Trivia: The kiat kiat fruit aka satsuma not only symbolizes wealth, the scent of its essential oil is believed by feng shui expert Joy Lim to also attract wealth—which may come in the form of either windfall luck or a lucrative business opportunity.
So, when asked which new summer scents I wanted for myself, I pounced on the Satsuma line—zeroing in on those with the highest concentration of the oil which would make the scent last: beauty oil, body polish, body butter, EDT and body mist. I walk around smelling like mouthwatering sweet and tart kiat kiat.
Believe it or not, little projects come my way, helping me make more money.
My favorite Satsuma scent is Pink Grapefruit which, Joy Lim says, washes away bad luck, which I had in loads during the year of the Dragon.
I opted for the shower gel, soap and body scrub to lather the bad luck away, and the body butter for the lasting scent to repel them.
Lancome’s new liquid foundation
It took Lancome eight years of extensive research, but it finally came up with Mat Miracle 24H Foundation Long Wear Comfort Satin Light Creator (P2,495). The bottle looks small but it takes very little of the product to spread on the face, and it feels so light you forget you are wearing it. It’s a liquid foundation with a matte finish that lasts a long time. In cold climates, it may last 24 hours. But in hot and humid weather, 12-16 hours is more realistic, depending on your skin’s oil production.
What I like: The finish is matte but does not look dry or cakey. The coverage is medium but looks sheer on the skin. When you perspire, you still look fresh. It is also formulated for Asian skin so it’s easy to find a shade that blends right in. My shade is P-01, but out of habit I still put loose powder on top to set, and I find myself having to retouch my only slightly shiny T-zone after eight hours—or longer, when in an air-conditioned room.
What it lacks: SPF is nonexistent because it would ruin the texture and finish. I use a face powder with SPF to set it, like Etude House SPF 50 powder or Pure Beauty SPF 40 whitening pressed powder. You may also use a moisturizer with SPF of at least 30 during your prep, and wait three to five minutes to apply the foundation over to make sure it sets. Make sure you have prepped (cleansed, toned and hydrated/moisturized) your skin before applying, and that your skin is well-hydrated without being too oily so the foundation blends right in and is easy to spread. Dehydrated skin will require more product to spread all over; and skin that is too oily will cause it to slide all over and spread unevenly.
Aesthetic Science promo
For a single-receipt purchase of at least P2,000 worth of skincare products, get free foot reflexology or hand paraffin treatment at Aesthetic Science. For P4,000 worth, you get a free body massage. Aesthetic Science is best known for its potent underarm whitening line, especially its whitening deo stick at P980 and Keratosis Pillaris lotion.
Its relatively inexpensive Customized Skin Care, which tackles acne, skin pigmentation and wrinkles, requires consultation with the doctor though to create the perfect combination for the individual. My facial care combination cost P1,600, so I just threw in its tinted matte SPF 45 sunblock, which gives me flawless, shine-free skin, to hit the minimum for the free reflexology. You may call tel. 8098021 (Alabang) or 8993643 (Makati).
E-mail the author at kinnyski@gmail.com.