Cheyenne Suarez

Beyond TikTok: PH Beauty industry's global ambition

at the Belo Medical Group Clinic in Greenbelt, Makati, March 21, 2018. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Raine Musñgi

ABS-CBN News

<div> </div>MANILA — The Philippines could emerge as one of the world&#x27;s top beauty exporters within the next three years, according to a regional industry executive who sees growing opportunities not only in skincare and wellness products, but also in beauty services, aesthetic treatments and digital beauty platforms.Speaking on ANC&#x27;s Business Outlook, Informa Markets Philippines Country General Manager Rungphech Chitanuwat said Filipino beauty brands are increasingly positioned to compete against regional rivals as consumers spend more on skincare, wellness and self-care while local manufacturers develop products based on indigenous ingredients such as coconut. &quot;I would like to see more Made-in-the-Philippines products in the international market. I look forward to seeing the Philippines become one of the top five exporters of beauty products globally within the next three years,&quot; Chitanuwat said. The forecast comes as the Philippine beauty and personal care industry continues to expand rapidly.Industry projects the local beauty and personal care market to exceed US$11 billion by 2034 as consumer spending, e-commerce adoption and wellness demand continue to grow.<div>Beauty becomes a daily necessity</div>For Chitanuwat, the industry&#x27;s growth is being driven by something deeper than social media trends.Consumers increasingly see beauty as part of everyday health, wellness and self-care rather than simply something associated with makeup or special occasions.&quot;Beauty has become part of everyday life,&quot; she said.The shift is driving demand across multiple categories, particularly skincare, haircare, supplements, aesthetic treatments and wellness-related products.Among the fastest-growing segments, Chitanuwat identified skincare as the industry&#x27;s strongest performer.&quot;The biggest growth I see is in skincare.&quot; <div><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Hfu0XEAhNZE?&amp;list=PLm34qRgqWBU6TBYVPvgHTQWI2lYLCwbTM&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe> </div>She said younger consumers are increasingly incorporating skincare into their daily routines, while demand for haircare products continues to rise because of stress-related concerns, environmental factors and growing awareness of personal wellness.At the same time, aesthetic and dermatology services are expanding rapidly as new technologies become more accessible to consumers. <div>Coconut could be the Philippines&#x27; beauty superpower</div>Chitanuwat identified coconut-based beauty products as one of the Philippines&#x27; strongest competitive advantages.&quot;We have an opportunity to grow because of our abundance of resources such as coconut,&quot; she said. The Philippines produced approximately 14.5 million metric tons of coconuts in 2025, making it one of the world&#x27;s largest coconut producers.The industry spans roughly 3.67 million hectares across 69 provinces, supports more than 2.7 million coconut farmers, and accounts for about 35 percent of the country&#x27;s agricultural export earnings.The coconut industry remains one of the country&#x27;s most important agricultural sectors. In June 2025, the Department of Agriculture announced a plan to plant 50 million coconut trees in 2026, part of a broader effort to regain the country&#x27;s position as one of the world&#x27;s leading coconut producers. The initiative is expected to support more than 2.5 million coconut farmers covered by industry modernization programs.Global demand for coconut-derived products is also accelerating.In the first quarter of 2025 alone, Philippine coconut export earnings surged 76 percent to US$868 million, driven largely by strong international demand for coconut oil and other coconut-based products.Chitanuwat believes those same raw materials can help Filipino companies build globally competitive skincare, haircare and wellness brands.At Cosmobeauté Philippines 2026, she noted that the Department of Trade and Industry expected 8,000+ industry visitors and 250+ exhibiting companies to showcase Philippine-made products and ingredients to international buyers. <div>Beyond products: Can the Philippines export beauty services next?</div>Chitanuwat said the next phase of growth may come not from exporting beauty products alone, but from exporting beauty and wellness services.She pointed to emerging Philippine platforms that allow consumers to book salon and beauty appointments online, reflecting a broader transformation in the beauty economy.&quot;It&#x27;s not only the products, but you can book for the service on the beauty space as well,&quot; she said. The model mirrors what South Korea achieved through K-Beauty, skincare clinics and cosmetic treatments, and what Turkey accomplished through medical aesthetics and hair restoration services.For the Philippines, the opportunity could extend beyond skincare, cosmetics and wellness products into dermatology, aesthetic medicine, salon services, wellness tourism and digital beauty platforms -- areas where the country already has a large workforce, strong English proficiency and an established service-export economy.<div>Viral marketing can create buzz -- but not trust</div>One of the biggest questions facing the industry is whether beauty trends are increasingly being driven by social media rather than product quality.According to Chitanuwat, digital platforms like TikTok have become critical to how consumers discover and purchase beauty products.Beauty brands, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, are increasingly shifting marketing budgets toward social media, e-commerce platforms and digital advertising.&quot;We see a lot of spending shifting toward digital marketing.&quot;For many startups, online channels offer the fastest and most affordable path to consumers. But Chitanuwat cautioned that marketing alone cannot build a sustainable beauty business.&quot;The entrepreneur and producer have to improve product quality and bring Philippine-made products to the next level.&quot; Strong branding may attract attention, she said, but long-term success still depends on quality, performance and consumer trust.<div>FDA approval and safety remain critical</div>As beauty shopping increasingly moves online, Chitanuwat said consumer education has become one of the industry&#x27;s most urgent priorities.She warned that some products circulating online may contain harmful ingredients.&quot;There are products that contain mercury or lead, which can harm human health.&quot; Consumers, she said, should carefully examine labels and verify whether products have been registered with the Philippine Food and Drug Administration.&quot;We should check whether products are FDA-approved because the FDA protects public health.&quot; She also noted that regulators across Asia have removed products from the market after testing found unsafe levels of toxic substances, particularly in whitening and lightening products. Consumers should not assume that a higher price automatically means a better product, she added. Instead, buyers should evaluate ingredients, certifications and transparency before making purchasing decisions.<div>Sustainability becoming a new competitive advantage</div>Another trend reshaping the industry is sustainability.According to Chitanuwat, sustainability today extends beyond environmental claims and increasingly includes responsible sourcing, community development, safer ingredients and more sustainable packaging.Beauty companies are facing growing pressure from consumers to disclose what goes into their products and how those products are manufactured.For the Philippines, the sustainability movement could create another competitive edge because of the country&#x27;s strong position in coconut production and natural ingredients.Combined with wellness trends, coconut-based products, herbal formulations and environmentally conscious packaging could help local brands differentiate themselves in international markets.<div>A beauty industry with global ambitions</div>Asked what she hopes to see three years from now, Chitanuwat&#x27;s answer was not focused on sales figures or market share.Instead, she said she wants Filipinos to place greater confidence in locally made products.&quot;I would like to see Filipinos believe in Filipino products.&quot; For Chitanuwat, the challenge is no longer whether the Philippines can participate in the beauty economy.The bigger question is whether Filipino brands -- and eventually Filipino beauty and wellness services -- can build enough global recognition to compete alongside the region&#x27;s biggest success stories.&quot;I would like to see Filipinos believe in Filipino products,&quot; she said. For an industry already worth more than $6.5 billion annually, that ambition no longer appears far-fetched.

Beyond skincare and cosmetics, the next big export opportunity may be Filipino beauty, wellness and aesthetic services -- if local brands can win on quality, safety and innovation

Beyond skincare and cosmetics, the next big export opportunity may be Filipino beauty, wellness and aesthetic services -- if local brands can win on quality, safety and innovation