Last November’s Palawan trip was the most “different” packing mindset I’ve had in YEARS. For so long, I’d barely pack anything for makeup, because I think I’d be red from the heat anyway. So blush was out. My skin is okay anyway, so foundation is optional. And it’s only really my eyebrows that make me look sickly, so I used to pack just that.

Highlighter

But this time around, I KNOW BETTER. And I really wanted to experiment with highlighters on the beach. It’s the best time to wear them, as the sun is always super bright and a ‘lit’ look goes well with scene! I brought the Ofra Cosmetics Glow Up Palette (PHP 2370, Glamourbox.ph) and it was the beeeeest decision ever. Ofra highlighters pack a punch and I enjoyed trying different colors and undertones to see what’s wearable for me. Star Island (white) looked great as a glass skin cheat. I loved it on my nose bridge and on top of my cheek bones to fake a glass skin effect. Blissful (rose) I sometimes lay over blush for emphasis and a really, really burnt feel – sunburnt skin is a bit shiny. Rodeo Drive (gold) was too warm for my face, and it was too shiny to make do as bronzer. I still don’t know what to make of the multi-color Beverly Hills pan. Won’t that just come out muddy?

Still, this experiment was a huge success, and I feel like wearing highlighter all the time now. I’ve always loved highlighter but making it work on the beach encourages me to use it more often in my everyday life?!

Blush

Anyway, another makeup revelation for me is that BLUSH IS LIFE, so I added cream blushes and gel-based blushes to my kit for a long-wearing feel. Technically, powder blushes should last longer when you know you’re going to be sweating, but I hate using powder in humid areas. It just feels nasty!

My top picks from my stash are Pixi Beauty Multibalm in Baby Petal (PHP 695 / 5.5g). I was surprised to re-read that this was my favorite shade when I first tried it. I haven’t used these balm sticks in a while and I forgot that it was my first fave! I also brought the Kanebo Mono Blush in 01 Peach Pink (PHP 1920 / 4.8g) which was the first time I really got to using it regularly. I hate that I was indifferent about it for so long -  I totally love this product! Picking it up from the jar, it has a very entertaining jelly texture, which feathers out elegantly once dabbed on the cheeks. It feels like it should pill and clump, but it doesn’t, and I feel like it’s impossible to overdo this blush. FURTHERMORE, it has light gold shimmer which, when hit by the sun, is just a dream. Mental note to review this separately. I also have the Ellana Lip and Cheek Gel in Ruby (PHP 399 / 15ml* item in photo is a holiday release which is not 15ml!). I enjoyed this the least because I had such a hard time blending it out. It is a bit watery and I get hard edges even when I blend the product out.

Kilay

Can’t forget the eyebrows as well. Though my top 2 beach makeup were dark horses, eyebrow makeup will always obviously have a place in my beach kit. I normally go for peel off tints as a surefire way of keeping my brows on through the swimming, but I ran out of K Palette and so I did with shu uemura Brow Ink in Ash Brown. It’s not a peel off tint, but rather, a plain liquid brow ink. I’ve relied on this for years whenever I needed waterproof or 24-bour brows. I’m not saying it’s bullet-proof; I still do take care not to wet them nor rub too much. But they do last longer compared to any pencil or powder in my collection.

Other essentials

I have The Saem Cover Perfection Tip Concealer in 1.25 (PHP 350 / 6.8g) as my full coverage concealer and foundation. One dip of the wand is enough to cover my extreme bags, acne scars and even out my whole face. And because it’s so full coverage, I can get away with a thin layer of product, so it feels super lightweight and doesn’t cake in the humidity. I set this with the Holika Holika Gudetama Oil Pact, which is really more cute than effective.

During evening affairs, I kicked up my look a little with the Banila Co Eyecrush Circle Volume Mascara (PHP 745 / 5g), and the Labiotte Wine Eyeshadow Palette.

I wanted to get away with not using brushes for this trip, but my planned experimentation with highlighters wouldn’t really succeed without them. I used the super compact-for-its-size, 9-brushes-worth Charm Essentials Livin A Charmed Life (PHP 1599) dual-ended vegan brushes. The kit has 4 dual ended brushes and a lip brush, which folds up pretty tightly in a pink sushi rollup.

For fragrance, I have the Aerin Waterlily Sun (PHP 1700 / 8ml) which never fails to get compliments. It’s not really overpowering, but it does have a pretty unique scent which sticks to people. It’s also a pretty nice travel size!