Filipinos may love their lipsticks but eyebrow makeup is what they can’t live without! Having a nice pair of kilay is something of a national obsession, so it only makes sense that this would be the focus of Issy & Co’s newest release. ICYMI, this new Filipino brand recently broke into the local beauty scene with their vegan lipstick line in pretty, minimalist packaging. If you haven’t tried anything from them yet, I’m here to rave about their latest drop, the Brow Refiner!

Ellana Cosmetics has been part of my life for almost a decade now. I remember discovering it when I was still in college (around 2008-2009) and falling in love with the fact that their mineral foundation was so pigmented and long-wearing for the price. It’s the foundation I wore on my graduation! I’ve tried so many of their products since then, and eventually, I got to meet the founder Theresa Carbonel-Buenaflor and her husband, Diego around five years ago. We’ve worked together but most important to me is that we’ve become friends who randomly hang out to catch up.

In recent years, Pinays have become more and more kilay-conscious. It used to be that the general pulse for minimum makeup was face powder and lip gloss but now, many women swear that they'd never leave home without drawing their brows on. I feel naked without them is an oft-heard sentiment, followed by the overused but appropriate #kilayislife.

This rings particularly true for those with less than perfect eyebrows, a.k.a. 99% of the population. We try our best to copy the on-fleek looks we see in YouTube videos and on Instagram but the truth is, technique is only one part of the solution. It's also important to know which is the right type of brow product for your particular condition. Today, we tackle the most common eyebrow problems and the best ways to fill them in!