Last year, the big anti-aging story was all about re-activating our youth cells. Apparently, scientists have discovered a way to jumpstart youth by re-energizing some cells with a special ingredient. I don't know if there was any truth to it but I do know that most of the anti-aging products that came out in 2012 had that magic formula.

This year, Avon might just be headlining another new development in the anti-aging race. It appears that the new Anew Clinical Pro Line Corrector with A-F33 presents a different approach to anti-aging inspired by Nobel Prize-winning research. It promises to fade wrinkles in seven days by intercepting collagen-blockers.

If you have the cheekbones of a Roman goddess then woo good for you. Congratulations on your genetic good fortune! But if you're like me with a round face and chubby cheeks then contouring may be the best thing to slim down and/or define your face.

I'm not saying that you should hate yourself because your face is wide and/or fat. In fact you shouldn't hate yourself for anything you have or don't have if you are to be happy and productive! I for one love my face as it is, but sometimes when I'm off to special occasions I prefer a little bit of definition - for photos, more than anything. I look different in photos than I do in person, so I want to even out the odds in favor of getting a flattering shot. It's not like you can ask a blog or publication to delete a photo of myself just because I look muy terrible!

I have the impression that most girls in the Philippines aren't into contouring. Blush yes, but not contour. I can think of only three reasons this is so. Do you believe in these yourself? Here are three contouring myths that may be intimidating you - and why you shouldn't be at all!

"Contouring will make me look more tan." Bronzing can give you a tanned glow, but contour powders are usually matte and must be applied only on very specific areas of the face. They should only go on the cheekbones, temples, side of the nose, and jawline. If done correctly it shouldn't actually make your face look darker or your complexion, muddy!

You can use good quality brushes for half a decade or more if you take care of them well. They should even be able to withstand a level of abuse, because that's why you're paying so much for them to begin with! But no matter how expensive or cheap your brushes are, you'll notice that some of them will start to have fly-away bristles after frequent cleaning. How do you prevent this?

Simple! Just use a brush guard. :) It's basically a fine plastic net that you place on top of your brushes while you're drying them. It keeps all the bristles in good shape while still allowing them to dry properly. I'm sure you've heard of this before, but you probably think it's something you can live without. Well, yeah you can, but your brushes need one!

The one I have is called the Charm Makeup Brush Guard (P250). It contains twelve pieces of brush guards - in different sizes but any size can fit even the biggest face brush. You can even cut them up to use with your smaller eye brushes. 

Fair warning, I will be trying out a new anti-blemish serum after I publish this review, so don't be surprised if you see me talking about another serum just after I swear by this one! If I weren't a beauty blogger I wouldn't be going out to try new serums every time I empty a bottle. I would have stopped long ago at the Estee Lauder ANR, the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery, then Shu Uemura Tsuya, and now, the Kiehl's Clearly Corrective serum, which are all awesome products by the way. But I am a beauty blogger so I always have something new and interesting to try. 

Anyway! I'm here to talk about the Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Serum (P3,000), which I have been using since late November. It's an awesome product that helped me clear out the last vestiges of my old blemishes and prevents my new ones from darkening overmuch. Yes, this stuff works! For me at least. You'll see a photo.

What I love about the product

• Lightens blemishes with its main active ingredient which is Vitamin C. Now you don't need to put pure lemon juice on your face. :P Kidding aside this serum does lighten blemishes but it won't happen overnight - it's very gradual. I noticed lightening of my marks in about three to four weeks.
• Brightens and somehow tightens the face. I noticed that my skin has a smoother, super-fine texture. It's more like a subtly lacquered surface if that makes sense! 
• Helps heal pimples slightly faster because of its salicylic acid content.

How many foundations do you have and whats your current fave? - ManilaJen

Hi Jen! Fab question. I love foundation, and even on good skin days I still prefer to wear a little. It really helps enhance the skin, to take it to the next level of flawlessness not humanly possible. Well maybe it's possible if you have genes the aliens would like to keep in storage but that's beside the point. Foundation can make skin look even better and hey, I'll take that any day!

Currently, I have 22 foundations in my collection (I forgot to add the Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme and the Age Defy since I can't seem to find them!). I don't use all this all the time - I still have exactly one face - and there are a few that I haven't actually tried yet. But I do like to rotate. I use only light foundation if I'm stepping out, and the long-wearing, heavy ones are reserved for special events.

