You already know how much I love the Mentholatum LipIce lip balm and the LipIce Sheer Color tinted balm. I always carry them around and that's a fact! Get them if you haven't yet. ;) Anyway a few weeks ago, I got to try the LipIce Color Lip Balm(P145), which is basically the brand's version of lipstick. How does it fare in comparison to Sheer Color? 

The LI Color Lip Balm comes in three everyday shades: Sweet Rose (a pigmented shimmery, shiny pink), Pretty Pink (peachy pink), and Candy Apple (my lips but better pink-brown color). Yes they're rather oddly named, but then again my description of colors is very subjective. Nonetheless, these are all lovely shades that are school and office-safe.

The rain has been raging non-stop since yesterday. Stuff that I've scheduled for today have been canceled, so I'm just at home! Hope you're staying dry wherever you are. Come to think of it - what's your weapon of choice in this kind of weather? Raincoat? Boots? Or just the plain ol' umbrella?

Don't forget to read my makeup/hair tips for rainy days! Anyway, today I want to review a nice eyeliner I've had for a while: the Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Eye Pencil in Onyx (P1,295). I was initially unsure about this one when I first got it. It felt too soft and creamy to actually "stay-in-place". I'm happy to say that this eyeliner defied my expectations (or lack thereof) - it does stay on, with only minimum smudging as with most pencils.

What I like about the product

• Super creamy texture that makes it easy to line with, with no tugging or pulling. It's soft enough to be used as a cream eyeshadow.
• Pigmented on lids, though you have to go over the line two times to get a really solid black. This is a very deep, slightly bluish eyeliner. It's completely matte.

There are some women who are weirdly proud about not knowing how to cook - I say, cooking is an enjoyable, relaxing, and rewarding experience! I think they're missing out. Besides, cooking is a great practical skill to have when the zombie or triffid apocalypse comes. Or if you just can't afford help and takeout dinners.

Anyway, a reader requested that I demonstrate how I make my Stir-Fry Beef Broccoli. I thought, why not! It's an incredibly easy and healthy dish. Actually it's so easy to cook, you would spend more time cutting up stuff versus actually cooking them.

This recipe is perfect for those on a diet. The beef is lean, there are no carbs, and there's only minimal salt and oil involved in the recipe. It tastes wonderful, nonetheless, because the flavor of the beef does most of the work. Here goes!

1. Buy a roll or two of breakfast steak from Monterey. Monterey is my favorite brand of meat, it's usually fresh. S&R meat is also great and actually cheaper than Monterey when you do the math. So! Once you have the meat, cut it in strips and season it. This is the sorcery that I put in my beef:

A couple of weeks back, Majolica Majorca introduced its first big collection this year: Psychedelicious. The event was quite literally sweet and colorful! Everyone came dressed in bright outfits and entered a venue that may very well be Hansel and Gretel's sugar house. Except there's no witch, just fabulous makeup. 

I received a few products that I will quickly review for you guys. :)

Popping Shower Powder, Brow and Lash Colorist in BR555, Puff de Cheek in RD414

The Majolica Majorca Popping Shower Powder (P695) is a scented, sparkly body powder. It's infused with Majo's signature Majoromantica scent, a sweet, fruity concoction that I think you'll love.

Yesterday I felt like a walking solid block of color. It was fun while it lasted. Can I just say - this skirt needs more air time! This is only the second time I've worn it since I got it last May.

Forever 21 sweater / Ever New skirt / Pinkbox bangle and ring / Ferretti pumps

This emerald green sweater, on the other hand, is a different story. I wear it at least once a week.

I was at Forever 21 in SM Makati yesterday when I spotted their selection of belts. I don't remember paying attention to the brand's belts before - big mistake! They have really good ones. Some are run-of-the-mill, but there are a couple of gems that I bought for myself.

Both belts are P385. The dusty rose one is for my girly outfits, while the khaki/neon is for something edgier. I don't know. We'll see what I come up with!

Hi Liz! I have been an avid reader of your blog since last year and I think you are amazing! Especially because you also use low end cosmetics that are affordable for the average Pinay make up junkie :) I just wanna ask what affordable make up primer you can recommend and tips for sweat proof make up. I hate to admit it but I am a very sweaty person because of this heart condition I have that causes sudden increased heart rate. I just want my make up to last without spending a lot. I hope you can give me some tips and products to try. - Ana

Hi Ana! Thanks for reading my blog! I'm sorry to hear about your heart condition. About your makeup question, yes, I've come across a couple of affordable products that I feel can withstand a reasonable amount of sweat. :) To start off, you can try the Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer (P825). I haven't tried this personally but my friend who is super oily swore it helped keep her makeup in place.

It's a lotion-type primer so it doesn't feel like a thick, heavy layer on the face once the going gets tough. Oh, it can also smoothen out skin and cover minor pores instantly due to the silicone component. I think it'll go great with the Etude House Precious Mineral Sun BB Cream. This BB cream is specifically designed to be water-resistant, and I rather agree!

Perfume cannot manufacture an image or a personality that isn't there. It can only enhance what's already inside you. So if you're a predominantly twee person, for example, Shalimar would smell ridiculous on you. Knowing who you are must precede the act of choosing the perfect scent.

But I'm just rambling. Today I want to talk about one of Bvlgari's latest scents for women, the Omnia Coral. This scent is shiningly optimistic and happy. To resort to hyperbole, sniffing it is like traveling to a brighter, psychedelically feminine dimension. Everything is colorful, everywhere is filled with blooming flowers and ripe fruit. I told you - hyperbole.

In plain terms, Omnia Coral is a floral-fruity scent.

Nelly See, the owner of Pinkbox, is easily one of the most glamorous people I know personally. It's not the kind of glamour that's in-your-face; hers is very subtle, something that's obviously born from years of effortless practice. She carries Hermes as if it's a body part - not something to flaunt or even be remotely conscious about, which is as it should be!

I also love that's she's super kikay! Haha. One time, while at the office, she asked me to come over to her desk. "Look at my lashes Liz!", she said. I was like, "Whoa! They're super long! What did you use?" 

"Benefit!" she said. Now I don't remember which mascara it was exactly, Bad Gal or They're Real, but my bet is on the latter. The Benefit They're Real Beyond Mascara (P1,200) promises to "reveal lashes you never knew you had". That's not quite off the mark but I think that They're Real focuses more on giving length rather than plushness. Really useful if you want an everyday mascara that can fool people into thinking they're real!

After using this for over a month, here are my thoughts on Benefit's star mascara!

What I love about the product

• Lengthens lashes beautifully. It doesn't look fake as the tips are deceptively thin and pointed, mimicking natural hair. As far as I can tell, this mascara doesn't have microfibers (which are normally difficult to remove.)

I have too much makeup that sometimes I forget the really good ones in my stash. There are so many new things coming in, therefore more new things to love and maybe even rave about, that I neglect my old picks. Take this Avon UMR lipstick in Carmen Rose. I believe I've only worn this twice since I got it in February. Seriously, wth. It's a fab red lipstick that suits me perfectly!

I would describe Carmen Rose as a brilliant ruby red. It's not something one would call classic since it's quite shiny, but if you like a more modern, younger red, I think you'll take to Carmen Rose. :)

That said, I did this look upon the request of a reader. The reader, who is ironically named Cherry, asked if I can post a photo of me wearing the MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Blue Stripe. I said "ironically named" because Cherry said she is afraid of red.

No excuses! Just that this is late, again. I have two winners - one for June and one for July. For June, Isea (or Den) gets the Benefit Brow Zings kit. The July winner is Aviva - I think I'll give her something from Revlon, a couple more goodies too.

For August, the Commenter of the Month will receive two products from Clinique's latest skincare line: the Pore Refining Solutions Stay Matte Hydrator and Correcting Serum.

Sophie of Beautynomics.com loves this stuff! She says that the serum acts as a nice primer, while the moisturizer is one of the lightest she has tried.

I tried a lot of awesome high-end stuff last June so they're going to pepper this list. However, there are some affordable gems that you definitely shouldn't miss. Have at it!

I'm all for products that are convenient to carry around while still having a formula to beat. The Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Pale Pink is rather expensive but it's a handy prettifier than can do both your lips and cheeks in one hot minute. Useful when spotting your crush from the hallway and having almost no time to fix up!

Everyone, and I mean everyone, needs a great neutral eyeshadow palette. Not everyone can splurge for Bobbi Brown or MAC though, and that's where the Revlon ColorStay 16 Hour Eye Shadow Quad comes in. It's a well-thought out collection of flattering neutral shades, and the formula is pretty good too! "Not too expensive" is the magic phrase.

If you want stunning, perfect eyebrows, you can rarely do better than the K-Palette Lasting 2-Way Eyebrow pen.

I miss my dad. He went abroad again a few weeks ago - something of a surprise since we all thought he was going to retire. But we should take opportunities as they come. This time it’s a really good one so I hope he would be happy at his new job.

Waking up to a rainy morning is always a treat. The air is cool, the outside smells like wet loam and green growing things. I would imagine, however, that it's a bitch if you have to commute to work. I'm grateful that I don't have to go out today.

