Sugar, spice, and everything nice would be the best words to describe MAC's latest collection: Baking Beauties! I like that it's not overly saccharine with the pink, cream, and mint; the dark lipstick and luscious new Paint Pot shades are an interesting contrast to what could've been a bland sweets-inspired collection. 

I managed to attend the launch of this collection in Glorietta two Sundays ago, so I have some pictures of the demo! (Don't worry, the rest of the branches only had BB last weekend). The makeup artist, Noel, did the Baking Beauties look on the model of the day. That would be dramatic chocolate eyes and a pale pink lip, same as the promo images.

Bare faced and ready to go

The Paint Pot in Eclair was applied all over the lid, almost up to the browbone.

When I started practicing yoga, I told myself that I didn't want to be one of those people who endlessly talked about it to anyone within Tweeting distance. I wanted to be cool about the whole thing, like, sure it's awesome but you're not going to hear it from me. But I find that impossible to live by. I think yoga is amazing and if you haven't tried it yet, you must! I tell you this with all eartnestness.

It's been a month since I started yoga and honestly, I've never felt better. I actually haven't lost that much weight (only three pounds I think) but like I told you guys earlier the weight loss goal has sort of fallen by the wayside. Yoga helps me clear my head and find the strength to push myself in places that I didn't know existed within me. I feel lighter, more alert yet calmer.

...and okay a bit leaner.

Hi Ms. Liz and fellow fans of Prject Vanity. I have a problem with eyeshadow colors. I wear glasses and I recently bought the Urban Decay Basics palette thinking It was noob-proof and safe. However I ended up looking bruised or ashen. I know I applied the colors right because Ive been watching Youtube tutorials using the palette. I guess I cant pull off the colors like gray or taupe. Maybe because of my skin's undertones or the glasses? I really dont know.

Can you recommend a good eye brightening e/s palette for beginners? Probably those which already have complementary colors. Would you recommend peach-y and pink e/s for everyday wear? Thank you in advance and looking forward to your answers! - Aubrey

Hey Aubrey! This is an excellent question. Like you, I have noticed that cool eyeshadows do not flatter my warm Asian skin. Instead of looking wistful and slightly smoky, my eyes end up looking like they were punched. Not quite the effect I set out to achieve but over time I've learned to work around it (will talk more about that later). Allow me to discuss cool and warm eyeshadows, and how to pick according to your skintone.

Warm what? When it comes to cosmetics, "warm" means colors with yellow, red, or golden tones. If your skin looks yellowish or reddish against a white shirt then you're warm. If gold jewelry looks better on you than silver, yup, you're warm. 

Martha of The Beauty Junkee is warm

There's a host of eyeshadow colors from black, green, blue, pink to beige, so how do you know when a color is actually warm?

People pay so much attention to their eyebags, forgetting that the skin on the eyelids darken too. If the lids are dark and uneven then you'd still look tired even if you concealed your bags perfectly. So always use a brightening cream (or for that matter, powder) eyeshadow whenever you can.

Yes you can also use concealer on the upper lids but IMHO, your eyes naman would look too blanked out and one-dimensional, if you know what I mean. So I recommend using an eyeshadow in a flattering shade - it doesn't have to be neutral, it could be something smoky or colorful.

Cream is a great formula for quick eye looks, so today I'm gonna talk about something new, the Clinique Chubby Stick For Eyes (P920)!

I must admit that I was quite skeptical when I first heard about this. I've tried a Clinique cream eyeshadow before and it was sadly disappointing. However, I am pleased to report that the Chubby Stick For Eyes is worthy of being part of the popular franchise! This stick eyeshadow is pigmented and stays on the lids for hours even without primer.

A lot has been said about how bloggers should work with brands, but I don't think there's a guide on how brands should work with bloggers. I've been blogging for eight years now; I've been handling the social media marketing and PR of fashion retail (as well as, recently, food) brands for about three of those years. I thought I'd talk about what I've learned during that time. :)

But why now? Last night I received an email from what sounds like a very expensive skincare brand. The person promised me about P26,000 worth of products and services in exchange for a positive review. Oh, dear. Wrong move. First, I don't care how expensive your product is because that's not the main reason I would agree to review it. Second, I don't guarantee positive reviews (or a review at all, for that matter).

