Review : Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer

Product Description
The MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion products use innovative formulas to create a new generation of make up which is both invisible on HD cameras and to the naked eye.
In the same manner as a skin care product, the HD Primer nourishes, moisturizes and softens the skin, creating a glowing effect.
It creates a protective layer on the skin allowing the foundation to glide on easily and to last longer. Unlike standard skin care creams, the HD Primer dries quickly, allowing make up to be applied immediately.

I bought it at Sephora, Minneapolis back in February and have been using it on a daily basis since May. It costs me US$15 for 15ml size.
The HD Primer comes in 6 color-correcting shades and one transparent shade to correct skin imperfections.
The colored pigments are absorbed by the skin for an invisible correction. You can check out all the shades and their purposes here .

The transparent shade is the only available shade for the 15ml size, so I bought that. After using it on a daily basis for more than a month, its about 40% left.
I have been interested in getting this primer ever since I heard about it a year ago. With all the HD resolutions around us, it seems right that there is a make-up range specially for that since anything under the HD radar would be super clear.
Nonetheless, I was also afraid that these are just marketing hype on their part and so I have to try it to feel the effect, isn't it?

This 15ml size comes in a tube that is easy to squeeze. The clear transparent gel reminds me of Smashbox Photo Finsh Primer which I have reviewed before. However, while Smashbox Primer is silicon-heavy, this Make Up For Ever does not give one that feel, even though it does have dimethicone ingredient high up in the list.

The texture is pretty lightweight and non-greasy, with just a slight feel of silicon and feels like a lightweight lotion. It dries fast and disappears into the skin pretty quickly, which requires me to blend in fast, else I may need to use more amount than necessary.
This oil-free primer smells quite nice and made my make-up last longer. It does not give me much shine. In fact, I did not even need to blot my face, even though usually I do need to blot at least once.
The slightly larger pores near my nose almost disappeared after I applied make-up over the primer, so definitely, this primer does help abit on this aspect. My usual make-up without the primer usually does not do such a good job in concealing the pores.
I did not find a difference in the glowy part though. I think my highlighter, blush and other products can do a better job on the glow, rather than depending on this primer.

Active Ingredients
Argatensyl : Immediately smoothes and enhances the skin's surface.
Silica micro balls and Elastomer silicone : Give a soft finish to the skin.
D-Panthenol and Glycerin : Provide optimal skin hydration. (+60%)
Phycosaccharide : Creates a shield that protects from external aggressions and brings stability to the makeup.

In terms of ingredients, Hydrolyzed Algin which is a binding agent, thickener and moisturiser may be comedogenic and some people may be allergic to Dimethicone.
Cyclopentasiloxane, one of the many silicons found in cosmetic products may cause a mild skin and eye irritation.

Source : Makeupforever , Amazon

Review : The Face Shop Raspberry Slim and Fit Eye Patch

Product Description
For thoroughly moisturised firm area

Shaped like a cresent moon in transparent jelly flimsy mask, it adheres to the skin moderately well. Sometimes, it slips slightly. Its tingling cooling and is best used when chilled to tone down the underye puffiness slightly.
There is not much scent but it itches after 15 minutes on my undereye area so I removed it.

Some users have raved about its effectiveness but sadly it does not work on my serious under eye area concerns. It did reduce the puffiness slightly but anything that is cold works the same too. Its selling at $9.90 per pair. Yet another ridiculous mark-up.

Review : Estee Lauder Gentle Eye Make-up Remover

Product Description
This gentle, lightweight formula works quickly and gently to remove powder eyeshadow and other eye makeup. Sweeps away without leaving any oily residue—so you can reapply eye makeup immediately after use. Oil-free formula won't damage delicate skin

I bought this from Chicago Airport at US$14, while during transit back in February this year.
It comes in a dark blue transparent bottle with a hole that is big enough to dip my cotton buds and remove waterproof eye products.

