PN Blossoming Face Color

PN is an old and discontinued line from Shiseido. It is a well-loved predecessor of Maquillage, although Maquillage has done a great job catching up with PN's old fan base :)



While I don't have many experience with PN, I do own a couple of powder and blush items and I like them a lot! Today I am reviewing Blossoming Face Color in Lucent Orange.


First and foremost I want to comment on the packaging of this power. Even though it has its faults, I just love this power case! The powder case is so sleek and smooth, not squarish and oddly shaped like its successor Maquillage's. I don't know if you could tell from my picture above, but the sides of the case are shaped like a droplet of water. It just fits perfectly in the palm of my hand! And the faults? Well, just one, but because the 2 sides of the compact are raised above the power, it is rather difficult to pick up the 2 farthest colors evenly with a round face/powder/blush brush! This case was meant for use with the flat brush it came with, which to me is a bit...user unfriendly. Regardless, I still love it :P


While the powder is called "Lucent Orange," as you can see, there's nothing orange about this powder. It's completely translucent, save for some shimmers for a slight highlighting effect. I say slight because the shimmers aren't obvious at all, with the lightest section most shimmery and the darkest section matte. To the touch, the powder feels a bit dry, but it applies rather soft with no chalky residue and definitely not drying.

To the touch, the powder feels a bit dry, but it applies rather soft with no chalky residue and definitely not drying. It's a much better setting powder than the Amazing Cosmetics Powderset, I must say! I would even compare it to the Estee Lauder Aeromatte Ultralucent Pressed Powder, only it is not completely matte.

Etude House Orgel Light Eyes Part II

This review is for the Etude House Orgel Light Eyes trio #02 Golden Yellow.



02 - Golden Yellow: this combination is definitely warm and summery, versus the cooler and springy trio #01 - Silver Purple. It also differs with #01 in sporting 2 duo-chromatic shades with a much softer texture and not as chalky. Other than that, it is consistent in the fact that all 3 colors show up true as they appear in the pan.

IsQueen Moisturizing Essence Collagen Mask

I bought IsQueen Moisturizing Essence Collagen Mask expecting at least a decent piece like IsQueen Ultramicro Aqua Deep Repairing Mask, but I was fouly disappointed.



Don't get me wrong, it started out well. I liked what I smelled...for the first few seconds. It was a light fragrance, so light and weak it was poorly masking something else very vile and...fishy. Yes, this mask reeked, not of the rancid, something-had-gone-sour smell, but of defrosted frozen shellfish. My 20 minutes felt like I had slimed myself with raw seafood. Ick. Gross. What the hell did they put in there?


Other than the unbearable stench, the paper mask is the same in material and quality as the Ultramicro Aqua Deep Repairing Mask. Afterwards, my skin wasn't sticky or oily, although I had to really really fight the urge to go wash my face as the odor lingered on even after the essence was fully absorbed.

The next morning, however, I woke up to the absolute horror of an oil spill. My face was so slick and shiny and greasy I seriously could have made French fries for breakfast. Worse, right in the middle of my forehead was a huge red cystic pimple!!! Dammit! I really should have washed it off the night before! Why the hell did I put myself through this stinkin' torture? Grr... Goes to show sometimes, patience is NOT a good thing. That's it. I swear off this mask for good. Urgh.

IsQueen Ultramicro Aqua Deep Repairing Mask

My first dab into the Chinese brand IsQueen, which claims to employ Japanese NANO technology in its skincare products. Yeah, okay, not sure what that means but if their stuff is good, I'll give it a try.


IsQueen Ultramicro Aqua Deep Repairing Mask is decent. It comes with a thick and soft quality paper, almost cloth-like, mask that is better cut than others. It is lightly scented and unoffensive. After applying the mask for 20 minutes, the results is not fantastic, but it was good and refreshing. My skin was soft and moisturized with no greasy residue the next morning. No breakouts either, which is definitely a good point.


Unfortunately, that's it though. There's nothing impressive about the mask. Definitely another case for saving my money for the Hadabisei Moisturizing Masks with Collagen.

Juju Cosmetics Aquamoist Hyaluronic Acid Face Mask

My first Juju Cosmetics item, the Aquamoist Hyaluronic Acid Face Mask. Apparently it has a skincare line loaded with hyaluronic acid, but since I'm iffy about the other items, I only tried this sheet mask.



The thing I notice first and foremost with sheet masks is their cut. I am happy to tell you that I have found a sheet mask with the best cut, much better than my current favorite Hadabisei Moisturizing Masks with Collagen! It just fits like a glove on my face with little to no air bubbles and wrinkles! The quality of the sheet mask itself is also high, in that it is thick and soft, feeling more like a thick fabric than paper!



