What makes a luxe lipstick worth the splurge? With so many great options at the drugstore, the pressure is on for more expensive bullets to hit the mark. More than just pretty packaging and brand prestige, the formula ought to be mind-blowingly good.

If you're looking to purchase your first high-end lippie or a new addition to your collection, you need to check out the Estée Lauder Pure Color Love Lipstick (P1,275)! At an exclusive lipstick party, the brand launched 25 new lipsticks in four different finishes – ultra mattes, shimmer pearls, cooled chromes, and edgy crèmes. The PV team got right to swatching and playing with all of the shades, which are designed to be mixed and layered on for fun, new combinations.

As a PV girl who tries to be a smart spender, I almost never buy any products without looking for and extensively reading reviews about it first. It sucks to waste money on a dud product! However, there are times when no one seems to be talking about the product or brand I'm interested in and I have to go in blind to test them on my own. It's a shame because there are a lot of great brands that people don't know about simply because you don't see them on blogs or beauty websites. So today, we're sharing our favorite underrated brands and why you should consider checking them out! 

Pinays used to steer clear of applying any kind of oil on their faces. With the often hot and sticky weather plus oily skin being a common beauty concern, using facial oils didn't really make much sense! As more beauty gurus started including oils in their skincare routines and mixing them with their foundations though, that perception has definitely shifted to seeing oils in a more favorable light.

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.

Despite my obsession with skincare, I've only had two actual facial treatments (complete with pricking) in my entire life. The first time was way back in high school, before I had any appreciation for the kind of effort you actually need to make for achieving and maintaining good skin. It was pricey for my student budget and I didn't see any improvements after, so I didn't feel encouraged to try it again.

Recently though, I was invited by O2 Laser Skin Center to try out their signature service: a Korean Facial Therapy! As images of Korean actors and pop stars flooded my head, I wondered how different the procedure would be from the usual treatments you can get at mall facial centers. Would it give me that coveted chok chok complexion?

If you have wavy, fine hair like mine then you know the infinite and often rather literal pain of detangling it while it's still wet. That's why the Wet Brush - a brush designed specifically for detangling wet hair - was such a game changer for me when I first tried it two years ago. It's been in my dresser ever since! I even got a smaller version for my tennis bag so I can brush my hair in peace after working out.

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!