Nelly See, the owner of Pinkbox, is one of the most kikay women I know. She's a mother of five and extremely busy with running her own successful business, but that doesn't stop her from always looking her best. She's up to date with the latest makeup releases, and since she's so well-traveled, her makeup kit is stocked with finds from abroad!

We had an hour to kill before a party (Joey Samson's 10th anniversary!), so I decided to snap pics of what's inside her clutch for that evening.

BCBG Max Azria clutch, a find from Thailand. This is a classy piece that can be toted from day to night!

Ms Nelly's beauty routine is about focusing on great skin and minimal makeup. She also takes time to style her hair, as it's definitely one of her best assets! Yes, she blowdries her own hair! For special occasions though, she prefers to have her favorite hair dresser to come over and do her locks. 

Her skincare comprises mostly of Japanese brands like Kanebo and Shu Uemura. Her makeup also leans towards Asian brands, but she does love Benefit! Okay I'll stop rambling now. Here's what's inside Ms Nelly's clutch!

Hello beautiful ladies! The weather has been crazy and I am at forced cabin arrest. I have a serious issue with makeup mistakes, esp when people wear 'em with pride ;) I am no pro in makeup but I know a lot more than the basics. (Yes, I am claiming it) I cant stand unblended/cake-y or too white foundations, bright and unblended blush and spidery lashes and racoon eyes. Fourth is lipstick on teeth or anywhere but the lips. So, Id like to know, what top 3 makeup mistakes do you hate? - ManilaJen

Hi Jen! Same here, I'm just stuck at home working. Hope all is well on your end. :) So, about your question. Makeup is a fun way to express ourselves and I'd like to believe that we can wear whatever the hell we want, when we want - as long as we're ready for the consequences, that is. There is a wrong way of doing things, like when our makeup is rude or makes us look the opposite of good. 

My makeup pet peeves are ones that go against my makeup personal philosophy. These are also lessons I learned the hard way!

Watch this video, it's funny!

Pet Peeve #1: Too much makeup. Makeup looks best when it's used as a way to enhance our best assets and downplay our less desirable features. Personal, everyday makeup should be a way to show that you're healthy, successful, confident - not the other way around!

Too many layers of foundation, overdone eyebrows, goopy lip gloss and over five eyeshadow shades on a normal day out counts as "too much".

What we want to happen versus what actually happens are two completely different things. And you know what, that's perfectly fine. There are many variables in any given situation that it's difficult to predict the exact outcome. The trick is to be flexible and to adapt as quickly as possible. When life throws you lemons, you can do better than lemonade! Find a chicken then bake it with lemon sauce. 

Just don't give up, is the hardest and most important part.

Anyhoo, today I'll be reviewing a foundation that you're probably super curious about: the Naturactor Cover Face Foundation (P790 at Digital Traincase). There have been a lot of rave reviews floating around the web for some time now - is this Japanese foundation worth the hype?

It is. It is. When I first wore it, I exclaimed out loud: "Seriously? This is intense!" I can't believe the ultra-smooth, baby skin finish! I've never tried a foundation with this kind of finish before. The cream felt thin and light, yet it has medium to heavy coverage. It sets into a powdery layer so I doubt that I'd even need a finishing powder. 

Everyone, and I mean everyone, needs an MLBB lipstick the same way they need a pair of blue jeans and black ballet flats. Forget the lip tints and tinted lip balms, if you're a newbie in makeup or even a certified pro, a reliable and flattering My Lips But Better shade will serve you well in any occasion. It's basic. It's a must-have!

Now the question is, what makes a good MLBB and how do you choose one for yourself? The best kind of MLBB has a creamy, slightly glossy finish. This type of finish will make your lips look healthier and fuller instantly. As for the shade, choose one that is close to the actual color of your lips - that's the most basic guideline. Think of it as foundation. That's why most MLBBs have a flesh-toned, sometimes brown base. Their aim is to enhance actual skin and not to saturate it with color.

Warm skintones look best in peachy and warm pink MLBBs; cooler skintones look good in paler, lilac-toned shades. Of course, there's a lot of room for choosing a color that looks good on you. You can go slightly cooler or warmer, as long as you pick one that brightens up your face instead of making it look sallow and gray. I wish I can be more specific, but you'll know it when you try it.

As per your request, I've rounded up my favoritest MLBB lipsticks. If we have the same skin tone (medium yellow) and level of lip pigmentation, these will rock your socks off. Promise.

L-R: Clinique Chubby Stick Intense in Curviest Caramel, Revlon Lipstick in Pink in the Afternoon, MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Bare Again, MAC Lipstick in See Sheer, Etude House Lipstick in Worrisome Beige, L'Oreal Color Riche Intense Lipstick in Fairy Touch

I've already reviewed most of these lipsticks so please just click the links if you want more information. Here I will be sharing swatches for you to browse and compare, so enjoy! ^_^

Have you tried a metallic lipstick before? I think this would be my first time! The Estee Lauder Pure Color Chrome Metal Lipstick in Coral Halo (P1,400) is part of the brand's Autumn 2013 Collection called Pure Color Metallics. This limited edition line is all about smooth, liquid metal finishes that are not your mother's frosty makeup. Think chrome, its dull sheen. That's what Estee Lauder was shooting for!

The formula is creamy and doesn't feel like a thick blanket on the lips. Staying power is average at 3-4 hours; it adheres well enough that it won't disappear after a meal, but it will fade. As with all EL cosmetics, this smells like fresh fig fruits. It's very pleasant and luxe!

I love Watsons. There's always something new, something interesting in that place! It can be a little bewildering though. Big Watsons branches like the one in SM Aura, for example, offer so many choices that it can be discouraging to look around for new stuff. 

I suppose that's one of the reasons for the existence of the Watsons Health, Wellness & Beauty Awards. This aims to help consumers choose only the best health, personal care, skincare, cosmetics, and hair care products. In turn, being aware of the Watsons Recommends Seal of Excellence can help us get more value for our money.

Wanna know who won the Watsons HWB? ;) The list is after the cut!

I'm crazy about facial mists lately. I've used them before, irregularly, but now I spray my face right after I'm finished with my makeup routine! This new habit started while I was traveling last July and August. It was the height of summer in Japan and Hong Kong, so I needed something that works to dispel the icky, hot feeling on my skin - a feeling that won't go away with just powder and blotting sheets.

I discovered (rather late!) that spraying on a facial mist is a great way to refresh your makeup in the middle of the day. My skin also feels re-energized because of the cool water, taking away the sensation of being a wilted flower. 

It's obvs not that hot in the Philippines right now, but I continued misting because it's also an excellent way to remove that powdery look.

A good lipstick wardrobe has an even mix of daily, subdued shades and bright sparks of color. At least 30% of your lipstick collection should comprise of unforgettable shades, the kind that people stop to ask what you have on. Trust me, it's good for your self-esteem! Even if there aren't many occasions to wear these bright shades out, knowing that you have them and can wear them any time you damn well please already adds to that feeling of empowerment. 

The question is: when should you go bright, and when should you go light? A touch of flattering color on your lips is ideal for more conservative settings like at your office, a business meeting, or perhaps a work-related conference. It's also great for any situation wherein you want to look approachable and likeable - meeting the parents, a new group of friends, making a sale, things like that.

Bright lipstick, on the other hand, is perfect for special occasions, parties, and casual get-togethers among close friends or co-workers. If you have a creative, image-heavy job like being a makeup artist, stylist, actress, magazine writer, etc. then you can pretty much wear any color you feel like!

How terrible are your eye bags and wrinkles? I think they're never as ugly as we think they are. I have met celebrities before and believe me - their dark circles and lines are as real and obvious as any of ours. They just wear a lot more makeup than average and have the luxury of having their lesser features edited out in print. This gives us an unreasonable expectation on how much better we should look like, when in reality we already look perfectly fine.

Still, that's not an excuse to be complacent when caring for our skin. :) Eye cream, for instance, is something anyone from their early 20s up can appreciate! The earlier you begin, the more regular your routine is, the less damage your eye area will take in the decades to come.

So! Today I'll be sharing my first impressions + info on the Lancome Visionnaire Yeux, Advanced Eye Contour Perfecting Corrector (P3,295). 

Visionnaire Yeux is the first eye contour care to incorporate LR 2412, for high  performance combined with uncompromising tolerance, suitable for all skin types, even sensitive.  

Dark circle correction: immediate and long-term effectiveness 

The formula, composed of Haloxyl™ and caffeine, offers spectacular results. It has been clinically proven: week after week, dark circles fade away. A 26% improvement in their colour and 8% reduction in their size are observed after four weeks.

If there was a law limiting the number of hot pink lipsticks a person can own, I would already be in violation of it. Probably. I'm slightly afraid to count exactly how many hot pinks I have, but it appears that I still end up accumulating them! Not that I'm complaining, of course. I hope you don't mind, either, because today I have yet another smokin' pink to share with you guys.

I picked up the Nichido High Definition Lipstick in Rouge Blossom (P198) upon the recommendation of a sales attendant. This is apparently one of the best-selling shades from the Nichido HD Lipstick line - I had to try it out! It looked like a deep red-pink in the tube, perhaps something gothic at first glance, but it's undoubtedly a bright pink.

