Here at KUBO, we love how more and more Filipinos want to support homegrown beauty brands. F-beauty (Filipino beauty) brands are definitely having a moment, and we hope it’s here to stay. That’s why we decided to put together a list of must-try F-beauty (Filipino beauty) brands and their best-selling products to help you get a better feel of what’s hot in the market for your trip back home to PH.
Whether you’re looking to give your makeup routine a more Pinoy-friendly vibe or just want to shop for pasalubong for your kikay family members and co-workers abroad while you’re visiting PH, these budget-friendly local beauty finds won’t disappoint.
1. Pure Culture
This vegan, toxic-free skincare brand is the first in the country to be certified by Safe Cosmetics Australia. Their philosophy is grounded in probiotics and aims to nurture and “feed” your skin’s microbiome through ingredients like lactobacillus lysate to ensure that you see a healthy, radiant glow.
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What To Try: The Pure Culture Bulgarian Rose Everything Elixir, PHP1,185, is an award-winning mist that you can spray directly onto your skin or on a cotton pad to cleanse, hydrate, and refresh your skin. It also contains BHT-free retinol, which is a cleaner version derived from sweet potatoes, to help you improve your skin’s texture and reduce the appearance of premature aging. Shop their products on their website.
2. Colourette Cosmetics
This small business grew into a trusted, affordable makeup line that’s known for their morena-friendly makeup shades and skincare. We’re impressed that they’re certified cruelty-free by PETA’s Global Beauty Without Bunnies Program, which recognizes companies and brands worldwide that don’t do animal testing at any point during their product development or sales processes.
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What To Try: The Fresh Formula Sgt. At Arms Overnight Cream, PHP299, lightens, smoothens, and moisturizes your underarms, nape, and inner thighs. It’s a cult favorite and is always sold-out on their website, so sign-up to get an email alert when it goes back in stock. Want to try their makeup line? We like the First Base Everyday Skin Tint, PHP599. This multi-tasking product has several shades that are great for Filipinos, and it also contains SPF30 to help protect your skin from the harmful effects of the sun. Apart from their website, you may also shop Colourette products in their physical stores when in PH.
3. Pili Ani
This all-natural, organic skincare line may have started in the Philippines, but it has been featured all over the world (think: Allure, InStyle, PopSugar, and Today). We love how the brand uses local ingredients like pili oil, Elemi oil, and even ash from Mt. Mayon while making sure that the practices they use are sustainable for the environment. In fact, whenever you purchase a product from Pili Ani, you are helping support the livelihood of their partner farmers and the reforestation in Bicol.
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What To Try: Filipino-American beauty influencer Bretman Rock partnered with Pili Ani to bring more awareness to F-beauty. His favorites include the Pili Ani Deep Detox Volcanic Exfoliating Mask, PHP470, which pulls out toxins from the skin, and the plant-based Pili Ani Purifying Toner, PHP200, with Elemi Oil to cleanse and balance the skin. Use his code Bretman20 when you shop on their US website to get 20% off! In PH, Pili Ani products are available on their PH website, stand-alone store at Power Plant Mall in Rockwell Center, Makati, or in All Green Boutique, Kultura, Watsons, and Beauty Bar branches.
4. Happy Skin
This brand revolutionized the way Pinoys viewed local makeup brands since its launch in 2013. They use skin-loving ingredients that will care for your skin even while you’re wearing makeup, which makes it perfect for those with sensitive skin. The best part is, you can also find the brand all over the beauty capitals of Asia, such as Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, as well as in North America. Keep an eye out for their celebrity collaborations (like the one they had with Heart Evangelista) for limited edition products and colors.
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What To Try: Check out Happy Skin’s Off-Duty makeup collection for an “It girl” vibe—as if you’re a model on their day off. The line includes foundations, lipsticks, contour sticks, a serum blush, and face palettes—all with a wide range of flattering shades and contains everything that you will need to build a strong makeup arsenal. Happy Skin products are available on their website and various physical stores around PH (check out their store locator here.) They are also available in Lumibella in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia; PNY Beauty worldwide; and Pinay Glow in the UK. They also ship internationally via FedEx.
5. Human Nature
Looking for a beauty brand with a deeper purpose? Human Nature began as a social enterprise and prides itself in being pro-Philippines, pro-poor, and pro-environment. They want to help Filipinos break the poverty cycle by buying raw materials from farming communities at fair prices. The company also employs Gawad Kalinga residents, making sure to give them access to regularized employment and benefits. When it comes to their products, they do not contain common synthetic irritants and are 95% natural. If you want to have a clean beauty routine from head to toe, this is the best bet for you.
