Sensitive Skin 101

I’ve always had sensitive skin; so somehow I became an expert on dealing with it. Don’t get me wrong, I still get the occasional zits and rash. I’ve also had numerous trials and errors and love-hate relationships with a great deal of drugstore, natural and organic products. I’ve learnt it the hard way and it’s true when you’re dealing with skincare problems that less is always more.

According to my dermatologist, sensitive skin can have hundreds of causes. The most likely culprits are alcohol in toners and astringents, surfactants in soaps and cleansers, chemical preservatives like paraben and propylene glycol, PABA and benzophenone in sunscreen preparations, the list goes on. And it could be internal as well like food, alcohol or hormonal and external like sun, wind, pollution, air conditioning or detergents. There’s also stress. Constantly being on stress slows skin cell renewal making our skin look sallow that emphasises under-eye circles (in short, haggard!).

But here’s what you can do give your sensitive skin its well deserved TLC:

Look for hypoallergenic and allergy tested products. Always do a patch test when planning to buy any cosmetic and facial product. A great and cheaper alternative to VMV is Physiogel Hypoallergenic. Their skincare line is pretty basic. All their products are non-comedogenic, contains no colourants, perfume and preservatives (except their cleanser which has paraben). It’s widely available and works just as well.

Don’t use soap. It strips off your skin’s PH balance leaving it susceptible to irritation. Stick to cream cleansers as they have a rich consistency and leave a light moisturizing film.   

Steer clear of exfoliants (i.e.: toner, facial scrubs) and high-concentrated AHA creams. AHA are natural chemicals found in fruits, wine, milk and sugar cane. AHA, especially in high amounts is a no-no if you have sensitive skin. If you can’t avoid using products with AHA (like me ‘cause I use organic facial products), choose the lowest concentration you can get (from facial wash and toner) and use it occasionally. You can alternate it with your regular creams or cleanser.    

Avoid the sun as much as you can and protect your face with a physical sunscreen containing titanium dioxide instead of a chemical sunscreen. Chemical sunscreens, especially if you have sensitive skin, can cause allergic reactions. We have a lot of organic sunscreens on the market, BB creams and tinted moisturizers that have ample amount of SPF as well. Look for make-up that has SPF to amplify your sun screen protection. Just make sure you’re using a sunscreen no less than SPF30 for everyday use and SPF50 if you’ll be out in the sun for a long time.       

Stop using any product at once if it’s causing your skin to breakout- regardless of how much you want it to work and how expensive it is. Ask around and do your research. Not because a product is high-end, means it’ll work wonders for your skin. You’ll be amazed of the choices we have on the market that are cheaper, efficient and works just as fine. Be smart on your choices.   

If your skin is in bad condition visit a dermatologist immediately. Don’t always rely on website information and advices of family and friends. What works for them might even harm your skin.  

Still, the best prudent solution to dealing with skin breakouts is to reduce stress, get enough sleep, stay hydrated and eat sensibly. In the long run, you’ll save a lot of money from buying skincare products you don’t actually need and your skin will thank you for it.  

Pregnancy Outbreak

I suffered from a severe case of allergy few months back. My face was red and had rashes all over, my eyes were swollen. My whole face was painful and itchy. I couldn’t eat eggs, nuts, chicken, fish and shellfish. It’s bad enough that it has chosen my face to be its settlement area. My face, really!? I had to stop using organic facial products then and that made me sad because it means using prescription and over the counter skincare products. My skin’s all healed now. Except that, I still couldn’t eat those mentioned above or else I’d still get the occasional skin reddening and itching.

I was told that the allergy is pregnancy related and given the proper treatment and precautionary measures, it will clear up eventually. My dermatologist prescribed a mild steroidal cream called Elidel that I can use to treat the perioral dermatitis. It’s an anti-inflammatory cream, priced at around P1500 and must be used within 12 weeks of opening. I used it for a week and voila; it looked like I bought a brand new skin. Seriously.

