Last week I read Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being A Wallflower. I honestly expected a light, jaunty read. All the promo materials led me to believe that it's a story about love, what with that "I swear we were infinite" and "We accept the love we think we deserve" crap getting quoted on Facebook all the time. But it's not about love at all. It's about making choices - real ones, not the kind where you figure out if you should eat two eggs today - and accepting the consequences of a past you can't change.

Suffice it to say, I started reading it at 10 PM and ended up crying so much by 3 AM. Read it if you haven't yet!

Anyway segue. Today I want to review a mascara I've been using rather often lately - the Max Factor 2000 Calorie Dramatic Volume Mascara (P595). I've had a great experience with the brand's False Lash Effect Mascara before so I had high expectations for something as popular as 2000 Calorie. I wasn't disappointed. ;) Here's why!

What I love about the product 

• Volumizes and lengthens nicely. You can build it up for really dramatic lashes, but two coats should be enough for a day-to-day look.
• Doesn't smudge or flake with normal sweating and oil around the eyes. It's not waterproof though, so this isn't something you can cry with.

March was a slow month for beauty products, probably because it's that odd time when our routine transitions to summer. I didn't have as many reviews as I usually do because I spent that time trying many of the things I received a month before...huh. I need to work on my pace because I don't want to be too late when I publish something! Late being the product is no longer available for sale!

Anyhoo, here are my top 10 best finds last March.

The Clinique Chubby Stick Intense is finally out! I have Mightiest Maraschino, a bright tomato red that feels absolutely lush on the lips. It stays on, moisturizes, and flatters. What more can you ask from a lip color? Definitely grabbing a shade or two.

The BYS Brow & Eye Pencil in Blonde is a good drugstore find. It's a soft, waxy brow pencil that has a dual purpose of shading and taming the eyebrows. I wish I got the darker color, but as it is Blonde looks okay on my brows. Can't complain when it's only P250!

Ah, and here's another drugstore favorite - the Maybelline Colorsensational Lipstick in Red Revival.

I feel ugly. It's all the stress, the junk food, the inactivity, and the fact that my hair is falling at an alarming rate. I got pimples from this new serum I tried out, so I have fresh blemishes on THE side of my face that I worked months to clear up completely. I haven't been religious with suncreen lately so my skin is uneven. 

I look at my old pictures and think, "Why can't I look like that again?" But then I saw a photo I took just yesterday.

I don't look bad. In fact, I look pretty nice! True, it's the lighting, makeup, angle, and a bit of post-processing to adjust the color - but the thing is I already had something good (i.e. myself) to work on. I know that some people treat makeup with disdain, as if it's exclusively something that women wear to cover up their insecurities. That may be true some of the time but for me, I love makeup because it makes me realize - everyday - that I am not ugly at all.

I have tried my hand at unrequited love before, and it did not end well (as these things do). I find the whole experience incredibly funny now and wonder "what was I thinking?" during the few odd moments I remember it. But at that time my teenage self was intensely "in love" with her best friend then. He didn't want to hear any of it because he was into pretty girls, not geeky bespectackled ones such as myself!

Sorry, okay, I'm really laughing now. I do miss the kilig moments though, the anticipation to come to class to sit near him. Oh, my youth. I was so foolish, but the rush was worth it - in retrospect. :)

The first and (until recently) last time I attempted to use a hair iron was when I was a wee girl of 13. I was jealous of my classmates' straight hair and wanted so badly to have the same thing! When I finally had the chance to use my aunt's iron, I was incredibly giddy with delight. I was so excited!

That is, until I burned off a section of my hair during my first attempt. Ha ha. Since then I avoided heating gadgets unless it's wielded by a professional. Well, I gave in and bought a hair blower but I mostly use the cool air setting. I didn't want to take any chances.

BUT. It always pays to grow out of small fears like this - especially when the tools to succeed are just literally lying around. I recently received the Avon Style Specialist line so I thought why not? Wouldn't hurt to give it another go! I'll review those styling tools another day. For now I want to gush about the Prostyle Fuwarie Straight Styling Mist (P450).

Fuwarie Straight Styling (L) and End Curling Mist (R)

This product is supposed to "set" your hair straight and to prevent your iron from damaging it. It also has UV protection apparently, which is a big plus this summer! I adore it becase it did keep my hair fairly straight the whole afternoon I wore it; my hair didn't feel crunchy and dry at all even though I lavished it with heat. It was an extremely humid day so I was expecting frizz, but that didn't happen.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Straight Styling is a fruity-smelling fluid, not quite as sticky as hair spray but it does have a tacky feel on the hair before it dries.

Hi guys. I feel sad today because my assistant is leaving me. :( I'm working on a campaign shoot, a brand relaunch, and various other projects so I need all the help I can get. I don't have anyone top of mind for this position, so I'm announcing it publicly.

