Alpha Arbutin KB Silver Soap Review

I never fully understood how soaps could cost a couple hundred bucks. I mean, P100 for a regular sized bar soap is expensive, considering you can buy good quality soaps from Japan for P50-80. KB does not care about explaining the inexplicable. In fact, its 60 gram soap, (regular soaps are 135-180g) is priced at P120-P300 depending on the seller. That's double the price for half the size. 

Considering their arrogance, er confidence, you'd think the product must be something. 

This isn't the first time I've tried KB Silver Soap. Probably the fourth? And because I'm a sucker for sales and marketing promos, this is probably not the last time I'd buy. I bought this 60g soap for P55, still expensive but in my mind at the time of the promo, it was a good deal.

The box says it has Alpha Arbutin + Hyaluronic Acid + Collagen. 

Alpha Arbutin- I've come across this wonder ingredient countless times. It's often marketed as the safest whitening ingredient, with kojic acid powers minus its drying effects. I've used countless alpha arbutin products, and for some reason, I have nothing to show for effectiveness. I don't know. It isn't that I expect a lot from a star whitener, but I've seen more amazing results from local papaya soaps. 

Hyaluronic Acid - This is controversial. I remember how this was once touted as the best moisturizing ingredient that the world has seen. And yet in recent years, it's been proven to cause long-term drying effects on skin. I remember reading a paper showing how hyaluronic acid tricks users into thinking it moisturizes the skin by drawing out moisture from inside the skin towards its outer layers, effectively drying the inner layers while temporarily moisturizing the outer layers. IDK though. I need to find that paper. But Lab Muffin has discussed this in her blog. 

Collagen - Like glutathione, this is supposed to be taken orally for it to take effect. I do not know why it's on soaps and lotions and topical products. Nonetheless, KB claims this is from fish ovary peptides "to maximize body's collagen for supple and firm skin."

The box explains that it's main ingredient, Alpha Arbutin, is a skin brightener that works by blocking epidermal melanin biosynthesis. So I guess what it really does is prevent darkening by preventing the skin from producing dark pigments.

Other interesting ingredients include:

• titanium dioxide (sunscreen)
• lactic acid (exfoliant)
• citric acid (exfoliant/brightener)
• honey extracts
• vitamin A
• vitamin E
• vitamin C

Box instructions say you're supposed to rub this on the skin using a special loofah. Rinse. And repeat. I use this directly on my skin, let it sit for a bit while I apply hair conditioner and brush my teeth. 

As mentioned earlier, I am yet to experience extraordinary magical stuff from something this expensive. What I can back up though is that this soap does not cause crazy levels of dryness you'd get from kojic and bleaching soaps. This also has a pleasant smell, no artificial, sickeningly sweet smell. The smell is hard to describe, but it reminds me of milk and babies, probably the secret reason I keep buying despite not seeing immediate results.

KB has another soap that go by the name Gold Premium. Judging by the ads, it's like the Silver soap but with more whitening ingredients like Kojic Acid and Soybean Extract. Unlike the Silver soap though, it isn't expensive, it's crazy expensive at P475+ for a 135g bar. I'll review it as soon as I chance on a promo. I'm waiting for it to go below a hundred bucks. That's the most I can do for soap. 

Hello Glow All Natural Whitening Set Review

A couple of posts back, I could've sworn I'm so done with derma kits and rejuvenating sets. It's the mercury/tretinoin/hydroquinone (and sometimes kojic) content that I'm so done with, imagine my pleasant surprise when I found out about Hello Glow. 

It's rather off-putting that it's a brand under Ever Bilena Cosmetics. Nothing wrong with the brand, just, you know, it's forever associated with a certain female dance group and you can't help but feel worried about its quality. Ever Bilena is now endorsed by my favorite local beauty queen, so I try to remind myself that product quality has nothing to do with celebrity endorsers. Anyway.

I ordered Hello Glow on Shopee on the sole basis of it promising that it's "safe for sensitive skin, teenagers, pregnant and breastfeeding women." It's literally printed on the box. While other rejuvenating kits promise more or less the same thing, Ever Bilena is a rather large cosmetics company, and I don't think they'd risk tarnishing their decades long existence by lying about its product contents. Rejuvenating kits from fly by night cosmetics laboratories have nothing to lose. Ever Bilena, despite being associated with a certain female dance group, has billions at stake.

What's in the box?

The same stuff you'd find in other rejuvenating brands: soap, toner, night cream, and day cream that functions as sunscreen.

SOAP

It's decently wrapped in its own plastic packaging, unlike other rejuv soaps that come in cling wrap. The label says 4-in-1 whitening soap. Promises to restore, exfoliate and whiten. Contains papaya extract, kojic acid, and glutathione. I'm not that excited about using papaya extract on my face, I've tried half a dozen other brands of papaya soap and all have broken me out. Same worries about kojic acid. Arbutin is okay, it's supposed to be the safest whitening ingredient in the market. Glutathione, I've heard a derma say, is pretty useless as a topical ingredient. At the back, it shows that its base is coconut and palm oil, and I do find the soap very moisturizing indeed. It also has lychee and peony extracts. 

The soap is rather underwhelming. I wore make up one time and it failed to remove my sunscreen and BB cream. I had to use grapeseed oil and tissue to completely clean my face. Nonetheless, the soap did not break me out, which is outstanding in my book. 

TONER

Another outstanding product is the clarifying toner. It contains Ethyl Alcohol, so I was expecting it would dry my skin out, but it surprisingly didn't. It also contains Apple, Skullcap, Saxifrage extracts, which are new to me. It also has kojic, arbutin and glutathione for whitening purposes. I enjoy using the toner because it smells so nice. It doesn't sting. My skin feels clean and moisturized after using it.

DAY CREAM

This is an SPF 30 sunscreen with moisturizers and apple extract. Nothing remarkably good about it. I mean, when it comes to sunscreen, you can only really hope it does what it's supposed to do. It's quite sticky, but although it feels thick, it smells light and fruity so it sorta compensates that way. I've used it under make up once and it didn't blend well because this day cream does not really absorb into the skin, it sits on top making for a muddy scenario. 

NIGHT CREAM

This is the product I liked the least. Mainly because like the day cream, it's thick. It does not absorb into the skin. For some reason also, this breaks me out. Whenever I put this on my face, I wake up with 2-3 pimples on random places. I checked the label, and I'm guessing it's just a bad mix of all the fruit extracts and whitening stuff and the thick cream base. I now use this on my neck on nights when I know I can stand some stickiness.

Do I recommend this? 

I think this would work on normal to dry skin. The set works well in moisturizing the skin. Even though it didn't deliver on a couple of its promises (micropeeling, glass skin, skin brightening, etc.), it did make my skin look and feel healthy. This would probably work perfectly on people who live in low-humidity areas. I also feel like this is perfect for people who are not really looking to get crazy white, but needs just the right amount of glowing suppleness. 

Price: Around P250 for a kit that lasts for a month. 

Usana Vitamins Poly C Review

So I'm still on my oral supplements adventure. This is partly triggered by the ongoing pandemic. I'm trying to take as many health supplements as I can heh. I know, I'm aware this can get counterproductive considering how the liver has no pain receptors and therefore has no way to tell me that my beauty pills are wreaking havoc in my system. So now we're here, down this rabbit hole of multilevel marketing supplements. 

I am no fan of multilevel marketing. I mean, if anything, I enjoy MLM hate memes as much as any other MLM victim. I just happen to receive some bottles from my mom. And because of the health scares, I'm like, yes, give me health pills. 

This won't be a hate post. I'll try my hardest not to post MLM hate memes. I'll try to review the product like it does not have a tinge of overpricing and deceptive marketing. I'll try my hardest to make this as wholesome as possible. 

As the name implies, Poly C is a Vitamin C product. We all know what Vitamin C is for, but just in case you live under a rock, Vitamin C does the following:

• Supports immune function
• Supports eye health
• Supports collagen synthesis
• Maintains bones
• Maintains gums
• Maintains teeth
• As an antioxidant, helps fight free radicals that make people old and ugly
• When taken in high levels with Glutathione, bleaches the skin

So Vitamin C supports and maintains all sorts of stuff. What makes Usana different, according to Usana, is that their Vitamin C stays in the blood in higher levels than Vitamin C formulations of other brands. 

Aside from 600 mg of Ascorbic Acid, Poly C also has the following:

• 65 mg Citrus Bioflavonoids - a good mix of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory stuff
• 7 mg Rutin - helps with eyesight problems, weight maintenance, and blood circulation
• 3 mg Quercetin Dihydrate - also an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory

Usana products, for some reason, do not have desiccants (moisture absorbing packs) in their bottles. Considering they package their products in bottles of 56 - 120 pieces, which takes months to finish, it would be wise not to let their pills be exposed to moisture inside the bottles. Unless, of course, they think you'd just buy another bottle in case the pills go bad after a few weeks.

The pills are larger than your regular pills or capsules. So they're tad bit harder to swallow. They do not smell funky. Well, they do after a few weeks inside the bottle. 

Are these effective? I can't tell for sure. I take Poly C along with KB Glutathione for skin bleaching purposes, and I do not really see any effect at week 4. But then maybe it's because I'm often out under the sun. I also do not see any glow I used to see while taking Gluta with Vitamin C pills. But then maybe it's because I've been staying up late recently. 

Poly C does not make my tummy hurt. I get random headaches, but it could be from something else. Sorry, this review is too inconclusive it's pretty useless. Ha. I mean, I don't really have anything extra special to say about Vitamin C. 

The Good: it's free. Ha. It does not make my tummy hurt. Also, I'd like to believe the MLM marketers that this is premium Vitamin C, so it does its job better than other brands. 

The Bad: it's expensive when it's not free. This sells for around PHP1,200 for a bottle of 120 pills Making it PHP10 per pill. Most Vitamin C brands in the market sell for PHP5 to PHP8 a pill. Also, NO DESICCANT!!!

BOTTOMLINE: I'M NOT BUYING, BUT I'D GLADLY TAKE ANOTHER BOTTLE FOR FREE, THANKS.

KB Glutathione Review

3rd on the series of oral glutathione reviews. (Mulan review here. Tathion review here.)

As mentioned previously, I was meaning to purchase Relumins glutathione, my absolute favorite of them all oral gluta brands. However, I keep getting distracted by sales and clever marketing tricks. I'm currently on KB Glutathione, and so I'd probably finish this whole month before actually getting Relumins.

This isn't my first time to take KB. I think for most of 2010/2011/2012 I was on this pill. I was generally satisfied with KB, but back in the day, I was fair. I had even-toned fair and bright skin and KB did its job in making it glow. I've taken KB in recent years for a month a couple of times only to discontinue because of inconvenience.

Quick review: KB lightens skin, but for some reason, it makes my skin look a pale shade of yellow/peach. While it used to be okay because I'd dye my hair blonde, and yellow/peach skin looked amazing with blonde hair, I now would rather go with a more neutral/blue shade of bright white skin to go with my jet black hair. Yellow just looks dull and sallow on older skin and darker hair.

I'm guessing this yellowish tinge isn't exactly from the glutathione, but from the Rosehips. IDK. I'm really just guessing. This yellowing doesn't happen with other brands. I find that with Relumins, my skin is more on the neutral/blue shade. And the only difference with KB is that it comes with 500 mg of Rosehips. I also did an experiment a while back - for an entire month, I only took the Rosehips, and found that my skin did turn yellowish.

I could really go without the Rosehips, but my stingy self wouldn't let me throw it away. Also, Rosehips is a good source of Vitamin C and antioxidants. The yellow tone fades as soon as I stop taking it anyway, so I guess I'll just take it along with the glutathione.

You might be wondering why I keep buying KB in spite of it turning my skin an unwanted shade of yellow. Answer: it often goes on sale. It remains to be the cheapest brand that actually delivers noticeable effects on the skin. Never mind the yellowing, it's still bright and even-toned skin.

Average market price is P1,200 (both online and at Mercury Drugstore) for a 30 day pack. It was selling for P199 for a 10 day pack, so I went and bought a 50 day pack for only P1,000. Now you see why I forgot about Relumins. I will remember Relumins after 50 days when my skin has gone yellow again.

BOTTOMLINE: I recommend KB Glutathione with Rosehips for younger people who can get away with a yellow undertone. It does look amazing for people with mestiza features, as KB brings out the peach tones in the face. Older people or those looking to get a more neutral shade of fair skin should look at other oral glutathione brands.

4 stars out of 5.

Tathione Korea Whitening Capsule Review

My attempt at bleaching my skin via whitening supplements didn't go well weeks ago. Review of Mulan 4in1 Whitening Capsules here (summary: I broke out due to the lactose content!) So I decided I'd try another brand. I then ordered Tathion Korea Whitening in 50 mg Capsules online from my trusted beauty store. 

They go by 50 mg packs, and so they're tiny, tiny capsules that are easy to swallow. Also, because they're 50 mg, you'd need to take a handful to see any effect. 

Other oral glutathione brands go by 500 to 1,000 mg servings per day. To get the same results, you'd need to take at least 10 Tathione capsules per day, or 3 to 4 capsules before meals.

Tathione initially looks like a cheaper alternative, considering it only costs P8 per capsule (I bought mine on sale for P6, if I remember correctly.) Plus you have the option to buy per piece. But because you need to take at least 10 per day, it amounts to P80 per day, or P2,400 per month for a daily dose of only 500 mg. Rather expensive, considering that other brands costs P1,800 for a daily dose of 1,000 mg. 

Why I like it though is that, 1) I didn't break out. 2) While I did not see any noticeable difference in my complexion because I was mostly under the sun while on this pill, my skin felt nice to touch. 3) It's a Korean brand, which to me, is gold standard when it comes to product trustworthiness. 4) It's an established brand - I've been reading reviews and recommendations of Tathion from as far back as the early 2010s. 

I've only been on this pill for exactly a month. And I only have good words for it. Other people swear by the glowy, bright effect they get from this pill. However, due to the price and hassle of having to take 10+ capsules a day, I don't think I'll be ordering a new batch. I'm going to go back to Relumins.

I mean, I was going to go back to Relumins, but for some reason, I ended up ordering KB Glutathione. Read review here. 

Mulan 4 in 1 Whitening X30 Review

I'd like to mention this early on that I think the packaging and overall branding is poorly, poorly, poorly designed.

So it's quite clear that the branding is trying to capture the Oriental pale skinned princess vibe. They seemed to have tried to make it look like Disney Mulan to capture attention, without making it look like Disney Mulan to avoid trademark issues. I think it's... crass. But I bought it anyway, so I guess I'm crass myself.

I was meaning to buy Relumins, the only oral glutathione product that has worked satisfactorily on my skin. But this thing was on sale from the same online store, and someone I sort of know has amazing skin who swears by this so I bought a bottle just to see if it works despite its crappy packaging and unbelievable price (P250 a bottle for a month use!)

