The past week has been more hectic than usual. I organized and executed events for two different clients so I am just dead tired right now. I just wanna lie down and not get up until next week! I'm not saying I don't like my job, it's just that it's not always as glamorous as it might sound. It involves a lot of literal leg work and generous trading of limited social currency. 

At the end of the day, however, I live for the feeling of giving my best work to my clients and friends in the industry. 

Anyway, I thought I'd keep today's post chill by sharing with you some of the things I'm loving at the moment. I made it a point to include only items I haven't mentioned here yet! I'm probably doing a full review on them next time, but for now here are some of the reasons I pick up these beauties.

Etude House Don't Worry I'm On Your Side Lip Balm. I've actually had this since September last year and I use it ALL THE FREAKIN' TIME. Why I haven't written about it yet, I don't know. But here it is now. :P This is a moisturizing balm that leaves a pretty and long-wearing salmon pink stain on the lips. It's what I used during autumn in Tokyo because the other lippies I brought were just not hydrating enough!

Do you know how Jennifer Lopez achieved her trademark golden glow? Her makeup artist Scott Barnes would chop up sticks of the NARS Multiple in South Beach, and then mix it with her favorite La Mer moisturizer in a blender. That's a pretty cool idea! I recommend you try it too, except maybe with a less expensive cream color and moisturizer (unless you're loaded and lucky).

Anyway, the NARS Multiples are famous for their fine and uber-flattering shimmery finish, but sometimes a girl needs something understated and velvety. That's how NARS Matte Multiples (P2,250 in Rustan's) came to life. These sticks of pure color apply completely matte and come in skin-enhancing shades that would suit any skin color! 

I'm impressed by how creamy and easy to blend the formula is. The Matte Multiple also leaves quite a stain so staying power shouldn't be a problem even if you're super oily. 

During the launch, NARS International Makeup Artist Janice Daoud showed a few tricks in applying the Matte Multiples. She prefers to use her fingers to warm up the product and make it go on more smoothly. She also recommends you apply it with a wet brush or sponge to get bolder color payoff.

This product can be used on the eyes, cheeks, and lips, which make them a great purchase if you're looking for a product that can bring your face to life in just a few swipes.

Here are the swatches of all seven shades! I love Siam (a bright red orange) and Cappadoce (a neutral tan for contouring). I'll take a closer look in Rustan's one of these days!

In my sea of pretty things, the Clinique Cheek Pop (P1,550) is one that immediately stands out. Who can miss that gorgeous daisy-embossed compact? Packaging aside though, this is a good blush that's totally natural and easy to build up according to your preference. It has a silky texture that's not too hard or too soft so the design won't be ruined prematurely!

This shade is called 01 Ginger Pop, one of the four in Clinique's spring blush collection. It's a warm mid-tone ginger peach that has a satiny finish. It applies sheer but looks great after you add a few more layers. Yes, it's perfect for those who can't help but brush makeup on with a heavy hand!

One of you gals asked me how I decide on what lipstick to wear whenever I go out, considering all the colors I'm lucky to have. It's pretty easy, actually - I just put on whatever I haven't reviewed and swatched yet! As a beauty blogger I'm fortunate to have access to the latest releases so I usually get packages from brands everyday. ^_^ It's fun, but also confusing sometimes. It's difficult to keep track of what I have if I don't keep them in sight always.

Anyway, it's time for yet another giveaway! This is the third time I've held a contest like this, if I remember correctly. Just guess how many lipsticks I have currently and you'll get a chance to win some brand new colors. Simply follow Rafflecopter app below by Tweeting your guess and I'll choose the number closest to the actual number. If you guess the exact number then good for you. You're awesome.

Get to the jump to see the mechanics and prizes!

A few weeks back I finally ticked off one of the things on my Christmas wish list. I know it's really late but I was just so undecided about purchasing the NARS eyeshadow base! The reviews were all positive and awesome but I simply couldn't decide if I need yet another eyeshadow primer. I already have some favorites - why explore? How many primers could I possibly need?

But then I got some Rustan's GCs and thought what the heck, it's practically "free". Lol. It's not really free because the GCs were from a job but yeah, I didn't have to put out any cash for it which makes it easy to buy. Anyway. I'm glad I did, because this is everything everybody on the Internet promised it would be!

The NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base (P1,350 from Rustan's) is a clear primer for the lids. It's super effective in keeping eyeshadow solid and in place all day, with minimal to barely any creasing. It's also a great product under eyeliner as it keeps such waxy formulas from smudging!

The texture is kinda watery, more fluid than the Urban Decay Shadow Primer and TFSI. It's white off the doe foot applicator but it dries completely clear. Some people hate that they can't see where the primer has dried, but it's not so difficult if you work fast and cover the lid area ASAP! I see how it can be a tad difficult if you're applying makeup on someone else but you can always use a brush with this like Lisa Eldridge. 

Do you need bronzers and highlighters in your life? Frankly, no. You'd look totally great without them. But if you want to take your skin to the next glowy level then yes, these skin-enhancing products would be a great addition to your kit! You need them if you feel like your foundation and setting powder are no longer enough to make your skin look amazing.

Highlighters/illuminators help your skin look fresh by reflecting light off your face with ultra-fine shimmer. They are normally skin-toned, although some have a peachy or pink tint to them. Bronzers on the other hand are used to simulate the look of lightly tanned skin and are often used for contouring as well. Some are pink/peach-ish, which makes them fabulous blushes in their own right.

Bronzers are also a great way to bring some golden warmth to your face - that's really useful when you're looking pale and tired!

That said, I thought I'd show off some of my current favorite bronzers and highlighters. ^_^ I have five bronzers and three highlighters here that are perfect for Asian skin and can work with different budgets. Would love to know which ones you're looking to try!

A couple of years ago, one of my clients hired a woman to help out with merchandising and operations. I enjoyed working with her because she was smart and always ready to learn - she was such a huge help since the team was very small at that time. However, she quit within the month if I remember correctly. Why? Her boyfriend gave her a hard time about spending too much time working. She started missing work and he started waiting for her to come out of the office like a stalker.

It was a sad situation, and I was sorry that she didn't choose to get out of it. I know it's none of my business but I wrote a lengthy, emphatic email explaining why she shouldn't have left her job for her boyfriend. I told her, if he controls her like this when they're not yet married, imagine how he'd be like once they tie the knot!

Yes, it's none of my business, but sometimes it has to be. There are many forms of domestic violence. It's not necessarily as direct or physically obvious like a black eye - it could be a partner limiting your economic situation like preventing you from keeping a job or cutting you off from your bank accounts/cards. It could be verbal like him telling you you're stupid or incompetent all the time. It could be emotional like him stalking you via text or preventing you from seeing your friends and family. 

Not really

There are signs - except, we tend to turn the other cheek because we don't want to interfere. We don't want to be labeled "pakialamera". I believe that there are boundaries we shouldn't cross and that everybody is entitled to privacy. But there are situations when we shouldn't keep our mouths shut. I mean, if you truly care about someone, shouldn't you be proactive, say something and offer solutions to ger her out of her misery?

That's why I love Avon's global #SeeTheSigns Campaign.

I don't know if I've mentioned this here before but I like myself the least when I'm obsessing about something. I forget everything, and I mean everything, just thinking about the thing I want to do or acquire. It's not healthy. It literally gives me headaches. This is weird because these intense obsessions only began early last year. They're vastly different, too, and seem to come from nowhere, like a train with no headlights.

Ugh! I'm going to step out to sketch later just to get my mind off things, because I feel like I'm going slightly insane. 

Aaaaanyway today I'd like to feature the Ellana Pressed Mineral Foundation (P650). When the awesome people behind Ellana hired me to re-imagine the brand, I immediately pushed for pressed minerals. Because! I love mineral foundation since it gives my skin such a beautiful finish, but I hate how messy and time-consuming it is to apply when I'm rushing out. Pressed minerals are the best, except that they're either too expensive or hard to find locally.

So after much tinkering, Ellana finally came up with their very own Pressed Mineral Foundation. It took a lotta work (hello Theresa!) and I'm not going to take credit for any of it except for being the hard-to-please naysayer while it was being formulated. Lol! But finally, Ellana has it! And it's pretty good if I do say so myself.

This foundation, like its best-selling loose version, provides medium to heavy coverage and a creamy, demi-matte finish.

This is how I dress most days. Unless there's an event or important meeting I have to be at, I'm in shorts (or in this care, "skorts"), a cotton long-sleeved shirt, and my Converse sneakers. The uniform changes according to the look I'm digging at the moment but right now this is it - functional and utterly comfortable without being too boring.

Forever 21 top | Stradivarius necklace and skorts | Casio watch | Converse sneakers | Tory Burch satchel

I have two of these bottoms from the same brand (the other is tan faux leather) and three of these shirts in different colors. I wouldn't have believed you if you told me a few years ago that I'd be buying duplicates, even triplicates of my clothes now. So how did it happen?

Smart people who are nice are the best kind. They know when you're lying, being incompetent, stupid, or malicious, yet they can look past that and still be nice to you. Like, really be nice to you without being fake. How? Because in spite of your worst qualities, they're smart enough to understand why you have them and can't seem to let go of them. Maybe they'll try to change you, or maybe they'll let you do whatever the hell you want. Whatever they choose though, they'll be kind to you because they know you need it.

Stupid people who are honestly nice, on the other hand, are nice because they can't see past the surface of your words and actions. That said, which kind of person would you rather be nice to you? Does it matter?

Anyhoo, here's my last post for my Benefit Cosmetics Week. If you haven't joined my giveaway though, please do, as it's ending in 24 hours. Okay! Here's a review of an interesting concealer, the Benefit Fake Up Crease-Control Hydrating Concealer (P1,300). This promises to conceal your undereyes while thoroughly moisturizing them at the same time!

If you're terribly lazy at applying eye cream before makeup, Fake up is exactly what you need. Its main ingredient is castor oil. It rather smells like castor oil, too, but I don't really mind as it's extremely effective in trapping moisture around my eye bags! The oil makes the concealer super smooth so it glides on the skin with zero tugging.

I was a bit worried that such a heavy oil will clog the pores around my nose and eyes, but it didn't. I didn't get breakouts or anything. 

I was also apprehensive about it staying on and not creasing while i'm wearing it. Thankfully, it stays put for about 5-6 hours when set with powder. It also barely creases as it settles onto my skin.

Where do I even begin. Revlon recently came out with their Colorburst Matte and Lacquer Balms (P575). If you've read my past reviews on the brand's lip products then you'd know I'm a huuuuge fan of them! I love the Colorburst line as well as the Kissable Balm Stains - so imagine that combination of bold color and moisturizing texture without your head exploding. Thought so.

But how are they, really?

All hyperbole aside, these new Revlon Balms are pretty good except for uneven application when it comes to some shades. The Colorburst Matte Balms look amazing in the packaging and arm swatches but tend to be rather patchy and a bane to all ye who have dry, flaky lips. Well I don't even have dry lips and only experience minimal flaking every now and then, but these mattes seem to not work out so well for me.

The Lacquer Balms, on the other hand, are WOW. I love them. The texture is super smooth, it stays on for a good four to five hours, and the finish is just so high-end! This formula doesn't just offer some meek, drugstore-level shine - it's brilliant and solid-looking at the same time, like a high-end color would look like.

Both formulas do not dry out my lips and I can even afford to skip lip balm (yes even with the Matte formula). The Lacquer is solid in two swipes, while the Matte takes more than that to build up. The Matte also fades rather easily and unprettily, but the Lacquer stays on reliably. I don't know if I just got the "meh" shades with the Matte but this has been my experience with the formula so far.

Swatches: Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm vs the Lacquer Balm

Overall, I love the Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm SO MUCH while I feel just a grudging affection for the Matte for what it tried to do, which is offer moisture with the zero-shine finish. Can't wait for the day when Revlon would reformulate it or come out with something better.

Anyhoo, here are swatches of all the shades I have! Enjoy, and do let me know which ones rock your socks off. ;)

Being a beauty blogger, I get lots of opportunities to try out products I wouldn't have purchased myself. If it were up to me I'd probably stick to one drugstore facial wash forever and completely miss out on the good stuff! For there is a difference between high-end and drugstore skincare. Most people would recommend you splurge on moisturizer, eye cream, and serum (well I do too) but I think there's also a case to be made for expensive facial cleansers.

Yes, you're just going to wash them off anyway, so why pay big(ish) bucks for something that'll stay on your skin for only a couple of minutes? It's because high-end cleansers have a softer, fluffier lather, they smell better, and usually remove light makeup effectively too.

Sigh, I'm right in the middle of having them one of those insanely busy days. But, I always have time to blog! Even if it's just 30 minutes. :P Today I'd like to show you the Benefit Gimme Brows Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel (P1,000+). I remember loving the Brow Zings so I was pretty excited to get my hands on this one. 

Gimme Brows promises to define, shape, and volumize your brows in go. True enough, this does it for me! It's long-wearing too and hardly fades even when I'm out all day. It's pretty easy to use with such a small wand - you get a lot of room to shade small sparse areas and to build them up in segments if you wish.

The texture is watery and coverage is sheer upon initial application. It's definitely not your typical brow mascara in that regard! Others would be thick so you can't really go back to re-do certain areas, plus they rather dry up quickly. Gimme Brows is buildable and gives me enough time to work with it. 

Here's some news for all you fab and busy moms out there: Smart recently introduced their Family Ties Plans, which helps you stay constantly connected with members of the family while ensuring a safe and protected environment for children when they use their mobile devices.

With this plan, you no longer have to think twice about making that quick call to your son to check up on him at school or sending some sweet-nothings to your husband while at work because of the unlimited calling and texting features that come with the plan.

At the launch: Mompreneur and blogger Janice Villanueva and PR practitioner Ana Ongpin talk about how they juggle their family along with their hectic work schedules. Both love the new plan as it keeps them in touch with their kids and staff!

Here's the new TVC (which will air starting today):

Details of the Smart Family Ties Plans 

Families have two choices for their postpaid lines: Family Ties Plan 900 includes unlimited calling within the family circle, unlimited SMS to Smart subscribers and 200 all-network texts, as well as 100MB of free data for each line every month.

You've tried blushes, of course, but have you tried a fabulously scented one that seems to perfume your whole face? That's what makes the Benefit Rockateur Box O' Powder Blush (P1,600) stand out. After you squee over the cute embossed design on the powder, you won't miss its bright floral scent as you blend it over your cheeks. It's surprisingly pleasant! I like that it doesn't smell chemical at all.

And the color? It's a beautiful pink rose with a generous amount of bronze in it. Rockateur is not a bronzer - it's predominantly pink - but it has enough to warm your face up in a snap.

I love that it's not overly pigmented so you get a couple of chances to layer this the way you want it. It delivers a pretty, glowy color on the cheeks, but it's not in any way oily-looking. The golden shimmer is very fine anyway so they hardly show up.

Staying power is okay at 4-5 hours before it starts to fade. I remember Hervana staying on longer than this one even though it was less pigmented. Nonetheless, like I said before a 5-hour cap on blushes is fine by me as I'm not often out all day.

Anyway, here's a look wearing a couple of layers of Rockateur!

Friends and family have, in recent years, asked me when I'm going to get married to my long-time partner. We've been together for seven years now - I'm 26, here's turning 32, so one could say we're the right age for marriage. We also know everything about one another and we could live with all that sordid information. We are best friends. I guess that's as good a qualification as any, although admittedly not quite romantic. 

We are the least romantic people I know. It'd be awkward to do a pre-nup shoot canoodling in the grass, or even a "through the years" AV presentation. We hardly have any pictures together, nor do we take any of one another. We don't know when our anniversary is except it's sometime May. Or June? We're not sure. That's the narrowest I can get.

He doesn't like most things that I like. He is my harshest critic. I don't understand his passion for cars or why he doesn't eat spaghetti or sinigang (seriously who does that? WHO?). But we can be completely ourselves with each other - no masks or pretensions - and we like what we see even though it's sometimes not pretty.

So, knowing this, can you imagine us doing a big wedding with all the trimmings? 

I suppose weddings exist so that people and the god of their religion can witness the couple's love and vows to one another. It's like...a public contract. Two people will do it in front of a hundred people so that their words are writ in the memories of their guests.

This week, I'll be featuring some interesting products from the cheekiest cosmetics brand in the block: Benefit! I picked out some new finds a couple of weeks ago, and I'm very excited to talk about them as I'm happy with the results. ^_^ In fact I'm so happy, I decided I can't keep all of the products to myself haha. I'm giving away a toner and moisturizer at the end of this post, so one lucky reader can also try out Benefit's skincare range!

Before all that though, here's a review of the Benefit Foamingly Clean Facial Wash (P1,200), a one-step makeup remover and foaming facial cleanser. 

Benefit isn't exactly famous for skincare, but I have tried the brand's Triple Performing Facial Emulsion as well as the It's Potent! Eye Cream before and really enjoyed using both. The skincare range smells fantastic - clean, light, and expensive. I love that very little goes a long way, and that their creams work well with combi to oily skin.

The skincare line looks like it's designed for maintenance more than anything. It's pretty basic, with nourishing ingredients, but they don't promise (nor deliver) any drastic changes to the skin. If you're already happy with your face and just need something gentle to maintain its glow, Benefit's skincare line can do it for you.

Now, the Foamingly Clean Facial Wash. This is a "1-step gentle wash" that can remove makeup and cleanse your face of impurities.