And I'm back!

As I was having tea minutes ago, I suddenly remember this neglected blog of mine. A lot has happened for the past months but we're not here for drama. We're here to be happy and pretty! 

One major change that happened to me is my conversion to this popular French brand, Avène. It all happened  when I got my skin diagnosed. All my life, I have compared my face to a frying pan because of its oiliness. But after the skin diagnosis, I was so shocked to be told that I have VERY dry skin. Yes, emphasis on VERY. All my alarms go off because dry skin is equivalent to wrinkles for me. And of course I was convinced to buy the whole range! I'm half paranoid and half gullible. But I don't really care just as long as my skin's all good. And now, I am so hooked to Avène.

Just to give you a little background about Avène, Avène's main ingredient is water from Avène thermal spring. Years after the discovery of the Avène thermal spring was filled with experiments exploring the potential of the water. It has been discovered that the water is soothing even to the worst skin conditions. This is what makes Avène products very good for sensitive skin. And the rest of the development is history. 

First up in my collection is my cleanser and my toner. 

I have the "Extremely Gentle Cleanser". 

Honestly, I don't really have sensitive skin for me to use this. I bought a pack that has this, the Skin Recovery cream, and the thermal spring water to save on money. Haha. But come to think of it, this one's a good start for my cleanser since has been irritated and very dry. The Extremely Gentle Cleanser has a white mucus-like substance. 

This cleanser has a no-rinse tissue off formula meaning you just have to use a cotton wool to wipe off dirt from your face. No rinsing and water needed. It is perfect especially when you're lazy to get off your bed to wash your face. Come on, we all have those moments. This cleanser is also good for those with sensitive skin that gets irritated by the water from the faucet. The only thing that I don't like about this cleanser is that when you have make-up on, it would take you awhile to get everything off. My solution for this is to use make-up wipes first before using the cleanser. In this way, you'll be sure that you got rid off of all make-up traces. 

For my toner, I use the Thermal Spring Water.

 Its unique constant composition is:

• Sourced directly from the Avene Thermal Springs
• Bacteriologically pure
• Rich in silica (14mg/l)
• Rich in trace-elements
• Low mineral content (207 mg/l)
• Bicarbonated profile, calcium & magnesium
• pH 7.5
• Preservative free

 It comes in an aerosol can which is very handy because you can spray this to your face and body at anytime, anywhere. I find the Thermal Spring Water very, very soothing. This is good for hot climates or even just something to freshen you up after working out in the gym or after a stressful day. As a toner, I just spray this directly to my face. I leave it for a while and then I pat it dry.

With these two products, I have cleansed and soothed my skin without stressing or drying it out. 

I guess this ends my comeback entry. I'll be back sharing with you my Avène moisturizers. :)

Tips by Tippy:
-Even if the company claims that their products are good for sensitive skin, it is still advisable to do a patch test. You might still react to some ingredients that they used. Remember, your skin is unique.
-Have oily skin? Do not fear! Avène has products for you. They cater to the needs of people with dry to very dry skin, normal to combination skin, oily skin, acne prone akin, intolerant skin, and of course, atopic skin. You can check this page to know what skin type you have and you can check this page to know what products to need to use. I would also be glad to give you advise on these wonderful products. Just hit me up with your questions in the comment section. But just a disclaimer, I am not a professional beauty therapist or anything. :)
-It's good to ask for samples first before actually buying the product. Some stores here in Canberra, like Muse beauty Boutique, give samples for you to try.
-For those in the Philippines, you can check out Dmark Skin Care.

P.S. Sorry for the poor quality of the photos. I just used my phone. :)

Once in a blue moon.

I rarely get pimples. And when I do, it's just those tiny little red bumps that rosehip oil can eliminate overnight. Last week, I had a special visitor. It's a red dot filled with white stuff inside. And she wanted to stay on my upper lip. How fortunate of me.

I knew that this kind of pimple would stay about 2-3 days longer than a usual pimple would. But I wasn't too worried about it because I have my trusty rosehip oil with me. After two days of putting rosehip oil and no make-up, it was still there. UH-OH! I'm not happy about it! My miracle oil's letting me down!

Desperate to get rid of this unwanted visitor, I resulted to researching about what it is, what caused it, and how to get rid of it. After clicking through x websites, I came to the conclusion that the thing on my upper lip is a pustule. It is a pimple full of pus. It indicates bacterial infection, clogged pores, and accumulation of oil. I think I got this because I just recently got my upper lip threaded and the threading lady just put normal moisturizer instead of anti-bacterial cream on my upper lip. :|Anyway, I couldn't be bothered to get pissed off with my threading lady because I was just too excited to get rid of it.

I found  five easy ways to get rid of it.
1. Spot cream/gel. - I honestly haven't tried spot gel/creams because as I have said, I rarely get pimples. Plus, it would cost me money just to get rid of one ugly pimple that I wouldn't (at least I hope) get in a long time.

2. Popping it. -They say that there is a correct way of popping a pimple. But still, I don't recommend popping pimples. I would rather keep the pimple for a longer time than risk getting scars that are way harder to remove.

3. Exfoliation. -Just make sure to gently exfoliate the area to avoid irritation.

4. Using hot compress. -This helps reduce inflammation.

5. Avoid using anything with oil or anything that will give moisture.

I think I've expressed my disapproval of the first two options I gave. Obviously, I just tried the last three. 

I exfoliated extra gently because my St. Ives Apricot scrub is a bit coarse. I didn't put anything on it for a day. But what did the trick was hot compress. Well, I really didn't use a hot pack but I just used hot (not boiling of course) water to wash my face. I made sure that that pustule would feel the warmth of the water. And viola! Goodbye, pustule! Happy Tippy!

Funny how we have a million products to keep our skin clear but sometimes we just have to go back to basics with just plain old water.

Tips by Tippy:
-Every problem, may be it in our skins or in our life, has a unique solution. Be flexible to try something new.
-Do not pop your pimples. 
-Always remember to ask your threading/waxing lady to put anti-bacterial cream after your session so you won't end up like how I did last week. ;)
-You can click on this  to learn more about the types of acne.

The Itsy Bitsy Spider.

Have you ever had a spider crawl down your legs? Are you sure? Because the worst ones are the ones you can't feel and see right away....Spider veins. But something that could be worse are varicose veins.

Since I grew up in the Philippines, I was never expected to get a job while I was studying. My sole responsibility was to study. Now that I am here in Australia, it's a whole new different thing! Kids as young as 14, I think, can work! And being the twenty-one year old that I was two years ago, I was excited to earn some moolah! So I got a casual job in a pharmacy/beauty store which meant 5-8 hours of standing and walking. Exciting at first but when my legs hurt and veins show up, it isn't fun anymore.

Yes, veins. I am pertaining to varicose and spider veins. Varicose veins are large, raised, swollen blood vessels that twist and turn. These are bulging veins that you can distinctly feel.  Spider veins, on the other hand, are smaller, red, purple, and blue vessels that also twist and turn. These are most common in thighs, ankles, feet, and sadly, in our faces.

What are the causes of having varicose and spider veins?

• Heredity.
• Occupations that involve a lot of standing, such as nurses, hair stylists, teachers, and factory workers.
• Obesity.
• Hormonal influences during pregnancy, puberty, and menopause.
• The use of birth control pills.
• Postmenopausal hormonal replacement.
• A history of blood clots.
• Conditions that cause increased pressure in the abdomen including tumors, constipation, and externally worn garments like girdles.
• Trauma or injury to the skin
• Previous vein surgery
• Exposure to ultraviolet rays

 Go ahead! Check your legs and even your face if you have any! If you don't, lucky for you!  But if you do, it's never too late!

I've seen a lot on medical procedures for varicose and spider veins like sclerotherapy, endovenous laser treatment, radiofrequency occlusion, surgery, lasers and intense pulse light, etc. But of course, these treatments may be off the budget. So here's what you can do to lessen and prevent having unsightly veins:

• Wear support stockings- These can help in the proper circulation of blood in your legs.
• Change your lifestyle- Observe proper hygiene. Lose weight if you need to(See doctor for this). Exercise! A good walk or run can help improve your blood circulation. 
• Wear the right kind of shoes if you know you'll be standing for ages.
•  If you can, avoid long periods of standing and walking. If you can't, make sure to elevate your legs at or above the level of your heart.
• One of the natural remedies you can use is distilled witch hazel. This is what I personally use. 

What I do is I soak a cotton pad or cloth id you want with witch hazel and apply it to my legs. It's good because it's soothing and it reduces pain and swelling. A small bottle of this is around AUD 6-7. This is also available in the Philippines according to a friend of mine. Check out Healthy Options! :)

So ladies, always remember that prevention is better than cure. Take care of those beautiful legs!

Tips by Tippy:
- Since I have no medical background, here's a very helpful link if you want to read more on varicose and spider veins.
-It's best to see a doctor if you want to get rid of these veins. But there are natural  remedies you can use. Click here for remedies for spider veins. Click here for remedies for varicose veins.

P.S. I didn't post photos of spider and varicose veins because the photos I saw were too graphic.