Product photography by Perkin Gohio

This story is brought to you by Ellana

Ellana has always been known for their “skin first” philosophy as a mineral makeup brand. They’ve always aimed to create products that actually benefit the skin beyond just temporary coverage or color. That’s why it makes perfect sense for Ellana to create their own skincare line!

There are two sets in their new Ellana Skincare Essentials line – one in blue which is the Stay Fresh line, the other in pink which is the Flower Power line. The Stay Fresh line is made for combination to oily skin and the Flower Power line for dry to delicate skin. Each has a cleanser, a toner, a moisturizer, and a mist that can be purchased individually or in a set. The Flower Power Skin Care Set and the Stay Fresh Skin Care Set both retail for P1,597 and create a simple and easy to follow routine.

The Flower Power line is made for hydrating and brightening and as the name suggests, its star ingredients are Rose Fruit Extracts, Rose Water, and Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Flower Extract. Other key ingredients are Vitamin C for brightening, Pentavitin™ for hydrating, Abyssinian Oil for smoothing wrinkles, and Aloe Vera for moisturizing.

I chose to try out the Flower Power line first because of my dry skin type. The Flower Power Powder Face Cleanser (P398) was a surprise to me as I've mostly used liquid cleansers. This powder cleanser type has apparently been around for several years now abroad but this is the first time a local brand has developed one! This form is more convenient especially for going around since it does not contain liquids, which also means that the product would last longer than liquid cleansers. It is also easily adjustable to the skin's condition, by adding less water to create a deep cleaning paste or more water for a lighter lather. The product comes in a sachet so you'd need to transfer it to the Ellana Refillable Mirror Jar for easy dispensing of this product.

The Powder Cleanser has a low pH of 5.5 and has rice powder as one of the main ingredients so it's very gentle on the skin. And since I’ve been using low pH cleansers for quite some time now, I’m happy to report that the Ellana Flower Power Powder Cleanser gives the same effect as other low pH cleansers – it effectively cleanses without stripping the skin of moisture. I also find myself enjoying the powder format. Two dashes of the cleanser, after transferring in a convenient powder sifter, mixed with water and I’m good to go!

The Flower Power Toner Essence (P499) includes rose water in its ingredients for calming the skin, something that I recall experiencing when I made my own rose water at home. While the Flower Power Moisturizer (P499) has Pentavitin™ offering "72-hour hydration" and Abyssinian Oil working to smooth wrinkles and nourish dry skin. Sounds promising especially for my mid-30s skin.

The first time I used this combo, I actually felt that I needed more moisture, like I needed to add a serum especially around my mouth area which tends to feel the driest these days. But I decided to just add a couple of layers of the Multi Mist after which worked instantly, and to keep trying the Essence + Moisturizer by themselves to see if the long-term effects promised are indeed there. And after two days, I finally started feeling that the pairing was enough for me. I even forget to apply the Multi Mist after as my skin feels sufficiently moisturized.

The Flower Power Multi Mist (P599) is the new and improved version of the Flower Power Setting Spray. One of its key ingredients is IZAYOI™ from Ichimaru Pharcos Japan, which is an extract from the rose fruit that "inhibits skin inflammation from sun exposure, thereby minimizing sun damage." It also has Aloe Vera for additional moisture. I felt excited to try this out because I love multi-purpose products, and this Multi Mist is meant to prime your face, set makeup, and nourish skin. I’m liking this mist enough to keep using it though I’ve tried better spray bottles with finer mists.

While the Stay Fresh line is not meant for my skin type, I wanted to check out how different the formulation feels. The line is for oil control and brightening, with its star ingredients for all products featuring a familiar list: Niacinamide, Centella Asiatica, and Green Tea. There are other ingredients that make this line effective for oil control: Charcoal for detoxifying, Azeclair™ from Azelaic Acid for oil regulating, Pentavitin™ for hydrating, and Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract "Tsubaki Extract" for replenishing the skin's barrier.

