Welcome to our Tried & True series, where we highlight the holy grails and OGs, the top-shelf regulars and under-the-radar picks, as well as the new, fresh-off-the-lab products and viral sensations worth the hype—all from reputable brands we’ve road-tested ourselves.
Behind the name, we explore what makes a brand worth discovering, whether it’s how it has redefined beauty, its founder’s inspiring story, or how its range of offerings gave consumers what they truly want and need. In this edition, we take a closer look at Pure Culture, the Filipino clean-beauty brand turning natural ingredients into everyday essentials.
Pure Culture didn’t exactly start with a plan—it began with curiosity, friendship, and a shared love for plants and clean skincare. Three mothers, all good friends, bonded over common sensitivities, allergies, and a desire to find products that actually worked for their skin. What began as a journey of discovery with natural ingredients—infusions, fermentations, and homegrown botanicals—soon grew into a larger vision: a skincare brand with a purpose, one that cares not just for the skin, but for the people who use it and the planet we share.
The journey of Pure Culture is deeply personal, shaped by the expertise and passion of its founders. Alex Gentry brought years of hands-on experimentation with plants and botanicals, exploring their benefits and transformations. Rina dela Calzada added her vision and experience in creating sustainable, locally mindful products. Kim Reyes-Palanca combined her beauty editorial background with a drive for social entrepreneurship, ensuring the brand reflected connection, well-being, and responsibility in every formula. Together, they built a brand as thoughtful as it is innovative.
The name says it all: culture, from the Latin word colere, meaning to nurture, cultivate, and grow. Each product embodies that philosophy—clean, effective, and designed to fit our everyday routines.
HERO PRODUCT
Wild Algae Superskin Tonic
This multitasking tonic-essence has become the one of the brand’s most decorated formulas, earning recognition at the Organic Beauty Awards and even landing Pure Culture among the global winners at the Think Clean Awards—the only Filipino brand to do so in 2024.
True to its name, the tonic leans on ocean-sourced actives: Philippine green caviar, also called sea grapes, works as a natural hydrator that plumps the skin from within, while New Zealand red seaweed helps maintain firmness with its rich skin protein-supporting compounds. The signature ingredient, MicroSilver BG™, gives the formula its calming edge, easing redness, scaling and dryness without overwhelming sensitive skin.
Plus, the updated 2.0 version now includes prebiotic saccharide isomerate which locks in moisture for days. The improved formula also comes unscented and featherlight, with a consistency that feels like water but leaves skin noticeably more balanced and soothed. You can mist it on after cleansing or before putting on makeup, press it in with your palms for a quick pick-me-up, or sweep it with a cotton pad at the end of the day. However you choose to use it, the tonic delivers that instant sense of relief and hydration that makes it difficult to skip.
Pure Culture Wild Algae Superskin Tonic
P589, Lazada
CULT CLASSIC
Dream Drops Universal Hydro-Oil
They call it Dream Drops for a reason: a few shakes, a few presses, and skin wakes up looking like it just got eight hours of perfect rest. This dual-phase hydro-oil has quietly built a loyal following, not only because it feels indulgent, but because it works with almost every routine. Shake the bottle and and its signature dual-phase formula comes to life. The first layer is a water base packed with humectants like hyaluronic acid and sodium hyaluronate, plus antioxidants like resveratrol and biotech Edelweiss Callus Culture Extract. Then, you’ll see an oil layer–the Tetra-Luxe Lipid blend of highly nourishing plant-based oils such as rosehip, borage, tamanu, and sea buckthorn. Together, they drench skin in hydration and protect the skin from UV radiation and pollution, all while leaving it with a soft and velvety finish.
What sets Dream Drops apart from other oils is its weightlessness. Instead of sitting on top of the skin, it sinks in quickly and leaves behind a glow that’s more lit-from-within than shiny. In a humid climate like ours, that lightness makes all the difference. Whether pressed in after cleansing, layered before moisturizer, or massaged in with a gua sha, it can adapt to how you want to use it. Some even use it as a makeup primer—a trick that’s become part of its cult status.
Pure Culture Dream Drops Universal Hydro-Oil
P899, Lazada
POPULAR PICK
Bulgarian Rose Glam Gold Satin Crème
The Bulgarian Rose Glam Gold Satin Crème works like a nightly reset for your skin. With Bulgarian Rose at its heart and a touch of gold for a subtle glow, this satin-textured moisturizer delivers deep hydration yet feels weightless, leaving behind a smooth and comfortable veil right before you go to bed.
With Coenzyme Q10, shea butter, and hyaluronic acid, the crème works to support elasticity, replenish hydration, and renew the skin from daily aggressors. Plus, the 24K gold adds a subtle and healthy-looking radiance that feels lightweight, not greasy. The scented variant offers a delicate rose experience, while the unscented option caters to sensitive skin or those who prefer their skincare fragrance-free.
Pure Culture Bulgarian Rose Glam Gold Satin Créme Scented
P999, Lazada
Pure Culture Bulgarian Rose Glam Gold Satin Créme Unscented
P999, Lazada
UNDERRATED HOLY GRAIL
Wild Algae Glow Up Serum
Among Pure Culture’s lineup, the Wild Algae Glow Up Serum delivers some of the most impressive results—brightening, clarifying, and hydrating in one formula. It brings together three powerhouse actives—a stable, fast-absorbing Vitamin C (ethyl ascorbic acid), high-molecular-weight plant-derived hyaluronic acid, and microbiome-friendly niacinamide all in a lightweight, fast-absorbing formula.
What also sets it apart is its algae blend: a proprietary mix of sustainably harvested Pacific red and green seaweeds, plus New Zealand native black fern, which help make the brightening actives more effective and deliver skin-soothing benefits.
Because it packs power into such a lightweight texture, you won’t need more than a drop or two. Its concentrated formula delivers brightness and clarity minus the stickiness, perfect for days when heavier serums or creams feel suffocating in our climate.
Pure Culture Wild Algae Glow Up Serum
P599, Pure Culture
BODYCARE STAPLE
True Moisture Silk Rose All-Over Matte Oil
Body oils tend to be overlooked for being too greasy, but Pure Culture proves otherwise with its True Moisture Silk Rose All-Over Matte Oil. Winner of Bath & Body Care for Dry Damaged Skin at the 2024 Organic Beauty Awards, this multitasker delivers rich nourishment with a finish that feels clean and weightless.
The formula blends five plant-based oils—rosehip, jojoba, phyto-squalane, sunflower, and olive—chosen to lock in hydration and soften rough patches without leaving skin greasy. A dose of bakuchiol, the plant-based retinol alternative, gives it a treatment edge by helping to smooth texture and reduce the appearance of fine lines.
When massaged into damp skin straight after a shower, it absorbs quickly, sealing in moisture and leaving a satin-matte finish that makes it especially suited to humid weather. It’s practical enough for daily use yet indulgent enough to feel like a treat.
Pure Culture True Moisture Silk Rose All-Over Matte Oil
P899, Lazada
TOOL OF THE TRADE
Phoenix Jade Gua Sha
At first, this gua sha may seem like a luxury, but it easily proves itself as an everyday essential. The smooth green jade stone stays naturally cool, making each glide across the skin a refreshing way to reduce puffiness, ease tight muscles, and give your face that well-rested look even on the busiest days. Crafted from authentic Chinese green jade—renowned in Chinese culture for symbolizing purity and lasting virtue—this tool comes in an ergonomic heart-like shape that makes it a joy to hold and precise in use.
To use, always pair it with a swipe of your favorite serum or mist to ensure it glides smoothly without tugging. Gently sweep along the jawline, cheekbones, and brow lines—always upwards and outwards.
Pure Culture Phoenix Jade Gua Sha
P799, Lazada
NEW ESSENTIAL
Biome Balance Intimate Wash
Pure Culture takes its clean skincare approach a step further with this thoughtful cleanser designed for feminine intimate care. The Biome Balance Intimate Wash goes beyond the basics of freshness by supporting your skin barrier and maintaining a healthy pH balance. Infused with squalane, fermented ceramides, and lactobacillus ferment lysate, it helps prevent dryness and irritation while keeping the area balanced and comfortably hydrated. Gentle yet effective, it’s a product that makes a once-overlooked step in body care feel as considered and essential as the rest of your routine.
Biome Balance Intimate Wash
P509, Lazada
HARDWORKING MUST-TRY
Velvet Veil Moisturizing Matte Face Oil
Don’t let the word “oil” fool you because Velvet Veil shows that hydration can feel light, breathable, and shine-free. This award-winning face oil does more than moisturize—it lifts, firms, and supports the skin barrier with every drop. The formula blends omega-rich cranberry and antioxidant-loaded tomato seed oils with lightweight squalane for their protective and hydrating properties.
That versatility is what makes it a real must-try. You can work it into a gua sha ritual, smooth it on before makeup as a primer, use it to remove makeup, or use it as a final step at night to help restore elasticity and bounce. No wonder it won Best Vegan Anti-Aging Product at the 2025 Global Green Beauty Awards—it shows that face oils can be just as hardworking as your go-to creams.
Velvet Veil Moisturizing Matte Face Oil
P599, Lazada
MULTITASKING MARVEL
Bulgarian Rose Everything Elixir
The Bulgarian Rose Everything Elixir is exactly what “everything” sounds like: a clever hybrid of micellar water, face mist, tonic, and makeup remover—all in a single, refreshing elixir. With Bulgarian rose flower water as its base, it doubles as skincare and a reset spray, giving you hydration, mild exfoliation, and gentle cleansing in one spray.
What makes this product unique is its “Clean Retinol” (BHT-free, sweet potato-derived, encapsulated retinol) and bisabolol. The retinol gently encourages cell turnover without the harsh irritation often associated with traditional formulas, while bisabolol adds soothing anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory benefits. It’s pH-balanced (4.5 to 5.5) and leaves skin feeling re-energized, refreshed, and subtly smoother—plus there’s no rinsing needed, which makes it a truly effortless addition.
Bulgarian Rose Everything Elixir
P899, Lazada
EDITOR’S PICK
Dream Shield Universal Day Cream
The Dream Shield Universal Day Cream earns editor’s pick for one simple reason: it makes suncare effortless. This sunscreen moisturizer makes the task easier by doubling as both sun protection and skincare so you’re not layering too much just to get out the door. With broad-spectrum SPF 50 from non-nano zinc oxide, it shields skin against UVA and UVB damage while staying white cast–free.
It also has brightening Kakadu plum (a rich natural source of vitamin C), UV-absorbing amber powder, fine line-smoothing CoQ10, and soothing marshmallow root plus wheat germ extract to keep your barrier strong.
In terms of texture, it’s silky, breathable, and easy to wear. It blends in without the stickiness or grease we often associate with mineral SPF, and it sits comfortably whether you’re heading out barefaced or layering makeup over it. It feels light even on humid days. Plus, it can even be used as a highlighter!
