BeautyMate Sakura Series Duo Radiant & Moisturizing Lotion Excellent

BeautyMate came out with this Sakura Series a few years ago I believe. At the time, I was in Japan and didn't have access to it. I kept waiting for Sasa to pick it up, but they never did and I gave up hopes of getting my grubby hands all over this line. Fast forward to fall 2012 and I was in Taipei. One day, I was randomly browsing through the Watson in Shida Night Market and lo-and-behold, the entire line was on display! I made a beeline to it of course and grabbed 3 items: this Duo Radiant & Moisturizing Lotion Excellent, the Natural Care Moisturizing Peeling Gel, and the Deep Cleansing Oil. 

I've been dying to try both the peeling gel and the cleansing oil, but I'm still working through the huge bottle of Cure Natural Aqua Gel. I'm almost done with PharmaAct Additive Free Cleansing Oil, but I can't jump the line and go to Sakura Deep Cleansing Oil because there are others that have earlier expiration date (that's how I order my lineup, I use whichever that expires first...). So I might not get to the other 2 until next year :(

SK-II Skin Signature Cream

I'm using this tiny 2.5g jar of SK-II Skin Signature Cream. It was from the SK-II Starter Set I got from Aeon Shop back in 2012. 

NARS Lip Gloss

Slowly getting through the Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lips 2013 edition here. The last NARS product I tried was the Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in New Lover, so I'm happy to try out this Lip Gloss in Turkish Delight. The color sounds...edible... (it's *not* - don't do it!) ^.^"

The Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lips 2013 edition set includes (as pictured on the outer packaging) Buxom Full-On Lip Polish Dolly, Laura Mercier Lip Glace Bare Pink, Fresh Sugar Rose Mini Tinted Lip Treatment, Tarte LipSurgence Lip Luster Glitzy,  this Nars Lip Gloss Turkish Delight, and Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil Rhubarb. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Laura Mercier Lip Glace Part III

Next up in the Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lips 2013 edition is Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Bare Pink.

The Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lips 2013 edition set includes (as pictured on the outer packaging) Buxom Full-On Lip Polish Dolly, this Laura Mercier Lip Glace Bare Pink, Fresh Sugar Rose Mini Tinted Lip Treatment, Tarte LipSurgence Lip Luster Glitzy, Nars Lip Gloss Turkish Delight, and Bite Beauty High Pigment Pencil Rhubarb. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Arcona The Solution Repair PM

Started using this 5mL pump bottle of Arcona The Solution Repair PM last month. This is an AHA serum for exfoliation, and thus recommended usage is at night only, and for 2-4 times a week and not for every night. Personally, I would recommend wearing a sunscreen of at least SPF50 during the day if you're using any retinoid, AHA, or BHA product at night.

This serum is slightly thicker than water but is not viscous by any means. That means it goes on pretty much like water and absorbs instantly. This serum is unscented, but does have a smell of sort, neither good or bad.

Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Cleansing Foam

Half way done with this 30mL/1.1oz tube of Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Cleansing Foam, which was part of the Black Friday GWP back in 2012 :X Two years late but better than never!

I know some folks may disagree, but I still don't quite get these "brightening" products, especially when they don't really do anything for my skin. Do they work for you?

Anyway, this is just like any other foaming cleanser for me. When I use a foaming net it foams like mad, but otherwise it makes more of a creamy lather and not a bubbly one. Doesn't deep fry my skin but I have to be careful with the amount used or I will get flakes stepping out of the shower! Eeps! The scent is nice like the rest of the line, but I still get a whiff of the cleaner odor that's prevalent in many Japanese foaming cleansers. With the fall approaching fast, now that I'm in a much dryer climate I will have to switch to a much milder cleanser. Let's hope I'll finish this tube by then!

SK-II Cellumination Essence EX

Almost done with this 7mL sample bottle of SK-II Cellumination Essence EX. It was part of Isetan's 2013 SK-II Facial Treatment Essence Rochas Bottle x Mask Coffret I bought last year.

Goldfaden 3-in-1 Face Tightening & Firming Complex

I received this Goldfaden 3-in-1 Face Tightening & Firming Complex from the Dermstore Fall 2012 Super Lux Grab Bag #2 but had only started using it about 2 months ago. 

Goldfaden is a dermatologist brand I haven't tried before, not that I've tried many dermatologist brands. I do want to point out that while the brand is giving itself a makeover, it isn't exactly being efficient at it. There are 2 distinct-looking websites that are both concurrently active, the old Goldfaden website versus the new Goldfaden website. Each website sells a line of skincare product that's pretty much the same (same names, same ingredients, etc.) but with entirely different packaging. The only difference I noticed was that the newer website carries more products. The worst part is that the neither of the websites bothers to explain that the brand is going through an update, not even a passing mention! It's like each denies the other's existence! When I was looking up this brand, I seriously thought I had found a fraudulent copycat! What the hell?!? 

