Beauty

21 Aug
When I was 16 years old, I achieved my dream of becoming a published author when I wrote an Op-Ed for the national paper in the Philippines. At that time, I was reading, "Mga Ibong Mandaragit" (Birds of Prey), the Philippine literary classic about neocolonialism by social activist, Amado V. Hernandez, and had just come back from a trip to the United States. My article was about the destructive effects of colonial mentality that was still so pervasive in Philippine society over a century after Spanish colonial rule officially ended. Growing up with dark brown skin in the Philippines, I never considered myself beautiful or attractive in any way, shape, or form. The ideal beauty at the time was a demure Filipina with pale skin and westernized features. I was even once passed down for a modeling job because I would not capitulate and say that I was not pure Filipino. The casting director wanted me to say that I was part-Filipino and part-something else. I just couldn't do it. It was just something that I accepted as a teen. I thought to myself, "Ok. You have to accept this. You are not physically the ideal concept of beauty here, so you are just going to have to compensate by being intelligent, charismatic, athletic, and fun to be around". So I grew up not putting value on looks and placing my worth on my achievements and accomplishments instead.
31 Jul
I was born and raised in the Philippines, a country of 134 ethnic groups, 120 different languages, and 7,107 islands. Growing up close to the capital, Manila, I was most enamored by the southernmost portion of the country, called Mindanao. Though most of the country is Christian, that part of the country is predominantly Muslim.
There are 18 different ethnic groups that live in Mindanao. One of them are the Badjao/Bajau, also known as Sea Gypsies, as they move with the wind and tide in their small houseboats called Vintas. These seafaring people have the most fascinating rituals that illustrate their concept of life and their relationship to the sea. For example, it is said that immediately after birth, a newly born  infant is thrown into the seas and the rest of the family save the newborn.
15 Jul
The COVID quarantine was a very challenging time in our lives. I have to admit, I was really anxious about being alone for the first time in almost 20 years. But I came out of it learning so much about myself and also had the time to pursue one of my passion projects...Worthy Goods!
02 Jun
WHICH SUNSCREEN IS RIGHT FOR ME? Summer is almost upon us, and with that, comes increased sun exposure. Sunscreens protect the skin by preventing and minimizing the damaging effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. These damaging effects can cause not only sunburns but skin cancer, pigmented spots, premature aging, and wrinkles. We all know that this is beneficial, but with all the available choices and different sunscreen formulations and brands, how do you pick what’s right for you? If you’re like most people, too many choices can confound you, give you anxiety, and you end up just giving up and not even choosing anything, or worse, make an uninformed decision. But fear not, dear reader, I have the solution for you! I have broken down the science of sunscreen to a more palatable and understandable way.
14 May
As one of the millions of Americans who suffer from rosacea, I know first hand how impactful it can be to your quality of life. Your skin looks red, feels tight, itching, burning, painful, dry yet oily at the same time, and sometimes you can even have bumps all over. It affects your self-confidence and makes you feel not only physically miserable, but makes you not feel so good on the inside as well. So, I wanna delve more into it: what causes rosacea, what patients can do on their own to make their lives better and decrease flare-ups, but also which products I use and love when I have a rosacea breakout.
25 Mar

You have probably heard of microneedling sometime or another. Lately, this has been one of the more popular procedures I do for my patients with excellent results. I’m going to talk about what the procedure is, who the best candidate is, what to expect before,...

25 Sep

I recently went on a trip to Aspen to attend the wedding of a good friend. Compared to Miami, where I currently live, Colorado is inherently drier. It also is significantly higher in elevation so you also have intense sun exposure. As someone with sensitive...

12 Jan
A lot of people have asked for recommendations regarding skincare products. With my job in Cosmetic Dermatology, I am fortunate enough to be able to get and try different skincare products. In Part 1, I will be discussing the best facial cleansers, toners, moisturizers, and sunscreens. Here are a few of my faves: