NEW BUY: Face Wash Haul

~AG~

Sephora was having a 20% off this month. Decided to stock up on some face wash as my current The FaceShop RiceWater Bright Cleansing Foam was running low. 

Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel 
S$27
236ml
This best-selling cleansing gel contains papaya and grapefruit extracts that exfoliate the skin. It is gentle enough to be used twice daily. Might use this Enzyme Cleansing Gel for my back area as there are some acne scars and pigmentation. 

Drunk Elephant Beste No.9 Jelly Cleanser 
S$46
150ml
This cleanser has been on my wish list for a while. It is expensive compared to other cleansers in the market. Drunk Elephant claims to remove all traces of makeup, pollution, oil and grime without irritating the skin. 

Cannot wait to try these 2 cleansers. Which one should I try first?

REVIEW: Bioderma Sensibio Gel Moussant

~AG~

After using Bioderma Sensibio Gel Moussant for over two months, it is time for me to do a review on it. The reason I bought Bioderma Sensibio Gel Moussant is because it is designed for sensitive skin.
This 200ml amount of cleanser retails for S$31.90 at Watsons.   

This foaming wash has a smooth and rich gel texture. It does foam up a little,though it is not a thick lather. My skin does not feel squeaky clean after use. It leaves the skin feeling comfortable and not tight. I imagine this Bioderma Gel Moussant will work well for those with normal or dry skin type.

The packaging of this cleanser comes in their signature Bioderma Sensibio pink. The bottle is translucent so you can see how much product you have left. The pump dispenser can be conveniently locked to prevent spillage; this is especially handy for traveling.

I had high hopes for this Bioderma Gel Moussant since I am a HUGE fan of Bioderma H20 (Cleansing Water). For some unknown reason, my skin will have bumps after using this product. I tested to verify whether it was really Bioderma Sensibio Gel Moussant that triggered the adverse reaction. I stopped using this product for a few days and then the bumps disappeared. When I started using it again, bumps appeared again. Conclusion: Bioderma Gel Moussant does not work for my skin. Unfortunately, this foaming well would not be a repurchase for me.

REVIEW: Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel

200 ml of cleansing gel that can lasts me for 6 months

 ~AG~
NEW BUY: Avene Cleanance Cleansing Gel

It has been four months since I started using Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel, and I am more than halfway through. 

So what can I say about this Cleansing Gel for acne-prone skin?
Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel comes in a twist top packaging. The mouth of the twist cap is small so that there will be less chances of over-pouring of the cleansing gel. This cleanser is gentle for my skin. My ultra sensitive skin did not have any adverse reaction to this Cleansing Gel. This cleanser, designed for oily skin type, did not over-dry my skin as well. No skin tightness after facial cleansing. *thumbs up* This Avène foaming cleanser has a fresh oceanic scent that I enjoy. This cleanser claims to have mattifying properties that is supposed to regulate the overproduction of sebum. However, I did not particularly notice its mattifying effects. Overall, it has good cleansing properties.

In conclusion, Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel is a good cleanser for oily and acne-prone skin. For 200ml worth of cleanser, it should lasts me for at least six months. Thus, making its price tag of S$29.90 worth it! Will definitely recommend this Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel for those with oily or combination skin type. This is one facial cleanser that I will re-purchase without hesitation.

NEW BUY: Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel & Thermal Spring Water Spray

200ml of Cleansing Gel and 50 ml of the Thermal Spring Water Spray

~AG~

Bought this set today at Guardian for $29.90. Such as good for value purchase. The retail price for the Cleansing Gel alone is $30. So the travel version of Avène Thermal Spring Water is basically free :) This Avène Cleansing Gel has been on the market for years. I remember seeing it ever since I was in Secondary School which was decades ago. 

Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel is suitable for sensitive oily, blemish-prone skin type. 

