Review: Oil Blotter Showdown - Clear & Clear VS Anna Sui VS Kleenex VS Ettusais

ALright, another showdown today! Its a fight between the oil blotters lol.

CLean & Clear VS Anna Sui VS Kleenex VS Ettusais!!


Round 1: Price

CC: $4.4 for 50 sheets

AS: $8 for ? Not stated on box, but I think it has around 80 sheets or more since 1 packet can last up to 3months when i use them 5x a week, at least 2 each day.

K: $3.65 for 50 sheets. I finally found it at ion guardian after searchin for like 2weeks?! there is a 50cents discount coupon in cleo mag Aug issue :)

E: $9 for 50sheets. I got it for free cos its given out as a freebie when you have 10stamps in your ettusais card.


Winner: Its a fight between kleenex and Anna sui, but due to absorbent ability, kleenex should be the winner cos i tend to use 2 sheets for anna sui's.



Round 2: Design


CC: Normal looking blue sheets. With tape on packet so we can take out 1 sheet easily. probably the tape is too strong, 2 sheets will be taken out sometimes.

AS: Pretty purple shade with butterflies prints! The design of the packet is lovely too! Its designed so conveniently that only 1 sheet will be taken out each time.




i hope you can see the the butterflies on the blotter! so lovely! Its not vv obvious in real life too though.

K: Plain Pretty purple on 1 side, pretty floral designs on the other. similar to CC, there is a tape to help us take out the sheets. Becos the sheet is rather thick, so only 1 sheet can be taken out each time.
Even the box is made with a material thats better than the rest! The manufatured date is printed at the back of box :) Made in taiwan.

The one on top is the front, which pple will see when we are blotting lol. the one at the bottom is the side which we blot :) It wil turn dark purple after absorbing out oil.


Ettusais: Brown sheet thats looks like sand paper haha.


Winner: I still think Anna Sui box looks the best! haha. BUT i think its easier for others to spot the kleenex shhet design from far compared to Anna Sui's cos of the material of the sheets. u know, sometimes u just wanna show off the pretty things you have LOL. So i declare its a tie between Anna Sui & kleenex!

Round 3: Texture & Material

CC: Feels plastic-sy to me haha. I dono isit me or what, but i do feel that sometimes the sheet is not smooth enough when i dab abit too hard on my face. Oil seeps through sometimes..

AS: Surface is smooth. Because its so thin, oil does seep through! So my fingers feel greasy sometimes after blotting

K: Oil does not seep through since its twin layer! Sheet is so soft and much thicker than the rest! Very spongy feeling when i dab it on my face!

E: Slightly rougher than AS. Due to the thin material as well, oil seeps through! According to a friend (she will kill me if i reveal her name here lol), her sheets tore when she was blotting omg!

Winner: Definitely Kleenex! It just feel so soft, smooth and spongy on my face!!

Round 4: Discreet

Discreet meaning if people can know how much oil i have on my face by looking at the blotter =.=

CC: not only me, practically everybody can see how much oil i have! :( Since that film turns transparent when oil is absorbed..Its so unglam & embarrassing for me especially when i tend to blot in front of others rather than in the ladies.

AS: because of the material and color of the sheet, its almost impossible for others to see the oil, but at the same time, its quite hard for me to see as well. hence, its hard for me to know if i need to another sheet, thus usually causing me to use 2sheets each time.

K: Its designed in a way that only i can see how much oil i have haha! The plain side which we use will turn darker showing us how much oil is absorbed! People opp me can only see the lovely floral prints hehe. well, make sure no1 is standing behind u wahaha.

E: Though material is similar to AS, but cos its brown in color, so its easier for us and pple to see the oil on the sheet. Not as obvious as C&C though.

Winner: Kleenex for sure!

Round 5: Absorbent

CC & K: Can absorb oil well for both. I cant decide which is better since i just started using kleenex today haha! Shall update it when i finish the pack

AS & E: Cant really absorb well, have to dab a few more times on same area. Sometimes i feel its a plus point cos i dont want all my oil to be gone and my face will end up secreting more oil since its like a equilibrium system. i usually have to use 2 sheets for my whole face.

OVERALL: KleeneX! Sheets are soft on our delicate skin, reasonably priced, & pretty at the same time! What more can we ask for!

Review: Kose Cosmeport CoenRich Q10 Hand cream

Got to know this handcream (80g) at nishino pharmacy (Taka basement) sometime in april. I was thinking if nishino brought this hand cream into sg, it must be quite good, or at least popular in japan. If not why would nishino bring it in right haha.

It was selling at around $20 at nishino. Since i was going japan, of course i bought it there. I managed to get it at about 500yen (sgd8) if i dint remember wrongly. I dint see it elsewhere other than nishino in sg.

It consists of conenzyme Q10, coix seed extract and pearl extract. It claims to be able to whiten hands.

Ive been using it everyday since i came back from japan in late may.

Results:

Cream is white in color. Very faint scent which doesnt smell like added fragrance. Scent was ok, not too overwhelming.

Cream is rather thick, quite hard to massage in. Its one of the thickest handcream that I've tried so far. Its not moisturising for my hands at all. My hands did not look radiant after application too.

I was planning to condemn this handcream till lately i realised what it have did to my hands. I realised it did whiten my hands a little. The tiny brown spots on the back of my hands seem to disappear and lighten quite a bit.

Verdict: 7/10 Though its not moisturising enough for my dry hands, but im glad at least it did whiten my hands a little. Please note that my hands and fingers did not become fairer, its just that the tiny freckles look -alike spots did disappear or lighten. I'm left with half a tube, i shall update if I experience better results from it.

Review: Essential Damage Care Rich Premier Shampoo

This shampoo can be found at watsons, guardian, ntuc and those beauty shops at amk. Costs only $4.50 (small sized) but $3.50 at amk. Cheapest shampoo (abit too cheap huh) made in japan found locally haha. There are 2 types, the other is for airy boucy hair (pink bottle).

This shampoo is for smooth & manageable hair. High purity honey and milk protein to repair and strengthen. Sunflower oil essence leaves protective layer to keep hair soft and moisturized. Floral fragrance. Alcohol is the 3rd ingredient in the list. There is added fragrance.

Effects:

This shampoo smells rather nice, very fruity. For the 1st few days, hair is left smooth. But after a week, my hair became dry and frizzy! at the end of 2nd week, i dont even feel like using it anymore :( I use this shampoo mostly without conditioner. probably only once or twice a week with treatment.

Verdict: 2/10 Its a really affordable shampoo made in japan. But its really not moisturising for my hair i guess. the 2 pts are for the price and scent. Gek told me she had the same problem with this shampoo too.

Review: Neutrogena Hydro Boost Mask 露得清水活保湿面膜

After seeing the great review from miao (guest review previously), i decided to try the 1 and only piece that Ive at home yestersday.

I got this for $2.95/pc a few mths back at Watsons. I dont really see it on sale again. Usually, a box of 5 is $31.50 without discount if i am not wrong. Can be found at John little, Watsons & Guardian.

Result:

I dont have the ingredients list with me but what i am sure it doesnt contain fragrance or alcohol.

It smells and looks exactly like their fine fairness mask. Scent is not overwhelming but size is slightly big for me. But what i do appreciate is the big eye holes haha. With lotsa tiny little holes haha. moderately soaked with watery essence.

I left it on for like 15min. Face felt hydrated for the whole night but not really smooth. Skincare glide on easily. Dint irritate my zits too, but neither did it soothe them haha.

but when i woke up this morning, i din see any new bumps or zits (phew~~), face feel really soft, radiant (though i slept at 2am) and hydrated! face was still a little oily though. even after cleansing (with cleanser), face still feel very hydrated, no tightness at all.

Verdict:
Effects: 8/10 I will probably put it in my hall of fame if i get good results from it again.
Price: I will only repurchase if its at $2.95 again.. $6/pc (without discount) is simply madness!

在本地的Watsons, Guardian 和 John Little 都能找得到。偶尔促销单片卖$2.95，不然一盒5片则卖$31.50，差别有够大的好吗...

效果：

香味没太重，但面膜我嫌大了点。拿出来时，面膜蛮湿的，精华液还蛮多的，属于像水一般的精华液。有别于其他面膜的是这款有很多微织导入孔，能将精华液导入每寸肌肤。眼睛的两个洞相当大，本人蛮喜欢这点哈哈。

敷完后，脸确实觉得水润，但摸起来感觉没有太滑。但是之后护肤品很好擦，似乎更好吸收似地。并没有刺激我的痘痘但也没有舒缓它们哈哈。

隔天起床，脸还是好滋润，有光泽！完全看不出我前晚是2点才睡的。没有冒出的痘痘，但脸还是除了点油。洗完脸后，脸还是很保湿！

结论：从效果这层来看，我会给它 8/10。但价钱也太贵了吧，除非是$3以下，否则大概不会买。

Review: Reason Lash Breeder

I bought this lash essence during my grad trip at ranking queen shop (shinjuku station). Mainly because it was rank no2 under lash essence category haha. I got it for 1260yen. It was under the brand cosmo.

Ive got no idea why they wrote DAY there. why lash essence can only be use during the day haha. I used it in the morning and night after shower. Next, the english words says its for straightening the lashes in the morning??!! who the hell will wan their lashes to be straighten wahaha. well, at least not me. nonetheless, i dint realised all these till i bought them. I saw "VOLUME UP", then i became so excited, and since it was much cheaper than the no1 (which was around 2000yen i think), i just went ahead.

Results:

Ive been using this for nearly 2mths and i realised my lashes did grew longer! Im not so sure for the volume part though. It strengthen my lashes a little, but every week, I still lost 1-2 lashes. :( As for the design of the brush, its like the one in the picture, not curved, so its a little hard to apply to the lashes on the side.

Verdict:

Effects 8/10 This was my 1st lash essence. I cant really compare it with the other brands but well at least its working for me.

Price: 7.5/10 Quite expensive, roughly the same as DHC (price in jap) but more costly than canmake ($11 in jap, i will try this after i finish with this).

