Have you already done your Christmas shopping? If not, I just have one reminder: make sure that your gift is something the other person can actually use. I know, I know, it's such obvious advice! But it's easy to forget in the heat of elbowing your way through the holiday mall rush. 

If you're not a fan of big crowds and passing by several stores to get stuff for different people, you should look at these VMV Hypoallergenics Holiday Sets. There's a set for the guys, kikays, mothers, and pretty much anyone in your life! They come in a nifty box made of recycled paper and tied up with a grosgrain VMV ribbon, which means that you don't even have to bother wrapping them. ;)

Here they are, with detailed info from VMV:

My VMVery Favorite Things (P1,000.00, a Php 1,725.00 value). Seven of our greatest hits, sized for on-the-“glow” portability. From basics to powerful protection, mmmoisture to multi-tasking therapy, these popular pickings are guaranteed to keep those at the top of your list skin the pink of health all year long. 

• Re-Everything Face-Hand-Body Lotion Head-to-toe anti-aging glow! 30 mL (1 Fl Oz)
• Id Sweat Acne and Overall Anti-bacterial Gel. Our multitasker: treats bumps, disinfects, keeps skin cool, fresh + matte. 50 mL (1.69 Fl Oz).
• Armada Sport SPF 70. A wait-in-line-for-it fave for its skincredibly light feel + powerful protection. 15 g (0.53 Oz).

MAC's latest collection brings the holidays to a fever pitch - of the disco persuasion. (I thought about this line for one whole day, because I'll be damned if I didn't put "disco" and "fever" in my opening sentence.)

Anyway! Divine Night is MAC's flagship collection this season, dominated by rich shades of gold, bronze, plum, and pink champagne. The look is composed of a fierce darkened eye, stark contour, and a dirty plum lip - a very modern discotheque vibe. Check out the photos from the super fun launch that happened last week!

Divine ladies: Ria Bolivar, Catriona Grey, Jessica Yang, and Ella Pap

Play area

The holidays are just around the corner. It's a time for celebrations and reunions with loved ones, but if you're a beauty junkie, then there's one other reason this time of the year is special: holiday sets! Most high-end brands have their own limited edition collection that features wearable art or sets for gift-giving. Now is a good time to collect some precious pieces, give an impressive beauty gift, or just get more value for your money.

Today I'd like to show you the Estee Lauder Holiday 2013 Sets. Every year the brand releases beautifully detailed solid perfume and powder compacts, and this year is no exception. These designs are inspired by the Zodiac and charms traditionally synonymous with good luck. Check 'em out!

Estée Lauder elevates the popular Zodiac theme with sleek golden-matte compacts adorned with a clear Swarovski® crystal and magnetic closure. In recognition of the 2014 Year of the Horse, Estée Lauder added a colorful, eye-catching crystal compact symbolizing success in the Chinese tradition. 

The Zodiac powder compacts feature the universally wearable Lucidity Translucent Pressed Powder. 

The new solid perfume compact collection exemplifies the theme of luck with elaborately crafted compacts, including the Golden Horseshoe and Lovely Ladybug.

This season’s solid perfume compacts feature Estée Lauder’s Beautiful, pleasures and Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia fragrances. 

Other than collectibles, Estee Lauder also has great sets that'll make even the hoariest makeup enthusiast giggle in excitement. Lol. (I've been meaning to use the word "hoary" here for years now). Click after the jump to see the sets + prices.

It's hard to move on to business as usual when a tragedy of awful magnitude just struck our country last week. Everyone is still reeling from the loss of life and property, and then the feverish desperation that comes after it. I'm not an emotional person but everytime I read the news about Yolanda's destruction I feel like there's a small twinge near my heart. That's not just because of the graphic stories of suffering on the ground; it's also because of the heroism of our people and the kindness that other countries have shown us.

I don't know what else to say. I just wish that help to those in need comes swiftly, and that in the future we can pass laws that will help minimize the risks from natural disaters (among other things). 

