Crazy colorful shades from Emporio Armani

These are totally insane!

Emporio Armani is celebrating 30 years in the fashion industry with this psychedelic capsule eyewear collection. They are love! So much fun to look at and, I confess, to collect! The oversize round ones are for women and the aviato-style ones are for men. Both are absolutely transparent and come in delicious colors!

These frames will feature "30 Emporio Armani" on the lens. Lest we forget how old the fashion house is. Well, 30 never looked so fun and fashionable! I want this! I want them all!

Emporio Armani is at Greenbelt 4.

Loving Stila's eye defining pens

Like the new duchess, I like eye liner. I don't have lush lashes, you see, so I rely on eyeliner to define my eyes.

image source

Unlike Catherine, I don't go overboard! Better to keep the eye liner soft since this defines the eyes without making it look smaller, which tons of eye liner tend to do. But don't get me wrong--I love Catherine! She's my hair and style idol!

Anyway, I use Stila liquid eye liner. I love it! It's so easy to use. I never make a mistake when lining my eyes and it stays put all day, despite the heat and humidity. So I got really excited when Stila announced they have new eye liners for their 2011 Fall Collection.

Here's the new Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner, P745. It glides on lids and can be applied thinly or boldly!

I love liquid eye liner because it's easy to apply. A lot of girls won't agree with me, though. Liquid means you have to be very precise, with hands that do not shake at all. But I love my Stila liquid liner because the brush point is so thin, I can draw a skinny line first then just build on it. I can do cat's eye easily!

But if you prefer gentler and mistake-proof application but just as impressive results, the Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liners, 895, are fabulous for the job. They're much more fun with lots of shimmery colors to choose from: triggerfish, lionfish, moray, bluefin, stingray, silver dollar, blue ribbon, peacock, purple tang. Personally, I like moray, which is green. Green brings out the brown of my eyes!

Stila is available at Rustan's Essenses.

Your first makeup kit: What should be in it

Mav Duran sent me this question:
I'm thinking of buying my first makeup set. What would you recommend I should buy first? I mean what are the essentials that I should be getting?

When choosing products for your first makeup kit (and forever afterwards!), there are just three things you need to know:

Set the base. 
Concealer hides a multitude of skin sins, foundation creates a smooth canvas to paint on and powder sets your foundation so that it won't melt and move around your face.

However, if you've been very good to your skin, you won't need to exhaust yourself on this first step. So the real first step is take care of your skin! Eat healthy, sleep well, have a good skincare regimen. If your skin is clear and glowing, you won't need to cover up your gorgeousness!

Add color.
Once you've set the base, the face can look flat and pale. Here's where color comes in. Color is really just needed on cheeks (for a pretty glow) and lips (for extra juiciness!). But since eyes are the oft-called windows to the soul, prettifying your peepers is a great idea.

Accentuate. 
This is simply adding structure to your face. Eyebrows must be defined, lashes curled and plumped, eyes lined  to make them pop. You can also use bronzer to contour cheekbones. These products are the dark products--blacks and browns--and are designed to ground your look.

So what do you need in your first makeup kit? Here's a basic list:
Base: concealer, foundation, powder
Color: eye shadow, blush, lipstick
Accents: eyebrow powder, mascara, eye liner

Yes, just nine products. That's the foundation of your makeup arsenal. Then once you become more confident, you can add these fun things: primer, correctors, highlighter, bronzer, lip gloss, fake lashes, and tons of various lip colors.

Here's what's in my makeup kit:
Base: La Mer concealer, La Mer foundation, La Mer powder, Lancome pressed powder, La Mer lip balm

Color: NARS blush in Orgasm, shu uemura eye shadow palette, Bobbi Brown eye and lip palette, lipsticks from Avon, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown, Revlon, L'Oreal

Accents: ModelCo eyebrow kit, Lancome mascara, Stila eyeliner, Bobbi Brown bronzer

Hope that helped, Mav!

My friend is trying out Eyliplex, supposedly the best eye cream... ever!

Okay, I got this Eyliplex eye cream recently and it's touted to be a miracle when it comes to beating dark circles, bags and fine lines. Now, I have dark eye lids (which make people think I wear eye shadow all the time) but I don't have dark circles. I don't have eye bags but I already have the crepe-y skin around the eye area.

Still! I'm not an eye cream kinda girl. A co-worker told me she started using eye cream when she was 13--her mom forced her to--and I must say she looks amazing. She looks like she always has a full 8-hour sleep even though I know for a fact that she is a very busy bee! So this eye cream business must be effective... but I just can't do it!

So Mariel, my friend and former beauty editor of Cosmo Philippines, volunteered to try Eyliplex out. I'll give you a shout out as soon as she notices a difference. Meanwhile, do you put eye cream? How often? What's the brand you use? Does it work?


*photo by Elijah Mendoza

So looking forward to the new NARS eye shadow base!

The fabulous ladies of Visions & Expressions and Shey Mazon of Rustan's invited me to a little beauty launch of something very big: the NARS 2010 Summer Collection! Now I'm a NARS user (For blush, I only use Orgasm--it's perfection!) so obviously I had to go. I was so excited that I forgot to bring my camera! So I'l have to use the press images but there was a part in the demonstration that was really unbelievably amazing and I wasn't able to take a shot to show you! Am I annoyed with myself? YES!

Anyway, Rustan's flew in NARS makeup artist Michael Hanz. He is so adorable with really fluttery eyelashes. And he's such a girlfriend! The first time he met us editors and he made us feel like we've been friends for life. So, anyway! I asked him who his favorite Hollywood clients are and he said quite bluntly, "Emily Blunt." He also added that Sarah Jessica Parker is a fan of the Multiples line, Serena Williams and Beyonce love everything, and Kim Kardashian uses Turkish Delight gloss.  

Now, while we all oohed and ahhed over the many new products (like the Orgasm Illuminator, Pure Sheer Lip Treatment, etc), what really had me AMAZED was this little tube:

Behold, the PRO-PRIME Smudge-Proof Eye Shadow Base! Michael said it best: "This won't make you breakfast but it will change the world!" And when he showed us just how, I became a believer.

I'm baaaaaack, beauties!

I haven't blogged here since forever! Beauty blogging is hard, folks. I thought it would be easy, given how many products I get as the editor of OK! Philippines. But the beauty industry is beyond huge! Every week, there's a new product launch, a new innovation, a new technology, new stuff to review... and I just can't keep up. The products and press kits have made mini-mountains at my desk at work and at home. My bosses and my husband are complaining!!!

Here are just some of the lovely boxes I've been getting from...

Olay
the new Regenerist Cream

Lancome
Magnifique perfume and body lotion 
with a tiny tube of mascara

Bobbi Brown
lip glosses and an eye shadow palette
with a personalized pot of lip color

I have a lot more. You won't believe how many more I have--boxes and crates and cabinets of this fabulous stuff! I almost posted photos of my office and my overflowing product cabinet but I got embarrassed at my mess. So I'm finally going to blog about the stuff I've been getting--for the sake of my marriage and my job!

I do want to say that the beauty industry's been pretty exciting this 2010. So many new things for primping and prettification! So do visit this blog soon as I have a lot of things to tell you about--all of them beautiful!

Guerlain's new "hormones of beauty" is the latest in anti-aging

French beauty brand Guerlain has just released a new line targeted to menopausal women. As these women know, when menopause sets in, skin loses its elasticity, firmness and density rapidly. That's because the hormone estrogen, which used to be abundant in all of us women, is now depleted with menopause. If you're one of these women, what can you do then? Well, aside from getting estrogen therapy, you can apply Guerlain's latest skincare system, Success Age Splendid.
Guerlain's research team has discovered that the magnolia plant, specifically the Magnolia Sieboldii mimics estrogen, restoring the skin's balance and structure. Tests say that 80% of their subjects reported less skin slackening, 91% believed their skin was more toned and nourished. Wow!
It's said that life begins at 40 and if you get the complete line (in gorgeous jeweled blue and gold colors), your skin will definitely feel a new beginning!

Guerlain sent me a jar of the Success Age Splendid Deep-Action Day Care Cream (thank you, lovely Luxasia ladies!!!). I'm not using it since I'm far from menopausal but the mom of OK!'s associate fashion and beauty editor Kristine Ching will try it out. Watch this space for the results!

Guerlain Success Age Splendid skincare line (Deep-Action Day Care Cream, P7,850; Deep-Action Night Care Cream, P9,950; Deep-Action Oil Serum, P8,950; Eye Tech Cream, price unavailable) is available at Rustan's Dept Stores.

Lancome sale!

Remember my rave review on Genifique? Well, this July, make sure you visit the Lancome boutique in Greenbelt 5, Makati, because there will be a big sale. I'll be dropping by. Need to get a new bottle of Eua de Bienfait Clarte 3-in-1 Cleansing and Toning Lotion for Face and Eyes. It's my makeup remover and I love it super duper!

Hmm... my blog is turning into a Lancome review site! Just so you know, I am not getting paid for any of my reviews and promotions. But when I get free stuff, I will obviously blog about them more, and Lancome has been very very generous.

The Beauty Writer

Garnier's Anti-Puff Eye Roller really works

I've been using Garnier's Anti-Puff Eye Roller for a month and I will be honest--I couldn't see any happy changes around my eyes. So I figured the thing didn't work. Then yesterday, hay fever hit me and my eyes were all seriously puffy in the morning. I looked like an insect snacked on the skin under my eyes. I rolled on the serum as usual and--I am not lying, I swear!--between the time I applied it and walked to my closet, which was a mere ten steps away, my puffy eyes were back to normal!!!

I ran back to the mirror and, well, it still looked a bit swollen but not as swollen as a minute ago. And by the time I finished dressing, I looked fine. My hay fever struck again this morning and same results--perfect!

So if you have puffy eyes from crying, sleeping late, allergy, etc, Garnier's Anti-Puff Eye Roller really works! Now my eyes aren't really the puffy kind so I'll need to look for an eye cream that addresses fine lines and crepey skin, but I'm keeping my Garnier roller on my vanity for emergencies!

The Beauty Writer

Hot Brights from The Body Shop

Look at what just arrived on my desk today--a big bag of The Body Shop's latest makeup collection called Hot Brights! The collection has Lips & Cheeks (P795) in Rose Sunrise and Coral Sand, Eye Colour (P695) in Violet Sunset and Pearly Sky, Eye Liner (P550) in Purple Haze and Sapphire Sea, and Blush (P1,195) in Pink Skyline and Bronze Horizon.

What grabbed me immediately was the Lips & Cheeks. I love the Rose Sunrise (then again, pink is my kryptonite). Makeup artist Chase Aston loves it, too, and gives these tips on how to wear it: "Smooth and blend the pink stain onto your lips and cheeks for a sheer rosy hue, and follow by adding a wash of the sheer gloss to your lips. So pretty!"

Pretty indeed! Love it, love it!
The Beauty Writer

NARS and my new Orgasm!

NARS makeup artist and West Coast Lead Trainer Dawn Stultz was here last week and I was able to have a lovely chat with her about--what else?--makeup! First, I just want to say how incredibly mesmerizing Dawn's eyes were. I have no idea what color they are. Because of the warm soft light in Rustan's Essences, her eyes kept changing color from gray to blue to a light hazel. Incredible.

So anyway, I asked Dawn what makeup essentials a woman should have in her bag. She replied that it really depends on the woman since some girls love playing up their eyes or just having powder and blotting paper or really piling it on! However, she did quip, "Stop any woman in this store right now and I bet you'll find three kinds of lip products in her purse!"

For summer, Dawn recommends simple makeup so a powder, a lip gloss and a bronzer stick are enough to take a girl from day to night. She's really in love with the NARS bronzer stick in Palm Beach. She applied some on me and I looked healthy and glowing! The trick is to apply it in the figure 3--temples, cheeks, jawline--and blend, blend, blend. You can use the bronzer on your eyes, too, and on lips then just top with gloss. Simple and easy. I like that a lot!

Oh, and not only did I get to chat with such a lovely woman, I also got to take home these lovely products! Thanks, Dawn, NARS, Rustan's Essences and Visions & Expressions!

I did buy my own blush, the phenomenal Orgasm. Dawn says that NARS Orgasm is the bestselling blush in the entire world. I believe her. All the Hollywood stars and makeup artists swear by it--it's the only blush that looks great on every skin color and tone! Dawn adds that it's almost always out of stock. I believe her, too, since I've been trying to buy Orgasm forever. Just my luck, at her interview, NARS had new stocks! I immediately bought one! Now I look so pretty. Yey!

NARS cosmetics are available at Rustan's Essences, Glorietta 4, Makati City.

The Beauty Writer

*bronzer stick image from Sephora.com

Questions on eye creams and foundations answered (kinda sorta!)

Hi to my new readers! Welcome again to my new beauty blog! Anyway, I've got a couple of requests to write about certain beauty topics:

Hope you can review eye creams in the market - Anonymous
Can you share some tips on finding the right foundation to use? Specifically what brand is the best? - Ranran

For Anonymous, off the top of my head I can guarantee that Olay Regenerist has a fantastic eye treatment--the one I used was the Eye Lifting Serum (P999). Right now, however, I'm using Garnier's Anti-Puff Eye Roller. It feels kinda weird and I miss Olay Regenerist but I'm going to give this Garnier a chance. I'll write about that in a month. Keep glued to this blog!
Ranran, to answer your question will entail an entire book! I'm kidding... Actually, it's not really about the brand; it's really about your skin. An expensive product can look awful if it's not meant for your skin tone and type. So give me time and I'll answer this in detail.
My personal pick is L'Oreal True Match Super Blendable Foundation. I use both the liquid and mineral powder foundations. I've been a fan since 2007, when my bridal makeup artist, L'Oreal Paris Chief Makeup Artist Jigs Mayuga, showed me my true match (Golden Beige) the day I wed my true match (Vince Sales)! The range of shades they have is amazing, making it easier for you to find your, er, true match! Plus, it's just below P1,000 and available at all department stores nationwide. Just throw away the brush of the mineral powder--it's scratchy and stiff.
I'll interview some beauty editors and do some research, too. Thanks!

The Beauty Writer

How to do a smoky eye according to Bobbi Brown's Sebastien Tardif

What: Launch of book Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual
Where: Mag:Net Cafe, Bonifacio High Street
When: April 24, 2009

Bobbi Brown makeup artist Sebastien Tardif shows us how to do a simple smoky eye that anyone can do.

Step 1: Prep skin. Smoky eyes are dramatic so the rest of the face should be clean.

Step 2: Groom brows. Eyebrows frame and balance the face so never forget to groom brows! Sebastian used a stiff angled brush to apply brown eyeshadow on to the brows.

Step 3: Pat a black eyeshadow gel all over the lid, but only up to the crease. Beyond that, Sebastien says you'll look like a clown!

Step 4: Choose a color. Sebastien chose blue. Pat this gently over the black shadow. The result is a shimmering deep blue that has depth. Remember you can use any color you like but I think the darker shades are best (blue, purple, green, brown).

Step 5: Trace a thin line on lower lids with a black pencil. And apply mascara to open up those peepers!

Step 6: Use a lipstick shade that is close to your natural color. Sebastien's tip: Before applying lipstick, fluff powder on the sides of your lips to prevent color from bleeding to lines (in case you have them!).

Step 7: Finish with a peach blush on the apples of cheeks.

Voila! Simple smoky eyes in 7 steps! For more makeup tips and tricks, get a copy of the Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual: For Everyone from Beginner to Pro for Php 1,235 at Bobbi Brown makeup counters and Fully Booked.

The Beauty Writer