All manner of amazing things land on my doorstep every week. Unfortunately, I am not able to review each and every single one of them mainly because I'm busy with, y'know, work. Sometimes I receive products in event loot bags, so I don't feel the urgency to review them anymore since the event is the main story. Sometimes I flat out don't like them after only a couple of uses.

There are lots of reasons why some things don't make it on Project Vanity, but that doesn't mean they are not worth the exposure. Sooo a brilliant idea hit me - why not put up one-liner reviews? It should be fun and challenging! I mean, it challenges me to be succinct and straight to the point, and it allows you to quickly preview products that may be worth adding to your arsenal.

I will probably review some of these products in full - with swatches and what not - just let know which ones you're most intrigued about! Here goes!

Alicia Silvestone for Juice Beauty Simply Flawless Pressed Powder. Amazing, fine powder for finishing makeup or retouching but is quite fragile and expensive for that purpose only. 

Available in all Beauty Bar branches.

Bare Minerals Original Mineral Foundation. This loose foundation has medium coverage and gives the skin a gorgeous glow - best for the "no makeup makeup" look!

Available in Stuff in Style, an online store.

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer. I use this regularly and have hit pan; I plan to repurchase!

Available in Benefit boutiques and counters in Rustan's and Greenbelt.

You've seen a powder, cream, gel, and liquid blush - but have you seen a fluffy one? I thought not! Dome blushes have been around for quite some time but I don't think I've tried one that's aerated like the Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush (P429). True to its name, the Bouncy Blush has a springy surface. It doesn't really bounce back once you dent it but it's still hella fun to poke it. Poke poke.

See? Novelty aside, the Maybelline Dream Bouncy blush is a nice cheek color for everyday use. It has a silky texture that's easy to spread all over the apples of the cheeks. The pigmentation is just okay - you'll need about two to three layers to make it show up - but at least you know that you'll never get a clown face accidentally. I'm okay with layering when it comes to blushes. I prefer to have as much control as possible when tinting my cheeks.

My favorite place for hair removal is Wink Laser & Wax Studio at Bonifacio High Street Central. The salon looks great, the attendants are friendly and always smiling, and the prices are fairly affordable considering the location and quality of service. I usually go in for underarm and leg waxing, but a couple of months back I finally took the plunge and tried the laser.

The underarm laser is just P2,500, which is actually not that expensive in the great scheme of things. Consider, you only need to go in every six to seven weeks, then after about six sessions and nine months (or P15,000 estimate), you're completely hair-free in that area - forever! Think about that. You'll never have to worry about waxing or shaving again.

The laser works by heating up your hair follicles, eventually disabling them from producing more hair. Some people may grow some hair back (it's a case-to-case thing) but Wink's laser hair removal is designed to be permanent et ceteris paribus. 

So is it painful? That's the million dollar question isn't it! No, it doesn't hurt AT ALL. If it's your first time to do laser they will use the lowest frequency. It's so low you won't even feel it but for the brisk rubbing of the laser gun on your skin.

The Avon Brochure is like an ever-changing, fast-paced shopping mall on paper. There's always something new to look forward to every two weeks, new products and promos that are sure to trigger the shopaholic in each of us. My mom and I love shopping the brochure especially since she's an Avon lady. She doesn't sell but she gets an amazing discount for every purchase! ;) Is that awesome or what? 

Solenn Heussaff for Avon

Anyhoo, today I want to give you a preview of Avon's current and upcoming intimate apparel and jewelry collections. There was a big fashion show held at SM Aura SMX some weeks back, showcasing all the new things to watch out for in your biweekly Avon brochure. The brand also introduced the popular and gorgeous Solenn Heussaff as their new jewelry endorser. Check it out!

Lizbeth Bra

Claudette Bra

Marsha Bra

Remember when MTV was the coolest channel on television? If you're about my age, you would have spent and hour or so after school watching the latest music videos. You know, when they only released music videos on TV? Haha. I feel so old just knowing how epic MTV was back then.

One of the most visible brands on MTV then was ZA Cosmetics. They always showed that colorful and cute commercial in between videos, sometime in the late 90s. ZA was pulled out of the country for over a decade, sadly, but now it's back! I believe the stalls started popping up in SM Department Stores and Landmark just last June. The liquid and powder foundation come highly recommended so do check them out when you visit!

