Femme Power

Archive for the ‘Health & Beauty’ Category

Wrinkles. Eye bags. Dark circles around the eyes. Acne scars. Laugh lines.  These are just some of the skin problems that most of us women are dying to combat.  But with thousands of skin care products available in the market today, how do we know which ones are really effective?  I myself have tried out a good number of facial creams and eye gels and I usually get lucky that the products I choose work for me.  In choosing the products that work best, I look at the ingredients.

One of the revolutionary ingredients in modern skin care products like anti-aging creams is Matrixyl.  Matrixyl is said to stimulate Collagen and Fibronectin - the ones we lose as we get older, hence making our skin thin and wrinkly.  Matrixyl is said to work in the DNA level, giving us back our skin elasticity and eliminating sagging skin more effectively.  This revolutionary ingredient is present in anti-aging products made by scientific skin care companies like Dermajuv.

Another promising ingredient in modern skin care today is Collaxyl which is said to make the skin regenerate new cells.  This is present in Dermajuv’s Acne Scar Fading Cream which smooths and heals acne scars and fades the discoloration around them.

Being in my mid-30’s and wearing so many hats at home and at work, the ill-effects of aging should start showing up on my face.  Amusingly, I always get mistaken to be in my late 20’s, lol.  No matter how tired I am sometimes, I make time to cleanse my face and then moisturize it before I doze off.   And since I sometimes don’t get to have enough sleep, I put on an eye cream to relieve my puffy eyes and the dark circles under them.  Like many others, I’m a busy mom and caring for my skin is like pampering myself.   And I believe every woman deserves a little pampering.

I’ve been worrying about hair fall lately, fearing that I’m gonna get bald in a few years if I don’t remedy it right away.   But while I was scouring the internet for some useful resources to combat this concern, I found out that most men have more reason to worry.

Hair loss and baldness affect men earlier, faster, and more extensively compared to women.   Furthermore, studies say that baldness is caused by a combination of hormones and genetics, hence it’s a medical condition.   And to some who are affected by this so-called male-pattern baldness, it can be upsetting.   Though some people would probably just accept baldness with open arms especially if they’ve accepted the fact that it’s a condition that runs in their family, some may still prefer treatments for male pattern baldness.

Whether we admit it or not, our hair can affect our mood and psyche in general.   Even men have bad hair days too, right?  What more if we lose a lot of them and leave our scalp peeking shiny?  I’m trying to imagine my hubby being bald in a few years time.  Maybe he’d look funny but I say it’s not gonna change the way I look at him - with all my respect and love.  Cheesy!  =)

I’m a sleepyhead.   I’ve always been.   I sleep at any perfect opportunity I could find (except at work!) and honestly, I find it hard getting up early in the morning.   However since I got married, I’ve been curbing my sleeping fancy a little bit.   It even came to a point when I had to sleep as little as four hours a night when I had my home-based call center job last year.   I was a walking zombie!

And though I hate waking up early, I now have to get up by 5 am or earlier so I could fix breakfast for my gradeschooler and pack her lunch as well.  Hence, for me to get at least 7 or more hours of sleep, I need to be in bed early too.

I’m sure it’ll help big time if I sleep in one of those cozy metal beds!  (photos courtesy of http://www.time4sleep.co.uk)

Is having a good night’s sleep important?   Yes!  Let me count the ways:

1.  Sleep reduces stress-  In one of my readings, I learned that sleep deprivation causes our body to produce stress hormones.  Getting a good seven to eight hours of sleep gives us the opposite effect.

2.  Sleep improves your mood - Here in the Philippines, we have a popular saying that goes “Magbiro ka na sa lasing, wag lang sa bagong gising.”  It simply implies that people who had a bad, inadequate sleep are more cranky than those who are drunk.  So don’t mess with sleep-deprived people.

3.  Sleep makes you more energetic and alert - Having a good night’s sleep energizes you when you wake up in the morning.  It makes you feel refreshed and ready to face the world. Hence, it also makes you more productive.

4.  Sleep improves your memory - Whenever I get quality sleep, I notice that my brain works sharper.  I remember things more vividly and I learn new things better, unlike when I’m sleepy and feel like I’m floating in a limbo.

5.  Sleep prolongs lifespan -  Sleep is needed to regenerate certain body parts, especially the brain, so that it may continue to function optimally. Missed or reduced sleep will affect the brain cells or neurons and may begin to malfunction, visibly effecting a person’s behavior. One time there was an episode in the TV Series “House” where a patient couldn’t sleep for a couple of days.  The doctors were racing against time because according to them, if a person can’t sleep for seven days, he or she won’t be able to regenerate his or her neurons and that will cause death.

6. Lack of sleep makes you ugly - It gives you dry and scaly skin especially on the face where our skin is thin and sensitive.  Plus it gives you dark circles around the eyes.

You may add more to the list of these sleep benefits and the ill-effects of sleep deprivation.   For now, I need to catch some good sleep.   Zzzz…

How often do you get a bad hair day?   Isn’t it frustrating to look at our supposedly lovely face in front of the mirror with a nest of messy hair that takes a lot of time to fix?

Okay, so the hair is a woman’s crowning glory, we know that.  However we look at it, our hair can make or break us in the physical sense.  A lot of us, women, surely want a low-maintenance, on-the-go kind of hair that wouldn’t stall us for hours in the shower or in front of the mirror.  Short or long, thick or thin, straight or curly, our hair needs good and proper maintenance to keep itself from getting damaged.

But how much time, effort, and money do you spend in taking care of it?  When budget allows, most women rush to the parlor for a nice hair rebond and hair treatments like cellophane, hot oil, etc.  Add to it the haircare products we use at home.  Expensive?  Not necessarily.  We don’t need to empty our pockets for our crowning glory.

So where to find quality haircare products that won’t make us declare bankruptcy?  I found great bargains online like Discount Kerastase at luxuryparlor.com.  They have on-sale haircare products for all types of hair - straight, curly, dry, weak, colored, fine, or can’t-be-figured-out types of hair.  Some products have been sold out so go over to their store before it’s too late. They are also slashing down prices of their Aveda products.  You can also find skincare products on the given links so your needs are all covered.

So, bad hair day?  No way.

If you’re a Colgate user and you live in the Philippines, I’m sure you’ve noticed the absence of Colgate from SM stores.

It’s been several months since Colgate toothpaste disappeared from the shelves of SM Supermarkets and Hypermarkets, including Save More.   Whenever I’m in SM, I hear a lot of SM shoppers ask around for Colgate like I do.     Whatever happened, all the SM merchandisers can say is that it’s going to take a long while before they could sell Colgate toothpaste again.  There are talks that Colgate and SM have some rifts about payments so if this were true, it would take some time indeed to iron things out.

For now, I will have to buy my groceries again at Robinsons even if SM is much closer.  While I could settle with Close Up, my husband can’t. After trying other brands available, my hubby developed some tooth problems which he claims only happened when he stopped using Colgate.  So I’m left with no choice but to look for Colgate somewhere else as hubby requested.  Sigh.

I’m finally starting to bounce back from being under the weather.   These past few days have been literally a sick week for me and my daughter who started to go down with fever together last Wednesday night.  I thank you all for continuously visiting and leaving warm thoughts on this blog during our sick week.

I never knew what really hit me because I didn’t have a chance to consult a doctor but my 8-year-old Bianca, according to her doctor, had tonsillitis which, as you may know, is caused by bacteria.   Having undergone so much stress and dilemma due to getting ill, bet you can’t blame me if I’ll have my sweet revenge through the following which I call my ways to wellness in the coming days:

1. An exhilarating full body massage - helps the body heal itself and promotes good health and well-being; 2. Regular  exercise - aside from reducing the risk of certain illnesses like heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis, exercising is also said to improve your mood, self-esteem, and your psychological well-being in general (Yay! Ready for the big change); 3. Balanced Diet - ookay, say goodbye to junk and follow the food pyramid, more fruits, whole grains and veggies; 4. Food Supplements - extra nourishment for the body and protection from sickness; 5. Enough sleep and rest - not just on some days but everyday.

And of course blame me not if I’d pamper myself with long luxurious baths using handmade natural soaps that not only would soothe me but won’t dry up my skin.  They look yummy, don’t they?

6. Cleaning and Disinfecting - This should ban germs, viruses and bacteria from the house. (Yes, I’m waging war against them.  GRRR!)

And lastly, to keep the house smelling clean and refreshing, I’m getting an aromatherapy diffuser instead of the usual chemical-ridden commercial home fragrances.

Aromatherapy is known to have several benefits including boosting your immune system, promoting deep sleep, helping your body to relax and de-stress, improving your mood, and relieving minor discomforts, among others.  No wonder why a lot of people are resorting to it including this mom.

I’m sick and tired of getting sick.  With these ways to wellness, me and my family will be better protected from getting ill the next time around.

Photo by MBT Shoes

Improper footwear can cause foot problems such as painful heels, blisters, swelling, callouses, cramps, and other foot-and-nail horrors you can imagine.  That’s why no matter how crazy I am over shoes, I don’t limit my preferences to shoe designs, colors, and even materials.  Comfort is at the top of my list in choosing a new pair of shoes.

Improper footwear could mean either ill-fitting, or not enough heel support, thin soles, or anything that makes you feel uncomfortable. And uncomfortable shoes are just so good in ruining your day.  They ruin your posture, your mood, even your health.

MBT Shoes are designed with the fusion of comfort and advanced technology to create a feeling of relaxed stride and thus positively affecting one’s posture and health.  It makes walking a healthy and stress-free experience with its multi-layered, curved sole support for better shock absorption. MBT stands for “Masai Barefoot Technology” and its designs are inspired to make you feel as if you’re walking in sand.

Photo by Beautifeel Shoes

And even wearing high-heeled shoes need not be painful and uncomfortable.  Beautifeel Shoes are a combination of beauty and comfort, with quality materials that last. They have designs that can be worn in any occasion especially in your business or casual get-ups.

Sure, there are a lot of shoes out there to choose from but would you sacrifice comfort for design?  Why would you when you can have both?

This post is brought to you by: walkingonacloud.com