Hair dyeing is infinitely tempting for those looking to change their look, and also infinitely intimidating for the first timer. What kinds of dyes are there? Do you need to go to a salon? What’s a toner? Why does the shampoo need to be purple? There are so many factors to consider when getting your hair colored and it can be quite confusing to a hair color virgin. I was once a clueless noob, too, so I’ve outlined some tips from lightening, to dyeing, to maintenance to help you dip your tips into the wonderful world of hair coloring:

The first ever Jo Malone perfume I received was a gift. This was years before the brand entered the Philippines, and it was precious enough that one can acquire it only during trips abroad or pre-orders from small online stores where you have to wait for weeks to get a bottle. My client back then, who is a generous and kind-hearted woman, gifted me Blackberry & Bay for my birthday. I was so amazed and felt so special when I opened it! The perfume is already expired, but I still keep the bottle in my scent shelf if only to remind me of that moment.

When it comes to good quality makeup products that won’t break the bank, Pink Sugar is a constant favorite here on PV! From the time Liz first wrote about them in 2015, we’ve pretty much enjoyed everything from their 350-peso face powder to their pizza-proof lip tints. The formulas are good and reliable, but this local brand is continually finding ways to make their products even more user-friendly. So when they released a new variant of their well-loved Eye Candy Eyeshadow palette and a repackaged duo version of their Sweet Cheeks HD Cheek Color, I thought people needed to see these in action! 

If you watch YouTube makeup tutorials, you may have seen that many American beauty gurus use the Tatcha The Silk Canvas Filter Finish Protective Primer (from Lannel Boutique). I’ve definitely been curious about whether the claims are true, but it isn’t really something that’s easy to buy on a whim. Costing over P1000 for just 7g, this product is not your ordinary primer - it features pressed silk, which was designed to be as lightweight, skin-like, and smooth of a barrier as possible. As a professional makeup artist, I definitely understand the value of investing in quality products, especially face bases, but the big claims are matched by a hefty price tag. So, it Tatcha truly worth it or can you get the same effect with a cheaper product? Let’s find out!

Oh dear, I don’t think our wallets are ready for this jelly! Things are about to get spendy but the good news is that we have options. Do you deserve to splurge? We spill the tea on FENTY Beauty’s newest launch, a reformulation of Laura Mercier’s OG makeup base, and new highlighters care of Benefit. Feeling thrifty? Check out a huge lippie sale from Ever Bilena, and stock up on beauty essentials while supporting worthwhile advocacies.

Hello, it’s here! My team and I have been working on the In Her Element Sunflower Wash-Off Cleansing Oil (P695/110ml) since late last year and I’m so pleased that it’s finally out! As someone who adores ridiculously loud eyeshadow, thick lashes, and full-coverage foundation, a good cleansing oil that removes even waterproof makeup is a non-negotiable for me. It has to wash off cleanly with water, too, without me needing to do a second pass to erase everything. I ain’t got time for non-emulsifying cleansing oils!

Have you listened to the Project Vanity Podcast yet? ICYMI, Project Vanity has made it easier to learn about beauty via this new medium! If you don’t get the chance to read PV as much as you’d like, this is a great option to get your beauty fix while you’re on the go. Tune in as you do your skincare routine, or make the most of being stuck in traffic by listening in. 

When the #blkUniversal Collection was first announced, expectations were immediately set high. After all, it promised “Universally Flattering Shades”, “Multi-Use Essentials”, “Longwearing Formula”, and “On-the-Go Cosmetics”. Alluringly packaged in the trendy minimalist aesthetic, I found myself virtually lining up soon as they launched online. 

We were legit shookt when Vice Cosmetics started teasing what looked like a brow kit on social media. It was high time the local brand took on brows! Still, I felt it was a tad ambitious to start off with a retractable microbrow pencil and a brow gel as both are regarded as relatively more advanced and premium tools for makeup enthusiasts. I was truly curious with what the brand would come up with, considering their affordable product price range.

With #Pridemonth over, many brands and publications are back to business as usual. While any step towards a more inclusive society is a good one, the current social climate for LGBTQ persons in the Philippines is one that remains lukewarm at best. In an editorial piece by Rappler’s Bonz Magsambol, Filipino LGBTQ netizens question the authenticity of the country’s sentiments: “Tolerated, but not accepted”.

