Product: Human Heart Nature Body Lotion - Moonlight Passion

Once, I ran out of my favorite St. Ives body lotion and my skin was looking dehydrated, dull and scaly already as a result of not using any lotion for weeks. So the next time we went for some light grocery shopping, a body lotion was on top of my list. But the supermarket that we went to sell only limited St. Ives products (or maybe I just couldn't find where they placed the lotions), and looking at the other available body lotions on the shelf and seeing parabens and other scary chemicals in the ingredients made me decide to try Human Heart Nature Body Lotion.

Luckily for me, or so I thought, 200 ml bottles were bundled with free 50 ml bottles. I think the 200 ml bottle retailed for less than P200.00. Seemed like a good deal. And the 100% No Harmful Chemicals added an enticing offer. So I was left with choosing which variant to get. There were two (forgot the other one) but I chose Moonlight Passion because of the bubblegum scent plus it said 100% hydrating lotion, something that my skin needed badly at that time.

The following day, after I showered, I put my newly bought Human Heart Nature to the test. The first thing that I noticed was it wasn't easy to spread on the skin. It looked like my skin wasn't absorbing the lotion at all. The consistency was light and creamy but it would clump together when I start applying it on my skin making it difficult to spread evenly and it leaves a sticky white trace.

But once I've managed to rub the lotion onto the skin, I noticed that it felt powdery after a few minutes. I thought that's good because I don't want to feel sticky and greasy all over. However, washing my hands after a few hours, I could feel that the lotion was still just on the top layer of the skin, coating it and not really absorbed into it.

I used it for a few more days expecting that my skin would improve in texture and appearance. But the longer I used it, the more my skin looked worse. It felt drier and coarsier than before and it even looked wrinkly.

I checked the expiration date on the bottles because I used the smaller one first, thinking it might be an old stock already that's why they bundled with the larger bottle. But both had the same expiration dates. I also tried getting lotion from the 200 ml bottle, thinking it might be a newer, better stock, but I got the same disappointing result.

When my husband commented how bad my skin looked and felt, I realized that it makes no sense to continue using the Human Heart Nature Body Lotion. Not only did it not deliver good results, it made my skin looked worse. I was able to empty the smaller 50 ml bottle, but the 200 ml was still 75% full when I gave it away.

I think Human Heart Nature has discounted this lotion because they were also receiving a lot of negative feedback about this product on their website. I'm just not sure if the newer formulations are better than this.

Product: Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Toner

Back when there were very few natural/organic beauty products produced locally, I would always ogle at Burt's Bees website and wonder how I can get this: Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Toner (+ the Garden Tomato/Carrot Complexion Soaps as well). There are a lot of good reviews about this product on the website that I was so convinced it would help me get rid of my pimples.

After a few forum searches and inquiries, I found out that Beauty Bar carries this product line. And it was just my luck that there's a Beauty Bar branch at a mall near us. But to my dismay, this toner cost around P900 at that time. I was still a college student and despite my fervent yearning, it was simply too expensive for me.

Fast forward to a few years later, I was already employed and have even started buying smaller and cheaper Burt's Bees items (lip balms basically). And I loved them. I was sold to Burt's Bees. But I have grown hesitant to buy the Garden Tomato Toner, because even if I can afford it already, I still find it expensive.

I did end up buying the soap and the toner (while my friend gasped at the price that I was paying for the two items) and was excited to finally try them on my face. I love the packaging - the smoked vintage-y glass bottle and like that the toner didn't smell of alcohol or any harsh chemicals. It smelled a little sour though, like the sourness of fresh tomatoes.

I was so thrilled about using the product that I sort of expected that it would miraculously transform my skin into kutis-artista. Well, maybe not THAT much, but my expectations were high nonetheless. I've used other local-brand toners before and I didn't like the effects on my skin. Upon application, my face would turn red. Then super shiny. After a few days, my mom noticed that my face looked darker than the rest of my body. Because of that, I vowed never to use another facial toner again.

But Burt's Bees, I argued to myself, is different. It's natural and it has people swearing by how effective it is. And it's too expensive a toner for it not to work wonders. Unfortunately, it yielded the same disappointing results. I wanted to give it a few more days, thinking maybe my skin needed to adjust to the new product first before it reveals the promised healthy, even-tone, pimple-free, oil-free layer. But my face got darker and darker each day and I started to develop small bumps on the forehead. The shine/oil nor the pimple weren't showing any signs of retreat either.  I felt like if I continue using it, things will just get worse for my skin.

So I stopped using it after only two weeks of trial. Being natural doesn't mean that it's effective and just because it's effective for a hundred people doesn't guarantee that it will have the same effect on you (assuming that all those reviews and testimonials on the website are real).

I didn't throw it away, though. I fell in love with the bottle so I kept it inside my closet, along with my other not-so-good purchases . Then one day, while in a hurry to go to work and looking for something to clean my shoes with, I took a handful of cotton, and wet it with the toner and used it to clean my shoes. You know, it's a good leather shoe cleaner and that's how I've been using it since then. Too bad that it just ended up as an expensive shoe cleaner. But at least I found good use for it.

Product: Human Heart Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil

Before you read my review of Human Heart Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil, you might want to check the other half of this post here.

When I ran out of Ilog Maria Honeymilk Cleanser and Moisturizer, and going to their farm in Silang, Cavite or ordering online wasn't immediately possible, I tried another natural alternative: Human Heart Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil.

I am no stranger to beauty oils having used a few before. There's the oil I squeezed out from Myra-E's Vitamin E gel capsules, Jason's Jojoba Oil, and Derma E's Vitamin A with E Anti-Wrinkle Oil. But having a very oily face then, my oil-slathering rituals didn't last very long. I got tired of puncturing Vit. E gel capsules and messing pillows at night. I found out Jojoba oil suits my hair better. And after a few years, I finally decided to throw away the bottle of the anti-wrinkle oil, 90% filled, because it was already rancid.

But things have changed and I thought my face would now be more receptive to oils. So the next time I saw Human Heart Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil in a nearby Shopwise branch, I decided to grab a bottle.

It comes in two sizes, 50ml and 100ml, and boasts of containing 100% high-grade Sunflower oil - nothing else. It's also quite cheap, at P129 and P249 for 50ml and 100ml sizes respectively.

The oil is odorless, light (but not as light as Jojoba oil) and is quickly absorbed by the skin, depending on how much is used. Of course, if you use too much, you'll have grease all over. The pump bottle is very convenient to use. Just one squirt is enough for my whole face.

But it is all good?

Using the same pang-tamad na tao regimen, I can say it is, as far as moisturizing is concerned. No break outs. My face didn't get oilier. Instead, I get that natural healthy glow and my skin feels softer.

From the other reviews that I read before, they say that aside from moisturizing, sunflower oil also has skin-lightening properties, which makes this product good for lightening pimple marks. But I didn't notice that effect on me. Maybe because I only let it linger on my skin during bathtime as oppose to others who keep it on overnight.

I also use it to tame my frizzy hair and just recently, I use it on my underarm after waxing DIY-style, to get rid of all the sticky mess that the strips leave behind. It's very good in soothing wax burns (I get that everytime I wax). As far as lightening underarms, I haven't used it long enough on that part to say if it's effective or not.

Overall, Human Heart Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil live up to most of its claims. I can say it's a very good all-around beauty oil, which you can use on every part of the body that needs moisturizing.

UPDATE (12/05/2012)

I've used Human Heart Nature Sunflower Oil on my underarms for a considerably long time and I can say, it does whiten the skin. And if you do DIY underarm waxing, it's the best wax removal! My underarms always seem to get dark after DIY waxing. But that's not the case anymore since I started using the sunflower oil. It quickly relieves the redness and stinging sensation, which you usually get after underarm waxing. And it keeps the skin from getting dark.

Because I'm not sure of it's deodorizing properties, I'm only using Human Heart Nature Sunflower Oil on my underarm when I'm staying at home (which is mostly everyday). But it doesn't make my underarms smell nor does it feel icky (despite being an oil). I just can't say if it's an anti-perspirant as well, because I don't sweat a lot. I didn't note any difference in the amount of my perspiration either (as if I can measure that, but what I mean is I don't perspire more or less when I'm using the sunflower oil).

I also use it on my face, but it's hard to tell if it's Human Heart Nature Sunflower Oil or Shulammite Carrot Soap that's keeping my face whiter and brighter. Maybe both. They're the best combo for the face.

Product: Ilog Maria Honeymilk Cleanser and Moisturizer

In need of a simple, natural moisturizer? Read my review of Ilog Maria Honeymilk Cleanser and Moisturizer.

