I'm a firm believer in the adage "You get what you pay for." If you want the best then you're going to have to shell out a premium for it. However, what we want is often not in tune with what we can afford. Good thing there are more pocket-friendly products that can serve as great alternatives to the expensive stuff! 

Today I'm going to talk about some products that I think are similar while still having a healthy price difference from each other. Do note that they're not exactly the same - there is a reason why something costs less compared to its expensive counterpart. Could be a difference in texture, lasting power, pigmentation and so on but fundamentally these products were created with the same concept in mind.

In the end it's up to you to determine what product features matter most to you. :) Here's a list of some of my high-end favorites compared to counterparts that are *almost* as good!

Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil (~P4,000) vs Muji Cleansing Oil for Sensitive Skin (~P600)

Why they are the same: Mineral-oil based, removes makeup the same way, same yellow color and texture

Why Shu Uemura is more expensive: Good for skin in the long run as it's more like skincare than just plain makeup remover. You also use much less of the product to remove makeup compared to Muji so it actually lasts longer.

Winner? Shu, for me! I love how my skin looks with this. It's a core member of my skincare team and I can't function well without it!

Bed Head Tigi Styleshots Hi-Def Curls Conditioner (P1,930) vs Snoe Beauty Hair Heroes with Intense Argan Oil (P499)

Why they are the same: Texture is very dense, moisturizes hair extremely well, defines curls, keeps hair soft and bouncy

I was such in a mad rush yesterday that I forgot to wear perfume. I panicked a little. My outfit doesn't feel complete without a nice matching scent! Yes I know, very shallow and all that, but scents help me define the right mood and attitude that I need for the day.

That said, just a couple of years ago I really didn't really care for perfumes. But after trying out so many I realized that each scent is special and embodies a certain personality. Like fine wine or cheese, a good perfume can make your life a little richer. Anyway, here's my personal collection! I give away perfumes to friends and family but these are the ones I dearly hold on to.

Here's a quick list of the reviews in case you're interested! Haven't reviewed everything here unfortunately but in case you're curious just ask me. ;)

DKNY: DKNY Be Delicious | DKNY Delicious Candy Apples: Sweet Caramel | Pure DKNY: Verbena in a bottle |DKNY Golden Delicious |  DKNY Women is New York in a bottle (love DKNY! It's my favorite perfume brand)

Last weekend was awesome. I went to Marco's birthday party (he's 30!). I played a ton of Atelier Meruru on the PS3. I rekindled my love for singing and playing the guitar. I recorded a few videos to show for it but since I'm not really, well, good, I don't want to upload to YouTube. I have a screencap though!

Feeling pop star

Aaaanyway. I'll have you know that I realy like my hair there. It's shiny and smooth! TMI but I just woke up when I started recording. Predictably, my hair was a mess! I didn't want to use my fave Kerastase Elixir Ultime since it's too expensive for something that I'll just do at home. You know what I mean. How many times have you chosen to use a cheap product instead of your high-end one for an activity that won't get you maximum exposure?

It's a girl thing. So yeah, I decided to try the Vitress Cuticle Coat.

Yesterday I attended the MAC AW12 Trends Presentation at the Mind Museum in The Fort. James Molloy, MAC's Director of Makeup Artisty for the Asia-Pacific Region, visited the country to talk about the latest trends in cosmetics. It's not new for brands to have makeup artists do a demo in an event, but I have to admit that I'm usually bored when this happens. There isn't a lot to learn from them especially when they insist on talking about the same old techniques.

Or maybe I'm just jaded. James Molloy, however, was incredibly inspiring. It was in the way he talked about makeup, the way he moved as he did the models' faces. He's enjoying himself and looked happy just talking about what's new in the makeup world! I really loved how he discussed the inspiration behind the four new looks that MAC has come up for the autumn-winter 2012 season.

There is a sense, a story if you may, behind each look. The first one that James demonstrated is Sense + Sensibility.

The gorgeous model in her to die for dress

Sense + Sensibility is "all about timeless classics done in a modern way - these are elements of makeup that never go out of fashion but simply get reinvented." That's the full brow, the red lip, subtle neutrals, and of course matte skin.

This is what I wore yesterday to an event. I didn't want to overthink it so I just put on stuff that I felt naturally went together. Seriously, five inch heels and a good bag can make even the simplest of dresses look, well, dressy. 

Kashieca dress/ Charles & Keith heels/ Pinkbox bangle and ring/ SM belt/ Louis Vuitton bag

As for the look, I found inspiration from Ginnifer Goodwin. I've been keeping this photo for Lord knows how long! I meant to copy the look but somehow always wound up with neutrals or colors. 

I love it! Skin is matte and flawless, eyes are heavy on the top with black eyeshadow, winged out eyeliner, and loads of mascara. Cheeks have a slight peachy blush while lips are nude.

At first glance, it looks like something only a fair-skinned girl can wear, but with some tweaks, I adjusted it for medium Asian skin like mine.

Hi Miss Liz! Growing up I have been teased a lot about my "sumpa"- CURLY HAIR!!!! I don't mean the cute Goldilocks type but the "so-kinky-its-llike-an-afro" type of curl. An even weirder combination? I have pale skin Asian skin and got called names like "negrang hapon", "albino na negra" blah blah blah.

My self esteem was suuppeerr low that I had my hair straightened when I was in 6th grade and have been religiously straightening since (I'm turning 23 this year). The teasing stopped. I got lots of compliments, some even forgot I was curly to begin with. Don't get me wrong, I honestly enjoyed it at first but it was tiring to me (dreading my natural hair growing,enduring the long hours and chemical burns of the process).

Anyway, I don't know how but I finally found myself some confidence to stop pretending and embrace the real me! My question Miss Liz is; how do I transition to my natural locks without looking like a freak? (curly hair at the roots and stick straight hair at the tips).

Hi Miss_D22! Great question! Kudos to you for finally having the confidence to embrace your natural hair! I also had the same problem before - had my hair straightened so many times that I have damaged my scalp permanently. And for what? Because people teased me all the time! One girl even called me Jesus Christ. Damn. That's one of the worst insults to me ever.

In the end, like you I realized that I would be happier if I just enjoyed the real me. We're never so ugly or so bad as we think we are; it's all in the head!

Last weekend, I was reading a book called Strengthsfinder 2.0. It has an awesome thesis - that many of us don't excel because we're not doing what we do best. We focus so much on overcoming our weaknesses that we overlook the cultivation of our strengths. That makes so much sense, eh? I plan to take the test soon. Wonder what I'll come up with!

Anyway, today I want to talk about a current favorite of mine: the Zen Zest Exfoliating Body Scrub. I've tried a lot of body scrubs and I tend to like most of them. I mean, how complicated can it be? But this Zen Zest one is quite different. It's very dense and thick. It feels nice when I spread it on, like thick luxurious, cool goo! Hehe.

I already told you what my top five lipsticks were, so I thought it's finally time to show lip glosses some love! I don't often wear glosses as much as lipsticks, actually, but when I do I make sure they're worth the hair trap. Oh you know what I mean. Glosses are a bane on windy days but these are the ones that I find too pretty to resist.

L-R: Majolica Majorca Honey Pump Gloss Neo, Shu Uemura Gloss Unlimited in Corona Orange, VMV Hypoallergenics Lip Glitter Gloss in Cherry Pink, Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss in Pink Pop, Benefit Ultra Plush Lip Gloss in Hoola

Here's why I love 'em! 

Majolica Majorca Honey Pump Gloss Neo. Glosses are by nature flighty things. They get wiped off easily just by drinking and eating. But the Honey Pump Gloss Neo is one of the longest-lasting glosses I've tried. I can eat and still have some gloss left over. I also love how it makes the lips look fuller without being overly thick.

There are some stores that, upon first impression, look too expensive for our budgets. Sometimes though, it's just really good branding and a smart interior designer! One such brand is VMV Hypoallergenics. I wouldn't say that the products are dirt cheap, but for how effective and nicely packaged (with recycled paper, to boot) they are, I think VMV offers a great bang for your buck. Most products are under P1,500 which in the realm of good skincare is fairly affordable.

Anyway! I managed to drop by the VMV Hypoallergenics store in Powerplant the other day to pick up something. I took a few pictures of products I like / am curious about.

Check this out, VMV's reincarnated foundation! It's the reformulated, re-packaged version of their Skin Savvy Liquid Foundation.

Hi girls! I just want to share a neat idea I got off a craft blog. It's so mindblowingly simple that I should have thought of this sooner.

Ta dah! Basically, it's a way to store your headbands so you can see them all in one place, sitting pretty. You should use a jar if you have more headbands, but since this Starbucks bottle is what I have on hand...yeah.

People always ask me, "How do you find the time to blog?" Many of them even make the mistake of thinking that this is what I do full-time. It's simple, really. I make time for it. I wake up at 6:00 AM on a normal day, putter around the condo for tea and maybe a bite to eat, then settle down for the next three hours writing and processing photos. This isn't a precise schedule, of course, since often there are other things that need doing first. But that's how I am able to run this website. 

I'm telling you this because I want you to know that it's possible to be able to do something you love, a side project if you will, even if you think you are too busy working. There's always time if you want it badly. You just need to make it yourself. :)

Anyway, today I want to talk about a blush that I've been trying on lately: the Models Own Powder Blush in Cheeky Pink (P350 from The Makeup Suite). It's a nice affordable blush that's packaged in an expensive-looking case - something new to bring around if you're looking to impress! Now that I think of it, I think makeup artists will love this because it looks so chic and you get a lot of product in one pan. Really useful for multiple clients.

