Juice Beauty, The Organic Solution

They say you are what you eat and the saying also applies to what your skin 'eats'. Did you know that the skin absorbs 60% of what is placed on it? Of course that doesn't mean we have to stop our skincare regime and go all naturale. It's all on finding the right products with the right ingredients for your skin~

Few weeks ago, I collected a Juice Beauty box from Tammy from OnlyBeauty. The box reminds me a lot of the beauty box hype that's invading the blogsphere XD;; The brand Juice Beauty isn't new to me as I've heard about their store opening in The Gardens back in 2010 but it has never really occurred to me to try out their products.

Tadaaahhhh my Beauty Box! :3

When I first got the box, I squealed cuz it looks so cute like a vintage lunch box!!! :D

Summary of Juice Beauty's brand info

The box even has a handle so you can carry it around! :D

Juice Beauty's mission is to bring high efficiency, authentically organic and pleasurable beauty solutions to people worldwide. What makes Juice Beauty so special is that their products have 100% certified organic juice base which brings the total organic content up to 98% in every product. Because of their high organic content, Juice Beauty's organic products is also believed to give better age defying and blemish clearing results compared to conventional products.

I won't bore you with anymore statistics so to read up more on Juice Beauty, please head to http://www.juicebeauty.com/ haha. For a brand that started in 2005, they have quite a wide product line ranging from skin care to hair care and even makeup as well! Onward to revealing the box contents! :D

Juice Beauty goodness all in a box :)

Products inside the box

1. Cleansing Gel 
2. Oil-Free Moisturizer 
3. Blemish Clearing Serum
4. Stem Cellular Repair Moisturizer 
5. Stem Cellular Eye Treatment

Thank you OnlyBeauty for the goodies! *O* Upon opening the box, I could immediately smell the citrus scent from the products <3. Super love the scent compared to the fragrant flowery kind of scents :D. Today during my shower, I tried the cleansing gel

Nice travel size :D Should probably leave at bf's house and use it when I stayover hehe

Juice Beauty Cleansing Gel, a refreshing blend of certified organic, antioxidant cherry and lemon juices, purifying botanicals and soothing cleansers to gently remove impurities to clarify and balance, while protecting skin's natural moisture.

Surprisingly it has an open-close pump! :D Makes it perfect for travel as it prevents the contents from leaking into your luggage.

Only need this much for my face :)

Oh yes no kidding, I only needed that much for my face as the gel spreads pretty easily. Color kinda reminds me of a more concentrated fruit enzyme, even the smell smells like the fruit enzyme my mum used to have at home haha!

After cleansing, my face doesn't feel tight or have the 'squeaky' effect which is good :). My current cleanser was giving me problems since I always feel like there's slight oily residue after cleansing but I've always ignored it since it does a good job of balancing my face oil. Lets see if Juice Beauty can help balance my face oiliness too hehe <3

Note: Products were provided by OnlyBeauty but whatever I've expressed here is entirely based on my own understanding and opinion. Again, thank you OnlyBeauty for the opportunity :) Do join their member's circle at http://www.onlybeauty.com.my/ as there's lots of opportunities to get samples to try before you invest in the full-sized product.

Review: BeautyFoot Day 3 to the End

Call me lazy! But yes the thought of 7 posts full of my feet peeling aren't very pretty so I crammed them all into 1 post. That and also I was too lazy to blog the progress all of a sudden orz. So sorry for leaving my blog unattended for more than a month but I had a pretty exciting month that kept me out most of the time XD;; Moving on to the review!

Day 3

As you can see the skin has started peeling after my shower. An important lesson learned on that day... DO NOT PEEL THE SKIN NO MATTER HOW TEMPTED YOU ARE. I picked at my skin for a good 45 minutes. From this, I peeled till almost half of the skin on my feet are gone, leaving brand new skin in the open orz. The parts of the new skin felt a bit sensitive since I forced peeled it T_T. Really, it's not hard or painful to peel it off. Just a little tug and it comes off and I went on a peeling spree orz.

Day 4

Day 4, the skin is peeling worse than a snake shedding its skin lol! This is the result of me peeling like crazy ~_~;;; The fact that my feet was constantly exposed to water during the rainy season increased the peeling process. This photo is also taken after my shower but I trimmed as much skin as I could before going to bed. Wouldn't want my bed or house to be littered with skin =P

The top of my toes also started peeling~

Day 5

There's not much skin to trim off for that day but I do detect a sour odor from my feet >_> which I suspect it's because of the decomposed skin being left there for days. Thank gods I wore flip flops most of the day. Halfway throughout Day 6 I finished peeling all the skin so there wasn't any picture to take T_T;; but the top of my toes were still shedding and there was a bit more left by the end of the week.

Review: BeautyFoot Day 2

My bad for not updating!!! I admit I've been lazy =/ After washing the gel off, my feet felt like it was coated with a tight layer of wax lol. The next day, I saw skin cracks forming all over my toes.

I tried picking them but it's difficult so I let them be XD;;Day 3 is where the magic (and horror) begins! *_*b

Review: BeautyFoot Day 1

Yay another chance to review a product! Last month I scored a chance to review BeautyFoot after participating in a poll from OnlyBeauty. BeautyFoot is a painless treatment to remove all the hardened dead skin off your feet. It's main ingredient, organic fruit acid penetrates the layer of dead skin cells and decomposes the desmosomes which holds together the healthy layers and the dead skin cells which leads to natural peeling.

My BeautyFoot sample from OnlyBeauty =D

Instructions on how to use

Inside is a sock-like plastic filled with gel =D

Open the packaging and slip your feet in. Let the gel soak your feet for the next 2 hours *starts shuffling around the house*.

Once the 2 minutes is up, just wash off the gel and just wait for the magic to begin! I'll continue each day's progress in different entries. Some might find it gross but it's just skin man! Not as though I'm peeling a scab >w<;;

Review: Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner and L'oreal Super Liner Liquid Eyeliner

I've been trying to experiment with guy makeup as I'm cosplaying a guy in my next photoshoot. Most importantly I have to get my character's eyes right which is why I've been experimenting with eyeliners lately. All this while I've been using my P2 Kohl Eyeliner as I normally just swipe it and smudge for a smokey eye look. Sadly this eyeliner can't last as it wears off after a while due to my oily lids so this eyeliner is a no-no for my photoshoot. Liquid/gel eyeliner is always the solution for a longer lasting, non-smudging application but my clumsy hands just won't allow me to swipe the brush over my lids in one straight line!

Arisa had kindly offered her gel eyeliner for me to experiment (thanks dear!) and I've also bought the L'oreal Super Liner recently when the item was on sale at Watsons =D

Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner

 

The eyeliner is in a glass pot and comes with a brush. Some would call it a more affordable version of Bobbi Brown's gel eyeliner but I can't vouch for that since I've yet to try Bobbi Brown's. The eyeliner retails for RM39.90 and comes in 3 colors: Black, Brown and Limited Edition Blue (which is gone by now unless you chance upon it at warehouse sales XD;;) 

• Oil-free formula holds highly concentrated pigments in a clear gel base
• Smudge-proof and waterproof for 24 hours
• Most intense line for lasting drama                                                  
• Safe for sensitive eyes and ophthalmologist-tested
• Contact lens safe

I'm good with the long lasting and smudge-proof. I can't say it holds for 24 hours because I couldn't even keep the eyeliner on for an hour. Why? The problem lies in the brush. I really do appreciate that Maybelline includes the brush with the gel liner and it does pick up the gel really well. Upon swiping the brush on my lids, I found the brush to be really rough and scratchy. It hurt like a bitch when I tried applying on my water line. By the time I was done, my whole eye was twitching in irritation. 

Removing the eyeliner was a real chore as well. It was just TOO stubborn. I used my Biore cleansing wipes followed by Shu Uemura's cleansing oil then topped it up with Fasio's makeup remover to remove every single bit of that eyeliner. Crazy but yea that finally did the trick =.=;; I guess that's how LONG-LASTING it is.

