Mask Review | Soo Beaute Whiten-Vital Ampoule

When it comes to buying skincare products in personal beauty stores like Sasa Malaysia, I have to admit that I'd rather getting them at discounted prices as you know that they are sometimes ridiculously overpriced and most of the time 20 to 30% much more expensive compared to online stores like Hermo and Althea. However, if you frequently go to the store like me, they usually offer new products (as I'm obsessed with simple sheet masks lately) at the front of the store where they display these goods.

This Whiten-Vital Ampoule Mask  from Soo Beaute; a brand from South Korea and its Hydro-Vital sister were indeed one of them that I got at good introduction price.

Product Description: 

The ampoule's high concentrate of stabilized formula deeply penetrates the skin to moisturise and soothing. brings a youthful vitality to extra dry and tired skin.

Vitamin B3 brightens and evens skin tone, while strengthening the skin barrier to retain skin moisture and restore radiance. White Flower Brightening Complex, Prunus Serrulata Flower, Nelumbo Nucifera Flower and Lilium Tigrinum Extracts effectively combine to help to even skin imperfections caused by dark spots. Oat Protein Extracts acts as a great anti-oxidant to offer skin protection.

Usage time: 10 to 20 minutes

Ingredients list:

My impression:

The sheet for this mask is slightly thinner compared to regular Korean paper masks. The essence is clear transparent liquid in ampoule consistency i.e. thicker to regular essence although it's quite refreshing. After taking off, there's still some of the ampoules left on my facial area and I had to pat it down for several minutes before the ampoules was absorbed fully into my skin. It's pretty much a basic sheet mask to me and after the first use, I'd prefer to use it in my morning routine after toner at the essence step or sometimes on top of my brightening essence. 

Overall, I give this 3.5/5. I'd say this is great for those of you who are looking for a simple brightening sheet masks though I don't see much result other than hydrating my skin. 

I actually bought at RM20 with another box for free but I went back to the store recently and found out that the retail price is actually RM45 per box of 5 sheets. Now that was an awesome introduction price, alright!

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

Mask Review | Naruko Raw Job's Tears (Supercritical CO2 Pore Minimising & Brightening Mask)

Finally, my first Taiwanese brand for sheet mask and I'm so glad that I got into this brand. I bought several sheet masks from Watsons during the sale the other day and decided to try this mask first as I need a quick fix for my pores as even my primers aren't doing anything these days.

Looking at the long ingredients list, I can't help but feeling uneasy about it but there's nothing alarming in it so I guess I'm okay with it. However, looking at phenoxyethanol sitting at the top 10 of the list is making me feel uneasy about this brand. Maybe that's why the shelf life for this is 3 years compared to Korean sheet masks that usually have 2 years of shelf life.

The sheet is quite thin compared to regular paper mask and the essence is a clear liquid that absorbed into my skin rather nicely. It's soothing my dried skin due to air-conditioned room and it smells a little bit like honey and the scent isn't strong to my nose.

I took off the mask after 20 minutes and there's still some of the essence left so I just tapped my facial area lightly to help the absorption. I noticed that the appearances of my pores are reduced and I just love that my face is so soft to touch and no sticky feeling to it at all!

I give this 4/5! Definitely going to repurchase and this one makes me want to try other variants. I got this at discounted price with RP of RM6.90. You can totally get this from online seller at RM59 per box of 10 masks. They usually have sale so do check them out before buying from Watsons. 

That's all for now. I'll see you guys on my next post. Annyeong~

Mask Review | Skin's Boni Yogurt Mask Pack

If you've read my previous post, I had to reupload all the photos stored in my Photobucket.com to Google Photos so I have been lacking in sleep for many nights in a row and just last Friday, I found out that the fairies on 0.8L Malaysia picked me as their winner for this mask. Awesome!

0.8L is actually a platform created by a group of people that believe honest and real reviews from users or customers can actually impact the product pricing by simplifying the traditional marketing method of the product i.e. using the social media to put the product under the spotlight among the right people e.g. beauty enthusiasts like us. They are focusing on trendy beauty items and provide a platform for brands to dip their feet in the water and see how their products actually performs. 

Skincare Diary | Dry and Irritated Skin

As I've been trying to get rid pigmentations caused by acne scarring, I decided to finally bring out LANEIGE White Plus Renew Spot Ampoule (will try to review later) and use it on those ugly-looking spots on my facial area. The result? It's working for sure but my God, all hell breaks loose when it comes to my moisture level as I have never felt such dryness on my skin and I've only been using the spot treatment ampoule for about a week. There's redness around my cheek and jawline area that I can't just ignore. Thankfully, I have this soothing gel sitting among my beauty stash.

