• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)about the best selling  (as sold by Philippine Celebrities' Dermatologist/Plastic Surgeon Dr. Vicki Vicky Belo) Skin Care Bleaching / Whitening Products

Please note that this page is under construction. I'd add more content daily. I'm building this page from scratch (from what I remember from my HTML class 3 years ago) so please pardon the slow construction.

• What are the differences between the different products?

• Does this have any mercury?

No. Skin bleaching products tainted with mercury usually came from China, Dominican Republic, and also some Philippine made brands (I won't name names), but definitely not these products. I wouldn't sell products I deem dangerous & poisonous for customers & for me.

• How long do I have to wait before seeing results?

The average time it takes for customers to see results is about 2 weeks (of every other day treatment - cream & soap) or 1 week if used every day. Of course, this is just the average - some customers see results after an overnight application, while some don't see noticeable results till 4 weeks later. It can't just be placebo effect because people around my customers notice the difference too. Of course, it may not work as fabulously to a few minority - some might just notice a shade difference.

Even if you have to wait 8 weeks to get results, this is still quicker compared to some dermatologists' 6-12 month skin regimen for lightening the skin.

• What's the expiration date of these products?

3 years after manufacture date, 2 years after opening. Products are always fresh - less than 2 weeks old from the date of purchase because I get new shipments via expedited airmail every week.

• You have several sets, can I substitute some items with another?

Due to a recurring paypal/ebay glitch, substitution requests have been accidentally overlooked, which has prompted me to strongly discourage substitution. If you still want to give it a shot, here are the exact guidelines:

• The soaps & 10 gram cream have the same price & are therefore interchangeable. The lotion & the 25 gram cream cost the same, and are substitutable.
• Put all requests in the 'note to seller' field when you pay with paypal, or when you mail your payment.
• If you forget to put the request in the payment & email me later but I already shipped your order, then I can't be held responsible for that. You may return the order (but you pay for shipping & reshipping) if necessary.

• I have dark skin and want to lighten my skin several shades and need a strong skin whitening soap; which soap is more effective and stronger?

It depends on how your skin reacts to the soaps - I can't really know for sure which soap would work for you better. First time users should try all available soaps (currently black licorice, papaya/kojic acid & the soon to be released glutathione-kojic acid) then decide which they think they like the best.

Using the soap alone would not let you achieve your goal of lightening several shades. To do that, you have to use the whitening lotion (body) & the cream (face) as well. Using the soap alone is only recommended to maintain your lighter shade after you've already achieved it.

• Can these products be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women?

Check with your doctor if you can safely use these products. Even if these products are natural, everyone must remember that nature produces toxins as well. Since these haven't been scientifically tested on pregnant/breastfeeding women, we do not know for sure what its effects would be on the fetus. I believe that women should refrain from using the whitening products during pregnancy especially.

I do have customers who are breastfeeding who regularly use these products, and I haven't had any bad feedback. Customers must make the decision - pregnancy worsens melasma & freckles, but you may risk harming your developing baby. I suggest that customers research & decide for themselves if the products are safe to use while pregnant.

• Are there side effects?

The two major side effects of the products are irritation (except for the black licorice soap) and sun sensitivity.

Symptoms of irritation include: redness, burning, itching, pain, and in rare cases possibly scarring, which is why caution must be exercised in applying these products - a lot of customers overapply even if the directions I enclose clearly warn them. Good news is that I haven't had anyone complain about scarring. People with darker colored skin are at a higher risk of scarring & pigment changes with the overapplication of alpha hydroxy acids. Using products with the above ingredients can increase sun sensitivity by 50% causing an interesting dilemma - they may be able to reverse some of the damage caused by photoaging, but at the same time they make the skin more susceptible to photoaging.

• What do you recommend for hyperpigmentation on the face?

Most people with facial pigment problems use soap (papaya kojic soap or black soap)+ cream + sunscreen combo. Personally, I currently like the papaya-kojic acid soap, but I recommend that you try both at first then pick between the 2 soaps eventually when you reorder for maintenance. I do not recommend the glutathione soap for the facial area because I think it's too harsh, but some customers with resistant skin are able to tolerate it.

• I would like to whiten my private part (groin) and armpit, which of your products will be the best to use?

The black soap & whitening cream would be best for the underarms - several of my customers use it. The soap can be used on the groin area (the black soap is better because it's gentler). Some customers use the cream, soap and/or body lotion on the groin area - but I must warn that it might be too harsh for that sensitive part of the skin. Still, customers have done it & they used it successfully. Use your common sense when applying on these thinner areas of the skin.

• Do you have larger sizes of the cream and lotion?

The manufacturer does offer larger containers of the lotion but I don't buy them because it costs the same per gram, so there's no discount.

However, I can order the cream in bulk at a discount. It's $99.99 for a 500 gram jar (equivalent to 50 small jars of the $10 cream that everyone's raving about) + $8.99 ground shipping or $9.99 priority mail for US orders.

This is perfect for those who want to use a stronger product (than the diluted whitening body lotion) for their body, but it's not advisable to buy if you're only going to use it on your face since the cream does expire 2 years after opening. Some customers mix the cream with their regular body lotion while some use it directly on their body.

• How long would these products last?

It depends on the usage (frequency & amount used per application). They would last approximately:

• (soaps) 2-3 weeks if used as face & bath (whole body) soap
• (lotion - per bottle) 2-3 weeks if used liberally on the whole body 3x a week
• (10gram cream) my first jar lasted 9 months, because I only used it on my face (3X a week for the first 2 months, then once weekly thereafter) & the ocassional insect bite on my legs. Customers use 1-4 jars every month depending on how often & how much they apply.

• Why aren't your products labeled? I saw someone else on Ebay that had the actual label? Are yours generic brands?

When my business took off here on ebay, we decided to go straight to the manufacturer, who gave us the option to purchase these unlabeled products at a lower price. According to the manufacturer, chemists & my sister's dermatologist acquaintances, these are the same products available through dermatologists' offices back home. It's just that each dermatologist affixes his/her own brand to make it seem like it's an exclusive formula that only they have access to. It has the same formula strength, not watered down or inferior generics. Another important reason I get the unboxed soaps is because the (papaya kojic) boxed soaps are smaller (120g vs 150g - that's a 25% increase in value that I could pass on to customers!). I'd let you in on a little secret too: they boxed & changed the packaging to launch a Multilevel Marketing Program, so in essence the boxed ones are the 'copycats,' and the unboxed products are the originals.

While we're enumerating the advantages of getting the unboxed products, I also wanted to point out that less packaging means less waste corresponding to less carbon footprint (the sum of all emissions of greenhouse gases like CO2). By buying the unboxed products, you can feel better about helping prevent global warming.

Still unconvinced? Just check my feedback/guestbook/testimonials page & rest assured that my products work & are the genuine articles.

• Do you offer wholesale prices on bulk purchases?

I do offer discounts on bulk purchases. I actually have several resellers already & have a special price list for them. Please email cecilebacarisa@yahoo.com if you are interested so I can make a custom ebay listing for your specific needs.

• Can these be used to remove stretch marks?

Customers have reported that the products, especially the papaya kojic acid soap - cream combination, do fade stretch marks gradually. However, customers must not expect miracles because it doesn't fade stretch marks completely, due to the fact that stretch marks are actually scars (which are permanent) from the stretching of the skin.

The best way to fade stretch marks with these products is to apply the products as soon as stretch marks appear - while they're still bluish-purple (compared to the white-silver color of older stretch marks). Nevertheless, if you are pregnant, I strongly suggest that you wait until after you give birth before you use these products.

• What can I use for my dark underarms & groin?

Dark-skinned/pigmented (including lighter asians) people produce more melanin, or skin pigment, to begin with, they are more likely than light-skinned people to develop acanthosis nigricans, as skin disorder manifested as dark patches of skin - typically thicker than unaffected skin - on the neck, groin or under the arms. Overweight and diabetic people are most likely to develop this condition, which is associated with high insulin levels. Women's fluctuating hormone levels due to the menstrual period or pregnancy can also be blamed for these hyperpigmentation. Deodorant (& other product) allergies also cause dark armpits, which are sometimes misdiagnosed as acanthosis nigricans. First, consult your doctor & try to use allergen-free deodorants (or nothing at all). Finally I recommend the black soap & whitening cream on these areas, except for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

• Would these products work for dark under-eye circles?

Yes, but it is more effective if the cause of the darkness is hyperpigmentation (brownish) & not just thin-skin showing blood vessels (bluish-purple). Bluish-purple under-eye circles temporarily disappear when pressed firmly with a finger, brown circles do not disappear when pressed.

To diminish bluish-purple under-eye circles, use creams with caffeine (I don't have a product with caffeince just yet) and retinol (you guessed it, the whitening cream I sell contains retinol).

For brown under-eye circles usually caused by minor irritation like rubbing your eyes, apply the whitening cream very lightly - about the size of the tip of a q-tip (cotton swab) 2-7 times per week depending on your skin sensitivity.

If lack of sleep is the only cause of your under-eye circles, save your money & just take a beauty rest.

• Do you have any products that would remove semi-permanent cosmetics (cosmetic tattoo) that i have on my eyebrows? Would it affect my eyebrow hair follicles in any way?

One customer used the bleaching cream to fade her tattoo, but I can't promise that it would work 100% for all tattoos. It might have been just that specific customer. I don't think these products have any effect on hair follicles - or else I'd have had comments from customers. When I use the cream, I apply it on the skin under the brows, & it doesn't have any effect on the follicles..