I have a pretty sizable makeup and skincare collection that’s almost evenly divided between two houses. When I work at my family home in Paranaque, I have a stash of products that I can use for my work-from-home skincare and makeup routine. Same goes for my apartment in Pasig, where I work for two weeks of the month.
However, if I were in the situation where my makeup and skincare collection will be stolen or rendered unusable, I asked myself, “What products will I buy if I had to rebuild my makeup and skincare collection?” I thought this question was going to be easy, but I know that my choices will put me in a state of decision paralysis. I decided to make a criteria to limit my choices:
- Something I’m currently using, or
- Something that I’ve repurchased / plan to repurchase
- Can be bought online or offline
- Each item must be under 30 USD (or 1,650 Philippine pesos)
Here’s an attempt to make my core list of products, with some mini-reviews!
Skincare
I have acne-prone, sensitive, oily-combination skin. When it comes to my skincare choices, I go for products that are hydrating and soothing. For me, good skin is having resilient, hydrated skin, and I am working on that through my routine.
Happy Skin Cica Makeup Removing Cleansing Gel (Php 399) - This cleanser reminded me of an old Happy Skin cleanser for acne-prone skin that I bought years ago. While I can’t stand the price for its size, its gentleness and makeup removing properties wowed me. I wish it came in a bigger packaging though, so I can cherish it for longer.
Neutrogena Deep Clean Soothing Foaming Cleanser (Php 269) - This cleanser is another favorite of mine. It does what it says in the packaging, and it helps calm down my angry, irritated skin. I also like how it’s also capable of removing eye makeup without stinging my eyes.
COSRX Advanced Snail 92 Cream (Php 1100 at Beauty MNL, or you can get it cheaper at Shopee or Lazada) - One of my favorite moisturizers! I like this a lot because it soothes my skin whenever I’m breaking out, and I feel like my moisture barrier is being nourished whenever I use this. I’ve used up 3 bottles of this, and I love it so much.
Seoul White Bye Bye Acne Toner (Php 299) - One of the the pieces of skincare advice that I’ve picked up on the internet is the habit of exfoliating your skin regularly. I’ve tried a lot of exfoliating toners and serums out there, but I like this affordable option for exfoliation.
COSRX Advanced Snail 92 Essence (Php 970 at Beauty MNL, but cheaper elsewhere) - Everyone and their mother has been raving about this essence. It works well for my acne-prone skin by calming it down and adding a layer of moisture. I sometimes skip moisturizer when I use this and go straight to sunscreen.
Belo Dewy Essence Sunscreen (Php 442) - I spent my early twenties liking the OG Belo face sunscreen, and this dewy option is a lot more moisturizing and hydrating. It leaves my skin with a nice glow that I enjoy, even if dewy products are usually a no-no for oily-skinned people.
Makeup
When it comes to makeup, I am mostly minimal with my product collection except for one category: lip products. I love lip products and they make me happy! But if I were to rebuild my whole makeup collection, here are the items that I have as staples:
Maybelline Fit Me Skin Tint in 06 (Php 399) - I used to like the OG Fit Me foundation, but skin tints have been my jam lately. This skin tint by Maybelline feels light, yet natural, but long-lasting for my oily-combo skin. This lasts me for a full work day in the office.
MAC Studio Fix Concealer in NW 32 (Php 1,400) - Arguably the priciest item in this roundup, I enjoy using concealers as base products, and this concealer by MAC has been a go-to for me for the past 6 months. It feels like nothing, but it lasts throughout the day.
Sunnies Face Skin So Good in Birch and Palisander (Php 595 each) - Sunnies Face has a chokehold on me, and these foundation / concealer / contour / bronzer sticks are handy options for a perfected base.
Sunnies Face Lifebrow Grooming Gel in Ash Brown (Php 345) - Brow gels have also become my jam for the last few years, and this Sunnies Face one does it all: it tints, holds, and shapes my brows. It’s also quite long-lasting too. This brow gel is a bit hard to get, since it’s always sold out.
Romand Better than Eyes Quad in Dry Ragras (Php 670~ on YesStyle, but cheaper at Shopee) - Not really a big fan of eyeshadow palettes, but this quad from Romand in Dry Ragras is the perfect neutral brown palette for me. Planning to repurchase this soon!
BLK Cosmetics Creamy All-Over Paint in Very Peri (Php 329) - I’m a convert to purple blush, and this one from BLK gives me a really nice pinky flush.
Sunnies Face Fluffmattes (Php 445 each) in Plush, Bunny, Girlish, and On Repeat - Will not explain further, but these are some of the creamiest lipsticks I’ve tried.
Revlon Super Lustrous lipsticks (Php 375 each) in Rose Velvet, Rise Up Rose, Rum Raisin, Raisin Rage, and Shameless - Revlon lipsticks are a hit or miss for me, but the shades I’ve mentioned are my favorites. They’re comfy and long-lasting.
Vaseline Colour + Care lip balms (Php 199 each) - Tinted lip balms are a quick way to add color to your face. These lip balms from Vaseline are promising and super comfortable to wear. I wish that they came in berry or brown shades too.
I hope you enjoyed this roundup! This was challenging, but I liked this exercise.