Pili Oil Is the New Skincare Ingredient You've Never Heard Of, but Need to Know

As the K-beauty boom has proven, people are eager for beauty secrets from around the globe. Allow me to suggest the next location for your radar: the Philippines. It's home to Pili Ani, a brand-new skincare line that recently landed in the US.

To you, this is an unknown brand that has yet win you over. To me, this is a major milestone. I'm overjoyed to be seeing a beauty brand come out of the country where my parents are from, especially since Pili Ani hails specifically from Bicol, the region in the Philippines where they grew up. Filipino beauty products aren't on the map as far as major US retailers go, and this collection could be the first to change that. But I digress — let's get to the goods.

The hero ingredient of the five-piece collection of serums and creams is pili oil. It is extracted from the bark and pulp of the pili tree native to the Philippines, where it thrives best during tropical storms. Most locals recognize pili for its edible seed (I can attest that the candied version makes a scrumptious snack), but the oil is comparable to other popular, natural skincare solutions like argan and coconut oils. Rich in antioxidants, vitamins A and E, and beta carotene, pili oil is a nutrient bomb for skin.

Ranging from $125 to $155, the products are certainly more of an investment — and they look like it, too. Every item in the line is packaged in luxe, gold-capped, tear-shaped bottles begging to be on display. I tested out the Intense Hydrating Facial Cream ($125), which immediately felt cooling to the skin and left no dry patch unsmoothed. I have a single, faint wrinkle across my forehead, and it made it disappear overnight. While the formula is definitely very rich, I like that it still feels lightweight (crucial for someone with oily skin, like me).

The skincare line is the brainchild of Rosalina Tan, who made her mark in the Bicol region over the past 25 years by being an advocate for organic agriculture. She originally started buying pili oil to support local farmers, then came across its benefits while experimenting with creating her own beauty products. Soon enough, she'd enlist her daughter Mary Jane Tan Ong to turn her creations into a business.

"We hope that by introducing to the world the first-ever pili-based natural beauty product, it would showcase the richness and beauty of the Philippines," Rosalina told POPSUGAR. "Pili Ani's products do not only benefit the skin, but the community as well. From our ethical farming practices to our support of education in the community, we seek to uplift everyone's lives."

I was already in love with Pili Ani simply for the fact that I grew up with a strong connection to Filipino culture and my pride swells for all homegrown companies. To find out that Pili Ani's products aren't only history-making but also extremely effective made me even prouder. It's about time the beauty world got on board. Shop its entire collection ahead.