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!

Last Thursday the Philippine press had the privilege of being one of the first in the world to see Shiseido's latest skincare line. The presentation was held at the Shiseido headquarters in Tokyo, and boy was it such an eye-opening hour and a half! The Japanese principals first discussed their research findings on the new generation - their motives, aspirations, and lifestyle trends.

The Shiseido headquarters

Did you know that in Japan, the average age is 46 versus the Philippines' 21 years old? The Japanese opt to make fewer and fewer children, and this has brought a lot of uncertainty to those in their early 20s and 30s. Instead of being with family that is directly related to one another, there is now what is called a "happy collective". Young people would forge solid relationships with those their own age, to sort of take away the loneliness of living alone, which appears to be the custom in Japan.

Shibuya, the pulse of Tokyo

There is also an emerging middle class that prioritizes not only value in their purchases, but in also patronizing a brand that they can relate with. The relationship is more like a patron supporting an artist.

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! :)

This week was supposed to be Skincare Week but with an impending trip I wasn't able to photograph everything in time! Oh well. I'll have a proper themed week next week once everything has settled down. ^_^ For today I will talk about the latest innovation from Clinique - a fresh take, rather, of one of their most-loved products of all time!

Clinique recently held an intimate and utterly dainty event at R-Space, Makati. The whole area was lit up in a soft honey glow, with accents of yellow on a cream background. It's such a lovingly styled event - something I always appreciate as it helps me sort of "feel" the brand better. I mean I know what it is and what kind of products it makes, but I am out for the story - not for a plain catalogue.

Clinique has always been known as a sort of clinical skincare brand. Modern, ascetic even. This time it is presenting a warmer, happier face to the world. Clinique loves good skin, but now it's all about good skin with a smile. :)

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.

Should I invest more on a cleanser or moisturizer? :) - Amor

Hi Amor! Ideally you'd spend for both since these are the two most important beauty products for your face, but if you only have a limited budget yet still want the best - I say splurge on a moisturizer! Facial washes aren't really meant to stay on skin, so any active ingredients they may have won't get the chance to work properly. Those Vitamin E, green tea, chamomile oil and other similar chorva? They won't make a difference on your face if delivered via facial wash.

However, some facial washes have certain ingredients that absorb oil (commonly kaolin clay or any type of clay) and possibly dry up pimples (salicylic acid). These ingredients can have an immediate effect on skin! Good cleansers with these potent ingredients that work WITHOUT drying up skin can cost a pretty penny. It's a thin line. That's why I don't mind coughing up for my  Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleanser.

Expensive moisturizers do make a huge difference on skin, in my experience. They have all sorts of cool ingredients that can give you what your skin needs.

What's your favorite Watsons store to shop in? Mine used to be in Mall of Asia, but now I am loving the newly opened SM Aura branch! It's huuuuge, and everything is organized in a way that makes sense. You can go there the first time and easily figure out where stuff are. The new space is also a joy to shop in, with fresh interiors and even new classy counters.

Watsons actually had a recent regional rebrand. You'll notice the new logo, wall decals, even new uniforms when you walk in the store. The look isn't that noticeable unless you're observant, but these changes contribute to the overall fun of shopping in Watsons. If you've been to the one in SM Aura then you'll know what I mean! Everything is just so...bright and fresh.

They are impossible to miss in Beauty Bar: the iconic bee, the yellow tubes of lip balm goodness. Burt's Bees has made a mark in the beauty industry as an all-natural skincare brand, but they recently released new color cosmetics. For the lips, still! I can't wait to see the day when BB has foundations and blush at least! That should be awesome, no?

Anyhoo, take a look at some of the newest products from Burt's Bees.

First up is the Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm (P650). This comes in different shades, but the one I have here is Caramel Daisy! The tinted balm glides and feels like butter on the lips. I've tried the plain balm before and wasn't very impressed because of the hard texture, but the Tinted Lip Balm is definitely an improved version. It keeps my lips hydrated and not waxy-feeling. It has a faint jelly bean scent to boot!

Friday fun day! I don't have many things planned today other than work. I just need to attend a hot yoga class (been remiss this week, so terribly busy). I'm on an unlimited monthly membership at Yoga+ and it would be a waste to not attend at least three classes a week.

Anyway before I devolve into a full-on ramble I thought I'd share a few outfits from the last 30 days. Yes, I told you I gave up on documenting all my outfits here - but that doesn't mean I don't Instagram them (@lizlanuzo y'all)! IG is a great way to keep track of the things I wear and use. I don't have time to remember everything so I must turn to IG to keep some details of my life in one scrollable place. Heh.

Forever 21 top and shorts, Ferretti shoes, Cuzo bag, Promod necklace

This is what I had on yesterday. I stepped out for a quick meeting, not too formal, so I was just in casual clothes. I don't have much time to dress myself these days - five minutes tops - so a funky or sharp shirt matched with shorts is my "formula" so to speak. Then I wear my comfiest shoes, but with some height to them. Personal preference. I feel plain in flats. 

