Story by Mekyla Rose Forbes
Nowadays, skin care routine is a pretty big deal since we are always on-the-go, studying or working. We want our skin at its best to reflect our best self despite the haggardness brought by dirt, smoke, and other pollutants whenever we go out.
Do you ever wonder how our lolas took care of their skin back when micellar waters nor moisturizers are not yet available? We have listed down some of the traditional beauty routines that our lolas used to do when they were our age!
Gugo
This is a tree which can be found throughout the country. Traditionally, the bark of the Gugo tree is soaked in water then rubbed together to form a lather which will be used as a shampoo. Gugo helps in thickening and stimulating hair growth. Up to present, there are a lot of shampoos that claim to be “natural and organically made from Gugo.” However, these are already treated with chemicals; hence, the Gugo shampoo that our lolas used to have is the OG!
Pumice Stone
Pumice is a porous stone which was used for exfoliation. The traditional way to use it was during bath wherein it was scrubbed on the body to get rid of dead skin. Nowadays, it is still used in spas for exfoliating the feet.
Aloe Vera
Another traditional beauty product is aloe vera or sabila in Tagalog. It is a small potted plant which can be commonly found in the Filipino households. Aloe vera gel is very versatile in such a way that it has many uses. Its gel can be used to soothe burns and irritations as well as to moisturize the skin and make the hair healthy and shiny.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil, like the tree, has a lot of uses. It is most especially used for the hair. Coconut oil makes the hair shinier, softer, and healthier. Traditionally, the oil would be warmed up and applied to the scalp to get rid of dandruff. This makes it the OG #HairGoals!
Salt
While salt is widely used for cooking and preserving food, it was traditionally used as “toothpaste” by our ancestors. Since there was no concept of toothbrush and toothpaste yet, it was a smart idea to use salt for oral hygiene. Salt is a good disinfectant and has anti-bacterial properties. Also, its coarse texture helps in cleaning the teeth.
Papel de hapon/Crepe Paper
This was used more by our aunties than our lolas. Back when lip tints are not yet available, our titas would apply wet red papel de hapon and, other times, crepe paper on their lips to give it that nice red tint. Papel de hapon is used to decorate Filipino delicacies such as polvoron and barquillos. Who would have thought that it can also be used as a beauty product!
These are some of the traditional pampaganda of our lolas back in the days. But wait! Have you heard about some pagpapaganda myths? We have listed down three of them for you!
Washing the face with the first mens
This is probably the most famous beauty myth of all. As soon as a woman had her first menstruation, she must wash her face with it for an acne-free skin. Yikes! While a MediStem research shows that period blood has a lot of regenerative cells which makes it rich in stem cells (which is believed to reverse ageing and treat illnesses), can you stand the thought of washing your face with your own period blood?
Rubbing calamansi on underarms
Since a lot of whitening products have calamansi as their main ingredient for skin whitening, it is a misconception that rubbing a calamansi fruit on the underarms would lighten its complexion. Why not since it is the actual fruit, right? No, girl. Calamansi has a high acidic property which can harm and irritate the skin. In addition to that, rubbing it creates a friction which could pacify the skin irritation.
Brushing the hair 100 times
It was believed that brushing the hair a hundred times would make it softer, shinier, healthier, and can induce faster hair growth. While brushing the hair indeed makes the hair shinier, brushing it for that many times harms it. The friction makes the hair prone to breakage. Further, it weakens the hair root, causing unwanted hair fall.
While it is important to take care of our skin, we should see to it that we do our skin care routine appropriately and according to what our skin needs. Regardless whether it is a whole new modern method or an upgrade of the traditional one, confidence radiates beauty! Be the best version of the young, wise, and free you!
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