One of the most popular terms right now is “vegan.” Research says that it’s because of people being more aware and concerned about the animals. I mean, you don’t have to be an animal rights activist to be disturbed by whatever is going on in many animal testing laboratories.

But what does vegan really mean? And how are vegan products different from cruelty-free ones?

Vegan products do not contain any animal products or animal-derived ingredients such as beeswax, lanolin, collagen, cholesterol, gelatin, among many others.

Burn is a hustling single mom and has worked in the wonderful world of advertising for five years. She loves the concept of clean beauty. During her spare time, Burn listens to podcasts about life, literature, and other worldly things all while doing chores.

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Creating the perfect winged eyeliner can seem like a pretty daunting task, but don’t let that stop you; liners can smell your fear! As with anything, regular practice is truly the key in perfecting the feline flick, but that’s not to say that there aren’t methods you could learn to speed up the process. Here are a few tips that I’ve personally learned over the years to help evolve my messy little squiggles into a full cat eye.

TIP #1: LEARN YOUR EYE SHAPE AND WHAT STYLES LOOK BEST WITH IT.

Just like contouring, much of how we apply the product is all up to our natural shape. If you’ve ever drawn eyeliner that seemed too awkward, too tilted, or too long, chances are that you’re trying to recreate a look you’ve seen on someone else, rather than trying to flatter your own unique eye shape. Take time to experiment to see which style you like looks best on you specifically! Makeup.com gives a wonderful rundown on identifying your shape and which styles suit it best, so read it here if you need a guide.

TIP #2: CHOOSE YOUR FIGHTER APPROPRIATELY: PENCIL VS. LIQUID VS. GEL

The eyeliner style you want to achieve largely depends on what medium you have. For example, eyeliner pencils may not be the best for making dramatic wings as they are softer in texture, not as opaque, and tend to round out at the tip; this makes them perfect for creating a smudged effect, tight lining, and running down the lower lash line. Of all the mediums, this is perhaps the most beginner-friendly, but I would use this only for filling in the water lines or for smoking out into an eyeshadow.

Gel liners, on the other hand, come in a pot and a small brush. This type of liner takes a little bit more of a practiced hand, as they are creamier in consistency compared to a liquid liner and may smudge up as it needs a little time to set into place. However, these are also wonderful at creating bold matte lines that will not budge for anyone or anything. I wouldn’t recommend this for beginners, but if you’re looking to get graphic, use gel.

TIP #3: DITCH THE INSTAGRAM HACKS.

Now, this one is entirely a personal preference. While it’s true that hacks such as spoons, tape, business cards, and the like can be helpful, I wouldn’t recommend it for regular use. For one thing, they may not always be available (unless you like carrying around a spoon in your makeup kit!) and may even take more time to use, as you will most likely need to fix up uneven lines. Plus, they might even move your makeup if you have base underneath!

They can function well as training wheels, but I found that free-handing your liner then suffering the consequences later really helps train your hand to get used to the motion faster—the best teacher is self-induced fear of failure! 

However, if you find it more comfortable to use these hacks, then do as you please! Makeup has no rules, after all.

TIP #4: GET READY, GET STEADY, THEN GO.

Just because I like to free-hand doesn’t mean I just go in willy-nilly. There are three things I like to do to get ready for making my wing.

Chin up and half blink. Do you know how Instagram baddies do that sultry hooded eye look for selfies? Yeah, do that. By doing this, you’re forcing yourself to look down into the mirror instead of directly at it, making the surface area of your lid smoother. This lets your liner glide on with more precision, as it doesn’t snag onto any creases or folds.

Support the elbows by placing them onto a table. Of course, after you’re used to doing your eyeliner, you will eventually grow out of this habit, but by placing your elbows firmly onto a steady surface, you’re lessening the probability of shake and unwanted movement. This allows you to restrict your movement only to your wrists, as opposed to your entire arm. 

Anchor using pinky or palm. A useful tip, especially for making the tail, is using your pinky/palm as an anchor point and pivoting around it, rather than moving your entire arm. This gives you added support for a steadier hand!

TIP #5:  MAKE YOUR WING FROM THE OUTSIDE-IN.