Experience - or fear - tells us that if you have an oily face, the last thing you need is something that will make it oilier. Like moisturizers, especially the ones in heavy cream or oil-based form. But dermatologist, aestheticians, and even ordinary individuals started saying that moisturizer is actually good for oily face. Why? Because a desperate person with an oily face tends to do everything to keep it dry, like washing often or applying all sorts of drying solutions. A dry skin tricks oil glands into believing that they need to secrete more oils to relieve the dryness. Hence, the face becomes more oily. And the person who owns the face becomes more depressed.

I used to be like that person. But as I grow older, my skin becomes more forgiving and less frustrating. My oil glands went easy on the grease, my breakouts lost interest on my face and the world is a happier place. But I noticed that my skin starts to dry out. And for the first time in my life, I felt the need for a moisturizer.

But like before, I want nothing of the heavy stuff. I still believe grease begets grease. And I'm someone who gets tired of regimen, whether it is for morning or evening. I just want something that I can put on while I'm taking a bath.

I have a bottle of Ilog Maria Honeymilk Cleanser and Moisturizer sitting on a bathroom shelf. The ginger-scent is so strong that I can't use it as a moiturizer, not even at night because hubby complains of the smell. I can use it as a cleanser but I prefer Shulammite Carrot soap.

Not wanting to waste it, I decided to use it as a before-cleanser, if there's such a product. During a bath, I would wash my face with Ilog Maria Honeymilk Cleanser and Moisturizer first, let it stay on my face for a few minutes, while I tend to the rest of my body. Then rinse it off with Shulammite Carrot soap and water. This way, I can get the benefits of both products.

But I realized that doing it this way will just strip off the moisturizer from my face. So I thought why not reverse the order? Wash my face with soap first, then put on the moisturizer, leave it on and rinse with water. Sometimes, it leaves an oily trace on my face, but I can easily wipe it off with a towel or a tissue. And rinsing it with water gets rid of the smell, but not of the natural oils.

It didn't take long for me to notice that it's working. My face doesn't look dry anymore, but rather healthier. I got what I wanted, a moisturizer to keep my face from drying out and something that won't force me to develop a skin regimen (that I'll get tired of after a while anyway).

It being a natural, chemical-free product is a nice bonus, too. Ilog Maria Honeymilk Cleanser and Moisturizer is made from royal jelly, honey, beeswax, propolis, natural flower, herb and seed oils. It doesn't even have emulsifiers so you have to shake the bottle before using in order to mix all the ingredients together.

However, for people with sensitive skin, you might feel a stinging sensation as you let the cleanser/moisturizer linger on your face. I think this is caused by royal jelly. I once bought a small jar of fresh royal jelly from Ilog Maria. I was intending to use it as an alternative medicine/supplement for my thyroid problem. But it tastes bad. I mean really bad that I couldn't bear taking it so I thought I could use it as a facial cream. Big mistake. Because it stings a lot. It made my face so red and itchy.

While applying pure royal jelly directly on the skin may not be a good idea, I think Ilog Maria Honeymilk Cleanser and Moisturizer has the right amount of royal jelly plus it's mix with natural ingredients, so it's mild enough. to put on your face.

One other downside is that it's not widely available. You can order online from Ilog Maria, or from some online store selling Ilog Maria products, which often means paying for shipping fee. Or hunt a very few physical stores that carry Ilog Maria products or just go to Silang, Cavite and buy directly from Ilog Maria Honeybee Farm.

It costs P88.00 on the Ilog Maria website (cheaper when you buy from the farm), a reasonable price I think for a good, effective and natural moisturizer that will last at least a month.

I really love Ilog Maria Honeymilk Cleanser and Moisturizer. Everytime I go to Tagaytay, I never fail to visit Ilog Maria Honeybee Farm to replenish my stock.

to be continued...

Product: St. Ives Skin Firming Lotion

St. Ives is my brand of choice for body lotion and I have been using it for the more than 10 years now, experimenting on different variants (my favorite is Collagen Elastin). I've seen the packaging, the label and the prices change but the effect on my skin has remained the same. My mom uses this, too and both of us would try another brand every once in a while, just out of curiosity or the desire to try something new, but we always go back to using St. Ives whenever the other brand would fail to live up to our standards of a good moisturizing product.

Our standards are fairly simple -- keep the skin soft, smooth and moisturized. Well, actually I just added another criteria -- that it's free of possible harmful ingredients like Parabens and Phthalates (the more natural the better). Scent and other gimmickry are just secondary and don't really matter most of the time.

