While lipstick is the number one makeup product I cannot live without, mascara is definitely number two. There’s just something so fabulous about applying a coat of mascara. Personally, I feel like I’m about to take over the world whenever I’d wiggle the wand between my lashes. Applying mascara for me is an instant pick-me-upper!

Ah, the multi-pot - endlessly desirable (at least for me) yet somewhat difficult to manage. We already love cream blushes, but I love the idea of having one product I can use for multiple applications that I can toss into my bag. They’re also a hot topic due to the new Sunnies Face Airblush release, so for those who want to be more conscientious about their beauty purchases, we decided to test it out together with other cream products to find out which one reigns supreme.

The intense heat we’re experiencing this summer has made my lips drier than usual. Although I love wearing matte lip products, it’s just too uncomfortable to wear now because even with a balm underneath, my lips still dry out like a raisin. I’ve been reaching for tinted lip balms more instead, as the fuss-free application gives me juicy moisture and a hint of color at the same time! Whether you want just a sheer tint or full-on pigmentation, we’ve got great recos for every kind of budget.

Konnichiwa! Were you able to visit Japan in time for the cherry blossom festival this year? That’s personally on my bucket list of things to do when I travel but until then, I’m quite content with all the goodies that J-beauty offers! But before I go into that, we have an important announcement:

Over at the Project Vanity Community page, we often get requests for sunscreen recommendations. Everyone looks for the same qualities: no white cast, not sticky or heavy, and ideally without that distinctive sunscreen scent. By and large, Asian Beauty (AB) sunscreen formulas are the clear favorite, with most recos coming from Japanese and Korean skincare picks. Having so many options can be pretty overwhelming though, so let’s attempt to answer the billion dollar question: which sunscreen has the best formula?

I’m no makeup artist, but I do enjoy doing the occasional makeover! Since I’m still on a Japan high and we have a bunch of Canmake goodies, we decided to do a J-beauty makeover on my fellow PV girl slash (unwilling) model Stacie. Let’s start!

I am not as well versed in J-beauty as I’d like to be. Unlike the rest of the PV team, my experience with Japanese cosmetics can be condensed to a few award winning skincare, cult-favorite mascaras, and the ever famous Shu Uemura lash curler. I’m currently on a streak of more natural makeup looks so Canmake Philippines’ newly-released matte lip tint and cream blush were welcome additions to my current rotation!

When CanmakePH announced that the Wink Glow Eyes line was now available locally, fellow PV writer Gett and I immediately drew up our wish lists and started planning for our purchase. The liquid eyeshadows placed #2 at the Cosme 2017 Mid-year Awards (Eyeshadow Category) and I wasn’t about to miss out on that. The product promises to be glossy, non-oily, and long-wearing all at the same time. It’s basically all the things I often look for in eye makeup, so I was beyond thrilled to try these new arrivals, plus a couple more products to complete the look!

When I first started to experiment with J- and K-beauty, I had a difficult time finding products that fit me. See, while Western makeup was all about mattifying, the cult of chok-chok meant that most products geared towards a more Asian aesthetic added “dewiness” to the skin. Unfortunately for me, that meant a greasy disaster on my oily skin.