When Human Heart Nature launched their Made to Bloom Lipsticks earlier this year, I immediately added it to my beauty shopping list and brought home one of the pretty floral tubes. I was honestly excited to see a local brand’s take on the nude matte lip, especially since they claim that the shades are morena-friendly. It seemed like a fitting update to their makeup line, since finding that My Lips But Better (MLBB) nude shade is crucial to building a lipstick wardrobe.

Luckily, PV was invited to learn more about the Made to Bloom lipsticks! HHN president and founder Anna Meloto-Wilk herself shared the story behind the lipstick line. Growing up, she and her sister and HHN co-founder Camille read a Bible verse that became integral to shaping their self-image as women. The passage was Psalm 139:14 which says, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” This verse helped them realize their uniqueness as individuals, and also the beauty that each person possesses. With this mindset, they set out to create a natural, nourishing, and proudly Filipino lipstick line in shades that would flatter both mestiza and morena skin tones.

Anna also shared the tedious back-and-forth conversations they had over what to name the lipstick shades. They ultimately decided on the gifts each woman is innately bestowed with: Grace (pink nude), Wisdom (light tan), Strength (chestnut brown), Warmth (brick red), and Joy (rosy nude). To further enrich this back story, each shade is embodied by a “fearfully, wonderfully made” Filipina!

Grace Colet wearing HHN Made to Bloom Lipstick in *Grace*

Grace by Grace Colet, executive director of Gokongwei Brothers Foundation

Growing up, Grace felt her name to be very common. There would always be three or four of them in class who would share the same name, so to set herself apart, she used the name “Buchi” in her college days. She grew to love her name when she experienced God’s blessing in her life, and inspired her to give back. Her work gives educational opportunities to deserving scholars.

Grace is a very flattering warm peachy pink nude, even on morenas! It adds a demure touch with just the right amount of brightness. This is a great pick for someone who hasn’t found a flattering peachy pink shade in their collection.

Joy Tanchi-Mendoza wearing HHN Made to Bloom Lipstick in Joy

Joy by Joy Tanchi-Mendoza, author of When a Good God Allows Rape, counselor, and homeschool advocate

At the tender age of 15, she experienced the most traumatic event of her life. “I was a victim of rape and back then I couldn’t imagine how God will use something like this for good. Even though I didn’t see it back then, I just clung to [my faith],” she shares. Joy realized that though she has no control over happens in her life, she could choose how to react. Being joyful can be definitely challenging at times, but nobody can stop you from choosing it. With that, she was able to move past the violence. Instead of letting it define her, she uses her story to help other women come to terms with their own trauma.

I personally gravitate to rosy pinks, and Joy is definitely a gorgeous nude version of the hue. It’s a great pick for those who feel that pinks can look too young, as it adds a feminine, girlish touch without looking juvenile.

Venus Raj wearing HHN Made to Bloom Lipstick in *Strength*

Strength by Venus Raj, Miss Universe Philippines 2010 and Miss Universe 2010 - 4th runner up

Venus has won beauty pageants and brought honor to our country against all odds. She says, “[My family was] from the province, worked in farms, and lived below the poverty line. When I came to Manila and joined pageants, I nearly lost my chance to compete in Miss Universe when I was dethroned due to citizenship issues.” Conquering everything with her signature Pilapil Walk, strength was with her every step of the way to ultimate victory.

The 90’s kid inside of me rejoiced at the inclusion of a flattering brown shade that looks to be the most cool-toned of the bunch. While it allows me to rock the iconic brown lippie, those with deeper skin tones like Venus might find their true MLBB lippie in this shade.

Anya Lim wearing HHN Made to Bloom Lipstick in *Warmth*

Warmth by Anya Lim, managing and creative director of ANTHILL Fabric Gallery

Anya took social entrepreneurship to a whole new level when she co-founded ANTHILL (Alternative Nest and Trading/ Training Hub for Indigenous/ Ingenious Little Livelihood seekers) Fabric Gallery. She found a way to use traditional woven cloth made by local indigenous tribes for modern, fashion-forward, and wearable pieces. In the process, she invigorated local communities while championing Philippine craftsmanship to the rest of the world. She says that just as each handmade weave is uniquely beautiful, so are we! “Your worth is celebrated by who you are and who you are becoming. Like how you’re able to put your talents to use, how you were able to celebrate your fullest potential, how good as a person you are, and how you treat other people,” she shares.

Labeled as a brick red, Warmth is a subdued and wearable coral brick color. It has a similar color story to Grace but with a redder tone.

Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio wearing HHN Made to Bloom Lipstick in Wisdom

Wisdom by Rica Peralejo-Bonifacio, celebrity, author of Better Than Jewels, and resource speaker

I first saw her in Ang TV in the 90’s, and I couldn’t have known that the carefree girl on TV was actually the breadwinner of her family at the young age of 12! Rica has come a long way since then, getting the education she yearned for by putting herself through college at the age of 25. Today as she looks back on her life, she shares, “I starred in movies that you will not be proud of. Then I married a pastor... I miscarried twice. When I think of my life, no wonder there were times that I wanted to retire.” Instead of being bogged down by these ups and downs, she uses her life experiences and gift for words as powerful tools for writing and speaking. Listening to her made me realize that there truly is indeed wisdom to be gleaned from everything that happens in our lives, no matter how trivial.

Wisdom is definitely the lightest shade of the bunch. Even so, it doesn’t make morenas look washed out! I consider this an achievement, as it’s a light peach shade that comes off as truly nude for lighter skin tones like Rica’s.

Seeing how the shades apply on both Den (fair skin) and Jean (medium skin), I’m better able to appreciate the fresh take Human Nature has given nude lipsticks! I also really like that they used nourishing ingredients in the mix like castor seed oil, beeswax, cocoa seed butter, and vitamin E. Personally, I find myself able to use them even without priming with lip balm, and the finish has a healthy-looking sheen. It may not be a true matte finish, but I prefer more of a satin finish anyway. The formula isn’t long-wearing or transfer-proof, but it does leave an even stain after it wears off.

All in all, HHN made solid color selections with true nudes (Wisdom for fair/light skin tones and Strength for medium/deeper skin tones) and nudes with a hint of color (light pink Grace, rosy pink Joy, and brick Warmth). Although they aren’t 100% opaque, they do show up beautifully regardless of skin tone. In fact, Den, Nine, and I all agreed that the lipsticks actually look better on Jean’s morena skin while shooting the article photos!

I also appreciate the great effort it took to formulate these lipsticks, since all HHN products follow the Natural Products Association (NPA) guidelines for natural personal care products. This means that their formulae should be made of at least 95% natural ingredients, all of it from ethically-processed, renewable resources. This is also the only lipstick I have that makes use of paper packaging, a big win for Mother Nature and our battle against plastic waste.

Priced at P495 each, it’s definitely pricier than drugstore lipsticks but color selection, formulation, and eco-friendly packaging give it a strong advantage. I love the idea that every purchase is a win for the Philippines (all labor and raw materials are locally sourced) and the environment. If you still haven’t found your MLBB, or are just in the hunt for a nude shade to add to your collection, Human Nature’s Made to Bloom Lipstick line just might be the best place to look!

Made to Bloom Lipsticks (P495 for 4g) are available in all Human Nature branches nationwide, their online store, and in all Beauty Bar stores.

Product and swatch photos by Nicole Quindara

Human Nature Made to Bloom Lipstick ingredients

Grace. caprylic/capric triglyceride (coconut-derived), Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, Copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, Cera alba (beeswax), Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, hydrogenated castor oil, Passiflora edulis (passionfruit) seed oil, glyceryl caprylate, glyceryl undecylenate, aroma (flavor, all-natural), tocopherol (vitamin E), manganese violet (CI 77742), titanium dioxide (CI 77891), magnesium myristate, mica (CI 77019), iron oxide (CI 77491)

Wisdom. caprylic/capric triglyceride (coconut-derived), Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, Copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, Cera alba (beeswax), Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, hydrogenated castor oil, Passiflora edulis (passionfruit) seed oil, glyceryl caprylate, glyceryl undecylenate, aroma (flavor, all-natural), tocopherol (vitamin E), manganese violet (CI 77742), titanium dioxide (CI 77891), magnesium myristate, mica (CI 77019), iron oxide (CI 77491, CI 77499)

Strength. caprylic/capric triglyceride (coconut-derived), Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, Copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, Cera alba (beeswax), Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, hydrogenated castor oil, Passiflora edulis (passionfruit) seed oil, glyceryl caprylate, glyceryl undecylenate, aroma (flavor, all-natural), tocopherol (vitamin E), manganese violet (CI 77742), titanium dioxide (CI 77891), magnesium myristate, mica (CI 77019), iron oxide (CI 77491, CI 77499)

Warm. caprylic/capric triglyceride (coconut-derived), Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, Copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, Cera alba (beeswax), Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, hydrogenated castor oil, Passiflora edulis (passionfruit) seed oil, glyceryl caprylate, glyceryl undecylenate, aroma (flavor, all-natural), tocopherol (vitamin E), manganese violet (CI 77742), titanium dioxide (CI 77891), magnesium myristate, mica (CI 77019), iron oxide (CI 77491, CI 77499)

Joy. caprylic/capric triglyceride (coconut-derived), Ricinus communis (castor) seed oil, Copernicia cerifera (carnauba) wax, Cera alba (beeswax), Theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, hydrogenated castor oil, Passiflora edulis (passionfruit) seed oil, glyceryl caprylate, glyceryl undecylenate, aroma (flavor, all-natural), tocopherol (vitamin E), manganese violet (CI 77742), titanium dioxide (CI 77891), magnesium myristate, mica (CI 77019), iron oxide (CI 77491)