Falling into the beauty a-BYS

You know the world has become beauty-obsessed when even the most simple, most carefree woman, carries multiple lipsticks in her bag. That these nifty inventions are shaped like bullets is only fitting — the modern woman carries them like ammunition, after all. One for work, one for working out, one for the party and one for the after party, one reliable go-to color for when she’s lazy, and one particular shade she never wears but likes to carry around “just in case.” True story.

But things have escalated quickly, quicker than you can swipe on this season’s deep reds. Multiple bullets are a given, these days, you’ll find more than one shade of compact foundation –– one for coverage, one for contouring, plus a blush palette, eye pencils and either an illuminator or a bronzer. Throw in some nail polish; one for touching up and an extra glittery one for when touching up needs to be taken to the extreme. I know you get what I mean, ladies. We live in a world of trends, and we mix and match from the tips of our eyelashes to the nails on our toes.

This is something “accessories man” Ed Aitken had many years ago when he founded BYS, a top cosmetics brand from Australia. “BYS is trend-centric,” Ed says. But so many makeup brands are trend-centric these days, I think to myself. Reading my mind, he adds, “We’ve created makeup based on trends since day one. We wanted to align cosmetics to fashion trends.”

Ed, having started in designing, creating and retailing accessories, has a knack for knowing what trends will work when translated into makeup. Perhaps years of being the top nail polish brand in Australia has contributed this kind of sixth sense. Color and texture, after all, are two of the basic building blocks of trends.

BYS has over 300 nail polish shades plus some collections that have excited nail addicts around the world, including ranges like Quake, Cracked, UV, Mood, Scented and Glow in the Dark.

The brand has since grown and developed makeup, from foundation to tanning sprays, to false eyelashes made of natural fibers. Everything a woman might think of wanting, BYS already has –– and they’re selling like lipsticks sold during the recession, too. But more than just impulse buys, BYS products have become part of the Australian woman’s lifestyle, being highly affordable and of great quality.

Ed’s guiding philosophy for BYS, the number one most affordable cosmetics brand in Australia, is anchored on three simple but impactful details: good packaging, high quality and affordability. “Our products are equal or superior to more expensive brands in every aspect,” he shares. “We always try to be first to market. We look at trends, and we prolong them through innovation. Sometimes I would paint my nails as well to check the quality of the product.”

So what’s it like shifting from accessories to beauty? Ed says he likes beauty better. “The trends last longer and there is brand loyalty. Is there a particular earring brand that you would want to buy from? None, right? With cosmetics, it’s different.”

As the largest range of cosmetics in the world, having over 1,000 products, BYS can definitely feed our insatiable appetite for makeup, makeup and more makeup. Lipstick under 300 bucks each? Don’t be surprised if you find yourself carrying more than your purse can handle.

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BYS is present in 25 countries around the world. In the Philippines, it is exclusively available at over 60 Watsons outlets nationwide.