Those ribboned platforms up there are from Ferretti. My favorite shoe brand, if you must know. ;)

My world is full of glamorous, beautiful people. It's ridiculously easy to envy them and even try to compete with them, but I know that the road to misery is down that way. I am not them nor will I ever be exactly like them. Do I regret that? Honestly, no. In my 25 years so far I've learned that I should appreciate what I have instead of wishing I have something else. :) My life is good and there is much to be thankful for. Why should I beat myself up over a good thing?

Try it, you'll be happier in the end.

So that's my thought bubble for the day. ^_^ Moving on to the review! Today I have the Eau De Lacoste Pour Femme on the hot seat. It's a crisp, fresh fragrance with a bouquet of flowers underneath the initial green zing. It makes me think of a garden picnic, with a cotton table cloth, vases of fresh blooms, and a light herby menu!

A soft sensual feminine fragrance, evoking the fresh feeling of white pure cotton on skin. EAU DE LACOSTE is built on a classical fragrance structure, where the fragrance evolves smoothly from top to base notes over time, but superimposing modern ingredients on traditional ingredients, to generate a much lighter fragrance profile.

I just realized that I did three themed weeks last month! Do check out the Lipstick Week, MAC Week, and Shiseido Week. My plan was just two with a week in between, but I found it easier to have some direction when choosing what to write about. There are so many unreviewed products here that I have stopped trying to figure out which goes first! I'll just go with the theme, or whatever I am liking at the moment, because I want to hold on to my sanity.

If you have suggestions for future themed weeks, I would love to hear them! I actually got the Lipstick Week idea from one of the comments on this blog. ;) Anyway here's my top ten favorite products from June. Let me know if you found anything interesting.

Lipstick fiend that I am, one of my favorite things last month is MAC Rebel. It's an amazing purply fuchsia that I feel works with my coloring perfectly! It's a unique shade that I'll keep close to my heart for years to come.

The NARS Satin Lip Pencils have been making waves in the beauty world ever since they came out early this year. The buttery texture, opacity, and gorgeous shades had everyone swooning over these sophisticated black pencils. My favorite shade is Lodhi, but I would also grab Yu in the near future! Hyde Park, a berry red, is also a great shade to have on hand.

When someone asks me about makeup in person, I always tell them: don't get me started, because I'd be hard to stop once I get rolling! I can spend an hour (or more) just talking about cosmetics, and a good fraction of that time may or not be spent giving the other person a mini-make over. Haha. I always jump on the chance to educate and inspire the best I can; it seriously makes me happy!

But makeup is just really the tip of the iceberg. If you don't have good skin to begin with, your makeup won't look flawless no matter how expensive it is. So always prioritize treating your skin first and then maintaining it to the best of your ability. You'd be happier and more confident knowing that makeup is just an option for you and not a requirement.

Anyway, today I want to talk about the VMV Hypoallergenics ID Monolaurin Gel (P710 /120 ml). It's basically a clear face and body gel that can be used to treat pimples and sweat acne, as well as a primer to keep oil at bay. It only has six ingredients, which I will break down for you so you can see how this intriguing gel works.

The main ingredient is alcohol. I know there are a ton of people out there saying that alcohol is bad for your skin, but there is bad and good alcohol! Good alcohol is not a common allergen/irritant or VMV won't put it in their products. If there's one thing you need to know about this brand, they are incredibly anal about ingredients! They base their choices on studies published in peer reviewed journals and even publish research on their own.

In your previous posts, you have discussed about your top picks regarding BB creams, foundations, etc. I have tried some of them, and I'm planning on trying others as well. Raves are something when it comes to beauty bloggers and YouTube gurus, but having something as their HG is another. I must admit, there's something about HG status that thrills us readers and viewers and makes us want to buy a particular product.

Being an avid reader of your blog, I can easily state some of your HG's. But can I make a request from you to list down your ultimate HG products? I just want to read about them in a single post and I think I will eventually buy them for myself. I trust your judgement a lot, I guess you could tell. :) Thank you so much! - Marie

Hi Marie! Thank you, this has got to be my favorite question so far. That's true, I write about all the things I love here, but then some are extra special than others. Of course, it depends on my specific set of preferences so I can't guarantee that everything here will be as ideal for you as they are for me. Still, you might just hit the jackpot! It's so difficult to find something that works. I hope you find them at Project Vanity.

But wait, what constitutes a Holy Grail product for me? It's really the best possible mix of value (cost-per-wear), convenience, and efficacy. Here's my list, in different categories! 

Face Bases

Primer. I'm a big believer in using only things I need, and I don't feel primer is one of them. I have oily combination skin. I do oil up, but it's manageable! I prefer to use a good foundation and blotting powder/paper to keep the oil at a reasonable level. The truth is that no product can make you stop oiling up, it can only absorb the oil for as long as it is able to.

BB Cream. My ideal BB cream is the Fairydrops Candy Bar BB Cream. This looks like skin, is extremely photogenic, and lasts pretty well. Great for the day, great for night events. I don't mind using an SPF product underneath.

Liquid Foundation. I love light textures and natural coverage, so I'm going with the Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup. It doesn't have a lasting power I can swear by, but it does make my skin look bright in the dullest of days. Second place would be the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation.