And I am back with another feature post after what feels like ages!!! As I’ve mentioned in recent posts, I had a major depressive episode in December 2020, and was placed in medication until a few weeks ago. As such, the blog hasn’t been updated often in the last 7 months or so, except for a few reviews. This is why I’m excited to be making a new feature post after 7 months!!!
The new Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance range is all about revealing a brighter complexion. I like how there is no use of the word “whitening” in any of the product names or descriptions or flyers because in reality, I do feel that a lot of Pinays only need a more even complexion, not a “whiter” one. There is, of course, a lot of colonial abuse to unpack to remove the societal disdain for deep skin tones. But it’s dull skin that’s bad, not deep-colored skin. How so?
Take it from someone who was pale since birth like me. I am the textbook definition of “white” for Asians, but when my skin is dull, it just looks off, even if my skin tone is already so pale. On the flip side, you can have someone with deep skin tones, but if his/her skin is glowing and even, then he/she will still look great.
This is why I appreciate the marketing and wording around this new range from Cetaphil, as it’s the truth. Bright is better than white. This range is packed with Sea Daffodil and Niacinamide to correct dark spots and improve skin brightness, whilst keeping true to Cetaphil’s commitment to providing skincare solutions for sensitive skin.
Face Routine
There are plenty of skincare ranges with 10000 steps, so it nice to see that the Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance #RadianceRoutine is straightforward! There is a cream cleanser, a toner, and one cream for night time and one cream for daytime. For the face, there are only 3 steps to follow, which I think really helps to simplify the process. We already have so many disinfection routines to worry about, so narrowing down the essentials to 3 steps is such a relief.
Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Brightness Reveal Creamy Cleanser (Php462 for 100g) aims to provide a hydrating feel, gently removing dirt without leaving an uncomfortable squeaky feeling. This is hypoallergenic, so for those who are fans of Cetaphil’s emulsion type Daily cleansers, you’ll have no trouble using this product.
Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Brightness Brightness Refresh Toner (Php693 for 150mL) is designed to be used after the cleanser as a skin conditioner. This is also meant to brighten and illuminate the complexion like the other items in the range. But what I like best about this is that this is alcohol-free, as I no longer use alcohol-based toners and astringents. I realized that using more alcohol is just dehydrating my already-dehydrated skin further, so choosing a toner that supports the rest of my skincare routine is really important.
There are two creams: Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Brightening Day Protection Cream and Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Brightening Night Comfort Cream.
Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Brightening Day Protection Cream SPF15 (Php990 for 50g) instantly hydrates skin while protecting it from sunspots. For most who are just at home 97% of the time right now, I think SPF 15 is already enough But for those who have more activities outside, you can also pair this with Cetaphil’s Sun Light Gel if you’re looking for more intensive sun protection.
The Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Brightening Night Comfort Cream (Php990 for 50g) has a more cushion-like texture to help brighten and even out the skin tone. This aims to reduce dark spots in 4 weeks, and will work hard overnight so you’ll wake up with radiant skin every morning! The texture reminds me a lot of Cetaphil’s body creams (the one in the tubs), but made much lighter for the face, and with much more water in the formulation (such that you feel your skin “drinking water” the moment you apply this). This gets absorbed quickly, so this works out well for our very hot and humid climate.
Body Routine
For the body, the routine stays simple. There’s a body wash and a body lotion.
Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Brightness Reveal Body Wash (Php649 for 245mL) promises to gently cleanse the body without drying out the skin, thus revealing the skin’s inner radiance. This is a very lightly scented body wash, so this will work perfectly for those with sensitive skin and want a little fragrance. However, for those who use body wash as a sort of perfume, this is too lightly fragranced for that purpose. What interests me is that it has Tocopherol and Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid to really hydrate and soften the skin. This is not declared as hypoallergenic but is dermatologically tested.
Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Brightening Lotion (Php990 for 245mL) is designed to help reduce the appearance of dark spots. It has a quick absorbing formula that helps to quickly soften skin. This I think is what helps it to reduce the darkening of skin due to friction. This is very lightweight compared to their body creams, but is deeply hydrating, and not as runny as some formulations in the market. Of course, this will wear off against excessive sweat, but this is the kind to stay put over after-shower sweat. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I get really annoyed when I apply lotion and it gets washed out by my own sweat after taking a shower hahaha.
For those who are looking for a bar soap in all of this, there’s Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Brightness Reveal Bar (Php347/100g bar)! This is designed for use on the body, but honestly, no one from Galderma will magically appear in your house and take the bar away if you intend to use it on your face. This is touted as a bar that “respects sensitive skin,” and is dermatologically tested. Like the body wash, this is also not hypoallergenic. With how dry our hands have gotten due to all the handwashing that this pandemic requires, I will not be surprised to find out if people use bars like these for handwashing!
Cetaphil is available at Watsons stores as well as their flagship Shopee store.
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