Criselda's sells a lot of perfumes and scents…read more Coming from the escalator in Shoppesville, you'll spot this shop right away. It's filled from floor to ceiling with different perfumes, colored bottles and some bins of vitamins. To save time and also so that you don't buy out the entire store, know before hand what perfume you want to buy. Better if you know the name, know how the bottle looks like and are kind of familiar with the scent. Don't be afraid to ask for a discount especially if you're buying a lot of perfume. The last time I bought perfume from this shop, Miss Guada helped me choose. I hope she's still there. Ask for her just in case.

Hortaleza is a household name for people who work in the salon industry and women who are in a…read moreparticular budget when it comes to "kakikayan". It's a one-stop shop dedicated to affordable prettification. The first big reason to go here is if you'd like to purchase cheaper hair dyes and dyeing tools for DIY hair colouring. They have such a large and inexpensive collection of colours and brands. If you're looking for unconventional colours, I've seen purple, pink, and blue dyes here. Bleach can be bought inexpensively bought here as well. Though it's worth noting that if you are conscious and particular about excessive use of chemicals (which I am, a bit, and avoid animal testing) and are looking for more 'natural, organic' hair dye options, this won't be your place. The second reason to go here for is their wide selection of nail polish and nail cleaning tools. You'll go crazy with the colors and they're inexpensive to averagely-priced. Though personally I would not purchase make-up here as I'm afraid of the quality and ingredients. Also, they have a key duplication service! I had my keys duplicated here and they worked perfectly!

Thank God for places like Hortaleza! They've made it possible for anyone regardless of their…read moreeconomic standing to take care of themselves. I used to come here a lot back in college. I was living on a meager allowance and I couldn't afford to go to a salon. During that time, my friends had allowances that resembled pay checks while I on the other hand was living on P120 a day but I didn't let it stop me from trying to look good. So what I'd do is take a tricycle to Hortaleza and buy things like nail polish, bleach, hot oil and tweezers haha. Sometimes, I would buy hair dye and bring it to a cheap salon and pay just for labor. Being broke teaches you to be resourceful and my main source for beauty during those days are all from this place.

It used to be so hard to get Nars Cosmetics here in Manila because they had no stand-alone store…read more When I saw that one was finally built in Glorietta 4, I was so happy! Finding a good matte lipstick that doesn't cake and dry up after just a few hours was quite a personal frustration. When I finally found it in Nars, I was so relieved. I really swear by their matte lipsticks. My personal count for their line of lipsticks is now at 5! And it looks like it's not stopping anytime soon, especially since they are finally available locally.

Even when you're a few feet away from the store, you already know you're there-- your olfactory…read moresystems are going haywire because of the sheer mix of scents in the air. Was that raspberry? Lavender? Green tea? Coffee? All of them, would be the correct answer! I used to just ignore Lush while walking around MOA, because really, anything that smells that much might not be too good... but recently, I've been seeing these bath bombs around Tumblr and decided to give them a try-- and where else would they have it but in Lush? The staff at this branch are very helpful, and don't really offer you too much so that you're overwhelmed (and I dislike stores that try to sell as much as possible). They answered all my queries about the bath bombs and I finally got home to try out two of their scents. Let me tell you know that I've never experienced anything as magical as a lush bath bomb. (A trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is about the only one that tops it. And then again, that's Harry Potter.) As soon as I dropped the bomb in the water, I was treated to a sight of dizzying colors as the bomb spun out glitters and stars, coloring the waters blue, pink and yellow-- reminiscent of the starry night sky (as what it says on the tin). Believe me when I say that the moment I soaked into the tub, I've never felt more than a space-fairy-princess-out to conquer the world-- just as soon as I finish this lovely bath with melting exfoliating stars!

I LOVE LUSH!!! I usually go to their Glorietta branch because it's where my favorites are always…read moreavailable. You gotta try their amazing soaps and bath bombs to products like Buffy, Ro's Argan, Rub Rub Rub, Ocean Salt and their solid shampoo bars. It's a bit on the expensive side for bath products but believe me, you'll love it!!! Btw, they're temporarily located at 158 Designer Blvd. The staff in the MOA branch are very accommodating and helpful. Just don't be intimidated and ask questions so that they'll be able to guide you better.

This is where you get Mannequins! (Hello, captain obvious). But wait, there's more: Did you know…read morethat starting 3000 pesos, you can have your own wig custom-made here? I've had one done, because back when I actually was into cosplay, I had a wig made here, for a character whose hair I cannot find any similar wig of. It was pricey, but I guess if you really want the exact thing, you should try it. I might exploit this service one of these days again. But anyway, there are other places in the metro who sell mannequins and fitting forms cheaper than this place. Mannequin is just conveniently easier to find and popular in the area. But if you're too lazy to search the internet or explore Tabora street and the rest of divi, this is the place to be. Oh hey, you can also park at Rustan's so you can bring your new buddies home with your car!

The first great thing about Benefit Cosmetics is their interior: vintage, retro, modern girly,…read morechic, Hollywoody...all at the same time! You'll notice their pink-themed store, but what's inside those shelves are just as important and of quality. They offer basically all cosmetics products, foundations, eyeliners, eyebrow pencils, concealers, BB creams, etc. However, what sets them apart are their organic products for different needs: saggy eyes, fine lines, dark circles, blemishes, etc. I recommend this dream screen product, not only because of its beautiful bottle, but because it's thrifty to use and quite effective. I'll also say go for their "pore-fessional" products, especially if you wish those pores closed! Lastly, their staff is very kind! Very accommodating, helpful and always projects happily.

From the owner: Boutique and BrowBar specializing in instant beauty solutions and brow wax services.read more

Lush is a foreign brand that sells beauty and cosmetic items, gourmet cosmetic and beauty items to…read morebe more precise. They don't sell make up, so far as I can tell, instead what they sell are special soaps. They're allegedly gourmet soaps. I'm not entirely sure what makes them gourmet or what makes them better than other soaps though since I've never actually tried them for myself. What I am sure off though is that most of their products give off a really strong scent. I mean, I was a few feet away from the entrance of their door when I my nose picked up on an explosion of different scents. I even tried one of their unisex perfumes. It was actually quite good, at least that's what a lady friend from law school told me. Drop by and give this place a try if you're looking for soaps that would double as a cologne or something since I think that's what they're really trying to do.