I haven't been able to indulge myself with makeup since I'm quite in a rush lately. There are so many looks I want to try, but I simply don't have to time to sit down and do them right now! :( I usually just have a basic face on, the quickest I can do while still looking presentable. Thank god for bright lipsticks.

My lipstick-of-the-moment is Colour Collection's Paradise Pink. It's a great summer pink in my book!

Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow foundation, Cinema Secrets Concealer, Clinique loose powder, Shu Uemura eyebrow pencil in Walnut Brown, Majolica Majorca Perfect Automatic Liner, Avon SuperMagnify Mascara, NARS Laguna Bronzer, NARS blush in Super Orgasm

Easy peasy. As for the rest of the look, here are some blurry photos! Sorry about that. I didn't get my camera to properly focus. I wore this yesterday to the office then to a facial. I thought it was going to rain hard so I wore jeans, but it didn't, so what the hey it's still a great pair of jeans. :P

Forever 21 blazer | SM top/ Levi's jeans | Ferretti wedges | Pinkbox leather bracelet | Avon watch

There seems to be some confusion about what goes first and what matches (texture-wise) when it comes to makeup application. Now, there are several makeup textures - powder, cream, liquid, and gel. The general rule is to match wet textures with each other (cream, liquid, gel) and powder over powder.

Nonetheless, we always need to mix products so it's important to know what should go with what. You don't want streaky and uneven application, right?

For example, powder blush MUST go on over some kind of powder base (foundation or setting powder). If you apply it on top of liquid or cream foundation, you'll find that you'll get nasty streaks and too much color! The wetness will "grab" the pigment on the blush and make it brighter where it's wetter.

Ever since I discovered Colour Collection last year, I've had the opportunity to try A LOT of the brand's products. Not gonna lie: some were fantastic hits while others were misses. I still stand by my opinion that Colour Collection is a dark horse in the world of makeup though! You get good quality products that are all less than P400 a pop.

It might be a little difficult to get hold of a Tupperware dealer, but when you do, you must grab these five things from the catalogue (if you haven't yet). You won't regret it. :)

Here I declare my undying love for the Color Collection Triple Effect Mascara. I've worn it consistently throughout the year and I even have backups just in case! I love it mainly because it looks natural. Some mascaras look super obvious, and I guess that is the point if you're looking for a dramatic look. But for everyday, I prefer something that looks natural while still giving me a lot of length and volume.

Several people have commented that I'm lucky that my lashes are naturally long - while I was wearing this mascara. They're always surprised when I tell them!

Colour Collection also makes some of the best, most affordable lipsticks out there.

There are foundations that feel light on skin, and then there is the Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup (P1,900). It's true to its promise of feeling like tinted moisturizer, with the coverage and staying power of foundation! Aside from the lightweight texture, it has a flawless, semi-matte finish that blends on your skin seamlessly. Basically, it's a foundation that doesn't feel or look like foundation.

I've been testing this product for more than a month now and I can now confidently give it a thumbs up. Here's why!

What I love about the product

• Ultra-light on skin. It's probably the most lightweight foundation I've tried to date. It doesn't feel hot or sticky by mid-afternoon - perfect for our weather!
• Has light to medium buildable coverage. It evens and brightens the skin and covers minor blemishes, all the while looking practically invisible. 

I'm not just looking for a new hairstyle whenever I go to a salon. I'm looking to chill in a well-decorated, quiet area, without having to worry if my hair will turn out right. That's why I prefer mid-range to high-end salons (and spas, too!). I can reasonably expect that their staff is well-trained and professional, and the place discreet and relaxing.

One of the newest salons in the metro is Hair Philosophie, which I visited last Thursday. It is located in Tordesillas St., Salcedo Village Makati, near Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. The place is classy and spacious, with a lot of natural light coming in through the glass walls. I felt so at home! It really is one of the best-looking salons I've visited in the past few years. See for yourself -

The entrance

Work area

Gorgeous right? The staff is courteous (of course, they know I'm visiting to review the salon) and professional.

