Review : Lemongrass House Lemongrass and Green Tea Moisturising Jojoba Bead Body Scrub

Product Description
Use regularly to release surface toxins and other impurities. Refreshing cucumber and hydrating, aloe vera leaves your skin soft, smooth and radiant.

I bought this shower scrub together with the shower gel and like the lemongrass scent enough to get them both in the same scent. The other scents did not really appeal to me at that time.
Its creamy but not thick, with very tiny beads found among the cream exfoliator. Its more like a diluted form of a creamy texture, almost like a lotion. Hence, its quite light and does not give one a harsh exfoliated feeling
which is why I like to use it so often. Though sometimes, it gives a very slight dry feeling on the body.
It costs $32 which is something out of my budget but I got it since there was a 20% discount during the GSS.

It is sulphate-free, paraben-free and is never tested on animals. Once opened, it must be used within 3 months.

Source : Lemongrass House

August Haul 2 - Drugstore and Iherb

There was a 20% sale on selected brands at drugstore.com so I decided to do some shopping and had it shipped via Vpost. 1 week later, there was a 20% sale storewide. Urgh.

When I received my goods, I realized that my Covergirl eyeshadow was damaged. I was quite upset with the way they packed their goods as the items only filled up 3/4 of the box with room for items to be shifted around during transit. Since it only costs US$4.99, I thought I would just clean it up and used it and at the same time, to feedback to them on their packing methods.

Their replies were prompt, professional and courteous. I am totally impressed with them. They do not have a fixed customer officer to reply me, so I actually have "spoken" to 3 of them during my email correspondence within 2 days. One lady sort of blamed it on my Vpost forwarding service as she claimed that they would have check the package before delivery and there was no feedback of any damaged items then. The other 2 male officers were more polite and actually opted to refund me the money since its not cost-effective to send me the item. Cool! A real customer service attitude. I like! ( except for that lady, of course )

I received the goods in 2.5 weeks. Here's my purchases

Intelligent Nutrients Harmonic Shampoo US$22
Intelligent Nutrients Harmonic Conditioner US$24
ELF Studio Eye Transformer Palette US$3
ELF Studio SPF 45 Sunscreen UVA/UVB Protection US$6
ELF Studio Kabuki Face Brush US$6
ELF Studio Complexion Brush US$3
Loveand Toast Sugar Scrub US$9.34
Garnier Fructis Style Wonder Waves Wave Enhancing Spray US$3.29
Garnier Fructis Haircare Triple Nutrition Nutrient Spray  US$4.99
Aveeno Active Naturals Nourish + Shine Shampoo US$5.59
Aveeno Active Naturals Nourish + Shine Conditioner US$5.59
Physicians Formula Eye Enhancing Shimmer Stripes (Pop Green Eyes) US$8.76
Physicians Formula Happy Booster Blush Glow and Mood Boosting Powder (Rose) US$9.56
Covergirl Exact Eyelights Eye Brightening Shadow Palette Radiant Blues US$4.99
Lollia Petite Treat Shea Butter Hand Cream Wish US$6.50

My very first Iherb order, from Iherb which is an excellent site for fans who are into organic and natural products as the prices in Singapore are highly marked up. I opted for DHL which had my items delivered within 5 days. Iherb packaging is way more professional than drugstore.com as each item is individually kept in a transparent ziplock bag to prevent spillage. All the items are packed in one compact box too.

You can quote OKI787 or click here to start your online shopping

Beauty Without Cruelty, Eye Make-Up Remover US$6.02
Nubian Heritage, Mango Butter with Shea Butter and Vitamin C, Hand Cream US$6.92
Jason Natural, Sea Fresh, Gel, Deep Sea Spearmint US$5.39
Badger Company, Anti-Bug Balm, Citronella & Rosemary US$9.00
Hugo Naturals, French Lavender Travel Kit, 6 Piece Kit US$12.96
Sanctum, Body Essentials, The Perfect Travel Companion, 3 Pieces US$10.79
Honeybee Gardens, Truly Natural Mascara, Chocolate Truffle US$8.24
Nature's Gate, Organics, In The Beginning, Gentle Cleansing Lotion US$12.39
Avalon Organics, Vitamin C, Revitalizing Eye Cream US$15.92
Giovanni, Hot Chocolate, Sugar Scrub US$8.65
Earth Science, Eye Makeup Remover, Chamomile & Green Tea US$5.76
Desert Essence, Organics Repair, Pumpkin Hand Repair Cream US$6.03

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Review : Garnier Fructis Color Shield Fortifying Cream Conditioner

Product Description
With Active Fruit Concentrate, the innovative combination of ingredients naturally present in fruit help give strength and shine to your hair:Fruit acids, Vitamins B3, B6, Fructose, Glucose For Hair That Shines With All Its Strength. It also contains UV protectant which helps to provide lasting color and brilliant shine to color treated hair.
Makes hair 5 times stronger and up to 5 times smoother for shinier hair than ordinary shampoo. Acts deep within and on the surface of your hair. Nourishes the hair from root to tip. Works inside the hair strand to strengthen it and smoothes the hair to the tip.

I had this for the longest time with irregular usage so my review came abit late. I used to buy separate shampoo and conditioners but now I am more convinced that shampoos and conditioners from the same brand and range do make a difference as compared with both of different brands. It may not applies to all brands but from the products that I have tried before, I would like mine to be from the same brand.

