Review: Bonabella Tea Tree Purifying Mask

While I am still collecting photos and doing my due diligence for my current at-home treatments, I wanted to squeeze in this review for an item I received last week... the Bonabella Tea Tree Purifying Mask!

Sample Sachet that I received with my purchase

According to ksisters (who sent this sample along with my Bebetox purchase - which I will write a detailed review soon), this is a very popular wash off mask in Korea right now and it is also known as the "Fine Dust Removal Mask"?

Honestly, when I heard the name of the item, it seems like I've already fallen for it, at least 50% anyway. As the name suggests, one of the main ingredients in this wash off mask is Tea Tree and I've always loved tea tree! Ever since my teenage years, it's an essential oil that I turn to whenever I breakout. Tea tree is well known for its anti inflammatory, antiseptic and antimicrobial properties. The anti-inflammatory properties make it useful in relieving the discomfort of dry, itchy and irritated skin. The antiseptic properties also support its ability to combat oily skin, and even helps treat dandruff. Essentially Tea Tree helps calm redness, swelling and also inflammation, leaving you with smoother, clearer skin.

The Bonabella Tea Tree Purifying Mask also includes another 2 main ingredients, The Houttuynia cordata, more commonly known as "chameleon plant" or "heart leaf" also has antibacterial, anti-viral, and anti-microbial properties. As well as Puretox. Couldn't really find much information about this but from what I can gather, Puretox helps you achieve brighter complexion.

Looks like there's "dirt" on my face. LOLS.

So all in all, the Bonabella Tea Tree Purifying Mask helps you "remove fine dust" and recover the balance of irritated skin. Recently, I had to visit a few dusty sites due to new store opening preparation in a new mall and when this sample came, I couldn't wait to try it.

After using it, I could feel that my skin is very gently cleansed. Honestly, I feel that the mask also did a very, very, very (and I cannot emphasise how 'very') gentle exfoliation because my skins feels so much softer and smoother after. At the same time, I don't know if it's just me but I do seem to feel that my complexion is indeed brighter and my face feels so soft and "boing boing" just after 1 use. The product smells very natural. There is no artificial fragrance (or at least none that I can smell). Jelly like texture that does not dry out your skin.

Comparison of Before and After. Looks brighter.

I am definitely stocking up on this! Going into my #permastash for now. And the best news yet! As ksisters is launching this item at the "Takashimaya Salebration" at B2 Takashimaya square from 10 July to 21 July, there is also a new launch exclusive discount of 20% for 4 tubs purchased! Usual retail price is approximately SGD55 per tub but with this exclusive launch discount, each tub is only priced at SGD44 (SGD11 off each tub)! You can share with your friends or family if you think 4 tubs is too much, but I really think it's worth a permanent stock up space in your #skincareshelfie.


till next time~
xoxo

A background of my skin type...

Okay. So before I begin diving into skincare and the at home treatments I am going through right now... A background about my skin type.

I used to have very oily skin and breakouts quite often as a teenager. But lately, I would say that my skin is a combination of oily and sensitive skin. Sensitive and sensitize because my skin is rather thin (you see all the veins easily), and sensitize likely due to the many products I have slathered on as a teen to curb those pesky breakouts.

So now, while my T-zones can get very oily... my nose (epecially the 2 curves right below) and my cheeks can sometimes get quite red/ flushed. And with oily skin, I am also troubled with rather large pores on my nose and yes, blackheads are always an issue.

Heads up on what's going to be covered in the near future. As promised, the "at home" treatments I'm going through right now:
• Serendi Beauty, Sparkling Pack
• Some By Mi, Green Tea Bubble Tox Cleanser
• Dr UnM, Bebetox
• Miraskin Rx Lift

I'll not only share reviews, but also where I usually get my skincare (especially if there is a good bargain)! Till next time!

Moving forward

It's been a while since I have had any ideas for the blog and I've gotten sick of ranting about work. Pretty sure the readers are too. So here's what I'm going to do.

Since skincare trends changes often, and that I am of the age where my skin is "transforming", I will be writing detailed reviews of what I am currently using and what "treatments" I do to maintain. Starting with the treatments and then what I am using (because I am currently testing new products)! I suddenly feel so excited over this. Hehs. Looking forward!!! :)

Why is sunblock important and why do you need it?

It's been 3 months since my last post. This time, I'm back to talk about something that is everywhere in our everyday lives. UV rays! They are everywhere - the sun, your phone and even your lights. Technical terms aside, know this! Your skin ages with you every single day whether you see it physically or not.

Time for a little story telling.

My mum has always been blessed with good skin. You know, those irritating few that washes their face with nothing but water and yet manages to keep it blemish/ acne/ oil free. Yeah, that’s her! In recent months, she’s noticed some dark spots around her eyes, and when she asked me, I knew her skin wasn’t magic after all.

All her life, she has never has indulged in any of the skincare products or tips that I love. At least not until recently when she realised her skin gets a bit dry in the mornings after she wakes up, and decides to throw on a sleeping pack before she sleeps each night.

So why did the magic disappear? To be honest, I think the magic did it’s best. To begin with, my mum is already in her mid 60s and for her freckles to only start acting out now, with zero maintenance, is already a miracle.

If you’ve got good skin like my mum, you might be thinking sun care doesn’t concern me. Well it does! It just doesn’t concern you now but them freckles will still come and bite you in your ass face no matter how old you are. And if you’re not as blessed with good skin, you know what you need to do. Right?

Since my mum has never really applied anything on her face before, she is very reluctant to start. But knowing now that if she doesn’t do anything, more freckles will just keep appearing. To better help her listen, I looked around and found her a light product that doesn’t require a lot of effort for starters - the Laroche Posay Athelios Sunblock Spray with Anti Gloss.

Photo taken from Laroche Posay Website

I’ve always loved the convenience of sprays as mentioned in many of my previous posts. Previously, I’ve used sprays from another L brand before, but I think I’m little sensitive to some of the ingredients cause my skin tends itch after some time. So imagine my happiness when I found a sunblock spray that is suitable for people with sensitive skin?

Now, all you have to do is to spritz on your face (not exceeding 3s in each spot) before you head out of the house. On rare days that I have make up on, I use this after my makeup has been set. I also have a bottle of this in my office pedestal for me to spray on, if I’m heading out for site visits or for an outdoor lunch. My mum also loves the fact that she doesn’t need to wash her hands, before or after the application. And I strongly recommend this for people that are starting out with suncare and hates hassle.

However, this may be a little tough to bring around when you’re traveling due to the aerosol nature. As I travel quite a lot for work, I always get stopped by the customs officer when they “scanned” something flammable. So I decided that I had to look for something that is small and easy to carry around and I came across the innisfree Sunstick when I was strolling the Shilla Duty Free shop in Changi Airport.

Photo taken from Innisfree world

Slightly wider in width, and transparent in colour

I realised, though, that the innisfree stores in Singapore no longer carry this. There’s also this other option, a tone up sunstick that is also not available in neither Innisfree Singapore nor Shilla. You can only get it from Korea, or the innisfree world website. Its as simple as it looks, for the original sunstick, just draw and colour it on your face as if you’re using a thick marker. For the tone up stick, some hand application is needed to blend it out. So clean your hands!

Photo taken from Innisfree world

Tone up stick is slightly coloured,
so you might need to blend it

My last and final recommendation is my newfound love, the IWLT (i woke up like this) sun cream that’s being distributed by ksisters in Singapore. 

Photo taken from Ksisters Website.
Sun Cream

This is the most “troublesome” product because you have to blend it out, but this is also the most amazing product because it provides an awesome coverage for your skin, auto-correcting and brightening up your face after usage. This range of products are also friendly for pregnant ladies as well as people with sensitive skin (like me). If the pregnant ladies can use it, you know how gentle this is! Using it on its own is sufficient but I realised, using it with either or its 2 buddies (BB cream or Primer) will also provide some sebum control.

Photo taken from Ksisters Website.
BB Cream

Photo taken from Ksisters Website.
Primer

p.s. I noticed that Innisfreeworld will be shutting it services by 21st June 2019.

If you're really looking for items that are not available in innisfree stores singapore, I guess you can go through airfrov for someone to get it back for you. Or, you can go through not so "official channels" like qoo10.

Which is better - Cleansing Oil or Cleansing Balm?

Is there really something better than the other? 

The order is in no way any indication of the question because I believe it's all personal preference - as long as it cleanses your skin without drying out! To be honest, I'm not a fan of cleansing water as I quite dislike the idea of dragging cotton pads across my face anymore than I need to. And not forgetting the fact that I always find that with cleansing water, it's like, you're just adding another layer of product over your skin. Something like Febreeze when you don't really wash your clothes but you spray another layer to deodorise the smell. Not too sure if it's making any sense, but I'm always a "wash-off = clean" girl, and whatever stays should be beneficial to your skin like 'sheet masks' and 'sleeping packs'.

So yeah, here's how I choose what to use - since I always have both Cleansing Oil and Cleansing Balm at home (featuring my favourite products).

NeoGen Real Cica Micellar Cleansing Oil

This is something I've discovered very recently - only late last year and it has served me well.

Photo credits: Google

I will recommend people with sensitive skin to use this as this cleanser has 'Cica' and 'Cica' is believed to be able to soothe and repair irritated skin. I usually use this when my skin is inflammed (when I battle acne on my 'magical days'), sensitive, or when I only have sunblock on.

Tip-Bit! Always remove your sunscreen with a make up remover no matter what the your sunscreen bottle says because no sunblock can be a 100% non-comedogenic. 

Banila Co "Clean it Zero"

I've written a detailed review on this a few years back and I stand by it! Till date, 'Clean it Zero' is my favourite cleansing balm. They've (not so) recently changed their packaging from a more 'sophisticated' design to a more 'clean' design - which I actually prefer.

Photo Credit: Google

I'll usually use a cleansing balm when I have eye makeup on. The reason? Personally, the cleansing balm is easier to control the 'seepage'. When I use cleansing oil on my eyes, it often seeps into my eyes no matter how tight I shut them and well, that is not healthy for anyone. When I use a cleansing balm like the 'Clean it Zero', it is easier to control, does what it should, and cleans everything out. What's best, because it is easier to control, it does not seep into my eyes and I don't open them to a milky vision.

Tip-Bit! It's always a good practice to rinse your eyes with water no matter what cleanser you are using. Rinse out your eyes so that there is nothing remaining - whether you see it or not - so that you don't get an infection. 

Anyhow. Speaking of sunblock, I will be writing something about it very soon.

Toner and my mist recipe

Talk about toner and my "mist-ing" recipe. Pun intended. I know I've promised my facial mist/ toner recipe for quite some time and it's still missing. By the end of this post, you'll know!

I love the Hada Labo Whitening Lotion as a toner. In fact, I love all the various Hada Labo lotion lines for its cheap price and its clean ingredients. It's ph balanced, free of fragrance, mineral oil, alcohol and colourant and most important of all, all ingredients are non-comedogenic! I also love myself a good mist I can use throughout the day without feeling too sticky and yet, it has to have a good balance of moisturising effect because I fly a lot for work and I got to keep my skin moisturised during flights. I've tried a lot of facial mists and nothing really stuck. So I thought to mix my 2 loves together. But as much as I love the Hada Labo Whitening Lotion, I cannot use it as a spray mist because it is too viscous. If you use it on its own in a spray bottle, it will come out as a jet and trust me, that hurts! HAHA. So I am always trying to dilute it but diluting it with water is like mehhh. So I was super happy when I came across the Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioner. It comes in a very generous 500ml bottle that only retails at approximately 11SGD. You can find it in Guardian or SASA stores in Singapore and you can snap more up during the regular Guardian's 3 for 2 sale. Super worth it!

With some DIY, I found my all-time favourite mist:
♥ Hada Labo Whitening Lotion,
♥ Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioner,
♥ Mario Badescu Rosewater Toner (optional), and,
♥ a spray bottle!

Depending on the size of your spray bottle, mix them all up with 1 part Hada Labo Whitening Lotion, 2 parts Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioner, and 1 part Mario Badescu Rosewater Toner. 

Rose water is actually optional but I add it in because my skin is quite sensitive and it tends to look a little reddish in the afternoon, so on top of the wonderful smell, I like that Rose water helps to calm it down. It's up to you if you want to add it!

In the previous post, I was talking about storing a pump bottle of toner in your bathroom so that you can lock in the most moisture in your skin. Thing is, I actually have 2 bottles of toner in my bathroom - one in a pump bottle and the other in a spray bottle.

The reason? 

Well. Koreans talk about layering your toners - the 7 skin method - the Klog talks about it as well. But depending on your skin condition, the 7 skin method may not be the most effective for you. In fact, you may not need 7 layers after all. Also in a humid country like Singapore, you're probably gonna feel very sticky very quickly if you're doing all 7 layers of toner, especially if your toner is very rich. So how do you go with layering your toner?

I keep one pump bottle of the Hada Labo Whitening Lotion in the bathroom that I use for the "Toner Dry" method (this bottle only contains the Hada Labo Whitening Lotion). Pump a few pumps onto dry cotton/ toning pads and dry your face with it. 

Then comes my 2nd spray bottle of toner that I also keep in the bathroom. I usually spritz it on before leaving the bathroom and this is technically the 2nd layer already. From the bathroom to my room, I'll usually spray on another layer when I get to my room before slathering on my moisturiser. Yes, I have another bottle of the mist in my room amongst my vanity closet too! Personally, I think 3 layers is more than enough for me. Any more and I will feel sticky and uncomfortable. So, don't just go smacking 7 layers immediately. Listen to what your skin needs and your skin will thank you for it. Hope these little tips help! Cheers.

How to make your skin retain the most moisture?

I think this is something that everyone wants to know but is not very sure if it's true or if it's just a rumor because I'm pretty sure many of you would have read somewhere before that you need to start toning and moisturising within 3 to 5 minutes of getting out of the shower and I dare say now that IT IS TRUE!

To better prove the theory and why I am actually believing in it, I got myself a moisture analyser from Qoo10 to check the percentages. You can find many similar versions of the moisture analyser online from Qoo10, Lazada and more. Anyhow, for the first experiment, I dried my face with a towel, took the first measurement, and waited 5 mins to take the second measurement without anything on my face - just my bare fare after cleansing.

Moisture loss is a whopping 13% within that 5 mins, and the oil ratio just rocketed from 18% to 30%, a crazy 12% difference. It's like with every bit of loss in moisture, your skin works harder and produces more oil and I'm honestly shocked. I knew I have a relatively oily face, but the figures are scary.

So on another day, I did the similar experiment but this time after drying my face with a towel, I slapped on toner immediately and took the first measurement. Waited 5 mins and took the second measurement and below is what I got.

Sorry the word "Moisturiser" is misleading.
I only used Toner at this point in time.

