My Nightly Skin Care Routine

As promised, here's a blog post about my nightly skin care routine. Please remember that I have a combination skin type which is prone to acne with enlarge pores. There are certain products that maybe effective on my skin but might not work for you so always do an extensive research first before trying any skin care product. :)

I use Maxipeel Exfoliant Scrub as my facial wash because it cleanse my skin without drying it. Do you happen to experience those times when a facial wash is too harsh on your skin that it feels tight after every wash? Well, I don't get that with this exfoliant scrub so I guess, it works best for me. However, there are some write ups that says that you should change your facial wash after three months because your skin will grew tired of your old facial wash that it won't be as effective like the first time you use it. I haven't experience it yet but I'll update you guys.

Even though I don't wear any make up, I believe that using a toner is still important because it has other benefits aside from removing excess dirt and sebum that were not lifted by your facial wash. Since I have large and visible pores, I'm using the pore refining variant of maxipeel facial cleanser to somehow help me with this pore issue.

After cleansing and toning, I would apply the Maxipeel Micro-Exfoliant Cream. This works like the Maxipeel Exfoliant Solution without the visible peeling. This cream removes dead skin cells and also aids in drying up any breakout that I have. I'm using it once every night.

Finally, I also use this facial mask from IWhite Korea to help brighten up my skin. I only use this twice every week.

That's about it for my nightly skin care regimen. There maybe additional product or brand changes depending on my skin care needs but for the meantime, I'll stick with what I have. How about you guys? How do you take care of your skin? I would appreciate you sharing your insights about it to help other people who suffers from different skin conditions. Just leave a comment below. :)

See you soon!

My Morning Skin Care Routine

Since my last post, I've told you guys that I really have a very bad skin condition. I am suffering from acne and acne scars with large pores as well as uneven skin tone. It feels like no matter what I do, it will be hard to have a smooth skin thus I decided to have a simple morning skin care routine. This is just your basic cleanse, tone, moisturize, and special care regimen.

CLEANSE

I am using Maxipeel Exfoliant Scrub as my facial foam cleanser. It has microbeads that helps in removing dead skin cells and it also has a minty feel into it for additional "freshness". Unlike other facial cleansers, this cleans without drying my skin.

TONE

For my toner, I'm using the Pore Refining variant from the same brand. Using a toner will not only pick up the excess dirt on your skin that your facial cleanser was not able to remove but it will also balance your skin's pH level.

MOISTURIZE

Maxipeel's Moisturizing Cream tends to be on the "heavy" side that it breaks me out whenever I use it that's why I opted to get IWhite Korea's Aqua Moisturizing Cream instead. This moisturizer is like a gel out of the packet but turns into a watery substance once applied on your skin. I like it so much because it makes my skin well hydrated without that greasy feel.

SPECIAL CARE - SUN BLOCK

Another important step in a skin care regimen is using a sunblock. The higher the SPF, the better as it helps in protecting your skin from harsh UV rays that causes skin discoloration and premature ageing. It doesn't make my skin feel greasy and it also provides additional hydration for my face. The only downside of using this sunblock is that it leaves a white cast on my face but all in all it works good on me.

So there you go! :) I will be giving you an update on my nightly skin care routine on a separate blog post because I think it is much more complicated than my morning routine. 

See you soon!!! :)

Watsons Haul: IWhite and Maxi Peel Products

 My skin is currently at its worse. A lot of blackheads and whiteheads here and there, pimples around my jaw area, dark pimple marks and dry, rough patches on my face. I was never really "blessed" with a good skin, as mine is a combination of dry to oily thus, I need to put together a reliable skin care routine to somehow balance it.

Feeling desperate while looking at the mirror and all that, I found myself inside the Watson's store near our area to check out affordable skin care products that I can use to treat my issues. Yeah affordable! Though I know of certain brands that will truly wok wonders to improve my condition, I don't have enough budget for those as I am jobless at this point (I know, I know... don't judge me please Hahaha!) Anyway, these are my haul:

(From L - R, counter clockwise)

1. IWhite Korea Nose Pack (3g) - P 18.00

2. IWhite Korea Whitening Pack Peel Off Mask (8g) - P P 22.00

3. IWhite Korea Aqua Moisturizing Cream (6g) - P 20.00

4. IWhite Korea 2 Minute Whitening Miracle (8ml) - P 24.50

(From L - R, counter clockwise)

1. Maxi Peel Sunblock Cream SPF 20 (25g) - P 47.00

2. Maxi Peel Exfoliant Scrub (25g) - P 37.75

3. Maxi Peel Pore Refining Facial Cleanser (135ml) - P 47.75

4. Maxi Peel Exfoliant Cream Advanced # 3 (10g) - P 21.75

It's not my first time to use some of these products but I will still be posting a review soon. I hope all of these will help me in improving my skin condition. Wish me luck! :)

Product Review: Palmolive Naturals Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo and Conditioner

I have a very long, dry, and brittle hair that's why hair fall is inevitable to the point that it becomes scary sometimes when you see a handful of hair right after you shower or while you’re combing.

I got my sample pack of Palmolive Naturals Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo (with Conditioner) and Conditioner from SampleRoom PH. These hair products combine the power of Keratin and Ginseng extracts to nourish the hair making it stronger thus preventing hair fall due to breakage.

How does Keratin and Ginseng works?

Keratin is a kind of protein which is naturally found in our hair and is known to be responsible in making it smooth and straight. However due to damages caused by chemical, physical, and even environmental factors, it is being depleted. Meanwhile, Ginseng is rich in terpenidol glycoside which is a nutrient that is known to strengthen the hair while protecting it from damages caused by any of the said factors. Combining these two key ingredients for hair care product will definitely work wonders.

It's been over a week now since I started using the shampoo and conditioner combo and I can say that it really helps in reducing hair fall. In my case, it's about 50% less compared to just using a regular shampoo. I also love the refreshingly sweet scent of these products that lasts all throughout the day. The conditioner doesn't feel heavy and is also easy to rinse even if it has been reformulated to be moisture rich as indicated in the bottle. The only downside that I've experienced is that it makes my hair greasy the next day but I think it is manageable since I'll be washing it again anyway.

Overall, I believe Palmolive Naturals Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo and Conditioner is a good product that really does what it promised and with continuous usage I'll soon be saying goodbye to hair fall. 

Will I repurchase it? Of course, for only P 96.50 for the Palmolive Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo and P 95.20 for the Conditioner both on 180 ml bottle, it's definitely worth every penny.

How about you? What’s your favorite hair care product?

Sample Room Haul: Palmolive Naturals Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo & Conditioner

I've been a member of Sample Room PH for quite some time now; it's just that I was only able to use my points yesterday for the very first time. 

So what is Sample Room?

" Sample Room is a sampling site that banks on the power of free product sampling. It is an online community that changes your beauty-shopping pattern; and an interactive community where your opinions matter and where all beauty lovers are valued."

Often times, we would like to try certain products first so that we could decide if it is the one that we truly needed, thus, Sample Room’s tagline: “Try before you buy” and the good thing about it is that you can get samples for FREE!

The products featured on their website ranges from health and cosmetics as well as fragrances and beauty tools. They definitely have something for everyone to try.

So how can you get free samples? Just follow these 7 easy steps:

Step 1: You should be a member of Sample Room. Register an account with Sampleroom.ph so that you can get an access to their featured products.

Step 2: Once you’re already registered, you’ll instantly get 100 points which you can use in availing free samples.

Step 3: Since you already have 100 points credited on your account, you can now start selecting the sample that you want to receive. Just make sure that there is an available stock for the product that you’ve chosen.

Step 4: After choosing your sample, you are now ready to check out. The points corresponding to the product that you’ve selected will be deducted on your available points. You need to fill out your billing details and make sure that your delivery address is correct.

Step 5: Choose a payment method. Although the samples that you’ll get on their website are free, you need to pay for the shipping and handling of the product. Don’t worry, the fee is very minimal. You can either use your credit card or over the counter payment through bank deposit.

*I only paid Php 100 for the shipping and handling fee as compared to the free samples that I’ve received which has a suggested retail price (SRP) of roughly Php 200!

Step 6: Monitor your account as they will need a day or two to confirm your payment. Your order status will be displayed on your dashboard and/or an update will also be sent to you via your registered email address.

*My order has been completed the same day after payment and I received my samples today! See? It’s fast right? J

Step 7: Review the samples you received to earn more points. Sample Room encourages their members to post a review on the samples that they get. You need to be honest and truthful in giving out your reviews based on personal experience while using the products. Sample Room has provided a set of guidelines for you to follow in submitting a review. Once your review has been approved and posted by the Sample room team, you’ll get an additional point. There are other ways on how you can earn more points such as referring your friends to Sample Room or by being a VIP member.

Is that easy?! J As mentioned earlier, I received my samples today. I ordered Palmolive Naturals Anti-Hair Fall Shampoo and Conditioner and I’m so excited to try it. I’ll post my review after a week so please look forward to it.

If you’re interested in getting free product samples or you would like to know more about Sample Room’s offers, just click this link SAMPLE ROOM PH or like them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/sampleroomph. You can also follow them on Twitter and Instagram: @SampleRoomPH for updates.

Day 04 - Of Yacon Juice and Catching a Flu

Photo courtesy of www.organicfacts.net

So here it goes, Day 04 is not as easy as I expected it to be. I planned that this will be a 60 days journey to juice fasting, however, I suddenly caught a flu. It could be because my body was not very well prepared for the program (unlike when I did the seven day juice fast last year) or it's all because of the weather. 

I woke up with a very bad headache and my body's aching all over. I still went on with my usual morning routine of warm lemon water. A couple of hours later, I'm already chilling and feverish. I try not to take any medicine because I wasn't eating for the past three days and it might upset my stomach. I thought of juicing Yacon instead as it might bring me some energy to survive the whole day. 

Yacon or earth apple is a root crop which is somehow similar to jicama in texture but is much sweeter in flavor. It is said that this tuber aids in regulating blood sugar as well as weight loss. It also boost digestive health so don't be surprised if you feel like you're having a diarrhea after drinking its juice (don't worry because you won't feel any stomach cramps).

I wasn't able to take a photo of the actual fruit and juice because it oxidizes soon as I peel it and I feel like it will not look good on my shots so I just grabbed a photo from the internet. Yacon is widely available in the Philippines and you could just get it at your nearest supermarket.

Going back to my condition, I've already succumb to flu and had to take medicine or it'll just get worse. By taking medicines means I needed to eat. I guess here's where my juice fasting will end. I'm still proud of myself as I was able to do it for three and a half days. I hope my readers won't get disappointed with me. I'll still do it after a couple of months and hopefully I won't get sick again.

I lost 5 kilograms after three days, though I know that it'll bounce back in a week. It usually happens after a fast but this time, I intend to stuff myself with healthy dishes and do more exercises. I'll update you guys from time to time and thank you for reading my blog. Ciao for now! :)

Day 03 - Quite Rough

Day 03 is kind of rough. I am now feeling the pangs of hunger and my whole body is aching. I am contemplating if I should change the fasting program into a three day  reboot instead. At my sluggish state, I still need to do some household chores which make it more difficult. Geee! I feel so tired. I'm aware that the critical days of the fast will be from the 3rd to 5th day so I should be ready right? I'd like to retire early tonight and just finish this blog entry tomorrow since I usually create drafts and post it the next day. 

Before I say goodnight to y'all, I'd like to share this juice recipe which I had this dinner time. It's yummy and refreshing so I hope you'll like it. It's called Pine Orange Surprise.

You'll need:

1 whole Pineapple 

1 Valencia Orange

Mint Leave (optional)

Ice Cubes

Peel and chop the pineapple. You can remove the core if you wish to. Process it in a juice extractor and set aside. Take out the juice of the valencia orange using a citrus juicer and remove the seeds. Mix both juices in a glass, put some mint leaves and serve with ice. My photo above doesn't have the mint leaves as I don't feel like putting any to it. :)

Pineapple is rich in bromelain which is known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties while orange has vitamin C and flavanoids which also aids in healing he body. This juice recipe is indeed a good combination so you should try it!

*Please note that people who would like to try this kind of juice fasting program should consult with their doctor first especially if they are into some medication.