Review: Skinvitals Everyday Illuminating Lotion

I got this moisturising as a freebie when i purchase 2 boxes of skinvitals mask a few months ago. This was quite a attractive promotion, so I bought quite a number of boxes haha. Received their eye serum which i still have not open though.

This lotion (40g) is retailing at about $35 or so at Watsons. I saw discounts for this range quite often.

I threw away the box so I cant provide the ingredients. From the tube, its stated that the main ingredients are Vitamin C and white peony. Since Vitamin C is found, we've to discard it 3months (dustbin symbol with 3M on it was found on the tube) atfer opening.

Whats written on the tube:

This silky lotion is the ideal treatment for skin affected by dullness, fine line and dehydrated. Utilizing the anti-oxidant and brightening powder of vitamin C and white peony, this lotion moisturises skin and smoothes fine lines while boosting radiance and vitality.

Results:

I apply this on my neck hoping to lighten my neck, so that my neck & face can be of the same or at least somewhat similar shade.

The smell is quite bad, but thank god its not too strong. Maybe its because I apply it on my neck, not on face so i cant really smell it after applying.

Lotion is quite watery so its quite easy to massage in. Not too oily but takes a while to be absorbed in.

After using it for almost 3months, I see little or no improvement at all for my neck, be it shade or lines. The worst thing is everytime I shower, my neck feels creamy, meaning my neck dint absorb in the lotion?! Even after i exfoliate my neck, this problem persists. OMG.

Verdict: Very disappointed with the product. Luckily i got it for free, cant imagine if i spent $30+ to get it. So I've got no choice but to throw it to the hall of hates :(

Review: Bio-essence Skin White Reviterlizing Exfoliator

Got interested with bio-essence exfoliators after reading 1 of them (the one under another range won, not this) won cleo hall of fame for being the most gentle exfoliator this year.

Bio-essence can be found at watsons, guardians, BHG & ntuc. There are frequent offers for this brand. Usually its 20% at watsons & BHG. Sometimes if you're lucky, you will see them going more than 20%. They are available at the beauty shops like pink beauty & venus at amk (for exact directions, see beauty bargains tag) , prices doesnt diff much if you get them at 20% watsons. Different Ntuc outlets have diff discounts for bio-essence too, in fact all discounts at ntuc seem to diff a bit here and there i realised. Sunplaza ntuc always has great deals for bio-essence according to gek haha. She helped me got this exfoliator at 25% off, expiry date is not anywhere close since its manufactured in march 2010. :) Usual price for this exfoliator is around $28 if i am not wrong.

This product claim to remove dead skin and blackheads, refines pores and whiten skin. It eliminates pigmentation and rough skin. Its a gentle gel based formula, enriched with natural fine micro-exfoliating rice beads, deep cleanses to remove dead skin cells, blackheads, whiteheads and pigmentation, clearing away pore-clogging dirt and oil while nourishing skin with ingredients of pine tree pollen, ginseng, aloe vera and cordyceps, giving away to new born skin, hence achieving a finer, fairer and more even skin tone. Pine pollen is rich in proteins,amino acids, vitamin B, C and E.

No fragrance and alochol. Ingredients look impressive, 1st 9 being extracts of ginseng etc.

immendiately after 1 application, skin is visibly smooth, fairer and younger looking. it contract pores and removes light make up.

Directions: apply gel onto dry skin with dry fingers and rub gently in circular motion. safe on the eye area. daily use recommended.

Result:

Mild scent detected and i think it smells like ginseng i feel. but i quite like the scent, kinda refreshing and natural haha.

Beads are very very fine, not harsh at all, finer than skinfood rice mask. Sometimes i dont even feel the beads haha. Gel is yellowish in color. For gel based exfoliators, we have to make sure fingers are dry. I usually dry my fingers and face with tissue after cleansing. Wait for a few minutes before i exfoliate will give me a easier time.

I saw those white dead skin within seconds. It did made my face smooth, and i dont feel tightness after usage. I dont really see significant brightening effect. I think face look clearer and smoother with CURE. probably because this is gentler since its meant for daily use. i dont really use it daily, usually use it alternately with CURE once a wk. As for blackheads, I think it did remove a LITTLE. No bumps or zits appeared after using it for about a month.

Verdict:

Price 5/10 nearly $30 for small tube of 60g is quite pricey. Moreover, its in gel form, finishes quite fast since i have to squeeze out quite a bit each time. I pass it cos usually we should be able to get it at 20% off.

Effects: 7.5/10 Beads is really fine, hard to find one tts as fine. dead skin flakes appeared much faster compared to CURE. so i will use this when i am in a rush haha. If you're more concerned about the beads part like me, this is quite a decent exfoliator. For pores whitening effects, i think other skincare products say serum will work more effectively.

Fancl Fresh 5th Issue

My stupid brother woke me up from my beauty sleep, I cant get back to sleep anymore. So here I am, blogging about how wonderful Fancl is haha. Sidetrack a little, I dont understand it when he chose to play the guitar ( in strips =.= horizontal stripes top & vertical strips boxers >.<, what a combination!) rather than starting his work earlier. Wierd brother huh!

alright, enough of the grumbles.

