Skincare Routine

Hi, everyone! Today was a very, very busy day for me--I spent the morning running around Alabang with Marz; we had coffee then I helped her run errands and send a couple of things in the mail. Afterward, we headed to Ayala--she was heading to Makati and I, to Cubao to visit Keav at school and hang out with our friends Coppi & Eman. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't able to bring my camera along today (talk about starting that list off on the wrong foot). 

 But being in Quezon City never fails to remind me about how much I value skincare. I know that a lot of people are really complacent about their skincare and (in some terrible cases) obsess over putting make-up on but pay no attention to how to take off the make-up, but remember: your skin is the biggest organ of the human body. It is the only skin you have--and if you damage your skin, you could be spending thousands of Pesos that you coulda saved up on if you'd just done a couple of things right. :) So, yeah--I'm no expert, but I think I am obsessive enough to be giving a couple of tips on skincare.

 As much as possible, don't go to bed at night without washing your face with soap or cleanser. You sleep for more or less 8 hours and leaving the day's dirt and bacteria on your face for that long can lead to acne and rough skin. It can also cause age spots when you get older. Use something gentle on your skin, if it's sensitive--and hypoallergenic, just in case. I used to use the Belo pink cleanser; it's very good for sensitive, oily skin (like mine) because it comes in gel formula and doesn't dry your skin out. However, I found that it was still a tad too strong so I've been using Dove's Beauty Bar for Sensitive Skin. It's P 52.00/bar and it'll last you around 2 weeks, so that's definitely a pretty good deal. Personally, I wash my face twice a day: once in the morning and once in the evening. 

Acne is unpleasant but is a regular part of life--show me anyone above the age of twelve who's never had a pimple and you can kick me really hard in the groin. I hate pimples, but they do pop up here and there, now and then so it's good to have something that you can whip out when they do occur. I must warn you against those instant-pimple-relief products; oftentimes they leave a lot of tiny scars so I find it's best to go for something natural--I like the Cetaphil wash for oily skin (although this is a bit pricey, at around P 600.00/bottle) and the Beauty Formulas Tea Tree Oil Mask (which is very affordable and very effective at P 116.75/bottle). It doesn't eliminate pimples in a flash but it helps them reach their point of maturity faster and disappear much, much quicker than they would otherwise.

Plus, this product is a mask so it's super duper fun to put on. :)) 

Moisturizing is important especially during the day--it provides a top layer of protection for your skin. It keeps the make-up you put on from clogging your pores and provides a thin film to prevent sunlight and dust from directly touching your face. And at night, it helps your skin rejuvenate and stay springy and fresh. My favorite moisturizers are the Belo pink one (P180+/bottle, if I'm not mistaken) and Myra Facial Moisturizer (P68.00/bottle; I'm currently using this); I'm not very adventurous with moisturizers because as I've mentioned my skin is sensitive and very oily so I need things that are absorbed quickly and that aren't very heavy on the skin. However, I would encourage everyone to go out and try out different moisturizers; go and see which is the best fit for you. :)