Are you loving the cooler weather lately? It's still hot, but at least it's not scorching hot! I would sometimes go out at 8am to walk my dog and already the sun was unbearable. But now there's a cool wind blowing, the sun is bright but not burning. Perfect!

A change in the weather means a change in your wardrobe. We're in a tropical country so floral prints, bright colors, or anything short and airy are du jour, but I'm sure you also get bored wearing the same things. It's always a relief to get the chance to layer clothes and wear sweaters again.

If you're looking a for some inspiration on what to wear this rainy season, check out these new pieces from Penshoppe! This is what they presented at the recently concluded Philippine Fashion Week. I got to attend the show and it was pretty fun (albeit over in like 15 minutes). These looks are great for everyday shindigs, with a street smart edge to them. Have a look!

One week is not enough for lipstick week, it seems! I have three other features in mind for this, but I suppose I can always do another LW in the near future. ;) I decided to end this themed week with a bang, with something that I received just two days ago! I got pretty excited about these lipsticks because I'm a huge fan of the Avon Ultra Moisture Rich line, plus I know how y'all appreciate Avon swatches in particular.

The Avon Ultra Moisture Rich Vitaluscious Lipstick (P299) is the latest addition to the UMR line. It features ten on-trend glossy shades and a moisturizing formula that contains Vitamins B, C, and E. In terms of texture and lasting power, the Vitaluscious is the same as UMR - it's lightweight, slinky, and moisturizing, but it doesn't stay put beyond three hours. That's the trade-off for the moisture so I don't mind. I just re-apply as needed!

The scent is the same as all UMR lipsticks - juicy candied watermelon. I really love this scent, and I hope that they never discontinue it. It smells as expensive and fresh as high-end lippies. 

I do wish that the Vitaluscious could be as pigmented as the Avon Totally Kissable Lipstick. Most of the lippies need to be layered over several times to get that solid color, unfortunately. But again, that's their trade-off for the heavy oil content! Actually, they feel more like glossy lip butters than legitimate lipsticks.

It's important to take care of your lips because it's one of the more sensitive parts of our body. The sun and whatever sits on or passes through your lips affect their appearance, so you must be careful if you want to keep your puckers even-colored and smooth throughout your life!

Here are a few do's and don'ts on how to keep your lips in tip top shape.

DO

Exfoliate your lips gently and regularly. There's no need to use harsh scrubs; indeed, a home-made scrub is the best thing you can use! Just combine honey, lemon, and sugar then gently massage the mixture on your lips. The sugar removes the dead skin, the honey moisturizes and smoothens, and the lemon helps lighten the skin. 

If you don't have time to play DIY goddess, you can exfoliate your lips easily after a shower. Your lips are usually softened after a bath so it's easy to wipe the dead skin with just the damp tip of any towel. You can also brush your lips gently using a soft-bristle toothbrush. ;)

Wear a lip balm with at least SPF15 during the day. A lipstick with SPF works too! Like any part of your skin, you lips darken when you expose them to the sun.

You're not a true-blue lipstick junkie unless you have the Japonesque 35-Well PRO Lipstick Palette (P1,450 at Digital Traincase). Okay, okay, I'm only half-kidding, but you have to admit that this is such a cool thing to have. Even Lisa Eldridge keeps a few of these! 

So what is it, really? It's a classy black box that has space for 35 lipsticks. It can also be used to store cream foundation if you wish, which makes it incredibly useful if you're a makeup artist. The case and mold is made of a thin, lightweight plastic, and is closed by a silver clasp.

I spent a whole morning selecting and depotting the 35 lipsticks that I wanted to put in this baby. It was a fun activity, albeit rather messy in the end!

I just want to get this out of the way because it's been bothering me all day.

As you know I handle PR and marketing for a few clients. When I first started approaching top fashion bloggers to collaborate with, I was a little taken aback by the fact that they ask to be paid just to have my brand worn or mentioned on their blog. I've been blogging for almost a decade and I have not yet subscribed to that business model, although I've done a few paid months-long campaigns for different brands in the past. Campaigns, I believe, are not the same as paid mentions. 

But I do understand where the fashion bloggers are coming from. I am well aware that blogs take A LOT of time and resources to run. Blogs at a certain level are raking in hundreds of thousands of views; just being mentioned there can be the boost a business needs. Naturally, it ain't free.

Last month was a good one since I found so many interesting beauty products! It was quite a challenge to whittle down this list to ten items, but it must be done. Here are my ten favorite things from May.

My review of the Ben Nye Banana Luxury Powder is one of the most popular posts last month - and for good reason! It's an amazing powder that truly controls oil and extends the wear of my makeup. I wish that it has more, skin-toned coverage, but it's okay since I have a hack for that. ;) I usually mix this with my Snoe Poudre Extraordinaire, another awesome powder that I've been consistently using for months now.

