Issy and Co. is easy to use for casual everyday
When I first came across Issy and Co, I was scrolling through my TikTok ‘For You’ page. It was a random day when I stumbled upon a morena Filipina talking about her current “makeup faves” with one of them being an Issy & Co. product (though I couldn’t remember what it was, for the life of me).
I remembered two things about the Issy and Co. product she ended up reviewing: 1) the fact that she was raving about it like it was her new holy grail; and 2) It looked like the epitome of the ‘clean’ product trend that has been cropping up in 2022.
Upon researching, I found that Issy & Co. was set up by Jasmine Ang in 2019. The company’s philosophy centers around a love of makeup but intimidation by it as well. According to their company statements, their philosophy seeks to create products that are easy to use for the casual makeup user. So Issy & Co. is looking to shorten the learning curve with its simple and easy-to-use products.
But did they succeed?
When we asked a professional makeup artist for opinion on the product (thank you to Ms. Theresa Padin for her expert opinion!), she noted that the products were very beginner-friendly and morena-friendly, as well as hydrating. She pointed out that she appreciated the range of the lipstick colors and that “pwedeng lumaban sa Clinique ‘Almost Lipstick’ line.”
When asked about how good the products were for natural, everyday makeup, she said that Issy & Co. was perfect for those who weren’t into the “snatched” look, “very clean girl makeup.”.
Now, to a casual makeup user, how did the products hold up for me? I didn’t receive all their products but I do have two base products, two of their new creme bronzers, a lip gloss, and their skin mist. This feels just about right to talk about considering that great no-makeup makeup is about having a good skin.
I appreciated that its active skin tint contained broad spectrum protection with UVB/UVA SPF 35. Though I don’t exclusively rely on products that contain sun protection over just using sunscreen and sunblock (yes, there is a difference!) I will never say no to a little more protection. The tint truly is as it is advertised. It evened out my skin tone but didn’t cover any major problem spots and just tinted my skin. Something to keep in mind is that there is no coverage (as with most tints on the market today). So it’s perfect for those who are new to makeup and don’t want to worry about using too much and the base foundation caking up. Being a dry-skin girl, I especially love the hydrating formula.
But if you have some problem areas like I do, look no further than the concealer. To be transparent, the concealer was a little darker than I liked but when mixed with a lighter concealer it did do its job. I don’t usually like to put concealer other than on my undereye (hence why I go as light as I can for that area) but I used it to cover up spots around my face just to see what the product can do. And I was genuinely surprised by how much I really enjoyed it! I’ve always been loyal to my Maybelline concealer, but I love the liquid formula and it blends like an absolute dream. I think my holy grail has some competition now if I could get my regular shade.
The creme cheek bronzers were also amazing to blend out. I wouldn’t try to use it to create a chiseled, Kardashian-style look. But it gets the job done when you want to add a little more of a sun-kissed glow to your skin. Be aware that it has a bit of shimmer and doesn’t go on matte.
The phyto-complex skin mist was quite nice but I couldn’t tell if it made much of a difference at first. That was until I got in my car in natural light and saw the air-brushed effect it gave on my skin. Though thanks to the humidity and heat here, that effect doesn’t last long if you’re outdoors for extended period. It doesn’t set your makeup but it does improve the look of your skin after spraying and letting it settle.
Finally, I will try not to gloss over the lip gloss (get it?). But seriously, the lip gloss formula feels so luxurious to put on your lips and works wonders for that natural makeup look, if that was your aim. Like probably 90% of glosses on the market, it isn’t bulletproof. So use it at your own risk when wearing masks.
Quick, final thoughts: Overall, I was impressed with the products I was able to get my hands on! It is a godsend for beginners as there is little room for error with the products mentioned. If you’re going for a natural look, this is a great brand to look into. The prices are fair and you could build a great beginner makeup kit with products from just this brand alone.
The products are a labor of love and a lot of thought and detail was put into the formulation of all that I had. I can’t wait to get my hands on more products in the future for myself.
Photography Wilmark Jalindon
Styling Luis Carlo San Juan
Makeup Theresa Padin
Model Alexa Jayne Monera
Videography Julian Reantaso assisted by Alonzo Domingo
Special thanks to Harley Tan
