A dive down into Dear Dahlia, the cute vegan Korean brand to watch

Dear Dahlia is a fairly new Korean brand that quickly gained Instagram fame for its trademark marble-and-gold aesthetic. Beyond the dreamy packaging design, this brand strives for timeless beauty backed up by an ethical commitment to promote vegan, cruelty-free, “8-free” formulations. While I’ve often thought that having a vegan thrust means a compromise with quality, I was pretty pleased to see this brand didn’t fail to deliver!

Dear Dahlia Intense Satin Lipstick in Stella and Ruby (P1,500 each)

This is probably the Dear Dahlia item I first saw on Instagram last year, and I remember being completely blown away by how gorgeous it looked. I’m happy to note that the experience of being able to actually see and handle it in person is just as satisfying.

The chunky octagon tube with marble laminate and rose gold accent has decent heft to it though it’s lighter than it looks. The Intense Satin Lipsticks are creamy, nourishing formulas that are richly pigmented. Ruby is a deep red while Stella is a solid fuschia. The two shades are pretty strong; I always feel like pairing Ruby with smokier eye looks while I reach for Stella for more playful and glittery party looks.  

The product never really sets and always feels sticky. It transfers quite a bit, but leaves a stain behind so the color doesn’t really feel like it comes off that easily. 

Dear Dahlia Paradise Dual Palette in Lady Oxford (P1,600)

Lady Oxford contains an eyeshadow duo that could pass for eyebrow shades: there is a blonde-ish brown and a darker brown. The powders feel soft to the touch but are not super pigmented. This makes it easy to use with fingers. It was initially disappointing to swatch on the arm, but using it on my eyes, I loved the smooth and sultry-lite® look it gave me. Lighter powder colors are usually patchy, but feels so creamy and applies evenly, lending a perfectly Korean vibe.

I used the Dear Dahlia #232 Blending Brush (P590) to apply the shadows, and it was the most disappointing product by far. The brush is cute enough to tempt me into getting the whole set, but the bristles were unremarkable and easily deformed.

The multi-balm pot on the other side of the mirror contains a sheer coral balm with a scattering of glitters. It barely shows up on my NC15 skin, but it’s a great option for “invisible” blush days. It feels too creamy for the eyes and doesn’t really brighten my dark lips. However, it feels super nourishing on the lips and creates the perfect glowy look on the cheeks!

Dear Dahlia Skin Paradise Blooming Cushion Foundation SPF 35 PA+++ in Natural Beige (P2,500 for 14ml and refills for P1,500)

To be honest, I was not expecting much from the Dear Dahlia cushion and thought it would be too sheer and underwhelming. I had to eat all of my words after trying it on and doing a major 180!

This cushion comes in the exact same octagon, marble-laminate, rose gold accented theme of the brand. It houses the product in foam-less format, which uses a plastic surface to protect and dispense the foundation. I find that these cushions last longer because they are more hygienic to use.

There is more than enough product to cover my face with one press, and it completely hides redness and pigmentation on my face. My dark circles are decently (but not fully) covered. I like the dry-dewy set of the cushion, though people with combination to oily skin may need to set this product with powder. Weardown is pretty nice at about 6 hours, and it fades elegantly rather than cracking or forming holes. The finish is not one you’d expect from BB creams - there is serious glow (a given) but also serious coverage! My texture is also addressed, which is atypical with such lightweight, watery BB formulations. It is my favorite item from the line!

PVC Bucket Bag with Free Marble Mirror and a Mini Lip Mousse Trio (1.5ml per lip mousse, P1,400)

As far as trial kits go, this one is pretty good for containing three major color families! Bordeaux is an earthy carnation pink shade. October is a burnt orange, while Seduction is a bright, tomato red.

I love how smoothly the lip mousses apply. They have that perfect whipped texture that makes it easy to do gradient color, or press on additional layers for more intensity. As in my previous trials, I still find Korean lip mousses to be luxe yet long-wearing, with October lasting me at least six hours even with drinking and eating!

While the lip mousses are great and the selection of colors are easily usable, the price is pretty steep for three tiny tubes, so only get this set if you really like the mirror and bag that come along with it (which I do!) They also have another set consisting of six minis for P 1,000, which I feel is more reasonable.

Here is a look I made using the Dear Dahlia products! I have the Blooming Cushion as my base, the Dual Palette for my eyes and cheeks, and the October Lip Mousse. I like the elegant look these products helped me create – the eyes are just creamy and unique, and not easily dupe-able with typical nudes. The base and cheeks give me glow FOR LIFE, while the perfectly gradient lip mousse adds to the dreamy effect of the face.

Dear Dahlia seems to deliver quality-wise, in spite of vegan claims. The packaging is just heaps of icing over the cake. Do you find yourself lusting over any of these items? Let us know in the comments!

Dear Dahlia is available online from their website, BeautyMNL, and Calyxta. They are also inside SM Beauty in SM Mall of Asia, SM Makati, SM Aura, SM Megamall, and SM City North EDSA.

Product photography by Nicole Quindara