Fewer ingredients set Taiwan skincare apart from Korean brands

KOREAN SKIN PRODUCTS make up most of the international brands found at local beauty counters, including masks and moisturizers of different “flavors” and ingredients including the unique and the unusual — charcoal, snail essence, pig collagen, donkey milk, and horse oil. On the other hand, Taiwanese beauty products, which are also making their way to local stores, and are appealing for two things: the products are a closer match to Filipino skin and the ingredients used are fewer and simpler.

Taiwan, which is less than two hours away from Manila, is situated at 23.5° north of the equator — the Tropic of Cancer — thus its land and seas welcome direct sunlight. Unlike other areas on that latitude which are dessert, Taiwan is the “Magical Green Belt of the Tropics” because of its abundance of greens and fruits.

A Taiwanese skincare brand highlights this location and its attributes by calling itself 23.5°N, and focusing on “farm to face” concept to bring simple skincare line without the frills. Unlike Koreans’ extensive skincare routine (the infamous 10 steps), the Taiwanese, like Filipinos, adhere to the basics: wash, tone, mask, moisturize.

Available at Beauty Bar, 23.5°N products use four to 20 ingredients only and do not contain alcohol, parabens, and perfume, which means pregnant women can use them, said its general manager, Helen Ho, at a press launch on Aug. 9.

The main active ingredients used in the products are tea (for oily and acne-prone skin), bamboo extract (for normal skin), barley (for uneven skin tones), and rice (for dull and dry skin).

“We share the same hot and humid weather [as the Philippines] making the products suitable for Filipino skin,” said Ms. Ho. — Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman