Skincare, scar care and other male matters

Hi, Rissa!

I’m 23 years old and I’m really disappointed with my face as it’s got lots of black spots and scars. What am I going to do about it? Also, can you recommend whitening products for us men? The cheaper brands or products, please.

John

If you look in the mirror and see a pimple, don’t touch it, squeeze it, or pick at it! This might be hard to do and it can be pretty tempting to try to get rid of it. But when you play around with pimples, you can cause even more inflammation by poking at them or opening them up. Plus, the oil and dirt from your hands won’t help! More importantly, though, picking at pimples can leave tiny scars on your face.

For men and women alike, it’s important to keep the skin on your face free from dirt, oil and grime so that these don’t lead to whiteheads, blackheads, and pimples. Pores become clogged if there is too much sebum and too many dead skin cells. Bacteria can then get trapped inside the pores and multiply, causing swelling and redness — the start of acne.

Thus, good clear skin starts with good cleansing. The best preventive you can do at home is to wash your face twice a day with a cleanser and warm water to prevent oil and bacteria buildup. Don’t scrub your face hard with a washcloth — acne and clogged pores can’t be scrubbed away, and scrubbing may actually make it worse by irritating the skin and pores. Try cleansing your face as gently as you can.

I recommend Tricks Exfocleanser (available at leading department stores, drugstores, personal care stores, and supermarkets). Manufactured by proudly Pinoy company Splash, a local leader in personal care products, Tricks Exfocleanser is especially formulated for men and effective enough to address your needs in caring for the face. Product description explains that it’s formulated with a micro-exfoliating action that helps lift away old skin cells, allowing new skin to surface, and a unique bacti-X ingredient that acts as an anti-bacterial and anti-pollutant formula.

Although men tend to have a thicker skin texture compared to that of women, it doesn’t mean their skin isn’t prone to allergies and irritation. Tricks Exfocleanser is dermatologist-tested, safe and effective, and it’s also enriched with vitamins E, B3, and B5 to nourish the skin. This product is available in three variants: Pimple Clearing (controls breakouts), Oil Control (gets rid of excess oil), and Whitening (lightens skin). With your concern for scars and skin whitening, try the Tricks Exfocleanser Whitening variant to thoroughly cleanse your face and to help fade those scars away.

Also worth checking out is L’Oreal’s new skincare line Men’s Expert (available at leading department stores, drugstores, personal care stores, and supermarkets). This new skincare line designed for men offers cleansers, exfoliants, and moisturizers with sun protection. Try the L’Oreal Men’s Expert White Activ. This is a moisturizer with UV protection that will help give you clearer and brighter skin. Also try the L’Oreal Men’s Expert Hydra Energetic Turbo Cleanser. Apart from cleaning pores, exfoliation combats concerns such as discoloration, dryness, and dull skin.

Rissa

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Your Bare Summer Essentials

Dear Lucy,

I am traveling soon to a great summer destination. Help me pack, please!

Lyn

Easy does it. I love packing for a summer trip because less is more, really, and when we try to compress everything to the bare essentials, we will be amazed at how little we really need. Bring a lot of knits, they travel really well. I went to the shop of Lulu Tan Gan recently and totally fell in love with her resort wear. The colors are so, so pretty, the style very fluid and relaxed.

Bring a wide-brim floppy hat that you can just scrunch in your luggage, and don’t forget your swimsuit, shades, sunblock.

Bring several of the loveliest sarongs you own, a nice brooch that you can use to hold it in place when you play around with the sarong and its many versatile uses.

Take with you a great pedicure, very pretty sandals, preferably with beads and accents. Bring, too, one of those rubber slippers that are bedazzled.

Take a book you’ve been meaning to read and some magazines.

Go to Evita Peroni and invest in some hair accessories that make the dishevelled do’s that are so in now look so pretty. They have beaded headbands, the most adorable little clamps and clips and hair ties.

Bring a journal, too, just in case, so you can write down your thoughts and staple mementoes you have gathered during the trip.

Have fun, lots of it! Oh, and don’t forget to bring some medicines, including prescription if any.

Bring nice accessories that don’t cost a fortune. Leave your heirloom pieces behind in your safety vault. That way, you can have a relaxing time, not having to think too much about what you have to guard with your life.

If you are staying with a friend, be gracious and please bring a nice hostess gift.

Enjoy your vacation, Lyn!

Lucy

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Fashion Investment

Dear Tingting,

Since fashion trends are always changing. What do you think are good investments?

Shiela (San Juan)

Instead of clothes that change with the trends, invest in jewelry whose value appreciates over time. A set of pearl or diamond earrings makes a good investment. Get a thin-chain necklace with a small .5K diamond or a thin-bangle bracelet.

Tingting

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Send e-mail to tingtingcojuangco@yahoo.com, ltg@pldtdsl.com, and stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com