Moisture ratio reduced only 3% within that 5 mins and oil percentage was relatively well controlled. Compared with the previous experiment, are you able to see the difference of locking in the moisture within the first 3 minutes of wash? So, start slathering on your toners and moisturises immediately after your shower. I'm pretty sure you can spare that extra minute in the shower before you head on to other stuff.

Right! One more thing!
Know how I started this post saying the theory is "to start start toning and moisturising within 3 to 5 minutes of getting out of the shower"? I've most recently heard people say it's actually 3 secs after wash!!! Honestly, I think it is impossible to prove this. But, I had an idea... To dry my face using toner pad instead of a towel.

Logically, when you pat your face dry with a dry towel, that towel absorbs every bit of water from your face. So, if I were to skip it up and use a toning pad instead, I'll be wiping water off with relatively wet tissues. Would it help?

So I brought the analyser into the bathroom with me and on the top photo, I towel dried my face and the moisture reading was 51.4%. On the lower photo, I toner dried my face and moisture reading was 58.3%. To be very honest, I don't know if anything else affected these results but I do feel more "poing-poing" on my face when I try the Toner Drying method and I think my skin likes it more.

As much as possible, keep a small pump bottle of toner in your bathroom and dry your face using the "Toner Dry" method instead. All you have to do is, pump a few pumps of your toner onto some cotton/ toning pads, and wipe them across your face. 

Review: Medicube Zero Line & Blue Erasing Cream

I drafted this to complete by the end of last week but was down with the sniffles so I didn't manage to complete it. Anyhow, here I am with the review of the highly raved Medicube series. I'm only focusing on 3 products, the Zero Line Pore Pad, the Zero Line Pore Serum, and finally the Blue Erasing Cream. Basically I continued with my regular cleanser, followed with the Zero Line Pore Pad, then the Zero Line Pore Serum and then the Blue Erasing Cream.

The reason why Medicube got me interested was because of the ZERO LINE Pore series. I am always troubled with large pores on my T zone, nose and chin. And because of this, I am always skipping moisturising creams because creams are often comedogenic. So, I'm going to start the review from the moisturiser, then serum, then toner.

BLUE ERASING CREAM

I love how this cream smells and feels on the skin. It's very light. For someone like me with oily-combination skin, this is a very good moisturiser because it's very lightweight and it does make my skin feel good.

According to Medicube, this Blue Erasing Cream is made for people that:
• are looking for moisturising cream for sensitive skin that is non-sticky,
• have oily skin with little hydration.

My skin is quite 'thin' - like literally. The veins are always obvious on my cheeks but I noticed after 2 weeks, that the veins are less obvious. It's really quite a non-irritant mild daily cream. I use it day and night and because its so lightweight, I don't get all the "frying pan" glow on my face even in the afternoon. Like I mentioned earlier, most creams are comedogenic but the Medicube series claims that their entire series is non-comedogenic. This is something I wasn't very comfortable with at first because it was impossible to find the ingredients list online and I'm pretty sure the ingredients are all in korean - if they are listed on the box. But here's the thing. After I took the leap of faith to try it, I realised I did not get any breakouts and my blackheads were manageable as always. To conclude, the Blue Erasing Cream is definitely a repeat purchase item on my list!

ZERO PORE SERUM

The Pore Serum is actually very lightweight and I mainly focus using this on 3 areas at my main concern large pores area.

One pump is usually enough to cover my T zone, nose and chin area. The smell is also quite alright. Nothing too artificial and not with too much fragrance.

On my first use, there is a bit of tingling sensation on the skin. However, this sensation stopped in less than 3 days. I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing but I somehow relate the tingling to the product trying to reduce my pores! But when the tingling ended and when my review started, I can only be disappointed.

Left taken on 23-Nov-2018; Right taken on 7-Jan-2019

Sorry for the bad photo. They are in different light, the left photo is slightly out of focus compared to the right and it's rather zoomed in as compared to the one on the right. To be honest, I cannot remember I used both the front camera of my phone or not cause the right one is so clear... Anyhow, I think the pores does look smaller in the 1.5 months I used the product but only very minutely. Repeat purchase? Maybe. 

ZERO PORE PAD

Lastly, the pore pad that EVERYONE is raving about. The amount of toner inside this tub is generous! The pads are always soaked and good to go. When I first started using this, I think my skin was not so happy with it. My nose started peeling abit and it was difficult to get usage instructions. I mean, I know all you have to do is to take out one piece, use the embossed side first to gently exfoliate your skin and follow with the smooth side to hydrate your skin. But how many times do you use this? It's nowhere found on the box or on the official medicube website. I did, however, chanced upon a reply on the message board that the zero pad is to be used day and night. Will include the screenshot and link to the message board. 

But yes, I think this is a little strong for people with sensitive skin to start using it both day and night immediately. So I'm gonna suggest that people with sensitive skin start this only in the night for a week or two... then move on to do this day and night.

I always write the date on my bottles so that I know how fast I'm using them. And the only reason this bottle lasted so long is because, I've sadly given up on it too. On its own it's just a toner with AHA & BHA that comes in a fancy packaging and novel idea but this product does not work alone. Yet together with the zero pore serum and having used it for more than 2 months, I've got to say that they both failed to live up to expectations. But sadly, no repeat purchase for this. 

So yeah... that pretty much sums up everything. Leave a comment if you want to find out more about the 3 products above. Otherwise.. Till next time!

GOODBYE 2018, HELLO 2019!

Happy 2019 to all! 

I know its already the 3rd week of 2019 but work has been a whole game of catch up ever since 2019 started. How was 2018 for you? Did you manage to acheive the goals you set out to achieve?

Personally, 2018 has been kind, blessed and nothing short of challenging.

I've travelled a little lesser than I hope for because of work,
I've felt more blessed than ever because of the lovely colleagues at work, and,
I've been stressed and challenged so much more because of work.

I'm pretty sure that by now you can tell... 2018, for me, has been mostly about work.

To be honest, I got caught in a (bad) situation where I was required to accept things as is. "Getting off work on time", "getting planned leave days" and "workout days" left me after the first half of 2017 and never came back in 2018. 

I could not clear my leave days because work beckons (tbh, even though I had plans before, I cancelled as I couldn't drop these projects because I felt responsible. Unlike *ahem*). I got sick so much even when I'm not someone that falls sick often. It sucks so bad cause usually when I do (fall sick), it's pretty hard to recover and it just takes a freaking long time. In fact, 2018 was hands-down the year with the highest medical leave record in my 6-year full time working history - a whooping 11/14 days of medical leave.

It was so tough and I got so bogged down that I sacrificed more "me" to adjust and juggle better.

The only times I get to travel, I travel for work. The good thing though, was that I got to meet more people but well, travelling for work is not all that glorious. In fact, it's mostly sad.

So starting 2019, I wanted to start it on the right foot. Getting off work (relatively) on time on the first day of work! Yet I clocked overtime till 8pm the very next day. And almost everyday the week after.

RAWR.

I NEED TO CHANGE THIS.

Here's hoping that 2019 would only get better! Gotta work harder and smarter to get more "me-time" and more "balanced" hardworking days! Will be following up with a review promised last year - medicube - by the end of this week. 

Till then~

Updated Skincare Routine *EDIT

People always say that your skin age faster when you hit 30 and it doesn't heal as fast anymore, it has lesser elasticity and you get more wrinkles. So most people start their skincare routines at 30. However, some (few) others believe that you should start to take care of your skin from 25 because "Prevention is better than cure". I am part of this few because I would think that if you start maintaining (preventing) your skin from the age of 25, you will be able to maintain good skin even after 30. Makes sense? I am a very logical person, so when I first read this random article about maintaining your skin, I was immediately convinced.

I started to fall in love with skin care few years back not just because I needed to "maintain" my skin at 25, but also because it is the easiest way to go. There is no need to wake up earlier and spend 30mins each morning to put on make up because you have great skin to flaunt. To be honest, I have very little knowledge about make up and I have yet to venture into that simply because I am very lazy and I think sleep is more important! Hahaha. For those of you that know me, you will know that I hardly put on any makeup. On rare occasions that I put on makeup, it will be SUPER DUPER SIMPLE: Foundation/ BB cream > Blush > Mascara. I think some of the make up lovers out there reading this must be rolling their eyes. But honestly, if you have great skin (besides those of you that require make up for work), would you still put on make up? It has always been a curious question of mine. 

I indulge in skincare so that I can sleep in a few more minutes in the morning. And mainly because I am pretty lazy to put on make up in the morning. I actually wrote about skincare a few years back (you can read them here), but have since changed some of the products as my skin changed and I thought to share them again here. 

*EDIT: I will be reordering them in the case of a night time routine so that it's easier to understand.

1, CLEANSE & 2, DOUBLE CLEANSE

After a long day at work, you need to shower to wash off all the dirt and you'll also need to wash your face. Never ever touch your face with dirty hands - this is how most breakouts happen. I always wash my hands with hand soap before cleaning my face. Start with a remover - not just for your make up, but also your sunscreen - and then follow up with a foam cleanser for a good double cleanse. I love the Banila Co Clean it Zero cleansing balm.

And follow up with a foam cleanser to deep cleanse your pores. I use the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam. It is one of the deep pore cleaners that does not strip your skin. Remember to lather well before applying to your face so that there is less friction generated.

If you're just starting out your day, I suggest you start with a mild foam cleanser. I have been using Hada Labo's foam cleansers for the longest time but has recently found a new favorite, i.e., NeoGen, the Green Tea Foam Cleanser.

They actually have 4 different flavours/ scents - Green Tea, Cranberry, Blueberry and Cereal. So far, I have only tried the Green Tea and it smells wonderful. There are also real green tea leaves in the bottle as well. You know you are getting the real deal.

3, EXFOLIATE

I usually exfoliate twice a week - usually on Wednesday and Sundays. Healthy skin generally regenerate every 28 days or so depending on your age. So when you exfoliate, you are essentially trying to speed up the regeneration process by removing all the gunk and dead skin. Try not to exfoliate your skin too often as that will also be too harsh. I would say, if you have to, the maximum you can go for is to exfoliate every other day.

My personal all-time, hands down favourite is the NeoGen Wine Gauze Peeling because it not only works as a chemical and physical exfoliator, it also smells heavenly - therapeutic even. 

For those of you that are wondering what is the difference between chemical and physical exfoliators... Allow me to explain it simply: Chemical exfoliators make use of chemicals like AHA & BHA to exfoliate your skin, while physical exfoliators are generally rough or grainy in texture.

4, TONE

After washing your face, you need to ensure that your skin stays moisturized. Some of you might have read before that your skin loses moisture 3-5mins after leaving the shower. (I'm planning to share a post soon regarding moisture loss. Do keep a lookout!) So, to lock in the most moisture, always keep your toners in the bathroom. Before I use my toner, I am currently using the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum to lock in the most moisture.

According to Innisfree, The Seed Serum actually preps your skin to hold moisture in your skin and prevents moisture loss so that your moisturizer would work its best. I will be sharing another tip to lock in moisture to your skin in the next few updates as well. Many tips coming up in the new year!

Anyway, follow up with your toner. 

You can use these on their own but I like to use a mix blend of the trio - Hada Labo Whitening Lotion, the Naturie Hatomugi Skin Conditioner and the Mario Badescu Rosewater Toner. I keep them in a spray bottle and spritz them on as and when I need. Again, I will share a "recipe" on how I mix these items in another update. Or else, this post will be never-ending.

So recently, I am hearing so much rave about the Medicube Zero-Pore series and I just have to give it a try as well. I'll be sharing a review on this series soon as I am still halfway through. 

5, ESSENCE/ AMPOULE

If you're able to lock in enough moisture from the start, this may sound redundant for you but it actually helps to restore moisture within the deep layers of your skin. I use the Innisfree Jeju Lava Seawater Essence both day and night because it is very lightweight. As I have oily-combination skin, I really hate to use products that make me "shine bright like a diamond". Anyway, this essence from Innisfree is not only lightweight for day and night use, it also has wrinkle free and anti-aging properties, which is very good for maintenance.

6, SHEET MASK

This is the main edit of this post - especially comparing with the one I did years ago. Previously I mentioned that you should mask at the last step, however, I realised I wasn't being clear - and possily misleading. Please note that whether masking should be the last step largely depends on what masks you are using. If you are using a sheet mask, please do it before you slather on your moisturizers. 

Why?
Essentially sheet masks are concentrated packs of essence/ ampoules that will help you penetrate deeper layers of your skin. To think of it logically, for them to penetrate layers of your skin, they are usually lightweight and fine... so, if you use a heavy cream before this, you will not be able to reap the entire benefit of your sheet mask! So, always use sheet masks before moisturizers!

7, EYE CREAM

Many of us are guilty about skipping the eyecare step because they are so small. But they are not to be ignored. One of the main reason is because, although the skin surrounding the eyes is very 'small', this skin is one of the softest skin on your face and is the first to show signs of aging. Keep it moisturised and keep it well taken care of. Most of the time I use the Innisfree Green Tea Seed Eye & Face Ball. 

But sometimes, I do follow up with Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Treatment.

8, MOISTURISE/ SLEEPING MASK

Like my favourite cleansers, I also have morning and night moisturisers. Morning moisturisers tend to be more lightweight, while the night moisturisers are slightly creamier or heavier. In the morning, I recently discovered the La Roche Posay Effaclar Mat Moisturiser which as the name suggests, give you a matt finish. This is exceptionally important for oily-combination skin people that :shines bright like a diamond" - like me after lunch.

Anyway, in the night, I usually just go straight to sleeping masks as they are less comedogenic than most cream moisturizers. Like I mentioned earlier, I have oily-combination skin so my pores tend to clog easily and do not react well with creams. And it is always so difficult to find good gel type moisturisers! So I kind of gave up on moisturisers and went straight to the Sleeping Masks and often switch between the Innisfree Green Tea Sleeping Mask, and the Laneige Water Sleeping Mask.

If you want to know whether what you're currently using will clog your pores, Acne Mantra has an awesome online tool called Skingredients that helps you check if the ingredients are comedogenic almost instantly.

9, SUNSCREEN

Sunscreen is very important! I cannot stress how important it is - Freckles appear due to sun damage and when freckles appear, it is so difficult to get rid of them so DO NOT FORGET YOUR SUNSCREEN. Most sunscreens are comedogenic, so please make sure to cleanse your face with a make up remover. I am currently using the Innisfree Daily UV protection stick with Calamine Tone Up and sometimes, the La Roche Posay Anthelios Anti Glare UV Spray.

The Innisfree Daily UV Protection Stick with Calamine Tone up is not available in Innisfree stores in Singapore. If you want to get them, you'll need to order them from innisfreeworld directly. Or get some of your friends travelling to Korea to get it back for you. If none of your friends are travelling to Korea, try airfrov!

10, ACNECARE

I do my spot treatments for acne last mainly because I prefer using Tea Tree Essential Oil Blend than any other commercial acne care serums you may find out there. If you are using the standard over the counter acne care serums, you should apply this before your sheet mask - somewhere around step 5 or 6. But, if like me, you prefer to use essential oils, your skin will react better if you use it at the final step. A Tea Tree/ Spearmint blend can be very strong and drying for your skin when you apply it directly. You would not want it getting near your eyes as you spread out your moisturiser. So not only is it safer, it is also better to moisturize and prep you skin before you apply such drying oils.

After writing all these, I am starting to think that I am not that lazy after all. Hahaha. And, I'm starting to sound like an Innisfree/ NeoGen ambassador because I am using so many of their products. But honestly, they are really good - for the price and for the value you get. All these products are also easily available through Lazada/ Qoo10, Sephora and Innisfree!

I guess the number of products I get through on a daily basis has not decreased - compared with the post written a few years back. But with better at-home skincare tips, you don't need to spend so much money at the beautician - which we all know costs ALOT! So, this pretty much sums it all. If you have any skincare tips you would like to share, let me know! 

Wayyy Overdue Review - SPARKLE TEETH WHITENING KIT

The number of Ys does not do the reviews justice on just how late this is.

Remember I travelled alot in March? Well, maybe not. Cause I haven't been updating. *Guilty much* I will write and complete the hotel reviews soon. Definitely within this two months for them to be up. They have to, since this is my low period. HAHA. Or else. God knows when I can update them again.

Anyhow…At the end of my trip to Thailand in March, I had too much time to spare at the airport so I decided to just walk around and randomly stumbled upon a whitening kit in BOOTS.
Yes, I did a very brief review about another whitening kit before. If you're interested to read, click here. Although don't expect much because I really didn't like how that kit worked.

So yes. Below is the whitening kit that I randomly chanced upon at BOOTS pharmacy. It's called Sparkle Whitening Kit.

The kit comes with 5 things/ parts:

1, Whitening Gel
2, Mouth guard
3, Carry case - for the mouth guard
4, Shade chart - shade codes are printed in reverse so it reads right in a mirror
5, Instruction/ Additional information booklet - although, unless you're able to read Thai, is as good as useless

How does it work?

1, Apply the gel to the mouth guard,
2, Fit mouth guard into your mouth,
3, Bite down and hold for 20mins.

Just. This. Simple.
And! There is no hassle. No need to insert battery. No need to charge it at all since it’s a non-light whitening kit.
One of the reasons why I am tempted – Especially after being ‘burnt’ by the last LED whitening kit.

Does it do what it says?

YES! I could see my teeth whiter in just one session.

From A2/B2 to a shade of A1/B1

The photos are not very clear (Sorry!)

That said, there are always 2 sides to a coin. While it does prove effective, there are slight problems that come with it…
First, take a good look at the mouth guard.

Don't see anything wrong? What about now?

HAHAHA. VERY UNGLAM, I KNOW.

What I’m trying to say is that this mouth guard makes you bite down with your lips turned out.
Not only does it require a lot of jaw strength to keep it bitten down, you know what happens when you can’t close your mouth? YOU DROOL!
So unless you're gonna stand over your sink for the 20mins or carry a bucket for your drool, I think it might be a good idea to buy a separate mouth guard. HAHAHA.

I got mine from qoo10. It's about 5 SGD for a pair but it’s so much easier to just set the trays and go about doing whatever it is you want to. Definitely better than the original mouth guard. I can’t remember exactly how much the SPARKLE WHITENING KIT retails at boots but it is approximately 500THB.

There's this one more thing that I didn't quite like about the whitening kit. Notice how there are white spots?

It does fade off well after a few hours. So, if you're going out on a date, I wouldn't advise this treatment before. It would be better to do it the night before. HAHA. Taste of this whitening gel is just like regular toothpaste.

So overall, price, taste, effectiveness and given that it says what it does.

I would give it an awesome 4.5/ 5.

0.5 deducted for the white spots after treatment and the stupid drooling mouth guard. If any of you are interested, you can try your luck on Airfrov if there are travellers going to Thailand to purchase them for you with a small (additional) margin. Cheers!

Review: Beautiful Teeth Whitening

I know I have been saying that I want to review this truthfully. However, I come across an issue each time I try. I'll talk about the issue in a bit, but let's begin with how I first came across this product.

A friend of mine was selling it. In fact, a few friends of mine were selling it across different channels. I would say, it resembles a pyramid scheme, otherwise known as Multi-level Marketing (MLM).

Right before I came across "BEAUTIFUL", I was already looking at similar teeth whitening kits "Pop Smile", as well as "Hi Smile". Since my friend was selling "BEAUTIFUL" and the price is generally cheaper than the rest, I decided to give it a try.

Very clean and simple design

Says nothing about the ingredients

For those of you wondering, you can get an original "BEAUTIFUL" set at SGD70. It comes with a LED kit, a gel, and a USB adaptor. Both starter kits for "POP Smile" and "Hi Smile" are approximately SGD81. I know there isn't a lot of difference between the prices, but seeing that "BEAUTIFUL" works for my friend... the logical idea is to go with the cheaper option! 