I regularly cut down on my foundations. If something isn't my shade or if the formula does not suit me, I give it away to someone who would appreciate it better (after I've reviewed it). I honestly hate things going to waste!

I think of shades as beauty products. Why? Because wearing them instantly provides you some level of sun protection on the eyes and face. If you have a major pimple, puffy and red eyes due to crying or an allergy, or if you came from a chemical peel, shades are your best friends. It covers up most of the unglamorous things on your face and immediately gives it an aura of mystique. What's not to love?

FLY Shades sent me these sunglasses about two months ago and I've been wearing them since then. I'm not one for high-end, uber-expensive sunnies (not yet?) so I really appreciate that these pretty FLY Shades are just around P340-P390. They're not flimsy at all - I've dropped the ones I use regularly and they're doing fine, if not a bit scratched up. Anyway you can find more information about FLY on their Facebook Page. :)

FLY Shades / Zara dress / Veloci watch / Ferretti heels / Tory Burch satchel

Yes, I'm wearing shorts underneath. I doubted the wisdom of this mini-dress as soon as I left the house, but oh well I like it like this. I can't think of it as a top because it's too long and thick so I will stubbornly maintain that it is in fact a mini-dress until the day I die.

Believing in something does not instantly make it true. Still, it's often beneficial to believe in anything that would keep you functioning at optimum level. Being optimistic can calm you down and keep you focused on the task at hand instead of wallowing and quitting when things get tough (as they always do).

Of course, good things won't just randomly happen to you. You have to set the stage for them, plant the seeds, feed the hens, etc. Anyway! Here's the monthly roundup of my best finds last January! I have a nice mix of affordable and high-end products here. 

Let's start with the Bobbi Brown Rich Caviar and Black Pearl Holiday Palettes. These are unfortunately limited edition, but thankfully Bobbi always comes out with new and exciting palettes. They're always wearable and chic at the same time so you really can't go wrong with one. :) I have oodles of neutral palettes but my Bobbi Browns are probably the most abused of them all!

Here's another must-have: the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. This is a collection of six neutral shades that you can mix with each other or with your bright eyeshadows. It's a neat basic product that every eyeshadow lover would love to have. Looks boring, yes, but when you have it you'll be able to unlock your other hard-to-match eyeshadows. (Assuming you don't have something similar already okay!)

I have so, so many photos from last week! I already had to cut down considerably but I can't possibly not post these pictures. Last week was quite eventful, with my birthday plus quite a few meetings and deadllines in between. It's a challenge to stuff all my activities with only 24 hours a day, but I owe it all to my new associate, Denise, who is awesome by the way. 

Here are the pictures!

Was at Vanilla Cupcake Bakery in Glorietta yesterday. Pretty cupcakes and even prettier place!

I go weak for blueberry cheesecake in any form and shape

Micellar water makeup removers (whew) are genius. They're great for removing makeup anywhere - and I don't mean just the face or body! They can take off makeup stains on your clothes (at least lighten them anyway), tables, floors, and most surfaces for that matter. And since they're just basically water, they barely leave any residue and don't need rinsing.

One time I accidentally spilled black eyeliner on my leg and floor - the ink flowed through the pen and when I opened it, out it sprayed. :/ I used some Bioderma on tissue to clean up the mess! I also like to use water-based makeup removers to clean rubber-textured makeup packaging. As you know, rubber is a dust and smudge magnet, and cannot be easily cleaned with just alcohol or soap. 

An example is this tube of Fairydrops BB cream. You won't see it in the picture since I post-processed it already, but the white surface was chock full of foundation smudges.

Feeling under fire today! Work has been non-stop since I woke up but I'm taking a break to write about an awesome eyeliner I got acquainted with recently. Now I've seen a lot of raves about the Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner (P449), but I didn't jump into the bandwagon because I already have the MAC Fluidline. That's the best gel eyeliner for me! Can the Maybelline one compare?

It's a nice, more affordable alternative, but it's not quite like the Fluidline in terms of pigmentation and texture. As for the lasting power - whoa! The Maybelline one will not smudge, smear, or fade even if you wear it all day. You can rely on it to look fantastic from the time you leave your house up to the second you wash it off.

You might be wondering why the packaging is different. Well, it's because this is the reformulated version that was just recently released. :) Here's a quick rundown!

What I love the product 

• It's incredibly long-lasting. I will not attempt to wear it for 36 hours but I've worn it 10 ten hours at most and it stayed fresh. It didn't smudge, smear, fade, or slip on my upper lids.
• Decent pigmentation. It's solid in one line as long as the brush is properly loaded with a generous amount of product.

I didn't really care for cream eyeshadow before. Why bother when there are excellent powder eyeshadows in any color and finish you can think of? But Lisa Eldridge's tutorial wearing cream eyeshadows plus the Bobbi Brown Shore steered me in the right direction. I realized that this particular formula has something to offer to busy girls who want intense, enhancing, and long lasting color on the eyes with minimum effort.

I love wearing cream eyeshadows when I don't have the time or inclination to fuss on my look. It's easy to blend in primer then wear one color on the lids but it's even quicker to swipe on a cream color! Lazy much? It's a great way to enhance the eyes in just a few seconds! Anyway I recently found out about the MeMeMe Dew Pots (P300-ish at Makeupholics*), a cream eyeshadow that received decent reviews online.

Here's what I think. :)

What I love about the product

• It has good color pay-off. One swipe is enough to shade the eyes, but since I want a super opaque finish I swipe twice. I just use my fingers!
• It's thin, non-sticky texture makes it easy to spread and blend with minimal effort. It doesn't skip or create streaks on the lids.
• It comes in a glass jar with a cap that seals tightly. 
• Affordable!

It's my birthday today. I was going to keep it a secret, because I have this wistful desire to be greeted only by people who know when my birthday is without Facebook telling them when. But that's unfair isn't it? Everyone is too busy, too souped up with tons of other more important information than my birthday.

So, thank you in advance for the greetings! I appreciate that you took the time to acknowledge the day I popped out of my mum's belly - literally. Cesarean section. (If you ask me you should greet my mother instead, she got the tough end of the stick that day - not me! Level unlocked for her! I'm the first-born.)

When my clients and business contacts first find out I'm only this age, they ask me "You're so young! How are you able to pull this off?" That's not verbatim but I know that's what they want to know. I'm not rich or famous, okay, but I would like to think that I enjoy a modest amount of success at 25. 

I learned a few things along the way. Here's my advice on how to be where you want to be. (Cliches may or may not be included.)

Do what you love best. Do it now. One of the scariest things I've done so far was quitting my first (and only) full-time job after only eight months. I was only 22, I haven't paid my dues, I didn't know if I could make it as a freelancer since I wasn't acquainted with many people who could give me projects then. But I felt nothing towards my desk job. I had to drag my feet to the office everyday!

Now I like a lot of things, but there is one thing that I'm passionate about: writing. I'm a good writer. I'm not gonna win any Pulitzers but I sure as hell know how to write copy and engaging blog posts!

The MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in Sunny Seoul (P1,000) is my go-to lipstick lately. It's bright yet wearable, and goes with so many looks! I always pick it up because it's so safe and friendly-looking. If you've been following my Instagrams then you would have seen this lippie a couple of times already. ;) 

Sunny Seoul is a creamy warm pink with a tiny bit of pearl frost. It's not opaque as I hoped it would be, but a couple of heavy layers can easily solve that. It would look awesome on fair skin because it verges on pastel already (very ethereal on light skintones).

One of the most popular posts on this website is about how I lost weight with CarbTrim. I've noticed that a lot of people get to this website via the "carbtrim" keyword (need to lose all that holiday weight? Going to the beach soon?) too, so I thought I'd post an update on this juice!

I've been drinking Carbtrim on and off for the past 10 months. The most important thing I learned about it? If you don't want to lose weight then it's not going to happen. You have to commit to a diet first and use Carbtrim to make it easier for you to follow that diet. You can't drink Cabrtrim and hope it will magically make you want to eat less! 

I've started a few sentences, erased them all. I guess what I really want to say is that I'm speechless. I knew this feature was coming (I got interviewed after all!) but it's so surreal to finally see it in print. I, along with fellow beauty bloggers Shen and Martha, were featured in Mega's February 2013 issue.

Love this cover btw! This is illustrated by the same people who draws the Archie comics. Are you excited for the MAC Archie's Girls collection?

My face right now: ^_^ Thanks so much to Max Ignacio for the write-up! Sara Garces, girl, I adore you for taking the scans even though you're busy. Click after the jump to see the full transcript of the interview (if you're interested teehee).

