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.

Since I started writing for Project Vanity many years ago, I have learned to adopt a multi-step skincare regimen. There was even a point where I challenged myself to a 10-step Korean routine! And yes, I totally get the sensorial appeal of each luxurious step. But I will always have just as much appreciation for the straightforward but efficient skincare routine. Now after having tried five of Japanese brand BCL’s high-performance products, I have no doubt that they have the simplified skincare routine down pat.

I always have a stash of sheet masks available. There’s a couple in my travel kit because it’s the easiest skincare to bring along, and I always have a few in the fridge to help me cool off on hot days. Sometimes, a cold sheet mask and 15 minutes is just what I need to de-stress.

The clay mask made my already dry skin feel even more dry and tight. It was also very difficult to wash off, so I had to use a damp towel to remove the mask. I later learned that a bentonite clay mask is more apt for use on oily skin, because it’s made from a very absorbent material that is sometimes even used for cat litter. It’s not a bad ingredient, but if you have dry or sensitive skin, there is a better alternative.

Face masks are a great way to get bouncy, plump skin in 10 minutes. They’re like the first aid of skin care: affordable, easy to find in most stores, and quick to give your skin that extra TLC when it needs it. If you’re exhausted and your skin needs a pick-me-up, or you need something to make your skin look better ASAP, slap on a face mask! Even celebrities have been known to put on a face mask to get their skin glowing and red carpet-ready. 

With so many face masks in the market, it’s become daunting to find the best face mask for me. There are just so many options, at different price points, with Western brands catching up on the trend started by Asian brands. I think it’s a welcome development, as we benefit from different beauty philosophies and gain access to a wider array of formulations. I recently had a good experience with Olay’s Power Duo, so I was eager to see what their just-released Magnemasks Infusion face mask sheets could do for my skin.

We’ve reviewed and raved about Kracie Hadabisei All-In-One masks before, so we looked forward to trying their newly-released 3D masks! These new designs promise improved fit and boosted “suppleness” effects, so I took them along to my recent Japan trip to see if they could save my skin from the cold weather.

One of this year’s biggest beauty trends is the approach to skincare as a form of self-care. Following a morning and night routine has become a necessity not just for the physical improvements but for the perceived mental and emotional benefits as well. With so many skincare products available, skincare regimens are not so basic anymore and sheet masks are often the favored “luxury addition” to give skin an extra boost. Thanks to Japanese beauty brand Lululun, a daily sheet masking ritual is definitely doable!

After the boom of clay masks late last year, I thought that sheet masks would soon lose their popularity among skincare enthusiasts. But. I. was. dead. wrong. I’ve noticed so many new sheet masks cropping on up on Watsons’ shelves, and it made me realize that what started as a K-beauty trend has found a permanent spot in our routines. It makes sense though: it’s an easy and often affordable way to indulge in 15 to 20 minutes of pampering and me-time. With so many new variants to choose from though, which one do you start with? I tried out a few so you know what to try for your next self-care sesh!

I’ve taken my oily skin for granted and it has bit me in the backside, hard. I feel like I’m going back to my teenage years with the way my skin is now. While I’m still trying to find the right routine for me, I learned a little bit more about my skin at the Leaders Grand Launch.

At the launch event, one of the activities offered was a skin consultation. I sat opposite the attendant, confident I’d hear the usual feedback. But as the attendee began interpreting the results, I felt my stomach knot up. And it wasn’t the coffee I had downed earlier in the day - it was dread.

While we know Elizabeth Arden mostly for its feminine fragrances (White Tea remains a personal favorite since trying it last year), they’re not one to be left behind on color cosmetics and skincare.

The introduction of the SUPERSTART Skin Renewal Booster has inspired a full-on SUPERSTART collection. This collection features skincare technology that focuses on improving the radiance and appearance of the skin’s topmost layer, the stratum corneum. The line heavily features probiotics, which aims to strengthen skin’s own natural defenses leaving your skin feeling resilient and refreshed.

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!

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?

Fans of Korean skincare are probably very familiar with the sheet mask. This supercharged K-beauty innovation basically acts a concentrated “booster shot” for the skin, delivering a potent dose of active ingredients in the form of a saturated cotton or hydrogel mask. Skincare junkies swear by them, and any pretty unnie worth her salt probably has a preferred brand. Here at PV, our editor-in-chief Liz swears by Leaders, while the other ladies prefer more familiar labels like Etude House, The Face Shop, and Skinfood. Personally, I am solidly #TeamInnisfree.

Or, well, I was. Until a KPop group shook up my life, and my skincare routine.

Sheet masks are like an instant best friend skincare item that’s available whenever and wherever you need them. Tired and want a quick pick-me-upper for your skin? Prepping for a big event and need of an extra boost of moisture? Just feeling the desire for some me-time and TLC for your skin? Put on a refreshing sheet mask! It’s like a spa day for your face tidily wrapped in one small packet, and it doesn’t need to be pricey. Just check out our under-100 pesos picks below!

Face masking junkies know how expensive the, erm, hobby can get. Sure, a 50 to 80-peso sheet mask doesn't sound like a lot of money, but considering that each mask is only good for a single use (unless you know some creative hacks) and if you like to mask more than once a week, the habit becomes quite expensive! That's why I recommend getting monthly mask packs instead. Getting 30+ sheets in one go saves you a lot more money in the long run, plus you get to mask every day or as often as you please. 

A daily sheet masking habit can be good for your skin, especially when preparing for a special occasion. It’s not quite wallet-friendly though, since each individually-packed mask can range from P65 for the Watsons Collagen Face Masks to P248 for a Leaders The Gold 24 Secret Mask. In looking for a cheaper alternative earlier this year, I tried a DIY lotion face mask that cost roughly six pesos: it was that cheap because all you have to buy is the multi-layered cotton pad which you can use with whatever moisturizing toner or Japanese lotion that you already have.

I first fell in love with the facial masks from Origins at their Mask Madness party, where I got to try their best-selling the skin-smoothing Original Skin and pore-cleaning Clear Improvement masks. Both are fantastic wash-off formulas but as I've gotten used to a Korean-type skincare regimen, I wanted a sheet mask that I could apply at the end of my routine and just leave on. My wish came true with the arrival of the Origins Flower Fusion sheet masks!

When it comes to achieving chok chok skin, we've gotten used to expecting Korean beauty products to be the answer. It's not so surprising as K-beauty offers a lot of great picks, but the Japanese are actually the original skincare pros! LuLuLun in particular has been making waves as Japan's favorite sheet mask brand. It consistently receives beauty awards and has sold over 300 million masks since it first launched in 2011.

Considering that most of our fave sheet masks are from Korea and are single use, we were excited by the idea of masking everyday for an entire week. We received two variants to road test: the Classic Moisturizing Face Mask and the Moisture-Enrich Face Mask.