So yes! I bought a set from my friend whose selling it. And I wasn't able to stick to the routine at all. I know all about discipline and putting in the hours but there was a burning issue preventing me from sticking to the suggested routine. 

What issue, you might ask?

After using "BEAUTIFUL" for 2 consecutive days, the 3rd day will always start to hurt. The first time, I was burnt. A whole patch, approximately 2cm long and 0.5cm wide, of my inner upper lip turned dark red. I felt like it was going to tear and turn into a monstrous ulcer. So, I did something crazy. Hahaha. I applied Bonjela on it immediately before going to sleep. And yes, if you are cringing now, it did sting like crazy. The next morning when I woke up and brushed my teeth, the whole patch of skin came off. And there was no more burning sensation. Guess it was a crazy but right choice to apply Bonjela. Haha.

A shade chart

So with that, I stopped using the kit for a week or two. When I tried starting it again, the same thing happened. Although milder, not as serious. But it was always the third session where it starts to burn. Again, this time, I could not complete the suggested treatment plan. After this same cycle repeated for 4 times. I gave up. Which is why it is hard for me to write a proper review because I know how much it helped my friend. Her teeth were pretty yellow due to early years smoking and yet "BEAUTIFUL" gave her a white set of teeth yet it doesn't work for me. 

The suggested treatment plan is 15-20mins for the first 3 days, then extend it to 30mins for the next 4 days. Each treatment plan is a week long and you can do it once weekly thereafter just for maintenance. Brushing your teeth before using, and rinsing your mouth with warm water after each use.

I could not complete the treatment plan even when I tried to reduce the amount of gel, as well as the time used. So I got curious and began reading a few articles and one of them stood out more than the rest... from Daily Vanity. It seems this product is not only non-HSA approved, it contains more than usual amounts of Hydrogen Peroxide. You know the 4% or 6% thing that you mix into your hair dye..? 

Actual scanned copy of the reading material in the box.

The box design was so clean and neat but I don't see any indication of the ingredients within the gel. 

I managed to find the list of ingredients in the leaflet inside the box, as shown in the picture above. It would be the second grey mark on the left. 

With the help of google translate, I managed to make out the ingredients as follow:

- 食品级纳米二氧化钛/ Food Grade Nano Titanium Dioxide

- 卡波姆/ Carbomer

- 木糖醇/ Xylitol

- 薄荷醇/ Menthol

- 调味素/ Seasoning

- 去离子水等/ Deionized water, etc.

I recall that Daily Vanity mentioned that there is hydrogen peroxide listed. But according to the leaflet and google translate, there isn't. And what the hell is "De-ionised water, etc". What is etc?! Omg. Given that my gums were burning, I am more inclined to say that there is hydrogen peroxide present. Since it works for some people, I will say that this product works! But it really depends on the individual and frankly, I would not recommend. 

SampleStore Review: Hiruscar Anti-Acne Series

Whenever I hear the name Hiruscar, I would always assume that it is a post-acne treatment... for scars! Hence the name Hiru"scar"? Get what I mean?

Hiruscar actually came up with an Anti-Acne Range with 3 products that promises you will "see acne improvement in 2 days! Reduce pimples and lighten spots without drying the skin."

1, The Cleanser (RP: S$14.90)

Step 1 of everything is to Cleanse. I only started using this 2 days ago. So it is rather difficult for me to say how it may remove excessive dirt and sebum and how it may balance the skin moisture. But truth be told, I have not experienced extreme dryness or anything. My nose is a little dry compared to usual but nothing to be worried about. What I really like, as a plus point is the smell of this product! Reminds me of baby shower gels. Could be because of the smell, I generally feel very safe using it.

Not sure if you can see. It's clear! Lather well!

2, The Serum (RP: S$39.90)

Step 2 is to tone and moisturise. I wasn't too sure if it could tighten pores but the product is indeed light and non-greasy. Something very important for people with combination skin. That said, the smell of this product reminds me of pepper. Could be the ingredients involved. Will list them out later.

Intentionally took it with the drip to show how light it is.

3, The Spot Gel - aka the HERO PRODUCT (RP: S$19.90)

Step 3, the final step of all is to treat. I think it works very well for the spots itself. That said, I can't confirm about the blackheads and whiteheads because I haven't been using this product long enough. They are really good for pimples though. I can really see the difference from 2 days ago till now.

Pointed tip makes application so easy!

So yes, as I was saying. Ingredients List.

Left: 11-Sep, Right: 13-Sep (Pardon the high forehead. HAHA)

I really think the ingredients helped to tone down the pimple redness and inflammation. Would continue using it and update if anything changes. In the meantime, you may purchase these at any Watsons & Guardian Stores island-wide. If you can't bear to spend the money on 1 entire bottle without knowing how it works in your skin?
Get your free samples here!

To better and healthier skin with #HiruscarSingapore and #SampleStore