The hot grueling rays of summer can be your best friend, giving you the ultimate sun-kissed look.  But it will also be your worst enemy as the number 1 cause of skin ageing. And whilst rocking the summer tan is always a trend this time of year, dry skin isn’t.

Good thing Human Nature has come out with something to combat just that. Introducing Human Nature’s Healthy Lotion in Berry Bliss. It’s a premium, healthy and indulgent body skin nutrition that’s infused with naturally powerful ingredients like our bestselling miracle sunflower oil. It’s the ultimate, fast-absorbing moisturizer that’s great for normal and dry skin and it’s the first of its kind in the market! Why you may ask? Well, because while most lotions can moisturize, not all of them are healthy. This one is!

Human Nature’s blissfully berry scented lotion gives your skin its much-needed daily vitamins and antioxidants without any synthetic chemicals such as parabens and the health disorders brought along by them. It’s 100% natural, 100% safe and 100% healthy.

What’s even better is it’s only Php64.75 for a 50ml bottle and Php199.75 for a 200ml bottle – because staying and living healthy doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. So grab a bottle now and make sure to keep your skin healthy, nourished, young and glowing in the bright summer sun!

To learn more about Human Nature products and advocacy or to learn how to be a dealer, visit www.humanheartnature.com or your nearest Human Nature Branch, or call (02) 931-5787. You may also visit Rustans, Shopwise and Beauty Bar for a select line of Human Nature products.

Having a good skincare and body care regimen is a woman’s not-so-secret basic cheat sheet to a healthier, better looking and more hygienic you; and being a man is no exception.

Need not to fret guys, ‘coz it does not entitle you an instant metrosexual award (or should I rather call it as “stigma”) if you own a facial wash/shaving cream, moisturiser and a deodorant. Rather, it just proves how hygienic and conscious you are on your well-being, which earns you a gold star from the ladies.

NIVEA brought something new made especially for the gents: a deodorant especially formulated to fight odour-causing bacteria and a skincare line that specifically targets oily skin problems.

NIVEA FOR MEN Silver Protect Deodorant

It’s not surprising that men sweat more than women, and obviously are more prone to body odour. This also means that they have more bacteria in their underarms –- one centimetre of the skin could be occupied by a million microscopic bacteria that cause body odour!

NIVEA FOR MEN Silver Protect Deodorant draws its the antibacterial power from silver ions and fights body odour by targeting its cause, hence stopping body odour before it emanates. It gives you the round-the-clock protection,  so you don’t have to worry applying again and again through the rest of your day.

Albeit tough on bacteria, it promises to be mild and gentle to the underarms. It also comes in a dry, musky-woody scent that smells so masculine.

Available in:
25 ml roll-on – Php 55
50 ml roll-on – Php 95
40 ml stick – Php 160
150 ml spray – Php 180

NIVEA FOR MEN Multi Effect 8 Facial Wash & Moisturiser

Having an oily, acne-prone skin is a challenge for ladies like me, more so for guys. Men are also capable of having hormonal imbalance, which can lead to nasty skin problems such as excessive sebum (oil) production, comedones and zits.

NIVEA FOR MEN Multi Effect 8 is the newest skin care range that promises to fight the 8 main problems of oily skin:

1. Excessive Oiliness
2. Oily Shine on Face/Skin
3. Enlarged & Clogged Pores
4. Dry skin feeling after cleansing
5. Uneven & impure look
6. Formation of blackheads
7. Formation of whiteheads
8. Acne

Each contains Carnitine, Salicylic acid and encapsulated Lactic Acid that control and reduce oil production and prevent skin impurities such as blackheads, whiteheads and pimples. Magnesium Chloride, Hydramine and Algae Extracts moisturise the skin, whilst Elastomer allows these ingredients to be quickly absorbed by the skin, giving it a smoother feel thereafter.

It comes in two variants:

NIVEA FOR MEN Multi-Effect 8 Face Wash cleanses and preps the face prior to skin care application such as the toner and moisturiser. It’s recommended to use once to twice a day.

Price: Php 139 for a 100ml tube

NIVEA FOR MEN Multi-Effect 8 Moisture Gel can be used during the day and night as a moisturiser without the greasy feel.

