Review: Hurraw Sun and Moon Lip Balms

Last I used to lipbalm was when LipIce started producing flavors like crazy. I'd see 2-3 range for Mentholatum with 6-7 flavors each. Now I;m back to using lip balms again for so many reasons. It first started after my terrible experience with Proactive products. It dried my skin terribly and my lips weren't sparred. My lips were so badly chapped that it hurts when I smile. I could feel those layers of skin being stretched to the limit and at one point it bleed. My Crazy Rumors Coffee Lip was missing and I was desperate since my dry lips were interfering with my sleep.

Googled and looked around LowYat for a while and came to the usual Crazy Rumor or Hurraw Lip Balm treatments. I was curious on Hurraw for their Sun and Moon lip treatments. Price was 2x compared to the lip balms available at our local drugstores but hey, they're lip treatments right? Glanced through their ingredients list and looked up some reviews. Most of them were singing high praises about the product. Guess who's singing next? =P

Yes I got both =P and no regrets!

These 2 babies cost a hefty RM60 in total. Yes, ouch all right >_o but like I said, no regrets =) Each Hurraw tube is handmade with raw, organic materials with no preservatives. Their core ingredients include almond oil, coconut oil, cacao butter, jojoba oil, olive oil, castor oil and candelilla wax.

SPF 15 Sun Balm

We love the Sun.  It's amazing.  We believe limited, smart exposure is actually pretty o.k. for the skin.  But for those long exposure times, our SPF 15 Sun Balm will give your lips the extra protection they need.It glides on silky smooth (and virtually clear) like our regular balms but we formulated it to be extra thick and creamy for longer staying power while out in those shining rays!  Juicy Tangerine and calming Roman Chamomile extract make it super delish for your lips.  Did we mention it is packed full of amazing cold pressed oils to moisturize, protect and heal your lips?Red Raspberry Seed oil: Exceptionally high in tocopherols, this lovely oil nourishes the lips, is anti-inflammatory and proven to help in the absorbance of the Sun's rays.  
Sea Buckthorn oil: Super rich and off the charts in essential fatty acids, carotenes, tocopherols, and phytosterols which are great for healing sun-damaged lips.
Pomegranate Seed oil: Deeply penetrating and an anti-oxidant powerhouse; remarkable for the outer epidermal layer of the lips.We use non nano Zinc Oxide in our Sun Balm.  Zinc Oxide is the only all natural, broad spectrum (blocks both UVA and UVB) sun screen available today.  Zinc Oxide is a mineral.  It protects your lips by sitting on top of them and thus, provides a physical barrier against UVA and UVB rays.  It actually deflects the rays away from the skin to prevent any harm.  For adequate protection it must be applied often.As an interesting side note, to get our SPF 15 factor verified, our balm was laboratory tested on...Humans!  

Moon Balm

A good night's sleep can be the best thing ever.  It's even better when you have lip balm on!  We have been using our Moon Balm Formula for years and thought other lip balm lovers would dig using a Night Treatment Balm as well.

Extra thick, creamy and rich; this balm has some serious staying power. The Vanilla and Peru Balsam scent will lull you to sleep.  Azulene packed Blue Chamomile lends a gorgeous green-blue color and soothes your lips for some true beauty z's!Check out what it's packin'...Avocado Oil: Thick and vitamin rich, exceptionally high in Vitamins A & E.  Highly recommended for sensitive and problem lips; rich in essential fatty acids.Rosehip Seed Oil:  Combats dry lips and has amazing anti-aging and rejuvenation properties.  Proven to regenerate skin, reduce scars, knock out wrinkles and UV damage.Meadowfoam Seed Oil: Amazing moisturizing and rejuvenating capabilities. Loves to adhere to lips making it a great assistant in preventing night time moisture loss. Argan oil:  Berber women Fair Trade harvest this amazing oil while the profits go back into preserving the argan forests. Super restorative; perfect to use at night!

Both balms work wonderfully! I honestly have absolutely no complaints about this. Both balms glide smoothly on my skin. I use the Sun Balm in the day and the Moon Balm after my shower. Both have good staying power and I've tried it. Ate my lunch a few times with the lip balm application and it's still there~! I can't vouch on the Night Balm scent lulling me to sleep since I don't really have problems sleeping but yes I'm in love with both balms~ They glide on so smoothly, smells so great (pssst the Sun balm smells of SUGUS! XD;;), good staying power and solve my chapped lips problem =)

I really used them like crazy since after the proactive incident, I came down with a fever and cold so both my lips and throat were so dry that I kept waking up every 2 hours just to drink some water =/. Now my lips are chapped cuz of the new clay cleanser I bought is drying out around the lip area (wtf face banyak problem). 

So yes conclusion? Very expensive and satisfying purchase lol~ If you're interested in ordering some Hurraw Lip Balms, you can get it from Makeover Now 

More information about Hurraw Lip Balms is available on their main website :3 http://www.hurrawbalm.com/hurraw/index.php

*goes apply the Night Balm before bed*

Nights! 8D

Esmeria Alpine Willowherb Range Review

Today has been a great day so I decided to blog a bit about Esmeria's Alpine Willowherb range. I took quite a long break from blogging since I was having trouble expressing myself and my busy schedule can't allow me to sit down and mull over what to write. Anyways, I received my long awaited samples from Esmeria and when I meant long awaited, it was to the point I've forgotten that I requested for those samples XD;;

The samples arrived in a customized packing just the right size for the sachets and the RM5 voucher. Way to go to tempt me to purchase the product ><

Esmeria is the first Malaysian Ecocert certified skin care brand. their aim is to have personal care products that are both eco-friendly and affordable! I requested my sample through their website and you'll have to answer the quiz which prescribes a suitable range for you. My skin is forever oily as far as I've known so it's no surprise that I got the Alpine and Willowherb range.

