Empties Review Express!

These empties have been collecting dust for a while (see: over a year, ooops). I've been dying to recycle them so I'll give these a quick and dirty review before I toss them goodbye!

Here goes: 

Kings & Queens Sultan of Granada Lemon Flower Body Butter

Made in Greece

Ingredients: aqua, glyceryl stearate, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), beeswax, PEG-100 Stearate, shorea robusta seed butter, behenyl alcohol, cocos nucifera (coconut) oil, isodecyl neopentanoate, glycerin, hydrogenated myristyl olive esters, C12-13 alkyl lactate, hydrogenated polyisobutene, PPG-3 benyl ether myristate, triethylhexanoin, allantoin, asorbic acid, asorbyl palmitate, benzyl alcohol, butylene glycol, butylphenyl methylprpional, carthamus tictorius (safflower) seed oil, citral, citric acid, geraniol, glycyrrhetinic acid, hexyl cinnamal, limonene, linalool, linoleic acid, malachite extract, nymphaea coerulea flower extract, panthenol, parfum, PEG-8, phenoxyethanol, potassium sorbate, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) oil, punica granatum fruit extract, sodium cetearyl sulfate, tocopherol, tocopheryl acetate, urea, xanthan gum

Rundown: I was excited to try Kings & Queens since I found out they were the sister company of Korres. The price point is sweeter than Korres. $15 for 200mL ( I paid $4.99 at TJ Maxx) verses Korres' $29 for 235mL. I also prefer Kings & Queens' formula. It's thicker and hydrating, Korres' was not moisturizing enough for me. I'm not a fan of lemon scents in general, but they also offer it in mango and honey scents, yum. I'd love to repurchase, but it's hard to find it anywhere. The brand used to be sold at Target and Nordstrom, but have since stopped being carried. I saw it last year at the Duane Reade drugstores in New York. Give it a try if you come across it, especially if you can get it on clearance like I did. :)

Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub, Oil Free

Made in USA

Ingredients: water, sodium methyl cocoyl taurate, polyethylene, glycerin, cocamidopropyl bentaine, glycol distearate, stearic acid, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, linoleamidopropyl PG-dimonium chloride phosphate, neopentyl glycol dicaprylate/dicaprate, salicylic acid, disodium EDTA, xanthan gum, manesium aluminum silicate, sodium hydroxide, cetyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, butylparaben, agar, mica, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, red 30 lake, fragrance

Rundown: This was my gentler scrub option when I weaned myself off from St. Ives Apricot scrub. I am a fan of Neutrogena skincare and this is a solid but not life-changing pick. It's gentle but effective enough to buff off the rough dead skin on my nose. Smells like orange tics tacs if you're into that. It's available at most drugstores have costs $6-$7.

Kose Softymo Airy Whip

Made in Japan

Ingredients (translated): water, butylene glycol, TEA-cocoate, liquefied petroleum gas, cocamide DEA, lauryl betaine, horsetail extract, hops extract, pine extract, lemon extract, rosemary extract, disodium EDTA, PEG-6 cocamide, polyquaternium-39, sodium chloride, phenoxyethanol, propylparaben, methylparaben, fragrance

Rundown: Ordered it from Sasa after Kathi's comparison of foam cleansers and it came out on top. Indeed, it's as gentle and non-drying and has a delightful tea-like scent as Kathi described. But beyond that, it's not a must-have. Certainly not worth tracking down in the US. I paid around $6 for 180g. 

Kirkland Signature Borghese Age-Defying Protective Eye Cream

Made in USA

Ingredients: water, C12-15 alkyl benzoate, cetearyl alcohol, yeast extract, hydrolyzed rice bran protein, stearyl ethylhexanoate, butylene glycol, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, octyldodecyl erucate, ceteareth-20, sweet almond seed extract, soybean seed extract, camellia oleifera leaf extract, wheat bran extract, menyanthes trifoliata leaf extract, ceramide-3, panthenol, allantoin, propylene glycol, squalane, carbomer, bisabolol, glycyrrhetinic acid, glyceryl polymethacrylate, trisodium EDTA, cholesterol, lecithin, triethanolomine, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, butylparaben, ethylparaben, propylparaben, isobutylparaben

Rundown: Again, like but not love. Non-irritating and moisturizing but didn't do much to reduce the fine lines in my undereyes. Was sold exclusively at Costco in a night cream/eye cream combo. Sold in .5oz pots, wish it came in tube form. It's discontinued now and has been replaced by Borghese's intensive eye serum which is more silicone-y and comes in an airless pump (yay, sanitary factor).

Sana Uruotaishi Moisture Gel

Made in Japan

Ingredients (translated): water, glycerin, cyclopentasiloxane, alcohol, PEG-400, dimethicone, butylene glycol, (hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate), hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate, hydroxypropyltrimonium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed collagen, vinyl dimethicone/methicone silsesquioxane crosspolymer,dimethicone/vinyl dimethicone crosspolymer, arginine, silica dimethyl silylate, ethylhexyl palmitate, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben

Rundown: Bought it because of Muse's positive review. I hated it and couldn't figure out why. It was not hydrating enough and pilled when I applied too much. It wasn't until I look at the ingredients and realized why it felt drying (alcohol) and pilled (silicone OD). Warning, ladies. Cute packaging may be deceiving! I bought it on Sasa for around $8 for 25g, which is pricey for so little amount of basic moisturizer. I've seen it for $12-$13 at Marina Foods as well. There is better products to be found though. 

The Body Shop Watermelon Body Lotion

Made in UK

Ingredients: aqua, ethylhexyl palmitate, ceteareth-20, glycerin, steareth-2, bertholletia excelsa seed oil, sesamum indicum seed oil, propylene glycol, dimethicone, phenoxyethanol, sodium benzoate, butyrospermum parkii, acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer, dipropylene glycol, allantoin, bisabool, disodium EDTA, citrullus lanatus (watermelon) fruit extract, sodium hydroxide, citric acid, red 4, yellow 6

Rundown: Picked it up January of last year during The Body Shop's annual winter clearance sales for $3. The scent really appealed to me. The salesperson described it perfectly as Jolly Ranchers. Unfortunately, the formula was way too light to properly moisturize my skin, to the extent my legs got cracked and scaly. No bueno. Give it a try if you don't need heavy hydration like I do. It seems to be discontinued in the US but can be found on the UK and Australian Body Shop sites. 

Clearly, the mini-reviews are a little useless since most of the products are either discontinued or hard to find. But that's my fault for waiting a year to write about them. I'm glad to finally toss these into the recycling bin after holding onto them for so long. Ah, hoarding trash. Beauty blogging makes you do some crazy things. ;)

Any thoughts to share on these products? Happy weekend!

Review: Drinking the Nivea Creme Koolaid

Just a few weeks ago, I was completely ignorant to the wonders  of (German) Nivea Creme. 

I did not know that Nivea's German formula was compared to that of (in)famous Creme de La Mer (CdLM), nor was I interested then. Because, you see, both Nivea Creme and CdLM contained mineral oil. Although I'm aware that mineral oil is noncomedogenic (doesn't clog pores) and is actually quite suitable for sensitive skin, I was interested in products that used natural moisturizers  that do cool things like treat ageing skin or acne (i.e. rosehip oil, squalane, etc). I'm kinda hippie that way. ;)

But while packing for my Canada trip, I quickly realized that it wouldn't matter what anti-aging magical moisturizer I slap on my face if it was a dry, flaky mess. I suspected none of the moisturizers in my arsenal were suited to the task. Being a Californian, I have never bought a winter moisturizer before. People who own winter moisturizers are those who probably experience seasons and know how to layer (But do they know how to pair all their outfits with flip-flops? I think not). 

Being the total amateur that I am, I literally googled "Winter moisturizer" and "Canada winter moisturizer." After picking through some of the search results, I came across an entry of Rae's from 2010 that sang the moisturizing virtues of Nivea Creme. She sold it to me better than Rhianna!

From Rae, I learned:

• The American formula was different from the German one. The American formula contains petrolatum and preservatives. The German one does not. 
• The German formula is superior. 
• The German one is hard to find in North America. Damn!

And just like that, I joined the German Nivea cult. I was a woman on a mission. I probably did hundreds of searches for German Nivea. I searched for local suppliers. I didn't want to buy it online after hearing reports that people who paid for the German Nivea actually received the Thai Nivea (yet another different formula!) While on the other side of the continent, I sent my partner on a Nivea-finding mission. 

"Make sure the label says 'Made in Germany.' They're not all the same," I nagged. Poor lad drove to three different drugstore chains before realizing I gave him an impossible task.

The night before my flight to Ottawa, I finally located German Nivea Creme at a German beer garden with an attached gift shop selling imported German goods. Unsuprisingly, I was beaming all night.

Ingredients: Aqua, paraffinum liquidum, cera microcristalline, glycerin, lanolin alcohol (Eucerit), paraffin, panthenol, decyl oleate, octyldodecanol, aluminum stearates, citric acid, magnesium sulfate, magnesium stearate, parfum, limonene, geraniol, hydroxycitronellol, linalool, citronellol, benzyl benzoate, cinnamyl alcohol

Experience: It is a thick white cream with a ubiquitous scent (you'll know it when you smell it). A lot of reviewers suggest warming the Creme between the fingers before patting it on. But I do not find the cream difficult to spread, so instead I squeeze out a pea-sized dollop on my finger and dot it all over my face like chicken pox and then rub it in. I usually apply the Creme after my serum,which is quite liquidy. I find that I have to wait until the serum is dried or else it takes more effort to spread the cream into the skin. It spreads most easily on a dry surface, which makes this awesome for dry skin sufferers! I agree with Rae's claim that the product "liquifies" upon contact. In fact, when I spread it out, the cream even feels watery. 

For my combination skin, I find it takes about 20 minutes for the cream to settle into the skin. It leaves my skin baby-soft, even in the face of the dry winter air. I enjoy using it under my sunscreen during day and as a night cream. I even got my partner in on the routine! It also helps alleviate my dry peeling hands (ew). It's a multi-tasker, this one. But I like it best as a face cream. I prefer greasier moisturizers for my body.

I believe that it would be an awesome day cream for normal to dry skin types and a night cream for all skin types, especially in the winter. The ingredients seem suitable for sensitive skin, though lanolin is comedogenic. As always, excercise caution when testing products (what works for me might not be good for you).

I don't expect to continue using it when I return to the States, as my regular routine will suffice (as will sweatshirts instead of puffy coats). I'll probably pass it onto my partner, he enjoys using it (and even likes the smell). But if I move to a chilly place next year, I definitely see myself whipping it out again as a skincare staple. 

Cost-effectiveness: I paid $5.55 (plus tax) for an 100mL tube, which is a bargain for a face moisturizer. 

Availability: I purchased German Nivea Creme at Gourmet Haus Staudt Gifts & Cafe in Redwood City. They also sold a larger sized tin for around $6, but I purchased a tube for hygienic reasons. The Brit Shoppe in San Francisco sells larger tins, but it seems the mark-up is higher. Non-Bay Area people can look to Smallflower to purchase the German version online. If you're insistent on the German one, avoid Amazon as it seems (from the reviews) that some shops that advertise German Nivea could ship you something else. Likely, shops that import German products would have Nivea. Check these places first if you want to buy this at a retail location.

Have you tried Nivea before? Love it, hate it, or curious? Your thoughts!

Review: CVS Cold Cream Deep Cleanser

When it comes to beauty reviews, controversy abounds over the issue of comedogenicity (ingredients that cause clogged pores) and acnegenicity (ingredients that exacerbate existing acne).

Mineral oil and other petrolatum-based products have a notorious reputation for clogging pores. I've read reviews that sounded so terrible that I've long put mineral oil and petrolatum on my no-no list.

However, a 2005 lit review article in Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology titled "Is mineral oil comedogenic?" concluded that cosmetic grade mineral oil even at high doses was not comedogenic. 

Despite widespread hatred of mineral oil, it ends up in much of our beauty products: moisturizers (face and body), cream cleansers, cleansing oils, foundation, eyeshadow, blush etc. 

Being a skincare snob, I had actively avoided products. With this revelation, I wanted to see for myself the effects of mineral oil on my face.

I wanted to start with cold cream, which is chockful of mineral oil.  I had always been intrigued by those chubby jars of thick white cream with a rosy scent. I've read rave after rave about how cold cream was an amazing makeup remover that was not stripping to the skin.

Why the CVS brand? According to this post, Pond's had reformulated and I wanted to try the original formula. The knowledgeable gals of MakeupAlley say drugstores' generic brand uses the original formula. 

With this looong preface, so begins my review!

Finally using these babies a year after my haul!

My First Foray into Peeling Gels: Reviews for Laneige Strawberry Yogurt Peeling Gel and Ishizawa Lab Sweet & Sour Mangosteen Peeling Gel

I've been interested in peeling gels ever since I've heard that they're the gentler route to proper exfoliation. So far, I've tried two peeling gels, and I'll be giving my thoughts on them. 

Ingredients (Laneige): water, cellulose, dipropylene glycol, fragaria vesca strawberry fruit extract, butylene glycol, alcohol, glycerin, carbomer, triethanolamine, polyoxyethylene hydrogenated castor oil, subtilisin, xanthan gum, yogurt powder, theobroma cacao cocoa extract, sucrose, polymethyl methacrylate, hydroxypropyl cellulose, styrene butadiene copolymer, stearyl alcohol, shellac, polyquaternium-6, sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, PEG-75, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, silica, papain, actinidia chinensis kiwi fruit extract, alanine, arginine, atelocollagen, beta-glucan, calcium gluconate, calcium gluconate, citrulline, citrus medica limonum lemon fruit extract, copper gluconate, glutamic acid, glycogen, histidine hcll, lysine hcl, magnesium aspartate, magnesium gluconate, mannitol, musa sapientum banana fruit extract, PCA, pentaerythrithy tetraisostearate, serine, silica dimethyl silylate, sodiumchondroitin sulfate, solanum lycopersicum tomato fruit leaf stem extract, threonine, vitis vinifera grape fruit extract, zinc glucinate, methylparaben, chlorphenesin, disodium EDTA, red 33 (ci 17200), iron Oxides (ci 77489,77492), titanium oxide, fragrance.

Ingredients (Ishizawa Lab): water, glycerin, (acrylates/C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer) crosspolymer, centrimonium chloride, hydrolyzed mangosteen fruit extract, hydrolyzed mango juice extract, hydrolyzed cherimoya fruit extract, lactic acid, agarikon extract, ascorbyl tetra-isopalmitate, retinol palmitate, butylene glycol, mannitol, cellulose, tocopheryl acetate, titanium dioxide, iron oxide, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, fragrance

Ingredient ♥ Ingredient :(

Experience: I first heard about peeling gels from Lulu and was immediately intrigued. Peeling gels are chemical exfoliators. You rub the product on dry skin until the product pills up along with your dead skin cells. This video explains it better.   

I use a scrub everyday. Judge me if you will, but the wallet-hemorrhaging, raved Clarisonic brush is basically a glorified exfoliator too. So there! :P Dead skin builds up on my face super fast, particularly the t-zone area. If I don't exfoliate regularly, I can look forward whiteheads popping up on my face. Yay!

Having tried these out, I can confirm that peeling gels perform a different function than physical scrubs. Even when I use a gritty scrub, I can never get my nose feeling completely smooth, but a peeling gel is great at targeting the small crevices between your nostril and cheek and between your eyes.

When I first used the Laneige peeling gel, I was awestruck by how soft and supple my skin felt. I couldn't stop running my fingers along my cheek. Unfortunately, that feeling disappears like a new car smell. But my nose area remains smooth, which is what I'm looking for.

In terms of performance, I'd say that they both smooth out my t-zone. However, I prefer Ishizawa's Mangosteen Peeling Gel.

 Why?

1. Gentleness: I found Ishizawa Lab to be completely non-irritating (but still spot test if you have sensitive skin). At first I thought it wasn't doing its job, because it felt like nothing on my skin. But my skin was still smooth, so it definitely is just as effective. Additionally, Laneige has alcohol in it, which I tend to avoid because I don't want to dehydrate my skin.
2. Clean-up: Unfortunately, Laneige creates giganticular pea-sized pilled waste that clog my drains. It's way too messy to use at the sink, I have to use it in the shower, so I can make sure to wash out the flakes from my hair. In contrast, I found that Ishizawa Lab makes much finer pilled waste. No plumbing snake required for Ishizawa! 

I really like Ishizawa, but I'm definitely up for trying out other peeling gels to see what's out there.

Cost-effectiveness: They cost pretty much the same. I paid around $20 for Laneige peeling gel, not including shipping. I paid $19.99 for Ishizawa, not including tax.

Availability: I bought Laneige off eBay. But it's available on e-tailers like SaSa. For Bay Area beauties, try Hankook Supermarket in Sunnyvale. They have a Laneige counter near the entrance. I bought Ishizawa Lab from Mitsuwa.

Review: Cinema Secrets Moisture Spray

Ingredients: deionized water, sodium PCA, sodium hyaluronate, cetrimonium chloride, collagen, panthenol, allantoin, glycerine, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, imidazolidinyl urea.

Experience: I picked this up during Cinema Secrets' Cyber Monday epic 50% sale. The ingredients looked pretty good from the web description. I realized that this spray can double as a Japanese lotion, as in a hydrating toner. Like my beloved Ishizawa lotion, it boasts hyaluronic acid. It even contains collagen! Thinking it over, it's not surprising this moisture spray is so similar to a Japanese lotion. The word for a lotion toner in Japanese is "化粧水", which translates to "cosmetic water". I suppose the Japanese also use it for setting makeup. I've long suspected that save cute packaging, Asian and American cosmetics weren't that different after all. You just have to look!

I used it for a month straight at my parents' house during winter break and I found it was just as hydrating as the Ishizawa one I am using up. My skin is plump with moisture. The best part is that it has a spray top and I just spritz it on my face a few times and blend it in with my fingers. My hands never touch the liquid inside, so zero contamination. Here's to you, germophobes!  

Cost-effectiveness: I picked up the 4 oz. spray bottle and 8 oz. refill bottle during the sale for $4.25 and $6.25 respectively. They regularly retail for double that. Even without the sale, it's a great deal. I paid $19.99 for a 120 mL (around 4 oz.) bottle of Ishizawa Hyaluronic Acid lotion. And a 4 oz. bottle lasts a looong time! If you don't want to pay full price, you can wait around for the next Cyber Monday. :)

Availability: You can buy it on the Cinema Secrets website. And you can email Cinema Secrets for a list of retailers that sell CS products.

Have you tried this? Interested? Your thoughts!

Finding MY HG Dandruff Shampoo

It feels like a hair day, so I'll continue with another hair care post!

Active ingredients: 1% pyrithione zinc

Inactive ingredients: water, sodium laureth sulfate, cocamide MIPA, coco-bentaine, glycol distearate, sodium chloride, fragrance, dimethicone, pyrus malus (apple) fruit extract, sodium benzoate, salicylic acid, carbomer, niacinamide, pyridoxine, HCI, aloe bardadensis leaf juice, citric acid, linalool, limoene, saccharum officinarum (sugar cane) extract, salix nigra (willow) bark extract, guar hydroxypropyltrimonium chloride, methyl cocoate, hexylcinnamal, benzyl alcohol, benzyl salicylate, sodium cocoate, sodium hydroxide, citrus medica limoum (lemon) peel extract, camellia sinensis leaf extract, blue 1. 

Experience: I love puberty. It was too awesome. Acne, body hair, odor, and dandruff? Oh yes! So yehhh, being the self-conscious teen that I was, you can bet I've been a hardcore dandruff shampoo user since middle school.

I was a loyal customer of Head & Shoulders shampoo, because it kept the flakies away. And I didn't notice anything wrong with my hair. However, it wasn't until the Great Perm Fiasco of '08 that I noticed that Head & Shoulders was quite damaging. The shampoo turned my perm-damaged hair into straw (ironically, I was using the one for dry scalp) and made my hair so tangled that I wanted to cut it off than deal with it. That's when I read up on the ingredients in the shampoo. I realized the culprit responsible for my further damage was likely sodium lauryl sulfate (responsible for all those foamy bubbles!), which is present in all Head & Shoulders shampoos.

I really wanted to keep using it, since it was an effective anti-dandruff shampoo. I tried other shampoos, but they didn't work as well on dandruff. So I started using Head & Shoulders conditioner, though it didn't have as much of the active anti-dandruff ingredient, .5% vs. 1% in the shampoo. But the conditioner was not that moisturizing, so I had to apply better conditioner to roots and rub the Head & Shoulders in the scalp. Too many steps!

One day, I was strolling through CVS (you can usually find me there) and I noticed that Garnier Fructis released a new dandruff line. Judging from the active ingredient (same 1% of pyrithione zinc), it was a direct competitor to Head & Shoulders. It had the same blue color and fruity-ish scent. It also boasts claims of botanical extract and vitamins. I wasn't impressed, since the shampoos still contained sodium lauryl sulfate.

But wait, the one for dry scalp didn't! It uses sodium laureth sulfate, which is gentler on the skin and hair. I snatched it right up and haven't looked back. You can tell the effectiveness of shampoos if you don't notice much. I knew how much better the shampoo was by the way it didn't dry out my hair, yet still kept "snow" off my shoulders.

I can only recommend dry scalp shampoo. But that's all I need. As long as Garnier Fructis keeps producing this shampoo, it'll have a lifelong spot in my shower. Please don't reformulate this or discontinue! :)

Cost-effectiveness: I paid around $4 for a 13 oz. bottle, because I had a $2 off coupon. Usually, it retails around $5-6 for a 13 oz. bottle, and a 25.4 oz. bottle for $7-8.

Availability: It's widely available, at drugstores like CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc. You can basically find it at any store that carries Garnier Fructis haircare products.

A fellow dandruff sufferer with tips to combat it? Did you try this? Your thoughts! :)

Review: Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Renewing Treatment

I owe Kalmo this review, since I promised to work on it after finals. Haha, I'm a bit late. Forgive me? :) On with the review!

Ingredients: water, behentrimonium chloride, cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, dimethicone, cyclomethicone D4, glycerin,  glycol stearate, ceteareth-20, polyquaternium-11, dimethiconol, parfum, lanolin oil, simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed extract, argania spinosa (argan) oil, panthenol, DMDM hydantoin, tetrasodium EDTA, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone. red 40, yellow 5

Ingredient ♥

Experience: I picked this up because I had never tried anything with argan oil. I'll always be a drugstore girl, so I often wait for skincare trends to trickle down to a more affordable shelf. So I snatched it right up when I saw an Organix display featuring argan oil.

I have incredibly damaged hair. Ugh, it stems back to a deeply regretted decision in 2008 to give my hair a perm. Prior to this, I had virgin hair. My hair never touched hairspray, irons, dye, heck, even gel. My old hair was medium-thick and stick straight. I often didn't comb my hair and it stayed straight, which was why I felt encouraged to change my hair a bit. Digital waves were all the rage and I went to a salon in Hong Kong to get one. I couldn't articulate what I wanted, but there was a advertisement of Sarah Jessica Parker in a newspaper ad for the Sex and the City movie. I pointed and grunted and I think she understood? Lol, I got hair resembling hers. The takeaway lesson is don't ever ask for that kind of hair when you're in the barber's chair. My hair looked like a poodle's!

And I was left dealing with really damaged hair. Split ends galore (before then, I didn't even know what split ends were. It was a better time). Lesson learned. Now I learn to appreciate my boring straight hair each year I head to the stylist to trim off more of my limp, damaged perm hair.

With this sort of hair, I'm incredibly picky about hair care products. I need it to make a real difference in my hair or I'm chucking it.

As for this product, I sadly don't love it. It is a lushly scented cream treatment that made my hair slightly smoother and softer. But beyond that, I don't see it as a must-have. I don't think the formula was strong enough to penetrate and treat my thick hair. I realize that other people with different types of hair might love this, perhaps people with fine hair or less damage than mine. I might be too picky about hair products for the people with more manageable tresses. So I'm not not recommending it, if that makes sense. I'm just not recommending it for people with my type of hair. Hopefully, this review was helpful for people who wanted to try this out!

Cost-effectiveness: I bought this for $7.99, which is a dollar more than regular Organix hair products. You could probably wait it out for a sale (Ulta currently has a BOGO1/2 off sale), like when drugstores have a BOGOF Organix sale. 

Availability: I bought this at CVS and have also seen this at Ulta in store and online.

Review: Freeman Superfruits Detoxifying Clay Facial Mask

I was incredibly excited to try the new Freeman's mask that I picked up during Thanksgiving weekend.

As you well know, I am a big fan of Freeman clay masks!

Ingredients: water, panthenol, hydroxyethylcellulose, glycerin, tetrasodium EDTA, propylene glycol, methylparaben, titanium dioxide, kaolin, polysorbate-20, carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed oil, emulsifying wax NF, gyceryl stearate se, propylparaben, persea gatissima (avocado) oil, tocopheryl (vitamin E) acetate, retinyl (vitamin A) palmitate, bentonite, lycium barbarum (goji) fruit extract, euterpe oleracea (acai) fruit extract, punica granatum (pomegrante) extract, mangifera india (mango) fruit extract, garcinia mangostana (mangosteen) peel extract, vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry) fruit extract, morinda citrifolia (noni) fruit extract, vaccinium angustifolium (blueberry) fruit extract, blue 1, phenoxyethanol, fragrance.  

Ingredient ♥ Ingredient :(

Experience: It is a blue mask with a scent that reminds me of Bath & Body Works' Cucumber Melon scent. Lol, it seemed like every girl in middle school wore cucumber melon lotion. It dried quickly for a mask and I felt some light tingling, which was not uncomfortable.

As for the quality...To put it bluntly, I hated it! I was so shocked, since I had thought that Freeman could do no wrong. But this mask was absolutely useless. It did not detoxify as the name suggests. In fact, it doesn't  do much of anything. It did not suck the excess oil off my skin or minimize my pores or shrink my pimples. It didn't even moisturize that well.

From looking at the ingredients, I understood why. How could they call it a clay mask when there's more preservative than clay?! Usually a Freeman mask has kaolin (clay) as its 2nd ingredient, but this one lists kaolin as 9th most ingredient. And there's also more perservatives than the fruit extracts they featured.

Honestly, Freeman skimped on the ingredients on this mask and as a result, the quality suffered greatly. I'm not even sure what to do with the rest of the tube!

Cost-effectiveness: I picked this for $3.99, which is affordable for a clay mask. But for a useless clay mask, it's way too expensive.

Availability: I found mine at Ulta and Freeman's site sells it too.

Honestly, I hope this mask is not an indication of what's more to come from Freeman. I much prefer their other masks. Please, please, please don't cheapen the quality, Freeman!

Have you tried this mask too? Your thoughts!

Hard Candy Haul and Review

Ever since I heard about the new items for the Hard Candy line from Gianna, I was psyched about hauling them. Luckily, I was able to pick up everything I wanted. 

My haulage

My eyes were mostly on the duo blush sticks and concealer. I'm a blush fiend and I'm always on the lookout for my nasty undereye circles. 

(L-R) Hide & Glow Cheek Duo Cheek Tint in Pillow Talk, Hot Date, and In Love

When I got to the display, I did not want to choose between the three gorgeous shade duos, so I hauled them all. Typical me. ;)
When I first apply the blush on, it feels sticky, a lip balm-y texture. I kept expecting the blush to sink into my skin into a dry finish, but that never happened. I was so disappointed when I thought I was stuck with sticky cheeks! However, I found that when you blend it in with your fingers, the stickiness subsides. So blending is key to this!

Some Swatches

You get 8g of product per tube, 4g of each color. What I loved about the color range was that it all looked very natural on my cheeks. The vibrant, neon-ish colors are on top and darker, plummier shades on the bottom. In the tubes, In Love looked like a lovely vibrant coral. I wanted it the most coming out of Walmart. But after swatching it, I am far more impressed by the other two shades. Most of all, I loved the darker sides of the duo, which actually aren't too dark for me, like I had thought. Each tube retails for $6. 

Glamoflage Heavy Duty Concealer With Concealer Pencil in Light

I am not sure how to feel about this. This is a super pigmented concealer, so much so a teeny, tiny dot will be enough for your eyes. I totally think people will be able to cover up tattoos with this baby. But on the other hand, this is a bad undereye concealer. It looks fine when I first apply it, but it already settles into my fine lines in as little as five minutes. Yikes! Also, the concealer is formulated with petrolatum and lanolin, which make some people break out. And I am far too vain to use it, if it might make me break out. So, it might be good for covering up scars and tattoos off your face. 

A Swatch

Another tip is that the concealer runs very light, so you might want to go a shade up, if you are a fair-medium. I had to exchange the light for a medium.  The pencil concealer was a perfect match for my skin, you can't even see it! This retails for $6.

 

Glow All the Way Face & Body Luminizer in Doll Face

I randomly picked it up, since I was hankering for a new primer to try out. I had heard about liquid highlighters from Tao. This would be a super cheap alternative to Benefit's High Beam. You get 2.7 oz. for $8, which is a steal compared to High Beam which retails $24 for .45 oz. This luminizer is a pink gel consistency and is super pigmented with fine silver shimmer. You really have to be careful not to overdo. It's easier to work with if you apply it underneath your foundation, so it's more subtle.    

Holy Pigmentation, Batman!

Overall, I really love the blushes and highlighter. I'm still on the fence on the concealer. 

Have you hauled the new Hard Candy too? Let me know your thoughts! :)

Review: Freeman Mint & Lemon Facial Clay Mask

I'm back to review the latest clay mask from Freeman. As you know, I am a Freeman fiend!

When I saw it at Walmart this past summer, I had to get my hands on it.

Ingredients: Water (aqua), Kaolin, Bentonite, Titanium Dioxide, Propylene Glycol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Citrus Medica Limonum (lemon) Fruit Extract, Mentha Piperita (peppermint) Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Montmorillonite, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Polyacrylate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Fragrance (parfum), Yellow 5, Blue 1.

Ingredient ♥ Ingredient :(

Experience: This definitely is a typical Freeman clay mask, in a good way. This is a greenish mask that features lemon and mint extract, though it smells more like Mountain Dew to me. I LOVE Mountain Dew, so I'm so excited to have this in my mask collection. This clay mask sucks up the excess oil from my face without drying it out, and leaves my face baby soft and smooth! This would help reduce the size of red bumps. It is soo gentle, certainly not harsh like some other clay masks I've tried. I fully recommend this. Take a look at my reviews on other Freeman clay masks here and here. 

Cost-effectiveness: I bought this for $3.27 at Walmart, which is around what you would pay for a Freeman mask (at most $3.99). This is way affordable!

Availability: This is available at Walmart and on the Freeman site.

A Tale of Two Moisturizers: Reviews for Aveeno Daily Moisturizer Lotion and Tree Hut Shea Body Butter in Original Shea

I'm back to review the two lotions I'm currently using. 

Inactive Ingredients: Water, Glycerin, Distearyldimonium Chloride, Petrolatum, Isopropyl Palmitate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Oat Flour (Avena Sativa), Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Chloride
Active Ingredients: Dimethicone (1.3%)

Ingredient ♥ 

Experience: Sometimes, I think my mother is a beauty savant. She could care less about finding HG products or spending a little more money to get something awesome. But she always seems to come across great finds with little effort. When I started college, she packed this moisturizer for me to use. I used it, thinking nothing of it. I was aw-mazed! I have dry-ish skin on the rest of my body, which can even crack if I don't moisturize! The lotion is fast absorbing, non-greasy, and soo moisturizing! I felt my legs under my pants 12 hours after application and it was baby soft. The lotion is fragrance-free, which I prefer, since people can be picky about scents. I cannot love this lotion enough! Definitely HG. This is something I'll buy and buy again.

Cost-effectiveness: This retails from $7-11 dollars depending on size and location. The best deal is found at Costco, which sells a 2-pack of 18oz. each for under $20. 

Availability: Any drugstore, grocery store, or most retailers in America and many online retailers will carry this lotion. It is extremely popular. Costco sells it at a bargain. Take advantage of your membership or a friend's to purchase this!

Ingredients: Water, Cyclomethicone, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Fruit, Glyceryl Stearate, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG 100 Stearate, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, PEG 8 Beeswax, Lanolin Alcohol, Polysorbate 80, Laureth 4, Fragrance, Xanthan Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Caramel

Ingredient ♥ 

Experience: I was so excited to try this body butter because of the rave Kalmo gave this to this brand. The butter was also fast absorbing, though it doesn't absorb as fast as Aveeno.. Also, it is decent at moisturizing, but not as long-lasting as Aveeno. It has a scent that is reminiscent of almond milk pudding for some reason. If you like that scent, go for it! Overall, a good moisturizer, but not HG material.

Cost-effectiveness: I bought this in a quartet from Costco for $13.99. Each tub has 7 oz. worth of moisturizer. It is also sold in singlets around $5-8 each. Costco is clearly the bargain spot, if you don't care about picking specific fragrances and buying in bulk. 

The quartet has Original Shea, Hawaiian Kukui, Coconut Lime, and Tahitian Grass

Availability: Walmart, Costco, Amazon, and other online retailers.

Review: Ishizawa Lab Urea and Hyaluronic Acid Lotion

I'm going to review a Japanese lotion/toner that I've been using this year. 

After I cleanse my face, I apply witch hazel toner and then a Japanese lotion. A Japanese lotion is in liquid form like a toner. So it may seem like overkill to have both a toner and a Japanese lotion, but in my mind, the two serve different purposes. The toner is an extra step in cleansing (gets what your face wash left behind) while it moisturizes. The Japanese lotion is for hydration and helps your skin absorb things like moisturizer or makes make-up apply more smoothly. 

Ishizawa Lab Urea and Hyaluronic Acid Lotion. The label's pretty worn out, because I've been using the lotion religiously!

Ingredients*:

Water, glycerin, dipropylene glycol, pentylene glycol, urea, sodium hyaluronate, sodium acetylated hyaluronate, hyaluronic acid, hydroxyethyl urea, St. John’s wort extract, chamomile extract, tilia cordata extract, calendula extract, cornflower extract, roman chamomile extract, peach leaf extract, apple extract, grape water, lactic acid, sodium citrate, dipotassium glycyrrhizate (licorice root) extract, butylene glycol, phenoxyethanol  

Ingredient ♥

*I don't know Japanese, but I used a combination of Google Translate and web resources to make sure I have the correct translation. I don't like to rely on the translated ingredients given by the importers. They're often more incorrect than my own crude translations!

Here is the original. If anyone sees any mistranslation on my part, alert me and I'll change it accordingly!

全成分 : 水・グリセリン・DPG・ペンチレングリコール・尿素・ヒアルロン酸Na・アセチルヒアルロン酸Na・加水分解ヒアルロン酸・ヒドロキシエチルウレア・オ トギリソウエキス・カミツレエキス・フユボダイジュ花エキス・トウキンセンカ花エキス・ヤグルマギクエキス・ローマカミツレ花エキス・モモ葉エキス・リン ゴエキス・ブドウ果実水・乳酸・クエン酸Na・グリチルリチン酸2K・BG・フェノキシエ

Experience: I apply this directly after my toner, though I usually let my toner dry up a little bit. The lotion comes in a heavy glass bottle with a orifice reducer which helps prevent you from wasting to much, so you can sprinkle out a few squirts. I had thought that I was supposed to use a cotton square like I do for my toner, but DON'T! It's super wasteful. You're supposed to use your hands to apply. Jean explains why that is better than I can. I put some in my palm and pat this onto my skin. Like this:

This helps my thick sunscreen glide effortlessly onto my skin. And it makes my skin so hydrated I can't stop touching my cheeks!
This isn't one of those in-your-face, change-your-life miracle products. However, after using it, I can't imagine going without it. It definitely makes its presence felt in its absence.  When I went to Canada, the 3 oz. liquid rule forced me to abandon my lotion at home. And boy, my skin was not looking pretty after four days. While my handy travel cleansing wipes did what they were supposed to, there was nothing actually hydrating my face. My face got soo rough and dull after ten days. It was only when I returned home and started up my skincare regimen again that my skin returned to normal. Whew!

Looking at the ingredients, its obvious competitor is Hada Labo's lotions. However, I prefer it to Hada Labo for the following reasons: 

1. Though Ishizawa and Hada Labo both have hyaluronic acid (the main hydrating agent), Ishizawa has two additional urea-based moisturizers: urea and hydroxyethyl urea. Of course, the natural response to urea is ewww. Urea is an effective moisturizer! Why do you think babies' bottoms are so smooth?! :P
2. Ishizawa contains more botanical extracts, whereas Hada Labo is more bare bones. This includes soothing extracts like chamomile and calendula along with dipotassium glycyrrhizate, a whitening agent derived from licorice root. 
3. Ishizawa contains no parabens! I know many people are wary of using parabens. Hada Labo uses parabens as a preservative in their products. One of the preservatives in Ishizawa is phenoxyethanol. Read more about this preservative here.

I'm so certain of this product's effectiveness that I don't feel the need to try another Japanese hyaluronic lotion. And I'm a certified shopaholic!

Cost-effectiveness: I paid $19.99 for the lotion. It retails in Japan for ¥1500. This is 120 mL of product. Price-wise, it's more expensive than Hada Labo lotions, but worth it for the reasons stated above. I started using this back in early may and I only used up a quarter of the bottle! You just have to be careful to not dispense too much lotion per use. 

Availability: I purchased this at the Mitsuwa supermarket. You can also find this in online retailers for around $20. 
Update (5/22/11): Sasa has started selling the lotion for a pretty good price. See here.