Have you guys heard of Hayan before? It's a Korean beauty brand that has been in the Philippines for a year now, with 18 branches already opened as of this month. It seems to be quietly successful so far - I can see why! Hayan's products are quite affordable. According to the brochure (which I will attach for your review later), there is nothing over P500 in the skincare line, and the P390 BB cream is the most expensive makeup they have. 

Of course, I had to try the makeup. I'm always on the lookout for inexpensive products to recommend to girls who want to beautify on a tight budget, particularly students who are building their first makeup kit. I'm happy to say that there are a few things here that are worth the purchase - whether you're trying to scrimp or not!

The packaging of Hayan products are surprisingly nice considering how affordable they are. Most of them come in a matte black box, with the appropriate product information. The cases look fairly sturdy and solid, again, not bad for the price.

The quality of the products are nice - some nicer than others, exceeding my expectations - but you do have to remember that they are affordable for a reason. :) They won't smell as good or feel as light as more expensive Korean brands. Imagine our local drugstore makeup, but Korean. They work well and look good, but you must adjust expectations.

That said, I want to show you a look I did with all of the Hayan stuff above. ^_^ I will also be discussing my favorites briefly!

If you've been to bikram or hot yoga then you know how foolish it is to wear makeup. Sweat would literally soak your clothes and pool at your feet as if you got fished off a river! You can even wring water off your outfit when you're done. But, being vain little ol' me, I decided that if I can find makeup to last a class, then I would wear it so I won't look like a ragged mess when I'm done. I know that no one really cares what you look like after yoga, but I do! 

Thankfully, I've found a few products that can look good through a yoga class. Don't get your expectations up though: they will fade when the sweat starts pouring out, but at least they won't completely disappear. I also make sure to dab my towel instead of wiping my face, to keep the makep intact. That said, here's the trio I usually have on whether I'm doing hot or vinyasa (flow) yoga.

The most important thing, of course, is having eyebrows! The K-Palette Lasting 2-Way Eyebrow does well under pressure. It fades, but at least it doesn't run down my face.

Dressing beautifully isn't about the clothes you wear or the face and body that you have. It's about being secure in your identity, about being confident and accepting of all the things you are (and are not). This self-awareness combined with self-confidence is then reflected in your attitude towards fashion.

Example, a woman wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. She can leave the house thinking, "Oh gosh I look so plain and boring", "My shirt makes me look fat", or worse "I'm wearing this so I don't get any attention because I'm not worthy of any attention". She'd be hunched down and timid when dealing with people, and others won't really see her outfit beyond how she sees it herself. 

But then she can also see it differently.

Sugar, spice, and everything nice would be the best words to describe MAC's latest collection: Baking Beauties! I like that it's not overly saccharine with the pink, cream, and mint; the dark lipstick and luscious new Paint Pot shades are an interesting contrast to what could've been a bland sweets-inspired collection. 

I managed to attend the launch of this collection in Glorietta two Sundays ago, so I have some pictures of the demo! (Don't worry, the rest of the branches only had BB last weekend). The makeup artist, Noel, did the Baking Beauties look on the model of the day. That would be dramatic chocolate eyes and a pale pink lip, same as the promo images.

Bare faced and ready to go

The Paint Pot in Eclair was applied all over the lid, almost up to the browbone.

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.

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.

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.

I think I've officially given up on fashion blogging, at least, with a proper camera. It's just not comfortable for me to lug around my chunky Canon and even if it were it's awkward to grab random people to take a photo of me. It's more "acceptable" to request for an outfit shot using my iPhone 5 (powered by Smart LTE of course hehe). The picture is clear and I love adding vintage-y filters on Instagram.

This is what I had on yesterday - a dress and scarf from the Marc by Marc Jacobs S/S 13 collection. Thank you SSI! I enjoyed wearing this look although it's not my usual. And hey, that scarf-on-waist thing is brilliant! You can even do that with jeans and a plain white top, which was also done at the runway show.

So last night I guested again at my favoritest podcast ever, Live Love Lolz. Would you believe that the show is already on Season 3? It honestly feels just like yesterday when the host (and my friend), Karrots Nazareno enthusiastically talked about her latest venture.

I have been online shopping at shops like digitaltraincase, stuffinstyle, makeuphub, redgirlshop and others. I keep seeing those words "authentic" on some brands. For example, Authentic BenNye Banana, authentic Mac.. Etc. what does authentic actually mean in terms of makeup products? I researched definitions of authentic, its like a veryclose replica of the original. Another definition is, it is made the same way. So what is it with shops adding "authentic" to their products, because sometimes I doubt if its oroginal or its whatever. So what is it really? Is it fake products if theres "authentic" in it? - Maggie

Sounds like a straightforward question, but not really! Authentic means "genuine" or "original". If an online store claims that its products are authentic then hold them to the fact that their wares are the exact same ones sold in retail locations. If they say their Benefit Hervana Blush is authentic, then it should be exactly what Benefit sells in its Greenbelt store.

Digital Traincase is a store I trust 100%! Stuff in Style too.

But it gets confusing once a store claims that its products are "Singapore authentic", for example. Perfumes, cosmetics, and bags are usually tagged as such. The sellers would even post elaborate descriptions and photos to prove that their products are not bootlegged from China or something. (Even though most things are made in China these days anyway.)

So are they fake or not? They're fake. :) They might even be a class A or B replica, which means that the products almost look like the real thing, but make no mistake - they are not authentic.

Congratulations, you just scored your first series of job interviews! You've hurdled college with everything you got, but now it's time to embark on a new journey - one that is considerably tougher and more unpredictable. You need all the advantage you can get. There are thousands of equally experienced fresh grads vying for the same job, so you must find a way to set yourself apart other than a kickass resume. 

Dressing appropriately yet stylishly for a job interview is one way to stand out, but of course, you must also put your best face forward. If you're new to makeup, don't have a clue on what to buy, and only have a limited budget - never fear, here are some of my recommendations! You can get all these for just P3,017, but even though they're inexpensive, they're a great foundation for your "work makeup" kit.

Your job interview makeup should be light, yet polished. You don't want to look like an awkward teenager when you enter the office - you want to look focused and competent but not overly vain. Here are five simple steps to achieve the look!

1. Apply a heavy coverage powder foundation such as the Human Nature Perfect Coverage Mineral Foundation to even out your skintone (focus on spots and dark eye bags if you have them). If you have very dark blemishes, cover them with a concealer before applying the powder foundation. Tip: don't forget to bring the compact for retouching! Do so shortly before the interview begins.

Are you a snob? A snob is defined as a person who believes their tastes in a particular area are superior to others. You can be a music, food, bag, beauty, or shoe snob - all at the same time. It doesn't mean you're a terrible person, just that in the course of pursuing the things you care about, you've already narrowed down the qualities of a "good" find. 

I am a snob. I'm particular about how I dress and the products I use on my face and body, simply because I already know what works and what doesn't. :) However, I'm not as concerned about how luxe a brand is as I am about the quality of the product. If it works and it's affordable at the same time then all the better! In my experience though, quality - the kind I will cherish, enjoy, and maximize to the end - often comes at a price.

And that is why I love Taste Central. It's a well-curated online store that contains only things that cater to, well, snobs. Haha. It's a website by tastemakers for tastemakers; for people who are willing to blow cash on the good suff. Taste Central is actually the sister site of Deal Grocer. Instead of discounts though, you can buy products outright.

There are quite a few awesome things in there for beauty enthusiasts such as we. There are hard-to-find brands like Jo Malone, Aesop, Fresh, Philosophy, and Bumble & Bumble. There are also quietly famous brands you've never heard of before but are too expensive to be hipster (lol) - Chantecaille, Percy & Reed, Red Ken, Mukti, Babor, and Frederick Feckkai. 

Hi folks! I was in Mall of Asia yesterday to watch Iron Man 3 on IMAX. I enjoyed the film! There were some cheesy parts but hey, it was funny and heart-stopping anyway. The third installment of the franchise showed a broken Tony Stark after New York (it's a direct sequel of sorts to Avengers). He can't sleep, he gets anxiety attacks, and on top of that he decided to challenge a terrorist called the Mandarin. All hell breaks loose as Tony finds himself on the run, fighting for his life - and his future with Pepper.

But I digress. :P What I really want to talk about is Too Cool For School, the latest Korean beauty brand to hit Manila! I was invited to the press launch last week but wasn't able to make it, unfortunately. I took the first chance I had to visit it yesterday while waiting for Iron Man 3 to start.

Now we're talking: a 3D pop-up of dinosaurs crossing a city

Multi-color Paint (P675)

So yes, the first and so far only store of TCFS is in Mall of Asia. It's on the second floor, a little ways across the stand-alone store of Etude House there (SM Department Store side). The brand is quite quirky and rather heavy-handed with the dino imagery - just the sort of thing I fall for! The products are quite promising with fairly affordable price points, with about P400-P600 as the average amount you should expect to shell out for per piece. There's nothing over P1,300! 

Too Cool For Skin BB Foundation Lunch Box SPF37 (around P900 if I remember correctly)

Something's been nibbling at my brain lately. I think about it during odd moments of the day, trying to resolve some inner conflict about what being beautiful means to me. I have always believed that being beautiful is important but - why? This all started when I saw the Dove ad.