My advice: Keep the gel, ditch the brush. Just invest about RM15-20+ for a decent brush and save your eyes. My eyes were fine when I applied the liner with one of my own brushes. Just make sure you wash it immediately after application or else the gel will get stuck to the brush and damage it.

L'oreal Super Liner

Got this on discount so I only paid about RM30 which is cheaper than Maybelline's Gel Eyeliner hehe~ The product comes in a small sleek tube which is easy to bring around when traveling =D Comes in the standard colors of Black and Brown.

Superliner is a liquid eyeliner in a special sponge tipped pen for the creation of fine lines or thick, sultry flicks. Colour is applied with precision and ease and dries without smudging. Ophthalmologically tested.

The sponged tip

The sponge tipped is hard and stiff(god that sounds horribly wrong) which makes it super easy to draw the lines! In fact, the applicator is so comfortable that I can just press the whole sponge onto my lid instead of slowly drawing the line like using a paintbrush. After drawing, it dries up pretty fast and lasted pretty long without any touch ups. Here's my favorite part! By the end of the day, I just rub the corner of my eye gently and then PEEL the whole eyeliner off my lids! XD I'm in love now! I do hope L'oreal won't discontinue this product because this is a real gem! *touch wood*

From the looks of this read, you can definitely see which eyeliner I'm leaning towards to XD;;

Experience at Beauty Works

Yesterday, I went for my overdue facial at Beauty Works. I bought the deal from Everyday.com for RM50 for 2 facials. The place was at Jalan Jalil Perkasa 14 and the staff there weren't very helpful in giving directions =/. I later on found out on GoogleMaps that it's formerly known as Jalan 14/155B.

The place is in quite a new area. No pictures of inside the salon as it's quite dim.

Hoho they places a sensor along the stairs so the moment you are about to reach the top, the door bell rings and alerts the staff so there's no waiting! 8D I was greeted by Penny who ushered me into one of the facial rooms to undress. The room was small but cozy, there was a nice fluffy thick robe for me to wear *w*.

Beauty Works specializes on facial treatments using Soothys from Paris. There's more than 20 signature Soothys available at Beauty Works. The coupon I bought entitles me to receive 2 times trial of their Personalized Beaute Treatment (60 minutes), Active Eye Treatment (30 mins), Essential Neck Therapy (30 mins) and Luscious Lip Treatment (10 mins).

Somehow the timeline didn't seem to fit with what I'm entitled to. After a short consultation, the beautician said that she'll be doing the Purifying Treatment for that day which is to cleanse my skin. Somehow I have a problem when it comes to doing facials..... the language barrier *sighs* The beautician could only talk in Cantonese so I barely scrape by in understanding what she was talking about.

I must say... the extraction was horribly painful till there was tears in my eyes. Never before I've reacted that way towards extractions. She even stuck the extracting thing up my nose wtf o_o;;. After the extraction, she applied lotion plus the mask and proceed with the shoulder massage...... without cleansing my face again @A@;; The procedures felt a bit weird but I shrugged it off since the mask has to be cleansed away later on.

After my treatment, I was given some tea while the beautician explained the facial courses they have. She recommended me the RM988 package which consist of 6 full course Sothys treatment and there's a free gift of a bottle of Sothys cleansing milk (500ml) with purchase of the course. Honestly, I'm not keen on going through that extraction again and RM988 for six treatments is just too steep for my pocket. I do love the effect of Sothys products on my face *w* but they're so expensive >A<

Beauty Works is located at:
No. 7-19M, Jalan Jalil Perkasa 14, (formerly was Jalan 14/15SB)
Taman Esplanad,
57000 Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 016-2300101
Email: workofbeauty@yahoo.com
Website: http://flibbertigibbetgirls.blogspot.com/

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.

BlogShop: Survival Store

Mail drop time! Just as I was about to go out (I was holding the door knob by then too! XD), the postman rang the bell. Talk about good timing =D

Yay my package~! <3

Omg it even comes with a bag! <3

Aaaaa my pretty skirt <3 and they even included a thank you note and their namecard =D

Do visit their store! =D

I got the skirt at a discounted price as they were giving rebate offers last week =3 but do check out their store here as they have quite a large range of apparels and bags. Most importantly, I love the super fast response from them~!

