Women my age consider actress Gretchen Baretto as the epitome of ageless beauty. She’s in her 40’s but doesn’t look close to her age. Aside from the fact that good looks runs in her blood, she can afford to maintain her appearance by following a certain beauty regimen. I’m not a big fan of hers, but I’m curious how she managed to keep her skin smooth and glowing like a woman in her 20s.

Last week, I saw Gretchen’s billboard as I was passing through C5 road. She is endorsing a skin product called ivi that promises to erase age mark. Now, I think I know the secret to her youthful skin.

When I got home, I researched about ivi on the internet. The site says its ivi Premium Collagen Powder Drink. I read carefully about the ingredients, direction for use and how it is supposed to work . I’m not used to taking anything to improve my appearance like whiten my skin or slim down, but this one, I want to give it a try because it’s not a pill but a powder drink that I can take with my favorite drink.

I’m not sure if my friends already notice it, but I have this fine line and visible dark circle under my eyes. They are clear indicators of ageing, which I bet you also fear of seeing in your face. We could not stop the ageing process, however, we can do something to delay it or slow it down by limiting exposure to the sun and pollutants that could damage the skin.

From the website, I’ve learned that each sachet of ivi contains the recommended amount of collagen. Collagen is the building block of our skin, the one responsible for its firmness and elasticity. We lost a considerable amount of collagen as we age. Our body stops producing it as we get older. This is where Ivi supposedly helps; (based on the website) it replenish the lost collagen in no time.

My first set of ivi

I guess, it’s about time I try something to improve my skin. So, after giving it much thought, I bought a box last week. I’m not expecting a miracle though, but I want to see for myself if the promise to “erase” age mark is true.

I’m mixing a sachet today with my cup of coffee and hope to see the improvement in 14 days. Watch out for the second part of this post.

Word of advice: Don’t take ivi if you think you are pregnant or if you are breastfeeding. Consult with you doctor first before taking anything.

I had my last acne treatment done in a skin clinic more than seven years ago and the procedure left blotchy and visible acne scar on my face. It would have been prevented had I return for the succeeding treatments. I heard about skin peeling and dermabrasion as proven acne scar treatment. Celebrities are even recommending their effectiveness. But for an ordinary stay-at-home mom like me, both procedures are not practical solution to my skin problem. It’s a good thing there are natural acne products or alternative treatment that can be applied at the convenience of our home.

The kids will be back to school tomorrow after two weeks of absence. They will be presenting their medical certificate and excuse letter that we signed to their respective teachers before they can be given special exams. They’ve missed taking monthly tests when they got sick two weeks ago. Both were hospitalized due to dengue fever. The family is really thankful that the kids have recovered from the illness.

One minor problem that my daughter wants to solve before going back to school is how to get rid of whiteheads especially around the nose area. She accumulates whitehead after several days at the hospital without taking a bath. I think a facial wash will do the trick.

I have not given much attention to my face lately! My pimples are bothering me now because they are big and itchy like a sore on my face. I really hate the feeling. I’ve been using anti-bacterial facial scrub and water to remove dirt and oil off my face every morning, when I take a bath and before I retire at night. But it doesn’t seem to work.

What will I do with these pimples? I heard about tea tree oil for acne but I can’t just apply anything on my face without seeing a dermatologist. Problem is it’s quite expensive to visit a derma clinic. Money is hard to come by nowadays…hmm.

I stand 5 feet and 2 inches tall and my ideal weight should be between 103 and 136 pounds. Two or three years ago, I think I’m within this “normal” range. But now, I’m not sure how much weight I’ve gained after I quit my job and decided to be a stay-at-home mom.

I thought about losing weight (sometimes I even dream of it ) through artificial means like taking diet or slimming pills so I could shed the pounds I have  gained in three years. But I have no guts to do it. For one, cost of slimming pills are way beyond my budget and I worry about side effects. My sister had done it before and she was able to achieve the weight that she desires. I wish I could try something else like a slimming pill from natural sources. I have found one although I need your comment right now, please click here for hoodia diet pills and tell me if this one is really worth a try.

People who are prone to develop facial acne are likely to suffer body acne. I experienced the same acne problem when I was young and now I notice that my own daughter is starting to develop acne-like patches on her chest and back. I’m not sure if she can tolerate an acne body wash. If she does I think I have to buy the remedy right away to avoid acne irritation and possible damage on her young skin. But first, I have to consult with my children’s pediatrician if the remedy is appropriate for my daughter’s age. The lady doctor is just a phone call away.

Do you have similar acne problem? What did you do to get rid of it?

I’ve been using this profile picture/sketch for a time now. I’m sure you’ve noticed it already. I like this piece of art because the woman in the sketch conveys a different persona or aura. She looks so simple (like me) and calm. There is certain uniqueness in her plus the fact that it was created by my daughter. Sketch doesn’t need to be updated unlike with the real picture. With my current profile photo, I don’t feel any pressure of using an anti aging face cream just to hide the inevitable fine lines in the forehead and around the mouth. Remember that drawings can last a lifetime, so even if I’m 50 and still running by blogger site, I might still use the same profile picture. She’s lovely, isn’t she?

My daughter is missing our former nanny (Yaya Analyn) not because she loves her more than me, but because she remembers the way she   braids her hair before she goes to school. It’s been three years since Analyn left us, but Naomi still mentions about the specific hair style she wants. She used to compare me with Analyn (in terms of fixing her hair) and it annoys me. Ok, I don’t know how to do french braid and the only hairstyle that I know is the simplest one called ponytail. My daughter wants to try a different hairstyle other than ponytail. So even if I’m searching for some files on disability insurance, I was able to search for this instructional video on how to do french braid. I think I can start from here. The steps seem easy to follow. Now, the only thing that I need is a cooperative model. But my daughter couldn’t be separated from her pencil and sketch pad!

Who says big women can’t be fashionable too? Fashion experts have a hundred and one tips for plus size women in choosing the appropriate getup from the basic or everyday wear to the formal dress on important functions. But don’t think being in style means you will spend a fortune to buy the latest clothes design. You should know the proper clothes fit for your size and age lest you want to be called a fashion victim. There are stores that you can check out for plus size outfits. However, if you are living on a tight budget, you can visit thrift shops or “ukay-ukay” for a change. I bought two pairs of capri pants at an Ukay store for only P100 or a little over $2. The size perfectly fits and I was able to save a few bucks for my next shopping trip. I feel happy knowing that there are choices of what to wear for women on the heavy side. It is easier to search for fashion info on the Net, the same way with looking for data on how to treat acne effectively.

image from plussizedwomen.org

Guess who made this sexy dress for Barbie? The kid hand sewn this tiny getup yesterday and he even took pictures of the dress with Barbie in it. He is fond of cutting and sewing tiny dresses for our dolls at home. Too bad, I wasn’t able to gather his past “creations” as they got lost in the pile of toys at home. Anyway, I have nothing against his hobby, but I don’t tolerate it either. However, if the kid really wants to pursue a career in fashion designing in the future, I will not meddle. Is there something wrong if one of the kids choose to be a fashion designer especially if he is a boy? Hubby and I have talked about the possibility of “what-ifs”. But I can’t tell him to stop or he would learn to keep things to himself or become secretive. I let him enjoy his hobby for now because I don’t want him to give me reason to buy the best anti wrinkle cream. Luckily, he is not acting “pasaway” stubborn if he doesn’t get what he wants. So, what do you think of this little dress made of an old sando shirt?