Being a first time mom at the age of 38 is very challenging and as much as possible, I still want to be able to take care of myself, not just my physiological health, but my external appearance as well. So the following blog post is a detailed account of the experiences my facial skin went through this year from February 18, 2016 up to April 26. It was first published on my old blog and I am transferring and updating it here to serve as a reference to future skin product reviews that I’ll be doing from now on here on my Momtraneur blog.
Furthermore, this post is not to generalize the effects of the various skin products I used because there so many factors concerned which is why effects on one’s skin may vary from person to person depending on existing variables like skin type, age, hormonal changes, genes, etc.
Disclaimer
After April 2016, my facial skin has once again undergone a few more problems and changes . And so from May 2016 to present, Mahal and I have been experimenting with our own homemade soap, body and facial scrubs, plus other spa product concoctions which I’ll share with you once our skin product lineup is complete. For now, here is the long process I went through with skin products from NWorld, Black Pearl, Jericho, Proactive and Bio Oil. It’s a long read which I divided into several sections so better go get some popcorn. Hihihi! Thanks in advance for reading! (^_^)
Background
My skin is not flawless nor perfect. It was just okay. Even as a teenager, I didn’t have much problems with it and I could survive by just putting makeup and my face would then look all fine and pretty.
Then when I got pregnant last year, so many things were off limits including the use of facial products like Proactive which I have been using since 2010. Add to that the fact that my hormones were going through the roof so aside from mood swings, over-fatigue, aches and pains brought about by my pregnancy, I was also having a major facial breakout much worse than when I was a teenager. It was disheartening but because I was a stay-at-home would-be mom all cooped up inside our small apartment in Dumaguete at that time, plus I was always asleep 15-16 hours a day and didn’t go out that much, it didn’t really bother me. Anyway, it was just Mahal who saw me day in and day out and he still loved me despite my ugly facial skin so it was fine.
My Skin During and After Pregnancy
Then I gave birth last November 17, 2015 in Alabang and the first thing I was excited about was the thought that finally, I can go back to using Proactive again. And perhaps, my hormones would already stabilize and my face would return to normal. Months passed… December… January… February. Nothing was working. White heads and pimples still kept popping on my face. I was starting to get depressed! I figured, maybe my hormones haven’t stabilized yet and maybe it will take a while longer than I expected. Then on my birthday, February 18, we were in Alabang Town Center checking out expensive bags (I was planning to buy a simple Louis Vuitton bag which I’ve been wanting to do for a long time now). Since there was no branch of LV there, we checked out other brands. As we were going out of Kate Spade, a beautiful Israeli woman named Janel Mor enticed me to get a free skin test which I agreed to. The rest of the experience I documented on my previous blog post: BLACK PEARL, JERICHO, MARISSA DEL MAR WELLNESS PACKAGE – INITIAL REVIEW
To make the long story short, I got enticed to buy expensive skin products that promised to give me back my smooth, youthful skin. So I bought several Jericho products for the face, Marissa del Mar wellness package that includes 24 body treatments and 10 facials plus the super expensive 24Karat Gold Cleopatra Mask from Black Pearl Institute. I was of course excited to use them! I felt like the end of my facial depression was near! How can I enjoy having an LV bag if my face is so ugly, right? The bag will always be there but my face could be damaged forever. Well, that was what Janel told me or rather, that was the essence of what she said when she sold me these products and I believed her. Of course thinking about it now, how I wish I could’ve just given the money to charity…. Sigh… Oh well….
Use of Jericho, Black Pearl 24 Karat Gold Cleopatra Mask and Marissa del Mar Facials
Days and weeks passed by and I would use the Jericho products religiously for about a month. I still have here the handwritten instruction of Janel Mor, the skincare specialist who sold me these products and told me which products to use and how often:
She also wrote down her name, the general area where she lives, her number and where to find her so I can avail of free gold facials.
She also gave me a gold card so I can avail of free gold facials once a month and 50% discount on all their Jericho products. This was as a thank you for buying an expensive package from her.
