Q&A: Fresh Umbrian Clay Oil-Free Lotion

50 ml of product

Comes with a cap to protect the pump 

~MG~
Q: How much did you buy Fresh Umbrian Clay Oil-Free Lotion for?
A: Bought it from Changi Airport Shilla Duty Free for S$58.60. It is a good idea to buy beauty products at the airport because it is tax-free.

Q: Why did you decide to try this Fresh Umbrian Clay Oil-Free Lotion?
A: Been wanting to try this Fresh Umbrian Clay Oil-Free Lotion for years. This lotion is designed for oily skin type. The Umbrian Clay claims to regulate sebum production and absorbs impurities from pores. Because I have oily T-zones, I thought it would help balance my skin. The fact that it is oil-free is also a plus.

Q: How long have you been using this lotion?
A: For about two months daily. I use this Fresh lotion in the morning only. At night, I switch to a more hydrating face moisturizer.

Q: What do you like about this product? 
A: The pump packaging is very convenient. The plastic packaging is worry-free for traveling. This is lightweight lotion. It moisturizes and soothes my skin after application. In my honest opinion, it does help to regulate sebum production in my T-zones. Though my cheeks area felt tight after use. Compared to Fresh Rose Cream, my skin is less oily with the use of Fresh Umbrian Clay Lotion.

Q: What do you want to improve about this product?
A: This lotion can be too dry if you spend a large amount of time in air-conditioning rooms. In my experience, my cheeks area feel dry an hour after I applied the lotion in my air-conditioned office. If I know I will be taking a flight, I will use two pumps of lotion to better hydrate my skin especially the cheeks area. It does not help reduce blackheads or prevent pimples. I thought the clay ingredients would have helped with reducing blemishes. 

Q: Would you recommend this lotion to your friends? A: Would not recommend this Fresh Umbrian Clay Lotion because it is too drying for my cheeks area. This oil-free lotion might work better for someone that has a truly oily skin type. My skin type is somewhat oily and combination skin.

REVIEW: Skinfood Pine Nut Cuticle Oil

8ml of cuticle oil that moisturises and nourishes the nails

~MG~

Before I go on talking about this product, let me share with you a little (embarrassing) history of myself. Everyone who knows me in the past knows that I am someone who always have super short nails with bad hangnails. My cuticles were real nasty. I couldn’t stop myself from peeling it, which eventually will end up bleeding and resulted in uglier nails. My fingernails were not ladylike at all! In the past, I could not keep long nails, I couldn’t stand the how it looked, often times yellowish at the tip. I could not be bothered to paint my nails because 1) I do not know how to paint my own fingernails, and 2) Even if my nails were painted, it would chipped off in 1-2 days!, 3) I am too lazy to go to the nail shop for have it painted. However, all these changed when I wanted to prettied-up myself for a wedding celebration and decided to try out Gelish manicure! I was amazed at its long-lasting power! Thanks to Gel manicure, I could now have lady-like fingers! Long colourful nails with healthy cuticle! No more hangnails! I feel more like a real lady now! Ever since I did Gel manicure, I kept going back to the nail shop to beautify my nails. To fully ensure that there will be no return of hangnails and ugly cuticles, I decided to include using cuticle oil in my daily skincare routine. Before flying off to Seoul this recent February, I did a research on Korean cuticle oil and this Skinfood’s Pine Nut Cuticle Oil took the top of my cuticle oil ranking. However, it was not easy getting this product. Not all the Skinfood stores carry the Pine Nut Cuticle Oil. But I was determined to get it! And when I finally found it, I bought 2 at once! Kinda wished that I bought more but AG always make fun of my beauty stock. She always joke that with the insane amount of new beauty products in my beauty stock, I could open a cosmetic store! I use this every night as the last step of my night skincare routine. I would brush a thin layer of the product across all my cuticles and slightly massaged it. After using this cuticle oil nightly, my cuticle looks even healthier! My Gel nails could now last up to 4 weeks instead of the usual 2 weeks, without it chipping off. To help your painted nails to last longer and without any chippping, it is important to have your cuticles moisturized. It has been 4 months since I have started using the product and it still have 1/3 of the product left. Thus, this cuticle oil is a super value for money because it only cost around 5,000KRW (~ SGD 6)! I would recommend all ladies with manicured or non-manicured nails to start using the Skinfood’s pine nut cuticle oil! The next time I see this cuticle oil in store, I would definitely go home with more than 2 bottles!

Photo Credit: Skinfood Pine Nut Cuticle Oil

Q&A: Nature Republic Ultra Fresh Jeju Carbonic H20 Cleansing Water

 

A large bottle of cleansing water. 510 ml bottle

~MG~
NEW BUY: Nature Republic Ultra Fresh Carbonic Water

Q: Why did you buy Nature Republic Carbonic Cleansing Water?
A: I saw this Cleansing Water being recommended on Get it Beauty, a Korean beauty TV show. In Get it Beauty blind test, Nature Republic Carbonic Cleansing Water won first place. It beat highly popular Bioderma Sensibio H20 to get the top rank. 

Q: What do you like about Nature Republic Ultra Fresh Jeju Carbonic H20 Cleansing Water?
A: The affordable price! It costs me less than S$20 for 510 ml of cleansing water! Much more affordable than Bioderma H20 which cost S$40 for 500ml. Nature Republic Carbonic Cleansing Water is 1/2 the price of Bioderma Sensibio H20. This Nature Republic Cleansing Water cleanses off my sunscreen, moisturiser, eye cream, serum and the dirt on my face well.  

Q: How long have you been using Nature Republic Carbonic Cleansing Water?
A: Started using this Cleansing Water in May, it has been 4 months. I use this Cleansing Water generously everyday, and I am not even half way done. I usually use 3 cotton pads to remove all the gunk on my face. 

Q: Did your skin condition improved with the use of Nature Republic Carbonic Cleansing Water?
A: My skin did not see any noticeable improvements after the use of this Cleansing Water. It did not brighten my skin tone nor tighten my pores. It works well to cleanse my face, but it does not have much skin conditioning properties. It does have some hydrating properties, as my skin does not feel tight after using it. 

Q: How does Nature Republic Carbonic Cleansing Water compare to other cleansing waters that you have tried?
A: Compared to La Roche-Posay Physiological Micellar Solution, Nature Republic Carbonic Cleansing Water has a better cleaning properties. It is comparable to Bioderma Sensibio H20. Though, it is not fair to compare it to Bioderma Sebium H20, as the latter has anti-acne properties. Another thing to note, is that Nature Republic Carbonic Cleansing Water is more scented than Bioderma Sensibio H20. Nature Republic Carbonic Cleansing Water has a sweet floral scent.

Q: Would you repurchase this Nature Republic Carbonic Cleansing Water?
A: Even though I like its cleansing abilities, I would like my cleansing water to have anti-acne (antibacterial) properties. Though, if you do not have acne-prone skin, I would recommend this Nature Republic Cleansing Water to you. 

NEW BUY: Skin Inc. My Daily Dose Custom-Blended Serum

My Daily Dose in Serenity- Pantone 2016 (Limited Edition)

 ~AG~

This custom-blended serum from Skin Inc. has always been on my wishlist. I <3 the idea of creating your own serum to meet your skin needs. Skin Inc. has this My Daily Dose Custom-Blended Serum. You get to select three different nourishing serums and have it concocted especially for you. Plus, you get to chose the color of the packaging. The packaging comes in 7 bright colors. Happened to pass by their retail store at Ion Orchard and decided to check them out. The helpful saleslady asked me to fill out a skin check questionnaire so that suitable serums can be selected for my skin type and lifestyle. Skin Inc. has 10 types of serum to combat different skin issues! Check their website for the full selection of Skin Inc. Nourishing Serums

The results of my questionnaire are:
-- Vitamin A Serum for uneven skin tone and dark circles. This serum combats skin dullness and sign of tiredness around the eyes. It comes with a patented pink seaweed capsules.
-- Licorice Serum to calm sensitive and irritated skin and pimples. Licorice Serum contains Green Tea Extracts that calm the skin and has antioxidant properties. It comes with patented purple seaweed capsules
-- Ceramide Serum solves roughness, dry and skin sensitivity. Ceramide Serum features four different types of Ceramides that strengthen the skin barrier and soothe dehydrated and sensitized skin. It comes with patented turquoise seaweed capsules.

My Daily Dose Serum costs S$169 for 30 ml of serum. According to the saleslady, 30 ml of serum should lasts for at least two months with daily use. You use about 2-3 drops of the serum each time.   Since it is a water-based serum, you can apply the serum to your undereyes area as well. Cannot wait to try it out! Hope it works to combat my pimples and dark circles. Stay tuned for my review!

REVIEW: Laneige Brightening Sparkling Water Foam Cleanser

 

Laneige Brightening Sparking Water Foam Cleanser exclusive to Target

~MG~
This rich, whipped foam cleanser is infused with purifying Sparkling Water sourced from the South of France. Its ultra - light formula, enriched with minerals and nutrients, hydrates and enhances skin turnover to reveal a more luminous complexion. Five Multi - fruit AHAs, extracted from bilberries, sugar maple, sugar cane, lemons and oranges, gently exfoliate for smoother, brighter skin. An invigorating cleansing experience for truly radiant skin. Brightens, detoxifies and exfoliates for clearer, smoother skin.
http://intl.target.com/p/laneige-150-ml-foam-basic-cleansing-facial-cleanser/-/A-16643906

Bought this Laneige Brightening Sparkling Water Foam Cleanser during my last trip to the States. I was so excited to see Laneige products being sold in Target. This Laneige Foam Cleanser usually retails for US$23, but I bought it when it was on sale. Laneige products are typically quite good. But this is the WORST Laneige product that I have tried. 150 ml. Apply to dry face, use a ping-pong ball-sized amount of foam. There was no tingling sensation when washing my face with the foam cleanser. This cleanser would not be suitable for in-shower use. Since I usually wash my face in the shower, this foam cleanser was an inconvenient addition to my routine. The texture of the foam was unusual. It was a dense foam, and was rather patchy. The foam come out looking like a scrub. Compared to Biore Whip Cleanser, Laneige Brightening Sparkling Water Foam Cleanser texture is sub-par. My skin feels squeaky clean and quite tight after washing. This Foam Cleanser might be too drying for those with dry or normal skin types. The packaging is not travel friendly as it is bulky and comes in an aerosol can. This is my least liked Laneige product. Would NOT recommend this Laneige Brightening Sparking Water Foam Cleanser to anyone.

REVIEW: Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Chopper

~AG~

Always been a big fan of Urban Decay's eyeshadow. The textures of UD eyeshadows are ultra smooth. The pigmentation is great, and the eyeshadow is long-lasting. Having own Naked Eyeshadow Palette, Naked 3 Eyeshadow Palette and the Naked Basics Eyeshadow Palette, I felt that I could not go wrong with any Urban Decay eyeshadow. Chopper is a shimmery copper tone. This eyeshadow was initially for my mother, she wanted a neutral everyday eyeshadow. When I first swatched it in store, the color was nice. My mother tend to lean towards brown tones so I thought this eyeshadow would be suitable for her. It would be a nice shade to brighten the eyes area. This UD single eyeshadow retails at Shilla Duty Free Changi Aiport for S$24.20. That is a steep price for a single eyeshadow. However, I thought the quality of Urban Decay warrants that price. 

So what did I think about Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Chopper?

My mother returned the eyeshadow to me as she said it was too shimmery. I was puzzled with her feedback because I have never found Urban Decay eyeshadows overly shimmery. Decided to try this eyeshadow for myself. Chopper is a nice cooper shade. It is not too orange or too brown for my medium skin tone. However, when I applied the eyeshadow with my ring fingers, I noticed fallouts to my lower eyes area. Furthermore, the shimmers are not as fine as other UD eyeshadows. The shimmer bits were rather visible. Towards the end of the day, the shimmers transferred to my lower eyelids and irritated my eyes. So so disappointed with this Urban Decay eyeshadow. Chopper is a black sheep of the Urban Decay eyeshadow lineup. They have screwed up with the production of this eyeshadow. *thumbs down*

REVIEW: Crème Simon Oxygenating Light Day Moisturizer

~AG~

Having been a Crème Simon convert recently. Their award-winning day moisturizer has been on my wishlist. It was awarded Cleo Beauty Hall of Fame Winner 2015. Crème Simon Oxygenating Light Day Moisturizer usually retails for S$95. Expensive for just 50ml of moisturizer. But fortunately, I bought it when there was a pop-up sale. The discounted price was about S$60++. Even with the discounted price, it is more costly than my all-time favorite Laneige Water Bank Essence.

100% found skin is soft and supple
91% found it absorbs easily with no sticky after-feel
86% found skin is brighter after 1st use
82% found skin brighter, fairer and more radiant - See more at: https://www.creme-simon.com/collections/oxygenating-light-day-moisturiser_7/#sthash.etv8dHBx.dpuf

100% found skin is soft and supple
91% found it absorbs easily with no sticky after-feel
86% found skin is brighter after 1st use
82% found skin brighter, fairer and more radiant - See more at: https://www.creme-simon.com/collections/oxygenating-light-day-moisturiser_7/#sthash.etv8dHBx.dpuf

Crème Simon claims in a study of 22 Asian female individuals that:
1) 100% found skin is soft and supple
2)  91% found it absorbs easily with no sticky after-feel
3) 86% found skin is brighter after 1st use
4) 82% found skin brighter, fairer and more radiant

After using this moisturizer for about a month, what can I say about this Crème Simon Oxygenating Light Day Moisturizer?
Crème Simon Oxygenating Light Day Moisturizer comes in a pump packaging. It is absorbed quickly into the skin and does not leave a heavy or sticky feeling. It has a lightweight gel-cream texture that will work great for those with oily skin type. It is also non-comedogenic, and suitable for acne prone skin. No silicones, parabens, alcohol, oil and colorings. My ultra sensitive skin did not have any adverse reaction to this moisturizer. Though, I could not notice any brightening effects of this moisturizer. More over, I cannot agree with the study results that women found their skin was brighter, fairer and more radiant.

I would not repurchase it, as it is a VERY pricey moisturizer. I feel that my HG Laneige Water Bank Essence works just as well, and it is about half the retail price of Crème Simon Oxygenating Light Day Moisturizer.

100% found skin is soft and supple
91% found it absorbs easily with no sticky after-feel
86% found skin is brighter after 1st use
82% found skin brighter, fairer and more radiant - See more at: https://www.creme-simon.com/collections/oxygenating-light-day-moisturiser_7/#sthash.etv8dHBx.dpuf

100% found skin is soft and supple
91% found it absorbs easily with no sticky after-feel
86% found skin is brighter after 1st use
82% found skin brighter, fairer and more radiant - See more at: https://www.creme-simon.com/collections/oxygenating-light-day-moisturiser_7/#sthash.etv8dHBx.dpuf

NEW BUY: Laneige Lucky X Chouette Serum Drop Tint & Multi-Color

Laneige Lucky Chouette 

 Multi-Color and Serum Drop Tint

 The cute owl characters: Bella Chouette & Vely Chouette

~AG~
This Laneige X Lucky Chouette collection is all over the social media. The owl characters are just adorable. Bought Laneige Serum Drop Tint in Urban Coral (S$36). This is a lip tint contains berry mix complex that is rich with antioxidants to keep lips smooth. It also contains serum oil to keep lips moisturized. This cute packaging was too difficult to resists. Laneige x Lucky Chouette Multi-Color (S$45) is a 4-in-1 face color. You can be used as eyeshadows and highlighters. Laneige x Lucky Chouette Multi-Color looks too pretty to be used. What an irony! To buy a makeup and for it to not be used. I am sure you girls out there can agree with me on that.

 It comes with a eyeshadow brush

 

Shy Vely Chouette

REVIEW: The Face Shop Disney Collection Mickey Mouse BB PowerPerfection Cushion

Cute embossed Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mouse!

~AG~

Mickey Mouse BB Power Perfection Cushion SPF 50 PA+++
This limited edition Disney Collection by The Face Shop is so cute! My boyfriend managed to get his friend who was in Korea to buy three Disney Collection CC products as surprise for me. How thoughtful of him! This is one of them, Mickey Mouse BB Power Perfection Cushion. The one I have is in Apricot Beige (V201) which is a little too fair upon application. Natural Beige (V203) will work better for my medium skin tone.  Even though V201 is too fair for my skin tone, the BB Cushion can somehow adjusts and better match my skin tone after about 10-15 minutes. This BB Power Perfection Cushion retailed for USD $16 at Seoul Shilla Duty Free.

 

Cute Mickey Mouse logo on the puff with Mickey's classic colors

Total skin treatment BB cushion with power elasticity, power hydration and power correction effects. The airy touch formula goes on in a thin layer yet perfectly covers up blemishes, making skin look healthy and radiant. The cushion contains African Walnut Oil and Sea Buckthorn Fruit Extract to moisturise the skin. The cushion also contain hyaluronic acid to instantly increase skin's moisture content, leaving skin plump and smooth with a natural glow. 

This BB Cushion claims to reduce wrinkles, brightens skin tone and protects agains UV rays. It has SPF 50 PA+++. This BB Cushion has low to medium coverage. You can build up the coverage by applying more BB cream. Do be careful not to apply too much product or else it would look cakey. The texture is rather light, and it does not feel heavy on my skin. My sensitive skin did not breakout after the use of The Face Shop BB Cushion. The staying power is pretty impressive, lasts about 4-5 hours (without makeup primer). I thought this BB Cushion would slide off my face in Singapore's humid weather. But it surprisingly stayed on well without any makeup primer. The Face Shop BB Cushion has a better staying power than Hera CC Cream. Even though I am not a face makeup kind-of-person, this BB Cushion has been my go-to product for evening out my skin tone. It does a good job in covering little blemishes and redness. It is easy to use with the puff provided. The only thing that I have against the BB Power Perfection Cushion is the bulky packaging. It is not sensible to carry it in your handbag or in your travel makeup bag, it takes up too much space. Other than that, this Face Shop BB Power Perfection Cushion is a good product.  

Before the BB Cushion application

The left side of my face has BB cream, while the right side is bare face

Shade V201 is not a perfect match for my skin

This is when both sides of my face has BB Cream. 

The shade is slightly fairer than my neck, but it still acceptable.

This is how fair I look before my pressed powder.