Review: Antipodes Saviour Skin Balm

Antipodes Saviour Skin Balm 75g 

Though I have heard of Antipodes many months ago, I didn't really get the opportunity to try them...until recently. I was actually hunting for an "all in one" balm, in hopes to treat my dry lips, hands and feet. And this one fits perfectly in what I was looking for...well, except for its price! Let's see if this perfect remedy played well for me... 

Product Description 

A potent conditioning balm that offers skin troubles sure salvation.Nature's richest oils blend with the power-packed antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial healing properties of Australian tea tree and New Zealand totara. Cell and skin repair are dramatically optimized by antioxidant-rich echinacea and Vinanza Grape from grape seeds in this pure and natural cure-all that brings rescue daily. Use it to help the whole family with dry and cracked skin, grazes and bruises, chapped lips, sore muscles, sunburn, natural baby care, protection after shaving, conditioning cuticles, and in-flight hydration.

Ingredients

Castor oil, meadowfoam oil, sunflower seed oil, beeswax, carrot seed oil, calendula flower oil, cocoa butter, St John's wort, shea butter, pea extract, australian tea tree oil, vinanza grapeseed extract, sandalwood oil, chamomile flower, echinacea extract, totorol extract.

My Experience 

This balm is really thick and golden orange-y in colour. It has a slight musky scent to it...which I don't really favour. However, I believe this balm will take ages to finish as only a little amount ( less than a pea size ) is suffice for your hands. In a way, this balm is quite value for money.

I have browsed through reviews on the internet and many have claimed that it worked beautifully for them. Now, I did some experiments, based on what the brand claimed this balm can do. Before I go any further, I wish to state that results may differ from one individual to another. What worked on me may not work on others and vice versa. This, however, does not mean this is a bad product. Now, let's see how this product worked on me..

Antipodes Saviour Skin Balm helps..

...rescue dry, cracked skin.

On me: Worked - My dry areas, especially my elbows and feet are much softer and smooth. Gone are the dry and flaky skin.

...save chapped lips.

On me: Fail - Initially, it did hydrate my chapped lips instantly but the next day, my lips were inflamed and itchy. Guess the some of the ingredients did caused my sensitive lips to flare up again.

...protect after shaving & care for baby naturally.

On me: Not relevant. I don't shave and don't have any babies at the moment.:P

...condition cuticles.

On me: Worked - I apply the balm to my cuticles 2- 3 times a day and my dry cuticles peeled less now and looked more healthy.

...ease sunburn.

On me: Not relevant...because you will definitely won't find me doing that!

...treat feet.

On me: Worked - I have cracked heels and it did...kinda..helped me to soften it. However, my usual regime is 1) massage oil to my feet and heels and 2 ) use the balm to seal it in.

...relieve sore muscles.

On me: Not relevant..yet!

...tend to grazes and bruises.

On me: Worked - Many times I was subjected to those and each time, I use this balm and it healed naturally.

...reduce stretch marks.

On me: Not relevant. I much prefer my DIY oil to do it.

...care for skin troubles.

On me: Case 1: Worked - This balm did help me to ease mosquito or insect bites. In within minutes, it wasn't as itchy as before and the bites subsided substantially.

Case 2: Fail - One day, I discovered a small rash on my hand. It was very itchy, rough, red and had small tiny bumps. I thought that I may have touched something that cause the rash to react. So I religiously apply the balm until it subsided and I thought the balm saved the day. A few months later, the rash appear at the same spot and this time the balm did not worked. For some strange reasons, it made it worse. I never had this kind of rash before...until I started using this balm. Then I realized that my hands is quite sensitive to some of the ingredients in this balm.

.

...hydrate skin in-flight.

On me: Worked - Without fail, this balm hydrates your hands like crazy...especially when you are flying and even at air conditioned areas.

Overall 

This balm has worked out for me in some areas...and some, it has not. I was dismayed when I realised that this causes my lips to inflamed and also, caused a new rash to appear. I guess even how natural and good some ingredients may be, it may not worked entirely for everyone. That being said however, I do not wish to discredit this product because I think this balm is very handy, should one look for an all in one product, which can both hydrate and ease certain skin issues.

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.