Its benefits are:
1) Cleansing:  It gently cleanses your skin with its gentle cleansing base
2) Mattifying: Monolaurin (patent pending) regulates the hyperproduction of sebum.
3) Soothing: Avène Thermal Spring Water provides soothing and anti-irritating benefits.
It leaves the skin clean, clear and refreshed

Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray is an award-winning product. Avene's star product works especially well for sensitive, hypersensitive and irritate skin. Avène Spring Water soothes and softens the skin. My friends who are plagued by rosacea or redness, swears by this Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray. However, unlike MG who is a devoted fan of facial mist, I am not big on this skincare product. From my past experience, facial mist does not have any noticeable effects on my skin. I will probably pass this Thermal Spring Water Spray to MG instead. 

Please stay tuned for my review of Avène Cleanance Cleansing Gel. I hope it works for my sensitive combination skin. *fingers crossed*

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. 

NEW BUY: Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser

~AG~

Two bottles of Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser for S$50

The 125ml bottle comes in a squeeze cap instead of pump packaging 

Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser provides effective cleansing for oily, combination or acne-prone skin. Its gentle foaming action removes surface oils, dirt and make-up without leaving your skin dry. 

Watsons was having an offer, S$50 for two bottles of Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser. Each bottle contains 125 ml of product. So, it costs $0.20 for every ml of product. A rather expensive drugstore face wash. In comparison, my current Derma-Rx Foaming Cleanser from DRX Clinic is more pricey. It costs S$40 for 170 ml of product, which results to $0.24 per ml of product.  http://beautyloverssisters.blogspot.sg/2015/05/drx-clinic-journey-part-1.html 

But anyway, decided to try something else for a change. Many years ago (maybe about 5-6 years ago), I tried Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for Combination to Oily Skin in the States. The Cetaphil brand is very popular with dermatologists for its gentle cleansing on sensitive skin. FYI, Cetaphil cleanser is definitely cheaper in the States than in Singapore. For those of you who are into skincare, you have probably heard about this brand. You might have seen it in magazines and beauty websites. When I tried Cetaphil cleanser before, it was unimpressive. There was nothing special about it. Yes, it was not a harsh cleanser. But at that time, I preferred a face wash that left my skin squeaky clean.
Fast forward seven years later, I am in search of a face wash that will not breakout my sensitive combination skin. As far as I can recall, the Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser was not available in Singapore when I searched for it 5-6 years ago. They only had the Gentle Skin Cleanser. I am happy that they have made Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser available in Singapore now. I cannot wait to try it out. I hope that my skin will appreciate more now, especially since it has been ultra sensitive in recent times. Please stay tuned for my review on Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser. 

NEW BUY: REN ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser

~AG~

Last week, Luxola was having their Midnight Madness sale. They were offering up to 40% off purchase. At first, I was not planning to buy anything from their website. However, during a recent facial at NUA, the facialist recommended that I use a clay cleanser once or twice a week. While casually browsing the website for clay cleanser, I found that REN Clean Skincare has one. Ever since my good experience with REN Vita Mineral Daily Supplement Moisturizing Cream, I have been a BIG FAN of Ren Clean Skincare. Click link for my review of it. http://beautyloverssisters.blogspot.sg/2014/12/review-ren-clean-skincare-vita-mineral.html

Originally, Luxola retails REN ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser for S$50. However, with the 40% discount, I managed to purchase it at S$30. Sephora USA website retails it for US$32. So with Luxola's discount, it became a more affordable purchase. It is still expensive for a cleanser. However, with my skin getting more sensitive over the years, I tend to invest more on face wash. Previously, I used to go for only drugstore brand face washes. But now I tend to go for face washes that are more gentle. My skin responds better to face washes that are paraben free and artificial fragrances.



A purifying, antibacterial cleanser formulated to prevent breakouts. It targets the 3 common causes of blemishes: excess sebum, build up of dead skins and blemish-causing bacteria. It claims to deeply clean and purify pores, by gently exfoliating skin. Plus, it mentioned that it will combat blemishes without drying the skin! Most blemish-fighting products are too harsh for my sensitive skin, and will cause dryness.   

It contains:

• French clay that absorbs excess oil and purifies the pore.
• Zinc Gluconate that reduces overproduction of sebum
• Salicilin has an antibacterial properties and has a gentle exfoliating properties
• Mayblossom that minimizes pore size
• Manuka Extract that soothes and nourishes skin

I am EXCITED to try this clay cleanser! I hope it will help improve my skin condition as I am suffering some major breakouts around my T-zones now. Lastly, I HOPE (x3) my skin does not have any adverse reaction to it. *cross my fingers*

REVIEW: Michael Todd Honey and Oat Deep Pore Gentle Cleanser

~AG~

 

According to Michael Todd True Organic official website:

Ultra-hydrating sweet-lemony honey and oat facial cleanser in a base of refreshing aloe vera juice. Effectively removes makeup and impurities in one simple step.

Sulfate free "no tears" formula does not irritate eyes and rinses completely without residue leaving the skin clean, fresh and hydrated.

Ingredients :
Aloe Barbadensis (Organic Aloe) Leaf Juice, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Coco Glucoside, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Glycerin, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Oat Extract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Beta-Carotene, Honey, Panthenol (Vitamin B-5),  Potassium Sorbate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange)  Peel Oil, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Flower Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Phospholipids, Disodium Edta, Dehydroacetic Acid.  

My good friend, Stephanie, bought this for me. Previously, she had told me about how good this face wash is. She said it cleanses her skin without drying it out. She also mentioned that Michael Todd True Organic Honey and Oat Gentle Deep Pore Cleanser does not foam up like other face wash but your skin will still feels clean and fresh afterwards. 

As my skin has been ultra sensitive ever since I moved back to Singapore one and half years ago, I have been extra careful with the beauty products I use. Before that, I was using the Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel. I really liked the Boscia face wash - I was on my second bottle. Anyway, I decided to try this Honey & Oat Cleanser. Because who knows it might be better. 

I have been using for a week and so far my ultra sensitive skin has not had any adverse reaction. My skin did not breakout because of it, nor did my skin had red bumps or patches. My first thought about this cleanser is that the packaging will work well for travelling as it has a "push down" cap. The cleanser has a slight citrus scent. I could not detect any hint of honey or oat scent. This face wash does not foam up but it does lather up a little. I only need a pea size amount for my whole face. My skin does not feel tight after wash, which means it does not dry out my combination skin. It does not sting my eye area, which some cleanser does. It also removes impurities well; my skin does not feel like it has some residue left after wash. 

It retails online at Michael Todd website for US$22 for 210ml worth of product. While my Boscia Cleansing Gel was 150ml and cost US$26. So, MTTO Honey and Oat Cleanser is the more affordable one of the two. The only downside is that this cleanser is not easily found in the States, you can only buy it online. I will definitely recommend this face cleanser to those that have sensitive and combination skin. 

UDPATED REVIEW: Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel

~AG~

I've finally done with my first bottle of Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel. The bottle lasted me almost four months. Most face washes do not lasts me that long. USD $26 for 5 oz (150ml). I think it is a pretty good buy.

So what are my final thoughts on this product?

• You only need a single pump to wash the whole face. I use it in the morning, as well as at night.
• It foams up nicely
• It does not make my skin feel tight
• Does not leave any residue on my skin
• My ultra sensitive skin has not had any adverse reaction
• I cannot notice any significant effects on its pore minimizing properties.
• I have been through quite a few high-end face washes Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, Bliss Fabulous Foaming Wash, Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean Foam Cleaner, Clinique Liquid Facial Soap, Laneige Multi Cleanser. I will have to say that only Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel and Fresh Soy Face Cleanser I will re-purchase. With that being said, the Boscia face wash is more affordable than Fresh face wash. For reference, Fresh Soy Face Cleanser retails for USD $38 for 5.1 oz.
• I will definitely recommend this for those of you looking for a quality face wash that works for sensitive/combination/oily skin.

Cleansing Routine

~AG~

Double Cleansing.  First, I use the Hada Labo Cleansing Oil to remove my makeup and clean my face. After thoroughly massaging the cleansing oil over my face, I rinse it with warm water. I typically only need one pump for the entire face. 

Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Cleansing Oil

Then, I will use the Boscia Cleansing Gel. With a clean wet hands, I use one pump to foam up the cleansing gel. I will then spread the foam all over my face. I try to massage the foam onto the cheeks areas first, then I work my way onto the T-zones. 

Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel

Sometimes, when I feel that I have not done a good enough job cleaning my face. I will use Bioderma Sensibio H2O as a toner. I put a few drops of Bioderma on a cotton pad and use it all over my face. I tend to focus on the T-zones where I am most prone to breakouts. 

Bioderma Sensibio H20

A few years ago, I read somewhere that you should exfoliate your skin before travelling on planes. So when I remember, I will exfoliate my skin the night before a trip. I guess it preps your skin for the sudden climate changes. 

When my skin is looking dull, I use this exfoliating treatment. I use it after first thoroughly cleansing my face. I scrub my face for 30 seconds on the cheeks and T-zones area, then I leave it on for 1-2 minutes. Then I rinse off with cold water, my skin tends to be a little red afterwards. But it will subside in less than 15 minutes. When I have dry patches on my cheeks area, this exfoliating treatment helps get rid of it. It helps keep my skin feeling smooth. The chemical and physical exfoliating properties make it one of my favourite skincare cleansing products. 

Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment

REVIEW: Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel

~AG~

A sulfate-free remover and cleanser derived from amino acids to deep cleanse and throughly wash away impurities. This purifying lather gently yet thoroughly purifies, refines the look of pores, and leaves the skin feeling fresh and comfortable. Botanical amino acids, hydrangea leaf, green tea, and geranium offers natural complexion-protecting and perfecting benefits. (USD $26)

I bought this cleanser this past summer when I was in the States. Several of my friends have raved about this cleanser and how good it works on their acne-prone skin. Back in States, I did not have much issues with acne and oversensitive skin. But ever since I moved to Singapore, my skin condition has been extremely temperamental. I tried several face washes before finally settling on double cleansing my skin. Firstly using Hada Labo Cleansing Oil, and then followed by Bioderma cleansing water. 

After I finished using a bottle of Bioderma cleansing water, I realised that I missed the squeaky clean feeling of a foaming face wash. So decided to try this Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel that has been hidden in my beauty stash since this summer. 

I've only used it for two weeks. But so far, here are a few things that I like about it:

1) It does not trigger any adverse reaction for my ultra-sensitive skin

2) It leaves my combination-oily skin feeling clean without over-drying. My skin does not feel tight after use. 

I will have to use it for a longer time to see whether this product is worth buying again. Please stay tuned for an in-depth review of it. 

Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel can be found in Sephora stores. Also available online at Sephora.com and Boscia.com . It retails at USD $26 for 5 oz. (150ml). 

REVIEW: FANCL Washing Powder

~AG~

FANCL is a Japanese brand that is known for its preservative-free products in Asia. I bought FANCL Washing Powder when my skin was temperamental and needed a gentle face wash. I've always wanted to try the washing powder because of how interestingly it works. It is bottled powder face wash then becomes foamy when in contact with water. 

WASHING POWDER has a unique Perfect Cleansing Sensor which effectively removes dirt without stripping your skin of its natural and essential moisture, leaving it soft and moist.New Amino Hybrid Technology formulation makes it easier and faster to create creamy and dense foam which lifts dirt and impurities more effectively and prevents dirt from redepositing onto the skin.

HOW TO USE FOAMING BALL (Image Below): 

Using the foaming ball to create foam, which you have to pay additional for. But you can also create foams without the foaming ball. 

HOW TO CREATE FOAMS WITH HANDS: 

First, wash hands and throughly wet face. 
Pour a quarter size of washing powder onto the palm of your hands.

Add a tablespoon of water to the washing powder.

Use fingers to foam up the washing powder by mixing it in a circular motion

Continue until foam is dense

THE GOOD

• Fun to use, with some water the powder turns to foam
• Is not scented
• Skin does feel smoother after use, because of the amino acid properties
• No adverse reactions on my sensitive combination skin
• Easy to travel with
• One bottle lasted me for more than 3 months. 

THE BAD

• Does not clean as well. You will need to use cleansing oil beforehand to remove sunscreen & makeup
• Not a drugstore priced face wash - S$15 for 25 g of product
• If you like the squeaky clean feeling after washing your face , this is not the face wash product for you.
• Only readily available in Asia.