Review : Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask

Product Description
A frothy mask that releases oxygen into the skin, so your complexion is instantly brighter, fresher, and younger-looking. Instantly delivers a shot of oxygen, a powerhouse form of vitamin C, time-released antioxidants, and a moisture fix, to spiff up your complexion when it’s looking and feeling lackluster.

How it works :
•delivers oxygen to the skin with innovative Fluid02 technology
•lightens, and tightens the skin with the most active powerful form of Vitamin C available
•protects cells from free radical damage with powerful antioxidants

Active Ingredients
-Fluid O2™: A special "liquid ventilation" system for the skin.
-NaPCA: A humectant for intense, non-greasy hydration.
-Vitamin C: Stimulates collagen synthesis and reduces melanin production that can lead to dark spots.
-EUK-134: An Antioxidant for "post-metabolism" cleanup.

I am really late on this review, isn't it? This mask has taken the world by storm a couple of years back and here I am, only reviewing it after having the product for a year.

This triple oxygen instant energizing mask by Bliss Spa is engineered as a stand-in for Bliss Spa's world famous facial. It releases oxygen molecules and detoxifiers. Hence, its touted as a super quick fix for dull tired skin.

I purchased this at a really good bargain early last year. Considering that this product was highly marked up at $109 in Sephora Singapore, I managed to snag this for US$41.60 ( after a 20% discount off the original price of US$52 on drugstore.com ). However, sadly, I have used up only less than 50% of the contents, because I don't use this very often.

I didn't really fancy the long bottle, its cumbersome and difficult to store in my stash. It is my very first oxygen mask and I am intrigued. I had an oxygen facial done before, with my regular beautician but I didn't feel any significant difference to my skin, after the treatment. It feels very normal to me. Subsquently, I bought some oxygen ampoules before, to be used at home. Again, there was nothing spectacular.

This oxygen mask product is stored in a blue and white bottle (Bliss signature colours), with a small pump nozzle that is not easy to use. It require a few hard presses on the nozzle in order to get the contents out, which is a pink gel like texture. After massaging into damp skin, it creates a white foam that gets thicker and slowly move on to a thin froth. It can be quite irritating and itchy when it gets into the nostrils though. After the stipulated 5 minutes, the froth on the face started to diminish and thats when I washed it off.
The instructions on the box do recommend it to be rinsed off once a full froth forms though.
I see an immediate brightening effect. Skin feels softer, appears more radiant and even-toned. I look fresh and ready to face the world!
Although this is an instant fix and the effects only last a day or so but still, its a good emergency fix before an important event.

However, I don't use this very often because my first skincare concern has always been hydration and this mask is not able to raise my hydration level, so I tend to alternate it with a hydrating mask. I use this oxygen mask only when my skin is sufficiently hydrated.
Another thing to note is that, it contains Sodium Laureth Sulfate which is something I like to avoid in my products which is an irritant (EWG)

Ingredients
Water (Aqua), Methyl Perfluorobutyl Ether, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Coco-Glucoside, Glycerin, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Polyquaternium-37, Dimethicone PEG-7 Phosphate, Fragrance (Parfum), Propylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Sodium PCA, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Gynostemma Pentaphyllum Extract, Panthenol, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Ethylhexyl Isononanoate, Isononyl Isononanoate, Sodium Cocamidopropyl PG-Dimonium Chloride Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Potassium Chloride, Benzyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Sorbate, PPG-1 Trideceth-6, Citric Acid, Mica, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ferulic Acid, Ethylbisiminomethylguaiacol Manganese Chloride, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Tocopherol, Citral, Limonene, Linalool, Red 40 (CI 16035), Yellow 5 (CI 19140).

Source : Amazon, Bliss, Sephora

Review : Tony Moly Lovely Peach Hand Mask

Product Description
Special hand mask containing fresh and brightening Peach extract for a pampering nourishing effect. Also containing extracts from Peach, Honeysuckle Leaf, Poeny Root and Ginko Biloba Leaf for the extra nourishment and treatment.

With an overwhelming peach scent, each packet comes with a pair of paper-like gloves which one can slip into the hands easily. The gap near the wrist is slightly large and the fingers area is slightly longer, but since I have small hands and wrist, its perfectly understandable.

Its slightly moist and not exactly wet. Recommended to use for 20minutes, it left the hands feeling slightly sticky, because of the essence. I cleanse off the stickiness after 5minutes. I don't feel that there is any spectacular difference to the condition of my hands though.
On the 2nd day usage, with my 2nd hand mask, I left the essence on the hands for 15minutes and the essence did get lesser and less sticky as it gets absorbed into the hands. I washed off the remaining essence after that. The next morning, I do feel my hands is smoother but still not that moisturised.
Source : Tony Moly

Review : Lush Angels On Bare Skin

Product Description
For heavenly soft and balanced skin, take a smidge of Angels on Bareskin, mix with a little water and massage in. The kaolin clay base deep cleanses while ground almonds gently exfoliate the dead skin away. Rose and lavender are added to soothe and help balance out combination skin. It's our best selling preservative-free and packaging-free daily cleanser for all skin types, so if you don't know which cleanser to choose and it's heavenly skin you're after, start with Angels.


Lush always have such wacky names, don't you think so? The long names can be such a chore to remember, but its all in pure fun. I first came across Lush many years ago, when a good friend of mine recommended a mask which we shared. I always remembered Lush as the shop with scents that are not for the faint-hearted. It used to be in Isetan Wisma, many years ago and the scents are really a handful. The products are mind-boggling and without my friend, I wouldn't know what and how to choose. The products not cheap and it has a short expiry date, hence we always requested the Lush ladies to separate into 2 containers for us. I am not sure if its still do-able now. I can't even remember the name of the mask now.
It was so good that I recommended to another 2 of my friends but sadly, they experienced breakouts from that so I never ever recommend products to them anymore.

I picked the cleanser from Hong Kong late last year, I didn't know what to choose, but just picked up some of the bestseller products. I actually thought it was a mask! The lady couldn't explain it properly to me and I was in a hurry. I suppose its a language barrier because I spoke in English and the lady was clearly more proficient in Cantonese which I do not use.

I was told it only has a short 3 months lifespan, I am not sure if it starts from the day of opening or from the day I purchased it. Nevertheless, you can see the remaining amount I had, from the photo taken. 50% left and I need to throw it away by end of this month. Mind you, its not cheap, I only wish that there was a smaller tub but there was none in the store.

You can watch the video here, if you are unsure on how to use it. Basically, you just pinch a pea-sized chunk onto the palm of your hand and add water to create a paste. Apply to your face using small, circular motions

The usage can be abit messy, because if the paste is not properly done, the chunks would be too big to be used on the skin and would fall off from my face to the sink.

It is like an exfoliating cleanser which I don't think its suitable to be used everyday because it may be too harsh on sensitive, delicate skin. I used it on wet face and as a cleanser after removing my make-up.
It contains a soothing blend of essential oils so the scent was rather pleasant. After using it on alternate nights, I see a visible improvement to my skin right from the first usage. I really like the results it gave me. Smooth, clean, supple skin. I looked fresh and glowing!

However, after a few weeks of usage, the effects seem to be going downhill. When I had poorer skin condition, the cleanser failed to revive the radiance back to my skin, instead, it left my skin drier. Slight flakiness was apparent after each wash. And my sebum increased, especially on the T-zone.

It scored 3.9 from a whopping 726 reviewers on Makeupalley.

Ingredients :
Ground Almonds, Glycerine, Kaolin, Water, Lavender Oil, Rose Absolute, Limonene, Linalool, Perfume

Source : Lush

Review : Luv Carat Long Last Face Powder - Natural Beige

Product Description
Cover Pores in natural beige. Perfect your complexion with Luv Carat Long Last Face Powder which absorbs any excess oil and maintain a smooth touch of your skin while keeping it moisturized all day with the moisturizing ingredients of hyaluronic acid, ceremide and squalane.
Packed in an irresistibly attractive diamante jewel case, it the perfect gift for any girl. The loose and lightweight texture is right for any skin type. Match easily with the base foundation, this beige cover pores. Use this mineral enriched loose powder for a natural skin-perfecting look.
Made with porous shperoidal powder with fine and light texture to give that natural, smooth and lasting coverage. Helps control oil and contains moisturising essences squalene and hyaluronic acid to keep skin hydrated.

Being new to the world of loose powder, this is my 2nd drugstore loose powder which I usually use for work. I like to reserve compact powder for weekends use.

I wore simple make-up for work so I don't really splurge on them. There was a promotion at ALT, Bugis, so I managed to snag it for just $19.90, down from the Sasa price of $39.90 and $29.90 from Beauty Carousel online. Well, apparently, it seemed that Beauty Carousel have increased its price to $39.90 now, probably trying to match with the retail shop prices. Then again, I thought the overheads for online stores should be lower, hence lower prices to pass the savings back to the consumers?

Unlike other loose powders, this comes in a pretty pink round tin with diamettes which looks classy from afar but not really so, when I had it in my hands. In fact, I thought it looks rather fake. Its like the originator wanted to make it look luxe for a fraction of the price but failed miserably.
However, for the pocket-friendly price, you really can't complain much since it does really stand out from the crowd aesthetically.

I got mine in the Natural Beige contained in a bright pink diamante jewel case. It is non-shimmery and matched my colour tone moderately well. The Light Beige in the blue diamante jewel case seemed too light for me, when I swatched in one of the Sasa stores, which made me pick the Natural Beige instead. I reckon my skintone is between the Light to Natural Beige.

Made in Japan, the loose powder is lightweight, finely milled, soft and smooth. It left a silky feeling on the skin, giving it a smooth finish. It provides a light to medium coverage so don't get your hopes high that they will cover your blemishes and redness. The oil-control is moderately well, my skin can last 5 hours without blotting, with my combination and dehydrated surface.

I like to use it with an Ecotools Kabuki brush, rather than its powder puff, to give a natural finish. Compared to Palantong Theatrical Powder, I preferred this, because of the hydrating ingredients in it. I normally use this after BB cream.

Ingredients
SQUALANE, HYALURONIC ACID, CERAMIDE, TALC, MICA, LAUROYL LYSINE, NYLON-6, SILICA, DIMETHICONE, DIPHENYLSILOXY PHENYL TRIMETHICONE, SODIUM HYALURONATE, CERAMIDE 2, IRON OXIDES, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, CI 15850, BARIUM SULFATE

Source : Beautycarousel , Kenko

Review : Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturizing Hand Treatment

Product Description
The perfect companion to the original classic for your face, Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturising Hand Treatment is a fast-absorbing gel cream that contains soothing emollients to smooth and soften rough, weather-exposed skin.
This luxurious Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Intensive Moisturising Hand Treatment will fight signs of dryness and cracking, so hands look and feel soft and touchable. The feeling will of course last for up to eight hours!

