The Pillowman at CCP: Sandbox Collective

Last night, I went to CCP to watch a play, the Pillowman as done by the Sandbox Collective.

I got an unpleasant surprise I found as I discovered that it was a "Multi-Media Staged Reading."

In other words, I got to watch a screen as 4 actors performed behind a black curtain.

I don't know which group I'm more disappointed in: the Sandbox Collective for failing to supply the correct details or Ticketworld for not doing due diligence.

While the former's Facebook account does say what it really is,  below is all the info you get from the latter site:

The Pillowman Details

Aside from failing to properly advertise their show, the entire thing lasted closer to 3 hours than the promised 90 minutes.

While half the performers did well enough, reading their lines (admittedly, 2 of them did not need need their scripts and acted their parts out well), I basically paid P618 for 2D rendering of an unfinished performance.

I'd rather read the screenplay or wait for a movie version to come out.

For those who are interested, as the play stars Bong Cabrera, Art Acuna, Jojo Cayabyab and Richard Cunanan, a second reading will be done on February 24 at 8 pm.

Another Duh Moment

I've accepted that I am, and probably forever will be, acne-prone. One of the reasons is that I have a tendency to sleep without washing my face, sometimes even if I have make up on.

Some time ago, I got a bunch of zits near my hairline and I found it super unfair that I got them because even if I did wore make-up, I triple-cleansed with coconut oil, Bifesta and Clean and Clear. So why did I get those zits?

At first I thought it was my shampoo, which I didn't have problems with before. It took me a while to realize that it was because the facial surface area I cleaned probably wasn't enough. I blended my foundation into my hairline but didn't triple cleanse there, missing the bits that tend to have the most oil.

Note to self: Don't miss your hairline while washing your face!

Favorites: 2015

In honor of Valentine's Day and Friday the 13th, I thought I'd give a short post and reminisce on the best beauty basics I've loved (and lost) over the years.

Best Cleanser: Skintel Soap (Discontinued)

Before Skintel's rebranding as an anti-ageing line in it's multi-hued glory, it used to be an anti-acne line for teens. Their bar soap was the most cost effective way of decreasing my zits, both face and body. This success has never been replicated by the other acid bars I've tried.

Best Toner: VMV Superskin 3 Toner

I've just recently finished another bottle, so this isn't exactly a loss, but I'm on the fence about buying right now since I want to give my skin a rest from antibiotics: this product contains clindamycin. This is also very good for those suffering from acne with oily skin.

Best Moisturizer: Estee Lauder DayWear Plus Anti-Oxidant Creme SPF 15 (Discontinued)

This was a product discontinued a while back and resurrected as DayWear Advance. I had a tub before given to me as a gift, but honestly, I can't afford trying the new version on my own. I really liked it because it was very light and fresh - and prevented me from turning into an oil slick in the middle of the day.

Gluta-C Underarm & Bikini Skin Whitening Gel

I’ve been avoiding it long enough, but here it is: Gluta-C Underarm and Bikini Skin Whitening Gel. Why have I been avoiding it? Because, honestly, I’m not a very consistent user and it isn’t fair of me to talk about it without giving it a fair shake, metaphorically speaking.

However, since it’s been with me for a while now, I think that this is already about the most compliant I can be with this product, and this is what I’ve found compared to its claims:

Gluta-C Underarm & Bikini Skin Whitening Gel Box - Front

1.     Whitening – no, but it has been preventing further darkening. Some would say that I should be using it everyday twice a day for a long period of time to see the whitening effect, but I believe that part of what makes a product effective is how well people can stick to it. And try as I have, I can’t really stick to it.

2.     Delays hair growth – no, but my hair doesn’t grow quickly. More hirsute users might see a difference.

3.     Softens and smoothens skin – yes, it helps prevent unsightly bumps.

4.     Antibacterial – not sure. You can use it without an anti-perspirant and it will keep you fresh for a few hours, but not as well as one.

5.     Fragrance-free – yes. You’re actually supposed to use this product under a deodorant.

By the way, I’ve just been using it on my underarms, so it might be a different case for different areas.

Gluta-C Underarm & Bikini Skin Whitening Gel Box - Back

Now, this product is a water based gel, so it sinks faster than a cream, but not as quickly as I would like. I end up wasting time in the morning just waiting for it to dry so most days, I end up using this only at night. It doesn't seem to stain clothes, but I wait until it's completely dry before wearing anything with sleeves.

I haven’t seen the whitening and hair growth delay on once a day application. Since I can't get to perfect-use, I can just say that at my usual-use, it has no whitening and hair growth retarding effect. However, since it does reduce friction between skin, it might prevent further skin darkening and have a "lightening" effect on some people.

What I do like about this product is that I can use it the next day post wax as it’s perfectly sting-free and soothes the redness that remains. I end up using this as a deodorant for a few days, so I do see value in it: but not as a skin whitener. It also comes in a tube, which makes it very hygienic.

Gluta-C Underarm & Bikini Skin Whitening Gel

Will I repurchase this? Maybe, At P200, it works quite well as a post-wax product without the heavy price tag, but I don't see myself finishing this tube anytime soon.