I grew up knowing this laundry detergent brand being used by a wais na nanay named Lumen. I see so much of myself in her now that I am a mom of three and deciding heavily on supermarket purchases, among other things.

Surf Cherry Blossom Laundry Powder Detergent with Active Clean Technology

It's tough on stains and odors and is formulated with ACTIVE CLEAN TECHNOLOGY that makes your laundry whiter and fragrant. It deeply cleans away dirt and unwanted odor while leaving long-lasting fragrance on clothes!

Surf Laundry Fabric Conditioner Blossom Fresh with Sun Bloom Technology

The WAIS choice for your laundry needs, Surf Laundry Fabric Conditioner Blossom Fresh leaves long-lasting fragrance on clothes and keeps them soft. Specially made with SUN BLOOM TECHNOLOGY, this fabric softerner keeps laundry smelling fresh. Mas bumabango ang damit under the init! It also has fast-drying action with every wash cycle.

Get a chance to win a Washing Machine Plus Special Deals!

When you add to cart Surf Products between October 14-16. you'll get up to 21% OFF plus FREEBIES, and vouchers up to Php100 off! To top this, you can enjoy FREE Shipping too!

And for every purchase of Surf's Power Combo products, you can also get a chance to win a FREE Washing Machine!

From K-pop, K-dramas, K-food, and K-beauty, I have a fascination about these Ks! And one of the beauty brands I truly vouch for is the premium-quality Korean brand called Face Republic! Now, you may get it at 50% off on Shopee Beauty!

From hair care to makeup, Shopee Beauty has all your makeup and skincare needs! Enjoy the most exclusive deals up to 90% off, new launches, and exciting offers fit from various brands for every makeup & skincare haul--only from Shopee Beauty! And Face Republic is one of the brands that's on sale!

Here are some of the Face Republic beauty products on my cart :

Face Republic Calming Blemish Madecassoside Serum | Vegan-certified 45mL

This serum is best for acne-prone and sensitive skin. My teenager son skin is troubled with zits and acnes popping here and there. He has tried Face Republic Calming Blemish Serum and it indeed helped in soothing his skin. Calming serum that soothes troubled skin and blemishes with madecassoside and tea tree extracts. It's best to use after applying toner on your face and neck.

Purchase on Shopee here: https://shopee.ph/Face-Republic-Calming-Blemish-Madecassoside-Serum-Vegan-certified-45mL-i.44792426.9859863443?position=1

Face Republic Calming Acne Salicylic Cleanser | Vegan-certified 100mL This cleanser is super versatile as it is perfect to use for all skin types. If you are acne-prone or have combination, oily, normal, or sensitive skin, you need not worry using this product as your cleanser! Its Mild pH gel cleanser that calms acne and blemishes as it gently removes dirt and excess oil. It's fragrance-free, paraben-free, and oil-free as well! It addresses acnes, blemishes, and even enlarged pores.

Purchase on Shopee here: https://shopee.ph/Face-Republic-Calming-Acne-Salicylic-Cleanser-Vegan-certified-100mL-i.44792426.4696676449?position=1

Face Republic Purity Sun Essence | Vegan-certified 50mL

May I just say that I love this product! I use this every single day! Yes, even if I just stay at home, my skin needs SPF! We all do! It's light and it's non-greasy too! It's our solution to a clean and mild daily sun protection. It's also Vegan-certified, making it a really good and safe for sensitive skin. It's water and swear-proof so we can use it even on humid days or during water activities. Formulated in the purest form, it contains no ingredient that could harm your skin nor the ocean. It provides intensive sun protection with SPF+ PA+++. It has no artificial fragrance and it's dermatologically tested.

Matured skin like mine will definitely benefit a lot from using sunscreen every day. And if we're using it every day, it has to be pure, light, and effective.

Face Republic AHA/BHA Toner 160mL

The Face Republic Toner is what I use every day and night to prep my skin for its much needed pampering. My son and I never do skincare without Face Republic Toner. It clears dull and rough skin making it safe for daily use. It's mild, alcohol-free, fragrance-free and doesn't contain harmful ingredients too such as Paraben, Benzophenone, and Chlorphenesin.

Purchase on Shopee Beauty here: https://shopee.ph/Face-Republic-Purity-Sun-Essence-Vegan-certified-50mL-i.44792426.6952906070?position=

I'm so happy to discover Face Republic beauty products and that they all work for my combination skin and especially my son's oily and acne-prone skin.  I have tried many skincare products and I can honestly say, that Face Republic is highly effective and safe to use even on sensitive skin.  

Fill your carts with Face Republic beauty products and get up to 50% off discount n Shopee Beauty!

Happy Shopee-ng!

For someone who had experienced being infected by COVID, I would like to stress how important it is to boost our immunities by being proactive when it comes to health. After recovering from Covid, I realized the hard truth what "Health is Wealth" truly means. Whether physical, mental. or emotional, we need to make sure they are in tip top shape.

Camille Prats, Puritan Pride's Official Ambassador for #HealthIsEveryday

As people navigate the new normal, Puritan’s Pride is promoting its #HealthIsEveryday campaign  with Camille Prats as official ambassador. Camille, who values good health by prioritizing her fitness routine, shares Puritan’s Pride vision,  as she inspires others to achieve a better and healthier lifestyle.  

A working mom of three, Camille religiously takes her supplements daily. Her daily routine  includes Puritan’s Pride’s Hydrolyzed Collagen, which has helped keep her skin, hair, and nails  healthy and has aided in alleviating signs of aging. To ensure that she has adequate rest, she  takes Melatonin, which supports restful sleep and helps regulate moods. She also takes immune  health boosters such as Puritan’s Pride’s Vitamin C with Citrus Bioflavonoids and Rose Hips,  which provides antioxidant support and prevents aging; Vitamin D3, a more potent and  bioavailable form of vitamin which supports bone health; and Zinc Gluconate, which assists in the  proper functioning of insulin and promotes healthy skin, vision, and smell. 

Camille takes these necessary steps to ensure that she is always ready and prepared to take on  daily tasks and protect her family from diseases, which Puritan’s Pride also advocates for. The  #HealthIsEveryday campaign encourages holistic wellness practices that combine a healthy diet,  an active lifestyle, and of course, ensuring that we meet our daily vitamin requirements with the  help of their wide range of supplements. Through its affordable line of high-quality health  supplements, Puritan’s Pride makes healthy living a reality for thousands of Filipinos. In fact, A  Healthy Life for Every Juan is the guiding vision of Alphacommerce Corporation, which introduced  Puritan’s Pride to the Philippines in 2015 and continues to democratize access to good health  and wellness among Filipinos. 

“Staying healthy is a form of self-love, and is also an act of love and concern for others. I choose  to stay well and healthy for my family, so that we can all get through these tough times, and so  that we can enjoy what life has to offer,” she said. 

Staying well and healthy is a must to get through these trying times. “Through the  #HealthIsEveryday campaign, we want to encourage more Filipinos to start living healthier lives,  and we want them to know that Puritan’s Pride can be someone they can depend on to support  their various health needs,” Jedrick Gatpayat, General Manager of Puritan’s Pride Philippines. 

Puritan's Pride is available nationwide in select Watsons stores, and online at Lazada, Shopee,  Zalora, BeautyMNL and Watsons Online.

Like most of you, I've always been extra careful when going out AND I DONT USUALLY GO OUT- I wear face masks, face shields, practice exaggerated social distancing, and almost bathe myself with alcohol - because I fear getting the virus.  I never became relaxed with these health protocols.  But sadly, I still tested positive last April.  

Second day since I showed symptoms, I had a high-grade fever which I thought was just regular flu.

At first I was in denial and thought it was just a regular flu.  It was a huge mistake to begin with because I didn't immediately isolate myself and exposed other people in the household including my 80 year old dad and my kids.

I experienced a number of Covid symptoms such as fever, terrible body pains especially my back, severe headache, dry cough, colds, and diarrhea.  Thank God, I didn't lose my sense of smell and taste.  Four days from the first show of symptoms, I decided to be tested.  I came home and just started to isolate then.

I decided to do RT-PCR test on my 4th day since symptoms came out at Chinese General Hospital.

GUILT - BLAME - ANGER

When the result came out POSITIVE the following day, my heart shattered to pieces.  I felt GUILTY and BLAMED myself for not isolating the moment I had fever.  I exposed my senior dad who is at high risk which may cause fatality.  I exposed my three kids, 2 of whom are below 10.  They all had antigen test immediately, my 2 kids, my nephew, and my dad tested positive.  The doctor advised to do RT PCR tests on them, praise God, the result yielded negative results. Immediately my dad, brother and nephew evacuated and stayed with my brother.  We decided that I do home care instead of staying in an LGU-assigned quarantine facility.  Days after my eldest progressed with Covid symptoms and also isolated himself in another room.

MENTAL and EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES

It's true that Covid doesn't only affect you physically, it affects the mental and emotional health of the patient.  3-4 days into isolation, I had a breakdown.  I wanted to scream, cry, go out of the room, it was like I couldn't contain my emotions, and my thoughts.  

These are just some of my medication and supplements while in isolation, recovering from Covid.

FEAR and ANXIETIES took over me.  What if my symptoms progress?  What if my oxygen saturation dropped? What if I need to be brought to the hospital - hospitals reached full capacity during that time.  What if this is the end of me?  I would have anxiety attacks each time I would check my temperature and oxygen saturation 3x a day.  I almost couldn't sleep well at night for overthinking.

TURNING POINT

I knew I had to do something about my fears and anxieties.  I turned to my one true healer - God.  I reminded myself that HE IS IN CONTROL.  I surrendered my Covid illness, fears, anxieties, guilt, to Him and rested in peace every night holding on to His promise of complete healing.  I have to let go of self-pity, guilt, blaming myself, and fear that were not helpful to my situation.

Daily video calls with my husband and kids and nightly prayer time sustained me while in isolation.

I listened to a Praise and Worship playlist of songs which greeted me every morning and puts me to sleep at night.  I announced and let everybody know that I was Covid-positive.  I broke free from fear of discrimination and self-pity.  Letting people know allowed them to practice kindness, compassion, concern, and show support.  Family and friends reached out and had food delivered and sent messages of concerns and even prayed for me and my family.  I surrounded myself with positive and filtered the negative.  I joined Covid-Survivors and Covid Home Care Facebook Groups to encourage other patients like me.  I talked to other friends who were also Covid positive that time but didn't want people to find out.  It became a mission to comfort them the way God's promise of healing comforted me.  I shared my experiences, encouraged them, and prayed for them as well while I was recovering from Covid.

FEELING OF GRATITUDE

Amidst having Covid, the GUILT, SELF-BLAMING, FEAR, ANXIETIES turned to GRATITUDE.  I am thankful Covid happened to me and not my husband who has asthma, I can't imagine if it happened to him.  Though one of my children got infected with the virus, God allowed my eldest who's physically fit and strong among the three, to have it and survive it too.  I'm thankful that even if the LGU or Barangay didn't handle Antigen and RT-PCR expenses, God blessed us enough to be able to afford a number of tests.  I'm thankful to have a cousin doctor who monitored me all throughout my 20 day isolation and recovery, and decided to do an aggressive management of the illness.  I'm grateful that because of the experience, my younger son stepped up and became the bigger brother- doing household chores and caring for the youngest too. I'm grateful to be in a position to openly talk about Covid on my platforms and turn their focus not on the illness and their fears alone but to God who's the greatest healer, our miracle worker, promise keeper, and light in the darkness, who's orchestrating everything that's happening to us, be it Covid or something else.  

Family reunited after my and my eldest's Covid recovery.  Praise God for His complete healing!

FORGIVENESS, ACCEPTANCE, AND LOVE

Along the process of recovery and healing, I've forgiven and stopped blaming myself for having Covid and risking my senior dad and my kids.  I've accepted the illness and turned the experience into something beautiful because I have something to talk about to encourage people and turn their eyes upon Jesus.  I now practice more self-love by eating well, embracing the sunlight, exercising, and become appreciative of people in my life - especially my family.   The Covid experience reminded me that indeed life is too short to be too occupied with things that we think matter a lot be it profession or possessions.   The experience reminded me to set my focus on what truly matters, my family and fortifying my relationship with God.  Praise God for His complete healing and for restoring me.  To God be the glory!

It's International Women's Day today!  Today, is an important day for us women as we celebrate our beauty, strength, uniqueness, and our contribution to the society we're in.  As somebody who's been championing self-love and self-care, I want to share with some beauty products that I have been using on days when I simply want to indulge in a soulful bath and after-bath routines.

As moms, I know we tend to get busy taking care of the family and as well the household with endless cooking, cleaning, dishwashing, teaching kids their school lessons, and tending to the little ones.  As wives, our duty is to be our husband's helpmate, bestfriend, and of course their partners for life.

But no matter how busy we may be wearing different hats all day, let's not forget ourselves.  Let's set aside time for self-care with products that celebrate us women and our authenticity such as DOVE.  

"But it's impossible to do self-caring throughout my day!"

Nothing's impossible if you really want to do it.  So decide to do it so you can know when to do it.  Let me share how I do it throughout my day.

When To Do Self-Care?

Morning

The moment I wake up, I thank God I'm alive with eyes to see my loved ones, ears to hear them call my name (Mahal or Mommy).  I do my quiet time for my daily devotions.  This way, I feed myself with God's grace and I'm able to start my day right.

Bath and After-Bath Time

Personally, bath time is sacred because it's the only time I get to really take care of myself and feel totally refreshed afterwards.  So I make sure I use  Dove Body Wash Invigorating Ritual Avocado 250ml.  I love its feminine and floral scent that instantly energizes me!  It has Avocado Oil and Calendula extract to make sure I achieve a naturally soft, smooth, revitalized skin with a really healthy glow.  Depending on my mood, I also use Dove Body Wash Glowing Ritual Lotus 250ml which has Lotus flower extract and rice water that has a fresh and invigorating scent that makes me feel special and loved.  It lifts my mood when I bathe with Dove Body Wash because the scents linger longer.  I usually use puff with body washes because it lathers well and it's more practical. 

After-bath

I go a little extra after bathing and make sure I moisturize with daily skin lotion to address dryness and uneven skin tone.  I also make sure I take proper care for my underarms.  I can't trust these with just any brand but Dove.  So I use Dove Ultimate Repair Dark Marks Corrector 150ml.  I've been a Dove deo user for years because with ¼ moisturizing cream and vitamin B3 it helps repair underarm damage and correct dark marks. It also gives you up to 48 hours of antiperspirant protection.  I know you've seen how I am quite conscious about my underarms.  Who isn't?  That's why I take proper care of them. This comes in two scents: Soothing Jasmine or Fresh Lily.   Your scent choice but any for me will do, they both smell fresh and make me feel more beautiful.

Do you know what works for my underarms too?  Dove Deodorant Dry Serum 50ml.  It absorbs quickly and contains serum ingredients that penetrate underarm skin 20 layers deep. Enriched with Collagen and vitamin concentrates, it is clinically proven to accelerate skin renewal and remove and prevent underarm dark marks for naturally beautiful, even-toned underarms within the epidermis.  It has collagen (responsible for renewal of skin), Vitamin B3, Vitamin E, and Omega 6 - which all work together for you to achieve an even, smooth, and whiter underarms.  I know you also have kili-kili goals like me.  So I'm sharing one of my underarm care secrets.

Community quarantine started March 15 of last year.  Almost a year has passed and we’re still in General Community Quarantine here in Manila.  I could never forget that day because it’s the day my dad turned 80.  We were supposed to plan a grand milestone birthday party for him where his friends from previous work and his new friends he met in AM radio program gatherings, events, and radio station visits. But because the pandemic happened, we had to strictly follow all health guidelines for everyone’s safety.

The first three to four months was the quietest the country had ever been.  I honestly had fears and even experienced anxiety attacks because I didn’t know what will and may happen.  But slowly, health and safety guidelines were set, implemented, and all we just have to do is simply FOLLOW.

Many lost their jobs, their businesses (both big and small companies), experienced deaths in the family, and even had depression.  But from this same season of our lives, rose many food trends, digital content creation ideas, instant celebrities or influencers, and the most important, are realizations of what are truly essential in our lives. 

THE ESSENTIALS.

Health.  We’ve never paid closer attention to our health until the pandemic began. I realized that it’s true that health is wealth.  I make sure our family’s well-being is prioritized.  Simple handwashing and sanitizing are observed.  We wear masks should there’s a need to go out to run errands.  We do social distancing, and avoid letting my dad and the kids go out.  Health supplements are religiously taken for immunity.

Food.  We all went back to the basic necessities especially when it comes to managing finances and expenses.  We all need food.  In fact, there was a rise of food entrepreneurs in the Philippines.  That’s why we are planning to put up ours soon and make sure our kitchen is sanitized and exhausts should be thoroughly clean such as how Express Hoods does it.

More than a decade ago, I almost accepted a job I was offered in Canada.  The job opportunity just came to me and my then-boyfriend-now-husband.  We didn’t really apply for it.  I’ve always believed that some opportunities knock just once, that’s why we grabbed it right away without any second thoughts.

We were supposed to migrate here - Edmonton, Alberta, CA

It just sank in to me a few days after submitting the required documents to our employer that this decision would also mean leaving everyone and everything behind.  Back then our eldest was just two years old and I couldn’t bring him with me.  I suddenly doubted my decision.

Part of me wanted to pursue that dream of finally being able to give our family a better future.  But the larger part of me didn’t want to leave my son.  The contract with our supposed employer stated that we’d have free board and lodging, and meals for the two-years we’ll be working for them.  But that we cannot bring the rest of the family just yet.

To cut the long story short, maybe also due to some divine intervention, we didn’t leave for Canada because of employer-related issues with some of the applicants in the batch we were supposed to leave with that year.  I may doubt my decision, but never the plans of God for me.  I knew it wasn’t for us.  We were able to let go of it without a heavy heart.  But there were some what ifs. 

Should everything had ran smoothly before:

I must now be a mortgage professional.  We were supposed to be hired for a mortgage company because of my past working experience in this field before.  I had little but for sure I’ll learn fast, like I always do.  And as long as there are CRM tools such as Blumortgage.ca that’ll make data entries easier, schedules, and tasks easier, I’d be able to ace this job.

My husband must now be a top commercial agent.  I must’ve shared about our dream house many times in this blog.  And a huge part of the planning and knowing what’s a good deal or not because my husband has a huge interest in residential and commercial real estates.  Finding a job opportunity in this field wouldn’t be hard especially if one has an experience and as long as there’s a site such as Truvizo that bridges buyers or leasers to commercial agents.

Our kids’ health care and education are guaranteed free.  This was one of the most important considerations we were weighing on before.  But I just couldn’t leave my toddler back then, I. Just. Can’t.  If there’s one regret, maybe it would be this.

We’d be eating healthier.  I know so because my relatives would always share how important food safety and high-quality food is brought to the tables in every home is in Canada because of regulations set by their Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada.  We are what we eat so we want to always eat healthy, to be healthy. 

We must be vaccinated by now.  Canada being one of the advanced and first world countries has better and faster access to health improvements, treatments, or prevention such as vaccines. 

We almost left for Canada, but didn’t.  Maybe it wasn’t really meant for us, but who knows maybe when all of these are over, we’ll pay a visit to our relatives and my best friend in Vancouver.   

It’s one thing that we’ve decided to finally move out of where we currently live, and another thing to actually process the purchasing of land, talking to contractors, and computing all costs.  It may be a tedious series of processes in buying a house but my husband and I look forward to the brighter side.  What’s that?  It gets us excited to look for home pegs on Pinterest, look for house inspirations on some port credit townhomes listings that makes our hearts giddy at the sights of wonderful homes for sale.

Here are some of the houses we’re eying for:

Now, from the exterior, let’s paint the interior picture.  I’ve always been fascinated with the minimalistic modern Scandinavian interior designs.  This will be best for a well-lit interior.  I see macrame wall backdrops and plant hangers for my trailing indoor plants.  I can imagine lots of my big-leafed plants enjoying its presence as complementing focal points in the living room.   The couch should be comfortable, spacious, and have lots of soft pillows and furry blanket on it.  Since we’ve started living intentionally, we want to have pieces of sustainable furniture in our house so that we help the environment and have a sense of giivng back.

Now let’s talk about security.

My husband takes special note on the family’s safety and security.  He plans to install security cameras or CCTVs in and out of our dream home.  This way we’ll be notified if ever there will be any intruders, trespassers or if there will be any incidents that may happen that needs documentation.  We’ve had this unfortunate experience before and this time we want to make it right.  My husband is even eyeing for the best crossbow cocking device for added protection.  But I said, maybe a steel baseball bat would do.  Of course, husbands and dads know best on protecting their families, so this I leave it up to him.

We’re just waiting for results of our housing loan applications to make all these dreams happen.  I’ll make sure to update my blog when we get our approval, when building finally happens, and when we’re going to have our housewarming too!

Happy 2021!  Wow I can’t believe that 2020 flew by so fast.  This year my ultimate priority is to ensure that my family and I have good health.  With all the health scare that’s happening around the globe, I realized that we only need the essentials in our lives, nothing more, nothing less.

What am I talking about?  I’m sure it’s the same with you all, first is to have a strong faith, maintain beautiful relationship with my family, and last but not least, family.  With this, I learned to live simply and be grateful for every little blessing that our family receives.

Made me think, wow, my priorities and what I perceived to be needs, adjusted to the changing times. Speaking of those perceived needs, they have something to do with luxuries which I really thought we needed.  I remember I was asking my husband to please buy espresso machine immediately, since we are both coffee lovers!  Every time there were sale activities via Lazada or Shopee or Amazon, and even other international e-commerce sites, I would excitedly let him take a look at those what I added to my cart.  I don’t know why it kept on delaying, then BOOM.  Towards the end of 2020, I was rushed to the emergency room of the hospital nearby.  It was my first time to palpitate due to too much caffeine in my system.  It was a life scare for me because it was a first for me.  So that espresso machine in my cart that kept on delaying, I let it go.  I was told to stop drinking coffee and other colored drinks for the time being while I was experiencing palpitations.

My husband also had a realization on his perceived needs and what truly are the essentials.  He actually wanted to purchase a new family vehicle after having been fully paid with our first family car.  But then 2020 happened and we all know what that meant.  It was as if the world took a pause for all of us to recalibrate, reset, and reflect on our lives.  Because of the pandemic, we set that plan aside, even if we were already set to purchase one complete with comprehensive insurance, and even found a really good motor deal here now, we didn’t press that plan.  We thought, there’s a right timing for everything, and besides, we still have a service we could use in case we need to go somewhere.  Funny thing, last year, the car wasn’t fully utilized because we didn’t go out unless really needed.

You see, even if we plan ahead, if God says it’s not what He wants for you, things will not go our way.  And that’s okay.  That made us consider to always have an analytical balance (if only that can be scientifically measured like how scientists do) on everything in our lives.  That balance applies to all our priorities, our needs, wants, the essentials, and also in human relationships we have with everyone we know.

How about you?  What were some of your realizations of priorities, needs, and wants?  Share them on the comments below.

Moms like us tend to do more for others and forget about rewarding ourselves.  We either lack time or we remember and actually go out, but feel guilty afterwards.  

Isn't that true for you?  If it is, you're not alone.  But mommas, we deserve a break and some pampering time - and we shouldn't feel any mom guilt for it.  Especially these past few months when we've been locked down at home.  Our skin have become drier, duller, and look more haggard than ever before.  I admit to having bad skin lately that's why I'm thankful for the break I took recently to have a Revitalight Facial at Skin Station PH.

It is the newest facial service of SkinStation that uses a combination of facial, diamond peel and Nd-Yag laser to refresh and rejuvenate tired, dull skin.  It revitalizes our skin in an instant to make it more youthful looking.  It also rejuvenates our skin to turn it from dull to glowing.  Since the laser's heat penetrates within, it promotes collagen formation.  Collagen is the one responsible for making our skin supple and having good elasticity.  Plus, for more mature individuals like me, it helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles and minimizes pore size.

The Procedure.

Before visiting any SkinStation branch for the treatment, you have to first book your appointment.  You may contact Ms. Marga of SkinStation Marketing via their Instagram account.  Ms Marga is very responsive and also so nice to talk to.  Once you've booked an appointment, you'll receive an email confirmation/reminder of your schedule.  Be sure to reply with your health declaration form.  Be sure to also show up on your scheduled appointment day and time.

FACIAL - This is the very fist step of the Revitalight Facial treatment.  Every procedure should start with a clean face.  This is what facials do.  Cleansing is like how you do it when you apply facial soap or foam on your face, but in facials, of course a skin professional does it for you.   What I love about facials is the facial massage!  It relaxes my tensed facial muscles that usually are flexed during online learning and reviewing of the lessons or when you have to fix a messy room multiple times a day, like 100 times.  Pricking is part of facial.  I used to be traumatized just hearing that word because I had a bad experience in my 20s.  But I've come fat since, and now I know my acne, whiteheads, and blackheads are in good hands with SkinStation.  After extraction of the unwanted extras caused by our facial sebum seated in our pores, a procedure to close the pores will be done.

DIAMOND PEEL - Diamond peel works wonders for our skin especially when done regularly.  It is level up cleansing and clearing of our faces because it removes dead skin cells, deep-seated dirt, and also excess oil on our faces.  The motion I felt was like every centimeter of my face was being sucked by a small hole or pipe.  It felt good knowing that the other unwanted elements of my face are taken away.  This step is necessary before the laser treatment which is up next.

ND-YAG LASER - This is the last step of the whole Revitalight Facial treatment.  It uses a machine that has adjustable frequency or strength of the intense beam of light energy being emitted and directed at the skin. The laser beam heats the underlying skin (dermis), which stimulates collagen production over time, resulting in better skin tone and texture.  This is the reason for glowing of the skin, tightening feeling, and minimized pores of the face after the treatment.

If you're new to laser facial treatment, you may feel a little shock but you'll get used to it. I've had more than five laser facial treatments before this, so my face quite knows what type of shock it should expect, so to speak.  But overall, the laser treatment went smoothly, no discomforts and no pain.

Instant Effects, after-treatment care, and Q/A

After the whole treatment, there was an instant lift or tightness of my skin.  It felt really clean and bright.  It's important not to wash the face for 6 hours after the treatment.  No application of make-up or creams after the treatment.  It's also important to apply sunblock every time you'd be going out.  As usual, do your skincare routine especially these three: Cleanse, Tone, and Moisturize.

I'll be answering some questions you may have: 

Overall, I had a pleasant experience during my very first visit at SkinStation.  I chose their Greenhills because it's one of the nearest branches to me.  The clinic was divinely clean.  The clinic practices strict health protocols to comply with the city's regulations. Ate Belle, my skin specialist was such an expert, she's so courteous, and you know she knows what she's doing.  Promos are available in the clinic as well as their website and social media accounts.  

So mommas, invest in yourselves.  Make sure you pamper yourselves and not feel any amount of guilt at all.  You deserve this!  For more information and inquiries, visit SkinStation's website: https://skinstation.ph/ or follow them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/skinstationph/and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/skinstationph

Needless to say, the pandemic and the consequent quarantines it has caused are nothing short of stressful. Aside from having to adjust to working from home, most moms also have to take on the responsibility of being their kids’ primary educator on top of being the main manager of their homes. All these, and more, make it incredibly important for moms to take the time to care for themselves. After all, self-care is a necessary practice that promises benefits -- not just to the person doing it but also for the people around him or her.

If you are a busy mom who is at a loss as to how she can start engaging in self-care activities, here are some ideas that can help you get started:

Regulating your news intake 

While staying on top of things and of current events is of utmost importance during these trying times, exposing yourself to an unhealthy amount of bad news on a daily basis can be detrimental to your mental health. This practice can exacerbate feelings of vulnerability, fear and danger. Furthermore, it can also generate a sense of hopelessness, helplessness and feelings of not being enough. To keep such unfavorable emotions at bay, learn how to filter what you read. As highlighted in our previous post ‘How to Stay Positive While in Quarantine’, it would also be in your best interest to subscribe to positive and inspiring content that will either make you laugh or encourage you to do good things. Besides unplugging, Medical News Today noted that you can also try shifting your focus to the things that you can solve. For instance, you can put up small food drives that can help your immediate community or offer additional support to frontliners.

Establishing a skincare routine

There are many reasons why skincare is among one of the most popular activities that encourage self-care. As explained in an article published by Everyday Health, a skincare routine can provide stability, inhibit intrusive thoughts, boost self-esteem and trigger the release of feel-good hormones. If you are new to this activity, the best option for you would be to build a basic routine that includes the most important products like a gentle cleanser, a light moisturizer with SPF, a serum and a toner. It would also be a good idea to not limit yourself to just products that improve skin health from just the outside. Try to invest in items that can improve your skin from within such as supplements. Case in point: the Frozen Collagen Supplements on PrettyMe are said to tighten the skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines, the size of your pores and the likelihood of acne breakouts.

Engaging your sense of smell while meditating

Meditating as a way of engaging in self-care offers a myriad of physiological and psychological advantages. Healthline mentioned how this tried and tested activity can aid in reducing stress and age-related memory loss, controlling anxiety, enhancing self-awareness and lengthening attention span. Moreover, meditation in whatever form can also help fight addiction, improve sleep, regulate pain and decrease blood pressure. To make meditative sessions even more relaxing, you can accompany it with aromatherapy. Depending on the kind you want to use, essential oils can induce calm and alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. For instance, Plant Therapy's set of essential oils featured on Elle calm the mind and the body, reduce anxiety, fight seasonal allergies and boost energy.

Although it may seem like things are slowly turning out for the better and the fear that people have over the pandemic is finally subsiding, those are not enough reasons for busy moms like you to slack off on caring for themselves. Try out some of the ideas we presented and take the time to look for a self-care activity that works best for you.