I first learned about Kanebo from my mom way back when I was grade school. Watching her use it as I grew up, it was also the brand I sought when I started buying my own makeup. The price was out of range for my student budget though so I gravitated towards the more affordable Kate Tokyo (it was simply known as "Kate" then). Kate Tokyo doesn’t get as much attention as other Kanebo brands like Lunasol and Impress but it's like Kanebo’s chic, trendier sister! It offers the same high quality expected of a Japanese heritage brand but at a price that's on the pocket. This season, Kate Tokyo is releasing some new products and improving on their existing ones as well. Let's explore!

I started my freelance career from zero. I didn’t have money, connections, nor even the “right” degree to guide me in this particular line of work. I truly knew nothing at first, but I just jumped in and learned what I needed on the go! And of course, I had the Internet. The web is the single most powerful tool that was (and still is) at my disposal since it has made it possible for me to get my name out there, freelance full-time, and finally build my own company.

Beauty products have come a really long way. Gone are the days when people slathered on toxic substances like mercury, arsenic, and lead in the hopes of getting better skin. People willingly paid small fortunes for miracle tinctures, elixirs and salves without really knowing what’s in them. Nowadays, manufacturers normally list product ingredients from the highest to lowest content so that consumers have an idea not only of what goes into products but also roughly how much of each component is in the mix. It’s not a completely transparent system by any means, but at least buyers can now make better choices simply by checking the ingredients list.

Graduating from baby powder was a rite of passage for most of us. It signaled the end of our pubescent years and marked the beginning of our kikay era. But do you ever wonder what sets actual powder makeup apart from the one we've been using since childhood? Can baby powders do just as good a job in setting makeup? I tested three different baby powders to find out!

The wonderful world of skincare is a rabbit hole. It’s confusing, ever changing, and overwhelming but it also happens to be beautiful, exciting, and empowering. We here at Project Vanity consider ourselves guilty for being skincare addicts. It’s likely that you’re one of us, too! Question is, how far along are you in the four levels of being a skincare junkie?

As a teen with a student's allowance, I loved haunting department store makeup sections for beauty finds that fit into my limited budget. That's how I discovered Ever Bilena’s “little sister”, Careline Cosmetics. The cutesy packaging and affordable price made it the perfect jump-off point for a beginner’s makeup adventure! I've long since moved on to more "grown up" brands so it was exciting to get reacquainted with Careline, now looking better than ever.

If you’ve been following the news, you may have heard that the courts have ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay $110 million to a woman who claims she developed ovarian cancer as a result of applying talc-based products to her genital area. Both the brand and its talc manufacturer Imerys have been considered negligent as they failed to include a warning about the cancer risk related to the use of talc-based products.

The story led to quite a bit of panic, and many people quickly threw out their J&J baby powder products. If you don't have a baby or sport the polbo-tint look, surely none of this affects you, right? Wrong.

Banila Co is one of our favorite Korean brands here on PV. From taking on their 7-day sheet masking challenge to discussing how their best-selling Clean It Zero works as a gentle makeup remover, there’s been plenty for us to explore about K-beauty with the brand. We actually learned quite a few tips from their brand ambassador Cho Heena and we’re constantly fangirling over their celebrity frontrunner, K-Pop idol Taeyeon! The hype is real so we definitely don't want anyone to miss the opportunity to try out their awesome products. Lucky you if you're a QC girl, because the brand has opened a store in Trinoma!

We feature a lot of budget-friendly stories and products here on PV because we believe in making smart beauty buys and stretching our peso as far as possible. We love discovering drugstore dupes, whip up our own DIYs, and even challenge ourselves to do P500 faces. But not all penny-pinching habits are equal. Some of the may even turn out to be very expensive in the long run! Here are six common scenarios that you should watch out for.

As one of the most popular and sought-after makeup artists today, Jigs Mayuga is undeniably a hero in the eyes of many budding makeup artists. And, like many heroes, he comes with quite a unique origin story. In a world full of “self-taught” beauty gurus and “natural talent,” Jigs stands out as an artist who openly sought out a more formal route, enrolling as a student of the Center for Aesthetic Studies’ (CAS) pioneer batch in 2004.

Thirteen years later, the student is now a teacher and more importantly a partner who will be directly involved in ensuring that the quality of education is of the highest standards.

Here's the thing: it's not fair that only us girls get to use makeup to make ourselves feel good. I believe anyone should be able to use makeup to uplift their spirits and help them feel more confident! If a guy has blemishes or dark circles that are deducting from his pogi points or making him look haggard, why makeup-shame him for using concealers?

After teasing us for weeks, Sephora PH finally has Hourglass Cosmetics live on site. Fans of the brand as well as those who are curious about all the raves can shop online and get it on their doorstep in three days*! Sephora also offers cash on delivery (you pay when you get it) so you don't need a credit card or separate payment service if you prefer not to use them.

ANYWAY. I've been using the Hourglass products that Sephora sent me for a couple of weeks now, and here are my swatches and first impressions!

Have you ever experienced being told that wearing makeup will ruin your skin? It's something I've heard older people say, and honestly, I can't blame them for thinking this way. Before there were laboratories, technological advances, and actual cosmetic chemists that formulate the makeup we use today, people just used whatever was available and looked good. For example, both the Japanese geisha and Queen Elizabeth I used lead to whiten their faces!

The road to running my own company at 28 was an unexpected one. I always thought I’d be working a corporate job for most of my life and maybe finally running my own business when I retire. But things didn’t quite work out the way I planned! It’s challenging and often exhausting, but I honestly can’t imagine my life any other way - and it was all because of blogging.

Whenever we get new assignments for Project Vanity, I always look forward to the makeup throw downs and challenges the most. So far, we’ve done micellar waters, makeup wipes, brow pencils, and tints to name a few. This time, I’ve been tasked to wear two full faces of makeup, reflect on how each one fares, and try to come up with an answer to this question: is it still worth splurging on high end makeup?

We’ve set some parameters for the comparison: all the products for the more affordable makeup look should be below P500 while the higher-end look is comprised of products worth P1,000 and above.

There’s something therapeutic and empowering about using something you made yourself. I know we PV girls are not lacking in our own DIY experiments but some DIY inspirations we've found online are frankly irresponsible and can put your health at risk. If you're looking for a cheap alternative or just wanting to have a bit fun, please PASS on these four ideas - and we'll tell you why!

Silka is one of the longest running and most successful local skincare brands in the country - in fact, they just celebrated their 15th anniversary last year! Though their popular formulations are already well-loved, their constant improvements to their products continue to win us over. Their lotions are a big hit with my fellow PV girls, and good contenders in the sunscreen battle. Meanwhile, their best-selling soaps also have a fan in their newest celebrity endorser, Yassi Pressman. 

Have you heard the good news? Club Clio is now available at SM Makati's beauty section! No need to travel all the way to Trinoma or Lucky Chinatown mall if you're a Southern gal because these hot K-beauty brands are now within easy reach. If you've never tried anything from Goodal, Peripera, or Clio and don't know what to get, you've come to the right place. I got to pick up items during the store’s grand opening, so I'm sharing my finds and giving the lowdown on which products have made their way to my regular makeup routine!