As someone who has been working in the beauty industry since 2014, not to mention is a shopaholic, it occurred to me that I’ve never really listed the online sites where I buy my makeup and skincare products from. Apart from visiting drugstores or going directly to kiosks and brick-and-mortar shops (like Avene and Kiehl’s), I prefer buying my products online—simply because it’s more convenient that way!
All I have to do is make a few clicks, and then wait for my products to be delivered in 3 to 5 business days. Like I always say—if I can buy anything and everything online or through an app and not have to leave my house, I would. #INFJproblemsAnyway, I decided to list below six online makeup stores in the Philippines where I’ve tried shopping from (or still shop from to this day!). These are all trustworthy shops that I vouch for, and haven’t encountered major problems with (the most is probably a delay in shipment, especially if it’s a pre-order).
1. CALYXTA
First in the list, of course, is Calyxta. Not to be biased, but this is really where I buy some of the staples in my skincare routine—like the COSRX Hyaluronic Acid Power Essence, and The Ordinary’s Caffeine Solution and Retinoid 2% in Squalene. Apart from skincare, Calyxta is where I buy local finds like Kala Milk and La Localita, as well as all my favorite Glossier products. Talk about brand love and loyalty, but I’m probably one of Calyxta’s regular monthly customers!
2. BEAUTYMNL
When I viewed my order history on BeautyMNL, I noticed that most of them were hair products and tools—like a straightening/curling iron from Vidal Sassoon and a curling iron from Herstyler.
I invested in these two products for myself, and for whenever I got booked to do makeup gigs and clients would request for me to do really basic hair styling. They recently launched a fashion section, and I’m curious to see their selection of clothes!3. SEPHORA PHILIPPINES
From buying the Too Faced Chocolate Bar and Urban Decay Potion Primer, to restocking Benefit’s Porefessional a few times—Sephora is one of those shops that I always need to visit whenever I’m abroad. I remember the first time I entered a store in Malaysia, and my eyes and feelings were all over the place! It felt like a beauty girl’s Disneyland. So when they finally launched Sephora Philippines (online), it definitely put me back in my happy place. Apart from the products I mentioned, I also like to browse through other brands not easily available in the Philippines—to see if they’re worth buying. I look forward to the day they open a brick-and-mortar here soon.
4. GLAMOURBOX
If you’ve been reading my blog since 2013, then you’ll know that Glamourbox and I go way, way back. But just as a refresher, Glamourbox first started as an online beauty box subscription service (this was in 2014), before eventually entering the retail scene and becoming the exclusive distributor of niche but cult-favorite brands like Pixi, Eye of Horus, and Ofra Cosmetics. Through an acquaintance, I was referred to their girl boss and founder/CEO, who hired me to write as a freelancer for their blog (I was straight out of college and had just started my first full-time job as a copywriter and marketing assistant for a startup advertising agency). This was basically where my love for beauty all started. Fast-forward to when they hired me full-time to become the marketing manager of the brands they exclusively distributed—it was when I discovered makeup kit staples that I’ll never trade for anything else, like Pixi’s Natural Contour Powder (which comes in a cool-toned, universally flattering shade that suits most skin tones), Pixi’s Eye Bright Liner (which I love to use on my waterline to give me that fresh and very awake look), and Ofra’s Long Lasting Liquid Lipstick in Laguna Beach.
5. DTC MAKEUP
DTC Makeup is my go-to for all things RCMA (short for Research Council of Makeup Artists). If you guys read my recent article on my staple makeup looks, or follow #GretasJunkyardMakeup on Instagram, you’ll know that I’m a huge sucker for their No-Color Powder (which is said to be an amazing dupe for Laura Mercier’s Translucent Powder) and 5-Part Series Favorites Foundation Palette. It’s an amazing source of products for professional makeup artists, and I highly recommend checking them out!
6. JAPANICHI
I was introduced to Japanichi by a good friend and fellow beauty enabler, Pinkoolaid, especially when she influenced me to start drinking collagen supplements to help improve my skin’s texture, strengthen my hair and nails, and slow down signs of aging. So I started buying the same brand she bought back then, which was Meiji. Eventually, I started experimenting with other brands like Shiseido. When Shu Uemura pulled out of the country and I needed to replace my eyelash curler, I bought one from them, too! Since then, whenever I get curious about Japanese beauty brands, I check out their selection.
So that’s my list! Other popular sites that you might have also heard of (but I haven’t tried shopping from yet) are Beauty by Freyja (you can buy LuxAsia-exclusive brands here like Aveda, Elizabeth Arden, Gerard Cosmetics, Peter Thomas Roth, and Sleek MakeUP), Beauty Bar (I love visiting Beauty Bar’s stores!), and Beautybox Corp. (for all your K-Palette and Kracie needs).
Have you guys shopped from these online makeup stores? Are there others you’ve heard of that aren’t on this list? Let me know!