One of my major beauty pet peeves is chipped nail polish. I hate seeing it on people, most of all on myself! There are only a few things more shabby than sporting chipped nails. The whole point of a manicure is to, well, look manicured and tattered nail polish makes the point entirely moot. Either you wear it neatly or you don't.

Move over, Japan and South Korea: the newest beauty destination is Taiwan! I’ve been a big fan of Asian Beauty (AB) for a while now, and now the latest trend is moving towards the direction of our northern neighbor. What makes Taiwanese products so exciting is that they offer advanced research, technical expertise, and premium formulations at very reasonable prices, which is obviously a win-win for savvy beauty addicts. Luckily, we needn’t look too far or request for pasabuy to get our dose of Taiwanese Beauty!

Hope you’re all staying warm and dry despite the weather! No matter how dark and dreary it can get outside, you can expect to enjoy all things bright and beautiful in the beauty world. There’s a British invasion that we’re seriously looking forward to, and an “all in one” brow product that promises to bring us closer to kilay perfection. Teen Queen Kathryn Bernardo’s new beauty collab will have beauty lovers of all ages giddy with excitement, and of course we’re drooling over the new lippie shades from Pat McGrath! Are you ready for this?

I started blogging in 2005, 13 years ago, on my first year of college. I wrote about my observations at university, I postured at poetry, and tried to engage in philosophical discourse. If you ever find that blog, please forgive me for I was but a wee young Political Science student who aspired to become a lawyer one day and didn't know better with her provincial pretensions. Nevertheless, back then, I was a "serious" blogger. Imagine how slightly ashamed I was to start Project Vanity in 2008 - a beauty blog. Of all things.

We’re no strangers to the caliber of Ellana Cosmetics, which is why we’re always in the middle of surprised and not surprised when they launch new material. This time, they’re expanding to more complexion products, hitting the sweet spot of quality and accessibility (as usual). We got to test a bunch of new products: from setting powders, to setting sprays, to makeup removers. Plus! New Lip in Luxe shades in new packaging. How do these people do it???

Let’s see how they fare.

Remember back in 2016 when Heart Evangelista-Escudero collaborated with Happy Skin for a limited edition collection? The mini lippies and liners were such a hit that they've relaunched the two bestselling lip liners as full-sized matte lippies!

This is the first time ever that Happy Skin has relaunched a limited edition collection, which goes to show just how amazing these two shades are! And like the other matte lippies of Happy Skin, these new arrivals are packed with Cupuaçu Butter to provide hydration and a bit of sun protection as well. The #HappySkinxLoveMarie Moisturizing Matte Lippie (P649) comes in the shades Heartthrob (deep red) and Skinny Dipping (peachy nude).

Let’s face it: when asked what are the worst things about being a girl, dealing with our monthly period is one of the first things that come to mind. The blood, the cramps, and the PMS we endure for decades is no walk in the park. Thankfully, living in the 21st century gives us more options on how we manage our blood flow. We asked Yna (24), Calacatia (27), and Annette (34), as well as PV girls Gett (24) and Den (34), who have tried different methods to manage their periods to share their experiences.

Nivea is a pioneering skincare brand. Can you believe that their best-selling cream was first introduced way back in 1911? Personally, I have fallen in love with their Facial Cleansing Wipes for those long days where I'm simply too tired for multiple cleansing steps. But here’s exciting news that will #ChangeTheWayYouCleanse: Nivea just launched two new Zero-Alcohol Cleansers with Liza Soberano as the official ambassador!

Even though we know that it's a marketing tactic, celebrity product endorsements are difficult to resist and impossible to avoid! I haven't (yet) given in to getting that gorgeous gold tube of 1946 Red Velvet by Besame Cosmetics that Hayley Atwell wore as Agent Peggy Carter, but that's only because I can't justify adding another lipstick to my collection. The other PV girls listened to their hearts though, and scored these picks because the stars made them buy it!

How much tea can actually be spilt in a week?! Brace yourselves as this week’s roundup gets a little bit more dramatic than usual. We’re talking Jeffree Star coming after Filipina YouTube star Michelle Dy, and Huda Beauty throwing some major shade on a blogger’s skin! But don’t worry because despite the drama there’s a silver lining - we’ve also got some amazing face bases, flowery fragrances, and seriously stylish threads to look forward to. Read on for some tea and treats!