The Alpine Willowherb range is for Oily and Acne skin and the range comes with the 3 basics, cleansing gel, toner and moisturizing solution. I'll only be reviewing the cleansing gel and moisturizing solution.

Alpine Willowherb Purifying Cleansing Gel

Cleans and purify oily and acne prone skin with Esmeria's Purifying Cleansing Gel.
Gentle amino acid and sugar derived cleansing agents remove sebum from the skin without stripping away natural moisture.
Alpine Willowherb reduces oiliness calms sore and irritated skin while New Zealand Totarol extract offers powerful anti-blemish action.
This purifying cleanser soothes and reduces oiliness.

First thing that I noticed was that the sample sachet I receive was made from paper so I gave it +2 points! Firstly, it's recyclable and secondly, it's MUCH easier to tear the sachet off since our hands will be wet by the time we want to open the sachet to use. 

The gel texture was a lot smoother compared to other gel cleansers I've used. I suspect it's because of the aloe vera leaf juice which was one of the ingredients that made the gel 'glide' easily over my face. The way I described it seems funny but it's the best I can do =(. The sachet I received last about 3-4 days and within that period, I noticed that my face looked less red and my pimples shrunk a little =). It didn't help much with the oil controlling as my face was back to being oily after 2 hours.

Alpine Willowherb Purifying Moisturizing Solution

Soothe and purify oily and acne prone skin.
The wholesome combination of Aloe Vera, Alpine Willowherb and New Zealand Totarol Extract offers soothing, long lasting moisturization, a reduction in oiliness and helps prevent acne.
Esmeria's Moisturising Solution delivers non-oily, pure moisturisation.

I love the smell of the moisturizer as it's very mild and smells like those aromatherapy oils used during massage. It helped lull me to sleep 8D. So instead of applying it right after toner, I apply it right before going to bed lol. Other than that, there's nothing much I can talk about the moisturizer XD;;

For those who are interested to try Esmeria's skin care range, Esmeria Organics is having a promotion at Watsons, Sunway Pyramid. From October 24 to October 30, bring in a conventional (non natural e.g product with SLS, Parabens. PEG, Synthetic Fragrances & Colorant etc) skin care product and exchange Esmeria Organics Travel Facial Skin Care Set worth RM39.90 for free!!

or

Bring in a conventional (non natural e.g product with SLS, Parabens. PEG, Synthetic Fragrances & Colorant etc) skin care product and exchange Esmeria Organics Travel Facial Skin Care Set worth RM39.90 for free!!

Refer here for details of the promotion.
Esmeria Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/esmeriaorganics

Review: Nature Republic Tailor-Made Formula Concentration Patch

Blogging ALMOST feels like a chore these days because I found nothing worthy to blog about in my life. Most of the stuffs that happened are kinda short or lack of photos so I ended up not posting.

I found this patch interesting when I was stocking up on my acne stickers at Nature Republic so I bought it out of curiosity. Just as the name says, it's suppose to help with concentration so I thought I'll be able to use it on one of those sleepy days in office =P

 

The mask

The package is designed to tear off easily from the side. My first gripe about this mask....... everything on the back of the packaging is in KOREAN. To add on to my frustrations, there's barely any info on this patch that I could find online other than 'special patch for concentration' *rolls eyes*. I'm curious to know what are the active ingredients that claims to help in the concentration.... oh wells.

There's directions on how to use the mask on Nature Republic's website but I'll also put them here just in case.

DIRECTIONS:
1. After washing, apply toner
2. Peel clear film patch from backing
3. Fit on forehead and remove after 30 minutes to 1 hour
* Use 2-3 times a week for the best result.

The clear film patch.

There is the smell of Chinese herbs on the patch and it smells quite gentle-ish. I loved the cool feeling from the gelled area. It feels sticky but fraid not cuz it leaves no sticky residue! which is a huge plus point for me~ Overall I feel like I placed medicated flubber on my forehead haha.

No sadly I didn't feel like I could concentrate any better but we had fun doodling on the patch *flees* Well I guess it did solve my sleepy problem with the mess we made.Unfortunately, I can't find the picture of me with the doodled patch.

Review: Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque

Back in 2009, Kiehl's introduced the Rare Earth range formulated with Amazonian White Clay to help purify and detoxify skin, while minimizing pores. Sounds good right? =D Well it seemed like a miracle product judging by the reviews I've read so I decided to pick a sample from the nearest Kiehl's outlet. My pores have always been huge =S I've had people telling me that so I was crossing my fingers hoping it works.

The Rare Earth Collection comes with 4 items:

• Rare Earth Pore Refining Tonic, 250ml


• Rare Earth Pore Minimizing Lotion, 75ml


• Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser, 150ml


• Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque, 142g

I did get samples for the cleanser and tonic but I only tried the masque since I didn't want to break my skin regime for now as its been working wonderfully =).

Our Rare Earth masque helps purify and detoxify skin while minimizing the appearance of enlarged pores. Formulated with Amazonian White Clay to gently draw out oil, dirt and toxins that can clog pores. The addition of Oatmeal and Aloe Vera will help soothe, hydrate and protect sensitive skin.

Mmmmm I read that oatmeal also absorbs the excess oil from the skin AND in the pores while aloe vera is good for sensitive skin as it soothes and heals skin. As clay can be quite drying, this range is only recommended for normal to oily skin types. The sample sachet I got was more than enough for my face =D there was a bit of extra but I wan't keen on keeping in case it dries up >_<. Instruction says to apply a thin layer onto face and leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing.

I noticed a tingling effect while the mask was on my skin but I ignored it since it wasn't that bad compared to other masks I've tried but I immediately rinsed it off after time's up. My nose area was red but my skin felt clean and my pores are smaller, well they normally do look smaller after my bath so I can't go screaming happily yet.

