Context is everything when it comes to wearing makeup. At least, it's important to me. I try to match my face to where I'm going because I believe that makeup should complement the situation and not be too much in contrast to it. You know what I'm saying? Paint your face and dress appropritately, too, and people will respect you. 

(Then again if respect isn't your priority then go ahead and wear whatever the hell you want. Seriously.)

So! A couple of girls asked me about the makeup I had in one of my recent reviews. It's something I wore to a lunch meeting, hence the thoroughly neutral color scheme. But neutral doesn't necessarily mean "flat and boring", which is how some people seem to do it. Neutral makeup can be fun, beautiful, and equally effortless, too! Here are some tips on how to liven up your neutral makeup.

1. Matte eyeshadows are lovely in photos but in person, they just look...flat, unless you're a crazy gifted makeup artist who can layer and blend it perfectly. I still prefer to wear satin or shimmery eyeshadows since they brighten my eyes better. There are tons of awesome neutral palettes out there, but this time I tried an old one from revlon called Graffiti.

I wore the shimmery champagne on the lids, the light tan on the crease, and contoured with a tiny bit of that charcoal color on the outer v. Easy and simple, true, but it's the finish that takes the cake. 

Would you rather be perfect at only one thing, or would you prefer to be mediocre at a lot of things? I'd honestly choose the former because the latter is just frustrating. Modesty aside I can do a lot of things well enough; I can grasp the concept and how it can be done right, but my talent for it can only go so far. Mediocre-far. It kills me but I guess the alternative is worse: being able to do nothing worthy at all.

Anyway! Let's start the week on a positive note. ^_^ I just want to show you some of the things that keep me happy.

I've mentioned I love the movie "Her". I also loved the song in there so I decided to learn it! My version of "The Moon Song" is a combination of the one in the film and the one sung by Karen O. I hope you like it. 

I loved drawing and painting things on paper before I loved painting my face. I've had my eye on Prismacolor and Derwent Inktense pencils for a while so I went ahead and got them for my birthday. They're pretty awesome! The Prismas are super pigmented, while the Derwent ink pencils are truly intense. Studio-level art stuff aren't cheap but worth the investment. Just like makeup, come to think of it!

I've always believed that when robots or artificial intelligence evolve beyond human capabilities, they would not go Terminator on us. They would most likely be either benign, even altruistic towards humans, or would simply leave us and move on to the next plane of existence. Another possibility just occured to me: they can combine their capabilities with our species, becoming a hybrid of organic and metal/plastic/silicone etc. (My thinking is distinctly Asimovian.)

This is what was running through my head after watching Her. It's a movie about a man falling in love with his operating system. Did I get teary eyed? A little bit. But their love story didn't interest me so much as the moral and practical implications of the premise. Why are letter writers rich in the future? What makes a human, human? Is romantic love less real when shared with 641 other people? Where did the OSs go? 

In any case, watch Her. It's a good film.

Moving along! I want to quickly show you what's inside the January-February BDJ Box. I got this last Thursday! I like how it contains a LOT of stuff that I can actually use. My favorites would be the Ellana Lip & Cheek Gel (of course, lol), Beauty Bright Soap (reviewed it and loved it!), the free Brow Construction from Browhaus (my HG brow salon), and the Revlon nail art polish. 

Hmm, I just realized, I like the stuff I've already tried. I should probably be more adventurous and go for the other samples/vouchers! Check 'em out here.

Whenever I'm in a bookstore, it takes all of my willpower not to go crazy buying pens, paper, and art materials. It's a good day when I don't spend more than a few hundred on things I already have. It's a bad day when I hoard! I don't know! I just like that paper has so much potential. You can write on it, paint on it, manipulate it with scissors and glue. I guess I like hoarding potential. Possibilities. I never want to run out.

Okay I'm done with the crazy talk. I just want to show you guys some of the notebooks that Belle de Jour sent me! 

I admit that I don't really use notebook planners, nor am I likely to start now. My iPhone Calendar and Reminders app, synced with my laptop, is da bomb. But I like the idea of having a Belle de Jour Power Planner, which is not so much a planner for your day-to-day activities but a planner for your whole life.

It has inspirational stories and quotes, handy coupons, life reminders, budget pages, and a thorough events calendar. The BdJ is more of a lifestyle guide to help you live life to the fullest. Here are some of the pages inside!

Love the soft leather cover, with the fine stitching

Planner proper

Recap: last November, I was invited to visit the Shiseido Factory in Kakegawa, Japan. The first part involved a visit to the test facility for raw materials - I saw how Shiseido is currently studying how best to produce their own ingredients. They've built a self-contained unit where they can design the most beneficial environment to grow plants, and hopefully branch out to farming them in bulk in the near future!

We've seen their plans, but this time I'll give you a general view of what they currently make and how they make it in the Kakegawa factory. I don't have a lot of pictures since some areas are naturally restricted, but I figured I can still tell you what I saw.

After the tour of the test facility, Jen (the brand manager of Shiseido Philippines) and I were ushered into a lecture room. Here, two kind ladies gave us a presentation about the factory. They also did some demos on how foundation is made!

So how does Shiseido come up with its awesome beauty products? First, they research and develop new technologies. What do the customers need? How can they better improve on what they already make? Once that's been determined and formulated in their dedicated research centers, the products are tested by a team of experts. Shiseido, as far as I know, does not do animal testing unless required by law. Most if not all products and ingredients are evaluated on human skin. 

Once the products pass a rigorous testing system, they are manufactured in the factories and then shipped out to stores. Foundation, powder, lipstick, and eyeshadow are just some of the cosmetics produced in Kakegawa. 

I think foundation is one of the main products here. The diagram above shows how it's produced - by mixing the powder and liquid binder, placing the mixture in the compact, and then pressing it down with a heavy metal object (I didn't catch the name!). 

Here's how it looks like:

When one is a certain age, memories grow fuzzy around the edges. It can happen when you're 79 or like me, at 24. I find myself forgetting a lot of old yet important details in favor of absorbing day-to-day information. This irks me to no end but then, what are blogs for?

I don't want to be overly melodramatic here so I'll keep it short. The year 2013 has been incredibly amazing, for me. It's the year I finally got to travel out of the country, the year I met more wonderful people and managed to sign in more clients. It's a year of discovery, of seeing just how far I can push the envelope. Many of my dreams came true. This gave birth to new aspirations for 2014, naturally!

Here are a few highlights of my 2013. I hope you don't feel like I'm bragging or anything, as this is just a useful way for me to reference how my year went. :)

The world outside was something that I only read about in books or saw in TV shows. That said, I knew I'd get to travel someday, but I didn't know that 2013 would be the year! I was extremely lucky to visit Japan twice, first during the muggy summer and second during the fall. I love this country and would like to come back at least once a year, if I'm able. It's beautiful there, the people are nice, and the food is amazing!

I hope someday I can explore more of it outside Tokyo.

I also got to visit Hong Kong with my parents. It's a great place to shop and eat at, but not much else. Still, I appreciate being able to see the awesome Hong Kong skyline and to finally visit Disneyland. I have more photos in this post.

I organized six events/ small gatherings for my clients last year. I got to work with amazing new brands like Wink Laser & Wax Studio, Dakasi Milk Tea, and Ellana Minerals.

Products come and products go, but these ten(ish) things are permanently clutched to my heart. I found them all this year alone and trust me, they've managed to elevate my makeup and skincare routine to heretofore unheard of heights. Yes yes I think you get it. These things are awesome and I'm soooo lucky I got to "discover" them! 

Here's my list! (Warning: crazy, gibbering raves are about to explode in your face.)

Shiseido Ibuki Skincare Line. Are you tired of me talking about this yet? I owe the niceness of my skin now to Ibuki. I mean, guys, last night I just went out with just a dab of concealer on my face. I didn't need to powder or apply any foundation anymore. Those blessed with awesome skin may think that it's no big deal, but for someone like me who breaks out every so often, this is like, science fiction.

This is the single best thing that happened to my face. 

Cure Natural Aqua Gel. Aaand this is pretty much the next best thing that happened to my skin this year. Seriously, the Japanese have the best skincare products! If you haven't switched to Japanese brands yet (at least for your face) then you are missing a ton.

Dead skin is actually one of the top causes of our problems - acne, blackheads, even whiteheads. Cure keeps away dead skin like the plague. 

Bifesta Sebum Cleansing Lotion. This is the best makeup remover I've tried. It's water-based but still super effective in melting off the thickest, most long-wearing makeup. It stops short when it comes to waterproof mascara but everything else, it can wipe off within minutes. (I use the Shiseido Instant Eye and Lip Makeup Remover for long-wearing mascara).

My skin feels clearer whenever I use this. Plus, it's inexpensive and can be found in most Watsons.

Lancome Visionnaire Yeux, Advanced Eye Contour Perfecting Corrector. I've had a healthy skepticism of eye creams for the longest time. I thought they were the biggest hoax perpetrated by the beauty industry. I didn't expect them to do much other than moisturize and maintain whatever is left to maintain...but then I tried the Lancome Visionnaire for eyes. It's like a slo-mo moment. 

Quick post! I just wanna pop in to say hello, and happy holidays to you all. ^_^ Hope you're having a grand time so far! I'll be having a staycation with my family in a hotel here in Fort, then probably veg and watch cable TV until tomorrow. All I want is a chill and fun time with my loved ones.

Before I leave, thought I'd show you something I got for myself this Christmas. I think that the best gifts are the ones that you actually purchase for yourself, because no one knows what you want better than you do, right? That being said I finally got something I've been looking for a long time: a pouch wallet.

I'm not that picky with brands when it comes to wallets which is why mine always looks kawawa. But in my defense I really want something where I can jam my cash and coins without thinking, where there's space for my cards. I haven't found something like it in stores - that is, until I saw this pouch from Rabeanco in SM Aura.

It is absolutely perfect.

You know what (and this is just an observation, not a complaint) having a beauty blog and getting sent a lot of free stuff takes all the fun out of makeup shopping. Whenever I see something that makes me go "oooh-I-want-that-looks pretty-awesome!", that enthusiasm is quickly followed by a dour practicality "But-I-have-like-twenty-of-those". 

Every so often I do buy something because I feel that I absolutely need it and don't have something like it yet. However, it ends up getting buried by all the other products that I still need to start using and reviewing. I told you. It's sometimes not at all fun to be a beauty blogger.

Image credit: muza-chan.net

That's why when I went to Japan a few weeks back, I only grabbed three beauty products for myself. These were things I felt I needed at that time. Besides, they were inexpensive so it'd be totes fine if I don't use them often or like them at all. :P

I stopped by Matsumoto Kiyoshi in Akihabara to look for some pabili and to check out the drugstore beauty stuff (of course). Here's what I got!

I like myself the least when I'm obsessing something. It starts slow and steady, a passing thought, a random craving. Then it slowly builds in intensity and irritates me endlessly unless I give in to it, or in this case, have it. Sigh. But whatever! Let's discuss another holiday collection, this time from Stila. ^_^

Stila has these awesome gift sets that are pretty good value for the price. Like this box of glosses - you get nine tubes for P1,750! That's basically P195 per lip gloss. Crazy. I love that they are also boxed in mini-sets so you can give two and keep one for yourself. Or the other way around. *medyo evil laugh*

I will review these glosses next time. For now though, I'd like to show you the Portrait Of A Perfect Eye Palette (P850), a neutral eyeshadow compact with gorgeous warm shades. Yes, I'm also surprised that it's only P850 for like six colors! This is precisely the reason you should keep track of holiday collections. Brands often sell some items for slightly cheaper than the average price. ;)

Can we just get one thing straight? Everybody, and I mean everybody, needs lip balm. And we don't need just one lip balm. We need at least three, one each in our pocket, desk, and bag. With that universal truth (humor me!) established, allow me to present some of the best stocking stuffers you can give this Christmas: Burt's Bees sets!

Beautiful packaged and thoughfully chosen, these Burt's Bees babies are great to give and receive this season. They're quite inexpensive yet still "branded", so to speak, and yes women (even guys) of all ages would find them useful! You can get the ornament lip balms above for only P325, while the boxed sets range from P650 to P1,250. 

Here are the details plus my suggestions on who you can give these to. ;)

For teens who love fruity sweet scents: Nourishing Lip Balm with Mango Butter (P325)

For your lolo and lola who need to take care of their lips more: Ultra Condition Lip Balm with Kokum Butter (P325)

Is it just me or does Christmas feel a little late? It's just 13 days away but I'm still not getting into the spirit of things. Hmm. Well, I'll be blogging about all the holiday releases in the coming week so maybe that'll ignite the flames!

On a related note, would you be interested in seeing a Project Vanity gift guide? What's your budget for gift-giving?

Anyhoo today I'd like to talk about the Glamourbox Secret Santa Box. This is the latest package from the brand, just out last week I believe! It contains a few things that'll help you achieve that holiday freshness even though you're totes stressed out.

Here's what's inside!

Ta-dah! It has three full-sized products sprinkled with a few sample sizes.

Why contact lenses are awesome: one, you can watch 3D movies with ease. It's totes not rad to wear 3D glasses with real glasses. Two, they make makeup application easier! I don't have to smoosh my face to the mirror to see where that wiggly eyeliner is going. Three, SUNGLASSES. Another impossibility when one is wearing prescription eyewear, but not with contacts!

I've only been wearing contact lenses for three years. I haven't really explored other brands beyond what I use, so it's a nice change for me to try out these Freshlook Illuminate Dailies (P650/ box of five pairs and P1,200 per 30-day pairs).

I love this stuff. They feel utterly comfortable and cool on my eyes. The Illuminate variant makes the eyes look brighter and bigger without actually giving away the jig; even though there's a brownish ring around the eyes, it's barely detectable. This is great if you want to have bigger peepers without anyone the wiser!

Everyone has a right to change their minds - beauty bloggers, of course, aren't exempted from the privilege. Sometimes I do change my mind about products I review. Not because they're intrinsically terrible, just that my preferences and skin condition have changed over time.

That moisturizer I used to love to bits might be too rich for me now, for instance. But that doesn't mean the product is no longer effective for everyone else, or that my review is no longer valid! I just feel that it doesn't suit me right now.

Here are a few products that I loved in the beginning, but switched up to something else eventually.

I was a huge, huge, HUGE fan of the Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil before. I still think it's a great product, but I now prefer to use water-based makeup removers. I find that rich oils like Shu's don't clean my pores as well as a water-based remover would. I also find that Shu expires within a year and a half, so if you don't finish that bottle within that time frame you'd be wasting money (which is what happened to me).

Oh, I loved this conditioner so much. The Snoe Beauty Hair Heroes with Intense Argan Oil helped revived my damaged colored hair back then! But since I've eased up on the coloring and hair styling considerably, I find that this conditioner is too heavy for me.

My first visit to Japan last July was all about experiencing Shiseido's 140-year old heritage and consummate love for art. You saw how the brand evolved through the years and how it looks like today. You've read about the Shiseido Museum in Kakegawa, the Flagship Store, and the Parlour in Ginza. Now, I'd like to show you the Shiseido factory in Kakegawa, Shizuoka!

This is an exclusive feature as I am honored to be the first beauty blogger to tour this factory. I'm grateful to Shiseido for the opportunity, because they don't normally work with bloggers; they usually go with traditional media. I'm happy that they're beginning to support this medium! ^_^

Moving along! The Shiseido Factory in Kakegawa is about an hour and forty minutes from Tokyo by bullet train. It's a sprawling complex that produces Shiseido's makeup products, among them foundation, eyeshadow, and lipstick. If I remember correctly, each building is dedicated to making only one type of makeup!

