Malunggay for Hair Loss Prevention

Yes, you read that right. God's pharmacy was established long before Minoxidil was discovered. He provided Malunggay (Moringa oleifera) not just for Tinola (a chicken soup dish) but for a multitude of uses, including medicinal purposes.  If  your dad, husband or relatives are doomed to suffer from male pattern hair loss, tell them to start planting Malunggay and do this at home to save on soaring prices for hair regrowth procedures. If you are a woman and notice that your hair is thinning, you can likewise employ this method to stimulate hair growth.

Materials:

Malunggay leaves
Water
Blender or mortar and pestle
Sifter

Procedure:

1. You can either:

• use a blender to grind  the malunggay- put about a half a cup of malunggay leaves and mix with water then extract the juice using a sifter, or

• use mortar and pestle , pound the leaves to your heart's content, add a minimal amount water and extract the juice using a sifter

2. Massage  the the malunggay extract to the scalp, prioritizing areas that are showing signs of baldness.
3. Leave it on the scalp for 15-30 minutes
4. Rinse scalp
5. Do it daily for 2 weeks

Eye Shall Look Young

The eyes are the windows to your soul- so as to your age. Looking at a woman’s eye will give away her real age. But then, who says we couldn’t cheat our way to youth? We just have to know where to find anti-aging products that are designed to restore our youthful gaze, preferably those with instant visible results.

Coming to us this April is something that might just lead us an inch closer to the fountain of youth, as GoodSkin Labs is bringing Eyliplex-2 to the Philippines, which is touted to be a breakthrough, 24-hour system with fast-acting formula that promises to give lasting results. Let us have a sneak peek on what it has to offer:

The regimen consists of a two-part system of a day gel and a night balm that compliment each other, hence the name Eyliplex-2. The former is said to instantly awaken the eyes by instantly smoothing and lifting lines, making wrinkles appear less obvious and the skin more radiant. The long-lasting night balm should help recharge and repair the skin by using a cocktail of highly effective ingredients aiming to reduce the appearance of dark circles, restore firmness and further continuing to reduce the appearance of eye area wrinkles. The "siamese-twins" packaging makes sure these two are together so you wouldn't skip a step.

Active Ingredients

The cocktail of ingredients consists of 124 components that are combined to work synergistically to target eye area complexities both immediately and over time.

GoodSkin Labs boast of its two highly effective botanically-derived tightening and lifting agents in the day gel: the Suberlift™ and Polylift® . The Suberlift is derived from cork oak that acts as an emollient that fills in wrinkles, thereby instantly lessening its appearance. The Polylift, on the other hand, is a more aggressive tightening film former, extracted from sweet almond, which stretches out the wrinkle making the eye area appear smoother. As if these two active ingredients are not enough, the Advanced Rho-Cite™ Complex boosts the array of active agents, being made up of a variety of antioxidants and minerals (rhodochrosite, zinc pca, green tea extract, caffeine and Vitamin E extract) that help nourish the skin and protect it from environmental stressors, thus preserving its natural collagen and elastin.

The night balm picks up from the day gel and optimizes the skin’s natural recovery process through two complexes: the Haloxyl PFE™ and Mala-plump™Complex. The former comes from passionflower to reduce the appearance of dark circles by helping to restore firmness while sleeping, while the latter is made up of minerals (malachite, caffeine and a Vitamin C derivative) that enables skin regeneration and fights off free radicals and environmental aggressors while boosting the production of collagen.

Uses

The product claims to
• visibly lift and tighten skin to diminish wrinkles around the eyes
• boost the production of collagen
• reduce the appearance of dark undereye circles
• reduce eye puffiness

To prove it, GoodSkin Labs released the results of their clinical studies with the following statistical figures:

Immediately:

73% improvement in Moisturization with the Day Formula
39% improvement in Radiance with the Day Formula
55% improvement in Moisturization with the Night Formula

After 4 weeks:

20% Reduction in the appearance of dark circles

After 8 weeks:

58% improvement in barrier strength
56% improvement in the appearance of lifting
41% Reduction in the appearance of lines & wrinkles
28% Reduction in appearance of dark circles

Sensory Data showed that immediately 62% of subjects tested reported that eye area skin looked more lifted. After 4 weeks 78% reported tighter eye area skin and 66% reported a reduction in dark circles.

Instructions for use

For best results, in the morning, apply Day Gel after cleansing to the entire eye area (above and below) by gently patting on skin and let set for 3 minutes before applying other cosmetics. At night, warm the Night Balm between fingers and gently press onto eye area.

Cost and Availability

Eyliplex-2 will be available in the Philippines at Beauty by SM and Watsons Personal Care Stores starting April 2010. It retails at Php 2,600.

Best Buy

Sheer Cover Mineral Foundation

I got the Sheer Cover kit as a gift from my friend Malou when she came home from the US last December for a visit.  I’ve been a mineral makeup convert for more than 3 years now, you bet I tried quite a handful of brands from the US  as well as those from local manufacturers. From the pricey to the more affordable ones, some were awesome while others were so-so. I still have a couple of unopened jars to this day so when this was given to me, I intended to keep it unopened until I finish the ones in my stash. The Sheer Cover kit has other contents in a bag, including concealer, moisturizer, mascara, lip gloss, and brushes, but I’ll start with a review of its star product, the mineral foundation.

Judging from its name, I reckoned the coverage was thin and not enough for my oily and acne-ravaged skin type.  I was thinking it was similar to Bare Escentuals, its strongest competitor in the market. BE has nice texture and oil control properties, but has sparkly ingredients that settle in acne pits, accentuating the flaws as "twinkling scars," which could rival Edward Cullen’s sparkling appearance under the sun.  One day I decided to give the Sheer Cover foundation a try and boy, I was in for a surprise!

I was never this amazed when I applied any mineral foundation on my skin. Compared to Bare Escentuals, it’s got its smooth texture, with a little more coverage and minus the starry, starry face. I think it still has some iridescent elements but not enough to highlight my scars. The shade I got was nude under the light category, which suits me fine. With its patented True Shade technology.it’s supposed to allow minerals to work with your skin’s natural oils and blend with your color, so that’s probably why it matches me well, though I would have opted for a shade with yellow undertones.  Dissecting its performance, these are my observations:

Pros:

• Superb texture that makes skin look smooth


• Coverage is good: evens out skin tone and covers minor imperfections yet feels light. It is buildable, too


• Oil control is good (while it lasts)


• Does not shine on acne pits


• Minimal caking tendencies


• No break-outs


• Contains soothing, anti-aging botanicals called Green Rooibos tea


• Has sun protection:  SPF-15


• No preservatives,oils, perfumes, dyes, or talc

Cons:

• Relatively expensive: For $29.95, it has to come with a kit which you might not need and it contains only 4g of the powder. Afterwards, you’ll have to be “subscribed” to receive a kit every 90 days at the same price.


• No option to buy the powder alone


• I wish it lasts longer (though its longevity is better than traditional pressed powders)


• SPF can show a white cast on flash photography

This is currently my holy grail foundation. My other mineral powders are  taking a backseat ever since I discovered this. I’m just worried once I’d run out of it because I’d have to be a member to avail of the discounted price of $29.95 per kit. They do have a distributor in the Philippines (sheercover.ph) but the price is Php 4,995 (around $106) per kit for a 90 day supply and Php 2495 (around $53) for a 30 day supply. Sheesh.. with that price, I think  I’ll have to scout for a new holy grail that doesn’t cost as much. I love it but with the numerous mineral makeup brands sprouting everywhere, I'm sure there'll be a good alternative somewhere.

skin id

Laser Skin Resurfacing

Because I’m a frustrated Belo successor (to her career path, not her love life), I will be discussing some procedures done at the doctor’s clinic to rejuvenate the skin, just so you’d have an idea of the modern techniques employed in the name of beauty. Let me begin with this article on Laser skin resurfacing.

Laser resurfacing, is a method of skin rejuvenation using a wand-like laser device. It has the advantage of more precision in penetrating the depth of the skin, hence ensuring more safety.