Price: Php 199 for a 50 ml bottle

NIVEA FOR MEN is available in leading supermarkets, department stores and drugstores nationwide

Tony Moly has a bevy of latest releases, and I’m equally excited and giddy as you are to get up-close and personal with these products.

Tony Moly Shiny Foot Baby Skin Heel Patch – Php 178 & Luminous Pink Heart Makeup Starter – Php 58

Rich in jojoba, eucalyptus and tea tree oils plus the moisturising benefits of cocoa butter, Tony Moly Shiny Foot Baby Skin Heel Patch helps prevent dry, cracked heels, and keeps them soft and well-moisturised all day.

On the other hand, Tony Moly Luminous Pink Heart Makeup Starter works like a priming mask — with AHA, BHA and collagen to nourish and exfoliate the skin — prior to makeup application. The heart-shaped pink dot is the exfoliating part that removes dead skin cells, whilst the embossed side deeply moisturises the skin.

Tony Moly Berry Lovely girl Heart Lip Palette – Php 448

Tony Moly Berry Lovely girl Heart Lip Palette contains 5 luscious lip colours in pinks, nudes, reds and corals stashed in a pocket-sized transparent compact case with a tiny lip brush included. It reminds me of my old Barbie tinted lip gloss palette (yes, I’ve been very interested in makeup ever since).

Tony Moly Lovely Girl Eau de toilette 30ml – Php 748

Tony Moly Lovely Girl Eau de toilette has crisp floral top notes, making it ideal to wear during daytime. The scent minds me that of CK’s.

Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar – Php 278

Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar is rich in fruit extracts and Vitamin C that moisturises and hydrates chapped lips. It comes in 6 yummy flavours (stawberry, grape, orange, peach, cherry and apple). I got mine in Strawberry.

Inside

I tested it, and it’s just like an ordinary lip gloss sans the tint. Might as well give it to my younger cousin, since I’ve tons of lip glosses and balms already.

Tony Moly Backstage Eye Paint Pot – Php 448

Tony Moly Backstage Eye Paint Pot works as an eye shadow, liner or a highlighter. This high definition, long-wearing eye colour claims to be budge-proof and waterproof, and lasts the entire day. It comes with a small brush concealed on top of the lid for quick, instant touch-ups. I got mine in lavender with shimmers.

Tony Moly Berry Trendy Hair Wax – Php 178

Tony Moly Berry Trendy Hair Wax comes in different formulations, depending on the length and type of the hair. Each pot delivers a different hold and glossy finish. I got mine in a coral pink pot that’s perfect to those who have long, wavy hair. It has the weakest hold for a voluminous wave, if I’m mistaken, but gives off the best sheen. It has a yummy apple scent, hence I initially mistook it for a facial mask lol.

Inside

Albeit made specially for men, I use it ideally to keep those stubborn tutchangs at bay and nix those icky frizzes for neat and sleek hair styling.

Tony Moly Berry Trendy Style Hair Mist – Php 378

Tony Moly Berry Trendy Style Hair Mist is one of my current hair care-slash-styling favourites. It prevents split ends, effectively detangles my unkempt locks (prior to combing), calms down frizzes, and keeps my hair freshly scented with a hint of sweet berries. It also has UV filters that protect the hair from the drying and damaging rays of the sun. It’s a must-have hair care arsenal!

ECHOstore is one of my favourite local stores in the metro that sells organic brands at reasonable prices. It’s been a haven for most local organic brands such as Giga, ZEN, Human ♥ Nature and Ilog Maria to name a few; not to mention, the store houses its own brand of organic products under its namesake.

I frequent their branch in Serendra whenever I have the time to pass by the area from work in search of interesting finds. That’s where I got my Burner lip balm, among other things.

Sharing with you is my ECHOstore mini-haul from my last trip. I’m sure you’d be surprised on how much each of these products cost.  

ECHOstore Body Basics Spa in a Bottle

ECHOstore’s own line of organic products never fails to amaze me. My first purchase was a pocket hand sanitiser in yummy grapefruit scent, which I religiously used and recently emptied.

