Is it just me or does Christmas feel a little late? It's just 13 days away but I'm still not getting into the spirit of things. Hmm. Well, I'll be blogging about all the holiday releases in the coming week so maybe that'll ignite the flames!

On a related note, would you be interested in seeing a Project Vanity gift guide? What's your budget for gift-giving?

Anyhoo today I'd like to talk about the Glamourbox Secret Santa Box. This is the latest package from the brand, just out last week I believe! It contains a few things that'll help you achieve that holiday freshness even though you're totes stressed out.

Here's what's inside!

Ta-dah! It has three full-sized products sprinkled with a few sample sizes.

The theme today is...taking a break from makeup! I've been blogging about color cosmetics too much lately so for now let's chill out from that. I wanna share my current favorite perfume, one of the best sellers from the brand: the Philosophy Amazing Grace Spray Fragrance EDT (P2,495). 

Whenever I mention this to friends and acquaintances they always go, "Oh, I love that!" It's easy to smell why. Amazing Grace is a feminine, clean scent that can make anyone wearing it feel beautiful and pure. It has a welcoming bergamot note to greet the senses; irresistibly soft, clean muguet blossoms; and lasting musk as base.

Why contact lenses are awesome: one, you can watch 3D movies with ease. It's totes not rad to wear 3D glasses with real glasses. Two, they make makeup application easier! I don't have to smoosh my face to the mirror to see where that wiggly eyeliner is going. Three, SUNGLASSES. Another impossibility when one is wearing prescription eyewear, but not with contacts!

I've only been wearing contact lenses for three years. I haven't really explored other brands beyond what I use, so it's a nice change for me to try out these Freshlook Illuminate Dailies (P650/ box of five pairs and P1,200 per 30-day pairs).

I love this stuff. They feel utterly comfortable and cool on my eyes. The Illuminate variant makes the eyes look brighter and bigger without actually giving away the jig; even though there's a brownish ring around the eyes, it's barely detectable. This is great if you want to have bigger peepers without anyone the wiser!

Everyone has a right to change their minds - beauty bloggers, of course, aren't exempted from the privilege. Sometimes I do change my mind about products I review. Not because they're intrinsically terrible, just that my preferences and skin condition have changed over time.

That moisturizer I used to love to bits might be too rich for me now, for instance. But that doesn't mean the product is no longer effective for everyone else, or that my review is no longer valid! I just feel that it doesn't suit me right now.

Here are a few products that I loved in the beginning, but switched up to something else eventually.

I was a huge, huge, HUGE fan of the Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil before. I still think it's a great product, but I now prefer to use water-based makeup removers. I find that rich oils like Shu's don't clean my pores as well as a water-based remover would. I also find that Shu expires within a year and a half, so if you don't finish that bottle within that time frame you'd be wasting money (which is what happened to me).

Oh, I loved this conditioner so much. The Snoe Beauty Hair Heroes with Intense Argan Oil helped revived my damaged colored hair back then! But since I've eased up on the coloring and hair styling considerably, I find that this conditioner is too heavy for me.

I don't understand why everybody's so hung up over the Urban Decay Naked palettes. Sure, UD makes smooth, pigmented eyeshadows and the colors look good, but these qualities are not really unique. There are tons of options out there, if you would only look beyond the "obvious" choice.

One palette that I've really, really been mooning over is the LORAC PRO Palette (P2,400 at Stuff In Style). This is another raved-about palette but it's slightly more low-key compared to Urban Decay.  

The LORAC PRO has 16 shades, half of which are matte while the rest is shimmery. It doesn't just feature daytime neutrals; it also has shades fit for a daring smoky eye. Other than the neutral shades you'll see flashes of bright garnet, dramatic purple, and sleek stony slate. I think these colors make the palette more interesting and opens up more possibilities!

Each color is highly pigmented with an ultra-smooth texture - yes, even the matte, cream-toned ones. They are also color true. You basically get whatever you see on the pan. I also love that I don't need a primer to achieve full opacity!

Okay fine enough rambling. :P Here are the swatches, plus a couple of looks I did with this palette.

Folks, I'm on a blogging roll. I don't know why, I just feel inspired to write lately! (Maybe it's because I'm not as busy as I was). Anyway I have one last post for you today. It's a quick review on the foundation I used in my contouring post; a few people asked me what I was using because the finish is so flawless!

It's actually a very affordable foundation called the ZA True White Liquid Foundation (P595). I remember Julia of Blessmybag.com giving it a good review, so I decided to get it while I was shopping in Watsons.

My verdict? If you're going to try only one product ZA Cosmetics, make it this liquid foundation! It delivers a beautiful, flawless dewy finish in only one layer. I love that it has medium to heavy coverage without feeling heavy on the face. 

The texture is very creamy and smooth, as if you're applying velvet on your face. It's really easy to forget that this is only a drugstore foundation! It actually reminds me a little of one of my HG foundies, the Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow. This is thicker though, with better coverage. 

