Hi there! Today I am going to talk about the products I picked up from a local drugstore. I got them about a month ago I guess but I just didn't have time (and energy) to write a post about them. Sorry for the delay!
Let's start from this product. "Biore powder sheet". It was my first time to buy this kind of product since when I was in highschool but I thought I needed it because it had been really hot in Tokyo and my office is not close to the station. It's not cool to be sweating and melting in the morning, is it? So I picked up the one in "Aquatic Rose".
It feels pretty cool when I wipe my body parts with this sheet, and as you may know it contains powder to make your skin less sticky and sweaty. Actually it instantly makes my skin dry and silky smooth. Plus it smells nice. It's definitely a summer must-have.
Biore pore strips are another purchase that I made for the first time in like 10 years. I loved it when I was younger but I stopped using it after I heard it would damage your skin and also make your pores larger even instead of making them smaller. But I just wanted to try it again because I was sick and tired of my blackheads. This time I bought it with Poretol pore cleansing gel which I head was very effective.
Basically it's deep cleansing gel which warms up when you apply it on your skin, which loosen up your pores. Basically you apply it on your nose, then massage for like 3 minutes and rinse it off. Now your pores are open and ready for a deep-cleansing. Then you wet your nose, then put the pore strip.
This strip is black, which makes it easier for you to see how much of dirt (I know, gross) you've pulled out from your pores. But it works exactly the same as the normal white one.
I'm going to write an in-depth review about this product but CANMAKE eyeshadow base is very nice. It claims to become powder when it's applied on your skin but I don't think it does...it's kind of like a wet and oily texture which you need to work on really carefully, but once it's blended in completely, it doesn't crease at all and whatever you applied on top of it would stay there for hours and hours. It's good quality for 500 yen.
URIAGE lip balm is my holy-grail lip balm for sure! I've used up more than 50 tubes of this product and I would repurchase it until I find a lip balm which works better than this one. It's such a moisturising and gentle lip balm which repairs my chapped lips over one night. It has a very subtle vanilla scent which I love. It's pretty expensive for a lip balm (1040yen) and it only lasts for like a month or so, but I've never seen a lip balm that beats this one.
Last but not least, Lavshuca Candy Bonbon lip in OR-1. I didn't buy this product but I included it here as it's sold in drugstores. I got it as a PR sample before it was launched and I was so excited to see the colour range as it's a pretty nice lip stick! It's a tiny lipstick and looks a little bit cheap (like a toy I owned when I was like 5 years old) but the quality of the lipstick itself is very good.
Mine is in OR-1 which is a very pretty orange shade.
It goes on very smoothly without drying out my lips. It reflects light beautifully and makes my lips look fuller. I guess it's about 900yen which isn't too bad for a lipstick but definitely expensive when I think about the size of it...it's just teeny tiny!
Do you have any Japanese drugstore beauty brands you're interested in?
I've been surrounded by beauty products especially since I started my Japanese blog a few years ago. I've tried more than 200 products sent from PR companies, and of course I've bought many products myself too. But there are not so many products I have repurchased. Or that I'm sure I will repurchase. Today I'm going to talk about the products I really really love.
Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution
I had a small travel-size bottle which I took about 6 months to use up. I wrote my thoughts about the product HERE before so I'm not going to ramble about it here but there is nothing like this product. It never burns my eyes or irritates my skin. I didn't like the smell at the beginning but now I'm completely used to it and don't notice any smell even. It's such a gentle makeup remover!
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser
You can read my detailed review about this amazing cleanser HERE. When I used up the first bottle, I was so sad and decided to buy as many bottles as I can next time I would go to the U.K.. And I did. I bought two of the 200ml tubes with two of their toner and one jar of their cream. Also my sister in law gave me the tiny tube of the cleanser and recently she's sent me 100ml bottle as well. I don't know how and when I would be able to finish them all but now I feel secure. Their cleanser is not something I use every single day but I use it at least 2-3 times a week. It makes my skin feel so soft and smooth that nothing else does. I also love the herbal scent.
Pangea Organics Facial Mask
I wrote a full review of this product HERE last year, I apologise for the blurry photos. Apparently you cannot buy it from Vitacost anymore which sucks because it was much cheaper on Vitacost. Hopefully it will be back in stock someday soon. This face mask is just amazing. It doesn't have a pleasant scent but it does its job. This mask was the first one I'd felt a huge difference on my skin immediately. If you haven't tried it before, try it. Buy it. You won't regret.
It's a 10 Miracle Leave In Conditioner plus Keratin
This is what I'm going to repurchase once I've finished the current bottle. As I mentioned HERE before, this is such a great leave-in conditioner which makes my hair soft and silky. Although my hair is now much healthier as I chopped 20cm of it last month, still my hair tends to get tangled easily. I spray this leave-in conditioner focusing on the ends before blow-drying. It doesn't weigh down my hair at all but definitely makes them much more manageable and less frizzy. Also it smells heavenly.
Caudalie Divine Oil
This oil is just Divine as it claims. It's such a beautiful product that I don't want to live without. First of all it smells so good. I cannot describe how good it smells but it's one of the best smelling products I've ever used. Secondly it's such a light oil which doesn't make my skin greasy or oily at all, even in summer. It sinks into my skin quickly while leaving this heavenly scent like perfume. Now they've come out with the body scrub and tanning-lotion, and I'm dying to try them out. Let me know how they are if you've tried them!
Beauty Without Cruelty Eye Make-Up Remover $6.29
I have been looking for an alternative to Bioderma since I used up the tiny travel-size bottle. Bioderma is sold in Japan but it's quite expensive so I decided to try this product I found on Vitacost.com. This product is from this American brand called Beauty Without Cruelty and as the name suggests they don't use ingredients which could be harsh on your skin.
The ingredients in this makeup remover is : Botanical infusion of calendula, chamomile, and witch hazel, vegetable glycerin, glyceryl cocoate and cocamidopropyl betaine (gentle cleansers from coconut).
It doesn't contain oil or strong surfactants. I wondered if it would remove makeup completely with this formula.
I'm going to show you how it works. The formula is clear and doesn't have a scent. I wish it had a mild scent of essential oils or something because it would be much relaxing and soothing that way.
These are the products I use daily: eyeliner, lipstick and eyeshadow. I swiped the area once, and it didn't come out. So I kept doing it for like 5 times, and eyeshadow started coming off but not the other two. So I started rubbing it pretty hard, then it finally came off...
You still can see the colours left of each products on the right half. It doesn't work like Bioderma (or maybe nothing works like Bioderma) even when I rub it so hard which obviously what I want to avoid doing around my eye area.
I still use it every time I remove makeup but I try not to rub it too much and use a cotton bud to remove eyeliner left after wiping off with a cotton pad. That way it removes 80% of my eye makeup, then I move on to cleansing.
I can say that it's not an alternative to Bioderma in any way but it doesn't have any harsh ingredients and is suitable for sensitive skin. Which makeup remover do you use? Any recommendations?
Today's post is going to be all about "How I'm preparing my skin and hair for summer". I feel like we skipped spring this year because it was kind of chilly in April and then suddenly it got pretty hot and humid. I started wearing sunglasses lately after having my eyes sunburned. I started wearing my favourite shoes I only wear in summer. I definitely feel like summer is just around the corner!
Not Your Mother's Texturizing Sea Salt Spray
This is my essential to create the beachy loose waves. I spray it on my hair when it's still wet and dry it with hairdryer like I always do. It definitely gives texture on my hair without making it crunchy. It does dry my hair a little bit so I usually try to put some leave-in conditioner or hair oil at the end. I'm thinking that I might try not to use hairdryer in the summer and instead I put my hair in a bun after spraying it and leave it dry for stronger waves. I love the scent of coconut which isn't overpowering at all. Love love love this product!
Parasola Sunscreen Spray
I picked it up in a drugstore just because it looked pretty. I was looking for a sunscreen spray because it's easy and none-greasy, but they all looked so boring except this one. It can be used on your face, body and hair -literally from head to toe- and also it smells nice. It doesn't have the sunscreen smell and instead smells floral like a perfume without being overpowering. Once you start using a sunscreen spray, you cannot go back using a sunscreen lotion. It's super easy to use, you can reach your back easily and it doesn't feel sticky on your skin even in hot weather!
Nourish Golden Glow Toning Soufflé
I received this product in winter. Although I was very impressed with the product I couldn't use it because obviously my skin wasn't showing much at all. It's got light golden particles
which evens skin tone while giving it a sun-kissed glow. It smells so good of frankincense and myrrh which I love.
Just as the name "Soufflé" indicates, it has got this light moussey texture which is very unique. It's not sticky or greasy on my skin at all but it does feel hydrating.
I hope you can see the golden shimmer in this photo. It's absolutely gorgeous, isn't it? It never makes you look like you're wearing obvious glitters all over your body. I am so looking forward to wearing it on my arms and decollete in the summer!
Weleda Deodorant Spray Small Citrus
You don't necessarily have to use it on your armpits just because it's called "deodorant spray". This refreshing citrus-scented spray can be used all over your body! It smells citrussy and herbal which is perfect for summer! It contains alcohol which feels chilly and refreshing on your skin.
Vera Wang Princess foamy body polish
Because it's super humid in summer in Tokyo, walking outside for 3 minutes would make me sweat a lot although I don't sweat too much generally. But I don't have to worry when the all parts of my body smell good, and to make it happen, using the good-smelling body wash is the easiest way! It smells AMAZING and leaves my skin smooth. It smells a bit lighter and fresher than the actual perfume which is ideal in hot weather!
Devita Solar Protective Moisturizer
This SPF30 moisturiser is perfect underneath makeup. It doesn't leave my skin greasy or sticky at all as it sinks in quickly. Another good thing is that it doesn't contain paraben and is 100% vegan, no wonder why it's so popular on Vitacost!
Etvos Mineral UV Powder SPF40
Etvos
is a Japanese beauty brand specialised in making "mineral" makeup
products. This mineral UV powder is very handy as it has a mirror on top
and you don't have to carry your brush or puff around as it's got this puff
on top of the lid inside. It's so easy to reapply sunblock on top of makeup with this product. It's kind of impossible to reapply normal sunscreen lotion on top of makeup during the day but with this product, you don't have to worry about melting your makeup with sunscreen. It's such a smart idea isn't it!
So these are my summer essential products! What are yours?
In April I've used up quite a few products. Or maybe since I started writing monthly empties posts I've been encouraged to finish up products rather than keep them all in my tiny apartment. It feels satisfying somehow to finish up beauty products and judge whether it was a good product or not.
Redken Scalp Relief Dandruff Control Shampoo (REVIEW)
This was my 2nd bottle and I'm so sad it's finished. I don't have dandruff but I have a really sensitive scalp which gets irritated quite easily by using shampoo which my scalp doesn't like. At worst it gets itchy that keeps me awake all night so I am very picky when it comes to choosing the right shampoo. And this shampoo from Redken is the best so far. It lathers well, it makes my hair and scalp very clean but doesn't make them dry. It contains glycerine which moisturises the scalp. It has a very subtle herbal scent which is pretty nice and I really enjoyed using it. I would love to repurchase again but as YEN is much weaker now I'm trying not to shop much on feelunique and lookfantastic lately...so when YEN gets stronger I'll definitely buy a new bottle.
The Body Shop Rainforest Shine Shampoo and Conditioner
Apparently this shampoo is a best-seller on The Body Shop UK website, but I absolutely hated this series. Before they changed the whole haircare series, they had shampoo and conditioner with honey and I loved the scent of them. So one day I went to the shop and asked for it then they said it was discontinued and instead they had new haircare series, and they recommended this one because it smells similar to the honey one I loved. But in my opinion it doesn't smell the same and the scent doesn't even stay on your hair. Also it's pretty drying and makes my hair frizzy and basically it doesn't do anything to my hair. I just don't like it and I'm not going to repurchase, ever.
LebeL Trie 5 Hairspray
I think I bought this about a year ago after my hairdresser used it on my hair at the hair salon. It smells like green apples which is brilliant but it doesn't do much on my hair. I don't think I'm going to repurchase it but I might have a look at a bit stronger hairspray from the same brand because it smells so good.
Terracuore Jasmine and Honey Body Scrub
Terracuore is a Japanese organic beauty brand which has fields in Italy to grow the herbs which are included in their products. Terracuore is my favourite Japanese beauty brand and their products are very good. Although they are pricey and I can't buy them often. This product was given to me by them when I had a business meeting with them but actually it's 5250yen which is about 35 pound / $52. It's ridiculously pricey but it's VERY good. It contains Jasmine essential oil which are derived from more than 13800 jasmine flowers. I was expecting a strong jasmine scent but it's much softer and sweeter, and surprisingly NOT overpowering. This creamy body scrub contains crushed apricot seeds which exfoliate your skin gently, and believe me it does make my skin so so so soft. And it leaves the pleasant scent on my skin. What more do you want? Another great product from Terracuore I've tried.
Jurlique Rose Moisture Plus Moisturising Cleanser
This was sent from my lovely fellow blogger Mel from The Beauty Dispensary a few months ago. Since the day I received it I had been using this cleanser every single morning. It's such a gentle cleanser with pleasant rose scent. I think I should have used it in the summer time because foaming cleanser tends to strip natural oils on your face and obviously in summer your skin produces more oils than in winter. I really enjoyed using this cleanser, and also I loved the chic packaging so much. Thanks Mel!
Pangea Organics Facial Mask (REVIEW)
The best face mask I have ever used. I literally cannot live without it. Whenever I feel my skin is dry or dull, I use this face mask at night. Immediately I feel the difference on my skin and the next morning my skin feels glowing again. It smells a little bit weird but now I'm used it and I'm more into the result it makes on my skin. I cannot explain how and why it works so well, but trust me, it really does work. I introduced this face mask to my readers on my Japanese blog, and some of them actually tried and they all loved it. If you haven't tried it yet, you definitely should. It's amazing and of course I repurchased it again.
Jason Apricot Scrubble
(REVIEW)
I loved this scrub! It's such a gentle face scrub you can use every day. I only used it 2-3 times a week but it was enough to make a huge difference on my skin. It makes my skin so silky and soft with such a fresh and sweet apricot scent. You would be very surprised to feel your skin after you've used this product, it's such an amazing face scrub. I love it but I'm not going to repurchase now because I have some other ones to use up. I strongly recommend this product if you're looking for a gentle face scrub.
Bourjois healthy mix serum (REVIEW)
I decided to bin it although there's a bit left in the bottle because it's getting old. I used up like 80-90% of it and I liked it very much. Mine is shade 52 Vanilla and it's slightly darker but matches my skin tone OK. It doesn't feel heavy on my skin and I really liked it. I've got the new version of Healthy Mix Foundation and I'm totally in love with it. The review will be coming soon!
BIODERMA Sensibio H2O (REVIEW)
I don't need to explain what it is because you all know what it is. I loved it, although I didn't like the weird smell at the beginning. It takes everything off without being harsh on my skin. It didn't irritate my eye areas which is great, and I'm dying to repurchase but for now I'm not going to just because it's expensive here. I will buy tons when I go to Paris. Someday...
Weleda Wild Rose Day Cream (REVIEW)
This product was sent by my another lovely fellow blogger Zanka from Zanka Talks Cosmetics. As the name is not in English, I don't know what exactly it says but I assume it's a day time moisturiser. I was using it in the morning before putting makeup on anyway, and it worked really well. It smells amazing, of natural wild rose which was pretty soothing in a busy morning. Thanks Zanka so much!
PAUCE Cleansing Butter
I LOVED this cleanser so much! It's got this buttery texture and it melts on your skin turning into an oil consistency. It removes all my makeup including eyeliners and mascara. I didn't even need my BIODERMA to remove my eye makeup because it took off literally everything. And it left an oily feeling on my skin even after rinsing it for more than a minute, and this oily feeling turned into a whole new moisturising feeling after I dried my face. It's such a good cleanser to take makeup off and I'd love to repurchase if it wasn't this pricey. What a shame.
Skin Repair Moisturiser™ Normal/combination
Another product I loved so much. Although I have dry / sensitive skin, this one worked really well during winter. I couldn't stand the smell at the beginning but I think it faded after a few weeks since I opened the jar because at some point I wasn't bothered by the smell anymore. Now I'm using a new
jar and it stinks and I realised that it wasn't me getting used to the smell, it was the smell faded by time. Other than that it's such a nice cream which really is effective. I'll keep repurchasing their products until I find a better brand which I doubt :)
Phew, it has become such a looooong post, you must be bored. Thanks for reading!
MyChelle Dermaceuticals Hydrating Cactus Mask $25.49
I got this product from Vitacost.com back in January. It was my first time to try out their products but I always wanted to because there are many positive reviews on Vitacost. Their products seem very unique, as you can see this face mask contains cactus! I didn't know that cactus is beneficial for your skin!
It says in the description box "A potent hydrating treatment with blue agave and cactus to soothe and soften skin. Smithsonite and malachite deliver a multitude of skin protective antioxidants. This soothing treatment provides moisture binding properties to deeply nourish and lubricate dry skin while uplifting aromatherapeutic essential oils calm the senses".
Basically you apply this face mask after you wash your face and wait for 20 minutes, and then rinse with warm water to get nourished and moisturised skin.
It looks like tooth paste or something, I guess the colour is from Blue Agave which nourishes and calms your skin. It smells really fruity almost like chewing gum! I apply enough amount of this mask to cover my skin and immediately my skin starts tingling. It feels like it's burning my face and I freaked out when I used it for the first time, I thought it was some kind of allergic reaction. But it calms down after 5 minutes, and my skin after I've rinsed the mask with warm water feels so soft and moisturized. I was shocked. I thought it was worth the pain. Since then, whenever I feel my skin is dry and dull, I use this mask to wakes up my skin and hydrates.
The only downside of this product is the price. Originally it's $31.79 and $25.49 on Vitacost for this small tube (35ml). I only use it once or twice a month so it might last quite long but still I think it's overpriced. But if you're looking for an effective face masks, this is one of them.
Have you tried anything from this brand MyChelle? What's your favourite face mask?
Although I was away for 2 weeks, I used up quite a few products during the month of March. Some of the products are talked about here in the past, some of them aren't, but anyway I'm going to get started!
Giovanni Smooth As Silk Deep Moisture Shampoo
Giovanni Smooth As Silk Deeper Moisture Conditioner
These are the samples which came with a book which was sent to my company. I wasn't interested in Giovanni though I have heard of many good reviews, but decided to give it a try. Although they're supposed to be "Deep(er) Moisture", they didn't feel like moisturizing at all. Maybe just because my hair was too dry and fine, but they tangled my hair and didn't give shine to it. The scent was OK but wasn't strong enough to stay on my hair which was disappointing. I didn't understand why people are raving about them, but please let me know if you know any other series of Giovanni which might be suitable for my dry, damaged and fine hair!
Leivy Double Moisturising Body Shampoo ( full review)
I loved this shower gel so much that I used it every day. At first I thought the scent was too old-fashioned as it reminded me of my grandma's makeup table. But once I was used to it, I was in love with it. Especially the scent left on my skin after having a shower was amazing. It smells fresh and clean yet powdery and feminine. Also it's pretty moisturizing which is perfect for winter. I got it as a PR sample and thought of purchasing it but I don't think I would any time soon just because I've got many other shower gels waiting to be opened.
Foot Scrub
I don't even remember the brand of this foot scrub but I'm sure I got it as a PR sample as well. I didn't like it at all as the texture was just weird. I can't be bothered to describe how weird it was because it was such a terrible product which is not worth talking about. I don't mean to be rude but it didn't do anything to my feet and didn't smell nice either. What's the point of using a body scrub which doesn't work?
Balance me Radiance Face Oil
The best face oil ever. Full stop. I got this sample when I purchased their body cream and eye cream on lookfantastic.com. It's such a light oil which sinks into the skin really quickly without making my whole face greasy. It's very moisturizing and makes my skin soft and smooth. Obviously I don't recommend using it in the morning before putting makeup on but it's a perfect oil to use at night. When my skin felt dry, I put one pump of the oil on my palm and gently patted on my skin and I could see the difference the next morning. Another good point of this product is that it doesn't have a weird smell. The actual product is 30pound for 30ml which isn't the cheapest in the world but I don't think it's overpriced as a little goes a long way. The bottle could last almost a year (only if it allows you to)! Now they have a special offer on lookfantastic.com where I put the link above, check it out!
"Balance Me Radiance Face Oil is a light, absorbent 100% natural radiance
enhancer with powerful Amazonian buriti nut oil. Combats congested
skin with conditioning moringa and camellia oils that work with calming
Roman chamomile, yarrow and benzoin to enhance the radiance of skin of
all ages and types. The perfect skin pick me up, this highly
concentrated formula has a delicious orange blossom aroma, skin is left
calmed and balanced."
Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic
I loved this toner so much! I kept this small bottle for special occasions as it was kind of like my secret weapon! Whenever I felt my skin was dehydrated I put about a tea spoon of this toner on my organic cotton wool pad from The Body Shop and wiped my skin gently. Once I wipe the whole face, I place the cotton pad on the dry areas and gently push the cotton pad so that the toner seeps through it and skins into my skin. I usually keep doing it for more than 5 minutes, I found it soothing even! That's my quick cure of dry skin!
Rosa Centifolia Cleansing Gel (from the travel kit for normal skin)
I bought the travel kit for normal skin on lookfantastic.com about 6 months ago. I decided to take this cleansing gel with me to London. I mainly used it in the morning as I didn't expect it to remove my makeup. Overall it's an OK product but I don't think I would purchase the full-size bottle. It's got a runny, loose gel texture which I'm not a big fan of. The rosy scent isn't too bad as it's not overpowering at all and I found it quite soothing but that was the only thing about this product which impressed me.
SUSY N.Y. Nail Volume Gloss
This is my 2nd bottle of this product. I'm totally in love with this top coat as it gives a shiny and glossy finish to my nails! I remember it's about 1,000yen which isn't too bad considering the fact it lasts at least 3-4 months. It gets gloopy after a few months so I need to add some thinner liquid. I've used top coats from many different brands from OPI to Seche but this one is the best so far. I'm going to repurchase for sure!
THREE Glam Touch Lip Gloss in Summer Sounds
THREE is a Japanese skincare / makeup brand. I love the concept and their chic and sophisticated packaging designs, as well as the products themselves. This colour is called Summer Sounds which was one of the limited colours which was sold in the summer 2012 (or 2011, not sure). It's a perfect pink beige which brightens up the whole face. It's shimmers in it which reflect lights beautifully. I loved the plastic applicator which was much easier to apply on my lips than a sponge applicator. The formula is in a perfect consistency, not too greasy yet moisturizing. I dropped by the duty-free shop at Narita airport hoping to purchase another colour the other day, but unfortunately none of the colours they have now could beat this colour. This was the best lip gloss I'd ever used.
Lancôme Virtuôse Divine Lasting Curves & Length Mascara
I loved this mascara so much and was wearing it every single day until I got Loreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara. It separates my lashes as well as creating voluminous lashes. And it's so easy to remove just with warm water without a trace although it doesn't smudge at all during the day. It's a very good mascara which I would love to repurchase...only if I was richer!
Sorry this post became pretty long and boring, I should learn how to write simpler and shorter reviews! Let me know if you've used any of those products I mentioned here!
MyChelle Love Your Lips Raspberry Cherry Pineapple $9.92
I found this product when I was browsing Vitacost a couple of months ago. Actually it was their facial mask which caught my attention and I couldn't resist trying out some of the products from this brand called MyChelle. MyChelle is an American brand which uses naturally-derived ingredients as much as possible. Their products are not the cheapest of the world but many people left positive feedback about them. As I love lip balm, I wanted to try this one out just because who wouldn't want to try a lip balm which claims to smell of raspberry, cherry and pineapple?
First of all, this lip balm is huge. You can see that this lip balm is twice the size of a normal lip balm like Burt's Bees one. Whenever I use it in front of co-workers or friends, they ask "What is that, a glue stick?" and I cannot blame them. It DOES look like a glue stick.
But trust me, this is one of the best lip balms I've ever used. And I've used so many lip balms that I don't even remember how many. My lips are very dry and sensitive, and some lip balms make them even dryer, and the skin peels off and it starts bleeding. But with this lip balm that would never happen. It's such a gentle lip balm which I guess is suitable for anyone.
It doesn't make my lips too shiny which is good when I want to apply a lipstick on top. I found it a perfect base for a lipstick.
And it smells so good like a bubblegum. I don't smell raspberry but it does smell of cherry and pineapple. Another good thing about this product is that it doesn't taste horrible when it comes into my mouth. I hate it when a lip balm or lipstick tastes so bad even if it smells nice.
If you've got very dry / sensitive lips, you should try it out. Also for those who are looking for a good-smelling lip balm, I would recommend this one! Have you heard of MyChelle? Are you a fan of the brand?
EOS Lip Balm ＄3.79 each at Vitacost.com
Are you familiar with these lip balms? Yes I finally got them! I heard many good things about EOS lip balm and I also heard Balmi was not as good as EOS, so I picked them up without any hesitation when I found them on Vitacost.com. I got two different flavours so I'm going to talk about them individually now!
This one is called strawberry sorbet. I couldn't resist it because it's pink and pretty, and also I love strawberry flavour.
Look at it, doesn't it remind you of Lychee? It looks perfectly smooth and I really didn't want to ruin it! It smells amazing, exactly like a strawberry candy! I didn't expect the scent was this good. It moisturizes my sensitive lips perfectly and as long as I keep applying it on my lips a few times a day, they wouldn't get chapped. Another good thing about it is that it's
95% organic, 100% natural, and paraben and petrolatum free. You really want avoid putting lip balm or lipstick which is packed with synthetic ingredients as much as possible because it could enter into your body from your mouth. It feels disgusting to imagine that you're actually "eating" the lipstick packed with artificial perfume, doesn't it?
This is how it looks like after a few weeks. The surface isn't smooth and it doesn't look shiny anymore...poor my EOS.
This one is called Summer Fruit. It really does smell of summer fruit, in my opinion it smells of the mixture of lychee, mango and pineapple...tropical fruits! It smells even better than Strawberry Sorbet, perfect for summer. I love love love this scent, there's no other lip balm smells like this!
Oh, I forgot to mention that it tastes good too. I know, I'm not supposed to eat it and I don't, but when I lick my lips unconsciously it just tastes sweet like a candy. Some lip balms taste really disgusting but you don't have to worry about that with this lip balm. I recommend it to kids as well, they would love it as long as they're old enough not to eat the whole package or something. This is seriously the best lip balm I've ever used. I totally understand why people were raving about it! I'm sure I'll repurchase it once I run out of these ones.
I'm very interested in their new flavour which is raspberry I believe, has anyone tried it yet?
Jason Quick Clean Make-up Remover $5.59
Jason is an American beauty brand which uses naturally-derived ingredients mainly to make natural and effective products. They select natural ingredients, test every formula to ensure safety and efficacy and never test on animals. I'm using their Brightening Apricot Scrubble
and I absolutely love it. This is the best facial scrub I've ever tried. I wrote the full review here if you're interested.
I'd been using cleansing water by Bioderma or Caudalie to remove my eye makeup, but as I was running out of both of them I thought it would be nice to have makeup wipes instead of cleansing water just because it would save money to buy both cleansing water and cotton wool pads. And I found this one at Vitacost.com where I always purchase American beauty products from, and I didn't even hesitate to put it in my shopping basket. I already trusted Jason because I loved the facial scrub so much, so I didn't even have to do research about this product.
It has 75 pads in this pretty jar. The ingredients are all naturally derived and it's suitable for all skin types. Vitacost described this product as "Removing makeup has never been easier. Unlike traditional makeup removers, these pre-moistened pads are made with pure, natural, & organic JASON ingredients: refreshing Cucumber, Soothing, Silkening Aloe Vera, Chamomile and Natural Vitamin E, Radiance-restoring Vitamin C and Vitamin B. This gentle, non-drying formula cleanses and clarifies without rinsing. Safe even for sensitive skin". You can imagine how natural and gentle this product would be on your skin from this description.
I personally love the jar somehow. It makes me excited to open the jar, pick one cotton pad and remove my makeup before bedtime. I was worried that the cotton pads would get dried out after a week or so, but they are still perfectly moist.
As you can see the cotton pad is not wet, it's moist. I think I should call is "gauze" rather than "cotton pad" because it feels more like gauze. It doesn't break easily when I stretch it and it doesn't fluff either which is a very good thing. Nothing is more irritating to have a fluffy cotton wool pad to remove your makeup off, isn't it? Despite the size and moistness, this one small "gauze" removes my eye makeup completely. It's not the softest thing in the world to use on your eye area but it does its job. I try to be careful not to rub my skin with it as much as I can to avoid any irritations. The formula itself doesn't irritate my skin at all. And as it doesn't have too much liquid on it, it doesn't get into my eye accidentally which is another good thing about this product.
It's fragrance free and oil free, and as long as you are careful about how hard you wipe your skin with it, I would recommend it to people with sensitive skin. I only use it on around my eyes but of course you can use it on your whole face, and don't need to rinse afterwards. I love how easy it is to remove makeup off with this product and I would repurchase it when I run out of the current jar.
Now I'm very interested in the brand and would love to try some other products! Please let me know if you have tried any of their products!
