Tresemme Smooth and Silky Shampoo and Conditioner - My New Favorite Hair Product Combo!

Because of several digiperms and hair dyeing, and my hair was telling me that it needs to have some kind of rejuvenating treatment. I don't have much time for salon treatments, so I did some trial and error; I tried several brands, Dove, Pantene, etc. but only Tresemme Smooth and Silky Shampoo and Conditioner really revived my hair, made it shiny and healthy-looking. Plus it didn't give me flaky scalp. I have very sensitive skin and scalp and the wrong hair products give me dandruff. My friends even asked me if I had a hot oil or any hair spa treatment. I told them, no, I just used Tresemme Smooth and Silk Shampoo and Conditioner!

My verdict: Tresemme Smooth and Silky Shampoo and Conditioner is a great everyday hair product combo especially for dry and damaged hair. Highly recommended!

Nanotechnology Peel - My Favorite Scar Treatment

I had some really bad mosquito bite scars after hiking in Mt. Pulog last January. I tried some lightening creams that I had in my medicine cabinet, but they're not working as fast as I wanted them to. Check out my ugly leg.

So I went to my dermatologist to have a peel that will be a faster way to get rid of the ugly scars. She knows how sensitive I am so she said, the only peel that I can have is Hypopeel, which is a type of Nanotechnology peel. She also gave me some new medicines - Swiss Arbutin serum and Skin Perfecting Lotion, as my home treatment. I had 3 sessions of the Hypopeel and I admit I am really happy with the results. Plus during the peeling sessions, I didn't feel any itchiness or burning sensation, since as what my dermatologist said, it's completely safe and the ingredients of the peel don't stay on the skin (which is what causes the discomfort like burning and itching) but rather they get in your pores right away because of the particle size of the peel. Plus in between my peeling treatments, I didn't see any obvious peeling, just a little dry skin that was improved with the lotion and serum that my dermatologist gave me.

Check out my leg now:

My verdict: Nanotechnology peel is a very safe and effective way to get rid of dark scars, especially for  those with very sensitive skin. Highly recommended!

My Singapore Aqua Peel Experience

I was with my significant other last week in Singapore going around shopping and sight seeing. I felt that my skin was suffering from all the sun and heat, so I told him that I should have some kind of skin treatment. I went to Skinlab since it's just almost right across our hotel and inquired about the treatments available.  The receptionist asked me if I have sensitive skin and what are my goals for the treatment. I told her that I do have sensitive skin and have skin asthma and I would like to have some kind of skin rejuvenation since I feel that my skin was dull and tired. She suggested that I have Aqual Peel. I haven't heard of Aqua Peel treatment yet, so I was curious to try it out. Here are photos of the Aqua Peel machine and its tip:

It's definitely different from the Diamond peel or Power Crystal peel that I've had before. My aesthetician, Sandy told me that the spirals in the Aqua Peel tip are designed to remove sebum and exfoliate the skin and infuse vitamins and anti-oxidants evenly into the skin. The procedure took around an hour to get done. After the treatment, I felt like my skin was totally clean, hydrated and renewed. My nose definitely was completely rid of the blackhead and whiteheads that I had before the treatment. It was not as uncomfortable as Diamond peel and Power Crystal peel because it was not a "dry" exfoliation treatment. Plus I noticed that the blotches that I got from going around Singapore lightened up. Maybe a few more Aqua Peel treatments will get rid of them. 

Now, I have to look for the same kind of treatment in the Philippines. Hmmmm.. Maybe I can tell my dermatologist if she can get hold of the same machine. LOL! 

My verdict: Aqua Peel is a great exfoliating/ skin renewing treatment especially for sensitive skin with blotchiness, uneven skin tone and/or blackheads/whiteheads. Highly recommended! 

Update: I told my dermatologist about my Aquapeel experience and she was so interested in it that she's going to offer it in her clinic! Now I can have the Aquapeel here in the Philippines! Yay! :)

Latest Update: My dermatologist now offers the Aqua Peel in her clinic! And it's on a 1,000 Pesos discount! Just tried it last weekend and I was soooo happy! :)

Dolce & Gabbana The One Desire - My New Favorite Special Occasion Scent

I got a Dolce & Gabbana The One Desire perfume as a surprise anniversary gift from my significant other last week. One whiff of this perfume and I was hooked! I was not a fan of the original The One since it was too powdery and quite banal for my taste. This fragrance hits the nail with the hint of sweet fruitiness it adds. It has a little bit of caramel, lily, jasmine, sandalwood and lychee... Very feminine, elegant, but not overpowering. I used it during my friend's birthday party the other night and I got so many compliments on it. My significant other has quite good taste, thumbs up for his choice! :) I will definitely buy another bottle once I run out of this. 

My verdict: Dolce & Gabbana The One Desire is a great perfume for date nights and other special occasions. Highly recommended!

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!