I've tried several soothing gels so far; the famous Nature Republic Aloe Vera Gel, the Bamboo soothing gel and this Fresh Lotus version from THE FACE SHOP. Quite frankly, I love this one the most definitely because I'd prefer its scent. 

So how do I quickly treat the dryness? Cleanse and tone the skin, take rounds of thin cotton pads or those non-woven facial puffs from Watsons, scoop out some or liberally of the gel and apply on the dry and irritated area, and put on those thin puffs on top to seal it from drying out for about 15 to 20 minutes. Wipe off the excess and continue with the rest of your skincare. 

I guess that's all for today and I'll see you guys on the next post!

Skincare Diary | PM Cleansing Routine

I've discovered a new brand from Japan while watching Get It Beauty recently and it's Bifesta. Here in Malaysia, you can find the facial cleansing products by this brand in drugstores such as Watsons and Guardian.

With that, these are my current evening cleansers from Bifesta. I actually got my hands on 3 cleansing waters but currently I'm loving all these three right now as they're so good at removing my makeup and cleansing my skin.

The Eye Make Remover doesn't sting my eyes which is definitely a plus and it removes all my waterproof eye makeup so well. Just take a cotton pad; damped it with 3 to 4 drops of the remover then place it on my eye area, press gently for about a minute and wipe off. 

The Cleansing Lotion is like a cleansing water and it's actually a no-rinse product. Using 3 separate cotton pads damped with this and wipe my face with one pad each round is enough for for my cleansing step and technically I can already  proceed with skincare. Still, I can never give up double cleansing unless on days I'm too tired, passed out on my bed and only manage to lift one arm to take pre-soaked cotton pads and remove my makeup of the day. Sounds exaggerating? I'm pretty sure you have those days too.

Now, the Carbonated Cleanser is a whipped foam cleanser that dispensed a fluffy foam that's so soft, cleanses well and doesn't dry out my normal to oily skin. 

The combination of these three products are ample for my PM cleansing routine as for now so stay tuned for next one. Until then, annyeong~

Mask Review | My Beauty Diary Strawberry Yogurt Mask: Oil Control Balancing

Last month, I joined a beauty gift exchange among beauty community members on Instagram and I got bunch of skincare products along with several sheet masks. I haven't been using lots of sheet masks throughout my skincare journey thinking that they're expensive for a single-use product. However, getting to know other Asian Beauty enthusiasts in the community has totally changed my opinion on that and seeing how injecting a certain amount of hydrating ingredient like Hyaluronic Acid contained in the sheet masks into your routine can totally give a boost on skin moisture level, I have to say that I freaking love sheet masks for that!

Although, I've only been using Korean sheet masks exclusively; mostly from THE FACE SHOP and Innisfree, I never tried other brands nor from other countries. I asked the #sheetmasksupreme as I called her, must-try brands from Taiwan are Naruko and another is My Beauty Diary so this is definitely the first one that I've tried.

Description:

• The natural strawberry extract in this mask is rich in fruit acids, minerals, and enzymes that brighten and soften the skin for a more youthful look.
• Combined with the active lactic acid ingredients from yogurt.
• The formula balances sebum production to shrink the appearance of pores and reduce the size and redness of blemishes.
• Contains arbutin, a popular whitening ingredient that resists melanin and breaks it down beneath the skin for a brighter, more pearlescent complexion.

To Use: After thorough cleansing and toning, apply mask to face and leave for 20-30 minutes. After removal, gently massage the excess essence into skin.

For a cooling effect, place your sheet mask in the fridge for 10 minutes and apply as usual

Ingredients:

Water, glycerin, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, phenoxyethanol, chlorphenesin, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, triethanol amine, strawberry fruit extract, fragrance, polysorbate 20, yogurt extract, sodium hyaluronate, xanthan gum, citric acid, enantia chlorantha bark extract, rice protein, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, acer saccharum extract, arctostaphylos uva ursi leaf extract, orange, citrus medica limonum peel extract, codium tomentosum extract, soy protein, laminaria digitata extract, lecithine, mallow extract, polysorbate 80, saccharum officinarum extract, vaccinium myrtillius fruit extract, carbomer, peg-15 hydroxystearate, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, polyglutamic acid, sodium hydroxide, sodium lactate, sodium pca, glycosphingolipids, tocopheryl acetate.