Go to this link if video doesn’t load:
Use of Proactive
So I stopped using all these super expensive skin products from Israel coz they were not working! What a waste of money! In one of our grocery runs, I dropped by Watsons and bought a new set of Proactive. I bought the small set good for one month costing about P2,000. Though it didn’t work right after I gave birth, I figured, my hormones must have subsided by then and I believe its benzoyl peroxide component will cure my pimples and whiteheads.
Days passed and I was starting to see improvement. Here’s a photo of me on March 30 (with makeup):
Advice from Dr. Rhia Gonzales Romano of Marissa Del Mar
I asked advice from one of their lovely staff, Miss Jacqueline Servales and their flawless resident dermatologist, Dr. Rhia Gonzales Romano. I told them my story and aired my grievance that the products I bought from their company which cost me hundreds of thousands of pesos are not working on my skin and what should be done? They were very pleasant and kind and really listened to me well. As a customer, it is important to feel like someone is hearing what you have to say and I’m glad that they did that. It pacified me and made me still believe in their products. Dr. Romano advised me to stop using the Black Pearl 24Karat Gold Cleopatra Mask if I believe that it caused me contact dermatitis. She also told me that the gold mask should not be used on pimple-laden skin. And I thought OMG! Janel Mor applied it on my pimply face that time she did a demo on me on my birthday at their stall in ATC (Alabang Town Center). This was because I didn’t know any better, I didn’t know that that was not the right thing to do. Dr. Romano said that the gold mask is best used on the face that is not breaking out with whiteheads and pimples and at the very least, the face should be clean. And I remember when it was first applied on my face, Janel didn’t even take all my makeup off and even advised me to not wash my face until the following day! No wonder my face, instead of improving, got worse! I really felt bad hearing all these things to the point of getting once again depressed about it. I should’ve used the money somewhere else! But Janel Mor and her other Israeli partner were so good at selling that I think I got “budol-budoled” (budol-budol is a local slang sort of saying getting scammed; according to Wikipedia “Budol-budol is a scam principally involving a bundle (budol) of cash padded inside with sheets of paper cut in the size of money. Only the exposed sides however are real money, everything in between are plain paper cuttings.”) Because I didn’t get the great skin these expensive products promised, I felt like I was scammed, or tricked into buying them. Or they were really just good sales people and I was stupid enough to have bought from them.
I haven’t yet tried to ask for a refund because one — I’m scared that I might just get enticed into buying more (those Israeli sales people are really very persuasive!) and two — a part of me still believes these products will work. I read some positive reviews about it like this one: http://www.womenstuff.co.za/cleopatra-facial-review/; and this: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.518420685002490.1073741851.275074466003781&type=3 … and I’m still hopeful that once my hormones stabilize and my zits are gone, then I can use it again to make the texture of my face even better.
So anyway, back to that Saturday afternoon at Marissa del Mar. Dr. Romano and Miss Servales, after looking at my face (I had two big zits on my forhead at that time, one was with pus), recommended that I use the anti-acne facial voucher. Dr. Romano also advised me to have an antibiotic injection done on my face. But because I didn’t anymore want to spend a single centavo on them after having felt like I was tricked by their sales people into buying their products in the first place (the injection would cost P1,500) and I went back to Proactive anyway, I said that the anti-acne facial would be enough. I have several other facial vouchers I want to use every two weeks and I believe those would be enough to improve the state of my facial skin. Plus, I didn’t like the idea of having my face injected with needle. I hate needles! My threshold for pain is very low and I just didn’t want to let my face undergo that kind of torture.
So I had the anti-acne facial. Again, it was so painful! After an hour, the spots that got pricked were inflamed but I was assured that they would subside the next day like before. Indeed, the inflammation subsided and I think I looked a lot better after that. Here’s a photo of me having the anti-acne facial on April 16:
Use of NWorld Nlighten Products
The following day, as Mahal and I were busy running errands, my classmate from elementary in St. Scho, Lanie Lucas, who had been messaging me in the past, asking me to try NWorld products, messaged me saying that she will be visiting me in Alabang and will be doing product demo on my face. I really didn’t want to but because I trust this girl having known here since my childhood days, I said okay.
NWorld Product Demo
My classmate from elementary in St. Scho. Marikina, Lanie Lucas Nafarrete, and her hubby visited me and offered me a free one week demo of NWorld products. Since I got pregnant, the state of the skin on my face has never been the same. I’ve been having the worst breakouts ever. It lessened a bit since I started using Black Pearl and Jericho products but there are still days when it seems to get worse. This was why I did an anti-acne facial at Marissa del Mar yesterday. My skin is still not how I want it to be so hopefully the #NWorld products will make a big difference after one week.
Here are my photos this evening from me still wearing makeup, to washing off my face with #NLighten O2 Bubble Cleanser, to applying Nlighten Facial Cleanser, eye gel, cc cushion, and cloud cream. They have an immediate lightening and dewey effect. They can be used everyday and night. It has spf and waterproof.
The official Day 1 of my NWorld morning regimen. My elementary classmate Lanie Lucas Nafarrete advised me to monitor so we can see specific changes… I hope my skin gets better and better everyday… (The camera is on auto mode when I took these photos and no editing was done para makita ko talaga ichura ng skin ko. Sana mawala na mga pimples and blemishes ko!!!)
Official Day 3 of my NWorld skincare regimen. Dahil stubborn tong pimple ko, Lanie Lucas Nafarrete asked me to stop using the O2 Bubble and CC cushion muna so we can heal my pimples. So what’s left are the premium collagen soap, cleanser, eye gel and cloud. I did that yesterday then today when I woke up. So far, the redness subsided, one pimple dried up, yung isa malapit na rin mag dry. Dun sa yesterday and today photo collage, hindi ko pa mashado makita ang differences but hopefully after 2 more days, mas umokey na.
Official Day 5 of using NWorld skin products. I think the reaction of my skin to the products has gotten worse. And it’s now getting itchy Lanie Lucas Nafarrete, I’m sorry but your products didn’t work on me. I’ll wash my face after I post this and go back to my other skin regimen. Umokey na to last Sunday eh before your demo. Huhuhu! :’-(
Lesson From All This
Again, all this happened last February to April 2016. My facial skin has once again undergone a few more changes after this and I stopped using Proactive because I discovered that prolonged use can cause dryness, flakes and therefore, more breakouts. From May to present, Mahal and I have been experimenting with our own homemade soap, scrub, spa product concoctions and I’ll share them with you once our lineup is complete.
Considering that being a first time mom at the age of 38 is already very hard — my energy levels are not like the way they used to before and I am already experiencing body aches and pains — I definitely do not need to have an acne breakout or some kind of skin disease just because my hormones are getting haywire from the pregnancy and child birth. Being a mom is really such a sacrifice and I can only hope that Tuz would appreciate all these pains, depression and sacrifices I am going through in order to bring him into this beautiful albeit imperfect world.
Having said that, I do not regret having a child. If there is any regret, it is that I didn’t have one sooner. But then again, the perfect partner just came into my life and I wouldn’t want anybody else to father my child either. It all just happened in God’s perfect time and if my skin would continue to suffer because of it, then so be it. But as long as I can do something about my face, then I would do everything in my power to do so. Though vanity is indeed such a sin for I let good money go down the drain just so I can somehow regain my youthful glow, wanting to be pretty or at least pleasant-looking on the outside still has its perks. It boosts my self-confidence making me do things that I wouldn’t be able to do had I been constantly problematic about my face; it makes me feel good about myself and therefore about my life, hence, helping me attract more blessings along the way.
I am thankful for these experiences, even the fact that I spent huge money to ease my pain. I do not want to do that again though. Lesson learned. But since it already happened, and I don’t want to dwell much anymore on the negative side of things, I just want to maximize the products and services I got from Jericho and Black Pearl. After all, dermatologist Dr. Rhia Gonzales said that I can enjoy the benefits of Black Pearl more if applied on my face that is not full of breakouts. And now that my skin is getting better, thanks to Proactive and Bio Oil, I can then enjoy the luxurious facials Marissa del Mar Wellness Institute has to offer.
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To those who are experiencing similar problems, I wish you good luck on your facial skin journey! If there is one other thing that I would like to share with you that I think helped me a lot in improving the texture of my face, it is to drink lots of water everyday and never, ever again prick your face. Gold morning! (^_^)
MomTraNeur 
Hi there MonTraNeur. I’m hoping for your updates regarding your use of black pearl 24k mask.. I recently bought one myself but just the mask. I’m thinking to resell it (if I find one person to buy it!) Because after finding out that the product hasn’t have enough information online (even their Facebook page is empty!) I became even more skeptical if this is a real deal. I feel 99.9% scammed already after finding out that there are tons of sellers than feedbacks from real users-worlwide. It’s totally just a NEGOSYO. I’m trying to prove my .01% feeling that this is legit. (THAT .01% came to me after I read that you have been reassured by their doctor) Thanks dear BTW I really enjoyed reading your blogs.
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Hi Evie! I know how you feel. Been there… I will make another post about it soon. Will just finish all my baby posts this week. So probably, next week. Play stay tuned.
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hi momtraneur! thank you for airing our your concerns on your black pearl purchase. i’ve been searching for a review for months. Like Evie, i purchased the black pearl 24k mask and eye cream. i have lots of sad stories and regret after buying – those stages hehe. i was told that they will email me for the instructions on how to use it and when i can claim my vip card. Unfortunately, months had passed and i didn’t receive any email from them. Keep posting! 🙂
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Hi B,
Have you tried going back to the stall or shop where you purchased it to ask for the instructions and VIP card? If you haven’t used the product yet, and you used your credit card to purchase, maybe you can call your credit card company and have the purchase reverted? I was thinking of doing the same. Unfortunately, I already used a bit of the products I bought at that time and couldn’t return them anymore.
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Hi momtraneur! Is that possible? I havent use the products yet. Can i call my credit card company? Please help
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Hi momtraneur, it’s me again :). I didn’t go back to the stall after that one fateful time. I am afraid I may end up purchasing again. I paid thru debit card (almost wiped out on what I had) but since it was months ago, I tried all my might to move on *insert drama* na parang ma budol budol ako! I haven’t used any of their products but was thinking of using it since it notes to expire next year, I just checked after reading your reply haha.
sad part, I was told the product will expire in 2020. I believed on that and didn’t check. I haven’t opened even the paper bag since I bought it haha.
BTW, they have the same script like: “it was used by Belo”. Oh well, I hope their products do wonders. I have already forgiven myself for being swayed on the Israelite’s sales stint.
thanks for replying 🙂
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Hi B. Same thing with me. They said belo is trying to buy the ingrididients. Now im having a problems paying my credit cards. I purchased like more than a hundred thousands. I went home with the products pero para akong tulala
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Kanina nun bumili ako, I saw the expiry and they told me u can have it exchanged with a longer expiry.
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Girls, I bought 1 myself just today. Seems like nagsisisi kayo. Naku, magkano ba binayad nyo? Natakot tuloy ako.
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Waahh that is my dilemma now. I bought from Australians in Glorietta Mall and the next day I wanted to return coz I got shocked at how come I was able to sign that huge amount for that Black Pearl 24k Gold Cleopatra Mask. They added many other items but then when I searched online, there are a few who sell their masks at way lower than the P160k. In OLX, I saw one selling the lowest at P30k. I tried to return the items because I just can’t sleep thinking about the installments, even brought all of them but they didn’t accept, gave me instructions like sending them email only to be refused the next day. I called the bank and realized they have posted it.
Right now, i am praying that I will win the transaction dispute because it is really hard to pay the amount. I don’t care anymore if the items are effective since I felt scammed when i learned they wouldn’t let me return the items.
Now, if the bank can’t help me with it, it is going to be a struggle since my job has reduced hours 😦 They are really only after business. When they marketed the products, they were nice and wanted me to be ‘happy’ so gave all freebies but now, i realize its all marketing stint.
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Join our facebook group. We are planning to file a class-action suit against them,
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1754010211584234/
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hi everyone. what happened to the complaint? natuloy ba? did someone get a refund or chargeback from their credit card? nangyari din kasi sakin to kaya gusto ko malaman ano mga action na ginawa nyo po. salamt
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Hi sis gelly,
I also bought 150k worth of products from beauty republic int’l last evening. I am really upset after reading all the reviews… I haven’t the products and will file transaction cancellation tomorrow. Pero were you able to win the transaction dispute that you filed last january?
Thanks!
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Hi! Were you able to win the dispute? What reason did you tell the bank?
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I just bought them yesterday. And the same situation like you! 😭 And Nakaka-sad bakit ako napabayad rin. Since 2017 pa pala to. I’m just searching for blogs sana na makaka boost sa akin na worth the hype pero Lalo akong nanlumo now.
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@Momtraneur, if ever I couldn’t win the dispute, I would like to ask permission to post your blog link or pics where I will be selling the mask, if you allow me. 🙂 Guess if it happens I would have no choice but to sell the items and pray that they will sell even just half of the total price since we can’t surely sell them at mall price, they are very expensive.
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Hi Gelly, I’m sorry about your predicament. I feel you…
Yes, you may post my blog links. I pray it would help you sell the products.
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On the other hand, I love the way your face looks now @momtraneur. Congratulations… 🙂
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We are planning to file a class-action suit against them. Almost all members on this facebook page have purchased the product without realizing it. I was also induced into purchasing the product for 160K and I am such a kuripot person. I could not believe I was lured into buying it.
If you want to know how to get updates, check us out: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1754010211584234
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Woah… really? Too bad I’ve already used their products, the Jericho products are almost finished, the slimming and facial vouchers I already used as well, the Black Pearl mask I’ve used a few times…. and I have a year more to go to have everything paid off since my credit card paylite is for 2 years. I try not to get depressed about it coz like you, I am also a kuripot person. I really felt like I was “budol-budoled” into buying their products and I didn’t know that I could complain to DTI about this so since then, I just took responsibility for my own action and just try to be positive about it until now. Good luck on the class suit and balitaan nyo ko what happens next.
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Hi ms. Pam,
I would like to join the group. I just bought a 160k worth of products from them yesterday and realized later that they’re making things up just to convince me to buy. First, they told me that the product is suitable for acne prone skin. But when i checked the product info over the internet, it is not. The Israeli seller even told me that she is in authority and would like to make me their product’s model for a magazine contest for most effective products. Accoding to her, their previous models already won trips to Israel. But I couldn’t find any contest similar to that when i checked over the internet. I havent opened the products yet and will try to request cancellation of transaction from the credit card company tomorrow.
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hi Ms Pam,
open pa ba yung group complain? gusto ko po sana sumali kasi ganun din ang nangyari sakin. please let me know naman po paano. salamt.
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Hi Ms. Pam! Is it still up? Huhuhu. Grabe. I couldn’t believe this. Actually i’ mjust upset so i search blogs na makakapag feel sa akin na worth the hype but since Momtraneur’s blog makes me more upset and realizing na nawalan ako ng pera. Myygahhhd.
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Magandang araw!
Mainam po na makausap ka namin para sa buong detalye ng sumbong upang malaman din namin kung paano kami makatutulong. Maaari kaming tawagan sa 02-3337161 mula lunes hanggang biyernes 9am-12noon, 1pm-5pm maliban lang kapag piyesta opisyal.
Maraming salamat
Reply ng Sumbungan ng Bayan after messaging them
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hi everyone,
is the group complaint still open? i want to join. i want to get my money back. ganun din nangyari sakin parang di ka makahindi sa mga sinasabi nila hanggang sa mapabili k nalng. please i need help also. tell how to join pls. salamt
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@Momtraneur Is it ok na Bio oil lang ang gamitin ko? or mas mainan na yung dalawa!
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Hi Estephany, i-try mo muna using one. Iba-iba rin kasi skin natin, we don’t know how our skin will react to certain ingredients. Minsan ok, minsan hindi. Kung ok naman na Bio Oil lang, wag mo na gamitin yung iba.
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Hi Momtraneur and All,
I recently bought the products of Black Pearl 24k Gold Product, Jericho and Origani. I slo joined the group complaint above(waiting for their approval) I was wondering if they won the dispute? Thanks.
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I’m curious what happened to the complaints. I just purchased their products but unlike what’s posted here I only paid a small amount. But it’s still money I could use. I haven’t opened any products yet so I could return if I need to and have the transactions cancelled.
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Hi, i just purchased today and havent opened yet, I payed thru debit card. Did they accept the returned products and cancelled the transaction?
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Hi ladies, it is unfortunate that these things happen to us. Im wondering, has anyone of you bought the perfectio zero gravity? They also offered this one to their “VIP” (kuno).
Im also having the same thoughts and feelings as you ladies.
And you also have update on the case?
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Hello. Have you also bought their Perfectio Silver Zero Gravity? For how much? Thanks
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No, I haven’t bought that. Just those I mentioned.
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Hi! Just bought Perfectio yesterday. I was also not happy with what I bought. Jell, have you used it already?
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hello, just like to check the review with the perfectio? have you used it already? or did you returned it?
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Hi! Good Day! I bought perfectio sapphire for my acne worth 230k And eto bubungad sa akin! 😭😭 Nakakapanlumo. And Ms Janel Mor siya rin nag benta sa akin. I read all the comments and lalo lang akong nalungkot. 😭
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Hi! Omg! I got so depressed again. I bought the perfectio gravity worth 230k. Because I’m just desperate enough to get rid of my pimples and acnes. Momtraneur! I felt like nabudol budol rin ako ata. My gahhd. I’m still crying. I just bought it yesterday! 😭
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Hi, ladies! Thank you Momtraneur for your blog! I am hoping for the best to everyone in this thread, kahit na 2016 pa yung ibang replies. I came across Momtraneur’s blog kasi kaninang hapon lang may nagbebenta rin sa akin sa Robinson’s Manila ng Origani products. Medyo patigasan kami ni Kuya na nagbebenta, walang gustong bumigay. Wala rin kasi talaga akong malaking pera, hindi nya na-gegets, huhu. Medyo nakakaloka siya kasi nung sinabi ko na “Sorry, hindi ko po talaga kaya,” naku parang nag-tantrums siya and went to his phone and ignored me. Hahahuhu. Kaya eto, I’m searching for validation para sa mga products nya kasi medyo na-guilty naman ako after he did that ignoring attitude thing. Pero I guess I did the right thing of standing my ground, after reading this blog entry and the comment thread. Huhu, poorita kasi naman talaga ako. Anyway, thank you ulit sa blog na ito. Haha, thank you for letting me rant and make kwento. Let us be strong, ladies!!! 🙂
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hi everyone. what happened to the complaint? natuloy ba? did someone get a refund or chargeback from their credit card? nangyari din kasi sakin to kaya gusto ko malaman ano mga acyion na ginawa nyo po. salamt
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hi ms Leannah,
did you file a complaint? ano ginawa niyo po sa credit card nyo binayaran nyo nalng ba? gusto ko po malaman kasi nangyari din sakin ito. nireport ko na sa credit company ko po pero ayaw nila dapat pumunta daw ako sa merchant na binilhan ko para doon mgrequest ng refund. tell me po ano mga ginawa niyo na cation. salamat po.
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I felt sad to after reading this, because all scenarios are very familiar. and i’m convinced I’m really scammed and have no way out but to continue paying for an installment.
I was really hoping the creams/masks do work though. 😦
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