Simple and Skin Food Facial wipes

I recently have this fancy of using facial wipes. To a lot of people, it is totally not environmental friendly but to another bunch of people it’s a lifesaver because it minimizes the time to remove make up.

I have bought facial wipes from these 2 brands and here’s my take.

Ingredient

The Simple facial wipes does not contain alcohol where else the skin food one contains alcohol. It may sting a little especially for those with sensitive skin.

Texture

Simple has a very “cottony”feel with no texture where else the skin food one has texture. Honestly speaking, I do not think that the texture serves any purpose though. The skin food wipes are wetter compare to the Simple one, thus it takes longer to dry out if you do not use it everyday, which is great.

Cotton material and simple sticker packaging

Textured material and good packaging

Packaging

Simple has a very simple packaging, but i realize the sticker may not be strong enough to keep the wipes moist. The skin food one has a better packaging with double protection, one sticker on the inside and one plastic cover on the outside

Scent

Simple has a very natural scent that is not “perfumy”. Skin food really smells like watermelon.

Cleaning power.

Simple stated that it removes water proof mascara, I tried it and it does not. Both the facial wipes do not remove waterproof mascara. Aside from that, they both cleans the same.

Verdict: I would pick Simple over skin food because it is more natural as I have sensitive skin and it is more easily accessible.

Price: Less than RM 20 for 25-30 wipes

Where: Simple is available in most pharmacy. I bought my Skin food wipes from Seoul, I am not sure if it’s available in Malaysia.

Lush Cleanser

I have never heard of lush until recently after reading a few beauty blogs. I found out that Lush is a line of skincare and cosmetic that uses all natural ingredients. I have bought 2 of their cleanser to try.

The first one is Aqua Marina.

The reason I bought this was because the SA said that it is very good for sensitive skin. I have been having very sensitive skin and prone to breakout recently that’s when I decide to try this. The Aqua Marina smells a little weird, I can’t make out what smell that is but it is not extremely overpowering.

When I read the ingredient, it contains calamine (the pink lotion that we all use when we were kids to sooth rashes), aloe vera and nori seaweed. Calamine is the key ingredient to calm redness and aloe and seaweed is to soothe and hydrate the skin. Texture wise, it feels like clay for some reason.



Add a little water

This is how it looks like after adding water

The second cleanser that I bought was the Angels on Bare Skin.

Because my skin condition changed recently, I was hunting for a gentler exfoliator and the angels answered my prayer :) After using this, my skin was so soft and smooth. I can’t stop touching it. I really love this. It is not like a normal cleanser, this cleanser is grainy and dry, you are supposed to mix with water to turn it into a paste like consistency and use that to wash your face.

The texture reminds me of oats and porridge. It smells of lavender and rose and the natural exfoliator are ground almonds. You can actually see some lavender in the product.

Add water

It will turn into a paste like consistency

Verdict: I normally use them at night because it takes more steps to use them as they are in tubs, comparing to normal facial cleansers that are in tubes. Having said that I love both the cleanser because they clean my face without drying it and also because I know that they are made out of natural ingredients.
The only downside is; because it is made out of natural ingredients, the life span of the cleanser is only 3 months. And the next bad news is, it is not available in Malaysia. I bought mine from Seoul and the nearest place to us is Singapore. I will definitely try more products from lush in the future.

Price: Premium approximately RM40+ (80g)

Where: Not available in Malaysia at the time of writing. Nearest country is Singapore.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

This is one of those products that takes forever to empty. I have been using this on and off for at least 8 months now and I still have ¾ left. This is one of my first Kiehl’s products.

I was attracted to it because it is essentially an essential oil (no pun intended) and distilled botanicals  that is supposed to regenerate, repair, and replenish the skin. It is made of pure essential oil from primrose and lavender. These are the 2 ingredients that made this potion smell so therapeutic.  I normally only use 2-3 drops of this and it is normally the last step of my night skin care routine.



Magic Potion

I only use it when my skin is not in an oily state. During times when I break out or have bumps on my face, I will avoid this as I feel that it made my breakout worst. The packaging is very premium. It comes with a glass "dripper" that reminds me of science class.

Verdict: I have read a lot of great reviews about this product from a lot of beauty bloggers. They claim that it work wonders on their skin and their skin looked soft and feel supple the next morning. Unfortunately for me, it doesn’t have the same effect on me. It is probably more suitable for dry skin type. Having said that, this is a good to have product and it will definitely last a long time. I checked the label and the expiry date is 18 months after opening.

Price: Premium RM220 (30ml)

Where:  Pavillion, MidValley and Kiehl’s  nation wide

Botanics Soothing Eye Make-Up Remover

When I was still new to make up remover, I used to use Simple’s  and body shop’s camomile eye make-up remover and it was a pain every end of each day to remove my water proof mascara. Both the makeup remover are water based therefore it is not meant for water proof mascara.

Then I discovered L’Oreal’s eye and lip make up remover which is oil based. I have been using that for a while. I know that there are some people who are worried that oil based make –up remover may produce oil seeds around the eyes when use in the long run but I really don’t think so. I have been using oil based eye make-up remover for the past years and I do not have that problem.

When I was at Boot’s during one of my trips to Bangkok, I came across this Botanics make up remover and decided to try. And because I use make up remover every day, I figured something that is natural may be better for my skin.

It is the same concept as the L’oreal one. You have to shake it before you damp your cotton. It removes mascara effectively. Comparing this to the L’Oreal one, it has a mild cool sensation which is quite comforting when I place the cotton pad on my eyes, so that is quite a nice touch.

I read the instruction behind the bottle and it says that if you need a quick perk me up, place the remover in the fridge, when it is cool, damp the cotton and placed on the eyes for 5 minutes as a mask. I have not tried that, and I don’t think I will because it can be a little oily if you do not wash it off.

Verdict : Great remover for those who prefer natural ingredients. Unfortunately it is not available in Malaysia. This is my 3^rd bottle and I have stock up another 2 bottles in my cabinetJ. I will always re-stock when I am in Thailand.

Price: Mid-Range. I can’t exactly remember how much but it’s about 300baht. And most of the time they have Sale, buy 1 and get 2^nd one at 50% off (150ml)

Where : Boots (I normally buy mine in Thailand because that is the nearest)

Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX

This is the second sleeping mask I have tried and it is also a Korean brand. The last one I used was the raspberry roots sleeping mask from Face shop.

This light blue mask is a gel textured mask and it smells really good.  When my face is in an OK condition, I will just slap this mask on and go to bed. When my skin is dry, I will use this on top of my skin care routine and I will definitely wake up with better skin.

The main ingredient of this mask is snow water. I am not too sure what is it but I am sure it is super moisturizing. I have a friend who told me that she bought a jar of this mask and she forgot to close the lid and after a few days, the jar was almost empty. It has all evaporated. This can only means that the content must be made of water or some sort for it to evaporate meaning the content is full of moisture.

Verdict: Like this because if it’s moisturizing properties and because it is so easy to use. Slap it on, go to bed and wake up with supple skin.

Price: Premium (RM 100+ 80ml) I got my friend to buy from Korea, so it was only about RM60. So this is a MUST buy product if you ever go to Korea.

Where: Laneige Counter at Isetan ,Parkson and Jusco Mid valley

DHC Deep Clean Cleansing Oil

I am one of those who double-cleans my face every day. Double-cleansing means that you clean your face twice in a row. My double-cleansing routine is something like below.

1)      Cleans with a mild cleanser / oil based cleanser

2)      Follow with a cream or gel cleanser

I double-cleans because I put on my sunblock, primer and foundation almost every day and I do not think that cleaning with only a cream/gel cleanser is sufficient to remove all the residue.

I have used almost half :)

My current cleansing routine is using DHC deep cleansing oil, follow by Vichy gel cleanser (which I will review soon). I bought the DHC deep cleansing oil from Guardian while I was in Singapore because it was at a super cheap price. It was really a steal.

I have never used an oil cleanser prior to this because I always thought that it will be too greasy for my liking, but this cleansing oil is not that greasy and I can accept it because it  really help melt my make-up away very well. Once you finish massaging the oil on your face, wet your fingers and start massaging again and you will see the oil emulsify and become a milky colour.

Wash off after that and once you’re done, it is time for your gel/cream cleanser.

Verdict : This is the first oil cleanser that I have tried and it is a good experience and therefore, I will definitely try more oil cleanser in the future. There is only one thing that I do not like; the smell BUT because I always follow with my gel cleanser, it does not bother me that much. The retail price is a little expensive and there may be more options out there that are more affordable. I will definitely explore in the future.

Price: RM 85++ (Pricey)  ( I bought it in Singapore for ONLY 5 SGD! I think they were clearing stock at that time of purchase)

Where : Major pharmacy eg: Watsons and Guardian

Clinique Youth Surge

I have not been blogging for a while simply because I started a new job and was busy adapting to work and the culture. So therefore I have tons and tons of products that I have not reviewed. I have even decided not to review some because I don’t think they are good :p

Anyway, I have purchased this promotional pack sometime end of last year and i have just finish using this. I also bought the hydration pack but I will only review later because I have just started using it.

The pack consists of a cleanser, a day moisturizer and a night moisturizer and all these come in a pouch.

The one item that I do not like most is the Cleanser. I think that it is very drying. This is not my first experience with Clinique cleanser. When I was a teenager,i  used to use their cleanser and it was the same problem for me. I had hoped that their cleanser formula would have improved after so many years.

As for the moisturizers, the day one is lighter and the night one is thicker and they both smells the same. I think they are ok to be used for maintenance, but a serum is definitely needed. I have been using these with my Cellnique Hydrating Complex, so it works alright for me. If I take the Cellnique Hydrating Complex out of the routine, it may not be sufficient.  This is just based on my experience and my skin condition. I am exposed to air cond EVERYDAY, at work at home and in my room, so my skins tend to be very dry.

Verdict: hmmm… I am never a big fan of Clinique products and this did not change me either. Hopefully the hydrating range will score a better review.

Price: Slightly high range – Promotional pack – RM 40

Where: Clinique counters nationwide (at the time of writing, the promotion period is over)

L’Oreal UV Perfect

I use this as a make-up base cum sun block. It is very light and it does not give me the sticky and oily feeling like a lot of sun block. They have 2 different range, one for anti dullness and another for even complexion. I heard a radio commercial last week that they just launched a new mattifying range. Honestly, the current one that I am using is already mattifying enough. I mean it does not feel oily or shiny on my face. And the best thing is that it has SPF 50 UVB and UVA PA +++ so I am well protected from the sun.

On the back of the tube, it says that it hydrates the skin, but I don’t think it does, but it also does not leave the skin dry.

Verdict: This is a sun block that is worth investing in. It is not thick, oily or sticky. Glides easily on your skin and can be use as a make-up base.

Price: Affordable - RM 32.90 (30ml)

Where: Watson & Guardian pharmacies nation wide

L’Oreal Cleanser

I have been using L’Oreal since I was a teenager. I started using their hydra fresh range product when I was about 19 and back then it was one of my favorite. It is really true that at different age, you will need different product to work its magic. Now, the hydra fresh range does not work for me.

Instead of moisturizing product, I am using L’Oreal’s cleansing products. They are affordable and also very good. I am currently using their gentle make up remover for waterproof make up and also their gentle cleansing milk.

The gentle make up remover is water and oil based remover. Some people say that it is not good to use any oil based makeup remover because it will cause oil seeds especially around the eye area. I have been using this for about 3 months and I think that it is ok so far. It removes water proof make up quite easily, no need to struggle.

Remember that you have to shake the bottle before using to mix the oil and the water.


I will follow with the milk cleanser. On the instruction, it says apply and massage lightly with fingertips and remove with cotton pad and follow with the toning lotion.


My understanding from the instruction is that you do not have to rinse. But what I do is, after removing with cotton pad, I will use my gel cleanser to double cleanse.

Verdict: The makeup remover works its magic and it is very affordable. Some might worry because it is oil based. Milk cleanser does not strip away moisture but I feel that you must rinse otherwise it will a bit oily on the skin.

Price: Affordable

Gentle Milk Cleanser – RM 23.90 (200ml)

Gentle make up remover – RM 23.90 (125ml)

Where: Watson & Guardian pharmacies nation wide

Hada Labo Moisturizing Set

I bought this product from Guardian. I saw it before previously but never thought of trying it. I was running out of moisturizer and I decided to try something off the shelf. Hada Labo Is a Japanese brand. The brands philosophy is Perfect X Simple. I believe that this shows in their packaging. It is a very simple packaging with a lot of Japanese kanji on it. Thank God they stick a sticker to tell you upfront what is the product. Instruction and ingredients are also in English. This brand is manufacture by mentholatum.

Hada Labo uses only the purest ingredients with no necessary additives. Therefore it is free of fragrance, mineral oil, alcohol and colorant. It contains super hyaluronic acid which provides twice the moisture retention capacity. Here is a video about the brand.

I bought the promo set at RM 89.90 for the cleanser, moisturizing lotion and the moisturizing milk. I have been using it for about 2 weeks and the result exceeded my expectations.

I do not fancy the cleanser too much because I think it is a bit dry for my skin. The moisturizing lotion really does moisturize my skin and it is comparable to premium hydrating serums that I have used before. Having said that, premium hydrating serums do show results faster. The moisturizing milk on the other hand does its job but I find the texture a little too sticky. It takes a long time to absorb.

Verdict : An effective and affordable product. Moisturizing milk texture is a little too sticky and the cleanser makes my skin dry.

Price : RM 89.90 – Cleanser (50g), Moisturizing Lotion (170ml) & Moisturizing Milk (140ml)

Where : Guardian Pharmacy

Information : http://www.hadalabo.com.my

Celmonze Celsoft Emulsion

This is the first time I try any products from Celmonze. The texture of this is fine, not too oily. It also has a very pleasant fragrance. It might not be suitable for people who are sensitive to scents in skin care.

This is the first time I came across this sort of packaging. You need to press the top and the moisturizer will squeeze out. This type of packaging is hygienic but the down side is I have problem pressing the moisturizer out when it is about to finish and cannot see how much more is left.

Verdict : I am a little disappointed with this product. I expected more from a premium product. For me, this just acts like a normal moisturizer. The good thing about this product is the packaging, a very hygienic option.

Price : Premium - RM 208 (30ml)

Where : I bought it from Cellnique beauty salon but I am pretty sure that it is available in Celmonze beauty salon as well

Cellnique Advanced Bio Renewal Masque & Vital Cellular Repair Masque

I have been using Cellnique’s products on and off for the past few years. I do not use their whole range, just some of it. But I do my facial there every month because it is near my house. Today I am going to review 2 of their salon products. These products are not available off the shelf. They are only available at their Beauty Salons.

The Advanced Bio Renewal Masque is a clay scrub masque. It exfoliates dead skin to reveal a softer, fresher and healthier skin. It contains Bio-captured fresh fruit enzymes and I think because of this ingredient, the masque smells like tropical fruit, a very pleasant scent. To use this masque, you just need to scoop up a reasonable amount onto your palm and mix with some milk cleanser (optional). The milk cleanser is to make sure the masque is not too thick and so that your jar of masque can last you longer :) My beautician thought me this. Leave it on your face for 10 minutes then wet your face a little or your hands and gently massage in a circular motion. Rinse off after that. On the instruction, it says that there might be a mild stinging and warm sensation on the cheek. So BEWARE for those who have sensitive skin. It works ok on me.

After the Bio Renewal Masque, I will normally follow with the Vital Celular Repair Masque. This masque contains marine botanicals and anti-oxidants. It is also enriched with potent nutrients of yeast beta glucan, vitamins and hyaluronic acid. To use this apply a thin layer on your face and leave it for 10 minutes. Then rinse off. This masque is suitable for all skin type including post-operation skin.

Verdict 1: I like the smell of the advanced bio-renewal masque and I think it really serves its purpose of exfoliating. If use in long run, it really gives you a smooth to the touch complexion. The only thing I don’t like is the jar packaging. This product can last me for quite long but because it is in a jar, it is not so hygienic. I think for products in a jar, it should at least come with a spatula.

Verdict 2: The Vital Cellular Repair Masque gives me a very rich feeling. It feels very rich with ingredients and at the same time mild enough for all skin type and post-operation skin. My beautician told me that it can be apply around the eye area and also on the lip. I tried and it was ok on the lip but it made my eye tear when I apply around the eye area maybe because I have sensitive eyes.

These 2 products work best when use together. If you want to use the Bio Renewal Masque only, my recommendation is to follow up with a hydrating mask (any brand). And if you want to use the Vital Cellular Masque only, use a scrub (any brand) prior to this product for better absorption.

Price : Premium - Advanced Bio Renewal Masque (50gm) Price (N/A), Vital Cellular Repair Masque (50gm) Price (N/A)

Where : Any Cellnique Beauty Salon

Faceshop Raspberry Roots Sleeping Mask

This is the first time I came across something call a sleeping mask. A sleeping mask is a type of mask that you can sleep in. This mask contains 10.75% of plant extract and 0.1% of raspberry roots extract. It is said to be able to tone, lift, hydrate and replenishing the skin with nutrients. This mask is one of their best sellers. I have tried using it, I am not sure about the toning and tightening pore effect, but I do think that it does hydrate my skin.

How to use a sleeping mask.

Pump a small amount of mask onto your hand. When you pump, just pump half do not go all the way and pump a full pump because it will be too much.

Then spread a thin later across you whole face, if there is remaining, you can spare some for your neck :) You will feel that it is a bit sticky, leave it for a while to dry off then you will be fine. Next GO TO BED. The next morning, just wash it off with water or if you want to wash it off with cleanser you can do so too. Then follow with your normal routine.
Verdict : For those who wants convenience and some fun because of its novelty :) It will also last you quite long.

Price : Mid-range - RM 99 (100ml)

Where : Any Faceshop. There is one in Mid Valley and also 1 Utama.