A magical find for smoother skin

Dear Rissa, 

My boyfriend goes crazy when my skin is petal soft. What products do you recommend to achieve super smooth skin?

Jane T.

Guys do go crazy when skin is soft to the touch — especially the legs! I have some favorite skincare products that never fail to make guys weak at the knees. 

Exfoliation is a must. Not only does it help shed dead skin and encourage cell renewal, it also makes your skin look bright and fresh (makinis describes it best!). You must try Malin + Goetz Peppermint Body Scrub (exclusively available at Adora Department Store, Greenbelt 5, Makati). What’s great about this brand is that their products are formulated with sensitive skin in mind, that’s why their products are so gentle and suit all skin types. This scrub makes use of natural bamboo and pumice to soften and gently exfoliate. It has a gel texture and the scrub granules are not too big and harsh yet not too small to be ineffective. This scrub is a magical find — it’s the only product so far that has wiped out ugly ingrown hair and bumps from shaving! It leaves your skin feeling incredibly smooth! I also noticed how the skin on my arms and legs looked brighter and younger. Use this two to three times a week in place of a body wash for super smooth legs and skin!  

And the scent? Start your day in the shower right — the peppermint gives a great buzz for the rest of the day. The scent is not herbal or menthol-y. The smell is cleaner, purer, and natural. It leaves the skin tingling with freshness. Let’s just say it smells good enough to eat! 

Smooth skin isn’t complete without a great moisturizer. Malin + Goetz Vitamin B5 Moisturizer (also available at Adora, Greenbelt 5, Makati) is another ally. Whenever we had runway shows or pictorials, I’d favor heavy body lotions that would heavily moisturize and give some shine to the skin. They took forever to be absorbed by the skin and I’d have streaks of lotion on my dress or blouse after dressing up. I’d sometimes end up changing my outfit because of the lotion stains! So unsexy! I realized that these lotions were heavy, greasy, and would just slide off; they often just gave a false sense of moisture to the skin. My husband also disliked these kinds of lotions because I always felt so greasy and sticky to the touch (again, so unsexy!).

What wowed me about Malin + Goetz Vitamin B5 Body Moisturizer is it was absorbed by the skin upon impact. It was non-greasy and eliminated wait-time for dressing. Packed with natural bergamot, honey, vitamin B5, shea butter, glycerin, and absorbent fatty acids, this gives serious 24-hour hydrating protection without feeling sticky. Best of all, skin feels petal smooth — yes, the kind of smoothness that is memorable to the touch. The first time I used it, my husband immediately complimented me on my super smooth skin. And funny how he begged me not to go back to my other sticky lotions!       Rissa

* * * 

Bye-bye dark undereye circles

Dear Lucy,

My question is all about eyes. I have dark circles, I think my eyes are droopy, and I have fine lines already (to think I am just in my late 20s!). Help, help, help! So much advice out there, what actually works?

Lalaine

The good news is, a lot of what you read out there actually works. The not-so-good part is that you will have to swim through all that info (and yes, there will be an overload!) and find the one that works for you. What actually works? Well, for dark circles, concealer is important. I like Cernor XO CoverStick because it treats and masks undereye shadows. Its active ingredient is vitamin K and this coverstick will give wonderful results when applied lightly. Dab it on, blend with your fingers and set with translucent powder. To heighten the effect of this product, it is best used in conjunction with Cernor XO Crème, applied nightly on a clean face. The latter also works very well with a tightening effect, reducing very fine surface wrinkles and lines. These two products work synergistically. 

Cernor is made in Belgium and available locally through reputable dermatologists. I get mine from the Belo Medical Group.

For droopy eyes, these are the things you can do, as taught to me by the pros over the years:

• Make sure your eyebrows have a nice arch (the peak should be at the outer edge of your iris). That said, please do not pluck your brows too thin also. 

• Use eyeshadow to create the illusion of a triangle at the outer corner of the lids, fading the shadow into the creases. Go easy on the color, layer it instead of applying all in one go.

• Line the lower rim softly with brown pencil (make sure the tip is rounded and not too pointy, otherwise you end up with a harsh line).

• Put eyeshadow over the lids, nothing too dark, nothing too light either. Look for purples that give a pop of color.

• You may opt to line the upper lash line, but make sure it is applied as close to the lash line as possible.

• To instantly open the eyes, dab pearly shadow on the inner corner of the eyes (this is magical almost, it makes such a big difference considering it is such a small step).

• Curl your lashes and apply mascara. Maybelline still is the best, hands down. There has yet to be anything quite like it.

From dark to light: Cernor XO CoverStick is a moisture-rich concealer designed to camouflage dark circles under the eyes. Available at Belo Medical Group clinics.

Lucy

When a man takes his wife to a party

Dear Ms. Tingting,     

How much attention does a man have to pay to his wife at a party? Mine always gets upset if I leave her to talk to others, but if I spent the whole evening just hanging around her, we might just as well stay home. I expect her to fend for herself while I do the same, right?

Rey C

It is appreciated if a husband becomes a bit solicitous of his wife upon arrival at a gathering like “You know who to be with? See you later, okay?” This gives others the idea that he values her and will encourage others to like her. He can now talk to others and socialize.

Tingting

* * *

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