During reunions, schoolmates I remember as having zero vanity suddenly bombard me with beauty questions.

What changed? Motherhood. Although a beautiful thing, motherhood also brings with it hormones that create havoc with a woman’s body in the form of glaring skin flaws and consequent insecurity.

Here are some of the most common problems, and my proposed remedies.

Body whitening for even skin tone all over. Many moms already have brightening for the face which works for them, but they are not willing to spend as much on the neck down.

There are two products in the market formulated by Filipino dermatologists: Glutamax (Isabel Lopez-Nazal) and Belo Essentials (Vicki G. Belo). They are formulated, tested and designed to show results within seven days. The brands carry glutathione capsules whitening body bars and soap which need to be left on skin for two to three minutes to work, and whitening body lotion for twice-a-day application. Glutamax also has a potent deodorant, while Belo has SPF 60 sunblock for the body.

Anti-aging regimen. This, to bring back the post-acne and pre-aging face and skin moms had in their 20s. Lancôme’s Genifique and Avon’s Anew Genics are among the better options. These patented formulas in serum form are designed to reactivate the youth gene to protect and repair protein and DNA.

Skin looks younger, in the sense that lines and wrinkles shallow out and brown discolorations from skin damage fade. You get glimpses of that elusive glow found naturally only in children under 10 years old, when bare skin still look great in photos. Anew Genics also has matching cream to seal in the serum.  For Lancôme, I recommend Visionnaire Cream.

A quick fix for sleep deprivation. Guerlain’s Midnight Secret, Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate and The Souk Argan oil. They’re all very light oils or serum that can be applied before sleeping. All you need is three hours of sleep, and you wake up looking refreshed and rested like a woman of leisure.

Grease fighters. The humidity and heat trigger greasy skin, which looks untidy and awful. My favorites remedies: Etude House SPF 50++ sunblock powder, which keeps face matte-looking and protected from sun damage; OC8 Mattifier, applied above sunblock to keep skin fresh and matte for eight hours without a tight and dry feeling (applying powder for touch-ups over it won’t create clumps of color, either); Garnier Light Mattifying Fairness Cream, which whitens skin and keeps it shine-free for up to six hours.

Light Matte, meanwhile, has a non-greasy texture that spreads easily. It is a unique blend of Vitamin C to help lighten skintone, Mineral clay to help absorb excess oil and UVB filters to help protect the skin daily from the harmful UV rays.

If your budget is only P200, Fashion 21 has a two-way Cake Papaya Whitening Powder Foundation for only P185. It has an amazing sponge in a separate compartment that spreads the product evenly for adjustable coverage. Won’t clump on sweaty skin, covers large pores, controls oil and has whitening ingredients. The downside: If mom is into pretty packaging, she may not like the shiny orange case.

Call 6723599 for OC8. Visit www.souqinternational.com for Souk Argan oil.