Review | SKIN1004 Cocoon Soap Mask

As I have previously reviewed a product from the SKIN1004, I want to share another one that has kept me interesting onto their brand which is this wash-off mask in the form of a soap and it is actually made with cocoon extract.

If you are not familiar with what cocoon extracts are good for, apparently it is featured in many pore-tightening and clarifying sheet masks with some even claim to give a firming effect on skin.

Now, firming one’s skin might sounds a bit over the top but clearing the pores out of impurities without drying out the skin is something that I’m looking for. Clay and charcoal wash-off masks are traditionally good for blackheads and whiteheads too but these ingredients tend to dry out my skin even more so I’m down for a much gentler option.

High points of this mask-soap!

Skin1004 highlighted that the Silk Cocoon Extract supposedly cleanse the skin gently, tighten enlarged pores by removing dead skin cells and blackheads to visibly enhance skin firmness.

This mask-in-soap also contains the brand’s signature ingredient, Centella Asiatica; its component, the Madecassic acid which is known for its ability in suppressing inflammation therefore is great for acne-prone skin. Argan Oil is known for its function in replenishing the skin nutrients that allows to treat and prevent acne scarring.

The cleanser comes in 100g size so I estimated that this actually lasts for about 4 months, used twice daily.

Ingredients list:

Purified Water, Cocoon Extract, Argan Oil, Centella Asiatica Extract, Glycerin, Sorbitol, Sodium Stearate, Sodium Palmitate, Sodium Oleate, Sodium Laurate, Sodium Myristate, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Hydroxide, Titanium Dioxide, Fragrance

Packaging:

 

The facial cleanser comes in a box with sufficient English product description printed on the sides of the box for your reference.

 

The expiry date is printed at the side of the bo in YYYYMMDD (year-month-day) format.

There is instruction on how to use the soap mask printed on the inner lid of the box both in English and Korean for your convenience.

 

The soap was covered with a thin white wrapping paper and sealed with the brand sticker across the knot. Although you do not have to worry as it is actually fully covered with clear plastic wrapper inside; I’m assuming for hygiene and quality purposes. The soap was debossed with the product’s name right in the center of it.

Application:

 

You can simply lather up the soap by running some water with it and get decent amount of foam within seconds but I would prefer to use a bubble maker like I’ve shown above to get more foam and bubbles.

The foam is lightweight and it feels so fluffy on skin! It is easy to rinse off in a sense that it is not too soapy, so it takes less time and water.

It has a mild scent to it so it doesn’t bother me much but I think it’s still tolerable if you’re not into fragrance-containing skincare products.

Thoughts:

I’d like to highlight that I always use this mask soap as a morning cleanser. It is not that I don’t trust this product to wash away excess of makeup removers in the evening but after using this for over couple of months, I find that this mask soap doesn’t make my dehydrated skin drier even I were to take my time after rinsing off the lather and dried my face with towel.

But the pore-minimising effect gets me every single time. My skin looks smoother and softer to touch after every wash. Thanks to Centella Asiatica contained in it, my redness area somewhat reduced or does not look inflamed or irritated (which is usually happened with cleansing bars) at the very least.

I considered this wash-off mask as a mild exfoliating cleanser therefore I always follow up with layers of hydrating toner and use lightweight moisturiser as a sealant to my routine prior sunscreen or base makeup application.

Overall, I give this product 5/5. It works well even during my sensitive skin days. My normal skin with oily T-zone feels comfortable and as you see in the above photo, I do have a backup for it.

How to store this mask soap is depends on your liking but for hygienic purposes, I either just simply let the mask soap in the bubble maker and hang it on the wall just like that but once it dried out, I’ll keep it in a ceramic case (plastic will do too!) to avoid water contamination in between uses as shown above.

I saw in their official Korean website that you can simply use the soap for about 10 seconds but I’d say, take a good 30 to 60 seconds of massaging your facial area with it before rinsing it off. This product is definitely unique compared to others I have encountered before; including non-Cica products so that’s actually quite interesting.


I guess that's all from me so definitely let me know if you have tried anything from SKIN1004 before as I'd like to try more from the brand. I'll see you guys on my next post ! Annyeong~

Blogger Mail | AllYoung X Swissvita Acne Solution Cleansing Cream and Skin Balancing Toner

The past 6 months is like a pause button in between my 12th and 13th rounds of skincare as I was having episodes of food poisoning hence multiple allergic reactions therefore I had to gather set of products that I can utilise to reduce the inflammation for the first few weeks after having reactions and several more gentle, acne-fighting and skin texture-improving products that I continued on using throughout the whole period of skin recovering. Soothing, skin barrier-repairing, hydrating, moisturising, nourishing; these are the keywords that I have been focusing on and only after 6 months, I dare to say that my skin is finally back to its original condition to the point that I finally get to use my Clarisonic brush again.

I'm planning to discuss more on the sensitive skin products that I've been using so do stay tuned for that but for now, I'm going to talk about these two products that were sent to me by allyoung Malaysia that I've incorporated into my skincare routine for the past month or so; I'd say these helped me in restoring the oil-water balance especially on my T-zone area and I no longer have breakouts at the same spots at the side of my nose area but before we jump right into the products, let me just talk a little bit on this Taiwan's aesthetic skincare, Swissvita.

• Swissvita, widely recognized as an aesthetic skincare brand to treat Asian skin concerns utilizing only top notch quality ingredients. Through collaboration with skilled talents from France, Swissvita products were all Swiss-formulated, using signature ingredients such as AC11 and B12 extracts from plants and herbs in the Amazonian forest, these ingredients are widely sought after by international cosmetic manufacturer for the amazing benefits.
• With the great objectives and beliefs to eliminate plasticizers that can cause breast cancer, Swissvita products are packaged using aluminum tube that not only ensures product quality by retaining the active ingredients but also prevent oxidation.
• The brand's 4 main principles:
• Product Quality Assurance
• MIT independent research and development
• 100% authentic
• Adhered to ISO and SGS standards
• The brand's efficacy through high dose of patented active ingredients and being the only authorized manufacturer of AC-11 Aesthetic skincare products.

Swissvita Acne Solution Soothing Cleanser

Simplified Product Description:

• Facial cleanser dedicated for pimpled skin type.
• Purifying ability which can compete with the auto cleansing brushes.
• Deep cleansing the pores; washes away impurities and daily grime.
• Preventing blemishes and pimples from forming by balancing sebum secretion.
• Removing dead skin cells, blackheads and whiteheads for a brighter look.
• Reducing the appearances of pores.

Product claims:

• High performance acne-fighting cleanser
• 100% Alcohol-Free
• Medical-grade product
• Suitable for everyday usage
• Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant
• Fragrance Free, Alcohol Free, Paraben Free, Non-Drying, Non-Irritating

Ingredients list:

Aqua, Sodium Lauroyl Glutamate, Sodium Cocoyl Isethionate, Propanediol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, PEG Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Disodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Phenoxyethanol, Chlorphenesin, o-Cymen-5-ol (Isopropyl methylphenol), Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Epilobium Fleischeri Extract, Glycerin, Potassium Sorbate, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Pyridoxine HCL, Maltodextrin, Sodium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Silica, Propylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Malic Acid, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Arginine.

Go to CosDNA for ingredients analysis here.

Highlighted ingredients:

• Caviar Lime Extract – Gentle removal of dead skin cells
• Organic Willow Herb Extract - Inhibit overproduction of sebum, minimizes pores, skin calming
• O-Cymen-5-Ol – Anti-Acne and Anti-Oxidation
• Arginine – Moisturizing and Skin Repairing

How to Use:

Dispense appropriate amount of product onto hands, add water and work into lather. Massage gently onto wet face, focus on the T-zone if necessary. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.

Use it daily; morning and night.

Application:

 

This product is creamy, less foamy compared to regular cleanser and can be easily rinsed off without causing any redness or irritation. Squeeze out 1cm size of cleanser onto palm (or at the back of your hand like me), lather with water until you get a foamy consistency. Massage gently onto wet face and gently cleanse for 30 seconds. Wash it off with water thoroughly. 

I've been using this cleanser regularly; alternating with my other gentle cleansers in the morning and I do love how less bubbly the foam is as it doesn't dry out my skin even after massaging my skin thoroughly for 30 seconds as per recommendation. My skin also feeling nice and smooth afterwards.

Swissvita Acne Solution Skin Balancing Toner

Simplified Product Description:

• Double-layer balancing toner; contains oil-absorbing powders,
• Purify clogged pores, accelerate dead skin cell removal, enhance skin regeneration
• Reduce and prevent blemishes
• Improve uneven skin tone while preventing pigment build-up
• Regulate rough and uneven skin texture
• Tighten enlarged pores

Product claims:

• High performance clear toner
• 100% Alcohol-Free
• Suitable for everyday usage
• Fast and gentle skin renewal
• Fragrance Free, Alcohol Free, Paraben Free, Non-Drying, Non-Irritating

Ingredients list:

Aqua, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Zinc Oxide, Zinc Lactate, Bis-PEG-15 Methyl Ether Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Glycerin, Microcitrus Australasica Fruit Exract, Olea Europaea (Olive) Leaf Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Chlorphenesin, Saccharide Isomerate, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Propylene Glycol, Salicylic Acid, Ascorbic Acid, Tartaric Acid, Malic Acid, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Viola Tricolor Extract, Allantoin, Panthenol, Triethanolamine, o-Cymen-5-ol (Isopropyl methylphenol), Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Fruit Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil, Iodopropynyl Butylcarbamate.

Go to CosDNA for ingredients analysis here.

Highlighted ingredients:

• Caviar Lime Extract – Gentle removal of dead skin cells
• Organic Willow Herb Extract - Inhibit overproduction of sebum, minimizes pores, skin calming
• Zinc Lactate – Regulate skin’s oil-water balance, increase moisture reserve in skin
• Isopropyl Methylphenol Antimicrobial Agent – Stop comedonal acne
• Perfect Ratio Flower Acids – Mild skin regeneration, reduce enlarged pores, improve skin radiance
• Zinc Oxide – Tighten pores, moisturize skin
• Penitential – Reserves water for long-lasting hydration
• Olive Leaf Extract – Alleviate skin irritation, minimize the appearance of blemishes, prevent pigment build-up

How to Use:

Shake the bottle well to mix the double layer; toner with the powder that's sitting at the bottom  of the bottle then apply to cleansed face. 

Application:

 

Pour an appropriate amount on cotton pad or palm, gently pat it on your face until fully absorbed. Use it daily; morning and night.

This toner has lightweight consistency and I've been using this toner as first step after cleansing  step in my morning skincare routine and it does help to inhibit sebum overproduction and prevent blemishes at the same spot at both side of my nose area. It doesn't really has a scent to it; maybe a faint tea tree oil scent but I hardly noticed it. Although some of you might consider on using this toner alone for your whole facial area, I still find this toner a bit lacking in terms of moisture so I usually apply this toner just on my T-zone area and opting for more moisturising toner for my drier U-zone area.

Packaging:

 

As you can see, the box is simply designed; I'd take it as the brand intends to focus more on the product itself, them being their ultimate acne solution skincare products. Do note that these products are to be used within 6 months after opening.

There's English product descriptions at the back and side of the boxes which are nice considering the brand is originating from Taiwan.

 

The Expiry dates are at the bottom of the box and on the bottle and aluminium  tube itself which is something I'd appreciate as I no longer hoard products packaging.

Although I don't really like the opening of the aluminium tube of the facial cleanser that much; looks like toothpaste IMHO but I'm gonna look past it as the consistency of the cleanser is creamy so it's still easy to dispense it.

The cap for the toner is considered nice as the product doesn't spill or anything. The hole isn't too big either so it's easy to control the amount of the toner itself.

Thoughts:

I have got to say that it's been a long time since I have any product with lots of astringent in it as for the past 2 years, I'm all about hydrating, moisturising products as part of my anti-aging skincare routine but with the allergic reactions I was having that made my skin went crazy with dryness which resulted in super oily T-zone, rough flaky texture and some redness, I'm glad that I got to try these gentle, non-drying (as I would expect from lots of acne-related skincare products) and blemish-preventing products from Swissvita.

As of end of this month of November, I'm fully back to my normal to oily skin condition; now focusing more on reducing dark spots and pigmentation caused but above all, I'm indulging myself more in moisturising products as I'm about to venture in exfoliating acid toner. 

Thank you so much to allyoung Malaysia and Swissvita Malaysia for sending these products to me at such a perfect timing!

I guess that's all from me. Do let me know your thoughts on these products and tell my your go-to products if you have acne-prone, sensitive skin by leaving comments down below and  I'll see you guys on my next post, annyeong~

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Swissvita Acne Solution Cleansing Cream and Skin Balancing Toner. 

Click the image above to purchase.

||| Official Links |||

Facebook:

• allyoung Malaysia | https://www.facebook.com/allyoungmalaysia/
• Swissvita Malaysia | https://www.facebook.com/swissvitamalaysia

Instagram:

• allyoung Malaysia | https://www.instagram.com/allyoung_my
• Swissvita Malaysia | https://www.instagram.com/swissvitamy/

Disclaimer: Links provided are non-affiliated and solely for your convenience. The products were sent to me for review purposes and all opinions here are based on my personal use of the products.

Review | Althea X Get It Beauty Real Fresh Skin Detoxer in Green Tea and Rose

When I got these two products from Althea as part of their Althea Angels Welcome Kit, I opened them right away as I was very excited to try them because of two things; Green Tea and Rose are both my favourites when it comes to ingredients for my special care products like sheet masks and wash-off masks. The second reason would be this is the first time I'm trying this kind of product! I've tried oil-to-foam cleanser before and that's surprisingly very convenient although I just can't change my double cleansing method but mask-to-cleanser can be a game changer in my skincare routines.

But first, let's go into details of these new products from Althea!

"Naturally fresh, premium ingredients for modern urbanites."

Althea Real Fresh Skin Detoxer are created to suit the hectic schedules of modern urbanites, this product harnesses the goodness of nature and translates that into freshness and vitality for the skin.

Made with premium ingredients sourced from various parts of the world, this 10-second mask is filled with the vitality and freshness from nature to ensure your skin stays healthy and clean everyday.


Althea Real Fresh Skin Detoxer Rose (Refining):  Recommended for morning routine

• A skin refining recipe made with roses to detox, gently smooth away roughness and give the skin a radiant glow.
• Use in the morning to help to balance the skin's natural pH levels and protect it, evening out the skin's texture for perfect makeup application.

Ingredients:

Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Pteris Multifida Extract, Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Rosa Gallica Flower Powder, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-51, Beta-Glucan, Betaine, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol

Althea Real Fresh Skin Detoxer Green Tea (Purifying): Recommended for night routine

• A skin-purifying recipe made with green tea to detox , soothe and nourish sensitive skin. 
• This product boosts the skin's natural regeneration process at night when the skin cells are most active by ensuring the skin is clarified and ready to rest.

Ingredients:

Water, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Acrylates Copolymer, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Phellodendron Amurense Bark Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Extract, Pteris Multifida Extract, Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ulmus Davidiana Root Extract, Amaranthus Caudatus Seed Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Powder, Methylpropanediol, Butylene Glycol, Polyquaternium-51, Beta-Glucan, Betaine, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol

Now, let's talk about the packaging!

The products came within these boxes. The design is minimalistic with merely wordings for the products' names and the main ingredients' illustrations on the side. If you've noticed, there's the Get It Beauty logo at lower part of the box I'm guessing to indicate that these two products are indeed collaboration between the brand and the beauty TV show.

If you're still confused on what category these product fall on, they're actually wash-off masks, recommended to be used for 10 seconds after first oil-based cleanser (for double cleansing method) on daily basis.

At the back of the boxes are the product descriptions in Korean but rest assured, you can get all the information you need here. Unless of course, if you can read and understand Hangeul  that is. (>.<)

On the side of the box there's a note regarding the natural real rose and green tea leaves contained in the products so don't freak out if it's starting to change in its colour although I haven't seen it yet either. 

The products came in almost transparent tubes which is again, something I'd appreciate as I'm tired of putting those products in tubes that I have in my stash behind the light just to really see how much of product left inside. I also am digging the part where they've provided a space at the back of the tube for me to properly write the opened date for these products.

Like most Korean products, these tubes products have seal stickers at the opening. Oh, you can check the expiration dates at the top of the tube. Such a great movement in Korean skincare manufacturing industries I'd say as it's really nice to know when the products are going to expire instead of counting the months and the years from the manufacturing dates printed on products back in 2015. The format is YYYYMMDD.

Now, let's go to each of the product.

ALTHEA REAL FRESH SKIN DETOXER ROSE

I was catching up with previous episodes of Get It Beauty on iFlix few weeks ago; there's one episode where the participants of the show known as Better Girls were comprising of foreigners that currently residing in Seoul being invited to the show. I recalled there's part of the program where the hosts revealed some beauty products that they discovered during their overseas trips; host Lee Honey brought her self-made perfume while she was visiting Grasse, France and guess where one of these two's main ingredient sourced from? Grasse, France; the world's capital of perfume, indeed.