The next morning I woke up and damn my pores are back to being big =( and my T-zone horribly oily by midday >_< Could it be that I need to use the whole range to see results? Or that I need to use the mask a few times before I can see results? It won't be something I'll buy if I can find a better smelling clay mask and since I haven't been able to see the desired results, I think I might weigh on the decision a bit longer.

Review: Kao Essential Damage Care Rich Premier Intensive Hair Mask

Whoa that seems like a mouthful for a product XD;; I read about this brand on XiaXue's blog and thought of giving it a try. Problem is that the Kao Essential hair care range isn't available in Malaysia *sobs* but thankfully we have such good friends 600km away! lol So I pleaded Gwen to bring a tub of that rich goodness the next time she swings by Malaysia. She passed me the product back in September I think but I didn't have a chance to use it as I just bought my Sunsilk hair mask at that time (and damn I hated it) T_T.

Essential Damage Care is specially formulated with high purity honey & milk protein to repair damage hair even to the last 15cm. Perfect for me since my hair has endured all kinds of chemical treatments in the last 3 years. I've bleached, highlighted, dyed twice, permed twice and rebonded my hair XD;; in a span of 3 years. Now the ends of my hair are so dry and frizzy from my abuse that despite conditioning them every day, I still wake up with my hair in tangles.

The Kao Essential Damage Care comes in 2 ranges which is the Nuance Airy (in Pink) for light and bouncy hair and the Rich premier (in Orange) for smooth and manageable hair. Obviously I picked the Rich Premier series considering the state of my hair! Kao Essential Rich Premier range is formulated with natural ingredients and contains protection ingredients like honey and milk protein and repair ingredients which is lanolin fatty acid. On top of that, the Rich Premier series contains sunflower oil essence which is the key to the smooth and manageable effect.

Cute tub? 8D

According to the demonstration, the hair mask is suppose to be left on for 15 minutes to get the full effect. Since I'm lazy, I used the mask in the shower after washing my hair and left it on for a couple of minutes. Just scoop out a generous amount of the mask and start coating your hair from the ends while avoiding the scalp area. The mask smells really sweet :3 me likeys~ Verdict? I love it! I could consider it as some intensive conditioning as my hair behaved really well for the next 2-3 days without any conditioner~!

The hair mask comes in a 200ml tub which can last for quite a long time and this is one mask that I can afford to be generous with because this masks costs only $9.90!!! which is only around RM24 roughly about the average price for hair masks in pharmacies.

Review: Ceutical Strawberry Ice Spring Mask

Sorry for the lack of reviews lately. I've stopped trying anything for a while as my skin is healing wonderfully so I'm not risking it! My cysts and pimples are all gone and my scars are just red spots =) Problem is, I don't know which is the product that is doing the wonders XD;; I've stopped the beauty drink and the acne serums for now and see what happens. It's amazing how fast my face recovered and I'm just so thankful for it *w*

I purchased this mask some time back in August when I saw it appearing in the LYN forums. So happens the ampoule seller I go to, brings in those masks so I purchased one of each *o* one of them is the Strawberry Ice Spring Mask.

Simple packing I like =D

Effect: To soothe & whiten skin. This mask helps to soothe dry & dull skin. It whitens skin & balances up oil secretion. Luminous skin is noticeable with just 1 application. Pores will also be reduced tremendously. Use 2-3 times weekly for better effect. Suitable for all skin types

Direction: After thorough usual cleansing, toning and applying serum, leave the mask on face for 15 to 30 minutes. Press lightly with fingertips to set in place over face. No rinsing is required. Discard mask after use

Ingredients: Strawberry essence, Hydroxyethyl cellulose, Ice spring, Citric acid, Malic acid, Vitamin, Amino acid, Calcium, Phosphor, Potassium multi microelements, Aqua, Diazolidinyl Urea

Now I'm not really a big fan of strawberry honestly. To tell you the truth, I detest the smell because most strawberry products just smell so sickly and artificial that it reminds me horribly of the fever syrup medicine that my doctor used to give me when I was little. Well peeps, the same goes for this mask. It's not as strong Body Shop's Strawberry range of stuff, the mask smells lightly of strawberries enough for me to endure the 15 minutes of having it on my face.

I love the packaging as there's an area for you to tear it off neatly =) and the description is short and to the point. Damn, all packaging should just me as short as this XD;; So according to the description, I'm suppose to have luminous skin and smaller pores.

After removing the mask, I did notice that my face has less oil and the effect lasts for up to 3 days, just in time for the next application. My skin did have that lovely healthy glow but my pores are still the same size D: I tried the mask 3 times a week but I find the effects are only temporary which means I have to continue using this mask for a very long long long term to have almost oily-free skin. T_T I was hoping it would solve my oily skin problem *sigh*. Oh well, at least that's the only skin problem I'm fussing over so far, I should just be thankful that my acne/cyst problem didn't last long ><.

Ceutical Strawberry Ice Spring Mask retails at around RM2.50 to Rm4.00 depending on the seller. I would recommend this mask as a short term solution for now =D it's good especially on the night before you apply heavy makeup (*hint* cosplay! *hint*).

Review: Baviphat Peach Peeling Gel vs Laneige Strawberry Yoghurt Peeling Gel

Woh I have so many exfoliators..... I have St Ives Apricot Scrub, Queen Helene's Mint Scrub and these 2 *points up* but I've been using peeling gels since September after my crazy breakout. Anyone who wants to take over my St Ives Apricot Scrub, do leave a note here and I'll arrange the meet up time with you. Back to the topic, I'll be doing a review on these 2 products.

Baviphat's Peach Peeling Gel

The all-in-one peeling gel is a multi-function skin treatment that claims to exfoliate dead skin, minimizes pores and brightens complexion with a single application. It contains peach extracts and vitamin C to whiten and brighten skin.

Directions: Apply all over dry face avoiding eye and mouth areas. Gently massage until it starts to clump up into dry flakes then rinse with lukewarm water.

For a product that is named as a peeling gel, it certainly doesn't look like a gel ._. the Peach Peeling Gel looks like sherbet and it smells absolutely heavenly, that I definitely can't deny! It's my second favorite scent after H2O's Raspberry Guava.

The sherbet~

Sad the tub doesn't come with a spatula so I washed my hands before dipping my fingers into the jar and scoop a generous amount. The stuff does feel a little dry and I find that it clumps and falls off easily from my face. After rinsing my face, I don't feel anything other than the fact I smell of peaches wherever I go lol. My face doesn't feel any cleaner and my blackheads are still there so even after a few days of using it, I still go back to my Mint Scrub.

The Baviphat Peach Peeling Gel retails at RM49.90 for 100g.

Laneige Strawberry Yoghurt Peeling Gel

Yes this is a gel alright!

It contains yoghurt extract, strawberry extract and exfoliating enzyme that that helps to remove dead skin cell and give your skin a healthy look. The soft gel formula does not irritate skin. Non abrasive and suitable for all skin types.

Directions: Apply over clean dry face. Massage for 1 minute then rinse with lukewarm water.

I find the smell a bit sickening. It smells like the less stronger version of  strawberry stuff at The Body Shop. The gel comes in a liquid form which makes it easy to spread over dry face and I find that my skin condition feels smoother if i use continuously. Thank god it doesn't promise to minimize my pores or that'll be something extra to diss lol. The Laneige Strawberry Yoghurt Peeling Gel retails at RM99 and is available at Laneige counters, not sure if they've replaced the product with the MultiBerry version yet =/ should probably go get a full size tub myself sometime soon.

Conclusion

I think by now you guys should know which one I'm leaning too XD;; Yes Laneige~~~ Using Baviphat's Peach Peeling Gel hurt at some point cuz my breakouts were so bad, even touching hurts =S but I didn't suffer from using Laneige's peeling gel since it was more liruid. Although the price is a bit steep and the smells sickens me to death, as long as it works, it wins my hearts :3 What's the point in buying things that don't work anyways? The Peach Peeling Gel has been donated to my big sister, Audrey >w< See if it works for her =P

Reminder: GIVEAWAY CLOSES TOMORROW AT 10PM =D Go join here!

Review: Lumiere Finishing Powder, Pure Silk

Oily skin has always been a huge problem for me. My face will get oily in just 2 hours after washing my face. It's even worse when I have makeup on, my face will look so oily like I have a layer of wax on my face! One of my friends was raving about how this product is awesome and holy grail worthy so I decided to pick it up.

Lumiere’s Silk Powder helps maintain moisture levels in the skin, prevent dryness, the crystalline structure reflects UV radiation, and has anti-bacterial properties.

Especially beneficial for oily or disturbed skin as it instantly evens and beautifies skin. Pure Silk is a transparent powder which is specially formulated to disappear into the skin, to reduce the appearance of pores and redness, and even skin tone for a more flawless-looking complexion.

Suitable for all skin types, especially oily skin
Finish - mostly matte, has a soft satin silkiness
Ingredients - real silk powder

Taken from LovingMinerals.com. The powder indeed is fine and light and you just need to tip a bit of the powder on the cover and swirl it with the kabuki brush before buffing it on the face. I've had this product for a few months and been testing it on different occasions. I don't find it holy grail worthy for my face but if I were to put the price in my consideration then this is probably a value for money product.

Firstly, the powder didn't help with the oil absorption on my face, period. I've tested the product with makeup on, without makeup on, when I go outdoors and when I'm indoors. Especially when I'm at work, I find my nose starts to get really oily after 2-3 hours followed by my forehead and cheeks 1-2 hours later but when it comes to dinner or shopping, my face wasn't as oily as my situation at work BUT STILL OILY *flip table*. I find that only my nose is very oily during those short outings.

I didn't notice any improvement on my complexion nor do I see my pores shrinking as the product claims. My face still looks as ugly and rough as the moon. I find that it's especially ineffective sometimes when I'm stressed out, guess my face produces more oil than the silk powder could handle. For RM58 for a 30gm jar, it's value for money but if your face is as imba as mine, I'd suggest you look for some alternatives.

Guest Review: Collistar Thermoactive Talasso-Scrub

Lots of thanks and hugs to SaSa for picking me to review the product! Would've been keen to review the BeautyFoot too since I would so love peeling the skin off XD;; Onto the product! I'll be reviewing Collistar's Thermoactive Talasso-Scrub in this entry.

The green gunk~

Collistar is a beauty brand founded in Italy 1982, expanding steadily in the market and is now at the top position in the Selective Perfumery market in Italy. In 2003, Collistar achieved First Place in the Global Beauté* (Make-up+Treatment).  Their products are sold exclusively in 2500 perfumeries and prestigious department stores and also 2000 points of sales abroad. Collistar believes in being innovative in both their formulas and packaging which lead them to be the first cosmetic company to have its product displayed in a museum.

That's a mouthful about them, now to the product! Collistar's Thermoactive Talasso-Scrub is a heat-effect treatment that is designed to exfoliate and reshapen the body. This amazing scrub contains sea salt, glycerine, green tea, ivy, fucus vasciculosus, fig shoots, Actisculpt, essential oils of rosemary and lavender and retails at about RM145 for a jar of 700gm.

The sea salt helps to exfoliate your skin instantly leaving it smoother, brighter and more toned while lavender and rosemary essential oils revive the skin and give energy and wellbeing to the organism. SaSa was kind to give us a deluxe sample size

How To Use

Mix the product with the spatula, our sample size doesn't come with a spatula so I took the spatula from my facial kit and mixed the gunk. Scoop a generous amount onto your palm and massage it on your body then rinsing it under the shower. The scrub is must be used on dry skin for greater exfoliation effect and best used once or twice a week.

My Thoughts

The moment I opened the tub, my bathroom was filled with the smell of the essential oils you smell at Thai spas. The grains of the scrub were much bigger than the scrubs I've been using @_@. The moment I started scrubbing it on my dry skin, I could feel the slight heat effect and it felt kind of weird scrubbing on dry skin. Feels like I was rolling in the hot sands of the beach lol.

After scrubbing vigorously, I rinsed with warm water and oh my gawd my skin felt awesomely smooth!!!! Especially my hands haha!!! It's the best scrub so far if you want to feel squeaky clean like after a body wax! XD;; I'm still feeling the heat on my tummy after my shower, please tell me its burning my fats! (yeah right lol).

Overall, it's a nice product if you want a Thai Spa at home but it's so pricey!!! =( Once again, thank you SaSa for selecting me and very sorry for the late entry!!!

Review: SebaMed Starter Pack

This is god sent! I bought this after I trashed Vichy and I've been promised good results so far! =D

SebaMed is a German brand of of Sebapharma GmbH & Co. KG which manufactures skin products have a slight acidic PH of 5.5. On average the pH value of the skin is 5.5. The slightly acidic pH value of the skin surface wards off germs and pathogens. Today, SebaMed is sold across 70 countries and some dermatologists recommend this brand besides Simple.

Imagine my horror when I compared the pricing in other countries to how much we can get it in Malaysia. In Thailand, I heard the price is as high as a counter product in Malaysia and in the USA, it's almost dollar for dollar price @@;; As for Indonesia, I read people are complaining how expensive the product is.

The kit costs RM25.90, pretty much the same as Vichy's starter pack and comes with a complete set of cleaner, toner and moisturizer UNLIKE VICHY >_>

Clear Face Teenage Cleansing Liquid (50ml)

Product features: 

• Effectively penetrates the pores for mild pore-deep cleansing


• New antibacterial active ingredient Montaline® C40 is a coconut oil derivative


• Protects against lipid erosion during cleansing, provides a hydrating and smoothing effect


• Panthenol supports the regeneration of the inflamed skin


• Kills bacteria within 5 min.


• Can be used on wet or dry skin


• Noticeable improvement of the “skin feeling” of the complexion


• pH value of 5.5 stabilizes the acid mantle

Indications: 

• Especially suited for cleansing in inflamed forms of acne (Papulo-pustulous acne)


• Also recommended for cleansing of dry skin and in adult acne


• Clinically tested

They call it a cleansing liquid but to be precise, it's foam =/ I was a bit worried since I've heard people complaining that foam cleansers in general tend to dry their skin. Thankfully, nothing serious happened :3 my face is still purging oil like an oil plant, ok not so bad but I still need to wipe my face in the middle of the day. The cleanser comes in a pump bottle with a cover so... no leaks yay!

The foam feels very gentle on my face =3, about 1 1/2 pumps was enough to cover my face generously with lather. The directions said to leave it on for 5 mins, you can feel the bubbles start top pop on your skin~~ =D Overall I didn't have any problems with this products and I get the squeaky clean feel I've always wanted! *w*/

Clear Face Teenage Deep Cleansing Toner (50ml)

Product features: 

• Witch hazel soothes irritated skin and has an astringent effect to contract the pores


• Removes excessive oil, sebum and dirt particles from the skin and disinfects it with alcohol


• Cucumber extract and hydrolyzed silk provide moisture to protect the skin against dehydration


• Panthenol supports the healing of acne lesions


• Allantoin smoothes the skin and makes it supple


• Can be used on wet or dry skin


• Tones and refreshes the skin


• pH value of 5.5 stabilizes the acid mantle

Indications: 

• Especially recommended for oily and combination skin to remove excessive oil after cleansing the skin


• Best suited for the use on the problematic T-zone


• Dermatologically tested

First thing about this toner.... IT BURNSSSSS OH GOD IT BURNSSSSSS >A< And I normally pop out my oil seeds before I bathe so after I shower, I apply the toner and start writhing in pain on my bed and hug my bolster tight tight =(. Shouldn't be that painful unless you have big cysts that you scratch out like me. No pain no gain as they say and I'm not complaining since my skin complexion seems better.

Clear Face Care Gel (10ml)

Product features: 

• Panthenol supports the healing of acne lesions


• Hyaluronic acid increases the moisturizing binding capacity of the skin


• Aloe barbadensis soothes irritated skin


• The pH value of 5.5 biologically inhibits the growth of acne bacteria


• Allantoin smoothes rough scaly skin


• No oils and emulsifiers


• No perfume


• No colorants

Indications: 

• Well suited for the care of all types of acne-prone skin

This gel is quite light but I find that it doesn't glide that smoothly on my skin. It feels a bit sticky and takes quite a while to get absorbed into my skin. I find my Garnier Aqua Defense glides more smoothly on my skin so that tub lasted more than a year where as SebaMed's Care Gel needs around the size slightly bigger than a 10 cent coin to cover my face.

----------

Overall Results:
After my skin care regime, my face always feel a bit sticky. Most probably due to the moisturizer but when I wake up, my face looks so fresh and my pimples are healing bit by bit. Progress is slow but it's there :3, my cysts are slowly shrinking and clearing up. Only thing left is the blood clots that seem to be much fonder of my face than the cysts were. Will probably see a derma on this once my cysts are gone.

Also, I haven't had a single breakout in the past 2 weeks! How great is that!!! =D One range that finally solves my pimple problems and prevents breakouts!!! Best part is this sample pack might take a while to finish since they were so generous with the quantity! My only complaint about this product is... the bottle isn't transparent!! so I can't tell when it will finish!! XD;; But it's a small problem I can live with if it is solving my face problem :3

PS: this post was drafted since last Thursday but I was just so lazy to complete it or do my research

Review: Vichy Normaderm Starter Kit

After experiencing Artistry, I decided to opt for a more affordable brand of skin care to experiment on. I noticed quite a few starter kits when I was at Watsons so decided to check it out. 2 of the brands that were on my list had starter kits =D It was between SebaMed and Vichy, both priced the same! I decided to try Vichy first since a few of my friends have been raving about it non-stop.

The pack has 5 items:

Vichy Thermal Spa Water (50ml)
This item is already RM18 8D. Recognized for its medical properties in favoring cellular exchange and in stimulating the skin's defense mechanism. It is also used in dermatology to strengthen the skin's tolerance and sooth skin.

Nothing much to say about this product as it works just about the same as my Avene Thermal Spring Water. Only difference is that it tastes a bit salty o_O

Normaderm Purifying Cleansing Gel (30ml)
Deeply cleanses and unblocks pores while removing impurities, sebum excess and unclogs pores. I love this cleanser compared to Artistry's cleansing gel hoho~ cuz it gives me that slight squeaky clean feel =D Yes, that squeaky clean feel is a must have for me when I use any cleansers otherwise my face feels so greasy after a few hours >_>.

Normaderm Imperfection Prone Skin Lotion (30ml)
Gently eliminates impurities and reduces sensitivity and redness. I'm guessing to apply this after cleansing? =/ There's not much mentioned about this product on the web =/ so I was confused wondering whether it's suppose to be a moisturizer or a toner? D:

Normaderm Refine Total Pore Resurfacing Essence (3ml)
Formulated with dual-action effect: Pore micro peeling + pore firming for a visibly pore-free skin. Pores are recontracted. Either Vichy is confident that users will be able to see the results with one application OR they're just plain stingy. I didn't manage to see the results and was even more shocked when the sample was enough for only ONE application =_=.

Normaderm Chrono-Active Anti-Imperfection Care (5ml)
Normalizes sebum production while you sleep and evens out complexion. I'm guessing this is a night cream?

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For a starter kit.... they have a hell lot of products to apply! There's no direction of which to apply first. I STILL don't know whether the lotion is a toner or moisturizer or just something similar to the Hada Labo lotion. The names given to each product (the additional ones) is a bit confusing =( and to top that up, my pimples show no sign of recovery and news ones were starting to bloom. Also, my face feels greasy at the end of my skin care regime using this pack.

So end of the day, this pack is a no-no for me D: thank god it was only RM25.90.

Review: Artistry Essentials Balancing Kit

Artistry is a world renowned beauty brand and among the top 5 beauty brands in the world. Marketed through Amway, this brand caters to all skin problems. The beauty of buying through Amway is that it has a 90-day return policy so I decided to give it a try. Few of my pals were using it and had good results.

Bought the Starter Kit Set

The starter kit comes with 3 full-sized items. The Balancing Cleanser, Toner and Lotion which comes with SPF15. I also got the pimple gel to treat my current acne problem.

Artistry Essentials Balancing Cleanser

• Best for combination-to-oily skin.


• Cleanses, clarifies, and exfoliates skin to a balanced finish.


• Contains patented exfoliation technology.


• Oil-free cleanser controls shine all day.


• Adjusts for continuous oil control.


• Safe for use on sensitive skin.

The cleanser comes in a gel form. I like gels cuz it's easy to spread so you'll only need very little for each wash. The 135ml bottle can g a looong way =D. I love how Artistry products smell <3 so gentle and sweet. The cleanser felt quite mild on my skin but it's missing that 'clean' feel I like to get after each wash. I'm starting to think maybe that's how all cleanser feels =/ It mentioned there that it exfoliates as well but I don't seem to feel the effect =( I'll explain more at the end.

Artistry Essentials Balancing Toner

• Best for combination-to-oily skin.


• Energizes skin revealing a fresh, matte finish.


• Oil-free toner keeps skin perfectly balanced throughout the day.


• Safe for use on sensitive skin.

The dealer told me this toner had some complications. Some of the users felt their skin itch after using it so she told me to soak the cotton pad with water and then pour the toner instead of directly applying the toner with a dry cotton pad. The toner contains some fiber at the bottom so make sure to shake the bottle before using =D. Nothing much to say about the toner, what else can I say anyways? D:

Artistry Essentials Balancing Lotion SPF15

• Best for combination-to-oily skin.


• Protects skin from the signs of premature aging.


• Features UVA/UVB and patent-pending free radical protection.


• Oil-free lotion keeps skin perfectly balanced throughout the day.


• Safe for use on sensitive skin.

The lotion felt very lightweight and I only needed a small amount to cover my face =3 My gripe about this product is that my face will be come oily after a few hours but when I wake up in the morning, the oilyness just seem to disappear.... weird really =O

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Overall, I just think my face is indestructible and Artistry just wasn't able to help me =(. I've been using the product for about 3 weeks and my face condition seem to worsen. My oil condition slightly improved but still oily. I can dab my finger to my face and see an oil stain there. What I'm very depressed is my pimples *sigh* My T-zone is pimple free but not my cheeks =(. My pimples are like nomadic beings, migrating from my t-zone to my cheeks =( searching for a place to breed for the next 6 generations *fantoi!*

What I liked about Artistry is how awesomely they smell <3 other than that, I can't use this product *sobs*

I'm sorry Artistry, you'll have to go ;__; All my reviews seem so negative lately.... damn face...

