Years back, I have sworn to never get my hands on ANY oral glutathione ever again because of the unnecessary weight gain I experience when taking them. Last May, after years of gluta-drought, I finally braved opening a bottle of one of the newest glutathiones in the market, the Relumins Advance White oral whitening formula.

Label says:

Relumins L-Glutathione complex is the most advanced oral Glutathione and placenta formula available. It is the most effective oral skin whitener available and has numerous other health benefits.

Also, the product enumerates a roster of consumer-luring benefits---all of which had me at hello:

  • 400mg L-Glutathione for maximum skin whitening
  • Proven safe and effective in numerous clinical studies
  • L-Glutathione boosters: (1) 100mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid which has been shown to naturally support high levels of Glutathione in the Body; and (2) 100mg of Vitamin C which has been shown to restore intracellular glutathione
  • 200mg of Placental Protein (PP) extract:
    a) PP enhances skin's elasticity and moisture and stimulates cell renewal to revitalize the skin. It also visibly reduces and fights the unsightly signs of skin aging such as wrinkles and fine lines.
    b) PP is a highly-recognized cosmetics ingredient due to its exemplary skin-whitening property that actively influences the activity of tyrosinase, a component of melanin. In fact, it is the most popular and widely used skin whitening agent in Japan.

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At the bloggers sit-down with Angel Locsin, we pried her quilted Chanel bag open hoping to find multiple primping stuff and perhaps one or two Mosbeau products. We were surprised to learn that she totes around less makeup than expected!

Raybans are her favorites! She finds great pleasure in collecting these sunnies. She even kids that it felt too bad she can't get her favorite brand to sponsor her!

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You know that I stopped taking in glutathione tablets (tathion307) for over a month now to fairly conclude how my affordable and local obagi works on my skin.

I've tried two of the best glutathione brands in the market, ph338 and tathion307.  I previously ended my whitening bout with ph338 because of weight gain issues.  Tathion307 didn't make me gain weight for the first few months (well, i'd like to think that).  I gained weight despite taking the tabs just once a day (recommended dosage: 3 tabs daily for both brands).

Photo Source

I weighed myself a while ago.  I lost 5lbs!  From 108 lbs, I'm now down to 103!

Some users say that there are no weight gain issues with oral whitening stuff.  Too bad for me that I did encounter it.  I'll have to stop taking it, I guess.  Or should I take it according to its dosage recommendation to avoid weight gain? Ugh, I don't know.  I'm just done with glutathione products for now.

'Japan' is actually a pseudonym for the world's largest vanity haven.  Slimming capsules, skin smoothening tabs and tools, breast and butt enhancers, whitening creams and medications, and not to mention a long list of reputable makeup and skincare brands women of all ethnicities have learned to adore.

Name it, and they might just actually have it.

Beauty Gone Mad: Nose Enhancers: Bibana and HanaHana

Now, glutathione is Japan's godsend to every Filipina wanting to have a fairer and finer skin complexion.  Used mainly for its whitening side effect, glutathione can be taken orally (tablets like Shiseido Whisis, Tathion307, ph338) or via the bloodstream route (intravenous shot like Tationil and Reiki) to achieve a whiter, evened-out skintone.

I got the chance to compare 2 warring japanese oral glutathione brands: Tathion307 and ph338.  Both are reputable and have earned mixed reviews from users.  And here's my take.

I took ph338 from March to June 2009, while tathion last May 2010 up till now.

The Dosage.  To achieve significant whitening, both tabs must be taken 3x a day, each pill along with Vitamin C (500mg).  Most users recommend 'cocktailing' where additional supplements are taken daily to enhance the glutathione's effect (like NAC, ALA, grapeseed, etc).  Since I'm not after the paperwhite effect, I took these whitening candies daily, 30mins - 1hour before breakfast, along with 500mg of Kirkland chewable Vitamin C's.  I was only after the much raved 'glow' that it gives.

PH338 (100mg/tab) - I got the glow in a week's time (I took it 2x a day, took it once daily thereafter), my skintone became half a MAC shade lighter (this soooo subjective! but what can I do? I've no whitening meter) after 2 1/2 weeks, and I noticed that I gained a handful of weight a month after taking it.

TATHION307 (100mg/tab) - I got the glow in a few day's use and my skintone was headed to a MAC shade higher in a little over a week's time!  Seriously, I was rather appalled that these little pills are so powerful!  Although I didn't notice any significant weight gain during my intake, I disliked how more yellow my skintone became.  I reduced my intake to every other day and luckily, I'm achieving the kind of glow I want!

The Availability.  I'm getting stocks from a multiply seller (Cheska's Store).  I've noticed that there are more ph338 sellers than tathion's.  On the issue of fake glutathione brands, I'm happy to say that there is no circulation of these fraudulent whitening tabs YET.

back part of ph338

back part of tathion307

The Price.  I chose to buy from multiply sites since Ebay.ph will let you shell out an additional 18-20% of multiply resellers' cost.  Ph338 will cost you 1500-1900php ($30-40) for 90 tabs, while Tathion's price ranges from 2000-2400php ($42-50) for the same number of tabs.

The Verdict?  I wouldn't hesitate to say that these two whitening agents are really effective.  They are amazing.  But I'm choosing to keep Tathion.  It's a runaway winner since:

Tathion307, Japan Glutathione, 2000-2400php/90tabs

1. it is more cost-effective for me.  I know that Tathion is 500 bucks more expensive than ph338, but since I'm taking it every other day, my 2000 bucks is good for half a year's use. While 6 months on ph338 will cost me 3000php.  I'm a cheapskate, I know!

2. i don't feel fat with it like I did with ph338.  Now, this is a controversial point.  Most users claim that there's no weight gain with ph338, while a handful of us swear we grew like hippos!  I find that I'm more hiyang with tathion in terms of the weight gain issue. (NOT SO FAST... Please check my tathion weight gain story!)

3. it gives me a celebrity-ish glow. I honestly have bad skin.  Derma+gluta is actually my savior.  I'm supposed to include 'healthy lifestyle' in the equation for great skin but I'm still working on that department (I sleep really late, I bask in the glory of palengke french fries and pringles).  Ph338 gives me a nice kind of glow that's kinda sossy but Tathion grabs the trophy by allowing me to be capable of turning most guy's heads.  Mwahahaha.  I'm kidding.  It's a hyperbole that people notice me more now that I've got this nice flawless look.

HK trip, 2009, a month after using ph338

Malaysia Trip, 2010, a few weeks of using Tathion

Your choice of glutathione will largely depend on your budget and on how white you want to be.  Ph338 never made me yellowish while giving me the glow, but it took longer for me to see results.  Tathion on the other hand was really a fast deliverer (albeit being 50mg lower in dose than ph338!), but it did some altering on my skintone that I wish it never did.  I suggest you try cheap testers first before getting the full set (trial blisters for ph338 ranges from 600-800/30tabs, 800-1000/30tabs for tathion).  Happy whitening, and happy gluta hunting!