Have you ever found yourself in a makeup emergency? I’ve certainly had days when I regretted going out without makeup on and itched to slap my face with some color! While it’s true that the best look to wear is confidence, it wouldn’t hurt to know you’ve got options when you’re truly stuck in a makeup crisis. If your makeup bag and the next drugstore are nowhere near, you might be surprised with what 500 pesos can do at your neighborhood convenience store. I certainly was with this Convenience Store Beauty Challenge! I raided a nearby 7-Eleven to see what they've got.

If looking good makes you feel good, why not take the chance to do good as well? Beauty brands have been going beyond helping us to look the best version of ourselves and are using their influential platforms to support charitable causes and social change movements. Want your peso to travel the extra mile? Consider purchasing from these six brands that give back.

When I first started to experiment with J- and K-beauty, I had a difficult time finding products that fit me. See, while Western makeup was all about mattifying, the cult of chok-chok meant that most products geared towards a more Asian aesthetic added “dewiness” to the skin. Unfortunately for me, that meant a greasy disaster on my oily skin.

I was one of Althea's beta users before it launched in the Philippines. I didn't think much of it at that time, but in the last two years, Althea has largely transformed how I perceive and use South Korean beauty products. My exposure to Althea allowed me to try many lesser-known, quirky K-Beauty brands and the latest developments in the beauty capital! There are other K-beauty stores that service the PH, yes, but few with as huge a selection and updated inventory as Althea.

Raise your hand if you've ever watched video after video of makeup tutorials, only to realize it's past midnight! We feel it's well-worth all the hours on YouTube though - after all, we need to know how to properly use the products we've spent on. Famous makeup artists and beauty gurus are staples when it comes to channel subscriptions but if you wanted to cop the look of a certain actress or personality, why not go straight to the source?

Kanebo is an 80-year old Japanese heritage brand that has been faithful in upholding its traditions while using the latest innovations to create modern, meaningful beauty products. You can expect the best of both worlds from this brand in terms of keeping what works, and looking toward the future.

Recently, it introduced the Kanebo Chrono Beauty concept, which focuses on grouping skincare items according to certain needs.

I’ve long been intrigued by BYS Cosmetics. I see them in the beauty section all the time but the sleek black packaging has always made me think that their products are more for professional makeup artists! In a way, I wasn’t entirely wrong - the Australian drugstore brand promises exceptional quality and value for money, and in terms of professional usage, they’ve actually partnered up with the Center for Aesthetic Studies, a respected makeup school in Manila. The brand does not test on animals and when I finally looked it up, I was surprised to see that their prices are actually reasonable even for my student budget. 

Here's a roundup of their top five best-sellers, and what they look like on my morena skin + dark hair!

Wait, can you actually have too much makeup? Sadly, the truth holds still: too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. If you’re having trouble keeping your stash properly stored or even just choosing which products to use, maybe it’s time to admit that your collection has gotten out of hand. Regain control, maximize your stash, and free up some space (for new stuff *wink wink*) with these top tips!