In case you didn't get the memo, summer here is officially over! By "summer" we mean an uninterrupted daily heat wave; by "summer is over" we mean crazy hot days interspersed with torrential downpours. So yeah! It still sucks either way.

So, in keeping with the gloomier weather, I decided to get an O.P.I Nail Lacquer in Diva of Geneva (P400). It's the biggest amount I spent on nail polish ever! So is it worth it? 

Yes, it is! Other than the gorgeous color, I love that the texture of the product is very smooth and thin, yet quite opaque. One layer is actually enough, but I prefer two layers for a more dimensional effect. It dried quickly within a few minutes.

I didn't experience any bubbles even if I painted on a thick layer. Be warned though

Lip balms are the kind of things you should keep lying around in case you need it - which is all the time! Me I keep a lip balm on my desk, current bags that I use, my jeans pocket, and my dresser. I can't stand dry, chapping lips so I take extra precautions. Especially now when the weather is cooler, sensitive skin tends to be drier.

One lip balm I love is the Mentholatum Lip Ice lip balm (P89). This lip balm brand has a cult following in Singapore and Hong Kong, so much that my friends would stock up a good supply before leaving for the Philippines. Everyone hoorayed when Lip Ice finally arrived in our shores last year - and I totally understand why.

What I love about the product

• Moisturizing without being waxy.
• Takes a loooong time to dry up on your lips, and when it does, it just sort of absorbs into the skin instead of drying up in flakes.
• Has SPF15!

Heads up! SM Manila is having a grand accessories sale today. The event is called RED SALE. It will be held at the upper ground floor of SM Manila, today until June 26. Fashionable items for men and ladies are up to 50% off and as low as P50. There are handbags, scarves, necklaces, and other pieces on the racks. It's excellent time to stock up on scarves and hats now that the rainy season is here!

You should definitely visit if you're in the area. Check out the items on sale after the jump!

I got a bottle of the Cutex Caring Nail Polish Remover (P59.75/ 59ml) a couple of days ago. I found it a bit steep for a small bottle, but I thought, well why not? I'm a bit bothered by how drying my cheapo Bobbi nail polish remover was, plus the smell practically hurts my nostrils whenever I'm too close.

Anyway, I immediately Googled for more information as soon as I got home and found that this Cutex remover is a highly rated product at Makeupalley with a 4.1/5 score. Well, that's a surprise!

It removes nail polish quickly enough in just two to three wipes. It's also not as drying as the other nail polish removers I've tried (Bobbi and Caronia - skip the latter, it's horrid!), leaving my nails feeling a bit healthier and stronger. It must be the moisturizers infused in the formula.

Like other acetone-based nail polishes though, it has a noxious smell.

I woke up at 2am today and decided to watch a movie until I felt sleepy again. I'm into period romance dramas these days, so I decided on Curse of the Golden Flower (2006) starring Chow Yun-Fat and Gong Li. Other than the gripping, operatic story, I loved the movie for its moving visual landscape, the costumes, and of course, the makeup!

I first watched Gong Li as the anti-hero in Memoirs of a Geisha - loved her there, and in fact I'm watching it again soon just to see her. In Curse of the Golden Flower, Gong Li cuts a beautiful, regal, and cruel figure in her role as the Empress of China during the Tang Dynasty. She is always dressed in exquisite silks and heavy, rustling robes with embellishments that tinkle as she moves. Her makeup is perfect, with a dewy, flawless face, angled eyeshadows, and full lips with gold dust.

Here are her best looks! Actually, I just failed to include two (one almost bare-faced and another in lilac makeup) because they weren't as striking as these.

This is her first look. She sports gold eyeshadow on the inner lid, with a plummy, slightly purple eyeshadow that goes up on her outer lid. Her eyes are lightly lined with a bit of mascara. The lips are a plum shade with gold dust patted onto the bottom.

I was supposed to go to this event last Friday, but I didn't push through because the traffic was utterly horrible. I couldn't flag down a cab for thirty minutes so I just gave up. I mean, I do love nice events, but not when they come at such a hassle. Unlike trad media, bloggers don't get salary and reimbursement for transportation whenever we go to an event. :P

Ok that's just me being bitter that I didn't make it. Hehe. Anyway, I did do a nice look with a lilac lipstick, so all my preparations last Friday were not totally in vain! A reader requested that I show off how the Revlon Super Lustrous lipstick in Primrose can be worn. I feel that if you're medium-toned, the best way a pale lipstick like this can work is with smoky, lined eyes. 