Other than the cut and the quality of the masks, however, it actually took me a few tries just to figure out how to use it. The first time I tried it, I had it on for about 15-20 minutes as recommended, then I massaged the leftover serum into my skin afterward, leaving it for several more minutes until it dries. Or so I thought. After about another 30 minutes, I felt my face, and boy, it was more sticky than fly paper! Fine, no problem. With some other sheet masks I just need to splash some water on my face (as in the case of SkinFood Honey & Royal Jelly Mask Sheet). So I did just that, dabbing dry with a towel and waited for yet another 30 minutes, only to find my face was still sticky! WTF?!? So this time, I went to RINSE my face until I cannot feel the slickness on my skin anymore. And that finally got rid of the stickiness.

So yeah, this looks like a curious case of a sheet mask that actually needs to be rinsed off after use. I can't read the Japanese instructions, of course, so I'm just guessing. I think I'm wrong too, because sheet masks almost always do NOT require rinsing, which means this Juju Cosmetics Aquamoist Hyaluronic Acid Face Mask isn't going to work for me. Because I'm rinsing off all the good stuff as I can't stand the disgusting stickiness otherwise! Good thing it didn't break me out.

Oshima Tsubaki Oil

The Oshima Tsubaki Camellia Oil in Water is too light for dry skin during the winter? No problem :D Meet Oshima Tsubaki Oil - 100% pure Camellia Japonica oil!


***Picture from TrueRenu.

Yes, you can say my experience with the Camellia Oil in Water emboldened me, but I've moved on to the 100% pure Camellia oil version. This one is a bit more expensive, $13-15 in a 60 mL glass bottle with a dropper that will dispense only a few drops at a time. The pure Camellia oil is still very light, much lighter than the Burt's Bee's, but it's potent as hell. Trust me, I learned the hard way. The first time I use this on my hair, I thought a few drops of this light oil weren't going to be enough, so I put some more on before the blow dry. Boy I was sorry. My hair ended up looking oily even though I just washed it :( From then on, I religiously used only a few drops. Lesson learned, and the result is super soft and gleaming hair! :D

As for body oil, the 100% Pure Camellia Oil was just perfect! Just enough to moisturize my dry skin in this fall weather without any greasy aftermath at all. I mean, it didn't even leave its own GLASS bottle greasy! You know how an oil would get all greasy and nasty once it gets on anything? Not with Camellia oil! I usually puts some on one hand, rub both hands together then apply the oil to my body. Then I'd pick the glass bottle up with my oily hands for some more, and this process would repeat until I'd moisturize my entire body after the shower. Yet the glass bottle remains clean and squeaky with no greasy residue, and I never even bothered to dry or wipe it up after use! So the oil absorbs in no time once applied to my skin as well. By the time I step out of the shower, my skin would show no traces of it, meaning no nasty residue on furniture and no ruined towels and clothing. Damn! I think I found another keeper! How incredibly lucky is that? I've got the hair and body oil for each season: the Camellia Oil in Water for the hot and humid months, and the 100% Pure Camellia Oil for the cold months. I think I'm all set, and I will probably stick to this combination for a long time unless something else better comes around. I really doubt it, though. Folks in Japan have been using this oil for generations!

By the way, the instructions for this 100% Pure Camellia Oil says it's pure enough for use as facial moisturizer, but I think I won't go there. Why messing with yet another oil for my face when I already have my lovely and gigantic jar of Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream? Besides, the Oil Cleansing Method is still working its magic for me. I suppose I could use the 100% Pure Camellia Oil as the secondary carrier oil, but that would be a waste since the Camellia oil is much more expensive than Extra Virgin Olive oil.

Oshima Tsubaki Camellia Oil in Water

Here it is - Camellia Japonica (Japanese Camellia) oil! For my first experiments with this oil, so I chose a classic brand known for its quality Camellia oil, Oshima Tsubaki, and I chose lightweight product to start with, the Camellia Oil in Water.


***Picture from TrueRenu.

So why a lightweight product? Because I intended to use this as both hair and body oil, hoping to replace the greasy and heavy Burt's Bees Lemon & Vitamin E Bath and Body Oil! Two birds with one stones, don't you just love multi-purpose stuff? And plus I don't know how my hair and skin will react to the oil. I've read that Camellia oil is closest to the human skin's natural emolient, so although I was pretty sure it'll work out, I still wanted to be cautious just in case.

