HAPPY SKIN: COLORFUL COSMETIC LINE FOR FILIPINAS, BY FILIPINAS

 

Happy Skin takes cosmetics to a whole new level of hip and happy, with its promise of providing women with an entire line of makeup that cares for your skin. This brainchild of beauty experts Jacqe Yuengtian-Gutierrez and Rissa Mananquil-Trillo now proves to be the latest must-have in every Filipina’s beauty arsenal. Not only do their products boast of skin care benefits, the packaging is also way too cute for words!

 

“Each product name and design was painstakingly thought of and perfected to bring out a little smile in everyone,” shares Jacqe who spearheaded developing global brands under personal care leader Unilever. “Happy Skin is the first makeup line that offers an entire range of skin-caring makeup. It is especially created for women who want to look naturally beautiful, but want to make sure that their skin is also cared for. It’s for women who don't want to compromise on beauty. Our products are infused with special skincare ingredients, such as Japanese tea leaf, cherry blossom, hyaluronic acid, and Argan oil, to name a few. All our key products are sourced and made in Japan because we recognize the importance of skincare in this beauty capital.”

 

“I think good makeup should be easy to use, good for your skin, and makes you feel more beautiful,” Jacqe continues. “The reason why I started Happy Skin is because I’m a firm believer in good skincare and I don't like compromising my skin because of the makeup that I use. I’ve talked to a lot of women, and they’re scared to use makeup because they feel that it will harm their skin. That made me think of combining skin care and makeup! Why not create a makeup line that actually cares for your skin, too?”

 

 

As the local beauty scene grows more and more sophisticated, and Pinay women long for truly enhancing their natural beauty, Happy Skin came at the most opportune time.

“It was really my dream to create a brand of my own, one that will provide the best products that will excite people, make their lives happier and better,” recalls Jacqe. And so, after nearly a decade in the beauty and personal care industry, Jacqe took a leap of faith and created her own cosmetics brand—Happy Skin, makeup that cares for the skin. Bringing with her years of brand development experience and expertise from within the country and across the region, Jacqe injects her familiar stamp of brand strength to her very own “baby.”

 

To give Happy Skin its wings, Jacqe partnered with Rissa Mananquil-Trillo. This isn’t the first time Jacqe and Rissa worked together. Unknown to many, they built a close relationship when Rissa came on board as brand ambassador for one of the beauty brands Jacqe was handling. Bringing to the table her expert eye in beauty and her shared passion to make women look and feel beautiful, Rissa joined Jacque in her latest beauty venture. “I knew how hard it was to find good makeup for morenas when I first started modeling ten years ago. I’ve been modeling for more than a decade and I have had every imaginable makeup brand on my face. Many of them can instantly prettify you, but the biggest beauty woe is going home with ruined skin. Truly good makeup should be your ally—not your enemy—in making you look and feel more beautiful,” shares Rissa. “Even as a beauty columnist, I’ve always been proud to be brown and dreamed to create the perfect makeup line that would wonderfully celebrate Filipina skin.”

 

“Jacqe and I weathered many challenges and likewise celebrated many victories,” recalls Rissa of their growing friendship. “Jacqe possesses one of the most brilliant minds I know, and I love that she’s a perfectionist like me. Ours is a friendship that goes beyond the workplace,” she says. “Every time I’m with her, she always makes me feel like we’re sisters, so partnering with Jacqe felt so logical and natural.”

 

Recognizing the strength of their tried and tested tandem, Jacqe likewise speaks fondly of Rissa. “I may have devoted a decade of my life in understanding how to make women feel beautiful, but I have actually partnered with Rissa who is an actual expert in beauty,” explains Jacqe. “She’s the first one I approached to try the Happy Skin line when we were formulating the products. I very much respect Rissa’s experience both as a model and a beauty columnist, and I knew she’d be able to understand if this was something that women would love. I was very ecstatic that she loved the products, so much so that she signed on to become my partner and joined me in creating the product line of Happy Skin.” 

 

So, what’s in store for this happy brand? Rissa says there are so many more things to be excited about. “In fact, we’re preparing to launch the next set of products soon. One of the most recent items we introduced is the limited edition lipstick called Valentine Kiss which was the result of our collaboration with Kris Aquino.” Inspired by her favorite pink color, Kris Aquino approached the Happy Skin founders and asked them to create a limited-edition lipstick called Valentine Kiss. Branded with her autograph, this marks her stamp of approval for this special lippie in her signature pop of pink.

 

“Happy Skin believes that women should be able to live life to the fullest, worry-free! Our skin-loving products were designed to be fuss-free, easy-to-apply, and come in shades specifically formulated to complement Filipina skintones. Jacqe and I are very hands-on and we test every single sample until we achieve a product that will make women—and their skin—happy,” explains Rissa.

Happy Skin is currently available at Chimes Specialty Store located along Gov. Sales St., Davao City. Follow @chimesstore on Instagram for exclusive deals and featured products. Visit www.happyskincosmetics.com for a complete list of stores around the country.

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Story published on my newspaper column, Metro Mom.A1 and A4, INdulge, Edge Davao, Vol. 7 Issue no. 13, 02 April 2014.