"I would be nothing without you...Did you ever know that you're my hero? You're everything I wish I could be. I could fly higher than an eagle, for you are the wind beneath my wings."
"As we go on, we remember, all the times we've had together. And as our lives change, come whatever, we would still be friends forever."
"I'll be at your side, there's no need to worry. Together we'll survive through the haste and hurry...If you feel like you're alone, and you've nowhere to turn I'll be at your side."
As for the most patronized skin whiteners (soaps, of course), we better get ready for some more green papaya soaps, instead of orange ones. Thanks to Splash' Biolink, we are now aware that the young papayas are the ones most effective in whitening the skin. This is due to a more active performance of the enzyme papain, the extracts that gently exfoliate the outer layer of the skin, thus revealing a new and younger complexion. (But still, the study conducted by Synergy revealed that for 2004, Likas Papaya is the top whitening soap, as cited by 21% of the respondents.)
And who knows, a tough competition for Godiva might enter the market; with a new and more effective specie of licorice to boast this time around. Godiva Skin Care, a skin whitening company established by a Filipino chemist Fred Reyes in 1996, has now captured an international client. The product line's main whitening ingredient is licorice, an herb with a skin-whitening capacity comparable with that of papaya's. It is much expensive than papaya products, though.
More and more "whitening" herbs and substances might become more popular and widely available this year. Among this might be Vitamin C, Bearberry Extract, and Beta Carrotene (yes, the ones extracted from carrot oil).
Maybe one or two substances could finally make a claim as a "skin bleaching agent," and that would be upon a rigid examination by the Food and Drug Administration. A bleaching agent is one that really whitens the skin by preventing melanin from forming in the first place. Melanin is the one responsible for the dark pigment of our skin; shutting them off would cure the root of the problem, not just treat evident symptoms. So far, only hydroquinone, considered one of the most efficient whitening substances, is qualified for that "bleaching" title. Others, just like papaya and licorice extracts, are simply referred to as lighteners, brighteners, or whiteners. Their work only concerns the outer layer of the skin; usually exfoliating, revealing fresher, lighter skin on the process.
Revolutionary foreign methods (fads included) might enter and capture the Philippine market. The South African product Julienne Cr�me Bleach is a refreshing skin-whitening technique. It is a salon-based, repetitive treatment that is now rapidly becoming popular in Malaysia. With the use of a special spatula, clients were treated with this "magic" concoction for an hour. After the bleach is washed off, voila! And you'll be stepping out of the salon in a noticeably fairer complexion. The effects, though, will fade within two to three weeks. But a monthly treatment would be satisfactory enough. Still, one more problem with this technique is the drying out of the skin. Clients can opt for the 10 Vitamin C injections per month to prevent drying of the skin. And oh, it will work best if you'll put on weight, as the stretching of the skin makes its color lighter. This new skin whitening technique costs twice more than regular full-body bleach in skin care salons. So much for whitening though. This one is a fad that might not live long in the Philippine setting.
"In a universe of ambiguity, this kind of certainty comes only once,and never agin,no matter how many lifetimes youlive."
(Robert Kinkaid on Francesca Johnson; The Bridges of Madison County by Robert James Waller)
"It hurts me more than it hurts you."
(Ma'am San Joaquin; CommRes120 class)
"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride; so I love you because I know no other way than this: where I does not exist, nor you, so close that your hand on my chest is my hand, so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep."
(Pablo Neruda)
"I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough."
(from The Notebook by Nicolas Sparks)
"When a person really wants something,all the Universe in the world conspires to help that person realize his dream."
(from The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho)