Six guys share what’s inside their makeup kits + their holy grail beauty finds
If you clicked on this then, like me, you probably enjoy looking through someone’s kikay kit. Some people might call it nosy; I call it curiosity! After all, isn’t it fun to discover someone’s favorite products through their makeup bags? It’s also quite exciting when you find out that someone owns a product you also love.
Three kikay kits, three life situations: Here are a few of the essentials I can't live without!
As #adulting rears its ugly head, I attend a more diversified set of events. From the casual meetups with friends and low-key backstage work commitments, to the more dressy blog events and formal wedding parties, I put effort into looking good. I’ve noticed that I do very different faces for each of these events, so I tend to edit my kit accordingly. If you find yourself scrambling to do different looks with just a single kit, consider adapting this method of keeping three kinds of kikay kits.
Staff Picks: Our Tita purse must-haves
Believe it or not, we PV girls comfortably wear the mantle (pashmina?) of the The Real Titas of Manila. Head Tita Liz is soundly asleep by 9pm, and our team meetups usually involve lunching at Mary Grace. Instead of late night walwal parties, we sip sangria with extended pinky fingers or have Korean BBQ night at my house.
Like any self-respecting Tita, our purses contain a lot more than just makeup. Being a Tita means you've got you sh*t together, so you're never left in a bind. We all have different priorities though, so here's our different takes on what should be in a Tita survival kit!
Staff Picks: What's in our five-product kit?
When we did a feature on the PV staff's kikay kits last year, I was honestly shocked by how much stuff I lug around. Having a lot of options (and being ready to do a face at a moment's notice) feels reassuring but if you carry so much in your purse on the daily, the unnecessary weight can give you some serious back pain!
So we decided to do an edit and challenge ourselves: what are the products that we absolutely must have in our kits at all times?
Staff Picks: How much does our daily look cost?
You've seen our #shelfies, compared notes with our beauty budgets, and even rummaged through our kikay kits! This time, the PV girls took on a different kind of challenge: putting a price tag on our daily faces. While each one of us are probably guilty of owning a makeup horde, the fact is: we often still end up using the same things everyday! So we decided to add up the prices of our makeup staples to find out how much our daily looks actually cost. How about yours?
Battle of the Kikay Kits
As you read this, I am on a plane to Tokyo. The place is probably the greatest love of my young life so far and I am eager to continue the romance where we left off last November! Flowery words. I hope there are still some cherry blossoms in the parks, because they're the main reason I planned this trip. I doubt I'll see more than a few wilted ones this late, but I don't mind - there's always next year!
Sooooo anyway I thought I'd share with you my favorite ever kikay kits. These pouches are with me when I travel because they're stylish, roomy but compact, and are specifically designed to fit makeup. Here they are and why I love them!
This Ellana Cosmetic Bag (P213) is my top pick because it's perfect. It fits a full face of makeup while still keeping the boxy shape, plus it has lots of compartments for the OC organizer in you. I brought this with me to Tokyo last autumn, and in recent months it has also double-timed as a pencil case. Haha. Stocks are already super limited though so better hurry if you want it. ;)
Next up, the new pouch from Happy Skin! I got this from their summer launch event, but you can actually purchase this for only P499 at Plains & Prints. If you don't want to buy it it's a GWP for every P3,500 Happy Skin purchase at Rustan's and Beauty Bar.
Beauty Basics: What every girl needs in her makeup kit
I get a lot of questions from girls who are just starting to discover makeup. "What do I need to buy first?" they ask. I have actually answered this several times in the past but I thought I would update my list to also include must-have tools.
So, if you have absolutely no knowledge of makeup or if you want to build a kit that has the absolute minimum items, this post is for you! This is everything you need to achieve a flawless, no-makeup look that can be amplified with bright, eye-catching lips depending on where you're going.
1 - Concealer brush from Charm. This is for applying concealer on small blemishes and eyebags.
2 - Flat-top brush from Charm. This is for buffing in foundation if you don't want to use a sponge. For heavier coverage, you can apply some concealer on your face then buff it in with this brush to cover large, uneven areas.
3 - Concealer for blemishes and undereyes. I think the Cinema Secrets Foundation Palette #2 is an absolute must-have. It can be used as a foundation or as a concealer, depending on how opaque you want to go.
Great find: Tony Moly Cosmetics Pouch
Last Christmas, Tony Moly Philippines sent over a sweet package containing some products and this handy dandy cosmetics kit. I really like it because it's the perfect size for putting in a full face's worth of makeup, plus it has a neat section for brushes!
What's in my bag 2011
A lot of people have been doing this lately, and so I decided to join the bandwagon. Lol. It's fun! I've actually done it already last year. However, a lot of things has changed since then, so my bag also "evolved" along with them.
What's in my bag depends on what kind of bag I'm using (which in turn depends on my outfit), what I need to do that day, and where I'm going. Yesterday, I was in the office for a presentation, so I didn't wear much makeup. I decided to bring a makeup kit so I can do a full face for a media event I'll be attending later in the evening.
Forever 21 shades, Majolica Majorca makeup kit, alcohol, mint gum, keys, Tony Moly pressed powder, Estee Lauder Sensuous, wallet, iPad (forgot to add the Blackberry in the photo)
As with last year, I still don't bring a makeup kit on a regular basis, but I sometimes do when the need arises.