I didn't buy much. I initially wanted to buy something to wear for for Preview magazine's Best-Dressed Ball this Saturday, but I figured that everyone else had the same idea so I perished the thought.

I look neurotic. Slept late last night. Wearing no makeup here.

I lost all common sense for the first two hours of being in the store, just trying to drink in all the beautiful things. I was tempted to buy so many dresses! Good thing my practicality kicked in. I have tons of dresses from my very own online store so why bother getting from somewhere else unless I really needed to? So, I stuck to the basics and got lovely accessories to wear with my little black dresses.

I swear, this whole outfit will be my uniform for the next month or so!

I spotted these really cute heart-printed sneakers. I almost didn't get one, because this is the last pair in my size! They're super cheap at P499. The material appears to be canvas, while the inside is padded. I run a lot of errands so I need comfy shoes that I don't mind ruining (unlike my Sebagos. I'd die if the rain and mud breaks down the leather).

I just came from the Forever 21 official launch/ private sale and oh boy, was it crazy! "Crazy" may sound too much, but it's really the best word to describe it. There was an undercurrent of hysteria as the doors officially opened to the most stylish denizens of Manila for the first time. 

A chosen few were given the chance to get first dibs on everything, so the evening was all about shopping! The place was packed. You can spend an hour in that place and not see everything. The Forever 21 flagship store in Megamall A is like a stand-alone department store: there's underwear, accessories, basic cotton pieces, shoes, and all kinds of dresses to fit every age group and budget. There is also a line for men, so F21 really has got it all for you (not surprising since the company that brought it to the country is SM).

My grandmother was an Avon Lady for many years. Because of the brand, she helped my Lolo put my mother and her siblings through college during the 70's.

She got interested in makeup because of Avon, and she actually made a career out of it. My earliest memories were of her bringing me and my cousins to the Cultural Center of the Philippines, where she did the makeup of theater and concert artists in her heyday. We got to watch plays, of course! She has pictures with Lea Salonga and Pops Fernandez. 

She was a kind and cool Lola to have. She bought us clothes, made us up. I think it was from her that my mother and I got our love for all things related to fashion and beauty. My mother is actually an Avon Lady too, although she doesn't sell. She just likes the 20% discount, lol.

That being said, I grew up with Avon. The first makeup I ever got to play with was from Avon. My pre-teen bras were from Avon. It's a brand that my family's life is closely intertwined with, so I was glad when I got to attend one of their yearly launches.

Avon launched three categories: lingerie, jewelry, and accessories. The newest collections are inspired by themes: Kaleidoscope Summer (bright and bold), Tutti Frutti (flirty colors), One Love (hippie movement), Spring Fantasy (dainty and subdued), Ode To Leaves (the shades of a lush garden), Pool Party (blue and cool), Bouquet of Memories (nostalgic and timeless), Black Rose (the sophistication of the color black), and Men's Club (for the boys).

Guests were asked to shop in three rooms: the jewelry room featuring Avon's latest trinkets, accessories room holding the bags, belts, wallets, and shoes, and the lingerie room containing the brand's summer-worthy wear

Ruffa Gutierrez was the shining host of the night! Bianca Gonzales joined her as Avon's newest endorser

As you know, I work mostly from home. I only go out when there are events, meetings, and errands, which, come to think of it, means that I'm out three days a week anyway. Lol. Well. You get the drift. I'm not always out. So, to make much-needed space on my shoe rack, I'm letting these shoes go. Need to make way for new ones that I hope I'll get to use often. Right now I have two unused pairs, which reminds me, need to wear them out. (I'm in my fashion mode where I buy clothes and shoes more instead of makeup).

Note that these aren't perfect anymore, hence the prices. There are scuffs and damage. Still, they are in good, wearable condition.

RESERVED Worn once - in mint condition. Size 5. Heels approximately 3.5 inches high. P300

RESERVED Pomelo pink pleather is scuffed. Size 5. Heels 2.5 inches. P200

Like any self-respecting female does, I got new shoes to match the season. I wanted comfortable ones that weren't too hot on my feet, easy to walk in, and comes in bright, summery colors to match the clothes I'll be wearing. Here's what I came up with:

I'm loving these ultra-comy brogues I got from Tonic, at The Ramp. They're soft and the color speaks a lot for itself. I like wearing these during the day as it instantly livens up drab casual clothes. I got them for a nice price of P990 (I would have loved to pay less because I'm cheap like that) but they're totally worth it!

Here are the shoes in action. Wore them with acid washed shorts, Uniqlo polo, necklace and hat from SM Department Store. I have a feeling that this will be my summer uniform! It's slouchy but still smart, don't you think?

Me and my trusty Ipanemas at the beach

Summer is in full, heatstroke-inducing swing! If you're going to the beach, it's time to stock up on essentials like sunblock, swimsuits, and of course - flipflops. I am soo feeling this sentence because I went to the beach last weekend with no proper flipflops. Good thing Ipanema gave us all a pair! But that's another story for another day.

Speaking of Ipanema, you can also find the brand in a newly-opened footwear store called Bambu. They also have other brands like Ipanema Giselle Bundchen, Rider, Grendha, and OndadeMar. The new place has this classy samba vibe, well-lit interiors, and tons of fashionable (albeit expensive) footwear for kids, women, and men. They also have some resort wear and woven bags and hats available. Perfect for the beach!

What follows is a barrage of pictures of the launch.

I love the Philippines so I've never seriously considered moving to another country, say the US. However if there is one thing - one thing - that could convince me otherwise it would have to be all that gorgeous makeup they have over there! There's collection after collection from cheap to high-end brands. Not to mention the stuff are relatively more affordable than when they come here to the Philippines...if they get to the Philippines!

A lot of the best makeup brands in the US don't operate here, unfortunately. There's Urban Decay, Benefit, Sephora, Too Faced, Lorac, Korres, Ecotools, the list goes on. One of my dilemmas as a makeup enthusiast is getting my grubby hands on makeup that isn't available in the Philippines.

Enter stores like the House of Flair. The gracious owner, Suyen, was nice enough to contact me and ask me to try her shipping service. Basically, I picked something out of Sephora, filled up her order form, and poof! In three weeks the package was at my doorstep. My transaction with Suyen was fast and hassle-free.

Benefit's best sellers: Some Kind-a Gorgeous foundation faker, That Gal Primer, Posietint, and Highbeam

Urban Decay produces some of the best palettes around, and their new Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows is not an exception. It contains sixteen of their best-selling shades, two 24/7 Eye Pencils in Zero and Flipside, and one mini eyeshadow primer potion. If you've seen trailers of the upcoming Alice in Wonderland movie, you'll notice that the color scheme Urban Decay used for this BoS is damnably close.

So, without further ado, here are pictures of one of the first three Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland palettes in the Philippines!

The Book of Shadows is as big and as heavy as a hardbound book

Pretty amazing pop-up eh? Urban Decay spares no expense when it comes to packaging

More pictures and details after the jump!

When it comes to beauty and the dedication that goes into the pursuit of it, no one understands the zest and inspiration it requires more than beauty experts who know what is required behind the scenes of beauty" - Victoria Encarnacion, Beauty By SM Director for Marketing

Wanna know what my top two favorite makeup places in Manila are? The SM Mall of Asia and the SM Makati beauty aisles! I also love their Watson branches. First, the makeup counters and personal care stands are always well-stocked and updated. Second, the aisles are wide and easy to navigate. Lastly, the place looks bright, airy, and clean. Very conducive to makeup shopping since we need good lighting to see how the product looks on our faces.

Thus, it was with great excitement that I attended the official launch of Beauty By SM. Basically, it's the upgraded SM Makati beauty area with new brands, new interior design, and more organized divisions. The place is now snazzy and posh, thanks to the people behind SM. They realized that the modern women's needs and tastes have evolved so they evolved right along with it.

Loved what they did with the place! It's definitely worth a visit. Now, I'm sure you're curious about the new, exclusive brands that they have onboard. I took pictures of the counters so you can check them out. 

This is the most interesting brand that I saw. It's marketed as makeup for professional artists and, what do you know, the quality actually seems to be up to par. The price is quite nice, too.

Extremely silky! The small eyeshadows were P350 while the big version is P399. If you're sick of neutrals not showing up, this is something you should try

Blushes at P450. Not bad eh? They're quite big.

Colorescience has perhaps been one of the best-reviewed mineral makeup brands out there! I've tested some of their products and I'm seriously blown away by the quality. I was also blown away by the price.

Click click!

Having my own online store can be quite taxing, believe me. When I started out with Lauren I thought that it wouldn't be too hard since I've been shopping online for some time now, and thus have experience. It was not too long until I found out that managing an online store could be a nightmare - supplying, taking care of the logistics, demanding customers - the list is endless! We have a shopping cart store though so it's a little easier.

It's for sellers like me that Platform2U made their advanced e-commerce platform called SMilDS. It's a comprehensive online shopping system that provides you with a user-friendly CMS (Content Management System), allowing you to upload content, customize your store's design, organize orders, basically manage your website. It also provides logistics solutions in terms of payments and shipping - your buyers can pay you through credit cards and other mainstream means, and SMilDS is affiliated with the major shipping companies as well. It has customer support that monitors your sales too.

The starter kit with the manual and CD. SMilDS also provides their own debit card for customers!