Mustela Did it Again!

I have been a fan of Mustela since 2011.  I first heard about the brand when my good friend Tammy Tancinco told me about a product they were bringing to the Philipines while I was still pregnant with Dawn.  I don't remember being that excited about the product at that time. You see, I have not yet experienced the magic of Mustela then.  It was just another baby brand to me.
 

Fast forward to 2015 and I am now a big believer. It has helped Dawn with her eczema-prone skin (read about it here) and I am happy to report that Dawn has been eczema-free since then. We have already moved from the Stelatopia line, which is best for eczema, to the regular Mustela Bebe line when Dawn turned one. Last month, we were re-introduced to our much loved Stelatopia.  Let me tell you why. 

 

After our recent trip to Hawaii, Troy has been complaining that his skin has been very itchy. I figured that this was due to severe dry skin. Aside from being under the sun for long periods of time during our trip, Troy also loves taking showers multiple times a day. He takes after his father and cannot sleep without taking a bath. He showers at least twice on a regular day.  While it's nice that he's always clean, it has taken a toll on his skin. We've tried regular lotions but none worked for him. Then I remembered Stelatopia. And that was how Stelatopia was re-introduced to our family.  I am happy to report that Troy has been itch-free immediately a day after showering with the Stelatopia Cleansing Cream.  He has also been using the Emollient Cream as his lotion on a daily basis. Yes, Mustela, you did it again!

 

Our family has been a fan of Mustela ever since. You can read about our experiences in previous posts here, here and here .

 

Note: I have noticed that I have written so many posts on Mustela through the years. Please note that these are not sponsored posts nor am I a paid endorser. I just really love how effective the products are and want to share the same with all of you!

 

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Mustela: Very High Protection Sun Lotion

This year has been a year of fulfilled dreams and answered prayers. One of my faith goals for Troy last year was for him to be able to play soccer (Read about it here).  With much prayer and faith, Troy is now part of their school's soccer varsity team and trains 3 times a week. While i love that he's very active and so much into the sport, I have been a little concerned about his skin.  His skin seems to be getting darker by the day. As with most six-year old boys, Troy does not like to put sun protection. I've tried giving him various sunblocks but he either complains that it does not smell nice or that it's too sticky.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to the launch of Mustela's Sun Care line, among other things. The sun protection line was reformulated to better fight against dangerous UVA and UVB rays while enhancing the preservation of the skin's wealth of stem cells that are still present in our kids' skin.

Mustela's Sun Protection Range

So when I got home, i immediately asked Troy to try it. I was silently praying that he would like it. And he did!   These days, Troy keeps a tube of the Sun Protection cream in his bag. He puts it on himself each time he changes for soccer training. He has also agreed to use it during recess when he plays with his friends in the playground.

I like that Mustela's Sun Protection cream for the face come with an easy pump. This allows for my son to use just enough instead of squeezing the entire content out. I also like how the body lotion is in spray form so it's quick and fun for the kids to apply. I just have to keep reminding him to check where the nozzle is pointed before spraying to avoid spraying his eyes.

I will end with some tidbits about Sun Protection that i learned during the recent Mustela event. I think it's good to always be armed with knowledge.

• SPF (Sun Protection Factor) is a measure of UVB protection and is the amount of light it takes to induce redness after sun exposure. Example: SPF 15 - if it takes 10 minutes of noontime sun for you to develop a sunburn, then an SPF 15 will give you 15 x protection or 150 minutes total. So it's not true that SPF 15 means 15 minutes of sun protection while SPF 60 minutes an hour.
• The sun's peak hours is from 10am to 4pm
• The recommended thickness of sunscreen application is 2mg/cm2. Most people apply less than that. 
• Frequent application is more important than just choosing one with higher SPF

You can check out the Mustela products available in the Philippines by visiting their website or going to their Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/MustelaPhilippines.
 

Contact +639178959988 to find the Mustela store nearest you!

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Protect Your Stem Cells with Mustela

Just when you think Mustela is already the holy grail for all baby products, it just got even better! They now have a new formulation that protects the stem cells of the skin. Yes, stem cells!

Stem cells are really popular these days.  I'm sure most of us have heard of the wonderful benefits of stem cells these days. But what exactly is a stem cell? I did a little bit of research and found that stem cells are actually a reserve cell with the capacity to grow and multiply to replace dead or damaged adult cells. Some, but not all, organs and tissues in the body have a supply of stem cells. Skin is one organ that contains stem cells. Skin wounds are repaired by skin stem cells so it is very vital to retain them in our skin.

Two weeks ago i attended Mustela's launch for the reformulation of the Mustela Bebe line.  During the event, i learned that a newborn's skin contains a rich cellular reserve of stem cells at its highest potential. The problem is that this remains extremely vulnerable during the first few years of life while our skin's barriers are still being formed (usually until the age of 2).

The good news is that Mustela's new active ingredient, Avocado Perseose, supports the development of the barrier function and more importantly, protects the stem cells in the baby's skin. Once safely preserved, the original stem cells can continue to play its role of restoring and maintatining the skin throughout life.  

Mustela event held at the 2nd floor of Stacy's at BGC



Van Santos of Seek the Uniq hosted the event



Sharlene of Mustela Philippines talked about the new ingredient in Mustela Bebe



Cute table setting with Mustela borchures and the signature Stacy's colored mallows and popcorns

Cai of applesanddumplings, Tita K of LiveLoveLolz, Jen of Attachedatthehip, Eli of ThePaintersWife, me, Jen of MyMommyology



 

Yes, Mustela is from France, Tita K!

This new ingredient is available across all products in the Mustela Bebe line. Since my previous blogs on the Mustela products that our family has been using (Read about it here, here, and here), i have found more products that our family is now using.

1. Baby Shampoo

With my 2-year old's growing hair, i found it important to use shampoo now instead of just using soap all over. The shampoo makes her hair soft and more tangle-free.

2.   2 in 1  Hair and Body

This was actualy recommended to me by the Mustela sales assistant in their Glorietta 4 branch. The smell lasts longer than the other Mustela washes so this is just perfect for my very active 5-year old. I like that his hair still smells nice after the end of a very busy day.

3.  Facial cleansing cloths

I found this to be particularly useful for my daughter who loves to thumbsuck. i use this to regularly clean her hands while we're out of the house. I like that i can trust Mustela's ingredients and not worry that the wipes i am using contains harmful ingredients that my daughter may ingest.

4.   Agua De Colognia

Try it and you'll understand why our family loves it!

5.  Cold Cream

Tammy Tancinco of Mustela Philippines gave this to me as a gift after our trip to Korea during the winter. My husband's elbows were peeling and very dry so he decided to test this. We're very happy with the results and Dens' elbows have significantly improved. This is also very good to bring during your winter holidays where lips and skin become extremely dry. Great for the whole family.

So what are you waiting for? Rush to the nearest Mustela branch and start protecting your baby's stem cells!

Mustela is avaiable at the following locations:

Ayala Trinoma, 1st level (beside Mary Grace Cafe)
Robinsons Manila, 1st level Midtown wing (beside Topshop)
Glorietta 4, 3rd level (in front of Gourdo's and Play & Display)
Shangri-la Mall, 4th level (in front of Mothercare)
Megamall A, 2nd level (in front of Esprit)
Greenhills Shopping Center, The Shops, 1st level (in front of Watson's and Mary Grace)
Alabang Town Center, Upper Ground Floor, Connector Mall (in front of K & C Company)
SM Mall of Asia, 2nd level, Main Mall (near Osh Kosh and Periwinkle)

All Rustans Department Stores
All Landmarke Department Stores
Mothercare, Nationwide
PureBeauty, 2nd Floor Serendra, BGC and Harbor Point, Subic
Medela House, New Manila, QC
Chimes Specialty Store, Davao City

www.mustela.ph
Mutela Hotline 0917 895 9988
mustelaphilippines@yahoo.com
Facebook: Mustela Philippines

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Mustela Giveaway Winners!

Thank you to everyone who participated in New Beginnings's Mustela Giveaway. It's wonderful to have 'met' a lot of new friends through this contest.

Congratulations to Kristine Go and Cecile Ong for winning P2,500 worth of Mustela products! We shall be contacting you separately on how you can claim your prizes.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Until the next contest...God bless, everyone!

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Contest: Win Mustela Products!

The contest winners have arleady been announced. Thank you for everyone who joined!

Isn't this exciting? You can win your own Mustela stash! I have my own favorite stash as I’ve shared in my blog posts here, here, and here. Now you can have your own set too!

Mustela has partnered with New Beginnings to bring two happy winners their own Mustela stash!

A lot of your have probably heard about New Beginnings and have been wondering what it’s all about. New Beginnings is a community of progressive mums – these are mums who are open to the non-traditional ways of raising their children and are always on the lookout for progressive brands and products.

Mustela is one of these progressive products because it provides natural skin care options for the whole family. Mustela and my family have a ‘love-at-first-use’ relationship. Mustela has helped clear my daughter’s skin rashes and helped us through sleepless nights of ‘kabag’. Read my previous blog posts if you haven’t yet. What’s even more wonderful is that Mustela products has no Parabens, Phthalate, Phenoxyethanol, Alcohol, and essential oils. It is Hypoallergenique which is perfect for your little one’s sensitive skin.

Now for the super good news. You can now win your own Mustela stash!

Two (2) winners will each receive P2,500 worth of products from Mustela, which can be claimed as a one-time purchase only.  The winner can claim the prize from Mustela, Shangri-la Mall Plaza (no delivery).

Just log in to your facebook account through rafflecopter below and follow the steps. Its really super easy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The contest will run from October 11 to October 25. Winners will be contacted and announced on this blog.

As a bonus to expectant mums. Mustela is a partner of New Beginnings in the Belly Buddies program.  Buyers of Frisomum get a P1,000 gift voucher from Mustela when they buy Frisomum and refer 3 other friends to buy Frisomum. http://newbeginnings.com.ph/belly-buddies

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Mustela Products I Love! (Prelude to a Contest)

As promised in my previous blog post about Mustela, I would like to share with you the different products that I am currently using on my kids and how I use them.

Dermo-Cleansing
 

This is a soap-free cleansing gel. that gently cleanses hair and body without stinging the eyes. Dawn has been using this since she 'graduated' from the Stelatopia line over a year ago.  Excellent cleanser for the kids that leaves them smelling like a baby!

Hydra Bebe Body Lotion
 

I loooove the Hydra Bebe Body Lotion! Our familiy is addicted! Even my husband uses this once in a while. He just feels guilty when he does because he knows i got those for the kids.

Stelatopia - Cleansing Cream
 

The Stelatopia line is perfect for those with dry skin with an atopic tendency. I started using this cleanser when Dawn developed rashes when she was just 4 months old (read about that here).  Now that Dawn's skin has completely healed, i have switched her to the regular Mustela cleaser and it has been working just fine.

Once in a while i will still switch her back to the Stelatopia cleanser whenever i feel her skin is starting to get a little bit drier or when we travel to cooler places.

Stelatopia - Emollient Cream
 

Together with the Stelatopia Cleansing Cream, we have used the Emollient Cream on Dawn. We have now moved her to the Hydra Bebe Body Lotion since her rashes never came back anymore.

On the other hand, i noticed recently that Troy has patches of really dry skin on his knees and feet. So i started using the remaining Stelatopia cream on him and have already seen drastic improvement in just a few days.

Stelatria - Purifying Recovery Cream
 

Every mom should have this!  No kidding - it is a natural first-aid cream for the kids. It repairs and soothes the skin. I use it when the kids get insect bites and i noticed that it helps make the swelling go down. I practically use it on every area that looks red.  It's my first go-to instead of reaching for the ointment or cream that possibly has steriods.

Soothing Comfort balm (moisturizing chest rub)
 

This balm contains shea butter, honey, linden, and chamomile extracts that comforts and soothes the child to give him a good night's rest. I rub it on my kids' chest and back when they have cough and colds - before going to sleep.

I have another funny discovery.  One night, Dawn woke up with a really bad tummy ache ('kabag') and wouldn't stop crying. I knew that my mom used to put White Flower on our tummies when we were younger. Other parents use Mansanilya. I didn't have any of those on hand that night. So i got the Soothing Comfort balm which was really meant as a chest rub, and decided to try it on my daughter's tummy.  She stopped crying as soon as i started massaging the balm on her tummy! I was amazed. It happened again a few weeks later and the balm worked like magic.

Afterwards, i decided to see if there was really any truth to this discovery or if Dawn just enjoyed the tummy massage. As soon as i looked up the word 'Mansanilya' online, it is the Filipino word for Chamomile - which is one of the ingredients of the Soothing Comfort balm. It really removes gas on tummies!  Hurray! Isn't that amazing? By having the Soothing Comfort balm on hand, you not only have something to soothe their cough and colds, but also something to aid their tummy aches too!

Mineral Cream very high sun protection SPF +
 

Perfect for the whole family's sun protection! This product is specifically designed to also cater to allergy-prone skin.

Now for the super good news! Mustela has partnered with New Beginnings to grant BwT readers their own Mustela dream stash! Watch out for the next post on how to win.

Abangan…


NOTE: The contest is now open - click http://densandfan.blogspot.in/2012/10/contest-win-mustela-products.html

*pictures taken from diapers.com, mustela.com

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I Heart Mustela

Do you ever wonder why we have more and more cases of infertility, cancer, and all sorts of new diseases these days? 

I do.

After we lost Tyler in 2006, i started hearing about Natural and Organic products. I knew it was almost impossible to go 100% natural but i was determined to keep our family's exposure to toxic chemicals to the barest minimum.  We never truly found out what caused Tyler's problem but hearing the older generation repeatedly say 'Wala naman mga ganung problema dati' [We didn't have that kind of problem before] makes me believe that it has something to do with all the chemicals that we are now frequently exposed to.  So i went on a quest to find the best natural products in the market - from soaps and shampoos to make-up.

When i gave birth to Dawn in 2011, my good friend Tammy Chua-Tancinco of Mustela Philippines gave me a bottle of Mustela baby wash. I wasn't familiar with the product at that time so i went online and did some research. As i learned more about the product, i also got more and more interested. I learned that Mustela is manufactured by Laboratoires Expanscience, which is the 6^th largest independent laboratory in France, and ensures its high quality products that are free from paraben, phthalate, phenoxyethanol, alcohol, chlorphenesin and essential oils. Priority is given to ingredients of natural origins ranging form 80% to 98%. Mustela continues to create a legacy of unparalled skin care.

So when Tammy called me up one weekend and invited me to lunch and hear about Mustela Philippines, i said yes in a heartbeat. The talk was held at the Premio Restaurant of the Best Western Premier F1 Hotel at the Bonifacio Global City.

Tammy and Martin Tancinco of Mustela Philippines

Liz Almoro 

The very pregnant but still chic Amanda Griffin-Jacob 

Lexi Schultz hosted the event

Sharleen CuUnjieng, who is co-owner of Mustela Philippines, talked about how the product has helped clear her baby's rashes after trying several creams and ointments in the market to no avail.  I have my own Mustela story with Dawn and you can read about that here.

Lexi interviewing Sharleen of Mustela Philippines

All of us were listening intently

They also invited a pediatrician, Dra Vienne Valentin Saulog, to discuss the benefits of Mustela

Rowena (http://animetric.blogspot.com), myself, Liz Almoro, Tammy Chua-Tancinco

With the Mustela Philippines ladies, Sharleen and Tammy

After Dawn was healed of eczema, i started using different Mustela products and have accumulated my own stash at home.  I will discuss how i use each of the product in a separate post.

Mustela has been an essential part of our family for over a year now. If you're new to the brand, this is the perfect time to check it out. They have just slashed their prices last June. Make the shift. Your family is worth it!