Shall we move on to lighter stuff? If you're here, perhaps you're also looking to feel slightly less burdened from the news. :)

Plains & Prints just released their Holiday 2013 Collection last weekend! There's over a hundred pictures of all the new pieces in the press kit (see the full lookbook here), but for brevity I decided to post Anne Curtis's looks as styled by Liz Uy. Anne as you know is Plains & Prints latest endorser, and I think that it's such a perfect fit!

Anne has a glam-next-door, slightly eclectic taste in fashion. P&P has pretty much the same aesthetic so it was only a natural progression for both fashion powerhouses to work together.

Plains & Prints' Holiday 2013 has four sub-categories: Camo-Chic, Fire, Earth, and Holiday Dresses. See them in detail after the cut!

If you want to achieve that effortless yet elusive blushing beauty trademarked by stars like Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Watson, it's actually counter-intuitive to pile on makeup. Wearing more cosmetics can make you look more mature and haggard! It's best to work on your skin by enhancing it with tactical products instead of hiding it.

That said, this month's BDJ Box is all about becoming a blushing beauty, like you didn't even try! ;) Check out what's inside.

Love the stickers

It is a truth universally acknowledged that when your skin is happy, your makeup looks 100% better. But it's kind of an oxymoron when the makeup you use end up causing acne or worse, allergies. It's hard to say what won't work for you until you've actually tried it!

That said, ideal makeup not only keeps your skin looking good on the surface, but also nourished on the inside. It's tough to find something like that. So two women went on to create it. 

I'm sure you've heard all about this exciting new local cosmetics brand called Happy Skin. It's the startup of two beautiful and beauty-savvy women, Rissa Mananquil-Trillo and Jacqe Yuengtian-Gutierrez. Rissa as you know is one of the top models and hosts here in the Philippines, while Jacqe served as an executive in a multinational consumer goods company, handling some of the top personal care brands in the country. It was really only a matter of time for two friends so involved in the beauty industry to come up with something of their own!

And they did such an impressive job. Jacque and Rissa have been involved in the whole process, from formulation to packaging. The product line is fairly small - they only have a brush set, under eye concealer, lipstick, liquid and powder foundation, blush, and tinted moisturizer - but each SKU was obviously designed with care and thought. Most of the products are manufactured in Japan. That explains the quality! There are no misses, as far as I know based on the products I've tried.

So how does Happy Skin products make our skin, well, happy? The makeup actually contains skin-loving ingredients like Cherry Blossom Leaf Extract, Japanese Tea Leaf Extract, Hyaluronic Acid,Collagen, and Argan Oil to truly help nourish skin while you have it on.

What is your biggest makeup frustration? Mine would be false eyelashes! I adore how they make my eyes look even bigger and my wide face, narrower, but I still can't get the hang of applying them. Even something as simple as putting the right amount of glue daunts me! Very few things intimidate me this way.

I came across 3S Pre-Glued Lashes (P250) a year ago; even did a review! I like how they're so convenient to use. You just strip off the lashes from the base, cut the edges if they're too big for your eyes, and then slap them over your real lashes. It sounds so simple no? It is, but it would still need a bit of practice to perfect.

Times are long past when girls literally used tape to create double eyelids. These days, we have flexible and almost invisible glues to create bigger eyes and that deep crease! K-Palette Philippines recently launched one of the brand's best-selling products in Japan: the Real Lasting Mega Cute Double Eyelid Tape and Glue (both P695 at Beauty Bar).

What's the difference between the Orange (tape type) and Pink (glue type)? The Orange tape is applied all over the lid to create a deeper-looking lid. It has some shimmer to it and can even be used as an eyeshadow primer as long as you're wearing it. The tape can even be worn by double-lidded girls who just want more definition on their eyes.

The Pink glue is for creating a more enhanced crease. It's meant to be applied right where the crease meets the lids, in one thin line. You get a white plastic wand to hold your skin in place while the glue is drying. Aside from faking that crease, the Pink glue can also be used as false lash glue.

