Our body changes as we age. That’s just a fact of life! The best we can do is to take care of it by eating healthy, exercising, and avoiding bad habits like alcohol and cigarettes, but really, how many of us are saints? We want to live once in a while, but whether we like it or not, our body takes the toll.

A group of bloggers attended a Wacoal talk one Saturday afternoon, where a representative discussed how our body changes as we grow older. I’m sure all of us have an idea since we’ve seen several women age, but when it was dissected in detail, my gosh! I found myself squirming inside. 

It seems that, even with proper care, our body will deteriorate due to gravity and the normal pace of aging (less elasticity, muscle growth, and overall moisture). Observe:

A diagram of how breasts age

How hips change with age

This is not to say that aging is ugly and that we should just throw the towel when we hit our 40s. No. I would hate for you to think that! Our breasts may sag and our hips may fall flat and wrinkly, but aging has other benefits.

Wanna hear about a vampire-inspired beauty product has captured the imagination of girls everywhere? The Majolica Majorca Blood On Cheek Tint (P495) is a blush and lip color in a balm formulation. It feels exactly like lip balm, actually, but it's a very, very thin one and isn't waxy at all.

To be quite honest, I was lukewarm to the idea of a balm tint. I was worried that it would feel sticky, thick, and that it would clog my pores. But none of those things happened.

I've rambled on and on about the Colour Collection Color Intense Lipsticks (I do that if I like something consistently) for the better part of the year. However, until recently, I didn't know that CC makes other lipstick lines! Silly me. Let me introduce you to the Colour Collection Moisture Intense and Sheer Coverage Lipsticks, two products with different formulations that target specific lipstick needs.

Colour Collection Moisture Intense Lipstick (with SPF15)

Color Intense is a little on the dry side (which helps its lasting power), so if you don't like that particular feature, you must check out Moisture Intense instead. It's more moisturizing and less waxy than CI, but it also comes in high-impact (read: loud!) colors that can give NYX or MAC a run for their money.

The Dove Nourishing Oil Care Nutri-Oil Serum is the bomb. For only P239, you get shinier, softer hair with less frizz. No stickiness. No product build-up. How cool is that? Sorry if I sound like a chirpy advertisement but I really really like this serum!

I've been a fan of Citre Shine serum since high school. If you have curly hair, you know how difficult it is to prevet tangling and frizzing, while still maintaining a semblance of definition.

After visiting the Sebago store in Rockwell, I excitedly showed my friends what I got. "But I can't see you wearing them!" they said. Haha. Well, I admit that my style verges on the semi-formal, but the truth is I only reserve that look for work functions. You should see me at the grocery. I'm all about shorts and t-shirts that I wear until they crumble.

So anyway, yes, I paid a visit to the Sebago store in Rockwell last Thursday. They kindly invited me to pick a new pair for myself - totally out of the blue! I wasn't expecting such a nice gift from them, but hey, I'm just thankful. You know I have loved their boat shoes ever since I got my first one two years ago.

It was my first time to check out the brand's Artisan-concept store. It's a small space, but you can see that they maximized the one wall they had. Dramatic lighting, a faded brick wall, and leather-wrapped shelves added a homey yet sophisticated feel to the place.

I read Jill's post on blogging burnout this morning. It's a topic close to my heart because I have experienced that many, many times in the past - you know, that feeling of weariness and futility of what I do. But each time I snap out of it. I truly love makeup and colors and how it can transform a person. There is always something new to discover, as well, and that keeps me going.

Recently, Shu Uemura gave me some of their latest products to try. I am so freakin' excited, I swear! The brand just recently released their spring collection called Celestial Garden, and I am loving the fresh themed look and relatively innovative products.

First off, they have a new blush called the Creamy Dome Blusher. It reminds me a lot of the popular EOS Lip Balm! If you think about it, the idea is so simple but elegant. Perhaps other brands have come up with a cream dome blush but this is the first time I've seen one locally.

Hi everyone! My apologies for the delay in announcing the winners of the Asian Secrets Giveaway. I already have the list of lucky names from the Valentine's Day draw, plus Week 3 and Week 4. That's a total of 24 winners. Do check if you're one of them!

