Bye 2012, Hello 2013

Today marks the last working day for those who are working, the last Monday and the last day of 2012. How have 2012 been for you? I hope it has been an awesome one for you and that things can only get better but not worse.

I am happy to share that, I will be usher-ing in 2013 with a group of good friends for steamboat, cupcakes, junk food and some beer. Its been ages since we last did that.

On a side note, I like to say thank you for being here with me, for reading my posts and for supporting me always. I will continue to improve on my blog content. Thank you for being so understanding!

Cheers to a great 2013! Have fun and stay happy always!

Review : Nature Republic Forever Lasting Mask Sheet

Product Description
This mask sheet keeps skin young

This was one of the facial mask sheets that I brought along on my recent trip. The facial mask with a durable texture provided a snug fit on the skin. The cutting fits well, except for a shorter nose area.

It stings on the eczema patches on my face but provided a slight hydration to the rest of the skin. Mediocore in performance, I would say.

Source : Korea

Review : Sasatinnie Silky Whitening Eye Mask

Product Description
The eye contour is one of the most delicate and fragile areas of the face, and therefore needs special care. Attributing to age growth and long-term fatigue, the formation of wrinkles and fine lines and gradual loss of elasticity of skin occurs, followed by eyelid droop and eye bags appearance. Silky Whitening Eye Mask specially aims at solving three eye problems, i.e. eye fine lines, eye bags and dark circles. It contains collagen which could effective remove fine line, smooth eye bags and improve dark circles. With long-term treatment, it could fade out wrinkles, reduces the appearance of dark circles, fine lines and puffiness, leaving your eyes rejuvenated and lustrous.

Key Ingredients
Aqua, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Chondrus Crispus, Collagen.

I picked this up from the local Sasa for $6.90 with 6 masks in a box. Individually packed, each pair of hydro-gel masks are contained in a plastic clear tray. The tray is very wet so the essence tends to drip down as I tried to pull the tray out from its packaging. Thank goodness, it does not crumble that easily as I tried to peel the pair of eye masks off from the cache in the tray.

As with all hydro-gel textured products, this pair of eye masks are slightly glooey-like and sticks well on the skin. It feels cold and refreshing to the touch. Despite the big claims, I failed to see any visible improvement to my undereye areas.
The name "Silky Whitening Eye Mask" sounds misleading too.

Source : Sasa

Review : Lucy Minerals Foundation - Bisque, Fair and Light

Bisque : a neutral shade

Fair : a cool pale shade

Light : light neutral shade


I ordered the 3 shades above at US$2 each for a 5g sampler in May this year from Lucy Minerals. You can check out full range of shades here.
Bisque fits my skin tone as compared to Fair and Light.

These are touted as their foundation which is recommended to go with their finishing powder to provide an airbrushed look as well as to bond with it to last for hours.
I prefer to use it as a loose powder over my BB cream, simply because I dislike layering 2 powder forms over one another.

Each time I tried a new loose powder, it always seem to be better than my previous one so yes, I really like Bisque. Being new to mineral powder, I used too much of it initially, giving me a heavy airbrushed look which made me look too "make-up".
Subsequently, I realized the correct way of using mineral powder is "less is more" so through some trial and error, I concluded that you don't need much of it, to give your skin that silky smooth look.
Perhaps its due to Lucy Minerals foundation being quite concentrated and pigmented as compared to others.

All the 3 powders are lightweight, finely milled, soft and smooth, providing a light to medium coverage, depending on the layers and powder being picked up by the brush. The coverage is buildable. The oil-control is moderately well.

Lucy Mineral Foundation contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide (both natural physical sunscreens) plus the added benefits of the antioxidants Apple Poly®, Trans-Resveratrol, Green Coffee Bean Extract and Vitamin C. It is free of waxes, harmful chemicals, preservatives, fragrance, and talc.
Definitely great stuff for the skin.

It scored 4.2 from 180 users on Makeupalley.

Ingredients
zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, mica, magnesium stearate, iron oxides, allantoin, Apple Poly® polyphenols, trans-resveratrol, green coffee bean extract, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate.

