Yes, They Exist.: Great Beauty Products for Less Than 100 Pesos

Most people have this bias that anything sold expensive must be superior to cheap ones. However, there are a few good beauty finds in supermarkets here in the Philippines that are surprisingly cheap. How cheap? Below-100-pesos* cheap!

(*a little more than 2 USD) 

1. Dove Bar

Image from dove.us

How much is it: around 55 php for a 135g bar

Women who probably had relatives from the US during their childhood days may know this bar as the slippery, soft, cream-like soap which somehow always makes the balikbayan box. While the local formula may have been tweaked and is far from the nostalgic, very moisturizing, melting-within-a-few-days bar, it is a good alternative to your usual body soap and even from the more expensive ones from upscale beauty stores.

2. Fitness Oil Control Sheet 

How much is it: 31 php for 100 sheets

The average Filipina-way of dealing with skin oiliness whenever outdoors seems to be wiping the face crazily with their handkerchief and putting some baby powder on it post-stress. The constant pulling of the skin when using the handkerchief could damage your skin - and this is where oil blotting paper can help. Rather than pull the skin during wiping, blotters can work by merely patting your skin with the tiny blotting paper and voila, less oilier skin without risk of damaged capillaries.

3. Nivea Lip Care Fruity Shine Strawberry 

From nivea.ph

How much is it: 80 php for 4.8g

It moisturizes, adds some tint, doubles as a lip gloss, has some SPF and has a delicious fruity flavor - all at a third of the typical price of a Korean lip balm. What more can we ask for?

4. Apollo Petroleum Jelly

How much is it: 83 php for 100g

Don't believe the uninformed, tree hugging detractors of petroleum jelly, or else you'll miss out on this very useful product. Petroleum jelly is a very versatile ingredient - a shape-shifting product if you may - from sleeping pack to lip balm. Even if you happen to hate it as a moisturizer, you can still find tons of uses for this product, making the meager price tag totally worth it.

5. Johnson and Johnson's Baby Oil 

From johnsonsbaby.com

How much is it: 63 php for 125 mL

Another useful product which along with its brother, petroleum jelly, which always falls in the hands of people who feel scared due to ignorance. Unless you're allergic to fragrance, this oil is the cheapest and safest (rarely brings adverse skin reactions) product to clean up your pores (or "remove" blackheads and whiteheads, which are only dirt-ridden sebacaeous filament). Also, it is moisturizing, non-comedogenic, and not at all carcinogenic. By the way, remember to get the original, PINK bottle capped one, as the other variants have other oils which may react with your skin.

So ladies, lack of budget is no excuse to not have good skin care products!

If you know of more similarly cheap and great finds, feel free to drop them below.