Working in the media industry means always needing to look presentable and whenever people compliment my makeup, I always think back to one person who unknowingly taught me so much about beauty growing up — Mae Layug. 

From watching her vlogs when I was younger to now using products she personally helped create, it feels full circle seeing how far she and her brand have come.

As a media girlie constantly doing wear tests under long hours, bright lights and unpredictable schedules, I can honestly say GRWM Cosmetics has become one of my tried-and-tested go-to brands. And with the launch of their newest customizable palette, it once again proves why the brand continues to resonate with beauty lovers, especially morena Filipinas.

When Layug, founder of the morena-friendly and Gen Z-loved GRWM Cosmetics, told DAILY TRIBUNE that “Beauty is personal,” it instantly resonated with me. It’s a simple statement, but one that perfectly reflects both her products and her journey.

Before becoming one of the most recognizable names in the local beauty scene, Layug was working as a nurse back in 2015. She started by reselling clothes and makeup products she sourced from Taytay, Rizal, while slowly building an online audience through her YouTube videos famously introduced with “Hola, mga kabessy.” She shared that her boyfriend then — now husband — and his father were the first people who truly believed in her vision.

As a morena herself, Layug constantly encountered comments like “sana may shades na pang-morena” and “sana may local brand na mag-launch na pang morena.” Those sentiments became the foundation of what GRWM Cosmetics would later stand for: inclusivity, accessibility, and products designed with Filipina skin tones in mind.

Her collaborations with different brands eventually sparked her love for product development. A trip to South Korea later became the turning point that pushed her to fully pursue her dream. “I was scared, but I knew I was on the right direction,” she recalled. Five years later, GRWM Cosmetics continues to grow stronger than ever.

True to its name, GRWM — short for “Get Ready With Me” — aims to be every beauty lover’s reliable companion no matter the occasion. And as someone with combination skin who regularly tests makeup for work and daily wear, I appreciate how the products stay true to their promises. There is no overpromising or overselling, “just an honest formulas that deliver on what they say at the label.”

The newly launched palette perfectly captures that philosophy. Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, it allows users to customize shades that fit their skin tone, undertone, preferences, and lifestyle — something that feels refreshing in a market that often leans toward one-size-fits-all beauty.

The local brand also continues to champion inclusivity through its wide shade range for different skin depths and undertones, multiple size options for varying budgets, and formulas designed for different skin types.

Beyond makeup, it also uses its platform for advocacies close to Layug’s heart. “Wide shade range for different skin depths and undertones, different sizes for different budgets, formulas for different skin types, the option to customize your own palette, and advocacies we genuinely care about. Like our partnership with Pawssion Project and other independent rescuers for animal welfare, and Envirocycle for our sustainability efforts.”

Their advocacy for animal welfare is especially evident in how every purchase contributes to something bigger. As Layug shared, “Every tint. every lipstick, every little ‘add to cart’ you’ve ever done has gone toward something bigger than makeup. It built a cat house for our 50 rescues. It built our Marketing Department, where nine of our babies are cared for every single day.”

For many makeup lovers, there will always be that one palette, one shade, or one formula we hope a brand would create specifically for us. And for Layug, making those dream products a reality has always been part of the mission. “Making those dream products real, while staying mindful about sustainability, has always been part of our journey.”

She also acknowledges the realities of the beauty industry. “There is no such thing as zero waste specially in the fast moving industry of beauty, fashion, and retail. But that doesn’t mean we stop trying.”

At the heart of it all, Layug beautifully puts it, “I’ve always thought of being able to customize your makeup that fits your skintone, undertone, preferences, and lifestyle.”

After all, beauty is personal. It is never one-size-fits-all.