Taking a break is important for physical, mental, and emotional health but when was the last time you were able to disconnect and relax? To be honest, this is a real challenge for me because of how busy and fast-paced life can get! But the truth is: the busier you are, the more important it becomes for you to recharge. Slowing down and resting to take care of yourself also means you can find new energy to do what you have to do without burning out.

I recently went on a trip abroad, and while my skin was totally fine during my travels, all hell broke loose when I arrived back in Manila. My skin suddenly became a flaky mess after days of cold and airplane conditions, and my period arrived and brought hormonal acne with it. I routinely get post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH), so my skin pretty much went from flat and somewhat even-toned, to dry and dotted. Nice one.

It’s never too early to start prepping for Christmas! With December only a couple of months away, now is the perfect time to start planning some rocking holiday #FOTDs to slay those parties with the first wave of holiday drops from Happy Skin and Caronia. Not the partying type? Get to work on those wish lists for your preferred stocking stuffers by brushing up on the cutest launch from Drag Race veteran Kim Chi or scoring Teviant's sophisticated new cheek line. 

The Colourette Velvetints were a hit for me when they first launched in 2018. There were three well-curated shades in a multipurpose formula that’s pigmented, comfortable, blendable, and affordable at P299 - I still have Birthday Cake on regular rotation! Colourette recently added nine more shades to the line with an improved formula and relaunched packaging so I was really excited to try these. Now at P349 each for 3.5ml of product (they used to be 3g), is it worth getting your hands on the new #VeryVelvet Velvetints? 

I’m usually willing to try anything once but one beauty procedure I’ve held back on is lash treatments. I’ve been scared of getting anything done to my lashes because they might damage my eyes and maybe even cause permanent blindness in the worst case scenario. To enhance my eye makeup game, I’ve been making do with a good lash curler and hoarding my fave P600 Japanese mascara. But let’s be honest: no amount of curling or mascara applications will ever result in a look like Sam’s fabulous lashes!

Last September 17, Clinique Philippines mounted this gorgeous event called Pink Oasis in Okada Manila. With it, they re-introduced the Clinique Moisture Surge 72-Hour Auto Replenishing Hydrator (P2650 for 50ml, at Rustans.) The Moisture Surge line has been so successful that several variants have come out, including an Intense variant. I have previously tried the most basic variant, the Moisture Surge, through travel-sized gifts and have always enjoyed the lightweight hydration the gel format brings.

If you check on Instagram, there are 405 million posts for #selfie! I think everyone with a phone camera has taken a one at least once, and it’s totally normal behavior. Maybe you loved your #MOTD or felt particularly #GGSS (Gandang Ganda Sa Sarili) that day. Whatever the reason is, I’m sure you’d want to put your best face forward so you may have tried some photo editing apps. Whether it’s just for color correction, making the photo look more ~aesthetic~, or even change your look up, tinkering with photo apps can be a lot of fun. Some can even completely transform your look. Let’s take a peek at some of the more popular options!