Ahava 3rd Anniversary Treats!

Ahava's 3rd Anniversary is here again~ They will be holding a SATAY PARTY on 10th July at Ahava Centrepoint (#03-12) & on 11 July at Ahava marina Square (#02-274A). Both parties are from 2pm -5pm.

There will a goodie bag worth $32 for us to take home!

As members, i will receive a 50% discount voucher! Yeah~ Though it can only be used on 1 item, that enough since im lemming for the Ahava Velvet Wash.

There will be a new outlet at Raffles City Shopping Centre #B2-17. They have a Spa Treatment Room. Spa-facial Treatments at Special Introductory prices, $48 & $88 spa-facial vouchers at AHAVA outlets. When we purchase any of the spa-facial vouchers will receive a free mineral eye treatment worth $108, plus $30 ahava product voucher.

with $100 nett purchase, we can get a free delightful bath time duet (Dead sea liquid salt & body sorbet caress 40ml each) including an Uplifting butter scrub or stress melt butter scrub.

All offers end on 15th July 2010.

L'occitane: Capture the Fragrance of a Fleeting Moment~

A lovely bottle isnt it! I hope the peony will look as pretty when i get the chance to see the perfume in l'occitane outlets :)

L'occitane was inspired by the Mediterranean legend to capture the extrodinary aura and colors of Peony, the symbol of Love and happiness, to create the Peony Fragrance & Lip shine collection.

For Peony Fragrance, they have the Eau de Toilette (75ml), $78, Intense Eau de Toilette Roll-On (10ml) $42, Shower cream 250ml $32, Beauty Milk 250ml $47 and Petal soap 135g $17.

For the Lip shines (limited ed), its enriched with softening Peony extract and vitamin E. Lip balm 15ml $25, Liquid shine lip colors (available in 4shades) 8ml, $26.

L'occitane has a Peony Roadshow at Raffles City Garden Court level 1 from 1st - 7th July.

With Purchase of $160, we will receive 6-pc beauty set (inclusive of 1 peony item). With purchase up to $180 in a single receipt, we can join VIP club and receive Luminous body crean (75ml) FREE!

Ettusais July Surprises!

Ettusais has released new pore related products to help us fight large pores again! Ettusais really surprises me with lotsa new products lately..

Previously it was the new pore care wash, now its the new zero pore coat & Pore care serum :)

Zero pore coat (8g) is a clear make up base that absorbs sebum and control shine all day! Its oil free, fragrance free and colorant free. This can be wear alone (after make up base) or before foundation.

Pore care sebum is a medicated and moisturising serum that shrinks pore! It contains amino acid derivative to shrink pores, glycyrrhizinate to soothes imflammation, AC control oil to fight acne bacteria. Its fragrance and colorant free. Apply it before makeup and its suitable for both day and night use.

Another new product released is Aqua splash OB (40ml)! 1 sold every 6seconds in Tokyo! Its a spray that contains white porous powder to absorb sebum, chamomile to lower skin temperature to regulate and prevent excess sebum, mineral ingredients, 100% refined water. And of cos, its fragrance and colorant free. The way of using it is similar to those thermal sprays, hold it around 15cm away from face and spray evenly over entire face, then smooth over skin.

I tried this Aqua splash last wkend at metro sale. I could smell alcohol (or isnt their signature AC oil??). It does absorb in fast i must say.

As for the freebies this month, spend $60 and get black and white polka dot pouch and handy cosmetic mirror (2 designs available) free. For members, we will receive additional pore care wash (20ml) free.

Review: Nature Repulic Aqua the Ocean By Tahiti Body Lotion

I bought this body lotion (240ml) quite sometime ago at the 313 outlet for about $18. The other outlet is at j8.

Loved the cute bottle :) They dont provide any ingredient list on the box and bottle, so there is no way to know the ingreditens. The SA told me its a water- based body lotion.

Result:

I really love how the nice scent from this lotion! Its a very refreshing scent. The lotion is rather light, easy to massage into skin too. But my skin dint absorb in fast enough i feel, nonetheless, my skin do feel moisturised and soft after usage.

Verdict: 8/10 Rather expensive if you compare to those drugstore brands. but i really love the scent and the cute bottle!

Review: Sephora Daily MakeUp Brush Cleaner

Bought this brush cleaner (60ml) at ion sephora 2 wks ago at $12. This is the only size available at ion, not so sure if this can be found at the taka outlet though.

This brush cleaner claims to contain an anti-bacteria agent, designed to quickly remove light traces of make up between applications.

So how do i use this cleaner? Spray it all over the bristles of the brush. Then gentle wipe brush onto a lint-free cloth to remove make up. Let the brush air-dry, need not rinse. Can be used daily.

Result: The cleaner smells ok, a chemical scent. I bought this cleaner for my lip brush since i think its best to clean them regularly. For convenience, i tot this spray cleaner will come in handy. I sprayed about twice onto my lip brush. Wipe clean with tissue rather than the suggested lint cloth. Lastly, i air-dry it after slight rinsing though the instructions stated that we need not rinse.

I cant really guage the cleansing powder of this cleaner since my brushes are for my lip balms and they have no color. but i dont really recommend it for bigger brushes. I doubt the cleansing liquid can reach those inner bristles and i will probably have to spray alot of times on them. Moreover, if its lip brushes, I think its better to rinse the brush since i will be using it on my lips, so the convenience of the no rinsing part dint appeal to me at all.

I found out other ways to use the cleaner as well. 1st I can spray the cleaner onto a tisse to make it damp, then i wipe the brushes with the tissue. I feel that i can reach the inner bristles better using this way. Alternatively, for those bigger brushes, I can pour abit of the cleaner into mini cups or containers, then rinse my brushes with it. Of cos my usage will be alot more if i were to use this way.

Verdict: 7/10 I find it approriate for smaller sized brushes such as the eye ones. As for the lips and those that are bigger, i think those usual ones such as the one sold at clinique counters ($41, think is 300ml?) will be cleaner and cheaper in the long run. Those who do not like to rinse their brushes, afraid that the metal thingy will get rusty or want their brushes to be clean daily etc, this cleaner will be suitable i guess.

Review: Anna Sui Nail Remover

I bought this remover as a package when i was in HK last month. Kinda disappointed cos it dint come in a pretty bottle. Hopefully the full sized item do.

Results:

It smells like the signature rose scent and has a cooling sensation when i was using it. Since it does not smell like the usual nail polish remover, this makes me pretty happy with it. It does not sting my fingers like some brands out there in the market too. It removes my nail colors quite easily, except for those with lotsa shimmers.

Verdict: 8.5/10 I may consider buying the full sized if the bottle is nice and reasonably priced.

Review: Ettusais Shelf Life

Just wanna praise ettusais for their honest service! The honest refers to the stuff i bought from them. I always do not need to check the stuff i bought for manufactured dates/expiry dates.

After buying so much from them, i never once received items that are old. Or to be exact, the shelf life of ettusais stuff seems to be much longer. They always print the expiry dates on their items, including samples :)

Thumbs Up!

Metro Storewide 20% Sale!

Its Metro sale again!

Metro has storewide 20% sale (including skincare & cosmetics) quite frequently, once every 2-3 months. Their 20% is on rebate vouchers form, as in if the item cost $10, i will get a $2 voucher that has no expiry date. I can use the voucher at all metro stores, on all items, including those on sale. I can use more than 1 voucher on a item too. moreover, i can use the voucher immediately, upon next payment ( on the same day i received the voucher). And the 20% voucher is based on item before discount (meaning item usual price), not the discounted price (after voucher offset). so this makes the sale very worth going.

Do pay with UOB cards, since there is additional 2% rebate stored in your card. then i can use the rebate anytime, anywhere, even on moive tickets :)

1 tip when going such sale is the way you use your rebate voucher. Do not pay your stuff in a single receipt, pay those more expensive ones first, then use the rebate from these items to offset the cheaper items. Then, you will be left with 1 voucher thats of the least amt :) so even if i bought stuff that cost me hundred over, the rebate im left with at the end of the day is always under $4. well, this depends on the last item (cheapest of all items u bought on that day) that i paid too of cos. This way, i can see the 20% saved, rather than in rebate vouchers i feel haha.

another tip is to go with a friend. so that even if you buy only 1 item, your rebate voucher can be used on your friend's items, and at the end of the day, you guys can spilt the remaining 1 voucher.

when we're going crazy over the sale, do remember to check the expiry dates of the items you bought! I was careless today, and realised my kanebo eye shadow is made 1 yr ago! :(

Beauty Bargains at AMK Central

A couple of years ago, i found out 3 shops at amk central that sell really cheap beauty stuff.

All located at amk central, near the mac outside ang mo kio hub. These shops are found along the stretch there. They are Venus (also found at boon lay mrt station), pink beauty (found in tpy central, west mall) & spring.

From my past experiences, its usually the fight between pink beauty & venus for value buy. Drugstore brands such as ginvera, loreal, bio-essence, neutrogena, simple, vaseline can be found there. Products ranging from hair, body and facial stuff. Counter brands such as estee lauder, biotherm, clinique, sk2, clarins & kose can be found @ pink beauty. Even salon brands such as Redken, kerastase can be found at venus & pink beauty. Something that surprises me is that even imported japan brands such as kracie masks can be found at venus and pink beauty. Perfumes such as anna sui, DKNY and versace can be found in pink beauty.

Well, i only buy my drugstore stuff from these shops so far. for eg, i bought my simple cleansing wipes there and they dint give me any problems. As for the counter brands, im not so sure if its authentic since i dint buy there. what i can assure you is the price haha. Its really cheap, at least 20%! the price diff can be understand since hk pricing is also very cheap.

There is watsons & guardian nearby these beauty shops, so do remember to chk them out as well, there are times when watsons and guardian are cheaper, esp when they have discounts and sales.

Do check the manufactured dates when you buy. sometimes when the price diff is so big till its hard to believe, check the dates. take those at the back of the rack, cos tts where they put those thats manufactured later ;)

Update: The distributor for versace perfume at pink beauty is the same as the 1 found at metro. so i guess that means the perfume is authentic haha!

Review: Sunplay UV Body Mist Sunblock SPF25 PA+++

Bought this sunblock at the watsons in HK last yr, under S$20. Its currently not available in SG, at least i dint see it around at sasa, watsons and guardian.

My sensitive skin don allow me to use any product thats higher than spf30 according to my past experience. So, all these yrs i dared not try those products with high spf already. So those sun mist like neutrogena and nivea available locally are definitely out of my list. Im glad i found this sun mist :)

Sunplay is from mentholatum, spf25 PA+++, definitely enough for my daily activities. This body mist has high water resistance, has instant refreshing and cooling sensation, non greasy too.

I use it on my hands and legs for fast application. Really handy when im in a rush. Absorbs fast by skin too. I din really smell any fragrance. 1 bottle last me nearly a yr! will definitely repurchase :)

Verdict: 10/10

Review: Hand Cream Showdown - Loccitane VS H2o+ Spa VS Ahava!

Yes! its hand cream showdown again woohoo~

this time its between L'occitane shea butter, H20+ Spa & Ahava Mineral handcream :)

Ive compared them when i used them in air con places, cos tts when my hands are really dry i realised.

Round 1: Price

Its hard to compare the price because they are in diff sizes & i got them in packages etc. but since i will be bringing them out, so size is v impt to me. For this round, per ml price will be the most impt factor here to be fair.

Loccitane: 30ml, bought it with a small tub of shea butter for $41. If im not wrong, another package is 3 for $43 too. well, its v expensive no matter what! i'll tak it that its $11 then. the 150ml is not v portable, i forgt the exact price but i think its above $40.

H20+ Spa: I bought it as a xmas package, 5 for $25, so this is only $5 for 30ml. the other size they have is either 150ml/200ml cant remember, its around $20+ if im not wrong.

Ahava: Mine has got 50% extra, so its 150ml. but the usual 100ml is $22.

Result: I'll update the prices asap, but for now, i think its rather clear. L'occitane is the most expensive, next will be ahava then h20+. So for now, i'll put h20+ as the winner for this round 1st.

Round 2: Scent

L'occitane: smells lk baby lotion, a milky one haha. not too bad.

H2o+: Ive alr said in my previous post, i hated h2o+ handcream's scent.. smells v artificial.

Ahava: quite a powdery scent, smells like baby powder too haha. its the natural smell of the product cos there is no added fragrance.

Result: my fave got to be ahava! 2nd will be loccitane of cos.

Round 3: Texture & absorption

Loccitane: Not too thick in texture. Rather easy to absorb.

H2o+: most watery out of the 3 here.

Ahava: not as thick as loccitane. take some time to be absorbed.

Result: H2o+ will be the easiest to absorbed.

Round 4: Moisturising

Result: I think Ahava is slightly more moisturising than Loccitane. Last will be h2o+.

Overall: Well, to me, moisturising will be the most important factor, next will be price. so Ahava seems to be the winner here. Loccitane is far too expensive for me. h2o+ is really not moisturising enough

Review: Cure Natural Aqua Gel

Currently on my 2nd bottle of Cure. Its a exfoliator with no added fragrance, alcohol and preservatives. 90% of the gel is actually water. A very gentle exfoliator indeed, to be best used within 6months.

$42 for a bottle at watsons.

Result:

We've to cleanse and dry our face before usage. face have to be really dry if not result wont be satisfactory i realised. The gel is rather watery, odourless, no beads etc too. after massage, i saw white dead skin coming out. Sometimes ive to massage it as long as 1min. Face looked really smooth and clear after usage. Products are able to absorbed better too. One thing i really like is its beads less, hence less harsh to my sensitive skin.

Verdict: 7.5/10 I really cant finish a bottle in 6months. So its really quite an expensive exfoliator in the long run. If not for the unfriendly price, it would have gotten a higher rating. Its quite troublesome too when ive to dry my face before exfoliation compared to other scrubs.

Review: Sunplay Water in UV

This is my 2nd bottle of Sunplay water UV from watsons :) got it at around $14 after discount, usual price is $16.90.

The spf for this sunblck is 25, PA++.

It contains MPC moisture retention barrier and carrot extract, retains and replenishes skin moisture.

Result:

Texture of this sun block is really watery, find it easier to apply on areas like neck. No fragrance & alcohol too. No sticky feeling after application, and skin is left smooth and moisturised.

Verdict: 10/10 my fave sunblock for my body so far! really love the texture, price is reasonable too :)

这款防晒露已经是我的第二支了。在本地的watsons能买到，原价$16.9，打完折大概$14。

Spf 25 PA++。这款是水凝状，用起来很清爽。它含有MPC高效保水因子和胡罗白精华，有助补充和缩紧肌肤水分，保持肌肤滋润和弹性。

效果：

质地真的水水的，很舒服。用这款觉得涂在颈项等部位比较好推。没添加香料和酒精。擦完后也不油腻，皮肤滑滑的。

评分：10/10 目前最喜欢的身体防晒露！价钱也合理。

Review: Bio-essence Tanaka White Skin White Perfecting Stretch Mask

Bought this mask when i saw it on offer at $2.95 at Sasa some time ago. Usual was $3.90/pc, Watson is selling it at $24.90 for a box of 5pc.

This mask claims to tighten pores, increases elasticity and firm skin while soothing skin from daily stress and fatigue. it lightens wrinkles and fine lines, improve cell renewal so that skin is supple, smooth and radiant.

Ingredients (partial): Lentinus Edodes Extract (Bio energy fluids), Tanaka extract, Urea, Methyl Paraben, bio mineral essence, pomelo extract, carbomer, aloe vera, propyl paraben, ginseng extract, cornu cervi pantotrichum extract, lycium extract, ginkgo extract biloba extract, fragrance

As you can see, the list looks impressive.. with lotsa extracts.. no alcohol but there is added fragrance.

Result:

The mask is moderately wet with essence, the material of the mask was quite diff from the rest. in a way, it dint really fit my face but yet there were not alot of crumpled areas cos the mask was 'stiff'. 1 thing i hate were the ultimiate small eye holes!!! its the smallest ive seen so far! Scent was alright, smells like the tanaka range, not too strong.

After 15min, my face was significantly brighter! There seems to be a layer on the face, not uncomfortable & stuicky though. Face felt smooth. The next morning, my face was really radiant, skincare glide on easily. quite impressed with the results. Dint irritate my zits too, in fact, 1 of them seemed to shrink in size. Dint give me zits too.

Verdict: 8/10 Quite expensive for a mask, prolly will repurchase when there is a sale only. The small eye holes really bother me since i was forced to lie on the bed with my eyes closed

Review: DHC Eye Care Patch Mask

Got this eye patch mask at watsons a few months ago. Its selling for $21.90 for 6 pairs if i dint remember wrongly.

it contains olive essence (dhc star ingredient) & some other plant extracts for moisturising properties.

well, since its a eye patch, its similar to the purederm eye patch which ive previously reviewed. as usual, one side is sticky, to be stick onto our skin while the other side is fabric material. for the sticky side, its not as sticky as purederm, so it feels much better when i m removing these patches, less force exerted onto eye areas.

it fits nicely i muz say, and its slighly bigger than purederm. its fuss-free, no essence spotted as usual for these eye patches. it can be worn overnight, or 20-30min.

i put it on for 20min for my 1st try & result wasnt that fantastic i would say. its more hydrating & soothing than purederm’s, but as usual, my eyes just dont look hydrated enough, compared to those collagen eye mask. my eye area do look slighter brighter and feel smooth though.

I worn it overnight for my 2nd try yesterday. Was quite disappointed with the result actually. My eyes dont look v much better. Because i put it on overnight, it gave me those 'pillow' lines look alike at my undereye. the worse part is it gave me bump! a zit appeared around my left undereye.

Verdict: Do i need to say more? There u go to the hall of hates for giving me that zit!

Freshness of Your Products

Ever since i started using Fancl products, I became very particular about the freshness of my products, mainly because I am afraid that expired stuff will cause chaos for my face and give me zits. I don wanna risk my face for this >.<>shelf life affects the effectiveness of the products. Even for unfinished products, as long as time is up, i will dump them into the bin heartlessly haha. Nonetheless, this GOOD habit of mine burnt a BIG hole in my wallet in the long run.

dont assume counter brands will be safer than drugstore brands.. this is so not true! even for samples that u’ve taken, tak note of their expiry dates/manufactured dates but i guess only jap brands, ettusais esp, wrote the expiry dates on their samples.


that symbol(dustbin look alike with a 6M written inside) simply means that the shelf life is only 6mths, once opened! there is a diff with the shelf life for opened & unopened products!

if the product stated the expiry date, it only means that it can last for eg, 2yrs when its UNOPENED. if u wanna noe how long it can last when its OPEN, check the symbol. if its nt available, use it up within 1 yr is my suggestion to u. DONT TRUST THOSE SALESGER, they may not even know their stuff well, and they always tell u its 2/3yrs, to cheat you into buying the products of cos.

this is the same for products containing vit c, if the content is high, i tnk they can only last for 3mths once opened, as they oxidise and is v active. thats the main reason why i dont usu buy giant sized products unless im v confident that i can finish it in a yr.

Below is a gauge of how long the products should stay in your room once opened: Cleanser/Toner/moisturiser/foundation/blusher/eye shadow/lip/pimple cream: 1 year
Sheet mask: 2-3 years
Mascara: 3-6months

1 tip is to get these stickers from popular and paste one onto every product u buy! 5sheets for $1.80

for make up, do rmb to wash ur sponges & brushes too. for sponges, i wash mine with the sponge cleanser found @ daiso (recommended by AY). Fancl has one selling at $15 too. for brushes, i saw some bloggers washing with johnson baby shampoo. Clinique has one too, 236ml at $40, while sephora's one is 60ml $12.

Cleo Hall of Fame 2010

Cleo's Hall of Fame 2010 is here in the July issue :)

managed to grab a copy when i went to ntuc just now haha. Free Hada Labo lotion sample in it, another reason to get July's issue lol.

was happy to see 3 of my pdts in the hall of fame this year. even my bro haf 1 pdt in it omg!
my 3 pdts which got in were Canmake lash essence, shu uemura's UV base, Ahava cream body wash. my bro's one was Ginvera eye roll away.. can u believe it!!!

alot of shocking products were found in HOF this year. Quite alot of drugstore brands like loreal, Za too, so definitely wont burn a hole in our pockets.

as far as i could remember, a few products were found in womens' weekly/Her world/Cleo. Vichy's refine total pore resurfacing essence, shu uemura cleansing oil, Ahava body wash & the body shop tea tree skin clearing lotion were either found in the hall of Fame of all 3 mag, if not at least 2.

Im so tempted to get that the body shop tea tree lotion!! $10 off for cleo readers! so i can get it at $17..argh.. so tempting!

Review: BabySkin Collagen Hand Mask

Saw this hand mask on offer at guardian, $1.95/pair, usual price is $6 if i dint remember wrongly. As usual, im a sucker for hand stuff, so i bought to try.

this hand mask moisturise, soothing & promote anti-aging care for skin.

Ingredients (part of it): Alcohol, hydrolyzed collagen, acacia concinna fruit extract, camellia sinensis leaf extract, pathenol, COQ10, punica granatum seed oil, fragrance.

The material of this mask is similar to clarus, cloth like & stretchable. I like this material, mask can worn easily too. gloves are provided so i can wear them after the mask, prevent me from dirtying the place when ive the mask on my hands. Mask is rather wet too, 45g/pair.

Result: After putting on for 30min, my hands looked 'crumpled' haha. I applied some steam cream (moisturiser) and went st to bed, never wash hands. Hands felt v smooth and soft the next morning.

Verdict: 8.5/10 I wont repurchase unless i can get it below $2 again, $6/pair (usual price) is too expensive!!

那天看到这款护手膜在guardian打折，$1.95/片，原价$6，所以当然要买来试一试啦！

这款除了能滋润手，也能抗老化。

手膜很像布，有弹性，所以穿起来也很容易。手膜蛮湿的，45g。也附有手套，所以穿着手膜也不怕会弄脏东西。

效果：穿了30分钟后，手的皮皱皱的，但蛮滑的哈哈。擦上护手霜就抱头大睡，千万不要洗手。隔天起来手滑滑嫩嫩，很不错。

评分：8.5/10 除非有促销，低于$2，不然应该不会回购，$6真的太贵了！

Review: Skinvitals C-Brighten Mask

After the great experience with Skinvitals T-Purify (though H-revive was disappointing), of cos ive to try their other masks!

Got it for $2.95/pc @ selected watsons (wisma, kovan etc). Usually i only see the 3 pc (box) one, selling @ $9.90 (sale), usual price at $13. If you're lucky enough, sometimes there will be 3+1 mask for $9.90. Only stock up when there is sale, freq discount for these masks!

Its the C-Brighten mask this time round, a 3-in-1 mask, for Radiant, vitalizing & moisturising. its infused with concentrated serum of anti-oxidants & vitamins, moisturised skin & brighten it at the same time.

Contains vitamin C to brighten & moisturise, Ginger root to cleanse, purifying and stimulate skin regeneration.

Ingredients list (Part of it): Wine extract, soluble collagen, citric acid, rosa canina fruit oil, ginger root oil & vitamin C.

The mask was wet (25ml essence, not the v watery kind), material of the mask is smooth & cloth-like. Fits my face q well too.

Results: Face dint look exceptionally bright after removing mask at first. Face was still quite wet after massaging so i gotta wiped off excess serum with tissue. Face feel q smooth & moisturised. when i woke up next morning, face was not as oily, in fact, there was not much oil this morning. i was q shocked since this is not an oil control mask haha. face appeared brighter, was smooth as well. No new zits detected, and this mask dint irritate the zits on my face! In fact, my zits look soothed.

Verdict: 8.5/10 Quite an expensive mask to maintain in the long run, result was q good though.

最近爱上skinvitals的面膜，尤其是他们的T-Purify，对痘痘非常有效。尽管H-revive效果不怎么样，但是我还是买了这款的C-brighten来试一试。

在本地的Watsons能找到，同时都会有促销，3片$9.90。在少数的Watsons 如Kovan， Wisma的能找到单片装，1片$2.95。幸运的话，会遇上3+1 面膜$9.90。skinvitals常有促销活动，一定要等到大减价时才买！

C-Brighten有滋润、亮白的效果。含有维生素C、姜( ginger root oil)、胶原蛋白等。姜能净化促进新陈代谢，维生素C除了能美白，也能滋润肌肤。

面膜有25ml的精华液（不是那种水水的），面膜质地很不错，敷贴性不错，大小也合我脸。

效果：按摩完后，脸上还有很多精华液，所以得用纸巾抹掉。敷完面膜，脸并没有看起来很亮白，但确实蛮滋润，滑滑的。隔天醒来，和平时比起来，脸一点也不油，可以说是没有油，让我相当惊讶，毕竟这不是控油面膜。脸相当红润，明显的亮白效果，脸滑滑的。高兴的是，我没发现新痘痘，而且这款面膜也不刺激我脸上原有的痘痘，甚至好像有舒缓效果，痘痘没那么红。

评分:8.5/10 将近$3/片，长期用起来蛮贵的，但效果确实很不错。

Review: Ettusais Vacances Nails 2010

Ettusais came out with a few collection of nail colors lately. Dint really notice them since i am not a nail polish person mainly bcos i don know how to paint them well myself haha!

Got interested in them last week when i saw these lovely colors at the counter. Most of the colors are rather mild, or rather pastel, come with nice shimmers too! Those shimmer colors look somewhat similar though..but i find them suitable for my yellow skintone.. in a way i need not worry they will make my fingers look more yellowish since the colors were light hee. I bought 3 colors at 1 go haha!

the nail colors condition nails with jojoba oil and do not contain toluene.

and the fun part is they smell NICE! Scents of coconut, peach, raspberry or citrus in these nail colors. If i am not wrong, diff colors come in diff scent. so some may smell lk coconut while some of them are peach.

For this limited edition collection, there are 15 colors available, selling at $4 each. If you are 1 of those who paint the nails quite regularly, you may find this slightly expensive since each bottle is only 2ml. but if you're like me, one who seldom paint the nails, most probably you will find the price alright since getting bigger bottles will be a waste cos i don think i will ever finish them.

Spending $28 at ettusais, inclusive of a nail color, will entitle you a free manicure @ JUUP (somerset). I had my free manicure there and the service was great! complimentary cookies & drinks for me & friend. The place was well furnished too.

Review: Veet Wax Strips (Dry Skin)

I started waxing a couple of years ago.. simply bcos i cant stand the hair on my legs haha!

Its available in Watsons, guardian, ntuc & Sasa. 20 wax strips for $15, with 4 perfect finish wipes. Veet has 20% off their products quite regularly, so do grab the chance when there is sale!

I got the one for dry skin (green color) instead of the pink one thats for normal skin. I just thought if its meant for dry skin, it wont be as harsh. I tried both types and they work the same too.

We've to warm the strips slightly with our palms before usage. I hate this step cos it tends to dirty my hands since i re-use the strips once. Lately, i found a way to do it fast.. use a cup warmer! lol. Just put it there for say 5sec and the wax strips will be ready for use :)

Alternatively, i think the hair dryer will do the same.. though ive not tried that before.

If there is some wax left on skin, I will use the perfect wipes to clean it off. It will be much better after that.

Verdict: 9/10 Reasonably priced wax strips. Removes my hair rather effectively.

After waxing, I will try not to expose my skin in the sun. And if i really have to, i will apply sunblock on my legs. This will prevent my skin from darkening. I forgt where i read this, but its a must to remember this tip!

After waxing for so many years, I realised its hard to prevent ingrown hair. Regular scrubbing do help to improve the situation. But do not scrub immediately after waxing! do it 2-3 days later.

I apply slow hair growth cream on my legs to slow down the growth rate.. Then I wont have to wax so often. I wil review on this soon in another post.

With regular waxing, the hair will naturally grow slower.

I realised the pores on my legs seems to became more obvious over the years as well. Minmin suggested applying unwanted toner on the legs to minimise the pores. I've yet to try this method but since it works on the face, it may work on the legs too! moreover, since we've got no more use for the toner anymore, instead of discarding it, we can put it to better use :) It may enhance absorption of our body lotion too. So why not!

Review: Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes

I was trying to find cleansing wipes to remove sunblock for my neck & body some time ago. Decided to settle for simple cleansing wipes in the end. Dont ask my why I need make up remover wipes for my neck, I just feel I need to remove the sunblock on my neck since i do that for my face everyday. I don wanna start seeing zits growing on my neck!

Each packet is selling at $13.90 @ watson & guardian. 25wipes in a packet. I usually get mine from the beauty shops like pink beauty at ang mo kio. If I dint remember wrongly, i got mine there at about $8/packet. I will be going there to stock up soon & I will be doing a comparison for the prices of the few shops there, so stay tuned next wk!

Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes claims to removes waterproof mascara, contains pro vitamin B5, No alcohol, oil, perfume & color.

Results:

Well, since my mascara can be removed with water, so i cant prove that these wipes really removes waterproof mascara. Well, since my mascara can be removed with water, so i cant test it.

