Throwback with Ellana Minerals and its new look

Do you remember the time when mineral makeup became the craze in the market? I remember that it was quite about the time I was still a makeup newbie. At first, they were being sold just by the sample gram sachets or tiny jars in Ebay or in Multiply resellers. Mineral makeup promises a natural, dewy glow while covering imperfections without that heavy feeling. It's also makeup that's talc-free. fragrance-free and hypoallergenic and pregnant women who need their makeup fix can use it. Mainstream brands even produced their own mineral makeup line in line with this trend.

Mineral makeup had its cult following in YouTube vloggers and several beauty bloggers both international and local ones. Since a big jar of imported mineral makeup can get too expensive for the startup makeup artist or college student, they were resold from imported brands and repacked in plastic ziplocs and sold in 1-gram sample sizes.

Ellana minerals is a local mineral makeup brand that became a cult hit among a lot of girls, makeup artist or not. It's affordable and it's got a lot of yellow-toned shades, named in such yummy-sounding names like almond latte, cafe breve, and french vanilla latte. The loose mineral foundations melt seamlessly to the skin making it seem like we really have naturally beautiful and smooth skin with no visible giant monster pores at all. Back then, Ellana can be found in Multiply, Ebay resellers, and SM Makati bazaar stalls. Back then, it still had this look. Remember now?

I still use this as a setting powder after makeup, especially to male models or grooms, who just need to look like they have naturally good skin instead of wearing makeup.

I was invited at the relaunch of Ellana minerals, which also introduced new packaging and their new showroom. The new packaging features artwork made by Manila's top lifestyle illustrator, Soleil Ignacio.

6g jar for Php 460, refills for Php 330

I did say that they have makeup shades that fit our Asian skintones right? Well morenas ought to be happy for they have a dark shade too that will not turn red, ashy, or gray as well. Love our own skin.

photo from the Ellana Cosmetics Facebook Page

The number one complaint though with mineral makeup is that they can be quite messy to take with you for on-the-go touch ups, since they come in loose form. Thankfully, Ellana now has the Ultimate Pressed Foundation and blushes which come in compacts.

 For those who want to be shine-free throughout the day, keep your loose powder at your home vanity and take the pressed form with you in your purse. For those who just want to look fresh without much coverage, you can use the pressed form since it delivers medium to light coverage. And it's so pretty it looks nice in your purse, office drawer, or touch-up kit. All you need now are tools for proper makeup application.

Of course, quality makeup wouldn't be complete if not for brushes. I'm glad Ellana also has very affordable brushes so we won't break the bank for our makeup fix.

A personal preference of mine is the flat angled kabuki brush, which can get makeup in hard-to-reach areas for better coverage. Not bad for Php350. For pressed or loose, this is all you need.

There are also dual-head brushes for concealer, brows, lips, and eyeshadow.

The brush cleanser  (php 400) is another personal favorite of mine. I love the refreshing cucumber melon scent it has. Perfect for quick-cleaning in summertime gigs, or on super stressful gigs. Brush cleanser is important, especially if I'm doing more than one face, say in weddings, fashion shows, or makeup demos. It keeps colors true instead of being muddy. It also prevents the buildup of gel liner in my gel liner brush so my application is still precise.

Starting MUAS who can't afford expensive makeup primers can use Ellana Minerals makeup primer, which functions just as well as the expensive brand. It fills in pores and fine lines, helping us attain naturally flawless skin. It literally says goodbye to shine as it mattifies the skin. I can use this for everyday priming up, and save my expensive one for clients or special occasions.

It's got this silicon-like finish that leaves skin feeling velvety smooth like a newborn baby's bonbon.

For a bit of color, the lip and cheek gel can be used under mineral foundation for a glow-from within. I really stress on using the cheek gel under powder makeup because it glides on evenly and powder will set the gel quickly making it hard to move. (remember to wash hands right after application)


I'm glad that there's mineral makeup made locally for ladies who want that same poreless perfection without costing a lot of money. When I posted this on Instagram, one of my friends commented that she has been using this since they started. For those who want to order, Ellana minerals is sold online in their website. You can follow them as well in Facebook and Instagram. The Ramp Trinoma, EDSA Shangri-La, and Glorietta are also carrying Ellana products so you may check them out as well.

Review: Ellana Brush Cleanser

I stopped by the mall last Friday for last-minute essentials that I would be needing for Aia's wedding the following day. On my way home, I passed by the SM Makati weekend market (you know, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, SM Makati has this mini-bazaar at the center) and I chanced upon a brush cleanser at the Ellana booth. I sprayed it a bit and went ahead, thinking I'd run out of time, but I guess I know I would need something for quick cleaning and I would have no time already to make my own brush cleanser when I get home, so I went ahead and bought it.


Since I'll be doing more than one face, I would need something to quick-clean my brushes in between faces so 1) the colors won't turn out muddy and would still look vibrant on each face and 2) hygienic purposes. It's not practical to wash the brushes between clients so a spray-on and quick-drying brush cleanser would be a good alternative. This costs Php150 for a spray bottle (the spray bottle is kinda small, holding about mL of the product). It also contains tea tree oil, which is a natural antibacterial agent.


So when I got home, I thought I'd take this to a road test. I had a client that day so naturally, I need to clean and wash my brushes. Before washing the brushes, I used the brush cleaner first.


The directions say to spray on the brush (one spray would do for a small brush, but for a big brush like a powder brush, a couple would do)


and rub on a paper towel



What I like about the product:

Smells really good. I like the fresh and clean scent.

• Quick-drying. My brushes are dry in time for the next face.
• Removes dirt.
• Affordable.
• No sticky residue.
• Easy-to-use.

What I don't like about it:

• Quick-drying a bit too quickly. I have to re-spray the tissue since it dries up quite fast so I tend to use more product.
• It doesn't remove color completely from the brush. There are still some color residue, but it's enough. Hence, this is only good for quick-cleaning.
• It doesn't have refill bottles. You have to purchase another spray bottle.

Overall, I think this product is okay if I'm using this only for quick cleaning in-between faces or before washing brushes. I use this to remove excess product first on my brush before I wash them to cut washing time in half. This I like though, plus there's tea tree oil to kill bacteria. This product works better though if I spray on the tissue or paper towel and then rub my brush through that part. Lipsticks, concealers, and foundation are quite difficult to remove too. I'd give this a 4/5.


Always remember to clean brushes after use to prolong their lives and to make sure they're bacteria and germ-free and the colors stay vibrant when applied.