A product that's 4.5/5 after 225 reviews at Makeupalley is something to take seriously. It must be really good, or there's a misguided mass hysteria surrounding it. :P Whatever the case is, I think Lucas Papaw Ointment (P450 at Digital Traincase) deserves the raves. It's not particularly special as a lip balm but for healing wounds and minor irritations? This is awesome!

Lucas Papaw Ointment is a petroleum-based salve that is infused with papaw, or carica papaya, that is grown and hand-selected in Queensland. Papaw is touted to have healing properties when applied on stings, cuts, and burns. This was found by Dr. T.P. Lucas who then created his ointment 100 years ago - a recipe that still remains unchanged up to this day.

It's interesting to note that the company making this is still family-owned and that they only employ 12 people. They don't seem to advertise heavily (if at all). This is worth mentioning because Lucas Papaw seems to be a staple in Australia, something both women and men carry with them at all times.

I'm in an unusual position of being able to experience a huge number of products on a regular basis. I don't try ALL the skincare I get - I usually check reviews online, and if they're good then I test the product for a week. If they suit me then I use it up. If, in that time period I haven't found something better, then I repurchase it. If not then I use up the new product, and the cycle repeats itself.

There are products I repurchase but you can see how it depends on several factors. What does my skin need at the moment? Did I recently receive something that can be a good or even better substitute? That's a beauty blogger problem, haha. That's why my current skincare routine is radically different from the one I posted seven months ago.

My skin right now! Not wearing foundation, just an awesome SPF base, concealer on the few blemishes remaining (none on eyebags), and sheer pressed powder to set.

Before I go into the nitty gritty I want to explain what's awesome about this routine. It's best for sensitive oily-combination skin, with a focus against dullness and blemishes.

This isn't going to be a review since I gave this Human Heart Nature set away after I took the photos - now I regret it because I've seen good reviews online! These products smell fantastic, and we all know that HHN is quite specific about their ingredients being as safe as possible.  

Well then what am I going to put here in place of a review? Why, information my dear! :) These may be something to consider the next time you buy body care products. The 50ml tubes are especially useful for traveling!

The Human Nature Hand & Foot Salve in Eucalyptus is formulated with oregano, spearmint and lemon balm extracts with a mild, cooling sensation to soothe dry, cracked, flaky skin.

Yesterday I went to the mall with only serum, an illuminating SPF base, a spot of concealer, and pressed powder. I felt I didn't need foundation! I used to have a TON of blemishes on my face, but they are clearing out faster because of a product I've been using these past two months: the Shu Uemura TSUYA Skin Serum (P3,250).

The TSUYA Skin Serum is perhaps Shu Uemura's star product of the year. It promises bright, translucent skin in seven days as it re-activates the cells that make our skin look younger. Yes, we've heard that before in other serums released this year. I'm still not sure if it's possible for skincare to do that, but claims aside the TSUYA is damn good and here's why!

What I LOVE about the product

• I did indeed get brighter, less tired skin in seven days or less. That may be due to the fact that the serum is infused with a purplish pearly shimmer that instantly gives skin a subtle glow. It's also an illuminator aside from skincare, but I didn't spot shimmer once it's on.

Estee Lauder's best serum has got to be the Advanced Night Repair. It's ideal for women in their early 20s to 30s who want something to keep their skin refreshed and supple. If you're looking for something to combat sagging skin and wrinkles though, you should check out the Estee Lauder Perfectionist [CP+R].

I didn't try it myself but I gave it to a friend who loved it! She has extremely reactive / sensitive skin but she didn't get any pimples using it. She likes the brightening effect, but beyond that she needs more time to see the wrinkle lifting benefits.

Interested? Here's more information for your reference!

Estée Lauder introduces NEW Perfectionist [CP+R] Wrinkle Lifting/Firming Serum, featuring breakthrough CPR-75 Technology, a dual-action, advanced amino acid and protein complex that supercharges and re-strengthens skin’s natural collagen-building power.

