Nivea Creme: The Saga Continues

After I got hooked on Nivea Creme, I checked out what kind of Nivea Canada had to offer. It seems like Canada imports much more Nivea products. I saw skincare ranges that hadn't graced the US market.
But of course, I was only interested in the Creme. Canada has the same blue plastic tubs of Nivea Creme made in Mexico, so I assumed they contained the same formula. But hey! What's this?

The US Nivea Creme contains petrolatum, which the Canadian one does not. Here's a comparison between Canadian Nivea and German Nivea.

I drew arrows between ingredients that were the same or equivalent. Darn it, Spellcheck! That's how it's supposed to be spelled.

The Canadian formula looks awfully similar to the German one, eh? Although the Canadian formula is missing limonene, geraniol, hydroxycitronellol, linalool, citronellol, benzyl benzoate, cinnamyl alcohol, these are just fragrance ingredients and can be recategorized under parfum, as Rae explains, which make sense.

The Canadian Nivea appears have the German formula with preservatives. After reading May's post, I learned this formula is most similar to the German version and the same as the Thai version.

I thought that was the end of my exciting revelation, but there's more!

I picked up a tube of Nivea instead of a tub. And even those ingredients differed! Check it out.

Again, arrows between the same or equivalent ingredients

It contains the tub ingredients sans preservatives, which I suspect is due to the Creme not being as exposed to airborne bacteria in a tube vs. a tub. 

For some reason, there is more Magnesium Sulfate in Candian Nivea. This might be a labelling mistake. However, I doubt it really affects the formula, as I suspect Magnesium Sulfate is used to give Nivea a creamy white appearance. Googling it, I found:

"Magnesium Sulfate is a non-reactive, solid ingredient that is used to dilute other solids, or to increase the volume of a product."      -cosmeticsinfo.org

Overall, the Canadian tube formula is very similar to the German one. All this time, I never suspected our neighbors to the north would be so lucky as to get the German formula. This means you can purchase "German" Nivea in Canada. Lol, I searched frantically for it in the States, when it is widely available across the border.  If you find yourself in The Great White North, grab yourself a tube!

I was in Montreal this weekend visiting family. There's been a snow storm, so I am really missing Cali weather. I'm returning tomorrow, time goes by so fast. Hope y'all are having a lovely new year!

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.

Mystery Sleek Blush

Back in my brief Sleek Makeup obsession last December, I was scoping out eBay's offerings. And I stumbled upon a mystery blush. 

It wasn't listed on the Sleek website or mentioned in any blogs at the time. What could it be?

Sleek's blush in Life's a Peach! As soon as I read the the name, I knew I would pick it up. I cannot resist peachy blushes! The color just looks so flattering on light-medium warm skin tones. Plus I'm set for this season, looks like orange blushes are back! I picked up for around $11 including shipping. 

Top off

Don't be scared off by the safety cone orange shade in the pan. It is actually a beautiful matte orange peach blush that translates beautifully on your cheeks!

I set about comparing it to the other orange blushes in my collection. 

I picked R&R's blush in Immoral because it looks super orange-y in the pan too and also N.Y.C. Peach Glow Face Powder in apparent memoriam. First off, I must note that the photo makes the blush seem darker than it is, the true color is actually more bright and lively. 

It took a few swipes of Sleek to show up on my arm, whereas it only took a swipe for the other two. However, I wouldn't hold this against Sleek at all. R&R's Immoral is infamously hard to work with since it's so pigmented. You might need more than one light swipe for Life's a Peach to show up on your cheeks, but you'll never look clownish. And though N.Y.C. is slightly more pigmented, the color of Peach Glow seems too subtle. 

Sleek is that awesome combo of seeming totally flattering and the color still coming through on the cheek. It's like Peach Glow and Immoral got together had a mild mannered baby! Immoral has a stronger hint of neon red coral and Peach Glow is a more peachy beige shade.  

It is definitely one of my favorite blushes to wear. I don't worry that it's going to be too flashy for a day look. It's the perfect pop of color on a dreary winter's day. According to Sabina, this shade is limited edition. It's still not on the Sleek website, but there seems to be eBay sellers who have stock. Check it out!

Hearts Don't Break Even: Stila and Physicians Formula Heart Blush Comparison

Happy Valentine's Day!

In honor of this blessed/dreaded holiday, I'll be comparing the two heart blushes rocking the blogosphere this season.

My newest blush acquisition!

Stila's Make Me Blush Palette

I got this last week and I had been waiting patiently for it ever since it got Muse's seal of approval and picked up for 20% off plus free shipping too. Who can resist that?!

Admire it with me! Close-up of the gorgeous-ness. 

Hommina hommina

Top off

So much prettier than actual candy hearts

  

The gold overspray just comes right off! A reviewer dreamyone on Sephora said it would make a great eyeshadow. I tried it and it was gorgeous! Here's a swatch.

It's a beautiful vibrant, orange-y gold shimmery color. If you want the gold color without the blush, Prestige's eyeshadow in Golden Retriever is an exact match. 

And now a comparison swatch with Physicians Formula Happy Booster Blush in Natural. I have a separate review for the PF blush. Check it here. 

See how the Stila blush looks kinda funky in this pic? I dropped it and part of it fell off. :/ It has fake overspray, but I shed real tears!

Here's an indoor swatch.

As you can see, the two blushes are in the same fresh, pink-y shade family. However, Stila definitely has a strong hint of reddish coral.

Swatch in sunlight

The two look even more similar in daylight, but Stila is more pigmented. However, that may or may not be a good thing for you. Stila is a bit harder to work with, I often have to buff it out even after a light application. PF is foolproof.

Blushes blended out

Blended out, they look even more similar, but no dupe. Looking closely, there's a noticeably heavier shimmer in Stila, but nothing too crazy.

As for logistics: 

Price: Stila retails $14 (there was a coupon code for at least 20% off online), PF $11.99 (but there's coupons and sales).

Where to buy: Stila is available online on Sephora, Stila, and Macys, though Sephora and Stila are out of stock right now. It's probably available at retail locations of these stores. I've seen the PF blushes in cardboard display stands at CVS and Rite Aid, though there's only two of each blush shade in each stand. 

Availability: Stila is limited edition (words I can't resist!). And PF is permanent for now. 

Size: Stila is 9.9g and PF is 7g. 

I'm glad I picked up both. They're not so similar that I have buyer's 'morse for getting both.

What about you? Which one do you like? Would you get both? Your thoughts!

New EcoTools Brush: The cheap duo fiber brush of your dreams!

Hi y'all! I've gone back to school and it is hectic hectic hectic! So I'll limit my postings to the weekends.

This post has been a long one in the making, since I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of EcoTools' 2011 release of their new Kabuki Finishing Brush! It all started when I read Gianna's post about upcoming EcoTools' brushes. None of the descriptions really intrigued me, except for one. 

"The bamboo Finishing Kabuki ($6.99), which has varying hair lengths to provide a sheer, delicate finish that is soft on skin" -drugstorenews.com

To be honest, I was mostly interested because I had no idea what they meant! I did some googling to find a picture to give me a better idea.

I came across an old eBay auction and saw this: 

I think my feelings when I found this were comparable to a schoolgirl meeting the Beatles.

I promptly freaked out because I knew that what EcoTools was releasing was a new duo fiber brush and if there's one thing that catches attention fast in the makeup world, it's a cheap dupe of MAC's infamous duo fibre brush.

So I've been waiting impatiently since late last year for this brush to pop up in stores. Flash forward to last night. My bf and I went to dinner in SF and we took a walk after. He let me pop into Walgreens (because he loves and know me well, lol) to check for the wet N wild 8-pan palettes. No luck yet, and we were just about to leave, when I glanced over at the EcoTools rack and saw it. 

I was giddy and knew I wouldn't leave the store without it. I picked it up for $7.29, which is $.30 more than their listed retail price (yes, I care about that). The local Walgreens in my area always jack up cosmetic prices by about $.30. Boo! But I couldn't resist buying it!

Look at that sexy, sleek handle! The look of the brush seems to be inspired by old fashioned men's shaving brushes. Its design fits comfortably in your hand. It's such a departure from the normal EcoTools brush handle. But I think funky brush handles are EcoTools' sign of an awesome brush, exhibit A: the beloved Bronzer Brush?

This is not the first time that the company has released a duo fiber brush. The first time they did so was the Finishing Brush in the Alicia Silverstone Brush Set. EcoTools is pretty good at giving the consumers what they want. They restocked the previously limited edition Alicia Silverstone brushes due to high demand and now they're giving us another duo fiber brush. And this definitely feels like an improvement from their first brush.

Owning both, I'll compare the old and new one side-by-side. 

To start off, both brushes are typical EcoTools brushes, as in angel soft bristles and minimal shedding. But the duo fiber brushes tend to shed a little more, as in one fiber bristle once every few uses instead of the typical no shedding as found in the other brushes. Still great quality!

(L-R): Finishing Brush from the Alicia Silverstone collection, Kabuki Finishing Brush

The new Kabuki brush is definitely larger, twice the size of the Alicia brush. This means you could apply product to larger areas at a time. The brushes feel about equally dense, so the floppy-ness is about the same in each brush. Maybe the Kabuki brush is slightly stiffer, but not by much.

(L-R): Alicia brush, Kabuki brush

As for fiber length, the Alicia brush has longer fibers, about .5cm longer than the Kabuki Finishing Brush.

(L-R): Alicia brush, Kabuki brush

The two brushes also vary in fiber distribution. The Alicia brush has concentrated clusters of fibers which are more sparsely distributed, whereas the new Kabuki brush don't have the concentrated clusters and the fibers are densely and uniformly distributed throughout. 

(L-R) Alicia brush, Kabuki brush, Bronzer brush

It is a noticeably shorter brush, shorter than the regular length from EcoTools and even shorter than the Bronzer brush. The shorter length allows you more control and ease of use when you have to buff out something.

All in all, I think the new changes make for a good stippling brush for foundation, whereas the older Alicia brush is better suited for applying pigmented blushes. I am not sure how it compares to the MAC brush, since I don't own one. But I'm sure we'll see some comparisons pop up soon! 

Despite my grumbling, the price is also an improvement. Instead of paying at least $15.99 for the Alicia Silverstone set just to own the finishing brush, you could have a improved version for $6.99! 


How do you feel about the new Kabuki Finishing Brush? Own one already? Or interested in picking one up? Your thoughts!

Current Obsession: Shimmer Atomizers

I hope everyone had a good Christmas!

This winter, I've been dangerously addicted to bulb atomizers that disperse shimmer powder. 

All thanks or no thanks to Muse.

She reviewed The Body Shop's The Sparkler ($18) and I was hooked! Something about 10g pink shimmer stored in a vintage-looking bulb atomizer in a frosted bottle made me gasp.

The bad boy that started it all. www.thebodyshop-usa.com

I don't know why I was so smitten. I have never been a fan of shimmer off my eyelids. I've gone out of my way to avoid the sparkle. It's pretty much the attitude of the makeup blogosphere: avoid the disco ball look. I've stuck to my mattes time and time again. The powder is also scented with Cherry Blossom. If there's anything in makeup I usually hate besides shimmer, it's scent. Covergirl's baby powder smell makes me gag. I can't believe I might be rocking the shimmery, scented look!

But this holiday season is all about the glitzy look. Looking a like a vampire in the sun is great for Christmas and New Year Eve's parties. I want it mostly for the luxe atomizer bulb, I love that you can apply shimmer without a brush ever touching your face!

So I strove like mad to find The Sparkler in stores. I called all the stores in SF and the greater Bay Area. But they were all sold out, a few of them told me that it's been sold out nationwide. It's a cruel psychological effect that you want something even more now that it's unattainable. :P 

Bah, I found out soon after that it wasn't that innovative. Perhaps my beloved Sparkler took inspiration from a Guerlain powder?

Definitely a worthy substitute. http://www.nordstrom.com/

Guerlain has released powder atomizers for the holiday season for the past few years. Guerlain Or Imperial Sublime Radiant Powder Face & Body ($85) is the latest offering. The gorgeous glass atomizer with a bee-etched design stores 10g of violet-scented gold shimmer. Too bad the price is terrifying. I just really like the bottle! Maybe when I'm the type who buys Guerlain.

Or maybe The Sparkler is The Body Shop's version of Tarina Tarantino's Sparklcity Sparkle Dust ($39).

Looks similar! http://www.sephora.com/

It also comes in a gold version! http://www.sephora.com/

It's definitely a better deal than Guerlain and you get 2 more grams. Still, too rich for my blood.

Muse tried to lure me into Team Sparkle again when she reviewed Fusion Beauty Objects of Desire Virtual Powder in Opulent. It's an iridescent shimmer!



I don't like the bottle design as much as the others. http://www.dillards.com/

 Unfortunately, it's the same price of Tarina Tarantino's but you only get 5.5g.

Finally I came across the one that makes me want to get my haul on. Bare Minerals offers a limited edition (I hate that word) shimmer atomizer called Body Lingerie.

Lol, I hear angels sing when I look at this. http://www.qvc.com/

It's in a frosted bottle, which I love. Though it's not the pink shimmer I lusted for, I'll get 20g of awesome vanilla-scented gold shimmer. That's more than the other bottles! And for $29, which is cheaper than most of them! And now it's on sale, so I can buy it for $22 online. I'm damn happy that I finally found a suitable alternative. I'm thinking of refilling it with pink shimmer powder, if and when I empty it. 

Are you in love with shimmer atomizers too? Any ones I've missed? Tried any of these? Your thoughts! 

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.

Reviews: Freeman Chocolate & Strawberry Detoxifying Mask and Avocado & Oatmeal Facial Clay Mask

I want to finish my reviews on Freeman mask packs and do a lil comparison between the three that I've bought.

First off is the chocolate and strawberry one.

Ingredients: water ( aqua), kaolin, bentonite, titanium tioxide, propylene glycol, magnesium aluminum silicate, theobroma cacao (cocoa) extract, fragaria vesca (strawberry) fruit Extract, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, tocopherol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, montmorillonite, disodium EDTA, sodium polyacrylate, diazolidinyl urea, methylparaben, propylparaben, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, fragrance (parfum), yellow 5, red 4, red 33, blue 4, iron oxides/dimethicone copolyol

Experience: I was initially not expecting much from the mask. Beauty products that center around food themes always tend to be more about the food gimmick than the actual effectiveness of the product. But the ingredients looked good to me. They actually use real strawberries and chocolate! I'm always disappointed if the advertised bit is not actually in the composition, like when something is called "green tea" and then it's nowhere to be found in the ingredients, but it's just green tea scented. Happily, Freeman doesn't do that.

It also smelled diviine, like chocolate mousse with a hint of strawberries. The mask dried quickly with no irritation. My face was moisturized and the excess oil on my face absorbed by the clays in the mask. I had no major breakouts at the time, so I'm not sure what it might do for acne.

It's a wonderful mask, but I like the Dead Sea Minerals one better.

Cost Effectiveness: All Freeman mask packs cost $1.99. That's cheap for a once-in-a-while treat, but if you want to use this as regular mask, it's a bit much. A pro that DSM doesn't have is that this mask is available in tube form (6 oz.), which gets you more for your money.

Availability: the mask pack type can be found at Rite-Aid, and the tube form on the Freeman site.

I am also reviewing the avocado and oatmeal one.

They use and photoshop the same picture for all the mask packs, lol.

Ingredients: water (aqua), kaolin, bentonite, titanium dioxide, propylene glycol, magnesium aluminum silcate, colloidal oatmeal, tocopherol, persea gratissima (avocado) oil, caprylic/capric triglyceride, montmorillonite, disodium EDTA, sodium polyacrylate, diazoidinyl urea, methylparaben, propylparaben, methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone, fragrance (parfum), yellow 5.

Ingredient ♥ Ingredient :(

Experience: It has the same clay texture as the previous two Freeman clay masks. The mask is a light green color with a lotion-y scent. I found it to be gentle, though for some reason, my eyes watered when I first put on the mask. The irritating feeling soon disappeared but I am not sure why that happened, if it was because of the fragrance or something else. I found it to be moisturizing but the effects weren't as good as it was with the other two masks. However, this is a good choice, if you're just interested in something that moisturizes.

Cost-effectiveness: same as Chocolate & Strawberry, see above.

Availability: The pack form is only available at Rite-Aid, though Freeman online, Rite-Aid, CVS, and other drugstores carry the tube form.

Comparison

Showdown!

Experience:

1. Dead Sea Minerals seemed most effective at getting rid of and reducing whiteheads. My skin had the best reaction to it.
2. Chocolate & Strawberry
   
3. Avocado & Oatmeal

Cost-effectiveness:

1. Chocolate & Strawberry and Avocado are tied for first, as they both have a tube version.
2. 
   
3. Dead Sea Minerals

Availability:

1. Avocado & Oatmeal wins, since it's available at multiple drugstores. It's nice to be able to break the monopoly of Rite-Aid in Freeman products. :)
2. Dead Sea Minerals and Chocolate & Strawberry tie, as it's only available at Rite-Aid or online.
   

Best Overall: Chocolate & Strawberry