Just some of the few ones I carry with me on a daily basis.

Over half a year ago, I crossed over to the other side - I became a liquid lipstick convert.

Granted, I still hold on to my favorite bullets (very, very few ones left from NARS Audacious, MAC, and Tom Ford), but I have given up (aka, destashed, given away) a huge deal of lipstick tubes that I no longer find much joy in. Yay me, I'm not a hoarder after all! Gotta slow down though, before I know it, I'm already hoarding liquid lipsticks that will expire before I get to consume them all. I'm happy to report though that for the most part of this year so far, I've been painting my lips (with liquid lipsticks, oftentimes) more than I ever did my WHOLE life.


Why cross over to the liquid lipstick side? I can think of a few very good reasons:

1. They last all day
To be honest, the main reason I've gotten cold with my lipstick bullets is my frustration with them not lasting long enough. I can hardly be bothered with reapplying lipsticks, hence I stopped using them altogether at some point. But my fascination with liquid lipsticks revived my dying amor for lip products. Beacuse, hey, some formulations DO last all day! With liquid lipsticks, I usually never have to reapply more than twice in a day. That's hard to beat, right?

2. They can survive anything
At all. Once they are on, they are really on. No worries about your lipstick budging, or worse, melting. Some stay put even after a cup of coffee and a sandwich or a regular rice meal (you might have to retouch though if you and your date are having paella negra for dinner, tee hee). I even once sat through an hour-long dental procedure wearing a bright red lipstick, and it did not move at all.

3. They are transfer-proof
Don't you just hate it when your lip lacquer transfers on pretty much everything? Lipstick marks on my cuppa coffee, on my dress' neckline when I go shopping over lunch break, heck they even leave crimson stains on my chopsticks! That, my dear friends, is very much evitable with a good wand of a liquid lipstick. Imagine, enjoying tea time with the titas ladies and proudly beaming with your cup that bears no hint at all that your Marilyn Reds were sipping on it.

4. They are richly pigmented, opaque, and many are a good matte
I don't have much patience for lipsticks that apply patchy and are lackluster in terms of pigmentation and opacity. There are some good lipstick bullets out there that do pack on rich, opaque colors in a couple of swipe. But the opacity and pigmentation of liquid lipstick, oh my golly, I'm telling you it's way up there. You know how with lipstick tubes, the first swipe is usually a shade or two lighter than when you apply some more, and then some more? That is not the case with liquid lipsticks, and it truly is impressive.

Plus, more and more brands are churning out their own versions of liquid lipsticks, and they are quite getting competitive at it! So, yay for the great big world of liquid lipsticks that is vastly expanding, with goods that are getting better each season.

Sure, not all liquid lipsticks are created equal and some formulations lie on the more crappy side of the spectrum, and there are indeed issues that go with some liquid lipsticks. But there are really, reallyyyy good ones which I will share with you with my upcoming posts.

Until then! :)

I see a lot of mischievousness and wonder right there. :)

So, my little guy turned three last Sunday.

That's three years of endless karga (carrying) and unlimited dede (breastfeeding). Three years of good mornings and good nights and bear hugs and sloppy kisses. Three years of wonder and wander. Almost three years of the most amusing and funniest of adult-like conversations with this little smarty pants. Three years of learning and growing and discovering, of fiercely and deeply loving and being loved and overflowing. Three years of laughter and headache and craziness and eternal lack of sleep. And it's all good honey, it's all gooood. And the best part is, a lot of good things, even better things, are yet to come!

Thank you Lord for our biggest blessing, thank you for entrusting him with us and for choosing us to be the parents of this little ball of wonder (and energy! LOL). On to the third! :)

Beauty loot!

Did anybody say "luxury sale," "private sale," "up to 70% off" and paired them with the words "beauty products?" Because if they did, I'm coming over. Right. Now.

That, my friends, is a true story. What more powerful words to drop to a beauty enthusiast, right?

I learned about this recent makeup, skincare, and fragrance sale through the husband. (Yep, him. I love it!) It was a hush-hush three-day sale of various beauty brands, most of which were high-end. Two things prompted me to go on the first day: 1) the first day was exclusive for cardholders of this bank we do most of our transactions with; and 2) the sale was happening right in my hood. SCORE!

And emerged broke, err, triumphant from the sale I did. Sharing with you my loot from the said private sale, and my first impressions of them:


AVEDA - ROSEMARY MINT SHAMPOO
Ahh, I got a HUUUGE (one liter!) bottle of this goody, and that will probably last me and my fine, thin, short hair for around a year. It smells just that - rosemary with mint, and I'm digging that smell! It works like a clarifying shampoo, really. It leaves my scalp clean and removes all those grime and residue. I'm also happy to report my hair has seen better volume and less frizz because of this shampoo.

AVEDA - PURE ABUNDANCE VOLUMIZING CLAY CONDITIONER
THIS. Thank God I got this in that generous sale, as I would probably never thought of shelling out such exorbitant amount for a mere conditioner. But let me just shriek with excitement as I share this -- THIS WORKS! This works as promised, Hallelujah! It is indeed VERY volumizing. I've never seen my hair in such vava-voom state without being professionally blown-dry in the salon. I'm so glad I got two squeeze tubes of this! I'm definitely stalking the next sale that includes Aveda, and I will stock up on this, for sure!