Anyway, Oshima Tsubaki Camellia Oil in Water comes in a 150 mL spray bottle for about $10-12 depending on where you get it. I'm sure you can probably get it for cheaper in Japan, but $10-12 doesn't really bother me. It is fragranced, but only mildly so and actually smells quite good to me, nothing too strong or overwhelming. The Camellia oil is dissolved in water, and unfortunately, it does contain alcohol, a lot of it, which turns the stuff completely watery and feels slippery as well.

That said, the Camellia oil in water did wonders for my hair as supplemental conditioner to the Shiseido Tsubaki Golden Repair's dryness. All it took was one spray into the palm of my hand, rubbing both palms together, then massage into my wet hair after the shower, focusing on ends and body rather than scalp. After the first use, my hair was noticeably softer with the blow dry. Squeaky and tangly? Before application of the oil, yes, but after application of the oil, nah. My hair combed through just fine with the oil :D Hooray!

As body oil, it was wonderful as well, absorbing almost instantly after application, probably all thanks to the alcohol. Too bad it's getting pretty chilly here, so I'm going to need something more substantial for my body during the cold winter months when my skin is most dry. But there is no doubt I've found a keeper with Oshima Tsubaki Camellia Oil in Water. I'm saving this one for the muggy summer, that's for sure! Imagine a good body oil that dries almost instantly - it's even better than the lightest body lotion on the market that will feel damp for a few minutes before absorbing! And it's more moisturizing, being an oil, albeit diluted. I think I got lucky with this one :D

Tsubaki Golden Repair Shampoo & Conditioner

After trying the Super Mild Chikara Shampoo & Conditioner, I decided to move on to the Tsubaki Shampoo & Conditioner, which comes in two different kinds: Original - red bottle with a flowery scent, and the newer Golden Repair - white bottle with a fresh scent. They both contain Japanese Camellia oil, the oil from the flower that is the namesake of the shampoo - tsubaki.

Original (red) VS. Golden Repair (white)

***Pictures from TrueRenu.

I've read about the nourishing properties of Camellia oil for hair and skin, and plus people raved about this shampoo so I thought it wouldn't hurt to try. I couldn't stand the overwhelming flowery scent of the Original though, so I opted for the Golden Repair instead. The fresh scent was a bit strong still, but it was a whole lot better than putting a bouquet in a blender and drown myself in its puree.

Sadly, the Tsubaki Golden Repair didn't impress me at all. In fact, I found it drying! After the wash, my hair was squeaking, and while it sounds "clean," squeaking hair is not a good sign - it means your hair was stripped of its natural emolient. Super Mild and Super Mild Chikara cleaned my hair well but never left it squeaky. Yet with Tsubaki Golden Repair, even after conditioning my hair -gasp- still tangled! And my hair never tangles, not with Super Mild or Super Mild Chikara, not even when I use the occasional deep cleansing shampoo to clear the build ups, which more often than not would leave my hair too clean it squeaks! So I don't know exactly what went wrong here. Any advice? I thought about trying the Original Tsubaki shampoo, but the thought of the overwhelmingly flowery scent irks me!

So yeah, unfornately I won't continue using Tsubaki Shampoo after finishing this bottle. In the mean time though, I have to supplement my hair with Camellia oil to help with the dryness and the tangles.

The shampoo & conditioner I'm eyeing next? Kao Asience, which also has Camellia oil in it.

V05 Moisturizing Hot Oil Shower Works

Another great product I've been using for years but totally slipped my mind! Back in college some 6-7 years ago, I used to know this pretty gal named Dina who had this amazing hair that looked like those in the Pantene Pro-V commercials. It was long, smooth, straight, and so glossy you'd think she'd dumped an entire bottle of shine serum in it, only she did not. So one day I worked up the nerve to ask her what she used, and she said, "Oh, it's nothing. Just V05 Hot Oil!" Yep, that sent me straight out to the store and I've been using V05 Moisturizing Hot Oil Shower Works since.


***Picture from Amazon.com.

There are actually 2 versions of this oil, both are once a week treatment. One in a capsule-like long plastic tube with a break off seal-cap that requires heating in a cup of hot water for 5 minutes prior to using. The other is a "shower works," which does not require prior heating but will instead heat up with the shower's heat. I use the "shower works" kind because, well, I'm lazy and don't really want to bother with heating up the oil in a cup with hot water. Too much hassle for the dear old bum that is me.

That said, I also take relatively warm-cool showers during the winter and cool-cold showers during the summer. Needless to say, I never got the oil to unleash its full potential and even then, it still really helped my hair and made it much softer and shinier. The trick is to massage the oil into the hair ends, not the roots, and afterwards I just smooth my hair from the top of my head down with whatever that are left on my hands. The instructions says to leave the oil in up to 1 minute, but for someone with year round shoulder-length to long (and lots of) hair like me, by the time I'm done massaging the oil into my hair ends, it would have been more like 3-5 minutes, so I'm not exactly sure if leaving it in for too long would affect its benefits either.

In conclusion, this hot oil is really wonderful if you have dry and dull hair in need of some rescue. On my part however, I think I might move on after I finish up the few bottles I always stash as back up. Why? Because it's getting old :D I mean, I've been using it for 6-7 years now, so I just thought this might be a good time to give other hair oils a chance, that's all.

What's up next? Japanese Camellia oil :D Been using it for the past month as a supplemental conditioner for a new shampoo. Will review very soon!

SkinLite Hydrating Cucumber Masque

Whenever I have time to put on a mask, I prefer sheet masks over wash-off masks. I just think the sheet masks are a bit more convenient in that I don't have to rinse my face afterwards :D What? You didn't know I'm a lazy bum? Still, I do give wash-off masks a chance every once in a while. There are good ones out there, I'm sure!

That said, I have 3 words for this SkinLite Hydrating Cucumber Masque - what a waste! Honestly, it was a waste of my money, time, and energy massaging it on and washing it off. It did absolutely nothing! And I'm not looking for improvement, I'm looking for mere change! There was no change whatsoever before and after. If my face was tight and dry before, it was still tight a dry after. What's the point of this mask again? There isn't one!

The Hydrating Cucumber Masque has a rather interesting texture. It's really very...pulpy. I suppose they are trying to give you the idea that you are wearing a mask of cucumber puree. At least it sure smells like cucumber, listing cucumber extract as an ingredient. It's just too bad I find it neither hydrating nor worth a try. Blah.

Next.

Burt's Bees Lemon & Vitamin E Bath and Body Oil

Woops, it never occurred to me I should review this Burt's Bees Lemon & Vitamin E Bath and Body Oil even though I've been using for almost 2 years now. In fact, I didn't even remember it until I was putting out my winter clothes, all of which smelled like...oil.


***Picture from Burtsbees.com.

I have dry skin. Everywhere. Not just on my face, my hands, but all over. Body lotions and creams just have no effects whatsoever on me as I would be itchy and patchy all the same. So when I started using DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, I thought about using a body oil too!

But first let me side track a little :D You know what, I just noticed many of the stuff I'd posted on this blog, I've been using for around 2-3 years. I think it all has to do with the time I spent working in Japan, well, 2 years ago. What can I say, the experience changed me. I remember myself before going abroad to live in a country whose culture and language I knew nothing about (it actually wasn't that bad...it wasn't like I camped out in the Sahara or anything...). Nonetheless, before the trip, I was boring, bland, and ignorant as hell. Well, I still am all that, just a lot more opinionated and picky about my dullness and stupidity. Anyhoo, if you're wondering why I've been using a lot of these stuff for about 2 years, that's why. Before Japan, I was clueless...and could not care less.

Okay, back to Burt's Bees Lemon & Vitamin E Bath and Body Oil :D Basically, I settled on this body oil because all the other options didn't sound very good to me. I tried baby oil, and it was greasy and made me smell like a baby's butt. I tried Neutrogena Body Oil, and it's main ingredient is sesame oil, which made me think I'm rubbing Chinese food all over myself. So I ended up with Burt's Bees.

Over all, I wasn't too impressed. It was as heavy and greasy as the baby oil, just that the lemony scent made me feel better about being oil-slick all over. The detrimental aftermath of it, though, was, well, the oil itself. It was everywhere! It soaked through my clothes and towels and made them all smelled like oil. It even ruined several of my satin pajama pants and stained my cream-colored canvas couch! I still can't believe I put up with it for almost 2 years! That's it. Time to try something else. I. Quit.

Super Mild Chikara Shampoo & Conditioner

Very early into the start of this blog, I posted a mini review to Super Mild Shampoo & Conditioner. After 2 years of faithful usage, I decided I should try this special edition called Super Mild Chikara Shampoo & Conditioner over this past summer. I like Super Mild, so I figured Super Mild Chikara shouldn't be too bad.


***Picture from TrueRenu.

Well, let's just say it's not bad at all. It's actually better, making my hair even softer than the original Super Mild formula does. It probably has something to do with the soybean oil, which the original formula doesn't have. I love just how light and soft my hair feels afterwards, whether I towel dry or blow dry. This effect lasts even through the next day when my now long hair tends to get heavy, sometimes even oily.