For months now, this has been my skincare routine:

I use Physiogel for cleansing, Human Nature’s Tomato Toner to remove further grime. Then I massage my face with BNHMS Baby Salve or Human Nature’s Sunflower Oil to moisturize. At night, before sleeping, I slather a generous amount of Physiogel Cream. Once a week, I use a wet nappy cloth or sometimes if my skin is behaving really good St. Ives Olive Scrub (just my nose).   

Boring, eh? But it works. I can use some organic facial products again and no more allergy breakout for me! I stopped using sunscreen for the meantime because I’m worried it might trigger the allergy back and since I’m still on house arrest I guess it's fine not to use any. But when I do which is the hospital (but then again we pass by the basement parking going inside), I use Maybelline’s Mineral Make Up w/ SPF 19 for a little sun protection.

Sleep and keeping yourself hydrated works wonder for your skin!

I love how my skin looks like now.

Can you spot any rash?

And this is how my skin looked like during my first trimester. Cool isn’t it? ;)

 via

Sustainable Beauty: By Nature Handmade Soaps’ Baby Salve

My skin’s been acting strange lately and has been in its worst state for the past couple of weeks. It’s severely drying out, and when I say, drying out, it’s almost like I have skin dandruff, especially around the eye, nose and mouth area (good thing I don’t have acne breakout). I’m certain my skin’s breaking out due to stress or whether if I already have a skin disease (e.g. Psoriasis or skin asthma), the latter, I’m not so sure of. But you get the picture, my skin condition is really that bad and it’s not an exaggeration.

I ran out of organic stash and since I’ve been so busy lately, I can’t squeeze in time to buy my supplies online (as you know, most organic products are not readily available at our local stores). I live in the southern part of Metro Manila; we have a physical store at a nearby mall but they don’t carry BNHMS products. I switched to Celeteque moisturizer, thinking my skin built an immunity of some sort to organic cosmetics; hence the “not working anymore” part. But even the gentlest moisturizer has been drying it out. And so it seems that my skin’s reacting to non-organic products and developed some kind of a super sensitivity to chemical-laden cosmetics even if it’s labeled “hypo-allergenic”.

Luckily, my friend Jen brought me to Mercato Centrale in The Fort a week ago and I was almost jumping for joy when I saw a booth selling my HG moisturizer. My head was literally spinning around. I’ve been using this balm for a good three years and here’s what I got to say about why up to now, I’m still in love with BNHMS’s Baby Salve.

It’s 100% organic. It’s chemical-free. And it’s cheap compared to VMV’s Booboo Balm (approximately P200). It’s a multi-purpose salve that can be used for most baby concerns like nappy rash, insect bites, eczema, dry patches and even small cuts and booboos. Plus it’s my HG night cream.

When my skin is drying out real bad, I use this to soften up the rough spots. It’s a staple in my stash and it’s been my night cream for three-years now. It’s sticky considering that most of its ingredients are organic oils, but when applied in front of a fan or in an air-conditioned room, it easily absorbs in the skin (if you have oily skin, you can’t use it as a day moisturizer because it would surely make you look like a sweaty grease ball). It’s a great barrier balm sans the chemicals. It dries up my pimples and gives me that glowing glow upon waking up when used as a night cream. A colleague of mine asked me long before if I’m taking any Glutathione supplements and if I have a regular facial session with a dermatologist. Yep, that good and it’s working for me.

And Why Alcohol Drinking is bad for Your Health

So what are the other culprits; besides stress, laundry detergents and chemical-laden cosmetics? Apparently, my skin has also turned acidic. I didn’t notice not until the night I’ve cried for almost three-hour tops and saw the horror the following morning. The skin under my eyes has been burnt with my tears! It’s the stress and too much alcohol drinking. Listen to your mother. Drink moderately or better yet (if you have extra sensitive skin like me), don’t drink at all. Errrr, I’m back to being annoyingly boring. Damn.

**I’ve noticed that BNHMS’s products tend to spoil easily—their balm, sunscreen, body butter and oil lotion (well, almost all 100% organic products tend to; this is a good thing though if you want the assurance that you’re getting its purest and safest ingredients). I store them up in the fridge in a separate container so it would last a bit longer. **

Sustainable Beauty: BN Herbal Wonder Cream

I’ve been using this since December and I think it’s just in time for a review.

