Society often wants to box women in. They tell us that women are only either beautiful or smart, that women can’t look good and still be respected in her chosen career path. That somehow the prettier we are, the less capable we are thought to be.
Although it's not always International Women's Month, it's important that we continue celebrating women—whatever day of the year it is.
Ahead, we list down all the local beauty brands that are not only empowering Filipinas through their products but are also owned, established, or led by Filipina women themselves. Get to know more about each brand, what they stand for, and where you can shop their products below!
SHOP: 20 Must-Try Local Beauty Brands Run By Women
1. Beach Born
Beach Born is an eco-friendly beauty brand that sells skincare, body care, and hair care products founded by Sarah Tirona. All their raw ingredients are ethically sourced, handmade, and packaged in recyclable materials. Some of their most popular products include shampoo bars and their award-winning sea salt spray that can help you achieve more volume and texture in your hair.
Beach Born is available on Lazada, Shopee, and www.beachborn.ph.
2. Belo Essentials
Anything that has to do with skincare, Belo Essentials has it all. Owned and founded by Dr. Vicki Belo herself, her namesake company aims to provide dermatologically tested, clinically proven, and expertly formulated skincare to Filipinos at an affordable price. Her wide range of sun care is probably the most popular out of all her collections because they were specifically made to help protect our skin from the Philippine climate.
Belo Essentials is available on Lazada, Shopee, and www.beloessentials.com.
3. blk cosmetics
Superstar Anne Curtis and beauty entrepreneur Jacqe Gutierrez teamed together to establish blk cosmetics. With their tagline "uncomplicated beauty," the brand aims to deliver fuss-free, easy-to-apply, and reasonably priced beauty to Filipinos. They have plenty of versatile makeup products, one of their most loved being the Creamy All Over Paint because aside from being multi-use, it also happens to be very pigmented and long-wearing.
blk cosmetics is available on Lazada, Shopee, Look, and www.blkcosmetics.com.ph.
4. Clochefame
Clochefame is an up-and-coming beauty brand founded by Arianne Amante that is all about elevating your look while still keeping things natural. At the moment they have only a minimal collection that consists of a facial mist, multi-use gel mousse, lipsticks, and setting powder. It’s the perfect brand for beginners looking for affordable, quality beauty products.
Clocheflame is available on Lazada, Shopee, and Frankie General Store.
5. Colourette
It only took Colourette four years to be known as one of the best makeup brands in the local beauty industry. Founded by Nina Dizon back in 2019, it was their famous Colourtint that put them on the map. From there, they continued making other beauty essentials including brow products, highlighters, and hair-bleaching sets. Their brand has always revolved around inclusivity, empowerment, and body positivity, which is another reason why people love the brand so much aside from their stellar products.
Colourette is available on Lazada, Shopee, and www.colourette.ph.
6. Ellana Cosmetics
Founded by Theresa Carbonel and Coney Avellana in 2007, this company is all about beauty with a conscience. It’s vegan, cruelty-free, and eco-friendly. Everything from their recyclable and biodegradable packaging to their ultra-gentle and nourishing beauty products, they’re making sure to deliver beauty that is not only good for the skin but good for the planet too.
Ellana Cosmetics is available on Look, Shopee, and www.ellanacosmetics.com.
7. Faboulash
Faboulash was founded by celebrity makeup artist Mikka Marcaida. It's a falsies brand that's determined to help every woman find their perfect lash. They have three collections: Lashtensions, So Snatchural, and Full Drama. Each collection ranges from natural-looking lashes to full-on glam so no matter what personality or vibe you’re going for you’re sure to find the perfect one for you.
Faboulash is available on Lazada, Shopee, and www.shopfaboulash.com.
8. GRWM Cosmetics
GRWM Cosmetics was founded by Mae Layug with inclusivity in mind. One of the brand’s core principles is to always listen to its consumers so that it can truly be a brand for Filipino people. Emphasis on Filipino people, meaning not just women but all Filipinos of all genders, skin types, colors, and status. Oh and not to mention they’re cruelty-free and vegan, too.
GRWM Cosmetics is available on Lazada and Shopee.
9. Happy Skin
Founded by Jacqe Gutierrez and Rissa Mananquil-Trillo (although the latter has stepped down as the Chief Brand Officer in 2021), Happy Skin is made by Filipinos for Filipinos but with world-class quality in mind. Since its launch in 2013, Happy Skin quickly grew to become one of the country’s top homegrown beauty brands thanks to its makeup products that were not only made to suit Filipino skin but to our climate as well.
Happy Skin is available on Lazada, Shopee, Look, and www.happyskincosmetics.com.
10. Human Nature
ICYDK Human Nature is a Filipino brand. It was founded in 2008 by Anna Maria Wilk and has since then become one of the top providers of natural personal care, home care, and beauty products. Not only are their products made with natural ingredients, but part of their advocacies is also to use local ingredients sourced from local suppliers. They’re also pro-poor and pro-environment, giving all their employees fair wages and creating innovative sustainable products.