Hey folks! Hope you had a great weekend. I did - I just marathoned Terra Nova and The Secret Circle. Very relaxed, with work the last thing on my mind! Anyway, I just wanted to share an outfit I wore last Thursday. It was so very hot that day, so I kept myself cool with a chiffon top and skirt.

I didn't bother taking a picture of my makeup since it was super simple. Eyeliner, huge lashes, some contour, then a bright pink lipstick did the job. It was too hot for anything else!

Redhead top | Maldita skirt | Ferretti pumps | Pinkbox bangle | Parfois necklace | Avon ring

Our body changes as we age. That’s just a fact of life! The best we can do is to take care of it by eating healthy, exercising, and avoiding bad habits like alcohol and cigarettes, but really, how many of us are saints? We want to live once in a while, but whether we like it or not, our body takes the toll.

A group of bloggers attended a Wacoal talk one Saturday afternoon, where a representative discussed how our body changes as we grow older. I’m sure all of us have an idea since we’ve seen several women age, but when it was dissected in detail, my gosh! I found myself squirming inside. 

It seems that, even with proper care, our body will deteriorate due to gravity and the normal pace of aging (less elasticity, muscle growth, and overall moisture). Observe:

A diagram of how breasts age

How hips change with age

This is not to say that aging is ugly and that we should just throw the towel when we hit our 40s. No. I would hate for you to think that! Our breasts may sag and our hips may fall flat and wrinkly, but aging has other benefits.

Wanna hear about a vampire-inspired beauty product has captured the imagination of girls everywhere? The Majolica Majorca Blood On Cheek Tint (P495) is a blush and lip color in a balm formulation. It feels exactly like lip balm, actually, but it's a very, very thin one and isn't waxy at all.

To be quite honest, I was lukewarm to the idea of a balm tint. I was worried that it would feel sticky, thick, and that it would clog my pores. But none of those things happened.

I've rambled on and on about the Colour Collection Color Intense Lipsticks (I do that if I like something consistently) for the better part of the year. However, until recently, I didn't know that CC makes other lipstick lines! Silly me. Let me introduce you to the Colour Collection Moisture Intense and Sheer Coverage Lipsticks, two products with different formulations that target specific lipstick needs.

Colour Collection Moisture Intense Lipstick (with SPF15)

Color Intense is a little on the dry side (which helps its lasting power), so if you don't like that particular feature, you must check out Moisture Intense instead. It's more moisturizing and less waxy than CI, but it also comes in high-impact (read: loud!) colors that can give NYX or MAC a run for their money.

The Dove Nourishing Oil Care Nutri-Oil Serum is the bomb. For only P239, you get shinier, softer hair with less frizz. No stickiness. No product build-up. How cool is that? Sorry if I sound like a chirpy advertisement but I really really like this serum!

I've been a fan of Citre Shine serum since high school. If you have curly hair, you know how difficult it is to prevet tangling and frizzing, while still maintaining a semblance of definition.

After visiting the Sebago store in Rockwell, I excitedly showed my friends what I got. "But I can't see you wearing them!" they said. Haha. Well, I admit that my style verges on the semi-formal, but the truth is I only reserve that look for work functions. You should see me at the grocery. I'm all about shorts and t-shirts that I wear until they crumble.

So anyway, yes, I paid a visit to the Sebago store in Rockwell last Thursday. They kindly invited me to pick a new pair for myself - totally out of the blue! I wasn't expecting such a nice gift from them, but hey, I'm just thankful. You know I have loved their boat shoes ever since I got my first one two years ago.

It was my first time to check out the brand's Artisan-concept store. It's a small space, but you can see that they maximized the one wall they had. Dramatic lighting, a faded brick wall, and leather-wrapped shelves added a homey yet sophisticated feel to the place.

I read Jill's post on blogging burnout this morning. It's a topic close to my heart because I have experienced that many, many times in the past - you know, that feeling of weariness and futility of what I do. But each time I snap out of it. I truly love makeup and colors and how it can transform a person. There is always something new to discover, as well, and that keeps me going.