I bought this together with the Bare Naturals BB Cream. Both products claim to reduce age spots, acne scars and effectively lighten the skin. According to its manufacturer, the Bare Naturals Herbal Wonder Cream is highly recommended for the face, and other dark areas such as armpit, elbows, bikini line. I need this for my freckles! :D  

Bare Naturals Herbal Wonder Cream’s 18 effective skin lightening herbal ingredients:

aloe vera, emu oil, aragan oil, alpha arbutin, gigawhite [Glycerine, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow Extract), Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Leaf Extract, Primula Veris Extract, Alchemilla Vulgaris Extract, Veronica Officinalis Extract, Melissa Officinalis LE, Achillea Milefolium Extract]melawhite, melfade and papaya extract

SLS and Paraben-free! Hooray!

What I love about it:

It’s creamy but not too heavy

 Moisturizing enough but if you’re suffering from dry skin,

 you still need to apply a moisturizer after applying it.  

Easily absorbed by the skin

Has a light and subtle scent

No stingy feel considering it has skin lightening ingredients

 (and I have sensitive skin as well!)

No unsightly peeling

light-medium consistency 

What I don’t:

I prefer pump bottles for hygienic purposes

 This comes in a tub container and since it claims to be herbal and all,

 it’s more prone to spoilage so make sure to avoid double dipping.

 Use a spatula to scoop out the cream to prevent contamination.

Price is steep for a 15g pack (costs P398)

 Plus, tub’s not completely full; it’s almost half a tub! (or maybe I just got a bad stock)

It has no plastic seal or cover (like almost all organic/herbal/natural products sold locally)
Not readily available as you need to purchase the products online
(But I think they already have a physical store in Tunasan, Muntinlupa)

at least it has an inner seal

The Verdict:

It did lighten my freckles! The brightening effect worked.

 My skintone has become much more even
 (although I have fairly white skin to begin with).

 And no breakouts from these two products! Yey!

pardon the sheets, I just woke up :P

see?? :)

To maximize its benefits, use the Herbal Wonder Cream twice a day. Best when used with Bare Naturals BB cream. Use a gentle facial scrub at least once a week to ensure you’re sloughing off unnecessary dead skin cells. Avoid spending time in direct sunlight. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 or higher. Use an alcohol free cleanser and toner to avoid skin irritation. And like any other skin lightening product, avoid prolonged use.  

Care to give it a try? You may go to: Bare Naturals Site to order one. :)

**This is not a paid review. The views expressed here are solely those of the author. What works for me, might not work for you. So keep an open mind and use at your own risk.**

It's not Sunburn, It's Windburn!

We had a short beach trip last weekend in Calatagan, Batangas with our closest friends and my siblings and a Tagaytay stopover for a sumptuous lunch (which my siblings enjoyed immensely, as you know I don’t eat Sisig and Bulalo, LOL) before heading home.

I noticed the following day that my face has started to itch, leaving it slightly red. At first I thought it was sunburn (I swam on the beach at three in the afternoon and the sun was very hot that time). But my face wasn’t that red and as you know, a sunburn is tender to touch, and my face wasn’t. I slathered on vitamin E (pricked from the caplet) to have it moisturized, day and night. It lessened the itch and the redness. It looked a lot better the following day. It’s not itchy anymore but it left me a very dry skin and rough blotchy patches on the sides of my face (jaw line, chin, hairline, sides of my nose and brow line).

very dry skin and rough blotchy patches

It’s not sunburn; it’s windburn from our Tagaytay trip last Sunday! The weather in Tagaytay is almost Baguio-like (plus the strong winds that could literally blew a thin person off his/her feet)! I’m not exaggerating here. It’s really that cold and windy.         

What the hell is windburn anyway?      

Windburn results from a combination of cold wind and low humidity, which depletes the oil layer on your skin. It looks like a burn and certainly feels like a burn but it’s actually a skin irritation leaving your skin severely dry. A windburn can hurt just as much as a sunburn, but fortunately it is far less serious. It will usually fade away on its own in a couple of days.

my windburned skin on day 5
looking a lot better

Here are some tips that you can consider to speed the healing process of your windburned skin.

Keep your skin covered. Wear a scarf or neck warmer to keep your neck and chin protected and hat or a bonnet for your cheeks and forehead. Now, this was my big mistake. We were on those overlooking Bulalo houses and I’m having a hard time keeping my hair off my face because of the strong wind so I pulled my hair back in a bun making my face more exposed to the chilly weather. Yes, it’s entirely my fault. :(

When you’re going to be out for a long time, lather on a moisturizing sunblock/sunscreen (preferably with a higher SPF than 15). This will protect your skin from both sun and windburn. Don’t forget to lube up your lips too, again, with an SPF. Apply sunscreen every two hours to maximize its benefits.

Windburned skin craves moisture. Apply a thick moisturizer (preferably the ones without fragrances to avoid further irritation) three to four times a day. Aloe gel from the plant would be your best bet (as it contains zero chemicals) to soothe and alleviate the itchiness and swelling of the affected skin. If aloe gel’s not readily available, there are plenty of organic products with aloe which works just fine. I bought mine from Watsons. It has tea tree and peppermint oil and has worked wonders for my windburned skin.

Use a mild cleanser to clean the affected area. Choose the ones without added preservatives and fragrances. You want to keep as much natural oils on your skin as possible to avoid further drying. Avoid washing your skin too much as it may result to a drier skin making it more susceptible to irritation.

If your skin is sore, take an OTC anti-inflammatory meds such as aspirin or if you’re allergic to aspirin, ibuprofen or paracetamol will do the job as well. It’ll help in easing the pain and promote healing. Get checked by a doctor if your skin looks really swollen.

Prevention is always better than cure.

I should have brought my trusty bonnet with me! Oh well.

Sustainable Beauty: What's in your fridge?

I’ve always relied on our kitchen cupboard for skincare because it’s a no-brainer plus it’s cheap. Do you know that there are still good reasons why we should consider concocting our own skincare products? Well, at least occasionally cos it can be unhygienic.

It’s fun and can be shared with children. It’s a way of using up what’s in the fridge before heading out for the supermarket and it’s the only way where you can be absolutely certain about what you’re putting on your face and body. See? :)

Let me share with you my not so secret skincare remedies.

LEMON (or CALAMANSI)

The old remedy for scaly elbows that actually work! It has a gentle, bleaching action as the fruit acids exfoliate the stubbornly dry elbow skin.

It can be used as a natural deodorant. Squeeze out the juice, dab under armpits and let it sit for 5-10 mins. Proceed with your usual bath routine. A home remedy for dark underarms as well!

I use this as an alternative to the commercial cuticle softener.

OATMEAL

Oatmeal baths are excellent for sore, cracked skins. To avoid the feeling like you’re bathing in porridge, wrap the oatmeal in a muslin cloth, or a sock will do just as well.

Oatmeal can also be used as an exfoliant for the face. My favorite concoction is with honey. You can combine it with milk for added exfoliation. Lactic acid is also a natural exfoliant.

Tip: You can make a DIY cheesecloth (katsa) pouch. I made one from a nappy cloth.

GROUND COFFEE

Caffeine has been known to reduce the appearance of cellulite. It may not completely banish those stubborn orange peel in our thighs, but it tightens the skin making it less visible. My favorite inexpensive body scrub. I mix it with oatmeal for extra soft skin.

YOGURT

Yogurt is used as a natural face mask. It contains lactic acid which is a natural exfoliant, similar to the AHAs used in some commercial products.

OILS

There are lots of oils that act as great moisturizer. My favorites are olive and coconut.

Olive oil is a great moisturizer. I’m a bit wary of its smell though, but I love how it makes my skin uber soft! It helps minimize the appearance of stretch marks as it contains high levels of vitamin E.

Coconut oil is excellent massage oil. It helps in preventing premature ageing due to its antioxidant properties.

Cheap and honest to goodness skincare products! Try it and have fun! :)

So, have you been raiding your kitchen cupboard and fridge lately?

**all images were taken from google**