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

The stuff by GirlStuff is soooo adorable!

Janina Gutierrez-Tan, my classmate from Assumption Antipolo, is the brains behind this line made exclusively for sweet little girls and tweens. I personally use the Facial Spritz Cooling Facial Spray. It's not Shu Uemura Depsea or Evian but it works just as well and for only P109.75! You can't beat that price and cute packaging!

Anyway, GirlStuff had a really cute event for moms and daughters recently. Held at the colorful Marta's Cakes at Serendra, mommies and their little girls had an afternoon of beauty. I thought the mommy makeover was funny and cute.If you want your own beauty bonding party with your daughters, then do grab a bag of goodies from GirlStuff. For makeup that's safe on sensitive skins, you can get the Body Bling scented shimmer lotion (P159.75), G-Gel glitter hair gel (P99.75), Lipfrosting lip gloss (P89.75) and Fairy Dust shimmer powder (P149.75). I love that you can get them in little kikay kits like these:
So cute! Oh, and do check out these new products, which I'm sure you and your little girl will adore:

Mom & Me Cologne (P179.75 )

The mommy scent smells floral and citrusy while the girl's scent is kinda the same but more fresh. Reminds me of Nenuco and Angel's Breath actually.

Peel-Off Nail Polish (P99.75)

Imported from France, this polish is water-based so it's safe for kids. It easily peels off so no need for acetone. Available in fuschia pink with glitter, baby blue and pretty-in-pink. I like the glitter polish, but you already know that if you read my last post!

GirlStuff is available at Mall of Asia, SM North, Robinsons Place Imus and at the children's accessories section of all SM Department Stores. Check out their cute website for more info!

The Beauty Writer

*photos courtesy of GirlStuff

Nail polish is raining on me!

I love pretty packages. Those that come in a nice box, tied up with a big bow--oh, you just know these things have lovely surprises in them! So when The Face Shop had these nail polish sets, I just had to have one!Each box comes with 3 colors, a top coat, a polish remover and a sheet of stickers. Mine has deep colors of plum, burgundy and a dark blue with glitter on it--this color is my favorite: I feel like I'm staring at galaxies on my fingertips. All for a mere P445! Very very good deal, I say, and in a really cute package, too!

Actually, even if gifts don't come nicely wrapped, I'd be happy to receive them, especially if the bags come from Revlon. Revlon is very generous. Very very generous! They sent over 2 bags of nail polish and lip glosses--that's about 2 dozen bottles and wands! I shared the loot to my super thrilled staff and even after they've all gotten all the colors they wanted, I still had all of these left!

That's 10 bottles of polish and 6 wands of lip gloss

I love Revlon nail polish. Aside from the deep pigments and ease in application, they last on your nails a long long time. So even if they cost nearly P300 a bottle, they're oh so worth it!

The Beauty Writer

Stop using it! Here's how to find out when

Here's a good tip about expiration dates! Look at the back of your beauty products and you'll usually find this symbol:

It's called a PAO symbol, or period-after-opening. There's a number followed by the letter M. The number says how many months before it expires. Here's the example from Wikipedia:Once you open the product, take a marker and count the months indicated by the PAO. So if the symbol says 6M and you opened the product today, then write Nov 09 on the container. This really works because then you know when your product expires and also when to start shopping for a new one!

My eye cream, for example, expired this month. So even if I still want to use the little cream left in the tube, I had to throw it away. My makeup remover, which I love, expires next month so I'm wearing makeup every day this month so I can really finish it and it won't go to waste!
Knowing the expiration date is very important especially for products that are liquid (like foundation) or that has contact with your skin (like mascara) or you dip your finger in it (like creams). Your finger, no matter how much you've washed it, can still have germs and a nice jar of cream can become a breeding ground for bacteria. So dispose when the PAO says so!

Now go grab that marker...

