A staple in the wardrobe of Hollywood A-listers such as Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Cameron Diaz, Katherine Heigl, Lindsay Lohan, Emmy Rossum, Olivia Palermo, Fergie and Jessica Biel, Vita Fede is also a favorite among Manila’s fashionable celebrities including Ruffa Gutierrez, Georgina Wilson, Anne Curtis and Kris Aquino.

Known for attention to detail, Vita Fede is committed to using only the finest materials and techniques.

Clean & Clear used to be my go-to skincare brand during my adolescent years, but I have long since outgrown their formula and have tried and loved other brands. That's why I wasn't expecting much from Clean & Clear's newest facial wash called the Deep Action Cleanser.

However, surprise surprise! It's pretty awesome. I've been using it fairly regularly this past month. 

What I love about the product

• Amazing oil control. When I use this, my face holds up better under extreme heat and humidity. I still oil up of course, but let's say, only half as much as when I use other cleansers. I get and oil-free face for a good two to three hours with zero makeup; longer with makeup on, at four to six hours. That's nowhere near the promised 8 hours, but that's still quite an achievement! Please note though that I am not super oily. At best I only have combination-oily skin.
• Leaves my skin soft and glowy immediately after washing.

Have you checked up on your closet lately? In all your shopping sprees, have you remembered to stock up on the absolute basics? I did a closet sweep last week and noticed that out of my many my white t-shirts, I didn't have THE white t-shirt: a Hanes v-neck cotton shirt! How could I have been so foolish all these years?

The small size fit me perfectly, and better yet, it only cost me a little more than P200. How cool is that?

So anyway, speaking of basics, I love how the combination of my straight-cut Levi's jeans, Charles & Keith leather loafers, and thrifted faux leather jacket looks like! It's relaxed yet extremely stylish. Perfect for errand days and for meeting with friends. I also love that I can easily amp the look up with some accessories and crazy high heels.

Last week, I received a beauty loot from Anne, a friend who lives in Canada! You remember that I swapped with her last September. This is our picture with Noemz, another friend I met online, who kindly shipped the package to me even amidst her busy schedule!

me, Anne, Noemz

These two girls are the sweetest. We only met online, eventually met in person, and, thanks to the Internet, we manage to keep in touch! I can't wait for Anne to visit the Philippines again so we can have a proper dinner or something. 

Anyhoo, this is what Anne sent me:

Are these brogues? Oxfords? I am not entirely sure, so to be safe I'll just call them "laced flats". Lol. I was at The Ramp in Glorietta the other day and couldn't resist the lovely muted pink color of these shoes. If you haven't noticed yet, I love pinks - light pinks, specifically. These Ichigo shoes are just the perfect shade of pink in my book.

Love the box!

They're originally P900 something, but since Ichigo had a 40% off on some designs, I got them for only a little over P500! How awesome is that?

A friend of mine (hi Anne!) sent me this Maybelline palette from Canada. I don't buy Maybelline palettes because whenever I swatch one in the store, I always feel underwhelmed. However, I was really surprised by how this particular palette performed! The eyeshadows were silky, highly pigmented, and performed well over a base. Definitely a keeper.

Maybelline Expert Wear Eyeshadow Quad in Natural Smokes

I love the color selection because they make for a quick, flattering smoky eye that's not too dark. I'm not sure if this palette is available in the Philippines, but if they are, I will definitely buy one in different colors. 

Face: Clinique Supermoisture makeup, MAC Studiofinish concealer, Ellana mineral foundation and finishing powder, NARS Super Orgasm

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I'm sure you've seen the Outspoken by Fergie commercial by now. I love it when she said, "There is more than one way to be heard." I completely agree! One way is by wearing a scent that reflects your personality since it can speak volumes to those who can "hear" it, if you know what I mean.

I must admit that I was surprised when I learned that Fergie, of the Black Eyed Peas fame, did a collaboration with Avon. She's known for her sexy image and strong personality - not really something one would immediately connect with a conservative brand like Avon. However, now that Avon is taking a more aggressive stance on women empowerment, Fergie is indeed a timely endorser as she is known to be a fun, fearless, and fashionable female that has a voice in this generation.

Avon kindly sent me a bottle of Outspoken by Fergie, designed by none other than the singer herself. It's a fresh modern scent that I really love!

Yesterday I was hit by the classic OMG I Don't Know What To Wear Syndrome. I was terribly late, but I managed to spend more than an hour staring at my closet and trying on several outfits. It's a nightmare. When I finally got out of the limbo, I belatedly realized that my outfit was...meh.

It's okay but it's not something I would normally wear to a luxury hotel.

One of the biggest problems when it comes to lip color is actually getting it to stay on. Eating, drinking, and even just normal talking will remove or considerably fade any lip product - no matter how expensive it is. It's just a fact of life, unless you get a lip tattoo!

