New Makeup And Skincare Picks For A More Beautiful 2021

As we age or as the times change, our skincare and makeup routines need to change as well. When it’s hotter and more humid outside, we tend to lean towards more lightweight products. During times like this when we have to wear masks every time we go out, we find ourselves going for lighter makeup to give our skin some room to breathe.

Local and international beauty brands have kept up with the times, and developed products based on the clients’ ever-evolving needs. As we start 2021, we encourage you to invest in beauty products that truly deliver on their promise.

Here are some of the newest makeup and skincare products that made it to our beauty radar this month, to help you start this year with a more beautiful, positive, and glowing outlook.

MAC Glow Play Lip Balm

Don’t you just love makeup that takes care of your skin? This is the thrust of MAC’s newest product, the Glow Play Lip Balm. Made with good-for-you ingredients like shea butter, mango, and jojoba seed oils, this lip balm is made for intense hydration and an effortlessly radiant look.

What’s more exciting is that MAC has partnered with Blackpink superstar Lisa to launch the new lip balm. According to Lisa, “The Glow Play Lip Balm makes me feel like myself with a touch of dewy comfort and a beautiful glow. The unique texture and finish of Glow Play Blush made me fall in love with it right away.”

The MAC Glow Play Lip Balm is perfect for ladies who want that moisturizing lip product that still provides a pop of color. It also has become even more relevant in these times where we may encounter more dryness in our lips because of the constant mask-wearing.

The lip balm is available in six shades, and is now available in MAC stores nationwide.

Snailwhite Gold Cream

Since Snailwhite was launched in the Philippines in 2018, their moisturizers have been a favorite among skincare aficionados. But it has been even more so popular with the older women, who acknowledge the need for anti-aging products to stay youthful.

One of the most popular in the Snailwhite anti-aging line is the Snailwhite Gold cream, which is loaded with collagen, snail mucin, and microalga from red seaweed to replenish moisture and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. In fact, drag queen Manila Luzon, who rose to fame after joining the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race, swears by the Snailwhite Gold cream for her after-makeup routine.

Manila Luzon says: “All this makeup can take its toll on my skin, so I moisturize with this potent cream to give my skin the TLC it deserves—and, of course, to help maintain that youthful glow—not that I need it LOL!”

Shop for the Gold Cream and other Snailwhite products on their website at snailwhiteph.com.

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream

With summer season fast approaching, there'll surely be a need for a hydrating, oil-preventing, and residue-free product. This is because wearing a mask daily aggravates regular skin concerns, not to mention having to deal with the country's humid and hot climate.

In response to this growing need, Kiehl’s came out with a new and improved version of its Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream. This oil-free moisturizer promises to hydrate your skin with a fast-absorbing and residue-free formula that cools the skin and prevents blemishes. It is perfect for people who deal with oiliness, blemishes, and maskne (mask acne).

What’s even cooler is that if you purchase two jars of the cream, you’ll get a P370 discount and a free limited-edition pouch and tote bag. If you want to give this product a try, message Kiehl’s Philippines via Facebook messenger or drop by any of their branches for a free skin consultation.

Happy Skin Hyaluronic Soothing Cleansing Gel and Hyaluronic + B3 Boost Water Cream

Happy Skin started with makeup that’s gentle and friendly to the skin. Now, they’re finally expanding their product line with these two new skincare additions that can moisturize, strengthen, calm, and brighten your skin—whatever skin type you have.

You heard that right! Happy Skin is revolutionizing the skincare game with a cleanser and moisturizer that claims to work on all skin types, whether you have dry, oily, or combination skin. This is because these two products—the Hyaluronic Soothing Cleansing Gel and Hyaluronic + B3 Boost Water Cream—are made with a blend of four unique ingredients that work harmoniously to nourish, sustain, and boost good bacteria so that they can continue to strengthen and protect the skin.

The cleanser and moisturizer are packed with Hyaluronic Acid, which locks water into the skin to prevent moisture loss; Cica or Centella Asiatica, known for its soothing and restorative abilities; Ceramides that strengthen and protect the skin from dryness and damage; and Niacinamde or Vitamin B3 that encourages collagen production for finer pores and brighter skin.

You may get each item separately or as part of a set, which comes with either a Mini Rechargeable Cleansing Device or a 15-sticker pack of the Invisible Pimple Patch. Check out the Hyaluronic Soothing Cleansing Gel and Hyaluronic + B3 Boost Water Cream at the Happy Skin official Lazada store or from a boutique or counter near you.

Dior Capture Totale Super Potent Serum

After decades of research poured into skincare and stem cell, Dior has finally come out with what they’re calling the “best total age-defying serum.”

Dior has always prided themselves in investing in scientific research and their studies on stem cell have revealed that as we age, our stem cells lose 50 percent of its vitality—and this vitality is what actually determines the youthfulness and health of our skin. To prevent this, Dior ethnobotanists combed through 1,667 ingredients to find the best four flowers that when combined, produce the best synergy to stimulate the skin’s vital functions.

The result: the Dior Capture Totale Super Potent Serum, made with Dior’s patented Bio-Cellular Technology and Hyaluronic acid to improve the firmness, suppleness, radiance, and vitality of the skin. The serum is made with 91% natural-origin ingredients, including four regenerative flowers: Madagascan Longonza, Chinese Peony, White Lily, and Chinese Jasmine.

For a totally radiant and youthful glow, the serum is best used with the whole Capture Totale line, which includes a gentle cleanser, treatment serum-lotion, firming and wrinkle-correcting crème, and eye cream. Age defiance at its finest.

Alora Cosmetics Sun Blush Multi Pots

It’s always nice to see and support up-and-coming local brands, just like this one that was released just this year. Alora Cosmetics was born from the passion and hard work of three college students—Rian Ross, Sabrina, and Katrina Lacanilao—who have always dreamed of starting their very own makeup line. Now, this dream has become a reality with their first collection: the Sun Blush Multi Pots, which are multi-purpose cream pots that may be used for the eyes, lips, and cheeks.

The Sun Blush collection contains mostly natural ingredients: beeswax, soya wax, castor oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, carnauba and candelilla wax, iron oxide, bubblegum flavor oil, moisturizer and phenoxyethanol, and vitamin E. The natural oils provide that buttery texture, smooth finish, and lightweight feel, which help keep the makeup stay longer on your skin with minimal smudging. The pots are available in five shades inspired from local destinations: Batanes, El Nido, La Union, Manila Bay, and Boracay.

All Alora products are developed and produced in the Philippines, staying true to the owners’ advocacy to promote and support local ingredients and talent.

Currently, the Multi Pots are on pre-order over at Alora Cosmetics on Instagram, and will be shipped on the first week of February. Check them out and let’s support local!