CC creams are slowly but steadily making their way to the Philippines. One of the first to arrive is the Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream. It's an illuminating, light coverage face base that makes skin glow with only one layer. It has the Moisture Surge base which also happens to be my favorite moisturizer of all time! This saves me extra steps in my routine since this can be my primer, moisturizer, SPF, illuminator, and light foundation in one bottle.

Another CC cream I'm loving is the Etude House CC Cream in Glow. I honestly didn't think I would like it this much!

Lavender is an intimidating color to wear with Asian skin - some are virtually unwearable - but they can work with the right supporting colors. If that fails, just blend them with your other lippies to create interesting shades! Today I thought I'd post swatches of three MAC blue-based lavenders with various levels of pink in them. ^_^ 

I have a permanent and popular shade (MAC Pink Noveau), a limited-edition repromote (MAC Lavender Whip from Baking Beauties), and the MAC Viva Glam Nicki 2 which is for the brand's AIDS charity. I have already reviewed MAC lipsticks before so I won't go into details, but quickly, these lipsticks vary in pigmentation and have a decent staying power (three hours). I have to admit that while MAC lipsticks aren't THE BEST when it comes to formula, they come in trendy, one-of-a-kind shades that other brands try to copy.

Here are the swatches and color descriptions!

MAC Pink Noveau is a bright pink with strong lavender undertones. It's a cool shade and a struggle to wear if you're morena, but on my medium yellow skintone it looks striking and interesting. I usually prefer to pair this with a dark, smoky eye to balance the coolness. A barbie pink blush always works with this particular lipstick!

Dressing beautifully isn't about the clothes you wear or the face and body that you have. It's about being secure in your identity, about being confident and accepting of all the things you are (and are not). This self-awareness combined with self-confidence is then reflected in your attitude towards fashion.

Example, a woman wearing a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. She can leave the house thinking, "Oh gosh I look so plain and boring", "My shirt makes me look fat", or worse "I'm wearing this so I don't get any attention because I'm not worthy of any attention". She'd be hunched down and timid when dealing with people, and others won't really see her outfit beyond how she sees it herself. 

But then she can also see it differently.

High-end lipsticks are nice to have, but if you're on a budget there are also wonderful alternatives out there. You won't be getting the same fine texture, lasting power, and packaging of course but for the price you're still nabbing a pretty good deal. ;) Take for example the L'Oreal Color Riche Intense Lipstick (P625). This drugstore product can give those luxe tubes a run for their money!

It's weird that these lippies aren't receiving a lot of noise here - they're quite good! Pigmented, creamy, and beautifull packaged, these come in a variety of show-stopping colors. The texture is smooth and light on the lips. It doesn't feel waxy at all.

Worth mentioning is the fact that these lippies also have no scent or taste. They definitely don't feel drugstore!

Hey folks! What's up? Sometimes I feel weird just talking about what I did, what I wore, and what I thought about all the time here. I know it's the nature of a blog, but I feel so self-absorbed I'm sick of myself. :P You have to help me out by talking about yourselves too, and suggesting topics I can work on! This blog isn't all about just me, you know, not anymore. It's a community of beauty enthusiasts and I always, always take your input into consideration. So let me know what you want to read about, okay?

Anyway I was scouring through my photo albums when I found a set of pics I took about two months ago. It's a Pinkbox ring that I absolutely adore! It reminds me of a film called the Curse of the Golden Flower, which I loved. I wrote a whole blog post about it and all. Haha. This ring makes me feel like a Chinese empress whenever I wear it (er, humor me).

I know you'll ask - is the ring uncomfortable?

I've been in love with lipsticks since my first swipe at five years old. I love how they can brighten up my face in a matter of seconds, and how there's a shade for whatever look and mood I have for the day. Lipsticks are never boring. There are always new colors and formulas rolling out from the labs, and believe me, they are getting better and better each year!

So, I've been saving up my lipstick reviews since last month, when I decided to do a Lipstick Week. I thought to start with an amazing lip product called the NARS Satin Lip Pencil (P1,550). If you could look past the price tag (and the fact that they don't twist up), these are total must-haves!

I love them because they're pigmented - opaque in one layer - and feels very thin on the lips. When they dry up (in two hours) they don't feel like a waxy, crackly layer. Instead they feel more like a light, flexible blanket of the color! Not many lipsticks that I've tried have that dry-down texture. 

If you ask me, I would rather just blog all day. I have so many exciting new finds as well as some random musings to share, but today is tight! I need to direct the shoot for a new batch of drinks for Dakasi (one of my clients) today. You must try the drinks soon, they are delicious, promise! 

