Last Thursday I had the pleasure of going on a conference call with Anthony Gonzalez, the Senior Manager of the global research and development center of Avon skincare products. He's based in New York and wanted to share the latest Anew line called Reversalist to the Asian press. The talk happened at the Avon Philippines headquarters in Makati Avenue.

ANEW Reversalist's Activinol technology boosts Activin, to reactivate skin’s repair process and help recreate fresh new skin and dramatically reverse the look of wrinkles. Avon’s patent-pending Activinol Technology is shown to increase the production of Activin to help boost skin’s ability to repair itself and recreate fresh, new skin.

Anthony Gonzalez

Now I know a lot of you are jaded about anti-aging products since so many of them come out with claims of miraculously solving skin issues, so I cut straight to the chase and asked Mr. Gonzalez The Question: what makes the Anew Reversalist unique? He answered quickly and confidently, "Other anti-aging products focus on stimulating collagen and elastin. But we approach aging differently. We go to the cellular level and look at aging as a result of tiny wounds to the skin."

I was initially torn between getting a MacBook Pro and a 128 gig Air (they're priced about the same), but after watching great reviews online and seeing Marco loving his 13" Air, I decided that the Air is a better match for me. My work doesn't really require me to use heavy software so I don't need something as powerful as an MBP. I do need something portable and super fast, which is where the MacBook Air comes in.

As expected, I was wowed by the performance of this slim (to the point of skinny) and lightweight laptop. Heavy apps like iPhoto and Garageband open in three seconds with no fuss. Basically, doing ANYTHING is a breeze in this machine. It's now my work computer! It's a bit smaller than I'm used to, at 11 inches, but the high screen resolution more than makes up for it.

One of the lipsticks I reach for a lot lately is the L'Oreal NutriShine lipstick in Rose Guava (P675). It's a great shade but what distinguishes it from the other brands I have is the super cute packaging! You see, most of my lipsticks are in black tubes. It's kind of a hassle sifting through a heap of them when I'm in a hurry so I just grab what looks interesting. This L'Oreal lipstick certainly fits the bill!

Rose Guava is a warm pink with blue undertones. At first I thought it wasn't a good match for my yellow-toned skin, but since this pink isn't too cool, it still manages to flatter my color. However, I think this would look gorgeous on those with beige undertones, better than on yellow skin.

What I love about the product

• Has a glossy, shiny finish that works well in brightening the face. Great color for the day.
• Glides on smoothly. Love the watery, non-waxy texture.

A couple of weeks back, Kira and I were in a Make Up Forever classroom at The Fort. The whole line of MUFE merchandise was there, but I zoomed in on the MUFE Star Powders. I read that they're one of the best eyeshadows around, and I guess Makeupalley agrees with me because it has a 4.7/5 rating!  

The Star Powders are incredibly pigmented and smooth. It has only one caveat (and deal-breaker) for me: it's in loose powder form. It's quite messy to work with. But if you don't mind the extra hassle and if you're also ok going the extra mile to bind the pigments into a solid eyeshadow, then by all means, get these! They're a bit pricey at P1,080 but that's just about the same price as other similar brands like MAC or Smashbox.

I have swatches of the most interesting colors out of the bunch. They're sooo drool-worthy. My top three faves are the shimmery beige (their best seller), iridescent mint, and this black with multi-colored shimmers. Enjoy!

So yesterday Marco and I went to Makati. He attended a meeting, while I, well, I just tagged along and decided to work outside for a change. 

Marco recently bought a car and he's crazy about it. That's the first thing he'd think about in the morning and the last thing he'd think about at night. It's a Toyota Starlet GT, a rally car with a turbo engine. Yes I know that because he won't stop talking about it. It's supposed to be a rare car, which is why he chose it over a new car, but I don't get it. Men and cars. I just don't get it.

Here's an Avon post...again! I can't help it. Avon is probably the biggest supporter of Project Vanity. They don't pay me or anything, if you're curious. They just send me their latest products to try and it works out so well because I've been a huge fan of Avon even since I was a teen. Anyway, just the other day they gave me three bags of products not just for me, but for YOU! Yup, I'm going to have another major giveaway soon. If you haven't joined the current one, please do!

Today I want to share something they sent me a couple of weeks back. It's one of their newer collections called Desert Oasis, one inspired by the glittering sands of the hot dunes. The collection is quite extensive, with underwear, sandals, accessories, and bags under it. I have a few of them here. Check out the photos!

My life is SO much easier with a tripod. I used to take all my outfit photos by balancing my camera on Marco's design books. Amazing how I never seriously considered a 500-peso contraption of metal and plastic - until now, that is! Anyway, I just want to share the outfit I wore last Saturday. I know, I know, I look and feel like a secretary. I don't mind.

Thrifted blouse/ Bayo trousers/ SM braided belt/ Charles & Keith loafers

Also wanted to show you guys the Gold Dot shoes I bought last week. It was my size, but the strap wouldn't close properly because it's too short. Bummer.

The lipstick trend for this summer is all about fresh and bold shades. They're the colors that you can match up with gay sun dresses in florals or solid colors like white, lemon, orange, and lime. Hence, the Revlon Fire & Ice Collection is right on schedule! It consists of three new shades, with one classic red from way back in the 1950's. Here's my review of the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks in the collection!

What I love about the product

• I love all the shades. Temptress and Demure may need some layering to make it really stand out, but I love the sweet, understated effect they have on my lips. Siren is a standout orange, while All Fired Up is a memorable, flattering red.
• Satin finish, my favorite kind.

I have already talked about my current favorite day scent, the Guerlain Herba Fresca. Today I'll talk about my default scent for the evening which is Guerlain Shalimar (P3,998). It's one of the most iconic fragrances in the world and toted as the first oriental scent ever created. It's got a lot of impressive history in a bottle!

Guerlain Shalimar was first created in 1925 by Jacques Guerlain. It's inspired by the passionate love story of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, two familiar figures behind one of the eight wonders of the world: the Taj Mahal in India. The word "shalimar" is actually Sanskrit which translates to "temple of love".

I had high hopes for the St. Ives Blemish and Blackhead Control scrub (P195). I have too many blemishes lately and I'm desperate for a solution! On a visit to Purebeauty in Serendra a couple of weeks back, I bought this intriguing product to see if it's any good.

It's not. It makes my face feel amazing  - but the downside is, it makes me look like total crap. Yep, it broke me out, which is weird because it's supposed to have salicylic acid.

Girls who love drugstore beauty products (like me!) are sure to enjoy the deals at Robinsons' beauty fair called Tint. There's currently a month-long sale in participating brands. Makeup, skincare, and even fragrances can go up to 50% off! Maybelline and L'Oreal are on 20% and 15% off respectively. 

The frequent 20% Maybelline sale is well underway! This is the best time to score top Maybelline products

Read on for more notable beauty deals and see what I actually bought! Warning: tons of photos and great deals ahead!

Are you considering red lips for Valentine's Day (or any day)? A lot of women are a little scared of this color because it's loud AND fussy, but I think it's in keeping with the occasion's theme. A bit of fuss during the first application, when done right, is worth it since you probably don't have to apply it again during the day.

Here are some quick tips as well as some lipstick suggestions:

• Prime your lips with balm. Don't slather on too much. A very thin layer is enough to moisturize; too much and your lipstick will just stay on top and slide off.
• Apply a red lip liner just a little bit inside your natural lip line. Red can be an overwhelming color and you don't want your mouth to look like one huge stoplight! Thin but juicy red lips are more sophisticated compared to thick red ones. 

Lined

Shaded with lip liner

Here I am again with my Valentine's Day makeup suggestion! I feel that this look is flirty and light, just the thing to NOT scare off your date on Valentine's. I know we girls love smoky eyes and red lips, but there are guys who don't appreciate those kinds of looks. No matter. We should wear what we want if it makes us feel good! But for Valentine's day, perhaps it's better to tone it down a little in consideration of our dates.

So, I made a tutorial for this FOTD!

Step 1: Start with a well-primed and evened-out face. I suggest using a primer to prevent makeup meltdown, something like the L'Oreal Base Magique (face) and the Too Faced Shadow Insurance (eyes). For this look I used the Avon Ideal Shade Foundation + loose powder from the same line. I also used the MAC Studiofinish concealer

Step 2: Apply a champagne eyeshadow like MAC All That Glitters all over your lid.

Have you always been interested in fashion, but never actually found the time, patience, or resources to go to fashion school? Yes? Then check out the SoFA Fashion Capsule Series! It's a series of one-day lectures on topics like styling, fashion photography, fashion design, and so on. Industry leaders like Robby Carmona and Candy Dizon will be some of your teachers. 

If anything else, you'll get an up-close glimpse of the fashion world as well as give yourself some additional street cred. ;) More details after the cut!

Cute story. So I met celebrities Tweetie De Leon-Gozales last week and Andi Eigenmann last Tuesday. I asked them what their must-have product is and guess what they both said? Carmex lip balm! Yes, Carmex. It appears that you're never too mature or too young for something as basic as lip balm.

So why Carmex? I always hear this brand thrown around but I've never gotten to try it. That is, until I Tweeted some weeks back that I'm curious about it. Carmex then kindly sent me their products to review.

The original form of Carmex when it was invented in the 1930s

After some light Googling I found the interesting story of Carmex. It was created by Alfred Woelbing from out of his kitchen stove in the 1930s. He started selling it to pharmacists from the boot of his car. Eventually, as the product gained a cult following through word-of-mouth, Carmex opened a factory in 1957 and became one of the well-known lip balm brands in the world. To this day it is still owned by the Woelbing family. Alfred Woelbing himself ran it until he was 96. He died in 2001, at 100 years old.

Read this detailed article on the fascinating history of Carmex. It's a compelling story of one man's entrepreneurial spirit and hard work.

Anywaaay, here's my review of this intriguing product!

I just want to share the look I wore last Saturday to my fave weekend market:

For this look, I skipped the usual pinks with something that I find very flattering on Asian skin: coral and bronze! I tried to keep everything fresh so I didn't use a lot of products. I think this look only took me five minutes to do.

I also took the opportunity to try the latest Bobbi Brown foundation called the Illuminating Finish Powder Compact Foundation. It's so photogenic no?

Ok, I've found my current favorite mascara: the L'Oreal Curl Impact Collagene Mascara (P795) which was released just this month. I admit I didn't like it as much when I first started using it. It was so stubborn to remove (automatic major minus points), and I actually lost more than a few eyelashes in the process! I had to rub and wipe with at least two different makeup removers before it finally came off. That was stupid of me. I should have just read the instructions: it washes off with warm water.

Yep, you got that right. I've tried other mascaras that wash off with warm water, but this is the easiest one to take off. It almost melts on contact with the water plus there isn't that much residue left to wipe off. Winner!

The L'Oreal Curl Impact Collagene promises to deliver curl and volume - and it does. It may have something to do with the special spiral wand. There is a noticeable curl even without using an eyelash curler, but if you want something more dramatic, I suggest using that tool. As for the volume, this mascara fattens up and blackens my lashes quite nicely that I can skip eyeliner when using it.

Let's run through the pros and cons!