With the myriad of products out there, the creator economy thrives in knowing the “best” item to recommend—whether through makeup, skin care, lifestyle, or fashion.

The internet now exists in a space where a product can easily rise to cult status overnight, thanks to unbacked opinions—more so when amplified by a polished video, a timely plug, or a recommendation passed around through word of mouth. Echoing information has become a full-fledged career now, and it takes surprisingly little persuasion to entice consumers with glitzy, flowery promises.

In that sense, persuasion can be its own art.

Expertise, however, is a separate discipline, which only a few have mastered.

And it’s one that content creator Jan Angelo has honed throughout the years, as he unpacks the complex print on skin care packaging into something more digestible for the everyday Filipino trying to navigate better skin health. How many times have we heard that what works for one person might not work for another? This is where the content creator comes in, breaking down the science behind skin care and approaching product recommendations with a practiced eye for which formula merits attention. 

Take him to a drugstore, he says, and he can put together a routine from whatever is on the crowded shelves of skin care, all while working around with whatever budget you’ve got. It’s a craft he spent years honing, and one that reflects the very heart of his platform. “I am so dead set on being evidence-based,” he shares candidly. “With my content, I have a really long screening process, actually. And if a brand cannot accommodate that, I can’t push through because it will undermine, undercut my credibility.”

Persuasion can buy a moment’s notice—it’s a quick buck and a few thousand likes for anyone chasing the metrics and a fast conversion. The voices that endure, however, are those that maintain unwavering credibility through the noise, and for Angelo, it has become his second nature—one that comes from prioritizing educational substance long before the realization that the internet needs more of it.

In an exclusive interview with Allure Philippines, the content creator shares the experiences that shaped his approach to skin care, the importance of earning his audience’s trust, why evidence will always come before trends—and some dating 101s.

What were you doing before being a content creator?

Before I was doing content, I was working for my family business. I wasn’t happy, to be honest. But what did make me happy during those times was doing skin care. I was really that friend that—when we would go out and go to the club and we would all be drunk—when we get home, even if I’m super drunk, I would still do my skin care routine. I would double cleanse and I will not sleep until I do it.

It was in the food industry and I’m going to be so honest: I don’t know how to cook. I can only cook to survive. Like, I was really not fit for that industry, but it did teach me a lot about putting up a business, which is kind of what content creation is also like.

What was your earliest memory of beauty?

My earliest memory probably was when I was starting out, around maybe 2014, more than 10 years ago. I would really save up to get myself a VMV Hypoallergenic Sunscreen, a Clinique product, or a Shu Uemura cleansing oil—and that was so expensive! That was really aspirational for me at that time, so I would really treat every drop like it was liquid gold. 

What was the very first beauty post on your feed?

My very first beauty post on social media in general is [a video called] “Best Drugstore Skin Care,” like, skin care you can find in Mercury and Watsons. I’m very proud to say that up until today, I can still give you an entire curated list of very affordable skin care. 

That’s my core, that is my specialty: bring me to any drugstore, and if there’s skin care there, I can get you a routine, just give me your budget!

The video or post that changed everything for you?

I really thought about this, and there was no single post that changed everything. I think it was more of building my audience’s trust throughout the years—just consistently putting out helpful videos and recommendations that resonate with the audience in terms of budget. It was building that, that slowly changed things for me. I realized that people really trust my recommendations. And ever since, I’ve really held that trust a lot with a lot of importance. 

A risk that you took that paid off?

Choosing education over trends for my platform. Because when it comes to skin care, you cannot deny there are a lot of trends. But I really decided at that time when I was building my channel, everyone who was into skin care was focused more on experiential points of views, and I really wanted to get [into] the science into it.

I really wanted everyone to be empowered in terms of the information and the education—and I think it really paid off. At first, you would think that this industry is built on trends and that all the money is [banked on] trends. But actually, not really. It’s a sustainable path to educate as a creator, whether it’s skin care, whether it’s other niches. Education is really important, in my opinion. 

The moment you almost quit but didn’t.

You know what, if I’m gonna be really honest, there was really no point where I thought I might quit, because I feel like my mom didn’t raise me to be a quitter. But I guess the closest moment would probably be the time where I thought, “Is educating an entire audience even worth it?”

When you think about it, there’s so much, so, so, so much information that goes around in skin care, and in beauty in general. Sometimes it gets tiring to debunk things, but every time a viewer comments or mentions to me that, “Oh, I finally went to a dermatologist because of you,” or “I finally used acne medications and not just skin care because of you, ”that’s where I always go back to my why. 

It motivates me to do even more. I see the impact that it makes on people positively—it’s so fulfilling. It’s even more fulfilling than when people say, I took your recommendation of this skin care product. But if they say, I went to a dermatologist because of you, I’m like, “Okay! Another five years.” 

Describe your content in three words.

I would say evidence-based, practical, and empowering. 

When I go into any store that I want to buy skin care [from], I want to already know what I want. I already want to be decided and know how it stacks up against other options, and that for me is empowering. 

One word that defines your trademark beauty look?

Fresh. Because it’s just fresh; just natural! 

What keeps people coming back to your page?

I’ve thought about this a long time also. And hopefully, it’s because they think I’m always trying to earn their trust. My platform is really built on the trust of my audience. They know that whether I do branded or non-branded content, that the root or the core of the content is always going to be rooted in evidence-based or factual claims. That I’m never trying to peddle misinformation in any way just to sell a product.

Matte or dewy base?

Matte—because it’s really hot and sticky in our country. I mean, it’s a fantasy. Dewy finish? If maybe our country had winter, sure. But it’s really hot right now. Even in the rainy season, it’s hot. Oh yeah. And I’m also oily, acne-prone. Yeah. 

No makeup-makeup or full glam?

No makeup-makeup. Not because I don’t like full glam—full glam is amazing, and people who can do full glam, I bow down to you. For me personally, the limitation of my skills is base makeup, and I love a good . So definitely no makeup-makeup look. 

3-step routine skin care or 10-step routine?

Contrary to what a lot of people think, a three-step routine. No one has time for a 10-step routine, and whenever you’re doing skin care these days, it’s all about the essentials. 

People especially have so many other things to worry about. You know what? A lot of people say skin care is life—I think skin care is not life. I feel like there are other things we need to do, so our skin care has to be as efficient as possible.

What you need is sunscreen in the morning. And then at night, a good moisturizer. Especially since some moisturizers these days, and even some sunscreens, already have some effects that can help calm your skin. 

A lot of the products in the market right now are actually pretty multi-tasking. Hence, you don’t need a 10-step routine. Also, it’s so hot in the Philippines! Layering all those products, girl, just two seconds after you go out, you’re already sweating.

Morning skin care or nighttime skin care?

I ultimately thought to pick morning skin care, because technically, a sunscreen is a moisturizer with UV filters, so I’d rather have that and then just use it as a moisturizer at night. But it’s a waste, rather than getting nighttime skin care and not having anything to protect me during the daytime. 

Short hair or long hair?

Short hair. Because I already am doing so much for my skin. If my hair was long, I would need to maintain that too. And I don’t have time, girl!

Air dry or heat styling?

Heat styling because I’m impatient. And my hair is short too. So I think it’s faster. 

Body wash or soap?

Body wash—with conviction, with feelings. I know us Filipinos love our bar soaps because it’s very tactile, but body washes just have a higher chance of having gentle cleansing agents, so they don’t irritate your skin and they don’t dry it out. 

Sometimes there are bar soaps that are so irritating to the skin—it’s like dish soap, like when you use it, your skin is really dry. 

For body wash, actually, I’m not super particular: as long as I look at the back and then I see those gentle cleansing agents, I’m okay [with that].

Hand cream or body butter?

Hand cream because my hands get really dry. Especially when you go to bed and you just took a shower. And then you sleep and you feel like your hands are so dry. It’s uncomfortable. So I always have a hand cream on my bedside to specifically target that. 

One scent only or layering scents?

Layering scents.

I feel like we need to accept that [fragrances] are mass-produced commodities. Wow, that’s so deep! But what I just mean is it’s nice to layer scents and figure out a good combination for you. Because it makes it more custom, more bespoke.

Spray on skin or on clothes?

So I’m going to be obedient to my dermatologist and say on clothes. But don’t tell her—sometimes [I spray] on the skin. With the whole body chemistry, the scent mixes, and it can trigger irritation because fragrance is alcohol, right? And fragrance can also cause allergies. 

There’s also a strategic way of spraying it so that the clothes will recover. Also, if you’re dating someone and you give them your clothes, the scent will stick. Dating 101! 

Rest day or active recovery?

I used to be an active recovery girly. But then, I don’t know what happened—I just love bedrotting. You know? So, rest day, 100%.

Coffee or matcha?

Coffee. Coffee, 100%. I love matcha too. But when I get matcha, it has to be dirty matcha. Matcha latte with a shot of espresso, but right now, my obsession is orange Americano. You have to try it. I know everyone’s like, whoa, that’s so disgusting, but girl, try it. Try it and then maybe fight me!

Frequently Asked Questions

Jan Angelo is a Filipino skin care content creator known for evidence-based, budget-conscious recommendations. He started with a “Best Drugstore Skin Care” video featuring Mercury Drug and Watsons products, and says he can build a routine from any drugstore shelf given a budget.

A three-step routine can be enough. Angelo recommends sunscreen in the morning and a good moisturizer at night, noting many modern products multitask. In the Philippines’ heat, he says layering a 10-step routine is impractical, so keeping skin care efficient and essentials-focused matters most.

Body wash is the gentler choice, according to Angelo, because it more often contains gentle cleansing agents that don’t irritate or dry skin. He says some bar soaps feel as harsh as dish soap and advises checking the label for gentle cleansing agents.

Spraying fragrance on clothes is the safer option, according to Angelo, who follows his dermatologist’s advice. He says fragrance can trigger irritation or allergies when it mixes with body chemistry on skin. Applying it to clothing also lets the scent linger on garments.

Angelo chose education over trends because he wanted audiences empowered by science rather than only experiential opinions. He screens every brand through a long evidence-based process and declines partnerships that cannot accommodate it, since compromising would undercut his credibility and the audience trust his platform depends on.