Activities that require creativity and coordination have never been part of my strong suit so I like to joke that the fact that I can do makeup is a miracle.

When I first started creating content, I really wanted to be more creative with the makeup looks I would share but I was so intimidated and scared to make a horrible look. I stayed in my safe zone of soft glam during my first two years as a content creator.

What does it take to be on top after 21 years in the beauty industry? Celebrity makeup artist - although she stubbornly says that she doesn’t even think of herself that way - Effie Go Iñigo has some answers. She does famous (and often controversial faces) like Toni Gonzaga, Derek Ramsay, and Sofia Andres to name a few. I sat down with her over coffee and she shared some stories about how she built her 21-year career, what she did to get over huge transitions in the industry, how she coped with the pandemic, plus her absolute favorite things.

I’ve ignored TikTok for so long because I’m old (34 is ancient over there) and frankly didn’t easily understand it. I thought it was only for people who enjoyed sharing their dance moves (of which I have approximately zero in both appreciation and execution) and making funny dubs of random sounds. But I had to figure out TikTok for work, so I went on a soul-searching journey to try and divine the true meaning of the top social app in the world.

I learned a lot about La Collection Privée when I visited the Dior Flagship Boutique last month. I knew about Dior’s makeup line and fragrances - tried quite a few of them, loved everything so far - but I didn’t know that they have a couture beauty line. This one is more for serious beauty fans and collectors. They gifted me with a couple of items from the line (lucky me) so of course I had to share my thoughts!

In the late 1990s, I discovered makeup reviews, looks, and trends from newspapers and magazines. Over time, you could see the shift from print to blogs and social media. The key opinion leaders used to be newspaper or magazine columnists, but that changed with the rise of bloggers and content creators.

I wanted to take my love for makeup to the next level by taking a makeup artistry course. Formal makeup training felt like I had to learn about makeup again. I noticed the differences between learning through makeup school and online, and here’s a few that you might find useful. Let’s go!

Identity is a strange thing. It’s never static, ever evolving, and most of the time there are few physical manifestations that a person is not the same as you found them last. I’d like to think that I changed considerably since 2020. There is a rewiring of my internal circuitry, new parts added, old parts broken down and taken out. I try to keep an inventory but I am a complex machine and it’s impossible to know everything about myself.

You know the popular saying, spend money on experiences and not things? Dior’s Flagship Boutique in the Philippines challenges that adage. Their new space in Greenbelt 5 spanning 165 square meters is all about giving you the full experience of being part of the Dior universe. I’ve been to a few beauty stores but I am stunned by how much detail and love the Dior team put in creating this store.

When menstrual cups started showing up more and more in the Philippines, I rejoiced. I liked the idea of a more eco-friendly alternative to the pads I’ve used since puberty. Unfortunately, I didn't have the best experience in finding the right fit and ended up a little traumatized. So no judgment here if you really wanted to give The Cup a try, but it just wasn't for you. The next best thing is an alternative to the alternative: fully biodegradable pads!

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.

It’s graduation season! I have fond memories for this time of the year. My Lola used to bring me to Baclaran a few weeks before graduation to look for a new dress to wear to the ceremony. She was so proud of me - I was always an honor student - so she wanted me to have something nice when I walked up the stage to get my diploma. I think this went on from elementary to high school!

It’s been a while since then, but I’d like to share some graduation dress recos from my favorite plate to shop for clothes online - Zalora!

We all have our go-to shopping platforms, right? What I noticed is that we visit different e-commerce websites based on what we’re looking for. There’s a place we go to for appliances, a place for cheap abubots, and then a place for more high-quality items we KNOW will be authentic. That last one for me is Zalora.

I take a few pills every single day for my maintenance medication, so believe me when I say that I prefer my vitamins to be more interesting than the bitter tablets I have no choice but to take. I love gummy vitamins because I can pretend they’re just candy while still getting the benefits! I love fruit flavors too.

Wellspring Gummy Vitamins is the newest player in town and they’re now available in Watsons. There are five variants available. Let’s check them out!

Global superstar singer and rapper and Blackpink member Lisa has recently collaborated with MAC, launching her first-ever full MAC collection featuring her favorite products. Inspired by what Lisa loves most and with hues designed by Lisa herself, this limited-edition collection is the superstar’s most personal collaboration yet.

Do you have products that you always just buy without fail every time you run out? These are your ol’ reliables, the ones that you can’t quite live properly without. They’re more than just holy grails at this point; they’re already sewn into the fabric of your life! Beauty products come and go through my desk but these five have proven themselves indispensable over the years.

Are you feeling demotivated and less confident these days? You’re not alone. I think some of it has to do with how everything felt so normal in December - there were gatherings with family and friends, and we felt like our old self again - but January dashed that feeling on the rocks. Many got sick and isolated at home, and the outside world felt like we’re in the first couple of months of the pandemic. Again, like a bad B-movie on loop. Anyone would be wrecked; I know I am.

Fragrances are more than just objects we use to smell good. Scent is infused in our memories, and bring them back as clearly as the day we experienced them. No one understands this better than Filipino perfumer Renato Lopena Jr. His passion for scent runs in the family, and he brings his own unique art form to life through his bespoke perfume brand Wren Atelier.

The language we use to speak shapes the world we inhabit. It’s what we use to tell stories about ourselves and other people, the most basic building blocks with which we build the Self. Words have so much power over us; often we don’t even notice this, but to be aware of how words shape, heal, and destroy helps us take some of that power back for ourselves.

The beauty industry for instance is mired in a lot of harmful language that we don’t even think twice about using.

Our ever-evolving relationship with beauty will mark a new milestone in 2022. The pandemic has caused a massive shift in what we expect from our beauty and personal care products, as well as the roles that they play in our lives. What we used to take for granted - for example, the definition of “pretty” - may well already be out of touch.

I’ve been a beauty insider for almost 14 years now. I noticed throughout the years that relevant products are relevant NOT because they’re good, well-priced, or particularly useful. The ideas that power their use determines what actually makes them “trendy”. Here are three trends that I think will define 2022!

Ahh, 2021, what a crazy year it’s been! It’s tough for sure but there are moments of hope and beauty to be found in between, don’t you think? I want to congratulate you for surviving and for being brave in persevering towards your goals, no matter how big or how small. What you’ve done this year is no inconsequential thing - you know how hard the struggle was, but I hope you remember what you’ve achieved as well. Just putting on your skincare and makeup is an act of defiance. It’s you telling the world, “You will see me, and you will listen.”

And so, it’s 2022 in just a few days, and we’d like to end the year by celebrating the best beauty products that the Project Vanity Community has tried in 2021. The Community has spoken and here’s what you absolutely need to try (if you haven’t yet)! Did your faves make it to the list?

Are you looking for makeup inspo? Well then, you’ve come to the right place! Celebrate the holidays in glamorous style with my handpicked looks from some of the people I follow. These are easy to do at home with products you might already have. Let’s go!