AVEDA - TOURMALINE CHARGED EXFOLIATING CLEANSER
I've only used this a couple of times as of press time, and I am loving it so far. It reminds me of my favorite facial wash, Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore cleanser, but this one smells a whole let better. It smells earthy yet minty, something you will probably encounter in a posh spa. I'm excited to see if this turns out, in the long term, to be just as good as my favorite Kiehl's wash.

DIOR - NAIL LACQUER IN PIED-DE-POULE (206) AND SUNKISSED (239)
Another very sulit (worth it) purchase, as it turned out. Dior nail lacquers' brush are thick and perfectly cover the entire width of my pinky nail in a single stroke. It applies very smoothly, not the least bit streaky. It delivers a very opaque finish in a single or two coats, and it dries relatively faster than the other mid-range lacquers I've tried. At last, self-manicures won't be such a pain in the arse anymore! This is really such a steal at P350 each. My only regret is I didn't get a bottle each of every color.

Gorgeous neutrals, they are!

SLEEK - MATTE ME IN BIRTHDAY SUIT
This is my first purchase from the brand. These are not exactly high-end, but it was discounted nonetheless. I'm currently on a liquid lipstick addiction and experimentation stage, and for P350, why not explore another brand, right? Birthday Suit turns out to be such a pretty, pretty neutral color and it compliments my skin tone, so yay!

BENEFIT - ROLLER LASH
I was really on the lookout for a knockout mascara, and I remember reading some good stuff about this, so off it went to my basket. I've only used it a couple of times and I'm already quite happy with it.

REPETTO SILK SCARF
I'm a sucker for silk scarves. This will probably go with my handbag, or I'll probably even wear it as a choker. It's actually quite nice, and silk is lurve. :)

-----

These totaled to a little over P5000 (USD 107). Ouch. Quite painful to the pocket, but had I bought these at full SRP, it would have cost me at least three times more. Ulk, NO WAY. So all in all, I'd say it was still a very sulit purchase and that I did benefit from the huge price slashes. I happened to love the products I bought, so it's a double win. :)

Now.. when and where is the next beauty sale? :D

A peek at my little beauty corner in our bathroom in Bellevue.

I have a confession to make. I don't know how to pack light for a holiday or a mere weekend staycation. I just cannot; not even to gain an appreciative "good job for bringing only THAT!" from the husband, the ever-efficient packer. (THAT = what, just 3 pieces of toiletries? Hah! I cannot.) Granted, I am reasonable enough NOT to stick to my usual 11-step nighttime skincare routine whenever on a holiday. But still, a girl has to have her non-negotiable beauty stuff even when away from home.

For our recent holiday in Bohol, I lugged around a kilo or two of non-negotiables, namely:

SUNBLOCK
What beach holiday is complete without sunblock? I brought FOUR types of sunblock for this trip (and another one for my kid). I usually have a dedicated sunblock for the face, another for the body.

In case you wonder why I have four - I brought one of my usual daily sunblock for the face, which I usually wear under my makeup, plus another waterproof version. I also brought two sunblock for the body, one was spray type, and the other was lotion type.

BODY WASH
I'm quite picky with my body wash, so yes, I always have one with me, in case I don't like what the hotel or resort provides.

CONDITIONER
I can get away with NOT bringing shampoo, after all, my husband always has one in our kit and I can very well use that in case the hotel or resort's shampoo is a big fail. But conditioners, on the other hand, are a different matter. I just have to have a fool-proof one with me.

CLEANSING BALM
I do not wear makeup on the beach, that I guarantee you. But I flew in wearing makeup, so a cleansing balm gotta go with that. And oh, sunblock. The only way to really scrub off waterproof sunblock from your face is through double cleansing, and that's another reason to bring a cleansing balm to a beach holiday.

FACIAL WASH
Oh yes, yes, yes. Definitely! I even brought two types of facial wash - one gentle and another micro-exfoliating. Five days is too long to stick to just a gentle facial wash. Hee hee.

TONER
I can probably live a day without a toner, but five days? Nah.

Yes, they usually go everywhere with me. :D

MOISTURIZER
My (very oily) skin acts up and gets all the more oily - make it grimy and grubby - once I skip my moisturizer. So this is another staple in my weekend bag. Heck, it's even a staple in my daily handbag.

EYE CREAM
I'm quite late in the eye cream game, and it is very apparent every time I brush off my eye cream, even just for a little while, so this goes into my bag as well. And besides, it's just a teeny weeny beauty product, so why not.

DRY OIL/LOTION
Beach and pools and the sun, as much as I love them, leave my skin parched. I have learned my lesson, so now I am always armed with a hydrating lotion or dry oil.

DRY SHAMPOO
My scalp can get too oily, my hair too limp upon waking up. Good thing I have discovered the magic of dry shampoo a while back. Lingering in brunch buffets are a lot more comfortable now, without my hair sticking together and looking like they are screaming for a wash.

LIP BALM
The sun, sand, salt, and chlorine usually wreak havoc on my lips. I apply a moisturizing and restoring lip balm as often as I can.
DEODORANT
Of course! Non-negotiable forever, even for just a sleepover.

COLOGNE/LIGHT PERFUME
Because a spritz or two while on a beach holiday is NOT an overkill IF (and only if) your eau de cologne or parfum is light, fresh, and not cloying. Think of a light, breezy daytime scent, and it will probably compliment your holiday vibe. Just remember not to overdo it; just a spritz or two, honey. :)

_____

Neither in photo nor on the list are my usual makeup kit and my brush cleanser, but it's a given that I always lug them around with me. "Makeup staples while on a holiday" do warrant it's own post, doesn't it? :)

So there you go. My travel slash staycation beauty kit's staples change depending on where I'm going and the length of my stay, and never on our baggage's maximum weight limit nor space deficiencies. Haha!

