Divasoria

Doreen Mijares is a broker/trader for a mid-sized stock brokerage firm here in the Philippines. Aside from being busy with the equities market, she is an avid reader, foodie and traveller.

Doreen is also a loving mother and wife to her young family.

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Since I’m a creature of habit, my essentials have been the same practically all my adult life.

The papaya soap above is one my aunt shared with me when I was in my early 20s. She supports this women’s cooperative based in Iloilo and she sent me a box of soap they make. It was sitting in my dresser for months, and when I finally tried it, I was hooked. I’ve been using it for more than 10 years now! There’s no other product that can wake me up and make my face supple fresh. My face literally feels sluggish and tired without it. Needless to say, I hoard and order it every few months.

My hair tends to get very dry during the day and oily at night. Weird, but true. There’s no way I can’t wash my hair everyday. Head and Shoulders Cool Menthol addresses both problems, it keeps me from flaking from the dryness and is strong enough to rein in the oiliness. This shampoo is the first thing I pack when I know I’m going someplace cold, where my hair tends to be most problematic. I’d hoard this too, except that thankfully it’s widely available.

I use the Neutrogena Anti-Residue Shampoo about twice a month, when my hair becomes tired from my usual shampoo. I’ve had that bottle for 2 years now, it’s really bang for the buck. The Human Nature Strengthening Shampoo is a recent find. I was looking for a solution when my post-partum hairfall was getting out of hand. It seems to be working as I now have little new hair peeking out of my hairline, something I have to bear with for now.

I use scentless white Dove soap as recommended by my daughter’s pedia (more on that later). The imported absolutely scentless one is hard to find, I buy it at the Makati Med gift shop, of all places. Then sometimes I filch my daughter’s favorite Human Nature Tangerine Tarsier Kids shampoo and use it as body wash at night, just because it smells so yummy.

I have what dermatologists call skin asthma, those little rashes that only tend to appear at the upper arm. My daughter also recently developed it, and her pediatrician recommended applying Atopiclair cream after every bath when the skin is still moist from the shower. I’ve been doing the same for 2 months now, and my rashes are about 50% gone, so yes, I guess it’s doing its job but I’m still waiting for the day when it would be completely gone.

I was using a different body lotion but when my son was born I shifted to Johnsons Baby Milk lotion. I figured it’s safe even I’m often skin to skin with my baby because well, Johnson’s na, milk pa 

When I turned 33, I started to feel anxious with what I’ve been reading that a woman should moisturize and moisturize as soon she turns 30. I panicked that I was 3 years too late so I grabbed the most obvious choice (Olay Total Effects Moisturizer) and have stuck with it ever since. I used to pair it with the Olay Night Cream, but my face started to look white washed. I found the day moisturizer is enough.

I can’t stand stingy mouthwash, so I’m so happy there’s a stingless alternative in Oracare.

At night, there are only two things I apply after my shower – Carmex chapstick because otherwise Id wake up and go through my day with chapped lips; and apply the Omnia Botanica eye contour cream. This eye cream is my favorite, I love that it smells so gentle and that its so soluble it gets absorbed right away. Its an Italian brand locally distributed by my boss’s daughter’s company called CarmenClaire.

I’ve been a bit obsessed with eye creams lately, after the circles around my eyes started to look really dark. Having a new baby after ten years has been a real shocker to my sleep pattern. My favorite so far is the aforementioned Omnia Botanica eye cream, which I like to use at night. But I also like Timebalm Cranberry Invigorating Eye cream. It contains caffeine so I use it during the day to “wake up” my eyes. The Olay Total Effects eye cream is just ok for me.

Make-up. When Grace asked me to do the Glossy, I was so dyahe I had to come clean and admit I have zero knowledge of make up. I literally live on natural pressed powder and lipstick. That’s it. My everyday kikay kit, if you can even call it that, has my powder, one lipstick, my tweezers and my cuticle cream.

I bring either The Face Shop’s NB23 Clear matte pressed powder or the Maybelline Clear Smooth Natural SPF15 pressed powder. I use the powder right after I apply the Olay moisturizer, which acts as my base. I’m also not picky with lipstick and will use anything anyone will give me as long as the color is right for my skin tone. (Probably except for Estee Lauder – their lipstick has a certain smell I can’t stand). Right now I use Mac Dubonnet and Clinique Ripe Raisin (not pictured). The Mac Dubonnet however tends to get very dark when applied directly, so I use my fingers to dab it on my lips sparingly.

The Burts Bees cuticle cream is a staple in my tiny kikay bag everyday. I cant stand it when my hands and nails feel dry, especially with the constant use of sanitizing alcohol throughout the day.

On (very) rare nights out however, I have a little trick to feel at least put-together. After my shower, I would put body oil all over my arms and face (going for a dewy look). I use Burts Bees Body Oil for this but use it sparingly coz it can feel sticky especially if it’s a particularly humid night. Then I use the bronzer on my cheeks, collarbone and arms. And use my fingers to apply a bit of eyeshadow. I love that the CarmenClaire bronzer above can double as an eyeshadow too. I curl my lashes a bit, use a red lipstick (Maybelline Passion Red), and Im good to go.

as told to divasoria