A Waterful Way to be Hydrated Inside & Out

Those who have combo skin, but with a higher percentage leaning towards the dry side, say "aye!". If you've been suffering from it for far too long, you know what I'm gonna be taking about in a few.

There's no shortage of scientific studies that supports the claim that hydrating inside out is the way to go. A simple Google search will bring you to all those. Based on experience, I can say, without a shadow of doubt, that those studies {or some, at least} speak the truth.

HYDRATING FROM WITHIN

It flushes toxins, prevents tooth decay, reduces the risk of heart disease... the list of water benefits goes on and on. So far, the best benefits that I got from drinking lots of H20 are weight loss and clear skin.

I used to tip the scales at, give or take, 180-ish. I ballooned from 110 lbs. to 180-ish. I was desperate, really desperate to lose all the excess weight; not for the aesthetic reason alone, but mostly because I felt so sluggish every single day. 

A friend of mine told me a simple trick that really worked for me, I swear. She told me to drink 1 glass of water as soon as I wake up, 1 glass 30 minutes before every meal, and a couple more in between. My glass is roughly 200 ml. 

It really helped! It'll make you feel full all the time. Like everything else, it's gonna be pretty hard in the beginning, but after a while, it's gonna be a favorable habit.

Not only did it help me a lot in shedding off the excess pounds, it also cleared up my skin. See, the unwelcoming addition to having all that weight was acne. I don't know about you guys, but in my case, they go hand in hand. Sucks, but since there's a cure, I guess it's A-okay.

I'm not being a prude about this, but we all know that not all water tastes the same. 

There are those that have metallic aftertastes; some taste & smell so much like chlorine that you might as well drink from a swimming pool; and then there are those that feel really heavy. 

I like mine light, crisp, and ever-so-lightly sweet! Sip Purified Water is all that, and it's cheap! 

This water is something else. I can't believe I'm gonna describe the most boring liquid in the world as "delicious", but it really is. 

I already have a handful of Sip converts starting with my own boys. They first quipped that my initial reaction was over-the-top. Well, they still think it's over-the-top. However, they also think that Sip is delicious.

I hate that Sip is really good because now I want the 5-gallon version, which they don't have, by the way. They only have the 350ml (PhP 9), 500ml (PhP 11), and the 1-liter bottle at PhP 20.

I'm not a water snob - heaven knows I only buy Fiji when it's on sale - so I really can't describe it the way they do. You really have to try it to understand the difference. If you don't like it, feel free to leave a comment below that it sucks. I'm a big girl. I can take it.

SUPERFICIAL HYDRATION

I just recently got acquianted with Kracie Cleer Cleansing Water. There are two versions {please see the photo below}: 

Cleansing Water {Blue} - for light makeup users

Cleansing Water Oil In {Orange} - for heavy makeup users

My go-to is Neutrogena's Deep Clean Micellar Gel to Foam. It works pretty well with my highly reactive skin and does what it should. But since I've tried Creer, I've decided to switch. 

The Cleansing Water {especially the Oil In version} is excellent in removing all that gunk out of my face. I like that it doesn't need tugging or pulling to get all the makeup out. I'm no spring chicken anymore, hence I consider tugging and pulling as a mortal sin at this point in my life. 

Anyway, I love the silky feeling it gives. And best of all, it doesn't smell funky. The water {specifically called "spa water"} that they use for Creer comes from the Shimane Prefecture in Japan, by the way. It has been discovered that women who live in the aforementioned prefecture have the best skin in all of Japan! And yes, one of the reasons for such is the water.

Cure Natural Aqua Gel (PhP 1,500), Cure Water Treatmen Skin Cream (PhP 1,500), Cleansing Water (PhP 545), Cleansing Water Oil In (PhP 545)

I only realized the importance of exfoliation when I was already in my early 30's. So now, I exfoliate thrice a week. I stay far away from chemical exfoliants, though. Cure Natural Aqua Gel is the only one I use. I've been in love with it since 2013!

For those who have used it, you know the power of the beading, right? For those who haven't, it's high time that you should. This magical gel gently lifts away dead skin cells, leaving the skin with a squeaky-clean feeling.

Cure Water Treatment Skin Cream is new to me. I've been told that it was originally invented for the workers at Cure. Since they've been producing so much Natural Aqua Gel, their hands started to suffer. Because of this, the owner decided to come up with a product that will properly hydrate the hands of the employees, and voilà! Another cult product was born. Maybe we can talk about the fantastic culture of the company some other time, yeah?

It's a combination of toning water and lotion - which simply means, it gives a highly charged dose of hydration. I like that it's very light and non-greasy. 

I'm all for the glowing glass skin look, but I'd prefer it if there's no greasy feeling involved.

Cure and Creer are available at Beauty Bar, SM Department Stores, Rustan's Department Stores, and Watson's. Sip Purified Water is available in leading supermarkets and convenience stores.

Onward and Upward!