Makeup trends during the pandemic I feel were at extremes: either we go bright and loud, or sheer and barely there. I’ve been on both sides. Sometimes I just want to look completely different because I can, and sometimes I feel like it’s too much makeup for the day’s minor occasions. On those days, I go for sheer makeup that looks like I just woke up with it.

When it comes to teeth whitening, I’ve tried quite a good number of treatments. From the whitening strips to salon-style teeth whitening facilities in Europe with stark-white, minimalist interiors and pod-like seats that cocoon you while you get your 30-minute whitening treatment. They’ve worked in varying degrees and trust me – I always left with a brighter smile. Just not bright enough.

Sometimes I have patients who will come in for consult for another matter but would segue into skincare because they have no idea on where to start with their routines or what to apply. After asking some questions, I would then learn what skincare mistakes they’re committing without knowing it like cleansing their faces only once a day, using products not suitable for their skin type or not putting on any sunscreen. So, to avoid any mistakes with starting your own skincare routine, here are some steps for you to follow.

“Your hair looks amazing,” a stranger on the street comes up to me with a smile on her face. “Where did you get the curls done?” I then proceed to tell them that the curls are natural. It’s often met with an amazed face when I tell them I got them from my dad or a smirk that shows they don’t really believe me. Sometimes, I get someone who wants to touch my hair just to make sure. You see, all this has been pretty recent. Growing up in the Philippines in the 90s and early 2000s, my hair was never considered pretty. Straight, shiny hair was glorified and curls were often seen as unruly or buhaghag.

I lurk around Shopee and IG a lot, and if you’re like me, you might have heard about Perfect Diary. There is a sea of products available on Shopee but this brand always stood out for me with their eye-catching graphics and packaging. I was given a chance to try a set of the Perfect Diary Rouge Intense Velvet Slim Lipsticks (P789 per tube/ P2,139 for the set), so here’s what I thought about them!

I was recently in a video call with some of my friends. We were catching up and sharing what kept us busy aside from work. When it was my turn to speak, a friend of mine preempted me saying, “I’m sure it’s makeup again.” Well, in his defense, he wasn’t wrong. Makeup really did keep me busy and continues to keep me busy, but what bothered me was his tone and facial expression.

There are plenty of good things associated with plants. Some are recommended by NASA to help purify the air around us. Others are acknowledged to have medicinal properties through the years. When it comes to beauty, certain plants are used to power up our routine. Here are a few ways I’ve been incorporating them in mine!

The most dedicated curlies know this by heart: Washing your hair every single day is like sentencing your mane to a sad, dry, and frizzy life. When the pandemic hit, one of the major considerations I had whenever I would step out of our flat is if I’m ready to give my hair another wash the moment I get home. Will it survive this constant abuse and come out bouncy once this is all over?

As a beauty lover, there’s a lot of emphasis on carefully curating your beauty collection by investing in high-quality makeup and finding the best formulas. And while you might already have products that work like a charm, using them with just the right tools can take the experience to greater heights. Trust me. These five brushes are total game-changers!

We're looking for inspiring stories to share on Project Vanity's 13th anniversary month. The chosen stories will win P13,000 worth of gifts from our brand partners. Send your story to liz@projectvanity.com by March 6, Saturday to be reviewed or fill out the form below. We can't wait to read about your nominees!

If you need a salon–at–home experience to keep the frizz away – use Pantene Salontastic Collection! Made with salon-inspired ingredients so you can have Collagen smooth or Keratin Straight hair.

Trends come and go and when we remember the trends we used to follow in the past, we would cringe and recall how ridiculous they were. As much as we dermatologists would like to just cringe at skincare trends and laugh them off, we would rather you know why they need to be stopped because of the real danger they pose to the skin.

As a makeup artist, I’ve been exposed to several makeup application methodologies from the simple 10-minute glow look up to the complex prosthetics and artistic makeup I do during dance competitions. I’ve also done character makeup for theater and TV. When it comes to my personal style though, I like things done simply nowadays since going out feels like suiting up for battle. I still want to look presentable and put together, but I want less of a production number when half of my face is covered most of the time.

We all have go-to lip colors for certain occasions. I don’t know if it’s just me but I always have a shade in mind for a particular purpose and I’m glad to report that these shades have worked well for me every single time. Whether for work or when I’m attending events as a diplomat’s wife, my lip color was and will always be picked for a particular reason. They say fashion is a great way to send a message and I agree but that philosophy extends to my makeup, too. So not only am I intentional with the clothing I wear, I also choose shades that support my message - whatever it is for that day.

When I was a kid, I remember that my mom would lend me her gold jewelry every time there was a school event. If there’s a recognition day, graduation, communion, prom, foundation day, whatever it is, I would be wearing something extra special even though I just have a school uniform on. She would always caution me before leaving, “Wag mo iwawala yan!” (“Don’t lose it!”) as if I needed a reminder. But then I really didn’t understand what gold was worth before anyway. If I knew, I suppose I would have been more nervous about wearing my mom’s things!

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! What are you getting your significant other? If you haven’t bought them anything yet, or are considering buying them makeup, fret not. We already gave some tips on how to buy makeup for your beloved. This time around, we took out the guess work and listed actual makeup products that will make great gifts. We even included links to all actual products so you can buy them immediately (You’re welcome!). Here are our top picks for makeup items to give to your significant other according to your budget:

I always watched my mom do her makeup as I was growing up. I love how she would always take her time in applying lipstick. When she was ready for blush, she would smile in front of the mirror, exposing her dimple, which I find so beautiful. This is why the new NARS Claudette Collection is so personal to me. It is inspired by Claudette, who is the mother and muse of François Nars.

Okay I’m going to sound smarmy, so I hope you can be patient when I say that age doesn’t matter that much to me. At least not right now. I suspect that my feelings will change the older I get and the more my face sags or hair falls. But right now, as I sink into the comfortable cushion that is my early 30s, I feel alright about it. Turning 30 is a whole to do but the few years after are just not that dramatic.

I turned 33 the other day so I thought I’d share three things I learned in the past year. Hopefully, you will find these helpful in some way.

My life has been a constant quest of streamlining everything. I’m the first person to sign up for anything that can help get things done in a more efficient manner. Even my daily makeup routine is not exempted from this. I love putting on makeup and experimenting with it but on some days, those 24 hours just seem to be going way too fast. So when I got the opportunity to eliminate one step from my routine by getting my eye brows tattooed, I was all for it.

Rejuvenating sets are by no means a new invention. Even before I began paying more attention to skincare, I remember seeing them in bazaars and tiangges during the early aughts. They’ve gained quite a reputation for making quick work of skin brightening, but they’ve also gotten a bad name for being too harsh to the point of burning the skin. However, not all rejuv sets are created equal. Some place emphasis on giving users a safer, more pleasant experience. And guess what? I’ve gotten to try this new gen version first hand!