Are you sick and tired of your blackheads, white heads, and pimples? Tell me all about it. I know how it feels to try lots of treatments and products, get so hopeful, and still end up where you started. It may be that your acne is a genetic pre-disposition, which means that there's not much that you can do to cure it except lessen the appearance and discomfort.

My ongoing battle with acne

But maybe, just maybe, you are doing a few things that you don't know causes or worsens acne. Acne is generally caused by over-production of oil, bacteria, and uncleared dead skin cells which clog pores. Using the wrong product will trigger acne, but sometimes it's what you do rather than what you use that causes the problem.

Here are five common habits that cause acne. Any of these sound familiar?

1. Over-drying your skin. It sounds like common sense to strip your face of oil to prevent more oil, so a lot of people use drying products such as harsh facial washes, alchohol-based toners, and abrasive exfoliators to get rid of the sebum. But it doesn't work that way.

We all know makeup testers can be home to bacteria and diseases, but of course sometimes we need to try them first before purchasing. I wonder: what do you do to avoid risking your health when you want to test products in the store? Thanks! -Leng

Hi Leng! Thanks for your great question! A lot of girls can be careless when it comes to swatching makeup before buying them. They're not aware that it's not safe or even if they are, they disregard the issue because they really want to test the makeup before they buy it. I can understand that; I mean, who wants to buy something that's been untested? 

So here's my main rule for testing makeup on the counters: don't put anything on your face unless you know it's been sanitized. 

We love pink and peach blushes best because they flatter our skin so well, but have you ever considered a rose brick shade like the MAC Mineralize Blush in Love Joy (P1,500)? I thought it was an odd color, at first, but it looked beautiful on me when I finally gave it a chance.

This is a scary blush because it's SUPER DUPER pigmented. When I first used it, I looked like a clown with two solid stripes of muddy red on my cheeks! After a bit of experimenting though, I found that taking off most of the product from my brush by rubbing it on the back of my hand delivers the color I want.

The last time I've used Smashbox was waaay back in 2009. Hoping to remedy that with some of the new products from the brand! Here's a quick peek plus a bit of info about these beauties.

Smashbox Studio Skin 15-Hour Wear Hydrating Foundation (P2,100) - Blurs imperfections using light diffusing spheres and delivers natural-looking, buildable medium-to-full coverage while keeping skin hydrated and shine-free all day.

Smashbox Photo Finish Luminizing Foundation Primer (P2,050) - This formula delivers the perfect amount of luminosity to the skin while also extending the wear of foundation and filling in lines and pores.

Lulur originated from the royal palaces of Java, Indonesia, and was used by brides-to-be in a beautifying ritual shortly before their wedding. Since lulur came to the Philippines last year, it became an instant hit! It cleansed and smoothened skin wonderfully so it's no wonder that more brands are coming in.

When I heard about the Purbasari Lulur Mandi Putih, the first thing I wanted to know was if it would match or even best my favorite lulur scrub - Asian Secrets. I don't want to play coy. Both products are housed in the same jar, they also look and feel the same, and can be both be purchased in drugstores for P130. Which is better? 

The first thing I noticed about Purbasari is the smell. I didn't particularly like it. It's this heavy, soapy, grandma smell that turned me off. I didn't want to use it but for the sake of this blog...it was a pleasant surprise.

Let me tell you about my hair care routine before! I shampoo and then...that's it. I normally don't wear conditioner unless my hair is feeling dry (maybe once a month?). As for styling products, I just use serum and then mousse when I'm going somewhere important.

I make a conscious effort to keep my hair low-maintenance because my scalp is very sensitive, and besides, all the hair care products I've used in the past simply don't do much for my unruly, curly hair. But! All that changed when I started using the Bed Head Tigi Styleshots Hi-Def Curls Shampoo and Conditioner. 

Bed Head had an event for bloggers at Basement Salon a few weeks ago, which is where I first experienced their products. Allow me to tell you why I LOVE my Styleshots Hi-Def Curls set. I have photos to prove it, too.

What I love about the product

• As promised, the shampoo and conditioner defined my curls and lessened frizz. My hair also feels smooth, soft, and bouncy instantly after I use them. Like I just came from the salon.
• Smells phenomenal! Hi-Def Curls has this sort of fruity candy scent that really stays until I wash it off.

I am a foundation monster. I love foundations. By now you should know that I have far from perfect skin, so I try to enhance it as best as I can.  

I already have a few favorites, but right now I am really loving the Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Mineral Makeup SPF15 (P2,200). It's the most natural-looking foundation that I have ever had the pleasure to try! It really looks like skin - silky, luminous skin - an effect that some foundations can fake but never truly mimic. With other foundations, I still add a luminizing finishing powder to get that effect, but I don't need to do that with Bobbi's mineral foundation.

What I LOVE about the product 

• Natural, beautifying finish that looks like skin. Check out my photos!
• Pretty good lasting powder. It stays put for 5-6 hours without primer. Longer with primer, of course.

One of my readers requested for a tutorial on how to apply mineral foundation. I thought that was an interesting question. After all, mineral foundation IS different from normal powder foundation and therefore requires a slightly separate set of tools and techniques. 

But wait, why use mineral makeup? It depends on your needs and preferences. MMU is great if you want a smooth, luminous finish without all the added chemicals traditional foundations have. You also don't need to use a lot of MMU to get the skin you want, which means that you only use a thin layer that lets your skin breathe.

Unlike normal powder makeup where you just pat it on to get your desired coverage, you have to sort of break down and really spread mineral makeup all over your face. That's why even if you only use a small amout of mineral powder (well, good MMU anyway), you get a lot mileage out of it. It's basically concentrated pigment, unlike traditional makeup where there are comparatively more binders, extenders, and preservatives included in the formula.

That said, I'd just like to share the tools and techniques I use in applying loose mineral foundation!

Choose your weapon

Dense brushes allow you to break down and spread the MMU efficiently.

I've always wondered how it would be like if I were a glamorous celebrity. I would imagine the lights, the makeup, the beautiful clothes, and a score of people attending me as I prepare for a fab shoot. But I am not a celebrity, so all I can do is wonder (and D-I-Y to death) - that is, until Sunsilk asked me to join a shoot by one of the country's top photographers, Niccolo Cosme!

Sophie, Shen, Nikki, and I

I've been blogging for a few years now. In the course of my "career", I've luckily experienced a few cool milestones, but being part of a real photoshoot is definitely a first. It's all thanks to Sunsilk, who chose four beauty bloggers to celebrate with them after they reached 1,000,000 fans on their Hair Experts Facebook Page.

What do you think? I normally hate this angle of me, but Niccolo Cosme has some magic in his shutters. ;) Anyway, would just like to share a photo diary of what transpired at the shoot. You'll see a lot of Sophie, Nikki, and Shen as we prepare for the shoot behind the scenes.

Nikki is bright and sunny as always

Hey folks! Just wanna share some news from my end of the world. Quick lang.

Check out how I did my fall look over at Miss Match. Wait, what's Miss Match? It's a cyber-styling website that has locally available fashion and beauty stuff you can play with! It's like Looklet and Polyvore, but it's proudly Pinoy-made. I love how it has prices of the products, too, so it's also a sort of catalogue shopping but with a huge number of different brands.

Eco bags are not just a passing trend. They're more convenient to use than plastic bags, inexpensive, environment-friendly, and donates to charity! One of the latest bags to hit the market is the Grubbies Eco Bag.

If you've been reading my blog for a while now, you'll notice that I'm partial to jersey and sheer fabrics. I think they're super comfortable and body-friendly! They hug the figure right and hides what needs to be hidden. But. The problem with these kinds of clothes is that they also show unsightly underwear lines and bumps. It's impossible to wear, say, a lacy or too-tight bra without announcing it to the world!

Enter Hanes Intimates. I got these brassieres some weeks ago and I've been using them since then. They're utterly comfortable (no biting wires or garters) and they fit me well. I also like how they're shaped, so the chest looks kinda sculpted and I get the right support. Oh and they're almost invisible unless you look closely!

Here are some outfits wearing them!

My bra is peeking here because the dress keeps hiking down, but the seamless Beautiful Comfort Concealing Bra in Black doesn't look out of place. It's like it's part of the dress.

Who here loves MAC? (Me, me!) Okay. Now that we know who you are, I'd like to share a new tidbit from the brand: they've brought their best-selling and cult favorite products back to Manila! Yes, lipsticks like Rebel, Peachstock, Ruby Woo, and other formerly out-of-stock blush and eyeshadow shades are back at MAC.

You don't have to go to Hong Kong or duty-free malls just so you can score your favorite MAC product since they're most likely now available locally.

They did it because, well, that's what you wanted! MAC Philippines listens. So if you have any more requests, inquiries, feedback, or even complaints, you can leave them here and I'm sure MAC will read them. :)

Okay, so here are some of the newly restocked products at MAC:

Two things I've been avoiding since forever: jumpsuits and wide-legged pants. You see, I have a short, straight torso that looks even pudgier when highlighted by wide legs and once-piece suits. It just doesn't work! However, when I spotted this wide-legged jumpsuit at NAVA in Market! Market!, I got curious enough to try it on, just to see how it would look like.

NAVA jumpsuit | Ferretti wedges | Parfois necklace | Pinkbox accessories | Tiangge belt

...and it was a great success! I got compliments when I wore it yesterday to a meeting and a Lancome event. I like how it streamlined my body and looked flattering in the right places. It cinches at the waist (well, it comes with a fabric belt that I swapped for a woven belt) so it looks like I have curves. Oh, I also LOVE how it swishes around my feet when I walk. Very dramatic.

Will definitely buy more colors! Anyway, here's the makeup I wore with it:

I thought I'd do something classic

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that looks less appealing than a woman with the wrong foundation shade. You could look like Angelina Jolie or Gloria Diaz but with the wrong foundation all your good looks will just look...odd. Gray. Orange. Yellow. It depends! That's why you must pick your foundation carefully, since it could really make or break your appearance.

Always remember that foundation should look natural. It should look like skin. Otherwise, you'll just end up looking like you have a blanket of color on top of your face - and you don't want that! So, here are a few tips on how to choose your best foundation shade:

1. Determine your skin tone. Your skin tone could be one of two: warm and cool. Warm tones include yellow and olive, while cool tones include beige. One way to determine if you're warm or cool is by checking if you look better with gold or silver jewelry. If gold makes you glow, you're warm. Same with silver! Thus, if you're warm-toned, get yellowish foundations. If you're cool-toned, get beige foundations.

Did you know that Bobbi Brown began with just ten lipsticks in 1991? What actually made those lipsticks special is Bobbi's intense desire to make them wearable by women of all ages and colors. The ten original lipsticks were brown-based, as was the trend that time. Twenty years later these lipsticks are still relevant and of-the-moment. Classic!

To celebrate the 20-year milestone, Bobbi Brown Philippines threw a party for the press at The Establishment, The Fort. They showed off the gorgeous 20th Anniversary Lip Palette which contains the ten original Bobbi Brown lipsticks plus ten new trendy shades. Kai Vinson, the Bobbi Brown Asia-Pacific Regional Director for Artistry and Education, also flew in to demonstrate two holidays looks on top model Jessica Yang.

Kai showed us two looks we could wear for the holidays - classic glam with red lips and sexy smoky eyes.

While browsing for information about the Offects Exfoliating Cleanser (P2,600), one word really stood out: aggressive. The famous skin doctor, Dr. Zein Obagi, claims that the Offects line has a high concentration of ingredients compared to normal skincare. It's supposed to be potent to ensure that it works. Scary? A little. But if you have really bad skin then the newly launched Offects products may help you out.

The Offects Exfoliating Cleanser is supposed to ease oily, acne-prone skin, and blemishes. It's also for those who have a tendency to have blackheads and whiteheads and unexpected acne flare-ups. That's soooo me. Additionally, it's a great-smelling scrub that doesn't dry up my face even though it exfoliates.

I tried the Offects Exfoliating Cleanser without knowing what it's supposed to do. I wanted to be surprised, actually, and while I don't normally do this I trust the Obagi name. So did it work?

I already reviewed the VMV Hypoallergenics Velvet Matte Lipstick (P1,000), so this time I just want to share this new lovely shade I got! It's called Coquette, and it's absolutely gorgeous. As in. It's a matte red with a pink undertone. I like that you can wear it as an intense red for evenings out, but if you just use it as a stain - wow! Very pretty.

Okay enough superlatives, see for yourself.

As with all matte lipsticks, Coquette can be a little drying so always wear lip balm underneath. To use it as a stain, dab on balm, then swipe a thin layer of the lipstick on your bottom lip.