Believe it or not, the Revlon Super Lustrous Shine Lipstick (P545) is the closest thing Revlon has to the Clinique Chubby Stick. Not their Kissable Balm Stain, which is more like the Chubby Stick Intense. Okay, that might sound kinda confusing if you're not that into makeup. :P What I'm trying to say is that the Super Lustrous Shine is a sheer, moisturizing tinted lip balm that feels and looks almost like the Chubby Stick!

Fine. If you applied one on me and didn't say what it was, I would totally think it's a Chubby Stick. I would even argue with you.

The classic black and gold packaging of the Super Lustrous line is deceiving, because if you'd just go by the name you would assume that this is just a shinier version of the SL lippies. No. The Super Lustrous Shine Lipstick is in a whole class of its own!

Emollient, smooth, and plush on the lips, SL Shine is incredibly moisturizing, just like lip balm.

Contouring is my best friend. I have a wide, round face that needs all the help it can get! That's not to say I'm addicted to contouring; I only apply some when I'm going somewhere important. I'm not looking to fake the shape of my face forever. I just want it to look defined in photos and harsh lighting.

If you're after the same thing then this week is dedicated to you. Find out what my new contouring finds are, my favorite brushes to contour with, and my current technique, all in the next few days!

I'll start with something incredibly cheap yet fairly impressive: the Elf Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder (P250). This is a blush/ contour duo that's pigmented and looks amazing on my skin. Surprise, surprise. It's been ages since I purchased anything from Elf, so I'm glad that it now offers nice products even at such a low price.

I suppose that, as a blogger, I'm expected to post about most of the things that go on in my life. What I eat, where I go, the free stuff I get - it's SOP to share them here or on my social media accounts. I admit that starting out all those years ago, I was like that. I wanted to show off. I feel pressured to show off my wonderful life.

The pressure might be imaginary, but I feel that it permeates my life. A recent example is coming back from Japan, with barely any shopping in tow. Yeah, I didn't shop much. I took quite a bit of money with me plus my credit cards, but I didn't buy a lot of things at all. Why? I told my mother it's because I didn't go to Shibuya, where all the fab shopping is. The real reason, though, is that I just didn't feel like it.

I wanted to BE in Tokyo, to lie down in a park soaking in the autumn sun. I wanted to sit in a bench in Akihabara to watch people passing by. I wanted to go to a temple and pay homage. I wanted to experience things without having the compulsion to snap a picture or buy a souvenir.

When I was very young, I wanted to be a rock star. I'd spend most of my time learning to play the guitar and writing songs. I would dream about going on stage and rocking my heart out to the adulation of millions, wearing slashed tights and distressed leather jackets. It all sounded so awesome in my head. But like all of my adolescent aspirations, it went up in a cloud of smoky black eyeshadow. With a few glitters in it for good measure. :P

Anyhoo, today I want to show you the latest collection from Korean brand Too Cool For School. Glam Rock is inspired by the rock star culture, with emphasis on dramatic eyes and blanked out lips. I have a few items from TCFS here and a quick review of each. :) Let me know what you think!

I'll start with a lip color - the Glam Rock Smoky Nudy Lip Color in Satin Beige. This is a creamy lipstick that needs to be layered at least twice to get the same opacity as the swatch below. I don't mind, since most lipsticks need to be layered anyway and it doesn't take much effort. However, if you have pigmented lips then this won't cover everything. It can look a tad streaky since it only offers medium coverage.

Staying power is average, at three hours. I would recommend wearing a lip balm first since the matte texture can be drying.

A month or so ago Sol of Digital Traincase invited me to her first-ever event: a personal makeup workshop with THE Jigs Mayuga! As you know Jigs is one of the country's premier makeup artists, working with no less than the most sought-after celebrities, brands, and magazines. To be part of his personal makeup class is a great opportunity to learn from the master!

Did you know that Jigs used to work as an airline attendant? Unfortunately, he was laid off when the airline experienced difficulties at that time. Instead of feeling sorry for himself though, Jigs took it as a sign to finally pursue the thing he loved the most: makeup artistry.

So, he took his savings and invested the money on a cosmetology course at the Center for Aesthetic Studies in Makati. He eventually got hired by L'Oreal to manage a Shu Uemura counter in 2005, and then a year or so later got promoted as Chief Makeup Artist for L'Oreal Paris. How's that for turning your lemons into lemonade?

I wasn't sure if I should post this outfit, but what the heck, I spent so much time obsessing and second-guessing what I would wear last weekend that I might as well just freakin' do it. I'm not a fashion blogger hence the blurry pictures and awkward posing, but these pictures are the only thing I have.

So, please don't judge me harshly. :P Moving on! I've spent the last couple of week scouring the malls for the perfect fall outfit, but found it difficult to find something that would keep me warm in the 15 to 5-degree weather AND still be wearable here in the PH. I love Stradivarius's current black and white, 90s grunge collection, so all of the clothes I found were from their store in SM Aura.

Coat, black sweater, and skirt from Stradivarius | Tights and socks from Uniqlo | Sneaker wedges from Sketchers | Bag from Aldo

Purple sparkly nails courtesy of a P99 nail polish from Essence. Argh, forgot the shade! But you won't miss it in the display, it's very eye-catching.

November was a very hectic month so I wasn't able to arrange for a Commenter of the Month prize. Which means that the CoM wasn't announced at the end of October...which then means I will announce the winner now! She is Marianna Fernandez. Congratulations! Please email your address to liz[at]projectvanity.com.

Since I wasn't able to announce a prize for November, I will have two Commenters of the Month for December. I have one lovely set of Revlon products and a gift certificate of P3,000 from POSH Pocket Shoes.

I picked out some of Revlon's latest products for the winner. This is a fabulous selection that's just perfect for the upcoming holiday parties! It has a purple smoky eye palette, foundations, neutral polish, and sheer yet bright lip colors.

^_^ The other CoM can choose P3,000 worth of shoes from POSH, which btw is an awesome brand since they're one of the first in the country to offer durable folding shoes. You can read my ooooold post about it!

Please do follow POSH Pocket Shoes on Facebook!

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've only ever read about autumn in books and seen it in movies, but experiencing it first hand is a different thing entirely. It's amazing, how the leaves change into vibrant colors and then fall slowly in a heap on the ground. Fall is beautiful the way flowers are beautiful - they both last only a short time, which makes us appreciate them more.

Fall in Shinjuku, Tokyo

Anyhoo, one of my favorite lip colors this season is the Bobbi Brown Lip Color in Berry (P1,300). This is a limited edition shade from the Rich Chocolate collection! I've already reviewed Bobbi's lipsticks before so I won't get into detail about the formula - I just really want to show you how gorgeous this color is! 

Berry is a luscious deep berry shade with pink undertones. It looks fabulous on my medium skin, although I think that this is the kind of color that works pretty much on any skin tone. 

I love this departure from the usual fall lip, which leans darker, redder, more vampy. Berry is a sexy shade but not in an intimidating I'm-gonna-bite-you kind of way!

It's so easy to get caught up with everything that's wrong with your life. It's also equally easy for people to lecture you that there's always a silver lining, that there's a positive side to things. But I guess that the most useful truth to remember is this: nothing is permanent. Not your relationships, not your problems, and not your life, even. Everything ends eventually. You can either look forward to the ending, or to the beginning of something new and perhaps even better. 

You just need to hold on and enjoy the ride. :)

Moving on! This picture was taken during the event I organized for Ellana Minerals. It's a candid shot of me by Yuki being stuck to my phone as usual - I should put it down more often, I know. It was a looooong but super fun day that I hope won't be happening again any time soon. :P Events are only fabulous when you're attending them; making them happen is a completely different planet. Nay, galaxy!

Photo credit: Yuki Tansengco

If you've been following my Instagram (@lizlanuzo), you may have read that Ellana recently hired me to work on their branding and marketing. I'm ecstatic about this partnership because I'm a huge fan of the Ellana mineral foundation since I was in college. I went through jars and jars of that stuff! Not kidding. It was the best thing I could afford then - imagine, pure mineral makeup for only P400? MMU that has heavy coverage and great staying power? It was my acne-prone college self's perfect base!

I'm back from Japan! I'll be blogging about my trip soon, just let me detox from all the awesomeness I had to take in last weekend. Haha. I had a ton of fun going around Tokyo and then visiting the Shiseido factory in Kakegawa. It was great to witness the brand's commitment to excellence firsthand, how it always strives develop new, sustainable techology. More on that soon!

Today I'd just like to quickly rave about this new line of brushes called SOFFIA. The brand is the latest venture of Sophie Uy, the same amazing woman behind Charm brushes and Sample Room! It's her first time to venture into high-end tools and frankly, my dears, she is nailing it.

SOFFIA Opulence Blending Brush (P950) is indeed the best blending brush I have ever tried. It's waaaay better than the MAC 217, which was my absolute favorite before when it comes to refining my eyeshadow work. This brush is ridiculously soft - it's the softest brush I have ever had the pleasure of using.

Purity is natural. We come to this world with all the right instincts, we are innocent and, therefore, perceive things as they should be, rather than how they are. Our conscience is clear, our hands are clean and the world at large is truly beautiful.

Who would've thought a facial wash would inspire me this way? You may have heard the exciting news already: Philosophy is back in Manila! This time around, the line of products are more expansive although the only makeup is the lip gloss. Who knows - maybe they'll bring their foundation soon.

Philosophy will have its flagship store in the new wing of Megamall this December 12. Please do visit it then. ;) In the meantime, here are some well-loved products to look out for and their prices!

The best sellers: Purity Facial Wash (P1,395), Amazing Grace Spray Fragrance (P2,495) and Hope In a Jar Moisturizer (P1,995)

The Grace Series: Shower Gel P1,495), Grade Spray Fragrance (P2,495), and Amazing Grace Firming Body Emulsion (P2,145)

I realized, belatedly, that the BB creams I lined up for you this week are all from Western brands. I wasn't able to acquire Asian BBs for this round, but never fear! I promise to have an Asian BB cream week next time. ;) 

Allow me to discuss one last product to wrap up this themed week: the Revlon Photoready BB Cream (P725)!

I like that it has a brightening finish even though the coverage is quite sheer. The SPF30 is a good addition too! I also like that it didn't slide off after four hours of wear, even though others who have tried it say that the staying power is dismal. Remember people: setting it properly is key!

I found a great shade match in Light Medium. The shade is yellow-toned with subtle shimmer for that skin-illuminating effect.

Confession: one of my favorite things about traveling is, er, packing. Okay I said it. I love planning what outfits to wear, skin and body care products to bring, and picking out the best makeup to wear for the weather. I get such a thrill putting all of these things together in my head! I also enjoy physically placing them in the best possible arrangement. 

However, don't get any ideas about me being a pack rat. I like to travel light, which ups the challenge of planning the exact items to bring. If I can do without it for the next few days, I most likely won't be taking it with me!

That being said, one of my serious problems when packing is decanting my beauty products. I found these tools from Muji the other day to make my life easier!

BB creams are some of the most convenient bases in the history of forever to use. They're much like liquid foundations but with added benefits of hydration, sun protection, and skincare properties. This type of makeup is generally fuss-free to apply, but if you want to maximize them, I just have a few suggestions!

Apply sunscreen beforehand to get the right amount of sun protection and to create a smooth base for your BB cream. Just because your BB cream has SPF so-and-so, it doesn't mean that you'll get that exact number. You will need to apply a whole teaspoon of makeup all over your face to get that promised SPF - but who does that? Realistically you would only use a third of a teaspoon lest your face looks like unbaked cake. You'd still get some sun protection, but it's considerably less than what's noted on the bottle.

CC creams are excellent sunscreens because they're so sheer! Or you can use an ultra light sunblock like the one from Kiehl's

If your BB cream has SPF 50 then you can skip the sunscreen. But at SPF30 you won't be getting much, so just apply your usual skincare with SPF.

To maintain your protection from the harmful rays of the sun, either retouch your BB cream with a powder containing SPF every three hours, or re-apply the BB cream. The former is more convenient. :)

Smooth the BB cream equally all over your face using your hands. Personally I like the smear the BB cream in neat lines, to make sure that I am distributing the product evenly.

Have you already done your Christmas shopping? If not, I just have one reminder: make sure that your gift is something the other person can actually use. I know, I know, it's such obvious advice! But it's easy to forget in the heat of elbowing your way through the holiday mall rush. 

If you're not a fan of big crowds and passing by several stores to get stuff for different people, you should look at these VMV Hypoallergenics Holiday Sets. There's a set for the guys, kikays, mothers, and pretty much anyone in your life! They come in a nifty box made of recycled paper and tied up with a grosgrain VMV ribbon, which means that you don't even have to bother wrapping them. ;)

Here they are, with detailed info from VMV:

My VMVery Favorite Things (P1,000.00, a Php 1,725.00 value). Seven of our greatest hits, sized for on-the-“glow” portability. From basics to powerful protection, mmmoisture to multi-tasking therapy, these popular pickings are guaranteed to keep those at the top of your list skin the pink of health all year long. 

• Re-Everything Face-Hand-Body Lotion Head-to-toe anti-aging glow! 30 mL (1 Fl Oz)
• Id Sweat Acne and Overall Anti-bacterial Gel. Our multitasker: treats bumps, disinfects, keeps skin cool, fresh + matte. 50 mL (1.69 Fl Oz).
• Armada Sport SPF 70. A wait-in-line-for-it fave for its skincredibly light feel + powerful protection. 15 g (0.53 Oz).

Don’t you just hate it when your hair goes flat like a fizzed-out soda drink? Flat hair can be caused by too much humidity, product build-up, and improper styling. Thank goodness it’s easy enough to fix! Check out these three easy steps to volumize your hair.

1. Use a clarifying shampoo to remove all traces of product build-up. That mousse, hairspray, and hair serum you love using? They don’t get completely washed away with normal shampoo! They tend to just pile up on the scalp and hair, thus weighing your locks down.  

High-end clarification: Kérastase Cristalliste Shampoo and Serum

A good clarifying shampoo can remove any lingering gunk on your hair. It can restore bounciness and shine instantly. However, it’s not meant to be used on a daily basis (two to three times a week is enough). Stick to your normal shampoo for everyday cleansing!

I saw a quote the other week that went, "If you don't build your dream, someone else will pay you to build theirs." This is true. If you love something you're probably thinking of striking it out on your own, perhaps earning money from it. But there is that ever-constant fear of failing, so instead of chasing after what you really want to do, you just end up getting paid by someone else to do it for them. It's practical, yes. Also sad at the same time.

Moral lesson: if you're gonna slave away anyway, do it to build your own empire.

So. Let's continue BB Cream Week! On the chopping block today is the Kiehl's Actively Correcting & Beautifying BB Cream (P2,200+). This is a sheer, moisturizing base with SPF 50 and broad spectrum protection. It contains Vitamin C to help rejuvenate and clear skin, as well as soften fine lines over time.

MAC's latest collection brings the holidays to a fever pitch - of the disco persuasion. (I thought about this line for one whole day, because I'll be damned if I didn't put "disco" and "fever" in my opening sentence.)

Anyway! Divine Night is MAC's flagship collection this season, dominated by rich shades of gold, bronze, plum, and pink champagne. The look is composed of a fierce darkened eye, stark contour, and a dirty plum lip - a very modern discotheque vibe. Check out the photos from the super fun launch that happened last week!

Divine ladies: Ria Bolivar, Catriona Grey, Jessica Yang, and Ella Pap

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Have BB creams gone the way of the dinosaurs? Certainly not. BB creams are here to stay no matter how many alphabet creams come after. It revolutionized the way everyday makeup should be, with its thinner texture, skin-friendly ingredients, and high SPF protection. Think about the options we had before BB creams came. This type of makeup opened up a whole dam of possibilities!

This week, I'll be talking about some of the newer BB creams I have in my kit. :) Let's begin with the best one I've tried to date: the Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF35 PA+++ (P2,000+).

Yes, you heard it right - this is my new favorite! The best thing about it is that it comes in five shades* that are yellow-toned and works best with our Asian skin. You never have to worry if your face flashes gray or beige (a chronic problem with BBs); you can easily find a perfect match! I have yet to see a locally available BB cream with a better shade selection that this one.

Texture, coverage, and finish. The Bobbi Brown BB cream has a light yet creamy texture that would suit dry to combination skin best. It has a dewy, illuminating finish that looks like second skin - a trademark characteristic of all Bobbi face bases. Coverage is sheer but can be layered up to medium. It looks really beautiful when worn!