Review: Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion

In keeping with my promise of reviewing more drugstore products, I decided to purchase a commonly seen moisturizer here in the Philippines. No, I'm not willing to stoop down to the local Pond's or Olay's local formulation yet, but there are dependable brands out there. Here's my take from one of those brand's products - Cetaphil's Moisturizing Lotion.

Review: The Face Shop Super Perfect Sun Cream SPF 50+ PA+++

The rains may have started in the Philippines, but my sunscreen obsession will be unhindered. I still use sunscreen regularly, so I go through them the fastest than any other product type in my skincare stash. Now I am about to review another one, The Face Shop Super Perfect Sun Cream, with an SPF 50+ and PA+++.

Review: Mentholatum Sunplay Powdery White SPF 47 PA+++

I used to dislike sunscreen with white cast, but now from a work-at-home person's perspective, I'd have to say I am okay with a bit of it, as long as it will not irk my husband. And so I have began exploring sunblock with Titanium Dioxide, the compound pretty much responsible for the ghostly look.

Here's a look at one of such that will obviously leave a white mask - Metholatum's Sunplay Powdery White. The name says a lot and while it may get attention from the whitening-crazy ones, here's a review that will leave them with second thoughts.

Review: The FACE Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Light Oil

After weeks of not doing any review due to my ridiculous supposedly light "freelancing" gig (which turned out to be a handful), I'm back with one, and with a happy note. As to why, we might as well get to it then - here's The FACE Shop's Rice Water Bright Cleansing Light Oil.

By the way, since I'm too busy nowadays, expect concise reviews - like it or not, there will be less rambling from now on.

Scared of Paraben? Don't be.

Despite of what government agencies and reputable organizations assure us with regards to the safety of parabens in cosmetics, the proliferation of blogs advocating the naturalistic fallacy still breathes life into a paraben controversy which should not have been controversial anyway (if only the people sourcing the study read the whole report). In effect, consumers are often led to buying more expensive, paraben-free products or worse, led into having a false sense of security that anything natural is safe.

Parabens are a family of compounds used as a preservative in cosmetics, and even in food. These compounds prevent the growth of bacteria and are usually used in combination with other parabens in very low concentrations - less than 0.5% versus the 25% threshold set by industry experts. 

Not always safe.
Image from freevector.com

In 2004, a study found parabens in breast cancer cells and launched an internet-wide e-mail scare connecting parabens and cancer, although reading the study itself does not correlate these two directly. In fact, the researcher himself, said parabens cannot be simply be concluded as the cause of breast cancer, though the findings do warrant further investigation. Which FDA and SCCP (EU) did anyway, which concluded that paraben use is still safe.

Parabens are known to have weak-estrogen like properties, although when compared to the natural estrogen are hundred-folds weaker. Furthermore, the very low concentrations used by the industry make paraben an unlikely cause of breast cancer, at least. So why be afraid of something found in trace, and studied extensively by authorities? Instead of wasting energy on spreading unfounded fear, why not delve into chemical compositions of natural ingredients so we could collectively assess the safety of these as well? 

How to Prepare your Condominium Unit for a Typhoon

Metro Manila is no stranger to high-rise residential units, and as strong typhoons loom over the country, residents all over the metro are advised to "prepare" for the possible effect of a storm - with flooding and brownouts being the most common culprits for home owners. However, despite of the many condominiums scattered all over the Manila, media does not seem to tackle condominium preparedness and condominium unit owners are left clueless on how to ready themselves for storms, especially the effect of wind.

Today, in my own preparation for the typhoon Glenda, I would like to share some points on preparedness to fellow condominium-dwelling Pinoys.

1. Keep the windows, or any opening than may let the violent winds in, closed. It would be wise to not open your doors to the hallway, too. You wouldn't want air from outside entering your unit as this may induce suction pressure and add to the risk of breaking glass windows.

2. Stay away from windows. In case they break. It would be better if you have draperies that could at least dampen the shattered glass flying towards you.

3. Stock up on provisions and supplies. Yeah, sure, you can buy from the nearest convenience store, as long as you're capable of climbing up to your unit at the 30th floor using your stairwell, should your elevator be dead. 

4. Your patio/balcony items should be kept inside the unit. The storm is hazardous enough for passers-by below, and while they can survive the storm itself, falling debris from irresponsible unit owners may injure or kill them.

5. Observe seeping water. Especially if they may possibly reach your outlets (take openings for air conditioners with the outlet very close to the unit) and take measures to protect them. Leak from roof decks is also possible, so it might be wise to turn your circuit breaker off until you're sure your electrical conduits aren't invaded by water.

6. Know where the fire exit is. I mean, you should have known this from Day 1 of living in your unit. 

7. Store water. If you have a bathtub, then fill it. If you have pails, you may use them, too. You'll need to wash the dishes or clean your toilet and bath somehow, and storing water can prepare you in case the tanks are emptied or if the pump does not work and there is no water from the faucet during the storm.

8. Stay at an "inner" room or at the hallways during the wind's onslaught. It might also be safe to stay at lower floors if the wind is too strong, as the pressure if the wind increases with elevation.

With elevation comes protection from flooding, but it increases the risk from wind damage. As with any other impending disaster, preparedness is key - regardless of what your living unit is. 

Whitening and Blood Clots: What is Tranexamic Acid?

Hopefully, you've read the previous post, because the build-up was kind of there.

Because I have more free time, I am now tasked with the traditional "sa bahay lang" housewife role and am now in charge of everything housekeeping and cooking. I cannot carry very heavy loads according to my doctor, so every other day, I go to the nearest grocery to pick up household items and ingredients for our meals. I always make it a point to make fun of some products sold in the beauty aisle or read product labels.

Anyway, I've noticed that my go-to grocery, and I'm betting many other groceries, sell much more variety of whitening soaps compared to that of normal soap. Whitening soap with different ingredients saturate the shelves while ironically, the sunscreen area is tucked in an obscure corner. The "canon" whitening products are still there: papaya, calamansi, glutathione, kojic acid. Then something catches my eye: kojic acid with tranexamic acid. 

I've never heard of tranexamic acid before, so I took a mental note of the spelling, went on with my routine and proceeded to read about it after all the housework. Wikipedia, basically says it is given by doctor to patients with the risk of heavy bleeding. Huh? How was this related to skincare? How this ingredient was discovered as a whitening ingredient is beyond my Googling powers, but at least I now have an idea and how people use it, so I can share it with everyone.

Blood Clots and Freelancing

I have been unemployed more than two months now, but luckily, still earning - although it's nowhere half of what I used to make. It may seem like a stupid route to go, but to me who needs time to rest, get fit and pursue other alternative methods of earning in lieu of a 8 am - 6 pm job, it's a very good trade-off. 

However, not many are aware of what working from home really is, probably due to the obvious lie of an advertisement we see in the internet: work-at-home mom earns 200 USD an hour, or something like that. My mother and sister-in-law thought it was such a breeze - you know, no bosses, no chismosa office workers, no commutes, you get tons of free time, and of course, the great pay. Little do they know that freelancing is literally being your own boss, accountant, marketing personnel, driver, courier, errand boy - basically wearing several hats with the pay of just one person.

Freelancing, I thought prior to starting this, would give you more time. Now, this is true but there's a catch. You are expected to be ALWAYS available, especially if you have clients who are beating deadlines. Oh, you're trying to lull your baby to sleep,? Better let him/her sleep on his own then. You can't work too late in the evening? We still have daylight here, and so do our clients. There is immense flexibility of time, but it works for your and your client.

Anyway, I just had to put this here in case you guys were wondering about the post frequency. I've been too busy with a client and I was making sure I do not miss out on this opportunity. I mean, I use the money I earn for bills and my skincare addiction! 

I'll be back with a slightly related story on tranexamic acid in a few days. Stay beautiful!

Review: TONYMOLY UV Sunset Aqua Sun Gel SPF30 PA++

Ever since I started working from home, I have been using less powerful sunscreen on days when I do not go out. The curtains may be blocking out a lot of light, but when it comes to skincare and the sun, one cannot be so carefree - so sunscreen stays. But I do not like the heavy feeling of my usual high protection sunscreen (SPF 50 and PA+++ ones) especially since I'm at home, and I'd really like that bare, at-home, light feeling on the skin. And so I tried looking for a light sunscreen and it led me to TONYMOLY's UV Sunset Aqua Sun Gel.

Review: Skin Food's Wildberry Milk Cleansing Foam (moist)

Have you ever been in a situation where you think you're contented with everything, then something comes along and takes you by surprise? I had this happen to me weeks ago when I started using Skin Food's Wildberry Milk Cleansing Foam - and  it's THE best foaming cleanser ever.