Review : Cetaphil UVA/UVB Defense SPF 50+/UVA28

Product Description
Provides broad-spectrum UV protection with an optimum blend of five filters. The moisturizing formula hydrates the skin for 8 hours and absorbs quickly. Micronized Titanium Dioxide leaves no filmy white residue. Non-greasy, lightweight, fragrance-free, non-irritating and non-comedogenic, this moisturizing product is ideal for daily facial use.

This was in the freebie pack that I redeemed from Cetaphil. At 5ml, I used it as body suncreen because I am picky on what I use on the face, where texture is concerned.

With a hint of the sunscreen scent, the milky white content is creamy and slightly greasy. It has a bit of shine after application.

 
At SPF50 with protection against UVA and UVB rays, it seemed good enough as a sunscreen for daily wear so lets take a quick look at its ingredients.

Since I do not have the ingredients stated on my sample size, I checked it up online and found 2 different versions.

Ingredients ( from CGH ):
Aqua C12-15, Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Ethlhexyl Salicylate, Titanium Dioxide, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Propylene Glycol, Bis¬-Ethylhexloxyphenol, Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Octocrylene, Cyclopentasiloxane, Stearic acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Dimethicone, Myristyl Myristate, Nylon-12, Petrolatum, Ethylhexyl Triazone, polymethyl Methacrylate, aluminum hydroxide, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Butylparaben, Disodium EDTA, Drometrizole Trisiloxane, Ethylparaben, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Isobutylparaben, Methylparaben, PEG-100 Stearate, Phenoxyethanol, Propyparaben, Stearyl Alcohol, Terephthalylidene Dicampor Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Tocopherol, Triethanolamine

Ingredients ( from Rosacea group ) :
Active Ingredients: Octinoxate 7.5%, Octisalate 5%, Octocrylene 7%, Oxybenzone 6%, Titanium Dioxide 5.7%
Inactive Ingredients: Water, Propylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, VP/Eicosene Copolymer, Cyclohexasiloxane, Stearic Acid, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Aluminum Hydroxide, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Tocopherol, Cyclopen-tasiloxane, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylparaben, Chlorphenesin, Cetyl Alcohol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Methylparaben, Xanthan Gum

Presuming the first ingredient list derived from CGH, it contains the following sunscreen ingredients
Titanium Dioxide : Partial UVA protection and full UVB protection
Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane : Full UVA protection and partial UVB protection
Octocrylene : Partial UVA protection and full UVB protection
Terephthalylidene Dicamphor Sulfonic Acid : Full UVA protection and partial UVB protection
Ethylhexyl Triazone : UV filter which absorbs UV light
Drometrizole Trisiloxane : UV filter which absorbs UV light

Presuming the second ingredient list derived from Rosacea Group, this product appears to have a poor protection against UVA rays.

Octinoxate 7.5%Octinoxate is the most widely used UVB blocking agent in the skin care industry. However, when Octinoxate is exposed to sunlight, "it is converted into a less UV absorbent form hence it is not very stable. This conversion can be partly prevented by certain other UV blockers, particularly bemotrizinol (Tinosorb M).
Note that if Octinoxate combined with Avobenzone, it degrades even faster.

According to the EWG, Octinoxate is a moderate hazard, primarily because it can lead to developmental and reproductive toxicity through enhanced skin absorption. It can produce estrogen-like effects and should not be used by pregnant women and children

Octisalate 5%Octisalate is an organic compound used as an ingredient in sunscreens and cosmetics to absorb the full range of UVB rays from the sun. Although the Cosmetics Ingredient Review notes that reproductive and developmental toxicity can occur in relation to Salicylic Acid, one of the two primary components of Octisalate, it has determined that the levels used in cosmetic and beauty products would not cause any adverse reaction. Importantly, the FDA has approved Octisalate for use in sunscreen with up to 5%
Octisalate's safety record seems to be fairly good although it has been linked to contact dermititus.

Octocrylene 7%
According to TIA, Octocrylene can penetrate into the skin and act as a photosensitizer, resulting in an increased production of free radicals. Free radicals can induce indirect DNA damage and potentially contribute to the increased incidence of malignant melanoma in sunscreen-users. Maximum recommended by FDA is 3%.  You can also read more about it in EWG.
According to this source, Octocrylene appears to be a strong allergen leading to contact dermatitis in children and mostly photoallergic contact dermatitis in adults with an often-associated history of photoallergy from ketoprofen. Patients with photoallergy from ketoprofen frequently have positive photopatch test reactions to octocrylene. These patients need to be informed of sunscreen products not containing octocrylene, benzophenone-3, or fragrances

Oxybenzone 6% Oxybenzone primarily functions as a photostabilizer and sunscreen. It also helps preserve the integrity of other cosmetic ingredients, preventing their deterioration under the sun. For this reason, Oxybenzone is most often used in conjunction with other sunscreen agents.
According to the Environmental Working Group, it has been shown that the product penetrate the skin and cause photo-sensitivity. As a photocarcinogen, it has demonstrated an increase in the production of harmful free radicals and an ability to attack DNA cells.
The FDA has approved the use of Oxybenzone as a safe and effective OTC sunscreen ingredient, but only in concentrations up to 6%

Titanium Dioxide 5.7%
According to EWG, this ingredient has a low hazard of level 1 to 3 even though there is a moderate health concern of organ system toxicity. Since it only provides partial UVA protection, it is best to be formulated with other active ingredients such as Zinc Oxide for a better protection.

Review : Naruko Brightening and Firming Spray

Product Description
Naruko Magnolia Brightening and Firming Spray not only can act as a moisturizer for daily use, it is also a product you can take along with you anywhere. This product can inhibit the production of melanin, help with spots and prevent aging skin. In particular, the form it comes in, a spray, will not affect your makeup in any way. It provides you with an easy, light, and fragrant moisturizer you can use anytime.

Key Ingredients
Plantain Extract Complex, Phytoferulin®, Magnolia Pure Gel, Hyaluronic Acid, Tranexamic Acid

I picked this up from the local Watsons at $21.90 sometime back and have been using this for the past 3 months though not at a daily basis.
It comes in a white clear bottle as shown in the picture above, with a spray that provides a fine mist to deliver its contents. It is touted to provide hydration and deliver whitening nutrients. Lightens the complexion while energizing, balancing and soothing the skin.

Formulated with vitamins and patented Phytoferulin complex as well as other healing herbs, it effectively brightens your look and prevents the creation of hyper-pigmentation.
I thought the name sounds misleading as the description on the bottle did not provide any inkling of having any firming effects but rather, on hydration and whitening effects.

I wasn't overly impressed during the initial month of usage, hence I stopped using it as a daily toner. While I understand that whitening products do take some time for it to take effect, but the fine mist that comes with each spritz would be too little for it to be effective on my skin. In fact, in each mist, I hardly see or feel any visible improvement, either in terms of hydration or whitening.

As recommended on Naruko's website, you can use the product in 2 ways - as a toner mist or as a lotion mask. I prefer to use it as a toner mist because the scent is overpowering for my likes so a lotion mask is an overkill for me.

This face spray is refreshing and feels mild and gentle which may be suitable for all skin types.
The fine mist is slightly tacky but sinks into the skin after a few minutes so I like to use it either as a quick pick-me-up or as a toner. It made the floor sticky as well, which is something I dislike very much. I do not see any hydrating or whitening improvement to my skin though.

Despite not containing parabens, please note that it still contains preservatives like Phenoxyethanol, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate and Methylisothiazolinone.

As with all Naruko products, you can recycle the packaging to something else as shown below.

Source : Naruko , BeautyCarousel , Prettyncute

Review : Naisture 24hr So Smooth Hand Pack

Product Description
Olive and aloe extracts produce soft and smooth hands. Collagen keeps your hands tight and young.

After I came back from Hainan Island, my hands were abit dry. Its not flaky but it felt different from normal. Since I have the hand pack which I purchased from Sasa sometime back, I used it as a 20minutes spa treatment for the hands.

The packaging has a step 1 with dotted lines and a step 2 with dotted lines to tear open. Quite thoughtful for the user, but as with all hand masks, I need someone to slip in the step 2 vinyl gloves.

