In a tropical country like the Philippines, modern gals like us prefer wearing things that make us feel more comfortable. Be it shorts or bikini bottoms, society has taught us that having pubic hair is unappealing. There are different ways to solve this problem such as shaving, waxing, or just letting it grow!

So, which one should you do and how can Calyxta.com help?

SHAVING

PROS: Cheap, quick, painless, and can be done anytime

CONS: Offers short-term results, may cause ingrown hair and razor bumps

WAXING

Whichever you decide on doing, know that you’re perfect no matter what and you shouldn’t let society tell you how to care for your body.

Whether you like it or not, investing in your skin can help you slow down aging and keep you glowing for a longer period of time. However, it’s also not something you should do without reading up on the products.

COSRx, for example, is a brand that’s been constantly mentioned by influencers and beauty gurus but how do you know which one is for you?

What it is:

The daytime counterpart for the Acne Pimple Master Patch. It has an ultra-thin hydrocolloid pimple patch which covers the blemishes without making it too obvious. Perfect for: Soothing inflamed red spots in less than a day. How to use: 1. Cleanse and pat dry the area. 2. Put the patch on the area. 3. Wear up to 8 hours or until the patches become white.

What it is:

Brightens, tones, and conditions your skin after cleansing. Perfect for: Unclogging pores, minimizes the appearance of whiteheads, blackheads and other blemishes. How to use: Soak a cotton pad with toner and gently apply from the inner areas, outward. Best used every morning and evening.

What it is: Healthier alternative for popping and picking on your blemishes. Perfect for: Making zits disappear overnight. How to use: 1. Cleanse and pat dry the area. 2. Put the patch on the area. 3. Wear until the patches become white.

Written by:

Burn

Burn is a hustling single mom and has worked in the wonderful world of advertising for five years. She loves the concept of clean beauty. During her spare time, Burn listens to podcasts about life, literature, and other worldly things all while doing chores.

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When it comes to K-Beauty staples, Dear Klairs is a no-brainer. Their minimalist approach to skin care is what everyone with sensitive skin craves, as they cut out all the unnecessary ingredients to give you only the safest and most hypoallergenic ingredients to care for your skin. While they pride themselves in having many, many great products, there’s always one that seems to fly off our shelves: the Dear Klairs Vitamin C Serum!

Before we get into why you need THIS product in particular, let’s get into why you need vitamin C.

WHAT VITAMIN C SERUM DOES FOR YOUR SKIN

Vitamin C is one of Calyxta’s favourite ingredients for a good reason. You can name any complexion concern and you’re sure to find a Vitamin C serum that’s ready to save you. From fine lines, acne scars, dullness—the list goes on and on. But how does it work exactly?

This ingredient is a potent antioxidant. Antioxidants, in simple terms, attack free radicals to prevent them from damaging your skin; this damage may come from external aggressors such as pollution, sun damage, sweat, and other irritants we meet on a day-to-day basis. Free radical damage can lead to signs of premature aging, irritation and an increase in skin sensitivity due to a weakened skin barrier. Vitamin C aids in your skin’s natural regeneration process, repairing damaged skin cells so that your complexion remains clear and radiant.

Aside from that Vitamin C is great for boosting collagen and elastin—natural fibers found in the skin that help keep it plump and youthful. It also prevents skin discoloration, like dark spots or hyperpigmentation, from forming due to acne or sun exposure.

WHY BUY DEAR KLAIRS FRESHLY JUICED VITAMIN C SERUM?

Want to start upgrading your skin care regimen? Shop for the Dear Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Serum on Calyxta today!

Written by:

Julia Benito

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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With the numerous skin care products in the market, it can be a little overwhelming to choose which ones to use to achieve clear and poreless skin. In this list, we gathered different skin care products that truly back up their claims to help you reveal a smoother, clearer, and more even complexion!

THE ORDINARY | NIACINAMIDE 10% + ZINC 1%, P900 – P1,500

This serum has been a favorite by many. With its water-based formula, it makes application easy without leaving you with a sticky feeling. Since this serum is filled with niacinamide and zinc, it is perfect for brightening your complexion from blemishes, acne scars, and redness while controlling oil production at the same time—highly recommended for those with acne-prone skin!