This product has got some very clever marketing tricks up its sleeve. Not that these tricks are purely evil, but it's simply not a nice thing to do, you know, when you try to sell something by making it look like something that it isn't.

1) The Mulan brand name and the Mulan cartoon that sorta resembles Disney Mulan. If I were at a physical store and I saw this bottle from a few meters away, I'd think, oh hey look, Disney now sells whitening products. It's an effective way to capture attention, but also an effective way to get people suspicious of your products.

2) The "X30." I mean, if I were a skincare newbie and I saw this on the bottle, I'd think this meant it's 30 times more effective than another product. A closer inspection would show that there really isn't anything about it that justifies an X30 label. (Addendum: Ha. So I guess it's there to mean, there's... dun dun dun dun... 60 capsules inside for a 30 day consumption? Ha.)

3) And then there's this:

4) Front label says it contains Pearl Whitening 6,000 mg. Back label says it contains only 100 mg of Pearl Powder per capsule.

5) Front label says it contains Premium Collagen Peptide 15,000 mg. Back label says it contains only 250 mg per capsule.

6) Front label says it contains L-Glutathione 6,000 mg. Back label says it contains only 100 mg per capsule.

7) Front label says it contains NAC booster 3,000 mg. Back label says it contains only 50 mg per capsule.

So, as you can tell, this product employs weird weird ways of getting people to buy it. I'd say this should be called out. Unfortunately, the Health Supplements Industry allow such practices with no legal consequences. This is exactly why brands can sell milk as a beauty product (for collagen and strong bones), when it's really just the usual powdered milk that kids drink - yes, those have Vitamin E, D and collagen too. Or why networking companies are free to sell coffee as a beauty product (with antioxidants and anti aging components), when it's really just the usual instant coffee mix with a tiny, unverifiable amount of powdered herbs.

Anyway, because there is no actual law against it, we are not complaining. I just wish beauty product manufacturers would get a little honest, you know. Why say it has 6,000 mg of Glutathione when it only has 100 mg per capsule? Are consumers supposed to right away understand that they get 6,000 mg worth of that ingredient after taking 60 capsules? 

So I figured I'd just take 2 capsules a day, and not expect anything amazing. I can't really say it whitened my skin, because I've been out under the sun the entire month I was using this. What bothered me is that I was never without a chin pimple every single day I was on this beauty pill.

BOTTOMLINE

Not recommending this. Sorry. I should've gone by Relumins. If it helps though, the woman who did recommend this have amazing amazing skin for someone in her 40s. Again, I was out the whole time I was on this so I can't say anything positive regarding its whitening effectiveness. I also found out while writing this that Mulan has lactose, which breaks me out.

If you're looking for something to whiten your skin, go by Relumins. If you're broke and looking for something cheap for your oral whitening needs, try Daiso Beauty White. Doesn't whiten as effectively as Relumins, but it does make the skin bright.

1 out of 5 stars.

REDEEMING QUALITIES

*FDA Approved
*Halal Certified
*GMP Certified
*Affordable at P250 per bottle
*might work for those with generally fair skin and have no lactose issues

So I guess I'm saying, I didn't like it at all, but it works for some and you don't really lose much for the price. Still 1 out of 5.

WHERE TO BUY

PREMIUM MULAN Collagen Peptide + Pearl Powder + Glutathione + NAC 60 Capsules 500mg

Click here.

Relumins Advance Nutrition Gluta 1000 - Reduced L-Glutathione Complex - 30 CAPSULES

Click here.

Lazada 

Dove Beauty Bar Review

So, an esthetician/wax specialist by the name of Ari Maquilon, posted a rather outrageous Facebook post, claiming that Dove Beauty Bar is not soap and should therefore not be used to wash the skin because all it does is leave a film. Posting a screenshot of her post:

Claim #1: DOVE IS NOT A SOAP

Sorry, but this is not exactly true. Dove has surfactants, which basically means it foams or acts as a detergent, and can therefore be used to wash off dirt, oils, and debris on skin. 

Claim #2: WATER IS NOT THE MAIN INGREDIENT, WHY?

I do not see why this is an issue. Water is simply not the main ingredient, because, dun dun dun dun, Dove is a bar soap, not a liquid soap. 

Claim #3: IT DOES NOT WASH ANYTHING

Okay, so my child and I paint and Dove beauty bar definitely does a good job of washing away pigments, both oil and acrylic, off our skin. I mean, washing away basically means paint is no longer on our skin, I assume Dove does the same thing with debris, oil, and other stuff that are not as easy to see as paint. 

Claim #4: IT IS EXTREMELY FILMY AND LEAVES A TON OF RESIDUE

This is true and is the whole point of washing with Dove. Dove leaves the skin moisturized thanks to this "film." 

Claim #5: DR. BRONNERS SOAP IS BETTER

Better, how? While the ingredients of Dr. Bronners soap are mostly gentle oils and surfactants, it does contain LYE. What is lye? It's Potassium Hydroxide, which is pretty harsh on the skin. 

Claim #6: LOVE, BEAUTY AND PLANET IS BETTER

Both Dove and Love, Beauty and Planet brands are manufactured by Unilever. They contain the same ingredients, including the ones Ari mentioned on her Dove rant.

Claim #7: SHE CAN CUSTOMIZE A REGIMEN FOR YOUR SKIN CARE NEEDS

Ari is an Esthetician, not a Dermatologist. She probably spent a few months to a year of studying beauty products, salon treatments, and spa procedures. She did not spend 4 years studying Pre-med science, another 4 years studying the human body for Medicine, and another few years studying the skin down to its cellular level to get a medical license to practice Dermatology so she can legally and legitimately give medical advice for skin health. While she can give skin care tips, just like me over this blog, she is not qualified to give personalized skin care recommendations to strangers on the internet. Dove users usually have sensitive/eczema-prone/dermatitis-prone skin to begin with, it's not wise to play Dermatologist on them. 

MY OWN OPINION ON DOVE.

I have a love/hate relationship with Dove Beauty Bar. My first experience with it was over a decade ago. One of my best friends has the most amazing skin: bright, poreless, never had a single pimple her entire life. Her beauty secret? Dove. The one that comes in a blue and white box. That's all she uses on her face and body. I tried using Dove once in my teenage years out of sheer envy, needless to say, my acne-prone, oily skin, did not like it. Does that make Dove garbage? No. The problem rests on my skin. Her sister has dry, acne-prone skin, and Dove helps her deal with the dryness, but not with acne. And this is because:

Yes, Dove leaves a FILM. It leaves a moisturizing film, which it so clearly says on its packaging and advertisements. This film is comedogenic to people with existing sebum problems. So, no, it's not for people with acne and oily skin. 

But guess what? It does wonders for my dermatitis. I developed contact dermatitis from using Kojic acid soaps. And only Dove helps heal the peeling flakes on my hands. 

My child also uses Dove. But we discovered recently that Johnson's Baby Wash, both the regular one and the one with Oatmeal & Milk, are the best for kids with sensitive skin.

We stocked up on boxes of Dove Beauty Bar for the quarantine. That's how much we trust it.

DO I RECOMMEND DOVE? 

Yes, for daily handwashing and for bathing especially during the winter/dry season. It helps keep the skin healthy and moisturized. 

No, for face washing especially for people with acne and oily skin especially in humid places. The now infamous film clogs pores. Surprisingly though, it turns up every once in a while in product recommendations in acne groups, so maybe it works for people whose acne is exacerbated by dry skin and dry environments. 

But then, you know, Dove never actually claimed it heals acne. All it ever claimed was that it's a moisturizing gentle cleanser. And it does exactly that. 

I mean, seriously, this is what you'll find on their website:

I honestly do not get the hate. 

Craftology Oils Review

A couple of months ago, I wrote about Hydroquinone/Tretinoin and how dangerous they can get. Read post here. I was  neck-deep in research, trying to look for safer alternatives. I had plenty of skin issues to deal with: oiliness, occasional acne, acne scars, and early signs of aging. So I can't just laze around and let my skin be what it is for the whole world to judge. I had to find something. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life covering my skin with makeup.

At this point in the history of humanity, we still have not found the magic potion that can make skin regenerate perfectly. We have hydroquinone, which bleaches the skin. We have tretinoin, which increases cellular turnover, in lay speak, it makes new skin cells replace old ones faster than usual. These two are still the best when it comes to getting rid of scars, discoloration, uneven tone and texture, and fine lines. But there's a catch - both have nasty side effects, from skin stains to cancer.


We've found acids and actives that can replicate these effects, but not in the same speed, manner, or efficiency.

• Bleaching alternatives: arbutin, glutathione, vitamin C, niacinamide, and the herbal stuff like papain, licorice extract, kojic acid. 

• Tretinoin alternatives: AHA, BHA. The first one peels the surface layer of the skin. The second one goes much deeper into the pores. 

I was in an existential dilemma. To die beautiful (sooner) or to die ugly (later), that is the question. I definitely did not want to die ugly, but I also didn't want to deal with the nasty side effects of hydroquinone/tretinoin just to be beautiful.

I went to Shopee to check out Korean skincare lines. I was overwhelmed with the options. To cut the long story short, I found myself down a rabbit hole, and ended up in the Craftology Essentials shop, owned by a "theinspiredalchemist."

I'm a big fan of The Ordinary brand, I love that their products are as effective as higher-priced products from other brands. Imagine my surprise when I found out we have a locally available brand that carries similar products with the same business ethic. Jackpot.

They sell acids and pure oils in neatly-designed 100 ml bottles. Price list as of this writing:

• Lactic Acid PHP 90
• Virgin Coconut Oil PHP 115
• Cold-pressed Castor Oil PHP 120
• Sunflower Oil PHP 120
• Sweet Almond Oil PHP 135
• Grapeseed Oil PHP 140
• Avocado Oil PHP 225
• Safflower Oil PHP 240
• Apricot Kernel Oil PHP 255
• Macadamia Oil PHP 285
• Wheat Germ Oil PHP 315
• Golden Jojoba Oil PHP 390
• Kukui Nut Oil PHP 450
• Rosehip Oil PHP 520
• Pure Argan Oil PHP 620

And dozens more. Some of these are also sold in 30 ml dropper bottles, should you wish to hoard one of each kind. They also carry extracts, waxes, essential oils, fragrance oils, even Vitamin E and other skin care ingredients that you may experiment on and add to your favorite lotions and hair serums. 

I felt like a kid in a candy store. I did not know which oils to pick so I trimmed down my long list to two: Rosehip oil and Grapeseed oil. 

CRAFTOLOGY ROSEHIP OIL

Straight off their product label:

"Rose hip oil, due to its high concentration of antioxidants and essential fatty acids, is known to be effective in reducing the appearance of scars and wrinkles. It is an effective emollient and is recommended for use on dry, distressed, and sensitive skin, which it leaves smooth and hydrated. It may also be easily incorporated as an active ingredient or used as an ideal carrier in skin and hair care products. It is recommended for use in anti-wrinkle and sun care cosmetic formulations."

This product had me at "effective in reducing the appearance of scars and wrinkles."

I use this in full concentration at night. I basically just slather it all over my face. It can feel thick so I don't recommend this during the day or if you stay in rooms without air conditioning. It makes the skin feel soft and moisturized. It also makes the skin look plumper so fine lines and pores are less visible. I did not break out nor had eczema or itchy patches while using this. No purging period.

CRAFTOLOGY GRAPESEED OIL

Straight off their product label:

"Grapeseed oil is an effective, non-greasy emollient with good skin absorption. It may be applied directly on the skin and hair and may also be easily incorporated as an active ingredient or an ideal carrier in skin and hair care products. It is widely used in applications for blemished, oily, and impure skin as it leaves the skin soft, smooth, and conditioned."

This product had me at "blemished, oily, and impure skin." Ouch but okay that's my skin alright.

I use this oil as a makeup remover. It's too thick to be left on the face over night or to be used as daytime moisturizer. It's also pretty cheap at PHP 140 for a 100 ml bottle. I've used mine as a makeup remover nightly for over half a year and I still have a bit of it left. I slather it on, rub it in circles to loosen the day's accumulation of sunscreen, BB cream, powder, and face gunk and then wipe it off with a cotton ball. I do that up to 3-4 times until I get a clear cotton ball. It also removes eye makeup well, including waterproof mascara and eyeliner. I then wash it off with a BHA-based facial wash, or soap when I'm being lazy and careless. I used to use Cetaphil to remove my makeup but this is a cheaper, and surprisingly, gentler alternative.

Next Craftology products on my list:

1. Cold-pressed Castor Oil. PHP 85 for 30 ml

I had a bad experience with castor oil back in college. So I was this teenager wanting to have naturally long, thick, shiny lashes and people on the internet were like, "use castor oil!" so I bought a cheap bottle in Mercury Drug (as in like less than PHP 50) and ended up getting my first wrinkles at age 17. I'm sure it was the brand, because to this day, over a decade later, people still swear by castor oil for nice lashes. I'm gonna refuse to learn my lesson and experiment once again with this oil. Craftology seems like an honest brand.

2. Virgin Coconut Oil. PHP 115 for 100 ml

Only because it's coronavirus season and this is causing a stir in local medicine. VCO had been around for over a decade and I still have not tried it. People have recommended it to me for dry skin, dry hair, muscle aches and shiz. The internet has also given me medical advice regarding VCO's ability to fix dental issues ~ it's that magical. So maybe, just maybe, I'll finally give it a chance. 

3. Pure Argan Oil. PHP 620 for 100 ml

I will never forget how this rude saleslady at Landmark told me that the hair serum I was asking for was worth P3k. She looked at me like I wouldn't be able to afford it so why bother asking. Well to be fair, I wasn't looking to get overpriced hair stuff indeed, I don't like spending so much on my hair, mostly because it's not my biggest problem. But see, now, Landmark Lady, I can replicate your overpriced Argan Oil Magic Serum with something I can make from Craftology. I don't know why Argan is overhyped, possibly because it's expensive, but has anyone actually compared it with VCO just to see if it's all that good? Looks to me like good material for a next blog post.

4. Aloe Vera Glycolic Extract. PHP 120 for 30 ml

I think it's strange for someone who's always claimed to be a beauty product expert to not, ever, have tried aloe vera, VCO, and argan oil. So I'm getting this next time just for the heck of it. I remember drinking aloe vera juice as a child, it tasted horrible. I've never tried it on my skin. Heard it's awesome for sunburns and hair thickening. 

5. Titanium Dioxide. PHP 120 for 100 g powder

This can be added to face powder and other make up products to give them sun protection powers. This only blocks UVB, but it's still a win. Makeup products without sunscreen properties should no longer exist in this century.

6. Vitamin E. PHP 280 for 30 ml

I know this does wonders to skin, but when taken orally, Vitamin E wreaks havoc on mine. I've tried a lot of brands, Vitamin E just hates me. So I'm giving it another chance. Topical application might just do the trick. Craftology promises this helps with wound healing and moisturization. 

So I'm stopping at 6 because I'm not filthy rich. I'd probably try all the others when I've got the time and attention span needed to finish products so they don't go to waste. I still have the Grapeseed Oil and Rosehip Oil, both I currently do not use because I don't wear makeup while in quarantine, and I'm still letting my skin rest from all the recent product experiments. 

Oh, in case you'd like to see their products yourself, here's the link to their Shopee store: CRAFTOLOGY ESSENTIALS

Olay Body Wash Review

Doing a quick review just because I was surprised at how soft and smooth my skin is right now.

Quick background: I'm over a decade long user of whitening soaps, which worked quite okay with my body skin until my pregnancy when my skin became hypersensitive to sunlight. I would normally be okay with spending an entire day under the sun, and get my fair complexion back in a few days just by bathing with whitening soaps. Pregnancy and breastfeeding though changed all of that. I now have sun spots all over my arms, chest and legs, that never go away no matter how pale I get. Whitening soaps just no longer work. Might also be because of age, and years of foregoing sunscreen catching up on me. My skin became dull and sallow, and nowhere near its bright and blinding white glory days.

Last year, while mulling over my body care products, I realized whitening soaps just might not be the answer. I'm getting older, and my skin may be having something of a quarter-life crisis. I thought of taking drastic measures a la Cristine Reyes and get my entire body skin peeled off with bleach. The thought did not last long, as I don't exactly have P100k needed for the peel. (Don't quote me on this, I don't really know how much Cathy Valencia charges, I remember it was somewhere around P5,000 per elbow in 2010! Heh.)

So then I thought I'd go the glutathione route. Which I did take a couple of times in the past decade. A bottle of Glutathione was usually enough to get rid of my tan lines and dark spots but I figured old age and hormone-fuckery might neutralize gluta the way they did with my go-to whitening soaps. I did try Relumins at some point, and got as pale as I wanted, but the sun spots and dark spots remained.

So then I gave up on my body skin. And then regretted it because I use acne and anti aging products on my face, which whether I like it or not, bleached my face. Bleached Face + Dark Body do not really go well.

So then I got depressed. And thought I'd probably just wear long sleeved turtle-neck shirts and full tights under the Philippine sun for the rest of eternity.

And then Shopee entered the picture.

And changed my life forever.

Sorry, I know I said this will be a short review.

Quick Review, as promised: Olay body washes are the bomb. Buy them. Shopee sells them in bundles. Sometimes at 50% off. I don't know if Lazada does, too. I'm too lazy to check. But I get my stuff on Shopee and I promise, if you're 30 and older and your body skin is a total jerk and refuses to get back to how it was when you were in your 20s, Olay body washes might just do the trick.

Longer, more sensical review: I've so far tried two variants. Olay Rose and Milky White Body Wash as pictured above. And Olay Whitening Moisture With Pearl Extracts Body Wash pictured below.

Initially, I did not think much of body washes. I've tried other brands before like:

• Dove - meh
• Eucerin - THIS IS THE BEST FOR SENSITIVE SKIN, WORKS MIRACLES FOR ECZEMA AND SUNBURN
• Nivea - meh
• Body Shop Moringa Line - meh
• Bath and Body Works - meh
• Johnson's Baby Bath Milk - USE THIS AS FOOT SOAK IF YOU MISS GETTING A FOOT SPA
• Cussons Moisture Plus Shower Cream - meh

And probably half a dozen more that I no longer remember. Aside from Eucerin, and Johnson's Milk, I was never truly impressed with body washes. They were all either too dishwashing soap-like that they leave the skin feeling tight and dry, or too hair conditioner-like that they leave the skin sticky and unclean.

Olay, though, has the right balance of clean and soft. Skin feels fresh and smooth, not taut, not icky. I wasn't expecting much with the skin whitening part, because I have already surrendered to my sunspots and dark spots. However, months into using the body wash, I was pleased to discover I was slowly, veeeery slowly getting back to my old body skin texture.

I reviewed the ingredients, and there was really nothing special about Olay. I think what made it work for my skin was that it is gentle, so it does not make my skin rebel and bitch. It's also pleasant to use because it smells and feels so nice, so I may be letting it sit on my skin longer than I let soap suds sit on my skin. Using a soft bath sponge, versus soap, may also be the reason, as the gentle exfoliation may be getting rid of rough dead skin cells. All in all, I think the reason it's effective is because it makes bathing such a pleasurable experience that I've stuck with the product long enough for me to see its full effects. Note that it took months for my skin to get to this level of niceness. I no longer achieve this level of niceness with soap.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely. If you're blessed with youth, you might not see stellar results, but if you're older and are now dealing with dryness, texture issues, spots and dullness, this is worth a try.

5 stars out of 5

Solgar Saw Palmetto Berry Extract Review

The first time I crossed paths with this magic pill was in the early 2010s. I was a lurker at the Female Network GirlTalk Forum. Back in the day, if you're a girl in your teens/20s, and you weren't a member of GirlTalk, you were basically living under a rock. These days, we have Facebook groups and Youtube channels to tell us what beauty and health products to buy. In the 2010s, we read pages of forums for product recommendations.

Members post questions like, "What do you take to look blooming?" And I remember envying girls who'd post dozens of supplements along with links to photos of themselves. I remember promising myself that someday when I get filthy rich, I'll have these things for breakfast:

• Shiseido Pure White
• Meiji Collagen
• Orihiro Placenta Powder
• Ishigaki Amino Premium White
• DHC Collagen
• Hakubi White C
• Fracora Flowage
• Neocell Collagen
• Evening Primrose Oil
• CoQ10
• Grape Seed Extracts
• Youtheory Collagen
• Hair, Skin and Nails
• Fish Oil
• Flaxseed Oil
• Pearl White
• Rosehip extracts
• Everesh White EX

So I got older and made my own money but still didn't get around to having dozens of beauty pills for breakfast. I have in the past ten years, tried probably half of the stuff on the list above, and then some, whichever is making noise in social media. But it is only now that I am able to try SAW PALMETTO.

What is Saw Palmetto? 

It's the stuff old men take for prostate issues. Also, it's the stuff homosexual men take to be less masculine and develop a bit of breast tissue. 

Why do women take it? 

Because apparently, it lowers androgen levels. Androgen is a male hormone, it's crazy high in women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. It causes acne and oily skin, among its many pesky effects. 

Saw palmetto also contains laurate, palmitate, oleate, and linoleate essential oils. These help keep skin nourished and moisturized. 

Also, saw palmetto prevents hair loss and improves hair growth.

Also, saw palmetto contains antioxidants epicatechin and methyl gallate. 

Also, boobs.

Are there side effects? 

Side effects are mostly mild including stomach pain, diarrhea, headache, fatigue, and rhinitis. The scariest are liver problems and reduction in sex drive, the latter being temporary. I've also seen material claiming saw palmetto might interfere with medications, so that's something to consider before trying it. 

Is it effective? 

That's for me to find out. It's Day 1 as of this writing. I'm 2 or 3 days away from my monthly period, so I should be getting a random pimple in a few hours. 

~UPDATING SOON~

So it's Day 3. 

And I still do not have my period. Definitely not pregnant. Definitely not stressed. I did not use any unusual product nor have I taken any supplement in the past three days. So the results on my face are VERY likely to be caused by Solgar Saw Palmetto Berry Extract.

Result. 

Hold on, currently counting.

Pimple inventory:

• 1 cystic acne on my forehead.
• 1 tiny zit on my hairline
• 3 tiny zits on eyebrow area
• 1 tiny whitehead on nose
• 1 tiny papule above the lips
• 1 cystic acne on jawline
• 2 tiny zits on jawline

As you can tell, our little experiment did not give us a favorable result. I am throwing away my bottle or possibly giving it away to some random old person with prostate issues who might want to grow some boobies.

What went wrong, you ask?

I'm not quite sure. But this is similar to how my facial skin reacts to oral Vitamin E. I've tried a couple of brands, and all show the same result. I know Vitamin E simply does not work for people with oily skin because of what it does to sebum - it somehow makes it thicker so pores get clogged = pimples. I'm guessing saw palmetto might be messing with my sebum (the natural oil on the skin) also. 

Oh well. 

Do I recommend it? 

Obvs not to people with oily skin. If you're a guy though and you'd like to grow boobs, then maybe it's worth the risk, idk. I guess there's less risk if your skin fares well with oral Vitamin E. I know people who look ~glowing~ while taking Vitamin E. Unfortunately, those are people with normal skin to begin with. So, if you have normal skin and you're looking for something to make your skin nicer than usual, this might be something that could work for you. If you have skin like mine that's hypersensitive and overdramatic, then, no. 

Quarantine's driving me crazy and now I've 10 pimples to heal. 

Yes.

RYX Skincerity Honest Review

I know, I know, I did a bit of fear mongering in my previous post about rejuvenating kits and magic skin care sets that are selling like hotcakes over Shoppee and Facebook and Lazada these days. I'm using my humanity card right here and reason that I'm human, I make mistakes, often in the name of beauty. My most recent mistake being...

Skincerity honest review

Let me be clear though. I tried my hardest to love/like/tolerate RYX Skincerity Starter Kit. I really wanted it to work. After all, I had so much to lose: 1) my self-respect, for trying yet another rejuvenating set just after announcing I'm done with rejuvenating sets; 2) my skin, which was not in good shape after stopping Fairy Skin mid-purge; and 3) some more money.

Backstory. So in December 2019, I decided to use Fairy Skin Derma - the pink one - because I wanted to be pretty for the holidays. However, after a couple of days of use, I discovered that the brand and variant had an FDA warning for containing hydroquinone and tretinoin, which are deceitfully not stated in the product labels. I also discovered that most rejuvenating kits have those two ingredients. I also discovered that hydroquinone and tretinoin are harmful and not just in a magkakarashes ka kind of way, but in a mabubulag ka kind of way.

Blindness is a bit of a stretch, but your vision will suffer over time due to ochronosis, especially if the products you use also have mercury in them. And, I mean, if a brand dishonestly labels their products by not stating hydroquinone and tretinoin, I don't see how they can be trusted that their products do not have mercury and other more dangerous chemicals in them. I'm not saying Fairy Skin has mercury - it probably doesn't - or that you'll go blind by using the kit - you probably won't - I'm just saying I no longer felt comfortable using the products.

To add to my other gruesome discoveries, I also discovered that it's the hydroquinone/tretinoin combo that irritates my eyes, nose, and gives me weird headaches. I stopped using Fairy Skin and swore to never go back to using beauty kits/rejuvenating sets.

So why am I back? Simple answer: I hate being ugly. See, the issue is more than skin deep and it's way too dark of a topic to be discussing in a product review.

I'm currently using Fairy Skin cream topically during this COVID 19 quarantine, only because my options are limited. And because, unfortunately, RYX Skincerity did not work.

Ok. Now the RYX Skincerity Review. Again, I really tried my hardest to make it work. The reasons I chose the brand are:

I. THE PROMISES ARE JUST TOO GOOD. 

Reviews are glowing. Before and afters are impressive. And what got me buying is this gutsy statement: safe for pregnant and lactating moms. Now, you'd think that after all my discoveries I'd be more wary of claims. I did my detective work and the brand has no records of warnings on the FDA website or elsewhere online. I only found one blog where the user of the product developed an allergic reaction, which I thought was okay because it happens even to the highest quality products. I was still apprehensive because, well, you don't just trust beauty products after knowing what I now know lel. I ordered a kit and discovered that:

II. RYX IS A SAFER OPTION.

I guess the reason RYX specifically claimed to be safe was that they actually do not have hydroquinone/tretinoin and other banned ingredients proven to be unsafe for pregnant and lactating women. It made me wonder though what RYX uses as an alternative. Because, sad fact, hydroquinone, tretinoin, mercury, etc. are effective in bleaching and rejuvenating the skin, without those three, skin care products are generally ineffective in performing skin miracles. Luckily, RYX is a responsible brand, because:

III. RYX KITS HAVE PROPER LABELS.

RYX Skincerity Ingredients List

I apologize for the poor image quality. But as you hopefully can see, the ingredients list is not haphazardly made. It's done in proper order, with water (aqua) or alcohol (ethanol) being at the forefront because as a rule, you list ingredients with the highest content first and the lowest content last. If a beauty kit lists ingredients randomly and only mentions the good bits like "glutathione, papaya extract, goat's milk" or some vitamin, you better be wary. That's an obvious sign of dishonesty. I mean, if soap is all vitamins, it won't lather, the label needs to include all the other ingredients so the users would know what they're putting on their skin. Five stars for RYX for including everything in a neat list. It's easier to see how it's supposed to carry out its promises. And I guess it does for some, because I've so far seen mostly good reviews, and better:

IV. RYX HAS A STRONG FANBASE, I FOUND IT VIA WORD OF MOUTH MARKETING.

So in December, I was done with rejuvenating kits. In January, I met with a relative who's a decade older but has skin like a decade younger than mine. I asked her what she uses and she said Cetaphil, but she had this cousin who had problematic skin who saw miracles from RYX Skincerity and she tried that too and it was good. So I was like, yeaaaah, nooo, okaaay back to rejuvenating kits, I guess? Note that these two girls are well travelled, snooty women. I was a little surprised that they even use rejuvenating kits, especially local ones. She insisted that I try RYX, so I placed an order right away.

V. RYX HAS DECENT PACKAGING.

What turns me off from rejuvenating kits are the shabby packaging with the gaudy colors and off-putting names. I won't be naming brands, but do a quick Google image search for "Rejuvenating Set Philippines" and you'll see an array of embarrassing examples. When I first saw ads for RYX, I immediately thought it was a Korean brand, though I also thought it was piggybacking on the popularity of COSRX. RYX branding has hints of it being local, which isn't a bad thing. I'm rather glad Philippine products can look decent and compete with international brands, looks-wise.

VI. LASTLY, THE RYX CEO IS GORGEOUS AND HAS AMAZING SKIN.

Just to be clear, she is not a friend lol. This is not a paid review. Just saying I find her pretty. It's odd that she volunteers to be the model, but hey, who wouldn't be proud to have her face plastered everywhere when you're that pretty? Also, why hire a model when you look like one? 

Rica Detiquez, RYX Skincerity CEO

Am I shallow for buying products from a brand just because the owner is pretty? Absolutely. Am I proud? Not very much, but come on, if I can look as good as her, I'd probably solve 99% of my problems. Ha. Just kidding.

Here comes the sad part. RYX Skincerity, with all its honesty and pretty packaging and pretty owner, is simply not compatible with my skin. I tried very hard, I've said that about 3 times over the course of writing this blog. I really did try. I gave it more than a month. I stopped using other products even makeup, just to be sure it's not all the other things that I'm putting on my face that's causing my breakouts, but /sigh/. 

I gave it the benefit of the doubt. Maybe, just maybe, the previous rejuvenating kit did so much damage, especially because I stopped using it mid-purge. Maybe it was that. But I rested my skin weeks prior and had stopped getting pimples before I started using RYX. I tried blaming my diet, sleeping patterns, periods, hormones, vitamins, stress levels, etc. But I had to be honest with myself, none of those was doing anything horrible to my skin. RYX made me itch and break out in spots I didn't use to before. I also didn't see any improvement. 

It was hard letting it go, I have basically put all my hopes in this brand, it was supposed to be my Holy Grail, I was supposed to be telling people by now about how wonderful it is and be like my relative and her cousin and the owner and amaze people with my blinding white, perfect skin, but alas, it's simply not meant to be. 

To be fair, I still use the facial wash. It's the gentlest I've tried, and I've tried dozens of brands over the years. It leaves the skin soft and smooth and nice to touch. I normally don't feel happy with gentle cleansers because I have oily skin and I use heavy makeup, so I'm used to multiple step cleansing with harsher, heavy duty soaps. But the starter kit facial wash is a game changer. An absolute gem. 

I also still use the SPF 60 sunscreen. It doesn't break me out. It's also very mild and lightweight. It lets my skin breathe and doesn't interfere with makeup. 

The serum I still keep. I plan to use it on my sunspot-infested chest area. But it goes on thick, and can be sticky so. The toner, I still do not know what to do with it. It stings, and smells off. I'm guessing one of these two products, and both used together that irritates my sensitive skin.

My skin right now. It has recovered and is so far being nice, only one pimple for this month. Going  completely makeup free during quarantine definitely helped. Moral of the story: love the skin you're in, be gentle with it, protect it, and STOP EXPERIMENTING WITH IT.

Bottomline: RYX as a brand is ok. It's the safest rejuvenating kit in the local market. But know your skin and listen to it well. RYX may be your HG if your skin is not highly sensitive. Also, plus points for affordability despite the more expensive packaging. Also, the owner is really pretty, I just have to say that again.

Hydroquinone and blurry vision

I do not like how this blog has somehow transformed into a collection of bad things that happen to people who only want clear skin. I've written about how amazingly effective products like Goree and Renow-D turned out to be poisons concocted by Satan himself. Read about it here.

Let me present to you another surprise nugget of wisdom I discovered while writing about Fairy Skin Derma Set. Short version: STOP USING IT OR YOU WILL GO BLIND. Char.

Not char.

You probably won't go blind. But your vision will suffer one way or another. So will your skin after years of use. And maybe the insides of your nose. And idk, I'm currently neck deep in research about shit that happens when you decide to save a few bucks and use products with no proper labels.

Now, to be fair and honest, Fairy Skin will 10/10, 100% improve your skin. It did mine. For the entire 5 or 6 weeks that I was using the set, my skin was spotless, and soft, and bright, and fresh. The maintenance kit didn't produce an equally stellar result, but my skin still looked amazing. The difference is that Fairy Skin Derma set has dun dun dun dun HYDROQUINONE, while the Fairy Skin Glow set has none (or less of it, I still am yet to find a study, nonetheless, don't risk it.)

What I didn't know while using Fairy Skin Derma BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON THE LABEL, is that yes, the stuff has a dangerous albeit familiar ingredient called Hydroquinone. Had I known, well, I still would have used Fairy Skin because I'm that desperate for clear skin. But you know, how hard is it to actually be honest about your products? Users deserve to know what they're actually putting on their skin. Just because it's cheap doesn't mean its buyers deserve to be harmed. Even the poor and the scrooge deserve respect!

Now what is hydroquinone and why am I this angry?

Hydroquinone is the same shiz you'd find in Maxi Peel. The same ingredient that makes Maxi Peel effective in giving "kutis artista" skin through bleaching. Hydroquinone is extremely effective. It works by decreasing the formation of melanin, which is the pigment that gives skin its color. A quick Google search will give you this answer:

Hydroquinone is generally safe. However, there's a reason it's banned in Japan, the European Union and Australia. And why the FDA proposes its ban in the US. Aside from that it's likely to cause cancer, it's proven to cause ochronosis. What is ochronosis?

A quick Google image search will tell you what it is. Ochronosis on the skin causes dark splotches. Imagine using hydroquinone to whiten and bleach your skin, and you, the innocent user, ends up not only with darker skin, but with bluish-black splotches as well. Ha. What it does to skin is scary, but wait til you find out what it does to eyes. Read on.

And no, it doesn't just happen to users who fail to use sunscreen. It happens to both long and short-term users who use UV protection. There had been cases of ochronosis on users who've only been on hydroquinone for a few weeks. Exposure to mercury ~ which is also present in most low priced, low quality beauty products ~ increases risks of developing ochronosis.

I've been using hydroquinone on and off, knowingly and unknowingly, for about a decade now. It started in 2005. I had horrible acne and the girls at school who already had clear skin to begin with, started using Maxi Peel and Mena Pearl Cream. It was all the rage. It was on TV. And people who had skin more horrible than mine showed signs of improvement. After months of observing how their skin fared with those products, I decided to try them myself. I mean, my mom had already spent money on dermatologists with little success, spending less than P100 on products that showed promise seemed sound.

My skin improved. And then I stopped using the products. I do not remember all that clearly but in between using Maxi Peel, I'd use products with Salicylic Acid, Tea Tree Oil, Vitamin C, etc. none of which did better than Hydroquinone. I was on Accutane for a few weeks. I've tried dozens of products, but I'd always go back to Maxi Peel when my skin acted up. In total, I must have used Maxi Peel about once a year or once every 2 years, except during pregnancy and breastfeeding. That would be around 6-8 bottles from 2005 to 2016. I switched to The Ordinary Retinol in 2016 and 2017 because I was slowly realizing that while on Maxi Peel, I'd have dry eyes and blurry vision.

I initially thought it was all from stress, pollution, working at night in front of a computer, and heck, maybe even aging. But it wasn't. Thankfully, I discovered the source of my eye issues before it was too late. It was the vapors from Maxi Peel. The shit was drying my eyes. I also realized it was causing the discoloration of my eyeballs. They were turning dark at the part that was exposed to air and vapors. Like, if I opened my eyes really wide, you'd see a demarcation of the part that's exposed to vapors, and the part that's safely protected by my eyelids. I made a promise to never EVER touch another bottle of Maxi Peel or any toner with alcohol (I thought it was the alcohol content!)

As you know from my previous post, I made the mistake of buying Fairy Skin Derma Set, thinking all it had in it were Retinol, Niacinamide, Arbutin, Kojic, Glycerine, and stuff that are generally safe. After all, that's all the ingredients they say they have on their product labels. But alas, because of their scheming marketing tactics, I was unknowingly using Hydroquinone again. Here's the FDA report again in case you missed it.

I am a little over a week into using the set and I now am extremely paranoid about the damage it has caused on my skin and eyes. I have been avoiding screens and UV and stress and smoke because it's all irritating my already dried out eyes. I'm honestly more freaked out than I can muster to show. I'd be researching for hours if not for the discomfort of screens and dry eyes.

MORAL OF THE STORY ~ NEVER TRUST CHEAP PRODUCTS. Okay, so there may be some exceptions. But as a rule, if something's too good to be true, it probably is. In skin care, and by extension, in all beauty products, you can only have 2 of 3 things: EFFICACY, AFFORDABILITY, AND SAFETY.

If something is effective AND affordable, it's probably not safe.

If something is effective AND safe, it's probably not cheap.

If something is cheap AND safe, it's probably not effective. 

References:

https://www.medicinenet.com/fda_proposes_hydroquinone_ban/views.htm

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31219884

Fairy Skin Derma Facial Set

Here's a review of both variants, Fairy Skin Derma and Fairy Skin Glowing Facial Sets.

