Popique makes a strong debut with full skincare and makeup line

A new local beauty brand has entered the market, promising to bridge the gap between skincare and makeup. Popique officially launched on Thursday with a summer-inspired event at Whitespace Manila on Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City, transforming the venue into a bright and colorful beach club for a night of beauty, fun, and celebration.

Hundreds of beauty, fashion, and lifestyle influencers attended the launch to witness the unveiling of Popique's debut collection — 11 products covering skincare and makeup from the start.

Unlike most beauty brands that enter the market by focusing on one category before expanding into the other, Popique is making a standout move by launching a full lineup of both. While this is definitely a bold approach for a young business, it is one that puts consumers first, immediately benefitting potential users by offering a complete routine from day one.

The brand is the brainchild of Aleah Sia, a 24-year-old entrepreneur with a background in international relations and business management. She studied at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, where she earned a degree in International Relations and later completed a Master of Management at the university's Sauder School of Business. Two years ago, she returned to the Philippines to establish Popique.

"I've always been interested in both makeup and skincare since I was around 11 or 12 years old," Sia said in an interview with The Manila Times Lifestyle. "I saw a gap in the market — brands either focused on skincare or makeup, and I wanted to create a line where both worked together seamlessly."

The label's lineup includes a cleansing balm, a multi-peptide gel cleanser, a toning essence, a water cream moisturizer, a lightweight sunscreen lotion, and a blurring sunscreen primer. True to Popique's playful and youthful branding, each product comes with a catchy name — like Erase the Day for the cleansing balm and Take a Sip for the toning essence.

The makeup collection follows the same fun approach, with products like Kiss Me for the multi-peptide lip balm, So Comfy for the blur lipstick, and Face Forward for a complexion pot that includes shades for brightening, correcting, contouring, and concealing.

"We designed Popique so that you can have a complete routine from the moment you wake up to the time you're winding down for the night," Sia explained. "From cleansing to sunscreen to makeup, and then taking it all off, we made sure there's a product for each step."

Sia comes from a family deeply involved in the fashion industry, with roots in denim manufacturing through the legacy apparel brand RRJ, previously marketed as Rough Rider Jeans. While her background in retail helped shape her entrepreneurial mindset, Popique is proudly her own venture.

"I'm grateful for my family's experience in business because, without it, I don't think I would be doing this. But I knew I wanted to go in my own direction," she shared.

Despite her retail knowledge, developing Popique required a deep dive into product formulation.

"We worked with professional makeup consultants to ensure that our shades and formulas cater to a wide range of skin tones. Many of our products can be applied using just your fingers — they're creamy, blendable, and easy to use, whether you're a beginner or a pro," she offered.

The brand also prioritizes inclusivity, ensuring its products work across various skin tones. "It was important that anyone could find something in our collection that suits them," Sia emphasized. "Everyone can use them — men too!"

For now, Popique is available online via Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop, but plans are already in motion to expand into physical retail stores.

Looking back at the months leading up to the launch, Sia admitted she had initial concerns about how the market would respond to her concept and product range. "I was definitely nervous before we started posting on social media — whether people would accept our branding and like it," she shared. "But as soon as we posted on Instagram, the support just kept coming."

Sia further highlighted that with Popique's products priced below P599, the range aims to offer accessible beauty without compromising quality. As such, the brand's tagline, "Beauty That Makes You Pop," reflects its goal of making beauty effortless, fun, and expressive.

Given the success of her brand's launch, Sia remains grounded despite the fast-paced growth of her business. Crediting her team for helping realize her vision, she happily expressed, "We knew what we wanted to create, and we made it happen."

With this strong start and a fresh perspective, Popique has certainly positioned itself as a brand to watch in the Philippine beauty scene.