Suisse Programme Platinum Revitalizing Tonic Lotion

This 30mL/1fl oz. bottle of Suisse Programme Platinum Revitalizing Tonic Lotion was from a GWP promotion Sasa ran last year, which got me to try the awfully perfumy Cellular Revitalizing Toner. Needless to say I was hesitant to try this toner, because being on the road the thought of getting doused with perfume wasn't exactly comforting.

Clarins Extra-Comfort Toning Lotion with Aloe Vera

A while back Clarins had a nice promotion for a handful of travel and trial sizes in a cute zipper pouch, so I picked up a cleansing duo. Although now that I think about it, I should have bought a couple of different toners instead because I need a runny one for quick cleansing in the mornings. Oh well.

Anyway, while on the road I tried the 10mL/0.30fl oz. of the Extra-Comfort Toning Lotion with Aloe Vera, that tiny little orange bottle that was just perfect for travel ^.^

Sothys Secrets de Sothys Global Anti-Age De-Stressing Care

This 5mL(?) tube of Sothys Secrets de Sothys Global Anti-Age De-Stressing Care is the cream companion of the Serum reviewed yesterday. 

I started using both at the same time, but while the serum was lighter and lasted me for about 3 weeks with nightly use, this cream had a light texture but was much richer upon application, thus lasted me a whopping 5 weeks! Granted, I only used it when my skin felt extra dry and needed the moisture boost, which was probably the reason it lasted so long.

Sothys Secrets de Sothys Global Anti-Age De-Stressing Serum

Used up this 5mL(?) tube of Sothys Secrets de Sothys Global Anti-Age De-Stressing Serum in short order while hubby and I ran around taking care of our next move. I got a good selection of samples last year via a Beauty Dot Com order. I already tried the Normalizing Beauty Milk (meh) and the Desquacrem (likey very much!) last winter while vacationing but didn't get to the rest until now. Sothys Paris is a French skincare brand featured in spas, and "Secrets" is their "prestige" line, i.e., harder punch to your pocket. Ha.

Elixir Superieur Cleansing Foam Type II Moisturizing

Sorry for the sporadic posting again. It's because I've moved, yet again, for the 7th (or is it 8th?) time in the past 10 years. Hubby and I are finally getting kind of tired of moving around (kind of, ha!), so here's hoping we'll stay for a while. Yes, that means I'm no longer in SF *sniff* Had just a great time there and was loathed to leave T.T

As always, not having time to post doesn't mean I've stopped using my skincare and cosmetic goodies. Quite the opposite and I've finished a bunch of travel/trial size items during the past few months. Hubby and I had to drive out to scout for a new place, then move our stuff over, so there were hotel stays and whatnot where travel/trial size toiletries were super convenient. Anyway, one of the things I used up during trips back and forth was this 8g tube of Elixir Superieur Cleansing Foam Type II Moisturizing.

Buxom Full-On Lip Polish Part II

Another year, another Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lips, edition 2013 ^.^ This Buxom Full-On Lip Polish in the color Dolly is a part of this set.

I really love these sets, because the travel sizes are just perfect in my humble opinion. And because I would never finish a full size. The only down side to these sets are the repeats. For example, with this set I now have tried Buxom twice (Buxom Full-On Lip Polish Diamond April edition 2011), Laura Mercier also twice (Laura Mercier Lip Glace Rose edition 2011, and Baby Doll edition 2012), Fresh (Fresh Sugar Rose Mini Tinted Lip Treatment edition 2011), as well as Tarte (Tarte LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Tint Hope edition 2012). Bite Beauty was also in the edition 2012 set, but it was a different product, a lip gloss (Bite Beauty Lip Shine) versus edition 2013's lip pencil, so I don't count it as a "repeat". I do admit I very much welcome the Fresh and Tarte repeats, but everything else I'd rather switch up for some variety. If they must repeat the brand, then I'd rather try a different product from that brand, rather than the same product in a different color.

Sephora Favorites Give Me Some Lips 2013. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

Etude House Tear Drop Eye Liner

I picked up these Etude House Tear Drop Eye Liners at the same time as the Proof 10 Eye Primer. These look interesting enough, and they were quite affordable at $3-4 a piece so why not, right? There are 4 colors: 1 White Tear, 2 Khaki Gold Tear, 3 Pearl Tear, and 4 Sunlight Tear. I purchased all 4 colors.

From left to right: 1 White Tear, 2 Khaki Gold Tear, 3 Pearl Tear, and 4 Sunlight Tear. All pictures taken in natural light without flash.

TonyMoly Face Mix Eye Primer

The last of the Korean eye primers I got is TonyMoly Face Mix Eye Primer. It's an itty bitty little tube - 4g may be? Less than half the size of Etude House Proof 10 Eye Primer, which holds 10g (the packaging says so...)! I believe this item is going to be or has been discontinued, because I can't find it on TonyMoly's English website. Instead, I found a "Berry Lovely Girl Eye Primer."

All pictures taken in natural light without flash.