After I gave birth, the effect of more than nine months of not applying lotion on my skin was horrible (I just didn't feel like using lotion when I was pregnant). I could see and feel how dry, dull and aged my skin has become and I badly needed a good moisturizer to bring it back to life. 

But for some reasons, I bought a different brand (Avea Naturals Lotion) and wasn't satisfied with the results. So I did what I should've done the first time: bought St. Ives lotion. I choose the Skin Firming variant as I thought my skin needed some toning and firming, aside from lots and lots of moisturizing.

St. Ives Skin Firming Lotion costs a little over P200 and comes in a 532 ml pump bottle. The scent is somewhat neutral and doesn't linger on the skin. The color of the lotion is white and has a thin, spreadable consistency, which I really like because it feels light on the skin, is easily absorbed and leaves a non-sticky, non-greasy feeling. 

It took only a week of daily use for my skin to recover from dehydration and lifelessness. Aside from keeping it soft, smooth and moisturized, it also gives it a visible healthy glow, which is more evident whenever I go outside. And you know the scratch test? It doesn't leave white marks anymore.

It's also quite economical as I only need to apply a thin film (although I think this depends on how dry your skin is) and it's enough to hydrate and moisturize my skin. I also apply it on my feet (I use twice as much) and it helps to improve the appearance of cracked heals.

I'm not sure about the skin firming property, but by just looking at my skin, I could tell that it has improved a lot. And I mean a lot, considering how bad my skin looked before I started using St. Ives Skin Firming Lotion.

After I empty the bottle, I will definitely buy again but I'm planning on trying out another variant. 

Product: Avea Naturals Lotion

One time, when I ran out of lotion, I decided to try a different brand, one that is particularly cheaper than my regular brand. Yes, I was scrimping on a lotion. After scanning two whole shelves of lotions, body oils and other moisturizing products, both local and foreign brands, and being a stickler for natural products, I chose Avea Naturals Lotion.

It didn't strike me as a natural natural product but seeing no parabens in the ingredients list, I thought it passed my requirements. Right off the label, it claimed to be formulated for deep moisturizing. The scent wasn't bad either. But the thing that really got me in was the price -- only P99 for 600ml lotion (33% more). A good buy it seemed.

And then, there's my weird predilection for products that have expiration dates. My theory is that if it's really natural, it make sense for it not to last for a long time. Hence, the need and the advantage of having expiration dates.

 But as it is with books, you mustn't judge a product by its label.

The first thing that I noticed when I applied the lotion was the scent. It smelled okay when you sniff it right from the bottle. But once applied on the skin, it didn't smell as nice anymore. Or maybe it's the chemical composition of my skin that altered the scent of the lotion. Either way, I don't like the smell and neither does my husband.

Other not so good points: it's sticky, it feels heavy on the skin and it leaves a shine (not a healthy glow) on the surface, like an oily residue or something.

It does very little in making my skin soft and smooth to touch. I don't have to scratch myself to check that it's moisturized as I could tell by just looking at my skin. But if I do, scratch myself that is, I see white traces -- an indication of a dry skin.

So it wasn't long before I realized that this isn't a good product after all. But not wanting to throw or give it away (and waste the P99 that I bought it with), I decided to use it on my feet instead, thinking that maybe it'll be more suitable there, relieving cracked skin and all. But again, I was wrong. Feet need more moisture than any part of the body, and Avea Naturals Lotion just couldn't deliver what it promised on the label.

I just stopped it using all together and bought myself a trusted brand. A little more expensive, but I get what I paid for.

Product: Beauty Products for Pregnant Women

Pregnancy made me more conscious of the things that I take in and put on my body. I learned a lot that we deemed okay, even healthy, prior to pregnancy can be in fact harmful to an unborn child. On top of the list are the beauty products that we use everyday. This prompted me to carefully examine every product that I use, and discontinue those that are suspect or proven to be unsafe for pregnant women.

Ingredients that I took note of and labeled as "unsafe" are Salicylic Acid, Retinoids, Tretinoin, Hydroquinone, Parabens, and Phthalates. I also discarded anything that says "whitening".

PRODUCTS THAT I KEPT USING

Ilog Maria Honey Propolis Shampoo
While a lot of pregnant women complain about falling hair, I didn't have that problem at all thanks to Honey Propolis Shampoo. I actually have fewer hair fall now since I started using this natural shampoo.

Human Heart Nature Moisturizing Shampoo and Body Wash
The problem with Honey Propolis Shampoo is I feel my scalp is not clean enough because it doesn't bubble (as much as I want) and it's leaves my hair very rough and sticky. This is why I used HHN Moisturizing Shampoo for when I want a clean-scalp feeling, although it also makes my hair coarse and sticky, but not as much.Plus, it's better scented than Honey Propolis Shampoo.

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.

Product: Active White Plus Bleaching Cream

Before this post misleads you, I am reviewing Active White Plus Bleaching Cream NOT as a facial product. Read on to find where I used it.

I haven't recovered from my Boracay fever so this post has still something to do with our honeymoon/wedding anniversary trip to the island. While I was searching for new swimwears to don at the beach, I was also faced with another concern. My body is not perfect and so is my skin. There are some parts that, let's just say, darker than the others. And if I were to wear bikinis, I'd risk revealing those "areas". Well, they are not really dark like gross-"ew!" dark. But the uneven color is noticeable especially since my thighs and hips are whiter than most parts of my body.

So I set out to find a solution. The first stop was Watson's Drugstore (Actually, it's the only place I had in mind). While my husband was buying the other toiletries, I was so absorbed in scanning all whitening products on display and in reading all those ingredients in fine prints until my eyes hurt. Anything with Paraben, I placed back into the shelf. I'm not really an organic buff, but I know that the Paraben is bad enough for major cosmetic industries to refrain from using it in their products. Although, the subject is debatable, I just want to be on the safe side.

Anyway, after more than an hour of reading, I finally settled on Active White Plus Bleaching Cream. The ingredients and the price looked reasonable and I assumed it's a facial product. I read somewhere that inguinal areas are as sensitive as our face so any harsh products might irritate and make them darker. So I zeroed in on products that are formulated specifically for facial use and deemed them safe and mild enough. But that's only my theory, nothing scientific nor medical, so don't quote me on that one .

Product: RCC Amazing Touch Antibacterial Facial Lotion

I briefly touched on RCC Amazing Touch Antibacterial Facial Lotion on my post about EC27 Guava Soap and RCC Amazing Touch Products. But I feel it deserves a separate review.

As I said in the other post, I stopped using this facial lotion (it's a cleanser actually) and EC27 guava soap for close to 8 months now because I felt they weren't working for me anymore. Since then, I've been trying different facial products, soaps especially including Cyleina Organic Soaps, GT Carrot Soap, Shulammite Carrot Soap, and Mediherbs Anti-Acne Soap but to no avail. For a while, I thought Shulammite was doing a good job of drying out my pimples, but it failed miserably by the time I had my period.

I also used DXN's Ganozhi Toothpaste (yep, you read it right: toothpaste) but that too deserves it's own post. Bottomline is, I wasn't satisfied with the results. So I decided to use RCC Amazing Touch Antibacterial Facial Lotion again, hoping that the immunity period has expired already.

Good thing (or was it the opposite?) that when I went to their nearest branch in Festival Mall, Alabang, they have an on-going buy-2-take-1 promo, so I went home with 3 of this:

It's a specially-formulated product exclusive in RCC Amazing Touch clinics. It has Clindamycin, an antibacterial ingredient commonly used in topical acne treatments. It also contains Thymus Peptides, said to help boost the skin's immune system and fight acne-causing bacteria.

Product: Shulammite Carrot Soap

If you've read my 2 other soap reviews, then you are aware that I am on a mission--a mission to find a soap that can effectively control my long-time and on-going pimple problem, and give me a beautiful, glowing skin. After trying out Cyleina Organic Soaps, I found another one that looks promising, based on other sises' feedback on GirlTalk: Shulammite Carrot Soap.

I was delighted that the soap is available at most Watson's branches and I won't have to find a reseller to purchase the product from. I've nothing against reseller, but because I live outside of Manila, finding a reseller that can arrange a meet-up near my area can be frustrating sometimes.

So on my next trip to SM Muntinlupa (I think there's a Watson's drugstore in every SM malls), I bought 1 bar to try. Shulammite Carrot Soap comes in an orange packaging and costs P94. Some were able to buy this soap at a cheaper price at local Chinese drugstores in Tutuban Mall and Quiapo. I find it nice that it has an expiration date on the box, so you'll know if you're buying a fresh soap or an old stock.

Shulammite Carrot Soap

Product: EC27 Guava Soap and RCC Amazing Touch's Products

I used EC27 Guava Soap, which I bought at RCC Amazing Touch clinic, for more than 4 years. And this is my review of the soap and of other RCC Amazing Touch products and services.

It was I think 2005 when my Aunt told me of a soap that she heard over the radio. All she could remember was it's called guava soap and can only be purchased at Amazing Touch clinics. I guess she told me this because she knew my battle with acne. I searched for the name of the clinic first and found out that they have branches at some SM malls. Good thing, there's one that's quite near our place.

When weekend came, I went to SM Southmall in Las Pinas to look for the RCC Amazing Touch clinic. I found it on the lower ground floor just beside Onesimus. It's not a facial nor derma clinic, like what I thought initially, but a warts-and-moles-removal shop. They perform non-surgical removal of moles, warts, skin tags and other unwanted skin marks using a Filipino-invented herbal solution derived from cashew. They also sell DIY removal kit if you want to do the procedure yourself.

I also noticed that they sell many soap products like papaya, glycerin, whitening, tea tree, etc. I inquired about the guava soap and the person at the front desk asked what's my concern. When I said that I want to clear my pimples, she told me that they have an anti-acne kit and asked if I want to try it instead. She said the magic word "anti-acne", of course I want to try it.


I forgot what exactly and how many items does the kit contain, but I'm sure it includes a tea tree soap and an antibacterial lotion. I think the third item is an antibacterial cream and I'm not sure if there is a fourth item. She told me how and when to use each product and to come back to the clinic after 2 weeks for a facial cleaning. Yes, they also offer facials and back scrubbing/cleaning. I remember the kit cost more or less P500 and gave me that hope that it will get rid of my acne.

After two weeks of meticulously following the instructions and using the products on my face, I did notice a significant difference. Most of my pimples, particularly the smaller ones, have dried up. And there are no new ones coming out. So I eagerly went back to RCC Amazing Touch, excited to have my facial.

Their facial includes a massage, pore cleaning, and tightening mask. The facial massage was very relaxing, rejuvenating and I felt like my skin was lifted slightly. The pore cleaning was, as usual, painful especially because I have MANY blackheads. The mask was just like any other tightening masks. But what I really love was the products that they used on my face. They smelled really good. They also use new sets of facial foams every session.

I went back there a few more times to have my facial (every two weeks for 5 sessions) and replenish my stock. After 3 months, my face was 90% clear already. There were one to two zits here and there, but that's it. All that's left were the dark pimple scars.

When most of my pimples have already dried up, they recommended that I use EC27 guava soap instead for maintenance, because the tea tree soap can be too drying for the skin and because the guava soap has whitening effect that will help fade my dark marks. They also said that I should continue using their antibacterial lotion to prevent future breakouts.

They said the guava soap is an all-around health soap. It has antibacterial, antiseptic and whitening properties that can cure 27 skin problems including acne, allergies, fungal infections and even Psoriasis. While the antibacterial lotion, that looks like a crystal-clear skin toner, has Clindamycin, a proven pimple-fighting active ingredient.

The guava soap may sting especially if you leave it on your skin for too long. The antibacterial lotion may sting a little too (but not like a harsh astringent type of sting) and redden your face for a while. But it will go away after a few minutes.

And for 4 years, these two products are the only ones that I used on my face and have effectively controlled my pimples. Somewhere in those 4 years, I tried to use Burt's Bees Garden Tomato Soap and developed strange and alarming bumps on my face. I switched back to using guava soap and swore never to try another soap again.

But the guava soap is not a beauty bar. It won't moisturize your skin, won't make it glow and I'm a little dubious of its whitening effect. It was just effective in preventing my pimples, especially when used with the antibacterial lotion.

The antibacterial lotion is RCC Amazing Touch's own product. It looks like clear water and you have to use it after you cleanse your face (like a toner). But sometimes, when I'm too tired to wash my face, I just use this water-lotion and a cottonball to wipe the dirt and oil off my face. I also use it as a spot treatment. Whenever I see or feel a pimple starting to form, I soak a small cotton ball with a few drops of the antibacterial lotion and press it against the pimple-wannabe for at least 5 minutes. It will sting and will leave a red patch but when I wake up the next morning, that spot will be pimple-free.

But a few months ago, I stopped using these two already. Okay, if they were effective, why don't I use them anymore?



Early this year, I noticed the guava soap and the antibacterial lotion seem to have lost their potency. Either the manufacturers' changed their formulation or my pimples have gotten used to them and developed immunity. Although some will argue that if a product is effective, it will be effective forever, I believe the reason is the latter.

Another reason is the guava soap, being not a beauty soap, did not improve the overall quality of my skin. I am not fond of using moisturizers or any beauty creams. And because the guava soap offers no moisturizing, glowing and toning benefits, years of using it left my skin dry and dull and not really fairer than before. That's why I decided, despite my promise to myself, to try other soaps.

I will probably purchase the antibacterial lotion in the near future, once I feel the immunity period has expired. But I think I have found some good soaps to replace the guava soap for a long time, if not permanently. Or maybe, I'll go back to using it again when my pimples becomes uncontrollable again.

And that's it, my review of EC27 Guava Soap and RCC Amazing Touch's Antibacterial Lotion. As with my other facial product reviews, you have to bear in mind that not all products will have the same results for everyone. Our skin types are different, the products that are effective for me may not be effective for you and vice versa. But I try to make every review as objective and detailed as possible so it can help you decide if you'll try it or not.

Product: Cyleina Organic Soaps

First, let me say that here in the Philippines, organic is synonymous to natural and Cyleina Organic Soaps are not certified organic. Unlike in the US and other countries, we do not have a certifying body for organic products. Nor do we have any law that sets the rules on which products can call themselves organic and which should just be labeled natural or pure.

Moving on to the review. After more than 4 years of using EC27 Guava Soap, I decided to try other soaps. And because a lot of my fellow GT (GirlTalk) sises are raving about Cyleina's soap products (spanning 12 threads as of this writing), I thought this brand could be the apt replacement.

Cyleina's soap are sold at selected Hortaleza branches only and through resellers. Because there's no Hortaleza branch near my area, I went about and searched online for a reseller who can meet up with me at a convenient place.

My (facial) skin is a bit problematic. It's really oily, acne-prone with large open pores, has an uneven skintone and a little on the dull side. Based on the recommendations for my skin type, my first Cyleina order were Tomato, Black Pearl, Rice Bran, Strawberry, Papaya Goat's Milk and Agave Scrub.


I first tried Black Pearl and Tomato. Tomato is said to reduce oiliness and shrink pore size while Black Pearl is reputed for being an effective whitening soap. I used Tomato in the morning, a combo of Tomato and Black Pearl at noon when I take my bath, and Tomato in the evening. I use PGM for my body.

Tomato stings and can be very drying, especially for if you're a first time user and you leave it on your skin for a bit longer. I made that mistake -- leaving Tomato suds on my face for more than a minute before I rinse it -- and put up with a red, stinging face for two days. Black Pearl, on the other hand, has moisturizing and cooling effects (because of the Peppermint oil) on my skin. And I love its smell.

After one week of using this soap combo, I did note a few subtle effects. My (facial) skin seemed to have a reddish glow, felt softer and smoother, and my oiliness was slightly lessened. What surprised me was that majority of my blackheads were gone, especially on the nose area. However, there was no visible changes in my pores and skintone.

The skin on my body felt softer and smoother, too, although I find the PGM to be very drying. I don't apply lotion regularly because I don't want to feel all sticky afterward. So everytime I take a bath, my skin would look scaly and flaky and really dry. They said this was the micropeeling effect and it's good because it's peeling off my dead skin cells and making way for new cells to surface. New skin cells are instrumental to having a youthful and fairer skin. Unfortunately, micropeeling made my skin look dry, so dry I could write my name on it.

But because the 1-week result was more positive than negative, I decided to purchase more variants. I added Kojic, Triple Citrus, Carrots & Pineapple, Grapeseed and Shea Butter (the most moisturizing of all, hoping that it would counteract the drying effect of the other soaps) to my collection.


Cyleina's soaps melt easily because they don't have soap hardeners. To prolong their "life", I cut each bar into 4 parts and only use 1/4 of the bar at a time. I didn't cut the Black Pearl into smaller parts because it looked hard enough to me. In fact, more than 3 months later, my first Black Pearl is still half it's original size and will probably last me 3 more months. Maybe because I only use it on my face.

