Anti-Acne Team (My Skin Care Routine) + Capsule Review

* This is not a sponsored post. Item was purchased by my own money and what's written here are based on my own experiences.

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

Do you know that my my skin was at its worst state during the last quarter of last year? It was horrifying and it came to a point that I got so depressed that I didn't want to go out.


Wanna see?

Sample Room Haul: Nivea and C-Lium Fibre

Hello!!! ^__^

It's a fantastic Thursday! Although I wasn't able to go to church early today, I'm glad I was able to catch the 3:45pm Service at another Locale. I arrived home 30 minutes before my next class! ^__^

Well, well... Let me share my latest Sample Room haul! It arrived last Tuesday. I think I've been blogging about Sample Room a lot! And I do hope you get convinced to try it! ^__^

Look at my loot!

Nivea Sun Invisible Cooling Mist, C-Lium Fibre Husk Sachet Packs (good for 12 days) and another sample of Celeteque Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes! ^__^

 C-Lium Fibre (Husk Variant)

Gotta get that beach-ready bod! =)

Nivea Sun Invisible Cooling Mist

This is perfect for the hot, sunny days!

I've already started using the C-Lium Fibre husk. I'm loving it! ^__^

What do you think of my haul? Anyone here tried C-Lium Fibre? =)

Please wait for my posts on these products! ^__^

Nivea Sparkling White Facial Foam Review

Here's another facial cleanser review for you!

I would like to post this before my Flawless RG Skincare Kit journey. I felt that I should write it in the order that I use the products so that you can see the progress.

You see, my number one skin woe is acne. Lately, I've been breaking out badly than before. There was even a time when, during the past two months, I got more depressed because of the painful pimples sprouting on my face. I realized that I really cannot do anything about it because my hormones are imbalanced. Looking at the bright side, I tell myself that I am lucky, because my flare outs are not as bad as the others who suffers from PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). At this point, while I still have not made an appointment with the OB-Gyne, I would have to make do with the best thing that I can: taking care of my skin.

Enter whitening products, acne solutions,etc!!!

So, I got this Nivea Sparkling White Facial Foam from the Woman on Top Loot I won from Ms. Martha last June. 

Sorry, I am not sure whether I was able to take a photo of it, or I forgot... =(

Photo Credit: Nivea Philippines Facebook Page

When I ran out of my Garnier Pure Active Multi-Action Scrub which, by the way, I reviewed here, I didn't think of purchasing another tube because I got plenty of stuff to use from the giveaways that I won. I thought I'd grab a gentle cleanser that would help lighten my acne scars. And what's a better way to lighten acne scars than to use a whitening product, right? =D


Now let's go to the review:

What it claims...

According to Nivea Philippines:

NIVEA Sparkling White Acne Oil Control

NIVEA VISAGE Sparkling White Acne Oil Control contains 2x smaller molecule of:
- Acne Reduction Technology that cleans deeper into pores by effectively lifting dirt and oil which is the cause of acne
- Skin Nutrient Formula that helps lighten acne marks and dark spots. 

The 5 main actions of NIVEA VISAGE Sparkling White Acne Oil Control Foam on different impurities (oil, acne marks, dark spots, enlarged pores and dirt) are the following:

1. Cleans deeper into pores to remove dirt & 90% of oil
2. Acne Reduction Technology helps prevent acne
3. Skin Nutrient Formula helps lighten dark spots & blemishes
4. Minimizes appearance of pores
5. Smoothens skin without dry feeling

How to use:

     Lather into a rich foam and use like a normal facial cleanser.

What I love about it...

• It smells heavenly! It smells better than Garnier Pure Active Multi-Action Scrub. ^__^
• Lives up to its promise of lightening the acne marks.
• Surprisingly, it does clean the skin! I love cleansers with beads on them because personally, they make me feel more clean. But this light and really foamy cleanser changed the way I view foam cleansers! I feel so squeaky clean after each wash! =D
• Made my pores look and feel finer.
• Gave me a fair and glowing complexion. I love how healthy looking my skin became. ^__^
• Didn't dry out my skin. 
• It is cheap! 

What I don't love about it...

• None that I could think of. =)

Price:

   Only Php 125 for a 100g tube and  Php 75 for a 50g tube. So affordable!

Where to buy?

    I believe this is available in supermarkets and Watson's nationwide.

Whom would I recommend this to?

    I'd recommend this to girls who are suffering from acne, has oily skin, enlarged pores and acne marks. This is also great for those who simply want to maintain a pure and fair complexion. ^__^

Rating:

5 out of 5

Super love it!!! ^__^

Photos:

July 9th

July 10th (morning)

July 10th (morning)

July 10th (morning)

July 10th (morning)

July 10th (morning)

July 10th (evening)

July 10th (evening)

July 19th (morning)

By July 19th, my face has definitely made a glowing change. In the above photo, I am happy to say that I skipped wearing makeup on that day. I think I only swiped on lipgloss to moisturize my lips! ♥♥♥

July 19th (afternoon)

In the afternoon, I stuffed myself with pandecoco... hahaha! Anyways, I wasn't wearing makeup here. See how it transformed my skin? =D

Tips:

• Although it is not drying, you still have to use a moisturizer to lock in needed moisture. Dried up skin also results to acne, so stay moisturized. Follow the Cleanse-Tone-Moisturize rule. ^__~
• For best results, use it with the NIVEA Sparkling White UV Blocker to protect skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Or, you may simply use your trusty sunblock. =)
• Don't only leave fighting acne to this product. Do your part, too! Avoid doing things that would cause you to have a sprouting zit! =D

Have you tried this cleanser? What are your personal thoughts about it?

I have sorted out my backlogs and hopefully, I could post all of them sooner. ^__^

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

Just Got Lucky Series: The Beauty Junkee's 3rd Blog Anniversary Giveaway

On the night of June 5th, before going to sleep, I felt the urge to check my personal Facebook page on my new smart phone... Hubby was already sleeping while I was silently scrolling through my page in the dark...

Then....

I got a message on my Facebook page wall coming from Ms. Martha, The Beauty Junkee, telling me to check my email. And I hurriedly opened my email inbox from my phone and excitedly opened the message with her name on it.

She chose me as one of her recipients on her 3rd Blog Anniversary Giveaway. She told me that one of the winners didn't respond to her email, so she had to chose another one. =)

I felt so giddy that I tapped hubby and told him that I won! =D

Me: (After reading Ms. Martha's email, eyes opened wide and felt giddy) Jagi!!!
Hubby: (Still sleeping and grunting in reply) ....
Me: I won!!! I won!!!
Hubby: (Snored)
Me: (Ignored his snores and still felt giddy) =D

Honestly, I had a harder time going to sleep that night, and my tweets that night were true. =D

I marked the day of the meet-up on my calendar in my smartphone, as winners from Metro Manila are supposed to pick up the prizes personally from her. =)

The venue was in Bonifacio High Street, Taguig. It was the first time that me and hubby would go there. We first took the PNR Train, from the station a few blocks from our street then when we got off Nichols station, the hubby decided to take a cab in going to the venue, for several purposes: he doesn't want to be late for the meet-up because of taking a jeepney ride and, we made a boo-boo of forgetting to bring an umbrella on a dark, cloudy day.  (You know, if you take the jeep, there's a chance that you'll get lost. He usually take a cab when we go somewhere we are not familiar with, especially when we have to meet someone. I am the adventurous type, and I like searching for various ways on how to get to a place commuting. =D Hence, the reason why instead of taking a cab from our place, I insisted that we try taking the train ride. Besides, there's no traffic when taking the train. =D It was my second time to take the PNR train. 

Eventually, it started drizzling when we got off the train, so we had no choice but to hail a cab. =D

In the cab, hubby started teasing me about the meet-up. He said, I might freeze again in shyness. =D

I told him, "Never again!" Hahaha!!! XD

We got to The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf by 4pm, I'm not sure if I was the first to arrive but we sat there and waited for a tiny bit. I saw Ms. Martha with the loads of goodies for us and she immediately handed me my loot. We sat down and waited for the others. Like what I said in my previous post, she was very nice. ^__^

Sorry I blabbered a lot! Hahaha! Now, let me share my loot! ^__^

I won the Woman on Top Gift Pack. ^__^

Lookie!!!

 A bagful of goodies!!! ^__^

 Let's take a peek of what's inside... ^__^

 A pretty red laptop bag from LapDance

 Perfect for Hyun-Ae (my lappie)! ^__^

 Another loot! ^__^

What's inside?

 Beauty Products and GCs!!! ^__^

 Nivea stuff: Extra Whitening Body Milk, Daily Face Fluid, Whitening Foam, Extra Whitening Deo Roll-on

Wow! Most of them are whitening products! =D

 Royal Effem Delight Fluid Bronzer

 Covergirl goodies: Lash Blast Length, Liquiline Blast and Natureluxe Gloss Balm

I actually got 2 Natureluxe Gloss Balms. I gave the other one to my sister-in-law. =)

Flawless GCs worth P2500! ^__^

I'll be sharing these with hubby and the in-laws! =)

I hope I could save one for my birthday on August! =D

Wait, there's more!

Ms. Martha gave us some L'oreal samples. =)

L'oreal Youth Code Pre-Essence, Revitalift Night Repair Essence and UV Perfect BB Max

I'm so excited to use these goodies! Oooops! Actually, I have tried the L'oreal UV Perfect BB Max yesterday! ^__^

Photo from my instagram: tried out the loreal bb max today... i love how it gave me a nice, healthy glow! ^__^...

