Lip glosses have come a long way from being sheer, gluey, and generally annoying. With new ingredients and technology, even the most affordable brand can come up with a gloss worth switching up your lipsticks for. I thought I'd talk about some of the interesting glosses I have this week. I'll begin with the most intriguing of them all: the Maybelline Lip Polish (P350).

I believe this came out in the Philippines recently. It's popular with YouTube vloggers, and is known as "Color Elixir" in other parts of the world. What makes this special is how it mixes the high-shine glassiness of lip gloss, pigmentation of an average lipstick, and the moisture of lip balm. All that without being sticky!

Think of a lipstick with a very wet texture and that's pretty much how the Maybelline Lip Polish feels like when freshly applied. It'll dry up in an hour and will become tacky then, but I love how that dried-up layer of color sticks on my lips. It feels almost like one of those long-wearing lipsticks that hardens and sets.

Charming. The gloss mold is lipstick-shaped.

And this is fairly long-wearing, for a gloss.

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)

Believe it or not, the Revlon Super Lustrous Shine Lipstick (P545) is the closest thing Revlon has to the Clinique Chubby Stick. Not their Kissable Balm Stain, which is more like the Chubby Stick Intense. Okay, that might sound kinda confusing if you're not that into makeup. :P What I'm trying to say is that the Super Lustrous Shine is a sheer, moisturizing tinted lip balm that feels and looks almost like the Chubby Stick!

Fine. If you applied one on me and didn't say what it was, I would totally think it's a Chubby Stick. I would even argue with you.

The classic black and gold packaging of the Super Lustrous line is deceiving, because if you'd just go by the name you would assume that this is just a shinier version of the SL lippies. No. The Super Lustrous Shine Lipstick is in a whole class of its own!

Emollient, smooth, and plush on the lips, SL Shine is incredibly moisturizing, just like lip balm.

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.

I've only ever read about autumn in books and seen it in movies, but experiencing it first hand is a different thing entirely. It's amazing, how the leaves change into vibrant colors and then fall slowly in a heap on the ground. Fall is beautiful the way flowers are beautiful - they both last only a short time, which makes us appreciate them more.

Fall in Shinjuku, Tokyo

Anyhoo, one of my favorite lip colors this season is the Bobbi Brown Lip Color in Berry (P1,300). This is a limited edition shade from the Rich Chocolate collection! I've already reviewed Bobbi's lipsticks before so I won't get into detail about the formula - I just really want to show you how gorgeous this color is! 

Berry is a luscious deep berry shade with pink undertones. It looks fabulous on my medium skin, although I think that this is the kind of color that works pretty much on any skin tone. 

I love this departure from the usual fall lip, which leans darker, redder, more vampy. Berry is a sexy shade but not in an intimidating I'm-gonna-bite-you kind of way!

The runaway favorite from the latest cosmetics brand to hit Manila is the Happy Skin Shut Up & Kiss Me Moisturizing Lippie (P499). I think that us girls are just naturally thrilled about crayon-type lip colors (part nostalgia, part insta-fun), but it's not just that. The seven colors available are all crazy gorgeous and super pigmented - each one was obviously chosen with a  lot of thought. From sunny corals to a seductive plum purple, Happy Skin has something for the color-loving you!

So let's get down to it! Shut Up & Kiss Me has a creamy texture and a nice opacity with just one layer. Two is enough to get a solid blanket of color! Staying power is pretty good at four to five hours; there's also a stain left even after I eat and drink. It's the kind of lipstick that's perfect for those who like bold colors but don't like to retouch or apply balm all the time. It is a little moisturizing, indeed, although I prefer to use a layer of balm underneath first.

The formula has no scent and no taste. It also doesn't flake when it dries. The lippies' finish look like a creme to me, but they become decidedly matte after an hour or so!

Girls Night Out is a stunning purple red that could be a dupe of the famous MAC Rebel. I noticed that it changes color as I wear it; the first hour, it looks like a plummy fuchsia red.

I am crazy distracted this week. There are a million details to think about and a ton of things to follow up - well, not really "tons" or "millions" per se but I know you know I'm just being hyperbolic. Bottomline, there are many things that need to be done and not enough juice or focus to do it. 

Just one of those weeks, I guess.

Anyhow, I thought I'd write a short post on these Ofra Lipsticks (P650 at Glamourbox). Yup, Glamourbox is the official distributor here in the Philippines! They've been carrying Ofra for a while but these lipsticks are new-ish in the store. A full-sized tube was included in their October box so I'm sure you've been seeing some swatches around the local Internets.

Ofra Lipstick No.205, a sheer magenta pink that can be built up to semi-opacity

So how are they? Well, the formula is emollient and moisturizing enough to be used without balm. The staying power is average at three hours. Pigmentation varies between the two shades - the  202 (red) is loud while the 205 (magenta) is sheerer than I expected. I need to layer it a few times to get it to be as solid as the swatch above.

