Our free consultation service as experienced by this Pinay

Erique Cajucom 1

Dark marks visibly faded after just two weeks.

Pores are less obvious; overall skin texture is smoother

A month ago, we reached out to Erique Cajucom to let her try out our free skin consultation service (find out how to avail of this by reading until the end!).

After exchanging messages and photos, we found that she had normal to combination skin, with her top three skin concerns being texture, dark marks, and aging. We also asked about her favorite and not-so-favorite skincare products to help us figure out what her skin is already comfortable with. Erique shared that her skin responds well to niacinamide and alpha arbutin, but she has yet to find a vitamin C product that completely satisfies.

With this information at hand, we recommended three products from By Wishtrend.

 

By Wishtrend Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Toner

– The Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water to smoothen skin texture and prevent breakouts

By Wishtrend Quad Active Boosting Essence

– The Quad Active Boosting Essence to hydrate the skin and soothe acne flare-ups

 

By Wishtrend Pure Vitamin C 15% with Ferulic Acid

– The Pure Vitamin C15% with Ferulic Acid to fade dark marks and brighten the overall complexion

As you can see in the very first photo, the results after only 2 weeks are astounding! Her month-old dark marks have visibly faded, and if you look closely in the second photo, her pores are even less obvious

Below, we talk to Erique to learn more about her and her two-week experience of testing our recommendations. 

Hi Erique! Thanks for joining us in this article. Why don’t you start by telling the readers about you? 

Hi! My name’s Erique, I’m a 24-year old medical student and co-founder of Empath, a mental health social enterprise. When I’m not studying or working, I’m also a beauty, health, and fitness blogger. Resistance training enthusiast? Check! Makeup enthusiast? Check check! Skincare enthusiast? Check check check!

What has your skincare journey been like? 

I started picking my skin in college because of stress, and I went from one shade of brown to too many to count. I had scars all over my forehead, my nose, and my chin. The first beauty product I owned to help my situation was a pressed powder compact to conceal the scars. The next was an alpha arbutin spot treatment to lighten them. One thing you should know about me is that I obsess over things, and skincare is just one of many obsessions. It wasn’t enough for me to use a product and watch it work. I had to know why and how. It helped that I had a science background and many chemistry classes under my belt, but skincare can be overwhelming even if you just dip your toes. And in my case, I dove head first. I’ve seen different products work with varying levels of effectiveness, but the unglamorous side of skincare journeys where hyperpigmentation is involved is that the scars come back. And they come back especially if the reason behind them isn’t addressed. I definitely don’t pick my skin as often as before because I’ve learned to manage my anxiety and compulsiveness, but I’ve learned to be patient with myself and not be too caught up in my frustration too. I get a scar every now and then, but it doesn’t bother me as much as before. Recovery in all forms is not linear, after all. Recently, I started picking again because of stress related to the pandemic, and I’ve gone through a lot of products in the past year. I’m always on the lookout for something I can easily recommend to other people with the same problem as me.

What were your initial feelings towards our recommendations? 

I was pleased to see the Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water because I’ve used AHAs in the past, and my skin has responded very well to them. I have to admit, I was a little nervous though because I’ve used stronger AHAs and higher concentrations before so I was worried that this wouldn’t be as effective. As for the Quad Active Boosting Essence, I was intrigued. It was my first time trying ingredients like propolis, honey ferment filtrate, and black tea ferment. I saw good reviews everywhere so I was excited to give it a shot. Lastly, we have the Pure Vitamin C 15% with Ferulic Acid. I was open to KbeautyCafe about my past experiences with vitamin C serums in the past. There were some that didn’t do much for my skin, and there were others that did although they had an unpleasant reaction or formulation. When they recommended this to me, I held my breath, but I was hopeful because they sounded like they believed this was going to be the one for me. Overall, I was excited for the lineup, and I couldn’t wait to see the results.

That’s great to hear! So, how was your overall experience with our product recos? 

For both morning and evening routines, I started with the Quad Active Boosting Essence. It was generally very mild, with no scent or irritation. The intended effect is not so much in what it causes but rather what it prevents. I know it’s supposed to calm acne and help resolve it sooner, but I didn’t have breakouts while I was testing this product so I couldn’t really assess this effect. However, I imagine it would be a good addition to someone’s skincare routine if they were needed to combat inflammation and irritation. In the mornings, I followed the toner-essence with the Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water. I think it’s worth mentioning that this toner has a moderately strong scent. It isn’t too bothersome, just something to keep in mind if you are sensitive to these things. I like how lightweight this was, almost like water. It sunk into my skin easily, and my moisturizer blended into it well. In the evenings, I followed the toner-essence with the Pure Vitamin C 15% with Ferulic Acid. I noticed this also had a scent, but this time it was the typical vitamin C scent which you might have encountered before in other serums. I don’t mind that at all, but again just take note if you’re sensitive to scents. I really enjoyed how this felt on my skin. It’s a little slippery, but not sticky. It warmed under my touch as I worked it in with circular motions, and it felt very luxurious. Because it has a slightly slick consistency, it gives off a shine, but if you’re applying this at night like me, it’s hardly a problem. Besides, it’s very comfortable and wears well so you can go to bed knowing it’ll work it’s magic through the night. I’m generally very happy with the result, because my scars lightened after two weeks. I was working with mostly old scars that are more difficult to address compared to newer, more recent scars, and they still managed to improve in the short amount of time I had. I would definitely recommend these products, but it would still depend on the person’s skin needs. The Quad Active Boosting Essence will work better for someone with acne flare ups, but I still think a visit to a board-certified derm would be very helpful to treat the root cause. The Mandelic Acid 5% Skin Prep Water, on the other hand, is a great introduction to the world of AHAs, but I think people who have worked with acids for a while could also try higher concentrations if needed. Lastly, The Pure Vitamin C 15% with Ferulic Acid is a welcome addition to my collection. Alpha arbutin, retinoids, and AHAs were my go-to throughout my skincare journey, but I’m happy this vitamin C serum has found its place on my shelf. I would definitely recommend this to those with scars who want a gentle formulation.

Do you have anything to say to our readers? 

Clear skin is great, but it isn’t everything. Your skin can go through a lot of changes in a year, in a month, and even in one day. Don’t beat yourself up over it if your skin doesn’t look the way it used to. Taking care of it, even if it doesn’t look 100% all the time, is more than enough. Don’t forget that our beliefs and perceptions about beauty are best colored by self-love, ok?

Wow, that’s an awesome reminder for our readers, Erique! Thanks so much for that. 

Thank you as well for having me here, KbeautyCafe! 

If you want to consult with us, just drop us a message at our Facebook or Instagram! We’ll be sending you a questionnaire to get to know your skin and proceed from there. 

4 replies on “Our free consultation service as experienced by this Pinay

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *