Filipinta Beauty, an independent local beauty brand, popped up on my feed when they posted their eyeshadow palette last July. The colors attracted me with its blend of brown, orange, and green shades. To me, it screamed pro-morena plus it was in magpie-bait silver glitter packaging.
I was so excited about this that I immediately messaged Anna Pangalangan. The PR girl is one of the founders of the brand along with friends indie singer Hana ACBD, former model Jasel Donato, and TV personality Joyce Pring. “We have always toyed with the idea of coming up with a makeup brand because we have always been in love with cosmetics since we were young,” Pangalangan shares.
Before their launch this coming Aug. 25, they were kind enough to send over the Diwata collection. In the past week, they had a teaser drop by making their first batch available via their website. And it’s already sold out.
Try on
With my skeptical beauty writer curiosity, I tried the Diwata palette, made up of nine shades: five mattes, two shimmers, and two glitter eyeshadows. “We want to give Filipinas a choice to create their makeup look, be it with the timeless nudes; the youthful oranges; the ethereal greens; or the attention-grabbing jelly shimmers,” says Pangalangan of the shade selection.
I’m a fan of the gold shade “Hinilawod” because it can double as a highlighter while “Berbinota,” the brown shade found in the middle is perfect for a neutral one eyeshadow look and as a base color.
I also like layering the shimmery green “Acacia” over the deep green “Nimpas” as it makes for a bold eyeshadow look. For extra oomph, there are the glitter shadows “Encanto” (copper orange) and “Lambana” (dark green with gold). They perform best when pressed on to the center of your eyelid using your fingertips. I also like using them as an inner corner highlight, drawn on using a slanted detail brush.
If you want to be a little on-trend, you can use the neon orange “Devata” all over the lid to complement a peachy lip.
Into the gloss
I was also lucky to receive the lip glosses: Maria Cacao and Maria Makiling. The former is a deep brown nude metallic shade while the latter is a dusty nude pink color.
I reached for Maria Makiling for an event and found it has staying power. I didn’t need to re-apply even after drinking iced tea and snacking on some finger food. Maria Cacao is definitely for the party with its metallic finish. The shade looks very eye-catching, especially when the light hits it.
You can also use either shade on top of a matte lipstick.
Verdict
The Diwata palette could be your new go-to. It’s got all the basics for beginners plus the glitter shadows are always welcome for special occasions.
The nine shades work well together so you can come up with various combinations, depending on your mood and skill level. For a dummy-proof look, you can pick just one row and work with the three colors in it. Each shade can also stand on its own if you don’t have time to come up with a complicated eyeshadow routine.
Just a warning: You have to spend extra time cleansing if you decide to use their glitter eyeshadows as it can get everywhere, as glitter always does.
The packaging feels durable, plus the cover of the palette has a mirror built-in. It’s a steal for, hold on to something, P680! I do hope though that they can print the shade names somewhere on the palette.
As a girl who loves a nude lip all day, every day, I’m partial to Maria Makiling. It’s that life-saver product when you forget to pack a lip balm and a lipstick since it gives color without drying your lips out. Maria Cacao, on the other hand, wouldn’t be a bad addition to your collection, especially if you need a fun lip color while still playing it safe.
The consistency and the pigment make me think this product is on the border of lip gloss and liquid lipstick. With a light hand, you’ll get just the right amount.
Either way, you won’t feel cheated by getting them as each tube is just P299.
Thank you, next
As I mentioned earlier, the Diwata collection will drop Aug. 25. You can buy just one piece from the group or get a bundle with the palette and both the glosses for P1,250.
The products are cruelty-free and mineral-based. Plus, if you haven’t noticed it yet, they are inspired by Filipino culture with the use of names from Philippine folklore, the tribute to Whang-Od via the tattoed lady found on the palette, and the use of baybayin in the F of Filipinta’s logo.
I have a feeling Filipinta Beauty is just one example of how Filipinas are wielding the power of makeup and social media to recreate our beauty standards. I’m excited to see what’s happening next.
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