skincare

First impressions: Happy Skin goes back to basics for latest skincare line

Bea Cupin

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First impressions: Happy Skin goes back to basics for latest skincare line

Image courtesy of Happy Skin

The homegrown beauty brand releases two new, no-fuss skincare products to welcome 2021

There was a time when we’d slap astringent on our faces, feel the tightness on our skin, and call it a day. Fortunately, that’s no longer the case. We’ve been through the works – from the world waking up to learn that toner was a must-have, to the 10-step skincare routine that could frazzle even the most dedicated skincare enthusiast. 

The great 2020s, however, have ushered in a new phase in our collective skincare journeys: that of minimalism and going back to basics. Thankfully, the “basics” don’t involve astringents that sting upon application. 

Local beauty brand Happy Skin has jumped on the basics bandwagon with two new skincare products: the Hyaluronic Soothing Cleansing Gel and the Hyaluronic + B3 Boost Water Cream

If the names aren’t enough of a giveaway, the two new products fit squarely into minimalist skincare. They don’t promise much, save for skin that’s hydrated and healthy (and, therefore, glowing). And who doesn’t want that?

First, the basics of all basics: what’s in it?

The cleansing gel (P599 for 100 ml) spotlights hyaluronic acid, Centella asiatica, and ceramides. The water cream (P899 for 30 ml) has hyaluronic acid, niacinamide (aka vitamin B3), and ceramides. 

Hyaluronic is touted as a miracle ingredient that’s able to hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water within your skin cells and is generally suitable for all skin types. Centella asiatica or cica is a wildly underrated ingredient that I seldom see in Western skincare, but is popular in the Korean skincare world for its ability to calm skin and reduce redness (I personally rely on it to sooth my skin during and after a breakout). 

Niacinamide is another miracle ingredient that, for most, helps in regulating oil production, refines the appearance of pores, brightens skin, and helps in some pigmentation issues. Ceramides (a staple in many Western drugstore brands) helps your skin barrier (so does cica) and prevents it from drying out. 

Image courtesy of Happy Skin

While the ingredients are the stars of the formula, it should be noted that they’re not that high up in the inkey list, which means that they don’t make up most of the product. Cica is the 10th ingredient in the cleanser, followed by hyaluronic acid and ceramides. Niacinamide is the 7th ingredient in the moisturizer, with hyaluronic acid and ceramides in the middle of the ingredient list. 

That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but don’t expect the cleanser and moisturizer alone to transform your skin. (However, if you’re starting from zero, a good cleanser and moisturizer will definitely help transform your skin)

Still, that Happy Skin focused on these 4 tried and tested and generally non-irritating ingredients is impressive, especially for a brand whose bread and butter hasn’t been skincare. (To be sure, this isn’t its first foray into skincare. It previously launched two skincare lines in the past – one for anti-aging and another for oil-control.) 

Image courtesy of Happy Skin

The decision to release just two new products – a cleanser and moisturizer – is also smart. Both steps in the skincare process are arguably the least fussy and require the least amount of bells and whistles. 

The cleanser works perfectly – it lathers up just enough to make you feel like you’ve cleansed properly (we don’t really need cleansers to bubble up to work but we’ve been so conditioned to associate bubbles with cleansing ability, so there’s that) but never leaves my oily but sometimes parched skin dry. I’ve used it both as a second wash after oil cleanser and on its own – it works perfectly in either case. 

The water cream was much thicker than I expected. The first time I used it, I went HAM, thinking it’d be just like most water-based moisturizers I’ve used in the past. I was wrong. It’s thick but sinks into the skin easily, and a little goes a long way – I use a little more than a pea-sized amount for my whole face at night and I wake up to plump, hydrated skin the morning after (the first time I over-applied product, I woke up to grease – not glow – on my face). 

That being said, my only gripe is that it has fragrance – thankfully, fairly far down the inkey list. While it’s not exactly a deal-breaker, I usually skip on products with a fragrance, if only to make sure I avoid any risk of irritation. 

While their price points aren’t exactly cheap, a little truly goes a very long way. A tiny squeeze of the cleanser is more than enough for the entire face, even when you’re trying to wash off an oil or balm cleanse. The moisturizer should absolutely be applied sparingly, unless your skin is as dry as the desert – in that case, go ahead and douse your skin with it. 

Image courtesy of Happy Skin

The cleanser could easily last me 6 months, and the moisturizer, maybe just a little less than that. All in all, it’s a good deal if you’re looking for quality, no-fuss products, no matter what skin type you have. 

Happy Skin has also released the two in bundles – one including their Invisible Pimple Patch (cop it, if you’re pimple-prone) and their Mini Rechargeable Cleansing Device (a gadget that’s nice to have but skippable, especially if you have sensitive skin). 

The most exciting thing about this release? They leave more than enough space for the homegrown brand to later introduce serums, essences, or ampoules with more potent ingredients (hint, hint). – Rappler.com  

Purchase Happy Skin skincare online with this Zalora promo code. 

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Bea Cupin

Bea is a senior multimedia reporter who covers national politics. She's been a journalist since 2011 and has written about Congress, the national police, and the Liberal Party for Rappler.