Review | AXIS-Y Skincare for Our Malaysian Tropical Weather

It has been over a year now since I have started incorporating skin barrier-repairing products into my daily skincare routines because honestly, most of my stash of products are single-functional; either they're simply hydrating or brightening with variable consistencies so I actually do need a separate set of soothing and calming (to tone down the redness-prone area) to complement the rest of my skincare products.

I have been adding these products from AXIS-Y mostly in my morning skincare routine for about 2 months now and I actually do love them especially the duo-moisturiser but first, let's get into the exfoliating toner; the first step after cleansing.

AXIS-Y DAILY PURIFYING TREATMENT TONER

Product Description:

• Has a unique formulation containing six premium natural ingredients along with 0.5% of Salicylic Acid (BHA) that helps to gently exfoliate, remove dead skin cells as this works from deep within the pores to clean and dissolve impurities while minimising pores and controlling the excess oil, leading to a clearer, breakout-free complexion.
• Tea tree and Centella Asiatica extracts soothe redness, calm irritated skin, control sebum production and offer hydration; giving a glowing, healthy complexion.

How to use: After cleansing, use a cotton pad soaked with toner and gently spread the liquid over facial area. Follow up with the rest of your skincare routine.

Ingredients: Here's a link to SkinCarisma.com

Packaging:

  

This toner comes in its own box with a minimal design which suits product concept in keeping a simple routine when skin barrier is being compromised.

There's product description, a little bit of visualisation and ingredients list printed at the sides of the box for your reference.

  

The toner comes in a simple, transparent green bottle like that which is convenient for me to see how much product actually left. 

There's no pump but the toner is watery enough to be simply poured onto cotton pads and the product expiry date is printed at the bottom of the bottle as you can see in the above photo with the format of YYYYMMDD.

APPLICATION

 

The texture of the toner is very watery so I always use a textured cotton pad as shown above to go with any exfoliating toner to simply  help with sloughing of dead skin cells. All I do is gently drag the cotton pad across my facial area from in outward direction.

There isn't much of scent to this toner other than lemon-fresh which is nice to me. 

Now, let's go to the treatment product of this skincare line!

AXIS-Y ARTICHOKE INTENSIVE SKIN BARRIER AMPOULE

Product Description:

• Has a unique formulation containing six premium natural ingredients along with a high concentration of artichoke extract and beneficial skin technology.
• The rich supply of antioxidants found in artichoke strengthens the skin's barrier and prevents loss of moisture, tightens pores to reduce appearance and improve skin texture. for a visibly healthier complexion.

How to Use: After cleansing and toning, apply a moderate amount of ampoule onto the skin and gently pat in for a better absorption. Follow with a moisturiser for a long-lasting effect.

Ingredients:: Here's a link to SkinCarisma.com

Packaging:

  

This ampoule comes in its own box with a minimal design which suits product concept in keeping a simple routine when skin barrier is being compromised.

There's product description, a little bit of visualisation and ingredients list printed at the sides of the box for your convenience.

  

This ampoule comes in that simple, transparent green bottle like that which is convenient for me to see how much product actually left and instead of a pump, you'll need to use the pipette to take out an appropriate amount of the product which is preferable to me as I won't know how much I really need at each application; it really depends on my skin condition on that day.

As this ampoule is quite concentrated to begin with, I merely dispensed like 2 to 5 drops of it and focusing on the sides of my nose and forehead where .

The product expiry date is printed at the bottom of the bottle as you can see in the above photo with the format of YYYYMMDD.

APPLICATION

 

The texture of the ampoule is quite thick like most ampoules but even with light finger taps on the facial area, the product is well-absorbed into skin while giving slight soothing sensation and leaving nice smooth finish; ready for the next step.

There is a little bit of lavender scent to this ampoule which I'm not really a big fan of but it's still good as it's quite subtle.

Last but not least, let's go to the duo-moisturiser!

AXIS-Y CERA-HEART MY TYPE DUO CREAM

Product Description:

• Features two completely unique cream formulation to tend skin's moisturising needs.
• The T-zone Cream is a lightweight, Heartleaf-based cream that hydrates oily skin while the U-zone cream is a rich, Ceramide-based cream that nourishes dry skin.

How to Use: Use the provided spatula to scoop the desired cream and apply on the appropriate areas.

Ingredients:: Here's a link to SkinCarisma.com

Packaging:

   

This moisturiser comes in its own box with a minimal design which suits product concept in keeping a simple routine when skin barrier is being compromised.

There's product description, a little bit of visualisation and ingredients list printed in Korean and English at the sides of the box for your reference.

 

The duo-cream is housed within a transparent green tub with an inner opaque white tub. The product expiry date is printed at the bottom of the bottle as you can see in the above photo with the format of YYYYMMDD.

 

Such a nice thing that this moisturiser comes with its own spatula that fits in between the cap and the inner lid.

The inner tub is with 2 compartments for the creams respectively which is nice although you might want to be careful and not drop it as the creams mixed a little bit actually.

APPLICATION

  

As you can see in the above photos, the blue cream is the T-zone; lightweight while the white cream is slightly thicker but still gel-like although once spread well and even on skin, both creams leave a nice, smooth and well-hydrated feeling on skin.

THOUGHTS

AXIS-Y Daily Purifying Treatment Toner

• Living in hot tropical country and working in cold workplace tends to drive my skin condition into a roller-coaster situation; dealing with my flaky facial area and accumulated dead skin cells and abrasive physical exfoliator is absolute no-no for me so while I'm aware that my skin is not big on BHA-containing toner, this is gentle enough for me to use once or twice a week at most.
• I always use this exfoliating toner in my evening skincare routine and layering Hyaluronic Acid-containing toners on top is a crucial step for me. I would be careful not to overuse BHA-containing toner because I might further sensitised my redness-prone facial area but so far so good! No irritation whatsoever.
• I do appreciate that while this toner helps with exfoliating my skin, it doesn't make my skin feeling dry or anything even though I accidentally forgot to layer another toner and merely applied a lightweight moisturiser on top.

AXIS-Y Artichoke Intensive Skin Barrier

• After my skin barrier was damaged (again!) back in December last year, I began looking for more soothing and hydrating treatment skincare product because I’m lacking the patience of layering several different treatment products especially when my skin just feels so uncomfortable at the time with blemishes all over my mouth area.
• I really do love the texture of this ampoule. Fast-absorbing, calming and can be used in any of my daily skincare.
• I have severe pore situations these days so I haven’t been seeing much changes in that department.
• While I have never tried any other products containing the featured ingredient; artichoke, having Aloe, Hyaluronic Acid, Centella Asiatica, Licorice Root Extract in a single treatment product like this is already quite intriguing to me.

AXIS-Y Cera-Heart My Type Duo Cream

• While I juggle different sunscreens on daily basis, I'd prefer to layer lightweight moisturisers underneath so my base makeup can still glide on evenly. If I were to use sleeping mask at night, I'd go to simple occlusive-containing moisturiser to layer underneath.
• I do indulge myself in a lot of chemical SPFs these days, the blue cream made me went back to my neglected tone-up sunscreens that I've ditched as I found them a bit drying compared to before my skin barrier got damaged due to allergic reactions. The cream simply makes my skin feels well-hydrated all day long.
• I can't give up sleeping in air-conditioned room but why do I have to? The ceramide-containing white cream helps sealing all the moisture in and even on its own, my skin still feel nice and smooth i.e. no dryness in the morning. I know the brand is giving us Malaysian people a solution in dealing with our hot and humid weather, I just want to say outright that this cream works greatly with my currently dehydrated skin. I really feel like I'm getting close to my normal to oily skin again and yes, I miss my sebum-controlling powders!

Overall, I find all these three products are working well with my currently dehydrated skin and am absolutely sure to keep having them in my skincare routine to really a more significant result.

All these products are currently available to purchase on Marshear Malaysia; linked down below.

So I guess that's all for now and do let me know your thoughts on this skin barrier-repairing line by leaving comments down below. I'll be seeing you guys on my next post. Annyeong~

|||   SHOP THE POST   |||

Axis-Y Daily Purifying Treatment Toner 200ml

Axis-Y Artichoke Intensive Skin Barrier Ampoule 30ml

Axis-y Cera-Heart My Type Duo Cream 60ml

||| Official links |||

Official Website | https://www.axis-y.com/

Official Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/axisy_official/

Distributor | https://shopee.com.my/marshearbeauty/

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

Blogger Mail | Althea Skin Relief Calming Cream and Waterful Green Bamboo Pads

Early this month, I've received another package from the Althea Land and this time they're launching products that are quite trendy these days; anti-pollution moisturiser that suits everyone even sensitive skin and soothing toner pads that's just filled with hydration and I'm obsessed with the gauze-type pad!

I've been incorporating both of these products in my daily morning and evening skincare routines and I just love how versatile and easy to apply they actually are like the rest of Althea Exclusives; skincare products released under un-house brand, Althea. Here's my first impression:-

I've been using the Waterful Green Bamboo Pads as the first step after my cleansing routine for the past couple weeks. I haven't had any soothing toner in my skincare stash because I usually go for hydrating and brightening toners instead; not until my skin started to dry out around my outer cheeks and chin area (entering my 30s sucks big time) and that's when I've started to look for gentle and soothing toner for my sensitive facial area. Then, bam! Althea dropped the toner pad; not only it soothes and hydrates my skin, it also helps in removing dead skin cells rather gently thanks to the gauze-type pads and the willow bark extracts as well. 

I've been noticing that my skin doesn't react well with heavy makeup lately; lots of redness around my cheek area and of course, there's still some areas around my outer cheeks that's just flaky and sad! I usually treat these areas with soothing, Panthenol-containing sheet masks but lately I feel that's still a bit lacking in terms of result unlike before. I've been using the Skin Relief Calming Cream mostly in my night skincare routine for the past couple weeks; coupling  it with other moisturisers where I'd be applying the soothing cream on affected area with other moisturisers focusing on hydration (Hyaluronic Acid-containing) that are mostly light in texture on the rest of my facial area. Man, I'm fully aware that combination skin is tricky but it gets trickier with sensitive area.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Myra Beauty Diary (@myrabeautydiary) on Apr 9, 2019 at 9:14pm PDT

So far, both products are appearing regularly on my #myraskincarediary on Instagram which means I've been using them a lot especially the soothing pad toners! I even take some of it and place them into a small case for me to carry in my office skincare kit for my midday routine because it's just so hot in Malaysia these days and even layering hydrating toners won't do. 

I guess that's all for now! Do stay tuned for full reviews for both of these products upcoming soon in here in my blog. Have you tried any of Althea Exclusive? Tell me about it! By the way, if you're planning to sign up for Althea and place your first order for more than RM150, use my link (click here!) for 20% discount off your first purchase!

|||   SHOP THE POST   |||

Althea Skin Relief Calming Cream RM44.00 (Malaysia only)

Althea Waterful Green Bamboo Pads RM54.00 (Malaysia only)

||| Official links |||

Website | http://my.althea.kr/

Facebook | http://www.facebook.com/altheamalaysia

Instagram | http://www.instagram.com/altheakorea

Blogger Mail | Re:sea Japan

Recently, a Japanese brand @reseahk sent me two of their products; Reborn Moisturizing Toner and Marine Nano Cream to try and as you've been seeing on my skincare diaries throughout several weeks ago, I've been adding them especially to my night routine solely because I'd prefer to do a much longer routine at night. I do sometimes layer the toner along with my lightweight hydrating toners in the morning. I'm gonna do a full review after several more weeks so definitely do stay tuned for that later.

I guess that's all for now so I'll be seeing you guys on my next post. Annyeong~

Skincare Routine | Moisturisers

When it comes to moisturisers, I gotta admit that I haven't been using them regularly as I've only been focusing on light moisturisers like emulsion and lotions for both my morning and evening skincare routines but of course I cannot prolong that habit anymore as my skin been feeling so dehydrated even adding sleeping masks won't do. 

I doubt that you're not familiar with moisturisers but I'm still gonna drop some info to refresh (if I may) both our memories on this supposedly last skincare product that we use to seal or lock in everything that we have applied from toner to the heaviest serum or ampoules.

Basically there are 3 things you need to know about ingredients in common moisturisers: 

• Emollients prevent water loss without adding moisture to skin and has a softening effect on skin. Example: mineral oil, shea butter, aloe vera, cocoa butter, fatty acids (animal oils), triglycerides, palmitates, stearates, etc. 
• Occlusives focus more on preventing the moisture loss  or drained by external stressors by forming a protective film over the skin. They're usually oil-based that give off slightly greasy finish that possibly clog your pores especially for oily and acne-prone skin. Example: jojoba oil and lanolin.
• Humectants add moisture by drawing water molecules from the environment towards the epidermis in order to help rehydrate the skin’s surface. They help to increase the amount of water within the skin and store it away until it is needed, making humectants a great moisturiser for the majority of skin types. It is capable to holding up to 1000 times its own weight in water! Example: Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid and certain AHAs like Lactic Acid. Source

If those three are driving you confuse then not to worry as there are few things in general you and I both need to know when it comes to moisturisers; how well it goes on our skin, whether it it is absorbed well into layers of our skin, whether it irritates or soothing; things you can see and feel but unfortunately, if you're not familiar with ingredients that might react badly to your skin then there's no other way other than trying the products and find out. That's why you're here! To find out about how these products work in general.

For my previous Round 11.0 skincare, I managed to finish one of the moisturisers around March so I went on and opened one to replace it but I've received several products to review and soon-to-be-expired freebies for the past couple of months hence there are five opened moisturisers in my stash!

