After dealing with warts and boils firsthand, I completely understood why people of long ago blamed curses and hexes whenever they developed unknown growths on their skin. I mean, my skin was perfectly fine one minute and then suddenly something was growing out of it! Thankfully, we live in the age of science and have a better understanding of what causes these mysterious bumps on our skin and how to treat them properly.

In today’s busy world, don’t you just wish your time was actually spent doing something worthwhile? So much of our day goes to doing chores and being in stuck in traffic, and we’re forced to accept them as part of daily life. I’ve found myself wishing for someone to take care of all the little things that I could delegate, without adding strain to my family’s budget. Even if I just had someone to do all my shopping for me, I would have saved time from driving to and from the grocery, walking through each aisle, and waiting in line for the cashier!

When I first heard of bakuchiol, I thought it was yet another skincare ingredient slash marketing ploy carefully crafted to draw in the “all-natural” consumer group. A plant extract that acts like retinol without side effects? It sounds too good to be true, and conveniently fits the bill for those looking for “clean” and vegan product alternatives.

I’m a big winner in the skin care concern lottery: I have sensitive combination skin. This means that my t-zone (forehead and nose) gets very oily, while my u-zone (cheeks and chin) turn dry and flaky. My pores also love forming comedones, making me more prone to getting enlarged pores and pimples. It has been extra challenging to find skin care products that work for my various issues because my skin can get really reactive, flaring up whenever I come near anything it doesn’t like!

I didn’t know what to expect when we received a very understated invitation from NARS Cosmetics to their holiday collection launch. All I knew was their theme was disco, as the collection was named Studio 54.

Sam Gallardo, NARS brand manager, kicked things off by reminding us what NARS was all about. More than beauty, NARS is all about crossing boundaries, defying rules, and inclusivity. As their founder Francois Nars once said, “I like beauty to be a bit edgy, not typical. For me, the only rule is looking good.” Sam shares that they wanted this attitude to be more relatable, so they decided to get local brand ambassadors who embody the brand.

It’s that time of the year again when beauty brands make a special effort to relieve us of our money via tempting holiday releases. Blk Cosmetics certainly rose to the occasion with new products, lippie shades, and—for the first time ever—MINIS! Let’s take a look at their complete lineup for the holidays, themed Little Luxuries.

I’ve tried quite a lot of brow products over the years, and some of my former faves have since been replaced with newer releases. Even so, K-Palette’s Lasting Eyebrow Liner remains my pick for eyebrow pens! And I’m in good company, because even beauty and fashion icon Heart Evangelista packs it in her makeup kit.

Eyebrow tints have an added appeal to a busy working mom like me, so I was happy when K-Palette released their Lasting Eyebrow Tint. Who wouldn’t want to have gorgeous brows for five whole days?

As a beauty enthusiast, I naturally gravitate towards skincare discussions—whether in websites and online platforms (shout out to The Project Vanity Community on Facebook!), at beauty events, or with friends and family. I do appreciate all of these venues, because I learn a lot about skincare from them. The conversation has changed a lot through the years, with many participants becoming *woke* about how to properly care for their skin. At times, I even feel like I’m preaching to the choir!

When it comes to fashion, I like keeping an eye on the latest trends. Even so, I know that classic cuts and detailed craftsmanship will always look good! Comfort and practicality are also musts, of course. So I have mad respect for local fashion brand Plains & Prints, as they always seem to come up with updated pieces that have a timeless look to them, without sacrificing wearability and comfort. I also appreciate the fine detail work and excellent materials they use. Best of all, their collaborations with local artists make it possible for people like me to own wearable art! They have truly come a long way in their 25 years of existence, coming from humble beginnings as co-founder Roxanne A. Farillas’ clothing stall in Greenhills, to a respected fashion house with branches nationwide.

We were legit shookt when Vice Cosmetics started teasing what looked like a brow kit on social media. It was high time the local brand took on brows! Still, I felt it was a tad ambitious to start off with a retractable microbrow pencil and a brow gel as both are regarded as relatively more advanced and premium tools for makeup enthusiasts. I was truly curious with what the brand would come up with, considering their affordable product price range.

I got excited when I first heard that Project Vanity was going to do its own podcast. Having a podcast would not only helps us connect to a bigger audience, this new platform allows for a continuity of discussion different from the flow of our written stories. Each episode builds upon educated yet candid beauty discussions that feel like a chat between friends. They also allow the community to literally hear from Liz, and from other luminaries in the local beauty scene!

When Human Heart Nature launched their Made to Bloom Lipsticks earlier this year, I immediately added it to my beauty shopping list and brought home one of the pretty floral tubes. I was honestly excited to see a local brand’s take on the nude matte lip, especially since they claim that the shades are morena-friendly. It seemed like a fitting update to their makeup line, since finding that My Lips But Better (MLBB) nude shade is crucial to building a lipstick wardrobe.

When I first saw Esfolio products a few years ago on BeautyMNL, I was intrigued. Like most other Korean skincare brands, they have products that highlight natural ingredients like aloe vera, coconut, green tea, and milk. Upon closer inspection, though, I was surprised to also find skincare favorites like niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and collagen. Even more surprisingly, the products were priced very reasonably. They had a LOT of products, too, at over 80 variants! But since I like trying on products before buying, I found myself wishing these products were available not just online but in physical stores, as well.

The L’Oreal Infallible makeup line has been such a hit here in the Philippines, where the tropical weather constantly threatens to melt the makeup right off our faces. Their long-wearing makeup formulations have received generally good feedback, and I do think that it lives up to its “Infallible” branding. I actually find myself reaching for the pressed powder and lipstick even when I have more premium choices in my arsenal! It’s easily one of the top makeup lines in its price range, so when YouTubers started buzzing about the new Infallible concealer, I got very curious about trying it for myself.

Since SPF is one of the basic tenets of skincare, it’s no surprise that sunscreen is available in a LOT of forms. In the sea of creams, lotions, serums, sticks, and gels, spray-on aerosol sunscreens have become a popular choice. And the appeal is understandable: it’s lightweight on the skin, spill-proof, and easy to use. BUT is it all it’s cracked up to be? Let’s discuss possible issues with aerosol sunscreens, and what we can do to fix them.

Luxurious yet practical, silk has been regarded as the textile of choice for everything from loungewear to formal garb. It has a visually appealing natural sheen, a pleasant texture that is cool to the touch, and a breathability that brings comfort as well as effortless style. As it turns out, this elegant cloth has other applications, as well! Phrases like “silky smooth” and “soft as silk” show how much we associate this fabric with great skin and hair. In fact, several popular bath and body products have silk in their brand names: Cream Silk, Sunsilk, and Silka!

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.

When I first started seeing anti-pollution skin care products a few years back, I thought it was just another skincare gimmick - yet another “concern” concocted by the beauty biz to get people to buy new must-have products. I dismissed it as a marketing shtick targeting the urban consumer. After all, shouldn’t I care more about how smog affects my lungs and other vital organs? I already had a reliable skincare routine, so proper cleansing should remove all the grime my skin accumulates through the day.

We at PV are big fans of Happy Skin’s nail polishes! Made with nourishing ingredients like hydrolyzed keratin and almond oil, the chip-resistant gel formula delivers long wear without the need for UV lamps. They always hit the right spot when it comes to color selection, as well! Time and again, we were wowed from the initial release, to the collabs with Sanrio, Havaianas, and KC Concepcion.

Over the years, preservatives have gotten such a bad rap, particularly for cosmetics. The damaging effects of parabens and formaldehyde, among others, have effectively vilified a whole ingredient component which is actually a vital element for most consumer products! Since most cosmetic products contain water (as well as other liquids and aerosols), they are highly susceptible to pathogens like bacteria and mold. If you don’t want to find funky stuff growing in your favorite moisturizer, broad-spectrum preservatives are non-negotiable.