Soooo how was your long weekend? I spent most of mine watching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries! I send my wholehearted thanks to Eula for writing about on her blog. ^_^ If you love Jane Austen, specifically Pride & Prejudice, then you'll love this YouTube series. It's a modern retelling of that swoon-inducing classic, shared in three-minute vlogs per episode. Yeah I thought that format wouldn't work too but I AM HOOKED. I'm already on episode 70! You're welcome haha.

Anyway today I thought I'd share with you an awesome nude liquid lipstick: the Shiseido Lacquer Rouge in Caramel RD215 (P1,250). This is one of Shiseido's latest shades, just released last month! There are about a dozen new colors out now so if you love the Shiseido lipsticks and lacquers as much as I do, then you must go on a swatching spree. I'm actually giving away another shade that I loved here. ;)

Caramel or RD215 is my second Lacquer Rouge. I loved the shade of my first one, Disco (a crazy hot pink) but it bleeds because it's so pigmented! Caramel has no such issue. Maybe because it's a nude shade which makes it hard for me to see any mess outside of the lip line, but I think that the formula sticks much better than it used to. I don't know. Could it be that Shiseido reformulated?

I unearthed the Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Color in Tamara Red (P1,250 at Rustan's) while I was searching for something else entirely. I've had this for almost a year now but didn't get to wear it very often - why, I have no idea! This is a gorgeous color in an equally beautiful bullet. I don't know what's wrong with me.

The formula is a creamy but sticks and sets on the lips comfortably. It's opaque in one layer! Staying power is good, at three hours before it starts to fade. It leaves a nice, even stain even after I've eaten. You might need a lip balm to moisturize your lips beforehand though, since this lipstick can feel drying after a while (typical of longwearing formulas really).

One of the readers said last Saturday, "I think I cant afford Shiseido. But do you think it is worth saving up for? I mean if I were to buy cosmetics, should I go for Shiseido rather than the more affordable but quality products [out there]?" 

I've answered a similar question like this before in my Why Luxury post. But I suppose it's worth answering again in the context of Shiseido. Why Shiseido, then? I think that they spend enormous amounts of money and work on their products. I think they are obsessive about detail (which is a pervasive Japanese quality, from what I've observed first-hand). Their products have always worked well with my skin type and tone. They have a rich history, and this (along with the packaging) gives me a small thrill of luxury whenever I use one of their products.

If you have the cash to blow on beauty products then I highly recommend Shiseido to be one of your first stops. ;) If you're on a budget then there are definitely a lot of other options that work well for the price. Or, you can always consider Majolica Majorca or ZA Cosmetics, which are Shiseido's direct drugstore counterparts.

So! For round two of Shiseido Week, I'm going to start with the Perfect Rouge Lipstick in Fuchsia RS320 (P1,250). This is a gorgeous magenta-fuchsia lipstick that has a creamy feel and a luscious sheen. The color is opaque in one swipe, and it lasts for a good amount of time (about five hours) as long as you don't eat or drink.

My life isn't what you'd call glamorous, but there are parts of it that are glamorous. The events and parties, the opportunities to trade ideas and plans with remarkable women in the local beauty/fashion industry, the free things I get - these are all amazing and fun. And ultimately, superficial. If you only knew all the leg work I need to do behind the scenes to make things happen, your desk job might just sound like a breeze!

Anyway. Let's continue Organic Beauty Week with a French product this time: the Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Moisturizing Stick (P350 from Digital Traincase).

Nuxe is a natural origin cosmetology brand originating in France. It combines high-performance with a certain je ne sais quoi, and is said to be one of the best-selling brands in French pharmacies. I've honestly never heard of it before though, that is until Digital Traincase started carrying a few select items! 

Sol sent me this lip balm and I've been enjoying it since I got it. This balm is not like any other lip balm I've tried before. It doesn't have that slippery, slick, or hard waxy texture I'm accustomed to when it comes to balms. It feels...plush. Solid on the lips, but not heavy. It feels soft and light as it hugs the skin!

Everyone, and I mean everyone, needs an MLBB lipstick the same way they need a pair of blue jeans and black ballet flats. Forget the lip tints and tinted lip balms, if you're a newbie in makeup or even a certified pro, a reliable and flattering My Lips But Better shade will serve you well in any occasion. It's basic. It's a must-have!

Now the question is, what makes a good MLBB and how do you choose one for yourself? The best kind of MLBB has a creamy, slightly glossy finish. This type of finish will make your lips look healthier and fuller instantly. As for the shade, choose one that is close to the actual color of your lips - that's the most basic guideline. Think of it as foundation. That's why most MLBBs have a flesh-toned, sometimes brown base. Their aim is to enhance actual skin and not to saturate it with color.

Warm skintones look best in peachy and warm pink MLBBs; cooler skintones look good in paler, lilac-toned shades. Of course, there's a lot of room for choosing a color that looks good on you. You can go slightly cooler or warmer, as long as you pick one that brightens up your face instead of making it look sallow and gray. I wish I can be more specific, but you'll know it when you try it.

As per your request, I've rounded up my favoritest MLBB lipsticks. If we have the same skin tone (medium yellow) and level of lip pigmentation, these will rock your socks off. Promise.

L-R: Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Curviest Caramel, Revlon Lipstick in Pink in the Afternoon, MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Bare Again, MAC Lipstick in See Sheer, Etude House Lipstick in Worrisome Beige, L'Oreal Color Riche Intense Lipstick in Fairy Touch

I've already reviewed most of these lipsticks so please just click the links if you want more information. Here I will be sharing swatches for you to browse and compare, so enjoy! ^_^

Have you tried a metallic lipstick before? I think this would be my first time! The Estee Lauder Pure Color Chrome Metal Lipstick in Coral Halo (P1,400) is part of the brand's Autumn 2013 Collection called Pure Color Metallics. This limited edition line is all about smooth, liquid metal finishes that are not your mother's frosty makeup. Think chrome, its dull sheen. That's what Estee Lauder was shooting for!

The formula is creamy and doesn't feel like a thick blanket on the lips. Staying power is average at 3-4 hours; it adheres well enough that it won't disappear after a meal, but it will fade. As with all EL cosmetics, this smells like fresh fig fruits. It's very pleasant and luxe!

A good lipstick wardrobe has an even mix of daily, subdued shades and bright sparks of color. At least 30% of your lipstick collection should comprise of unforgettable shades, the kind that people stop to ask what you have on. Trust me, it's good for your self-esteem! Even if there aren't many occasions to wear these bright shades out, knowing that you have them and can wear them any time you damn well please already adds to that feeling of empowerment. 

The question is: when should you go bright, and when should you go light? A touch of flattering color on your lips is ideal for more conservative settings like at your office, a business meeting, or perhaps a work-related conference. It's also great for any situation wherein you want to look approachable and likeable - meeting the parents, a new group of friends, making a sale, things like that.

Bright lipstick, on the other hand, is perfect for special occasions, parties, and casual get-togethers among close friends or co-workers. If you have a creative, image-heavy job like being a makeup artist, stylist, actress, magazine writer, etc. then you can pretty much wear any color you feel like!

If there was a law limiting the number of hot pink lipsticks a person can own, I would already be in violation of it. Probably. I'm slightly afraid to count exactly how many hot pinks I have, but it appears that I still end up accumulating them! Not that I'm complaining, of course. I hope you don't mind, either, because today I have yet another smokin' pink to share with you guys.

I picked up the Nichido High Definition Lipstick in Rouge Blossom (P198) upon the recommendation of a sales attendant. This is apparently one of the best-selling shades from the Nichido HD Lipstick line - I had to try it out! It looked like a deep red-pink in the tube, perhaps something gothic at first glance, but it's undoubtedly a bright pink.

This is packed with pigment and opaque in only one layer. It doesn't have much oil or emollient in it, so you won't experience that creamy, slippery feeling like in more moisturizing lipsticks. This has a matte finish, and a slight powdery feel on the lips. It's not a bad thing. It feels like it's hugging my lips nicely, like it would stay on for hours.

I've started a personal blog again. Actually, I planned to move Project Vanity to the latest version of the platform I'm using (Squarespace), but it's STILL slow and there are features I need that aren't available there yet. So, for the meantime, I'm going to use that new space I'm working on to house my personal blog. Just follow my Twitter account @lizlan and you may see links to new posts. ;) 

So. Lipstick Week is back! I know this is one of your favorite themed weeks ever. Mine too actually! I have a few (okay, not a few) lipsticks here that I haven't reviewed yet so it's about time. I'll start with something a little overdue: the Avon Ultra Color Rich Lipstick (P379). I believe these came out last August, along with a new eyeshadow formula and lip gloss collection.

The Ultra Color Rich lipsticks are all about bright, attention-grabbing punches of color. Where Vitaluscious lipsticks were sheer and moisturizing, Ultra Color has mid- to heavy-coverage that sets in half an hour. The texture is creamy and smooth; it's not moisturizing, but it doesn't dry my lips either. For formulas like this I recommend that you let your lips absorb a thin layer of lip balm first.

It smells sweet, not too much that it offends.

Carnation, Hibiscus, Country Rose Tangerine (sorry I was missing Lava Love while I was taking this photo)

The color pay-off is pretty amazing, but it streaks in some of the shades I have (Carnation and Hibiscus). Lava Love and Tangerine are already opaque in one layer! The other shades need two. That's not much of an effort in any case.

