This K-beauty Favorite is Back in the Philippines: Here’s a Mini Review of Too Cool For School Classics

The love for K-beauty in our country is still going strong. Our latest proof: Korean cult-favorite, Too Cool For School, is now back in the Philippines! Loyal customers may have been left scrambling to get their makeup staples from the brand before but this time around, Too Cool For School are coming back strong  and adding online sales channels for easy access.

For those encountering the brand for the first time, Too Cool For School's Artclass by Rodin palette lineup is a great place to start. The Artclass by Rodin Shading (P749) is a 3-color contouring powder product which is a global bestseller, having sold 15 million in 2024. The original 01 Classic that I have leans a bit warm but not too much that my neutral-cool skin cannot handle. It has the following shades from L-R: Nudy Beige, Peanut Brown, and Cinnamon Brown. Mixing all three is ideal for overall face contouring but for specific areas, TCFS recommends using select shade combinations such as the two lighter shades for the nose and the darkest for the hairline.

The Artclass by Rodin Highlighter (P749) is another 3-color palette that focuses on illuminating the facial contours with two highlighters and one lowlighter. The 01 Glam palette provides an overall "clear and translucent shine" that is perfect for daily wear and beginner levels. Shades from L-R are Light Beige, Gold Peach, and Pink Beige. Directions on the packaging recommended using a combination of the first and second shade for the forehead and nose, then the third shade for the cheekbones. It's also an option to blend all three for highlighting depending on your preference.

Swatches from L-R: Too Cool For School Artclass by Rodin Shading in 01 Classic, Too Cool For School Artclass by Rodin Highlighter in 01 Glam

While the palettes above have cultivated a following, Too Cool For School also has eye and lip products for us to try out. The Artclass Smudging Underliner (P549) is a slim eyeliner made for opening the eyes by extending the triangle zone and emphasizing the aegyosal. They have a lot of bright colors with new additions but the 06 Dusk I have is a soft neutral brown color that is usually used for shading to deepen the outer corners. This comes with a blending brush at the end which makes it easy for beginners like me who are just starting to play around with the aegyosal. I find the pencil a bit hard though so it’s necessary to prep the skin well prior to using.

Swatches from L-R: Bare Lips

Too Cool For School Verre Color Gloss in 03 Rosy Bourbon

For the lip product, the Verre Color Gloss (P549) is a lightweight lip gloss with a plumping effect. I'm usually sensitive to menthol in lip products but the 1% Methyl Lactate they added is mild enough. There’s a slight tingle upon application which fades almost immediately. I barely notice it anymore after several applications. The shade I have, 03 Rosy Bourbon is a neutral smokey rose shade that initially leans warm but fades into a lovely MLBB pink on my lips. I find that it does make my lips look fuller like most glosses do but the color is sheer and will not hide any lip lines. It works great as topper given its level of translucency.

L-R: Before Too Cool For School with just a light base, After applying Too Cool For School Shading Palette, With the Too Cool For School Smudging Underliner in Dusk and Color Gloss in Rosy Bourbon

Overall, Too Cool For School is another Korean makeup brand that’s too good to pass up so it’s definitely a good thing that they’re back in our local market. I have actually used their Artclass by Rodin palettes years ago and they’re still pretty popular until now which is a testament to how good the products are. Have you tried Too Cool For School?

Too Cool For School is available at Watsons, their official distributor, and online via Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok.