Life, Health and Everything in Between Sorta Update...

Hello hello!!!

No, I'm just here to check if my blog is still alive, and I guess it still is. hehehe!

Anyway, I think it's been quite close to a year since I've made reviews and done updates on my Atopic Dermatitis situation. I honestly don't know how to start, so I'll just type away and see where my updates are going!

Since I've passed the board exam and got a job right after that, I've no time to make reviews or even try new products. Another problem came up due to stress and my AD (atopic dermatitis). I'm still undergoing maintenance immunotherapy until now and I'm very glad that a month after I quit my job, I haven't had a severe AD attack until now.

Why did I quit my job?
first of all, for health reasons. I've been so stressed during work that I have no time to really take a rest. Hence, the frequent and severe AD attacks. Second, when I was about to plan to go back to work irregularly, I've found out that I'm going to have another baby again and I can't risk being in a very stressful environment while I'm pregnant.

How about AD during pregnancy?
I've asked my doctor about it and luckily, I"m already on my maintenance dose so it's safe to still continue immunotherapy while I'm pregnant. I've also read some article stating that having maintenance immunotherapy will also benefit and somewhat give immunity to the unborn child to any future allergens that my trigger AD to the offspring. At least, that is what I understand in an article I've read somewhere in the internet (I wouldn't recommend trusting the internet 100% and just ask your doctor about it).

If you're planning to START immunotherapy for AD while pregnant or planning to be pregnant very soon, I suggest to wait a while longer before having a baby because it is not safe to have it all at the same time.

What's up with my current skin condition?
I'm still very, very choosy when it comes to trying new products on my skin and I still prefer skincare products that are either scentless or has a very faint scent. Products that has a very strong scent is already banned in my stash. This rule is the same with cosmetics that I buy.

It has been months since my last AD attack (I guess I'm officially on remission, thank God!) and my skin did a 360 degrees on me again ever since I became pregnant. From my skin being very dry, flaky but blemish free, it turned into a very oily, very blemished monster. My face is currently ruined by acne scars and current acne due to hormones caused by pregnancy. Well, you can't have it all ya know. I just hope, my face survives this dilemma without creating craters after have this hormonal acne. Another bad thing about this is that I can't use my usual adapalene on my face since I'm pregnant. I just have to be patient and be brave about this until this is over. I hope after my pregnancy, my acne will go away...My acne is worse right now than the last time I've been ranting about it.

Will I be making more reviews after this update?
I'm not sure since I've been a very lazy couch potato ever since my pregnancy...I love sleeping even more than when I was not pregnant...oohh, what pregnancy can do for ya..haha! I can't also try products right now
due to my condition, but I'll still try to post once in a while since I haven't done a single review of the products I've already used way before. I've already used up so many products that I already threw away most of them since I cannot guarantee if I can still have time to make reviews often. If I have time, I will make some, if not, then better luck next time...Oh well, that is life.

Why I Don't Blog Like I Used To...

Many drastic things has changed since my last blog and most of it are not good.

I have been very busy since I passed the board exams (yey!) and have gotten work immediately after that (which is a blessing). Unfortunately, stress took a toll on me in a very bad way.

Like most people, we get sick when our immune system is down, but unlike me, I don't get sick "the usual way" like when people just got a simple fever and flu. When my immune system is down, everything just goes downhill.

I'm so sick and tired of explaining my health situation on my blog that I tend to delete my post talking about my health issues hours after I posted it. Some may have read it, most of you have not, but I'm trying one more time to explain my current situation with my illness.

I have Atopic Dermatitis. Some call it eczema, skin asthma, etc.

The first time I've had this was 2 years ago ( can't remember the exact date). At first I thought it was just a simple rash or allergic reaction to something I applied on my skin or I have eaten. I did not bother to consult a doctor and just take antihistamines since I only flare up rarely and antihistamines treat the allergy quickly.

...And then it has gotten worse and I flare up often until it was late last year when I've experienced really bad allergies for weeks. My dermatologist gave me some hydrocortisone creams to temporarily ease my allergies and told me that I have atopic dermatitis.

Even though I'm not a doctor, I have a very good background on medicine and I know steroid creams do not cure atopic dermatitis and it is CURRENTLY NOT CURABLE. You can treat or prevent it, but you cannot cure it (as of now). It is a lifelong battle.

Months have passed since I've used hydrocortisone creams and still my skin flares up, I got fed up and consulted an Allergologist.

I started painful allergy tests (from pollens and other allergens that may go through respiratory route), blood tests, except for food allergy test (because it is so expensive I can't afford it anymore). I've found out that I am very allergic to mango pollens, coconut pollens, cockroach, ants, acacia pollens, dust mites, etc.

I've got so many allergies to so many things that are very common here in my country. So I started immunotherapy on April this year.

Immunotherapy is just injecting weakened allergens to you until your immune system has created an antibody
against the things that you are allergic to. The doctor told me that I could have as much as 80% immunity against the allergens and the 20% is up to me, my immune system and how I take care of my body.

Everything was going great because I flare up less and if ever I flare up, the allergies that manifest on my skin is not as bad as it was before. Unfortunately, this time of year (December 2012), got sick with flu and I was so stressed with work and all hell broke lose again. My immune system was down and as a result, the weakest part of my body is always the vulnerable one which is my skin was most affected.

I got bad atopic dermatitis flare up that I am still suffering now, even when I already recovered from flu and fever.

The part of my body that usually flare up is my face and neck, but now, my arms, ears and even some parts on my legs are already affected and they won't go away.

I've already consulted my allergologist about this and she said that it may not have been the allergens that I am allergic to that triggers my flare ups because I am already in my maintenance dose on my immunotherapy sessions, meaning that I already have antibodies on those things.

Now, the main culprit is most likely stress. Stress in everything. Not just work, but also personal things. With me looking like sh*t (sorry for the term) also contributed to my stress and it has affected my self esteem and self confidence. Yes, I am stressed and depressed.

So what does not blogging have to do with my explanation?

Besides having a hard time treating this dermatitis that I have on my face and neck, I am having a very hard time trying out things that may not aggravate my skin issues. Products that I can use are currently limited to the point that I already gave away most of the things that I have used before that worked for my then normal skin and even the things that I haven't even reviewed here in my blog. It pains me to not have the freedom to have more options when it comes to skincare and makeup because this has become one of my major hobbies and haven to de-stress myself. Yeah, I know it sounds shallow, but for someone who has a constantly depleting self esteem and self confidence (because I am literally getting uglier by the day), I feel like I have something that I love to do taken away from me.

Having said all that, I still will be trying to review things that work for my very dry, sensitive and damaged skin from atopic dermatitis. Things that may work for me may be limited, but I hope it would serve as some kind of "help" to people who are also dealing the same illness I currently have.

This will also serve as a guide for me to try to find, discover and research things, products, or alternatives to steroid creams that might help many people. I know it is a futile attempt to find a solution to a currently incurable illness, but at least I try to find ways to ease the pain...I just want to be normal again.

Review: Aveeno Active Naturals® Nourish+Condition Leave-In Treatment (Long detailed post)

Aveeno Active Naturals® Nourish+Condition Leave-In Treatment

with nourishing wheat complex

(deeply replenishes dry, damaged hair)

I've tried quite a few drugstore leave-in treatment even before my blogging days, just because I was lazy to apply conditioner after I finished shampooing my hair. haha! So just to save time, I apply a leave-in conditioner (when I remember to) on my hair and that's it.

I'm not that impressed with leave-in conditioners in the past because it feels sticky or greasy by the end of the day. Luckily, I saw this on display in the supermarket last March and I'm happy I bought this.

Claims:

"AVEENO NOURISH +CONDITION LEAVE-IN TREATMENT does much more than nourish and condition - it quenches the thirstiest hair with a fusion of deep conditioners and moisturizers, recharging it with healthy new life. Hair is instantly revitalized and scientific studies show that just three uses helps repair dry damaged hair."

"This exclusive ACTIVE NATURALS® formula, infused with Nourishinh Wheat Complex, is designed to feed your hair - replenishing moisture as it zeroes in on the weakest part of hair - fortifying the hair shaft with protein where it needs the most."

- it also claims that it's gentle on skin and color-treated hair. (I just made a shortcut on the other description since I don't really like copying and re-typing what's on the product.)

Current Price:

at around P300-P400. I know it's a bit more expensive than our usual leave-in conditioner, but I'd rather spend a bit more on a great product than throw my money on something that does not work for me.

Place bought:

SM Hypermarket. I don't know where else you can get this, but I'm pretty sure other supermarkets or health and beauty store that carries international products have this.

Packaging:

it is designed as a handy spray plastic bottle which is very convenient to use.

Directions:

Spray all over the hair or on concentrated areas as desired. Comb through to distribute evenly. Do not rinse.

Ingredients:

 (it's hard to take a full picture of it, so I'll just type this)

Water, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, PPG-3 Benzyl Ether Myristate, Triticum vulgare (Wheat) gluten, Triticum vulgare (Wheat) germ oil, Mauritia flexuosa fruit oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Quaternium-91, Glycerin, Cetrimonium Methosulfate, Butylene glycol, Amodimethicone, Fragrance, Propylene Glycol, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate. May also contain Citric Acid. This product contains wheat proteins.

How do I/WE use it?

My brother (he's obsessed with trying stuff that would make his hair look great) and I have used it with wet, damp and dry hair and it still performs the same.

I usually spray it on my damp hair after a shower and concentrate mostly on the ends of my hair then I spray just a bit on the scalp area and then comb my hair to distribute the product evenly.

My brother usually spray this when his hair is still wet, when his hair is damp and when it's already dry. A WHOLE LOT OF SPRAYS I TELL YA!!! I pretty much have to hide this from him because he's like the haircare monster. ahaha!

(Just for reference):

Me and my brother's hairtype 

I have fine, naturally straight hair with no volume. I don't really have hair issues or bad hair days. I'm quite lucky to acquire this hairtype from my father. I don't fuss with my hair that much and my haircare only consists of shampoo, conditioner (sometimes) and a leave-in treatment (sometimes)

On the other hand, my brother has a thick, wavy, unruly, but soft hair. According to him, it's really hard to manage his hair and it costs him so much just to have a good haircut and style that won't make him look like a tornado has ran over his head.

His haircare consists of shampoo, conditioner, serum, MY leave-in conditioner, wax, gel, moose, hairdryer etc. you name it, he's already tried it.

Both our scalp tend to be oily by the end of the day, depending on the weather or our daily activities.

Scent:

the scent is amazing!! it also lasts through out the day even in our hot and humid climate. It helps my hair to not smell bad due to sweating all day. My brother (who is very athletic) also loves the smell and how it stood up through out his very busy day.

Formulation:

It feels like you're just spraying a lovely scented water on your hair. 

It feels a bit slippery when sprayed on damp hair like a normal conditioner would, but it dries quite fast and I'm not kidding when I say it makes my hair shiny, more healthy looking. My hair feels lighter and it gives my hair more volume and it lasts throughout the day.

My brother spray it more liberally and consistently than me so obviously, it's not sticky or greasy on your hair. He loves this so much because his hair has become quite manageable every time he uses this. He also said that his hair feels softer and he wants this for himself and buy myself a new one...yeah...siblings always do that.

Any skin reactions?

none.

Will I buy this again?

definitely!!! then I'm going to hide it somewhere...hahaha!

Review: Chapstick Lipbalm (Cherry)

I remember buying this on impulse, just because my husband and I were listening to Katy Perry's song, "I Kissed a Girl". We were laughing and goofing around in the car because of traffic. Then he curiously asked me if it's true that a cherry flavored Chapstick would taste like cherry.

I said, "I don't know. I haven't even tried Chapstick before. Let's buy one, then I'll eat it!! hahaha!"

Believe it or not, this is my very first Chapstick...I remember way back in high school (I have no clue about makeup) my first lipbalm was a Maybelline brand and I was so happy with it that it didn't really piqued my interest to buy this lipbalm eventhough this was popular among girls in my school.

So yeah...we went to the drugstore to buy one and laughed all the way home.

Current Price: 

at around P80.00 (I bought this last, last year)

Place bought: 

Mercury Drug, but it's also available pretty much everywhere in Watsons and other department stores in health and beauty sections here in Manila.

the good ol' packaging I always see my friends in high school use.

Packaging:

Simple, no brain-er design. Makes me remember my high school days.

Honestly, when I saw that it was made by Wyeth (popular for baby's milk formulation), I had high hopes for this.

Just for reference, I still have very, very dry lips (maybe due to my atopic dermatitis too). EOS lipbalms doesn't work on me unless when my lips are in its "normal" state (which does not happen often) and the only things that currently works for me is the The Face Shop lip care cream and my new Nivea Med Protection lipbalm (I have to review this soon).

Ingredients, Expiry date and other info:

it's great that this is double sealed for protection from nasty customers who likes to destroy and open new stuff, then they don't buy it.

Scent/Taste:

it really is cherry scented, BUT it is not cherry flavored...yeah, quite unfortunate when I finally got to know it's not cherry flavored. So the song is kinda misleading??? hahahaha! just joking!!! hehehe! Anyway, although it is cherry scented, sometimes, the scent makes me a bit nauseous.

Pigmentation:

nothing. at least on me it doesn't have any.

Color in the tube is more of a berry red.

Formulation:

it feels a bit waxy and a bit greasy if you apply too much.

 Swatch:

when applied, it's colorless. I've layered that (in the picture) many times and it still gives no pigment. Oh well, I didn't really expect any. I did not bother to take a picture of my lip swatch because the color (if there's any) won't show up anyway. My hand is obviously way lighter than my lips.

Does it moisturize my lips?

it does TO A CERTAIN EXTENT, but it's not enough to make my lips not peel.

Will I buy this again?

probably not.

Any skin reactions?

none.