Why I'm Taking Glutathione + Its Hidden Benefits

The questioning looks I get from my friends when I start talking about Glutathione is why I even bother taking it, since I'm already fair to begin with. Let me tell you, there is more than meets the eye.

Glutathione is very common here in the Philippines. We can find it in all forms - those who are more conservative would opt for topical application via soaps and lotions, but admittedly the faster way to skin whitening is glutathione entering the body via ingestion or IV. So many rumors surround it though about its effects on one's body. Many are hesitant to take it for fear of experiencing negative effects such as gastrointestinal pain and skin allergies, but I can share with you a brand that I trust since 2013 - SnowCaps! (I've reviewed it way back during 2013, which you may read here.)

I won't try anything that would be a potential health risk, so before trying it out, I did heavy research and found it to be extremely interesting. Glutathione nourishes the liver, and the only side effect it's supposed to give is its skin whitening effect. (That's like a win-win situation.)

In an effort to inform the Filipinos on what we really need to know about glutathione, VIDA NutriSciences teamed up with Kohjin Life Sciences to let us in on the undiscovered health benefits of glutathione earlier today at a press conference held at Hotel Jen. (Kohjin is the Japan-based glutathione supplier of VIDA, and is FDA accredited.)

Kohjin Life Sciences members Mr. Yusuke Sauchi, Ms. Hitomi Ito, and Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine Associate Professor Dr. Wataru Aoi gave us interesting insights about its importance, its depleting level in our bodies as we age, and its hidden benefits.

Glutathione is naturally present in our body, but external factors such as stress, pollution, and vices deplete it, hence the need to supplement.

 

Also, another little known use for glutathione that I've learned today was that some of the Japanese take it before a drinking session, and it has showed a significant decrease in hangover symptoms.

Benefits of Glutathione:

• Lightens the skin
• Keeps a flawless complexion
• Maintains a healthy liver
• Detoxifies our liver and body of harmful toxins and heavy metals from what we consume
• Boosts immunity versus deadly diseases (AIDS, cancer, diabetes, and cardiac arrest)
• Helps keep our physique in shape
• Improves male fertility by providing the needed nutrients for the sperm

Even Alden Richards is a fan!

Filipinos can now be more confident to make informed choices as VIDA and Kohjin collaborates to further common knowledge, break myths, and raise awareness about glutathione.

I'm taking glutathione again not merely for skin whitening, but for overall health and wellness. I've made a comprehensive review before, so I'm expecting the same level of results. But to help you spot an original SnowCaps product, you may refer to the photos below. Make sure to purchase from authorized sellers only.

Expected time for results to show would be 6 to 8 weeks, but based on my experience before, effects were noticed by other people in as early as 2 weeks.

Price: P1,495 per box (30 capsules)

Available in the following locations: Mercury Drugstores, Watsons, Generika Drugstores, SouthStar Drugstores, Three Sixty Pharmacy, Rose Pharmacy, LCC Bicol, 360 Pharmacy – Cebu, NCCC HB1- Davao, Metro Gaisano Pharmacy, Landmark – TriNoma and Makati, Carlos Super Drug – Lucena City, Evercare Pharmacy – Cebu, R8 Drugs Distributor – Sta. Cruz, Manila, Marzan Pharmacy - Sta. Cruz, Manila, Multifirst – Bambang, CuraMed – Baguio, CitiDrug

Have you tried glutathione before? How has it worked for you? Also, if you have any questions about my experience with SnowCaps, feel free to ask at the comment section of this post. (My previous post's comment section doesn't load properly anymore, due to the number of responses.)

Price per box:

P1,785 at SnowCaps in Lazada

P1,794 at Watsons in Lazada

Love,

Helen

Let's keep in touch!

