After reading the review of Revlon Colorsilk of herroyalbleakness (with the gorgeously colored hair I've always wanted), I went to Watsons on the exact same day to buy a bottle of the exact same product.
See, I've never had the opportunity to sport colored hair (and I've been dying to!). I've used 3-4 boxes years ago of Garnier / Revlon / L'Oreal hair dyes (always with a medium tinge) but they would never work on me. See, stylists have always commented that my hair is just too black. So... the genius in me figured that if I use Revlon Colorsilk Beautiful Color in 50 Light Ash Brown, I'd end up with a medium or a dark brown tint. Good enough for me.
My hair condition? Since I chopped off 2/3 of my original length, my hair is totally unprocessed, color-wise. I just have around 4-5 inches of regrowth since my rebonding session last June at Affascinante Salon.
I followed all the instructions, except that I left the product on for an hour until I felt my scalp get itchy, because I know just how stubborn my natural hair color is!
Post-color result? Still Black. With a slight sheen of brown!
Oh no! And I'm wearing a nanay housedress too!
Girls, what should I do next? Should I wait for December (when I get my regrowth rebonded again) to get a boost of color from Affascinante Salon? Do I go to a very good (ack expensive!) salon to solve this problem?
Any tips?
Please, I just want color but without bleaching my hair dead.
When we were strolling around Watsons at MOA last Tuesday, I saw a booth promoting XYwhite - a whitening pen that proclaims to work in 7 days! I took the brochure, left the store after buying a couple of bath essentials, and conveniently forgot about XYwhite.
When I came home, I read that the product is made locally and is perfectly safe. Check out the XYwhite Website - it doesn't say that the whitening pen is out now, but shows that there are two products currently available in the market - toothpaste both for adults and kids. I have not tried the toothpaste yet.
Xywhite Toothpaste pioneered in the Philippines the use and importance of xylitol as a staple ingredient in a toothpaste. This classic peppermint flavored white toothpaste shows that fluoride works best with xylitol as it gives out a naturally cool and refreshing taste that lasts longer than other regular brands of toothpaste. The many benefits of xylitol, the natural food sweetener, make Xywhite toothpaste also ideal for use by people who often experience dry mouth or those suffering from diabetes. Xywhite toothpaste also contains baking soda that helps in teeth whitening.
Xywhite Tweens Toothpaste is ideal for children six to twelve years old. It is flavored with strawberry crème or blueberry vanilla that will surely invite more brushing and packed with the power combination of xylitol and fluoride. For optimum protection of the new permanent teeth against cavities, a changeover is recommended from the regular children’s toothpaste (like SansFluo Toothgel Cleanser) to Xywhite Tweens.
Back to the Whitening Pen - it states on the brochure that it costs less than 500 pesos! I've been on the lookout for something that will safely brighten my teeth and this sounds promising! It just might work. I immediately regretted not getting one at MOA.
But yesterday, I finally found it at SM San Lazaro (2nd floor Watsons) in one of the shelves accessible only to the cashier. I guess the promotion for this product is not in full bloom yet.
But boy, am I glad I found it... and that it costs only PhP 410!
I've been using it for two days, no results yet.
The pen looks like your lipgloss dispenser, only that it contains a small amount of clear liquid (that's really sour) which you apply on your teeth twice a day after brushing. You're not supposed to eat or drink anything for 30 minutes after application.
After 7 days, your teeth are supposed to be 3-4 shades lighter. We'll see. I'll post before and after pictures, so wait for that people (ack!).
I hope it works!
Cheers,
Tracy
* This is not a sponsored post! I am really intrigued with this product and I bought it using my own money. I hate my teeth (I drink coffee and tea regularly, but I don't smoke. I inherited my dark gums and yellow teeth from my Dad, who's a smoker).
I’ve never been the adventurous type when it comes to pampering myself – I always stick with the basics that I can do at home; hence, the posts on my favorite soapsand scrubs. My requirement is simple: I want smooth, soft, even-toned and bright skin.
Though DIY products are great and readily available, the curiosity to know the difference between them and spa procedures is overwhelming! And I blame that on Kinny Salas’s column (specifically the articles Truly white—not just lighter—skin and Where to go for skin lightening, though I can't afford most of her promising recommendations anyway! But I still read her because I am consumeristic like that) and the blog entries of Shenand Pink Urinalon the Forever Flawless Body Scrub with Bleach!
So finally, last Sunday I dragged my friend Kath so that she can get a massage and I can try out a body treatment. We went to Qiwellness at Makati, a relatively new spa that opened last January 2010 and specializes on massages and reflexology.
First impression? Qi Wellness is very different from the usual dark and woody oriental spas. The entire place is light, clear and airy. The scent is citrusy and tangy (not like the minty / eucalyptus smell that assaults you when you get a massage at Ton Ton's or some other Thai massage places).
The interior was designed to maximize the space!
I became very curious about trying out a body treatment when I read from their online brochure that the:
... Body treatments perk up skin color and clarity, unclog the follicles and pores, allow the skin to breathe better, improve and smoothen the skin’s texture, and stimulate the skin’s overall function and increase our circulation.
Sounds good! Again, because my mantra is "smooth, soft, even-toned and bright skin," I chose to go for:
MOTHER OF PEARL TREATMENT
P1,680 90m
Mother of pearl powder, for centuries
considered the symbol of wealth and beauty
of the far east, bestows smoothness and
luminosity in this flowing and exfoliating ritual.
Me: Pre-Treatment
These are the steps that I went through, which were comprehensively explained to me by the owner and by my therapist (who was very considerate and helpful) as well:
1. A 30-minute exfoliation of the body using Dead Sea Salt and Phyto Cream. You have to strip nekkid and use disposable underwear (don't worry, you can do this privately). Afterwards you'll be asked to lie face down, and then the therapist will apply the salt-cream combo starting on your legs, back, arms, and then you'll be asked to flip. The same process is followed face-up.
The body treatment ingredients
2. A quick shower (no soap). Yes, there's a shower in your private room! You'll be given a new pair of underwear too.
3. The application of the "mother of pearl" - nacre - which composes the inner shell layer of a pearl. This provides the "iridescence" in the treatment, and is applied the way the salt/phyto cream combo was done. Because this isn't your usual bleaching powder, I did not experience any itchiness or stinging.
Pretty on the shell, but powderized for you, of course.
4. A 20-minute wrap to make sure the mother-of-pearl goodness penetrates the skin! This is accompanied by a very good head massage that can lull you to sleep (yes, I fell asleep haha). Add to that, the music was very relaxing and the room scent's clean and sweet.
5. A quick shower (with soap). New pair of disposable undies again =)
6. Application of a non-sticky, lovely-smelling, light moisturizer.
The result?
Yes, theIn2it Powder Foundation in Warm Beige looks awesome on natural light.
Wearing my favorite lipstick, Shu Uemura Lolishine Rouge in 359 Deep Raspberry Twinkling in Silver.
Overall, my first brightening body treatment has been excellent. That explains the happy face, folks! Though nothing was applied on my face, you can see my arms and my decolletage look smooth and luminous. Kath even remarked that my skin looked rosy white and soft (not sticky-soft as if you've just applied body oil, but baby-smooth if you catch my drift).
Another plus? After being chatty as usual, I learned that their lovely receptionist, Bea, came from the same school where Kath and I graduated and that we had common friends. This little realization really took out any intimidation left in a novice like me from trying out a spa service in a chic spot in Makati!
Anyway, I've also asked Kath to write about her massage and she'll oblige. Wait for that, folks! (I am actually envious because I want a massage too, I have so much on my plate right now. Grr all the stress!)
If you're curious and you want to check out Qiwellness, here are the deets:
P.S. After two days... my skin still feels soft. The brightening pearly-effect was temporary, but nonetheless I think the exfoliation allowed for my skin to become more even-toned. I just had my arms waxed and I am happy to say that they look flawless! Honestly, I don't think I will get that addicted to getting weekly body treatments, because I'll probably need massages more since I can't do that by myself LOL.
As mentioned previously in one of our posts, our mom joined a Holy Land Tour through Catholic Travel, where she visited Egypt, Jordan and Israel. She arrived last Saturday, and told us the experience has been tiring but altogether fulfilling!
Today, we're sharing with you some of the items she bought during her trip:
Necklaces made of Ivory Tusks (Never seen accessories quite like these!)
Dead Sea Lotions from Sea of Spa
(Incidentally, she told us that they strolled along the mineral-filled Dead Sea. You can only last there for around 20 minutes because the salt can really sting! But when you rinse off all the mud... Your skin is SUPER smooth)
Aloe Vera Gel (bought at an unreasonable price!)
Scarves (can we turn these into flying carpets?)
Essential Oils
(So expensive! We were shocked she bought all these, but what the heck? At least our house smells all sorts of exotic and perfume-y)
As a kid, I had the most tanned skin in our bunch. My 7-year old picture (that flagrantly boasts my star complex) above shows I am easily a NC35. Now, the shot beside it taken a week ago presents that I am a stable NC25 ---- light-skinned enough to be mistaken as Chinese (by a Chinese tourist group in Disneyland, California), Japanese (by OFWs in Japan when I was en route to Manila) and Korean (by Koreans in school). My mom is flabbergasted as to why I am whiter than all of my siblings ("Nung pinanganak kita ikaw pinaka-maitim! Bakit ka nagkaganyan?!").
