Oh Looky: Maskie

Caolion was mentioned by Michelle Phan before in her youtube channel (long time ago it seems) ang got curious.  I got these 3 for a good deal.

The O2 Bubble Pore Pack is really bubbly, the bubbliest that I tried from bubbles pore packs.  It creates really dense bubbles and really helps lift whatever gunk in my pores.

The Blackhead Steam Pore Pack is ohhhh so hot.  Definitely no steaming needed when I use this.  It's a bit scary at first but it will slowly cool down which is like a timer for me to take it off and move on to the next mask.

Pore Original Pack is the cool one.  After the steamy session with the Steam Pore Pack, this is likealike nice breeze to the face.  It cools and "closed" the pores that completes the whole cleaning of pores experience.

These three Caolion products works well together for a heallthy, small looking pores.

Sheet Masks of course are the basics although I'm trying my best to limit using them (there's already al of garbage in this world.

My go to brands are Innisfree and My Scheming.  I usually get them on buy 1 get 1 deals so it's light on the pocket.

Innisfree is overall moisturizing and non irritating and since I have dry ski, I can get away with not washing the excess essence.

My Scheming, does the same thing but a little better in the sense that the material used in the mask itself is thinner (but still sturdy) which just sticks to my skin even if I move around.  It's essence is also non sticky, my skin just loves to absorb it.

Honorable mention is The Face Shop's Real Nature Sheet mask.

I also got some great deal with the Laneige Regenerating Mask and Mediheal Mask.

The Mediheal one is an upgrade from the roadshop brands - better mask quality and less stickier essence.

Laneige Regenerating Mask is LUXE! The mask itself is made of this jelly or young coconut like flesh, it's just nice and smooth to the skin when applied.  It's essence is also a major upgrade at hindi tinipid - I just feel so young and refreshed and my face looking brighter and less tired (medyo parang nagpafacial ako pag eto ginamit ko).

Oh Looky: Cleansing Stuff

Let the skin breathe from all the makeup and pollution - your skin will definitely thank you.

Kindly read Oh Looky before proceeding to read, thanks.

Tosowoong Enzyme Powder Wash
I got this thinking that it's a dupe for the Tatcha Rice Cleanser thing (I don't know the exact name but many beauty gurus/youtubers swear by it because it helps in making the skin glow but holy it's so pricey).  So as the name suggest, this cleanser is in powder from like granules of sugar that is easily dissolve with water.  I like that with just a small amount (this cleanser lasted for more than 5 months) I can create a great amount of foam that cleanse and keeps the skin soft.

Pond's Washable Cold Cream
A makeup remover favorite as it is affordable and readily available (I got mine on a 2 for 1 sale).  I like that it keeps the skin moisturized and soft while removing light makeup.  I wouldn't rely on it if I'm wearing heavier and waterproof makeup.

My Heart is Crushed: LANEIGE

I've been in love with Laneige's Water Sleeping Pack_EX which is the BEST Sleeping Pack/Mask for me, I put it in a pedestal and is now my measurement for a good sleeping mask in case I try new ones (you can check my amazement with the product here).

And so when Laneige released a firming and then an updated version, I got excited! checked my wallet to see how much more should I make tipid to get them and voila! got them last year.

So are they good enough? Well my intro photo is a hint.

Laneige Firming Sleeping Pack
Already in my late 20's (it's inevitable, I'll be out of the calendar soon!) I just new that my skin needed some firming and all the anti-aging sheesh because they say, once you hit the land of 30s, lines, wrinkles and sagging will suddenly knock on your door and barge-in in your life with or without your permission.  And so even though a lot of people couln't guess my real age (yes! baby face lang) a little help of firming from Laneige Firming Sleeping Pack is very much welcome.

I saw an ad about this product that the pudding like pack will restore its form after sometime no matter how many times you jiggle or break it.  Sounds amazing but I thought "what will that do to firm my face, will the product particles once in my face will contact each other and say "Let's Bolt In? what a gimmick!".

DIY: Green Tea Scrub

I feel that it's such a waste to jsut throw the green tea bags that I use after just steeping it once.  I thought that the leaves are not too big and not too small (and wouldn't be too harsh) to use as scrub so I searched for a DIY recipe and found what I'm looking for at Bubz youtube channel.

I wanted to make mine a bit more pastey so it can also act like a mask.  Here's my version of Green Tea Scrub and Mask that I use all over my body.

Ingredients:
2-3 bags of used green tea, remove excess water (which acts as the scrub)
1 tbsp honey (for softening the skin)
1 and 1/2 tbsp rice flour (for skin brightening)

How to:
1.  Mix the tea leaves and honey in a clean small container.
2.  Add the rice flour until everything is smooth.

Just scrub the mixture on your face and all over the body and let it set for at least 5 minutes.  This will gently remove dead skin cells and will soften the skin instantly.  The brightening part is only noticeable after like a month of constant use (twice a week).

If you plan to use unused green tea bag, I suggest to add 1/2 teaspoon of milk to moisten the leaves or just add more honey to the mixture.

Enjoy!

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

Raspberry and Pumpkin for a mask from TheFaceShop

Because of my messed up body clock, I woke up at the wee hours of the morning and is on the third and hopefully final post for the day (while eating avocado, clover cheese and chili, hello panda and toblerone, while sniffing because of an uncontrollable colds achooo).

Speaking of last, these two masks that I used are the last from the first batch of masks that I hoard ordered from TheFaceShop through Bae Lu.

First would be one of my favorite masks from TheFaceShop:  The Real Nature Mask Raspberry.

TheFaceShop Real Nature Mask Raspberry

Aside from the funky smell (mixture of raspberry juice and the sweet raspberry smell of candies), I also love how it soften, smoothen and how it made my face plump after just one sleep.

nice words :)

Not sure about the anti-aging etchos that is on the description but I enjoyed using this mask as it's refreshing (even the smell is refreshing, nothing too alcoholic) and the essence is not sticky nor heavy on the skin unlike the next mask.

TheFaceShop Real Nature Mask Pumpkin

I thought this mask would be...wait for it...LEGENDARY!  Because of it's out of this world variant:  PUMPKIN.  Well, I was proven wrong (huhuhu..sob..sob...sob), it's one of my dislikes as it's sticky, heavy, strong smelling (let's just say it's a drunken mask because of it's alcohol smell) and most of all, didn't do anything significant on my face.

"and I though this can restore the youth of my face..."

So yeah, with all the drama while saying ..."I thought this can restore the youth of my face" I regret to inform the facial mask lovers out there that this one didn't do anything significant on my face (let me know your story if you happen to try this).  The only benefit I got is I discovered that there's an expiration date indicated the packs of TheFaceShop mask sheets ahahahaha.

a very long shelf life

I'm running out of words and I think the way I talk (actually, write) is getting funnier? (like a drunken kid from a bottle of beer) and blurry so this will be the last post for the day.

Thanks for reading. Till then. Bye!

Innisfree It's Real Avocado Mask

Ahh avocado, one of my favorite fruit in the world especially when turned into a fruitshake:  sweet, creamy, yummy, refreshing and filling it brings back memories of childhood (we used to have avocado in our front yard before) and of Ka Lui in Palawan which is 3 years...holy guacamole, that's been a long time.  I must find a real avocado but for now I'll settle with this avocado mask.

Innisfree It's Real Avocado Mask
with avocado and green complex
950 won in GMarket/around $1 in ebay/got it for P35 from kkochi pida

The description in front is the same with other variants and at the back of the packaging everything is in Korean so I made a short search and it says that this mask nourishing and moisturizing so by the time I used the mask, I told myself "Ahhh this is perfect, my face is drier and paler than normal".

no translation

Now the scent kind of disappointed me: it has a faint alcohol plus there's no avocado smell to it, but the silky sheet compensated it.  It's a bit thin though so harsh tagging and pulling can tear the mask.  Mine got a tear when I tried to perfectly fit it in my face.  Yeah, got a little trouble fitting it especially in the nose and cheeks area but the cuts help plus the thinness and silkyness also helped in making the mask stay in place on my face for an hour.

thin and silky, just almost the way I wanted it

The essence; surprisingly, is more like an emulsion/face lotion - it's white and creamy and it's plenty that I had enough left to be use for 3 days.  After an hour, I removed the sheet mask and I hated what I saw in the mirror:  oily face.  It's not super sticky and heavy though so I let it on my face, got some sleep and when I woke up I made the right decision of not washing my face after removing the mask sheet because my face looks healthy.  I know I over used in this blog words like smooth and soft but seriously among all the masks that I tried, Innisfree mask made my skin at it's most smooth and soft state.  My pores got a little smaller too and the effect lasted for 3 days (actually I'm still counting and I think it would last up to 5 days).  Now for the full description, here's what I found from Yesstyle:

"Highly moisturizing facial mask is packed with protein and moisture-enriched avocado essence that feeds skin with nutrients for more softness and vibrancy after every use. For best results, use mask on cleansed face and leave mask on for 10-15 minutes. After removing, massage in remaining essence and follow with a moisturizer if needed. Recommended for normal to dry skin types." -www.yesstyle.com

Avocado for the skin?  According to Reader's Digest, avocado can hydrate parch skin.  It helps prevent dry skin and brittle hair and nails because it's a good source of biotin.

I skipped the moisturizer by the way.

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!

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 Charcoal Mask

So here is another product that is effective yet really affordable.  It's the Saizen (Daiso) Charcoal Mask Natural Pack.  Daiso is from Japan and when this store landed in the Philippines it became Saizen probably because there's already a store here in the Philippines named Daiso.

Moving on, it is said that activated charcoal removes toxins not just in the surface but also beneath the skin.  It also has an antibacterial properties to relieve and  prevent infections.

Formulated with the natural ingredients from Oak trees, it removes oils and all dirt and deeply clean the pore, leaving your skin clearer with less visible pores.

The tube has Japanese and English descriptions and instructions but doesn't have any english translation of the ingredients.

After cleansing your face, evenly apply on the nose area and let it dry for 10-15 minutes.  If completely dried out, peel it off starting at the bottom, pulling toward the top.
Take Note!
Do not use use more than twice per week.
For sensitive skin, apply facial essence before using, and slowly peel it off starting at the top toward the bottom.

it's black in color with bits of charcoal.  the smell is nice though if I sniff it closely I can smell glue on it 

Since I have sensitive skin, I use first an essence before using this.  Also, I wash my face with lukewarm water for my pores to open up and for the product to penetrate underneath my skin.  I only use this mask on my nose and cheeks area where most my whiteheads and blackheads are.  Also, I recommend that you use this while watching TV (unless you're not comfortable watching with something in your face) because the drying time can stretch up to 30 minutes depending on how thick or how much you applied.

I put 5 pea size of the mask first in my pointer finger then spread it evenly in my nose and cheeks.  Wait for 10 to 15 minutes and sometimes even 30 minutes until completely dried.  If I'm in a hurry, I usually set my fan to the highest level and the mask will dry in 10 minutes.
It's kind a hard to remove the mask so in order to loosen it a little, I crinkle my nose then peel it.  As a result, whiteheads and facial hairs are removed.  Blackheads are still present in my nose and needs a little poking before leaving their beloved position.

And here's the highlight of the review!  The result:

whiteheads and facial hairs are REMOVED!

Remove any residue with water then apply your usual moisturizer.

My tube is made in Korea (surprisingly) and not in Japan.
Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

Mask of the Week: Vitamin C & Neroli

Another great mask from the cute cloud:  Beauty Buffet Vitamin C & Neroli Facial Mask.

revitalise and brighten

Indulge in a sumptuous feast for your skin!  This Beauty Buffet Mask's unique's recipe is made up of L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) - an anti oxidant to help stimulate collagen regeneration and defend against free radicals & pigmentation, as well as soothing Neroli to help boost skin regeneration, and Glycine to help retain moisture.  Skin becomes more refined, clearer and revitalised with a healthy glow.  Naturall botanical extracts - Algae, Aloe Vera and Cucumber alsoo help to moisturise and nourish skin.  Enjoy!

This mask is refreshing and I felt a tingling sensation all over my face.  It feels sticky at first but goes away after massaging and tapping my face in front of the fan.  My skin became smooth, it's like I have BB Cream and a little Volumer on.  It does brighten my face.  The smoothness and brightness faded once face is washed even when the excess essence is applied nevertheless this is now part of my favorite Beauty Buffet Mask.

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

Mask of the Week:Cucumber Essential Mask Sheet Pack

For the past 2 months, I never fail to use a face mask on a weekly  basis (although some use face mask on a daily basis, are you one of them?).  Anyway, I use sleeping pack instead almost every other day for economical reason.

And so I decided to have a new segement....segment???.  Okay not really a segment, but on a weekly basis, I will share /post the mask that I used for the week.

For this week, I tried TonyMoly's Cucumber Essential Mask Sheet Pack.

front"This essential mask sheet pack has been made with our new approach to create change in the ordinary mask packs sold today. This unique mask pack temporarily blocks air out from skin while efficiently transferring the necessary nutrients and moisture deep into the roots of skin. Applying this mask 3-4 times a week will help to fully nourish the skin and keep the skin constantly supple. Cucumber extracts nourish skin and make the skin look bright and clear. Also this mask pack calms the irritated skin and provides moisture the skin lacks. "

~all in Korean~

~illustration on how to use the mask~

Usage: Adhere to the face after facial wash for 15~20 mins. Remove gently and tap with hand on your face for absorption of product.

~blurry, used Ipod camera~

1.  no plastic around the mask 2.  soaking but not dripping wet 3.  thick and strong mask sheet 4.  a total of 9 cuts

I can't smell any cucumber on the essence or mask sheet, the scent is more on the powdery side.  Felt a tingling sensation on the nose and check area of my face and after 15 minutes the the mask started to dry out, I have to press it against my skin in order for it not to fall.  The essence is sticky and feels warm that I want to wash my face after removing the mask sheet.  But I don't want to waste the goodness of the essence so I just let it stay overnight.  The following morning my face feels well moisturize (although still a bit sticky) and looks healthy: bright, clear and supple.

It delivers it's purpose so I'll try this mask again and will just have to bear with the essence's stickiness (good thing it's tolerable that I have slept like a baby).

Till then. Bye!

Nature Republic Freebies

I think one of  the generous giver of GWP (gift with purchase) is Nature Republic.  For my P1500 purchases, I got 2 BB Creams and 2 Masks and (ahem) a standee...it's for a friend, okay???

collagen bb cream

The first ever BB Cream that I tried; the Collagen BB Cream Age Slick.  It's only 10ml but goes a long way (using for a month now and still counting).  I like it because it adapts to my skin tone giving my face a natural looking finish, though it doesn't totally cover my frickles (well in the first place it's a bb cream not a concealer).  I have dry skin so reapplication is not necessary.

~with the face of this korean guy~

This Brightening Mask Sheet is no joke!  It really did brighten my face after use.  The mask sheet itself is thin but doesn't break easily.  The combination of thin mask and just enough essence; for me,  is perfect as it sticks to my face, making me free to move around without the mask falling.

Thanks fro Reading.  Till then.  Bye!

DIY Masks

Here are some tried and tested DIY mask/pack that I used during my high school days (puberty stage.  probably one of the reason why I seldom have pimples).  Just need an ingredient or three that can be found in a common kithchen.

Need:  A tablespoon of Fresh or Evaporated Milk
How:  Spread the milk all over clean face and neck.  Let it stay for 10 to 20 minutes or until completely dried.  Rinse with tepid/lukewarm water.
Result:  Smooth and well moisturize skin

Need:  1 tablespoon slightly beaten Egg White
How:  Same with the Milk Mask.  Just use mild soap/foam cleanser to completely remove the slippery egg white.
Result:  Tighten pores and smooth skin

Need:  1/2 cup Oatmeal, 1 tablespoon Water, 1 teaspoon Calamansi/lemon
How:  Mix all ingredients.  Slather the mixture to the face and let it stay for 10 to 20 minutes.  Rinse with tepid/lukewarm water.
Result:  Brighter, Clean and Glowing Face

pictures from : wikipedia, ymkdesigns.tumblr.com, skinmocareko.blogspot.com

Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!

The Face Shop Lovely me:ex Waterful Grapefruit Mask

Remember this cute pic?  Yes, it's from my The Face Shop Haul post and I will now share my thoughts on the product.

There are 3 Kinds in this line:

Waterful Grapefruit Mask - A sleeping mask pack with fresh juicy grapefruits to enrich the skin with moisture to revitalize and hydrate tired and dry skin.

Magic Pink Powder Mask - A wash off mask pack with Calamine and Salicyclic Acid for a flawless solution in easing skin problems and provides care for troubled skin areas by softening flacky, dead skin cells.

Pore Ghassoul Mask - A  wash off mask pack of Ghassoul sourced from Morocco contorls sebum, a culprit of pore clogging. It gently removes dirt and impurities to smooth out uneven skin surface.

*photos from The Face Shop's Website

The one that I got is the Waterful Grapefruit Mask and thank God for the english description and instructions on one side of the box.

Directions:

Apply once or twice a week after toner in the evening.  Smooth gently over face evenly, avoiding eye and mouth areas.  Allow mask to remain on face overnight.  Then rinse off with lukewarm water next morning.

Caution:

1.  Discontinue use if signs of irritation appear.

2.  Keep out of reach of children.

The grapefruit smell didn't bother me when I sampled (in my hands) it in the store.  But I feel dizzy whenever I applied it on my face.  But it might just me.  Why?  Because I hate the smell of grapefruit.  I have the same feeling when i used a grapefruit variant body wash.  Anyway the smell goes away after a minute.

~looks like a pudding~

It almost has the same texture with panna cotta, only creamier.  The cream itself is in peach color.  The packaging is oh so cute and has a plastic lid on top of the cream when open.  I use this twice a week or whenever my face feel super dry.  The result?  Instant smoothness.  It also makes my skin softer the next morning.  Moisturize? yes. Hydrates? no, as I feel that my face is dry again after a day.

Can anyone translate this for me???

That's it.  Thanks for reading.  Till then.  Bye!