History

Earlier technologies made use of continuous wave carbon dioxide (CW CO2), which removed sun-damaged skin layer by layer to allow the resurfacing of fresher, smoother skin. The side effects of redness, swelling, skin infections, discolorations, and scarring made it a less appealing option despite its favorable results. Pulsed and scanned CO2 were then developed to address the problems of thermal injuries.

Erbium:YAG laser  later came out  but its efficacy was just comparable to that of CO2 pulsed and scanned technology. Both of them are classified under ablative techniques because they target mainly the upper layer (epidermis) of the skin and a little of the deeper layer (dermis).

Presently, non-ablative and fractional resurfacing methods have been developed to achieve excellent results with much lesser downtime and side effects. In contrast to the ablative method which aims for the top layer more than the deeper layer, the non-ablative variety targets the dermis, while leaving the epidermis intact. Because of this, collagen remodeling  ensues for a tightened and better skin texture. The ablative method produces more dramatic results but the non- ablative’s faster recovery period makes it the more popular choice. Fractional resurfacing combines the dramatic results of the ablative technique and the safety profile of non-ablative treatments.

Uses of Laser Skin Resurfacing

If you are bothered with wrinkles, persistent acne scars, skin pigmentation, and other blemishes, you may consider this effective albeit more expensive option. If you have excess fat in the chin, this can also be done to augment the liposuction procedure around that area, after the excess fats have been removed. It is more than just a modern alternative to chemical peeling and microdermabrasion.

For moms who want to look young, wrinkles that are due to sun damage, especially around the eyes and lips are most responsive to the treatment, although it can also benefit wrinkles from other causes.For people like me who have been badly scarred by Acne, our blemishes may be markedly improved although deeper scars will not be completely resolved. It can also remove brown spots (melasma) and repair uneven skin tone.

Other uses of laser resurfacing are: as a tattoo remover, hair removal device, and as a treatment for certain premalignant and malignant skin lesions.

Special Precautions

Caution is advised for those who are prone to scarring or have immune diseases like scleroderma. If you have very dark skin, this may not be for you. Having an active infection around the site for treatment, lowered immunity, and usage of tretinoin for the past 12 months are likewise contraindications to the procedure.

Does it Hurt?

The heat injury to the skin may produce some degree of pain. Your doctor may put topical or local anesthetics to lessen the discomfort. Cold packs can be also applied after to alleviate the stinging sensation 12 to 72 hours following treatment. Generally, the procedure which lasts for 30 to 90 minutes is well tolerated by most patients.

Expect some mild swelling, redness, and crusting after the treatment. You will be prescribed with medications to control the inflammation. Proper aftercare for your skin will also be instructed. If a bandage is applied, it will be replaced with a fresh one at the doctor’s office during follow up. Healing will take place in 7 to 21 days but the redness or pinkish appearance of the skin may persist for several weeks. Concealer makeup like Covermark can be used after 2 weeks to neutralize the redness. Avoidance of exposure to the sun is essential to prevent damage to the treated areas. Sorry, no Boracay vacation at this time.

Cost

The average cost for laser skin resurfacing is around $2500 per session in the US. The cost will depend on the extent of treatment, type of anesthesia applied, device used and the clinic providing these services. In the Philippines, it is a lot cheaper, as it  costs less than Php 20,000 per session. If you have the money to burn, then go ahead and check out your nearest Belo or Calayan clinics and contact them for appointments.

Outer banks foreclosures

Perfume For The Modern Eve

I remember some years back, when a friend spritzed on a fruity perfume, she was told, "you smell like yummy food." To which she slyly retorted, "well, that's the idea." Ok.. at that time I didn't know how being edible was attractive, but I did agree that fruity scents smell good. Before our Freudian imagination gets us sidetracked , let me introduce you to DKNY's latest treat, the DKNY Delicious Candy Apples.

I don't know about you but apple happens to be my favorite scent when picking a car or room freshener, that sometimes I wish I could rub it on my skin. DKNY probably had apple scent -lovers like me in mind, that's why they came up with the Delicious Candy Apples collection, dipped in urban sweetness.

DKNY describes their latest offering:

Creating a candy apple is about pairing the sweetness of candy with a juicy, ripe apple. You bite into a delicious candy shell, only to be greeted with the fresh crunch of a sweet apple center. DKNY has perfected this pairing and made three new candy apple fragrances. Using the very best ingredients and juiciest notes – each fragrance is sure to satisfy the sweet tooth in you! The Candy Apples fragrance flavors include Sweet Caramel, Ripe Raspberry and Juicy Berry.

They come in 3 variants- Sweet Caramel, Ripe Raspberry, and Juicy Berry. All of them are packaged in the iconic Be Delicious Apple, varying in colors according to scent.  An old fashioned stick with the DKNY logo is sticking out at the top. Find out which among these apple scents is your match:

SWEET CARAMEL



A whimsical candied fusion drizzles with luscious fruits, delicious flowers and mouth watering edibles. Tantalizing candy apple & pear tease you with temptation. A soft kiss of marshmallow is pure comfort. Decadent jasmine petals flirt with delicate muguet while velvety violet leaves add sparkle with an edge of green freshness. The fluid charm of creamy caramel is addictive as it liquefies with whipped vanilla. Satiate your sweet tooth with its playful seduction.



RIPE RASPBERRY

Ripe luscious raspberries trickle a sweet glaze over crisp crunchy apples and effervescent lime. Their yummy juices are cushioned by fluffy peonies and sweet lilies before bursting with fragrant fizziness from a delicious cola accord. Simply red, simply yummy.

JUICY BERRY

Have a feast with plump little black currants and fat juicy blackberries. Fleshy pears and luscious lychee add to the mouth watering mélange. A fruity cocktail of nectar flows over velvety soft rose petals and deliciously delicate apple blossom. The fragrance finishes with a creamy layer of scrumptious sandalwood and sugary blonde woods. Juicy Berry is very berry, very DKNY.

So which among them is most likely to be your next fave perfume? The collection was launched in Sephora last January and it will be hitting Philippine shores on May 2010. They will be available at Rustan's Department Stores for Php 3000 (50ml).

Founded in 1989, DKNY was created by Donna Karan to be the streetside of her luxe Collection. At DKNY, the clothes are friendly, the fashion fast, and the attitude sharp. Like all DKNY Delicious scents, the Candy Apple Collection is like the city and brand that inspired it -- ripe for love, life and adventure.

belly fat burner

How To: Demi Moore's Hair At The Oscars

If you watched the recent Annual Academy Awards, you've probably noticed Demi Moore's messed up yet stylish hairstyle. Demi is undeniably stunning even at 47.

The makeup was clean and simple, which complimented the hair. The eyes were accentuated yet the  lip color was subtle. If you try out a more dramatic makeup with this hairstyle, it may look distracting and the overall effect will be totally  messy. On the other hand, if this hair goes with a too faint makeup or no makeup at all, it would look as though you just came out of bed and are off to do some house chores. Demi's look demonstrates one principle of good design, which is balance.

If you want to recreate her look at the Oscars, here is a youtube video showing how it's done using a Hair Donut:



This video is quick but also copies the hair-do using rubber band:



This blog post is brought to us by Dale Earnhardt Jr jacket

Camille's Debut

Last December, I posted the pics from the hippie- inspired pre-debut shoot of Camille, the Maja Salvador look-alike. A week ago,  when students were busy with their exams, sat preps, and accomplishing school requirements, she celebrated her 18th birthday and I did the honor of dolling her up again on her special day.

Camille knows what she wants and speaks it politely. She requested for her makeup to be subtle and fresh on her debut.  She showed me a peg for the tousled sexy hairstyle that she wanted.  She's already pretty to begin with, so I had no trouble giving in to her wishes. This time, she looked like no one else but her lovely self.

I used my new toy, the Philips 10 in 1 Multistylist to curl her hair. I usually hire somebody else to do the client's  hair but this gadget made the hairstyling job a lot easier, and  so I did it myself. Here are some shots taken during the event by master photographer Dustein Sibug, for more pics, please visit his portfolio site at http://dustein.multiply.com:

Contest Winner Announced

Last night, we concluded the contest over at facebook in which a spanking new 28 neutral palette and Human Heart Nature Intensive Hair Mask were given away to a lucky blog reader. I was overwhelmed by the responses. I was expecting only around 50-100 entries given the option to join as many times as you can. After all, I don't really know if people are reading my blog at all.   Most of the time, I just feel like I'm talking to myself around here. In the end, there were 1,836 entries to be raffled.  After seeing the number, I almost choked realizing how tough it would be to choose the winner.

As I mentioned in the contest mechanics, each entry will be assigned a number. The winner will then be chosen randomly through random.org. Unfortunately, it's difficult to view all of the comments on facebook at once especially if we're talking around more than a thousand comments. Instead of choosing a single number out of 1,836 and track the winning number by counting backwards, I decided to do it another way. Since the contest ran from March 1 to 15, I picked a number from 1 to 15 from random.org, it yielded the number 15.  From the entries on that day, March 15, I copied them to the random list generator.  Each entry was assigned a random number. From that list,  I generated the winning number, still through random.org. Rest assured it was drawn fair and square.

And the lucky blog reader is.... Ms. Peewee Abesamis! She will be receiving the 28 Neutral Palette plus a Human Heart Nature Intensive Hair Mask. She already contacted me with her mailing details. Air21 picked up her package this afternoon from our house.

If I had unlimited resources, I'd also give the same prizes to everyone who joined, especially those who submitted the most number of entries. I'm really touched that some even invited their husbands and relatives to win the freebies for them.  As a reward, I'm giving away a free ebook on beauty tips to everyone who joined. If you still haven't got your copy, instructions are posted on the facebook page.

Thanks so much to everyone who joined this blog's facebook fan page. I know the word fan sounds arrogant but I couldn't customize it to become a Facebook Blog Update Page. I just wanted to find venue where I could connect with you better. Don't mind the word fan. It's not like I'm gunning to be the next Angel Locsin or something.

If I'm not posting here as much as I used to, blame it on the frequent brownouts here in Mindanao. Along with the dehydrating summer heat,  it tends to make my blogging powers fluctuate, too.  It's difficult to think when you're inside an oven.

This early, I'm already preparing my next set of freebies for you! Just hold on, I'll keep you posted on this one. Til then!

Image Source

Blog Freebies!

After keeping you waiting for ages (my bad, sorry).. finally, here it is!

I noticed that many of who visit this blog are just starting out their makeup artist career or are simply new to unraveling the wonders of makeup.  So to help you  build your stash, I'll be giving away one 28-piece Neutral Eyeshadow Palette, which is also known as the 28-piece Bridal Palette or the MAC Dupes because of its resemblance with some of MAC's eyeshadows. If you're interested in knowing what MAC shades they duplicate, please read Ms. Jennifer Do's post about it. This is worth at least Php 900 but is yours for free.

Not only that!  In support to Human Heart Nature and their Gawad Kalinga advocacy, I'll be throwing in one of my favorite HHN hair products, the Human Heart Nature Avocado and Gugo Intensive Hair Mask . I'm sure you'd love it as much as I do. I hoarded quite a couple of it for personal use (ugh.. that's how bad my hair is).

Note that both freebies are brand new, the eyeshadow palette comes in a box.

This blog contest is open to Philippine and International readers.

To win these goodies, it's really simple! Here's how:

1. Become a fan of The Doctor is vaIN  page on facebook

2. Under the Wall post saying " UP FOR GRABS, " with pics of the freebies, leave a comment below stating  " I WANT IT!"

3. Contest runs from March 1,2010 to March 15, 2010

4.  Entries will be assigned a number and  one winner will be chosen through Random.org, which will be announced on March 16, 2010

5. You can comment as many times as you can, with the line "I WANT IT"  to increase your chances of winning.

6. Winner should contact me at info@vanityclinic.com with his/her mailing address

7. The goodies will be sent to the winner through Air21 if within the Philippines and Philpost if winner is from another country.

So what are you waiting for? Please go to "The Doctor is vaIN" Facebook page and join now. I know this isn't much but this is my way of thanking you guys for your support to this blog!

Stay beautiful!!