Recently, a plastic surgeon friend of mine casually offered to do liposuction on my arms. For free. Honestly? I’ve never seriously considered lipo before, but that single offer sent me into a spiral. You see, my arms have always been a huge insecurity of mine. They're the first place I gain fat and the last place it ever seems to leave. Even when I’m leaner everywhere else, my arms just…well, they stay the same. Flabby. Wide.

There’s a specific kind of heartbreak that happens when you fall in love with a dress on Instagram, only to find out it costs more than your monthly Meralco bill. But this isn’t new. We all know the drill. A Filipino brand posts a beautiful, flowy piece that looks like it was designed for a slow, sun-drenched afternoon at the beach. You click through, imagine yourself wearing it to brunch or maybe a low-effort art exhibit. Then you see the price. P4,000? For linen? From here? Suddenly, you’re closing tabs and whispering sweet nothings to your Uniqlo wardrobe for always being emotionally and financially available.

So why does buying local hurt our wallets this much?

Do you really need color correctors? For a lot of us, they seem like one of those optional steps in makeup—like contouring your nose or doing five layers of skincare before foundation. But there are times when even our fullest coverage concealer isn’t enough to cancel out stubborn redness or those dark, purplish shadows under the eyes. That’s where color correcting comes in.

Let’s talk about peptides—those teeny-tiny molecules that have been quietly transforming our skincare shelves and even sneaking into our haircare routines. They may sound like something you'd hear in a biology class (and you'd be right), but these little chains of amino acids have some serious clout when it comes to keeping our skin bouncy and our hair thriving. If you’ve ever wondered what peptides actually do, or why more and more products are proudly flaunting them on their labels, I’ve got you!

I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz around the Ever Bilena Matte Face Powder. Apparently, it’s one of the brand’s best-selling products. That alone got me quite curious about the powder, but what really pushed me to try it was how often I’d see it pop up on TikTok and even in real life. I’ve actually spotted a few women at the mall casually pulling it out of their bags for a quick retouch, like it’s just a regular part of their routine. At around P150, depending on the promo, it’s remarkably budget-friendly. I’ll admit, I had a few biases because of the price, but I figured, why not? Let’s see what all the fuss is about. Here’s how it went!

In a country where it's summer basically year-round, long-wearing makeup isn't a nice-to-have, it's a must. Between the constant humidity, our love for commutes and food trips, and the fact that we’re always on the move, it’s not surprising that we’ve developed a soft spot for products that multitask and last all day. Most Filipinos are not doing full glam on a daily basis, but we still want to look fresh, polished, and put-together, without having to reapply every few hours.

I know, I know. Vitamin C has been around forever and you’ve probably heard it hyped up a million times by now. But there’s a reason it’s still everyone’s favorite brightening ingredient! The thing is, even though it’s been a staple in our skincare routines for years, the science behind it keeps evolving. Brands are finding smarter ways to make it more stable, less irritating, and generally better for all skin types.

So, let’s take a little refresher on why Vitamin C is still that girl, and then I’ll tell you about some new stuff from Hello Glow that I think you might want to check out.

I wore red lipstick the other day to go to the grocery. Not a tinted balm, not a sheer gloss pretending to be effort—a proper red. Matte, bold, the kind that says, “I have Opinions and I read ingredient lists for fun.” No one asked me to wear it. I wasn’t meeting anyone. In fact, I was pretty sure I wouldn’t run into a soul I knew, and if I did, they’d probably be wearing pajamas and tsinelas. And yet, there I was in aisle four, selecting oat milk like I was in a Vogue spread.

If you’ve been watching the local beauty scene lately (as I always do!), you might’ve noticed something interesting. Some homegrown brands are launching products like it’s a race — every month, sometimes even multiple drops in one season. Brow pencils this week, lip oils next week, and oh look, a “summer must-have” serum before you even finish your last one. Whew!

So what gives? Is it because we’ve suddenly become the innovation capital of the world? Well, not quite. It’s not like we manufacture many beauty products here in the Philippines; I’d say offhand that 80-85% of products are formulated and made abroad, with direction from the brands here, but yes with technology and capacity so far only available in other countries. Let’s discuss what’s going on.

You know it’s full-on summer in the Philippines when you’re already getting scorched by the sun at 7 AM. I usually play tennis outdoors at 6 AM, but next time, I’ll be switching to an indoor court—at least during the height of summer. It’s just so much kinder to the skin and hair, and honestly, I’d rather not start my day feeling like I’ve been roasted to a crisp.

That said, I wanted to share a few products I’ve been absolutely loving this season. They’ve been helping me feel pretty and put-together even when the weather’s doing the most.

These days, phrases like “protecting peace” and “enforcing boundaries” have become beloved mantras for people my age and younger. And honestly, why not? Who wouldn’t want a calm, drama-free life, free from the draining energy of people who refuse to respect us—and our peace? I know I do. I’ve worked hard to carve out a life that feels safe, cozy, and true to who I am. Protecting that is a huge priority for me.

Lately I’ve been thinking about how I go for high-end skincare products in my routine. As someone who’s had experience in skincare product development, I know exactly how much raw materials cost. Honest, in many cases, the price is justified. For example, a P1,000-per-kilo Vitamin C active is worlds apart from a patented one that costs P20,000 per kilo. The more expensive one is usually more effective, works faster, and is more stable. So it’s rare for me to use drugstore skincare unless it’s something simple like a cleanser, which is pretty straightforward and doesn’t require hard-hitting actives.

When I first thought of putting together the Better With Aging Summit, I wasn’t sure anyone would actually come. Talking about aging isn’t exactly a hot topic in a society obsessed with youth. It felt vulnerable, even a little risky—inviting women to spend their Saturday afternoon unpacking the layers of getting older. Would people relate? Would they care?

But on March 29, the room was full. We just successfully mounted the Better With Aging Summit last Saturday and wow, what a thrill that was. I was on an elevated heart rate for the last few weeks making sure everything would go well on the day of the summit. And it did, despite the stress, thanks to the amazing team we had laying the groundwork and managing the setup. If there's one compliment I loved receiving the most from our guests, it’s how they realized that aging is not just about what we look like, but how we feel inside too. We have to think about our mental and physical health, and we have to be braver, to take more chances.

If you loved and now miss the Careline x Spongebob Puh-Lips Lip Oil, don’t worry because Careline just dropped a worthy replacement! Meet the Careline Lip Drip Tinted Lip Oil (P295 / 4g). This time, instead of just a handful of shades, Careline went all out with 18 new colors. It’s their biggest lip color collection yet, and here’s everything you need to know.

I’m not proud of it, but yesterday I was a little too pushy with my friend about going to the gym. Not my best moment. It’s not that I think she’s fat; I don’t care about her weight. We all know by now that the gym isn’t some magical fat-melting activity anyway. What I do care about is how much better I’ve felt since making movement a regular part of my life, and I genuinely wish more people could experience that too.

A few years ago, we collectively went on an actives binge. We were layering retinol like it was free, scrubbing our faces raw with glycolic acid, and treating skincare like some kind of high-stakes chemistry experiment. More was more, and if it tingled—or better yet, burned—it must be working, right?

But somewhere between the tenth TikTok tutorial on how to fix your over-exfoliated skin and the collective realization that maybe, just maybe, skin shouldn’t feel like sandpaper, the pendulum swung the other way. Welcome to 2025, where skincare is all about barrier repair.

Aging. It happens to all of us, yet somehow, society has made it feel like a personal failure if you’re a woman. The beauty industry loves to sell us the idea that we should be anti-aging—as if growing older is something we should apologize for. But let’s get one thing straight: aging is not the enemy.

Aging is a privilege. It is the quiet confidence that comes from knowing exactly who you are. It is the freedom of caring less about what others think and more about what truly matters. It is the wisdom to know what’s worth stressing over (your health, your happiness) and what absolutely isn’t (that one fine line that definitely wasn’t there yesterday).

So instead of fighting it, why not celebrate it?

I’m on day 12 of isotretinoin, and my skin is breaking out like crazy. I know purging is part of the process, but this cystic acne just won’t quit! I have pimples on pimples. My chin is so swollen that even moving my mouth aches. My lips are dry and my skin feels ridiculously rough. I’m trying to stay calm, reminding myself that this is temporary, just two more weeks, maybe four—but honestly? It’s taking every ounce of maturity and self-confidence I’ve built over the past 20 years to not completely freak out right now.

I feel like everyone is looking at my acne and judging me for it. What kind of beauty editor has skin like this? Logically, I know it’s just the spotlight effect—no one actually cares that much—but emotionally, it’s a challenge. So yes, I’m feeling a little sorry for myself lately.

Acne is a tricky thing. It’s not just about getting rid of pimples, it’s also about keeping them from coming back and healing your skin properly to ensure you’re not left with scars in the process. The worst part? The more you try to “fix” it, the more it sometimes fights back. Over-cleansing, over-exfoliating, and using harsh treatments can strip the skin, causing even more oil production and inflammation. It’s a cycle that can feel impossible to break.

Lipstick trends have taken a turn for the better. Gone are the days when matte formulas reigned supreme, leaving lips dry and unforgivingly cracked by midday. Now, it’s all about hydration, comfort, and color that wears well throughout the day. The Ever Bilena Moisture Boost Serum Lip Stick (P 295 / 2.5 g) is a perfect example of this shift—packed with nourishing ingredients while still delivering strong pigment and a long-lasting stain.