Fast, effective and dramatic, CPR-75 Technology helps skin supercharge its ionic “pump” to help boost its critical, natural energy potential, promoting optimal repair.

Good Monday morning! Thought I'd start the week with a skincare review. It's something I've been using consistently since late May, so I thought it's about time to blog it with conviction. :P 

The Benefit It's Potent! Eye Cream (P1,800) is a brightening eye cream that promises to fade dark circles and smoothen lines. It's an extremely lightweight product that gets absorbed on skin without leaving any greasy residue. It doesn't have any fancy star ingredients that are only called in letters and numbers; what it does have is extracts of linseed, almond, wheat, oat, apple, and plankton.

What I love about the product

• It's incredibly light. It almost melts upon contact with skin, making it easy to massage evenly on lids and under eyes. 
• Moisturizing even if the cream isn't heavy at all. In four months I've used it, I've noticed that the skin under my eyes has become more supple, elastic, and the lines, smoother.  

I love the VMV Skintangible, but as fantastic as it is it has limitations due to it being a tinted moisturizer at best. Girls who are looking for better coverage, shade match, and higher SPF may not find it compelling enough. But never worry! Skintangible has a grown-up sister who can take all the heavy lifting: the VMV Hypoallergenics Skin Savvy 60 Foundation (P1,840).

This foundation is exactly like Skintangible in terms of packaging and how it's dubbed to be 75% free of common allergens. But that's where the similarity stops. Skin Savvy is a cream foundation with SPF60, six available shades, and full coverage. It lasts fairly well under the tropical heat, too! Just set it with loose powder and you're done.

However, because of these "extra" features, Skin Savvy has some down sides.

In 1895, an enterprising man called Dr. George F. Smith set up the Rosebud Perfume Co. to sell a homegrown balm that fast became a hit among his neighbors. He was able to grow the business by setting up a mail order and door to door sales system that not only sold the trademark Rosebud Salve but also perfumes and aftershaves. At one time, he had 70,000 salespeople going door to door to sell this popular product!

More than 100 years later, the Rosebud Salve (P420) is now a favorite among bloggers and celebrities like Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria, and Beyonce to name a few. This petroleum-based product is infused with oils, smells of roses, and is housed in a vintage-looking tin. It can be used as a lip balm, but it's really for any patch of our body that needs some TLC!

The Rosebud Salve is just okay as a lip balm (thin and moisturizing vs its greasiness and slight waxy texture). But you aren't really maximizing this if you just use this on the lips! It can be utilized several ways, but IMHO it is the best at reviving dry nails and cuticles.

I have so many new finds that I'm just bursting to share with you guys! That said, however, I don't want Project Vanity to be a blog that just keeps pushing you to buy things you may not even need. This whole beauty thing is not about getting the hottest products in the market. More than anything, it's about finding, out of the hundreds of products out there, the one that works for you. That's the bottomline.

So yeah, that's why I write about the things I love. :) One of my new favorites is the VMV Hypoallergenics Skintangible SPF30 (P1,050). This for me is the ideal tinted moisturizer/ BB cream. It makes my skin look healthy ang glowing, with SPF30 to boot!

Texture and oil control. If you love the Armada Face Cover 30 then you'll definitely love Skinangible with the same sun screen properties plus a skin-enhancing tint. It has the same light texture that dries down quickly and doesn't feel sticky. It also would not exacerbate oiliness - in fact, in my case (combination skin), this product helps with oil control!

As a huge fan of the Shu cleansing oil, I was v.v. excited about their latest and supposedly greatest skin purifier: the Shu Uemura Ultime8 Sublime Beauty Cleansing Oil. Well I'm not going to beat around the bush. I love. This stuff.

So how is this different from Shu's other cleansing oils?  

• It's way lighter than usual and you need much less to remove a full face of makeup. 
• It rinses off completely and doesn't leave a film on the face.
• It can dissolve stubborn mascara quickly. Waterproof mascara just takes more work but Ultime8 can indeed remove it.

Hi Liz! I am currently looking for the best hand & nail cream since my hands are easily dried up due to our office aircon and frequent use of alcohol for hygiene purposes. In addition, my cuticles are very dry that's why I always have a nail cutter in by bag to avoid having wounds in my hands. Lately, I've been using Bobbie Cuticle Oil but I don't use them often because its too messy to use. Hope you will help me with this problem. - Tin

Hi Tin! I've been having this problem lately, as well. I play with my dog a lot so I find myself washing my hands several times every couple of hours! My hands looked like prunes, until I started getting wise and paying more attention to them. 

That said, I love, love, LOVE the Vitacreme B12 Body Milk. It's a heavy cream product that revives dried-up skin like no other. This is the best moisturizer I've tried, especially for hands and nails! I just massage a pea-sized amount and wait for it to work its magic. 

Downside is, it's almost P2,500 for a tube. 0_0 Fortunately there are cheaper alternatives.

The VMV Hypollergenics Red Better Flare-up Balm (P1,890) is a skin-saver. Whenever I get itchy from allergies or any random irritation, I just apply this and voila! Itchiness gone. I also sometimes get rashes on my neck and hands and this works wonders to calm them down and eventually heal them.

That sounds too good to be true I know, but I've been using this for months now and it has never failed me so far. Promise!

From what I understand, the Flare-up Balm is full of anti-inflammatory and microbe-busting ingredients. It's made for rosacea sufferers, but according to the website, it's also "ideal for irritations, inflammations, redness, bites, itching, rashes + microbial infections from allergic/irritant reactions; seborrheic dermatitis, eczema, atopic/contact dermatitis + some other medically-managed conditions." 

Hi Miss Liz,

Can you suggest some good blemish removers? I have these acne marks/scars and it takes a while to lighten them. I just rely on my whitening moisturizer (Olay's) but i don't know if that works. Any suggestions from affordable to high-end products are welcome in my book, since when it comes to my skin care I'm willing to spend. But if it's affordable and works that'll be great! :) - Diana

Hi Diana! What you can do to lighten your blemishes faster is to use sunscreen everyday, preferably something with SPF30 above. Why? Because blemishes are basically caused by hyperpigmentation or too much melanin in the area. That happens when skin is wounded or scarred - the skin tries to repair the damaged spot by producing more melanin. 

To keep the area from darkening more, use a broad spectrum sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays. The sun triggers our skin to produce pigment so we need to deflect its damaging rays with SPF products. Here are sunscreens I like:

Clinique Derma White City Block Anti-Pollution SPF40 PA+++

My main skin problem of late is pore blockage. I had dull, rough, and bumpy skin full of icky blackheads. Ugh. You see I hug my dog a lot, and I have also been trying a lot of new face makeup, hence the dirty pores. I unfortunately haven't had time to get a facial so I limped along with my mild cleansers and go-to exfoliator. No toner.

That is, until I started using the Etude House Wonder Pore skincare line. This stuff is AMAZING. Absolutely amazing. I searched for reviews of the older Wonder Pore toner and most of them were positive so I was encouraged to use the rest of the line, which included a new mousse facial wash and clay mask. I'm so glad I did it!

This review is gonna be long since I will talk about all three products, but to summarize: the Etude House Wonder Pore line delivers its promise to clean up pores and refine skin without drying it up like a flaky prune. After using it for just a few days, my skin felt like it just shook off all the dirt and product build-up, and it became smooth and glowy once more. After two weeks, my skin has majorly improved. I will definitely buy when I run out!

Here's a more in-depth review of each product in the line. :)

The Etude House Wonder Pore Whipping Foam (P798) is a facial cleanser that can also double as a mask. To apply, just slather it all over your skin and then massage it where your pores are most blocked.

Argan oil has been the darling of the beauty industry for over a year now. I'm sure you've seen all these products boasting of having argan oil as their star ingredient, and I'm sure you've also wondered why! Here's the deal: this oil, which so far can only be extracted by hand from a tree that grows in Morocco, is nutrient-rich and has anti-inflammatory properties. You can use it from head to toe, if you wish! 

Most pure argan oil products in the Philippines can cost around P1,500 upwards. Understandable considering it takes 45 minutes to crack enough nuts - by hand! - to make a four-ounce bottle of this stuff (or 118ml). But according to the owner of Snoe, Jen Gerodias-Diaz, argan oil doesn't actually have to cost this much. She imports the Snoe Oil For All Argan Oil straight from Morocco and sells it for roughly ~P800 a bottle.

Granted it's not a particularly big bottle, but I find that you only have to use a little to make it work.

Receiving the Etude House pink box from Korea is something of an occasion for me. The DHL guy would ring the doorbell, bearing gifts. I never really know what's inside the box until I open it. Sure Julie of Etude tells me that it has their featured product for the month, but they always put in a few more items for good measure. That's the source of the suspense!

So if you're dying of the aforementioned suspense, here you go!

This month, Etude wants bloggers to try their Wonder Pore line. I believe that the toner, which was released months before, is pretty popular among beauty bloggers. I saw a lot of good reviews!

Last weekend, I was reading a book called Strengthsfinder 2.0. It has an awesome thesis - that many of us don't excel because we're not doing what we do best. We focus so much on overcoming our weaknesses that we overlook the cultivation of our strengths. That makes so much sense, eh? I plan to take the test soon. Wonder what I'll come up with!

Anyway, today I want to talk about a current favorite of mine: the Zen Zest Exfoliating Body Scrub. I've tried a lot of body scrubs and I tend to like most of them. I mean, how complicated can it be? But this Zen Zest one is quite different. It's very dense and thick. It feels nice when I spread it on, like thick luxurious, cool goo! Hehe.

There are some stores that, upon first impression, look too expensive for our budgets. Sometimes though, it's just really good branding and a smart interior designer! One such brand is VMV Hypoallergenics. I wouldn't say that the products are dirt cheap, but for how effective and nicely packaged (with recycled paper, to boot) they are, I think VMV offers a great bang for your buck. Most products are under P1,500 which in the realm of good skincare is fairly affordable.

Anyway! I managed to drop by the VMV Hypoallergenics store in Powerplant the other day to pick up something. I took a few pictures of products I like / am curious about.

Check this out, VMV's reincarnated foundation! It's the reformulated, re-packaged version of their Skin Savvy Liquid Foundation.

Men should be more invested in a proper skincare routine. Not for the sake of vanity, mind you, but for the future of their skin! A simple cleanse and moisturize routine today can make a huge difference in say, twenty years from now; their skin will maintain a more elastic texture with less wrinkles at the very least.

Anyway, when LAB SERIES, a premium skincare brand for men, asked the press to bring a male +1 I immediately thought of one friend: Osmond! I'm sure he'll be receptive to the idea of investing in skin care. Besides, I haven't seen him in ages. Reuniting for the love of skincare was an excellent idea.

So here's what happened. He got a high-tech skin analysis that determined his skin type and condition. Unlike other skincare brands where analysis is based on a Q&A format (it is subjective), the Lab Series analysis is objective using a sensor specifically calibrated for male skin. Cool eh? It only took a few minutes.

Osmond was found to have fairly good skin already, with a bit of oiliness around the t-zone and dryness in the cheek area. The skincare specialists recommended that he use the basic cleanser (Multi-Action Face Wash, for all skin types) and exfoliator (Invigorating Face Scrub) to maintain his skin.

I recently got new contact lenses since the pair I was wearing has expired. I bought two sets, one in my normal color which is a light brown (Cinnamon), and another one which is rimmed in brown with flecks of violet in the middle (Amethyst). Here is the latter in action!