I recently went on a cross-region Japan trip with my two best friends, and had the time of my life exploring new cities. But what would a Japan trip be without invading my fave beauty stores? We’ve previously mapped where we get our beauty fix in Tokyo in the first version of this article, but there’s still so much to see! This guide lists more stores that you’re sure to find in most cities - be it all the way in Sapporo, or all the way down in Fukuoka.

Depression and anxiety have always been present in my life. Early on, I thought it was simply an overreaction to circumstances. I was too vulnerable, I wore my heart on my sleeve - not realizing that the chemical imbalance in my brain constantly leads to such destructive thoughts. It comes in waves: constant overanalyzing, insomnia, panic attacks, restrictive food intake, and procrastination. When it gets really bad, I find it difficult to do any kind of productive activity, even something as simple as getting out of bed. I’ve had to consider therapy and counseling, and self-care through makeup and skincare has played an important part of how I manage my condition.

Celebrity makeup lines are a dime-a-dozen these days. And while the next actress/singer/influencer to announce a collab or launch their own brand might not be so surprising anymore, the intrigue is still there. What passes a star’s standard of quality? How do they curate a collection? How involved are they really in the development process? Only one way to find out!

Having extremely oily skin with a lot of skin concerns, finding the best skin care products for my particular needs has been a challenge. I’d like to have bright, smooth and glowing skin with less visible pores but the best facial treatments often cost a pretty penny. That’s why I was intrigued by the claims of Olay’s Power Duo, which aims to help achieve all my concerns using the White Radiance Light Perfecting Essence (P1,299 for 30ml) and the Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream (P1,899 for 50g), at a price that’s not too heavy on the pocket.

Thank goodness it’s the weekend! Finally, another work week is over and we can now sit back in our jammies, sip some coffee, and get our beauty fix on! This V-week we’ve got the lowdown on Urban Decay’s newest NAKED palette (it’s beautiful), Too Faced’s skincare line, Beauty Bar’s big sale (who’s ready to shop?!), and a couple of new celebrity beauty lines in the works.

When I first stumbled across Face Republic on my social media feeds, I thought I was looking at Nature Republic and Innisfree. My initial confusion came from the similar names and branding, but after reading more about this new player, I learned that it offers the unique premise of creating Korean skincare products that have been specially designed for Filipino skin. The brand’s CEO Yohan Kim explains that the temperate climate in Korea means that their skincare products are designed for drier weather, so formulations can feel too heavy and greasy on Pinays.

I stalk Colourette’s releases like a hawk. It began with their Kolorete release in August 2018 (Buwan ng Wika for our less informed friends), and while I was not always a fan of their packaging and branding, I was in awe of how they just got the pulse of their consumers. I recently just accepted that red is my color and was (yet again) thrilled by Colourette’s timing. Three gorgeous reds, Cupid (a warm tone), Beau (a vamp), and Arrow (a berry) are available just in time for V-day! These Colourette Supramatte Liq’Lacquers are P349 each, or P899 for the set.

Yesterday I was at the mall with my partner James when we passed through a flower bazaar. Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day and, being ever practical, he told me to pick a bouquet I like so we can have it delivered. I’ve always loved his Valentine’s flowers but I’ve struggled with preserving them properly. At the showcase yesterday, there were beautiful freeze-dried roses that came in a box. “Those would be such pretty home accents!” said my equally practical self. But the price tags were mildly shocking. Some cost as much as P14,000 a box!

Recently, Sunnies Face released their third product: the Lifebrow duo consisting of a retractable skinny pencil and a grooming gel. The promotional photos were truly gorgeous, but what hooked me was the smallness of the grooming gel’s brush, which is not something we see in the market that often. I thought the price was right, and there was no store queue at the UP Town Center branch, so I went to buy them as soon as they launched.

For many Filipinas, this particular body part has been the focus of many insecurities. From color and texture, to the presence of hair or odor, maintaining “nice” underarms is something that we’ve admittedly obsessed over at some point of our beauty-loving lives. We’re more aware about not needing to conform to traditional standards for beauty now, but that doesn’t mean we’ll stop caring about our kili-kili completely! It still needs proper care and maintenance for basic hygiene, so I’ve put together a guide to tackle every pit concern. Let’s go!

Brace yourselves because this week’s roundup has got a whole lotta love! With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, the beauty world is buzzing with hearts, shades of pinks and reds, and more than enough love to go around! We’re dishing the deets on blk’s adorable heart mirrors, Sunnies Face’s browtiful new product, and YSL’s product answer to a misunderstanding that’s been going on for years. Happy reading! XOXO

Once upon a time, as a stupid and impressionable young girl, I almost poured boiling hot oil on my head.

It was no accident. When my mother was out of the house, I heated some cooking oil in a pan to pour over my head. You see I’ve been watching these commercials about shampoo with a “hot oil” effect, promising to straighten out curly hair to produce this ultra smooth, ultra straight hair. I wanted to be the beautiful model with the swishy mane that’s so straight a comb just glides down from it! It’s so different from my own voluminous head of wavy, almost curly hair. That was the year I started to intensely hate my hair and the rest of what I looked like. I wanted to change it, so I was going to try this “hot oil” and it was going to look amazing.

I first encountered the brand Esfolio a couple of years when I was given a bunch of their sheet masks as pasalubong from Korea. After using a couple of masks that I felt lukewarm about and knowing that the brand wasn't available locally, it slipped to the back of my mind.

Fast forward to 2018, Esfolio arrived at our shores and the local beauty community was abuzz with talk about their affordable but quality products. This brought back those old memories, and so I decided to find out more about why people are raving about Esfolio.

Reading Tellie’s generational beauty brand guide struck me a lot because I saw how effective the Korean marketing strategy was on me. I used to like wandering around The Face Shop when I was younger, and desperately wanted to get that ink lippie that Suzy Bae was endorsing at the time. Now, I feel like I’ve graduated with her and have come a long way to a rosy, Lancome lippie-wearing path.

But I guess we never really outgrow our “bias”. If Frankie has BTS and Stacie has Seventeen, Gett has GOT7!

Hello, brown people of the Philippines! I know. I know the culture loves our tisay sisters, but I also know we’re headed towards a beautiful, bronzy future where brown (and dark!) people are also appreciated. Anyway, if you want to be in the forefront (wow) with me and have been yearning for products that cater to your coloring, then this list is for you. I’ve tried around twenty plus highlighters and reviewed fourteen of the best products for morenas so you have something for every purpose and price point.

When I first got into acids, I immediately zeroed in on the BHA-based products because of my oily, acne-prone skin. But over time and after using products like the In Her Element Glow Job, I’ve learned my skin can benefit from AHAs, too. Glycolic acid is the most commonly used AHA for both professional and at-home treatments alike because it quickly delivers visible results. If you haven’t tried it yet, read on to know more about why you should add glycolic acid into your skincare routine.

Is it February already? Let’s welcome the love month with your weekly dose of all things beauty! This week’s roundup has the scoop on NikkieTutorials’ newest gig (don’t worry, she’s still on YouTube), the return of one of our fave Japanese brands (yes, we’re freaking out, too), and how Glossier and Hourglass are upping their complexion games. Who’s ready? Dive in!

If earning more income is one of your New Year resolutions, you may want to consider getting into online selling. Sure, it’s a small operation compared to the likes of Sephora PH and BeautyMNL, but it’s proven to be a lucrative one. Shoppers still appreciate having a trusted suki who can give recos and address issues at a personal level, and it’s easier to give feedback on what products they’d like to see next! But, how to start? We got in touch with two popular online sellers whose shops we’ve frequented and trust.

Since discovering the wonders of hydrating toners, my skin has actually become quite normal compared to its previously dry and dull state. I love how they’re so easy to apply and feel lightweight on my skin, so I can move on to the next step much faster. The truth is, I often just slap several layers of toner on rather than apply moisturizer after because I’m lazy like that. Since the weather has become a bit chilly, I find that I now need to apply moisturizer again. I’m so used to my easy cleanser-acid-toner routine though, so I’ve been trying to look for ways to get back to it without sacrificing hydration.

Setting powders and finishing powders - is there actually a difference between the two, or are they just fancy marketing words to make you buy more product? The answer is actually a resounding “yes”! There is a difference between the two but some brands may use the terms interchangeably, so it’s understandably a bit difficult to figure out which is which. Setting powders and finishing powders can be both in loose or in pressed form, can be white-colored or tinted, and typically offer little to no coverage at all. The difference is in how they are used.