If you've never been to Tiktok, either by choice or by chance, one of the biggest makeup brands in there right now (at least in the local Tiktok scene) is GRWM Cosmetics. But even if you haven't seen a Tiktok video ever, you've probably seen some people who are using one of their products or one of their beauty counters in Watsons boutiques; GRWM Cosmetics is one of the fastest growing brands in the local beauty scene and there are two things that make me want to support them harder: 1. It's a Filipino brand. 2. The brand sees themselves as a force of good.
Woman of the hour: Mae Layug, founder and President, GRWM Cosmetics (Chromaesthetics Inc.,)
Some of you may be quite familiar with Mae, the woman behind GRWM Cosmetics. It is because Mae used to be one of the popular beauty vloggers in the local Youtube scene. Mae was well- loved for her honest reviews and for championing local and affordable beauty brands; little did she know that this humble career and love for makeup will be her stepping stone for something bigger and will lead her to a purposeful path of beauty entrepreneurship.
Personally, I was not surprised with how she has managed to grow GRWM Cosmetics. When I worked with Mae in the past during her Youtuber days, I remember her to be one of the most hardworking and meticulous influencers whom I've had the pleasure of working with: never compromising and always desiring to make something great and worthwhile. The only thing that I'm surprised with is with makeup this good, why isn't it global yet? Knowing Mae, I'm sure she'll make it to that stage soon enough.
In one of my chats with Mae, I remember two of her reasons that made me want to support this brand even more.
GRWM Cosmetics and their Pawssion Project initiative
One, Mae sees it as a force of good. From championing inclusivity not only as a marketing message, but also a foundation for all their brand and product decisions, doing good by her organization and employees, providing livelihood to many Filipinos, and to helping animal shelters, every growth in the business is an opportunity for Mae to bring her advocacies to life. We don't see a lot of local retail brands that are heavily supporting animal welfare and I'm happy that GRWM Cosmetics is the one of the first brands to give voice and a platform to the unsung heroes of animal welfare initiatives; may their advocacy set a precedent for brands and inspire them to support this side of local charities, which are unfortunately, always at the brink of closure due to financial issues.
Loose powder and Glam and Go stix, two of my most favorite GRWM Cosmetics products
Two, the products are actually good! I love luxury makeup because the quality is just top tier, but deep inside, I sometimes wish that local makeup brands have better formulas, something that is somehow at par with high end cosmetics at the very least because as much as I love my P3,000+ blushes, I just find it quite ridiculous to spend on a silly piece of powder that costs way more than my phone bill.
And for a luxury makeup lover like myself to use GRWM Cosmetics on a daily basis and to have at least 30% of my everyday luxury makeup faves replaced by GRWM products says a lot about the quality of the products!
with Mae, team GRWM, and media friends
GRWM Cosmetics has reinforced their message and unveiled some of their future plans for the brand in a quaint gathering with the media last August. It was so fun playing with makeup, and even more fun to share the experience with my fellow beauty enthusiasts! Watch out for more exciting news and updates from the brand!
The hardworking team behind GRWM Cosmetics!
Are you new to the brand? Here are my quick top 5 faves:
1. GLAM AND GO STIX
- extremely luxurious and lusciously soft, these are some of the most blend-able and easy to use stick makeup products that I have tried from a local brand; it also has a long- lasting formula, which is the first stick makeup of its kind that I've encountered.
2. LIP SPEAK MATTE LIPSTICK
- A long- lasting, but buttery matte lipstick. Doesn't dry out my lips and the packaging feels luxe!
3. PRIMER COLLECTION
- Just some of the best local primers that I've tried. My most used primer variants are the gripping and jelly primers.
4. PRECISION PENCIL PRO
- A brow pencil with metal packaging, finally! This is my favorite because it's perfect for girls with heavy hands like me.
5. GRWM POWDER RUSH LOOSE POWDER
- Best local powder in my opinion because it's smoothing and lightweight, has good oil control, and perfect for aging/dry skin. It uses Zea Mays, which is a favorite powder ingredient of mine because it works well on my combination skin.
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