Sheene sets the tone

Pageant critics and beauty devotees pronounced the Miss Universe 2005 show in Bangkok, Thailand, a success: the production was great, the venue was bomb-threat-free, and the contestants all looked flawlessly pretty. The snag-free production can be vaguely credited to an excellent choreographer and a great planning committee, the safety to tight security, but the flawless beauty of each national representative deserves a more definite acknowledgment: Each of those girls looked gorgeous partly because of Sheene Cosmetics, the official makeup sponsor of Miss Universe 2005.

Sheene (pronounced "shi-ne") is Thailand’s most popular skincare and cosmetics brand, and it’s a best-seller among teens and high school students mainly because of its up-to-the-minute product offerings and affordable price range. Now available in Manila, its local distributors are not compromising the brand’s reputation. Hoping to attract Manila’s young, beauty-savvy girls, nothing sold by Sheene in Manila is priced above P650, including skin-brightening moisturizers and two-in-one powder foundation compacts (both of which are sold by other imported brands at over P1,000).

Now that the beauty industry has to keep up with the constantly changing trends of the fashion world, more and more beauty brands have realized the need to update their cosmetic arsenal every season. Sheene makes sure it always rides the trend wave by coming up with new makeup colors every two months.

"Sheene is the queen of color in Thailand," says Achara Pricha, second vice president for the cosmetic and perfume division of ICC (Sheene’s mother company, and one of the biggest fashion and beauty conglomerates in Thailand). "If people want to know the latest makeup color, they come to us." She also adds that they also come up with new products, new variations, and new packaging every few months.

But there are certain principles that remain constant in all the products. A lot of Sheene’s products, especially its makeup and skincare for the face, are oil-free. This for two reasons: it’s a must when dealing with Thailand’s – and the Philippines’ – humid weather, and when your target market is composed of active, acne-prone teenagers and twentysomethings. The oil-free products include facial cleansers, liquid foundations, acne cream, and powder compacts. (Since the brand caters to the needs of every woman, they also have moisturizing powders and moisture-heavy creams for dry or mature skin.)

All the makeup products are also long-lasting. Sheene is a one-time-application thing. Their foundations and cake powders can last almost eight hours without having to retouch, and their eye shadows and blushes don’t disappear with a swipe of your hand.

The most important thing for Filipinos to consider, though, is Sheene’s color formulation. Sheene was initially made for the Thai market 15 years ago, and its shades and colors suit Thais’ yellow- to olive-toned skin complexion. If you’ve ever been to Thailand as a Filipino, you would have been mistaken at least once for a local. Thais and Filipinos share the same skin tone and facial structure, and both Thai and Filipino skin experience the same weather and environmental conditions. So, essentially, a cosmetic and skincare brand that was made for Thais and sells well among Thais could also have been made for Filipinos, and should sell well among Filipinos.

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Sheene is exclusively available at Watsons. The cosmetics are at Watsons SM Sucat, SM Megamall, SM Makati, New Virra Mall, and SM Mall of Asia. The skincare line is available at SM Cubao, SM Sta. Mesa, and SM Southmall.

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