Pond's new awesome foursome: Rx for clear, pimple-free skin

Hi, Ms. Rissa! 

I have always been a fan of Style SOS and I have learned a lot from your answers. I know that since you are in the fashion and beauty industry, you’re always under stress, but amid all this, you always need to look perfect and flawless. How can I get clear and pimple- free skin just like celebrities? Do you do regular facial treatments? Do you use a certain range of beauty products? Are there skin beauty secrets you can share?

Mimi 

I do not have any special secret for clear pimple-free skin. I also do not go for regular facial treatments. Growing up and until today, my beauty belief for great skin is really simple: Good clear skin starts with good cleansing.

 It’s really important to keep the skin on your face free from dirt, oil, and grime so that these don’t lead to clogged pores and pimples. While oily skin can contribute to pimples, Karen Ibañez, technical manager for skin care at Unilever, explains unwanted large pores occur when ducts of the skin are clogged with oil, dirt, and dead skin cells. And when this cocktail of oil and grime oxidizes, we are left with ugly blackheads. Now, when bacteria feed on the excess oil and dirt, we deal with a swollen, red infection called a pimple.

 As a teen, I have always loved Pond’s facial washes — they were my best friends during my puberty years. It was a brand I grew up with. And because it has done an amazing job keeping my skin clear and pimple-free throughout the years, Pond’s continues to have a special place in my bathroom shelf until today. It’s really important to go with a brand you trust.

 Recently, Pond’s launched a new line of facial washes — Pond’s Clear Balance facial washes with the power of clay — that address the four biggest skin problems of teens all over the world: pimples, oily skin, big pores, and blackheads. During the press launch, Karen Ibañez also showed us an impressive video demonstrating in the laboratories how clay effectively absorbs oil and impurities. She explains that clay has always been one of the most powerful absorbers of oil. Thanks to Pond’s, you no longer need to go to the spa to get special clay treatments. The power of clay is now accessible to all in a facial wash.

 Pond’s Clear Balance (available at all leading department stores, drugstores, public market stalls, groceries, and personal care stores nationwide) comes in four variants, each utilizing the power of clay. My favorite is the Pond’s Clear Solutions Anti-Bacterial Facial Scrub, which is actually the number one facial wash of Pond’s. It’s now equipped with the power of herbal clay to bid excess oil (a breeding ground for bacteria) goodbye. Based on laboratory tests conducted in the US this year, it removes up to 99 percent of pimple-causing bacteria to keep skin clear and blemish-free. I use this every night so I always go to bed with a clean face. I love how this multi-tasker can effectively wash off makeup, too!

 I can’t help but have a second favorite — Pond’s Oil Control Skin Mattifying Facial Foam. Thanks to the oil-absorbing powers of mineral clay, it keeps skin shine-free for up to 12 hours based on consumer tests conducted in Indonesia in 2010. Because I have combination skin, I deal with oily skin on my forehead and cheeks all the time. I hate it because the shiny T-zone tends to make me look so untidy and haggard sometimes. No facial wash or toner has ever been able to address this problem of mine. But when I tried this, I think my skin sang hallelujah! Unlike other mattifying facial washes that zap out even the skin’s natural moisturizers, leaving the skin too tight and overly dry, Pond’s Oil Control Skin Mattifying Facial Foam left my skin shine-free yet supple and healthy-looking. My face felt super smooth, too! And here’s the clincher: even if my beauty routine included applying sunscreen every day, it kept my skin shine-free until the afternoon!

Giorgio Armani Red Carpet Retrospective

 If unsightly large pores worry you every time you look in the mirror, Pond’s Smooth Pores Pore Tightening Facial Foam harnesses the power of glacial clay to instantly tighten pores after every wash. I tried this, too, and it instantly makes your skin so smooth and fresh-looking! For those who battle blackheads, try Pond’s No Blackheads Deep Cleansing Facial Wash. The power of volcanic clay promises to reduce deep stubborn blackheads in as little as seven days.

Rissa

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Bright Matte Lips Are Right

Dear Lucy,

I am in search of a bright colored matte lipcolor that does not make my lips feel dry. But I want the color to be really intense.

I also need a workbag that is of excellent quality but not deliriously expensive. Can you suggest something?

Jane

Please go to Adora and get a tube of Becca Beach Tint in Strawberry. It is my current favorite. I just use my ring finger to pat the color on to my lips. It stays on very well and makes the lips look full and lusciously matte.

When it comes to bags for work, Tod’s is one of my favorite brands. I like how the quality is excellent, the design beautiful but always functional, and the price not exactly overly luxurious. The new style I saw is called Ava. It is beautiful! Do check it out. Locally, Fino has a good selection.

Lucy

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Wanted: Cure For Discolored Skin

Dear Ms. Tingting,

What kind of treatment would you recommend for a common type of skin discoloration?

Pearl

There is a new skin regimen available from doctors that can effectively treat discoloration commonly known as Illuminase — a combination of microdermabrasion, treatment with a low-energy YAG (yttrium aluminium garnet) laser, and ongoing skincare treatment with hydroquinone, Retin-A and sunscreen.

More aggressive treatments, including peels, Intensed Pulse Light, and various lasers, may actually worsen melasma because they cause inflammation, which stimulates pigment production.

Women interested in Illuminase should go to a certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon with expertise in YAG laser. Sun protection is still a must to prevent recurrence of melasma.

Tingting

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Send e-mail to Tingting Cojuangco at tingtingcojuangco@yahoo.com. E-mail Lucy Torres Gomez at ltg@pldtdsl.com. E-mail Rissa Mananquil at stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter @RissaMananquil.