Ahh, lip balms. I have already lost count of all the lip balms I have lying around the house. However, the Human Heart Nature Lip Balm in Peppermint (P60) is special to me because it's the first all-natural, organic lip balm I've tried. It's the most affordable too!

It's a nice lip balm. It won't knock your socks off but its best feature really is the fact that it's natural, with no petroleum or other chemicals in the ingredient list. If your lips are sensitive and have a tendency to darken easily, this organic alternative may help you in the long run.

Texture and feel. The HHN Lip Balm has a hard, waxy texture that will really pull at your lips if you insist on swiping it.

If you've ever been to a Tony Moly store, you'll know that the place is stocked with beauty products from floor to ceiling. The Megamall store in particular is small but the first time I went there, I spent 15 minutes going through everything! There was just so much to take in. However, even though Tony Moly carries an extensive line already, that doesn't stop the brand from bringing in more, more, more.

Here are some of the brand's latest products. A few of these may not be available yet so better inquire at the Tony Moly Facebook Page to be sure.

It's a lot! There's something for the hair, feet, face, and of course TM's cute makeup. Oh, the makeup. They look like toys so I wasn't initially inclined to take them seriously. Well I do now after using them!

Berry Trendy Style Hair Glaze (P378), Backstage Paint Eye Pot in Lavender (P448), Shiny Foot Baby Skin Heel Patch (P178), Petite Bunny Gloss Bar (P278), Lovely Girl Eau de toillete (P748)

I love me a brand that innovates and constantly tries to improve on its past products. Human Heart Nature, for instance, never sits on its laurels. It recently released three new products for organic lovers out there. Check out the latest goodies!

 Kids Natural Shampoo & Body Wash with Protein Care System (P139), 100% Natural Lip Balm(P70), and the Mineral Eyeshadow in Enchanted Evening (P275)

I am super intrigued by the new eyeshadow palette, if only because of its lovely packaging! I particularly like the box, but other than that I think the dusky violet shades are quite classy and wearable.

You've already read my review of the wonderful Lip Perfection Lipsticks, so now get a load of the Cover Girl Lip Perfection Lipliner (P325)!

I don't normally wear lip liner because I'm lazy (hehe), but you have to admit that it's useful when you're wearing a really loud, hard-to-control color or when you want to slightly make your lips fuller. There's a ton of lip liner shades out there but the perfect color for you should be something very close to your lips. Think of it as if it were foundation - it evens out the color of skin and creates the perfect base for your makeup. 

I like the Cover Girl Lip Perfection Lipliner because it has a creamy texture, but not so creamy that it slips right off  your lips.

Lipsticks are the kind of products that drgustore brands do extremely well. True, prestige brands have amazing shades and textures, but you can easily blow P400 on a lipstick and you won't even know the difference!

One amazing lipstick line is the Cover Girl Lip Perfection (P395). It does everything a lipstick should, and beyond. Pigmentation, texture, shade selection, lasting power, and moisturizing properties are all ace - I'd say it's unbelievable for the price, but I have tried other cheap lipsticks that deliver these things well, too. The main difference of Cover Girl with the other drugstore brands is how slinky and moisturizing it is to the point that it feels like lip balm.

What I love about the product

• Rich pigmentation that goes opaque in one or two layers (depending on the shade). 
• Smooth, creamy texture glides on the lips. It's quite moisturizing so I suggest you skip the lip balm. Actually, you MUST skip the lip balm if you have normal lips or the lipstick will feel too slippery already.

It's a little mind-boggling for me that there are so many lip balm brands out there. You see, at the end of the day, they're all made of the same stuff and does more or less the same thing. The only differences are the packaging and how light or waxy they feel on the lips. 

No, scratch that. There is another important feature that oddly enough not all lip balms do well - that is, healing chapped lips. I had high hopes for Vaseline Lip Therapy because the balm feels light and cushy on my lips. Unfortunately, it doesn't do much for chapping.

Then again, it's also a matter of being "hiyang" to lip balm. In any case I don't often get chapped lips, so Vaseline Lip Therapy is nice to use for normal lip days.

What I love about the product

• Feels satiny and light on the lips; there is none of that icky waxy sensation when I wear this.
• Cherry tastes nice! It's slightly sweetish. It also smells nice - lightly scented, it doesn't have that strong chemical cherry fragrance.

Lip tints are handy for that pretty oh-I-really-didn't-try look or for those days when you're really in a rush and don't have time to dally with lipstick. The Tony Moly Berry Berry Magic Lip Tint in Green Apple (P198), I find, is a nice option to keep in your bag if you like hassle-free lip color!

What I like about the product

• Delivers a sheer, berry shade that looks even when applied. Love it! The clear green gel gets that berry hue once it touches skin. It leaves a stain on skin so the color lasts for a few hours.
• It's a bit like a lip balm so it's moisturizing.

It was raining cats and dogs plus half of Manila was stranded that night, but it didn't stop the launch of one of my favorite lipsticks, the Estee Lauder Pure Color last June 23 at Opus. I already reviewed the two variants, Long Lasting and Crystal, and the short of it is that I highly recommend EL Pure Color if you want to give your lips a treat. The lipstick is expensive (P1,350 a tube) but it's nice to indulge in if you're looking for something luxurious for a change.

Me and Liz of Estee Lauder

Beauty queen Priscilla Meirelles, pop songstress Isabella Ledesma-Gonzalez, sportscaster/TV host Cesca Litton and Fil-Korean radio jock, TV host and journalist Grace Lee presented the lipsticks to the press. Each of them represented a specific hue from the brand’s thematic color palette, namely: Coral Red, Plum, Nude and Pink.

I own quite a number of lipsticks but there are a few that I always reach out for. I have found these tubes to be the most flattering on my skin color, plus they can work with a variety of looks, from safe to risque. Sure, I like a lot of other shades, but these particular lipsticks will always be my staples!

Aside from their gorgeous shades, these lippies can be relied on when it comes to staying power and comfortable texture. They're also not the flaky sort as long as I use a lip balm as base.

Indeed, I love, love lipsticks since they can instantly make me feel pretty even though I'm wearing minimal makeup. They also have the ability to cheer me up and allow me to take on a different personality for the duration - imagine that power! Anyway, I'll stop gabbing now and show you my top lipstick picks:

L-R, MLBBs: Estee Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Bois de Rose, Bobbie Brown Lipstick in Brownie Pink, Guerlain Rouge G in Galia

MLBB or My Lips But Better shades are a no-brainer. They're the kind to wear when you're going to the office or whenever you simply want a no-fuss au naturel look. 

Estee Lauder Bois de Rose

Guerlain lipstick in Galia

I've already reviewed the Colour Collection Color Intense Lipsticks before (in a nutshell: awesome stuff), so this time I just want to share a swatch of my latest CC lippie. It's called Crimson Pink, a deep reddish pink that looks quite sophisticated yet very wearable. I imagine this as a rich complement on morena skin.

My CC lipsticks are some of the most frequently used ones in my rather extensive collection.

Lip balms are the kind of things you should keep lying around in case you need it - which is all the time! Me I keep a lip balm on my desk, current bags that I use, my jeans pocket, and my dresser. I can't stand dry, chapping lips so I take extra precautions. Especially now when the weather is cooler, sensitive skin tends to be drier.

One lip balm I love is the Mentholatum Lip Ice lip balm (P89). This lip balm brand has a cult following in Singapore and Hong Kong, so much that my friends would stock up a good supply before leaving for the Philippines. Everyone hoorayed when Lip Ice finally arrived in our shores last year - and I totally understand why.

What I love about the product

• Moisturizing without being waxy.
• Takes a loooong time to dry up on your lips, and when it does, it just sort of absorbs into the skin instead of drying up in flakes.
• Has SPF15!

I have already reviewed the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks (P450) so I'd just like to share swatches of the two new shades here. I think these came in a couple of months back, so if you haven't seen them yet, I do think one of the shades is worth a gander in your nearest Revlon counter!

Primrose and Coral Berry

I am in love with Coral Berry! I find it a unique lipstick shade that has a very rich, satiny finish on my lips. As the name suggests, it's a medium coral pink that looks great on warm-toned skin like mine. I highly recommend this to anyone - it's currently one of my favorite lipppies. It goes beautifully with peach cheeks and gold eyeshadow. 

VMV Hypoallergenics is not particularly known for its makeup, but from what I've tried so far, I would have to say I'm impressed (remember the Ooh-La-Lash! Volumizing Mascara and the Lip Glitter Gloss?). VMV cosmetics is quite underrated but I do hope that will change in the future since their formulas are ace, with the added bonus of being truly hypoallergenic.

This time, I'd like to share my review of two VMV lipstick formulas: Velvet Matte and Glitz. Velvet matte lipsticks are, well, as matte as you can get. They feel very soft on the lips and isn't too drying. Glitz, on the other hand, has a shiny, glossy finish that's very look-at-me. Here's a quick rundown of each formula's strengths and weaknesses!

VMV Hypoallergenics Velvet Matte Lipstick in Kitten

"Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of furr!" is a song that plays in my head whenever I think about this lipstick. Kitten is an incredibly soft lipstick - both shade and texture-wise - that's quite unique for me.

