Classic Department Store Beauty Brands And Where To Buy Them Now
We look back at some of our OG holy grail makeup picks
Before online shopping and international travel became a thing, many of us would turn to our trusted mall department stores for our makeup and beauty needs. These are the brands we grew up with as kids, brands that we would see our mothers wearing, and eventually began to try and love.
Over the years, these brands have changed and evolved, and it’s nice to see them reformulate their products or revamp their packaging to keep their loyal base of patrons. And even with the growth of many luxury brands and newcomers, many have kept their foothold in the market, sharing beauty to more Filipinas and Filipinos across the country.
We look back at some of the most classic department store brands that we grew up with, and what are their best, most iconic, and now most loved products.
Department Store Makeup
Department Store Makeup
Cinema Secrets
Cinema Secrets was one of the favorites of many professional makeup artists back in the day because of their long-lasting and full-coverage foundation. Although a bit pricey, their products delivered in terms of coverage, making it one of the go-to base makeup for bridal clients, photo shoots, and events. More recently, Cinema Secrets has begun to trend again because of the Cinema Secrets Makeup Brush Cleaner that went viral on Tiktok. Many raved about this cleaner’s cleaning powers, cleaning brushes so well with so little effort.
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BYS Cosmetics
Did you know that BYS is actually an Australian brand? Born in Melbourne, BYS arrived early in the Philippines and continued to grow its market through iconic collaborations like the Lustrous collab with Nadine and the more recent partnerships with Barbie and Park Seo Jun. the Lustrous collab definitely breathed a fresh life into BYS, and the BYS Lustrous Matte Lipstick continues to be a big hit even until now. Available in colors named after the Zodiac, this matte lipstick features a really chic bullet case and beautiful colors that matches every Filipina skin.
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e.l.f. Cosmetics
Before vegan cosmetics even became a thing, e.l.f. was already doing it. And they’re not just vegan and cruelty-free; they’re also one of the most affordable options for many makeup junkies all over the world. Online, you’ll find makeup enthusiasts, bloggers, and influencers still raving about e.l.f. products in their kits. For our OG makeup pick from this brand, we’ve got to give it to the e.l.f. Mad for Matte eyeshadow palette. Before we were introduced to the hundreds of eyeshadow brushes and techniques, and before circular pans became a thing, e.l.f.’s long, rectangular pans were the standard. And the Mad for Matte eyeshadow palette was a big hit because it packed nude colors and colors perfect for smokey eyes in one palette.
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Kokuryu Cosmetics
Definitely one of the most OG foundations from our youth is the Kokuryu Summer Cake. Usually applied with the Kokuryu makeup sponge, this Summer Cake is a concealer, foundation, and setting powder in one cult product. An interesting tidbit also about Kokuryu is that all their products are formulated in Japan but are made here in the Philippines, so you’re getting the most out of the money that you’ve paid for it and you’re helping support local. Although Kokuryu is now hard to find in department stores, you’ll still find sellers of the Summer Cake and the sponge on Shopee.
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Ever Bilena
Every girl has probably used a tube of this iconic EB Advance Lip & Cheek Stain, a multi-use gel tint for the cheeks and the lips. And this tint comes from Ever Bilena, what started out as a local wholesaler of Taiwan-made nail polish that eventually grew into one of the most notable and mainstream beauty and makeup brands in the country. Ever Bilena continues to have strong presence in most department stores, but they’re also available now on Shopee and Lazada.
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K-Palette
K-Palette is one of the early Japanese brands that landed in the country that continue to maintain a foothold in the market. And it’s all thanks to one OG product: the K-Palette 1Day Tattoo Real Strong Eyeliner. At this price point, K-Palette is hands-down the best eyeliner that delivers on that jet black, non-budging, 24-hour promise. This product has been a best friend to many oily lid-gals for the longest time. K-Palette only has a number of items in their lineup, but each one is a solid blockbuster (such as their eyebrow liner and mascara). K-Palette is available in many department stores, and online on Zalora, Beauty MNL, Lazada, and Shopee.
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L.A. Girl
L.A. Girl was mostly associated with bright, colored palettes before, thanks to the billboards and ads they had all around the metro. But now, L.A. Girl continues to persevere in many department stores thanks to their hardworking but affordable face products like the primer, concealer, and foundation. For our pick, we’re highlighting the L.A. Girl Pro Coverage Illuminating Foundation because it’s one of the less mainstream foundations that still work amazingly well in terms of coverage and all-day wear.
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L’Oreal
There was a point in recent history when the demand for everything long-wearing became a thing. Maybe it’s because of global warming that the temperatures became much hotter and much easier for makeup to melt off our face, the rise in makeup use and education because of makeup tutorials and influencers online, or the surge in physical and influencer events that required full-on makeup coverage that would last hours and hot event lights. Grabbing a hold of that long-wearing train was L’Oreal, who came out with what is now one of the most popular long-wearing, full-coverage liquid foundations ever: the L'Oreal Paris Infallible 24HR Fresh Wear Liquid Foundation. A godsend even for those with oily skin, the Infallible foundation became an HG foundation for many women, whether it’s for everyday, work, or special occasion use. Recently, they have updated it with an Oxygen Technology to make it even more lightweight and breathable for that “second skin” feel.
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Max Factor
The OG bullet lipsticks of our mothers and titas: the Max Factor Colour Elixir Velvet Matte Lipstick. One of the OG bullet lipsticks that became popular globally, Max Factor continues to be a choice of many older women because of its amazing creamy formulation and shade options. It definitely helped that Marilyn Monroe used to promote this brand before, helping push the marketing for the product. To date, the formulation and packaging of the Max Factor bullet lipsticks have become even better, and will definitely make for an awesome gift for your mom or titas.
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Maybelline
Do you remember those days when matte liquid lippies from Colourpop and Anastasia Beverly Hills became such a big thing, and everyone was trying to scour Instagram for legit sellers? Well, even after the hype died down, Maybelline was able to capture that market through their super affordable and much more accessible Maybelline SuperStay Matte Ink Liquid Lipstick. This liquid lipstick line continues to be one of the best-selling liquid lippies ever, thanks to its amazing price point, the wide range of shades available, and its true long-lasting formulation.
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Nichido
Nichido is one of those brands who was able to maintain its popularity through the years because of how well the products perform for their price. To date, they are still one of the most affordable and popular brands that will be present in most (if not all) department stores. One of their all-time favorites that’s still a huge blockbuster with many oily-skinned Filipinas is the Final Powder, an ultra fine powder used best for setting up your foundation for longer wear. For those who’d like to shop at home, Nichido has an official store on both Shopee and Lazada.
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Revlon
It feels like Revlon is everywhere—they have cosmetics, skincare, fragrance, hair care, and personal care. But while Revlon is now more popular for their lipsticks and haircare products, the company actually started back in 1932 with only one product: their nail enamel or nail polish. So if you want a brand that knows how to do their nail polish well, you should definitely check out Revlon and their ColorStay Gel Nail Polish.
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Shawill
Shawill is that drugstore brand that’s been always there, and while has not been as popular as others, it has developed a cult following thanks to some of their more popular products like the Shawill Make-up Primer Stick Base. When more people became familiar with the importance of a primer, this easy-to-use and super affordable primer became a hit with many Filipinos. At 99 pesos per 15.5g stick, that’s definitely a huge win! Shawill is still very present in many department stores nationwide, but you can also shop for their products online through Shopee, BeautyMNL, and their e-commerce website, shawillcosmetics.com.
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