of pigmentation, texture, and staying power. P800 might seem steep, but for me it's already a bargain considering that, say, MAC and Shu Uemura palettes are P2,500!

I've read a lot of raves about the Majo palettes, but I thought that while it's good, it's still a reduced-quality Shiseido product. I haven't tried it then. Thank goodness I was wrong.

What I love about the product

• Smooth, silky texture. Not gritty or powdery at all since it's finely milled.
• Highly pigmented, even without a base.
• Good staying power even with no primer. I would still suggest using a primer though because it will crease a bit without it.

I first heard about Golla bags three years ago when Marco, the forever gearhead, started using them for his iPod Classic. I was like, "Wow, why buy an expensive pouch when any other pouch would do?" to which he said, "I invested a lot in this gadget and I want the best pouch to protect it." That wasn't verbatim, but you get the point!

Anyway, if you want to score a Golla bag for yourself, perhaps you'd be interested in joining this contest!