Samples that make me wonder: Innisfree

I'm one of the many human being who thank Korean Shops for giving out samples.  It gives me the opportunity to try out out different products products without hurting my already hurt wallet and in discovering great things that should be dicovered.

Innisfree is one of the leading brands in Korea which is being endorsed by no other than Lee Min Ho (I sometimes think I have a crush on him...WEIRD).  This brand still doesn't have a physical store in the Philippines but there are some online seller who offer some products (thank you very much online seller).  These 3 that I sampled are from Bhappywithme (bought the other one, the two are for free).

Apple Juicy Liquid Foaming Cleanser
Almond Sugar Scrub
Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask

The first sample that I got from Innisfree are the toner and face lotion from the line Green Tea Pure Skin and I gave it a 50/50 but realizing that they are the wrong product to my dry skin, I gave Innisfree another chance and it's a wrong move because now, I'm LOVING the brand (GMarket please make Innisfree products on a 50% off sale, pretty plese~~~).

Apple Juicy Liquid Foaming Cleanser
A liquid-type deep cleansing foam for smooth and healthy shine as clear as a fresh apple.
photo from Innisfree Korea website

I can say that Apple Juicy Liquid Foaming cleanser is a love at first use.  It's a liquid/gel type cleanser that creates lots of bubbles with an apple juicy scent.  It gently yet thoroughly cleanses my face leaving it with a thin gel~like moisture for a moisturize and glowing skin.  A single small sachet (which cost around P20 with behappywithme, might buy some sachets in the future since the full size price is a bit higher than my current cleansers) can be use 5 to 8 times.

Almond Sugar ScrubThis hypoallergenic scrub exfoliates unnecessary dead skin cells with almond and sugar.
photo from Innisfree Korea website

I can see the tiny particles of crushed almonds but not for the sugar.  The sugar in the Almond Sugar Scrub is so fine it's comparable to a sand (the very fine white one that can be found in one of the islands of Coron that is being endangered of being lost forever).  This scrub is so mild I almost can't feel it's scrubbing power when I tested on my hands but is really good when applied on the face: it likes my face is having a light massage.  After scrubbing of course I have to feel my face:  It's feels cleaner, a little smoother and...OMG where are the bumps!!!  But of course seeing my face on the mirror tells a different story.  Blackheads are still present but are less visible.  Not into the smell though but I think I can get  used to it with regular use.

Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay MaskA clay mask with Jeju volcanic clusters to attach to sebum and purify pores.
photo from Innisfree Korea website

One of Innisfree's best sellet Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask.  With it's description I think it's more for those with oily skin type but I just wanted to try it and I'm glad I did. This mask is a Jeju volcanic scoria clay mask that intensively adsorbs sebum and purify pores. It's formulated from solidified lava caused by volcanic eruptions in Jeju Island. This pure and rare ingredient adsorbs impurities and sebum that are deeply embedded within skin pores (description from Sasa with a little edit by me).
I thought this would be a little liquidy but it's more of like play dough that can be spread easily and is also not messy to apply.  It turns a little powdery once applied to a clean face.  After 5 minutes, the mask started to tighten but I can still move my face freely and it's a little hot too.  Weird but I can smell apple cidar vinegar with this pack.  Anyway after 15 minutes, I remove the mask by splashing tepid water and surprised! it's so easy to remove it and didn't dry my face.  My skin looks brighter and smoother without any red spots or stinging effect.

So far, I'm enjoying Innisfree and really hope to try more of their products.  By the way the girl in the picture is YoonA from Girl's Generation.

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

For A Clear, Moisturize and Glowing Face

Last Christmas, a friend of mine gave me a box full of DIY from Papemerolti and tried last weekend three  beauty recipes.

Stimulating Skin Scrub
To cleanse, clear and stimulate skin, wash face with your cleanser and bit by bit add brown sugar (up to 1 teaspoon) lathering and massaging gently (or else it will hurt) into your skin.

This recipe made and feel my skin fresh and also cleared some of my blackheads on my nose (there are still some that are poking)

From livestrong.com

Brown sugar is the texture of wet sand, but is abrasive enough to remove old skin cells without causing your skin harm or irritation. The moisture in brown sugar won't dry out your skin as you exfoliate. Exfoliation removes not only dead cells from your skin but other impurities that may be clogging your pores. In effect, exfoliation prepares your body for moisturizers and other products that will keep your skin looking supple and fresh. Brown sugar is a source of B vitamins due to its molasses content, and could be beneficial to your skin. A July 2008 article in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology reports that vitamin B is an antioxidant that can prevent and reverse signs of photoaging of your skin. Photoaging is the skin damage you encounter from the sun's harmful UV rays.

Moisturizing Mask
The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 teaspoons of milk but 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon is enough to cover the face and the neck.

The combination of honey and milk smells really sweet like caramel.  The texture becomes sticky after 5 minutes that I decided to wash the dishes (no drippings hooray!).  I leave the mask on my face for 15 minutes though the direction said 10 minutes but who cares? As long as there are no ants or bees swarming in my face I think I could leave it on for 30 minute (the mixture makes my face hot)  Rinse with warm water (I used tap water).  What's achieved?  Soft and well moisturize face!

From livestrong.com

Honey can be used as part of a dry skin regimen because its composition is described as s humectant. A humectant is an item or substance that attracts moisture and keeps in locked inside. Using a honey-based facial mask proves beneficial to areas of skin that tend to become dry or itchy because it lends moisture to these areas. People have oily skin can benefit from honey as well; the sweetener can help your skin retain moisture and elasticity without drying it out, as some conventional facial washes may do.

From livetrong.com
Natural beauty author Dina Falconi suggests using milk in homemade beauty products for dry or damaged skin. An oatmeal face or body scrub, for example, becomes additionally moisturizing and vitamin-rich when it contains milk rather than water, according to Falconi. Nonfat powdered milk blends well with bath salts or face scrubs for long-keeping treatments. Alternatively, mix liquid milk with an equal amount of honey to form a humectant -- a substance that promotes moisture retention -- nutrient-rich mask for your face, neck and chest.

Fair Face Maker
Last but not least, a fruit that will give an instant glow: Papaya! (I think papaya when used regularly can help diminish the appearance of freckles...well that's what I heard from one of my sisters).

Mash ripe papaya and apply all over face and neck.  This is a bit messy so I only leave the papaya for 2 minutes and well, my cheeks are a bit glowing though I think I need to do this mask everyday for the glow to stay.

From alive.com

Perk up your skin and eliminate the day’s worries with papaya. It’s beneficial for skin care and repair. You can use papaya to treat or eliminate old dead skin cells, dandruff and other skin disorders and even to reduce the signs of premature aging. The following recipes will show you how. 

Enjoy making beauty recipes DIY.

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

Olive from TheFaceShop

Wahh I accidentally erase my pic of this mask and already used the two that I have so the pic down there is from TheFaceShop's website.  Update: I found it!!!!

TheFaceShop Real Nature Mask Sheet Olive
20ml essence
All Skin Types
P65 (approximate) around $1.50

Anyhoo, price is approximate because I got some TFS masks on sale:  20 pieces for P500 excluding shipping fee which is P150 so if computed each mask cost me P32.5 (less than a dollar).  By the way for the initial review of TheFaceShop mask please click here.

photo from TheFaceShop website

Polyphenols which is the active ingredient in the Olive Mask belongs to a group of antioxidants compounds called as catechins whic can fight free radicals in the body.  Polyphenols also improve moisture retention and absorption  (thanks google for providing us the necessary info).

So surprisingly the scent is not too alcoholiche essence is not too sticky too (I have lots of complaints with TFS masks because of the scent and essence's consistency).

Now for the effect: nothing much actually, it's just neutral.  If I used this before the other variants maybe I could commend it with it's moisturizing feature but for now I just like it for it's refreshing feeling especially if it freshly came out of the refrigerator.

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

TonyMoly Fresh Aqua Pure Drop Cream

Here's another product that makes me smile not just because I got it at an affordable price but also because of it's effects on my face--healthy looking face that is!

TONYMOLY Fresh Aqua Pure Drop Cream
Skin Irritation Free Formula
50ml
P878.00 (around $21)

I think I will go back to my old format of stating the particulars of the product (hope it helps).

From TONYMOLY Global website

Big effort for TonyMoly to shape the tub into a water drop.  I thought the container is made of glass so I kind of freak out the first time that I dropped it.  The material used is like with what is used in iphones.

Fresh Aqua Pure Drop Cream have 3 variants:  the White with Skin Irritation Free Formula, the Blue which is the Oil Free-Watery Type and the Pink for Anti-wrinkle and whitening.

I got the white variant which is for sensitive skin and because it promises to supply moisture and nutrition which my face badly needed.

I do not have any idea about it's active ingredient and it's hard to find any description from the net so I'll just rely on what's written in it's box:  It says that this product has a special water called Sapporo's Thousand Year Old Water (all I know is that Sapporo is a place in Japan) and extract from the heaven's sent plant known as Angels's Tears (with these ingredients I beginning to believe that this product is somewhat magical) both delivers strong moisturizing and hydrating effect and  makes the skin moist and soft by preventing the evaporation of moisture as they form a moisturizing barrier over the skin.  Another ingredient included is White Gold Colloidal which makes the skin moist and soft and keeps the skin healthy and clear by protecting the skin from harmful environmental elements (MAGICAL composition of description from TonyMoly).

few amount left!

As you can see from the above picture, it's white in color with a jellyish-whip cream texture that melts (and is quickly absorbed) once spread to the skin.  It has a cola smell (!!!) but the scent disappears after some time (it's nothing irritating, really).

I like that my skin has an instant glow (as if I'm wearing a volumer, less the sticky and heavy feeling) when I use this but as time goes by, the shine disappears but still my face looks as if I'm wearing a bb cream.  Moisturization wise, I think reapplication is not needed when I'm in 26 to 30 degrees celsius of temperature. Below or above the said range makes my skin a little dry or makes my nose area a little oily.

Thanks for reading.  Till then. Bye!

TheFaceShop Real Nature Mask Red Ginseng

Relax, relax it's Friday.  Let's end the weekday with a mask!

THEFACESHOP Real Nature Mask Red Ginseng

Finally a TSF mask that I love! Surprisingly, this Real Nature Mask Red Ginseng has no alcohol smell that I always complain about whenever I use a mask from TheFaceShop (bravo, clap clap).  Instead, it has a little herby, minty scent that is light and refreshing- nothing irritating.  The essence is colored brown! And not sticky yet patting is still necessary for quick absorption.

I tried putting the essence in a white shirt and it stained, can be remove by washing with soap and water though

Now for the effect:  My face looked revitalize though I noticed that my pores on my cheeks gone bigger good thing they went back to their normal state (how I wish they shrink) when I wash my face.  My skin also still feels moisturize even after washing and looks healthy up to 3 days (with diminishing effect of course and moisturizing cream is still needed).

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

TONYMOLY Fresh Aqua Water Drop Serum

Ever since I heard about the 5 korean skincare regimen, I started to be really curious with the serum.  It's very new music to my ears.  SO when TonyMoly announced their 50% off sale last September, serum is number one in my to buy list.

Fresh Aqua Water Drop Serum
Original Price is P948 for 50ml

Too bad every specification in the box is in korean and I couldn't find the product in any TonyMoly website (maybe this will be discontinued).  So without any idea as to what it can do, I started to use it reguarly; day and night, for 3 months now.

And here's the serum.  Milky in color.  Gel like texture

The smell of this serum is something that is hard to describe: it smells clean but becomes odorless once spread unto the skin.  It's milky white in color and has a gel consistency that melts and turn into something watery once spread/rubbed.

The bottle has a pump though I still keep the serum in it's box to prevent dust and other particles from entering since there is no cap provided.  The bottle looks like it's made of glass but it's actually plastic (almost the same material that is being used to iphones) and it's very simple looking blue and white bottle which is totally okay with me.  But it's not transparent so to monitor the content inside you have to place the bottle in front of a light and you'll see a line which is the end of the pump and that's my indicator as to how much more serum I have.

And here's the pump of the bottle

So I use this serum day and night after toning my clean face.  I use around 2 to 3 pumps per application.  I don't directly put it in my face, I first spread it in my palm then pat it on my face, this way it will make the spreading of the serum more even (and fast too) and at the same time prevents me from doing unnecessary tugging and pulling of my face (which will somehow help in preventing lines and wrinkles).  Because of it's watery consistency, my skin absorbs the serum quickly but I let a minute or two to past before I apply another layer of product.

Turns watery once spread or rub

Instant result after just one night:  My skin becomes softer and smoother than before.
After a week:  Pores become smaller.
After a month:  Skintone becomes more even than before, softer and smother skin.  Pores become smaller (my sister noticed it too) my face is also glowing a little).

After a month there's no further improvement/effect that I noticed from my face so continued use of the serum is more of a maintenance.  My pores generally have become smaller though I need a stronger serum that targets large pores for my cheeks:  my pores in the cheeks area becomes smaller but still noticeable and bigger compared to the other area of my face.

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

TonyMoly Tea Tree Mask

It's the time of the month again when I can't help but to have breakouts because of hormonal imbalance (well that's what they say).  My boyfriends I mean guy friends (I do not have a boyfriend) once ask me and my girlfriends why we have pimples and always feel irritated when we have our monthly periods and all we can say is "hormonal imbalance".

So again, I grabbed something that has tea tree because many claims it to have antiseptic property that can treat wounds and skin infections/problems so I guess it can help my minor breakout and allergy (hmmm someone sneak something into my food??)

Natural Pulp Essence Sheet Mask Teatree
Natural Pulp Essence Sheet Mask made of 100% Pulp Fabric locks moisture on face and provides better absorption for skin for a longer period of time with its silky texture. Contains herbal Tea Tree extract, well-known for its trouble care effects, to help to keep the skin free from troubles and fair with no irritation.

Surprisingly, this doesn't have very strong smell like other products that has tea tree though it smells like Italian spice and dish washing soap combined.

As usual of TonyMoly's mask, the mask sheet is thin and have just enough essence which I like because I can walk around the house without the fear of the mask sheet falling off my face.  As for the essence, well it's not as sticky as the other masks from TonyMoly that I tried but I still have to pat my face in order for the essence to sink into my skin.

I pricked some of my bumps before using this mask so I feel some "spiciness" while the mask is on.  The moment I wake up, of course I go directly to the mirror to see the effect and my face looks glossy and some of my zits got zapped and my bumps are less red.  The glossiness disappeared though after washing my face.

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

Baviphat Charcoal Pore Tightening Nose Patch

After using a nose patch, I thought of also using something that can tighten my pores.  So after rummaging my ebay haul, I decided to use Baviphat Charcoal Pore Tightening Nose Patch because it has the word "tightening" in it's name and thought that it should be use after using a nose patch to tighten the pores.  Except for the title in front, everything is in korean and it's hard to find a site that describes this product so I went ahead and use this a day after using Lioele's.

Baviphat Charcoal Pore Tightening Nose Patch for Pore Therapy
photo by my sister

Eck, I was wrong because this works like any other nose patch which aims to remove whiteheads, blackheads and excess sebum.  According to the sellers ebay site, it's a pore strip to remove blackhead.

Here's how to use the patch according to behappywithme
1. After washing, wet nose area sufficiently.
2. Remove clean film on sheet with dry hand, and apply smooth side onto nose.
3. Press lightly from ridge to sides, and leave it to dry.
4. When it becomes dry, peel off from sides and wash lightly with toner or water.

