When people say you look tired, chances are you dark circles and eye bags are a lot more obvious than you think. Sure, you can try to cover them up with concealers and correctors but all that makeup isn't going to address the actual issue of what’s happening to your skin. If you aren't using an eye cream yet, it's a good idea to add it to your routine even before you need it. Prevention is always better than cure, and to start you off, the PV girls are sharing their current picks!

Liz: Eye cream is one of those things you don't think you need until you do - and by then, it's almost certainly too late! To be fair though as long as you moisturize your whole face properly, sleep right, and maintain a healthy lifestyle then your bags shouldn't be a problem. If you're not able to do all the above though, you might need some help.

I love the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye; it's a good formula for all ages and one I've been using for years whenever needed. Recently I've been trying out the Juice Beauty Anti-Wrinkle Eye Treatment and Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes Cream. I like how both have a refreshing feel on the eyes and how thin the formula is. They do help de-puff my bags nicely!

Den: I haven’t been as religious about putting on eye cream as I should be at my age but when I do remember, these are the ones I reach for. The Body Shop Moisture White Brightening Eye Cream sits well under my makeup and helps to keep my concealer from creasing. I don’t use it regularly enough to say if it does lessen the dark circles though. At night, I apply Clinique’s Repairwear Laser Focus, focusing at the outer corners where crow’s feet threaten to show up. I try to avoid putting anything on my lids though because the cream eventually travels into my eye and clouds my vision.

Jenn: While I don't think I've used enough to really pick out "what's best out there", I have a thing for eye creams with metal applicators. It makes putting on eye cream more fun since the applicator cools and relaxes the skin. L'Oreal Revitalift helps with lines while Beauskin Crystal Whitening combats dark circles, especially during puyat days!

Katsy: I have been using eye creams since college but I can't recommend a "best" one yet as my under eye area is still dehydrated. I do like the Laneige White Plus Renew Eye Cream that I'm currently using just for its brightening properties. Still not enough moisture though so I've started to use eye masks like the Petitfee Black Pearl & Gold Hydrogel Eyepatch.

Marielle: Because I only use eye creams at night, my bottle of Nuxe Creme Prodigieuse Anti-fatigue Eye Cream is still around. It applies without drag or greasiness, and the formula is light and absorbs quickly. I find that it delivers well on moisturizing the eye area.

Claire: Mizon's Snail Repair Eye Cream is the best I've tried so far. It made my sagging lids firmer and my under eye area lighter. And it costs less than most eye creams, too! Right now, I'm trying Skin Food's Salmon Brightening Eye Cream. I like its gentle scent and light texture. It does what it says and brightened my dark circles in a week.

Angela: I use the Elizavecca Gold CP Nest White Bomb Eye Cream that I got from Althea. It's made from bird's nest and 24K pure gold! They all seem to work at keeping my eye area moisturized and healthy. It has reduced the darkness of my under eye area and my fine lines are now gone. I really love the mild and delicate scent, too! 

Gett: My undereye area's fine for now so all I really put on the area is the Watsons Collagen Hydro-Balance Eye Treatment Cream. It's very moisturizing that I sometimes use it on dry patches of my skin!

Kim: My eyes are very choosy when it comes to mascara. I grab the wrong tube, and they will immediately itch like hell and develop ugly dry patches on the inner corner. What helps my skin recover overnight is the Aveda Botanical Kinetics Energizing Eye Creme. I like how well this heals and moisturizes my abused eye area. If this lightened my dark circles, too, I'd be happy to stick with this forever!

Are you already using an eye cream? What products have you tried, or have been eyeing for your next purchase?

How far would you go in the name of beauty? This is probably a question you’ve had to confront a few times, from having your eyebrows threaded and getting a Brazilian to forking over several thousand-peso bills to buy a product that promises to bring you closer to perfection. Those activities are all pretty normal though and we no longer bat an eyelash when we hear of a makeup haul that goes up to five figures, but sometimes we do things that are just a bit of the beaten path.

The Internet is full of crazy ideas that can supposedly help you look better, and it can be tempting to give them a try even though the chances of them actually working are 50-50. So we asked six women about the weirdest beauty product, service or tip they’ve tried so far and whether it actually worked for them. Ready to get a little weirded out?

Rica Garcia, 23, freelance makeup artist and Youtuber

Not one to shy away from testing out products and home remedies, Rica is no stranger to beauty kitchen experiments. One of the strangest things she’s done for beauty is using baking soda and milk to whiten her knees and elbows. Rica shares that she was so desperate to see the effects that she did the remedy for two straight weeks! Unsurprisingly, it didn’t work and we now know that baking soda is bad for your skin.

Katrina Aguas, 33, manager

When it comes to her beauty regimen, Katrina keeps it simple but is pretty fearless about trying anything and everything. From Ventosa treatments to acupuncture, she’s been there and done that. But she says that the strangest thing she’s ever done in the name of beauty is to slap some snail serum skincare on her face! Before her trip to Korea, she had heard so many people rave about this “snail mucus” skincare, and all of its benefits and amazing results. So she decided to purchase the Snail Solution line from Nature Republic in Seoul, and shares that she’s in love with its effects on her skin!

Angela Ronquillo, 27, advocate and account manager

Being a woman isn’t as easy. There’s a lot of pressure to always look our best, and that honestly takes a lot of work. From brow threading, to body waxing and even laser hair removal, most women opt to be as smooth and hair-free as possible. Taking her cue from her favorite YouTube beauty gurus (Chloe Morello, Huda Beauty, and Teni Panosian) Angela decided, after much contemplation and consideration, to shave her whole face! Skipping her brow area (thank goodness), she took a razor and lightly shaved her entire face - revealing smoother and softer skin with no peach fuzz! She now swears by this trick and shaves her face regularly, saying that her makeup application is so much better and result in a more flawless finish. BRB, we’re off to buy a razor!

Lexy Angeles, 24, radio DJ

Face masks are all the rage nowadays. From cute animal-design masks to ultra-hydrating sheets of pure heaven, we’ve all done a mask at some point in our lives. But remember those classic “home remedies” we were fooled into believing would actually work? Lexy decided to try the classic egg white face mask, which is supposedly popular for its pore-tightening properties. Although she’s still unsure if it actually works, she has also tried applying toothpaste as a spot treatment and in Lexy’s own words: “It does not work. Don't do it."

Amanda Alegre, 25, content creator

Beach babe Amanda loves heading out to the surf and working on her tan. One time though, she decided to try this suggestion of washing hair with a soda or beer to make hair lighter. Amanda reveals, “It worked to a certain extent!” Just be ready to feel sticky and smell a little funny after!

Sarah Carlos, 22, artist

Even some of our favorite celebrities have done some pretty strange things for beauty. Take budding actress and future accountant Sarah Carlos. When she was younger, she was super frustrated about how slow her hair was growing so she went online and found a DIY home treatment that suited her student budget. She mixed up a hair mask made from egg yolks mixed with olive oil and promptly got into a mess because of the tricky application. It didn’t work though so best save these kitchen ingredients to make a fancy meal.

We’re no stranger to weird beauty practices either but there are trends and products that are just way out of our leagues! Have you ever tried an unusual beauty product, service or tip before? What was your experience? Would you do it again?

This is probably the most massive press kit I've ever received in my beauty writing career, and it's only fitting that it's from such an in-demand name! Too Faced Cosmetics as you guys may have heard has just been recently acquired by Estee Lauder for $1.45 billion last November. It seems like this iconic brand is on its way up in the world; it can only get better from here. It may not have physical stores yet in the Philippines but you can find their best sellers over at Sephora.ph.

Just the other day, Sephora sent me the full Too Faced Sweet Peach Collection which recently dropped on their site. Now I was so excited to try out everything that I shot and swatched the products immediately! If you've been curious about the collection or dithering on a purchase, then I hope you find these photos useful. I'll be posting a look + capsule reviews of the products next week. Let's begin the swatch party!

Click on the gallery images to see a bigger size.

The Too Faced Papa Don't Peach Blush (P1,808) is the one that started it all. Released years ago and considered to be one of TF's most iconic products, it's a universal peach that offers a rosy, almost bronzy hue to the cheeks! Looking forward to see if this wears as well as people say. I almost never retouch blush during the day so this would be a staple in my kit if it would stay for 8.5 hours (as Temptalia claimed).

The Too Faced Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Collection (P2,953) has eighteen highly-pigmented shades with different finishes. I like that everything veers on the warm side, and there are interesting colors to play with. There are neutrals, peaches (of course), and smoky shades to delight the eyes. 

The swatches below were done with fingers on bare, primer-free skin. Most of the colors were solid in two swipes; the bronzey shades as well as Tempting took just one swipe. They're so creamy! Are these shades gorgeous or what? Just Peachy, Candied Peach, and Caramelized stood out the most to me.

The Too Faced Sweet Peach Glow Kit (P2,531) is a palette that contains a champagne highlighter, a golden peach blush, and a peach-toned light bronzer. The pigmentation level and smoothness of the formula are just right; it should layer beautifully on top of your base makeup. This palette will lend itself well to the draping and sun stripping cheek looks that are quite pretty, when done correctly.

