Beauty

I Incorporated Primo+ Skin Products Into My Skincare Routine

One of the comments I would always get is that I have great skin.

It’s a compliment I take graciously, not because I’m bragging, but because I take my skincare seriously, dammit, and I accept all validation that it actually works.

Also, thank you. 🤗

If you read what I wrote about my favorite facial, you’d know I wasn’t always this dedicated. But here we are, with me fully committed to a full 10-step skincare regimen for the past three years and counting. A consistent routine has done wonders for my skin, not to mention my confidence. It’s certainly more empowering to go some days not hiding behind makeup, though that’s also a creative and emotional outlet.

I started my skincare journey with Korean products with the goal of getting that glass-skin effect. But as I gradually ran out and had trouble replacing them (they don’t come cheap!), I began replacing products with items that were more accessible, some from care packages sent by my mom in the U.S., and some from the malls.

I discovered I need not exclusively stick to K-beauty to achieve great skin. My arsenal of Clinique worked well enough, but more interestingly, skincare products manufactured in Cebu are just as great.

Enter Primo+Skin, the latest addition to my existing routine.

Beauty

I Found My New Favorite Facial

In the past two years, I started taking skincare more seriously.

A little too seriously, perhaps.

When I was in my early 20’s, it was something I took for granted. I only did it when I felt like it, or when I had new products to play around with. Otherwise, it was a terrible cycle of staying up late and sleeping with makeup on.

But then two years ago, I saw my first ever under-eye wrinkle and freaked.

Beauty

Gorgeous Beauty: Makeup for the Empowered Cebuana

In all honesty, it’s been a while since I got excited about makeup.

The face needs to be covered with a face shield and face mask anyway, and it gets all hot and melty underneath, so most of the time I really couldn’t be bothered. In fact, the handful of times I actually applied makeup, it felt so foreign to my face I couldn’t wait to wash it off.

These past few days with Gorgeous Beauty single-handedly reminded me why I love makeup in the first place — to look good, and to feel good.

Beauty

Nailandia: The Promised Land for Beauty (+ Promo Code!)

One of the self-care indulgences I had completely thrown out the window over the pandemic was getting my nails done.

It used to be routine, one that I started when I was a teenager and would tag along with my Mom during her weekly visits to the salon. I love the look and feel of clean and polished nails, so I carried the habit all the way into adulthood.

Beauty

It’s Do or DIY

Everyone who knows me is well-aware of the fact I love to change my hair around every now and then. From jet black to platinum blonde and every color in between, name a color, I’ve tried it… well, perhaps except for an intentional orange. It also applies to haircuts, though that’s a little more limiting.

Then the quarantine period came and stayed, and all of a sudden it’s been five months since I last stepped into a salon, much more actually do something with my hair. In fact, I think it’s in the healthiest condition it’s been in ever since I first went blonde, but that came at the expense of my mental health, which apparently is intrinsically linked to what I do with my hair (who knew?).

Beauty

So, I got glutathione and everything I thought I knew about it was a lie*

Yeah, yeah, I get it—I’m pale AF and I have no business injecting it into my bloodstream, go home Patty you’re drunk and all.

Much has been said about how so-called standards of beauty—particularly in the Philippines—are way too idealistic, overly unrealistic, and just… well and truly f*cked up. No thanks to society, I had prepubescent, unwarranted anger at the gene gods for (1) not making me tall enough, and (2) not giving me thick, straight, luscious black hair which defy explainable physics.

I’ve conquered and even embraced some of my insecurities (except maybe during those times I find myself scrolling through Pia Wurtzbach’s Instagram, but we all have moments, amirite?). If anything, I legitimately feel s/mad about these “standards” and the products encouraging them, and how they make people—especially girls—think less of themselves.

It’s exactly for this reason I was quite dismissive of glutathione—or in retrospect, my long-lasting misconception of it. But

*to be fair, I didn’t really know much. Â¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Thanks to Finessa Aesthetica, which opened its branch in Cebu a few months ago, I now know better that it goes beyond skin whitening.

Beauty

#MOTD: The Night Queen + GoT Viewing Party

It’s no secret that I love to dress up.

While I’ve since toned down to more casual ensembles for everyday wear, I can’t resist the opportunity to mess around with my look when the occasion calls for it… like, for instance a Game of Thrones-inspired party to cap off the sixth season.

I had a couple of costumes in mind, but considering my penchant for procrastinating (also busy having a life), I ended up not having a final one the day before the party. You’d think that someone whose wardrobe consisted of mostly black clothes wouldn’t have a problem, but I wanted to put in a little bit of effort. In a sheer moment of panic, I did some quick Google-fu and got inspired by the numerous makeup tutorials for The Night King. It would be completely unexpected from me (most people sort of thought I was going as Daenerys, go figure), plus I can just put something together from my existing closet. Ta-dah!