Face masking junkies know how expensive the, erm, hobby can get. Sure, a 50 to 80-peso sheet mask doesn't sound like a lot of money, but considering that each mask is only good for a single use (unless you know some creative hacks) and if you like to mask more than once a week, the habit becomes quite expensive! That's why I recommend getting monthly mask packs instead. Getting 30+ sheets in one go saves you a lot more money in the long run, plus you get to mask every day or as often as you please. 

A good blush goes a long way in elevating your look. Done right, it can make a face look younger, slimmer, brighter, and even cuter. Naturally, we tend to favor pinks for a natural flush, oranges for a sun-kissed feel, or even reds to show up on stage. But I bet many of us never thought that purple is actually a great blush color! My fellow PV writer Stacie recently raved about using purple blush in our Halloween live vid. If you've been curious about how it works, I'm sharing tips on how to use it!

So, how many weddings are you attending in December? It's wedding month in the Philippines, which means it'll be difficult to get bookings with our usual makeup artists. So, why not put our own makeup skills to good use? The catch is that everyday makeup is generally not meant to last through all the activities in a special occasion, and it's inconvenient to lug around a huge kikay kit just for retouching.

Oh the weather outside is frightful but the sales are sooo delightful! And since there’s no place to go, let us shop! Let us shop! Let us shoppp!!! Consider this your anthem for this week’s roundup, PV girls, because you won’t wanna miss what’s happening in the beauty world. With numerous Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales and buy one-get one promos, it's the perfect time to stock up on your HGs, try new ones, and shop for your Christmas list. Kylie Jenner’s got the holiday bug with her latest collection, Too Faced's newest product will help you shine bright like a diamond, and get your tickets to a very special pageant coming this December. Are you ready? It’s going to be a jolly roundup!

One of the more obvious skincare misconceptions that frustrates me the most is when people think that toner is supposed to be "matapang" and have astringent properties in order for it to be effective. Sure, clarifying toners can come in handy for those with oily/acne-prone skin or for those who occasionally want to do some deep cleansing. But unless you have extreme skin issues, you won’t need to go hard with the heavy-duty toners on the daily! In fact, overdoing it could ruin your skin’s moisture barrier and cause breakouts to worsen.

If there’s one makeup product I’m guilty of hoarding, it would be lipsticks. From all the different kinds to shades beyond the basic five, I can’t seem to stop collecting and trying out the latest! Today’s focus is the reliable bullet matte lipstick. If you’re looking for the long-wearing, super pigmented kind, look no further than the matte ones. We’ve previously featured seven to try under P500 as well as the PV staff favorites. This next batch we’re trying out will hopefully show us just how far the supposedly drying matte lipsticks have come. Let's go!

Blemishes have always been my #1 arch nemesis. Even well into my adulthood, I'm still prone to pimples that leave nasty marks on my face for weeks. This year though was the year that I got into acid exfoliators in skincare. I must admit that I used to prefer physical exfoliators, but because of acid-lovers in the Project Vanity Team, I was finally convinced! Acids turn over skin faster compared to physical exfoliators. Blemishes that takes six weeks to disappear can now go away in three to four weeks - how's that for miraculous?

The acids that I've been using though are pretty expensive, so as usual, I had to find a way to make my favorite high-end products more affordable. That's why we created the latest product from In Her Element: the Glow Job 5% Glycolic Gel Cream (P775 for 30ml).

Pinay beauty lovers rejoiced when Sephora.ph went live last year! Since then, they have slowly started bringing in well-loved brands from the US Sephora such as Too Faced, Kat von D, Marc Jacobs, Hourglass, Fresh, and most recently, Natasha Denona. And while we are ever so grateful to finally have these brands within our reach, we can’t help but wish that Sephora would bring in these brands, too!

Any self-respecting beauty girl knows that one of the core tenets of millennial beauty is this: kilay is life. Full, perfectly-groomed Insta-ready (though not necessarily Instagram) eyebrows are "in", leading to any number of products catering to them, from liquid brow liners to peel-off “tattoo” tints. But while women have embraced rocking the power brow, one had to wonder... how might guys feel about trying the trend?

Happy weekend, PV girls! Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? How about your wish lists? If you’re stuck on what to buy for your beauty-loving friends (or yourself) may this week’s roundup give you that inspiration you need. From an epic holiday sale to luxe brand making its way to our shores, we’ve got beauty for all budgets all tied up in a bow for you. Check out Estée’s newest gorgeous face and what Maybelline has in store for us next year (here’s a hint: it doesn’t involve Gigi). Happy reading!

Here in Project Vanity, we love sharing our beauty tips, product insights, and hot new finds. What we don’t like sharing, however, is makeup itself – we don't want bacteria spreading around and causing problems! Even if you don't share makeup products with other people, your personal collection can still harbor unhealthy growths that can compromise your safety and shorten the lifespan of your products. So it's still important to sanitize your makeup regularly.

When shopping for beauty products, two of the PV girls' favorite stores are Watsons and the Beauty Section of the SM Store. Aside from getting great deals at their many sales, buying with an SM Advantage Card from either store also gets you discounts and points which you can then use for future purchases. In fact, I’ve been able to buy a few lipsticks just from my accumulated points! Getting to treat myself to something from SM Beauty is always a fun experience, and now I get share that joy with others!

Move over, Instagram brows - Korean straight brows are in. They're perfect for creating a look that's sweet, innocent, and oh-so young! Naturally, they pair well with Hallyu-inspired gradient lips and puppy eyeliner. If you've attempted it before and ended up with a solid block instead of feathery frames, we're here to help you, dear reader, to achieve your K-Drama goals. Snagging an oppa on the side is just a plus!

I will take any chance to visit a place with cooler climate, and I suppose a lot of Manila-dwellers would feel the same way for obvious reasons. But anytime I start packing for a trip like that, the anxiety portion of the program also begins. How cold will it get? Do I have warm-enough clothing? Will my dry skin turn into a flaky mess??? Cue over-packing both clothing and beauty products. Sadly for me, lugging around what feels like every skincare product in my collection doesn’t always guarantee success in actually keeping my skin moisturized. As the saying goes, it's all about quality over quantity.

Have you ever swatched foundation in the store, fell in love, and purchased it only to discover that it had turned darker (or worse, turned orange!) when you got home? If this sounds familiar, you've experienced having makeup oxidize on you. This is why beauty reps often ask "acidic po ba kayo?" when you shop face bases, but it's not helpful because the answer is always "yes" as our skin literally has an acidic pH level. What is causing the change in color then?

The holidays are fast approaching and you know what that means - parties and get-togethers will be keeping your social calendar jam-packed and busy! For me, it’s the time of year when I whip out my bright and glittery makeup because it suits the festive holiday spirit. This time, I'll be putting down my usual lippies to give way to something more fun, like some metallic bling from J.Cat Beauty's Flash Metal Metallic Matte Lip (P329).

I honestly never thought that there would come a day when I could confidently say (and that other people would actually agree) that my skin is in a good place. I’m crossing all my toes and fingers that it will remain as it is, with less breakouts, bumps, and visible pores compared to a few months ago. I now know that it takes a good amount of discipline to keep my skin in good condition but it’s definitely possible.