Here's my review!

What I like about the product

• Pigmented. I only need one or two layers to get a good color going.

The truth is that there is no one face that's exactly the same. What about twins? You know what I mean! My point is that in order to find the right hair style, contour, or in this case, eyebrow shape for you, you have to use your own features as your point of reference. From there you can enhance your face in the most natural way possible.

Today I'm going to share a common technique used by pros to find a face's ideal brow shape! You will need any long straight object to measure. For convenience, I used my eyebrow pencil (Avon Perfect Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown).

Step 1: Find out where the inner point of your eyebrows should begin. Place the pencil parallel to your nose, poiting upwards. The point where your brow and pencil intersects is your starting point.

You know, not a lot of people look good in white (me included). White is such a fattening non-color when it comes to clothing. Buuut I don't really care. I still have a soft spot for white dresses so I can never seem to let go of the ones I have. Here's an old one, from around two years back, that I wear every so often.

Eyelet dress and cardigan from Market! Market! / Headband and bangle from Pinkbox

So yeah, had that on yesterday. As for the makeup I just decided to go with something "happy" looking, light eyeshadow, pink cheeks and lips. I haven't been wearing a lot of makeup lately because I simply don't have the time. I'm having fun digging through my makeup collection though, which means I'm re-discovering some old but good products in my stash.

Face: Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen WOW liquid foundation, Lancome Maqui Blanc powder, Artdeco Camouflage Cream Concealer, Clinique Airbrush Concealer (under eyes)

Okay, two things about me: I am inept when it comes to styling my hair and I have very thin hair. That kinda limits the number of options for me, doesn't it? I just usually let my hair down to allow my natural curls to do the work but that can get old pretty fast!

Good thing we live in the future. There are a lot of cool implements and tools to style our hair now, one of which is this Pinkbox Hair Puff. Disclaimer: I work with the brand. Still, I think it's a pretty neat product so I decided to share it with you guys. :)

Basically, the Hair Puff is a velcro insert that you can use to do bouffants on the front or middle part of your head. Instead of teasing your hair and using loads of hair spray to create volume, you can cut the prep time by simply attaching the puff. This is very useful if you want volume on top of your head without the work and the nasty part of cleaning it all up.

So, without further ado, here's a super easy tutorial on how to do a bouffant using the Pinkbox Hair Puff and only two clips!

Last May I saw Agoo Bengzon (Summit's beauty director) in an Instagram photo wearing gorgeous hot pink nails. I thought, "Damn! I bet that's Chanel or something equally expensive!" The color stuck to my head for a couple of days. On the third day (I kid you not) a box from Korea arrived on my doorstep with almost that exact same nail polish color in it. What a happy coincidence!

The Etude House Dear My Blooming Nails in #3 (P178) is a hot pink shade that sizzles without being neon. It has a very smooth, very glossy finish that's characteristic of Etude House polishes. I can not believe it's only P178; it feels much more expensive than that.

Hi folks! It looks like a beautiful week ahead! I spent last night and the wee hours of the morning watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Howl's Moving Castle (for the nth time). That resulted in very vivid dreams, I tell you, but at least the headache that has been plaguing me for the past three days is gone. So yay for that.

Anyway, here are the photos I took this week!

New favorite bangles from Pinkbox! Wonder woman ang peg. Thanks @nellysee @pinkboxph

Grilled chicken and potatoes for lunch. Yes I take photos of my lunch. Bite me!

I love looking at DIY tutorials but I never get around to actually doing them. I'm all fired up today though! Must be the caffeine! I'm hyper inside! Wil be stepping out in a while to buy materials and turn myself into the next DIY Queen. Kidding. Maybe. Don't listen to me!

You need to know this though: there is an awesome craft store that sells stamps, punchers, and other specialty products somewhere in the Greenhills area. Must visit. Read the Quaint Desk for the guide!

Photo via Quaint Desk

Anyway, here are some cool DIY ideas that I am bookmarking for you (and myself). Tell me, which one is your favorite? :D

Sunglasses with plaster rosettes ala Dolce & Gabbana

The best kind of eyeshadow palette is one where you can choose all the colors yourself. Agree/ agree? I've been collecting MAC eyeshadows in the 15-pan palette, but I haven't completed it yet considering it costs roughly P16,000 all things considered. I also have a Shu Uemura customizeable palette (one of my faves!) but it costs around P4,000 for a four-color case. Not too bad if you don't mind investing, but if you're a student on a budget, that can be unrealistic.

So when I was a student, guess what I got for myself? Artdeco eyeshadows! I think I had six of them back then. Since I was too cheap to buy the magnetic palette, I kept them in a small tin case that used to house chocolates. What can I say - when you're saving, you have to improvise!

That's not to say that Artdeco eyeshadows are cheap ha. They're still pricey at P350 each, with the palette selling for P450 (four slots, if I remember correctly).