The only thing I can see improvement in Super Mild Chikara is its scent, which, in my opinion, is a bit too...feminine. Not girly, but womanly, if not motherly. If I remember correctly, the ad for the shampoo and conditioner even says something to the effect of "...nurturing, like mother's milk." Where as the original Super Mild comes in a fruity (green) or floral (pink) scent, Super Mild Chikara comes in only 1 scent. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't smell bad, it smells quite good. There's nothing wrong with a feminine smelling shampoo either. Just that it was marketed to "families," so I was just surprised it wasn't more gender neutral. I guess it depends. I know both hubby and I don't mind the smell, but I could imagine others might.

Pop Beauty Mini Ribbon Gloss

Other than the Ribbon Gloss, it's safe to say I'm not really into Pop Beauty. Have nothing against the brand, just that I don't really find any of its items interesting. Yes, even the Neon Lids, not even the kits.

So why the Ribbon Gloss? Well, I actually don't like the full size version because it has 5 color stripes, some with fussy shimmers I don't really want to bother with. This mini one in the color combination Poppy Red though, has three bright and beautifully translucent red, orange, and bubblegum pink! Needless to say, I had to have it :D And for only $10, it wasn't so bad.



Anyhoo, the gloss was very, very thin. It felt like a light but moisturizing and non-waxy lip balm, thanks to the jojoba oil in the ingredients. Too bad it didn't last as long as I was hoping it would. I even liked the smell too! It was supposed to be vanilla but I think it smelled more like coconut. All that aside, the biggest brownie point for me with this gloss was its surprise pigment punch. It was like a bright sheer stain, absolutely not opaque or cakey. Especially that red color, try patting it on top of good old chapstick! The pink is lovely by itself, not tweeny at all, and the orange is very good lightening up my darker lipsticks and glosses. I guess I like this gloss a lot more than expected to. Now, if they would just come up with a longer lasting formula, I would definitely buy the full size version!

Catena Eight Cups of Water Mask

Another blah Catena sheet mask, the Eight Cups of Water Mask. And yes, this one reeked of cKone too, albeit with more of a citrus note.



As its namesake entails, this sheet mask is supposed to be hydrating. To be honest though, I couldn't tell the difference between this sheet mask and the other Catena Collagen Protein Wrinkle Removing & Moisturizing Mask! They both burned a little upon application, probably because of the alcohol content, and they were both moisturizing too, although nothing impressive or substantial. So yeah, I probably won't buy these again as I'd rather save my money for the Hadabisei Moisturizing Masks with Collagen.

The Body Shop Fall 2008 Collection

UPDATE 09/28/03: Sadly, The Body Shop Fall 2008 Collection is rather disappointing. I was so looking forward to it I went straight to the mall the day it was supposedly released, September 18. But painfully disappointed I was, and it took me this long to get off my ass to update this post.

So where do I begin? The 2 cheek colors were cheap looking, the eye shadows were muddy and chalky, and the Shimmer Cubes #15 - my collectible item - have colors that were just plain wrong! In the excitement of my original post below, I wondered if they got the color names all messed up because it didn't reflect at all the colors in the pictures. Well, the color names were correct alright, and it was the colors in the pictures that were messed up. Unlike the usual Shimmer Cubes super-metallics, #15 has a dark charcoal, basically black, that's NOT a metallic (at least not to me!), an ugly pasty white with a lilac pearly sheen, and 2 blues!!! I do have other Shimmer Cubes combos with - mind you - 1 blue in them, but I'm okay with that because they have other wearable colors, unlike this black, white, and 2 blues combo! Let's see, what can I do with black? Ahh, I line my eyes with it, smudge it for a smoky look, and if I ever go all out, I'll put on rocker eyes, goth eyes, racoon eyes, panda eyes, whatever. What can I do with white? Umm, highlight? But 2 blues?!? What the hell am I going to do with 2 blues when I can barely deal with one? Grr...yes, I'm hella grumpy now...

---------------------------
...that is Deadly Desire. No, serious. The Body Shop Fall 2008 Collection is called Deadly Desire. Silly name, but that aside I very much look forward to its release on August 29 (I think...)!

Usually, my approach to makeup is just to buy whatever that catches my fancy and I never really follow any brand's seasonal collections. But several items from this collection are definitely on my shopping list. I'm not a huge fan of The Body Shop per say, but I do love their shimmer cubes and I think some of their past limited edition blushes were really pretty (think Shimmer Waves and Blushing Daisies). But this particular Fall 2008 collection is different. It has perfect-for-fall colors that are still wearable colors year round. I think the versatility did it for me :D




***Pictures from A Blogger that Falls in Love with...MAKEUP.

I'm definitely getting:
- The 2 Shu Uemura-esque blushes (even though I'm not that into Shu...), colors Desert Rose and Dune Pink
- The 2 lovely dual-colors eye shadow palettes, colors Khaki Green and Eucalyptus Grey
- Those Shimmer Cubes, colors Silver Crest, Blue Horizon, Deep Down Blue and Ocean Rock Grey. I wonder if I got the color names wrong because they don't really reflect the actual colors of the cubes. But whatever, they are sooooooo mine!

The main reason I'm attracted to these items is because they are very shimmery (The Body Shop stuff are very shimmery in general), and the eye shadows are highly metallic. I don't particularly like the fact that the blushes and eye shadows, Shimmer Cubes included, are baked because baked stuff usually have harder texture and not as soft and silky to the touch. But then again, baked stuff are also intensely shimmery and metallic. I guess can live it that :P

Bonne Bell Rolly Lip Smacker

I was never a fan of Bonne Bell Lip Smackers. The flavors they have are neat and unique, but the stuff itself is mushy and oily and doesn't last at all. I remember slathering these on during middle school and they'd disappear after a few minutes. May be I used to talk a lot or something...Still do... ^.^

BUT, on a whim I bought these Bonne Bell Rolly Lip Smackers after spotting them at my local grocery store :P Did I tell you I have a thing for roller ball stuff? Yes, I do! I got the Strawberry and Cotton Candy combo, and while the other ones looked interesting too I decided I ought to stick to just this one for now.

The glosses go on light and glossy, and no taste, thank god! If I remember correctly, the majority of, if not all, the roller ball lip glosses I've tried in the past were sugary sweet, including these Avon Roller Ball Lip Glosses, and lucky me these Bonne Bell aren't one (er...two) of them. If I wanted candy, I wouldn't have bought lip glosses, sheesh! The bad thing is though, again, these glosses didn't last on me, although I do admit they stayed on my lips longer than expected. I was thinking they'd be like the Lip Smackers in the twist up tubes, but they surpassed my expectations, which weren't much to begin with.


Strawberry is a clear reddish pink, strawberry flavor, of course. Goes on clear with just hint of a red for juicy lips.


Cotton Candy is a very shimmery princess pink. It did not turn frosty on me - phew! - but turned a rather translucent shimmery gloss. It was pretty.

Anyways, my conclusion is these Bonne Bell Rolly Lip Smackers are neat and fun stuff, but if you want a real lip gloss, save your few bucks for a Lancome Juicy Tube or even better, the Victoria Secret Beauty Rush Soothing Lip Balm - a balm that can double as a gloss on top of lipstick - my all time favorite cannot-live-without lipbalm!

Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX Perfect SPF50+ PA+++

Wah...it's almost October already! Yikes! Sorry for disappearing for a while there!

Back in June, I promised in this post I was going to give you a full review of the new Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX Perfect SPF 50+ PA+++. I have never tried the old Allie sunscreen formula, but recently, the brand revamped, reformulated, and repackaged its sunscreens to replace the older ones. The new Allie sunscreen comes in 3 formulas:
1. Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX Watertouch SPF 50+ PA+++: a daily sunscreen that does not need a separate oil cleanser to remove because it is not waterproof.
2. Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX Perfect SPF 50+ PA+++: a waterproof sunscreen that needs a separate oil cleanser to remove.
3. Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX Whitening SPF 50+ PA+++: self explanatory, in addition to being waterproof and needing a separate oil cleanser to remove.

The one is use is the "EX Perfect" version, and after a good 3 months trial, I am happily reporting that all hype with this brand new Allie reinvention is indeed well deserving! I don't know about the other 2 versions, but this Allie EX Perfect sunscreen truly is all it promises to be, and it is the one and only sunscreen for me now, replacing my all time favorite Sofina Perfect UV SPF 50 PA+++ Lucent! Unbelievable, huh?

Allie Comfortable Sunscreen EX Perfect SPF 50+ PA+++ (although they all look pretty much the same, save for the labeling). See the ingredients list translated from Japanese.

Maquillage Glossy Gloss Part II

This review is for Maquillage Glossy Gloss #74. It has 3 layers, a pigmented peach-toned brick red bottommost layer, a peachy beige middle layer, and a sheer top layer with silver shimmers. When mixed, it becomes a pretty translucent peach that brings out my natural lip colors. It has the same slight fruity scent as #72.



Now a bit of a complaint. Because #74 actually has some colors, I had a hard time getting to the more pigmented gloss at the bottom. Well, not that the spatula applicator can't get to the bottommost layer, it can, but by the time I pull the applicator through the stopper at mouth of the tube, most of the pigmented gloss was already lost to the middle and the top layer. No matter how hard I tried, I'd always end up with no more than a tiny bit of color, grrr...



