Six homegrown skincare labels worth your shelf space, from Allies of Skin’s peptide serums to Sigi Skin’s sensitive-skin range, a doctor-founded barrier line, a dermatologist’s acne kits and vegan lip care from $12.90. Prices and offers were checked on each brand’s own store on 24 October 2026.

Homegrown skincare has grown up: these labels are built for our heat and humidity, and most sell straight from their own sites.

> Quick view: best all-rounder is Allies of Skin (serums $130-$270); sensitive skin should start with Sigi Skin or Bareness; the cheapest way in is Handmade Heroes from $12.90. Catch: most offers here are spend thresholds, so build one order rather than three.

How to choose

• Start with your skin type, not the brand. Reactive skin: Sigi Skin or Bareness. Breakouts: Dr.TWL or RE:ERTH. Firmness and fine lines: Allies of Skin.
• Try small before you commit. Allies sells deluxe sizes from $18, and Handmade Heroes and DORS let you test before buying.
• Bundle to clear the threshold. Free shipping kicks in at S$38 (RE:ERTH), $80 (Bareness, Handmade Heroes) and $100 (Allies), and the gifts start at $100-$165. One combined order usually beats several small ones.
• Introduce one active at a time. Retinal, retinaldehyde and vitamin C serums work best when you add them one at a time, two weeks apart, with sunscreen every morning.

How we checked

Every price on this page was read from the brand’s own online store on 24 October 2026: product prices and markdowns from each store’s catalogue, and offers from its homepage banners. Sigi Skin’s Golden Draw dates and prizes come from its campaign banner, Handmade Heroes’ stockists from its stockist page, and founder details from ELLE Singapore’s 2026 guide to local beauty brands and the brands’ own pages. Skin Inc was left out because its site could not be checked.

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(WDRB/InvestigateTV) — Forty-six percent of Americans say they would go into debt to maintain their beauty routines, according to a new survey by Zenoti, a beauty and wellness software company.

The survey of 1,000 adults also found 22 percent are cutting back on groceries to afford beauty spending, and 33percent said workplace stress and burnout is pushing them to increase their wellness routines.

Sarah Simonelli of Zenoti said consumers are not abandoning their beauty regimens — but they are becoming more deliberate about how much they spend.

“They’re not willing to sacrifice, because that means sacrificing their own wellness, their self-esteem, how they look and feel about themselves as they’re going throughout their daily lives,” Simonelli said. “And the value and importance of that is significant, especially — the beauty business has been around for decades, if not centuries.”

Rather than cutting beauty routines entirely, many consumers are adjusting how and when they spend. Simonelli said visits are being spaced out to reduce costs, and more people are signing up for memberships in search of better value. Use of “buy now, pay later” options to cover services is also on the rise.

“Thirty-two percent, we’re seeing, are actually trading down to a more comfortable price point — where maybe years in the past they were investing or indulging in high luxury services,” Simonelli said. “Now they’re thinking a little bit more practical so that it’s tangible and impactful but not overstretching their beauty spend.”

At-home beauty treatments are becoming increasingly common. The survey found 44 percent of respondents are doing at-home facials, 43 percent are coloring their own hair at home and 33 percent are opting for at-home waxing instead of professional services.

Copyright 2026 Gray Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Burnout has become one of the most defining experiences of modern life. Long workdays, digital overload, and constant pressure to “do more” have left many people feeling emotionally drained and physically disconnected. As 2026 approaches, wellness culture is shifting away from extreme routines and toward something softer, slower, and more sustainable. At the center of this movement is a powerful idea: beauty rituals can be mental health tools.

More than skincare or self-care trends, these practices focus on creating moments of calm, grounding, and restoration in everyday life.

One of the most popular rituals leading this shift is gua sha—a centuries-old facial massage technique rooted in traditional Chinese medicine. Using a smooth stone tool to gently glide across the face and neck helps stimulate circulation, release tension, and reduce puffiness. Beyond the physical benefits, gua sha offers something deeper: five to ten uninterrupted minutes of slow, intentional touch. For many, that quiet moment becomes a form of moving meditation.

Then there’s the return of the bath—not as a luxury, but as a necessity. Warm water helps relax muscles, lower cortisol levels, and signal the nervous system that it’s safe to rest. Adding Epsom salts, essential oils, or even simple unscented soaps can transform a basic bath into a decompression ritual. In a world that rarely slows down, being submerged in stillness has become a powerful form of reset.

Scent therapy, or aromatherapy, is also taking a front seat in mental wellness routines. Scents like lavender, sandalwood, eucalyptus, and citrus are known to influence mood and memory. A candle lit at the end of the day, a roller oil applied before a meeting, or even a favorite perfume worn intentionally can create emotional anchors throughout the day—small signals to breathe, pause, and recalibrate.

Journaling, once seen as purely emotional or creative, is now widely recognized for its mental health benefits. Writing helps process stress, track emotional patterns, and release mental overload. Many people pair journaling with beauty rituals—writing while wearing a face mask, after a bath, or before skincare—to create a calm transition between the demands of the day and the rest that should follow.

All of these practices fall under a larger movement known as slow beauty. Instead of rushing through routines or chasing endless product launches, slow beauty prioritizes intention over excess. The focus is on fewer products, deeper care, and being fully present during the ritual itself. It’s not about looking flawless—it’s about feeling grounded.

This shift reflects a broader truth that many are embracing: mental wellness and physical beauty are not separate. How we care for our bodies influences how we experience our minds. Gentle rituals create predictability in uncertain times. They teach the nervous system safety. They help people move from survival mode into something more sustainable.

In Kane County and beyond, this softer approach to wellness is quietly taking root—at home, in local studios, and even in everyday routines between work and family life. For those navigating burnout, these rituals don’t fix everything. But they offer something just as meaningful: small, steady steps back toward balance.

And sometimes, that’s exactly where healing begins.

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Attention, beauty junkies: There’s a new local brand in town!

Ferca Beauty has officially launched in the Philippines, and it’s all about making routines easier and simpler without compromising the quality and fun of doing your makeup.

At an event held at the Century City Mall’s Events Center, the homegrown brand debuted with its initial product lineup: a lip gloss, a lip and cheek tint, and blush.

Speaking to GMA News Online, Ferca Beauty general manager Isabella Oca-Biron said that the brand’s premise is that makeup doesn’t have to be too fussy or too serious; it should be fun.

She also shared that the beauty brand is a product of Endure Medical, one of the country’s leading medical equipment suppliers.

“Ferca Beauty came like a project of Endure Medical to diversify and tap into the beauty industry,” she said.

“Coming from the medical industry, we already have credibility, and I think that’s very important because medical supplies and equipment really need to meet high standards, so we bring that [same standard of quality] to our makeup products,” she added.

For its initial release, Ferca Beauty has introduced Lip & Cheek Flush, Lip Gleam, and Blush Bloom – each with an introductory price of P199.

Lip & Cheek Flush is a light and hydrating water-gel tint that is non-sticky and long-wearing.

Meanwhile, Lip Gleam is a lip gloss that leaves your lips plump and dewy with high shine and a non-sticky formula.

Rounding up the trio is Blush Bloom, a creamy blush stick that can also be used as eyeshadow or lipstick.

Ferca Beauty is available online via TikTok Shop and Shopee. —JCB, GMA Integrated News

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