As for ECHOstore Body Basics Spa in a Bottle, I can really attest to its calming and relaxing scent! I know, it can be very addictive! The product name is kinda bemusing at first, but you’d get what exactly it is once you tried it yourself. It’s like an oil concentrate from a concoction herbal ingredients such as virgin coconut oil, peppermint, orange, musk and lavender.

It’s a great reliever for congestion, stress, nausea and dizziness.

To use: spray a small amount on a palm of the hand. Rub oil gently with two hands. Cup hands to the nose and mouth area. Take a deep breath. Oil can be rubbed on the nape area and temples of the head for stress relief.

I believe it can also double as a massage oil. Also available in balm or cream variant.

Price: Php 125 for a 50ml bottle.

Ilog Maria Honey & Propolis Shampoo

I’ve been a fan of Ilog Maria for many years. I usually have their products delivered right to my doorstep (via shipping), coming straight from their honeybee farm in Silang, Cavite.  They have a variety of organic products to choose from; most are honey-based, of course.

Finally, there’s a one-stop shop for Ilog Maria products here in Manila, and one of which is in ECHOstore. I got curious about Ilog Maria Honey & Propolis Shampoo, so I gave it a try. One of the things I like about the shampoo is its high peppermint concentration that really feels good on the scalp. I love the pleasantly cool after-feel the peppermint leaves. However, I don’t find the shampoo sudsy enough, which is common for most all-natural, organic products. It requires me to apply an ample amount in order to cleanse entirely my super long hair.

Price: Php 155 for a 125ml bottle.

For bulk orders, it would be better and much cheaper to have it delivered from the farm, since the original price is almost half the retail.

Indigo Jar of Hope First Aid Gel

I got a small jar of Indigo Jar of Hope First Aid Gel out of curiosity. Although it has a steeper price tag as compared to other local organic brands available in the store, this nifty product justifies it all by proving its versatility in relieving burnouts, stress, insomnia, fussiness, insect bites, motion sickness, inflammation, rashes, cuts, wounds, chicken pox, diaper rash baby acne and, uhm, sore nipples.  So yea, it can be used by both babies and adults!

The gel inside

Its main ingredient is the blue chamomile essential oil, which contains Azulene‘s healing properties. I use this gel as an initial treatment for insect bites and breakouts. Once I had a breakout (due to extreme stress), and this was my “life saviour” in keeping those nasty red zitties at bay. It dries fast and is easily absorbed by the skin sans the greasiness thereafter.

Price: Php 510 for a 30ml jar.

ZEN Palawan Kelp Organic Body Scrub

ZEN Palawan Kelp Organic Body Scrub has got to be one of the best [organic] body scrubs I’ve ever tried, and I’m not exaggerating.

I’ve been curious about ZEN, which stands for “Zestful”, “Energetic” and “Natural”, ever since I saw them flocking most stands in leading department stores, yet I never tried taking one home until recently.

The reason why I bought this variant is because: first, it’s made out of kelp (a huge sea algae) found in Palawan; and second, it looks like Cookies ‘n Cream from afar (hahahaha!).

Inside

It has a creamy consistency like that of lotion. The apricot seeds are finely milled and evenly distributed, making it less abrasive than the usual (except if rubbed vigorously).  I’m surprised that it doesn’t smell fishy at all. It kinda smells herbal in a nice way. The kelp isn’t slimy to touch. It’s rather an interesting twist to run-of-the-mill body scrubs found in the market today.

Price: Php 150 for a 100g jar.

If you remember a month ago, Giordano gifted me this body butter, which got me fascinated (mainly because of its nice packaging).

I’ll be giving a more detailed review as promised.

Giordano CheerÜup Body Butter is part of the brand’s CheerÜup (read as “cheer you up”) collection, which also includes a shower gel. It’s available in two scents: regular and lavender. I believe I got the regular one if I’m not mistaken.

To use: take an appropriate amount of body butter and slather it lavishly onto the skin. Gently massage until completely absorbed.

Smiley Packaging, Soapy Scent

One of the things that made me quite interested about this body butter is its pretty packaging. It’s enclosed in a spherical transculent yellow jar with a smiley print atop of the lid.

