Makeup artists know it's a long, tough road to success. Building a stellar reputation, a loyal client base, and a signature technique is only possible after years of training and service. So what does it take, really, to start from scratch as a pro MUA? We sat down with celebrity makeup artist and PV girl-crush, Anthea Bueno, to pick her mind about her life, her career, and some surprising beauty advice. Known for her complexion work and striking editorial looks, Anthea counts among her clients stars like Iza Calzado, Sarah Lahbati, Kelsey Merritt, Leila Alcasid, Janine Gutierrez and Ylona Garcia. Let's hear her story!

Hello from Tokyo! It's about 9:45 AM and I can't wait to start eating at Tsukiji Market. It's my favorite place in my favorite city, because the sushi is amazing and the snacks are perfect. Anyway, before I leave, I thought I'd write a quick review on a pretty popular complexion powder: the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette (P3,900 at Sephora.ph).

Hi, my name is Den and I am a skincare addict. I'm seriously (unhealthily?) obsessed with getting my skin to its absolute best condition. Not gonna lie - as managing editor of Project Vanity I do get to try pricier skincare brands that make the cost worth it, but it isn't a practical option for other people. I was honestly very excited to try the new Collagen by Watsons line because I'd love to be able to share more budget-friendly recos. And I'm happy to say that for the most part, these picks did not disappoint!

There are a few stops that I must visit with every trip to the mall. First, my usual beauty haunts – Beauty Bar, Rustan’s The Beauty Source, and SM Beauty. Second, whichever food place tickles my fancy because you need the energy to walk around and window shop. And third, Scribe Writing Essentials, which is now known as simply as Scribe.

When I received the Ikoo Brush to test, I was so impressed by the gorgeous tin packaging and smooth contours of the brush itself. It's probably the coolest hair brush I've ever seen in my life! When I brushed my hair with it though, I found the bristles scratchy compared to my Wet Brush. "James, do you want a new hair brush?" I asked my partner. He shrugged and started brushing his hair with it. And kept on brushing. On and on. 

Do you have your Halloween costume and makeup ready, PV girls? As fun as the spooky holiday is, we can’t help but be more excited for what the beauty world has in store for us in the coming weeks. From a fabulous MEGA PALETTE to Gigi Hadid’s makeup line hitting the PH (this is not a drill!) there’s loads to celebrate aside from an excuse to dress up and eat lots of candy. So sit back, relax, and load up on all things beauty because this week’s roundup is FESTIVELY FAB!

While I might have dabbled in lip tints when I first started getting into makeup, I've built my lip color collection around the traditional bullet lipstick. I don’t have anything against tints (or glosses, stains, and liquid lipsticks, for that matter), and I do see the appeal of getting a pop of color from a more lightweight (and supposedly longer-wearing) medium. I just feel that bullet perform better! 

Still, when I was assigned to test local lip tint brands, I was very curious if any of them would be my new go-to favorite. I wasn't able to get hold of the famous KJM stains but we've done a review on those before. I decided to try six other brands instead! Did they manage to change my mind? Read on to find out!

I can be a little - okay maybe more than a little - judgy at times. When I received the new Ever Bilena Liquid Lipsticks (P185 in stores) I immediately had low expectations. It's not because of the brand. Ever Bilena has proven itself as a drugstore name to beat this year in terms of quality, but I did not expect much because the colors look pretty dark in the tube. Dark colors in liquid lipstick form tend to be streaky and sad. Not these Ever Bilena ones, though!

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!

Fine lines, sun damage, and clogged pores? These are just a few of the skin problems I find staring back at me daily. There's a maudlin irony in how worrying about stressed, tired-looking skin adds to the problem! Thankfully, Kiehl’s just launched their newest product that aims to address all these and more – the Kiehl’s Super Multi-Corrective Cream (P3,650 for 50ml).

I've since took note of how different shampoos affect my scalp and hair, and was shocked to discover that certain variants would actually cause breakouts near my hairline. I knew that certain skincare ingredients should be avoided, and a quick look at the ingredients list of shampoos I used revealed they all had one thing in common: sulfates.

A love - perhaps even an obsession - with mattifying primers is understandable in a hot country like ours. A good primer can keep your skin matte and fresh-looking all day even with the humidity that's constantly pounding our makeup into shiny pulp! But hear me out: if you have dry or combination skin like I do, moisturizing, glow-enhancing primers can make a huge difference in how your skin looks even without makeup. They keep your moisturizer sealed while making skin look brighter instantly.

When we say ‘face or base products’ in cosmetics, we automatically think of different kinds of foundation, maybe primers and setting products for those who use them. However, this category actually includes a larger, oft-forgotten collection of products, including those that you do not necessarily put all over your face. These are bronzer, blush, contour and highlight.

Do you believe that men are from Mars and women are from Venus? While the differences can sometimes feel very stark, the fact is that many of our needs are the same, including personal care. I mean, both have the same simplistic goal to get cleaned and look groomed. So why do brands insist on putting out separate product lines for men and women?

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.

When talking about achieving a perfect base, chances are you think about what the best foundations and concealers are, and using a good setting powder. Maybe you also consider the right tools to use: brushes, Beauty Blenders, or a Silisponge? The truth is, there's even more to it than just layering full coverage.

Halloween is a pretty fun holiday! There’s no other time of the year when people can go all out, dressing up in crazy costumes or paying homage to their fandoms. It does get pretty intimidating though, especially since a crazier concept means crazier materials and some SFX know-how.

My training as a makeup artist involves SFX makeup. I thought only expensive brands have it and that I may even need to order abroad, but I'm so glad that there's a super affordable option locally!

How can another month basically be over? Slow down, 2017, we aren’t ready for it to be over! How about we talk about the crazy sales that even more of our favorite brands and sites are doing? From Althea’s Monthly WOW to Nuxe’s sassy steals, our wallets have never looked slimmer. Take a whiff at Kiehl’s Classic Holiday collection, and find out just how many minutes it took for Gigi Hadid’s Maybelline palette to sell out. Happy reading!

It might just be my age, but I find that my skin is drier and drier every year. That also goes for my lips. I rarely had chapped, flaky lips so it's a bit frustrating that I'm getting them more often now! I actually use an amazing overnight lip mask to help with that but during the day, my fave lip balm at the moment is the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment (P1,387 at Sephora.ph).