Review : Biotherm Eau Pure Shower Gel

Product Description
A fresh and light shower gel, containing essential oils, deeply cleanses and purifies. Your skin feels toned and ultra-soft, left with the invigorating fresh scent of Eau Pure. 

I received a gift set of the Biotherm Eau Pure Shower Gel and Body Milk ( 75ml each ) from a good friend who has just came back from her business trip cum holiday. 

Made in France, this invigorating shower gel is said to be enriched with vitamin E green tea and lime essential oils which explained the zesty scent. 

The inclusion of the Sodium Laureth Sulfate as the 2nd ingredient in the list gave rise to plentiful suds which were light but non-drying. I had a good time lathering in the shower. The fragrance was pretty strong and almost lingering. 

Biotherm Eau Pure Shower Gel cleanses well without sticky-ness or drying after-feel. And the 75ml size is a good and portable travelling size too. 

Source : Biotherm

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Review : Japan Gal Pure 5 Essence Mask ( Placenta Daily Mask )

Product Description
100% natural cotton mask soaked in Pure Essence, containing 5% placenta ( moisturizing, unprocessed solution ), soybean extract ( moisturizing ), soy milk liquid ( moisturizing ) and vitamin C derivative ( antioxidant component ).
Placenta removes dullness of the skin and makes it translucent.

I chanced upon a 15% sale on Japan Skin late last year and promptly bought a box for $19.64, together with other goodies.

As illustrated in the picture above, each packaging box contains a re-sealable plastic pack where 30 sheets are stacked on top of each other. There is a pincer provided to pick up each sheet mask for convenience and hygiene sake. The masks are alcohol-free, with no artificial colouring, mineral oil and is paraben-free.

Made in Japan, the 100% natural cotton material of Japan Gals Pure 5 Essence Mask ( Placenta Daily Mask ) is thick and sturdy, soaked in heavy essence. It comes with eye flaps which is a bonus treat for the eyes, although the eye flaps did not extend enough to cover the whole eye/eyelid.

The brightening effect is instantaneous, immediately after treatment. However, the effects are not lasting ( which is expected ) but you can use the sheet mask every day for a month, since it contains 30 sheets in a pack. I don't do that, as I prefer to let my skin rest so I only use it like every 3 ~ 4 days time frame, depending on my skin needs.

Source : Japan Gal, April Boulevard

Review : Aveda Dry Remedy Daily Moisturizing Oil

Product Description
Leave-in treatment instantly moisturizes dry hair and ends
• 99.9% naturally derived, with the hydrating power of certified organic buriti oil
• Penetrates to instantly moisturize hair by 41%
• Leaves hair soft and full of shine
• Formulated without silicone, so it takes only a few drops to moisturize hair
• Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Gold.*** Packaging (bottle) meets Bronze-level requirements.

Getting the 30ml bottle of the Aveda Dry Remedy Daily Moisturizing Oil costs me $20 from the Luxasia sale last year. A good friend whom I bumped into, during the sale has mentioned that the reviews were good so I purchased one for my own use. 

Housed in a brown bottle with a twist and turn cap, the oil is sheer in colour, which is then dispensed through a thin narrow cylinder in the center of the bottle. Basically, I just shake the bottle upside down to get the oil onto my palms. The subtle lavender scent is such a joy - not overpowering but yet manage to lift the senses in a relaxing manner. 

The oil looks and feels oily but is actually pretty lightweight enough not to weigh the hair down or cause it to look greasy. It feels like a dry oil. As per the description on the packaging, it is recommended to use 2 ~ 4 drops of the Aveda Dry Remedy Daily Moisturizing Oil, however, it seems that my long thick tresses requires more dosage than that.

In fact, the 8 ~ 10 drops I used were soaked up totally on my freshly washed damped hair. My dry hair ends looked slightly better with a subtle shine which was more obvious when I used on dry hair.

For the brand and the price ( if I considered the original hefty price tag at $58 ), I would have expected something more.

Aveda Dry Remedy Daily Moisturizing Oil scored 4.1 from 21 users on Makeupalley with a hazard level of 2 on EWG.

Ingredients: 
Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil , Dicaprylyl Maleate , Dicaprylyl Ether , Methyl Soyate , Mauritia Flexuosa (Buriti) Fruit Oil , Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil , Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Sterols , Tocopherol , Polyglyceryl-10 Pentaoleate , Fragrance (Parfum) , Farnesol , Linalool , Benzyl Salicylate , Citronellol , Citral , Limonene , Benzyl Benzoate , Coumarin , Geraniol <ILN41379>

Source : Aveda

Japanese Beauty Secrets To Achieve Radiant Skin

Pat in your skincare, don’t rub

Japanese women employ patting motions in an upward direction (starting from the chin) when they apply their skincare products. This is done in the hopes of stimulating blood flow and ensuring that the product is better absorbed into the skin. 

Green tea keeps the blemishes away

Not only is green tea chockfull of antioxidants, it is also an excellent way to detoxify your body the natural way. Drinking several cups of green tea or matcha a day will allow you to maintain a youthful glow. As an added beauty benefit, you can also apply green tea topically to your face as a toner. Its astringent properties will help balance oily skin and also reduce the size of your pores.

Review : Clinique All About Eyes

Product Description
An award-winning, lightweight eye cream-gel that diminishes the appearance of eye puffiness, darkness, and fine lines. This nourishing cream-gel formulation brightens dark circles and sends puffiness packing while actually helping to hold eye makeup in place. It refreshes and brightens eye area and is recommended for use morning and night, both under eyes and on lids.

Active Ingredients :
Scutellariabaicalensis root extract : a natural ingredient that moisturizes the skin deeply and reduces inflammation as well as addresses eye puffiness
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate and Camellia Sinensis : antioxidants that help protect the skin from free radical and UV damage

Formulated without parabens, 100% fragrance free, allergy tested and opthalmologist tested, this 15ml Clinique All About Eyes seems like a product which addresses most of the eye area concerns, including mine. I gotten it for AUD46.40 in Sydney last year. 

It is much cheaper on Amazon where you can get at US$17.40 for 2x7ml sizes ( prices fluctuate so grab the deal before its gone ), sizes which are simply great for travelling. 
An Amazon affiliate link is at the end of the page, for your convenience.

Review : Sasatinnie Black Pearl Caviar Nourishing Black Eye Mask

Product Description
A luxury eye mask impregnated with nature’s finest elements to promote a youthful and radiant look. The highlight ingredient, Black Pearl Extract, nourishes the skin and helps effectively reduce the look of dark circles and fine lines. Other fast-absorbed properties include charcoal powder to gently lift impurities, balance oil and moisture levels and improve skin pigmentation and platinum to nourish the skin and give a more youthful complexion. Eriobotrya Japonica fruit and hyaluronic acid provide intensive moisture and enhance the density of skin cells to promote firmness and tone in the delicate eye area.

Stepping into a SASA store always made me feel stressed - their shop staff are crossing that fine line from being helpful to almost aggressive with high pressure selling. Their management probably think that high pressure sales tactics drive profits but I think it drives customers like me, elsewhere. It gives us, consumers yet another reason to shop online.

Review : Yes To Blueberries Ultra Hydrating Body Wash

Product Description
Wake up and treat your dry skin to incredibly moisturising shea butter and anti-oxidant rich blueberries. After you pamper your skin with some serious decadence and softness, treat yourself to some tea (or whatever it is that gets you going). This body wash also acts as bubble bath, so if you have five minutes to spare, just add a little warm running water and enjoy a suds parade.

• 95% Natural
• Free from parabens, SLS and Phthalates
• Cruelty-free

Key Ingredients Blueberries : rich in anti-oxidants such as Vitamin C and Anthocyanins to help fight the formation of free radicals that can damage the skin's micro-structure.

Shea Butter : protects skin from dehydration, restores skin's suppleness and improves the appearance of dry skin.

DIY beauty juices for the most radiant complexion

Smooth Healthy Skin 

Why it works: Not only is it absolutely delicious, mango is an absolute dream for the skin. It’s chockful of antioxidants, which shields the skin from free radical damage and rejuvenates your complexion. The silky creamy avocado is loaded with fatty acids, vitamins and antioxidants, which maintains the firmness of your skin and gives it a deep hydrating treatment. The detoxifying effects of spinach reduces the possibility of breakouts and acne, leaving you with smooth and healthy skin.
Recipe: 1/2 cup of mango, 1 avocado and a handful of spinach

Divine Detox

Why it works: Bountiful in dietary fibre, which reduces collagen-damaging sugar spikes, pears smoothen out the skin and delays the visitation of wrinkles and fine lines. Teaming up with lemon juice, which has detoxifying properties, your skin will be left radiant and supple.
Recipe: 2 large pears, 1 cucumber and 1 lemon

Sunblock Juice

Why it works: Carrots are packed with beta carotene, which our body transforms into the powerful vitamin A that nourishes our skin and boosts its health while ginger is a fantastic source of antioxidants which fights free radical damage and tones the skin, granting you luminous complexion.
Recipe: 4 carrots, 1/2 apple, ginger to taste.

Acne Buster

Why it works: Pineapple is loaded with bromelain, which aids in the purification of the skin. Working hand-in-hand with anti-inflammatory and hydrating properties of apple and antioxidant-rich raspberries, this is the ultimate juice remedy for acne-prone skin.
Recipe: 1 apple, 1/2 cup of pineapple, and 1/2 cup of raspberries. 

Recommended Reading :
Make Your Own Skincare Products
Top 10 Beauty Natural Remedies

Source : MarieFranceAsia

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Flirty Romantic Hairstyle by Watanabe Yoshiaki

My latest obsession with Watanabe Yoshiaki. Loving all his casual hairstyles which seems simple and natural. using just pure rubber bands. No fancy gadgets needed. A pity that I can't understand what he's saying.

Source : Youtube

Review : Laniege Soft Hand Lotion

Product Description
This soft, moisturizing hand lotion takes care of both hands and nails prone to weakness all at once. Hydro ion mineral water, Laneige’s representative skincare ingredient, provides intensive moisture to skin. 

Laniege Soft Hand Lotion was a Christmas gift from a good friend that came together in this Christmas set. She is a laneige fan, so every year, we will receive Laniege Christmas gifts from her. How lucky! The 50ml tube size is easy to carry around in my bag and doesn't look ugly no matter how you depress it.

Containing peony extract with anti-oxidating conditioning effects, Laneige Soft Hand Lotion is said to protect both the hands and brittle nails. I don't have brittle nails so I can't comment on it, but I do have dry hands.

However, this hand lotion is a little mild for dry skin. Good for maintenance but not as an emergency fix. As the name implies, this is a lotion type, so its not exactly a heavy texture but absorbs well into the skin with a temporary hydrating effect. The subtle floral scent lingers for a short while after application but disappeared soon after.


Ingredients : 
Water, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol,butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cyclopentasiloxane, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclohexasiloxane, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Paeonia Lactiflora Root Extract, Chenopodium Quinoa
Seed Extract, Magnesium¬sulfate, Calcium Chloride, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Pentylene Glycol, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Carbomer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tromethamine, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance