I remember purchasing my first daily sunblock five years ago. I had just learned that I needed sun protection not just for beach trips, but every single day. Since I was just 16 at the time, I looked for a mild formulation that would suit my adolescent skin and chanced upon YADAH’s Oh My Sun Block SPF35 PA++. Because it was lightweight and slightly moisturizing without the sticky feel, it was easier for me to get into the habit of wearing sunscreen daily.

For the past few months, I’ve written quite extensively about armpits and antiperspirants. It sounds very unglamorous, but living in a tropical country like the Philippines means that we have to deal with heat and sweat on a daily basis. And because underarms aren’t the only parts of our body that get sweaty, I found an online beauty hack that - believe it or not - recommends rubbing deodorant on your face! It’s supposed to act like a primer that mattifies and prevents your face from producing both oil and sweat. I’m sorry, WHAT?

Though the weather has gotten quite rainy, the unbearable heat of living in a tropical country continues to be something we struggle with. We try to keep cool by adding lots of shorts and skirts to our outfits, but this gives rise to another problem: the chub rub.

The intense heat we’re experiencing this summer has made my lips drier than usual. Although I love wearing matte lip products, it’s just too uncomfortable to wear now because even with a balm underneath, my lips still dry out like a raisin. I’ve been reaching for tinted lip balms more instead, as the fuss-free application gives me juicy moisture and a hint of color at the same time! Whether you want just a sheer tint or full-on pigmentation, we’ve got great recos for every kind of budget.

Hi, I’m Stacie and I am obsessed with SM Beauty. I feel the urge to pass by whenever I’m in an SM mall, even when I’m not actually looking for anything! Recently, I’ve noticed that more and more products are becoming available in sachet packaging, including face bases. Ranging from P25 to P99, they’re a tempting option for those on a tight budget or for when you need a quick fix. Sure, they’re quite cheap but are they worth it?

With Philippine summer in full swing, temperatures are steadily rising. PAGASA says that it can reach a scathing 38 degrees Celsius this April, so the PV team is scrambling to find ways to keep ourselves looking and smelling fresh despite the crazy heat. Apart from swapping our daily makeup for waterproof options, we’re especially conscious about super sweaty armpits! I’ve already shared our  secret for totally odor-free underarms, but is it possible to stop them from perspiring as well?

When I was in high school, we didn’t have any Watsons in my province. The only way to buy makeup was through Avon and Ever Bilena resellers. Because shopping options were limited and so were our allowances, I would see my female batchmates sticking a finger inside their bags, quickly ducking down, then reappearing with red lips and a red-tipped finger.

When it comes to French beauty, we tend to think of a low maintenance and effortless chic look - just bright, clear skin with a touch of red lipstick! The IG feeds of French beauty influencers Mathilde Lacombe, Betty Autier, Louise Follain, Jeanne Damas, and makeup artist Violette give us serious #wokeuplikethis goals. How they look so put together without needing to do much lies in the French beauty philosophy of investing in good skincare. Fortunately, many of those pharmacy brands are now available in the Philippines! Here’s a quick list of what you should check out and the cult favorite products for effortlessly beautiful skin.

Since opening their doors in the PH, lifestyle brand Mumuso has been the subject of much controversy. That the packaging designs of their cosmetics products looked almost exactly like those of popular K-beauty brands roused suspicion. Last year, an exposé by a South Korean broadcasting station MBC revealed that the brand masquerading as Korean is in fact from China!

For many Filipinas, this particular body part has been the focus of many insecurities. From color and texture, to the presence of hair or odor, maintaining “nice” underarms is something that we’ve admittedly obsessed over at some point of our beauty-loving lives. We’re more aware about not needing to conform to traditional standards for beauty now, but that doesn’t mean we’ll stop caring about our kili-kili completely! It still needs proper care and maintenance for basic hygiene, so I’ve put together a guide to tackle every pit concern. Let’s go!

I first encountered the brand Esfolio a couple of years when I was given a bunch of their sheet masks as pasalubong from Korea. After using a couple of masks that I felt lukewarm about and knowing that the brand wasn't available locally, it slipped to the back of my mind.

Fast forward to 2018, Esfolio arrived at our shores and the local beauty community was abuzz with talk about their affordable but quality products. This brought back those old memories, and so I decided to find out more about why people are raving about Esfolio.

If earning more income is one of your New Year resolutions, you may want to consider getting into online selling. Sure, it’s a small operation compared to the likes of Sephora PH and BeautyMNL, but it’s proven to be a lucrative one. Shoppers still appreciate having a trusted suki who can give recos and address issues at a personal level, and it’s easier to give feedback on what products they’d like to see next! But, how to start? We got in touch with two popular online sellers whose shops we’ve frequented and trust.

After the boom of clay masks late last year, I thought that sheet masks would soon lose their popularity among skincare enthusiasts. But. I. was. dead. wrong. I’ve noticed so many new sheet masks cropping on up on Watsons’ shelves, and it made me realize that what started as a K-beauty trend has found a permanent spot in our routines. It makes sense though: it’s an easy and often affordable way to indulge in 15 to 20 minutes of pampering and me-time. With so many new variants to choose from though, which one do you start with? I tried out a few so you know what to try for your next self-care sesh!

I was about 7 when I noticed that my body’s skin was a bit different from others. The skin on my upper arms and my legs look like they perpetually have goosebumps - they have raised bumps that feel coarse. The hair follicles appear redder than my actual skin color, too, so it sometimes looks like I have pimples over the rest of my body. They don’t itch or feel like anything really; they’re just there to make me feel conscious about wearing sleeveless tops and exposing my legs. I’ve since learned that there’s a name for my condition, and that it’s actually pretty common!

I’m on a high from SEVENTEEN’s concert last weekend - it was AMAZING! I have been crazy for Korean pop idols for almost a decade, and seeing them perform knife-like choreography while singing AND maintaining perfect hair and makeup at the same time amazes me. K-idols are one of the reasons why I got into makeup and skincare (and particularly K-beauty) in the first place. Most of them are brand endorsers and while we PV girls have been known to buy into these endorsements, I really wanted to find out what they actually use. So, I have been on the lookout for backstage clips, shows, and news to see what products are in these idols’ kits. I’ve managed to hunt down five lip products that idols have been spotted using - and they’re all under P500!

When CanmakePH announced that the Wink Glow Eyes line was now available locally, fellow PV writer Gett and I immediately drew up our wish lists and started planning for our purchase. The liquid eyeshadows placed #2 at the Cosme 2017 Mid-year Awards (Eyeshadow Category) and I wasn’t about to miss out on that. The product promises to be glossy, non-oily, and long-wearing all at the same time. It’s basically all the things I often look for in eye makeup, so I was beyond thrilled to try these new arrivals, plus a couple more products to complete the look!

If you're part of a Facebook beauty group, chances are you saw the viral post of a Staedtler pencil (used for drawing) was used as eyebrow pencil. While most people might be amused then dismiss it as another crazy hack, I was reminded of an old Get It Beauty episode that featured the famous Korean makeup artists Son Daesik and Park Taeyoon of Son&Park fame. They talked about how they actually use Prismacolour Ebony Pencils for drawing eyebrows!

Fellow writer Kristel (who was based in Seoul for a time) has also mentioned seeing this art material in Olive Young stores and its popularity among Koreans beauty fans - they consider this to be the perfect gray brow pencil. As someone who likes to sketch in her spare time, I was intrigued by this concept so dipped into my pencil case of art materials and decided to try it for myself!

From the launch of an inclusive 40-shade foundation from Fenty to new K-beauty brands opening their doors locally, 2017 was indeed a fruitful year for beauty here in the PH. We also got to see some interesting trends; some have already come and gone but there are a few that look like they'll be here for an extended stay! 

One of my big beauty lessons in 2017 was the importance of wearing blush. I didn't think it was crucial to my makeup routine until I realized how it instantly gives life to my face even when I'm feeling haggard. Different blush shades could also give a different feel to my monochromatic “natural” look: blue-based pinks make me look sweet and innocent, while a warm orange gives me a back-from-the-beach flush! 

If you've ever watched a K-drama or seen photos of K-idols, you probably noticed how incredibly smooth and flawless their skin looks. No pores, blemishes, or uneven coloring - they're almost too perfect to be real! The glass skin trend is pretty common among Korean stars though, and this ‘’dewy skin made dewier" look has become the ultimate #skingoals for many.