There’s been an explosion of facial skincare products these past two years, but our body care options have been a little neglected, no? The skin on the rest of our bodies isn’t as sensitive or as thin as our facial skin but they still benefit from a lot of love! There’s a ton of brightening products out there but today let’s focus on a nourishing line.

How do you feel about having gold in your daily skin care routine? Pure Culture is a fairly new local vegan and clean beauty brand with products that aim to strengthen the skin’s microbiome while using sustainable, locally-sourced active ingredients in the process. It’s the first Filipino beauty brand that is Safe Cosmetics Australia-certified. I got to try both their Bulgarian Rose serum and moisturizer, and here’s my quick review!

I don’t rave about skincare lightly. As someone who develops skincare products for a living, it’s easy for me to filter out what works and what doesn’t. I like to say that a quick ingredients check should tell us everything we need to know if something works or not! Most of the time, how good a product is isn’t determined by fancy formulations, but the quality and concentration of the ingredients used.

You may have heard of the latest Pili Ani release from the Beauty News Roundup last May 10. This local brand is one I keep my eye on as I’ve previously tried some of their products with positive results so I’m quite excited to try out their new ones.

By the time I had saved up enough to make the purchase, the era of Foreo had already begun. The more hygienic and softer silicone material is gentler on the skin than the defunct sonic brush brand’s nylon bristles. And what’s more, the brush head doesn’t require regular replacement. It turns out that the delay was a blessing. As of today, I am already a proud owner of two Foreo cleansing devices! I have just tested their latest entry-level release, the Foreo Luna Play Smart 2 (P5,280 via Sephora.ph, Lazada, and Foreo), so let’s see how it compares.

Kiehl’s fans rejoiced in 2020 when the brand finally launched their LazMall Store to provide greater online access to Kiehl's products from the comfort of our homes. They featured curated sets from celebrities then but I also shared my personal favorites as I have quite a few from the brand.

The year, Kiehl's topped in Lazada for the Super Brand Opening and their Super Brand Day in 2021. For this year's Super Brand Day on May 25, Kiehl’s has lined up pretty exciting things for us!

Having scars may deal a blow to our self-confidence, but think of it as our skin getting stronger after every challenge. After all, the formation of scars is a natural part of our skin’s healing process! They can result from accidents, injury, burns, surgery, acne and illness.

Depending on the severity, age, and location of the scar, there are several options to fade them away. If the wound is not too serious and it’s still fresh, the best way to keep it from scarring as much as it would when left alone is to be proactive while the wound is newly healed.

I've always kept myself updated on new Happy Skin releases, be it skincare or makeup. Two of their recent ones really piqued my interest: a sunscreen primer and a tinted moisturizer. I know I need both but realistically speaking, how will they fare in my daily routine? These can be used separately or together, so let's see.

I need to preface this post by saying that I am currently recovering from a bad sunburn on my back. I don’t even remember the last time I was sunburned in any way! I think I would have still been a kid the last time something like this happened. But I have to take the blame on this one. Sunscreen is meant to be re-applied every three hours, more often if you’re getting some serious sun exposure. I was having so much fun that the veteran beauty editor in me forgot all about it! So yes, DO NOT forget.

Have you heard about NACIFIC? It’s a K-beauty brand that’s been quietly getting a strong following recently. It stands for Naturalistic, Affordable, Clean, Innovative, Fresh, Iconic, and Caring. Their approach is a trendy minimalist aesthetic coupled with formulations that spotlight nature-derived healthy ingredients to relax the skin. It is an inclusive brand, because each product line targets specific skin concerns. There’s the Fresh Cica Plus (acne care/anti-inflammatory), Pink AHA/BHA (exfoliating), and Blackhead All Kill (pore refining) to name a few. But their all-time bestsellers are still the OG Fresh Herb Origin line and their brightening Phyto Niacin line!

I was a malikot kid growing up, always running around and getting into all sorts of accidents. From scraping my knee, breaking my arm, to getting my head bashed on a wall by an overzealous cousin, I’ve had the kind of childhood that was possible only because we didn’t have Internet at home yet. You’d think my skin would be covered in scars, but I only have a few discreet ones thanks to my mom’s favorite wound cream: Terramycin.

I used to think of acne as a punishment for me not being careful enough with my skin, not being more mindful of what I expose it to. But overtime I realized it’s just a natural function of skin to let me know what’s not working out in my routine. Often it’s also because of my hormones or stress, which I can’t do too much about. I’ve accepted it as a part of myself - not a flaw, but a built-in feature that I don’t have to hate.

I was shopping in Landers BGC when I spotted the E45 Cream (P575 for 350 grams) on the shelves. I’ve not heard of it before, but looking at the claims in the front and ingredients in the back immediately convinced me to try it. I’ve been suffering from dry skin on my hands and feet, and needed something that can fix the issue fast. Normal heavy creams and lotions aren’t doing it for me as I always wash my hands and neglect my feet.

I am of the opinion that facial oils are severely underrated. They can feel so… extra - and, therefore, not for everybody. Since they’re primarily occlusive in nature, oils work best when they’re not just used as a one-and-done skincare step. Rather, they best function as a final moisture “sealant” to go over your serum and moisturizer. That’s why some might feel that they’re excessive.

Remember the Dermaction sunscreen I reviewed last March? I ended up finishing the tube! It’s a really good formula that I especially enjoyed at the beach since it’s water-resistant. Dermaction is actually popular for their sunscreen line, but did you know that they have other products as well? Let’s explore everything!

Picture this: The year was 2016. Bold brows, matte foundation, and really matte lips were all the rage. Of course, I was into it - and there’s nothing wrong with that, except for the fact that I did not really care about skincare.

Yes, this self-confessed skincare addict used to be someone who cared more about hiding her imperfections than taking care of her skin.

I’m fiercely loyal to my sunscreen so it’s a cosmic shift for me to switch sunscreens, after pretty much using the same thing for eight years. I do try and love other sunscreens of course, but I keep coming back to Biore. You all know this. And yet a couple of months ago this changed.

I’ve actually tried Anessa sunscreen even before it arrived in the Philippines. It’s touted as the #1 sunscreen brand in Japan!

Do you ever see products and think, wait, this looks a lot like this other one that came before it? It’s becoming more and more common as supply chains become global. The good news for us here in the Philippines is that our local brands are truly world-class and highly competitive, with brands like Hello Glow (under Ever Bilena) investing heavily in their product development. I love that they have their ears on the ground and commit to making products that can go toe-to-toe with other global brands.

Have you started your holiday shopping already? If not, then you might want to consider looking at previous beauty roundup articles for ideas. After all, it’s nice to give someone a product that’s fresh on the market. Now, if you need more ideas, then here are more beauty releases to choose from!