Staff Picks: Underrated beauty brands that deserve more love
As a PV girl who tries to be a smart spender, I almost never buy any products without looking for and extensively reading reviews about it first. It sucks to waste money on a dud product! However, there are times when no one seems to be talking about the product or brand I'm interested in and I have to go in blind to test them on my own. It's a shame because there are a lot of great brands that people don't know about simply because you don't see them on blogs or beauty websites. So today, we're sharing our favorite underrated brands and why you should consider checking them out!
Liz: Zenutrients is an awesome local brand that has so many things to offer. I still use its Gugo Strengthening Shampoo and Conditioner (I've gone through bottles of the stuff), the Milk & Honey Soap (so yummy-smelling and softens skin too), Muscle Balm (for my tita muscle pains), and the Massage Oil in Green Tea (this is what I make my masseuse use).
Den: While a paraben-free formula isn't particularly important to me, I've always been finicky about how my shampoo smells. I discovered local brand Oryspa several years ago when I found their stall in Megamall and loved the bright, citrusy smell of their AM blend shampoo. I also used to hoard their Meditation Balm for soothing headaches and sore muscles, and tried their BB cream when they attempted to get into makeup. I guess it's hard to get excited about a brand that isn't makeup or skincare but they have great bath products that are worth exploring if you want to support local or are conscious about ingredients.
Crystal: My favorite underrated brand has got to be Yves Rocher. I love that they often have promos, and I always end up leaving their store with something. None of their products have disappointed me yet! I especially go for their hair products, because they're silicone-free and instead use nourishing oils but are not too expensive. The repair conditioner is so good that I'm glad that I have three more back-ups! They also have affordable fragrances.
Charlie: I fell in love with a few Bobbie Cosmetics items just as hard as I did with their nail polishes. Although there are a couple hits and misses, I feel like the brand is underrated. I've gone through a couple of their Poof concealer, which I still love to use to cover up light scars and dark under eyes. It's one of the best and most affordable concealers I've tried. Although it's a bit dry, it has really good coverage and is only P100! Their lipsticks and tints are also good for everyday wear without the hefty price tag.
Marielle: There's this line of haircare products that's been in SM Beauty/Watsons for about a year now (and more recently, in Shopwise) called Hask. It's an American brand, and I find the scents on their product lines so refreshingly different from the usual floral scents of shampoos and conditioners sold locally. The one I'm currently using, the Bamboo Oil line, gives off a lemongrass-y fragrance that makes me think of a spa!
Gett: Because of its proximity and availability in my local mall, I tend to frequent Nature Republic a lot. We all know how popular their Aloe Gel is, but outside of that product, I don't really hear much about this brand! I really like their Aloe Gel Body Cream for a lightweight lotion, and have loved their eyebrow products for years. My sister is a fan of their gel lip tints. Their sheets masks and nail polishes are affordable yet offer good quality. This is also where I found what could be my favorite oil blotting sheets. I wasn't able to include it in the photo but those sheets soak up all the oil on my face so well that I can feel the powder I used to set my face with again!
Have you tried any of these brands before? What brands or products do you think beauty writers should feature more often?