Botox in a Tube

Botox remains one of the most popular aesthetic procedures performed at the doctor's clinic to lessen the signs of aging. But with its cost and risks,  people tend to look for safer and cheaper alternatives to hide wrinkles. Don't you wish there existed a miracle cream to banish the ugly signs of aging in an instant without the pain and steep prices?

If you like instant gratifications that come with long-term benefits, here's something I tried that could be beneficial for you- the Tri-aktiline Instant Deep Wrinkle Filler. Although wrinkles are not  my top personal beauty issue as of now, I tried the sample given to me by Good Skin Labs on areas that are starting to show lines, and I must say it yielded encouraging results.

The Claims

Good Skin Labs, the makers of the Tri-aktiline Instant Deep Wrinkle Filler describes the product as a potent deep-wrinkle formulation that instantly fills fine lines and wrinkles while helping to firm the skin over time.

Scientists from good skin labs conducted a series of studies to test its effectiveness. The findings are:

• It immediately provides a visible reduction of facial lines
• Clinically proven to help fill and relax the appearance of deep lines and wrinkles
• Visibly reduces wrinkle depth and length

Ingredients

The 3 active ingredients (hence the name) of Tri-aktiline are:

Gatuline® Expression-  extracted from the South American Acmella Oleraca plant, it helps relax the look of facial tension and expression lines, like crow’s feet.

Kombuchka™ PH Extract- derived from sweet black tea, works to plump wrinkles to appear smoother on the surface.

Argireline®, or acetyl hexapeptide-3- helps prompt skin into its re-build mode, boosting natural collagen production for long-term visible wrinkle reduction.

My Observations

Honestly, when I read the information on Tri-aktiline, I was more excited to test in on my pimple scars rather than my fine lines because of the immediate filling effect of the product. Indeed, there were  instant results that I noticed, as though it was some sort of  photoshop for the face.  Because of this, I sometimes use it as a skin primer to cover blemishes before putting on makeup. The blurring out of the deep scars is amazing. But if there are no improvements on my skin since I first used this in June, I could attribute it to the following :

• The product is made for wrinkles, not pimple scars as I have been using it for


• I haven't been applying it religiously. Recommended usage is twice daily.


• I am in denial that I am starting to grow fine lines, applying Tri-aktiline to those spots would be like acknowledging that I'm old

Ok, if were a spokesperson for Tri-aktiline, I would have been fired for my lousy excuses. Thank goodness I'm just a blogger with the liberty to say things as honestly as I could. To prove my point of the instant improvement, let me show you a macro shot before and after applying  Tri-aktiline.

Note that photoshop was not used to blur or enhance the "after" pic. What you are seeing is the actual appearance of the skin around 5 minutes after the application of Tri-aktiline. Not only did it blur the lines, but had a mattifying effect on the oily skin as well. After washing the face, the appearance reverts back to its usual  look.

I have yet to see the effects of the cream after long-term use. Based on the Good Skin Labs study, 83% of subjects showed improvement in the lines after 4 weeks. Maybe I should use it more often for its recommended use and follow instructions for once. I'll get back to you on this after a few months to report the results.

Do not expect full disappearance of  wrinkle with the product. It will minimize the lines but will not totally eradicate it, as no cosmetic or surgical procedure could do that.  To use,  right after cleansing your skin, lightly tap the cream directly into wrinkles, and let it set before applying other treatment products or makeup. For best results, use twice a day

Tri-Aktiline is available in 30ml (SRP: Php 2,600) at selected Watson’s Department Stores in the Philippines.

Bobbi Brown Beauty Rules Workshop

Bobbi Brown Cosmetics (Philippines)  is inviting you to a make-up workshop with Singapore training manager, Cecilia Tay, on November 18, 2010.

By purchasing a gift certificate worth Php 1,500 at Bobbi Brown in Rustan's Makati which is fully redeemable of Bobbi Brown Products, you are entitled to attend the much- anticipated event on Thursday, next week. The beauty classroom will give you not only beauty lessons but will include a sneak peek into their Holiday Collection and will introduce you to Bobbi Brown's latest book, "Beauty Rules."

The workshop will be held at East Cafe, at the 2nd floor of Rustan's Makati. If you register before November 17, you get to score a special gift from Bobbi. Please refer to the poster below for more details.

Black Friday

DIY Potion Against Dandruff

A couple of months ago,  I got a request from a reader named Ronnel, to feature homemade solutions for dandruff. Probably not satisfied  with the endorsed remedies from Piolo, John Lloyd, Bea, or Angel Locsin, he wants me to dish out inexpensive yet effective ways of fighting dandruff. Although it took me ages to grant his request,  it's never too late to learn how to address the  constant dilemma of flaky and itchy scalp by using ingredients you can easily find lying around the pantry.

The Materials You Need:

• 1/4 cup Grated Ginger


• 2 tbsp Virgin Coconut Oil


• 1 tsp Calamansi or lemon juice

Steps:

1. Mix all ingredients
2. Apply and massage into your scalp
3. Leave it on for 15-30 minutes
4. Rinse
5. Store the leftover mixture in a refrigerator and repeat the process 3x a week

Power behind the herbs:

Ginger has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. It is said to improve scalp circulation, and stimulate hair follicles, making it useful not only against dandruff, but for hair loss prevention as well (tip: mix it with malunggay/ moringa for hair restoration purposes). Coconut Oil contains medium chain fatty acids that exhibit antimicrobiall activity, while calamansi or lemon juice strips off the dead skin cells and dirt present on the scalp.

image source

 

Eyes To Go: 2-Color Designs

Make-up artists can use up to 10 shades of eyeshadows to come up with a unique and pretty look for a celebrity or a bride, until their artistic thirst is quenched. On a daily basis, however, you don't need that much color for an eye makeup for personal use. In fact, you can do away with only two eye shadow colors for a quick makeup fix which you can wear for work or even on special occasions.

The 2 eyeshadow application is the easiest way to learn for newbies, and the fastest to apply for ladies who are always on the go. What you need is one darker matte shade and another color that is shimmery and lighter.

Product suggestions

When I visited the Bobbi Brown counter in Rustan's Makati a few weeks ago, I found two pretty colors that could make a good combination for 2 eyeshadow designs. These shades are said to be among their best sellers:


Bobbi Brown's Camel- a soft matte caramel shade, and Bone- an off-white shimmery highlighter.

Please refer to this diagram below to understand where to place the colors:

Design A:

• brush the lids with the darker color (e.g. Bobbi Brown's Camel), blending upwards until the crease area


• just underneath the brows, apply the highlighter (e.g. Bobbi Brown's Bone), blend so it meets the darker color near the crease


• apply a dark line (e.g. using Bobbi Brown Gel Eye Liner) on the lash line ("liner" on the diagram)


• curl lashes and apply mascara


• shape and fill eyebrows

note: this design also works best for those with protruding eyes because the darker matte shadow gives the illusion of receding the eyeballs .

Design B

• brush the lids with the lighter, shimmery color (e.g. BB Bone), blending up towards the brows


• right on the crease, apply the darker shade in a windshield wiper motion


• apply a dark line (e.g. using Bobbi Brown Gel Eye Liner) on the lash line ("liner" on the diagram)


• curl lashes and apply mascara


• shape and fill eyebrows

note: this design makes the lids appear larger and somewhat makes you look refreshed.

For special occasions, you can use either of the above designs and pick a darker color for the matte one and a brighter, more metallic version as highlighter.

The Doctor is vaIN is on Meg Magazine

 About a month ago, I received an email from a representative of  Meg Magazine asking for an interview for an upcoming feature on beauty bloggers. I was given a set of questions but I was not able to answer them due to my crazy schedule and an ongoing acupuncture course. I brushed it aside, thinking there would be other beauty blogs that are equally deserving of the feature, so it wouldn't be a loss for the mag  if I wasn't included in the article.

To my surprise, I got a text from a fellow doctor, who's now based in Manila, that she read a write-up about me on Meg Magazine, and that her picture was included on the page. I learned that the resourceful writer, Ms. Maviel Gonzales, gathered information and pictures from my blog to make up for my lack of response. After days of waiting for Meg October issue to hit the stands here in CDO, reading through the article, I commend Ms. Gonzales for her research skills and for coming up with a nice review on this blog. Thanks to her for choosing "The Doctor is vaIN" as one of the highly recommended beauty blogs, it was like winning at the Philippine Blog Awards all over again.  My apologies to her, too, for being a pain in the neck for not granting the interview.

It was certainly a dream come true for the MUA In Scrubs to be featured alongside beauty experts like Xeng Zulueta, Marie Calica, and EarthlingGorgeous. The October 2010 issue of Meg Magazine with Rhian Ramos on the cover  is fully packed with  the essential elements that beauty junkies would surely love. Learn about Make -Up Schools in the Metro, the low-down on Cosmetic Surgery, tips on how to jumpstart a Career in Makeup Artistry,  products that win the experts' thumbs up on Meg 2010 Beauty Awards, plus top trends in beauty and fashion! If you haven't bought a copy yet, be sure to grab one now, not because I'm in it but  because this issue is the bomb!

Meg Magazine, a top source of fashion, beauty and style is published monthly in the Philippines by the Mega Publishing Group.  Get your October 2010 issue now before copies run out. Sold for Php 95.

I uploaded some snippets from the current issue. Copyrights belong to Meg Magazine.  The models appearing on my feature are Dr. Cherry Ann Co of Dermclinic, and the painted one is my niece, Chinchin. Credits to Dustein Sibug for my wedding pic and Andrew Reyes for Dr. Cherry Ann Co's shot. Shououts  to Charry of  Eye Candy blog for providing me a scanned copy of the feature when the mag wasn't available here in CDO yet.

New Makeup School: Make-Up Designory Manila

So you wanna be like Barbi Chan, the highly successful makeup mogul best known for her stint as Maybelline's Chief Makeup Artist. While Barbi Chan and other famous makeup artists trained in California at the world- renowned Make-Up Designory, you don't have to move to the US to study the same course. Coming this November, Make-Up Designory Manila will be opening at the 2nd level of Serendra Mall in Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

According to Ms. Roxy Barrios of MUD Manila, "the construction of the school is currently ongoing, which will be inside a new beauty/lifestyle store called Pure Beauty so besides offering top-notch MUD education, students and/or beauty lovers can fill up their loot with numerous products found in our shop." She adds that "we have a lot of new and exciting offerings for beauty aficionados.We follow the international MUD curriculum and even offer an international certification for the full diploma course."

Among the courses they will be offering are MUD Diploma course, Night and Day Makeup, Smokey Eye Makeup, Bridal, Avant Garde, Character & Special Effects, and makeup application for Personal Use. The instructors, whose names cannot be disclosed as of press time are seven accomplished beauty gurus who have been in the industry for a long time now. Most of them have studied in the United States and all of them underwent rigorous training with the director of education for MUD, Paul Thompson.

The tuition fees are still under wraps, but Ms. Barrios assures that the rates are competitive with other establishments in the Metro. She asserts that considering it's an internationally acclaimed school, the students will surely be getting a good deal.

For further details about Make- Up Designory Manila, you may contact Ms. Roxy at 025063681, 09228501011, 09178627699.

construction jobs

Breakdown: Nicole Floirendo Debut Makeup

Debutant Nicole Floirendo has a flair for the city of Paris, which she says, is the ultimate destination for romance and dreams coming to life.  Working with this pretty model's Paris-themed celebration last month, I came up with a look for her that brought out romance, elegance and fashion. Her hairstyle was a mash-up between Demi Moore's messy but glamorous 'do at the recent Oscars, and Taylor Swift's signature red carpet look.

Here is a breakdown of the products I used on her:

Face-

Ellana Makeup Primer
Make up For Ever HD Liquid Foundation #120
MAC NC25 Studio Fix Powder
MAC NC42 Studio Fix Powder for contouring
NARS albatros for highlighting
Benefit Coralista blush

Eyes-
MAC Rice Paper
MAC Cork
NARS Night Fever
Maybelline Gel Liner
Nichido Waterproof Eyeliner (black)
Covergirl Lash Blast Mascara
ModelCo brow kit
False lashes

Lips:
Nyx Orange Soda lipstick
Revlon Color Stay Coral lipstick

Lastly, this lovely photo capturing the essence of a true mademoiselle was taken by one of her her official photographers, Ms. Pamela Lico: