My Skin Care: History and Current Routine

How are you today? It sure was one crazy week for every one! I guess you are all enjoying your long weekend. =D

As for me, I don't know *sarcastic tone* what that is! Hahaha!!! In our industry, we follow Korean Holidays. So, while you are chillin' out, I am still here, in front of my computer, teaching language, grammar, pronunciation, etc. to my Korean students. =)

Anyway, I just thought about sharing with you my skin care routine. To tell you the truth, I am a late bloomer when it comes to skin care. I used to be scared of using creams and stuff on my face, although I see my grandmother and other relatives use various kinds of skin care products while I was growing up with them. I used to think that I was "too young" for such stuff.

HISTORY

The only skin care "routine" that I lived by until I started working was, just cleanse. Yes, ONLY cleanse. I would occasionally try out some stuff like honey mask but not in a regular basis. I used to be scared of using toners for other people (like my mom) think that it'll burn my skin. As for creams, moisturizers and other products that provide moisture (and eventually leave a heavy feel), I wasn't that enthusiastic in trying them out because I thought I didn't need them. =D

My eyes were only peeled open when I started watching Michelle Phan's videos, started collecting Cosmopolitan magazines and grew my love for cosmetics. I learned from Michelle Phan that skin care should never be skipped. That is, if you wanted to have better looking skin when you get older. At that time, I was nearing my mid-20's. And reading about growing wrinkles at that age bracket, I have been interested on how to keep my skin wrinkle-free. Besides, it was also the dawn of my discovery for the beauty of Koreans' skin. I was very amazed at how nice looking their skin is.

My journey started there. Since I loved makeup, all I ever cared for was to be able to remove my makeup thoroughly. While my sister-in-law could sleep with her makeup on, I hate not washing my face before going to bed. I am bothered about what stuff are lying on my face - dirt, makeup and other microbes that could cause mishap on my skin. I would wash my face twice or use a citrus smelling cleansing balm (from iWhite Korea) to remove my makeup. I always want to sleep with fresh, squeaky clean skin. ^__^

However, I still don't use toners. In as much as I wanted to have clear skin, I still shied away from toners. Then, I started looking for moisturizers and road tested some drugstore products. =D

LIFE WITH PCOS

It was only a couple of years ago that I started breaking out badly. I suspect it is due to my PCOS. A few months before my breakout, the doctor gave me low dose birth control pills that helped well in keeping my menstruation regular and my skin tamed. As far as I have researched, those low dose pills are called "beauty pills" mainly because they regulate the hormones, making the skin acne free. Even before the acne flare out, my skin was okay and my officemates would compliment on it. What more when I used the low dose birth control pills! My skin was really good that time. Mind you, it's my first time taking contraceptives and I couldn't believe that I will be needing them. After three months, I stopped taking them, since the doctor advised me to take it for only three months. For some reasons, I didn't return to see the OB-Gyne again.


The following months without the contraceptives has made my body change. My period became irregular more than ever, missing two to three months the worst. My cravings made me gain weight (which some of my friends and relatives found nice) and worse, worse, worse of all, breakouts pop out often, never giving my skin a break. It's okay if they're the normal kind of zit - but then, they are painful, cystic ones. I knew I mustn't worry much, because stress will just worsen it. But I can't help it! My wedding was only a few months away! =(

I decided scouring for products that would help me alleviate the breakouts. I also decided to upgrade my skincare regimen to be able to be really prepared for my big day. I was hoping to have perfect, smooth skin on my big day. Read here on what I did a few months before my wedding. I even had to go back to basics! Sadly, on the day of my wedding, I had to endure walking the aisle with a couple of zits that appeared on the morning of my big day! TT__TT

The bride (with her zits)

It was a huge fail, but I'm glad that my makeup artist was able to cover up those ill-behaved zits! =D


Since then, I've always been in search of how to deal with my pesky breakouts.


So far, the regimen below has helped in taming the "shrew". =D


Morning

1. Garnier Pure Active Multi-Action Scrub (Review here.)
     I would wash my face with this and leave it on while I bathe.

