Spread Love not Germs :P

I worked as a medical representative some years ago. One of the habits I have developed since then is that of washing one's hands every time there is a need to. Before, I was always with a rubbing alcohol since I would feel iffy every time I’d touch door handles of clinics or hospitals. Yeah, I had been and still am obsessive compulsive this way. I think I had always been like this even back in college. I remember that my cousin and I are always armed with Bench sanitizers every day in school. 

Fast forward to now, I’m still like that but I have now graduated to gel sanitizers because unlike rubbing alcohol, they do not spill easily inside my bag. The former are also way more fragrant than the latter and have more moisturizing properties too. 

Currently, I am (and I think almost everyone) hooked with the Bath and Body Works Pocketbac sanitizers. Wow! These babies never fail to perk me up.  They make hand sanitizing something to look forward to.  I have also purchased some pocketbac holders  so I could bring one of these everywhere without having to dig up through all the chaos that I dump into my bag. Unfortunately, these are only sold through PX stores and online stores. They are sold in a local department store in my place but I find the price too expensive. Luckily, my cousin works in New York so I always ask her to get me some of these babies.

Retailing in the US at $1.50, these are usually sold locally at Php 80 to even as much as Php 99 (in our local store) each.

My favorite would have to Sea Island Cotton, Japanese Cherry Blossom, White Citrus, Orange Sapphire and Blue Chiffon of the Cupcake collection. 

What's yours? 

Ciao!

Zoom In On: Obagi Nuderm Sunblock in SPF35

The most recent summer had got to be the sunniest. I remember always feeling exhausted during that time perhaps because of the humidity and heat. If there was one good thing that came out of that episode, it would have to be my strengthened devotion on sunblock LOL. Yeah, I wear facial sunblock but not very regularly because well, I get lazy. I am always rushing to work in the mornings that sometimes I intentionally skip applying it because it would set me back by a few minutes. Since summer, however, I have been faithful to these UV shields to the point that I’d feel guilty and restless when I don’t apply them.

Last year, I reviewed the Neutrogena thinking that it was the best that I could ever get my hands on. Boy was I wrong! Because it does not hold a candle to the sunblocks that I am currently rotating. Unlike Neutrogena, these do not sting my eyes and they dry faster too (which is a must if you are always in a hurry like me). My current sunblock arsenal is comprised of Mary Kay SPF30 Sunscreen, Shiseido Gentle Sun Protection Lotion for Sensitive Skin and Babies SPF 30, and my Obagi Nuderm Healthy Skin Protection SPF35. 

I will review the Obagi Nuderm Healthy Skin Protection SPF35 first as I use this more often than the other two. My review perhaps can be summarized by two words. My HG. As in Holy Grail. At 90 mL, this takes forever to consume. I’ve been using this almost every day since March and I am still halfway through the tube. Personally, I use just a little of it every application as its consistency is not runny unlike other sunblocks although beauty enthusiasts contend users should not skimp on using sunscreens. It leaves a whitish cast a few minutes after application but this only last for a few minutes. When it gets dry, it can serve as a good makeup base. It is also unscented which is another thing that I like about it. Just like Shiseido, it does not have that typical sunscreen-y scent that I associate to the smell of a thinner.

 

Item Blurb:
Active Ingredients : Octinoxate, 7.5%, Zinc Oxide 9%
Inactive Ingredients: Butylparaben, cetearyl alcohol, citric acid, diethanolamine cetyl phosphate, disodium edentate, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, isopropyl palmitate, methylparaben, octyl stearate, phenoxyethanol, polyether, propylparaben, purified water, sodium hydroxide, triethoxycaprylysilane.

 

This sunblock is not widely available however. By this I mean that we cannot just buy it in any random department or drug store. In fact, I was only able to buy one with the help of a friend who considers this her HG sunblock too. It retails at $46-53 (approx. Php 2000) Yeah, I know. Not cheap noh? Good thing my friend gave me a generous discount for this.

What’s your HG sunblock?

Ciao!

I Heart HHN!

First of all, let me apologize for my long absence. I know that it’s a cliché but I just had to let blogging take the backseat to life. I hope you will bear with me though.
 

Last week, I was finally able to try some of the products of Human Heart Nature, an organic line that had so many bloggers raving. Luckily, I have a colleague whose friend is an HHN reseller so ordering was a breeze.

Here are pics of the items I got.

I haven’t used them long enough to be able to make an in-depth review of each but here are my initial thoughts about them:

Organic Cleanser and Makeup Remover – This is a great makeup remover and leaves my skin soft and uber clean. It seems a little runny though but this should not be a problem since it’s fairly easy to spread on the face. It does not easily remove waterproof mascara though (for this, I use the sunflower oil).
Tomato and Lemongrass Facial Wash – Leaves my face squeaky clean but I don’t like that it does not lather or create that soapy foam that I want in my facial cleansers.

Tomato and Lemongrass Toner – Better IMO than Dickinson’s Witch Hazel Toner. It’s true what other bloggers say about its smell but I find it less offensive than the latter. Absolutely no stings when applied and leaves my skin glowing.

Feminine Cleanser – I absolutely love this. Better than Lactacyd, PH Care or Summer’s Eve IMO. It leaves me with a fresh, clean feeling every time I use it.

Sunflower Oil – HHN claims that this can whiten darker areas and is said to be good at ridding dark circles. I haven’t seen its effect though (well I haven’t used it long enough pa). I find this effectve at removing waterproof mascara though.

Lip Balms – So-so but considering how cheap they are, it’s not a heartbreaker.

Aside from being effective and skin- and environment- friendly, Human Heart Nature products are cheaper than other local organic brands that I know. I got all of these at less than Php 500 (I was given a generous discount by the seller).

Thanks for your time readers :) Hope you find this post useful.

Stash Staple: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Compete UV Wateright Lotion

I used to be a non-user ( and a non-believer) of sunscreens. I’m not used to wearing one in all of my more than two decades on earth. The only time that I would be compelled to apply some is when I’m beachbound. Other than that, nada! Just plain moisturizer on my face. I was convinced that applying one is just another tedious process that would make my primping sessions all the more lengthy.

However, gone are those days. The turning point was when I saw a high school friend with age spots slowly appearing on her face. She said that she was advised by her derma to use sunblock regularly as her job is field-based. From then on, I had been slathering sunscreen all over my face and neck a good thirty to forty five minutes before going out. I browsed the GT forum and several blogs to help me decide which sunscreen to buy. I’m fortunate to have stumbled upon the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Compete UV Waterlight Lotion. I am liking this over the Nivea Facial Sunblock that I first used. I prefer this because unlike typical sunscreens, it does not make my face sweat like crazy. It does not feel heavy on the face too. In fact, I’d often forget that I’m wearing a sunscreen. It is also very easy to spread because of its watery texture that does not take too long to dry. Its finish is velvety making it ideal for daily usage. More importantly, it offers a broad spectrum coverage which makes it very effective against both UVA and UVB. It also makes use of its patented Helioplex technology which I understand would make it stable enough to protect against UV rays. For more about the benefits of using Neutrogena, read this.

Notice the sorta watery texture of this SB.

How it looks like after spreading

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Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Compete UV Wateright Lotion with Helioplex SPF 50+ PA+++ . 30 mL. 

Approximately Php 460.00 Available in leading dept. stores nationwide.

Directions: Use at the end of your skincare routine after moisturizer as a superior daily blocker. Suitable for use as a makeup base. Shake well Before use.

The only problem I have with using this ( well, for all sunblocks, in general) is that I would sometimes rub it on my eyes causing me to become teary-eyed. When I do, I’d end up rubbing my eyes all the more, removing also my eye makeup. But then again, this does not happen too often so it’s not a biggie. I am now about to finish my second bottle of Neutrogena Waterlight. And while I am pretty satisfied with this, I would very much like to try other brands as well. Care to give me any suggestions?  

Tata!