Catering to the Filipina Beauty in Ayala Malls
As with most businesses, it started with an itch. In the case of Happy Skin co-founder Rissa Trillo, the itch was a literal one.
“Modeling for fifteen years, I’ve had every imaginable makeup brand on my face,” shares Rissa, who’s also a beauty columnist. “In fact, it was at the peak of my modeling career that my skin was at its worst. Makeup can instantly prettify you, but the biggest beauty woe is going home with ruined skin.”
She’s tried so many beauty products, but none of them fit the bill. “There are a lot of amazing brands, but they just don’t seem to have our tropical weather and the Filipina skin tone in mind,” she adds. “I’ve always been proud to be Filipina and wanted to create the perfect makeup line that would wonderfully celebrate Pinay skin.”
And so, along with her friend Jacqe Yuengtian-Gutierrez (who worked with a multinational personal care brand), she founded Happy Skin in 2013.
Initially, Happy Skin started as a small counter before opening its first standalone shop in Glorietta in 2015. The environment in Glorietta was so good, and the sales so strong, that Happy Skin chose to expand to three more Ayala Malls: TriNoma, U.P. Town Center, and Greenbelt.
When asked what makes Happy Skin different from other makeup brands, Rissa replies that it’s the only actively skin-caring makeup available in the Philippines. “Girls go the extra mile to care for their skin with the right skincare products, but they end up breaking out when they start using makeup,” she says. “So we created a makeup line that actually cares for your skin. When your skin is well cared for, it’s at its best and happiest.”
At its core, Happy Skin is very much a Filipino brand. Not only was it launched with the Filipina complexion in mind, but it also aims to be “approachable, fun and friendly.” In fact, Rissa herself is hands-on with her customers, and personally assists them with their purchase and use of makeup upon their visit to her Ayala Malls stores.
Aside from Happy Skin, Ayala Malls hosts many other homegrown beauty and fashion brands. In the Filipino Zone in Greenbelt 5, Filipino creativity is showcased in an upscale retail setting. Local ingenuity shows its flavor in accessories, to fashion, to furniture.
Other Filipino touches makes Ayala Malls unique urban retreats – from cultivating native flora in their open spaces to making Filipino art a part of the mallgoers’ experience. Ayala Malls is a regular host to events that celebrate Filipino design and ingenuity, such as the Negros Trade Fair – the longest running provincial trade fair in the Philippines. This holiday season, Greenbelt 5 is the venue for the Designer’s Holiday Bazaar – a treasure trove of Philippine craftsmanship and design.
Having four stores in Ayala Malls, Happy Skin shares Ayala Land’s commitment to developing Filipino enterprises and communities. On how she feels about her work, Rissa quips: “I will never forget the feeling when we opened our first store in Glorietta… I love being at the counters and it’s so rewarding when customers tell me how Happy Skin has made them feel more confident and more beautiful. It’s really fulfilling to be in the business of making (Filipino) women feel happy!”
Rissa’s story is just one of the many whose lives have been changed for the better with Ayala Land – whether through gainful employment, entrepreneurial opportunities, value-filled partnerships, or improved quality of life. Watch the videos below for more stories:
Ayala Malls is the flagship retail brand of Ayala Land, the Philippines’ leading developer of sustainable estates offering a diverse mix of quality residential and commercial developments that support local economic growth.
INQUIRER.net/Issa Mirandilla
