Cristalle Belo admits she wishes she had discovered the wonders of sunscreen much earlier.
In a brief chat with PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal), she shares how skipping sunscreen during her teenage years—despite her mom, Dra. Vicki Belo, constantly reminding her—became her "biggest skin-care regret."
She says during the Watsons Summer Fun event at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City on March 3, 2025:
"You know my mom always used to tell me, 'Sunblock everyday! Sunblock everyday!'
"I was a teenager. Hindi ko na iniisip yun. Pag nasa beach na, 'Bahala na si sunblock. Gusto ko na tumakbo sa dagat,' right?
"And that was my biggest regret."
This realization hits harder for Cristalle now that she's at an age where sun damage and its long-term effects are becoming more apparent.
Having experienced firsthand the consequences of sun exposure, she emphasizes that the simplest, most affordable, and most effective way to protect the skin is by making sunscreen a daily habit.
She continues, "...the cheapest anti-aging cream is actually sunscreen.
"So if there's one thing that you should invest on para hindi kayo magka-wrinkles, magka-sun damage, it's really sunscreen."
With this in mind, Cristalle makes a conscious effort to instill this skin-care routine in her children, Hunter and Siena.
"As early as now, I teach my children to use sunblock everyday. Dapat part of their routine."
CRISTALLE BELO ON FINDING THE BEST SUNSCREEN
With the growing number of products hitting the market, PEP asks Cristalle for her tips on choosing the best sunscreen.
Skin type, she says, should be the top consideration.
"Number one, alamin nyo anong skin ninyo. Oily ba kayo? Nagbi-breakout ba kayo palagi? Or dry ba kayo?
"And then from there, you can research kung ano yung product that is best for your skin."
Another suggestion is to try products that cater to your specific needs.
Cristalle adds, "Tingnan niyo ano yung hiyang sa skin ninyo. You know, coming up with a sunblock is very difficult.
"It's all about balance. We want to balance sun protection. So kailangan matindi talaga siya. It protects you from the harmful UV rays of the sun.
"But we also want to balance that with ingredients that are good for your skin."
Belo SunExpert, for instance, has different variants tailored for various skin needs.
"Yung whitening namin has niacinamide. The dewy sunscreen has things that hydrate your skin."
Another factor to consider is the weather.
"Sa ibang bansa, oo kasi may summer, may winter, may fall, may spring. Dito, it's always humid...we are very humid.
"So we're a tropical country. Very humid tayo.
"I am oily. And as someone who has oily skin, if you try out heavy products, mas magiging oily ka pa."
The recommendation is to determine whether a water-based, gel, cream-based, or spray sunscreen suits your skin best.
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