Next, i find these wipes kinda rough, not smooth enough for the face seriously. Each piece is moderately damp, not oily too. This is probably the main reason for me re-purchasing it.

I tried using it to remove foundation on my neck, it actually took me several swipes across my neck before removing it totally. So i guess the cleansing powder for these wipes are not vv strong.

Verdict: 7.5/10 Its suitable for my sensitive skin and does not contail oil/alcohol. Its one of the cheaper ones compared to other cleansing wipes in the market. I find it suitable for make up removal for my neck & as a double cleansing step after my cleansing oil. However, i dont recommend it for removing make up on the face since I dont think the cleansing powder is strong enough & the wipes just feels abit too rough for face.

Review: Fancl Sebum Care Pack

Bought Fancl's sebum care pack when I was searching for a deep cleansing mask a few months ago.

Its selling at $27.50/box, 8sachets in each box. Meaning it costs $3+ for each deep cleansing experience. Q costly i feel, compared to other deep cleanse mask in the market.

Nonetheless, I bought a box to try since Im smitten with fancl after the great experience with their washing powder haha.

The amount of 'paste' found in each sachet is enough for 2 person, so if you have siblings, both of you can use it on the same day, 1 after another, this makes it more worth! It does not smell weird or bad like some other deep cleansing mask. All I need to do is to spread it evenly on my face, and leave it on for 3min before washing it off. Its quite easy to wash off this mask too!

Result: Face is left smooth after usage, not too dry either. My face do feel less oily on the next day. Other than that, i dont really see any other effects. As for the blackheads part, I dont think it helps to reduce mine.

Verdict: 7/10 I dont think I will re-purchase this costly mask. The other deep cleansing mask that works similar definitely cost cheaper in the long run.

Review: Fancl Washing Powder

I just realised I actually forgot to review my fave cleanser in my blog!

yup, you are right, its the highly raved fancl washing powder :)

I started using it about 2years ago.. I stopped for a year before going back to it last sept. I just cant resist the smooth & cleansed feeling it gives me despite it being unfriendly to my wallet >.<

For fancl's washing powder, basically there are 2 types available : the light version & the normal one. According to the SA, both work the same except that the light one gives a more refreshing feel. I personally prefer the normal version cos I think my face feels softer with it compared to the light one.

The blue foam ball in the picture is free. we will need that to create enough foam for cleansing. I will change to a new one every 3-4 weeks. We can request for new ones from any of the counters. Well, do note that its not free in japan though, so get yours in sg haa! I realised the foam ball is very useful for soap cleanser too! I used it together with my ettusais soap cleanser in the past oops.

Well, Fancl is known for their no-preservative skincare. So this washing powder needs to be finished within 2 months once opened, and 1 yr from manufacturing date when its unopened. So, this cleanser is actually very expensive in the long run :( And to my horror, 1 bottle only lasted me a mth omg!

When I first started using it, I cant finish it within 2 months to be frank. Nonetheless, I will still discard it since i dont dare risking expired stuff on my face. When i re-purchase it again last year, I finally understand why I dint managed to finish it in the past. thats bcos the amount of powder i use daily is too little! With enough powder this time round, i create dense & lotsa foam! I finish 1 bottle a month! Whenever there are zits on my face, these foam works like a cushion, providing some kinda protection and I will be able to glide through the zits area without my hands touching/hurting them :) Hence, I will be able to massage & cleanse my face well.

So after months of pampered foam, I am reluctant to go back to other cleansers since they cant provide the same amount of foam like fancl's, and even if they do, they wont be as dense & cushion-like!

If you have occasional zits on your back like me, try cleansing them with leftover foam from the powder ( Since there are really lotsa foam haha). Its definiely not as harsh as those body cleansers out there, and I realised it helps my back condition too :)

After wash, face feel really smooth & soft, it dint feel tight too! 1 thing to tak note of, if you're 1 of those who like the clean dish after wash feeling, then perhaps fancl washing powder is not the one for you. well, at least this is true for miao haha!

Verdict: 9/10 1 point deducted for the unfriendly price haha! but this dint stop me from loving it!

Review: Avene DIY Thermal Water Mask (雅漾DIY活泉水面膜)

Lately, I became very interested about DIY mask after reading good reviews from several beauty bloggers. Wanted to try out the lotion mask recommended by Chizu Saeki, but i cant really find good quality cotton pads in SG yet. So i decided to give the DIY Avene thermal water mask a shot instead haa!

Only 2 items needed for this DIY mask: Avene thermal water & Dry sheet masks. these sheet masks are available @ sasa. 2types available there.

I got the brand Cosmo, which is 100% pulp, to avoid skin irritation etc. Its selling at 10 for $4.50, while the other type is selling at $2.50 if i am not wrong. These cosmo masks are really thin though!Im glad they dint tear during my DIY experience. But the size of the mask is slightly bigger than my face though.

Atfer cleansing my face, I chose to spray avene water on my face first before applying the diy mask. Then, i opened up the mask, putting it nicely on my palm and started spraying loads of avene thermal water on it haha! since mine is the 300ml spray, i felt that the spraying 'power' is stronger compared to the 50ml bottle. after a few seconds, the whole mask is soaked and is ready to be applied! I put it on my face for roughly 15min. During that 15min, i sprayed one more time when i feel its becoming dry.

When i removed it, my face was surprisingly dry, i guess its bcos my face had readily absorbed in the thermal water haha!

Results: My zits were less red and the face feel hydrated & soothed :)

the cost price of this DIY mask is defintely below 80cents (since the 300ml avene spray is v much more cheaper), without feeling afraid that this mask will cause zits & irritation. It took me less than a minute to wet the mask too! An interesting experience since I've never tried DIY mask myself in the past. Will definitely do it again!

最近开始对DIY面膜非常有兴趣。加上网上也看到很多人对这类面膜的好评，所以我终于决定自己动手试一试！

原本想试的是日本美容专家佐伯（Chizu Saeki）的化妆水面膜，但在新加坡找不到合适的化妆棉，没办法，只好先弄个Avene泉水面膜好了哈哈。

DIY必备：面膜和Avene活泉水。
这类的DIY面膜可以在本地的Sasa找到，有2款。我买的是Cosmo牌的，10片$4.50，比另个牌子贵点，相信质地也会比较好。打开来，真的有点吓到，面膜满薄的，好才敷的时候没撕破。尺寸稍微大了点。

洗完脸后，我先在用活泉水在脸上喷一喷。然后把干的面膜放在手掌，使劲地用活泉水将面膜喷的湿湿的。不知为什么，总觉得300ml的比50ml的更猛，更好喷，不到几秒，面膜马上就湿透。我立即将它敷在脸上，敷足了15分钟，其间觉得有点干了，就在那些部位再用活泉水喷喷。

拿下面膜时，脸并没有太湿，应该是因为脸都将泉水吸收的缘故吧！

评论：痘痘没这么红肿了，面膜有舒缓的效果，脸也觉得很保湿。

这个泉水DIY面膜成本低，绝对不会高于8毛钱，也不用怕面膜会让自己长痘痘等等。弄起来也会方面，整个过程少过1分钟就搞定。是个新鲜有趣的体验，每天敷也不怕长痘痘哈哈！

Eat For Beautiful Skin!

watched the 女人我最大 programme today, interesting topic i would say. so whats the topic today?? beauty supplements! :)

i was expecting them to introduce stuff like collagen, what kinda supplement can combat zits etc, but unfortunately, they did not :(

First, we need to differentiate between medicine & supplements. Alot pple like myself are interested if we can tak say 3 or more types of those beauty supplements together in a day. according to the doc in the prog, its alright, so long they are not medicine. he recommends one to eat those multi vitamin pills actually.

the host 蓝心湄 took more than 8types of supplements ( include vitamins) a day, i was pretty shocked when she showcased them during the prog!

Next, according to niu er lao shi, for pimple prone skin, its impt to flush out all the toxic (unwanted stuff, u noe what i am referring to ya haha) evyday.

For radiance, drink juices or supplements with berries.

for anti-aging, go for collagen stuff of cos.

For vitamin B, the recommended dosage is 10-12mg. It helps to replenish energy.

For Vitamin C, one only need 100mg each day actually. so if you really think you need more, go for those pills that are low in vitC say 100mg per pill, then take them a few times a day rather than eating 1 single pill with 500mg at one go. its best not to tak more than 2000mg/day, if not there may be some side effects.

do take note, both vitamin B and C are water soluble vitamins, so its much safer to consume since the excess will be flushed out by our bodies.

lastly, nothing to do with supplements though, niu er laoshi recommended avene thermal spray compared to other types of spray. he named it the 天一神水.

Review: Purederm Illuminating Arbutin Mask

wanted so much to love tis range of mask, but it let me down yet again its stated on the mask that it has got soothing & hydrating purposes.. though i tot the main result is to brighten up my skin since its Illuminating Arbutin.

The amt of essence found in this mask and the material etc is more or less similiar to the Pearl essence one that ive tried previously from this range. Even the smell is the same haha.

the hydrating effect is not as gd as the pearl essence one in my opinion.. not so much of the brightening effect as well. but jaime commented that i looked ‘white’ this morning.. im not sure what her white means.. but fr her expression.. i dont thnk she meant brighter face lol.

Verdict: 5/10. im so not looking forward to the remaining green tea collagen mask.. shldnt have bought 4 mask fr this range (3diff flavors though) at 1 go!

Review: Skinlite Moisturisng Herb Lavendar Mask

this is the Moisturising herb Lavender Mask.

Price and material of sheet mask is the same as the previously reviewed skinlite mask.

for moisture, this is worse than the royal essence mask the worst ive tried from skinlite range so far. does not moisturise well at all. seems like hydrating herb is the only 1 that can make it fr skinlite.

Verdict: 2/10 1 mark for the lovely lavender, the other for not giving me zits. =p

Review: Skinlite Royal Jelly Essence Mask

Tried the royal jelly essence from skinlite after exfoliating face. pardon the blurry and opened packet pic hehe. tts the only one i have and i forgt to tak photo of it b4 i open lol.

price is the same as the previous one ive reviewed. usually its buy 2 get 1 free so its $1.3/pc, or if im lucky enough, i can get it at $1 each @ sasa.

well, the essence is towards the sticky side as compared to the herb hydrating one that i usually used. material is towards the thin side as well, nth uncomfy though.

Result:

as compared to the herb hydrating mask, this is more moisturising rather than hydrating. doesnt give me the watery feeling. gave me the moisturised feel instead. face was left rather sticky after usage, but i din rinse again cos ive decide to not rinse my face anymore after masking haha. i wipe dry with tissue instead cos the stickyness is too unbearable. my face do feel moisturised on the very night that i used but it din sustain till the next morning.

i wont repurchase cos i really dont like the stickyness it gave me. moreover, i prefer watery hydrating feeling all along.

verdict: 4/10

Review: Clarus Repair Foot Pack

i got it at sasa for S$1.95/pc. sasa is having a discount currently, $1.55/pair! they are q popular as they went out of stocks at junction sasa 2mths ago.

i became v interested on foot mask ever since i realise their existence in Sg lol. foot mask & hand mask are v expensive in sg i realised. choices are v limited as well, and they are usually selling above S$4/pair.

a pair of foot gloves are provided in each pack, so u can wear them after wearing the mask, then you wont dirty the floor while walking around.

the masks are damp, no essence dripping etc. its made of cotton material i feel, stretchable fabric, im able to wear it easily, v comfy too compared to other foot mask tt ive tried previously.

this mask claim to repair, rejuvenate, revitalise, heal chapped areas and eliminate calluses from the feet. nourishes and moisturises them making your feet smooth and soft. no washing is needed after usage.

ingredients include ethanol, glycerin, sodium hyaluronate, hydrolzed collagen, carbomer, methylparaben, fragrane etc.

if u are hardwking enuf, u can wear them overnight or apply moisturiser (vaseline) after taking off the mask, and wear the foot gloves with socks again. do scrub ur feet b4 putting on these mask for better results.

Verdict: 8/10 my feet do feel moisturised and smoother after using the mask, nothing too fantastic but i guess for a $2/pair, its still quite worth :)

Review: Silk Whitia Highly Concentrated Collagen Hydrating Mask

Was introduced to this mask by Gek. Silk Whitia can be found at Sasa, usual price is $5.90/pc. There are always discounts for this range.. ive seen it selling at $2.95, $1.95 too, but so far, the cheapest ive seen is $1.50/pc. I will usually stock up when i see it going at $1.95.

There are a few choices available, Green (Hydrating), Purple (gel mask, moisturising), Red (firming). I only tried the green one so far.

There is ALOT of essence in this mask. the mask is basically dripping with essence when i take them out evytime. The essence is those milky kind, a bit different from the other masks. One thing i hate about this mask is that the eye hole is really small! I dont really like face masks touching my eye area. this particular actually covers my eye lid, this is how small it is =.= othr than that, the mask fit my face shape q well, prolly because its so wet. Scent is alright, q pleasant. Do note that its a MUST to RINSE our faces after masking, unlike other masks.

Result:

Face is left smooth, hydrated & soft! one of the better masks that ive tried so far.

Verdict: 8.5/10

Oversea Shopping (Skincare Prices)

after my grad trip, i realised skincare in HK is really CHEAP!!!! im gg to record down the prices so i wont make the same mistake again!

im q sure i wil bcome those who wil fly to HK over the wkend and stay over @ AY’s hse if she managed to get a place in the uni there lol.

Tip1: Get ur skincare @ sasa, and make up @ counter in dep stores like times Square & sogo, both at causeway bay. look out for the anniversary sales @ dep stores, it will make a big diff!! sogo’s on 26th may this yr.

Sasa usually sell skincare only, and its at least 10% cheaper than those @ dep stores. So chk sasa 1st b4 heading dep stores. Skincare @ SASA is definitely Cheaper than SG

Sasa has clinique, laneige (limited), h20+ (limited), biotherm, clarins, shu uemura (Uv base can be found there). there is a 2lvl Sasa at mongkok 西洋菜街, behind 女人街, DHC, laneige & loccitane can be found at this street.. SAsa do not haf anna sui, paul & joe, loccitane, chanel, jill stuart.

Sasa pricing:

i cant really rmb the prices but i noe laneige slping pack EX is HK150 (HK190 in laneige shop), shu uemura UV base is less than HK300.