I totally dislike this product because it stings my eyes, very much and very painful till my eyes turned red, irritated and raw. And its supposed to be Dermatologist-tested!

Its a transparent liquid with no scent and because the hole is big, I tend to pour too much on my cotton pads which resulted that some contents may get into my eyes when I used too thin cotton pads or when I had it over my eyes for more than 5 seconds to remove what its supposed to remove.

Since its a gentle formula, I do not have much expectations that it can remove waterproof eye products
and really it does not. It did a good job with normal non-waterproof eye products but not others.

Where To Purchase : Amazon 

You can check out other reviews on Makeupalley with a score of 2.6 from 141 users. That explains something, isn't it?

Ingredients :
WATER (AQUA PURIFICATA) PURIFIED; PEG-32; BUTYLENE GLYCOL; DISODIUM COCOAMPHODIACETATE; PEG-6; TRISODIUM EDTA; METHYLPARABEN; PROPYLPARABEN; BUTYLPARABEN

Review : A'kin Rice Aminos & Wheat Protein Intensive Moisture Shampoo and Macadamia & Wheat Protein Treatment Conditioner

Shampoo Product Description
Transform drab dull and dry hair with the help of A'kin Rice Aminos and Wheat Protein Intensive Moisture Shampoo. Six powerful botanical cleansers are blended with nurturing Rice Aminos and Wheat Protein to thoroughly cleanse and intensely hydrate lifeless locks. The result is seriously shiny hair. Discover the difference A'kin natural hair care can make – start your transformation today.

Ideal For:
- Helping to hydrate hair
- Restoring shine
- Helping to smooth hair and reduce frizz

Active Ingredients:
Rice Aminos, Vitamin E from soybeans, Coconut glutamate, Panama bark

Conditioner Product Description
Transform dry damaged and tangled tresses with the help of A'kin Macadamia and Wheat Protein Treatment Natural Conditioner. Enriched with cold pressed Australian Macadamia oil and Wheat Protein A'kin’s Macadamia and Wheat Protein natural conditioner helps provide hair with maximum moisture. The result is a seriously shiny hydrated head of hair. Discover the difference A'kin natural hair care can make – start your transformation today

Ideal For:
- Helping to create hydrated shiny hair
- Helping to provide maximum moisture

Active Ingredients:
Australian sandalwood oil, Cold pressed Australian macadamia nut oil, Australian jojoba oil

I have been using both its shampoo and conditioner for over a month and has previously reviewed its body wash which comes in a trio set with this shampoo and conditioner.
For those who are not familiar with this brand, it can be easily found in Guardian pharmacies and is much cheaper than most organic stores. They are Australian-made and owned products which are free from from sulfates, ethoxylates, parabens, propylene glycol, petrochemical cleansers, silicons, phthalates, DEA and artificial colours.

I bought it at the IMM Guardian Pharmacy and after informing her that I have damaged hair, she recommended this set to me. On the shampoo label, its stated that its for for dry, damaged hair that needs extra care whereas for the conditioner, the label states that its for damaged hair, split ends and intensive care.
 
The shampoo has a nice scent which reminded me of lavender and is quite fluid. It did not lather as much as I hoped though its still fairly decent. Hence I tend to use more amount than normal. At times, I do find that my hair turned greasy within a day of using it so I felt that the cleansing may be abit too mild for my sometimes oily hair.

Did it help to hydrate hair, restore shine, smooth hair and reduce frizz?
No shine and hydration but it did help to improve the frizziness and smoothen the hair. Not totally, but just slightly. Hair was very soft to the touch and less tangled though, even with just using the shampoo alone.  
 
The conditioner has a scent which I cannot describe. Nothing offensive though. I used this so much more than the shampoo for each wash. Perhaps its due to its thick white texture.
I usually like to layer on more conditioner but I am surprised that this conditioner is depleting at a x2 rate faster than its shampoo.

Did it help to create hydrated shiny hair and providing maximum moisture?
No hydrated and shiny hair but my hair is less tangled than normal. There were improvements on the split ends but it could be the combination of this conditioner and the Pure Beauty Essence Water.

I do not think that the conditioner made a major difference in terms of softness and slightly detangled ends as I do get the effect even when using the shampoo alone, without using any conditioner.

Shampoo Ingredients

 
Conditioner Ingredients

 
Source : A'kins , A'kins2

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Review : Mjcare Acerola Essence Mask

Product Description
Containing Vitamin C, it improves skin tone and texture to promote a glowing and youthful complexion
A good friend was kind enough to inform me that her friend is visiting Korea sometime back so I passed her a list of masks that I wanted to get. Mainly from the Beauty Credit brand, but she bought these Mjcare masks for me instead, which I have never heard before.

I was wary in using them but since there were 10 pieces, I found it a waste not to use it.
It turns out that it was pleasant enough for use. And its pretty affordable, i think $1 to $2 per piece. I am now to my last piece, so it proved that my skin have reacted well to it.

I have previously use something with Acelora, from Laneige Clear C Effector and it has shown that its able to clear the flaking skin off my skin, leaving better skin in its place.
For this facial mask sheet, it has a scent, not something pleasant or unpleasant just bearable. The cut-out for the eye area is abit low on my face hence its not able to cover much of my undereye area.
Feeling cooling and refreshing on the skin, it feels like a relaxing mini treat for the skin after a busy day.
However, I did not exactly see an improvement on the skin. The brightening effects were barely existent and the hydration is only temporarily as the next morning, my skin is back to its dehydrated state.
Definitely not something I would repurchase.

Source : Beauty711

Review : Pure Beauty Treatment Essence Water

Pure Beauty, a brand from Korea is touted to be using natural ingredients in their products. You can read more about their brand story here .
Using Japanese Camellia Seed Oil which is well known for its anti-oxidants to give nourishment and moisturising effects to the hair and being popular in Japanese haircare products, it penetrates deep into each strand of hair for stronger and sleeker effect.

I bought this essence water sometime back in Watsons and have been using this for the past 2 months almost every morning.

The spray handler was difficult to hold as its abit too short to give a good grip however the spray nozzler did give an adequate spritz though.

Initially, I felt that this product does not seem to make any difference to my long and coarse hair. It did not make my hair extra soft or shiny. However after 2 months of usage, I do find that I have lesser split ends on my damaged hair. Everyone knows that the only way to get rid of split ends is to cut off the hair but apparently, it did not fully fix my problem after having cut off 2 inches of my hair recently. Hence, I was pretty glad that it did improve my hair.

I still have about 1/4 of the contents left, I sure do hope it would deliver better results after the whole bottle is depleted.

A sad thing is, it does contain alcohol as the 2nd ingredient, something which I rather do without.
And the Camellia Seed Oil is right at the bottom, which meant the percentage of the ingredient is the least!

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Review : Kiehl's Ultimate White Activated Whitening Moisturizer

Product Description
With a lightweight texture that dissolves quickly into skin without leaving a sticky residue.
Formulated with stabilised Vitamin C, Plum Fruit Extract and other Botanicals blended with light reflecting minerals including Mica, Titanium and Bismuth Oxychloride.
Reduces dark spots and improves skin tone and texture. Unveils a more luminous and transparent complexion.

The 1 complimentary sachet I owned was enough for many times of usages but I threw it away after 3 times. Simply because it gave me breakouts on all 3 times and I did not use it on 3 consecutive days.
The breakouts simply turned up the following morning on all 3 times.

That said, it does smell nice and the texture is pretty fluid. However, as with all whitening products, it just does not hydrate my skin sufficiently.

Source : Amazon

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Review : Love and Toast Gin Blossom Hand Creme

This is my first foray into Love+Toast products and I opted for their sampler sizes of their various flavours of their hand creams from SoapnSorbet.

Key Ingredients :

Shea butter, Macadamia nut, Olive fruits, Avocado and Sunflower oil.