My theory is that the most pigmented is also the most dense, so it has to be on the bottom to prevent the three layers mixing, perhaps because the more dense layer collapses down on top of the less dense layer? Just a guess though, I'm no physicist. I just wish they'd come up with a spatula applicator with more of a grip, may be a fuzzy side instead of both side being smooth?

See my previous Maquillage Glossy Gloss post.

Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss Part II

I got yet another Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss GWP, this time in the color Rootbeer.



Rootbeer is a nude color, even though it looks more mauvy in the picture! It's actually great if you like the nude look as it goes on true and yet not opaque. Also, surprise surprise, but there is inconsistency in the texture of these Superbalms as well! This Rootbeer color is not as thick and sticky as the Raspberry color, and it's a bit more moisturizing too with no discernable scent. In fact, now that I think about it, Rootbeer feels identical to my beloved Lancome Juicy Tubes! Wow. I think it like it. Enough to think about putting both the Rootbeer and Raspberry through my gym test :D Will update on that soon.

Also, it seems all the Clinique Superbalms are translucent and none of them have shimmers. But then again I've only seen 6 or 7 out of all the colors available, and so don't quote me :P But if what I think is true, I think I'm going to need more of these, like, right now :D As I've mentioned in my review of Raspberry, if the Lancome Juicy Tubes ever go away, which I really hope they won't, these Superbalms are my Plan B glosses! I didn't expect this at all, but they are moving rather quickly up my favorite ladder. Alright, that's it. I'm going over to Clinique.com :D

See my previous Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss post.

Catena Collagen Protein Wrinkle Removing & Moisturizing Mask

Do you like cKone? Enough to bathe your face in it? If so, you'll love Catena Collagen Protein Wrinkle Removing & Moisturizing Mask. Otherwise, stay far and away!



I don't know much about the brand Catena as I can't seem to find any information on it except for the fact that it's readily available in Asia, especially Hong Kong and Singapore. If anyone has any idea, please do point me in a direction as I am curious as well.



To be honest, I don't hate cKone. It's beautiful on hubby because he could bring out the citrus notes in it. Just that the idea of spritzing it all over my face isn't exactly...cool, and that's my biggest complaint with this Protein Wrinkle Removing & Moisturizing Mask - it's heavily perfumed, and I don't just mean it's scented, it's perfumed, and with a fragrance identical to cKone. If you're a big fan of cKone and are into the fragrance, soap, lotion, deodorant, the whole nine yards, no doubt this sheet mask will complete your collection. But other than that, ick. Whose idea was it? *Smack!* BAD idea. BAD.

Other than the smelly issue though, it was an okay treatment mask. The sheet mask itself was well cut and I didn't have to fumble with it much to get a fit application. While I can't vouch for the "wrinkle removing" part, the mask was moisturizing and I didn't need extra moisture after the treatment. My skin did not react to essence, which is always a good thing. Overall, it was an average sheet mask, however, I wouldn't repurchase solely because of the whole cKone thing. Too '90s :D

Etude House Orgel Light Eyes

My very first Korean eye shadows, in the form of Etude House Orgel Light Eyes! The first time I saw them, I was instantly attracted to the light, airy, and universally flattering color trios, of which 7 are available:

01 Silver Purple


02 Golden Yellow


03 White Pink


04 Peach Brown


05 Aqua Blue


06 Grey Blue


07 Khaki Brown

***Pictures from Etude Korea.

Stila Lip Glaze Part IV

Even more Stila Lip Glaze goodies! Yes, I have a gazillion of these.

Midnight Bloom: a limited edition color that came with the eau de toilette in the same name. I don't have the perfume spray anymore though. I gave it to my mum. Perfumes aren't really my thing. Midnight Bloom is a cherub pink with violet pearly shimmers. At first, I thought it would make me look pale, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it blended right in with my skintone and became this beautiful nude pink color. It gave me this "my lips, but better" look. Absolutely LOVE it!!!


The Midnight Bloom Lip Glaze and Eau de Toilette Set


The Midnight Bloom Eau de Toilette


Funny though, as my sister bought the same lip gloss and perfume set, only the gloss didn't work on her at all! It turned frosty with her and made her look really really pale. She then gave it to my mom, but it didn't work on my mom either! Lucky me :D

Brown Sugar: I'm not so lucky with this one though. It's a mauve with golden shimmers, and it's a bit too cool for me. When I wear it, I look...cold. You know how when you're cold, your lips turns dark? Yeah, it looks like that with me. Shucks. Good thing I can layer a bright orange lipstick over it to warm it up. So I guess I can wear it like this, just not by itself.


