Etude House Pumpkin Carriage Cushion Case

Recently I was at Orchard, and of course the number one thing I would do whilst shopping is to check out Etude House flagship store! If you are ever in the area, I urge you to check it out. The princess theme is strong within the shop!

 

During my browsing's, my eye was drawn to a little box hidden away behind one of its fancy macaroon BB cushion displays. Upon enquiries with the staff, I was informed that it was actually the limited edition Pumpkin Carriage cushion case!

 



 

Image: The Etude House Pumpkin Carriage Cushion Case
Credits: Self

 I repeat, every time I have been to that store, I would look everything over in search of new products or sales, and I have never seen this before! As the sales assistant explained to me, this is a limited edition case launched only at their flag ship in Singapore, found nowhere else and was actually released a year ago.

I have looked at blogposts and press releases and the only thing I could find about this (disregarding all the search results that came up about the actual full-size pumpkin carriage they have at their store), and I could only find one mention about it on a blogpost by enabalista , which was far down the page and hidden among other photos. How could I not have seen this before?!

So, naturally, I brought it.

Image: Top of the Etude House Pumpkin Carriage Cushion Case
Credits: Self

 Even the box is pretty.

Image: The Etude House Pumpkin Carriage Cushion Case
Credits: Self

Image: The Etude House Pumpkin Carriage Cushion Case
Credits: Self

 When the sales assistant showed me the mirror inside, my wavering mind on whether or not to buy swung in the BUY direction. Look at that pattern! Only this cushion has print on the mirror!

However, this is a cushion case only. You have to buy the refill separately and put it in yourself.

Image: The Etude House Pumpkin Carriage Cushion Case and the Precious Mineral Any Cushion
Credits: Self

My completed case with the Precious Mineral Any Cushion on Magic Peach. It's gorgeous isn't it?

So now that you know about the existence of this cushion, what's your decision? (^o^)

October 2015 - Newly Released Products

October 2015 review

 

I like to browse the websites of brands I like to see what they have newly released. I posted this on reddit AsianBeauty recently so as to inform other users what are the newest products out so they can try them if they wish.

Korean Brands 

• Etude House:

Image: Etude House 10th Anniversary Cleansing Oil

Recently they have released a 10th anniversary Limited Collection. It looks to be just the changed packaging of their products, but look me in the eye and tell me the packaging is not totally precious.

• Enprani:

More famously known for their Dreams Come True Bounce Cheese Cream, their latest skincare offering is the Elastic Bandage Lifting Ampoule and Pack.


Image: Elastic Bandage Lifting Ampoule and Pack

I am not able to read hangul and thus cannot provide the full ingredient list, but the main highlights are Sodium Polystyrene Sulfonate (used to treat hyperkalemia - elevated potassium levels in blood stream), PLLA - Poly-L-Lactide Acid (a biodegradable plastic), BTX (a chemical mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene), as well as two other ingredients I am not sure of, but one appears to be spider silk.

This seems to a really weird mixture of ingredients and I am not sure I wish to try this...

• Innisfree:

The latest range they have is the Ginger Oil range. Consisting of 4 products, the skin, serum, rich serum and cream. It looks to be released for the upcoming Winter season and is meant to be very hydrating.

Still, ginger oil? Ginger has a very sharp taste in the mouth and I really cannot fathom how they would change that into something you would willingly put on your skin...

• Tony Moly:

They seem to have several new products out since the last time I looked!

 The Astroboy collection is basically a re-packaging of their existing products. Astroboy was created by Osamu Tezuka and is his most popular works. You can liken it to Batman for its popularity in Japan and many parts of Asia. I think this collection would be quite popular with adult collectors!

Image: Tony Moly Wonder Cheese Firming Cream

Another new range is their breakfast spreads line. Consisting of the Wonder Honey Moisture Cream, Wonder Butter Nutrition Cream and the Wonder Cheese Firming Cream, they are really similar to the breakfast spread I use everyday! Be careful not to eat them by mistake! I am personally buying the Wonder Cheese cream on Qoo10 myself. Look out for my upcoming review!

 They also have a re-formulation of a previous product, the Nutra Energy Dual Essence! Their R&D department must be run ragged from all those new products!

• Leaders

 I really like this brand for their masks. The masks are always full of essence any my facial skin is always so plump, smooth and moisturized after usage. I would like to try their other products too, but unfortunately expect for masks, their other products are near impossible to find in Singapore.

So what is new is the Dual Gel White Velvet mask, as well as the new Vitamino range. Can't wait until they hit the shores of Singapore!

They have also upgraded their whole Aquaringer line. I have the previous version Aquaringer cream, and I like it quite a lot so will see if I can get my hands on the new cream to try it out.

• Secret Key

They have this new cute cream out, the Ultra Knit Moisture Cream. From the description picture, it looks like the main ingredients silkworm cocoons, pine and olives.

• Holika Holika

They have both new makeup and new skincare out. Their new lipstick range, the Honeydew Tint Stick, which is not actually made with honeydew, but just plain old honey. I think there might have been a translation Oops! somewhere?

Image: Holika Holika Baby Pet Magic Mask Pack

They also have the Baby Pet Magic Mask Pack. This is super cuteeeeeeee. From an old animal to a baby one with lesser wrinkles!!! I really want to try this!

• Missha

They have a new coconut themed line out. It does look pretty cute, but I don't have very good experiences with Missha products so I don't think I will be purchasing them.

• Too Cool for School

They have a new pumpkin 24k gold mask which looks like it made as an alternative after their popular pumpkin sleeping mask.

As an aside, Too Cool for School Singapore has closed down after a year of operations. A bit sad to see them go, but the markup from Korean retail was really high!

• Belif

They have  a new cushion out, the Moisture Bomb Cushion. Belif's theme around bombs seems to be really working for them.

• Skinfood

They have upgraded their honey line to the Royal Honey range. Mmm, looks tasty...

Japan Brands 

• SKII

Image: SKII RNA Power Cream

They are upgrading the Stempower line to the RNA (Radical New Age) line! I found a blog post by theraeviewer about the changes.

• Pure Smile

In accordance with the new trend of printed face masks, Pure Smile is releasing their own range, printed like youkai faces!

Taiwan Brands

• Dr Wu

Dr Wu has released the new Ultra Moisture Treatment Oil with Squalene. Squalene seems popular nowadays! My Beauty Diary also has masks with this new ingredient.

• L'Herboflore

Image: L'Herboflore Essential Oils

L'Herboflore have a new essential oils range out. I am not sure, but I am leaning towards this being more for aromatherapy then for skincare.

They are famous for their gorgeous mask packaging, but their skincare packaging isn't bad either! The Flora line, consists of a crème and essence.


That's all I can find for the October winter releases! Anyone else feeling the urge to spend?? Till next time then!

Review: Vanedo Beauty Friends Mask in Aloe

When I made a haul off Qoo10 a few months back, I was pretty excited at having received a sheet mask and several other samples as freebies. Hey, free sheet mask! That's great right?

 

...

 

 

Not.

 

Introducing, the Vanedo Beauty Friends Mask in Aloe. To be frank, I have never heard of this brand before, but when I asked Yahoo-sensei about this, it seems to be a semi-known Korean brand with 25 varieties of sheet masks. It seems to be fairly cheap, with pretty lukewarm effects, but I won't be buying this brand.

 

Image: Vanedo Beauty Friends Mask in Aloe
Credits: Self

Ingredients here on an unaffiliated online shopping website.

Purified water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Diproplylene Glycol, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Fragrance

Why would I not be buying this again? Reasons include:

• Smell. I am not someone who is very sensitive to smells, I have never really understood why someone would get headaches from very strong smells. That is, to now. The instant I tore open the mask packaging, the smell hit me like a frying pan to the head. It is a mixture of alcohol, old-lady perfume and some chemical I cannot pinpoint. It is super strong and whilst not exactly nasty smelling, it is something that I could have gone without smelling ever.
• Safety. Because I am cheap, I decided to give it a chance. Taking a deep breath, I took the mask out of the packaging and started to unfold it when I noticed a speck of something brown. when I looked closer, it was an ant. A FRIGGING DEAD ANT WAS ON THE MASK! It could not have been contamination from my hands, because the dead ant was within the folds. Just how?? Factory problem, or did it get tore and an ant from my house crept inside the packaging?
• Effects. Because I like to gamble, I decided to flick off the ant and decided to slap the mask on my face anyway. I could only manage to withstand the mask for only 10 minutes before I took it off. The hydrating effects from this mask was minimal, and the smell lingered for a short while afterwards. I did not try and squeeze out the leftover essence within the mask.
• Size. Because I am picky, I just want to say - this mask is HUGE. Most of the other masks I have tried have not been good fits for my face, being normally too big, but the Vanedo Aloe mask could have fit 1 1/3 of my face area.

Like: It... was free? I'm glad I didn't waste my money on this.
Do not like: See the entire review. (*｀へ´*)

Rating: 1/5

Rating scale:

1 – I'm not looking to spoil my skin. Rarrr.

2 – It wasn't bad, but neither was it good. I won't use this unless I have to.

3 – Mmm... I'm sure I an find better quality.

4 – Quite good! Would use again!

5 – The best. This will always be in my stash unless it's discontinued.

Repurchase: No. Not ever unless there is a re-formulation.

Got praise today

Not much of a post today. Just wanted to say that I got a praise on my skin condition today which made me very happy.

My co-worker had evidently been under the impression that I have always been wearing a full layer of foundation to the office everyday, she was shocked when I told her I have not, and its my nude skin. She then praised me on my good skin condition, which made me super happy.

That may seem pretty shallow, but less then a year back, my skin was full of acne and old acne scars, nowadays I am working to control my acne and fade the scars, so I am really happy that my effort has been noticed.

To all those who randomly gives compliments to others, please keep up the good work! It may not mean much to you, but it means a lot to those who receives those compliments (❁´▽`❁)

Joke-But-Not-A-Joke Review: Salonpas Pain Relieving Patch

Image: General stock photo of Salonpas Pain Relieving Patch found online
Credit: Here

Long story short: Boys and girls, don't use the Salonpas Pain Relieving Patch when you know you will sweat.

Anecdote time:

I woke up with aching shoulders the day I was supposed to do a marathon. Not wanting to feel the pain, I slapped a couple of Salonpas patches on, one on each shoulder and proceeded to head down to the marathon.

One of the worse decisions of my life.

Due to the nature of the marathon, I could not drop out halfway, not even if I was in agonising pain... Which I was. During the run, I had perspired a lot, and somehow the sweat had interacted with the Salonpas patches. The low heat which was soothing my muscles had transformed into some kind of super hot patches, and the heat was agonizing. I ripped off the patches when it first started, unfortunately there was more then enough residue left on my skin for the reaction to take place. After the run, when I took a shower, there were red patches where the Salonpas was located.

Just how did that happen??

Active Ingredients (each Salonpas patch, information as taken from here):

• Camphor 1.2%…..Topical Analgesic
• Menthol 5.7%…..Topical Analgesic
• Methyl Salicylate 6.3%…..Topical Analgesic

Inactive ingredients
Butylated Hydroxytoluene, Hydrogenated Rosin Glycerol Ester, Maleated Rosin Glycerin Ester, Natural Rubber, Perfume, Polybutene, Polyisobutylene, Silicon Dioxide, Starch Grafted Acrylate, Titanium Dioxide, Tocopherol Acetate, Zinc Oxide

Uses
For temporary relief of minor aches & pains of muscles & joints

Do not use:
-On wounds or damaged skin.
-If you are allergic to aspirin or salicylates.
-With a heating pad.
-With, or at the same times as, other external analgesic products.
-If you are allergic to any ingredients of this product.

So how did it happen?? There was absolutely no indication that you cannot exercise with the patches on!

In my (non)expert opinion,  the most likely culprit was all three of the active ingredients. Both menthol and camphor can be chemically triggered to produce either cooling or heating sensations. Methyl Salicylate is also a combination of menthol and salicylic acid, and salicylic acid is an NSAID (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug). It was just my luck that either my sweat or my clothing or a combination of both, had made the patch ramp up its heating effects.

So, this review is a Joke-But-Not-A-Joke, because I don't think there are as many un-informed users out there who goes out running with a patch on. However, it really hurt. No joke.

 

My routine as of May 2015

It's been 3 months since my last routine post. It has been a while since I last updated, but I thought I might post it up again! So what is my routine now?

Morning (In order of light to heavy):

• First Essence: Secret Key First Treatment Essence
• Clarifying Toner: Etude House Wonder Pore 10-in-1 toner
• Essence: Skinfood Premium Tomato Whitening Essence
• Essence: Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum
• Essence: Benton Snail Bee High Essence
• Eye Cream: The Body Shop Natrulift Pomegranate Eye Roll On
• Cream: Innisfree Green Tea Fresh Cream
• Sunscreen: Biore UV Perfect Face Milk
• Spot Treatment: The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil
• Other: Etude House Wonder Pore Corrector
• Other: Etude House Dust Cut Cream
• Other: Etude House Dust Cut Facial Mist

Night (In order of light to heavy):

• 1st Cleanser: Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution
• 2nd Cleanser: Innisfree Jeju Bija Anti-Trouble Facial Foam
• Treatment: OST C20 Vitamin C Serum
• Treatment: COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid
• First Essence: Secret Key First Treatment Essence
• Clarifying Toner: Etude House Wonder Pore 10-in-1 toner
• Eye Cream: The Body Shop Natrulift Pomegranate Eye Roll On
• Eye Cream: Laneige Water Bank Eye Gel
• Spot Treatment: Clintia Clarifying Spot Treatment Gel
• Spot Treatment: The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil
• Essence: Skinfood Premium Tomato Whitening Essence
• Essence: Odbo Aqua Soothing Silky Essence
• Essence: Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum
• Essence: Laneige White Plus Renew Essence
• Essence: Benton Snail Bee High Essence 
• Essence: Tony Moly Floria Whitening Capsule Essence
• Cream: Innisfree Green Tea Fresh Cream
• Sleeping Pack: Laneige Water Sleeping Pack EX
• Sleeping Pack: Tony Moly Dual Effect Night Repair Sleeping Pack
• Other: Etude House Dust Cut Facial Mist

I have been including new items into my routine recently, notably the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution, OST C20 Vitamin C Serum, Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum and the Innisfree Green Tea Fresh Cream. So far I have not reviewed any yet except the Bioderma.

Again, please rest assured that I do not use all these products in one day, that would minimise the effectiveness of these products as well as make me a grease baby. There have been new items added as I am slowly going through 'patch tests' and whilst some of my products are running low, they have not run out yet.

P.S. A proper patch test would actually involve trying out a new product on a patch of skin close to the face for 24 hours to test for allergies. After that, try the product on a less visible part of your face for 2 weeks to see if it reacts badly by causing pimples, clogged pores etc. My skin is so volatile that if a product works well on my forehead for example, it may wreck havoc in some other area. My 'patch test' is slathering on everything at the same time! Mwahahahaha.

Note: ^Not advisable

Review: My Beauty Diary Arbutin Whitening Mask

Today is my review of My Beauty Diary Arbutin Whitening mask. This is actually my repurchase of this, so you should be able to tell how well this has worked for me!

Image: The arbutin mask in question. It looks pretty... wonder what it looks like inside?
Credit: Self

Some background information first: My Beauty Diary is a famous Taiwan company known for its sheet masks. The MBD (My Beauty Diary) sheet masks are really effective, and it is a must buy whenever you go to Taiwan, because it is really very cheap. I brought this in a 10-box set at Sasa Singapore for $12.90, which makes it about $1.30 per mask. Disregarding the costs of flight and luggage, it is about 2/3's of that price if you buy in Taiwan.

Image: My Beauty Diary logo! If anyone is curious, the second line means 'You must use one everyday'
Credit: Here

Unfortunately, it is also infamous for its fakes. On the official MBD site, they even have an official warning to consumers to make sure they do not buy fake masks. Just a quick check on 'How to spot fake My Beauty diary mask' turns up many pages of results, most informative here and here.

Personally I feel very indignant at those counterfeiters, because frankly, compared to most masks on the market, MBD is not a very expensive brand. I think it is very likely they are making profits due to the high volume sold, not from a high profit margin. So how is it profitable for counterfeiters to make a mask that is cheaper then the real MBD mask and sell at a lower price to ensure it sells? Simple - take a piece of cotton or paper, put in some water mixed with other things, put in a packet and box and sell it! After all why should they care about the consequences of using the mask? They will not be the ones using it and so they do not care about the complexions wrecked!

Therefore, if you are also interested in purchasing this brand, go for it but with caution. The authentic masks are quite effective, so buy directly from MBD if possible and if not, from a trusted seller such as Sasa. However, even after the buying, you should also check if the masks fit the checkmarks of authenticity. There are some fakes that look so authentic that sometimes even re-sellers get tricked into stocking them. As the evidence of such rumors have been taken down, I will not link to let you readers see for yourselves.

Ingredients here on CosDNA.

Arbutin is a pretty controversial ingredient. It is a hyroquinone, which has been used since the 1950's as a skin-lightening agent. Hyoquinone's supposedly work by inhibiting the action of tyrokinase, which controls the production of melanin which is responsible for skin and hair pigment.

However in 2006, the US FDA banned all creams with hyroquinone to be sold over the counter due to concerns that it may be a carcinogen. Strangely enough, I could not find any articles showing how exactly does arbutin inhibit tyrokinase, nor the potential pathways it uses to cause cancer in humans. I did find a link on PubMed on the risks and benefits of hyroquinone in dermatology though.

How I use this:

Image: The inside of the packet
Credit: Self

Can you see the pool of essence at the bottom?! That is a lot of essence!

Previously I used to keep my masks upright in the fridge, however I find that this lead to the part that was on top to be drier then the bottom part, and the pool of essence was really large. Nowadays, before using a mask I will put it on its side for at least 30 minutes before using, then gently move the mask inside the packet to make sure the mask absorbs all the essence. This way the mask is more evenly coated and there is lesser essence pooled.

MBD is unique in that it comes with a thin plastic sheet to keep the mask intact. It is much easier to take out this mask and try to mold onto my face because of this plastic sheet then other masks.

The recommended time to use this mask is for 20 minutes, and I normally keep it on for a bit longer then that, periodically taking the pooled essence and smearing the mask again to keep it wet. The consequences of using a mask longer then the recommended amount of time are due to the fact that if the mask dries out, it may start to 'absorb' moisture from your face and cause it to be drier then before the mask. I cannot figure out the mechanism of how such an action would occur, however I will not recommend wearing sheet masks until the mask is bone dry.

I would normally take the mask off when it starts to feel dry, then smear the still-wet mask over my neck, arms and legs so as not to waste the serum. The leftover pooled essence I would pour in a small sterile container so as to use it in my serum step the next day.

Like: My face is visibly brighter after using this mask and for the next day. It is something that I use to rescue my skin if it looks very dull that day.
Do not like: The cutting of the mask is a bit awkward for my face. I typically cut the slits at the side a bit bigger so I can fit it nicely on my face.

Rating: 4/5

Rating scale:

1 – I'm not looking to spoil my skin. Rarrr.

2 – It wasn't bad, but neither was it good. I won't use this unless I have to.

3 – Mmm... I'm sure I an find better quality.

4 – Quite good! Would use again!

5 – The best. This will always be in my stash unless it's discontinued.

Repurchase: This is already my second 10 piece-box set, so yes I would definitely buy this again. I would like to also try out some of the newer types of masks MBD have though!

Something interesting: Comparisons between the different types of masks!





Image: Hydration vs Brightening vs Repairing vs Soothing
Credit: Here

Image: In English, but does not include their newer types.
Credit: Here

 



My March Haul has all arrived!

Yes! All my hauls have arrived! This is basically an image post, FYI.


Image: Mizon Snail Recovery Cream
Credit: Self

Image: Mizon Placenta-45 Ampoule
Credits: Self



This is a very pretty bottle.

Image:Mizon Placenta-45 Ampoule held up to natural light
Credit: Self

Image: Professional Ruiah Panethanol Essence Mascara
Credit: Self

What is this. Wasn't this supposed to be the Beau Zon Eve Lash Essence?! I have never heard of this brand before.

I have contacted the seller, and apparently this is what they are selling now, and the reviews that show the Beau Zon Eve Lash Essence are of the previous lash serum they were selling. A bit angry at this but I decided to just let it go as this is a very cheap product. The Professional Ruiah Panethanol Essence Mascara is supposed to be the reformulation so I hope it is better, not worse.

Image: Brush of the Professional Ruiah Panethanol Essence Mascara
Credit: Self



Image: Chica Y Chico Tre-Hy 8.0 Cream and Chica Y Chico Asta-Z 4.0 Cream
Credit: Self

Image: Tosowoong Natural Pure Rosehip Oil
Credit: Self

For some reason, Tosowoong was the only one who gave me samples. They also sent me a brochure of their products, which I think is really interesting! Here are some of the highlights.

Image: TOSOWOONG Cleansing products
Credit: Self

 So, TOSOWOONG has a total of 6 cleansing products. What really caught my eye was their Enzyme Powder Wash, as it has a pH of 5.5! As our skin's natural barrier is acidic, it is of course best to use acidic products so as to help protect it. Our skin will go up to alkaline pH levels because of the waste materials from acne causing Staphylococcus bacteria and other factors, which is a good growing environment for more Staph. spp. It looks like this may be going on my wish list!

Image: TOSOWOONG's product lines
Credit: Self

This is really interesting to me because it discloses how much of each product has the active ingredient! First of all, I don't really trust the percentages they put there - for example, 75% of Camellia water. Do they mean that the entire product is at least 75% Camellia water? Or do they mean that the water is mixed with Camellia water in 1:3 ratio and the other ingredients are not counted? Or can they also mean that only 75% of the Camellia water actually has a significant amount of Camellia extract and the other 25% has some other extracts?

 

But the most telling is the Bee Venom and Syn-Ake line. 10ppm(parts per million) means that there is 10 parts per 1,000,000 parts, ten parts in 10⁶, 1/100,000 * 100% = 0.001%. Is this a high or low percentage for been venom and syn-ake products? I am not sure, but at least they are transparent about it. 

March Haul is over, and I already hauled in April, so I am now officially going on a no-buy!

Opening of Innisfree at JEM Singapore

Another haul on the first day of April (⊙o⊙; ) I really hope this blog won't devolve into haul pornography. The way I shop, and the way temptations are all thrown at me though...

