I went in the MAC store other day to grab a concealer, but also walked out with a brow mascara in tow. Well, I was overdue for a new one anyway! I was super curious about the limited edition MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set (P1,000), part of the Waterproof Brow Collection Summer 2014, so I chose this instead of the regular one. 

I originally wanted the color that's similar to Girl Boy, a golden blonde, but since most of the shades were already out of stock I went home with Quiet Brunette. Boy am I glad! It's a taupey brown shade with a reddish tint to it, just the perfect color for my dark hair. I think this is the first EVER brow mascara I've tried that doesn't require me to layer it with other colors. This is pigmented enough that I can just wear it straight from the tube, plus the color suits my hair and complexion. 

The wand is now small and conical so it's easier to coat eyebrow hairs without making a mess. Staying power is excellent - I've sweated quite a bit while wearing this, but it didn't fade or smudge at all!

Last week I organized and hosted the first ever event for bloggers by Burt's Bees in the Philippines. What can I say - it was fun! All our favorite beauty influencers were there so it was an intimate, chill event. We made some daisy flower crowns, had our pictures taken by top photographer Shaira Luna, and of course talked about Burt's Bees brightening skincare system, Daisy White. 

Photo credit: Ariane

More on these products soon! For now, here's what I wore last Friday! (If you're interested haha. I'm not an exciting dresser, truth be told).

The thing about having themed outfits during events you organized is that you have to be the best example for it, haha. I searched high and low for the perfect white dress, or at least all-white outfit, and I'm so happy I found this in Topshop!

The perfect dress for me would be something that defines my waist, slims down my arms, and shows off my legs (sneaky snicker). That sounds easy BUT IT'S NOT.

Have you guys downloaded Spotify? This isn't sponsored or anything - it's just that it's so awesome! With this app you can search for any music, discover new ones, and save them to play lists so you can access 'em anytime. It's free with ads, but the premium version is just P129 + taxes. Super super cool. 

Anyway, thought I'd start off the week with some quick swatches of the awesome L'Oreal Infallible Eye Shadows. I've reviewed these before so I won't go into much detail other than shade descriptions! I don't think these are available in the PH yet, so for now you can order them at Bon Marche, an online seller. You can find drugstore names there much cheaper compared to the local retail prices. ;)

Swatches! I love Bronzed Taupe and Golden Sage. I've had these for a while as the taupe in particular is one of my most-worn single colors last year! Continuous Cocoa is also a great shade, for sexy smoky brown eyes. 

My long nail polish hiatus has finally come to an end with OPI's new Brazil Collection for Spring/Summer 2014! It features the colors of tropical rainforests and warm sandy beaches to our nails and toes this season. The palette ranges from bright hues of red, pink, coral, orange, and yellow to earthy tones of taupe, sienna, mocha and jungle green.

In addition to the singles, OPI also has this limited edition mini-set called the Beach Sandies Liquid Sand Lacquers (P745) so you could try out some of the latest colors without going for a full bottle.

The bottles may be small, but the 3.75ml of lacquer inside should be good for about two to three uses. The brush is full-sized so application isn't affected. It's a great deal if you want to play with all the colors, but if you like only one or two, it's better to pony up for the full bottle which is P645 at Rustan's. It's really all up to you!

Here are my swatches of each color!

I was at an event one time just chatting with Donna of My Lucid Intervals. She's one of the loveliest people I know, both inside and out. I really admire how she's still able to blog, pursue her makeup artist career, and still be a full-time lawyer! People like her remind us that there's always time for the things we're passionate about. ^_^

Anyway, of course we got to talking about our favorite products. One of the things that came up is the Ellana Mineral Blush Duo (P450). This spiffy palette contains two blushes that are just - how do I say this mildly - perfect. The slight sheen makes skin literally glow and it actually looks better as the day wears on! Donna and I marveled about how a mineral blush has good staying power (5 hours) as well.

I have three of these, my favorite being the Kitten/Peach Passion combo, but recently I am "discovering" the Obsession/Fulfillment duo. Obsession is described as a "sheer raspberry red" while Fulfillment is "watermelon peach with gold shimmer". I love them both, as it makes my tired complexion look fresh in just a couple of layers.

See swatches and a look after the jump!

Yesterday I saw an interesting article over on TechCrunch. It's about Mink, a 3D printer for cosmetics! It is at its very early stages, so early that the demo isn't even a real one but just a simulation, but I'm pretty excited about the concept. It can print your desired color on an eyeshadow, blush, lipstick, or foundation. The raw materials or substrates I assume will be purchased separately, but in the long run us women should be able to save quite a bit of money from buying makeup in stores.

What Mink promises to do is provide us the freedom to choose our own colors. Love that lipstick that blogger is wearing? What, it's from Chanel? No problem, just "grab" the color from your screen using a color picker and then print that color on a fresh blank lipstick. Et voila! No need to spend 40USD on a lippie.

Working with retail brands, I am aware that raw materials are so cheap that you'd cry knowing how much a product costs to make. Wouldn't it be amazing to be able to create your own makeup from your house? Perhaps you can even start a business out of it, yes?

This technology seeks to disrupt the cosmetics industry by placing the manufacturing and distribution process in the hands of anyone who can afford the 300USD 3D printer. However, it's not quite as simple as it sounds. 

I've just recently discovered that my skin is sensitive which is why I constantly have minor breakouts. I just want to ask if you have any suggestions for hypoallergenic BB creams? One that is non-comedogenic since I'm on the oily side. Thanks for sharing! - Nina

Hi there Nina! Having sensitive skin can be a nightmare, but as long as you use new products carefully you should be fine. Just remember to do a patch test on the side of your jaw before putting the rest of the stuff on your whole face! If you're allergic to something in the product you'd see a reaction within an hour, but it usually takes a couple of days to know for sure. So, test it on that one area of your skin for a few days before fully committing to it. It's a hassle but this is the easiest way to know how your skin would react to your new find!

