Facial Masks as part of a Skin Care Philosophy

At forty, you try to fight the signs of skin aging as much as you can in the most practical and convenient of ways. At least that is my skin care philosophy.

Admittingly, aging cannot be avoided. It is a fact of our human limitation.

It is my goal in my forties to handle aging gracefully, at a time when wrinkles show up and enlarged pores come by profusely.  Is it possible?

Hence I am turning to a step in the much popular Korean skin care process that includes using facial masks as a regular routine to keep my skin looking younger than what it actually is.

I have actually come to appreciate using facial masks as I have seen instant results of  using them in the past months.  My favorite  is the cucumber or orange-infused variant.

Facial masks differ in brands, ingredients or essence content but really the effectivity is seen at first try, at least that's for me.

Instant brightening, instant skin smoothening effect-- name it and a beauty goal is achieved.

There may be nuances in reaction like some masks may have a more pronounced sting during use,  but the after-effect makes the skin better looking; a tired-looking face is somehow addressed, albeit for a short term only-- given my frequency of use.

In addition, facial masks have become my go-to destressor of sorts at the end of the day because it feels like having a facial spa right at home.

Of all the masks I have tried as a newbie skincare and makeup junkie, I find  the  sheet masks most effective in giving instant skin nourishment. 

So far I've tried a number of  brands and they are all good.  Especially the ones with brightening effect  and Vitamin C essence.

I also like the sheets infused with Aloe Vera extract because they are clearly effective in making my skin look younger than my actual age and in making my pores look smaller or refined.

I have also tried- The Face Shop's Peel  Off Mask which is unforgettably scented, in a good way.  I wonder though if it has a perfume version so I can go buy it? :) The Peel Off Mask has no sting at all for me, and the longer you put it on skin, the better it clings and the better the after-effect. 

Of course how can I not mention- Etude House's very popular facial masks, which I for one like because its worth every purchase and stays true to giving instant rejuvenation for a tired skin.  The brand has plenty of variants too which I am eager to try as well.

Meanwhile, the two-in-one facial masks of Purederm in cucumber variant is my regular bet as I have used it even when I was single.  I used it then every time I think my skin feels dry and needs a little oomph from the daily stresses.

What more effective in my opinion,  if I use facial masks regularly right? Skincare goals must-do in 2018.

So really thanks to these facial masks, moms like me can have a spa-like experience at home, and feel the wonder of Korea's skin care.

Looking forward to more skincare goody finds in the coming year.



The Makeup Philosopher
Manila
Philippines



Disclaimer:  This is not a sponsored blog.  The writer's opinion is based on her actual experience of the product. The blog is written from a personal point of view and not by a makeup artist or skincare expert. 

For comments, please leave a note after a post. Thank you for reading my blog.

Makeup and Skin Care Favorites 2017

The holidays are here and Filipino makeup lovers have all the more reason to do some shopping for  gifts or  do a makeup haul overdue. 

As for me I can only make select buys of my trusted products, due to budget limitations.

Honestly, how can you not pine for makeups, when they can be a good stress reliever for women?  A makeup hobby is also a good breather from daily tasks.

From where a blogger stands, taking care of oneself is not just sheer vanity but an essential aspect of womanhood no matter what the age.

So off I go I hark on these good finds that help an ordinary mom like me, to achieve beauty despite a busy sked.

1.  HUMAN NATURE'S SUNFLOWER BEAUTY OIL

I have used it alternately and consistently for months already.  I use it to moisturize the dry areas of my skin and works effectively better than lotion.  It is light and moisturizing .  It is also affordable, and of  comparable quality to olive oil, but a non-greasy beauty oil.

2.  QUICKFIX TINTED MOISTURIZER

My liking for this product goes beyond first impression.  

This is a makeup staple for me eversince I tried it first-hand out of curiousity.  

It is non-drying, and is gentle enough on skin.  It is also buildable-- I can use this product solo  or after applying sunblock. 

It does not appear cakey after layering with my favorite powder cum foundation products like Canmake, and Loreal. 

It also makes my pores appear smaller and I do not experience breakouts after using it even when I use the Quickfix Tinted moisturizer daily.  

Oh I could go on about talking about this affordable product which I think is a great must own for moms.

6.  HUMAN NATURE'S PURIFYING FACIAL SCRUB 

In my old posts, I mentioned I have yet to find a facial scrub that is truly gentle on skin.  But after trying my go to brand Human Nature's Strawberry Facial Scrub, this thought changed at first use.  

Human Nature's Purifying Facial Scrub with strawberry seeds clean the skin without being being harsh. 

It also smells like a yummy strawberry and makes the skin look revitalized.  What's more it has natural ingredients, so no worries.

The only precaution I take in using this product is to avoid the eye area while cleansing.  
Any facial scrub with microbeads, and in general other personal care products may cause some irritation if it comes in close contact with the eyes.  

Other than this, Human Nature's Purifying Facial Scrub is a good try for an exfoliating cleanser.


4. PINK SUGAR'S SUGAR TINT

How can I not include this on my top picks when I almost use it everyday for its prettylicious color effect on my lips? It also appears sophisticated and can easily glam up an ordinary look.

5.  PHYSICIAN'S FORMULA TOUCH OF GLOW FOUNDATION & MINERAL WEAR LOOSE POWDER

I've been using Physicians Formula since I tried its matte finishing loose powder which is enviably good when I want a peachy makeup style. And how I like it.  

So I dare tried another of its product, the Touch of Glow Foundation.  True enough when a product suits you, there are no ifs or buts.  

Physician's Formula Touch of Glow Foundation almost has a sheer effect, almost like a second skin (no worries for me if I picked the right shade or color which is common in buying foundation).

This suits my skin tone well, it is light on the skin and easy to blend.  It doesn't clog my pores too.  

The product gives a polished look but not superficially madeup.  To me it is a light to medium coverage makeup try for beauty nuts.

6.  K-PALETTE LASTING 2WAY EYEBROW LIQUID

For an old school mom who wants to keep it easy and simple, K-Palette may be pricey but it makes putting on one's browline so much easier even if one is an amateur. 

It gives a natural finish on my eyebrows, and using it gives me the confidence to tackle my eyebrow unsassiness and somehow fashion it like a brow expert.

Its an eezy breezy product to have in a woman's personal care kit.


7.   OLAY CC CREAM - admittingly this is quite expensive at Php499.00 but it is multi-tasking beauty cream in a pocket  handy tube.

It is has a  color correcting benefit that I go for because of my sun spots, and this aside, it is  with sunscreen protection and  anti- ageing benefits.  

However I bought this product not for its anti-ageing but for its multi- tasking product claims and convenient size.

I have just purchased it recently and my first impression of the product is okay, it is lightweight like a bb cream.  And it does make my skin pores look smoother and refined.




Disclaimer:

This is not a sponsored blog.  All the products mentioned are the writer's favorites and hence opinion shared herein are based on the personal use and experience of the blogger from the products. The writer does not make any claims of being a makeup artist or a skin care expert.

Thank you.

Celebrity Makeup for Pinoys and the demand for beauty

It seems that the beauty industry is still on the upswing.

Recently, two famous Filipino celebrities came up with their own makeup line- Vice Ganda and Anne Curtis, A-listers whose newest foray into business- Vice and Blk cosmetics respectively,  have become a buzz word among beauty bloggers.

Two new brands with different philosophies- Ganda for All (Beauty for All) and the other, a makeup line that adheres to the motto: "uncomplicated beauty" for Filipinos.

Both a welcome addition to the Philippine industry which in recent years have seen the influx of locally-made, conceptualized or owned beauty and skincare products.

Some of these include Happy Skin,  Human Nature, Snoe Beauty, VM Naturals, to name a few.

Credit it to the makeup-savvy Pinoy teens for making the beauty industry a thriving slice of the economy.

It is not surprising for aptly called influencers cum brand ambassadors to yield so much charm among consumers, and drum up the potential of big business for brands.

The Philippines has always been a texting capital, which is evolving as a vlogging capital of the world.

And with vloggers filling in a beauty demand for makeup tutorials and product reviews, these seemingly increasing interest for make-me-beautiful products can translate to potential sales if the products gain enough positive reviews from fellow beauty junkies.

Looking further, the back to back wins of Filipino  candidates in international beauty pageants have given birth to "aspirational beauty", and a thinking that beauty is something you can work on to achieve.

It is this ideational standard  and the increasing number of  Pinoy techies who are now exposed to a plethora of brands via You Tube and  right at  the market grid, that drive  a demand for makeups and skincare brands locally.

Another worth mentioning is the still unbeaten popularity of Korean-made beauty and skincare products, an after effect of the Kpop wave.

All these make for good business potential because makeup fans locally cover a wide demographic-- be it age or economic status:  students, fashionistas, mommies, and makeover gurus.

Thus the addition of celebrity-inspired or curated cosmetic items for bloggers  are very much a welcome surprise.

But it is becoming a steep of a standard to meet for the newest brands; after all beauty  products has become  not just a fad or a trend for Filipinos,  but more of a lifestyle.



Copyright 2017.
Philippines.

All rights reserved.

That thing about bold lipsticks part 2

I left an unfinished article in my previous post which I intend to resolve today- "That thing About Bold Lipsticks".

Frankly I meant the topic to be a social experiment on lipstick fad, but why complicate things when makeup is a personal preference?  Beyond the colors we cannot really give labels to the women who wear  them out of respect to each person's individuality.

So I will just share how wearing bold colors of lipstick make an ordinary mom feel after trying them:

One, it felt like a jolt of confidence depending on the occasion the loud colors were worn.

On routinary days, these lipshades give a feminist statement-  that the woman can deviate from her usual sweetness and appear stronger rather than weakly feminine.

Two, the colors work like an attention magnet of sorts to the opposite sex.

As to whether the association has good or negative connotation, that is left in the mind of the other person seeing you in a different spectrum.

For me I used two new shades beyond my comfort level- one  a chocolate brown ala retro brown of the 1990s;
the other a  violet shade of lipstick on the deep blue side of hue (check photos).

Maybelline lipsticks in Raw Cocoa
and vibrant violet.

             
         

These lipsticks come in vogue casing.

       
Trying on the first lipstick-  Maybelline Powder Matte in Raw Cocoa,  felt intensely empowering.  What new lipstick can do to a woman, and more.
Amore for the shy girl and confidence on a dull day.

But for me, let us just stop at women empowerment. Go wear this retro brown if you are a 1990s doe-eyed mom, hence I actually like the impression I make by wearing this color.

As for the vibrant violet, I think it is both flamboyant and cunning of a hue.

In addition, the punchy color may not be practical to use on usual days lest I want the negative glares from fellow moms of the old school variety; the color is appropriate though for unusual occasions like a costume party.

And use it as a political statement if you may (hooray to equality of rights, no to discrimination of all sorts,  kinda statement).  Of course  this is just an off-beat suggestion. Take it as a pun, or not.

Wearing bold colors is a big deal for women who want to differentiate themselves from other women.

I've read somewhere that the human brain is wired to notice immediately anything that is out of the ordinary in his/ her environment.

So wear bold colors in lipstick fashion, and speak from the heart of a strong woman-  unrelenting and unbending to stereotypes.



The Makeup Philosopher
Philippines

Copyright 2017.
All rights reserved.

Natural versus cosmetic rhetorics

Cosmetics and skin care products, are not the same for everyone.

Some go for the basic route and choose to rely on natural wonder ingredients, while others go for the tried and tested way of science.

With the recent spate of caution shared by many news articles on makeup safety, ordinary consumers like me can't help but give a second look on products that could contain harmful chemicals in our daily makeups and skin care haul.

Some of the ingredients mentioned to watch out for in personal care brands were:

parabens,  mercury, phthalates, formaldehyde, titanium dioxide, silica, talc, hydroquinone, mica to name some.

These,  according to the articles found in safecosmetics.org website, are commonly found in suncreen, shampoo, makeups, anti- ageing creams, and many other personal care brands.  Such ingredients can cause many negative effects on health, according to health experts.

If we believe everything outrightly,  then almost all of the items we use for beauty,  skin and hygiene are not advisable to use.

So is it just plain safe to go for natural beauty remedies, and cast a doubt on the benefits of the products we patronize?

Or do we put our honest trust on the reputation of cosmetic brands who make our cosmetic staple given on the premise that science does not mean harm but the improvement and ease, and yes, beauty of our daily lives as consumers?