Open images in a new tab to view a bigger version

Serums traditionally provide intense care and repair for our face. They usually have more concentrated ingredients in a clear, gel-like, sometimes oily solution for better absorption on skin. I was pretty excited when I first heard about a new serum for - are you ready - the body. How fabulous would it be if we can lavish our whole body in intensified skincare?

The Nivea Body UV Whitening Serum SPF25 PA++ (P219) promises radiant and whiter skin with ingredients like Vitamin C, licorice, red seaweed, and Hydra IQ. Does it look and feel like the other serums I've tried before? No. It's white, watery, and feels like lotion. I was a little disappointed because "serum" was the word that hooked me in, but for P219 /200ml I don't see how it could be more than lotion.

But I love it nonetheless. :) Three things: it's the lightest lotion I've tried EVER, it has SPF25 PA++, and has a pleasant citrus smell - no chemical sunblock-y scent at all! Did I say it was super light?

Hi folks! I found some bits of news that I hope you'd find interesting. :) Majolica Majorca is having a price slash on their best-selling mascara, Lash King! Please read my review to know how awesome it is.

For The Big Majolica Majorca Face off, the brand is having a mascara challenge that will show how great Lash King is and how it will compare to your favorite mascara. Customers can take the challenge on Feb 8-10 in SM Makati and also on Feb22-24 in SM North Edsa.

Also, on these dates, Lash King will go on sale for only P499 (from P795). This is almost 40% OFF! And then you can even get a 20% off coupon for your next purchase. The discounted Lash King price is applicable in all Majolica Majorca outlets on these dates.

You obviously have several products at your disposal for review! I wonder - being a beauty blogger and having the privilege of trying out tons of beauty knick-knacks out there, do you still have a beauty wishlist? If so, what is your ultimate dream beauty/makeup product?

I'm curious as well on what the readers have to say. Guys, if cost and accessibility were no issue, what beauty product/makeup would you get in a heartbeat? Fantasize and share please! - Yani

Hi Yani! Great question! Made me think. :P Yes, I still have a beauty wishlist even though I get new products on a regular basis. For example I want to own more NARS items! But how ever much I love makeup, I'm not an addict with uncontrollable impulses. I think first before I buy something new, because most of the time I probably have a similar thing just waiting to be used or finished up. I don't want to waste what I get and I don't want to sell them either. So I rarely buy even though it is within my means to do so.

Still, there are a couple of things that I would love to have! 

The MAC Fluidline Brow Gel Creme (P1,100) is on top of my modest list. This is part of the upcoming The Stylish Brow collection, which will come out this month! I don't fall in line for MAC products, but I will go to the mall at 10am just for this.

Is there a way to wear bright eyeshadows conservatively? It sounds like an oxymoron, true, but it can be done. The trick is to show just a flash of color on the lids - there's no need to cover every centimeter of available space you know! Keep the crease color a neutral brown, taupe, or charcoal (go light or as deep as you want). The bright colors should only show whenever you close your eyes. ;)

You don't see it

Now you do!

And that's my quick tip for today. ;) Anyway I wore this to a couple of meetings last week. I finally took out this fringe skirt I bought last December - it's a crowd favorite, at least the people I met seemed to like it. But it's quite difficult to style! How would you wear it?

Who's graduating in the next few months? Congratulations in advance! It's tough to get through university in one piece, so you better make that last hurrah count. Looking fabulous on the day you are honored for your accomplishments is a simple gift to yourself. Here's a tutorial on how best to go about it!

Now you need to consider a few things when doing your graduation makeup. It must be able to withstand the sweat and oil that will result from the humid hell that is March-April where the season begins to fully transition to summer. I remember my own graduation where we had to stand two hours outside the auditorium before the program started. Que horror! Expect the worse, so your makeup should be oil-resistant, water-resistant, and long-wearing.

I highly recommend the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation for your base if you don't mind the price

...but the Revlon Colorstay Whipped Creme Makeup is a great alternative

Your look should also be as photogenic as possible. It should present the best version of your skin and enhance your features, which means that it has to be heavier and more complex than usual. Don't worry, I'll walk you through the hoops. ;) This tutorial can also be a handy for any special occasion or photoshoot since it's versatile.

Let's begin!

Perfect your skin. The most photogenic and long-lasting combination for this type of event is liquid foundation, spot concealer, and then translucent loose powder.