However, I’m not a fan of its soapy scent. I can hardly describe it, but I guess it’s safe to say it has musky top notes.

Lightweight, Less Sticky

When opened

Onto the skin

Unlike other body butters (like the ones from The Body Shop), this one’s really lightweight yet less emollient. Its consistency is almost comparable to a lotion.

Moreover, it’s less greasy and sticky as compared to its TBS counterparts, albeit the buttery feeling is still present once I run down my fingers onto my skin.

This would be perfect for someone who prefers a lighter version of the body butter, yet more moisturising than the lotion.

Price: Php399.00

Available at all Giordano branches nationwide.

I’ve been very busy lately attending beauty events this month. One of which was NIVEA and Mango’s Glam Express Event held at Mango boutique in Rockwell Powerplant Mall last week.

I was slated to meet Jackie in person that very day, who happened to be a real-life barbie donning a chunky pair of Aldo platform clogs. Together with Earth, the three of us, being the early birds, formed a group and joined the styling contest. ‘Twas funny though that we didn’t focus on the contest’s goal, which was to style the fastest time. Nonetheless, Earth and I enjoyed playing stylistas-slash-buyers whilst dressing up Jackie as our gorgeous model.

Here’s Jackie sporting the “spring” peg.

L.A. Ferriols, who was such a darling donning an all white ensemble from Mango, hosted the event.

One of NIVEA’s brand managers, Raisa Mislang, talked about the science behind NIVEA Express Hydration Lotion, which I already made a review here.

Karen Chikiamco of Mango shared to us the clothing brand’s latest autumn-winter collection.

Yehey! Corp’s General Manager, Jay Arellano, discussed the Glam Board Express Facebook application, which is now available here.

Here’s a snapshot of the Facebook app, which is patterned after Polyvore. Image fr Jackie Go.

Getting ecstatic whilst trying the app Image fr NIVEA Philippines

More Event Pictures

Me wearing a typical office ensemble. I was trying to blend into NIVEA’s blue, black and white theme. Image fr NIVEA Philippines.

Checking out the crowd

Captured a stolen shot of Jackie

Jamie, Jon and Gel of NIVEA Philippines

Special thanks to Mikki Galang of NIVEA Philippines and Joanna Ruaro of Yehey! Digital Group

Anyhoos, here’s the second week of my Grand August Giveaway. Get the chance to win either one of the following:

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate

I would’ve given this serum a year ago. But due to unforeseen circumstances, I kept it on hold. Bottle is still sealed for freshness!

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concencrate is a replenishing elixir of Pure Essential Oils and Distilled Bonatics to visibly rejuvenate stressed skin by morning. I underwent a 15-day challenge using this product.

L’Oreal Total Repair Night Essence, Repairing Treatment & Conditioner

L’Oreal Total Hair Repair is infused with Cement-Ceramide that promises to repair the top 5 hair problems — hair fall (due to breakage), dryness, dullness, roughness and split ends.

The L’Oreal Total Hair Repair gift pack includes the conditioner, repairing treatment and night essence for deep conditioning and extra hair nourishment.

Majolica Majorca Majoromantica Perfume

Part of the Fake Sleeping collection, Majolica Majorca Majoromantica is a limited edition  fruity-floral perfume. I already made a review here.

Whilst it’s my current favourite, I decided to let go of one of my bottles so I can share the magical scent to you!

L’Oreal White Perfect Moisturising Day Cream

L’Oreal White Perfect Moisturising Day Cream is packed with Melanin Vanish, a technological-breakthrough formula that helps reduce dark spots and visibly brightens the skin. Tourmaline Gemstone helps stimulate skin micro-circulation, giving your skin a more rosy white glow. It’s also packed with SPF 17 to protect your skin against UV-induced darkening which triggers the appearance of brown spots.

Garnier Light Complete Multi-Action Whitening Cream

Garnier Light Complete Multi-action Whitening Cream acts on dullness, dark spots, excess oil and acne marks for visibly fairer and clearer skin.

The gift pack consists of 20 and 40ml tubes.

