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)

Thoughts on Mena Cream

When I was a kid, I remember our househelpers raving on cheap drugstore whitening products and applying these whitening creams all over their faces until they're espasol-esque. Even back then, whitening products have always been a hit among Filipinas. And with affordable products, even those with very tight budgets can whiten their skin - one of such whitening products, according to our househelp, is Mena Face Cream.

Mena Face Cream
(Image from Mena website)

Mini - Review: Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Sleeping Mask

Hi everyone! It has been months now since I've first started using this sleeping mask which came with the purchase of the cream from the same Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail line. Since this is a trial sample, it is best to just have a mini-review. Similar in everything with the normal reviews, but no comments on the price and long-term performance of the product.

Today's mini review is for Missha's Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Sleeping Mask.

Essential and carrier oils you should be careful of (Part 2)

Phototoxicity is a chemically induced irritation which needs light. Phototoxic substances undergo molecular changes when they absorb light particles - and these transformed chemicals are what causes burn-like patches such as this.

From vitiligosupport.org

Now, most products I see which are catered towards natural ingredients contain essential oils. Some of these "brightening" oils increase the risk of photosensitivity and for skin care conscious individuals like me, care must be ensured that products using essential oils are well formulated.

Update: MISSHA Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence

Hello! Before I go on with my revisit for the MISSHA Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence as promised on its review, I would like to apologize first for not posting last week for I've been busy with our wedding. I do have a skincare related post coming in relation to that event, so stay tuned!

Now, let's recap where I left off on the review.

Safety Advisory: FDA (Philippines) warns against mercury-laden whitening products

Nov 20, 2013 - FDA (Philippines) issued a notice listing several whitening products which were found to contain mercury levels beyond regulations values. FDA found 11 mercury-tainted products from a set of products which were found to have no Certificate of Notification from the said agency. Products without FDA notification may not be sold, nor offered for sale to or use by consumers.

The following products were found to exceed the 1 ppm mercury content limit set by the FDA:

1. Sanli Eliminating Freckle Cream Plus Complex Vitamin C & E
2. Erna Whitening Cream
3. Top Shirley Nourishing Cream
4. Jiao Li Huichunsu Specific Eliminating Freckle Cream
5. Jiao Li Speckle-Dispelling & Whitening Cream
6. LMSER Cream
7. Gemli Beauty Series Freckles Cream Plus Placenta Extract
8. Zhjren 7 Day Beauty Elegant Moisturizing & Whitening Day Cream & Night Cream
9. Zhjren Whitening Ruddy Combination Suit
10. White Magnolia Intensive Repair Essence & Powerful Spot Remover
11. Angela Placenta Whitening Cream (Tender Skin and Whitening)

According to the FDA memo, some manufacturers add mercury salts to skin care products to inhibit melanin formation which will result in lighter skin. However, excessive skin exposure to mercury may lead to skin rashes, discoloration, scarring, and weaker resistance against bacterial and fungal infections, apart from more adverse effects such as kidney failure, anxiety and depression.

Meanwhile, the other product mentioned in the FDA notice for being unauthorized products are the following:

1. Excellent Royalsuffi Fade-Out Cream-Day Cream
2. Yu Yan Excellent Yest Intensive Night-Cream
3. Baschi Day & Night Cream
4. Feique Herbal Extract Whitening Freckle-Removing Series

FDA advised the consumers to buy cosmetic products with FDA market authorization and from legitimate outlets only. An order has been issued to local governments and FDA officers to seize the prohibited cosmetics.

Random Rave (Anecdote): Salicylic acid x PIH (aka dark spots from acne)

My skin may be long over the "I have zits for a face" phase, but I still do get the occasional, hormone-fueled acne - which is quite painful and for me, takes a while to dry out. Weeks ago, I had one on my right cheek which I would not have cared about, only I am to get married in a month and my super excited mom was worrying about the big zit leaving a mark (yes, she is more excited about the wedding than I am). I reassured her than the mark will fade just in time for the wedding and she can rest her case of bugging me to go back to get a facial (horrible story here).

Little did she know I have a trick up my sleeve which I had been using with great results - Salicylic acid!

Review: MISSHA Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence

Following several raves about this product, especially as a more economical alternative to the also famed SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, I decided to try MISSHA's Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence. When I first heard of these product as containing products from fermentation, I have to admit my curiosity got the best of me and I haphazardly bought this product without checking the price first. Better make good use of the money by making a review and sharing my experience.

Review: Andalou Naturals Turmeric + C Enlighten Serum

From my previous post regarding my hunt for a vitamin C serum, I was keen on finding a vitamin C serum which was better formulated than the dismal serum I once loved. Oddly, Vitamin C serums are not such big fads in the Asian skin care scene even with tons of studies to back its claims as compared to unproven ingredients such as snail secretion. Disappointing, but I never found such serums from the Korean brands here, and all they have were products with lemon extract. Ugh.

After much Googling I luckily stumbled upon Andalou Naturals' Turmeric + C Enlighten Serum. Look, I am a stark critic of the organic and natural hype that has been going around in the food and cosmetics industry, but a skin care addict cannot do without a proper Vitamin C serum!

Papaya whitening: Is it safe and effective?

Visit a supermarket and you are sure to find a TON of whitening products. Among the most common here in the Philippines is the use of papaya soap. Papaya is claimed to help whiten the skin and is a common ingredient in lotions and soaps, which can be cheaply bought off supermarket shelves.

According to papaya whitening advocates, papaya contains papain which is the effective "whitening" ingredients. So what is papain and how does it "whiten" the skin?

Whitening soaps in the Philippines

I'm pretty okay with my skin. I have some scars on my legs which I'm not insecure about, I have hyperpigmentation on my face from my acne days, webs of stretch marks and (dark) yellow skin - and as I know there is no such thing as perfection, I never bothered doing anything special with my routine. Just normal skin care.

But recently, probably because I'm getting married in this year,  I've become wary of my very very dark elbows which really stand out from the rest of my arms. As a result, I've been trying to find easy to purchase (and safe) whitening products for my elbows. Just last Friday, I went to a local supermarket and found a whole aisle of whitening soaps of various local brands and ingredients. Yep, most of the Pinays are not very fond of their more skin-cancer resistant skin color for whatever crazy reason, contributing to the huge market for whitening products. I could go on ranting with that obsession, but that is fitting for a different post.

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.