Review : Acure Dark Chocolate + Mint Argan Oil Lip Balm



Product Description
USDA Certified Organic Lip Balm. You wouldn't want chemicals on your lips now would you? Why not use food grade certified organic protection? This silky, smooth lip balm provides serious protection for dry and cracked lips. Prepare to be kissable! 

Housed in a twist and turn tube, Acure Dark Chocolate + Mint Argan Oil Lip Balm makes it a perfect companion on the go, which is why I always have it in my bag. With its name, I expected that it would be a brown coloured lip balm akin to a chocolate type but it is not. Looking at the list of ingredients, the bulk of it is made of beewax, coconut oil, olive oil and shea butter, which explains why it is light yellow in colour.

USDA Organic, with food grade ingredients, Acure Dark Chocolate + Mint Argan Oil Lip Balm is also paraben-free, vegan, gluten-free, synthetic fragrance-free, silicon-free and phthalate-free.

It has a lovely shea butter scent, with a light minty sensation after application that keeps your lips feeling tingly. I hardly detect any whiff of the chocolate scent. The lip balm glides well without being tacky. It may feel slightly greasy to some, but it is just meant to moisturise the lips.

Despite its awesome 100% organic ingredients, the Acure lip balm does not moisturise dehydrated chapped lips but only helps to maintain its condition, hence I wouldn't reach for it, when my lips is desperately needing some fix.

If you don't work in a daily air-conditioned office, this lip balm may just work for you. Quote OKI787 to get up to US$10 off your first purchase or start shopping in iHerb now.

Ingredients :
Organic beeswax, organic coconut oil, organic olive oil, organic shea butter, organic cocoa butter, organic hempseed oil, organic peppermint, organic spearmint, organic chocolate flavor oil, organic argan oil, tocopherol (vitamin E)

Source : Iherb

My Beauty Diary Smoothness Intensive Care Eye Mask



Product Description
Containing a blend of vitamins and plant extracts that provides a magical solution to beautiful eyes. With its intensive treatment to the eye area, it helps to achieve perfect looking eye contours that no longer requires any concealer. The innovatively shaped eye masks deliver an optimal invigorating experience, leaving your skin around the eyes flawless and impeccable all the time! The magical moisturising and refining eye masks are shaped like lovely flower petals that hug the under area and the outer corner of your eye, perfectly nourishing and toning dry fine lines.

A good friend has helped to get My Beauty Diary Smoothness Intensive Care Eye Mask direct from Taiwan during her vacation where it is much cheaper. Each pack contains 5 individual sheets where each sheet contains a pair of beautiful kawaii petal-like eye mask. The size is generous enough to cover all the way to where the crow feet will be.

There is a slight minty sensation but comfortable and refreshing on the undereye area. The perfumery scent is strong though and there is a drying after-feel even within the stipulated 15 minutes treatment. There is no effect before or after the use of the eye mask sheets.

Ingredients :
WATER‧GLYCERIN‧BUTYLENE GLYCOL‧PROPYLENE GLYCOL‧ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE‧HAMAMELIS VIRGINIANA (WITCH HAZEL) BARK/LEAF/TWIG EXTRACT‧CERATONIA SILIQUA GUM‧GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA (LICORICE) ROOT EXTRACT‧PERSEA GRATISSIMA (AVOCADO) OIL‧HYDROLYZED WHEAT GLUTEN‧MAGNESIUM GLUCONATE‧MALTOSE‧SAMBUCUS NIGRA BUD EXTRACT‧LAMINARIA DIGITATA EXTRACT‧ARNICA MONTANA FLOWER EXTRACT‧ADANSONIA DIGITATA PULP EXTRACT‧AESCULUS HIPPOCASTANUM (HORSE CHESTNUT) SEED EXTRACT ‧DIPOTASSIUM GLYCYRRHIZATE‧HYDROLYZED JOJOBA ESTERS‧HYDROLYZED SOY PROTEIN‧PHENOXYETHANOL‧CHLORPHENESIN‧ALGAE EXTRAC‧CICHORIUM INTYBUS (CHICORY) ROOT EXTRACT‧TRIETHANOLAMINE ‧ORYZA SATIVA (RICE) EXTRACT‧RUSCUS ACULEATUS ROOT EXTRACT‧PALMITOYL TETRAPEPTDE-7‧PANTHENOL‧GENTIANA LUTEA ROOT EXTRACT‧BETA GLUCAN‧PALMITOYL TRIPEPTIDE-5‧HYDEOLYZED ELASTIN‧RETINYL PALMITATE‧CENTAUREA CYANUS FLOWER EXTRACT‧MAGNOLIA ACUMINATA BARK EXTRACT‧HYDROLYZED COLLAGEN‧CITRIC ACID‧CARBOMER‧IODOPROPYNYL BUTYLCARBAMATE‧XANTHAN GUM‧SODIUM HYDROXIDE

