I'm alive and baaaack from my 5-month long hiatus (long and tiring story...) and I can't contain my excitement on getting back to blogging and reading my fave blogs!

Over the course I've been absent from the blogosphere, I haven't stopped thinking about the stuff I wish I could share with you. Now that I'm finally and officially back, let me give you a rough picture of some of the beauty products I've been crazy about these past months. Presenting...

Six Products I Like So Much (with a short intro/ review about why I love each):

1. Relumins Advance White Oral Whitening Formula. Finally, an oral glutathione that doesn't make me too yellow like tathion 307. I've been on it for a week now and I have to say I'm quite impressed with the effects.

2. Avon Skin So Soft Lotion (especially the soft & white with marula variants). After basking under the summer sun from previous vacations, the intensive whitening lotions from Avon have aided me in evening out and actually improving my body's overall fairness. 

3. Tony Moly Acerola Sheet Masks. My cheeks have gotten so annoyingly dry lately and these sheet masks have done a good job in helping me wake up to better-looking skin. Too bad these red packets are almost always OOS in stores :(

4. Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen SPF 110. My second most awesome purchase for the summer. I use this for the face during trips to the beach and it has never failed me. Proofs in a lengthier review to follow!

5. Shiseido Sun Protection Liquid Foundation. I've purchased this last year, loved it back then but failed to blog about it. I'm still very much in love with it now especially since it fakes a fresh face in this sweltering heat. I top it off with Joppa MMU in Grecian Gold to improve its hold.

6. Clarisonic Mia. I consider this my best beauty purchase for the first half of the year (review coming up!!!). It just really works for me and the results are instant: I get cleaner, clearer and healthy-looking skin after using this. I use the Mia with Clinique liquid facial soap/ Neutrogena Mulberry Ultra Foam Cleanser and with the deep-pore cleansing brush head.

If you are keen enough, you may have noticed how these product faves are mostly about keeping the skin fair. I noticed that too just now and I don't have a damn good reason why. I will be reviewing each of these products in detail very soon and perhaps by then, I can tell you why I'm such a whitening whore!

Some signs that tell you your skin is improving, apart from being complemented by others, are being able to get out of the house bare-faced and being confident about having your picture taken even without makeup.

My macho pitbull, Maxx, wearing my laboratory glasses

I'm now able to go out of the house (to review school, to my home-care patients, and for errands) without having to put powder on! I must confess that I never dared step out of the house without dusting powder on my face. 

Also, I no longer frown at the camera if I'm not wearing my thick liquid foundation. I worry less about how I'd look like in photos without all that heavy makeup.

Maxx took up acting skills some few months back

he's waaay better than local actor, Aljur Abrenica (sorry, fans)

Again, my skin is faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar from perfect. But I'm loving the big improvements it has achieved to-date. Good skincare line + a good derma = better skin!

Skincare products I use:

AM: Acne Soap (from derma)

      : Clinique Toner 2

    : Hamilton or Lab 46 sunblocks (used interchangeably depending on how oily my skin is; Lab 46 not              recommended o dry-skin days)

PM: Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil (on commute days or if makeup was worn) OR kojic soap (from derma)

     : I alternate Pond's Cold Cream to make sure I don't finish up my Shu Oil too fast (haha, I still don't have anyone to buy for me from Duty Free)

     : Local Obagi every other night (glowing solution>retinoic acid gel alternated with glycolic cream>brightening cream 

     : Clinique Turnaround concentrate on non-Obagi nights

     : Acne lotion, spot treatment, if pimples come up

Frequency of Derma Visit: from twice a month ---> bi-/tri-monthly visits :)

Improvements: skin clarity, texture and tone; pore size (not dramatic though); post-acne marks/blemishes; acne scars are present but their discoloration has diminished hugely therefore seem invisible and shallow; occurence of cystic pimples on the Tzone and cheeks; amount of oil on the face (I shifted from Clinique toner 3 to 2)

Points of Improvement: complete removal of acne scarring that becomes obvious under certain lightings

What do you do when you suddenly see that you're a few more weeks away from needing to purcahse a new bottle of your favorite serum? I am running out of my dependable instaglow solution, the Clinique Turnaround Concentrate! And what could be better than successfully spending that extra moolah (on shoes!) I alloted for this??!!

I am ranting because I have already fallen in love with how this serum finishes silky smooth on my face at night. It does not cause redness or dryness which spells out perfect for my combination skin. All I need is 1 pump of the Clinique turnaround concentrate in the evening (I have a small face) for me to wake up to a softer and more radiant skin.

Clinique Turnaround Concentrate, 1 oz, @ Clinique counters
(Trinoma, Rustan's Shangri-la, Rustan's Makati, Gateway)

The pump bottle dispenses the necessary amount of product I need to cover up the entire face. I noticed how this serum improved my skin's clarity within a week's time when I first used it. 

On more humid Manila nights, I feel that this product can stand as a good moisturizer for oily and combination skin types. On hotter mornings, its silky texture prompts you to use it as a primer. 

If there's something you'd be booing about this product, its the Philippine price (3000php for 1oz; half a year's use for me) and the presence of 3 -cones in the bottle (dimethicone, polysilicone-11 and peg-10 dimethicone). Surprisingly, despite my negative reaction to -cones, the Clinique turnaround concentrate never broke me out. It only gave me good skin I loved to look at and touch.

Clinique Turnaround Concentrate, 1oz, P3000 in Pinas; 39.50 in the U.S.

Must raise funds. This is among the skincare products that worked for me along with my local obagi. But on a brighter note, not having this around will put the Clinique Turnaround Concentrate to test on the longevity of its positive effects on my skin. 

Clinique launches a very promising product for those who are on the lookout for a decent everyday face base --- the Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer SPF15.

(photos taken from clinique.com)

I will definitely be waiting for this to reach Philippine shores as Clinique products fare impressively well on my acne-prone and sensitive skin. If you can still recall my brand favorites post, I have Clinique's moisturizers and the Superfit foundation (most lightweight foundie I've ever tried) topping the list of my well-loved products.

There have been first impressions on this tinted moisturizer already. It is ranking well in makeupalley.com and the present good reviews on the product is making me want to try it all the more.

There are two things that made me a little sad, though. The very narrow shade selection and the impression that the product isn't as gel-like as the famous moisture surge moisturizer.

Still, I feel that the Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturizer is a promising product worth checking out!

The first time I laid eyes on a Clinique product was when I was four. I always snuck out mama's Clinique lippies from her purse since they looked glossier than my good old crayons on paper.

I now realize how badly I behaved. I should be putting on Crayola on my lips as penance since Clinique products aren't priced low here in the Philippines. The relatively steep price points (U.S prices are waaaay cheaper) are a bit prohibitive but since this is such a good brand, I still make sure that I spend on a couple of their products that made it on my Brand Favorites list:

1. Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Relief

This has a gel-like consistency and does an amazing job in moisturizing my face. This tub is simply something that'll make you feel good about your skin while slathering it on. I hope I do not break out with this in the future.

If they only had it in a better packaging (bottle w/pump), I wouldn't have to worry about losing my spatula and keeping it bacteria-free.

2. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizer

I stopped using this last year because it started breaking me out. I remember how I used to put the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel on a pedestal (for a good 9-10months) before the big zit fiasco. In fairness to the product, I really fell in love with its texture, finish, scent, pumped bottle and how effective it was in allowing me to wake up with softer and more supple skin the next day.

Also, I noticed that this is more easily absorbed by the skin compared to the Moisture Surge Extended Relief. This is something I will not be using for the meantime but will never stop others from getting their hands on this excellent moisturizer.

3. Clinique Superfit Foundation

This tops my list of the best liquid foundies I've ever used!

While it may not completely hide my deepest acne scars, I love the fact that it had the most blendable consistency and was able to even out my skin tone so naturally while gliding like a dream on my face.

This is the first foundation that allowed me to experience how the skin can actually breathe even with a foundation on top of it. I never got zits from this product.

I wore Neutral 07. The sad thing about this foundie is that it oxidizes on my acidic skin and I'm having a hard time getting a perfect shade match (my sister loves Neutral). I bought Cream Beige to replace Neutral but I still think that there's a better shade out there for me... I just need a PATIENT beauty attendant to really help me out and not act like the first shade she puts on me is THE ONE.

4. Clinique Clarifying Lotion

I've tried a couple of toners before (Dickinson'w Witch Hazel, Celeteque, L'oreal Pure Zone's, etc) and nothing has ever stepped up to how the Clinique Clarifying Lotion primps and prettifies my skin. It is part of the 3-step skincare I purchased but I have to say that this product is among those that can stand on its own despite being tagged as a part of a certain group.

I've already switched from Clinique toner 3 to 2 and I can say that both variants are working well for me. I can never deny the fact that my makeup never fails to looks prettier and fresh with this toner underneath it (versus a blah and boring and flaky look without toning the skin first).

5. The Clinique Turnaround Tandem

If I could splurge, I will never miss on replenishing my stocks on Clinique's Turnaround Concentrate Visible Skin Renewer and the Turnaround Instant Facial Masque. Since these two are really priced sky-high at Clinique counters, I still wait for my expenses to lie-low a bit before I can put these babies on my to-buy list.

