I have a confession to make: I cringe internally whenever I receive skincare products to review. Why? Because each new product holds a potential for breaking me out, and sometimes, I have so many to review that my face does not have time to rest or recover from the most recent pimple spree. It's not all negative though. Sometimes I hit the jackpot and find a product that works so well, so perfectly, that it alone is worth all the reckless product sampling that came before it.

I've already mentioned a few times that I am in love with the Pond's White Beauty Cream (in the tube). It evens out my skin, moisturizes it without the oiliness, and gives me a visible glow that I don't see in other products of its sort. I've been using it for two years now and it has been consistent in giving me nice skin.

Little did I know that its more expensive sister, the Flawless White Visible Whitening Day Cream, is even better!

As a beauty and fashion editor, my main job is to shape our section in The Philippine Online Chronicles. What do I want it to be? What do I want it to talk about? What image should it have? Well, I want the channel to be a source of valuable information on beauty and fashion for Filipinas. I want it to talk about our pressing concerns. I want it to empower women to be more confident about themselves, and try new things now that they know how. Basically, I want the section to be intelligent and encouraging, a useful tool for being a better version of ourselves.

I've been at this job for the past five months, and I'd like to believe that I have achieved the goals I set above. Of course, that wouldn't be possible without the team of writers who pour their experiences and hours of research on the channel: Lauren, Mara, Kira, Tanya, Gela, Gem, Lyn, Rizel, and Alex. I thought it would be fun to get all the girls under one roof, and I was totally right!

L-R: Tita Noemi, our boss; Lauren, me, Mara, Lyn, Alex, Kira, Tanya

Perhaps the most common complaint about NYX Round Lipsticks is their lack of staying power. NYX attempts to solve that problem by providing a slightly more expensive line called NYX Lips.

So how different is Lips from the Round lipsticks? For one, it feels smoother, creamier, and thicker. It is also more opaque and pigmented, and that's saying a lot since RLs are already pigmented as they come. 

Black Cherry and Love Angel

The staying power of this line is definitely better than the RLs. The RLs tend to fade and get wiped out as soon as you eat or drink, but Lips keep their color for at least four hours. Eating and drinking will remove them, but there will be a stain left. In the case of Black Cherry, a very, very strong stain.

There are fragrances for when you want to feel sexy, sweet, professional, glamorous, masculine or just plain clean - name it, and there's probably a scent for that! I never paid much attention to fragrances before, until I got to review a few of them for my blog. I think that scents can help create a good mood and accentuate your personal style. They're like a gorgeous pair of earrings or a statement necklace; your outfit looks fine without them, but once you have them on, they make a lot of difference! For scents, the difference doesn't lie in what we can see, but what we can smell and feel.

Acqua Colonia's specialty as a scent is to capture the essence of nature and use it to invigorate, stimulate, and relax the wearer. There are four variants available in the Philippines: Lemon & Ginger, the best seller, Vetyver & Bergamot, Melissa & Verbena, and Royal Riesling, which is what I have.

This cheerful fragrance is a tribute to the Riesling grape. It is the queen of white wine grapes and is considered to be the most precious type in the world. It is said to have euphoriant effects. 

According to Wikipedia, riesling is "an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas". Indeed, Acqua Colonia's Royal Riesling variant has a light, sharp floral scent as a top note. It mellows down to a powdery, musky smell as it melts on your skin.

In this post I pledge to not buy anything kikay-related (except for toiletries and random thrifted pieces) for the rest of July. I've been spending waaay too much lately for things that I don't really need. I'd like to think of myself as a thrifty person, so the rate I've been spending this past month is already scaring me. Besides, I need to save up for two things: the Clinique Moisture Surge and the new Urban Decay Naked palette! Priorities, priorities.

Have you guys been to the Zara sale? The prices are batshit insane! Most of the stuff on the store were either 50% or 70% off. I visited the branch in Glorietta and couldn't help but buy this ultra-soft Trafaluc long cardigan and pink tiered skirt.

The devil is in the details

I've been enjoying good skin lately. I like to think that it involves three products that I have been using consistently as of late: the Dr. Jart BB creams for SPF and light coverage instead of foundation, Pond's Flawless White cream (the more expensive one in the jar - will review that this week), and the Clinique Moisture Surge.

I only received the sample jar from Clinique, so these pictures will have to do!

"Moisture surge" sounds scary, doesn't it? If you're oily like me it does! The last thing oily ladies want on their skin is extra moisture, as we tend to stick to the idea that moisturizing creams equals more oil. Well, if the cream or lotion that you're using is oil-based then the problem may be aggravated, but products like the Clinique Moisture Surge, which is gel-based, should not.

I was hesitant to use this at first because I didn't want to disrupt my skincare routine, but I try to use everything that has been sent to me at least once, just in case something's awesome! And oh boy, was I glad that I did.