One of the most beautiful lipsticks I own is this Paul & Joe Lipstick C in Afternoon Delight. What an apt name! The cardboard packaging features a beautiful floral print in grays and fuchsias while the lipstick tube itself has Paul & Joe's iconic chrysanthemum engraving.

As with all Paul & Joe products that I've tried, this lipstick has a superb formula. It feels like lip balm, very thin and moisturizing. The finish is a hybrid of satin and gloss which makes lips look more supple. As for the color - it's cute!

I loved my ColorBurst lipsticks - they're one of the most-used tubes in my collection. That's why I had great expectations from the Revlon ColorBurst Lip Gloss (P575) which was released just a couple of months back. It promises to make lips "shine with killer color" and "pop with 5X more shine than patent leather."

Strawberry and Rosepearl

I was fervently hoping that these ColorBurst glossies would be an evolved version of the Revlon Creme Gloss, and yay, they actually are. They're thinner on the lips without that tacky, plasticky feel. They aren't quite liquid lipstick, but they give a nice color payoff with even just one swipe.

Here's a detailed rundown!

What I love about the product

• Not sticky or tacky, my number one requirement when it comes to glosses!
• Gorgeous shades that are quite wearable and pigmented.
• Color goes on smoothly and evenly, making lips look plumper and less wrinkly.

Head's up! Paul & Joe, the French-Japanese cosmetics brand, is releasing their latest collection next week at their Rustan's counters. It's called L'Horizon Bleu, inspired by that tropical and romantic place where the sea meets the sky. If you've ever stared off towards the sea's horizon, then you've probably seen the rich colors of swirling blues and sunsets that P&J has in this collection.

The ‘Twin Fish’ Bronzer (P2,250) is perfect for creating that light, glowing, sun-kissed look you want

Fabulous new Eye Colors (P1,250) give you a real sense of the movement of the waves. Choose from 3 fascinating shades. L-R: Adrift, Le Midi, Tranquility

Ultra Moisture Rich...Moisture Seduction? Yes Virginia, Avon has a new lipstick line coming out this June! The Avon Moisture Seduction Lipstick (P249) is built on their best-selling Ultra Moisture Rich line. They already have a winner formula in the UMR lipsticks, but it seems that the brand wants to push the envelope a little bit further by creating something ultimately more moisturizing.

The Avon Moisture Seduction line has 10 shades ranging from nudes to deep reds. It's infused with white swirls that seem to be lip balm, charging the colors with much-needed moisture.

Ribbons of moisture

What I love about the product

• Super moisturizing to the next level chuva. It feels like you're wearing lip conditioner. You definitely don't need to slather on lip balm before using Moisture Seduction.
• Zero flaking and drying. As in zero.

I've held off wearing red lipstick for a while because summer demands more flirty colors, but now that the mood seems to be coming to an end, the classic palette is back. But that's just me though so don't take my word for it. ;) Hehe.

Anyway, one of my favorite shades of red is this new color from VMV Hypoallergenics. It's their Lip Glitter Gloss in Cherry Fizz (P1,200), a bright red with silvery blue glitters. I know that this is probably sounding a few alarm bells in your head, but don't worry - the glitters are quite fine so they don't really show when you have the gloss on.

The Lip Glitter Gloss formula is closer to being that of a lipstick than the usual lip gloss. It's highly pigmented and doesn't have that goopy feeling on the lips. You only need very little (like one dip) to apply the color evenly, so it feels comfy and cushy when worn.

A week ago, a commenter named Audrephepburnfan left a question on my Ask Away! forum. Actually, it was more than a question - she left a review of one of her favorite products, the Lip Ice Sheer Color balm (P145). A few days later, someone from Lip Ice sent me a package containing their whole line. Coincidence? Looks like it!

Oh, but what a happy coincidence.

Two variants: strawberry and fragrance-free

This product is awesome! It's definitely worth all the raves. :D And to think this is only P145 (2 grams) and easily available in SM Department Stores and Watsons. What I like most about it is how gorgeous the color is. It has a nice glossy finish and comes off as a pretty pink, emphasizing the natural pigmentation of your lips.

So, for a change, here's Audreyhepburn fan's review of Lip Ice Sheer Color!

I'm currently using this product called LipIce Sheer Color. It is a clear balm which turns your lips pink depending on your moisture level. I have read reviews about it before I purchased myself one.

One of the gifts I got from Clinique is this sample tube of their Long Last lipstick in Blushing Nude. It's practically full-sized though! Anyway, I find the shade name amusing because it's neither "blushing" nor is it "nude". It's a very warm MLBB brown-pink lipstick that's perfect for a work-safe face.

I love the formula. It's incredibly creamy, moisturizing, and fairly long-lasting. I'm not that fond of the shade though - I find it too warm for my skintone, coming off a bit reddish brown on me. This will look good on morena skin, however.