Beauty Throwdown: Testing 4 Multi-Use Sticks from Local Brands
I absolutely love makeup, but there are definitely days when I want to pare down my routine to just the essentials. That’s why I’m so thankful for the innovative makeup brands that have made multi-use color products so accessible and easy to use. These handy little tubes are perfect for creating quick, monochromatic looks, and they’re a lifesaver for on-the-go touch-ups or travel. Plus, they’re incredibly convenient to toss in your bag—no extra bulk, just pure functionality!
I recently got my hands on four multi-use color sticks from Filipino brands, and I’m putting them to the test to see how they perform on the eyes, cheeks, and lips. Curious to find out which one comes out on top in this week’s beauty throwdown? Keep reading!
Five Beauty Hybrid Colour Stick in Wonder (P449) 20g = P22.45/g
8 shades (not including limited edition shade)
Eyes 4.5/5
Cheeks 5/5
Lips 4.5/5
Claims: "Buildable, blendable, and enriched with natural ingredients that your skin will love, our multi-use Hybrid Colour Stick melts on your skin, leaving you with a radiant and brightening flush of colour - just twist, swipe, and go!"
Benefits: SPF20+ and has skin-boosting ingredients that have been recently reformulated
Five Beauty has carved a niche for itself with its commitment to multi-use beauty, and the Hybrid Colour Stick is a perfect example of that philosophy. Today, I’m trying out a limited-edition shade they released earlier this year: Wonder, a neutral apricot. While it’s not exactly my go-to shade for my skin tone, it’s versatile enough to get the job done—and I appreciate how it leans just neutral enough to work across multiple looks.
This stick wears beautifully throughout the day and lasted the longest on me. I find it easy to use, easy to blend, and impressively pigmented. I did take off half a point for the eyes since the size makes it tricky to apply directly—though, to be fair, it’s best to use your fingers or a brush for that area anyway. It’s also one of the nicest options I’ve tried for the lips. Honestly, it’s taking all my willpower not to grab the newer pink shades from this line!
GRWM Glam & Go Stix in Pablo's Latte (P449) 7.2g = P62.36/g
7 blush shades
Eyes 5/5
Cheeks 5/5
Lips 3.5/5
Claims: "It adds color to the skin to achieve a vibrant or natural flush giving a velvet matte finish that stays all day. "
Benefits: Contains Meadowfoam Seed Oil that "helps to protect skin from free radicals"
The Glam & Go Stix line from GRWM Cosmetics also includes contour, bronzer, and highlighter shades, but for this throwdown, the blush shades made the most sense since they offer a lovely range of pinks and peaches. Among them, Pablo's Latte stands out as a medium pink with a neutral undertone, making it an excellent choice for effortless, everyday makeup looks.
Based on Liz's experience, this stick is incredibly creamy and pigmented, and she suggests dabbing some onto the back of your hand before picking it up with a cheek brush. While I agree with her description, I personally prefer applying it directly to my face in small amounts—it’s just more convenient, especially when I’m doing my makeup in the car. That said, I did deduct points for its performance on the lips, as it tends to look the driest when used in that area.
Vice Cosmetics One & Done Blush Stick in Rosette (P275) 8.5g = P32.35/g
6 blush shades
Eyes 5/5
Cheeks 5/5
Lips 5/5
Claims: Smooth, blendable, long lasting, matte finish
Benefits: comes with a built-in brush
Like the previous product, Vice Cosmetics’s One & Done Blush Stick also has contour and "brontour" shades that makes it possible to have a makeup routine with just 1 or 2 of these. The Rosette shade I'm trying out is a pink flush with medium saturation that makes it appear brighter on my skin. The built-in brush is easily detachable, making it convenient to wash.
I really like the One & Done Blush stick—it truly lives up to its name. It’s reliable and gets the job done effortlessly. I can’t bring myself to deduct any points from it, especially considering the thoughtful design. The shape, the built-in brush (not quite as good as a separate brush, but still effective), and the great selection of shades—plus the added brontour options—all contribute to its appeal and overall effectiveness.
Ysra Cosmetics Color Stick in Berry (P349) 7g = P49.86/g
6 blush shades
Eyes 5/5
Cheeks 5/5
Lips 5/5
Claims: pigmented, buildable, and lightweight
Benefits: comes with a built-in brush
Ysra Cosmetics is one of the local brands Liz spotted in 2023, founded by professional makeup artist Ysra Guarino. Their highly pigmented Color Stick is stepping into today’s throwdown with the Berry shade—a vibrant pink designed for cool undertones but versatile enough to suit a range of skin tones. On the arm swatches below, it looks like an intense, bright pink, but surprisingly, it works beautifully on me. In fact, this is my favorite shade out of the four sticks in this battle. It also performs the best on the lips in terms of texture, making it a standout option overall.
From Left to Right: Five Beauty Hybrid Colour Stick in Wonder, GRWM Glam & Go Stix in Pablo's Latte, Vice Cosmetics One & Done Blush Stick in Rosette, Ysra Cosmetics Color Stick in Berry
Overall, the four multi-use sticks in this throwdown performed impressively. Choosing the best one really depends on your color preferences, packaging aesthetics, and skin type. Since I have dry skin, I gravitate toward creamy products like these, which blend effortlessly and don’t emphasize dryness. Packaging-wise, I have to say GRWM’s Glam & Go Stix stands out visually.
In terms of longevity, Five Beauty leads the pack, lasting all day on the eyes and cheeks, with Vice Cosmetics coming in a close second. The other sticks do require a touch-up for all-day wear. Based on the points I assigned—reflecting how well they perform as true multi-use products—Vice Cosmetics One & Done Stick (15/15) ties with Ysra Cosmetics Color Stick (15/15) for first place. Five Beauty’s Hybrid Colour Stick (14/15) comes in as a solid runner-up, followed by GRWM’s Glam & Go Stix (13.5/15).
That said, Five Beauty gets bonus points for including skincare benefits and SPF, which adds extra value to the product. Plus, the price per gram is excellent—especially if you can snag them during a sale.
How about you? Do you have a go-to multi-use makeup stick that you swear by? I’d love to hear your favorites!
