A topic we feel strongly about, “Project Vanity” shares stories of female beauty entrepreneurs. Produced by PumaPodcast, “Project Vanity” is hosted by beauty bloggers and entrepreneurs, Liz Lanuzo and Denise Bengzon, who nerd about beauty through their site — projectvanity.com — since 2008.
In this modern age, the duo reinforces the idea that beauty is more than just about makeup and skincare. Living by the hashtag #BeautyButBetter, Project Vanity’s goal is to inspire you to find the confidence within and help you realize that women have always been beautiful. Together, let’s celebrate real beauty — something that we all have.
Note: Episodes will be updated regularly. They are arranged from newest to oldest.
Episodes
Episode 5: Happy Skin’s Rissa Mananquil-Trillo
In this special episode, Liz and Den talk to Happy Skin co-founder Rissa Mananquil-Trillo about empowering Filipinas with easy, effortless makeup that cares for the skin. As a model, she had tried numerous products that irritated her skin and caused her to break out. So she had to cover the effects of makeup with more makeup! Instead of waiting for someone to come up with a solution, she took action on something she was passionate about… at a time when foreign cosmetics were king. We’ll also take a peek into Rissa’s bestselling book, Read My Lips: What It Takes to Build a World-Class Homegrown Brand.
Episode 4: Whitening
Liz and Den delve into a controversial topic: Whitening. Why are Filipinos so obsessed with getting fairer skin? Or are we even obsessed still? Is there a way to whiten safely? Or can we even whiten at all? Plus, some thoughts on how beauty is personal.
Episode 3: Zenutrients’ Angela Dinglasan
Liz sits down with The Greenhouse Inc. president Angela Dinglasan. They’ve been making hair, face, bath, and body products that use Filipino ingredients – think gugo, VCO, and aloe vera. Not only are they reviving traditional remedies, but they’re helping farmers grow their income too. But before she was all about loving local, she worked for multinationals and spent a huge part of her career abroad. We learn about her transition from cushy expat life to always-on entrepreneur.
Episode 2: Colourette’s Nina Dizon
Liz and Den sit down with Colourette founder and CEO Nina Dizon. She’s been making affordable, multi-use makeup that encourages Filipinas to love their skin tone. She started her own business at 19, but she’s had an entrepreneurial spirit since she was a kid, selling song lyrics to her classmates. We learn about the perks of being The Boss, as well as the sacrifices she’s had to make to get to where she is today.
Episode 1: Fake Makeup
Liz and Den discuss the perils of fake makeup. Did you know that it has been found to contain lead, mercury, and rat droppings, even? And we also hear from a member of the Project Vanity community who actually had to undergo eye surgery because of fake eyeliner. Yikes!
Entertainment
Box office: Brand New Day set to surpass US$ 2 billion, drives Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 resurgence
Sony Pictures’ fourth Tom Holland feature film sets records
The box office performance of Spider-Man: Brand New Day has been nothing short of spectacular.
Sony Pictures’ fourth feature film featuring Tom Holland as the titular protagonist broke the domestic opening day record.
This feat narrowly beat the previous record set by another Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film in Avengers Endgame.
That strong opening continued in the next few weeks as Brand New Day became became the fastest to reach the US$ 500 million mark, breaching the milestone in just seven days, per LA Times.
The movie is already the highest grossing film of 2026, beating Toy Story 5.
Which such massive success so far, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is on pace to beat Avengers: Infinity War for worldwide total gross.
With over US$ 1.7 billion grossed in just two weeks, the film is projected to surpass any point between the US$ 2.1 billion to US$ 2.3 billion mark.
It will become only the eighth ever film to surpass that mark once it reaches at least US$ 2 billion.
The others are: Avatar (2009), Endgame (2019), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), Ne Zha (2025), Titanic (1997), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), and Infinity War (2018).
However, Endgame still holds an advantage, thanks to its international launch in major markets. The epic conclusion to the MCU’s Infinity Saga grossed US$ 2.79 billion during its 2019 run. And you will have to adjust that value slightly due to inflation.
In the Philippines, a strong market, Brand New Day has just eclipsed the PhP 1 billion mark, which is roughly about US$ 17.2 billion.
For comparison, it will definitely surpass Infinity War at some point, while Endgame grossed PhP 1.8 billion total or about US$ 34.56 billion at the time.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 experiences resurgence
Moreover, the film’s success also triggered a transmedia halo effect with Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 also experiencing a resurgence in sales and player engagement.
Per IGN citing Alinea Analytics, since the film’s release, the game sold over 300,000 more copies across PlayStation 5 and Steam within a two-week span.
This is the equivalent to over US$ 11 million in revenue for Sony and Insomniac Games.
Plus, for the first time since the title’s launch in 2023, it experienced more than one million daily active users.
A combination of movie hype plus some timely discounts contributed to the game’s resurgence, also proving that the Spider-Man franchise has always been one of the biggest and most relevant IPs of all time.
Entertainment
Netflix: Kris Aquino makes on-screen comeback with fictional role
Long-time TV icon named “C.H.I.K.A.” of Netflix
Long-time popular Philippine TV icon Kris Aquino has made her on-screen comeback as Netflix’s fictional C.H.I.K.A., or “Chief Head of Insights and Kontent Analysis.”
Netflix initially teased the campaign through a post mentioning that they were “hiring” for the said position.
The post also contained a bullet list of descriptions that served as clues. Not long after, the streaming giant bared the former presidential daughter and presidential sister has made her comeback.
A teaser has likewise been released. The fun skit features Aquino in this new fictional role, giving her signature witty commentary inside the Netflix editing room to ensure that the production of local entertainment content is of topnotch quality.
Two more episodes will be rolled out on August 14 and 20.
Entertainment
New Yorkers compete in Ted Lasso lookalike contest at Apple Fifth Avenue
Futbol is life!
Apple Fifth Avenue or Nelson Road? New Yorkers gathered at the iconic flagship store as it transformed into a slice of AFC Richmond for a Ted Lasso lookalike contest celebrating the return of the hit Apple TV+ series.
Dozens of fans arrived in Ted’s signature look, complete with mustaches, visors, blue sweaters, and khakis. Inside the store, the AFC Richmond takeover continued with themed photo opportunities and hidden Easter eggs for longtime fans to discover.
The celebration continued across Midtown and Central Park, where brand ambassadors spread kindness with “Believe” signs, complimentary coffee and tea, a tunnel of cheering Teds for runners, and the Goldfish Zone, where visitors symbolically let go of worries by dropping paper fish into a fishbowl.
The takeover marked the return of Ted Lasso, which premiered its fourth season on Apple TV+ on Aug. 5, which arrives more than three years after Season 3 concluded in 2023.
Jason Sudeikis returns as the relentlessly optimistic coach, this time leading AFC Richmond’s newly formed women’s team while reuniting with familiar faces.
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