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.

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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...

Dermadex Challenge Pack, Love or Hate

Almost a month ago, I purchased this trial pack since I had a crazy breakout season. The trial pack comes with 2 items, the cleanser (10g) and refining cream (5g). It looks small really, but the seller told me it should be able to last for a week..... it lasted more than a week because I was being kiasu with the contents and also I was alternating between Dermadex and Decleor's cleanser.

Biotox Cleanser

The cleanser is made from natural active ingredients including lavender, honey suckle and orchid flower. According to the website, it deeply penetrates skin to soften dead cells and black heads,and dissolves sebum giving the face a nice smooth sensation. According to the directions, the cleanser can be used as a mask too, leaving on the face for up to 30 minutes. I didn't dare to try in case it turns out to be like Eumora, so I left it on my face as long as I showered. The cleanser has a very nice minty smell, it feels minty too cuz I felt a cooling sensation on my skin when I leave the cleanser on =D.

Biotox Refining Cream

The first thing you'll notice about this cream is that it smells super strong of Chinese herbs D8. I just found it odd, not disturbing yet. The refining cream is set to refines pores, regulates oil secretion and prevents formation of acne on skin. It smelled too strong for me so I only used the cream on trouble areas like my pimples and my nose where it squeezes oil like crazy.

I do see improvements on my pimples but it did nothing to refine my pores =( they look as huge as ever. The actual price for the products is crazily expensive D8 Rm138 for 50ml of the Biotox cleanser. I might as well buy 5 challenge packs rite?! D8 This doesn't make sense at all =( I didn't really like the cleanser cuz I don't feel like my face has been thoroughly cleansed after using it =( so I had to double cleanse just to make my heart content.

The challenge pack is sold at RM17 in LYN forums but you'll have to add Rm4 for the postage too. Will I repurchase? only if all the products in the world don't work on me =(

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 =(

My Experience with Eumora Part 2

This is not gonna be pleasant ._. What I've blogged about previously was just the first week of using Eumora. By the second week, pimples were sprouting on my face growing faster than mushrooms D: There was one of the days where I found 3 medium sized ones popping out and then the next day another THREE medium sized pimples popped up. My chin was covered with pimples of all sizes and they hurt like crazy when I smile. I had to constantly apply the mint mask to soothe the pain. These pimples were difficult to treat and had multiple oil seeds in them. They hurt so much when I popped them that I nearly cursed out loud at home.

I've stopped the Eumora and am keeping to the usual cleanser and toner + ampoules hoping to get rid of them. Yesterday I found a bump under my chin, my mom got paranoid so she kicked me to the nearest doctor for a visit. Turns out it was a lymph node that was caused by the pimples on my chin. This is quite new to me since I've never read about this in bloggers review. I know some of them had bad experiences but never this bad =( so you could add this to your list of shit that Eumora can cause D8 for those who are interested in trying. I'm sadly one of the 5% that suffered so badly from this innocent bar of soap =(

Tropical Refreshing Fruits

I found something at SASA! *O* Found it last week when I went to watch Inception but I was lazy to charge my camera *_*;;;

Biore just released their Limited Edition Refreshing Fruits pore pack! *_* I saw it in SASA last week when me and Megu popped by before the movie. Price was the same as the other pore packs RM12.90 just that this limited edition pore pack comes in Orange and Pineapple flavors (5 strips each)! I've been looking for a pore pack so this came just in time *_*

The packaging is just so adorable~

I love how vibrant and colorful the packaging is <3 I tried on a strip yesterday. Wet the nose before applying the strip =D and then rip it off after 10-15 minutes >D I tried the Orange one and I must comment on how lovely it smells! It doesn't have the artificial smell that I was expecting but rather a nice tangy scent <3. I didn't see any blackheads or whiteheads extracted onto the pore sheet D8 probably cuz my nose was too dry =/, I'll try it again next time.