One of my favorite things to do when Christmas comes is buying presents for the special people in my life. I just love the thrill of being able to find the perfect gift! One of the things I like to get for the more kikay crowd are beauty sets because of the variety of items you get to try. Need some inspo for your last minute shopping? Here are some of our Christmas gift set picks that you should definitely check out!

If you asked me what my favorite luxury brand is, I would answer Estée Lauder in a heartbeat! The Advanced Night Repair wonderfully balances my oily skin, the Double Wear foundation is one of my favorite foundations ever, and the Pure Color Love lipsticks are the perfect luxury lipsticks to start with. The bar has been set pretty high so when I started my trial of the Estée Lauder Perfectionist Pro Rapid Firm+Lift Treatment, I honestly wondered if it would live up to my expectations.

I remember a time when the thought of a Brazilian wax (or even just a bikini wax) was something of a taboo. My own mother still cringes at the thought, but those of my generation are more open about comparing notes and sharing experiences, which makes it a little less scary.

This I will tell you: yes, it is the most painful kind of waxing but it truly beats epilating (a story for another day) and shaving (which has its own slew of horror stories). A well-done wax job is fast, clean, and yields the dolphin-smooth skin that provides comfort. Horrible waxing, as you’ll find out below, may make you regret ever considering having it done in the first place.

Before I got into makeup and skincare, my first foray into beauty was actually nail polish. I grew up accompanying my mom to her weekly manicure appointments, and one of my first beauty purchases was an iridescent blue-purple polish. These days, I don’t wear polish as much as I’d like because it seems impractical with all the household chores I do, but when Thai brand Tenten sent over their limited edition holiday collection, I just could not resist playing around and giving myself an extra special mani!

The Philippines cheered when Catriona Grey took the crown home yesterday at the Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok. From her Mak Tumang dress inspired by the Mayon Volcano and stunning Tessera Jewelry cuff earrings, every detail of her look was perfectly crafted to represent the Philippines. One question in my mind remains, however: what is that stunning red lipstick she wore to the finals?

‘Tis the season for getting glammed up and doing a lot of picture-taking at all the holiday parties! If you’re like me and love a good makeup moment to ensure Insta-worthy photos, you’ll wanna step it up a little and put your fiercest face on. Need some inspo? From clean and simple to full-on party mode, here are eight looks for you to try!

One of this year’s biggest beauty trends is the approach to skincare as a form of self-care. Following a morning and night routine has become a necessity not just for the physical improvements but for the perceived mental and emotional benefits as well. With so many skincare products available, skincare regimens are not so basic anymore and sheet masks are often the favored “luxury addition” to give skin an extra boost. Thanks to Japanese beauty brand Lululun, a daily sheet masking ritual is definitely doable!

Falalalalala fabulous! ‘Tis the season for sparkly shadows, vibrant red lips, and winter-kissed cheeks, PV fam! With just a few more days until Christmas, the beauty world is turning even busiest Grinch into one happy elf. Get ready for KVD Beauty’s Lolita expansion, an epic beauty calendar from BLK (it’s never too late to gift a bunch of makeup!), and something new from local brand Beauty Bakery. Pour yourself some hot cocoa and let’s get festive!

From the perfect reds to the most flattering pinks, we are always on the hunt for that perfect lipstick. A bright, eye-catching pout instantly elevates any FOTD but there are days when you just wanna keep things low-key. The answer is, of course, the coveted MLBB (my lips but better) shade that gives that extra oomph with zero effort! It makes for a great go-to everyday lipstick that you’d want to stash in your purse since it can go with any look and outfit.

When it comes to trusted drugstore brands, Maybelline always makes the cut. Their base products are some of our favorites as their foundations are budget-friendly with great formulation. The new Maybelline Superstay 24HR Full Coverage Liquid Foundation (P499) is so good that it won the Allure Best of Beauty 2018 for Full Coverage Foundation! With such a glowing recommendation, I was very excited to try it out!

Skincare isn’t just about vanity. It’s about spending a few minutes of your day taking care of yourself and your needs, stepping back from the things you do for others and focusing on those that only you can do for yourself. It’s peace and space that you get to carve out; getting good skin in the process is a great result, too!

Last November 23, Club Clio opened a new store on the second floor Atrium of Robinsons Galleria. This isn’t any old store though - it’s the Philippine flagship store which will carry new and limited edition products first. True addicts for house brands Clio Professional, Peripera, Goodal, and Dermatory should keep this store on their radars!

Often, at the drugstore beauty counter, a “good bargain” is just a bargain more than it is actually good. Many of us settle for mediocre products because they’re cheap and they work well enough. Often we would pay for these with a shrug. “It’s alright,” we tell ourselves. Once in a while though, something seriously good comes along and we are reminded why we should keep our standards even when faced with all manner of cheap temptations. That’s how I felt when I tried the Pink Sugar Our Lil’ Secret All Day Matte Powder, which is only P349 for 10 grams of product.

With just a few weeks left ‘til Christmas, our schedules are getting packed with gift shopping and holiday parties. And when it comes to celebrating the holidays, the beauty world is great at making you feel extra special! This week’s roundup consists of next year’s color trend, ColourPop’s gigantic new addition, and a makeup line from our fave Spanish retailer. Also, did you know that Pat McGrath is now on Sephora PH, and that Vern & Verniece have launched the first product of their new brand? Read on to find out what it’s all about!

As a big skincare enthusiast, I try to “influence” my family and friends to take better care of their skin. It’s not a frivolous pursuit - after all the skin is the body’s largest organ! It can be difficult for a complete newbie to buy into skincare though because there are so many products available now. Even I sometimes feel a bit intimidated and confused by all the options you can find in stores! This is why I am a fan of skincare sets - they usually cover all the basic steps, are united by a common effect or ingredient that can make them more effective, and are often cheaper than buying products individually!

What could be more fun than going beauty shopping? Why, shopping with gift certificates, of course! More than getting a straight-up discount, there’s something very satisfying about handing over a bunch of GCs to pay for your purchases. This is the experience that four Luxasia Philippines brands try to recreate with their first ever Beauty Shopping Wonderland in Mega Fashion Hall!

Last November 23rd, Human Nature celebrated their anniversary with a bang at the PICC Banquet Hall. In attendance were hundreds of their employees and advocates. The positive energy was palpable as the husband and wife tandem of Paolo Abrera and Suzi Entrata-Abrera introduced themselves as hosts for the night, as well as long-time supporters of the proudly local brand.

I purchased the Urban Decay Born To Run Palette at the Sephora SoHo branch in New York. I didn’t enter Sephora with intention to buy ~a lot~ of makeup, but I ended up spending quite a bit inside! The hysteria is different inside a US Sephora store. I’ve been inside the stores in Singapore and Malaysia before, but the level of shopping energy is so different in New York. It’s like…ubusan ng makeup levels of excitement. It does catch.

My patron singer Santa Mariah, along with Tita Whitney, once sang that there can be miracles when you believe. TBQH, I immediately ignore any product that claims to be miraculous. But thanks to all the persuasive marketing and my insecurity of having adult acne, I volunteered my face to try the Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA Miracle Toner.

When the new PV team was first assembled two years ago, I was surprised to see many familiar names. Pretty much everyone, including myself, had “met” Liz through Project Vanity. We were all active commenters so it was really nice to meet the real people we’d interacted with online.