HK dep store pricing VS SG VS JApan:

shu uemura: cleansing oil HK210 for the yellow one, most items cheapest in HK. UV base is 3900Yen

Paul and Joe: loose powder HK480, cream foundation is cheaper in SG, primer HK280

Anna Sui: blusher HK210, loose powder HKD250-300

loccitane: hand cream, 3 for HK210, can choose fr rose, shea butter & lavendar, cheaper in HK

DHC: prices available online, Cheapest in Japan, HK then SG

Fancl: cheapest in JApan, then Sg. its super expensive in HK

Ettusais: prices available online. Cheapest in JApan but diff is less than S6 for most items except for loose powder. HK is cheaper than SG.

Jill stuart: cheaper in HK than in Jap

Origins: Hk is cheaper than SG, Jap do haf origins @ okayu dep store (shinjuku) but they do not haf clear improvement mask

lancome: Cheapest In HK, UV infinite liquid foundation HK280, powder HK350

h20+: slighter cheaper than SG, diff is less than SG5 for most items.

clinique cheapest in HK

brands available at hong kong airport:

MAC ( almost all items can be found, lip dazzle is HK160, they have a shop alone ), origins, shu uemura (UV base, liquid foundation, mist can be found) , loccitane (limited), bobbi brown (almost all items), clarins, shiseido, chanel, kiehl (lip balm, toner etc), lancome. there is no SASA in the airport.

in conclusion, most brands are cheaper in HK, except Fancl, paul & joe. Do note that the prices in hong kong airport is the SAME as those @ HK dep store cos both are tax free.

Review: Guardian Collagen Hydration Neck Mask

guardian collagen hydration neck mask is the 1st neck mask that ive tried.. and the only one so far. cos its the only neck mask that i see in sg.. q sad isnt it! well, JX told me about the 1 found at sasa.. but the fact that its a face cum neck mask.. this idea certainly does not appeal to me. sounds so uncomfy to me seriously.

Since last yr sept, i suddenly feel that there is a need to tak care of my neck when i see the lines on my friends’ neck.. some of them really q serious, i was q shocked since we are only in early twenties. well there are some who are 天生丽质, neck look fair smooth & line-less.

unfortunately i dont tnk im 1 of those, though the condition of my neck is not as bad. believed most of us heard this saying b4: the neck is the area that reveals a woman’s age. this can be q true sometimes..but neck lines can be caused by the way u slp and probably the height of one’s pillow as well.

since then, im determined to care for my neck, hopefully as much as i care for my face. moreover, i do need to whiten my neck since its 2shades darker than my face >.<>

there are 2 types of neck masks found @ guardian — Yellow (the 1 that im using that) & the green (for firming if i nv remb wrongly). they are selling at 5 for $7.95 usu.. but i do see them selling @ $1 each when im lucky enough, if not $1.95/pc at some outlets. sad to say, i dont really see them @ guardian now already.. maybe they are discontinuing it

I finished my last pc yest.. and realised i dint review abt this mask that ive been using evy week. opps, i only rmb to tak a pic of it when i finished masking lol. i used up at least 20pc if im not wrong.

Essence is overflowing.. that it kinda dripped all over my top. the collagen smell is q strong but im ok with it haha. material is towards the cloth side, smooth & thickness is just right. The mask is quite long and i am able to wrap it around my whole neck.

all i have to do is to tak it out fr the packet and wrap it around my neck haha. its long enough to wrap it all the way till the back of ur neck, but i dont usually do this since i dont like the essence dripping down my body. 1 tip is to wear a low cut top when u apply tis mask lol, so u wont dirty ur top.

neck will be kinda sticky but still bearable i feel. definitely dint give me zits bumps or whatsoever. neck feel smooth the very next morning. after using for mths, i do see my lines getting better, less obvious i tnk, though im not sure abt the firming part since my neck is not saggy in the 1st place i guess.

Verdict: 8.5/10

fren commented that my neck color is lighter than b4, not sure if its the result fr the mask since its not meant for whitening. i believe spending less than $2 on a pc of mask for my neck evy wk is worth a try..esp if it helps my neck in the long run. if nt, at least it helps to maintain it haha.

moreover, i dont like the idea of applying my face moisturiser & toner on my neck which some of us are doing now since mine are for combating zits & oil control. not v suitable for neck i feel. but if u’ve dry skin or wad, perhaps u can go ahead & apply ur moisturiser on ur neck.
the other option is to get a neck cream from the store. again, not many choices available in sg i guess. guardian has 1 (not to my liking though) selling @ $9.9.. skinfood, faceshop have it too i tnk.. and loreal (voted as fave by readers/editor)..

Review: Mary Kay Satin Lip Mask

Was introduced to this lip mask by a friend some time ago. Was pretty amazed since i did not know the existence of lip mask, and the brand mary kay in singapore.

Mary Kay does not have a shop in sg, so the only way to get their pdts is through their agents. I emailed them and they send a agent to me within a day :) Those interested to get their products, can leave a comment here and i will pass my agent's contact to you.

Well, I was only interested in the lip mask & hand cream at first. I dint expect to get to try it before buying. My agent told me its the company's policy to let the customers try their stuff and be satisfied before buying.

I met the agent at my convenience, at the void deck below my flat. I tried the lip mask, lip balm, Hand mask, Hand cream in the end haha! I was satisfied with their lip products that i bought the lip mask & lip balm on the spot, not the hand stuff although they really smell nice!

I got the lip mask at $24 & lip balm for $20. I reviewed their lip balm in another post under Lip care.

So how to apply this lip mask?! The lip mask is in cream form, so just press some out from the tube and apply them onto the lips and wait for a couple of minutes. Then wet a cotton, use it to gently rub the lips and wipe the lip mask off at the same time will do :) While wiping, i do feel some small beads, i presume they are present to exfoliate the dead skin on my lips. After the mask, apply lip balm.

After masking, my lips do feel softer. when i apply with mary kay's lip balm, my lips look so kissable haha! after using for like 5months, i do feel that the lines on my lips are not as obvious as before and they dont chap as often too! I do lip mask once a week. the tube is still 50% full if im not wrong. so one small tube can last prolly more than 6months i guess.

Verdict: 8/10

Review: Nature Republic Steam Massage Hand Mask

Got this hand mask at $4.3/pair. Q an expensive hand mask so i really hope to see good results from it.

Well, the mask is made from sheet material, similar to those of our usual sheet mask, not very stretchable.

Verdict: Hands dont really feel soft nor moisturised for such an expensive hand mask!

Review: Nature Republic TeaTree YlangYlang Mask

got to know this korean skincare shop – Nature Republic shop from i mag today. their 1st shop is actually at J8! it was there for a mth and yet i din realise >.<

i was never really into korean stuff.. but decided to chk it out since i wanted to destress after 1 day of wk. their stuff are really cheap compared to skinfood and faceshop. their handcream is selling at under $10! i cant believe it.. i wont get it of coz since their most intensive handcream was proved to be useless after i tried it.

Bought this teatree ylang2 mask at $2.6 each.

i tried the teatree ylang2 mask, essence q little compared to other masks i feel, bt doesnt really matter to me since i don really like essence dripping too. i lk their texture and big eye hole.. don lk mask to touch my eye area.. in case they gif me mini seeds ard eyes. i shall pray hard no bumps tmr when i wake up

Updates: this sucks! cause my zits to pop up instead this mask will end up in my HALL OF HATEs

Review: Best Sellers for Different Brands

For this post, I compiled a list of brands with their best sellers, hopefully this can help those who are interested in these brands. I included a short review for pdts that me and my friends have tried before. I have the tendency of asking the consultants at the counters what their best sellers are and reading beauty forums. So this is how i compiled this list below.

these best sellers may not be suitable for us ultimately, but i guess it always make us feel safer to buy things that are raved rather than those that are not right?

