I'm sure you've already seen the raves about the Fairydrops Candy Bar BB Cream (P1,550) from the other beauty bloggers. No question about it, this stuff is da cheese! It's a great face base for two reasons: the flawless satiny finish and color match (at least on me). It's also the first BB cream I've encountered that has no SPF whatosever.

While other BB creams focus on skincare claims and sun protection, the Fairydrops Candy Bar is all about perfecting the skin. A Japanese newscaster, who needed something that will look good on harsh studio lighting, is credited for helping formulate it. It's supposed to have micro-gold pigments and soft focus powder in the waterproof formula.

Here's what I think!

What I love about the product

• It makes my skin look fantastic. Not just good or nice, but fantastic both in person and on camera. It has light to medium coverage, which evens out my skintone well. It won't cover major blemishes or acne but it can give brighter-looking skin.
• This has no perceptible shimmer. It has a satin finish which means that it's not glowy or dewy; more like matte but with a bit of fresh lustre to it. Like real skin.

Hi Ms Liz! What causes open pores and how do you treat them? :) I mean what are the remedies. Thanks!- Mikee

Hi Mikee, I'm not a dermatologist so I can't answer this with any authority. But hey, there's Google! First, what are pores? These tiny holes allow our skin to sweat and therefore maintain our body temperature. They also serve as channels for sebum to pass through to the surface of our skin; this oil lubricates our body and hair, keeping them supple and elastic.

The size of our pores is determined by the width of our hair follicles. If you have thick hair strands then you are most likely to have bigger pores. Not really a genius realization but now it makes sense why I don't have visible pores - my hair is very fine! Anyway, this also means that big pores are just in your DNA. You can't shrink them or make them disappear permanently.

Facial pores can look enlarged, however, if you don't clean them properly. Oil and dead skin cells can accumulate inside pores which may then stretch the skin and make the holes look more obvious.

Eight years ago when I started blogging, I would write little vignettes about life-changing realizations that are numerous when one is 17. They were poorly written and attempted to be deep and thoughtful. I enjoyed writing them but like an old pair of flimsy but well-loved shoes, I put them away. There are many other things to write about, things that are useful to people other than myself.

I still have a personal diary of sorts though - that's where Instagram comes in. Pictures in particular convey the daily texture of my life more conveniently than any other medium. Not better but Instagram does take less time; I like remembering things.

Here are some pics from last week!

Woke up to a misty sunrise today. I'm lucky the window faces east.

My perfume and accessory storage. I place them in my armoire. They're together because they are the last things I wear before I leave the house.

Hi folks! Today I'll be talking about the Snoe Rouge Deluxe Complete Lip Care Line (P399). Cute packaging eh? But there's more to the lipsticks than the elaborate box. I like the curated shades included in the initial collection, as well as how long-lasting they are. The initial burst of color stays on for a good four hours; expect an intense stain as that layer fades away.  

These lipsticks contain moisturizing oils like argan and jojoba. True enough, it's not as drying as long-wearing lipsticks are wont to be. The formula doesn't cause my lips to flake or crack even if I'm not wearing any balm underneath. I would still recommend your usual balm underneath though if you have chronic dry lips.

You might need to layer to get total opacity on the lips, but I actually like the softer color that I get with only one layer. Here are the complete swatches!

Hi Liz! I just want to understand how the SPFs on multiple products work. If I use a facial moisturizer with SPF 15 and then layer it with a facial powder with SPF 15, does that mean that I'm wearing a total of SPF 30 on my face? I just want to make sure if my understanding is correct. If this is the case, then I can sparingly use a more expensive facial moisturizer with SPF 30 and then simply use the moisturizer-powder combination more frequently and I will have the same degree of protection either way. Thanks in advance for the clarification. - Maybelle

Hi Maybelle! Thanks for your question. I talked to a dermatologist before about this, and she said that it's not possible to layer SPF products to get a higher number. You will just get a higher volume of the sun screening ingredients, which means you get better protection, but it's still on the same SPF15 level. If you mix SPF15 with something that has SPF30 though, the higher number is the amount of protection your skin will receive.