Mechanics:

As a Facebook User: Please “Like” the All The Vanity page in Facebook! Share this post through your own wall tagging the All The Vanity page. Update: Please post the same on the All The Vanity wall so I can better keep track of your entries.

As a blogger: Re-post one of the following giveaways you want to win,  linking the post to http://www.allthevanity.com/?p=2117. Leave a comment containing the link of your blog post so I can view it myself. One post = one raffle entry!

As a Twitter follower: Simply “Follow” All The Vanity in Twitter, and post the following:

“@allthevanity I want to win (name of the giveaway you wanna win) in All The Vanity! http://www.allthevanity.com/?p=2117“

As a commenter: If you don’t have any of the aforementioned, you can simply comment by answering the following question:

“Why do you want to win (name of the giveaway you wanna win)?”

Please leave a valid e-mail address, so I can contact you directly as well.

–

Each corresponds to one raffle entry. Entries are valid until Sept 29th, 11:59 pm. Winners will then be announced on September 30, 2011 via blog post, Twitter and Facebook. I will randomly pick the winners.

For winners, please contact me via e-mail within the next fifteen days after the date of announcement. Failure to do so will forfeit your winnings. Hence, I will conduct another raffle for such unclaimed prize/s.

Moreover, each winner will receive a 20g sample of Asian Secrets for you to try.

Last week, I received a gift from Giordano Philippines, including my very own Giordano Ball Tee.

I love my tee’s classic monochromatic print, complemented by bright yellow polka dots. You can get the ball tee for only Php 899. Mine’s small, which can fit from small to medium frames.

Print up-close

It has a loose fitting, which is perfect to pair with a bondage skirt and/or a pair of tights. Anything “skinny” at the bottom will do the trick.

I also got an umbrella and a smiley sphere-shaped jar in addition.

I’m not really into branded or designer umbrellas. I simply use the run-of-the-mill ones anyone can buy at the nearest supermarket or department store.

Umbrellas aren’t really my cup of tea. We’re not best of friends. I hate bringing one ‘coz it’s an added weight (and bulk) to my tote or backpack, not to mention the toll of time it takes just to tediously fold it back into its neat shape. But of course, I’ve no choice but to bring one especially when the rain starts pouring in.

They gave me a plain black tri-fold umbrella with a red Giordano logo print on it, which I likey. Black is my go-to colour by default. I honestly prefer umbrellas in monochromatic colours, since they blend well with any outfit. I opened it, and it seemed sturdy. Probably, it could withstand the violent gusts brought by typhoons of today. However, I couldn’t vouch any longer if it’s a supertyphoon.

The smiley jar piqued my curiosity. I didn’t know Giordano has beauty products until recently. It’s Giordano’s CheerÜup (perhaps, read as “cheer you up”) Body Butter.

Giordano CheerÜup Body Butter when opened

To my juvenile excitement, I tried it immediately. It was okay. I’m not sure if it works like Smiley Happy Therapy, which contains chemicals commonly found in chocolates that purport to elevate the mood. I wasn’t a fan of the body butter’s smell though, but its packaging’s just so adorable. I’m still amidst mulling whether to make a separate post-slash-review about it or not.

As for the Ball tee, I’ll try to post a decent picture soon. Please bear with me as I’m not really much of a “stylist”.

The first time I’ve heard about Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub was from my friend I. Honestly, I feel really ashamed to be oblivious on what’s going on in the market today.

So when beauty blogger Liz invited me to attend the brand’s mini press event, I didn’t hesitate to push through. Unfortunately, I arrived really late, much to my dismay for not waking up early.

Anyhoos, I’m still lucky to try the product. Asian Secrets is a whitening body scrub inspired by a luxurious Javanese ritual, hence the name “lulur”.

Lulur is the most luxurious ritual usually reserved for 17th century Indonesian royalty. It was so popular it became part of countless bridal preparations, in order to beautify, smoothen and whiten the bride-to-be’s skin before her wedding day.

It contains Green Tea Extract, Vitamin E, Squalene and Olive Oil that help protect the skin, keeping it healthy, moisturised and even-toned. It has Polyethylene beads that exfoliates the skin, sloughing off dead skin cells. Sodium Lactate also helps in exfoliating and whitening the skin.

