Book Review: Enchantment

Author: Orson Scott Card. 

This is a fairy tale retelling of Sleeping Beauty and what happens after the spell is broken. A young boy stumbles upon an enchanted clearing where he finds a beautiful sleeping princess. However, he was chased away by a creature that guards her. The boy grows up to be a scholar of Old Russian languages and returns to the enchanted place. He kisses the princess awake and defeats the bear. What follows is an adventure of magic, true names, time travel, love, and sophisms of patriotism, love, history, and Russian literature.

This is a tale for grown-ups, not because of adult content, but because it has Russian and Jewish historical and political references. It merges the tale of Sleeping Beauty with the Russian fairy tale figure Baba Yaga in a way that you won't expect. A very enjoyable read, nonetheless.

Being well-versed in fairy tales from all over the world, I was delighted to see how the typical French or English story of Sleeping Beauty was given a Russian makeover. It was hilarious how the princess adjusted to modern America when she sought sanctuary there, and how a modern fit and athletic male miserably fails when compared to the prowess of the warriors of old. The story is imbued with magic and wisdom that you will want to go on reading until the last page.


Lesson Learned: Heroes rise out of the strife of adversity.

Book Review: The Night Circus

Author: Erin Morgenstern

Captivating. Enthralling. Whimsical. 

Set in late Victorian England, The Night Circus introduces readers to a wandering and wonderful circus, and its cast of unforgettable characters. From the clock-maker, Herr Friedrich Thiessen, to the mysterious tattooed contortionist, and the endearing, talented twins Poppet and Widget: the cast is as fantastical as the story itself. Most of all the the pair of starstruck lovers: Celia and Marco, who despite the adversarial circumstances, find love and redemption.

Narrated in descriptive, almost lyrical prose, the story unfolds much like a movie. Trained in magic by two father figures, the pair of protagonists try to outdo each other in their special blend of magic, against the chess board that is the circus, which continues to evolve as their skills and emotions do. It is a story of a struggle for power, of families formed and estranged, and of adventure. And in the heart of it all is a love story whose courtship takes place in the magic of the circus-- a story that continues to blossom amid the adversity of certain death and loss. Told in fragments and in various character perspectives, the author affords her readers the 360-degree view of the story, and leaves them satisfied to have all knots unravelled in the end.

This book was one that I found very hard to put down, and harder to see end. Yeah, I cried when it ended. 

Lesson learned: Love will find a way.

Product Review: Oil of Argan

I first heard of Argan oil in an episode of "America's Next Top Model". Described as "the hottest beauty trend in Morocco", this extremely rare oil has a host of beautifying and restorative properties. It has piqued my curiosity right then and there. But when I heard that it is very rare and super-expensive, I shelved it off to my "When I'm Rich, I'm Gonna Buy This" list. So imagine my delight when I was given a sample to review.

Argan oil is derived from the Argan nut that is endemic to Southwestern Morocco. Used by women of the Berber tribe, Argan oil has a multitude of uses for the hair and skin: moisturizer, toner, age-defier, bath and facial oil, hair treatment, skin softener, treatment for skin disease, leave-on hair conditioner, and make-up enhancer among others. It takes hours of manual labor  (or days when done by a lone worker) to eke out a liter of Argan oil. The effort, the scarcity, and the usefulness of Argan oil has earned it the moniker "Liquid Gold".

Unboxing

The Oil of Argan came in an unpretentious package: a black cardboard box decorated in a Moroccan theme. The oil itself is encased in a thick frosted glass container. Around 90% of the bottle is swathed by the black label. I wondered about this at first but as I researched more, I got why the manufacturers did it that way.

Simple packaging

The oil is contained within a chic sea-glass container.

The oil is dispensed through a pump. You only need a drop or two at a time, so be wary of the pressure you exert when pressing it. 

A paper insert goes with the product, detailing its benefits, how to use it, and the myriad ways of how it can be incorporated in your beauty routine.

Note: Don't throw away the black box. You need it to store the bottle in to prevent the oil from breaking down.

My Impression

To start off, I don't have really bad skin. I have a breakouts every now and then. My skin, however, is oily, especially in the T-zone. And since having my second child, my skin has been evidence of sleepless nights, stress, and the haggard-ness typical of new mothers. Just a few weeks ago (before I started using Oil of Argan), I was inspecting my face and was grieving for its loss of luster and tone. 

I first tested the product at the back of my hand, to see how fast it is absorbed onto the skin. To my surprise, it took less than 5 seconds for the Argan oil to disappear into my skin. I waited a few hours before applying it on my face to see if I had any allergic or adverse reactions to it. I had none.

I pumped two drops onto my fingers and applied it in small circles on my face. The first thing I noticed is that it did not have any strong artificial odours. Rather, the smell is reminiscent of nuts. The second thing is that it is viscous. It delivered just as the label says: 100% Moroccan Argan Oil. After putting it on, the oil was readily absorbed into my skin, without leaving any greasy residue.

As a night serum, I apply it after I wash my face and before I go to bed. I wake up with moisturized skin, I actually see the sheen when I look in the mirror first thing in the morning. 

As a day serum, I put it on before I pat on pressed powder onto my skin. To avoid shine, let the oil sit on your face for a few seconds so that it can get thoroughly absorbed. One time, when I was in a hurry, I applied it too soon. I was left with a slightly oily feeling on my eyelids (my skin normally gets oily there). Though it was neither obvious nor unsightly, I just didn't like to feeling.

Since using Oil of Argan, my makeup routine was streamlined to less than five minutes: 60 seconds to apply the oil, 5-10 seconds to absorb, and the rest for applying pressed powder, eyebrow pencil, lipstick, cream blush, and eyeshadow (optional). I now see no need for concealer, foundation, BB cream, toner, astringent, etc. 

 Before: Oily with dry patches and uneven skin tone

Now: Glowing, taut, and with better tone

The photo above was taken after I attended an Advanced Cardiopulmonary Life Support course, where we had to do CPR, run through a simulated emergency situation, and sweat out a pen-and-paper test. Later, I walked under the heat of the afternoon sun to ride the public jeepney. I was pleasantly surprised that after all that activity, my skin looked this great. It was dewy, not oily. No wonder my co-commuters kept on giving me sidelong glances.

These past few days, I see people giving me a double take. Friends and acquaintances remark on how great my skin looks and feels. I have noticed that my skin is now taut, whereas before I was dismayed to find early signs of wrinkles. Gone are the days when I have to worry about oily skin. In the 13 days since I started using it, I haven't had a breakout yet. My pores feel unclogged and liberated.

I now have the confidence to wear minimal to no makeup. And it is liberating to face the world without having to pile on my war paint. 

Cost-effective

As this blog post says, there is no such thing as cheap Argan oil. At P600 per 30 mL (SRP), you're basically buying just the 100% Pure Moroccan Argan Oil. Costs for packaging is quite minimal considering that it doesn't come in fancy containers and boxes. You don't pay for the name of the brand, nor any additional chemicals and artificial ingredients. You may wonder why it only comes in 30 mL bottles. If you only need at least 4 drops a day, 30 mL will last you quite a few weeks already. 

Oil of Argan is the cheapest 100% pure Moroccan Argan oil in the market. It is undiluted with other oils and perfumes. 

What Other People Say

My 54-year old mother bought a bottle for herself. After a week of using it, she said that her scars have faded. Mind you, those scars are not very deep, so don't expect miracles. They are just your usual facial scars from pimples, scratches, nicks, and the like. It's not like she's hacked in the face or something. Suffice it to say, her skin looks plumped up and rejuvenated.

Another satisfied customer updated me. "I love how Oil of Argan just lightens the dark spots caused by pimples. My face is smoother too. I love it." She went on to say that compared to other products she used, Oil of Argan lightens dark spots faster, and she now has less breakouts.

Final Verdict

As a beauty product, Oil of Argan is a multi-tasking gem. In the 2 weeks that I have started using it, my skin has improved visibly. I use it as a day and night serum, moisturizer, and make-up base. I am yet to test it on my hair and nails, and as a makeup enhancer.

Oil of Argan is an organic solution to your beauty needs. If you have sensitive skin, you have a good bet that this product will work on you. One of my friends, who has extremely sensitive skin, is an avid user. She reports that she has had no adverse reactions to the product. For those who want to see obvious results, Oil of Argan delivers on its promise.

Interested? Text me for orders at 09062066904.