2. Korean Moisturizers (Samples from the prizes I previously got from my winnings.) and Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream (Review here.)
     Yes, yes, I don't have the toner part. =D Well, I tried using a House of Obagi Toner but I ran out of it and I haven't found a good toner out there. Any recommendations? 
     So, I immediately move on to moisturizing. =D I used up my Korean moisturizers as I don't want them to expire and go to waste. So far, Korean moisturizers work for me. =)

3. Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm (Review here.)
     Lips need some lovin' too! Do you know that there was a point in my life that I got addicted to this lip balm that I apply it after every class? Yes, I did! That was every 25 minutes! =D Good thing this baby lasted me a few months. =D

4. Garnier Anti-Perfections Roll On (Review here.)
     I only apply this when I have zits. =)

Evening


1. Garnier Pure Active Multi-Action Scrub
     Yes. I always feel the need to wash my face before going to bed. I can't stand feeling sticky and grimy. I want to feel fresh before hitting the sack! =D

2. Krave Minerale Panacea Olio Nutriente (Review here.)
     This is my evening elixir. Read on my review to know more on how I started using it. =)

3. Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm
     I want to have soft and kissable lips when I wake up in the morning.  Plus point when waking up hubby with kisses! =D


Here's a visual on how my evening regimen goes...

Step 1:
I wash my face with  Garnier Pure Active Multi-Action Scrub. I make a good lather and look like this:

Awooo.... =D

I don't use a towel. I let my face dry on its own. =)


Step 2:
I apply Krave Minerale Panacea Olio Nutriente in massaging and finger tapping motions.

Step 3:
Next, I swipe on Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balm. =)

Step 4:
I use Garnier Anti-Perfections Roll On when there's a zit or two. =)


There! Some parts of the usual skin care routine might be missing, but I am glad it works for me. I will update you soon as I change it or update it. You might find my routine lacking, but I am taking baby steps in creating my own routine. So far, I am researching on Asian skin care. =)

How do you do your skin care routine? How did you start?

If you have tips for me and my PCOS? Any product recommendations for a skincare noob like me? =D

An Elixir From A Goddess: Krave Minerale Panacea Olio Nutriente Full Review

** Pictures were only watermarked, cropped and combined in collages. No alterations, photoshop, etc. were done. =)

*** Long and intensive review. This is not a sponsored post. Item was purchased sent to me as a giveaway prize and what's written here are based on my own experiences and therefore are my pure and honest opinions. I wasn't paid nor compensated to write this review.

Hello every one! It's the first Monday Tuesday of the second half of the year! Whew! We're half-way through 2012! =D

It feels good to be back after being sick last week. I caught colds and flu and I just knew I had to battle it so I had loads of calamansi juice + vitamin c + medicines. Good thing it worked because I hate having colds. Imagine the excruciating headache plus having difficulties breathing. Aigoo! I may not be completely well but I am far better than last week! ^__^

Gyah! Last week, I was originally planning to post a lot of stuff, and now, I got tons of stuff to blog about! Talk about backlogs... hahaha!!! 

Oh well! Let's start! ^__^

Do anyone here remember my tutorial on my "Quick and Easy Top Bun Tutorial"? If not, better check it out! Hahaha! =D

Some pretty ladies commented about my hair, which was a bit surprising. I thought, "Really?" I told them that I shall be sharing it but it was only this time that I got the chance to do so. =)

Wanna know my secret? It's none other than... Krave Minerale's Panacea! ^__^

I've been using it for a few months now and I am in love with it. It was sent to me a few months ago as a prize for guessing the answer of the name of the Greek goddess of remedy, which is apparently, the same name of Krave Minerale's new and latest product. Being the Mythology buff that I am, I tried to recall the names of the Titans, Gods and Goddesses, even the muses and characters from Greek Mythology that I have learned from College. I had to double check my answer, too. You know, Greek Mythology can be tricky, so I just have to double check my answer. Haha! Yeah, yeah, that's how competitive I am... XD

Guess what? Yeah... I won! Haha! XD

Little did I know that this small bottle of wonder would change my life forever! =D

My Hair and Skin Background:
Ever since I had PCOS (short for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), my skin had been prone to break outs. I've been forever looking for a way to control them. I have hormonal imbalance, and no matter how much I take care of my skin, acne, white heads and black heads would sprout from time to time. I can still remember *play "Love Story (Where Do I Begin)" in the background here* that before I had this condition, my skin was perfectly fine; I didn't break out that much. =(




On the other hand, my hair was dry and frizzy that I would always put it in a bun. It has been about two years since I last had my hair relaxed, hence, the unhealthy, unruly hair. I used to put use hair treatments as conditioner every day, just to have that silky soft hair. But what happened instead of having soft and smooth locks? I over-conditioned it, I guess, making my hair oily and heavy, causing oil and product buildup. =(

Here are my HONEST thoughts about it...

