Casmara facial treatment for the straight guy

Have you heard of Casmara? It is a Spanish cosmetics company known for its premium quality cosmetic products. For 37 years since 1974, Casmara has been a pioneer in the industry, using efficient and unique formulations to improve the quality of life with efficacy and beauty through their products. One such product is the “Original Algae Peek Off Mask”, which comes in nine different flavors depending on the desired effect:

• Reaffirming Mask (Black) – For mixed and oily skins, the one most recommended for men
• Green Mask – Prevents aging, recommended for damaged skin
• Vitamin Vegetable Mask – Anti-wrinkle with clarifying and lightening effect
• Sensitive Mask – Contains oats to improve skin quality and firmness, for sensitive and couperose skins
• Nova New Mask – Restores water balance in dehydrated skin
• Green Tea Mask – Green tea’s anti-oxidants revitalizes tired or damaged skin
• RGnerin Mask – Linseed and Aloe Vera exfoliates, soothes, and regenerates skin
• Re6tense Mask – Contains Kiwi fruit extract and poppy seeds to reaffirm skin showing signs of flaccidity
• C40-Bi-phase Soya Mask – Consists of the eye mask with bilberry extract and soya facial mask to increase elasticity and firmness in mature skin (40 up)

As a dude I am blessed with not having to bother with cosmetics or having to spend hours in front of a mirror worrying about the way I look. My morning routine involves about as much as a 5 second checkup in the mirror to remind myself what a handsome stud I am. For the most part, the dirtier and messier I look, the better.

That doesn’t mean I don’t care about my looks. For men like me, hygiene is more important than what clothes to wear or deciding to shave my beard – but more on that later.

You see, I face a lot of people everyday – usually the this means meeting professionals, girls, company decision makers, girls, celebrities, and oh did I mention girls? Being an extrovert, I like … or need to interact with these people. This is where confidence plays a big part, and a lot of that comes from how good I think I look.

So how do I make sure I look good all the time? For me, it’s all about hygiene. No matter what I’m wearing, as long as I feel clean and I smell good, it’s game on for me. When was the last time you tried to get close to a girl, only to be turned off by the way she smelled? Think about it, brothers.

Point is, I would never intentionally go to a dermatological clinic, although I have always been curious, for personal hygiene. That is why I was happy to have been given the opportunity to try Casmara Shinestop, a type of facial treatment exclusively being offered by Diana Stalder Face & Body Skin Care Center.

What did I think of it? Read on …

I had my treatment at the Svelte Wellness Center in Eastwood, Quezon City. Upon arriving I was immediately taken in by its warm, relaxing atmosphere and greeted by its friendly and courteous staff. Formerly owned by a Swedish national, Svelte has recently been acquired by BCP Dermatological Corporation, which owns and operates the Diana Stalder clinics nationwide.

With the acquisition, will Svelte Wellness Center eventually be renamed and remodeled to become a Diana Stalder Center? According to Diana Stalder Marketing Manager Francis Labora, this is still being studied. However, he is very excited with the acquisition and believes that Diana Stalder is heading towards the right direction. Recently Diana Stalder has undergone re-branding, replacing its golden, stylized logo with a sleek, modern green one.

Beyond just changing its logo, Diana Stalder branches will be undergoing reconstruction. Already the Ayala Makati branch has been remodeled with the new look. Francis explains that with the re-branding, Diana Stalder is introducing a new set of products. The re-branding is also necessary to push Diana Stalder forward to a new business direction. By doing this the company hopes to penetrate the very competitive high-end beauty market.

Diana Stalder Operations Manager Suzanne Capulong gave me a tour of the facility, which is actually quite spacious. The facility is so spacious that it can afford to have FIVE restrooms. Svelte formerly specialized in slimming, but is now being remodeled to accommodate Diana Stalder’s wide range of dermatological products and services.

Like most men I have really oily skin. I myself amazed by how much oil my skin produces, even in controlled conditions. I would take my daily bath and drive my way to work, all the while remaining fully air-conditioned. Upon arriving at the office I would head over to the restroom and wipe my face with paper towel. The paper towel would be soaking in yummy, nutritious oil. If I had a stove I could try to squeeze it all out and make myself some breakfast.

So to treat my face the Staff at Svelte recommended that Casmara Shinestop, which uses the Reaffirming Mask. It is actually the de facto treatment of choice for most men, given our naturally oily skin. The treatment lasted for about an hour. It starts off with a facial massage, cleansing, optional pricking, serum application, and finishes with the facial mask.

All in all there are about nine steps – pricking is the hardest part, but thankfully it is optional. While it would ensure that your face is thoroughly cleaned, I would personally skip this step. Men like me are not used to having things touch our face, so the pain is much worse.

The mask is chilled in a freezer before it is applied to the face, resulting in a very cooling effect. It reused up to three more times at home, just chill it in the freezer before putting it on your face.

The result of the hour-long treatment is dirt-free, oil-free skin. For busy men like me this is a good way to maintain hygiene, especially in urban areas where sun and dirt can easily build up, contributing to acne and other unwanted skin problems. Not only this, it can also be a confidence booster for business and meeting women. I must admit that as a straight dude I am still not totally convinced, though I did enjoy the experience. So all I can say to my brothers is, try it out for yourself and see if it is for you. To the girls out there, you know more this stuff more than I do, and I would love to hear a female opinion.

To really see the effects of the treatment, Francis recommends having at least 4 sessions a week apart.

Audio Visual Junkie would like to thank Ia Lim, Daryll Dial, Ruth Arviola of Svelte, and Suzanne Capulong and Francis Labora of Diana Stalder. For more information check out Casmara Cosmetics Philippines on Facebook

Casmara facial treatment at Diana Stalder Face & Body Skin Care Center (photos)

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