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.

I’m the type of person who has to wash her hair every single day. As a yoga teacher who practices and teaches yoga practically every morning, I need to be able to cleanse my hair of all the workout gunk! Also, the new normal has me washing my hair twice a day on days when I have to do essential runs.

This is why I need shampoo that cleanses my hair really well without drying it out. It has to be nourishing enough not to strip my hair of its natural oils as well as not be too heavy to leave me with sticky, greasy, limp hair. I’m also a conditioner user, which is why I need a conditioner that brings life to my hair without weighing my hair down or causing breakouts on my back and hairline.

If you’ve been dealing with acne for most of your life like I am, you’re probably looking for new products for both acne and its ‘souvenirs’ – hyperpigmentation and post-acne marks.

I’ve been looking for a good acne treatment to add to my current regimen when I found out about Oxecure, a skincare brand that focuses on acne-control for the face and body. I was instantly intrigued by the brand’s promise to deliver results in six hours.

Doing my makeup on a day to day basis is a breeze. I can do smokey eyes in less than ten minutes, and I have even mastered the art of glamming up inside a moving vehicle. I love the art of putting on makeup, like buffing foundation to make my skin look seamless, concealing my eyebags to hide yesterday’s drama, drawing my brows to make it go wow, flicking that wing liner oh-so-perfectly, or blending eyeshadows layer after layer like there is no tomorrow.

In times of massive uncertainty and change such as the one we live in now, economists have noticed a behavior called the Lipstick Effect. This describes how consumers still tend to buy small luxury items (like premium cosmetics and trips to the cinema) during recessions or when they personally do not have much cash. Makeup doesn’t stop being a mood booster when things go south, so we don’t stop trying to be beautiful despite our situation.

There are only two things in the world that are guaranteed to quickly take me from 0 to 10 on the emotional scale: lipstick and Disney Princesses. So when Happy Skin announced their new Disney collection a few weeks ago, a follow up to their 2016 release, I could not calm down!

Depression and anxiety have always been present in my life. Early on, I thought it was simply an overreaction to circumstances. I was too vulnerable, I wore my heart on my sleeve - not realizing that the chemical imbalance in my brain constantly leads to such destructive thoughts. It comes in waves: constant overanalyzing, insomnia, panic attacks, restrictive food intake, and procrastination. When it gets really bad, I find it difficult to do any kind of productive activity, even something as simple as getting out of bed. I’ve had to consider therapy and counseling, and self-care through makeup and skincare has played an important part of how I manage my condition.

Once a beauty trend reaches Instagram and becomes a popular hashtag, it’s difficult to resist trying it out for ourselves! That’s certainly how I felt when I started seeing all those #jaderoller posts all over my feed, so I got curious and bought one to try. Do they actually have skincare benefits or are they just overpriced facial massage tools? Read on to find out if it’s worth the splurge!

Here in Project Vanity, we love sharing our beauty tips, product insights, and hot new finds. What we don’t like sharing, however, is makeup itself – we don't want bacteria spreading around and causing problems! Even if you don't share makeup products with other people, your personal collection can still harbor unhealthy growths that can compromise your safety and shorten the lifespan of your products. So it's still important to sanitize your makeup regularly.

People say it’s all about the little things…and that’s exactly how I feel about mini makeup! I mean, regular-sized products are great and all, but sometimes it can get a little challenging to bring them around when you’re on the go. Minis make it easy to maximize the precious space in your bag. They can also help you make a smart purchase, as you can use these to test out and decide whether or not you actually need (or just want) the full-sized version of the product. Lastly, with the holidays coming up, you can use these as stocking stuffers or just small and simple gifts for your friends! There are actually so many ways to get a hold of them but if you've been missing out, here's where to find them!

One of the breakthrough ingredients in Korean skincare for 2017, Centella Asiatica is also known as Gotu Kola or Pennyworth. It has been popping out as a main ingredient in many Korean road shop brands, including Innisfree and Etude House, which both have their own Cica (short for Centella Asiatica) lines. Many other popular Korean brands like Dear Klairs, CosRX and Leegeehaam (formerly Leejiham) also have their own Centella-centered skincare lines.

Next to using makeup, shopping for makeup is one of our favorite things to do! The thing is, getting new haul every so often can mean having a messy pile of makeup that makes circulating through your collection a huge challenge. Our editor-in-chief Liz has previously shared how she organizes her makeup but apart from knowing when and how to declutter, having the right tools in the form of makeup storage options can help get the job done! They keep your stuff in order and looking neat, not to mention protecting them dust and dirt.

I can’t be the only one who loves that post-workout glow – it leaves my skin looking supple, moisturized, and a little flushed. That’s how I want my skin to look all day everyday! It’s all natural and very glowy but sadly, with all the sweating involved, it’s also unhygienic and possibly stinky. Instead, you can cheat your way into scoring that athletic glow, without breaking a sweat!

As a teenager, I had extremely oily skin. I swear, I could have given all the oil wells in the Middle East a run for their money for all the excess sebum my skin would produce! In my 20’s, my skin started to normalize: no longer quite as oily but more of a combination type. When I recently hit my late 20’s though, I noticed that my skin would be itchy, red, and peeling all the time. I would apply moisturizer on the dry spots, but would have to deal with them again the following day. This left me feeling very confused. I had a nightly skincare routine but why was I still having so many problems with my skin? After doing a lot of research, I discovered that my symptoms were signs of my ceramide level slowly dropping.

Skincare can be a bit daunting with all this talk about 10-step routines, but the truth is no one ever starts with 10 steps. A good routine starts with only a handful of products and the most basic of steps until you work your way up to figuring out your skin's individual needs. Only then do skin-specific steps like serums, ampoules, and acids come in.

It helps to figure out your skin type first. The four basic skin types that pertain to sebum production are normal, dry, oily, and combination.

If looking good makes you feel good, why not take the chance to do good as well? Beauty brands have been going beyond helping us to look the best version of ourselves and are using their influential platforms to support charitable causes and social change movements. Want your peso to travel the extra mile? Consider purchasing from these six brands that give back.

Wait, can you actually have too much makeup? Sadly, the truth holds still: too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. If you’re having trouble keeping your stash properly stored or even just choosing which products to use, maybe it’s time to admit that your collection has gotten out of hand. Regain control, maximize your stash, and free up some space (for new stuff *wink wink*) with these top tips!