The Beauty Shortcuts Filipino Insiders Swear By On Hectic Days
From hair-first rules to five-minute fixes, these Filipino tastemakers share the shortcuts that help them stay polished when time is tight.
Busy days sometimes don’t leave room for elaborate beauty routines, but looking presentable still matters, especially when your schedule involves long commutes, quick turnarounds, or back-to-back commitments.
At the recent B/YOND launch last Thursday at the Bench Flagship Store in BGC, Allure Philippines spoke with actors, social media personalities, singers, and beauty queens about the shortcuts they rely on when time runs out.
Evidently, their answers aren’t one-size-fits-all routines, but a collection of intentional choices shaped by lifestyle and pace. Hair, in particular, emerged as a recurring theme, alongside pared-down makeup, edited skincare routines, and honest admissions about simply doing what works.
1. No time at all? A beauty filter can do the trick (but hair should still be presentable).
For actress and content creator Sachzna Laparan, hectic days still come with one firm rule: hair is non-negotiable. “When it comes to my hair, it’s my crown,” she says. “So [I] need to take care of it. My hair is my priority.”
She openly describes herself as high maintenance, explaining that no matter how rushed she is, there’s a standard she keeps. “There’s a rule that my hair should always be presentable every time I go out,” she notes.
But when time completely slips away, Laparan is candid about using a very modern shortcut: a beauty filter. It’s not about pretending, but about choosing efficiency on days when real life demands more than glam can give.
Leira Aquino
2. Try a no-rinse reset for hair on the go.
For Miss International 2025 fourth runner-up Myrna Esguerra, beauty shortcuts are built around movement. “My beauty shortcut is, number one, a good partner for my hair,” she says. “So dry shampoo is the number one thing.”
As a busy person, Esguerra is often outdoors, commuting (especially via motorcycle taxis like Angkas) or rushing between appearances. And because of that, she’s been looking for that product that will best suit her lifestyle. “I think Be Fresh Leave-In Dry Shampoo is that product,” she says.
Be Fresh Leave-In Dry Shampoo is the newly-launched product of B/YOND, a collaboration between Suyen Corp. and Wonder Maker Group. It’s a no-rinse formula that uses air-gel technology instead of aerosol powder, a first in the local market. Unlike traditional dry shampoos, it absorbs oil without leaving residue and dries in under a minute.
3. Multi-purpose makeup products, fewer skin-care steps
Entrepreneur Kai Lim approaches beauty with efficiency in mind: streamline everything. Her shortcut starts with choosing multitasking products. “One beauty shortcut would be an all-around [makeup product] for your face, for your cheeks,” she says, relying on a single color to add warmth and glow without layering.
She’s applied the same editing mindset to skincare. Over time, she’s pared her routine down to just a few steps, which is enough to work with her busy lifestyle without feeling overwhelming.
Leira Aquino
4. Let the haircut do the work.
Singer-songwriter mrld credits her shortcut to structure rather than speed. While her short haircut may look styled, maintaining it is refreshingly simple. “Maybe [I’m] high maintenance [when it comes to my haircut],” she says, “but when it comes to taking care of it, I’m low maintenance.”
On rushed days, she keeps it straightforward: “I just mousse and wax.”
5. Fast fixes include a trusty product and (sometimes) skipping shampoo
Actor Diego Gutierrez keeps things practical, usually using one product. “One beauty shortcut that I always live by when life gets hectic is probably [using] the Bench FIX Professional Hair Gel Clay Doh,” he says. “[Para] kapag nagmamadali na, it’s easy to fix my hair.”
Like many men constantly on the move, he’s learned to listen to his hair instead of following rigid rules. “Sometimes I go days when I don’t have to use shampoo,” he admits, especially when it doesn’t feel or smell off. This does not mean he doesn’t take care of his hair, though. It just means he’s learned how to use products that make his hair care routine easier without sacrificing style.
“I feel like hair is such a statement when going to events and everything. And when your hair is good, everything’s good,” he stresses.
6. The buzz cut is the ultimate shortcut.
For Mr. International 2025 Kirk Bondad, the most effective beauty shortcut happened long before any product touched his hair: his haircut.
“I do it so I don’t need any gel. I don’t need any products. Less shampoo,” he says of his buzz cut. His maintenance level shifts depending on the season, but the philosophy stays the same: design your look so upkeep doesn’t slow you down.
7. Learn the five-minute bun.
Universal Woman 2024 Maria Gigante lives between extremes: full glam or five-minute fixes.
“If you’re a beauty queen like me, it either takes you two hours or five minutes to do your hair,” she says. On rushed days, she depends on a sleek bun she can fix even while in transit, using quick smoothing products to tame flyaways. While she keeps styling minimal, she balances it with intentional hair care.
8. Going low maintenance? Don’t be sorry about it.
Singer and content creator Ryannah Julia embraces low maintenance without romanticizing it. She admits she doesn’t cut her hair often, noting that her long hair is her asset. “Ligo, ligo lang,” she says candidly.
On especially busy days, she relies on dry shampoo and keeps grooming simple. “I’m more of a low-maintenance [person],” she adds.
Why these shortcuts work now
Across all these conversations, one pattern emerged: shortcuts work best when they’re designed for real Filipino days and routines. Whether you’re a student or a beauty queen, long commutes, humidity, and unpredictable schedules are part of daily life.
That’s why products and practices that make things easier are gaining traction, and paying a little extra for that convenience can feel worth it.
