College was the time I lived for all the potted and tubed makeup. Those precious mousses, creams, and gels were my way of looking presentable on the fly without requiring skills beyond a little dotting and blending. I think it’s coming full circle now that I’m back to looking for simple products for a more low-maintenance routine.

Thanks to Project Vanity, I’ve had the chance to try out a lot of different skincare products but K-beauty has a special place in my heart! Learning about Korean skincare gave me my first brush with the Asian beauty philosophy, and it has truly been a game-changer for my routines. From chemical exfoliants and 7-skin application, to straight brows and just-bitten lips, so much of my beauty routine is Korean inspired! So I was really excited to learn that a new K-beauty brand just arrived in town.

I’ve wanted a tattoo ever since I was little, but even when I could already afford to get one, it took me a while to actually take the leap. After all, it was going to be a permanent mark on my body, so I needed to be sure about all the details. Where should I have it done? How much would it cost? Most importantly: how can I do it all safely?

In an ideal world, we get our beauty thing done and leave the salon with a glowing #FOTD, well-manicured nails,  perfect hair, and hair-free skin. But did you know that it's possible to go home with something extra and unwanted? Health hazards lurk everywhere, including in the various beauty rituals that we normally enjoy! 

Dirty tools and unsanitary work stations are obvious red flags that announce the risk of infection, but there are less obvious things that you should watch out for even in DIY procedures.

I suppose it is radical that this should come from a beauty blogger, but in the eleven years that I’ve worked in this industry, I’ve come to realize that it’s completely okay to be ugly. Yes, you heard it. It’s okay to be ugly. It’s absolutely fine that you don’t fit in the mold of what everyone else thinks is beautiful - it’s fine that your skin is a mess, your hair is falling out, you’re fat, or that you’re too dark. So many women who are not considered conventionally beautiful blaze their own trails and find their own way. I mean, you need only look at the achievements of Samin Nostrat, Mindy Kaling, or Naomi Watabe! You can do that too, and you don’t need the permission of being beautiful to get started.

Can't book a ride or don't want to be stuck in traffic? You might want to consider taking a motorcycle service instead. I started using Angkas about a year ago when I couldn't get a car or a cab after an hour of trying. I got to my destination quickly and safely, and though I wasn't prepared for a bike ride. I now take it regularly to get to work without having to deal with the horrendous Manila traffic or exorbitant fares, so I need to make sure I still look presentable when I arrive at my destination. Apart from spritzing a bit of fragrance, here are five tips for staying fresh and surviving the bike ride: 

I’ve had ear piercings since I was a baby, and added two more just before I graduated from college. I really like how they enhance my personal sense of style and have been wanting to get more, but my college piercing experience was not a good one. To ensure that everything goes smoothly this time around, I prepared for new piercings by doing a lot of research and being more thorough with choosing where to have it done. If you’ve been thinking of getting some, too, make sure you read these must-know guidelines first!

A month before stepping into a new decade, PANTONE announced 2020’s Color of The Year: Classic Blue. Described as a restful color that brings a sense of peace and tranquillity to the human spirit, it becomes a standout shocker when used in beauty looks! If you’re feeling adventurous and dare to rock this color, channel Classic Blue with these picks:

I have a lot of Human Nature favorites that I like to stock up on, and while I can often get them from the grocery, I like being able to visit their stores so that I can check out their newest releases. Recently, I’ve been curious about the Marine Caviar moisturizer and their long-awaited Natural Shampoo Bar (maybe it will change my mind about shampoo bars?) so I went to visit their new store in SM Megamall as soon as it opened last week!

The first time I heard of Advent calendars was in college, when I saw a YouTuber take out chocolate from a Cadbury-branded Advent calendar. It looked like a fun idea to enjoy a little treat in the days leading to Christmas, though I had to wonder how much self-control I’d need to not open everything at once! Assuming you have enough impulse control, I can certainly imagine how “receiving” a small gift every day can set the mood for Christmas cheer. Now imagine doing that with beauty products!

They're 36 and thriving! 2019 has certainly been a fruitful year for Ever Bilena. Earlier this year, the proudly homegrown beauty company expanded their range of products with Kris Aquino through the release of some seriously hydrating tinted lip balms. They then tapped Jodi Sta. Maria to be the latest face of the flagship brand. This was followed by celeb collaborations that were launched with Andrea Brillantes (Careline's Blythe Cosmetics) and Ara Mina (Ara Colours). The year may be almost over, but this local powerhouse is continuing to keep us on our toes!

Merry Cliniquemas! We recently went to the brand’s Holiday Preview in SM Mega Fashion Hall, and were dazzled by the numerous skincare, makeup, body, and fragrance sets curated for seemingly everyone. It’s like Ophra saying, “You get a set! You get a set! You get a set!”

From doodling on the pages with my favorite poems, to using them solely to keep track of work, the way I’ve used planners have changed a lot over the years. But I think that’s also because the designs have changed so much that they’ve become more than just a way to keep track of our schedules. Planners are super useful for keeping your life organized, productive, and fulfilling as well! Belle de Jour played a huge role in bringing about that change.

It’s never too early to start preparing your holiday looks for all those family reunions, office parties, and barkada meetups! After all, the festive season is the perfect time to be adventurous with your FOTDs. If you’re tired of the same old, same old, here’s something new and sparkly from Inglot to rival those brightly-lit trees and parols!

The holidays has descended upon us in full force, so your calendar is probably full of office parties, family reunions, school reunions, friend parties, possibly even weddings and engagements. ‘Tis the season to see people you haven’t seen in a while and that includes your nosy Tita and noisy Tito! So, for lack of anything better to say or maybe even just to feel a weird sense of superiority over you, they are going to be making some nasty comments about your looks. This article is to prepare you for the inevitable: the yearly sucker punch to your gut, squarely in that tiny space where your self-esteem resides, as they say “Tumaba ka! (You got fat!)”

I didn’t know what to expect when we received a very understated invitation from NARS Cosmetics to their holiday collection launch. All I knew was their theme was disco, as the collection was named Studio 54.

Sam Gallardo, NARS brand manager, kicked things off by reminding us what NARS was all about. More than beauty, NARS is all about crossing boundaries, defying rules, and inclusivity. As their founder Francois Nars once said, “I like beauty to be a bit edgy, not typical. For me, the only rule is looking good.” Sam shares that they wanted this attitude to be more relatable, so they decided to get local brand ambassadors who embody the brand.

I’m a bit of a late bloomer when it comes to makeup. I started using a tinted moisturizer (with SPF) and lip balm in high school, but I didn’t buy my first lipstick until I had already started working. Part of my challenge was a limited budget, but the other was that there weren’t really any brands that had a teen-friendly style and price tag. I think that this combination is what makes Careline such an appealing brand for me even though I’m so much older now - the colors are trendy, the products are current, and the quality has honestly been very impressive.

Dear Dahlia is a fairly new Korean brand that quickly gained Instagram fame for its trademark marble-and-gold aesthetic. Beyond the dreamy packaging design, this brand strives for timeless beauty backed up by an ethical commitment to promote vegan, cruelty-free, “8-free” formulations. While I’ve often thought that having a vegan thrust means a compromise with quality, I was pretty pleased to see this brand didn’t fail to deliver!

It’s that time of the year again when beauty brands make a special effort to relieve us of our money via tempting holiday releases. Blk Cosmetics certainly rose to the occasion with new products, lippie shades, and—for the first time ever—MINIS! Let’s take a look at their complete lineup for the holidays, themed Little Luxuries.