Made in the Philippines: Skincare Edition

2020 was off to a great start. I can still remember how happy I was during the New Year's Eve countdown then a couple of days after, I left for Bohol for a childhood friend's wedding and then a month after, I flew to Melbourne to visit one of my closest's friends. (We were planning this trip for years!) I had such high hopes that quickly came down when March hit, the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in the Philippines. It has been tough for everyone. I've been blessed that although I haven't been getting so many projects and my salary has been cut in half, I have savings and a little money coming in. My heart goes out to those with no work and no pay and the businesses suffering. At a time like this, SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) are really taking a big hit. Some have already closed down because they have no income to stay afloat. We should be supporting these businesses so they can survive.

A common misconception is that if it's imported/ made abroad, the quality is better. I'm here to debunk that myth because that isn't true. Locally made products are just as good and sometimes even better. Plus when you buy from a local brand, you're helping the businesses and our economy. Isn't that more valuable?

I've decided to start a Made in the Philippines series where I feature local brands that I love. These are not sponsored or ads. I've personally bought these and the opinions are all mine.

First up, Made in the Philippines- Skincare Edition! I can spend hours and hours talking about skincare. I've rounded up my top five favorite products from local brands.

1. Skin Potions Tomato Serum

Skin Potions has both skincare and make up products but I personally like their skin care products more. Their best sellers are the Pit Potions Set and their Tomato Serum (My favorite!) which I will further talk about.

Review I love everything about this product! The packaging is super cute and I really like the scent. I'm very particular about scents because even if I like it, if it doesn't smell good I just can't put it on my face. It's very light on the skin. My skin didn't experience any irritation and I noticed after just a few days, my skin looked brighter. This is because it contains Vitamin C which a mild exfoliator and lightens brown spots. I suggest to use this for your morning routine because it's supposed to be protective against UV rays too.
Ingredients Aqua, Carbopol, Propylene Glycol, Tomato Extract, Witch Hazel Extract, Collagen, Aloe Vera, Vitamin C, Whitenol, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance
Price PHP295
Recommended for Brightening combination to oily Skin
Where to buy Lazada, BeautyMNL

2. Skin Genie Pit Perfect Whitening Cream

Skin Genie backs up all their products with the science behind it. So you can be sure that the products you're using works.

Review I haven't tried other products other than their Pit Perfect Whitening Cream but I swear by it. I've repurchased it twice. That's how you know that I really did use it. It's good for those with sensitive skin. The papaya extract acts as a natural exfoliant and lightens the underarm area while the tea tree oil acts as a deodorant so I don't need to layer on top of it anymore.
Ingredients Alkaline Water, Herbal Cream Base, Benzalkonium Chloride, Tea Tree Oil, Floral Extract, Papaya Extract
Price PHP200
Recommended for Those with chicken skin and dark underarms
Where to buy Skin Genie Website, BeautyMNL, Shopee, Lazada

3. Honey Beauty Baby Bum Scrub & Cream

Honey Beauty only carries two products and these are their Baby Bum Scrub and Baby Bum Cream.

Review These are your holy grails if you're like me who has very sensitive skin in the bum area. I usually go to the derma to have it lightened but I've been looking for a home remedy alternative. I've tried a bunch of serums before but they never worked. This combination does though!
Ingredients AHA, Tea tree Oil, Honey
Price PHP799
Recommended for Bumps, dark spots, and stretchmarks on the butt area
Where to buy Honey Beauty PH

4. Be Organic Aloe Shampoo & Coconut Conditioner

 
Be Organic From the name alone you already know that all their products are 100% natural! That means it's good for you and the environment. Their products are mainly for the hair and body. 

Review I actually stumbled upon this brand by accident. I ran out of purple shampoo for my colored hair. I couldn't find any brand that would deliver during ECQ. I found this while looking at BeautyMNL. The reviews were great so I gave it a try. It was also 1/3 the price of my normal shampoo and conditioner. I've used a lot of natural hair products and it never leaves my hair feeling soft. But this one left made hair really smooth and tangle-free. My only issue is that I have to use a lot of product to get my desired texture.
Price Aloe Soothing Shampoo (PHP199) Virgin Coconut Conditioner (PHP199)
Recommended for Brittle and dry hair
Where to buy BeautyMNL


5. Beaublends AHA Toner


Beaublends Another local brand that only uses natural ingredients. Their best sellers are the AHA Serum, AHA Toner and 100% Rosehip Oil.

Review AHA has become so popular over the years. If you aren't familiar with the product, it's a chemical exfoliant which helps brightens the skin. I'm not the biggest fan of AHA because I find it harsh on my skin. You have to be very careful because it can cause skin irritation. I've tried expensive AHA products and I didn't like the result so I usually stay away from it but for some reason, I gave this product a chance and I didn't regret it! It still does sting the skin a little so I suggest if you're not used to using AHA on your skin, do a patch test first on your neck area before applying it all over your face.
Ingredients Lactic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Papain Extract, Orange Peel Extract, Grapeseed Oil, Coconut Oil, Sunflower Oil, and Glycerine;
Price PHP250
Recommended for Dull and aging skin
Where to buy BeautyMNL

What other local skin care products do you love? Let me know in the comment section. I would love to try them!