Again, this is highly reliant on a person’s dexterity and preference, but I find that creating a wing from the tail then connecting it to the inner corner is much easier than trying to finesse it outwards. This is because as we move the liner from the inner corner out, there’s tendency to push down the fatter portion of the pen tip (for reference, I exclusively use liquid liner pens, so the same may not ring true for gel brushes) as we reach the tail, causing the lines to get fatter and more rounded.

To do this outside-in method, take your liner to the edge of your lower lash line. Follow its natural upward tilt and line it out using light pressure on the very tip of your liner. Then, to create a sharp tail, release the tip gently in a small flick, causing the line to get thinner. Then, flip your hand horizontally and, from the middle of your line, connect it diagonally towards the middle of your upper lash line. Fill in the hollow triangle you just formed, then tight line all the way to your inner corner to give you a smooth, gradually formed wing.

TIP #6: KNOW WHERE TO HOLD THE PEN!

TIP #7: DON’T FORGET TO TIGHT LINE AND APPLY MASCARA!

By lining your upper lash line and filling in the empty space, your look not only becomes cleaner and more put together, but you also give the illusion of an elongated almond shape. Then, by making sure you coat both the upper and lower lash lines, you pull the whole look together!

BONUS: SOME LINERS I SWEAR BY

Julia Benito

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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Depending on my mood, I just grab the shade I feel like wearing for the day and dab a little on the apples of my cheeks. If I want a monochromatic ensemble, then I also blend some on my lids!

Here below are just a few makeup looks I’ve put together using the four different Cloud Paints I own:

CLOUD PAINT IN DAWN

When I started my makeup journey, I veered away from anything orange. I thought it wouldn’t suit my fair yet warm skin tone. But to my surprise, after playing around with Paprika’s Matte and Shimmer Eyeshadow Palette and pairing it with Glossier’s Cloud Paint in Dawn, it became one of my favorite go-to looks! Orange has become my new obsession.

CLOUD PAINT IN STORM

This particular shade gives the perfect “drunk blush” kind of look. Aside from blending some on my cheeks, I love running my pointer finger (with a bit of the remaining product) on the bridge of my nose. I once lent it to a morena friend, and the color looked so gorgeous on her! Out of all the Cloud Paint shades, I think Storm suits the most skin tones.

CLOUD PAINT IN HAZE

I bought this shade first, because I loved the natural pink flush it gave without looking too bright. If I wanted to use more of my pink eyeshadows, Haze was the perfect complement to the whole look.

CLOUD PAINT IN BEAM

My favorite shade of all—and definitely the most used! I carry it with me everywhere that the prints on the tube have faded slightly already. I just love how the color of this gives me a beautiful yet subtle sun-kissed glow that instantly adds life to my look. On lazy days where I don’t feel like wearing makeup but have a meeting to attend, I just brush up my brows with Glossier’s Boy Brow in Brown then dab on their Cloud Paint in Beam on my cheeks. It’s a makeup look I can do in less than five minutes!

Written By:

Gretchen Gatan

MANAGING EDITOR

Gretchen is a writer, makeup artist, and the beauty and lifestyle blogger behind www.gretasjunkyard.com. Her love for beauty all started when she discovered the wonders of doing her brows with a good eyebrow pen. Despite her girly ways and obsession with skin care, she loves watching wrestling and gets competitive while playing Ultimate Frisbee.

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It’s a well-known fact that as we age, our bodies produce less collagen. Because collagen makes up one-third of the protein in the human body, having less collagen production makes our skin lose its strength and elasticity the older we get—but all is not lost! Collagen production can be stimulated in a lot of ways, one being the regular intake of collagen supplements. Luckily for me, TruLife has just the stuff right here on Calyxta!

For its convenience, long-term benefits, and my own personal need to keep my hair and skin in its 20s for as long as possible, I had to get my hands on it! Read on to see the variants you can try, how it performed, and if I would buy it again.

THE VARIANTS

P 1,400

This supplement drink has one of the highest collagen content in the market! Because of this, it helps to slow the aging process, repairs the skin structure, and locks in moisture for firmer, more youthful skin!

THE PERFORMANCE

Typically, these supplements are meant to be taken daily for around 7 to 10 days to have visible effects. Having only brought home 5 bottles, I had low expectations. I’ve seen reviews online claiming to have seen effects immediately the morning after, and true to those claims, I noticed a very slight (emphasis on SLIGHT) difference. My acne remained the same and my scarring was untouched, but I did seem to have a little more life in my complexion—though I wouldn’t discount the possibility of it being placebo. As for my hair, I hadn’t noticed a difference in appearance or texture at all. What I didn’t expect was the extra energy I had in the morning, since I always have the hardest time getting out of bed.

