I'm not gonna lie to you, but there's a reason why it takes almost forever for me to write product reviews. Basically, it's because I want to test the products I'm using fully out in order for me to write what I think about them. I'm not doing this only for myself but also for my friends, family, and blog readers who just might find these products beneficial in their lives. Honestly, I read blog reviews about products first before I splurge on them. After all, this is hard-earned money that I don't want to just flush down the toilet, if you get my drift. I may be blessed, but I am sure as heck not rich. And oftentimes, if not always, I have to pay a high price for vanity.

I have to admit though that I am vain. I've always been and I'm guessing I'll always be. But that doesn't have to be a bad thing, as long as I'm not committing any crimes. Suffice it to say, my vanity has actually opened a lot of doors and opportunities for me especially as a writer and a beauty enthusiast.

Having said that, let's move on to the topic of today's blog post. I'm reviewing a wonderful product that I've been using for more than 2-1/2 months already and I'm halfway through emptying it so I think it's time for me to say what I have to say about it.



May I present to you... OLAY AQUACTION.

I got the Olay Aquaction Long Lasting Hydration Gel and Softening Sleeping Mask last December from Sample Room. You know, ever since I've tried gel moisturizers, with the first one coming from Celeteque back in 2013, it was hard to go back to any other form of moisturizer.

Time out! I need an escape from all these confusing #RubyPh forecasts. Oh, my nerves... I need to relax tonight. Good thing this @olayphilippines Aquaction Softening Sleeping Mask from @sampleroomph is here to make sure I get a nice beauty sleep and get me #RubyReady for tomorrow! All preparations have been made for this crazy storm so tonight I'm gonna get a good shut-eye. Be safe and stay safe, everyone! 🙏 #bastaigatsikat #olay #olayphilippines #sampleroomph #somethingblue #aquaction #sleep #goodnight #typhoon #bedweather #philippines #beauty #instabeauty #skincare #bbloggers #beautybloggers #pinay

A photo posted by ✨✨✨✨💖💜MyMaria💜💖✨✨✨✨ (@bastaigat_sikat) on Dec 5, 2014 at 8:42am PST

Two years later, I'm still on the lookout for gel moisturizers because I find that it's awesome for my acne-prone skin and frankly speaking, it is a better option considering how humid it gets here with our crazy weather and tropical climate.

No-makeup #selfie but the eyebrow game is strong 😊 just because my skin is looking so much better compared to how it was a couple of months back. No foundation, concealer nor powder here. Just @olayphilippines Aquaction Long Lasting Hydration Gel. But of course, since Friday due to the bad weather and no power, I was able to get all the beauty sleep I needed and then some. 👍👍 #GoodMorning #bastaigatsikat #bareface #nomakeup #skincare #olay #olayphilippines #sampleroomph #makeupfree #skin #nofilter #beauty #bbloggers #beautybloggers #instabeauty #pinay #choosetoshine

A photo posted by ✨✨✨✨💖💜MyMaria💜💖✨✨✨✨ (@bastaigat_sikat) on Dec 9, 2014 at 5:32pm PST

It was right before Typhoon Ruby when I first used the Olay Aquaction Long Lasting Hydration Gel, shortly followed by a nightly regimen of applying the Olay Aquaction Softening Sleeping Mask. All this time, with the temperature dropping so low at night and scorching by daytime, I've never had any major breakouts and my skin even looks so much better. I mean, if you're following me you may have seen me at my worst and right now, obviously my face is almost like what it was before my hormones went haywire.



Let's talk some more about gel moisturizers. Based on my experience, gel moisturizers get absorbed faster on my skin. It is not sticky and feels very lightweight. I have a habit of waiting XX minutes after putting on my moisturizer before applying makeup and then when I do, I sometimes wonder if I already did put on any because it feels like I haven't! This holds especially true with using Olay Aquaction Long Lasting Hydration Gel.

The product claims to hydrate skin with just one application and continuously moisturize it for up to 24 hours. It aims to recover skin moisture 2x faster and increase skin moisture by 170% in just 30 minutes. Is that right? Well, after using it for almost 3 months now, I can say that as a gel moisturizer, it performs extremely well. Pretty much true to their word! And what's more? I seem to have better oil control on my face now. You know they say even if you have oily skin, you'll still need to use moisturizer. I cannot recommend this enough if you are looking for a moisturizer meant for oily skin. It also smells clean and fresh. At 50g, I'm estimating it would take 6 months for me to clean out the entire jar. You know what? I think I may just stop looking for any more gel moisturizers and use this one for the rest of my life! Tee hee. :)
So what about the Olay Aquaction Softening Sleeping Mask? It claims to give intensive hydration all night so you can wake up to 400% better hydrated skin. It can also effectively control skin oils to help achieve water-oil balance and bouncy hydration. Well, there you have it! No wonder I have better oil control! Perhaps it is because it works in tandem with the Olay Aquaction Long Lasting Hydration Gel. These two have a synergistic effect on my skin which has clearly improved a lot.


As a night cream (term being used loosely), the Olay Aquaction Softening Sleeping Mask also gets absorbed quickly like the gel moisturizer and does not feel sticky at all. No stains on the pillows and sheets which makes it very ideal if you have a partner who is finicky with things like that. Since our room temperature is turned up cooler than I would have liked, the product really helps keep my skin hydrated throughout the night.
If you're now asking if using only one of these products would yield the same successful effect as it did to me, well, I can't say for certain. You could try, but if I were to give an advice, I would definitely recommend getting BOTH.  Aside from the fact that they are both sold in a bundle, which means you can get it with huge discount (Watsons sells it bundled for just PHP 859.00), I think using products of the same brand/maker surely is more advantageous, as in the case of shampoos and conditioners. You dig?

Alrighty then, that's it for my review of the Olay Aquaction Long Lasting Hydration Gel and Softening Sleeping Mask. Tried and tested by yours truly, I give both of them my two thumbs up!


Until my next blog post, thanks for reading and hope this helps you one way or another. Bye for now!

Contrary to what most people believe, it is not in December when the cold season peaks here in the Philippines. It is actually in January to February that the temperature goes down and you can feel the evening breeze send a chill down your spine. At least that holds true here in the province where the air is noticeably chilly this time of the year.

It may be a far cry from the arctic freeze or the winter storms in other parts of the world, but being a tropical country, we sometimes forget to prepare our skin for the change. I can obviously tell my skin thirsts for water and moisture because I start getting dry skin, mild urticaria, and even dandruff.


I was using Olay Natural White soaps earlier on, so imagine my delight when Olay announced their latest body wash! It came in a lot of different variants so when Sample Room, which is the Philippines' first ever beauty and lifestyle sampling website, released the Olay Moisture Outlast Beauty Wash, I was literally on the edge of my seat trying to get a hold of them all before they ran out of samples. These products were a surefire hit! It was out of stock almost immediately and I had to wait for a restock. It was a good thing my points were enough to get them altogether. I'm so glad they included the body scrubs since I was about to purchase a new one. What an added bonus! Because I use lotions, scrubbing my skin is important to get rid of any dirt or impurities accumulated. Also it suds up the product and I love getting all foamy during bath time.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS AND REVIEW:

Since I shower 2 x a day, I got the chance to alternate among them for review purposes and so my readers can make an informed decision on what they might want to purchase on their next trip to the supermarket, drugstore, or department store. It is available in two sizes 200 ml for PhP105 and 400 ml at Php199.
Let's start with my favorite of these body washes, the Olay Whitening Moisture with Pearl Extract. Why this? It's too soon to say I've noticed a major effect on skin lightening but since it matches with my current shampoo and conditioner with pearl extract, I think they have a kind of synergistic effect during my shower routine. Also it smells ahhhhmaaazing! I can't even begin to describe it!


Short anecdote. During the first time I used it and as soon as I stepped out of the bathroom, my husband, who was drinking his coffee a couple of feet away instantly inquired loudly as if making a statement, "What is that wonderful smell?" I couldn't stop giggling, not because I was standing awkwardly only wrapped in a towel trying to describe a particular fragrance, but because this guy who has been living with me under the same roof actually noticed something different. The fragrance even overpowered the aroma of coffee!!! So when Noodle Boy commented, I knew right then and there it's going to be my favorite and well, what's not to love about it when the love of your life would want to sniff you, touch your soft skin, and get close to you all the time? *wink*
Then there's the Olay Clean Moisture with Coconut Milk. This body wash gave me a whole new level of experience! You know, I've tried other coconut-infused soaps and body washes before but this is the most moisturizing and sweet-smelling of them all! When I used it and worked up a lather, I closed my eyes and I was imagining the gentle sound of the ocean waves crashing to the shore, the sweet salty smell of the sea, the island beats playing in the background, the warm coconut oil on my skin as I'm getting a massage, and the cold piña colada drink waiting for me. Ahhhh!!! So delightful! I wanted to take a bath forever! It's like I'm on a summer vacation!


I also allowed my son to use it during his bath time before bed and the scent is just as captivating to my senses. I wanted to bite him because he smelled like the delicious home-made bukayo that my mom makes. In case you're wondering what bukayo is, that's native coconut macaroons. It is also known as bocarillo or candied coconut strips. It's a pain to make really but I go crazy about it and definitely one of my comfort foods. But I digress. Anyway, this body wash is definitely very comforting to my skin as it moisturizes it completely and lasts throughout the day.

Now the third one which is the Olay Deep Moisture with Honey is a sweet thing of beauty. It is certainly the most moisturizing of them all! I love using it at night after a day's hustle and bustle. The foamy lather is so easy to work up and the scent is so sweet I feel like I'm in Candyland! Both my husband and my son like turning our room temperature colder than I'd like it to be, so my skin gets really dry during this time around. But then I was pleasantly surprised that it was moisturized all night and I don't even need to put on any lotions! And what a wonderful feeling it is being free of any other product that would somehow stick on your sheets at night. Good night and sweet dreams indeed!


So if I have to sum up the things I love about these 3 Olay Moisture Body Washes, it would be:

1) The scent. Everything else is triggered by the sense of smell for me and each body wash provides a different experience.

2) The moisturization. Of course, it isn't Olay Moisture if it's not moisturizing enough now, is it? And yes, Olay delivers the promise of long-lasting moisture splendidly with their 24-hour moisture outlast technology that penetrates skin's surface layer by layer. Actually, I find that I don't really need to use lotion anymore even during the day after using the body wash. And now not bothering with lotions anymore, my skin still feels soft and tender and I can imagine my pores singing "Hallelujah!" because they can finally breathe!!!

3) The rich lather.  Like I said, I like them foamy as if I could disappear into the bubbles. And my son loves the foams, too, and looks forward to bath time! Yayyy! No more pressuring him to go get washed up! Thanks a lot, Olay!

What I don't like about it? Absofreakinglutely nothing! Like sinceriously. (And I'm not paid to say that or make this review, okay?) You see, rather than adding to the hype of this product or something, I'm simply sharing with you my actual experience so that you can also get a feel for it.

Olay, an internationally renowned and premium skin care brand which is trusted by millions of women worldwide, is offering us more than just a body wash. Olay Moisture Outlast is a truly stellar Beauty Wash that features the following:

1. Will improve 5 signs of healthy skin – moisturized, firm, natural skin tone color, smooth texture and comfortable feel
2. Has naturally derived moisturizers that penetrate deep while leaving skin with a clean, silky feel
3. Naturally draw moisture deep within skin for truly healthy looking skin
4. Offers breathable moisture that rapidly penetrates but rinses off clean for a silky skin feel
5. Is infused with replenishing moisture serum that penetrates deeper into skin’s surface to help improve the health of your skin.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!!!

You see those two big ones in the photo above? That's the Olay Refreshing with Cucumber and Green Tea and Olay Cooling with Strawberry and Mint body washes. These two are perfect for the upcoming summer months when the temperature gets scorching high and it will be extra humid again. I'm pretty sure I'll be looking forward to more showers and bath time in the new few months with these two around. I'll be reviewing those soon so stay tuned for that!

Hope this review will help you decide what Olay Moisture Outlast body wash to include on your next grocery list and don't forget to check out Sample Room to see if you can score any samples first!

For more info, follow:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OlayPhilippines
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OlayPhilippines
Instagram: http://instagram.com/OlayPhilippines

ADVERTORIAL 

The struggle is real, ladies and gentlemen. As Filipinas (or Asians), we have been taught to love the skin we're in, but in reality, fairer skin just seems more desirable when you're living in the Far East, the Philippines in particular. I tried to wrap my head around it for the longest time but alas, whitening and lightening products are just inevitable as the humidity that hangs in the air. Well, if you can't beat them, just join them, right? Or blame it on Maslow's hierarchy of needs or simple peer pressure.

So it's usually after summer vacation that I go around hunting for the most effective whitening product, when I'm ready for my tan to fade faster. Again, if I haven't emphasized it enough in my previous whitening soap reviews, I don't want paper white skin. But since my skin burns really fast, I always end up with uneven skintone and getting the right powder/foundation shade becomes a burning issue.

When I was in high school, I heavily relied on soaps and lotions to maintain a fairer and more even skintone. Having to stay under the scorching heat of the sun during school activities was not something I looked forward to. We didn't have airconditioned classrooms so we had to open windows, right? Considering vanity as my favorite sin, I have had researched and learned decades ago that even the light that reflects on the concrete pavement was not good for the skin. As much as possible I tried to stay in the shade, but you know there were times where it was simply unavoidable.

Fast forward 15 years later, I've come across 2 soaps that reminded me of what it was like the first time I stumbled into the world of whitening soaps.



Wait, hang on just a minute... what do we have here? These whitening soaps are from OLAY! And they’re very affordable (even for students!) since you can try out the small ones for just PHP15! But take note this isn't like those old school super cheap but apparently harsh bleaching soaps like the ones from C.Y. Gabriel. Check out the ingredients and see if there's anything you might be allergic to.


Some whitening soaps that I've tried, mainly ones that I suspect contain bleach, make my skin itch like crazy. Olay Natural White soap doesn't do that to my skin. I've used Olay products for years, mostly their moisturizers and facial creams and right now I'm actually using Olay Aquaction products which I'll soon be reviewing, too. Since Olay has been around for ages and is actually known as the World’s # 1 Facial Skincare brand, I was excited to try out the Olay Natural White soaps even before summer begins. You know I'm all for trying out all sorts of beauty products but if it comes from an internationally renowned and premium skin care brand which is trusted by millions of women worldwide, it's simply a no-brainer. And do you know that Olay happens to be also #1 in the Philippines?


I've tried both variants already. The one with papaya extract which is specially made for the Philippine market reminds me a lot of those organic papaya soaps I've tried before. It smells so delicious and moisturizes my skin well. I can vouch for the effectiveness of papaya extract after all these years of using products that contain this essential ingredient.


On the other hand, if papaya extract isn't your cup of tea, then the Olay Natural White soap with the grape seed extract (that's 20 x Vitamin C!) is an alternative which smells like a baby's soap, you know almost like the gentle Tender Care soaps if I'm not mistaken. Vitamin C, based on my experience, is also effective when it comes to skin whitening.


So what makes the Olay Natural White soaps so special? I believe it's the TRIPLE WHITENING SYSTEM. Why use different soaps when you can use one that does everything? First, it exfoliates, then it brightens and in the end, you'll have even skintone! And those are exactly the things that I look for in whitening soaps..

Olay Natural White soaps with Triple Whitening System

It's got basically everything I need in a single soap! Why settle for anything less when you can get the best? Oh and I really love how it lathers up and how sudsy it gets.

• Use Olay Natural White soap in the shower twice a day – in the morning and in the evening before you sleep.
• While in shower, lather liberally especially in areas that require extra attention (areas that are rougher, a bit darker in skin tone, or are subjected to friction from clothes or other fabric).  Use a puff for a more indulgent feel. This will also enhance the effect of the exfoliation.
• Treat your skin with care.  Pat your skin dry with a clean towel after shower.  Make sure you don’t scrub your skin to avoid friction which causes skin irritation.

MyMaria Loves Olay Natural White!