Staying power is average at 3-4 hours. I do like that the brighter ones leave a nice stain. Here are the swatches of the five shades I have!

I'm sure you've seen other beauty bloggers posting about this already! Two reasons, really: Lancome Philippines has an ongoing contest for your guys AND these glosses are pretty rad. I don't wear a lot of lip gloss since I find that most of them sticky and drying. But the Lancome Gloss In Love (P1,295) is a game changer!

They feel like butter on the lips - very creamy, a wee bit thick, but there is no stickiness or greasiness. It doesn't feel like your lips are sweating inside (if you know what I mean). They are also extremely, well, glossy. Juicy-looking. They definitely make my lips look plumper and dare I say sexier!

See? The lasting power is pretty nice, at two to three hours without eating. The gloss doesn't feel flaky once it's completely dry; indeed, I don't even need to wear lip balm underneath. It's moisturizing enough by itself. I also love the slightly curved wand as it helps the gloss sink into the lips better. Make sure to wiggle the wand all over to avoid spidery wrinkled-looking lips!

I just wish that all the glosses are as pigmented as the one I'm wearing up there (#385) but I suppose fairer ladies will love the paler shades. Check out Sabs' swatches here, the lighter colors look great on her fair skin!

Here are my own swatches. ^_^ What's your favorite?

Young people these days are all "I don't know what I want to do with my life!" If I ever hear you say that, you will get a long, long talk from me. You should avoid living a meaningless life with no direction, no clear-cut goals. I firmly believe that we all know what we want to do for the rest of our lives, right now, except that we're too afraid to fail at it. 

For many of us, pipe dreams are better than failed ones. It's easier to keep a Nebulous Some Day close to our heart, when everything we ever wanted will come true. It's easier to make excuses. But anything worth doing is never easy so just suck it up and do it! Whatever regrets may come of it, at least you'd end up knowing what you can do and who you are exactly. Then maybe you'll try again when you're ready or move on to the next dream.

Anyhoo, I just want to review the Hurraw! Grapefruit Lip Balm (P250 from Cutieverse). This is a reaaaallllly nice lip balm - it's light on the lips, buttery, and moisturizing. It's citrusy grapefruit scent is refreshing and not overly chemical. The oblong tube is also pretty genius (albeit strange), since the shape easily fits the contours of my lips.

What a dark and dreary Monday it is. It's not the best way to start the week, but there are lots of ways to cheer ourselves up! Mine involves a hot bowl of arroz caldo, a botched attempt at a home made doggie raincoat, and now, a happy lipstick review. What's yours?

Anyhoo, on to the lipstick! The Clinique Long Last Lipstick in Runway Coral (P1,100) is my current favorite lipstick. It's been ages since I've worn an actual Clinique lipstick (the Chubby Stick doesn't count) that I've forgotten how nice the brand makes them. I've said this again and again - Clinique is famous for skincare products, but its makeup is surprisingly good. Especially of late, it's like the Clinique makeup department is on crack.

There are lots of nice lipsticks out there, but I there are only a few that come in beautiful packaging and an amazing formula. The Clinique Long Last Lipstick has both. The burnished silver bullet has some heft to it and a gliding closure with no click. I love it! The tactile feel alone can excite any girl who cherishes beautiful objects.

The formula itself is also very good. It's smooth and cushy and light on the lips, but it stays put for five hours if you don't eat.

Remember when MTV was the coolest channel on television? If you're about my age, you would have spent and hour or so after school watching the latest music videos. You know, when they only released music videos on TV? Haha. I feel so old just knowing how epic MTV was back then.

One of the most visible brands on MTV then was ZA Cosmetics. They always showed that colorful and cute commercial in between videos, sometime in the late 90s. ZA was pulled out of the country for over a decade, sadly, but now it's back! I believe the stalls started popping up in SM Department Stores and Landmark just last June. The liquid and powder foundation come highly recommended so do check them out when you visit!

The prices are quite affordable, with most of the products checking in at less than a thousand bucks only. ZA is popular for the cosmetics of course but they also have intriguing skincare lines. ZA is actually a Shiseido brand, so you can bet that the company's thorough research is behind every ZA product!  

Today I will be reviewing the ZA Plumper Lips Lipstick in Rose Vintage (P425). It's what I got in my loot bag during the ZA event some weeks back, a random choice, but I love it as an everyday pink lipstick! It can work with fair to medium skintones I think, since it's warm enough without being too dark. 

Rose Vintage is a mid-coverage brown-based pink lipstick that packs a lot of shine. The shine creates the illusion of plumper lips indeed, although you would have to retouch every two or three hours to maintain the shine and color.