Human Nature is available on Lazada, Shopee, and www.humanheartnature.com.
11. In Her Element
Looking for skincare that is safe, affordable, and effective? In Her Element is a Filipino-made brand founded by Liz Lanuzo that delivers just that. Although they only have a small collection of products, for now, they’re well-curated and multitasking. From a lip balm that also acts as an overnight lip mask to a moisturizer that doubles as a serum. You’re getting the most out of their products.
In Her Element is available on Shopee and www.inherelement.ph.
12. Issy & Co
Co-founded by Jasmine Ang and Joel Andrade, Issy & Co. is known for being one of the most inclusive local beauty brands. They’re famous for their Active Skin Tints, Active Concealers, and True Flex Powder Foundations not only for their high-performing quality but because of the wide range of shades that they provide. Whether fair, medium, or deep, and no matter what undertone you have, they’ve got a shade for you.
Issy & Co. is available on Lazada and Shopee.
13. Kayu Beauty
Filipina TikTok influencers Ayn Bernos, Kai Javier, Rica Salomon, Landamme Vivasa, and JR Rodriguez created Kayu Beauty with morena beauties in mind. Now, that doesn’t mean the beauty brand is specifically made for morenas only. It’s a well-known fact that Filipinos have always had biases towards lighter skin tones and it’s heavily reflected in our beauty industry. Kayu aims to provide a beauty space for all, ensuring that no skin tone is left out.
Kayu Beauty is available on Shopee, Lazada, and www.kayubeauty.ph.
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14. LANA
Founded by Rizza Lana Sebastian, LANA provides effective, skin-loving products made in the Philippines that come in the chicest packaging. All of their products have rave reviews, but their bundles are most loved by customers because of how easy they’ve made it to follow a skincare routine. They’ve got a bundle for oily, dry, and sensitive skin types—which one is for you?
LANA is available on Lazada, Shopee, and www.lana.ph.
15. Lucky Beauty
Actress Andrea Brillantes just launched her makeup brand Lucky Beauty last February 2023. She created the brand because of her belief that "makeup is a wearable lucky charm." By providing us with beautifully packaged, cruelty-free, paraben-free, and beginner-friendly makeup, she shares that luck with us, hoping that it could make us ready to take on whatever comes our way. How cute!
Lucky Beauty is available on Lazada and Shopee.
16. Pili Ani
Founded by mother-daughter duo Rosalina Tan and Mary Jane Tan-Ong, Pili Ani was created out of Rosalina’s desire to support farmers. What started as simply buying pili oil from pili farmers and handing them out to friends and family became a full-blown beauty business that is still rooted in that same desire to help our local agricultural communities.
Pili Ani is available on Shopee, BeautyBar, and www.piliani.com.ph.
17. Skin Potions
Many people find their confidence in their love for makeup and skincare, and that’s exactly why sisters Jonalyn and Aileen Sison created Skin Potions. They provide organic and natural skincare solutions in adorable packaging and at an affordable rate so that everyone can experience a feeling of confidence when they reach their skincare goals.
Skin Potions is available on www.skinpotionsph.com.
18. Sunnies Face
Sunnies Face, one of the most popular makeup brands in the Philippines is now being introduced to the international scene. It was founded by Bea Soriano-Dee, Eric Dee, Georgina Wilson, Jess Wilson, and Martine Ho. Their most popular products are their Fluffmate matte lipsticks, which come in at least 20 highly-pigmented shades that swipe on easily and have an airy, powder finish that sits on the lips comfortably.
Sunnies Face is available on Lazada, Shopee, and www.ph.sunniesface.com.
19. V&M Naturals
Whether it’s facial care, body care, or hair care you’re after, V&M Naturals has a solution for you. Established by Jamie Tan in 2008, the brand provides all kinds of serums, creams, and soaps that will address your beauty needs. Their CPC+G Oil earned quite the hype for its brightening abilities. They’re also known as one of the only brands to sell emu oil to help treat psoriasis and other skin problems.
V&M Naturals is available at BeautyMNL and www.vnmnaturals.com.
20. VMV Hypoallergenics
If you suffer from skin sensitivities and allergies, you might want to look into VMV Hypoallergenics. Currently run by Laura Verallo de Bertotto, the brand aims to provide skincare and makeup that is 100% safe, effective, and backed by tons of science. They’re the first and only brand to rate its hypoallergenicity with their VH-Rating System and are recognized as an effective way to objectively validate hypoallergenic claims in cosmetics.
VMV Hypollergenics is available at Sephora, Shopee, and www.vmvhypoallergenics.ph.
Products and services recommended on our websites are independently selected by editors. If you buy something through our links, Summit may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Links are updated regularly and as much as possible, but note that products can run out of stock, discounts can expire, and listed prices can change without prior notice.
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