Beauty Empties 24.0 | March

Two weeks into MCO, how are you guys doing? I've been going at my emptied products; cleaning them, organising them and running around my apartment looking for more. Obviously running out of things to do so here's my beauty empties for the past quarter of 2020!

Using more and more quite intense anti-bacterial soaps so I'm upping my body lotion game to avoid dehydration.

I guess that's all from me and I'll be seeing you guys on my next Empties post! Take care and stay at home!

Beauty Empties 23.0 | December

Finally we have arrived to the last Empties post of this year of 2019! As for this time around, I have finished many products that I find simply above average and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to repurchase most of them.

As per usual, let us start with skincare products!

For makeup removers, I've used up the whole tub of that FORENCOS V-Right New Tone Cleansing Balm which is really pretty in texture but I don't think I will be repurchasing it simply because it is quite hard to rinse it off once it melted off the makeup.

With so many lazy nights the past couple of weeks, I can't help but relying on that Bifesta Enrich Cleansing Sheet to remove the layers of sunscreen at the end of the day. This makeup wipe is real nice and while I didn't actually repurchase it, I do have other variants as backups.

Throughout the past 3 months, I've finished a total of 8 cleansers. I do know it is a lot for merely a 3-month period but it is because I use most of them as body cleansers as well. I find most of these cleansers causing dryness onto my facial area so instead of tossing the out, I simply repurposed them.

The three cleansers from THE FACE SHOP Bubble Bubble cleansing line are actually different and I like the Mild Foaming Cleanser the most as it works well with my currently dehydrated skin. The other two, Moisturising Foaming Cleanser and Deep Foaming Cleanser were quite drying in general. I've also finished another tube of my favourite cleanser from the brand; Rice Water bright Cleansing Foam and I'm glad to report that that is the last tube I have in my cleanser stash. I've gone through many tubes of it at this point but I guess I'm not going to repurchase because I'm just really into gel cleansers these days.

That big tube of cleansing foam from Pyunkangyul is actually quite mild to my skin while it does cleanse well and the same goes to that one from Elle Beauty. 

I find both of those SNP LAB+ Triple Water Deep Clean Facial Foam and FORENCOS V-right New Tone Cleansing Foam drying out my skin so much I've decided to simply use them as body cleansers.

I've used up my first bottle of that SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Asiatica Toning Toner and still have another bottle as backup. At first, I thought this exfoliating toner is quite harsh but then as it turned out, I was just reacting badly to a BHA toner that I also was testing at the time. My bad, really. So yes, I actually do glad I have a backup for it although I do want one in newer packaging.

As I've finished my first bottle of Cream Skin Refiner last quarter, I was focusing on both of those Leegeehaam Grow Hyal B5 Toner, the Ampoule and Cream sister for hydration. The toner was quite heavy to begin with so I didn't need to layer its application and as for the ampoule, I usually just use it on its own without layering another treatment product on top because it is quite heavy and takes some time to absorbed well into the skin. The cream too was quite heavy so I actually applied some of it on my dry elbows most of the times.

I have finally finished the Primer Water from Althea and I admit I did went over 12 months to finish it but it didn't changed in scent or colour so I guess it was all good. It's indeed quite nice to be used in the morning but I still have other opened hydrating toners so I won't be repurchasing this anytime soon. Speaking of which, I've finished another bottle of that Pyunkangyul Essence Toner which I love for its hydrating power and also, the fact that it has less than 10 ingredients. I'd be sure to at least repurchase this next year.

I have also finished up a tone-cream and this time around is that FORENCOS Wonderwerk Marula Tone-Up Cream which was nice as it's hydrating while giving me a toned up finish. As I always love trying new products, I won't be repurchasing this one for now.

That Huxley Secret of Sahara Sleep Mask: Good Night was given to me through a giveaway last year and I only had the chance to open it early this year. It's actually went really nice on skin and even more so when I wake up in the morning.

For sunscreens, I have managed to finish 5 of my opened stash. It did took me almost a year to finish most of them but when it comes to that Krave Beet the Sun, I've used it up within merely 3 months. I really do like it and already got myself a backup.

Both of those THE FACE SHOP Natural Sun Eco Liquid Fluid Sunscreen and Daily Sun Essence worked really nice with my skin as they both were nicely hydrating and felt lightweight on skin although I won't be repurchasing them anytime soon.

As for that LANEIGE All Day Anti-Pollution Defensor SPF30 PA++, I really like it as it worked greatly on top tone-up creams although it's not possible for me to repurchase this product as the whole anti-pollution line has been discontinued here in Malaysian market.

That Etude House Face Liquid Blur worked greatly too but I really hate the fact that it's heavily scented. I have been using AmorePacific products for years now and I'm quite used to how each of their products are scented but this one was just too much for me. While it does give me that nice and even toned up finish, I just can't deal with the scent. With that, I probably won't be buying anything from the brand anymore.

You guys know that I love using facial mists and that Innisfree Green Tea Mineral Mist is just one of it. I still do have several backups for it as I love carrying it in my bag. As for that Clinelle Pure Swiss Thermal Spring Water however, it's simply average so thank you. Next!

For body care products, I have finally finished the Dove Go Fresh Sakura Blossom Body Wash after about 9 months as I was alternating it with my other body cleansers. The fragrance suits my taste well for a body cleanser but I find it a bit too drying for my skin so I'm sticking to shower oil for now. As for that Shokubutsu Clean Fresh Shower Foam, it's actually a refill for my brother because he kept on using my floral-scented body cleansers so I got him a clear 500ml bottle from Daiso and filled it with that fresh-scented body cleanser instead. 

For hair care, I've finished my first bottle of that Rejoice Hijab Perfection 3-in-1 Perfect Cool Shampoo and gladly bought the bigger size for it recently. The cooling sensation is really nice after a long day at work.

If you noticed on the featured photo above, I've been using that Nivea Extra Whitening Antiperspirant for years now and I've lost count to how many that I actually finished so all I can say that it works well therefore it's unlikely for me to purchase a different product for that.

I guess that's all for now and here's to more emptied products in the upcoming quarter. I'll see you guys on my next post!

Review | THE FACE SHOP Natural Sun Eco No Shine Hydrating Sun Cream SPF40 PA+++

Ever since I started practicing 10-step Korean skincare routine over 6 years ago, I always apply sunscreen as the last step of my skincare routine in the mornings. I might skip some products like eye cream or emulsion for my shortcut routines with a combination of deep cleansing, toning and moisturising but sun protection is not something I am willing to ignore.

I would apply my favourite tone-up sunscreens with some translucent powder on top and head out to work on my super lazy days but on regular days when I apply foundations, I prefer to use hydrating sunscreens. I’d use either physical or chemical sunscreens in between my skincare products and makeup applications. This is simply because most of my foundations have low to no SPF, so even if you do not have a base makeup or primer, you can definitely use sunscreen prior your foundation application for UV protection.

After all these years of using and testing many sunscreens from South Korean brands, I would still always go back to this Natural Sun Eco No Shine Hydrating Sun Cream SPF40 PA+++ from THE FACE SHOP. It is simple and fuss-free to use but before I go in-depth about this product, let’s get to some basic information first.

Product Description:

Contains Sunflower Sprout Extract 5000 microgram – certified by ECO-CERT

• This versatile sun cream protects the skin from both UVA and UVB and works as a mattifying and pore smoothing primer.
• Formulated with extracts of sebum absorbing Cotton Seed and Chia Seed which is known to carry up to 10 times its weight in moisture, it hydrates and absorbs excess shine at the same time.

How to Use:

1. Apply an adequate amount on the face and neck at the final stage of skincare.
2. Apply generously 15 minutes before sun exposure (or makeup).

Capacity: 50ml

Ingredients list:


Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Alcohol Denat, Isoamyl P-Methoxycinnamate, Ethylhexyl Salicylate, Phenylbenzimidazole Sulfonic Acid, Dipropylene Glycol, Butyl Methoxydibenzoylmethane, Polyglyceryl-6 Stearate, Ethylhexyl Methoxycrylene, Tromethamine, Vinyl Dimethicone/Methicone Silsesquioxane Crosspolymer, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Panthenol, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Propanediol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetearyl Olivate, Polyglyceryl-6 Behenate, Dimethicone, Acrylates/ Vinyl Isodecanoate Crosspolymer, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Hydroxide, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Polyacrylate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Trisodium EDTA, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Sprout Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, Menthyl PCA, Plankton Extract, Silica, Butylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Salvia Hispanica Seed Extract, Gossypium Herbaceum (Cotton) Seed Extract, Parfum/Fragrance.


Packaging:

  

The sunscreen comes in a box with similar design and in my favourite turquoise colour! There are ample product information printed at the sides of the box on more information about it and they are printed both in Korean and English!

 

As shown above, the product packaging comes with a simple screw cap with a small tube-end for easy product dispense and there’s simple product descriptions printed at the back of the tube although mostly in Korean.

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


Application:

 

As you can see in the above photo, the sunscreen comes in that slightly yellowish cream but once spread even on skin, there is only slight white cast visible on skin.

The texture is lightweight so it is easy to spread on skin whether you’re using fingers or air puff like me. I would say that the scent is quite overpowering to some people but not to worry as it doesn’t linger.


Thoughts:

This product’s highlighted function is for sebum control but still provide hydration and moisture to skin. This is very interesting to me as I believe normal to oily skin (like mine) still need ample moisture so skin can properly regulate the oil and hydration level so to not secrete excessive oil. I have to agree that this sunscreen does what it claims as my oily T-zone didn’t get oily by midday and the rest of my facial area feels nicely hydrated and smooth.

Furthermore, as sunscreen is the one product that I apply as the last step for my morning skincare routine, it provided enough hydration I needed so it will sit comfortably on my skin. Most other mattifying sunscreens tend to dehydrate my dryness-prone facial area and other moisturising sunscreens with thicker consistency felt heavy on my skin or worse, gave me breakouts!

Overall, I give this product 4.5/5. I’m absolutely loving this sunscreen from THE FACE SHOP! I bought my first tube of the product in a previous packaging a few years ago, then the brand switched to this new packaging and they even came out with a The Simpsons™ collection for this sunscreen along with several other ones from the Natural Sun Eco (sunscreen) line of the brand. The half-point deduction is because I kind of wish that this was SPF50+ but I guess that’s okay because I’m going to reapply it by midday anyway so all is good!

While some might say sunscreen acts as a protection from the sun, I’m going to say right here that sunscreen also protects your skin from other external stressors like pollution and makeup products that can potentially clog your pores. Also, it is very important to choose sunscreens that offer all of these things at the same time feels nice on skin so you won’t feel reluctant to reach out for it and reapply as much as you need throughout the day.


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

Beauty Empties 22.0 | September

Another quarter of this year then we're entering the second decade of this century, I've been thinking a lot on so many variable things like where my life is going to be on the next one? Okay, too heavy so here we are at another empties post; featuring products that I've finished between July till this month of September! I'm going to talk about the sheet masks that I've used throughout this quarter on my next post so do stay tuned for that. 

Let's go to the cleansers, first!

Finally, I've finished that Bifesta Eye & Lip Makeup Remover after more than 12 months! I do know it's over the supposed PAO but I don't see any change; scent nor its consistency and my easily sensitised eyelids aren't reacting to it so I just kept on using it. Because I actually really like the product, I have repurchased another bottle for it!

I'm going to admit here that I didn't finished the makeup wipes above to remove my makeup as I've been using it a lot to remove swatches as I've did lots of makeup swatches the past few months. It's good and quite affordable but I already have others that I would prefer more.

For second water-based cleansers, I've finished that Heimish All Clean White Clay Foam but I didn't use the whole lot of it on my face because it's so drying so I've used it as body cleanser instead. Even so, I needed to moisturise my body afterwards as it turned out so no, I'm not going to repurchase the cleanser again.

I've finished my second tube of that THE FACE SHOP White Seed Exfoliating Foam around last month but this too, I've used up as body cleanser as it's too foamy and dried out my face afterwards. Won't be repurchasing again.

The third cleanser that I've finished is that pretty Fresh Soy Face Cleanser in its jumbo 200ml-sized tube and I love it very much indeed; used the the whole tube within 6 months and that's actually something! In fact, I'm into gel cleansers now because they don't dry out my skin unlike those high-pH cleansers at the very least. I'm already on my second jumbo tube - 20th anniversary version of the cleanser.

For special care category, I've used up both of Althea Real Fresh Skin Detoxer in Green Tea and Rose around last month and already opened my backups. They can a bit drying so I only take small amount of it usually in my morning skincare routine.

Now, let's go to first treatments and toners!

Finished the very first bottle of that LANEIGE Clear C Advanced Effector EX (3rd generation) and quite frankly, I don't really noticed the difference between this and the 2nd generation of the product. I always use this product as the first step after cleansing by pumping out at least 3 times and wipe my facial area outwards. I absolutely love this product as it helps maintaining my skin from being dull and it provides vitamins that help boosting the rest of my skincare. I still have another 2 bottles to finish before opening the new 4th generation bottle!

Technically, I didn't finished the whole bottle of that Heimish Refresh Water; my brother used half of it and I took the other half and poured into a tub to pre-soak some rounded Sephora pads. This exfoliating toner is kind of mild to me but I think it's good for beginners and as it's similar to Son&Park Beauty Water, I don't use this product everyday.

For hydrating toners, I've finished the first bottle of that LANEIGE Cream Skin Refiner that I've got for review on Beauty Memo by Hermo back in April and I have to say, I do love it, bought one bottle from LANEIGE Official Flagship store on Lazada and 5 more bottles from Althea as they were having sales at the time. I'm currently halfway through my second bottle as I'm so into layering it!

For essence-like toners, I've finished the Pyunkangyul Essence Toner which hydrates so well and I'm already on my second bottle in 200ml size. I love this especially for toner masks during midday. As for that Kayman Beauty Rosa Glow Treatment Essence, I really like it as it helps fading my acne scars so I've got another 2 bottles as they're having sale and I've already reviewed it on my Instagram so just scrolled down further or you can use #myrabeautyreviews for it.

Finished the first bottle of that Rejoice Hijab Perfection Perfume and its 3-in-1 Perfect Conditioning sister that I've got during their launching event back in April. Here to report that I've already bought another bottle of the shampoo along with its Cool sister but not the conditioner as I still have others to go through before getting a new one. Both shampoos are great and give long-lasting scents to my hair.

As for after-washing care, I've used up my first bottle of that Innisfree Camellia Essential Hair Oil Serum and gladly opened another bottle with new packaging as the brand changed their logo. No change made to the formula so all is good!

I guess that's all from me and I'll be seeing you guys on my next post that I've scheduled tomorrow! Annyeong~

Review | THE FACE SHOP The Therapy Hydrating Formula Emulsion

As much as I want to mix around my skincare products, I usually go for the whole skincare line; from cleanser to moisturiser as I believe the most concentrated product would be the essence or serum and the other products within the same skincare line are designed to complement the star product in order to bring out the best result for my overall skin condition.

As I have previously reviewed the sister product, THE FACE SHOP The Therapy First Serum, let me introduce the toner for this hydrating The Therapy line; Hydrating Tonic Treatment so first, let's go to some basic information.

Product Description

This anti-ageing, hydrating tonic treatment delivers the effect of toner + treatment + emulsion all at once for smoother skin texture and effective hydration.

• Toner + treatment + emulsion action all in one
  • This hydrating tonic treatment provides toner + treatment + emulsion action all at once as it penetrates into skin while hydrating and smoothing it.
• Moisturising toner for perfect hydration.
  • This toner provides an excellent moisturising effect to hydrate and smooth dry skin and spreads easily upon application.
• Le Marche hand-blended formula
  • This moisturising anti-ageing line is formulated with highly nourishing Oat, Lavender Flower, Wild Rose and Sweet Basil blended by hand with great care over a period of 6 weeks.

How to Use:

1. After washing your face, soak a cotton pad and apply over the entire face using a gentle tapping motion to promote absorption into the skin.
2. Completely soak cotton pad in the product and apply to skin for 90 seconds to enjoy a quick mask/pack in the morning or at night.

Capacity: 150ml

Ingredients list:

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol, Betaine, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Honey Extract,Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Oil, Avena Sativa (Oatmeal) Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Disodium EDTA, Parfum/Fragrance, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin.

Packaging:

 

The box packaging has a similar design to the First Serum sister with the name of the product printed in blue - a good indicator so I won't get mixed with another toner from The Therapy line. On the side of the box packaging, there is the English product description and the short story on the blending method used to create the product.

 

The product comes with a nice pump that is similar to the rest of THE FACE SHOP products. There is simple product description printed at the back of the bottle although partly in Korean but you guys surely get the gist. The expiry date is printed at the bottom of the bottle in YYYYMMDD (year-month-day) format.

Application:

 

This toner comes in the form of slightly runny liquid; definitely thicker  consistency compared to your regular toner but I do appreciate this kind of toner especially at night where I would be layering hydrating toners, essences, even serums to buffer the irritation might be caused by AHA-containing exfoliating toner or BHA-containing skincare product  that I usually apply at night as part of my chemical exfoliation routine.

Thoughts:

On its own, this toner does leave slightly sticky finish but I do not mind that as I would be applying more products on top.

Looking at the ingredients list, with Dipropylene Glycol and Propanediol help the overall texture and enhance the absorption of the toner into skin, I just love that this toner contains Betaine, an ingredient that helps skin adapt to moisture losses due to cleansing step for an example and also moisture gains from hydrating ingredients in the toner itself.

What's more, this toner contains Panthenol which is famous for its soothing properties which makes it is perfect for my dehydrated, flaky facial area so together with the rest of other ingredients within, this toner actually works well with my current skin condition.

Final verdict:

Overall, I give this product 5/5. I love how hydrating it is so when it comes to the 7-skin method, I would be layering this toner for 2 to 3 times; compared to my other hydrating toners with lighter consistencies, I literally need to layer 7 times!

I would say this toner is perfect for those of you who are currently feeling dehydrated due to external stressors like air-conditioner or simply hot weather, or if you are looking for not-too-intense or mild anti-ageing skincare products. 

I guess that's all from me and I'll be seeing you guys on my next post! Annyeong~

Review | THE FACE SHOP The Therapy Hydrating Tonic Treatment

As much as I want to mix around my skincare products, I usually go for the whole skincare line; from cleanser to moisturiser as I believe the most concentrated product would be the essence or serum and the other products within the same skincare line are designed to complement the star product in order to bring out the best result for my overall skin condition.


As I have previously reviewed the sister product, THE FACE SHOP The Therapy First Serum, let me introduce the toner for this hydrating The Therapy line; Hydrating Tonic Treatment so first, let's go to some basic information.

Product Description

This anti-ageing, hydrating tonic treatment delivers the effect of toner + treatment + emulsion all at once for smoother skin texture and effective hydration.

• Toner + treatment + emulsion action all in one
  • This hydrating tonic treatment provides toner + treatment + emulsion action all at once as it penetrates into skin while hydrating and smoothing it.
• Moisturising toner for perfect hydration.
  • This toner provides an excellent moisturising effect to hydrate and smooth dry skin and spreads easily upon application.
• Le Marche hand-blended formula
  • This moisturising anti-ageing line is formulated with highly nourishing Oat, Lavender Flower, Wild Rose and Sweet Basil blended by hand with great care over a period of 6 weeks.

How to Use:

1. After washing your face, soak a cotton pad and apply over the entire face using a gentle tapping motion to promote absorption into the skin.
2. Completely soak cotton pad in the product and apply to skin for 90 seconds to enjoy a quick mask/pack in the morning or at night.

Capacity: 150ml

Ingredients list:

Water, Dipropylene Glycol, Propanediol, Betaine, Panthenol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Butylene Glycol, Honey Extract,Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Oil, Avena Sativa (Oatmeal) Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower Extract, Rosa Damascena Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Disodium EDTA, Parfum/Fragrance, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Adenosine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ethylhexylglycerin.

Packaging:

 

The box packaging has a similar design to the First Serum sister with the name of the product printed in blue - a good indicator so I won't get mixed with another toner from The Therapy line. On the side of the box packaging, there is the English product description and the short story on the blending method used to create the product.

 

The product comes with a nice pump that is similar to the rest of THE FACE SHOP products. There is simple product description printed at the back of the bottle although partly in Korean but you guys surely get the gist. The expiry date is printed at the bottom of the bottle in YYYYMMDD (year-month-day) format.

Application:

 

This toner comes in the form of slightly runny liquid; definitely thicker  consistency compared to your regular toner but I do appreciate this kind of toner especially at night where I would be layering hydrating toners, essences, even serums to buffer the irritation might be caused by AHA-containing exfoliating toner or BHA-containing skincare product  that I usually apply at night as part of my chemical exfoliation routine.

Thoughts:

On its own, this toner does leave slightly sticky finish but I do not mind that as I would be applying more products on top.

Looking at the ingredients list, with Dipropylene Glycol and Propanediol help the overall texture and enhance the absorption of the toner into skin, I just love that this toner contains Betaine, an ingredient that helps skin adapt to moisture losses due to cleansing step for an example and also moisture gains from hydrating ingredients in the toner itself.

What's more, this toner contains Panthenol which is famous for its soothing properties which makes it is perfect for my dehydrated, flaky facial area so together with the rest of other ingredients within, this toner actually works well with my current skin condition.

Final verdict:

Overall, I give this product 5/5. I love how hydrating it is so when it comes to the 7-skin method, I would be layering this toner for 2 to 3 times; compared to my other hydrating toners with lighter consistencies, I literally need to layer 7 times!

I would say this toner is perfect for those of you who are currently feeling dehydrated due to external stressors like air-conditioner or simply hot weather, or if you are looking for not-too-intense or mild anti-ageing skincare products. 

I guess that's all from me and I'll be seeing you guys on my next post! Annyeong~