Step 1 is an essence-soaked filled paper-like gloves which you slipped into your hands. Followed by step 2 which is a pair of vinyl gloves to slip in after the Step 1 paper-like gloves.
Simple and just sit back, relax and wait for the goodness to seep into your hands.

Do I see an improvement after 20 minutes? Sadly, not really. My hands do feel moisturised but not for long. It did not even last beyond a night.

In terms of ingredients, while there are several moisturisers and emollients as the first few ingredients in the list but the touted Olive and Aloe ingredients as well as Collagen falls way back in the bottom part of the list which meant the concentration is low.

INGREDIENT
Water, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, Oloeic Acid, Triethanolamine,Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Trehalose, Perfume, Methylparaben, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Panthenol, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Hyaluronic Acid, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA

Source : Korea

Review : Leaf & Botanics Lavender Shampoo and Conditioner

Previously I have reviewed the shower gel which I did not particularly like as its drying.
Moving on to the travel-sized shampoo and conditioner, both are of the same scent of Lavender.

I enjoyed using the shampoo due to its runny texture as it flows easily into my hair and rinsed out easily as well. With the kinks in my hair, the shampoo has become quite a joy to use. Light yellow in colour, it foams and provides good lathering.

The conditioner is white in colour and creamy in texture. I don't feel a difference in my hair when I don't use the conditioner so its not that neccessary in the pairing with the shampoo.
Using both products has provided me with cleansed hair.

In slightly colder weather like Hainan Island, the shampoo has given me hair tangles, the conditioner was no help to detangle them.
In Singapore, both products work well on my hair without much tangling except for the usual kinks affected by my last hair colour job.

Review : The Body Shop Natrulift Firming Serum

 

Product Description

A lightweight pre-moisturizing serum that maintains optimum moisture levels leaving skin feeling soft and smooth. Regular use hydrates and improves firmness and elasticity. It is easily absorbed and helps skin feel firmer and more toned. This serum contains pomegranate extract which is a powerful antioxidant that helps the skin remain plump and protect it from environmental aggressors. It contains community fair trade brazil nut oil which moisturizes and helps to leave the skin feeling soft, smooth and supple. It also contains apple extract that help skin maintain elasticity.

 

I received 5 sachets from the September Glamabox and have been using it for the past 3 weeks. With a distinct scent of pomegranate, this product has a lightweight oil-based texture, which gives a silky and smooth feel on the skin after application. It is non-greasy and non-sticky and sinks into the skin rapidly, leaving a smoother and toned skin.

 

I used it on my hubby's reddened skin due to sun exposure and it did help to slightly soothe his skin, reducing the redness and flakiness just after one application.

Retailing at $56.90 for 30ml size, it seemed expensive when you considered the ingredients contained in it - solvents, silicones, stabilizers, and fragrance additives.
Preservative phenoxyethanol is high in the list with 5 other parabens in the later part of the ingredient list. Beware if you are sensitive to fragrance as this serum does contains a few fragrances.

While I do like the product for a smoother and toned skin as well as lightly hydrated skin, the ingredients do not justify the price. It also does not provide any firming effects and elasticity as claimed but then again, perhaps its not so obvious at my age.

 

Key Ingredients

Pomegranate extract, Community Fair Trade honey, apple extract, cesalpinia spinosa extract (tara) and avena strigosa seed extract (from black oats)

 

Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Creatine, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Caffeine, Dimethicone, Honey, Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pentylene Glycol, Caesalpinia Spinosa Gum, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil, Secale Cereale (Rye) Seed Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Oil, Xanthan Gum, Methylparaben, Fragrance, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract, Sodium Hydroxide, Wheat Germ Oil/Palm Oil Aminopropanediol Esters, Avena Strigosa Seed Extract, Lecithin, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Disodium EDTA, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Adenosine, Isobutylparaben, Propylparaben, Hydroxycitronellal, Citronellol, Limonene, Potassium Sorbate, Geraniol, Linalool, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Ursolic Acid

 

 

  Source : Thebodyshop , Amazon

Review : Laneige Water Sleeping Pack Ex

Product Description
Night time skin transmission (permeability) shows higher rate than the one in the day time. Applying it right before sleep time, the best state for the skin transmission according to the skin circadian rhythm, maximizes the efficiency of overnight water supply.

The function of skin remarkably declines in the night time. Enriched with Beta-glucan, Water Sleeping Pack_EX deeply hydrates fatigue and dry skin while Ceramide SLN formula strengthens the skin barrier.

Containing Snow Water, it helps to keep your skin look more crystal clear and vitalized.
- Antioxidant effect of Hunza Apricot Extracts helps brighten skin tone evenly by removing harmful oxygen and purifying skin.
- Recoverine from Chestnuts promotes turnovers of horny layers to remove dead cells away for vigorous water supply and sleek skin texture.
- An aromatic essence compound exclusively developed by AMOREPACIFIC, Sleepscent™(Patent application No. 10-2009-0043726), helps to relax your mind and body and derive for a good sleep. A good sleep effect allowing sufficient relaxation eventually reinforces skin restoration for healthier skin condition. Essential oils from Orange Flower, Rose, Ylang Ylang, Sandal Wood etc. are contained in the Sleepscent™.
- Light gel-type texture without stickiness but moisture leaves you a comfortable sleep.

Key Ingredients :
Hunza Apricot Extracts : Skin Purification
Ceramide SLN : Moisture Loss protection
Beta Glucan : Skin Regeneration effect
Chestnut Extract : Improving skin texture

I have 3 samples of the above product on a complimentary basis from Tang's Birthday Treats and another 20ml size tub as part of the September Glamabox . Laneige Water Sleeping Pack is the famed product from Laneige and is supposingly the first sleeping mask in the market. It has won legions of fans and subsequently the brand revamped the product and came up with the current product with the name "EX" at the end of the name. I heard that it has been the 3rd revamp but I cannot confirm.

I had the misconception of what a sleeping mask entails in the past so I never really thought of trying it out even though it was pretty popular in the market. I thought it would be a dripping mess but the actual truth is far from it. In fact, the application is like a moisturiser, rather than a mask.

This is a gel-like mask that is pleasant to use. Light blue in colour, it has a pleasant relaxing scent. The mask application is just like applying a regular moisturiser. The only difference is that, I felt that the product just sits on the skin surface without doing much to improve my skin.

There is no stickiness and skin feels comfortable during my initial usage. In fact, I was even impressed at that fleeting moment that it feels really refreshing on the skin. Skin feels soothed and protected. And its alcohol-free!

Subsequent usage made me realize that I dislike the extra layer of film on the skin which feels like dimethicone. It enveloped the skin giving the illusion that my skin is well protected but once I cleanse my face in the morning, the condition of my skin remained the same as before mask application.

You can follow the Face Relaxing Massage steps here though I did not follow thru.

The recommended usage for the mask is twice a week but depending on my skin condition, sometimes I used it on a daily basis, sometimes once in a few days. Still, I am not too overly impressed.

Coming from Laneige, I expected hydrated and bouncy skin but other than reaping that during my first intial usage, the expected skin improvements never arrive. It scored 4.4 from 10 users on Makeupalley.

Where To Purchase : Amazon | Shopee | Stylekorean | Yesstyle
Laneige Bright Renew Capsule Sleeping Mask
Laneige Water Sleeping Mask
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask
Laneige Water Sleeping Pack Ex ( Shopee )

Review : Nature Republic Snail Therapy 1000 Hydrogel Mask Sheet

Product Description
Containing 1000ml of concentrated snail mucin extract obtained from snails raised in a clean environment, this natural agar hydrogel mask has excellent hydrating and adhering effects. Snail mucin extract contains an amazing regenerative power, leaving skin looking smooth and healthy by helping it to recover from various common skin problems including blemishes, acne scars, flushed skin and dark and dull skin.

I thought the terms coined for their Snail Extract masks are kinda confusing but I guess the addition of 1000 in the name simply meant a higher concentration of 1000mg in the sheet mask. Then again, who will bother to get the other snail extract mask with 200mg of snail extracts, I wonder?

Being precious, I guess thats why the sheet mask is in between protective layers between them and kept in clear plastic sheet when pulled out from the packaging.
It has both an upper portion and a lower portion for the face. Being hydrogel texture in nature, the sheet mask is therefore slippery and since its also very wet, one needs to handle it carefully.

The hydrogel sheet mask has a thin texture. The sheet mask for the nose area is abit long though while the cut-out area for the lips is slightly smaller. After a 25minute treatment, my skin feels smoother and hydrated. Skin looks brighter and more even-toned.

In terms of ingredients, mineral oil and methylparaben are high up in the list.

Nature Republic Snail Therapy 1000 Hydrogel Mask Sheet scored 5 from 4 users on Makeupalley.

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Review : Nature Republic Snail Therapy Mask Sheet

I purchased this mask via a friend who went Korea in August this year and brought it along to my Hainan Island trip which was at 19 degrees in Haikou.
Snail extracts are supposingly rich in glycolic acid and elastin which have been known to slow premature aging by protecting the skin.

This mask sheet which is moist when pulled out from the packaging has a comfortable fit but the flaps at the jaws do swing down after a while. The cut-out areas are just right for my face shape. The texture is thin but still sturdy enough not to tear easily.

It has a pleasant scent. According to the packaging, each sheet mask contains 200mg of snail mucin. The end result is soothed and slightly hydrated skin which did not last beyond the next day. However it did leave my skin feeling smooth lasted till the next night.

How apt is that, I am listening to Love Rain OST as I was writing this post. Love Rain is a Korean drama that starred Jang Keun Suk and this mask also has him on the front cover. Cute coincidence!

Collective Haul

Hisamitsu Lifecella Essence Sheet Mask ~$6  (original $7.50 each)
Hisamitsu Lifecella Gel Sheet Mask ~$6
Coast to Coast Costal Refreshing Body Exfoliant $8 ( original $16 but has a 1 for 1 offer now )
Coast to Coast Rainforest Invigorating Body Exfoliant $8

Friends help me to purchase some products from Korea and Hong Kong.

Kao Steam Mask of different flavours S$29 in total
Sasatinnie Black Pearl Brightening 3D Stretch Mask ( souvenir from friend )
Sasatinnie Q10 Anti-Aging Firming 3D Stretch Mask ( souvenir from friend )
Laneige White Plus Renew Purifying Mask
Skin Food Black Sesame Hot Mask
Original Mineral No Knott Conditioning Detangler ( from Luxola.com - not in picture )

Happy that I managed to get my hands on MVOrganics Travel Kit ( purchased via a spree by MsBeautyBuff which has been a pleasant and hassle-free transaction )

There was a CyberMonday discount of 20% so I purchased it for just US$48 instead of the usual US$60

- Cleanser 30ml
- Anti-aging Mist 30ml
- Anti-aging Oil 7.5ml
- Everyday Sheer Coverage (Light Tint) 30ml
- a free sample of Moisturising Face Screen

Review : Bioessence Bio Platinum BB Cream SPF25 PA++

Product Description
Whitening, Sunscreen, Repair and Make up in 1 Step!
Bio Platinum BB Cream SPF25/PA++ is uniquely blended with Platinum, Bio Energy Fluid, Titanium Dioxide, Tanaka, Ginkgo Biloba, Ginseng and Angelica extracts to nourish and hydrate skin. It also helps to control oil, moisturize while providing superior protection against UV rays and natural pollutants! Its 10 in 1 efficacy keeps you looking fair, beautiful and effortlessly good, the easy way!

10 in 1 Product Efficacies：
1. Enriched with Platinum to nourish the skin, protect against free radical damage and revitalize the skin
2. Platinum is the rarest and most stable form of precious metal, it not only makes skin more radiant, but lightens fine lines and wrinkles
3. Light velvety texture, effectively conceals flaws with a natural and glowing finish
4. Contains Tanaka extract and Amino Acid Skin Whitening Complex to whiten keep skin cool even under the hot sun.
5. Refines pores and smoothen skin
6. Nourishes skin with herbs, nutrients and mineral elements to revitalize skin
7. Regulates oil secretion
8. Protects skin from harmful UV rays and external pollutants
9. Long-lasting hydration to prevent skin dryness
10. Reveals flawless, radiant and  natural makeup. Look younger and more charming

I owned a sachet of this product which I have been using for the past 2 weeks on a daily basis. The small sachet packs a punch because it really contains alot.

The texture is creamy and thick which made blending slightly difficult. You need to quickly whipped it up and spread on the face before it dries up and becomes difficult to blend.

It has medium coverage with poor oil control. My T-zone oiled up by mid-day though some dabbing on the face will do the trick. It was a tad too moisturising for my skin as it gave me 3 small zits within 2 weeks that took more than a week to heal.

It has fragrance in it though its not too overpowering for me. It gets dissipated after application.
While the end result does even-out out my skin tone but because its moisturising, it provided an initial dewy look which turns slightly greasy by mid-day. After some dabbing on the oilness, my skin still manage to look decent but not fantastic.

Source : Bioessence

Review : Leaf and Botanics Lavender Shower Gel

 

 

 

 

I purchased this lavender travel set back in Hong Kong last year at HKD88 and brought it on my recent trip to Hainan Island.

 

Made in Japan, Leaf and Botanics is a brand that carefully combines a blend of selected herbs and natural ingredients to create a unique formula to assue its quality and effectiveness.

Prior to this purchase, I have never heard of the brand.

 

 

 

 

At 50ml, the travel sized bottle has a hint of lavender scent. The shower gel cleanses well with foam for easy lathering. It has a smooth gel texture. However it is drying on my skin.

You can check out their range of products here.

 

Source : Jbeautyme

Hainan Island Visit + Haul

I visited Hainan Island recently, together with my in-laws to visit their birth place in the village with some sightseeing in Sanya and Haikou. It has been an enriched experience. Other than the dirty public toilets, Hainan Island is actually quite a clean country. Their food is quite tasty though a bit salty. We were told that their food is catered for mainland tourists hence, the salty taste.
Their vegetable dishes are simple fare but full of taste. Their meat dishes were abit too tough for me though.

I simply love their Baoluo Rice Noodle. Known as the famous rice noodle in Baoluo Town of Wenchang City, it is made with rice noodles with delicious soup and various ingredients like peanut, beef, bamboo shoots, etc.

Popular events booked from Klook with savings :

Sanya Junda Trick Cycling Performance
Feng Xiaogang Movie Town

My haul on my first day in Haikou, from their local Watsons. I bought mainly hair products, with the exception of the Philosophy Hope in a Jar moisturiser which I purchased from Changi Airport at S$44 for 60ml. The 2 sheet masks were gifts from the Watsons store. I was told that their store is barely opened for a month, hence there were freebies to thank customers.

Help Your Hair Grow Faster

Things you can do to help boost hair growth, making it healthier and more luscious.

Massage it What will work at stimulating your scalp? Giving yourself a scalp massage. This stimulates the blood flow to your scalp, which then helps important nutrients to get to your hair follicles quickly, "feeding" your hair with what's necessary for healthy growth.

You can do this easily while washing hair! Massage the scalp with your fingertips, starting at the back of the neck and moving around the hairline. You'll get better results in the evening, so before you go to bed each night, spend a couple of minutes gently rotating your fingertips around, massaging the scalp.

Feed it right
You are what you eat… and the same goes for your hair. To encourage its healthy growth, make sure you pump your body with essential vitamins like vitamin B derivaties (this helps to increase hair strength) and antioxidants (this helps to repair damages). The most important ingredient for hair growth? Protein! This makes perfect sense as hair is a protein so a diet filled with protein will help stimulate hair growth. So make sure you load up on food like eggs, beans and fish.

We'd say go for salmon. Besides being packed with protein and vitamin D (which is also good for hair), the omega-3 fatty acids in this is also essential for healthy hair growth. Other food that contains these essential fatty acids? Avocado, pumpkin seeds and walnuts.

Keep it clean
Keeping your scalp clean and healthy prevents clogging of your hair follicles. When cleared of debris, hair growth is encouraged, allowing you to have thicker, stronger and healthier hair. So make sure you wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo once a week to help remove residue, dandruff and dead skin cells from your scalp.

Go for natural oils
A blend of rosemary, sage, thyme and basil essential oils that you can use to rub into your scalp every evening before you go to bed help to stimulate hair growth. Mix a few drops of each oil into a container, dip your fingertips into it and massage on your scalp for five minutes. Since most of us don't have time to do DIY most of the time, we recommend you just reach for a shampoo and conditioner line simply infused with natural oils as this helps locks to be healthier (without it being oily), thus it can grow better.

Brush therapyLeave the synthetic bristles and plastic brushes alone. To really boost the growth of your hair, it is recommended that you brush your hair every night with a natural bristle brush. Brushing your hair help stimulates the scalp, increasing blood flow. We all know what happens what blood flow to the scalp is encouraged. That's right—hair becomes thicker, healthier and grows better. Not only that, brushing also helps to distribute your natural scalp oils along your hair shaft, making it glossier.

Source : Yahoo

Review : Laneige Multiberry Yoghurt Repair Pack

Product Description
* High-concentration multiberry extract yogurt pack that nourishes skin from deep inside
and leaves skin supple

* Hydrates, nourishes and regenerates skin for supple and firming skin.
- Sogurty™, a specialized fermented yogurt, promotes collagen synthesis, and enhances defense ability of skin from harmful external causes to leave skin healthier and firmer. Its anti-inflammatory effects also soothes skin from skin troubles.
- Multi berry complex (various berry extracts from raspberries, blueberries, wolfberries, cranberries,
and strawberries) delivers abundant nutrition and antioxidants to eliminate harmful free radicals.

* Exfoliation for smoother skin texture.
- NAG (N-acetyl-D-Glucosamine), one of the NMF(Natural Moisturizing Factor), and Niacinamide
(a component of Vitamin B3) softens and clears micro size dead skin cells left after exfoliating for
even denser and smoother skin texture.

* Richer plain yogurt texture
- Fresh creamy texture of yogurt nourishes skin with soft touch.

Its hilarious that one of the notes in the description has this statement : * Caution: Do not eat.
Do people actually do that? Jokes aside, this Yoghurt Repair Pack certainly smells like the heavenly strawberry yoghurt scent. It is creamy and moussy-soft that I actually enjoyed using it during the initial months.

It comes in a tub which may be easily contaminated unless you used the provided spatula. Note that this is a rinse-off mask.

I tend to use this on clean, exfoliated skin and other than the pleasant and almost edible scent of strawberry yoghurt, it also gives me smooth, soft and supple skin. Skin definitely feels softer and hydrated with a slight layer of moisturiing veil on the skin. I love the product during the initial 3 months when I used it twice a week.

Thereafter the effects were no longer apparent on my skin. It made no difference to my skin after application. My skin remained dry and flaky before and after application. Occasionally it does work but I no longer look upon this product for hydration or brightening.

However, it works very well with its Multiberry Yoghurt Peeling Gel in the same range, so its recommended to use the peeling gel for exfoliation before using the yoghurt repair pack.

Shop here and get free samples with every purchase.

Source : Laneige

Review : Kao Curél UV Protection Face Milk SPF 25 PA++

Product Description
Blocks UV rays and protects skin from external stimulus and becoming overly dry. The ceramide functioning ingredient and Eucalyptus extract penetrate deeply into the stratum corneum to keep skin completely moisturized. Silky-light texture leaves skin smooth. Suitable as a makeup base.

I redeemed a free 5ml sample from Curel facebook page which is Made in Japan. It has a slight minty scent but nothing offensive. Curel products do not contain fragrance, alcohol and coloring hence it is suitable for sensitive skin.

The texture is lightweight and even though its white in colour, it did not leave a white cast on the hands. I used it mainly for the hands, right up to the arms.
It does take some time for it to be absorbed but once its done its work, you hardly feel that there is a layer on the skin. However, it does feel slightly drying.

At SPF25 PA++, I thought it was abit too little. My minimum acceptance for sunscreen products must be at least SPF30 PA+++.

Where To Purchase : Shopee
Curel Lotion