Missha Bordeaux Absolute Body Butter

A sale can make you get things in an impulse and this is one of them.  I got Missha Bordeaux Absolute Body Butter when Missha Korea had a massive sale last December and I'm glad I did get this even if there's no review about it because in my opinion it is better than The Body Shop's!

On sale, I got this around P200 (that's less than $4) which is much cheaper than any other butter that I tried.  The consistency of this one is really like the spreadable butter from grocery stores: not to runny or jiggly or mushy with bits of solid.  But despite it's consistency this is non greasy (or maybe I just apply it right after I take a bath that my skin absorbs it well), it just moisturizes and gives the skin a thin layer of softness that is lovely to touch especially when I just shaved, hehehe.  The smell reminds me of Welsh grape juice not like wine, but that's okay.

I should have got another tub of this during the sale but I always get body butter from The Body Shop that I still have two left and wouldn't like to stock on another butter.

That's all!

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Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream

I'll just go straight to the point:  Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream is more of a preventive kind rather than the "recovering the prime state of your skin" gel cream.  If you have wrinkles and wanted to get rid of them, then this is not the product for you.

Since the explosion of snail, bee, snake and whatever based products,I've been curious as to why they became so popular and gave in when I found out  that this snail gel cream from Mizon is cheap.  The one in the photo above is already my third tube (they are on promo when I bought them from Bae Lu) not because I'm so much in love with it but because I wanted to consume the trio before they expire.  It's not a bad cream, I'm actually impressed when I first use it since it made my skin and my wrinkled hands so soft and smooth and plump but like the other Mizon products that I tried (like Mizon Pore Tightening Lotion), this also works up to a certain extent only...let's say 30% and with continuous use the 30% will remain in your face! (and hands too if you'll use it there).

By the way, this is recommended for use after your moisturizer, I tried it and it's like I'm already wearing a thick mask so I just replace my moisturizer with this. Then when I'm done with the first tube I went back to my usual moisturizer and go back to this when I'm halfway done with the former and that's when I observed what I hate the most about this product:  mini breakouts for the first week of usage and then breakout again when I stop using it and half of the softness and smoothness effect also goes away.

Like I told you, this is not really a bad moisturizer but it will not give a long lasting effect and will definitely not help with wrinkles (or it will help by making your skin plump, but still my wrinkles/lines that are a bit deep already never said bye bye to me).  Well, I'm already in my late twenties and should already be using anti-aging products rather than these kinds of creams that are more on the preventive side.  Right now, I use this gel cream as a wash off mask since I like it's semi cooling effect.

Have you tried Mizon Snail Recovery Gel Cream before?

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Etude House Baking Powder

You may deduct from the photo above that a.  it is well love, b.  overly use and c.  has been with the owner for a very long time.  I've been using this Etude House Baking Powder Cleansing Foam Moist for around 6 months (turning 7 this end of May) and finally it's time for me to say something about it (and nope Etude House is not selling baking powder but it would be cute if they are selling one...I imagine it in a cute container and I will tell people "I bought my baking powder in Etude House and look at it's cute packaging!", okay stop the nonsense and on with the details!).

Description:  Formulated with Baking Powder to penetrate and cleanse deep within pores to remove makeup and residues.  Maintains rich, smooth lather for moist sensation.

How to use:  Wet face and dispense small amount onto hands.  Lather and apply foam to face, gently massaging entire area.  Wash and rinse thoroughly with warm water.

I mainly got attracted with the "cleanse deep within pores" because my pores on the cheeks area look big although I have dry skin meaning my pores attracted lots of dirt and oil.  The rich, smooth lather is a bonus:  it's so foamy and dense it reminds me of a shaving cream (so if you suddenly ran out of shaving cream, you can just use this as a quick substitute).

This foam cleanser is refreshing not only because of its lemony scent but also because it feels like it removes all the gunk in my face every after use especially this summer where all my skin do the whole day is sweat.  On cold weather days though, I feel that everyday usage of this cleanser just strips all the oils of my skin leaving it dry, tight and sensitive so I only use this every other day for the first two months of the year.

If you're a foam lover (like me), use this with a cleansing brush or a konjac sponge to create an abundant amount of foam:  just a pea size of this cleanser is enough to cover not just your face but your neck as well (and sometimes my pits too hehehe, it seems like it also removes deodorant and helps in removing b.o.).  Although, my pores are still visible they have improved and is less noticeable than before.  It will also help if you use warm/lukewarm water in cleansing the face as it will loosen the unnecessary oils clogging the pores.

Now if you're going to ask me, "can this remove make-up" - I'll just state my usual answer:  I don't know, I always double cleanse whenever I put makeup and this cleanser is just an assurance that everything has been removed and that my face looks and feel fresh and clean.

That's all for this cleanser and share your favorite cleanser or your favorite Etude House product with me :) (I love EH 's collagen cream).