Anyway I want to talk about a fairly novel (at least to me) eyeliner: the MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Blue Stripe. Would you believe, it's my first ever navy blue eyeliner! I read somewhere that navy is recommended if you don't want your line to look as harsh as black or go the typical brown route. Makes sense! Navy blue is a nice choice if you want to try a different eyeliner color in the office without looking too avant garde.

I've been seeing the MAC Powerpoint pencils around since forever. Waaay back when I decided to invest in a good eyeliner, it came down to buying the MAC Fluidline or the Powerpoint.

I'm a firm believer in the adage "You get what you pay for." If you want the best then you're going to have to shell out a premium for it. However, what we want is often not in tune with what we can afford. Good thing there are more pocket-friendly products that can serve as great alternatives to the expensive stuff! 

Today I'm going to talk about some products that I think are similar while still having a healthy price difference from each other. Do note that they're not exactly the same - there is a reason why something costs less compared to its expensive counterpart. Could be a difference in texture, lasting power, pigmentation and so on but fundamentally these products were created with the same concept in mind.

In the end it's up to you to determine what product features matter most to you. :) Here's a list of some of my high-end favorites compared to counterparts that are *almost* as good!

Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil (~P4,000) vs Muji Cleansing Oil for Sensitive Skin (~P600)

Why they are the same: Mineral-oil based, removes makeup the same way, same yellow color and texture

Why Shu Uemura is more expensive: Good for skin in the long run as it's more like skincare than just plain makeup remover. You also use much less of the product to remove makeup compared to Muji so it actually lasts longer.

Winner? Shu, for me! I love how my skin looks with this. It's a core member of my skincare team and I can't function well without it!

Bed Head Tigi Styleshots Hi-Def Curls Conditioner (P1,930) vs Snoe Beauty Hair Heroes with Intense Argan Oil (P499)

Why they are the same: Texture is very dense, moisturizes hair extremely well, defines curls, keeps hair soft and bouncy

I was such in a mad rush yesterday that I forgot to wear perfume. I panicked a little. My outfit doesn't feel complete without a nice matching scent! Yes I know, very shallow and all that, but scents help me define the right mood and attitude that I need for the day.

That said, just a couple of years ago I really didn't really care for perfumes. But after trying out so many I realized that each scent is special and embodies a certain personality. Like fine wine or cheese, a good perfume can make your life a little richer. Anyway, here's my personal collection! I give away perfumes to friends and family but these are the ones I dearly hold on to.

Here's a quick list of the reviews in case you're interested! Haven't reviewed everything here unfortunately but in case you're curious just ask me. ;)

DKNY: DKNY Be Delicious | DKNY Delicious Candy Apples: Sweet Caramel | Pure DKNY: Verbena in a bottle |DKNY Golden Delicious |  DKNY Women is New York in a bottle (love DKNY! It's my favorite perfume brand)

Last weekend was awesome. I went to Marco's birthday party (he's 30!). I played a ton of Atelier Meruru on the PS3. I rekindled my love for singing and playing the guitar. I recorded a few videos to show for it but since I'm not really, well, good, I don't want to upload to YouTube. I have a screencap though!

Feeling pop star

Aaaanyway. I'll have you know that I realy like my hair there. It's shiny and smooth! TMI but I just woke up when I started recording. Predictably, my hair was a mess! I didn't want to use my fave Kerastase Elixir Ultime since it's too expensive for something that I'll just do at home. You know what I mean. How many times have you chosen to use a cheap product instead of your high-end one for an activity that won't get you maximum exposure?

It's a girl thing. So yeah, I decided to try the Vitress Cuticle Coat.

Yesterday I attended the MAC AW12 Trends Presentation at the Mind Museum in The Fort. James Molloy, MAC's Director of Makeup Artisty for the Asia-Pacific Region, visited the country to talk about the latest trends in cosmetics. It's not new for brands to have makeup artists do a demo in an event, but I have to admit that I'm usually bored when this happens. There isn't a lot to learn from them especially when they insist on talking about the same old techniques.

Or maybe I'm just jaded. James Molloy, however, was incredibly inspiring. It was in the way he talked about makeup, the way he moved as he did the models' faces. He's enjoying himself and looked happy just talking about what's new in the makeup world! I really loved how he discussed the inspiration behind the four new looks that MAC has come up for the autumn-winter 2012 season.

There is a sense, a story if you may, behind each look. The first one that James demonstrated is Sense + Sensibility.

The gorgeous model in her to die for dress

Sense + Sensibility is "all about timeless classics done in a modern way - these are elements of makeup that never go out of fashion but simply get reinvented." That's the full brow, the red lip, subtle neutrals, and of course matte skin.