Let's go into each and every of it!

First, the SKIN&LAB Dr. Colour Effect Red Cream. I've got this as a freebie along with a purchase from Althea and I remember while I was unboxing, I was so surprised to see that the full-sized product contained merely half of the tub! I've only used this like twice as the last step in my evening routine as it's so heavy and takes a while before absorbed all in however my skin was feeling really nice and smooth in the morning so I guess it's worth the effort to apply this. Be warned though; the scent is kind of strong and overwhelming for some.

As for the above Brillar Camu Camu Moisture Cream, I've been loving this since the first time I've tried this moisture cream as even though it goes on kind of thick on the surface, it dries down to almost matte finish as I massage my facial area upwards and this too gives off a very nice, smooth skin in the morning. Although I have to admit that this doesn't give much moisture I need during my dry and flaky skin days but still, I'm reaching for this the most in my PM routine.

This MIZON Vita Lemon Calming Cream is a recently opened product to replace the finished brightening moisturiser from my previous round of skincare but this also has soothing and calming properties so it's a 2 in 1 moisturiser that I've been enjoying in my morning routine. The texture is gel-like and absorbed into skin rather quickly and it does soothes my irritated skin and calms down my redness a little bit (although I don't have much to begin with) around my jawline and neck area.

Even before receiving Althea Korea Bare Essentials Fixer Cream for review, I already bought the trio literally on the the day it was launched on their site. I do like this for my morning routine as it does help with my normal to oily skin in terms of supplying ample of moisture but at the same time this just makes my skin is looking smooth with a little bit of brightening effect. As you've noticed from the above photo, I really am enjoying using this moisturiser to the point that I've used up more than half within 2 months.

I've received this Primary Raw Soy Milk Cream from Kurator.my as a gift with purchase (I've got some sheet masks and an essence-toner from the same brand) around March if I'm not mistaken and this is pretty much the same as the moisture cream I've shown you above. They also work similarly in terms of how they keep my skin moisturised but I do like this one's scent better as it's milder and doesn't linger.



So I guess that's all of it! I hope you find this post helpful and if you need me to further explain any of the above moisturisers, do let me know by leaving comments down below.

Until next post! Annyeong~

​

Blogger Mail | Althea Bare Essentials

Around end of last February, a Pixie from Althea-land contacted me via email to fill me in with the latest gossip in Malaysian K-Beauty world and it's all about their recently launched in-house brand skincare, Bare Essentials. 

Before I go further into these skincare products, let me brief a little bit on this line of skincare concept; simplifying K-beauty routine. It goes without saying that having 10 to 15 steps with different products at each step can be overwhelming and time consuming for both morning and evening skincare routines. As I'm hitting the big 3-0 this year, I'm literally forcing myself to apply eye cream at night, using sheet masks at least 5 times a week and carrying facial mist everywhere I go just to keep my skin hydrated all day and night long. However, I can't deny the fact that I'm always tired from my daily activities and as much as I can enjoy doing my skincare routines at night, I want to minimise the number of products that goes on my skin in the morning. 

Althea Bare Essentials trio claims to simplify my morning skincare routine with easy to use products that contain nourishing ingredients and helps prepping my skin for daily makeup application. 

Looking at the packaging, I'm such a huge fan of minimal design and these are just right down my alley. They're clean, sophisticated-looking and giving slight industrial vibe with the cap coloured in metallic grey. I absolutely dig it!

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

ALTHEA BARE ESSENTIALS CONTOUR CLEANSER

Althea Bare Essentials Contour Cleanser - RM23

A rich and refreshing foaming cleanser that contains micro capsules to both cleanse and gently exfoliate away impurities while improving blood circulation for that V-shaped look. - Althea

How to use: Dampen the skin, then squeeze out a small amount and lather onto the face, massaging in a circular motions. Rinse off with water after.

Ingredients: Glycerin, Water, Myristic Acid, Stearic Acid, Potassium Hydroxide, Palmitic Acid,Lauric Acid, PEG-32, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, Lactose, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Polyquaternium-67, Sodium Chloride, Disodium EDTA, Menthol, Acrylates / C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Polyquaternium-7, Fructooligosaccharides, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Pullulan, 1,2-Hexanediol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Mesembryanthemum Crystallinum Extract, Sodium Benzoate,Sodium Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Lippia Citriodora Leaf Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Fragrance

The key ingredients are Ice plant which hydrates and calms redness and Lemon verbena leaf which is rich in Vitamin C and antioxidants to strengthen the skin.

