This week was supposed to be Skincare Week but with an impending trip I wasn't able to photograph everything in time! Oh well. I'll have a proper themed week next week once everything has settled down. ^_^ For today I will talk about the latest innovation from Clinique - a fresh take, rather, of one of their most-loved products of all time!

Clinique recently held an intimate and utterly dainty event at R-Space, Makati. The whole area was lit up in a soft honey glow, with accents of yellow on a cream background. It's such a lovingly styled event - something I always appreciate as it helps me sort of "feel" the brand better. I mean I know what it is and what kind of products it makes, but I am out for the story - not for a plain catalogue.

Clinique has always been known as a sort of clinical skincare brand. Modern, ascetic even. This time it is presenting a warmer, happier face to the world. Clinique loves good skin, but now it's all about good skin with a smile. :)

More musings about the world I move in. I was at a party last night in what is arguable the hottest bar in Manila at the moment. Everyone is dressed up and ready to dance (it's that kind of event). Well, it's not my scene, but I'm there to sorta work and mingle with people I am acquainted with. It's fun once I got the hang of it. I can talk freely, smile and laugh, and just generally feel comfortable in the noise and the swirl of people around me.

It wasn't like that when I started attending events. "Awkward" is an understatement if you were to describe me! I felt like I didn't belong, that I was wearing the wrong clothes and saying the wrong things. I saw all these glittering, sophisticated people across the room and wondered, can I ever be like them? Do I have what it takes? 

Memories of these doubts came rushing back to me while at an after-party dinner last night. I was with two friends who recently just started working for a magazine.

Should I invest more on a cleanser or moisturizer? :) - Amor

Hi Amor! Ideally you'd spend for both since these are the two most important beauty products for your face, but if you only have a limited budget yet still want the best - I say splurge on a moisturizer! Facial washes aren't really meant to stay on skin, so any active ingredients they may have won't get the chance to work properly. Those Vitamin E, green tea, chamomile oil and other similar chorva? They won't make a difference on your face if delivered via facial wash.

However, some facial washes have certain ingredients that absorb oil (commonly kaolin clay or any type of clay) and possibly dry up pimples (salicylic acid). These ingredients can have an immediate effect on skin! Good cleansers with these potent ingredients that work WITHOUT drying up skin can cost a pretty penny. It's a thin line. That's why I don't mind coughing up for my  Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleanser.

Expensive moisturizers do make a huge difference on skin, in my experience. They have all sorts of cool ingredients that can give you what your skin needs.

What's your favorite Watsons store to shop in? Mine used to be in Mall of Asia, but now I am loving the newly opened SM Aura branch! It's huuuuge, and everything is organized in a way that makes sense. You can go there the first time and easily figure out where stuff are. The new space is also a joy to shop in, with fresh interiors and even new classy counters.

Watsons actually had a recent regional rebrand. You'll notice the new logo, wall decals, even new uniforms when you walk in the store. The look isn't that noticeable unless you're observant, but these changes contribute to the overall fun of shopping in Watsons. If you've been to the one in SM Aura then you'll know what I mean! Everything is just so...bright and fresh.

They are impossible to miss in Beauty Bar: the iconic bee, the yellow tubes of lip balm goodness. Burt's Bees has made a mark in the beauty industry as an all-natural skincare brand, but they recently released new color cosmetics. For the lips, still! I can't wait to see the day when BB has foundations and blush at least! That should be awesome, no?

Anyhoo, take a look at some of the newest products from Burt's Bees.

First up is the Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm (P650). This comes in different shades, but the one I have here is Caramel Daisy! The tinted balm glides and feels like butter on the lips. I've tried the plain balm before and wasn't very impressed because of the hard texture, but the Tinted Lip Balm is definitely an improved version. It keeps my lips hydrated and not waxy-feeling. It has a faint jelly bean scent to boot!

Friday fun day! I don't have many things planned today other than work. I just need to attend a hot yoga class (been remiss this week, so terribly busy). I'm on an unlimited monthly membership at Yoga+ and it would be a waste to not attend at least three classes a week.

Anyway before I devolve into a full-on ramble I thought I'd share a few outfits from the last 30 days. Yes, I told you I gave up on documenting all my outfits here - but that doesn't mean I don't Instagram them (@lizlanuzo y'all)! IG is a great way to keep track of the things I wear and use. I don't have time to remember everything so I must turn to IG to keep some details of my life in one scrollable place. Heh.

Forever 21 top and shorts, Ferretti shoes, Cuzo bag, Promod necklace

This is what I had on yesterday. I stepped out for a quick meeting, not too formal, so I was just in casual clothes. I don't have much time to dress myself these days - five minutes tops - so a funky or sharp shirt matched with shorts is my "formula" so to speak. Then I wear my comfiest shoes, but with some height to them. Personal preference. I feel plain in flats. 

Those ribboned platforms up there are from Ferretti. My favorite shoe brand, if you must know. ;)

My world is full of glamorous, beautiful people. It's ridiculously easy to envy them and even try to compete with them, but I know that the road to misery is down that way. I am not them nor will I ever be exactly like them. Do I regret that? Honestly, no. In my 25 years so far I've learned that I should appreciate what I have instead of wishing I have something else. :) My life is good and there is much to be thankful for. Why should I beat myself up over a good thing?

Try it, you'll be happier in the end.

So that's my thought bubble for the day. ^_^ Moving on to the review! Today I have the Eau De Lacoste Pour Femme on the hot seat. It's a crisp, fresh fragrance with a bouquet of flowers underneath the initial green zing. It makes me think of a garden picnic, with a cotton table cloth, vases of fresh blooms, and a light herby menu!

A soft sensual feminine fragrance, evoking the fresh feeling of white pure cotton on skin. EAU DE LACOSTE is built on a classical fragrance structure, where the fragrance evolves smoothly from top to base notes over time, but superimposing modern ingredients on traditional ingredients, to generate a much lighter fragrance profile.

I just realized that I did three themed weeks last month! Do check out the Lipstick Week, MAC Week, and Shiseido Week. My plan was just two with a week in between, but I found it easier to have some direction when choosing what to write about. There are so many unreviewed products here that I have stopped trying to figure out which goes first! I'll just go with the theme, or whatever I am liking at the moment, because I want to hold on to my sanity.

If you have suggestions for future themed weeks, I would love to hear them! I actually got the Lipstick Week idea from one of the comments on this blog. ;) Anyway here's my top ten favorite products from June. Let me know if you found anything interesting.

Lipstick fiend that I am, one of my favorite things last month is MAC Rebel. It's an amazing purply fuchsia that I feel works with my coloring perfectly! It's a unique shade that I'll keep close to my heart for years to come.

The NARS Satin Lip Pencils have been making waves in the beauty world ever since they came out early this year. The buttery texture, opacity, and gorgeous shades had everyone swooning over these sophisticated black pencils. My favorite shade is Lodhi, but I would also grab Yu in the near future! Hyde Park, a berry red, is also a great shade to have on hand.

When someone asks me about makeup in person, I always tell them: don't get me started, because I'd be hard to stop once I get rolling! I can spend an hour (or more) just talking about cosmetics, and a good fraction of that time may or not be spent giving the other person a mini-make over. Haha. I always jump on the chance to educate and inspire the best I can; it seriously makes me happy!

But makeup is just really the tip of the iceberg. If you don't have good skin to begin with, your makeup won't look flawless no matter how expensive it is. So always prioritize treating your skin first and then maintaining it to the best of your ability. You'd be happier and more confident knowing that makeup is just an option for you and not a requirement.

Anyway, today I want to talk about the VMV Hypoallergenics ID Monolaurin Gel (P710 /120 ml). It's basically a clear face and body gel that can be used to treat pimples and sweat acne, as well as a primer to keep oil at bay. It only has six ingredients, which I will break down for you so you can see how this intriguing gel works.

The main ingredient is alcohol. I know there are a ton of people out there saying that alcohol is bad for your skin, but there is bad and good alcohol! Good alcohol is not a common allergen/irritant or VMV won't put it in their products. If there's one thing you need to know about this brand, they are incredibly anal about ingredients! They base their choices on studies published in peer reviewed journals and even publish research on their own.

In your previous posts, you have discussed about your top picks regarding BB creams, foundations, etc. I have tried some of them, and I'm planning on trying others as well. Raves are something when it comes to beauty bloggers and YouTube gurus, but having something as their HG is another. I must admit, there's something about HG status that thrills us readers and viewers and makes us want to buy a particular product.

