Product: Ilog Maria Products

The first time I learned about Ilog Maria products was when it was featured in a TV show (which I forgot). I got interested in their natural bee-derivative products because at that time, I was getting frustrated with my pimple breakout. But I thought that Ilog Maria HoneyBee Farm was too far away from where I live and there's no way I can purchase their products without going there. Fast forward to a few years later, I learned that they have a website where I can order online and the products will be shipped to my house. The beauty of online shopping.

So after scoring forums and blogs for feedback and recommendations, I proceeded to their website and made my first order. Below is my short review for each product:

1. Ilog Maria Soaps. I ordered their mini soaps first to try and test. They come in flat round shape that is about half-inch thick, more than 2 inches in diameter and weigh 45 grams. They smell very natural and are softer than most commercial soaps so you have to keep them in a dry place to make them last longer. My first orders were Bamboo Charcoal Bergamot and Lime, Milk and Honey, and Kalamansi Ginger.

BCBL is the most recommended so it was the first one that I tried. Sadly, it fell short of my expectation. It did nothing for my oily and acne-prone skin. I didn't have any break-outs while using it, but nothing happened to my skin either. It didn't have any effect that is worth noting. The Milk and Honey, however, instantly became a favorite. It felt luxurious creamy. After washing my face with it, there was this shiny (but not oily) and healthy glow, a clear indication of a moisturized skin. I also like that it has a soothing effect, perhaps because of the goat's milk ingredient, and no matter how long I leave it on, there's no stinging sensation at all. The Kalamansi Ginger is still left untouched so I can't really say anything about it.

And because I really like the Milk and Honey soap, I ordered 2 more soaps in regular size. Regular size doesn't come in the same round and flat shape. Instead, it's a half cylinder. To see the difference, check out the photo below:

2 regular VS 1 mini

2. Ilog Maria RJ Cleanser Moisturizer. This product smelled odd (like a ginger-scented cleaning agent, my husband said). But it did wonders on my skin. It's a liquid suspension that can be used as a cleanser, make-up remover and moisturizer. But you have to shake the bottle really well to dissolve the coagulated particles. It is very moisturizing, although you will feel a little sting when you first apply it on your face. And then, there's the smell. It can be offensive but I was okay with it. It made my skin look really oily so I would rinse my face with water or wipe it off with a tissue after a few minutes of application. I use this during bath time and at nighttime before retiring to bed. I am now on my second bottle.

3. Ilog Maria Honey Propolis Shampoo. I initially ordered the handy size, which is just 125 grams, to see if it would help remedy my falling hair. When I first used it, it didn't form bubbles, which was expected according to their website. So there were times when I had to shampoo my hair twice to make sure my hair is clean. I leave it on while I soap the rest of my body as directed. It has a minty scent and feeling on the scalp, and left my hair sticky, tangled and frizzier than before. But I continued using it nonetheless. And after two weeks, I noticed that my falling hair was lessened remarkably. My basis was the amount of hair that collects on our bedroom floor before and after I started using Honey Propolis shampoo. What was mounds before was reduced to a few, perhaps not more than 20 strands now. So after I used up the handy bottle, I ordered the family size which is a lot larger. As I continue to use it, my scalp itched less and my hair felt more healthy. But don't expect it to tame frizzy hair away because it didn't mine. The website recommends using fresh calamansi as natural hair conditioner, which I tried but found it too messy and too sticky to be bothered with, so I cheated with CreamSilk to make my hair more manageable.

4. Ilog Maria Feminine Wash. One word to describe this: Minty! I thought this feminine wash smells like rubber, but my hubby disagreed and said it smells like a toilet disinfectant. Either way, it smells, well, not very fragrant but it made me feel fresh and clean down there. I can't comment about the antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties because I have no idea how to scale them. Like the soaps, this melts easily so keep it a dry place or container.especially when you leave it in the bathroom.

5. Ilog Maria Propolis Throat Spray. This gives an instant relief to sore throat, cough and colds provided that you apply it as soon as the symptoms are felt. It tastes like a bad medicine, although tolerable, and you have to make sure that you spray it as near to the tonsils as possible for better results. Unfortunately, I have no picture for the throat spray because ours was missing. Not sure if it was misplaced or someone took it. But I plan on ordering another bottle again, which comes in 30 ml size.

6. Ilog Maria Pet Soap. Prior to using this pet soap, which is a concoction of the other soaps, our dogs bathed with Bioderm soap (green variant). There wasn't any significant difference in their coats or in their smell, plus it's more expensive, melts easily and not as readily available so I decided not to order this product again.

Ordering via Ilog Maria website is easy and I normally receive my package one day after confirmation of my payment has been made. My only gripe is the fixed shipping rate (P110), so I try to maximize it by ordering a number of items. Actually, when you think about it, paying P110 is cheaper and a lot more convenient than going to their farm in Silang, Cavite. Overall, I love most of the products that I ordered and they definitely made a loyal customer out of me.