My Impression:

I like it when there's plastic sheet that makes it easy to fold out the sheet and place it on my facial area. As you can see, the sheet is quite thin compared to regular Korean sheet masks. 

The essence is watery and it's better to lie down as it soothes and hydrates the skin. The scent isn't strong unlike those regular masks from Innisfree which is good. 

Overall, I do like this sheet mask and planning to purchase it in the near future. On Hermo Malaysia, this sheet mask isn't available anymore as this is actually a 2016 release and the new Natural Key series that consists of 10 variants doesn't feature this variant for oil-control function so I guess it's discontinued? Still, I'm really glad I discovered this brand and surely you guys will  be seeing more from it on my Instagram. 

I guess that's all and I'll see you guys on my next post! Annyeong~

Beauty Empties 13.0 | June

It's the end of second quarter of 2017 and here I am reporting to you my lovely readers about the products that I've managed to finish for the past 3 months so first, let's go to skincare products.

The first of many repurchases; the huge 500ml Son&Park Beauty Water that I got from Seoul via personal shopper. This is a type of exfoliating toner as not only it tone my skin well, it also helps with getting rid of dead skin cells so you'll be needing to use cotton pads with this and swipe your skin across.

Next, the THE FACE SHOP The Smim Fermentation Concentrate Total Treatment along with its sisters the Toner and Emulsion. As I've started using the exfoliating toner, I'd also used these hydrating, anti-wrinkle first treatment product from the brand. As it came with the other two products from the same skincare line, I used them all together for better result. Overall, I do like them as they were indeed hydrating and making my skin felt smoother but I'm aiming to try the The Therapy skincare line as I really do like the samples that I've received recently.

As for the LANEIGE White Plus Renew Original Essence, that's the 5th bottle out of 6 that I have purchased and finished so far. At this point, I have to say that it's better to follow up this essence with hydrating essence, serum, ampoule or even sheet mask as my skin have been feeling rather dry these past months. As I've mentioned in my post here, I still got another bottle to go and then I'm done with the whole skincare line after more than 4 years.

Then there's the THE FACE SHOP Natural Sun Eco Oil-Cut Sun Cream SPF40 PA++; previous version of Natural Sun Eco No Shine Hydrating Sun Cream SPF40 PA+++ and I've finished this around the end of April or so. I've kind of stretched the usage over a year as I don't see any change in scent, colour nor texture. I'd definitely be purchasing the new one soon.

The Skinfood Rice Wash-Off Mask has become a staple in my skincare stash since 2013 and I'm pretty sure I'd be repurchasing this soon. It's a great physical scrub and is not harsh to my skin at all.

As for cleansers, I've finally finished that THE FACE SHOP Rice Water Bright Eye Makeup Remover and finally I can get a new cleanser to replace it! I don't like it at all as it stung my eyes many times. That LANEIGE White Plus Renew Bubble Cleanser is the second and last bottle that I've finished. Not going to repurchase at this point as I'm eyeing other cleanser from the brand to try next. Same goes with that LANEIGE Brightening Sparkling Water Whipping Cleanser; it's great as a second cleanser for double cleansing method but again, I want to try recently launched cleansers.

I've been using lots of sheet masks for the past 2 weeks as I've realised these are expiring next year. Of course, the above are my favourites especially those from Mediheal and Innisfree. I do have some more and surely be repurchasing more.

Next, let's go to body care products!

Yes, I know I'm obsessed with The Body Shop shower gels and my current favourite is Honey Mania. The amount of sweetness is just right for my liking. You guys probably noticed that I'm obsessed with anything made off Sakura so that Cherry Blossom Fragrance Mist was indeed a favourite of mine among other fragrances in my perfume collection. As for that The Body Shop Almond Hand Cream was too creamy to my liking so I guess I won't be repurchasing it.

As for hair care, this time I've finished a set of shampoo and conditioner for Sunsilk Lively Clean and Fresh. These are my go-to when I'm between trying different shampoos. Forever repurchase! :D

I've been getting lots of powdered organic food from Melilea and along with those, I've gotten some body care products including that Lea Mind Hair Shampoo and its Conditioner although I've merely finished the shampoo because I've also been using that PureSmile Snail Treatment (Damaged Hair) that I've got as freebie from my Althea Korea purchase. I'm loving the scent for it and probably be getting the shampoo for it.

Finally, let's go to makeup department  section of my vanity.

I'm pretty sure Etude House and Urban Decay eye primers aren't finished yet but it's been over 6 months and the scents changed already so I won't be risking my peepers for using them. 

