Zenutrients is not your typical beauty brand. Aside from hair care and body care products, Zenutrients has these nifty troubleshooters that can get hasten the relief of headaches, body pain, skin irritations, and insect bites, among other things. 

Health and wellness is at the core of the brand. The ingredients are herbal in nature, with a local heart. Think virgin coconut oil, gugo, ginger, and essential oils!

I have a couple of body care and ginger-infused balms from Zenutrients and I really enjoyed using them. ^_^ Let's start with the Zenutrients Organic Opaque Herbal Soap in Blueberry, Vanilla, Milk & Caramel. I don't have the price right now but it should be around P100 to P150. This is a yummy smelling soap that lathers wonderfully. It doesn't dry my skin too, which is always a good thing to have in any soap.

My bathroom always smells good when I use this! Downside though, this runs out easily. It becomes gooey quickly too so you need to cut the soap up in segments before your first use.

What does "organic" mean when it comes to the beauty industry? It's murky and confusing until today because there is no industry-standard meaning to the word. There is also no agency that regulates organic beauty products. A company can come and say, "We're organic" or "Our product is 90% organic" and no one can stop them from lying outright or tiptoeing around the truth. 

For example, a brand can claim that their moisturizer is 90% organic. That's true if the base of the moisturizer is something like shea butter. But the remaining 10% could consist of all sorts of chemicals and preservatives traditionally found in cosmetics/body care. They aren't necessarily "bad", but it's certainly not what people have in mind when they bought into the organic catchphrase.

"Organic" is usually attached to terms like green, healthy, safe, chemical-free and natural.

This year has been good to me, skincare-wise. I've discovered a lot of new, amazing things that really helped my skin be its best possible version. I still break out every once in a while due to new cosmetics; that's just part and parcel of the job I guess!

One of the readers asked me why I just don't go to the derma to fix the blemishes and occasional acne. It's because I already know what works - if I just stick to it, then I'll be fine. But testing out new foundations and creams, even though I screen them beforehand, is necessary if I am to properly review them. It's risky yes but it needs to be done.

Anyway! Here's my current skincare routine. My core skincare as you know is the Shiseido Ibuki line - I can't say enough just how awesome this stuff is. Seriously. Not sponsored. No agenda. The facial wash, softener, and refining moisturizer works SO well on my skin! 

Cleansing Skincare. I've tried a hoarde of products from various brands, but for cleansing, no other country does it better than Japan. It's probably because the Japanese have a better appreciation of Asian skin than Westerners in general - I don't know! But I tell you, Japanese skincare is the best at clearing off makeup, lessening oil, and preventing blackheads.

My favorite makeup remover is Bifesta, specifically the Moist variant. It's not as drying at the Sebum one (blue bottle). For waterproof mascara, I prefer to use the Shiseido Instant Eye and Lip Remover. This is crazy expensive, for a makeup remover that is, but it's gentle and doesn't irritate my eyes and lips.

As you know I love the Shiseido Ibuki Gentle Cleanser to bits. I'd probably bite you if you try to take it away. Then there is the Cure Natural Aqua Gel, which is the BEST exfoliator for me. I don't have to worry about blackheads because of this! Check out how economical it is. I haven't opened a new bottle since April, and I never fail to use this at least once a week. 

I'm crazy about facial mists lately. I've used them before, irregularly, but now I spray my face right after I'm finished with my makeup routine! This new habit started while I was traveling last July and August. It was the height of summer in Japan and Hong Kong, so I needed something that works to dispel the icky, hot feeling on my skin - a feeling that won't go away with just powder and blotting sheets.

I discovered (rather late!) that spraying on a facial mist is a great way to refresh your makeup in the middle of the day. My skin also feels re-energized because of the cool water, taking away the sensation of being a wilted flower. 

It's obvs not that hot in the Philippines right now, but I continued misting because it's also an excellent way to remove that powdery look.

How terrible are your eye bags and wrinkles? I think they're never as ugly as we think they are. I have met celebrities before and believe me - their dark circles and lines are as real and obvious as any of ours. They just wear a lot more makeup than average and have the luxury of having their lesser features edited out in print. This gives us an unreasonable expectation on how much better we should look like, when in reality we already look perfectly fine.

Still, that's not an excuse to be complacent when caring for our skin. :) Eye cream, for instance, is something anyone from their early 20s up can appreciate! The earlier you begin, the more regular your routine is, the less damage your eye area will take in the decades to come.

So! Today I'll be sharing my first impressions + info on the Lancome Visionnaire Yeux, Advanced Eye Contour Perfecting Corrector (P3,295). 

Visionnaire Yeux is the first eye contour care to incorporate LR 2412, for high  performance combined with uncompromising tolerance, suitable for all skin types, even sensitive.  

Dark circle correction: immediate and long-term effectiveness 

The formula, composed of Haloxyl™ and caffeine, offers spectacular results. It has been clinically proven: week after week, dark circles fade away. A 26% improvement in their colour and 8% reduction in their size are observed after four weeks.

I'm not going to be modest - a lot of people have commented here and in person about how my skin seems to be glowing lately. They've asked me to post my current skincare routine, as well! I've been holding out because I don't want to rave about something that isn't available yet, but finally, it's here!

I've been using the Shiseido Ibuki Skincare Line since I first experienced it in Tokyo last July. It's been two months and I have seen visible and even drastic results. You know how petal-like, translucent baby skin is the trend in Asia now? The Shiseido Ibuki products made that happen for me. It also helped fade blemishes quicker (wasn't even using my favorite anti-spot serum) and made my face feel considerably softer and smoother.

I've been struggling with bad combination-oily skin for most of my adult life. Ibuki made me realize that my face could be so much more.

The truth is, I didn't even intend to use the Ibuki to begin with! I was breaking out in Tokyo while I was there (summer humidity + stress) so I was mighty unsure if I should even be experimenting with new skincare.

But the Shiseido presentation and overall company culture convinced me to try this new line out. A scientist from Yokohama, Mr Aoki, even went to discuss how they structured the formula. Ibuki was born out of Shiseido's desire to address the needs of busy young women. They wanted to create a skincare line that can keep up with us - something that can battle the effects of stress and pollution on our skin. 

Shiseido is dead serious about these kinds of things. Going to their headquarters, meeting their people, experiencing their rich history in person made me realize how Shiseido values the customer and our needs.

So. Here's my review of the Ibuki Skincare line! This'll be a little long since I've been using these products almost everyday since I got them. Ready? ^_^

One of the most memorable conversations I've ever had is with this lifestyle writer. He was a famous socialite in the 80s and 90s, and he told me all about his life in Europe. He also shared some of his beauty and health tips - I just HAD to know, because he looked 40 when he could've been pushing 50 or even 60!

I remember that he had this off-shoulder blouse on (we're Facebook friends, it's like his trademark look). He dared me to touch his shoulder. I did, and I swear he had the softest skin I've ever touched. Softer than mine, at any rate! Of course I asked him what his body lotion was. He said that he has been using Physiogel religiously for a long time.

I keep meaning to pick up a tube of the stuff but I'm very rarely in Mercury. Good thing Sample Room sent me one! 

The Physiogel Intensive Cream (P574.50) is a heavy moisturizer specifically formulated for moderately dry to dry skin. It smells like a blend of coconuts and butter - not too overpowering but you won't miss the scent. The texture is very creamy and is absorbed by the skin easily enough.

I just found out that this girl I've been seeing for the past few months has some issues with underarm hair. She says that she's "balbon" in the said area and the strands are fatter than common underarm hair. It had always been an issue for her since adolescence and has slowly grown into an insecurity. Because of this, her parents paid for laser hair removal sessions; she's about to go into her 4th of 15 sessions.

She says it's working fine naman daw, and she's seeing some improvement. However, session intervals are long, and are getting longer as she progresses with the program. In between these sessions, she would simply let the hair grow out, and settle for clothes with sleeves. She won't shave because she's afraid that it may darken her underarms. She only does so when absolutely needed, like when she has to attend an event where she has to wear a dress or something.

Anyway, I heard about epilators from my girl friends. I'm thinking of getting her one for her to use in between sessions. I googled about them and ran into this blog. Now, I ask, would you recommend that I buy her an epilator? Would it work on underarms? Kasi, most product reviews I read say na the product is for legs only. Also, do consider that she's getting laser sessions.

Miss Liz, and other Filipinas out there, I hope you can help me help my girlfriend. Thank you! - Thoughtful Boyfriend

Hi Throughtful Boyfriend! You are thoughtful indeed! And sweet. I like that your letter was well-written and thought out, so I thought I'd answer it on the main blog. :) 

I'm glad you asked me this question because one of the worst things your girlfriend can do is epilate while on a laser regimen. Epilating pulls out hair from the roots (well, most of it) - hair will take longer to grow out and it shouldn't damage the skin as much as a razor would. However, laser requires hair follicles to be present. Otherwise, there won't be anything to zap off permanently. Laser works best when there's some hair growth!

In other words, it's not recommended to wax or epilate while she's doing her laser.

What I'm curious about though is why it would take 15 laser sessions to remove her hair permanently. Is she doing IPL laser?

There is a dichotomy in my personality: I'm a creature of habit, yet I am always actively searching for change. My day is dictated by a strict routine since it's the only way for me to accomplish all my tasks for each account and project I'm working on. However, I also have an eye out for new hobbies, acquisitions, any sort of plans. Once I go on a new, erm, rampage I simply can't stop until I'm done with it. Sometimes something else outside of my own actions change. Whichever it is, my routine is then ruined. 

It takes me some time to recover and get back to regular programming, so I'm working v. hard to make sure my Priorities are in The Right Place. I ask myself, "Do I really need to do this right now?" Glob I'm weak. I wish I can buy focus and turn into a low-calorie drink for whenever I need it.

Anyway. I thought I'd do a quick review of something I've been sitting on for a while - the Too Cool For School Super Cleanser TAKKOZA Cleansing Tissue (P555)! This is awesome. I know I should have told you sooner but I get sidetracked so easily! So why is this awesome? It removes pretty much all types of makeup, even water-resistant mascaras (tube, film-type) with the exception of waterproof mascara. This is a water-based makeup remover after all, so I'm alright with that. I don't regularly use waterproof mascara anyway!

The smell is clean and mild while the liquid in it doesn't sting my eyes at all. I also did not get any breakouts; I feel that this cleanses my skin well. 

Blackheads are possibly the most annoying things ever. They're not quite pimples, which would inspire fury to all they plague. But they are mean. They are tough to kill. Blackheads are mocking little things that can make you want to just squeeze them out of existence (thus damaging your skin), but it doesn't have to be that way! There are a lot of ways to prevent them and cure them once they begin to multiply.

What causes blackheads and how to prevent them

But wait, before you go charging into combat, you need to know what causes blackheads in the first place. Blackheads are formed when too much oil gets backed up in your pores. The oil then mixes in with dead skin cells. When this yucky combination is exposed to air, it darkens, hence the term "blackheads". 

In other words, the best ways to prevent BH is to:

1. Make sure the oil lessens or flows freely onto the surface of your skin. Hormone imbalance can cause excessive oil production - you might need to take some oral medication as prescribed by your dermatologist, if this is the case. Otherwise, if you're just oily because of your genetic makeup, then the best thing you could do is to wear cosmetics that don't clog pores, and to blot the oil ASAP.

2. Regularly slough off dead skin with an effective cleansing and toning routine. Choose facial washes with a mild exfoliating and anti-oil feature

Do you notice how I rarely review skincare or foundation here? I might feature them and give a bit of information about them, but I probably don't use 90% of the facecare products I receive. It's because I am deathly afraid of breakouts. They come in swiftly if I happen to use a product that has ingredients I am reactive to. They multiply even if I only use the product once. It takes about a week to heal the damage, and a couple of months to fade out the acne scars left over. 

This is the "unfun" part of beauty blogging. It's always a serious risk to try a new face product, so I usually only test those from brands I already trust. Stuff from brands I'm not familiar with get relegated to the "I'll Review It Someday When My Face Is Clear Enough To Take Any Potential Damage" box. Something like the Dermalogica Sheer Tint SPF20 (P2,250).

Dermalogica is a brand that's famous for cosmeceutical products. I remember severely wanting to try their spot corrector and exfoliator after Lisa Eldridge talked about them, but I was unsure where I could find them. Apparently, there's Dermalogica in Rustan's! I checked out a display once and found a wide selection of items to choose from. Also, the pricing isn't unjustifiably far off from the US price. Always a good sign.

So okay, let's talk about the Dermalogica Sheer Tint! This is primarily a gel-based illuminating moisturizer that promises to improve skin texture and reduce the appearance of dehydration lines with powerful plant extracts. A mouthful, but the summary is that this. Stuff. Works. It immediately brightens up my skin and makes it feel smoother and healthier after application. It's also a great makeup base, in the sense that it helps your makeup adhere better, though not necessarily last longer.

Many tinted moisturizers/ BB creams today are foundations masquerading as part skincare. The Dermalogica Sheer Tint is primarily a skincare product. You can feel it once it sinks on your skin.

I only started using Kiehl's last year, but since then it's been a staple in my skincare regimen. I'm a huge huge fan of the Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleanser, the Ultra Light Daily UV Defense, Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution, and the Midnight Recovery Concentrate! I find Kiehl's to be gentle on my skin while still being extremely effective at the same time. The products also never cause me to break out.

A couple of months back, the brand sent me some new products to try. I've been using two of them regularly until I switched to a new regimen - purely for review purposes mind you, not because the Kiehl's stuff didn't work out. Anyway, here's a review of the new Skin Rescuer and Line-Reducing Concentrate! I'll save the Beautifying BB Cream for next time as I have only used it once.

The Kiehl's Skin Rescuer Stress-Minimizing Daily Hydrator (P1,700) is a basic moisturizer that is formulated to lessen the effect of stress on our skin. Its key ingredients are the Rose Gallica Extract (limits the release of stress signals), Mannose (a sugar from the wood pulp of birch and maple tress, said to increase the moisture barrier), Chamomile Extract (to sooth skin), and Squalane (from olives, to prevent dehyhdration). 

Did you know that your beauty regimen at night is just as important as your routine during the day? Oil and sun protection are your top concerns when the sun is out. However, it's easy to overlook dehydration and insufficient nourishment at night. This is the reason you sometimes wake up with a dull and tired-looking face!

Night time is the best time to allow your skin to recuperate from the day's stresses. It's when your body is resting completely that it is able to better absorb any nourishment you care to shower it. If you don't have a good night regimen yet, here are five things you can do that'll help you wake up with glowing skin every morning!

1. Double-cleanse your face. There's cleansing with facial wash, and then there's a thing called double-cleansing. This is a simple technique where you use a makeup remover first before you lather with your facial wash! It's okay to wash your face only once during the morning, but at night you would have accumulated a lot of dirt, oil, and bacteria on top of your makeup. It's absolutely important to be able to remove ALL of that before you move on to the rest of your night routine.

You can use a cleansing oil or water-based makeup remover to wipe off the makeup. Then, proceed to massage your face thoroughly with your preferred facial wash. I like the foamy ones, I feel they clean better. If you have dry skin though, you should go for non-foaming, non-soapy cleansers to keep your moisture barrier intact.

2. Allow your skin to indulge in a rich moisturizer. Due to the humidity in the Philippines, most of us prefer to use light, maybe even water-based moisturizers. These are great to wear during the day, but at night, we need something more moisturizing.

Ola! It's almost the end of July. Next week I'll be in Hong Kong with my parents, a trip I'm looking forward to! It's going to be my first time there so I'd love to read your advice on where to shop and eat. ;) I'm not looking for makeup per se. I'm more interested in clothes and shoes at bargain prices. 

Anyhoo, today I'll be talking about the latest products from Celeteque. It's been a while since I've used Celeteque, so the level of quality in its products is a surprise to me! The BB Cream and Brightening Body Cream are pretty good, ha. I'll be reviewing them quickly in this post.

The Celeteque Anti-Stretch Mark Cream has elastonyl (to improve elasticity), phyto collage (derived from soybeans, for plumping), alchemilla vulgaris (herb that has medicinal qualities), and shea butter, four ingredients that are said to lessen the appearance of stretch marks. It is recommended for women who just gave birth, to help stop stetch marks in their tracks as the skin tries to regain its elasticity. 

And here is the star of the trio, for me! The Celeteque Multi-Benefit BB Cream (P325) brightens skin instantly and has a yellow-neutral tone to it that should match light to medium skin. It has the texture of a long-wearing face base - it's water-based, a bit difficult to spread, and sets completely in half a minute. It kinda reminds me of the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Foundation (liquid) and Estee Lauder Double Wear Light in terms of texture.

Last Thursday the Philippine press had the privilege of being one of the first in the world to see Shiseido's latest skincare line. The presentation was held at the Shiseido headquarters in Tokyo, and boy was it such an eye-opening hour and a half! The Japanese principals first discussed their research findings on the new generation - their motives, aspirations, and lifestyle trends.

The Shiseido headquarters

Did you know that in Japan, the average age is 46 versus the Philippines' 21 years old? The Japanese opt to make fewer and fewer children, and this has brought a lot of uncertainty to those in their early 20s and 30s. Instead of being with family that is directly related to one another, there is now what is called a "happy collective". Young people would forge solid relationships with those their own age, to sort of take away the loneliness of living alone, which appears to be the custom in Japan.

Shibuya, the pulse of Tokyo

There is also an emerging middle class that prioritizes not only value in their purchases, but in also patronizing a brand that they can relate with. The relationship is more like a patron supporting an artist.

The world is a huge place but there are two cities that I want to see in my lifetime: Tokyo and Paris. I have always assumed that I will be able to visit them when I'm 30 or something - traveling in your early twenties while paying rent in an upscale city, well, it doesn't compute. But thanks to Shiseido I had the opportunity to see Tokyo last week. I'll be sharing with you some of the beautiful sights to be found in this mega city, as well as the latest innovation from Shiseido!

But wait, why did the brand decide to bring the press to Japan instead of just holding the usual launch? The new line of products is a special step for them, they explained, because it is the first time that they'll be tapping the younger generation. Shiseido is thought of as catering to an older market, but they want to change that.

They wanted us to experience Tokyo - the luxe yet composed atmosphere of Ginza (the business district), the healing environment of the Meiji Jingu Shrine (a forest in the middle of the city), and the electrifying, high-energy streets of Harajuku and Shibuya (food and fashion reign supreme). We also visited the Shiseido Museum in Kakegawa, and where it all began in 1897 - the Shiseido Parlour and the Shiseido flagship store along the Ginza strip.

By visiting all these places, we are able to understand the brand at a deeper level. We have seen Shiseido's awe-inspiring past, its present, and perhaps even its future. Are you ready to see it as well? 

Let's go on a trip! :)

This week was supposed to be Skincare Week but with an impending trip I wasn't able to photograph everything in time! Oh well. I'll have a proper themed week next week once everything has settled down. ^_^ For today I will talk about the latest innovation from Clinique - a fresh take, rather, of one of their most-loved products of all time!

Clinique recently held an intimate and utterly dainty event at R-Space, Makati. The whole area was lit up in a soft honey glow, with accents of yellow on a cream background. It's such a lovingly styled event - something I always appreciate as it helps me sort of "feel" the brand better. I mean I know what it is and what kind of products it makes, but I am out for the story - not for a plain catalogue.

Clinique has always been known as a sort of clinical skincare brand. Modern, ascetic even. This time it is presenting a warmer, happier face to the world. Clinique loves good skin, but now it's all about good skin with a smile. :)

Should I invest more on a cleanser or moisturizer? :) - Amor

Hi Amor! Ideally you'd spend for both since these are the two most important beauty products for your face, but if you only have a limited budget yet still want the best - I say splurge on a moisturizer! Facial washes aren't really meant to stay on skin, so any active ingredients they may have won't get the chance to work properly. Those Vitamin E, green tea, chamomile oil and other similar chorva? They won't make a difference on your face if delivered via facial wash.

However, some facial washes have certain ingredients that absorb oil (commonly kaolin clay or any type of clay) and possibly dry up pimples (salicylic acid). These ingredients can have an immediate effect on skin! Good cleansers with these potent ingredients that work WITHOUT drying up skin can cost a pretty penny. It's a thin line. That's why I don't mind coughing up for my  Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleanser.

Expensive moisturizers do make a huge difference on skin, in my experience. They have all sorts of cool ingredients that can give you what your skin needs.

When someone asks me about makeup in person, I always tell them: don't get me started, because I'd be hard to stop once I get rolling! I can spend an hour (or more) just talking about cosmetics, and a good fraction of that time may or not be spent giving the other person a mini-make over. Haha. I always jump on the chance to educate and inspire the best I can; it seriously makes me happy!

But makeup is just really the tip of the iceberg. If you don't have good skin to begin with, your makeup won't look flawless no matter how expensive it is. So always prioritize treating your skin first and then maintaining it to the best of your ability. You'd be happier and more confident knowing that makeup is just an option for you and not a requirement.

Anyway, today I want to talk about the VMV Hypoallergenics ID Monolaurin Gel (P710 /120 ml). It's basically a clear face and body gel that can be used to treat pimples and sweat acne, as well as a primer to keep oil at bay. It only has six ingredients, which I will break down for you so you can see how this intriguing gel works.

The main ingredient is alcohol. I know there are a ton of people out there saying that alcohol is bad for your skin, but there is bad and good alcohol! Good alcohol is not a common allergen/irritant or VMV won't put it in their products. If there's one thing you need to know about this brand, they are incredibly anal about ingredients! They base their choices on studies published in peer reviewed journals and even publish research on their own.

My allergy kicked in a couple of days ago, right smack in the middle of a busy day. I started sneezing uncontrollably and just generally feeling like crap. Eyes red, nose puffy, a wake of crumpled tissues in my path. Ugh. I don't even know exactly what I'm allergic to - my guess is it's pollen or grass. It happens only once a month, when the condo's gardeners tend the grounds.

Anyway I decided to break out my Shiseido White Lucent Power Brightening Mask (P3,250/ 6 pieces) to somehow help my skin recover from the dullness brought by the allergic reaction. It worked! I've tried it once before but didn't really notice the individual effect since a Shiseido facialist used it as part of a service. (Yes they do facials in Shiseido boutiques, fyi. Ask them about it some time.)

Anyhoo I'm so happy that this is a mask that works with my skin, instead of against it, for I have a history of breaking out with masks. That's why I rarely use them, whether they're mud or essence based. I didn't react with the White Lucent mask which is ++++ points in my book!

I used it after cleansing with my facial wash, then left it on for ten minutes as per instructions in the back.