It's that time of the quarter again - the dreaded writer's block. I can't seem to write anything worth pennies, and it's driving me crazy! I keep thinking of all the other things I need to do at work and it's extremely difficult to focus on beauty stuff when you're worrying about so and so. However, this should pass soon. Maybe I just need to buy more shoes? That usually kicks the block in the shins!

It usually helps to change my routine or explore a new place, as well. Talking about the things I like is easier and much less expensive though (lol) so here's a review on the MoringaO2 Malunggay Herbal Moisturizing Lotion (P129.75) for you.

(By the way thanks to Sample Room for sending me this! They had free full bottles up for grabs last January. Check them now for new free samples available.)

Not gonna mince words - this lotion is pretty good! It has moringa (malunggay!), sunflower oil, and olive oil to condition the skin. It's light and non-sticky (perfect for summer) but even with this texture the moisturizing power is not compromised. I've tried light lotions that are not very moisturizing short of slathering them all over, but Moringa O2 keeps the skin supple with only a relatively small amount of product.

Its unique selling point, however, is that it smells almost exactly like Elizabeth Arden Green Tea. Swear!

I'm extremely picky when it comes to moisturizers. I try something new once in a blue moon, but then I always end up coming back to Clinique Moisture Surge. That's one moisturizer that I know I can depend my life on. Others would break me out or cause my skin to look dull after a few weeks, but never my Clinique.

That's why I had absolutely no expectations from the Etude House Moistfull Collagen Enriched Cream (P898), even though it was touted to be the brand's best-selling product with 9 jars sold every minute. But surprise, surprise - it's actually pretty good! I use it interchangeably with my Clinique Moisture Surge Intense as they're very similar. Both are rich moisturizers that make my skin smooth and positively glowing.

They're similar in texture but the Moistfull has this strong jasmine scent. I love the smell, don't get me wrong, but if you don't like that in your skincare then I thought I'd let you know. I use only a tiny bit during the day (as in one small swipe on my index finger) as it can make me oily, but I'm more generous when I slather it on at night.

Quite a lot of you gals asked me this question when I posted Avon's latest serum. It seems that there's some confusion about the proper age for starting an anti-aging regimen, but that's the thing: there's no standard recommended age! Even anti-aging ads don't drop exact numbers as to when you should start using the products, if you've noticed. It's very vague. Here's why.

Your skin is unique due to genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Some women can look incredibly young for their age, while others are prone to premature wrinkles and sallowness. If you're lucky to have fabulous genes then good for you. But even so, excessive drinking (of alcohol), sun exposure, stress, or lack of sleep can hasten the aging process. Your skin won't be able to regenerate as quickly or as thoroughly if you don't do basic maintenance.

In other words, you should drink lots of water, wear sunscreen everyday, avoid alcohol and sleep as much as possible. I know it sounds trite but this is advice you can bet your life on! You will age slower if you religiously do all of the above - with or without a knockout anti-aging serum.

Anti-aging beauty products won't stop the hands of time. The best that they can do is brighten skin, fill in wrinkles and even re-inflate them a little over time, and plump up sunken areas of the face.

Last year, the big anti-aging story was all about re-activating our youth cells. Apparently, scientists have discovered a way to jumpstart youth by re-energizing some cells with a special ingredient. I don't know if there was any truth to it but I do know that most of the anti-aging products that came out in 2012 had that magic formula.

This year, Avon might just be headlining another new development in the anti-aging race. It appears that the new Anew Clinical Pro Line Corrector with A-F33 presents a different approach to anti-aging inspired by Nobel Prize-winning research. It promises to fade wrinkles in seven days by intercepting collagen-blockers.

Fair warning, I will be trying out a new anti-blemish serum after I publish this review, so don't be surprised if you see me talking about another serum just after I swear by this one! If I weren't a beauty blogger I wouldn't be going out to try new serums every time I empty a bottle. I would have stopped long ago at the Estee Lauder ANR, the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery, then Shu Uemura Tsuya, and now, the Kiehl's Clearly Corrective serum, which are all awesome products by the way. But I am a beauty blogger so I always have something new and interesting to try. 

Anyway! I'm here to talk about the Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Serum (P3,000), which I have been using since late November. It's an awesome product that helped me clear out the last vestiges of my old blemishes and prevents my new ones from darkening overmuch. Yes, this stuff works! For me at least. You'll see a photo.

What I love about the product

• Lightens blemishes with its main active ingredient which is Vitamin C. Now you don't need to put pure lemon juice on your face. :P Kidding aside this serum does lighten blemishes but it won't happen overnight - it's very gradual. I noticed lightening of my marks in about three to four weeks.
• Brightens and somehow tightens the face. I noticed that my skin has a smoother, super-fine texture. It's more like a subtly lacquered surface if that makes sense! 
• Helps heal pimples slightly faster because of its salicylic acid content.

Serums traditionally provide intense care and repair for our face. They usually have more concentrated ingredients in a clear, gel-like, sometimes oily solution for better absorption on skin. I was pretty excited when I first heard about a new serum for - are you ready - the body. How fabulous would it be if we can lavish our whole body in intensified skincare?

The Nivea Body UV Whitening Serum SPF25 PA++ (P219) promises radiant and whiter skin with ingredients like Vitamin C, licorice, red seaweed, and Hydra IQ. Does it look and feel like the other serums I've tried before? No. It's white, watery, and feels like lotion. I was a little disappointed because "serum" was the word that hooked me in, but for P219 /200ml I don't see how it could be more than lotion.

But I love it nonetheless. :) Three things: it's the lightest lotion I've tried EVER, it has SPF25 PA++, and has a pleasant citrus smell - no chemical sunblock-y scent at all! Did I say it was super light?

I raved about the Bioderma Crealine H20 Micellar Solution late last year, a French makeup remover that feels exactly like water. It's a great product but it's only sold in limited quantities here. Bioderma is also expensive for those who are used to drugstore makeup removers, which begs the question: what's an equally good, or (dare we hope) better alternative that's easy to find locally?

Friends, meet the Bifesta Cleansing Lotion (P419), a Japanese water-based makeup remover that's exactly like Bioderma. I believe that this brand was called Mandom before, but the whole line is now repackaged, reformulated, and renamed.

It comes in four handy variants for different skin types: Moist (dry and sensitive skin), Sebum (combination-oily), Brightup (dull and flaky), and Agecare (mature). I've been using the Bifesta Sebum Cleansing Lotion so it's the one I will review for now!

First things first: I love this stuff. This feels like you're just applying water to remove makeup. It's fairly simple to use, just squirt a full pump per cotton pad, wipe off the gunk on your face, repeat until 100% clean, and rinse. You can actually just leave your face like that and proceed to moisturizing if you wish. Bifesta cleans so well, that is can be both your facial wash and toner in one fell swoop!

I've said it before and I'll say it again: BB creams have come a long way. No longer are they thick and unwieldy, they're now more comfortable in humid weather, with a more perfecting finish. Well, the shade selection is still limited but if you fall in the fair to medium range then you shouldn't have any trouble.

Now three of the BB creams featured here are too light on me, but that's because I didn't get the chance to choose the right shade. That notwithstanding the formula of these BB creams are amazing! Here's why I highly recommend them. :)

The Fairydrops Candy Bar BB Cream is hands down my favorite BB cream ever. It stays put, matches my skin perfectly (luckily), and has such a flawless, photogenic finish. It's definitely something I would buy when I run out!

A lot of people don't like that this doesn't have SPF - it's unheard of for a BB cream to have no SPF! - but for me that feature is a boon. At least this product can be worn pretty much any time during the 24-hour day. It's not a big hassle for me to just use my preferred SPF moisturizer/base if I am going out in daylight.

Best for: girls with oily skin, who need a photo-ready face base. Light to medium range only (two shades).

Hi Ms Liz! What causes open pores and how do you treat them? :) I mean what are the remedies. Thanks!- Mikee

Hi Mikee, I'm not a dermatologist so I can't answer this with any authority. But hey, there's Google! First, what are pores? These tiny holes allow our skin to sweat and therefore maintain our body temperature. They also serve as channels for sebum to pass through to the surface of our skin; this oil lubricates our body and hair, keeping them supple and elastic.

The size of our pores is determined by the width of our hair follicles. If you have thick hair strands then you are most likely to have bigger pores. Not really a genius realization but now it makes sense why I don't have visible pores - my hair is very fine! Anyway, this also means that big pores are just in your DNA. You can't shrink them or make them disappear permanently.

Facial pores can look enlarged, however, if you don't clean them properly. Oil and dead skin cells can accumulate inside pores which may then stretch the skin and make the holes look more obvious.

Hi Liz! I just want to understand how the SPFs on multiple products work. If I use a facial moisturizer with SPF 15 and then layer it with a facial powder with SPF 15, does that mean that I'm wearing a total of SPF 30 on my face? I just want to make sure if my understanding is correct. If this is the case, then I can sparingly use a more expensive facial moisturizer with SPF 30 and then simply use the moisturizer-powder combination more frequently and I will have the same degree of protection either way. Thanks in advance for the clarification. - Maybelle

Hi Maybelle! Thanks for your question. I talked to a dermatologist before about this, and she said that it's not possible to layer SPF products to get a higher number. You will just get a higher volume of the sun screening ingredients, which means you get better protection, but it's still on the same SPF15 level. If you mix SPF15 with something that has SPF30 though, the higher number is the amount of protection your skin will receive.

Since we were already on the topic of hair removal, I thought I would smoothly follow through with a treatment I tried recently. Last December, I vamoosed to Strip Serendra to try out their sinful Warm English Gingerbread Cookie Wax and V-Blush treatment on my underarms. I love the end results! It's been five weeks and my 'pits are still super soft and fairly hairless.

Did I say five weeks? Yeah that's how good it is. The Gingerbread Cookie Wax is only offered for a limited time so I'm not sure if it's still available, but I would still highly recommend the waxing services of Strip. They are so quick to pull out the hair - one try, actually - and it didn't hurt at all.

Waxing was my favorite way to get rid of body hair, but most days I just shaved and called it a day. I don't really have time to drop by a waxing salon for an hour or so (including travel time), and besides it can be expensive if you must get it done twice a month. That comes down to P1,200 a month at a modest salon ha! I can buy better things with that money than getting rid of my leg hair, truth be told.

So, I embarked on a casual online hunt for electric hair epilators. Basically it looks like a razor but instead of cutting the hair close to the skin, the gadget pulls out each hair. Sounds like torture? Eh, depends on your pain tolerance. I'll discuss that later.

What is this sorcery and where can one buy it

I didn't know there were electric epilators available locally. The blog posts I've seen about it all talk about getting one abroad, or via pre-order. Clearly, my Google-fu needs improvement. Imagine my surprise when I saw one in Watsons Mall of Asia (SM department store area) a couple of weeks ago! I was actually checking out Baby Bliss hair curlers when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the mythical epilator. I knew I was going home with it, no questions asked!

Well there were questions asked because the first one I saw cost almost P7,000 I think. Haha. Good thing I rummaged behind the box to look for other models; the boxes look alike. The one I bought, the Philips Satinelle HP6400, is only P2,299.

Five years ago I wouldn't have looked twice at healing and repairing skincare products. I mean, what was there to repair when you're a girl of 19? Maybe I'm just ultra-sensitive because I work in the beauty and fashion industry, but I have noticed that my skin is becoming drier over the years. It's not as elastic and fresh as it used to be. Again, the difference may be unnoticeable to most, but since I write about beauty products day in and day out I am hyper observant of my hide. 

Anyway, my main skin problem is dryness on my hands and legs. My hands, particularly, are starting to feel crackly because I wash them so much (I have an active dog)! Thus I use a heavy moisturizer a few times every week to make sure that my hands are soft and smooth (my legs too). I love the Vitacreme B12 Body Milk but it's horribly expensive. I'm happy to announce a way cheaper alternative!

I received these Jergens Overnight Repair and Ultra Healing Moisturizers (P99/ 100ml and P342/650ml pump) a month ago and I find that they do exactly what they promise. These are heavy-duty, thick moisturizers that are designed to heal skin and restore it to suppleness.

The weather has been cold and windy lately. It's a great fashion opportunity (layering and cute boots, anyone?) but it's not so kind to our skin. I'm sure some of you have been suffering from dryness and even flakiness on the face and hands! I would too, if I haven't been using the Clinique Moisture Surge Intense (P2,600) this past month.

I usually get very dry come December up to February, when the season is colder than average. It's worse on my cheeks and sides of the mouth/ nose. It's kind of ridiculous that I didn't think of using a heavier moisturizer than I normally do but then again, I don't like that many moisturizers as much as the original Clinique Moisture Surge. So yes, the Intense version is a brilliant idea for people like me.

The CMS is a great moisturizer for oily skin in tropical weather like ours, but the thing is it doesn't give the necessary moisture once the weather turns. Intense is heavier, creamier, and is almost unrecognizable from the CMS gel formula except for the trademark pink jar.

Hey folks! Before I start with the review of my new favorite facial wash, I want to share a lovely comment that I received from Kim, a new Project Vanity reader (say hi!):

Hi Miss Liz! I'm a new follower of Project Vanity and I'm loving my stay here as a reader so far. Before I'd be a silent follower who would read every post religiously but never leave a comment. Your makeup reviews are very detailed and helpful but what I love most is the feedback section. It's a refreshing change from other blogs where comments sections are usually reserved for compliments and praises and whatnots for the blogger. Yours is very interactive and the comments have legit helpful content as well. :) Smart bloggers attract smart readers, eh? ;)

This is quite true. I am not able to reply to all comments unfortunately but I read everything as soon as I get them, and learn so much in the process. Like dupes of certain high-end products, application tips, and just general feedback on a product the commenter has tried. I also get ideas on what to post next time! So thank you, guys, for helping fellow beauty enthusiasts with your practical and unique insights.