It claims to reduce skin pigmentation when used frequently whilst keeping the skin moisturised. It evens out skin tone, particularly that of dark patches on the elbows, knees, armpits and the area between the thighs. Moreover, it’s dermatologist-tested and hypoallergenic.

To use: apply on dry skin before shower. Gently scrub against dark spots. Rinse and see the difference.

I got 135 g, 250 g and 20 g samples. The latter is not for sale.

135 g jar

250 jar

20g small jar samples. Another beauty blogger, Kira, told me that her Asian Secrets bore these babies. So cute! They’re not for sale though.

I was also given a set of lavender tea lights that I can use whilst applying Asian Secrets Lulur Whitening Body Scrub for a complete spa experience in the comforts of my own home.

I’ve been using it for a few days, and here’s what I think.

Creamy Consistency, Gentle Scrubbing Effect

It has this white creamy consistency with microbeads that gently scrubs against the skin. I love the fact that the beads are quite small and non-abrasive. It’s also easily rinsed, so I wouldn’t have to spend minutes trying to rinse the product off. I can use it when I’m in a hurry! Update: I would’ve loved it more though if the beads melt into my skin (like most sugar scrubs).

So far, I can hardly claim that it has already whitened my dark areas. But, I’ll give it a month or so in order for me to see the difference. What matters most to me is that it makes my skin feel instantly soft and velvety smooth after use!

Relaxing Floral Scent

Ohh, this is the one that makes me hooked! It has this relaxing floral scent that smells sooo good. I’m a sucker for scents (lol it’s already a given), and sniffing using it makes me feel de-stressed.

Price is at Php 80 for a 135 g jar, and Php 135 for a 250 g jar. Available at leading Watson’s stores.

Nivea Express Hydration Body Lotion contains Hydra IQ active ingredient that is developed specially for normal to dry skin types. It’s also packed with sea minerals, keeping the skin soft and supple.

The Hydra IQ is a special formulation based on a worldwide exclusive Nobel Prize technology. It promotes prolonged moisture supply into the skin which lasts for over 24 hours. Moreover, this award-winning lotion claims to effectively target the eight signs of dry skin namely dry, redness, rough, tight, flaky, dull, itchy and peeling.

Nivea sent me a 250 ml bottle. I’ve been using it for more than a week already. So far, I’m very satisfied with it!

Lightweight Consistency, Quick-Absorbing

The lotion has a lightweight, watery consistency, yet isn’t too runny at all. It’s easily absorbed by the skin and doesn’t leave me a greasy after feel, unlike most lotions. I also tried the Nivea Extra Whitening Inner Cell Repair Body Milk Lotion (review soon[!]), and I also experienced the same absorption rate and non-greasy after feel if I reckon correctly.

Moisturises Skin Effectively

I love the moisturising prowess of this lotion. I just apply it once a day, and I’m amazed on how it has deeply hydrated my skin all day long. Before, my skin on my arms and legs tend to get really dry.  Whenever I run the tip of my finger on my arms, it leaves a visible white streak of dry, loose skin flakes behind. Perhaps, the current cold rainy weather, not to mention the office dry air conditioning, may be the culprit.

It’s never happened since I started using this lotion. I tried testing my skin again and again to see if there’d be visible marks should I run my fingertips on it. And voila, no visible streaking or flaking left behind!

Blue Lotus Scent

It has a subtle blue lotus scent that I’m not a fan of. It’s a little too masculine for my taste. Good thing, it’s not that overpowering, so I can layer on some perfume to contradict the smell.

The best thing about Nivea is that they keep their products quite affordable. Express Hydration body lotion is currently available in four sizes:

• 75 ml – Php 36
• 125 ml – Php 65
• 250 ml – Php 120
• 400 ml – Php 224

I’m starting to love slathering on some lotion because of Nivea. I’d care to have another bottle of this in the future. I wish they had one in a different scent though.

NIVEA Express Hydration Body Lotion is available in all leading department stores, supermarkets and drugstores nationwide.