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)