VMV Hypoallergenics Moisture Rich Creammy Cleansing Milk

Product Description
A very gentle, moisturizing and ultra-rich facial cream cleanser for dry — even very dry — skin.
Contains a blend of organic and hypoallergenic ingredients to revive dry skin, including:

• Organic virgin coconut oil (grown and cold-1st-pressed on our own farms) whose fatty acids are native to skin for ideal moisturization and barrier therapy care.
• Glycerin for added moisturization.
• Monolaurin, a coconut-derived anti-microbial to help prevent itching and infection.

Rich with soothing antioxidants. Gently washes away dirt while soothing, calming and adding supple moisture to extra-sensitive dry skin. Helps prevent flaking, discomfort, tightness + other concerns that can be common to over-treated or irritated dry skin.

Validated Hypoallergenic:VH -76/76. 100% All-Types-Of-Fragrance-Free. 100% SLS + Allergenic Surfactant-Free. 100%, Dye-Phthalate-Paraben + Preservative-Free. Non-Comedogenic. Usage + Patch Tested. For men, women, teens and younger (ages 9+).

With their Skintangible "Faint"ation BBBB cream as my all-time favourite BB cream, I added the VMV Hypoallergenics Moisture Rich Creammy Cleansing Milk into my shopping cart, thinking it might be suitable for my skin type as well, together with the BBBB cream purchase direct from their USA site sometime back. The 30ml size costs US$8 but unfortunately, it doesn't quite work for me.

I have a soft spot for cleansing milk as it is known to be nourishing and gentle for sensitive skin. VMV Hypoallergenics Moisture Rich Creammy Cleansing Milk seems like the perfect cleanser to what I am looking for.

It has no scent and the white creamy milky texture looks delicious and mild but only until it touches the skin. I could feel a slight squeaky sensation that causes a tad drying feeling on my face. And that is my telling cue of the suitability of this cleanser for my skin. My sensitive nose wings turned red and is flaky and dry after the first use. Subsequent usage yields the same result and that is a definitely no-no for me.

Source : VMV

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask

Product Description
FAB Ultra Repair® Instant Oatmeal Mask is the perfect antidote to dry or distressed skin. With this 10 minute fix, skin is rehydrated and soothed. The result: soft, smooth, supple skin. The formula blends a duo of protective oats (Colloidal Oatmeal and Avena Sativa Oat Bran) with botanical antioxidants and skin nourishing ingredients to repair and revive the skin.


BENEFITSCalms, nourishes and soothes distressed skin. Rehydrates and smoothes parched, rough skin. Combats free radicals. 
FEATURES
No Parabens, Harsh Chemicals or Colorants. 
Safe for Sensitive Skin.

Key Ingredients :
RELIEVE ITCHING and IRRITATION: Colloidal Oatmeal
REDUCE INFLAMMATION: Bisabolol
MOISTURIZE and NOURISH: Shea Butter
COMBAT FREE RADICALS: Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract (Sea Buckthorn), FAB Antioxidant Booster

I have a mini notebook which I will usually record down the list of products that I wanted to try out and First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask is one of them. With the Sephora 20% storewide sale, it was a good chance for me to snag them at $28 instead of the original $35.

In the facial salon which I visited regularly, they usually use oatmeal mask on my skin for nourishment, hence I have some expectations where it comes to First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask. Unfortunately, it is a very medicore mask which hardly does much on my skin.

Made in USA, this instant oatmeal mask is allergic tested, fragrance free, paraben-free, phthalates-free and colorant-free and you only need 10 minutes to get the job done. At 56.7g, the tube is travel-friendly and depletes pretty quickly too, as you need to use a generous layer on the skin.

The instant oatmeal mask, with a medium consistency and tiny bits of oatmeal which thankfully, isn't too difficult to remove with water, looks and feels like a creamy oatmeal spread on the skin. The scent smells delicious too.

While it is a gentle and mild product, feels almost cooling, calming and comfortable during usage and makes my skin pretty smooth after treatment but it doesn't do much to improve the hydration level on my dehydrated skin at times.

The product description states that it is recommended to use 2 ~3 times per week but despite that, I didn't feel that it nourishes the skin as much as I thought. In fact, I hardly feel a difference on dehydrated skin after each treatment. On optimal skin, it works well, to maintain its condition.

In terms of itchiness and irritation, I tried to test its effectiveness by using it whenever I have slight eczema flare-ups between the eyebrows and it virtually does nothing at all, to improve the condition.

A product which I can use to maintain my daily skin condition but not one which I will reach as an emergency fix.

According to Paula, the instant oatmeal mask actually has a moisturising and emollient formula with an impressive amount of skin-soothing oatmeal, with rich plant butters and oils that function as antioxidants. So, with a leap of faith, you may consider trying it, who knows, your skin type may have better luck than mine.

Ingredients :
Aqua (Water, Eau), Colloidal Oatmeal, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Caprylic/Capric/Myristic/Stearic Triglyceride, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Octyldodecanol, Glycerin, Lactobacillus Ferment, Polysorbate 20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Decyl Glucoside, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium (Feverfew) Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Bisabolol, Vanillin, Polysorbate 60, Xanthan Gum, Dimethicone, Potassium Sorbate, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium EDTA

Source : FAB

15-second trick for smaller pores and a V-shaped face

Here’s the hangover recipe you never knew you needed. My beauty hack requires the most perfunctory prep the night before. Decant the tiniest bit of toner into water straight from the tap – I’d say approximately one to five, proportions-wise – then give everything a good stir before chucking your container into the fridge. Done? Good, you’re free to shuffle off to bed.

The morning after, simply step out of the shower and dunk your clean face into the deliciously cold brew, then caress the contours for 15 seconds or so. (Pay special heed to the cheek and jowl areas, where most of the sagging and bagging occurs.)

The result? You’ll see an instant depuffing effect, alongside a reduction in ruddiness, pore size and such – essentially any and every cosmetic concern.

How does all of this work? Let me explain. You may be aware that irritated post-party facial bloatedness (“erythema” in derm-speak) is due to the dilation of pores and blood vessels on the skin’s surface. To dial back the blotchiness, you’ll need to shrink said pores and vessels, which is where the cool liquid comes into play. (And sceptics out there: I have science to back me up on this!)

Wait, why not use plain ol’ toner, “neat” out of the bottle? Besides the (pun alert) cool factor, there’s also the inconvenient fact that most toner-type products are quite dear on the purse. It’s also really shiok to be able to use as much of this watered down (but still pretty darn effective) solution as you like; carefully dispensing one measly drop of toner on a sorry square of cotton pad is not the way to live, guys.

Want to be the ultimate budget Barbie? Skip the toner altogether and splash off with water spiked with cucumber slices instead. 

Source : Herworld

3 best Singapore foods for acne & brightening

1. GREEN TEA FOR ACNE

Green tea is great for your skin and when taken orally, the potent polyphenols in the emerald elixir sops up harmful radiation from solar rays, making it a useful adjunct to your daily dose of sunscreen.

It is also peerless in terms of fighting age-accelerating free radicals. A growing body of research in the Archives of Dermatology points to your calming cuppa’s anti-inflammatory potential – these come courtesy of catechins, which are antioxidants that help to ease skin inflammation in the form of blotchiness and blemishes.

2. SEAWEED FOR SKIN BRIGHTENING

Here’s why this marine manna is so good for you. The most direct beautifying benefits stem from seaweed’s stress-alleviating stockpile of riboflavin and pantothenic acids.

These B-vitamins bolster your body against fatigue by fortifying your adrenal glands, helping to soothe stress-induced skin sallowness.

In short, don’t forget to eat your sea veggies – ask the canteen auntie for an extra spoonful in your fish soup the next time you’re lunching!

3. SUNFLOWER & OTHER SEED OILS FOR DRY SKIN

The essential fatty acids (the “Omegas”) found in flax seeds and nut oils have the most cosmetic cache.

Like lubricating an engine, Omega 3 and Omega 6 – they’re found in most vegetable oils used for Asian stir-fries – serve as reinforcers for fragile cell membranes, allowing said membranes to sop up precious moisture for plumper, younger-looking skin.

To maximise your oil’s hydrating powers, splash out on top-notch products labelled “expeller-processed” or “cold-pressed”; these salad-quality condiments are only gently heated, which means all of their enzymes and essential fatty acid goodness can work their magic on your dry, flaky skin.

Now for a small caveat. “Good” oils are still calorific treats best partaken of in modest quantities (no more than two tablespoonfuls, ideally). Everything in moderation!

Source : Her World

Review : Dermalogica UltraCalming Redness Relief Primer SPF20

Product Description
Counteract telltale skin redness and balance skin tone with this soothing, translucent primer tinted with natural green botanical extracts. Velvety silicones smooth the skin and strengthen barrier protection while physical sunscreen shields the skin from irritating UV rays. Oat Extracts and Oat Kernel Oil help soothe and condition the skin. Contains our exclusive UltraCalming Complex, which helps soothe and strengthen the skin. Formulated without artificial fragrances, colors or parabens.

Benefits :
- A make-up primer, sunscreen and redness-reducing treatment in one
- Green tint to help counter redness
- Broad spectrum helps defend against skin-irritating UV rays

I have not been using Dermalogica products for awhile, straying to other brands as none caught my eye. However, when I recently signed up a new facial package with Aster Spring ( I have been with Posh Wellness for the last 4~5 years ), I was given some samples to try out and that marks my return to trying out some of their new products.

They are very strict in giving out samples nowadays, even with their own customers which was a far cry from their old policy where anyone can step in to get some samples for trial. Only 1 miserable sachet of each product is provided each time, which is totally off-putting. I can easily request for samples with my purchases when I ordered Dermalogica products online, from USA. Cheaper and with efficient service too.

After my recent facial, I requested for a sample sachet of the Dermalogica UltraCalming Redness Relief Primer SPF20, hoping that it can counteract the redness at the wings of my nose, caused by broken capillaries and an on-off flu.

My sole purpose is to use it as a redness-reducing treatment which doesn't seem to work on my broken capillaries immediately, however, I have noticed that the redness has calmed down considerably ( note: minimized but did not disappear ) and is much less obvious after almost 30 minutes of wearing it beneath my VMV Hypoallergenics Skintangible "Faint"ation BBBB Cream and RMS Beauty "Un"Powder. Note that both the BB Cream and the loose powder I use does not have much concealing power on their own so I can only contribute it to the Dermalogica UltraCalming Redness Relief Primer SPF20.

On eczema flare up days ( redness near the brows ), the UltraCalming Redness Relief Primer SPF20 helps to minimize it slightly but redness is still apparent. I don't have a habit to conceal eczema as it tends to get scaly when make-up is piled on top of it but with this product, the scaly visibility is not that obvious while the redness is toned down slightly.

However, on dehydrated skin, like the edges at the sides of my nose, it can be flaky and the UltraCalming Redness Relief Primer SPF20 does not help at all. The area gets more obvious with flakes after application so I rather skip in using the product.

The Redness Relief Primer SPF20 has a silicon texture, making the skin velvety smooth. It feels like a combination of Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, Make Up For Ever HD Microperfecting Primer and Hourglass Veil Mineral Mineral Primer which I have used before.

There is a belief that such silicon primers are not good for the skin, causing breakouts and preventing the skin from performing its normal activities. ( read more about it here ). On the other hand, it is also said that the silicon helps to fill in imperfections like pores and fine lines, so that make-up glides on smoothly and skin looks flawless perfect.

A little goes a long way so a tube actually can lasts you for awhile. As a primer, it works to make my skin looks better and while I didn't notice that my make-up has become much long wearing, I can't complain about it too, since I don't really have such a problem nowadays ( with my skin being in optimal condition ( hydrated sufficiently ) so my make-up doesn't slide off ).

I don't use it as a sunscreen because SPF 20 is too little to be of any usefulness in Singapore, but it is still an added bonus, on top of my sunblock and BB cream.

In conclusion, it may be a worthwhile investment as a redness-reducing treatment and as a primer but for those who are wary of silicon ingredients, it is best to avoid this product.

Need a primer? Check out the latest Dermalogica Hydrablur Primer from Amazon.

Active ingredients: Titanium Dioxide (3.0%), Zinc Oxide (8.5%)
Other ingredients: Cyclopentasiloxane, Isododecane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Methicone, Lauryl PEG-10 Tris (Trimethylsiloxy) Silylethyl Dimethicone, Dimethicone/Bis-Isobutyl PPG-20 Crosspolymer, Dimethicone/
Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Water/Aqua/Eau, Polyhydroxystearic
Acid, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Oil, Bisabolol, Saccharomyces Lysate Extract, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Extract, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Melia Azadirachta Seed Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Amber Powder, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Flower/ Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Tumeric) Leaf Extract, Pearl Powder, Dodecene, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Pentylene Glycol, Glycerin, Alumina, PEG-10, Stearic Acid, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Silica, Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides CI 77492, CI 77499