Unfortunately, my endeavor wasn’t fruitful enough coz my face broke out a bit into these tiny pesky zits on the following days (10 and 12). Well, maybe I pushed way too hard. I wasn’t sleeping well during the past few days as my insomnia struck hard again.

So, starting Day 13, I’ll be using Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate together with my anti-acne topical meds. I still have around 2 days to go to finish my 15-day challenge.

I’ll also try getting a good night’s sleep again. Hence, it’ll involve adjusting my body clock perpendicular to my normal time zone. For those who are insomniacs like me, I know it’s really difficult and crazy[!] considering that I’m only taking a placebo (natural medicine). So again, wish me luck!

On the last day of the challenge, I will sum up  all the yays and nays I experienced using this product for two consecutive weeks. I will also announce the mechanics on how you can get your own Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate bottle. Hint: it has something to do with the same challenge.

Three days have passed, and it’s been such a blessing, particularly to my skin. I’ve noticed how my skin dramatically softens and smoothens in the process. This may not be because of Kiehl’s Midnight Concentrate alone, of course. But, what’s more important is that it has no side effects on me whatsoever. It hasn’t caused me a (ginormous) zit yet! My skin is rather getting clearer. I still am bothered with the scars left, however, but I know they will all be gone in no due time!

So far, it really helps a lot in hydrating my face especially at night. Since most acne medications dry up my face to the point that it’s not healthy anymore, this one serves as a balance to keep my entire face from getting all dried and flaked up. Its botanical spa scent (reminds me of The Body Shop’s Monoi Miracle Oil) relaxes and induces me to rest. Au contraire, it claims to be fragrance free, so it must be the concoction of essential oils that I’m smelling, which is far different from artificial fragrance oils. After all, one of its ingredients is lavender essential oil, which is best known for its de-stressing properties.  So yeah, let it be known that I’m a sucker for scents, and I just love taking a sniff off it whenever I want to calm my jarring nerves!

Another good thing about this product is that it’s mineral oil and paraben free. It’s 99.8% natural, so it’s mostly made up of organic ingredients. The glass bottle, dropper and plastic squeeze top are recyclable, not to mention the carton container which is 100% biodegradable. To sum it all up, this beauty product is generally eco-friendly.

The price may be a little bit on the steep side at Php 2,880/$ 42. But, a 30ml bottle will last you for a  long time, since all you have to utilize is just 2 drops of the concentrate per nighttime application.

I still have 6 more days to go,  and I’m still looking forward should there be any beneficial changes to my skin. I’m hoping for one soon!

PS. Stay tuned as I’ll be giving away a full size bottle of Kiehl’s Midnight Concentrate after the 15-day Challenge. This will be my first giveaway ever, so I’m pretty much excited about it! xx

Admittedly, I’m not pretty much a stickler to the “rules”. I wasn’t able to sleep early last Saturday, since I went to do some errands shopping for food in Banchetto–a midnight street food market that’s only available every Friday night until the wee hours of Saturday. Part of my weekend routine is binging on food by trying to visit every  booth existing to see if there’s something worth relishing. I specially like the Angus beef kebab paired with Biriami rice; both are being sold on one specific booth (which I forgot the name but it’s the only one selling angus beef kebab there, methinks).

Going back, I notice how my skin gets softer amidst the course of religiously using it. My breakouts have also tamed, though I can’t vouch if it’s the work of the concentrate or not since I’m amid acne medication alongside. How I wish it could fade dark spots brought by past zits, as I currently have lots of such scars marring my whole face.

Anyhoos, I’ll try to sleep early as I did last night. So yeah, I’m up to my 7th day today.

My previous entry’s lost in the wilderness. I don’t even remember deleting it ever. Now it’s back for God knows what reason. But, anyway, I doesn’t matter since I bailed out doing the challenge on the first week due to very important issues concerning my day job.

Yes, I already mentioned about how taxing my job is several times already. Little did you know that since last month, I’ve been drudging toiling on this certain project which entails working more than 8 hours a day. So toxic, that I was able (sort of required) to work twice on double shifts! I even had offsets during the weekend.

I was about to start doing the challenge last July 5, but since the arduous project’s deadline has been extended, I had to go overtime which is kind of counterintuitive to the challenge. I usually do midshifts (from 4pm-1am), albeit I have recently adjusted my shift starting from 1pm to 10pm in order to go home and sleep earlier than usual. However, since I still extended my hours finishing as many tasks as I can to beat the deadline rush, I ended up going home late and sleeping in the wee hours of the morning. Sadly, my spiking stress levels coupled with lack of sleep took a huge toll on my health and skin. I got sick and breakouts to boot.

Right now, I’m amid recuperating from cough and cold. And, I’m glad to tell you that I’m finally back on track! I technically started the challenge last Tuesday (July 13), so it’s my 3rd day (going 4th) today.

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Challenge: Day 1-3

So far, so good. As said earlier, I was worried about trying the product at first due to its greasy consistency. It generally has a watery-oily consistency. Well, in fact, it has a “water-free” formulation. The oily part is what I fear the most, lest it may cause an adverse reaction to my face breaking it out even further.

Kiehl’s developed this anhydrous concentration of Squalane, night-blooming Evening Primrose and essential oils including therapeutic Lavender. The formulation also contains Coriander and Rose Hip Seed Oils, which when combined, provides a complete blend of Omegas (Omega 3, 6 and 9). Omega 3 and 6 Essential Fatty Acids have a restructuring benefit which reinforces the cutaneous barrier, therefore keeping the epidermis hydrated. It’s formulated to be used at night when skin is most receptive to recovery and repair.- Kiehl’s

Using it is pretty simple, I simply have to apply 2-3 drops of Midnight Recovery Concentrate, and spread evenly on my face. The bottle already includes a dropper (which I find cute btw), so I don’t have any problems getting a trickle or two sans messing up. It says that you have to apply by gently patting it onto your skin using fingertips, and not by [vigorously] rubbing it. In my case, it’s very important to spread it evenly, until the product is fully absorbed by the skin. Not doing so usually leaves me a greasy feeling which I really abhor!

Cutesy dropper with black plastic squeeze top included

Tested it on my hand. Notice the subtle sheen on my hand. It actually looks greasier if not spread evenly.

It’s been three days since I restarted, and I haven’t noticed any remarkable nor horrific difference yet. Good news is, it doesn’t cause me breakouts so far, maybe because I use it along with anti-acne products. As for the moisturizing (and repairing) part, I guess it helps keeping my face from getting too dry brought by anti-acne medications. It also calms down dry patches on my face from further flaking.

Let’s see how it goes as I’m consciously making an effort to sleep early, and at least 7 hours a day. Yes, I now sleep on or before 12 midnight. It’s such a bit of an ordeal for someone who has erratic sleep patterns like moi, but here’s to hoping for the best!

Also, you can check other Bloggers who are now approaching the finish line of the 15-day challenge:

Nikki of Askmewhats

Shen of Shen’s Addiction

Frances of Beauty for a Living

Admittedly, my hair is the most revolting part of my body, as it is the least taken cared of. It has been left untreated for God knows when. The only time it’s actually tamed was when I had it rebonded.

Since I’ve been using an anti-dandruff shampoo for everyday washing, my hair has been very dry and unmanageable. This prods me to go  in a quest searching for a mild yet calming conditioner around that will keep my hair soft and manageable sans aggravating my dandruff.

First stop is  in Greenbelt 5 where I got a tube of Kiehl’s Olive Fruit Oil Nourishing Conditioner. It’s packed with fresh olive fruit oil, enriched avocado oil and a hint of lemon extract that promise to gently cleanse and moisturize the hair—leaving it softened, strengthened and nourished. This is perfect for those who have dehydrated and damaged hair like mine!

Easy To Rinse,Keeps Hair Soft & Easy To Comb

Unlike other emollient conditioners, this one is very easy to rinse.  It doesn’t take much  time and effort (not to mention, buckets of water) to take the conditioner off. In most cases, those hard-to-rinse conditioners often cause buildup and icky dandruff.  I’m glad to say that this one doesn’t cause nor aggravate my current dandruff condition.

It also makes my hair instantly soft and manageable. It makes my combing experience a whole lot easier than using an anti-dandruff shampoo alone before.  I notice that tangles are lessened.

True to its word, it keeps my hair overall well-moisturized without getting too greasy.

Hair is Light & Bouncy

What I also love about this product is that it doesn’t leave a heavy feeling on my hair. It’s light enough to keep my hair bouncy.

Does Not Calm Frizzes or Flyaways That Much

I do not expect this as a “miracle product”. It really softens and calms my hair in general, but only in such extent that it couldn’t really calm the peskiest frizzes or flyaways abound. I have naturally wavy hair cut into layers, so expect stubborn and scraggly flyaways particularly from the middle down to the roots. This is where other intensive hair treatment products come to the picture. Or, if I really, really wanted to have sleek straight hair, I would have gone another rebonding treatment in a salon.

All in all, I  love this product. It’s my current favorite everyday conditioner. The price may be steep, but I guess it’s worth the splurge.

Price: $ 19/Php 1,150 for a 200 ml tube

Unlike most men, we women got this so-called unwanted hair growing on places where it shouldn’t be. We wax or pluck out the extra hair on our eyebrows in order to maintain that perfect arch, making us look good in return. We tend to wax, pluck or shave our arms, legs and most specially underarms to nix all unwanted hair. Ideally, these places should be smooth, clean and hair-free in order to make us ladies look all neat and sexy! =)

For arms and legs, I prefer waxing than shaving, since it takes much less effort—as you the remove the hair from a large patch of skin in just one quick pull. Also, the hair takes a while to grow back (say, 2-3 weeks). Once it does, it usually grows back less coarse. This is when The Body Shop Cotton Removal Strips come in handy should I prefer doing this myself at the very comforts of my own home.

For the underarms, I remove sightly unwanted hair by means of either plucking or shaving; though I prefer the former even if it requires more effort since (like waxing) the hair takes a while to grow back. I’m really wary when it comes to waxing underarms though, lest they may get darker in return.

Of course, for the eyebrows, I usually ask for a professional’s help to thread them. I just pluck stray hair every now and then for maintenance.

For plucking, my Tweezerman Tweezers do the job. I had Mini Slant Tweezers in flamingo pink before, but unfortunately, I already lost them. Recently, I replaced the lost pair with another one in green tea. The thing with these mini tweezers is that they are cheaper and more pocket-friendly than their larger counterparts. In addition, it also comes with a transparent tube for easy storage.

We’ve all been annoyed by using tweezers that don’t properly grip.  With superior calibrated tension and perfectly aligned, hand-filed precision tips, Tweezerman tweezers close evenly and firmly, creating the cleanest, most advanced pulling power.  These are the tweezers you’ll own your lifetime — and they come with a free sharpening guarantee. – Tweezerman

Slant Tip, Easy Storage and Cheap

What I like most about this pair is its slanted tip that makes plucking easier and more precise. Like what I said earlier, the mini version of these tweezers fits any pocket. So, it takes no hassle to fit it inside a small stash, like my makeup bag or even my wallet!

It also comes with an affordable price tag for only $12.50 a pair here. I got mine for P 650 in Beauty Bar.

Harder Grip for Larger Hands

However, for those who have larger hands like mine, you’d probably get a hard time handling this diminutive piece. It’s really small that it takes more effort on my part to make that “perfect” grip, thus precisely plucking the hair out from its root.

Having an oily skin like mine can be so frustrating! My skin gets insanely greasy, as oil starts to build up profusely 2-3 hours after taking a shower. Thus, it is a must for me to stash oil-blotting sheets in my purse in order to blot the excess sebum off my face especially in case of a beauty emergency.

I’ve tried a lot of oil-blotting sheets available in the market, and of them is the Natural Rice Oil-absorbing Rice Paper Tissues I bought a few weeks back.

Here’s a thing (or two) about these rice paper tissues:

Here’s how it looks inside after flipping the cover.

Pulled out a paper tissue. You can use either sides of the tissue. Use the darker one (left) if you just want to blot the excess oil sans the power. Opt for the lighter, matte one (right) if you want to set the rice power on your face for a smoother finish.

The verdict?

Effectively Blots the Excess Oil Away

Just like other oil-blotting tissues I’ve tried, it effectively removes the extra oil away from my face. On the other hand, the  special thing it has is that I get to choose from one of the two sides: the one with rice powder and the one without. In this case, I usually opt for the side with the rice powder on for a one-step finish, since it doesn’t require me to put a setting powder on thereafter.

Colorless?

One thing I’ve noticed is that the rice powder does not leave a hint of color on my skin, even if the label says it has a “natural” color (with definitely a color code, RPA6, written on it). I’m not sure if it’s a good or a bad thing for some, but I actually prefer it that way ‘coz I just want a natural, no-makeup finish.

Quite Expensive

Anyway, I find it very expensive than other oil-blotting tissues on the market. It costs around Php 250-300, considering that it contains only 40 pieces. I find The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Facial Blotting Tissues cheaper for almost the same price but with 65 pieces, although it does not come with an “extra” powder variant. Even better, Clean & Clear Oil-Absorbing Sheets costs only about Php 100 for 50 sheets, and it comes with powder and powde-free variants!

Anyone living in a tropical country will agree that this year’s summer has just been too hot to handle! I myself always end up so parched and exhausted. For most scorching parts, I could see myself even sweating profusely, thus feeling a bit vexed and woozy.

That’s why, taking a shower as often as I can within a day is the most liberating and invigorating feeling ever! And so, my scent of choice is anything citrusy, particularly orange, which is just refreshing as it effectively calms my jarring senses whilst giving me enough zing to withstand the heat throughout the day’s work.

This is when The Body Shop’s Satsuma Body Polish comes to the picture. I love the fact that it cleanses whilst exfoliates my body–thanks to the teensy apricot[?] beads it has. Unlike other bath products I tried, this one is non-sticky and easy to rinse thoroughly. Plus, I just love the orange scent it effuses whenever I take shower sans getting overwhelming–it’s really that therapeutic! On the other hand, people may find the beads kind of irritating, since they’re not as fine as other exfoliators around. Not to mention, they don’t melt into your skin unlike some sea salt or sugar body scrub. Anyhow, though it functions as a daily cleanser, I rather recommend using this product sporadically (like twice a week will do).

I’ve always been curious on the raves I’ve been hearing from this product, so I gave Garnier Light Brightening Eye Roll On a try.

Not that I’m already bugged with my dark undereyes, but it’s more of fretting whenever they “puff” out of nowhere. To be honest, I wasn’t really at all oblivious why it happens. I believe that “puffy eyes” usually happens when I’m stressed out pulling an all-nighter, and/or when I didn’t have enough sleep. So there, my unrested peepers react violently to the abuse, which usually shows the day after.

So, upon hearing the alleged “wonders” of this product, I immediately grab ahold of it and tried it myself for a week or two. Here’s what the product has to say:

- Immediate cooling effect to freshen up fatigue eye area
- In 14 days, skin is much brighter and radiant
- In 28 days, eye bags and dark circles reduced by 11-12% respectively.*

And yes, it seems like this eye product heed my prayers! I’ll let you know why.

Easy to Use & Takes away the puffiness instantly!

Garnier Light Brightening Eye Roll On is so easy to use, thanks to its ball point tip which obviates the need to dip your hand into the product. I felt the cooling, somewhat tingling sensation, as soon as applied. The puffiness around my eyes just disappeared instantly after seconds of application. It also made them less tensed and more relaxed, as the product nixes the heavy feeling mainly due to stress. That may be because of the Caffeine, which is its primary ingredient. This is why application can be very addicting!

More importantly, it is dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested.

Pocket-Friendly

I mean literally and figuratively. This magic wand comes in handy so you can stash it easily in your makeup kit. The price is also very reasonable, as compared to other eye products.

Didn’t Fade Dark Undereyes

Upon weeks of use, I didn’t notice any difference in the color of my undereye area. But, I guess no product works overnight! I hafta try it longer and see what happens.

On the other hand, I can’t attest if it minimizes fine lines around the eyes ‘coz I don’t have one [yet].

Price: Php 299/ around $ 6.40

*Evaluation on 50 women with dark circles and eye bags, all skin types.

Recently, I got something from Clarins , which includes this moisturizer I’m religiously using as of the moment. Clarins Ultra-Matte Rebalancing Lotion is made specially for those with oily skin types to ensure a fresher, more radiant complexion without the grease and shine (particularly in the T-zone area where sebum production is at its peak). It also shields the skin against harmful pollutants.

Ingredients such as Linden extract, Alpine Willow herb and Lantana ensure immediate, all day shine control that soothes, tightens pores, and promotes a matte appearance and a smooth skin texture. Chrysin, on the other hand, slows down the multiplication of sebocytes* day after day.

The verdict?

Non-sticky, Water-based Consistency

What’s really nice about this product is its water-based consistency that’s easily absorbed by the skin. Unlike other moisturizers, this one didn’t give me an icky sticky feeling afterward. It feels light as if I didn’t put any moisturizer at all prior to cleansing and toning my face.

Lasting, Controls Oiliness without Over-drying

I’ve been using this continuously during the day for more than a week or so, and I must say that I’m really loving it! It holds up the grease all day long, up to 4-6 hours on the T-zone area and 8 or more hours on the V-zone. My skin’s very oily, and I’m pretty much happy on how it nixes the extra shine sans over-drying my skin. Instead, it gives me a healthy, radiant vibe that my skin’s been craving for a long time!

Light-Scented, No Adverse Reactions

I’m not so sure whether the scent is a good or a bad thing for everyone. But, rest assured that the hint of scent it has is not at all overpowering. Best of all, it didn’t cause me any adverse reactions–breakouts, redness or skin allergies to be exact.

I usually wear it alone, or under powder and a dab of concealer. Since it’s easily absorbed by the skin, it doesn’t affect my makeup’s color or consistency.

Price: $39.50

* Cells of the sebaceous glands responsible for the synthesis of sebum