Every girl should have a matte blush. It's the best kind to use when you're having your photos taken or if your skin is oily! Used the right way, matte blushes can look more natural than shimmery ones since your skin's natural oils somehow enhance them.

One of the prettiest matte blushes I've come across is the Majolica Majorca Puff de Cheek (P795). These blushes are housed in a tin can that's shaped like a sweet macaron, with the same colors to boot. Aside from the packaging, the biggest strength of these Puff de Cheeks are their lovely, flattering shades. Even though Majo is a Japanese brand, it seems like the Sugary Trap Collection is made for warm skin tones like ours. 

What I love about the product

• All four shades look good on me. My favorite has to be Apricot Macaron (OR302), followed by Peach Macaron (PK301). I don't have these shades in my blush collection so I find them unique.
• The powder is well-milled, with a velvety texture. It has a smooth, matte finish that don't sit on the pores.

Hi everyone! Sorry this is late, as I've been thinking long and hard about the prize I'm giving to the second commenter of the month. :D But I'm getting ahead of myself! I'd like to announce the commenter of the month for April.

And she's...Mia Estrella! She's been commenting frequently on my blog since August of last year. I always appreciate her insightful comments. I'll be contacting her for her shipping details so she can get her gift.

Now, for the commenter of the month prize for May!

So lately I'm rather attentive to my nails. I used to be the kind of person who didn't give a damn about nails because, after all, they're just nails! Who cares? I bit my nails a lot and picked on my cuticles (eww and yes, painful). But now I realized that on top of well-manicured nails being a sign of good grooming, nice nails can really uplift one's mood. I feel more cheerful when I'm wearing a color I love, during those moments when I happen to glance at my nails while I type or do a chore.

Shallow, yeah, but I want to be the kind of person who delights and finds wonder in little details like this.

This is my current nail color. I used two shades: the Bobbie Glaize Parasail (P35.50) as the base color and Caress Christmas Polka (P20.75) for the glitters. I love the effect! I keep imagining a small galaxy in my nails, lol. The Bobbie polish I used was just so-so since it applied unevenly but I was really impressed with the Caress one. It dried up quickly and the glitters applied smoothly. Such a steal for P20!

I used the Sally Hansen Hard As Nails as a base polish to keep the colors from chipping.

Are you lazy when it comes to wearing sunblock? Eh, tell me about it. I don't like how I have to blend blend blend just to remove the white cast and how I have to wait at least 20 minutes before the sun protection kicks in. However, thanks to technology, clear sunblock sprays are now available for us lazy daisies.

I got my first bottle of the  Nivea Sun Invisible Protection SPF30 PA++ spray more than a year ago. It became my constant companion during beach trips since it's idiot and lazy-proof to use: just spray and go! I also like using it when it's super EXTRA hot since I can't stand how lotion becomes so sticky when I sweat. Oh, this is also waterproof so it doesn't disappear as you sweat or swim.

Let's run through the pros and cons!

What I love about the product 

• Super easy to use. The spray covers a lot of skin, and there's on need to rub it in to remove the white cast - there is no white cast. The product is a clear liquid.
• The spray works even if you turn the bottle upside down to get to your back and lower legs.

Say hello to my new favorite facial wash - the Clinique Liquid Facial Soap (Oily Skin Formula)! I've been using it everyday, twice a day for the past two weeks and my skin has definitely improved. I am a lot less oily, I don't break out as much, pores are tighter, blackheads don't bother me anymore (!) and my skin is generally smoother. I so, so love this product.

My first experience with a Clinique facial wash was about two years ago. I got samples from an event and was pretty psyched to use it. However, I found it disappointing since it didn't lather (not a fan of washes that don't soap up), made me oilier, plus it also broke me out! So since then I stayed far away from Clinique facial washes, thinking they're all like that.

Well, I was obviously wrong. About a month ago during my first Clinique party, I was talking to Mira (Clinique's Marketing Manager) about my search for a new cleanser.

I told myself I won't get seduced by the hype of the 2011 royal wedding, but I couldn't help it! Watch the YouTube stream here, right on the official channel of the British wedding.

Here are some scaps I took:

This post is a little late, but that's only because I was waiting for the second Clinique Party attendees to write about our private event. I thought it would be fun to narrate what happened using their own words! 