Another key step for achieving clear skin is using AHA/BHA. Because these are gentle chemical exfoliators, AHA/BHAs will penetrate deeper into your skin than physical exfoliators can to decongest pores and minimize the appearance of blemishes. This toner will also make your skin appear brighter by revealing a brighter complexion hidden underneath the dead skin cells!

Once a top skin care trend, the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay mask is widely known to deeply cleanse your pores and make your skin firmer. This powerful mask will remove dirt from your skin by drawing them out of your pores, allowing you to rinse away all impurities to promote clearer skin!

Another way to have clear skin is through using a charcoal sheet mask that with soothe your skin. Since this sheet mask has charcoal, it will extract the impurities from your pores by attracting them to the mask, allowing you to lift the oils away to help promote glowing skin. Since it is also infused with green tea, this sheet mask can also help soothe irritation and protect the skin from further blemishes.

This natural cleanser will help you have clearer skin by washing away oil, dirt, and other irritants that clog your pores. Since it is formulated with collagen, this will help you improve your skin elasticity to promote firm, youthful while clearing away acne. Best of all, it has a refreshing vanilla scent to soothe your nerves as you cleanse!

Written By:

Nathalie Cuisia

Nathalie is your curly-haired ambivert Internet best friend! She discovered her love for makeup and skincare during her time as a chaotic journalism student. When she’s not thinking of her next beauty product purchase, she likes watching movies, cuddling with her dog, and looking for gluten-free ensaymada.

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I used to think that the more expensive the product, the better. But, now after years of trying different kinds of skin care, I realized that it was never about the price—it’s about what’s in it! You can have a perfectly good skin care routine without spending thousands on just one serum as long as you know what your skin needs and what ingredients to look out for. Luckily for us skin care junkies, Face Republic has been consistently coming out with affordable skin care that makes sure to give you exactly what your skin is craving.

Never heard of this brand before? You can read more about them here!

CLEANSER

The Mild Cleansing Water is an all-around staple for those looking for a gentle yet effective cleansing. It gets your makeup off without drying out your skin, making sure your skin’s natural protective barriers are A-OK! It’s also formulated with glycerin, which is an amazing humectant ingredient that helps draw moisture into the skin—kind of like a hydration magnet! To use, soak a cotton pad with the cleansing water and gently swipe all over the face. Don’t forget to rinse it off afterwards!

TONER

Every skin care routine needs a little bit of exfoliation. This is to ensure that the build-up of gunk and dead skin cells don’t cause your skin to look dull or appear more aged than it should—que horror! This gentle chemical exfoliating toner is perfect for clearing up troubled complexions: from uneven skin texture to pesky breakouts! It’s formulated with some much-loved ingredients as well, namely salicylic acid (for exfoliation) and sodium hyaluronate (for moisture).

MOISTURIZER

Moisturized skin is healthy skin. When it gets too dry, there is a higher likelihood that it’ll be more prone to irritation, acne, and damage. That’s why this moisturizer has been flying off of our shelves! It’s formulated with cica (most commonly known as Centella Asiatica), an ingredient that is well-renowned in Korea for its skin-soothing and reparative properties. If you’re battling inflammation and redness, you should definitely give this moisturizer a try.

SUNSCREEN

Ready to try this simple and affordable routine? Shop for Face Republic on Calyxta today!

Written by:

Julia Benito

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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I’m sure you’ve all heard the crazy hype for The Ordinary by now—high praise that’s definitely well-deserved! They offer straightforward no-frills skin care that shows you exactly what’s inside each bottle without any sugarcoating whatsoever; you know exactly what it is that you’re getting—perplexing scientific names and all! For skin care junkies, this brand is definitely one of the best for its affordability and quality. However, one product seems to be stealing the spotlight: The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toner.

We’ll be getting into what it does, how it works, and how you should use it, but first let’s tackle what glycolic acid really is.

WHAT IS GLYCOLIC ACID?

To put it simply, glycolic acid is a very mild chemical exfoliator. It’s a water-soluble AHA (read here for a recap on what that means!) that exfoliates the outermost layer of your skin. This helps improve the luminosity of your skin, tackles wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and can combat acne production. Because it has a low molecular weight, it can easily penetrate into your skin to  refresh you from within!

Fair warning, however: if you have incredibly sensitive skin or are layering multiple active ingredients in your skin care routine (learn more about ingredients and what not to mix together here), you may need to find products in lower concentrations to avoid irritation.

WHAT DOES GLYCOLIC ACID DO?

HOW TO USE THE ORDINARY GLYCOLIC ACID 7% TONING SOLUTION

The benefits of glycolic acid sound awesome, right? That’s not all though! This wonder product by The Ordinary is even alcohol- , oil- , silicone-free, so if your skin has bad reactions to those ingredients, then you’re in the clear. It’s also vegan-friendly and cruelty free!

And now to the meat and potatoes! According to their official website, this toning solution should be used at night before bedtime, no more than once a day. Use it after thoroughly cleansing your face. Allow the product to settle into your skin—no rinsing it off—then continue with your skin treatments as needed.

Different people have different tolerances when it comes to skin care. While some people can handle using it daily, others may find the constant exfoliation a little too much for their skin. Test it out first by going in twice a week.

You may experience some purging during this time, but don’t panic! Keep using the product for a few more weeks to see how your skin reacts. If it reacts negatively until then, then you may have to drop it. On the other hand, if you’re happy with the results and would like to try a more regular exfoliation, then you can slowly increase your days of use.

Just a few reminders before you add to cart! Be aware that AHAs, when used in conjunction with Retinols, may cause some irritation if you have sensitive skin. Also, be mindful that AHAs may increase photosensitivity, so ALWAYS wear sunscreen when heading out!

Now, have we piqued your interest? Shop The Ordinary Glycolic 7% Toning Solution on Calyxta today!

Written by:

Julia Benito

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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I’ve had my fair share of dry days; from accidentally over exfoliating, forgetting to hydrate properly throughout the day, and falling asleep without putting on a moisturizer, I’ve since realized how important it is to have a skin care regimen that focuses on making sure your skin gets the love that it needs. Moisture is, after all, the most important part of having healthy skin. By staying properly moisturized, you’re able to keep your skin’s natural barrier in tip-top shape! If you’ve been experiencing dryness lately, don’t fret! Here are some of Calyxta’s much-loved skin care ingredients that best moisturize dry skin!

GLYCERIN

What does glycerine do? Glycerin is a humectant. Simply put, it means that it attracts moisture from the air and stores it into the top-most layer of your skin. Think of it as a “moisture magnet” of sorts that helps reinforce the skin barrier by keeping it hydrated. After all, a hydrated skin barrier is a healthy skin barrier!

Aside from having glycerine as one of its top ingredients, these pre-soaked pads are also full of propolis extract—a great antibacterial ingredient perfect for combatting acne! These pads not only moisturizes the skin, but also gently cleanses and softens the surface.

ROSEWATER

What does rosewater do? It hydrates dry skin, soothes irritation, functions as a natural antiseptic, and is just an all-around favourite in terms of upping your skin care game! It also helps maintain the pH balance on your skin and helps control excess oil production. This beauty potion works great not only for dry skin, but for combination and oily skin types as well—the powerhouse ingredient that everyone needs in their regimens!

HYALYRONIC ACID

What does hyaluronic acid do? Skin care junkies would know just how much love this ingredient gets—well-deserved, in my opinion! Think of this ingredient as a big drink of water for your skin, as it’s able to hold up to one thousand times its weight in water. When it penetrates into the skin, it binds water to the skin cells and infuses all the layers with some much needed moisture. It does well to retain moisture within the skin, keeping it protected and plump all while reducing the visibility of fine lines and wrinkles.

With natural moisturizing factors like hyaluronic acid and ceramide, this super serum deeply quenches dry skin, revealing a gorgeously radiant complexion! It’s also made with Huxley’s signature ingredient: Prickly Pear Seed Oil! This oil is incredibly difficult to source, as they come from prickly pear cacti, but is loved for many good reasons. It not only hydrates, but it also reduces the appearance of fine lines, helps prevent premature wrinkles, and brightens pigmentation.

HONEY

What does honey do? The best thing about honey, aside from its moisturizing properties, is its ability to speed up the skin’s healing process. This is great for combatting acne while helping your skin’s natural protective barriers stay strong and healthy! It’s also known for its anti-aging benefits, as its natural antioxidants help target damage from environmental damage.

Everyone loves a face mask! They’re great for giving a good boost of hydration after a long day—this mask is perfect for that! It not only contains honey, but aloe juice and Jeju green complex as well; this gives you so much extra moisture in just one application!

Shop for moisturizers at our upcoming sale starting September 10, 2020!

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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Though the pandemic may keep us from going outside, that doesn’t mean we can’t experience professional beauty treatments from the comforts of our home! These beauty and skin care devices are just what you need to keep you looking fab without the fuss of going out.

PERFECT FOR: REMOVING BLACKHEADS AND EXCESS OIL

Want to get rid of your blackheads STAT? This pore vacuum from Blingbelle is a great option for safely sucking out impurities and giving your skin a gentle exfoliation. You can even customize this skin care device depending on your skin’s needs!

It comes with multiple detachable heads for you to choose from as well; use the crystal head for exfoliation, the large round head for removing blackheads, the small round head for extraction for sensitive skin, and the oval head for tightening pores!

PERFECT FOR: EXFOLIATING AND REVITALIZING YOUR SKIN

In dire need of a diamond peel? Try this easy-to-use microdermabrasion device to experience a diamond peel right at home! This skin care device may sound intimidating, but don’t fret; it’s simple, gentle, and most of all, customizable—perfect for beauty beginners! Because its tips covered in fine crystals, this device does an incredible job of sloughing away dirt and dead skin cells while sucking out excess oils. With regular use, it can even prevent ingrown hairs and promote a healthy blood circulation!

Best of all, you can even use this device on your body for a top-to-toe exfoliation! With multiple settings, detachable tips, and built-in timers, you can easily personalize your exfoliation needs to suit your skin type. If you’d like a more in-depth look at how to use this device, do read our review here. Save up on your monthly diamond peel appointments with this home exfoliation device today!

Shop for these must-have beauty and skin care devices from Calyxta today!

Julia Benito

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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Finding the perfect skin care routine can sometimes take years of trial and error; it doesn’t help that skin care brands and Internet trends keep popping up into the mix either! With so many products and new must-try ingredients constantly barraging our newsfeeds, I couldn’t blame you for not knowing which products to try anymore—I’m guilty of this myself! Luckily for us, Flawless takes the guesswork out of the equation by providing professional skin care carefully curated by dermatologists to tackle each and every skin issue. If you’re in the market for a new routine, you’ve come to the right place. Check out these medically-backed skin care solutions for every skin type below!

Pesky pimples are one of the biggest banes of self-confidence, so we know how desperately hard you (myself included) work to keep them at bay. If you’re looking for a safe way to calm your blemishes, Flawless has many options for you to try, from astringent toners for quickly drying aggressive pimples to milder spot treatment gels for lightening blemish marks to oil-reducing anti-bacterial super serums for attacking acne-causing bacteria from within the skin! Because this brand understands that tackling acne isn’t usually solved by just one product alone, for those looking for a comprehensive routine centered on eradicating pimples can also find a specialized acne control skin care set that takes care of your full routine for you.

From breaking through your makeup to promoting acne-causing sebum build-up in your pores, excess oils can be a real pain to manage. However, it’s a common misconception that the best solution to oily skin is to dry it out. Most of the time, our skin produces all this excess oil because of a dire need of internal hydration. The oils are its way of trying to bring moisture back to the skin due to cell damage and dryness, so a great way to tackle this issue is by making sure your skin is getting the nutrients it needs to stay balanced. With this in mind, Flawless has created a toner formulated to keep the oil and water contents of the skin in harmony, as well as night creams that help unclog pores while delivering optimum moisturization. They even have a kit with soap, toner, protective gel, and cream all in one set to help get your oil-controlling journey started!