Can we not just rely both on nature's goodness and science of beauty to provide for our personal care needs without worrying about effects from unsafe products?

Are natural ingredients always safe for everyone?

Discerning we should be, as we make a balance to satisfy our needs and wants against what are actually good for us.

Anyway  there is nature behind science and science behind nature. This is the symbiotic relationship, we cannot live without.

Disclaimer:

The writer  underscores consumer freedom to choose what's good and best, and  stresses on consumer prerogative to select products which suit his/ her preferences or lifestyle,  without bias to any consumer group, or advocates, brand or company.

Post written as a rhetorical essay, and NOT as an academic or scientific essay or paper.

Copyright 2017
The Makeup Philosopher
Philippines

All rights reserved.

That thing about bold lipsticks

Right now bold colors,
in lipstick are in fashion.

Colors that almost scream - "I'm unique" and "I'm carefree and I can wear blue, or violet, metallic brown or neon pink" .

A kind of statement lipwear that is definitely not for the unadventurous or timid gals.

Honestly I do not mind the colors (except blue and black), but I wonder how many times you can wear them without being labelled as "weird".

Well, models can getaway flaunting bold lips, and in my book, the advertising ladies and fashion-savvy ones can wear them without being sneered at by conservatives.

But can ordinary moms wear them?

(To be continued)


Copyright 2017
The Makeup Philosopher
Philippines

All rights reserved.

High and low makeup purchase

There is almost nary a line that divides high and low makeup brands when it comes to being trended or reviewed by makeup bloggers.

Hence the choices can be confusing and overwhelming  if you are just an ordinary buyer without any biases or preferences in makeup.

So how to know what to buy on the expensive side and what to get on the low end of spectrum?

For me, I take into considerations these when buying:


1.  Frequency of use
2.  Skin type
3.  Quality

If a makeup item is to be used almost daily, better ensure that the product is affordable enough to be bought on a regular basis like if it is going to be used for school or work, dates etc.

Some makeup are better allocated for special wear while others are better used for regular wear.

Two, even if a makeup is on point when it comes to trends, it is not advisable to buy if it won't suit your skin type (normal, dry , oily, combination, etc), preferences and more.

Personally when it comes to lipticks, I prefer the lipgloss, lipbalm or rouge kind over the ultra mattes because not only do matte lipsticks appear dry on my lips, they also tend to magnify the age of a mature lips, in an unflattering way.

Matte lippies unless coated or primed with lipbalm or gloss would make a forty year old wearer look "old' as in granny old. Prune-like lips is a giveaway of any one's age.

Three, quality is a make or break favor in buying makeups. Some beauty products are priced steeply but still rate poorly when it comes effectivity or likeability. Or it may go the other way, affordable but also poor in quality.

I recently bought a popular brand of local lipstick and nicey as it was on the outside, and really pigmented was not enough to sway me over as I got curious with why a lipstick would smell as it would;

how do I describe it was more like chemically unpleasant. So even if it's affordable and color likable, I choose to buy another and still regret buying that lipstick even if it was within my pocket's reach.

In other ways these are my high and low considerations for makeup:

1.  Powder - I can buy the cheapest brand (for me cheap is around Php 200 below) to medium or average priced (Php 300 - 700) because there are many good generic face powder around.

2.  Foundation - medium priced (Php 800 and above)  to high-end (Php 1000 and above worth of makeup), because some foundation can magnify imperfections and it is usually the branded ones that deliver good quality.

3.  Bb cream - since this is a go-to product for a multi-tasking mom, I get products on the low-end to medium price range.

4.  Moisturizer - low to medium price range, because if it will be integrated as a skin care routine it has to be of good quality; also it has to be a drugstore brand preferably.

5.  Lipstick - there are some cheap buys of laudable quality, just find a good product out there. But for statement lips and lipglosses I go for high-end because I have not found an affordable brand that offers a good lipbalm or lipgloss that is just right to my liking.

These are just a basic list and high and low makeups can be both a good buy if they can give the quality looked out for by a picky buyer.



Disclamer:

Post written based on the writer's preferences and makeup use.

The writer does not claim to be an expert on the topic. This is not written on technical or makeup artist viewpoint.


Copyright 2017.

All rights reserved.