Budget Beauty: Five products under P200 that may lighten your armpits

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always refused to wear anything that didn’t have sleeves on them and use a cover-up for my arms if forced. It’s not that I hate them - I actually do want to be able to wear sleeveless dresses and tops. I’m not comfortable enough to do so, mainly because my arms lack tone and I feel embarrassed about displaying them. More so, I don’t exactly have Instagram-worthy smooth and white underarms.

Tight clothing that rub against the underarm area, deodorants with chemicals that cause irritation, and shaving are often causes of dark armpits but fortunately, they’re not completely hopeless. As I didn’t want to cower away and give up on my #kilikiligoals, I started looking for solutions to make my underarms lighter and smoother. If you’re stuck in a similar situation, consider these budget-friendly picks that actually work!

Ever Bilena Naturals Sunflower Oil (P135 at Watsons, SM Beauty and Landmark)

Human Nature’s original version became a quick favorite when it came into the market, as it did a great job of providing moisture while lightening skin. It can be a bit difficult to find though and I chanced up this new release from Ever Bilena! It’s made from 100% natural sunflower oil and contains Vitamin E. As it’s an oil and can cause your antiperspirant or deodorant to slide off, it’s best to use this at night after bathing. Simply rub a good amount of oil all over your underarms and let it work its wonders.

Kojie-San Skin Lightening Soap (P50 for two at supermarkets)

Liz has shared her skin-lightening success story with this soap, and the rest of us in the PV team can attest that it’s worth the rave. The kojic acid has powerful exfoliating properties that help to lighten dark spots and uneven skin tone. Use it to soap your underarms during bath time - you’ll start to see results in just a few weeks!

Belo Essentials Whitening Antiperspirant Deodorant (P59.75 at supermarkets)

This is the first deodorant I’ve seen that also contains kojic acid and if using a wash-off soap is enough to make a difference, leaving it on may have an even more powerful effect! It also aids in soothing your underarms if you shave often and suffer from bumpy skin. And since it’s already a deodorant and whitening agent in one, you don’t have to worry about layering products on your underarms to smell fresh.

Gluta-C Underarm and Bikini Skin Whitening Gel (P199 at department stores)

Though glutathione is a popular ingredient in skin whitening products, there’s some debate about whether applying it directly to the skin actually works. What probably makes this gel effective is the vitamin C it contains, which has been proven to brighten skin and even improve its texture. I find this very gentle on the skin and it promises a deodorizing factor so I sometimes use it on its own. The gel formula is also easily be absorbed by the skin, making it easy to use in the morning or at night.

Belfour Whitening Anti-perspirant and Deodorant Spray (P74.75 at Watsons)

Spray-on deodorants are so convenient to apply and lessen your armpits’ exposure to friction. This is a good alternative for canned spray deodorants and you can even keep it in your purse if you feel the need to reapply. It uses all natural ingredients like tea tree oil to keep underarms clean and fresh. It also has a special blend of plant extracts that help lighten the underarms with regular use.

Are you confident about showing off your underarms? What do use to improve the appearance of your pits? Do share your underarm whitening secrets in the comments below!

Charlie Esmerna

Age range: 24-29

Skin type/shade: medium with yellow undertones, oily/sensitive/acne-prone

Skin concerns: large pores, scars, blemishes, whiteheads/blackheads

Hair type: naturally curly, color-treated, rebonded

Hair concerns: hairfall 

Eye shape: almond

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