Squeaky Clean Kids: A Soap That Helps!

I got introduced to Squeaky Clean Kids when I met Dr. Winston, the founder, in one of the break-out sessions from the Spark Fest. He told me that Squeaky Clean Kids aims to educate and train children on proper hygiene. It's actually not as shallow as it initially sounds because really, millions of children die from diseases often prevented by just washing their hands before meals. Hygiene and preventing the spread of disease is just as important as providing meals and giving them access to education.

Here's an excerpt from an article by UN experts:

Good hand washing practices are said to be the single most effective way to avoid contracting diseases, such as acute respiratory illnesses and diarrhoea-related diseases like cholera and dysentery, he noted in a news release. These diseases cause 3.5 million deaths among children under five each year and they are preventable.

- UN experts

I asked "How can one contribute to Squeaky Clean Kids?" and here are the answers:

1. By purchasing their organic goat milks soap with honey and oatmeal at 100 pesos (as of March 2018) each plus shipping. For every soap you purchase you also provide soap to kids in an under-served community.
2. By volunteering in their upcoming activities. They're going to have one this April 2018. Follow them on Facebook to find out more.
3. By donating in cash or kind like hygiene kits, books, and educational toys. They don't have a designated drop off area yet but they can arrange for pick-up.

I took option #1 and ordered some soaps for 100 php each, plus 180 php shipping. I thought it was a very good deal (I mean, if you order more than one to spread out the shipping costs). The whole ordering and shipping process was easy and quick! I ordered 10 pieces via Facebook and shared some with my family and friends.


So now that I've given you a background on Squeaky Clean Kids and their cause, I'll move on next to sharing more about their handmade soap. In doing so, I'm hoping it would help you decide if you want to buy them -- which if you did, will be a great help!

#1. First off, I want to share the benefits as I've experienced.

It says on the label that it's anti-bacterial and moisturizing.

Well, it's a given that soaps are indeed anti-bacterial. I mean it better be. Isn't that the point of soap?

As for the moisturizing part, indeed, it doesn't dry out my skin as much as regular supermarket-brand soaps do. Ever since I was young, I usually itch for half an hour after showering due to dryness. I would have red spots and "pantal" which go away after an hour or so. When I use natural soap, I usually don't get itchy anymore. The moisturizing bit is a big plus because I have no patience for putting on body lotion.

One thing that's not mentioned in the label is the exfoliating benefits. When I run the soap around my skin, the exposed oatmeal bits exfoliates my skin. I think I can skip the body scrub!

#2. The value you get and the price in comparison to others

Let's be real, the regular soaps you can find in the supermarket are cheaper by half and they last longer. However, with these soaps, companies put in a lot of harsh chemicals (like triclosan and triclocarban) to make it last longer. Just so you know, your body will be paying for it in the long run as our skin (the largest organ) absorbs these harsh chemicals and later on turn up as cancer.

Read: 
Antibacterial Agent Triclosan linked with Breast Cancer by Ecowatch.com
FDA Bans 19 Chemicals Used in Antibacterial Soap by NPR.org

The Squeaky Clean Soaps are 100 php. It's made with Virgin Coconut Oil, Goat's Milk, Honey, Oatmeal, Vitamin E, and Olive Oil. No harsh chemicals.

Comparing it with other locally made organic soaps (as of March 2018) but not necessarily exactly the same, Squeaky Clean soaps come out reasonably priced somewhere in the lower-middle spectrum. Whether it's a better product, I can't say because I haven't tried all of them -- but I can say at the very least, that it's a damn good bar of soap.

• Human Nature Natural Exfoliating Bar - Php 89.75
• ECHOstore Lavender Mint Soap Bar 100g - Php 95
• Be Organic Bath and Body Soaps at Beauty MNL - Php 80 to 90
• Milea Bath and Body Wellness Soaps (with variants like Calamansi, Honey Propolis, Egg Firming) - Php 95
• VCO Soap 90g at ECHOstore - Php 100
• Ilog Maria Honey Glycerin Face Soap Bar at ECHOStore - Php 160 [I gotta try this one next time!]
• Soak Artisan Soap - Php 245 [These are cute as hell! I want one.]
• VnM All-Natural Handmade Soap: Poppy Plush (Emu Oil Based) - Php 295 [They don't sell this anymore but I bought three right before they stopped selling it]

If you do decide to go for the natural soap route, check out these tips to make your natural soap last longer. Read: "How to Make Your Natural Soap Last Longer" by It Takes Time


#3. Lastly, by buying a bar of soap, you're also giving a bar to the kids in the community. 

