Heya folks! Announcement time! The Commenters of the Month for August are Caterwauler and Rochelle Rivera. I also super appreciate Marie Watson's helpful comments (she already won last month actually), so I'll send her something nice as well. Kindly email your addresses, girls!

For September, I decided to give away something from my personal stash, from one of my favorite brands. Three guesses.

That's right, MAC! The loot will include a full-sized MAC Lipglass in Naked Space (a lovely nude) and MAC Fluidline Eyeliner in Little Black Bow. The CoM will also get 30ml bottles of the MAC Lightful Marine Bright Moisturizer and Cleanse Off Oil. Awesome right? 

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.

I just found out that this girl I've been seeing for the past few months has some issues with underarm hair. She says that she's "balbon" in the said area and the strands are fatter than common underarm hair. It had always been an issue for her since adolescence and has slowly grown into an insecurity. Because of this, her parents paid for laser hair removal sessions; she's about to go into her 4th of 15 sessions.

She says it's working fine naman daw, and she's seeing some improvement. However, session intervals are long, and are getting longer as she progresses with the program. In between these sessions, she would simply let the hair grow out, and settle for clothes with sleeves. She won't shave because she's afraid that it may darken her underarms. She only does so when absolutely needed, like when she has to attend an event where she has to wear a dress or something.

Anyway, I heard about epilators from my girl friends. I'm thinking of getting her one for her to use in between sessions. I googled about them and ran into this blog. Now, I ask, would you recommend that I buy her an epilator? Would it work on underarms? Kasi, most product reviews I read say na the product is for legs only. Also, do consider that she's getting laser sessions.

Miss Liz, and other Filipinas out there, I hope you can help me help my girlfriend. Thank you! - Thoughtful Boyfriend

Hi Throughtful Boyfriend! You are thoughtful indeed! And sweet. I like that your letter was well-written and thought out, so I thought I'd answer it on the main blog. :) 

I'm glad you asked me this question because one of the worst things your girlfriend can do is epilate while on a laser regimen. Epilating pulls out hair from the roots (well, most of it) - hair will take longer to grow out and it shouldn't damage the skin as much as a razor would. However, laser requires hair follicles to be present. Otherwise, there won't be anything to zap off permanently. Laser works best when there's some hair growth!

In other words, it's not recommended to wax or epilate while she's doing her laser.

What I'm curious about though is why it would take 15 laser sessions to remove her hair permanently. Is she doing IPL laser?

I suppose I should feel wasteful that I opened about seven brand new tubes of mascara in service of Mascara Week, but that's just part of the job! I hope you had fun reading through the reviews and discovering just what makes an amazing mascara. It's different for everyone but for me, I like lots of length, volume, and ease of removal. I prefer clean lashes with no clumps or flaking, and a brush that can reach even the most awkward corners of my eyes. 

With that in my wishlist, here are my top five favorite mascaras this year. These are what I love picking up! I rotate them depending on my requirements for the day (the look, activity, estimated wear time). Check them out. ;)

If you've read my Holy Grail products post then you know that this is my favorite mascara. The Fairydrops Platinum Mascara meets all my requirements and a little bit more. It gives me just the right volume and length without toe-ing the "are you wearing falsies" line. I do love big lashes but I prefer something less obvious for everyday wear!

It stays on all day with minimal to zero smudging, and it comes off with just warm or soapy water. I still use a makeup remove though. It's just simpler.

New vs old packaging - which one do you like better?

There is a dichotomy in my personality: I'm a creature of habit, yet I am always actively searching for change. My day is dictated by a strict routine since it's the only way for me to accomplish all my tasks for each account and project I'm working on. However, I also have an eye out for new hobbies, acquisitions, any sort of plans. Once I go on a new, erm, rampage I simply can't stop until I'm done with it. Sometimes something else outside of my own actions change. Whichever it is, my routine is then ruined. 

It takes me some time to recover and get back to regular programming, so I'm working v. hard to make sure my Priorities are in The Right Place. I ask myself, "Do I really need to do this right now?" Glob I'm weak. I wish I can buy focus and turn into a low-calorie drink for whenever I need it.

Anyway. I thought I'd do a quick review of something I've been sitting on for a while - the Too Cool For School Super Cleanser TAKKOZA Cleansing Tissue (P555)! This is awesome. I know I should have told you sooner but I get sidetracked so easily! So why is this awesome? It removes pretty much all types of makeup, even water-resistant mascaras (tube, film-type) with the exception of waterproof mascara. This is a water-based makeup remover after all, so I'm alright with that. I don't regularly use waterproof mascara anyway!

The smell is clean and mild while the liquid in it doesn't sting my eyes at all. I also did not get any breakouts; I feel that this cleanses my skin well. 

If you don't cook, you should learn how. Not sure if I'm repeating myself here already but - you should cook. It's ridiculously easy, not that expensive, and much more fulfilling than eating someone else's food. You don't have to start with guns a-blazin', attempting to cook something complex like beef bourguignon. You can experiment with simple omelettes, a grilled cheese sandwich, maybe some spaghetti. The recipes you learn will serve you for the rest of your life.

So glad my Dad taught my how to cook! I'm not the best but I like what I come up with. Last night I made mushroom and chicken risotto for dinner (inspired by Ina Garten), while breakfast was bacon pancake (inspired by Jake the Dog). That song is still stuck in my head btw! I topped the pancake with butterscotch sauce and a lick of whipped cream. Sinful but definitely worth it.

Anyhoo, let's move on to the next product for my Mascara Week! The Revlon Lash Potion Mascara  (~P600) is the brand's latest lash enhancer. I have here the waterproof version in Blackest Black.

The Lash Potion's staying power is flawless - it is indeed waterproof and smudge-proof! I've worn this all day and I didn't notice any smearing. It doesn't come off with just my water-based makeup remover, but it slides off with my oil-based remover so no biggie.

As for the finish, I do like how it fattens and lengthens my lashes in two coats. Blackest Black is also as the name hints: very very black and practically matte. 

I'm sure you've seen other beauty bloggers posting about this already! Two reasons, really: Lancome Philippines has an ongoing contest for your guys AND these glosses are pretty rad. I don't wear a lot of lip gloss since I find that most of them sticky and drying. But the Lancome Gloss In Love (P1,295) is a game changer!

They feel like butter on the lips - very creamy, a wee bit thick, but there is no stickiness or greasiness. It doesn't feel like your lips are sweating inside (if you know what I mean). They are also extremely, well, glossy. Juicy-looking. They definitely make my lips look plumper and dare I say sexier!

See? The lasting power is pretty nice, at two to three hours without eating. The gloss doesn't feel flaky once it's completely dry; indeed, I don't even need to wear lip balm underneath. It's moisturizing enough by itself. I also love the slightly curved wand as it helps the gloss sink into the lips better. Make sure to wiggle the wand all over to avoid spidery wrinkled-looking lips!

I just wish that all the glosses are as pigmented as the one I'm wearing up there (#385) but I suppose fairer ladies will love the paler shades. Check out Sabs' swatches here, the lighter colors look great on her fair skin!

Here are my own swatches. ^_^ What's your favorite?

Ebooks are convenient to read. I don't have to turn the light on and off, and I can lie down on any side, put my arms anywhere. Printed books, compared to stuff I just read on my phone, are inconvenient and prone to murder by a dog who loves paper. Still, I always seem to walk out with something whenever I pass by a book store.

I've read H.P. Lovecraft before and loved his macabre yet awe-inspiring stories. I remember seeing the Necronomicon in National Bookstore many years ago, but I was poor enough (first job!) to feel that P800 was too much for one book. I wanted it badly though; I went back for it a week after. Unfortunately, it was already out of stock! It's one of those books that I just need a copy of. In my hands. Finally got it yesterday!

I also grabbed Neil Gaiman's newest novel, The Ocean at the End of the Lane. I've read a few pages and already I can see how this is different from his other works. It starts with a feeling of slow dread. I can't wait to see where it will take me.

Well anyway, we're actually here to talk about mascara. Haha. This time, I'll be reviewing theBalm What's Your Type? The Body Builder Mascara (price to follow, available in Beauty Bar). 

On a side note: I wonder if there's, like, a world competition for crazy mascara names?

It may be too soon to say, but I LOVE this mascara. It's my first time to try a theBalm product for lashes! So happy it didn't disappoint.

It was love at first sight when I saw the promo materials for Bobbi Brown's latest collection, Sea Pearls. The look was perfect! The coral pink blush and lips whispered dainty, while the big lashes and shimmery green shadow flashed drama. It was a great study in contrasts, with such an elegant output. Of course I had to copy it!

I initially wanted to do the full smoky eyes yesterday but I ran out of time, so I came up with a modified, simplified version of the Sea Pearls look. I also don't have the full collection which is why I used other brands - but I have the exact same blush! It's amazing. I mean look at it. Coral Pink is my current favorite blush!

To achieve dewy, natural-looking skin, I used the Bobbi Brown BB Cream, concealed whatever needed to be concealed with MAC Studio Finish, then topped everything with a thin layer of Ben Nye Banana Powder.  

Should you invest in a good mascara or should you just save that money for something else? There are tons of good affordable mascaras out there, if you find one that fits your preferences then there's no reason to spend over a thousand bucks for a tube. My HG mascara is quite expensive, yes, but if it gets wiped out from the face of the Earth tomorrow, I'll go to my next favorite one (which is just P600 bucks btw). No big deal.

Just set a comfortable budget and read reviews first before you settle on a mascara purchase. Do avoid using mascara testers on your eyes, for the love of glob! You don't know where that wand has been and how long it has been steeping in the darkness! *shudder* Just read beauty blogs you trust and save yourself from a possible eye infection.

So! To continue Mascara Week, here's a review of one of the latest mascaras in the country - the Etude House Lash Perm All Shockara Mascara (P648). It promises shocking volume, curls, and length all in a waterproof formula. Does it deliver?

It does, at least in the lengthening and waterproof department. If you want curls and volume, you need to give your lashes a really, really good curl first! This isn't the kind of mascara that you can just swipe on and expect to get dramatic eyes immediately - it requires some prep time with a great lash curler plus a lot of coaxing afterwards.

Man, I noticed that I only published 30 posts last month! My average is 40-50, and yes I can still get that number even when I'm busy. I guess August was just a generally uninspired month for me. Call it a minor break from blogging! I'm sure September is more interesting, beauty-wise. The brands are getting ready to launch their autumn and holiday collections so I'm sure we'll have lots of awesome things to look forward to. 

I also want to post more FOTDs this September. I remember the good ol' days when beauty bloggers would share more FOTDs and tutorials than reviews. Sure reviews are useful, but looks of the day show those products in action. I'd like to polish up my eyeshadow chops and try out new combinations - I have a few new good eyeshadow palettes that I can't wait to play with!

Okay okay I'm done with the small talk. Here is my monthly list of favorites! :)

The Clinique Long Last Lipstick in Runway Coral is probably my banner lipstick this August. I love the formula and the elegant silver bullet, but really it's the color that got me all infatuated. Coral-watermelon-pink shades never fail to brighten my complexion even if I'm not wearing much makeup!

The ZA Plumper Lips Lipstick in Rose Vintage is a more subdued lipstick - something more appropriate for work engagements or errands. Hey, a girl can't have too many MLBB lipsticks if you ask me! (Which just gave me an idea for a blog post, hehe).

I've lost count of the number of lip balms I have - and their exact locations - so I pick up whatever is in my line of sight. I make sure that the Hurraw! Grapefruit Lip Balm is always in my line of sight. It's one of the best lip balms I've tried so far! Check out my other picks: my top five favorite lip balms.

Did you know that mascara is one of the oldest forms of cosmetics? It dates as far back as 4000 B.C., when ancient Egyptians would use crushed minerals, soot, crocodile stool, honey, and water to darken their eyes. They believed that masking their eyes would keep them safe from evil spirits. Today, women and men use mascara primarily for aesthetic purposes - to enhance their lashes and define their eyes. I'm just glad we lost the crocodile poop!

This week will be all about mascara at Project Vanity. I'll be reviewing some of the latest and most remarkable mascaras out in the market, and at the end of it, my top five picks. So! Let's begin with a reformulated version of one of Majolica Majorca's bestselling mascaras - the Lash Expander Edge Meister (P795)!

This is the most lengthening mascara I've ever tried to date. I swear, people always ask me if I'm wearing falsies whenever I have this on! This is actually the reason I'm not so fluent in applying false lashes - I mean, why bother when I can just wear Lash Expander and get the same effect?

Lash Expander Edge Meister is the updated formula of the original Majolica Majorca Lash Expander. I find that the fiberwig hairs are denser in the new formula, giving even longer and more volumized results. It also has less of that mascara smell; it's undetectable unless you give the brush a direct sniff.

When I quit my first and only full-time job in 2010, I was scared out of my wits. I remember crying after my last day, wondering if I did the right thing. I'd be lying if I told you that I haven't considered job offers from head hunters in the last three years. Having a full-time job is just so...safe. Secure. Predictable. I don't have to worry about insurance. My salary would come on the dot.

But that's not what I truly want. I want to have my own business, preferably doing something I genuinely enjoy. I love blogging and organizing events, creating a solid brand and voice for businesses. I can't do all that with a vanilla desk job. Well, maybe I can, but it would be slow-going and my focus would be split up. 

So I did what I had to do and I am where I want to be.

On a related note - I'm not a famous person so every mention in a magazine is a big deal to me. <3 Thanks Guia Galvez and Wyatt Ong for the awesome article! Everyone needs to read it, because who doesn't want to make a career out of what they love doing? These are solid tips, you guys!

I have a new hobby - crafting. I love doing things with paper, but I'm partial towards cardmaking. It is ridiculously fun! It's like I'm building my makeup collection all over again, this time with cutting tools, adhesives, and paper. It allows me to indulge in the process of creating something with my bare hands. I don't often get to do that in my line of work, but I believe that making something - any thing - is crucial to my sanity and happiness. So I do it when I can.

Anyway, while I was looking for more supplies to add to my crafting collection, I came across this set of Royal & Langnickel art brushes. I found them in Deovir in Megamall (Megamall A, 5th Level)! I wanted to have reaaaallly precise brushes for my acrylics and gouache paints; these three taclon brushes look perfect. And guess what - I only paid P120 for the whole set!

Royal & Langnickel is famous for their cosmetics brushes, but their other business is art tools. Their basic makeup brushes actually aren't expensive, but the ones from the luxe lines - whoa. They're gorgeous and will gouge a hole in your wallet. I wish they're available here though! I would love to try them someday. For now I'm happy to have these three.

So wait why am I writing about these art brushes in my beauty blog? Three guesses. ;)

I feel extremely foolish for forgetting this, so I am sorry in advance for the very short notice! Mira (Clinique's Marketing Manager) and I have been planning this for a while! I will be hosting a small afternoon soiree at Clinique in SM Aura this Saturday, August 31, from 2-5 PM. Nibbles will be available, and the confirmed guests will receive a gift from Clinique. 

There will be a short personal makeup workshop featuring Clinique's best-selling products. All attendees can also avail of a free facial right there in the store. Then, we'll have a fun activity where you guys can win full-sized goodies. ;) It's going to be awesome!

So, if you don't have plans this Saturday and would like to be part of this exclusive gathering of beauty fans, please do let me know if you can come. Just email your name and mobile number to lizlanuzo [at] projectvanity.com! The first 14 who confirm will be automatically included in the guest list. As a kindness to those who are truly interested, please only email me if you can make it for sure. Thank you so much and see you then!

Next announcement! The Clinique Bonus will be happening again this September. You'll get a set of deluxe samples free with your single receipt purchase of 4,500 from September 1 to 15, 2013, while supplies last. If you step up your purchase to P5,000, you'll receive a Clinique tote bag (one per customer).

Here are more deets on what's inside the Clinique Bonus set!

Okay, I'm cheating here. I technically won't be writing about five eyeliners only, because that's not as fun as, say, a dozen ones! I will however be talking about five brands that make crazy amazing eyeliners. These are the ones that smudge minimally, if at all, and never fade even if you wear them until the sun sets (or rises if you roll that way). These are the eyeliners I always pick up simply because they're reliable. 

I have also included some eyeliners worth an honorable mention. ;) Let's get cracking!

K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliners. My current HG eyeliner is the K-Palette liquid eyeliner - the waterproof one. This is the best in terms of staying power and ease of application! I've worn it for 15 hours and it has never, ever fallen apart. It's what I wear when I know I'm going to have a long day and have zero time to fuss with smudgy eyes.

The K-Palette pencils have amazing pigmentation and staying power as well, but they do smudge if they're not applied on some sort of powdered/primed surface. They're great just as long as I am wearing something underneath 'em.

MAC Fluidline, Technakohl, and Powerpoint eye liners. The MAC Fluidline was my HG eyeliner before K-Palette. K-Palette beats it only because the gel eyeliner requires a clean brush everytime I use it; I simply don't always have the time to rummage for a brush and then wash it.

Young people these days are all "I don't know what I want to do with my life!" If I ever hear you say that, you will get a long, long talk from me. You should avoid living a meaningless life with no direction, no clear-cut goals. I firmly believe that we all know what we want to do for the rest of our lives, right now, except that we're too afraid to fail at it. 

For many of us, pipe dreams are better than failed ones. It's easier to keep a Nebulous Some Day close to our heart, when everything we ever wanted will come true. It's easier to make excuses. But anything worth doing is never easy so just suck it up and do it! Whatever regrets may come of it, at least you'd end up knowing what you can do and who you are exactly. Then maybe you'll try again when you're ready or move on to the next dream.

Anyhoo, I just want to review the Hurraw! Grapefruit Lip Balm (P250 from Cutieverse). This is a reaaaallllly nice lip balm - it's light on the lips, buttery, and moisturizing. It's citrusy grapefruit scent is refreshing and not overly chemical. The oblong tube is also pretty genius (albeit strange), since the shape easily fits the contours of my lips.

Blackheads are possibly the most annoying things ever. They're not quite pimples, which would inspire fury to all they plague. But they are mean. They are tough to kill. Blackheads are mocking little things that can make you want to just squeeze them out of existence (thus damaging your skin), but it doesn't have to be that way! There are a lot of ways to prevent them and cure them once they begin to multiply.

What causes blackheads and how to prevent them

But wait, before you go charging into combat, you need to know what causes blackheads in the first place. Blackheads are formed when too much oil gets backed up in your pores. The oil then mixes in with dead skin cells. When this yucky combination is exposed to air, it darkens, hence the term "blackheads". 

In other words, the best ways to prevent BH is to:

1. Make sure the oil lessens or flows freely onto the surface of your skin. Hormone imbalance can cause excessive oil production - you might need to take some oral medication as prescribed by your dermatologist, if this is the case. Otherwise, if you're just oily because of your genetic makeup, then the best thing you could do is to wear cosmetics that don't clog pores, and to blot the oil ASAP.

2. Regularly slough off dead skin with an effective cleansing and toning routine. Choose facial washes with a mild exfoliating and anti-oil feature

CLEAN fragrances are a lot like Jo Malone - the brand doesn't come with much fanfare and it's probably not something you'll read about often in a magazine. They are quietly popular, with a loyal fanbase that speak of it excitedly if the topic comes up. It's one of those things that people in the know just know about.

I first tried CLEAN a few years back and found myself liking the honest, soap-based smell of it. It is sincere. There is no pretension, no complex story. CLEAN is about smelling clean, and everything from the simple packaging down to the actual notes of the fragrance embodies that.

The brand released a couple of new scents recently called Skin and Rain. Rain is supposed to capture the essence of a rain shower, with notes of melon and dainty florals in the aqua fragrance. CLEAN Skin (P1,650 for 30ml), which I have here, sets out to express the smell of clean, warm skin. Is it successful?

Hi Miss Liz! I have a birthmark on the face and while I know that sometimes, confidence is the key, people looking all the time can get to you. And I want to try going birthmark free for the first time! How do I cover it? What do I buy? Heavy concealer? Heavy foundation? I'm pretty much willing to go until the MAC budget, but no high-ends such as Chanel, etc. Thank you! :) - Hannah

Hi Hannah! Thanks for your question. I know how debilitating it is to walk around with marks on the face. We want to tell ourselves that it shouldn't affect our self-esteem, but they still exist and people look at them. I've been struggling with blemishes most of my life. They're not quite the same thing as a birth mark, but the principle of concealing them should apply.

The trick is concealing only the problem spot/s instead of your whole face. The finished look would be more natural, showing more skin than makeup! You also have to be careful about the concealers you use. They should be able to stick for hours, even after a lot of oil and swear - maybe even water if you're out for a swim. 

In this tutorial, I used a light foundation (actually, it's just a cc cream) as a base, applied a thick, opaque concealer to completely cover the blemishes, and then applied a thinner concealer to blend in the thick concealer. Then, I set the whole thing with powder to seal the makeup in place.