Yes, you read that right – cult-favorite sun care brand Supergoop! has finally arrived in the country!

Created in 2005 by Holly Thaggard, Supergoop!’s plan back then was to bring sunscreen to different schools in Texas and Louisiana. As a mom and former elementary school teacher, Holly wanted to encourage children to develop the daily habit of protecting their skin.   

Summer has arrived which means hotter days and more trips to the beach. The intense heat we feel on our skin is a not-so-gentle reminder to always use sun protection. Happy Skin has quite a few sun care products already (check out reviews here: Rescue Me Invisible Sun Gel Primer and Rescue Me Tinted Matte Sun Gel Primer) but they’re expanding the line-up with their newest “sun-centric skincare collection”: the Happy Skin Sun Boosters.

My hair has always been one of the physical attributes I pay most attention to but only last year did I really learn how to care for it properly. I have also become more confident in exploring different styles and colors so my hair has been through a lot - to say the least.

I am fresh from my fifth dye job of the year so I decided to put the Saborino Shampoo Moist (P995 / 440ml) and the Saborino Treatment (Conditioner) Moist (P995 / 440ml) to the test!

Although beauty is a personal journey, we all know that SPF is non-negotiable. Admittedly though, it is one of the hardest beauty habits to get into. From childhood memories of heavy and extremely tacky formulas making beach and pool days less enjoyable to the price tags that are on a good SPF product - there is always something that holds you back from the path of sun protection.

Luckily, local beauty brands have been stepping up their game and giving the people what they want by creating sunscreen and sunblock options that are comfortable for both our skin and wallets.

When menstrual cups started showing up more and more in the Philippines, I rejoiced. I liked the idea of a more eco-friendly alternative to the pads I’ve used since puberty. Unfortunately, I didn't have the best experience in finding the right fit and ended up a little traumatized. So no judgment here if you really wanted to give The Cup a try, but it just wasn't for you. The next best thing is an alternative to the alternative: fully biodegradable pads!

I've always kept myself updated on new Happy Skin releases, be it skincare or makeup. Two of their recent ones really piqued my interest: a sunscreen primer and a tinted moisturizer. I know I need both but realistically speaking, how will they fare in my daily routine? These can be used separately or together, so let's see.

Kérastase is a haircare brand that I’ve had great experience with so far. It addressed my post-partum hair fall a couple of years back with the Kérastase Genesis Anti-Hair fall line while I’ve used up a couple of bottles of the Kérastase Discipline Oléo-Relax Hair Oil. It is one of their best-sellers after all!

I remember when I had just started writing for Project Vanity and attended a MAC workshop that featured the Lightful C collection. It was actually the first time I realized that this MUA staple makeup brand also carried a skincare range! And it’s one that focuses on highlighting the skin’s radiance for a rosy glow, even before any base makeup takes place.

Well, the Lightful line just got a major “tone up” that sees the series expanding to a total of seven skincare products and three types of base makeup. Say hello to the Lightful C3 collection!

Beauty brands are stepping up these days in incorporating treatment with their makeup. Issy and Co’s Hydragloss (P209) has made waves in being a lip treatment and lip color in one cute tube. Let’s test it out!

The Hydragloss colors I have are Jell-Oh, H.O.T. and Punch. They appear super pigmented on the tube, making one think of fruity summer colors. Upon smelling, there was no fragrance or “flavor” that I would usually get in some lip glosses. I swatched them on my arm and it was surprising that I didn’t get a sticky texture. It glides more syrupy and didn’t leave an overt residue when wiped off with a tissue.

During most of my childhood I had pin straight hair that needed little to no management. Then right before high school, my curls happened! My hair started growing out curly to my surprise. I would try to hide with wide headbands and ponytails because people said it was buhaghag. In high school I was regularly rebonding my hair during the summers. By the time I was in college, my hair was fried, so I chose to stop getting my hair treated. College was more than five years ago at this point and while my hair is more alive, I wasn’t completely sold on how it looked. I knew I had curly hair; I just didn’t know what to do with it.

Purple blush has been around long before TikTok made it viral: there was even an article on using purple blush here at Project Vanity back in 2017. And since I haven’t tried it before (and am currently in a cream blush phase), I thought why not jump on the bandwagon today?

Dear Beauté Himawari shampoos and conditioners are always well-loved here at Project Vanity. Liz featured the hair combo on her new finds way back in 2015 and the launch of the Volume & Repair variant in 2016 showed great results. A travel-size sample set was even included in the Project Vanity J-Beauty Kit!

Now a new variant was recently released and it’s especially formulated for mature hair: the Dear Beauté Himawari Smooth & Repair Shampoo and Conditioner (P745/500ml each).

Lightweight, sheer, oil-free and natural are what I look for in a tinted moisturizer. So many brands both international and local are promising these things, and I am glad that the local make-up scene has so many options! The first time I heard about Issy & Co. Active Skin Tint was from Miss Bea via her Youtube Channel. She compared this with a skin tint from another brand and she didn’t really like the coverage. I was curious, so I’m glad to finally try it out.

After first discovering Mae Layug’s GRWM Cosmetics and being pleasantly surprised by the Multi-Use Creamy Tints, I’m back with reviews and swatches of their latest multipurpose makeup offering! The Radiance Tint (P349 / 8ml via LazMall or ShopeeMall) is a tubed concealer line that comes in 12 shades and 12 possible uses.

Just as we care for the skin on our face and body, our lips shouldn’t be taken for granted even if they are covered with masks. In fact, I’ve noticed that mask-wearing sometimes parches and dries out my lips and throat. Hence, even without statement lips, I’ve appreciated lip balms more as this helps to hydrate. I’m always on the lookout for lip balms that actually do its job of moisturizing the lips rather than just coat it with a waxy coating which doesn’t do much.

What was your foundation game like five or ten years ago? Or if you’ve been using makeup for longer than that, do you remember what the formulas were like when you first started? There was a time when it was all about matte, and the coverage options seemed to be either full or fuller and, dare I say, cakey. We’ve come a long way since then, and the formulas feel more... efficient. The wear is generally more comfortable, while the finish of some varieties look more skin-like than ever. Most of all, these innovations are premiering at a fast pace while becoming more affordable!

When it comes to base makeup, I used to either wear a medium to full coverage foundation or skip it entirely. It wasn’t until this year that I fell in love with tinted moisturizers and skin tints. Because almost everything is done online now, I started gravitating towards base products that are sheer and easy to apply. Also, if I have to go out, I want to let my skin breathe, and since tinted moisturizers and skin tints usually have SPF, all the more reason to wear them.

I’m now in my early 30’s and I’ve already noticed that my skin is not how it once was. It’s more dry, I have more fine lines and wrinkles, and I noticed that my skin is starting to sag in places. I always look for products that will help me keep my skin plump or youthful. Recently, I got the chance to try Olay Regenerist Collagen Peptide-24 to help my skin bounce back to its former youthfulness.

The Shiseido Ultimune serum has been my go-to serum since 2014. I like how it consistently makes my skin clear and glowy. Even with an award-winning formula already (200 awards worldwide and counting!), Shiseido still strives to improve the Ultimune - thus coming out with the Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate version 3.0 (P6,000/50ml) this 2021.

If you’re an avid deal-browser on Shopee, odds are you’ve seen Sace Lady around. This Chinese makeup brand is often on sale, and the prices are sure to pique the beauty bargain hunter’s interest. So to kick things up a notch, I created a complete one-brand FOTD that cost less than P800 after sale discounts and vouchers were applied. And now I’m here to answer the age-old question: Sulit ba?