Face: MAC Studiofinish concealer, Clinique Perfectly Real powder foundation, Guerlain Meteorites

Cheeks: MAC Harmony to contour, Estee Lauder Silky Powder Blush in Tender Petal

It's no big secret that I have an ongoing love affair with Clinique. The brand is quite pricey locally, but the products I use work extremely well on my skin. Again, it's always a matter of being hiyang, so I'm really lucky that I found my skin's "soulmate"!

I'm a fan of the Clinique Moisture Surge because it gives me a nice glow and more supple skin without the oiliness. However, it's not designed to help much during and after a big breakout. I try a lot of products for this blog so something always ends up giving me pimples - I need something that can help clear them and deal with the pesky blemishes that crop up afterwards. That's why I wanted to try the Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clearing Moisturizer (P1,600/50mL).

It's pretty good. Here's why!

What I love about the product

• Helps dry up pimples faster, especially the smaller ones. It has salicylic acid, a key ingredient that targets acne. It has no parabens and has very little comedogenic ingredients. (See here for reference)
• It lightens blemishes, but this takes time, two weeks at least. I'm very happy with it nonetheless.
• Blackheads and whiteheads are no longer a problem whenever I use this.

Super light gel texture

Ok, so I finally gave in! Curiosity got the better of me, really. I wanted to know if expensive nail polishes like Orly are indeed worlds apart from the P30 ones available in any drugstore. And? 

The Orly nail polish in Gilded Coral (P349) is a gorgeous shade that looks like a peachy pink champagne on my nails. It's very wearable and can go with most looks you can think of. You can scour any drugstore but I can tell you right now that you won't find a cheap dupe of this locally! Gilded Coral is part of Orly's spring collection called Precious.

You guys know that I love the cheap yet utterly trendy accessories that can be found in SM Department Stores. I've bought, oh, so many hats and little trinkets in the past few years, many I didn't get to blog about. So when SM invited me to the media launch of their accessory department, I braved the strong rains just to get to One Esplanade that wet and traffic-heavy night.

The fashion show featuring SM's latest and upcoming accessories was nothing short of a spectacle. Top models like Ria Bolivar walked the runway, as well as celebrities like Bianca Valerio, Tim Yap, Chesca Garcia, and Mariel Rodriguez.

Here are some photos (and at the end are the accessories I picked in SM).

Ria Bolivar

You know, my salary just goes back to my boss because I end up buying her shoes anyway! :P I do have an employee discount (20%) but at the end of the day it's still my own money I spend. So if you love shoes, take my advice: don't work for a shoe brand that sells great stuff! (Loljk)

Anyway, I got a couple of new pairs from Ferretti last Wednesday. Both were love at first sight for me so I had to get them asap. I knew (doi) that all designs come in very limited quantities so I didn't want to leave anything to chance. 

Exhibit A: gunmetal woven flats with a ribbon (P999). Self explanatory. Major win. I like how sophisticated the design is! I almost got the silver version, but I opted for a toned-down gunmetal instead.

Last Wednesday, I met up with Kira, who was incidentally meeting up with Mira (the Marketing Manager of Clinique). Haha. It was great seeing my girls since it's been quite a while! I also got to shop a bit (more Ferretti shoes and some Forever 21 pieces - more of that in the next post) so overall a nice Wednesday even though I got a ton of work then.

Yes, I'm wearing glasses here. I look kind of...off now with spectacles outside the house. I actually meant to buy a new set of contacts but I got sidetracked! 

Thrifted chambray polo/ Redhead skirt/ Ferretti tan wedges/ SM hat and necklace/ Parfois bag

So anyway, even though I was just sabit that day, Mira generously gave me a cute gift. I already have a number of Clinique pouches lying around the house but I swear, I will never get tired of that stuff. The brand makes some of the best cosmetic bags out there (great fabric, high-quality make) so if you have the chance to get one, don't hesitate. You can usually get them during promos since they are not for sale.

Curious to see what's inside?

I visited Rustan's Makati yesterday for my regular "what's up" checkup. Guess who I ran into! Why, Carrot of Bobbi Brown! She was doing her usual counter visits at La Mer and Bobbi, looking all fresh and pretty even though I know she's probably already mega stressed by that time (as all the Estee Lauder girls are!). I asked her if there's anything new, so she told me about Bobbi's latest product: the Bobbi Brown BB Cream with SPF35 PA++.

Developed by Bobbi Brown for customers who want a product with serious skincare and makeup benefits, this all-in-one cream perfects and smoothes skin’s appearance—instantly and over time. Its easily buildable formula evens out and gives skin a lit-from-within glow. Skin is filled with moisture as oil and shine are kept at bay. Plus SPF helps protect skin against UVA/UVB damage.

In a short while, fine lines and wrinkles appear less noticeable, visible redness is reduced and pores appear more refined.

