At last, something new from one of my favorite brands, Colour Collection! I know some folks have been having trouble tracking down a Tupperware dealer in search of their excellent Color Intense Lipsticks, but I tell you, it's worth it. And now there's something else to pine after with the release of the Mineral Cosmetics Line and Age-defying BB Cream.

First off, I doubt that the makeup is actually 100% mineral - BUT there are no parabens or fragrance involved in the making of this line, and they also threw in some soothing ingredients like aloe vera, green tea, shea butter, and jojoba oil. The lipsticks are mostly made of oils, waxes, pigments, and silicates, so they can pass off as mineral makeup.

The powder makeup is mostly mica, talc, zinc, pigments, and chemical binders. So not entirely mineral makeup but they do have less irritants than the usual makeup. IMHO, that's a good job already because so many companies who got into the mineral makeup bandwagon are FAR from actually being MMU.

On to the collection!

They released five new shades of Mineral Lipsticks with SPF15: Plumberry, Creamy Coral, Satin Shell, Brick Rose, Smooth Wine. They're all pigmented and delightully loud!

Foundations even out the skin and soften blemishes, but they don't always give the illumination that our face needs. They usually have a matte or satiny finish so you may need another product to sort of finish off your face in a literal halo of light. Illuminators do this for you by having light-reflecting ingredients that create this subtle haze of light around your skin.

Sounds too complicated? It's actually easy to get illuminated! It's only difficult when you're using the wrong product - by wrong I mean too shimmery, too pigmented, too obvious. I love the Guerlain Meteorites for that instant ethereal glow but for a warmer finish, I prefer to use the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact in Bronze (P2,300).

Shimmer bomb? As the name suggests, the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick is shimmery in the pan. However, when it goes on your face, the fine shimmer diffuses and isn't really detectable unless you look closely. It's more shimmery than the Guerlain Meteories (which is more on the pearly side) but less pigmented than the NARS Laguna Bronzer.

Pigmentation and finish. At first, I was trying to get it to work like a bronzer by contouring my cheeks and the sides of my face with it.

My cherished hopes of having a quiet week has just been dashed. But it's ok, I'm up for the challenge! Before I dive deep into the workload, I just want to write a quick review of the Tony Moly Partylover Shine Blusher in Love Orange 03 (P378).

I find the name cute and funny at the same time. Partylover shine blusher? Images of crazy teens in sequins and glitter ala Katy Perry and Ke$ha come to mind. But this blush isn't actually that shiny. I'd say it has a sheen, but it's natural and quite wearable.

Shade. Love Orange is a rosy peach shade that will look good on just about any skin tone. It will blend easily with your skin so you don't have to worry about it looking obviously like blush.

I've had pigmented blushes before, but the Avon True Color Blush in Rose Lustre (P370) is probably the scariest of them all. This highly pigmented cheek color provides a beautiful reddish berry flush that would look great on morena skin. If you have fair skin, a sheer stain of Rose Lustre will look pretty natural.

The trick to using this is simple: when you use your blush brush (forget about the brush it comes with, it's useless) take most of the powder out on the back of your hand. This way, the blush will look natural on your cheeks and you can layer when needed.

I love my MAC blush in Harmony for contouring, but these days I am looking for something a little more softer for everyday. MAC Harmony is awesome but it can be difficult to work with if you're hurrying since it's quite pigmented - I end up spending longer blending out the edges.

That's why I wanted to get the NARS Laguna Bronzer. I went to the NARS store in Rustans to check it out but I hesitated because of the P1,750 price tag. I knew it was worth it since the two NARS products I own happen to be the best I have, but I don't know, I haven't mentally prepared myself to spend P1,750 that day! So I decided to sleep on it.

Good thing I saw this in a blog sale. I immediately snapped it up!

What I love about the product 

• Smooth, fine-milled and pigmented, but it manages to melt on skin instead of just sitting on top looking like makeup
• Incredibly long lasting. It stays on all day with minimal fading (at least on my combination skin)

Every girl should have a matte blush. It's the best kind to use when you're having your photos taken or if your skin is oily! Used the right way, matte blushes can look more natural than shimmery ones since your skin's natural oils somehow enhance them.

One of the prettiest matte blushes I've come across is the Majolica Majorca Puff de Cheek (P795). These blushes are housed in a tin can that's shaped like a sweet macaron, with the same colors to boot. Aside from the packaging, the biggest strength of these Puff de Cheeks are their lovely, flattering shades. Even though Majo is a Japanese brand, it seems like the Sugary Trap Collection is made for warm skin tones like ours. 

What I love about the product

• All four shades look good on me. My favorite has to be Apricot Macaron (OR302), followed by Peach Macaron (PK301). I don't have these shades in my blush collection so I find them unique.
• The powder is well-milled, with a velvety texture. It has a smooth, matte finish that don't sit on the pores.

Funny thing - a lot of blushes seemed to be named Desert Rose. I know Bobbi Brown, MAC, Lancome, and NYX has a Desert Rose blush somewhere. :P And now we have Color Collection!

The Color Collection Blush-On Duo in Desert Rose (P360) is an affordable, flattering duo that has a blush and contour shade. The packaging says it's matte, but the powder has a slight shimmer which is quite pretty when worn. I do like the very classy packaging and the wide mirror that goes with it - perfect for retouching while you're out.

While randomly browsing the Interwebs today, guess what I saw! A mega cute video of the Majolica Majorca Sugary Trap press launch! It was held at Bizu in Greenbelt, where we were surrounded with colorful macarons and cakes. Guests were also given icing, candy sprinkles, and sugar dust to use in designing our own cookies and cupcakes. It was the perfect setting for such a sweet collection from Majo.

Watch the video to see pictures of that beautiful Thursday afternoon.

Everyone also got personalized macarons with their name on it. Of course, we also received products from the latest collection. I've been using these delectable cosmetics lately and oh boy, they are such a treat.

If, like me, you have a problem with your round face and chubby cheeks, contouring is your best bet to a slimmer face. Once you've got the technique down pat, I advise investing in a good, long-lasting powder that looks natural on your skin tone. I love the MAC blush in Harmony for that purpose.

I like using this by itself when I wear heavy, smoky eyes and pale lips or with loud lipstick when a pink blush is too much. It's handy to have around when colored cheeks ruin the statement look you're going for.

What I love about the product

• Harmony is a matte, tan-brown shade that looks natural on my light-medium skin tone. Unlike other bronzers or contouring powders, this doesn't have the dreadful orange undertone that looks harsh on the skin. Love it!

I didn't like the Paul & Joe Creamy Cheek Powder in 03 (P1,000+) the first few times I used it. For starters, it's not even decently pigmented. It takes at least three layers for me to get the color I want. Also, the actual color is a whole world away from the one in the pan! I also had difficulty applying it as no brush will pick it up properly and apply it evenly; I have to use my fingers.

I eventually grew to like it though. After all, it gives my cheeks a gorgeous peach/coral blush that stays on for at least five hours. It's also not sticky, plus it has a really nice citrusy scent.

Of course, I can't not mention the beautiful packaging. As usual, this Paul & Joe product is housed in a cute plastic case that reflects gold shimmer and features a floral design on top.

I've been looking for reviews of the Shu Uemura Art of Travel Palette, but it appears that they are few and far between. From what I understand, this palette is travel-exclusive, meaning you can only find it in airport malls. I find that sad because this is a great palette that's not only convenient for traveling - it can also do sophisticated day-to-night looks with its high-quality eyeshadows and pretty Glow On blush.

What I love about the product

• Four highly pigmented eyeshadows that I find well-picked in terms of color coordination and versatility. There are lots of ways to combine them for day and night looks.
• The cream base is a huge surprise for me. On the pan, it looks like a boring white cream base, but it actually applies as a gorgeous golden shimmer! It reminds me of Bobbi Brown's glitter eyeshadows. The shimmer is very, very fine, and I prefer applying it on top of eyeshadows to give the eyes that extra "oomph".

• The Glow On adds a pretty glow to my cheeks as promised. I've owned a Glow On previously, and I really love the effect on the cheeks. The blush doesn't have a name, but I guess it is very close to (if not the same thing as) the Shu Uemura Glow On in M Pink 33.

I'm a sucker for bargains. I can't walk past an irresistible pair of shoes or makeup if I see that I'm getting more for my money than if I buy something else - even if I don't really need it. That's why when I saw this gorgeous set from Estee Lauder in Rustan's Makati, I just couldn't peel my eyes away from it! For P3,200 this is such an awesome find!

This box is as big as a laptop box

Ooh gold, the color of the season!

Mirror, pouch, and what can pass off as a mini train case

Like all good things in life though, there's a catch. To avail of this promo, you need to buy P4,500 worth of Estee Lauder products first. Good thing that I was buying some stuff from the brand anyway, so I took the plunge and blew P3,200 on the whole thing. You'll understand when you see what's inside!

I won't mince words with you: the Revlon Beyond Naturals Blush & Bronzer isn't a stellar product. I'd say it's so-so. Its only wow factor is how beautiful this blush looks on me! Unfortunately I don't have a picture to prove it so you'd have to go on my word, haha.

What I love about this product

• Looks natural on my face. The plum blush looks like my actual flush while the bronzer is a subtle shade close to my skin that makes it perfect for contouring.
• I get that "glowing-from-within" cheeks.
• Covenient. It saves me time blending and picking up two different products for contouring/blushing.
• Generous amount of product in the big compact. 

What I don't like about the product

• The powder is hard, so you may have to scrape with your brush.
• Texture is a bit coarse.

It's the weekend! How's it going for you? Me, I don't really have weekends since I mostly work from home. Right now I'm preparing to go to my mom's house, but before I leave, I want to share a product that I've had for a few weeks now: the Etude House foundation brush.

I find myself struggling to say something about this brush. Why? Because all I can think of saying is "meh". It's so-so. I can live with it, I can live without it.

What I like 

• No shedding
• Easy to clean with only baby shampoo
• It looks neat, compact, professional
• Relatively affordable for only sub-500 pesos

I've been checking out Youngblood, a mineral makeup brand, at Beauty Bar for a few years now. However, I never got around to buying anything because their stuff are too expensive! Think about it, ~P2,500 for foundation? That's a no deal for me. Sure, the products are high quality, but I still can't bring myself to spend when there are better and cheaper alternatives out there.

Just imagine my shock when last Tuesday, upon visiting Beauty Bar at the Podium, I saw a Youngblood makeup palette that only costs P995!

Whoaaa

I stilled my heart for a couple of minutes as I calmly swatched each of the two blushes, three eyeshadows, and three lip glosses. It was LOVE at first swatch. I immediately bought the palette without batting another eyelash.

If you really think about it, it's not natural for morenas to blush. I don't remember ever blushing in my entire life. Pink, healthy cheeks are Western Caucasian concepts. Don't get me wrong, I love my pink blushes - even though they're technically not natural for dark Asian skin, they still look flattering on me. That's the whole point right?

In any case, you know what's natural on dark skin? Peach and apricot!

Peach and apricot are the natural colors that our Asian skin change into when we blush, exert ourselves physically, or tan under the sun. I believe that every girl (Asian or not) should have at least one peach/apricot blush in her makeup arsenal since it could really warm up the skin and even make your face look thinner without the harshness of bronzer or contouring powder.

MAC Cheek and Cheerful Mineralized Blush from last year's Colour Craft Collection

I'm currently loving this blush that I bought from Sophie. I was skeptical of it when I firs

I am not a blush person. I actually don’t get why some girls have tons of blushes! I think a person just needs one peach blush and one pink blush. That’s just me though, because in the end it all comes down to preference. Anyway, I was looking for a blush that will serve as my everyday blush for the next year or so. I really don’t like scouting for blushes, therefore, I settled on one blush which was raved to be “universal”: the NARS Super Orgasm.

This blush, an amped-up version of the cult favorite NARS Orgasm has been reviewed extensively by a lot of magazines and blogs already so I’ll just give you a quick rundown.

Why this is so awesome:

•  The color looks so natural on my face (I’m light-medium with yellow undertones). Since I started wearing it, more people have been glancing at me. It might just be my imagination, LOL.
• Lasts a loooong time. Average blushes fade on me after 2-3 hours while this lasts me all day. It fades of course, but at the end of the day, when I’m just about to remove my makeup, there’s still a strong color. I have combination skin.