However, after finishing the 5 bottles I took home, I was a little underwhelmed. My skin didn’t look very different from when I started, but that was to be expected; for these types of beauty products, it needs a few weeks of continuous use to see more obvious results.

THE VERDICT

To be honest, I would want to try this again—as well as the other variants–once I have the budget for them. Because a week’s worth of collagen drinks would equate to P1,400, you do need to have the money set aside specifically for this purpose if you want to sustain the effects for a longer period. I didn’t experience any adverse effects throughout the five days of use and was able to see a very small effect, so I’m hopeful that with longer use, I’d be able to see a bigger difference!

Have you tried these collagen supplements from Trulife? Let us know what you think!

Written by:

Julia Benito

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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With so many new matte lippies out on the market, it can be hard to narrow down your choices to one that ticks off all your boxes. Personally, I’m pretty picky with my lipsticks since I find that its quality can make or break a whole makeup look. I always have to check if its smudge-proof and long-lasting—to ensure looking put together the entire day.

Today, I decided to give the Ellana Mineral Cosmetics Lip in Luxe Matte Liquid Lipstick a test run. My day was going to be packed with events, so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to give this baby a try.

Here’s how it fared.

My apprehension with using matte lippies has always been how drying most of them can be. It irks me to no end when a fresh makeup look seems dried up because of cracked lips. Thankfully, the Ellana Mineral Cosmetics Lip in Luxe Matte Liquid Lipstick was on the more moisturizing side of the spectrum, and I experienced no difficulty wearing it throughout the day.

 OVERALL RATING

Like all makeup products, lipstick is a form of expression. As a nude lover myself, the shade wasn’t for me, but for a more vibrant kind of gal, this would be absolutely stunning. The color does fade after a few hours, so this could be a pro for people like me, but a con for those with an affinity for lighter shades. On a total plus side, it’s not uncomfortably sticky at all! It feels very light on the lips and far from chalky. So rest assured, this is very comfortable even for everyday use. Just make sure to re-apply every few hours, and you’re good to go!

Written By:
Frances Beltran
BEAUTY CONTRIBUTOR
Frances Beltran is a fashion and lifestyle blogger at alphabelles.com, who specializes in styling unconventional and affordable outfits. If she’s not meddling with her glue gun for some crafty DIY, then she’s probably trying to create the perfect flatlay for her Instagram.

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I’ve always been a fan of Project Vanity, so when they announced the release of In Her Element, I was beyond excited. It was immediately on my long, long list of products to try, and since I like finishing every ounce of skin care I buy (it hurts too much to throw anything away), I’ve only managed to get my claws on it now—a year after its release! Luckily for me, my previous toner had been running low (for reference, it was the Pyunkang Yul Mist Toner that I’m also high-key obsessed with), which meant I had the perfect excuse to spoil myself!

WHAT IT CLAIMS

WHAT I THINK

Before I get into the effects, I’d first like to commend In Her Element for its wonderful packaging. Beautiful floral patterns aside, I absolutely adore the push-top component this toner comes in, as it makes dispensing onto a cotton pad infinitely easier. This is the first toner in this packaging that I’ve tried, as they usually come in either regular pump bottles or mist sprays, and I love the innovation so much! The formula itself is very watery, making it absorb quickly into the skin and easy to layer underneath your serums and moisturizer.

Since I have an oily T-zone, I really appreciate that because it’s so lightweight, this product doesn’t feel heavy nor clogs up my pores. As for its “petal skin” effect, I do notice that my oils are less obtrusive—albeit present, but less—with a lovely brightness that I wouldn’t really liken to whitening per se. Its brightening effect is more of an “inner glow,” so for those suffering with chronic  zombie-like dullness like me because of environmental damage and dehydration, I really think you’d enjoy this.

Upon application, I do feel that my skin had become much smoother! I’ve recently been waking up to softer skin, and while I do still have some scarring on my cheeks, I’ve noticed that the pimples that have appeared in the duration of my usage (around 2 weeks so far!) have faded much more gracefully than the ones prior. As for the scarring before my usage, I do notice a slight lightening effect, though definitely not anything groundbreaking just yet. I do have faith, however, since I’ve barely made it to half the bottle as of now. Overall, I do feel like my complexion has been much, much healthier lately! I’ve been using it twice a day, and I’m loving how it’s treating my skin. I haven’t experienced any adverse effects, and while I do still get acne, I’d attribute that more to the fact that I’ve been sleeping much later than usual, drinking a lot more coffee, and drinking a lot less water—I know! ¡Qué horror!

FINAL VERDICT

If you were to ask me if this product is worth trying, I would answer with a resounding, “Yes!” There is nothing about this product that I disliked, but always take the usual precautions with trying new skin care; ALWAYS check the ingredients list if you have allergies, patch test, and watch carefully of any irritation. But for those that are hiyang to rose like I am, then by all means, do yourselves a favor and add this (and maybe a second bottle, because I’m honestly thinking of hoarding) to your carts STAT!

Written by:

Julia Benito

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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This 2019, we’ve seen the K-Beauty trend roll in, make its nest, and mark its territory all over the world of beauty even harder than ever before. With each passing month, we at Calyxta discover more and more K-Beauty faves that easily make it to our top shelves; one particular new find that I’ve been dying to review is the Jumiso Have a Good Cream Snail and Centella moisturizer.

Being one of the newer Korean skin care brands to come through our doors, I was immediately curious; with such cute packaging and product names, how could I not be? Without further ado, let’s get into this review!

As someone whose had some trouble keeping acne at bay due to poor life choices (pro tip: do NOT #yolo every weekend and then fall asleep with makeup on—I’m begging you!) and lightening old marks, my skin care-hoarding talons immediately popped out when I read the ingredients list. For those wanting a quick scan, here you go!

Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Squalane, Centella Asiatica Extract, Bacillus Ferment, 1,2-Hexanediol, Oicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Oliyate, Dimethicone, Tre-halose, Arachidyl Alcohol, Sorbitan Oliyate, Arginine, Carbomer, CyclopentaslIoxane, Panthenol, Ca-prylyl Glycol, Behenyl Alcohol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polysilicone-I I, Arachidyl Glucoside, Ethylhex-ylglycerin, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Allantoin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Menthe Haplocalix Extract, Snail Secretion Filtrate, Menthyl Lactate, Disodium EOTA, Backhousia Citriodora Leaf Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Asiaticoside, Madecassic acid, Asiatic acid, Be-ta-Glucan

While it’s too tedious to go through each ingredient, I would still like to talk about some things that stand out. The Have a Good Cream highlights two ingredients that I love to the moon and back: snail secretion filtrate and centella asiatica, which are both ingredients that are known for soothing irritation and repairing the skin. Snail secretion is naturally rich in hyaluronic acid, which is a wonderous humectant that draws and holds water to keep the skin hydrated. This moisturizer contains 1.05% centella asiatica extract (which is much higher than expected, as the average amount needed for this ingredient to be effective in any skin care product is 0.1%), which works wonders for redness and fighting acne.

While those two are the main protagonists, other notable ingredients are the humectants such as glycerin, butylene glycol, sodium hyaluronate, and panthenol. These ingredients work by attracting water to the surface of the skin while keeping the lower layers hydrated, giving your skin a bouncier appearance. The cream also contains arginine and squalane, which help protect your skin and slow down signs of aging.

Its main claim to fame is its hydrating and repairing effects (as said on the packaging). While I cannot attest too much on how well it repairs pre-existing acne marks, I do notice that my skin is consistently smooth on weeks I top my full nightly regimen with this cream. With each use, I wake up with plump skin that appears livelier and healthier! I’ve noticed a big change in my skin quality over the two months I’ve used it, though I wouldn’t say it alleviated my pimple problem for good. As I mentioned earlier, my poor lifestyle choices win the skin battle hands down—BUT this cream does a good job in helping me bounce back. If you’re the type to enjoy lighter moisturizers like me as opposed to more heavy-duty creams, then I highly recommend this product. You get 50g full of goodness, which lasts much longer than it looks since it spreads so easily that you don’t need to apply too much to get a full face of hydration.

Would I repurchase? Absolutely. Now—add these bad boys to your cart before I buy out all the stocks!

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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As a child who survived puberty blemish-free, I thought I was invincible. I spent my younger years (“younger years,” says the twenty-three-year-old!) coasting through nights of homework and parties using only the cheapest and, frankly, most ineffective cleansers my allowance-based student wallet could afford. I wouldn’t even follow up with toner or moisturizer—que horror! Now that I’m older, wiser, and in dire need of a better skin care routine, I’m just realizing how much work it takes to regain the prepubescent smoothness that I’d always taken for granted.

I’ve cycled through skin care that just couldn’t give me the results I needed. My combination skin made it difficult choosing products that would both quell the oil slick that was my T-zone while moisturizing the expanses of the Sahara desert on my forehead and chin, all while making sure I kept acne at bay. Add that to the fact that my daily commutes, work stress, (and lack of a love life) made my skin extra sensitive—one wrong move and I’d wake up with a new volcano ready to erupt. Needless to say, I get stressed, sis!

Enter: The Soothing and Calming Essential Skincare Set by SKIN by John Robert Powers!

As a big fan of their lippies, I had high hopes for their skin care line, especially since they’re said to be effective for both combination skin and sensitive skin. Perfect for my late puberty! Their Soothing and Calming Essential Skincare Set comes with the following: Brightening and Moisturizing Facial Wash, Hydrating Toner, Soothing Day Cream with SPF, and Rejuvenating Night Cream.

All of the products are packaged with a similar white-and-pink print with the text “Balance is Beauty. Confidence is Key” writing across—a cute little reminder to start and end the day! Overall, the containers seem sturdy enough, with the creams encased in thick plastic tubs that come with a plastic lid once opened for hygienic purposes. All products have the ingredients, directions for use, and descriptions listed on the back of their respective boxes, so read up!

With the Brightening and Moisturizing Facial Wash, you get a load of great ingredients—notably, the inclusion of hydrolyzed milk protein, allantoin, and niacinamide. Both hydrolyzed milk protein and allantoin are wonderful ingredients for giving your skin that extra hug of hydration and locking in moisture without irritating sensitive skin. Alongside these ingredients is niacinamide (a Calyxta Crew fave!), which helps even out skin texture, improve the appearance of large pores, fight acne, and repair signs of damage such as acne scarring and other environmental damages to the skin’s natural barrier.

Upon use, I noticed that the product doesn’t foam. Instead, you’re treated with a pleasantly thick and milky consistency that leaves the skin feeling soothed and supple. My skin felt silky upon rinsing without the stripping “freshly-dishwashed” feeling that some stronger cleansers tend to have. This product, as well as the other products in the line, contains a little bit of fragrance though. While not an unpleasant scent at all, please use with caution if your skin is hyper-sensitive to products with fragrance.

Putting on heavy creams in the morning was never my cup of tea. Luckily, SKIN by John Robert Powers brings us a day cream that is light, quickly absorbed, and easy to wear throughout the day! Because it’s so light, there’s no need to worry about feeling like you have too much product on if you layer makeup on top of it. It also contains SPF 15 PA++ that protects the skin from harmful rays of the sun and environmental aggressors, all while providing your skin a refreshing boost of moisture. Like the toner, this cream contains mulberry extract, tea tree extract, and hydrogenated castor oil, but has sodium hyaluronate as well that helps the skin retain moisture.

Written by:

Julia Benito

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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The year 2019 finds us busier than ever. With our time being torn between working our butts off to pay bills, making time for friends and loved ones, pursuing personal passions, and trying—yet failing miserably—to keep a gym routine, it gets hard squeezing in time to relax! That’s why when I was offered to review a device that was said to give you the same diamond peel experience at home, I was more than willing to do it. After all, watching reruns of Brooklyn Nine-Nine in my pajamas while giving myself a facial sounded way too good to pass up—no doubt, no doubt!

Enter: Aesthetique Solution’s Revitalize Microdermabrasion Device. With a name like that, it’s easy to be intimidated, but don’t let it scare you! Beneath its posh chrome exterior, LED screen, and removable doodads lies a straightforward and easy-to-use face-and-body exfoliator that gently treats the skin using tiny exfoliating crystals. Now, with all the skincare products we put on our faces, physical exfoliation seems quite unnecessary, right? Wrong! While piling on skincare is all well and good, having physical exfoliation not only de-clogs pores and removes dry skin, but also prevents in-grown hair, fades dark spots, helps heal blemishes, and promotes blood circulation. Read up on my thoughts on the device below!

WHAT YOU GET:

Opening the box, you get the following: 1) the Revitalize Microdermabrasion Device body, 2) the charging port (with the charging cable), 3) two (2x) exfoliator tips for varied surface area coverage, 4) extra filters, and 5) a cleaning brush. There is also a manual, so don’t forget to read up before use!

HOW TO USE:

To be honest, I thought it’d be much harder to use. This was, after all, my first encounter with a home-facial device in my entire twenty-two years of existence! Upon reading the manual, however, I realized it was quite simple.

After charging the device, placing a filter on your desired tip, and screwing the tip in, you can choose between two settings—automatic and manual.

The automatic setting has timing presets recommended per section of your face, while the manual setting just keeps the device running so you can estimate the duration you’d like for yourself! It also comes in three (3) levels—each one gradually intensifying the suctioning effect for a deeper exfoliation. But don’t just go straight into it! Be sure to wash your face first! Also, keep in mind that you are not supposed to use the device too quickly and are supposed to glide it across your skin in one direction only to avoid irritating your skin.

Much like a traditional diamond peel, it suctions away dead skin that leaves a little bit of redness, but don’t be alarmed! It’s absolutely normal, and goes away quickly. As long as you don’t focus too hard on one spot for too long, you shouldn’t have any issues with irritation or bruising. Wouldn’t want a hickey on the middle of your face, would you?

WHAT I THINK:

There’s a bit of a learning curve in terms of figuring out how to hold the device to your face, as the exfoliator tips are not slanted, but once you get the hand of it, it’s easy! You may have to gently hold your skin taut in some areas to help the device glide better, but that’s not a big problem. I personally prefer using the manual setting, as I feel like the time presets on the automatic setting were too quick—I felt so pressured every time it beeped! I wanted a more intensive exfoliation, so I set it to manual and upped the level to 2. It was much better after that! An episode of Netflix and one facial exfoliation later, I felt so smooth! It was able to suck up the parts of my skin that were flaking and noticed that some bumps from healing acne marks were smoothened. It wasn’t the most visibly obvious right away, but I woke up the next morning with a bit more color and life on my skin! I also felt that my makeup looked much smoother. I even got a compliment from a co-worker! Yay!

It isn’t a magical genie that miraculously gives you Kardashian-grade skin in one use, but with continued use once a week, I feel like this device could really help even out skin texture and brighten dull skin. It leans on the pricey side, but seeing as the parts only need to be replaced after around 5 to 6 months (aside from the filters that need to be thrown out after every use), it seems like a good investment!

For those with no time (or don’t want to exert the effort to get out of bed—guilty!) to get a regular facial, I’d definitely recommend this product.

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

When it comes to makeup styles and preferences, you’ll notice that each of the Calyxta Crew differs from one another. Some of us love going for peachy nudes, while some prefer just swiping on a bold lip and leaving the rest of her face bare; meanwhile, others are experts at doing a variety of trendy and K-inspired looks. However, despite our differences, we can all agree on one thing—our love for lipstick! Lipstick is the one thing that unites us all, and if you’re curious to find out our top lipstick picks under P500 from Calyxta, check them out below!

“I’ve always loved Pink Sugar’s HD Lipstick in Butter. I first discovered it two years ago when I was looking through Calyxta’s wide selection of lipstick brands, and it just so happened that it was also my first time to be introduced to Pink Sugar. The creamy formulation of their HD Lipstick is so comfortable, and it keeps my normally dry lips hydrated. I don’t even need to apply lip balm anymore! Plus, the Butter shade is a perfect nude hue for everyday wear, and goes super well with my staple peachy looks. If I want something a little darker, then Maybelline’s Superstay Matte Ink in Versatile is my other option!”

– Gretchen Gatan, Managing Editor

“I’m in love with the Maybelline Superstay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick! It is really affordable, and has outstanding quality. I’m amazed because it proved to be long-lasting and smudge-proof. My personal favorite is the nude shade, Seductress. It perfectly matches my morena skin tone, and it’s a good choice for everyday use. This is the first time I used up a tube! I also got to try another shade named Founder. It’s plum in color, and it helps give a sophisticated look—perfect for date nights and fun parties with friends.”

– Anne Concepcion, Administrative and Technical Assistant

“I’m really lazy when it comes to putting on makeup, so I love easy-to-work-with and fuss-free products for daily use. For everyday wear, I use the Leiania House Of Beauty Organic H20 Kissed Lipcheek Stain in Peach Nectar. I like that it’s pigmented and it’s not that hard to apply. Just be careful not to apply too much. If I want to be a little extra, my ultimate go-to is Maybelline’s Superstay Matte Ink in Ruler. I love this particular shade of red—it gives you the right ‘oomph’ especially on days when you need a pick-me-up. Its long-lasting power is perfect for lazy girls like me who hate retouching or reapplying lipstick on a busy day.”

– Mabel Masangkay, Marketing Manager

“I’m more of a lip tint person and one of my newest holy grail lip products is the Painted Cosmetics Moisturizing Lip Serum with Gold Flakes. It’s a 3-in-1 product. I use it as a lip balm to hydrate my lips, as a lip tint because it gives your lips a sheer pink hue, and as a gloss because it gives such a juicy sheen when applied more generously. However, on days that I feel like wearing a liquid lipstick, I instantly reach for the Milani Amore Matte Lip Crème in the shade Honey because it’s the perfect MLBB—it’s almost the exact shade of my natural lips! And then I just dab a pink or berry shade (depending on my mood) on the center of my lips—in this case, the same Milani Liquid Lip in the shade Allure—to liven up my lips with a bit of an ombre.”

– Shawn Landayan, Multimedia Artist

“These days, I feel myself reaching for the Skin by John Robert Powers in Coral Dream for that daily flush of color! It may transfer easily, as it’s not a matte lippie, but it’s very moisturizing, pigmented, and comfortable to wear—plus it has sunscreen! Another new fave are the liquid lipsticks from local brand, Chihuahua Cosmetics. For such an affordable price and teeny packaging, the pigment really packs a punch! It dries down matte, but isn’t flaky and doesn’t cling to dry spots.”

– Julia Benito, Content Marketing Associate

Written By:

Gretchen Gatan

MANAGING EDITOR

Gretchen is a writer, makeup artist, and the beauty and lifestyle blogger behind www.gretasjunkyard.com. Her love for beauty all started when she discovered the wonders of doing her brows with a good eyebrow pen. Despite her girly ways and obsession with skin care, she loves watching wrestling and gets competitive while playing Ultimate Frisbee.

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Rain or shine, we at the Calyxta HQ will always, always tell you to never forget to apply your sunblock. It’s probably the gravest of all skin care sins, and if you’re not convinced, read more about why you should be wearing sunblock everyday here.

As someone who has been applying sunblock everyday since I was 12 or 13 years old (I have both my mother and my dermatologist to thank for educating and influencing me that early), I must have encountered dozens of sunblock brands before finding those that made it to my list of favorites. These are usually the ones that are lightweight, non-greasy, and don’t leave a white cast on my face.

“When I read that it was a gel type, I immediately expected it to have a thick and clear consistency. But upon squeezing out the product, it actually had a milkier appearance! It was easy to spread all over my face (as compared to a cream sunblock), and it dried easily. I reapplied again in the middle of the day, and I like that my usually oily face wasn’t shiny at all (some sunblock brands tend to make my face shine, which I hate!)—it just had a nice, healthy glow. Another thing I like about the product? The citrus smell! It’s quite addicting and makes applying it a lot more fun.”

– Anne Concepcion, Administrative and Technical Assistant

“If you’ve ever seen me in person, you’d know I wear makeup daily. I don’t like stepping out of my house without it—my natural zombie skin would never allow me to! That being said, I needed sun protection that was good to wear under layers of product, and Face Republic’s sun gel did not disappoint. While I would say the consistency is thicker than the sun protection I’m used to, it leaves the skin feeling hydrated. Because of how thick it is, I didn’t feel the need to use a moisturizer. I would actually advise against it, as it does lean a bit on the heavy side. Other than that, it created a good base for my makeup, has a pleasantly non-abrasive scent, and didn’t leave a white cast, which are always pluses in my book. A word of advice: it really needs to be worked into the skin. Don’t just slap it on and call it a day! It ends up feeling like it’s sitting on top of your skin. Really massage it in and use the warmth of your fingers to help it absorb better.”

– Alec Alquiroz, Intern

“My initial impression of Face Republic’s Super Screen Sun Gel was that it would just be like any regular sunscreen out there—sticky and all. However, when it came to actually trying the product, it felt runny, and not as sticky on my palms. Upon putting it on my face, I felt like I shouldn’t have put my moisturizer anymore. Unlike regular sunscreen, I noticed that it didn’t leave any white specks or feel too sticky, but instead left a nice highlight, and made my face glow.”

Written By:
Gretchen Gatan
Managing Editor

Gretchen is a writer, makeup artist, and the beauty and lifestyle blogger behind Greta’s Junkyard. Her love for beauty all started when she discovered the wonders of doing her brows with a good eyebrow pen. Despite her girly ways and obsession with skin care, she loves watching wrestling and gets competitive while playing Ultimate Frisbee.

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Ever Tried A Watermelon-Strawberry Wax?

Was Lay Bare your rite of passage to waxing? Well, it was to me (and probably to those of you who belong in my age group!). There weren’t a lot of waxing salons back then, after all, but because it’s perennially summer here (we love our shorts and sleeveless tops, and we’re more often than not escaping to the beach), Manila was soon introduced to other forms of hair removal: hot wax, lasers, et cetera.

I was invited to try the new Silk by Lay Bare at Uptown in BGC, and was curious to know how different it was from the normal Lay Bare. Soon, I learned that their waxes are new and infused with fruity flavors! There’s the cocoa-coffee wax that targets skin imperfections like cellulite, the watermelon-strawberry wax that’s recommended for sensitive skin, and there’s the cucumber-pandan wax, which is used to eliminate ingrown hair.

As with my feelings, my skin is sensitive so I was recommended to try the watermelon-strawberry wax. I tried it on my underarms and while the waxing specialist, Ella, was on the procedure, I asked her about what was so special about it. She quickly explained the different benefits (which I have listed above) and throughout our kwentuhan, I honestly forgot she was actually waxing my underarms.

I was amazed. Ella even recommended that I try the eyebrow procedure and the Brazilian wax. Unfortunately, my brows are too sparse, but I was super curious to try the Brazilian—especially when she’s promising a painless procedure! So I did.

Written By:

Patti Sunio aka Tita Pacita

BEAUTY CONTRIBUTOR

Tita Pacita of www.titapacita.com is a lifestyle, culture, and fashion & beauty writer from Manila. With her wisdom and almost thirty years of life experience, she likes to share what she knows and give unsolicited advice, true to her Tita ways. Her makeup choices are primarily based on instinct, and, believe it or not, K-Beauty.

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My lashes are usually sensitive to products, so much that I can immediately feel its not-so-good effects from first use. I am also one who is guilty of rubbing my eyes thoughtlessly—forgetting that I put makeup on, and often, this habit is what tells me whether or not my eye products are good.

At worst, I’d feel a stinging in my eyes, it would turn red, and I’d need to wash it with water until it’s no longer irritated. Sometimes, I just know it’s not good for me when it clumps my lashes, or when the formula itself easily gets sticky and goopy! Eeep.

Recently, I was asked to try La Localita’s Lash Express Eyelash Enhancer, and truth be told, I was excited to try it, especially after hearing that it’s infused with ingredients that will help my lashes grow!

So in the past weeks, I’ve been trying to alternate it with my regular mascara to see the difference. The good news is, it didn’t irritate my eyes! Despite the eye-rubbing, I did not experience any itchiness and I also noticed less eyelash fall.

And since I was too focused on whether or not the formula would cause irritation to my eyes, I actually forgot that it’s supposed to be lengthening. I only realized it when I went off to run errands and just curled my lashes without applying any mascara. That’s when I realized that my lashes appear to look fuller and longer and I super love it!

Written By:

Patti Sunio aka Tita Pacita

BEAUTY CONTRIBUTOR

Tita Pacita of www.titapacita.com is a lifestyle, culture, and fashion & beauty writer from Manila. With her wisdom and almost thirty years of life experience, she likes to share what she knows and give unsolicited advice, true to her Tita ways. Her makeup choices are primarily based on instinct, and, believe it or not, K-Beauty.