This new BB cream is so popular that it's already sold out within the month! According to Carrot, they will restock by the end of June or early July so BB cream fans, you have to wait 'till then. In the meantime, I have swatches and first impressions for you.

I love good questions. I love asking them, more so when it comes to answering them! Some insightful readers asked two cool questions: the first is, how does the Kate Blendzone Eyeshadow duos compare to the Majolica Majorca palettes? Second, how does the Revlon lipstick in Siren compare to Revlon Coral Berry?

Japanese drugstore cosmetics, from what I've tried so far, seem to be at par with more expensive American and European brands. These two eyeshadow palettes from Majolica Majorca and Kanebo Kate are proof. But when it comes down to a choice, which one should you blow your money on?

There's a keen demand among women nowadays for more "natural" skincare solutions. But what do we mean when we say "natural"? Usually, a product is considered such if its ingredients are from natural and unrefined sources. For example, the ingredient list must mainly consist of water, fruit and plant extract, oils, combined with naturally occurring preservatives, humectants, surfactants, and emulsifiers (link). Natural skincareproducts do not contain synthetic chemicals.

That said, Pond's new line called White Beauty Naturals does not claim to be natural. But it does feature one of nature's beautifying agents: the Camellia Leaf. Why that particular plant? Dr. Sona Pushker, Head of Research at the Pond’s Institute says, “...The Camellia leaf extract is known to reduce the formation of melanin deep within your skin, and the proven skin lightening technology of the Pond’s White Beauty range inhibits melanin being released to the skin’s surface, reducing skin darkening and imperfections.”

Nature’s most potent skin-lightening secret! With Camellia Leaf Extract, Pond’s White Beauty Naturals works double time – it reduces the formation of melanin at a cellular level and inhibits melanin from being released to the skin’s surface, thus effectively fighting skin darkening, diminishing imperfections and delivering beautiful, pinkish-white skin.

Okay! Basically, the new line is a new formulation (upgrade?) of Pond's existing White Beauty products. What sets it apart is the inclusion of camellia sinensis, which is actually known as the "tea plant", because green tea is traditionally made from its leaves!

I have already reviewed the Revlon Super Lustrous Lipsticks (P450) so I'd just like to share swatches of the two new shades here. I think these came in a couple of months back, so if you haven't seen them yet, I do think one of the shades is worth a gander in your nearest Revlon counter!

Primrose and Coral Berry

I am in love with Coral Berry! I find it a unique lipstick shade that has a very rich, satiny finish on my lips. As the name suggests, it's a medium coral pink that looks great on warm-toned skin like mine. I highly recommend this to anyone - it's currently one of my favorite lipppies. It goes beautifully with peach cheeks and gold eyeshadow. 

I woke up at 2am today and started reading blogs since I didn't feel like working yet. After going through my usual routine, I visited Pammy's post on beauty blogging again to see if there are any new comments. I've been keeping track of it since she wrote it, and I really appreciate all the insights in the post and in the comments page. This time, I'd like to share what I think about beauty bloggers "selling out" or losing credibility. This is my comment.

Been following this post for a while, and I'd just like to share what i think. :) Ideally, in beauty blogging, the blogger must pay for all the products that she reviews. But while that's ideal, it's also unrealistic. First of all it's difficult to get content unless you're sitting on a mound of money exclusively for makeup/kikay things.

Second, a good beauty blogger spends a lot of time coming up with a post - swatching, taking pics, testing, and finally, writing are all time-consuming (I spend 2-3 hours on one detailed review on average). Sure we do it out of love, but then again, it's unrealistic to continue unless there is some form of return.

Here's what I wore to a quick shopping trip last Friday! It's quite no-nonsense since I didn't have a lot of time to go around (was trying to avoid the weekend rush hour traffic!). I was in the mood to buy something since I figured I won't be able to have much fun. I'll be taking on new responsibilities that will leave me very little free time soon. 

Anyway, there was heavy downpour that afternoon so I chose to wear black to fit the mood. Do you do that, pick your color scheme according to the weather? I do! Almost all the time. 

Top from Landmark/ Shorts from Folded & Hung/ Pumps from Ferretti/ Bag from Parfois/ Necklace from SM Accessories

I like the cowl-neck and asymmetrical details of this top. Got it for only P230 in Landmark! Steal.

Hola! Sorry this was really late. It's been extra hectic lately. Like super. Anyway, the Commenter of the Month for May is Issa Chavez! She commented on almost every post I published last month. Dedication ka, 'te! Hope you like your Pond's Gold Radiance set.

Now, are you ready for the new Commenter of the Month gift? It's from one of my favorite brands ever. ;)