Women’s Health feature on my skin care routine

Angela Sy, Women’s Health magazine’s managing editor, asked me months before if she could feature my skin care care routine in their May issue. I think they want to do a story on what products women use with regard to their skin type, and I was to represent those with normal skin.

I always say that proper skin care is definitely more important than knowing how to put on makeup. What good is makeup if your skin, the canvas, is not taken care of? No amount of foundation, no matter how good or expensive it is, will make your skin glowing if you haven’t prepped it the right way.

So here’s what was published in the magazine, too bad they they had to shorten or omit some of my answers. You could find after the photo the full transcript of what Angela asked me, which is basically my whole skin care routine. I’m not saying that those with normal skin do the same as what I wrote, but do the basics of skin care and you’ll be fine– CLEANSE, TONE, MOISTURIZE, EXFOLIATE, AND SUNBLOCK!

You have normal skin, which means you rarely have breakouts. What DO you do when you get a rare pimple? Which products do you use to treat pimples?

I put salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide on the pimple to dry it out.

What moisturizer do you use? Why are these moisturizers good for your skin, any ingredients that keep your skin healthy? What kind of moisturizers would u recommend for people with normal skin?

I use 2 different moisturizers. In the morning I use Mary Kay MelaCEP Whitening System Day Moisturizer with SPF15. I don’t really need to whiten but in brightens and evens out my skin tone. SPF is already incorporated so I don’t need to put sunblock.

For night I use Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. It’s a no-frills basic moisturizer. It’s the first brand that I’ve tried and I’ve stuck to it ever since.

I recommend lightweight moisturizers, since you don’t really need that much additional moisture.

Is normal skin more prone to burning? Do you use sun block? What sunblock do you use?

I don’t think it’s more prone to burning, but I still use sunblock. My day moisturizer and tinted moisturizer have SPF. If i know I will have prolonged exposure to the sun, I substitute my day moisturizer with L’Oreal UV Perfect Ultimate Protection Liquid with SPF 50.

Any other products in your beauty bag that you use religiously? Please give your top 5 and what makes each product special for normal skin, or simply, why these products are your favorites, a reason why you would recommend it.

1. Cleanser: Clinique Facial Soap- leaves my skin clean and refreshed but never taut or dry. A bit pricey but a bar lasts me almost 2 years!

2. Toner: Mary Kay MelaCEP Whitening System Freshener- removes excess dirt that may not have been removed by the cleanser. I’ve also noticed that when I use toner regularly I rarely get blackheads.

3. Exfoliant: Nu Skin Exfoliant Scrub- I use this once or twice a week to remove dead skin cells. This has lots of spherical beads that are not harsh on my skin.

4. Mask: Mary Kay Customized Skin Care Mask- I use this when I feel my skin is dull. My skin instantly feels smoother and refreshed after I leave it on for at least 10 minutes.

5. Lip Balm: Blistex Lip Tone with SPF 15- My absolute favorite! It has a hint of color that matches the color of my lips, moisturizes well, has a tinge of chocolatey taste, and has SPF 15 (lips don’t tan but they do burn). All for less than 100 pesos. I keep one in my drawer, one in my makeup kit, and one in whatever bag I’m using.