Skincare Products – Sheet Masks

My Beauty Diary Masks

Others I have used:

· Neutrogena Deep Hydration Mask

· ZA True White Essence Mask

· Ettusais Acne Whitening Dual Mask

· Watsons Bird’s Nest Mask

My staple mask for now is My Beauty Diary Black Pearl mask. It brightens up my skin slightly and it’s apparent after each use. Typically, sheet masks only helps to hydrate the skin, no matter which flavor you choose. I’ve tried almost every one of the My Beauty Diary mask but somehow Black Pearl works best for me.

Neutrogena, Za and Ettusais masks are good too, but at higher prices. My Beauty Diary can go as low as 80c a sheet so it’s good for daily use. Watsons and Neutrogena can cost $2/sheet during promotion time, Za $19/box of 6 during 20%+20% sales, and Ettusais cost $49.00/box of 7.

I find these work better than My Beauty Diary, giving a more radiant skin after use. Za True White really gives a brighter skin while Ettusais is just like Za just that it comes with 2 pieces for each mask, to suit the T zone and the U zone. However, using cheap mask daily is better than using premium masks once a week.

On the other hand, among the Za True White range, only the mask and foundation are loves for me. The other products break me out.

Skincare Products – Serums & Moisturisers

Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum, Kanebo Blanchir Whitening Smoothing Conditioner, Estee Lauder Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refresher, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye

I have also used:

• HABA White Lady
• Skinfood Peach Sake Pore Serum
• Sekkisei Eye Cream
• Nivea Aqua Sensation Eye Cream
• Ettusais Acne Whitening Essence

I have not touched the Shiseido Serum yet but it’s for whitening. HABA White Lady is a vitamin C serum and I highly recommend it, minus the fact that it has to be kept in the fridge and can only be kept for 3 months. However, it did lighten some areas so it does work. Moreover, I could always do with some vitamin C. The Ettusais essence is also for whitening, in particular, acne marks. However, I did not see significant results with it.

The Blanchir Whitening Smoothing Conditioner is like a pore serum, so is the Estee Lauder Idealist Serum. They are decent to me, but somehow it didn’t work as well as Skinfood Peach Sake Pore Serum. However, that was way back in 2007 or 2008. When I repurchased the Skinfood serum, I found the texture and effect to be different and lacking.

Nivea’s eye cream works decently too. However, it dried out before I could finish using it. The Sekkisei eye cream was decent as well. A little goes a long way and the 15ml jar lasted for probably more than a year and it didn’t try out. I’m currently using Estee Lauder’s and so far, so good. the texture is more like a serum than a cream and there’s a sensation when applied on. However, the sensation wasn’t as apparent in subsequent applications.

Naruko Tea Tree Oil Out Night Gelly, Naruko Tea Tree Oil Out Balancing Moisturiser, Aqua Label Enhancer WT, Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Protective Moisturiser SPF 16, Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturising Gel, Sekkisei Lotion, Sekkisei Day Essence, Sekkisei Emulsion

I have also used:

· Biotherm Aquasource Non Stop Oglio Thermal Gel

· Ettusais AC Aqua Shooter

Since the Naruko Gelly is a non wash off product it’s as good as a night moisturiser. I like how it’s a gel and not a cream.

The Aqua Label and Ettusais are both effectors rather than moisturisers, and their function is to seal in the moisturiser.

Biotherm Aquasource is the best moisturiser I’ve used and I’ll repurchase it soon.

Skincare Products – Lotion & Mists

MAC Fix+, Laneige Make Up Mist, Hada Labo Super Hyarulonic Acid Lotion, Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist, Sekkisei Lotion, Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Refining Softener, Aqua Label White AC Lotion, AMPM Skin Wakeup Hydra Refresher

Other Mists I have used:

· Avene Thermal Spring Water

· Vichy Thermal Spa Water Spray

· Skinfood White Grape Makeup Fixer (discontinued)

I’ll talk about mist/ makeup fixers first. I’m currently using MAC but my favourite is actually Skinfood. However, it’s been discontinued so I have no choice. MAC Fix+ is decent though. I tried it merely because it is very raved. The Laneige mist didn’t do much for me. I have yet to try Jurlique and AMPM.

Other lotions I have used:

· Ettusais AC Skin Version Up

· Biotherm Aquasource Lotion

The Aqua Label AC range didn’t work for me and I stopped using it after a few uses. The Sekkisei Lotion is good except that it has way too much alcohol. The Shiseido softener is more gentle and it softens the skin to prepare for moisturiser. However, my current favourite is the Hada Labo SHA Lotion! It’s unbeatable. Everyone should try it. It’s very mild and strongly hydrating (moisture, not sebum) with humectants.

In layman terms, humectants draws water to the skin, thus hydrating it. The other hydration type of component would be emollients, which are like oils, as they form a barrier to prevent transepidermal water loss, thus retaining moisture. So for best results, follow up with a moisturiser that suits your skin type!

Skincare Products – Cleansers, Exfoliaters

Nivea Visage Whitening Foam, Sekkisei Supreme Washing Cream, NUXE Purifying Cleansing Gel, IPSA Cleansing Sooth Foam, Vichy Purifying Foaming Cream Cleanser, Naruko Tea Tree Oil Out Acne Clay Cleanser, Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Cleansing Foam

I have also used:

• L’Oreal White Perfect Facial Foam

• Biotherm Aquasource Cleanser

• Sekkisei Washing Powder

• Ettusais Acne Gentle Wash

The middle 3 are free gifts.

I really like the Nivea and L’oreal for a cheap and good cleanser, but you can’t deny that it contains soap/ detergent and is probably a low grade of it, so if you don’t have hardy skin it may be bad. I like the Sekkisei Supreme Washing Cream a lot, but have since stopped to use acne fighting cleansers as that’s the concern I have now.

The Naruko Tea Tree cleanser is really good. it contains very fine micro beads so it exfoliates gently as well. It can be used as a mask, due to its clay texture, once a week. Although it’s an oil control cleanser, it’s relatively gentle.

Cure Natural Aqua Gel, Nivea Whitening Scrub, Laneige Strawberry Yogurt Peeling Gel

I have also used:

· St Ives Apricot Scrub

My favourite has to be the Cure gel as it’s very mild. I prefer peeling exfoliaters than scrubs. The Laneige is a peeling gel too, but I don’t really like it. It also seems to have a lot more unnecessary (and potentially bad) ingredients too, due to the artificial smell and colour.

The Nivea one was picked up by mistake when I wanted to get the facial foam. However, it was ok. The beads are very small.

Skincare Products – Makeup Removers

Cleansing Express Eye & Lip makeup remover, Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Fresh, Cleansing Express Bright Up, Cleansing Express Moist, Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Brightening

I have also used and finished:

· Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil

· Kanebo Blanchir Make Off Conditioner

· L’Oreal Eye & Lip Makeup Remover

My HG would definitely be the Shu Uemura Cleansing Oils. I wonder why I spent so many years using Fancl. Fancl’s has to be used up within 3 months due to lack of preservatives and one bottle is $31. So I would need to spend $124 a year on cleansing oil? Shu Uemura’s cost $99 or so from duty free, and that HUGE 450ml bottle lasts for 1.5 years. What’s more, it cleans better. I highly recommend Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil!

I got the Blanchir Make Off during a Kanebo sale for a very low price (maybe around $20, or less?) and it works fine too. I wouldn’t mind using it again.

The cleansing express makeup remover lotions have gained raves due to being water based and so on, but I do not like it as it doesn’t clean well! And rubbing the cotton pad on my face causes abrasion.

Skincare ranges

Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Cleansing Foam, Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Refining Softener Light, Shiseido White Lucent Concentrated Brightening Serum, Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Protective Moisturiser SPF 16, Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturising Gel

Everything here was bought from 2 different Shiseido Sales! Pretty good deal I must say, with probably 70% off?

I will use this once my face stops breaking out, to lighten the marks.

 

Sekkisei Supreme Washing Cream, Sekkisei Lotion, Sekkisei Day Essence, Sekkisei Emulsion

Also for whitening, I’ve tried the Sekkisei range by Kose. However, I feel this brand doesn’t really suit me. I’ve tried their mask and massage gel too, and though it works wonders for others, it does nothing for me. In fact, I think I broke out using them 😦 I love the Sekkisei Supreme washing cream though. I’ve tried the Sekkisei Powder Wash before but I didn’t like it. The Sekkisei Lotion used to be my HG. I used up one 500ml and two 140ml bottles before this 360ml one. However I’m not using it anymore.

Naruko Tea Tree Oil Out Acne Clay Cleanser, AMPM All Day No Shine Sebum Balancer, Naruko Tea Tree Oil Out Balancing Moisturiser, Naruko Narcissus BB Sunscreen SPF 50, Naruko Tea Tree Oil Out Night Gelly

Recently I started on Naruko products and so far, I love them! The ingredients are mostly natural and it’s free of preservatives. The AMPM all day no shine sebum balancer is amazing! I use it under makeup or under the BB sunscreen when I’m heading out. The BB sunscreen is my favourite sunscreen. It’s very lightweight and isn’t much of a physical sunblock so it doesn’t form a thick cast on my face. It’s a BB sunscreen not a BB cream so there’s no coverage. I use the Balancing Moisturiser for day and Night Gelly for night.

Cure Natural Aqua Gel, Hada Labo Super Hyarulonic Acid Lotion, Aqua Label Enhancer WT

What these have in common is that they are

· From Japan

· Sold in Watsons locally

· Very popular in Japan

· And only this product from their respective ranges is popular

The Cure is an exfoliater which I love to death. It’s very mild and doesn’t irritate.

The Hada Labo SHA Lotion is a MUST TRY. Again, it is very mild, but locks in a lot of moisture (water, not oil) so everyone needs it. Hydration is the key to everything.

The Aqua Label enhancer is a product many are not familiar with. It’s meant to be an effecter to lock in your moisturiser, increasing its hydration capability. So you’re supposed to pat this on with a cotton pad after using moisturiser.