I am an introverted person, a true homebody. Everyone I know will agree that this is true. So staying in and working from home to help keep the community safe at first felt like such an easy task. Of course, I do realize that I am privileged enough to have a roof above my head and food to eat even during this time, but after a week of being stuck at home, I got this urge to do something different because every day started to feel the same.

There are products that are bad, and then there are ones that we can not in good conscience recommend to anybody with a face. We don't hate anybody that much (or at all)! Here are five things that should be on your hit list.

If there’s one thing that I changed in my beauty routine in the past year, it’s to rely less on contour and focus on highlights. I used to regularly hit pan on my contour powders but I’ve since changed my makeup look to focus on glowy skin. I love how a touch of well-placed highlighter can instantly brighten my face and make me feel like the star of a Kdrama! It’s also perfect for days when I feel gloomy or lack sleep. as it makes me look alive and put together. However, some highlighters look great on camera but too much for real life. If you want something that’s more subtle and natural-looking, we’ve put together some picks to suit every kind of budget!

Before buying skincare, you probably read hundreds of reviews before hitting the checkout button. Of course it's important to know if the product you're eyeing causes people to breakout, but you may also see some reviews that talk about “an initial purge”. Because purging is also characterized by the appearance of acne, it can be confusing to tell the difference between the two. Should you keep using the product and allow the purging phase to finish, or should you throw it out stat?

I’ve become a super fan of shiny, plump, and slightly overlined lips. They look fresh and youthful compared to the matte lip look, and the juicy finish just feels more apt for summer! It also used to be a challenge to find a glossy lip product that wasn’t sticky and provided opaque coverage, but that all changed with the new Ellana Satin Stain Shine Liquid Lip and Cheek (P699 from Ellana).

I always have a stash of sheet masks available. There’s a couple in my travel kit because it’s the easiest skincare to bring along, and I always have a few in the fridge to help me cool off on hot days. Sometimes, a cold sheet mask and 15 minutes is just what I need to de-stress.

Whether you have dry skin or oily skin, applying moisturizer is an essential step of any skincare routine. However, this can be tricky to do in a humid country, as many formulas can feel too heavy and sticky, especially when it’s hot. Gel formulas are a great alternative to the traditional cream formula, but did you know that there’s an even more lightweight option?

I love going to Watsons, and have a habit of browsing even when I'm not really looking for anything. It's a good way to see what's new and interesting for PV to cover! Recently, a brand called Pretty Secret caught our attention because they have a line of makeup with nothing over P200, and you could find the products in any Watsons store.

I have been a Kpop fan for more than 10 years now, and I have them to thank for my love of K-beauty as well! Following idols have given me the chance to see the evolution of Korean makeup trends, from the era of thick eyeliners paired with nude lipsticks, to adventurous burgundy eyeshadows, and to the current obsession with more natural, almost bare-faced looks. 

A month before stepping into a new decade, PANTONE announced 2020’s Color of The Year: Classic Blue. Described as a restful color that brings a sense of peace and tranquillity to the human spirit, it becomes a standout shocker when used in beauty looks! If you’re feeling adventurous and dare to rock this color, channel Classic Blue with these picks:

With over 2.39 million YouTube subscribers and nearly 1 million Instagram followers, Michelle Dy is one of the biggest online local personalities around. I figured it was only a matter of time before she released her own beauty product, so I wasn’t surprised when she announced her makeup brush collaboration with Beauty Sensation!

Beauty Sensations x Michelle Dy Basics features two brush sets in pastel-colored pouches bearing Michelle’s embossed signature as well as a duo of makeup blending sponges. The kits are available in Watsons, and online via Lazada and Shopee.

The Korean beauty craze is continuing to go and grow, thanks to more brands finally making their way to our side of the world. In fact, SM Beauty is taking us several steps closer to our glass skin goals (and our favorite oppa) by bringing together the best K-beauty brands under one roof!

Growing up in a conservative environment, I wasn't taught much about my body. All I knew about breasts were that they start to grow when a woman hits puberty, that you should wear a bra when they do, and that they were a food source for babies. There were no other explanations or discussions, so I had a lot of unanswered questions when I began to notice the changes in my body. No one was willing to talk to me because boobs were and often still are treated as a taboo topic in the Philippines.

I grew up seeing Pond’s being used by my female relatives. My mom would talk about how Pond’s was a luxury back in the day, and how they had to source the famous Pond’s Cold Cream all the way from Hong Kong! Today, Pond’s is one of the most accessible and affordable beauty brands around - you can find their products pretty much anywhere you go. And it’s that accessibility and pocket-friendly price tag that made the PV team excited to hear about the new Pond’s Cleansing Balm. 

If you check on Instagram, there are 405 million posts for #selfie! I think everyone with a phone camera has taken a one at least once, and it’s totally normal behavior. Maybe you loved your #MOTD or felt particularly #GGSS (Gandang Ganda Sa Sarili) that day. Whatever the reason is, I’m sure you’d want to put your best face forward so you may have tried some photo editing apps. Whether it’s just for color correction, making the photo look more ~aesthetic~, or even change your look up, tinkering with photo apps can be a lot of fun. Some can even completely transform your look. Let’s take a peek at some of the more popular options! 

I grew up watching a lot K-beauty YouTubers. Everything I know about makeup and skincare, I learned from them (and Project Vanity, of course!). One of my top beauty idols is Hye-Min Park or Pony Syndrome, who is hands down the most famous makeup artist of the K-beauty world! She works with the biggest K-pop idols like 2NE1 and Wonder Girls, and has even released a few books. And then three years ago, she launched Pony Effect, her very own makeup line. 

When it comes to face bases, I have a bias for lightweight foundations. I love how it evens out my skin tone without covering too many imperfections, thus allowing my skin to still look like skin. The light to medium coverage is also great for everyday wear as it fades more gracefully and is not as fussy as full coverage foundation can be. Weather-wise, lightweight formulas are just perfect for the fickle super-hot-then-suddenly-wet season we’re currently experiencing, as these lightweight foundations literally feel like nothing on the skin. 

When it comes to good quality makeup products that won’t break the bank, Pink Sugar is a constant favorite here on PV! From the time Liz first wrote about them in 2015, we’ve pretty much enjoyed everything from their 350-peso face powder to their pizza-proof lip tints. The formulas are good and reliable, but this local brand is continually finding ways to make their products even more user-friendly. So when they released a new variant of their well-loved Eye Candy Eyeshadow palette and a repackaged duo version of their Sweet Cheeks HD Cheek Color, I thought people needed to see these in action! 

When you live outside of Metro Manila, there are very few places to get your beauty fix. Back in my home province, there are only two standalone makeup kiosks inside malls. SkinPotions is one of them, so I’ve been curious about what this local beauty brand has to offer. When they recently came out with an Aladdin collection, I just had to try it because Jasmine is my favorite Disney princess! Will this make me look as fabulous as Prince Ali?

More than just serving as overnight relief, it’s now common to wear acne patches even during the day. We now have patch options that are thin and almost invisible, with some claiming to even be wearable under makeup! If you feel self-conscious about an angry red bump, covering it with an acne patch before applying a face base allows it to heal better compared to direct contact with makeup. But will it actually work?