Fragrance notes:

Citrus zest, Spring dew, Mandarin blossom, Verbena leaves

The fragrance is very nice, which intitally was something I am not used to. I have grown to like it now.

The light creamy texture does not leave a greasy after-feel and moisturise dry hands well but not so, for severely dry skin. My hands go through different stages of dryness, depending on the work I do, in office. Hence sometimes, this cream soothes and moisturises well, sometimes I just need to re-apply and apply without any relief.

Since I opted to purchase the trial size, I missed out on the beautiful packaging from the box right to the tube. However, I think its truly lovely and should attact all the ladies out there. Their romantic and girly combination will definitely be a hit with them.

Source : Amazon

Review : Nature's Gate Aloe Vera Body Wash

Product Description

Ultra moisturizing, creamy formula gently cleanses while Aloe & Chamomile soothe and calm skin. This luxurious, lightly scented formula is enriched with 7 skin conditioning moisturizers to leave skin silky, soft and radiant.

Apricot Kernel Oil : Exceptional skin conditioner, contains high levels of Vitamin E and delivers nourishing moisture.
Shea Butter : A penetrating emollient rich in Omega-6 and Omega-9 Essential Fatty Acids. Helps naturally renew cells while moisturizing and softening the skin.
Vitamin E : Provides potent antioxidant and skin hydrating properties.
Sodium Hyaluronate : Delivers the ultimate moisturizing power of nature. Binds moisture to skin, hydrates and protects skin from water loss
Glycerin : A natural moisture binder derived from vegetable oil, it helps skin retain moisture
Sweet Almond Oil : High in Omega-9 and Oleic Acid. Easily absorbs into skin to moisturize and hydrate.
Soybean Oil : High in Linoleic and Palmitic Acids, it is readily absorbed delivering smooth, soft skin.

Comes in a 532 ml bottle with a pump dispenser, I bought 2 bottles at a steal of $12.90 for both at Living Pharmacy (Upper Thomson branch).
At almost $6.50, I would think its quite a value-for-money item, but the original retail price costs much more.

This body wash is a clear liquid with a bubble gum scent which took some time for me to get used to. It lathers moderately well without lots of suds and cleanse well in a gentle way, without drying my skin.
It contains lots of wonderful organic and natural ingredients other than its paraben-free, sulfate-free and Phthalate-free.

Ingredients
Water, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Glycerin, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Lauryl Glucoside, Polysorbate 20, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Tocopheryl Acetate, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Flower Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glyceryl Undecylenate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Citric Acid, Fragrance

Review : Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Make-up Remover

Product Description
Gently and effectively removes all traces of make-up, dirt and impurities while preserving skin's natural moisture. Water based formula leaves skin clean without greasy or tight feeling after use.
Hydrates as it cleanses leaving skin feeling silky smooth.
Skin pH balanced. Low irritation. Free of fragrances, mineral oil, alcohol and colorant.

Hada Labo is one of those brands that I wanted to try, mainly because it contains Hyaluronic Acid (HA in short).  I was not aware that the range contains make-up remover so when it comes with the trial kit set, I was pleased that I was able to try it. Initially, it was my intention to review their star product ( the lotion) and the moisturiser but my skin seems to have some breakouts after using them and hence I am still monitoring my skin condition.  Its only fair to give a more accurate review.

In the meantime, I have been using the 30ml make-up remover for more than a week. Am I glad that its just a small bottle, because it stinks. It stinks like glue, which I used to use in my art class. I absolutely hated the scent.

It does not quite work on cotton pads since its not supposed to be used that way. There is no slip and its difficult to glide and wipe on the face, with the cotton pad.

The best way, is to use it like a gel cleanser but on dry skin and it does remove my light to medium make-up effectively without leaving any undesirable residue. The texture is abit oily, even though the colour looks clear.

I also used it on a wet face, with not much problems, just that it felt less oily.
That said, please note that it does not really remove my eye make-up thoroughly, especially waterproof eye make-up, eyeliner, etc.
Its not exactly a big issue to me, since I usually use a separate eye make-up product.

