Turn back time for mothers and mothers-to-be

Dear Rissa, 

Can I use Pond’s even if I’m pregnant?

MFM

As a loyal user of Pond’s, that was the very same question I had in my head the moment I learned I was pregnant. I grew up using their facial wash and I’ve been dedicated to using their anti-aging line, Pond’s Age Miracle, for over half a decade already.

Having flown in all the way from the laboratories of the Pond’s Institute in Connecticut, USA, I took the chance to interview one-on-one Dr. Helen Meldrum, Pond’s global research director for skin appearance, to find out how safe Pond’s is for pregnant women.

“We go through a very rigorous safety testing program which assumes the worst case scenario,” Dr. Meldrum explains. “We’re providing products to consumers and we never quite know what they’ll do. You obviously have a different range of consumers who may have different problems and issues. Particularly a big consideration is something like pregnancy where you want to ensure that there’s absolutely no risk to the baby or to the mother. So that’s absolutely taken into consideration,” she emphasizes.

Glow, Mom, glow: Make your husband fall in love with you all over again with Pond’s, the pioneer in skincare. Pond’s Age Miracle with Intelligent Pro Cell Complex Product Range provides a sophisticated and unmatched formulation, making you look up to 10 years younger in just seven days. Clockwise from top left: Pond’s Age Miracle Cell ReGEN Day Cream SPF 15 Pump, Pond’s Age Miracle Cell ReGEN Facial Foam, Pond’s Age Miracle Cell ReGEN Day Cream for Sensitive Skin, Pond’s Age Miracle Deep Action Night Cream, Pond’s Age Miracle Cell ReGEN Day Cream SPF 15 Jar, and Pond’s Age Miracle Dual Action Eye Cream.

“For all Pond’s products?” I ask. “Yes, for all Pond’s products,” she affirms.

But isn’t the first thing most ob-gyns advise pregnant women is to avoid products for whitening and with retinol?

“You know I think a lot of that is because there are probably some products out there with things you may not want to use and it’s probably difficult for the ob-gyn to give them a comprehensive list of products, of dos and don’ts. So I think it’s probably much easier for them just to issue a blanket statement,” says Dr. Meldrum, shedding light on the issue. 

“The key factor taken into account is the impact of the ingredient to the unborn child. There are a number of studies done to assess that,” she expounds. “We’ve done extensive safety studies and we know that the level of retinol that goes into the bloodstream is negligible. So we’ve done those studies and so we are completely safe,” Dr. Meldrum assures. “But of course, it’s ultimately up to what a woman feels comfortable with.” 

To find out that the ingredients of Pond’s were potent enough to make a difference in your skin but not potent enough to harm the unborn child was music to a pregnant woman’s ears. After all, you owe it to your family and your husband to take care of yourself, to be in good health, to be beautiful inside out — not just on the day that you met, or the day you got married but even beyond happily ever after.

Rissa

* * *

Sole queen: They can be a challenge to walk in at first, but high heels can give you a Beyoncé-like confidence. www.morefashionable.com

Top Tips On Wearing High Heels

Hi, Regina!

High heels look so sexy, but I’ve never worn them before. Are there any tricks to getting used to walking in them?

Carissa

I practically live in heels! I love the way they instantly elongate your legs, and there’s just something about them that makes your walk look so much fiercer. They can be a challenge to walk in at first, but personally, high heels give me a Beyoncé-like confidence that I don’t usually have.

Getting used to a particularly high pair, though, can be a little difficult. I’d suggest working your way up. Get used to a lower pair first (two inches is a good place to start!), then slowly move up to greater heights until you’re comfortable in the shoes you’re going for. I find that sky-high heels (five inches and up) are easiest to walk in if they’re strappy. Having something holding them to your ankles gives you a little more stability. I still worry that my pumps will fly off my feet sometimes!

A neat trick I picked up from Camilla Morton’s book, How to Walk in High Heels (available at National Book Store for P385), is to go grocery-shopping in your heels to break them in. The shopping cart helps stabilize you as you walk, you eliminate the fear of falling flat on your face, and you eventually get a feel of your new shoes. (It’s a great book, by the way! Tons of practical advice about pretty much anything a stylish young lady might be curious about, and not just fashion and beauty.)

Regina

* * *

Think pink: Dior Addict in Pink Glow is perfect if you want to go bare-faced and you just want naturally pink lips. 

Pretty In Pink Lips

Dear Lucy,

Can you share with me the shade of pink lip color you personally like? There are so many to choose from that I get confused (I am fair-skinned, too). How do I make my lip color stay the whole day? Do you still use lip liner?

Mitos

These are the pinks I like: MAC Angel and MAC Saint Germain (both are pale and frosty, but the latter is more intense), L’Oreal Pink Fever, Guerlain Rouge Automatique #165 (lovely for evening, when you want to look glam), YSL in Rose Stiletto (a woody pink), Shu Uemura SS346 (nice for daily use, formula is creamy and glossy), and WKW for Shu Uemura in Pink Flush. Dior Addict in Pink Glow is perfect for when you go bare-faced and you just want to have naturally pink lips (like on the beach or when you are about to go for a run or head out to your fitness class. Among all, the one from Guerlain is the deepest shade. I create many other shades of pink by mixing two to three different pinks together. It’s fun.

Do I use lip liner? It depends on the look I want to achieve. If I want to play up the lips, I do. But I hardly use it before lipstick as I find that the effect can be harsh. I find it best to apply lipstick straight from the tube first, which I blot, and once I have the color stained on my lips, that is when I carefully use lip liner. I always use a blunt edge, by the way, and apply feathery strokes. If you make the mistake of using a very sharp point, soften and smudge the line with cotton buds. There are times when I line the bow of the lips and follow through all the way down the sides intermittently only. At the most, I will also line the middle part of the lower lip and fade out gently outwards. Seldom do I line the entire lip — I do not want it to look too precise and pouty. 

On casual days, I almost never use liner. I like using a matte formula in a color that is neither too pale nor too deep (something like YSL’s Rose Stiletto), applied with my ring finger. I pat on the color in layers, blotting in between. That is also how you make lip color stay, basically. You apply it in layers, blotting in between (imagine kissing the tissue — press it gently but firmly over colored, closed lips and rub your fingers over it to transfer the color). You will notice that you get a matte effect. Apply another layer of lip color and repeat the process. Do it a few more times. You will be pleasantly surprised at how long your lip color will last. I hope that helps, Mitos!

Lucy

P.S. Before you do all that I shared with you, please make sure your lips are moisturized. Let lip balm be your best friend — like scissors, have one practically everywhere (your makeup kit, the car, your bedside table, your purse). No matter how expensive and nice your lip color is, it will never be enough to compensate for dry, chappy lips. Make sure your lips are lush all the time. My favorites include the ones from Smith’s Rosebud Salve, Malin and Goetz, and Kiehl’s. Carmex is a classic, too.

* * *

Send e-mail to Lucy Torres-Gomez at ltg@pldtdsl.com. E-mail Rissa Trillo at stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com or follow her on Twitter @RissaMananquil. E-mail Regina Belmonte at vivatregina.tumblr@gmail.com.