Last Wednesday, Happy Skin launched their limited edition summer collection plus a few new permanent products. Guys, seriously - you have to check them out! The fever surrounding the brand isn't just brilliant marketing. Happy Skin has truly amazing products that are pretty affordable, and perform just as well (or even better) than high-end cosmetics. If you've tried at least one item from this local brand then you know what I'm talking about!

Anyway, here's an overview + FOTD featuring the all-new collection!

Happy Skin has added the Feeling Sculptacular Face Contour Kit (P1,199), Eye Love View Pencil & Marker Eyebrow Duo (P799), 24HR Gel Pencil Liner (P499), and the Make A Clean Sweep Makeup Cleanser (P599) to the permnanent line. The limited edition Turn Up The Heat Collection has three new Shut Up & Kiss Me Shades (P549 each and P1299 for the trio) and two Get Cheeky With Me Blushes (P699) to match. These are only available while stocks last.

The three new lipsticks are super pigmented - even more pigmented and longwearing than the first ones! That was a tough act to beat but I adore this improved formula.

Makeup for me has never been a way to cover up my insecurities. Sure I'm grateful for the fact that my imperfections are hidden, but that's just secondary to how empowered makeup makes me feel. All these colors and bases and pretty little things allow me to express myself - that is, they allow other people to see me the way I see myself. 

How do I see myself? Well, I think I'm pretty even though my facial structure isn't traditionally beautiful. I've always thought of myself as an artsy person so I love expressing that through the color combinations I wear on my face. Is this how an insecure person with low self-esteem sounds? No. I hope the people who look down on us makeup lovers understand this one day!

Moving on! Today I'd like to tell you all about the Shiseido Face Color Enhancing Trio in RD1 Apple (P1,500+). This is the second Shiseido "blush" I've tried and I can tell you, it's really different! It's much less pigmented but it makes my skin glow gently. I say "blush" because it's more of a brightener and lifting powder than a color.

It's also not available in Japan. Momoko-san, Shiseido's trainer who recently visited the Philippines, actually got a few here since she won't be able to find it when she gets back!

This compact has three colors, a light pink, sheer tan, and peach highlighter. The powder is almost matte but it somehow gives the face a glow-from-within effect.

My least favorite feeling in the world is being rushed. I mean, I deal with pressure everyday, but I have never come to like it nor to welcome it. Should I? Will liking the constant pressure improve my life? I don't think so. I know people who thrive in it (I envy them!) but I've always believed in balance. Without it I'm just a person who earns money.

Anyway, it's time for the Commenter of the Month announcement! ;) My fave reader this month is Stacie. Love how she comments on almost everything, and how honest she is about her life and feedback on products. She wins the Burt's Bees set! Congrats dear!

For the next CoM I'm giving away two Benefit kits. I have here the Do The Bright Thing Face Makeup Kit and the Bronze of Champions Kit. How cool is this? I envy whoever's gonna win! Please don't forget to like Benefit Philippines on Facebook and follow them on Instagram, alright?

Okay, same mechanics as before!

Summer is a time for wearing brighter colors and sheerer face bases. Yes, you heard it right - sheer! The thicker and heavier your base is, the more likely it is to melt noticeably under the heat. So if you're out for a few hours (or all day) everyday, stick to foundations, concealers, and powder that cover your issues juuuuuuust enough, but no more. This is the secret to looking fresh even when you sweat and oil up! 

Now one of my favorite ever concealers is the Shiseido Shiseido Natural Finish Cream Concealer. This offers heavy coverage and amazing staying power, plus the formula can be used for covering up blemishes and under eyes. There aren't many concealers that can do that! Nonetheless, I still love using sheer, brightening products on my eye bags. They appear more natural while still making my eyes look totes fresh (you'll see a pic later!).

That said, I am so happy I got a tube of the new Shiseido Sheer Eye Zone Corrector (P1,500+). This is a sheer, watery concealer that only offers light coverage yet seem to lift up my eyes with just one layer. It literally feels like nothing when worn! It also looks invisible as soon as you've blended it on. Your eyes will just look like they were lit up by ~magic~.

There are intense, opaque lipsticks, and then there is the Lime Crime Velvetine (P950 at Stuff In Style). This is easily the most ridicuslously pigmented lip product I've ever tried, even more than the OCC Lip Tar or MAC's mattes! It's so pigmented you need a makeup remover just to knock off the top layer. Then you'll need a toothbrush to remove most of the stain left over.

I've had my eye on Lime Crime for a while but was hesitant to purchase due to some of the controversies surrounding the brand. A quick Google should enlighten you. ;) But all that drama aside, this liquid lipstick is quite one-of-a-kind in terms of intensity and staying power. It feels like pure pigment just suspended in oil.

What are three beauty products that you hate running out of? Mine would be facial wash, SPF body moisturizer, and Bifesta. Seriously. My facial wash and moisturizer might change, but Bifesta is a permanent part of my beauty ritual. I love how it efficiently removes not only my makeup, but stains and dirt on pretty much anything I can wipe with cotton! Yes I use it to clean small brushes and smudged compacts too.

That's why it's my HG makeup remover and multi-purpose cleaner. I've lost count on how many bottles I've used up already, that's how much I love it. ^_^ My favorite variant is the Moist one, but the blue Sebum version is pretty good also. Go for Moist if you have dry to combi skin and Sebum if you have oily skin.

Bifesta can actually be used as a legit facial cleanser if you wear very little to no makeup. It's also super effective as a non-drying, non-alcohol toner - great for girls with skin that easily dries out. Who knew water can be so exciting?

Anyway, if you haven't tried Bifesta yet, take advantage of the brand's activities this summer. They're giving away free samples, which you can then use to join an Instagram contest! Here are the mechanics for your reference:

1. Visit the Bifesta booth during these dates, in the following locations. 

March 28 - Apr 2  SM Makati Department Store

Apr 3 - 9              Watsons Greenbelt

Apr 10 - 16          Watsons SM Mall of Asia

Apr 10 - 16          SM Cebu Department Store

May 1 - 7             Watsons SM Aura

Last Saturday I decided, on a whim, that I wanted to go on an adventure. I usually roam inside the Fort or Makati area so I thought I'd go out of my comfort zone by visiting Divisoria. It's been five years since I was last there and my, how it has changed! There are like three malls separated from each other by a mere narrow street. Everything I can think of buying is all right inside the hundreds of little shops inside the malls!

However, I didn't actually buy much. I was specifically looking for art materials but couldn't find the store. -_- Well, at least I got to take home some washi tapes and statement accessories. Everything was so cheap!

And so we come to segue time, haha. I knew it was going to be hot and muggy in Divisoria so I chose a foundation that'll protect me from the sun while staying intact in the extreme humidity. Three guesses on what it was. 

Ta-dah! Check out the Shiseido UV Protection Compact Foundation with SPF35 PA+++ (price to be updated). As you know I really love its liquid counterpart, since it stays put even when I get super oily or splash around in the beach. You also can't beat the sun protection. The powder foundation promises to be water and oil-resistant as well - does it live up to its claims? 

Here's a rundown of what I like and don't like about this foundation! 

What I love about the product

• It makes my skin look super smooth and silky. It has a matte finish but unlike other high SPF foundations this doesn't look white when worn. 
• Coverage is light to medium, but buildable to a heavy one when applied wet with the sponge.
• Staying power is awesome. I wore this for six straight hours and it didn't even fade or cake! I did get noticeably oily but only after three hours. That's a pretty good no-shine interval!
• It contains SPF35 PA+++, which is a must in foundations for the summer.  
• I didn't break out at all. I don't know how but my skin feels nice after I remove it. It actually has a cocktail of protective ingredients + hyaluronic acid.

Yup, it's Shiseido Week again! I've been debating with myself whether I should do one whole post on the brand's Spring collection, but everything deserved their own features - that's how much I like them. :) I hope you can explore with me this week as I discuss the latest products from my favorite cosmetics brand in the world!

Let me begin with the Shiseido Lacquer Gloss in Plum Wine RS306 (P1,250). This is a super shiny, balm-thin lip gloss that feels slinky and plush on my lips. It's so thin, it almost feels like a watery lip balm! It's also fairly moisturizing that I don't need to prime my lips anymore.

Texture aside, the color is just right. It's not completely opaque - it's designed to be semi-sheer - so it allows the natural color of my lips to show through. I have even-toned lips so this isn't a problem, but if you have uneven coloration then it's best to wear this on top of a lip liner or lipstick. Either way, you'll be getting a beautiful, uber glossy finish that'll make your lips look full and sexy.

"Do what you love" is perhaps the most trite advice there is for new graduates. It's ok advice but it also encourages the entitlement complex of young people! You don't deserve anything just because you love it. You have to work at it harder than you ever thought you would and you'd have to do it for little money in the beginning. Passion, however, does not guarantee success.

Bottomline: you can't be sure about anything and no one owes you jack shit just because you graduated from school. But there is someone out there who has a vested interest in your success - you. You are the only person who can truly make things happen for yourself. Don't expect anyone else to give you any breaks, because they don't have to.

That said, these are three other things I wish I knew when I graduated five years ago. 

1. Your first job should be in the field you truly want to be in. Graduates typically consider two jobs: the job they want, and the job that earns them security/ money. (Lucky if you get both!) They think, "I'm gonna take this okay-paying job first and when I've saved enough I'll go on to be a makeup artist!" Everybody's situation is different but if you're are able to pursue something without you and your family starving to death, you better go for it.

Why? Because the longer you stay in a job you dislike the harder it is to leave it. The more time you spend there, the more time you lose in gaining valuable experience and contacts in the industry you want to be in!

If you spend your first two years in a job you don't like then those two years mean zero in a completely different field of work. Of course, it doesn't all have to be a waste. Spend all your free time doing that thing you love so that when you're ready to leave, you have something to show prospective clients.

2. "Pwede na" should never be an option. When you submit your work, it has to be the culmination of your best effort. I suspect that our generation was conditioned to think that cutting corners and spending the least amount of effort on something is admirable. It's not.

Why do I draw and paint? It's a long list of reasons but it boils down to that feeling of joy of having created something from nothing. I take photos and write for this blog, but my work here is derivative. That doesn't mean it's unimportant or meaningless, but it's just not the same as making something with my hands. So I draw lines and sometimes I color them.

It also keeps me sane. I place a lot of pressure on myself to excel in what I do and be bigger, better. Sometimes, I want to escape from that. Painting for me has no agenda other than to please myself. Although, if in the future I can turn this into a commercial undertaking, then that'd be awesome too! I should know, there are few things more rewarding than earning something from doing things you love.

Buuut let's get back to makeup. I just want to share an FOTD and review of some Canmake products! Like I said in my earlier post I think Canmake cosmetics are beyond cute and offer pretty good quality for the (drugstore) price. I didn't truly understand that, however, until I wore the Canmake Glow Fleur Cheeks and Candy Wrap Lip Gloss together some weeks back.

Ta-dah! I loved this look. Even better, I did it in under ten minutes! I used a Maybelline Color Tattoo cream eyeshadow in Bad to the Bronze and then a brown Essence eyeliner. I think the cheeks and the lip gloss stole the show though. They really made my complexion look amazing!

The Canmake Glow Fleur Cheeks #5 looks like something from a toy store but this is nicely pigmented with a beautiful glowy finish. The four colors mix together perfectly to create a cotton candy pink that just melts on top of my cheeks. Such a pretty blush!

This is one of my favorite palettes because I was able to choose all the colors that went in it. INGLOT, as you know, has an excellent Freedom System for customizing different sets of products.That aside they have gorgeous colors that are far from being run-of-the-mill. I've already written about the contour powder/bronzer so this time here's a quick review of the three eyeshadows I picked up plus INGLOT's eyeshadow brush which I personally purchased.

Each eyeshadow pan is just P375 while this particular magnetic palette is P895. Not bad right? At least, compared to something like MAC. Each pan has a generous 2.7 grams of eyeshadow so it'll probably expire first before I use it up. That's an especially useful feature for makeup artists who work with lots of clients.

Pigmentation is awesome WITH primer underneath. It's not so good without, hence, always keep your fave eyeshadow base handy. The colors won't crease for at least six hours on top of a good primer.

But those details are just, well, details. My INGLOT palette is special because of the colors!

Last Sunday, I was at Samsung Hall in SM Aura giving makeovers and retouching people's makeup during the BDJ Social event. Ellana Minerals was part of it, so of course I had to be there! I also did a workshop later in the afternoon. Honestly, it was exchausting but exhilarating - i think it's my first time to ask random people if they wanted their faces done!

As you know I'm a huge fan of this local mineral makeup brand even from waaaay back. That's why I honestly forgot just how nice it is. Everyone was so amazed by how their skin looked after the Pressed Mineral Foundation + Sheer Velvet finishing powder! #PorelessPerfection is a real thing, guys. Ellana Minerals can do it for you. Swear.

The past week has been more hectic than usual. I organized and executed events for two different clients so I am just dead tired right now. I just wanna lie down and not get up until next week! I'm not saying I don't like my job, it's just that it's not always as glamorous as it might sound. It involves a lot of literal leg work and generous trading of limited social currency. 

At the end of the day, however, I live for the feeling of giving my best work to my clients and friends in the industry. 

Anyway, I thought I'd keep today's post chill by sharing with you some of the things I'm loving at the moment. I made it a point to include only items I haven't mentioned here yet! I'm probably doing a full review on them next time, but for now here are some of the reasons I pick up these beauties.

Etude House Don't Worry I'm On Your Side Lip Balm. I've actually had this since September last year and I use it ALL THE FREAKIN' TIME. Why I haven't written about it yet, I don't know. But here it is now. :P This is a moisturizing balm that leaves a pretty and long-wearing salmon pink stain on the lips. It's what I used during autumn in Tokyo because the other lippies I brought were just not hydrating enough!

Do you know how Jennifer Lopez achieved her trademark golden glow? Her makeup artist Scott Barnes would chop up sticks of the NARS Multiple in South Beach, and then mix it with her favorite La Mer moisturizer in a blender. That's a pretty cool idea! I recommend you try it too, except maybe with a less expensive cream color and moisturizer (unless you're loaded and lucky).

Anyway, the NARS Multiples are famous for their fine and uber-flattering shimmery finish, but sometimes a girl needs something understated and velvety. That's how NARS Matte Multiples (P2,250 in Rustan's) came to life. These sticks of pure color apply completely matte and come in skin-enhancing shades that would suit any skin color! 

I'm impressed by how creamy and easy to blend the formula is. The Matte Multiple also leaves quite a stain so staying power shouldn't be a problem even if you're super oily. 

During the launch, NARS International Makeup Artist Janice Daoud showed a few tricks in applying the Matte Multiples. She prefers to use her fingers to warm up the product and make it go on more smoothly. She also recommends you apply it with a wet brush or sponge to get bolder color payoff.

This product can be used on the eyes, cheeks, and lips, which make them a great purchase if you're looking for a product that can bring your face to life in just a few swipes.

Here are the swatches of all seven shades! I love Siam (a bright red orange) and Cappadoce (a neutral tan for contouring). I'll take a closer look in Rustan's one of these days!

In my sea of pretty things, the Clinique Cheek Pop (P1,550) is one that immediately stands out. Who can miss that gorgeous daisy-embossed compact? Packaging aside though, this is a good blush that's totally natural and easy to build up according to your preference. It has a silky texture that's not too hard or too soft so the design won't be ruined prematurely!

This shade is called 01 Ginger Pop, one of the four in Clinique's spring blush collection. It's a warm mid-tone ginger peach that has a satiny finish. It applies sheer but looks great after you add a few more layers. Yes, it's perfect for those who can't help but brush makeup on with a heavy hand!

One of you gals asked me how I decide on what lipstick to wear whenever I go out, considering all the colors I'm lucky to have. It's pretty easy, actually - I just put on whatever I haven't reviewed and swatched yet! As a beauty blogger I'm fortunate to have access to the latest releases so I usually get packages from brands everyday. ^_^ It's fun, but also confusing sometimes. It's difficult to keep track of what I have if I don't keep them in sight always.

Anyway, it's time for yet another giveaway! This is the third time I've held a contest like this, if I remember correctly. Just guess how many lipsticks I have currently and you'll get a chance to win some brand new colors. Simply follow Rafflecopter app below by Tweeting your guess and I'll choose the number closest to the actual number. If you guess the exact number then good for you. You're awesome.

Get to the jump to see the mechanics and prizes!

A few weeks back I finally ticked off one of the things on my Christmas wish list. I know it's really late but I was just so undecided about purchasing the NARS eyeshadow base! The reviews were all positive and awesome but I simply couldn't decide if I need yet another eyeshadow primer. I already have some favorites - why explore? How many primers could I possibly need?

But then I got some Rustan's GCs and thought what the heck, it's practically "free". Lol. It's not really free because the GCs were from a job but yeah, I didn't have to put out any cash for it which makes it easy to buy. Anyway. I'm glad I did, because this is everything everybody on the Internet promised it would be!

The NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base (P1,350 from Rustan's) is a clear primer for the lids. It's super effective in keeping eyeshadow solid and in place all day, with minimal to barely any creasing. It's also a great product under eyeliner as it keeps such waxy formulas from smudging!

The texture is kinda watery, more fluid than the Urban Decay Shadow Primer and TFSI. It's white off the doe foot applicator but it dries completely clear. Some people hate that they can't see where the primer has dried, but it's not so difficult if you work fast and cover the lid area ASAP! I see how it can be a tad difficult if you're applying makeup on someone else but you can always use a brush with this like Lisa Eldridge. 

Do you need bronzers and highlighters in your life? Frankly, no. You'd look totally great without them. But if you want to take your skin to the next glowy level then yes, these skin-enhancing products would be a great addition to your kit! You need them if you feel like your foundation and setting powder are no longer enough to make your skin look amazing.

Highlighters/illuminators help your skin look fresh by reflecting light off your face with ultra-fine shimmer. They are normally skin-toned, although some have a peachy or pink tint to them. Bronzers on the other hand are used to simulate the look of lightly tanned skin and are often used for contouring as well. Some are pink/peach-ish, which makes them fabulous blushes in their own right.

Bronzers are also a great way to bring some golden warmth to your face - that's really useful when you're looking pale and tired!

That said, I thought I'd show off some of my current favorite bronzers and highlighters. ^_^ I have five bronzers and three highlighters here that are perfect for Asian skin and can work with different budgets. Would love to know which ones you're looking to try!

A couple of years ago, one of my clients hired a woman to help out with merchandising and operations. I enjoyed working with her because she was smart and always ready to learn - she was such a huge help since the team was very small at that time. However, she quit within the month if I remember correctly. Why? Her boyfriend gave her a hard time about spending too much time working. She started missing work and he started waiting for her to come out of the office like a stalker.

It was a sad situation, and I was sorry that she didn't choose to get out of it. I know it's none of my business but I wrote a lengthy, emphatic email explaining why she shouldn't have left her job for her boyfriend. I told her, if he controls her like this when they're not yet married, imagine how he'd be like once they tie the knot!

Yes, it's none of my business, but sometimes it has to be. There are many forms of domestic violence. It's not necessarily as direct or physically obvious like a black eye - it could be a partner limiting your economic situation like preventing you from keeping a job or cutting you off from your bank accounts/cards. It could be verbal like him telling you you're stupid or incompetent all the time. It could be emotional like him stalking you via text or preventing you from seeing your friends and family. 

Not really

There are signs - except, we tend to turn the other cheek because we don't want to interfere. We don't want to be labeled "pakialamera". I believe that there are boundaries we shouldn't cross and that everybody is entitled to privacy. But there are situations when we shouldn't keep our mouths shut. I mean, if you truly care about someone, shouldn't you be proactive, say something and offer solutions to ger her out of her misery?

That's why I love Avon's global #SeeTheSigns Campaign.