Valentine's Day Winners

Christalyn Maramag | Julie Ann Tolentino | Tricia Paula Pestano | Angelica P. Aragon-Manalata | Camille Mendoza | Mariana Bantug | Ma. Theresa Orbe | Julie Ann Tolentino

I was crazy about green these past couple of weeks, but now I am feeling an orange mood coming up. You must think weirdly of me, going on and on about colors no? But one thing that defines me is my affinity with colors. I love colors, moreso when it comes to using them to express myself and improve my mood. Even my dog comes in a great color (red sable!). 

So! This is the look I wore last Thursday to a couple of casual meetings. The star color is green, of course, with touches of tan and bronze on my face and outfit. The bright pink bag is just a pretty afterthought.

Redhead dress/ SM belt/ Parfois bag/ Pinkbox bangle/ Adora earrings/ Charles & Keith shoes

The makeup looks quite bare, since I went for a nude lip, bronze cheeks, and a simple green-gold eye makeup.

My advice to girls who don't like wearing a lot of makeup but still want to look pretty: just swipe on mascara and some tint! If you already have fairly good skin, a little bit of enhacement here and there is more than enough to bring out your natural beauty. Long and full lashes draw eyes towards them (involuntarily at that!), while a healthy flush makes you look fresh and happy.

That said, there are a couple of new Majolica Majorca releases that got beauty enthusiasts into a tizzy: the Lash King Mascara (P795) and the Blood On Cheek Tint (P495). Both were launched around two weeks ago, to good reviews! 

Let's start with the Lash King Mascara.

I'm not very choosy when it comes to body wash. As long as it's soapy and smells good, I'm good! It's not like I'm going to leave it on my skin for more than a couple of minutes. Also if I ever get really really dirty, I might as well use detergent. Right? :P That's why I prefer NOT to spend a lot of moolah on body washes and soaps.

I thought I'd share my body-washes-of-the-moment. They're from Avon. I know I talk about Avon a lot, but what can I say - the brand offers some pretty cool stuff! The ones I review make it to my daily routine, so I make an effort to write about them and show my appreciation.

Out of the two, the Skin-So-Soft Soft & White Whitening Body Wash (P330) is my favorite.

I admit that I don't read magazines regularly. Why? Because everyday I am bombarded with beauty and fashion information from innumerable sources that when I finally get hold of a magazine, I find that the content there isn't new to me anymore (however well-executed or well-written). It's definitely different for other people - those who confine their online activity to Facebook, chat, maybe a bit of Twitter.

That is not to say that print is dead. Magazines like Preview and Cosmo have very active online counterparts with communities that are engaged and ready to rumble. These two magazines, I think, have successfully combined print and digital to deliver up-to-the-minute, high-quality content. The thing is at the end of the day, print will always mean considerable prestige and exclusivity to anyone who's in it, so as long as there is that factor magazines will not die (among other factors of course).

So! While I don't read magazines much, I do see magazine covers on my Facebook timeline. That's why you see me posting about covers once in a while. Recently, two covers caught my eye, and here's what I think of them! Share yours too, I'm interested. ;)

First up, we have KC Concepcion for Cosmopolitan's March issue.

Today I keep thinking of the fact that I can't think and it's driving me crazy. I'm suffering from a terrible mental block. Everything is a jumble in my head and I just can't sit down and focus. Gah. I hope this is over ASAP since I have a ton of things to do today.

Anyway, thought I'd share a pair of shoes I got last week. I'm into summer shades of green right now so when I saw this I immediately grabbed it. Figuratively, haha. It's from Ferretti, one of our latest pumps with a higher heel and pointier toes.

Snaps asks, "What's the big deal?"

We have an extra day this year and I find that so incredible. This year, I am granted another day to live and do something a little itty bit more with my life. Am I the only one who feels like this?

Anyways! Today I want to talk about a foundation that I've been using heavily lately: the Clinique Perfectly Real Radiant Skin Compact Makeup. It's a lovely sheer foundation that looks pretty much like radiant skin without the shimmer or glitter.

I don't have the compact, so I only have pictures of the refill. :P Here's what I think of it!

