Take a makeup sponge, then try to imagine why it should possibly cost a thousand bucks. Can you? I couldn't. I've said several times before that I am skeptical when it comes to the Beauty Blender hype. Until I got my own, that is! This was a surprise from Digital Traincase after attending her workshop with Jigs Mayuga (more on that soon).

Anyway, now I know why makeup artists adore the Beauty Blender. It blends wet makeup (liquid or cream) onto the skin seamlessly! I've tried brushes that blend makeup seamlessly before, sure, but the process is not as effortless and simple as using the Beauty Blender. With brushes, I end up blending and patting several times to achieve what Beauty Blender can do in two passes. This stuff really works!

What makes the Beauty Blender so different...and so expensive?

This sponge is non-latex, non-comedogenic, and doesn't have that weird chemical smell from cheap sponges. I didn't break out from using this at all! The shape is also ergonomic so it fits into the awkward corners of the face.

But that's just superficial, and obviously easy to copy. The difference lies in the material of this sponge. It swells up to twice its size when its wet, thus becoming exponentially softer and increasing its ability to deposit and blend the makeup perfectly. With little effort, might I add!

It's hard to move on to business as usual when a tragedy of awful magnitude just struck our country last week. Everyone is still reeling from the loss of life and property, and then the feverish desperation that comes after it. I'm not an emotional person but everytime I read the news about Yolanda's destruction I feel like there's a small twinge near my heart. That's not just because of the graphic stories of suffering on the ground; it's also because of the heroism of our people and the kindness that other countries have shown us.

I don't know what else to say. I just wish that help to those in need comes swiftly, and that in the future we can pass laws that will help minimize the risks from natural disaters (among other things). 

Shall we move on to lighter stuff? If you're here, perhaps you're also looking to feel slightly less burdened from the news. :)

Plains & Prints just released their Holiday 2013 Collection last weekend! There's over a hundred pictures of all the new pieces in the press kit (see the full lookbook here), but for brevity I decided to post Anne Curtis's looks as styled by Liz Uy. Anne as you know is Plains & Prints latest endorser, and I think that it's such a perfect fit!

Anne has a glam-next-door, slightly eclectic taste in fashion. P&P has pretty much the same aesthetic so it was only a natural progression for both fashion powerhouses to work together.

Plains & Prints' Holiday 2013 has four sub-categories: Camo-Chic, Fire, Earth, and Holiday Dresses. See them in detail after the cut!

If you want to achieve that effortless yet elusive blushing beauty trademarked by stars like Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Watson, it's actually counter-intuitive to pile on makeup. Wearing more cosmetics can make you look more mature and haggard! It's best to work on your skin by enhancing it with tactical products instead of hiding it.

That said, this month's BDJ Box is all about becoming a blushing beauty, like you didn't even try! ;) Check out what's inside.

Love the stickers

Everybody loves a multi-tasking beauty product. We get more value for money, plus it cuts down the time rummaging for stuff to use on separate parts of the body! My latest multi-use find is the MoringaO2 Malunggay Herbal Therapy Oil (P99 for 30ml). This is a blend of pure malunggay oil, olive oil, husk oil, and sunflower seed oil that may be used on the skin, scalp, and hair.

Malunggay is a super-ingredient with several anti-oxidants, vitamins, and minerals distilled from the plant. It's not only a great way to nourish the body, but the skin as well.

So did you read the product info? It sounds too good to be true I know, but only time will tell if the product can do ALL of the abovementioned miracles. I can however testify to it being an effective moisturizer for the body and hair!

What products found in Watsons would you recommend for a start up make up kit? Just the basics from eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, blush and foundation/ powder. - Alyson

Hi Alyson! Thanks for your great question. I think Watsons is indeed the best place to visit if you're looking to build your first makeup kit. :) There's a huge selection of brands from the Philippines, Japan, USA, Australia, and even Europe, would you believe! Watsons has definitely gone a long way from being just a boring ol' pharmacy.

I've already posted many drugstore suggestions in the past, but I've picked out an updated list of products for you to try if you're in the process of beefing up your kit. Many of these are just fairly recent finds, and toe the fine line between quality and affordability. 

Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse (P599). This has a great lumi-matte finish with a light to medium coverage. It can definitely hide lesser eyebags and blemishes, great for everyday wear! I'd recommend this for dry to combi skin though; if you're really oily, I'd recommend something like the Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup.

BYS Minerals Naturale Compact Foundation (P599). I like the natural, glowy finish of this powder and how well it controls my oiliness. It could be a dupe of the MAC Mineralized Skinfinish powder.

I have never believed in love at first sight, until I set foot in Japan. It is a country of extreme contradictions - modern with gleaming towers and newfangled inventions, yet still traditional at its core. For example, there is a 700,000-square meter forest right in the middle of Tokyo's busiest district, Shibuya, that contains a shrine to their deified emperors (Meiji Shrine). The Japanese always remember and honor their roots. 

They are also obsessively practical and detailed, at least compared to the Philippines where we have a happy-go-lucky attitude towards things. But the Japanese, well, they really think of everything! They have built-in bidets in toilets that have perpetually warm seats. 

The people are also always courteous, disciplined, and prompt. Go into any shop, and you'll get a smile and a hearty konnichiwa or ohayō gozaimasu! They also always walk on the left side of the road or corridor, so as not to hassle those in a hurry. 

I can go on and on really. I want to regularly visit Japan as long as I'm able. That's now one of my life goals!

I thought I'd post some random photos I took during my trip last July. :) They aren't all particularly nice photos, but each one has a small story.

JAL Airline offers a LOT of yummy food! And I like that it's healthy too.

New nail polish from Revlon rained down on my doorstep the other day, so I just had to wear one immediately! I'm a huge fan of Revlon polishes because of the sophisticated color selection, fast-drying time, and nice pigmentation. They chip in a day or two without a top coat, sure, but that's acceptable to me. I would much rather have something that dries in like 20 minutes and looks good in two coats.

The Revlon Brilliant Strength Nail Enamel in Impress (P300+) was the one that immediately called out to me. I am seriously feeling the fall mood right now, with our colder, gloomier weather as it is. Deep red, sepia brown, berry, brilliant gold and cranberry are shades I am currently gravitating towards. ^_^ Hence, this particular nail color!

Occupying my mind right now, other than work, is Yolanda and Napoles. But there is a time and place for everything. I just don't feel like talking about heavy current events here because this blog is where I go to indulge the makeup lover in me. Perhaps it is the same for you. So let's keep it a happy fluffy place!

Soooo. If you watch YouTube makeup tutorials I'm sure you notice many gurus double-lining their eyes with a liquid liner than a pencil eyeliner in a similar color. I must admit that this has baffled me for years, I mean, why on earth would one do something like that, twice? I thought it was pointless.

As I discovered recently, however, it's not. Layering eyeliners with different formulas gives my lash line the darkest, most opaque effect I've ever seen!

The runaway favorite from the latest cosmetics brand to hit Manila is the Happy Skin Shut Up & Kiss Me Moisturizing Lippie (P499). I think that us girls are just naturally thrilled about crayon-type lip colors (part nostalgia, part insta-fun), but it's not just that. The seven colors available are all crazy gorgeous and super pigmented - each one was obviously chosen with a  lot of thought. From sunny corals to a seductive plum purple, Happy Skin has something for the color-loving you!

So let's get down to it! Shut Up & Kiss Me has a creamy texture and a nice opacity with just one layer. Two is enough to get a solid blanket of color! Staying power is pretty good at four to five hours; there's also a stain left even after I eat and drink. It's the kind of lipstick that's perfect for those who like bold colors but don't like to retouch or apply balm all the time. It is a little moisturizing, indeed, although I prefer to use a layer of balm underneath first.

The formula has no scent and no taste. It also doesn't flake when it dries. The lippies' finish look like a creme to me, but they become decidedly matte after an hour or so!

Girls Night Out is a stunning purple red that could be a dupe of the famous MAC Rebel. I noticed that it changes color as I wear it; the first hour, it looks like a plummy fuchsia red.

The big beauty trend this year is bright and bold eyeliner. The eyes are mostly left naked except for that intensely colored line - thick, thin, geometric, it's all in style as long as the liner is in a jewel or matte neon tone! I really enjoyed this particular trend, as you can see in my past FOTDs. It's easy to do and works well with pretty much any outfit I wear.

One eyeliner that stood out to me recently is the Clinique Quickliner For Eyes Intense (P1,100). This, I believe, is another reformulated version of a Clinique staple. I haven't tried the old one so I can't compare; I can tell you though that this one is quite good, with such a buttery smooth texture, intense color payoff, and good staying power!