As we age, our skin’s natural protective barrier weakens, leading to dryness and a loss of elasticity that often takes form through wrinkles and fine lines—but don’t despair! Keeping your skin looking youthful doesn’t have to be complicated. Having a good regimen that regularly exfoliates the skin can help maintain a radiant appearance, as it lifts off dead skin and helps your body turnover newer cells. This toner from Flawless is a good option to keep in mind for gentle daily exfoliation for younger, clearer skin. Aside from exfoliation, you’ll need to keep your skin protected from external aggressors like pollution and sun damage that speed up the formation of free radicals in the skin, leading to weakened defences. The protective cream they provide is wonderful for doing just that; its formulation helps keep wrinkling, sagging, and discoloration at bay by keeping your skin safe against photodamage while giving you the moisture it needs to keep your skin’s barrier strong.

Whether through sun damage or hyperpigmentation caused by acne, our skin can sometimes get patches of uneven coloration. A great way to tackle this is through a reliable sunblock. Aside from protecting our skin from direct sun damage, the regular use of sun care is important for keeping the UV rays that pass through glass windows and that emit from electronic devices from creating further damage that can lead to uneven tones and an increased probability of acne scarring. Stay safe against these rays with Flawless’ trusty protective gel, as well as their lightening lotion for your body. For more intensive treatments, you can try their whitening serum twice a day as well, as this is formulated with potent ingredients that improves the skin tone and lightens the appearance of hyperpigmentation.

For beauty newbies that simply don’t know where to start, this all-in-one kit is perfect for you. Because it has a cleanser, a toner, three (3) different creams for smoothing, protecting, and regenerating, and sun care in one set, you’ll be sure to have all you need to maintain clear skin while you figure out which ingredients best suit you!

If you’ve got your beauty regimen more or less down pat but are looking for a boost for long-term skin health, these dietary supplements are great additions to your regimen. While both help promote youthful skin, you can try the Bella Trim variant to help support weight loss or the Bella Beauty variant for added antioxidant properties for detoxifying the skin from within.

Written by:

Julia Benito

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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Skin care regimens don’t always have to involve ten tedious steps to be effective. Sometimes, all you need is one powerful ingredient to get the plump, radiant skin of your dreams! Enter: pili nut oil. Hailed as a super food ingredient both in its natural nut form for consumption as well as its extracts for topical application, the benefits of pili for your skin are abounding. Read on to learn why we love it and why you need to add pili oil to your nightly routines ASAP!

IT’S FULL OF ANTIOXIDANTS THAT SOFTEN THE APPEARANCE OF FINE LINES AND WRINKLES.

As you’ve probably already heard, antioxidants are the key when making sure your skin is protected from free radical damage. This can come from a variety of different environmental aggressors that we face on a daily basis, like sun exposure and pollution, which damage the skin and speed up its aging process. Because pili nuts are the richest source of Vitamin E among all nuts, its oil is naturally chock-full of nutrients and antioxidant properties that help protect the skin by fortifying it on the inside, keeping damage from said aggressors at bay and promoting youthful skin!

IT HELPS MAKE THE SKIN BARRIER STRONG BY KEEPING IT PROPERLY MOISTURIZED.

One of the main causes of irritation on the skin is dryness or the over production of oil—both of which can be curbed with the moisturizing effects of pili oil! When the skin is dry, it’s more prone to cracking and weakness, making it an easy target for acne to sneak in. When the skin is producing too much oil, there’s more potential for sebum, dirt, and dead skin cells to build up in your pores, leading to breakouts; this often if a sign that your skin is overcompensating for the lack of moisture from within, thereby going into emergency mode by producing even more oil in its attempts at re-hydrating your skin. However, if properly moisturized, these skin issues can be managed. Pili oil is a great option for doing so as its rich in Vitamin A, an ingredient that helps promote healing, natural moisturization, and strengthening the skin’s immune system!

Try this vitamin-rich ingredient today from Pili Ani, a local brand founded upon the ideals for clean, green, and conscious beauty!

Julia Benito

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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Our favourite Korean-inspired brand is back at it again with new and affordable innovations; this time with even more skin care picks that are perfect for those looking to give their routines a refresh! Check out the 6 new Cathy Doll products we’ve been obsessed with below!

Remove light makeup while imbuing your skin with nourishment from Galactomyces, a powerhouse ingredient that helps control sebum production, brighten the skin, and give you a youthful glow with its antioxidant properties! This cleansing water is also formulated with Ceramides that help strengthen the skin from within. The best part? This product is alcohol-, oil-, colorant-, fragrance-, and paraben-free!

