Constant hand AND dish washing both make it easy for my hands to dry up like a prune if I don’t watch it. I use gentle cleansers yes, and I moisturize regularly, but sometimes I need a heavy hitter like the Lush Dream Cream Hand and Body Lotion (P345/45 g and P1,150/240g at Lush PH). The Lush Philippines team sent this to me a couple of months back - they have an online store btw! - so I’ve been testing it out. The verdict? It works.

Remember when Lush Sleepy became viral online? People claimed that this body lotion helped them sleep within twenty minutes of application! I thought that was incredible. There’s really nothing in the ingredients list that will help you do that; the lotion banks on its sweet lavender vanilla scent to relax you and leave the rest to the power of online suggestion. Otherwise it’s a normal body lotion in terms of composition. If it works for you (in terms of improving your sleep), that’s great! It’s a lovely lotion and quite enjoyable to use if you like the scent. If it didn’t work for you then, I am sorry to hear that you spent P925 on false hype.

Wait, how is it the middle of January already?! With the days whizzing by, it’s a wonder how the beauty world is making sure to keep up with new launches and campaigns. For this week, we’re taking you on a trip down memory lane with an official makeup announcement from Mattel, Lush’s newest eco-friendly skincare, and deets on the local beauty product that Shay Mitchell used for her makeup looks in MNL. We’re also celebrating Benefit’s amazing step towards more inclusive beauty campaigns and the coupon craze taking over Sephora. Happy reading!

How is June already over? We may have bid sunny blue skies goodbye, but these beauty updates are perfect for chasing the rainy day blues away! This week’s roundup includes a foundation in a form we’ve never seen before, and Tarte’s new sister brand for skincare. We’ve also got new lippies from Ever Bilena and a mysterious collab for Happy Skin! Read on for the good news!

I always have the best of gifting intentions when the holidays roll in. I love the idea of picking out unique gifts for family and friends, lovingly wrapping each one, and adding a special decoration to make my gifts stand out from the rest. BUT what really happens every year is that I always run out of time to execute my grand plans, and end up doing last-minute shopping and hasty gift-wrapping!

If looking good makes you feel good, why not take the chance to do good as well? Beauty brands have been going beyond helping us to look the best version of ourselves and are using their influential platforms to support charitable causes and social change movements. Want your peso to travel the extra mile? Consider purchasing from these six brands that give back.