Prepare to be inspired as you delve into our exclusive interview with the remarkable content creator-turned-entrepreneur behind GRWM Cosmetics. From humble beginnings to conquering the beauty industry, her tale is sure to captivate your imagination and ignite your entrepreneurial spirit. Get ready to be inspired by her passion, resilience, and unwavering determination.
Getting Ready
As you might have guessed, 'GRWM' stands for "Get Ready with Me," a popular social media trend. But it's not just a catchy name - it perfectly captures the essence of GRWM Cosmetics.
Mae's boldness and unwavering commitment to making a difference are transforming the industry in awe-inspiring ways. And it's incredible to think that a daring career change brought her to this remarkable journey, and boy, is that chance paying off! Can you believe that Mae was actually a cardiac nurse before becoming a content creator and now this beauty adventure? Talk about an impressive career shift!
"I have seen gaps in the Filipino market that I wanted to fill in. I've done market studies, and I noticed that a lot of Filipinas with medium to tan skin tones aren't able to find their shade in the local beauty market. Whether it's a makeup base or a colored product, I believe that everyone deserves to find a shade that compliments their skin tone and undertone," Mae, shared.
Despite being a relative newcomer to the cosmetic industry, having launched in 2021, GRWM Cosmetics is already giving established local brands a run for their money. At just 29 years old, Mae Layug has crafted a beautiful journey that unveils the extraordinary story behind the brand.
"In all honestly, it was hard at first," Mae shared. "It’s because we are very used to seeing Western models on beauty brands therefore some people associate it with being aesthetically pleasing. For you to be able to wear “this” or “that” product, you have to have this skin tone or features which is very unrealistic because we are Filipinos and we have our own features as well. That’s why in our campaigns, we have models who are professional models and models that are everyday people who have no modeling experience at all but embody what our brand represents and are a representation for all our goal-getters in all walks of life. Representation is very important for our brand because we want to let the people know that this is how makeup looks like."
Pinoy Representation
The 29 years old Entrepreneur strongly supports inclusivity. Hence they offer wide arrays of shades for different skin tones and types. What is also good about GRWM is that while it is surprisingly budget-friendly, it believes that the Filipino market deserves good quality and safe-to-use products. We're definitely a sucker for products like this and a brand with this kind of mindset!
"When I was young, I don’t see myself being represented. It made me think now about how this can hugely affect the younger generation," Mae admitted. "They will think that in order to look “beautiful” or in order to wear something like what the model is wearing you have to be “somebody”. I am a consumer, and when I check products, I wanna see how they will look on someone with the same skin tone as I am, the same body type that I have, and the same features that I got. Representation sets realistic standards on how a product should look on someone."
Just like every Pinay, Mae can deeply relate to our sentiments. Comparable to the alienation that some of us felt and how the morena representation was nowhere to be seen.
The brand that cares
GRWM Cosmetics goes above and beyond to ensure that their products are affordable, of excellent quality, and safe for use. They believe that the Filipino market deserves nothing but the best. That is why we can't help but admire a brand that combines affordability with a strong commitment to providing top-notch products.
Mae says the word sustainability is used without knowing its accurate and complete meaning. She says sustainability is not only about recycling as it's a broad spectrum involving the "system, consumers, companies, and the environment." Recently, a famous TikToker called out the brand, and GRWM, as a brand that always listens to their consumers, was quick enough to respond and discuss sustainability.
She adds, "When a consumer has one product that works very well on his/her skin, it can help reduce overconsumption because he/she will go back to using that product again and again instead of buying a lot of products with the same purpose. "
If you're worrying about the environment, your worries reach the right ears as GRWM is already planning its new component and packaging designs. The brand also has a good working ethic, "We are a company that values its employees and the people outside the company that we work with. Our employees are well compensated with good benefits." She also says, "When we work with outsourced suppliers, we pay them right after the service is rendered. In this industry where a brand normally pays their outsource suppliers in 30-90 days to make sure that the company's cash flow isn't interrupted, as a brand that believes that everybody deserves to get paid after the service was rendered, we have practiced and embodied this culture ever since we started."
Mae's path to success was also a bumpy road, especially with the handicap of having no background in business management. When Metroscene Mag asked about the challenges in the early stages of GRWM she said, "I trusted people easily. In this industry where marketing is neck to neck, do not trust people easily. They will always take advantage of your ignorance and kindness." But again, Mae proves to be an empowered woman amid challenges, "You have to be accountable for your actions. I always tell myself when it's getting hard, 'You've got this, Mae!'"
Getting Ready for the Future
When asked about GRWM's vision of the future, Mae says that she sees GRWM Cosmetics expanding not only to a beauty brand but also as a lifestyle and skincare brand, and it will be available in the global market. In the near future, GRWM also intends to expand by quarter four (4) this 2023 in retail stores. GRWM has a lot in store for us; you better watch how it unfolds.
The interview ended with Mae explaining how she sees the future of the beauty industry in the country. She states, "It will be revolutionary. With the expansion of beauty brands left and right, I strongly believe that good quality products will be produced more and more consumers will choose Filipino beauty brands when they are purchasing beauty products."
GRWM definitely lived up to its hype. No wonder it's always out of stock. As a Pinay, you can't help but be glad that there are brands like GRWM that step up for a change. This is a big win for us Filipinos! While GRWM and other brands are closing the gap in the local makeup scene, this also sparks a movement to fully embrace our morena skin and ditch the Westernized beauty standards that are not realistic representations of us.
