thePOC covered dozens of shows by young and upcoming designers last September during the PFW S/S 11 festivities. I think I mentioned before that I found many of them rather uninspired, but there is one designer that really stood out to me: Chris Diaz. It's not so much because his designs are groundbreaking or unique - it's because the clothes he sent down the runway are exactly my style. Re-imagined 60's fashion in florals and pastels? Don't say another word!

TDF cardigan with floral appliques

Not friendly to most body types, but I like mint with white. Very fresh.

I didn't like the Paul & Joe Creamy Cheek Powder in 03 (P1,000+) the first few times I used it. For starters, it's not even decently pigmented. It takes at least three layers for me to get the color I want. Also, the actual color is a whole world away from the one in the pan! I also had difficulty applying it as no brush will pick it up properly and apply it evenly; I have to use my fingers.

I eventually grew to like it though. After all, it gives my cheeks a gorgeous peach/coral blush that stays on for at least five hours. It's also not sticky, plus it has a really nice citrusy scent.

Of course, I can't not mention the beautiful packaging. As usual, this Paul & Joe product is housed in a cute plastic case that reflects gold shimmer and features a floral design on top.

I just bought a basic sewing machine yesterday. I haven't taken pictures yet since I was busy tinkering with it all day (and all of last night), but I'll share with you what I've done with it once I have something! Anyway, for today, I'd like to talk about this Purederm hair mask.

I'll make this review short: I love it. It smells super minty, and feels minty on my hair. Come to think of it, it's like I put toothpaste on my head! The white cream itself feels heavy and luxurious yet easy to rinse off.

When I started getting into makeup, I would always ogle at beauty bloggers who use mostly MAC eyeshadows in their FOTDs. It seemed to me that the best eyeshadows in the world are made by MAC. I've always dreamed of owning a full customized palette, but I couldn't afford to start my collection since these eyeshadows aren't cheap at P870 per pan.

Three years down the road, I realized that there are other great eyeshadows that offer more value for money (like Urban Decay). Nonetheless I still want to complete a 15-pan palette someday even if I have to buy one pan of MAC eyeshadow every month or so! Haha. I actually just bought an empty palette after waiting for MONTHS for one to become locally available, but that's for another post. Today I'll just review the eyeshadows I have. Most of them I bought from Duty Free, while two came from a swap.

Predictably, they're all neutral. I want to start my collection with a solid foundation, hence the wearable colors. Later on I'm going to add more adventurous shades! For now I have some of MAC's more famous eyeshadows.

What I love about the product

• Extremely pigmented. I don't even need to use a base to make the colors pop.
• Amazing texture. Each eyeshadow is smooth and blends in without a fuss.

One of the gifts I got last Christmas was a set of Etude House face masks (thanks Tanya!). I have to admit though, I don't like using face masks. I have this sneaky feeling that leaving on a concentrated product for more than five minutes will cause a breakout. But since I have really bad skin lately and I didn't have much to lose, I opened up the Essence Mask Vitamin C (P58) and hoped for the best!

Too pretty to open: Lemon mask, Pomegranate, Essence Mask Vitamin C

Well, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The foil pack is full of this gel-like substance that neither stinks or smells good. It smells serum-y, if you can call it that. The mask itself is incredibly moist and stuck on with no trouble. It felt cool and relaxing on my face, so I was content to just let it stay there for 15 minutes while I was taking (backlog) product photos.

I have terrible memory, which is one of the reasons I started keeping notebook diaries, and then eventually, blogs. I want to be able to remember the things I've done and thought. However, since I stopped personal blogging, I only have what little this beauty blog has on my personal life.

Now, I want to capture the year that was in one post, just for posterity, you see. I mentioned earlier that 2010 was an awesome year for me. I had so, so much fun! Let's do a review, shall we?

Press Mentions

April. I was given a half-page feature on The Philippine Star! I talked about (what else) blogging. My mind was blown. I still keep a copy of this page in a special folder, lol.

Holiday hangover? Hating the fact that it's the first working Monday of the year? Well! Don't let it show on your face. *Wink* There's nothing like a natural flush to instantly make you look more alive. A lot of blushes these days boast of shimmers to give that just-came-back-from-a-run sheen, but if you're looking for cheeks that look like you're just glowing from within, then matte blushes may be better for you.

The Revlon Matte Powder Blush (P625) is as matte as you can get. Nonetheless, the color doesn't look flat and boring, which I found completely unexpected! I made it my business to stay away from matte blushes, but it seems that they have found me - and I am not regretting that day.

What I love about the product

• Very natural finish, as if you're not wearing blush. 
• While the powder is not pigmented upon first application, I find that it's easily buildable, and better at preventing a clown face.
• I like the compact, since it comes with a mirror for application on-the-go.

Perfectly Peach

Oh my gosh! It's already the 31st! Can you imagine that it will be next year tomorrow? I try to backtrack everything I've done on 2010, but it's too overwhelming. Suffice it to say that I immensely enjoyed this year, and it has made me grow so much in both the professional and personal departments.

As for Project Vanity, we have enjoyed modest success, closing the year with more than 500 entries and thousands of readers every month. This could not have been possible without you! :D

So, allow me to close the year with something this blog does best: a makeup review.

The Avon Smooth Minerals Lipstick (P375) is supposed to give "luminous, luxurious color", and it does! It's sheer upon first application, but I believe that it's designed to be buildable. Avon is not really known for their excursions in the shocking color department, which is just as well because every girl needs a beautiful lipstick that feels comfortable on the lips.

What I love about the product

• Smooth, glides on easily.
• Has a glossy, luminous finish. Really gives dimension to the lips and draws light to the face.
• Non-waxy, light feel.

Making makeup stay put in our hot and humid country is always a challenge. That's why primers are a must if you're always out wearing makeup for long periods of time! One of the newest primers out of the market is the L'Oreal Base Magique, also known as the Magic Perfecting Base in other countries. It claims to smoothen the skin and cover pores on top of helping your makeup last longer. 

L'Oreal recommends the Base Magique for oily skin, and I rather agree since this silicon-based primer is non-greasy and feels like nothing on my face - if applied correctly. 

What I love about the product

• It's a good primer. It helps foundation and blushes stay on longer! I once used it in an all-day shopping event, and my makeup looked great at the end of the day. There was a bit of oiliness, but nothing major.
• Helps makeup glide on, preventing patchy application.

Hi guys! Sorry for the late post on the winner for my Qiwellness contest. I only managed to list down all the entries last night and pick via Random.org. So, are you ready for the winner? There are two, actually!

Unexpected packages are always a joy to receive. It's nice to know that someone is thinking of you out there, right? So imagine my glee when this package arrived on my doorstep just yesterday:

I know the message is generic, and Avon probably had their media agency send dozens of these out to the press, but I really appreciate that Avon remembered me and of course, Project Vanity!

Click after the jump to see what's inside!

I've been looking for reviews of the Shu Uemura Art of Travel Palette, but it appears that they are few and far between. From what I understand, this palette is travel-exclusive, meaning you can only find it in airport malls. I find that sad because this is a great palette that's not only convenient for traveling - it can also do sophisticated day-to-night looks with its high-quality eyeshadows and pretty Glow On blush.

What I love about the product

• Four highly pigmented eyeshadows that I find well-picked in terms of color coordination and versatility. There are lots of ways to combine them for day and night looks.
• The cream base is a huge surprise for me. On the pan, it looks like a boring white cream base, but it actually applies as a gorgeous golden shimmer! It reminds me of Bobbi Brown's glitter eyeshadows. The shimmer is very, very fine, and I prefer applying it on top of eyeshadows to give the eyes that extra "oomph".

• The Glow On adds a pretty glow to my cheeks as promised. I've owned a Glow On previously, and I really love the effect on the cheeks. The blush doesn't have a name, but I guess it is very close to (if not the same thing as) the Shu Uemura Glow On in M Pink 33.

The reason I haven't been blogging is because I have been reading. A lot. I used to read dozens of book every month when I was younger, but all that changed when I started working. I've marathoned a few books, but always in spurts. Tis' the perfect season to devour books along with the tastiest food! Hehe. 

Yesterday, Christmas day, my dad, mom, and I visited Tagaytay. It seems as if we weren't the only ones who had that brilliant idea. It was traffic-fest as carloads of families poured into restaurants and tourist spots! It feels as if we spent most of our day trip there mucking in traffic. Still, it was fun, and I couldn't have thought of a better way to spend the day.

