Facials are a rare treat for me. For one thing I can't be bothered to go somewhere to have my face done in between driving our kids to and from two different schools, among the list of other things to do.

Using Origins Modern Friction is like getting a facial in the comfort of your own bathroom. You simply rub the scrub all over your face and then rinse it off. I can't believe how smooth and flawless my skin felt right after. Even the little bumps that would form at the sides of my nose (product residue or simply grime build-up?) were totally gone. I could've sworn my face felt exactly like it did right after my basic facial at Facial Care Center.

Anyways here's the product blurb from the Origins website: Skin-refining Rice Starch, cushioned in cream, shows real affinity for rapidly removing sluggish cells, uneven patches and signs of skin damage and discolorations. Lemon Oil kick starts the process of illumination. Another age-sweeping action: skin-menacing molecules are mopped up. All while Aloe keeps skin calm and comfy. There’s no ouch, extra steps or other complications. No redness or flaking follows. The before-and-afters are amazing. Signs of fine lines and size of pores appear to shrink in size. Skin looks perfectly polished, smooth and luminous. And the perk-me-up aromas of Bergamot and Peppermint help you look on the bright side.

All true, I tell you.

Sometime late last year I submitted a photo to Health Today magazine. They said something like "Send us your plain jane photo and get the chance to win a free facial from Facial Care Center!".

And so I did. Health Today emailed me back acknowledging receipt of my photo and letter, and informed me that Facial Care Center would be the one to choose which person to give the treatment to. Last December, they told me I was chosen but that there was no sked yet.

Early this week Health Today associate editor Criselda Irish Uy texted me to tell me we were pushing through with the "Facial Care Center / Marie France" makeover. What the??? I didn't sign up for this...

So anyways we met the Facial Care/Marie France/Svenson group PR Manager MJ Torres at Heaven n' Eggs in Tomas Morato yesterday. MJ said she was the one who picked my photo out of all those who submitted. I was going in for consultation and treatment right after our brief meeting.

To make a long story short, I ended up undergoing one Endermologie treatment at Marie France (you're supposed to undergo 7 of these to lose an inch all over your body), and a basic facial with lasertone and firming mask for my never-been-treated face at Facial Care Center.

For Endermologie I ended up wearing some sort of body stocking while lying down and having my picture taken for the purposes of illustrating how treatment is done. I was just about ready to die of embarassment because I definitely did not sign up for this!

For the facial I also had my pics taken but I was prepared for that because Health Today did say that they were going to cover the whole facial for the magazine.

Ugh I dread the future issue of HT where these photos are appearing. In fairness though my face feels so fine. All the little bumps on my forehead, nose, and chin are gone (they are supposedly whiteheads and blackheads). My skin is sooo nice!!!