1) Ettusais
* Pre acne care sheet: prevents pimple esp during period, soothe zits
* foundation and day protect powder: really smooth and gd for pimple prone skin, oil control rather gd
* night defense powder: the last step in ur regime, gives you smooth matt look the next morning

2) Anna Sui
* purple loose powder, mascara, blusher

3) shu uemura
* UV under base, lash curler

4) clinique
* pore minimiser: Pores appeared much smaller! helps in oil control

5) Avene
* thermal spray, soothing mask

6) Fancl
* washing powder: smooth feeling, face wont feel tight. not recommended 4 pepz who like their face to haf the ‘clean dish feel’ after wash
* mild cleansing oil: great remover for whole face, inclu mascara

7) Simple
* cleansing wipes: mild remover wipes for lazy days

8 )bio-essence
* tanaka white: can see results in a month when my friend uses the whole range

9) kiehl
* lip balm

10) Clarins
* eye cream

11) RMK
* foundation

12) chanel
* foundation: good in oil control

13) Skinfood
* rice wash off mask ( I reviewed this in my blog, thought it was so so only), BB cream, egg moisture hair mask

14) Cure
* scrub: face really look clear and smooth

15) Laneige
* dual eye cream for day and night, sleeping mask, essence

16) shills
* black bamboo charcoal paper mask, hydrating nutrient wash off mask

17) biore
* remover wipes

18) vaseline
* lip balm

19) neutrogena
* fine fairness mask ( I reviewed this in my blog), deep hydrating mask

20) Paul & Joe
* primer

21) Silk Whitia
* pearl powder whitening mask, collagen hydrating mask ( I reviewed this)

22) Loccitane
* Hand cream

23) HABA
* White Lady

24) Dior
* Addict Lip glow ( lip balm)

25) Blistex
* lip blam

26) kanebo
* eye brow pencil

27) h20
* oasis hydrating moisturiser

28) Origins
* Clear improvement mask: Face is left smooth and clean

29) Ahava
* hand Cream

Review: Ahava Purifying Mud Mask

i used to tnk that exfoliate(scrub) = deep cleanse. but i realised that they are diff late last yr.

exfoliate is to remove dead skin, enhance absorption of our moisturiser etc, skin wont look as dull too. but deep cleansing is to ‘suck’ out the impurities, dirt & excess sebum, prevent blackheads.

since then, ive been looking for a suitable mask for myself. its best to do a hydrating mask after exfoliation/deep cleansing, since they can be drying sometimes.

for pple with combi-oily skin lk me, i see it a must to exfoliate and deep cleanse once a wk! esp when i gt so many blackies to deal with on my nose. >.<>

for me, i will always do deep cleanse b4 exfoliate. i believe that when the mask is sucking out the blackheads, it may not b strong enough for those stubborn ones, and so with exfoliate, i can get it out of my face for gd lol. but wil nv do both on the same day cos that will be too harsh on my skin. there will be at least a 3day gap in between.

Have been this purifying mask for a few months already. it can be wash off easily (tis is my main concern), and we are only required to leave it on for a mere 2min, same as fancl sebum pack, which is alot shorter as compared to most masks in the market. the smell can be really bad at first, but after some times I am used to the smell already. lol. well, beauty comes with a price, its just 3min anyw.

However, the oil on my face dont seem to be lesser after using the mask the day before.

tried the one for dry & combi skin sample too. do agree that the 1 for oily skin is slightly stronger, and it seems that my blackheads are reduced after prolonged usage (i hope im nt hallucinating again). its recommended by womens wkly magazine too.

Verdict: 7.5/10, Price: $48, 150g

the other purifying masks that ive tried are dead sea mud mask fr tw beautydiy (online spree), the faceshop pore clay mask (recommended by 2mag) & fancl sebum pack (recommended by 1mag). the worst will definitely be beautydiy. they seem to have sand in it and i nid to kinda rub b4 i can wash them off. i was eggcited abt tfs mask cos its really cheap as compared to most mask, $19.90 for 100ml, and raved by mag. but i find the mud so diluted that its hard to apply, smell nice though. i will give it a 2nd chance soon since i still have it with me. lastly, fancl is comparable to ahava’s, but its soooo ex! 8sachets for $27.50, evy usage is $4+! sth to be happy is that all dint cause redness for me

Review: Skinfood Rice Mask

i tried the rinse off rice mask fr skinfood some time ago after hearing some raves for it. the small sample sachet actually lasted me more than 2x. i saved it in those small tubs (oh ive bcome so thrifty, this is so not me >.<)

the beads are q small, not too harsh for my skin, smells pretty gd too. well, face do feel smoother but this is expected since its a scrub. i dont realli see any brightening effect, as claimed by pple online.

my cure scrub does a better job than this rice mask i feel. with cure, my face look clearer too and cure has got no beads though its almost twice the price. this scrub is rather mild too since i dont really feel tightness after usage, which is a plus pt.

i may consider using it for my back since on and off there will be some zits there.. this rice mask scrub is nt as harsh as the other body scrub found in the market.

one thing i dont lk abt this rice mask is that if u were to buy the full sized pdt, the tub design feel so unclean. imagine evytime u gotta dig ur hands in to get the cream, with all the water dripping in etc. yucks. and if u were to use it for a yr, i cant imagine how contaminated the product will be by then.

verdict: 6/10.

well, the results from these korean stuff stop me fr all the korean hauls lol. jap skincare is still the best! korean stuff do look yummy with all the rice, tomato & papaya etc, but results wise, they are generally nt as fantastic as jap stuff. at least on my face.

Review: Purederm Dark Circles Reducer Eye Patches

tried Purederm dark circles reducer eye patches fr watsons. there are 2pairs in each pack, $1.95 for 2pairs.

this eye patch is very diff fr my previous ones, in terms of material. one side is cotton, the other is a sticky patch to be stick onto my eye area. i dont really lk it cos it feels lk im pulling my delicate skin when i remove it. and if u accidentally stick it onto ur lashes, u can probably say bye to ur lovely lashes then. one advantage is that it wont drop off no matter how u shake ur head though lol.

next, there is no signs of essence. this makes me wonder hw my skin can absorb the essence seriously. but if u are those who don lk essence dripping down, u will probably love this eye patch.

results wise, my under eye do look a bit brighter, but dont look hydrated enough to me. for $1/pair, results is so-so, there are better ones around like my current ELG eye mask, cheaper still haha.

Verdict: i wont buy it again cos i dont like the idea of pulling my eye area! but for the fact that it dint cause me bumps, so yea, i’ll let it pass. 5/10

Review: Bio-essence Bio-energy Eye bag Vanishing Mask

tried the bio-essence eye bag mask some time ago. its sold at watsons for $1.95/pair.

was rather disappointed. not much effect for my eye bags, mayb its only effective after a few tries? eye area do look more hydrated & brighter, compared to the purederm dark circles reducer eye mask though. essence is overflowing, and its in sheet form, nt gel lk my usual one. in a way i prefer gel texture cos its nt so messy, essence wont keep dripping. but 1 gd for sheet eye mask is that i can fold it and prevent it fr touching my zits near my cheeks area.

Well, at least its not very rich that it gives me bumps at the eye area.

Verdict: 5.5/10