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If you’ve been following my blog for some time, you’ll know that I’m obsessed with sunscreen. I have a very low-maintenance skincare routine, but if there’s one thing I never skip, it’s sun protection. Sunscreen blocks harmful UV rays from the sun, prevents sunburn, lowers risk of skin cancer, reduces risk of hyperpigmentation (dark spots), and helps delay signs of aging.

I even layer them: sunscreen first, and then foundation with SPF (I use Spotlight Serum Cushion Foundation with SPF50+ PA++++, PHP895), sometimes even concealer with SPF (I use Careline Acne Spot Concealer with SPF 13, PHP185), and then topped off with powder, also with SPF.

I hoard different sunscreen brands, but in 2023, I discovered Hello Glow Sun Care Stick with SPF 60+ PA++ UVA/UVB Protection (PHP395), and I’ve been loyal to it since.

Hello Glow is a fairly new brand, launched last February 2020 by Ever Bilena Cosmetics—yes, the proudly Filipino beauty brand that our moms, titas, and probably even lolas love. I’m a fan of how Ever Bilena has come up with more beauty brands that cater to more of our latest beauty needs, and Hello Glow in particular has a complete line of affordable skin care, developed to suit all skin types, that are vegan, cruelty-free, paraben-free, and SLS-free. They deliberately formulate products with high quality, effective, safe, nourishing, and economical products to care for our skin.

What I love about Hello Glow’s Sun Care Stick is how easy it is to use and reapply—and it’s compact enough to fit in even my tiniest handbag, so I really carry it around with me for constant retouching, unlike other sunscreen brands I used before. I apply it over my makeup, and it doesn’t ruin my look at all—it leaves no white cast. And if you’re worried about breakouts, no, it hasn’t made me breakout. In fact, it comes with skin-loving ingredients like sunflower seed oil, castor seed oil, Vitamins E and C, and Centella Asiatica—which is known for treating inflammations and scars.

Other benefits include blurring out pores (texture is similar to pore refining products), controls oiliness (I sometimes just use this instead of face powder to retouch), has a satin finish, it feels moisturizing, and is actually a good makeup primer—my serum cushion foundation, concealer, and blush stays put all day with it as base.

It’s Hello Glow’s bestselling product for a reason, and for some time it has been out of stock. But the good news for us Sun Care Stick fans is: IT’S FINALLY BACK IN STOCK! Perfect timing, too, because my last stick is about to run out (see the image above—that’s all that’s left of my last Sun Care Stick)! Time to hoard, girls!

Another Hello Glow product I know you’d love to hoard, too, is the Hair Removal Cream, which promises hair-free skin in just four minutes! If you’ve used other hair removal creams before, I’m sure like me you resent the longer wait time before you can remove the cream. This one’s effect is much faster, and at PHP145 per tube, it’s much more affordable than other hair removal creams in the market. It’s just as effortless, fuss-free, and painless to use. It already comes with a smooth-curve spatula for easy application and gentle removal. You can use it on your hands, feet, legs, arms, and underarms.

I personally prefer to use it on my legs, especially before a swim or beach trip, as it leaves my legs looking and feeling super smooth. No more nicks and cuts, razor burns, ingrown hairs, and itchiness from shaving—just use this hair removal cream! It has nourishing ingredients like oat extract that helps prevent skin drying; green tea extract that helps soothe skin; peach extracts that improves skin moisture level; and shea butter that’s known to hydrate, soothe, and condition skin.

How to use: Do a patch test first, and make sure the area where you will apply it has no wounds, irritations, or inflammations. Use the broad end of the provided spatula and do not apply with your hands. Apply a thick, even layer, completely covering the hair you want to remove, then leave it for 4-6 minutes (no more than 10 minutes) without rubbing it in. Use the same spatula to scrape it off, then rinse the area with water and pat dry.

And then for your after care, use the Hello Glow Rosewater Serum Soothing Gel (PHP299) to moisturize your skin and provide additional protection while your skin is still sensitive after your hair removal session. It has Hyaluronic Acid, aloe vera, and green tea to hydrate skin, among other benefits.

Hello Glow Hair Removal Cream, Rosewater Serum Soothing Gel, and Sun Care Stick are available in Watsons branches and online via Lazada.

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