Garnier Fructus is highly raved for its affordability and effectiveness on some online magazines and since Singapore does not carry it, I had it shipped from USA, via Vpost.

Without its accompanying shampoo for colour vibrancy, I felt that this conditioner did not make a remarkable difference. I could be wrong, since I do not have the shampoo to use together with this conditioner. According to the product description at the back, the effectiveness is only guaranteed if I use the whole range of the colour treatment products. Sounds logical so I have nothing to pin on them.

The white creamy texture has a nice scent, detangles moderately well and made the hair soft and non-greasy. However the effects of colour retention was not that apparent so I probably will not get it again. Thats my sole purpose of buying this conditioner.

Just a reminder that a colour-enhancing shampoo should not have Sodium Lauryl Sulfate as it would strip the colour instead. I am not sure if the accompanying shampoo have that though.
For a colour-enhancing conditioner, it should have UV filters or colour-enhancing pigments.
(source) Hair can be best protected from UV damage by treating it with a leave-on formulation containing a
UV filter, prior to exposure. Most products on the market today that contain a UV filter for hair care are
formulated with ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC). An additional protection obtained would be with UVA filters such as butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane (BM-DBM).

In this conditioner, it does contain ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHMC) but as the 13th ingredient.
You can check out most of the ingredients on EWG Skin Deep but it did not list the full set of ingredients as what I have attached below. It could be because mine is the new and improved anti-fade system.

Ingredients :

Source : Amazon

Review : Skin Food Agave Cactus Serum and Cream (Light)

Product Description
Revitalize your skin with 100% active Agave and Cactus ingredients to intensively hydrate for long lasting moisture retention without any stickiness. At the same time, it erases your wrinkles and lightens your skin tone to provide that extra luster.

Serum Product Description
An intensive moisturizing treatment with both anti-wrinkle and whitening functions, it smoothens dry and rough skin with 100% active ingredients. Its Agave and Cactus extracts refreshes the skin with non-sticky feeling

Cream Product Description
A refreshing light gel, it contains both whitening and anti-aging properties to seal in moisture with its 100% active Agave and Cactus ingredients. Smoothens dry/rough skin with non-sticky feeling. Suitable for day use

I always have several Korea skincare samples lying around in my stash, either from my own purchases or from lovely friends of mine visiting Korea or even my sister who is a faithful lover of using the same old products all the time.

To be honest, I love shopping in Korea for their affordable beauty products, I love their food and I am a big fan of Korea dramas but most of their affordable range of skincare products just does not suit my skin type that well, except for their masks and BB creams. However, I have to say that I haven't had a chance to try their higher-end range of products like Sulwhasoo, Ohui, The History of Whoo, etc so I am not giving up on Korea skincare yet. Ha.

I started off with the white cream (light) first. Its smells nice and the texture is less heavy than a normal moisturiser and its not sticky. I guess the word "light" sounds appropriate. The light cream sinks in well into my skin but I can hardly feel any hydration to the skin. My skin feels rough and dry.

However the next morning, it caused me a small breakout on the left cheek near the ears. ( I applied it as a day moisturiser ). Out of sight, out of mind. Since I cannot see it, I had forgotten about applying my pimple cream. But thank goodness, it did subside, smaller by each day. I was thankful. It disappeared by its own within 3 days.

So I applied the serum followed by the light cream after 3 days of rest inbetween just to check on the hydration factor.
The serum smells nice, light and is non-greasy as its pretty fluid. I quite like the texture. However, even with the serum and light cream, my skin still has a lack of hydration to the skin. It just feels parched. So the serum does not really help. Not at all.

And within hours, I got a major breakout on the chin. Painful, big and red. Even after 5 days, it only subsided by alittle. Sigh.

Considering that this product line claim to hydrate intensively, its quite a major disappointment for me as I could feel no hydration to my skin at all.

Source : Skinfood

Check out more of their inhouse products in the banner link below. Skinfood comes from AmorePacific.

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Review : My Beauty Diary Bird Nest Mask

Product Description
My Beauty Diary Bird’s Nest Mask whitens, nourishes and renews the skin.(source)
Bird’s nest extract, a precious ingredient, and corallina officinalis, the so-called “bird’s nest from the bottom of the sea,” intensely enhances skin’s moisture level, and nourishes strongly.
Hydrolyzed soy and rice protein enhance skin’s defense, elasticity and transparency. They also relieve discomfort resulting from dryness.

A friend came back after a visit from Taipei and gave me 2 sheets of this flavour. My Beauty Diary is always coming up with new flavours which is both exciting and interesting. It reminds me of the days when I pursue on Nancy Drew series and I never finish the whole batch despite reading it so fervently.
I did, however, manage to finish all Sidney Sheldon books who was one of my all-time favourite author and who was unfortunately no longer with us.

Purported to have brightening and hydrating properties, products with bird nest ingredient always sound abit premium to me. Don't you think so? And as with anything that is considered premium, I thought it may be too rich for my sensitive combination skin.

Its quite a joy to think that I am layering bird nest on my skin. (think of Fann Wong and her fair skin, she drinks one bottle every day, if I remembered correctly)

Compared to the earlier versions of MBD masks, this sheet seems thinner and adhere better to the skin. Its soaked in essence which did not dry up even after an hour. I did not quite like scent though. Its not offensive but just weird.

My skin feels moist and comfortable. The flakiness near the nose have mostly disappeared, leaving in its place, moist and bouncy skin.
However, the next morning, I found a newly formed zit on my chin. Urgh. Too rich for my skin.

After my zit had subsided, I applied my 2nd and last mask, since my chin area was quite dry after pimple gel application so I thought I would try again. Ha, the perils of trying new products.
Thankfully, nothing happened and there was a soft dewy glow to my skin as well softer skin the next morning.  My chin's hydration level was better though not totally moisturised.

Acne Ingredients to Avoid

An article which I stumbled upon, written by a dermatologist.

If you’re like most people who suffer from acne, you probably look for the term “non-comedogenic” when shopping for skincare products. But in many cases, this isn’t enough, as there are many other acne-causing ingredients lurking in your skincare products that can lead to breakouts.

Below is a list of ingredients to avoid:
Butyl stearate
Cetearyl alcohol + Ceteareth 20
Cetyl acentate
Cocoa butter
Coconut butter
Cottonseed oil
D&C Red #17, #21, #3, #30, #36
Decyl oleate
Dioctyl succinate
Disodium monooleamido PEG 2-sulfosuccinate
Ethylhexyl palmitate
Glyceryl stearate SE
Glyceryl-3-diisostearate
Hexadecyl alcohol
Hydrogenated vegetable oil
Isocetyl alcohol, stearate, oleate, isostearate, linolate, palmitate, isostearate, neopentanoate
Laureth 23 and laureth 4
Lauric acid
Octyl palmitate and stearate
Oleth-3
Oleyl alcohol
PEG 200 dilaurate
PEG 8 stearate
PG monostearate
Polyglyceryl-3-diisostearate
Solulan 16
Sorbitan oleate
Steareth 10
Stearic acid tea
Stearyl heptanoate

Source : Skintypesolutions

Review : Love and Toast Hand Cream (Honey Coconut)

Product Description

Natural Super-softeners Shea Butter, Macadamia Nut and Olive Fruits team up with pore pleasing Avocado and Sunflower oils to create a Dream Cream. Love and Toast's cant' live without its botanical perfume blend is the perfect lightweight and luxurious lotion. As Always Paraben-free, never animal tested or animal ingredients and no artificial colors!

This is yet another flavour in its trial size which I always kept in my bag. I am actually not in favour of any coconut scented products and the scent of this handcream while bearable is not preferred.
Its lightweight, non-greasy and moisturise my hands moderately well. I don't think it can survive in winter weather though.

Ingredients :
Punica Granatum (Pomegranate Extract in Purified Water), Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea Extract in Purified Water), Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) (Leaf Juice*), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower Seed Oil), Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Cetyl Alcohol, Hydroxypropyl Starch Phosphate, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) (Sunflower Seed Oil*), Linum Usitatissimum (Seed Extract*), Punica Granatum Extract (*), Olea Europaea (Olive Fruit Extract*), Laminaria Digitata

Source : Amazon

Review : Lemongrass House Lemongrass Shower Gel

Product Description
Our vegetable based deep cleansing shower gels are combined beautifully with fresh plant infusions of conditioning aloe vera and refreshing cucumber, pure essential oils and moisture rich glycerin. Cleansing the body without drying, your skin will feel soft and smooth. A little goes a long way

I love essential oils, especially when accompanied with a good massage and soft music in the background.
So imagine my delight when I first started out on using natural and organic bodycare products, that, essential oils are commonly found in some of the brands. I am just so ignorant.

Products in Lemongrass House comes from Phuket, Thailand and each of the person who hand blended the product would have their name stated on the back of the bottle. Mine is from this lady named Chai. I just presume she is a lady, but of course, I could be wrong. Lol.
Their products are sulphate-free and paraben-free which meant it must be used up within the stipulated period, in this case, its 6 months.
Lemongrass House is a store which I never step in before, prior to my first purchase. Its has always been the lure of the lemongrass scent which reminded me of its existence, however the store always seem abit vacant and dark. It did not quite entice me to go in.

But during the GSS, there was a 20% sale on their selected products, so I decided to take a peep. Contrary to their exterior, the interior is actually quite comforting and cosy, coupled with the friendly and approachable service, I really enjoyed browsing their products. So this shower gel is one of the products I purchased during my first trip to their store.

Other available Scents in the shower range include Blue Chamomile, Lavender, ROyal Lotus, Mandarin, Thai Pomelo, Rose, Fig Tea, Virgin Coconut, Frangipani, Jasmine, Wild Mint and Ylang ylang.
And frankly speaking, Lemongrass is the only one scent which appealed to me the most. Its soothing. Its uplifting. Its destressing.

The bottle itself is a simple, no-frills type, but its being packaged to give one a rustic yet spa-vibe feel. It foams very well, and the first use actually left my skin feeling abit dry. However, subsequent usage proved otherwise. I am enjoying my every bath nowadays.
I bought it for $7.20, down from the original $9. Its also available in another large size of 1litre but mine is the smaller version at 120ml.

Source : Lemongrass House

Review : Herbal Essence EGF and Collagen Eye Mask

Product Description
To brighten skin tone, firm, repair and moisturize skin, as well as smooth fine lines. Besides, it contains collagen to enhance moisturizing effect, leaving skin firmer and more elastic, smooth fine lines and prevent skin from aging.

This eye mask also contains various cosmetic ingredients, e.g. hyaluronic acid, tranexamic acid, platinum, vitamin K, arnica, camomile, mulberry extract, elastin, and Q10. It provides intensive skin care.