My first visit to Japan last July was all about experiencing Shiseido's 140-year old heritage and consummate love for art. You saw how the brand evolved through the years and how it looks like today. You've read about the Shiseido Museum in Kakegawa, the Flagship Store, and the Parlour in Ginza. Now, I'd like to show you the Shiseido factory in Kakegawa, Shizuoka!

This is an exclusive feature as I am honored to be the first beauty blogger to tour this factory. I'm grateful to Shiseido for the opportunity, because they don't normally work with bloggers; they usually go with traditional media. I'm happy that they're beginning to support this medium! ^_^

Moving along! The Shiseido Factory in Kakegawa is about an hour and forty minutes from Tokyo by bullet train. It's a sprawling complex that produces Shiseido's makeup products, among them foundation, eyeshadow, and lipstick. If I remember correctly, each building is dedicated to making only one type of makeup!

Shiseido Philippines Brand Manager, Jen Jimenez-Yalung, with myself

The background is actually a mosaic of real eyeshadows

I'll be talking more about the production aspect of the brand on Part 2 of this post. For today, I'll be discussing one of the brand's latest projects: a test facility right inside the Kakegawa complex.

You might be thinking: a test facility? What? That's boring! Guys, it's not. This is my favorite part of the factory visit, actually. The test facility is further proof of Shiseido's commitment to excellence. It was built because they want only safe and reliable plant raw materials for their active ingredients. They seek only the highest quality ingredients which are traceable to the source.

This facility is a preview of the things to come in 2014. It's only a small area for now, but the plan is to re-create it in a larger scale should it prove successful! The photo above shows a cube where various conditions like temperature, irrigation, light intensity, and carbon dioxide are controlled to get the best possible harvest.

Here's what's inside!

If you've been reading this blog for a while now then you would know how much I love satchels. They have this classic, structured form that goes well with any outfit! So when I saw this design from River Island, I knew I had to get it. It also came in emerald green, gold, and black/white. I spent a LOT of time thinking about the color I want but in the end I went for the electric blue.

I lost my MAC Girl Boy (a moment of silence please) so recently I've been on the lookout for a more suitable replacement. Sure I can purchase it any time, but it's more fun to look for something new to try out, amirite? Anyway, I came upon this interesting eyebrow mascara from the Face Shop. I've been using it for about two weeks now!

The Face Shop Color My Eye Brow in 02 Light Brown (P395) is is a blonde brown that can be used alone if you have light hair. However, it needs to be layered on top of a dark pencil or powder if you have dark hair (as in my case). This has a gel-like, slightly thick consistency that coats brows evenly and stays put on me all day.

What if a contour powder can actually slim down your face - for good? That's the amazing proposition of the Snoe Slim Shade Me Face Sculpting Cake (P799). It claims to literally contour your face over time, with ingredients like coffee (to firm and tighten skin) and Magnolia Bark Hot Water Extract (to supposedly prevent fat accumulation and creation).

Coffee or caffeine is a common ingredient in cosmetics nowadays, since it's an effective way to quickly tighten skin. It constricts blood vessels and slightly dehydrates the skin thus effectively de-puffing the area. Caffeine is especially useful in eye creams! As for Magnolia Bark extract, I am not so sure. If it were that simple, everyone would be bathing in the stuff. Why bother with dieting, amirite?  

So yes, I would suspend belief about the permanent face slimming properties of any powder. :) That aside I do like the Snoe Slim Shade Me because the color is great for contouring, it's smooth, and it has a good staying power due to the amazonian clay in it.

Beige nail polishes can make our warm-toned fingers look gray and dark. However, like everything else in the makeup world, beige is never really just beige. It comes in lots of variations to suit every skintone! That's what Clinique has set out to show us with its latest collection called 16 Shades of Beige.

This lovely selection is all about the neutral nude 'tude. Clinique introduces 8 limited edition A Different Nail Enamel (P820) polishes that serve as "foundation" for your nails. Choose a shade that's close to the color of your skin for a nude, elongated effect on your manicured tips, or pick a contrasting shade for a pretty, neutral statement. 

The brand also came up with a new All About Shadow Palette in Neutral Territory 2 with eight soft-to-smoldering eyeshadow shades. The palette and nail polishes will be available in Clinique counters by January 2014, so this is an exclusive first look for you guys! ;)

Today, I want to show you one of the nail polishes. It's a dainty, lacey beige called Peek a boo, I see you.

Continuing our earlier talk about INGLOT, I have here one of their blushes called AMC 52 (P495). This was the only blush shade that I thought fit for contouring, since the other two possible contour shades are either too red or too orange. So is it any good?

Shade. AMC 52 is a neutral tan that looks orange-ish at first swatch but loses that tint as soon as it's blended in. It has a soft matte finish which is ideal for contouring. Now, this was supposed to be my "Goldilocks" shade but upon swatching it on my face at home, I realized how almost undetectable it is on my skin! It's not that the color is sheer; it's just that it's only half a shade darker than my skin tone. 

It's the big beauty news last week: INGLOT, the Polish makeup brand that's famous for its Freedom System, is finally here in Manila! You can find it inside Glorietta 5 right beside Starbucks. ^_^ 

INGLOT positions itself as a professional makeup brand, with a dizzying selection of colors and heavy coverage face bases that makeup artists will love to use. Of course, if you just love makeup and collecting amazing stuff, then INGLOT is also an addictive choice. I mean just look at all those gorgeous colors!

The brand boasts of its Freedom System where you can buy magnetized palettes with two to 40 slots. Fill these up with eyeshadows, lipsticks, blushes, eyebrow powder/wax, and concealers for a fully customized makeup collection! Better yet, you can switch out the products whenever you need to since they're only held down by magnets; you just need to flip them out with a pin or toothpick. 

The empty palettes cost P495 for two slots, P595 for three, P695 for four, P895 for five, P1,395 for 10, P2,395 for 20, and P3,895 for 40.

When I announced Face Contour Week, many of you gals became excited about a tutorial. Hold your horses though - that'll be up on Friday! I need a bit of time to shoot it. ;) In the meantime, I decided to answer a question that was asked several times: what's the difference between bronzer and contour powder? Which one should you go for?

These two products are completely different, although some products that are labeled "bronzer" could be used for contouring. Bronzers usually come in coppery or shimmery tan shades and are meant to be applied on the cheekbones, bridge of the nose, forehead, and chin. It's a product that's designed to create a sun-kissed look - not really to contour, although if your bronzer is deep enough it can be used for that purpose.

Contour powders are usually matte, and can be used define or slightly alter our face shape. You can create a smaller, more angular face with contouring powders. 

My favorite bronzer is the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Bronze, while my best contour powder is the MAC Blush in Harmony.

Believe it or not, the Revlon Super Lustrous Shine Lipstick (P545) is the closest thing Revlon has to the Clinique Chubby Stick. Not their Kissable Balm Stain, which is more like the Chubby Stick Intense. Okay, that might sound kinda confusing if you're not that into makeup. :P What I'm trying to say is that the Super Lustrous Shine is a sheer, moisturizing tinted lip balm that feels and looks almost like the Chubby Stick!

Fine. If you applied one on me and didn't say what it was, I would totally think it's a Chubby Stick. I would even argue with you.

The classic black and gold packaging of the Super Lustrous line is deceiving, because if you'd just go by the name you would assume that this is just a shinier version of the SL lippies. No. The Super Lustrous Shine Lipstick is in a whole class of its own!

Emollient, smooth, and plush on the lips, SL Shine is incredibly moisturizing, just like lip balm.

Contouring is my best friend. I have a wide, round face that needs all the help it can get! That's not to say I'm addicted to contouring; I only apply some when I'm going somewhere important. I'm not looking to fake the shape of my face forever. I just want it to look defined in photos and harsh lighting.

If you're after the same thing then this week is dedicated to you. Find out what my new contouring finds are, my favorite brushes to contour with, and my current technique, all in the next few days!

I'll start with something incredibly cheap yet fairly impressive: the Elf Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder (P250). This is a blush/ contour duo that's pigmented and looks amazing on my skin. Surprise, surprise. It's been ages since I purchased anything from Elf, so I'm glad that it now offers nice products even at such a low price.

I suppose that, as a blogger, I'm expected to post about most of the things that go on in my life. What I eat, where I go, the free stuff I get - it's SOP to share them here or on my social media accounts. I admit that starting out all those years ago, I was like that. I wanted to show off. I feel pressured to show off my wonderful life.

The pressure might be imaginary, but I feel that it permeates my life. A recent example is coming back from Japan, with barely any shopping in tow. Yeah, I didn't shop much. I took quite a bit of money with me plus my credit cards, but I didn't buy a lot of things at all. Why? I told my mother it's because I didn't go to Shibuya, where all the fab shopping is. The real reason, though, is that I just didn't feel like it.

I wanted to BE in Tokyo, to lie down in a park soaking in the autumn sun. I wanted to sit in a bench in Akihabara to watch people passing by. I wanted to go to a temple and pay homage. I wanted to experience things without having the compulsion to snap a picture or buy a souvenir.

When I was very young, I wanted to be a rock star. I'd spend most of my time learning to play the guitar and writing songs. I would dream about going on stage and rocking my heart out to the adulation of millions, wearing slashed tights and distressed leather jackets. It all sounded so awesome in my head. But like all of my adolescent aspirations, it went up in a cloud of smoky black eyeshadow. With a few glitters in it for good measure. :P

Anyhoo, today I want to show you the latest collection from Korean brand Too Cool For School. Glam Rock is inspired by the rock star culture, with emphasis on dramatic eyes and blanked out lips. I have a few items from TCFS here and a quick review of each. :) Let me know what you think!

I'll start with a lip color - the Glam Rock Smoky Nudy Lip Color in Satin Beige. This is a creamy lipstick that needs to be layered at least twice to get the same opacity as the swatch below. I don't mind, since most lipsticks need to be layered anyway and it doesn't take much effort. However, if you have pigmented lips then this won't cover everything. It can look a tad streaky since it only offers medium coverage.

Staying power is average, at three hours. I would recommend wearing a lip balm first since the matte texture can be drying.