I am glad that because of its Super HA, there was no tight feeling and skin feels fresh and clean. I still follow up with my cleanser thereafter. Since it does not contain colourants, fragrance, alcohol or mineral oil, I supposed that it may works well on sensitive skin. 

In conclusion, I will not get this again, because of its stinky gluey smell.

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Top 3 Marilyn Monroe's Skincare Secrets

1) Rinse her face 15 times after every wash

Check out the Beauty Secrets From Around The World.

2) Using olive oil all over her face

Olive Oil is widely known to protect the skin from damage, strengthen nails and deeply moisturize the skin and hair. Read about the 5 Nourishing Natural Ingredients and Make Your Own Skincare Products. 

3) Using ice-baths to keep her skin tight and firm

Have you heard about the Ice Cube Beauty Remedy for healthy glow and to banish undereye bags?

Source : BeautyBombShells

Super Food

I was surfing the web for some organic products and came across Pure Tincture's blog on Super Food.

1. Banish Breakouts

Pumpkin seeds are the antidote to spots because they’re packed with zinc. Aim for one to two tablespoons a day. The Top 10 Foods that are Highest in Zinc can be found here

2. White Pearly Teeth

An apple a day will keep the teeth-bleaching doctor away. The crunchy snack has been shown to actually buff off the stains left behind by coffee, tea and red wine. Well, there isn’t any excuse for us to avoid these essentials food that keep our day going.

3. Get Glorious Locks

Green Beans are high in silicon. A study found that people who took a silicon supplement had significantly stronger and thicker hair after nine months.

4. Condition Dry Skin

A new British Journal of Nutrition study found that flaxseed is the best weapon in the war again scaly patches. It contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which help to hydrate skin and keep it soft and smooth. You can drizzle some ground flaxseed to yogurt, or cereal or oatmeal.

5. Staying Young

Best bet against the forces of gravity on my face is kiwis. Packed with an awesome source of Vitamin C, which experts say can slow down the aging process by stimulating collagen production. And the more collagen you have in your skin, the firmer and more elastic it will be and the hotter you will look in 15 years’ time

6. Beef up your nails

To get strong healthy nails, try eating eggs several times a week. Rich in biotin and research reveals that the nutrient is responsible for giving your nails superstrength. Another source is gelatin.

Source : Pure Tincture

Kevin Chou's Beauty Tips

1. Stay cool in the heat

Singaporean women have oilier skin compared to the Taiwanese women Kevin is used to working with because of the great contrast between the very cool and dry atmosphere indoors and the humid yet scorching environment outdoors. This constant fluctuation in body temperature wrecks havoc on our skin by causing it to secrete more oil than it normally would.

Aside from using oil-free products to combat the grease, Kevin recommends washing your face with cold water in the morning or using a cooling mist to set your makeup. Keeping your face cool prevents your sebaceous glands from being agitated and can help in keeping your face matte throughout the day.

One of Kevin’s beauty secrets is to put a dry face towel in an airtight bag and leave it in the freezer. Place the cold towel on your face for a minute before applying your makeup, and you will find that your makeup stays on longer throughout the day.

He also recommends bathing in water that is cold or around body temperature. This is because every time our body temperature goes up by one degree, our body excretes an extra 10 per cent more sebum.

2. Solid foundation techniques

“Singaporean women prefer a Western-influenced look, with neutral, matte colour palettes instead of bright colours and shimmer like in Taiwan,” observed Kevin. For a natural look with moderate coverage, use BB cream in place of foundation.

Many women make the mistake of applying it in a uniform thickness all over the face, making the contrast between your face and neck more apparent. Instead, start from centre of your face, working your way out and blending well. Gradually use less product as you near the perimeter of your face for sheerer coverage and to give the illusion of natural shading.