Packaging:

When I received the "potion", it was housed in a cute box and the cap was sealed. However, the oil spilled a bit during shipping, but probably a few drops were just wasted. There was no instructions or package insert telling how to use it, so, I had to wait for posts from Krave Minerale and check back their FB page to find out how to use it.

How to Use:

• For Hair:  Massage the oil into your scalp & leave it for at least 10 minutes before taking a bath. In my case, I let it seep into my hair and scalp and let it stay there for about 20 minutes or more, depending on my class schedule. I sometimes tend to get lazy, so, when I have little time to take a bath before a class, I teach first and let Panacea stay in my hair until I get to take a shower. =D

• For the Face: It can actually be used in various ways. I use it at night, as a serum. When I learned that Panacea works wonders on acneic skin, I hoped that it would also work wonders on me. However, when I read that it should be used with Krave’s Cupine Aloepa Facial Wash, I felt sad, as I can't buy one yet. Until I read from Andy's blog that she used it with her current skin care products, I decided to try using it with Garnier Pure Active Multi-Action Scrub. I use Panacea nightly, after washing my face. =)

What I love about it...

•  It really made my hair soft, shiny and fuller! There's less hair fall when I shower and after brushing my locks. ^__^
• I don't use hair conditioner a lot these days! I only use it once in a while. =)
• It can serve as hair serum when having bad hair days (which is rare) or if you simply want to let your hair down! =D
• No split ends. The last hair cut I had was way back in February. Thanks to Panacea and putting my hair in a bun while slumbering, I get no split ends! ^__^
• Although it is 100% Hemp Oil, it doesn't really feel heavy and greasy on the hair and skin. ^__^
• It did help improve my skin's texture. My skin is more softer and supple. Premature fine lines? Erased! =D
• I noticed that when I apply it, some whiteheads fall off occasionally.
• My skin felt invigorated and soft in the morning.
• It works GREAT as a serum and moisturizer.
• It has serves a lot of benefits. 
• All natural! Check this link for more info! ^__~
• Cruelty-free! ^__^

Neutral... As I don't have anything to say to not love it! =D

• The smell bothered me at first. But now, I can't sleep without having the smell of it on my face! People who like fragrant skin care product would find it unappealing, but hey! It does work wonders! I think I am now addicted to it's leafy, Moringa oleifera-ish scent! Hahaha! ^__~
• Available only online. You're lucky if your neighbor is a Krave Minerale Distributor. =D Anyways, Krave has a growing number of distributors, so fret not! ^__^

Price:

For only P475 per 20ml (net weight) bottle, you will reap a lot of benefits! Plus, it will last you for months! =)

Where to buy?

You may visit Krave Minerale Cosmeceuticals on Facebook and check their growing list of distributors. =)

Whom would I recommend this to?

Perfect for people with (According to  Krave Minerale Cosmeceuticals):

• acne
• aging skin/wrinkles
• fine lines
• dry & rough skin
• psoriasis
• dull skin
• eczema
• dandruff 
• scaly scalp
• falling hair
• thin hair
• dry & lifeless hair

Rating:

5 out of 5

My hair and skin loves Panacea! ^__^

^__^

Tips:

• In applying Panacea on hair, massage the oil thoroughly. when applying it on your face, you can do two kinds of motions: gentle massage and tapping motions. Use the tips of your fingers in massaging the oil, imagine you're playing the piano. =D
• Concentrate on problematic parts on face. For example, since flare outs appear on my cheeks most of the time, I put concentrated amounts of Panacea on those areas.
• Be sure you use clean hands before applying Panacea. You wouldn't want to make things worse, you know! ^__~
• Try Krave's Skin Feeding Program. Check out their FB Page or ask a Krave Minerale Distributor for assistance on what Skin Feeding Program suits you. I want to try it myself, but maybe after I finish up my Panacea, so I could buy a complete set. ^__^

Photos:

*Click on the photos to enlarge.*

April 4th

See how shiny and bouncy my hair is? ^__^

June 12

June 15

June 22 (After a Week)

See how the acne dried up and shrunk?

First week of Panacea

My face: I love how Panacea keep my face acne free! To think that these were photos taken during my first week of use! ^__^ 

Today, July 3rd: A photo before sleeping and ending this post. 

My imperfections have lessened and I believe that I must take more careful steps in clearing them up. =)

Whew! It took me half a day to finish this post! Glad to finally finish writing my review on Krave Minerale's Panacea! ^__^

Have you tried Krave Minerale products? 

Any thoughts? Share them below! ^__^