Throwback: How I Started with my (Korean) Skincare Regimen

To my friends who are curious with my skin care, I must be the biggest liar in the country when I say I used to have bad, pimple-ridden skin. So then I get bombarded by a ton of questions on product recommendations some practices I do with my skin.

What I had: I had a lot of pimples, scars and PIH (thanks to puberty). The only routine I had was washing my face with a Pond's cleanser. My skin was very oily, sensitive, and acne-prone. I also used calamansi (as per my mother's advice), and I went to the a facial salon a couple of times to have my pores cleaned.

To be short about it, my journey is quite simple, but unexpected. But here's how I did it anyway.

The Brown-Skinned Beauty In A Sea of "White"-Obsessed Fools

Love yourself. How hard can it be?

Not quite easy in a country where conformity is the standard, especially when it asks you to conform to what nature has not given you: "white" skin. As a kid, I have always wondered why we are so obsessed with how fair our skin is, and throughout the years, found the apparent reasons of people who believe this idea quite absurd, with the same magnitude as the stupidity of the believer itself. Which is why finding people who can learn to appreciate their color is always a welcome surprise.

Yes, They Exist.: Great Beauty Products for Less Than 100 Pesos

Most people have this bias that anything sold expensive must be superior to cheap ones. However, there are a few good beauty finds in supermarkets here in the Philippines that are surprisingly cheap. How cheap? Below-100-pesos* cheap!

(*a little more than 2 USD) 

1. Dove Bar

Image from dove.us

How much is it: around 55 php for a 135g bar

Women who probably had relatives from the US during their childhood days may know this bar as the slippery, soft, cream-like soap which somehow always makes the balikbayan box. While the local formula may have been tweaked and is far from the nostalgic, very moisturizing, melting-within-a-few-days bar, it is a good alternative to your usual body soap and even from the more expensive ones from upscale beauty stores.

2. Fitness Oil Control Sheet 

How much is it: 31 php for 100 sheets

The average Filipina-way of dealing with skin oiliness whenever outdoors seems to be wiping the face crazily with their handkerchief and putting some baby powder on it post-stress. The constant pulling of the skin when using the handkerchief could damage your skin - and this is where oil blotting paper can help. Rather than pull the skin during wiping, blotters can work by merely patting your skin with the tiny blotting paper and voila, less oilier skin without risk of damaged capillaries.

3. Nivea Lip Care Fruity Shine Strawberry 

From nivea.ph

How much is it: 80 php for 4.8g

It moisturizes, adds some tint, doubles as a lip gloss, has some SPF and has a delicious fruity flavor - all at a third of the typical price of a Korean lip balm. What more can we ask for?

4. Apollo Petroleum Jelly

How much is it: 83 php for 100g

Don't believe the uninformed, tree hugging detractors of petroleum jelly, or else you'll miss out on this very useful product. Petroleum jelly is a very versatile ingredient - a shape-shifting product if you may - from sleeping pack to lip balm. Even if you happen to hate it as a moisturizer, you can still find tons of uses for this product, making the meager price tag totally worth it.

5. Johnson and Johnson's Baby Oil 

From johnsonsbaby.com

How much is it: 63 php for 125 mL

Another useful product which along with its brother, petroleum jelly, which always falls in the hands of people who feel scared due to ignorance. Unless you're allergic to fragrance, this oil is the cheapest and safest (rarely brings adverse skin reactions) product to clean up your pores (or "remove" blackheads and whiteheads, which are only dirt-ridden sebacaeous filament). Also, it is moisturizing, non-comedogenic, and not at all carcinogenic. By the way, remember to get the original, PINK bottle capped one, as the other variants have other oils which may react with your skin.

So ladies, lack of budget is no excuse to not have good skin care products!

If you know of more similarly cheap and great finds, feel free to drop them below.

First Impressions: Skinfood's Strawberry Black Sugar Mask Wash-off and Argan Oil Silk Hair Mask Pack

Hi everyone! Today we willl be taking a look at a couple of free samples snagged from Skinfood Glorietta's sale last week - one of which I am keen on purchasing, of course only if the price is right, and the other I will never spend money on. Let's have a look shall we?