Happy weekend, PV fam, and welcome to another roundup of hot and fresh beauty news! Don’t let the gloomy weather get you down: we’ve got the lowdown on Happy Skin’s latest collection with Heart Evangelista, and juicy deets on Benefit’s new baby. 50 is the number to beat with ABH’s and FENTY’s expansive shade lines, while MannyMUA is playing with color for his summer release. Cozy up with us!

As PV’s resident acid addict, I honestly never thought I’d get into physical exfoliation again. But after getting recurrent forehead pimples in the past few months, I finally realized that my facial wash wasn’t enough to fully remove my sunscreen. I started incorporating an oil remover into my daily routine even on no-makeup days in an effort to remove the sunscreen better. Though I had been washing my face correctly, I was a little bit shocked to learn that there were impurities that even my most trusted cleansing products couldn’t remove.

Every once in a while, MAC Cosmetics hosts an exclusive presentation featuring celebrities, the country’s top beauty editors, and celebrity makeup artists. More than just a product launch, MAC’s Trend Presentations are an important learning avenue for the country’s tastemakers in terms of forecasting. For Autumn/Winter 2019, concepts like modernism, art deco, suprematism, and romanticism dominated the preview. Some of these looks are a bit too avant garde for everyday life, but as Miranda Priestly points out, the looks we wear everyday are inspired by the runway - one way or another.

She’s a fighter, a mother, a queen, and she’s bouncing back! While the last year has been challenging for the Queen of All Media, Kris Aquino is all about maintaining positivity in her life and, of course, serving up a heaping helping of LOVE LOVE LOVE. Along with the good vibes comes curated additions to the ever-expanding Kris Life Kit line, her hands-on collaboration with Ever Bilena. So pucker up for the Kris Tinted Lip Balms!

I’ve been an avid fan and collector of liquid blushes since NARS released their version in 2017. I’ve tried a bunch of options from Glossier, Inglot, and Peri Pera, but I always come back to NARS for its longevity and luxe feel. Imagine my surprise to find ads of Nee Cara Liquid Blush (P260 for 15g, at Shopee) that look so much like the NARS blushes, down to the shade range. Now imagine the electric charge in the air when my editor proposed to compare the two, plus the liquid blushes from O.TWO.O (P300 for 15g at Shopee), a Chinese company that also sells liquid blushes in the same packaging and shade range! And so I tested the three formulas to investigate how similar they are and why the Nee Cara and O.TWO.O blushes look the same.

Any beauty lover worth their salt knows that a lipstick isn’t just a lipstick. Applying color to your lips can be a comforting ritual, a confidence boost, a status symbol, and even carry a little piece of history! In honor of World Lipstick Day on July 29, we’re exploring our fascination with the legendary lippies that continue to be favorites years and even decades after they were first launched. They’ve proven to have offer such classic and iconic that generations of beauty lovers continue to covet them time and time again. Read our lips: these top picks are wishlist-worthy for a reason!

Another month bites the dust, and with it comes the rise of fresh, hot beauty news. This week’s roundup has got the latest on Kylie Jenner (possibly) expanding her makeup empire to include nails and fragrances, Jaclyn Hill’s semi-return to the beauty world after her failed lippies, as well as Charlotte Tilbury’s latest sparkling beauties. And get ready to stay naked with Urban Decay’s latest drop!

I usually listen to music on my commute home, but this time I opted to download Episode 2 of the Project Vanity Podcast on my Spotify. While I don’t usually follow podcasts, this particular episode caught my interest because it appeals to my inner beauty journalist! I was particularly excited with this episode because  I wanted to know what insights Colourette Cosmetics owner Nina Dizon could share about running a beauty business. Can you believe that she started as a 19-year-old student?! Listen to her story here:

Velvet matte lipsticks were popularized by South Korea first, but that didn’t stop Western brands from coming up with their own version in the last year or so. The promise of comfortable, intense color that hugs the lips in a velvety embrace is a tempting apple just within reach. I’ve tried a few of them but I’ve never really gotten into the trend, as I always go back to bullet lipstick. Is this new one from Revlon different?

When you live outside of Metro Manila, there are very few places to get your beauty fix. Back in my home province, there are only two standalone makeup kiosks inside malls. SkinPotions is one of them, so I’ve been curious about what this local beauty brand has to offer. When they recently came out with an Aladdin collection, I just had to try it because Jasmine is my favorite Disney princess! Will this make me look as fabulous as Prince Ali?