I use 4 drops - 1 on the forehead, 1 on each cheek and 1 on the chin area, every other night. If you're new with retinol, it is best to start by mixing it your night moisturizer. You may increase the amount and frequency as tolerated. Also expect to experience mild irritations and purging on the first few weeks. Don't worry, once your skin adjusts to it, the magic will start to happen.

Unlike the other retinol products I have tried, the In Her Element Deep Sleep Retinol Oil appears to be gentler without compromising on the retinol benefits on the skin. With other retinols, my skins feels dry and tight the morning after use. But with this retinol oil, despite it having 2% retinol, my skins feels plump, hydrated, and at some point, brighter, in the morning. Literally, that I-woke-up-like-this look is achievable.

up close; no edits

In Her Element is available on Shopee, Lazada, and BeautyMnl.

 

Honestly, I haven't had a chance to try new products, experiment on makeup looks, and just sit to blog. The blogging mojo still has not kicked in that strong. My workload, also, has been extremely heavy lately. I am not complaining though, as I feel so blessed to have all of these on my plate. Nevertheless, I will still try to my best to keep this blog updated. After all, I am Jes and I still breathe beauty.

Let us talk about BEAR, shall we?

In case you still haven't noticed, I have relatively big face. My jaw lines are defined making my face even bigger (and wider?). When I was younger, I had a love-hate relationship with it. I hated it because it wouldn't get smaller regardless of how much I lose weight. But, I loved it because it gives me that modelesque look even without trying. Ehem! Haha!

As I learn more on how to work with my face shape and my well-defined jaw lines, I turned into loving it more. Actually, my love for it has grown so much that I try my best to keep the definition on point and work with my angles in photos. These go with my main goal of keeping my skin in tiptop condition.

Recently, I have been so addicted to skincare that I have accumulated and tried a handful of skincare products and devices, The Foreo UFO still is my favorite find, by the way, and it would probably stay on top of my hit list for 2020 for sure. I gave BEAR by Foreo Sweden a good 3 months of use to see if it land on the same level of love I have for UFO. Yes, 3 months! Why? I'll let you know in a bit.

BEAR by Foreo Sweden, or simply BEAR (Php 17,600 at Sephora Philippines), is a device that helps tighten and firm the skin. It features an Anti-Shock System™, a unique integrated system that eliminates the chances of microcurrent shocking the skin, and  T-Sonic™ pulsations that massage the face and help in brightening the complexion.

Yes, back to back Finessa Bride posts! We are left with 5 weeks to prepare for the big day and we cannot help but to scramble everything in our tight schedule. A few weeks from now, my dad, who has been in the US for more than 14 years, will be here so just imagine how tighter everything will turn out to be. Though as of the moment I am still on my feet and very much relaxed, I am already expecting stress to get into my system anytime soon and to last until the eve of my wedding. And since I have prepared for this possibility, I am so glad to have signed up for Finessa Bride treatments to take care of my skin and prepare my being to be a beautiful and stunning bride on one of the big days in my existence.

 

 

The third week of the package was for further clearing of the skin on my face and decreasing of fats on my abdominal area. We started the treatments with Glutathione Infusion. And just how the routine goes, the area was cleansed and insertion of the needle followed. 

It was a breeze to locate my veins but way too difficult to keep in place. My veins rupture easily which makes it hard for the nurses to insert the needle. Don't worry, it is my body and not  how the nurses do it. Once the needle gets inside, the process takes just about 3-5 minutes to finish.

Just after 3 sessions, my skin obviously looks lighter and smoother. And I am on the pink of my health! I don't know if this is a part of the treatment but I am also regular on my number 2. So yey for the benefits of gluta!

After the Gluta Infusion, my face was cleansed to prep it for Light Cure.

 

Light Cure/Photodynamic Light Therapy is a treatment that utilizes a light to activate the photosensitizing molecules in the area which kills bacteria and shrinks pores and oil glands. There are cases where a solution is applied and allowed to incubate on the skin but in my case.

 

A red or blue light, depending on the need of the patient, is shone on the area. The red light indirectly induces increase in collagen production and often use for skin rejuvenation while the blue light is used to kill bacteria in the skin and works fast in clearing skin lesions and pores. My skin needed clearing so a blue light was used. 

A protective goggle was placed on my eyes prior to the procedure. The PDT treatment lasted for about 15 minutes. Immediately after the treatment, my skin looked tighter and clearer. It is advisable to use a good amount of sunblock after the treatment...No, actually, everyday!

Week 3 was also my 2nd treatment of Celluslim and Reform. How does it work? Check out the Week 1 of treatment HERE.

I lost about 0.5 centimeters per area, smaller compared to the first week. Still, a lost is a lost. Woohoo!

 

Stay tuned for the vlog of my Week 4 treatment. I am still shy to put it up, eh! :)

Most of the people I know, myself included, can keep up just a few products on the face. We are up and going with just moisturizer, sunblock, brow definition and lip color. But we have to admit that there will be times our skin calls for coverage. Times we have to hide those skin blemishes and conceal imperfections. Though an obvious response, we just cannot afford putting on foundation and/or concealer on top of everything we have on and on an everyday basis. And with that tinted skincare products are heaven-sent to us.

Tinted moisturizers were a hit before the entry BB creams and now, CC creams. I have a handful of the latter since they promise for moisture, sun protection, and coverage. But have you heard of the existence of tinted sunscreens? I haven't until I got the Belo SunExpert Tinted Sunscreen from SampleRoom.

The continuous innovation of Belo brought the Belo SunExpert Tinted Sunscreen, the first in the country that offers sun protection we need with the skin coverage we desire. It is armed with SPF50 PA ++++ to protect our skin against the harmful UV rays of the sun while its light tint benefits is from the Tone Adapt Technology. This, together with Cell Protect, evens out the skin and conceals imperfection while preventing premature skin aging.

Belo SunExpert Tinted Sunscreen is a better version of the Belo SunExpert Face sunblock. The consistency is creamy and not as thick and oily. The shade I got is Medium to Deep, which I think is the only shade available. Though still lighter than my skin, it is bearable and workable.

It feels slightly sticky and oily and looks too light on the few minutes of application. But once it sets, it becomes demi-matte and the tone adjusts on the skin.

I give it about 2-3 minutes to set before I complete the rest of my face. In this way, the shade somehow adjusts to my skin tone. Though still lighter, it makes my skin look healthy and glowing. I finish it off with a dust of powder on the t-zone to tame down the oil in that area.

It doesn't claim to control the oil and still, it is a sunscreen, so expect the oil to still seep through. Blotting is a must especially if you have uncontrollable oil production on your face. The coverage it gives may not be enough to conceal undereye circles so have the pleasure of using a concealer on those areas. Just like any other sunblock, it is waterproof. So yes, you can use this to swim.

The photo above shows how I groove with Belo SunExpert Tinted Sunscreen on a daily basis. After my moisturizer, I put on a good amount of it and finish everything with powder. To bring back a bit of color, I use a blush and a tinted lip balm. Oh, I so love how it has sun protection and quick makeup fix in one. My skin instantly achieves a flawless finish without layering a lot on the skin.

Currently, the Belo SunExpert Tinted Sunscreen is my go-to sunscreen and face makeup. For an extra kick of coverage, I top it with a powder foundation and I am good to go. It feels light on the skin as if you don't have anything on.

Do I recommend it? Oh, yes! To everyone, honestly. :)

I got mine from www.sampleroom.ph but this is available in almost all stores nationwide for only Php449.50.

Wedding day beauty should not only begin on the day of the wedding. Weeks, or months, before the big day, I started changing a bit in my usual to ensure my bridal best. I am slowly cutting out the junk in my diet though I just cannot complete say no to milk teas and some chips here and there. I am adding up more fiber-rich food and more water for youthful-looking skin. I am also on meal replacement to shed of a bit of unwanted fats. Slowly, I am introducing exercise back in my system to tone muscles and tighten my skin. Though I am seeing improvements, these steps are not enough with just about 6 weeks before my wedding. I just cannot rely everything to that wedding day beauty glow, thus, I signed up for Finessa Bride.

My journey as a Finessa Bride started two weeks back, just when I have decided to speed up the beautifying changes I want to see for my big day. It is 9-week continuous program that specifically aims to make brides become the most stunning and most beautiful on her big day. 

I am lucky to be the first Finessa bride of Finessa Aesthetica and get treatments and services well-designed for me and my targeted areas. For me to look stunning and blushing on the big day, Dr. Tiongson develop a program that will give me clear and smooth skin and toned abs in 9 weeks. Though I am relatively thin, I still have tummy fats to tame down. Basically, the Finessa Bride package includes IV Glutathione and different facial treatments to achieve radiant and glowing skin and Reform, Absculpt and Celluslim to help me be in a perfect shape for the big day.

Glutathione is an antioxidant that acts against free radicals, detoxifies the body and boost the immune system. Though it is naturally present in our body, it starts to drop levels as we age. I, who just got on the 30s level and who has extremely weak immune system, am really after the benefits of glutathione to my body so I have decided to get the intravenous compared to the oral ones. After all, it has a faster onset of action.

Getting the client's blood pressure is an SOP in Finessa Aesthetica. Once the blood pressure of the client is determined to be fit for the procedure, the insertion of the IV needle will begin.
Th entire procedure takes only about 5 minutes. If you don't mind needle insertions then this procedure is a breeze. My veins are too soft so I develop internal bruises every after IV procedures. Don't worry, that is normal for my body. The nurses know what they are doing and are too gentle to cause pain to the client.

For 9 weeks, I will be getting a dose of Glutathione IV Infusion. Now, on the 3rd week, I am already seeing improvements. My skin looks glowing and smoother than before! And I haven't contacted a virus for the past weeks and I tell you, that is a huge improvement for my extremely weak system!

Different facial treatments are included in the Finessa Bride package. For the 1st week, I had AHA Fruit Peel Facial. AHA stands for Alpha Hydroxy Acid which has rejuvenating effects on the skin if applied topically. Aside from that, AHA works as a mild exfoliant that facilitates the removal of dead and damaged skin cells by penetrating the uppermost part of the skin.

The procedure started with washing my face with a foaming gel. Afterwards, the acid was applied and allowed to stay on the skin for about 3 minutes. Then my face was washed again to prepare it for steaming.
Before the start of the facial steam, cold pads were placed on my eyes. This was so relaxing that I think I got a good nap in the middle of the process.
After my face has rested, deep cleaning and extraction was done. Truth be told, that was the very first facial extraction I have undergone. There was pain but bearable. My pores looked clean and my face felt fresh immediately after.

I requested the nurse to remove her gloves because my skin, sometimes, reacts to latex.

After the treatment, a high frequency treatment was done to reduce appearance of fine lines and to shrink enlarged pores.
My facial treatments ended with an application of chemical that would further exfoliate the skin.

Just two days after the treatment, the glow was already noticed on my skin. This photo was really an I-woke-up-like-this kind. I loved the effect so much that I went out with only moisturizer and sunblock on my face! Oh, and brows pala! :)
And just another two days after that, my skin started to peel. It wasn't painful, don't worry. The peeling revealed a new layer of skin that looked smooth and felt soft.

For the first week on body treatments, I underwent Celluslim and Reform. Don't be fooled by my body. I may look thin but I have fats showing here and there. Below was a photo of my tummy before the treatment. I just had heavy snacks, thus, the bloat. Aaaahhh... excuses!

Celluslim uses ultrasonic waves to lyse fat cells. It decreases the number of fat cells for an immediate slimmer area. Though it can be done on almost all body parts, I have decided to get it for my abdominal area where I have most of unwanted fats. And, my wedding dress will be tight on this area so I cannot afford to have my flabs showing on photos.
After the area was cleansed, a gel was applied. The machine was used by rotating the head around the area with applied pressure. Since I have high tolerance, the intensity was increased. The procedure was done on all areas of my abdomen including the sides for definition.

For better results, Reform was done right after Celluslim. Reform uses radiofrequency combined with heat to shrink fat cells. RF cream was applied on the area and just like in Celluslim, the RF head was swiftly rotated on the targeted area.

So how did it go? I lost about 1cm on my tummy!
Amazing, right? Actually, the changes I have been seeing are quite addicting! The Finessa Bride Package bundled with right diet and exercise will sure give me that most stunning look I am aiming for for my big day!

Stay tuned for the Week 2 of my Finessa Bride journey! :)
Love,

Dry skin? Chapped lips? Burns? Rashes? Those are just some of the skin problems brought to us by the tropical weather. I, myself, is battling with dry skin on normal days and the intense heat of summer we are experiencing makes everything worst. Despite slathering a good amount of lotion, our skin still ends up feeling dry and dehydrated at the end of the day. All thanks to heat, humidity and pollution that we are all facing.

I am pretty sure you are familiar with Petroleum Jelly, a wonder product that can heal burns, rashes, chapped skin, cuts, bruises, and a whole lot more. I am a fan of this product that it has been a staple in my household. To prove the healing powder of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly, a live billboard was mounted along C5 last April 8-10 wherein real leaves were used with half of them covered with Vaseline Jelly while the other had none. The difference was obviously visible. To see how the live billboard worked, check out bit.ly/vaselineleafbillboard.

I have witnessed the same effect though a mini-experiment. These leaves were kept in an air-tight frame for more than 5 days now. Notice how the leaves with Vaseline remained moisturized? The same moisture can be brought to your skin by Vaseline Petroleum Jelly.

Though it is fact that petroleum jellies can help us battle with skin dryness and dehydration, we cannot apply it all over our body for it'll feel thick and icky on the skin. This was addressed by Vaseline. Micro-droplets of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly are infused into the NEW Vaseline Body Lotions to bring us the moisture brought by petroleum jellies without the heavy feel.

The micro-droplets of Vaseline Jelly in the New Vaseline Lotions works deep within the epidermis to bring back lost moisture and heal dry skin. I took a Dry Skin Test on http://www.vaseline.ph/skin-index-test to know what variant will work best on me and this was the result I got:

True enough, my skin is dry due to prolonged exposure to heat and stay in air-conditioned room. To see how the healing power of Vaseline works, I applied Vaseline Intensive Care Deep Restore Lotion all over my body and did my usual day activities.
 Upon application, the skin feels smooth and moisturized. It smells amazing, too!
The New Vaseline Lotions bring hydration and moisture that last the whole day. The works of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly is noticeable without the heavy and icky feel.

Jergens has been a staple in our household. When my mom was still alive and was on the peak of her skincare addiction (I got it from her, huh?!), she would stock up on Jergens lotions, in different variants, in her vanity table. Honestly, I didn't see she used any other brand of lotion. She loves Jergens and I think I know why.

Last September 5, 2015, Jergens transformed the middle section of Araneta Center Gateway Mall for #GetGlowingWithJergens Skincare Fair. College students and skincare enthusiast from all over the metro gathered in the event to experience activities that would help achieve and maintain glowing skin from inside and out. 

Skin consultations were conducted to give advice on skincare. Experts helped the participants in  knowing the proper nutrition that would be beneficial for the skin and informed them what Jergens variant would best suit their skin type.

Everyone was treated with refreshments inspired by some of the Jergens variants. My favorite was the coconut water. It was so hydrating and indeed, refreshing!

One of the highlights of the event was the launch of the newest Jergens variant, The Hydrating Coconut Lotion.

This Hydrating Coconut has the infusion of coconut oil and coconut water that makes the skin feel soft and highly moisturized. The participants of the #GetGlowingWithJergens were privileged to try it and everyone loved it!

The universe knows how much of a coconut fan I am. I can drink coconut juice and eat its meat everyday so you don't know how interested I was in slathering coconut lotion on my skin.

This variant gives the same moisturizing and softening effect as other Jergens variants do but the standout, for me at least, is its scent. The concoction of coconut and other essences made it smell refreshingly and heavenly good that I cannot stop myself from smelling my own skin! I always get compliments when I use it. Actually, there are times I would skip on using perfume just because the scent of Jergens Hydrating Coconut Lotion is enough for me.

I have shared how important it is for one to slather on lotion on to your skin and now, I encourage you to try the ones from Jergens because they do wonders on the skin. Oh, you will love the scents to for sure! If you trust me enough, get the Hydrating Coconut one!

For more information, visit www.jergens.com.ph, www.facebook.com/JERGENSph.Vibelle and www.twitter.com/jergens_vibelle.

*Some photos were from Digify Corp.