Review: GT Witch Hazel Extract Clarifiance (Toner)

I had a major breakout when I got pregnant. Not that I already have clear skin prior to becoming pregnant--I already have problematic skin even before pregnancy, but pregnancy made it worse. It's hard not to be conscious about how you look while pregnant, thanks to the major changes going on with the body mainly caused by fluctuating hormones. But it doesn't stop with the physical changes. Since being pregnant means taking care of your body while nurturing a baby inside, it also meant that one cannot just take anything available out there, especially strong and harsh products. So to find a solution for my pimpled face during pregnancy, I went out on a search for something mild, natural, non-chemical based skin care products. One of which I decided to try is the product that's up for review right now, the GT Witch Hazel Extract Clarifiance toner.

image from GT Cosmetics' Facebook page album

GT Cosmetics is a local, non-mainstream Filipino brand that is based in Cebu. I really am not aware that they exist if I had not seen their products in Watsons' shelves. I've read good benefits about witch hazel and its potency and effectiveness against pimples so I decided to give this a try.

My bottle, already all used up.

Bought this at Watsons for Php 70.00. Also one reason why I didn't hesitate to try--it's quite cheap.


Claims and Ingredients

A skin cleanser and freshener with rejuvenating effect. Effectively removes make up, dead skin, dark spots and other skin blemishes, leaving skin smooth, wrinkle free, fresh and young looking. Very mild and safe even to sensitive skin.

DIRECTION FOR USE:
Wet cotton ball and gently rub on face using upward circular motion. Clean face morning and evening, once or as required.

Ingredients:
Water, Ethyl Alcohol, Ethanol Enert, Hamamelis Virginia (Witch Hazel) extract, CI 42053

So from what I understand according to the ingredients, this product contains more alcohol than the Witch Hazel extract.


My Experience
I found it too drying on first use, like my face is going to crack. Maybe because of the alcohol. So even if I hadn't seen its effect on my pimples yet, I decided to stop using it then for the fear of wounding my face because of over-dryness. It might be also because I was using it then with an already drying facial soap. So this sat for quite some time in my cabinet.

After a while and so that my Php 70.00 won't just go to waste, I decided to give it another try. My face has changed into a very oily one so I guess the alcohol won't be a problem (though it still kind of bothers me) and was using a milder facial wash at the time.

For the cleansing and makeup removing claim, I don't really rely much on toners for facial cleansing, so I am not inclined to use this as cleanser alone no matter how tired I am to wash my face. I would rather use a makeup remover, preferably water based, for that purpose. For the freshening and rejuvenating effect, yes it has that but I think it's because of the alcohol again. Although this time, I didn't feel it dry my face much, probably because my facial skin has shifted into being a very oily one. In fact it felt milder than using Eskinol facial cleansers. That's why I've come to use up all the contents.

As for the main purpose I bought this for which is to help with my breakout, I think it did. There were times that I even just use this as last step at night before I go to sleep, because adding moisturizer made my face icky and sticky already, then it itches and will add more breakouts. Yes, my face went crazy like that. But using this toner helped to stop, minimize, and even heal some pimples. I have 2 cystic ones that's already dried up now, but I didn't achieve it overnight. It took me at least one week's everyday use to see improvement. I know it's quite a while but better that than no results at all. My face is slightly, but significantly clearer now compared to before. I think it also helped with the oil control.

Will I buy this again? There's a possibility because it's cheap and effective, but the alcohol content holds me back so I'm still currently searching for a better alternative. I am currently using Dickinson's Original Witch Hazel pore perfecting toner which I got from Healthy Options and just started this week so I'm still yet to see if this would be a better option.

My Experience with a Konjac Sponge

I'm here to share my experience in using the konjac sponge. I didn't bother to capitalize the letters as I'm not talking about the brand, but the thing itself. I got a generic one.

I was on the search for a more effective way of cleansing my face and was Google-ing (since when did this become a word?) for options. I saw my husband is in the habit of cleaning his face with a face towel and he has a clearer skin than me so I thought maybe I should incorporate the same method in cleansing my face. I'm just not fond of using a face towel because I think it accumulates soap residue over time, which makes it feel icky and makes it a double effort to wash. It's just so hard to maintain. My interest in using this started when I read about this in one beauty blogger's post.

A bit of more background:
I am currently 21 weeks pregnant (about 5 months). My skin broke out bad when I started my pregnancy. Because someone pregnant can't just use anything for the safety of the baby/fetus, I was not able to use my go to skin treatment during a bad breakout because it contains harsh chemicals, including Retin-A, and this is no no if you're pregnant. That and several chemicals that are usually contained in products to help eliminate a bad case of acne the soonest possible time. Not only was I not able to use my trusted regimen in case my acne goes out of hand, but I was also limited to just using mild cleansers. And so my search started again.

It was very hard for me to have a trial and error during a bad breakout because people notice if it goes worse and they tend to blame me for using a lot of products and think that's why I get pimples. I have a really pimple prone skin, and I noticed that when I get to find something that works, the effect starts to wear off over time and I'm again having bumps and redness even if I didn't change anything with my routine. I guess my skin is the type that needs variety and most of the time, it's really tiresome and money consuming because it means I have to search and purchase for what will work again once my skin get used to something.

Okay... so that didn't turn out to be a "bit". I'll get on with the subject.

What Is Konjac?

"Amorphophallus Konjac" the KONJAC POTATO is a perennial plant, native to Asia and sometimes known as  Konnyaku. For over a century, the Japanese have been using the konjac vegetable as a beauty treatment for their delicate skin.

Amorphophallus konjac is an alkaline and is loaded with goodness. It contains  so many natural goodies, we won't name them all, but here are just some of them! Protein, carbohydrate, iron, phosphorus, copper, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin D, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C and  folic acid, (Source: The Konjac Sponge Company Ltd.)

I find the last paragraph a bit of an oversell but maybe it's a fact. I just don't think it would be of any benefit if you're having it as a cleanser because all those vitamins and minerals would just be touching the surface of your skin, and would be rinsed afterwards so I don't think the benefit lies in there. Anyway, I just read it like this: IT'S ALL NATURAL. Not synthetic. And safe for sensitive skin (or a vulnerable person, like a pregnant woman).

That alone is reason enough for me to give this a shot. I have also read that it's gentle so I tried to shop online first for something I can get. However, the cheapest I saw sells at Php 365. Kind of expensive for some kind of foam I think. Besides, I also got a bit more info from that same beauty blogger that one can get this in Landmark at a much much cheaper price. So on I went to Landmark Makati to get myself one. And I ended up getting four :).

See the reason why? It's so cheap for only Php 54.75!

Side by side with the one showing the product view side

(Excuse the image quality. I took this from my table situated in front of our window, and the curtains are colored pink, hence the pinkish hue and the seemingly washed off lighting.) I got so overwhelmed with how cheap it was compared to getting only one piece online so I decided to stock up for future use, and because Landmark Makati is quite a long travel from where I come from. And I came to like this more because the size is just right for the face, whereas the one sold online I think is maybe about double or triple the size of this. It's sold dehydrated and feels hard like a pumice stone but expands and turns into soft and fluffy sponge once wet.

See? Like a pumice stone, only white.

How to use it?

There were instructions in the back of the plastic so no worries about how you'd go about starting to use it, although it's fool proof because this is basically just a sponge. You dip it in clean water (preferable warm since this is for the face), wait for a few minutes for the sponge to soak and absorb some water and it's ready to use. It says in the packaging that it can be used alone without any soap or cleanser (so is with the branded ones) or you can use it with a facial soap or your favorite cleanser. I personally use this with my organic facial soap. I rinse my face, lather with soap, then put some soap on the sponge and use it to clean my face. Then I rinse, and massage my face again with a rinsed sponge and splash my face with water again.

Beside the wet and ready to use sponge. The dehydrated one fits into my hand and I can still slightly close my fingers, while it's almost the size of my whole hand when it's wet. I'd just be able to grip it on the edges but since it's become so soft, it would bend easily.

How to store

The product comes with a string attached to it so you can just hang it to expose to air or to dry when not in use. Something soft and organic like this would tend to attract mold if left wet and not exposed to air. I've read that these things can last up to a month's or more use but my first one didn't last for more than 2 weeks for a certain reason. I did follow the instruction to hang it to dry but one time, I forgot to hang it and just left it sitting in my bath caddy and when I was about to use it next day, I found it looking like a bitten cookie, or dough bread. Apparently the cockroaches made a meal out of it. The image of dirty cockoaches crawling and nibbling on the sponge that I use on my face disgusted me so sad to say, I threw it with just a few days use. I am now using a new one, thankfully I purchased back ups. What I'm doing right now to save it from the cockroaches is to keep it in a clear jar with air vents to still give it some air circulation when I'm not using it for a long time (i.e. at night time before I sleep) and hang it to open air on frequent use. I just have to make sure not to forget or else the roaches would again feast on it.


How it went for me

First thing I noticed when I saw and touched it after it became wet is it's really soft. Visually, I describe it as like a "puto" because it's white and fluffy, only you can't eat it. I'd say I had a good experience with it, for I find myself sometimes lingering with massaging it in my face. And like I said, I use it in 2 steps: with soap and after rinsing. It's not abrasive for a sponge and even if it looks grainy because of the holes, it doesn't feel grainy at all because of its jelly-like texture. The feel is not even comparable to wiping a soft cloth on your face, for it's a lot softer than that. I do find myself massaging it in my face for about a minimum of 1 or 2 minutes or longer because it really feels great. It's like giving your face a massage. The softness doesn't affect its cleansing properties at all because when I rinse, I feel a significant difference compared to just lathering soap or cleanser in my face using my hands. It really feels clean, but not to the point that it's squeaky that your face would feel dry and taut. Just clean and still soft. Amazing effect actually.


I don't think though that this helps with blackheads or whiteheads, at least instantly. I still think it offers exfoliation because it's still rougher than your fingers, but only very gentle exfoliation that it's safe for everyday use. It just offers a little more leverage than just wiping foam or bubbles or goop over your skin. But the feel after cleansing with this is much much better than just with using your bare hands. So I'd still prefer using this every time I cleanse, for it also helps it rinsing off left over micro or nano particles of cleanser that may accumulate and clog pores. Also, using this saves me the effort of using a toner to prep my skin for moisturizing. I don't use toner anymore. As I mentioned I use this 2 step for the reason of making sure that no soap is left over my skin. And it does feel that way. So I use this to cleanse and tone. I have not noticed any remarkable difference with the condition of my face with the breakouts, but it did help control future pimples from developing, maybe because it cleanses off any product that would clog up pores, it's that effective in cleansing. And so with the help of this and since I just maintain a mild skin care regimen, my breakout were at least minimized and my skin's condition is gradually improving.

I am honestly seeing myself having this as part of my staple in skin cleansing. I would certainly choose this over a cloth. I've read that this can't be relied on to remove makeup and I think it makes sense because some makeups are waterproof and so it's still advisable to start with a makeup remover first before cleansing with this to fully clean your face. Putting that aside, I personally believe this is a big help in cleansing without overdrying. I'd do buy again when I get to use my last piece. :)

New Phone: Nokia 101 Dual-sim

Current status: Taking a break from work
Listening to: Terrified by Katherine McPhee

I got myself a new Nokia 101, the cheapest dual-sim Nokia phone that is currently out in the market. I got mine for Php 1,450 from Fone Style Accessories store at the ground level of SM Bicutan yesterday. Not really the cheapest price, but this phone is currently selling like hotcakes so the store I inquired that happens to be selling this at only Php 1,399 already had it sold out. It's CellBoy, located at the same floor, and they had it on sale but it's already out of stock when I inquired.

I was initially looking for a MyPhone B15 duo but I've already asked all of the stores at SM Bicutan and they're all out of it. Well except for one who's selling packaged with a 2GB memory card at Php 1,790. I don't need the extra memory and even if I compute it by the cheapest price I know I get can this phone for which is Php 1,299 plus the getting an additional 2GB memory for Php 300 the most, it's still way too expensive for their price so I left it. After all, I'm just getting a second phone so my priority is budget. They said though that this phone is already phased out so I got my second option, Nokia 101. Certainly not cheaper, but I'm sure is of good quality.

I've taken pictures of my newly acquired gadget, the Nokia 101 dual-sim. It comes in 2 colors: black & red. I got the red one because my sister also got this phone in black and so I got the other color to avoid confusion.

Mine's red. The faded hand strap is mine. It's not included in the package.

Both black and red colors look nice (of course depending on one's preference), so getting the red color is not much of an issue for me. Besides, black is so common and most of the phones I owned is in black. My main phone, which is also a Nokia, the phased out model 6220 classic is also in black.

with its plastic from Fone Style

The receipt with the warranty card. Decided to keep a copy in case I re-sell this item.

Inside the box is just the charger, the headset, and the manuals. Nothing more.

The phone with its headset

Menu. I opted for the list view. It's also available in grid view.

My phone's software version. You can get yours by typing *#0000#

Back. This comes with a BL-5CB battery which
according to the specs lasts up to 25 days on standby with this phone.

The back without the battery. You'll see the 2 sim beds.

