Mention the name Mustela to any mother and her eyes light up. This is immediately followed by “oh I looove that!’

The brand was brought to the Philippines by moms Tammy Tancinco and Sharleen Cu-Unjieng after they discovered Mustela’s wonders.

So legendary was Mustela’s reputation that it was actually Sharleen’s yaya who recommended Mustela to relieve her baby’s diaper rash.

Mustela is the No. 1-selling mom-and-baby product in European pharmacies. It is manufactured by Laboratoires Expanscience, which is the sixth largest independent laboratory in France, which ensures its products are free from paraben, phthalate, phenoxyethanol, alcohol, chlorphenesin and oils. The firm uses ingredients of natural origins.

Stylish moms headed by chef Francesca Cariño gathered at the newly opened Premio restaurant at The Fort for the launch of Mustela’s Stelatopia line for babies with atopic or eczema-prone skin.

My own two children suffer from eczema-prone skin and so I was interested to try out a new product that would replace the use of steroid creams.

When my son was small I vowed not to use strong medicines on him. However, his eczema flare-ups would get so bad that I was forced to use steroids to relieve the itching and redness that would sometimes disrupt his sleep.

But I was told that too much use of steroid cream could cause white patches so I only  used it sparingly.

Mustela’s Stelatopia line of high-quality skincare products for babies have been developed to gently yet effectively treat infant eczema. Its active ingredient is sunflower oil distillate, a patented ingredient of natural origin. It has lipid-replenishing action and breaks the vicious cycle of atopic dermatitis by reducing xerosis, desquamation and itching.

Stelatopia Emollient Cream was the cream I had been looking for. It limits the need for corticosteroids by up to 100 percent. The cream can be used after every bath to moisturize the baby’s skin.

Ideal for daily use

Stelatopia Cream Cleanser is ideal for daily cleansing of baby’s face, hair and body. It protects skin against dryness with its patented Active Lipid-Replenishing Process, and quickly soothes discomfort by reducing the sensation of irritation and itching.

When skin flare-ups occur, Stelatopia Milky Bath Oil comes to the rescue. Frequent use of this emollient-rich bath oil diminishes the frequency and intensity of flare-ups due to the presence of sunflower oil distillate.

Stelatopia Milky Bath Oil requires no rinsing and does not leave an oily film. Stelatopia No-Rinse Cleansing Water is a gentle, one-step daily-use cleanser for face, body and diaper area of babies. It gently cleanses the skin with an ultra-mild, no-rinse washing base to help form a barrier against hard water that may cause more irritation.

As soon as I got home I tried out the emollient cream. My little girl had a nasty rash on her neck for a week and nothing really worked. After three days of Stelatria, her rash had visibly cleared up. I was sold.

Mustela is available at the following outlets:

L/1, Ayala Trinoma (beside Café Mary Grace); L/1, Midtown Wing, Robinson’s Manila,  (beside Topshop); L/3, Glorietta 4 (in front of Gourdo’s and Play & Display);

L/4, Shangri-La Mall (in front of Mothercare); L/2, Megamall A (in front of Esprit);

L/1, The Shops, Greenhills Shopping Center (in front of     Watson’s and Mary Grace); and UG/F, Connector Mall, Alabang Town Center (in front of K & Company).

Mustela is distributed at the following: PureBeauty, 2/F, Serendra, BGC; all Landmark Department Stores; all Rustan’s Department Stores; and Numa Echo Baby Store, QC.

For more information, call the Mustela hotline 0917-8959988; e-mail [email protected]; visit www.mustela.com and, on Facebook, Mustela Philippines.