I bought this from Watsons late last year, during a work trip to Taipei. I like the wide range of eye masks available in their Watsons, which is not available in Singapore, so of course I like to pick up some home with me.

It has a scent, which is bearable. Each moist pair are stuck to one another in each packet. There are 8 packets in each box.
It has alot of good ingredients in them with Q10 being the first one in the list. I like the comfortable and refreshing feel on the undereye area. My undereye area seems less puffy and fine lines were softened after each 30minute treatment. But do note that eye masks are just a temporary measure. Regular maintenance and proper eye care are still a must.

Source : SASA

Review : Sally Hansen Moisturising Polish Remover

Product Description
An enriched formula that quickly and gently removes nail polish with essential nutrients to help promote strong, healthy-looking nails and cuticles everytime you use it.
A special blend of Pro-Vitamin B5, Vitamin E and Aloe moisturises dry, brittle nails. Helps keep nails strong and healthy-looking.

I do not apply nail polish frequently so each of my nail polish remover can last me for a long time, even though each time, I used up alot since the opening on the bottle is pretty wide.
It seems inappropriate for me to wear it to work since I work in an engineering line but I do wear it ocassionally over the weekend. ( Yes, you are right, I only wore it for 2 days. Ha! )

I chose Sally Hansen because its reputable for their range of nail products and because I do not know what are the brands that are good enough. I am very ignorant in this aspect.
As I have mentioned before, the opening is pretty wide and I do find it pretty wasteful on the contents as well as on my cotton pads.
Even though it does contain moisturising properties, but I found it to be pretty drying on my nails. After each nail polish removing session, the drying effects on my hands and nails can last up to 3 days. Its THAT bad.
There is an alcohol-cooling feel during application and it removes nail polishes moderately well.

I believe those who dabbled in organic/natural products would know that Acetone ingredient which is commonly found in such common nail polish products is considered as a moderate hazard of being toxic under Skin Deep  . It also contains Benzophenone-3 with a high hazard of 8 under Skin Deep.

Department Store Doubles at the Drugstore

The Paula's Choice Team have constantly encounter nearly identical products they find at the department store right on the drugstore shelf. So without further delay, here's the list.

Cleanser
Laura Mercier Foaming One-Step Cleanser VS Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser

Toner
Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Intensive Softening Lotion VS Jason Natural Red Elements Calming Toner

Exfoliant
Jan Marini Skin Research, Inc.Factor-A Plus Mask VS Paula’s Choice 2% Beta-Hydroxy Acid Lotion

Anti-Blemish
Kate Somerville Anti Bac Clearing Lotion VS Oxy Spot Treatment or Paula’s Choice CLEAR Extra Strength Acne-Fighting Treatment

Daytime Moisturizer
Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Day SPF 20 VS Olay Complete Ageless Skin Renewing UV Lotion SPF 20 or Paula’s Choice Moisture Boost Daily Restoring Complex SPF 20

Nighttime Moisturizer
Clinique Super Rescue Antioxidant Night Moisturizer VS CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion PM or Paula’s Choice RESIST Barrier Repair Moisturizer

Sunscreen
Dr. Brandt UV SPF 30 VS Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 30 or Paula’s Choice Ultra-Light Weightless Finish SPF 30 Sunscreen Spray ($15.95)

Body Moisturizer
B. Kamins, Chemist Bio-Maple Body Lotion VS Eucerin Daily Replenishing Lotion ($7.79) or Paula’s Choice Slip Into Silk Body Lotion ($16.95)

Foundation w/ SPF
Chanel Mat Lumiere Long Lasting Luminous Matte Makeup SPF 15 VS Avon Perfect Wear Extralasting Liquid Foundation SPF 15 or Paula’s Choice Best Face Forward Foundation SPF 15

Foundation w/o SPF
Stila Natural Finish Oil-Free Makeup VS Cover Girl TruBlend Liquid Makeup

Tinted Moisturizer
philosophy the supernatural superbeautiful spf 20 VS Paula’s Choice Barely There Sheer Matte Tint SPF 20

Pressed Powder
Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder VS Paula’s Choice Healthy Finish Pressed Powder SPF 15

Bronzer
Nars Multiple Bronzer VS Sally Hansen Natural Beauty Sun Glow Powder Bronzer

Blush
Chantecaille Cheek Shade VS L’Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Blush

Matte Lipstick
Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Lipstick VS Revlon Matte Lipstick

Lip Color w SPF
Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster SPF 15 Lip Gloss VS e.l.f. Cosmetics Super Glossy Lip Shine SPF 15 or Paula’s Choice Sheer Cream Lipstick SPF 15

Liquid
Eyeliner Cargo Liquid Liner VS Physician’s Formula Eye Definer Felt-Tip Eye Marker

Eye Shadow
M.A.C Eye Shadow VS Wet ‘n’ Wild Color Icon Eyeshadow Singles

Mascara
Dior DiorShow Iconic Mascara VS Maybelline The Colossal Volum’ Express Colossal Mascara or Paula’s Choice Great Big Lashes Mascara

Source : Cosmeticscorp

Cheap Swaps for High-End Makeup

Splurge : Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
Bargain : CoverGirl NatureLuxe Silk Foundation 
Reasons : According to Miami-based makeup artist Marissa Nemes. "It has similar benefits while adding sun protection, and its oil free/paraben free formula is lightweight, smoothes out imperfections, and leaves the skin looking flawless and polished."

Splurge: Giorgio Armani Smooth Silk Eye Pencil 
Bargain: Styli-Style Line and Seal Eyes 
Reasons : According to New York City makeup artist Quinn Murphy. "The color range is fab and they glide on effortlessly and stay put. But I am also a longtime fan of Styli-Style Line and Seal eyeliners. The Black pencil is super-black and as good as it gets, and the liners' firm texture allows for maximum precision. Plus, they last for hours."

Splurge: MAC Eye Shadow in All That Glitters, Brule and Carbon 
Bargain: NYX Eyeshadow in Champagne, Wet n Wild MegaEyes Shadow Pot in Brule, Milani Eye Shadow in Black

Splurge: Dior Diorshow Mascara 
Bargain: L'oreal Paris Voluminous Mascara 
Reason : According to Warren Tricomi makeup artist Kristie Striecher. "The formula is rich and stays on well. For me, it's all about the brush -- and this brush applies the perfect coat each time. It doesn't clump and stays nice until the end of the tube.

Splurge: Nars Blush/Bronzer Duo in Organsm/Laguna 
Bargain: ELF Studio Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder 
Reasons : However, The E.L.F. product is "lighter" and "less pigmented" so you'll need to apply a bit more for the same effect.

Splurge: MAC Set Powder 
Bargain: Ben Nye Translucent Powder
Reasons : Ben Nye's Translucent Powder is a finely milled invisible powder [and] the best deal in town. It also works great on everyone no matter what your complexion."

Splurge: MAC Lipstick in Lady Danger with Luster and Nars Lipstick in Honolulu Honey 
Bargain: Revlon Lipstick in Orange Flip and Naughty Nude

Splurge: Lancome Juicy Tubes   
Bargain: L'oreal Paris Colour Juice Sheet Juicy Lip Gloss


 Source : Total Beauty

Review : Skin Inc Renew Coenzyme Q10

Product Description
Skin Inc RENEW CoEnzyme Q10 Serum helps in anti-aging and reduces sagging and wrinkles. Coenzyme in skin decreases as we age. It is a natural cell revitalizer which encourages production of energy in cells, to renew cell functions. Coenzyme Q10 is easily oxidizable, but with Skin Inc’s patented technology of encapsulation, CoQ10 in RENEW is always fresh. Skin Inc RENEW CoEnzyme Q10 Serum is formulated in Japan with 100% pure, active ingredients, paraben-free, and scent-free.

This was a freebie from a magazine and I have completely forgotten about using it.
Skin Inc is the world's first Skin Supplement Bar offering highly concentrated, 100% pure and active serums and skincare from Japan. All their products are touted to have 0% scent and 0% parabens.
You can check out some of their award-winning skincare here

Made in Japan, this 20ml serum encased in a glass bottle (with a dropper) is only about 3/4 full when I first used it. I cannot remember if it was completely full when I first got it.

It last me for about 2 weeks, on an almost daily basis usage, sometimes in the day, sometimes in the night, usually about once a day, with 1 to 2 drops per usage.

However, its not easy to reach the contents at the end of the bottle as the dropper does not reach right to the end so what I did, is to just pour out the sticky serum. It does take some time though.

It does not have a scent and the texture is what a serum is, sticky, thick and not easy to spread. It is easier to spread when the skin is slightly damp before application. In fact, I felt that the serum gets absorbed into my skin better at night than in the day.
The tiny orange beads were found more in the lower part of the bottle which I get to use only after the contents were almost depleting. The tiny orange beads would disappear after some slight massaging on the skin. Interesting!

I do not really have a strict anti-aging skincare regime so this CoQ10 serum is a welcome treat for my skin. Knowing that CoQ10 is basically a good antiaging ingredient for the skin, I do think that it should work well on a longer term basis. You can read more about CoQ10 here

A short 2 weeks may not be able to feel and see a difference. However, I do feel that my face looked less tired and is fresher-looking after a week of usage.

Where To Purchase : Shopee

Skin Inc My Daily Dose 

  

Ingredient
Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Ubiquinone, Carbomer, Algin, Alcaligenes polysaccharides, Polysorbate 80, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Lecithin, Potassium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol.

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June - August Haul

Since its my birthday month, I took the chance to do some hauling.

Lemongrass House members get 20% off regular priced items during their birthday month

1) Mandarin Orange Salt Body Glow $17.60 ( original $22)
2) Lavender Shampoo $7.2 (original $9)
3) Lavender Conditioner $7.20 ( original $9 but not in picture as its out of stock )

Watsons members get x5 points during their birthday month

4) Naruko AMPM Make-up Remover $23.90
5) Naruko Brightening and Firming Spray $21.90

I was disappointed with Watsons customer service online. I posted an enquiry to ask for the locations of Naruko's products as I could not find it in Vivocity and Paragon branches. A week flew by without any replies, despite their "We will respond to your query within 24-48 hours " stated clearly on their webpage.

 
I wrote back again, and Ms Sarah Yeong replied back within a day to ask for more information, like the type of products I am looking for, before she can provide me with more details. I told her, I am looking for the branch with the widest range of Naruko's products and guess what? Its been 1.5 weeks and there were no replies at all.

In the end, I got mine from the Raffles City branch. Thumbs up, Watsons. You really made my day. I could have bought more, but you lost out because of your poor customer service skills.

                                            

Review : Lollia Mint Julep Honey Rich Shower Gel

Product Description
Soft, soapy suds. Fresh Botanical extracts condition and cleanse. Honey-rich emollients of Bee Balm with Butters of Mango and Avocado deliver skin essential nutrients to smooth and moisturize. Delicate infusions of Vanilla Bean, crushed Mint, shredded Coconut and Star Anise formulated to leave skin subtley scented and silky soft.

I have previously reviewed the shampoo and conditioner from the same Mint Julep range. This shower gel was slightly expensive than its shampoo and conditioner but still reasonable enough when there was a promotion.

At 42g, its perfect for travel but I do not like tubes in general because it can be quite frustrating to get the contents out. Still, I can't help but pick it up due to its girly packaging.

Similar to its hair products, it has an almost similar scent and does not foam easily so I tend to use more than the usual amount. The scent does not linger and disappear after bath.

It does contain nice ingredients in the first 4 in the ingredient list but it also contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate as the 5th ingredient and DMDM Hydantoin, Methylchloroisothiazolinone and Methylisothiazolinone which are recommended to be avoided by Environmental Working Group as it may cause cancer.

Thay said, if you are not overly concerned, you can get them from Lollia and Amazon.

Lollia In Love Bubble Bath ( Amazon Popular Choice )
Lollia Breathe Perfumed Shower Gel 
Lollia Dream Shower Gel

Source : Lollia

Review : Cosme Decorte Moisture Liposome Cream

Product Description
Rich in emollient, yet refreshingly light with no oily after-feel. Liposomes carrying abundant nutrients provide advanced hydration on skin in a time-release manner as you sleep.
Boosts skin natural defence and anti-ageing capabilities.Maintains optimal skin health by activating ribosomes which deteriorate with age. Ribosomes, also known as 'enzyme production factories', produce several thousands types of enzymes to smoothly carry out skin's bio-activities.
Great for dry skin, returning it to firm and healthy condition by hydrating and revitalizing it. Minimises signs of fine lines and wrinkles.Feel the results instantly.

This is yet another GWP with the same magazine that comes with the essence which I have reviewed before. With such a pleasant and positive experience using the essence previously, I was looking forward to using its night cream. And true to my expectations, Cosme Decorte Moisture Liposome Essence does deliver and I am brimming with confidence in this brand.

While I understand the need of using a night cream at night ( to repair the skin while its at a rested state ), sometimes, I rather let the skin breathe. I do not like heavy duty stuff on the skin and most night creams are heavy.

Remember what I was sharing during my previous entry? That I have 3 star products that had helped me to achieve soft supple skin recently? Well, this is the last product. After using Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil to remove my make-up, I use this essence just before I sleep. In the morning, I would use Bioderma Light Soothing Cream before leaving for work.

I started off using Cosme Decorte Moisture Liposome Essence before the other 2 products so I was able to judge the efficacy without any biased opinions. Even without my weekly exfoliation and facial mask during that first week, my skin was just smooth, soft and supple and I credit the effect to this cream because it was the only new product I have added into my skin regime.

Unlike Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil which exhibits its results right after each cleanse, this cream's effect was not obvious initially but only after almost a week. So I continued to use it religiously and like it very much.
The Bioderma Light Soothing Cream helped to maintain the soft supple skin throughout the day.

I have been using it for more than a month and still left about 20% in my 6g sample container.
The white gel-cream smells nice, has an almost silky texture and glides onto the skin pretty well. It can be slightly sticky after application and does require some time for it to get absorbed into the skin.
The skin feels hydrated the next morning and soft and supple after a week's usage.

4 users from Makeupalley rates it as 4 and you can check out the ingredient list from Cosdna . In the first 5 ingredients, it consists mainly of emollients/ moisturisers which I believe would be good for dry mature skin, however it does contain several parabens as the last few ingredients. It also does contain alcohol and dimethicone in the middle to bottom list.

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Review : Bioderma Light Soothing Cream

Product Description
A new step forward in the treatment of sensitive intolerant skin, the patented Toléridine®complex instantly and durably acts against inflammation. It raises the skin’s tolerance threshold. More resistant, it is better protected against external attack, so it becomes less reactive.

• Sensibio Light cream soothes feelings of overheating and tightness and provides immediate comfort.
• Sensibio Light cream moisturises and restructures the cutaneous barrier avoiding the penetration of irritant agents.
• Formulated with rigorously selected active ingredients known to be harmless, preservative-free and fragrance-free, Sensibio Light cream guarantees optimum tolerance.
• Sensibio Light cream’s silky texture leaves the skin soft and supple.
• Sensibio Light cream is non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic.

This moisturiser was part of the travel pack which I bought from Nishino Pharmacy at Liang Court. I had always wanted to try this brand since it was meant for sensitive skin needs. And since the travel pack was available, its was a perfect opportunity for me to get it. Another excuse for hauling, right?

This daily moisturising, soothing and protective care for sensitive intolerant skin is meant for normal to combination skin. It is fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, preservative-free, non-comedogenic and is without surfactants.

I had been using this for the past 3 weeks and its one of the 3 star products which I used recently to give me smooth beautiful skin.
The first one was Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil which I have reviewed here and now this moisturiser. Another one would be a night cream which I will review in my next entry. Stay tuned for that.

