Let's be honest: most of us skip sunscreen on days we don't leave the house. I did it for years. The logic feels sound. No sun, no sunscreen. Why put on another layer to sit in a condo with the blinds or curtains half closed? The real answer is that it depends on where you sit and for how long.

In the Philippines, the holidays start the minute September does, which means by October every beauty brand is technically running late. Most deal with it the usual way, with a cryptic teaser, a blurred photo, and a great deal of patience. Not everyone, it turns out, is feeling patient this year. Let's get into it!

Sometimes, taking time for ourselves is the first thing we give up when life gets busy. There’s always another message to answer, an errand to run, or someone who needs something. That’s why I appreciate the idea behind CLEAN RESERVE’s recent community gathering at Nada Concepts: a yoga session with Maxene Magalona that gave everyone a reason to pause. Called “Clean Heart,” the class brought wellness and fragrance together around a gentle invitation to slow down.

I'm here to convince you to give your underwear drawer a refresh. If you're anything like me, you haven't been fitted for a bra in years and probably aren't up to date on your size either. Or, worst case, you're still wearing a bra you know doesn't fit. What if I told you there's a store that will fit you for your right size and kit you out in wireless comfort made for the body you're rocking?

Newsflash: IMINXX (pronounced "I'm In") has finally opened a physical store here in the Philippines. The Singapore-born intimate wear brand came into the Philippine market three years ago as an online store and has since built a community that loves all things comfort. Now that the new store at Shangri-La Plaza is open, you can go in, try pieces on, and find your new favorites.

Careline is getting into stackable makeup with Stack & Go, arriving September 28. The collection spans 40 SKUs, with a cream base, powder foundation, lip mud, multi-use cream colors, and even a cleansing balm in the lineup. The appeal is being able to build a stack around what you actually use, whether that’s a few everyday essentials or more colors to play with. The cleansing balm is a thoughtful addition: we’re used to compact makeup for putting a face on, but having something for taking it off makes this especially interesting for travel.

If Laneige’s Lip Sleeping Mask has a permanent spot on your bedside table, this news might sting a little. The brand’s official Philippine online store is closing on September 30, 2026, according to a notice posted on August 10. Amorepacific Philippines says the closure is part of its withdrawal of Philippine operations. For those who rely on the official store to restock their favorites, that leaves a very practical question: where do we buy them next? Read the official announcement here.

I have four lip products in my purse as we speak, and none of them come close to the price-to-performance ratio that Ever Bilena's Rococo Lipstick has achieved. The matte lipstick from their newest Coquette collection has a formula unlike anything you've tried before, and the adorable packaging sweetens the deal just a little bit more.

SOLA Beauty has pretty good reviews and some great collaborations. They paired up with celebrity MUA Jelly Eugenio for their Vitamin C Makeup Removing Wipes and Hydrating Mist, and Rei Germar, CK De Leon, and Lierge Perey frequently headline their campaigns. I haven't tried anything from the brand yet, so I was looking forward to checking out their newest products in the SOLA SPF Glow Up Kit (P795, on sale). It has two products that promise glowing and protected skin.

There is a particular mood to mid-September in beauty: the big Q4 launches aren't here yet, so brands fill the gap with clever ideas and small adjustments, and that's where the good stuff hides. This week, we have a perfume with a strange note, a powder in an unexpected color, and skincare in a pouch. Let's get into it!

The Little Vintage Store opened at Spatio in Opus Mall, Bridgetowne last September 8. It sells preloved clothes and accessories donated by women who have cleaned out their closets, and all of the earnings go to the psychological care of girls and women who have experienced sexual abuse.

The shop is a project of the Zonta Club of Makati and Environs. It started in 2023 as a pop-up at the Makati Garden Club, with Penny Lopez-Katigbak and Mel Mora Asuncion running it. Back then it was designer pieces from society donors sold at a fraction of the price. The Spatio store is its first permanent space in a mall.

I finally went to Purveyr Fair yesterday. It's been running for years now (it's at World Trade Center Tent this year) and I had somehow never made it, which is a little embarrassing to admit for someone who has made a career out of supporting Filipino-grown brands. I went in without much expectation. I came out with a lot to think about.

This week is mostly about finishing touches. Ever Bilena's rained-out Ladurée takeover is back on the calendar for tomorrow, bows and all. Teviant is adding two setting sprays to the Ultimate Skin Master line so you can pick your finish before you lock it down. Colourette has a new loose powder that promises to hold your base for twelve hours in this humidity, which is a bold claim and I'd like to see it try. And Saborino, the brand that got us all doing skincare in 60 seconds, now wants three minutes of your night. Let's get into it.

Beauty + Health & Wellness Manila is happening September 17 to 19 at SMX Convention Center, and it's the expo's tenth year. Project Vanity is a media partner this time around, so I wanted to tell you about it properly instead of just posting the flyer.

If you haven't been, BHW is the big trade expo for beauty, health, and wellness in the country. Global-Link MP Events runs it with the Chamber of Cosmetics Industry of the Philippines.

Raise your hand if you don’t remember the last time you gifted yourself new undies. For everyone with their hands up, it’s time to update your underwear drawer because our favorite cover-up brand, Tapies, now has seamless underwear! The Tapies Second Skin Underwear Collection features a Seamless Push-Up Bra (P899), Seamless Mid- Rise Hip Hugger Panty (P299), and Seamless High-Rise Panty (P299) available in three colorways.

Quick primer if you're not on TikTok all day: coquette is the hyper-feminine aesthetic that's been everywhere for the past couple of years: bows, lace, pearls, pastel pink, ballet flats, that soft, slightly precious styling that looks like you raided a very rich girl's closet in 1780. It borrows from Marie Antoinette and Lana Del Rey in equal measure, and the whole point is that it's a little too much. That's what makes it fun. I've been waiting for a local brand to actually commit to it, and Ever Bilena finally did with their massive Coquette Collection.

Scent is doing a lot of the talking this week. Mink, the local body care brand you probably know for underarm and bikini serums, is launching perfumes. BW Women has a new hair mist that smells like the summer that the weather currently refuses to give us. Calvin Klein's viral body mists get a berry flavor. Kanebo drops a lipstick engineered to keep your lip line sharp. And Dyson, never one to make an ordinary appliance, has built a toothbrush with a camera in it. Let's get into it.

Issy just keeps stepping up their game. First, there's the Daily Balm. I love pigmented lip products because they add color to my face and make me look lively, but there are days when I just want to keep it simple. All I want is a clear lip balm to nourish my lips, maybe with a hint of tint (and liner!) to go with it. That's exactly what Issy gave us with their newest lip balm release, which they introduced at a very special place.

Local brands are carrying this week's beauty news, and honestly, we love to see it. Careline is making powder interesting again, Issy is chasing the glassy lip trend at a local price, and Happy Skin just declared its deep red Obsessed the shade of the season across practically its entire lineup. Plus one clever launch from abroad: Urban Decay put setting powder in a spray can. Let's get into it.

Two Uniqlo events in one month? Don't mind if I do. Fresh from the Uniqlo 2026 Fall/Winter Lounge & Underwear Collection preview a couple of weeks back, I found myself at another Uniqlo gathering, this time for the 2026 Fall/Winter LifeWear Collection, which came with a special announcement I'll get to in a bit.

Every beauty capital that made it to the world stage got there by exporting an idea, not just products. Korea gave us glass skin and the ten-step routine. Japan gave us minimalism and sunscreens so elegant they made white gloop sunscreens a thing of the past. France gave us the pharmacy aisle as a whole personality. So when people ask me whether P-beauty can really be the next big thing, my answer is yes, but only if we figure out what our idea is. And I think we've been sitting on it this whole time: tropical-proof.