Shiseido Philippines Brand Manager, Jen Jimenez-Yalung, with myself

The background is actually a mosaic of real eyeshadows

I'll be talking more about the production aspect of the brand on Part 2 of this post. For today, I'll be discussing one of the brand's latest projects: a test facility right inside the Kakegawa complex.

You might be thinking: a test facility? What? That's boring! Guys, it's not. This is my favorite part of the factory visit, actually. The test facility is further proof of Shiseido's commitment to excellence. It was built because they want only safe and reliable plant raw materials for their active ingredients. They seek only the highest quality ingredients which are traceable to the source.

This facility is a preview of the things to come in 2014. It's only a small area for now, but the plan is to re-create it in a larger scale should it prove successful! The photo above shows a cube where various conditions like temperature, irrigation, light intensity, and carbon dioxide are controlled to get the best possible harvest.

Here's what's inside!

It's the big beauty news last week: INGLOT, the Polish makeup brand that's famous for its Freedom System, is finally here in Manila! You can find it inside Glorietta 5 right beside Starbucks. ^_^ 

INGLOT positions itself as a professional makeup brand, with a dizzying selection of colors and heavy coverage face bases that makeup artists will love to use. Of course, if you just love makeup and collecting amazing stuff, then INGLOT is also an addictive choice. I mean just look at all those gorgeous colors!

The brand boasts of its Freedom System where you can buy magnetized palettes with two to 40 slots. Fill these up with eyeshadows, lipsticks, blushes, eyebrow powder/wax, and concealers for a fully customized makeup collection! Better yet, you can switch out the products whenever you need to since they're only held down by magnets; you just need to flip them out with a pin or toothpick. 

The empty palettes cost P495 for two slots, P595 for three, P695 for four, P895 for five, P1,395 for 10, P2,395 for 20, and P3,895 for 40.

When I was very young, I wanted to be a rock star. I'd spend most of my time learning to play the guitar and writing songs. I would dream about going on stage and rocking my heart out to the adulation of millions, wearing slashed tights and distressed leather jackets. It all sounded so awesome in my head. But like all of my adolescent aspirations, it went up in a cloud of smoky black eyeshadow. With a few glitters in it for good measure. :P

Anyhoo, today I want to show you the latest collection from Korean brand Too Cool For School. Glam Rock is inspired by the rock star culture, with emphasis on dramatic eyes and blanked out lips. I have a few items from TCFS here and a quick review of each. :) Let me know what you think!

I'll start with a lip color - the Glam Rock Smoky Nudy Lip Color in Satin Beige. This is a creamy lipstick that needs to be layered at least twice to get the same opacity as the swatch below. I don't mind, since most lipsticks need to be layered anyway and it doesn't take much effort. However, if you have pigmented lips then this won't cover everything. It can look a tad streaky since it only offers medium coverage.

Staying power is average, at three hours. I would recommend wearing a lip balm first since the matte texture can be drying.

It's so easy to get caught up with everything that's wrong with your life. It's also equally easy for people to lecture you that there's always a silver lining, that there's a positive side to things. But I guess that the most useful truth to remember is this: nothing is permanent. Not your relationships, not your problems, and not your life, even. Everything ends eventually. You can either look forward to the ending, or to the beginning of something new and perhaps even better. 

You just need to hold on and enjoy the ride. :)

Moving on! This picture was taken during the event I organized for Ellana Minerals. It's a candid shot of me by Yuki being stuck to my phone as usual - I should put it down more often, I know. It was a looooong but super fun day that I hope won't be happening again any time soon. :P Events are only fabulous when you're attending them; making them happen is a completely different planet. Nay, galaxy!

Photo credit: Yuki Tansengco

If you've been following my Instagram (@lizlanuzo), you may have read that Ellana recently hired me to work on their branding and marketing. I'm ecstatic about this partnership because I'm a huge fan of the Ellana mineral foundation since I was in college. I went through jars and jars of that stuff! Not kidding. It was the best thing I could afford then - imagine, pure mineral makeup for only P400? MMU that has heavy coverage and great staying power? It was my acne-prone college self's perfect base!