If you have been keeping tabs on anything skincare-related, then you have probably heard about a revolutionary ingredient for skincare that has been making waves for the past years or so. And since this ingredient has been trending online, this can also mean that it’s been proven to be effective and works for different skin types. I’ll be the first to tell you that I am no expert when it comes to skincare, so, my best advice is to ask your dermatologist before trying something new especially if you are dealing with a skin issue like an allergy or a type of acne. Or try the good ‘ol skin-patch test first.
The ingredient I am speaking of is Niacinamide, a word that, as said earlier, has been trending in the skincare world. Niacinamide is basically a form of Vitamin B3, a powerful ingredient that is known to help minimize pore appearance, improve skin texture and hydration, regulate oil, protect the skin against sun damage, reduce fine lines, dry out pimples, and treat hyperpigmentation. This ingredient is typically found in premium skincare products; however, some brands have been making it available to a wider market range.
In comes this new local brand called Bravo Expert Skincare, which caters to that gap in the market—the segment composed of those who are looking for skincare products with this ingredient that’s proven to be safe and effective yet does not come at a hefty price tag. Founded by skincare enthusiast and digital entrepreneur Jasper Salceda, Bravo is an emerging local brand that aims to democratize skincare, making it accessible to all—regardless of skin type, purchasing power, age, and gender. Bravo’s Niacinamide Series consists of a soap, a serum, and an intimate-area scrub-and-gel combo for full-body skin therapy. These products were made to be gentle on the skin, using local ingredients known to be skin-friendly.
“We spent a lot of time developing these products to make sure they’re the precise formula, have the consistency, and gentleness that’s needed for all skin types. We don’t want our customers to experience adverse reactions to the products, so we stayed away from ingredients that have the potential to cause itch and irritation. At the same time, we wanted the products to be effective, so we carefully studied and tested each to get the right balance,” said Salceda.
Retailing at only P189, the Bravo Niacinamide Soap for face and body is infused with glutathione to maximize its effects of clearing the skin of blemishes and spots, as well as to prevent further sun damage. It has calamansi extract and real calamansi bits to gently wash away the dullness caused by dead skin cells.
The Bravo 10 percent Niacinamide Serum, on the other hand, is a potent solution that minimizes the appearance of pores while also hydrating the skin without making it oily. Infused with alpha arbutin, which is a potent yet safe skin-brightening agent along with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, this serum is made to combat skin discoloration. This product also contains hyaluronic acid and promotes skin elasticity, as well as suppleness. A 15-ml bottle sells for only P349.
“Here’s a tip: you can incorporate this serum into your makeup routine, using it as a primer,” Salceda adds.
The other two products are focused on achieving an even skin tone on other parts of the body. Designed to target dark problem areas, such as the inner thighs, underarms, elbows, and knees, Bravo’s scrub-and-gel duo is also gentle enough to be used on the face.
These products can be used for the parts of the body with the highest concentration of melanin, which are usually caused by the build-up of dead skin cells, overproduction of melanin, friction, and increased sun exposure. Bravo addresses this by coming out with a scrub-and-gel duo, working together to deep-clean the pigmented areas while providing protection against irritation.
The Bravo Niacinamide Whitening Scrub, which retails at P299 for a 200-g jar, is blended with exfoliating beads to gently resurface new skin, glutathione to boost skin lightening, collagen to improve the skin texture, and tea tree extracts to calm the skin and counteract the scrubbing.
Meanwhile, the 100-g Bravo Niacinamide Whitening Gel, which costs Php359, protects the exfoliated skin even further with the healing, soothing and hydrating properties of allantoin and aloe vera extract. On its own, the gel also makes for an effective skin-calming product for sun overexposure.
What’s also good about Bravo products is that they all come in mild, neutral scents —not over-powering, and are friendly to those who are sensitive to strong scents.
“We are not a whitening brand. The goal of our products is not to change the color of one’s skin,” quips Salceda. “Rather, they were specifically concocted to fight and prevent hyperpigmentation of different body parts for an even skin tone and texture all throughout.”
Bravo’s Niacinamide Series is now available at https://shopee.ph/bravoskinph. Find Bravo Expert Skincare on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok with the handle @bravoskinph.
For feedback, you may email the author at joba.botana@gmail.com.