Till then, Arya

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ElishaCoy Snail Hydrogel Eye Patch

Whenever summer comes to my mind I think nautical: blue stripes, boat, ship, anchor and also pirates, which has nothing to do with the product that I'll be sharing with you today (random thoughts strikes again!) but it's place (literally) has something to do with summer.  I love putting my masks in the refrigerator for a more refreshing and cooling experience, apparently I have this ElishaCoy Snail Hydrogel Eye Patch in the fridge since last year, mama mia CRAZY me!

Description:
ElishaCoy Snail Hydrogel Eye Patch
Containing 70% all natural snail slime
Containing purified snail slime, the gel gives your skin a cool feeling, rich with moisture and nourishment for your skin, while tightening your skin to give the long lasting moisture you desire.

How to use:
Remove clear film from the patches and fasten adhesive sides to areas beneath the eyes.  Remove patches 15-20 minutes.

Tried different kinds of masks but this is the first time that I tried a gel type which is actually cooling (very summer appropriate) and convenient because it somewhat sticks to the skin so even if I bob my head up and down or left and right,  the gel patch is still under my eyes clinging to my eyebags.

Lucky that the ElishaCoy Snail Hydrogel Eye Patch doesn't smell like any snail, it actually doesn't have any scent but getting the gel out of its case is kinda hard because of the slipperiness.  The essence is just enough or maybe because it just got stuck in our fridge for a very long time that the gel patch; which by the way is thick and is like a semi-harden jelly, just absorbs almost all the liquid.  10 minutes after application, the patch seems to run out of essence but appears to be still wet and cool so I just let it stay for another 10 minutes by this time I felt a bit of itchiness in my eyes.  After removing the patch, my under-eyes is moisturize sans the stickiness and look less tired.  I don't know about the tightening part but the coolness (very much appreciated this summer) of the patch makes up for it.

Not a necessary item but a gel patch's presence is much appreciated by a dry, tired or puffy under-eyes.

Till then, Arya
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Missha Super Aqua Deep Hydro Cream

Missha Super Aqua Deep Hydro Cream has been (and still up to the end of the month) my moisturizer since December.  It's seems like a usual moisturizer when the temperature is cold but since the weather is becoming warmer, I can feel its "deepness".

Missha Super Aqua Deep Hydro Cream
50ml
Regular price ranges from $10.50 to $17
Website/Links:  Missha US website/ GMarket Missha/ Missha Philippines facebook page

This cream is like a combination of the usual cream with a bit of gel texture to it.  Since it's "hydro", it's not surprising that there are different kinds of water in it.

Here's the description from Missha US website plus check the link also for the list of ingredients

"The Super Aqua Deep Hydro Cream is a thick cream that creates a strong moisture shield to prevent skin dryness and to maintain smooth, moist skin.

Contains vitamin and mineral rich Ice Plant Water for extra hydration and intensive care.

Ice Plant Water is full of minerals that your skin needs, such as Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc, Vitamin A, B5, C, K, etc.

Also contains Blue Lagoon Water, Mineral Water, and Damask Rose Water to provide hydration with a feeling of freshness.

The Active Water System effectively absorbs and helps maintain the moisture in skin."

True, this cream is thick which is perfect for those that are in places with cold weather or those with very dry skin type that needs deep moisturization.  It locks in the moisture throughout the day or night without any re-application and my face also look moist.

Although it's thick, it's not super heavy to the skin especially when the weather is under 25 degrees Celsius but now that in the Philippines, the temperature is hitting 30 degrees Celsius I only use it at night since I find that my face is looking oily when I use this cream during daytime.  I guess the Super Aqua Water Supply Cream (which is the lighter version) is more suitable during summertime or for those with combi/normal skin type or even for those with oily skin type who wants deep moisturization as it is oil free and it claims that it moisturizes without the shine and greasiness.

hit pan!

Missha Super Aqua Deep Hydro Cream is a simple and straight forward cream that provides total hydration without so much heaviness and thickness plus the smell is refreshing and is not so heavy.  So far I'm loving the Super Aqua line from Missha and I'm impressed with the Super Aqua Water Supply Essence which made me get the basic set that includes this cream, a toner and an emulsion.  I'm going to use the emulsion during the summertime as a replacement for this cream  so don't be surprise if you read another super aqua post from this blog.

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

The Saem Snail Lavender Sleeping Pack

It's cute, it's affordable, and the brand is endorse by no other than GD of Bigbang:  This post is about the Snail Lavender Sleeping Pack from The Saem.

The Saem Snail Trio No. 3 Lavender Sleeping Pack
40ml
Regular price 7900 won/ around $8
Got it from Kkochi Pida for P345
Links: Gmarket The Saem/ Kkochi Pida facebook page

I kind of got into the snail bandwagon before but I wouldn't shell out a lot of money just to try it, so I did a little research in finding affordable snail based products and found this sleeping pack which generally promises to make the skin healthy and smooth.

The Saem Snail Lavender Sleeping Pack according to GMarket, the cream will make the face brighter with revitalizing look and gives the skin rich nutrition.  It has 3 main ingredients: snail mucus extract which provides the nutrition, sunflower seed oil for "burnish" skin (I don't know what it means) and niacinamide for bright and clean skin.

I can't understand any text from the pack's very cute box but online it says to apply it thick on the face at the last step of skincare and sleep with it then wash the face the next day.

light lavender or lilac color

Everything sounds lovely and this pack really makes my skin smooth, moisturize and looking healthy the next morning and I can totally replace my emulsion and cream with this but I have a bit of a complain with it's consistency that makes me use this pack once in a while only like twice a week.

I would love a sleeping pack to be on my face on a nightly basis as it gives my skin moisture and nutrition but this pack is just so thick it's like a hair wax in consistency that when I put this on my eyebrows, the hairs on my eyebrows won't budge.  Another issue; which is mainly my own personal taste, is the scent because I'm not a fan of lavender smell.  It's like the pomade that my dad uses, it's smells heavy...it's like a guy smell but because lavender is a flower it became generally accepted that it's a girl's scent (or this is just my rubbish conclusion?).

Sorry but I'm not yet done.  This pack also never fails to give me a zit or a small people.  Yup, everytime I use it I wake up with a nice, smooth, looking fresh and moisturize face plus a zit or a pimple.  But do take into consideration the possibility that I may have a very mild allergy to lavender.

With a cute tub comes a unique spatula

Those who don't want to dip their fingers on the tub, a cute spatula is included in the box which you can actually insert on the neck of the snail so you won't have to lose it.

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

Etude House Moistfull Collagen Emulsion

I'm trying to eliminate some items (slowly) in my skincare routine.  I started with emulsion and carry on with my life without it for some months.  But come -ber months, my face is drier than ever...and the emulsion must come back.

I'm happy with Etude House Moistfull Collagen cream so it's just natural for me to get the emulsion version when Etude House had their 20% off of all their products as a treat.

Etude House  Moistfull Collagen Emulsion
Regular price P628/around $15
Got it from Etude House kiosk in SM Makati for P502.40
Official Websites: Etude House Global/ Etude House Philippines

And here's the description that I got from the Etude House Philippines website:

MOISTFULL COLLAGEN EMULSION

Moistfull Collagen Emulsion is a moist and rich textured facial emulsion that supplies penetrating moisture and collagen treatment to improve complexion health and look. Active Ingredient Baobab Tree Extract and Collagen combination improves dermal structure and moisture retention.

It has the same smell as the Moistfull Collagen Cream which is on the citrusy side because of it's main ingredient, baobab which is said to be rich in anti-oxidant including vitamin c.

Even if liquidy, this emulsion is a bit sticky and I have to wait for it to settle before I can apply my next skincare product which takes around a minute (enough time to wear my pjs) but it's okay since it does really seals the hydrating essence that I'm using and really helps in keeping my face well moisturize in the cold weather.

Another good thing about it is that it makes my face looking moist and glow-y.

love the glass body and plastic cap

I'm trying to avoid too much massaging and patting to my face nowadays because I saw a video on youtube explaining that these motions stimulates the skin which is actually good but overdoing it will result to hyper-pigmentation which I think I already have so massaging and patting my face more will result to super-hyper-pigmentation to me hehehehe.  But if you do not have hyper-pigmention then dutifully follow EH's instructions in applying this emulsion as it helps in reducing its stickiness level:  Use hands to gather and apply emulsion to skin by gently massaging the face until hydration is absorbed.  Gently pat to finish.

If I still have this up to March (which is the start of the Philippine summer), I'll be replacing my cream with it so I can have a well moisturize face without the heaviness of the cream.

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

Secret Key Argan Angel Moisture Steam Cream

I believe steam cream was created and is suitable for those who have winter season but because the weather here in the Philippines became unbelievably cold last January, I decided to put into use these Argan Angel Moisture Steam Creams from Secret Key that I got last year from Gmarket.

Secret Key Argan Angel Moisture Steam Cream (number 3 and 4)
Regular price for two tin cans 8900 won/ around $9
80grams
Got it from GMarket
Link:  GMarket Secret Key

Actually, I just opened one and is saving the other for the rainy days.  It's lovely that Secret Key put together argan oil and steam cream in one.  Argan oil is known to be the liquid gold from Morocco because of it's many wonders like moisturizing, softening and protecting the skin and hair from sun damage without the oily feel.  Steam Cream on the other hand is... I'm actually having a hard time looking as to what steam cream is but it became so popular because it's very moisturizing and you can go to /www.steamcream.eu to know more (I think SteamCream started this kind of cream?).

The tin can attracted me to buy these creams because they just look classic and just wanted to know what is the craze behind steam creams.  Anyway, Secret Key Argan Angel Moisture Steam Cream is a highly moisturizing cream which contains argan oil to make the skin moist and healthy.  The cream is so dense and thick that the cream won't fall to the ground even if flip upside down like the ice creams of Dairy Queen (hehehe).  Nevertheless, it's still not sticky when applied to the skin, it's just like lotion but more moisturizing and just leaves my skin soft and velvety until; of course, I take a shower.  I like that it has a lychee smell to it, it just lightens up my mood because it reminds me of the lychee jelly with nata that I love to snack on.

there's a transparent lid inside the tin can but I threw it

I used this immediately after a bath to make sure that my skin absorbs it really well (I rubbed the cream on my hands first before applying it to my skin).  I never used this on my face though.  I'm a bit intimidated with the thickness and I had a minor breakout the last time that I used a product with argan oil, so I have to spare my face which is more sensitive on cold weather (plus I'm having having skin asthma too).

I think it's a good product specially when the weather is just so cold.  Even if the soft and velvety effect is gone once I take my shower, constant application will surely moisturize my skin without the sticky feeling
(take note that I have dry skin).  The packaging and the smell are the plus(es)!

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

Missha Super Aqua Water Supply Essence

When I started "building" my skincare routine, I remember saving the "leftover" from the mask sheets that I used and used it as my everyday essence.  After that, I don't remember having a "proper" essence (I remember having a first essence but it's not really a full legit essence more of like a fusion of toner and essence) and only used samples if my memory serves me right.  And if you noticed (I just noticed it too) I use the "used" to much and " in this paragraph, I don't know why.

So here's my very first "proper", full sized essence eversince I started to be "maarte", the Missha Super Aqua Water Supply Essence.

Missha Super Aqua Water Supply Essence
40ml
online regular price around $12 in korean shops/around $30 on non-korean shops
got it for around P600 around $14.50

If M&M melts in your mouth, this one melts in the skin and it's as if providing the much needed water to a thirsty land making my skin feeling refresh and hydrated.  I couldn't believe how this essence made my skin soft and supple overnight that when I woke up the next morning, I couldn't stop pinching my cheeks.

It says in the description that it's a fresh moisturizing essence to enhance skin's moisture level while leaving a fresh feeling of softness on the skin which I already observed on my first day of application and still experiencing it up to now and I regret that I didn't take advantage of the 50% off sale of Missha last December (I asked Bae Lu for the discounted price and she said it's P330 or around $8 only which I think is one of the cheapest yet effective essence that I know and I only ordered it for a friend...I really should have get another one for myself but I guess I was attracted to the design of Missha's Misa essence, I really don't know what I was thinking last December).

the essence

The "secret" of this essence is that instead of purified water, this essence contains 100% Ice Plant Water which is rich in minerals and Active Water (Blue Lagoon Water, Mineral Water, Damask Rose Water) that provides moisture to dry skin and enhances skin's moisture level.  I don't know anything about these kinds of water, they are just in the description of the product's box but it seems that their claims are true.

It also says in  the description that it's oil-free and I don't feel any greasiness when I apply this, it just melts and sinks into my skin.

hooray for english description

Missha forgot to put c on direction

Aside from the nice fresh moisturizing effect, I also like the scent of this essence:  it's like a subtle combination of the fresh ocean and the scent of a freshly showered and powdered baby.  I also didn't experience any allergic reaction while using it although it didn't says in the packaging that it's dermatologically tested.

the pump is much appreciated

For the packaging, I like the blue frosted glass part but hate the plastic cap not because of the plastic material but because of it's not so tight grip to the bottle (I pick the cap of the products when I used them so there are many times that the bottle of this one just drops on the floor, to my relief it's not yet broken up to now).

ingredients

Overall, I love this essence that I bought the rest of the products from this line/series. It's a perfect starter to those who have normal to dry skin because it's simply moisturizing leaving the skin fresh and soft and because of it's oil free and non greasy formula, those with oily or combi skin type might also be okay to use this as their essence-moisturizer (but better try a sample first to make sure, okies?).

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

Mizon PoreTightening Lotion

When the words "face lotion" first crossed my mind, all I said was "what the".  I just couldn't believe that another un-understandable skincare product was born and I was like nah I'll never gonna try it, I simply don't need it.

But destiny has it's own way and without pany intention of meeting the thing, face lotion and I meet as if we're meant to cross each others world.  Destiny, fate or whatever you may call it, I'm glad I met such a good friend, I mean product.

Guys, meet Mizon Skin Turnaround Pore Tightening Lotion.

Mizon Skin Turnaround Pore Tightening Lotion
online price around $13 to $17
got it for P710 (around $17)
80ml

I am supposed to be getting the pore essence and a clay mask  from the Pore Line of Mizon so I agreed to pay $17 because I'll be getting 2 products, unfortunately for me the link of Mizon suddenly changed and got this lotion unsale.  Oh well, I have to be smarter next time.

The Pore Skin Turnaround line from Mizon is actually for oily skin type but having the word "tightening" in the essence and lotion makes me think that it can help my big pores (I have dry skin type by the way).

it seems melting

Mizon Skin Turnaround Pore Tightening Lotion is a water based moisturizer that can control sebum and has a new pore refining formula.  It says in the description that it is quick absorbing and reduces oiliness while keeping skin well-hydrated and over time, helps skin create stronger supports for tightened pores.

And I have to agree with Mizon that this lotion is quick absorbing. I don't know if you can see the "melting effect" in the above picture but once I put this product on my skin, it seems that it turns runny and just seems like water sinking into my skin once spread.  I asked my sister to also try this (she have oily skin type) and she have the same observation and she liked that it's moisturizing but not heavy nor greasy on her skin at all.

As for my dry skin, well I still need the help of an emulsion or a cream to fully hydrate my  face.  For the tightening of pores part, well for the first week I am impressed because it tightened/made my pores appear smaller let's say around 25% but on the second week there's not much of a difference anymore but I continued using it for maintenance of the "tightened pores" and at the same time it does really help in making my skin hydrated without any harsh effect.  Plus this one replaces my toner.

The scent might be an off for those who do not like scented skincare products because it has this fresh and a bit overwhelming smell like those in scented stationery  but once applied on the skin, the scent disappears.  As for the packaging, it's heavy because of the glass bottle which I don't mind plus it's sturdy too (I dropped it a couple of times).  I never had a problem with the pump too and dispenses the same amount everytime I use it (I use two pumps for my whole face and neck).

I did my best but the text on the box are just too small

Face lotions in general are use after washing the face followed by a toner.  I digressed and skip the toner part whenever I use this lotion I mean I just couldn't accept that I put a product on my face then wipe it with cotton pad filled with toner?  For me it's a waste, although I'm aware that my skin already absorbed the first product but still there's maybe a little left on the surface of the skin (Am I still making sense).

Anyway, this product opened my mind to face lotions. This one from Mizon is best for those with oily skin type and can be use alone as a moisturizer (if in case you do not like to layer products) because it's light yet moisturizing and can help in tightening ore lessening the appearance of pores (just look for a great deal online, Mizon most of the time throw some amazing sale).

That's it!

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream

How I wish that I eat my food just like how I finish a tube of bb cream.  I don't know why others can finish a tube of bb cream or a foundation or a cc cream in just a couple months but not me.  Even a sample sachet of cc cream can last 15 applications to me and that this small tube sample of bb cream from Skin79 has been with me for months.

Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream
got it for around P135 at Hipstyle Online Shop

I don't know why I'm loving lomo-ish/oldish or whatever you call it in a photo but look how lovely the effect is, it looks classy to me!

Okay, so I am supposed to do something that will affect my future (it's actually my resume) but instead I am watching Youtube (so bad of me) and I think we beginners can learn something really important with the below video fromoiseau88 when it comes to applying base makeup so please do watch it.

Going back to the BB Cream, it says in the description that it is enriched with snail secretion filtrate with self protecting properties that maintains the skin natural and healthy.  Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream have 3 functions certifications from KFDA:  Whitening, UV Interception SPF45 PA +++ and Wrinkle improvement.

Other stuff that you might want to know that is in the packaging which by the way needs a lot of clap because it's just a sample tube yet it has all the english description that I needed good job Skin79 on this:

"Triple functions BB cream that contains 45% of the Korean Snail Secretion filtrate, it bestows sleek and lustrous texture to the skin by preventing skin damages, and keeps the skin moist and healthy by forming moist protection layer."

DIRECTIONS:  Use it proper quantity on the area of your face like patting at the last step of skin care.

Lastly which is the main reason why I'm using BB cream and why I got this variant out of the four from Skin79:

"Protecting the skin from both UV A and B, the tri-functional snail BB cream brightens the dark and dull skin tone, and maintains the skin clean and supple with its whitening and wrinkle-improving effects."

sorry about the blurry photo but this is the bb cream looks like

when applied, see how the little freckle/sun spot slightly faded?

I rely on bb cream's sun protection (or primers) and this one has SPF45 PA+++ (don't ask me what's PA+++ all I know is SPF30 and above is great on protecting the skin) which I very much like because I don't want to bother myself putting another layer of product for sun protection plus another trait that I find amusing with this bb cream is that it can brighten (and I bought this when I'm still obsessed in brightening) my dull face.

I'm not really into whitening, I sometimes hate make-up products with whitening promises because it will literally make my face white and thankfully this one; after a few seconds of patting, does not make my face white and it gives my skin a natural looking finish with medium coverage (I can still see my sun spots which I like because if I don't see them it makes me feel fake).

I like to combine this bb cream with either the Etude House Moistful Collagen Cream or the Mizon Snail Recovery Gel for a CC cream look.  But the best combination so far is adding 1 part of this bb cream with 1 part of The Body Shop's Vitamin C Skin Boost as it makes application so much easier and very even (no traces of uneven patches even if I'm in a hurry) plus it gives this matted yet moist, smooth and bright look and it doesn't feel heavy at all. Love it!

and this is the effect
it evens out the skin on my wrist with medium coverage, you can still see my veins but not so greenish and bluish anymore
it's also matted but has this lovely shine, though it cannot be seen in the photo

I'm not sure about the wrinkle improvement, I'm guessing I have to use the full size product to judge whether it can help in that part but anyway I rely on my skincare products in that department.

Okay for the smell because this is made of snail secretion filtrate so I'm worried about it and it actually has a faint smell of snail though my sister said she can't smell it (maybe the floral part smell overpowers the snail scent  part).  It's a good thing that after patting this bb cream for some seconds, the "faint snail scent" goes away.

Overall, I think Skin79 Snail Nutrition BB Cream is a good one and I'm going to try the other 3 variant because I have some sample sachets plus this one didn't break me out and I'm assuming that the rest will have the same effect.  I'm a bit excited with the pink variant because of the good reviews and it made Skin79 in the bb cream limelight.

Thanks for reading.  Bye!

Mizon Peptide and Vitamin C Sheet Mask

I've been neglecting my mask sheets again lately.  But I promised my stressed face that I; Arya De Guzman, will use mask sheets/sheet masks for the weeks to come as often as I can (ewan ko sa sarili ko ano na naman kaya nakain ko?)

Adorable packaging I say, I wanted to hang these masks on a line and just grab them whenever I want.  Oh by the way, I just watch The Hunger Games - Catching Fire and way way better than the first installment.

Mizon Original Skin Energy Ampoule Essential Sheet Mask in Peptide and Vitamin C
Got them from Hipstyle by kat Assuncion, forgot the exact price but it's under P40 ($1)

The sheet and the amount and consistency of the essence is the same with the Hyaluronic variant which I already posted in Mizon Ampoule Essential Sheet Mask Hyaluronic Acid.  I have to mention again that the mask that I have from Mizon dries up so quickly as in in just 15 minutes.

The first that I used from the two is the Vitamin C variant.  I'm never been impressed with mask with vitamin c ingredient like lemon or orange for two main reasons:  the smell and either do nothing or breaks me out.  This one from Mizon is on the "do nothing" side.  Well at least it helps me relax a bit before going to sleep but overall I can't say anything good or bad about this mask.

By the way I'm munching on the goodies that I got from our company's "Christmas Basket", it's actually in a bag not in a basket and I'm also watching Vlogmas from essiebuttonvlogs which reminds me that I should already put on my Christmas spirit (I hope it would happen any moment next week).

Mizon Ampoule Essential Sheet Mask Vitamin C

Next is something new for me, it's the Peptide variant.  It says in the description that peptide promotes elastin and collagen growth and removes oxygen free radical and it is highly effective for skin elasticity.  Well I don't know how will these wonders take effect in just one use of a mask but this variant actually made my face well moisturize and soft (that's all I can say).

Mizon Ampoule Essential Sheet Peptide

I guess I stored these masks too long in  my cabinet that I can't feel their full potential.  These #Mizon mask actually have new packaging when I check them out in GMarket and I hope that they will work better because these are quite cheap if bought in bulk.  Anyway, I'm still thankful that I tried them and help me relax even if it's just for a couple of minutes.

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

Pure Beauty Pomegranate Antioxidant Exfoliating Gel

Exfoliating gel has been popular lately because of...well Cure.  I haven't tried the awesomeness of Cure (my budget won't allow me) so for now I settled myself with Pure Beauty's Pomegranate Antioxidant Exfoliating Gel.

Pure Beauty Pomegranate Antioxidant Exfoliating Gel

While strolling Watsons, just saw these glimmering red boxes that seems to be really luxurious and since there's no SA around, my sister and I checked them out ( hehehe, I'm guilty of checking products when there's no salesperson around) and Pure Beauty somehow rings a bell because I think I read from one of Erika of ErikaJjang.tumblr.com post (I think it's where she introduces the different korean brands here in the Philippines) about it.  I even got more curious of the brand because despite it's nice aesthetics, it's actually quite affordable.  I already have toner, essence and cream that time so the exfoliating gel got me curios because I'm running out of Appletox from TonyMoly (again, that time) and that's where an SA suddenly pop-up at the back of the scene and let us try the gel.

So as you can see the exfoliating gel is in a simple yet elegant tube with shiny red (representing pomegranate) cap.  It says that it protects collagen reserves, promotes healthier skin and helps skin rejuvenation and is dermatologically tested which is one factor that I'm looking for a product because I somewhat have a sensitive skin.

contains Ecocert ingredients

It says that the product contains Korean Pomegranate Fruit extract, Swiss RADICARE, French ECOCERT validated fruit and herbal extracts and Bulgarian Rose water that works together to promote healthy, radiant and youthful skin, promoting nutrition, hydration and invigoration, while simultaneously fighting free radicals and providing anti-aging and antioxidant benefits.  I hope Pure Beauty could care to explain more about the Swiss RADICARE and French ECOCERT part because I don't know what they are and couldn't find anything about them.

the ingredients and all about the product

It's great that even if this one is made in Korea, everything is in English and there's no need for me to crinch.

With an appropriate amount, massage gently the gel to the dry face (yes, it's important that the skin is dry) and within seconds you'll see white sometimes brown or gray particles forming on the surface of the skin.  Then rinse with supposedly with warm water but I always use tepid water.

I couldn't say that the particles are pure dead skin cells and dirt, of course the product is also included in the particles because I experimented a little and put another layer of gel after a minute and the "particles" are still forming though they are more on a whitish form and a lot lesser.

Caution! if you have sensitive skin please do not do what I just did because it can irritate your skin,  I got mini red spots.  Also, do not use this on a daily basis.  I did another experiment of exfoliating with this gel on 2 consecutive days and there's a slight irritation on my skin.  It says so too on the instructions that this can be use 1-2 times per week so I can't imagine what the SA is feeling because she said that she and her friends are using this on a daily basis to remove their make-up (my face was actually shocked when she said this because exfoliating on a daily basis is not good for the skin as the natural oils will be stripped off and will damaged the first layer of the skin and I hope that she is listening when I'm explaining this part to my sister).

how it looks like and how it performs it's magic

Since this exfoliating gel removes the dead skin cells of the skin, I'm not surprised that my skin somehow looks brighter and smoother.  Amazingly, it also doesn't dry my skin just don't know about the rest of what this product claims but just seeing those dead skin cells lifting of my face makes me satisfied with this product.

Of course let's not forget about the smell, it citrusy sometimes like a candied or juice pomelo.  The gel has this cool feel when applied to the face (which I like because it's refreshing.)

I have some issue with the price of this product though.  I got mine for P299 but a week after that the price went down to P189 (this made me cry).  Then when the Cure got released here in the Philippines, the price went up to P400+ (not sure with the exact amount).  Then they have this promotion again that you can buy the gel and the cream from this line for P299 each but when we (with my sister) checked it out in the nearest Watsons, it seems like no one knows about it and waited for like 30 minutes for the SA to clear it out with her supervisor then there's a problem again with the cashier saying that the bar-code is not valid and made us wait for like 10 minutes and still they keep on  battling about it ahahaha and my sister got pissed off because the SAs should know about this and we left empty handed because the SA and the cashier can't settle on what to do *sigh* what a waste.  Anyway I hope Pure Beauty would settle a definite price for their products.

Oh I also use this exfoliating gel on other parts of my body like my elbows.

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

FoodAHolic

It's been a while since I posted any masks that I used lately.  Actually, for the first 2 weeks of October I haven't used any mask sheet but 3 weeks prior to that I used masks on a daily basis.

Do you still remember the below photo that I posted on  July 2013: It's Definitely Raining (food)?  Most of them are from FoodAHolic which I ordered from Bae Lu and each variant is in a pack of ten and I'm trying to finish one variant at a time before trying out others.

my growing collection of sheet masks

Today I'm going to share with you what I think about the Potato, Snail and Orange variant from FoodAHolic.  But first let me show you how the "sheet" looks like.

sorry, my eyes are not so charming in this photo

Aside from the cheap price (I paid around 600 or 700 for 50 sheets before), one of the reason why I got attracted to buy FoodAHolic mask is the "3D" Shape Natural Pulp Mask.  I'm just so curious as to how will a mask becomes a 3D and in the photo there's this some kind of fold in the center and that's basically how the mask became 3D.  I'm having a little issue at how small the hole this mask have in the eye area and how long the nose area is but well I'm just gonna use it for a couple of minutes so I don't really mind.  For the feel of the sheet itself, well it's like a combination of paper and cotton and how strong the sheet is depends on the variants which for me is a bit weird since I'm guessing the manufacturer is just using the same material for the mask sheet.

11500 won for 50 mask sheets with local shipping
bought through Bae Lu

Let's start with the top performer in this set which is also the weirdest variant for me: Potato!

FoodAHolic Potato Natural Essence Mask
Contains potato extract that moisturizes your skin through soothing your sun tanned skin and easing stress on the skin

It's light, non-sticky, refreshing, it's soothing and best of all it helped in making the bumps in my face smaller after just two uses of this masks:  simply amazing.  It also doesn't have a foul smell and the sheet doesn't tear easily even if I keep on tugging it.  It also just have the right amount of essence so the mask doesn't fall off my face even if I walk around the house or if drying my hair.  Moisturizing last for the whole night and day and my skin also looks healthy with this.  For the elasticity part hmmm I do not know how to measure it or how will it appear in my face, do you know?

FoodAHolic Snail Natural Essence Mask
Contains snail secretion filtrate effective for skin to nourish and elasticity, filled skin with rich moisture and makes the skin tight and shiny

The average worker, Snail fortunately doesn't have a slimy smell although the essence of this one is a bit thicker than the potato.  With all the rave about snail essences I thought that this variant will be superb and will make my skin looking fantastic, maybe repairing the scars from my recent pimple outbreak but nope it's just okay like your average mask but it does makes my skin shiny after use.  By the way, the description that is in the caption of my photos are from the back packaging of the masks and I hope FoodAHolic improves this part.

FoodAHolic Orange Natural Essence Mask
Contains orange extract that has a plentiful Vitamin C.  It maintains the skin glow and healthy as well as improves skin elasticity through skin pore contracting effects

Lastly, the loser among the three:  Orange.  Let me start with the smell of the essence: you know when you spray car air freshener and leave the car under the heat of the sun for an hour and when you open it there's this unexplainable head churning smell?  That's the smell of this variant's essence.  The sheet too seems to be weak as it tear easily even with just a gentle tugging.  I kind of expected a lot from this variant because it claims to clear skin and clean the pores but unfortunately it didn't do anything and there are times that this give me pimples.  This variant my dear friends is not pleasant at all and made me conclude that my face hates mask sheets that are in orange and lemon flavor.

I hope this post will help you in your sheet mask conquest.

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

Something Moistfull and Nutrifull

Nutrifull Shea Butter Sleeping Pack and Mistfull White First Essence

These two products was introduced last year by Etude House.  Both the Nutrifull Shea Butter Sleeping Pack and the Moistfull White First Essence have been in my "mini department store" since February of this year but it's only around summer that I started to use them.  As you can see, I already emptied the first essence while the sleeping pack is now half empty after using for like forever!

got this piece of info from http://www.etudehouse.ph/pages/plist.aspx?m=F&str=moistfull#TOP
15000 won
around $25
100ml

Since hit  pan this around summer, I do not have a photo of the actual product so I'll do my best to describe it for you based on my rusty memory (yikes!).  It's translucent milky white in color with little white beads that burst once applied to the face.  It's a little sticky so a lot of patting motion is needed but it's lighter than the first essence from the collagen line (if ever you tried it).  The smell is okay:  it's something clean and will makes you think if you're smelling alcohol or not.

eureka!  I found an old photo!

I got this when my interest for having bright skin is on top of my skincare priority and based on the description "...a facial moisturizer that fosters smooth, bright complexion with dewey texture and brightening beads..." smooth? bright? dewy? I'm sold! (although I think there's a need for a spell check in there).  These three words combined in one sentence just makes me happy for one:  I have dry skin so I wanted something to moisturize my skin and two:  I have dull skin so a little brightening is always welcome.

First essence are usually applied after cleansing the face because if I understood and remembered all the things that I read about skincare, the skin loses it's moisture when cleanse and in 5 seconds (well that's I remember) you have to moisturize it and so first essences are born.  Well I don't apply this essence by this manner though, in fact most of the time I apply this essence like most essences which is after the toner though half of the time I skip putting toners which is more economic I guess because I do not have to buy a toner and it extinguishes the time that I spend on putting a toner on a cotton pad and applying it on my face (talking about saving money and time!)

While I'm happy that's in a 2 in 1 product on my part, sadly it didn't do much in brightening my face although I'm taking note that it somehow helped in fading my freckles.  It's also makes my skin dewy and moisturize (during summertime I just put this on my face and skip everything else) and it also makes me wonder how the beads pop :)

photo and info from http://www.etudehouse.ph/pages/plist.aspx?m=F&str=nutrifull#TOP
15000 won
around $25
100ml

Another item from Etude House is something that el niño-skinned (just kidding) like me will love because it's just simply thirst quenching and nourishing (well for the skin), it's the Nutrifull Shea butter Sleeping Pack.

the product itself

I've been abusing this since May and look I still have a lot.  I even used this on my body twice but I don't know why I can't finished this product in just a couple of months so value for money people.  Aside from its 100 ml, the thick consistency is mainly the reason why this product can last on your vanity cabinet for a year because seriously you don't need much to cover your face yet the results is amazing:  I just wake up with a well moisturize face and my face looks as if it ate some something nutritious (kaya pala nutrifull).  One note that is worth mentioning though is that when I look at my face in the morning (when apply this at night) without rinsing the pack, my pores are quite enlarge.  Thankfully after washing my face, my pores are back to normal (so need need to worry), anyway it is a required step to wash the face in the morning if you use this sleeping pack at night.

Complete instruction on how to use:  After toning, smooth evenly on face before sleeping.  Do not rinse off-the product will absorb.  Cleanse in morning with warm water.  For an extra nourishment, use after Nutrifull Butter Cream.

Nope, I do not have the Nutrifull Butter Cream and I think I only need one product from the line because if I use all the product from the Nutrifull line I will end up with an oily,sticky face even if I have dry skin.  My guess is that the line is formulated and designed for those with dry skin under a very cold weather.

Oh for the smell, I love it.  Shea is something nutty deep and this one has it too but more on the lighter side so I love to sniff it, the scent somehow makes me relaxed.  The consistency is; well, thick but more like a whipped one with a glossy finish although it looks matted on the skin.  Overall, I love this product especially now that the weather is getting colder.


Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

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