I wish I could talk more people into trying menstrual cups. They’ve made my periods considerably easier to manage and more comfortable, hands down! I do understand that the idea of using one can seem daunting, and that you probably have a lot of questions. Let’s try to answer some of those Qs then! 

New Year resolutions often focus on adapting healthier habits, particularly a renewed vigor for exercise. While you can technically start that wellness kick anytime, there’s extra motivation for getting your body moving after all the holiday feasts, and before beach season starts! As Angela shared in her article, exercising regularly is one of the more difficult habits to build. I should know: I’ve been there! But I’ve also worked through that funk to finally go to the gym regularly for almost two years now, so if you’re struggling to stick to your fitness goals, I’m sharing my own story in the hope that it inspires you to stay on track.

It’s been three years since I switched to using a menstrual cup, and it has made getting my period so much more bearable. I no longer need to worry about my napkin leaking or paranoid about getting toxic shock syndrome (TSS) from my tampon. Using a cup is so much more comfortable than the other two options since there are no strings or thick paddings to deal with! And it does make me feel better knowing that menstrual cups are a more environment-friendly option for dealing with my monthly period.

I don’t know about you, but I have been so eager to move into the new year! 2019 was a tiring and difficult year that culminated in a breakup of a long relationship, and I felt like the start of a new decade would help to bring about a refreshing change. But as anyone who has ever made a New Year resolution knows, changing one’s self is often a slow and gradual process. It’s a little easier when you start with a few small and simple changes, so why not give yourself a makeover?

2020 is not just a new year, it’s also the beginning of a new decade! It’s amazing to realize that in the past ten years, topics that were once deemed taboo are now part of regular conversation. One that is particularly important to PV is taking care of our mental health.

We’ve previously tackled issues like coping with depression and anxiety, and we hope to do more related features. But let’s begin with something that concerns everyone: improving your own mental health as a vital part of your self-care

One of my favorite parts of the holiday is shopping for presents, and as a PV girl, I love giving gifts of beauty and wellness. Because I’m pregnant, I have to be extra careful of the products I use. I’ve also become extra sensitive to the scent of a lot of commercial brands so I’ve had to make a lot of changes to my routine. Zenutrients was one of the first brands I turned to for their naturally-derived ingredients and non-synthetic fragrances. And it looks like I will be gifting them this Christmas, too!

Growing up in a conservative environment, I wasn't taught much about my body. All I knew about breasts were that they start to grow when a woman hits puberty, that you should wear a bra when they do, and that they were a food source for babies. There were no other explanations or discussions, so I had a lot of unanswered questions when I began to notice the changes in my body. No one was willing to talk to me because boobs were and often still are treated as a taboo topic in the Philippines.

With Philippine summer in full swing, temperatures are steadily rising. PAGASA says that it can reach a scathing 38 degrees Celsius this April, so the PV team is scrambling to find ways to keep ourselves looking and smelling fresh despite the crazy heat. Apart from swapping our daily makeup for waterproof options, we’re especially conscious about super sweaty armpits! I’ve already shared our  secret for totally odor-free underarms, but is it possible to stop them from perspiring as well?

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.

It’s so easy to take health for granted. I’ve never been hospitalized my life so far, so I tend to be careless about taking good care of myself. However, I do try to be self-aware and pay attention to any changes in my body.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and though the month has already passed, getting checked is something that women should do regularly. Self-examination only takes up a little bit of time, but can make a huge difference in helping to detect breast cancer. Recently I went to the Avon Pink Minute event in the Quezon Memorial Circle where they gathered breast cancer survivors and other members of their community to raise breast cancer awareness.

Living your best life and being your best self can be interpreted in a number of ways. If your definition includes striving for constant self-improvement on the health and wellness front, you’re in good company. General Nutrition Centers, aka GNC Philippines, is also on the move to becoming bigger, better, and stronger to match their stores in Singapore, Malaysia, and Taiwan.

When beauty lovers obsess over the face, hair, and nails, it’s easy to forget that body care isn’t always as simple as soap and water. Proper TLC is a must in maintaining healthy skin all over, with activities like full-body exfoliation sessions to regularly slathering on lotions. Sometimes, it can even mean nipping fungal infections in the bud, and being honest about the need to address this kind of issue is the first step to regaining flawless skin.

When we posted about our tita-purse must haves, a lot of our readers shared that they tote around pain and stress relievers, too. Medicines, soothing balms, liniments, essential oils, and even bandages are now part of our purse essentials! To be honest, I wasn’t very surprised; it seems like we all deal with stress and pain on the daily. We may associate pain relievers with the elderly but the reality is any weekday warrior in the metro can do with some stress relief.

Enter Danarra, aromatherapy oils that combine the cooling sensation of a soothing balm with refreshing therapeutic scents! It comes in six variants: Classic Menthol (Destress), Green Tea (Clear Mind), Lavender (Relaxing Sleep), Young (Cool & Fresh), Flowery Citrus (Energy Giving), and Sport (Mood Booster).

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.

How your skin looks is often a reflection of your inner health, but sometimes it can be quite a challenge to be in perfect shape. Chalk it up to the stress from work, exposure to pollution, the convenience of fast food, or busy schedules that take time away from sleep and exercise. Living a healthier lifestyle, whether for beauty purposes or not, should be our common goal, of course. There are no shortcuts for getting healthy but can beauty supplements help to improve the state of your skin?