Super Thanks, Ms. Martha! I love my prizes a lot!!! ^__^

Am I lucky, or what? No! I'm blessed!!! ^__^

Ever won in a contest/giveaway lately? Share them below! ^__^

P.S: Remember my Back-to-School Series? I don't think I could still make posts on school hairstyles because I will be having my L'oreal Chroma Straight Makeover (courtesy of Ms. Shen and L'oreal Professionel) on Sunday. I will be busy this weekend but I will try to film the hairstyles that I listed down on my notepad.

I really wish I could still film these hairstyles! -__-

Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream Review

Last week, I made a five-day diary documenting my use of a new moisturizer and it is the Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream.  In five days, I started loving the product and as part of my New Year's Resolution (which I will also post soon), which is posting reviews of products that I use, I promised that I shall be writing a full review on this awesome moisturizer. Awesome, did I say? Read on to find out why I am raving on the Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream. ^___^

Just like what I said in my post here, I decided to give the Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream a try since  I thought that it's high time for me to really start caring for myself more. Ironic, because before getting married, I cared less in using moisturizers and only relied on BB Creams. My co-workers would often compliment me for having good skin (well, at that time) and a young-looking face (yeee… *^__^*)

A week ago, I decided to make an oath (Uber! Hahaha!) to try my best to be consistent when it comes to beauty and skincare. That's when I took a glance at the royal blue paper bag that has been sitting on my table for about seven months already. 

Q10? What is it???

  

Okay. I won't puzzle you with scientific formulas and stuff. Let's make it simple. Q10 is an oil-soluble and vitamin-like substance  present in cells.

Trivia time! Do you know that...? 

• Another term for Q10 is CoQ10 which is short for "coenzyme Q10".

• It generates energy and is an anti-oxidant - which is good for the skin! ^__^

• The heart, liver and kidney have the highest concentration of CoQ10.

• It is primarily present in foods like salmon, mackerel and sardines. Another good news about these foods is that they don't just supply us with our dose of Q10, but they also have Omega-3 fatty acids, which is essential in decreasing the risk of heart disease! ^__^

• Smaller amounts of CoQ10 is found in the following foods: beef, chicken, peanuts, roasted sesame seeds and pistachio nuts, broccoli, spinach, strawberries, oranges, and eggs.

The production of Q10 in our cells decreases as we age, since our metabolism slows down due to the free radicals. 

Now, here's the part that you've been waiting for… Sorry, I bombarded you with facts that you might not be interested with. But who knows? Some of these facts might be the answer to a question in "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" Hihi… =D

What I love about it...

• It has a light and smooth texture. I love using BB creams and the current one that I use has a texture that is a little difficult to blend.

• It absorbs quickly. Meaning if you are in a rush in the morning, you don't have to wait for a full five minutes to let your skin absorb it.  =D

• My pores have started to shrink in just nine days of use! Super amazing!

• I can see and feel that the moisture is sealed in. My skin is really moisturized even after washing my face in the morning and several washes after.  ^__^

• Doesn't break me out. Hooray!!! ^__^

• It's an anti-wrinkle product! Good for people who are starting to have fine lines as well as those who want to prevent it - like me!

• Helps shield your skin with SPF 15. Sun damage is one of the things that damages the skin and causes premature aging and in the long run, wrinkles.

• Comes in an elegant glass tub. I love cute packaging, but  its plain white tub with only a few prints make it look so elegant. Plus, the glass tub gives it a high-end product feel.

• The tub is full of product and lasts for 12 months! You'll get your money's worth. ^__^

What I don't love about it...

• The scent is good; however, it lingers too long enough for me to smell my face. I can get used to it though.

Price:

I don't have an idea. This was an item from the loot that I got from Mrs. Martinez. I'll update this post once I learn about the price.

Where to buy?

I think this is available in Watson's and leading department stores nationwide. =)

Whom would I recommend this to?

I'd recommend this to girls who are trying to fight the signs of aging and those gals that are starting to have wrinkles. This product is intended for women aged -30-49. This is also good for all skin types.

Rating:

5 out of 5

I super love it!!!

^__^

Tips:

• Use circular motions in applying Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream. Want to be sure it is absorbed well? Gently pat your face with the product. Give yourself a quick face massage, too. But don't forget to be gentle to your face! ^__^

• In a rush and want to quickly put on make-up? Mix your favorite foundation or BB cream and Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream and apply. This will give you a sheer and dewy look. =)

• You can wear it as it is or top with your favorite foundation or BB Cream.

No wonder the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton trusted the Nivea Visage line to care for her skin! ^___^

Pics and Swatches:

The miraculous white tub

Amazing product...

Swatch

Swatch

Blended

Pardon the messy hair, bushy brows and bare face...

Bare face: With only Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream... =)

I hope my review helps! ^ ᴥ ^




So, here's my two cents on the Nivea Visage Q10plus Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream. Have you tried it? Share your experiences and thoughts! ^__^






Disclaimer: Product received as gift. The author is not paid to write this post. All information written are based solely on author's personal experiences.