Working abroad can be punishing, but for Ivana Alawi, the experience has been unexpectedly energizing—especially with Joshua Garcia as her leading man. Fresh from grueling days under the Moroccan sun, Ivana opened up about the chemistry on set, the realities of filming in extreme heat, and why she’s temporarily slowing down her vlogs to give this series her full focus.

Ivana didn’t sugarcoat the conditions. “Oo, perfect na perfect siya—kasi sa Morocco, napaka-init talaga. Kung ‘yung araw natin dito mainit, mas mainit doon,” she said, laughing. “So kailangan talaga—at ng sunscreen.” The weather, she added, demanded discipline and preparation, making skin care non-negotiable even between takes.

Despite the intensity, Ivana found herself pleasantly surprised by her scenes with Joshua. “Nako, ‘yung last scene namin—grabe pala siya,” she shared with a grin. Teasing about a memorable moment, she laughed, “Higop king—at talagang ‘yun ang last scene namin.” When asked if she already knew what it would be like working with him, Ivana joked, “Hindi ko alam—kaya nga sabi ko sa kanya, humigop ka?” Then she turned sincere: “Kidding aside, lovely at kilig ‘yung mga eksena. Siyempre crush ko ‘yun—pero professional pa rin.”

The demanding schedule has meant reprioritizing. Ivana admitted her content cadence will change—at least for now. “Siguro medyo mababawasan lang ng kaunti ang vlog,” she explained. “Mahirap mag-taping tapos mahirap din mag-vlog—ang hirap ipagsabay. Ang priority ngayon, tapusin ang serye. After taping, balik na tayo agad sa vlog.”

Long days outdoors also pushed Ivana to reflect on lessons learned early. “Dati, noong hindi pa ako nag-glow up, ang itim ko pala—kasi hindi ako nag-sunscreen nang maayos,” she recalled candidly. “May part sa mukha ko na parang sunog—16 or 17 years old ata ako noon. Hilig kong maglakad sa katirikan ng araw. Ngayon alam ko na—kahit nasa bahay ka, naka-sunscreen ka.”

Her nightly routine stays simple but intentional. “Importante talaga mag-hilamos,” she said. “May four steps ako—tapos mag-pray ka. Mag-pray ka talaga bago matulog,” she added with a laugh.

Away from the set, Ivana is also stepping back into a familiar partnership, reuniting with Brilliant Skin Essentials for a renewed collaboration. The milestone will be marked at a contract signing at Novotel Araneta, alongside brand founder Glenda Dela Cruz.