The Turnaround Concentrate Serum absorbs like the DDMG but finishes like Smashbox's Photofinish Primer. You can just imagine how the skin feels so soft and velvetty before hitting the sack (lucky pillow)! The serum gives my face a healthy, radiant glow the following morning like I'm on glutathione. I merely have words to glorify this product but they still fall short in describing how perfect this serum is as a part of any girl's skincare routine.

The Turnaround Instant Facial Masque (an exfoliating clay masque) is the last thing I'll be getting if I'm on a tight budget. Don't get me wrong, it's one of my favorites, but who needs to spend so much on masques, right? The turnaround instant facial is so dear to me that I use this sparingly (and only on the night before a special event!).

The masque's scent is absolutely regal and the microbeads in it are just the finest ones that ever touched my skin. These are just the kind of exfoliating beads I wished St. Ives Apricot Scrub had.

I always felt that masques are unnecessary add-ons to skincare (because I never saw instant effects!), but with this product, my skin exudes an eye-catching sheen after rinsing the face.

Looking back at that story when I was four, I'm glad that mama never scolded me (and my brother) for rendering her Clinique lipsticks and eyeshadows unusable. It's amazing to note too that by the time I was old enough for makeup, she advised me to get Clinique prods since I had sensitive skin. She added that I had to enjoy the brand before I get to have kids who'd possibly mess around with my purse someday.

For my readers who reside in the U.S., here's Clinique's treat for you. If you want to get a chance to win a Milly wardrobe and some fab bags, ENTER HERE.

1. Revlon Colorstay Oil-Free Foundation

The Revlon Colorstay Oil-Free foundation is pretty much difficult to let go of because of the great coverage and finish it gives my face. I love how it transforms my problem skin into a flawless canvass. It delivers well in controlling my facial oil mine sans a primer, thus, making my makeup long wearing. Revlon Colorstay Foundies are among the few brands that offer a wide selection of Filipina-friendly shades.

Sadly, it made my skin red and patchy all over after every use. I gave it several chances but it gave me the same ugly-skin-after-foundation result and so I had to let go.

2. Skinfood Aloe Sun BB Cream

I especially love BB creams since they seldom break me out. Skinfood Aloe Sun BB cream has been one of my on-the-go face makeup for more than a year because of the healthy, radiant glow my face gets from it. I was able to cut down on my AM primping time since everything I need is in the tube already: a moisturizer, foundation, blemish-buster and sunblock.

However, Purederm's 3-in-1 Magic BB cream, which is locally available and a bit cheaper than Skinfood's, came into the picture. I get the same glow and fresh-look I've loved from Skinfood Aloe without having to scour ebay for affordable tubes (Skinfood counters here have unbelievable mark-ups!). And ever since that Fake BB Cream scare, I felt safer with having to buy bb creams from the stores themselves.

3. The Bodyshop Oil-Free Foundie

If this foundation didn't cost as much, I would've made it a vanity kit staple. The Bodyshop Oil-Free foundation's performance is average and I don't mind adding a few hundred Pesos to get outstanding brands that's been reputed to perform better. 

I'm always around The Body Shop counters for their Lip and Cheek Stain, shower gels, body butters and aromatherapy essential oils. This foundation just failed to make it to that list.

4. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch sunblock

This is the first sunblock my skin has ever loved! I've always wanted sun protection that has a gel consistency, an impressive SPF, and something that doesn't feel heavy and oily. Minus the type of consistency, I got everything from Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch sunblock SPF 50! It may be in cream form, but it's a lightweight product that glides smoothly on the skin and dries up nicely on the skin in a minute.  

I have used this product for half a year now and I'm not sure how to use it all up. Ever since Hamilton sunblock SPF 80 came into my life, I never looked back. Plus, I recently discovered a tinted sunblock I that contains plant-derived placenta and collagen.

5. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

It's sad to let go of a product that served both as a moisturizer and primer to me. I am letting go because it gave me numerous and tiny bumps on the chin. I suddenly can't believe that this same product has always been responsible for keeping my skin soft, supple and wrinkle-free for almost a year!

Who knew that the girl who always woke up with calmer-looking skin because of Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel would freak out one morning with countless pus-filled zits on the chin?

It's a love-hate relationship with one of Clinique's famous products --- the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel. I've been using it for more than a year now and this is what I have to say:

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel, 2400php ($24 @ Clinique website)

What I love about it:

- easily absorbed by the skin, no sticky feeling!

- made my face more radiant and supple the next day

- allows makeup to glide smoothly on the skin

- the scent is not too strong

- i can mix it with my mineral powders to create a mineral creamy base

- good value for money since 1x pump can cover the entire face

- works like a primer (like Skinhour mattifying moisturizer) on cooler days

Uh-ohs:

- no SPF

- after 9 months, I started breaking out because of this; and so

the Antidote:

- use it every other night

- avoid using it under makeup if it's gonna be real humid 

I'm still using the dramatically different moisturizing gel right now.  When I broke out after the 9-month love affair, I totally stopped slathering it on for 2 weeks.  My skin got better but I noticed the significant dullness.  My skin also started to get a bit coarse.  That's when I resumed using it every other night (and I no longer moisturize in the morning) which brought back the radiance that I missed.

This would last me another 6 months with this kind of frequency of use.  I really don't know if it was a good thing I broke out (I get to prolong my supply and save some moolah!).  Nevertheless, I'm still sticking by Clinique because my combination-to-oily skin just can't get enough of the brightening effects of this moisturizing gel!

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My skincare regimen includes: pond's cold cream, kojic soap from Doc Six Foronda (my derma), clinique toner 3, retinoic acid 0.1% from derma and spot treatment using acne solution from my derma

Moisturizers are given 2-3 years before they expire.

I've told you about my boyish sister's transformation several posts ago.  Lara of NARS Shang did her makeup and hairdo and she looked totally stunning.

A couple of months ago, she had an event she needed to go to and we no longer had Lara around.  And so, half-heartedly (i can tell!), she obediently entrusted me to 'transform' her.

Grabbed this pic from her facebook page.  This makeover surprised her friends and they wanted to keep a memento of it.   They even made an effort to create this fancy pic.

This is her on normal days:

With Ate's Makeover (this was 3 hours after the party already and the cheek makeup's no longer visible):

after clinique's toner and moisturizer:
FACE: Clinique's Pore Minimizing Serum as primer on tzone area only
Clinique Superfit in Neutral applied with fingers
EDM Golden Medium in original glo applied with Charm stippling brush
Joppa Full Coverage in Grecian gold (2-3 layers) applied with Charm stippling brush
buffed mineral powders on face using Nichido kabuki brush
Aromaleigh finishing powder in peaches n cream applied with Charm stippling brush
EYES: In2it eyebrow powder using my bleak angled brow brush
Nichido liquid eyeliner (black)
Fanny Serrano curlash
Maybelline Unstoppable Shiny Black mascara
no eyeshadows, i'm still a newbie with it
Freshlook contact lens
CHEEKS and LIPS: Nichido pink blush (forgot the name)
 The Bodyshop Lip and Cheek Tint on lips

It was such a simple makeup that I did considering she was going to a function where practically all the ladies were glammed up.  We had no time to visit the salon and my poor sister was hoping I could help her with her look.

I don't think I failed, did I?

Moving on with my Primer Review Series, let me do Barenaturals' Skin Perfecting Primer.

Skin Perfecting Primer sample, 5mL, 145php($4), from Barenaturals' site

I was a little reluctant to try this primer since its consistency was the most 'fluid' among the usual primers I've tried. However, it's a good thing that I chose not to pass up on this because it has a good number of pro's.

What I liked about it:

• no scent at all
• skin feels smooth and velvety ala smashbox photofinish primer
• little amount is enough to create a good base for smoothing your foundie
• locally available and relatively cheap
• has sample bottles; good value for your money
• Barenaturals owner practices good great customer service!

Uh-ohs:

• sample bottle has no pump for the flowy product to be dispensed properly
• product is too runny for my liking
• my oilies busted its oil-control abilities in 2 hours (t think that tonight was rather a cool evening... wondering how soon it will take for my makeup to budge if it were extremely hot and humid...)

Here's a pic I took after hearing mass (this was an hour after putting makeup on). We walked our way to and from the church as it wasn't too far from home. Notice that my face is staring to look dewy (which is a bad sign):

Face: Clinique DDMG

Barenaturals Skin Perfecting Primer

Clinique Superfit foundie in Neutral

Barenaturals Premium Glow mineral makeup in Olive Neutral Light-Med

Aromaleigh URFP

Cheeks&Lips: Bodyshop's lip and cheek tint

Hmmm, so I used a premium glow mineral foundie. I wonder if it is the cause of tonight's freaking oil. I'll give the primer another try using something else (like my dependable Joppa/Pure Anada mmu's that can control oilies) and update you.

Generally, I think that the not-so-oily gals will love this. It's cheap, locally available and it can give you that smashbox primer feel! Sadly, it didn't do well on me (for this night) so I don't think I'll be getting a full-sized bottle anytime soon.