Now, what I'm really waiting for is New Year.

It's Christmas tomorrow! For me, this is the time to re-evaluate the things I've done in the past year as well as the things I plan to do next year. It's also time to look back on the beauty/fashion items that I loved best. Here's my top ten last year. Curious about what made it this year?

Presenting, the Project Vanity Top 10 - the best in beauty and fashion that I've come across this year! Warning: excessive raving up ahead!

1. Clinique Moisture Surge

This baby does wonders for my skin. I've raved about it several times here! Definitely the best moisturizer I've come across.

2. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

Feels and looks like second skin - only more perfect! I can NOT stop talking about this.

3. Levi's Curve ID Jeans

These jeans promise the perfect fit and it delivers. You will never have to buy another pair of jeans again once you wear these, I bet. ;)

MAC Blankety is the first ever MAC lipstick that I bought. I regret it. It's an okay color, but it's not something that I would rave about. I wished I got something reliable like Cosmo, famous like Pink Noveau, or classic like Russian Red. I don't know what got in my head!

Okay I do. I was looking for a shade in the nude color family since I only have a few nudes while I have quite a lot of pinks, reds, and everyday shades. I picked the Amplified Creme type because I read that it's smooth and creamy, unlike Satin (I owned MAC Twig, which I gave away to my mom) which I found too dry. Blankety is one of MAC's more famous nude lipsticks so I chose it.

Anyway, on to the review!

What I love about the product

• Glides on smoothly and feels creamy on the lips
• Good wear time at four hours, barring any eating
• Opaque and pigmented

I spent last Saturday with top beauty and fashion bloggers as they enjoyed a relaxing afternoon at Qiwellness spa. It was the launch of the Asian Secrets lulur body scrub that everyone's been raving about! I organized the event, so I'm extremely thankful to everyone who made it even though I knew they had a busy schedule - Alex, Lauren, Shen, Julia, Pax, Phoebe, Jane, and Kim. 

I will write a separate post about the event next week. For the meantime, I just wanted to share a picture that Pax took of my outfit that day:

Levi's Curve jeans/ thrifted chambray shirt and brown biker jacket/ Charles & Keith platform booties

I knew it was a casual get-together so I chose to wear jeans, a chambray shirt, and a jacket.

I've had the Smooth-365 Clarity + Smoothing Peptide Serum for...oh, a few months now. It was love at first use, so I don't have a good excuse why I didn't review it sooner. Well, I partly wanted to space out expensive vs cheap products as well as rave-worthy vs meh items. The Smooth 365 is both rave-worthy and quite expensive at P2,500 per tube.

So what does Smooth-365 do? It's designed to promote skin clarity and give your skin a velvety smooth texture. "Skin clarity" is a rather vague term - does it mean fading out blemishes, or brightening skin? - but I can vouch that the Smooth-365 does make my skin look brighter and generally a nicer version of itself. It also gives a velvety texture to the skin instantly upon application. Too good to be true? Yes. But it does work.

If you're skeptical, you can visit Makeupalley, where Smooth-365 has a high rating of 4.2 out of 5. Makeupalley is my favorite cosmetics review community and the ratings are always reliable. Anything above 4 and you know you've got a keeper.

What I love about the product

• Makes my skin smooth and velvety immediately upon application. I'm not sure if they have testers in Watsons drugstore, but

I've been looking for something lime green to join my closet for a week now. I wanted to mix it with white, brown, and black - just to break the monotony, you understand. I finally found a lime green shirt in one of my favorite ukays for only - wait for it - P30! What a steal.

It looked mustard yellow in the store, but in better lighting, it looks like a dark lime green to me.

I love the lime green, tan, and gold combination.

Yesterday I visited Duty Free with my parents. I was super excited about this trip, because as you know, MAC makeup is already available there! I read online that the price difference between the US MAC and the Duty Free is very small. For example, eyeshadows are $14.50 in the US, but they're only $15.50 here. Not bad.

I got three MAC eyeshadows (All That Glitters, Wedge, Amber Lights), a blush for contouring (Harmony), and a nude lippie called Blankety. The eyeshadows were at $15.50 (P685 at current conversion rates), blushes at $21.50 (P950), and lipsticks at $17 (P751).