See my previous posts...
- Stila Lip Glaze
- Stila Lip Glaze Part II
- Stila Lip Glaze Part III

T'estimo Eye Bright Up Base

Yep, this is me being curious and shelling out money for stuff I don't use. Again. This time for T'estimo Eye Bright Up Base. What can I say? I read all these raves about it so I just had to see what kind of miracle it packs. T'estimo has been discontinued, so these Eye Bright Up Base have become a hard to get and rare item. And that only increases its mysteriousness to me :D

There are 2 colors: 01-Yellow and 02-Peach, with 01-Yellow having a shimmery finish while 02-Peach is matte.

***Picture from JK Online Beauty.

01-Yellow: I picked this color for its brightening properties - the shimmers. It comes in a tiny little squeeze tube and is a thin liquid, so you need very very little.




I fumbled quite a bit with this Eye Bright Up Base just to use it correctly, however, probably because I don't use eye shadow base so I don't know how to use them. I had to apply a small amount and blend until it's completely dry, otherwise it would actually crease even the my powder shadows. Hmm... Once I let it dry properly though, wow, it made my shadow lasts all night without creasing at all! By the end of the night, my eye makeup looks just as fresh as when I first put them on!

This thing is as amazing as they say, just that it's a bit too much work. LOL! Yah, me lazy bum. Although I do find that when I'm really really lazy, I could just wear it alone and it does brighten my eye area. If you use eye shadow base regularly, you might want to give these a try. They should be floating around somewhere on Ebay. I got mine from JK Online Beauty.

Maquillage Glossy Gloss

So I finally gave in and got the Maquillage Glossy Gloss. They're kind of pricey, but the triple-layer ones are so beautiful I couldn't resist :P I have only tried 1 so far though, so I will review the rest later!

There are currently 4 colors available in the triple layer packaging: #72, 73, 74, and 75. #72 and 73 are sheer translucent glosses while #74 (peach) and 75 (pink) have a bit more color, although still translucent.

From left to right: Maquillage Glossy Gloss in #72-75. Click on the picture to see a larger version.

***Picture from JK Online Beauty.

The bottom layer is the most dense and usually most pigmented with very fine shimmers. The middle layer also has shimmers but is generally on the pearly side and not as pigmented. The top layer is translucent with more glittery shimmers. No worries, they're not chunky glitters at all so the gloss feels very smooth still.

#72: Very sheer in indeed! It ends up being a clear glistening orangy color, very pretty! I love translucent sheer glosses!!! It has a very faint fruity scent which doesn't bother me at all.




As you have probably noticed, these glosses come in a white plastic tube with a nifty spatula applicator. It's my first time trying a gloss with an applicator that is not a spongy or doe foot type that are standard with the vast majority of glosses out there. The spatula looks like a dull spear head, it is clear and is flexible. And I must say, it does a really good job of spreading the gloss around on my lips! Actually, I would even say it does a much better job than the traditional sponge or the doe foot applicator! Not only it's flexible and I can draw precisely along the shape of my lips, its slender and spear head shape allows me to get close to the corners of my lips without smearing. Pretty neat, huh?

The gloss itself is very thick, I would even say a bit more substantial than Stila It Gloss, only not as sticky. I haven't given it the gym and shower test yet though, so I can't really say it beats Lancome Juicy Tubes in staying power. But so far, I do notice it lasting for freaking ever! I like these better than Stila's (sorry Stila!).

Canmake Powder Cheek

More Canmake goodness!

These are Canmake Powder Cheek. There are a bunch of colors, but I have only tried 2 so far. They come in the same clear plastic compact as the highlighter, with a brush and no mirror. Pretty plain and simple, but that's why I like them to begin with.

Texture wise they are smooth and soft. I particularly like the fact that they didn't produce much dust when I swirled my brush over them. I just hate how the entire compact gets filled with dust after each application so this is quite nice. So far, the 2 colors I've tried are sheer, so if you like more pigmented blushes, you won't like these. For me though, they're great because I don't have to worry about overdoing it with them!

PW16 - Naple Orange: A vibrant tangerine with fine silver shimmers. No worries, this color looks scary but it's not. It's rather sheer, so it goes on giving my face just a touch of color for a healthy glow. Also, the shimmer doesn't show up at all and the blush goes on matte.




PW20 - Lollipop Pink: an adorable bubble gum pink also with fine silver shimmers that doesn't really show up. I actually like this color a lot! It makes me look totally awake and fresh and happy. Yes, happy. You know, how your face would get a nice pinky flush when you're happy? So yeah, it's my mood-altering blush :D