Packing for a trip out of the country is, I daresay, an art. It’s getting that perfect balance between bringing everything you need, having easy access to everything without losing your things, and having enough space for your shopping! When I first started traveling abroad, I was all about packing light so much that I under pack and forget a lot of important things. I used to survive on just a 5-kilo luggage for a week-long trip - that’s unimaginable now. I always end up having to buy a big tote for my shopping and it’s such a hassle lugging it to and from the airport.

But now I have a fairly reliable formula that works for me, and might work for you too. Here’s my tried-and-tested way of packing for a trip abroad! This is handy if, like me, you over think and like to look pretty.

Hey there, PV Community! How’s the month of July so far? You know, I report to the office every single day now and I find myself falling in love with makeup for the first time all over again. I guess I just missed wearing makeup somewhere else than home. Do you feel the same way?

Someone on Instagram asked me last week about how I keep my legs looking smooth and even. That’s when I realized that I haven’t talked about this nifty technique yet despite “discovering” it some time back! It became viral on TikTok at one point, but I found out about it before I saw it on Tiktok via a “Eureka!” moment in the shower. It just makes complete sense.

Japan's No.1 sunscreen brand Anessa just got an upgrade in packaging and formula, so I'm here to check it out! They switched to a blue logo and outer packaging, which btw is partially made of bio-based plastic. This is produced from "renewable biomass sources that reduce carbon dioxide emissions"*. In working towards their goal of a SUNstainable world, they also removed coral-damaging ingredients such as Octinoxate and Microplastic beads from their formula.

For “Do Good for the Planet,” Watsons invited Jack Warren of ClimatePartner, social and mindful entrepreneur Rizza Lana Sebastian and Cat Trivino of Communities for Organized Resource Allocation to help media guests understand what carbon footprint is and why we should always be mindful.

July is here, PV Community! Can you even believe it? We’re now starting the latter half of the year and what better way to do so than with beauty, right? So let’s get straight to it - here are what’s the latest in beauty!

I learned a lot about La Collection Privée when I visited the Dior Flagship Boutique last month. I knew about Dior’s makeup line and fragrances - tried quite a few of them, loved everything so far - but I didn’t know that they have a couture beauty line. This one is more for serious beauty fans and collectors. They gifted me with a couple of items from the line (lucky me) so of course I had to share my thoughts!

My mother-in-law is one of my favorite persons and I’m lucky to have a good relationship with her. You know what they say - when you marry someone, you marry their family too! I can’t - and don’t - even want to imagine having a combative relationship with a MIL. I don’t have any complaints about her. Well, okay, there is one thing: she has dishwashing fluid doing double duty as hand wash soap in her home!

Hello, PV community! Happy Monday! The latest beauty roundup is coming to you on a Monday, for this time only. We hope you had a wonderful weekend and have a fabulous week ahead! Okay, time for what’s new in beauty.

CeraVe, a drugstore staple in the US that’s been around since 2005, blew up online just a few years ago because of younger skincare influencers led by Hyram. I’ve been meaning to try something from the brand but it was previously so difficult to get it in the Philippines! Luckily I spotted fresh stocks at Landers BGC some months back. I know that LOOK (in SM Aura) also sells the brand so FYI if you’re looking.

PV Community, I have a random question - since we’re halfway into the year now, is there beauty product you are halfway through already? Mine are the Clinique Clarifying Lotion, the In Her Element Masknegel, and the MAC Ruby Woo lipstick. Looking forward to hearing yours! In the meantime, here’s our weekly beauty news!

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!

First and second booster shots for the COVID-19 vaccine under the government’s “Resbakuna sa Botika” are now available at 19 Watsons stores nationwide.

The “Resbakuna sa Botika” program was first rolled out in selected clinics and pharmacies in Metro Manila and later on expanded to other areas nationwide as part of the national government’s efforts to further expand the national vaccination program.

There’s been an explosion of facial skincare products these past two years, but our body care options have been a little neglected, no? The skin on the rest of our bodies isn’t as sensitive or as thin as our facial skin but they still benefit from a lot of love! There’s a ton of brightening products out there but today let’s focus on a nourishing line.

How do you feel about having gold in your daily skin care routine? Pure Culture is a fairly new local vegan and clean beauty brand with products that aim to strengthen the skin’s microbiome while using sustainable, locally-sourced active ingredients in the process. It’s the first Filipino beauty brand that is Safe Cosmetics Australia-certified. I got to try both their Bulgarian Rose serum and moisturizer, and here’s my quick review!

Can you believe we’re halfway through 2022 already, PV Community? They say time flies when you’re having fun and since writing about beauty is so much fun, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that it’s already June. Now, time for another beauty roundup.

I don’t rave about skincare lightly. As someone who develops skincare products for a living, it’s easy for me to filter out what works and what doesn’t. I like to say that a quick ingredients check should tell us everything we need to know if something works or not! Most of the time, how good a product is isn’t determined by fancy formulations, but the quality and concentration of the ingredients used.

You may have heard of the latest Pili Ani release from the Beauty News Roundup last May 10. This local brand is one I keep my eye on as I’ve previously tried some of their products with positive results so I’m quite excited to try out their new ones.

Happy Pride Month, PV Community! I’d just like to take this time to say thank to all of you for being allies - yes, I’m claiming it. You are all so supportive and I always appreciate it. Anyway, speaking of pride, I’m proud to share with you what’s new in beauty.