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!

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.

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.

The older I get, the drier my skin becomes. Is this also true for you? I’m only 33, which to my mind is really not that old in this modern age of medical wonders, but I feel like my skin is not bouncing back as much as it used to. Damage takes longer to heal; gentle neglect shows more easily than before. I’ve been using heavier moisturizers on my face and so I thought it’s time to apply the same principle to my hands!

Remember when Lush Sleepy became viral online? People claimed that this body lotion helped them sleep within twenty minutes of application! I thought that was incredible. There’s really nothing in the ingredients list that will help you do that; the lotion banks on its sweet lavender vanilla scent to relax you and leave the rest to the power of online suggestion. Otherwise it’s a normal body lotion in terms of composition. If it works for you (in terms of improving your sleep), that’s great! It’s a lovely lotion and quite enjoyable to use if you like the scent. If it didn’t work for you then, I am sorry to hear that you spent P925 on false hype.

The term "skincare" usually makes us think of the best ways and products to keep our faces clear, smooth and shine-free but that's obviously just a small portion of our skin! It would be very expensive to use toners and serums for the rest of our body though, so the next best thing is to make sure you get a good lotion for every day use. Apart from the ability to moisturize, many now offer other benefits, and you can pretty much get them at any budget. Here are our top picks!

I adore the permeating scent of spiced pumpkin, vanilla, and cinnamon inside coffee shops this time of the year. I'm not into sugary coffees so I usually pass on the holiday drinks, but the smell - it's when I know that Christmas is approaching. The Body Shop has just whipped up that mouthwatering scent and put it in their pre-holiday collection called Vanilla Pumpkin, which is already out in stores now.

My absolute favorite perfume right now is the Aerin Gardenia Rattan. I never knew I loved the delightful smell of gardenias nor the honesty of rattan, but they're seemingly made for each other in this Aerin masterpiece. It was meant to capture the perfect summer's day in a bottle and I think it did a really good job! I have dozens of scents in my closet right now, but I am addicted to Gardenia Rattan because it puts me in such a good mood.