I'm looking for an assistant who can work with me part-time. She will be helping me manage my clients' social media pages, write press releases, and coordinate with suppliers. Most of this work can be accomplished at home, but she will need to be available to assist in my meetings and events when needed.

I've had these products for two months so fair warning: this is a pretty massive post! I'll get right down to it. :D

The Etude House Sweet Recipe Collection came out locally a few weeks ago. Inspired by Hansel and Gretel, the huge collection features products that look and smell incredibly sweet! Think ice cream, jelly beans, cake icing, chocolate, and cotton candy-inspired makeup. All this sugar, if it were real, would kill me. Thank goodness they only make me look good. Haha.

I'll start with the Dear My Jelly Lips-talk in JPK002. This is a sheer, reddish pink lipstick that smells just like fruity jelly beans. I love that it's very slinky and moisturizing just like lip balm. The color itself is wearable and "young", something I would wear during a casual weekend.

I got the Travalo Refillable Perfume Spray (P680) last Christmas, lost it, but recently found it. Hence the extremely delayed post on it after I promised to review it last December! Anyway, it's a pretty nifty storage solution for people who love smelling fresh during the day but hate bringing a glass bottle or plastic atomizer. It's also perfect for travelers who want to save space during a trip.

The Travalo is a small capsule tube that can easily fit in the palm of your hand. It has a clear slot in the middle so you can see how much liquid is inside. The spray nozzle and cap seem pretty secure and tight, which means that there are less chances of leakage and evaporation compared to the average drugstore atomizer.

Remember when Make Up For Ever closed down here in the Philippines and everyone was sad? Well, now it's easier to move on with the brand that replaced it: Make Up Factory. It's a German cosmetics company that has pretty good products at a mid-range price point. And by "mid-range", I mean nothing over P1,800 with most products at P800 - P1,100.

I was just walking aimlessly in Bonifacio High Street when I spotted it. It's in the same space MUFE used to be, right beside Lush I believe! I love the sleek industrial feel of the interiors, and that they have a small studio in the back should they decide to host classes. But of course, the products are top and center. I swatched most things, and here are some quick impressions!

Okay, the liquid bases are pretty good. They're light, smooth, with pretty good coverage (depends on the line you get). I also like that they don't have that weird foundation smell.

I should rename this blog Project Lipstick and stop pretending that I want to write about other things. I have soooo many more lipsticks in line for a feature! But naw, I'm just ribbing you. I do love writing about lipsticks though, since they bring so much color and dare I say joy to my life. :)

Today I want to talk about an affordable yet awesome lipstick line: the Avon Totally Kissable Lipstick (P239). This came out last February I believe. To my great surprise, it has a better formula than the Ultra Moisture Rich Lipstick due to its longer staying power and less slinky formula.

Here's the rub!

What I love about the product 

• The colors are pigmented in two layers.
• Texture is smooth and creamy, like lip butter. It feels weightless on the lips. 
• Has less slip than UMR. Formula is more cohesive somewhat so it doesn't slide around if you wear too much. (Hope that makes sense!) This accounts for the better wear time.

Are you a bag hag or a shoe fiend? I love shoes more, definitely. With bags I can buy a versatile one and just wear that out with everything in my closet until I get tired of it. I can rotate say, three bags only for a whole year! With shoes, I feel a compulsion to match them with the colors/mood of my eyeshadow and outfit for the day. Silly? Shallow? Who cares. It makes me happy.

Anyhoo I just want to share some of the shoes I recently purchased. Starting off with the notorious sneaker wedge! I didn't care for them at all...that is, until I saw Karrots wear hers while we're on a tea date. That's when I realized it could be wearable and cool - not just mindlessly trendy. 

Besides, I've always wanted to have Skechers sneaker heels since I was nine. It's a desire that really never went away! :P Remember those chunky platform and heels that the brand came out with a decade or so ago? All the cool kids had them so I begged my mom to buy me one. She thought they were too pricey (not to mention impractical) so I just had regular sneakers. Aw. Well, now I don't have PE classes to attend and I can buy my own things!

Hi folks! How was your vacation? Hope you made it count. ;) I just stayed at home, built a new lightbox, caught up with my current video game as well as dusty books in my virtual library. Overall I had a great time (well, save for a failed attempt to hang out in Tagaytay aka Traffic Town). I would have loved to go to the beach though, but hey it is summer here all year round. I'll visit one of these months!

Today I want to talk about my updated skincare routine. A few of you girls have been asking me on the forum so I thought I'd write it here even if I didn't change many products from my last skincare post. I pretty much still use everything I wrote about there, except that instead of Shu and Bioderma to remove my makeup I use an underrated drugstore product: Bifesta! It's awesome. I'm using the Moist variant now and true enough it's less drying than the one for oily skin.

Day routine - simple and light, just right for this crazy heat

So what's different in my routine? My daily day moisturizer is now the Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF50 PA+++. I've had this for, oh, a year now but I just opened it last month. Long story. Bottomline, it's a great basic daily moisturizer that has the right SPF number to deal with the intense heat.

When I was very young I was absolutely certain that I knew more than my mother. How could I not, when I've read all these wonderful books and spent hours devouring all those wise-crackin' TV shows? Surely I understand the world better than she does. I'm smarter. I will do better, she'll see.

But now that I'm older all that hubris has faded away. I try to remember all the advice and little facts (from being sick to home-making) she's given me through the years, and what do you know - she was right all along. "What would my Mama do?" is a question I constantly ask myself these days. I don't spend time with her as much as I should but I think of her always. 

Anyway, a few weeks ago I got to bond with her on a trip to Tagaytay. Remember the Project Vanity x Ford contest? We rode the All-New Ford Focus with the winners and had lunch at Marcia Adams. It was a great Saturday afternoon just chillin' and eating delicious home-cooked food. Here are the photos! 

Leaving the city in style

...to find this secret garden tucked away in the borders of Tagaytay

I've been to a lot of parties and even throw some (modest ones) myself, but nobody - and I mean nobody - does parties like MAC. A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to attend the MAC Archie's Girls collection launch. In keeping with the well-loved comics' setting, the Mall of Asia activity center was transformed into a 50's paradise. There were sock hop dancers, vintage-y music, a jukebox, and a kissing booth. The food was right on theme as well with soda floats, burgers and fries, and mini desserts!

But of course the real star of the event was the eternal love triangle - Archie and his girls, Betty and Veronica. MAC released the Archie's Girls collection with two sub-categories. Betty had light, girl-next-door makeup, whereas Veronica had daring and vampy colors fit for boyfriend stealin'. 

The hotter it gets, the lighter your perfume should be. Your normal musky and woodsy fragrances will just smell off in the middle of the day - when the heat is the most intense - so it's best to spray on something fresh and light-hearted! Something floral, fruity, with a generous sprinkle of aqua. Are you thinking what I'm thinking? ;)

The Clinique Happy In Bloom for 2013 is a great summer pal. It's designed for spring in the US but even if we don't have that season, it works just as well for our summer. The cult favorite Clinique Happy now comes in this limited edition version, with new packaging to celebrate the special release.

It smells wonderful. It's not overly girly due to the touch of aqua, but it is feminine enough with top notes of yellow plum, a cocktail of frozen fruit, and watery green notes.

What would you do if you received a rose from a cute stranger? Beautiful love stories, real or imagined, begin that way. I was having dinner with friends when I received a teal rose from a good-looking dude. It had a small tag that says it's from Jorgen. I don't know who he is but no matter - it made my day!

The guy proceeded to hand out these lovely roses to every girl around our dinner group. I don't know about you, but I believe in the power of fowers. :) Just look at their faces! I'm sure they felt as special as I did upon receiving the rose.

Hi Ms. Liz! I've been an avid reader since last year & I would like to commend you for inspiring many girls. I especially love your makeup tutorials! I always have a blast when I try them out myself! Anyway, I wanted to ask you about the difference between body oils, butters and lotions? I have dry skin & religiously use hydrating lotion to no avail. I'm thinking of switching but I always get confused because the market right now is bombarded with many products claiming to be effective, you dont really know what to get. Thank you in advance! - Class

Hi Class! Thanks for reading my blog. I would definitely love to do more tutorials once my schedule eases up a little. It's just been hectic but the next one I plan to do is a summer look. ;) Anyway, let's get crackin' on your question!

Body oils are literally oils with very little to no preservatives. These naturally-derived moisturizers can lubricate and maintain your skin's moisture barrier. It doesn't really penetrate deep into the skin, instead coating it with a layer of oil that prevents moisture from escaping the surface (that's why it's called an occlusive agent). Oils also serve to condition and maintain the suppleness of the skin.

When I'm staring at this page for minutes before I type anything I know I'm stuck. I have always said that I will never get tired of this blog - I'm not - but every once in a while all the products I get and tips I learn pile up in an unrecognizable heap and it becomes difficult to sort them out. It happens.

I just need a vacation. Usually I would turn to some retail therapy but that ain't working now! :( I just need to be inspired again. Anyway, here's what happened last week.

I organized a small tête-à-tête with mom bloggers - this time for Ferretti shoes. :) Vanilla Cupcake Bakery was the perfect venue as they had this lovely tea service and of course, a yummy cupcake buffet! I hope to hold more events there in the future. 

That's Ms Cecille, the owner of Ferretti shoes, and my first ever client. I love her! I also enjoyed getting to know the SoMoms better - they're such a fun bunch, and their kids make me go awww. The little girls and boys are all fasyon, just like their mommies.