"Mr. Ugly"

As I started to doze off to NGC (my regular lullaby) I heard a voice say: "We are looking for Mr. Ugly, a man with traditional Chinese features like chinky eyes, a small chin, and a small nose, so we can transform him to a modern day Adonis that conforms to the Global standards of beauty."

The feature was on the recent plastic surgery craze in China, a country who once abhorred vanity and excess. Apparently at present, dime-a-dozen clinics sprouted out of nowhere to cater to the surge in the demand for these enhancements.

A gorgeous Chinese woman was being interviewed. She was the first "Man-made beauty" who, after numerous surgeries ranging from rhinoplasty, to eyelid enhancement, to breast augmentation, achieved celebrity status. But something was wrong with the picture- she was no longer chinky-eyed; her nose looked finer and thinner, her lips fuller, her face somewhat angular. Then I saw a cosmetic ad featuring supermodel Linda Evangelista just behind her and suddenly understood. That kind of beauty was what they were trying to copy.

"In exchange for thousands of dollars worth of free surgeries, she gets to enjoy fame and adulation as a 'walking advertisement' for plastic surgery. Our business has tripled because of her." Beamed the plastic surgeon, of his creation.

Nowadays we are bombarded by media of all sorts, predominantly showing one type of beauty- Caucasian. People started to think the ONLY way to look beautiful and feel good about themselves is to emulate THE look. But what of dusky Pinoy beauty or the chinky, sweet Chinese features? Whats wrong with being petite, or having brown skin of a typical Malay? Are Tisoys and Tisays the new and only standards of beauty?

It was surprising, to say the least, to see men and women in the segment,voluntarily enduring pain and going to great lengths to try to be more attractive in today's unrealistic standards. Would you suffer through local anesthesia as the plastic surgeon chisels your facial bones while you swallow blood, so later you'd look like George Clooney's (Asian) clone? I know of a man who did that, and he went on to host the first-ever "artificial beauty pageant" in China.

Botched surgeries and horror stories of deformities from the not-so-lucky who went to substandard clinics barely even dampen people's appetite. Maybe we've also become so caught up with appearances and forgot that substance matters more than form.

Judgement aside, looking at the gorgeous "artificial beauties" against the glare of spotlights and the constant popping of flashbulbs, I could not help but think- maybe all they needed was a mere change of perspective.

The Best Kept Beauty Secret

Our beauty standards have stepped into the area of perfection, where even goodlooking people need retouching. Remember the Preview Cover with the four statues named Gretchen, Dawn, Ruffa, and Angel? We'll see first hand a transformation done via Photoshop: Before: Baby fats & cellulite.
After: Vavavoom!! Alabaster skin and a smashing figure.

Confessions of a Beauty Junkie

It all started when I happened upon Kevyn Aucoin’s glossy book The Art of Makeup, while I was browsing one day in Powerbooks. No, I didn’t buy it, instead I read it from cover to cover. Then I re-read it, paying close attention to the stunning photos. The next time I was at the mall, I picked up the book again, and I knew then it had turned into a fixation. I devoured his other books that followed: Face Forward, Making Faces, and finally A Beautiful Life, which was released shortly after the legendary makeup artist’s death in 2002.

Was it the star power of celebrities like Barbra Streisand, Cindy Crawford, Sharon Stone, and Audrey Hepburn that got me hooked? It was fascinating on some level to see their faces stand out in the photographs, but what struck a chord in me in those photos was the transforming power of makeup and how a simple photograph had the power to evoke emotions.

The transformations were amazing- re-creations of Hollywood icons, ethereal creatures like the “Explorer” (Mary J. Blige) and “Floralia” (Lucy Liu), and of course, makeovers of real people. Aucoin in his books explored the past, present, and future of beauty. It is truly a wonder how a few dabs of eyeshadow and gloss can remake a plain jane into a goddess.

In a way, Aucoin showed how you can indeed turn a “dream” into reality, however brief a period (well, up until the makeup fades). Don’t laugh at this part: I think seeing yourself at your best, in that millisecond captured by the shutter, there’s magic. Suddenly you are not the “regular you” you see in the mirror everyday; you are a nymph in the water and your eyes match the color of the sea, you are a futuristic astronaut, or a swashbuckling pirate. It is fun, let me tell you.

What followed was a manic practice of beauty routines, crazy experiments, and every possible ritual that Allure or Cosmo promised would work wonders. I have always wondered why we buy it, when we all know that character counts more than a pretty face. Maybe it’s because even if what we appreciate is what’s inside, we do have the tendency to reach for the most beautifully wrapped present first.

Click on this link to see other Beauty articles.

Travel Essentials

1. Wallet and passport (if it applies) in a secure and accessible place. 2. Accessories like sunglasses, a no-nonsense wristwatch that could withstand even a night in the forest. I also bring some medicine like analgesics, bonamine, attapulgite, topical antiseptics, and even bandages (first aid ba ito?). Better be prepared diba?
3. Toiletries. I don't trust what's in the hotel (or in the woods, minsan) so I bring my own stuff all the time.
4. Sunblock and scents. Sunblock for the day, scents for the night. (You might meet someone at the bar or something)
5. Phone and MP4 player or Ipod. Who travels without them nowadays?
All set!!

On Beauty

Vanity is my favorite sin. I guess everyone is a little guilty, considering how much people these days put so much value in looks. We are constantly bombarded by advertisements, magazines, and other media, telling us to be thinner, smoother, younger-looking, and more muscular. For us regular folk, we scramble to get a gym membership, buy the latest creams endorsed by some airbrushed celebrity, and eagerly anticipate the results. Admittedly, we do get mileage from our looks- and perhaps that’s why people invest their time and hard-earned cash.

How much is too much? The availability of cosmetics, anti-aging treatments, and even plastic surgery takes it to another level. Small breasts? Get implants. Unhappy with your nose? For as low as 15,000, you can have it corrected. Is it really necessary? That is the question that needs to be pondered before doing something drastic. A new nose can’t give you happiness, that’s for sure.

Despite all the hoopla, I do have my personal limits as to how far I go. Braces, yes, contact lenses in place of glasses, yes, but surgery, no. Out of curiosity, I got this mask pattern which supposedly gives the ideal proportions. Beautiful people would usually fit the planes when it is superimposed to their photo (I saw a segment on BBC with Liz Hurley as the model and her face fit perfectly). For fun, I used the mask on my head shot and this was what I got (refer to the photo).

I had a funny thought while I was tinkering with Photoshop: say, in a world where everyone’s face fits the mask, wouldn’t we all look the same? I think we find people beautiful because of their uniqueness. As the cliché goes- it’s the imperfections that we learn to love. So I guess I’ll stick with my wide nose and big lips. Besides, in the end, it is the character and personality of the person that connects and builds relationships with others.

What Color Are You?

Our eyes are so amazing- they can express emotions and tell a lot of stuff without your lips moving. Altering your eye color is yet another way to express one’s self. If it’s your first time to use lenses, make sure to consult with your ophthalmologist, they should be able to answer your questions, and show you the how-to’s.

By experience, the most comfortable lenses I tried (there are two types- but I usually prefer disposable lenses because they are less pricey than their extended wear counterparts) were Colorblends. They also offer the most natural looking colors (read: you won’t look like Muning, your cat, when you go out on the streets) which are usually three shades blended beautifully to create that luminous wide-eyed look.

They sell them at around P1,500 and they come with a free kit consisting of a pouch, a contact lens case, and a small bottle of contact lens solution. So, what color looks best on you? It all depends on a lot of things: your skin tone, eye color (some are just tints to enhance your existing eye color), your mood, and the look you are trying to achieve.

Me? I go for colors that make my eyes pop, sans mascara and/or fake lashes. Lighter skin tones have the advantage of being able to pull off even the most dramatic hues. Here are some of my observations:

Brown- Almost the same as my eye color, its a little lighter towards the pupil, creating that “halo” look. Too subtle if you ask me.

Turquoise- Very similar to Blue. If you want a dramatic look you can try Green or classic Blue.

Blue- The shade I’m wearing on the header above. I love the color because it almost looks like I was born with it (Charot!). It’s dramatic enough to make my eyes pop. Looks good even in sunlight.

Grey- Looks good on few people (very beautiful people, I suspect). If you are still experimenting, try to put this at the bottom of your list. I had grey contacts before and I rarely used them.

Green- Very dramatic.

Amethyst, Topaz, etc.- These are usually limited colors that contact lens makers sell. Great for parties and that over-the-top look. Don’t wear outside in daylight because there will be some staring and pointing ; )

Beauty Must-have: Olay Total Effects

Olay joins my beauty arsenal as I’ve started using the product days ago. I’ve been a fan of Olay moisturizer (remember the pink fluid?) before they came up with Total Effects.

Let us peer into the microscope as we examine a drop of Total Effects. What is in it? There are pretty common ingredients (like water and the usual emulsifiers), but what I’m going to be discussing are the key ingredients. You may review Beauty IQ articles prior to reading this as a supplement.

Glycerin: A humectant. It draws moisture from the air into your skin.

Tocopheryl Acetate: Or Vitamin E, which is a very good anti-oxidant.

Cetyl Alcohol: An emollient or skin softener.

Titanium Dioxide & Zinc Oxide: These are usually ingredients in sunblocks. I was expecting a rather opaque cast since there is the presence of Titanium Dioxide, but Olay’s formula was actually translucent ie. no kabuki effect.

Panthenol: Is a non-irritating form of Vitamin B. It is readily absorbed by the skin and has a “plumping effect”.

Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract: Green Tea extract in this product brings anti-oxidant and soothing effects.

What I really think:

By convention, the top culprit for skin aging is photodamage (smoking is second, so stop puffing!!). UVA and UVB rays damage the collagen fibers underneath the skin, causing it to thin out, leaving the dermis or top layer wrinkled. Imagine a fresh grape (full of liquid), and after continued exposure to the sun, the moisture is zapped and all you get is a wrinkly raisin.

Sunblocks have been available to us for quite a long time already. But the problem is that most of these formulas are heavy (think Chin Chun Su- which incidentally contains Zinc Oxide. Old Chinese folks certainly hit the mark on this one). These are fine for the beach, but not for everyday use. It was only a matter of time till someone made a moisturizer which had SPF (Sun Protection Factor) and was wearable on a daily basis.

In the market today, several companies have products similar to the Total Effects formula: moisture + sun protection + anti oxidants. The difference mainly is in the consistency, preparation, and price. Overall, what makes me happy about Olay’s product is that it goes on smooth, I don’t break out when I use it, and there is only one formula for both day and night application so it’s convenient. I have yet to see the long term effects (I give it 2-3 months) but I’ve got a feeling the results will be favorable.

Retail price: Php 575 in drugstores and department stores.

Hilarious Things I Did In The Name of Beauty

Except for those people who have very advanced Gaydars, a layman would not know I’m gay (heck, years of practice made me quite good at hiding it). I’m not effeminate, I don’t wear any powder or gloss, no accessory that would suggest Tinkerbell and myself were related.

Truth of the matter is, I’m worry about my looks like any self-respecting queer. Here’s a testimonial from one of my friends, Mitchiko Dizon:

Thaddeus Hinunangan! Well what can I say about this person? Let me say 2 words that would describe him the best.. SHOPAHOLIC and VAIN!! But in fairness to you my friend you have good taste! If you want to know the best beauty secrets ask him, he’s the master! This guys has a lot of dreams, I mean a lot! But once he wants something really bad he would plan (as in plan!) everything just to achieve it! Just look at where he is right now!

By the way, this was written just around the time I got promoted, not when I resigned lol! Ok, so before becoming quite the beauty guru, I had a lot of disastrous experiences experimenting and learning along the way. Here are a few of them:

Getting a Tattoo to Look Sexy
Perhaps I’m regretting it now that I’m preparing to be in the medical profession, but before, it was urgent for me to get a tattoo. I thought I needed a little oomph because I was too safe and goody-goody. Plus I had this move (in my heyday) where I casually mention that I have a tattoo, then instead of lifting my sleeve (it was on my tricep) I would unbutton the front to my shirt so that my date gets to peek at my boobs LOL! And then he gets the message ; )

Double eyelids!
I saw this infomercial of Japanese people who put this glue on their lids to create a crease that makes the eyes look bigger. I improvised mine by using masking tape, which was fine until I hurried to my first period in Diliman, and the Taho vendor saying, “Sir, ano po yung nasa mga mata ninyo?” Even I couldn’t stop giggling. Guilty!

Homemade facials
I would start by putting Ponds Cond Cream, tissue it off then reapply (with matching music from my walkman, I was alone in my dorm room). Then I would use a damp Good Morning LOL! towel to methodically massage my face in circular motion. And, with Material Girl playing in the background I used a water heater to boil water in a small basin so I could steam my face. This was fine till the basin became soft and nearly melted! I had to stop and choose a simpler routine before I burn the whole boarding house in the name of beauty.

Using an exfoliant.. on my ass
I imagined my ass looking as flawless and pink as Kristine Hermosa’s face (sorry Tin!), so I bought Extraderm exfoliant number 3 and applied it “there”. After a few days I felt a bit itchy, and then I barely grazed the area when 3 cubic centimeters of skin fell off!! My heart beat so erratically, “Lord, I love my ass skin too much, please bring it back to normal!”. Lotion did the trick. Got it, never use chemical exfoliants “down there”.

Overtweezing to the point that I looked like a creature from StarTrek:Deep Space Nine
I once saw in a beauty book that one’s eyebrows should start where the nose ends (click here to see an illustration) unfortunately, that only applied to Caucasians whose noses were generally thinner. For us Pinoys, we are on the wider side. So anyway, I went ahead, and the results were my eyebrows were sooo wide apart I always looked surprised. Good thing I learned the trick with Vitamin E so it grew back quickly.

Tip: don’t try these at home ; )

Beauty IQ 2

Ready your printers as we move to part 2 of our Beauty IQ.

Glutathione
(Better thank Miss Jan for suggesting this ; )

“..Is a tripeptide molecule composed of glutamic acid, cysteine and glysine. It is one of the main nonprotein antioxidants in the cell, and has been reffered to as the body’s “master antioxidant.”

Glutathione is present in nearly all living cells, and without it they can’t survice. The major functions of glutathione in the body include protecting cells against destructive effects of free radicals; detoxifying external substances such as drugs, environmental pollutants and carcinogens; maintaining cell membrane stability; and amino acid transport..”

- Ward Dean, MD Click here to see the whole article.

In plain English, it simply states that Glutathione is 1. present in our bodies 2. Has an antioxidant effect (neutralizes free radicals much like what Vitamin C and E does, but a lot more powerful).

This comes in pill form (what is currently available on the market), and is marketed as a Skin Whitener. I’ve always been a firm believer in eating the right foods instead of stocking on supplements and eating poorly. As usual. Consult a physician before trying anything. I just don’t get it why people love to have paler complexions.. Dark skin is fabulous! You can get away with a lot of things (a little weight gain or cellulite is not as visible on tan skin), trust me.

Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate
Look on the label: d-alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (Natural) and dl-alpha Tocopheryl Acetate (synthetic). I repeat, d- Natural, dl synthetic. Why is this important? Natural Vitamin E is more readily absorbed by the body than synthetic Vitamin E. That’s why the price is comparatively higher.

I found a variety of uses for Vitamin E. For topical applications, use 400IU (I believe Myra E has a face cream that has Vitamin E). I break open a soft gel to: 1. Prevent scarring after popping a pimple 2. Moisturize intensively those sunburned areas (may feel a little sticky, but trust me its all better the next day- versus using ordinary lotions) 3. Getting your eyebrows to grow back after overzealous tweezing 4. You’ll love this- applied directly and patiently (and gently) at night to eyelashes makes them grow! I got that tip from a model’s Beauty Bible, a book I practically memorized in Powerbooks, yet never bought (P2,000? C’mon! I’ll just memorize it! The pages were practically dog-eared from my reading hihihi)

Pyrithione Zinc
Abbreviated as ZnP, is an antifungal agent best known for its use in treating dandruff. Look at the back of your Head & Shoulders, you’ll find it under active ingredients.

Aluminum Zirconium
No, this isn’t what your stainless steel sink is made of. It is actually an active ingredient in antiperspirants. Make sure you are not allergic, so try a variety of antiperspirants that does the job, and doesn’t cause irritation or darkening (yikes!).

Benzoyl Peroxide
There are a lot of brands, and different preparations- there are bars, facial wash, gels, etc. The best I’ve tried is Pan Oxyl. Always start with the lowest concentration so that there is less chance of irritation. The best pimple treatment ever. Period. Warning: Wash fingers after application because Benzol Peroxide bleaches fabrics. Sayang naman ang So-en mo LOL!

Tea Tree Oil
Is a clear to very pale golden color essential oil. It is taken from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia. It is a potent antiseptic and is a known antifungal agent. The Body Shop has this range of Tea Tree Oil products you can try.

Zinc Oxide
Chemical formula ZnO. It is a primary ingredient in Sunblocks. It is less opaque than Titanium Dioxide, which means less Chin Chun Su effect (i.e. no white cast).

Retinyl Palmitate, Retinol
Vitamin A also is known as retinol. It is necessary for development and maintenance of normal skin, as well as other tissues and bones. It is consumed in the diet and stored in the liver. Retinol circulates from the liver to the skin and other tissues. Once in the tissues, retinol is converted to retinoic acid (same as Retin A & Renova). Retinoic acid is thought to be the retinoid having the biggest impact on new skin development. Many researchers agree that most retinoids can cause the skin epidermis to become thicker plumper and more youthful looking.

I trust you will now know the lingo and decipher the maze of active ingredients they put in your favorite face cream. Got any queries or suggestions for a topic? E-mail me or leave a comment ; )

Beauty IQ

This article is dedicated to the best Organic Chem instructor- Mizz Janeth (Odiba Vungga! kapangalan nya si Miss Jackson, may “H” pa!). Honestly, I looked forward to those classes because she makes it always interesting. She usually comes in flushed, after climbing four flights of stairs in heels. The most remarkable thing about her is that she gives the syllabus, lecture, and experiments straight up without glancing at a book or her notes. She knows what she’s doing- and I knew we were in capable hands. Other classes would study alkanes this week, then alkenes the following week. Mizz J gave us most of the basic functional groups in one sitting! She certainly encourages us to think; too bad we were not able to do the experiment on soap making or making your own fragrance. That would have been a hoot!

Back to the topic. Do you know what the ingredients are in your beauty products? What you put in your hair, face, body can certainly affect your looks. Allow the beauty expert (that’s me hehe) to clue you in on what these hifaluting ingredients are, and what they do. Don’t worry, we won’t deal with their molecular structures ; )

Sodium Laureth Sulfate
This is a detergent and surfactant. In English: it is a foamer used in soaps, shampoos, toothpaste, etc. This allows better distribution of the product while washing. The only downside is that (depending on the formula) it can cause loss of moisture from the top layer of the skin.

Cetyl Alcohol
When a layman thinks of alcohol a picture of Family Rubbing Alcohol (di lang pampamilya, pang-isports pa! lol!) or maybe a bottle of Johnny Walker. Relax, Cetyl Alcohol is usually used as an emollient (skin softener), emulsifier, and thickener in creams and lotions.

Glyceryl Stearate
Derived from natural stearic acid and glycerin, used as an emulsifier and emollient in cosmetic preparations. Glycerin is a humectant that attracts moisture from the air. An example? Those Neutrogena Glycerin soaps.

Triclosan
Has anti-bacterial properties. This is sometimes used in pimple fighting facial wash. The downside: studies suggest that triclosan can combine with the chlorine in tap water to produce chloroform gas, which is a carcinogen. Yikes!

Allantion
Is a botanical extract found in comfrey root, it is healing, soothing, and non-allergenic. This is an excellent anti-irritant.

Salicylic acid
Probably one of the best acne-fighting ingredients (I always look for this on the boxes). It treats acne by causing skin cells to slough off more readily, preventing the pores from clogging up. Beware of combining acne treatments such as Salicylic acid and Benzoyl Peroxide without consulting your dermatologist. This may cause dryness and irritation.

Sources: Some of the sources of information were my years and years of reading Allure and other magazines, others from my own observations, others from Wikipedia.

Stick around for part two of Beauty IQ!

What is Real Beauty?

Let’s face it, your breasts will sag, all your hair will eventually fall off, and your skin will wrinkle. What is lasting beauty? When we see with our eyes, they will no doubt move toward what is symmetrical and perfectly proportioned; lines and colors placed precisely to produce an aesthetically pleasing sight.

What if we close our eyes, and perceive what is beautiful in a person? I came up with these characteristics that would make anyone top-model beautiful- or at least on the inside.

GRACE: a disposition to kindness and compassion.

LOVE: a strong positive emotion of regard and affection.
DETERMINATION: the firmness of purpose; resolve.
KINDNESS: having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature.
INNOCENCE: freedom from harmfulness; inoffensiveness.
GENTLENESS: considerate or kindly in disposition; amiable and tender.
JOY: to fill with ecstatic happiness, pleasure, or satisfaction.

ATTENTION, Muscle Freaks!

We have tackled grooming and skin care must-haves in the previous posts (click the label Beauty or Fitness to see all related articles), now let us turn our attention to weight management.

Ok, so I'm not an expert or a personal trainer, and its good that you are skeptical before you listen to someone's advice. But I did my homework and researched and read a lot of material before writing this, not to mention years and years of struggle on weight fluctuations I had myself- so I do know a few things.

The Philosophy of Fitness

Before you start dieting or going to the gym, make sure you get what the concept of fitness really is (in addition, make sure to check with your doctor as well!). Fitness is not just bulking up by working out at the gym like a maniac- because there are other facets to fitness. To better express my point, I'll use an example- Yoga. The practice of yoga focuses on breathing, meditation, fluidity of movement, flexibility, and strength. All of these result not only in a lean body, but also a calm mind. The approach is always holistic.

When a person decides to get fit, that means more than just doing aerobics in your living room and forgetting all other aspects such as proper diet, or mental fitness. To become truly fit and in the best condition one must make changes in his/her lifestyle. Do you sit on the couch all day? Smoke or drink excessively? Eat like there's no tomorrow? Or maybe you are stressed, or a person who worries too much. Think of the adjustments you have make on your current lifestyle, otherwise you efforts will be in vain (ever see those folks who are at the gym almost everyday, yet in 6 months acheived nothing?).

Instead on making a looong article, I will split them into separate posts. Here's the list of the succeeding posts:

1. Best Workout Practices

2. No-nonsense Weight Loss Foods and When to Eat Them

3. Pilates and Yoga New York Style: a Review

Watch out for them ; )

Beauty: Perfect Brows to Frame Your Face

I've always believed beauty, whether it presented itself in art, architecture, nature, or in the human form- follows certain rules. These rules are symmetry, proportion, rhythm and grace.

A person's face can be transformed by his /her eyebrows. They frame the eyes- our most expressive part of our face, and enhances the symmetry of the entire face. We have seen eyebrow style evolve through the years. The thin, long, exagerrated brows dominated the flapper-era of the 40's. In the 70's and 80's grooming took a backstage as bushy eyebrows (ala Brooke Shields) became a hit. In the 90's, the ideal face was again transformed as a new rennaisance of meticulous brow grooming emerged- thanks to make-up artists like Kevyn Aucoin.

Brow know-how

Let's get to the basics. First, go to a well lighted area. Find a large mirror where you can see your face as a whole. Compact mirrors offer convenience, but believe me you won't want to make any mistakes here because it takes a while before the brow grows. It would be great to have your brows shaped by a professional (either razor, wax or threading) but tweezing will do fine, as long as you are careful.

Steps

Look at the illustration above. Step 1 is to locate where the brow should ideally start. If it goes beyond this, it usually indicates a potential for a unibrow (think Salma Hayek in Frida). Use a straight object like a pencil. Move the pencil to the angle illustrated (where your the iris of your eyes would be when you look straight ahead), this will indicate where the arch should be. Step 3: move the pencil further down such that it intersects the outermost corner of the eye. This is where the brow should end. In finding the right shape try to base it on your natural brows, doing drastic changes (including having them bleached) should only be done by a professional. Males in general have thicker brows compared to the ladies, whose soft faces can carry thinner brows.

Mistakes

In case you happened to overtweeze, don't despair! Break open a Vitamin E Softgel (at least 200IU or higher) and rub it on the area in circular motion ten times. It can feel a little icky so do this before you go to bed. The Vit e also helps moisturize the skin. A bonus: lashes can grow longer if you also massage them with a little Vit e.. Just don't overdo it ; )

A beautiful face framed by the perfectly groomed eyebrow.

Beauty Must Haves

I know different products work on different people, but here are some tried-and-tested products that works on anyone. Any self-respecting homo has his beauty routine down pat (the simpler the better), and I will share mine ; )

The Goods:

1. Johnson's Baby Milk Bath- I swear to Almighty Lord, I have tried and tried everything. Clean and Clear Facial Wash, Tea Tree Oil Cleanser, Clinique Bar, Micropore Cleanser, St Ives Alpha Hydroxy Cleanser, Neutrogena.. the list goes on and on. This works. I swear it. The upside: it doubles as a body wash, its not drying to the skin, it feels clean, I don't get breakouts, I don't get overexfoliated, I don't scar as much when I have breakouts, and lastly- I don't even ned to moisturize afterwards. One step, then I go to bed.

2. PanOxyl Acne Gel 2.5%- Benzoyl Peroxide is the only NO-NONESENSE pimple treatment in the planet. There's no hype, no "Oh my skin feels sooo great".. and then the breakouts return. Use the lowest % possible- theres 10%, 5% and 2.5%. Your facial skin is very delicate and should be treated with care, so use the mildest concentration. It disinfects, treats AND exfoliate- in one simple step.

Cosmetics companies will give you their 5 step program to sell more products, but in my book, the simpler the better.

3. Tweezerman Tweezers. There are a lot of good brands- make sure they are not flimsy. You will only buy one tweezer that will last a lifetime so invest. Your eyebrows frame you face and it could make or break it. Don't over-tweeze or you'll look like a 40's flapper star. Do it in natural light with a mirror that shows the entire face. Those tiny mirrors may tell you your fine new brow looks great but when you look in a distance, you appear perpetually angry. Yikes!

4. Sunblock. There are a lot of great companies with good SPF products: Nivea, Neutrogena, Coppertone, etc. Make sure it is AT LEAST SPF 30 and that it doesn't contain Titanium Dioxide. Titanium Dioxide is responsible for that white cast when you apply the sunblock. It makes you look like you over-enthusiastically applied your Chin Chun Su again LOL! Sunblock will help preserve the collagen under your skin- think less wrinkles when you age.

5. Toothbrush and Floss. We all know good hygeine is absolutely necessary. This will help save your teeth- all of them. Plus, who wants to be with a gorgeous face with bad breath? Ugh.

Regular brushing may also lift stains (especially when you use those whitening toothpastes) and give you a brighter, more confident smile.

6. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizer. A bit pricey but worth it. I use it only when my face is sooo dry. But otherwise I don't use it daily. It was the only moisturizer that made my skin truly soft and luxurious the morning after using it.

7. Myra or Squibb Natural Vitamin E Capsules. 200 IU - 400IU. This is dual purpose: taking Vit E supplements makes your skin glow from the inside. Breakouts? After carefully popping a pimple and washing and disinfecting it with PanOxyl, I open a soft gel capsule and apply the liquid to the area. This prevents scarring.

The Routine:

I have very simple routine: Wash in the morning, wash at night before bed. Apply PanOxyl when necessary (make sure to wash hands because PanOxyl tends to bleach fabrics)- not just on areas where breakouts are but on the entire face. Apply THINLY.

I use sunblock when I go to the beach. Mechanical exfoliators are fine but again don't overuse- otherwise you'll scar easily when you have a breakout and you happen to squeeze you spot.

You should also get enough sleep and exercise- otherwise your routine would be for nothing. Lastly, think Happy Thoughts = ) That's probably one of the best things you can do for your skin.

Additional note 6/9/07: For some reason I started to break out a bit so I am currently switching and using Clearasil Ice Wash (it has Salicylic Acid).