Beauty products are the easiest, most budget-friendly ways to gift Mom this Mother’s Day, but in case you have a budget, here are jewelry and footwear options as well.
This cult brand boasts German technology at reasonable prices
Artdeco, the number-one cosmetics brand in Germany thanks to its niche quality at affordable prices, demoed its latest products at an exclusive masterclass with Artdeco International makeup artist and head trainer Macedonio Bezerra recently.
The cosmetics featured were the new shades of the Refillable Couture Lipstick, the Iconic Eyeshadow Palettes, and the Perfect Matte Serum Foundation. The first two are already in stores, while the latter will arrive soon.
When Artdeco launched last year, what set it apart was its customizable palettes that you could personalize and refill with your choice of eyeshadows, eyebrow powders, blushes, and contour powders.
Sales director Jackie Cheng also told me that her favorite product is Artdeco’s No Color Setting Powder, which gives her the look of poreless, baby skin. She applies it alone for a natural look or before foundation as a primer, because it utilizes a special gel technology that makes it compatible with liquid products.
This time around international makeup artist Macedonio Bezerra, a Brazilian who entered the makeup industry at 20 and has done shows at London Fashion Week, led us through a fun and informative masterclass where he applied the new products on digital creator Rosey Gonzales.
First, he prepped and protected her skin with Ardeco High Protection Hyaluronic Fluid SPF50 (P1,750), a vegan, paraben- and silicone-free shield against UVA and UVB rays, free radicals, and other environmental stressors. Packed with hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, glycerin and ectoin, it intensely hydrates while promoting youthful-looking skin.
Then he brushed on Artdeco’s Perfect Matte Serum Foundation (P1,850), made with plant-based ingredients like hybrid stem cells from tea rose and Solanum melongena. It’s an advanced two-in-one makeup-and-skincare hybrid foundation, which has now been formulated with tones to suit Asian skin.
He set the foundation with Artdeco’s No Color Setting Powder (P1,850), a game-changing powder that combines light-optimizing ingredients with a transparent, lightweight base that suits all skin tones and doesn’t change your foundation’s color. It also has plant-based skincare ingredients like red algae, Irish moss, mineral-rich seawater, and nourishing squalane leaves.
Next he defined her eyes with the Iconic Eyeshadow Palette (P1,250), which features six coordinated shades in matte, metallic, and pearl finishes. You can apply just one shade for a one-and-done look or combine several to suit whatever look you’re going for. Personally I like to put a medium matte shade in the crease, and love a pearl or metallic shade on the lid to make my eyes pop.
Bezerra’s pro tip for blush is to apply it up your temples and into the outer corner of your eyeshadow to create a cohesive, healthy glow.
The last step was Artdeco’s Refillable Couture Lipsticks (P695), which are so sustainable. First, choose your shade from among the 12 vegan hues that are mineral oil-, paraben-, silicone-, GMO-, talc-free, and ideal for sensitive lips. They’re highly pigmented yet feel creamy and nourishing. Then pick from between a silver or black metallic tube, and voila, you’ve created a custom lippie!
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Artdeco is exclusively distributed by Rustan Marketing Corporation and is available in-store at Rustan’s (Shangri-La Plaza, Makati), The SM Store (Mall of Asia, Megamall) LOOK (SM Aura Premier), The Landmark (Makati, TriNoma), Robinsons Department Store (Manila), Beauty Bar (Podium, Glorietta, Galleria, Central Square BGC, Robinson’s Place Magnolia, Robinson’s Place Midtown, Trinoma); and online at Rustans.com, Trunc.ph, Lazada, Shopee, and Zalora.
For instant updates, follow Artdeco Philippines on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Hair and sun care for postpartum moms and toddlers
J-beauty brand Ma & Me has released sulfate- and silicone-free Latte shampoos and conditioners for postpartum moms and toddlers who have sweaty, smelly heads after playing. The Normal series of shampoo and conditioner (P695 each) cleanses the scalp with plant-derived amino acids, repairs and moisturizes dry, brittle hair, and a slow-release blooming fragrance of apple and peony makes the gentle, fruity scent last all day long.
The Latte Damage Care series (P695 each) has the same properties plus concentrated hair damage-repair and moisturizing milk ingredients, and a slow-release apple and orange blossom scent.
Meanwhile, sister brand KissMe Mommy! has sunscreens so safe they’re made with food-grade ingredients. The UV Aqua Milk SPF 50 PA++++ (P525/50g) is for babies one year old and above, and adults with sensitive skin, while the UV Mild Gel SPF 33 PA+++ (P595/100g) contains four kinds of moisturizers like aloe, jojoba and hyaluronic acid.
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Available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source, Watsons, Beauty Bar, The SM Store, Look, Mitsukoshi, and online at Beautybox, Shopee, Lazada and Zalora.
K-Beauty that’s clean and plant-derived
For K-drama-loving moms, K-beauty brand Thank You Farmer is here. The name should tip you that this is a clean Korean brand with plant-derived ingredients and no harsh chemicals. Thank You Farmer became famous for its sunblock, Sun Project Skin Relief Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA++++, which is now the star product, beloved by beauty enthusiasts because it not only protects skin but also leaves it radiant and pampered. Now the sun care line has expanded to include a variant for every need, like reef-friendly mineral sunscreens and water sun creams — all excellent in quality.
Thank You Farmer also has an anti-aging BakuVita line suited to moms, while their Pollufree products protect and detox skin from environmental impurities. I tried a very interesting product from the Rice Pure line, The Real Scrub Pack, a self-heating face scrub that warms up as soon as you apply it. The warmth, plus nutrients from rice flour and exfoliation from rice hulls, left my skin glowing, velvety and moisturized. Can’t wait to explore more from this clean Korean brand.
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Available at Shopee, Lazada, TikTok and Facebook at ThankYouFarmerPH, and on Instagram @OfficialThankYouFarmerPH.
A recipe for brighter, firmer skin
I don’t know if Drunk Elephant’s Bora Barrier Repair Cream was named after Boracay, but I do know it’s a buttery, ultra-rich lipid cream that helps restore and support the driest skin. The repairing formula drenches skin with a barrier-replenishing blend of glucosyl ceramides, beta-sitosterols, and minerals to encourage the natural synthesis of healthy collagen, vital lipids, and hyaluronic acid in skin. Bora Barrier delivers powerful, deep moisture, firming skin and soothing visible redness while restoring a healthy skin barrier.
It works in concert with Drunk Elephant’s famed vitamin C-Firma Fresh Day Serum, designed to be mixed for its first use, which maximizes the potency of its antioxidant complex of 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% vitamin E. The result? A brighter, firmer, more even-looking complexion.
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Drunk Elephant is available at Look at Me in SM Malls and online at Lookatme.com.ph, Hermosa Beauty, Cosmetics Now and Lazada.
Cherry blossoms forever in bloom
If your mom loves jewelry like mine does, she’ll love the delicate pieces of Karat World’s Sakura collection, crafted by Miyuki and Emi, which capture the fleeting beauty of hanami, or cherry blossoms, in precious stones and metals.
Crafted with passion and precision, each piece reflects the ethereal charm of Sakura, which range in color from the palest to deep pink. Earrings feature luminous mother-of-pearl petals adorned with vibrant, contrasting gems, while the necklaces feature striking pendants. Rings embody the delicate blooms of Sakura, wrapping your finger in refined grace.
Miyuki and Emi’s design philosophy was minimalist elegance, and the Sakura Collection immortalizes this natural phenomenon in timeless pieces your mom will surely cherish.
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For inquiries, contact Cecille Gacusan at mobile 0949-883-6638 or email: cqg@karatworld.net.
A bouquet of pastel shades
For moms who love pastel colors, trendy Italian makeup brand Kiko Milano has released its spring limited-edition collection Days in Bloom, a full range of makeup, skincare products and accessories inspired by the floral colors of a city in bloom and secret urban gardens. Days in Bloom boasts Kiko Milano’s effective formulas, delicate floral notes and comfortable-to-apply textures with an intense color release. The bouquet of spring shades is fresh and perfectly on-trend, with shiny or velvety finishes for a romantic, ethereal look suitable for any occasion. Personally I love the beautiful floral packaging with its modern lines enhanced by shades of blue, yellow and pink combined with rose-gold highlights.
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Available at Kiko Milano’s official online shop at Shopee.
Products that support healthy hair growth
Vitanature+ is an awarded Superbrand from Thailand that specializes in dietary supplements and hair care products. Their bestsellers are Biotin Zinc Horsetail, a daily supplement that supports healthy hair, skin and nail growth, and Curcumin Extract, which has added ginger extract for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
To complement the supplements is Vitanature’s Kalin Scalp Treatment Plus Black Glutinous Rice shampoo and conditioner, which contains 10 natural extracts for bio scalp defense and salicylic acid to remove dead cells, reduce clogged pores, control excess oil and combat dandruff.
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Vitanature+ is available at Beautydreamhall.com, Lazada and Shopee.
An all-in-one skincare/primer solution
Move over, primer. Teviant’s Ultimate Skin Master Skin Perfecting Starter is the perfect pick to kickstart your base game. An all-in-one vegan skincare solution that’s made in Italy and been dermatologically tested, it has licorice extract to soothe and prevent redness, Betaine to hydrate skin, cocoa butter to nourish and protect, and powder to absorb excess oil. Gentle and non-irritating, it’s suitable for all skin types and can be used on its own for one-step skincare or applied before primer to create a filter-like finish (P895).
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Available at SM Megamall, SM North Edsa, SM Makati and Look Aura, or online at www.teviantbeauty.com, the TikTok Shop, Shopee and LazBeauty.
Kicks for beach bunnies
If your mom’s a beach bunny, Salt Water sandals, which have been cult classics in the United States for over 70 years, are must-have kicks.
Founder Walter Hoy started making them with scrap leather from military boots during wartime shortages in 1940, and they’ve been gracing the feet of cool kids ever since.
Perfect for our island lifestyle, Salt Water sandals are crafted from durable leather that molds to the shape of her feet with repeated wear, a process that speeds up when wet, so they’re perfect for wearing to the beach or pool.
Salt Water’s range for women are classic flat sandals with 100-percent-leather uppers and stitched rubber sole. They can be worn in the water and come in a variety of styles in various colors and finishes. Best of all, you can clean them with a simple hand-wash in cold water with mild detergent.
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Get 15% off from May 1-15 exclusively at Saltwatersandals.com.ph.
’Tis the season for lip and cheek tints
Summer is the season for quick, on-the-go makeup that won’t melt in the heat, hence the predominance of the lip and cheek tint. Sister brands Ever Bilena and Spotlight offer the best ones on a budget. Ever Bilena Water Tint is infused with 4x the hyaluronic acid for supple and extra-hydrated lips and cheeks, and comes in six shades, ranging from pink Sleek to red Gleaming.
Clean beauty brand Spotlight has new Lush Lip and Cheek Cremes (P425 each), light-as-air hydrating creams that are longwearing as well. Available in five shades, from pink Blooming to healthy red Blushing, they melt into your skin for a naturally wind-flushed look and just-bitten pout.
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Available at drugstores, convenience stores, department stores, Shopee, Lazada and TikTok.