The Cosmo Beauty Club Tests 4 Popular Local Sunscreens—Here's What They Think

Which one came out on top?

Published on Jun 16, 2025

In case you haven't noticed, 2025 is shaping up to be the year of sunscreen. Practically every local beauty brand either launched a new SPF product or gave their OG formulas a bit of a glow-up. As for the beauty girlies, we became more knowledgeable and smarter about how we go about sunscreen—including application, amount for reapplication, and the kinds of formulas that work best for our weather.

More than just being a summer essential that you pop into your tote for your beach trips, sunscreen has become the main character—and rightfully so. With viral skincare products like SPF sticks and mists that make reapplication a breeze, it's clear that UV defense is not longer the last step of our routines—it's the step.

To cap off our summer, members of the Cosmopolitan Philippines Beauty Club test-drove and reviewed four local sunscreens: Vice Cosmetics Ultra-Fine Flexible Sun Mist SPF 25, Fairy Skin Premium Brightening Sunscreen SPF 50, Hello Glow Sun Care Stick SPF 60+, and Fresh Skinlab K-Aloe Ice 3-in-1 Niacinamide Super Multivitamin Sunscreen SPF 100.

Which one came out on top? Here's what they thought of them:

The Cosmo Beauty Club Reviews 4 Sunscreens From Filipino Brands

Last June 2, 2025, members of the Cosmo Beauty Club gathered together at Greyhound Café in Ayala Triangle to talk about all things sunscreen. But before reviewing a couple of SPF contenders, our resource person, Dr. Gaile Robredo-Vitas, also schooled the group about many sunscreen myths and answered their many (!) burning questions.

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PHOTO: Layne Yap.

Vice Cosmetics SUNWEAR SPF Boost Sun Mist SPF 25 PA++

Released earlier this year as part of Vice Cosmetics' new (!) Sunwear line, the SPF Boost Sun Mist is a sunscreen spray with an ultra-fine mist that's designed for easy, on-the-go protection from the sun. It's infused with soothing and moisturizing ingredients like panthenol, ceramides, and peptides.

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PHOTO: Layne Yap.

First impressions

According to the majority of the Cosmo Beauty Club members, they like this the best for reapplying sunscreen since it won't interfere with their makeup (as opposed to sunscreens with cream formulas). They also lauded its spritzer, noting that it creates a v fine mist that won't leave droplets on their faces. As for the scent, they noted that it had a faint smell that wasn't noticeable after a while.

Texture and Blendability

The Cosmo Beauty Club members noted that it was very lightweight and didn't feel like a sticky film on their faces after applying it, which makes it perfect for spritizing on the face throughout the day.

Price

At P495 for 100ml of product, the majority of the Cosmo Beauty Club members agreed that it's worth the price due to its benefits and ease of use.

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PHOTO: Layne Yap.

Fairy Skin Premium Brightening Sunscreen SPF 50

This TikTok-famous sunscreen from Fairy Skin offers a combination of UV defense and brightening of the skin, and is infused with a potent mix of antioxidants and hydrating ingredients. It also claims to be lightweight and non-greasy, making it perfect for use in our hot weather.

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PHOTO: Layne Yap.

First impressions

The members of the Cosmo Beauty Club loved the packaging and noted how cute, distinct, and compact it looked. Additionally, they liked how it wasn't prone to leaking. The majority of them also noted that while it did have a faint scent, it was pleasant enough that it didn't bother them.

Texture and Blendability

The reviewers noted that it had a watery texture, which made it easy to apply all over the face and blend without any tugging. They also shared that it didn't leave a white cast on the skin.

Price

At P289 (B1T1 deal) for 50ml of product, all the members of the Cosmo Beauty Club agreed that it was affordable and the best choice if you're on a budget.

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PHOTO: Layne Yap.

Hello Glow Sun Care Stick SPF 60+

This sunscreen from Hello Glow has a convenient, non-messy stick formula that makes it easy to swipe all over your face, especially when you're reapplying throughout the day. It's formulated with moisturizing (sunflower seed oil, vitamin E, castor seed oil), soothing (centella asiatica), and brightening (vitamin C) ingredients that work together to keep the skin fresh and healthy while being protected from the sun.

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PHOTO: Layne Yap.

First impressions

The Cosmo Beauty Club members praised its packaging, noting how compact it is and how easy it is to bring on travels due to its relatively small size. As for the scent, more than half the members noticed that it had a mild, pleasant scent that wasn't nauseating.

Texture and Blendability

The reviewers noted that the sunscreen applied like butter on the face and had a powdery, velvet matte finish on the skin that made it great for people with oily complexions. The majority of the group also liked the fact that it didn't leave a white cast after application.

Price

At P395 for 17.5 grams of product, the Cosmo Beauty Club members found the sunscreen stick to be affordable and easy on the budget.

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PHOTO: Layne Yap.

FRESH Jeju Aloe Ice 3 in 1 Niacinamide Super Multivitamin Sunscreen SPF 100

This face and body sunscreen from FRESH has a whopping SPF 100 (!) and is loaded with nourishing and brightening ingredients like niacinamide, aloe vera extract, and vitamin that will keep the skin healthy and free from dark spots.

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PHOTO: Layne Yap.

First impressions

The Cosmo Beauty Club members noted that the packaging was too big and bulky for daily use and added that it was more suitable for beach trips. They reported that it has a subtle scent that didn't irritate or bother them.

Texture and Blendability

A big chunk of the reviewers noted that while the actual sunscreen was creamy, it felt very sticky and greasy on the face upon application. The group was also divided on whether or not the sunscreen left a white cast on their faces.

Price

At P399 for 100ml of product, the group was divided on whether or not it was worth it. Half of the group said that it was worth the money due to its benefits, while the other half said that it wasn't because of how rare you'll be able to use it (i.e. beach trips).

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Cheska is the Lifestyle Editor + resident beauty girl of Cosmo. She loves hoarding blushes, oversharing in drafts, and pretending impulse buys are "for work."