I used this moisturiser as my day moisturiser and its so soft and light, almost like a mashmallow. Alright, I am exaggerating, I know. But the fact is, its a lightweight moisturiser. I am used to my moisturiser being either a gel or a cream so this soothing cream came as a surprise, since it was touted as a cream. I am actually pretty wary of using cream-based products, because of my sensitive combination skin. In short, I do not like heavy-duty products on my skin.

I kind of like using this, because of its texture and its almost scentless. It is non-greasy and sinks into the skin fast. It did not irritate my skin or give me breakouts, but giving me soft beautiful and supple skin instead. I cannot say that this product alone gave me that effect because the other 2 products helped one another as well.

During these 3 weeks, I hardly experience any flakiness, a mild one once but thats about it. It surprised me because being a light texture, I did not expect that it can combat the flakiness which I experience once every few weeks on my skin so I really like how it moisturise my skin and keep the flakiness at bay.
The 2nd to 4th ingredients are all emollients/moisturiser which is why it served my skin well.

Looking at the ingredients at Cosdna , 95% of the ingredients are non-irritating, definitely something which sensitive skin can try. But thats just my opinion because apparently, there are many users on Makeupalley who dislike this product with a score of 3.2 from 12 users.

Ingredients
WATER (AQUA), GLYCERIN, CETEARYL ISONONANOATE, ISOHEXADECANE, GLYCOL PALMITATE, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, TRICETEARETH-4 PHOSPHATE, FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES, MANNITOL, XYLITOL, GLYCYRRHETINIC ACID, RHAMNOSE, LAMINARIA OCHROLEUCA EXTRACT, GLYCOL STEARATE, PEG-2 STEARATE, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, DISODIUM EDTA, XANTHAN GUM, SODIUM HYDROXIDE.


Source : Amazon , Bioderma

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Review : Shills Electric Eye Concealer

Product Description

This concealer covers panda eyes, veins around the eyes and minimise the appearance of puffy eyes. Compact sized package comes with the concealer and a mirror on the other side.

This product is known as the most effective flaw masking expert which aims at dark circles, blood tinged eye and troublesome flaw to make the traces of fatigue less significant and brighten and luster the skin immediately.

I bought it for $14.90 at The Belleza Lovers , the cheapest I found among the online shops last year. Started by 2 young ladies, the prices quoted were quite reasonable though service can be much improved. It was my first time buying from a blogshop and thankfully the experience was alright though I received my goods more than a month later when it could be earlier. 

The ladies were not motivated enough to inform me that the goods had arrived and they were not able to meet up that easily due to their studying schedule, even though the meet-up place was actually quite near my place. I had several emails ding-dong to and fro before I got abit frustrated with trying to meet-up and decided to have it sent by post which took another few more days.

I actually do not mind waiting for the goods but the only gripe I had was the constant following-up with them. Its like I am the customer but I had to chase after my goods.

I am not that sure about its exact price in Taiwan but many shops in Singapore are selling it for more than $20. Recommended by Kevin Chou on Nu Ren Wo Zui Da program, I was intrigued enough to get it for my own usage. It comes in one shade, a salmon coloured shade. I like that its soft, creamy and moisturising under our humid weather. When I brought it to my work trip in Minneapolis under the winter weather, the concealer in the pan was so dry and cakey that I had difficulty using my fingers to swipe some up.

For such an affordable price, it comes in a lovely cute pan with a mirror. How awesome and convenient is that? It blends easily and offers good coverage than most concealers I owned and does not cake in between the fine lines under my eyes, however for my serious dark circles and bags, I think I still need more coverage than it has.

 
The expiry date of each product is 5 years from the time of manufacturing, so based on mine, I get to use it till March 2015.

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Review : Shu Uemura Balancing Cleansing Oil - enriched version

Product Description
This one-step, mild cleansing oil removes makeup, including waterproof mascara, while gently cleansing, moisturizing and calming the skin.
This two-in-one cleanser and makeup remover helps maintain the skin's integral balance while thoroughly rids skin of impurities. Leaves skin smooth and soft without stripping skin of its natural oils. Removes waterproof makeup.

I have to admit, I am a cleansing oil virgin. I have never touch cleansing oil since I started on applying make-up. Its mainly in the form of cleansing milk, cleansing lotion or cleansing water, but never cleansing oil. I avoid oil as much as possible, because I am afraid of pore-clogging if I did not cleanse my skin well.

I received the 50ml sample as part of a Shu Uemura sample pack purchase from Loreal Deals That Heal campaign. That also meant that I cannot get to choose the type of cleansing oil I want. Thank goodness that this enriched version for dry skin fits me well, without giving me any breakouts. I was so impressed with it, the first time I used it.

Shu Uemura is famed for their cleansing oil and I am glad that my virgin attempt at cleansing oil usage is from Shu Uemura which gave me courage to try out other brands. I guess the next popular one would be from Fancl.

It comes in 6 different types ( gasps! )
Pink: High performance balancing cleansing oil fresh – combi to oily skin
Yellow: High performance balancing cleansing oil advanced formula – all skin types
Orange: High performance balancing cleansing oil enriched – dry skin
Green: Cleansing beauty oil premium A/O advanced formula – aging skin concerns
Pale Yellow: Cleansing beauty oil premium A/I – stressed skin
Purple: Brightening cleansing oil advanced formula – dull skin tone

I know their cleansing oils are pricey but I am not sure of the exact price though I am sure I have seen it somewhere but never remember it, since it was never in my To-Buy list.
Meant to be used on dry face, the oil is slippery and oily on the skin, but it melts away all the make-up gunk on my skin and after washing it away, my skin become soft and smooth. Love it to bits. There was no tight feeling and my pores feel so much cleaner. I still use a cleanser after that as its a must for me to do double-cleansing.

Do note that I use a separate remover for the eyes, I am adverse to using oil-based products near my eyes so I cannot prove if it is indeed capable of removing waterproof eye products.
However, do that that while I do not have the ingredient list, I believe it does contain mineral oil, based on some users reviewers in Makeupalley which scored 4.3 from 42 users.

Review : Kanebo Evita Deep Moisture 3D Mask

My very first product from Kanebo, bought during my Japan trip from one of their drugstores for 850Yen. I believe most people would have chosen to buy their make-up yet I chose to get their skincare. lol
The word "moisturising" screams at me and its from Kanebo, so why not?
Containing only 3 in a pack, its actually quite bulky in terms of their packaging but something unique which one cannot find in Singapore.

I can be quite an idiot when it comes to fanciful words, probably thats why I am not in the marketing line. So whats the meaning of being 3D, I wondered? 3 dimensional shape mask?

Soaked in essence, this face mask has a weird parting line in the center of the mask. I am not sure what its supposed to do. I supposed its what they meant it by 3D.

The cut fits my face shape perfectly and adhered well, right down to the neck, without any falling-out or peeling at the edges. Th scent is kind of artificial though.

It did provide moisture to my skin, but because my skin have been in a pretty good condition lately, its not sufficient for me to say if the mask can bring radiance to the skin or serve my dehydrated needs.

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Review : Purederm Botanical Choice Eye Puffiness Minimizing Patches "Ginkgo"

Product Description
Purederm Botanical Choice Eye Puffiness Minimizing Patches - Ginkgo:
•Helps to reduce eye puffiness with Ginkgo extract and Phyto Collagen
•Effective skin treatment to minimize eye puffiness and increases elasticity of eye area
•Ginkgo and Walnut Extract enhance blood circulation and feels smoother and tighter

A product from Korea, each packet comes with 2 pairs of dry patches. I bought 2 packets, giving me 4 trials but it did nothing to reduce my undereye puffiness.

It does not have much scent and the appearance and scent reminds me largely of those cheap eye masks found in most drugstores. Each patch is pasted on a transparent plastic sheet which you had to peel and stick on your undereye area, giving a tingling refreshing feel.

Looking at the ingredients, it contains Retinyl Palmitate which is best avoided when one is pregnant. Their key ingredients Ginkgo Biloba and Phyto Collagen are found near the bottom of the list which meant their concentration are pretty low.

You can purchase the product from Amazon
Purederm Botanical Choice Eye Puffiness Minimizing Patches "Ginkgo"
Patchlogy Rejuvenating Eye Gels ( individually packed )
Patchlogy Rejuvenating Eye Gels

Source : Beautyencounter , Amazon

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Review : Ginvera Green Tea Whitening Marvel Gel

I never thought that I would be reviewing this product but here I am with positive reviews on this. Long raved to be an affordable yet effective product to get rid of blackheads, I never really buy any of their stories though I am keen to try. But with the long list of products I wanted to get, this marvel gel just never seem to be on my priority list. But one day I did and I am glad I did.

Ginvera shared the same founder as Bioessence, using the same marketing campaign, touting lots of sometimes hard-to-believe benefits with each product. Such claims always made me skeptical but since its only $16.90, with 20 years of history behind it, I just gotta try it to believe it.

For a long time, I have been battling with redness and frequent breakouts on the chin but now that my skin have more or less stablised, I am keen in trying products that can reduce blackheads.
This product sells itself as a Zero Blackhead Gel. Sounds impressive, isn't it?

10 Benefits :
1) Removes blackheads painlessly
2) Softens the cornified layer and gently removes dead skin cells
3) Refines pores and reveals finer, smoother skin
4) Fades pigmentation spots and acne scars
5) Removes oil seeds around eye area
6) Regulates and balances oil secretion, prevent pimples
7) Evens out skin tone to give skin clarity
8) Dull and rough skin becomes smoother and fairer
9) Stimulates skin metabolism, skin becomes younger
10) Allows rapid and instant penetration of skincare products applied subsequently

The green tube contains glooey-like green gel with a slight herbal scent.
Meant to be used on dry skin, you can see tiny flakes being rubbed off the more you exfoliate with the marvel gel. Ginvera refers those flakes as dead skin and dirt.
I usually like to use the marvel gel during my bath as its the period when the pores are opened.

So what does it do to my skin? It softens and smoothens the skin and I can see that the pores on my nose are cleaner. Of course, that meant using it on a regular basis to maintain the condition. Not all the blackheads are removed, just those which are on the surface and not very deep rooted. I do not use it everyday even though it did say its gentle enough for daily use. Over the years, I have learnt to trust myself to know the condition of my own skin, rather than other people.

However, depending on my current skin condition, sometimes, I do find that my skin feels abit tight after each usage and I would follow up with a hydrating spray or mask to minimize the tightness and soothe the skin. After 3 months of twice a week usage, I do find my skin tone appears more even-toned and the slight pigmentation appears lighter.

But to name it as a zero blackhead gel still sounds outrageous to me, isn't it?
Note that in terms of ingredients, it does contain dimethicone

Source : Ginvera

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