Matte lipsticks are amazing, but glosses are a welcome change! I am digging the Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Oil Lip Gloss (P1,145) which has a balmy, non-drying, non-sticky feel and surprisingly even coverage. It's not 100% opaque, but the color is even throughout my lips.

There are eight shades available, ranging from nudes, pinks, and peaches. The swatches look just okay, but on the lips, they show up quite well!

Wearing Tickle Me Peach below on bare lips. I was expecting a streaky mess based on the swatches, but it looks even. 

All of these products have a sweet peach scent which has divided the makeup population. Some people love it, some people hate it. Me? I've got a cold right now! But from what I can sniff of it, I like. I would still prefer my cosmetics to be unscented but this is a novelty I can get behind as long the formula performs well.

We'll see how these Too Faced products wear soon! Stay tuned, and let me know if you're looking to try anything!

Too Faced is officially available at Sephora.ph

If you’re ever wondered what you could do about short lashes or sparse eyebrows, you may have come across a beauty hack that suggests using castor oil. The tip simply says to apply the oil every night and you’ll wake up to lusher lashes and brows. I wanted to know if this actually works and what sort of results I could get from using it for a month. But first, what is castor oil exactly?

Castor oil is a medicinal oil derived from the seeds of a plant called Ricinus communis. It’s often used as a laxative but is also a common ingredient in cosmetics. Known for its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, it offers skin benefits such as combating fungi and bacteria and helping to heal wounds.

Ready to take on the challenge, I bought a small bottle of castor oil from Watsons for about P80 for 30ml. For 30 nights, I simply applied it on my lashes and brows with my fingers right after finishing my skincare routine. If you want something a little more precise, you can use an old mascara wand that has been cleaned or simply dip a cotton bud into the bottle. The oil feels very thick but I did not have any allergic reactions or develop any breakouts. It just smelled a little bit like nuts but it wasn’t too bothersome.

Before I started using the castor oil, I took this photo and measured my lashes with a ruler (first time to do this, actually!) My upper lashes’ longest length was 0.7 cm.  

After 30 nights of application, here’s how my lashes and eyebrows now look like:

I love how my eyebrows and lashes look thicker and lusher! To check that I wasn’t just seeing things, I used a ruler to measure my lashes again. My upper lashes now measured 0.9 cm, a full 0.2 cm from before! Even my lower lash line seemed to be growing more hair. Though naturally bushy, my eyebrows also looked fuller and darker, so I haven’t needed to use my eyebrow pencil as often. It feels like the castor oil even conditioned the hairs; they look pretty shiny and healthy!

The results of this challenge really surprised me but there seems to be a good explanation for this little miracle. Castor oil contains essential fatty acids like omega, linoleic, and oleic acids, which are able to penetrate into the skin and hair follicle. This enables it to nourish from the hair root, making it stronger and more resistant to breakage. The added moisture also serves as a protective layer, which makes hair look shinier and more pigmented.

If you’re in need of some hair help, I would definitely recommend trying this out! I’m thinking of keeping it as part of my regular routine so I can still be rocking full eyebrows and lashes ‘til I’m 80. I want to try it on my scalp as well to see if it can help with my falling hair. It’s pretty cheap, too, so it may work as an at-home hot oil treatment!

Have you tried using castor oil on your eyebrows and lashes? How did it work for you?

Makeup means different things to different people. Some turn their talent and knowledge into a paying job, others obsess about it like any other hobby, while many simply enjoy enhancing their good looks with it everyday. We get it though - not everyone understands our love for makeup. We don’t all have to die for the perfect MLBB lipstick or understand the importance of kilay but can non-makeup lovers just not rain on our parade? Some remarks are simply annoying, spoken out of ignorance, or even downright rude. We’ve compiled a list of the usual comments we encounter and our tips on how to deal with them!

“Are you sick?” (if you don’t have makeup on)

You may hear this if people around you are used to seeing you wear makeup and have never seen your dark circles before. There are just days when don’t have time to put on makeup or simply don’t feel like it. And that’s totally fine! Just brush off the remark, assure them that you’re fine, and go about your life.

“Why are you wearing red lipstick? May ganap?”

Red lipstick has a rep for glamour and sexiness. It may apply tediously but it’s such a flattering color, especially if you find the right shade of red for you. Wearing blue-based reds can even make your teeth look whiter. There’s no good reason why it has to be reserved just for special occasions – bust it out if you want to look put together without having to apply much else for the rest of your face! Give them a smile that shows of your pearly whites and reply, “Ang ganda, noh?”

“Eyeliner is for goths.”

First off, there’s nothing wrong with doing a gothic look. But if you wear a smudgy formula that gets all over your face or apply it incorrectly, you may end up looking like you have panda eyes. It’s possible that this comment means you need to work on your liner application. Make sure you use a good product and apply in a way that actually flatters your eye shape. If your line is fine and the other person is simply expressing a bias, ignore the remark or come up with a snappy “It didn’t say so on the product label.”

“Why buy a 1k lipstick if you can get it for P50?”

We pay a little more for good and safe ingredients and for what we value; if you can afford it, go ahead and treat yourself to luxury makeup. While there are great makeup products you can find for less, at the end of the day, it’s all about your priorities. If they’re bragging about a Kylie lip kit that they “scored” for a tenth of what you know it actually costs, consider carefully if you should tell them about fake makeup. While it’s technically the responsible thing to do, some people may just not be receptive.

“You have too much makeup on!”

IMHO, swiping on a bold lippie or sporting a cool eyeshadow look isn’t “too much makeup”. But to someone who barely swipes on lip balm, your tiny winged liner may look too dramatic. Consider also that you may have been using too much product or not blending it in well enough. Make sure to apply in thin layers, slowly building up to the coverage or color you desire. Always moisturize properly, and blend, blend, blend to avoid your makeup from looking cakey!

“May tinatago ka ba? Baka insecure ka.”

We all have our reasons for applying makeup. For me, it’s to feel extra ready to take on the day and add a spring to my step. Whatever your reason may be, just brush off what people say – we believe in the empowerment that makeup gives!

“Makeup is bad for your skin.”

This is a valid point, if you don’t take care to remove your makeup completely or buy fake cosmetics that have questionable quality. Otherwise, take this as an opportunity to tell them about local brands like VMV Hypoallergenics and Happy Skin, which focus on coming up with skin-friendly products that won’t irritate skin. Be familiar with what ingredients irritate your skin and research on what you should avoid.

“Pahiram ng makeup!”

Makeup is a personal thing, literally! Maybe you can lend say, bottles of foundations where the product is just pumped out but for things that require skin contact like powder, lipstick, eyeliner, mascara, and tools, there’s a good reason for you to be selfish and not want to share. Gently decline and explain that makeup can be a breeding ground for bacteria, and you certainly don’t want to pass on your germs to them even if you don’t appear to be sick for their own safety.

“Drag makeup is only for drag queens.”

To be clear, you don’t need full-on drag makeup unless you’re going onstage and under bright lights. The queens’ techniques have found their way to everyday makeup though, like baking and applying contour. If you like how they make you look, just go for it and don’t be afraid to strut your stuff!

“Ka-vogue ka ngayon! May party ka, noh?”

High fashion or editorial makeup are best reserved for runway and the glossies because they’re often unrealistic and possibly even uncomfortable to wear IRL. But you can totally make these unwearable looks wearable! They can be adapted to play into your daily look, just like when we recreated the glossy eyes trend to not look out of place with everyday makeup. The technique is to keep things understated, and to keep the focus on a particular feature.

In any case, at the end of the day, it's none of anybody's beeswax how you choose to dress up your face and the rest of your body. You don't owe anyone an explanation, least of all an apology, for how you choose to live your life. If you're happy and spending your own money then do yourself a favor and don't let those around you control you.

Ever had the things above said to you before? How do you address them? We’d love to hear your stories!

Though the pleasantly cool weather right now still has us thinking about winter, spring-summer beauty trends have set the stage for a season of vibrant colors and edgy design. It’s all about being fresh and high-energy - just the thing to help us keep our optimistic outlook for the year ahead. Clinique, looking younger than ever, is ready to shake up your FOTD with beautifully bold new color selections that will make your daily look pop!

Headlining the Pop Collection is the Clinique Pop Matte Lip Colour + Primer (P1,100). These matte lipsticks have a luxuriously creamy formula that won’t dry your lips out, and pack a rich, full pigment in a single swipe! I was amazed by how comfortable they felt on the lips, staying vibrant and moist through the commute home, and up until I ate a few hours later. Here are some of the colors I swatched:

From left: Rose Pop, Ruby Pop, Bold Pop, Graffiti Pop, Pow Pop, and Mod Pop

Not a fan of mattes? There’s also the regular variety of Clinique Pop Lip Color + Primer (P1,100). These have a satin/velvet finish.

From left: Nude Pop, Berry Pop, Bare Pop, Melon Pop, Poppy Pop, Passion Pop, and Wow Pop

From left: Love Pop, Grape Pop, Plum Pop, Fab Pop, Beige Pop, and Sweet Pop

If you’re more of a liquid lipstick kind of gal, you’ll be pleased to know that Clinique also came up with the Pop Liquid Matte Lip Colour + Primer (P1,100). The finish is a bit satiny rather than a completely flat matte but it wears comfortably well for a liquid lipstick. It’s got generous pigment in a single swipe, too, so it’s best to apply in thin layers if you want to really build up color.

From left: Black Licorice Pop, Boom Pop, Candied Apple Pop, Sweetheart Pop, Petal Pop, Cake Pop, Ripe Pop, Flame Pop

The Clinique Lacquer Lip Colour + Primer (P1,100) is the choice for those who want both high-shine and high-pigmentation. Surprisingly, the formula is on the light side compared to the usual tacky-feeling lip gloss.

From left: Peace Pop, Love Pop, Cocoa Pop, Wink Pop, Happy Pop, and Lava Pop

Clinique Regional Makeup Education Manager Rene Benkenstein even gave tips on how to pull-off that bright pop of color without a hitch. Lips that draw a lot of attention call for an extra bit of precision. She showed us how to create fuller-looking lips with a lip liner, starting by giving definition to the cupid’s bow then switching to line the center of the bottom lip. From there, it’s just a matter of connecting the two together as the upper and bottom lines act as guides and help your application look more symmetrical.

There are also blushes and eyeshadows under the Clinique Pop line, making it quite a massive selection for those who want to go for a look that’s bold and beautiful. For contouring, she also recommended using the corners of the eyes as the guide for where to end application. Applying contour too close to the the center of the face makes it look obvious, she explained. And for blush, the pop of color is most visible on the apples of the cheeks, so even a subtle choice of shade can instantly light up the face when placed there.

Have you had a chance to swatch any of the lippies yet? Which popping shade is your fave?

by Jes Roque-Medina, contributor

When my boyfriend of 12 years and I finally decided to push through with our wedding, we agreed on one thing: to be practical and not to spend too much. We agreed upon a budget and set our limits - what we were actually willing to spend on and what was nice but unnecessary. At first, it was difficult because seeing other dreamy weddings made us want to have the same thing but we reminded each other, “We can have it if it falls within our budget. If not, we’ll drop it and look for alternatives.” Weddings can get really expensive but only if you allow it to! My dream wedding didn’t entail princess-y themes or extravagant parties; I just wanted our wedding to be about me and my husband. No drama, no fuss.

With that in mind, we had to be hands on with every detail. We DIY’d almost everything to save money, from the invitations to the table toppers. We sought the talents of our relatives and friends for my wedding dress, souvenirs, corsages, and boutonnieres. Our wedding was set in Subic so we searched for local suppliers for the photos and the catering to save on transportation fees. Whatever we could do on our own, we did, so it was a no-brainer decision for me to do my own makeup.

Makeup is something that I love doing and can do decently so why not, right? Though it was, and still is, my dream to be in the makeup chairs of famous makeup artists, I didn’t find it to be a practical expense for our wedding. As much as I admire their works, I just did not have the budget for it.

I only had one thing in mind for my bridal makeup: I wanted to look like myself but way more polished. I went for my usual - defined brows, neutral smokey eyes, and deep rose lips. Since I didn’t have time to practice and play with new makeup, I went with my ever-trusted and for sure no-fail makeup products in my stash. It just happened that everything I used was from the drugstore and inexpensive!

I invested so much on skincare months before the wedding so having a clear, smooth, and glowing base wasn’t a problem. To hide my pores and keep oil at bay, I used the L’Oreal True Match Blur Cream (P400, department stores) mixed with Quick FX No Shine Mattifier (P99, Watsons). I evened out my skin tone with my favorite L’Oreal True Match Super Blendable Foundation (P899, department stores). This foundation gives me a flawless finish in one layer without caking, creating a white cast, or drying my skin!

I used several concealers to achieve completely flawless coverage. I mixed the Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circle Treatment Concealer in Neutralizer (P399, online shop) and LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer in Yellow (P200, KeringKeri Store) to cancel out the darkness of my dark circles, then brightened up the undereye area with K-Palette Zero Kuma Concealer in Type 2 (P895, Beauty Bar).

To hide the blemishes and broken capillaries I have on my face, I used the K-Palette Zero Kuma Concealer in Type 1 (P895, Beauty Bar). I wanted to make sure that nothing would come off so I baked the eye area with Nichido Final Powder in Ivory Glow (P150, department stores) and set the rest of my face with L’Oreal Infallible Pro-Matte Powder (P499, department stores).

My contouring game was on that day so I used the LA Girl Pro Conceal HD Concealer in Toast (P200, KeringKeri Store) as a base and created more dimension with Maybelline V-Face Blush Contour (P499, department stores). I also used at bit of NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Powder in Sunny (P185, makeupinboxph.com) to add warmth to my face. I dusted Ellana Minerals Blush Duo in Kitten/Peach Passion (P450, ellana.com.ph) all over my cheeks. For a luminous glow, I used Ultraflesh Shinebox (about P1,000, phen.strawberrynet.com) on my nose bridge and cheekbones.

I’m obsessed about my brows so I had to make sure that they were perfectly on fleek on my special day! I started by drawing the outline with The Face Shop Style My Eyebrow in 3 (P150, The Face Shop) and filled it in with Maybelline Fashion Brow 3D Brow and Nose Contouring Palette in Dark (P349, department stores).

To further define the shape and to make sure everything will stay intact, I went over my brows with K-Palette Real Lasting Eyebrow in 01 (P699, Beauty Bar). To lighten and keep my brow hairs in place, I used the K-Palette Real Lasting Eyebrow Mascara (P595, Beauty Bar). Highlighting my brow bone with Nichido Spot Concealer (no longer available in stores) was an extra step but it made a huge difference!

Since I went for heavy, neutral smokey eyes, I primed my lids with Essence I♥ Stage Eyeshadow Base (P229, Watsons) to make the colors stay all day. For eyeshadow, I used the Beauty UK Posh Palette in Eden and Masquerade (P550, Makeupholics on IG). I did nothing unusual with my eye makeup: just played with brown eyeshadows and smoked it up!

For added drama, I tightlined using Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Liner (P449, department stores) and lined my lids with K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner (P695, Beauty Bar). I curled my lashes, coated both upper and lower ones with the foolproof Etude House Lash Perm Curl Fix Mascara (P848, Etude House), then put on a pair of Wicked Beauty False Lashes in G01 (P120/box of 10, Wickedbeautyph on IG).

When I first used the Maybelline Creamy Matte in Touch of Spice (P199, department stores), I immediately knew that it would be my lipstick of choice on my wedding day! In fact, the entire look I did was based on it! But to make it last even longer on the lips, I first applied Essence Lipliner in Soft Berry (P99, Watsons). Finally, I generously sprayed L’Oreal Infallible Makeup Extender Setting Spray (P499, department stores) all over my face to seal the deal.

I feel that doing my own makeup on my wedding really made me own the look. I achieved what I wanted and achieved the outcome I had envisioned. I was especially proud of the fact that, despite using only (mostly) drugstore products, the look turned out beautiful and stayed intact the whole day! I didn’t even have to retouch my lipstick.

If you plan to do your own makeup for your wedding or an important occasion, it’s important to have tried and tested products that you’re absolutely sure will work on you. It doesn’t have to expensive as even drugstore makeup can perform like pro-quality, high-end ones if you what works for you and your skin. Of course, it also pays to research and practice the wedding look first before you commit to it on the day itself. Test wear times and study if you're not super confident about a particular detail or product.

So, how much did I spend for my wedding makeup? Honestly, nothing! Everything I used was already in my existing stash. And yes, you can do it, too!

Jes Roque-Medina is a full-time middle school teacher in an international school and a financial advisor of AXA Philippines. She blogs at MakeUpLove.

Wedding photos by Raya Photography / Product photos by Muffy Tirona

Welcome to the month of love, PV girls! Whatever your relationship status, get ready to swoon over the stuff we found this week! You’ll be puckering up through February with all the new lip kits that just hit the market, and all the great sales may leave your heart racing. Ready for this?

Image via facebook.com/BeautyMNL

Last call for orders!

You’ll want to lift your shopping ban for this one: BeautyMNL’s Beauty Blowout is now as low as 70% off! Choose from over 65 brands and 750 products at prices that you just won’t be able to resist. Better hurry though: the sale ends on February 4, so get your orders in quick. Drop everything and head over to BeautyMNL now!

Image via via facebook.com/happyskincosmetics

A reason to celebrate

Happy Skin Cosmetics is at it again with another exciting launch for us to drool over (and basically hoard online, TBH). The Festival of Colors Collection is bringing summer in early and we couldn’t be happier. Included are three new lip kits in The Morning After (pinky mauve), Dance All Day (warm toned reddish brown), and Honeymoon Glow (peach) for just P1,149 each! There’s also the new Bye Bye Blues Brightening Concealer (P899) and Tickled Pink Skin Perfecting Super Absorbent Charcoal Blotting Sheets (P149) to keep you looking fresh during all your summer activities. Even their best-selling Eye Am Here to Stay 24H Eyeliners (P599) got a funky makeover. The limited edition collection is available for preorder over at the Happy Skin website only until February 8.

Image via facebook.com/inglotphilippines

This is not a drill!

Makeup hoarders (or should we say “collectors?”), listen up: Inglot Cosmetics is having their own version of an online New Year sale, and let’s just say we want everything! And it’s actually possible to achieve, too. Until February 5, you can shop selected blushes, powders, eyeshadows, lipsticks, brow products, and fragrances from the Freedom System for a steal! You can mix and match from the selected products and pay just P3,000 for 30 pieces, P1,500 for 10 pieces, and P1,000 for 5 pieces. We’ll take one of everything, please!

Image via PopSugar

MAC-ing their own kit

Before Kylie Jenner launched her own products, it must be remembered that once upon a time, she relied heavily on the Soar and Whirl lip liners by MAC Cosmetics. It feels only fitting then that the brand has decided to release their own set of iconic lip kits! Available exclusively online at Macy’s and Nordstrom’s, the kits are priced at $29 and come out cheaper than if you were to buy the lipstick and lip liner separately. MAC also made it a point to perfectly pair the liner and lipstick combos, giving you the choice of seven kits with some of their most iconic shades! Included are: Honeylove and Subculture, Velvet Teddy and Boldly Bare, Taupe and Hover, Twig and Half Red, Mehr and Soar, Stone (liner and lipstick), and Whirl (liner and lipstick)! We want this so bad!

Full story on PopSugar

Image via facebook.com/SMBeautyPH

Get red-dy to fall in love

It’s the season of love and 14 Days of Red Hot Deals at The SM Store Beauty Section! Starting February 1 until the 14th, each day will feature a special one-day only lipstick sale and special offers from different brands. Tons of brands are participating in this special treat, including (but not limited to) BYS, Jordana, Essence, Maybelline, L’Oreal, NYX, LA Girl, and The Body Shop! Remember: it’s a different set of discounts on different brands everyday so make sure to nab the lippies you’ve been eyeing by checking out the schedule here.

Image via Instagram user @katvondbeauty

Candy Kisses and best wishes

Who says cute can’t look hardcore? The highly anticipated release of the Kat Von D Rock Candy Studded Kiss lippies is finally happening! Scheduled to go on sale on April 4 on the Sephora website, these adorably punky mini lipsticks come in 6 new shades, with the signature studded bullet perfectly matching the colors inside! The shades include a soft gray, lavender, purple, hot pink, baby pink, and coral pink. Don’t they look so badass?

Full story on Bustle

Header image via jasminetalksbeauty.co

This story is brought to you by Silka.

The Project Vanity girls are a little bit - ok, a lot! - like me when it comes to choosing their skincare products. We’re very particular about brands, to the point of sometimes being snobbish about what we pick out at the store. There is, however, one thing that trumps our brand-conscious nature: how effective and good the product actually is. It’s even better when it’s affordable!

We’re no strangers to drugstore HGs, so when Silka asked the team to try their new lotions, we were game to find out what they had to offer. Here are some quick info on the two new variants!

Silka Whitening Lotion with Shea Butter

If whitening or evening out your skin tone is a priority, this new lotion is Silka’s premium variant. It features shea butter for moisturizing irritated and dry skin, as well as SPF23 for daily sun protection! It has a lovely cocobutter scent that’s almost edible. It’s 50ml / P41, 100ml/P70.25, 200ml/P124.75 at your favorite supermarkets and drugstores.

Silka Premium Moisturizing Milk Lotion with Avocado Oil and Almond Milk

If you’re looking for deeper, long-lasting moisture, this Silka lotion with avocado oil and almond milkcan give it to your skin sans the sticky, thick feeling. This has a creamy floral scent as well as SPF23! It’s a bit more expensive than the Shea Butter variant as this is 50ml / P45, 100ml/P77.25, 200ml/P137 at your favorite supermarkets and drugstores.

Which one should you try? Here’s what the PV girls think of these new releases! We split them up into two teams: the Shea Butter Team (Marielle and Angela) and the Avocado Team (Den and Kim).  They used the lotions for two weeks to see how their skin would react. They have previously never tried a Silka lotion before but, spoiler alert: they loved it!

Personally, I am really enjoying the Shea Butter variant for everyday. I love the scent and the SPF23 the most, followed by how moisturizing yet light it is on my skin. Can’t beat the price too - I was previously using an SPF 24 body serum from another brand but the Silka one is like half the price! Will continue using it and keep it in my to-repurchase list.

Have you tried Silka lotions before? How did they work for you?

Today I turn 29. Now if you've been following Project Vanity and my old personal blogs for a while, you might have already pieced together my story - how, as a poor college student, I started blogging and turned my hobby into the beauty company it is today. I'm not particularly rich or famous (and I might never be), but it's a point of pride for me that I'm able to run my own business, employ an amazing staff, and pay myself my own salary all before I turned 30. I stay in my own place and I can afford to travel occasionally. 

But how did I get here? And why do I want to talk about this now? The latter question is easier to answer. I know many women who were or are currently in a situation similar to mine when I was younger. They feel like their dreams are impossible or just too hard to even look at. They feel like they're not rich, pretty, smart, or confident enough to go after the thing that they know would make them happy. Not for lack of trying, they fail. Eventually it hurts too much to try again. 

I'm writing this because I'm a good example that with some luck - that is, when a person works hard enough and takes enough risks that she is able to maneuver herself into a position to be lucky - anything is possible. Take it from a crude girl from the province who could never have imagined writing something like this in a fancy tea restaurant in the middle of the day because dammit it, she's the boss. 

How I got here has a longer, more complex answer. I started working full-time two weeks after I graduated college, but I've actually been freelancing since my third year at university. I left my full-time job after eight months - I liked it well enough, but I wanted to be able to blog more. Can you imagine how ridiculous that sounded at the time? I was 22. I didn't know jack shit about anything.

Fortunately, due to my blogging connections, I was able to score freelance projects for different media companies. Eventually I had my own list of clients - still blogging almost everyday all this time! I would do community management as well as marketing and PR for them whenever they need a consultant. That's fun but I had to scale up. Should I open an agency or can I turn Project Vanity into something else? The answer was obvious. In late 2015 I raised money from investors, incorporated a company, and now here we are. 

I was - still am - afraid every step of the way. I often feel inadequate for the job and the goals I set for myself. I make a lot of mistakes and I fail often. But I also succeed often and I do many things right. It's all part of the process of learning to navigate the next stage of my personal development!

I have so much advice I want to write down but since this is getting long and I don't want to repeat all the things I've said before, let me just say one thing. 

If you already have a goal but don't know what to do to get there, find someone who has already done it or is in any stage of doing it. I would use the word mentor but it doesn't have to be so formal; the relationship could be as simple with you being curious and your friend being willing to share his or her experiences. 

Ask them a lot of questions. Ask them for their story, their opinion, the things that keep them busy day to day. I was fortunate enough to work with amazing women early on in my career, and I was able to observe how they solve problems and how dedicated they are to their businesses first hand. If you have someone that you work with and look up to, learn from them. If you don't work for them yet, well, what are you waiting for? (Kidding, I know it's not always an option. But if it is, stop dawdling.)

No dream is impossible until you exhaust all means of making it possible. Dreams are like Schrödinger's cat - they're both possible and impossible until you actually open the box to check. The sooner you accept this, the less time you waste on meaningless distractions and pointless what ifs. 

So, do something for yourself today. Ask someone you look up to for coffee. The worst that can happen is they say no or ignore you. Otherwise, you might just pick up a new idea that will inspire a change in the way you think or go about your life. That's priceless and worth the risk of rejection. 

If there's one makeup basic I can't live without, it would be powder foundation. It's the quickest way to get coverage and often even sun protection, for days when I'm just really stepping out and don't want (or if I'm fortunate, need) to apply a lot of layers. I just need to even out my skin with it using a big dense brush and I'm good to go in three minutes!

That's why I can't have too many powder foundations in my kit. The latest addition is the Clinique Beyond Perfecting Powder Foundation + Concealer SPF30 PA+++ (price to follow) which was included in the press kit they gave out at their recent event. Luckily, it's ~sorta~ my shade so I've been wearing it quite a lot lately!

I've had several Clinique powders in the past and all of them I finished down to the pan. Clinique has this way of making bases that smoothen the skin immensely well - they never look powdery or overly thick. It's just your skin, but enhanced up a few significant notches! This new foundation does not disappoint in that regard. I'm also happy that it has SPF30 PA+++!

The Beyond Perfecting Powder gives my skin a demi-matte finish and smoothens out creases and bumps nicely. Coverage is medium to heavy - it does not quite work like a concealer at all but I'm pleased with the coverage and adherence it gives me. It can cover up minor blemishes and discolorations by itself, but if course you'll still need a proper concealer underneath for serious hyper pigmentation. A little goes a long way with this foundation; you may apply it with the sponge or your preferred buffing brush.

The shade I got in the press kit is 64 Cream Beige. It's not an exact shade match as it's about a shade lighter than what I would wear, but I don't mind so much since it adjusts to my skin tone about an hour into it. Cream Beige isn't that beige, and is actually yellowish in tone. I'd say it's best for NC30 skin.

Staying power is average - the Beyond Perfecting Powder keeps me oil-free for about 4 hours, and fades evenly by the 6-hour mark. I just keep retouching to keep it up. It's not that much of a hassle but if you're particularly oily, you may need something that has better wear time.

Overall, I highly recommend the  Clinique Beyond Perfecting Powder Foundation + Concealer SPF30 PA+++ to anyone looking for a good daily powder foundation. You may need to retouch more often if you have oilier skin, but those with normal to combi skin should be fine with it. As for me, I'll be using it until I run out since it works pretty well for my purposes. ^_^ Let me know what you think!

When people say you look tired, chances are you dark circles and eye bags are a lot more obvious than you think. Sure, you can try to cover them up with concealers and correctors but all that makeup isn't going to address the actual issue of what’s happening to your skin. If you aren't using an eye cream yet, it's a good idea to add it to your routine even before you need it. Prevention is always better than cure, and to start you off, the PV girls are sharing their current picks!

Liz: Eye cream is one of those things you don't think you need until you do - and by then, it's almost certainly too late! To be fair though as long as you moisturize your whole face properly, sleep right, and maintain a healthy lifestyle then your bags shouldn't be a problem. If you're not able to do all the above though, you might need some help.

I love the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye; it's a good formula for all ages and one I've been using for years whenever needed. Recently I've been trying out the Juice Beauty Anti-Wrinkle Eye Treatment and Goldfaden MD Bright Eyes Cream. I like how both have a refreshing feel on the eyes and how thin the formula is. They do help de-puff my bags nicely!

Den: I haven’t been as religious about putting on eye cream as I should be at my age but when I do remember, these are the ones I reach for. The Body Shop Moisture White Brightening Eye Cream sits well under my makeup and helps to keep my concealer from creasing. I don’t use it regularly enough to say if it does lessen the dark circles though. At night, I apply Clinique’s Repairwear Laser Focus, focusing at the outer corners where crow’s feet threaten to show up. I try to avoid putting anything on my lids though because the cream eventually travels into my eye and clouds my vision.

Jenn: While I don't think I've used enough to really pick out "what's best out there", I have a thing for eye creams with metal applicators. It makes putting on eye cream more fun since the applicator cools and relaxes the skin. L'Oreal Revitalift helps with lines while Beauskin Crystal Whitening combats dark circles, especially during puyat days!

Katsy: I have been using eye creams since college but I can't recommend a "best" one yet as my under eye area is still dehydrated. I do like the Laneige White Plus Renew Eye Cream that I'm currently using just for its brightening properties. Still not enough moisture though so I've started to use eye masks like the Petitfee Black Pearl & Gold Hydrogel Eyepatch.

Marielle: Because I only use eye creams at night, my bottle of Nuxe Creme Prodigieuse Anti-fatigue Eye Cream is still around. It applies without drag or greasiness, and the formula is light and absorbs quickly. I find that it delivers well on moisturizing the eye area.

Claire: Mizon's Snail Repair Eye Cream is the best I've tried so far. It made my sagging lids firmer and my under eye area lighter. And it costs less than most eye creams, too! Right now, I'm trying Skin Food's Salmon Brightening Eye Cream. I like its gentle scent and light texture. It does what it says and brightened my dark circles in a week.

Angela: I use the Elizavecca Gold CP Nest White Bomb Eye Cream that I got from Althea. It's made from bird's nest and 24K pure gold! They all seem to work at keeping my eye area moisturized and healthy. It has reduced the darkness of my under eye area and my fine lines are now gone. I really love the mild and delicate scent, too! 

Gett: My undereye area's fine for now so all I really put on the area is the Watsons Collagen Hydro-Balance Eye Treatment Cream. It's very moisturizing that I sometimes use it on dry patches of my skin!

Kim: My eyes are very choosy when it comes to mascara. I grab the wrong tube, and they will immediately itch like hell and develop ugly dry patches on the inner corner. What helps my skin recover overnight is the Aveda Botanical Kinetics Energizing Eye Creme. I like how well this heals and moisturizes my abused eye area. If this lightened my dark circles, too, I'd be happy to stick with this forever!

Are you already using an eye cream? What products have you tried, or have been eyeing for your next purchase?

How far would you go in the name of beauty? This is probably a question you’ve had to confront a few times, from having your eyebrows threaded and getting a Brazilian to forking over several thousand-peso bills to buy a product that promises to bring you closer to perfection. Those activities are all pretty normal though and we no longer bat an eyelash when we hear of a makeup haul that goes up to five figures, but sometimes we do things that are just a bit of the beaten path.

The Internet is full of crazy ideas that can supposedly help you look better, and it can be tempting to give them a try even though the chances of them actually working are 50-50. So we asked six women about the weirdest beauty product, service or tip they’ve tried so far and whether it actually worked for them. Ready to get a little weirded out?

Rica Garcia, 23, freelance makeup artist and Youtuber

Not one to shy away from testing out products and home remedies, Rica is no stranger to beauty kitchen experiments. One of the strangest things she’s done for beauty is using baking soda and milk to whiten her knees and elbows. Rica shares that she was so desperate to see the effects that she did the remedy for two straight weeks! Unsurprisingly, it didn’t work and we now know that baking soda is bad for your skin.

Katrina Aguas, 33, manager

When it comes to her beauty regimen, Katrina keeps it simple but is pretty fearless about trying anything and everything. From Ventosa treatments to acupuncture, she’s been there and done that. But she says that the strangest thing she’s ever done in the name of beauty is to slap some snail serum skincare on her face! Before her trip to Korea, she had heard so many people rave about this “snail mucus” skincare, and all of its benefits and amazing results. So she decided to purchase the Snail Solution line from Nature Republic in Seoul, and shares that she’s in love with its effects on her skin!

Angela Ronquillo, 27, advocate and account manager

Being a woman isn’t as easy. There’s a lot of pressure to always look our best, and that honestly takes a lot of work. From brow threading, to body waxing and even laser hair removal, most women opt to be as smooth and hair-free as possible. Taking her cue from her favorite YouTube beauty gurus (Chloe Morello, Huda Beauty, and Teni Panosian) Angela decided, after much contemplation and consideration, to shave her whole face! Skipping her brow area (thank goodness), she took a razor and lightly shaved her entire face - revealing smoother and softer skin with no peach fuzz! She now swears by this trick and shaves her face regularly, saying that her makeup application is so much better and result in a more flawless finish. BRB, we’re off to buy a razor!

Lexy Angeles, 24, radio DJ

Face masks are all the rage nowadays. From cute animal-design masks to ultra-hydrating sheets of pure heaven, we’ve all done a mask at some point in our lives. But remember those classic “home remedies” we were fooled into believing would actually work? Lexy decided to try the classic egg white face mask, which is supposedly popular for its pore-tightening properties. Although she’s still unsure if it actually works, she has also tried applying toothpaste as a spot treatment and in Lexy’s own words: “It does not work. Don't do it."

Amanda Alegre, 25, content creator

Beach babe Amanda loves heading out to the surf and working on her tan. One time though, she decided to try this suggestion of washing hair with a soda or beer to make hair lighter. Amanda reveals, “It worked to a certain extent!” Just be ready to feel sticky and smell a little funny after!

Sarah Carlos, 22, artist

Even some of our favorite celebrities have done some pretty strange things for beauty. Take budding actress and future accountant Sarah Carlos. When she was younger, she was super frustrated about how slow her hair was growing so she went online and found a DIY home treatment that suited her student budget. She mixed up a hair mask made from egg yolks mixed with olive oil and promptly got into a mess because of the tricky application. It didn’t work though so best save these kitchen ingredients to make a fancy meal.

We’re no stranger to weird beauty practices either but there are trends and products that are just way out of our leagues! Have you ever tried an unusual beauty product, service or tip before? What was your experience? Would you do it again?

This is probably the most massive press kit I've ever received in my beauty writing career, and it's only fitting that it's from such an in-demand name! Too Faced Cosmetics as you guys may have heard has just been recently acquired by Estee Lauder for $1.45 billion last November. It seems like this iconic brand is on its way up in the world; it can only get better from here. It may not have physical stores yet in the Philippines but you can find their best sellers over at Sephora.ph.

Just the other day, Sephora sent me the full Too Faced Sweet Peach Collection which recently dropped on their site. Now I was so excited to try out everything that I shot and swatched the products immediately! If you've been curious about the collection or dithering on a purchase, then I hope you find these photos useful. I'll be posting a look + capsule reviews of the products next week. Let's begin the swatch party!

Click on the gallery images to see a bigger size.

The Too Faced Papa Don't Peach Blush (P1,808) is the one that started it all. Released years ago and considered to be one of TF's most iconic products, it's a universal peach that offers a rosy, almost bronzy hue to the cheeks! Looking forward to see if this wears as well as people say. I almost never retouch blush during the day so this would be a staple in my kit if it would stay for 8.5 hours (as Temptalia claimed).

The Too Faced Sweet Peach Eye Shadow Collection (P2,953) has eighteen highly-pigmented shades with different finishes. I like that everything veers on the warm side, and there are interesting colors to play with. There are neutrals, peaches (of course), and smoky shades to delight the eyes. 

The swatches below were done with fingers on bare, primer-free skin. Most of the colors were solid in two swipes; the bronzey shades as well as Tempting took just one swipe. They're so creamy! Are these shades gorgeous or what? Just Peachy, Candied Peach, and Caramelized stood out the most to me.

The Too Faced Sweet Peach Glow Kit (P2,531) is a palette that contains a champagne highlighter, a golden peach blush, and a peach-toned light bronzer. The pigmentation level and smoothness of the formula are just right; it should layer beautifully on top of your base makeup. This palette will lend itself well to the draping and sun stripping cheek looks that are quite pretty, when done correctly.

Matte lipsticks are amazing, but glosses are a welcome change! I am digging the Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Oil Lip Gloss (P1,145) which has a balmy, non-drying, non-sticky feel and surprisingly even coverage. It's not 100% opaque, but the color is even throughout my lips.

There are eight shades available, ranging from nudes, pinks, and peaches. The swatches look just okay, but on the lips, they show up quite well!

Wearing Tickle Me Peach below on bare lips. I was expecting a streaky mess based on the swatches, but it looks even. 

All of these products have a sweet peach scent which has divided the makeup population. Some people love it, some people hate it. Me? I've got a cold right now! But from what I can sniff of it, I like. I would still prefer my cosmetics to be unscented but this is a novelty I can get behind as long the formula performs well.

We'll see how these Too Faced products wear soon! Stay tuned, and let me know if you're looking to try anything!

Too Faced is officially available at Sephora.ph

Celeteque has been a household name for skincare for over a decade now, so we initially found it curious that it's earnestly coming out with cosmetics. We are happy to report though that the brand has managed the crossover to makeup in a way that stays true to what it started with: affordable, high-performance pieces that help give the look of a good skin day.

We did a feature last year on the cosmetics launch. This time we tested a few of Celeteque's latest products, so let’s get cracking!

Celeteque 24-Hour Photoready Matte Primer (P825)

The Photoready primer acts as a mattifier and blur cream in a single tube. It instantly takes shine off and reduces the appearance of pores and fine lines, especially on the nose area. Compared to the more expensive Benefit The Porefessional Pro Balm, I find that Celeteque has a drier, more powdery texture that initially balls up as you smooth it over the skin. Surprisingly, the pilling disappears as you continue to apply and there is no significant difference in the way the skin looks afterwards. Celeteque could, in my opinion, pass as a dupe for the Porefessional.

Top: Benefit The Porefessional Pro Balm, Bottom: Celeteque Photoready Matte Primer

Under makeup, the primer gives me about four hours of matte wear before the T-zone of my combination skin starts to get shiny again. I like its skin-smoothing finish which helps improve the appearance of my base! 

Celeteque 2-in-1 Eye Bag Miracle Kit in Natural (P745)

Cleverly incorporating a skincare step with makeup, this unique duo includes an eye balm and an eye concealer. Since they were created together, the two formulas are designed to be compatible when layered over each other. It’s nice that this takes some of the guesswork out of the equation.

The under eye balm stays solid at room temperature and, though it may look waxy because it stays that way in the pot, it melts upon contact with the fingers. When applied to the skin, it has a mild cooling effect that lasts a couple of minutes, which I find pleasantly soothing. My eye concern has always been dark circles and not puffiness, so I can’t really tell you if it works in that department. It feels refreshing and moisturizing at the very least, and allows the eye foundation to apply smoothly on top. Once fully absorbed, you can proceed to apply the eye foundation.

On your left: Wearing a sheer layer of the 2-in-1 Eye Bag Miracle Kit; on your right: bare skin

The fliptop lid reveals a tiny mirror, which is a useful addition that allows for applying this duo on the go. As with the eye balm, the eye foundation is on the dry, solid side instead of a creamy formula, so it is not prone to caking.

The shade Natural seamlessly blends with my NC20 skin. At best it is a little brightening, at worst it does not quite show up. If you have severe dark circles, you will still need a concealer with way better coverage.

Celeteque CC Micro-Hydrating Powder in Classic Natural (P930)

Love the light, natural look of loose powder but hate lugging the potential mess around? The CC Micro-Hydrating Powder is the answer! From the outside, the thick, plastic compact looks like it could be a cushion compact but it’s actually a pressed powder topped with a special dispenser that scrapes a little bit of powder whenever you turn the knob. If you’ve seen the Elizabeth Arden Mineral Powder Foundation compact, the mechanism is similar. The thick puff that comes with the powder helps prevent loose bits from spilling out and making a mess of your purse, but there is a bit of wiggle room for some bits of loose powder to dusty up the mirror and the sides of the compact..

At first glance, I thought the shade Classic Natural would be too dark on me but it’s more of a sheer translucent powder that applies smoothly and quickly disappears on the skin. To an extent, it also refines smaller pores though the Photoready Primer already tackles the bigger ones. Used together, my skin looks even smoother, even on the sides of the nose. Longevity on my T-zone is around two hours before it starts to get shiny. I don't mind so much though, as I can retouch with this easily!

Celeteque Eyebrow Defining Kit in Medium Brown (P600)

Offering both coloring and grooming features, the mirrored compact of the Eyebrow Defining Kit consists of a brow powder, a brow wax, and a dual-ended brush applicator (one side is angled and the other is slightly domed). The bristles on the applicator are made of synthetic hairs that are quite soft. Though they apply comfortably without snagging at my brow hairs, I wish the angled brush side could have been made of stiffer material so that mapping the edges of the brows would be easier and less jagged-looking.

The brow powder, although buildable, is not heavily pigmented. It takes quite some time to get the color to stand out against naturally black brow hairs; I counted 4 passes before it looked like I had brow products on. Similarly, the brow wax is more like a light balm that may keep brow hairs in place, but it hardly contributes to the coloring. You would have to use quite a lot, and the included applicator doesn’t offer much help in building up pigmentation.

Medium Brown is on the reddish side, making it suitable for those with chestnut or chocolate brown hair. As with most brow products I use, I did not require any touch-ups when I wore this for an entire day.

Celeteque Moisturizing Lip and Cheek Duo (P665)

Lip and cheek products come in many forms. Some brands do tints, while others do creams. In this case, Celeteque has created a cross between a mousse and a cream that offers comfortable wear on both the lips and the cheeks. Lightweight and velvety, the whipped consistency that borders almost feels powdery, and it is neither tacky nor dry. That same texture and consistency lets it patiently sit on top of the skin as you blend it on the cheeks, allowing for it to diffuse evenly without the risk of patchy application.

On the lips, it initially applies sheer like a tint but layering twice will give it a creamy lipstick look. That being said, the buildable pigmentation is at sheer to medium. Moisture-wise, I recommend applying lip balm first as I didn’t find this to be moisturizing enough.

Wearing Photoready Matte Primer, CC Micro-Hydrating Powder, Eyebrow Defining Kit, Moisturizing Lip and Cheek Duo in Rosy Blush on cheeks and lips (left), and Soft Berry on cheeks and lips (right)

Soft Berry is a warm-toned medium fuchsia that pops beautifully against fair skin. Rose Blush, on the other hand, may look like a nude peachy brown from the tube but it’s actually more of a coral-tinged pink that’s flattering on fair and morena skin alike. With no eating or drinking, the color stays vibrant for about three hours' I noticed that fading starts at the 5-hour mark. There is also a strong cherry candy scent to this, so check first if you're ok with the fragrance.

Wearing Natural Nude (left) and Soft Pink (right)

Celeteque Ultra-Nourishing Lip Lacquer (P645)

To top off the Celeteque collection with something shiny and new, there’s the moist Ultra-Nourishing Lip Lacquer. It’s basically a lip gloss but it’s only slightly tacky, and the shine it delivers is good for two hours before it starts to look more like lip balm. Pigmentation is on the sheer side and there is a pineapple candy scent that isn’t as strong as the Lip and Cheek duo’s cherry scent.

From left: Soft Berry, Rosy Blush, Soft Pink, and Natural Nude

Natural Nude is a versatile nude pink that I think will be flattering on most skin tones. Soft Pink is a sheer hot pink that swatches vibrantly on the back of the hand but it looks toned down once on the lips. This shade might be more flattering to fairer skin tones.

After experiencing all these new offerings from Celeteque, I find that I want to keep a lot of them as staples in my makeup bag. I particularly loved the CC Micro-Hydrating Powder, the Lip and Cheek Duo, and the Ultra-Nourishing Lip Lacquer. The skin-flattering shades are great for light, everyday makeup that looks effortless but pretty!

Have you tried any of Celeteque’s makeup offerings? What are your faves?

Is there such thing as a "wrong" facial wash? Granted, it's just something that you put on your face for two minutes, but the wrong cleanser can cause drier/oilier skin or worse - breakouts. Your facial wash doesn't need to do much other than wash off the oil and dirt accumulated on your face but it does have to do one thing, without compromises: it has to be non-irritating.

That's where the recent obsession of beauty nerds with pH levels come in. We wrote a pretty detailed article about it already, but to summarize, this is why pH levels in your cleansers matter:

pH which stands for “potential hydrogen” is a measure of how acidic or basic a water-based solution is. The scale ranges from 0 to 14, with 0 referring to a highly acidic substance, 7 a neutral substance, and 14 a highly basic or alkaline substance. 

The acid mantle is our skin’s outermost protective layering. It’s a film of skin oils and acids that serves as a natural barrier between the deeper layers of our skin and the bacteria that we come across in our day to day lives. For the longest time, I used to associate the term acidic with a negative connotation. The truth, I’ve discovered, is that the low pH of the acid mantle creates an environment that is inhospitable to infection-causing pathogens and acne-causing bacteria. In short, pH-balanced skin is clear, clean, healthy skin!   

You want your skin to be able to fight off bacteria, maintain its moisture level, and control its natural oil production on its own. This is why it's important to use a cleanser with low pH, ideally in the acidic range (pH 6 or under). I wouldn't call this an absolute rule though. My favorite facial wash of all time is still the Shiseido Ibuki Gentle Cleanser which apparently has a pH of 8 (!!!)* but it works perfectly for me. I have other low pH cleansers but while they're pleasant, they don't work as well as I perceive the Ibuki does.

Anyway, before I get even more sidetracked, I just want to quickly review the COSRX Low pH Good Morning Cleanser (P540 at theskincarecurator.com). I love this stuff (well, not as much as the Ibuki but it's pretty up there) because it is SLS-free, has a pH of 3.5, and features a non-drying, gentle formulation that's ideal for sensitive skin. Best thing is that it's less than P600!

Many low pH cleansers have trouble foaming but this one does not. It produces a robust foam and when it's washed off, the skin doesn't feel dry at all. It has a mild tea tree scent which I don't mind personally. I've also observed that this leaves a bit of a minty feel which manifests itself after I've dried my face; it's unexpected but not unpleasant.

The cleanser is a clear, viscous gel off the tube

This cleanser doesn't remove makeup very well, but it's great as a morning cleanser by itself and as a second cleanser at night after I take off my face. I turn to this when I feel my skin is freaking out or just whenever I feel like rotating my facial washes. 

Sorry if the foam looks weaksauce here, it's just that it was not easy having this on my hand and a DSLR on another! The COSRX cleanser can produce a more satisfying foam given the proper attention.

Overall, I highly recommend the COSRX Low pH Good Morning Cleanser to anyone who wants to start their new low pH life. It's great for sensitive and troubled skin, plus you get 150ml for P540. This is one of those products where you have nothing to lose and everything to gain! Unless of course you're allergic to some component of it but we can't predict that, of course.

COSRX is making me (and my SO's skin) happy! So glad it's easily available here now. Watsons carries select products (no cleanser yet unfortunately), but you can order online at theskincarecurator.com and beautymnl.com. Let me know what you think, as always! Are you looking to switch cleansers now?

*The Reddit Asian Beauty group has created this crowdsourced document about the different pH levels of popular cleansers. You might want to check yours out there too!

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always refused to wear anything that didn’t have sleeves on them and use a cover-up for my arms if forced. It’s not that I hate them - I actually do want to be able to wear sleeveless dresses and tops. I’m not comfortable enough to do so, mainly because my arms lack tone and I feel embarrassed about displaying them. More so, I don’t exactly have Instagram-worthy smooth and white underarms.

Tight clothing that rub against the underarm area, deodorants with chemicals that cause irritation, and shaving are often causes of dark armpits but fortunately, they’re not completely hopeless. As I didn’t want to cower away and give up on my #kilikiligoals, I started looking for solutions to make my underarms lighter and smoother. If you’re stuck in a similar situation, consider these budget-friendly picks that actually work!

Ever Bilena Naturals Sunflower Oil (P135 at Watsons, SM Beauty and Landmark)

Human Nature’s original version became a quick favorite when it came into the market, as it did a great job of providing moisture while lightening skin. It can be a bit difficult to find though and I chanced up this new release from Ever Bilena! It’s made from 100% natural sunflower oil and contains Vitamin E. As it’s an oil and can cause your antiperspirant or deodorant to slide off, it’s best to use this at night after bathing. Simply rub a good amount of oil all over your underarms and let it work its wonders.

Kojie-San Skin Lightening Soap (P50 for two at supermarkets)

Liz has shared her skin-lightening success story with this soap, and the rest of us in the PV team can attest that it’s worth the rave. The kojic acid has powerful exfoliating properties that help to lighten dark spots and uneven skin tone. Use it to soap your underarms during bath time - you’ll start to see results in just a few weeks!

Belo Essentials Whitening Antiperspirant Deodorant (P59.75 at supermarkets)

This is the first deodorant I’ve seen that also contains kojic acid and if using a wash-off soap is enough to make a difference, leaving it on may have an even more powerful effect! It also aids in soothing your underarms if you shave often and suffer from bumpy skin. And since it’s already a deodorant and whitening agent in one, you don’t have to worry about layering products on your underarms to smell fresh.

Gluta-C Underarm and Bikini Skin Whitening Gel (P199 at department stores)

Though glutathione is a popular ingredient in skin whitening products, there’s some debate about whether applying it directly to the skin actually works. What probably makes this gel effective is the vitamin C it contains, which has been proven to brighten skin and even improve its texture. I find this very gentle on the skin and it promises a deodorizing factor so I sometimes use it on its own. The gel formula is also easily be absorbed by the skin, making it easy to use in the morning or at night.

Belfour Whitening Anti-perspirant and Deodorant Spray (P74.75 at Watsons)

Spray-on deodorants are so convenient to apply and lessen your armpits’ exposure to friction. This is a good alternative for canned spray deodorants and you can even keep it in your purse if you feel the need to reapply. It uses all natural ingredients like tea tree oil to keep underarms clean and fresh. It also has a special blend of plant extracts that help lighten the underarms with regular use.

Are you confident about showing off your underarms? What do use to improve the appearance of your pits? Do share your underarm whitening secrets in the comments below!

The local beauty scene has gotten a lot more exciting in the last few years as so many more brands and tons of new products become more readily available to Filipinas. It’s definitely a great thing but it can also feel so overwhelming! When I was in makeup school, my classmates and I would ask our teachers about the products that they considered to be their “holy grails”. They would sometimes admit that it’s sometimes difficult to find a product that they really liked because you often had to try so many meh ones before finding one that became a favorite!

Another barrier: artists usually have different styles, so what works for one is often pretty unique to them. The upside to this is that there’s a variety of products for us to choose from and to consider for our own needs. I talked to four wedding makeup artists and asked them to dish on the products that they rely on to turn their clients into their bridal best. Here’s what never leaves their kits!

Vannie Eribal | website

I always use Physiogel Lotion to prep the skin before applying any makeup. Moisturizer is an important pre-makeup step, and this does a great job of making skin feel smooth and supple. It also works well for all skin types so I don’t have to buy different moisturizers! It has enough moisture for dry skin, yet it has a light consistency that is easily absorbed by the skin, making it good for oily skin. Those with sensitive skin can also use this because it’s gentle and unscented.

Having a good primer is important for building the base. For this, I’m loving my Happy Skin Insta Beauty Blur Cream! It blurs the imperfections of the skin and also controls the production of oil. When I use this before foundation, I find that it really helps the foundation apply more smoothly. I like that it feels like a creamy foundation and is very comfortable on the skin. The tint also blends well with our Filipina skin tones.

Elaine Jacinto | website

Foundation is the most important product in my kit because it will hold all the other products that will be applied to the skin. I love using the Kryolan TV Paint Stick for this. Because it’s a full coverage cream foundation, it can easily cover imperfections like discolorations, dark undereye circles, and acne marks with just one layer. Sometimes I don’t even need to use concealer anymore. It can even cover tattoos if applied correctly together with a color correcting concealer. As a cream type foundation, it doesn’t dry too fast like liquid foundations do, so I have enough time to blend and adjust the color as needed.

Kristine Lucas | website

I can't live without my Kryolan Dermacolor Camouflage Crème concealer kit. It’s my magic potion for making sure the skin looks flawless! It has heavy coverage and stays put even if you don’t set it with a lot of powder. Shade D4 is my favorite as it fits the Filipino tone. When I apply it on the undereye area, it instantly covers the dark circles. I like applying concealer the traditional way even when I do airbrush makeup so that it doesn’t get on the lashes, and this is the only concealer that works with my airbrush products. 

I also love the Anastasia Contour Kit because it gives my clients the superstar effect! This palette is more than just hype--it creates the perfect balance of glow and shadow. I find that the six shades included are enough to suit every skin tone, including a warm-toned highlighter that glows without looking too shiny. The texture is also not too powdery so I always seem to pick up just the right amount of product that I need; no need to tap the brush to remove (and waste) excess product!

Denisse Martin | website

I love my BECCA Champagne Pop highlighter! It glides on smoothly and doesn't leave chunky patches of shimmer. I find that this product gives an intense highlight that still looks wearable. It reflects flawlessly beautiful on every skin tone, and lasts about 6 hours without having the need to retouch (which is a long time in Philippine weather). It is best used with Real Techniques Setting Brush.

What are the HG products in your kit? What makes them so important to you?

Header image via beautifie.com

Did you know that there are pro-quality, super affordable European makeup brands at SM Beauty? We’ve only recently started discovering them as they’ve slowly been popping up all over the local beauty scene. To allow give us the chance to try these products, Bhagi’s International treated us to the Beauty Backstage shopping party! Whitespace Makati was transformed into a mini beauty fair where beauty writers got to shop each of the eight beauty brands carried by Bhagi’s.

We’re no strangers to Essence Cosmetics here in Project Vanity. We’ve raved about their best-selling All about Matt Compact Fixing Powder (P299) and I Love Colour Intensifying Eyeshadow Base (P249), hoarded their lip liners and eyeliners, and even hosted an eyebrow workshop for the Little Eyebrow Monsters Line. I’m so excited to finally try the Pure Nude Highlighter (P379) for myself as it’s constantly sold out! I also picked up two palettes: All About Roses eyeshadow palette (P379), which features some pretty shimmers; and Vintage Rose (P499), a rose-toned palette that includes eyeshadows, a highlighter, and cream eyeliner.

Catrice Cosmetics is another favorite German brand of ours here at PV. It’s inspired by fashion trends around the world so they’re always adding new products to match the seasons! Brand manager Katrina Chu excitedly shared her favorites from the brand. The Matt 6hr Lip Artist (P499) is a crayon-type lipstick that promises six hours of no smudging, while their 7-pan eyeshadow palettes (P499) come in four different collections: Essential Nude, Modern Matt, Nude Blossom and Precious Copper.

They also have the Deluxe Glow Highlighter Palette (P499) which consists of three luminescent shades that give the skin a soft glow, while the Blush Artist Shading Palette (P499) comes in three different collections each consisting of two blushes (one matte and one shimmer) and a highlight.

I’m looking forward to trying the Re Touch Light Reflecting Concealer (P399), which looks very similar to YSL Touch Eclat. I made sure to get the Prime and Fine Mattifying Powder Waterproof (P499) for my crazy oily skin, and Pret-a-Volume Smokey Mascara Waterproof (P499) which is the most long-wearing mascara of the brand.

As you may have guessed, Deborah Milano hails from Italy. Its bestsellers include the Daily Dream DD Foundation (P799), which features anti-aging properties and is said to be best suited for dry skin. I have very oily skin though so I decided to go for the Comfort Matt Foundation (P749) instead. Liz raved about how The Absolute Lasting Liquid Lipstick (P649) survived through a buffet meal so I got two shades of this transfer-proof goodness!

Aside from makeup, Bhagi’s also brought in the Il Salone Milano hair colors from Italy. These home coloring kits are gentler on your hair because it has only 0.7% ammonia content, plus they’re free from parabens, paraffin and ethyl alcohol. The scent is quite neutral, too, so you don’t get a headache while undergoing the treatment. It comes with a pre-treatment to protect your hair before coloring, as well as a post-treatment to nourish your hair after. Currently there are six shades available locally. The most popular ones are 9.03 light golden blonde and 8.3 medium golden blonde. For just P369 per box, these are very affordable and safe hair coloring options!

I didn’t even know that we had Turkish beauty products available here until I learned about Flormar Cosmetics. Their star product is the Illuminating Primer Base (P699), which brightens and hydrates the face while prolonging the wear of makeup, making it a must-have for dry-skinned gals. For my fellow oily-since-birth girls, they recommend the Mat Touch foundation (P749) for a matte, medium coverage and Perfect Coverage Foundation (P799) for full coverage. Another bestseller are the Deluxe Cashmere Lipsticks (P399), which are infused with shea butter, cacao butter, and other antioxidants. Even the Eyebrow Pencil in 402 (P199), a dark brown shade with a brush, usually sells like hotcakes!

I decided to go for the powders because summer will be upon us pretty soon and I usually ditch my liquid bases completely. I got the Loose Powder (P399) to control oiliness while locking in moisture. I also grabbed a Compact Powder (P449) as well as a Wet & Dry Compact Powder (P499). Both were wonderfully creamy to the touch when I swatched them.

The only non-European brand in the lineup is Jordana, which is made in the USA. Jordana aims to offer every girl the chance to experience superior quality, fashion forward cosmetics at extremely affordable prices. Their star products are definitely their lip products! Their bestselling Sweet Cream Matte Liquid Lip Colors (P399) are frequently run out of stock because beauty girls love the transfer-proof formula. They have outlandish colors such as blue, gray and black but the most popular shades are Rose Macaron (a soft pink that we featured in our Naughty and Nice kit), Tiramisu (rosy brown), and Crème Bulee (nude pink).

Another bestseller is the Complete Cover 2-in-1 Concealer Foundation (P499), which offers as full a coverage as its name suggests. You can also use this as a spot concealer. I found 03 Golden Beige to be a good match for my NC20 skin. I’m also looking forward to trying the Prime No-Shine Mattifying Face Primer (P699) because my oily skin needs all the help it can get!

I love collecting perfumes so I was really excited to see that Bhagi’s also brought in some new fragrances! Those who are just looking for a mild splash of scent will enjoy the Romantic Collection perfumed body mists (P299). There are six available variants, all with fresh, floral scents. I personally adore floral scents, and chose Memories of You and Hush of Blush. Those looking for something sweeter will enjoy Good Mornings.

If you prefer a more personalized fragrance, however, then check out Joe of London Eau de Parfum, which are made with fragrance oils from France. These scents can be layered on top of each other to create your own unique fragrance! And it’s so affordable, too: it’s Buy 1-Take 1 for just P469! There are eight scents to choose from and each has its own unique character. You can take your pick among citrus, floral and woody scents, then layer them according to your liking or wear alone. Their bestseller, Sage, is a woody, earthy scent with a hint of sea salt.

Eileen de Guzman, General Manager of Bhagi’s International, personally recommends Orangy, which is scented with fresh orange blossoms. She says that she always gets compliments whenever she wears it! I decided to follow her recommendation and I do love how it smells on me. I also got Lily, a powdery floral which I feel could be unisex despite the name. My hubby likes it too, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he started using it!

Blogger Julia Arenas, Liz, vlogger Say Tioco, and Ms. Eileen de Guzman

So there you go! As someone who studied makeup professionally, I’m so glad that these pro-quality products are now so readily accessible at SM Beauty, and at such reasonable prices, too! Have you ever tried any of these brands? Which of these products have become faves in your kit?

Fragrances hold a special place in our hearts. Scents can trigger memories anew, which is what I experienced when I recently sniffed Avon’s classic fragrance, Sweet Honesty. It’s the scent I wore when I was still in high school: I used to save up my allowance for a bottle! I was so enchanted by its trademark pretty and pink packaging. This is why every time I catch a whiff of this cologne, I am reminded of all the fun of those golden teenage years.

It’s only fitting that these memories of first love and carefree youth encapsulate the fragrance that Liza Soberano, one of the industry’s freshest and prettiest faces, now endorses. Liza joins the Avon Philippines family of stellar female endorsers including Jodi Sta. Maria and Marian Rivera as Sweet Honesty’s Fragrance Ambassador.

Just like things that are meant to be, Liza recalls having auditioned as a young teenager to be an Avon model. Having grown up with the Avon brand, she now comes full circle as she joins the Beauty for a Purpose campaign of empowering women and fighting against breast cancer and domestic violence.

The best-selling Sweet Honesty fragrance is a fresh floral scent that is perfect for young women like Liza. She shares, “That’s what I love most about Sweet Honesty – it brings me back to the unforgettable innocence of first love. It’s like feeling the butterflies in my stomach all over again. Sweet Honesty is the perfect scent for me because it’s light and sweet. Also, the scent is timeless so it’s really perfect for anyone.”

This February, Liza shares her Sweet Honesty journey with a limited edition Sweet Honesty Eau de Cologne Bottle (P399). The classic bottle is refreshed with Liza’s own signature.

The fragrance is also available in a limited edition Sweet Honesty roll-on fragrance (P155) for those on-the-go, kilig-worthy moments.

The Liza Soberano for Sweet Honesty Fragrance limited edition bottles are now available nationwide from your favorite Avon ladies or via www.avonshop.ph.

Did you use Sweet Honesty when you were younger? What’s your favorite Sweet Honesty memory?