I feel like a total traitor saying this, but the Bobbi Brown Eyelash Curler (P1,200) can rival the one from Shu Uemura. There. I didn't think it was possible for me to like any other lash curler as much as I like Shu's, but hey I've been wrong before.

Now let's backtrack first. What makes Bobbi's curler surprisingly amazing?

The thing I love most about it is that it never goes near enough to pinch my lids and lashes. In so doing, it doesn't erase the careful eyeliner work I've done on my upper lids! It also fits my eyes perfectly so no lash is left uncurled - yes, even the innermost ones. It's easier to angle than the Shu curler because it's sliiiighly smaller, so I get to all the hairs I want to reach.

I've been meaning to do this for a while now but I've just never gotten the chance. I keep bumping it off for some newfangled thing or another. But today, I will finally reveal my favorite everyday mascara after months - months! - of using it. 

It's the Shu Uemura Ultimate Natural Mascara in Dark Brown. :) I always reach for this when I need a brown, beautifying mascara, and here's why!

What I love about the product 

• As the name promises, it looks super natural and clean while magnifying your lashes. Just look at the photos. Two coats, no more, and I get such beautiful lashes.
• Keeps the curl of my lash hairs ALL DAY. No drooping here. It's best used with the Shu Uemura curler, another great love of mine.

I'm sure you've heard about the fabled Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler before. I have too, but I never seriously considered buying one before because it was so expensive for a curler! At P1,000+ locally, it's too much compared to curlers that never go beyond P300. I thought there must be some reason it was so pricey, but whatever it was, I couldn't see how the cost could justify it.

Oh, how wrong I was.

I got to try it because of my advanced makeup class at the Shu Uemura Atelier (in Rockwell) a couple of weeks ago. John Pagaduan, Shu's accredited makeup artist, lent me his eyelash curler. It was love at first use. I immediately bought my own after the class!

Why I LOVE the product

• It curls like no other. The curl looks natural and not awkwardly crimped. It lasts for hours on end, even without mascara! I counted four hours minimum. Mind blowing.

Are you loving the name or what? The VMV Hypoallergenics Ooh-La-Lash! Volumizing Mascara (P1,000) has been around for quite some time now. As with many products that have stood the test of time, it has some distinctive qualities that other mainstream mascaras (with similar price points) cannot claim to have.

The first time I tried this, I wore it to an out-of-town day trip with Marco's family the other week. The weather was extra hot and humid so the rest of my makeup has melted by the end of the day - except this mascara! The Ooh-La-Lash stayed put with zero smudging, even after all the sweat and oil and grime of the day. But get this - unlike other no-smudge, sweat-proof mascaras, this one came off easily with warm water.

So yes, I'm impressed!

What I love about the product

• Stays put all day. As in zero-smudging.
• Hypoallergenic. It's fragrance and dye-free, made of 100% mineral pigments. This is perfect for sensitive eyes.