Source : Guardian

Review : Giovanni Purifying Exfoliating Body Scrub




Product Description
Deep within skin, debris and toxins reside, clouding your skin's natural radiance. Polish them away with D:tox System purifying exfoliant body scrub. Activated charcoal and volcanic ash combine, diving deep into pores, absorbing debris. Whisking away bacteria and toxins. Making way for exotic acai and goji berry, super-antioxidants hand-harvested at their peak for maximum nourishment. Skin is left gently fragranced with essential oils of luscious fig and clean green tea. Giving you clarity for mind, body and soul.

Similar to the body wash, Giovanni Purifying Exfoliating Body Scrub comes from the same D:Tox range. I had started using the body wash first, just to prepare my skin to get used to it before incorporating the scrub into my shower regime.

Occasionally, I use both in my regime but I found them to be too harsh, hence I use them separately. Giovanni Purifying Exfoliating Body Scrub has very bad packaging - the black exfoliating beads take time to get depressed out of the tube and you need continuous depression on the tube to get them out.

The beads are abrasive and hurts sensitive skin, except for my thighs area but gives super smooth skin after each scrub. It warms for hardly 2 seconds and literally disappear after massaging. It is lightly fragranced and hardly lingers. A good deep scrub for non-sensitive skin is best.
Quote OKI787 to get up to US$10 off your first purchase on Iherb.

Unfortunately, I am just not too impressed with Giovanni D:tox System range.

Ingredients : 
Sucrose (sugar), *aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, *euterpe oleracea (acai berry) fruit extract, *lycium barbarum (goji berry) fruit extract, *ficus carica (fig) fruit extract, *camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract, carbon (activated charcoal), volcanic ash, polysorbate 20, silica, carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil, phenoxyethanol, iron oxide, fragrance (includes essential oils).
*USDA Certified Organic
100% Vegetarian Ingredients.
We do not add parabens or lauryl or laureth sulfate to this product.

Source : Iherb

Review : Giovanni Purifying Body Wash





Product Description
With activated charcoal, volcanic ash and super-antioxidants acai and goji berry. A clean spirit begins with purified skin. It's how you were born. It's how you should be. Dive deep beyond clean into a sea of purity with D:tox System purifying body wash. 
Out with the bad: a unique combination of activated charcoal and volcanic ash delves into pores, absorbing the day's toxins, impurities and excess oils that interfere with skin clarity.
In with the good: hand-harvested acai and goji berry, exotic super-antioxidants, nourish and rejuvenate, infusing skin with vitamins and minerals, re-establishing skin to its smoothest state. You'll be soft to the touch, gently fragranced by essential oils of luscious fig and clean green tea. Pure and natural.

Due to the hotter months recently, I embarked on the D:Tox System to get rid of all the grime and dirt on my body because of my continuous perspiration. I started off with Giovanni Purifying Body Wash first, but I realized that the product is simply too harsh for the delicate skin.

The thick black gel lathers well, with a slight drying after-feel. However, with long term usage, it becomes too drying and eczema erupted on the back of my knees and inner elbows. I didn't realize it then because the change was too gradual and subtle but once I stopped using this Body Wash, my skin becomes much better. Note that, I also started applying medication from a dermatologist once I realized there is eczema because the itch got too terrible, leaving me with red splotchy skin.

Despite how good it sounds, Giovanni Purifying Body Wash may not be suitable for everyone as in my case. But if you are keen, you can check out here or other products from Giovanni and quote OKI787 to get up to US$10 off your first purchase. Check out the free products for first time customer here or special deals here or the popular brands here.

Ingredients : 
Aqua (purified water), *aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) leaf juice, *euterpe oleracea (acai berry) fruit extract, *lycium barbarum (goji berry) fruit extract, *ficus carica (fig) fruit extract, *camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract, carbon (activated charcoal), volcanic ash, sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, cocamidopropyl betaine, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, glycerin, polysorbate 20, carbomer, phenoxyethanol, iron oxides, fragrance (includes essential oils).
*Certified Organic
100% vegetarian ingredients.
We do not add parabens or lauryl or laureth sulfate to this product.

Source : Iherb

Ole Henriksen Enlighten Me Skin Tone Corrector



Product Description
Let the powers of lactic acid, THC and lemon/mulberry extracts, combined with ester C, gradually correct uneven skin tone. Faithful use will bring skin to a new level of luminosity.

Ole Henriksen was being pulled out from Sephora Singapore stores, hence there was a 30% discount on most of their products which has given me the last chance of trying out the brand. The Truth Serum Collagen Booster was on top of my list which I have gotten just a short while before the news came and Ole Henriksen Enlighten Me Skin Tone Corrector came to mind when there was a 30% discount, costing $66.

One of the reasons on why the skin ages is because of free radicals that attack healthy cells due to UVA and UVB rays from the sun, pollution, stress, smoking, alcohol and fatty food. This, in turn slows down the production of collagen and elastin , making wrinkles, brown spots and sagging being more apparent over time. Antioxidants, which include stabilised vitamin C and E help to slow down the aging process by stopping the free radicals from oxidizing the molecules. (source)

There are different types of Vitamin C in the market. Stable forms include Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, Ascorbyl Palmitate and Sodum Ascorbyl Phosphate while the unstable forms include Ascorbic Acid and L-Ascorbic Acid.

Note that unstable formulas can turn brown quickly which meant that you will not be maximising its formula at its best, stinging on application which can cause dryness, sensitivity and irritation due to the acid content and low pH and causing blackheads because of oxidation that occurs with the oil on the top of the pore opening.

In Ole Henriksen Enlighten Me Skin Tone Corrector, the stable form of Vitamin C, Sodium Ascrobyl Phosphate is being used in the formula, as the 4th ingredient in the list, which meant a high amount of Vitamin C. The ingredient list also contains a good mix of antioxidants and turmeric-based anti-irritants to reduce inflammation, a silent contributor to skin aging.
However, do note that the citrus oils in the list can also cause a phototoxic reaction on skin exposed to sunlight which meant more brown spots!


In the bottle I own, it has a slightly darker orange colour than what is shown on the first picture above and on top of the clear bottle it is contained in ( instead of an opaque bottle as what I would prefer ), it makes me wonder if I am maximizing the formula, even though it is a stabilized form of Vitamin C and is said that it won't lose its effectiveness or irritate sensitive skin like other forms. However, I believe that when Vitamin C becomes brown, it is still active, but less potent hence slower results.



That aside, Ole Henriksen Enlighten Me Skin Tone Corrector has a light lovely citrus scent with a runny texture, though slightly greasy if you pump out too much from the pump dispenser. It also feels very sticky. During the first few initial usages where I have yet to get the hang of the dispenser depression, I ended up with spreading too much stuff on my face, making it greasy and heavy. An unslightly bump which later turns out to be a blackhead manifests itself on my left cheek for 2 months before I finally get it out, via help from a beautician.

Thereafter, I pair it up with Caudalie Grape Water which I use to spray a fine mist on the skin before the application of the Enlighten Me Skin Tone Corrector and both worked wonderfully on my skin. Less tackiness! It is recommended to be used as a night product so I only use it without any moisturiser because I seriously hate any heavyweight products on the skin all day, even when I sleep.

In the 5 months of using the product, I have noticed that my skin looks healthier and clearer. On days when I get zits on my chin area ( pimple-prone area ), I tend to skip applying Enlighten Me Skin Tone Corrector on that area and concentrate on other parts of my face. The change is gradual and subtle and you probably won't realize until much later.
The slight pigmentation on both cheeks has lightened slightly, my skin has softened, looks smoother and more even-toned.

Ingredients : 
Water (Aqua, Eau), Glycerin, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Lactic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Calcium Ascorbate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Thioctic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Vaccinium Myrtillus Fruit/Leaf Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugar Cane) Extract, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Lonicera Japonica (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Lonicera Caprifolium (Honeysuckle) Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Sorbitol, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Oleth-20

Source : PaulasChoice