Anyways I don't have much time so I thought I'd do a show and tell for today. Recently, I managed to fill up my large Wild Peach Cosmetics Customizable Palette. I put in all the nice blushes and random eyeshadows I could bear to depot. It was difficult because many of these come in pretty packaging - however, if I don't put them in one place I'd forget I have them! It's such a waste otherwise.

Have a look! I have also linked the reviews I've done on these, in case you're interested. ;) 

You've read the raves I'm sure. The K-Palette 1-Day Tatto Real Lasting Eye Pencil (P795) is the reformulated version of the old pencils and comes in Super Black and Deep Brown. These are heavily pigmented, creamy, and very easy to work with once you get the hang of the flat tip. They stay on the whole day - well, as long as you have primer or powder on top of your lids. If you don't, the eyeliner is golden for about 5-6 hours, which is a good amount of time anyway.

I find that this migrates to my upper lids and smudges on the outer corner of the eyes if I use it on bare skin for more than five hours. I wore this to a shoot where I was out for a solid twelve hours (7am to 7pm). By noon, the eyeliner was starting to smudge. By 3pm, I have two queer lines on my crease, as the pigment has transferred. Well, it was a pretty hectic and stressful day as I was the one directing the shoot. Most of my makeup has gone to the dogs come 3pm. 

I know I sound cranky, because by all intents and purposes the K-Palette pencil liners are awesome. It's just that, they pale in comparison to the liquid version.

It was only a matter of time before Etude House, the Korean beauty juggernaut, came out with their very own CC cream. I find it to be a unique product because unlike the other CC creams I've tried, this is a white cream with tiny pigment spheres! It's sheer but gives this glow-from-within finish, as if there's a softly lit light bulb trained on my face. Can't think of a better way to describe it!

The Etude House CC Cream in Glow is off-putting at first because it starts out very, very white, like a kabuki mask. But as I rub it starts to slowly blend in to my natural skin color. There's still a bit of whiteness due to the SPF30, but it's not obvious unless you flash a bright light. I love the finish; it's subtle enough that it's difficult to capture on camera! There is shimmer in the formula although it's very fine.

Here's a quick run down!

What I love about the product

• Its main purpose is to correct and care. It corrects the dullness and uneveness of my skin, while moisturizing and protecting it from the sun at the same time.
• Gives a soft focus, glow-from-within finish (with a bit of vigorous blending). It also sort of counteracts the yellowness of my skin, and gives it a more neutral tone - if that makes sense.
• This CC cream is an excellent makeup base!

I have this perma-rage face when I'm on Facebook, or on Twitter, sometimes. It's just that everyone loves posting these quotes that make me want to tear my hair out! Quotes about anything from religion, politics, love, friendship, to traveling, clothes, and shoes. Oh I love myself a good quote, but is it very hard for people to post ones that make sense? Enough with the one or two-liners that are purposefully vague or ridiculous hasty generalizations. Give me three paragraphs of solid life lessons, if that's what it takes!

(And can they please check the source too.)

I won't discuss religion or politics here because you won't like me very much if I told you what I thought, but I will talk about a recent fashion quote I saw on my timeline. It annoyed me rather badly; I took a few minutes to stew and even considered writing a chilly comment under the photo. But then, what's a blog for? :P

Hey there Ms. Liz. I always see advertisements of Diamond Peel/ Chemical Peel, Microdermabrasion, etc. around the mall. I haven't tried any of those except for a basic facial that extracts comedones. I don't have pimples, just the occasional ones during my time of the month or if I forgot to wash my face. I just have bumps scattered on my forehead, visible pores around the nose area and a few bumps as well.

I'm only 20 and I'm scared those services might harm my facial skin and would turn out worse. So my question is when do we consider getting a diamond peel? Or is it required to get a diamond peel once in your life? Should I get one? - Nerys

Hey Nerys! I've tried quite a lot of facial treatments in my beauty blogging "career", and the truth is I have regretted most (not all) of them. Let me describe my skin condition back then: I had serious acne, from white heads to cystic ones, and they left very serious blemishes that would take months to fade away (still, luckily). I would get some sort of elaborate facial and my skin would look great for a few days, and then I would break out heavily for the next week or so. What a vicious cycle!

The worst thing that I think I did to my skin is the chemical peel (blue peel). The 7-day peeling process was traumatic, and on top of that I now have very fine wrinkles on my forehead due to the peel. I am 25, and I have wrinkles on my forehead. Wtf, right?

Physical and chemical peels work by scrubbing and burning the top layer of skin away to force a new, younger layer to emerge. Diamond peels involve a diamond-tipped, rotating drill that clears off the skin's top layer. Diamond peels are a form of microdermabrasion, which is basically a process that involves some sort of machine to scrub the skin. Chemical peels usually involve mild acid to burn the skin, and can thus penetrate deeper than physical peels.

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?