Likas Papaya Soap Review

For all of those who have read my "how i broke the break out cycle" post, i'm sure you know that i use Likas Papaya Soap aside from the Neutrogena Facial Bar in battling out acne. Here in the Philippines, being fair is considered beautiful compare to being tan, that's why there are loads & loads of whitening products here.

Whitening soaps....
Whitening lotions....
Whitening toners....
Whitening scrubs...
Whitening facial washes....
Whitening creams...

The list is endless!!!!
The only thing that doesn't have a whitening benefit is shampoo for goodness' sake!
-__-"

I notice it a couple of days ago when i went grocery shopping with bf & i was looking for a good ol' soap that doesn't have beneficial effects. It was only then that i noticed how lots of soaps are mostly in an orange box, which indicates that it got 'papaya' which is a good skin whitener. Then i saw this lady who bought 5 boxes of papaya soap all the while chattering with her friend saying how she envies her neighbor who is so fair.

I mean, i do grocery shopping every now & then but it was only right there & then that i realize that most filipinos have this thinking that fair is better... Well, isn't it the same with others? For those who got naturally fair skin, being tan is better & goes to tanning salon just to achieve a good tan. In my case, no matter how people say that having a good tan makes you look slimmer, i can't do so because being exposed to too much sun gives me freckles on my chest area.

I remember too when i was a kid when i got a serious sunburn, my skin never peeled. If for some people it's normal for the skin to peel when they have a bad case of sunburn, mine never did. It took a year before my skin became lighter again. Which i then promise myself never to go swimming when it's really hot. All year long my classmates called me as 'negra' because i really went from being fair to a dark tan.

Ok, after the lengthy introduction about whitening & whatever, it's time to talk about the main product.... I don't have a before & after picture..just take my word that it does whiten the skin.

I remember my aunt suggested this soap as a solution to blemishes when i was still a teenager but i find that it didn't work for me so i just crossed it out on my 'soaps-to-try' list. I tried other soaps & found one that worked for me. But when that said brand changed their formula it stopped working on me so i switch to facial washes once more until i developed acne. Then a few months ago, on impulse i decided to buy this.

And it worked!

It did lighten my blemishes. So i use this side by side with Neutrogena Facial Bar. Again, i only use this when i take a bath. Actually, i use this soap for my body too. I'm not the type who got like a lot of facial products all lined in the bathroom cabinet. I only use one, both for the body & the face. That's why most of my body soaps are those that is either made from natural/organic products or is addressed for facial use.

This is how the back carton looks like:

I guess it is true that they are the first organic soap since i remember this soap being around since i was young... And i guess because of that, they have received lots of awards....

Now that we are finished talking about the brand, let's dissect how papaya can actually lighten the skin. It is said that the Papaya fruit contains enzymes which are called papain, which promotes skin renewal & cell turnover. It helps in skin exfoliation which then reveals new cells. Unlike the usual exfoliation that we do where we use scrubs, whitening soaps uses enzymes to help promote exfoliation, which i think is better compare to forcefully sloughing away the dead skin

I used to use fresh papaya on my skin as a facial mask, but i can't abide the smell of ripe papaya. There's something about the scent that turns me off of it.

The thing about using papaya soaps (i have tried other papaya soaps too) is that they does whiten the skin but it takes time. Unlike kojic soaps, that can whiten your skin in as fast as days, this one takes months, but i prefer this since i feel that my skin is adjusting to the change gradually instead of a quick change which can cause trauma to the skin.

I don't use lotions or anything so i really know that this works simply because this is the only product that i'm using as a skin lightener. I don't even use sunblock!

Yes, that's bad, but i haven't found a sunblock that won't make me sweat like crazy. It always feels like sunblock suffocates my skin..like it blocks my pores therefore making my sweat gland work doubly hard in getting rid of that film blocking it. Hence i make sure that i always carry an umbrella with me. It's not enough but i can't help it.

I will not say that i have a flawless skin, i do break out every now & then. But now i know that there is a way to help clear my skin so i'm not THAT worried about it.

Whenever i use it, i let it sit in my skin for a couple of minutes to make sure that it got enough time to for it to penetrate & do the work. It might dry out the skin & even leave the skin feeling tight but unlike the kojic soap, this is tolerable. It's better to apply moisturizer after using it. I don't use any moisturizers though, i only do so in extreme cases.

I think it's a must to let every soap sit in the skin for a couple of minutes if you really want to get the benefits that it promises.

It's priced at P80 (approx $2) & is available in leading stores & malls.

PROS:

• available locally
• cheap
• it does lighten the skin

CONS:

• will leave your skin feeling tight afterward so it's better to apply moisturizer
• might not be available internationally

This is a staple product for me & i do make it a point to include it in my shopping basket whenever i do my monthly grocery.

So tell me, what helps you in getting rid of those unwanted blemishes from the those unwanted pimple marks?

Hope you had a great start for your week!

Jaa ne~!
^_^

ps:
don't forget to join my giveaway. just click the pic at the top
^_~

product rerun: Kojie-san Kojic Acid Skin Lightening Soap

After weeks & weeks of using Kojie-san I think i can give my full opinion now. For those who are interested in reading my first review of it, click HERE. Im sticking with what i said before, I will just add a couple of things.

I posted my before & after pics of using the product on the previous post, I'll just be posting some pics again. Sorry if the color looks different, i used a camera phone on this one. I can't find my camera on the day/time that i took it (that was the last day & i don't wanna cheat). Since what im reviewing is the effect of this.

As what you can see, it diminished the zits that i have. Again, i only use Celeteque moisturizer as my everyday moisturizer. The time that i was using this, i had used BB Cream but sparingly.

I don't use BB Cream everyday because i find it to be comedogenic. It blocks my pores which results to more zits. *cough*missha*cough* I don't consider it as a skin care product, but a makeup product...a face base.

Going back to the review...

• It still stings!

All through the time that i was using this, I thought that my skin would 'adapt' & be immune to the stinging sensation of it. But no! It still stings each & everytime i use this. During my pre-kojie-san days, I always enjoy washing my face. But on my kojie-san days, i find it to be a "meh!let's just get it on with!" days. I guess you can imagine how much this product stings. But that's the only negative thing that i can say about this.

• It does whiten!

2 weeks after using this has made me whiter, you'll be able to tell the difference when you take a look at my past review. The pic that i put here is bad, but take my word for it when i say that it does whiten. I think it's the most effective skin whitener that i've tried so far. I don't use lotions or anything on my body. But after a month of using it for my face & body, i can see the effect. Even bf told me that i look whiter! Now we look like milk & coffee...hehe.

So if you are looking for a fast skin whitening product, give this a try!

• It was able to lessen the oiliness of my face!

This is one of the effect that i was most pleased with. If before I have to use an oil film after 2 hours (without any makeup at all), with kojie-san i still use the oil film, but after 4hrs or so. Me like it!

• It's cheap!

What can i say....For a mere $3, you can buy 2 full-sized bar of it & it can last you for weeks. Now they have a mini bar already available for only a dollar. This is good for those who wanted to give this a try. For those who wanted to give this a try but is not available in your country, try Ebay. I saw a couple of sellers...

Well, that's all i can say about Kojie-san..(i think)

Will i buy again?
Im not sure about it...The stinging sensation kills all the eagerness that i feel in buying this...Maybe i will, but not now.

On to another news

Now i mentioned about a giveaway,right? Again, this is a secret! I don't want you advertising my giveaway...anyone caught not following my rule will be disqualified...hehehe
think im joking? think again!im serious about this.
*clears throat*
*chin up*
*crosses arms*
see...im really serious

You might ask me 'why not ask to post your giveaway to have more followers?".
I'll tell you my answer, I'd rather have few people who are interested in what i write than have hundreds of followers who don't even give a fig about my posts. I think y'all get my drift,right?
^_~

So it means that this is only open to my followers. For those who doesn't have a blog but would still like to join, comment on the box (anonymously if you want), & leave your email so i know when to contact you if ever you win. I'll be checking to see if you really are my follower!

This would be the second on my series of giveaways (the first is on my contest blog). It's just simple, answer the question:

• Which is hotter...tanner or whiter?

...wow!
3 comparative adjectives in one question...lol

Put the answer on the comment box.

What's the prize?
Someone is gonna go shopping at Makeup Masala worth $15. It's my treat for YOU!

Im not sure how & when i'll announce the winner, I am an impulsive person. I can do it by randomizer.org or put the names, then draw it or just based on who gives the best answer...It will just depend when & what i feel like doing. The only thing that im sure is that a week from now, I'll be reading all your answers & by then i'll be deciding. Again, no tentative date...It's a surprise!

