***UPDATE*** Stila goes live at Rustan's Makati, Rustan's Shangri-la, and Rustan's Gateway! Check them out!

It's been a month now since it has been rumored that Stila, a U.S. make-up brand, will be squeezing into the already crowded imported booths in Rustan's. Whichever Rustan's branch it would be, of that we're not totally sure. I'm betting it'll be up over at Rustan's Makati first... well hopefully, Stila opening syncs with the rest of the branches.

Here are the top 3 Stila products that got most girls swooning with joy:

(images from Stila website)

#3: Eyeshadow Pans ($18)

With over 40 pretty shades to choose from, these babies have been hailed by magazines for their great color pay-off. Accessories to match these eye enhancers are Stila's aluminum compact and refillable 4-pan compact.

#2: Lipglaze ($22) and Cherry Crush Lip& Cheek Stain ($24)

It's a tie between two lippies, pretty friends! The Lipglaze offers 28 yummy glosses in their famous lip pens. Glittery or not... take your pick! The Cherry Crush is both a lippie and a cheek tint. Hurrah, I can give my good old body shop L&C tint make-up a break. How good can that be? If you think that's good enough wait till you hear this:

This revolutionary multi-tasker not only moisturizes and protects skin with all important anti-oxidants (cherry and pomegranate extracts), but it beautifully reacts to pH levels in your skin and creates a personalized blush and pout. It's that perfect shade every time. - from Stila website

#1: Smudgepots ($20)!

Everybody loves dramatic eye make-up and a lot of girls can't stop gushing over Stila's smudgepots! Do you remember how quickly strawberrynet.com ran out of stocks??? Grrrr... I only scored one and nothing else to back it up. Frustratingly, Smudgepots in jet black is equally out of stock most of the time over the Stila site. That only means one thing. They're not manufacturing enough. These gel liners come in 6 lovely colors to match our ever changing mood.

If you'll notice, I've noted the product prices as well. I wanna watch Rustan's infamous mark-up on most beauty prods, checking how they'll fare on Stila's goodies.

Anyway, I just hope it comes out really, really soon (or is it already out?). I hope it doesn't end up like Missha (BB creams and Korean beauty stuff), who announced their Philippine launch last April 09. Up until now, I'm hoping they'll snag a booth at Megamall, as promised. I certainly hope Stila make-up products won't share the same fate.

How about you? Are you excited about this new make-up line, too? Tell me!

P.S. There are other Stila products' Filipino reviews you can check out!

Royally yours, Bleak

I recently bought myself a Revlon Colorstay foundation out of haste and pure impulse. The girls over girl talk are raving about it and I was deeply sucked into the ugly blackhole of hopping into the bandwagon.

I dropped by the mall hoping I'd score a sample of it as I toted my tiny 5g cosmetic pot, but my being Filipino just blew the thrift plan away. Inabot na naman ako ng hiya! (I became too shy to ask for samples without buying anything from them) *sigh!*

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Me: Meron ba kayong Revlon colorstay foundation na suited sa skintone at undertone ko (naks, undertone!)

Beauty Attendant (BA): Yes, miss, meron. Halika, me-make-up-an kita. Upo ka dito.

Me: *biglang hinigpitan ang hawak sa cosmetic jar* Ah, miss, hindi, gusto ko lang sana...

BA: i-testing ang shade? Eto ang match sa'yo... *sales talk, sales talk, sales talk*

(after the hefty makeover using a very nice shade of the foundation...)

Me: I-test ko lang yung staying powers niya, ok lang? Saka baka kasi umitim sa face ko yung foundie dahil acidic ako.

BA: Ay naku, miss, ang revlon 16 hours yan tumatagal lalo na yang may softflex. Kahit pagpawisan ka hindi yan mabubura, saka hindi na yan mangingitim kahit acidic ka pa.

Me: *ugh, bakit ba 'ko nahihiya na lumabas na lang after ng makeover?"

BA: Andami ng bumibili niyan pero walang bumabalik dito para sabihin na nagpimples sila o hindi tumatagal ang foundation sa fez.

Me: Ganun ba, sige kunin ko na.

BA: Lagyan kita ng eyeliner saka powder!

Me: Hindi wag na lang, nagmamadali ako miss, thank you. (while thinking: baka maibato ko pa sayo 'tong cosmetic pot)

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There goes my P895 (or was it P825? I'm not sure.).

It's just too bad that 90% of the Sales Attendants here in our country would look at you with brows raised when you walk out of their stalls after asking for free samples. I'm no person who does her rounds at every beauty counter begging for a measly squeeze of their product, but I would really love to see attendants accommodate such request with an open heart.

I'm planning to sell my colorstay anytime soon because my skin looked ugly after I took the foundie off my face. Hurrah. I'll post a review of the product soon.

Have you had the same experience? How I wish it was easier to ask for samples here in our country.



Royally yours, Bleak

I was so thrilled to learn that H&M, one of the flourishing clothing brands in the world, partners with Jimmy Choo! I love Jimmy Choo shoes and bags and I often feel forever wistful of owning a couple of his lovely-designed foot candies! I'm always thinking if I'll be able to purchase my own Choos when I get older.

Here are some of his designs I really, really like!

Lady-like with a "twist"

Yep, i do have the hots for red!

Funky, edgy... yeah, Choos can be that, too!

The new H&M plus Jimmy Choo collection will be out in November. Don't these two look so promising? They are great pieces that I bet will stand the test of time. And my shoe rack needs one of them!




There are rumors last year that H&M Manila is soon to come; however, we obviously don't have it here yet. I'm waiting for that day when H&M comes here in the Philippines, too, so that I can get my hands (and hopefully with my pockets ready) on these fab shoes!

Don't you just love shoes, dearies? Tell me 'bout your favorite brand!



Royally yours, Bleak

The Beauty Writer is having a contest once again! If everyone went gaga over her Shu Mika Hearts giveaway, I'm pretty sure that every girl sucked into the hype of dermatologic services will be equally freaked out!

10,000php worth of face and body treatment gift certificates await ONE lucky gal (or guy)! All are from Aesthetic Science Clinic for Cosmetic Dermatology and Plastic Surgery.

CLICK HERE for contest details.

Royally yours, Bleak