I was back home late yestersday and was surprised to see a large envelope with the word Fancl printed on it. Then I realise it must be the fresh issue! I took it on my way home earlier today and dint expect them to mail a copy to me! This is what i call service! :) So sweet of them, thumbs up! Made me feel privileged as their member.

Watsons sent a SMS some time ago telling me that I am entitled to a copy of the current glow magazine cos i spent a minimum amount there. till now, i still dint receive it. Emailed them twice and they dint bother to reply. Call the number written in front of the cashier, stating that thats the customer service number but that number dint even get through. What kinda rubbish is this! So you can imagine my face when experiences with both are so different. Its not about the magazine, its about service seriously. I can be quite particular about this at times.

Love the simple yet elegant fresh cover :) Its their 5th issue so far. I only knew about Fresh when they are at their 2nd issue. Very informative articles as compared to most beauty magazines, explaining why certain skin problems seem to be bugging us etc.

Fresh discuss about whitening, pore problem, wrinkles & hydration (Hyaluronic Aicd) in this issue. Explained very clearly about the ingredients they have in respective products which help to combat different skin problems, adding in some beauty tips here and there. They also have a make up corner teaching us the different ways of applying make up :) I like it when they engage their readers by having Q&A corner, interactive hub and voting in every issue too. I won myself washing powder with puff (for voting my best travel friendly product) and a box of tense up (sharing tips on anti-aging) in their 3rd issue. :) They sent me the washing powder wrapped up securely in box. They even delivered me the tense up ( I can even decide the best timing! ) to my doorstep.. I was so impressed with their service seriously.

Since its their 10th Anniversary in SG, we are 'granted' a wish! haha. By making a purchase of at least $50 between 23 july and 26 aug, we will be able to tell Fancl our wishes (related to FAncl) and the 10 most interesting entries will have their wishes granted :) Interesting hur.. lol. To know more about other promotions going on in aug, just log on to their website will do.

I'm happy to see Fancl becoming eco-friendly too! By saying no to paper bag with every purchase, we will receive a 10cents rebate which may be offset against our next purchase :) Hopefully the tense up packaging can be changed to something more environment friendly as well.

Get your free copy at any of the Fancl outlets and get to know your skin better today. I love fancl! haha. i'm like advertising them lol. well, I dont know why, i am just crazy over fancl, miao should know hehe.

Review: H2o+ Sea Marine Scrub

I got this 30ml h2o+ scrub for free when i bought their Oasis Hydrating treatment package some time ago.

This scrub has perfectly round beads that gently polish away dryness while improving skin texture and facilitating moisture penetration. Sea Mineral Complex™ and hydrating marine extracts of wakame, sea fennel, and sea lettuce help cleanse, while also conditioning and softening the skin.

Result:

The blue beads really look lovely but the beads are too harsh to my liking. Its not as gentle as bio-essence exfoliator or Skinfood rice mask. It has got a very marine scent too haha. Dont really like h2o+ fragrance i realised. Nonetheless, it did leave my face smooth like other scrubs, face dont feel tight too. Other than that, i dint really see any brightening effect etc, face dont look as smooth as compared to when i am using CURE. Just an average scrub i guess.

Tried it twice on face and i gave up haha. still preferred gel like textures exfoliator that are more gentle. I use this h2o+ scrub on my neck instead. =p

Verdict: 5/10 I wont fail it as it did its job as a scrub haha. If you're one of those who have to feel the beads to ensure yourself that you're really exfoliating, perhaps this scrub will be the one for u

Review: Skinvitals Spot-on Blemish Pen

heh after the wonderful experience with skinvitals T-purify mask, i believe their anti-spot formula works for me :) so i bought their spot-on blemish pen aka pimple gel! =p

its only 10ml, and it comes in a pen brush like design. bought it at $22.90, no discount for this blemish series :( still, its rather affordable. For skinvitals, they seldom have discounts on the blemish range, so if you happen to see sale etc, do grab it!

I dont really like the brush design cos i find it unneccessary, since i wil usually clean my hands b4 touching my face. the brush dont feel as flexible as my fingers lol. moreover, i find it abit hard to squeeze the gel out, with the pressure etc, its hard to estimate how much gel i still have in the tube..

it contains tea tree oil which helps to combat breakouts & clean the skin. salicylic acid is 1 of the key ingredients as well, with gentle exfoliating action, helping skin to slough off the top layer of dead skin & prevent pores fr clogging. rosemary, eucalyptus are found in the ingredient list too. almost all ingredient are similar to the t-purify mask, except salicylic acid. Orange oil, ginger oil and cinamon oil are present too. I seldom see tea tree and salicylic acid formula i realised.

Effects:
Pimples and red bumps shrink or even disappear overnight! At least this is true for me and friend lol. Its not too drying as well, no peeling etc, even i applied on consecutive days. Pretty mild but effective for my sensitive skin, at least it dint burn my skin or what. I've tried DHC, la roche posay etc pimple cream (im going to review them soon), but none work as well as skinvitals.