3. Colour your world ... but not too much

Play up your features, but take care not to overwhelm them. Asian women have less prominent facial features compared to our Western counterparts, so go easy on the heavy eyeliner, smoky eye shading, and intense lip colours as they will only overwhelm the rest of your features instead of bringing them out.

Also remember that blush should be applied to the apples of your cheeks and swept along your cheekbones instead of under, as the latter technique is only used to contour very prominent bone structures.

4. A little distance goes a long way

While every woman strives to perfect her makeup, be sure to check that it complements the rest of your outfit on the whole as well. Stand about one metre away from a full-length mirror – because that is the distance most people will view you from – and make sure the top and bottom halves of your outfit match.

5. Money doesn’t equal beauty

Kevin believes that you don’t need to spend a bomb on beauty products and makeup to look good. The secret to making the best of any product is to use the correct technique when applying it. An expensive product paired with the wrong application techniques will only defeat the purpose.

Using a variety of products on his clients that range from drugstore brands to the high-end stuff, Kevin mentioned that as long as the product is manufactured by a reputable company and is suitable for your skin type, you shouldn’t have to spend beyond your means to look good.

6. Massage

Try to massage your face every time you apply your face creams and serums in an upward direction and around your lymph nodes. This not only helps to prevent your skin from sagging; it also helps to loosen your facial muscles which helps your face appear smaller.

7. Bottoms up.

Kevin likes to apply his products upside down when he has the time. That means, he lies on his bed and hangs his head over the edge so it is upside down. The gravity helps to pull your face upwards as you apply your creams.

8. Lose the juice.

While fruit is good for your body and complexion, try to eat it whole instead of drinking it as juice. This is because a lot of the nutrients are lost when it is juiced, leaving you with mostly sugar.

9. White wins.

There’s a saying in Taiwan that one point for fairness can overcome three points for other flaws. Kevin believes this is true in most cases. “While some Asian girls can achieve a healthy, golden-brown tan, most Chinese girls have a yellow undertone to their skin which tends to look slightly sickly when they are too tan.”

10. Oil free.

When it comes to cleansing, Kevin recommends not using oil cleansers because many women tend not to clean it off properly, which leaves oil particles on your skin.

As a final word of advice, Kevin said: “I know Singaporean women are really busy. If you really have no time, just do these three things: Moisturise, apply sunblock and use an eye cream. I’ve been doing these things since I was 14 and that’s how I keep my skin in such good condition.”

Source : Herworld1, Herworld2

5 Easy Makeup Tricks That Make You Look Younger

1) Take It Easy
Overly made-up skin is a one-way ticket to looking a lot older than you actually are," says makeup artist Chrisanne Davis. "If you have dark circles or some sun spots, dot a tiny bit of concealer on the inner corners of your eyes or on those spots, not all over the place." And while letting your skin show through may seem counterintuitive, "the more skin you can see, the better," says makeup artist Sandy Linter. "As long as it is well-hydrated, fresh skin looks much more youthful than an obviously covered complexion

2) Lighten Up
Tinted moisturizers with luminescent particles or lightweight liquid foundations are best for lined skin. "Unlike pressed powder, which settles into wrinkles and makes the skin look even older, a light-reflective liquid formula creates the illusion of a glowing complexion," Davis says. To apply foundation flawlessly, "use either a damp sponge or a foundation brush to dot it all over your face in tiny amounts," Linter says. It's a good idea to use powder to set it so it doesn't smear into lines. "Just dust on a loose translucent formula, avoiding the eye area.

3) Open Your Eyes
"Curling your eyelashes and adding a little glimmery shadow as a highlighter are the easiest things you can do to make your eyes look bigger—and therefore younger," Davis says. Look for the blackest black mascara you can find—"it will make the whites of your eyes look clearer and whiter," Linter says. And don't forget to define sparse brows (powder works best for truly skimpy arches). "Thick, full, brows can take years off your face," says makeup artist Bobbi Brown.

4) Warm It Up
Nude lipstick and matte bronzer look lifeless on skin that's dull. Instead, "a neutral rose color applied to the lips and the apples of the cheeks flatters all skin tones and really brightens it up," Linter says.

 Source : Allure

Favourite Pen Highlighters from 5 local make-up artists

Its Friday, my favourite weekday of the week as one can easily guess why. Simply because it meant that the weekend is looming. Yipee.

Today's Urban gets 5 make-up artists to share their favourite pen highlighters, used to lighten undereye circles, diminish the appearance of fine lines and sculpt the face.

Mr. Larry Yeo : Lancome's Teint Miracle Skin Perfecting Correcting Pen $56
For sheer to medium coverage and having the perfect color to correct discolourations
Use it as a base before applying concealer, to stay crease-free

Mr. Peter Khor : Guerlain's Precious Light $65
Brightens up the area without being thick and cakey
Smoothens the undereye area and does not emphasise fine lines and wrinkles

Mr. Yuan Sng : Loreal's Touche Magique $21
Yellow undertones to cover up dark eye circles
Use as a highlighter for the nose bridge, chin and corner of lips

Ms. Dollei Seah : Dior's Skinflash Radiance Booster $59
Velvety finish and gives a glow to skin.
Smoothen out fine lines, diminish shadows and lighten imperfections
Contour and sculpt the face on cheekbones, temples, nose bridge and cupid's bow

Mr. Clarence Lee : Cle de Peau Beaute's Touche Sublime $95
Light texture which covers fine lines and imperfections making you look younger and fresher
Use as a concealer to cover up flaws

Review : Biotherm Aquasource Skin Perfection 24h Moisturiser (High Definition Perfecting Care)

Product Description
The hydrating power of Aquasource meets skin perfection! With frosted cooling effect. For all skin types.
Biotherm creates the 1st 24h moisturizing high definition perfecting care, enriched with Aquakeep™ perfecting complex.
The first treatment in the Aquasource range to combine the equivalent of 5,000 liters of Thermal Spring Water with 35 million perfecting Aquakeep™ microspheres to provide 24h hydration. The refreshing frosted texture works like a re-surfacing glaze to reduce skin irregularities and dull complexion.
RESULTS:
Touch. Velvety-soft skin texture
Feel. Moisturized skin 24h non stop
See. Crystal-clear glow

Benefits :
Aquakeep™ technology: Holds the equivalent of 5,000 liters of Thermal Spa Water for 24h non-stop intense hydration.
Beautifying pigments + Trace-Sugar: Restructures skin surface from within for a perfect skin.
Manganese Crystals + Cooling Agent: Boosts micro-circulation and activates adiance.

I was in need of a good moisturiser for winter season back in February due to a work trip. I headed to Biotherm counter and the promoter recommended this product to me.
Being my first winter experience, I am glad that this moisturiser serves me well, with just slight flakiness, though it could have been better, since its not cheap and is touted as 24hour moisturising.

I think I purchased this at $81, super expensive, when I considered the performance to be almost par with
their previous moisturisers and there are no additional benefits other than hydration. I am a long-time fan of their moisturisers and is a victim of their ever-increasing prices year after year, boasting of material increase, new formuales, new ingredients, etc.
The holes in my pockets are getting larger, yet my skin does not seem to be any better than when I used their old moisturisers.

The typical marine scent is present but the texture is very different from the previous moisturisers. It has a mesh-like feeling with a silicon-feel when I applied on the face. Its light and non-greasy. It glides on the skin and gets absorbed leaving behind a silky feeling. The mesh-like feel is something new to me, and I am not sure of the purpose. Just a strange feeling.
Under humid weather in Singapore, this moisturiser does its job best, it soothe my skin and keeps it well-hydrated, but 24hour? Nah, I do not think so.

Note that there is dimethicone in this product, for those who are concerned.

Source : Biotherm

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Review : Skin Food Brightening Eye Massage Serum

Product Description
Rich in omega-3 fatty acid, vitamins A and E, it is derived from the Hokkaido salmon to improve skin resilience and anti-aging. Haloxyl prevents dark circle formation and Arbutin curbs melanin formation to brighten the eyes. Designed with a relaxing massage tip, it intensifies blood circulation on eye area and enables faster absorption of omega-3 fatty acid, arbutin and vitamins.

I had this product for the longest time and because this serum is supposed to be used 1 to 2 times per week, I never seem to be able to use up this product.
Its definitely value-for-money, if you get it in Korea, which is about $20+ but on local shores, it is selling for a ridiculously marked-up price of $70+.
$70 for any eyecare product, is still decent for me, but to have it marked up so much is ridiculously insane.
Thankfully, I got it in Korea, without realizing it is worth that much in Singapore.

Its difficult to get an eye product that works to alleviate my eye area concerns and this serum fares no better. Despite using it for more than 4 months, I have yet to see any significant improvement.
The clear gel-like texture that oozes out of the slanted nozzle is slightly sticky so I prefer to use it at night. It requires some time for it to get absorbed.

Sometimes, I used that hard slanted nozzle to massage my eye area, though I am actually pretty scared of leaving more fine lines than hoping that it works.
Sometimes I used my fingertips to do gentle eye massage or just lightly tapping the product into the skin.

Whatever methods I used, my dark circles remained the same. I am still using it 2 to 3 times per week, hoping that the consistent usage can indeed bring a miracle to my eye area.

Source : Skinfood

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Review : Skin Food Gold Caviar Nutrition Mask Sheet

Product Description
Russian caviar and gold properties make your skin lustrous and give an elastic feel to it. This nourishing mask sheet with superb moistness also contains coenzyme Q10 to provide an anti-aging effect.

I owned 2 sheets of this Gold Caviar mask sheets as I am afraid that it may be too rich for my combination and surface dehydrated skin. After using it on 2 consecutive nights, there were no breakouts, thankfully.

I was abit disappointed with its so-called moisture as its supposed to be part of an anti skincare regime, which to me, should be quite nourishing to dry skin, typical of mature skin.
However, it failed to soothe my dehydrated and rough patches on the first night.

Thereafter, I used a scrub on the following night, which I followed up with the mask, it gave me dewy and radiant skin the next morning. Those dehydrated and rough patches were almost gone. Makes me a happy girl.

It comes in a 2 sheets - one for the upper part of the face and one for the lower part of the face.
Quite a breeze to put on, as it stayed adhered on the skin for a long while. 1 hour later and its still pretty wet and thats the maximum time I usually had it on the skin.
It has a typical skinfood strong fragranced scent though.

You can get it for $9.70 at the local Skin Food stores or a slightly cheaper price on Amazon.
Skin Food Gold Caviar Nutrition Mask Sheet


Source : Skin Food

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Review : Elianto Firming and Revitalize Eye Zone Treatment Patch

Product Description
Spot treatment for eye zone, brighten, hydrate, improve elasticity. Formulated with firming collagen and pomegranate extract, vitamin E that fight against aging signs, diminish fine lines appearance, restore resilience and youthful look to the eye area.

I picked this up in KL, together with its brightening eye patch which I have previously reviewed before. Similarly to the brightening eye patch, this firming eye treatment patch was also manufactured in 2008, which probably explained why its that cheap that time. Gosh, I felt so cheated.
You can check out the rest of the skincare products here

It has a sort of marine scent which is nothing offensive. A cresent moon-like shape made of thin papery material, it feels rather comfortable on my undereye area. However, the essence dries up pretty quickly after the 15minutes time-frame leaving a much refreshed feeling to my eyes.
It comes stacked in 12 pairs of eye masks in the packaging, so basically one have to peel off individually if you want to use a pair. Not very hygenic and its kinda troublesome.

But thats about it. I did not see any significant improvement to my undereye area though, after using 7 pairs over 3 weeks. Just a mask to perk up my tired eyes.