Etude House AC Clinic Intense Pink Powder Spot: Review

Remember my post about the Clear Away Spot from THEFACESHOP? I used to rave about that product back in 2014 and I talked about it like I wouldn't be able to live without it. It was my holy grail spot treatment. Don't get me wrong. It still is, at this point, although if it goes out of stock, I have an alternative that I love just as much as that one.

Mestiza Soap: Review

I first came across this product while going through random youtube videos. Well, you know me. When I have nothing to do, I just go through my subscription list. I wasn't looking for anything in particular. I was merely video hopping when I saw a video by Joyce Sola where she mentioned this particular product. She mentioned it was good for back acne and I was instantly sold.

Current Skin Care Routine (Acne Control): January 2015

One of the biggest problem (for me) that a beauty blogger can have is being plagued with acne on various parts of the face. As a beauty blogger, there are expectations one must meet. One of them is having (almost) perfect skin. It's like an unspoken rule for beauty bloggers to always look flawless. I know this rule isn't absolute but sometimes I feel that the struggle is real. The case is also true when I try to film beauty videos. I feel pressured to do something about my problematic skin. Most of the time, I am ashamed of my skin condition.

The thing is, we don't choose what kind of skin we have from birth. Unfortunately, I have oily, acne prone, sensitive skin. This means I get greasy easily, I get acne (sometimes cystic) and that my skin easily reacts to different skin care products. Just because it works for someone else, doesn't mean it'll work for me too. It also doesn't mean I don't take care of my skin. I am very religious with skin care. I take a shower everyday and wash my face at least twice a day. Despite all these, I still can't eradicate all my skin  problems.

Today, I will be sharing with you the products I am currently using to help with my current skin condition. These are all products prescribed to me by my dermatologist from Skin 101. If you didn't know, I regularly get facials and treatments at Skin 101 SM Muntinlupa. After trying to manage my skin on my own for such a long time (but not getting the results I want), I finally decided to consult their in-house dermatologist and was prescribed with a whole new skin care routine.

RDL Hydroquinone Tretinoin Babyface Solution 3: Bacne Be Gone!

Have you ever tried cheap skin care products? So cheap, one small bottle doesn't even reach 1 USD? Well, I have! Let me be clear, though. It wasn't an easy decision. For the longest time, I tried to avoid super cheap skin care products because I have sensitive acne prone skin and I'm not so sure about how effective these products would be.

For several months, though, I have been suffering from bad bacne. What's worse is even though I heal some of the active breakouts, I get dark spots to replace it which isn't a good sight.

A month ago, I came across a sales lady who was kind enough to share her acne experience with me. She told me she had a bad case of acne before but I see no trace anywhere as her face is currently super flawless. She told me she used the RDL Hydroquinone Tretinoin Babyface Solution 3 on her face. Of course, she had disclaimers that it works differently on different skin types and that if I have sensitive skin, she'd rather I don't get it because she doesn't want to ruin my skin. Despite all that, I braved it out and purchased it.

Snoe Shoo-zit Don't Bother Me Back Acne Spray: Review

As if pimples on my face isn't enough, for the longest time, I've also had to battle back acne or bacne. Aside from the fact that it restricts the type of clothing you wear (no backless, no low back cuts), it's also really hard to self medicate. It's hard to do back spot treatment on your own. Unless you're The Incredible's Elastigirl, then I suppose you're like me. Your reach is probably limited and there are areas that you simply cannot cover.

Good thing I stumbled upon Snoe's Shoo Zit Don't Bother Me Spray Me From Behind Back Acne Spray (Try saying it. It's a mouthful, I know. Haha). It's basically a pimple treatment in the form of spray and it is commonly used for the back because it helps one cover everything, even areas that are hard to reach, all with little effort. Since it's in a spray form, the range is much wider and it can be applied easily.

 Directions and warnings.

Its main ingredients include PUREFIX-DC and salicylic acid, a pimple treatment I've always trusted. This product really helps soothe swollen and 'angry' pimples. Unfortunately, this doesn't happen over night but rest assured, it performs quite well with continued use.

The only negative thing I can think of about this particular product is its fume-like smell. It's super strong. It definitely seeps in and makes one cough if not used correctly. That is why I would highly recommend that you spray it in a well ventilated place. Otherwise, you won't like the experience.

I got this in Snoe SM Sta. Rosa for only PHP349. What's even more amazing about this is that Snoe is actually a local Filipino brand but the quality of products they produce are amazing. I especially like their packaging and the way they name their products. It reminds me of Benefit.

Feel free to browse through Snoe's web page right here for more information.

ISKIN New York Renew Cream: Review

For the record, ISKIN New York Renew remains to be my biggest skin care splurge of all time. Priced at around PHP 4000+, I don't even remember what possessed my stingy self to actually purchase this product.

 

A little more than a year ago, I've been really loyal to Flawless, a local skin clinic. I was literally #AlagangFlawless (#CaredForbyFlawless) for almost one year (or even greater). I had to go back to the clinic every two weeks because I've had the worst breakouts in the history of my life in the year 2012.

 

Along with my scheduled (every 2 weeks) acne control facials, I was using their Flawless skin care set (SAS Soap, Erythromycin Solution, Skin White Therapy, Sunblock, Tretinoin) prescribed to me by their clinic dermatologist. Time and time again, my dermatologist would tell me to try out their exclusive ISKIN New York skin care line as she swears it's the perfect skin care set that local celebrities even use. But time and time again, I declined. This is because the whole set was around PHP 10,000 and I didn't think my heart could handle such a huge expense just for a few pieces of skin care.

Months passed and I was feeling pressed by the fact that although my skin was improving, it wasn't improving fast enough. Needless to say, I was getting impatient. So when my dermatologist suggested to add at least one of the ISKIN skin care products, I gave in. As stated above, I got the ISKIN New York Renew Cream. The price almost made my heart skip several beats but I told myself it was going to be an investment.

The dermatologist instructed for me to mix the ISKIN Renew with my Tretinoin cream that I use every night. She told me it would help with evening out my skin tone and help lighten the breakout scars I've formed.

God knows I wanted to love the product. I had to because it was worth more than my whole previous skin care set combined. So just like before, I followed my doctor's instructions and religiously applied the product every single night, without fail. Sadly, however, I didn't really see any major difference in my skin quality.

True enough, some of my scars have lightened but it could also have been due to the number of chemical peels I've had. My skin condition also didn't improve drastically while using the product. In its defense, however, it did not break me out. It also took me almost a year before I was finally able to finish the whole bottle. It's just that for a skin care product that amounts to more than PHP 4,000, I didn't really think it was worth it.

I'm not sure if it was because I didn't use the whole set but I didn't really want to risk more of my money just to see if the whole set would provide me better results. To cut this review short, I was really disappointed with this particular product and I wouldn't really recommend it. I'm sorry but I just don't think it's worth its price. I could have easily gone with their regular Flawless skin care set, without the addition of ISKIN Renew, and I might have still achieved similar results.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil: Review

Okay, I admit it. I won't even try to sugarcoat things. I've been lazy. Period. These past few days, I just wasn't in the mood to blog. I've been doing a lot of reading (pocketbooks) and I just forgot about my online duties. To my surprise, I've already missed two posts for this week. It could be because it's my birth week so I'm feeling particularly extra lazy these days but nevertheless, I intend to make up for the two posts I's missed.

Today, I will be reviewing this Tea Tree Oil from The Body Shop. Acne prone skinned readers may find this post a delight since this very product is targeted for them.

Flashback to two years ago may prove that I was (or am) one of the thriftiest person alive. Originally priced at PHP 565 (taken from other beauty blogs), this little bottle didn't receive much of a look from me no matter how well raved it is. I'm sorry but my wallet just can't shell out PHP 565 for a 10ml bottle of solution. Good thing I stumbled upon this product while strolling around Greenbelt while it was on sale. I forgot the exact price but I'm pretty sure it didn't exceed PHP 350 hence my decision to purchase.

The Body Shop claims it sells one bottle every 8 seconds. Wow!

 Expires 12 months after opening

Even if you tell yourself not to have too much expectations on a product, it's really hard to do especially when a product is well talked about online and you've seen many rave reviews regarding it. Good thing The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil doesn't disappoint.

Packaged in a small bottle, this 10 ml solution gives relief to red and swollen pimples. It may not be the product of choice for cystic acne, in my opinion, but this product is good for mild to moderate breakouts. It's not a miracle bottle where your acne dries up overnight. No, that is not the case. But give it 3-4 days, and your problem areas will be taken care of.

It's oil based so expect a little bit of greasy texture. Don't worry, it still gets absorbed into the skin after some time. It has a pretty strong smell too but it doesn't linger on for hours so don't fret.

The best thing about this product is it doesn't leave dark marks (hyperpigmentations) once your pimple dries up. The only down side is the packaging is literally hard to work with. I don't have a photo of the opening but somehow, it's hard to get the product out but at the same time, it's hard to control the amount of product it dispenses if you're not careful enough.

So do I recommend it? Well, personally, I bought this very product twice (on sale), after being satisfied with the results. I haven't had the chance, though, to repurchase since.

This is a good alternative to people who are struggling with acne but is hypersensitive to benzoyl peroxide (like me) or salicylic acid. For more information on the product, feel free to check out The Body Shop Philippines facebook page.

Ponds Acne Expert Pore Conditioning Toner: Review

Okay, so recently, I've been getting messages from younger readers asking me what skin care product they can use for themselves. This is actually a really hard question for me as I'm very careful when I recommend products for all of you out there. I don't really want to recommend anything that would not be suitable for anyone.

Honestly, I don't really have a full grasp of what products aren't really suitable for younger skin because when I was younger, I pretty much just used commercial facial washes and toners. Other than that, I applied nothing on my face except (of course) for my spot treatment. So I'm just going to put this DISCLAIMER out there. I did not study dermatology so I'm not really a skin expert. However, if you're interested to know what I used when I was younger, then keep on reading. :)

As I've said, during my teenage years, I only used commercial facial washes and toners. And just like the majority of adolescents out there, I wasn't spared with having problematic skin. At the young age of 13, I have declared myself to be an unfortunate oily, acne prone, sensitive skinned person. Like any other teenager, I used products that are meant to help with these problems. One of the products I've used would have to be this Ponds Acne Expert Pore Conditioning Toner.

When I was younger, I was only staying away from products that cause peeling mainly because these chemicals are deemed as 'too harmful' by my parents. So basically, I never get products that cause peeling over-the-counter. If I do get a product with peeling effects, it would always be under the direction of a professional, a dermatologist. Otherwise, I play it safe with products like the one I mentioned.

Ten years ago, my breakouts aren't as severe as now and a regular toner such as this is enough to keep my face blemish free. This particular product has Tea Tree and Salicylic Acid, which are both good acne fighting ingredients. This is best suited for my delicate skin as the other popular acne fighting product, benzoyl peroxide, causes me redness and irritation. Needless to say, this toner from the brand Ponds was able to help with my mild skin problems without causing any allergic reaction.

This particular toner is available in leading groceries, convenience stores, supermarkets, drugstores and the like so you definitely won't have a hard time getting one. It is also fairly cheap and works well.

To summarize, I still wouldn't want to recommend anything for a teenager to use as part of his/her skin care routine but if you ask me what I used during my time, it would be simply this toner right here. I was also able to try an astringent from another brand but I'll leave that out for my next post.

Skin 101 (Diamond Peel, Facial, Pimple Injection): Review + Giveaway Winner!!!

I don't know if you guys are aware but I've been struggling with breakouts recently. One of the main culprits would be my hormones but another notable cause would have to be my encounter with Belo AcnePro. I've stopped the said product for about one month now and my skin hasn't broken out as much although there are still few zits here and there. You may have read about my love relationship with THEFACESHOP's Clean Face Clear Away Spot. And just as I said in that post, that small bottle is a container of miracle skin goodness. However, topical products such as these are sometimes not enough. I have to get a facial cleaning to help clear up the skin.

Personally, I've tried so many options out there. At first, I was a loyal patient to a local dermatologist and she was the one doing all the extractions needed. The problem, however, was the cost. Having to deal with professional fee and all the medications, my weekly routine has become too expensive for my budget. I, then, decided to try out different facial spas. I've tried Flawless, Let's Face It, Ysa's Spa and Skin 101. I can talk about my experience with each of them but that would take forever to write so I'm just opting to write about one. (If you want me to write about the other facial centers, just comment down below.)

For about a year now, I've been a loyal customer to Skin 101, thanks to its affordable packages and the nice staff in SM Muntinlupa. My very first encounter with Skin 101 wasn't all that exciting. I was just roaming around the center with a friend when I decided to get a pimple injection on a whim. A few days before that, I noticed a cystic acne forming around my lip area. It was so big and painful that smiling was actually a form of torture on my part. Any movement done by my lips, speaking included, made the spot throb with pain. While looking through the different shops, I confessed my dilemma to my friend (who I was shopping with) and asked her if I could just drop by a skin clinic for a quick remedy. Being a good friend that she is (Hi Vei!), she agreed.

I knew what I wanted and needed-- pimple injection! I've been getting them from Flawless before so the concept isn't really anything new. The only problem I had then was the fact that there were only limited skin clinics around the place and Flawless was not included in them. I struggled to choose where to get it done but not all clinics offer pimple injections. To my delight, when I went into Skin 101, they told me they had it.

In Flawless, it costs about PHP100 per injection so I was expecting the price to be within that range but lo and behold! It is so much cheaper in Skin 101! For the same price, you get to have 3 injections. However, if you just want one spot to be treated, then they'd charge you PHP50. Not as big savings compared to the 3 shots package but it is still half the price of one injection in Flawless! After the treatment, they informed me that if, by chance, the acne does not subside within 3 days, I can go back for a follow-up injection for free! Now that's quality service right there! Honestly, though, I've never gone back for a follow-up injection because they always subside within 3 days. :)

Just to try it out, I went back for an Acne Control Facial. But after some time, I decided to go with their diamond peel package (PHP1000 for 2 sessions/ Buy 1 Take 1). Ever since then, I've been getting this treatment on a regular basis. During the days when my skin is just plainly covered with blemishes, I try to go back every two weeks or so. But if the situation isn't that bad, I go every month.

Needless to say, I switched to Skin 101 and haven't felt the need to go back or switch to another skin clinic ever since. To sum it up, for more than a year now, I've been extremely satisfied with their services. In fact, I just availed of their diamond peel (with glycolic) plus facial services two weeks ago and I plan to go back in a week or two from now. (Even my sister is on her way to the place right at this moment for her appointment.) I highly recommend this place! Let me know if you've tried Skin 101 before. :)

And for those who missed it, my Palty Bubble Hair Dye giveaway winner has been announced and the said winner has already responded. Just to let you know, here's the selection rafflecopter made for me.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For those who didn't win, don't be too sad as there will be more opportunities in the future. Who knows, I may be hosting one again soon, right? Anyway, thank you so much for showing your support in my giveaway and my blog/youtube/social media. It really means a lot to me and I hope I can keep in contact with you guys. I really love it when you guys leave comments or send me messages either through e-mail or social media. :) 

St. Ive's Green Tea (Naturally Clear) Cleanser and (Blemish Control) Scrub: Review

There's only 3 days left to join my ongoing giveaway! I will be giving away a hair dye from the Japanese brand called Dariya Palty in the shade Milk Tea Brown, which happens to be one of the popular shades they have. It is open internationally so everyone is encouraged to join. :) (You will probably see this introduction in most of my future posts up until the giveaway is over. I hope you don't mind the post by post plug. ^^)

Hi everyone! Once again, I missed a post yesterday. This is due to the fact that we've been out of electricity for more than 12 hours yesterday. From 3AM to approximately 8PM, we had no electricity, no internet, not even water! There was a typhoon that hit the Philippines and the strong winds caused damages that took quite a while to fix. By the time the electricity was restored, I was in no mood to write a review up. But I feel all hyped now so I'm writing one now.

One of the products I've tried to get rid of my acne is this duo from St. Ive's. It's from their Green Tea variant which is formulated for acne prone skin. It claims to clear breakouts and reduce redness. It contains salicylic acid and green tea, ingredients that are known to help battle acne.

Honestly, I've had high expectations of this product because before buying one, I read a lot of good reviews regarding it. A few beauty gurus I follow also include this in their skin care routine so there was really no hesitation on my part when I decided to get these from the Watsons shelf.

My sister was particularly happy with the purchase as she was very fond of its 'green tea' smell. I personally don't think it smells exactly like green tea. It's definitely more fragrant but with a green tea (or leafy) aroma. Anyway, I got both the cleanser and the scrub because my sister pushed me to buy both.

Unfortunately, neither of the two proved to clear my breakouts and reduce redness. It didn't do anything much on that area but it does cleanse and scrub well. It didn't break me out either.

I use the cleanser as an everyday face wash and the green tea scrub twice a week for gentle exfoliation. There was really nothing different about the cleanser. It lathered really well and came in a really nice pump packaging.

The srub, however, I found to be quite nice. The beads were very fine, giving me a more subtle approach whenever I scrub my face with it. It doesn't feel as abrasive as other scrubs I've used and proves to deeply cleanse my face.

Although it didn't do much with breakout control, the duo still proves to be nice products, especially if you don't have that much of a problematic skin to begin with. The smell is nice and performs well as a gentle face wash and scrub. I got both from Watsons in SM Sta. Rosa. The cleanser was priced at PHP 224 and the scrub was priced at PHP 187.

I wouldn't recommend it to people with moderate to severe acne. But for those with just mild conditions, I think this product would suffice.

Have you tried this product before? What are your thoughts?

Tony Moly Dr. Tony AC Control Spot Patch: Review + Haul

Before I go on with the formal content of this post, I would like to invite everyone to join my ongoing giveaway. I will be giving away a hair dye from the Japanese brand called Dariya Palty in the shade Milk Tea Brown, which happens to be one of the popular shades they have. It is open internationally so everyone is encouraged to join. :) (You will probably see this introduction in most of my future posts up until the giveaway is over. I hope you don't mind the post by post plug. ^^)

When one suffers from acne, there are so many things to experience and consider. For one, there's redness and pain. There's 'the bump' and flaky skin (surrounding the blemishes). There's also itchiness (sometimes) and of course, that big blow on one's self esteem. The list could go on but I want to mention this particular one because for me, this is one of the hardest things to conquer-- 'doing the forbidden'.

As a rule of thumb, one must never (Notice how 'never' is underlined for emphasis.) touch the problem areas a.k.a. zits/acne. Our hands are probably one of the dirtiest parts of our body and touching these areas might cause further infection and 'aggravate' the problem. I know this by heart but sometimes, I act without thinking. When one thing itches, I scratch. When I feel a bump, I have an urge to assess its size through light palpation. So before I get to process my reflex actions, I realize that I'm already too late. I already subjected my skin to unidentified germs! It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, I like to spank myself (in my mind).

Recently, I found this spot patch from Tony Moly and it helps to remind me not to touch the area. You might be wondering what this particular product is. Fret not, I am here to brief you on it. A spot patch is basically a spot medicated patch that you put on top of your problem areas. It looks like a small circular colorless sticker which claims to provide relief of troubled areas and prevents dead cell build up. It contains salicylic acid (a common property of acne medications), tea tree oil and grape seed extracts. It has softening and moisturizing effects and can be left onto the skin for 8-12 hours.

Although the packaging says it is best used overnight, I like to use this particular product during day time. Unlike the THEFACESHOP Clean Face Clear Away Spot, I can use this during the day as it is not noticeable when placed on the spot because the patch is colorless. Surely, one might notice it if they look a you very closely but a normal interaction probably wouldn't even grab any attention towards it.

I also like to think that since the patch is covering my acne, it is not exposed to dirt outside and is protected from harmful agents when going out. Also, when I unconsciously touch the area, I am reminded that I shouldn't because I feel the presence of the patch. It silently slaps me on the face (of course, just through my imagination) and asks me to stop placing my dirty fingers on my face.

The best part, of course, is that once the patch is removed (8-12 hours after), the redness and swelling is reduced. I highly recommend this product. I forgot how much it costs (please comment down below if you have any idea) but it definitely  wouldn't hurt your wallet. There are 12 patches in one pack so you get a fair amount of product for its price (definitely below PHP100).

Have you tried this particular product or any other spot patch? How was your experience?

Before I formally end this post, I would just like to share this haul that I did last February so I can delete the photos from my hard drive. I've actually already reviewed some of the products here so you probably already saw them. :)

 The main reason why I wanted to blog about this haul in the first place is because I wanted to brag about my SJ-M poster featuring Zhou Mi, Donghae, Eunhyuk and Kyuhyun (Left to right) from Tony Moly. ^^

 Tony Moly Cats Wink Clear Pact, Nichido High Definition Lipstick in Pretty Tulip, Bangle Set, Tony Moly Face Mask

 Belt from SM Department Store and Ring from The Landmark Makati

 Tony Moly I'm Real Broccoli Mask Sheet: Vitality

 Bangle Set from The Landmark Makati

THEFACESHOP Clean Face Clear Away Spot (Cystic Acne Remedy): Review

You would think nothing's worse than pimples. Four years ago, I used to think the same. Up until I faced one of the most disgusting and most painful skin problems of all-- cystic acne! Yes, it is similar to pimples, clogged pores and inflammed with redness that screams "Look at me!". But while pimples scream at 80 decibels, cystic acne shouts at 100 decibels! It obviously has deeper roots and it definitely is (always) much more painful. As if all that isn't enough to drive you insane, it is also harder to treat. Good thing I came across THEFACESHOP Clear Away Spot!

 Top view. Just because I feel more creative, taking one. Hehe.

 When the instructions say, "DO NOT SHAKE!" in upper case letters, you know they're seriously asking you not to.

 Active ingredient: Tea Tree Extracts

 It's a cute little bottle of miracle!

Before I continue, I would just like to clarify one thing. I'm no skin expert. Yes, I have a background around health but my skills are mostly critical care nursing and I don't have enough knowledge about dermatology for me to be considered an expert. I am, however, very experienced with this topic as I have been struggling with the problem (on and off) for almost four years now.

The main problem, in my opinion, is the nature of cystic acne. It is deeper within the skin that is why topical creams don't reach them (I think). I used to think that the only solution to this is pimple injections from time to time whenever I get my monthly facial. I get mine from Skin 101 SM Muntinlupa. They do the job pretty well as acne will significantly decrease in size in a matter of hours. The problem, however, is maintenance. Honestly, I don't have the time and money to go get a facial at a two week interval so it really is hard to deal with cystic acne, especially when it forms just days after the facial. But now, I know better. And because I want you to be happy like I am, I would love to share a solution to this problem.

I first got a bottle of this product through Kkochipida for only PHP 300+ when it was on sale early last year. I didn't expect much as I've always had sensitive skin and I really didn't know much about the product. Nevertheless, I still purchased the item out of curiosity. I'm glad I did!

You don't mix it because you aim to get the powder below the solution.

THEFACESHOP Clear Away Spot from their Clean Face line is in the form of pink powder. I'm pretty sure you've seen a product similar to this. One famous product would have to be the Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion but Etude House and Nature Republic also carry a similar product. I've never tried the other ones, though. This is because I'm super satisfied with the one I already have.

As the name suggests, it is a spot treatment. If you keep the bottle still (Don't shake it! I'm not even kidding.), the pink powder will settle at the bottom of the bottle. You then dip a q-tip and get an ample amount of product to your liking. You then apply it on your spots. You can apply it over your cystic acne or on normal zits. The liquid evaporates and the powder sticks to the spot where you placed it. Some say this product dehydrates that spot, reducing inflammation within the area. I'm not entirely sure about this fact but one thing's for sure-- it really does shrink zits fast!

I usually use this at night as I don't really want pink dots all over my face during the day. I sleep on it and magically, all my zits appear smaller when I wake up! It doesn't matter if the zit is so big, that it can already be considered as my secondary chin. Once I apply this product, I am confident that I will see improvements the next day.

With small pimples, it dries up fast. With cystic acne, I notice that it brings the acne out on the surface then dries it out in a few days, if you know what I mean. It also helps in lessening the pain from the inflammation.

This is my holy grail spot treatment and I've never seen any other product work better than this. I am currently on my second bottle, which I purchased from THEFACESHOP boutique in Festival Mall Alabang. I will definitely buy another one once this runs out. So if you have cystic acne problems like me, then I suggest you try this one out. The price is reasonable at PHP595 at THEFACESHOP Philippines boutiques. If you don't have one near you, you can definitely order from Ms. Charm of Kkochipida!

Updated Skin Care Routine: Acne Control (March 2014)

Before I start throwing back memories on my acne battle since first year in high school, I think you guys should have an idea of the items that I'm actually using as of the moment.

I'm not sure if it will come as a surprise to you but I have dermatologist prescribed items with me as of the moment. Have you ever heard of Advanced Aesthetics? How about Dr. Javellana? Well, if you do then that makes everything easier for me. If not, well, that's too bad cause I won't be talking about her on this post. You can, however, go here for some details you might be interested in. But basically, I use her skin care stuff. I'm not actually a patient. I just got my friend to tell me where she gets her skin care stuff and I went and bought it without consultation with Dr. Javellana herself. I know it's risky. But the staff are also quite knowledgeable about their products and they would be able to help you in choosing which products and what concentration you need for yourself. I just followed their advice and I figured I can just come in for a formal consultation if the problem still persists after using the skin care set.

So the skin care set comes with a soap, erythromycin solution, growth factor serum, bleaching cream, sunblock, tretinoin and ceramides cream. I used to use all of them but the clinic is a little bit far and it takes some effort to go there and purchase the products so I mixed her stuff with some of my skin care 'discoveries'. It is not recommended to use this set along with other products, at least that's what the assistant said. But then again, she can't stop me from doing so. That's why I will tell you more about my daily routine.

DAY

1. Soap

 I'm using this Clinique soap as of the moment because it was gifted by my aunt from the US.

My trusty face soap that I will get back on using once the Clinique soap is all out-- Be Organic Aloe Jojoba Natural Handmade Soap

In the set, there was this soap called Pink Soap. That's what you're supposed to use for your face. I used to wash my face with it but I used it all up and decided not to bother going to the clinic just for one piece of soap. Right now, I'm using Clinique's bar soap. I'm not entirely sure of the name but it was just sent from my aunt in the US and as soon as I finish it up, I will get back to my Be Organic Aloe Jojoba Natural Handmade Soap, which I buy from Sesou in Glorietta 2.

2. Erythromycin Solution

 I got this solution from Dermcare

I started using erythromycin even before Dr. Javella. Flawless also uses erythromycin as topical antibacterial. I believe this is an essential part of the set that kills the pimple forming bacteria off your face. This is the first one that runs out in the set. And like the soap, I really don't want to go back every 3 weeks just for this so I just go to this nearby facial spa called Dermcare and buy their erythromycin solution. The place is more convenient, I can just walk to get there. And the best part? Their solution is much cheaper! :)

3. Growth Factor Serum (Vitamin A Solution)

Out of all the items in the set, this is the one that lasts the longest. One small bottle can last for about 6 months or so. You only need about 3 drops every application. It is also multifunctional. It helps tighten pores, remove dead skin cells and helps in drying up existing zits. I love this to death. I can probably live without the other items from the set but not this one.

4. Bleaching Cream

I'm sorry that it looks kinda messy but I'm almost out of this and I don't have a new one to take a photo of.

Just as you would expect, bleaching cream is used for whitening. Not exactly to lift your shade lighter but I guess to make your skin brighter and glowy. Of course, it also helps in lightening pimple marks, which I believe is its main purpose.

5. Sun Block

You can't leave the house without sunblock while using whitening products. This SPF 60 cream helps protect you from the sun's harmful rays. It sets matte, it's not greasy at all, which is why I love wear it everyday as I believe it also helps controlling my oil production.

6. Eye Cream

This is not really a part of the set but I like to use this THEFACESHOP Wrinkle Stop Eye Cream to moisturize my under eye area. I am in my mid-20s after all and skipping eye cream is not the best idea out there. I have a full review on this product (in different packaging) over here. Notice how this cream already has its own spatula. Yay!

NIGHT:

Steps 1-4 are the same at night so I will go straight to Step 5, which is after applying bleaching cream.

5. Tretinoin

Instead of sun block, I apply a light layer of tretinoin/ retinol cream 0.3% on my face before going to sleep. It also helps in cell renewal. This causes micropeeling to help slough off dead skin, which in turn helps trapped oil and dirt from... well, staying trapped.

6. Ceramides Cream/ Moisturizer

Last but not the least, I use a moisturizer. It used to be the ceramides cream for me. It's an expensive moisturizer I bought from Advanced Aesthetics to keep the peeling at bay. But since it's super expensive and only lasted for two months, I switched to Nature Republic's Aloe Vera soothing gel to help lock my skin's moisture. After this, I go about using the same eye cream I use during the day.

7. Spot Treatment (Optional)

This step is not necessary but when I do get cystic acne, it gets super painful that I need the aid of this Clear Away Spot from THEFACESHOP to help heal them. I can only use it at night because it creates pink powder spots on areas where I applied this. I would totally look weird if I use it during the day.

As you can probably tell, I have a very long skin care routine that I religiously follow. If you don't like to put on a lot of things after a shower and before going to bed, then this is not the routine for you. I can only care so much about the time I spend with skin care if the routine doesn't work. But since this routine works for me, I don't mind. I've used this for ten months, incorporating some weekly routines and other skin care discoveries that I get to encounter.

I would love to talk about those weekly routines in this post but since it's already pretty long on its own, I'd probably just save that post for later so be sure to watch out for it. While waiting for that, let me know about your own skin care routine and give me an idea of what to try out next down in the comment section.