When it comes to local beauty brands, our selection tends to lean on the affordable side. Let’s face it: we can always justify spending on imported goods, but are always looking for the most affordable local options.

Enter: Pili Ani Cosmetics

Pili Ani Cosmetics is a local luxury skincare brand, with every item containing two key ingredients: Pili Oil and Elemi Oil. It is the only brand to use such, and both are sourced from the Bicol-indigenous Pili trees. The nuts produced by these trees are a popular local snack.

Like many natural oils, Pili oil is rich in antioxidants, vitamins A and E, and beta carotene. It takes 3,500 pili fruits to make one liter of Pili Oil, which makes the ingredient truly precious. Elemi Oil, on the other hand, is an anti-bacterial, firming ingredient, which can target both acne and sagging skin.

Prices range from P 225 (Pili Ani Minty Lip Balm) to P 2900 (Pili Ani Intense Hydrating Facial Cream.) The brand carries a satisfyingly wide range of beauty items from skincare, makeup, bath and body care, hair care, and essential oils. The brand is also available in the USA, with a market that is very much interested in both exotic cosmetic ingredients and cruelty-free formulations.

The Pili Ani Skincare Travel Set (P 1,995) is a pretty easy way to test the brand, as it contains mini versions of a full Pili Ani skincare routine.

The Pili Ani routine starts with double cleansing, another rarity in the local cosmetic market. The Dual Action Cleansing Oil is a biphase oil cleanser that settles into a milky white liquid when shaken. It is pretty runny and washes sunscreen and light makeup off easily. With Pili Oil as a second ingredient, you truly get your money’s worth with this cleansing oil. It has an elegant, natural fragrance that reminds of tree bark. It is highly recommended for people with dry, aging skin.

The oil cleanser is meant to be followed with the Pili Ani Gentle Facial Cleanser. This low pH gel cleanser gently removes the day’s grime without stripping your skin’s natural moisture. It is also free of SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate)/SLES (sodium laureth sulfate), which are common foaming ingredients found in harsher soaps and shampoos. The scent is very similar to the cleansing oil’s, in that it has a unique natural fragrance that smells like tree bark. It is recommended for people with sensitive skin.

Next is the Pili Ani Purifying Toner. It is an aloe-based clarifying toner that also contains ethyl alcohol. Some people are easily irritated by ethyl alcohol, but I personally had no issues with the overall formulation. It doesn’t sting on fresh acne scars, and preps skin nicely for layering on multiple or heavier layers of moisturizer.

The Pili Ani Hydrating Mist is a light, fragrant facial mist meant to be used anytime throughout the day. This is perfect for people stuck in cool, dry, air-conditioned rooms who can’t really afford to do anything more complicated in terms of refreshing their faces. It is also a great hydrating base for makeup.

And finally, one of the brand’s flagship items is the Pili Ani Ageless Concentrate. This green-hued facial oil is extremely lightweight and non-greasy, perfect for use in the humid Philippine weather. Pili oil is the first ingredient, which means the formulation contains the most amount of it. Elemi Oil is also included, to help boost the anti-aging effects of this elixir through its firming properties. This oil leaves one with clearer skin that has a slight glow, and is recommended for dry, sensitive, combination, or oily skin types.

The kit comes with a travel pouch and a mini Sweet Dreams Oil Blend. This aromatherapeutic oil can be rubbed on the wrists, arms, nape, and/or neck a few hours before sleeping to help one calm down and get in the mood for sleeping.

By sourcing directly from Pili farmers in Bicol, manufacturing the cosmetics here in the Philippines, and aiming to sell both here and abroad, Pili Ani has proven to be an amazing local brand that is truly worthy of international attention.

Pili Ani Cosmetics is available in the Philippines through piliani.com, and in the USA through pilianiusa.com.

Image Sources: piliani.com and Pili Ani Beauty on Facebook.

*******************************

Kristel Yap is a professional makeup artist. She has been a beauty writer for almost a decade, sharing the latest in makeup, skincare and beauty on her blog Beauty by Tellie. You may follow her on Instagram @beautybytellie.