Eye Talk

The one thing I could say I love and hate about myself would have to be my eyes. I have large eyes but I always joked that with big eyes comes big eye bags! It is not a joke unfortunately, more of a sad misfortune. On good days with good lighting, I could probably ride it off like the puffy pouch of korean stars. 

But on bad days plus bad lighting, my eye bags went out shopping and bought new bags to flaunt! 

All thanks to natural genetics and those late nights I had to suffer during my degree years, I was even mercilessly nicknamed 'gold fish'. 

They say that eyes are the natural windows to the soul. I am not too sure about that but I do know for sure that the eyes are usually the first thing that captivates attention. Well shaped and maintained eyes and eye areas are usually the symbol of beauty. It is also the first indication of tiredness or alertness. Which is why taking care of the eye area is so important. Actually the practical solution would be just to sleep on time at night, but then I think that would have to be like the hardest thing ever to do. So Thank God for beauty products that promise instant albeit temporary solution. So, I did obsessed about eye products and if you are too, I hope my review can assist you in this area. 

The first thing is mind would have to be...

Eye cream and mask

You can opt for the au natural overnight tea bags/potato slices or something meticulously prepared and fragrant that is convenient. I can almost confidently say 'been there, done that' but I chose to review those that I have purchased because home remedies tend to vary from one to the other. 

1. Kose Astalution eye zone mask

' An intensive treatment mask for the eye zone that delivers deep moisture to help reduce the appearance of fine lines. The skin feels smoother and more supple. Contains: Astaxanthin' 

Price: RM115 for 10 eye masks 
each packet contains 4.2ml of essence 

This one would have to be my current favorite sheet mask for the eye area. The great thing about this mask is that it contains asthaxanthin which is a strong anti-oxidant that rejuvenates and improve the appearance of tired eye area. But also because of the nature of asthaxanthin which has a natural reddish orange tint to it, you have to be careful not to color any white clothes you might have on yourself. The effect is quite lasting, currently I am using it once a week and it helps with moisturizing my eye area which improves wrinkles. 

2. Methode Swiss Thermal Oxygen Overnight eye mask

'Methode Swiss Thermal Oxygen Overnight Eye Mask, a soft and comfortable mask that can be left on the eye zone overnight, smoothes out the wrinkles of the eye contour and visibly reduces dark circles. It leaves your eyes re-plumped, brighter, tighter, more elastic and younger looking'

Price: $25 - $50 for 15ml

I am not sure if I reviewed this mask before because I have been using this mask for quite some time. This mask squirts out as clear liquid which is applied to the eye area. It comes with a short manual to teach you some basic massage technique in applying the eye mask but I prefer to sweep it outwards from the inner corner of my eyes. When it dries, it tightens the area around my under eye area which significantly reduces the appearance of puffiness. The moisturizing effect is pretty basic on me but it might be sufficient for others.

3. Bobbi Brown Extra Eye Repair Cream 

'Packed with peptides, natural plant oils and humectants that target fine lines, wrinkles, dark circles, puffiness and dryness, this rich, concentrated cream visibly revives eyes.'

Price: $120 for 15ml

The texture of the eye cream is not heavy. I'd say in terms of moisturizing effect, this eye cream is rich enough to provide hydration without triggering any unsightly oil cysts under the eye. It might be a bit oily during the day time for the make up to adhere to the skin so I'd learnt to use it at night which is very good for skin restoration. Especially for dry weather, the extra moisture is always welcome. 

Eye massage

I once saw on a long forgotten tv show on massages to combine with eye cream that will significantly improve absorption and reduce eye stress. I tried it before and can definitely notice the difference! I can't find the original link to this, so I will show this with my funny face. :) 

First step is using the ring finger and lightly pat the eye cream on to and around the eye area (as noted by the red dots). I think Niu Er (from Taiwan) recommends using the eye cream both on the top and bottom lid, but my lid is pretty oily so I usually ignore this step. Pat around each eye about 100-120 times. It is actually very relaxing after a while. :P 

Second step, use the index and middle finger and lightly apply pressure along the indicated red arrows. Slowly trace down to the neck and onto collar bone. Gently massage the top collar bone, it helps release collected fluid from the eye bag and reduce puffiness. Repeat this about 3-4 times. 

