REVIEW: Skinceuticals C E Ferulic

~AG~

Bought this popular Skinceuticals C E Ferulic to try out. This is the first product from Skinceuticals that I have tried. Ever since falling in love with Derma-RX Max C, Vitamin C serum has become an essential part of my skincare regimen. Vitamin C helps to brighten my skintone and counteracts free radicals which causes premature aging. This Skinceuticals C E Ferulic is suppose to be one of the best Vitamin C serums in the market. It is an established product, having won 24 beauty awards.  Wow! That is a major feat.

This daytime Vitamin C serum delivers advanced environmental protection and improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and brightens skin's complexion. The serum contains 15% pure Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid), 1% Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) and 0.5% feluric acid. Their Duke Antioxidant patent formula delivers effective and stable Vitamin C to the skin. Once absorbed, this serum remains effective for a minimum of 72 hours. I have not heard of this claim from other serum.  

So instead of using this serum in the morning as directed, I use 2-3 drops of Skinceuticals C E Ferulic at night. Why do I not follow the directions? Because Vitamin C makes skin more susceptible to sunburn. Since I do not wash my face in the morning, only use toner and continue the rest of my skin care regimen. Thus, the serum is effectively on my skin for a longer time. 

The serum (30ml) comes in a dark glass bottle with a dropper. The first thing I noticed about Skinceuticals C E Ferulic is that it has a strong smoky scent. I would say it reminds me of smoky wood. Been using it daily for over three months, and there is no noticeable skin improvements. The serum does has a slight tacky feeling upon application, and it takes a while for the product to be fully absorbed into the skin. After using Skinceuticals C E Ferulic, my skin has been more sensitive to some products. So, I avoid using any facial polish or scrub that contains AHAS and BHAs. 

Overall, I would not repurchase this serum because it is too expensive and does not show significant results. It does not brighten my skin tone.  Moreover, the texture of the serum is rather sticky. Vitamin E might be detrimental for those with acne-prone skin as it can clog the pores. 

REVIEW: Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion Brightening

 

The set of Perfecting Cushion

 ~AG~

Bought this Sulwhasoo Perfection Cushion Brightening last year when I was in Seoul, Korea. It retails for KRW 65,000 (S$78) there. The set comes with 1 x Cushion Brightening and 1 x Cushion Refill. This Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion has a brightening effect. It contains magnolia extract and Pearlescent Complex to give radiance to the skin. The cushion evens and brightens the skin for 12 hours. Sulwahsoon Perfecting Cushion Brightening contains Licorice Purifying Water that hydrates the skin and helps promote a translucent look. This cushion has a special oil-capture system to control excess oil and gives the skin a nice satin finish. 

This is the Cushion that my makeup artist, Shaun Lee, used on my face for the wedding day. He mentioned that Sulwhasoo Cushion Brightening is great because it would not clog the pores. This Cushion has light to medium coverage. For those that prefer more coverage, you can try Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion EX. iShop Changi is selling it for S$72.20. The duty free at the airport is a great place to buy cosmetics at competitive prices. 

The great thing about this Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion is that it comes in 7 shades to match varying Asian skin tones. The saleslady at the counter matched my skin tone to Shade 21 Medium Pink. For reference, I am Urban Decay Shade 3.0 and Bourjois Vanille 52.  I was afraid that this Sulwhasoo Cushion might cause a white or grey cast on my skin, as my previous experience with  banila co. and The FaceShop Cushion has been unfortunate. Fortunately, this shade matches well to my warm medium skin tone.This Sulwhasoo Cushion is great on days when I need something to brighten up my complexion. On days when I do not have enough sleep, I like to apply this on my face to give a nice radiance to my dull complexion. The texture of the Cushion is very light and does not feel like anything on the skin. I would still apply a concealer for my under eyes area and blemishes when necessary. It has a decent staying power and does not melt off in Singapore's humid weather.On normal days, primer is not required to have the Cushion stay on all day. Though for days when I will be outdoor, I would apply primer as a precaution.

Typical packaging of a Cushion

For special occasions, I would not use this Sulwhasoo Cushion as a foundation because I prefer more coverage. Even though my wedding makeup artist did use Sulwhasoo Cushion as my base makeup (as he is truly a makeup extraordinaire), his magic hands made my makeup stayed on all day. Overall, this Cushion is good to have in your beauty arsenal when you need a quick touch-up. This product is available in 7 shades to match different Asian skin tones. With that being said, one cushion will lasts for a long time, as the puff dispense minimal product. Highly recommend this Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion Brightening for those who wants a natural radiant glow.