For most people, the 15th and 30th of the month mean paydays, but for me, they’re skin-care days. That is when I take the time to take care of my skin.

But since I don’t have time to go to a spa or get a facial every two weeks, I’ve been slowly making it a habit, at least, to use a facial mask at home.

I’m actually on my third tube of Mario Badescu’s Collagen Mask. It lasts long, over three months in my case; my second tube hardened before I got to finish it.

This is not my first time to write about the the Badescu treatment; I do love it that much. I had been using Mario Badescu’s Vitamin C Serum for quite some time when I decided to try its collagen mask as well and have been sold to it ever since.

I’m a sucker for anything with collagen.  I would get collagen facials, but the mask was half the price of a facial so I gave it a shot, and I am very pleased with the results.

Every day I use Badescu’s Enzyme Cleansing Gel to wash away the gunk on my face. Since I try not to use too much makeup, especially because the weather has been crazily humid, this product works for me. My skin feels fresh, nourished and supple right after, it smells good, too.

Before the mask I use Mario Badescu’s Almond and Honey Non-Abrasive facial scrub. It’s recommended to be used at least twice a day.

Come to think of it I haven’t gotten a collagen facial for quite a while. I am not dissing collagen facial. I just wish I had the time to get one regularly, but honestly, the mask doesn’t disappoint.

Skin type

When you’re choosing a skin-care product, your first consideration should be your skin type.  This is a no-brainer—but when I was much younger, my priorities were the  smell of the product and the packaging. Come to think of it I’m not even sure if I really knew my skin type.

Now, I am drawn to products that are anti-aging.

Why collagen? We all produce collagen, which provides the skin with strength and keeps it flexible. However, as we age, collagen production declines, resulting in wrinkles. This makes collagen very important in anti-aging.

My game plan is to try and use products with collagen even before I see premature wrinkles.

Antioxidant

There are other ways to get collagen into our system.  Another product is Belo Nutraceuticals Glutathione + Collagen pills.

Glutathione is the mother of all antioxidants and whitens skin, while collagen is the most dominant protein in the body that provides the skin with strength, elasticity and resilience, making this pill a powerhouse of anti-aging. I took this for two months and had to stop because I got pregnant.

I had actually forgotten about this pill, until I was writing this article. Since I’m done with breastfeeding I can take it again.

I didn’t really want to get white, I was just using it for the collagen. I took it once a day although it is recommended it be taken twice a day. It did wonders to my skin, giving it a certain glow that it never had before. I highly recommend this product.

A more aggressive way to get new collagen is through Polaris. I go to Makati Med’s Laser Clinic for treatment of my underarms which takes less than 20 minutes. I asked my dermatologist what she thought would be good for my skin and she said it might be too early for other treatments but if I insisted on having something done, I might as well try Polaris.

Polaris is a treatment using high radio frequency to deliver heat into the dermal layers, causing new collagen and structural changes that will help tighten the skin on the face and neck.

This treatment not only promotes the growth of collagen but also significantly works on  fine lines, wrinkles, acne and pigmentation.

It does a lot for the skin but has no down time and no pain. I am highly considering having this done. Ask your dermatologist if it would be good for you.