Skincare has a way of making us feel our best. It’s that little boost of confidence that helps us glow inside and out. But just as no two women are the same, our skin speaks in different ways, asking for care that’s unique to us.

Listening closely to those needs, Lactacyd, long trusted for its feminine hygiene expertise and natural ingredients like lactic acid and lactoserum, has reimagined the way we see skin. Last Sept. 24, 2025, the brand unveiled the Museum of Speaking Skin at Shangri-La Plaza Mall, an immersive experience blending art, science, and self-care. This museum doubled as a launchpad for its fresh new look, improved formulation, and body wash line designed to keep skin bright and healthy, and is a step towards the brand’s bold ambition of becoming a total skin health brand for the whole family.

When Skin Speaks

Nestled at the heart of Shangri-La Plaza’s East Atrium, the Museum of Speaking Skin by Lactacyd is a walkthrough installation with thoughtfully curated rooms designed to educate, inspire, and encourage visitors to listen to their skin and discover new ways to care for themselves.

Upon entry, you’ll see a wall mapping out the brand’s longstanding history and milestones. There’s also an information touch screen board where you can learn more about their product lines in detail, and a children’s playground complete with photo spots and a ball pit — a nod to the brand’s Baby Wash line.

But the evident highlight of the museum is the 14 commissioned artworks created by an impressive roster of celebrated Filipina artists, who translated their personal stories into shared themes of strength, beauty, and confidence. Each work of art brought a unique perspective, coming together to show skin not just as a surface, but as a canvas shaped by life’s experiences.

Present at the event were two of the artists. Michelle Alde, whose evocative “Of Poise and Power” piece explored the quiet strength of femininity. The image is that of a woman with striking red heels against a backdrop of pink sheets.

“A lot of my work is centered on femininity,” Michelle said as she explained the technical aspects of her piece. “Like the softness of pinks, and the red, which symbolizes one’s boldness and confidence. Growing up, I was very insecure about my skin. I couldn’t tell anyone about it. With that, it reflects outwards in how I present myself. But now, since coming of age, I’ve become more confident and bold, which reflects in this artwork.”

Meanwhile, artist Zee Venti created two pieces for the museum, one focused on the “red days” and the other on confidence. “I wanted to show the emotional and physical changes a woman goes through, but also focus on the positive side,” she shared on her artwork, “Passing Phases.” “At the end of the day, it’s just a cycle; it ends, and we return to our usual selves. The colors I used are very bright because I wanted to evoke that sense of assurance towards others.”

Other notable artists included Marga Zablan-Ventinilla, who reflected resilience in “Confidence,” Ana Luciano Fernandez, who captured a toddler’s carefree joy in “Skin at Play,” and Bea Pascubillo, painting a mother with a newborn in “Layers of Care.” Also contributing were Arianna Bongato, Bea Fernandez, Leahrly Curitana, Janet Arboleda-Ballacer, Clarisse Alfonso, Nonie Manuel, Sca Miranda, Fern Aboloda, and Kizzel Mina. Each artwork comes with a QR code that you can scan, which leads to an audio recording of the artists explaining their piece. We thought this gave visitors a more immersive experience, allowing us to understand and deeply relate to each of their skin stories.

“The blending of the two is basically Lactacyd’s identity. We want to put forward our science, and at the same time we want that science to be accessible, understandable, and appreciated by the average woman,” Jamie Superable-Martin, Brand Manager of Lactacyd, told The Beat Asia on the museum’s concept. “We believe the blending of art and science via the museum helps to educate them more about their skin and how they should take care of it.”

Another bold installation is the sculpture by Jos Curates called “She is Sanctuary,” which is designed to reimagine the female intimate area, paying homage to the body’s natural flora. It’s also built with an audio element, allowing it to speak and debunk common myths about intimate care.

“The art is intended to strike a chord and resonate with the woman. We want them to leave the museum feeling empowered, feeling as if their skin stories are heard,” Jamie added. “We try as much as possible for every art to represent as many skin stories as possible. Hopefully, they're inspired to talk about their skin needs and advocate for their own health.”

Lactacyd Enters a New Era of Skin Confidence

More than art, Lactacyd enters into the broader skincare category with the launch of its Body Wash collection, which includes Ever Fresh, for the active on-the-go lifestyles, and Healthy Bright, a radiance-boosting ritual for glowing skin.

The new body wash range features the brand’s improved formulation, LACTOBIOME+™, which helps restore your skin’s natural pH, and is designed specifically “to work in harmony with your body, nurturing the skin from within for naturally healthy skin.” This patented scientific innovation is also present across its feminine and baby care lines.

Lactacyd’s mother company, Opella, a French company focusing on consumer healthcare, is also known for its commitment to sustainability, having been a certified B Corp company. We spoke with Emma Valette, Country Head of Opella Philippines, to know more about how sustainability came into play for the new product line.

“Lactacyd is the flagship brand for Opella in leading the transformation on sustainability,” she said. “The first thing we did was move the packaging, so instead of the usual plastic recyclable, we went for recycled plastic. It’s already plastic that was used once, which we are taking, transforming, and making into a bottle again. And that can be infinite! It’s recycled and recyclable. Second thing, we went for organic and sustainably-sourced materials and looked for suppliers in Asia. We don’t fly ingredients from other places. We try to keep things local.”

“We also make sure the brand has a better footprint on the environment, and all of that has been recognized, and that’s really a commitment that we want to keep for the future and keep improving,” she added.

Price-wise, Lactacyd does fall under the semi-premium range, but we would say it’s still pretty affordable. Both variants of the body wash are priced at P399 for 500ml, and a single pump is already very lathering for your skin. The products were made available at the shop at the back of the museum for 20% off, in partnership with Watsons.

“We believe feminine health and total body wash is a part of your skincare routine, and if it’s science-backed, then definitely the value for money is there. With our history, it’s worth it!” Jamie expressed.

Lactacyd has always put the woman at the core of everything they do, and with this new product range, they are giving their customers’ personal care routine an upgrade. Their science speaks for itself, but it’s also their commitment to addressing women’s skin wants and needs, which can be seen from the different variants of their feminine wash category — making sure there’s a product made for you, which makes them a trusted and relied-upon feminine care brand of Filipinos for over 78 years.

“Lactacyd’s ambition is to become a total skin health brand,” shared Jamie on the brand’s future plans. “We definitely want to expand into the different personal care routines of a woman, and also for the mothers and their babies, and eventually for the whole family. But the core of our brand is still the woman, so anything a personal care woman might need, we will try our best to address.”

You can explore and marvel at the pieces of art in the Museum of Speaking Skin until Sept. 28, 2025 at the Shangri-La Plaza Mall East Atrium.

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