Acne Problems? This could help.

A few days ago, I got asked about my acne routine, so I decided to make a post about it. First off, let me start off by saying that my skin is extremely oily and acne-prone. It's really a lot of work maintaining my skin. If I feel too sleepy and decide not to wash my face, then I'll surely have a zit or two by morning. So it's really important to be diligent with your facial routine. For oily, acne-prone gals like me, sticking to your routine can make a huge difference.

It's really important to have a cleanser that is specifically for acne. One thing I noticed (at least in my case) is that no matter how many acne products I have, if my cleanser is not anti-acne, then I will still get zits. For my case, Skintel Pimple Clearing Soap works well for me. And the best part? It's super affordable at P75 only!

Using makeup? I believe in the oil cleansing method, oil-removes-oil. I use Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Fresh, which is specifically for oily skin. Read my review HERE

I've been using M2 Skin Refinish for a few months and so far it's been good. Read my review HERE

Good ol' fashioned tretinoin works well for me too. It's available at your nearest drugstore. Just be sure to always wear sunblock.

Things that could be adding up to your acne that you might not be noticing:

• Makeup: Use something that's oil-free or non-comedogenic. I still believe that mineral foundation is the best for everyday use.
• Vitamins: Oily-skinned gals really should stay away from the natural Vitamin E. Instead, look for water-soluble vitamin E from stores like Health Express. Even small doses of natural vitamin E found in multi-vitamins like Centrum give me more zits, so it's something that you should think about too :)

Me, Me, Me!

For my friend, Herroyalbleakness.

When I posted this FOTD during my last concert, she wanted to see what I was wearing. 

So here it is, it's really simple, since it was in an intimate setting like I've said before. I know, I know, I've really gained weight and I'm still in the process of losing it. It's so sad, I only have two gowns that fit me now. Argghhh... I'm at a loss for clothes...

Me with our pianist.

And look what I found from the vaults of facebook, another FOTD. A blast from the past!

The light was really strong, since this was taken under stage lights. I love how my skin looks like here :P

Have a great day!

FOTD!

This FOTD is from one of my concerts recently. I didn't put too much make up because it was an intimate setup. No lipstick (since I play flute) and no falsies either. 

FACE

MAC Studio Fix Fluid NC25

MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer NW20

Stila Contouring Trio

NARS Matahari

EYES

Stila All Doll'd Up Palette

Stila Smudgepots in Black

Loreal Beauty Tubes Mascara

I can't remember what I used for my brows! Anyway, that's all for now. Have a good weekend everyone!

Review: E.L.F Brow Kit in Medium

Hello dearies! Finally, I'm back with another review. This time, I'm going to review one of the staples in my everyday makeup routine: ELF Brow Kit in Medium. 

Here it is when opened:

The one on the left is the brow gel to help keep your brows in place, and then the right side is the powder.

Here are the swatches:

The left swatch is the powder while the right side is the swatch of the gel. I'm sorry, I inadvertently switched the swatches.

I've been using this for a very long time now so I can say a lot about this product now. Here's what I think:

PROS

• The color is just right for me, not too light and not too dark
• Pigmentation is okay. It's not uber pigmented which is not a problem for me since I have thick brows already and I just need to add a little more shape
• Comes with a mirror already
• The brush that comes with it is useful and very soft, not scratchy at all.
• Lasts all day. I seriously have an oily face, but I don't retouch my brows.

CONS

• Have sparse brows? This might not be enough to give you coverage. A brow pencil could be a better choice.
• The gel that comes with it is so-so. I find that it's holding powder is not very good.

All-in-all, I think this for its price of $3 (US price since I had this ordered from the US), this is a good product.

Lastly, let me show you a picture of my brows before and after I put the powder and gel.

As you can see, I have thick brows already, so this works well for me :)

Rating: 4/5

Note: Muji Disappointment :(

Ok, I haven't been to the actual Muji, but I've been doing some research online and based on the prices listed, I find that the local Muji stores prices to be too high :( It's said that the local Muji prices will be 6%-7% lower than HK prices, but comparing how much Filipinos make compared to the wages in HK, it's still expensive.  Of course, here in the Philippines, Muji was meant for people who can really afford, which is why they place it in Bonifacio High Street. As for me, I'm still sticking to my local bookstores for school supplies and SM department stores for my plasticware. Haha, I'm a cheapo.

Volume in my Hair without the Tease

I'm a hairstylist, and as a hairstylist, I have to backcomb my client's hair to create volume. But for those of you who don't know, backcombing/teasing is damaging to the hair. Unfortunately, I'm a performer and sometimes I do need to style my hair, too, but I don't want to damage it.

Thankfully, sometime before I left for the US, I read about Big Sexy Hair What a Tease Backcomb in a Bottle. Whew! That's a long name! The product was designed to work as an alternative to teasing. I did some researched, and most people say that it did what it was supposed to do.

 

So let me tell you about my experience with this product. I wanted a slight bump in my back, so I separated one layer of hair, sprayed the back part with this hairspray and then inverted my hair (let it stay in front of my face) until the hairspray was dry.

After the hairspray dried, I did see a difference. My hair did look fuller. I made my hair into a half-pony with my slight poof, and this is how it looked like:

And to think I only place one layer of hairspray on. I left my hair like this for a few hours, and I'm glad that it did hold. I place my hair down before going to bed, and then when I woke up the next day, my hair still had some poof. So yes it did hold well! I find that this can hold a tease better than regular hairspray can.

I haven't tried using this as a substitute for teasing when created a really big hairdo, but I'm not counting on it, though. I'm sure that for very big hairstyles, teasing has to be involved already. But for hairdos that require a little volume, this could be a good substitute.

So here are my findings:

PROS

• does help give hair more volume

CONS

• This will leave your hair feeling crunchy. You might as well forget trying to comb through it.
• Not locally available
• Expensive

The price tag is a hindrance, but since I'd rather pay for this than tease my hair, I don't feel so bad anymore.

How much? $19.99

Product Review: M2 Skin Refinish 20% Lotion (Formerly MaMa Lotion)

Hello everyone! I'm sorry I know I've been neglecting my blog recently but I've been very stressed and very busy lately. I'd like to ask you guys to bear with me for a while. Hopefully, things will look up and then I'd be able to blog more.

So now, I'd like to share with you something that I've been using and I'm sure that there are a good number of people who are curious with this product. This product has been creating a buzz for a while ever since it was still called MaMa Lotion. Now, it's been reformulated and changed its name to M2. The problem is, it's only available in Derma offices and the price hike is not easy on the pocket.

:Luckily, I was able to purchase this from skincarerx.com when they had a sale a few months ago, and I was really looking forward to trying it.

Product Description:

Eliminate all your skin care woes with one easy-to-use serum. This multi-purpose facial treatment uses a high-potency combination of Mandelic and Malic Acids to rapidly even skin tone, reduce breakouts, and soften wrinkles. (Previously known as MaMa Lotion)
1.7 fl. oz. 

Ingredients:

DI Water, Mandelic Acid, Malic Acid,Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Acrylate/ Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Dimethylacrylamide Crosspolymer, Isohexadecane,Polysorbate 60, PEG-8/SMDI Copolymer, Algae Extract, Artemisia Vulgaris Extract, Evodia Rutaecarpa Fruit Extract, Butylene Glycol, Squalane, Hyaluronic Acid, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Coenzyme Q10, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Powder, Dimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Tetrasodium EDTA

What I got was the strongest concentration which is the 20%. It's made up of 10% Malic Acid and 10% Mandelic Acid.

I've been using this only once every two days, as directed for the first two months. Right now, I've been using it for more than one month, so I can make some observations already :)

Here's what I'm finding:

PROS

• Aside from Malic and Mandelic Acid, it has other ingredients that are beneficial to the skin too like CoQ10, Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe Vera.
• The packaging is nice in idea, but in reality it was flimsy
• With prolonged use, I've noticed that my face is not so oily anymore (yey!)
• My skin definitely feels softer
• My skin is less clogged

CONS

• During the first few uses, this can really sting, much like during the first few uses of tretinoin.
• There can be visible peeling during the first week
• It has a strong smell and a sticky texture
• Like I mentioned, the cap is flimsy. It broke off a few days into usage.
• Expensive

NOTES AND TIPS

• Gals with sensitive skin might want to try a lower concentration like 15% or 10% since this could really sting at first. 
• Wait for 10-15 minutes before putting moisturizer since it needs time to be absorbed by the skin

Where to buy and how much? Online at $48. Locally, in derma offices for about P3,500.

Will I buy again? Only if it's on sale or I get it for less than $48. Hihi