Ysobel Luna – talk t á• y o!

About a little over a month ago, Ysobel Luna (aka Yso) came on over as a contributor to talk about her witchy skincare brew, Nectar Hangover Cure, for the first time ever! If you haven’t read it yet, pop on over here. As we love and support all things local, Julia and I could not stop our skincare junkie souls and purchased a bottle from Yso to take it out for a spin.

With that, we are so happy and proud to finally announce the launch of our review series! To add to our little sparks of joy, we are starting it off with a golden bang; so, Alexa cue Gold by Kiiara!

Just a cute little background story: I’ve personally known Yso since we were in grade school, being a batch higher than her way back when. We’ve had mutual friends, similar interests, and even the same club during our younger years! So it’s definitely safe to say that I’ve been able to watch her skincare journey for quite some time now–through IG stories of course.

I first caught wind of her albularyo-esque skincare when I spotted her Instagram story of a bottle of golden skincare goodness. I slid into her DMs, told her it gave me life (because things like making your own skincare does give me life), and promptly ordered two bottles of her marigold concoction before her month’s batch ran out. It cost me a couple hundred bills overall (as it is P210/bottle, and shipping fee), but it would be well worth it.

As you all know by now, skincare products spark a crap ton of joy within us. So, when the Nectar Hangover Cure finally arrived in my hands, all wrapped up in earth-friendly and apothecary-esque packaging, I practically squealed with joy! At that point in time, my skincare routine was missing a facial oil to battle my seemingly dehydrated and thirsty AF skin.

THE ENCASEMENT OF BEAUTY

The packaging is very olden days apothecary, wrapped delicately in brown paper with a handwritten heart-shaped paper note that gave a quick lowdown about the product and its ingredients, neatly tied off by an earthy brown string (which I think was paper as well?). I really loved and appreciated the cute red stamp, but more so the pressed little marigold that came with the package.

The gold serum that is the Nectar Hangover Cure itself is housed in a beautifully minimalist clear glass bottle to show off the beautiful marigold liquid inside. To deliver the product onto your face (in a fuss-free and hygienic manner), you use the clear glass eye dropper with a white bulb that comes with it. Overall, Nectar Hangover Cure really screamed: “HOMEMADE SKINCARE! LOCAL SKINFOOD! WITCH BREW!”–and I loved every bit of the branding that goes into it! Applauses your way, Yso 👏

THE SKINCARE FIT OUT

Best believe, the only filter this has is the Manila golden hour

The liquid gold potion is composed of all natural ingredients, namely: Golden Jojoba oil, Argan oil, Apricot Seed oil, Capric Trigylyceride, African Marigold extract, Mulberry fruit extract, Lavender extract, Jasmine flower extract, Rosa Damascena essential oil, English Lavender essential oil, Immortelle essential oil, and Vitamin E oil. A lot of the components on the list are already known to be amazing for the skin. But did you know that the star ingredient, African Marigold, is grown in Yso’s very own garden out on the hills of Westgrove? SHOOKT is obviously an understatement!

When I first began taking it for a test run, I was honestly still battling a slew of acne breakouts–which, according to acne face maps, was due to a flurry of things like hormones, face masks, and the main culprit being the dreaded s word: stress. To be completely truthful within this review (because we are nothing less than), I had to wait a full month of using the Nectar Hangover Cure, just to make sure that I wasn’t purging or breaking out from the new addition to my regimen.

The photo on the left was taken just a couple days before I received the package. I was having odd bouts of redness, a couple acne marks, a couple of fresh zits (most of which were on my jaw line and where the mask touches my skin. You can even spot some some dullness and the circles (under my eye) from all the stress that 2020 has thrown my way!

As of writing, Nectar Hangover Cure has already and comfortably situated itself into an immovable spot in my skincare routine. I usually massage just two to three drops of this luxurious facial oil (a little goes a long way, people!) into my skin at night as the last step of my nightly regimen just before I conk out for my beauty sleep 😴, then I let the rest of the night and the product work its magic while I slumber.

The marigold infused oil is less “oily” and less slip in feel and texture than the NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Multi Purpose Dry Oil that I usually use; even if the ingredient list is made up of more oils in the Nectar Hangover Cure. The fragrance is a tad bit powerful but disappears after awhile, kind of reminding me of my grandmothers’ boudoir and closet for some reason. I don’t really mind it one bit, and I’ve gotten used to it to the point that I kind of ignore it now.

Sis, I gotta tell you: this cocktail of a marigold potion has saved my skin’s breakout-prone self from full (and horrendous) breakouts a couple of times. Over the past couple of weeks, this luxe serum has restored the radiance that the stress of 2020 has quite literally drained from my skin and life (we are dramatic in this house; please keep up).

Another beautiful (and fun) thing that I have to point out is that Yso recently discovered Nectar Hangover Cure to be the true oil (and localized) version of cult fave Nacific Fresh Herb–with a shorter ingredient list! Definitely a plus for me, as my skin looooooooooves the Nacific serum (unfortunately, my wallet does not).

THE VERDICT

When Yso was first telling me that the Nectar Hangover Cure was her skin’s way of cheating 8 glasses worth of hydration and at least 6 hours of uninterrupted routine sleep, I was a bit skeptical, albeit very excited to see if it worked as well on me. To be able to see the effects IRL, gurl I was floored and utterly gobsmacked. I honestly cannot stop touching my now smoother and plumper skin (a bad habit, do not copy! I am working very hard on curbing it) which just goes to show just how amazing it is! (I still advise, that while this can cheat 8 glasses of water, please still take the 8 glasses of water to accompany this HG skinfood!)

Nectar Hangover Cure is definitely a godsend for hydrating and aiding in the streamlining of my skincare; I can honestly say (test me under veritaserum, I dare you) that it’s one of the best products that I have ever come across during my skincare journey. While it isn’t the end-all, be-all product and I’m still battling a couple more zits here and there (thank you for those, hormones), it’s definitely helped in curbing the breakouts and giving me one less problem to think about: hydration and radiance.

As you can see in the photos that I have so generously provided of my zoomed in, filter-less, very and obviously bare face, I can finally say: b*tch, I actually woke up like this! 😎

After just a month of using this beaut of a potion, I am no longer a “fry-an-egg-on-my-face” kind of oily babe and can now say that I am gracefully dewy (let’s go chok chok skin) and a naturally glazed donut! Oiliness was such a long and arduous issue for me (both as a hormone and just a normal skincare problem). So I am obviously well and truly relieved to be waving goodbye to the hoarding of blotting papers, retouches, and the facial egg fry life! 👋🏻 On top of that, all those years of sleepless nights (some voluntary and some not) looks to have barely left a mark now, and I’m finally kissing my panda eyes a well earned adieu as well. We’re now basking in the glow of being a naturally glazed donut with plumper under eyes, radiant skin, and just an overall healthy and hydrated complexion. A DEFINITE WIN!

Overall, I am so thrilled to have taken on this marigold concoction crafted by Yso and have obviously reaped the benefits of the hard work and elbow grease she has put into her brew. I am so grateful that I can be a tiny part of her witch doctor process as her “patient” as she continues to make it better and prettier for you people (and me) out there!

With that said, you can bet all your butts that Julia and I have already reserved our next bottles because we have already run out of the good stuff and our skin is just thirsty for more liquid gold! 🌼

If I have somewhat convinced you (as an unofficial brand ambassador) of Yso’s skin care products, please go forth and hit her up on Instagram (@ysoluna) and order your own bottle of this luxe life saving oil, the Nectar Hangover Cure, right now! Don’t forget to share with us your thoughts on it too!

Get your chok chok on and slay safe until next time babes 🧚🏻‍♀️

✨ Jazz

PS. Keep in mind that she makes only small batches for higher quality infusions!

✨ jazz

A 24-year-old writer, producer, and stylist who’s got the starry-eyes of a shopaholic with an irrefutable love-hate relationship with carbs and wine.

As we grow in our skincare journeys, we’ve come to listen to what our bodies want. We learn from them and, in doing so, become keenly aware of signs of issues or concern. This is so that they can live their best life and thrive beautifully.

We’ve come to an understanding that many products in our regimen contain the otherworldly powers of natural ingredients that the OG woman, Mother Nature, created. This world’s flora is one of the most mysterious and powerful elements of this planet. They have been a great way to supply food, an astounding source of medicine, and a fascinating fountain of skincare ingredients.

The ultimate goal for skincare? Effortlessly and consistently pull a Beyoncè and claim “I woke up like this” on the flawless side of the spectrum. While we’re still struggling to climb up the mountain and attaining that goal, we’ve happily come across a little skin potion that can help us cheat our way to rolling out of bed and just oozing with radiance.

And to stay true to our brand, we are so happy to announce that we are opening up conversations and dialogues with different people, kicking it off by inviting Yso to take the floor (or screen, lol) away! She’s the potioneer behind the magical elixir, NECTAR, and a lover of all things beautiful. We are so grateful to have been able to catch up with one of Jazz’s old friends from her high school days (in a socially distanced manner, people!) as she shares with us (and now the world) her new beauty baby. ✨

In the history of cosmetics, plant-based oils were most popularly used by the ancient Egyptians to boost circulation and deliver antioxidants to their skin in defense against sun and sand damage. Ahem, it’s time we gave Cleopatra a run for her money. Cue the drumroll!

The beauty elixir that I’ve concocted contains the luxurious oils of jojoba and argan, which are more elegant to use (and far more expensive to source, boo) than her favorite beauty oils: olive and sesame oil.

Nectar Hangover Cure was so christened after I woke up one morning after cooking it up one day and using it on myself, having only had four hours of sleep, a midnight snack of chocolate mug cake, and- I’m ashamed to admit- only four glasses of water the day prior. And yet looking in the mirror, I was honest-to-goodness surprised to find myself radiant when I should have looked like a wreck. Though the bags under my eyes were present, they more closely resembled the coveted aegyo-sal (cute eye fat) than they did hollow and tired panda-esque eyes. I was able to cheat my way to looking like I had a complete 8 hours of sleep and the prescribed 8 glasses of water a day ✨

Used in the daytime, my glow was such that I found I was able to go about my day without the need to use a highlighter- or any makeup for that matter- for that “lit-from-within: effect. Side note: one must always try to achieve the optimal level of glow through skincare rather than makeup, to achieve the most natural je ne sais quoi.

Self-care and beauty in my book is all about the experience. Beyond the old-world, floral, herbaceous scent and rich oil feel of Nectar, the creation process is particularly special. Handcrafting this from garden to shelf in small batches, knowing that I’ve stuffed this with only the highest quality ingredients, skipped the fillers, and formulated this to suit skin in the Philippine climate, I’m excited to share this potent, luxurious skin food with everyone!

Nectar Hangover Cure Face Oil is a potent, organic, cruelty-free beauty serum of natural antioxidants, vitamins, and essential amino acids—loaded with all sorts of skin boosting nutrients. This plant-based hydrating serum works to soothe skin and promote overnight rejuvenation—whether you were up till the crack of dawn for midterms, vodka, or Netflix. Waking up with tighter, radiant, and balanced skin

INGREDIENTS:
golden jojoba oil. argan oil. apricot seed oil. AFRICAN MARIGOLD extract. mulberry fruit extract. lavender extract. jasmine flower extract. rosa damascena essential oil. English lavender essential oil. immortelle essential oil. vitamin E oil.

African marigolds help to repair skin damage and irritation, and reduce itchiness, sensitivity, and dryness. This works wonders on eczema and dermatitis. It encourages skin healing by strengthening the moisture barrier, thereby protecting skin from photo-aging, free radical irritation, and other environmental stressors.

Each bottle of clean skinfood is carefully formulated to be organic plant-based that are handcrafted in small batches and never tested on animals (just me and my sister), making it cruelty-free.

This infusion also has antibacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-inflammatory properties. (Don’t worry acne-prone loves, this is non-comedogenic and works to soothe breakouts, not exacerbate them!) It even balances sebum production, making this suitable for all skin types. I took care to use the lightest base oils (golden jojoba, argan oil, apricot seed oil) possible to suit the humid and tropical climate that our country is known for. Oily skin types can use Nectar alone or mixed into gel moisturizers; I love it with Celeteque Hydration—it’s my holy grail recommendation from Watsons.

Dry skin types can add a few drops to their thicker moisturizers for the antioxidant boost. A lot of love, research, and patience went into this bottle. From sourcing ingredients, growing and harvesting the plants, drying the marigolds and lavender, studying the chemistry, sterilizing tools and containers, experimenting with formulation, testing for adverse reactions on myself and on my family, I put a lot of love, research, and patience into each bottle. Now, at last, Nectar is ready! ♡ I’m finally an albularyo..

For any fellow witch doctors out there, this process is simultaneously easier and more difficult than you’d expect. I’ve gone through a couple fretful challenges like growing your plants for the best and most bountiful yields. I’ve also had to fight off hordes of pests—those damned slugs and snails won’t give me a moment’s rest in this monsoon season, they chewed through half of my marigolds a few weeks back. Drying herbs and fighting mold with this humidity can be a nightmare—I’ve wracked my brain and tried it all: oven drying, sun drying, silica gel, and dehydrators. I’ve also come to the realization that sterilization is so much more than washing with soap and water, going through an extensive process to make sure all the tools are clean and ready to use. My measuring apparatus has grown in quantity as my brewing process requires beakers, graduated cylinders, pipettes, and a weighing scale.

It’s a ride, let me tell you, but the results have proven to be well worth it.

Stay magic, witches.

PS. I only produce this in small quantities to ensure high quality infusion and to keep my plants healthy and happy

If you’re in the PH and want to give Nectar Hangover Cure a go, follow and hit up Ysobel on her Instagram (@ysoluna) so you can watch out for her next batch of skinfood potions!

🧚🏻‍♀️ yso

A 22 year old hedonist in search of all things beautiful, an apostle to the church of skincare, an archenemy of the common garden snail, and “alipin” to cats everywhere.

Tag: Ysobel Luna

Discovering Liquid Gold: A Review On The Nectar Hangover Cure of Yso Luna