What I love about the product

• Smoothens out my skintone, blurs pores and bumps while still looking natural.
• Gives a sort of matte radiance - if that's possible! There are no visible shimmers in the formula. 
• Has SPF29 PA++! That's a considerable amount of sun protection; not that many foundations have this number. The high SPF makes it a great summer foundation or finishing powder!

I've had this Rajo Laurel x Plains & Prints shift dress for quite a long while now, but this is the first time I'm showing it here. Odd, because I wear it all the time! At least thrice a month, methinks. It's the perfect frock for meetings, but it's also something you can dress up for cocktails or even something casual.

Plains & Prints dress/ Ferretti wedges/ Nine West Bag/ Pinkbox earrings/ Avon ring

Yeah I know I can't pose to save my life, but I hope you get the idea. :) I see many, many happy years with this particular piece.

Anyway, here's the makeup I wore with it. I thought I'd feature this lovely eyeshadow palette from VMV Hypoallergenics called Morning After - it's the perfect duo for a light smoky eye that can be worn during the day.

The name's cute and so is the shade! MAC Plink! is a shiny baby pink with lots of fine silver shimmer. I think it's perfect for fairer girls since it can work as a delicate MLBB shade. It's a bit trickier to match with medium to dark-skinned girls though, due to the pale color.

It's sheerer than I would like and the frostiness is not helping. However, once I layer it on, the color shows up nicely. I suggest wearing a nude lip liner underneath to really make the color pop (if you have darker skin).

As with all MAC lipsticks, Plink! has a good staying power due to its drier texture. It also has that signature MAC vanilla scent!

I am super duper mega excited for Friday! I will giving a beauty talk to Adamson University students as part of the Colour Collection Tour. I am just this close to bursting with all the things I want to share to the students, not only when it comes to makeup and fashion, but how to cultivate their self-confidence and hopefully go into a career they love.

It's really more of me sharing my story. I was a reclusive college kid pretty much, and now I'm in PR and marketing. Makeup plays a big role in my life beyond the fact that I write about it almost everyday. It helped me find the courage to face a future that I wasn't sure would happen to me. 

The purple bus!

After reading comments from readers day in and day out, I realized that few people actually know about proper skincare. That is, they don't know much beyond what TV advertisements tell them about their skin problems and how to solve them. Make no mistake - Filipinas are serious about skincare in the sense that they try a lot of products in their quest for healthy skin, but they're not informed enough to decide when to quit experimenting and to just see a professional.

I should know. I used to think I can solve all my skin problems myself. It was only after my visit to a derma that I realized I just can't! Now I'm not saying I have perfect skin, but it's definitely a lot better after I had it treated. The best thing to do is to go to a dermatologist and ask for advice, but other than that, read up! Here I have Dr. Frank, the brand endorser of GoodSkin Labs, answering three of my skincare questions from New York. ;)

What is the quickest way to calm red, inflammed acne at home?

Dr. Frank: To calm red, inflamed acne at home is to place a cold compress over the spots to help alleviate some of the pain. If the pain persists and the blemishes aren’t going away, visit your dermatologist to best determine how to treat.

Fashion blogging is way, way harder than it looks! I took a lot of photos of this outfit but I only ended up with two that I could use. In theory it should be easy - I mean how hard is it to just stand and pose? But there's more to it, I find. 

Forever 21 blazer and shorts/ SM belt/ Pinkbox bangles/ Avon bracelet/ Neccara ring/ Nine West Bag/ Schu heels

The cool thing about my job is that I can work anywhere most of the time. It means that I can multi-task and shoot down errands whenever I need to! I just have to be connected to my email accounts (five of them) at all times, which my Blackberry takes care of. For heavier work like Facebooking, blogging, editing photos, or anything involving documents, I turn to my ever reliable Macbook Air.

A few weeks back, we had our condo fumigated, so I had to bring Snaps to the day care for a few hours. Try Pup Culture btw, if you're looking for a great day care center for your dog. Anyhoo! That day I decided to kill three birds with one stone: take my dog to Pup Culture, do my bank errands, and work. For the latter I decided to park myself at Bubble Tea. I love their tea and the Japanese food!

It's in the tiny bubbles!