The Stay Fresh Powder Face Cleanser (P398) has the same 5.5 pH as the Flower Power Powder Face Cleanser. It utilizes Bamboo Charcoal for deep cleansing and Niacinamide for brightening the skin. I don’t know if it’s because I tried this out after already using the Flower Power set for a couple of days but the Ellana Stay Fresh Powder Face Cleanser works for me also. It didn’t feel stripping on my dry, dehydrated skin type. I also like that it appears to deep clean my face a tad more than the Flower Power one. I know I’ll be reaching for this from time to time for a more intense cleaning action.

The Stay Fresh Toner Essence (P499) contains Azeclair™ from Azelaic Acid and Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract "Tsubaki Extract". I used this paired with the Stay Fresh Moisturizer for a couple of nights to compare the effects. Like the Flower Power Moisturizer, the Stay Fresh Moisturizer (P499) also has Pentavitin™ so there's long term moisturizing for the skin. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been using the Flower Power set which made my skin more moisturized but the Stay Fresh pair doesn’t make my skin feel dry. Though I do feel the need to follow up with the Stay Fresh Multi Mist from time to time since I work in an airconditioned space.

The Stay Fresh Multi Mist (P599) is the new and improved version of the Stay Fresh Setting Spray. Compared to the Flower Power Multi Mist, the Stay Fresh Multi Mist gives a more matte appearance with noticeably less glow. I think that this is perfect for summer or for quick online meetings where you just want to look fresh and not oily.

Overall, I’m pretty happy with the new Ellana Skincare Essentials Sets. I would definitely reach for the Flower Power Set more because of my skin type but if you have oily to combination skin, then the Stay Fresh line is for you. The Powder Face Cleansers are fun to use and I will be using both variants depending on how much cleansing power I feel I need for the day. The multi-tasking Multi Mists are nice to alternate but the true winners for me in these sets are the Essence + Moisturizer pairings. I like that my skin looks and feels better the longer I use the Flower Power pair and the ease of the pump packaging definitely adds bonus points in my book!

Ellana is available online at ellanacosmetics.com / Shopee / Lazada and at Ellana counters in leading supermalls nationwide.

INGREDIENTS LISTS:

Flower Power Powder Face Cleanser: Tapioca Starch, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Kaolin, Oryza Sativa Starch, Xanthan Gum, Silica, Sodium Benzoate, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Citric Acid

Flower Power Toner Essence: Aqua, Dipropylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, 1,2-Hexandiol, Rosa Roxburghii Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Punica Granatum Flower Extract, Maltodextrin, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid

Flower Power Moisturizer: Aqua, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 60, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil, Saccharide Isomerate, Panthenol, Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Rosa Roxburghii Fruit Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Punica Granatum Flower Extract, Maltodextrin, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, (CI 77019, CI 77891, CI 77861)

Flower Power Multi Mist: Aqua, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Polyurethane-35, Rosa Roxburghii Fruit Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid

Stay Fresh Powder Face Cleanser: Tapioca Starch, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Kaolin, Charcoal, Niacinamide, Acetyl Glucosamine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Broussonetia Kazinoki Root Extract, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Galactoarabinan, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Xanthan Gum, Silica, Sodium Benzoate, Citric Acid

Stay Fresh Toner Essence: Aqua, Dipropylene Glycol, Potassium Azeloyl Diglycinate,Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Niacinamide, Acetyl Glucosamine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Broussonetia Kazinoki Root Extract, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Galactoarabinan, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract,Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Disodium EDTA

Stay Fresh Moisturizer: Aqua, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 60, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Squalane, Panthenol, Glycerin, Saccharide Isomerate, Niacinamide, Silica, Butylene Glycol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Disodium EDTA

Stay Fresh Multi Mist: Aqua, Polyurethane-35, Niacinamide, Acetyl Glucosamine, Centella Asiatica Extract, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Broussonetia Kazinoki Root Extract, Tricholoma Matsutake Extract, Galactoarabinan, Camellia Japonica Leaf Extract, Sodium Lactate, Sodium Gluconate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Citric Acid

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