Recently, Shu Uemura gave me some of their latest products to try. I am so freakin' excited, I swear! The brand just recently released their spring collection called Celestial Garden, and I am loving the fresh themed look and relatively innovative products.

First off, they have a new blush called the Creamy Dome Blusher. It reminds me a lot of the popular EOS Lip Balm! If you think about it, the idea is so simple but elegant. Perhaps other brands have come up with a cream dome blush but this is the first time I've seen one locally.

Hi everyone! My apologies for the delay in announcing the winners of the Asian Secrets Giveaway. I already have the list of lucky names from the Valentine's Day draw, plus Week 3 and Week 4. That's a total of 24 winners. Do check if you're one of them!

Valentine's Day Winners

Christalyn Maramag | Julie Ann Tolentino | Tricia Paula Pestano | Angelica P. Aragon-Manalata | Camille Mendoza | Mariana Bantug | Ma. Theresa Orbe | Julie Ann Tolentino

I was crazy about green these past couple of weeks, but now I am feeling an orange mood coming up. You must think weirdly of me, going on and on about colors no? But one thing that defines me is my affinity with colors. I love colors, moreso when it comes to using them to express myself and improve my mood. Even my dog comes in a great color (red sable!). 

So! This is the look I wore last Thursday to a couple of casual meetings. The star color is green, of course, with touches of tan and bronze on my face and outfit. The bright pink bag is just a pretty afterthought.

Redhead dress/ SM belt/ Parfois bag/ Pinkbox bangle/ Adora earrings/ Charles & Keith shoes

The makeup looks quite bare, since I went for a nude lip, bronze cheeks, and a simple green-gold eye makeup.

My advice to girls who don't like wearing a lot of makeup but still want to look pretty: just swipe on mascara and some tint! If you already have fairly good skin, a little bit of enhacement here and there is more than enough to bring out your natural beauty. Long and full lashes draw eyes towards them (involuntarily at that!), while a healthy flush makes you look fresh and happy.

That said, there are a couple of new Majolica Majorca releases that got beauty enthusiasts into a tizzy: the Lash King Mascara (P795) and the Blood On Cheek Tint (P495). Both were launched around two weeks ago, to good reviews! 

Let's start with the Lash King Mascara.

I'm not very choosy when it comes to body wash. As long as it's soapy and smells good, I'm good! It's not like I'm going to leave it on my skin for more than a couple of minutes. Also if I ever get really really dirty, I might as well use detergent. Right? :P That's why I prefer NOT to spend a lot of moolah on body washes and soaps.

I thought I'd share my body-washes-of-the-moment. They're from Avon. I know I talk about Avon a lot, but what can I say - the brand offers some pretty cool stuff! The ones I review make it to my daily routine, so I make an effort to write about them and show my appreciation.

Out of the two, the Skin-So-Soft Soft & White Whitening Body Wash (P330) is my favorite.

I admit that I don't read magazines regularly. Why? Because everyday I am bombarded with beauty and fashion information from innumerable sources that when I finally get hold of a magazine, I find that the content there isn't new to me anymore (however well-executed or well-written). It's definitely different for other people - those who confine their online activity to Facebook, chat, maybe a bit of Twitter.

That is not to say that print is dead. Magazines like Preview and Cosmo have very active online counterparts with communities that are engaged and ready to rumble. These two magazines, I think, have successfully combined print and digital to deliver up-to-the-minute, high-quality content. The thing is at the end of the day, print will always mean considerable prestige and exclusivity to anyone who's in it, so as long as there is that factor magazines will not die (among other factors of course).

So! While I don't read magazines much, I do see magazine covers on my Facebook timeline. That's why you see me posting about covers once in a while. Recently, two covers caught my eye, and here's what I think of them! Share yours too, I'm interested. ;)

First up, we have KC Concepcion for Cosmopolitan's March issue.