This ultra-soft foam cleanser is just what sensitive skin needs; infused with chamomile and alteromanas ferment extracts, it gives irritated skin a sigh of relief from its soothing properties while strengthening it from external aggressors such as pollution! It’s also infused with Hyaluronic Acid—an ingredient the Crew holds with the highest regards! Because of its intense moisture-binding abilities, Hyaluronic Acid is a must for those looking to achieve a healthier, more radiant complexion!

This unique oil-in-water cleanser helps gently remove even the most stubborn of makeup formulas! Wipe away waterproof products with ease while delivering essential hydration with its inclusion of Hyaluron and Glycerin. Its gentle formulation allows it to be used around the eyes and lips without causing irritation, as well as protecting the skin from premature wrinkles that may arise from using abrasive cotton pads.

Created especially to tackle acne and inflammation, this foam cleanser is enriched with soothing tea tree and centella asiatica extracts—both ingredients wildly renowned for their skin-saving abilities! It’s also infused with a dose of Salicylic Acid, an acne-busting BHA that penetrates into the skin and exfoliates from within. Help your skin control its oil production while giving it a deep yet gentle cleanse!

Regardless of whether or not you’re under the scorching sun, wearing sun protection should still be a daily priority. This is because ultraviolet rays may still penetrate through windows or be emitted through your electronic devices, gradually damaging your skin every day. Fend off the signs of premature aging caused by UV damage with a broad-spectrum sun screen like this product! With its lightweight, non-greasy, and quick-absorbing consistency, it’s perfect for comfortable daily use and for wearing under makeup.

Eradicate white heads with this black clay mask! Made from Japanese volcanic charcoal stone, this mask is incredibly rich in minerals that help draw impurities from your pores up to the surface, helping you to wash away excess sebum with ease. If used regularly (once a week only!), this mask can help you achieve a smoother, more even complexion!

Written by:

Julia Benito

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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If you’ve noticed your skin getting moody as the weather changes, you’re not alone. Living in the Philippines means living in a constant battle between heat and rain–sometimes it’s hard for our skin to keep up! Even if you have a consistent skin care regimen, the radical change in weather can have a direct impact on your skin, as it can alter your skin’s texture, elasticity, and oil-production without you even realizing it. Knowing how the weather affects your skin is essential to maintaining a consistently clear complexion, so here are our tips on how to have clear skin despite the changes in weather!

SKIN CARE DURING THE RAINY SEASON

Because the Philippine weather can sometimes act like moody teenagers and swing from hot to wet in the span of ten minutes, it’s important to be prepared with a skin care routine that can cater to both the oil-controlling needs of warm, humid weather and the moisture-craving demands of cooler, drier rain and/or long exposure to A/C.

LIFT AWAY PORE-CLOGGING DIRT AND DEAD SKIN CELLS BY EXFOLIATING NO MORE THAN TWICE A WEEK.

Regular exfoliation helps make sure the build-up of debris on the surface of your skin (and deep within it!) gets flushed out. This is especially important during humid days, as we tend to produce more oils!

Gone are the days where toners were the stinging astringents that we once knew they were. Now, many toners are geared towards helping the skin retain moisture, balance acidity, clarify the complexion, and prepare the skin to better absorb treatments–great for capricious climates like ours!

BOOST HYDRATION WITH A NOURISHING SERUM

Hydration is the most important part of keeping your skin’s natural defences on high, so help boost it along with some deeply hydrating serums for extra protection.

BONUS TIPS

REFRESH WITH ROSEWATER MIST!

I, personally, am such a sucker for rosewater for its skin-soothing, calming properties. When it’s extra humid, it’s nice to have one on hand just to refresh the skin throughout the day!

Julia Benito

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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With the on-going pandemic, we are all still highly advised to stay indoors to reduce the likelihood of infection. However, just because we’re stuck inside our homes doesn’t mean we should skimp on our skin care! In fact, with all this extra time on our hands, we’re given the perfect opportunity to test and perfect our regimens. To aid in your journey to complexion perfection, we’ve rounded up the top skin care ingredients to consider when building your quarantine routine.

Please be mindful, however, that different people have different needs when it comes to their skin. Always patch-test first to see how your skin reacts to certain ingredients, especially if they’re in strong doses! Some people also benefit more when using less ingredients, so do bear that in mind while crafting your skin care regimen. You don’t need to use all ingredients at once for great skin, after all!

FOR CHEMICAL EXFOLIATION

Just because they sound intimidating doesn’t mean that they are! Chemical exfoliants, especially because they’re harnessed in controlled quantities, safely lift away the build up of dead skin cells, oil, and dirt that sit on our skin and can cause dullness and inflammation–a must for making sure our skin looks youthful in the long run! They also provide a gentler, more even exfoliation than physical exfoliants, as the latter may even irritate or create micro-tears on the skin.

These exfoliants come in two kinds: AHAs and BHAs (read a more detailed guide on these terms here). To keep it simple, you can differentiate the two by remembering that AHAs work best on the skin’s surface, which makes them better for treating sun damage and dullness, whereas BHAs go beyond the surface of the skin and into the pores, as being oil-soluble helps them penetrate the skin more easily, making them better for cleaning out blackheads and acne.

Lactic acid and glycolic acid are both water-soluble AHAs. These ingredients are good for targeting uneven skin texture, hyperpigmentation, or a lacklustre complexion, as they not only lift impurities but also help improve cell turnover for a brighter, clearer appearance. Keep in mind that glycolic acid is typically more potent as it penetrates deeper into the skin, whereas lactic acid is a little bit gentler and more moisturizing. For this reason, we recommend that those with more sensitive skin start off with lactic acid.

Salicylic acid, on the other hand, is a pore-pumping BHA. It’s well-known to be an effective acne-buster for its ability to dissolve debris that’s lodged inside our pores, helping to rid us inflammation, whiteheads, and blackheads! Those with acne-prone skin will definitely benefit from this ingredient and can opt for cleansers containing it to help keep their inflammation at bay.

FOR ANTIOXIDANTS

Whether or not you’re regularly exposed to environmental stressors such as pollution or sun damage, antioxidants are always a good addition to your skin care routine as they help fight against free radical damage and keep our skin’s defenses on high. It’s also important to know that as we age, our skin’s natural ability to heal itself and retain moisture weakens, making us more prone to signs of aging, hyperpigmentation, and dullness. Antioxidants are well known for their ability to visibly counter these signs, helping us create an even skin tone and promote a healthy, youthful glow by making sure our skin is well protected!

As a Calyxta Crew all-time favorite, niacinamide (aka vitamin B3) is a great multi-purpose ingredient that is not only a powerful antioxidant, but is also great at controlling excess oils and calming acne with its anti-inflammatory properties.

Another popular ingredient is Vitamin C, best known for its brightening properties that prevent hyperpigmentation and acne scarring. But don’t think that’s all it can do! This powerhouse of an ingredient is not only chock-full of antioxidants that help our skin regenerate naturally, but can trigger the skin’s collagen and elastin production–both naturally occurring fibers in our skin that are necessary in keeping it firm and plump!

Especially now that we’re more likely to stay indoors, it’s a good time to try and experiment with Vitamin A. This ingredient is typically used to fight the signs of premature aging, but is definitely not limited to that alone! Vitamin A plays a lot of essentials roles when it comes to skin health, such as the production of newer, healthier cells that improve skin vitality and tone, boosting skin-smoothing proteins like collagen, and fighting hyperpigmentation and sunspots caused by UV damage. However–this is VERY important–Vitamin A is usually found in retinoids or retinols (for a refresher, click here), which can be very irritating to the skin if you haven’t built a tolerance for it. Because they’re so powerful, you might even experience redness, dryness, and peeling before your skin starts to visibly improve months later. However, just because it’s strong doesn’t mean you need to be afraid of it! Try starting off with using a low concentration first every other day, then building up to daily use and higher doses. This ingredient may also make your skin more photosensitive, so be sure to put on sunscreen if you plan on going outdoors–kind of perfect for those in quarantine, as you’re more free to experiment with your tolerance without the fear of the sun sensitizing your skin!

