Find it in: PIXI GLOW TONIC, P990 for 100ml.
Don’t know why you need toner? Let this Pixi product change your mind once it exfoliates and tightens your skin in no time!
Extracted from the leaves, twigs and bark of the North American witch hazel shrub, this compound is known for its astringent uses. Astringents contract skin so products with witch hazel can soothe inflammation, make pores look smaller, tighten skin, and help repair it.
Find it in: GLAMGLOW SUPERMUD CLEARING TREATMENT, P3,330
A favorite of Hollywood celebrities, this mud mask will suck up oil and dirt from the deepest recesses of your pores, revealing smoother, clearer skin.
When charcoal is heated at very high temperatures and combined with steam, its surface area expands and it becomes activated charcoal. This new substance now absorbs up to a thousand times its own mass. It’s usually taken internally to treat poisoning or drug overdose. It’s also an ingredient used by skin care products to draw out impurities and toxins. If you have acne, blackheads, and oily skin, try activated charcoal. You can
also use it on insect bites!
Find it in: IT’S SKIN POWER 10 FORMULA WH EFFECTOR, P599
It may be a tiny bottle but just two to three drops are all you need to get rid of dark spots and brighten your skin!
Extracted from the bearberry plant, arbutin acts as a melanin inhibitor. It’s gentler than most skin whiteners so you won’t have to worry about peeling or irritation. It also has built-in SPF so it protects skin from the sun even as it brightens skin. Arbutin is recommended for those with sensitive skin and for anyone wanting to lighten acne scars and freckles.
Find it in: MILK MAKEUP HERO SALVE, P1,400
You can use this melt-into-skin cream on your lips, face, elbows, feet—everywhere that needs soothing and hydration.
This essential oil has been used for perfumes, aromatherapy, and potpourri for centuries, but did you know lavender oil can also do wonders to your skin? It’s antibacterial and can regulate sebum production so acne-prone skin can feel relief. It also treats wounds so infections, inflamed skin, burns, and pimples heal faster and with little to no scarring after.
Find it in: IT’S SKIN POWER 10 FORMULA SYNAKE EFFECTOR 30ML, P679
Famous women from the Duchess of Cambridge to Gwyneth Paltrow tighten their skin with products that have snake venom, and now you can do the same with this serum!
Well, not really snake venom but Syn-ake is a synthetic ingredient composed of peptides that mimic the paralyzing effect of the Temple Viper’s venom. Acting like Botox but costs much less, Syn-ake can smooth out wrinkles and lift sagging facial muscles.
Find it in: HUMAN NATURE PURIFYING FACIAL SCRUB, P99.75
Strawberries are acidic, therefore exfoliating skin naturally. To help buff skin better, this scrub also has strawberry seeds.
Exfoliating skin is a good skin care ritual but products with plastic microbeads is a huge no-no. These microbeads go down our drains and then settle into bodies of water, where fish eat them. So choose products with natural exfoliants that either melt as you scrub them onto skin or are biodegradable. Look for salt, sugar, seeds, coffee grains, and crushed nut shells.
Find it in: MISSHA TIME REVOLUTION NIGHT REPAIR SCIENCE ACTIVATOR BORABIT
AMPOULE, P1,300
This serum uses three blends of fermented ingredients (Bifida Ferment, Lactobacillus Ferment, and Lactococcus Ferment) that soothe, strengthen, protect and revitalize skin.
A big hit with South Korean skin care enthusiasts, fermented ingredients are concentrated and therefore more powerful than plain fruit or milk or mineral extracts. Fermentation also produces peptides and amino acids that benefit skin renewal.
Text by: Frances Sales