I know that I am not the only girl wishing I had a different skin type and that I knew the best way to control oil. Oily-skinned gals like me are dreading the oil mine trapped in our faces and it's such a difficult task for us to make sure that we're still pretty and fresh at the end of the day.

Here's our biggest problem: we need a face make-up with medium-to-heavy coverage to hide our acne marks and scars, but we can't keep that make-up sit on our faces because of excess oil.

Let me share with you my top 6 must-use beauty products to control oil in helping us keep our faces primped and pretty the entire day:

#6. Blotting papers.

J&J Clean and Clear Oil-Absorbing Sheets, ~118php ($2.50) at beauty stores and supermarkets

Oily girls need blotting papers since these are handy goodies to keep our faces fresh and oil-free. Just make sure you dab it on your face and not rub it in. It's a must to blot first before retouching with a finishing powder to make sure you're not trapping oil and sweat underneath your made-up face.

(my pick: J&J Clean and Clear Blotting Paper; also try: Gatsby's ~140php, Watson's <100php)

#5. Finishing powders.

Aromaleigh's Ultra reslution finishing powder, $13.75 at website, there are resellers over ebay.ph

These oil-control beauty products add to keeping the face clean and fresh-looking. It can also blur imperfections while giving us a radiant glow.

Oily girls need finpows because we don't want our face to look so flat with a matte make-up.

(my picks: Aromaleigh's URFP's, Bare Escentuals Tinted Mineral veil 500-1000+; also try: Monave's 600-800php, Joppa's 490-900php)

#4. Foundation powders.

Joppa foundies in Full/Soft Coverage, Morning Dew and Simple Radiance, $18-$22 for full-sizes

MMU's are by far, the best foundation powders that can perfectly set your liquid foundie! I will swear to this till I die.

Oily girls need foundation powders to make sure that their base foundies get an extra hold.

(my picks: Joppa's 700-1000php, Pure Anada's 1,000+php, Clinique Superbalanced powder 1,780php; also try: Monave's ~1000php, Lauress')

#3. A gel moisturizer.

Clinique's DDMG, 2400php 125mL at Rustan's; $24 at Clinique website

It's a let-down to know that there are millions of oily-skinned girls who skip on moisturizers. Let me tell you a secret: moisturizers that hydrate the skin send signals to our sebaceous glands to cut down on oil production since enough moisture is already achieved. We produce excess oil basically because our skin lacks the needed moisture!

Oily girls need a moisturizer in gel form to eliminate the greasy feel and replace it with a smooth and velvetty one instead.

(my pick: Cinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel)

#2. A good toner.

Most people say that it tightens the pores and remove excess oil. While this is good news for us, these claims are plainly untrue. The real deal with toners is that it removes unwashed dirt and cleansing residues (c/o our soaps) that may irritate and clog our pores. Since most traditional soaps (and even some facial soaps) are alkaline, toners do the job of restoring the pH of our skin to normal.

Oily girls need a good toner because we don't want more zits/acne adding up when we stuff our faces with make-up. (Tip: there are some toners, like L'oreal Pure Zone's, that contain salicylic acid which can help us with our acne problem)

(my picks: Clinique Clarifying Lotion #3 or #4 1,500-1,800php, my derma's glowing solution 400+php; also try: L'oreal Pure Zone Toner 300+php, Celeteque's 200-300php, Nivea's, Body Shop's Tea Tree Toner 600+php, Neutrogena's Alcohol-free toner ~500php)

#1. Primers!

Smashbox Photofinish (Original), 1800+php at Beauty Bar, $36 at Smashbox website

I've never realized the power of a primer until I started reading beauty blogs. Primers do wonders you just can't imagine. They provide a smooth slate for your make-up to glide on while blurring imperfections and pore size. The best thing about primers is that it keeps your make-up stuck on the face by keeping oilies at bay (which is later reinforced by your finpows)!

The best primers I've tried are silicone-based ones (Smashbox Photofinish), but since most of these can clog our pores, there are primers built silicone-free that may be to our liking!

(My picks: Skinhour's Mattifying Day Cream/Leyende's Face Canvass 400+php, Shu Uemura Mousse UV Base 2000php, Smashbox photofinish Light 2100php also try: Smashbox photofinish original (has silicone), Monistat Anti-Chafing Gel Cream 400-500php, Kryolan Invisi Matte, 800php, MUFE Matt-Velvet 2000+php, Skinfood Agave Prime Gel, 2000php)

I hope you learned a thing or two with these. There are hndreds of ways we can hate our oily skin, but the first step to busting the unwanted oil is to accept that we are what we are. I've come to love my oily skin now... partly because of these best beauty products to control oil!