Review : Caudalie Beauty Elixir

                                                                      

Product Description

The original Beauty Elixir from Caudalie in a handy travel size! Inspired by the 'elixir of youth' used by Queen Isabelle of Hungary, this facial mist tightens pores and provides an instant burst of radiance to the complexion. Suitable for all skin lacking radiance, it can be used as an anti-dull complexion treatment for smokers and is an ideal after-shave spritz for men. Contains Grape Extracts for a glowing complexion, Rosemary Essential Oil, soothing Orange Blossom and Rose Extracts, Benzoin, myrrh and astringent Organic Mint.

Benefits :
- Tightens pores and smoothes the skin
- Provides burst of radiance
- Revitalises and brightens skin

Caudalie is actually a skincare line from France, providing a range of anti-aging skincare for all skincare types. Formulated with a number of patented ingredients and without synthetic preservatives, Caudalie claims to be able to protect against and reverses common signs of aging.
A major part of their skincare items contain Grape Seeds which is known to combat against free radicals, due to its polyphenols. You can read more about Caudalie and its products from its USA site or UK site

A good friend of mine helped to get this for me from Sephora when her family was in the States in July this year. It was pretty affordable at US$16 for 30ml size. Its also available at Sephora Singapore for S$24.

The size is portable and handy but because the bottle is made of glass, I was not that keen to stash it in my bag as I considered it as heavy and breakable. This is its first product I have tried from Caudalie and I cannot conclude if I do like it as the results were inconsistent.

The name "Beauty Elixir" certainly sounds enchanting, almost magical. It scored 7.4 from 15 users at Total Beauty and 3.6 from 116 users in Makeupalley . Definitely 2 distinct groups of users.

Free of parabens, phenoxyethanol, artificial colouring, mineral oil, Beauty Elixir also boasts of Vinolevure, a Caudalie exclusive, which is extracted from wine yeast. It moisturises and strengthens by protecting the skin's natural defences, while holding up to 100 times its weight in water. With all-natural, antioxidant-rich herbal ingredients and suitable for any skin type, Beauty Elixir is considered as a high-intensity aging prevention skincare item for every lady.

I do not have any weakness for anti-aging skin care products as I always have an impression of them being oily, heavy and greasy for dry and wrinkled skin. My largest skincare concern has always been hydration and I usually tried to avoid oil-based skincare products as my skin developed millia seeds easily.


However, I have a weakness for facial sprays and Beauty Elixir fits my needs, being in a convenient spray bottle that boasts of anti-aging ingredients. At 30ml and with twice daily usage, I used up the bottle in 20days. No kidding!. The mist is very fine and evaporated very fast from the skin. I have to spray alot and quickly pat it into my skin before it evaporates.

The clear bottle has simple yet beautiful fonts on it. The fine mist also meant that I need to spray alot to feel it on my face. It also evaporated very fast hence I usually tried to quickly pat it into my skin before it disappeared. It has a weird medicated oil scent which made me regretting my choice at that moment, however, I become used to the scent after several usages.

It has a layer of yellowish oil-like stains on the top layer which made me check it out at the local Sephora stores just to confirm that its meant to be like that. I made it a point to shake the bottle each time I used it, to avoid getting that murky yellowish stain all on the face.

It has a minty tingly feeling and my skin become smooth after several minutes. It lasted for the next few days. Almost unbelievable, I would say. I love it so much during that period. Soft, smooth and radiant. I had the urge to get another bottle just for my mum's wrinkled skin because its just so wonderful.

I usually used this as part of my toner regime, and before my moisturiser. My moisturiser and make-up goes on well, after using this, since my skin have become softer and smooth.

However, I am dismayed that it contains alcohol and as the 2nd ingredient in the list. Can't they substitute it with something else?

And after loving this product so much, I took a break in between and stopped using this product for several days. My skin turns dehydrated and rough and so I switched back to using this. And guess what? It does not work anymore. No more soft and smooth skin. I just cannot understand it. Its almost as if I have day-dreamed the whole wonderful episode. Am I? Did I?

I also have to proclaim that I did not feel any firming effects since the first use, so does that meant that perhaps my skin is still young? lol...

Shop on Amazon :
Caudalie Beauty Elixir

Main Ingredients :
Grape, Orange Blossom, Rose, Balm Mint (Melissa Officinalis) Extract (Organic), Myrrh Extract

Ingredients :
Aqua (Water), Alcohol*, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Water*, Parfum (Fragrance),Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil*, Potassium Alum, Glycerin*, Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil*, Commiphoramyrrha Extract*, Styrax Benzoin Resin Extract*, Melissaofficinalis (Balm Mint) Leaf Oil*, Rosa Damascena Flower Oil*, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract*, Citral*, Citronellol*, Farnesol*, Geraniol*, Limonene*, Linalool*. * Plant Origin.



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Review : Shills Hyaluronic Shaking Mask

Product Description
Recommended for dry skin, this miracle gel mask turns into water after shaking and hardens back into a gel after application. Active ingredients help to deeply moisturize and rejuvenate the skin.

How It Works
Keep Shaking for 3 seconds, gel amazingly turns into water essence. Apply to face like a skin mask for deep hydration and water balance. Keep your skin moist and supple.
This gel-water-gel technology uses a quadratic kinetic energy. It utilizing a special condensation crystal sphere to penetrate the essense deep into skin

First kinetic energy: Solid gel state turns into a liquid state. This solid gel technology is able to quickly change into watery liquid (rich in rose & pearl water essence) to be infuse deep into skin.

Second kinetic energy: Liquid state turns to solid gel state. The liquid returns to form a sealing moisture membrane on the skin surface and prevents water from being volatilize into the air.

Thus this helps to moisturize and rejuvenate the skin, balances sebum secretion, control oil shine, tighten pores and gets rid of the acne scars. Skin repair and care, the Hyaluronic aqua shake mask brings to you an amazing experience of firming, whitening and hydrating.

I bought this from Beauty Bistro for $9.95, down from the usual $19.95. It was quite a steal and I thought I would just try and see if its indeed such a miracle.

 
I have been using this for the past 2 months ( over 50% used up ) and I can only conclude that the effects are only temporary.

 
It is packaged in a hard plastic bottle which is not very user-friendly. Its just too difficult to get the contents out of the bottle. According to the instructions on the packaging, I am supposed to shake the bottle and the gel-like contents would become fluidized and hence able to flow out from the bottle easily.

 
However, after shaking the bottle for a short while, only some of the contents have turned to fluid, and only little squirts of the contents splashed onto my palms as I tried to further shake the bottle. I thought it was quite messy. 

Next, I tried to squeeze the hard plastic bottle, in order to get the contents out, but the bottle is too hard and after pressing on it for several times, the bottle broke abit. Urgh, another mess again. Thank goodness that the label on the bottle helped to seal in the crack.

There are some tiny white beads within the gel and I am supposed to massage it on my skin. The transparent gel with a slight tinge of blue colour, is refreshing cool and has an almost slippery gel-like texture.

Initially when I started out with this mask, there was not much results on my skin. I used it when my skin was dehydrated but I cannot feel any hydration improvement on my skin after rinsing it off. In fact, my skin feels even more taut, which is quite bad.

 
However, I still continue to use it faithfully, to see if there is any improvement.

Next, I used this mask after a scrub and finally, I did see some positive results yet not entirely positive. I experienced some itchiness on the skin after 20minutes which I quickly wash it off. This itchiness does not happen every time. Only once. That one time, was after several usages of the mask. 

It was fine, on other times. My skin did indeed become smoother ( probably due to the scrub as well ) and much hydrated thereafter. However its only temporary as the effects did not last till the next morning.. I also did not see any whitening and firming benefits too.

 
So will I repurchase this item? Probably not.

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Japanese Glow Magazine with Laura Ashley Tote

Since there was a 20% discount across all Kinokuniya outlets for these 3 days, I was lucky to be able to snag this at $15.20 ( original price at $19), as it was out of stock previously.
Made of satin polyester and PVC, this small boxy tote measures 23cm x 24.5cm x 15cm
It was smaller than I expected but I am still pleased with anything that has English floral prints.

Review : Simple Facial Cleansing Wipes

Product Description
Our Cleansing Facial Wipes are a perfect blend of cleansing and vitamin goodness to refresh and tone your skin. Perfect for even sensitive skin.

