I admit that I don't read magazines regularly. Why? Because everyday I am bombarded with beauty and fashion information from innumerable sources that when I finally get hold of a magazine, I find that the content there isn't new to me anymore (however well-executed or well-written). It's definitely different for other people - those who confine their online activity to Facebook, chat, maybe a bit of Twitter.

That is not to say that print is dead. Magazines like Preview and Cosmo have very active online counterparts with communities that are engaged and ready to rumble. These two magazines, I think, have successfully combined print and digital to deliver up-to-the-minute, high-quality content. The thing is at the end of the day, print will always mean considerable prestige and exclusivity to anyone who's in it, so as long as there is that factor magazines will not die (among other factors of course).

So! While I don't read magazines much, I do see magazine covers on my Facebook timeline. That's why you see me posting about covers once in a while. Recently, two covers caught my eye, and here's what I think of them! Share yours too, I'm interested. ;)

First up, we have KC Concepcion for Cosmopolitan's March issue.

It's an old, old war. White skin versus dark skin. In popular media, white is thought of as pure and expensive, while black/dark skin is considered dirty and plebeian. When will it end? When will Filipinas, specifically, finally be free from the all-consuming idea that only white is beautiful?

Well, FHM is not helping for sure. Their cover shows a shining white Bela Padilla in the midst of grasping black-skinned women. She is "stepping out of the shadows", that is, stepping out from the undersirable status of being obscure.

People on Twitter are ranting that Jinkee’s cover is ‘shopped so heavily that it doesn’t even look like her. It’s true, it’s Photoshopped to the nines, but not in the way of drastically altering her face. I mean, the woman is naturally pretty and is even looking better these days. Gorgeous makeup and strategic posing can go a long way in making a person look different on camera you know!

I do think they sharpened her jawline and lengthened her neck a little bit, but that’s it for changing her appearance. What annoys me most about the cover photo is how airbrushed and fake it looks. Why did they have to make it look like her skin is painted on when it already looks fine? Yeah Jinkee has some rough pores and maybe a couple of pimples but that can be softened without having the whole thing look too unrealistic.

Mega posted a behind-the-scenes video of the cover shoot last night, but it appears that the video has been taken down. Haha. Good thing I managed to take some screencaps last night! It's now back up! Watch it.

I finally got a copy of this! I heard from a friend two weeks ago that she saw me on BLUSH magazine. I was thrilled, of course!

Kim Chiu on the cover of BLUSH mag's Jan-Feb issue

BLUSH magazine is perhaps the only local magazine that's exclusively focused on beauty. If you love reading beauty blogs and discovering the latest makeup, skincare, or haircare gems, this is the magazine to read. It's only P140 at Fully Booked and National Bookstore (do let me know where else this is available).