What are your holiday beauty staples? :)

Makeup brushes review time again! :) Here's the second part of my Zoeva review series, and this time we will focus on the eye brushes. (You may read about the first part, all about face brushes HERE.)

I used to think a single brush -- or fine, a couple of brushes -- would be enough do an eye job. An eye makeup job, that is. It still holds true, and indeed, in some instances, a brush or two may be all you need to create a basic eye makeup look. But that was before I became initiated, and before I had crossed over from the dark side. Now I am a big brush person, and now I know that two seemingly similar-looking brush may actually work very differently and may or may not satisfactorily accomplish the task you had hoped it would do. Poorly blended eyeshadows and racoon eyes, anyone?

My little collection of Zoeva eye brushes so far

Here's a rundown of my Zoeva eye makeup brushes. I am still eyeing a few more that are currently (perpetually, rather)out of stock, but for now, I am happy with these:

THE SHADER/ APPLICATOR BRUSHES

Let's start with the shader brushes as in the proper order of a properly madeup peepers, they do come first.

Them shader and applicator brushes

224 LUXE CLASSIC SHADER
Eight letters: MUST HAVE. I'm not kidding, ladies! A good, classic shader brush is one of the very first steps when venturing into eyeshadow world. You just have to have a good one. And this is THAT brush! It's a no-fuss brush yet it works like a pro, so I reckon beginners and pro MUAs alike would probably enjoy using this shader brush.

It is flat, paddle-shaped, the bristles are kind of compact, and unbelievably soft. It picks just the right amount of pigment and applies very evenly. It's neither too big nor too small; a few pats is all you need to cover the eyelids. It works just as decent in the smokey eye department as well. If I can only have just a single shader brush (ouch, what a painful thought), I would definitely pick this.

These two look similar; but 227 is a blending brush.

230 LUXE PENCIL
The bristles of this brush are short, compact, tapered. Perfect for putting on contour shade, for defining the crease or the outer V. This gives me a lot of room for control, which is very important, as this brush always deals with the darkest eyeshadow color. If you are upping your eyeshadow game and moving on to more detailed and complicated eyeworks, you definitely need a pencil brush such as this.

231 LUXE CREASE
Good thing I am allowed to have as many shader brushes as I can; I need a crease brush (and at least a dozen others more) after all. This is my powerhouse brush for creasework. It applies crease color evenly, even doing some bit of blending job while at it. Bristles are soft as usual, and all in all, a very reliable brush.

My 231 is the petite version; I remember this came along as a freebie when I ordered a few other Zoeva brushes. The only difference between this and the full-sized version is the length of the handle. This is a bit shorter, but very much full-sized when it comes to the bristles and their efficiency. How generous, right? I really would have bought this anyway, but thank you Zoeva!

THE BLENDING BRUSHES

Yes, you need a blending brush, unless you want to end up looking like a racoon or something who plastered on an entire pan of eyeshadow on her eyelids.

Blend, blend, blend! A very important step, really.

224 LUXE DEFINED CREASE
I read a lot that this is perfect for hooded eyes; rumor has it that it can magically create the illusion of a crease where there is none. My eyes are anything but hooded, so I cannot vouch for that. It's a light, soft, fluffy (non-dense) blending brush. To be honest, I have yet to maximize this brush since I do prefer denser blending brushes. For now, I use it to lighly swish and blend my highlight color.

225 LUXE EYE BLENDER
Now, this is the part I get very, very excited to be talking about blending jobs and blending brushes. This is one of my most recently acquired brushes, mainly because this has been out of stock for the longest time. And understandably so -- this is probably the best blending brush among all its Zoeva sisters!

This is dome-shaped, very similar to the luxe crease brush except it's fluffier and denser. It's density and texture are just perfect for blending, especially the crease. And that's very important, since I'm also referring to blending the base + the crease and the highlight + the crease to achieve a clean, well-blended look. It makes the blending job a lot easier and faster. Plus, it's unbelievably soft and it makes blending a dream! This one is definitely a must-have.

The 231 luxe crease (above) and 225 luxe eye blender (below) look similar, don't they?

227 LUXE SOFT DEFINER
This brush is flat at the bottom, with a wider-than-base dome-shaped edge. It looks more like the bigger, fluffier sister of the classic shader. Except that this is no shader brush, but a blending brush rather. This brush blurs out harsh lines and polishes the overall eye makeup.

This used to be my lone blending superstar; it used to be way up there, shining alone. And then the 225 eye blender brush came along -- the two shared that spot, and soon enough, the latter outshone the 227 from then on. That is NOT to say that this brush is not good, though. It's a pretty efficient brush, and pitted against other 'superstar' blending brushes, I would say this has a good fighting chance.

Above: 227 luxe soft definer and below: 225 luxe eye blender.

A closer look. Luxe soft definer is a lot more fluffy and diffused.

I use this in tandem with the 225 eye blender, either before or after the "power blending" part done by 225 for an extra polished look. I also use it mainly for lightly applying AND blending my highlight shadow. You see, it has it's own niche and eliminating it from my daily brush set is out of the picture.

