A fateful morning of brainless scrolling on my IG feed led me to discover Hamel through one of Asia's largest crowdfunding platforms known as Wadiz. I still remember the video of the pretty pink hue from the sunscreen that caught my attention. Wow, whoever that did their marketing did a fine job to keep me intrigued!

A month later, I was delighted to find Hamel's booth at the K-beauty Cosmo Expo held in Korea and got my hands on both the Vegan Aqua Glow Sun Serum and the Vegan Relief Water Essence Sun Cream. Oh, by the way, these two sunscreens were a big hit at the expo and they were almost sold out by the time I got to them!

After spending some time using these two sunscreens in my daily routine, I am ready to share my thoughts about the pretty, pink Hamel Vegan Aqua Glow Sun Serum.

What is the Vegan Aqua Glow Sun Serum by HAMEL

The Vegan Aqua Glow Sun Serum is a PETA and Vegan certified cruelty-free, broad spectrum chemical sunscreen that is formulated with a complex of skin-friendly plant-based ingredients such as Camellia Japonica Flower Extract (Japanese Camellia), Tremella Fuciformis Extract (Snow Fungus) and Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract. This sunscreen promises to brighten the skin tone, moisturize, soothe while providing the UV protection that your skin needs to prevent premature signs of aging caused by free radicals in the environment.

Packaging

This Hamel sunscreen comes in a cute, premium white packaging resembling that of an egg. The twist cap opens easily and the slim nozzle makes it easy to control the amount to dispense from the bottle. All it takes is a little pressure on the body of the bottle and viola! I love that the packaging is small enough to fit the palm of the hand and convenient to carry around even in small totes. The sleek packaging design makes it easy to store just about anywhere without hassle and almost looks like a fashion accessory. ThePerfect sunscreen that I would take with me on my travels.

Texture and Scent

This Hamel Aqua Glow Sun Serum has a lightweight, serum-like texture with a tint of pink hue.It gradually turns transparent as I gently blend and tap into my skin, leaving the skin feeling silky smooth and hydrated. There is also a slight cooling effect upon touch. I love that this sunscreen is fragrance-free, making it a great sunscreen option for those with sensitive skin.

Performance

This Aqua Glow Sun Serum has definitely lived up to its name. The lightweight texture applies beautifully on the skin and gives the skin a nice glow. My skin absorbs sunscreen rather quickly without leaving any stickiness behind. In fact, there is a subtle smoothness on the skin after applying the sunscreen. I don’t generally wear makeup on my skin, however, on the occasion that I do, I like that the sunscreen helps give my foundation a tint of glow to it. My underlying skin type is dry to normal, and I generally prefer to apply a moisturizer prior to applying my sunscreen to get the dewy finish on my skin. However, with this sunscreen, it is hydrating enough that I can get away without applying a moisturizer prior. As perfect as this sunscreen may sound, I do wish that it could be waterproof to complete the beautiful texture of the sunscreen. 

Ingredients

The three core ingredients found in this sunscreen are Camellia Japonica Flower Extract (Japanese Camellia), Tremella Fuciformis Extract (Snow Fungus) and Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract. Camellia Japonica contains a good amount of Omega-6 Fatty acids that is ideal to boost skin hydration, plumping up fine lines and wrinkles. Tremella Fuciformis on the other hand, has a unique multi-sugar molecule that helps hydrate the skin by binding moisture to the top layer of the skin. Lastly, the Moringa Oleifera Seed Extract which is rich in amino acid and Vitamin C and E helps protect the skin from damage and is successful in treating blemishes on the skin. These three ingredients form a great combination to moisturize, brighten the skin and to prevent breakouts in those with acne-prone skin.

Final Thoughts

My overall experience with this sunscreen was lovely. It would be one that I would continue to use through all seasons as it is thin enough that I can layer the sunscreen as needed depending on the seasons and the environment that I am in. It is a multi-functional sunscreen that helps reduce the number of skincare steps in my morning routine and reduces the need to purchase many products. I think this sunscreen would be especially beneficial to those with sensitive and acne-prone skin that needs the extra soothing ingredient.