^_~

Will be looking forward to your answers!
Hope y'all have a great weekend!

Jaa ne~!

Kojie-san Kojic Acid Skin Lightening Soap review

I said before that i have a bad case of acne...& i am running out of options already. In comes Kojie-san Skin Lightening Soap made from Kojic Acid...after more than a week of testing (2 weeks-i started out July 26) , i decided to make an initial review first before i continue using this...

I always see this in the soap aisle but have never intended to buy it that is until i read Em's review on it. You can read it HERE.

I did a little research about Kojic Acid & this is what i found out:

• Kojic Acid is a more effective alternative to hydroquinone & glycolic acid
  
• It's not genotoxic & non-carcinogenic - so definitely more preferable than hydroquinone
• natural extract

So mainly, if your concern is hyper pigmentation, then Kojic Acid would be the answer for you...

Did you know?
Most of the popular brands uses Kojic acid like the Lancome Skincare by Lancome Blanc Expert XWII Extra Whitening Spot Corrector & SkinCeuticals Phyto +. Kojic Acid is more effective that's why...

This is how the back carton looks like:

Now bear with me girls, i am going to show you the before & after pics of using Kojie-san.
Make sure you are not eating or anything before you take a look at this...
it might gross you out

Before you scroll down, you have to know that this is the result of Kojie-san itself.
I don't use any new skin products because i would want to know if it works. So i only use Celeteque moisturizer & that's it. Celeteque doesn't have any whitening or pimple controlling properties...it's just a plain moisturizer without any added 'benefits'. So any changes that would happen is all because of the soap.

Are you ready?
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Are you sure?

There's no going back now...
XD

Okay, here is the BEFORE photo:
As you can see i really have a bad case of acne. This is my left cheek & this is worse than my right cheek so i figured its better to take a pic of this rather than the right one.

After a week of using Kojie-san, this is my cheek now:

Ok, that just looks the same,huh?!
especially with that big red spot in the middle of the 'after' pic... (-_-")

But wait...
i'll put another pic that has marks so that you can get to scrutinize it.

Before i actually made this one, i scrutinized it...zooming it in & out just to see if there is any difference. I put the 3rd pic at the bottom because those are the things that i noticed. The black circle would indicate that there is an improvement in the condition...while the green X would indicate new cases of zits popping...arrrggghhh!!!!

I think the cause of this is actually hormones....I haven't had my period since last month..& no im not pregnant...im just irregular. One big change is the color of my skin. Both pic were taken in the same room lighting...I noticed that my skin did became whiter after a few days....For people who wanted to whiten their skin, this a good product.

Ok, now with those pics, i feel like im caught naked in a crowded room...lol!
You can see everything....big pores, dark spots, red spots... *ducks head*
But anyway, if this would help people in deciding then i guess its ok.

One thing that i hate about this is that its so strong, that every time i use this it would leave my skin with a stinging sensation even after i rinsed it already... It makes me feel very uncomfortable, that i have to wait for at least 5 minutes before i can put moisturizer, because if i apply moisturizer right after, i would feel that stinging sensation again...

I don't think it was actually able to 'control oil'...for my skin is still oily.

Pros:

• cheap
• effective in skin whitening
• available nationwide (in Philippines)
  

Cons:

• it stings
• can cause skin irritation

So after all those hullabaloo...Will i buy it again?
If i wanted to whiten my skin, i will buy it, but since what im after is to get rid of the dark spots...& FOR NOW i don't see any dramatic results so i don't think i'll buy this anymore. I'll just finish the bar of soaps that i have...

This is why i did an initial review...I wanted to keep track of my feedback. If i wait until i finish everything my post would be outrageously long.... So i'll make another post as soon as i finish this.

I can't even use my Olay anti-ageing moisturizer... I will use it as soon as im done with Kojie-san.

Now a little question for you,girls....
What do you think about the effect?
Do you think it made a difference at all?

Jaa ne~!

Wanna know my last say on this product?
Click HERE - it's my product rerun (where i go back to review it for the last time)


ps:
I am now acne-free!
I am NOT using this soap anymore.I stopped using this soap after i made this post.
Click HERE to know how i stopped my acne