Elianto: Young and fresh

By Dinna Chan Vasquez

Fact: Many Filipinos balk at buying specialty skin care and opt for drugstore brands.

?We do not consider face scrubs or toners essential. Some do not understand the importance of using moisturizers. Sadly, a lot of us think that these extra steps are only time-consuming, unnecessary expenses,? says Abigail Lim, brand manager of Malaysian beauty brand Elianto.

But Lim says the company is seeing a growing awareness among Filipino consumers about the long-term benefits of skin care and that?s good news.

Elianto, which means sunflower in Italian, is a brand of affordable skin care, cosmetics and makeup from Malaysia.

As its name suggests, Elianto is for younger women, who want their beauty products to be fun, happy and vibrant.

The company?s best-selling products in the Philippines are the Baked Eye Shadows and Blushers, which are surprisingly comparable in quality and color pay-off to a high-end Canadian makeup brand with similar products.

Another bestseller, says Lim, is the Sunscreen Lip Gloss with SPF 15, a creamy stick enriched with vitamin E and apple seed oil. Other top-selling products are the Pearl product line, which includes a toner, facial foam wash and moisturizer, and the Shimmer Shadow collection of eye colors, which has 60 shades.

Of course, nothing in the entire line is more popular than Elianto?s Nail Color, which has 60 shades from gold to purple to black and is priced at a very affordable P99.

Lim says the nail color?s formulation is guaranteed not to discolor and turn nails yellow, is long-wearing and fast-drying.

Elianto opened its first store in the Philippines in July 2006 in SM Mall of Asia. It now has 17 outlets nationwide, with two more opening within the month. The target is to have 28 stores by the end of the year, says Lim.

?The company?s [franchisee Corporate Apparel Inc., which carries clothing brands like Arrow, Espada and Sahara] goal is to turn Elianto into the fastest growing chain of one-stop beauty shops for women for women?s beauty and skin care needs.

Elianto, which is owned by Malaysian company Classic Bonita, has over 60 outlets in Malaysia and franchises in Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Philippines. The brand will soon make its entry into other Asian countries like Thailand, China, Indonesia, Kuwait, Jordan and India.

Elianto has over 500 products in the Philippines with average prices within the P99 to P300 range.

?I believe this is the coming of age for Asian cosmetics,? Lim says to explain Elianto?s growing popularity.

She adds: ?Asian cosmetics are of very good quality and have a long rich history. As early as 500 BC, Asians were already using pearl, ginseng, royal jelly, tea leaves and seaweed as beauty products. In addition, consumers now realize that less is more and there is no point in patronizing Western brands better suited for the climate in North America and Europe. Elianto is formulated for weather in the tropics. Thus, it is perfect for us.?

Elianto bold colors are definitely in this year. Must-haves, says Lim, are canary yellow (#23), electric blue (#29), blood red (#14) and wine (#10). There are no rules when it comes to eye shadows, she adds. A quick brush over the eyelids can instantly define and shape eyes.

Blushing cheeks are all the rage and Elianto Mousse Blusher, a lightweight silky blush, gives a very natural pink flush, says Lim.

?Having chapped lips is a no-no and Sweet Kisses Lip Gloss offers a hint of color and shine while keeping lips healthy,? she adds.

For Filipino women, Elianto recommends its entire line of SPF products, including the Mattifying Pressed Powder with SPF 18, which absorbs oil and keeps skin matte and shine-free and protects against UV rays, and Sunscreen Lip Balm, which is perfect for beach lovers. For beautiful peepers, Lim suggests the Eyelash Curler and the Fake Lash Mascara in Black.

Elianto products have won recognition. In 2006, its eye shadow palette and Pink Glittering Puff were given Cosmopolitan Magazine Beauty Awards. Last year, the Makeup Correction Stick was named ?Beast Beauty Buy? by the same magazine while Metro magazine cited the Sunscreen Lip Gloss for ?Best Lip Gloss.?