One of this year’s biggest beauty trends is the approach to skincare as a form of self-care. Following a morning and night routine has become a necessity not just for the physical improvements but for the perceived mental and emotional benefits as well. With so many skincare products available, skincare regimens are not so basic anymore and sheet masks are often the favored “luxury addition” to give skin an extra boost. Thanks to Japanese beauty brand Lululun, a daily sheet masking ritual is definitely doable!

Skincare isn’t just about vanity. It’s about spending a few minutes of your day taking care of yourself and your needs, stepping back from the things you do for others and focusing on those that only you can do for yourself. It’s peace and space that you get to carve out; getting good skin in the process is a great result, too!

As a big skincare enthusiast, I try to “influence” my family and friends to take better care of their skin. It’s not a frivolous pursuit - after all the skin is the body’s largest organ! It can be difficult for a complete newbie to buy into skincare though because there are so many products available now. Even I sometimes feel a bit intimidated and confused by all the options you can find in stores! This is why I am a fan of skincare sets - they usually cover all the basic steps, are united by a common effect or ingredient that can make them more effective, and are often cheaper than buying products individually!

My patron singer Santa Mariah, along with Tita Whitney, once sang that there can be miracles when you believe. TBQH, I immediately ignore any product that claims to be miraculous. But thanks to all the persuasive marketing and my insecurity of having adult acne, I volunteered my face to try the Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA Miracle Toner.

When I first started seeing anti-pollution skin care products a few years back, I thought it was just another skincare gimmick - yet another “concern” concocted by the beauty biz to get people to buy new must-have products. I dismissed it as a marketing shtick targeting the urban consumer. After all, shouldn’t I care more about how smog affects my lungs and other vital organs? I already had a reliable skincare routine, so proper cleansing should remove all the grime my skin accumulates through the day.

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!

K-beauty has given rise to some pretty strange and interesting trends like applying 7 layers of toner, dunking your face in ice water to set makeup, and the use of bubble cosmetics. The last one particularly sounds like pure skincaretainment, which simply uses carbonization to create a fun and fizzy experience. But does it actually do anything for your skin?

Ever since trying the TIA’M My Signature Red Serum for the post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation story, I’ve been in awe of how much brighter my complexion became in just a week! While the product is marketed as a vitamin C serum, I think that the high niacinamide content was part of what made it so effective. Niacinamide is an ingredient becoming more popular among skincare enthusiasts, and for good reason. It offers a multitude of benefits like anti-aging and oil control, so if you’re looking to add an active to your routine, this rising superstar may be one to consider!

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!

There was a time when I was all about micellar water cleansing, but after a few years of that I just got tired of using two separate makeup removers for my face. Before, I’d swipe on micellar water or wipe to remove foundation and eyebrows, then use a biphase (oil + micellar water) remover for my waterproof eye makeup. I liked this routine since my skin felt cleaner afterwards as opposed to using oil. I also liked that I didn’t turn my face into old makeup soup - you know what I mean! It’s when your mascara is on your lips and your lipstick is on your eyes na because you used an oil cleanser and massaged it all over.

Charcoal in skincare? It’s actually more common than you think! Activated charcoal is a fine black powder processed at very high temperatures, making it more porous than regular charcoal. Because of this feature, activated charcoal has many different uses, including as an oral treatment for poison because it binds with different toxins.

When used in skincare, it is believed that the sponge-like structure of activated charcoal makes it effective at absorbing dirt and oil. As an oily skinned gal, I often see activated charcoal as a featured ingredient in products prescribed for my skin type, but it can also be used in small amounts by those with dry and sensitive skin.

Did you survive flu season? Apart from getting the flu shoot, many people normally add vitamin supplements to keep from getting sick. Vitamin C is particularly popular because it helps boost your immune system. It is an antioxidant that fights free radicals and promotes healing and collagen production, so it’s actually also a really effective skincare active!

One of the first things I really got into when I started my own skincare journey were clay masks. Since figuring out I had oily skin, I thought clay masks would suit my skin type best. Regular use of clay mask has definitely helped manage my oiliness and my breakouts. More than that, I always feel like I’m enjoying a mini spa session whenever I have one on!

Origins has been on my radar ever since I got to sample their Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask from this year’s PV Anniversary kit. I really liked it, so I was pretty excited two more clay masks from Origins!

It’s no secret that, here at Project Vanity, we love a good masking sesh! From sheet masks challenges to trying different types of clay and everything in between, the PV girls are always down for a good at-home spa day. There’s one problem with this, though: I often don’t have the 10 or so minutes to spare for the mask treatments. After a long day of working and attending music school, it’s a small victory that I even manage my current five-step skincare routine daily! But what if there was a mask that works in mere seconds?

My control freak self always likes to be prepared, but on the days that I get lax about it, things will go wrong. Case in point: last year, I was visiting nearby towns from Tokyo. It was summer, and I was dying from the heat. While I tried my best to summer-proof my makeup, I’m an oily gal and things are bound to move around. When I checked on my makeup in the bathroom, I was met with Grease Kelly and discovered that I had left my powder at our Airbnb! Luckily, there was a nearby department store that housed several beauty brands. I grabbed a pack of the blotting papers, and have never been without them ever since.

A low pH cleanser is the best kind you can use for your skin, and this holds true for all skin types and concerns. The super gentle formula is perfect for sensitive skin, won’t dry out dehydrated skin, helps prevent acne in troubled skin, balances out oily skin, and leaves dry skin feeling soft and supple. Most low pH cleansers are formulated to match the skin’s natural pH level of 5.5, which allows the proper and healthy maintenance of the acid mantle.

When I was in high school and makeup was forbidden, my classmates and I got our beauty kick by being extra enthusiastic about skincare. During lunch breaks, face washes, moisturizers, and lip balms were whipped out of school bags and shared or traded. We only had our student allowances then so purchases were carefully budgeted. If only it were available then, we would’ve appreciated the compact and inexpensive skincare products of Fresh Skinlab!

It was in my many travels to Japan that I first heard about “petal skin”. I’ve observed that the Japanese prefer matte yet bouncy skin that’s supple to the touch, as they don’t like a lot of shine or shimmer on their complexion. I’ve since tried to duplicate the petal skin effect in the way I apply my makeup, but then I thought: what if I could achieve it with my skincare routine?

I’ve taken my oily skin for granted and it has bit me in the backside, hard. I feel like I’m going back to my teenage years with the way my skin is now. While I’m still trying to find the right routine for me, I learned a little bit more about my skin at the Leaders Grand Launch.

At the launch event, one of the activities offered was a skin consultation. I sat opposite the attendant, confident I’d hear the usual feedback. But as the attendee began interpreting the results, I felt my stomach knot up. And it wasn’t the coffee I had downed earlier in the day - it was dread.

I love taking my time with my daily skincare routine as a form of self-care. Still, as a working woman with two young kids, I do dream of getting the benefits of a 10-step Korean skincare routine with just three products and wayyy less time! So, when I saw that Althea’s collaboration with Get It Beauty (a super popular beauty show in Korea) was all about super quick and easy skincare, my curiosity was definitely piqued.