This is packed with pigment and opaque in only one layer. It doesn't have much oil or emollient in it, so you won't experience that creamy, slippery feeling like in more moisturizing lipsticks. This has a matte finish, and a slight powdery feel on the lips. It's not a bad thing. It feels like it's hugging my lips nicely, like it would stay on for hours.

I hinted that I'll be giving away a full-sized set in my Shiseido Ibuki Skincare review. This is it guys! One lucky winner can get full sizes of the Cleanser, Softening Concentrate, and Refining Moisturizer. This set is worth almost P5,000 - it's definitely worth the extra effort. ;)

Ibuki is my current HG skincare and I can tell you, it really helped my skin recover from the daily stresses life throws at it. It definitely makes my skin ready for anything! In that vein, Shiseido and I would love to know a little more about you - what does your day look like? Are you the kind of woman Shiseido envisioned when they created the Ibuki line?

I know we are! Our lives are so busy that we aren't able to worry about how our skincare is not suiting the levels of stress we get from our environment and schedule. With Shiseido Ibuki, you can get skincare that works for and with your busy life. As someone who has been using this line for two months, I can attest to the fact that it can keep my skin glowing even during the most stressful days. ^_^ So yeah, it's a must try!

Now, for the mechanics! 

I've started a personal blog again. Actually, I planned to move Project Vanity to the latest version of the platform I'm using (Squarespace), but it's STILL slow and there are features I need that aren't available there yet. So, for the meantime, I'm going to use that new space I'm working on to house my personal blog. Just follow my Twitter account @lizlan and you may see links to new posts. ;) 

So. Lipstick Week is back! I know this is one of your favorite themed weeks ever. Mine too actually! I have a few (okay, not a few) lipsticks here that I haven't reviewed yet so it's about time. I'll start with something a little overdue: the Avon Ultra Color Rich Lipstick (P379). I believe these came out last August, along with a new eyeshadow formula and lip gloss collection.

The Ultra Color Rich lipsticks are all about bright, attention-grabbing punches of color. Where Vitaluscious lipsticks were sheer and moisturizing, Ultra Color has mid- to heavy-coverage that sets in half an hour. The texture is creamy and smooth; it's not moisturizing, but it doesn't dry my lips either. For formulas like this I recommend that you let your lips absorb a thin layer of lip balm first.

It smells sweet, not too much that it offends.

Carnation, Hibiscus, Country Rose Tangerine (sorry I was missing Lava Love while I was taking this photo)

The color pay-off is pretty amazing, but it streaks in some of the shades I have (Carnation and Hibiscus). Lava Love and Tangerine are already opaque in one layer! The other shades need two. That's not much of an effort in any case.

Staying power is average at 3-4 hours. I do like that the brighter ones leave a nice stain. Here are the swatches of the five shades I have!

I'm not going to be modest - a lot of people have commented here and in person about how my skin seems to be glowing lately. They've asked me to post my current skincare routine, as well! I've been holding out because I don't want to rave about something that isn't available yet, but finally, it's here!

I've been using the Shiseido Ibuki Skincare Line since I first experienced it in Tokyo last July. It's been two months and I have seen visible and even drastic results. You know how petal-like, translucent baby skin is the trend in Asia now? The Shiseido Ibuki products made that happen for me. It also helped fade blemishes quicker (wasn't even using my favorite anti-spot serum) and made my face feel considerably softer and smoother.

I've been struggling with bad combination-oily skin for most of my adult life. Ibuki made me realize that my face could be so much more.

The truth is, I didn't even intend to use the Ibuki to begin with! I was breaking out in Tokyo while I was there (summer humidity + stress) so I was mighty unsure if I should even be experimenting with new skincare.

But the Shiseido presentation and overall company culture convinced me to try this new line out. A scientist from Yokohama, Mr Aoki, even went to discuss how they structured the formula. Ibuki was born out of Shiseido's desire to address the needs of busy young women. They wanted to create a skincare line that can keep up with us - something that can battle the effects of stress and pollution on our skin. 

Shiseido is dead serious about these kinds of things. Going to their headquarters, meeting their people, experiencing their rich history in person made me realize how Shiseido values the customer and our needs.

So. Here's my review of the Ibuki Skincare line! This'll be a little long since I've been using these products almost everyday since I got them. Ready? ^_^

When I started (erm, mildly) obsessiing over my eyebrows, I loved using pencils. Then I loved powders, because I feel they give me face a softer look. Then I loved pens because they offer so much more precision with the same natural effect. But now, my absolute favorite formula when it comes to eyebrow makeup is cream. Nothing beats a cream formula when it comes to shading eyebrows - it is precise yet natural, creamy and soft-looking at the same time. The clincher is the color though. I find that they are more complex and more flattering on my skin.

I've only tried two gel/cream formulas so far, but I'm definitely interested to get more! I've already reviewed the MAC Fluidline Brow Gelcreme. This time, I have the Tarte Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse (P1,400 from Stuff In Style). I actually discovered this by accident only, while browsing through Instagram. Stuff In Style posted this and I was like, wow! This could be the dupe of the MAC Fluidline for brows, which is limited edition and already out of stock.

So is it? A dupe? This brow mousse has the same wonderful color payoff and super smooth, natural finish. It also stays on pretty much all day - I wore it to my yoga class yesterday and it didn't budge. But that's where the similarity ends.

One of the most memorable conversations I've ever had is with this lifestyle writer. He was a famous socialite in the 80s and 90s, and he told me all about his life in Europe. He also shared some of his beauty and health tips - I just HAD to know, because he looked 40 when he could've been pushing 50 or even 60!

I remember that he had this off-shoulder blouse on (we're Facebook friends, it's like his trademark look). He dared me to touch his shoulder. I did, and I swear he had the softest skin I've ever touched. Softer than mine, at any rate! Of course I asked him what his body lotion was. He said that he has been using Physiogel religiously for a long time.

I keep meaning to pick up a tube of the stuff but I'm very rarely in Mercury. Good thing Sample Room sent me one! 

The Physiogel Intensive Cream (P574.50) is a heavy moisturizer specifically formulated for moderately dry to dry skin. It smells like a blend of coconuts and butter - not too overpowering but you won't miss the scent. The texture is very creamy and is absorbed by the skin easily enough.

A matte, neutral brown eyeshadow can do more than just shade your eyes - it can also perform well as eyebrow makeup. You're basically paying once for two items! How's that for a good deal? 

One of my favorite eyebrow powders is the MAC Espresso Eyeshadow (P1,000). This single eyeshadow is a neutral, mid-brown that suits most skintones, making it famous with makeup artists as a brow color. I actually like it better on my eyebrows than on my lids; it sticks to the skin so well, it can be a tad difficult to spread.

It lasts on my eyebrows all day. It's great for oily skin, where other more emollient products  seem to break down faster. It's also fairly easy to work with as long as you have a stiff eyebrow brush like this one from Charm.

I find that Esperesso isn't intense on the first layer so you can get more control in terms of pigmentation.

As you know one of my favorite eyebrow pencils is the Shu Uemura Hard Formula brow pencil. It is quite expensive, but it is AWESOME. Most people would think twice in spending for it (I know I did) but I find that it's totally worth the expense. Still, if you want something like it but don't have the cash to burn, I highly recommend the Majolica Majorca Brow Customize Sword Cut Pencil (P520 for the set)!

The shape of this auto-pencil is actually the same as Shu Uemura's Naginata sword cut. This shape makes it easier to get more precision when shading your eyebrows, although you do need to wear down the sharp sides first. The tip is just a little awkward in the beginning.

I have a love/hate relationship with SM Aura. I hate that the food choices are limited (as are seats during the weekend) and that the cinemas are almost always full. Seriously what's the point of having an IMAX theater near me when it's fully booked most of the time? I love the SM Store - so many well-curated items in there - but it's also limited. 

Still, the shopping at SM Aura blows High Street, Serendra, and Market! Market! out of the water. Before I would need to go to Makati to shop at stores like Forever 21, Uniqlo, Miss Selfridge, and Bershka. Now all that is 10 minutes away! I also love Suite Blanco (it's like a much cheaper Zara) and L'Indochine. 

Aside from clothes though, beauty shopping at SM Aura is also leveling up. The SM Beauty and Watsons there have excellent drugstore selections, but I love that MAC is also now available in the mall.

It's a huuuuge store, bigger than the one in Rockwell I think. It's all gleaming black surfaces and bright lights, as if you're in a real studio. The latest collections are also available there - check out these palettes!

The MAC Illustrated Ccllection by Rebecca Moses features limited edition kits and palettes. The palette containing the blush, four eyeshadows, and two lip colors retail for about P3,000. Not bad!

Here are more photos from the event!

Due to celebrities and perhaps even makeup bloggers, eyebrow makeup is now on top of the Filipina's to-buy list. I've heard a lot of brand managers say that eyebrow products are some of their most-requested items! This is not the case five years ago, when most of us was clueless about eyebrow makeup. 

You gotta love the Internet.

This week, I thought I'd pay homage to a product that I just can't survive properly without. I'll be discussing some eyebrow favorites, and (if time permits) do a video tutorial showing you my current technique! Do read back on my old eyebrow posts - I've already shared some awesome tutorials and reviews there.

Right, let's get the ball rolling! I'll begin with a P90 eyebrow pencil that I'm sure y'all would love (or at least like a lot). The Hayan Brown Auto Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown is an automatic pencil that comes with a spoolie on the other end. I like the neat packaging, the fine non-scratchy spoolie, and shade.