We've all been there: we wake up with a zit right before an important event. Whether it's a date, an outing, or a big presentation, a pimple can be a big downer. And with people still dealing with maskne, we're all trying to find quick solutions. I recently tried the complete Acnes line by Mentholatum and here's what I found.

Hello Glow is back with another skincare set! As I said in my previous review of their Acne Defense Set, these kits are fantastic for those who are skincare beginners on a tight budget. It’s just so much more convenient to have everything as a set, and in a travel-friendly size at that for those constantly on the go.

The Hello Glow Blemish Miracle Set (P275) contains four products that aim to exfoliate and brighten skin with acids. It has an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) in the form of citric acid, and Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) in the form of salicylic acid. If you’re wondering what’s different between this and their Acne Defense Set, the Blemish Miracle has a higher concentration of salicylic acid and of course has that boost of AHA for deeper exfoliation.

I was a malikot kid growing up, always running around and getting into all sorts of accidents. From scraping my knee, breaking my arm, to getting my head bashed on a wall by an overzealous cousin, I’ve had the kind of childhood that was possible only because we didn’t have Internet at home yet. You’d think my skin would be covered in scars, but I only have a few discreet ones thanks to my mom’s favorite wound cream: Terramycin.

Fighting acne is no walk in the park. It takes a lot of time, effort, and frustration especially when you’re dealing with the hormonal kind. I never had to deal with acne growing up. But I developed hormonal imbalance as an adult and this manifested itself on my skin.

I’ve tried every wonder ingredient out there for skincare products and while they did help, they were not addressing the problem at its root cause. I don’t want to keep treating acne, I want to stop it from even forming. What really helped me was a visit to my gynecologist while we were living in Berlin to see whether my problem was truly internal. Spoiler alert: It was.

Which age group comes to your mind first when we talk of acne? Teens? Adults? Acne may first appear during the puberty period but do you know that there’s also such a thing as adult acne? I don’t get a lot of cases of it in my practice but it has a big impact in the quality of life of adults, may lower their self-esteem and/or may cause depression or anxiety.

Acne or pimple patches have been one of the skincare trends that have gained momentum since it was introduced by Korean beauty brands. I myself have used them during a certain time of the month because of hormonal acne. In fact, I have a small stash of them set aside when the need arises. But have you ever wondered how they work?

If you’ve been dealing with acne for most of your life like I am, you’re probably looking for new products for both acne and its ‘souvenirs’ – hyperpigmentation and post-acne marks.

I’ve been looking for a good acne treatment to add to my current regimen when I found out about Oxecure, a skincare brand that focuses on acne-control for the face and body. I was instantly intrigued by the brand’s promise to deliver results in six hours.

I’ve talked about acne last time but now let me discuss one of the two dreaded consequences from having a breakout – post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation or PIH. This happens because any inflammation to the skin (e.g. acne, eczema, irritant/allergic reaction, trauma, etc.) will have inflammatory cells causing a cascade of events that will lead to melanocytes (pigment-producing cells of the skin) to produce more melanin – what’s causing the skin pigmentation.

Since puberty I’ve had to deal with painful, cystic acne and the deep pitted scars they’d leave in their wake. It was a long journey but these days I wake up with clear skin - a vast improvement from just a few years ago. I still have some scars but they’re on their way out. I even stopped wearing foundation recently!

The difference between then and now was a PCOS diagnosis, and learning to avoid foods that trigger it.

My first bout with tretinoin was not a good one. In fact, it caused me my first trip to the dermatologist. I was in middle school and suffering from acne. And since I was a teen who didn’t know any better and would pick at my pimples, I ended up with many dark scars or hyperpigmentation! I would constantly look for quick ways to get rid of the marks. Out of curiosity, I tried using Maxi Peel’s #3 Exfoliant Solution (because I was a badass - don’t be like me) after seeing ads about it.

Yesterday, a member of the Project Vanity Community on Facebook desperately needed a solution for the blackheads on her nose. I know how frustrating it can be, especially when the pore strips and masks don’t seem to work. However it’s important to understand that there’s no instant cure to blackheads unless you plan to manually extract each and every one of them. EVEN THEN, they’ll come back after a few weeks. You have to play the long game here and to understand where they come from.

I know how frustrating it is to manage serious acne. I regularly go to the derma, I’ve tried different products and treatments, and I’ve even worked on improving my sleep quality and mental wellness to help manage my stress. But I think the most difficult part of acne is the aftermath. They often leave marks - physical scars, and sometimes even emotional ones. While there are many ways to treat hyperpigmentation, acne scarring often affects skin texture, causing a rough and uneven surface. How do you treat this type of acne scarring?

Before buying skincare, you probably read hundreds of reviews before hitting the checkout button. Of course it's important to know if the product you're eyeing causes people to breakout, but you may also see some reviews that talk about “an initial purge”. Because purging is also characterized by the appearance of acne, it can be confusing to tell the difference between the two. Should you keep using the product and allow the purging phase to finish, or should you throw it out stat?

I had one of the worst breakouts of my life three years ago. There I was, trying out some high-end, cult favorite skincare and fully expecting to look like Kendall Jenner after 30 days. To my heartbreak, my skin broke out in clumps of tiny, angry, itchy bumps instead! After a few months and trying some similar products, I realized that what I had at the time was actually fungal acne.

The most potent skincare potions usually get the revered label, “Sleep in a Bottle”. As someone who doesn’t get a lot of sleep on the regular, the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intense Reset Concentrate (P4,800 for 20ml) promise of waking up to better skin certainly appealed to me. I especially I wondered how it could possibly improve on a routine that already included the iconic Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II (P4,200 for 30ml) which made my skin smooth and glowy despite being sick.

More than just serving as overnight relief, it’s now common to wear acne patches even during the day. We now have patch options that are thin and almost invisible, with some claiming to even be wearable under makeup! If you feel self-conscious about an angry red bump, covering it with an acne patch before applying a face base allows it to heal better compared to direct contact with makeup. But will it actually work? 

Have you ever had a pimple suddenly show up right before an important event? Now, I’m the kind of person who doesn’t usually have acne (because of my dry skin) but I’ve gotten Super Bad Timing Pimples more than a few times! It’s the kind of situation that makes you feel extra desperate to try every single spot treatment available, or maybe even consider popping the pustule with the fervent hope that it doesn’t leave a lasting scar. We all want a quick fix, even just for normal days, because who wants to be seen with pimples?

If you’ve ever had pimples, chances are that you’ve also experienced getting cystic acne. These pimples occur deep in the skin, making them extremely painful and also very difficult to get rid of. Worst of all, they often last for weeks and can’t be treated with your normal routine. Don’t feel desperate though; we’re here to help!

My first bout with tretinoin was not a good one. In fact, it caused me my first trip to the dermatologist. I was in middle school and suffering from acne. And since I was a teen who didn’t know any better and would pick at my pimples, I ended up with many dark scars or hyperpigmentation! I would constantly look for quick ways to get rid of the marks. Out of curiosity, I tried using Maxi Peel’s #3 Exfoliant Solution (because I was a badass - don’t be like me) after seeing ads about it.

My patron singer Santa Mariah, along with Tita Whitney, once sang that there can be miracles when you believe. TBQH, I immediately ignore any product that claims to be miraculous. But thanks to all the persuasive marketing and my insecurity of having adult acne, I volunteered my face to try the Some By Mi AHA BHA PHA Miracle Toner.