FOR SOOTHING AND REPAIR

With the Philippine heat, sudden changes in weather, and irritation from masks, sometimes our irritated skin just needs to be soothed with gentle, reparative ingredients. One such ingredient is Centella Asiatica (aka Cica). K-Beauty lovers would most likely have heard of this ingredient before, as it quickly skyrocketed to fame for being a rich source of amino acids that help maintain the skin’s resilience and overall appearance. It’s also known to be calming and hydrating, which is excellent for aggravated skin!

Another ingredient to look out for is rosewater–one of my own, personal faves! Biases aside, rosewater naturally contains anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that do wonders to reduce redness and fight against acne. It’s also a great source of hydration and antioxidants that help refresh the skin for a clear, plump appearance!

Sometimes, the best ingredients come from the most unlikely places–in this case, bees! Bee propolis is a little-known ingredient that has been used to treat a wide variety of skin conditions, but is particularly popular for acne-prone skin. It’s renowned for its antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antioxidant properties that keep acne-sprouting bacteria at bay. Don’t be fooled by it’s thick, resin-like texture! Propolis can also be infused into products that deeply hydrate, smooth, and soften the skin without the icky, sticky feeling. Plus, it helps control your oil production too! Thanks, bees!

FOR HYDRATION AND MOISTURE

I’ve said it once, but I’ll say it time and time again: hydration is key to a healthy complexion. And don’t be fooled by your oily skin! Sometimes, that oil is your skin’s way of crying for help, so be sure to always treat it with some tender loving care by staying properly hydrated!

The first ingredient that comes to mind when it comes to hydration is Hyaluronic Acid. Beauty buffs have for sure heard of the wondrous tales of skin improvement this ingredient alone can provide–with good reason! To be technical about it, this ingredient is able to hold up to 1,000 times its molecular weight in water, which means that when it penetrates deep into the skin, it can bind more water to your skin cells to infuse it with the sweet, sweet moisture that it needs to stay healthy. Because it’s a humectant, it continues to draw moisture in from the surrounding environment for long lasting hydration.

Squalane is another ingredient that sometimes flies under the radar but is definitely worth a spot on your skin care shelves. This ingredient can make great moisturizers, as it’s an emollient that locks moisture into the skin and prevents it from drying out. When used consistently over time, it can even help reduce the signs of premature aging, reverse UV damage, lighten hyperpigmentation, and fight against free radical damage!

Ceramides are lipids that are naturally found in our skin and make up over 50% of our skin’s composition–don’t go sleeping on this ingredient, now! As we age, our skin’s ability to repair itself weakens, so applying products with ceramides help to boost our skin barrier to better equip it for its fight against dryness, wrinkles, irritation, and dehydration! Those looking to have plumper, firmer skin can definitely turn to this ingredient for a helping hand.

TIP: NEVER MIX THESE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER!

Piling on the skin care may sound like you’re piling on the benefits, but don’t get that twisted. Some ingredients naturally react negatively to each other, so always keep this in mind when trying and testing out new ingredients in your routine. Here are some you should never mix together:

Vitamin C + AHA/BHAs – Vitamin C is already naturally unstable, so mixing it with AHAs and BHAs may destabilise the pH balance of your product and nullify its effectiveness.

Retinol + AHA/BHAs or Vitamin C – These alone are already very potent ingredients, so using them in conjunction with one another can (and will) be extremely sensitizing for your skin. You may find it becoming over exfoliated, flaky, and generally more irritated.

Niacinamide + AHA/BHAs or Vitamin C  – This is not advisable as mixing the two may render the niacinamide useless, as their pH levels would cancel each other out. Mixing Niacinamide with Vitamin C may also create Niacin, which can make your skin red, itchy, and uncomfortable.

Glycolic Acid + Salicylic Acid – While both are great for exfoliating the skin, they should always be used separately as they can be too harsh and can overly strip your skin, causing increased sensitivity.

Julia Benito

Julia is Calyxta’s resident crazy plant lady with an unstoppable caffeine addiction and an ever-increasing love for glitter eye shadow. When she’s not staring out the window mulling over the correctness of her grammar, she can be found drawing on eyeliner, watching anime, reading books, or petting strangers’ dogs.

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