The Beauty Writer

Getaway for the weekend

Hi! I'll be going away for the weekend so I'll be posting stuff again next week (and, boy, do I have some new beauty loot to talk about!). Meanwhile, here are some beauty-related things you might want to read from Topaz Horizon, my personal blog...

My spa day with Jennie, author of Kikay Corner
I cut my hair! So short, so chic! Yey!
Inside SkinLogic, my go-to derma clinic

The vain complains. Maybe you won't?

Red is my hair color this year.

And here are some things you can do...

• Join Makeup in Manila's contest! She's giving away a P6,000 discount voucher for a beauty school.
• Shop for Organic Thanakha products at Kikay Corner's online shop.

See you all next week!

The Beauty Writer

Beauty For A Living now owns its own domain!

I just bought this baby a gift--its own domain. Please update your links. We are now...

www.beautyforaliving.com

I love the way it looks!

The Beauty Writer

Kerastase launches Oleo-Relax Slim in a chi-chi party

Hailed as the haircare line used by the stars (Jennifer Lopez, Emmy Rossum, Paris Hilton are fans), Kerastase is definitely the gold standard when it comes to hair products. Even I'm convinced! Whenever I use Kerastase, my hair is always perfect. I just can't use it all the time because (a) I have to test other brands now and then and (b) it's expensive. That's why whenever Kerastase launches anything, it's lovely to attend becasue I get to bring home Kerastase goodies!

The goody bags had a bottle of leave-in conditioner
and a tub of treatment

Last night was the launch of Kerastase Oleo-Relax Slim, the latest product that is guaranteed to tame frizzy and rebellious hair. Now my hair is naturally behaved (thank the heavens) so I'm going to let my sister try this one out. Will post her review in a week or two.

The event was held at chic new club The Establishment at The Fort Strip. There were art installations for guests to marvel at but I found the drinks and the food more inspiring, to be utterly honest. But, for art's sake, marvel below...
Beautiful people everywhere (or beautifully dressed, at least!). Very well attended event so congratulations to Oliver Salva and the Kerastase team for a gorgeous night and for another new product that I'm sure will be a success!

Preview's beauty editor Cindy Go and Real Living's art director Arlene Sy

SM's marketing manager for kids and teens fashion Jasmine Mendiola (in pink),
me (in yellow), Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief Zo Aguila (in gray) and
Cosmopolitan fashion editor Kat Dy (in black)

The Beauty Writer

Spot on Plastic Surgery and Stars

I wrote for the newly revamped website Spot.ph and my story on stars and plastic surgery is causing quite a bit of talk. I don't know why it's controversial--I mean, in this day and age when cosmetic surgery centers and spas are practically on every corner, believe me when I say it's no big deal. What is a big deal for me is when you've obviously done something and you keep denying it!

I confess that I wish I could have a boob job. I'm a very small AA. Yes, you read that right. But my husband says emphatically, "More than a mouthful is too much." Now if that was too graphic for you, then maybe you'll say I really don't need the Orgasm after all because my hubby sure knows how to make me blush!

How about you--If you could have anything done, what would it be? And would you really do it? Why or why not?

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

And the winners are...!

Okay, that was one crazy contest--So many people joined my first ever blog giveaway!

Sitemeter says that bloggers from all over the world blogged about my giveaway

Thanks! I'm so encouraged by the enthusiastic response that I plan to do this regularly!!! I have an unbelievable amount of yummy beauty loot for you! Next time, though, I'll just assign numbers to people and then throw dice. Writing down blogs on pieces of paper seemed like a good idea until the entries approached 100.
And now, without further ado, here are the winners!

1st Prize
Shu Uemura Mika Hearts Shu Portable Makeup Brush Set
Winner: Ekimura from the USA

2nd Prize
Jurlique Moisture Balance Introductory Set
Winner: Daphne's Diary from the Philippines

3rd Prize
Shu Uemura Lipstick Case
Winner: Lovely Purses from Germany

Congratulations to the lucky ladies! Please email me at frances@topazhorizon.com so we can talk about the details.

