While one can reasonably expect for a homegrown brand to celebrate its roots, it's quite a statement for a global powerhouse to fête the Filipino! Last month, Kiehl’s commemorated National Independence Day with a pop-up store at the SM Mall of Asia Atrium. The theme was ‘Kiehl’s Loves the Philippines,’ during which they showed an exhibit of the brand’s history as well as interactive stations that celebrate Filipino cultural icons.

Let me be clear: not everybody needs liquid foundation. It's nice to have, but if you already have pretty good skin then a layer of powder (with coverage depending on your preference) over primer (depending on how dry or oily you are) could be all you need for a great, long-wearing base! I often go out with just that especially if I don't really need to look photo-ready or dressed up.

We've often talked about "self-care" here on PV as taking the time and effort to look after yourself. It can be as simple as slapping on your favorite sheet, going for a full-on home spa session, or getting your tips and toes done at the parlor. But there is more to self-care than beauty and pampering, and the long queue that snaked through the Meralco Theater lobby for the Watsons World of Wellness event was a happy reminder that people haven't forgotten what really matters.

While tints may currently be the more popular option, I'm a big fan of lip and cheek balms. They're multipurpose (which saves money as well as kikay kit space) but also generally easier to use than liquid tints. Locally, we've got great new options from two well-loved, homegrown brands!

Happy that it's the weekend? Here are four more reasons to perk up your spirits! We’ve got the scoop on Huda Beauty finally reaching PH shores, and how KC Concepcion is incorporating women empowerment in her latest beauty collab! We’ve also got a luxury shampoo for fur babies, and an epic gold palette that will you look and feel like a million bucks. So, relax and read on!

I was late to the face mist party as was the rest of my skincare routine. Liz shared about getting into the misting habit as early 2013, which unfortunately was circa 3 BB (Before Beauty) for me. Now that I regularly use mists, I wish I’d started using them earlier! Before I thought face mists were just an excuse for beauty brands to sell overpriced water in a spray bottle. When I finally got to try it though, I was de-mist-ified as to why they’re so popular. Good ones truly do hydrate my skin whether I'm wearing makeup or not.

Still, I’m glad that I got into it when I did, as I’m so spoiled for choices. I’ve tried quite a few PV-approved mists, as well as awesome finds for under P500. Here are more mists that deserve to be in our radar!

If not for cult favorites like the Dickinson’s Witch Hazel Toner and the Aztec Healing Clay, Healthy Options isn’t always an obvious choice when shopping for beauty products. If you’re conscious about avoiding certain ingredients or sticking to vegan formulations though, this is the place to be!

I recently scoured the Healthy Options to find more products that are cruelty-free, vegan, and don’t contain sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate (SLS and SLES), artificial colors, or parabens. Though Healthy Options may be pricier than regular groceries (for isn't that what it is?), they also have inexpensive finds that can meet more stringent beauty standards. Can you believe that I scored this entire haul for just P1,588?

If you didn’t already know, the Philippine beauty scene is on fire. There have been waves of proudly Pinoy brands that are gaining recognition for releases that can easily compete with foreign brands in terms of quality and pricing. We’ve already featured local liquid lipsticks previously, so let’s complete the look with some noteworthy eyeshadow palettes!

I tried out five local eyeshadow palettes and did a wear test for each. I didn’t apply any eyeshadow primer underneath to see which ones offer the best color payoff and crease-resistant formula. For reference, I have dry skin that oils up on my T-zone later in the day.

At 21, I often struggle with #adulting. I’m still learning how to be smarter with time management and planning for the long-term, and had never had to deal with very adult things like taxes until my internship. So when Den asked me to try Celeteque’s Advanced Anti-Aging line, I was initially baffled. Am I not too young to be worrying about wrinkles? Then I realized that it makes sense to use anti-aging products BEFORE my skin actually needs them. Prevention is better than cure, after all! But how could I adapt that concept into my own state of mind?

How is June already over? We may have bid sunny blue skies goodbye, but these beauty updates are perfect for chasing the rainy day blues away! This week’s roundup includes a foundation in a form we’ve never seen before, and Tarte’s new sister brand for skincare. We’ve also got new lippies from Ever Bilena and a mysterious collab for Happy Skin! Read on for the good news!

If you love bright pops of color in your look then I think the new Revlon Color Charge collection might be right up your alley.  This just recently arrived in the Philippines and has lipsticks, lip powder (!), nail polish, blush, powder pigment, and eyeliner. I've been testing out the new products these past few days, so here are my thoughts plus loads of swatches!

The glitz, the glamour, the star power: Makeup brands collaborating with the who’s who of the entertainment industry may be a tale as old as time, but it’s a move that often spells success for both brand and celeb alike. Fans are thrilled to get their hands on something with their idol’s stamp of approval, and beauty lovers get to discover some cool new stuff that might make fans out of them yet. And so you get some exciting team-ups that’ll go down in beauty history such as Becca x Chrissy Teigen, Victoria Beckham x Estee Lauder, Jennifer Lopez for Inglot, Patrick Starrr x MAC, and Gigi Hadid x Maybelline!

Not to be outdone, Pinoy celebrities are bringing their creative chops into the fray. In the last two years, we’ve seen more and more homegrown talents collaborate with big beauty brands, or even go as far as to start their own cosmetic companies altogether.

Acne is a common problem that affects many, and while it may not be a life-threatening disease, it's a condition that can affect quality of life. Last year, I had to deal with the worst acne of my life and it honestly affected my self-esteem. Fortunately, I found a solution in the use of retinoids, and recently discovered that the combination of AHA and BHA works so well on my skin.

Cloudy skies and frequent rainshowers have officially put an end to Summer 2018 but that doesn’t mean that vibrant colors have to take a back seat. If you’re looking to make a beauty statement that stands out in gloomy weather, Inglot’s new releases are all about playing the color game with minimal effort.

We have some insane beauty scoops for you this week! We’re talking All.The.Feels. with BLK Cosmetics and their recent shade launch (there’s something for everyone!) as well as Jennifer Lawrence’s momentous new milestone with a luxury brand! Our fave outspoken model Chrissy Teigen is teaming up with BECCA again, and the best part is we’ve got the products and the pics! Happy reading!

I had a lot of not-so-positive misconceptions about going to the Chinese mainland for the first time last month. I thought it was going to be dirty, noisy, and full of rude people, but that was certainly not the case! I found Shanghai to be a beautiful city that was as mighty as it was poetic. I loved the food, the painfully fashionable Chinese wandering the streets, and the amazing architecture. The Bund, a waterfront area facing the Huangpu River and looking out to the Lujiazui skyline, is a sight to see at night. I wasn't able to explore the city very long but one thing is for sure: I will definitely visit Shanghai again!

The year: 2013. The mission: leg hair removal. I was a college student on a hunt for a waxing salon in Quezon City. When a sugaring salon had no more slots, I decided to try my luck at a nearby salon whose name I cannot remember anymore. My plan was to get a half leg wax, something I started doing at 14, and considered myself to be a veteran waxee. I remember technicians saying “masakit ‘yan ‘di ba?” to each other while I nonchalantly read a magazine as they ripped my hair away.

How your skin looks is often a reflection of your inner health, but sometimes it can be quite a challenge to be in perfect shape. Chalk it up to the stress from work, exposure to pollution, the convenience of fast food, or busy schedules that take time away from sleep and exercise. Living a healthier lifestyle, whether for beauty purposes or not, should be our common goal, of course. There are no shortcuts for getting healthy but can beauty supplements help to improve the state of your skin?

Earlier this year, the announcement of Kris Aquino’s partnership with beloved local drugstore beauty giant Ever Bilena was met with much excitement by fans and beauty lovers alike. Knowing that the Queen of All Media is famous for being very particular (especially when it comes to the self-confessed makeup lover’s beauty stash), we were also eager to see how Kris’s meticulous preferences would translate into the collaboration’s releases.

Getting breakouts can be annoying but dealing with its hyperpigmented aftermath is the real headache!

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or PIH, happens when injury or inflammation causes increased pigment production on the injured part of the skin. PIH is characterized by flat, red, brown, or even black spots on the skin, and can occur in different parts of the body. One of the common causes of these dark spots is acne, but you can also get it from other skin injuries like psoriasis or burns.