The Vanity Regimens

Admitting that I'm turning a year older again in a few days gave a very concerning feeling on how I look these days. Still, I have been extremely glad to hear from different people that I've been able to maintain a refreshed and "younger than my age" look.

To be honest, we need to look pass the notion of vanity. I've always believed that investing on skin and haircare products in the market is quite crucial. For a couple of years now I've tried and used a lot of products, of which some I had to dispose of and some I've loved and have been loyal to. Here's a rundown of what I currently include in my vanity regimen.

Just a disclaimer, I wasn't paid by any of these companies and I've honestly used these products. :)

I recently switched shampoos. I've used my old shampoo for years and I've always been hesitant to switch because my scalp is sensitive; I get dandruff using other shampoos easy. After hearing a lot of great feedback about L'Oreal hair products, I decided to try their Smooth Intense shampoo out. I have thick hair that can be so difficult to manage. I was surprised that in just over a week, my hair slowly felt softer and healthier. It also adds that the shampoo bottle really looks classy. I honestly love it...

Next on my list is the only soap that touches my face. Clinique's facial soap has taken away my fear of letting the dirt in the metro stick to my face. I have a very active lifestyle that requires me to go to different places, working through different environments. May it be the dust-filled avenues of Ortigas or the cigarette smoke packed bars in the metro, I feel confident that my face is ok after when I wash it at home. And, since I only use it for my face, I get to use one bar for a pretty long time. This has been one of the things I've clung to for the longest time.

After washing, I need to make sure that my face is well moisturized since I also tend to be under the dreaded exposure from the sun. I need to maintain my skin's quality so as not to have irritations or hasten skin aging. I'm glad products these days include "for men" lines that do consider the difference of men's skin quality. Shisheido came up with the wonderful Men's Moisturizing Emulsion that I use every night before I get some sleep. It keeps my face really hydrated and soft, giving me a fresh feel every night.

I've long decided to just do my own facials at home so once every week or two I exfoliate. Luckily, there are great products in the market that really do wonders. My sister bought a L'Occitane Amande Pomme Sweet Peel for me to try. There's a difference in its consistency that made me wonder it was going to be effective or not. The great thing about this product is that it is mild on the skin. It also feels really natural since it has elements of almonds and apple in its composition. I sometimes have a feeling that I'm putting the filling of an apple pie and rubbing it on my face because of its sweet aroma. I must admit it is pricy, but it really softens my face's texture.

One thing I pride myself in is the fact that I have little to no eye bags or dark circles under my eyes. I try really hard to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night to rest my eyes and mind. Still, I make sure that I use the right eye cream to maintain the existence of no puffiness around my eyes. Burt's Bees is very helpful to me. They pride of being natural with their ingredients and radiance for the eyes do happen. I'm one satisfied user of this.

Of course, even with all these said and advised, we all need to remember that the most effective way to look good is to feel good. Remove all the negativity and imbibe only all the happiness. That way, the mind feels refreshed, and the body will work with it easily.

Series 4 Colognes by Comme des Garcons

I always look for something interesting - I'm not contented with the usual; I strive to look for what's special.

I use perfumes but I'm not the type who goes to stores to buy one. I'm not really particular about perfume or cologne scents. In all honestly, all the perfume that I own are given to me as gifts. But, don't get me wrong. I do appreciate the scents and the very complicated ordeal of mixing the smell of various things around us.

Comme des Garcons is known for its extraordinary combination of fabrics and cuts in its collections. When I view their collections, I immediately see the attention to details to complete the cohesion of the different looks. The people behind the brand was able to channel the avant garde look of the brand with the peculiar combination of scents for their perfumes and colognes. Oddly enough, their very unique line of cologne totally captured my olfactory.

The Series 4 Cologne of Comme des Garcons consists of Anbar, Citrico, and Vettiveru. Although this has been in the market for a couple of years already, this line is not easily available in a lot of countries. These might just be eau de colognes but it has a strong concentrate that will linger longer on your skin. I hope my memory serves me right but a 125 ml glass bottle is at an affordable price of around P2950. The refills (as seen in the photos below) come at 500 ml for around P4,950, with all these being sold exclusively at Adora in Greenbelt 5.

To give you an idea, here is the description of the scents.  
Anbar: Bergamot, Orange, Lemon, Clove, Sensual Musks
Citrico: Bergamot, Rosemary, Lemon, Orange Blossom, Neroli
Vettiveru - Italian Bergamot, Cardamon Oil, Neroli Oil, Vetiver of Haiti, Cedarwood, Musk

Personally I love Anbar. At first sniff, you can smell the citrus that is quite strong in its composition. After spraying, it leaves this dry and clean scent on your skin. It provides a subtle masculinity that invigorates the senses. For someone who's not a cologne or perfume fanatic, I really fell for this one.

 

photo taken from: http://comme-des-garcons-parfum.com

eShave: Shaving with Style

I love lingering around Adora in Greenbelt 5. It gives me a sense of relaxation just being inside the store. One thing I always do is to look around the exclusive things that they offer. Walking around one afternoon, I found this interesting shaving razor that really caught my attention.

These shaving razors are from eShave. It comes in different colors perfect to match your preference and personality. The best thing is it's perfectly reusable. The Gilette Mach3 refills, which can be bought from the local grocers, fit in these eShave razor.

 

There is also a shaving set complete with a stand for the razor and the lather brush.

I really like the blue among all the colors. The downside is Adora only carries a limited number of the razor and set. Go and check these out if you like it at Adora.

Visit the eShave site for shaving tips and info on the products: 

http://www.eshave.com/how-to-shave-for-men