From drugstores. you guys know I've gotten some Kate Tokyo makeup last year and those eye liners were indeed so good when it comes to the intensity of the colour but for long-lastingness, I'd say they're both pretty average. Not going to repurchase and the same goes with that Maybelline eye liner. 

As for that Etude House Proof10 Gelquid Liner and Innisfree Powerproof Pen Liner, both are also average black eye liners as well that lasted like an hour on my oily lids.

So I guess that's all for now. I hope you enjoy reading this post! I'm happy to get these off my Empty bins. Yes, I have several. :D

Until next post, annyeong~

Beauty Obsession | Daily Sheet Masks

Since last month, I've been adding more and more daily sheet masks to my beauty stash and the reason is I've been engaging with lots of #sheetmaskaddict while on Instagram. It didn't came to me by surprise as I've been hearing this sort of movement in skincare community for awhile now. There's even a tagline that goes with this in Seoul which is 1-Day-1-Pack and if you're not familiar with the terms, Pack here means mask in general that covers sheet masks, wash-off masks and whatnot. 

Along with a slight obsession towards these pretty sheet masks, I also can't help myself hoarding these super cute containers from my local Daiso stores. Frankly, I've been having several items in different sizes for different function within the same design for few years already but only recently I went back and get these rectangular ones from the store.

I really like its size as they can fit my sheet masks and for 2 containers, I can fit my 100 sheet masks in it. I have some from THE FACE SHOP, Innisfree, Etude House and my current favourite is Mediheal sheet masks. I also listed all of them on Excel spreadsheet to keep track each of it so I won't miss those expiring soon. 

Do you sheet mask daily? I do! In this hot and humid weather, you definitely need to take extra care for your skin let's say going to somewhere by taking public transport or visiting modelling agencies in Brisbane, pack a micellar water, toner and sheet mask for on-the-go hydration. Remember to apply your favourite sunscreen afterwards! Plumped skin is ALWAYS in. 

Beauty Talk | Hair Care Treatments You Can Do At Home

Do you know that you can give a boost to your hair to keep it shiny, healthy and strong with one of the many effective spa treatments that you can do at home? I've been giving more attention to taking care of my hair especially the recent weeks as it's getting hotter and more humid than usual.

Some of the treatments are more like a mask that is applied to the scalp and the rest of the hair while others are an oil that is rubbed into the scalp before you rinse the hair.

Honey and Milk

One of the easy applications to the hair that will leave it soft and shiny is a combination of milk and honey. Mix a tablespoon of honey and a cup of milk, applying it from the scalp to the ends of the hair. Massage the mixture well before shampooing and rinsing.

Coconut Cream

This is an application that will leave your hair smelling like a tropical beach. There is a high amount of saturated fat in coconut, which is good for repairing any damage that has been done to the hair. All you need to do is combine fresh coconut and coconut oil in a blender. Rub the mixture between the hands to get it warm before you apply it to the scalp. Massage the head for five minutes before you cover the head with a warm towel. This will create a steam treatment for the scalp and the hair. Wash with warm water, and avoid using a blow dryer as this can dry out the hair.

Strawberry Treatment

If you're looking for an aromatic treatment for the hair, then you'll want to make a strawberry mask. Mix an egg yolk and a cup of fresh strawberries in a bowl. You also want to add a tablespoon of olive oil to the mixture. Massage the paste into the scalp and the rest of the hair, rinsing after 15 minutes.

Beauty Obsession | Roses and Pink

I guess you can totally see it. I've been obsessing with rose scented products and that doesn't limit to beauty products as well. Rose is known for its hydrating properties in skincare and the scent serves as therapeutic element. 

I'm still trying the Mamonde Rose Water Toner. It's moisturising enough for my skin and the scent is just so heavenly. As there's only little left to it, I'm considering to buy a full-sized version of it.

I've been using the Ruby and Bulgarian Rose Hydro Gel Eye Patch from Petitfee for several times now and indeed loving it as it moisturises my under eye area better than my regular eye cream.

As im feeling slightly dry around my cheek area, I applied the Etude House 0.2 Therapy Air Mask in Damask Rose for refreshing yet moisturising treatment. I love the thin mask and despite that the sheet doesn't dry out even after taking it off after more than 20 minutes. Definitely get more of these in the future.

Before sleep, I applied Petitfee Oil Blossom Lip Mask in Camellia Seed Oil to replenish the moisture loss on my lips. This isn't rose-based product but it's pink! :D

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