Korean Skincare And Makeup Brand ‘So Natural’ Is Finally Here In Manila!

Korean and Natural—these two words sum up in a nutshell today’s hottest trends in makeup and skincare. Thanks to the widespread popularity of Hallyu or Korean culture—which encompasses K-pop, K-drama, and anything Korean-related—we’ve been opened to the beautiful world of Korean beauty products. And because of the development in organic and natural products, we’ve found a new appreciation for things that are environmental friendly and gentle on the skin.

A newcomer to the Korean makeup and skincare scene here in Manila is So Natural, a Korean brand that specializes in harnessing the power of natural ingredients to provide products that are gentle and effective on Asian skin.

We’ve heard so much about this brand from beauty bloggers and celebrities who’ve raved about some of their signature products. And before, you have to go to the US or Korea to get your hand on So Natural makeup and skincare. Because of the booming market for Korean products and online shopping, So Natural decided to finally bring the brand to the Philippines.

So Natural President Ms. Choi Jung Rak and Executive Director Mr. Sim Song Hark were at the launch of the brand here in Manila and they tell Metro.style that they’ve been wanting to come to the Philippines for a while now. While they’re holding out on opening their own brick-and-mortar store, they’ve decided to offer their products through online channels like BeautyMNL and Seoul Unni. All of this has become possible, thanks to Jessica Marie Ranada of Han MNL, the official and local distributor of So Natural in the Philippines.

So Natural has a wide range of products, depending on your skin type and needs. If you haven’t used So Natural products before and want to test the waters first, we went ahead and did that for you. We came up with a list of our favorites and the best-sellers from the brand that you might want to add to your everyday beauty routine.

Face Oils

There are two face oils that stand out in the So Natural line—the Signature Face Oil and the Silk Collagen Glow Ampoule.

The Signature Face Oil has been a bestseller in the So Natural line for 10 years now and is popular even among Hollywood artists. It’s 100% cold-pressed nature-derived face oil containing sunflower seed oil, golden jojoba oil, and tiger nuts oil. So Natural emphasizes the use of cold-pressing because cold-pressing protects the active ingredients in the product that may be destroyed during heat processing. Because of this, the purity of the oil is preserved, making it more potent. It’s perfect for all types of skin and is very lightweight.

The Silk Collage Glow Ampoule is not so much as a face oil, but more like a serum with intense anti-aging benefits. Did you know that you should start using anti-aging products as early as your 20s so as to delay the aging of your skin as soon as possible?

So Natural President Ms. Choi Jung Rak says the Silk Collagen is one of her favorites because it immediately gives your skin that firm and velvety texture right after application. It even has visible collagen threads that melt into the skin so the collagen is absorbed more.

The Red Series

The Red Series is a 4-step solution for those who have acne problems to combat. The star of this series is the Red Peel Tingle Serum, a cult classic among Korean skincare lovers. It’s a super powerful chemical exfoliator that’s formulated with AHA, BHA, and berry extracts. It’s named as such because you’ll notice a bit of tingling in your skin upon application—which is normal—and it peels the dead skin cells right off your face, leaving you with a renewed and fresh skin.

We’ve chatted with one of the people who used the Red Peel Tingle Serum by So Natural and we’ve heard nothing but compliments. Acne has decreased dramatically after the first use, with no harm done on the skin. To use, apply a generous amount on dry skin after cleansing and massage. Wash off after 30 to 60 seconds and use 2 to 3 times a week for the best results.

After the serum, follow with the 5.5 Red Water Toner, which is a balancing toner designed to bring back your skin to optimum pH. It’s formulated with neem leaves and flower extracts so it’s refreshing and gives you skin that supple and natural glow. It’s also non-reactive to light so you can use it day and night.

The 5.5 Red Ampoule Mask is a sheet mask that further brings that balancing power. It’s best used when you used the Red Peel Tingle Serum because it brings backs the pH level of the skin after the intense peeling.

And just like any skincare, you need to finish with a good moisturizer to hydrate and lock in the moisture. For acne-prone skin, So Natural recommends the Centel Get Back Cream, which is a non-comedogenic moisturizer that provides that perfect hydration without clogging the pores.

For spot treatment

So Natural has a number of spot-treatment products depending on what you need. If you want to dry and heal an acne spot immediately, there’s the Centella Magic Powder (it does look like a magic powder) that can cause acne spots to heal overnight. If you need to go about your day, they also have a Clear Spot Patch to hide an embarrassing blemish. And for aftercare, apply Madecare Ointment, which is a fast-absorbing cream that rapidly reduces acne scars.

Makeup perfect

Apart from skincare, So Natural has makeup products such as the Fixx Cushion SPF50+, which is perfect for those who want to look fresh all day without a need for touchups; the Fixing It Full Cover Cream, which is a long-wear foundation to even out skin tone; and the Makeup Holding Finish Powder Fixer for that matte coverage. But the stand-outs that we love from So Natural are the products that compliment the makeup—their setting spray and the lip oil.

So Natural has two kinds of setting sprays: the All Day Tight Makeup Setting Fixx, which is a lightweight microfine mist that sets the makeup; and the real Matte Makeup Setting Fixx for that pore-control, sebum-absorbing power. Both setting sprays are amazing at holding up your makeup and one of the makeup artists we’ve talked to that used this product was able to test the setting spray’s power for 16 hours. And she has oily skin, too, so that’s amazing!

The other superstar from So Natural that we love is the Woo Lip Oil Plumper, which moisturizes, shines, and plumps all into one. This writer has incredibly dry lips that needs constant lip balm-ing. And we’ve found that putting on this lip oil does amazing wonders in keeping your lip hydrated and plump. What we like about it is that it’s like lip gloss that keeps your lips glossy and hydrated, but it’s also not like lip gloss in the sense that it’s not as sticky and it’s actually good for your lips because it’s fortified with good and natural oils and ingredients.

So Natural has a ton more products that you can check out online. Seoul Unni has So Natural products on sale now (including the Face Oil! Must buy!), so better head there now to check them out.