The rise of Southeast Asian beauty: climate-proof, shade-inclusive and built for the world

Philippine brand Grwm Cosmetics came about to address overlooked olive skin tones and fill the gap between prestige beauty and mass-market cosmetics. When launched in 2021 with 12 shades of its make-up base, “it shook the market,” says founder Maryann Layug-Madriñan. “I think it also challenged the local industry—if a small brand could do it, everyone else should too.” A former nurse who made make-up videos in her off-hours, Layug-Madriñan knew firsthand how hard it was to find shades that matched Filipino skin tones. With 700,000 YouTube subscribers following her honest, no-gloss product reviews, she decided to create her own products. “It was my promise to my followers: if I launch a brand, I will make sure you can find your shade match, because even I couldn’t find mine.”

While K-beauty is famed for its 11-step liturgy, the Asean beauty market is contouring its own identity around easy-to-use essentials. Shaped by how much time Filipinos spend commuting, Sunnies Face, founded in 2018, focuses on products with staying power, that are effortless to apply on the go. “We understand humidity, long wear, lightweight textures, and the nuanced undertones across Asian complexions,” says Martine Ho, the brand’s co-founder and creative director, emphasising how Asean brands are investing in better formulation to build a competitive edge on the global stage. “The mindset has really shifted to becoming proud of what we locally produce and create,” Ho says. “For somebody in the Philippines to see a brand like Sunnies being worn by Hollywood celebrities and embraced by western media has really changed the pride for things that are distinctly Filipino.”

This sentiment is a source of regional pride too. Sunnies World flagships have popped up across Vietnam and Thailand in the past year. Says Kritapon Kamonsuangkasem, a former marketing manager at The Mall Group, one of Thailand’s largest mall retailers, “People aren’t just buying a lipstick, they are buying what that lipstick stands for.” 

Indonesia’s beauty market comes with its own demands: mandatory halal certification for cosmetics takes effect this month. In the world’s largest Muslim-majority market by population, it’s an expected hurdle, yet easily overcome—especially given how vegan products are becoming a norm, thanks in part to pioneers like Esqa. Founded in 2016, it is the first Indonesian brand built around vegan cosmetics and also the first Southeast Asian beauty investment made by Unilever Ventures; its venture arm has raised US$10 million across two rounds of venture capital funding rounds. “[Previously,] people didn’t really understand why vegan was important, and we had to educate them that it causes less irritation to the skin,” co-founder and CEO Cindy Angelina recalls. “People care more now about ingredients; and it’s the same with halal. We didn’t want people to sacrifice their beliefs for good formulation; now it’s becoming the industry standard.”

Read more: What makeup artists notice about skin before the camera does

Shade range and colour payoff are perhaps even more important in Indonesia than elsewhere, as skin tones range from the light complexions of its Chinese-heritage population to the deep tones of Papua and the eastern islands. “We invested a lot in product marketing to teach people to understand their undertones and use products that truly match their skin, rather than settle for lighter shades that make you look grey,” explains co-founder and chief product officer Kezia Trihatmanto. “People are understanding that they can still look bright in their own shade.”

These are stories worth paying attention to. According to online data platform Statista, Southeast Asia’s beauty and personal care market was valued at US$36.14 billion in 2025, with skincare leading the revenue share and make-up being the fastest-growing segment. By volume, Indonesia is the region’s largest and fastest-growing market, followed by Vietnam and Thailand. “You just need to keep levelling up, because the competition here is intense,” Esqa’s Angelina says. “It really challenged us as a brand to innovate not only our products, but also our brand experience. I think it’s a healthy factor for us too and will elevate the industry."

In Thailand, Ingu Skin’s approach to growing has been teaching consumers how to decode skincare labels and marketing jargon. “Science democratises beauty, so whatever gender or age you are, you can be part of this community—where people value honesty and transparency,” Kitiyadisai says.

All of his products are backed by clinical data. Ingu Skin’s BluVlite Ultra-Light Sunscreen is tested to the international ISO 23675 standard for sun protection. The anti-inflammatory properties of the brand’s Green Tea Calming Cream come courtesy of tea from Chiang Rai, in northern Thailand—a study by Mae Fah Luang University reports this variety has more antioxidants than tea from Japan or Korea. “Focusing only on sales, trendy ingredients and textures without any core values will make it very hard for brands to compete. What do you stand for, within the industry and the world?" Kitiyadisai says. “When companies like L’Oréal are looking to acquire brands, they aren’t just looking at who’s making the most money—they’re looking at who has the strongest brand and will leave a legacy.”

Panpuri, the Thai spa and skincare brand founded in 2003, is perhaps one of the most familiar SEA-beauty brands in North Asia. Since being acquired by Japanese cosmetics company Kosé in 2024, it has expanded rapidly across Asia; this year it will open three flagship boutiques in China. Its popularity, says founder Vorravit Siripark, is in no small part due to cosmopolitan curiosity. “The world has become more open to cultural diversity,” he says. “They want brands with a genuine identity and a different worldview. To me, Thai beauty is really about the art of well-being.”

Siripark saw this intersection of beauty, wellness and spirituality early on, and builds his candles, perfumes and oil serums around it. He credits beauty’s widening definition with shifting the spotlight to Southeast Asia. “People are looking beyond beauty as appearance alone. They’re interested in rituals, mindfulness, emotional well-being, and living more intentionally. Those ideas have always been deeply rooted in many Asian cultures, so Asean brands are able to contribute something authentic rather than follow a trend.”

That same instinct to set its own course shows up at Philippine brand Issy. Launched in 2019 as a digital-first brand, Issy will be available in 365 stores across the Philippines by year’s end through pharmacy retailer Watsons. The brand is defined by its edge and emphasis on simplicity and accessibility.

Issy is emerging as the male market’s go-to for cosmetics in the region, and its inclusive campaigns are making sure every demographic feels seen; campaigns for its Multi-use Liquid Paint feature male models—a rare and welcome reminder that cosmetics today aren’t gendered.

When you don’t see someone who looks like you [in ads], or even your own shade, you can’t help but wonder, ‘Do I even exist?’” says co-founder and chief creative officer Joel Martin Andrade. “I thought, let’s sell our fellow countrymen things that are made for us; and on top of that, something that really helps create our identity. There are brands that are here to sell, and there are brands that are here to really move the industry forward. We are the latter; and although we do not have an unlimited budget, we have unlimited creativity.”

Andrade half-jokes that he exhausted his staff by releasing 27 shades of foundation. But they understand that Issy is selling more than make-up—it’s expanding what beauty can mean. By looking beyond global norms and daring to embrace itself, the region is turning cultural authenticity into a multi-billion-dollar industry. “Beautiful is such a rich and loaded word,” Andrade says. “If you push the boundary of what beauty means, the vocabulary widens for everyone."

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