Review: Alterna Bamboo Luminous Shine Shampoo

Alterna Bamboo Luminous Shine Shampoo 250ml 

My quest for a shampoo of 'Holy Grail' status has been a tedious search. Just when I thought I have finally found 'The One', it starts to play havoc to my scalp and hair after 2 weeks.  Is it just me or everyone feels the same when it comes to finding the right shampoo? Personally, searching for the right shampoo seems more difficult than finding the right skincare.

Anyhow, I've heard much about Alterna Bamboo through bloggers and I was so intrigued about it that I finally bought it when I was shopping at Sephora.

What it says? 

This gentle sulfate-free cleanser combines strenghtening eco-certified Bamboo Extract & shine-amplifying Indian Gooseberry for healthy radiance. Freshly cleansed hair is left moisturized, shiny and brilliantly glossy. Formulated with Colour Hold technology. Safe for colour treated hair. Free of: Sulfates, Parabens, Gluten, Sodium Chloride, Phthalates and Synthetic Colour.

My Experience 

Shampoo is of a clear gel and quite fragrantly fragranced, a bit too sweet for my liking though. The shampoo foams very minimally, which is a good indicator of minimal or zero harsh surfactants.

During my first try, my hair was super oily at the scalp and I need to do a second wash, just to make sure that it is clear at the sebum. However, after rinsing, my hair feels awfully squeaky clean and straw-y. Not a nice feeling at all. My normal hair conditioner helped a bit to detangle my hair but I don't feel that my hair was nice to touch. Blow drying actually made my hair look and feel worse with this shampoo.

The second trial was a bit better. I skip the second wash and instead of using my normal conditioner, I proceed with my hair mask. And...it made a LOT of difference to my hair. Not only does my hair looked tamed, it gives me a nice body, volume and feel to it.

After using this alternatively with another regular shampoo, I personally find that this shampoo helps to balance my hair and scalp. I experienced less flake and itchiness and ironically, it manages to control the oil secretion of my hair. Very weird indeed.

Overall 

This shampoo is not suitable for everyday use, as it tends to make my hair squeaky and straw-y looking. Ironically, it worked fantastically well when paired with my hair mask and manages to control my oil secretion when used alternately with another regular shampoo. Funnily, this is the only shampoo that gives me a nice volume and body to my hair.

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.

Review: Kiss Me Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner

Kiss Me Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner 0.4 ml 

( This is not an organic/natural based product )

Eyeliners are my thing and are my staples in my makeup routine. I wear glasses, so for more emphasis on my eyes, I much prefer them to mascaras. Mascaras do give me smearing problems because my eye area sweats easily.

I have the 'most oily lids..ever' and I can't use pencil eyeliner because it would smudge terribly on me. The only eyeliner that can last a little longer on my lids are the liquid ones. My first was Lancome Artliner. I love the tip and it's easy for me to draw a nice line but it does not last long on my lids. The most is 2 hours. Come Clio, which I thought is great. I love the intensity of the liquid pen and the gelpresso but it still gives me panda eyes.

I was at the point where I thought no eyeliner in the world will be able to withstand my oily ( and sweaty ) lids..until I heard of Kiss Me. When I browse through the internet, most claim that this is smudge, sweat, sebum-proof. The results are almost on par with the award winning K-Palette 1 Day Tattoo Eyeliner, except that the pigmentation in Kiss Me is more intense. I was really torn between the two and decided with Kiss Me first. 

Product Description 

Water-proof

Being highly-resistant to tears, sweat, water and sebum, this product allows you to keep the 'just applied' finish throughout the day.

Can be remove by lukewarm water

Can easily be removed with lukewarm water despite the long-lasting finish.

Jet-black colour to add greater definition to your eyes

Enhanced blackness gives an even darker colour and powerfully accentuates your pupils for a striking look.

Easy-to-draw ultra thin brush

An elastic ultra thin brush ( only 0.1 mm-wide tip ) was adopted. With the firm super fine brush, you can easily draw even the most difficult lines perfectly, such as the thinnest line along the eyelash base and upward lines around the outer corner of the eyes.

My Experience 

The eyeliner is easy to hold as it is light and slim, giving me better control when I draw my lines. I love the tip of this eyeliner and it is the thinnest I have ever come across! It makes it so much easier to draw a nice thin line from your inner lash line, and subsequently thickening the line to create a flick. The tip is much smoother to draw a nice line than Clio's and the ink is consistent. The intensity is very good too and it dries pretty quickly than Clio's too.

As I said earlier, my eye lids are horribly oily and sweats easily. To make sure my eye makeup last, I usually like to prime my eyes with a primer. With Clio and Lancome's eyeliner, even with primer, it last me 2-5 hours max. Now with Kiss Me, this last me at amazingly 8 hours, without a single smudge! I am not kidding you. This thing is seriously smudge and sweat proof! The best thing is the intensity of the colour remains the same throughout.

Recently, I wore this eyeliner, without a primer for a 'steamboat' date with a friend. Though it is in an air-conditioned area, the steam was practically blowing at my face! I was a bit petrified if I would have the dreaded panda look when I step out of the place. Well, never can I imagine...I looked normal! When I get back home, I can only detect very, very tiny smudge at my lower lash line when looked closely. From afar, I looked fine.

On to removal, this one is easy. Much easier than Clio's, if I have to say. My usual removal method is soaking my cotton pad with eye makeup remover and leaving it on my eye area for a couple of seconds. Very easily, most of the eyeliner is removed, except those close to the lash line. I like that it doesn't leave a lot of 'flakes' during removal.

Overall 

I have to say this: This is the best eyeliner I have used to date! The staying power is amazing, even on my oily lids. I am seriously wow-ed by this. Enough said.

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.

Revisiting Vitamin C for Skin

A year ago, I started using topical Vitamin C from Marie Veronique for my skin and the results was fabulous. Unfortunately, early this year, I was plagued by eczema and thus, I have to stop using this, in fear that this might provoke more sensitivity to my skin.

My poor little jar was left sitting at the corner for months and my heart aches a little during those months because I was actually feeling afraid that it will go bad. I really hate to see something being so expensive being thrown into the bin.

Finally, after I've recovered, I went back to this little gem again. Now, does it still gives me the same amazing results as before? 

YES, it still does!

Like I've said in my review, this Vitamin C always plump up the skin. My skin is somehow, more firm to touch now. Not only that, after 2 months, I see improvements on my skin tone and my face is not so patchy looking as before.

And without fail, this topical Vitamin C supplement always gives me the 'glow and sheen' on my skin. My face just looked...healthier....and I am not kidding. This is like falling in love all over again...

I can seriously say that this stuff works!

Though L-Ascorbic Acid ( Vitamin C, which increases levels of collagen ) powder is readily available in DIY sites like SkinActives or Lotioncrafter, I personally prefer using ready-made ones from Marie Veronique Organics mainly because of it's convenience and also, it contains additional ingredients like kojic acid ( natural skin lightening ) and niacinamide ( reduces hyperpigmentation ).

Do give it a try!

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.

Review: Bioderma Crealine Solution Micellaire

Bioderma Crealine Solution Micellaire 500ml 

Yes, this is the famed cleansing water from Bioderma and I finally, I got to try out this product! In Asian countries, they go by the name of Bioderma Sensibo but in Europe, they call it Bioderma Crealine. I am not going to write much about the company's background, nor the product description as they are plenty introductions over the web over this product. I am just going straight to the ingredients and my experience.

Ingredients

Water, Peg-6 caprylic/capric glycerides, glycerin, polysorbate 20, peg-40 hydrogenated castor oil, ammonium lactate, plantago major leaf extract, mannitol, xylitol, rhamnose, frutooligo saccharides, propylene glycol, disodium edta, cetrimonium bromide.

My Experience

Bioderma Crealine is a micellaire solution or cleansing water, which is basically a face and eye make-up remover for sensitive skin. Using cleansing water as my first step of my double cleanse process is a norm for me. I was a longtime user of L'occitane's Fresh Face Water before Bioderma Crealine came into the picture.

Strong Cleansing Power

The solution is quite easy to use; just pour some unto your cotton pad and gently swipe across your face or eyes. And voila......everything is off! Simple as that. If I need to compare, Bioderma removes all dirt and makeup more powerfully than L'occitane's.