Being an avid reader of your blog, I can easily state some of your HG's. But can I make a request from you to list down your ultimate HG products? I just want to read about them in a single post and I think I will eventually buy them for myself. I trust your judgement a lot, I guess you could tell. :) Thank you so much! - Marie

Hi Marie! Thank you, this has got to be my favorite question so far. That's true, I write about all the things I love here, but then some are extra special than others. Of course, it depends on my specific set of preferences so I can't guarantee that everything here will be as ideal for you as they are for me. Still, you might just hit the jackpot! It's so difficult to find something that works. I hope you find them at Project Vanity.

But wait, what constitutes a Holy Grail product for me? It's really the best possible mix of value (cost-per-wear), convenience, and efficacy. Here's my list, in different categories! 

Face Bases

Primer. I'm a big believer in using only things I need, and I don't feel primer is one of them. I have oily combination skin. I do oil up, but it's manageable! I prefer to use a good foundation and blotting powder/paper to keep the oil at a reasonable level. The truth is that no product can make you stop oiling up, it can only absorb the oil for as long as it is able to.

BB Cream. My ideal BB cream is the Fairydrops Candy Bar BB Cream. This looks like skin, is extremely photogenic, and lasts pretty well. Great for the day, great for night events. I don't mind using an SPF product underneath.

Liquid Foundation. I love light textures and natural coverage, so I'm going with the Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Makeup. It doesn't have a lasting power I can swear by, but it does make my skin look bright in the dullest of days. Second place would be the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Even Finish Foundation.

So how was your weekend? Mine was busy and I wish it was longer, but ain't that typical! I'm just trying to rest as much as I can before my 6:30 AM yoga class tomorrow. I thought I'd blog to just keep my head clear while waiting for dinner to be delivered. 

Let's get cracking! I wanted to close my Shiseido Week with a list of my best finds. I'm thinking I should end all my "branded" themed weeks this way so that I can give everyone a better idea of what to prioritize first from the brand. Of course, my top five is limited by the things I have at the moment and my preferences, but I hope you find the list useful nonetheless. ^_^

So, here are the five Shiseido things I always pick up. They're versatile and have not failed me so far!

Shiseido Perfect Rouge Lipstick in PK417. I never did get around to reviewing this in full, but it is one of the oft-used lipsticks in my collection. It's a gorgeous shade of pink - not too loud, but not a shy flower either. Texture is great and lasting power, not bad for something this moisturizing.

Shiseido Perfect Foundation Brush. This brush is perfect for concealers, foundations (cream or liquid), and even blush/contour. Indeed, it's the perfect all-in-one brush!

My allergy kicked in a couple of days ago, right smack in the middle of a busy day. I started sneezing uncontrollably and just generally feeling like crap. Eyes red, nose puffy, a wake of crumpled tissues in my path. Ugh. I don't even know exactly what I'm allergic to - my guess is it's pollen or grass. It happens only once a month, when the condo's gardeners tend the grounds.

Anyway I decided to break out my Shiseido White Lucent Power Brightening Mask (P3,250/ 6 pieces) to somehow help my skin recover from the dullness brought by the allergic reaction. It worked! I've tried it once before but didn't really notice the individual effect since a Shiseido facialist used it as part of a service. (Yes they do facials in Shiseido boutiques, fyi. Ask them about it some time.)

Anyhoo I'm so happy that this is a mask that works with my skin, instead of against it, for I have a history of breaking out with masks. That's why I rarely use them, whether they're mud or essence based. I didn't react with the White Lucent mask which is ++++ points in my book!

I used it after cleansing with my facial wash, then left it on for ten minutes as per instructions in the back.

Today is a busy day! I have to do an ocular for a possible event venue, maybe check out the Luxasia Sale, pick an outfit for the Preview Ball, then go to the said ball. Somewhere in between I must write a proposal. Buuut I love you guys so I'll quickly tell you all about the latest collection from Etude House - Color Pop!

This isn't a full review post since I have yet to complete the swatches of the items I have. I actually just want to answer a question that many of you have asked recently: what is the pink eyeliner I used in this look? It's so cute no?

It's an Etude House Drawing Show Creamy Pencil from the Color Pop Collection!

Random rants on social media don't do anyone any good - in fact, your friends may get irritated, screen you while scrolling, or worse, unfollow you. It's difficult to empathize when you have your own life happening around you. You don't honestly care when others do it, so why should others care about your daily lows?

But that's not the point, is it. You'd rant anyway because putting it out there is a lot like blowing out a bubble. All the stale air is in there and you just...let it go. Disappear into the atmosphere. Watching it burst where everyone else could maybe see it makes you feel like you've accomplished something relevant. Doesn't matter if the soap gets in their eyes.

Random ramble. :) Today I'll be reviewing the Shiseido Instant Eye and Lip Makeup Remover (P2,150) for you!

Yes it's that expensive. It's easily the priciest makeup remover I've tried per mil. 0_0 I actually considered buying a foundation or concealer instead of this (they cost much less) but I badly needed a good remover for waterproof mascara and other long-wearing makeup. I've tried a sample of this Shiseido remover before and liked it enough to get the full size.

So is it worth the expense? Okay I'll be honest with you - there are cheaper high-end makeup removers that work just as well. I would recommend this if you:  

• Have sensitive eyes and skin. This is the gentlest eye and lip makeup remover I've tried. It doesn't sting, doesn't cloud the eyes even if you soak it in for a minute.

Why would anyone want to have strong, maybe even bushy-looking eyebrows? I think that would be your first question! In my opinion, full eyebrows look good on anyone at any age. It's not a handicap or just a trend, it really is flattering to have well-defined brows. Full eyebrows can make one look younger and the face, slightly smaller. They can even make your eyes look more expressive and alive!

It's not difficult to do, too. All you need is a dark eyebrow pencil that matches your hair and a spoolie or brush to blend the color in properly. You can opt to use a gel or pen brow filler but it's less hassle to do it with a pencil if you ask me. ;)

The best pencil for this purpose is the Shiseido Natural Eyebrow Pencil in Deep Brown BR602. It's a shade that's perfect for us dark-haired girls, since it's not terribly pigmented while providing the right amount of coverage. It comes with a natural hair brush on the other end, as well! It's what I'm using for this tutorial. 

Let's get cracking!

Step 1: Clean up your eyebrows. I highly recommend going to a brow salon if you're attempting this for the first time, but if you don't have the time nor the budget, you can at least do some basic cleaning.

Hot pink lipstick - or any bright color for that matter - can be intimidating to wear if you're not used to the idea of it. I wrote a blog post on how to overcome your fear of bright lips so I do hope you can read that some time! ;)

Today I thought of doing three looks you can wear with a hot pink lip color. I was inspired by the Shiseido Rouge Lacquer in Disco since it's easily one of the brightest pinks I have! It rather fits my skin color well, and like I said in my review, it makes my teeth look whiter than normal. Not complaining. At least now I know what to pick up if I want to take a break from the usual teeth-whitening reds.

The looks range from simple, to fun, to dramatic. Enjoy!

Look #1: Sweet and simple. This is my default look for wearing bright pink lipstick! It's easy and quick, some of the reasons I would choose a bright lip color for the day.

Choosing the most flattering eyebrow makeup is much like choosing the best foundation for your skin tone. You need to find a color match, something near to the actual color of your hair. The truth is that nothing beats a good ol' brown eyebrow shade for us dark-haired beauties!

I picked up the Shiseido Natural Eyebrow Pencil in Deep Brown BR602 (P1,100) because of its lovely color. It's a dark brown, definitely, but it's soft and blends on my eyebrow hair perfectly. I have slightly reddish dyed hair right now but it still works since I'm on the dark end of the spectrum.

What I love about the product

• The texture of the pencil isn't as hard as Shu Uemura's (a Holy Grail pencil for me), a feature I like because it's quicker to shade my brows. It delivers a soft, barely there color that mixes with the oil of the hair to create a lovely natural finish.
• Flattering dark brown shade, perfect for brunettes!
• The lasting power is pretty good. I haven't noticed any fading after six hours of wear.

A great eyelash curler can unlock possibilities that you didn't even know existed for your lashes. There are a lot of options at different price points but get one that fits your unique eyes best! I recommend investing in an expensive lash curler if you can, since it's something that'll last you for years.

Shiseido's is currently my favorite one because it accommodates my big eyes better, plus (I forgot to mention this in the review) the brand sells the pad refills. It's the easiest lash curler for me to use since the flatter rim allows me to angle it to the sides of my eyes; thus, they splay out nicer even without the aid of mascara.

I thought of doing a short tutorial to sho you how to maximize your eyelash curler (particularly this one from Shiseido)! Enjoy!

Step 1: Curl near your lash roots. Try to grab as much hair as possible in this first press! The purpose is to give the lashes that instant lift.