You’d think that celebrities get everything they want, or at least the exact shade of nail polish for their mani-pedi. That wasn’t the case for KC Concepcion, though, that fateful day she got her nails done at the exact same nail salon as Happy Skin co-founder Rissa Mananquil-Trillo. KC wanted a specific shade of coral that she’d previously tried before in Korea but nothing in the salon’s extensive collection even came close as a dupe. After hearing KC’s story and description of the hard-to-find hue, Rissa offered to make it with Happy Skin! Thus, the idea for  #HappySkinxKC Express Gel Polish Collection was born!

Are you the kind of person who hates retouching lipstick during the day? Do you hate the feeling of greasy or waxy lips as you eat your food? If your answer to both questions is yes, then you're in luck with Revlon's Colorstay Overtime Lipcolor (P575). This is designed to be food-proof, water-proof and pretty much resistant to anything you throw at it until you remove it. It's not exactly a new concept (remember the Make Up For Ever Aqua Rouge Waterproof Liquid Lip Color?) but it comes at an affordable price point and lots of shades to choose from.

We here at PV have all the feels for our fave sheet masks. I personally love using them at night, particularly after a very long and challenging day. It’s such a hassle-free and cost-effective way to relax, care for my skin, and have a spa experience right at home! I even gift them to friends and relatives because I feel like it’s something everyone could and should enjoy. When it comes down to it though, is it actually helpful to incorporate sheet masks into your skin care routine?

Beach season may be over, but the desire to stay healthy should be enough motivation to keep your gym sessions consistent. Getting that post-workout glow (whether naturally or via beauty tricks) doesn’t hurt either! And to keep that healthy flush going before, during, and after your exercise session, Clinique Fit is now in the Philippines with seven new products that keep up with that active lifestyle.

The PV community has been a great source of reliable beauty tips and know-how, but once upon a time, we girls didn't have access to good information and didn't know any better! Here are some of the worst skincare advice that we've gotten from well-intentioned but misguided friends, as well as sketchy websites that we should have known better than to trust!

We’re finally getting some sun after a week of rain, and do we have the perfect beauty roundup to further perk up your spirits! We’re talking about Happy Skin Cosmetics bringing back one of their most loved collections (but with a twist) and FENTY Beauty’s heart of... silver? We’ve also got the scoop on Armani’s shade expansion and Estée Lauder’s newest face. Who’s ready for some good vibes? Happy reading!

Whether you’re rocking a full face of makeup or keeping it minimal and natural, sweeping on some blush is always a great way to add a pop of color into any FOTD. We love a cute flush on our cheeks, especially when we get intense color payoff and great staying power at a reasonable price tag. While many may have HG picks from abroad, Filipino beauty brands have been working hard to offer that same awesome quality!

There are so many products swimming in a sea of beauty aisles that it’s easy to get confused, or worse, make a mistake about their usage. Experiencing a bad reaction after combining multiple things in your routine is not unusual but it can be avoided. This is why it’s important to know how to use certain products together by understanding the effects of each one so you can identify what you really need.

We’ve talked about the proper way to layer skincare products before, and the general rule is to apply them on your skin from water-based solutions to oil-based solutions. This can also translate to using thinner skincare products first to thicker ones, or lightest to heaviest. With actives though, things get a little more tricky.

When CanmakePH announced that the Wink Glow Eyes line was now available locally, fellow PV writer Gett and I immediately drew up our wish lists and started planning for our purchase. The liquid eyeshadows placed #2 at the Cosme 2017 Mid-year Awards (Eyeshadow Category) and I wasn’t about to miss out on that. The product promises to be glossy, non-oily, and long-wearing all at the same time. It’s basically all the things I often look for in eye makeup, so I was beyond thrilled to try these new arrivals, plus a couple more products to complete the look!

I have been hearing great things about the Colourette Colourtints from the Project Vanity team and community. Pigmented, blendable, and with strong lasting power – for P249 each, they definitely sound like a steal! Recently, the Colourette team launched new formulations of this cult favorite to be even better. The original Matte shades now have an even richer pigmentation, and they introduced a new Fresh version for fans that prefer a lightweight, my-lips-but-better tint.