Photos from Kari

The cute-as-a-button Kari was the first girl to come in. She narrates, "I decided to go ahead with the skin consultation and makeover while waiting for everyone else. Dindin, one of the Clinique consultants, helped me go through a comprehensive skin test and patiently explained the reasons for each of my skin problems...[she] gave me tips on how to keep those skin concerns in check, which basically boiled down to: 1.) exfoliation and 2.) sun protection. My dry-combination skin (type 2) needed regular but gentle exfoliation to scrub old skin cells away (which caused flaking) and sun protection to take care of the new ones that emerge."

The bubbly Angeli (who I met before) enjoyed meeting her fellow beauty enthusiasts. "Another best thing about Clinique party is that I had the opportunity to meet other beauty afficionados from different walks of life

A week ago, a commenter named Audrephepburnfan left a question on my Ask Away! forum. Actually, it was more than a question - she left a review of one of her favorite products, the Lip Ice Sheer Color balm (P145). A few days later, someone from Lip Ice sent me a package containing their whole line. Coincidence? Looks like it!

Oh, but what a happy coincidence.

Two variants: strawberry and fragrance-free

This product is awesome! It's definitely worth all the raves. :D And to think this is only P145 (2 grams) and easily available in SM Department Stores and Watsons. What I like most about it is how gorgeous the color is. It has a nice glossy finish and comes off as a pretty pink, emphasizing the natural pigmentation of your lips.

So, for a change, here's Audreyhepburn fan's review of Lip Ice Sheer Color!

I'm currently using this product called LipIce Sheer Color. It is a clear balm which turns your lips pink depending on your moisture level. I have read reviews about it before I purchased myself one.

Whoever said that neutrals are boring is wrong! Why? Because neutral makeup has different "levels" (for lack of a better word). They can be dramatic, barely there, soft focus - the list goes on. It's not enough to just dump any brown eyeshadow and MLBB lipstick on your face. You have to know the colors that suit you best and have the effect you want in mind. It's easy, true, but it's a challenge when your skin tone changes or when you simply want to come up with something better than you already have.

I was experimenting with my palettes the other week. Was really pleased with what I came up with!

Face: Guerlain L'Or primer, Clinique Supermoisture foundation, Ellana mineral finishing powder in Espresso Con Panna, The Balm Liquid Time Balm concealer

Cheeks: Revlon Matte Powder Blush in Blushing Berry

Are you loving the name or what? The VMV Hypoallergenics Ooh-La-Lash! Volumizing Mascara (P1,000) has been around for quite some time now. As with many products that have stood the test of time, it has some distinctive qualities that other mainstream mascaras (with similar price points) cannot claim to have.

The first time I tried this, I wore it to an out-of-town day trip with Marco's family the other week. The weather was extra hot and humid so the rest of my makeup has melted by the end of the day - except this mascara! The Ooh-La-Lash stayed put with zero smudging, even after all the sweat and oil and grime of the day. But get this - unlike other no-smudge, sweat-proof mascaras, this one came off easily with warm water.

So yes, I'm impressed!

What I love about the product

• Stays put all day. As in zero-smudging.
• Hypoallergenic. It's fragrance and dye-free, made of 100% mineral pigments. This is perfect for sensitive eyes.

I think about shoes all the time. That's only fair though, since that's a job requirement from where I am. Haha. So, one of the shoes at the top of my mind lately is the Carmie Mary Jane Pumps from Gold Dot. I LOVE the look, very similar to the platform/heel shape of the iconic Jeffrey Campbell Lita shoes. 

Downside: these cost P3,000 a pop. They're quite unique and they look comfortable to me

Sophie, our friendly neighborhood beauty blogger and consummate businesswoman, has just opened the pre-order for the latest version of her best-selling Charm Travel Pro brush set. The new set has got a lot of things going for it aside from the cute hot pink packaging!

I am smitten with the face brushes, for instance. The brushes look very lush, soft, and dense. Can't wait to touch them when I see Sophie next.

We all want to get our grubby hands on the top beauty products that can give us that to-die-for face, but the reality is that we can't afford them all. Expensive makeup is great but there are always cheaper alternatives that work pretty well for the price. 

That said, a lot of readers ask me about cheap products I can recommend to students and those who have a limited budget to spend on miscellaneous stuff like makeup. I already did a feature on the ultimate makeup kit for less than P5,000, but since that's still pricey for some, I decided to come up with a must-have set for less than P2,000.

So, if you're a makeup newbie, student, or passionate bargain hunter, this post is for you! Here I'll list down what you should buy if you have P2,000 to spend on a basic but formidable makeup kit.

One of the gifts I got from Clinique is this sample tube of their Long Last lipstick in Blushing Nude. It's practically full-sized though! Anyway, I find the shade name amusing because it's neither "blushing" nor is it "nude". It's a very warm MLBB brown-pink lipstick that's perfect for a work-safe face.

I love the formula. It's incredibly creamy, moisturizing, and fairly long-lasting. I'm not that fond of the shade though - I find it too warm for my skintone, coming off a bit reddish brown on me. This will look good on morena skin, however.

Funny thing - a lot of blushes seemed to be named Desert Rose. I know Bobbi Brown, MAC, Lancome, and NYX has a Desert Rose blush somewhere. :P And now we have Color Collection!

The Color Collection Blush-On Duo in Desert Rose (P360) is an affordable, flattering duo that has a blush and contour shade. The packaging says it's matte, but the powder has a slight shimmer which is quite pretty when worn. I do like the very classy packaging and the wide mirror that goes with it - perfect for retouching while you're out.

As I was browsing through my photo galleries this morning, I came by a product which I simply forgot to review: the Olay Natural White SPF24 Day Lotion (P189). Bought it last February pa. It's actually a pretty good SPF product, although I've stopped using it some time ago. 

Why? Well, it's not the lotion, it's me! My skin reacts with face sunscreens/sunblocks for some reason (well those that I've tried anyway). The worst reaction is I break out, but that's not always the case. Sometimes my skin just doesn't look its prime (I get small bumps that are not quite pimples, dull skin) so I go back to my default moisturizer. Weird.

To protect my face from the sun, I prefer using makeup with SPF. Makeup doesn't get absorbed by the skin so it doesn't have the same effect as sunblocks/sunscreens.

So yes, it's me. Otherwise, this Olay lotion is something I would recommend!

What I love about the product 

• Very light, watery consistency. Applies easily with no white cast and absorbs quickly.
• Not sticky or greasy as long as you apply just the right amount.

I'm in our house in Cavite for the Holy Week. You can imagine how extremely boring it is, so I've taken it upon myself to explore some papers stashed away in cabinets and boxes. Like my mother, I had a tendency of being a pack rat. I'd keep all my stuff, especially papers, since I can't let go of this idea that they'll be useful someday. I became a different person when I started living in a condo so I don't hoard everything anymore - at least, not as much as I used to.

While rummaging through notebooks, test papers, and school projects from as far back as seven years ago, I found treasure. It's a stapled-together sheaf of paper where my high school classmates wrote down all their dreams and ambitions.

While randomly browsing the Interwebs today, guess what I saw! A mega cute video of the Majolica Majorca Sugary Trap press launch! It was held at Bizu in Greenbelt, where we were surrounded with colorful macarons and cakes. Guests were also given icing, candy sprinkles, and sugar dust to use in designing our own cookies and cupcakes. It was the perfect setting for such a sweet collection from Majo.

Watch the video to see pictures of that beautiful Thursday afternoon.

Everyone also got personalized macarons with their name on it. Of course, we also received products from the latest collection. I've been using these delectable cosmetics lately and oh boy, they are such a treat.

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting Pam, the Marketing Coordinator for VMV Hypoallergenics. I must confess that I was pretty excited about the casual meeting because I've always been curious about the brand. I've heard so many good things about their Armada sunblocks and line of foundations, and of course, their claim about being completely hypoallergenic.

Did you know that VMV is a proudly Pinoy brand? I was really surprised when I first heard about that a couple of years ago. VMV is so well-packaged, so well-branded, that many of us are not aware that it started right here back in 1979. It's local, but it has a global mindset. Currently, VMV can also be found in New York, UAE, and Hong Kong among others.

It's among the first brands in Asia to formulate a hypoallergenic line, going as far as creating its own rating system for each product.

As much as I want to pretend I'm a beauty amazon with every inch of me sparkling and perfect every single day, I can't. Sometimes I don't groom my nails. Sometimes I don't bother with moisturizer. And sometimes, like any human being, I get lazy to wax or shave my legs.

I find the whole process tedious, to be quite honest. That's why I'm happy that there are instant "de-hairing" products like the ones from Veet.

At a lunch for bloggers last week, I asked Veet's Assistant Brand Manager, Issa Marfori, what sets Veet apart from their competitors. She said that their products have managed to get rid of the strong, chemical smell that other depilatory creams and waxes have. Is it a deal-maker? For me, it is. I can't stand smelly skincare products because I feel that they damage my skin more than they help.

Anyway, bloggers had a chance to meet Veet's hunk, Daniel Matsunaga, during the lunch at Via Mare in Greenbelt. It wasn't anything fussy, just the way I like it. Daniel (dah-niel, not dayniel) was very accommodating with our questions and photo op requests.