Summary of features:

• Dual-sim, simultaneous standby.
• Plays mp3 files
• Support up to 16GB
• Up to 25 days standby
• 1.8" TFT display
• 3.5 mm AV connector for standard earphones
• GSM dual-band
• Torch light
• FM radio

What I liked about this phone:

• A basic phone with an expandable memory. It claims to support up to 16GB, and the slot is strategically placed at the side of the phone for hot swapping and easier access. I haven't tried using a 16GB card though so I can't support that claim. I'm not sure if anyone's going to do that, but I won't because I have my iPod Touch for my portable media player and storage.
• The torch light. Very useful indeed, especially when I rummage my chaotic bag for my stuffs in a public transportation and when looking for things in small dark spaces.
• The 3.5 mm AV connector, though I'm not really using it. But I find it brilliant as one can use a standard earphone if they left the in-box headset. I've tried my iPod earphones and it worked, even with the radio. I initially thought that you can't play the radio without the Nokia headset but it appears that, the radio can't just be played without anything plugged in the AV connector. I don't know if a standard headset will work with this phone though. I didn't have the chance to try.
• One inbox for all. Unlike other dual-sim phones like MyPhone for example, where the messages are stored 2 separate inboxes. It's not much of a bother really for me if that's something that I have to live with, but finding this feature of Nokia 101 is liberating. The messages are all in one inbox, determined by an icon on the right side to indicate from which sim the message was received. It's still more time consuming to exit and enter submenus just to access your messages so this feature is really cool.
• Message counter. They've included a message counter for the number of SMS sent from each sim. Sweet! The message counter helps me see how much I saved and how much I was able to utilize my unlimited texting services.
• Speaking clock as alarm tone. Surely, the time I should wake up cannot be more emphasized. Hehehe.
• The finger friendly island keypad. It's soft and sensitive enough for pressing. A text addict's best friend.

What I didn't like:

• There's no option to change the date format. It's dd.mm.yyyy by default. I would've wanted to be able to switch between mm.dd.yyyy & yyyy.mm.dd formats, but this is tolerable. Still a little disappointing.
• No option to change the time format too. It's only in 12hr, no option for a 24hr clock or military time. Pinanindigan talaga ang pagiging basic. Gara.
• I find the torch light somehow weak. It only has one LED and it has this lens part (I don't know if there's any specific term for this) that spreads out the light into a big open-mouth smile shape and I think it's the cause why it's weak. I prefer a light that's concentrated in the middle so at least there's a part that's strong, and I prefer that it darker places. MyPhone's better at this, having 2 LEDs and concentrated light. I don't want mine dispersed.
• I would've loved an FM radio that doesn't require a plugged headset to play. MyPhone B15 duo has this feature.
• The speaker at the back makes the sound weak if you place the phone front side up. If you're using this phone as an alarm clock, I suggest putting it face down so you're sure that you'd be awakened by its sound. The same principle would apply if you'll put the phone in loud speaker during a call. Could've been better if the speaker is placed anywhere on the side of the phone.
• Earpiece loudness could be better. I've had better quality in my MyPhone, even when their speakers are compared. MyPhone wins in this part. It's really loud.
• You cannot transfer files from your memory card to phone memory and vice versa. I wanted to have a custom ring and message alert tone but I'm not able to because you'd only be able to get 3rd party files if you have an extra memory storage plugged in the slot. I don't have a spare memory card so I just thought of copying at least a few in the phone memory for more custom options but the phone doesn't have this feature. Well you'd probably be able to get additional content in your phone memory if it's received OTA (over-the-air), not by hardware. Another sucker.

I've also read in forums that this phone has a restart problem, and voice leakage where whoever is beside you would be able to hear what your caller is saying even if you're not in loudspeaker mode. So far, I have not experienced any restart, having used a TM/Globe, Smart Buddy, and Sun SIMs but I'm still on my day 1 so I might be wrong. I have used this on a call too and I'm not sure of the voice leakage thing because I don't have anyone with me when I used it on a call. I have a wireless landline SIM which I haven't tried with this yet. I would just add to this post if something unusual happens when I get to use this with my wireless landline SIM.

Overall, my verdict is so-so. I find this phone not so great, but not so bad either. It can always be an option. But this is really just a basic phone, even with an mp3 player. Yes it can play mp3s, but don't expect much on the sound quality, and most phones now can play mp3 anyway.

Do you plan to get this phone too? I hope this post somehow helped. Have a nice day :).