Nina Jobst
Research expert covering South Korea
Cosmetics and personal care industry in the Philippines - statistics & facts
As a country with one of the most beauty pageant crowns won in history, it is perhaps unsurprising that the beauty and cosmetics market continues to flourish in the Philippines. Along with the popularity of foreign skincare products comes the growing demand for cosmetic and personal care items suited for the Filipino skin. While most of these products were sold in retail shops and malls, the country’s high internet penetration rate fueled the retail e-commerce scene, further contributing to the growth of the country’s cosmetics and personal care markets.
The Philippines has a vibrant cosmetics and personal care market, with a diverse range of products manufactured locally as well as imported. This market continues to show a strong potential for growth, contributed by in-store retail and via online marketplaces and social commerce platforms.
Imported beauty and skincare products meet consumer demand
Due to brand familiarity, the cosmetics and skincare market has been dominated by global market leaders, particularly American and French brands such as Maybelline and L'Oréal Paris. Demand for Asian brands, however, has been growing recently, which makes up most of the cosmetic product imports. A large volume of cosmetic imports to the Philippines were supplied by Thailand, which includes popular brands such as A Bonne, Mistine, 4U2, and KhaoKhao. Imported products range from soaps, lotions, and cosmetics, which are available in health and beauty store chains as well as in mall department stores. Interest in Korean beauty products has not escaped the Filipino market, especially due to the strong influence of Korean dramas and K-pop, as well positive reviews from websites and their favorite vloggers or influencers.Local brands are reshaping beauty standards
Meanwhile, local beauty brands have started to saturate the market with the influx of young entrepreneurs that wish to cater to the growing demand for products that complement the morena or tan-skinned beauty. Among the popular local brands are Colourette Cosmetics, Happy Skin, Issy & Co., BLK Cosmetics, Sunnies Face, and GRWM Cosmetics. Some brands have also started shipping internationally for Filipino customers abroad. In addition, several beauty influencers and vloggers have also used their online popularity by venturing into the beauty market. As of February 2025, there were roughly 13,700 licensed cosmetic establishments in the Philippines, the majority of which were focused on product distribution.Online retail complements in-store shopping
The retail of cosmetics and personal care products still mostly takes place offline, although the share of online retail is slowly picking up and is forecasted to match offline sales in 2029. In addition to online marketplaces, social commerce platforms, especially TikTok Shop and Instagram, raised awareness of such brands, often resulting in sales conversion. As of the first quarter of 2024, beauty, health, and personal care products contributed a significant share of the gross merchandise value of TikTok Shop in the country. The social commerce revenue of TikTok was forecast to continue growing in the following years.The Philippines has a vibrant cosmetics and personal care market, with a diverse range of products manufactured locally as well as imported. This market continues to show a strong potential for growth, contributed by in-store retail and via online marketplaces and social commerce platforms.