Benefits
PRO-VITAMIN B5 actively restores, softens and smoothes
NO ALCOHOL, NO OIL
NON DRYING and NON GREASY
NO PERFUME, NO COLOUR
NO UNNECESSARY or HARSH CHEMICALS so it won't upset your skin
Dermatologically Tested and Approved

I bought this specially for the Japan trip when I heard that a friend of mine used this frequently without any breakouts. Its a great alternative to cleanse away make-up while travelling. Basically just use and throw away. Lesser weight on the luggage too.
At $13.80 for 25 sheets, its pretty affordable. I only wish for smaller packet because 25sheets pack is pretty thick and I usually do not need that many sheets, unless on a longer trip.

The adhesive is not that strong, after using 10 sheets, the adhesive is starting to lose its stickiness which is a big no-no as the wipes may get dried up easily.
There is no scent and each sheet is pretty generous as its quite big ( about 15cm by 18cm ) and thick and definitely more than enough for my whole face. However, I am surprised that its not as wet as I thought. Its just moist and I wondered if it would dry up in a shorter time than expected.
It does leave a residue after each wipe and I would usually follow up with a cleanser. It managed to remove my normal non-waterproof mascara without any problem.

My skin did not feel tight or taut and there were no breakouts on my sensitive skin.
However, I do find the wipes abit rough for the delicate skin. Its not exactly soft. Its more like a textured wipe.
For those who are not aware of this brand, Simple is actually the number 1 brand in UK but I do not think I would be getting this again, because of the scratchy and almost abrasive cleansing wipe.
It did cleanse off my make-up but I am not that confident of heavier make-up gunk. I usually use quite light to moderate make-up.

Ingredients
Aqua, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Panthenol, Ceteareth-20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate, Disodium EDTA, Ceteareth-12, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol, Propylparaben, Sodium Citrate, Pantolactone, Citric Acid

Review : L'occitane Shea Hand Cream

Product Description
Enriched with 20% shea butter, this super creamy balm penetrates quickly to protect, nourish and moisturize hands.

A super-smoothing and best-selling synergy of 20% Shea Butter, honey and sweet almond extract, blended with the light and alluring aromas of jasmine and ylang-ylang essences. Texturally pleasing balm glides on and absorbs to help heal and protect dry or dehydrated skin. Anti-oxidizing vitamin E helps nourish. Invites even the most hard-working hands to a fresh beginning.

My last Sephora purchase from USA included a L'occitane Hand Cream Bouquet back in July which comprises of this 30ml Shea Hand Cream.

 
Shea Butter is used traditionally by African woman to soothe and smooth skin exposed to Earth's fiercest ultraviolet conditions and it is considered a good moisturiser ingredient.

I have always wanted to try L'occitane famed hand creams for the longest time but the prices are way out of my budget. Thankfully Sephora came to my rescue with a Hand Bouquet which comprises of  4 different hand creams for me to try out, in a friendly travelling size.

 
This Shea Hand Cream is L'occitane number 1 bestseller, so it must be good, I reckon. It comes in a silver tube which is non-slippery, unlike Crabtree and Evelyn type.

It certainly smells very nice and when I walked into a meeting room, everyone asked me what the smell was. Its indeed addictive. I have both the 30ml ( in office) and 15ml ( in my bag) sizes.
The content is white in colour, which is normal for hand creams. Of a thick texture, it penetrates quickly into the hands without leaving a greasy after feel, it is supposed to make my hands soft and smooth.

Everyone seem to rave about this hand cream but I think I am going to be the first one to say that I do dislike this hand cream. It absorbs well into my hands but I hardly feel any moisturising effect thereafter, in fact, I do find that I need to reach for the hand cream more than ever, just to feel that my hands is well protected from the air-conditioned office. 

My hands just feel nothing, or should I say, it just feels dried-out so I have to re-apply again and again. Its not worthwhile for me to spend about $45 on the 150ml here.

Where To Purchase : Amazon | Shopee

Ingredients :
Water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyacrylamide, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract, Honey Extract, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Ceteareth-33, Alcohol Denat, Chlorphenesin, Methylparaben, Fragrance, Althea Officinalis Root Extract, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Fruit Extract, Laureth-7, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Coumarin, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Hexyl Cinnamal, Alpha-Methyl Ionone, Limonene.