A little background on my skin: I've been suffering from acne since puberty. I've tried all sorts of treatments from lasers to topicals to oral products to diet and lifestyle management, and for two decades since puberty, I have learned to manage my acne. There are good days, there are bad. As a teen, I had horrible horrible cystic acne on my nose and chin. As an adult, I developed tinier (pustular) acne that I didn't know was from stress and traces of makeup that soap and cleansers fail to remove. My skin is generally clearer now, some months go by without a single spot on my face. However, I still feel insecure about my facial skin because it can look rough and uneven toned.

I discovered Fairy Skin while randomly browsing Facebook. I've tried various facial sets as early as 2004. While brands and packaging differ, the contents are generally similar:

• Soap - Salicylic/Kojic/Oatmeal/Milk
• Scrub - they stopped including this after the apricot scrub scare
• Toner - Salicylic/Retinol/some exfoliating acid
• Night cream - Retinol in varying percentage
• Day cream - Moisturizing sunblock 

Despite knowing how filters work, I was still impressed by how consistent the results were in different lighting, on different complexions, and on different photo qualities. Users' skin looked bright and taut and fresh. Other brand sets promise the same stuff but Fairy Skin seemed to deliver better results. The best results I saw were from people with acne and dull complexion who ended up with glowing, glass skin. I was in the middle of a hectic, stressful month and my skin was showing signs of neglect, so I thought I'd try Fairy Skin. 

What's inside the box:

Fairy Skin Derma Set Review

1 Bar of Soap - it's Kojic Acid (Dipalmitate), with some moisturizing ingredients thrown in: Sunflower Oil, Coconut Oil, Glycerine, and Vitamin E. I was initially wary as other brands of Kojic soaps trigger my eczema (Hi, Koji San!) Fairy Skin soap is surprisingly not as harsh as other brands. I did not develop dry patches. My soap lasted longer than the other products in the set and it was able to control my oiliness and blackheads along with The Ordinary Retinol and The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc. To be honest, my current routine is actually working quite well. The only reason I'm going back to the whole set instead of just buying the soap is that I'm strapped for cash LOL and I thought that instead of spending P1,500 on The Ordinary products + Fairy Skin soap, I'd rather spend P200 on the entire Fairy Skin set. After all, I need to have amazing skin for the holidays and I'd need the whole set to achieve just that. 

1 Bottle of Toner - This is the miracle worker AND deal breaker. Miracle worker because whatever is inside this bottle causes the exfoliation and brightening of the skin. Deal breaker because like all alcohol-based toners, this irritated the insides of my nose to the point of causing dryness just from inhaling the fumes. This also dried my eyes just from whatever is evaporating from it. But because it works wonders, I apply this with a cotton ball on my face with my eyes closed and my nose pinched closed. LOL. Note that this has nothing but promises on its label (verbatim): Whitening, Pore Minimizer, Detoxifies, Anti-Aging. No clue as to what's inside. Mercury? Hydroquinone? Snake oil with moon dust? ADDENDUM ~ MY GUT FEEL WAS RIGHT, THIS HAS HYDROQUINONE AND TRETINOIN!!! READ THE FDA WARNING: https://ww2.fda.gov.ph/index.php/advisories-2/cosmetic-2/491124-fda-advisory-no-2018-050

1 Jar of Sunblock - This says cream gel on the cover, but it's really a thick cream. It's rather hard to spread especially on peeling skin. Label says SPF 45. I, however, cannot fully trust the brand somehow that this is enough protection on sensitive skin so even with this on my face, I still cover up with a hat or an umbrella. It has zero concealing power, which is okay once all the peeling is done, but during the peeling process, this doesn't help cover the unsightly battleground. It has Titanium Dioxide, Niacinamide, Glycerine, for sun protection, whitening, and moisturizing purposes.

1 Jar of Night Cream - This brightening cream promises to whiten skin and tighten pores. It has vitamin A in the form of Retinol which gets rid of wrinkles and discoloration. Alpha Arbutin and Niacinamide brightens the skin and reduce dark spots. Mineral oil and Glycerine helps moisturize the skin to ward off the drying effects of Retinol. This can also be a little drying on the eyes, so like the toner, I apply this on my face with one eye closed, and in the dark right before I sleep.

My biggest issue with Fairy Skin is that you aren't 100% sure of what you're putting on your face. The set works, I guess as a user, I just would like to understand how so I can also manage risks. To be fair, it comes in a box with a disclaimer about checking with a dermatologist before using the product. It's just that, I wish the beauty industry to do like The Ordinary (DECIEM) brand and be 100% honest about their products. Transparency is admirable in a health/beauty business. Like, the toner, for example, should have an ingredients list, it's a little scary for it not to have any. I feel like cancelling my order as I write LOL. Before my paranoia gets in the way of glass skin for the holidays, let me continue my review. 

So, even though I saw amazing results, and even though I was tempted to keep on using Fairy Skin Derma Set, I decided to err on the side of caution and move on to the next best thing, Fairy Skin Glowing Set. 

Fairy Skin Glowing Set Review

I figured the pink set must be for peeling your entire face so you can get a new one, while the blue set must be so you get to keep that new face. Given that this is marketed as "maintenance" while the other was marketed as "treatment", I thought this would be the milder version. 

1 bar of soap - it says bleaching on the box. It's a different color and scent from the other soap. It did an okay job cleaning my face and removing makeup. I, however, decided to order the Kojic Soap from the pink set because my skin felt nicer after washing with it. If this bleaching soap did any bleaching I may never know, because after using the pink set my face is usually all bleached out. 

1 bottle of toner - like the toner in the pink set, this has no ingredients list on its label. It smells and feels and dries my nose and eyes just the same, maybe a little milder, but still drying so I usually skip using this. Note that I do not apply the toner in my eye area, especially on my eyelids, it just evaporates and stings my eyes. I also avoid applying it above my lips, under my nose because I end up with a dry, itchy nose which makes me more prone to sneezing. I'm guessing this must be some acid or Tretinoin with alcohol as base. 

1 jar of Sunblock - this is the exact same thing from the other set

1 jar of Night cream - the one from the pink set says "brightening", this one says "whitening" so they're different. Both creams have lists of ingredients so I'm marking them clear from Tretinoin or mercury. Don't take my word for it though. 

Price

I was already running out of The Ordinary Retinol and The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc last week so I decided I'd go to the mall to buy a set of Fairy Skin. I was surprised that they sell it for P350, when I can just as easily order a set for P170 online. I hear there are now fake ones in the market, so it's best to check reviews before placing orders. 

Final Verdict

Now, do I recommend it? If you're desperate for clear, smooth, glowing skin and have not had reactions from other facial sets and you are not pregnant or lactating and you are a healthy adult then yes, I recommend Fairy Skin. I do not recommend it for people with sensitive skin, eyes, or nose, people who cannot avoid daily exposure to the sun, people who are scared of possible health repercussions down the road. Heh.

Also, if you're one to judge by overall packaging, here's their disclaimer:

They are not liable for negativity y'all.

Final, final verdict

If you're pressed for cash and you need to have flawless skin without makeup for a few weeks, this is a good set to try. 10/10 you'd get great results. My reservations - the unknown risks we're taking for using a set of skin products without proper labels. I therefore do not recommend long term use, even for the maintenance kit. Unless they reconsider their labels, packaging, and maybe FDA clearance for containing HYDROQUINONE, I won't be ordering another set. Good news is that it's free from mercury. Now I'm off to order bottles from The Ordinary. Long live beauty companies with integrity.