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AcneCare Skincare Regimen + GIVEAWAY

Growing up, I experienced acne myself. It was during my puberty years when my skin acted up, and  it went on until college. My skin has relatively cleared up since then, but I still do get adult acne around my U-zone once in a while. (Ugh. Signs of aging.) I remember an old classmate and I met one time while I was wandering around the beauty aisles inside the mall. She asked me how I made my pimples disappear, because she remembers that I had a lot during my college days. LOL. I'm fortunate that I get to try a lot of products, and I am glad that now there are a lot of options on how we could treat acne, without needing to resort to painful pricking and injections.

AcneCare sent me 2 sets of their expanded skincare range - one to try and experience for myself, and another one for my dear reader! :D (Yes, you can win a loot worth almost P3,000, just in time for Christmas.)

Let's get to know AcneCare's new products!

AcneCare Soap (P149 for 135 grams)

The first step to clearer skin is always clean skin - free from dirt and excess oils that can clog the pores. AcneCare Soap has an innovative and revolutionary mix of potent acne busters while still being skin-friendly. It contains antibacterial Tea Tree Oil, Bio Sulfur, and Ace-B3 which stands for Aloe vera extract (to moisturize and protect), Vitamin C (to prevent photodamage caused by UV rays), Vitamin E (to fight against free radicals), and Vitamin B3 (or niacinamide to clarify and lighten the skin).

This soap helps dry out pimples faster compared to the usual facial wash I use. I also use it to treat bacne, and it works. It has the tendency to leave my face feeling tight though, so I always follow with an oil-free moisturizer.
 

 

AcneCare Acne Drying Lotion (P299)

At last! I've been searching for a more affordable alternative to the famed Mario Badescu Drying Lotion, and here it is! AcneCare Acne Drying Lotion is a mix of sulfur, salicylic acid, and witch hazel extract. My skin cooperated with me because a small zit literally popped its ugly head when I got this in the mail. This one's easy to use. I just dip a clean cotton bud into the bottle to get a small amount of product,and just dab it on my pimple. I felt a slight stinging sensation (similar to when I use an alcohol-based toner on the zit I just picked on), but it goes away in seconds. The solution dries to a pinkish "crust", so it's advisable to use this product only at night or when you're at home during the day, or else you'll be spotted with pink spots on your face. When I woke up, my pimple didn't exactly disappear like magic, but it did become smaller. It took 2-3 days for the small pimple to completely dry up, which is workable for me. It's worth trying if you're looking for an alternative to benzoyl peroxide.

Remember: Don't' shake it! The pink sediments need to be compact at the base of the bottle for the formula to work. Also, this type of formula works better on pimples with visible pus, compared to the painful ones you can feel underneath your skin.
 

AcneCare Lactoferrin (P885 for 30 capsules)

For those who aren't iffy about taking supplements, this one's AcneCare's original (and most popular) product. AcneCare Lactoferrin takes care of the skin from within, where topical products can't reach. Just take 2 capsules before bedtime. Each bottle is good for 2 weeks, and there is no side effect.

Now, it's giveaway time! This gift pack is a collaboration between AcneCare and Snow, both brands from Vida Nutriscience, Inc. - so you'd get perfect skin just in time for this years festivities and beyond.

The Prize:

• 2 AcneCare Soaps
• 1 AcneCare Lactoferrin (30 capsules)
• 1 AcneCare Drying Lotion
• 1 Snow Skin Whitening Lotion

Just follow the easy instructions on the Rafflecopter widget. All steps are mandatory. Contest will run from December 13-20, 2015, and 1 winner will be picked randomly. I will ship the prize to the winner. :) Should the winner not respond within 10 days, the prize will be forfeited.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

God bless you! Advance Merry Christmas, dear readers! :D

 

AcneCare is available in Lazada.

Love,

Helen
 

Let's keep in touch!

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Snow Skin Whitening Soap (7 Plant Extracts from the Swiss Alps)

From the makers of SnowCaps L-Glutathione Capsule comes whitening another product, Snow Skin Whitening Soap.

Snow Skin Whitening Soap (7 Plant Extracts from the Swiss Alps)

About the product:

It contains Gigawhite (that lightens the skin and reduces dark spots) and ACE-B3 (Aloe Vera Extract, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) to nourish and lighten the skin as well.

Ingredients:

What sets it apart from other whitening soaps is that is has none of those harsh (but really potent) skin whitening/bleaching agents, but instead it contains Alpaflor GigaWhite (7 plants extracts from the Swiss Alps ) that work synergistically to give the skin a more even tone.

Because I study the products I use, I found out that Snow Skin Whitening Soap and Celeteque Brightening Radiance Body Cream makes use of the SAME 7 actives.

Celeteque makes use of MulBright Complex, which refers to these 7 plant extracts: Mallow Extract, Peppermint Leaf Extract, Cowslip Extract, Lady's Mantle Extract, Fluellen Extract, Balm Mint Leaf Extract, and Yarrow Extract. These ingredients are said to reduce melanin formation, hence resulting to fairer, more even skin.

I think this soap is more of a brightening product, not really a whitening product. You can therefore use these two products to achieve a more even skin tone faster.

Notice the packaging has the profile of Snow White. For this soap, it's Snow White and the 7 plants!

Pros:

• The box is sealed, and each bar of soap is wrapped in plastic to ensure cleanliness and freshness.

 

• It comes in a cute flip-top packaging.

• Ingredients are listed on the box.
• The product is gentle on the skin. Instead of harsh actives, it makes use of nature's best to whiten the skin.
• It makes the skin look brighter and healthier with consistent use.

Cons:

• It doesn't smell fresh/fragrant. The scent reminds me of a gulaman/halaman hybrid.
• It gives my skin a squeaky clean feel, so I have to use lotion afterwards.
• It's not as potent as the other whitening soaps I've tried.
• One bar is not enough to notice a significant whitening effect.

Neutral:

• It can be used for both face and body, but I prefer to use it on the body alone.
• About the issue with whitening soaps melting easily, just keep it out of the water (or out of the bathroom, if necessary) to keep it solid for longer and to maximize its worth.

Price: P149.00

Available in Mercury Drugstores, Robinsons Supermaket, and Southstar Drugstores

If you want to achieve healthier-looking, more even skin tone without all the harsh bleaching agents in typical whitening soaps, you may want to give this gentle soap a try.

Like Snow Caps - Premium 500mg Glutathione Capsule on Facebook for more information.

Love,

Helen

SnowCaps L-Glutathione Capsule

A few months ago, I was invited by Vida Nutriscience, Inc. to try SnowCaps L-Glutathione Capsule.

People might ask me why I decided to try glutathione even if I have fair skin to begin with. Well, I believe there's always room for improvement. My skin is fair, but with a yellowish undertone (because of my Chinese roots). I'm intrigued on how glutathione might help further improve my skintone.

Aside from that, glutathione is a master antixodant that's stronger than vitamin C. Antioxidants work against free radicals (potentially harmful chemicals caused by stress, sun, and pollution) by neutralizing them, therefore preventing them from destroying protein from our body. Skin whitening is just a (fortunate) side effect of taking glutathione.

SnowCaps L-Glutathione Capsule with Alpha-Lipoic Acid and Vit C

SnowCaps contains Premium 500mg of L-Glutathione, also known as the miracle enzyme, to help whiten our skin. SnowCaps allows us to ingest the proper amount of L-Glutathione (reduced) with 100mg Alpha Lipoic Acid and 100mg Non-Acidic Vitamin C.

In case you're wondering what Alpha-lipoic acid is, it's also an antioxidant. It appears to be able to recycle antioxidants such as vitamin C and glutathione after they have been used up. Glutathione is an important antioxidant that helps the body eliminate potentially harmful substances, while Alpha-lipoic acid increases the formation of glutathione. (Source: About.com)

Each box of SnowCaps contains 30 capsules and is good for 1 month. Results can be seen in as early as 2 weeks to 2 months.

 

Each box is sealed with a safety sticker. Do not accept if logo is missing.

Inside each box contains 30 capsules of SnowCaps and an information leaflet about how glutathione works.

The expiry dates of the product is both embossed and printed on each blister pack. (Manufacturing and expiry date is also printed on the box itself.)

However, I noticed an inconsistency with regards to the mg of each capsule. One the box, it's 700mg while on the blister pack it's 650mg. This part is confusing, since I'm not sure on how much mg of Vitamin C it actually contains.

I was instructed to take 1 capsule a day (after a meal). I started taking this product last October 15, 2013 to October 31, 2013. During that 2 weeks, I had overtime work for 10 consecutive days, which would have made me haggard due to long working hours and lack of sleep. But because I was taking SnowCaps, my skin looked great and healthy the entire time. While I was out shopping, the staff of the store I frequently visit took a long look at my arms and said that my skin tone has changed and asked what product I was using. (I linked a photo on that so you could also see.) That was just 2 weeks after taking SnowCaps.

But then, I got sick (with colds and cough) and started breaking out so I pause a bit. At that time, I developed around 6 cystic acne on my chin (one after another). I supposed it was hormones, stress, the toothpaste I was using, or the glutathione. I paused taking SnowCaps for a week, but the breakouts continued. I asked my nurse friend about how certain medicines can affect the skin, but she said that the glutathione I was taking was unlikely the cause of my acne, since it was late onset (because I had been taking it for already 2 weeks before the acne started popping out). The I realized that the culprit of my breakouts was the new toothpaste I've been using during my office lunch break. I quickly tossed it out of my life, and my breakouts have stopped as well. (You may read about how I killed those pesky cystic acne here.)

Anyway, back to regular programming. I decided to retake SnowCaps again from November 16, 2013 to December 28, 2013 (today, which the last day since I've already finished up the 2 boxes).

Here are some photos of my skin, before and after taking 2 boxes of SnowCaps. Note that these photos aren't edited, except for cropping, labels, and watermarks.

Before & After SnowCaps: Abdomen Area

The skin around my abdominal area has always been darker than the rest of my body, and I don't know why! With SnowCaps, there has been a huge improvement on my skintone.

Before & After SnowCaps: Arm

My yellowish skin has turned to a pinkish white shade. I also love how the antioxidants in this dietary supplement makes my skin look healthy despite the new wave of overtime work (again!) this month.

Pros:

• While taking SnowCaps, my skin looked healthier. I didn't look haggard even if worked late and, felt tired, and lacked sleep.
• Skin had a lit from within glow.
• Whitening effect is natural, gradual and subtle.
• Yellowish undertone of the skin was lessened; skin had a pinkish white look.
• This didn't cause me breakouts. It may even have prevented breakouts due to its detoxifying ingredients and antioxidants (at least for me), since I didn't get pimples during the time of the month.
• It's convenient, since you only take this once a day (with meals).
• Most importantly, I experienced no negative side effects.

Cons:

• It's expensive, especially for long term use.
 

Glutathione's main function is an antioxidant, but it's side effect is that it stops the formation of melanin (which gives out skin color and acts as our natural sunblock). Melanin protects us from burning. When our skin has less melanin, it starts to get fair. At the same time, our natural sun protection is decreased, which makes us more susceptible to burning. Friendly advice: While taking glutathione, please always use an umbrella if you're too lazy to apply sunscreen all over your body everyday (like me).

According to Dr. Vicky Belo, the toxic dose of glutathione is 3000mg per day. So if you take 1 SnowCaps capsule (with 500mg L-Glutathione) a day, you're still far from the limit.

Price per box:

P1,785 at SnowCaps in Lazada

P1,794 at Watsons in Lazada

Have you tried SnowCaps L-Glutathione Capsule? How has it worked for you? :)

Love,

Helen