Y’all know that I’ve been a huge fan of K-Palette eyeliners ever since they arrived in the Philippines six years ago. They’re the easiest liquid liners to use, ever, and the price point while a bit on the high side is manageable compared to high end brands. I often get this question though: are the original K-Palette eyeliners waterproof? The answer is no, they’re not. They will come off if you get very sweaty or if you have oily skin. However, I’ve always maintained that they’re good for everyday wear if you make sure to wipe off the waterworks every time they pop up. It’s the liquid liner that I personally use 80% of the time. That’s how much I love it.

A few months ago, I started using adapalene, a third-generation retinoid that was recently approved for over-the-counter use. Supposedly, a Reddit user banished her textured skin and blackheads in just one month, using daily exfoliation and this “miracle” retinoid gel.

Despite the warnings every single website about adapalene mentions that it’s really only for cystic acne, and that skin will become dry and sensitive for up to two months - a process that is called “retinization” - I bought the product, began using it, and experienced the four worst weeks of my life, skin-wise.

Having extremely oily skin that is prone to blemishes, I first went to see a dermatologist when I was a high school freshman because every inch of my face was then covered in pus-filled acne. I had my first chemical peel around that time as well, and facial treatments have been part of my life ever since. Since my skin requires a lot of maintenance to stay clear, it was a natural step for me to venture into beauty gadgets in the hopes of lessening my need for clinic-based procedures. Today, even with influx of effective yet affordable skincare product options, I enjoy the help I get from owning a few beauty gadgets.

Happy weekend, PV fam! Are you ready for another fabulous beauty roundup? We’ve got the T on the new makeup line by our favorite Queen, another Chrissy Teigen x BECCA collab, and who will be doing the makeup for the iconic Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show! ABH also recently dropped at Sephora, and you may wanna get them quick when you when you read our update. Grab a snack (and your wallets) cause here we go!

Where do you shop for your beauty hauls? I honestly love the convenience that online shopping offers, but it’s definitely more fun to be able to see everything that’s available and to swatch and try the products in person! Thankfully, we are now spoiled for choice with the launch of freyja, a unique beauty experience that allows you to get the best of both worlds!

When I was a kid, my mom would give me a small, clean towel before my bath. “Maghilod!” she would say. My bout with scars from breakouts and skin allergies coupled with my mom’s constant reminder have made me a stickler for exfoliation. I like how it makes me feel squeaky-clean and extra fresh afterwards, plus it actually improves blood circulation in the process. My skin is still far from perfect but regular exfoliation has made my scars lighter and my skin a little less rough and dull-looking.

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!

I am not as well versed in J-beauty as I’d like to be. Unlike the rest of the PV team, my experience with Japanese cosmetics can be condensed to a few award winning skincare, cult-favorite mascaras, and the ever famous Shu Uemura lash curler. I’m currently on a streak of more natural makeup looks so Canmake Philippines’ newly-released matte lip tint and cream blush were welcome additions to my current rotation!

It’s been a fairly turbulent week for the beauty world and we’ve got another beauty roundup that’ll have you panicking and celebrating all at the same time. We collectively gasped from the shocking announcement of Deciem’s temporary closure and ooh-ed over Jo Malone’s first ever collection dedicated to men. We also have the happy news that Ellana Cosmetics now ships abroad, and that the biggest K-Pop group is set to release a makeup collection!

I vaguely remember her as the super maarte Emily from the GMA show T.G.I.S., and while little budding tomboy Sammi didn’t like Emily at first, she warmed up to the idea of a flamboyant, pigtailed, Taglish-speaking Anne Curtis.

Cut to 2018. Anne Curtis-Heusaff now has her own cosmetics line that gives tribute to the decade of grunge, kitsch, and butterfly clips. Apparently, Anne Curtis is so obsessed with the 90s that she created a whole collection around it!

Having naturally wavy, chemically-treated strands that I compulsively wash almost daily means that I am basically a frizz magnet at the first sign of humidity. To help manage my mane issues, especially when I have to leave the house looking a little more presentable, I tend to wash my hair the night before to let everything settle. I also rely on the magic of dry shampoo!

I love brush sets. I’m addicted to them, and the bigger, the better. I’m very maarte with my personal makeup routine, and I like to believe that the brush I use affects my final face.

As with any brush set, I have three basic review guidelines; form, fiber, and function. With form, I look at the shape of the brush heads. These must be a good size to work on my face, and a good shape to apply the makeup it’s meant to apply. With fiber, I touch the actual brush heads and check if they’re dense or loose enough. I actually prefer synthetic fibers, as well-designed synthetic fibers can mimic the feel of natural fibers, minus the staining and the cruelty. Lastly, I look at the function. Does it blend if it’s meant to blend, or line as it’s meant to line? I look at a set cohesively and determine what it’s meant for. Is it meant for a full face? A basic face? Or was it just meant to supplement existing brush collections?

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?

Guess what my favorite lip tint, eyebrow pencil, and vitamin C serum have in common? They’re all from K-Beauty brands that I’ve discovered over the past few years! No doubt about it, I’m a fan of how a lot of Asian Beauty (AB) products fit my needs and deliver results, at very decent price points. Even then, my go-to foundation products came from Western and local brands. I dislike being biased, but I generally find K-Beauty foundations to have limited shade selections, unflattering cool undertones (at least on me), and “dewy” finishes that make my face look like a major oil slick.

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.

Boo! Happy October, PV fam! Despite Halloween being just around the corner, we’ve got a roundup that won’t scare you as much as it will excite you! We’ve got the 411 on Origins’ latest launches (think makeup and skincare in one) and the long-awaited restock of Sunnies Face lippies. Rumor has it that Kylie Jenner is working on a skincare collection, and while waiting for your STUNNA package to get to your doorstep, you’ll want to start planning for FENTY’s icy holiday collection!

Is the Revlon Kiss Plumping Lip Creme (P375 for 7 grams) a lip gloss or a lip balm? The answer, for me, is both. I was pleasantly surprised by these new gloss balms from Revlon. Off the bat, I thought they looked like a basic lip gloss, but I found them more interesting due to the fact that they feel more like an ultra glossy lip balm than anything else!

The MAC Studio Fix range is basically an institution, known for its wide shade range. In fact, beauty enthusiasts often refer to the MAC foundation shade coding system even when talking about other brands! Now, MAC aims to be even more inclusive than they already are by embodying All Ages, All Races, All Genders. They have looked at even more undertones and shades, and recognized what consumers have long been saying – one shade does not fit all.

When beauty lovers obsess over the face, hair, and nails, it’s easy to forget that body care isn’t always as simple as soap and water. Proper TLC is a must in maintaining healthy skin all over, with activities like full-body exfoliation sessions to regularly slathering on lotions. Sometimes, it can even mean nipping fungal infections in the bud, and being honest about the need to address this kind of issue is the first step to regaining flawless skin.

I wrote about Happy Skin’s Honeymoon Glow lipstick when it launched four years ago. It was an instant hit for me, as the color is beautiful and flattering on any skin tone! That’s why it’s no surprise that Happy Skin decided to create a full collection inspired by the shade. There’s now a quad eyeshadow palette, a contour and highlight duo, lip & cheek tints, and a nail polish in addition to the existing Honeymoon Glow lip products (two lipstick formulas, one liquid lipstick, and a liner).