It's like you're buying two bars but giving away the other one who really needs it. However, I don't want you to think of this as a pity-purchase. Pity-purchases is not sustainable. Go back to reasons #1 and #2.

Up close after a week of use. See the oatmeal bits?

I hope I've convinced you to check out Squeaky Clean Kids organic soap. Not only will you be helping yourself, you'll also be helping other kids. Perhaps join up with your friends so you can save on shipping costs! Perhaps think of them too when you start your Christmas shopping. :)

Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/squeakycleankid2017

Update June 4 2018:
Squeaky Clean Kids came out with a new packaging (super cute) and other variants!

Pore Cleansing Brush from Human Nature (Review)

Last December, I bought the Pore Cleansing Brush from Human Nature (as of now at Php 550) from the website. I've been using twice a week for about 2 months now.

The product claims that because of the small bristles, it's more effective in cleaning out dirt from your pores (vs just using your plain old hands). Because of the mild exfoliation, your skin will absorb the vitamins from your face creams better.

See photo below from Human Nature's Instagram post, comparing lemon peels when cleaned with hands vs. pore cleansing brush.

How exactly does the Pore Cleansing Brush work? We're testing it out on a lemon which has pores similar to those on our face. We put makeup on two areas of the lemon - one will be handwashed with facial wash and the other with Pore Cleansing Brush. Results: the one on the left is washed by hand and the one on the right is cleansed with the Pore Cleansing Brush! #magalogueturnover

A photo posted by Human Nature Philippines (@humanheartnature) on Nov 11, 2016 at 11:34pm PST

Immediate Benefits

Upon using for the first time early December 2016, the mild exfoliation made my face glow a bit. I don't think I'll ever need a facial scrub anymore.  It's indeed "feathery soft" as claimed so it did not irritate my face when I pressed too hard. The facial cleanser I use was Celeteque Hydration Facial Wash (75php for the 60ml tube).

As for the boyfriend (I gave him his own too)... After his first use, his mother noticed a huge difference and asked him "What did you do to your face? Your skin looks so much brighter and smoother!".

Long Term

Thankfully, I don't normally break out. However, my usual skin issue is dryness and dullness. After using the brush twice a week for a month, I'm happy to say that it helped with the dryness and dullness because of the consistent exfoliation.

I'm also happy to say that it did not cause any breakouts because I've been careful with properly cleaning and drying the brush after each use. Watch out: The brush needs to be thoroughly cleaned and dried. Since the bristles are so dense, it's tough to dry out (It will smell like wet dog). If not dried well, it will be a breeding ground for bacteria... that will surely give you zits.

Caution when using Cleansing Brushes

• Don't get overzealous when brushing your face. According to some bloggers (sharing stories of using cleansing brushes in general), brushing too hard and too often will trigger breakouts and will make your face red and irritated. Two times a week during night time is recommended.
• Wash and dry the cleansing brush well, preferably somewhere with proper air circulation. I rinse and squeeze the bristles until there's no bubbly residue left. I hang it to dry in the bathroom with the windows open with a bit of sunlight coming in, so bacteria doesn't fester (yuck). Don't leave your brush in the bathroom if it's constantly steamy to prevent mold formation. Some suggest disinfecting the brush with alcohol.
• Do not share brushes! Not even with your own sister.

Here are some more tips from Cosmo UK on using cleansing brushes

I just wished that it wasn't pink. I think if it came in white or beige, more guys will buy it.

What do you think?

Ilog Maria Honey and Propolis Throat Spray (Review)

All week long, I've been having itchy-throat coughs. It's annoying because it's just tiny bits of phlegm and yet I'd have coughing fits just because it's so itchy.

It's even more annoying when I'm trying to fall asleep. Here I am about to doze off when *COUGH COUGH COUGH* then I'm fully awake again!

Thankfully, my mom gave me this: Ilog Maria Honeybee Farms Honey and Propolis Throat Spray! (Php 88) It soothes my itchy throat long enough for me to fall asleep! Now, I bring it around in my bag during the day and I leave it beside my bed at night.

Aside from soothing itchy throat, it also makes my breath minty. Honey has anti-bacterial properties so it helps kills the smelly itch-causing bacteria. I'd probably even spritz my mouth when I get hungry (Sorry, no, don't do that, it's just me)!

Check out the rest of Ilog Maria's products at their website. They have more products online.

Ilog Maria Honeybee Farms
Website: www.ilogmaria.com/shop
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ilogmaria123

Evening Skin Care with Filipino Products

Ever since I was 12, I started putting stuff on my face. Mostly, I started with products from my mom's table. I can't even remember what the brand names were because there were so many products in different languages on the labels.

(P.S., the lady in the photo isn't me)

A decade and a half later,  I've found my three mainstay products: Céleteque Hydration Facial Moisturizer, Virgin Coconut Oil, and Human Nature Tea Tree Oil. I'm quite happy and proud to say that these 3 are Filipino-made and not expensive at all.

Thankfully, I've been blessed with skin that's not prone to breakouts. While I have dry skin, but I get zits every now and then (more when I was a teenager). However, it's the ones with dry skin who tend to age faster.

Here's my nightly ritual for skin care after washing my face. Since my issue is dry skin, I need a lot of moisture. Because everyone has different skin types and goes through different schedules, using the same products as someone else will not guarantee the same results.

Step 1: Céleteque Hydration (Php 127 for the 50ml)

Image from www.celetequedermo.com

I was introduced to Céleteque by a dermatologist. It was the first water-based moisturizer I've tried. It has a gel-like consistency and is easily absorbed in the skin. This has to be the first step because if I put anything else, it creates a barrier that the gel moisturizer can't get through.

Céleteque Hydration Facial Moisturizer is available online through the website, but I usually just get mine in leading supermarkets and drugstores. It's quite easy to find.

Step 2: Human Nature Tea Tree Oil (Php 295 for 30ml)

Image from www.humanheartnature.com

I previously bought the Tea Tree Oil 10ml from the Body Shop which was ~Php 495. Later on when I started using Human Nature products, I found their Tea Tree Oil at 30ml for Php 295! It's 5x cheaper than the Body Shop version.

For those unfamiliar with Tea Tree Oil, it's a topical disinfectant which is typically an ingredient for anti-acne products. As a household product, it's used to kill mold and bacteria. Read here.

Sometimes, I put it on a small piece of cotton and dab where the zits are. Every other day though, I just add 2-3 drops into my Celeteque Hydration moisturizer before putting it on my face.

Human Nature Tea Tree Oil is available in the Human Nature website or in Human Nature stores. I don't think this is readily available in the supermarkets.

Step 3: Virgin Coconut Oil (~Php 200, I think, for 250ml)

Image from www.abs-herbs.com.ph

For the final step, I use Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO). There's plenty of skin benefits that come from using VCO. Celebrities like Kate Hudson, Gisele Bundchen, and other VS models swear by it!

Not everyone's skin works with coconut oil though. Buzzfeed explains (in their buzzfeedly-way) the pros and cons of using coconut oil on your face.

I first started using VCO back after I went through this derma-peeling treatment in 2014. All other commercial moisturizers stung so badly, but coconut oil was the only one that didn't. I've used coconut oil on my face ever since.

I use up about half a teaspoon each time I put it on my face. I smear it around from forehead to neck. It feels greasy at first but it sinks in right away.

The brand I'm using at the moment is ABS Grace Virgin Coconut Oil. My dad drinks a teaspoon of it as a food supplement and to help with digestion. We usually buy this in Mercury Drugstore but it should also be available in most supermarkets.

So there you have it! My evening skin care ritual with the 3 Filipino-made products. Here's the link of their websites and where you can buy them.

Céleteque Dermo
Website: http://www.celetequedermo.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Celeteque
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CeletequeDermo
Where to buy: Mercury Drugstore, Watsons, Supermarkets

Human Nature Tea Tree Oil
Website: http://humanheartnature.com
Where to buy: Human Nature website, Human Nature Stores

ABS Herbs Virgin Coconut Oil
Website: http://abs-herbs.com.ph/virgincoconutoil.html
Where to buy: Mercury Drugstore, Watsons, Supermarkets

Human Nature 100% Natural Clarifying Shampoo (Review)

I have sensitive scalp. The sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) in regular shampoo brands make my scalp red, flaky, and itchy.

I started using non-SLS/SLES shampoos upon advice of the stylist who did my keratin treatment. She said SLS/SLES will dramatically shorten the life of the keratin treatment. If I wanted to keep my hair smooth and straight, I needed to switch to a sulfate-free shampoo.

I bought my first sulfate-free shampoo in Healthy Options, particularly the Nature's Gate shampoo (imported from US). While effective in prolonging the permanent blow-dry effect, it's not super foamy. Even though it didn't foam much, I eventually got used to it.

My friend recommended I check out Human Nature, since I'm aiming to buy more Filipino-made products. Human Nature was borne from Gawad Kalinga, with a vision of creating an enterprise that is inclusive towards local communities. If you want to go local as well, Human Nature is a great starting point!

All of their shampoos are advertised as sulfate-free and made with natural ingredients. I zeroed in on the Human Nature 100% Natural Clarifying Shampoo, which was advertised as their foamiest shampoo yet!

Product Features:

• Today, the 200ml is Php 149.75 while the 495ml is Php 319.75
• Fruit acids eliminate product build-up
• Betaine and aloe vera soothe and moisturize the scalp
• 100% no harmful chemicals

Back of the bottle

Here's a snippet of the product description from the Human Nature website on SLS/SLES:

Did You Know? The lather you get from most shampoos is very likely created by chemical surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) – which have been found to irritate the skin and pollute the environment. We instead use coco fatty acid sulfates – natural sulfates that give you rich lather equal to the foaminess of SLS/SLES but are non-toxic, fully biodegradable and proudly manufactured in the Philippines!

Before we move on, I want to share more on coco fatty acid sulfates (CFAS), from other sources. The more you know, the better.

• Naturally Curly.com Forum - "Yes it's (CFAS) a sulfate. It's just a complete derived version as opposed to a chemically purified one. Like refined table sugar, versus raw sugar."
• Blessmybag.com Comments - "Coco Fatty Acid Sulfate or CFAS is similar to sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) ONLY in terms of its molecular structure. What differentiates CFAS from SLS and renders CFAS safe is its manufacturing process."
• Chemical of the Day - "So sodium coco sulfate actually is a blend of sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium caprylic sulfate, sodium capric sulfate, sodium oleic sulfate, sodium stearyl sulfate etc, and instead of naming them all out with all of the fatty acids from the coconut oil, they just call it sodium coco sulfate." It would carry the same risks of skin irritation, eye irritation, stripping hair of natural oils and forming nitrosamines in the presence of triethanolamine as SLS does."

So how does the price compare with other shampoos?

Compared to other supermarket brands, Human Nature 100% Natural Clarifying Shampoo is more expensive. For the 200ml bottle, it's .7488/ml while for the 495ml, it's .6460/ml. Upon checking Lazada.com.ph for other shampoos:

• Palmolive Naturals Anti-Dandruff 180ml (Php 96.50) - .5361/ml
• Pantene Total Damage Care Shampoo 340ml (Php 200)  - .5882/ml
• Sunsilk Damage Reconstruction 180ml (Php 94.50) - .5250/ml
• Tresemme Shampoo Split Repair 340ml (Php 230) - .6765/ml

Unfortunately, not all of these brands are made in the Philippines.

Compared to other products in the natural or sulfate-free category, it's very reasonable. I checked out a couple of options from Healthy Options the other day. The closest one in terms of price is Nature's Gate (made in US).

• Andalou Shampoo Sunflower 340ml/11.5oz (Php 395) - 1.1618/ml
• Avalon Shampoo Peppermint 325ml/11oz (Php 359) - 1.1046/ml
• Jason Moisturizing Aloe Vera 475ml/16oz (Php 395) - .8316/ml
• Nature's Gate Shampoo Jojoba + Lotus Sacre 530ml/18oz (Php 259) - .4887/ml
• Nature's Gate Shampoo Sulfate Free Color Protecting 354ml/12oz (Php 295) - .8333/ml

However, I can't tell if the more expensive imported shampoos are really better in terms of quality because I haven't tried them yet.

If you're looking into getting a discount on the Human Nature products, get a membership in the Human Nature website (click on the "Be A Social Entrepreneur" ). The discount is at least 15% if you plan to spend at least Php 800 per month.

Using the Shampoo

Human Nature 100% Natural Clarifying Shampoo on my palm

The liquid is clear with the usual shampoo consistency. It smells nice, like fruity zesty apples. When I lather it on my hair, it gets foamy but not as foamy as regular shampoo. It needs to be mixed with a bit of water to become really foamy.

Right after using at first wash, my hair feels squeaky-clean. Sometimes, too clean... which is why I only use it every 2 days.  I alternate it with the Human Nature Moisturizing Conditioner in Vanilla (Day 1 shampoo, day 2 conditioner, day 3 shampoo). When I feel like my hair and scalp has too much oil and product build-up (after skipping a day), that's when I use it again. My scalp doesn't dry up or turn red and itch after a few days of use.

However, whenever I get the Brazilian blow-dry or Keratin Treatment, the blow-dry effect slightly diminishes slightly every time I use this shampoo. It's most likely due to the coco fatty sulfate. If you've just gotten the keratin treatment, stick to sulfate-free shampoos. I can't help it though, I still use this shampoo even when I get the keratin treatment. I'm just glad the effect diminishes only slightly.

Final Words

I love this shampoo! I've been using this consistently for 2 years already. My scalp hasn't been red and itchy. I've recommended it to everyone who told me that their scalp turns red and itchy or that they've got dry hair. For those who've already tried it, they've only had good things to say.

If you've used Human Nature shampoos, let me know what you think!