Sour facts of Calamondin (Calamansi)

I love calamansi juice. Especially if it has some honey in it, topped with a few ice cubes. I also love it on my pancit, as it gives a certain tangy flavor to the dish. It is also very nice with green tea and some aloe bits.

However, I will always cringe at the slight mention of calamansi as a part of the Pinay's natural and cheap arsenal of whitening products. Heck, it is so common here in the Philippines that my mother believed it can whiten my elbows if I'd scrub calamansi on them every day.

Black and White: The deal with sebaceous filament

When I was still in my adolescence, I was very conscious of my face since it had a lot of problems. Apart from the usual acne, I had a barrage of whiteheads and blackheads. Add this to the fact that I grew up watching the onset of commercials churning up that practice of clear, whitehead and blackhead free skin. In my high school, some girls I knew had been buying those pore strips which remove the icky gunk off their noses.

My mother also had this obsession with clean faces. She was disgusted by my blackheads and my "lack of concern" which for me was not really so, but more like a "I really don't think I should do anything about this" type of concern. It was also because whenever I tried to remove them, especially the prominent ones, I end up with little wounds which in the end made my skin look much worse. She even took me to one of those skin shops in our mall. Easily the scariest and most painful aesthetic-related experience I've ever had.

Review: Bioré UV Perfect Face Milk

Before this sunscreen, I've been having a hard time trying to minimize the oil slick and the typical white cast from my previous sunscreens. I found this Bioré sunscreen from MakeupAlley, and seeing it had a lot of positive reviews, I decided to purchase one.

Sorry, unboxed since I've been using it for a month

Haul: My favorite korean brand

Is it Missha? The Face Shop? Laneige? Skin Food? No no no! Iiiiiitss...

Sunscreen Basics

We all know how cruel sunlight is to our skin, especially when we are out in the blistering hot Manila sun. I am also amused by the number of women trying to shield themselves from the sunlight using only umbrellas. Sure, an umbrella does help, but unless it is pretty special, UV rays can still penetrate it. In my case, I sometimes go to construction site and I need both my hands to climb out of excavations and such. Bringing an umbrella and getting all conscious about my skin during those moments is too dangerous and stupid.

The Bureau of Customs and our everyday SONA

Following the previous post on my experience of buying imported goods off the net, I may be able to give a reaction on the recent news regarding the SONA and the dismal review on the Bureau of Customs by our president. But first, on to the parallel story to this.

Is it just me, or does the president looks somewhat like a minion?
(image from inquirer.net)

Importing Cosmetic Products: Ang tuwid na daan pa-customs

Last Monday was a significant-but-not-really significant day for Filipinos who are monitoring Pinoy's plan for a "tuwid na daan." For me, it was yet another day for experimenting. I was hypothesizing that the Customs people will tax me way more than they should for $80 worth of skincare products from sasa.com and $50 from roseroseshop.com.

Especially since I have fair skin and small eyes, it was bound to be a disaster. But I came prepared. I had been researching ever since I got a notice from Philpost's Central Mail Exchange Center a day after I was supposed to receive a door-to-door delivery from the online store. In the delivery card, it said the package from HK still has to go through "Customs Inspection". "Inspection, ulol", was may knee-jerk reaction. Another card said I had to claim it at Mandaluyong City's central post office, which was just 1 ride away from our place. That package (from roseroseshop.com of Korea) was also for customs inspection.

Zero html skills and 5 hours later

Finally. At least the blog looks half decent now.

I added an FAQ link, in case people do have questions, in case people do read this blog. I found this theme through btemplates.com. Thankfully, the former provided FAQ section for newbies. A little edit within the html (trial and error, again) and I was able to produce this!

Whelp, that was hard. Guess I'll just stick to (civil) engineering.

Fail: The booger and why stores have samples

When you are starting a skin care regimen, it is very easy to mess up. A lot of trial and error are made that even some of the products end up being discarded (or given away), even if the product costs a lot.

My little product mishap happened more than a year ago. My sister told me her friends from Korea buy tea tree oil to be used as a spot treatment for acne. She claimed that the oil worked overnight and that it works so well, there will be no trace of the pimple by the next day. 

So for science, I decided to buy this tea tree oil from the local The Body Shop. I did a little Goggle-ing prior to the purchase and apparently, tea tree oil generally is good for acne. 

This little magic bottle cost me around 500 php. 

Blog rules: A note to self

Dear Pigwin of <<insert current date here>>,

Please be reminded of the following rules. I know this is a boring way to start your blogging venture, but please at least let us establish a standard so this blog will stay true to its name, Pas-sosyal. Not "sosyal". Walang sosyal. In case you've forgotten, let me refresh for you:

1. No typical Filipina "pasosyal" talk. You know you hate this and it is the very reason you created your own skincare blog so as to cater to those who hate some horrendous beauty blogs (sans beauty) with those cancer-inducing Tag-lish posts. It also makes you sound stupid. You can only hope that your readers do the same, but you of all people... I expect a lot from you. Just finish your sentences using just English or Filipino. In case there is a dire need to do otherwise at least don't do it like this: "OMG, this moisturizer is my fave na talaga. Like, you know, this is my HG naaaa! Super super love!" Hindi bagay sayo. Saka ang taba mo na nga, tapos di ka pa kagandahan, magsasalita ka pa na parang bang wala kang utak.