Though Bioderma Crealine works exceptionally well in removing makeup from your face, I can't positively say it works well for the eyes. Yes, it works great, only if you are removing basic eyeshadows. For eyeliners and mascaras, it has its reservations. It works quite well on removing Clio and Kiss Me Heroine liquid eyeliners but did not budge at all on my Majolica Majorca Glamour On Mascara. Many have said that Majolica Majorca's mascara's are hard to remove but I find that it removes well only on oil based eye makeup removers.

Good for Sensitive Skin

I find that Bioderma is really good for those with sensitive skin as personally, I do not find it irritating or drying to my skin. It does not irritate my eyes either! In fact, I find my skin feeling comfortable and refreshed, after every use.

Overall

This quickly replaces my L'occitane Fresh Face Water as I find that not only the cleansing power is more superior,  it very economical to use too. I started using Bioderma since mid July and till now, my bottle is still 3/4 full! Plus, the price is more reasonable too. The only downside is that it is not available in Malaysia. Boo...So if anyone is going to France, don't ask them for the Eiffel Tower miniature, ask for this instead! 

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.

Review: Phytobaume Colour Protect Express Conditioner

Phytobaume Colour Protect Express Conditioner 150ml 

Conditioning my hair comes naturally for me after shampooing. I have thick, volumious Asian hair and if I miss this step, my hair goes frizzy and could be quite dry at times. Blow drying my hair is an absolute must for me because my hair would take AGES to be fully dried! It is pretty understandable to see the need to condition my hair as my frequent blow drying could further dry out and damage my hair.

Since I was impressed with the Phyto shampoo range, trying out their hair conditioners was a naturally easy decision.  I zoomed in on this, which offers protection on colour-treated hair.

Product Description 

Phytobaume Colour Protect instantly detangles and protects colour-treated or highlighted hair. Sea buckthorn extract has nurturing and antioxidant properties that acts as a cellular protector to lock-in color and preventing fading. Grapefruit extract combined with hibiscus flower acids seal the cuticle for ultimate shine. Hair becomes easier to detangle with improved manageability, and is soft and shiny. Color is protected and vibrant.

Ingredients



My Experience 

The conditioner is very thick in consistency, almost paste like, with a nice subtle scent. My hair is at shoulder length, so a size of a 10 cent is suffice for me to run it through my damp hair from mid length of my hair to my hair ends. Though the instruction says to rinse immediately, I prefer to leave it on for at least 1 minute before rinsing.

This conditioner does detangles my hair almost instantly but it does not give me the extremely soft feel and touch after rinsing. I am probably comparing to the store bought ones which contains mainly dimethicone, to give the instantaneous 'soft feel effect' we often see on ads. This Phyto conditioner leans towards using natural ingredients, so probably that is the reason why I do not feel the extremely soft effect... which is a good thing, if you view it from the natural perspective.

On colour protection, I can, more or less say, it is doing it's job. My hair colour does not 'bleed' than much during rinsing.

All seems good at this point, eh? Well, not quite. After blow drying my hair, I do feel my hair is slightly coarse to touch, dull and not as soft as I would expect it to be. It was a bit of a disappointment actually. It gives me a view that the conditioner is good only on the surface part. If I am expecting any hair repair actions, a hair mask would probably be best. Secondly, on day two, my hair went limp. It is weird that though I do not feel the soft effects, it weighed down my hair.

Overall 

A bit of a disappointment on the results, as I was expecting soft and shiny hair. Instead, my hair is coarse to touch, slightly dull and limp. This conditioner acts as good detangler, at best.

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.

Review: Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Usage Dry Oil

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse 100ml ( Limited Edition )

This item is one of the popular 'must-have' items should one visit any french pharmacies in France. Due to its immense popularity, it is pretty obvious that I must give it a try, especially when I am a lover of oils.

Product Description 

Huile Prodigieuse is a dry oil with unique superactivated formula combining 30% Precious Plant Oils and Vitamin E to nourish, repair and soften face, body and hair. Face and body are left beautifully soft and moisturised, whilst hair is supple and glossy. This oil is suitable for all skin and hair types regardless of age ( from 36 months onwards )

Ingredients

Coco-caprylate, dicaprylyl ether, macadamia ternifolia seed oil, sweet almond oil, hazel seed oil, camellia oleifera seed oil, parfume, tocopherol, borago officinalis seed oil, olive fruit oil, sunflower seed oil, roesmary leaf extract, hypericum perforatum flower/stem extract, tomato fruit extract, benzyl salicylate, linalool, limonene, citronellol, geraniol. 

*Bold: Natural Origin

  

My Experience 

This oil is housed in a nice limited edition glass bottle with a spray nozzle. This looked quite luxurious actually and would make any dressers looked lovely and elegant.

Though it says that it is suitable for face, I used this mostly for my body and hair. For my body, I use this right after my shower as oils usually absorbs well on damp skin.( Not wet ) True as it says, this is indeed a dry oil as it absorbs very quickly, leaving my skin feeling nice and comfortable. Unlike the MVO Anti-Aging Body Oil or the Weleda Body Oil, this Nuxe Oil does not make your skin sticky or oily at all. If I need to compare, Nuxe Huile is deemed more suitable for our weather condition ( perfect for summer ), where else, MVO Body Oil and Weleda is more suitable for colder weather because it is quite 'heavy'.

On hair, this needs to be applied only on hair ends after blow drying your hair. I love this because it does not weigh down my hair at all and tames my hair ends well. Love it!

About the scent, this oil smells strongly of jasmine. I am sitting on a fence here as I usually do not like heavily scented oils but strangely, this oils seems to prep me well before I go to sleep. My hubs like the scent and well....I am ok with it I guess.

Overall 

This oil is good to have, should you like any multi purpose products but for me, it is not a must have item. It is good if you like your skin to be grease free and personally, I find this suitable for our weather condition is Malaysia. Overall, this oil does help in maintaining moisture of your skin in air-conditioned rooms and helps to tame and condition your hair ends well.

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.

Review: Compressed Mask

Compressed mask are actually paper sheet mask in a pill form. There are a lot of these in the market and many used this in replacement of cotton pads for their Lotion Mask regime. I bought this from Sasa,  mainly for the hubs because the cotton pad method did not cover his face entirely. At that time, he was badly tanned because of work and to save his face from peeling, I know I need to do the Lotion Mask on him everyday, at least for the entire week. 

The Experience 

The compressed masks are small, about the size of our 10 cent coin each, and are individually sealed.

  

Method 

After removing the sealed wrapper, just soak the mask with your preferred toner or lotion. In my case, I alternate between the Hada Labo and the new Haruhada Hyaluronic Skin Lotion. Every inch of the mask needs to be saturated with the liquid generously. After a few seconds, you will see it slightly puffed up, soaking in all the liquids. At this stage, you need to add more liquid, making sure that the heart of the mask will be thoroughly wet. Then, very carefully, unfold the mask and place it on your face.

These mask from Sasa are quite good, does not tear easily and able to absorb the liquids evenly. However, the size of the mask is quite small, more fitting for women than men actually. I have yet to try one myself though. As I mentioned earlier, I bought these mainly for the hubs. If I really want to compare in terms of quality, 'My Beauty Diary's' quality is better than these. That's what the hubs told me!

Overall 

I find these compressed mask very handy indeed and it is a great way to do your Lotion Mask regime, besides using the usual cotton pad method. These mask are convenient to take along in your travels and will not take much luggage space. Another plus point for using compressed mask is, it is economical. They are much cheaper than using facial sheet mask, which can cost you from MYR 8 and above.

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.

Types of Masques and Usage for Sensitive, Dry, Dehydrated Skin.

I am an advocate for hydration masques and firmly believe it makes a whole lot of difference to your skin condition if you incorporate them in your weekly skincare regime. Hydration, I believe, is the key to flawless skin. Back in 2011, my skin was not at it's best. It has lost the luster, the glow and though I had my regular facials, my skin was still dry and dehydrated. My skin tone was uneven, dull and my pigmentation grew 'darker'.

I decided then, I want a total change, both in my skincare products and routine. I started to incorporate in facial oils, serums, facescreen and exploring different types of masques. This change, has brought many surprises to many, even my facial therapist, stating that my skin looked so much better. The hydration is back...the glow too!

In these two years, amongst the routines and products, there are two from each group that gave me significant results. One was topical Vitamin C and another, diligent use of masques. These two has never failed me. For me personally, no amount of expensive serums or oils, can replace these two. That is why in this post, I am sharing with you simple, yet effective types of hydration masques that worked so well for me. Oh, and don't forget to exfoliate your face first before the masques!



1) Leave on and rinse masques.

This is the easiest, hassle free and convenient type of mask available in the market. Early of the year, I was a frequent user of Dermalogica's Skin Hydrating Masque. It works well on me and it is gentle enough to use around my eye area. However ( in December 2012 ), I was told that they change the formula and added 'dimethicone'. Since then, I have moved on to another brand...

2) Fast and easy masque.

In this category, for me, it will be the Lotion Masque. I experimented this technique by Chizu Saeki, and use this at least 2 times a week. Just soak some hydrating lotion ( in my case Hada Labo ) on some soaked cotton pads/ paper sheet mask and leave it on for only 3 minutes. Remove the cotton pads/ sheet mask and follow up with your regular oils or serums. This is a fast and quick 'pick me up' on days where I am most lazy. I find this method is a very good way to sooth sunburns and bring instant hydration back on parched or tanned skin.

3) Natural all rounder masque.

This would be the Yoghurt Masque. This mask is excellent for hydration, lightening of skin ( in a safe way ) and helps against acne. Yoghurt is also recommended by some doctors for soothing and re-hydrating eczema prone skin. Yoghurt is not only easily available, it is also a good mask base, should you want to add honey or oatmeal. The only downside is, it expires rather quickly and smells.

4) Overnight hydration masque.

I have just discovered Kiehl's Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque recently and at this point in time, I think it is safe to say it has taken over the place of Dermalogica's Skin Hydrating Masque. I wasn't in love with it in the beginning stages but with time, it heightens my moisture level of my skin, making my skin very supple. Using this, my pores looked smaller and it does give the glow to my skin, making it looked healthier. Though it says to put it overnight, I find this works well, even if you leave on for an hour or so and rinse off.

Even though all these masques had given me great, healthier and supple skin, I wouldn't be able to achieve that stage if not for DILIGENCE and PATIENCE. Diligent in incorporating masques in my daily skincare regime and patience in seeing results. In the beginning stages, I think I was crazily doing masques everyday because my skin was so parched. My routine was:

Mon-Leave and rinse mask > Tues-Lotion Mask > Wed-Yoghurt Mask > Thurs-Lotion Mask > Fri-Leave and rinse > Sat-Yoghurt Mask > Sun-Rest.

My current routine:

Mon-Hydrating Masque > Tues-Rest > Wed- Lotion Mask > Thurs-Rest > Fri-Overnight Hydrating Masque > Sat-Lotion Mask > Sun-Rest

Review: Antipodes Kiwi Seed Oil Eye Cream

Antipodes Kiwi Seed Oil Eye Cream 30ml

After actively using eye creams or serums since 2 years ago, it dawned to me that it is something that one should not neglect. It is essentially as important as your serums or creams for face. Many close friends or family I know, still have not started using eye cream or eye serums because they feel that it is not something important to concentrate on. If you are aware, most people will comment " You looked tired. Is everything ok?" or " You didn't sleep last night ar?" just by looking at your eyes area. They wouldn't look at the condition of your skin and ask those questions, would they?

Most also claim that eye serums or creams are sometimes more expensive than for the face itself. Honestly, I have to agree with them on many 'ridiculously priced' eye creams available in the market. With that comment, it brings me to this item, which I am going to review. Well, you've certainly seen a few reviews I've done under the Antipodes brand and finally, this will be the last lot of product. I bought this ( on a discounted price of course ) when I ran out of my DeVita Eye Cream. I was very, very reluctant to purchase this initially because if the price tag but buckled when given a fair amount of discount.

Product Description 

A luscious yet light eye cream providing a cooling, soothing treatment for the delicate eye area. Rich in Vitamin C from the New Zealand kiwi fruit to help moisturize and soften fine lines. Fragrance-free and suited to most skin conditions.

Ingredients

Water, avocado oil, glycerin, cetearyl alcohol( coconut derived ), cetearyl wheat straw glycosides, steraic acid, glyceryl stearate, vitamin E, carrot oil, kiwi seed oil, borage oil, gluconolactone, sodium benzoate, calcium gluconate, vinanza grape seed extract.

My Experience 

The eye cream is rather rich, semi-thick in consistency, with a faint beige tone to it. Because the product comes in a small jar, I usually use clean Q-tips to get a small amount out to avoid contamination.

For both the eyes, I use a tiny bit ( a size of a grape seed ). Though it seems little, it is sufficient because the cream is thick. Moreover, I wouldn't want to risk having milia seeds if the amount is more. I have been consistently using this every night since last November, ( which is 7 months ), and yes, it has kept my eye area hydrated and moisturised. So far no milia seeds sighted. The same goes to no softening of fine lines nor cooling treatment ( as claimed ).

Overall 

Simple and easy review for this product since it is only, at best, kept my eyes area hydrated and moisturised as said earlier. Am I disappointed ? Well, at least  amongst the claims, I can only agree with one...

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.

Review: Antipodes Divine Face Oil

Antipodes Divine Face Oil 30ml

Most of those who follow my journey, knows that I love oils and much prefer it than lotions and creams. Ever since I switched to using face oil, my skin has improved significantly in terms of hydration and texture.Though my Marie Veronique Anti-Aging Oil+ has proven as good keeper for me, I am open to other face oil available in the market and the price factor is usually one of my concerns before purchasing.

When I chanced upon Antipodes Divine Face Oil, which I have heard a lot about, I was pleasantly surprised that the price was at a reasonable level and the ingredients looked good as well. I have been using this for more than 3 months now and it is about time for me to do a review on this.

Product Description 

Give a lift to tired, stressed and sun-damaged skin with this nutrient-rich face oil that helps deliver the antioxidants and nourishment essential for fresh, healthy skin. Superior collagen boosting action of avocado oil helps reduce the appearance of lines, age spots and scars. Perfect as an essential daily nutrient treatment for skin. Suitable for most skin conditions.

Ingredients: Avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, jojoba oil, rosehip oil, Vitamin E, essential oil fragrances of ylang ylang, sandalwood and jasmine, benzyl benzoate, benzyl, salicylate, citronellol,d-limonene, farnesol, geraniol, isoeugenol, linalool.

My Experience 

The oil is light yellow in colour and lightly scented. If I were to make a comparison in terms of colour and texture with my MVO Anti-Aging Oil+, I would say that MVO has a much deeper colour and feels slightly thicker than Antipodes. I have used it for both day and night for 2 weeks and found that this oil alone is not hydrating enough for me at night but is fine for day use. Though this oil works well in replenishing back the oil to my skin after cleansing, this does not really work on age spots or scars, even though with a month plus usage.

I also found that this oil does not give me the glow or healthy appearance which I experienced with MVO. This oil somewhat makes my skin a little dull. I am not sure it is just me but I don't feel the wow factor affect with this particular oil at all.

Overall 

I was hoping that this oil would be able to replace my MVO but sadly, it does not. The only good thing I have to say about this oil is that it works as an ordinary replenisher for my skin for day time use because the texture is much lighter, thus not making my skin feel oily.

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.

Review: Dermalogica Antioxidant Hydramist

Dermalogica Antioxidant Hydramist 150ml

Anyone who reads my blog knows that I am a regular user of certain Dermalogica products. My staple from them are the Ultracalming Cleanser and the Skin Hydrating Masque, which is great for my sensitive and dehydrated skin. Their Multi-Active Toner fell out of the love zone when I discovered Hada Labo's Super Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Lotion. My skin has never been better when I made the switch...which I am glad!

Though I am using that one on a regular basis, I thought of going full fledge on anti-aging products for my night time routine. Now, this is where this Antioxidant mist comes into the picture. When I read the description given on the product, I was sold! Those are the areas which I want to target and I greatly hope that this product will be able to do all that it claims.

Product Description 

A refreshing antioxidant shield with flash-firming properties to improve skin texture while intensely hydrating dry, dehydrated skin. Convenient mist-on formula supplements skin's protective barrier by creating an active antioxidant shield of White Tea, Licorice and Vitamin E to fight damaging free radicals, while a patented polypeptide helps prevent the signs of aging caused by Advanced Glycation End-products. A highly-active Vitamin C complex, combined with collagen-stimulating peptides, encourages firmness and elasticity to help reduce the appearance of fine lines. Hyaluronic Acid acts as a hydration magnet to quench dehydrated skin while Pea Extract creates instant firming action to lift and tighten. Rose and Clove extracts comfort and refresh skin.