So yesterday was the opening of Innisfree Singapore's 4th store at JEM, and naturally I had to head down to check out the deals!

So here is the low down of the special deals:


Image: Spend over $100 freebies
Credits: Innisfree SG Facebook

• If you spend SGD$100, the freebies will include the Tangerine Blossom Perfumed Shower Travel Kit (Comes with a loofah, body cleanser, body essence and a mist), a Soybean Energy Essence Trial Kit, an It’s Real Squeeze Mask, a blanket, and a poster of brand ambassador Lee Min Ho. I really wanted that Soybean Energy Essence Trial Kit, but I didn't want to spend that much.

Image: Spend over $50 freebies
Credit: Self

• If you spend over $50, you get the Innisfree Best Cleansing Foam Collection (3 cleansing foams)! This is what I got. However, am a bit worried about using this as the Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam is rated as pH9.5 on the Asian Beauty Cleanser List. The Apple Juicy Deep Cleansing Foam is not listed, but the 'Deep' makes me feel that this cleanser would be quite drying.

Image: Members gift bag
Credit: Self

•  If you sign up for membership, you get the Innisfree Best Loved collection. Again, not too enthused about this. I don't really want to do a clay mask whilst on the road ( have and would do sheet masks though), and the Orchid Enriched Cream is the thick kind that makes my oily skin cry out for its predecessor. That Green Tea Seed Serum seems nice though! Oh well, at least I got my nice new membership card.

A few weeks ago, I finally tried my sample of the Green Tea Pure Cream. That 5ml sample turned out to be my holy grail cream. It could sink into my skin without making it look shiny, it kept my skin moisturized throughout that day and I had that lovely hydrated glow. Naturally, I headed to the nearest Innisfree to get it.

IT WASN'T THERE.

Turns out, the Innisfree Green Tea Pure Cream was discontinued in 2013, and the Green Tea Seed Cream replaced it. I obtained a few samples of the Seed Cream from the Sales Assistant, but it was not a good replacement - the cream was too thick and made my face shiny. I didn't buy it.

Image: 2013 Innisfree Green Tea line
Credit: Here

So yesterday was the opening of the Innisfree JEM branch, and I headed down to take a look. I am glad I did so, because I found out that actually Innisfree had a lot more variety in the Green Tea line then I had previously thought.

Image: Fresh line, Balancing line and Moisture Line
Credits: Here

I tried all of the samples and here are my thoughts for my oily skin:

• Green Tea Seed Cream - Too rich. It kept my skin moisturized, but it would also leave my face shiny, even the drier parts like my cheeks and especially the T-zone.
• Green Tea Deep Seed Cream - This is even richer then the Seed Cream, with oil mixed in. It felt very heavy, like it wanted to suffocate my pores. This might be perfect for very dry skin or winter, but not so suitable for me.
• Green Tea Fresh Cream - The only gel cream out of the 5, it was light and refreshing. It sunk into my skin really easily too.
• Green Tea Balancing Cream - This is the second lightest cream, even though it is not a gel cream. It was light and refreshing and was only a little bit heavier then the Fresh Cream.
• Green Tea Moisture Cream - To be frank, this felt to me to be the same as the Seed Cream.

I brought the Green Tea Fresh Cream. (-_-;) Well, I don't think I will regret the decision as it is a really good cream for the mornings when I don't want to be shiny. I want to be matte, not shine bright like a diamondy, and this will definitely help with that.

Image: My Green Tea Fresh Cream. Mine. My precious.
Credit: Self

 Then I also made an impulse purchase.


Image: The Green Tea Seed Serum Special Set
Credit: Self

I swear this was a good deal! The Green Tea Seed Serum normally retails for SGD$36, this set sold for that price with samples thrown in.

Well, that's my haul on Aprils Fools Day. I sure am glad no one tried to play any awful pranks on me though, and I have a whole haul of new things to try out!

Any comments? Please kindly leave me one if there's anything you want to say! 




 

Now I Believe - Review: Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution

I have a flaw that is somewhat serious - I don't believe things until I can see it for myself and KNOW it is real. Sometimes this helps me in my daily life as I am not someone easily taken in, but most times its just an annoying part of my personality.

Case in point, the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution I am reviewing today. After winning multiple awards and getting the endorsement of women in multiple countries (including Get it Beauty!), I still didn't really understand the hype. It looked just like plain water to me!

Image: Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution in 500ml
Credit: Self

Cue last June. I had a friend of friend who wanted to sell hers cheap because it was a year to expiry, so I agreed to buy her 500ml Bioderma from her for $18. (Full retail price is $40.90) I promptly stashed it at home and didn't take it out for use until in January, when my previous first cleanser Etude House Happy Tea Time Cleansing Cream Lemon Tea was going to run out. I swapped the Etude out with Bioderma until it fully ran out last month.

The Blurb by Bioderma:

• Sensitive to intolerant skin
• Combines performance and very high tolerance
• Cleanses and removes make-up from the face and eyes
• Soothes and clears up irritated skin
• Produces a feeling of instant freshness
• Non-rinse
• Fragrance-free formula
• Alcohol-free
• Paraben-free
• Hypoallergenic

Ingredients here on CosDNA.

How I use this:

The way I would use this is that I would pour enough onto a cotton pad until most of it is soaked. Then, I would hold the cotton pad on areas needing the most attention such as my cheeks or eyes for a few seconds, then gently swiping my whole face.

Tip! If you do not want to use so much product, cut the cotton into smaller pieces. Swiping dry cotton on your facial skin may irritate it, so depending on the occasion, I either cut my cotton to save a few ml of product or pour enough to cover the whole pad. This is a first cleanser, so I soak a whole cotton pad as I want to make sure I get all dirt and makeup off.

For a month or so, everyday after coming home I would cleanse with this cleanser, but I would never feel like there is an effect. It looked and felt like water, surely its just plain water? Sure it didn't smell like plain water, but that could be parfum and additives.

Part of the reason I couldn't tell the difference is because I am not a makeup-wearing kind of girl, so I didn't have any base makeup or liner for the micellar water to remove. The only thing that could be removed was the sunscreen I put on daily, but as sunscreen was meant to not be visible to the eye, it was hard to tell.

Nonetheless I slogged on and kept on using it. On the days I put on makeup, I used my Etude House Lemon Tea Time Cleansing Cream until the day it finally ran out. After that, there wasn't any occasion to use makeup so I just didn't. Until the day I was a bit distracted and after holding the cotton to my face and absentmindedly swiping once or twice, I got distracted, then came back to find my sunscreen had beaded up when I wasn't looking!


Image: Water drops like on my face
Credit: Here

 Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture at that moment, and I was unable to recapture that phenomenon. Still, that made me a believer in the power of micellar water.

Image: Swatches of my products. From bottom, Shara Shara - No Sun! Power Lasting SPF50/PA++, Etude House Face Conditioning Cream, The Face Shop Make Me Star Waterproof Gel Liner, Maybelline Hyper Glossy Liquid Liner, Etude House Oh My Eye Line, Tony Moly Fruit Princess Glosses and Etude House Miss Tangerine Cream Choux Blusher
Credit: Self

Image: First swipe of cotton
Credit: Self

Image: Second swipe of cotton
Credit: Self

One swipe removed all the lipgloss, two swipes removed all the sunscreen and part of the Maybelliner eyeliner. Everything was removed with more soft swipes, but The Face Shop Make Me Star Waterproof Gel Liner needed to be removed by rubbing hard.

I have seen on other blogs that the Bioderma Sensibio micellar water works on water-resistant makeup, but not on waterproof makeup - I have proof now. Also, if you think about how it works, it should be obvious that an oil based cleanser would be needed to remove waterproof makeup, not a water based cleanser like Bioderma Sensibio.



How it works:

As taken from the Bioderma site, Sensibio H2O is the 1st and only dermatological micellar water perfectly compatible with the skin: its fatty acid esters, the constituent elements of micelles, are similar to the phospholipids of the skin cell membranes
and naturally help rebuild the skin's hydrolipidic film.

Micelles are fatty acid esters, one end being hydrophilic, attracts water, and one end that is lipophilic, attracts oil.

Image: A fatty acid molecule and a micelle
Credit: Here

The lipophilic part will attract any impurities nearby such as sebum, makeup and dirt. The instructions state needing to press or hold the soaked cotton over the area you would like to cleanse for a while. This is because some time is needed for the fatty particles to be attracted to the lipophilic parts, and also be fixed on the cotton.

Image: How micellar water on cotton works
Credit: Here

 No rinsing is needed after the usage of micellar water as micelles are also moisturizing agents. The micelles left on the skin will be integrated into the skin's hydro-lipid layer and help with hydration.

Like: It removes minimal makeup gently and my face feels hydrated after using this.
Do not like: Even though there are claims of it also removing eye and lip makeup, it is best to use a specialised makeup remover for that as this is not strong enough. If a lot of makeup is used, an oil or balm cleanser should be used instead.

Rating: 4/5

Rating scale:

1 – I'm not looking to spoil my skin. Rarrr.

2 – It wasn't bad, but neither was it good. I won't use this unless I have to.

3 – Mmm... I'm sure I an find better quality.

4 – Quite good! Would use again!

5 – The best. This will always be in my stash unless it's discontinued.

Repurchase: Not at the moment. I need to use up everything first, and it is a whole 500ml! After this is finished, I will repurchase as this is really perfect for someone like me who typically wears only minimal makeup after sunscreen.

Edit: The retail price is $40.90, not $44

March Haul

Before I post up my routine schedule, here's a quick post on my March haul (* >ω<):

1. Chica Y Chico Asta-Z 4.0 Cream [15.90 from Qoo10 seller SKIN&LAB]

I no longer have any acne, thanks to my 'cleaning house' with help from my extremely good dermatologist. However, what I do have is a lot of marks and some scars. I have noticed slow improvement after using brightening products such as Benton Snail Bee High Essence and Laneige White Plus Renew Essence, but I think I am slowly hitting a plateau and would like a product with more 'oomph'. This has some pretty good reviews online. The main ingredient is astaxanthin, a powerful anti-oxidant. Please check out Tominaga, et al. (2012) (-->it discusses the effect of astaxanthin as a oral supplement) and EWG.

      2. Chica Y Chico Tre-Hy 8.0 Cream [10.90 from Qoo10 seller SKIN&LAB]

I need a good moisturizer. This seems pretty interesting, so I brought it on a whim to try (--> my wallet is crying). This cream claims that it is a heavy moisturizer, for when your skin feels like its a desert and flaking. Main ingredient is trehalose, which is a humectant, I believe. I unfortunately cannot find much research articles on this in cosmetic usage online.

Creepy fact: This is found in insect's exoskeletons. It is what makes them so shiny. ε=ε=(っ;ﾟ;∀;ﾟ; )っ

      3. Ettang Modeling Take-out Cup Pack - Peppermint, Acerola, Propolis and Chlorella [3.50 from Qoo10 seller COCOMO]

Its a rubber mask! Rubber!

...

Okay I just brought this on a whim.

Reviews online say that it is a pretty good mask, just that it is hard to mix the powder and water and slap it on your face before the mixture dries. That should be something funny at any rate when I try them!

      4. Tosowoong Natural Pure Rosehip Oil [12.40 from Qoo10 seller TOSOWOONG]

When I used the Etude House Moonlight in Spoon in Rosehip, I saw my PIH (post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation) scars fade a little! And the best part of it, it was a permanent fading, not a two-three days deal! After searching a bit online and discovering that Miranda Kerr says this is her greatest skincare secret, I jumped on the bandwagon and decided to search for a good, cheap brand. Tosowoong has a pretty good reputation so I decided to try theirs! (-->IMO, the brand Trilogy is quite well known for their rosehip oil, but it was pretty expensive at 40 bucks)

      5. Beau Zon Eve Lash Essence [5.00 from Qoo10 seller prettybox]

I got introduced to the fact that you can actually grow your eyelashes on reddit. Yes! No more having to criticise myself about the length of my eyelashes! Reddit user Sharkus_Reincarnus used pure castor oil and applies them on her lashes using a spoolie. Not being someone who uses mascara, I don't have any spoolies around the house.

 My friend recommended this to me. Apparently Beau Zon Eve Lash Essence is a cult product, only known in certain groups. Why? My friend doesn't know either. In any case, this is pretty cheap, the ingredients look legit and if it doesn't work out, I still have that bottle of pure black Jamaican castor oil sitting in my online cart. I can reuse the spoolie from this to apply castor oil.

      6. Shiseido Aqualabel Whitening Jelly Essence [15.90 from Qoo10 seller Chocolicious8888]

Another thing I found on reddit /r/AsianBeauty, this has the ingredient glyclyglycine, which has studies done on it to prove it does reduce pore size. Thank you user cicwang and lintra!

      7. Biore Rich UV Watery Essence [12.40 from Qoo10 seller TopBeautyShop]

Image: Biore Rich UV Watery Essence and Biore Perfect Face Milk
Credit: Self

This apparently is one of the most beloved sunscreens by /r/Asianbeauty. I am perfectly happy with my Biore Perfect Face Milk, but since there was a sale going on, I decided to pick up a bottle of this too. Let's see what all the hype about this is about!

Though, I seem to have gotten the older PA+++ version?! Rarrrrrgh!

      8. Biore Perfect Face Milk [9.90 from Qoo10 seller TopBeautyShop]

My repurchase. This is a really good sunscreen if you have oily skin!! It has anti-sebum powder in it, so it will keep your skin matte and the sun rays away! It typically keeps my nose free of oil for at least 4-5 hours, then whilst my nose will start to produce sebum, it will not be visible unless I touch my nose and realise its oily.

Warning! It has white cast so be careful with this if you have darker skin. I have pale skin so the white cast doesn't show too much on me.

      9. Petitfee Black Pearl  and Gold Eye Patches [8.88 from Qoo10 seller FREYJA]

Image: Petitfee Black Pearl  and Gold Eye Patches
Credit: Self

I got suckered in by all the claims it made. Also, I want to be more environmentally-friendly. Etude House Collagen Eye Gel Patch is quite good for eye patches, but the fact that every pair comes in its own plastic foil with a plastic container makes me a little uncomfortable, especially given that I am someone who uses masks and patches a lot.

Also this is much more cost-effective! Etude Collagen Eye Patch is $3.90 a pair, Petitfee eyepatches come in a tub of 60, so at this massive sale price I got, it is $0.30 per pair!

      10. Guerisson 9 Complex Cream [17.99 from Qoo10 seller FREYJA]

Image: Guerisson 9 Complex Cream
Credit: Self

I saw this on the first episode of Get it Beauty 2015 season. This was introduced by the Host Lee Ha Nui, who has fantastic skin by the way, and I got into the hype and I brought this.

After saying I may put snail and starfish on my face, but I won't put anything that came from a large mammal a few months ago... (llﾟ◇ﾟll)

The fact that it comes from a large mammal has me having weird feelings about this as I wait for it to arrive. Part of that is wondering how did they obtain the horse oil? Link to another blogger who reviewed a Japanese brand horse oil cream. Depending on different districts, Japanese citizens do traditionally eat horse meat, and the Son Bahyu Pure Horse Oil uses horse oil that is a by-product of horses slaughtered for food. However as far as I know, Korea citizens has never had a tradition of eating horse meat... so where do they get the horse oil from? I am hoping that they import it from Japan, but that is most likely just fooling myself. I hope that the cream is worth all the hype.

      11. Mizon Placenta-45 Ampoule [11.90 from Qoo10 seller MIZON KOREA]

Mizon is a pretty great brand! I really like all their products that I have tried so far. This time I decided to try their ampoules, of which I originally wanted the Hyaluronic Acid ampoule, but it went out of stock before I could put in my order (´＿｀。)

I decided to go with the Placenta ampoule instead because it claims to have whitening and anti-wrinkle functions! I don't have any wrinkles yet, but my current age is a prime time to do anti-aging care! I'm also not grossed out by placenta because this doesn't make it onto my weird ingredients list.

      12. Mizon Snail Recovery Cream [5.95 from Qoo10 seller MIZON KOREA]

There have been a lot of good reviews on this on /r/Asianbeauty. I have the Mizon All In One Snail Repair Cream, but that is a bit bulky to carry around whilst this is more travel friendly. I also want to see what is the difference for myself.

      13. The Face Shop Keratin Damage Coating Essence [9.90 from The Face Shop brick-and-mortar store]

Image: The Face Shop Keratin Damage Coating Essence
Credits: Self

My repurchase, repurchase. This thing is greatttt. Whenever I see the ingredients list, they seem pretty common and nothing very good pops out. However when combined together into this little bottle, the effects on my hair are fantastic! It really helps prevent split ends a lot, which my hair is highly prone to getting. It also smells fantastic!

There was a huge sale so I took the opportunity to buy more bottles. This is a product I rarely find online, and the sale price from $16.90 to $9.90 is too much to ignore!

      14. The Face Shop Pure Water Facial Mist [7.90 from The Face Shop brick-and-mortar store]

Image: The Face Shop Pure Water Facial Mist
Credits: Self

I work in an air-conditioned office all day, and the air is really drying, yet I cannot use a humidifier. (Think of all the children... paperwork!!!) I previously used Secret Key First Treatment Essence as a mist, but it makes my face shiny over my makeup/sunscreen, and I cannot smooth it over my face. This mist is very fine so I am hoping it will do the job!

      15. The Face Shop Raspberry Sleeping Pack [15.90 from The Face Shop brick-and-mortar store]

Image: The Face Shop Raspberry Sleeping Pack
Credit: Self

Again, huge sale. The original retail price is $22.90 and it is now $15.90. This is a very light sleeping pack, and there are good reviews on this so I decide I might as well buy this too.

Prices are in SGD as that is where I am currently and does not include shipping. Ah, I sure hauled a lot this month! Still waiting for some to arrive too. My wallet cries whilst my skin rejoices.

My routine as of February 2015

First of all, before reading this post, you should have some general knowledge of the Asian skincare routine. It is very different from the Western skincare routine. For more in-dept knowledge, please go here and here.

The Western skincare routine is a very basic and, I find it very harsh, routine. The three main steps of the routine is cleanse-toner-cream. For many years I believed that if I followed this skincare routine daily, I would one day look like Miranda Kerr or Gong Li. My mother tried to introduce me to more products, but for teenager me, just those 3 products were good enough. And I wonder why I kept on getting more pimples by the day...

In 2010 I discovered the wonders of Asian skincare when I went to Japan. Why did it take me so long to discover it when I live in Asia?! I brought more then a few bottles and tubes back. In 2011 I went to Korea, and I came back with an additional luggage bag full of skincare products. Since using them, my skin has generally been the best it has ever been my life, not counting pre-puberty. However, please do not think that a good skincare routine will miraculously solve your all your skin problems.

I went to a dermatologist 3 years ago when my acne worsened so much I look like I had some kind of disease. The medical creams that he gave me (I refused antibiotics), worked like magic. The acne that I had been plagued with for years were gone in a month. The natural dwelling Staphylococcus bacteria that caused acne, had been cleared a la bush-fire style. May they never come back in such huge proportions again.

Well, my main point is that there is a reason why a dermatologist has to study for years to gain his title. They actually know what they are doing and they can identify if you just have an extreme case of acne or whether you have some underlying condition that has caused your problems. Unless you are a dermatologist or work in a related field, we are all amateurs trying to fumble about in a world full of new and exciting products, each newer and more fantastic then the previous.

My going to the dermatologist was like calling the pest exterminators after rats have infested my house. After all the rats are killed and gone, in an ideal world they would never come back. In reality, I would need to continuously maintain my house hygiene so as not to give them a chance to come back.  I find that the skincare routine I use, as patterned after the Korean skincare routine, keeps my 'house' so clean that it has even turned 'better' then before the 'rats' arrived. For that matter, if your Western skincare routine works for you, don't fix what isn't broken!

So, lets stops talking so much and get to the meat of the matter. What is my routine?

Morning:

• First Essence: Secret Key First Treatment Essence
• Toner: Etude House Wonder Pore 10-in-1 toner
• Essence: Skinfood Premium Tomato Whitening Essence
• Essence: Benton Snail Bee High Essence
• Eye Cream: The Body Shop Natrulift Pomegranate Eye Roll On
• Light Moisturizer: Mizon Snail Repair All in One Cream
• Sunscreen: Biore UV Perfect Face Milk
• Sunscreen: Shara Shara No Sun Power Lasting Sunblock
• Spot Treatment: The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil
• Other: Etude House Wonder Pore Corrector
• Other: Etude House Dust Cut Facial Mist
• Other: Etude House Dust Cut Cream

Does that seem like a lot? Actually it isn't as I take out steps depending on my skin condition in the morning. I never actually use all of them at the same time unless I don't mind looking like a greasebaby! If this is bad, I use at least twice this amount for my night routine!

Night:

• 1st Cleanser: Etude House Happy Tea Time Cleansing Cream Lemon Tea  
• 2nd Cleanser: Innisfree Jeju Bija Anti-Trouble Facial Foam
• Treatment: COSRX BHA Blackhead Power Liquid
• First Essence: Secret Key First Treatment Essence
• Toner: Etude House Wonder Pore 10-in-1 toner
• Eye Cream: The Body Shop Natrulift Pomegranate Eye Roll On
• Eye Cream: Laneige Water Bank Eye Gel
• Light Moisturizer: Mizon Snail Repair All in One Cream
• Essence: Skinfood Premium Tomato Whitening Essence
• Essence: Benton Snail Bee High Essence
• Essence: Laneige White Plus Renew Essence
• Essence: Tony Moly Floria Whitening Capsule Essence
• Essence: Odbo Aqua Soothing Silky Essence
• Spot Treatment: Clintia Clarifying Spot Treatment Gel
• Spot Treatment: The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil
• Sleeping Pack: Laneige Water Sleeping Pack EX
• Sleeping Pack: Tony Moly Dual Effect Night Repair Sleeping Pack
• Other: Etude House Dust Cut Facial Mist

This does not include the variable sheet masks or sachets of sleeping packs I use every few days.

This is just the simplified version of my routine for those who want the tl;dr. I will soon be posting about why I use each product, and HOW I use each product! I think that if you want to know about the properties of each product the best way to go about it is checking the companies product webpage. If it is a popular product there will most likely be other better bloggers for the skincare science on how each product works! I cannot compete with that nor do I want to, instead I will be sharing on how I have managed to used each product to its best for me.

Please check here for the next instalment!