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What To Try: Human Nature (which you can buy in physical stores around the PH, as well as online via its PH, US, and Singapore websites) has a wide range of products that you can explore—think: skincare, haircare, bath & body, and even wellness items such as essential oils. When it comes to makeup, try their Tinted Lip Balm, PHP119.75, which uses cocoa butter, beeswax, and plant oils to keep your lips soft and moisturized throughout the day. If you’re looking for a multi-tasker, the Blush & Bloom Color Cream, PHP395, is a cream tint that can be used as an eyeshadow, lipstick, and blush. It’s available in three Pinay-friendly colors, and you can even use your fingers to blend it into your cheeks—no tools required!
6. Ever Bilena
It’s an oldie, but goodie! This may have been the favorite department store brand of your mom and titas (or your younger self, back when you lived in PH), but trust us, there’s a reason it remains popular even among today’s TikTok generation. Made with the hard-working Filipina in mind, their products remind us that you don’t need to break the bank when it comes to finding the perfect tube of lipstick or blush.
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What To Try: The Ever Bilena Pillow Pop Liquid Blush, PHP275, is making waves on social media because of the one-dot challenge (its pigment and lasting power is so good that you only need a tiny dollop to get naturally rosy cheeks). The gel-stain is easy to blend and it’s also a multi-tasker since you can use it on your lips and lids, too. As you already know, Ever Bilena is available in department stores and drugstores all across the PH.
7. OTG Easy Beauty
Even if this brand’s products are made in Korea, it’s still homegrown and definitely created with the modern and minimalist Filipina in mind. What makes it unique is that OTG Easy Beauty is also quite practical when it comes to its approach to beauty—choosing to concentrate on quality ingredients and not on unnecessary, wasteful packaging.
What To Try: The OTG Easy Beauty Eye Brow Stick Duo, PHP205, comes with a brush at the end, so you can easily groom stray strands before filling them in with the teardrop-shaped pencil. If you’re looking for a liquid liner that doesn’t smudge or budge, try the OTG Easy Beauty Precise Liquid Liner Duo, PHP395. It’s waterproof, but the best part is that it comes with an eraser on the other end to help clean up any smudges caused by shaky hands. You can shop OTG Easy Beauty in PH via Lazada.
8. GRWM
Made for all genders, this beauty brand aims to support Filipinos by empowering them through the range of inclusive shades that were created to make them feel seen and safe. GRWM’s goal is to help you define beauty on your own terms and make it accessible through their global selling platforms in countries like the USA, UK, Dubai, Singapore, and New Zealand. In PH, they are available via Lazada and Shopee.
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What To Try: The GRWM Glow Tint Multi-Use Liquid Highlighter, PHP399. This pigmented glow-getter will make your skin glisten without leaving chunky glitter or patchy streaks behind. You’ll love how natural-looking it is—totally perfect if you’re looking for that ethereal glow.
9. Issy
Vegan and cruelty-free, this ultra-chic brand is great for those who want to add a little more glam to their touch-ups. Its youthful vibe and minimalist packaging are great for those who think that aesthetics are everything. Issy’s (formerly Issy&Co) formulas are also dermatologically-tested and thoughtfully curated to bring you colors and products that can help you create the perfect mood for every occasion.
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What To Try: Issy Active Concealer, PHP399. This oil-free concealer can help hide dark circles and contour your cheeks. It’s also pretty lightweight for a full-coverage concealer, so you can totally cop Sophia Richie’s latest beauty move and use it as a nude lipstick. You can shop Issy online in PH via Shopee, Lazada, and Look PH.
10. Faboulash
Want your eyes to pop in photos, but don’t want to commit to lash extensions? Check out this beauty brand by Filipino makeup artist Mikka Marcaida. They specialize in high quality, cruelty-free false eyelashes that feel light on your lids and have endless options that are guaranteed to suit Asian eye shapes.
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What To Try: If you want something for daily wear that’s a little more natural, then go for something from Faboulash’s award-winning Snatchural line, PHP249 for a set of three pairs. They have 12 different styles that are available in various lengths and thickness, so you can choose a set that’s best for the look you’re going for. If you’re a newbie at applying false eyelashes, make sure you check out their website for beginner-friendly tools like Lash Scissors (PHP35) and Lash Tweezers (PHP139) to help make application a breeze. Faboulash products are only available in PH, via their website.
