My Pretty Skin Secret - IPL Photofacial

Let me tell you that I haven't had really great skin before. I had acne when I was a teenager and even now, I get some breakouts every now and then. My dermatologist told me that since I have open-pored skin, I have to be really careful about my lifestyle and the skin products that I use. I have facials every month and nanotechnology peel every now and then, but since my skin had cleared of the acne, the "broken capillaries" on my face became more obvious. Here's a photo before I had my IPL photofacial:

They're quite unsightly especially when I get out of the shower and look at my face in the mirror. Or maybe I'm just vain. LOL! So I told my dermatologist about it and she recommended IPL photofacial. I had 2 sessions so far and this is my new facial skin:

But there is a downside. It's not really painless. There's pain, like pricking, sharp pain during the procedure. My dermatologist applies anesthetic cream before the procedure since I have low pain tolerance, but I could still feel a little pain. But I think the pain is all worth it. Like what they say, "No pain, no gain." ;) Now when I look at myself in the mirror without makeup on, I don't see those ugly "worm-like" red spots. Plus my dark spots have faded away. No broken capillaries, no dark spots, no uneven skin tone. I like it! I feel more confident without makeup on. I actually go out at times with just my sunblock, mascara and a little powder and I'm good to go. :)

My verdict: IPL photofacial is a good treatment for broken capillaries, dark spots and uneven skin tone. Highly recommended!

Smashbox Eye Beam Double-Ended Brightener - Eye-Popping Great Find!

I have Asian eyes and sometimes when I lack sleep the previous night, my eyes look smaller and uglier than they actually are. LOL! So I do need something to make my eyes look bigger and brighter. Plus it should be easy to use since in the morning, I'm always in a rush to go to work. I stopped by Beauty Bar last weekend and saw this Smashbox eye brightener, thought about it for a few minutes then bought it. I experimented at home and it was really a great find. This pencil does the trick! 

Both ends of this pencil are very useful. At first I applied the "inner rim" end to my water line. My eyes looked a bit brighter. Then when I used the "highlighting" end underneath the arch of my brow and inner corners of my eyes, my eyes popped! This opened my eyes right up and gave them a really perky look! I also lined just a little bit underneath my bottom lashes from the inner corners of my eyes. The 2 ends of this pencil work together to brighten up the eyes. The look is so soft and luminous. The application in smooth and creamy and it really makes your eyes look pretty!

My verdict: Smashbox Eye Beam Double-Ended Brightener is a great tool to make your eyes prettier. Highly recommended!

My Dark Eye Circles & Eyebag Treatment

My dark eye circles and eyebags have bothered me since I was a teenager. I considered having blepharoplasty to get rid of them, but everytime I thought about the complications and downtime, I would always chicken out and not pursue the thought of undergoing the procedure anymore.

Here's a photo of my eye before:

So one time, while I was in my dermatologist's clinic for my monthly checkup, I asked her about it. She suggested Nanotechnology peel for my dark eye circles and Restylane (a type of filler) for my eyebags. I wanted to have both, but when she told me that I would have bruising under my eyes after the Restylane treatment, I backed out. So I chose the Nanotechnology peel and Eyelastin cream as take home eye treatment.

After 4 sessions of the nanotechnology peel and 2 months of using Eyelastin cream, here's a photo of my eye:

There's still a little eyebag, but not as obvious. I think it's because the darkening has significantly lessened and the Eyelastin helped with the puffiness of my eyes. I don't look like "death run over." LOL! Now, I don't need concealers to hide my dark eye circles and eyebags.

My verdict: Nanotechnology peel is great for dark eye circles. Eyelastin is a good alternative to Restylane for eyebags. Both are highly recommended! 

Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Hibiscus - My New Favorite Lip Balm

I've tried the regular untinted Burt's Bees lip balm before and I liked all of them. So when I saw that Beauty Bar had their tinted lip balm version, I bought one to try. Good thing I did. It glides smoothly and easily on my lips. The Hibiscus color which translates as a beautiful coral on my lips is just right for my Asian skin tone. Plus it does give my lips enough moisture without feeling too heavy. I have very sensitive skin, including my lips and heavy lip balms give me chapped lips afterwards. It has a sweet scent as well which reminds me of candy. Most of all, I know that it's a safe product since all Burt's Bees products are totally green and organic. I will definitely buy another one once my current stick gets consumed.

My verdict: Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Hibiscus is a good tinted lip balm especially for people with sensitve skin and want more than the usual lip balms. Highly recommended!