When I wrote that there is no good drugstore moisturizer, my readers were quick to correct me. The folks behind Myra (Innovitelle, under Unilab) generously sent me a pack of Myra products, of course not forgetting to include the intriguing Myra Vitaglow Tinted Moisturizer!

I've been using the product for a week, and surprisingly, it's good! It's super cheap at only P135 (hardly more than a one-way cab fare or a cup of overpriced coffee), but the best thing is that it delivers well in terms of feel, texture, and coverage.

There are only two shades: Beige and Ivory. Beige is more for morena skin with, well, beige undertones, while Ivory is for fairer skin with yellow tones. I can actually use both shades since they blend in with my skintone (light-medium, NC30-35), but my preference is Ivory. I made a video on how I apply Ivory, so you can see how it improves my complexion nicely.

Why I like this

• Good coverage. It won't cover blemishes or eyebags, but it does a great job of evening out my skin.
• Feels light. The texture is kind of watery, which I prefer versus oily liquid makeup.

Of course, a blog coverage about the Preview Ball isn't complete without our photos! The beauty bloggers Shen, Nikki, and Jheng came in their most stylish outfits. We hung out with the Estee Lauder girls, Rizel (Beautybank), Ina (Bobbi Brown), and Budit (Clinique). Spotted Sasha and Dhon too!

So anyway, here comes gratuitous photos!

Me and Rizel. The lilac lipstick I'm wearing NYX in Power. Who thought it would actually look good? As long as I use it with dark eyes, it doesn't wash me out.

Me, Rizel, Nikki, Jheng, Shen

One of the most memorable collections during the last May's Philippine Fashion Week was Kermit Tesoro and Leeroy New's. Each piece looked like a work of art, worked on with close attention to detail and true craftsmanship. The clothes are too avant-garde to wear in real life. Or are they?

Last Saturday, the Preview Best Dressed Ball saw quite a lot of outfits by Mr. Tesoro and New. Let's compare the clothes as seen on the runway versus the red carpet!

Featured here is a cocoon-like dress worn on top of a long, chiffon skirt

I like Sarah Meier's look - well, from her shoulders up. Okay, even her shoes. The rest of the dress fits her weirdly, with a baggy bust and a shapeless waist. I believe that it will look better if the dress was tightened to fit Sarah's very, very thin figure.

Seen here is a textured pantsuit. It looks like something Shaider's enemies might wear.

Last Saturday, I witnessed the Preview Best Dressed Ball with fellow bloggers and friends from Estee Lauder. It was a blast! That is, if you're into the clubbing scene. Tim Yap's newest posh club, Republiq, hosted the Alexander McQueen-themed event. The place was packed as celebrities, designers, fashionophiles, and other media personalities danced to house music and enjoyed the open bar.

Preview's Best Dressed for 2010

The program was pretty short. StyleBible.ph managing editor Isha Andaya announced the new look of StyleBible.ph, Preview’s online home. Editor-in-chief Pauline Suaco-Juan also came up on stage to talk about the night’s theme and encourage everyone to enjoy the party.

Of course, what is the Preview Best-Dressed Ball without ogling at the best-dressed and not-so-well-dressed?

The Preview Editor-In-Chief, Pauline Suaco-Juan. She wore a white crystal-encrusted dress by Michael Cinco with peeptoes from Alexander McQueen. What a super dress! This is perhaps my favorite out of all the clothes I saw that night.

The outfits of the Preview staff are featured later on in the post, but check out the seven best-dressed women honored that night: dermatologist Aivee Aguilar-Teo, Striker Mobile Media’s chief operating officer Ann Jacobe, photographer Garovs Garovillo, philanthropist Kaye Tinga, Giordano Philippines’ product development manager Lloyda Lim, model and designer Marita Fe Ganse, fashion blogger and designer Rosanna Aranaz, and actress Gretchen Barretto, who also graces the cover of this month’s issue. Rounding up the list are fashion blogger Ingrid Holm and shoe designer Ivy Kirzhner, who were both unable to make it that night.

Lloyda Lim wears a hat and dress by Mich Dulce. This is the best outfit for me out of those on the best-dressed list. Lloyda's quirky personality really shines in the way she dresses - minus the tell-tale baby bump! Check out her blog!

I was so surprised when the super chic Sophie handed me this brush as I was about to leave Makati Shangri-La that night. It was very touching, to say the least. For years now, I've followed both her blog, Beautynomics, and her business, Beauty & Minerals. She's one of the bloggers and online entrepreneurs that I really admire!

Enough gushing. Now, meet the newest addition to the Charm Luxe Collection - the Flat Top Brush!

The first thing you'll notice about this brush is its softness. I've never touched a brush as soft, smooth, and dense as this one! I'll stake my name on that. The synthetic bristles are closely packed to ensure that your makeup is spread evenly, with a natural, non-cakey effect. 

Why I love this

• Extremely soft. It feels like a dream on my face! The hair is silky and never scratchy.
• Dense. The closely-packed synthetic hairs pick up powder and liquid/cream makeup well and buffs them evenly. I don't get streaks or patchy application.
• No shedding when I washed it.
• Just the right size for my hand and face.
• Pink n' cute!

It's nice to indulge in trendy clothes, but one should never be without classic pieces that you will keep on wearing for the rest of your life - provided you don't gain too much weight, of course! Aside from black, colors that will never go out of style are red and white. Combine them with classic, flattering cuts and you've got clothes that will serve you well in any occasion and setting for years to come.

Pond's, the skincare brand, collaborated with Plains & Prints to deliver a collection that is inspired by prominent women in the beauty and fashion industry. The muses Rissa Mananquil, Patty Betita, Divine Lee, Bianca Valerio, Mai Kaufmann, Kelly Misa, Apples Aberin and Celine Lopez are known for their beauty and sophisticated style, so these qualities are reflected in the 22 dresses created by Plains & Prints.

In the picture are Pond’s senior brand manager Jacqueline Yuengtian and Plains & Print's creative head and owner, Roxanne Farillas talking about the collaboration. Both brands wanted to celebrate the beauty and style of the muses. The colors, red and white, are taken from Pond's Age Miracle and Flawless White themes. The launch happened at Red Restaurant in Makati Shangri-La hotel.

So, without further ado, here are pics from the fashion show as well as the gorgeous eight muses!

Hi Liz! I've been following your blog for quite some time now. I really like reading your posts because they are so helpful to me in so many ways. I really like and appreciate that you care about affordable beauty!

So, I have really oily skin. As if that isn't enough, I also sweat rather excessively. Which is really frustrating because I am still a student (who walks around the campus a lot, under the scorching heat of the sun). My skin breaks out a lot too. By a lot, I mean I always have a big nasty zit or two on my face. They never go away! I don't really know where I've gone wrong. I try to clean my face as regularly (not excessively) as possible, but it seems like I would never be able to have clear skin.

I know that you also have oily skin too, so I thought it would be a good idea to ask you about these things. I'd really appreciate if you recommend me any product (for oily skin) that you swear by. Thanks a lot!

Also, I just like to tell you how I enjoy reading your blog, and that your posts are so helpful. More power, Liz!

Hi Honey! Thanks so much for following my site. It really makes me day when I hear from lurkers! So, about your problem. I'd like to recommend my Holy Grail product - Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Toner. It's labeled as good for troubled and oily skin, and yes, it does help clear my face of pimples and it helps lessen the oiliness.

I would also recommend the Skin Hour Mattifying Day Gel. Lauren and Kira are such fans! They've both given the product rave reviews, and they are perhaps the oiliest people I know (no offense to you guys lol). I haven't tried the product personally, but it looks extremely promisin

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).

I'm the sort of person who is not easily moved by fancy schmancy ingredients that's supposed to give me the beauty of a goddess. I tend to gloss over them because in my mind, it's all just sales talk. Unless we use the products personally, we really have no way to find out if something works or not, no matter how hifalutin' its ingredients are.

That's why I take products like Eyliplex-2 with a bit of apprehension. It has too many ingredients - all 124 of them - I have never even heard of, plus it's quite expensive at P2,600. I can't just recommend something like this to you without making sure that it does its job, which is to lighten dark circles, lift eyes, and reduce fine lines.

The night cream on the left, day gel on the right

I've had this product for two months now but within that span of time I've used it irregularly. I'm simply too lazy. Which is why, to my surprise, I actually saw results! Here are pictures of my eyes two months ago, second week of May:

See the fine lines near the inner corner of my eyes? They're a major problem.

I agree with fashion designer Tina Daniac when she said that well-done nails are some of the best accessories to any look. But face it, who has the time? I sure dont! I'm probably the laziest person when it comes to doing nails, which is slightly embarrassing as it is part of my job to look presentable from head to toe. I'm lazy not because I don't see the value of having beautiful nails, I do, it's just that it takes so long to apply the polish perfectly and even longer for it to dry completely. I simply don't have the patience.

Now this is where Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Nail Polishes come in. Insta-dri promises smooth, glossy nails in one coat that will dry in 60 seconds. Verdict? Insta-Dri polishes do dry up in 60 seconds or less! The colors I have (Flashy Fuchsia, Jumpin' Jade, and Night Flight) are very opaque so one coat is enough to get a solid shade. The product received a very high rating at my fave review forum, Makeupalley.

The super vivacious Patty Laurel hosted the event

To launch the new product, the brand has teamed up with celebrity designer Tina Daniac. The young woman came in aggressive, chic black broken by a zebra print tulip skirt. Daniac showcased her designs along with the latest Sally Hansen nail polish line.