THE EYEBROW AND EYELINER BRUSHES

And of course, you can't just apply and blend eyeshadows and step out, ready to greet the day. You definitely need eyebrow and eyeliner brushes to complete your eye makeup, girl.

The eyebrow and eyeliner brushes.

310 SPOT LINER
This is the tiniest brush I have ever seen! The tip of this brush is flat as your cup of coffee, unbelievably small and short, and very stiff. It creates ultra precise lines, and is perfect for tightlining and working with gel eyeliners. It works just as fine with powder products - for lining your lashline with, or for doing elaborate eye work. I can imagine it doing great in outlining a winged or flicked liner, too.

But it does take some getting used to, especially if you have not trudged down the 'tiniest and stiffest brush' alley yet. I prefer my eyeliner just a little bit thicker, so I usually favor other brushes for that purpose.

316 CLASSIC LINER
Ahh, when they say classic, Zoeva really means classic. And I love them all the more for that! This brush has long, thin, and fine pointed bristles. Works very well with gel eyeliners and glides on very smoothly. I do wish it were just a little bit more stiff to lessen the blending and flipping while applying some gel liner.

Here's a closer look.

317 WING LINER
This is the newest addition to my Zoeva brushes, and I gotta say -- where have you been all my eyeshadow-obssessing days?! Yes, I use this mainly to apply brow gel, and it does a really suave job. This brush is small, very thin, with a steep angle, and just exactly how I prefer my eyeshadow brushes. I can easily shape my brows using this. Create HD brows, or come up with subtle brows, this brush could very well do either.

But do take note, that this is mainly an eyeliner brush, and more specifically designed for creating that feline flick. I have used this for that purpose, as well. It glides on smoothly, creates a clean line, and is very competent in the cateye department. Big, big thumbs up for this brush!

318 SOFT PAINT LINER
Zoeva describes this as angled multi-purpose brush -- suited for both eyeliner and eyebrow, and can be used with gel, liquid, and even powder products. This is a little bit bigger and noticeably thicker than the 317.

Left: 318 soft paint liner vs. right: 317 winged liner.

This too has some good reviews online, but I prefer the 317 wing liner as its thickness and size make for an ultra precise and easily controllable application. However, I can imagine this as a better brush for powder products as it is a lot softer compared with the stiff 317.

Above is softer and thicker; below is thinner and stiffer.

------

MY TOP EYE BRUSH PICKS

If you would like to try Zoeva's eye brushes and are wondering which among the multitudes of brush to pick, I suggest you start with a shader brush, a crease brush, a blending brush, and an eyeliner/eyebrow brush. Do try the 224 classic shader brush, 231 luxe crease brush, 225 luxe blending brush, and 317 wing liner brush. Throw in a pencil brush (230 luxe pencil) and you are good to go and fully armed to tackle on more elaborate eye works. :) Enjoy! :)

Here's a snapshot of our awesome resort, from their website over here

Hello there! Let's take a quick break from makeup and skincare posts and talk about something just as delightful - travels, beaches, and vacations!

My little family and I recently came from a long-ish vacation in a quaint little island down south called Panglao in Bohol. That island boasts of sunny white-sand beaches and other wonderful creations of Mother Nature; plus of course, the usual warm Filipino hospitality that's especially warmer in the countryside.

It was actually a sporty event for the husband, who's birthday was in the middle of our holiday, so you can say it's also a birthday getaway. (I love birthday getaways!) The husband's main affair in the island was Giro d' Luca, a cycling event now on its third year, where participants bike a total of 500 kilometers across different towns in Bohol for three days. I would have thought that sounded crazy, but as I once was (and still am, albeit being dormant) a part of the triathlon community, I'd say it sounds like an attractive painfest. :)

Meanwhile, my and my little guy as well as my sister's main agendum was, of course, the beach, beach, beach! My little guy is turning out to be such a water and beach baby and we thoroughly enjoyed the island! If he could have his way and stay out playing in the sun and the sand all day, he probably would.

We stayed at the Bellevue Resort and it was a pleasant and relaxing home away from home. It is quiet, away from the more lively and touristy part of Panglao which is Alona Beach, and for all our intents and purposes for the trip, that was just perfect.

Do take note that there are A LOT of activities to do and touristy spots to visit in Bohol, but we stayed most of the time in our hotel and just lounged, swam, and ate to our heart's content. Eat, swim, sleep, eat, swim, repeat! Sounds like a perfect R&R, right? :)

It is not my first time in Bohol, and probably won't be the last. Let me share some of my snapshots from our marvelous beachy holiday. Have a great weekend ahead, dearies! :)

That little guy in his jammies was negotiating to swim first instead of having breakfast. So hilarious!

Picturesque!

Some serious beach-loving going on here.

Reflections on a low tide.

And another

Til the next marvelous sunset, Bohol! :)

I used to kind of dread going to our office' ladies' room to do or retouch my makeup, and for one simple reason - my daily makeup brush kit usually invites a lot of curious (sometimes, incredulous) stares and it makes me a little bit uneasy. Someone once hovered while I was touching up and she nitpicked on my brushes. "Whoa! That's waaay too many brushes; do you need all those?! Those little brushes all look the same!" Uhmm, yes I need all those, and nope, no two brushes here are the same, my dear. Hah, to think my daily office kit actually contains only a little over half of what I need for a full-on makeup!

Excuse me, let me just whip out my brush roll for a minor touching up. LOL.

