Anyone who has ever struggled to achieve a flawless, skin-like base knows that good makeup begins long before foundation touches the face. It starts with skincare. A well-built routine creates the canvas that everything else depends on. But not all skincare works seamlessly under makeup. When routines become too complicated or overloaded with active ingredients, they can affect how foundation sits, wears, and lasts throughout the day.

Among the local brands embracing a more intentional approach is Habitude. They position themselves as the “white shirt” of skincare, not trendy for the sake of it, but dependable, foundational, and designed to work with everything else in your routine.

True to that philosophy, Habitude currently keeps things minimal with just three products: an Essence, a Toner, and a Serum. The idea is simple but refreshing in today’s 10 to 12-step culture. You can use all three, or even just one or two, depending on what your skin needs. Each formula is built with barrier-supporting ingredients that focus on maintaining healthier, more resilient skin over time.

For those who wear makeup regularly, this is where the brand becomes especially interesting. In my testing, we started with the Thicc Water Toner followed by the Dew It All Essence, then sealed everything in with Birch Juice Moisturizing Sunscreen before moving on to makeup.

The Thicc Water Toner is a pH-balancing formula designed for oily and sensitive skin. It is lightweight but not drying, formulated with VB9+, pomegranate, and centella asiatica to help calm the skin, regulate oil, and prep the face for better absorption of the next steps.

The Dew It All Essence sits right between toner and serum in texture and function. It uses galactomyces ferment filtrate to help brighten and balance the skin’s microbiome, supported by a botanical complex that hydrates and revitalizes. The finish is light, but the hydration is noticeable.

After layering these, we went straight into sunscreen, then makeup. The difference was immediate. Skin felt soft, bouncy, and well-prepped, with no irritation, even on clinically sensitive skin. Throughout the day, even in non-air-conditioned spaces, the makeup melted into the skin in a natural way, creating a healthy glow without patchiness or creasing.

“We think about skin the way we think about the things that hold us together, the barrier that knows what to let in and what to keep out, the habit you reach for without second-guessing,” Habitude co-founder Nikki Rivera said. “That's what Habitude is trying to be, Filipino skincare that becomes a habit because it first became a trust.”

Beyond performance, Habitude also stands out for its visual storytelling. The packaging leans heavily into collaboration with local artists, turning everyday skincare into something more tactile and expressive.

The toner and essence boxes feature artwork by Maura Rodriguez, while the serum showcases work by Fickle Friends. These are designed to be kept, reused, or repurposed, whether for journaling, mood boards, or even as bookmarks. The bottles themselves follow the same philosophy, with soft pastel tones and illustrated details that make the routine feel more intentional and, unexpectedly, more joyful.

“We choose local artists based on what feels aligned as a vibe, and artists with a strong POV (point of view) and visual identity,” Romina Nañagas, the brand co-founder, told Manila Bulletin Lifestyle. “We go through several rounds about the product and ingredients. Then they interpret through their artistic lens.”

As for the serum, the Skin On Holiday Serum is a niacinamide-based treatment designed with barrier-supporting and skin-renewing ingredients, including EGF oligopeptides. It targets fine lines, uneven tone, and sensitivity while supporting overall skin recovery. However, I personally did not test this step due to sensitivity to niacinamide.

Still, as a complete system, Habitude makes a strong case for streamlined skincare that works with makeup rather than against it. It is designed for Filipino skin and the realities of local weather: heat, humidity, and long days that demand products that can hold their own.

As co-founder Noelle Hui put it, “We always say Habitude plays well with others. It's skincare built for rotation, not to replace everything on your shelf, but to make all of it work better. Just like the white shirt you rely on, season after season.”