‘Skinimalism’ is the Revolution: Issy & Co. Responds to Public Demand for More Range, More Inclusivity, and More Real Skin

After almost a year in the pandemic, Issy & Co. welcomed 2021 with a bang—or rather, a movement—as it launched a base makeup line that screamed ‘skinimalism.’ The new concept in beauty and skincare demanded an edit of one’s skincare routine, paring down to only the bare necessities. 

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Filipino Brand Issy & Co. Launches ‘Skin On The Go’ Collection Perfect for Your Minimalist Glow Up

With skinimalism in mind, Issy & Co. launched its Active Skin Tint line, in six adaptable shades, and its Weightless Loose Powder, which were available in three different finishes. As always, the brand pushed its limits. In a beauty landscape where skincare shades usually come in just ‘light’ or ‘dark,’ Issy & Co. dared to release a full range, in order to match every Filipino skin’s varying complexions and undertones as closely as possible. 

“We’re proud to be the brand that offers the most diverse selection of shades,” begins Joel Andrade, Issy & Co. co-founder and creative director. “And due to the overwhelming support from our customers, we’re able to push the boundaries even further this time. We listened to what they needed and wanted, went back to the drawing board, and researched how we can develop our base makeup line—and make it even better.” 

The message was loud and clear: the public demanded more shades, more inclusivity, and more skin-like products. And no other brand better understood this clamor than Issy & Co.

Its response? Skin On The Go 2.0, with new and improved versions of its best-selling Active Skin Tint and Weightless Loose Powder, expanding its range even further; plus, an all-new Active Concealer to complement and match its base makeup line. 

“Inclusivity is all about having more people join the conversation,” Andrade points out. “It’s not just about adding one dark shade to the range and that’s it. The goal is to add more depth. We want this collection to introduce the concept of ‘depth’ into the vocabulary of the local market’s understanding of what complexion or skin tone is.”

With Issy & Co.’s full range, the brand offers three light shades, three medium shades, and three deep shades to cover the full spectrum of Filipinos’ skin tones and undertones. “Light, medium, and deep are the main categories, but within those, there’s depth,” explains Andrade. 

Upon formulation of its nine-shade range, Issy & Co. shifted the focus on undertone, because when it comes to skin tints and concealers, the crucial point is for shades to match its wearer’s skin undertone.

“To explain, the spectrum isn’t like a straight 1 to 10 line that goes from light to dark. It doesn’t work that way,” says Andrade. “Instead, think of it as an x and y chart. Yes, there’s a light to dark spectrum, but there’s also a spectrum of depth, which is about the undertone and how deep the undertone is.” 

The Active Skin Tint, which retails for P499, introduces three more shades to complete its spectrum of nine—Bisque FN1, Vanille FW1, Sand FO2, Beech FN2, Fawn MO2, Honey MW2, Hazel MW3, Sienna DW4, and Brûlée DO4. It comes in an improved squeeze-type packaging with a metal cap, and maintains its lightweight formula that feels almost like nothing on this skin. 

The all-new Active Concealer is at P399, and is available in nine shades, too—FN1, FW1, FO2, FN2, MO2, MW2, MW3, DW4, and DO4. It’s formulated with sodium hyaluronate to maintain skin’s water balance, skin-restoring and hydrating glycerin, oil-aborting bentonite clay, and avocado extract to help calm the skin from irritation. 

“Usually, when you’re using concealer, it implies that your skin is acting out, or maybe your skin is tired from a lack of sleep,” muses Andrade. “So we want our concealers to include soothing properties. It doesn’t cure your pimples, but it doesn’t interfere with your nighttime spot treatment or cause further irritation. Essentially, we want you to end up not having to use our concealers—the more you use it, the less you need it!” 

Issy & Co. also recommends purchasing the concealers in pairs—one in a true tone shade, and a lighter one. The former is for covering up blemishes and target areas of concern, while the latter is for your under-eye area and other areas that need a lift, to brighten your face. “The concealers are water-based like our skin tints—the two blend perfectly well together,” shares Andrade. “In fact, if you combine the two, you get a formula that gives you foundation-like coverage.” 

Last but not least is the Weightless Loose Powder, which retails for P349. It comes in a new finish, called Radiant, which is all about the glow, having pearlescent particles that give a brilliant complexion. It’s a fun addition to the previous Mattifying, Illuminating, and Translucent loose powder finishes.  

“Ultimately, we want our base makeup line to be as basic as denim, or even underwear,” says Andrade. “You don’t even have to give it much thought! It’s a modern way of seeing ‘beauty’,” he adds.The new range from Issy & Co. obviously is a far cry from the usual, with good-for-you formulations that allow the skin to breathe, to just be the way it is. “It’s real skin for real people. It’s not about covering up. It’s your skin—but better.”

Issy & Co.’s Skin On The Go 2.0 collection, featuring the Active Skin Tint, Weightless Loose Powder, and Active Concealer are now exclusively available on Shopee.

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