I recently got the opportunity to go on vacation for the first time since the pandemic started back in 2020. I needed somewhere fun, yummy and preferably close by. Singapore was the obvious choice.

Aside from being one of the food capitals of the world, Singapore is also known for fashion and beauty - a fact that any fan of Crazy Rich Asians can attest to! Every glamorous outfit on that movie was topped with perfect skin and amazing makeup. In between sight-seeing at Marina Bay and chowing down on sumptuous chili crab, I was on a mission to find the best places in Singapore to indulge my love affair with skincare and cosmetics.

As a city girl with island girl roots, the sunkissed look is my version of the “no makeup” makeup look and bronzers are a necessity to achieving it. Yet, there seems to be very few local options to choose from as the majority of brands tend to push out contour products instead.

Lucky for me and my fellow bronzer-biased babes, Issy & Co. ended their trilogy of launches with their final release called Ode to the Sand. It comes in the form of fou bronzers and I’m excited to get into it!

It has been four years since and I have gone from having a little basket of makeup goodies that I could store in my cabinet to having a collection that demands its own space. It feels like this happened overnight and I realized that was because my makeup use and purchase habits became a form of coping during the pandemic.

With all of the health and safety guidelines in full swing - especially masks and working from home, I have been forced to reevaluate the way I see my collection and habits.

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!

When menstrual cups started showing up more and more in the Philippines, I rejoiced. I liked the idea of a more eco-friendly alternative to the pads I’ve used since puberty. Unfortunately, I didn't have the best experience in finding the right fit and ended up a little traumatized. So no judgment here if you really wanted to give The Cup a try, but it just wasn't for you. The next best thing is an alternative to the alternative: fully biodegradable pads!

If you’re an avid deal-browser on Shopee, odds are you’ve seen Sace Lady around. This Chinese makeup brand is often on sale, and the prices are sure to pique the beauty bargain hunter’s interest. So to kick things up a notch, I created a complete one-brand FOTD that cost less than P800 after sale discounts and vouchers were applied. And now I’m here to answer the age-old question: Sulit ba?

While going through the newly-opened Metro department store in Cebu, I stumbled upon the cute counter of Squad Cosmetics. I love discovering new brands, and this one got me intrigued because I was told it was local. With a little research, I discovered that they are a sister company of Detail Makeover. The products are formulated in LA but manufactured in China. I also found that a lot of YouTubers have been raving about this pocket-friendly brand, whose priciest product is only P230! So, I couldn’t help myself and picked out a few items to try!

I love going to Watsons, and have a habit of browsing even when I'm not really looking for anything. It's a good way to see what's new and interesting for PV to cover! Recently, a brand called Pretty Secret caught our attention because they have a line of makeup with nothing over P200, and you could find the products in any Watsons store.

I have been a Kpop fan for more than 10 years now, and I have them to thank for my love of K-beauty as well! Following idols have given me the chance to see the evolution of Korean makeup trends, from the era of thick eyeliners paired with nude lipsticks, to adventurous burgundy eyeshadows, and to the current obsession with more natural, almost bare-faced looks. 

When I first saw Esfolio products a few years ago on BeautyMNL, I was intrigued. Like most other Korean skincare brands, they have products that highlight natural ingredients like aloe vera, coconut, green tea, and milk. Upon closer inspection, though, I was surprised to also find skincare favorites like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and collagen. Even more surprisingly, the products were priced very reasonably. They had a LOT of products, too, at over 80 variants! But since I like trying on products before buying, I found myself wishing these products were available not just online but in physical stores, as well.

Hi, I’m Stacie and I am obsessed with SM Beauty. I feel the urge to pass by whenever I’m in an SM mall, even when I’m not actually looking for anything! Recently, I’ve noticed that more and more products are becoming available in sachet packaging, including face bases. Ranging from P25 to P99, they’re a tempting option for those on a tight budget or for when you need a quick fix. Sure, they’re quite cheap but are they worth it?

When I was in high school, we didn’t have any Watsons in my province. The only way to buy makeup was through Avon and Ever Bilena resellers. Because shopping options were limited and so were our allowances, I would see my female batchmates sticking a finger inside their bags, quickly ducking down, then reappearing with red lips and a red-tipped finger.

When I was first started out using makeup, I would always check out the Wet n Wild counter because it was easy to find and had budget-friendly prices. Drugstore makeup may have a reputation for having poor quality products but Wet n Wild has always impressed me with the performance of their products. Even now that I’m better versed with beauty, I keep an eye out for WnW’s latest releases and find new faves to add to my collection! The quality is comparable to high-end makeup, and it’s cruelty-free, too! If you’ve never tried anything from the brand, you’ve been missing out, so I’ve put together a wishlist of my Wet n Wild favorites that you shouldn’t sleep on.

I am a firm believer in the power of beautiful lashes. Long, voluminous, and charmingly curled - a good pair of lashes does so much to make your eyes look more awake and vibrant. I have been meaning to try lash perming forever but shelling out P3,700 for Yumi lashes was a little steep for my cheapskate heart. After reading several recommendations for Let’s Face It Salon from the Project Vanity community, I decided why not, and gave their P252 (!!!) lash perm a go.

We've all had days when we just can’t do a full makeup look. Maybe we're in a rush, too busy, or just prefer to squeeze in a few extra minutes of sleep instead - and that's totally okay. It's still nice to look more polished though, so one super quick and easy way to do it is with polbo and lip tint! 

One of my big beauty lessons in 2017 was the importance of wearing blush. I didn't think it was crucial to my makeup routine until I realized how it instantly gives life to my face even when I'm feeling haggard. Different blush shades could also give a different feel to my monochromatic “natural” look: blue-based pinks make me look sweet and innocent, while a warm orange gives me a back-from-the-beach flush! 

If you've ever watched a K-drama or seen photos of K-idols, you probably noticed how incredibly smooth and flawless their skin looks. No pores, blemishes, or uneven coloring - they're almost too perfect to be real! The glass skin trend is pretty common among Korean stars though, and this ‘’dewy skin made dewier" look has become the ultimate #skingoals for many. 

With so many brands coming in and new product releases, 2017 was a truly exciting year for beauty. As much as we loved welcoming the likes of Tom Ford and Fenty Beauty into our shores, our wallets found relief in more affordable discoveries! Drugstore beauty isn't about cheap, forgettable formulations anymore and we're definitely expecting even better things this year. Here are ten budget beauty finds that raised the bar on drugstore beauty! All were released in the Philippines in 2017

If you ask me, it is my genuine belief that makeup palettes are the gateway drug to starting a makeup stash. Finding a reasonably priced palette that contains a lovely mix of shares and/or all the products you'd need for a proper #FOTD is just the thing that fires up your imagination. How many different looks can you come up with? Isn't it great that you can tote so many options in one nifty container? It's definitely worth going for, even if you’re already more of a hoarder than a beginner building a collection. A cleverly curated palette seems like the perfect excuse to add another prize to your collection!