This is why a lot of people became curious about Revlon's latest lip makeup called the Just Bitten Lip Stain + Balm. Aside from the promise of lasting power because of the stain formula, the product is a novelty because of the felt-tip applicator and lip balm at the other end of the tube. So, I'm sure you want to know: does it deliver?

What I love about the product

• Intensely pigmented. A couple of layers topped with the moisturizing and slightly glossy lip balm will give you the effect of a lipstick! It certainly won't make your lips look "just bitten", which, in my book, is perfectly alright.
• I really like the lip balm included. It reminds me of my HG lip balm, Aquafina, but without the minty feel. I like the slight sheen it gives on the lips. 

• Pretty good staying power. I give it around 4 hours, even with eating. The first couple of times I used this the color faded rather quickly, but I discovered a trick to it

If it's not obvious yet - I'm on a terrible shoe phase! All I ever seem to want to buy are shoes! I'm sure I'll snap out of it soon enough. I mean, I only have one set of feet after all!

Now, in case you missed the memo, SM Parisian now has awesometastic shoes. They're fashionable, of good quality, and priced nicely! They're too good to be true, if you ask me. I can't wait for the next collection that SM Parisian will be releasing. As for now, these laced tan booties are my favorites out of the lovely bunch. They're only P1,300!

One product I've been using ever since I got it last September is the Paul & Joe Eye Crayon in 01. It's a shimmery beige pencil that, at first, I didn't know how to use. The point was too big to line the upper lids with any precision, and it was too shimmery and creamy to be a useful eyeshadow or eyeshadow base. So I decided to use it on my waterline and poof, problem solved!

It's the best thing I've come across to line the waterline. It provides that instant brightening effect (indispensable for puffy or tired eyes) when applied. I use it on the inner corners of my eyes as well as the inside of the lower lash line, or the so-called waterline.

What I love about the product

• Creamy, shows up nicely with just one swipe. This is an admirable feat when you're lining the wet waterline.
• Stays on all day! This is the best thing ever, since it sticks even after I wash the makeup off. 
• The shimmery beige color looks very natural when applied; I don't want any of those white eyeliners that look weird on the waterline. 

More than a month ago I visited a spa in Makati called Qiwellness. The spa distinguishes itself from others all over the metro because of its focus on centuries-old acupressure combined with modern massage techniques. The spa's clean, elegant minimalist interiors are very relaxing, a quiet retreat in the middle of a bustling city. Of course, it helps that the spa is located in the more "genteel" part of Makati, just besides Picasso Suites in Salcedo.

The waiting lounge. They serve tea once you're settled in.

I decided to try out their latest treatment called Mother of Pearl (P1,680 for 90 minutes). It is supposed to smoothen and brighten the skin with the help of exfoliating sea salt and a body polish/wrap made entirely of powdered pearls. Yep, you heard that right! Powdered pearls! I wouldn't know if the pearls are real or pure, but the very idea tickles my mind. Just the thought of being wrapped in pearls is priceless.

Ingredients

Exciting news! Beauty Bar, the Philippines' closest thing to Sephora, is now selling online. Brands like Burt's Bees, Smashbox, Styli-Style, Youngblood, Prestige, etc. can now be purchased directly from Beauty Bar's online store. Neat huh? 

I like that the prices are prominently displayed, with clear pictures of the product one can zoom in. I also appreciate the feature on top ten best sellers in front; very useful for those who come just to browse. Lastly, I like that the online store pretty much has everything a walk-in Beauty Bar store has. The selection is pretty comprehensive!

Of course, the shipping is door-to-door, so this saves us busy gals from having to go out of our way to visit Beauty Bar. This is also good news for those who live in the provinces.

Now on to the cons.

Hola! How's your long weekend? Me I didn't do much except shop, eat, read and watch fantasy movies. It's cool. I spent it with my family. 

At the Bobbi Brown Beauty Rules classroom!

So! I'd like to tell you what's new at Bobbi Brown. They recently launched the Bobbi Brown Beauty Rules Book and a Face Palette to go with the theme. The book is about makeup for teens and young twenty-somethings, so that's something you should own if you want to learn new techniques on the best possible makeup for your age and features. Of course, it also features Bobbi Brown's philosophy not only on beauty, but motherhood as well. 

pictures from Temptalia.com

The Beauty Rules Face Palette ($45, around P3,000 locally) is created for girls who are just starting to use makeup. It has the colors you would need for a natural day to an evening party look, and the makeup is formulated in such a way that you don't need to use a lot of tools. In fact, the makeup artists recommend using your fingers! Bobbi Brown Singapore makeup artist Cecilia Tay demonstrated how to pull it off to the press: