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The Reluctant Stylista is a fashion and lifestyle blog written by Alex Lapa--a once tomboyish girl who suddenly discovered the joys and perks of dressing up. Original illustrations by Paolo Lazatin.
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The Reluctant Stylista is proud to be a finalist and winner for two categories at The Philippine Blog Awards 2010: Best Beauty and Fashion Blog and Best Blog Design. Thank you to all who rooted for us!
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I look like a zombie. A male zombie. I could use a mascara. And lots of concealer.
posted 8 hours ago. -
I don't normally put that much importance on makeup, but today, I really REALLY need it. Crap. Of all the times to leave my kit behind.
posted 8 hours ago. -
I just realized I'll be home for Style Origin ATC lang before I fly off again to Davao. x_x #dedz
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Running on 2 hours of sleep over 48 hours x_X
posted 17 hours ago. -
Red bull and Toblerone. Sleep is for the weak!
posted 2 days ago.
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Networks and Affiliates
Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love going to the beach and the souvenir tan that goes with it. I love being an island girl and looking the part. So it may come as a surprise that one of the very few products I can highly recommend is a popular whitening soap here in the Philippines: Likas Papaya soap.
Yeah, I know, I’ve seen the cheesy ad back in the day that was almost iconic of its time (and not in a good way). Frankly, as I found out years ago, the ad doesn’t do it any justice. I first tried this soap out for dark spots and uneven tan lines. It works. Back then, I wasn’t so particular with facial wash, so I mostly used the same product for my face. That’s how I learned how well it deals with facial skin. And as my younger self wasn’t so blessed with clear skin, I can honestly say this is the only soap that I can rely on to clear stubborn pimples. I buy it about two weeks before a special event if I have to dress up in style and I’d rather not have a huge ass zit to ruin the effect. It’s more effective if you use it just before a pimple surfaces.
Anyway, I don’t use Likas Papaya much anymore, as I said, I’m not a fan of whitening–and this soap delivers its promise. I’ve been researching about it online, and apparently it’s also somewhat of a cult favorite and secret weapon abroad for acne problems and skin lightening. But being Filipina and thus naturally tan, I can attest that it does work–if someone abroad claims it doesn’t, she’s probably already snow-white.
What I appreciate about it is that even though it does whiten, the skin is noticeably luminous and radiant, instead of ghostly pale (and when I use the word noticeably, that means anyone noticing apart from yourself). I use it concentratedly on areas that need it and then stop after a while, or at least until the next big event comes up. I don’t want to end up with my face not matching the rest of my body. But if you’re into whitening, then you can probably use it to your heart’s content. The soap has been touted herbal and organic, which for me means more points. I’ve tried other papaya soap brands that are cheaper, but you never know with their ingredients.
Likas Papaya soap is about P60.00 I think, locally (I usually buy the small, tavel size one, which is about half that price). Amazon.com lists it for $3.99. Cheap, but not as cheap here. I heard people hoard it from Asian stores across the globe.
Other things of interest:
Papain, enzymes that are found in papaya fruits, are used for treating burns, cuts, stings and rashes. So it’s a really good idea to use it after your beach trips, especially for sun burns!
Hm. It doesn’t work for my pimples (which only appear once in a while or when I’m about to have my period). My face is so stubborn that even Origins Spot Remover (which Rowena swears by) doesn’t work. The only thing that works for my pimples is L’Oreal PureZone toner.
Not even after continued use? To each her own, I guess; it’s a good thing what works for me is just under a hundred pesos, haha!
Is likas papaya organic?
I haven’t tried it despite the massive following. I’m now intrigued by the words “luminous” and “radiant” — who wouldn’t want that?!:)
@Camille I’m still looking for list of ingredients online, but I can’t find em! Next time I buy, I’ll check the list. I just know that they claim to be the first true organic soap in the Philippines xD
thanks for the help, my mom is willing to get it for me now, i am 14, and it takes a lot to pursuade my mom to get products especially the natural ones. lol. my friend’s is filipino and she has been usig it. she showed me some before and after pics and it really does work. i plan on getting the likas papaya soap this week, and I can’t wait to see if it works on me. wish me luck!
Hi Traces! I’m currently using it for acne scars now, eep! I hope you’ll like it. I’m not sure what the weather is there, but just in case you have dry skin, don’t forget to moisturize after using because for some people, the soap is kinda drying (whcih for me is actually good if I’m using it for pimples).
will it affects my face if i use the papaya soap and after i wsh it it away i use my cleanser which i normally use everyday??
@icecream – that’s fine, it works as a cleanser, too, but just remember it’s not a makeup remover
and dont forget to moisturize afterwards!
this works for me. Thanks for the post
Yep, I can also attest to Likas Papaya’s POWERS!!! He he he.
After hitting the beach (or pool), and I get that “souvenir” tan you speak of, after a week, I’m back to my “normal” skin color.
Galing galing!!!
this review is no more true for the new productions of likas papaya soap… i have been using this soap since 2003 and i found it to be very good.. not until last or last two years there are lot of this fake kinds.. and i have been searching for original soap since i found that i have been using fake soap from the trusted outlet i used to buy..i tried buying from different locations and tried the soap… there are no difference as regard to the color, packing etc… and i usually bought them from mercury drug store since their purchase are directly from the producer of likas papaya… i have observed that the soap where no more as effective as their old brand…
based from my experience, after washing ur face using likas papaya, you will feel the tightening of your face, as if you are having a “FACE LIFT” it is because it closes your pores on your skin if not mistaken a so called exfoliation effect… aside from that, pimples and black heads are not a problem.. after washing your face before bedtime, you will find your pimples or blackheads dried out the following morning… and most of all, a continuous use of this soap makes your skin flawless…
but just lastyear or more than a year now,, likas papaya has i think changed the ingredient of the soap… the new kind of likas papaya, which packing and scent(no scent) has no difference compare to the old one, has disappointing results…
after using this soap on your face it will whiten your face, but has to exfoliation effect.. the whitening of your face after washing is somewhat due to some (white)ingredients that sticks to your face, wich will just disappear after some hours in a day… unlike with the continuous us of original(old brand) likas papaya which makes your skin looks healthy white and glows even under the sun,, the new likas papaya simply makes your skin dry and your whiteness does not glow… it simply makes your skin look PALE…
with my used of the original brand, my skin looks healthy white, glows, and pinkish…
but with the use of the new likas papayas, i never had them anymore… it simply make my skin pale, leaving something that stick on your skin uppermost layer, and it even causes rashes on my skin..
so, the question here is: are this fake likas papaya that i happened to use? or are they the new likas papaya now? with new ingredient..?
i am convinced with my own experience that this likas papaya on the market now are made up of different ingredient as the old one… i myself bought samples from different places in the philippines (gensan, cebu, manila) and all of them have the same disappointing effect…
so i conclude likas papaya is no more that effective..a counterfeit .. they took advantage of their established name and shift to maybe cheaper ingredients while increasing the price in the market…the original cost of the papaya i used to buy was only 43pesos, until in increases slowly up to 77pesos today while decreasing its efficiency..
so before buying this papaya soap… you have to think if not twice, think thrice.
wow. somebody needs a happy meal.