Have you tried customizable palettes yet? They're a pretty cool tool for keeping your makeup in one place where you can see them. If you like to collect, I'm sure you know how it can be difficult to remember the stuff you actually have! Customized palettes are also useful to people who like to travel light, without the uneccessary clutter of bulky compacts.

Now there's a few of them special palettes floating around already, but I'd like to present a local and affordable brand: Wild Peach Cosmetics.

Magnetic palettes like this usually cost P500 to P900 a pop, but Wild Peach sells them at P280 (small) and P550 (large). That's quite a price cut from the competition, ha. I thought it would be flimsy when I found out! But contrary to my low expectations, WP palettes are excellently made with a little bit of heft. The cardboard material feels thick and sturdy, while the matte finish is quite classy in person (there's also a glossy finish but why bother haha).

Here's the small sized version in action. I have the large but I haven't photographed it yet! I'll blog about it when I've filled it up.

Established beauty bloggers like myself have many incentives to blog. The passion for the niche is a given already because it's difficult to go far as a blogger without it; I mean, imagine all the time, money, and research that have gone into building a website worth reading and coming back to! We may have started our blogs casually, as a hobby, but maintaining it takes dedication.

I wouldn't call it an investment because when we started we expected very little from this (ad)venture. Nonetheless, our efforts are - whether we like to be coy about it or not - being rewarded handsomely.

We get freebies and invitations to fun parties. More importantly, I think, we're part of a close-knit community that you would be surprised to know isn't competitive. These are some of the things that motivate us to blog regularly, to come up with interesting free content for our readers. But. How about new beauty bloggers who are largely ignored by brands and the community? Being just one of hundreds of new bloggers in the niche, how could they hope to keep their blog going?

And why should we care?

Are you still reluctant to wear loud lipstick? I'm not going to force you if it's really not your thing, but if you want to then here are a few steps to ease you into your scandalous color of choice. Remember - it's all in your head! Loud colors are fun to wear and shouldn't be taken too seriously. It's just lipstick.  You can take it off any time.

That being said, today I want to talk about a mini-selection of daring Maybelline Colorsensational Lipsticks (P399). These come in different variations of red (except one) hence the color of the tubes.

The formula is just okay. It's pigmented and fairly smooth, although I find that it can be drying after a couple of hours (you know the SOP for this). The lasting power of the bright reds are good at three hours plus a stain, but the lighter ones like the peach and coral - not so much at less than two hours. It has this strong sweetish vanilla scent that fades away after a few minutes.

Overall, the Maybelline Colorsensational is not too shabby for the price. I do love the reds here, which I have finally swatched for you!

Let's begin.

Sweet yet well-rounded - that's the Éclat d’Arpège Gourmandise Lanvin (P2,998/ 50ml). It's invigorating upon first spray with Sicillian lemon and lavender smoothly scenting the skin, but then it develops into a sweet glow of green tea and peach blossom. It comes down to a musky cedarwood and amber base which I find stays with me all day.

The packaging is quite playful and girly, something that Lanvin (as a fashion house) is best best known for. Strings of illustrated candy surround a hazy lavender globe.

I can't believe I survived February. It's only the second month of the year but I've been ridiculously busy! I noticed that people like to brag that they're busy, as if it's an achievement. Like a badge of honor. For me, busy - or in my definition having too many things to do that I'm at my wits' end - is not good. I like to take my time doing my work so that it's polished and perfect before I turn it in. Being rushed all the time is no way to live.

Not that I'm complaining. I love my work, I just need more time to do it! And to rest afterwards. :) Anyway, here's my top ten best of February!

Headlining the list is the Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner. Don't you just adore it when products are affordable AND work amazingly well at the same time? This gel eyeliner doesn't smudge or fade and comes with a really good brush too. :) It's not going to rival the MAC Fluidline (my fave gel liner of all time) but it comes close in terms of wear.

Another good drugstore find is the L'Oreal Lucent Magique Foundation. This is the drugstore version of Lancome Teint Miracle! It has a brightening, glowy finish without the shimmer, and makes skin look amazing in person and on camera. However, this doesn't last particularly long so if you have oily skin you might want to consider other options.

Hope you're having a great Saturday so far! I'm off to a tea party later so that should be fun. If time permits I'll shoot a tutorial for this look I wanna try out. ;) Anyway! The Commenter of the Month for February is couchpotato_md. Please email your name and shipping address as soon as you read this.

And now, for the March prize! I'm giving away a lip gloss and eyeshadow from Bobbi Brown's latest collection called Lilac and Rose.

I'm already jealous of whoever is winning this duo! The Lilac and Rose Collection features fresh, modern shades of the eponymous flowers. I love the concept of the heather gray-lilac palette, and the Lilac Gloss (which I'm giving away) is such a wearable almost magenta shade.

Hey folks! Can I just say that I'm super touched by all the entries I got on the Project Vanity event. I spotted some old readers there, and even new ones who managed to read the 1,700+ posts in only a few weeks! I'm overwhelmed (in a good way) and very happy to know how this blog has helped you even in small ways like trying out a new look. <3 Makes me even more psyched for the event! 

Anyways, today I want to review the Veloci Watch (P2,750) that I got a couple of months ago. It's an Italian-inspired (but made in Japan) watch that comes with three different Asprey straps in one kit. Really cool if you like changing your watch per outfit.

Veloci is a great everyday watch for me since the straps are tough, washable, and super light. The watch face itself is a little bigger than I'm used to but that's the look, I suppose! The silver and pink face can be easily matched with most of my girly outfits. Oh and of course, I can buy a new strap whenever I feel like it.

The straps that come with the watch are actually from Asprey and can be purchased separately for P350. It comes in lots of other colors and prints, I think, so you can play around with any look you can think of.

At 25 I think that my style has sort of "settled down". Well it wasn't that crazy to begin with but now that I know what works for me, I don't experiment so much anymore. I like pastels, dainty colors mostly, and a healthy mix of neutrals to keep everything grounded. As for silhouettes, I know to make my shoulders look narrow, to bare my collarbone, and create a waist where it's almost non-existent.

These are things I learned over the course of years! I wish there was someone to tell me about it earlier. I could have saved a lot of time, money, and grief over ill-fitting clothes. 

Remember my fashion battle plan? I've been keeping true to it! Here's something I wore the afternoon of the Magnum event. I was there to check out the preparations so I just wore a casual outfit that's easy to move around in. 

Fresh flowers

A lot of readers have requested me to do a meet and greet in the past, and I want to do one too because - what else - I want to meet you! Some of you guys have been reading this blog since the beginning, and you can't believe how much I'm choking up just thinking about that. It's been five years of vanity, of learning, and sharing how we could be better women both inside and out. Half a decade, huh? I want to do something special to celebrate that with you guys.

I've been thinking how to do this for quite a while, and I finally figured it out. What if I did it in one of my favorite places in the world, with some of my favorite beauty brands? And that's when my brain went ding ding ding! Haha. Presenting, the Project Vanity: Five Years of Vanity Event!

It will be held at Beauty Bar Bonifacio High Street (on top of Muji) on March 9, 2-4pm and will be co-sponsored by K-Palette, Fairydrops, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and of course Beauty Bar. It will be a fun afternoon of mingling with other beauty enthusiasts, coffee, and freebies! I will be doing a demonstration showing a quick but high-impact everyday look, and of course I'll be doing a Q&A on all your beauty concerns. It's like Ask Liz! live and on crack. ;)

Bobbi Brown is one of the most underrated brands in the Philippines. The price intimidates most people, I suppose, but in my experience it delivers what you pay for. Each product does exactly what it is meant to do and some, even a little bit more! I don't want to play favorites but out of all the brands in my vanity, Bobbi Brown is one of the names I pick up the most. It's been consistently amazing since Day 1.

A lot of praise, I know, but it's from the very bottom of my heart. If you have a few gs to spare and want something that you will actually finish up, Bobbi Brown is a foolproof choice. :) Anyway! I actually want to talk about Bobbi's February release, which is called the Sparkle & Glow Collection.

Sparkle & Glow is designed to give the skin some much-needed lift and brightness. There's shimmer of course but it's very subtle and fine; just enough to bring light to the skin, but not too much that it looks tacky. I have one of the sparkle eyeshadows so I'll talk about that in a bit! In the meantime here's more information about the individual products in the collection.

I'm extremely picky when it comes to moisturizers. I try something new once in a blue moon, but then I always end up coming back to Clinique Moisture Surge. That's one moisturizer that I know I can depend my life on. Others would break me out or cause my skin to look dull after a few weeks, but never my Clinique.

That's why I had absolutely no expectations from the Etude House Moistfull Collagen Enriched Cream (P898), even though it was touted to be the brand's best-selling product with 9 jars sold every minute. But surprise, surprise - it's actually pretty good! I use it interchangeably with my Clinique Moisture Surge Intense as they're very similar. Both are rich moisturizers that make my skin smooth and positively glowing.

They're similar in texture but the Moistfull has this strong jasmine scent. I love the smell, don't get me wrong, but if you don't like that in your skincare then I thought I'd let you know. I use only a tiny bit during the day (as in one small swipe on my index finger) as it can make me oily, but I'm more generous when I slather it on at night.

I've said this once and I'll say it again: Estee Lauder is no longer your lola's brand. They have actually finished reformulating their color cosmetics under the Pure Color line and I tell you, everything is fantastic! From eyeshadows, liners, nail polishes, down to the lipsticks EL has a lot of fabulous, rich shades for you.

To prove my point, here's my lipstick of the moment: The Estee Lauder Pure Color Long-Lasting Lipstick in Fuchsia Fever.

Yes, it is as daring as it looks! It's a bright, ultra creamy fuchsia that just glides on the lips like butter and smells like EL's signature fig scent. It's not drying at all even though it's designed to be long-wearing. While it's rich and heavy with pigment, I find that it doesn't feel thick on the lips even with a couple of layers.

I want to write a book someday. It's probably going to be chick lit, nothing deep, as it happens that I live in a world straight out of chick lit. But I won't be the clumsy albeit well-meaning heroine; I'd be the side character who has no patience for bullshit. I'm just not vicious enough to be the villain! How about you, which character would you be in that genre?

So chew on that, haha. In the meantime, here are some interesting snaps of my last two weeks.

I bought this shirt for P200 at SM Hypermart along C5. Crazy right? I love it! Hope I can come back to hoard all the other colors!

This would be my ideal Sunday afternoon makeup - very light and fresh. MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in Petticoat, Fairydrops Platinum Mascara, MAC Girl Boy, and Etude House jellybean lipstick

During my recent trip to the mall, I was trying to find miself a good concealer. Upon asking for assistance, the first question I got from the sales rep was "Ma'am acidic po kayo?" I didn't know what to say because I really don't know if I am or I'm not, to cut it short she said I am acidic and should get a shade lighter than my color (I'm NC30). Thing is, when I went to the other stall, the sales rep told me I'm not acidic so I ended up confused and yeah, empty-handed. I wanted to find out my skin type first. Any tips on how I can find out? - Purplechef

Hey Iko! Our skin is actually naturally acidic with a pH level between 4.5 and 6.2. It is coated by what is called an acid mantle, which is crucial in protecting our skin from bacteria, fungi, and other irritants that might get into our skin. It's also what keeps our skin moisturized and healthy overall.

Natural factors like age, level of your skin's oiliness, moisture, and sweat, can affect how acidic you are. External factors like the products you use (soaps, cosmetics, lotions, etc.) can also affect your skin's pH level.

So how does this all apply to your foundation or concealer? Some of you might have noticed that your face makeup turns darker or changes color the longer you wear it. That's completely natural, as you really have to give your makeup some time to settle and adjust on your skin's surface. No base makeup ever looks 100% like it does when you first swatch it on your skin!

How dark or off it looks depends on two things, I find: the formula of the foundation and how oily/acidic your face is.

What makes a good soap? For me, it has to be moisturizing with a creamy lather. It has to smell nice - never obnoxious, never chemical-y. If it has a few promised skincare benefits then great, but I'm not going to expect more than smooth and soft skin after a bath! (That's not too much to ask right?)

So lately I've been using this new bar called the Beauty and Bright Moringa Soap (P114). I love it because it fits all my qualifications for a good soap. It smells like this old peppermint and oatmeal soap I used to steal from my mom's bathroom, and that alone scores it extra points! It's been more than half a decade since I used that one. :P Other than the smell, the Moringa Soap lathers up nicely and does not leave my skin feeling tight after a shower.

Its main active ingredients are papaya enzymes, moringa extract, and kojic acid. Hmm, did I notice any lightening? I've been using the soap for almost three weeks now and I have noticed that my skin is more even somehow.

I was thinking, if only I could get past February then I can relax and laugh all the way to the bank. But my March is starting to fill up with more events to organize, more work to accomplish. I thought it wasn't possible to get this busy! The only times I get to eat is if I'm at a meeting! Aw. (Now if only all my meetings were in a vegan resto or something, I won't have to worry about my waistline.)

Someone asked me how I'm still able to blog even with everything on my plate. I have thought about leaving Project Vanity for a while, just until work eases up a little.

Hi Liz! Long-time lurker, first-time asker:)

So, I followed your tips on how to create a flawless base, I think I got the steps right, because I'm satisfied with the look I've achieved. I even checked it in natural light (OC!). But when I start contouring the blemishes resurface and darken, it's like they take up the pigments of my blush and contour. Wrong choice of concealer kaya? Thanks! - Tin

Hi Tin! This is an excellent question. It could be the concealer but it's probably your application technique. To prevent your painstakingly-painted base from being erased once you start brushing on color cosmetics, just pat or bounce your brush! Swiper, no swiping! (Yes I went there.) Just use a small amount of product for your first layer since patting it on increases its intensity on your skin.

Don't rub the bristles on either. Just sort of bounce the brush in quick patting motions while going upwards to your hairline. This way, your foundation/concealer/powder will just be pressed onto your skin, instead of coming away with the brush.

Bounce it like you mean it

It will take a bit of practice but you'll soon get the hang of it, I'm sure! Here are a couple more additional tips to keep your base in place.