I picked up the 30ml hand cream size from my local airport mid last year, which looks like just the right size for me to use it in the office. It comes in a ruby red tube that screams sexy, in my opinion. The kind of red that resembles a dress with a matching pair of red heels on the red carpet.

Elizabeth Arden is a brand that I usually associate with the mature crowd and "eight hour" is one of their raved range of products. I have never use any of their products before, except for their fragrance "Arden Beauty" which is one of my favourites. This hand cream is a Winner of Glamour Magazines 20 Best Beauty Buys! Touted as "One long-lasting hand cream". It also garnered awards from Harper's Bazaar Magazine (Singapore), 2007; InStyle Magazine (Australia), 2006

Features:
An all-purpose fast absorbing gel cream.
Moisturizes up to eight hours.
For symptoms of chapped or peeling due to sunburn or windburn.
Special smoothing for rough spots on feet hands or anywhere on body.
Soothes and comforts minor weather burns, scrapes or abrasions.
Dermatologist, allergy and clinically tested.

Benefits:
Helps protect, soothe and moisturize skin.
Soothes dry skin and provides anti-inflammatory benefits.
Protects the skin against environmental damage and fights free radicals

Being a poor scent descriptor, I can only say it smells slightly of the herbal scent though its not pungent. The white cream looks and feels light but goes on abit thick on the hands yet absorbed totally into the hands. There is no greasy residue.

Considering that its touted as an intensive moisturizing hand treatment and that it should be able to last for at least 8 hours, I expected better results. But it doesn't really moisturise my hands that long and I tend to re-apply again because it seems to disappear without a trace after application. But it did leave my hands softer and smoother, just not moisturized.

It scored 3 from 48 reviewers on Makeupalley

Where To Purchase : Shopee

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant

Ingredients
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Decyl Oleate, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Stearate SE, Sodium Cetearyl Sulfate, Allantoin, Potassium Stearate, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, BHT, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Sulfate, Fragrance, Citral Citronellol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Butylparaben, Etylparaben. isobutylparaben, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben

Sugar: The #1 Beauty Killer

If you want to look and feel younger, cut out sugar. Sugar makes you fat and may increase your risk of cancer. It ages your skin and causes wrinkles. In a process called glycation, sugar attacks collagen and elastin, both key proteins that make your skin look young. Glycation makes them less elastic and more brittle so they break. The skin can't snap back. That's when fine lines and wrinkles appear, and they don't go away. But it gets worse.
Collagen and elastin start to mutate, creating harmful new molecules called advanced glycation end products (AGEs). These build up and cause further inflammation and damage to collagen and elastin. Sugar actively ages you. Ditching sugar will make you look and feel 10 years younger.

To avoid sugar, you have to know where it hides. Here's where you're getting sugar -- probably without even knowing it:

Alcoholic beverages -- Alcohol hits your blood stream and is converted to sugar. Look at yourself after an alcohol binge. You'll see the ravages of sugar on your face.

Cow's milk -- Even skim milk has 14 grams of sugar. Add skim milk to raisin bran, and you're up to 20 grams of sugar. Replace cow's milk with unsweetened almond milk.

Yogurt -- Yogurts have up to 26 grams of sugar. You might as well eat a candy bar! Replace standard yogurt with Greek yogurt. Sprinkle some pistachios over it for a snack that is delicious and will fill you up.

Sweetened oatmeal -- Each serving of sweetened oatmeal can have around 13 grams of sugar. Get plain oatmeal and sweeten with Stevia and a little coconut oil and cinnamon. Add blueberries and you have a delicious perfectly balanced fat-burning breakfast.

Get rid of sugar-free juices, sodas and treats. They cause sugar cravings. A diet soda actually triggers your brain to grab for chips and other junk foods.

Don't ever allow sugar in your "clean" products like water, tea or coffee. These are necessities in life and should remain completely sugar-free.

Go to your kitchen and get rid of all simple sugars like candy, cookies, cakes, sodas and fat-free products (they are usually loaded with hidden sugar to flavor).

Buy fat-burning fruits like apples, berries and citrus to snack on.

Even scientists feel that sugar should be regulated like alcohol and cigarettes. You can read more about here.

Source : Huffingtonpost

Review : Vichy Thermal Spa Water

Product Description
15 clinical studies have proven the skin health benefits of Vichy Thermal Water. Recognized by the French Academy of Medicine for its soothing and fortifying properties. Allergy-tested, Dermatologist-tested, Preservative-free, Fragrance-free, Paraben-free, Neutral-PH

Mineral Richness
- A miracle of nature, naturally rich with 15 regenerating minerals + antioxidants, essential to skin’s health
- So unique, it cannot be reproduced by science. So powerful, it can reset your skin's health
Results:
- Soothes + reinforces skin's natural barrier function. Its antioxidant properties help the skin fight the signs of aging
- Protected and fortified, skin is more resistant to environmental aggressions.

According to the website, Vichy Thermal Spa Water’s effect on the stimulation of skin’s natural defenses has been clinically proven. After 4 days of applying Vichy Thermal Spa Water directly to the skin, catalase activity, an anti free-radical enzyme responsible for skin's defenses, is increased by 20%.

With my sensitive yet combination and dehydrated skin, I have a soft spot for water-based products, especially with thermal spring water. Brands like Avene, Vichy and Bioderma tend to be able to claim a spot in my heart easily and effortlessly if I met with the right promoter.

As with all brands, not all their products from Vichy scored a victory with me even though I have been using their Concealing Wand for years. It remains one of my favourites to conceal the ugly zit.

I ran out of my favourite Avene Thermal Water spray when I was still having the bad allergic reaction to a new cleansing lotion I was using so in a desperate bid to save my skin, I have been using this for close to a month which I managed to use up the whole 50 ml bottle. I have to say that I was greatly disappointed.

In general, thermal water spray is supposed to provide soothing relief to skin prone to sensitivity and redness, which certainly sounds like mine.
The spritz has a fine mist which tend to make me spray generously whenever I use it.

Using on my red, raw, scaly and itchy skin, the thermal spray was unable to relieve any of the symptoms I encountered, instead it seem to make it worse. More itchy and more red patches on my face. And my skin is still feeling parched, instead of feeling soft and supple.

On some of the days, I do spot relief with cotton pads. Spray generously on them and just spread 5 pieces on my face. It didn't really help.
Because it made my skin even more itchy hence it become redder with my itchy fingers.

In the later part of the weeks, I refrain from scratching like a monkey after the spray and just endure the itchiness which lasted for about 15minutes or so. I have tried both ways of allowing it to evaporate (which is actually bad for the skin since the air is sucking up all the moisture) and using a tissue to dab off the excess after several minutes. Both methods do not work on my skin. In time, most of the redness did subside, leaving some slight reddish patches. However, I didn't think it was the result of the thermal spray water, it was just the skin settling down properly.

I have to say that, I am not sure if all these red patches are part of eczema as I never see a doctor but allowing it to heal by itself, based on my current skincare. The symptoms and looks of them, does resemble eczema, but I never have such a big flare-up of eczema on my face before so it was kind of scary.
If its indeed eczema, then I cannot really put all the blame on this thermal spray because it may not be the correct product to be used to solve eczema concerns. But I did read somewhere that Vichy water contains sulphur and La Roche-Posay contains selenium, which are suppose to help in treating eczema. 

Nevertheless, I lost much confidence in this product, as it doesn't seem to do anything beneficial to my skin, just when I needed it most.
It scored 4.5 from 29 users on Makeupalley

Ingredients
100% Pure Vichy Thermal water, preservative and fragrance free.
Mineral content (mg/1):
Bicarbonates: 4776.3
Chloride: 357.0
Potassium: 99.6
Fluorine: 8.8
Sodium: 1860.0
Calcium: 150.6
Magnesium: 12.3
Iron: 1.0
Neutral pH

Source : Vichy

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Review : Organic Basic Pure Castile Liquid Soap - Organic Lavender

Product Description
Use as liquid soap; hand, bath and shampoo. Gentle to use for children. Suitable for baby. Pure castile soap does not lather as much as synthetic soaps however it is a very effective cleansing agent.

Previously I have tried the Lemon Myrtle scent and this is another scent which I purchased together with it, the Lavender. However the lavender scent is not that strong and feels abit fake, probably due to the mixture of other ingredients.

The light yellow contents is slippery and watery. It provides light suds for foaming. Similar to the Lemon Myrtle scent, the whole experience has been drying. I didn't like it one bit.

You Are What You Eat

Lack of Hydration

If your lips are constantly dry, you're probably not drinking enough water, but it can also be a sign that you're not getting enough vitamin E, which can be found in peanuts, leafy greens and seeds.
Dry lips might also indicate a lack of vitamin B, which helps to maintain the health of your cells, and in turn, the condition of your skin.
In extreme cases, cracked, dry skin at the corner of the mouth can indicate a B-6 deficiency. Beans, peanuts, squash, beef and leafy vegetables are all rich in B vitamins.

Few people look their best after a night on the town, but a severe case of bed head and morning breath bad enough to clear whole rooms are often just the tip of the iceberg.
When we drink alcohol, our bodies divert oxygen and blood to the liver and other crucial organs to help our bodies process the alcohol more effectively. As a result, our skin inevitably suffers due to decreased circulation, leaving us looking pale and washed out.

Another side effect is the widening of blood vessels. "If you've ever observed a person who has consumed several drinks, you may have noticed a flushing across their face," points out Amanda Griggs, director of health programmes at Chelsea's Balance Clinic.
"This is due to the widening of blood vessels and broken capillaries throughout the skin. Alcohol can also worsen the symptoms of rosacea, and lead to the dilation of blood vessels. Repeated overindulgence can cause the vessels to dilate permanently, causing red, spidery veins."
Alcohol also depletes our body's ability to fight free radicals. "Free radicals accelerate the deterioration of collagen and elastin, which eventually leads to the emergence of fine lines and wrinkles," warns Angela. Free radical damage is also caused by smoking, most notably in the form of dull and dehydrated skin. Smoking dehydrates skin and deprives it of oxygen, meaning your skin will quickly lose its radiance as the blood vessels on the upper layers of the skin constrict.

Fast food

Fast food contains high levels of fat and sodium along with refined carbohydrates, which dry out the skin and can also increase the prominence of wrinkles, due to their tendency to break down our skin's natural elastin supplies.
The rancid fats within fast food can also react with the protein molecules within our cell tissue and cause inflammation leading to swelling and puffiness.

When it comes to sugar, those with a sweet tooth aren't just putting their teeth at risk, but their skin, too. Too much sugar can speed up the degradation of the collagen and elastin supplies which keep our skin strong and supple.
This happens because eating sugar triggers a process known as glycation, which sees the sugar molecules bind to our collagen and elastin fibres, leaving them brittle and more likely to break. This is when wrinkles and fine lines appear.

Super supplements

So, we've established what not to do, but what are the things we need to incorporate into our diet in order to look our best? Vitamin C is the ultimate weapon for those waging war on wrinkles. It helps boost the production of collagen, which keeps our skin firm, and also helps our skin to repair itself.
It's also great at protecting skin from the damage caused by free radicals - free radicals being the unstable molecules that damage collagen and cause skin dryness, fine lines and wrinkles.

Heavy drinkers often find vitamin B (found in whole grains such as millet, buckwheat, rye, barley, quinoa, corn and barley) especially beneficial, because alcohol depletes the B vitamins which are especially important for healthy hair, skin and nails.

If you haven't heard of Alpha lipoic acid, it's high time you found out more. It's an antioxidant which occurs naturally in our bodies and can help to generate the cellular energy required to keep our skin looking radiant. Small quantities can be found in sardines, beef, spinach and peanuts and it can also be taken in supplement form.

The properties of zinc are also often underrated. Zinc supplements are often prescribed to patients with bedsores, burns or skin ulcers due to its ability to heal wounds, which it does by boosting the production of collagen.
Zinc can also help improve our body's ability to absorb vitamin A, which is thought to slow down the skin's ageing process. Zinc can be found in Shellfish, pecan nuts, turkey, wheat germ, and also as a supplement. However, it's best to avoid taking zinc in supplement form for extended periods of time.

Vitamins B and C aren't the only ones which can work wonders on our skin. Vitamin E has anti inflammatory properties, and can be found in olives, avocados, nuts and seeds.
If you're a heavy smoker or drinker, a spicy curry might not do much for your breath, but the sulphur in foods such as onions, garlic, leeks and eggs can stimulate the production of an antioxidant called glutathione.
This antioxidant enhances the elimination of toxins produced by cigarettes and can also boost collagen production, which is especially important for smokers. Although you could just makes things significantly easier and ditch the cigarettes altogether.

Source : Yahoo

Review : Lollia Shea Butter Hand Cream

Product Description
Hydrating shea butter is whipped with fragrant infusions to create this lusciously moisturizing hand cream. Presented in a pretty floral box with a gift-ready paper sleeve. Warm Vanilla Bean and Rice Flower delicately frosted with sugared pastille. Jasmine Leaves sweetened with Sugar Cane. Comforting Ylang Ylang and the sheerest of Amber Woods complete the scene, creating the most luxurious of fragrant escapes.

Key ingredients: shea butter, macadamia nut oil, avocado oil

Other available fragrances are :
Classic Petal: apple blossoms and jasmine, infused with timeless rose
Imagine: rice flower and warm coconut milk mingle with notes of mandarin and jasmine petals
Relax: fresh notes of lavender, white orchid sweetened with Tahitian vanilla and honey
Breathe: weightless whispers of peony, white lily, lavender and violet

Pretty but expensive, I sure hope it would be good for the hands, at least my wallet wouldn't kill me for it. But I guess we were not meant to be. I go thru tubes of hand creams every year but there just isn't one that I would go back again and again.

There were a couple which I like the first time round, but when I used it again, with my 2nd purchase, it just wasn't fantastic anymore. Is it my mind or my hands, I wonder?

Of whimsical designs with a pretty packaging like Love+Toast, it looks really lovely as a gift to your girlfriends, an accessory on your desk or the "wow, thats sweet" when you whipped it out from your bag in a train. This nifty tube is convenient to bring it around and I had it in my bag during these 2 months. You can also check out other products on Lollia

My Wish petite treat handcream is a white lightweight cream with a sweet fragrance that goes onto the hands smoothly and sinks in without any greasiness. However it does not moisturise for long and is probably more suited for those with normal to dry skin.

It contains Macadamia nut and avocado oils which are blended to comfort and soothe skin as well as beneficial hydrating extracts of aloe and shea butter to lightly moisturize.

In terms of ingredients, it contains the following :
- parabens : hormone effects
- methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone : allergies, nervous system
- triethanolamine : allergies, toxic contaminants
- cyclopentasiloxane : hormone effects, liver damage

If you are not overly concerned over the ingredients, here's where you can get them : Lollia or Amazon. They make such lovely visual treats suitable for your girlfriends!

Lollia Wish Shea Butter Hand Cream
Lollia Wish Sugared Pastille Shea Butter Hand Cream
Lollia Relax Petite Treat Shea Butter Hand Cream
Lollia Travel Hand Cream Set
Lollia Wish Boxed Soap

Source : Amazon  , Anthropologie

Review : Tony Moly Natural Pulp Essence Sheet Mask Collagen

Product Description
Natural Pulp Essence sheet mask series are made of 100% Pulp Fabric that effective locks in moisture and enhances better absorption for skin with its silky texture. Containing Vegetative Collagen which effectively helps to keep the skin firm, elastic, nourished and revitalized.

I have been trying to incorporate as much hydrating products into my skincare regime recently due to the allergic reaction to my Nature's Gate Cleansing Lotion, causing my skin to be dry and red on some areas. Because I don't like using new products on damaged skin, I am very wary and on the alert to using them now. Thankfully, nothing much happened after using 3 sheets, though the 2nd sheet did give a slight tingling effect.

The material is thin and tears easily but the generous size and fitting provides ample moisture to dehydrated skin. It has a perfumy scent which I thought was abit too heavy for me. It provides just the right amount of moisture to my skin and managed to last till the next day.

Source : Tony Moly

February Quick Review

1) Missha Mamonde Total Solution Moisture Cream

Mamonde Total Solution Moisture Cream – Long lasting hydration and moisturizing: Wild pansy extracts and tuberose of Smart Complex retains strong hydration effect according to the 12-hour skin cycle of sebum and moisture. Evening primrose and fig blossom extracts increases skin density to fortify the natural moisturizing effect of skin.
Smooth Non-stick Texture: Smooth oil-free texture forms a thick moisture barrier and keeps skin smooth for a long time.

Isoflavone substance which is similar to women hormone and extracted from mineral enriched sprout bean recovers oil and moisture balance and prevents wrinkles
Anthocyanin substance extracted from mineral enriched sprout bean allows silky and smooth skin. Also, camellia wax coats the skin for silky and moisturized skin.
New whitening substance, niacin amide gets rid of dead skin effectively to purify the skin. Also, wrinkle improvement substance, oleanolic acid is made into small particle with the help of nano-technology so that it is more effective.

1 sachet from my beauty stash gave me 2 usages over 2 nights. It has a funny floral scent which I am not accustomed to. The light textured gel while gets absorbed into the skin easily, left a slight sticky but smooth after-feel on my face.
After the first night of usage, it left a tiny zit on my hormonal chin area the following morning, making the chin area abit reddish and inflamed. On the second night, the contents were not enough for me to cover the chin area, for me to verify further.

Source : Cosmetic , Shop

2) Madre Labs Balancing Shampoo
 

Madre Labs® Balancing Shampoo gently and thoroughly cleanses your hair and scalp. It delivers the benefits of our proprietary blend of Antioxidant-Rich SuperFruits (Açaí, Goji, Pomegranate and Seabuckthorn), which helps protect hair and scalp from oxidative and environmental damage. Aloe vera and Amino Acids have been added to further nourish normal hair. The result is softer, shinier, more manageable hair.
No - sulfates, parabens, dyes, animal testing, animal ingredients

1 complimentary sachet from iHerb gave me 1x usage for my thick long and coarse hair. It has a sweet gummy scent. Lathers well and cleanse gently, leaving the hair manageable and soft.

Ingredients
Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice*, water (aqua), sodium lauryl glucose carboxylate (sugar based), lauryl glucoside (plant derived), sodium cocoyl isethionate, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, decyl glucoside (plant derived), hydroxypropyl starch phosphate, sodium hydroxypropylsulfonate lauryl-glucoside crosspolymer, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*, glycerin (plant derived), guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, fragrance (parfum), citric acid (naturally derived), punica granatum (pomegranate) extract, euterpe oleracea (acai) fruit extract, lycium chinensis (goji) fruit extract, hippophae rhamnoides (seabuckthorn) fruit extract, sodium PCA, sodium lactate, arginine (L-arginine), aspartic acid (L-aspartic acid), PCA, glycine (naturally derived), alanine (L-alanine), serine (L-serine), valine (L-valine), threonine (L-threonine), proline (L-proline), isoleucine (L-isoleucine), phenylalanine, histidine (L-histidine), capryl hydroxamic acid (naturally derived preservative), caprylyl glycol (naturally derived preservative)

3) Madre Labs Balancing Conditioner

Madre Labs® Balancing Conditioner helps revitalize and maintain normal hair. It also has the added benefit of being formulated with our proprietary blend of Antioxidant-Rich SuperFruits (Açaí, Goji, Pomegranate and Seabuckthorn), which helps protect your hair and scalp from oxidative and environmental damage. In addition, Aloe Vera, Coconut Oil, and Amino Acids have been added to further nourish and balance normal hair. The result is softer, shinier, more manageable hair

Similar to the shampoo, it also has the same sweet gummy scent. 1 complimentary sachet gave me a generous dollop of conditioner for my hair, making it soft and smelling wonderfully sweet.

Ingredients
Water (aqua), cetearyl alcohol (plant derived), behentrimonium chloride, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil*, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil*, saccharum officinarum (sugar cane), pyrus malus (apple) fruit extract, citrus medica limonum (lemon) fruit extract, persea gratissima (avocado) oil*, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil*, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil*, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter)*, polysorbate-60 (plant derived), aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice*, punica granatum (pomegranate) extract, euterpe oleracea (acai) fruit extract, lycium chinensis (goji) fruit extract, hippophae rhamnoides (seabuckthorn) fruit extract, limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) seed oil, colloidal oatmeal, sodium PCA, panthenyl hydroxypropyl steardimonium chloride, amodimethicone, coco-caprylate/caprate, glycerin (plant derived), isopropyl palmitate (palm oil), guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, sodium lactate, arginine (L-arginine), aspartic acid (L-aspartic acid), PCA, glycine (naturally derived), alanine (L-alanine), serine (L-serine), valine (L-valine), threonine (L-threonine), proline (L-proline), isoleucine (L-isoleucine), phenylalanine (L-phenylalanine), histidine (L-histidine), capryl hydroxamic acid (natural preservative), caprylyl glycol (natural preservative), sodium benzoate (plant derived preservative), potassium sorbate (plant derived preservative), fragrance (parfum), citric acid (naturally derived)

Source : iHerb , Madrelabs

Review : SHILLS Q10 Rejuvenating Eye Mask

Product Description
SHILLS Q10 Rejuvenating Eye Mask quickly and effectively targets these problems with its highly nourishing and moisturizing ingredients. It provides a generous supply of nutrients and moisture to your skin, tightens your skin and helps to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

The emphasis of its special formula is on skin repair around the eye area. You may use this as a "first-aid" eye mask, and see visible improvement after just one application!

It enhances skin elasticity and brightens dull skin with active Coenzyme Q10. It regulates the natural moisture retention function of your skin, smooths and tightens your skin, and helps you regain that healthy glow with fine collagen plus hydrating essence.

Designed to adhere perfectly to your eye area. After just one application, dark circles are less visible; fine lines and wrinkles are less noticeable. Skin around the eyes is visibly radiant, refined and smooth.

I purchased this from my last Hong Kong trip and have been using it lately. I actually don't expect much from this mask, because the concentration of Q10 and Collagen are too little to provide visible benefits to the undereye area. However, since I was running out of eye masks, I thought I would just see how this fares.

Each individually wrapped set of eye masks is contained in an aluminum foil sheet that has a similar sticker of the outer packaging pasted on top.

 
Its very wet and almost dripping when I pulled it out of the aluminum foil sheet. I like the generous eye sheets size that covers more than the required undereye area. The white material is soft and cottony and feels comfortable on the undereye area.

 
However, while it kept the eye area moist and comfortable, it hardly do anything to my eye concerns. The undereye area did feel slightly smoother but not by alot.

Ingredients:
Purified Water, Xanthan gum, Dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, Biosaccharide gum-1, Glycerine, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trehalose, Hydrolyzed wheat protein, Sodium hyaluronate, Coenzyme Q10, Flavonoid, Zinc salt, Collagen, Essential oil.

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Review : Tony Moly Lovely Bergamot Foot Mask

Product Description
Special foot mask containing Bergamot extract for a soothing and relaxing effect. Also contain fruit extracts from Grape, Apple, Orange, Lemon and Lime for the extra nourishment

Costing $5.90 in Singapore, this foot mask costs me about $2.90 when I got a friend to get it for me via her business trip to Korea. From face to eyes to hands and now feet, there are masks made for everywhere. But how good is this mask for the feet?

Being my very first foot mask, it certainly sounds like an interesting innovation for busy individuals or lazy people like me. I just like to slap on the mask and enjoy watching a show on TV. Being pressed for time ( we spent more time at work than at home! ), I like multi-tasking bodycare products. I am fine with tedious steps in face care but I prefer multi-tasking products for the body.

It comes packaged in a 2 plastic type socks shaped for the feet, that has to be detached before you slot in your foot in each sheet. In each plastic sock, there is an inner lining made of plastic that feels abit cheap-looking. It feels slightly moist when you slip in your feet. A hassle-free innovation. It has a lovely yummy scent that reminds me of the mandarin oranges we ate during Chinese New Year.

Being just a size 4, the "socks" are too large for my tiny feet and the gap around the calves is ridiculously large that one wonders why there is a need for that. After 30minutes, viola, the soles on my feet does feel slightly softer but not exactly moisturised.
For the record, I usually do a scrub on the feet before donning a mask, so that the dead cells can be removed and the goodness of the mask can be absorbed.

Source : Tony Moly

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Review : Tony Moly Natural Pulp Essence Sheet Mask Hyaluronic Acid

Product Description
Natural Pulp Essence sheet mask series are made of 100% Pulp Fabric that effective locks in moisture and enhances better absorption for skin with its silky texture. Containing skin-friendly Hydroxyethylcellulose which effectively helps to keep the skin moisturized and boosting its natural ability to retain hydration at an optimum level.

A good friend of mine helped me to get this from Korea and I have been using the 3 sheets on 3 consecutive days because of my red, flaking nose and chin due to an allergic reaction.
The sheet is very thin and the first time I used it, I have torn it when I pulled it out from the packaging. It has a perfumery scent which I thought can be excluded, since its not there to enhance the ability of the mask.

While it refreshes and provide moderate hydration to the skin, the effects do not last till the next morning. The flakiness did disappear for awhile after treatment ( I used it before bed) and re-appear the following morning.

Culprits of Premature Aging

1. Do you always have to get a sugar fix?

Indulging your sweet tooth may be rebounding on you not just on the scale, but on your face, too. Too much sugar in the body causes 'glycation,' which can cause premature aging.

Glycation is a bonding process between fat, protein and sugar that occurs inside the tissues, where it can cause muscle inflexibility, inflammation and the production of free radicals, a culprit behind aging. You don't have to go give up sugar entirely (yet), but dial down the sugar intake and switch to small pieces of dark chocolate or low-sugar fruits when craving sweets.

2. Are you a side sleeper?

Sleeping on one's side does not technically cause premature aging, but it can cause wrinkles, which make you look aged. Favoring a sleeping position on your side applies pressure on one side of the face, resulting in wrinkles in the nasolabial folds (the area along your nose and lips that forms parentheses when you smile); many dermatologists can take one look at a person's face and guess immediately which side they sleep on based on the lines on their faces.

Practice sleeping on your back (putting a pillow underneath your knees helps, since it'll be harder for you to shift on your side). If you sleep with the lights on or with a night light, this may be causing you to unconsciously furrow your brow, which can cause lines along the forehead area; wear a sleep mask to help shut out the light.

3. Are you sleeping enough? Are you stressed?

Stress or lack of sleep results in the overproduction of the hormone cortisol, which is also responsible for breaking down collagen and elastin (both are structural proteins which support the skin) and also hastens the production of free radicals.

Bolster your body's response to free radicals by loading up on antioxidants—vitamins A, C, E which you can find in supplements and healthy food like fruits, vegetables and salmon. You can also look for these antioxidants on anti-aging creams, serums, and moisturizers. Also, make sure to get enough time in bed.

[ Recommended Reading :
18 Health Food For Beauty
Potent Superfoods For Skin
Food For Healthy Skin ]

4. Is your skin dry?

Skin that is too dry is less elastic, making it prone to wrinkles. It is really important to hydrate skin from the inside and outside. Apart from getting your recommended daily intake of water, make sure to keep the outer layer of your skin well-moisturized. Look for a moisturizer suited to your skin type and the climate (e.g., gel formula for hot days, cream for evenings and colder seasons).

5. Hanging out with smokers?

We already know that smoking is bad for our health and for our skin as it breaks down collagen and elastin, while the act of smoking itself causes wrinkles around the lips from habitual puffing. But you also won't be doing your skin any favors if you keep inhaling second-hand smoke. Passive smoking is also hazardous for the skin; it's as if you are a smoker yourself when you are in an environment filled with smoke.

Encourage your friends to hang out in less smoky venues and persuade your smoker friends to ditch the habit (if that might possibly cause your friends to dump you instead, at the very least ask him or her to smoke somewhere else). Your skin (and lungs) will thank you later.

6. Are you a sun worshiper?

The sun is the number one culprit in premature aging, because of photoaging. Photoaging is a term used for the skin's aging reaction from chronic exposure to the sun's UVA and UVB rays. Visible effects include wrinkling, discoloration, leathered skins, and tightened, stretched lips.

Of course, you can't avoid the sun like a vampire, just make sure you use a moisturizer or day cream with at built-in sunscreen and if you plan on sun bathing, coat yourself in thick sunscreen of SPF 30 and above, and limit sun exposure during its harshest period (usually between 10 am to 4 pm).

[ Recommended Reading :
9 Foods The Fight UV Damage
Medications That May Make You Extra Sensitive To Sun ] 

Source : Yahoo

Review : Hugo Naturals French Lavender Shower Gel

Product Description
Gentle botanical blend of vegetable glycerin, jojoba and olive oil effectively cleanses while restoring moisture and elasticity. And pure botanical extracts replenish essential nutrients rather than stripping them - leaving your skin smooth, supple and deeply nourished.
•Gluten-free and vegan
•Creamy, luxurious lather gently cleanses even the most sensitive skin
Never any : parabens, phenoxyethanol, SLS, PEGs, propylene glycol, petroleum products, artificial colors or synthetic fragrances. Gluten and soy free. Vegan. No animal testing.

As part of the travel kit which I bought via iHerb, this shower gel has been more than pleasant to use. The light yellow gel texture shower gel smells of an uplifting scent of lavender and foams well to give a luxurious lathering. Nothing much to hate about the shower gel.
Hugo uses vegetable glycerin, which is naturally emollient and Jojoba, Vitamin E and coconut oil to moisturize and restore skin’s elasticity, while botanical extracts, rich in natural anti-oxidants, work to replenish essential nutrients

Ingredients
Aqua/Water/Eau, Lauryl Glucoside, Decyl Glucocide, Cocamidopropyl Hydroxysultaine, Sodium Cocoabutteramphoacetate, Glycerin, Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Extract (Organic), Tocopherol, Allantoin (Comfrey Root), Panax Ginseng Root Extract, Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Extract, Chamomila Recuita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Bark/Leaf/Twig Extract, Lippia Citriodora Leaf Extract, Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail) Leaf Extract, Fagus Sylvatica (Beech) Bud Extract, Prunus Amygdalus (Sweet Almond) Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Myroxylon Pereirae (Balsam Peru) Oil, Butter (Extract), Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Kernel Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Japonica (HoneySuckle) Flower Extract, Citric Acid, Gluconolactone, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

Source : drugstore , win

Review : The Beauty Diary Collagen Firming Mask

Product Description
Plumpness and Transparency: The classic ingredient Collagen, is extracted from the marine collagen of Japanese deep sea fishes. This rich and nourishing element is essential to healthy skin. Hi-tech hydrolyzed marine elastin, has a plumping effect on skin giving it a firm and youthful look. With this youthful glow, the secret of your age is kept safe. Firmness: The vitalizing and firming function of ginseng extracts is applied to activate and renew the skin. In addition, the rare green algae extract essence that come from the sea areas of France, continuously provide skin with intensive and long-lasting moisturization to refine skin texture.

Its been some time since I last reviewed a MBD facial mask and I am missing it terribly. So here's another one, which I bought in my last Taiwan trip. It worked out to be less than a dollar for a sheet if one gets it from Taiwan. I have, unfortunately been plagued with bad scaly patches on the face, after a bad allergic reaction to the Nature Gate's Cleansing Lotion and desperately needed more moisture on the skin.

I don't really use a new product when my skin is bad in order not to give a biased review should my skin turned out to be worse but I have full confidence in MBD masks. I took the plunge and relied on it heavily, using 1 sheet per day, together with some of my old favourites to renew my skin. It was a nightmare to see the red patches in the mirror everyday for a week and I am glad that my skin has improved bit by bit.

Without needing more explanation, I believe everyone knows that collagen is effective in lifting, firming and hydrating the skin. I relied heavily on the hydrating part because collagen masks have always been successful in restoring the hydration back to my dehydrated skin, giving it a smooth and supple look.  

I have to say that I love this mask alot as it helps to restore moisture back to my dehydrated skin. My skin never look and feel better. Bouncy, soft, supple with a slight dewy look. Lifting and firming are not yet apparent on my skin. However, note that once I used up all the masks in the box, my skin is back to its dehydrated state. The effects do not stay.
The scent is light and the texture of the mask is thin. The mask sheet is totally soaked with essence as usual, and I removed it after 30minutes with it still being very wet.

Shop  The Beauty Diary Collagen Firming Mask

Source : Amazon

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