The message is simple, yet powerful: we are more beautiful than we think. According to the video, how we perceive ourselves physically affect the way we handle our relationships, the jobs we take, pretty much every aspect of our lives. Taken at face value, that sounds exceedingly shallow. Being beautiful certainly shouldn't be our raison d'être and/or the delicate scale by which we measure our self-worth. There are far more important and valuable things to nurture, such as our unique set of skills and talents, our knowledge, our love, kindness, and empathy for others. 

But we live in a world where people judge us by our looks. That's a hard fact to swallow, but it also makes sense to me as a survival instinct. We judge a person's face and the way he or she dresses and that impression guides us in our relationship with that person moving forward. Guide, not control, alright.

The Bobbi Brown Retouching Powder in Rose (P3,550) is a superfine tinted powder than can be used all over for that rosy glow, or layered as a subtle blush. It smoothens pores and adds that elusive freshness without ANY shimmer. I'd say it has a petal-matte finish. 

I prefer to use this as a blush more than a retouch powder because, well, it's in loose form. Staying power is average. It's the super smooth texture and the finish that attempts to justify the luxe price.

Whimsical and ethereal, the new Artdeco Butterfly Dreams Collection is sure to appeal to girls with a soft spot for pastels. There's a beautiful selection of nail polishes and lipsticks that flatter Asian skin, as well as new eye definition products such as a felt tip eyeliner and a volumizing mascara.

Pretty eh? I'll be reviewing a couple of products fully in the future (that blush definitely deserves a whole post of its own), but for now I'll be sharing quick reviews and a look I did using the collection. 

I've had these products for two months so fair warning: this is a pretty massive post! I'll get right down to it. :D

The Etude House Sweet Recipe Collection came out locally a few weeks ago. Inspired by Hansel and Gretel, the huge collection features products that look and smell incredibly sweet! Think ice cream, jelly beans, cake icing, chocolate, and cotton candy-inspired makeup. All this sugar, if it were real, would kill me. Thank goodness they only make me look good. Haha.

I'll start with the Dear My Jelly Lips-talk in JPK002. This is a sheer, reddish pink lipstick that smells just like fruity jelly beans. I love that it's very slinky and moisturizing just like lip balm. The color itself is wearable and "young", something I would wear during a casual weekend.

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.

Can we all be corny and scream this together? "Ang iniiiiiiit!" (It's so hot!). According to PAG-ASA we're not officially into summer just yet, so the intense heat and humidity that we're experiencing now is no more than a prelude. Crikey. I have already made adjustments to my beauty routine to accommodate summer, and if you're planning to do the same, here are a few tips!

You need to keep only two things in mind: go lighter and go higher. 

Slather on higher SPF. Since the heat is more intense, it pays to use products with better protection. SPF30 is a good starting point but if you're out longer than four to five hours, SPF50 is a better number for both your face and body. 

I like the VMV Hypoallergenics Armada (both for body and face), Kiehls Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50 and Clinique Derma White City Block Anti-Pollution SPF40. For drugstore, Sunplay is a great liquid sunscreen to try. :) Nivea makes great ones as well.

Wear lighter-textured foundation. I'm a huge liquid foundation fan but in this weather it just melts right off! Even if it doesn't, no matter how expensive the brand is, it still ends up feeling heavy and mask-like due to the humidity.

It’s rare for me to finish products because I apply them sparingly and I’m lucky enough to get new things to try all the time. I have intense love affairs with some things, but these fizzle out once I “discover” one that’s better - eventually. Not all the time. Sometimes, a product is so good that I do finish it up and even purchase backups!  

So, here are things that I recently finished or just about to finish up. It goes without saying that my wallet is weeping right this moment T_T. 

Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover. Goodness, I don’t know how long I’ve had this! Maybe two years? Anyway it’s my favorite product to use when removing waterproof mascaras and deep-staining lipsticks. It doesn’t sting my eyes and melts off most things right away. 

Nivea Body UV Whitening Serum SPF25 PA++. This body lotion is ultra light even with the SPF25. It also seems to even out my skintone if I use it regularly and generously.

Established beauty bloggers like myself have many incentives to blog. The passion for the niche is a given already because it's difficult to go far as a blogger without it; I mean, imagine all the time, money, and research that have gone into building a website worth reading and coming back to! We may have started our blogs casually, as a hobby, but maintaining it takes dedication.

I wouldn't call it an investment because when we started we expected very little from this (ad)venture. Nonetheless, our efforts are - whether we like to be coy about it or not - being rewarded handsomely.

We get freebies and invitations to fun parties. More importantly, I think, we're part of a close-knit community that you would be surprised to know isn't competitive. These are some of the things that motivate us to blog regularly, to come up with interesting free content for our readers. But. How about new beauty bloggers who are largely ignored by brands and the community? Being just one of hundreds of new bloggers in the niche, how could they hope to keep their blog going?

And why should we care?