Surprisingly, the smell of this one is not as strong as Lioele's or Watson's although some parts of the patch is not properly covered with charcoal.  Anyway, here's the result:  sorry but please endure the nasty picture

can't believe at how dirty  my nose is

Even after using a nose patch and tweezing some blackheads the other day, there are still blackheads and whiteheads left behind and Baviphat's nose patch pulled them.  Although I think there are still deep seeded blackheads, my nose looks clearer now (unless I use a magnifying glass).  Pore tightening? A little but I still think that I need to use a pore tightening essence but I don't want to add another product to my current skincare routine so i'll just use a nose patch once a month and for a couple of days, use some sample pore tightening essence (to save time and money ~teehee~).

By the way, Baviphat Charcoal Pore Tightening Nose Patch costs me P29.

Thanks for reading.  Till then. Bye!

Sample Everywhere: Chia Seed

Sample here, sample there and everytime I purchase, sample is everywhere.  One of the reason why I love shopping in korean products is because of the samples and freebies I get from boutiques and online seller.  I got some TheFaceShop Chia Seed samples from my mask purchases from a facebook user seller Bae Lu.

Chia Seed Toner, Lotion and Cream
"Contains 100% chia seeds water instead of water
Chia seeds water is extracted within 24 hours via the Fresh method, instead of water delivers the vitality of the highly pure chia seeds."

What I like from this range is the scent: it smells refreshing yet becomes unscented when already applied to skin.



Toner + Lotion sample

Here are the descriptions from TheFaceShop's international website:
Chia Seed Watery Toner
A moisturizing toner that instantly hydrates the skin.  Tones dry and patchy dead skin cells and moisturizes the skin as if water is absorbed.
A natural moisture drop absorbing moisture 10 times its own weight.

Chia Seed Watery Lotion
A moisturizing lotion that restores the skin's innate clear luster.  Spreads onto the skin smoothly without stickiness and is absorbed quickly to prevent skin dryness.
Soft suppleness both inside and outside the skin
Organically germinated chia seeds, which draw and absorb moisture, not only hydrate but also nourish the skin to effectively restore suppleness.

The toner leaves my skin fresh and clean though I'm not amaze with its moisturizing effect as promised in the product's description.  As for the lotion, it's perfect for those who live in a hot place as it doesn't leave my face oily and sticky and is quickly absorbed by my skin but whenever I got to a cold place I use the cream.  The toner and the lotion samples are good for 5 to 6 applications.

Cream Sample

Chia Seed Moisture-holding Seed Cream
A refreshing water drop that busts the moment it touches the skin fully hydrates the skin and moisturizes the inside of the skin for an extended period.
Immediate hydration and a comfortable protective film
Chia seed, which carries moisture 10 times its own weight, and chamomile provide immediate hydration and soothe dry and reddened skin quickly.

I think this is great when a cold place.  Why?  I used this cream twice while sleeping without the air conditioner on I woke up with an oily face and poof a small pimple!!.  So I used this instead whenever I go to work and by the middle of the working hour, my nose is starting to dry so re-application is needed.  The sample is good for 5 to 6 uses.

Quick post eh?  Well I'm not a huge fan of the TheFaceShop skincare products so I use sample first, before buying a full size.  Anyway, I hope the descriptions and my quick notes helped.

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

DIY Green Tea Mask

Here's a refreshing mask that I tried this week.  I derived this DIY green tea mask from lifeandbows.com and made some modification to suite my taste and the ingredients that are present in our kitchen.

half cup of green tea, a tablespoon of brown sugar, half tablespoon calamansi and six cotton pads

Mix green tea, brown sugar and calamansi.  Stir until the sugar dissolve then soak the cotton pads to tea mixture then stretch and apply all over the face.  Leave it on for 15 minutes.  Rinse then moisturize.

Why Green Tea?
Because green tea is good for the skin.  It has polyphenols; an anti-oxidant that possess anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effect which is beneficial in treating inflammatory skin conditions such as acne and eczema.  Polyphenols can also reverse the signs of environmental damage, such as exposure to the sun and cigarette smoke and can  protect the skkin against free radicals-source: livestrong.com

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

DIY Moringa Mask - a succesfull experiment

moringa grass

No you don't need a trunk of moringa to make a mask, just the leaves hahaha and sorry for the quality of the pictures I,m just using a vga camera.  So while in the province, I decided to experiment on this grass because one I remembered my friend's idea, two is that we have a lot of this grass in our backyard and three is that we also have lots of stones to pound the leaves (we do not have mortar and pestle) so running out of materials to use is not a problem.

1/2 cup of moringa leaves + 1 teaspoon of clamansi juice or lemon juice

Pound first the leaves then add the juice.  That's it! So easy right?
Apply the mask all over the face and neck and leave it around 5 to 10 minutes. It doesn't matter if the leaves fall off as long as the extract is in your face.  Then rinse with water.

the end product~moringa mask

My mom was suprised to see that my face looked whiter and smoother and laughed when I said that I applied moringa grass on my face.  But really, this mask made my skin instantly brighter and smoother and squeaky clean yet still a little moisturize too.  Maybe I'll use olive or sunflower oil next time for full moisturization effect.

Let me know the result if you happen to try this mask.

Thanks for reading.  till then.  Bye!

TheFaceShop Clean Face and E'thym

It's the time of the month when girls can't stop pimples and breakouts and also it's ~ber months which means that my skin gets extra dry even when the weather is not too cold and so when I visied my family back in our province last weekend, I do not have any excuse to skipdoing my usual skincare routine but it's just a hassle to bring all the products that I'm currently using and so I relied on the samples that I got from my purchases.

Clean Face + E'thym

I got tons of TheFaceShop samples when I became a Club20 VIP member and chose to bring with me the above products because they claim to be mild yet are best for acne, troubled skin.  It takes a month to see the full effectivity of a product but I only have three days so I'll do my best to; although brief, describe the necessary details of the samples.

photo from The Face Shop Clean Face Series fb page

Clean Face Acne Solution Foam Cleansing claims to wash away acne-causing bacteria and debris.  This cleanser has a soapy with a hint of citrus smell.  It iss foamy and leaves my face squeaky clean.  The sachet is good for 2 to 3 uses.

photo from The Face Shop Clean Face Series fb page

Clean Face Mild Toner claims to provide quick and effective care for skin troubles.  I pour a just right amount of the toner to a cotton ball and was really surprised to find brownish color on it (just when I thought that the cleanser removed all whatever is on my face.  I should never underestimate the power of a toner).  Just like any other toner, it's transparent, liquidy and has a citrusy smell with a hint of alcohol into it.  Good for 3 to 5 uses.

photo from The Face Shop Clean Face Series fb page

Next is the Clean Face Mild Lotion which I'm a little skeptic to because well it's called lotion (maybe I'll post something in the future the differences of face lotion, emulsion and cream).  It has the same smell as the toner and is white in color.  Consistency is like of a body lotion and feels heavier than an emulsion when applied to face.  My skin didn't absorb this quickly and have to pat my face for like a minute.  Good for 3 to 5 uses.

These three somehow helped in lessening the redness of my pimples probably because of it's main ingredient Tea Tree extract which; as indicated in the label, treats oily or problem skin more quickly and effectively.

Now since I have dry skin, I also brought with me this essence and cream to use at night.

photo from http://international.thefaceshop.com

I already gave my thoughts on the essence so I'll move on to the E'thym O2 Aura Cream which is liquidy rather than creamy yet it feels heavy when applied and my face looked oily.  I also don't like the scent of this one because it smells like melted plastic.  The result is just okay: my face is moisturize and a little smooth, but will not be a fan of this line.  I think it's more for those with normal skin type.  Good for 1 to 2 uses.

Do you also bring samples when travelling?

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

5 Korean Skincare Routine

When I was a kid, I just wash my face.  When I'm in my adolescent stage, I wash my face then moisturize if only necessary.  When I'm already in my early 20's I learned a little about toning but never bothered to include it in my wash and moisturize routine.  So, I'm shocked when I heard that Koreans have 5 steps in their skincare.  Most of you probably already know this but for the benefit of all latebloomers out there like me, here's an intro on how most Koreans take care of their skin.

photo from bellasugar.com.au

1. Double Cleanse
Nowadays when all kinds of dirt and pollution are present in our faces and with the trend of wearing make-up, double cleansing is a must.
A good cleansing cream or cleansing oil removes dirt and makeup while a cleansing foam washes away anything that is left behind your face, leaving it clean and refresh.

photo from http://trendnstylez.com

2.  Massage, Scrub and Mask

Now to make the skin look brighter and looking healthier, regular massaging and scrubbing should be part of a good skincare routine.

It is said that facial massages improves blood circulation leaving your skin looking stress free and glowing.

Use a mild scrub once or twice a week as scrubbing slough off dead skin cells and will help in resurfacing new cells though this part is not advisable for those with oily or acne prone skin type as it will irritate the oil glands.

Once in a while when you are not massaging your face, you can use facial mask/sheet mask.  I use whatever kind of sheet mask that is available in my closet once a week but if undecided as to what sheet mask to get then a cleansing and/or a moisturizing one are the best options.

By the way, massage, scrub and mask are part two of the routine but whenever I use facial mask/sheet mask, I first tone my skin.

photo from holisticmamas.com

3.  Tone

For many years, I neglected this part of the routine because I thought it's unnecessary.  I mean toner for me before is like an ordinary liquid or water put into a cotton pad.  But of course I was wrong as toner removes any residue left behind by foam cleansers and make-up.  There are a lot of kinds of toner that are available in the market that can help remove dead skin cells, balance the skin PH and other features depending on your skin type.  Toners also prepare the skin to the next step of the routine.

from realsimple.com
most serums in the market are in pretty bottles 

4.  Essence or Serum

Essence or serums are liquidy concentrated substance that penetrates the deep layer of the skin to nourish and help treat specific skin problem.  There are brightening, whitening, nourishing, moisturizing, anti-aging and whole lot more.  Just ask the sale assistants in the shops or your dermatologist as to what is the best for your skin type.

I just started to use a serum this year and it did help in smoothening and hydrating my skin.

photo from http://www.123rf.com

5.  Moisturize

After letting the skin absorb the essence or serum, apply moisturizer or emulsion to keep the skin well hydrated.  The outer layer of the skin will benefit the most from this step.  Creams are more advisable for those with dry skin while emulsion is more for those with oily skin type because it's more liquidy and lighter than a cream.

I'm still learning as to what is the best for my skin but maybe in the near future I'll post my discoveries and more specific topic on each step.  How about you what's your skincare routine?

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

sources:
k-popped.com
http://tonymoly.ph
arya de guzman's brain and experience :p

TheFaceShop Real Nature Mask Aloe Vera

Finally, my facial masks online order just arrived.  I have 20 masks from TheFaceShop so expect a lot of facial mask reviews from the said brand.
I'll start with aloe since I need something that will hydrate and soothe my sensitive skin because this crazy weather is giving me skin asthma.

TheFaceShop Real Nature Mask Aloe Vera
A soothing/hydrating mask sheet containing aloe extract, which hydrates and soothes the skin with a rich sense of moisturization, to provide instant care to puffy and and sensitive skin

CAUTION:  Use with caution if you have allergy to adhesive tape.  Do not use on broken or abraded skin.  Discontinue use if signs of irritation or rash appear.  Keep out of reach of children.  Keep package sealed until use.  Avoid contact with eyes, rinse immediately with water

The words soothe and hydrate were mentioned twice in the short description so I really hope this will provide enough moisture to my thirsty skin.  It has 1000mg of extract from grounded fresh aloe so that's only 10g of essence.  Hmmm  I usually use mask that has at least 20g of essence.  Here's how to use:

Directions:  1.  Pull out a sheet 2.  Unfold and place a sheet on a clean face after cleansing and toner stages 3.  Remove the sheet after 15~20 minutes and let the residue get absorbed deep in the skin

The facial mask itself has 12 cuts, is horizontally elongated that it almost reached my earlobes and is neither thick nor thin.  It doesn't cover the mouth and nose area well.

As for the essence, it smells like a real aloe though it also has a strong alcohol scent when I opened the mask packet.  Good thing it goes away after a minute or two after placing it on my face but can still be irritating for those with sensitive nose.  The essence is oily for me; it's like a dry oil though it's not sticky.

When I take out the facial mask from the packet, it's not dripping wet just okay wet (??? what a term) and there's not much essence left for me to apply on my face for the whole week.  After 10 minutes the outer area of the facial mask started to dry out so I applied all the little extra essence left from the pocket.  You'll know when 20 minutes has elapsed because the mask will start to fall out of the face .

When I removed the mask sheet, my face doesn't feel sticky and heavy and my hands glides easily because the essence is really like an oil.  I have to wait around 15 minutes before my skin fully absorbs the essence and take note, I am in front of a fan.

I woke up with a moisturized face though I am a 50~50 on the soothing part, my pimple on my forehead is still angry in red.  Don't ask me about the puffiness part because I don't have a puffy face to begin with (ahahaha my face actually needed some puffiness, just a little though).

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

Saizen Face Washing Brush

So here's the face washing brush/pad that I use on a daily or every other day basis, a simple almost heart shape pad made of silicon from Saizen.

Saizen Face Washing Brush

I nicked this from my sister (hehehe, anyway she have 2 of these now).  This I guess is best for those with sensitive skin like me because of it's soft small bristles that doesn't irritate the skin.  This does not surely remove blackheads and will only loosen up the whiteheads from the skin but it sure does help in foaming up my cleanser and give a gentle massage and exfoliation to my face.

a closer look of the bristles

There's another version of this pad but looking into the pictures from Saizen's Facebook page, I prefer the handle of this one as I just have to insert it between my pointer and middle finger.

back part

Very gentle exfoliation + light massage~ check!  I can't afford to have an exfoliator machine so I'm good with this for now.

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

Etude House Happy Teatime Cleansing Cream

So I've been to Divisoria (a place with a shopping bazaar, wet market, flea market mall, grocery store and the like all in one place) two weeks ago and since it's ~ber months, the place is already pack with shoppers and the place is a bit wetter.  So when I got home, I'm a complete mess because of the pollution and wanted to immediately wash my face.  But I kind of practice what my mom always remind me: that is to rest first before hitting the bathroom or I might get a disease called "pasma" sorry but I don't know its english counterpart.  Anyway, here's the cleansing cream that momentarily save my not so comfortable face.

Etude House Happy Teatime Cleansing Cream In Aloe Tea

simple yet classy to me

look how cute and classy the cover is, sweet!

I actually bought this out of curiosity.  I just wanted to try and know the effect of a cleansing cream.  Anyway, in the events like the above scenario or when I'm using BB cream, I use this the normal way.

Cleansing Cream's creamy texture contains Aloe extract to remove dirt and makeup while keeping skin moisturized with the pleasant fragrance of tea.
Directions:  Apply cream to all areas of the face.  Massage thoroughly and wipe clean with cleansing tissues or rinse with warm water to remove excess.

and here's the nasty dirt from my face

But on my ordinary days, I'm using this as a wash off facial mask and massage.  I apply, spread all over my face then let the product settle for about 20 seconds.  Then with the help of facial scrub pad, I massage my face in a circular motion.  Then after about a minute of scrubbing and massaging, I wash my face with foam cleanser then rinse.  Sometimes I wash with cleansing foam first followed by this cleansing cream if I'm lazy to put moisturizer or I'm already dead tired and just wanted to immediately hit the bed because this cleansing cream is really moisturizing.

and here's the cream

The smell reminds me of the jasmine shrubs that I cut back in the province when I'm still a kid, a little flowery yet refreshing.  I can't really distinguish the aloe from the tea but the smell is pleasant and not irritating to the nose.

As much as possible don't let this product get close to your eyes because it can make your eyesight a little blurry but don't panic if it happens.  Just wash with water, wait for a minute and your vision should go back to normal.

Overall, I can live without this but I really like the instant freshness it gives so I'll enjoy this cleansing cream's company while it's still in the market (I think soon, this will be discontinued like it's foam cleanser counterpart).

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!