Step 3, using the ring finger again gently press down on the key pressure points around the eye. The first place is right where the eyebrow starts, then the inner corner of the eye, followed by the middle point of the bottom eye socket, and the ending of the eye. In circular motion, massage the pressure points side of the eye near your ear (also known as 太阳穴) and finally the middle point of the top eye socket. Each press or massage should take about 3-4 seconds and the whole routine should be repeated around 2-3 times. 

Lastly, heat up your palms by rubbing them against each other and place it on your eye area. The heat would help the final absorption of the eye cream. Since it is very hard for me to achieve this without irritating my already dry hands, I like to use those eye gel patch (which you can heat up or cool down by putting it in hot water or fridge) and apply it on my eye area. Aaahh.... just great, now I can go to sleep!! 

Well, in the event that you... like me need a quick save... well, there is always reliable color corrector and concealer to conceal the under eye area!! :D

Have fun!!

August's product talk

Lately I have been so consumed being a consumer!! There is so much things out there. So many weird and wacky stuff that attracts and excites me and my wallet is feeling the burn. And the first thing I always do is check other people's reviews on them which is sometimes hard to find. So, today... this post is going to be about some stuff that I love this month... (actually for quite some time.. but since I started this post this month... so yeah, stuff I love this month...)

1. Gold

I think gold needs no introduction, right? There is white and there is yellow. A lot of people have tried to convince me that generally white gold is aesthetically more pleasing than yellow but I persists in wearing yellow gold. Why??  I will let you in on a small secret. 

Have you guessed yet? Hehe... It is because I believe in its contribution to my aesthetic value!! There are plenty of facial centers and products that are using 24k gold as their selling point. According to them, gold speeds up the cellular processes and activates regeneration within the cell. In terms of deep cellular levels, gold is well reputed for restoring the lost elasticity properties of the tissues. Gold slows down collagen depletion and the breakdown of elastin to prevent sagging skin. Gold's anti-inflammatory properties also decrease skin inflammation, thereby slowing down melanin secretion and reducing age spots (Source). 

Off course, in order for effective deep cellular action, the gold particles must be in the form of nano particles. That way, it can be readily absorbed into the skin via pores while I wear it in its metallic form. However, I am not sure be it the fact that gold is the most inert solid element at standard condition or its good electron grounding properties, wearing it does bring about improvement to my skin. I speculate (because I have no proof) that it is because it regulates the ionic condition on my skin that my skin is less irritated by the attack of free radicals. 

Sometimes I do trade my gold necklace for other metallic and more fashionable necklaces, and I forgot to put it back on afterwards. I noted that 3-5 days later, little red bumps alike pimples begin to pop out from my skin and my pores appear bigger. (Actually not a lot la, but I like to freak out a lot.) And the appearance of these red bumps are not tied to hormonal change or diet change, so I decided to put my gold necklace back to soothe my skin and it works! Off course, the purer the better. I am currently wearing 916 which is like 91.6% purity? Those obviously gold alloys I got from Australia have no such effect. Trust me, I am an enginner. lol... It might just be a placebo effect anyway...  

2. Kose Sekkisei lotion

I finally finished my bottle of Kose Sekkisei lotion! Sadness!! 

If at first, I wasn't too convinced with this lotion, now I am totally in love with it. If you have yet to read my review on it, check it out here. 

An absolutely wonderful lotion for lotion mask! I just didn't know what I had till I compared with the other lotions. The benefits of using it as lotion mask is that it really refreshes, lightly moisturizes and brightens up the skin. I could feel my skin singing its praises. For me, it is those lotion that the more you use, the better your skin gets. Absolutely wonderful for summer but also great for that pick-me-up lotion in winter. RAWR~! 

3. Herbalife Instant Herbal Beverage

If I could compare my stomach to a pressure vessel, stainless steel (SS316) kind being the average and able to stomach a lot of stuff, mine would be cardboard or maybe plastic. It had resorted to bloating and pain to warn me that it is a picky stomach and is the master of me, not slave. So after a day of food binge (usually one that is high in fat), it would spend the next day berating me (by means of weird noises) with its huge puffed up face (bloated). But I have now found a way to soothe it, i.e. Herbalife Instant Herbal Beverage! 

Its slight bittery tea taste seems to clean my palette and cut through the extreme fatty sludge in my stomach which in turn soothes it. And whenever it comes to pick-me-up drinks, I think there is nothing better than the Instant Herbal Beverage by Herbalife. Knowing what caffeine does to me, I would only take this in the morning or latest after lunch. Granted that it is pretty costly, it does pretty much what it is supposed to do.  Plus the person who introduced this product to me mentioned that it helps increase the body's metabolism which means it helps you slim down, the lazy way! This is like one of life's cheat! lol...  

'This delicious low-calorie tea mix blends green tea and orange pekoe with cardamon seed, lemon peel, hibiscus and natural sources of caffeine for an uplifting taste treat. Green tea is known for its natural antioxidant properties. Studies have shown that regular consumption of green tea can be beneficial to your wellbeing. Enjoy refreshing Herbalife Instant Beverage as part of your weight-loss programme or whenever you want a boost' (Herbalife) 

I do feel a bit weird talking about direct sales product, seems like I am marketing them. But I am not a distributor and this is just me sharing what I like about it. If you like more information about how to incorporate this into your weightloss regime, it is a good idea to talk to a qualified distributor. :) 

So that is all for the month of August~! Can't wait to try what I wanna use for product talk next month~! 

Summer skincare 2 (Review for moisturizer and lotion)

What is the first thing that pops into mind when you experienced dry, tight or flaking skin? Needless to say, it is moisturizer~! Healthy and moisturized skin are plumped up and less susceptible to wrinkles and sagging~! No wonder after the whitening craze in Japan, they are now going gaga over moisturizing~!

If you think moisturizing is only for a certain skin type then you are wrong. My recent reads revealed that even oily skin may be just as dry underneath. In some of these cases, oily skin types will secrete more oil to conserve the moisture of the skin cells. Hence, the person will suffer shiny and oily skin complexion and may even blot with oil blotters. Oil blotters remove the outer layer of the oil which conserves the moisture, leaving the skin dry and vulnerable. The last thing on their mind is the moisturizer. Hence, oily skin --> dry --> secrete more oil --> oily --> would not apply moisturizer --> dry -->... you get the picture. What is needed is a healthy oil to moisture balance~! 

But I am not going to delve too deep, my purpose is to go gaga over skincare products and then review 'em. First of all, Moisturizer~!

• L'oreal HYDRAFRESH All Day Hydration Supply Aqua-Milky Emulsion 

Price : RMB 140 at Guardian Nanjing

Content : 150 ml 

Manufactured in : China

Comment : The texture is pinkish white and it smells like faint rose syrup and milk drink (a.k.a. air bandung). I purchased this in China and I could not find the same packaging elsewhere. I noted that those sold in Malaysia and Singapore are produced either in Indonesia or Philippines and am not sure of the formula consistency. But I really recommend this one. I used to suffer from white dry patches around the mouth, and when I first bought this, I kinda doubt the efficacy as it is slightly runny, but it blends and absorbs without fuss and white patches are no more~! This product is great to use in the morning, and even though I believe that I have a big face, it lasted me full one year. It wasn't oily for my dry/combination skin, even when I used it in a humid country like Malaysia and Singapore. I would recommend this to oily/combination and dry/combination skin but if you have dry skin type, might not your cup of tea. Though I believe that there is a current trend... a-hem... for a certain Japanese emulsion, I fell hopelessly in love with the pinkish tint and the smell. Now... to find the right victim to help me purchase it in China... 

• Hadolabo GOKUJYUN moisturising cream (A$13.30 at sasa.com)

Price : A$13.30 at Sasa.com 

Content : 50g

Manufactured in : Japan

Description : Hadalabo GOKUJYUN Moisturising Cream is infused with super hyaluronic acid which deeply penetrates into skin. It keeps on moisturizing and replenishing skin, meanwhile enhancing skin's water-binding ability, leaving skin supple, smooth and radiant. The gel texture helps to further nourish skin. Weak acid, no fragrance, no colorant, no oil and is alcohol-free. 
Comment: So this is the ahem... I mentioned. The texture of the cream isn't thick, slightly runny but it does it work fine. There are no smell associated with it as it contains no fragrance and colorant anyway. And a small pea size was enough for my big face. I started off with lathering a lot on my face and my hubby was grossed out by the shine, so... a little goes a long way. As the product is oil free and alcohol free, it seems great for sensitive skin and really soothes the skin after a sun burn and shave burns. Over all, definitely worth the price. 

2. Lotion

• Kose sekkisei lotion

Price: $44.60 in sasa.com

Content : 200 ml

Manufactured in : Japan

Comment : I love this. It took a while for me to warm up to this product as the first smell that hit me was the smell of alcohol. But I do have to iterate, my nose is kinda picky. For some who may think, why need lotion? Great~! I just found out a simple trick to know the usefulness of lotion. Dab some lotion onto a cotton pad and wipe it on the back of your left hand (or perhaps you prefer to just rub it in with your hand), and leave the back of the other hand bare. Now dab serum on top of both of your hand backs. I noted that the one with the lotion just got absorbed faster and evenly~! So this lotion is great to prep the skin for the next stage of skincare, whether it is emulsion or serum or moisturizer~! The other reason I love this is the mild whitening properties and the soothing effect it had on the skin. I used it as a form of mask after a long sun exposure, and my skin instantly felt hydrated and less irritated. No wonder, it is one of the bestseller in Japan~! Not too sure whether it is suitable for sensitive skin as it contains alcohol. 

Okie, that is all from me this week. I am trying to finish my summer skincare reviews before the summer is over. But there are so many distractions around. Just this week, someone introduced me hand made masks and organic skincare, I was hooked. Luckily I had the sanity to stop at just two products, will review it soon. 

Till then, have fun and God bless~! 

Review on Hot cleansing gel by Kose Softymo

Black head (BH) has always been a dreaded thing to appear on a girl's face, the only thing to top it would be a full blown acne. O gosh... *gag*

According to one sales girl, our pores only got bigger as we aged. I guess this is because the muscle that is pulling our face taut becomes more 'relaxed' over the years due to the loss of collagen. So we are prone to more BH and open pores problem. This really awakens me as I do not ever want a strawberry face (no offense to strawberries, they are great medicine against cancer by angiogenesis) or should I say strawberry nose? lol...

So, I have been looking for products and lifestyle tips to help combat that~! Well, my first step is searching for different ways to get rid of BH and whiteheads~! The most traditional method is by applying pressure on the skin around the BH, i.e. pinching. But this method is extremely harmful for the skin. It might be alright to do that a few times when you are young, but you will realise that your skin do not recover that much faster as you age. According to a beauty therapist, our dermis could be categorized into 7 layers. The outer layer is our present skin and the inner layer is our future skin. When excessive pressure is applied, not only our present skin is wounded, but also our future skin. Meaning to say even when our outer imperfect skin is shed, we would be faced with the wounded inner skin. Complicated much? lol... bottom line: Don't do it~!

Since no pinching is allowed, I turn to pore packs~! With seemingly easy mechanism, you can easily apply the pore packs to your nose and T zone to remove BH. But... How about ppl like me? BH can be categorized into two different kind: the first one is what I would term as the 3D one, it can be seen and it can be felt, part of it just protrude out of the skin. The second one, also the one I am born with is the one I call the 2D. You can see it, but you can't really feel it. So, while pore packs can easily grab hold of 3D BH and pull it out easily, it can't really grab hold of my 2D BH much.

So I was so excited when I discover about Kose Softymo's Hot Cleansing gel. Though I couldn't read a word it says on the packaging apart from 'Thoroughly removes excess sebum from pores', it is a match made in heaven for the pore packs. The steps are pretty easy. Wash your face with your normal cleanser and then put a small dollop of the product on your face (those area you want to apply the pore packs) and scrub for about 1 minute. The slight exfoliating nature of the gel removes sebum from open pores while the slight heating effect (I suppose) opens up the pores.


Kose Softymo Hot Cleansing Gel

I wish I would at least have an idea what active ingredients help make it the product it is, but unfortunately I don't read a word japanese!! But anyway, let me show u the end product...


Ta da!!! Are you one of those person who finds it both enticing and creepy to see how much BH you can pull out of your nose??!? Well, hands up for me!! I do~! It makes me wonder how could I have walked around with all those SHIT in my pores!!


O well, this pore pack isn't exactly mine, it is just that this one sends shivers down my spine~! lol... So I decided to share it a bit...

It isn't 100% cleaner, but definitely cleaner than the average pore pack. And for the price of $6+, it is definitely worth the try. The next thing I am looking forward to will be pore minimizing/refining serum~!

Till next time,
XOXO~!