I know I haven't filled this blog as much as I promised myself I would, but I love coming back to 'old-school' blogging, where I just get to share my ideas and all the other good things that I've tried and experienced. 

There's so much to write, honestly, and I would love to share those moments with you. I'm also still into reading people's blogs. With the advent of AI-created content, I always find it refreshing to read people's thoughts, especially unhinged ones that reflect their emotions. No restrictions, no pressure, just beautiful humans writing their thoughts and sharing them with the world. There's bravery in that, and, not to sound narcissistic, I'm proud of myself every time I get to put myself out here. 

Here, in this humble space, I get to be who I am. And if you find my blogs helpful, inspirational, or entertaining in some way, that's a big bonus for me.

‎I'm starting off with something good with this blog, sharing my favorite products. These products aren't randomly selected; they're all tried and tested by me, for years or months. The ones mentioned here are a mix of international and local products, so if you're not Filipino, you may still come across these products. 

Anyways, as I dive into the ingredients of some of these products, you might find something familiar since they're also used by other companies. Hence, if you can't try similar products, you'll get an idea of how products with similar ingredients work. The products here have something to do with wellness, mostly skincare. 

Everything I'll be sharing about a certain product here is based on my experience with it. Understandably, if any of these may not work as well for you if you ever get to try them, know that it's alright since we have to account for the differences in our physiology and genetics. What I want to say is that I don't claim these products are one-size-fits-all. 

Also, if you have serious conditions, please get advice from a professional rather than relying on reviews or blogs like this. I blog, but I know how important it is for us to listen to advice from medical professionals.

✅CELETEQUE Dermo Science Acne Spot Gel 

I can't highlight how much I have tried and tested this product. I've learned about this from Ms. Camille, the content editor from the Japanese business magazine I worked for in 2016. Yep, I've known about this product for almost ten years. And while I don't religiously use this, this always works. I only use this when I have glaring acne. 

I'm blessed not to have acne-prone skin, but sometimes, it happens that I get one or two "ripe" pimples. I've tried other products as alternatives or just out of curiosity to see if they work, but nah, they don't. Only Celeteque Dermo Science Acne Spot Gel has lessened my pimples and gotten rid of them. This works so well that sometimes, I find a pimple completely gone overnight! This doesn't remove pimple marks, though, and I find that for hard-to-get pimple marks, only a Diamond Peel treatment has really worked for me. 

✅LUXE ORGANIX Cica Soothing Gel 

I love LUXE ORGANIX products, but prior to using this, I didn't know if this soothing gel would work or not. Last year, I went to Manila and Baguio, and I don't know why, but I've been having pimples during that time. Also, my chin area was feeling so red and itchy. I have no idea why. I didn't use new products on my face at that time, nor did I eat anything that would trigger any allergic reaction. I planned on having my skin checked by a dermatologist when I get back to Cebu, but I decided to try applying aloe vera gel on it and see if it works. 

Luxe Organix's aloe vera gel got rid of redness on my cheek years ago, so I thought it might also help with my chin at that point. I planned to purchase the aloe vera gel, but I accidentally picked the brand's cica gel. I know, lol lol lol. Anyways, cica, also known as goto kola, is also known for its healing properties, so why not try it? Lo and behold! The redness and itchiness on my chin went away. Thanks to this gel. 

✅Vytle™ Gentle Moisturising Cleanser

I've been using a local carrot soap for my face before using Vytle's moisturising cleanser. I didn't know anything about the product before, and I've also never heard of it until I discovered that a skin and aesthetic clinic here in Cebu is using it for their clients. A dermatologist gave me one as a giveaway gift, and after thorough reading about the product, I decided to use it. 

I love how gentle this cleanser is. It's so gentle that it doesn't even produce bubbles like the usual soap we have. It is also made of natural ingredients, which gives me peace of mind knowing that I'm not using harmful chemicals on my face. Since then, I never looked back, and I'm still using and loving this product until now.

✅Kerasal Multi- Purpose Nail Repair For Fingernails Or Toenails 

‎I used this product when I noticed that one of my toenails had gotten thicker. I didn’t know why—it could have been fungal. It didn’t hurt or anything, but it did bother me. I know it’s better to have it checked by a professional, but I saw this product online and read raving reviews about it. I tried it just to see if it worked, and it did. My toenail went back to normal after about three days of applying the product twice a day. I’m just happy that the product worked for me.

✅The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil

I learned about this product from a co-teacher while I was still in university. What happened was that I had a wound on my toenail, and it really hurt. It wasn't exactly an ingrown toenail, but somehow, the manicurist nicked my toe. My co-teacher said tea tree oil would help my wound heal faster. She gave me some tea tree oil from The Body Shop, and honestly, my wound healed faster.

Once again, I'm not a medical professional, and there could have been other factors that helped heal my wound. I'm only writing from my own experience, but there are countless studies about the potential benefits of tea tree oil.

I have tried more wellness products recently, but I still have to see how they work in the long term. Hopefully, they work as well as the products mentioned in this post.