Beauty objects of gratitude

MANILA, Philippines - Sometimes the beauty industry can be at once overwhelming and disheartening, especially in my case. Admittedly, one of the perks of my job is getting to take home new-fangled “miracle” solutions that promise everything, short of world peace. Most of these potent creams and serums invariably end up on my face. At one point, I was pretty much two steps shy of completing the hyped-up 12-step Korean skincare system, which is probably why my skin started to rebel sometime in the middle of this year. If my job had a list of occupational hazards, this would be on it.

A conversation with Matthew Malin and Andrew Goetz, the owners of New York-based skincare brand Malin+Goetz, about the philosophy behind their two-step skincare system convinced me that perhaps it was time for me to take the “less is more” route. Matthew, who had been working in the beauty industry for years before starting his own brand, points out that most beauty companies are pushing too many things to consumers. “We, as beauty marketers, have convinced (consumers). We have told them to buy things that they shouldn’t be putting on their faces and now they’re sensitive to all these kinds of things that really don’t need to be there,” he says.

That was all I needed to hear. I took stock of my bathroom counter and decided to strip my routine down to the barest essentials. Everything else was thrown out or given away. I went back to my dermatologist and I even kicked my six-month smoking habit. Within a month, my skin has looked better than it has all year long and this time, there weren’t any bells and whistles or miracle potions involved.

And now, I present to you the five beauty items I would roast a turkey for:

1. Malin+Goetz Grapefruit Face Cleanser

Let me describe my face cleansing routine before I discovered this product. I’m insanely O.C. about getting every molecule of makeup off my face, so I used to wash my face twice with a cleansing oil, followed by my regular facial wash, then a toner. Naturally there were some days when I felt too lazy to wash my makeup off. Now, I still use a small amount of cleansing oil to melt my mascara and lipstick, then my Malin+Goetz Grapefruit Face Cleanser, which removes everything else in just one wash, while restoring the PH-balance of my skin, so I don’t need a toner after.

Malin+Goetz is available only at Adora, 3/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center Makati; tel. no. 217-4029.

2. Glotherapeutics Renew Serum

For a time, it seemed that my skin would never outgrow adolescence, so I was particularly concerned about finding an anti-acne treatment with anti-aging benefits. Luckily, my dermatologist recommended this product to me. This serum has retinol, which is touted as the number one anti-aging ingredient in the industry, along with glycolic and salicylic acid, which can improve acne-prone skin. I use it at night and wake up with glowing skin in the morning.

Glotherapeutics is available only at glostoremd.com.ph.

3. Kiehl’s Blemish Control Daily Skin-Clearing Treatment

This product was recommended to me by makeup artist Pia Reyes. Whenever I feel a bump about to surface, especially during that time of the month, I pile this stuff on top and it “kills” the incoming zit, while reducing the darkness of spots. You can use it all over your face (it works well as a makeup base) or you can use it to spot treat. Also, the tube seems to last forever.

4. Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer

I usually go into hiding after getting a facial, but once, I had to get my face pricked before an event and I desperately needed something that would cover up the tiny wounds without setting off another breakout. A tiny pump of this one-shade-fits-all concealer by Dr. Perricone, followed by a dusting of Glominerals Loose Base powder saved me the embarrassment of having to show freshly-pricked face in public. Also, it has SPF 35, so I like to use it around my eyes for protection from aging sun exposure.

5. Kerastase Elixir Ultime Moringa Immortel

Full disclosure: I’m kind of a “brand ambassador” for this product, but I swear on my roasted turkey that that’s not the reason why this is on the list. No, it’s not a skincare product, but I tried going one day without this stuff and you could look up buhaghag in the dictionary and see a photo of my hair. I used to be skeptical about hair oils — actually, hair products in general, especially with the humidity in this country, but this one is so light and my hair has never felt oily after I apply it. It’s also pleasantly fragrant, so whenever I forget to spritz on perfume (which is often), I still smell nice.