December 2009

I often post on what to DO to achieve beautiful glowing skin or how to get rid of chapped lips, but this time I thought why do a post on what NOT to do. This beauty no-no happens to be at the top of my list as it contributes to premature wrinkles and sagging in the skin directly underneath our eyes.

Yes, it should be obvious to many that tugging at our under eyes is bad, but this beauty mistake is still very common place. As we age, our skin loses elastin and collagen — key components in our skin that give it that nice, supple look — giving way to deep ridges in our epidermis hence wrinkling and sagging. This is natural and is ultimately unavoidable; it’s just nature y’know? But by constantly tugging and pulling at our under eyes (think applying makeup with heavy hands, constantly rubbing our eyes, etc.), we are actually helping speed up signs of aging.

Want to avoid this? It really is simple and, again, quite obvious:

  1. Stop rubbing your eyes so much. Yep, mom was right after all! You are stretching your skin whenever you rub your under eyes, a region where there is less moisture.
  2. Leave your makeup remover on for at least 30-50 seconds before you rub your eye makeup off. Give it more time if you’re wearing waterproof makeup (just another reason why I try to stay away from the stuff). Also, invest in really good eye makeup remover. I personally love Shu Uemura’s Cleansing Oil; there’s a reason why it has gained worldwide fame.
  3. Invest in really good eye cream. Go ahead and call me a skin care snob, but I really do believe that you get what you pay for when it comes to skin care. But be a discerning shopper; look at the ingredients list before you spend or better yet read up on the product. Sephora carries a lot of the most popular brands out there and its site has a review section where others give their two cents on any product.
  4. Apply your makep with light hands. I watch a lot of youtube gurus apply makeup and just cringe when they tug and pull at their eye lids or under eyes when applying makeup. You’ll just get more crepey skin and wrinkles!
  5. Use your ring finger which is the weakest digit to apply eye products. Simple, right?
  6. There are tons of health benefits of getting enough rest, but did you know it can impede the signs of premature aging? Now there’s another good reason to sleep well :D
  7. Give your skin some rest. Designate a day for no makeup day. Not many realize the wear and tear involved in frequent makeup application. But if this is something of an impossibility, then I stress the importance of tip # 4.

See, that wasn’t rocket science, right? When it comes to beautiful and healthy skin, prevention is always better than correction. Keep posted for future Beauty Don’ts!

For the past few days since Christmas I, along with my family members, have been on a mission to finish all the leftovers. Last night I ate the remnants of the turkey and this morning I ate two slices of apple pie for breakfast. Ughh any more food and someone will have to bring a wheelbarrow to carry me from place to place because I am seriously stuffed. The funny thing is no matter how full I am there is always room for dessert which explains the two of slices of pie this morning: the first was for my actual breakfast and the second was for my dessert. Gross. But ahhh laahhvs it.

Anyway bunch of coworkers and I got into a pretty hilarious conversation about weird names and I ultimately won the debate because that seems to be what Filipinos do best — giving their offsprings the most wacky, weird, unique names. I knew of a guy in grade school back home who was unfortunate enough to be named Gaylord. That name would have been the bees knees in the 1800′s, but I’m afraid it just won’t fly with modern sensibilities. We’re a very peculiar bunch. There’s Cherie Pie (an actress), Saab (yes, as in the car brand Saab), Ding Dong (a very popular actor), my bf knows of siblings named after the primary colours (Red, Yellow, Blue). Every family seems to have a Tita (aunt) Girl or Girly/lie and a Tito Boy — obvious much?! Our most prized export, Manny Pacquiao’s wife recently gave birth to a baby girl named Queen Elizabeth. I once googled weird Filipino names and found a gold mine: Van Go, Magic Chiongson, Sunshine (oh how dreadful it is to be her on a really bad day), Engscowani (for
England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), the list goes on. I’m still laughing in my corner trying not to make it too obvious, but it was just SO funny.

ANYWAY, before I go off tangent once more, I introduce you to Shiseido’s The Skincare Night Moisture Recharge.  This moisturizer is seriously the shiznit;  just heavenly. It moisturizers very well, but is not sticky at all.  It has a very faint fagrance that I can tolerate and just one teensy weensy pump is enough to cover your entire face. 

A multi-action nighttime revitalizer that counteracts signs of daytime damage and delivers intensive hydrating benefits to skin while you sleep. Restores softness, smoothness, and a healthy-looking glow. Smooth over face each evening after cleansing and balancing skin.

What I seriously love about this moisturizer is that it keeps your face moisturized and soft all day long. However, I’m not feeling the hefty price tag ($55 CAD for a 75 ml bottle). But since you only need one tiny pump per application, this bottle lasted almost two months.

I use the Night Moisture Recharge for the day and night since I already have a separate sunscreen that I use regularly. The Night Moisture Recharge, I find, is not too heavy to wear during the day; at least it isn’t for my skin type (my skin is combination with a tendency to go dry during the dry winter months). If you have oilier skin, an option would be their Night Moisture Recharge Light. Perfection!

Sayonara, 2009

December 25, 2009 · 0 comments

in Mary's Notes

2009us

And what a year it has been. I still can’t believe how fast this year went by — just FIVE more days!! The older I get the more days and months seem to blur together and it is just insane. So, in keeping with the spirit of New Year’s, I decided to make a beauty and non-beauty resolution list:

  • Procrastinate less. This is going to be a really tough one to do… It’s a bad habit I’ve developed over the years and nurtured by such things as blogs, watching shows on TV and on the web, food, Dashly time, working out — you name it.
  • Keep things tidy. My room is a hot mess of months old receipts crumpled up and laying on the floor, books and magazines haphazardly strewn all over. Aside from being a health hazard (umm I’ve actually tripped), a messy room can drag your spirit down and is not conducive to productivity. Plus, I SO do not want to be featured on a future episode of Hoarders or Help, My Room is Eating Me Alive!>
  • Spend more time on this little blog of mine. I do admit to some degree of neglect, but with a much lighter course load this coming term, I should have more time to spare because I truly enjoy this :D .
  • Drink less coffee and more water. Funny thing is I used to drink a litre of water a day and never used to drink coffee until I started university. At first it was to keep myself awake, but now it’s almost a security blanket; I just can’t go a day, walk through a mall or anywhere else without a hot cuppa’ joe. What can I say, caffeine makes my world go ’round.
  • Conserve more. We all can do a lot more to conserve. Bringing your own mug to work or school or opting for a reusable bag when out shopping seem almost insignificant, but trust me when I say that little things like that DO add up. I also hope to bike a lot more, now if only some ***HOLE didn’t steal my bike seat. Yeah, I wouldn’t consider walking my bike home while carrying 5 heavy books on no sleep fun at all.
  • Save more $$$. It’s insane how much money I spend on useless things.
  • Remind those who matter just how much they mean to me. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, all the money in the world amounts to nothing when you’re not with the ones you love.
  • Have less road rage.. I’m actually a little embarassed to reveal this, but I’ve been driving since I was 16 and have perfected the art of talking/shouting back to people through glass windows during altercations on the road through the years. Not only is stress aging, but things can potentially get dangerous.

So, having said all that, here’s to a wonderful new year filled with health, love, and happiness. Hi, 2010!
What do you have on your New Year’s Resolution list?