Lulur originated from the royal palaces of Java, Indonesia, and was used by brides-to-be in a beautifying ritual shortly before their wedding. Since lulur came to the Philippines last year, it became an instant hit! It cleansed and smoothened skin wonderfully so it's no wonder that more brands are coming in.

When I heard about the Purbasari Lulur Mandi Putih, the first thing I wanted to know was if it would match or even best my favorite lulur scrub - Asian Secrets. I don't want to play coy. Both products are housed in the same jar, they also look and feel the same, and can be both be purchased in drugstores for P130. Which is better? 

The first thing I noticed about Purbasari is the smell. I didn't particularly like it. It's this heavy, soapy, grandma smell that turned me off. I didn't want to use it but for the sake of this blog...it was a pleasant surprise.

Beauty blogging has allowed me to reach out to women who want to be more beautiful but just don't know where to begin. Thus, when Asian Secrets asked me to run a contest for them, I was ecstatic! Not often do I get the chance to work with a great product as well as help new people through it. 

After announcing the winners, I set about purchasing and booking P40,000 worth of prizes. Here's my post with pictures of the winners and what they got! This post is about Kirby's makeover.

I was really excited about meeting the bride. I wanted to find out more about her and her wedding plans! Kirby is actually a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who is now taking Law at the University of the Philippines. Her soon-to-be husband is a scientist. Talk about intimidating!

So you've read all the raves for Asian Secrets lulur on GirlTalk and on my posts. Have you ever wondered though - what makes Asian Secrets effective in terms of whitening and moisturizing? Well, some of its key ingredients are green tea, Vitamin E and squalane. They're nothing extraordinary since there are tons of beauty products featuring the same ingredients but together they are an unstoppable force.

Green tea helps with sun protection and aging. It combats free radicals and reduce inflammation instead of blocking UV rays (which is what sunblock does). The result is smoother, more supple skin.

I was very dark-skinned when I was younger. My parents and brother are all fair, so it was a mystery as to why I was so tan! Well, I didn't really mind because even at a young age I was taught to be happy in the skin I'm in. Fair or dark-skinned, I still can achieve the things I want to achieve.

Coming up, a LOL high school photo!

Dark in sophomore (?) year

It was when I was in the senior year of high school when my skin started to lighten, apparently all by itself. I used lotions, but they were purely just for moisturizing. Not that I complained! Having lighter skin gave me confidence when I was in college. I just maintained this color until now with a healthy dose of SPF when going out and making sure to stay out of the sun as much as humanly possible.

Take note, I'm not that maputi, but I suppose I'm fair enough to be mistaken as Korean by around 90% of all cab drivers. -_-

So let me segue to a question: should we lighten our skin? On one hand we should be happy with the color we’re born with. On the other hand, we want to feel better and more comfortable about ourselves by having fairer skin.

My answer?

I don't buy magazines. Well, with one exception! I love Yummy because that's where I get ideas for cooking. I mean sure, I can probably find those recipes in the internet, but I buy Yummy because I can tear the pages and bring them to the supermarket. The pictures help me visualize what I'll be making!

As for other magazines like Cosmo, Mega, Preview, I prefer to read them online. It's an entirely different format and there are no editorials but I'm content since I can find those in other sources.

The only time I ever get to leaf through magazines is when I visit my mom's house. She has stacks of the stuff! She loves showbiz so she follows Yes! She gets Cosmo from one of my Titas who lends it to her. Last weekend, I set down my usual routine and started reading some old magazines. Guess what I saw!

I've written before that Indonesian lulur was originally invented for brides who need to look beautiful on their special day. It helps slough off dead skin cells without removing moisture and, if used regularly, should even out and lighten your skin! But of course, great skin, while an absolute must-have, isn't the only thing you need to have on your wedding day. There are other details you need to take care of to get that makeover before the big day!

Asian Secrets wants to congratulate all brides-to-be* out there by giving them a chance to win a full body makeover package worth P15,000. It will include a relaxing spa day, waxing, hair cut, color, facial, nails, makeup lessons, and other similar treatments in the best salons all over the metro. Aside from that, we will also be giving the lucky bride a beauty loot worth P5,000 which she can use on her wedding day. I will be personally handpicking what goes in there (definitely NARS, MAC, and other favorites!). She will also win a supply of Asian Secrets.

Not a bride-to-be? Don't worry! There will be a second winner. The winner will get a 32 gig iPod Touch to help with her daily productivity and lifestyle. She will also get a beauty loot worth P6,000 full of goodies to be handpicked by me. She will also win a supply of Asian Secrets.

My gosh, I already envy the winners. Here's how to join!

I have never heard of lulur before the kind folks behind Asian Secrets clued me in. So what is lulur? There is an ancient Indonesian custom that requires future brides to apply a luxurious body scrub mix 40 days before their wedding.  The lulur is traditionally made from jasmine, ground rice, green tea, scented moisturizing oils, and yogurt. This practice of applying lulur originated from the palaces of Java, and is intended as a purifying, beautifying ritual to prepare brides-to-be for the big day.

Of course, you don't have to be a bride to reap the benefits of lulur! It's for every woman (and man, if they are so inclined) who loves having radiant, soft skin. 

Finally, lulur is here in the Philippines. The brand is called Asian Secrets - apt, if I may add, since this beauty ritual is indeed one of Indonesia's best-kept secrets. It is marketed as a luxe whitening body scrub, formulated to target dark skin areas like armpits, elbows, knees, and the singit. 

Asian Secrets is available exclusively in Watsons and Beauty by SM. 250g/P130 and 135g/P80

What I love about this product:

• It's a gentle yet effective exfoliating scrub. I hate abrasive scrubs that feel like my skin is rubbed raw! The lulur felt light but still left my skin feeling squeaky clean after I rinsed it off. 
• It's creamy and moisturizing. I didn't have to apply lotion afterwards. No kidding. This is a huge achievement for a body scrub. I scratched a fingernail on my arm and look ma, no dry white lines!