Contributor :
Carol RH Malasig
Contributor Carol RH Malasig
Korean and Japanese beauty products may dominate headlines, but there’s a rising wildcard in Asia’s beauty industry—the Philippines. Often overlooked, the Filipino beauty landscape in the Philippines has steadily gained traction, driven by young, passionate entrepreneurs reshaping perceptions of beauty in the region. One such entrepreneur is Maryann “Mae” Layug, the founder and creative director of Chromaesthetics, the company behind Get Ready With Me Cosmetics (GRWM).
Maryann "Mae" Layug, founder of GRWM Cosmetics
Like many Filipino millennials, Layug was encouraged by her family to pursue nursing, a practical career with the promise of better opportunities abroad. “I was already enrolled in a creative course, but I chose nursing to put my family at ease,” she said.
Her path to success, however, was unconventional, driven by her desire to create content that went beyond makeup tutorials. “I wanted to talk about issues that were often considered taboo in our society, like menstruation, sex education, and even plastic surgery,” she shared. “I wanted to use my background as a nurse to educate my audience while doing what I loved.”
As Layug’s following grew, so did her recognition of a gap in the Filipino beauty market. “Back then, the Philippine beauty industry didn’t offer much variety and it was hard for me to find my shade match,” she said. “International brands were the only option, but the price points were high.”
From Creating Content To Products
That gap in the market led Layug to pursue her next step—creating her own beauty brand. In 2019, she launched GRWM with a P2.5 million ($42,787) capital, which she saved from her previous nursing job, supplemented with a bank loan. “It was a huge risk. But I knew I had to take it,” she said.
The first offering, a multi-use lip and cheek product dubbed the Milk Tint, was an instant success, receiving over 1,000 orders on the first day. However, business is never without its challenges.
The pandemic threw a wrench into their operations, and Layug faced feedback from customers who demanded improvement. “We had to go through several rounds of packaging redesigns based on customer feedback,” she explained. “It wasn’t just about looking good—it was about making sure the experience felt premium.”
Yet, GRWM’s resilience paid off. The brand is now valued at approximately P300 million ($5.18 million), with an average of 1,500 units sold daily online, in addition to a physical presence in 30 stores across the Philippines. From a team of 11, the company has expanded to 130 employees, many based in Cavite, a province just outside Metro Manila. “Seeing our growth and how our offerings resonate with people is one of the most rewarding aspects of this journey,” Layug reflected.
How it started: Chromaesthetics and GRWM began with 11 people in a small office that was also their warehouse and packaging center.
As a content creator turned entrepreneur, Layug quickly understood the importance of staying relevant. This meant frequent launches and also ensuring they aligned with customer needs. “The key is knowing your audience and continuously evolving,” she said. After the Milk Tint’s success, they introduced more options, including color correctors to address a major gap in the market. Most recently, Layug’s team debuted customizable palettes, offering 404 variations of eyeshadows, blushes, highlighters, bronzers, and contour products.
Filling Market Gaps In Filipino Beauty
Nicole Limos-Morales, founder of The Beauty Edit, an expert-driven, independent guide and community, emphasized GRWM’s ability to make a significant contribution in the local beauty scene. “Major Filipino beauty brands today are operating at the same pace and strategy as global beauty brands—planning and launching collections throughout the year to stay competitive both locally and internationally,” she said. “What sets GRWM apart is how fearless they are with their launches. Their massive product drops, featuring extensive lineups in one go, have become synonymous with the brand. While this approach could feel overwhelming to some, it’s also a testament to their commitment to inclusivity.”
This inclusivity, Layug emphasizes, is central to the brand’s identity. “Our customers are knowledgeable and value transparency,” Layug explained. “I knew there would be skepticism around another influencer launching a makeup line. I heard all the doubts—products being repackaged, influencers just cashing in on their followers. That’s not me. So, we heavily invested in the research and development of everything we launched. We also make it a point to educate our customers about what’s in the products and how they work.”
How it's going: A proper office with a separate warehouse housing their huge inventory that supports online sales and 30 physical stores all over the Philippines.
Beyond frequent collection drops, however, another thing that adds excitement to Filipino beauty is the number of gaps still waiting to be filled. "Last year, I pointed out the lack of premium local haircare, and now we’ve just seen a homegrown brand step into that space," Limos-Morales said. "There’s still so much more room to grow—premium Filipino fragrances, high-quality aluminum-free deodorants, and elevated body care are just a few categories where I could see local brands making their mark next."
"There’s still so much more room to grow—premium Filipino fragrances, high-quality aluminum-free deodorants, and elevated body care are just a few categories where I could see local brands making their mark next."
Looking ahead, Layug plans to continue expanding GRWM’s range of products and broaden its international reach. “The dream is to bring Filipino beauty to the global stage,” she said. With her growing presence in Southeast Asia, she plans to target markets with significant Filipino populations, such as the US. “We’re already shipping abroad, and the response has been pretty great. We even get orders from non-Filipinos.”
To further her entrepreneurial skills, Layug is enrolling in an MBA program at the Asian Institute of Management, aiming to sharpen her business acumen. “Most of our know-how came from learning as we go. Now, I’m taking it a step further to learn from the experts."
Source Link :
https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolrhmalasig/2025/01/31/is-the-philippines-asias-beauty-industry-wildcard/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIQ7kRleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHcpGHfZcXLiWeY7Rb60NfmVJk7xxjF4-RhFA0J9_toTFDeBbFa2S1_-eHw_aem_nuCDAHBkhz8pYv4srt--jA