Skin update

It's been three weeks and  I haven't experience any breakouts. So I'll be sharing to you what I've been eating and doing to avoid breakouts.

Here's how:

*  I wash my face morning and night with St. Ives pore clearing cleanser, followed by eskinol toner and my celeteque moisturizer.

*  I'm using  the tomato and egg mask for preventing and getting rid of blackheads.

*  I eat good foods like fruits and whole grains and  eliminated all the bad foods including soft drink.

*  I drink plenty of water including skim milk  and green tea.

*  I take fish oil supplement for my skin, hair and nails.

*  I do exercise every morning because being fit is important and it also helps the circulation of blood in our entire body.

and lastly

*  I make sure to have enough sleep because stress can cause breakouts. Anyway, last week was our midterm exam. In the past, I've been experiencing lots of breakouts during exam week because of lack of sleep and stress  but now I managed to have at least 6 hours of sleep that's why I didn't experienced breakout the entire midterm week.

That is basically my everyday routine and I'm still researching on natural ways or affordable creams that would help get rid or at least lessen the visibility of acne scars. If anyone have tips, ideas or products that worked on you, let me know.

Thanks and God bless.

Asian secrets lulur whitening body scrub

Okay, I decided to have a swimming lesson two weeks from now and I'll be wearing a swim suit and that's my problem right now. I have dark underarm, but it's not that dark and also in the area between my thighs. I've been searching for a product that would help me whiten my dark skin areas and luckily I saw this asian secrets body scrub in commercial. After I saw it in commercial I research on reviews about this product and most of them says that it is effective so I went to department store and grab the asian secret body scrub without hesitating. It only cost Php 73.00 for 135 grams. I also wanted to buy the bar soap but they're out of stock.

This body scrub has a creamy texture and has small salts which I believe is the scrub. It has a very nice smell.

I'm so excited to use this tonight.......

Benefits of using the Lulur body scrub

• gently exfoliates and remove dead skin cells to smoothen and give it a radiant glow.
• reduces skin pigmentation and evens out skin tone by getting rid of dark patches when used frequently.
• contains green tea and vitamin E to help protect the skin an keep it healthy.
• moisturizes and leaves skin with a light fragrant scent.

 The direction says to scrub it in dry skin and rinse with water.

While searching on this product I found out that Asain secrets Lulur whitening body scrub is a beauty treatment inspired by the most luxurious Javanese ritual called Lulur. The ritual was originally intended for the bride-to-be in order to beautify, smoothen and whiten her skin before her wedding day.

Home remedies for blackheads and hair strengthening

I've been suffering from blackheads for a long time and I've tried different products that I thought would help me get rid of blackheads but none of them works. So I decided to try some home remedy. I've been reading articles before about home remedies that would get rid of blackheads but I didn't dare to try until last week I really can't stand my blackheads, it's so ewww and my nose is so itchy.

So here are the best home remedies for me but first of all this are jut my opinions and my opinions are based on my experience. I'm not telling that what works for me will also works for others because we have different skin type.

Egg mask
I love scrambled egg specially omelette,  hmmmmm yummy!., but also egg is great for hair and also for skin. Egg mask is so effective for getting rid of blackheads but I tell you it won't get rid all of your blackheads in just one use.
How to do it:
beat one egg
Start with a clean face
Apply a thin mask and let it dry then applied another layer.
Leave it for 15-20 minutes and
wash  face and use moisturizer.

For hair:
one egg is too much for my face so I use the extra for my hair. Eggs are high in protein and will strengthen your hair, particularly if your hair is prone to breakage like mine. You will also need moisturizing conditioner since protein can be too drying for hair specially those who have dry hair.

just add conditioner to the egg, mix together and you can apply to your hair either wet or dry.  Leave for 15-120 minutes with shower cup. After 20 minutes wash your hair thoroughly and apply again moisturizing conditioner.

Tomato mask

Tomatoes have many health benefits when eaten and when applied on the skin. It consists of  large number of antioxidants that have been proven to fight different forms of cancer. It also helps with skin problems. This day I tried this tomato mask remedy for blackheads. Not only for blackheads it also helps shrink large pores and help to fade acne scars based on the article that I've read before.
How to do it:
Sliced one tomato and rub it into clean face, leave it for 15-20 minutes then wash face and use moisturizer.

Honestly I don't eat tomatoes because I don't like its taste but because it has many benefits specially in skin I decided to eat tomato at least one per day.

I've been doing the egg mask twice a week while the tomato mask I'm doing it every night.
Home remedies are great because it's not expensive and has no side effects except for those who are allergy with eggs so I suggest to use tomato mask only.
So far, this is just the home remedy that I've used that really worked for me.

Thank you for reading! God bless

Fish oil supplement

I just recently taking fish oil supplement for over all healthy body.

The one above is the Cenovis fish oil-1000mg and it is odourless and it cost around Php 9.50 and the one in the lower is the generic brand of fish oil-995 mg which cost around Php 5.50 and it is more cheaper but it smells like a fish specially when I burp I can really smell the odor of the fish. I just only bought 3 capsule each just to try and I just consume one capsule of each brand for the last 2 days, I'm drinking this once a day at night. I bought this at Mercury drugstore and they don't have fish oil that are in the bottle.

This morning I went to a health store and asked if they have fish oil and luckily they have. Supposedly I just went there to ask how much is there fish oil capsule individually and if they have the one that are in bottle and it cost Php 4.00 each capsule and Php 1400.00 for the bottle  which contains 400 capsules. This brand is kirkland omega-3 fish oil concentrate 1000mg.

I just only bought 10 capsules because I can't afford the bottle, and I can say it's not odorless because I can smell its fishy odor.

I'm planning to buy one bottle to give it to my mom and dad but I think I need to wait for 2 weeks and cut Php 700/week of my allowance so that I can buy them.

What are the benefits of fish oil?

1. Decrease the incidence of depression and anxiety
2. Decrease Blood Pressure
3. Reduce the Stress response
4. Assist in the treatment of psoriasis and dry skin
5. Assist in decreasing your body’s insulin response to food
6. Decrease whole body inflammation as marked by C-Reactive Protein
7. Decrease Triglyceride levels
8. Help with treating ADHD
9. Assist in activating fat burning genes
10. Assist in Muscle Protein Synthesis

Besides the overall health benefits, fish oil may also help improve lean body composition in a number of different ways.  What this means is that if you’re a guy with more than 15% body fat or a woman with more than 25% body fat, fish oil may help you lose fat faster while also helping to stabilize any blood sugar issues you may have.  In addition to helping you lose fat, fish oil may also help you put on muscle at a quicker rate.  While in its infancy, recent research has shown that supplementing with 3 grams of EPA and DHA per day helped increase muscle protein synthesis within the muscle cells, which may help you add more muscle.

source: click here.

Start to take fish oil and be healthy! God bless

Green tea

Honestly I don't like the taste of a green tea but since it has lot of good benefits I decided to drink at least once a day.
 There are actually a lot of articles available online about green tea and I'm sure after reading it you might also want to try it.

My first time drinking green tea I promise to myself not to drink anymore because it taste bitter and I really can't bear it, but last week while I was searching for a green tea to try I saw the lipton green tea and bought one tea bag and it cost Php 6.50. This one taste much better than the one I've tried before, it's not that bitter and it is also tolerable.

then yesterday I decided to buy one box of lipton green tea. It cost Php 66.00 and it consist of 10 tea bag sachet.

 I drink this during breakfast because it is the best time to drink a tea, because it also helps  metabolism.

Here are some benefits of green tea:

1.      Weight Loss. Green tea increases the metabolism. The polyphenol found in green tea works to intensify levels of fat oxidation and the rate at which your body turns food into calories.

2.      Diabetes. Green tea apparently helps regulate glucose levels slowing the rise of blood sugar after eating. This can prevent high insulin spikes and resulting fat storage.

3.      Heart Disease. Scientists think, green tea works on the lining of blood vessels, helping keep them stay relaxed and better able to withstand changes in blood pressure. It may also protect against the formation of clots, which are the primary cause of heart attacks.

4.      Esophageal Cancer. It can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer, but it is also widely thought to kill cancer cells in general without damaging the healthy tissue around them.

5.      Cholesterol. Green tea reduces bad cholesterol in the blood and improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.

6.      Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It is said to delay the deterioration caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Studies carried out on mice showed that green tea protected brain cells from dying and restored damaged brain cells.

7.      Tooth Decay. Studies suggests that the chemical antioxidant “catechin” in tea can destroy bacteria and viruses that cause throat infections, dental caries and other dental conditions

8.      Blood Pressure. Regular consumption of green tea is thought to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.

9.      Depression. Theanine is an amino acid naturally found in tea leaves. It is this substance that is thought to provide a relaxing and tranquilizing effect and be a great benefit to tea drinkers.

10.  Anti-viral and Anti-bacterial. Tea catechins are strong antibacterial and antiviral agents which make them effective for treating everything from influenza to cancer. In some studies green tea has been shown to inhibit the spread of many diseases.

11.  Skincare. Green tea can apparently also help with wrinkles and the signs of aging, This is because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Both animal and human studies have demonstrated that green tea applied topically can reduce sun damage. 

This article is taken from: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/11-benefits-of-green-tea-that-you-didnt-know-about.html

skin product mini haul

I went to watsons yesterday to bought some products that I'm almost out of it.

and here are the products that I bought.

First thing I bought is the St. Ives apricot scrub pore cleansing. Actually this is my first time using the pore cleansing. what makes me wanna try is the good reviews that I've read about this. they said that this product helps them with their acne.

Second is Body oil. I use body oil after bath to prevent stretch marks. I do have stretch marks on my thighs and butt this is not due to weight gain but due to scratching when I have my period. Usually I use the johnsons baby oil but when I found this I decided to try because the bottle is so cute.. 

I also bought eskinol toner. This toner is great because it really dries up my pimple over night.

and the last one I bought is deodorant. I'm using nivea, and I really  really love this deodorant, this is the only product that helps me with my B.O. When I was in 6th grade I perspire a lot and it causes me B.O, I've tried many products specially the avon deodorants but it did not work.  I do still sweat a lot even today but it's not smelly.

and that's all for my  mini haul.. God bless!

Garnier Light Complete Multi-action whitening cream

I've been thinking a lot lately on how to deal with my acne scars due to the breakouts that I experience while using retin a. While taking a bath I remembered one product that I've used before and this is the Garnier multi-action whitening cream. I've used this consistently for almost a year so I decided to purchased it again. This morning I went to department store and bought Garnier.

For my past experience it really whitens my skin and it also lightened my acne scars though it is still visible.

It does control my oily face as it says in the package "8HR SHINE-FREE LOOK" but for me it only last for 3-5 hours

This product is good for preventing acne marks and dark spots, it has also UVA/UVB filters. It smells like a lemon.

It's very affordable and it only cost Php 112.55 for the 40ml tube and the smaller one I think it cost Php 65.00.

Just a reminder that everyone has different skin type, it might work for me but for others it might not work.

St. Ives Apricot Scrub

I really wanted to share this product that I've been using for over 2 weeks now and I'm loving it, and this is the St. Ives fresh skin, apricot scrub invigorating.

 It has natural extract from apricot and  I like  the scrub because it does not dissolve which really exfoliates and deep cleans my skin. I've been using this every other night since it was written in the direction to use it 3-4 times a week, ever since I use this I feel the difference in my skin and it feels smoother and yeah I'm really happy with the results.
I just bought the small one just to try it and this cost I think Php66.00 and I will definitely  buy  this when I run out and I'll be making sure to get the bigger bottle.
two thumbs up!, Yay!

Skin Update

Yehey I'm back! 
I'm making an update about retin a which I started using it last march. I've decided to stop it because my pimples are getting worse, other people says it lasted about 2 to 3 months after they see good result on their skin but for me it did not work. One tube lasted about 2 1/2 months.

I have the same skin problem with my sister and I noticed that her face looks amazing than the last time I saw her and so I asked her what she's applying in her face and she told me that she only use tender care which is a mild soap to wash her face and eskinol with dalacin-c for toner and that's it. I was thinking to give it a try. Now I'm using it for almost a monthe and I notice that my acne marks that was cause by retin a faded while others are still fading. Though I still have break outs during my menstrual cycle but Im happy with the result of eskinol with dalacin-c right now. 

For my routine, I'm still using celeteque facial wash,  after washing my face I then use eskinol and then I put moisturizer. 

What I like about eskinol and dalacin-c is that it really gets the dirt that was not removed with just washing my face and I can really tell because after swiping the cotton ball in my face and neck the cotton gets dark.

There are lots of varieties of eskinol and the one I'm using is the new eskinol dermaclear- C facial cleanser, I choose this because it says in the bottle "pimple fighting". 
mixture: 135ml of eskinol and 150 mg of dalacin-c then shake.  

As you can see it's almost over and it lasted over a month. I bought this for, I think Php 56.00, it's really cheap yet very effective.

Avocado shake

Avocado is one of the most recommended fruits as well as a food for bodybuilding and medicine for cholesterol-related heart diseases.

Also, did you know that avocado or an avocado extract is good for prevention or treatment of “breast cancer” as well as “prostate cancer”?

Some information states that a toxin found in avocado can kill cancer cell. However, the toxin mentioned here is not identified completely.    Scientists believe that the toxin has a great effect on the myocardium (heart muscle tissue) as well as on tissues of the lactating mammary gland.

Although many farmers believe that fresh and dried leaves, bark, skin, and seeds are toxic to cattle, goats, horses, rabbits, and birds, there is no definite scientific explanation for that.

Do not worry about the fruit meat of avocado. There are no dangerous toxic elements for human consumption as well as for animals.

Creamy rich avocado is considered the world's healthiest fruit, because of its nutrient contents such as vitamin K, dietary fiber, potassium, folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin C, copper, and reasonable calories in it.

    Avocados contain “oleic acid”, a monounsaturated fat that may help lower cholesterol.

In our studies, patients with high cholesterol levels who ate avocados showed clear health improvements. After a week of avocado diet, patients had significant decrease in cholesterol contents.

    Avocado is a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps regulate blood pressure.

Adequate intake of potassium can help guard against circulatory diseases, like high blood pressure, heart disease, or stroke.

Diets containing foods that are good sources of potassium and low in sodium may reduce the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. One cup of avocado has about 23% of the Daily Value for folate, a nutrient important for heart health.

Another study showed that individuals who consume folate-rich diets have a much lower risk of cardiovascular disease or stroke than those who do not consume much of this vital nutrient.

Not only avocado has a rich source of monounsaturated fatty acids including oleic acid, which has recently been shown to offer significant protection against breast cancer, but it is also a very concentrated dietary source of the "carotenoid lutein". It also contains measurable amounts of related carotenoids plus significant quantities of vitamin E.

This article is from http://www.pyroenergen.com/articles07/avocado-health-benefits.htm

 

Yummy! do you know that I really love to eat ice and I don't know why.

This morning when I was making an avocado shake my brother scold me because it's too early to make a shake and the weather is still cold.