I first reviewed the iconic Clinique Moisture Surge eleven years ago here on Project Vanity. Eleven years, would you believe? It was the first true gel moisturizer I’ve tried in my life, and my mind was appropriately blown. I’ve only tried heavy cream moisturizers previously and gels weren’t as easily available before as they are now. Clinique was definitely one of the first brands that led the pack when it came to this particular innovation.

Since we are mostly still stuck at home, some of us have probably tried to DIY our beauty and grooming rituals that we usually do outside. And while it might even be fun to try to cut our own hair or do our own nails at home, there are some things that should be left to the experts. Here are five beauty procedures that you should never try at home.

Despite the name, COMMONLABS. is a Kbeauty brand that has a decidedly uncommon approach to skincare. When you visit their website, they describe their products as skin kinetics trainers that “stimulate healthy and balanced movement of the skin cells”. The approach is that of working from the core to ensure that skin is healthy on a fundamental level. And they focus on formulations that can battle pollutants and stress.

Shiseido has been busy lately, what with new releases that I think you’ll love for your skin. Today I’ll be reviewing the new Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation and the Clear Suncare Stick!

My skin hasn’t been in the best state in the past year, so I still like wearing a bit of liquid foundation underneath even when I have a mask on. In fact, I find that it also helps my makeup survive a little longer. But not all liquid foundations are created equal in this use case. Some, like the Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation (P3,000 /30ml in Lazada) may rule them all.

My skin has reached that certain point where I feel like I need a little help from anti-aging products, particularly in terms of lifting and firming. Gravity has taken its sweet time and my skin isn’t as bouncy as before – I can actually pinpoint sagging areas already. These exact concerns are what the SNAILWHITE Gold Age Renewal line aim to address so I’m happy to test out and see if the line can be my new anti-aging secret.

I’ve always had sensitive skin all my life. When I was younger, I’d often experience allergy flare ups that’s usually triggered by the food I eat, the weather, or even stress.

These days, I’ve been dealing with mild skin irritation from the summer heat. While I’ve been managing it with a gentler, much simpler skin care routine, I’ve been looking for a new cleanser that can manage my skin’s irritation - which is mostly red spots on my chest and dry patches all over my face.

A beauty brand that’s older than 100 years is already in rarefied air. But traveling through time to still be relevant after 170 years is a monumental achievement in itself, one that Kiehl’s carries proudly! The brand actually started as a pharmacy by John Kiehl in New York’s East Village in 1851. It was in 1921 when Irving Morse took over that it started selling beauty products. With his pharmacology background, he formulated Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion and Creme de Corps, two products which Kiehl’s still has on their shelves as we speak. The first Kiehl’s apothecary also still stands in the same spot in New York!

Being in your early 30s marks the beginning of one’s first encounters with aging. It starts flexing its muscles on you around this time and while some signs of it can easily be swept under the rug, some tend to show themselves on your face, making them harder to ignore. I’m quite diligent when it comes to my skincare and face massages but I know it’s only a matter of time before gravity fully starts to get the best of me. So why not nip it in the early stages?

One of my favorite Project Vanity beauty discoveries is using a low pH cleanser. I love how my skin feels fresh and clean sans the stripped-off feeling. It also helps keep my dry skin from getting more dehydrated due to the pH-balanced formulation that’s just right for our face. There are plenty of benefits to using one and the beauty community is all for it, so we found ten local low pH cleansers to try this 2021!

When I went to New York in 2018, I bought a Sunday Riley Power Couple Duo set on a whim. It contained a 15ml tube of the Good Genes (review in the link) and a 15ml dropper bottle of the Luna Sleeping Night Oil. I was a bit hesitant to try the products first since I’ve never tested Sunday Riley before, but boy oh boy my mind was blown! My skin got so nice! I’ve repurchased the Good Genes a few times since then. I did, however, balk on buying the Luna Oil as I felt it was too expensive at P3,375 for 15ml, or P225 per ml.

Most of us are stuck indoors for the rest of summer, yes, but the tropical fun doesn't have to be shoved to the side and forgotten, yes? blk Cosmetics' Wondermelon Edit captures summer fun all year round with a skincare collection that feels as refreshing as it looks! The products contain watermelon seed oil that refreshes and hydrates. Here's the report of what I've tried!

Which age group comes to your mind first when we talk of acne? Teens? Adults? Acne may first appear during the puberty period but do you know that there’s also such a thing as adult acne? I don’t get a lot of cases of it in my practice but it has a big impact in the quality of life of adults, may lower their self-esteem and/or may cause depression or anxiety.

This whole pandemic year (and counting) has stressed us out not only from the inside, but outside as well. Our skin breaks out more easily into acne, rashes, and other irritations that it could withstand previously. If you’re looking for an effective ampoule to soothe your skin ASAP, then I’d like you to meet the latest product from my skincare brand: the In Her Element Super Soother 100% Centella Asiatica Extract (P575 / 30ml at inherelement.ph).

Ellana has always been known for their “skin first” philosophy as a mineral makeup brand. They’ve always aimed to create products that actually benefit the skin beyond just temporary coverage or color. That’s why it makes perfect sense for Ellana to create their own skincare line!

I was never really particular with my skincare because I grew up with normal, low-maintenance skin. That is, until I hit my late 20s and noticed a huge change brought about by an internal imbalance, and made worse by a change in environment! I woke up one day to sensitive, combination skin - just like that. It became so easily irritated that I had to go through trial and error with ingredients for about year before I got know this whole new me.

“She prepared for a summer vacation that didn’t come.” Sounds familiar, right? It’s a common 2020 tale. I’m sure that, even just within the beauty community, there were many kikay plans (trends to cop, bright and shiny purchases, and scheduled services, etc.) that had to be postponed when we all had to stay at home.

Not all formulations are created equal. It’s also rather easy to get sucked into skincare ingredient lists and get impressed with high-percentages of certain actives. Paula’s Choice Niacinamide 20% Treatment has been hailed for its high concentration of this crowd-favorite – but is it really more effective?

I’m extremely loyal to my sunscreen. You guys know that I’ve been using the Biore UV Aqua Rich since 2015, and rarely switch out to new ones. The only other sunscreen I use other than the Biore is the Kiehl’s UV Defense Aqua Gel. The latter, while nice, is really quite expensive for everyday use. The Biore on the other hand is perfect for my budget and requirements - it’s lightweight and wears well under makeup, so I haven’t felt the need to switch to another drugstore sunscreen.

The Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair is the brand’s flagship product. It takes a lot to become THE product try from a brand - there has to be a long history of success, and customers have to be truly loyal to it over decades. The ANR has been around for 39 years. Until today, it’s still the brand’s best-seller.

Now we’ve done a review of this wonder serum over the years at Project Vanity, but this time we have some lovely new writers testing it out. Here’s how the ANR fared after seven days, with everyone using just one drop a day!

It goes without saying that 2020 was a challenging period of adjustment for everyone. For the first half of last year, I was so completely resigned to staying in that I pretty much dropped most of my beauty habits, save for my nightly skincare routine. But as the months went by, I slowly began to miss my old self-care rituals. So much so that I’ve started them back up even whilst I remain stuck indoors.