My mother thinks I'm careless with my money, but I think I'm not doing too bad at 24. I save up and I know when I need to back off from a potentially wasteful purchase. Living independently from my parents taught me difficult financial lessons - way more effective than wordy lectures, I think! Nonetheless I want to learn more about financial wisdom ala Frugal Honey this year.

But. I work hard, so if there's something I really like that I can afford, I buy it. I've been in love with a bag from Tory Burch since November and I finally got it shortly before Christmas!

I actually bought a Tory Burch tote first. I liked it in the store, but when I opened it at home my feelings have drastically changed. I thought it was a bit too plain and too big for me. I mean, if I were to blow money on a luxe bag I might as well get something that looks like it! So I took the tote back to the store and purchased the bag that I originally liked, which was the Tory Burch Medium 797 Satchel.

I am really liking Revlon's latest releases. I've been writing about the brand's new products consistently for two years now, and I can tell you this with conviction: they have improved immensely. I have this impression that they listen to what the customers want, so each release brings something new to the table. Sometimes in increments, or in the case of the new mascara, a huge leap!

I loved the Revlon PhotoReady Concealer enough to finish one tube. I always end up grabbing it because it's so convenient and easy to blend out! Also, other than MAC, I find that Revlon gives me a great and consistent shade match when it comes to their face bases (at least one me). It's the same with the new Revlon Age Defying DNA Advantage Concealer.

I have a good feeling about this one. ;) It's pigmented enough to cover blemishes, but it shines as an undereye concealer due to its emollient texture that doesn't slip around.

Since we were already on the topic of hair removal, I thought I would smoothly follow through with a treatment I tried recently. Last December, I vamoosed to Strip Serendra to try out their sinful Warm English Gingerbread Cookie Wax and V-Blush treatment on my underarms. I love the end results! It's been five weeks and my 'pits are still super soft and fairly hairless.

Did I say five weeks? Yeah that's how good it is. The Gingerbread Cookie Wax is only offered for a limited time so I'm not sure if it's still available, but I would still highly recommend the waxing services of Strip. They are so quick to pull out the hair - one try, actually - and it didn't hurt at all.

Waxing was my favorite way to get rid of body hair, but most days I just shaved and called it a day. I don't really have time to drop by a waxing salon for an hour or so (including travel time), and besides it can be expensive if you must get it done twice a month. That comes down to P1,200 a month at a modest salon ha! I can buy better things with that money than getting rid of my leg hair, truth be told.

So, I embarked on a casual online hunt for electric hair epilators. Basically it looks like a razor but instead of cutting the hair close to the skin, the gadget pulls out each hair. Sounds like torture? Eh, depends on your pain tolerance. I'll discuss that later.

What is this sorcery and where can one buy it

I didn't know there were electric epilators available locally. The blog posts I've seen about it all talk about getting one abroad, or via pre-order. Clearly, my Google-fu needs improvement. Imagine my surprise when I saw one in Watsons Mall of Asia (SM department store area) a couple of weeks ago! I was actually checking out Baby Bliss hair curlers when, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the mythical epilator. I knew I was going home with it, no questions asked!

Well there were questions asked because the first one I saw cost almost P7,000 I think. Haha. Good thing I rummaged behind the box to look for other models; the boxes look alike. The one I bought, the Philips Satinelle HP6400, is only P2,299.

Five years ago I wouldn't have looked twice at healing and repairing skincare products. I mean, what was there to repair when you're a girl of 19? Maybe I'm just ultra-sensitive because I work in the beauty and fashion industry, but I have noticed that my skin is becoming drier over the years. It's not as elastic and fresh as it used to be. Again, the difference may be unnoticeable to most, but since I write about beauty products day in and day out I am hyper observant of my hide. 

Anyway, my main skin problem is dryness on my hands and legs. My hands, particularly, are starting to feel crackly because I wash them so much (I have an active dog)! Thus I use a heavy moisturizer a few times every week to make sure that my hands are soft and smooth (my legs too). I love the Vitacreme B12 Body Milk but it's horribly expensive. I'm happy to announce a way cheaper alternative!

I received these Jergens Overnight Repair and Ultra Healing Moisturizers (P99/ 100ml and P342/650ml pump) a month ago and I find that they do exactly what they promise. These are heavy-duty, thick moisturizers that are designed to heal skin and restore it to suppleness.

Hi Liz,

I'm looking for a good primer for the oily parts of my face (I'm combination skin) - which is my T -zone AND my eyelids. I tend to get really oily lids which ruins my eyeshadow. My question is, if I plan to get a primer, do I need to get a separate one for my eyelids? Or could I just go with an all-around primer like Benefit's Porefessional or Smashbox's Photo Finish Primer? - Jin

Hi Jin! Thanks for the question. Eye primers and face primers are different from each other because the skin on those areas and the makeup you use on them require a different type of base. They're like oranges and apples!

Benefit Porefessional vs Urban Decay Primer Potion

You'd want your T-zone and cheeks to look smoother, poreless, and less oily, which is where silicone-based primers come in. The fine silicone in the product fills in the pores and lines, thus blurring them while also acting as a barrier between your skin and makeup. This makes you oil up less and helps your makeup look smoother overall.

I am so late but The Beatles have taken over my life. I wake up to a Beatles song in my head, clean the house with a Beatles song blaring in the background, and at odd moments during the day a Beatles song pops up in my head and I play it there in full as if I were listening to it from another source. I can't explain why this is happening, and why now. But there it is. It's like a massive album-long LSS! 1 to be specific, a collection of their top hits.

Well, I hope this fades away soon. I'm one of those people who can only think when it's relatively silent.

Anyway - a good Monday morning to you! Today I'll be talking about the Bobbi Brown Rich Caviar and Black Pearl Holiday Palettes (P3,200), which were released as part of the brand's holiday collection. I apologize that I'm writing about this only now, when it's sold out almost everywhere except in Mall of Asia! I just wanted a comprehensive post on it so it took me a while to photograph the looks to go with this post.

The 6-color palettes feature gorgeous shades that you will enjoy using until they run out. There's a blending, brow bone, lid, smoky, gradient and glittery color in each palette, colors which you can use in different permutations - sky's the limit!

Remember when BB creams were obscure? When you had to wait four weeks for pre-ordered batch to arrive here? Those were savage days in beauty history. Lol. Now BB creams are everywhere, and so cheap you can get one for like P169 in a local drugstore. Most women have probably tried these multi-taskers - for who doesn't want the promise of sun protection, anti-aging, anti-blemish, whitening, and coverage in one nifty bottle?

But BB creams are old news. The next generation of complexion enhancers are here, and they are called CC Creams or Color Correction/ control creams. CC creams are supposed to primarily brighten skin and have more concentrated skincare benefits. They are to be more lightweight and oil-free, with heavier coverage than the average BB cream. The sun protection, anti-aging, and whitening features are still there, but expect lots of new fancy ingredients in the formula.

But wait a minute...BB creams are already doing exactly what CC creams promise to do!

The holidays have come and gone, but the glittery glamour that accompanies it doesn't have to leave as well. The beauty holiday collections are still on the shelves, so if you want to score some good deals or collector's pieces, you better hurry for one final look at the counters!

The Lancome Holiday Collection is another memorable ensemble for me. The inspiration is Hemingway's "A Movable Feast", where he wrote about his life in Paris. It was the 1920s, a decade remarkable for its smoky opulence and subversive elegance. The Lancome collection imagines Paris dressed in gold, with shiny crystal chandeliers flashing on sequined dresses, as if in a dance of light.

The Ombre Hypnose Mono eyeshadows (P1,395) look fantastic! They feature a mesh/ sequin imprint on the powder, while the top of the compact has coated golden glitter.

The big makeup trend for 2013 is brite n' matte lips. Pinks, reds, plums - all matte and all opaque. I think this trend is something everyone can jump into because it requires minimal skill to pull off. Plus, it would look good on just about any set of features and complexions! Loud lips are also a good excuse for girls who don't want to wear much makeup, as they require only a flawless base, some mascara, and polished brows to look modern and ultra-cool.

The Bobbi Brown Creamy Matte Lip Color (P1,350), released last quarter, is something you should look into if you like matte lipsticks. The formula is opaque in one layer, doesn't transfer, and lasts over six hours even with eating and drinking. It is dry, as expected from matte lipsticks, but it doesn't flake compared to its drugstore counterparts.

Creamy Matte glides on nicely even with the dry texture. I don't wear a lip balm under it if my lips are in prime condition, but if they're dry, I just apply a very thin layer.

I'm sure some of you have already guessed what I'm giving away to the best commenter this January. It's the complete Charm Vegan Brush Set (P2,500)! I love this set, and I use these brushes on a daily basis. My favorite one is the pointed domed smudger brush - really good for detail eyeshadow work. The concealer and powder brushes are also standouts in this collection. 

You can check my full review here, or if you would like to purchase, here's the order link.  ;)

Okay, same mechanics as before! Every month, I'll pick a commenter on my blog. She must be able to leave useful comments, such as sharing feedback about a product I reviewed.

Glamourbox, I think, raised everyone's expectations from the local beauty boxes with its first package last November. It contained a full-sized Australian mascara worth P1,000+ (which is good btw, according to Kira!), a lip palette, and various intriguing perfume samples. I'm pleased to announce that the December box also did not disappoint!

When I first opened it I thought, ok coupons, coupons, sample bottles...meh. That is, until I saw the full-sized VMV lipstick! One tube costs P1,050 at the store, and the box is only P600. I love that Glamourbox puts in one product that's full-sized and costs much, much more than the subscription fee.

I hope they continue doing it. It's not just great value for the customer's money, it's also such a pleasant thrill to receive. That's like 50% of the reason women would want a curated beauty box.

It's been over a year since Benefit landed on our shores. Between then and now, oodles of makeovers, cool contests, beautiful eyebrows, and flawless poreless faces have rained down in Manila! I really love this brand, from the cheeky packaging down to the quality of the products. It's rare that I get a miss whenever I try something new from Benefit.

To celebrate its first year in Manila, Benefit held a small event for the press last December 15. The brand also took the opportunity to share its latest lip and cheek product, Fine One One, and a campaign with our local celebs. Stars like Ruffa Gutierrez, Christine Reyes, Alyanna Martinez, Bianca Valerio, Phoem Baranda, and Maggie Wilson got to pose as Benefits iconic characters. You'll see the photos later. ;)

Here are snaps of the event and the 411 on Fine One One!

Bianca Valerio was the lovely host that day

Krstn.com EIC Trixie Reyna, I, and Nikki of Askmewhats

I scanned all my posts this 2012 - roughly 600 of them - to get a feel of how my year has been. Mostly it was a blur. Things that happened in January feel like they happened only last week! I wish I am just exaggerating to make my life sound more important than it actually isn't, but true story, I still can't wrap my mind around the fact that it's 2013 tomorrow.

In a little over a month (February 7) I will be turning 25. Quarter of a century. I don't feel old, but I don't feel young anymore. It's around this point when people start thinking about what they want to do with their lives. I've already figured out what I want to do with my life, barring unexpected changes. The so-called mid-life crisis shall be lost on me (or am I speaking too soon?).

Anyway, here's a quick trip down my memory lane. Some of the fun things I did in 2012!

Organized and hosted a Pinkbox party early January. It's my first event for Pinkbox! <3 I love Ms Nelly! She's my peg in life. I also enjoy working on Pinkbox because it's...so pink! But seriously, I love the people there, and how the brand keeps on coming up with new creative things for us girls to wear. (Photos grabbed from Angela). 

I met Maggie and Annie, daughters of Jean and Jane Ford (founders of Benefit Cosmetics) on my birthday. They were so awesome! And nice! And tall haha.