Now I sound like an asshole, but let me explain! If you're a brand looking to successfully work with influential bloggers, you have to understand what motivates them. It can't be denied that some bloggers are just looking for an easy freebie or a free meal. They don't care about their blogs and by extension who reads them, but they do care about what they get out of the gig, short-term. I don't advise that you work with them because you will not get the kind of exposure your brand deserves.

There are bloggers who do it for money. Hey, if it's a fairly popular blog then you can be sure that the blogger has invested a lot of time, money, and effort in it! The blogger has every right to ask for compensation to feature your product or advertise your site - and you have every right to say no.

The thinnest layer of skin in our body is located under our eyes. It's a sensitive area, prone to hyperpigmentation due to allergies, fluid buildup, or excessive sun exposure. It also shows the blood vessels which is why some people have a bluish or purplish tint around their eyes.

The best way to solve dark circles (if at all possible in your case) is to get a lot of sleep and hydration. Drink water generously and don't forget to apply a moisturizing eye cream to keep that area elastic and plump! If your dark circles are hereditary or caused by age, then there's not much you can do except to use a bangin' concealer or undergo cosmetic surgery.

My point is that eye creams can only maintain the best possible version of your eye bags. They can't dramatically lighten dark circle or remove wrinkles, any more than what your skin would naturally allow. :) That being said, I do believe in using eye creams precisely because of the maintenance. When I stop, my bags look saggy, wrinkly, and ugh, papery. My current eye cream is the Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector (P2,450)!

This eye cream promises to lighten dark circles over time but I suggest you don't expect that. It does help improve the appearance of under eyes instantly due to the very fine mica shimmer in the formula and the slightest hint of tint.

Sampling is one of the best ways to discover new products, or old ones you've always wanted to try. Unfortunately brands here are not able to be as generous as their counterparts abroad. It has something to do with shipping costs, I think, but that doesn't mean it's impossible to get samples from high-end brands. They do have samples, just in very limited quantities.

So, here are three ways to get product samples in the Philippines!

1. Request from the stores and counters. High-end brands would often give GWPs (gift with purchase) to those who buy something from them. These are usually samples, but some would give full sizes (extra stocks or testers) if they have any. The key is to have good rapport with the sales attendant, and to show that you could be loyal to the brand if you find something to love. It's in their best interest to "convert" you then!

But what if you don't plan to purchase yet and just want to try the product first? Simple, request for some product straight from the testers. This best applies to skincare and foundation.

There was a time when flawless makeup involved layers and layers of products on the face. Sure our skin was smothered in all that gunk, but the result looked convincingly pretty enough that we didn't mind. Thanks to technology though we have all these new face bases. They successfully cut down on the amount of liquids and powders that we need to combine to get that naturally gorgeous skin effect. 

One such base is the new Clinique Even Better Powder Makeup SPF 25/PA+++ (P1,950). This is a light to medium coverage powder foundation that promises  luminous, porcelain-like radiance that would give the skin a youthful look. That's a lot to promise, but I believe it delivers! I only wish it offers better staying power for long-haul days, but to its credit it's also a great retouch powder due to its super smooth, satiny texture.

That texture is really something. It's so fine that according to Clinique's Marketing Manager, they weren't able to stamp the logo on the surface of the powder! You'll notice that other Clinique compacts have that ubiquitous stamp. Even Better doesn't have that because it falls apart. To the touch, it feels creamy, almost (though not quite) liquid. It applies as a powder.

Oh dear. Did you know that there would be a DD Cream coming out next month? It's from this nail polish brand called Julep. "DD" is supposed to stand for "Dynamic Do-All" since it has the skincare properties of BB cream with the color correction of CC cream. All I can say is - whatever.

When BB creams came out, people were truly astonished. There wasn't anything quite like it. Tinted moisturizers were the predecessors, but about seven years ago they came in very limited shades and textures. BB creams offered so much more - skincare actives that promise whitening, anti-aging, brightening, and a whole host of other desirable effects.

Tinted moisturizers gave us little more than a bit of coverage and moisture. BB creams promised to be preventive, and beneficial over time while providing much-needed coverage in an instant.

And then CC creams came to town.

Morning! So, I decided to do a Clinique Week because I've been receiving a lot of wonderful products from the brand lately. These are the latest releases so some of them might not be availble yet but you can ask your preferred counter to reserve. ;) To kick off the series, here's a review of something I've been using whenever I get the chance!

CC creams have brought a lot of confusion when they started popping out last year. What are they, really? Do you need them? It depends on your preference and skin type so there's no definite answer to that. But I can tell you that CC creams are specifically for color correction, with a focus on skincare rather than the cosmetic effect. CC creams are for treating and maintaining skin, not for covering it up the way BB creams would.

That said, I am loving the Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream (P1,850) because it is my ideal face base. I don't need to layer moisturizer and/or sunscreen, foundation, and powder on a day-to-day basis! I apply a generous amount on my skin, wait for it to dry, and voila - nice, primed skin that doesn't need layers of product to achieve.

Okay let me break that down in a neat list, before I degenerate into a raving maniac. :P

Why I LOVE the product

• It has this lightweight, non-greasy texture that melts on skin and somehow makes it look brighter. 

I was scrolling through Twitter earlier when I saw an article on Charlotte Tilbury, celebrity makeup artist. If you watch Lisa Eldridge or follow glamour magazines then you'd know who she is! She's done the likes of Kate Moss, Penelope Cruz, and Jennifer Lopez to name a few. She has a blog and YouTube channel, which you must check as soon as you get the chance.

Anyway, that article. Charlotte talked about how makeup transformed her life, how she always wears heels, and how her husband has never seen her without makeup. My first reaction was whoa, this woman has issues! It's sad that she can't trust her husband to accept her "natural" face and that she can't do the same for herself either. And what about her skin? It must be feeling smothered by that almost 24/7 layer of gunk. She's a makeup artist, she must know better. 

Image from Intothegloss.com

Those were the first few things I thought. But then, I read the comments, which is a habit of mine as I get more insight that way and a different view of things. I saw this particular comment and it definitely changed my whole perspective on the matter.

This is true. There are many terrible things that people do. At the end of the day, dressing or doing makeup a certain way shouldn't even be an issue. If a girl likes her made-up face better than her actual face then so what? As far as she is concerned her makeup is her natural face; it's really none of our business.

I think I've officially given up on fashion blogging, at least, with a proper camera. It's just not comfortable for me to lug around my chunky Canon and even if it were it's awkward to grab random people to take a photo of me. It's more "acceptable" to request for an outfit shot using my iPhone 5 (powered by Smart LTE of course hehe). The picture is clear and I love adding vintage-y filters on Instagram.

This is what I had on yesterday - a dress and scarf from the Marc by Marc Jacobs S/S 13 collection. Thank you SSI! I enjoyed wearing this look although it's not my usual. And hey, that scarf-on-waist thing is brilliant! You can even do that with jeans and a plain white top, which was also done at the runway show.

So last night I guested again at my favoritest podcast ever, Live Love Lolz. Would you believe that the show is already on Season 3? It honestly feels just like yesterday when the host (and my friend), Karrots Nazareno enthusiastically talked about her latest venture.

What, you say, Gluta-C? Seriously? Yes Virginia! Gluta-C is marketed as a skin whitening brand but for me that's just an aside. I actually have the Gluta-C Whitening Gel and I'm pleased that it does seem to even out dark areas in my body, albeit slightly. I use it on and off, when I remember. What more if I use it like twice a day?

But I'm not going to review that now. Today is all about the new Gluta-C Intense Whitening Body Scrub (P99.75)! It's my current body scrub and I think it's pretty good. It has smooth, tiny plastic beads to exfoliate dead skin. These beads are mixed in with a creamy base that prevents the newly rubbed skin from drying out.

The Gluta-C scrub has a floral, soapy, slightly powdery scent to it. It's very clean and fresh. It's not chemical-y - something I appreciate in my body products!

I have been online shopping at shops like digitaltraincase, stuffinstyle, makeuphub, redgirlshop and others. I keep seeing those words "authentic" on some brands. For example, Authentic BenNye Banana, authentic Mac.. Etc. what does authentic actually mean in terms of makeup products? I researched definitions of authentic, its like a veryclose replica of the original. Another definition is, it is made the same way. So what is it with shops adding "authentic" to their products, because sometimes I doubt if its oroginal or its whatever. So what is it really? Is it fake products if theres "authentic" in it? - Maggie

Sounds like a straightforward question, but not really! Authentic means "genuine" or "original". If an online store claims that its products are authentic then hold them to the fact that their wares are the exact same ones sold in retail locations. If they say their Benefit Hervana Blush is authentic, then it should be exactly what Benefit sells in its Greenbelt store.

Digital Traincase is a store I trust 100%! Stuff in Style too.

But it gets confusing once a store claims that its products are "Singapore authentic", for example. Perfumes, cosmetics, and bags are usually tagged as such. The sellers would even post elaborate descriptions and photos to prove that their products are not bootlegged from China or something. (Even though most things are made in China these days anyway.)

So are they fake or not? They're fake. :) They might even be a class A or B replica, which means that the products almost look like the real thing, but make no mistake - they are not authentic.

Have you seen the new Revlon Photoready Eyeshadow Palettes? I think they're created for women who want to play with eyeshadow, but don't really know much about application. The palette is packaged in a way that no one can possibly mistake the placement of each color, and it comes with a gorgeous creamy primer, too. 

That said, if you're a bit more advanced in makeup (as I am) then I don't think this particular line is something you need in your life. Still, there's a lot to be said about the lovely shades in the Revlon Photoready Primer, Shadow + Sparkle Palette in Impressionist (P775)! It caught my eye the minute it arrived in my doorstep.

Most shampoos, hair conditioners, and toothpastes have sulfates (or listed as sodium laureth sulfate), which is a cleansing agent that gives such products a rich lather. It has gotten a bad rap in the past few years due to rumors of it causing cancer and other skin maladies, but according to my research, the worst it can do is irritate sensitive skin or give you diarrhea if you ingest it. There's not much difference between using products with and without sulfates - except for the slightly higher price tag since the alternative ingredients cost more. Oh and less suds!

"Sulfate-free" does not necessarily beget a better hair product, however, if you have sensitive skin like I do then it may be a safer choice. :) My current hair buddies are the L'Oreal EverStrong Hydrate Shampoo and Conditioner (P449 each), and true enough they haven't given me any breakouts or dandruff. I finally decided to use them after I had my hair colored!

The EverStrong line is 100% sulfate-free, 100% vegan, has no harsh salts, and contains natural botanicals (whatever that means). Okay even if I sound cranky I swear I love them. :P They smell like rosemary, quite herby and aromatic! The shampoo has a rosemary and juniper fragrance, while the conditioner has mint. It even feels cool on the scalp.

Julia of Bless My Bag first got me interested in the Nivea Baby Smoothy Cream (P167) when she raved about it last year. Then, Dinna Vasquez, an editor at Manila Standard, told me on Twitter that she couldn't live without it! I take raves seriously, especially when they're from people I respect, so I hunted high and low for this moisturizer.

It's not easy to find. It's usually out of stock, or simply not available in the baby section of drugstores and supermarkets. I finally got hold of in the Mall of Asia Hypermarket some months back! It was in the bottom of the Nivea baby section then. Anyway, true enough, this "miracle" cream is something special.

This is designed for baby skin, so it's gentle and tested to be hypoallergenic. It doesn't contain parabens, alcohol, and colorants. It also contains natural calendula which is a well-known herbal remedy for wounds and skin irritations. It's meant for the sensitive skin of babies, but surprise - it's also great for big girls like us!

I haven't tried the famous Embryolisse moisturizer, but people say that this is a good dupe.

Second post for Drugstore Week! Nothing really ever beats the high of finding a good beauty product at the drugstore, agree? ^_^ Today I will be featuring a recent release from one of the hottest affordable brands in the country.

I have to say this, before anything else: 3D glitter nails are extremely impractical. They don't last long, and the glitter gets everywhere if you don't clean it up properly. But boy are they ridiculously fun to wear! I enjoyed gazing at my emerald nails at random times during the day. As shallow as it sounds, I felt cheered up by the bright color and the glimmer as the sun hits it juuuuust right.

The BYS Glitter Dust in Luck of the Leprechaun (P499) is a kit that includes a nail polish, brush, and a pot of fine glitter. It's quite easy and quick to use, surprisingly. I was able to do my nails in 15 minutes since I didn't have to focus so hard on perfecting the base. A single layer will do, in fact. Here's the step-by-step!

The process is straightforward, as you can see. Paint your nails with the base, carefully avoiding the skin. It doesn't matter if the color is patchy just as long as the polish doesn't go beyond your nails.