Fears of being misjudged as overly vain aside (ha ha!), I carry on with my brush roll and brushes. I do love AND need my makeup brushes. They are all necessary tools, and I liken them to my fairy godmother's magic wands, beautifying us ladies with every stroke, pat, and swirl.

And today, let me share with you my current favorite brush brand, the superstar among the tools in my makeup arsenal -- ZOEVA!

I discovered Zoeva over a year ago, in my hunt for high-quality brushes that won't break the bank. I found Zoeva, again through "thorough research" (haha! my background is mainly comm and research, after all), and I never looked back. I also never stopped raving about Zoeva since then. I started building my Zoeva collection at a time when no one among my friends have heard about Zoeva, at a time when only one or two posts about the brand exist in various online fora. I relentlessly raved and shared my thoughts on Zoeva, and have convinced some friends to give the brand a try. I am happy to report they were happy with their Zoeva, too. :)

All Zoeva.

Zoeva is a German professional makeup and tools brand, with a company identity and tagline that I really like - "Color. Love. Makeup." Their brushes do not aim to be a dupe of something that already has a loyal following, such as MAC. And rightfully so, for they are carving their own niche in the makeup industry. I find them passionate, dedicated to their vision, and sincere to their clientele in giving the best bang for our buck.

So on to the main meat of this post, a review of the Zoeva makeup brushes that I own. I have about twenty now from Zoeva alone (and double that number from other brands). Let me start with the face brushes:

FOUNDATION BRUSHES: 104 BUFFER, 125 STIPPLING

Two foundation brushes

104 BUFFER
This is one of those brushes my kit is never without. I use this brush every single day. I use it to apply foundation, to buff foundation applied by my fingers, to blend foundation or other base (like tinted moisturizer) applied any other way. Foundation is fundamental in one's overall makeup, and I don't know where I'll be without this foundation brush.

It paints a smooth, silky, and very well-blended canvas. No caking whatsoever. I can achieve a "no makeup makeup" or barely-there makeup even with a full coverage foundation, thanks to this brush. I know, it's magic! This brush' softness is unbelievable, considering it is made of vegan bristles. It is very dense, yet washes and dries fairly quickly. I highly recommend if you prefer using a brush to apply your base products.

Side by side: stippling and buffer brush

125 STIPPLING
I have used two other stippling brushes and hated them. They were too prickly and hurt my face. You bet I waited with bated breath for this brush to be delivered, and used it right away to check if it is nearly as prickly. Thank heavens, it's not!

I don't use this brush as often as my buffer brush (because, 104 is HG!), but for a stippling brush, the 125 does deliver. I discovered it to be multi-purpose, too. It is not only good for stippling foundation, it applies and blends cream products like cream brush and cream illuminator like a dream!

A closer look

BLUSH BRUSHES: 126 LUXE CHEEK FINISH, 127 LUXE SHEER CHEEK

126 SHEER CHEEK
This is one of my newest Zoeva acquisitions. It's a bit of a multi-purpose brush -- you can use it to apply blush, highlighter, bronzer, or even to powder your face. It is dome-shaped, and looks like one of those Tom Ford brushes I'm eyeing. I use it mainly for blending, or for putting on a little bit of highlighter on the high points of my cheek bones when I'm yearning for a subtle, diffused effect. It also rates high in terms of its bristles' softness. As I just recently got this and am still exploring this brush, I'll be happy to report back to you how it fares with further use. :)

126 Sheer Cheek, One of the newest muses in my collection

127 LUXE SHEER CHEEK
Now, this is one brush I am never applying my makeup without. It picks just the right amount of product, not too much nor too little pigment. It is an angled blush brush, and I can vouch for its precision application if that's what you wanted.

I just love the size and shape of this brush!

I've read that some ladies use this for contouring. I would have used this for contouring too if I didn't have THE power contour brush from Zoeva (hint, hint! next brush!). And oh, it blends blush like a pro, too! Did I say this brush' bristles are soft? Too soft actually; I just love running it over my face! I highly recommend this if you are on the lookout for a good blush brush.

So pretty, aren't they? :)

CONTOUR AND HIGHLIGHT BRUSH: 109 LUXE FACE PAINT, 114 LUXE FACE FOCUS

109 LUXE FACE PAINT
Where have you been hiding all my heavier years, luxe face paint brush?! This is seriously one of my best makeup tools, ever. Contouring daily may sound like too much an effort, but this brush over here makes it possible. I just gently swipe and tap from near the top of my ear, down to my cheekbones, blend a little using the other side of the brush, and voila, my face looks like I lost 8 lbs in an instant! It picks up just the right amount of pigment and applies smoothly, never streaky. It is adequately-sized; neither too small nor too big. And as usual, Zoeva does not disappoint when it comes to the bristles' softness.

This pair can do magic, trust me. :)

This brush can achieve everything from a sharp and chiseled face to barely-there soft contour. Of course, just make sure you blend blend blend as you wouldn't want to look like a zebra with two stripes, would you? :) Overall, I highly recommend this brush if you are a contouring enthusiast like I am.

114 LUXE FACE FOCUS
It does two things: apply highlighter and set my under eyes with powder. Oh, I've also used it a few times to line my nose, though I admit I have to master that trick with this brush yet. It's not as soft as, say the two blush brushes I reviewed above, but it's not that scratchy either. If you can't seem to find a brush for your under eyes, this brush over here is the guy for that job.

C'mon let's highlight them cheekbones. :)

CONCEALER BRUSH: 142 CONCEALER BUFFER
I have never used a concealer. Until recently, that is. Other than the color correcting and concealer/ derma wheel that we used in the pro makeup course that I recently took, my only experience with concealer is care of this relatively new Nars creamy radiant concealer. It has a wand, so application is easy peasy. But the concealer step does not end with the wand -- I NEED a concealer buffer to blend the product. And this is where the concealer buffer comes in. Pretty handy, this little nifty brush. It is made of vegan bristles, and is unbelievably soft. Just the way I require any brush that touches my under eyes; rough and prickly brushes have no spot in those delicate areas, unless, ugh, you welcome some pre-mature wrinkles.

This vegan brush is unbelievably soft.

FINISHING POWDER BRUSH: 101 LUXE FACE DEFINER
This brush is the queen of Zoeva softness! When it was newer, I never seemed to stop running it all over my face. LOL. Think of soft cashmere and fur, that's the kind of softness it boasts. I love it's unique tapered shape, which (according to reviews I've read) makes it good for highlighting, bronzing, and contouring, as they say. It's dense yet a little bit fluffy. Personally, this brush' sole purpose in my kit is for applying both loose and pressed finishing powder (or the more luminous Guerlain meteorite pearls, or some Hourglass ambient lighting powder) all over. It reaches all nooks and cranny, including the sides of my nose. This incredibly soft brush is perfect for touch ups, too!

This brush is one of the queens among them :)

-----

MY TOP FACE BRUSH PICKS
OVERALL, these brushes are worth every single penny. They do not shed, and they can be washed and dried pretty quickly. And oh, as you can see in my photos, so long as you know how to take care of them, the white bristles remain immaculately white even after a long time of use! If you are curious about the brand and would like to give the brushes a try, I recommend my top four face brushes that you can probably start with: the 104 buffer brush, 126 luxe sheer cheek, 114 luxe face focus, and of course, the 101 luxe face definer. :)

-----

There you have it, a review of the Zoeva face brushes that I own so far. Can you guess how much I love these brushes already? ;) Coming right up, the second part of this Zoeva review series -- the EYE BRUSHES. *Giddy giddy giddy* I have more Zoeva eye brushes than face brushes, so stay tuned! :)

Hola! I'm taking a break from monitoring the national elections, which I admit, has been taking a lot of my energy the past few days. So, on to something lighter and happier: beauty and skincare talks! :)

I mentioned in my ultimate skincare regimen post HERE that acid toners have rebirthed my skin twice over, and I would love to share more about THAT Holy Grail find. Those unassuming, yet very much "pro-looking" bottles have piqued quite some interest. And here I am, dying to share this wonderful product with you all.

Everyone, meet this revolutionary multi-purpose miracle in a bottle, no other than Biologique Recherche's Lotion P50!

Biologique Recherché Lotion P50 T and Lotion P50

What is THIS thing? Lotion P50 is a revered, cult-favorite acid toner from the French brand, Biologique Recherche. (Don't you like how it rolled in your tongue? I love it!) It's usually referred to as miracle in a bottle, ba-Jeezas in a bottle, liquid gold, holy grail slash best skincare product of all time. And I'm not even exaggerating; just do a quick online search and see for yourself. It's way up there.

I stumbled into this wonder some time last year. I started getting borderline-obsessed just reading about it; but my yearning for it soon waned as the only way to purchase it then was either in Europe or U.S., and you know how hefty the shipping fee goes from there to sunny Manila. That, plus the product itself comes with a hefty price tag.

But it remained in my wish list. Why not when it's much raved, and Biologique Recherché promises that the Lotion P50, a balancing exfoliator, "speeds up the epidermis' natural exfoliating process and the reconstruction of the epidermal shield. The fortified epidermis can then fulfill its protective functions completely, enhancing skin's self-regeneration potential. It gently exfoliates the skin, regulates excessive sebum secretion, moisturizes and helps maintain the epidermis' acid pH."

Hold on tight. We're just about to get intense. :)

It contains acids, and although acids + face may sound like a scary combo - but (surprise, surprise!) acids, when used correctly, are actually good stuff for our face. They resurface and rebuild our skin, stimulate better collagen production, they hydrate and balance moisture. (You can guess that I am now quite big on acids.)

So that sounds like a lot of good stuff for the skin, riiight? The only thing keeping me from getting my hands on it were accessibility and exorbitant shipping fees.

And then something good and something big happened last year. Biologique Recherche launched in Manila. Such great timing that I was going through a terrible dull skin phase then! I was dying to find a product that would bring my skin back from the dead revive my dull, oily yet dehydrated face. And so off I dove into the Lotion P50 territory.

And the verdict..

AND DID IT DELIVER?

I'm happy to report that oh yes, yes, it did! It probably even over-delivered! You see, my whole life, I was convinced that toners were not supposed to bring my skin any visible effects. I had come to a conclusion that the whole you-must-use-a-toner mentality was a big marketing lie. (But mind you, I subscribed to it anyway. A girl can hope and dream of having better skin. Hah!)

I've never been happier to have debunked my own theory! Friends, I am ecstatic to report that this is the first toner that actually made a difference in my skin. A very good difference. My skin is visibly brighter, softer and more even toned, my pores look smaller, my blackheads are significantly minimized. Granted, it is still oily, but it has improved a lot that I don't consider it as greasy and 'madungis'-looking as before. It actually has some glow to it. :) Let me make a confession -- I love looking and touching my skin when it's freshly washed and toned. That's something I don't recall happening before, or probably I was just not that much into vanity loving my own skin then. :)

This is the version that's exclusively available in Edsa Shangri-La's Chi Spa

And here's an even more amazing report -- it did not take forever to see those results. My skin was revived in just a matter of a few weeks! No, it was not just revived, it was REBIRTHED. The benefits redound to my entire skincare arsenal -- serum, moisturizer and cream are now better absorbed by my skin. It's as if it activated and super-charged all my other face products that seemed to be dozing off and not giving me all the benefits they promised to deliver. Aha, so that was the secret to maximizing your creams, moisturizers, serum, and other beauty arsenal - to pair it with a powerhouse acid toner!

So while it may be expensive - it really is - I take into account the fact that I had never come across a toner that did anything for me, so if you do the math, I had actually spent more money on crap than I did on Lotion P50. Plus, it made all my facial arsenal work more efficiently, so that's double win, double yay, and more value for my hard-earned money.

And this is the one I bought from the U.S.

Lotion P50 has set the bar so high I'm afraid I won't find a better product in its category. But a real beauty junkie does not stop being curious and open to what the vast beauty world can offer her, so yes I am open to trying out similar products. I actually have just started testing another much-raved acid toner that promises to bring out the glow in us, ladies. (Of course, while keeping a spare bottle of Lotion P50, you know, just in case.)

I haven't since repurchased Lotion P50 locally (it is exclusively available in Edsa Shangri-La's Chi Spa) because I find it just a little bit cheaper overall if I buy and have it shipped from the U.S. Plus, the U.S. spa which I order it from is pretty generous in giving away samples of the brand's other wonderful skincare products, something that they don't give away here.

OVERALL, I say it's worth every single penny and I cannot live without it!

Forever a staple in my beauty arsenal. :)

TIPS FOR FIRST-TIME USERS:

• Go easy if you are a first-time user, most especially if you are new to acids. The Biologique Recherche aestheticians that I was in touch with recommend using it twice or thrice a week first, with a wet cotton pad. Gradually increase the frequency of use. After a week or two, you may use a dry cotton pad.
• Try to get past the strong vinegar-ish smell. I've read somewhere that not adding fragrance to mask it's raw, vinegar-ish smell makes the product a lot more effective. I've gotten used to it and hey, it's not bad, really. :)
• Use it right after cleansing your skin. Of course, I recommend double cleansing if you are using makeup and sunblock. :)
• Use sunblock. Everyday. Acids resurface the skin and if you don't wear any SPF, you are prone to sun damage. But really, sunblock is highly advised with or without acid toners. :)
• Note: Lotion P50 has different formulations. The original formulation back in 1970 contains phenol but it is only sold in the U.S. now. They have since reformulated and have further improved the product. Now there's the plain P50, P50V and P50W too. Only one version is available in the Philippines, Lotion P50T, supposedly milder and reformulated to suit the needs of Asian skin.

Brace yourselves, this is a rather engaging and peppered-with-details read. I just cannot proceed with my new foray into beauty blogging without letting this very important cat out of the bag. :)

Let me be transparent about one thing: I LOVE skincare. I am one huge skincare geek freak. As much as I love putting on makeup during the day, I look forward to removing them all at night to usher in a ritual of cleansing, nourishing, and pampering my skin with heavenly goodies.

Heavenly goodies, yes!

Slathering skincare is one of my favorite me times. The rich tactile and olfactory experience during my quiet moment in the bathroom is a much-needed luxury for me these days. Oops, I just remember I am a mom with a little clingy toddler who goes with me everywhere I go, so scrap that quiet me time. But I do indulge and luxuriate in my creams even with a noisy and curious toddler hovering and shadowing me.

Sticking to a skincare regimen is like performing a familiar ritual. It involves steps -- probably seeming too much and too tedious to someone who is not as hooked into skincare as I am. (Don't judge me, pretty please?) But trust me, it is scientific! Every step and product in my routine has a specific purpose. My (oily, greasy) skin is definitely far from being perfect, but I can say it is looking rather fine, perhaps even in it's "best state ever!" than at any point in the past few years!

</

Just some of the goodies I currently use. :)

My 11-step nighttime skincare routine consists of:

1. Double cleansing - First cleanse, the surface cleanse
Are you wearing makeup? Yes, even "just a light dab of powder foundation" classifies as makeup. Are you wearing sunblock? If you are, you better double cleanse, girly! And if not, well maybe it's time you start wearing sunblock on a daily basis. :)

Double cleansing is a two-step cleansing process wherein balms, oils, an the like are used to remove makeup, grease, and other surface grime, followed by a more hardworking cleanser. I know it sounds tedious, but really, what is an extra two minutes of massaging in some cleansing balm (it's quite relaxing) and rinsing if it translates to soft and smooth skin, reyyyt? :)

2. Double cleansing - Second cleanse, the deep cleanse
The first cleanse is only meant to "wipe" off the surface dirt, and not exactly deep cleanse. And this is where the second cleanse comes in. I do my second cleanse as soon as I take off all my makeup, sunblock, and invisible tons of dirt and city grime (did that gross you out? it should! LOL) sitting on top of it. Ahh, I can always hear my skin singing thank yous to me as soon as I'm done with my deep cleanse.

Some cleansers on rotation.

3. Micro-exfoliating cleanser (Twice a week, as a second cleanse)
Two times a week, I switch my usual gentle cleanser with a more potent micro-exfoliating cleanser. Don't worry, it's gentle enough to be used twice or thrice a week. A micro-exfoliating cleanser gets rid of all the dead skin cells (that need to be sloughed off, anyway) and encourages faster skin regeneration. I'm not referring to physical exfoliators here with all those rough particles, but more of chemical exfoliators like AHA and BHAs, some heroic acids I'm going to touch on later.

4. Facial mask (Twice a week, as an additional step)
I love facial masks! Most skincare brands have at least one. They come in various texture, color, smell, and purpose. As of the moment, I am drawn to facial masks that suppposedly purge all the clogging in them pores. I do feel the difference, as I am no longer as prone to blackheads as before. Although of course, it's not just because of the mask itself. Which leads me to my next step.

Cleanse, cleanse, cleanse!

5. Acid toner
Ever feel like your toner is not doing anything beneficial to your skin at all? You know, that hunch that toning is absolutely an unnecessary step, and yet you keep at it while clinging to the glimmer of hope that someday, maybe someday, you will feel the difference and see the results? Only to be broken hearted? I have been there. At some point, I got so frustrated and skipped the toner altogether. I was in for the biggest turning point in my beauty junkie life.

As it turns out, I have been using the wrong toners all this time. I found my HG toner, a balancing acid toner infused with potent yet gentle BHAs like glycolic acid. And my life has never been the same!

I swear, my skin has been rebirthed twice over since I got hooked with acid toners. With the right toner, serums, creams, and moisturizers are able to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin. And wouldn't you want that, instead of letting them just sit idly on top? :) Be warned, though - if you have virgin skin, aka never used any form of acid or exfoliator before, you might want to acclimatize and go easy on 'em first.

HG status. You can say I'm addicted to these acids. LOL

6. Serum
I've come at a point in my life where basic moisturizers just don't cut it anymore for me. I just have to have serums. Serums are hard workers, toiling the night away (so to speak) and doing the quiet, hard work. Because of their form, they are easily absorbed by our skin. They are generally more pricey than moisturizers but they do target specific problem areas. You want an anti-ageing serum, skin-firming serum, or maybe a brightening one? No problemo, your options are far and wide! This is a must if you want to upgrade your skincare game. :)

I cannot live without serum. :)

7. Moisturizer
Ahh yes. My first foray into skincare consisted of THE basic moisturizer. I cannot sleep without putting some on; otherwise, my already oily skin overcompensates and produce more oil than I could deal with. And yep, it's not true that oily-skinned gals don't need moisturizer.

8. Eye cream/ Eye gel
Pardon my vanity, but really, dark, crepey, and dry undereyes do have a HUGE impact on one's overall appearance. So another stepping up - a more dedicated eye cream - I go. I notice that my undereyes are in a poor state whenever I'm sick, sleep-deprived (which is like, all the time. LOL), too stressed out, dehydrated, or marching towards those dreaded red-letter days in the calendar. Eye creams do save the day, and prevent further darkening or drying of the undereyes. I've noticed the improvement in my undereyes since I stepped up my eye cream game a while ago.

9. Night cream
Luxurious, decadent, rich, seriously hydrating. I usually put my night cream on top of my moisturizer as they are heavier. They seal the moisture in. They are a lot more hardworking than the basic moisturizer and are also generally more expensive. I wake up with soft, supple, and sufficiently hydrated skin, thanks to night creams. So yes, indulge in them I do.

All nourishing and hydrating stuff.

10. Facial oil
This is a bonus step for me. I have consumed an entire bottle of cold-pressed organic argan oil and I say at this point (what with all my acids and serum and creams) it's an optional step, at least it is for me. But I'm open to changing my mind once I find a really good facial oil. (Sunday Riley, I am looking at you:)

11. Lip moisturizer - cream or balm
So let's see, what have we covered so far? Cleansing, check. Hydrating and nourishing, check. Undereyes, check. But what about the lips? Oh yes, those luscious puckers! I used to ignore them and I would always wake up with dry, cracked, chappy lips. Ouch. And then I got hooked with matte lipsticks at some point. They not only accentuate the problem, but further exacerbate it. Hastily applying a lip balm in the morning as a last-ditch saving grace is futile. I discovered the only way to revive dehydrated, chapped lips is to soak them in lip moisturizers overnight. Try it; I swear you'll wake up to soft and lipstick-ready lips. :)

Oils and eye creams and lip balm.

There you have it, my 11-step nighttime skincare routine. Eleven?! Did that freak you out? LOL. Trust me, it's not as tedious and time-consuming as it sounds. And nope, I don't lock myself up in the bathroom doing my girly rituals all night. After all, I am mom to a toddler who demands my full attention whenever I'm home.

It's also important to note that I DON'T do all these things all in one go. Good heavens, that would be a total wastage! :) We have to give time (at least 20 minutes, they say) for our skin to fully absorb all those wonderful products. So as soon as I get home, I do my double cleanse and tone. In an hour or so, I sneak out of my little guy, run upstairs and slather on moisturizer. All the others, I do during the quiet moments before I go to bed. :)

Some of my current edits. Constantly evolving. :)

What is your skincare routine? Do tell me, coz I am very curious! Who knows, maybe I'll pick up an extra step or two (or three) from your skincare regimen. :) Ha ha!