The prices are quite affordable, with most of the products checking in at less than a thousand bucks only. ZA is popular for the cosmetics of course but they also have intriguing skincare lines. ZA is actually a Shiseido brand, so you can bet that the company's thorough research is behind every ZA product!  

Today I will be reviewing the ZA Plumper Lips Lipstick in Rose Vintage (P425). It's what I got in my loot bag during the ZA event some weeks back, a random choice, but I love it as an everyday pink lipstick! It can work with fair to medium skintones I think, since it's warm enough without being too dark. 

Rose Vintage is a mid-coverage brown-based pink lipstick that packs a lot of shine. The shine creates the illusion of plumper lips indeed, although you would have to retouch every two or three hours to maintain the shine and color.

I'm back! I was in Hong Kong last week for a vacation with my parents. It was fun but exhausting, and of course I had to work whenever I can get hold of wifi. Suffice it to say that I'm done with traveling for a while. It majorly disrupts my routine and therefore my life - it's so difficult to get back on track! I don't know how other people can go in and out of the country and not miss a beat.

Maybe it just takes practice, huh?

Anyway, I just want to share a few photos I took of Hong Kong. The province has a beautiful harbor, but inside it is very much like Manila. It's a great shopping destination! Otherwise there isn't much to see that'll be worth visiting a second time. Maybe it's just not my scene.

The harbor on a gorgeous day

Aberdeen Fishing Village

Do you wear colognes? I rarely do these days because I prefer eau de toilettes due to the better staying power and more complex selections available. Nonetheless, I still appreciate a nice cologne especially if it's affordable. They're perfect for young women who want to smell fresh and pretty without spending a lot of money for a bottle! Colognes don't last very long since they are alcohol-based, but you can just chuck them in your bag and spray as much and as often as you need to. 

I recently came across three colognes that I think you (or your younger niece and cousin) would enjoy. ^_^ I love how effervescent, sweet, and young these scents are. They're just perfect for tweens in elementary and high school, teens in college, and working girls just starting out in their careers. Check 'em out!

Pure n Fresh is known best for personal hygiene products, but a couple of months ago the brand ventured into scents for tweens. Tropical Splash, Blush Berry, and Tangerine Delight are bright colognes that feature luscious fruity combinations. Tangerine Delight is citrusy with mandarin, orange, and apple notes; Blush Berry is sweet with strawberry, pear, and apple blossom; while Tropical Splash is soft and creamy with apricot and peach. 

I only started using Kiehl's last year, but since then it's been a staple in my skincare regimen. I'm a huge huge fan of the Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleanser, the Ultra Light Daily UV Defense, Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution, and the Midnight Recovery Concentrate! I find Kiehl's to be gentle on my skin while still being extremely effective at the same time. The products also never cause me to break out.

A couple of months back, the brand sent me some new products to try. I've been using two of them regularly until I switched to a new regimen - purely for review purposes mind you, not because the Kiehl's stuff didn't work out. Anyway, here's a review of the new Skin Rescuer and Line-Reducing Concentrate! I'll save the Beautifying BB Cream for next time as I have only used it once.

The Kiehl's Skin Rescuer Stress-Minimizing Daily Hydrator (P1,700) is a basic moisturizer that is formulated to lessen the effect of stress on our skin. Its key ingredients are the Rose Gallica Extract (limits the release of stress signals), Mannose (a sugar from the wood pulp of birch and maple tress, said to increase the moisture barrier), Chamomile Extract (to sooth skin), and Squalane (from olives, to prevent dehyhdration). 

Did you know that your beauty regimen at night is just as important as your routine during the day? Oil and sun protection are your top concerns when the sun is out. However, it's easy to overlook dehydration and insufficient nourishment at night. This is the reason you sometimes wake up with a dull and tired-looking face!

Night time is the best time to allow your skin to recuperate from the day's stresses. It's when your body is resting completely that it is able to better absorb any nourishment you care to shower it. If you don't have a good night regimen yet, here are five things you can do that'll help you wake up with glowing skin every morning!

1. Double-cleanse your face. There's cleansing with facial wash, and then there's a thing called double-cleansing. This is a simple technique where you use a makeup remover first before you lather with your facial wash! It's okay to wash your face only once during the morning, but at night you would have accumulated a lot of dirt, oil, and bacteria on top of your makeup. It's absolutely important to be able to remove ALL of that before you move on to the rest of your night routine.

You can use a cleansing oil or water-based makeup remover to wipe off the makeup. Then, proceed to massage your face thoroughly with your preferred facial wash. I like the foamy ones, I feel they clean better. If you have dry skin though, you should go for non-foaming, non-soapy cleansers to keep your moisture barrier intact.

2. Allow your skin to indulge in a rich moisturizer. Due to the humidity in the Philippines, most of us prefer to use light, maybe even water-based moisturizers. These are great to wear during the day, but at night, we need something more moisturizing.

July was a crazy awesome month for me. I was able to visit Tokyo for the launch of Shiseido's latest skincare line, Ibuki! Even with the surprise trip, I also managed to organize a press and blogger event for Pinkbox (more on that soon). I'm not bragging, honest. I'm saying all this with a mild disbelief: how?

Counting chairs

August should be a quieter month, I think! I am going to Hong Kong today to relax a little, see the sights, shop for interesting things. I've scheduled a few posts for you that I think you'll like, so keep on visiting and commenting! ^_^ Let me start off with my monthly favorites.

I must have at least one lip balm in every bag. My latest find is the Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm! This doesn't actually tint my lips at all, but I love the buttery texture and caramel scent. It also moisturizes my lips for hours on end. 

The IN2IT Moisture Intense Lipstick in Pink Alarm is an eye-catching hot pink lipstick with a nice formula. If you like hot pinks, I dare say that this is a must-have - it's just so bright and fun! The price is very affordable too considering the quality you get. 

Brush Week is finally drawing to a close. I think it's only fitting to write about my five favorite brushes, the ones that I never fail to use! I mean, there are a lot of brushes that I rotate quite often, but these five are absolutely indispensable to my routine. 

You'll notice that my picks here are mostly inexpensive. I don't feel the need to invest in a lot of expensive brushes since I only apply makeup on myself, and the ones I have here work perfectly. In fact, my favorite powder brush is only P120! Seriously. It's so awesome but unfortunately I can't find it anymore.

Anyway, here's why I LOVE these brushes!

The Large Powder Brush is my favorite foundation brush, hands down. It's super soft and quite large, but I like the size because it really cuts down the amount of time I spend on powder application.

Light reflecting concealer, what? This type of concealer excels at softening fine lines and lifting up dark eye bags. It is able to do that with shimmer and a feather light coverage - not enough to cover up dark circles, but enough to make them look presentable if they aren't that dark. I prefer to use a light reflecting concealer on a normal day out. I don't think I have super dark eye bags, and in any case pen concealers are fast to work with!

I haven't tried many LRCs, but my favorite is the Clinique Airbrush Concealer. This stuff is awesome! It stays put, never feels heavy, and lightens my under eye area prett well even though it only has light coverage. :) Today I'm going to review something similar yet slightly more affordable - the Make Up Factory Light Reflecting Concealer (P1,180).

Make Up Factory is a German cosmetics brand that you can find in Bonifacio High Street and SM Aura Department Store. Its pricing is just right - not cheap but not overly expensive either. It's a brand that makeup artists will surely enjoy using. ;)

So! The MUF Light Reflecting pen concealer delivers a bit of coverage and shimmer. It's a bit difficult to spread if you're not wearing eye cream, but I do like that it sets completely unlike many cream/liquid concealers.

This August, I will be having not one, but two Commenters of the Month since VMV Hypoallergenics kindly sponsored two sets of prizes for CoM! First things first. Project Vanity's Commenter of the Month for July is none other than Marie/ Apple Watson. She has commented on almost every single post - thoughtful, informative ones - as well as on the Ask Liz! forum. :) Congratulations Marie! Please email me your full name and address.

And now, for the August gift!

The August CoMs will win a set I personally handpicked from VMV. :) If you've been reading this blog then you'll know how much I enjoy using these products. I have here the VMV Hypoallergenics Skintangible (12 grams), Lipstick, ID Monolaurin Gel and Skintensive Facial GC worth P1,500 each. Do click the links to see my reviews of these awesome beautifiers!

You may also follow VMV Hypoallergenics PH on Facebook to be updated with their new releases and promos.

Okay, same mechanics as before! Every month, I'll pick a commenter on my blog. She must be able to leave useful comments, such as sharing feedback about a product I reviewed.

This is a common question: "I'm new to makeup, what are the basic brushes I need to buy?" I always recommend just three brushes - a powder, kabuki-type brush that can double as a brush brush, an angled brow brush, and a mid-sized fluffy eyeshadow brush. You can use your fingers for liquid and cream makeup. These three brushes, IMHO, are indispensable. 

When you start to feel the need for more precision, that's when you should start purchasing individual brushes or brush sets - not before! Some girls would flat out get a set and then later on think that they got a crappy deal. Thing is, they should have considered first if the brushes in the set are something they would need in their routine. When buying brushes, think of your normal makeup routine first - what kind of makeup do you prefer to wear? What kind of look and products do you want to incorporate in the near future? Then, buy brushes accordingly.

Anyhoo! Today I have here the Charm Travel PRO Sonia Makeup Brush Set (P2,750). This is a special edition set from Charm to celebrate their fifth (going on sixth) anniversary! The case is extra pretty and the matte gold ferrule whispers "luxe".

The brushes inside are the same ones as the current, slightly cheaper iteration of the Charm Travel Pro. I have already reviewed that one with tips on how to use it so I won't go into detail on Sonia. Just enjoy the pictures! ;)

It's been years since I tried anything from Mary Kay! A couple of weeks back, I received a brush, loose powder, and mirror compact from the brand. I fell in like with all of them, especially since they are beautifully packaged, effective, and inexpensive. Today I'll quickly talk about the Mary Kay Cheek Brush, a beautiful brush that can be used for both blushes and powders.

This brush is made of soft animal hair. It's dense enough to blend loose powder effectively, but not so dense that it becomes too stiff to apply blush properly. This is generally good at packing color and blending it. I always love having brushes that can be used two or more ways! Saves me time from trying to pick out my next tool.

Every beauty blogger's dream is to have a makeup collection that she designed herself. It would be everything she ever wanted to see in her most-used products, all her favorite colors turned into reality. Maybe someday I'll be able to create my own makeup, but that's just a pipe dream - for now. If I'm going to do it, I need to be able to commit to it, y'know? Or else I'd be wasting time, money, and social capital.

It would be great if I can design my own lipsticks, but the closest thing for now is the OCC Lip Tar Pro's Picks Set v2.0 (P2,750). It's basically five, uber pigmented liquid lipsticks that you can mix and match to create a host of different shades! The colors are also quite beautiful on their own so you can use them as is (save for the white one).

OCC (Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics) is a brand most popular for their Lip Tars. These are opaque liquid colors that are heavy in pigment and oil. They feel a bit greasy on the lips when they are freshly applied, but they dry up in about 15-30 minutes, just adhering to the lips like second skin.

If you love watching YouTube makeup gurus, then you already know how popular and ubiquitous the MAC 217 Blending Brush is. It's been on my wish list since I saw Lisa Eldridge use it with cream eyeshadows - it looked so easy to use, and the results were stunning! I finally got my own MAC 217 a month or so ago since I got to visit Duty Free with my family.

It retails for about P1,300 locally if I remember rightly while it's 26 USD in Duty Free. The price difference is only minor so just buy it from the MAC counters. I thought it'd be considerably cheaper at DF but nah, the wait wasn't really worth it for a savings out about P170.

Anyway, on to the brush! I had mixed feelings about it the first few times I used it. It didn't wow me, I mean, my eyeshadows looked the same as when I used a cheaper brush. As you know I have been using the Suesh Pointed Blending Brush and it works super well - why bother with the MAC 217?

The MAC 217 has long bristles that taper to a rounded edge

It took me a while to notice it, but there is a marked difference, not just to the naked eye!

Confession: I kinda get irritated when I find out that people think I blog for a living. I honestly, truly don't. I earn money from this blog every once in a while it's true, but companies always take a while to pay up and unfortunately my bills can't wait. Boy, do I have a lot of bills. My lifestyle is not extravagant but it's not frugal either. 

My actual day job is consulting for retail brands and sometimes ad agencies. I handle my clients' marketing, social media, PR, and events along with an assistant whom I dearly treasure. This is something I'm very proud of because it means I have a wide set of skills and a network I can collaborate with. This is where the real money comes in