Petroleum Jelly: Is it good or bad?

I was born and raised in Baguio City, a city seated atop a mountain. And since it is on top of a mountain the temperature can go down to 10-15 degrees Celsuis  during the cold months. This is already cold for a tropical county like ours. I used to have chapped and windburned lips during these months. Until I discovered the petroleum jelly. I used it everyday on my lips and served as my lip balm. When my husband and I worked in Shanghai, China in 2009, you can just imagine how much more I needed petroleum jelly then. But by that time I already have done some research about the product and this is what I found out:

Petroleum jelly is  being used as an ingredient in many of cosmetic products and moisturizers. And it has been used by millions of people since its discovery in the mid 1800's. But there have been arguments whether petroleum jelly is good or bad for your skin and whether it is carcinogenic.

What is Petroleum Jelly? 

Petroleum jelly, also known as Petrolatum, is the byproduct of oil drilling. It was discovered in 1859 in Titusville, Pennsylvania, where this jellylike substance accumulated on the oil pumps. Until it was distilled into a wax in 1872.

Why is it said to be harmful to the skin?

• It suffocates the skin - therefore it keeps out air and moisture on your pores.
• It just give an illusion or false feeling of hydration but it does nothing to nurture, heal or restore moisture to the skin
• may cause premature aging as slows cellular regeneration
• since it is a thick emollient, it may cause breakouts or  aggravate acne and rosacea

What can we use instead?

There are a lot of natural alternatives in the market. There are products that use natural ingredients such as beeswax, coconut oil, olive oil, shea butter and cocoa butter that could deeply nourish and hydrate the skin.

I want to share a product that I've been using as an alternative to Petroleum jelly. 

Its Alba's Un-petroleum Jelly.  From the name itself you will notice it is "Un-petroleum" therefore there is no petrolatum in the ingredients.

Product Description: 

Alba Un-petroleum Jelly is the original, multi-purpose skin moisturizer made from only pure plant oils and all natural waxes

It soothes, moisturizes and softens the skin.

It is made without petroleum, paraffin, mineral oil, artificial fragrances or parabens. 

Hypo-allergenic

Here are the ingredients:

Castor seed oil, coconut oil, beeswax, hydrogenated castor oil, tocopheryl acetate and tocopherol (Vitamin E)

You can get this thru online stores as I don't see this at Healthy Options though they carry the brand of Alba. Of course it's available in the US. It's where I get my supply.

Thanks for reading!

Dickinson's Pore Perfecting Witch Hazel Toner Review

Hi everyone! I'd like to share with you one of my favourite toner brands, the Dickinson's Pore Perfecting Witch Hazel Toner. My leaning more towards on natural skin care products lead me to this wonder toner.

I started using Dickinson's Pore Perfecting Witch Hazel Toner when I moved back to Manila in 2011. I've heard about Witch Hazel some time ago before 2011 but I didn't know it was available in the Philippines. I just found out after I came back that it was available at Healthy Options.

Let's see its product details!

• Non-drying, for all skin types
• Gently cleanses
• Conditions pores to maintain clear, smooth and balanced skin
• 100% all Natural formula
• Tightens and refines pores
• Gently removes excess oil, dirt and makeup residue with out over drying
• Locks in moisture

Ingredients:
All natural Witch Hazel, containing 14% Natural grain alcohol, and Witch Hazel Extract

First thing, wash your face with a facial foam. Dry your face using unscented facial tissue. (I'll explain in my next blogs why I don't use facial towel).  Apply the toner using cotton pads/balls on the oiliest parts of your face first like the nose and forehead, then on to your cheeks. I tend to use this toner too as make up remover, except for removing eye make up.  So I tweak the process a little: apply toner first to remove make up, then wash face with facial foam, dry face using facial tissue, apply toner again and finally apply moisturizer and eye cream. It really makes my skin fresh and clean.

It has fulfilled what it promised! It has refined my pores, especially on my nose where I usually get blackheads.

One thing I don't like about this product is the scent!  It smells like the root or bark of a tree. But its benefits far outweigh its smell. 

I have recommended this to my sisters and friends and they love it as I do. One of my sister says, 'Who cares if I have to pinch my nostrils together while applying the toner, as long as I get the benefits the toner promises!'

Dickinson's also have in its product line Witch Hazel Foaming Facial Wash, which, I hope Healthy Options would import and include in its Dickinson's line, too. Errm... Mr RS, if you're reading my blog…

If I get a chance to purchase and try the Dickinson's Witch Hazel Foaming Facial Wash I'll post a
review as well.


Thanks for reading!

Moisturizer Plus

As far as I could remember, my mom would always apply lotion on my skin after bathing when I was young.  She would tell me it's good for my skin, to make it soft and smooth. This was instilled in me as a young girl and it became a habit as I got older. I have tried a lot of body lotions and body creams but there is one brand that I really liked which worked really well with my skin, the Nivea UV Whitening Cell Repair Protect.  I've been using this brand for more than five years already and it has never failed me. I  specially like its texture and its non-sticky feeling. 

Although I was satisfied with this product, I still looked for something that would give more moisture. I have very dry skin so I wanted additional moisturizer that would be easily absorbed and would last longer on my skin.  I did some research and stumbled on the JOJOBA Oil. I was working in Singapore during that time so it was easy to find a store which sells this kind of oil. Jojoba oil is extracted from the seed of a desert shrub called Simmondsia chinensis. It is very similar to the human sebum which is being secreted to lubricate our skin and hair. What I do is mix a few drops of Jojoba oil on my Nivea Lotion. This combination is very effective on dry skin like mine. The Jojoba oil is easily absorbed and provides skin extra moisture that lasts longer.

When I went back to the Philippines last year I looked for available brands in Manila and luckily I found Desert Essence at Healthy Options. It is priced for only around Php300 plus. You may also find it online stores.

Etude House Sun Prise Fresh Sun Powder SPF 50 PA+++ Review

I wasn't always big on sunscreen before.  I found it greasy, sticky and heavy on my skin. And I bet most of you guys feel the same way, too. 

Until I read an article about Kim Kardashian, and her number ONE beauty advice is "wear sunscreen!"  This made me do some research about sunscreen and what UVA,  UVB, UVC are and their effects on our skin.

And this is what I've found out! Let's make it simple. Ultraviolet radiation is composed of three wavelengths: UVA, UVB and UVC.

UVA is a long wavelength which can penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, which can cause skin aging. UVA rays are present all daylight even on winter months.

UVB is a midrange wavelength which is responsible for burning, tanning and one of the factors for development of skin cancer. The intensity of UVB varies on the location and time of the day.

UVC is the shortest wavelength which is being filtered by the ozone and so these wavelengths do not reach the surface of the earth and do not contribute to our skin damage. I just don't know if it does reach the earth now, what with the damage to the ozone layer and all that!

Now what is SPF (Sun Protecting Factor) and PA+++?

SPF indicates UVB protection and PA+++ indicates UVA protection, which are both important!

Upon learning this, I scoured health and beauty care stores looking for the perfect sunscreen. I did try quite a few but most didn't go well go well with my skin. Some gave me zits! Plus I totally couldn't take the sticky feeling. I went to look at the products at Etude House at the Mall of Asia and one particular sunscreen caught my attention because it's a different kind.  It was my first time to encounter a sun screen in powder form.  I got excited because I knew immediately one problem would be solved, the sticky feeling. I only had to try its effectiveness and if it would go well on my skin. So I bought it and tried it. And guess what,  I totally LOVED IT!  

Etude House Sun Prise Fresh Sun Powder SPF 50 PA+++ 

The product is in a cute yellow plastic jar. 

Underneath the cap is a powder puff. But I really don't use the puff, instead I use a kabuki brush to apply powder on my face. 

It has a pink ring that serves as the powder shaver. Twist it once and the powder comes out. This is where the puff is placed. 

Pros

1. No sticky feeling
2. It has SPF 50 PA+++ (which is a broad spectrum)
3. It doesn't affect your make up
4. It's easy to reapply 
5. Blends well with your skin

Cons

1. The powder puff attached underneath the cap is not useful at all, it won't give an even application. I use kabuki brush to have an even application.

Verdict: Highly Recommended

Score: 5/5

Kojie San Skin Lingtening Soap Review

What is Kojic Acid?

"Kojic Acid was discovered in Japan. It is a by-product in the fermentation process of malting rice, for use in the manufacturing of sake, the Japanese rice wine. It is popularly known for its lightening property in cosmetics.  It erases dark spots and blotches from melasma and other forms of pigmentations . And it also has an antibacterial and anti-fungal properties."     Source: Wikipedia

Sounds good to me!!!

Kojie San brand is one of the leading whitening bar soaps in the Philippines. This was the reason I was encouraged to give it a try.

Lets take a look at the ingredients.

Pure Kojic Acid, Sweet Orange, VCO (virgin coconut oil), Glycerine, Vegetable Extracts and Vitamins C

Pros 

1. Easy to lather

2. It has an orangey sent

3. Smoothens and lightens skin

4. It's very affordable and yet very effective

Cons

1. It easily melts

2. Feels dry after use (so you really have to apply a generous amount of moisturizer

3. It leaves a stinging sensation for the first few days of use.

I've been using this for 3 months and so far it's doing a great job. It making my skin smoother and fairer. I even convinced my husband to use it, too.

I don't use it on my face though. Although it's stated on its box that it can be used on the face and body, I find it too drying and strong for the face. The skin on our face is much more sensitive than other parts of the body so I dont dare use bar soap on my face. 

Verdict: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED *5 Stars*