1 month after I started using Tomato and Black Pearl, the effects were still the same but nothing dramatic had happened. The effects were actually quite gradual. I also noticed that the glow usually last 1 to 2 hours after I wash my face. I'm not really "red-cheeks" the whole day, or even half of the day. As for whitening, Black Pearl was doing a very slow job.

Then came the week before my period, pimples started coming out. A few small ones and 1 to 2 big, red zits. Tomato was not able to do anything about them. It dried some small pimples but that's it. Didn't do a good pimple-control job for me.

So I decide to try Rice Bran, which is the "for acne-prone" soap because it has antibacterial properties according to testimonials. I tried it out for a week and one thing I can say is, it is very drying. I immediately noticed how dry my palms were everytime I use this soap on my face. Ironically, my face didn't feel dry, probably because it's really oily. But my palms were all wrinkly and it's as if I've used a detergent.

Rice Bran didn't made my skin glow, like Tomato did. And it didn't dry my pimples either. But I was reasoning out that maybe I need to use it longer to see the effect. Close to a week of using it, I noticed some dry patches on both corners of my mouth. And they hurt whenever I opened my mouth too wide like when I yawn, or laugh too hard. That's enough to make me stop using Rice Bran.

Next soap is Kojic, another whitening soap that's also supposedly good for pimples. The week that I was using it, I had two big pimples that didn't bulge nor flinch nor made any sign that they were about to go dry. And like Rice Bran, I was missing the glow that Tomato gave my face. No whitening effect, too even when I'm already using it with Black Pearl.

And like Rice Bran again, close to a week of using it, I noticed a weird bump on my upper left cheek. I inspected it. It's not a pimple but it's raised and there seemed to be something hard underneath the skin. I also noticed that the pores appeared to be clogged and they looked pretty much like facial warts.

I know you're not supposed to pop pimples, but this ain't a pimple so I squeeze it with my bare (but clean!) hands. What came out were hardened oils just like when you pop a blackhead. But lots of them. I do have blackheads and they are usually flat. It's the first time that I had one that's raised and looked bigger than an inflamed  pimple. It's like oils hardened and were trapped inside my pores and eventually formed a bump on the surface. It grossed me out.

So go back to Tomato I did. So far, this was the best soap that I tried in the bunch. If only it can control my pimples. Unfortunately, it can't. I used Tomato on my face until I found another soap to try.

As for the Cyleina's soaps that I used on my body (Papaya Goat's Milk, Strawberry, Kojic, Rice Bran, Triple Citrus, Shea Butter, Carrot & Pineapple and Grapeseed), they were ok. But I micropeeled in all of them (which means my skin dried out in all of them), even with Shea Butter. That's weird. But my favorites are Strawberry, Shea Butter and Triple Citrus, because of their smell.

I use Rice Bran when I don't feel like applying deodorant because it is said to have deodorizing properties. When you work at home, you can afford to skip some beauty regimens, like applying lotion, deodorant or using shampoo or conditioner.

But I can say that my skin has improved. It looked better and smoother, although not really visibly fairer. Sometimes, I look like I'm slightly whiter but I'm not sure if that's because of the soaps or because I seldom go out of the house.

The Verdict

What's left of the Cyleina Organic Soaps that I purchased.

The thing I like about Cyleina's soaps is that they are mild. You could feel that you're not putting harsh chemicals on your skin. I also like their scents, which smelled fresh and not overpowering. The price is reasonable, too. Remember that I cut each bar into 4 smaller bars. 1 small bar would last me more or less a week. So 1 whole bar is good for a month. At P60 per bar, it's really a good buy. And luckily for me, they did allow my new skin cells to surface by peeling off the outer dead skin cells. Although I don't like that it made my skin look dry. But it can easily be remedied by applying lotion, something that I still not do regularly.

As for the soaps that I used on my face, they didn't do very well. Tomato had some nice effects but I still feel that it's not something that can replace EC27 Guava Soap, which for years had effectively fought off my pimples. But being someone who has an undying affair with pimples for quite a long time, I know that not all products that worked on others will work the same on me. So maybe, Cyleina's soaps and my skin were not well suited. But it doesn't mean that the soaps are no good. A lot of people are still swearing by their effectiveness.

Regarding their whitening properties, I am inclined to believe that Cyleina's whitening soaps are not the best there is in the market. They can make you look fairer, but you may have to use the soaps for a few months before you see any significant changes.