Reader question: How do I choose a flattering eyeshadow palette?

Hi Ms. Liz and fellow fans of Prject Vanity. I have a problem with eyeshadow colors. I wear glasses and I recently bought the Urban Decay Basics palette thinking It was noob-proof and safe. However I ended up looking bruised or ashen. I know I applied the colors right because Ive been watching Youtube tutorials using the palette. I guess I cant pull off the colors like gray or taupe. Maybe because of my skin's undertones or the glasses? I really dont know.

Can you recommend a good eye brightening e/s palette for beginners? Probably those which already have complementary colors. Would you recommend peach-y and pink e/s for everyday wear? Thank you in advance and looking forward to your answers! - Aubrey

Hey Aubrey! This is an excellent question. Like you, I have noticed that cool eyeshadows do not flatter my warm Asian skin. Instead of looking wistful and slightly smoky, my eyes end up looking like they were punched. Not quite the effect I set out to achieve but over time I've learned to work around it (will talk more about that later). Allow me to discuss cool and warm eyeshadows, and how to pick according to your skintone.

Warm what? When it comes to cosmetics, "warm" means colors with yellow, red, or golden tones. If your skin looks yellowish or reddish against a white shirt then you're warm. If gold jewelry looks better on you than silver, yup, you're warm. 

Martha of The Beauty Junkee is warm

There's a host of eyeshadow colors from black, green, blue, pink to beige, so how do you know when a color is actually warm?

Click to read more ...

A friendly reminder

It would kill me if I don't take a break from beauty writing, so I thought I'd share something I wrote in a letter to a friend. :) The friend in question was having a tough time, and made a huge decision that he's been putting off for years. I just wanted to remind him that there is always a reason to be happy but that we must actively seek it first.

This is a reminder to myself, as well. It's ridiculously easy to be miserable, you know, so easy to just sink into it and forget about all the other reasons we shouldn't. But you must always keep your wits about you, just as you would when you walk into a poorly lit street in a seedy neighborhood. Be alert, don't panic, and do what you need to do.

Clinique Week: Chubby Stick For Eyes

People pay so much attention to their eyebags, forgetting that the skin on the eyelids darken too. If the lids are dark and uneven then you'd still look tired even if you concealed your bags perfectly. So always use a brightening cream (or for that matter, powder) eyeshadow whenever you can.

Yes you can also use concealer on the upper lids but IMHO, your eyes naman would look too blanked out and one-dimensional, if you know what I mean. So I recommend using an eyeshadow in a flattering shade - it doesn't have to be neutral, it could be something smoky or colorful.

Cream is a great formula for quick eye looks, so today I'm gonna talk about something new, the Clinique Chubby Stick For Eyes (P920)!

I must admit that I was quite skeptical when I first heard about this. I've tried a Clinique cream eyeshadow before and it was sadly disappointing. However, I am pleased to report that the Chubby Stick For Eyes is worthy of being part of the popular franchise! This stick eyeshadow is pigmented and stays on the lids for hours even without primer.

Click to read more ...

How to work with bloggers

A lot has been said about how bloggers should work with brands, but I don't think there's a guide on how brands should work with bloggers. I've been blogging for eight years now; I've been handling the social media marketing and PR of fashion retail (as well as, recently, food) brands for about three of those years. I thought I'd talk about what I've learned during that time. :)

But why now? Last night I received an email from what sounds like a very expensive skincare brand. The person promised me about P26,000 worth of products and services in exchange for a positive review. Oh, dear. Wrong move. First, I don't care how expensive your product is because that's not the main reason I would agree to review it. Second, I don't guarantee positive reviews (or a review at all, for that matter).

Now I sound like an asshole, but let me explain! If you're a brand looking to successfully work with influential bloggers, you have to understand what motivates them. It can't be denied that some bloggers are just looking for an easy freebie or a free meal. They don't care about their blogs and by extension who reads them, but they do care about what they get out of the gig, short-term. I don't advise that you work with them because you will not get the kind of exposure your brand deserves.

There are bloggers who do it for money. Hey, if it's a fairly popular blog then you can be sure that the blogger has invested a lot of time, money, and effort in it! The blogger has every right to ask for compensation to feature your product or advertise your site - and you have every right to say no.

Click to read more ...

Clinique Week: Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector

The thinnest layer of skin in our body is located under our eyes. It's a sensitive area, prone to hyperpigmentation due to allergies, fluid buildup, or excessive sun exposure. It also shows the blood vessels which is why some people have a bluish or purplish tint around their eyes.

The best way to solve dark circles (if at all possible in your case) is to get a lot of sleep and hydration. Drink water generously and don't forget to apply a moisturizing eye cream to keep that area elastic and plump! If your dark circles are hereditary or caused by age, then there's not much you can do except to use a bangin' concealer or undergo cosmetic surgery.

My point is that eye creams can only maintain the best possible version of your eye bags. They can't dramatically lighten dark circle or remove wrinkles, any more than what your skin would naturally allow. :) That being said, I do believe in using eye creams precisely because of the maintenance. When I stop, my bags look saggy, wrinkly, and ugh, papery. My current eye cream is the Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector (P2,450)!

This eye cream promises to lighten dark circles over time but I suggest you don't expect that. It does help improve the appearance of under eyes instantly due to the very fine mica shimmer in the formula and the slightest hint of tint.

Click to read more ...

Where to get product samples in Manila

Sampling is one of the best ways to discover new products, or old ones you've always wanted to try. Unfortunately brands here are not able to be as generous as their counterparts abroad. It has something to do with shipping costs, I think, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to get samples from high-end brands. They do have samples, just in very limited quantities.

So, here are three ways to get product samples in the Philippines!

 

1. Request from the stores and counters. High-end brands would often give GWPs (gift with purchase) to those who buy something from them. These are usually samples, but some would give full sizes (extra stocks or testers) if they have any. The key is to have good rapport with the sales attendant, and to show that you could be loyal to the brand if you find something to love. It's in their best interest to "convert" you then!

But what if you don't plan to purchase yet and just want to try the product first? Simple, request for some product straight from the testers. This best applies to skincare and foundation.

Click to read more ...

Clinique Week: Even Better Powder Makeup SPF 25/PA+++

There was a time when flawless makeup involved layers and layers of products on the face. Sure our skin was smothered in all that gunk, but the result looked convincingly pretty enough that we didn't mind. Thanks to technology though we have all these new face bases. They successfully cut down on the amount of liquids and powders that we need to combine to get that naturally gorgeous skin effect. 

One such base is the new Clinique Even Better Powder Makeup SPF 25/PA+++ (P1,950). This is a light to medium coverage powder foundation that promises  luminous, porcelain-like radiance that would give the skin a youthful look. That's a lot to promise, but I believe it delivers! I only wish it offers better staying power for long-haul days, but to its credit it's also a great retouch powder due to its super smooth, satiny texture.

That texture is really something. It's so fine that according to Clinique's Marketing Manager, they weren't able to stamp the logo on the surface of the powder! You'll notice that other Clinique compacts have that ubiquitous stamp. Even Better doesn't have that because it falls apart. To the touch, it feels creamy, almost (though not quite) liquid. It applies as a powder.

Click to read more ...

Difference between tinted moisturizer, BB cream, CC cream, and DD cream

Oh dear. Did you know that there would be a DD Cream coming out next month? It's from this nail polish brand called Julep. "DD" is supposed to stand for "Dynamic Do-All" since it has the skincare properties of BB cream with the color correction of CC cream. All I can say is - whatever.

When BB creams came out, people were truly astonished. There wasn't anything quite like it. Tinted moisturizers were the predecessors, but about seven years ago they came in very limited shades and textures. BB creams offered so much more - skincare actives that promise whitening, anti-aging, brightening, and a whole host of other desirable effects.

Tinted moisturizers gave us little more than a bit of coverage and moisture. BB creams promised to be preventive, and beneficial over time while providing much-needed coverage in an instant.

And then CC creams came to town.

Click to read more ...

Clinique Week: Moisture Surge CC Cream

Morning! So, I decided to do a Clinique Week because I've been receiving a lot of wonderful products from the brand lately. These are the latest releases so some of them might not be availble yet but you can ask your preferred counter to reserve. ;) To kick off the series, here's a review of something I've been using whenever I get the chance!

CC creams have brought a lot of confusion when they started popping out last year. What are they, really? Do you need them? It depends on your preference and skin type so there's no definite answer to that. But I can tell you that CC creams are specifically for color correction, with a focus on skincare rather than the cosmetic effect. CC creams are for treating and maintaining skin, not for covering it up the way BB creams would.

That said, I am loving the Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream (P1,850) because it is my ideal face base. I don't need to layer moisturizer and/or sunscreen, foundation, and powder on a day-to-day basis! I apply a generous amount on my skin, wait for it to dry, and voila - nice, primed skin that doesn't need layers of product to achieve.

Okay let me break that down in a neat list, before I degenerate into a raving maniac. :P

Why I LOVE the product

• It has this lightweight, non-greasy texture that melts on skin and somehow makes it look brighter. 

Click to read more ...

Judge yourself and others kindly

I was scrolling through Twitter earlier when I saw an article on Charlotte Tilbury, celebrity makeup artist. If you watch Lisa Eldridge or follow glamour magazines then you'd know who she is! She's done the likes of Kate Moss, Penelope Cruz, and Jennifer Lopez to name a few. She has a blog and YouTube channel, which you must check as soon as you get the chance.

Anyway, that article. Charlotte talked about how makeup transformed her life, how she always wears heels, and how her husband has never seen her without makeup. My first reaction was whoa, this woman has issues! It's sad that she can't trust her husband to accept her "natural" face and that she can't do the same for herself either. And what about her skin? It must be feeling smothered by that almost 24/7 layer of gunk. She's a makeup artist, she must know better. 

Image from Intothegloss.com

Those were the first few things I thought. But then, I read the comments, which is a habit of mine as I get more insight that way and a different view of things. I saw this particular comment and it definitely changed my whole perspective on the matter.

This is true. There are many terrible things that people do. At the end of the day, dressing or doing makeup a certain way shouldn't even be an issue. If a girl likes her made-up face better than her actual face then so what? As far as she is concerned her makeup is her natural face; it's really none of our business.

Click to read more ...