Review BeautyTalk Collagen Mask

Pic credits to aishop

As mentioned in some posts a while back, I picked up a packet of Beauty Talk Collagen Mask while I was in Singapore. The SA in SASA was recommending it and it came in cheap at about S$1.95 while in KL it retails for RM14.90 so I decided, why not =D.

The new “Beauty Talk” Collagen Facial Mask contains a rich selection of Collagen, High Concentrations of Hyaluromic Acid, Gingko, and Aloe Essence, to immediately hydrate dry, and darker skin with Anti-Aging effect. It whitens, softens, yields elasticity, enhances sheen and exudes more firmness to your face. Have a young, hydrated skin!

Hmm interesting enough, I've always read about collagen giving some miraculous effect on the face which was another reason I wanted to try it out. Most of the masks that I bought were are to help control sebum and minimize pores.

As usual, I always have problems with the sheet mask as it's huge and folded up in the mask packet. I accidentally ripped the mask a little as I was trying to unfold it. There's another layer of paper on the mask that you'll have to peel off before using. I left it on my face for 30 minutes as advised by the SA and had such a good nap, I was tempted to leave it overnight D8. The mask is dripping with essence makes me feel like it was worth my money =P

The verdict? I see no change on my skin D8 and I should've squeezed the mask a little before leaving it on my face cuz the essence was dripping up to my neck x_X and I hated it.  Other than that, the mask was cooling and it had a pleasant smell but it's not something I would repurchase since it's RM14.90 D8.

SASA is currently having a promo for those masks at RM5.90 a piece. Didn't work for me but it might for you guys =(

Review: Skinlite Relax Soothing Aloe Masque

I saw a couple of these masks going on sale at SASA quite cheaply so I picked a few to try. The mask comes in a 10g packet and 3 flavors, Aloe, Cucumber and Green Tea. Started on the Aloe first, hoping it would soothe my current breakouts. 10 grams could last at least 5 applications for me as the mask comes in a gel form so it's quite easy to spread on my face.

Transferred to a jar =D

Color looks almost similar to my Garnier Aqua Defense moisturizer. Apply the mask on a cleansed face. My skincare regime has been cut short since I'm using the Eumora soap now so I apply this mask once or twice a week (or whenever I can remember haha) if I'm not using Laneige's Sleeping Mask. I would highly recommend to stash this mask in the fridge before using, it feels like putting some comfortable ice on my face~ *sighs happily* My face does feel softer after rinsing the mask off but other than that, I don't see any other effects on my face XD;; It's a nice cheap mask to be used on a hot day though =)

Skinlite Relax Soothing Aloe Masque can be found at all SASA outlets, 3pcs for RM10 offer price XD

Review: Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

I'm on a review roll! I found out that besides St Ives, Queen Helene's scrub is also a star product with many good reviews so I ordered one bottle as the price is quite decent (around RM23 including shipping). Sadly this product isn't available in Malaysia so I had to join one of the spree threads in LYN. Item came in after 2 months, gosh I almost forgot all about it, but instead of a scrub, I found a Masque instead *stares* and my scrub is nowhere to be seen until now D8 The person managing the spree accidentally packed the wrong item in x_X thankfully the rest of the items are exactly what I ordered.

Anyways, this mask comes in a big tube, about 226.8 grams, quite a decent amount for that price. The tube material is very thick @_@ I suspect I might have difficulties squeezing it out when it's about to finish.  The mask is said to dry up pimples, shrink large pores and rinses away bleakheads. Now that definitely sounds like a solution for my nose area 8D;; The mask comes in an icky seaweed green color and smells minty or in Audrey's words 'Smells like Clorets!'. Suitable for those with oily skin as it latches on all the impurities and oil on your pores. After I applied it, I felt a burning sensation on my skin @A@;;; like someone applied cili padi on my face haha but the feeling didn't last very long. Left the mask on for 15 minutes and then rinsed my face with warm water.

I'm not sure if it removes my blackheads as I've never be able to tell =3=;; but I can tell you that my face feels much cleaner. I used it quite often lately as it relieves the pain on my pimples x__X. I've been suffering from huge breakouts thanks to the Eumora. Phillip says that it's the soap doing its job of detox-ing my face and the pimples should be gone by week 3. These are really some of the worst pimples I've ever had ;_; oil seeds are coming out non stop from the same pimple *facepalms* and my chin is suffering the worst *sigh* The pimples are so bad till it hurts to touch it D8 and they're so sensitive, I've accidentally popped it too many times in a day. Hope this phase passes by soon x_X.

Battle of Blushers!

I've finally received my NYX blusher after 2 months of waiting D8 so I took the chance to make a side to side comparison with my ELF blusher.

I had to wait till a Saturday to put these 2 blushers in natural lighting. Looks the same color doesn't it? XD;;

At a glance, both colors looks the same. ELF comes in a nice sleek package with a mirror which isn't really very handy =/ I would still prefer my compact mirror to look at while I do my makeup. I love the pan since it's big and wide so it's easy to cover the brush with blush powder. NYX blusher comes with a see through cover so it's easy to pick through the blush color of your choice if you have a few of these. I just hate the casing cuz it's so thick and looks cheap compared to ELF's. Price wise, i got the ELF blusher for RM10 while the NYX blusher was a bit pricy about RM20+

Swatches! On the left is from the NYX palette and on the right is from the ELF palette.

Both palettes are similar colors but when you swipe them, they turn out differently 8D;; The effects are different when I used the brush. The ELF blusher gives a very dewy finish on my cheeks and it's so subtle that it won't show in photos lol. The NYX swatch looks very dark but when I took the powder with my brush, the color came out just right on my cheeks <3. I'm so tempted to trash my ELF palette now cuz it's very difficult to get the color out x_X.

Review: Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Fresh

Ah yes~ The famed cleansing oil is now in my hands mwahahhahahahahaha *coughs*. It took me 2 years to buy it =w=;; All this while I've attended their cleansing oil demos and seen good results so I thought of buying it but being a student, it's really pricey to spend RM260 at one go for a cleansing product D8 Now that I'm working, it's an entirely different thing! *_* I bought the cleansing oil some time last month as they had a RM10 rebate for every RM100 spent so me and Ying Ling got a bottle of cleansing oil each and the eyelash curlers as well. Both which are the star items of Shu Uemura. Oh yeah, we both became Shu members too =D I got the pink bottle as it's suitable for oily or acne prone skin :3

I came home and immediately opened the cleansing oil and started using it. After cleansing my face, I still had the greasy/oily feeling on my face but after patting my face dry, I get this velvety feeling on my face which feels kind of weird. At first I thought maybe I didn't wash it properly, but even after a week of using and rinsing it 5-6 times, I still get that greasy/oily feeling so end up I had to use 2 cleansers just to have my face clean. Other than that, it works as a great makeup remover but honestly, I could achieve that with Fasio's makeup remove and Biore's cleansing wipes and that only costs less than RM50 altogether!

This is just my opinion on the product. I'm sadly one of the 10% of the population that can't use this D8. Most of the reveiws are good if you check online. If anyone's interested, I'm selling this away for RM190 (450ml) used less than 10 times. Other skincare items such as Assata Scar Serum and Polynia Face Scrub, you can refer to my selling thread here.

Review: Leptin Slimming Cocoa Weight Loss Drink

Oh this is so overdue. I bought 2 boxes of this in June, just enough to last 1 month and 1 week. I normally take this after my breakfast and I'll be full for the rest of the day haha.

Directions: Take one pack a day in the mid-morning with 100ml hot water (serve as traditional hot chocolate). Recommended minimum of 2 litres of water per day.

This drink comes with a huge problem for me, which is to drink 2 liters of water a day =A=;; I barely drink 500ml a day and this is asking for 4 times more @_@ so I got a 1 liter bottle to keep on my desk so that I can keep track of my water consumption. I had to stop the next week since I had my period TwT but the effects were noticeable =D I lost 3kg after using Leptin for a week (5 days to be exact), my brain was more alert than usual and I find it much easier to wake up in the morning. Even after a week of not consuming Leptin, my appetite did not grow any bigger XD and also I am much more awake during boring meetings hahaha which is a huge plus point for my books.

I got this Leptin drink from an LYN seller here. Do buy from her if you're interested as she's very quick in responding and was so kind to include a few plums with my parcel <3 No I am not paid to advertise this lol.

My Experience with Eumora

Nao's brother Phillip recommended this soap to me I think at least a year ago but I refused to use it cuz being stubborn as I am, I was hoping for a skincare product that could suit my problematic face. I'm suffering from majorly huge acne breakouts, skin that is oily enough to remove liquid eyeliner off my eyes and dry cheeks. With the amount of freebies I'm grabbing and trying, I thought I'd sure find the perfect skin care solution for me but this month my acne just got a lot much worse =(. I tried switching my skin care, changing my diet and slept before 12 =( but after 2 weeks, all I see is more pimples popping up like mushrooms.... there were about 5 HUGE ones around my chin area ONLY!! *screams and tears hair*

After debating so long, I finally decided to order a bar of soap from Phillip since it was only RM50 a bar now. This product is your one stop solution for every skin problem and it replaces your cleansers, toners, moisturizers, serums, sunblock to give you radiant flawless skin. Now wonder why am I so skeptical about this product? So starting from Last Monday, I halted all my skincare products and only used the soap... and I was flying in the clouds for the rest of the week!

24 hours after using the soap, the 2 major pimples on my nose was going down and they were less red! From the looks of it, they shouldn't leave a scar on my face! <3 The last time I had these pimples around that area, it took ages to disappear and the scar was there for at least 1 month+ before it disappeared!!! Day 2, I start to notice that my pores are not so gigantic and my face looks less saggy =D Some areas on my skin seems to be flaky and there's some small scabs near the places where my skin is peeling. I searched online and seems like this is the effect of the products as it dries the skin to kill the pimples. The drying sensation is also caused by the combined effect of pore tightening and the skin peeling is the removal of dead skin cells while the tightening feeling is the firming effect (description taken from A Beauty Haven). Can it be, my pore tightens and squeezes out the dirt? 8D I hope so!

While I was using the soap, I noticed that it smelled terrible, turns out it was just the smell of the dirt surfacing on my face o___o. I'm superbly happy with this soap~~~~ =D so I won't be hunting cleansers for a loooong while *_*

Review: ELF Studio Blush in Tickled Pink

My ELF Bush in Tickled Pink

I never had the patience for the sprees in LowYat Forums so I dug deeper and found someone selling their ELF blusher. It's slightly cheaper AND I don't have to wait~ =). The blusher comes in a similar casing as the NARS Orgasm and it gets smudged quite easily >_<. I was fiddling with it in office and I have really oily hands so it only took 2-3 sheets of tissue to get the smudges off =). There's no brush included with this blusher but I have no problems with that as my main requirement for blushers is to have them in a big pan =D so that I can swipe my big fluffy brush all over it.

Since I was too impatient to swipe it at home, I swiped it with my finger at office XD;;; Surprise, surprise there's a sheer mark of the blusher on my fingertips. The color is very similar to Benefit's Dandelion. I tried taking picture of the blusher but it was just too light unless I use flash T__T. It's not a blusher I would throw aside, the color is perfect for day makeup as it gives you a natural flush on your cheeks. It's not as pigmented as many reviews mentioned but it you're on a budget, this is your blusher. I have no regrets spending my RM10 on this blusher =D as Dandelion costs RM139 *shoots self* I will make a comparism with my NYX blusher as soon as it arrives =D