I had a lot of not-so-positive misconceptions about going to the Chinese mainland for the first time last month. I thought it was going to be dirty, noisy, and full of rude people, but that was certainly not the case! I found Shanghai to be a beautiful city that was as mighty as it was poetic. I loved the food, the painfully fashionable Chinese wandering the streets, and the amazing architecture. The Bund, a waterfront area facing the Huangpu River and looking out to the Lujiazui skyline, is a sight to see at night. I wasn't able to explore the city very long but one thing is for sure: I will definitely visit Shanghai again!

Earlier this year, the announcement of Kris Aquino’s partnership with beloved local drugstore beauty giant Ever Bilena was met with much excitement by fans and beauty lovers alike. Knowing that the Queen of All Media is famous for being very particular (especially when it comes to the self-confessed makeup lover’s beauty stash), we were also eager to see how Kris’s meticulous preferences would translate into the collaboration’s releases.

“Tiis ganda” may be a common experience but it doesn't always ring true. Beauty can go hand-in-hand with comfort, and style can fit well with practicality. For eyeglass wearers, there are many chic design options available and you can even tailor your makeup to work with your specs. But there are occasions when that great pair of prescription glasses just aren’t convenient to use, like when attending special events or doing sports. That’s when contact lenses come to the rescue!

While comparisons to similar celeb-preneur labels such as Kylie Cosmetics and Jeffree Star abound, there’s no denying that Vice Cosmetics - much like its famously unkabogable founder - is a brand all its own. Formulated based on the #GandaForAll philosophy, Vice Cosmetics’ debut launch promised luxury quality at mass-market friendly prices, and featured true-matte shades that were simultaneously trendy and wearable. Still, while this first launch definitely brought fashion-forward mattes to the mainstream market, there was a conscious effort to “tone down” on the hues and finishes: to be “relatable” instead of reflecting Vice Ganda’s trademark edgy style.

Late last year, the PV Team chat was in a tizzy when we realized that B. by BANILA became available online. Some of us (the identity of whom begins with an S and ends with AMANTHA) may have even bought a couple or more items. While B. by BANILA has been available both online and offline for quite some time, they only officially launched last May 8.

Banila Co, the mother brand, strives to create “skincare for makeup” – or skincare that’s so good, you wouldn’t need makeup! With that in mind, their product offerings tend to focus on skincare and a few base products. To complete the look, they created the sister brand B. by BANILA to mold the complete package of a “girl crush.”

Summer may leave us feeling hot and muggy but doesn't mean we're giving up on our beauty routines! Whether you're at a tropical paradise or stuck in the city, Snoe’s new releases are the perfect addition to your summer essentials.

It seems like one of the marks of motherhood is to carry around a large bag anywhere and everywhere you go. This bag is very different from the kind a tita carries because it contains all the things a parent needs to stay sane while out with her kids. For as long as I can remember, my mom carried such a bag. Even today, she prides herself for being a Girl Scout who is "laging handa" with a treasure trove of hygiene basics, kikay kits, and multi-tools tucked into her giant purse. Honestly, I hated digging through her purse when she'd ask me to find something because there was just SO MUCH STUFF but it also gave me my first ever lessons in self-care. 

My home and the Project Vanity HQ is stashed with bins and bins of beauty products. It can be quite a challenge to curate sometimes, but at the end of the day, it's what I pick up the most that makes it to my top ten! Seeing as it's Sephora PH site-wide sale season once more, I thought that I'd list down my HGs from the store. Hopefully this serves as a useful guide as you get your haul at 20% (for Gold and Black Members) and 15% (White) off until May 6. Let's go!

While trendy new products may attract people to a store, getting that up-close and personal testing experience is what leaves a lasting impression for the discerning customer. Clinique expertly combines these two concepts for their latest boutique, located in the new wing of the Rockwell Powerplant Mall. Here's a peek at what's in store!

The age of social media has given birth to an interesting phenomena called "doing it for the 'gram". Whenever we post something - because surely we have to post something - we do it with one eye on how good it will look like on our various feeds. It doesn't matter how uncomfortable or miserable we may be at that time. If the post looks great, and 50 other likes agree with us, then we feel good. We feel important. 

Late last year, I wrote about how we PV girls wished we had access to skincare brand Peter Thomas Roth. The beauty gods must have heard our prayers because the brand has finally arrived at our shores! Peter Thomas Roth Clinical Skincare believes in using scientifically proven ingredients at effective concentrations. These include glycolic acid and retinol for anti-aging, and hyaluronic acid for attracting moisture to the applied area. The brand also believes in using botanicals and other ingredients found in nature.

Who's not guilty of indulging in a little retail therapy when they need some cheering up? I used to love stopping by the Watsons store that was on my route home from work, and picking up some random cheap item: a brow pencil, a lip balm, maybe a bottle of nail polish. Nothing wrong with that but the thrill was often short-lived. I'm a bit wiser about my spending habits these days, so while I still love browsing at Watsons, I've learned to shop for items that actually support my goals for self-care!

Our hands are probably among the most hard-working parts of our body. We use them for most activities, and if you’re anxious about germs like I am, you probably wash your hands a lot of times within the day. While it's a good practice for preventing the spread of disease, this can result to dry and flaky hands. This may also cause your cuticles to become prone to hangnails, which are both unsightly and painful! Just as how we go to great lengths to care for the skin on our faces, we need to show some TLC to our hands.

When blk Cosmetics launched in 2017, Anne Curtis wanted to keep makeup simple and uncomplicated. Their initial lineup proved promising and versatile as can be seen in Tellie’s tutorial for creating a K-beauty look for glasses with the blk Cosmetics Highlight, Blush, and Contour Palette. I nabbed the limited edition lipsticks released for Anne’s wedding, and like using the two shades for a gradient lip look.

The month of March celebrates Women's Month and many beauty brands held splendid sales to commemorate the occasion. Apart from these treats, there were events for women to come together and feel more empowered, including the BDJ Women’s Summit at Samsung Hall, SM Aura Premier.

Some weeks back, there was a lot of buzz on social media about Nadine Lustre launching her own makeup line with Australian brand BYS. With practically no photos of the actual products and just a few teasers on an Instagram account, all I could back then was stalk the hashtag #LustrousPH and hope for more details before pre-ordering the Limited Lustrous Box Makeup Kit for P2,999. I've been a fan of Nadine since Diary ng Panget and the phenomenal teleserye, On The Wings of Love so it only felt right to add something of hers to my vanity. And so, I slid into Lustrous PH’s DMs.

This isn’t your Lola’s beauty routine! Or is it? When you’re young and getting into kikay things for the first time, you tend to go hard on trends and do a lot of crazy experiments in the name of staying on-point with your beauty game. But once you’ve had the time to find what practices and products work for your skin and your comfort zone, you also develop confidence in your unique approach to beauty! I wanted to know what women of a certain age prefer when it comes to beauty so I reached out to five Lolas to raid their stash! 

When a makeup brand is known for quality products that are easy on the budget, they immediately jump to the top of my must-try list. US-based Palladio Beauty is known for their botanical and vitamin-infused cosmetics, which they've been making since 1985! Their makeup products have a reasonable price point and excellent color choices. And the best news – the brand is now available at Watsons and SM Beauty!

Summer heralds clear warm weather, perfect for activities like beach outings, vacations, and outdoor sports. While we #LovetheSun for all the fun things we can do, Watsons understands that it's important to stay protected. You really can't and shouldn't skip sun protection. Apart from avoiding painful sunburns, long-term skin damage, premature aging, and even the possibility of developing skin cancer offer convincing reasons to pile on the SPF.