Liz Asks: Should bloggers post their swag on social media?

One blog reader whom I follow on Twitter said that she's had it with bloggers boasting about all the free stuff they/we get. Sometimes Instagram can be flooded with practically the same photos when a brand seeds to its press/blogger list at the same time. It can come off as boasting and even (oh no) fake to the readers. It may make bloggers look swag-crazy and unobjective since we "love" everything that lands in our grubby hands.

Now, I post photos of the free stuff I receive if I'm excited about trying them, and if they're something that could be relevant to other people. I try to put in a quick review of the item if I have any impressions to share. While I do enjoy IG-ing swag, I try to keep it at a minimum precisely because I'm conscious of being misunderstood.

So why do bloggers do it? Like I said above, if it's a product that we're excited about then it immediately goes up on IG - if it's that good then all of us would be talking about it. It's also a quick way to thank brands for remembering us and for letting our followers know what's new out there ASAP. :) Of course, as with everything else, tact must be key. 

What do you think? Do you like seeing blogger swag or would you rather not? Why?

Fragrance hack: Travalo Refillable Perfume Spray

I got the Travalo Refillable Perfume Spray (P680) last Christmas, lost it, but recently found it. Hence the extremely delayed post on it after I promised to review it last December! Anyway, it's a pretty nifty storage solution for people who love smelling fresh during the day but hate bringing a glass bottle or plastic atomizer. It's also perfect for travelers who want to save space during a trip.

The Travalo is a small capsule tube that can easily fit in the palm of your hand. It has a clear slot in the middle so you can see how much liquid is inside. The spray nozzle and cap seem pretty secure and tight, which means that there are less chances of leakage and evaporation compared to the average drugstore atomizer.

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New brand alert: Make Up Factory

Remember when Make Up For Ever closed down here in the Philippines and everyone was sad? Well, now it's easier to move on with the brand that replaced it: Make Up Factory. It's a German cosmetics company that has pretty good products at a mid-range price point. And by "mid-range", I mean nothing over P1,800 with most products at P800 - P1,100.

I was just walking aimlessly in Bonifacio High Street when I spotted it. It's in the same space MUFE used to be, right beside Lush I believe! I love the sleek industrial feel of the interiors, and that they have a small studio in the back should they decide to host classes. But of course, the products are top and center. I swatched most things, and here are some quick impressions!

Okay, the liquid bases are pretty good. They're light, smooth, with pretty good coverage (depends on the line you get). I also like that they don't have that weird foundation smell.

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Love: Avon Totally Kissable Lipstick

I should rename this blog Project Lipstick and stop pretending that I want to write about other things. I have soooo many more lipsticks in line for a feature! But naw, I'm just ribbing you. I do love writing about lipsticks though, since they bring so much color and dare I say joy to my life. :)

Today I want to talk about an affordable yet awesome lipstick line: the Avon Totally Kissable Lipstick (P239). This came out last February I believe. To my great surprise, it has a better formula than the Ultra Moisture Rich Lipstick due to its longer staying power and less slinky formula.

Here's the rub!

What I love about the product 

• The colors are pigmented in two layers.
• Texture is smooth and creamy, like lip butter. It feels weightless on the lips. 
• Has less slip than UMR. Formula is more cohesive somewhat so it doesn't slide around if you wear too much. (Hope that makes sense!) This accounts for the better wear time.

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Shoe pornography

Are you a bag hag or a shoe fiend? I love shoes more, definitely. With bags I can buy a versatile one and just wear that out with everything in my closet until I get tired of it. I can rotate say, three bags only for a whole year! With shoes, I feel a compulsion to match them with the colors/mood of my eyeshadow and outfit for the day. Silly? Shallow? Who cares. It makes me happy.

Anyhoo I just want to share some of the shoes I recently purchased. Starting off with the notorious sneaker wedge! I didn't care for them at all...that is, until I saw Karrots wear hers while we're on a tea date. That's when I realized it could be wearable and cool - not just mindlessly trendy. 

Besides, I've always wanted to have Skechers sneaker heels since I was nine. It's a desire that really never went away! :P Remember those chunky platform and heels that the brand came out with a decade or so ago? All the cool kids had them so I begged my mom to buy me one. She thought they were too pricey (not to mention impractical) so I just had regular sneakers. Aw. Well, now I don't have PE classes to attend and I can buy my own things!

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Current skincare routine (first quarter of 2013)

Hi folks! How was your vacation? Hope you made it count. ;) I just stayed at home, built a new lightbox, caught up with my current video game as well as dusty books in my virtual library. Overall I had a great time (well, save for a failed attempt to hang out in Tagaytay aka Traffic Town). I would have loved to go to the beach though, but hey it is summer here all year round. I'll visit one of these months!

Today I want to talk about my updated skincare routine. A few of you girls have been asking me on the forum so I thought I'd write it here even if I didn't change many products from my last skincare post. I pretty much still use everything I wrote about there, except that instead of Shu and Bioderma to remove my makeup I use an underrated drugstore product: Bifesta! It's awesome. I'm using the Moist variant now and true enough it's less drying than the one for oily skin.

Day routine - simple and light, just right for this crazy heat

So what's different in my routine? My daily day moisturizer is now the Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF50 PA+++. I've had this for, oh, a year now but I just opened it last month. Long story. Bottomline, it's a great basic daily moisturizer that has the right SPF number to deal with the intense heat.

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A peek in Marcia Adams' garden

When I was very young I was absolutely certain that I knew more than my mother. How could I not, when I've read all these wonderful books and spent hours devouring all those wise-crackin' TV shows? Surely I understand the world better than she does. I'm smarter. I will do better, she'll see.

But now that I'm older all that hubris has faded away. I try to remember all the advice and little facts (from being sick to home-making) she's given me through the years, and what do you know - she was right all along. "What would my Mama do?" is a question I constantly ask myself these days. I don't spend time with her as much as I should but I think of her always. 

Anyway, a few weeks ago I got to bond with her on a trip to Tagaytay. Remember the Project Vanity x Ford contest? We rode the All-New Ford Focus with the winners and had lunch at Marcia Adams. It was a great Saturday afternoon just chillin' and eating delicious home-cooked food. Here are the photos! 

Leaving the city in style

...to find this secret garden tucked away in the borders of Tagaytay

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Launch and product information: MAC Archie's Girls Collection

I've been to a lot of parties and even throw some (modest ones) myself, but nobody - and I mean nobody - does parties like MAC. A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to attend the MAC Archie's Girls collection launch. In keeping with the well-loved comics' setting, the Mall of Asia activity center was transformed into a 50's paradise. There were sock hop dancers, vintage-y music, a jukebox, and a kissing booth. The food was right on theme as well with soda floats, burgers and fries, and mini desserts!

But of course the real star of the event was the eternal love triangle - Archie and his girls, Betty and Veronica. MAC released the Archie's Girls collection with two sub-categories. Betty had light, girl-next-door makeup, whereas Veronica had daring and vampy colors fit for boyfriend stealin'. 

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Summer scentsation: Clinique Happy In Bloom

The hotter it gets, the lighter your perfume should be. Your normal musky and woodsy fragrances will just smell off in the middle of the day - when the heat is the most intense - so it's best to spray on something fresh and light-hearted! Something floral, fruity, with a generous sprinkle of aqua. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? ;)

The Clinique Happy In Bloom for 2013 is a great summer pal. It's designed for spring in the US but even if we don't have that season, it works just as well for our summer. The cult favorite Clinique Happy now comes in this limited edition version, with new packaging to celebrate the special release.

It smells wonderful. It's not overly girly due to the touch of aqua, but it is feminine enough with top notes of yellow plum, a cocktail of frozen fruit, and watery green notes.

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Roses out of the blue

What would you do if you received a rose from a cute stranger? Beautiful love stories, real or imagined, begin that way. I was having dinner with friends when I received a teal rose from a good-looking dude. It had a small tag that says it's from Jorgen. I don't know who he is but no matter - it made my day!

The guy proceeded to hand out these lovely roses to every girl around our dinner group. I don't know about you, but I believe in the power of fowers. :) Just look at their faces! I'm sure they felt as special as I did upon receiving the rose.

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