Ingredients

Water/Aqua/Eau, Butylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Arginine/Lysine Polypeptide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Lactate, Sodium PCA, Sorbitol, Proline, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Methyl Gluceth-20, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Sodium Carboxymethyl Beta-Glucan, Lecithin, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Bambusa Vulgaris Leaf/Stem Extract, Pisum Sativum (Pea) Extract, Glucosamine HCl, Glycerin, Disodium EDTA, Capric/Caprylic Triglyceride, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Citronellol, Eugenol, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Extract, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Rose Damascena Flower Oil, Eugenia Caryophyllus (Clove) Flower Oil, Aniba Rosaeodora (Rosewood) Wood Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Oil.

My Experience 

Texture and colour: Watery and clear. 

Scent: Faint rose scent, which is bearable.

As always, Dermalogica's packaging always scores points from me. The nozzle spray spritz the mist very finely unto my skin and I think if I ran out of the product, I will definitely recycle the packaging.

The mist acts like any ordinary toner for me, which is used to prep my skin before I massage my anti-aging oil and serums. Before I bought this product, I was a little hesitant in the beginning, in fear that I may develop the same allergy reactions when I used one of the products from the same Age-Smart series. My face literally developed rashes the next day and I had to consult my own doctor to calm the allergy down. Took me 4 days for it to subside! So, using this product is a 'huge' step for me.

Thankfully, my skin is able to tolerate this mist and I did not experience any burning sensations while using this. This mist does provide hydration to my skin...but, if I were to compare it with Hada Labo, of course the latter wins hands down. Other than the hydration, I somehow don't see remarkable changes on my skin , even though with 4 months plus of usage. Though 'visually' there isn't much, I am hoping it is working deep down the layers of my skin....which, perhaps....will tell a different story in the future?

Overall 

I can't really say I am in love with this mist...or hate it either. The reason I like it is because of it's anti-aging properties, which I am able to incorporate into my night time routine. However, it does not provide enough hydration for my dehydrated skin...unlike my favourite Hada Labo. One more gripe, I don't understand why Dermalogica products in Malaysia is more expensive from the rest of the countries?

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.

Review: Aveda Shampure

Aveda Shampure 1 litre

The brand Aveda has been in the market for a fairly long time and though I have heard many great things about this brand, I have never tried any of it's products until recently. Well, the reason I bought this shampoo was because they were having some in-store discounts. Yes, the price is pretty steep but I am willing to try it cos the ingredients are fabulous!

Shampoos can be a on-off love affair and personally, I find that finding the right shampoo is tough. You can easily fell in love with a shampoo during the first week but hate it the following week. I am not sure if you  guys have the same experience as I do. Read on to see if this shampoo is a long term love affair for me....or not....

Product Description 

Our pure, gentle daily shampoo-with Morikue protein-cleanses and fortifies any type of hair. Infusing it with one of Aveda's original aromas: a calming mix of 25 pure flower and plant essences.

My Experience 

Shampoo has a fresh and clean scent, and smells predominantly rosemary. The shampoo itself is rather concentrated and a little amount will suffice for an average lather. I find that it cleans my hair well and does not leave my hair feeling coarse and dry. Plus point for me!

I have very sensitive scalp and I was pleased that it did not sting my scalp. This is a great indicator that the ingredients are gentle and not harsh. During the time of use, I was having some dandruff issues and was pleased too that it did not further aggravate the condition  but in turn, help to reduce it. My hubby and I were using it at the same time and we were quite happy with the results and I was tempted to buy another bottle since they were having some discounts!

After 2 weeks of usage, I noticed my hair is always smooth and soft to touch. At the same time, I also noticed that my scalp secretes more oil than usual and this is not a good sign. With this, it leaves my hair limp, lifeless and by day 2, my hair have this sort of funny 'oily' smell. My hubby experience the same too.

Overall 

I can't say that I totally love this shampoo.... nor hate it either. It is gentle enough for my sensitive scalp but it makes my scalp oily. Though initially the fragrance of this shampoo scored in my books, it failed when it has the tendency to make my hair smells unpleasantly on day 2. Hmmm.......will I repurchase? I think at this time, I would say no. I find the performance 'just' average and definitely not worth it, considering the hefty price tag.

This item was purchased by me for my personal purposes. This review is based on my honest and personal experience with this product and is not influenced by any parties.