I rarely buy makeup at this point in my beauty blogging career. Aside from the review products I get for this site, I also have this (stupid) belief that I've found the bestest best makeup I can possibly use for my face. My mind is already fixated on NARS for blushes and foundation, MAC or Urban Decay for eyeliners and eyeshadows, L'Oreal or Majolica Majorca for mascaras. But who am I kidding! There are so many other great finds out there, and like Bianca Valerio said (met her yesterday! Starstruck!), you don't really need to spend a lot to be beautiful.

But let me clear that up. There are certain expensive brands I like, and I like them because I can rely on them. If I run out and if I can afford them, I don't see why I shouldn't buy again. It's that simple. Buy what works if you can afford it - quality, not cost, should be the issue.

So. One thing that works amazingly well is the In2It Waterproof Gel Eyeliner. The quality is similar to Urban Decay and MAC and better yet, it only costs P380! That's a steal considering how good this eyeliner is.

What I love about the product

• Goes on like butter! It's like applying the Urban Decay 24/7 liners or even the MAC Fluidline. Swear.
• Waterproof. Doesn't smudge. 

My oldest pair of Ipanema flipflops were from waaay back in 2009. I don't use them anymore mainly because they're at my mom's house (I keep forgetting to bring them here), but I'm happy to report that they're as good as new! The print has faded a bit, but the rubber isn't worn down or scuffed. They're quite sturdy and comfortable, to boot.

My current house slippers are Ipanema as well. The thick rubber feels so soft on my feet, and yes, they're also as good as new since I got them last year. They have lived through many out-of-town and mall trips!

My other pretty Ipanema flip flops

All my Ipanemas are well-worn yet they've withstood time in terms of quality and trendiness. I used to think that paying more than P1,500 for a pair of flipflops is ridiculous, but after two years of wearing this brand, I can confidently say that it's definitely worth it. They don't get outdated, they're comfy and sturdy at the same time.

Anyway, I'd just like to share Ipanema's new summer collection with you. It's called the Gisele Bündchen Hot Sands Collection. It was launched via a fashion show held at the SM Prestige Lounge, SM Megamall, featuring young models wearing Coco Cabaña’s swim wear creations complemented by colorful flipflops.

I haven't bought accessories in, oh boy, months. So when I was in Mall of Asia the other day, I can't help but get these super cheap (but gorgeous!) goodies:

I think I only spent P620 for all of this. The oversized flower clip is only P150, while the animal print clip is just P150. The faux beaten gold and turquoise necklace is P350. Not bad eh?

A lot of girls loved the colorful MAC Peacocky look I posted a couple of weeks back. Are you ready for the next round? :D This time, Mikee will be showing off MAC's Wonder Woman collection. It will be launching on March 19 (Saturday) here in Manila!

Launch dates at the bottom. Open image to view full-sized.

The MAC Wonder Woman collection comes in super-sized, toy-like packaging that sports the heroic femme fatale's signature colors. Notable products are the dual-color Mineralized SkinFinish powders (P2,125), Eye Quads (P2,500), and the colored Opulash mascaras (P900). 

Excited to see the look Mikee came up with? Here goes!

Before photo: Say hi to Janelle, our model!

After

Mikee priming the canvas (Lip Conditioner + Fast Response Eye Cream + Prep+Prime Skin). She used the Studio Fix Fluid foundation to even out the skintone, set it with loose powder, then dusted a bit of MSF for a natural glow.

Remember my post last February? Majolica Majorca is now available in the Philippines! You can already find it in SM Makati's Beauty By SM area. There was supposed to be a big launch at Opus yesterday, but due to the unforeseen disasters in Japan, it was only right that the event was moved as a sign of respect and mourning for the country's losses.

Moving on, I was so delighted when I received a gift from Majolica Majorca last Sunday. It was hanging by the door knob when I got home from my vacation - cute, but thank goodness it wasn't stolen! Haha. Here's what I got:

Trivia: Project Vanity has received 3,395 comments since it went live last year. I don't get to reply to every comment (I try though) but I read each one and I do appreciate them. I don't really earn anything significant from blogging - sometimes it's grueling, sometimes I even wonder why I keep pouring so much time on this. But when I get a comment saying this small project of mine is useful to someone, it's all worth the work.

To thank Project Vanity followers, I run contests (check out the current one for Inches Off shapewear) but winning contests are too chancy. So, I thought of setting aside a personal thank you gift to readers who follow this website regularly.

It's quite silly to wear makeup during a vacation, unless it's the type where you're going to meet a lot of new people you expect to see more of in the future. Why wear makeup when you should be spending time exploring the place right? I brought a bunch of makeup but I only used the concealer, powder, and eyeliner during my trip to Bellarocca. The goal is to just chill.

I used a nifty pouch from Estee Lauder. It can house my stuff securely without having them bump around too much. 

I was thinking of putting this off since I have a few looong overdue beauty posts, but I figured, if I don't write this down now, I'll never get around to it. It will probably suffer the same fate as my Boracay trip last year - I have dozens of photos, even a video of us helmet diving, but I never blogged about it. And now I just have a hazy memory of a vacation to show for it since I left all the photos in my old Macbook.

So! Last weekend, Marco, Luis, Vanessa, and I went to Marinduque to visit Elefante Island. The solitary island houses a beautiful, Satorini-inspired resort called Bellarocca. To say that I enjoyed my stay there is an understatement! The place was breathtaking, private, warm (in terms of service), and just perfect. I am obviously running out of adjectives so it's time for a photo dump.

The only airline service that flies to Marinduque is Zest Air. It's a 40-50 minute flight from Manila.

We're here!

Bellarocca provides a 40-minute van transfer to their jetty

If you follow Hollywood red carpet affairs, you'll notice that a lot of celebs prefer what looks like minimal makeup. They usually wear flawless foundation, a bit of contour, lined eyes, lashes heavy with mascara and falsies, and an MLBB lipstick or, depending on the look they're going for, something loud yet classy like red. You'll rarely see Hollywood celebs wear heavy, colorful eyeshadow!

Mila Kunis at the 2011 Oscars: the quintessential Hollywood look

The eyeshadows they choose to wear are kind of sneaky. Like a good contouring powder for our face, their eye color of choice (like what Mila Kunis is wearing) serves more to contour the eyes rather than to make them pop. The color is subtle, barely there, yet it does a great job of prettifying the peepers without a lot of hassle and drama.

MAC Soba seems to do just that for me.

Ola! Haven't updated you guys about Clinique in a while. Well, I'm just in time! They're holding their bi-annual Bonus time right now, so there's no better time to check out a Clinique counter near you. If you buy P3,900 worth of products, you'll get generous samples of some of Clinique's best sellers for free.

There are a couple of new things to try at Clinique too, like the Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Color Balm (P920). They look yummy no? There's also the Clarifying Lotion Twice A Day Exfoliator (P1,300/200ml) in four formulas of varying strengths.

Haven't you always wondered how orchids can live so long while looking as fresh as the day they first bloomed? Guerlain did. They gathered 30,000 species of orchids to discover their secrets until they found "the one". It's called the Vanda Coerulea, a blue orchid found in China that could live more than 80 years in extreme weather conditions. After ten years of research in three different parts of the world, Guerlain has finally managed to distill the molecular extract of Vanda Coerulea with two other orchids into the Orchidee Imperiale Cream.

The Orchidee Imperiale is Guerlain's flagship anti-aging product which they released just last year. It promises to reduce fine lines and wrinkles and restore the skin's strength and luminosity. Now, I put this to the test for more than two weeks, so I can confidently say this: it's awesome. If you can afford it, go run out and get it. This is the best moisturizer I've tried to date although I will admit that I didn't like it at first.

We were off to a rocky start.

I finally got a copy of this! I heard from a friend two weeks ago that she saw me on BLUSH magazine. I was thrilled, of course!

Kim Chiu on the cover of BLUSH mag's Jan-Feb issue

BLUSH magazine is perhaps the only local magazine that's exclusively focused on beauty. If you love reading beauty blogs and discovering the latest makeup, skincare, or haircare gems, this is the magazine to read. It's only P140 at Fully Booked and National Bookstore (do let me know where else this is available).

Want to get your very own slimming underthings for free? I liked Inches Off so I want to share it to three lucky Project Vanity readers. Here's how to win! Read after the cut to see the full mechanics.

Mechanics

It's not a secret that I am extremely conscious about my weight. I exercise and I try so hard to eat right, but it's an uphill challenge. It's always easier to lie to myself that I won't get fat if I miss one exercise or eat one bag of chips - I keep doing it until suddenly, my waistline is an inch fatter.

While there is no, and I repeat, no better way to lose weight than to eat right and exercise, a girl can always use the help of waist-shapers like girdles and corsets. I am not advocating them as a permanent way of life, but they are pretty useful while you're trying to get a slammin' body (and hopefully a healthy one as well)! One product that I've recently tried is the Inches Off Instant Body Shaper.

I got the High Waist Tummy Flattener Firm Control Panty. I wore it the other day under a thin, jersey dress and I can really see and feel the difference.

I was intrigued by the Pond's Gold Radiance Boosting Cleansing Mousse because it promises to remove makeup while also serving as a facial wash. Who doesn't want to save one step in their routine, right? Also, when Gold Radiance first landed on Philippine shores, this particular product wasn't available because it sold out in other Asian countries. Now if that's not enough to make you curious I don't know what is!

As promised, the product is a foamy mousse that becomes a rich, thick lather when you lightly rub it on your skin. It feels quite soft on my face which makes it enjoyable to use! It does melt off makeup in one wash, but it doesn't remove all kinds of makeup. The mousse removes foundation, blush, concealer, and unprimed eyeshadow, but it does a poor job taking off primed eyeshadow, mascara, and eyeliner (or most eye makeup).

Let's get on the nitty gritty, shall we?

What I love about the product

• Literally melts off powder makeup. Once you get it to a lather, all the junk just comes off.
• A little goes a long way, surprisingly. I use half a pump of the product for each side of my face. The trick is to massage it in small circles.

I was really impressed by the color payoff and texture when I first swatched the Nichido Stardust Eyeshadow in Blue Lagoon (P168) at the mall. I didn't think twice and added it to my cart. When I got home though, I was really dismayed when I re-swatched the newly opened palette. Well, it wasn't a total bust, but it's honestly not something I would use.

So why was there a difference of quality between the tester and the new palette? I read an explanation somewhere that the oils in the fingers of those who swatch makeup tend to mix in with the powder, making it creamier and somehow intensifying its color. I know, gross! But that's how it works. 

The eyeshadow is pretty useless by itself, but over a base like the Urban Decay Primer Potion or the Too Faced Shadow Insurance, it will come out nicely.

Sigrid Villamil, the product manager of Guerlain, once told me how Guerlain perfumes are distinct from each other with their own stories to tell. I completely agree. Shalimar is rich with tradition, the anthem of sophisticated women who never take no for an answer. Herba Fresca is a field of grass dotted by wildflowers, with sunlight streaming in a gentle glow.

And Guerlain Idylle? It's a bouquet of flowers presented to you by a charming gentleman as you walk in a candle-lit room wearing a gorgeous, flowing dress and strappy stilettos. You just met him, and you're excited to get to know him better, drunk with the promise of love. That moment in time is an idyll - a perfect scene, beautiful because you know it will never last.

I find Guerlain Idylle (P2,998) to be a truly versatile fragrance. It's not as heavy and musky as Shalimar nor as light and sharp as Herba Fresca - it's right in the middle, which allows you to wear it during the day or night.