For many of us, growing up in the Philippines meant growing up believing that white skin is better. If you have fair skin, you were considered maganda, artistahin, and kutis-mayaman. If you were darker-skinned though, what a shame! You were probably told that it’s a pity you were born kayumanggi, and given a number of suggestions on how to whiten skin.

I’m truly grateful that we’ve since come a long way in championing color diversity and inclusivity. There’s still quite a journey ahead of us but I’m hopeful that we can fight and end colorism in the near future. So when people ask me if it’s still okay to whiten your skin in this day and age, I have no other answer but yes, skin whitening is okay. You fight oppression with education and freedom of choice, and the decision to whiten one’s skin is no different than wanting to put on makeup or coloring your hair. As long as it’s a personal, un-coerced choice and you’re being safe about it, I refuse to judge anyone who wishes for whiter skin.

That said, it’s important to note that there’s a difference between skin whitening and brightening. Skin whitening is generally harsher as the end goal is to whiten skin tone beyond a person’s natural shade range. If you do decide that skin whitening is right for you, I encourage you to consult with a medical professional on how to whiten skin safely. Time and again, I’ve seen people haphazardly recommend dangerous skin whitening tips that claim to whiten skin fast. People continue to promote glutathione drips despite numerous FDA warnings about the health dangers of using injectable glutathione. The popularity of whitening sets sold online is incredibly alarming given that these products often contain high concentrations of potent drugs that should only be used under a dermatologist’s supervision. I’ve seen bleaching soaps and creams on the gray market that literally advertise peeling off the epidermis for whiter skin. That could work when administered by a licensed dermatologist, but is a sure-fire recipe to burn your skin when done DIY style. Some of these creams have even been found to contain toxic amounts of mercury - big yikes! Avoid these shady skin whitening tips and stick to safe ways to whiten skin instead. Your journey to whiter skin should not involve a trip to the hospital.

Unlike skin whitening, brightening is more focused on achieving your fairest and most radiant skin possible. It involves evening out pigmentation issues and achieving a lighter complexion by removing dead and dull skin layers. While it does not whiten skin tone by bleaching it, brightening is generally healthier and not skin-damaging compared to whitening, which can cause dryness, photosensitivity, and damage to your skin barrier. The best way to brighten skin is to subscribe to a skin care routine with scientifically-proven effective brightening ingredients.

Olay’s Power Duo (P1,899) features their bestselling White Radiance Light Perfecting Essence (P1,299 for 30ml) and Regenerist Micro Sculpting Cream (P1,899 for 50g). It’s such a sulit deal - you’re basically buying just the cream and getting the essence for free if you get the limited edition set!

The White Radiance Light Perfecting Essence is a milky lightweight essence with fine iridescent shimmers that give the skin a dewy radiant glow upon application. Unlike tone up creams that can sometimes give off a ghostly effect and only provide temporary skin brightening, the Light Perfecting Essence works double-time to deliver both instant and long-term effects. It contains niacinamide - an all-around ingredient that boasts a lot of skin care benefits including reducing blemishes and reducing skin sensitivity. It’s a popular treatment to address hyperpigmentation and skin texture, and is suitable for all skin types.

The Light Perfecting Essence is formulated with a patented Pearl Optics complex which inhibits melanin production to whiten skin tone, reduce dark spots, and improve skin translucency for the desired glass skin effect. Most products that promise to whiten skin fast also often cause dryness and damage to the skin barrier because of their harsh ingredients, but Olay’s essence contains xylitol and glycerin to hydrate and strengthen the skin’s moisture barrier for a healthy looking glow. It’s easy to use, too: simply dispense the product from the dropper onto your palms and gently pat on your face until its fully absorbed by the skin. The essence comes after a toner and before the moisturizer in your skin care routine.

The Regenerist Micro Sculpting Cream is touted as Olay’s most advanced anti-aging moisturizer. It is formulated with niacinamide and contains amino peptides and carob fruit extract to boost cellular turnover. This means that your skin repairs faster and is able to recover from post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) better. It’s also formulated with hyaluronic acid, which moisturizes your skin for an overall softer and plumper texture.

The Regenerist Micro Sculpting Cream also helps to boost the effects of the White Radiance Light Perfecting Essence, so it’s best to add both to your skin care routine if you’re looking to banish dark spots and give your skin a natural lit-from-within glow!

Here in PV, we always stress the importance of investing in the right products to get the best value for your money as well as ensuring your safety while using them. It’s okay to want a whiter skin tone, but make sure that you stick to smart ways to whiten skin so that you don’t compromise your health and safety. If you’re proud of the color of your skin and just want to make sure it’s clear, healthy, and glowy, consider adding Olay’s Power Duo to your routine.

Olay is available in leading supermarkets and drugstores nationwide, and online via Shopee, Lazada, and Watsons Philippines. Follow #OlayPhilippines on Facebook and Instagram, and visit their website at Olay Philippines.

This story is brought to you by Olay Philippines.

Photography by Nicole Quindara

Olay White Radiance Light Perfecting Essence ingredients:

Water, Hexyldecanol, Niacinamide, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Inositol, Nylon-12, Panthenol, Phytosteryl/Octyldodecyl Lauroyl Glutamate, Boron Nitride, Polysorbate 20, Tocopheryl Acetate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, PEG-11 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, Benzyl Alcohol, Undecylenoyl Phenylalanine, Aminomethyl Propanol, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Laureth-7, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Fragrance.

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream ingredients:

Water, Glycerin, Isohexadecane, Niacinamide, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Isopropyl Isostearate, Nylon-12, Dimethicone, Panthenol, Stearyl Alcohol, Polyethylene, Cetyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Titanium Dioxide, Benzyl Alcohol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Acrylates Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Mica, Allantoin, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Dimethiconol, Polyacrylamide, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Propylparaben, Sodium Hyaluronate, Stearic Acid, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Butylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Sodium PEG-7 Olive Oil Carboxylate, C12-13 Pareth-3, Laureth-7 , Peucedanum Graveolens (Dill) Extract, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Sodium Hydroxide, Propylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Limonene, Citronellol, Benzyl Salicylate, Hexyl Cinnamal, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Xanthan Gum, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4