Random Skincare Facts on Baking Soda

We've seen a lot of Youtubers and bloggers promoting the use of baking soda for facial skin care, usually as washes or as exfoliator. Popular as it may seem though, baking soda is one ingredient not meant for the face. especially if used on DIY skincare recipes. Today, we'll take a look on what baking soda is and how it affects the skin.

Good for baking, bad for skin.
(Image from Arm & Hammer website)

Review: Etude House Magic Bubble O2 Water Peeling Pack

Hi. I've been stalling around to review this exfoliant, but because I am running out of the product, I guess it's time to put on the review for Etude House's Magic Bubble O2 Water Peeling Pack. Not finding a way to check the pH is not an excuse, but still, we must go on!

5 Korean-Based Skincare Lines the Philippines Would Love

Aloof as some Filipinos may seem with the multitudes of Korean anything surging into the country, some skincare junkies still are craving for those elusive skincare and cosmetics lines which haven't caught on to the branching out of several brands here in the Philippines.

Today, let's go over those brands Filipinas will surely welcome with our usual warm hospitality.

6 Things You Should Know About Kojic Acid

Kojic acid is one of the most popular whitening ingredients out in the Philippine market nowadays. From soaps to lotions,  kojic acid and its derivatives (Kojic dipalmitate, Kojic isopalmitate and chloro-Kojic Acid) are quite affordable and accessible, making it a sure hit for the masses. If you're curious on this skin lightener, here are some tidbits you should know.

Kojic acid is a byproduct of  the fungi Aspergillus Oryzae.
This picture shows the fungi on top of rice for fermentation.
(via Flickr)

Review: Nature's Gate Sport Broad Spectrum Dry Finish Sunscreen

After a couple of posts waaaay off topic from skincare, here's a review of a sunscreen I bought on a whim months ago because I was looking for an affordable, alcohol-free, and white cast-free sunscreen. To see if Nature's Gate Sport Broad Spectrum Sunscreen really has all of these criteria, read on.

Mother's Day Debauchery

I effing hate Mother's Day.

Don't get me wrong. Before cursing me out on how I am such an ingrate for not appreciating my mom, mother-in-law, or friends I'd like to make a few points clear. I cannot imagine the pain of snipping a part of their lady bits to facilitate child birth - for that I think mothers are brave, especially if they're doing it because it was an accident and they had to "man" up to their mistakes. I cannot swallow the sacrifices they make - career built for years only to be abandoned, bodies taken care of to fit in a bikini only to gain fat and not ever getting back to shape, relationships set aside because they caring for the family, and many more. I have deep respect for mothers, but I hate this holiday they oh-so treasure, that failing to greet them is akin to telling them they're useless and they should go cry in the corner.

This holiday has been severely mangled, and almost everyone's way of celebrating it is just wrong.

This holiday was originally meant to honor unrecognized sacrifices by made by women for their families and country. Women: married or unmarried, with kids or no kids. Maybe because of it's name, but this day has evolved into recognizing only mothers with kids - so if you had a miscarriage, are infertile, or decided on childlessness: no holiday for you.

This day also contributes to the melodrama of being a mother. For reference, there's this viral, cheesy video:

Please. If being a mother is difficult, where does that put people who work with high tension wires? Or the kids who wear imaginary scuba gear and dive into manholes to free up clogged sewer lines? This Mother's Day is a massive circle jerk, a part of the special snowflake movement to make a mundane "job" to anyone else but their families extraordinary. Look, a lot of people are mothers. It's nothing extraordinary.

It also relaxes the weight of being a father when the only difference is the latter did not experience the pain of childbirth. Society's expectation for fathers to be good providers is hard. And it's funny, because society spends 40-75% more on Mother's Day as compared to Father's Day.

Speaking of spending, Anna Jarvis, (the lady who founded this festivity) campaigned against this monster movement she created. She did not like what it had become - an opportunity for restaurants, florists, patisseries and women's stores to cash in on overly sentimental and sensitive women who'd sulk if their husbands or children failed to give appreciation. It had been reduced to a day of required greetings and gifts just so the drama is avoided.

Forget the fact that you can show your appreciation for parents anytime. Forget that there are people who sacrificed their dreams of having an own family just so they can support their parents and siblings. Forget the women who give their life to a career that in the end will help a lot of people. Forget the women and men who desperately try to procreate with no success. Forget the members of the LGBT who adopt kids who need homes.

Forget Mother's Day.