Mustela is available at the following outlets:

    Ayala Trinoma, 1^st Level (beside Cafe Mary Grace)

    Robinson's Manila, 1^st Level Midtown Wing (beside Topshop)

    Glorietta 4, 3^rd Level (in front of Gourdo's and Play & Display)

    Shangri-la Mall, 4^th Level (in front of Mothercare)

    Megamall A, 2^nd Level (in front of Esprit) 

    The Shops, Greenhills Shopping Center 1^st Level (in front of

    Watson’s and Mary Grace)

    Alabang Town Center, Upper Ground Floor, Connector Mall (in          

    front of K & Company) 

Distributed at the following:

    PureBeauty, 2^nd Floor Serendra, BGC

    All Landmark Department Stores

    All Rustan's Department Stores

    Numa Echo Baby Store, QC

For more information:

    MUSTELA HOTLINE:

    0917-8959988

    Email: mustelaphilippines@yahoo.com

    Website: www.mustela.com

    Facebook: Mustela Philippines

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Mustela: Rash, Rash Go Away!

When Dawn was about 4 to 5 months old, we noticed that her tummy had dry red patches below the navel area. We thought she was allergic to her disposable diapers so we switched to the conventional cloth diaper during the day.  It did not get better. After a few days, we noticed red patches on the creases of her elbows. It started with little red bumps/blisters then soon became flat and red.

After some research and consultation with our pedia, this is what we found:

Source: www.babycenter.com

Eczema (also called atopic dermatitis), a skin rash that often appears in the first year of life. Eczema usually shows up on a baby's forehead, cheeks, and scalp, but it can spread to the arms, legs, chest, or other parts of the body.  Your baby's rash might look like dry, thickened, scaly skin, or it might be made up of tiny red bumps that can blister, ooze, or become infected if scratched. 
 

I've heard some stories of friends with babies who experienced severe eczema and it's really very concerning.  This is why it's best to begin treatment at the first sign of atopic tendencies.

Here are skin-care tips from Babycenter:

• Try to keep your baby's skin from becoming too dry. Talk with the doctor about how often to bathe her. Many experts now believe that daily bathing can be helpful for babies with eczema. Just don't make the water too warm, because very warm water dries out the skin faster than lukewarm water.
• Use a mild soap, and wash and shampoo your baby at the end of her bath so she isn't sitting in soapy water. As soon as you get your baby out of the tub, pat skin dry (don't rub). Then promptly apply a liberal amount of moisturizer or emollient — an ointment, cream, or lotion that "seals in" the body's own moisture.
• Allow skin to breathe (and not become overheated) by dressing your baby in smooth natural fabrics, like cotton. Avoid wool and other scratchy materials, which can irritate very sensitive skin.
• Switch to mild, fragrance-free soaps and shampoos, or those made for sensitive skin. Use mild, fragrance-free detergent for washing clothes and bedding. Avoid fabric softeners.
• Rapid changes in temperature can make eczema worse, so try not to let your baby get too hot and then cool quickly, or vice versa.
• Help your baby avoid scratching. She may try to get relief by scratching with her hands or by rubbing her face against the sheet when she sleeps. But scratching and rubbing can further irritate or inflame her skin and make matters much worse.
• Use the softest sheets possible in her crib, and keep your baby's nails short. Put her to bed with cotton mittens or socks on her hands, if she'll tolerate them.
• During a flare-up, you can try applying cool compresses to the area several times a day, followed by a moisturizer.

With Dawn, we tried using Mustela Stelatopia Emolient Cream. After less than a week, i noticed that her rashes have all cleared up! I was amazed at how fast the product worked.  I specifically chose this product over other brands because it is free of artificial colourings, fragrances, parabens, and alcohol.  I used it on Dawn's whole body and not just on areas with red patches.  

Dawn does not have rashes anymore but i still use the cream everyday to make sure it doesn't come back. If i am feeling a little brave, i might try to switch to the regular Mustela lotion once the Stelatopia cream runs out. Mustela is now available in the Philippines so no need to order online and send through your friendly courier. Just visit their outlets in Trinoma (1st Level) and Robinson’s Manila (1st Level Midtown Wing). It's also available in all Rustans Department stores and Pure Beauty in Serendra.

For inquiries, you may contact:
0917-8959988
Email: mustelaphilippines@yahoo.com
Website: www.mustela.com

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