Tokyo has a ton of tax-free tourist-friendly shops like Tokyu and Donki, as well as cheap-ass drugstore beauty products in Matsumoto Kiyoshi. That's why it's super easy to get lost in a shopping frenzy! I went crazy the first time I was here, but on my third time I now know what NOT to buy.

Number one on my list of NOT to get is cute junk. Yes, they are cute but they are junk. I'd like the idea of owning them but it is highly unlikely that I'll ever use them which was the case when I filled a huge carry-on of that stuff before. I am wiser now so I only get things that I won't be able to buy in the Philippines, or if they are considerably cheaper here (not likely but it happens).

Anyway, here's what I purchased here in Tokyo so far! I'll be flying back to the PH tomorrow so I might add more - we'll see. 

Can't resist a bit of kitsch at the underground mall in Tokyo Station! I got some printed stockings, floral eyeglass cases, leather case, and padded indoor flats. I wish I have more luggage space so I can get household items, but oh well.

Here are my few choice picks at Matsumoto Kiyoshi in Shibuya. A lot of beauty bloggers love the drugstore Shiseido eyebrow pencil so I got a couple of 'em.

Morning folks! Thought you'd be interested in the latest products from INGLOT. The Polish pro cosmetics brand released some exciting new things for Spring so let's take a gander, shall we?

Available in five subtle colours, INGLOT’s new HD Illuminizing Loose Powder (P1,195) will make your skin appear smooth and flawless. It features premium silicone powder and diamond dust, perfect for hiding skin’s little imperfections, leaving you looking refreshed and rejuvenated.

There are 5 new shades of INGLOT's popular matte lipsticks (P795)! These lippies give the perfect long-lasting matte look while providing ample moisture to keep the lips soft and smooth.

New colors to check out: #422 - True Purple | #423 - Bright Pink | #424 - Bright Cherry / Orange shade | #425 - Mauve Pink  | #426 - Deep Berry with purple and burgundy undertones

INGLOT'S Fusion Blush and Illuminator (P595 per pan) is a unique blush combining two complementing colors in one. The matte side of the face blush is ideal for defining and sculpting selected parts of the face while the illuminator provides a delicate glow. 

Hey guys, how've you been? Hope you're having a grand time wherever you are. Eveyrone's traveling lately because it's spring in other countries and summer in the Philippines - if you've got a bit of extra dough, it'd be a waste not to spend it experiencing a different place. 

I decided to go to Tokyo with my mother as I've been preparing for it for a while. Honestly, this isn't something I would have considered early last year - I'd much rather get a Chanel or Balenciaga with the money then. However, I've been obsessed with traveling in recent months. That, and drawing, is taking up all the extra space in my head. So here we are.

Anyway. thought I'd share some of my favorite pics here! If you're following me on Instagram (@lizlanuzo) you've probably seen these but I'd still like to have a record on my blog for posterity. Here's what I've been up to in the last few days!

Tokyo Beach in Odaiba. Odaiba is a man-made island about 20 minutes away from the Tokyo center. It has malls right in front of the beach, but people seem to enjoy casual picnics more. It looks like a favorite weekend destination by the locals!

Sushi in Tsukiji. I went to Tsukiji during my first ever trip to Tokyo. I literally only had an hour and a half to go around on my own, and found it by accident.

I've lost count of the number of intro paragraphs I started writing for this post. Maybe half a dozen? I can't seem to make any headway because cuticle cream is at its core extremely boring. Who talks about cuticle cream? It's not glamorous. It's something maybe more mature people would appreciate using. Lately however, I'm really liking the Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream since it smells so nice and it resuscitates my dying cuticles! 

Lip stains used to be known as the most drying lip colors available in the market. Sure theyre long-wearing and convenient, but since they were mostly liquid, they don't offer a lot of hydration to the lips. But times are different now. Lip colors (and cosmetics in general) won't succeed in the market if they don't give us exactly what we want - and a litte bit more.

Cue in the L'Oreal Paris Shine Caresse Lip Stain (P595). It promises to provide long-wearing color with the shine of a gloss and the feel of a lip balm. They came out in 2012 and become hugely popular because of the 30% water and 60% oil formulation, as it's so much more hydrating while feeling weightless at the same time. 

I have here three new shades from a new line called Pearly Shine: Flora, Luna, and Ruby. I don't have the original Shine Caresse products with me, but based on swatches online, the Pearly Shine looks like it's more sheer and sparkly than the first formula.

Here's a quick rundown on these intriguing stains!

As you read this, I am on a plane to Tokyo. The place is probably the greatest love of my young life so far and I am eager to continue the romance where we left off last November! Flowery words. I hope there are still some cherry blossoms in the parks, because they're the main reason I planned this trip. I doubt I'll see more than a few wilted ones this late, but I don't mind - there's always next year!

Sooooo anyway I thought I'd share with you my favorite ever kikay kits. These pouches are with me when I travel because they're stylish, roomy but compact, and are specifically designed to fit makeup. Here they are and why I love them!

This Ellana Cosmetic Bag (P213) is my top pick because it's perfect. It fits a full face of makeup while still keeping the boxy shape, plus it has lots of compartments for the OC organizer in you. I brought this with me to Tokyo last autumn, and in recent months it has also double-timed as a pencil case. Haha. Stocks are already super limited though so better hurry if you want it. ;)

Next up, the new pouch from Happy Skin! I got this from their summer launch event, but you can actually purchase this for only P499 at Plains & Prints. If you don't want to buy it it's a GWP for every P3,500 Happy Skin purchase at Rustan's and Beauty Bar.

Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be, Doris Day croons to a rapt audience. The song is beautiful, but I can't help thinking it is overly fatalistic. The future isn't ours to see, yes, but it can be ours to shape. We just need to stop believing that we have no say on how we'll end up, or the kind of person we'll be!

Well yeah, we don't have control on the great cosmic scheme of things but within our own lives and timeline I think we can be so much. We just need to know and work towards it.

So good morning! For my fourth post on Skincare Week, I have a high SPF lip balm. ^_^ Check out the VMV Hypoallergenics Armada Lip Balm SPF60+ (P770)!

I thought you'd like to know about this because most of us tend to focus on "sun-proofing" our bodies but neglect the lips. Our lips, one of the most sensitive areas of skin, receive the same sun exposure as the rest of our face. But do we protect it properly?

SPF20 is a good number to start but with summer this hot, it's important to increase the protection even if you're not at the beach. That's where the VMV Armada Lip Balm comes in, with its cool SPF60 and full-spectrum bad-assery!

Coverage is my best friend when it comes to powders, but since it's summer I prefer sheerer, lighter products on my face. I mean, seriously, who has the time to deal with icky cakey products when you're sweating buckets uder the sun? So lately all I've been wearing are super thin liquid bases, mineral makeup, and this - the Revlon Nearly Naked Powder (P525).

Here's a rundown of why I think this powder is totally worth a trip to the counter!

Coverage. This powder has sheer but decent coverage, just enough to even out your skin if you prefer to use it alone, or to set your makeup. It's also a great retouch powder! It won't look cakey no matter how many layers you pat on. (Within reason of course)

Texture. The texture is extremely smooth and silky. I daresay it's the best-milled drugstore powder I've tried to date. When I touch it barely any product sticks to my fingers - this makes the Nearly Naked ideal for setting concealers, liquid/cream foundations, and for removing shine during the day. It doesn't feel heavy at all.

Finish. It's matte, with a petal-like effect on skin. I mean, just look at this picture of me wearing it. I just applied it on top of the Nearly Naked Liquid Foundation, a bit of concealer, and it looks lovely already! No need for extra products to achieve the matte-yet-healthy skin finish.

Have you heard of the concept "basic bitch"? A basic bitch is someone who is a cliche and a conformist. She likes what everybody else likes - basic clothes, music, books, basic anything. Think Sex and the City, Marilyn Monroe "quotes", pictures of lattes and shoes, pink clothes, and so on. She is boring, fake, and mediocre.

No one would of course admit to being basic, but I really wouldn't take it seriously. So what if the Internet has classified you as a basic bitch? You like what you like. That doesn't define your entire life and identity! I think I'm a basic bitch in many ways, but I'm also non-basic in other ways. I wouldn't lose sleep about it. ;)

On to Skincare Week! Here's another facial wash that I've been enjoying lately: the Bobbi Brown Lathering Tube Soap (P1,600). This is a cleanser that also promises to remove makeup - by that alone, I'm sold! Lazy ol' me is always on the lookout for products that can quickly take off gunk on my face as soon as I get home. This looked like it'd be perfect, and I'm happy to report that I'm not disappointed.

The truth is I don't have much time to stress out about makeup. When I'm doing something - anything - not makeup related, it's the farthest thing from my mind. Is my lipstick looking like a rusty wall of red/orange/purple/pink paint? Am I now super oily that I can fuel a small lamp for a few hours? I DON'T CARE. Cheesus, worse things can (and have happened). I'm vain but it's a detached kind of vanity in the sense that it has stopped consuming me.

Yes, I retouch, but I prefer not to unless it's absolutely necessary. The thing is I have a selection of products that work really well for me, enough that I don't look like a sorry mess after say half a day. ^_^ So, that being said, here's what my face looks like after six hours with zero retouching during the day. If you're interested!

Oily and tired-looking, but happy (because I got new shoes again :P)

I just used the Revlon Nearly Naked Liquid Foundation, MAC Studio Finish concealer, and then the matching Nearly Naked Powder.

I've read someone describe herself as a "shower gel whore". It just means that she has no loyalty whatsoever to any particular body wash, which made me think, am I like that too? A quick scan of my bathroom will show maybe five or seven different kinds of washes, but the truth is I really only use one regularly. Two, but only when I feel adventurous. :P I'm definitely up to try anything I receive as a gift, but I will only buy my favorite.

These past couple of months, it's been theThe Body Shop Honeymania Shower Gel. I LOVE THAT STUFF SO MUCH. It gets me in such a good mood every time I use it, and my place smells fabulous afterwards. It's definitely high up in my repurchase list!

Still, I was pretty psyched to receive The Body Shop's Olive Shower Gel (price to be updated). This surprisingly smells fantastic as well - it has an energizing, sharp scent that makes me feel charged in the morning. It's not olive-y at all, more like a green acqua with some florals thrown in. 

Other than the invigorating scents, I love The Body Shop's shower gels because they don't dry out my skin.

Hello Ms Liz and all the readers :) I hope you could answer my question. I recently tried another variant of shampoo kasi I was getting tired of the scent of the old one. I just started two days ago and just today I noticed a few bumps on my forehead near the hairline. I don't know if it's the shampoo or the hormones as my period's approaching. I just wanna know how I can avoid getting serious breakouts caused by hair care products in the future and how to distinguish them from a normal breakout. Thanks! - Nerys

Hi Nerys! This is an excellent question because I feel that a lot of us may be unaware that hair products are as guilty of causing breakouts as skincare. Thing is, whatever's applied there and on our scalp can easily migrate to our face! When I was younger i would ALWAYS get pimples and I can never tell what causes them. Until I switched to my current (and unglamorous) shampoo - Head and Shoulders - the pimples did not stop.

I invest in good skincare but so far there is only one shampo that doesn't break me out after regular use. So yeah, this is pretty important! I've gone through a LOT of breakouts caused by hair products, so my advice is to observe a new hair care product closely the first couple of weeks.

So how will you know if you shampoo is breaking you out? Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Do you usually break out on those sections of your face/body? Usually, breakouts caused by hair products happen on the chin and near the hair line. If you don't normally get pimples there, then it's likely your new hair care is causing it.

Even if you're breaking out somewhere else, it might be because your hair tends to touch that area (like the cheeks and back). 

2. Is it the only new thing you're using? I strongly recommend using new products only one at a time so you can isolate any effects you get from them. I know how exciting it is to use new things all at once, but a bit of restraint and patience will save you a lot of trouble and backtracking in the long run!

How was your long weekend? Mine was very quiet as I just stayed at home painting and working. ^_^ Anyway, this week I thought I'd do Skincare Week, where I will be talking about excellent products you can use to nourish and protect your skin. We all need a few of those! Hopefully this week you can discover awesome additions to your current skincare routine.

To start off, I have a unique find for you: the Avon Skin So Soft Fast Hydration Body Gel Lotion (P330). I've tried quite a host of body lotions but it's my first time to see a legit gel one! I mean, gel face moisturizers are easy to find, but it's rare to see one for the body in the PH. That's why I was pretty excited to hear about this latest innovation from Avon!

So what's up with this gel moisturizer? It literally feels like you're applying water on your skin - it's light, quickly absorbed within seconds, and leaves no greasy residue. It smells very fresh and clean and has this cooling effect due to the alcohol content.

At first I thought that having SD Alcohol-40B in the ingredients list is counterintuitive as alcohol is known to be drying.

Hi, Ma'am. I'm a fan of your blog and have been reading it since before. I would just like to ask some advice on make-up. What brands can you recommend, taking consideration of the budget since I'm a senior in college (still depending on allowance. Huhu.) on these following products:

1. BB Cream - matte finish
2. Lipstick - nude pink or the natural pink // super hydrating, please because I've tried a lot of lippies and after a while, my lips are cracked already
3. Concealer - to cover my eye bagsss (from lots of sleepless nights studying)
4. Blush and Bronzer in one - I find it cute to have a gold shimmer along the blush 
5. Pressed powder - mineral 
- Tricia Chua

Hi Tricia! Thanks for sending this message! It takes me back to when I was in college myself, and struggling to buy nice makeup on my allowance. I remember eating P20 palabok (a noodle dish) for lunch, which worked out very well as I am a HUGE fan of it. I can eat it everyday! :P

Anyway, I've answered your questions a few times in the past, but I'm answering it here again based on your exact preferences. I highly recommend these products! They are not mega cheap but that's because they are totally worth what you'll pay for them. None is over P800.

Here goes! 

Etude House BB Cream Cotton Fit (P795). This is a matte finish BB cream with mid to full coverage and SPF30. It's a great everyday base since it has sun protection, plus it does a great job of brightening skin! This is the most expensive thing you'll need to get, but there's a lot of product in the tube and the quality is at par with high end bases. It's a pretty good deal for the price, IMHO.

Yesterday I read Lourd De Veyra's blog post about his thoughts on the Filipino Holy Week. He made a lot of relevant points, but what spoke to me the most is his introduction of the "bliss station". It's "a room, or a certain hour or so a day, where you don't know what was in the newspapers that morning, you don't know who your friends are, you don't know what you owe anybody, you don't know what anybody owes to you. This is a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be."

I didn't know it until yesterday but apparently my bliss station is where I lay out all my painting and drawing materials on the dining table. It's the part of my day where I don't care about anything else except creating something and exploring what I can do with what I know about painting (so far). ^_^ What or where is your bliss station? Will you be doing more of it this long weekend?

Anyway I just want to quickly show you something I purchased recently: these white blocky sandals from Stradivarius!

The Pixy BDJ Exclusive Box just arrived in everyone's doorsteps last Saturday but there's already a lot of buzz around it. Why? Because it's filled to the brim with full-sized products! There are three lipsticks, three foundations, one blush, mascara, and eyeliner. Seriously, who wouldn't be happy to receive a full makeup kit for only P580? That's why BDJ Box is such an awesome service to subscribe to!

But wait, what is Pixy? It's a new drugstore brand set to arrive soon in the Philippines. It's huge in Indonesia with its Japanese-themed cosmetics and super affordable prices. Elsewhere, they are distributed by Mandom Beauty, a Tokyo-based company famous for products such as Gatsby, Bifesta, and Lucido-L, to name a few. 

Pixy's prices here range from P265 to around P500 only. It's not yet available anywhere in the PH at the moment, but it will be out in major drugstore chains soon. ;) So check it out then! In the meantime, consider this as the sneakiest of previews.

Are you ready to see what's inside?

The thing about sharing your thoughts and life online is that people form an opinion on who or how you should be. I think everyone is entitled to have that opinion - if you're free to think or talk about whatever, everyone else is darn well free to do the same! That's why I'm always super chill about any critical comments I occasionally get here. What people think of me is not equivalent to who I actually am. It's healthy to know the distinction!

That's my advice for you today: have a strong sense of who you are and what you're worth, so that when the time comes these are challenged (because they will be), you know how not to be lost.

Anyway, I have a skincare product for you here: the Philosophy Hope In A Tube Eye and Lip Firming Cream (~P1,900). I've been using this for about three months now and it's been pretty great! It didn't magically remove my under eye circles and lines overnight, but I've noticed that they just look fresher - I often don't even need to wear under eye concealer. When I do, I can get away with just sheer brightening ones.

Philosophy claims that Hope In A Tube has antioxidants and vitamins but I've observed that they are rather low in the ingredients list. The main components of this eye/lip cream is water, squalane, glycerin, mineral oil, and petrolatum.

In any long-term relationship, sometimes, you just run out of things to say. Perhaps it's the lack of something new to explore, or the absence of inspiration and interest. How do you stay interested in something or someone for six years? 

Commitment, however, is not a passive thing. You choose to stay interested and to say something even when it bores you sometimes. You choose to keep the relationship because it's part of your identity and it keeps you happy. That's why I still blog, even when I feel like doing something else. It's just who I am. 

In addition to that: The thing about trying to write as quickly as possible is that I don't get to say everything I already take for granted in my head. There are simply days when it is difficult to do what I need and want to do, but often it's as easy as breathing air. There are rough patches in any relationship, but I choose to step over them instead of getting caught up. At the end of the day, it's not really an issue.

Anyway, it's time for my monthly hit list! Here are ten things that I loved last March. ^_^

Not gonna lie - the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in 45 L'Adoree is rather drying, but I love it because the color is so unique and sophisticated. As The Rolling Stones would say - you can't always get what you want! But this color is what I need. (Naks)

I adore the super shiny formula of the Revlon Colorburst Lacquer Balm. My fave shade is Flirtatious - it's such a fun color to wear! It reminds me of chilled fruit juice, haha. I'm always up for complexion-brightening colors like it.

The Clinique Cheek Pop in 01 Ginger Pop is a beautiful warm color that's perfect for summer. It has a buildable formula that blends on my skin seamlessly. Ginger Pop is definitely a welcome change from pink and peachy blushes!

Bright lipsticks are easy for me to wear since I seem to have an undertone that works with lots of colors. Nine times out of ten, a bright lippie looks good on me! I'm lucky in that sense. Finding nudes and MLBBs though are a bit tricky. I look nice in them, but nice just doesn't cut it. If I'm going to wear something not-so-exciting, it might as well be extremely flattering! Does that make sense? :P

Anyhoo, as promised, here are the swatches of the new Happy Skin Turn Up The Heat set! These three Shut Up & Kiss Me Lippies (P549 individually and P1,249 for the three) are all gorgeous, but my favorite - my absolute favorite lippie right now - is The Morning After. Check it out!

The formula feels more hydrating (I don't wear lip balm anymore) and applies more pigmented than the first wave of Shut Up & Kiss Me Lippies. One swipe, and I get such rich color! These also stay on better, around five hours even when I drink or eat (lightly). Note that the first lippies were amazing already, but this new set just pushed the envelope. 

Summer Crush, Sunset Kiss, The Morning After