As you've requested, here are four hypoallergenic BB creams you can look into. One of them is a tinted moisturizer but it does what a BB cream does so I've included it. ^_^ I've picked them out based on the hypoallergenic reputation of the brands. Of course, you won't know what works best for you until you've tried it out, but at least we have narrowed down the options. Hope this helps!

The Celeteque Dermoscience Multi-Benefit BB cream (P325) has sheer, brightening coverage that should fit light to medium skin. This is great to start with if you're on a budget and is looking for barely there yet enhancing coverage. It's great for oily skin as it sets completely and has a matte finish.

Swatch of the Celeteque BB Cream. It's rather light but it blends on fair-medim skin after a few minutes. 

I loved the VMV Hypoallergenics Skintangible SPF30 (P1,050) for quite a while since it makes my skin look amazing! It's hydrating but doesn't make me extra oily. And oh, VMV is really the best brand for sensitive skin. They're so OC about it that they even created a rating system for how hypoallergenic their products are - don't quote me on this, but I think they're the first skincare brand to do so.

Remember a few years back when everyone was crazy about high heels? That thankfully died down, and now the fashion gods dictate that sandals and sneakers are the hottest things since sliced bread. I rarely see anyone in heels now - even magazine people, unless it's a very important event. Who has the time to suffer wearing tall shoes? 

I do still love wearing them every once in a while, but now I'm on a sneaker semi-addiction. Even more after I saw most of the stylish people in Tokyo wearing New Balance, Vans, and Converse sneaks! In the same vein, women are now going for more convenient, easy cosmetics. We don't want to fuss anymore - we just want something that requires the least amount of thought and effort. There's a good and bad side to that but I think we can all agree that easy is good!

Anyhoo, today I want to introduce you to something new from a local megabrand: the Human Heart Nature Mineral Color Creme Lipstick (P295). I'm not going to prolong this review. This is an excellent lipstick in classy packaging, and it reminds me so much of the Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited Supreme Shine Lipstick! It has the exact moisturizing feel and shiny finish.

However, as with the Shu Uemura lippie, this isn't particularly long-wearing. It'll take only two or three hours before it fades completey. That's alright though as it doesn't flake up when it dries - a quick retouch definitely won't feel gross! It's very similar to other balmy lipsticks like the Clinique Chubby Sticks and Revlon Kissable Balm Stains. This HHN lipstick just like you're applying smooth, buttery balm. It's super moisturizing.

Confession: last night, I spent seven hours watching a Korean show called "My Love From Another Star". It tells the story of a 400-year old extra-terrestrial man and a haughty actress set in the present. The story is good, and it's pretty funny when it needs to be! Love the characters, the wardrobe, and the makeup. You've gotta watch it if you have about 21 hours of your life to kill! One episode is like 60 minutes!

I don't have a lot of extra time lately but y'all know what I'm going to do this weekend. Watch it here if you're interested. ;) Do let me know how you like it, especially if you've already seen it. Thanks for the heads up Bea!

Anyway, since Korean makeup heavily figures in my mind today I thought I'd show you The Face Shop Style My Eyebrow Pencil (~P200). Koreans love their brows slightly thicker but at the same time utra light - no harsh lines must be seen, and the shading must look completely natural. This TFS pencil does the job!

It has a soft texture which makes it easy to shade and blend on top of eyebrow hair. It looks super soft when properly blended! It's a bit more pigmented than I'd prefer in a brow pencil, but as long as you use a light hand you'll be fine.

I'm baaaaaack. I was in Tokyo for six days but by the fourth day I couldn't wait to go home. Home is where everything and everyone I love is! While Tokyo is a beautiful and dazzling place I would honestly still choose to live in Manila. It's more fun here. Infuriating sometimes, but fun at the end of the day.

Somewhere in Ginza

Let me explain. Tokyo is a stiff, semi-formal place where most things are regimented. It's mostly different shades of grey - grey buildings, houses, roads, except for spots of greenery and neon-lit districts. It's great the first few days but then you'll realize how drab it is when you're not hanging out in a touristy place or out on a weekend.

I'm not saying it's not worth visiting again and again. It is. But I'd prefer it in only small doses, not the medium gulp I just did! I want to see it in winter next time. 

Anyway, here's the rest of my haul! I managed to get a few interesting beauty stuff and oh, I finally found a great watercolor palette! 

I grabbed these at HAC in Ginza. The store was on the basement of this building (can't remember the name, I'll update it after I check my pictures). Anyway, it sold snacks and lots of beauty products! It's much more organized and pleasant than Donki lol. Plus, it has European brands like Rimmel and Bourjois.

I got a Shiseido Integrate Gracy concealer (which was cheap as it's a drugstore brand), Rimmel Nude In The Box Palette, Bourjois CC Cream, and Hada Labo moisturizer.

It's impossible to miss the Anna Sui counters in Tokyo. They are all elaborately dressed up in ornate black furniture and touches of bright flowers everywhere! The cosmetics and small mirrors all look lovely - I wish I took some home. However I'm already pretty happy with one of the brand's fragrances, the Anna Sui Secret Wish Eau de Toilette (P3,950/75ml, P3,250/50ml and P 2,450/30ml) which I got some weeks back.

Secret Wish is a fresh, exuberant fragrance that features sparkling lemon, melon, and tagete (an apricot-scented flower) upon the first spritz. It then develops a sweeter, fruitier personality with pineapple and blackcurrant. It trails warmth at the end with white cerdar wood, amber, and musk.