When it comes to the anti-aging game, I’m one of the lucky ones. I sometimes still get mistaken for a college student and get cast for roles younger than my real age. I have my mother to thank for my good genes. She’s almost 60, but looks decades younger. I also credit the magazine editors who influenced me to invest in eye creams and high quality skincare in my early ’20s when I was just starting out as an editorial assistant.

But I’m not exactly in the safe zone anymore. Early this year, my skin started to break into rashes, and a trip to a dermatologist revealed that my skin is getting dry because of my job as beauty editor, wherein I constantly test different beauty products. Yikes! My derma told me that I should be pickier with my skincare choices, and stay away from heavily scented moisturizers.

When I was invited to L’Oréal’s Timeless Beauty event two weeks ago, their skincare experts confirmed through a personal skin assessment that my skin is indeed parched. A skin analysis gadget checked the hydration, elasticity, and sebum level of my face. Their findings: While my skin has no major signs of aging, my skin type has gone from combination to dry.

To help my fellow beauty bloggers and I learn more about anti-aging skincare, L’Oréal treated us to a cozy lunch at Café 1771 in Ortigas, Pasig, while we listened to skincare lessons from their partner dermatologists. Here are some of the things I learned:

1. Filipinas will start to see natural signs of aging as early as their ’20s.

2. As soon as you hit your ’30s, skin health processes slow down. You will start noticing fine lines around your eye area, especially if you love wearing eye makeup like I do.

3. While makeup can do wonders to mask skin flaws, nothing beats having a good skincare ritual. The most basic skincare for those in their ’20s is the cleanse-tone-moisturize ritual, while those in their ’30s and beyond need to invest in anti-aging serums and extra moisturizing products.

4. Beauty comes from within. Aside from upgrading your skincare ritual, a healthy diet and proper hydration will help make your skin glow.

5. For more of the beauty tips I learned from the L’Oréal Event, visit my other blog post at I Love BDJ.

After our skincare lessons, we were treated to a makeup and portrait session inspired by the ads of Dawn Zulueta, L’Oréal’s brand ambassador for the anti-aging skincare line. I met her during the launch back in March. She reminds me of my mother Nani, who hasn’t done any surgery to her face and yet maintains a youthful glow. Dawn is such as fabulous woman—and so is my mother!

Check out my portrait taken by L’Oreal photographer, Advan Ramirez:

To cap off a lovely day with my fellow beauty bloggers, we each took home a complete set of the L’Oréal Revitalift Laser X3 skincare. This skincare line ticks off the safety precautions checklist that my dermatologist gave me months ago—1.) not too perfume-y, 2.) is a brand I trust, and 3.) has the backing of Filipina skincare experts. I’m ready to upgrade my skincare routine.

A closer look at the products:

Good news for my readers! You, too, can have your skin assessed for free at the Great L’Oréal Makeover in SM Megamall Fashion Hall (G/F Activity Area) on July 29-31, 2016. Get a free skin analysis using the same gadget that we beauty editors tried at the private L’Oréal event. You’ll also enjoy discounts and freebies from your favorite makeup, skincare, and hair color products. See you there!

July 26, 2016