MANILA, Philippines — Beauty trends come and go but beautiful skin is forever. It is the ideal canvas for every look. It is the dream and the goal whose definition and challenges change with every generation. With the relaxing of waistbands and hemlines in the fashion world comes the more forgiving beauty trend of the “neat girl,” characterized by hydrated, calm and supple skin; some texture is accepted, and quirks are more than okay — basically, a good skin day every day.
Which is why the adage “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” doesn’t hold true for the beauty world. In the age of ring-lit, high-definition videos, accumulated sun damage has become more visible than ever, and with new culprits like blue light and skin barrier-damaging factors like harsh skincare, stress and fluctuating hormones and immune systems, your good skin day might be harder to come by. These cult favorites have kept what made them beloved in the first place and improved things, ready to give you your brightest skin yet.
A rosy glow with or without makeup
MAC is responsible for creating not only cult favorites, but blurring makeup and skincare in their products (such as their Setting Spray) as well as bridging the gap between professionals and amateurs when it comes to the artistry. MAC’s Yumiko Nishikawa explains, “MAC is a makeup artistry brand with thousands of makeup artists across the globe who touch the consumers every day. They know the desire and need for the perfect makeup, so we don’t just focus on the molecule but how it looks.”
Luminosity and clarity was the promise of the Lightful C range when it was first released in 2009. With the constant use by fans, like Blackpink’s Lisa Manobal, it was discovered to also be skin-caring and a joy to use.
“I am a big fan of the original Lightful C franchise. It has really helped me to take care and maintain my skin condition, especially since work sometimes requires me to change my makeup several times a day,” she says. “I was able to try the new Lightful C3 earlier before the launch and I’ve been amazed by the beautiful rosy glow it helped me to achieve and that feeling of having healthier skin day by day!”
Its proprietary Lightful C3 Complex of vitamin C, coral grass, and cherry blossoms is now blended with pink pearls for an immediate, natural and rosy, toned-up look that is found in its cleansers, emulsions and lotions to makeup-like skincare such as tone-up eye cream, balm and cream, as well as primers that also double as sun protection.
An Asian exclusive, MAC is tapping into perhaps the most skincare-savvy market with this launch. Nishikawa elaborates the necessity to create tangible benefits in sensorially elegant skincare. “It takes time to see results, so we wanted you to see results so you keep using it.”
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Now available at MAC stores nationwide and online at LazMall.
An all-star cleanser made better
As far as cult favorites go, Cetaphil's Gentle Skin Cleanser is “it” in skincare. Lotion-like and packed with fatty alcohols that coat the skin to replace that typical post-cleanse tightness with skin-coddling goodness, it is the epitome of “gentle.” Beauty award shows love it, derms love recommending it. It’s been a word-of-mouth mainstay since it first hit the market in 1947.
“The challenges faced by people with sensitive skin constantly change, and are no longer the same ones that we faced 75 years ago,” says Galderma Philippines business unit-head Jade Silva-netto Ponoc. “Not only do we have to keep up with these challenges — we have to stay ahead and innovate with the latest science in order to address the five signs of skin sensitivity.”
These five signs are skin dryness, irritation, roughness, tightness and weakened skin barrier. The addition of niacinamide helps strengthen the skin barrier, improve tone and soothe skin; panthenol helps increase skin’s hydration while decreasing overall water loss for a more supple appearance and to soothe skin sensitivity; and glycerin draws water into skin to increase and maintain hydration levels.
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Now available at Watsons and Mercury Drug stores and online at LazMall and Shopee Mall.