The skin is the largest organ of our body.  So it just follows that we need to take care of our skin.  Your overall skin health is affected by several factors: sun exposure, smoking, drinking, stress, pollution and lifestyle.  Good nutrition plays a key role in achieving gorgeous skin.  There are three main vitamins your skin needs, namely: Vitamin A, C and E.  Include Omega-3 to that and you will have fantastic skin.  Below is the breakdown of these essential nutrients:

VITAMIN A

Vitamin A strengthens the protective tissue of the skin and prevents acne.  It reduces sebum production and is a powerful antioxidant that flushes out free radicals and toxins from your body.  It helps in improving fine lines and wrinkles.  Vitamin A deficiency can lead to dry skin.  Top foods rich in vitamin A:

Carrot
-    Excellent source of vitamin A
-    Natural sunscreen
-    Contains high levels of antioxidants

Spinach
-    Rich in nutrients and antioxidants
-    Loaded with lutein which keeps eyes healthy and sparkling

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen and skin elasticity.  Vitamin C is vital in wound healing because it aids in stabilizing collagen. Avoid too much smoking, excess sun exposure or stress since you are draining vitamin C from your body.  Top foods rich in vitamin C:

Kiwi
-    Has the most vitamin C compared to any other fruit
-    Keeps skin supple and firm
-    Prevents wrinkles

Berries
- Includes blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries and black currants
- Loaded with antioxidant compounds, most especially blueberries
- Very effective in neutralizing damaging free radicals

VITAMIN E

Vitamin E helps keep skin cells healthy.  It helps retain moisture in the skin.  It has a great anti-inflammatory effect on the skin and is good for skin repair.  Lack of vitamin E leads to premature wrinkles, pale skin, slow wound healing and acne.  Top foods rich in vitamin E:

Nuts and Seeds
-    Protects skin against pollutants and minimizes sun damage
-    Slows down the development of aging skin cells
-    Helps in diminishing the appearance of scars
-    Improves skin elasticity

Avocado
-    Soothes red, irritated and blotchy skin
-    Keeps skin plump and youthful looking
-    Prevent dry skin

OMEGA-3

Omega-3 allows nutrients to enter cells and excrete waste products.  It also reduces the body’s production of inflammatory agents that damages the skin.  Omega-3 keeps the skin’s cell membrane healthy.  Top food rich in omega-3:

Salmon
-    Decreases clogged pores
-    Averts fine lines and wrinkles
-    Keep skin hydrated, plump and younger-looking

I am obsessed with beautiful skin.  I really am!  For as long as I can remember, ever since elementary school, nobody and I mean nobody is allowed to touch my face.  Even I don’t touch my own face with my own hands.  I only touch my face if I had just washed my hands.  Call me obsessive-compulsive if you want but I am serious.  All my friends know about this and if they want to tease me or annoy me, all they will do is to touch my face and in an instant, I will get annoyed.  I even have this quick reflex that if there is someone’s hand is nearing my face, I instantly deflect it as if I’m shooing a fly away.  I just hate it when people touch my face because who knows where their hands came from.  Their hands might be full of dirt and germs and if they touch you, they would transfer it on your face.  I know I am finicky.  But it’s just one of my little rules.  I just absolutely HATE getting pimples.

I have always had beautiful facial skin.  Whenever I go to a shoot, most of my makeup artists compliment my skin saying that it’s flawless, smooth, has no pores and no pimples.  I am extremely proud of it and I can say it’s one of my best assets.  I am not claiming that I never had a pimple in my life, because I do.  One or two will surface then will disappear in a few days.  But that’s it.  I never had more.  But let me tell you, moving here in New York is the worst thing that ever happened to my skin.  I arrived here during the end of winter.  So there’s still snow.  My skin started peeling mildly and no amount of moisturizer would fix it.  After a few weeks, winter changed to spring.  Pimples started sprouting but it was limited to just one or two and would be gone.  But still.  It was a big issue for me.  Then spring turned to summer and my goodness, it is the WORST season for my skin.  I started having these pimples.  It is the worst time of my life because even if the pimples are gone, it would leave red marks.  That did it.  I was so obsessed with my face and those fricking pimples that I searched online for ways on how to get rid of those wretched red spots.

Then I discovered vitamin e oil.  Vitamin e oil is good for your skin because it fades pimple marks and scars, smooth out wrinkles and moisturizes your skin.  So many people claimed that they used a vitamin e capsule, popped it and applied the oil directly to the skin.  Others used vitamin e oil and did the same procedure.  Either one works, and so they claimed.  So I immediately went to my nearest drugstore and bought myself a bottle of vitamin e oil.  I was really so obsesses because never in my entire life did I have problems on my skin.  I started using the oil at night rubbing it constantly to those red spots, and after a few days, I STARTED HAVING MORE!!! Oh my god!  More and more pimples started emerging.  When one disappears, a new one will emerge, then that one will disappear and another would grow.  What’s worse is that it hurts like hell.  I had so many red marks all over my chin and I was panicking.  I was regretting the time that I applied that oil on my face.  It created more problems for me.  My chin was spotted with the red marks.  When I discontinued using the vitamin e oil, I noticed that the pimples stopped harassing me.  Now, I would still get one or two but that’s it.  Especially now that it’s nearing the end of summer and autumn is fast approaching, my face is breaking out again.  My face is still not used to this constant changing of seasons, from cold to warm to cold to warm again.  That’s when I realized that when the season is changing, my face started reacting.  I never had this problem when I was still in the Philippines.

Don’t get me wrong.  I am not saying that the vitamin e oil does not work.  On the contrary, I do think it works.  If you search it on Google you will see so many testimonies from different people claiming how good the product works on their skin.  I just don’t think it is suited to MY SKIN.  So now, I just drink the vitamin e oil instead of putting it on my face.  Lesson learned: DON’T BE TOO VAIN.  I was so obsessed about my skin that a few MINOR pimples pushed me to act so crazily about it.  Next time, I would just leave my skin alone and let nature take its course.  At least now you also know that models get pimples too!

A week ago, I had a casting for L’Oreal Feria, yesterday for L’Oreal Logics, and today for L’Oreal Youth Code.  The first two were for hair advertisements and the last was for a skincare advertisement.  I then realized that my castings were only for one brand, L’Oreal, which by the way is my favorite brand of shampoo.  Ever since  I started modeling, do you know which part of my body is always stressed?  Yes, that’s right: MY HAIR!  My hair has been blow dried, ironed, crimped and teased in all directions possible, not to mention the loads of styling gel, hairspray and mousse applied, alas! My poor hair has to take it all.

As a result, my hair is damaged damaged damaged beyond repair,or so I think.  It is dry and frizzy.  It’s a far cry from the hair I used to have when I wasn’t modeling.  I have tried different shampoos and I can personally attest that no one can come close to fixing it than my L’Oreal Elseve.

When I was still living in Manila, I always use L’Oreal Elseve Damage Care Shampoo and Conditioner.  I really loved it.  With consistent use, my hair became manageable, less dry and smoother.  Then they introduced the Elseve Re-nutrition with Royal Jelly Shampoo and Conditioner.  I switched to that because it is more for damaged and dried out hair.

L'Oreal Elseve Re-nutrition

L'Oreal Elseve Damage Care

Then I moved to New York and let me tell you.  I had such a hard time searching for my L’Oreal Elseve.  I had been to various shops just looking for my favorite shampoo but alas!  I cannot find it.  After weeks of searching and my hair already drying out from using other brands of shampoos, I finally found my answer.  I would never find L’Oreal Elseve here in America because they market it here under a different name.  After searching for hours on the internet, I found my answer.  They have a different name in each country.  The product is almost the same.  The major differences are the packaging, color and of course, the name.  In different countries, some ingredients are either added or subtracted.  Like in America, some ingredients are not FDA approved that’s why there’s a minor difference in the formula.  They customize the product according to the local market.  Like the shampoo for Asian hair is slightly different for its Western counterparts.  Blame marketing and branding for making us confused.  For those of you who are still confused about the L’Oreal hair care line, I will reveal to you the secret:

United States – Vive Pro
France and Asia – Elseve
Great Britain – Elvive
Germany – Elvital

Who knew that this little bottle of shampoo is a quest for the truth?  After countless of searching and seeking answers, I finally had it.  And all because of a bad hair day!