The consistency for both of these products is similar; thick gel, run slightly and this being the Rose variant is containing rose petals in it. The scent is of course filled with rose scents but it does smell like chemical although slightly.

When it comes to application, I've noticed that Althea recommends for Rose to be used in the morning to refine the skin texture and promote smooth skin texture. I have to agree that this mask-to-foam product does give me that especially when I have flaky skin around my jawline area thanks to multiple allergic reactions I've been having for the past month or so (no worries, I'm consuming lots of veggies these days) and as I've been using this product every other day for more than 3 weeks with use no physical scrubs in my routines as I'm afraid it might be too harsh for my skin' the same goes to my Clarisonic brush, I've seen improvement as the area is very much smooth.

ALTHEA REAL FRESH SKIN DETOXER GREEN TEA

The Green Tea variant is an absolute delight for my skin as it cleanses deeply; I see no dead skin cells whenever I tone my skin after using it in my evening routine. The scent is so nice and therapeutic within the short seconds while applying this on. 

Although I have to let you guys know that around the second week of using this, I applied this on for a little bit longer than I should and with my jawline being sensitive and all at that point, the whole area went overly dried and worst than allergic reaction aftereffect, I cried. I guess the formula is indeed intense hence only 10 seconds recommended for it to work well on your skin so I'd suggest for you to follow the instructions well before using.

Overall, I would say that these two products work well and if you're like me who are busy and got not much time to do physical scrubs, do wash-off masks like 3 times a week; the whole nine, I'd definitely recommend these products maybe for daily use, or every other day you can build up the frequency according to your skin concerns. 

You can purchase these separately with individual price of RM43 or in a set with 10% discount (no code necessary) with both variants. If you're new to Althea and planning to purchase more than RM150, use my link (click here!) for 20% discount! 

So I guess that's all from me! If you have already got these products, do let me know what your thoughts on them by leaving comments down below.

Until next post, annyeong~

||| Official links |||

Website: http://my.althea.kr/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/altheamalaysia
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/altheakorea

Disclaimer: Links provided are non-affiliated. The products were sent to me for review purposes and all opinions here are based on my personal use of the products.

Blogger Mail | The Hiro House Matcha Face Mask

Around early last month, I’ve started looking for some locally produced face masks and I’ve encountered @thehirohouse (such a coincidence that we have major love for concrete deco pieces!) and after exchanging DMs via Instagram, they sent me this mask just to try and although they didn't request me to review the product, I've decided to do it anyway so let's get into this! 

Description:

The key ingredients:

• French Green Clay: has the ability to absorb oil and bacteria from your skin and pores. It’s beneficial in removing impurities and tightening the pores, toning the skin, exfoliating dead skin cells and reducing inflammation in acne. 
• Green Tea: Powerful antioxidants provide powerful skin detox, stimulates and rejuvenates skin cells. 
• Aloe Vera powder: Ability to soothe, hydrate and nourish the skin tissue.

Packaging:

The face mask comes in a simple glass jar with a white lid and packaged within a brown box with product label on it.  I actually kind of digging this kind of minimalist style although I do wish that the box is sturdier however they shipped the product with layers of bubble wraps so I was relieved that it actually survived 1000 miles trip from one end of Malaysia to my place.

There's a full English product description at one side of the box; explaining the product star ingredients and their suggestions of product usage. Although the mask comes in powdered form, it's still to be used up within 12 months as indicated on the box.

Impression:

I honestly don’t think I ever tried a powdered mask up to this mask so it is indeed a first for me. I gotta say that the first few times were a struggle to get the right amount of powder and water ; it can me too thick I felt like I wasting product or too thin as the mask kept on running down on my face to my shirt but after I’ve gotten that measuring spoons from Daiso, I’m good. The ratio for me is 1 (spoonful of product) : 1 (spoonful of water)  which is just perfect.

I was mixing this in a small bowl on the kitchen counter when mum walked in.

Mom: Is that drinkable? I think I've seen those matcha powder in Starbucks before.

Me: Sure, mom. 

Mum wanted to take some into a cup and then I freaked out as she didn't get my sarcasm. So, yes. Please don't leave this around unattended. :D Now, let's get to the next part of this review!

Application:

I applied the mask using facial brush (not in picture) on my whole facial area (avoiding eye area) and slightly on the neck area. There’s a faint scent of green tea which is fine and I do feel the tightening sensation when the mask started to dry out and then I'll rinse it off after 20 to 30 minutes; depending on how early I got in the morning.

I just love how smooth and soft my skin becomes after every usage, I don’t feel this drying out at all but of course, I’d be misting my whole face with facial mist that I have in my bathroom to prevent that as I'm not taking any chance! I’ve noticed that whenever I use this mask in the morning, my T-zone area becomes non-oily and I didn't have to reapply finishing powder or to blot even if I were to merely use tone-up sunscreen for the day.

Final verdict:

I haven’t been into wash-off masks for so long (other than my Skinfood wash-off masks which are staple) but after seeing @lezelasrie doing wash-off masks so religiously (thanks, babe! for all the awesome tips!!) almost everyday makes me want to get some for myself.

Overall, 5/5. To my fellow Malaysian beauty enthusiasts, this mask is simple and great so do check them out! I’m not gonna stress on the less fancy packaging that some of you might not be fan of as I no longer a sucker for packaging for the past year or so. I've also been clearing out lots of boxes and packaging of products that I've kept for so-called aesthetics then I've realised they're all trash that I need to get rid of.

I’ve actually liked this face mask so much on the first try enough for me to get the rest of its sisters from Picksum.com the very next day plus I think they were having promotions on these so I guessed, why not?

I’m loving the part when I get to use different mask at different facial area with different concern; my fave combination so far is Matcha and Calm so do let me know if you want me to show you guys on Instagram Stories.

I guess that's all from me! I hope you guys enjoyed this post and please let me know your thoughts by leaving comments down below. Until next post!

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View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Hiro House (@thehirohouse) on Jun 1, 2018 at 4:55am PDT

The product was provided to me by @thehirohouse and my thoughts here are based on personal use of the product. Do contact them via the Instagram for further information.

Makeup Stash | Primers

It's April already and it's a new category for my posts under Beauty Routine ; makeup items that I currently use in my daily and occasional makeup routine. Posts under this tag are mainly talking about number of products that I use at certain point of my makeup routine so for today's post, I'll be giving out my thoughts on makeup primers.

When it comes to face primers, I've only been focusing on getting my pores' appearances at my nose area being reduced and less oily T-zone. I'm taking care of my dehydrated cheek area with proper hydration so my choice of primers are:

• Benefit POREfessional Face Primer. I have nothing to say as you guys definitely are familiar with this primer especially if you have similar concerns as I am; huge pores and oily T-zone so this primer actually helps in preparing the 'canvas' for makeup application by blurring the pores and smoothing the lines, giving sebum-control at my T-zone. My base makeup stays intact on top of this primer and all I have to do is to set it properly with setting powder.
• LANEIGE Lumi Block Primer. This evens out my skin, gives sebum control, mattifies and overall soft-looking finish which is perfect for my cushion foundations. It's light and gives cool sensation as well and I sometimes used this on top of cushion foundation for touch-ups.
• FENTY BEAUTY Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Primer. I've only tried this at the store when I bought this and fell in love with its texture instantly. I'll let you guys know more details when I actually tried this under a foundation soon.

The three above are actually unopened primers and below are my the ones I'm currently using in my actual routine. Guess it's no surprise to see the first two are repurchases for me and the other primer that I recently tested is that Innisfree No Sebum Blur Primer that works similarly as Benefit's but I'm going to say that this is at 75% capacity of that of Benefit's to me i.e. works similarly but less. I won't be repurchasing this.

If you're new to makeup, I just have to say that when it comes to investing in makeup collection, base makeup products are those you should be splurging on because there are so many formulations, shades, undertones, etc out there and I did spent money on looking for a good foundations but at some point, I also realised that I need a good primer as well to ensure your look for the day stays on nice and smooth.

I guess that's all for today's post! I'll see you guys on the next one. Until then, annyeong~

Skincare Routine | Wash-Off Masks

Despite the fact that I'm all over sheet masks and aiming to use 600 sheet masks a year (yes, Fan Bing Bing! I'm following your footsteps), I do still use wash-off masks although I'm only sticking with my favourites; clay masks and brightening wash-off masks. For today's post under my Beauty Routine series where I'll be giving out my thoughts on line of products at certain point of my skincare or makeup routine, I'll be talking about these masks that I've repurchased more times than I can remember.

Skinfood Egg White Pore Mask. This has been repurchased probably 3 or 4 times so far and I'm gonna keep on buying it once I finished with one. This is perfect for morning clay mask as it really help in sebum-control, giving me that nice canvas for my makeup of the day. 

Innisfree Super Volcanic Jeju Clay Mask. This one definitely doesn't need introduction for any AB enthusiast. This really just purifies my pores as it clears out impurities off it. Another HG, I'm alternating this and the Egg White mask. The one thing that I absolutely hate about this product though, is the fact that how fast it dries out while sitting on the shelf so for the time being, I'm placing it in my bathroom shelf and so far it hasn't dry out yet.

LANEIGE Multiberry Yogurt Repair Mask. I got a deluxe sample of this and fell in love with the result after each time of using it. I was huge on wash-off masks up until early last year but starting around October, I finished off my other wash-off masks as I concentrate more on sheet masks. This mask is the only full-sized product that I have while others are in small capsule packs or mere deluxe samples. I do like it but this isn't as impressive as the newer sheet masks released by the brand plus as of this year, I no longer see this being sold at my local LANEIGE counter so it's probably discontinued. 

Until next post, annyeong~

Skincare Routine | Sunscreens

Whether it's bright or cloudy throughout the day, a beauty enthusiast such as yourself and myself included will definitely know that there's no such thing as not wearing SPF protection while you're out and about under the sun. For today's post under my Beauty Routine series where I'll be giving out my thoughts on line of products at certain point of my skincare or makeup routine, I'll be discussing about my selection of sunscreens that depends on my activity of the day.

THE FACE SHOP Natural Sun Eco No Shine Hydrating Sun Cream SPF40/PA+++. My favourite sunscreen from the brand that I've repurchased 3 times, this being the third time it being repackaged excluding the time it was released in The Simpsons limited edition last year. This is supposedly giving me sebum control on my T-zone and hydrating my cheeks. I use this on daily basis; indoor and not much of movement i.e. officeworks.


THE FACE SHOP Natural Sun Eco Daily Sun Essence SPF40/PA+++. The lightest Korean sunscreen I ever tried. I really like this as it's just perfect for my no-makeup makeup days. This is actually the first chemical sunscreen that I have and I usually go for this whenever I feel like I don't want to pile so many things on top as I'll be touching up with just blotting paper/powders i.e. indoor activities.


Dr. G Brightening Up Sun SPF42/PA+++. This sunscreen hydrates and instantly brightens my uneven complexion as it has a light pink to peach undertone so it's sun protection, moisturising and tone-up effect in one step although I haven't been using this a lot to say whether I like it or not. I use this for indoor activities where I'll be wearing makeup on top.


Biore UV Perfect Protect Milk SPF50+/PA+++. I recently got this from a gift exchange with a fellow beauty enthusiast on Instagram and I can't deny the fact that I really like it for its lightweight consistency! Definitely will come up with a full review for this one later. 

I still have several other sunscreens that are opened but not yet juggled among these sunscreens solely because I want to finish one bottle before moving onto the next one.

Have you tried any of these? What's your favourite sunscreen? Do let me know by leaving comments down below!

Until next post, annyeong~

Skincare Diary | Morning Routine

This was my morning routine today and the past several weeks. I've mentioned previously that I always go for brightening or sebum-controlling skincare line for my morning routines but this line from Innisfree called Whitening Pore does both and I’m loving it. The toner contains some sort of powder that helps with controlling sebum and the squeezed fresh tangerine peel juice contained in the whole skincare line is for fresh and brighter skin tone. Oh, I forgot to include the cleanser in the above photo. Sorry!

I have started using Innisfree The Green Tea Seed Serum since September I think and I’m almost halfway through the bottle. I usually use it in the morning for extra boost of moisture.

As I mentioned before, the Innisfree Daily UV Protection No Sebum SPF35 PA+++ needs proper moisturiser to be layered underneath or you won’t be able to spread it even. Indeed, it’s meant for oily skin (my T-zone is) but even with my dry cheeks, I still want a matte finish with my sunscreen. I guess I need to find a hydrating sunscreen for my skin very soon. 

I guess that's all for today's skincare diary. I hope you enjoy your days onward.