I used to think blush did not add anything to my makeup looks. Now that I have learned that there are actually different types of blush and a variety of ways to use it, I wish I could take back all the years I spent being blush-less!

As with many things in life, makeup is a socially learned concept that depends on where you are and is affected by current trends. When I started my makeup journey in 2017, the round blush placement was what was in and I just could not nail it which made me decide that blush just was not for me.

Activities that require creativity and coordination have never been part of my strong suit so I like to joke that the fact that I can do makeup is a miracle.

When I first started creating content, I really wanted to be more creative with the makeup looks I would share but I was so intimidated and scared to make a horrible look. I stayed in my safe zone of soft glam during my first two years as a content creator.

Have you ever found your perfect foundation shade match only to find it changing color halfway through the day? After you’ve bought it full-sized? This has happened to me a couple of times already and here in the Philippines, beauty brands don’t really allow us to exchange them for a better shade. I’ve learned my lesson since so I’m extra careful with choosing my base products. Aside from swatching, sampling, and extensive research on reviews, it is also best to watch out for that dreaded color change brought about by oxidation.

In the late 1990s, I discovered makeup reviews, looks, and trends from newspapers and magazines. Over time, you could see the shift from print to blogs and social media. The key opinion leaders used to be newspaper or magazine columnists, but that changed with the rise of bloggers and content creators.

I wanted to take my love for makeup to the next level by taking a makeup artistry course. Formal makeup training felt like I had to learn about makeup again. I noticed the differences between learning through makeup school and online, and here’s a few that you might find useful. Let’s go!

We are all coping with the pandemic differently, and our own way of doing so is valid. In the context of makeup, some of us have decided to take a break from makeup and that’s completely fine.

Now, if you’re thinking about wearing makeup again but are needing that extra push, then here are ten reasons why you should start wearing makeup again!

I was cleaning my brushes the other day and while doing so, I thought about how much I hate the process. One, I’m 6’2” so my back always hurts whenever I bend over the sink to rinse my makeup brushes. Two, cleaning brushes takes so much time. Three, you have to leave them overnight in order for them to dry. I can go on and on, really. Waking up the next morning, however, I am instantly in a good mood when I see that all my brushes are clean.

Since we are all wearing masks for the time being, beauty trends have been focused on eye and brow makeup. Sometimes, though, we want to wear more face makeup, but then it would just transfer to our masks instead! As a PV girl, I still sometimes wear makeup under my mask and have learned a few tricks to help my makeup stay put on my face and not turn my mask into an icky mess. Here are some of my tried-and-tested tips to make my makeup more mask-resistant!

These days, I’ve ditched wearing foundations in favor being able to do some eye makeup. I used to be obsessive about creating a perfect face base but my eyeshadow envy has finally gotten the better of me, which I think is a good change. It has given me the chance to finally play with the few palettes I have in my collection, and it’s been so much fun combining colors and doing different looks.