It’s extremely easy to fall into the deep, dark abyss of beauty tricks (mostly because they’re in every beauty page on Facebook and Reddit). I’m all for making my beauty routine easier but there are just hacks that make me go “been there, done that, never going back.” And I’ll tell you why.

For the longest time, Bangkok has been the buzzword for temple-hopping, cheap shopping, and beach holidays. So, when my gay best friend and I visited for a much-needed break, I had to check out the local beauty scene and find out where Thai girls get their beauty fix. If you're planning a trip to the City of Angels (after all that’s what Bangkok’s Thai name means) over the holidays or in time for summer, here are the places you should check out!

I always have the best of gifting intentions when the holidays roll in. I love the idea of picking out unique gifts for family and friends, lovingly wrapping each one, and adding a special decoration to make my gifts stand out from the rest. BUT what really happens every year is that I always run out of time to execute my grand plans, and end up doing last-minute shopping and hasty gift-wrapping!

Despite having known it for a while now, I still can't get over how Kanebo is over a hundred years old! Our editor Liz has even toured the Kanebo and Kao Museum, which traces the brand's history to its roots as a textile production company in 1887! The secret to the Japanese heritage brand's longevity lies in its ability to combine traditions that are known to work and trends that excite. For autumn of 2017, Kanebo is releasing a huge collection in the Philippines once more. And what's extra exciting is that it will beef up the local selection, as they only entered the Philippines in 2011!

Now, before you get thoroughly scandalized, the only "exposure" you'll see here are those of our most-abused makeup! "Pan porn" is a popular description for makeup products that you've literally hit pan on from regular usage, thus exposing the shiny metal bottom. It's titillating for us PV girls because it's a totally justifiable excuse for us to go out and buy some new makeup! (Am I right or am I right?)

Korean beauty is all the rage these days. From their 10-step skincare routine to the trending straight eyebrows, we sure get some beauty envy watching our favorite K-drama stars with their bright skin and natural glow! Fans like myself are hopping on the K-train to get closer to even skin tones and smoother complexions. Enter Seoul White Korea, a new brand that promises more even skin for Filipinos.

Hello, December! With Christmas fast approaching, more and more brands have gift-worthy beauty drops that have us torn between shopping for our lists or ourselves. With this week’s roundup all wrapped up in a bow, you won't be short for gift ideas! Fenty Beauty’s exciting new addition is now available in the PH, and we're dying to find out what the mysterious teaser from Happy Skin means. What we do know is the secret to Kim K's (literal) head to toe sparkle, plus a much easier way to shop for gifts!

Face masking junkies know how expensive the, erm, hobby can get. Sure, a 50 to 80-peso sheet mask doesn't sound like a lot of money, but considering that each mask is only good for a single use (unless you know some creative hacks) and if you like to mask more than once a week, the habit becomes quite expensive! That's why I recommend getting monthly mask packs instead. Getting 30+ sheets in one go saves you a lot more money in the long run, plus you get to mask every day or as often as you please. 

A good blush goes a long way in elevating your look. Done right, it can make a face look younger, slimmer, brighter, and even cuter. Naturally, we tend to favor pinks for a natural flush, oranges for a sun-kissed feel, or even reds to show up on stage. But I bet many of us never thought that purple is actually a great blush color! My fellow PV writer Stacie recently raved about using purple blush in our Halloween live vid. If you've been curious about how it works, I'm sharing tips on how to use it!

So, how many weddings are you attending in December? It's wedding month in the Philippines, which means it'll be difficult to get bookings with our usual makeup artists. So, why not put our own makeup skills to good use? The catch is that everyday makeup is generally not meant to last through all the activities in a special occasion, and it's inconvenient to lug around a huge kikay kit just for retouching.

Oh the weather outside is frightful but the sales are sooo delightful! And since there’s no place to go, let us shop! Let us shop! Let us shoppp!!! Consider this your anthem for this week’s roundup, PV girls, because you won’t wanna miss what’s happening in the beauty world. With numerous Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales and buy one-get one promos, it's the perfect time to stock up on your HGs, try new ones, and shop for your Christmas list. Kylie Jenner’s got the holiday bug with her latest collection, Too Faced's newest product will help you shine bright like a diamond, and get your tickets to a very special pageant coming this December. Are you ready? It’s going to be a jolly roundup!

One of the more obvious skincare misconceptions that frustrates me the most is when people think that toner is supposed to be "matapang" and have astringent properties in order for it to be effective. Sure, clarifying toners can come in handy for those with oily/acne-prone skin or for those who occasionally want to do some deep cleansing. But unless you have extreme skin issues, you won’t need to go hard with the heavy-duty toners on the daily! In fact, overdoing it could ruin your skin’s moisture barrier and cause breakouts to worsen.

If there’s one makeup product I’m guilty of hoarding, it would be lipsticks. From all the different kinds to shades beyond the basic five, I can’t seem to stop collecting and trying out the latest! Today’s focus is the reliable bullet matte lipstick. If you’re looking for the long-wearing, super pigmented kind, look no further than the matte ones. We’ve previously featured seven to try under P500 as well as the PV staff favorites. This next batch we’re trying out will hopefully show us just how far the supposedly drying matte lipsticks have come. Let's go!

Blemishes have always been my #1 arch nemesis. Even well into my adulthood, I'm still prone to pimples that leave nasty marks on my face for weeks. This year though was the year that I got into acid exfoliators in skincare. I must admit that I used to prefer physical exfoliators, but because of acid-lovers in the Project Vanity Team, I was finally convinced! Acids turn over skin faster compared to physical exfoliators. Blemishes that takes six weeks to disappear can now go away in three to four weeks - how's that for miraculous?

The acids that I've been using though are pretty expensive, so as usual, I had to find a way to make my favorite high-end products more affordable. That's why we created the latest product from In Her Element: the Glow Job 5% Glycolic Gel Cream (P775 for 30ml).

Pinay beauty lovers rejoiced when Sephora.ph went live last year! Since then, they have slowly started bringing in well-loved brands from the US Sephora such as Too Faced, Kat von D, Marc Jacobs, Hourglass, Fresh, and most recently, Natasha Denona. And while we are ever so grateful to finally have these brands within our reach, we can’t help but wish that Sephora would bring in these brands, too!

Any self-respecting beauty girl knows that one of the core tenets of millennial beauty is this: kilay is life. Full, perfectly-groomed Insta-ready (though not necessarily Instagram) eyebrows are "in", leading to any number of products catering to them, from liquid brow liners to peel-off “tattoo” tints. But while women have embraced rocking the power brow, one had to wonder... how might guys feel about trying the trend?

Happy weekend, PV girls! Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? How about your wish lists? If you’re stuck on what to buy for your beauty-loving friends (or yourself) may this week’s roundup give you that inspiration you need. From an epic holiday sale to luxe brand making its way to our shores, we’ve got beauty for all budgets all tied up in a bow for you. Check out Estée’s newest gorgeous face and what Maybelline has in store for us next year (here’s a hint: it doesn’t involve Gigi). Happy reading!