Orange tape vs Pink glue

Both types are completely transparent when dry. They are also waterproof - for real! They didn't budge from my hand for almost two days until I peeled them off! They also truly glued the lids together when I tried them.

I very rarely have crappy days because I rarely think that my day is crappy. I just think it could be better, and then mentally run through a list of things I can do to make it better tomorrow! Sometimes it really is just all in our heads. We should know the difference between a true series of unfortunate events and a series of negative thoughts.

Anyway! I just wanna give you a sneak peek of what I'll be writing about next week. ^_^ I've been meaning to do a branded theme, and wanted to try out more things from Shiseido. So. I got four new things to review!

I've read that the Shiseido Sun Protection Liquid Foundation (P1,750) is similar to the Chanel Vitalumiere. It does appear to have the same watery texture and satiny finish! This has SPF43 and claims to be "very water resistant". It's still quite a ways to summer but it's always hot in Manila nonetheless; I need this!

Let's call it the Five-Product Face. It's what you wear when you literally only have five minutes to do your makeup and have no time to putter with superfluous products. It's your five absolute necessities working together to create your most ideal basic face. Sounds simple enough right? Yet I think that no Five-Product Face is the same.

Some people would focus on skin, making their eyes look bigger, or their face, smaller. They'd put more effort on the things they're more conscious about! They would also use different products that address specific skin concerns - mattifying powder for oily skin, BB creams for dry skin, something with SPF for blemished skin. It's an endless combination, which is why I'm not keen to recommend five ultimate products you absolutely need to have. I can only tell you about mine!

As you can see, I place a lot of importance on enhancing skin. I think that everything else can go bare, as long as my skin looks glowing and flawless! I love to use the Bobbi Brown BB Cream with SPF35 (P2,000+) to give my face that instant even-toned glow, then cover up eye bags and blemishes with a basic concealer like the MAC Studio Finish (P1,000).

I set everything with my everyday powder (my other favorite, aside from Ben Nye), the Snoe Poudre Extraordinaire (P799). I don't think I've said how much I love this thing yet.

When I quit my first and only full-time job in 2010, I was scared out of my wits. I remember crying after my last day, wondering if I did the right thing. I'd be lying if I told you that I haven't considered job offers from head hunters in the last three years. Having a full-time job is just so...safe. Secure. Predictable. I don't have to worry about insurance. My salary would come on the dot.

But that's not what I truly want. I want to have my own business, preferably doing something I genuinely enjoy. I love blogging and organizing events, creating a solid brand and voice for businesses. I can't do all that with a vanilla desk job. Well, maybe I can, but it would be slow-going and my focus would be split up. 

So I did what I had to do and I am where I want to be.

On a related note - I'm not a famous person so every mention in a magazine is a big deal to me. <3 Thanks Guia Galvez and Wyatt Ong for the awesome article! Everyone needs to read it, because who doesn't want to make a career out of what they love doing? These are solid tips, you guys!

The Avon Brochure is like an ever-changing, fast-paced shopping mall on paper. There's always something new to look forward to every two weeks, new products and promos that are sure to trigger the shopaholic in each of us. My mom and I love shopping the brochure especially since she's an Avon lady. She doesn't sell but she gets an amazing discount for every purchase! ;) Is that awesome or what? 

Solenn Heussaff for Avon

Anyhoo, today I want to give you a preview of Avon's current and upcoming intimate apparel and jewelry collections. There was a big fashion show held at SM Aura SMX some weeks back, showcasing all the new things to watch out for in your biweekly Avon brochure. The brand also introduced the popular and gorgeous Solenn Heussaff as their new jewelry endorser. Check it out!

Lizbeth Bra

Claudette Bra

Marsha Bra

I am just curious, whenever you choose make-up or beauty products do you check if it is paraben-free or not? I have a LOT of products that I use that has paraben (ex. BenNye powder) and most of them are my go-to products which irks me because I've read that paraben induces breast cancer. How about you? - Ella

Hi Ella! Good question. Parabens have been one of the scapegoats of fear-mongering "organic" brands for years now, but there is no conclusive study (so far) that links parabens to breast cancer or any form of disease. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration consider parabens to be safe. Methyl and propylparaben are classified as GRAS, or Generally Regarded As Safe. In the 40 years that parabens have been used in the US, there have been no long or short-term toxic effects found in humans. 

There was a study published in 2004 that noted the presence of parabens in breast tumors. However, the study did not say whether the parabens were harmful to our health or if they were one of the causes of cancer. Nonetheless the "Paraben Panic" has spread to the Internets via one of those innocuous chain emails.

The left us with a vague idea of parabens being hazardous to our health. That's ironic, because they are in fact one of the most useful and commonly used ingredients in cosmetics, personal care products, and even food preparation.

Hi folks! How was your weekend? Mine was spent doing absolutely nothing. Nothing. Now I feel terrible after all that inactivity, but in any case this week is going to be an extremely busy one. My face is literally twitching while I think about it. Well. One must soldier on!

Today I'll do a quick unboxing of the latest Glamourbox. Now this one blows all the past boxes out of the water - it contains A LOT of exciting full-sized products from Avon! It even includes a tube of the new Avon Ultra Color Lipstick. The good news is, the box is still available for purchase at the Glamourbox website. I'm sure you'll be convinced to grab one for yourself once you see what's inside.

Okay okay, enough with the suspense. Here's the Special Edition Avon Glamourbox (P595)!

The best part of my Japan trip last week was the visit to the Shiseido Museum in Kakegawa. It wasn't the shopping or the sight-seeing around Tokyo - it was the museum housing 140 years worth of stories and innovations! Remember my post on the rich history of the oldest cosmetics brand in the world? I was so in awe of Shiseido when I wrote that, so imagine my delight in visiting the place where the brand's product archives, ad materials, and art work are stored!

The museum is about two hours away from Tokyo via the Shinkansen (bullet train), and four hours by car. It's surrounded by a quiet suburban neighborhood - the kind of place where Doraemon and Nobita would have lived. It was an offbeat location for a corporate museum but the curator explained why it was built there. The first in place was actually a factory. The location was chosen for convenience since it's between Tokyo and Osaka, making it easier for employees to commute to work

The factory utilized the most cutting-edge technology at that time so people visited it to satisfy their curiousity. It became so popular that Shiseido decided to build something that could accommodate visitors while displaying and storing their extensive archives. Hence, the Shiseido Museum was born.

Okay, enough talking and more sight-seeing. Are you ready for a virtual tour of this awesome museum? ^_^ Click click!

You asked for it, so here it is! I honestly didn't expect to shop this much in Tokyo. Actually, I didn't know I got this much until I photographed everything. Take note, I've already given away a lot of stuff at this point. I bought my mom a cute bag, my dad a watch, my brother a shirt and a pair of shades. Wish I took pictures as they were nice finds. 

Anyway! Like I said in my travel kit post, it's sale season in Japan right now. Those that aren't on sale, however, are still affordable as long as you keep to small shops, flea markets, and drugstores - which is where I mostly shopped. By affordable I mean under P2,000 or roughly ¥4,000. I won't say how much I spent exactly, but I had to buy another huge bag just to fit everything. (Love the pink polka dots)

I got a loooot of food. I wish I bought more miso soup paste, and more Royce chocolate at the airport! And ramen. But food is so bulky. I mostly got these in Don.Ki in Ginza, which is a crazy grocery/drugstore beauty paradise that's open 24/7! You HAVE to go there when you visit Japan.

The Tokyo Banana Roar is a popular delicacy of sorts. We got ours from the train station, where people were seriously lining up.

I am a huge believer in traveling as light as possible. If I can live without something for the next few days then it is highly unlikely that I will be bringing it! I actually just lugged my trusty gold NaRaYa bag  (this is such an awesome bag, it is incredibly light and tough! I've had it for years!) and a tote bag from Ferretti in my recent trip to Japan. I honestly felt I overpacked even with just two bags.

In the end, I had to buy another big bag just to store my purchases hehe. Shopping in Japan is quite inexpensive, more so when it's sale season (which is right about now). Most of the stores were at 50% to 70% off. And the drugstores! Oh my gosh! I just went batshit insane - but mostly for food lol. I wouldn't know what to do with more makeup or skincare, I seriously do not have any space left at home. In any case, do you think I should still post my haul?

Anyhoo, I just want to show you my makeup kit while I was over there. Again I packed too much, but it didn't feel like it while I was throwing everything inside. The actual pouch (from Bobbi Brown) is small but roomy. It fit pretty much everything I need, and a little bit more.

The pouch was part of a promo last year, I believe, so I don't think they sell this anymore. :( Well, I'm sure you can find something similar. Here's what I brought with me!

The most useful advice that I've ever received in my life is Don't Panic. It is so difficult to remember that, you know, when everything is converging towards you in a massive wave and it is impossible to turn anywhere without being swallowed up like a piece of melting chocolate. Well. Grace under pressure is a skill. We can't learn it if we do not truly feel the heat.

The best way to deal with pressure is to take things one at a time. Sounds simple enough. So I'll do that. :)

Today I want to finally talk about the Etude House Color Pop Collection! This collection is all about bright, show-stopping colors in hues of orange, pink, blue, and green. Now it doesn't seem to be available in the Philippines just yet, but I will definitely update this space when it is! For the meantime here are some swatches and quick thoughts about each of the products I received from Korea.

I'll start with the Etude House Color Pop Shine Tint in Sunny Pop. First swatch and I thought I wouldn't like this, for it is such a fiery orange! I tried using a generous amount on my lips and it looked so patchy that I removed it immediately. However, the trick is to use only a couple of dots to get a sheer wash of reddy peach color on the cheeks and lips. It's one of those tints that you can't layer over, as it is meant to be sheer.

The world is a huge place but there are two cities that I want to see in my lifetime: Tokyo and Paris. I have always assumed that I will be able to visit them when I'm 30 or something - traveling in your early twenties while paying rent in an upscale city, well, it doesn't compute. But thanks to Shiseido I had the opportunity to see Tokyo last week. I'll be sharing with you some of the beautiful sights to be found in this mega city, as well as the latest innovation from Shiseido!

But wait, why did the brand decide to bring the press to Japan instead of just holding the usual launch? The new line of products is a special step for them, they explained, because it is the first time that they'll be tapping the younger generation. Shiseido is thought of as catering to an older market, but they want to change that.

They wanted us to experience Tokyo - the luxe yet composed atmosphere of Ginza (the business district), the healing environment of the Meiji Jingu Shrine (a forest in the middle of the city), and the electrifying, high-energy streets of Harajuku and Shibuya (food and fashion reign supreme). We also visited the Shiseido Museum in Kakegawa, and where it all began in 1897 - the Shiseido Parlour and the Shiseido flagship store along the Ginza strip.

By visiting all these places, we are able to understand the brand at a deeper level. We have seen Shiseido's awe-inspiring past, its present, and perhaps even its future. Are you ready to see it as well? 

Let's go on a trip! :)

More musings about the world I move in. I was at a party last night in what is arguable the hottest bar in Manila at the moment. Everyone is dressed up and ready to dance (it's that kind of event). Well, it's not my scene, but I'm there to sorta work and mingle with people I am acquainted with. It's fun once I got the hang of it. I can talk freely, smile and laugh, and just generally feel comfortable in the noise and the swirl of people around me.

It wasn't like that when I started attending events. "Awkward" is an understatement if you were to describe me! I felt like I didn't belong, that I was wearing the wrong clothes and saying the wrong things. I saw all these glittering, sophisticated people across the room and wondered, can I ever be like them? Do I have what it takes? 

Memories of these doubts came rushing back to me while at an after-party dinner last night. I was with two friends who recently just started working for a magazine.