I've scarring problem all along. Bigger zits gave me red scars :( no matter what pimple cream i used, this problem persists, though i dint squeeze them or do anything funny to them. skinvitals dint help with my scarring problem, but i guess with an effective pimple gel, can reduce the chances of inflammation, and hopefully scar wont be as red.

Verdict: I am very satisfied with this pimple gel. Reasonably priced and really effective than all others that i've tried so far. 10/10

Review: Skinvitals Eye Brighten

Bought this eye mask when i was crazy over skinvitals stuff a few months back.

managed to find those single pack ones at kovan watsons. they were selling for $2.95/pair. Its going at around $13.95 for 3pairs (box). As usual, they will be frequent discounts for skinvitals, so usually we should be able to get the box at $9.95.

skinvitals eye brighten (5ml) is an anti dark circles, brightening and invigorating cloth eye treatment mask. It contains vitamin C (bottom half of list) and licorice (5th on the list). From the ingredient list, I also see lemon extract, ginger root oil. No fragrance and alcohol.

Vitamin C has preservative and anti-oxidant properties, to moisturize, smooth fine line, boost the complexion and brighten skin tone. licorice known to have toning and firming qualities. it has soothing and rejuvenating benefits too.

Effects:
As usual, for eye masks that are in sheet form, they are found together in the packet, sticking onto each other, with no other plastic or what. So i've to separate them myself. I find it quite troublesome cos once i take them out, attempt to stick one of them on my eye area, I've got nowhere to put the other sheet. So i usually rest them on my leg oops. Maybe i should cut open the packet so that its wide enough for me to rest my the other sheet next time.

the mask is quite big so i tend to fold them half in case they touch my face and give me zits etc. This is one of the main reason why i prefer eye sheet mask cos i can fold them to whatever shape i want haha!

The mask is quite wet, but not to the extent of dripping all over my face. There is still quite alot of essence left in the packet after taking out the mask. I cant really detect any scent.

I leave them on for around 15min, and my eye areas are significantly brighter! They look hydrated, with one of my deeper dehyration line under my right eye 'disappearing'. I hope it will be gone forever haha. The mask dint give me any bumps like DHC's.

I massage in the remaining essence and they were absorbed in within seconds.

Verdict: Price 7/10, Effects 8/10

Im quite satisfied with the mask except for the price. I will probably repurchase when its on sale again or when i have more budget :)

Review: Hair Treatment Showdown: Asience Hair Treatment VS Skinfood Moisture Egg Hair Pack

Was crazy over hair products lately, after trying to hard to save my face, I reckon my hair deserved some attention from their owner too lol.

I am pretty lazy when it comes to hair care, I am one of those who does not use conditioner daily. Prolly because I think my short hair dont really need conditioner. Or to be exact, i dont have a conditioner lol. I mistaken my asience treatment as conditioner previously oops. This tells you how much concern I have for the hair on my head.

Well, I still think my face is more important than my hair, so I wont be spending hundreds on those hair treatments at salons etc. But I'll prolly spend a bit more on hair products say getting a conditioner real soon. =p

I've got myself hair essence, hair mask so far.

I'm going to do a product comparison on 2 of my pathetic hair products collection i've at home today.

Asience Hair treatment VS Skinfood Moisture Egg Hair Pack

Round 1: Price & size

Asience (180g) cost only about $12 while skinfood (200g) cost me $28!

Winner: Asience of course!

Round 2: Scent

I prefer Asience to be frank. But skinfood's scent is not too bad as well.

Round 3: Effects

I think this is the most important factor to most.

Asience: my hair was smooth and soft after usage.

Skinfood: Hair was smooth, but not as smooth as compared to asience. Dont feel soft too.

Overall winner: Asience! For that price, I guess its result is not too bad but I wanted something more for my frizzy hair seriously. Both products dint help my frizzy hair much. But if your hair is not as frizzy in the 1st place, I guess asience is worth trying. Skinfood hair pack is totally not worth that price in my opinion though I've heard quite a few raves for that product.

最近越来越觉得自己亏待了在我头上的那撮杂草。所以非常积极地想作出补偿，开始留意市面上的护发产品。非常惭愧，我至今还没有为我的杂草买润发乳(conditioner)，因为我一直误以为我家的那根东西是润发乳！最近才愕然发现原来那是护发乳(treatment)！=.= 这足以反映我市多么“重视”我的头发。

我还是坚持脸比头发更重要，但今后我将会更关心我的头发，不再忽略它们。哈哈。

今天的大比拼是Asience Hair Treatment 润发乳 VS Skinfood Egg Moisture Hair Pack 蛋白质滋养发膜。

Round 1：价格

不管横看竖看，都是Asience 啦！Asience 180g 才S$12, skinfood 200g 卖 S$28 左右！差别太大了...

Round 2：香味

我个人会比较喜欢Asience 的.. 但Skinfood 的也不差。

Round 3: 效果

用完Asience，会觉得头发很柔软，很滑。Skinfood相对来说，差了一点，没那么滑，头发也似乎没那种柔软的感觉。

结果：Asience压倒性胜利！这样的价位有此效果是很不错，但我希望更好，因为两者对于我头上的一些翘起来的头发，那些一根根站起来的那种没有太大的改善。但若你的头发没有太大的杂毛，Asience应该是不错的选择，Skinfood就免了吧，太贵而且效果也不及前者。

Review: Brands InnerShine - Berry Essence VS Prune Essence

Got to know this berry essence through AY, or rather AY's mum, since it was her mum who bought it for her. haha. Its available at watsons, guardian & ntuc. 6 bottles cost $13.2, 12 bottles cost $23.90. They do sell both berries & prune tgt, 6 bottles each, at $23,90 too. Only the berry essence came in 12bottle package, the prune essence only haf it in 6.

Berry essence contains 7 types of berries, filled with anti-oxidants. There are vitamin A, C, E & zinc in this essence. It neutralizes harmful free radicals in the body and prevent degeneration of eye cells. In other words, its good for the eyes. No added coloring and preservatives.

This essence is 100% based fruit essence. I dont have the box with me, so dono whats the nutrition information. Ive tried 6bottles so far. first 4 bottles on consecutive days.

I only have the ingredient list stated on the bottle: Mixed berries essence Concentrate (Strawberry, chokeberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, cranberry, elderberry & acaiberry concentrate), fructose, maltodextrin, pectin coloring (shade magenta red from carrot and red cabbage concentrates), tri-sodium citrate dihydrate, ascorbic acid, zince, amino acid chelate, d-alpha-tocopherhol acetate, vitA


The prune essence is 100% based fruit essence too. I tried 7bottle. tried the 1st 6 bottles on consecutive days.

Its formulated to enhance overall inner well-being through the promotion of intestinal health, which in turn translates to clear, beautiful skin. It contains prebiotics (Oligofructose and Inulin) as well as fibre which promote a healthy digestive system, and Vitamin C, a key ingredient in maintaining skin elasticity and radiance. It also contains antioxidants naturally occurring in prunes – antioxidants protect cells from harmful free radicals in the body. One serving provides 12% of the body’s daily fibre needs and is perfect supplement to one’s diet. no added sugar, colouring or preservatives.

Ingredients stated on bottle: Prune juice concentrate, inulin, acacia gum, oligofructose, Vitamin C. The nutrition info is in the pic below.


Result:

Its rather easy to open the bottle but there was once when i cant open it! no matter how many times i turn, i still cant get it opened. in the end i got to use the fork to help me open it =.=

Its a little sour for the berry essence, and rather sweet for the prune essence. texture is not as liquid as i tot, berry essence is slightly thicker than the prune essence. i have to drink a cup of water after the essence because it left quite a uncomfortable atfer-taste i feel.

Comparing the nutrition info, it seems that the berry essence has more vitamins, but in a way, i also feel that its not so natural, the ingredient list is much longer than that of the prune essence! Do note that berry essence contains fructose while prune does not.

the recommended way to drink these essence is to take the berry essence in the morning, while the prune essence at night.

I dont take both on the same day, bcos thats rather expensive. i take one a day, usually before i sleep. I have it chilled 1st before drinking.

well, after a box from each, I think the prune essence seems to work better than the berry essence. My zits seem to heal faster when im drinking the prune essence. Im not sure if this is a coincidence or what, but i'll stick to this conclusion for now. Moreover, I think I've to take them at least a month to see more significant results to be fair.

I don't think I will be trying them soon again since I've other vitamins with me at the moment. I think these essence are great alternatives to other beauty supplements since I think they look 'safer' in a way? haha =p

Review: Juju Aquamoist Moisture Face Mask

I bought this mask when I was in tokyo, a box of 5 sheets cost me around $12 (800yen).

Each mask is 20ml, its available locally at Watsons, 5 for $19.50.

This mask has no coloring, fragrance, mineral oil and alcohol. Its mainly for hydration.

I tried this mask twice already.

Result:

Its moderately wet and mask is slightly big for my face. when i 1st use it, i thought i tore the upper lid area, but later i realise the mask is meant to be like that, with the upper lid area 'torn'. Actually with that area torn, I feel its easier for me to shift the mask.

After usage, I realised there is not a lot of essence left on face, as compared to other masks. Maybe its all absorbed in haha. My face feel hydrated but dont feel smooth enough. Face feel soft and hydrated the next morning.

when i apply skincare, my face seems cooled, but pimples still look red. as in its cold when i touch my face, though i dint put the mask in the fridge before usage, pretty comfortable.

Verdict: 6.5/10 For a sheet mask thats around $4, I certainly hope to see the mask giving me brightening effects etc. I don't think I will pay $4 for a mask thats for hydration only, so the points are mainly deducted for the unfriendly price.

Review: Galenic Toning Foaming Scrub

I bought this body scrub (150ml) at a guardian sale for $10 (usual $41).

This product is a combination of exfoliating particles of variable size and total ivy extract, to tone the skin and remove those dull dead cells whilst enveloping it in a lightweight yet unctuous cleansing foam.

Its contain sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) and fragrance.

Results:

The beads are bright green in color, quite pretty actually haha. They are very small in size compared to brands like st ives. Beads are really fine and gets really soapy while scrubbing. The beads are not too harsh. Fragrance is ok, not too strong as well.