My first impression on this cleanser is actually quite good as it's giving me a nice refreshing feeling on my skin while cleansing. There's noticeable micro capsules that actually exfoliate my skin gently and gotten rid some of flaky area on my neck due to allergic reactions. The scent is lemony or that's probably verbena should smells like. Only small amount is needed as this cleanser gives so much foam as it lathers so a little goes a long way with this one.

While I was in the period of  testing the product where I used this facial cleanser everyday in my morning routine for 2 weeks, I do find this cleanser is slightly drying out my skin so these days I only use this cleanser every other day and followed up with facial mist right after I rinse it off as I don't want my skin feeling tight; yes, I no longer dry my skin with towel after cleansing.

ALTHEA BARE ESSENTIALS PRIMER WATER

Althea Bare Essentials Primer Water - RM43

Smooth, hydrating and ever so slightly balm-like, this bottle of wonder penetrates into the layers of the skin to plump them up, prepping the skin and making it a smooth canvas for products to come. - Althea

How to use: Pour out a small amount and apply evenly onto the face, gently patting in for better absorption. 

Ingredients: Water, Propanediol, Diphenylsiloxy Phenyl Trimethicone, Alcohol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tromethamine, Betaine, Fructooligosaccharides, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pullulan, Butylene Glycol, Dipropylene Glycol, Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Leaf Extract, Saussurea Involucrata Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Origanum Vulgare Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Sclerotium Gum, Agar, Polysorbate 20, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Fragrance

The key ingredients for this toner are snow lotus which smoothes and brightens the skin while evening out its texture with patented "dewdrop" formulation which revitalises the skin and provides immediate, effective moisture.

It's actually a first time for me to hear about the snow lotus flower being one of the rarest, most precious herbs in the world and known to have brightening energy, fixing dark spots on the skin, and superior anti-aging effects. I'm definitely all over this ingredient!

The texture is slightly thick yet still watery and I can apply using cotton pads or my fingers; either way is good. The scent is like baby powder to me which is nice and pleasant.

On the first impression of this cleanser, I'll be frank; I fell in love with this toner right on the first application. I'm lucky as my skin tolerates alcohol-containing products and this really did smoothed out my skin, making it feel so soft to touch at every application. I'm using this toner almost every morning (you know I have to alternate like 5 toners right now) and I just love seeing how my pores appearances reduced along with instant moisture effect upon application.

ALTHEA BARE ESSENTIALS FIXER CREAM

Althea Bare Essentials Fixer Cream - RM50

Powerful moisturizing properties are packed into this little jar that provides the skin with hydration for up to 24 hours for a fresh, revitalized complexion. - Althea

How to use: Apply evenly onto the face and gently pat in till absorbed.

Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, Dimethicone, Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Cyclopentasiloxane, Glyceryl Stearate, 1,2-Hexanediol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 60, PEG-100 Stearate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Houttuynia Cordata Extract, Carbomer, Tromethamine,Polyacrylate-13, Fructooligosaccharides, Saccharide Hydrolysate, Polyisobutene, Propanediol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Pullulan, Disodium EDTA, Polysorbate 20,Butylene Glycol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Trehalose, Sodium Hyaluronate, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Imperata Cylindrica Root Extract, Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract, Adansonia Digitata Seed Extract, Fragrance

The key ingredients for this moisturiser are Trehalose which is a powerful humectant that retains moisture on the skin, Wild Green Tea which is hydrating, skin soothing, packed with antioxidants and Baobab Tree Extract which is a non-greasy moisturizing agent that helps promote collagen production.

This moisturiser is light and indeed non-greasy upon its application on skin. It's actually reminds me to the texture of now discontinued LANEIGE White Plus Renew Original Cream and I'm liking it as it suits my normal to oily combo skin just fine. The scent is mildly refreshing which I appreciate a lot.

The cream gives a nice and smooth finish which is perfect for my cushion foundation or mere tone-up sunscreens applications on lazy days. My skin feel well-hydrated throughout the day although I have to blot my oily T-zone area around 3pm which is fine as I no longer fancy a sebum-controlling moisturiser and use facial mists whenever I feel I need to replenish moisture level in my skin.

Overall, I would say using these 3 products for my morning would be suffice on my normal skin days. Whenever I feel I need a hydration boost, I add a hydrating first treatment essence or serum prior Primer Water or a simple hydrating sheet mask prior applying Fixer Cream even a hydrating tone-up cream on top of everything. The fact that I don't have to necessarily apply 5 to 7 products for my morning routine is truly convenient for me and it's always fun to interchange the fourth product to the trio.

You can purchase the trio separately with individual price or in a set with 10% discount (no code necessary) and get a cute Beauty Mirror for limited time. 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! I know you guys would want to simplify your skincare but do let me know what your thoughts 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.