Filipino brand Chu Chu Beauty launched a super sparkly collection just in time for their birthday, and I’m here to share some swatches! Chu Chu in my opinion is the underrated younger sister of Issy & Co., with lots to offer to makeup beginners as well as those who just want to add a little bit of magic to a basic makeup routine.

Gone are the days when the only purpose of lip products is to either apply color on the lips or to treat them. These days, we expect more than just a singular purpose from our lip product and a lot of beauty’s recent releases have been answering. These lip hybrids deliver a punch of color while also providing other benefits like a glossy finish, a hydrating boost, or both, or more. Here are 5 local lip products to try:

Beauty brands are stepping up these days in incorporating treatment with their makeup. Issy and Co’s Hydragloss (P209) has made waves in being a lip treatment and lip color in one cute tube. Let’s test it out!

The Hydragloss colors I have are Jell-Oh, H.O.T. and Punch. They appear super pigmented on the tube, making one think of fruity summer colors. Upon smelling, there was no fragrance or “flavor” that I would usually get in some lip glosses. I swatched them on my arm and it was surprising that I didn’t get a sticky texture. It glides more syrupy and didn’t leave an overt residue when wiped off with a tissue.

Most of us are stuck indoors for the rest of summer, yes, but the tropical fun doesn't have to be shoved to the side and forgotten, yes? blk Cosmetics' Wondermelon Edit captures summer fun all year round with a skincare collection that feels as refreshing as it looks! The products contain watermelon seed oil that refreshes and hydrates. Here's the report of what I've tried!

When I decided to buy my first “fancy” blush 11 years ago, NARS Orgasm was the one I had my eye on. It was said to be the best blush EVER and was highly recommended by all the beauty bloggers I respected! But Super Orgasm came out around that time so I spent weeks in agony thinking about what to buy. In the end, I decided on Super Orgasm. It was my fave blush for years and years!

I was able to interview Heart Evangelista-Escudero last 2016 when she launched her first ever makeup collaboration with Happy Skin. I came into that interview not expecting much - I have met and interviewed celebrities before, and while they were pleasant, they are usually very bland. They don’t like to say anything that might be even remotely misconstrued in a negative way. But Heart? Oh, she was fabulous! She was smart and eloquent and a joy to speak with. Read my interview here!