Discover Mischka Derma's Secret

It's been months since summer 2014 but my skin complexion hasn't recovered yet from several unwanted tanning episodes. I always have this ambivalent feeling of wanting to dip in the water for long hours and hating myself after for getting tawny whenever I visit the beach. For 'morenas' like me, it's quite difficult to win back that 'lighter' skin complexion.

So after receiving a whitening loot from Ms. Michelle Rivera of Mischka Derma Secret, I was just so excited to use them. I've received 2 packages-- the first one was a set of soap and whitening lotion and the other one 3 tubs of hair and skin care products. 

Mischka Derma Secret offers a line of eco-friendly beauty products which are all derma-formulated with maximum supervision of health professionals. The company's mission is to create healthy skin by providing natural and therapeutic skin care formulas rich in antioxidants, vitamins and botanicals. And true to its mission, their product ingredients are all combination of organic materials.

When I opened the package, the products were carefully sealed in bubble wraps. Though not really that fragile, it was nice that they make sure they're  protected from being damaged or cracked. The products are neatly wrapped in plastic and everything you need to know are written on the packaging label.

I've received three different soaps-- one anti-aging, another whitening and an exfoliating soap.

Oatmeal and Almond Soap. An extra gentle exfoliating bar that also soothes and defends skin against dryness and irritation. It is enriched with the best combination of cocoate glycerin, oat, kernel flour and almond extract. 

Calamansi with Honey Soap. A skin whitener with a high amount of alpha hydroxyl acids. Since it has calamansi, it also has deodorizing properties. 

Milky White Soap. Contains goat's milk which help exfoliate dead skin cells while retaining smoother and younger looking skin. It also has lactic acid that promotes skin whitening and acts as an anti-aging agent.

For almost a month now, I religiously used them alternating one with the other. So far I already consumed my bar of Oatmeal and Almond soap. It was my favorite among the 3. I like the milky smell and smoothing feel it leaves my skin. But what I really love is the gentle exfoliating it gives whenever the oatmeal beads rub against my skin.

Recommendations: It might be a little irritating for persons with sensitive skin. It left a mild stinging sensation whenever I leave the lather longer than 2 minutes, which is manageable to me since I'm already used to dermatologist-prescribed soaps like those I've used for acne which leave a stinging sensation. But so far, there have been no other irritations nor breakouts on me. Just a tip for those with really sensitive skin and would like to try the products, consider trying to apply for less than a minute first if it would produce any untoward reactions.

Inside the loot was a Triple Whitening lotion which I use to reinforce my whitening. I's Mischka Derma Secret's advanced formulation that produces triple action-- lightening, whitening and brightening.

This product contains pineapple (bromelain) and papaya (papain) enzymes which help wash away dead skin cells to reveal brighter and healthier-looking skin. Also, these fruits also has high amounts of antioxidants to help fight free radicals that damage your skin cells.

What I love about this product is the light fruity scent  it has when you apply. It lathers too well that it looks sticky on the skin but you almost does not feel it after completely rubbing. Plus, you only need to put an ample amount on your skin so one bottle can last you a month or two. I still haven't emptied mine after 1 month of usage.

Here are my before and after pics after using for almost 1 month. Disclaimer: There's little lighting on the 2nd photo. You can still compare the complexion on my forearm.

As with the whitening process, it's really never easy as 1, 2, 3. Trust me, I've been a morena all my life and I've practically tried most budget whitening products there are in the market-- from soaps, toners, moisturizers, lotion, etc. But remember that a little goes a long way. 

Now, will I repurchase? Certainly!

For orders and more information about the brand, kindly visit their social media sites:

http://mischkadermasecret.com 

https://www.facebook.com/MischkaDermaSecret

http://instagram.com/mischkadermasecret

Disclaimer: All reviews on this blog are the honest opinion of the author. They are not, in any way, affected by sponsor samples.

'Coz I'm Not Your Typical Backpacker at Tune Hotel Clark

This September, we pretty much spent our 2 weekends in Angeles, Pampanga. Yehess! That's 2 weekends. Hooray for minor rotations. Anyway, Kel joined two consecutive duathlon races there and since we're always running on tight budgets, we made sure to look for cozy yet reasonably-priced hotels.

If you have been to Clark, I'm sure you'll realize why it was to me the Hotel Capital of the Philippines. Haha. There's probably no single corner in Clark that does not boast a hotel or an inn. But most of them are a bit pricey for us. 

A year ago, I came across Tunes Hotel on the net when I was looking for budget hotels in Manila. And it has a cool system of "Pay As You Use" back then that is like personalizing your own room (I don't really know if this was obsolete now, but this feature was not available in Clark or they just didn't provide us that option).  When I say 'personalize', the hotel gives you the privilege to set what amenities such as TV, hot/cold shower, A/C you would like in your room and for how long-- 6 or 12 hours? Doesn't really matter. Then, you're charged with the corresponding amount of your consumption. 

So when we returned to Clark during our 2nd week, I told my husband I wanted to try Tunes Hotel in Angeles. Since we were staying with our kid, Kel reserved a double room in advance for us. You surely cannot miss the hotel. It has a signature red and white-colored facade. Apart from this, it also has a convenient location in the city-- near restaurants, convenient stores, spa and the mall. 

 Photo grabbed from Tune Hotels website

When we arrived, we were ushered to the main elevator by their polite reception staff. You cannot get inside the elevator without having your electronic keycard first. At the 2nd floor, we were greeted by their accommodating staff at the information desk and provided us with our keycard. Check-in was hassle-free and they also gave us the password for their wifi before we left. What's also nice is that even if we arrived a little earlier than their check-in time, there have been no problem waiting.

Due to the great amount of guests who booked on the same day prior to the duathlon race, the hotel was almost fully booked at that time. We were given a room instead at the 9th floor, not bit of a problem for me but for Kel who has to carry his bike all the way to our room. Hihi.

Upon entering the room, we realized how this is not the family-friendly type of hotel. It was a bit small for a family of 3 and if the other one's a kid. I say to myself this is probably for the business people and the backpackers. Anyway, I didn't really expect much so I just easily shove the idea off. The interior was modern in brown and white and it certainly looks cozy.

Our room has a soft and comfy matrimonial bed with 2 pillows. By the way, I am very particular with hotel pillows because I don't like lying almost flat on bed. If there was one turn-off for me, it must be the pillows. Haha. I just don't like it too soft that it deflates much when lied upon. Their bedding smells good anyway.

The room has a built-in cable TV and one thing I liked about it is that it's Cignal cable. Haha! It lets you see the shows in line flashed on the screen whenever you switch channels. The room also has an airconditioning system and a ceiling fan probably for those who doesn't want to use the aircon when it's cold. It also has electronic safety deposit box and a pull-down desk for your laptop just beside the bed. There's also a built-in towel and clothes rack to save space-- an alternative to your usual room closet. What I hope was also there, though, was a mini fridge for our food and a telephone inside the room. If you need to phone in an operator, you still need to go the elevator where it is located for communal use.

One thing that is really nice about Tunes Hotel was that even if it was minimally priced, we were given an electronic keycard access, the one that you need to have to gain access into the hotel lobby and your room-- just like those that they use in 5-star hotels so they could limit the number of non-hotel staying visitors. Also, as in many other hotels, you need this to activate your room's electronic power--just a good way of saving electricity for hotels.

The bathroom was clean and all white and the shower was unusually spacious and is separated from the toilet by a glass door, which was nice. Their showers are high-pressure, heated power showers. Me and my little kid can take a bath at the same time. One thing lacking in their bathroom are the toiletries. You really need to bring your own because they will only provide you with a shampoo and soap. Good thing for me-- a hair dryer is available. 

We checked out at past 1pm. The hotel check-out time is at 11 am. We decided we just extend for 2 more hours to rest after the race for a minimum amount of Php 300.

Overall, I'd stay I had a good stay in Tune Hotel. Here's my final verdict:

Value for money:  4/5

Location:  5/5

Sleep quality:  4/5

Staff performance:  3/5

Hotel cleanliness:  5/5

Food/dining:  3/5

Tune Hotel - Angeles City (Clark Airport)
Don Juico Avenue, Malabanias,
Angeles City, Pampanga
Philippines

Tel:+63 45 4590888