With trends like “glass skin” and “drunk blush,” K-beauty has undoubtedly permeated the Philippine beauty industry. Filipinos have become completely enamored by the effects of Korean beauty products, which are often recognized for their gentle and calming approach to skincare, their ability to create light and dewy makeup looks and — it must be said — their inexpensive price ranges.

At the forefront of all K-beauty brands is Klairs Cosmetics. Following a massive cult following and booming online sales via various marketplaces, Klairs has heeded the call of local beauty junkies and finally established a physical presence in the Philippines at select Watson’s branches and Beauty Bar as of 14 December 2018.

The official launch took place at the Beauty Playground at SM Makati with Klairs chief executive officer Ryan Soungho Park and Wishtrend TV’s revered online beauty guru Eunice Cho in attendance.

“The Philippines is known for loving all things skincare and makeup, most especially K-beauty,” Park said. “We’re excited to officially bring our brand to Filipino K-beauty lovers.”

Conversely, the bubbly and cute Eunice gave a short talk on Klairs products that she thought fit for Philippine weather as well as a demonstration on how to achieve the #klairsholidayglow packed with predominantly skincare products and just a minimal use of makeup. She also shared tips and techniques on how to make the most out of Klairs products and the distinguished features of the same.

“Maintaining good skin takes not only hard work, but trustworthy, high-quality products, too. Klairs’ gentle products help preserve the health of the skin without clogging pores or stripping away the skin’s necessary oils,” she said.

Gentle Black Sugar Facial Polish (A facial scrub containing Black Sugar and Shea Butter to clean dead skin cells and blackheads). Eunice warmed up the product on the back of her hand to show how it gradually melts onto the skin with light massaging. She shared a tip on how she prefers to leave it on for an extra five to 10 minutes as a face mask prior to rinsing off with lukewarm water.

Rich Moist Foaming Cleanser (Low-irritant Amino Acid cleanser that moisturizes with Hyaluronic Acid and Ceramide 3). Given that Eunice was demonstrating on herself and chose to just wipe away half of her face of makeup, this product was just mentioned in passing as a step in a daily skincare routine.

Klairs Toner Mate 2-in-1 Cotton Pad. With two types of cotton pads (5x compressed cotton pad and sponge pad filled with hydration), this “toner mate”

was said to double the effects of skincare. Eunice pointed out the significance of the sponge pad and how it could also be used for do-it-yourself face masks, considering it does not absorb nor waste product.

Formulated without colorants, alcohol, parabens, artificial fragrances, animal ingredients and animal testing, every product is a testament to the Dear Klairs philosophy of cruelty-free, back-to-basics skincare.

Supple Preparation Facial Toner (The pH level balancing toner that hydrates skin and fights inflammation). Normally accustomed to rubbing down our faces with a toner-soaked cotton pad, Eunice exhibited a technique of gently wiping product over the face followed by light dabbing with fingers to allow total absorption into the skin. This application style also ensures that skin will not lose elasticity with less stretching and pulling.

Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop (Klairs’ hypoallergenic vitamin serum for sensitive skin to experience skin brightening effect of Vitamin C). Eunice took a quick poll from the audience on who skips the serum and there was a shockingly large number of raised hands. She then explained the impact of serum vs moisturizer and how a serum deeply hydrates skin, whereas a moisturizer locks it in and protects from environmental harm.

Freshly Juiced Vitamin E Mask (Fresh yet rich moisturizer filled with antioxidants such as Vitamin E, Niacinamide and Adenosine). To reiterate, the moisturizing “mask” was said to complement use of serum and fight harsh effects of the atmosphere, very relatable with our infamous Manila pollution.

Soft Airy UV Essence SPF 50 PA Sunscreen (An everyday sun protector for sensitive skin that is water-based and holds a gel-type texture to give a soft, weightless finish). Eunice chose this sunscreen, in particular, for the Philippine market since it does not contain oil and is extremely lightweight. She also pointed out that this remarkable sunscreen does not leave any white cast even upon first application. When asked how to reapply sunscreen with makeup already on, Eunice said that while she prefers to layer on another makeup product with SPF (i.e. BB cream), this sunscreen is essence-like enough for it to be reapplied directly on top of makeup upon oil blotting.

Creamy & Natural Fit Concealer (A concealer that provides excellent coverage to conceal pores, blemishes, redness and any target areas). It is made with natural ingredients and non-irritating chemicals for a naturally effective formula. Self-setting and with enough coverage to hide imperfections, but still light enough to show off features like freckles, Eunice opted to use this product over her whole face in place of cream, liquid or powder foundation. She simply layered and spot-healed on acne marks and redness. A dab of blush and her holiday glow was achieved!

Asked to pick one indispensable Klairs product for Filipinos, Eunice cited the best-selling Midnight Blue Calming Cream. It is a gentle cream with natural blue shade of Guaiazulene to treat various irritations including sunburn and post-extraction scar for all skin types including sensitive to oily, acne-prone skin.

She said various skin issues brought about by our climate could be addressed overnight using the cream. A great back-up option in the absence of the cream, she added, would be to use either the Rich Moist Soothing Tencel Sheet Mask or the Midnight Blue Calming Sheet Mask straight out of the refrigerator, but deemed the cream to be more effective in that it could also target marks and scars over time as opposed to just active irritation.

Granted that a handful of Eunice’s product list was more suitable for daytime use, a slightly altered evening ritual would consist of the following alternate products:

Midnight Blue Youth Activating Drop. Klairs’ night serum is formulated with EGF and bFGF to combat the essential cause of aging and improve the appearance of fine lines. It can actually be applied into fine lines like a filler.

Rich Moist Soothing Cream Serum. The light yet replenishing facial serum with hyaluronic acid is applied over the whole face to lock the moisture and maintain water-oil balance.

Midnight Blue Calming Cream. An absolute must-have on the word of Eunice that can calm even the most irritated parts of skin.

Midnight Blue Calming Sheet Mask. This sheet mask that can actually lower the temperature of skin after sunburn with Erythritol and close pores with Willow Bark Extract and Centella Asiatica. Echoing Eunice’s tip, the sheet mask can be further skin calming when stored in the refrigerator.

Committed to creating reasonably priced, top-notch skincare for sensitive skin, Klairs quickly earned the affections of beauty aficionados in its native Korea and eventually all across the globe. Formulated without colorants, alcohol, parabens, artificial fragrances, animal ingredients and animal testing, every product is a testament to the Klairs philosophy of cruelty-free, back-to-basics skincare. Instead of getting caught up in the unnecessary frills of beauty, the brand zeroes in on what the skin truly needs and delivers solutions that anyone can feel comfortable working into their routines.

This straightforward approach has proven effective: nine years after its initial launch in 2010, Klairs has been a skincare brand that focuses on developing functional products even sensitive skin types can use. Klairs is top-ranking on global websites, such as: Amazon, iHerb, Urban Outfitters, Soko Glam and more.

Since 2010, Klairs has been researching different ingredients and raw materials for the best skincare for sensitive skin. Their products not only improve the skin’s elasticity, but also quickly soothes irritated skin for ultimately healthier and stronger skin.