REVIEW: Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser

~AG~

Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser has been my everyday face wash for almost 3 months now. Time for me to do an in-depth review of this cleanser.

Non-comodegenic foaming wash

Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser comes in a squeeze cap bottle. I much prefer pump packaging for its convenience. A bottle comes with 125 ml of product which lasts me for about 4 months, with twice a day use. Price-wise, Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser is not the most affordable cleanser on the market. In Singapore, a bottle of Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser costs me S$25 (~US$18). I believe Cetaphil products are more affordable in the U.S. I remember paying less than US$10 for a bottle of Cetaphil face wash. 

This face wash works well for my sensitive skin. It does not trigger any adverse reactions on my skin. No bumps or redness was noticed after use. Plus, Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser does not cause my acne-prone skin to breakout. So those are the good points about this face wash. Now on to the bad points, Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser does not foam up well. Since it is a gentle cleanser, it does not have much sudsing (foaming) power.  Apart from that, I feel that this cleanser does not completely remove makeup and impurities. Even after washing my face with Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser, there will be residues left on my toner-soaked cotton pad.  Having that squeaky clean feeling after facial cleansing is not a good sign, it means that all your face wash is too harsh and drying for your skin. I, on the other hand, do like that clean feeling after facial cleansing. When I use Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser, I feel as though my skin is not clean enough, especially for my nose and chin. Sometimes, I have to rewash these areas where I feel that there are residues. Do note that I use Bioderma Sebium to remove sunscreen and makeup beforehand, so a facial wash does not have to do much anyway.

Overall, I would not repurchase this cleanser. Even though it is gentle and my skin did not have issues with Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleasner, it is not worth the price tag. This cleanser might work better for those with sensitive skin, and does not like the squeaky clean feeling. 

REVIEW: Innisfree Glow Tint Stick #10

~AG~

A sleek stick design

Found this wonderful new product from Innisfree, Glow Tint Stick #10. When I tried the testers, the texture was so beautiful that I just had to get it! This Innisfree Tint Stick is very moisturizing and gives off a nice sheen. The shades available were all vibrant pinks or corals, which are great for brightening the face. Since it is a tinted lip product, it has a better staying power than regular lipstick. Even after drinking several cups of teas, the lip tint was still obvious. The lasting power is about 2-3 hours without eating. 

Packaging wise, this lip tint does not twist down, similar to VDL Expert Color Lip Cube EX. So you have to be careful to only twist a little at a time, if not your lip product will be squished. I don't know who came up with such packaging idea, but it is not a smart one! I definitely minus points for its thoughtless packaging. 

Apart from the packaging issue, I actually like Innisfree Glow Tint Stick. The Shade #10 would be described as a cool hot pink. When I swatched this shade on my wrist, it looked vert pretty. But when I actually applied it on my lips, the shade falls short of its glory. Even when I applied two layers of the lip tint, it is not as vibrant as I had hoped. It is probably because my natural lip color is a dusty rose shade. If you want to get the exact shade as seen on the tube, it is recommended that you apply concealer on your lips to mask your natural lip shade. 

Glow Tint Stick #10. A beautiful hot pink shade

 Swatches of Glow Tint Stick #10. 

The top swatch is one swipe, while the bottom swatch is two swipes

REVIEW: Kiss Me Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara

~AG~

This was my impulsive buy while browsing through the drugstores in Tokyo. It retailed for only JPY 820 (S$10), a cheap buy for the usually premium Japanese cosmetics. However, this Heroine Kiss Make Volume & Curl mascara is the non-waterproof version. The packaging was all in Japanese so I could not differentiate whether it was waterproof or not. Kiss Me Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner is my HG eyeliner,  so I decided to try other products from the Kiss Me Heroine brand. 

The pink and black packaging

You can see the polymer fibres on the mascara wand

This mascara was contains polymer fibers which lengthen eyelashes by 120%. It is a lightweight, long-lasting and curl-maintaining mascara which is easy to apply. It also contains Chamomile Recutita Flower Extract and Camellia Japonica Seed Oil that won't dry out your eyelashes.

Brush type: 
It is different than the usual mascara wand because it has two different brush sides. One is curved-brush while the other is a comb-like brush. I

Curved-brush to coat each lashes with mascara

You apply the mascara this way to curl lashes 

Voluminizing power: 
This was the most disappointing aspect of the Heroine Volume & Curl Mascara. It did not thickened my sparse lashes at all! The voluminizing capability was lesser than that of CoverGirl LashBlast Volume. 

Lengthening power:
The polymer fibres does help lengthen my super short lashes. Though, the lengthening properties is not as good as Majolica Majorca mascara as the fibres are more fine, and less dramatic. 

Curling power: 
The specially-designed brush does not curl my stubbornly straight lashes. You cannot make do without the eyelash curler. Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes has a better curling power than Heroine Kiss Make Volume & Curl Mascara.

Staying power:  
It smudges slightly to my lower eyelids after about 4 hours, since it is a non-waterproof version. Though the smudging is not as bad as other non-waterproof mascara such as Maybelline mascaras. 

Overall, I would not recommend Kiss Me Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara. It does not provide enough volume and length to my short & straight lashes, which I desperately need. 
Please leave a comment below if you have any good waterproof mascara recommendation for short & straight lashes!

NEW BUY: Innisfree Face Designing Duo #2 (Evening Sunset)

Face Designing Duo #2 (Evening Sunset)

~AG~
While browsing through the blush section of an innisfree store in Seoul, Korea, I noticed this contouring powder. I forgot to take note of the price, but it is retailing for S$20 on innisfreeworld.com. There were only two shades available in store. Decided to go for shade #2 (evening sunset) because #1 (afternoon delight) was too light. 

A shading & highlighting duo that emphasizes the contours of the face with natural shading colors 
1. The face is fully dimensional and has a healthy shine 2. Adheres softly to the face without being powdery 3. Incorporates vivid colors in your makeup that lasts all day

Picture Credits: innisfreeworld.com

Cannot wait to try this shading product! Hope it works well to contour my face. Stay tuned for my review of Innisfree Face Designing Duo.

REVIEW: Skinfood Black Sugar Mask Wash Off

~AG~

The popular Black Sugar Mask Wash Off from Skinfood. This was one of my must-buy while in Seoul, Korea. This mask was discounted and retailed at KRW 6,540 ($7.50). That is a good price for 100g of product. Previously, I have tried Skinfood's other best-selling wash off mask, Rice Mask Wash Off. This time, I decided to try Skinfood Black Sugar Mask Wash Off because it has a greater exfoliating properties, as the sugar components are more coarse. It also contains macadamia seed oil, shea butter and meadowfoam seed oil, which have moisturising properties. 

It comes with a spatula for convenience (not pictured)

A mask that contains mineral-eniched Brazilian black sugar that promotes smooth and glowing skin. My skin was really dry after my trip from Seoul, Korea. The subzero temperature plus the harsh winds caused my skin to be rough and flaky.  *thumbs down* I figured that this will be the best time to try a facial scrub. My hope was that my facial skin will be visibly smoother after the exfoliation of rough skin surface. 

Applied a generous layer of the mask, and left it on for 10 minutes

 

You can see the black sugar resulted in this mask turning brown

After cleansing the face, I apply a generous amount of Skinfood Black Sugar Mask on damp skin. The mask surprisingly does not have a strong sweet scent, but a dominant citrus scent. The sugar grains are more coarse than the rice grain of Skinfood Rice Mask Wash Off, but it is more gentle than St.Ives Apricot Facial Scrub. On sensitive areas such as the cheeks, I mixed the face mask with more water, to make the sugar grains less harsh. After gently scrubbing the face mask all over the face, I left the scrub on for 10 minutes. Finally, I rinsed off this face scrub with lukewarm water. My skin felt immediately smoother after use. The morning after, my skin still felt smooth and there was no adverse reaction from the mask. No bumps, new pimples or redness were noticed. My sensitive skin did not show any sign of irritation! Yay! I also noticed that the blackheads on my nose were significantly reduced. *clap clap* This mask also has moisturising properties though it is more effective to apply a hydrating sheet mask to lock in the moisture after applying this facial scrub. Skinfood Black Sugar Mask Wash Off has become my skincare staple. It has the right amount of exfoliating properties to gently scrub the dead skin cells and impurities, and yet is not too harsh for the skin. Another bonus about this Skinfood Black Sugar Mask Wash Off is that it is affordable. $7.50 for 100 grams of product that should lasts me for at least 3 months, with weekly use. 

A highly recommended product to purchase while in Seoul, Korea!

Blush Series - Powder Blush, Highlighters & Cream Blush

~AG~

BLUSH

1. Benefit Cosmetics Sugarbomb Box o' Powder Blush
- This is a more 'bronzey' blush that is suitable for a sunkissed glow
- The shades are very pretty and blends well together
- Plus, the blush has a sweet scent

2. Nars Blush in Orgasm
- The highly-awarded powder blush by Nars
- This peach blush with gold shimmers works well for various skin tone. 
- I would not recommend this blush for those with dry skin, as it can accentuate dry patches

3. Tarte Pin-Up Girl Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush Palette
- My FAVORITE blush palette! It has various pink and peach shades. You can pick and chose  the shade based on the look of the day. 
- A great piece to have in your makeup arsenal. Highly recommended!
- Highly(x2)  pigmented and has good staying power. 

4. Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush
- If you are looking for a matte blush, this is the blush for you. 
- Great pigmentation and stays on very well.
- Works well for sensitive/oily skin. 
- Nothing to complain about this wonderful powder blush

5. NYX Powder Blush in Ethereal
- An affordable dupe of Nars Blush in Orgasm, though it is not as pigmented
- Shimmery peach shade that will be great for fair-to-medium skin tone

6. Benefit Cosmetics CORALista Box o' Powder Blush
- A shimmery shade similar to Nars Orgasm though it is more shimmery
- This coral/peach shade is much lighter than Nars Orgasm, and works well for fairer skin tone

BLUSH/HIGHLIGHTER

7. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact in Rose
- This was my first Bobbi Brown purchase and I loved this!
- Love this shimmery blush and highlighter product
- People often comment on my healthy glow when I use this product
- Works well for my warm, medium skin tone
- Easy to use, you just swirl your brush and apply it to the apples of your cheeks

8. Chanel Blush Duo Tweed Effect Rose Peche
- Beautifully designed powder, you can expect no less from Chanel!
- Finely-milled shimmers that are oh-so-flattering
- It works more as a highlighter than a blush as it does not give off as much color

CREAM BLUSH

9. Stila Convertible Color in Lillium
- Great for those new to cream blush as it is easy to apply - you can use your fingers to apply the cream blush
- The shade, Lillium, works well to create a fresh, healthy glow. Cream blush creates a more natural look than powder blush.
- Works especially well for those that have dry skin type. For oily/combination skin type, I recommend powder blush instead, p.s: see #4 (Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush).

REVIEW: D.U.P. Eyelash Fixer EX Clear Type

~AG~

Similar to Revlon Lash Adhesive, D.U.P Eyelash Fixer EX Clear Type comes with a brush applicator. It dries to a clear. D.U.P. Eyelash Fixer dries more quickly than Revlon Lash Adhesive or Duo Eyelash Adhesive. Comparing its staying power, D.U.P. Eyelash Fixer is resistant to water and perspiration as well. It contains 5ml of product, which will lasts me for a long long time, as I rarely wear false lashes. 

Specially Edition Designed D.U.P Eyelashes Fixer EX in Clear Type

Fine brush applicator

The funny thing, this product is "Made in Korea"

I forgot to take note of the purchase price but found that Cosme retails D.U.P. Eyelash Fixer for JPY 972 (S$12). It is more pricey than Revlon Lash Adhesive, but cheaper than Duo Eyelash Adhesive (which usually retails for S$15-18). The version I purchased was a limited edition packaging. 
Was browsing through a Japanese drugstore, and there was a small screen displaying the wonders of this D.U.P Eyelash Fixer EX. Japanese beauty products especially false lashes and eyelash adhesives are of high quality, and are often better than their Western counterparts. Before this chance encounter at a Japanese drugstore, I have never heard of D.U.P. Eyelash Fixer. But as the saying goes it is better late than never. 

Even though I have only used it a couple of times, D.U.P Eyelash Fixer EX has ranked #1 on my list of lash adhesive. The fine brush applicators make it super easy to apply the adhesive on false lashes. The adhesive dries quickly, but with ample time to apply the false lashes in place. It has a strong adhesive power, and I did not have to worry about my false lashes coming off. Even with its great staying power, D.U.P. Eyelash Fixer EX removes easily with an oil-based makeup remover. I will definitely repurchase this D.U.P Eyelash Fixer EX the next time I visit Japan. It is one of my best beauty finds during my last trip to Japan!

NEW BUY: Tarte To Go Travel Size Maracuja Oil

Tarte to go travel size maracuja oil

~AG~

My skin has been severely dry due to travel to a dry & cold climate. My combination skin became flakey, especially around the nose and cheeks area. Borrowed MG's Tarte Maracuja Oil and was amazed by it. It works very well to hydrate my skin. Plus, my sensitive skin did not have any adverse reaction to it. No new breakouts or bumps on my face *thumbs up* 

Decided to buy my own bottle of Tarte Maracuja Oil from Sephora Singapore. The mini version comes with 15 ml of product and was S$20.  

Not all oil is created equal. This earth-prescribed treatment oil targets your individual skin concerns and delivers harmony and moisture for firmer, brighter, smoother-looking skin. 

In a 6 week consumer use study:

96% of women saw an overall visible improvement in skin

91% of women saw a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles

94% of women saw a visible improvement in skin texture

94% of women thought skin appeared renewed and rejuvenated.

Formulated without parabens, formulated without mineral oil, formulated without  phthalates, formulated without sodium lauryl sulfates, formulated without gluten

So far, I am loving this face oil, please stay tuned for my in-depth review of this Tarte Maracuja Oil.