Empties! Maybelline foundations, Benefit babies, mascaras

Foundations
These are the only two foundations I've emptied in my life, both by Maybelline. Dream Satin Skin (shade PO3) and Fit Me (shade 235) are both great foundations for those who like medium coverage with a natural finish. Both are super easy to blend in and widely available, so I highly recommend these for those who need an easy, affordable foundation for everyday. Fit Me wears on me better with my combination skin; it's the first time I've repurchased a foundation.

Mascaras
Mascara is something I use nearly everyday, and it's something you must dispose of after 4 months (6 at an absolute stretch), so I go through a lot of tubes. The Cover Girl Super Thick Lash and Make Up Forever Excessive lash do the job okay, but aren't really remarkable for me. I have repurchased variations of the Maybelline Great Lash and L'Oreal Voluminous over the years. Great Lash is great for everyday, while Voluminous creates a longer, more dramatic lash while still looking sleek and feathery, never clumpy.

Benefit Cosmetics
Browvo is a unique product that I used as brow grower, though it is called a conditioning primer. It's a good product, but it's quite pricey for only a few ml, so I won't call it a must-have. Posie Tint is a pretty liquid cheek tint if you have fair skin and just want a touch of pink. Though there are endless cheek tints available on the market now, some of them are just too red or pigmented on pale skin. Posie Tint is great for an oh-so-subtle flush.

Lastly, Nichido Tinted Brow Gel in Ash Blonde. This color was great for me when I had lighter hair. The brush picks up a bit too much product, but nothing you can't manage without a spoolie. A good brow gel you won't feel guilty for using everyday as it only costs around P240 for a tube that will last about 3 months.

Bodyworx Medical Spa: A stylish, personal touch to skin care

Favorite brow products (pencil, powder, gel)

If there are two things I never leave home without, it's my eyebrows. I only started practicing on them around 7 years ago even if I have been playing with makeup for 15+ years, but it's now the beauty ritual I can't leave home without. Here are the best brow products I have used so far to achieve my preferred brow style, which is shaped and defined, but not too bold or dark.

Brow pencils
All of these pencils meet my requirements:
* pigmented
* blendable
* not too soft (very soft or waxy pencils will smear easily, not to mention run out quickly)
* has a spoolie
* comes in my preferred shade of medium to dark brown (nothing warm, too gray, or too red)
* long wearing even with my oily forehead

Pinkies Collections eyebrow pencil (Light Brown) - This pencil is so good I am willing to overlook that I have to sharpen it. Available for P100 in Watsons.

Tony Moly Lovely eyebrow pencil - The sticker has come off so I don't know what shade this is, but this suits me best when my hair is darker. Waterproof and stays on even at the beach. Available for around P300 in Tony Moly stores.

Dearberry Rockcat Girl eyebrow pencil - I hoard this whenever I find it available on ph.althea.kr because it is frequently out of stock. About P130.

Soap & Glory Brow Archery (Brownie Points) - Has a fine tip for added control. Bought for £10 in London.

NYX Cosmetics Micro brow pencil - Also don't know the shade name because it has rubbed off. Ultra-fine tip makes it easy to draw cleaner arches or tiny strokes for feathering in sparse areas. Available online for P350-P550, depending on the seller.

Benefit Cosmetics Goof Proof brow pencil (Shade 3) - Hands down the most kikay pencil of all, with a unique diamond-shaped tip. It is also the most expensive of all in this lineup, at P1,660 for the regular size, so this is really an indulgence or something special for me, not something I use everyday. Benefit has boutiques in Ayala and SM Seaside, and is available online on Zalora and Sephora.

Not pictured is the Etude House brow pencil that I have been buying on and off for years, but everybody already knows that one anyway.

Brow powder / pomade
Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade (Dark Brown) - Still the best if you want brows to last even through surfing. About P1,200 on Sephora.ph.

in2it brow palette - Another one that many of us swear by. I was skeptical when the saleslady told me this would last 3 years, but I have probably had it for that long and still haven't hit pan. About P300 in Watsons and department stores.

Wet n Wild Ultimate Brow Kit (Ash Brown) - Seeing how battered this is, it's obvious how much I use this. The powder is more pigmented than in2it but can go on too harsh if you use too much. I mix two dabs of the darker brown with one dab of the lighter one. You can probably also tell I don't use the wax in this palette.

Brow gel
If I know I'm going to have a particularly long or sweaty day, I use brow gel as a last step for added longevity.

Aritaum Idol brow mascara - Suits me best when my hair is lighter, but I find the spoolie size perfect for quick application. Available on Cebu-based daraholic.com for P260.

Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow (Shade 3) - Has a teeny, tiny spoolie, which means you don't pile on too much product if you have fine hairs, but also means you can carefully build up brows for a bushier look without caking on the product. P1,500 for the full size, though it comes in a mini size and value kits so it comes out cheaper.

Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara (Soft Brown) - The bulbous end is kind of odd because I don't see how this improves application, but this is a good brow gel for everyday since it comes with a lot of product in the tube. Available for about P350 in Maybelline counters, Shopee, and Lazada.

Sunscreens with high sun protection from Nivea, Human Nature, Belo Beauty

The rainy season is drawing near, but many of us are still having end-of-summer escapades, and with our tropical lifestyle, it's easy for us to go to the beach or island hopping on a sunny weekend any time of the year. Before you go out to get sunkissed, check if you might be due for a new sunscreen; sunscreen’s shelf life is only one year, so remember to purchase a new tube or bottle every time summer comes around. Based on experience, sunscreen that is more than a year old is no longer effective; you can coat yourself in it, but the protection will last no more than a few minutes. And yes, everyone needs sunscreen; it is not true that those with darker skin no longer need it.

Whenever I'm at the beach, I spend as much time as possible in the water. I am not afraid of getting a tan, but I am afraid of burning because 1) ouch! and 2) skin damage. Here are a few sunscreens that have worked the best for me for high sun exposure. All products can be found in your local grocery store or pharmacy or can be ordered online, and will not cost a tanned arm and leg. 
Nivea Sun Protect and Moisture Face Cream
This has SPF50 and feels lighter and less sticky compared to Nivea face sunblocks I’ve tried in the past. It absorbed easily and did not leave that comical white cast even when generously applied. I put this to the test when I dared to swim in the beach during the hottest hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. I reapplied halfway through (a must when in the water), and managed to survive with just a red nose and cheeks.


Human Nature Safe Protect Sunscreen
If you plan to go snorkeling in a coral garden, or are conscious about ingredients used in sunscreen, this one is formulated without oxybenzone, octinoxate, benzophenone and other chemicals that can bleach corals. This is a natural sunscreen free of parabens and synthetic fragrances so it’s good for your skin, too. It also comes in a Kids and Babies formula for young or sensitive skin.

Belo Intensive Whitening BB Cream
I use this on days when I expect to be under the sun in the city, or at the beach if my skin isn’t looking particularly even-toned. The texture is a little tacky (sticky), but if in the city, a light dusting of face powder with a brush does wonders. Unlike many BB creams that are too white for most Pinay skin colors, this one adapts to skin. I don’t know if this is really whitening, though; I don’t use it everyday so I can’t conclude.

A version of this post first appeared on print in Sun.Star Cebu on May 10, 2019.