Beauty inside and out

MANILA, Philippines - Many things change, but our quest for beauty remains the same. Facial Care Centre has been helping women — and men — maintain their beauty for 27 years now, using modern skincare solutions and non-surgical, non-invasive procedures to achieve natural, classic, timeless beauty.

The nice part about going to Facial Care Center is that it makes beauty part of your daily routine. Facials, rejuvenators, hair removals — most of the the treatments offered take about an hour or less — just enough to fit into the busiest of schedules. But more importantly, their procedures are almost pain-free (but then when was pain a hindrance in the quest for beauty?), with no down-time and requiring very minimal — if any — post-treatment care.

Two of the treatments that Facial Care Center introduced are the ReFirme and Repechage 4-Layer Facial. The first treatment stimulates beauty from within, while the latter maintains it from the outside.

Outside help

It seems that “Me Time” is getting harder and harder to find. So when one finds a treatment that relaxes, moisturizes and stabilizes one’s skin, all at the same time, it’s an easy decision to incorporate it into one’s beauty regimen.

“The Repechage 4-Layer Facial is a rejuvenating treatment. It’s especially good for people with oily skin because the seaweed will help address that,” says Shirley Samson-Valdez, a dermatologist for Facial Care.

First launched in New York in 1980, this four-layer treatment is offered in 30 countries, and has been called “the best of the best” by an international beauty magazine. It starts off like your basic facial. Your face is cleaned, given a light massage, and placed under a steamer for 15 minutes to open the pores. Afterwards, blackheads, whiteheads and pimples are removed before the first layer — a seaweed-based concentrate — is applied.

The first layer softens lines, adds moisture and rebalances skin. It goes on light and is quite cool to the touch. The second layer is a moisturizer, which helps lock in the first layer. This creamy layer is massaged into the face — a great de-stresser, especially after a tiring day.

Next comes the seaweed mask, which is mixed right before it is applied on the face and neck. “The seaweed mask adds moisture to the skin,” Dr. Samson-Valdez says. The mask is cool and light, and is supposed to soothe the skin and get rid of toxins.

Then comes the fun part — the mineral mask. This is a mask that means business. The mask is warm and heavy, and feels like a cast. “The mineral mask helps the seaweed get absorbed faster,” Dr. Samson-Valdez says.

The mask is removed after 20 minutes, revealing skin that’s visibly rejuvenated. The skin is less oily, blemishes are less inflamed and fine lines are less visible. “After a series of treatments, you’ll notice that your skin will be less oily,” Dr. Samson-Valdez says, “Of course, the oiliness of the skin comes from the inside (due to hormones). It’s a maintenance thing. A facial every two weeks or once a week for oilier skin is necessary.”

Inner glow

People who grew up in the ’80s will remember a time when getting a facelift was all the rage. But with technology getting more advanced each year, more and more people are opting not to go under the knife.

ReFirme, if done continuously over a period of time, gives you the same effects as a facelift, but without the pain and downtime. The procedure uses a combination of infrared light and bipolar radio frequency to stimulate collagen production in the skin, giving it a firm, youthful glow that starts from the inside.

First, the face is cleaned with a light cleanser. Then a gel similar to the ones used for an ultrasound is applied on the face and neck. Next, a wand is passed over the face, its metal rods heating up tissue and tightening the skin. The treatment needs getting used to at first, as one can feel a light buzz every time the wand touches the skin, but once one is used to the sensation, it has a lulling, even relaxing effect (I should know — I fell asleep during the the treatment!).

Results can be seen after the first treatment — skin feels and looks tighter, especially around the jawline. Fine lines have lightened, with the promise of lightening still if made part of one’s beauty regimen. The best part is that the procedure takes all of 45 minutes.

Maintaining one’s natural glow has never been easier or time-saving. No wonder more and more people are placing their trust in Facial Care Centre. After being in the skin care field for 27 years, Facial Care Centre can only grow more attuned to the modern Filipina’s skincare needs, both inside and out.

Go with indigo

It’s hard to define indigo: not quite purple, but not really blue. Which is probably why it’s such a favorite among artists and such a hit in the makeup scene these days. Lancome makeup artist Aaron De Mey, in particular, is fascinated with the indecipherable shade, creating a collection and a “makeup revolution” around it. 

Working with French irreverence and spirit, and icons Brigitte Bardot and Simone de Beauvoir as inspiration, De Mey makes the eyes stunningly magnified with deep indigo, and complements the deep shade with golden highlights and vibrant red lips.

The new Lancome collection is available at major department stores nationwide.