There has never been a better time to be a beauty lover in Southeast Asia. Across the region, a new generation of founders is building brands that are sharp, savvy, and deeply attuned to the skin concerns that actually matter here—the humidity, the heat, the hyperpigmentation, and the endless search for a sunscreen that doesn’t feel like wearing a greasy mess. From Bangkok to Hanoi, Jakarta to Manila, homegrown beauty is having a moment that shows no sign of slowing down. Science-backed serums and vegan lipsticks represent what the SEA market is looking for, and these five brands are ones to watch—once you try them, you’ll understand why.
Thailand: Ingu Skin
When a beauty brand is born from the founder’s own skin struggles, you trust it a little more. Ingu was created by Chayadhorn Kitiyadisai—known as Ing—who didn’t just want clearer skin; he wanted to understand exactly why his skin was misbehaving and then fix it. With a family background in cosmetics and a transparency-first ethos, every Ingu formula comes with a clear explanation of what’s in it and why. No ingredient padding, no marketing smoke and mirrors—just science-backed skincare built for Asian skin in hot, humid climates. Sound familiar? And with the brand recently launching in Singapore, you can pick their products up online or next time you’re in Bangkok. Your skin will thank you.
Vietnam: Cocoon
Most brands that talk about ‘natural ingredients’ mean they’ve added a token drop of aloe and called it a day. Cocoon is not most brands. Vietnam’s most beloved homegrown beauty label sources everything locally—think Vietnamese coffee, Hoi An Rose, and Hau Giang lotus—and builds its entire skincare and body care range around these ingredients. Their 100% vegan, cruelty-free commitment earned the brand both PETA and Leaping Bunny certification, which is a first for any Vietnamese brand. Ethical, effective, and honestly quite beautiful to look at on your vanity, Cocoon is the kind of discovery that makes you wonder what else you’ve been sleeping on.
Indonesia: Esqa Cosmetics
Two friends moved back to Jakarta after studying abroad, looked at the local beauty shelves, and decided they could do better. They were right. Esqa is Indonesia’s first vegan cosmetics brand—Halal-certified, cruelty-free, and now backed by Unilever, which is not the kind of endorsement you get by accident. With over 120 products spanning makeup and skincare, all free from parabens and formulated without compromise, Esqa sits in the sweet spot between modern beauty ideals and genuinely wearable results. The powder foundation performs in heat, the lip products last, and now they’re available online in Singapore, you don’t have a reason not to try.
Philippines: Happy Skin
The Filipinos figured out makeup-that’s-good-for-you-skin before it became everyone’s marketing tagline, and Happy Skin has the receipts to prove it. Co-founded by Rissa Manaquil Trillo and Jacque Yuengtian Guiterrez, the brand built its identity around the idea that your foundation shouldn’t be fighting your moisturiser. Skincare actives are built into everything, so your complexion is being looked after even in full glam. Their shade ranges and designed with Asian skin tones in mind, and the packaging is the kind of thing you actually want in your makeup bag. Happy skin proves that the best beauty philosophy is also the simplest one.
Malaysia: Chuck’s
Jane Chuck built a social media following before she built a brand, which means she knew exactly what her audience wanted before she started formulating. The result is Chuck’s—a skincare label with a modern aesthetic and a skin-positive message that cuts through the noise. Formulated in South Korea (because why not take the best from everywhere?), the range centres on effective, high-quality ingredients without unnecessary fuss. The Very Important Sunscreen became a cult favourite almost immediately, praised for being lightweight, non-greasy and actually pleasant to wear in 33-degree heat—a bar that far too many unscreens still manage to miss. If you haven’t already added it to your routine, this is your sign.
Singapore: Sigi Skin
Built on the belief that fewer, better products will always beat a shelf full of average ones, Sigi Skin has quietly become one of Singapore’s most compelling homegrown skincare stories. The superfood-infused range blends botanical ingredients—think yuzu, chamomile, avocado extract—with clinically proven actives like niacinamide and squalane, because founder Xenia Wong’s core conviction is that you shouldn’t have to choose between natural and effective. Wong spent two years testing over 30 lab samples before launching with just three products, which is either admirable restraint or business-savvy stubbornness, and probably a bit of both. Everything comes housed in airless packaging to protect the actives from light and oxidation—a small detail that says a lot about how seriously this brand takes it’s own formulas. Quietly award-winning, fiercely independent, and entirely self-funded. Worth every bit of your attention.
Final Thoughts
What connects all six of these brands is something that goes beyond good formulas and pretty packaging. Each one was built by someone who looked at their own skin, their own climate, their own community, and decided to create something genuinely inspired by and useful for it. That kind of intentionality shows up in the results. Whether you pick up one product or fall headfirst into an entirely new routine, these brands are worth getting to know. The Southeast Asian beauty scene is producing some of the most exciting launches around right now, and I have a feeling the list is only going to get longer. Watch this space.
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