On to the review! The Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleanser (P1,200) is formulated for oily-skinned girls who are also prone to pore blockage (blackheads). This promises to neatly absorb and sweep off all traces of sebum on your skin without actually stripping off its moisture barrier. Kaolin Clay, the public enemy #1 of oil, is its main ingredient.

The thing with kaolin clay is that it's so effective in absorbing oil that it ends up sucking your skin dry (at least in my experience). It's more commonly used in facial masks for deep treatments. How does it fare in a facial wash? 

The Bobbi Brown Illuminating Face Base (P2,650) aka the reason I can go out without foundation is now a mainstay in my routine. It has SPF25 which is always useful during the day, but most importantly, it makes my skin look amazing. You'll see a photo later. For now, lemme run through what's awesome about this product!

What I love about it

• The micronized pearl pigments infused in this cream base gives skin the perfect glow. You'll see a bit of shimmer if you look reeeeallly closely but when worn, there's just a can't-put-your-finger on sheen to your skin. Don't worry, it's subtle that it won't make oily skin look oilier.
• Helps makeup glide on better as it smoothens skin. It also helps keep your makeup look fresh longer, although it won't block oil in my experience.

My dresser and product storage space are literally close to bursting - and I'm not saying that just to brag. I'm actually in a mild panic about organizing, photographing, and finally using everything I received the past few weeks! I don't know how I can manage all the backlogs what with work plus three events I'm deploying in the next three weeks. -_- Damn I need an assistant.

Anyway! I just want to quickly review the latest Avon Skin So Soft products. I've been a huge fan of SSS since I was in high school, so I'm really happy that Avon is adding more targeted products to the line. My favorite out of the bunch is the Silky Moisture Ultra Moisturizing Body Lotion (P300). It's light and non-greasy, plus it smells like fresh jasmine. That always gets me - I love jasmine in skincare!

There are three new SSS sub-lines:  Soft & White (to help lighten skin), Silky Moisture (for long-lasting moisturization), and Firming & Restoring (to promote vitality and firmness).

If you watch Lisa Eldridge on YouTube then you've probably seen her rave about the Bioderma Crealine H20 Micellar Solution (recently renamed to Sensibio) a few times. It's a French makeup remover that has no scent, no sting, and feels just like water on skin. Micellar waters like this are all the rage these days (a favorite by models and makeup artists) because they leave no wet or greasy mess after it is wiped off.

Come again?

What's a micellar water anyway? Basically, a micelle is a cluster of surfactant molecules suspended in a liquid solution. These molecules absorb dirt and oil thus cleaning the skin without having to lather or emulsify. Cool eh? I found Bioderma very mild, however, it has a bitter taste - something you'll notice when you use it to remove lipstick.

Oooh my first time to try Laneige! Other bloggers have raved about the brand so naturally I want to see what the fuss is about. That said, I got the Laneige Snow BB Soothing Cushion (P1,950 with refill) a few weeks ago and have been using it every so often. Not as often as I would like, to be honest, only because I chose the wrong shade. 

First off, this is not foundation. Laneige primarily describes it as a whitening product with SPF which is pretty much how many BB creams are. The Snow BB provides just enough coverage to even out skin and give it a dewy glow, but it won't hide blemishes or pimples you might have. It's really more of a tinted makeup base that anything else.

Here's a quick rundown!

What I love about the product

• Gives a dewy, super natural finish on skin. It doesn't look like makeup because it's sheer and allows your real skin to show.
• Has SPF50 PA+++. That's a pretty good number if you're looking for extra sun protection!

Whew, what a busy Friday. How's yours? Hope you're going somewhere fun tonight. :D I just want to pop in and share a review on a soap I am loving right now: the Earth Therapeutics Loofah Exfoliating Soap in Oatmeal & Honey (price to follow).

I'm the type who can't take a proper bath without using a loofah. It makes me feel cleaner, as if all the dirt and grime are completely washed away. My usual routine is liquid soap + loofah. Simple really but a loofah soap like the one for Earth Therapeutics simplifies my bath routine even more!

It smells like honey, as promised. It's very relaxing in the bath but don't expect the scent to linger outside.

Now, I've tried other exfoliating soaps before but this one actually exfoliates.