The Quickliner is meant to be smudged for that undone rockstar look (it comes with a soft smudger tip), but it's sooo creamy that it can be used as a cream eyeshadow by itself. I also love to use this as a base for my 5-minute smoky eyes technique, since it sets solid after a few minutes.

This eyeliner doesn't budge for about five hours, after which I notice minor smudging. It's acceptable, and easy enough to clean with tissue. 

It is a truth universally acknowledged that when your skin is happy, your makeup looks 100% better. But it's kind of an oxymoron when the makeup you use end up causing acne or worse, allergies. It's hard to say what won't work for you until you've actually tried it!

That said, ideal makeup not only keeps your skin looking good on the surface, but also nourished on the inside. It's tough to find something like that. So two women went on to create it. 

I'm sure you've heard all about this exciting new local cosmetics brand called Happy Skin. It's the startup of two beautiful and beauty-savvy women, Rissa Mananquil-Trillo and Jacqe Yuengtian-Gutierrez. Rissa as you know is one of the top models and hosts here in the Philippines, while Jacqe served as an executive in a multinational consumer goods company, handling some of the top personal care brands in the country. It was really only a matter of time for two friends so involved in the beauty industry to come up with something of their own!

And they did such an impressive job. Jacque and Rissa have been involved in the whole process, from formulation to packaging. The product line is fairly small - they only have a brush set, under eye concealer, lipstick, liquid and powder foundation, blush, and tinted moisturizer - but each SKU was obviously designed with care and thought. Most of the products are manufactured in Japan. That explains the quality! There are no misses, as far as I know based on the products I've tried.

So how does Happy Skin products make our skin, well, happy? The makeup actually contains skin-loving ingredients like Cherry Blossom Leaf Extract, Japanese Tea Leaf Extract, Hyaluronic Acid,Collagen, and Argan Oil to truly help nourish skin while you have it on.

Freelancing is fun, but there is a huge BUT. It requires me work, more hours, more frustration. Then, come payment time, it's extra drama for everyone involved in processing the money. I used to be timid when demanding what is owed to me, but I'm all done with that nonsense. I have no time to play nice when someone, say, haven't paid me for eleven months.

When will I ever learn.

But on to more positive things! One of the most-recommended eyeliners out there is the Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink (P1,000+). I've been hearing about this for years now, back when I had just started getting into makeup and was looking to invest in a gel eyeliner. I ended up with the MAC Fluidline (a product that's been my HG for a long time), but I'm glad to get the chance to try this Bobbi Brown one!

Black Ink is a matte, opaque black eyeliner that glides on smoothly without being overly wet. That's what some people actually don't like about the MAC Fluidline - it's so creamy that it ends up skidding all over the lids if not applied carefully. The BB liner has a slightly harder, waxier texture that allows for more control, no matter what brush you use.

I know I said this already, but I'll have a go again: sunglasses are some of the best beauty aids ever. They can cover up a face blotchy and puffy from crying, or just hide bags and blemishes if you're not in the mood to wear makeup. They also reshape a face, make it more angular or less squarish just by the shape of the frames - no need to contour! Sunnies are the bomb, you guys.

Anyway, I purchased these Sunnies by Charlie shades last Sunday in Mall of Asia. I love them because they're super cool...and super affordable. I kept seeing Sunnies by Charlie over at Georgina Wilson's Instagram account (she's one of the owners I believe), and I adored the designs so I just had to get one for myself!

Aaaaand I'm back. I've been a little distracted lately since I'm preparing for the launch of one of my clients this month - it's a cosmetics brand that many of us know and love. It's going to be awesome! Of course, lol. I'm sure you'll be happy to know that the brand is still affordable, but better than ever.

Enough with the teasin'. You'll find out what it is soon enough! ;) This week, I'll be talking about some of the eyeliners that came my way, plus a technique I've been doing when wearing eyeliner lately. I'll start off with a new find: the Maybelline Hyper Sharp Liner (P399).

If you've been reading this blog long enough, you know that my HG eyeliner is the K-Palette Real Lasting Liner. It's simply the best when it comes to getting a precise line and staying put ALL freakin' day with zero smudging. But it's about P800, an amount that some people might find a bit expensive. It's actually cheaper by a hundred bucks now but yeah if you want to save a little but still get almost the same quality, then you must try the the Maybelline Hyper Sharp eyeliner!

This has the same bendy brush as K-Palette, which makes it a joy to paint over my lash line. I hate stiff eyeliner pens; hate is a strong word but there it is!

Hey guys! Hope your long weekend has been great. Thought I'd pop in quickly to show you a gorgeous nail polish from Deborah Lippman's autumn collection - Jewel Heist! Jewel Heist has six new nail polishes, three bases and three glitter top coats. The colors are rich and packed with jewel-like glitter, so much so that your nails would feel a million bucks wearing them!

I have here the Fake It Till You Make It polish (love the name), a textured sandy gold speckled with red, green, and gold glitter. It doesn't look photogenic due to the chunky texture, but it is absolutely beautiful in person. It reminds me of paved jewelry, where dozens or even hundreds of mico jewels are set in the precious metal. The photo above shows a good example!

Aside from having soft, translucent skin, the Japanese are champs at getting the perfect eye makeup. The best eyeliners and mascaras all originate from Japan! Well, at least my favorite ones are. I've also noticed that Japanese eyeshadows have this iridescence to them that are rarely found in Western brands. Try to compare your eyeshadows one time and you'll see what I mean. ;)

So! Today I will be reviewing two of the latest products from ZA Cosmetics: the Perfect Action Mascara (P495) and Impact-Full Eyes Gradation Palette (P525). These were released last September I believe! You can find ZA in Watsons outlets, so I hope you can visit them one of these days if you haven't yet.

Right, let's begin with the ZA Perfect Action Mascara (P495). This has a non-waterproof version (which I have) and a waterproof version, which has a blue cap. I love that the non-waterproof can be easily melted with warm water or a water-based makeup remover - that's probably one of the top things I look for in a daily mascara! And this is a daily mascara, definitely.

I am crazy distracted this week. There are a million details to think about and a ton of things to follow up - well, not really "tons" or "millions" per se but I know you know I'm just being hyperbolic. Bottomline, there are many things that need to be done and not enough juice or focus to do it. 

Just one of those weeks, I guess.

Anyhow, I thought I'd write a short post on these Ofra Lipsticks (P650 at Glamourbox). Yup, Glamourbox is the official distributor here in the Philippines! They've been carrying Ofra for a while but these lipsticks are new-ish in the store. A full-sized tube was included in their October box so I'm sure you've been seeing some swatches around the local Internets.

Ofra Lipstick No.205, a sheer magenta pink that can be built up to semi-opacity

So how are they? Well, the formula is emollient and moisturizing enough to be used without balm. The staying power is average at three hours. Pigmentation varies between the two shades - the  202 (red) is loud while the 205 (magenta) is sheerer than I expected. I need to layer it a few times to get it to be as solid as the swatch above.

Mong Kok in Hong Kong is a dusty, damp, and densely crowded place where people go to shop for awesome bargains. It's almost like Divisoria here in Manila, except that there are more Chinese per square foot! Get it, Hong Kong is in China, ha ha? Pff anyway.

There's a lot of amazing fashion finds to be had in Mong Kok. There is only one rule in that wild, unfiltered place: bargain. Then, bargain some more! I was blissfully unaware of that until I started buying a few things, one of which was this cute pink satchel.

Okay, before we continue - Hong Kong dollar conversion confused me greatly. It's not like US dollar where you know that one dollar is a huge amount; or yen, where Y1000 is not really a lot of money. But 1 HKD is equivalent to about 5 Philippine pesos (or 7 PHP if you were foolish enough to change money at the airport). To my mind that's not a terribly big gap. 50 HKD is only P250, so what. But 200 HKD is already 1,000 PHP. 250 HKD is already 1,250 PHP, and so on. Before I know it, I've spent money I wouldn't have otherwise spent if I just actually computed exact conversion rates rather than just winging it in my head.

So. Back to Mong Kok. My mother and I visited it in the afternoon. I think it was on our first day in Hong Kong; we were both still excited about exploring a country new to us. It was a terrible idea. I was tired, and I didn't expect the area to be so ridiculously crowded. Apparently, Mong Kok is named by the Guinness Book of Records as the busiest district in the world due to its extremely dense population. Well, if I knew that, I would have avoided the migraine I got while I was there.