I've been a member of Deal Grocer since early 2011 but it was only a week ago when I learned of their official retail partner named Taste Central. Good thing I'm subscribed to Deal Grocer's email alerts because I  was able to get dibs on Taste Central's hottest promo.

Image courtesy of tastecentral.com

This is Shu Uemura's iconic Perfect Poreless Set consisting of (from L to R) the Porefinist Gentle Foaming Cleansing Water, Tsuya Youth Generator Essence and UV Under Base Poreraser Mousse. The set originally costs 2,500 PhP and it's really a steal for 750 PhP if you buy it from Taste Central so no wonder it was sold out immediately. I really didn't have my eye on this one but I'm getting a little tempted especially after realizing that the Porefinist Gentle Foaming Cleansing Water is Shu Uemura's newest cleanser that claims to remove all impurities to visibly tighten pores.

Image courtesy of tastecentral.com

Now this Skin Radiance Set is what I wanted to buy but was also out of stock. I wouldn't be surprised because the Whitefficient Brightening Cleansing Oil alone is a surefire hit. Also included are the Tsuya Youth Generator Essence and UV Under Base Whitefficient Mousse. They also marked the price down by a whopping 70%, from 2,500 PhP to 750 PhP. What I love about Taste Central is they give you an option to include items in a wait list so they can notify you when stocks become available. They actually restocked this the last time I checked so you might want to get your hands on them before they run out again. You may click here to connect to Taste Central.

Image courtesy of tastecentral.com

Luckily this Summer Fresh Set was available so I didn't think twice in ordering. It has the Fresh Pore Clarifying Gentle Cleansing Oil, Tsuya Youth Generator Essence and UV Under Base Tsuya Youthful Radiance Mousse. This set is originally 2,800 PhP and was discounted by 70% at 840 PhP. Although it costs a little higher than the other sets, seeing the products included got me sold right away. I'll be posting a separate review on this set in one of my future entries.

Overall, this is probably the best skin care deal I've ever seen and availed. I love that nowadays we get to try high end skincare products without causing a dent on our budget thanks to excellent and tasteful online deals provided by Deal Grocer and Taste Central. Not a member yet? Click here to be one and start opening your horizons to exquisitely amazing deals.

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YSA.. You're Simply Amazing!!!

     My college friends could all attest to the fact that I had a bad case of acne during sophomore year. I used to have break outs in high school and would just use a drug store astringent and they were gone in just a few days without leaving scars. But in college, my pimples got way out of hand. They were appearing in crops and the usual astringent didn't work at all.
     Months passed and my entire face was covered with new and healing pimples. Needless to say that I felt so hopeless and insecure since everybody was noticing how my face has collected quite an amount of scars, bumps and red marks.
    My savior was my mom's friend who took me to Dr. Isabel Lopez-Nazal's clinic in Ortigas. I was scheduled for acne surgery which sort of scared me at first not knowing how that went. I later found out it was just a facial cleaning procedure, the usual facial we know today. But it wasn't at all a walk in the park. The procedure was so painful for me since my pimples were everywhere. It got a little more tolerable in time though.
     I was scheduled to have facial cleaning every 2 weeks which I really dreaded because of the pain and the results afterwards. Don't get me wrong, the final result was close to a miracle but the first few procedures shocked me. I came out with a swollen face and it looked as if I had more pimples than before (I swear!).
     Aside from the facial cleaning, I was also given the task to religiously apply several products on my face day and night. Then after a few weeks my face started to clear up. It was indeed a miracle. From then on I've used the same products as of today.
     After that ordeal with pimples, I've had a few bad years in med school and residency training when I had break outs almost similar but not quite as severe as my first in college. Good thing Dr. Nazal already had several branches back then in Q.C., particularly in Fairview (YSA Skin Care Center) where I usually went for treatment until it closed a few years ago. Just yesterday, I had a facial and diamond peel at their Congressional Avenue branch and I have to say that their service still gives me that wonderful feeling of satisfaction. I've been loyal to YSA for more than ten years now and I have seen/experienced how they evolved and kept up with modern times. 
     Recently, with the advent of different skin care products in the market, I haven't been too faithful with YSA products. I strayed away from using them and substituted a few popular and expensive brands only to find out I'll be going back to my original regimen in the end.


What I learned so far about dealing with pimples are quite simple but easily overlooked:

*First is NEVER touch your face without cleaning your hands. Wash your hands with an antibacterial soap before doing your daily skin care routine like applying a toner or moisturizer. In the middle of the day, if you need to touch up on your make up, simply use a wet tissue or sanitizer to clean your hands before you do.

**Second is don't be taken by promises of overly popularized skin care products. But I have to admit guilty on this one. I have been using other products though I made sure I tried them on my jawline first for a few days before using them on my entire face. So far, what works for me are Olay, The Body Shop and L'oreal products.

***Third is never miss a facial. Because no matter how deep cleansers claim they can really clean your face to the core, nothing beats a good old manual cleaning at least every 2 to 3 months.

****Finally, when you're dealing with pimples and are not successful treating them on your own, don't play doctor! Get help, 'cause the longer you wait, the bigger the problem gets. If I didn't seek help within the year I started breaking out, the treatment process would've been longer, hence more painful and way more expensive.

     The things I've learned and deemed important to maintain a healthy skin may not be the same with you. There is no SINGLE effective treatment for everyone. What works for me may not be that effective for you. In the end, you have to find out what works best for your skin and if in doubt, get help. Seek consult and leave the problems to an expert. That's why we have them in the first place.

Addendum:
* I'm currently using YSA's Post Acne lotion and Whitening Solution, Olay  total effects day cream spf 15 and total effects serum.
* Other products that work well with YSA products are Olay Regenerist line, The Body Shop Tea Tree line and L'oreal Dermagenesis line (replaced by a new line I haven't tried).