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Words by Miguel Ortigas
Art by Sarah Gatmen
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was written independently. The organization is not engaged in a partnership with Issy.
In the beauty industry, the fusion of elegance and affordability isn’t something you see every day. With established brands like FENTY Beauty by Rihanna and NARS, it’s hard to come across a makeup brand that offers the same high quality that these brands do, but at a relatively lower cost. For makeup users, there is a constant struggle to find products that won't break the bank but still deliver professional results, making the search for the perfect beauty products both daunting and frustrating.
However, in November 2019, Issy was founded by Jasmine Chua, who aimed to revolutionize the beauty market in the Philippines. Jasmine sought to create a disruptive brand that achieves all the hallmarks of easy beauty—inclusivity, affordability, quality, and accessibility.
While they started out as Issy & Co., they go by just Issy now, if you didn’t get the memo. They rebranded in August 2023 to reflect the more modern trajectory they wanted to set out on. In an interview with Wonder Mag, Issy’s creative director, Joel Andrade, shared, “People call us Issy anyway…It served us well, but it’s time to move on. This is a new era; if you don’t like it, well, too bad for you.”
A rebrand that puts a fresher and more modern take on beauty. Short and simple but rolls off your tongue so well it makes it hard not to remember this iconic brand. Revitalizing a company’s image by making it more appealing to contemporary consumers, and differentiating it from competitors. Successful rebrands can reignite interest in a brand’s products, attract new customers, and foster renewed loyalty among existing ones.
"Beauty made Easy"
Wanting to show off your looks doesn’t always mean spending a lot on clothes and makeup. Issy believes that being beautiful should always be accessible. Whether you’re a makeup enthusiast or still trying to find what suits you best, they will always have you covered with their affordable yet quality product line, which ranges from ₱200 to ₱800 (Not to mention the price drops that happen during sitewide sales on shopping apps like Shopee and Lazada, which go as low as ₱150 on selected products! Talk about a steal, am I right?)
Not only does Issy demonstrate that being beautiful doesn’t have to be expensive, but it can effortlessly enhance your features while staying true to the uniqueness of your skin. One of their biggest selling points is their wide range of products targeting all types of skin tones, which come in blushes, lipsticks, tints, foundations, powders, etc. that are universally flattering on Filipino makeup users. According to Joel Martin Andradem, co-founder of Issy, they added more shades to ensure that their system complimented and served all types of skin tones and undertones Filipinos have. Their “Shade Match Matrix” in particular is a good system that pushes for inclusivity in enhancing one’s natural beauty. Lifestyle journalist Ryan Mantilla wrote in Medium that this system represents Filipinos' diverse range of skin tones, thereby promising that no customer feels outcast or “left behind.” After all, the system knows how to find what’s right for everyone.
Such a system allows not only morenas (who’ve long struggled to find makeup that suits their brown skin and undertones) but also all other types of skin tones to easily find what base makeup is best suited for them in three quick, easy steps: (1) identify your skin tone, (2) recognize your concern or purpose, (3) pinpoint your undertone. The shade match matrix does the rest of the job in helping you find the perfect shade.
It isn’t just the affordability and simplicity that attract Gen-Z consumers, but also the minimalist packaging. Issy’s trademark sleek, silver designs lend their products a cool, retro-futuristic look, easily setting them apart from the other beauty brands in your makeup bag. The packaging also has solid practicality functions — not only are Issy’s goodies compact and space-saving, but they’re also designed for smooth application and maximum product performance.
Let’s take the iconic Lip Bullet, for example. The old packaging of Issy’s signature lipstick looked like every other brand’s: thick, chunky, and with a slanted triangular tip — good for pointed application, but unfortunately prone to breakage. And so recently, Issy revamped their Lip Bullet’s design through a new, sleek, sophisticated case that better supports the product’s structural integrity. Since their Lip Bullets come in three different kinds of finish (matte, velvet, and satin), Issy came up with a smart way to distinguish which from which: True Matte cases are, well, matte; True Velvet cases are laminated; while True Satin cases are glossy.
Issy's Effective Marketing
No matter how much effort and resources you dedicate to promote your product, it’s never gonna be as effective when your product has terrible quality. However, Issy makes no compromises. What really separates Issy from the rest of its competitors here in the Philippines is the consistent quality control they have on their products that leads customers to come back time and time again to try out more.
It isn’t just quality that boosts Issy’s reputation — it’s also their customers' loyalty. Feedback from customers is one of the most crucial elements in measuring the success of your business, and Issy’s long list of approvals from thousands of customers shows how much of a loyal following they have. This is because they reward recurring customers with incentivize to come back for more, and Issy fans are more than happy to oblige, especially with the quality the brand has to offer. An example could be the coupons Issy offers when you’re subscribed to their newsletter, which also notifies you whenever a new launch drops and also includes discounts.
Collaborations with influencers also helped Issy. Be it from small or large influencers, social media publicity helped them go a long way. Exposure is such a vital part of growing your business because the more you gain traction, the more likely you are to be noticed by more and more people. Adding this onto Issy, their unique and consumer-first approach really helped them grow from a small business to a nationally-loved brand.
Their social media presence has gotten them so far as well because of their consistent production of content that aims to showcase their product. Aside from showcases, they also make fun little skits and informative videos that further result in even more recognition and sales.
Issy and Inclusivity
Issy brings a fresh perspective to the beauty industry, offering high-quality products that are both elegant and affordable. The brand is well-loved because it appeals to a wide range of customers, from makeup enthusiasts to those who are discovering beauty for the first time.
Inclusivity is central to the Issy mission. Their innovative products and shade ranges transform how people find what product matches their skin best, regardless of skin tone. This system recognizes and celebrates diverse Filipino complexions — Moreover, this commitment to inclusivity extends beyond marketing; it reflects a genuine desire to make beauty accessible to all.
If there’s one thing you can trust, it’s that Issy doesn’t discriminate. It promises that it’s accessible to all — The joy of Issy’s customers comes from their ability to purchase high-quality products while tagging along on the brand’s mission of making makeup fun.
Don’t just ask your friends about it. Thousands of other influencers and strangers alike believe that Issy helps find beauty in the simplest things with the utmost respect while keeping it healthy, safe, and gold-standard — truly a new era of makeup, made better by all things Issy.
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