Lullabies and Lippies

In honor of National Lipstick Day today, I think it's only proper that I do a post on my favorite lipstick. Am I right or right? :)

These days, my make-up routine is very basic. I literally do the same thing day after day after day after week after week after week. I've been focusing more on obsessed with skincare!

You know how they say it's always nice to switch things up to keep things interesting? The same could be said for one's skincare regimen! I think we all need to update our skincare regimen from time to time to keep it from plateauing and to make sure we adapt to our skin's changing needs.

Over the years, I've tried several skincare systems/products from Clinique to Bobbi Brown to Shu Uemura to Shiseido. I mean, they did work, for a while, but not as good as I had hoped for them to. And I wanted so so so bad for them to work their magic on me because they did cost a lot of money. The skincare angels must have heard my plea because I think I have finally found the skincare line for me - V&M Naturals. Finally, a skincare line that: a.) uses only the most natural ingredients (no harsh chemicals here, only the good stuff!), b.) is a local brand (hooraaayyy, Pinoy Pride!), and c.) ACTUALLY WORKS FOR ME!


I was introduced to this brand late last year by my friend Andi who happens to be a reseller of V&M Naturals products. At first, I was skeptical because how could products that use ZERO chemicals fix my skin issues? So I tried out their products, a few at a time, slowly. And now, I'm a believer!

So, after an almost five-month blogging hiatus, I'm super duper excited to share with you some of my fave products from V&M:

1. Bare It All Body Cream (non-minty version)
Living in the Philippines where it's always so hot and humid, I think I've grown allergic to even just the sound of body creams. Typically, body creams are thick, sticky, goopy, and they make you feel greasy all over, right? Not this one! I put this on right after taking a shower and it never feels sticky. Never. It sinks into your skin immediately and doesn't leave a greasy film on. It leaves your skin feeling super nice and moisturized and yummy-smelling too! They also sell a minty version which I hear gives a cooling sensation too when applied.


2. CPC+G Whitening Oil
CPC+G stands for Clair Blanche - Papain - Calamansi plus Glutathione! Never been a fan of whitening products for my body, but sometimes I will add in a couple of drops of this stuff with my Bare It All Body Cream to help fade any scars or discolorations on my arms or legs. I use this mainly to spot treat any dark spots/acne scars on my face. Because it's a mixture of natural oils, happy to report that it hasn't irritated my skin in any way. shape or form. I know typical whitening creams/serums in the market will often leave your face red and inflamed - nope, nope! None of that with this one. :)


3. Happy Pores Cucumber Toner
For many years, I've used the toner from the Clinique 3-Step Skincare System. I thought that was okay, but I would sometimes notice subtle stinging after application. With the Happy Pores toner, I never got that stinging sensation and my face never felt too dry or tight after either. Love using this after washing my face and before putting on any other skincare product. This is good to get rid of any dead skin cells, to make sure whatever skincare product you put on after is well-absorbed by your skin. Smells super yummy too! If you're a fan of Bath & Body Works Cucumber Melon, you're going to love this! :)


4. Total Serum Potion in Gold Snail
On their website, it says this stuff contains amino acids of snails to repair skin and kill bacteria. Now, I don't know the specifics of that, but I'll tell you one thing - it did a good job of healing my acne scars in less than two weeks' time. Doesn't feel sticky at all, either. Oh, and as natural and as close to the ground this gets, the serum does not contain snail body parts, hehe! :)


5. Emu Oil
Emu Oil is all the rage these days because it's said to be the natural oil closest to human skin components, thus its ability to heal almost any skin issue. The oil is on the thicker side, so I normally use just half a pump of this on my face to moisturize at night. You'd think that this would break you out, but half a pump every night before bed actually helped clear up my acne and heal the scars. Sometimes, I'll spike my Bare It All Body Cream with a few pumps of this oil to give my skin an extra boost of moisture, especially when it's just waaay to hot and dry out! I've also heard that this does wonders at healing even open wounds/burn wounds and fading scars. I have yet to try that for myself, but I've seen pictures online and the results are outstanding!


6. Keep Safe Facial Sunscreen SPF35
I've found most facial sunscreens to be too thick, too greasy, and they have all broken me out at some point. The first time I applied this, I thought wow, this is prooobably going to break me out since consistency was on the thicker side. Surprisingly though, it sunk into my skin pretty quickly and didn't leave my face looking like a greaseball. No breakouts either. The only gripe I have with this is the packaging - I wish it came in a squeeze tube instead of a tub. With products for the face, I'm a bit more of a germophobe than usual - and I don't really like the idea of sticking my finger in just to get some product out.


7. Wrinkle Revenge Eye Cream
I've used several eye creams - mostly from Bobbi Brown and from Kiehl's and none of them felt as good and hydrating as this one! I apply this before bed and by morning, my eyes look and feel brighter and more refreshed. This is also a nice base for your undereye concealer as it keeps it from creasing or getting patchy throughout the day. :)


The absolute best part is that these products use only the frrreshest, most natural ingredients, so you can be sure that these will be good for you in the long run - no worries about whatsoever side effects brought about by chemicals! :) Overall, really, really happy with my new skincare regimen - I think this is finally the one I'll be sticking with for years to come. :)

Oh, and in case you haven't picked up on it yet, I'm obsessed with the entire brand! So obsessed that their official website is bookmarked on my desktop, laptop, and phone! Have also been trying out (& falling in love) with their suuuuper yummy, handmade soaps. Any of their products tickle your fancy? Do share! :)

❤,
N