Yes, I've experimented with Glutathione (oral and IV) and DIY bleaching treatments but I've never taken/done these on a regular basis. To keep myself consistently fair-skinned, I have relied on body scrubs and soaps (and lotions if I remember to put them on).
Anyway, these are my favorite soaps which I have been repurchasing over and over for the past years:
1. Dermablend Papaya Orange Skin Whitening Soap
This is the "Sam Milby Soap" - I always forget the name of this brand, so I always tell people who ask me what soap I use to buy the one with Sam Milby on the cover! This product allows for mild micropeeling and never fails to help whiten scars and exfoliate the body. The orangey scent is lovely, too. It can be a bit drying though, so I alternate with Belo. I buy mine in bulk at the grocery. I've tried the other orange/papaya soaps (Likas Papaya, Silka, Kojic, etc) but I always go back to this one.
2. Belo Essentials Smoothening Whitening Body Bar
I like the pink variant because it whitens and moisturizes at the same time. This soap actually provides no micropeeling and no significant whitening if used on its own, so I find it effective only when used after exfoliating soaps (like the "Sam Milby Soap" and Cyleina). The scent is very pleasant as well! Plus, I love it when Belo goes on sale at the local department/grocery store, because you can get three for the price of two!
3. Cyleina Organic Rice Bran Soap
This one I like not because it whitens, but because it exfoliates VERY WELL. I get itchy when I use it daily, so I limit myself to thrice a week at night (and lotion after)! My sister Dawn adores this soap - even considers it her HG "magic" soap - since it's very good at controlling bacne. I find it helps with eliminating ingrown hair too. So in a way, good exfoliation leads to better whitening results! Use a good whitening/smoothening lotion and you're good to go. You can find multiply sellers everywhere to buy Cyleina.
Cheers,
Trace
PS. So as to appease any possibility of mestiza-mentality-debate here in the blog - please take this post lightly. I don't have a problem if anyone else's preference is different from mine. I just happen to think I look better with fairer skin as opposed to being morena (in the same light that I prefer my hair straight over curly). OK? Peace out, folks. And do try the soaps, I hope they work for you. =)
This smells very good! Lovely color too. We've never seen a conditioner quite like it!
The Body Shop Strawberry Shower Gel 60ml
The Body Shop Strawberry Body Lotion 60ml
Our favorite TBS body care variant! What's magical is that whenever we use the Strawberry Exfoliating Polish, bye-bye body odor. Seriously.
Skin Food Patiron Au Lait Cream Sample
Skin Food Gold Caviar Cream Sample
Jordana Kohl Kajal Lipliner in Terra Cotta 1.3g
Clinique Blushing Blush Powder Blush in 20 Bashful Plum 1.8g
Clinique GWP Blush Brush
Personi Vitamin E and Aloe Vera Lipstick in 156 Coppercino
Watsons Bird’s Nest Essence Facial Mask 30ml (3 pieces) A lot of great reviews online! Google it, you'll be shocked at just how many bloggers rave about this mask!
And now for the bigger prizes if you create a new blog post:
The Body ShopOui Oui Oui! Tantalising Lip Butter 8.5g
The conditioner's scent is phenomenally clean! My sister and I have been lovin' The Body Shop for years now, which is why we always have backup items from repurchasing and buying and swapping!
The Body Shop Natrulift Firming Night Cream with Organic Pomegranate 50ml
From their new skincare line... Perfect night cream for those who need extra moisturization and firming up!
Body Nature Honey Almond and Shea Body Souffle (35ml)
Body Nature Honey Almond and Shea Body Wash (110ml)
Of course, we haven’t forgotten the followers! Again, because it’s sembreak already – teaching stint is over for T, and exams are all forgotten by D – here’s another giveaway!
Win These Prizes for Following and Answering a Question!
Clinique Blushing Blush Powder Blush in 20 Bashful Plum 1.8g
Clinique GWP Blush Brush
Personi Vitamin E and Aloe Vera Lipstick in 156 Coppercino
Skin Food Patiron Au Lait Cream Sample
Skin Food Gold Caviar Cream Sample
REQUIREMENTS(We will check!)
You must be a follower of this blog via Google Friend Connect (2nd box, right column of the page).
Comment on this entry with a response to the question: “What is your favorite PPS entry?” A two-sentence answer will do.
Include your name, GFC name and email address on the comment.
Reminder:Only comments on this particular entry will be entertained in the draw for followers. If you wish to join the contest for bloggers (better bigger prizes!), please enter here:
That’s it!
The person with the best answer will be selected by the sisters on November 19, 2010 and will be notified through email. Delivery or meetup will be arranged according to availability.
This contest is for LOCAL READERS ONLY (Sorry to those outside the Philippines! =( ).
This contest is not sponsored by any company. Items are brand new and purchased by PPS, from press kits or gifts from lovely people.
