What's your favorite Watsons store to shop in? Mine used to be in Mall of Asia, but now I am loving the newly opened SM Aura branch! It's huuuuge, and everything is organized in a way that makes sense. You can go there the first time and easily figure out where stuff are. The new space is also a joy to shop in, with fresh interiors and even new classy counters.

Watsons actually had a recent regional rebrand. You'll notice the new logo, wall decals, even new uniforms when you walk in the store. The look isn't that noticeable unless you're observant, but these changes contribute to the overall fun of shopping in Watsons. If you've been to the one in SM Aura then you'll know what I mean! Everything is just so...bright and fresh.

So how was your weekend? Mine was busy and I wish it was longer, but ain't that typical! I'm just trying to rest as much as I can before my 6:30 AM yoga class tomorrow. I thought I'd blog to just keep my head clear while waiting for dinner to be delivered. 

Let's get cracking! I wanted to close my Shiseido Week with a list of my best finds. I'm thinking I should end all my "branded" themed weeks this way so that I can give everyone a better idea of what to prioritize first from the brand. Of course, my top five is limited by the things I have at the moment and my preferences, but I hope you find the list useful nonetheless. ^_^

So, here are the five Shiseido things I always pick up. They're versatile and have not failed me so far!

Shiseido Perfect Rouge Lipstick in PK417. I never did get around to reviewing this in full, but it is one of the oft-used lipsticks in my collection. It's a gorgeous shade of pink - not too loud, but not a shy flower either. Texture is great and lasting power, not bad for something this moisturizing.

Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush. This brush is perfect for concealers, foundations (cream or liquid), and even blush/contour. Indeed, it's the perfect all-in-one brush!

My first post for Shiseido Week was supposed to be about the eyelash curler, but I found some very interesting tidbits while I was researching the origins of the brand. So here's a little history lesson on Shiseido, something that I hope you'll find as fascinating as I did!

Did you know that Shiseido is credited to be the oldest cosmetics company in the world? It's actualy 141 years old this year! It was founded in 1872 by a pharmacist of the Japanese Imperial Navy. Arinobu Fukuhara was the first person who established a Westen-style pharmacy in Japan, complete with a soda fountain and eventually an ice cream parlor.

He started selling indigestion lozenges, beriberi pills, and soft toothpaste in the beginning. These were revolutionary products at that time, because Japan was only familiar with herbal medicine and tooth powder before Mr Fukuhara set up Shiseido.

Image from twinvulcan.com

Shiseido is not just a pharmacy and eventually one of the leading cosmetics brands in the world. According to an MIT paper, "Shiseido’s innovative product and promotional production tells a distinctive story about Japan’s experience of modernity, including the impact on national culture of mass market consumerism, urbanization, and changing gender roles." It was also a pioneer in advertising design and product marketing at that time.

 It played a huge role in defining comopolitan glamour for young women in Japan, bringing in Western imagery to one of the most traditional cultures in Asia on the cusp of a new, uncertain century.

The best advice I can give to young women is this: always listen to your mother. Seriously. It might sound ridiculous because she may appear so out of touch with the realities of your life, but she would always understand and guide you - if you'd let her. The biggest mistakes I've made so far are due to my stubborness, my certainty that I know more than my mother. I don't. I would have avoided a lot of grief had I just listened to her.

That's not to say that I'm miserable or mired in deep regret right now. I'm quite happy and I regret nothing that I've done in my life so far. But if I listened, growing up would have been less painful and I would have been able to see the big picture earlier. So please, if you are facing unbearable things right now, tell your parents. Most of the time they will know the right thing to do.

You have to remember that they are the only people in the planet who love you unconditionally - where lovers and friends would always act with their best interest in mind, your mother in particular would always put you first. :)

Sooo that was a random thought brought on by a Tweet. I actually just want to show you my recent Shiseido haul! I was waiting for Man of Steel to start at SM Aura the other day, so I decided to pick up a few things I've been meaning to get from Shiseido for a while now. You can pretty much guess what theme I'll be having for next week, haha.

Okay, I love everything I got. ^_^ I didn't mind the splurge because I've tried these four items waaaay back and thought they were pretty good.

I hope you've enjoyed M.A.C week! Some of you have requested me to extend it, but unfortunately the other products I have here have not yet been photographed or used. That means I won't be able to write a proper review. Which then means, I might do another M.A.C week in the future for you guys! ^_^ For now I'll post the reviews any time they're ready.

To close this themed week, I thought I'd talk about five of my favorite M.A.C products. These are the things that I always pick up and would really, really hate to run out of. Check them out!

MAC Brow Set in Girl Boy. You know, I didn't like Girl Boy this much when I first started using it, but I've eventually developed a dependence on it. I haven't found anything that can create depth and highlight on the brows the same way Girl Boy does. The secret is in the shimmer.

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.