Astalift Jelly Aquarysta (Picture heavy!)

Urgh, okay, I can't put off this post any longer. Sorry to have been procrastinating, but here goes...

Been using this Astalift Jelly Aquarysta for a few months now, and I don't want to admit it but I'll be sticking with it, in combination with SK-II Facial Treatment Essence and Facial Treatment Clear Lotion, for a long time. You can call it whatever you want, but I hate the term "HG" because it implies I won't or can't get sick of the product, which is just not true. I get bored very easily, of anything and everything, including living environment, which explains why I've been moving about for the past decade (kind of sick of moving now too, actually, what to do? -.-'). That said, the 3 said products makes a hell of a skincare combo. Read on for my lengthy discovery and trial (and denial, ha...).

To tell you the truth, I'm not sure what this jelly is, exactly ^.^' I first read about it last summer from Rouge Deluxe, who was following Yumeko's weekly photo challenge. They got me curious enough about the Astalift brand to pick up the Moisture Kit from Astalift Japan as well as the Deluxe Trial Kit from Rakuten JP.

2012 Astalift trial Moisture Kit (top 2) and the Deluxe Trial Kit 2012 (bottom 2) from Rakuten JP.

L'Occitane Immortelle Essential Water

Been using this travel sized 30mL/1fl. oz. spray bottle of L'Occitane Immortelle Essential Water as toner/pre-moisturizer on my neck and décolletage (why not?). I have two bottles, both were freebies from GWPs Divine Secret Collection below and Brighten Up Collection. Will probably give the second bottle to mum as I'm ready to move on.

See below screencap for content details of the Divine Secret Collection.

L'Occitane Bonne Mere Gentle Body Wash

After the Green Tea Shower Gel let down, and I was pretty wary and was frankly hesitant of trying more of the L'Occitane stack I had just bought. I go through phases like that, and then I quickly got bored of the travel sized body washes (there are about a dozen) in my shower and added this Bonne Mere Gentle Body Wash to the lineup. 

L'Occitane Green Tea Shower Gel

Been curious about L'Occitane Green Tea line for the longest time and snatched up this Green Tea Trio promptly when it went on sale ^.^

L'Occitane Green Tea Trio, which includes a 75mL/2.5fl oz. Shower Gel, which I'm reviewing in this post, 30mL/1oz. Moisturizing Hand Gel, and a 50g Soap.

L'Occitane Marvelous Flowers Voyage Kit

Bought this L'Occitane Marvelous Flowers Voyage Kit for my mum on mother's day, and with her permission I opened it up for a few pictures ^.^ My mum loves it, but again these were too strongly scented for me. Just taking pictures of them were enough to make me never want to use them LOL!

The kit includes a 75mL/2.5fl oz. Shower Gel, 30mL/1oz. Hand Cream, and 50g/1.7oz. Perfumed Soap.

L'Occitane Cherry Princess Silky Body Gel

Like the L'Occitane Cherry Princess Pearlescent Shower Cream, the Silky Body Gel is also very strongly scented - the parfum/fragrance is pretty high up in the list of ingredients!

The Cherry Princess Romantic Escape Gift Set includes 75mL/2.5fl oz. each of the said Pearlescent Shower Cream, this Silky Body Gel, 30mL/1oz. Hand Cream, and 10g/0.3oz. Solid Perfume which I gave to my mum.

L'Occitane Cherry Princess Pearlescent Shower Cream

This L'Occitane Cherry Princess Pearlescent Shower Cream is a part of the Cherry Princess Romantic Escape Gift Set released for Valentine's Day 2012. I bought this while I was in Japan, which explains why I finally got to it now, almost a year and a half later :(

The Cherry Princess Romantic Escape Gift Set includes 75mL/2.5fl oz. each of the Pearlescent Shower Cream, Silky Body Gel, 30mL/1oz. Hand Cream, and 10g/0.3oz. Solid Perfume, which went straight to my mum as she loves all sorts of perfumes.

Clinique Chubby Stick Part II

Been wanting to put up this post for ages since getting the Clinique Chubby Stick Pink Ribbon 2012 in limited edition Plumped Up Pink last fall! I wanted to get it for my two mums but the color looked kind of hot pink-ish online so I ordered one for myself first for a test run (and while at it, another color too - 11 Two Ton Tomato). Excuses, I know ^.^' Thankfully, the color is totally wearable and my mum got theirs soon thereafter. 

11 Two Ton Tomato and Pink Ribbon 2012 Plumped Up Pink. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Astalift Essence

Update Monday June 10, 2013.

Got my hands on the two Astalift 2013 trial sets xD Although both of mine are slightly different than the screencaps in the original post below. The right screencap is Hari Skin Trial Kit I got, and instead of 10 there are 2 x 0.5g (for a total of 5g) Jelly Aquarysta, 3g Cleansing Gel, 3mL Cleansing Oil, and 2g Moisture Foam. My Moisture Trial Kit is the same only without the extra 0.7mL Essence Destiny and the 0.7g [Day] Cream, which is bit of a bummer but I guess I shouldn't be to greedy ^.^


Astalift's updated Skincare Regiment 2013.

***Both screencaps from Fuji Film Skincare Japan.

Dior Capture Totale One Essential Skin Boosting Super Serum

So this tiny 3mL sample tube of Dior Capture Totale One Essential Skin Boosting Super Serum didn't last very long, about a week with morning and night use ^.^ It came from the Sephora Dior Deluxe Sample Set I got last year, which included the Dior Addict Extreme mini in 536 Lucky.

Sephora Dior Deluxe Sample Set

The Body Shop Buriti Baby Body Wash

This 60mL/2fl oz. travel sized bottle of Body Shop Buriti Baby Body Wash is from the Mini Essentials Kit, which also includes the same sized bottles of the Shampoo, Massage Gel, and a 50mL/1.76oz. tub of the Body Butter. I've been using it among a dozen other travel sized L'Occitane body washes, all of which I will eventually catch up to posting ^.^

The Body Shop Buriti Baby Shampoo

Been curious about the Buriti Baby line from The Body Shop for a long time, but of course I don't have any reason to buy it. And then it seems the line is being discontinued, so all the products went to the Outlet section and one day, I was curious enough to pick up the Mini Essentials Kit with 60mL/2fl oz. bottles each of the Shampoo, Body Wash, Massage Gel, and a 50mL/1.76 oz. mini tub of the Body Butter. I am only reviewing the Shampoo today and will post on the rest soon!

Ichikami Soft and Smooth Shampoo

Almost through with my full size bottle of Ichikami Soft and Smooth Shampoo. This shampoo is from the Soft and Smooth Set I bought in Japantown, after having a fantastic experience with the Moisture Shampoo from the similar Moisture Set.

Ichikami Soft and Smooth Set, with 530mL each of the Shampoo and Conditioner, and a 100mL tube of the Treatment.

Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector SPF42 PA+++

Been using this Shiseido Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector SPF42 PA+++ (now simply Urban Environment Oil-Free UV Protector SPF42) at home while working by my huge windows. This 7mL bottle was a bonus freebie when I bought The Skincare Hydro-Balancing Softener.

I wasn't too thrilled with this, to be honest. Not only it has a lower SPF, having gotten my skin deep fried by the super drying Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF55 PA+++ (now simply Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF50+) I didn't expect any better from this one. From what I've read, Shiseido sunscreens, even the Japan exclusive ones (Anessa, etc.), tend to be more drying than other brands', not sure why. I guess the selling point here is that it's oil free. The problem is that I actually need the oil for my skin because it's very dry, so the oil-free is not a plus for me in this case.

Pond's Cleansing Oil

I had a great experience with Pond's Pore White Cleansing Oil while in Taipei so I picked up with "regular" version of Pond's Cleansing Oil in a 175mL bottle before I left Taiwan. Been using it along side with Dr.Ci:Labo Enrich Lift Cleansing & Massage since late April.

Arcona Cranberry Toner

One of my biggest pet peeves is to under-pack, not so much clothing but more like toiletries. Why? Because I have a enough skincare and cosmetics for a few incarnations over and nothing boils my blood like packing too little for a trip and then having to buy even more to make do. When that happens, I just beat myself up with the thought of not bring the whole trunk full!!! Why, oh, why?!?!

Anyway, I didn't pack enough for this past trip, taking just one 30mL/1fl oz. travel sized bottle of Clinique Clarifying Lotion 1 (will review soon) instead of, well, the few I have here in SF. It was supposed to last for 2 weeks with morning use only, but I miscalculated and ran out half way. Sigh. Fortunately, this was a moving trip, and reuniting with the rest of my stuff I had "stocks" to fall back on ^.^ I decided it was time to try the 30mL/1fl oz. bottle of this Arcona Cranberry Toner from the Dermstore 2012 Black Friday Special Mystery Black Bag.