Thank you to everyone else who joined (I linked you up as my thanks!):
A Girl Should be Two Things: Classy and Fabulous, A Life Without Love is No Life At All, A Piece of My Mind, Accidentally In Love, AhCapp, Akisalove, All the Vanity, Amanda's Sunshine, Anything & Everything, Baby, You Make My Heart Beat Faster..., Be Happy, Beautification, Beauty, Life, Love and Many More, Beauty is Within, Beauty Moogle Zone, Beauty Reviews, Beauty Snap, Becoming a Yummy Mommy, Bienvenida A Mi Pagina!!!, Bunnie, Cake, Cherrie Bosa, ChinkyMel's Corner, Chomfifi, Cogito Ergo, Scrap!, Confessions of a Makeup and Fashion Lover, Confessions of a Soapaholic, Crazy Mama, Dazzling..., Documented Days, E.motion in Motion, Enfant de L'Amour, Enjoying Life as I Live It, Facets of the Fire Fairy Princess, Fly. Soar. Land., Fully Awesome Babyy, Goddess, I Am, Hello, 'moto, Her Royal Bleakness, I am Kaith, Innovative Essence, Invisible Pathos, Just Another Day, Kikay Corner, KXY, Kylie's Blog, Laugh and the World Laughs with You, Le Miroir de Wanderita, Lights and Shades, Life is Full of Beautiful Complications, Life with Jemboy and Joyce, LipstickFever Makeup Blog!, Little Miss Julienne, Living Life to the Fullest, Lost in the City, Love Eve Beauty, Lush Angel, Make My Not-So-Interesting Life Interesting, Makeup in Manila, Maldeetuh Ramblings, Mango Pepper, Me You and a Dog Named Boo, Miss Girl Interrupted, Mrs. Dumpling, Ms. Giling's Spot, Musicalfan Loves Minerals, My Blog, My Life in This Wonderful World, My Lucid Intervals, My Own Spot, My Place Under the Sun, My Soap Opera Life, My Wonderful World of Colors, Naturals and Minerals, Nevergirl's, Newbie to Beauty, Nling*Star House of Collection, No, I am not a Genius, Not Enough Hours in a Day, On Beauty Stuff and What Else's, Pensieve, Pinay Mind, Pinkfish Pie, Plan B, Popcorn <3>, Quarter Life Chronicles, Sanniet, Science's Box of Nice Things, Shan Shan Style, She R0XX, Sh0be, Siamese, Simply Glamorouxx, Simply Susie, Sippinslow, Sneak In, Somekinda. Aliw., Spoiled Rotten, Still Life, Sweet Hopia, Sweet Lisi, The Drama Queen Can Tell Stories, The Grazing Land, The Journey Continues..., The Mystery of Me, The Soundtrack of My Life Now, Thinking Out Loud, Time Outs, Tournesol, Twenty-Four Periwinkle Street, Ugly is In, Vanity Kit, Vintageday Blog, Voodoo Dolly, What Have You Learned Today?, Where Air Time is Free, Will Work For Shoes, Xtine, Yen <3, You Lite Up My Life

Thanks for joining my giveaway. My new blog got a ton of traffic! Yey!

The Beauty Writer

Summer nail colors from Caronia - I love!

Nail polish is just the best--they're fun, cheap and they can totally reinvent and finish your look! Right now, I'm totally in love with Caronia's Summer Colors Collection: Blue Chill, Pink Passion, Mint Frost, Purple Punch and Orange Pop.

Super pretty! And if you watch Showtime's Dexter, you'll get a special spine-chilling thrill having these colors on your nails...

Caronia's Summer Collection is available at all supermarkets, drugstores and department stores for P28 a bottle.

Don't forget to join my Shu Uemura makeup bag, Jurlique face care set and Shu Uemura lipstick case giveaway!

The Beauty Writer