Its best to use when the skin is slightly wet, i find it easier to exfoliate this way. After usage, skin is left really smooth and soft!

Verdict: 8/10 I dont see why its worth $41 seriously. 1 tube can probably last at least 4months when i use once a week. But i definitely don mind repurchasing if i can get it at $10 again haha.

Kracie at Watsons!

I Love Sg Watons!

They brought in new jap stuff again. this time round is kracie (under kanebo) masks! I saw them at Taka and J8. I reckon it should be available at other outlets too.

4 types: from left, its smoothing, Q10, Whitening & moisturising. They are selling at $18.90 per box. There is another type, the black color one for pores if i am not wrong.

I bought the moisturising mask during my grad trip. Tried one in tokyo so far. I shall try it again when I finished my other masks haha.

ALT at Heeren

Happened to walk past ALT and realised they have alot of new skincare brands there!

1st floor: Counter brands such as ettusais (biggest outlet in sg), Paul & Joe, Make up store, Ossion (korean), Panadda (Thai) etc.

3rd floor: New Jap, Korean & Taiwan brands! They have the usual drugstore brands like avene, bio-essence etc too.

Koreans brands such as organia and 雪花秀..

They have Nature's Gate too.

Jap brands such as purenavi ( under kracie, kanebo) can be found there too. According to the lady there, this brand is famous for their cleanser. ALT brought in 5 types of cleanser, all priced around $10-$17 if im not wrong. They have a few other Jap brands too. Kate has a impressive collection there too. Nature & Co (below) is a sub brand under kose too.

They have several Tw brands too. The shills collection is huge too compared to sasa.

The best thing is there wont be many promoters following u around while you explore the new stuff :)

Review: Acne Patch ShowDown - Nexcare Acne Patch VS Cettua Trouble Clear Patch

Since im a sucker for zip zapper products, there is no way i will give these acne patches a miss! So who are the contestants today?

Nexcare Acne Patch (Ladies) VS Cettua Trouble Care Patch

Where to buy them?

Most of us out there should know we can get nexcare acne patches at the watsons & guardians locally. As for Cettua (Korean brand) patch, its available at sasa.com, ALT heeren and pink beauty (AMK outlet, refer to Beauty bargains label for directions to the shop ).

Round 1: Price

Well, for nexcare, 18 (6 big patches and 12 small patches) patches cost me about $4.80 while 48 cettua patches ( size is similar to nexcare big patches) only cost me $3.90.

Winner: The price diff is so big! Cettua is the winner for this round!

Round 2: Texture & Scent

Nexcare: yellowish and Spongy gel like patches that are comfy enough to leave it on skin overnight. i dint detect any scent too. Due to the texture, these patches may sometimes come off while i am slping.

Cettua: Transparent and plastic like patches that can be rather uncomfy if i paste too many of them on my face. I cant really smell the tea tree till i put the un-used patches in a box.

something to take note is i think it will be quite unglam if i were to paste nexcare patches on my face when im out. however, ive no problem with cettua patches since its transparent and as slim as 0.0000001 mm haha.

Winner: I think nexcare is more comfy compared to cettua. Cos cettua patches are 'flat', i feel that my skin wont be able to breathe with it since it sticks to my skin so closely.

Round 3: Effects

I've tried nexcare on red bumps (pimple that threaten to pop out the next day) and pimples with pus. Well, it did not work for my red bumps, they still look the same after 1 night, did not shrink in size too. But for pimples with pus, nexcare do help to suck the pus out. however if the pimples are big, i may need 2 or more patches to suck out all the pus.

Cos cettua stick too closely to my skin, i dint dare to stick them on my pimples with pus. I only stick them on those red bumps. Sometimes, it does shrink those bumps, only a little though. Probably due to the tea tree and salicylic acid in the patches. Though i paste them on bumps only, it actually hurt more than nexcare when i am removing them!

Winner: I think nexcare will be more effective for most pimples.

Overall: I declare nexcare as the winner for this showdown! haha. But frankly, i dint really think these patches are that useful actually. Nexcare is simply to expensive to use daily, or when ive more than 2 zits on my face at the same time. I think an effective pimple cream will be a better bet.

Alternative way to use these patches:

If u are one of those with itchy hands, likes to squeeze pimple etc, pasting these patches on our faces can probably prevent us from touching the zips, hence minimising the chances of irritation and so on.

Vichy Membership!

After seeing all the raves for vichy pore resurfacing essence on magazines, i decided to give it a try. Bought it at taka watsons and realised there is membership for vichy!

We will be entitled to it when we buy vichy products at those counters with vichy dermatologist around :)

So what are the benefits?!
There will be:
- a special gift on your birthday
- Rewards gifts with every accumulated spend of $200 on Vichy products
- Invites to exclusive events and product launches
- Lifestyle & Skincare Tips & Tricks
- Lucky Draws & Customer Giveaways Saving the Planet!
- From time to time, vouchers that are in the form of SMS, via your mobile phone.

When we reach their rewards tiers, the dermatological advisors will notify us and reward us right away!

An SMS will be send to us after each purchase that is captured ( meaning we must spend at places where a derma is around), to notify you of your spend that is required to reach your next reward tier!

Moreover, VICHY Rewards is one of the few programs where you won’t have to worry about carrying another plastic card, juggling points, or worry about admin and renewal fees! Best of all there are no costs to join!

Upon showing the derma my receipt, I wrote down my hp no, email address, name etc, and i got a welcome gift from vichy :)



Samples for anti-dark circle whitening corrective eye care, aqualia thermal eyes, anti-wrinkle and firming night cream, double corrective whitening emulsion, anti UV daily ultra block.

Guest Review: Neutrogena Deep Hydrating Mask VS Neutrogena Hydro Boost Mask

I got miao to do a review on her fave neutrogena masks! tks babe :)

Guest reviewer ~ miao~

Well im sure most people have seen this mask because it’s sold practically everywhere!! In supermarts, Watsons and guardian…

I started using this mask when I was slightly more well-to-do in 2nd yr of university. Previously it was known as “Deep Hydrating Mask” and offered the Vitamin C formula to help brighten my skin.

How you use it is the same as most sheet masks – leave it on for about 15-20minutes and then take it off without rinsing! And I must say that Deep Hydrating Mask was one of my top favourites, that I always had to snag as many as I could at Watsons when they had the 1 for $1.95 offers!! It always managed to replenish the moisture lacking in my skin and also give me a radiant, bouncy complexion for the next day, as though I had a very good day of sleep and in the pink of health!!

Some time last year/ early this year, Neutrogena decided to phase out the Deep Hydrating series and replace it with Hydro Boost skincare items for moisturizing skin. While I have read online about the products like moisturizer gel having strong fragrance, I did not experience this with the Hydro Boost masks (thankfully).

But not all is beautiful – I experienced breakouts using this mask. Thing to note here is that I have oily skin, probably a little dry in the cheek area from time to time, and I had many small little bumps thanks to Hydro Boost’s new formulation of the mask!! Was v disappointed in my purchase as I had spent money to buy the full priced box of 5 masks at $31.50 but had such poor results. ): as such, I concluded that the mask was too rich for people with oily skin like me and so I kept it aside…

Until I came back from Japan in May. For some perverse reason, my skin became so dehydrated from my 10 days trip there, that my old skincare stopped working well for me. I started to have bumps on my face, which were not the usual pimples filled with pus, but just bumps. I started to suspect that I have dry skin and after some time, I thought to myself that there was no harm trying out that super rich Hydro Boost that broke me out, since my face already has SO MANY bumps.

And so I did, and YES YES YES!! It finally worked for me!! Gave me smooth and soft skin, and helped my angry and stubborn bumps (which I assume are from dry skin!) to soften and shrink and now they are subsiding!! So I really conclude that this mask is really good for HYDRATING.

In terms of a glowing effect, I would say its predecessor does much better, perhaps thanks to the Vitamin C formula that brightens your overall appearance?? I don’t know what is it exactly, but definitely the previous formulation would make my classmates and friends go like “WOW you are GLOWING” unlike this one now, which jus softens and hydrates my skin. However this mask helped my skincare (after the mask) absorb into my skin beautifully, and so my skin got really well pampered over that one night, after nights of horrid dry bumpy skin!!

My rating for this would be 7.5/10 for hydrating effect, but not pocket-friendly price (if you get lucky you might get it at $2.95 sometimes as Watsons, but don’t count on it!), not brightening up my skin and also not making my face feel as bouncy as it would, unlike with the Deep Hydrating range.

Hope this review helps!! (:

Review: Klorane Slow Hair Growth

Has been using this cream on my legs for 4yrs already, ever since i started to wax. one tube cost around $15, can be found both at watsons & guardian. This brand seldom has 20% off, so i always grab a few tubes when there is a sale.

This is the only slow hair growth product i see in the local market. 1 tube can last me at least 3month, usually wont last more than 4months.

Result: this cream is quite watery, but i dono why its a little oily too haha. takes a while before it sinks in. The scent is not bad actually, not too strong. Well it does make hair growth slower haha. I am not sure if it helps to rid ingrown hair since i scrub wkly. Hair does look finer too. Made my legs smooth after usage. Quite moisturising since my legs dint flake etc when i use it in tokyo ( 20deg).

Verdict: 9/10 a little costly in the long run, but if your wallet can take it, why not haha.

Review: DHC Neck care patch Mask

Bought these neck masks when i was in tokyo in may. I got a box of 6 for around $13.

Well, I cant read Japanese so i don't know what ingredients are included.

Result:

These neck masks feel exactly like their eye masks seriously, spongy gel like texture. BUt its too short! cant cover up my neck.. and not sticking too well. I dint really smell anything so i guess its fragrance free.

After usage, i seriously think it din made my neck smooth enough for me to make a difference. 2 of my lines do look slightly lighter for a while, then its back to normal.

Well, i prefer my guardian neck masks! Patch masks are juz not my cup of tea.

Verdict: 4/10 i cant even tell if my neck is hydrated :(