being a fair girl in a tropical country means i can't find base makeup easily here. usually the lightest color will be slightly too dark for me. and i'm not the kind of person that throw away makeup easily. here we don't have makeup donation option. so that's why i've been reluctant to try foundation. before changing great back to foundation, i've found bb cream or bb cushion easier to choose since i will always be #21. but i need foundation for my sister's wedding day and i bought wet n wild one. and it matched me. and i'm getting too excited. i've been reading a lot of good review about catrice foundation so i bought one even knowing that it's slightly too dark for me at that time. then i read about this transformer drop, so i asked my husband who was travelling to europe to get me one. later i knew that after he came back, the transformer drop was available here. oh well, at least i got to try it a little bit early to being late writing the review.

this is the description from their website: individual transformation. makeup can be individually aligned with the needs of the skin thanks to the highly pigmented, liquid texture: lightening drops lighten the texture of foundation while the darkening drops make it darker. the transformer drops provide the possibility of personalising any catrice foundation.

the tube

the back of the tube

the packaging: again, i totally forgot whether or not it has plastic sealing in the first place. the lightening version also comes in plastic tube but in beige. it also have dark screw cap and the same spout to dispense the product. at the back of the tube, there's description in english. i actually like this squeeze tube packaging than the dropper packaging like body shop's one.

the spout

the color: it's not white like la girl white foundation, it's more like a lighter version of my wet n wild. i think it might be like the lightest foundation shade from some brand. this one doesn't have reddish tone. a bit neutral.

the transformer drop on my hand

the product: it's a creamy product that doesn't change the consistency of the foundation. it blends easily with my foundation and bb cream and i don't see any separating even after some time.

left is my foundation, right is the makeup transformer

the result: it is working for me, it lightens my foundation and bb cream. unfortunately, it changes the undertone a bit. somehow i think it changes the yellow undertone toward neutral. but i don't have any problem with it since i only use a little.

after mixing it

this one works okay for me, although if i have darker foundation, this might change the undertone and the changes might be more visible. but since this is only super light beige, i don't think it's suitable for super fair skin. i think white pigment like la girl one will be better. catrice has been known to change its product seasonally, so i can't say whether this makeup transformer will be on their permanent line or not. this makeup transformer is a good option for someone like me, who doesn't like to own so many foundation, and think that it seems a waste to neglect incorrect foundation because of its shade. here in indonesia, we couldn't return the makeup if we've already bought it for whatever reason, so the transformer is a good solution since most brand doesn't give wide shade selection unlike the US. the price is very affordable too. as for me, if i could buy la girl white pigment, i think i will buy that one, but for now, this is a good option for me.

i have body shop membership, so every year on my birthday, i got special discount. and i use it to get things that i want to try or to stock up. i was going to try some skincare products, but they are too expensive to try full size. i do like their masks, but at that time i've already all the mask that i wanted to try, so i didn't buy any mask. so instead, i'm getting myself a brow pencil. i always go through them quickly, so i think another one in my stash will be a good idea. i also color my hair sometimes, so i decided to get a brown one, but not too light since i was growing my hair at that time.

this is the description from their website: achieve your full brow look with our new brow sculpt, a 3-in-1 texture brow shaping tool combining a powder, a wax, and a mascara formula. from a natural to bold look, this tool can help you easily achieve your dream brow. available in 2 shades. (3 shades in indonesia)

the brow pen

you can see the shade name printed on the body

the packaging: it comes in a pen form, only sealed with plastic on the outside. you can see the name of the product as well as the shade name on the body of the pen. there are 3 compartments, the brow pencil, the brow powder and the mascara.

the pencil tip

the color: there are three shades available, light, medium and dark brown. when i look at them in store, i thought the medium brown will be too light for my growing hair as my root is basically dark almost black, so i get the dark brown. the pencil is medium brown for me, not too red but not too dark either. slightly lighter than my hair root. the powder is a bit lighter, more like taupe. the mascara is another story. it's way too dark.

the sponge tip

the product: the pencil has round tip and pretty tiny and pretty creamy, not waxy at all. makes it difficult to draw hair-like strokes. the powder is a sponge tip that's loaded with the powder and there's the powder pot embedded in the body of the pen. the mascara is another story. the spoolie brush is not so bushy compared to my other brow products. the formula is pretty wet, which totally the opposite from my previous essence eyebrow gel.

the mascara spoolie

the result: the pencil is creamy and has round tip so it's hard to draw hair-like strokes, but i'm okay with that since i don't need that instagram-perfect eyebrows. i usually just use the pencil to outline my brow and draw the tail. the powder is pretty soft and good enough to fill in the gaps in the rest of my brow. the mascara, however, i can't seem to find out a good way to use it. even though i've tried to get the excess product of the spoolie, it's hard to do since the formula is very wet. i've also waited for some time before using this one again, hoping that the formula will dry up a little just like i used to do with my mascara, but it's not working. the formula is still too wet. and when i try to put it on top of the pencil and powder, it's way too dark. make my brows look like big caterpillar hanging on top of my eyes.

swatch on my hand (left: the mascara, middle: the powder, right: pencil)

top: before bottom: after the 3 of them (really dark and scary, doesn't it?)

honestly, i like the idea of a 3-in-1 brow product. it's easy to use and very travel friendly. i do wish several things are different though. i wish it has slanted tip instead of round tip, and i do wish the mascara formula is different. less wet and probably more gel-like might work. and a bigger brush on the spoolie. and probably more shade? aside from that, i think it's a good product. price wise? not so much. it's too expensive, even more expensive than excel one. definitely won't repurchase for me.

i've been hearing about huxley for quite some time now, and i'm pretty interested in them. they seem to get good reviews from trusted bloggers, so i decided to explore more. unfortunately, the price is quite up there for me to try full size, so i've been searching for samples. i can't seem to find a good variations of sample in one online shop, so i keep postponing. then, i saw one of my usual online shop sells a set of 4 essences/oil from huxley in reasonable price, so i immediately buy it. it has the grab water essence, the bright essence, oil like essence and light oil. i don't know where to start. luckily, the online shop is kind enough to give a bit description about all the essences/oils, so i decided to start with grab water.

this is the description from ohlolly website: experience a deeply hydrating essence that glides over thirsty and tired skin. great for normal to oily or combination skin types, huxley grab water essence delivers long-lasting hydration and nourishment to skin in need of protection against various environmental stressors, free radicals, pollutants and moisture loss. huxley uses a safe and certified-organic ingredient, sahara's prickly pear seed oil, which is full of skin-benefiting antioxidants, vitamin e and linoleic acid. acai berry, quinoa and yerba mate provide additional antioxidants and nutrients while peppermint helps to cool. no more greasy but dehydrated skin. made without parabens, mineral oils, or synthetic dyes.

the complete set in the box

the back of the box

the packaging: since i bought this in a set, it comes in a transparent plastic box where all the essence/oil bottles stored inside. at the back of the box there's a bit description about all the products inside, but it's written in white text and the box is transparent, so it's not easy to read. everything is in korean.

all the tiny bottles inside

the scent: i thought it would be scentless, but apparently i'm wrong. it has this jasmine scent and a little bit of fresh note which i can't quite describe while using this essence. and lately i found out from their website, that they made a special fragrance for their products. there are description about the scent in their website, about the top note and stuff, which i don't understand at all. i can't say that it's very subtle, but it's really relaxing for me. not too overwhelming. and the fragrance is the last in the ingredients list, but if you're not sure, perhaps you could buy the sample just like me.

the grab water bottle

tiny dropper

the product: all the essence is packaged in tiny version of the full size product. for grab water, it's in blue-tinged glass-like bottle with tiny dropper on top. it has 5 ml of product, which last me about 2 weeks using it every night. the essence is clear viscous liquid that spread easily and get absorbed quickly. it leaves watery traces and feels sticky at first, but you just keep tapping it and it will be gone.

the essence on my hand

the result: after being completely absorbed, it leaves matte finish, which is quite surprising for a hydrating essence. it does hydrates my skin, but not too much. i can still add my kikumasamune essence without any problem.

after spreading it around

i have to agree that this one is suitable for normal to oily or combination skin. it works well in adding hydration without making my skin greasy. but i still hesitating. i'm sure i will miss this essence after finishing the tiny sample, but i don't think the effect is enough to justify the price. i will try the other essence before making up my mind, so let's see about the rest. but i can recommend this one for you who is searching for hydrating essence and don't mind with fragrance in your skincare, then this one is the one you should try if it's within your budget.

i really need to be more diligent in using up my samples. i've a pile of unused sample and i believe almost all of them are near their expired date. there's one brand in that pile that intrigued me, kicho. i've never heard of it before and it's quite expensive if you're buying the full size. so i really want to see what's good about it.

this is the description from glamaco website: gel-emulsion toner improves skin texture and brightness. this fresh, nutritional emulsion toner refines, hydrates, soothes, evens and brightens skin tone and improves skin texture. contains kicho's exclusive patented phyto blend of natural ingredients to reveal glowing, vitalised skin. the concentrated emulsion calms and purifies whilst respecting the natural ecological balance with velvety-smooth, radiant effects. can be used for all skin types.

the packaging: the full size comes in a bottle obviously, and the sample comes in white sachet. it has pretty simple design. only the brand name and tiny text that indicated the product name at front and a bit description at the back in english. it only contains 1 ml product, which i don't think will be enough.

the scent: reading the word "fresh" gives me the idea that this one will smell like the ocean, or mint, or something that reminds me of fresh feeling, but the moment i put it on my palm, i can smell the alcohol inside. this does contain alcohol but they say it's only for the mild astringent and anti microbial effect. well, surely if you're sensitive to alcohol, you might want to think twice.

left: the sample sachet right: toner on my hand

the product: this is pretty intriguing product. it's described as a gel-emulsion toner. now basically toner usually has two types, the watery toner and slightly viscous toner. i never encounter a gel-emulsion toner. and this one does have an gel-emulsion texture. it's viscous like emulsion but feels like gel when you touch it and it becomes watery when you spread it around. for 1 ml, it's hard to decide whether it's really transparent or not.

the result: as i've predicted, 1 ml in gel texture is not enough for my face. so probably they want to reconsider the sample size. but it does hydrating my skin and leave slightly sticky feeling afterward. but not super greasy. since this is a single use, i can't say anything about the soothing and brightening effect.

i think this will work well for oily skin since it comes in gel texture and quite refreshing as it's supposed to be. but for the price tag? i don't think everyone will get it instantly even though it works well. another good thing is this one is cruelty free. it's quite difficult to find korean cruelty free skincare product, so if you're looking for one, you can try kicho. it also has a bunch of brightening ingredients, so if you're looking for one, you can try it. also it is formulated without parabens, benzophenone, silicone, artificial dyes and animal ingredients. again, it's hard to find skincare products that doesn't have paraben in their ingredients list, so if it's your concern, this might be an option for you. as for me, the sample is not enough to make me buy the full size product.

when i was going to japan, i didn't know what to buy, so i searched japan's skincare best sellers. and in every list, there's this item, the kanebo suisai powder wash. and when i was finally in japan, i saw it in every drugstores. they put big banner to point to them and even locked them in special cabinet so if you wanted to buy it, you have to ask the shop assistant to help you. definitely shows that it's a special item. so i decided to get 32 pieces one. let's see how it works.

the description from the kanebo japan's website: darkening of the pores, dirt, angular plugs, roughness. removes the old horn and cleanses the skin with a transparent feel. washing on the skin. enzyme cleansing powder. it's perfume free, coloring free, fermented skin component (moisturizing) combination. combination of two enzymes and amino acid system cleaning components, soy milk ferment extract and cleaning component: proteolytic enzyme (protease), sebum degrading enzyme (lipase), amino acid system cleaning components (Na lauroyl glutamate, myristoyl glutamic acid Na).

the packaging: it comes in a combination of transparent and blue plastic jar that stores 32 little pods. at the back there's a lot of description in japanese. you can see that each pod contains 0,4 gram of powder wash, and there are 32 pods and the price is 2000 yen, which is quite pricey.

the jar

the scent: it is scentless. just like described.

the back of the jar

the product: the little pod is a little plastic pod that has aluminium seal to cover the powder wash. there's two little flaps on the side that say "open" to help you open up the little pod. inside there's the powder wash. it looks like coarse powder, the one that you get when you combed through styrofoam packaging and smash it to super little pieces. you should pour it onto dry clean hands then add water and make it foam before using it on your face. they say to use one pod for one time use, but i found that it's too much for single use, so i split it and use it twice.

the side flap

the result: at first, i thought it would be too harsh on my skin. the dry powder is too harsh, feels like loose scrub. but once it's mixed with water and make it foam, it's soft to my skin. and i can feel my skin is really clean without the tightening feeling.

the little pod

after testing a bunch of the so-called "best selling" products from japan, there are a few hit and miss, but this one is definitely deserved the title. it works well even for sensitive skin. and it's perfect for travelling too. you don't have to worry that it might explode in your baggage or spill, and you could take that tiny pods as needed so you don't have to bring the whole jar for you. there are lots of online shop selling this so it's easy to get even here. but the price is too pricey. i don't think i will repurchase even if it's working well.

my husband was going to the US last october and since i'm not going, i put up a wish list so he could buy things for me. and one of them was essence mascara. i was kind of bored with japan mascara, mostly because they have wet formula so everytime i open a new one, i have to wait for it to dry up a bit so i get the exact formula that i like. i've heard lots of good things about essence mascara, so i asked him to get any essence mascara, especially from the lash princess line. he could get one from europe last time, but i asked him to get another one. i was hoping he could get the green one, but he could only get the orange and the purple one. oh well.. let's just try them to see if i like one of them.

this is the description from ulta website: get the royal treatment! essence's lash princess volume mascara is presented in a fantastic evening gown design and has a unique wand applicator designed for extra control to reach every lash. the prestige inspired cobra brush is specially shaped to lift, separate, and cover each individual lash for the most majestic volume.

the packaging: actually i forgot how the original packaging is. all i know that it comes in the tube itself without any other packaging, but i forgot whether or not it has plastic sealing on the outer of the tube. nothing crazy about the packaging, but if it doesn't come in any sealing, i'm hoping they would put seal around it, otherwise how could we know that it hasn't been opened before?

the tube

the color: there are no color option, only black. and i don't have problem with it.

back of the tube

the product: it comes in a slight hourglass-shape black plastic tube with princess-y ornament on the screw cap. and it is color coded. for the volume mascara it is orange everywhere, from the ornament, to the name of the brand and the mascara type. at the back there's description and ingredients list printed on the tube. the wand is just like in the description. it has weird cobra shape which is the first one that i've tried. it's pretty big compared to my previous japan's mascara wand and the bristles is bushy and brush type which might not ideal for lower lash, especially for me since i have short and sparse lower lash. the mascara formula is thick and creamy, and the wand picks up too much product, so everytime i use this, i have to scrape almost all the product before putting it on my lash so it doesn't clump. since the bristle is big, it covers almost all my lash at once.

the bristles

the result: at first, i don't scrape enough product so it clumps instantly on me, but the next time i'm using it, i make sure that i scrape all the excess product and i managed to coat all my lashes nicely. and it lifts my lashes nicely. it also lengthens my lashes and volumizes my lashes. my upper lashes. unfortunately, it doesn't work that well for my lower lash. it lengthens but every time i try to use it on my lower lash, it smudges my under area. and it also holds the curl pretty good. it even better than my previous japan mascaras. about 4-5 hours and it still looks good, no smudging, no flaking.

left is before pictures right is after pictures (you can see that it curls so you can see my lashes over my eyeball and definitely lengthen my lashes too)

i have to say i'm impressed. this one is pretty good. it holds curl better than any other mascara that i've tried before. it lengthens and separates my lashes as good as my previous dejavu mascara, but it's more volumizing. the formula is not as wet as my previous heroine mascara, although this one doesn't contain fiber, but it works better than my other mascara. honestly, i don't think i could use any other mascara after trying essence. it even works better than maybelline, and here i thought that maybelline is my die-hard brand to go to for mascara. i just wish i could get essence easier here. no online shop sells it here, so i can't imagine where i could get it after i finish it. i like this for all the reasons, it's cheap, it works well. i definitely recommend you to try this. or any other color in this false princess line.

last christmas we went to singapore and my husband told me to get anything that i like. before he said that, i already wanted to get a set of mask, either from origins or pixi. unfortunately, at my first visit to sephora, i couldn't find any origins, which is number one on my wishlist. so i got the pixi one instead. although i was hesitating because the size of each mask is too small. but at the end i got it anyway.

this is the description from their website: a purifying, glow-revealing clay mask to purify and balance skin - it's our signature 15-minute facial! stimulate, clarify, and brighten skin with this revitalizing mask. the mineral-rich treatment absorbs oil, draws out impurities, and fights breakouts while giving an energizing boost to the complexion. kaolin & sea salt purify while ginseng & aloe vera balance.

the packaging

the back of the box with all the description

the packaging: since i bought this in a set, it comes in a box and on the inside, there's a plastic slider where there are all three masks is placed. there's a transparent plastic at front so you can see all three from the outside. at the back, there's a description for every masks in english and french. at the top of the box there's a three boxes that indicates which one is which mask from the top. on the side, there's an ingredients list for all the masks.

the masks all places in a plastic slider

the scent: okay, this might be weird, i thought it would be unscented or smell foul, but it has this lightly floral scent, but very subtle.

top of the box and the ingredients list

the product: the mask comes in a tiny light green plastic tube with screw cap. at the back there's a description about the mask. the tube is similar to the full size tube, but this one only has a third from the full size weight, about 15 ml while the full size is 45 ml. see.. this is where i'm disappointed about. it is so tiny and the price is sooo expensive. there's an aluminium foil covering the opening of the tube so you don't have to worry about it being exploded in your baggage. the mask is thick grey cream that easily spread around my face. it gives instant cooling sensation from the moment i spread it out. it will harden after a couple minute and it takes 10 minutes to dry completely. afterward it will look like dried mud on my face.

the individual tube

the sealing

the result: it washes off easily and afterward i can see my face is brighten. i can feel my face is smooth and soft and my pores looks clean. but this one is a bit drying, though it's not as drying as innisfree or face shop clay mask, but it's not moisturizing unlike peter thomas roth one.

left: before middle: mask on me right: after

i've tried this a couple times over the past month, and i have to say i like this one. it works well as mud mask. it cleans my pores but not super drying on my skin. it also gives cooling sensation which is heavenly feeling on hot days. but i don't like how the full size is only 45 ml with that hefty price tag while i can get freeman mud mask which is about 100 ml with lots of affordable price. which makes me think to compare them both. fortunately, i have a freeman mud mask in my stash, so i will make another mask battle after this, so stay tune. i can definitely see this will work on every skin tone, even on dry skin since this one is not so drying. but if you're tight on budget, i'd say don't waste your money. you can get other product with more affordable price and gets the similar result. but if you want to try something from pixi and you have the budget, you should try this one.

the packaging

the tube

back of the tube

the spout

product on my hand

after blending it in

after 3-4 hours, i don't see extra greasiness on my t-zone

when i was going to japan, i knew that i'm running out of my etude cushion, and i thought i don't need another cushion. i just have to clean the old cushion sponge and then fill it up with another bb cream and i will have a new bb cushion. so, i decided to search for bb cream in japan. i stumbled upon sana bb cream. there are bb cream and cc cream, and i think i should try bb cream. there are 3 types, moist, natural mat, and bright up. since i think i need matte finish, i decided to get the natural mat one.

this is the description from kirei station website: SPF 50+ PA ++++. this bb cream covers problem areas without a concealer for a long lasting beautiful skin throughout the day. the secret is in its 4D fit formula and skin stress block technology that completely covers visible pores. while covering the pores, it absorbs excess sebum and prevents dryness, stopping your makeup from wearing off poorly. it also protects the skin from uv exposure, dryness and other environmental stress. the ultra-fine powder stays in place, locking into position within 5 seconds of application. it locks the pores and will not crease when layered while holding coverage equivalent of a concealer. with a natural shade and a smooth, matte finish. combined with hyaluronic acid. all you need for your base makeup is in this product.

the original packaging

the packaging: it comes in sunscreen-like packaging. with cardboard backing that has a picture of cute japanese girl at the back and the tube is covered by plastic cover. at the back, there's description at the back and everything is in japanese and there's no telling about the shade, so i just assume that it's only one shade available.

the tube

the back of the tube (notice there's "natural mat" written at the back)

the shade: like i said, i don't know about the shade, so i assume it only has one shade available. there's also no information anywhere, so again, i keep assuming there's only one shade. which is more sucks than korean shade system. unfortunately, it is darker than my skintone, so i have to use lightening drop with it. however, if i'm super lazy, i can get away with a super thin layer of this, although if you're looking very closely, you can definitely see my face will be darker than my neck. it doesn't have greyish tone like most bb cream, and i think it's a bit on the yellow side.

spout to dispense the product

the product: the bb cream comes in a cream plastic squeeze tube with a screw cap. there's this colored label at front which differentiated all the bb cream from sana. pink is for natural matt, orange is enriched moist and blue for bright up. at the back there's another label with all japanese, but you can see the type of the bb cream and SPF 50+PA++++. the cream is not too thick and not too runny, i think it is similar with skin79 bb cream's consistency. it spreads easily and set quite quickly so you do really have to work fast.

swatch on my hand

the result: it has sheer to medium coverage. it can cover my redness and make my skintone a little bit more even, but it couldn't cover acne scars completely. this does have matte finish, so if i'm just running errand for a while, i won't set it with powder and i won't have problem with it. it lasts on my around 3-4 hours, but since don't have good powder in my stash right now, sometimes it will melt away especially around the tip of my nose and on my chin. i can see the base cracking under my powder. i don't experience any breakouts either. this one also fills up pores, so it's better to use sponge than brush, but using sponge will lessen the coverage. and i don't like to add more since it might get cakey.

left: before right: after bottom: jaw test

left:before middle: half face (right side of my face has bb cream, while the left side of the my face is bare) right: full face

i do like how this one give enough coverage for daily use and leaves matte finish, but i don't like how i need to mix with lightening drop to make it work for me. i also don't like seeing it gets cakey around my nose and under my chin. if only there are more shade option, i will gladly repurchase this. but since i don't think there will be any, i won't repurchase. as for availability, this is not a well-known brand, so i don't know whether you could get this online or not. i bought this when i was in japan, so definitely not available here. i don't see any online shop selling this either. as for the price, it's quite affordable considering you could get it on drugstore. if you're around medium skin tone, and like matte finish, you could try this one if you could get it easily. but if you couldn't, don't bother. there are a lot of other good bb creams out there. also if you have dry skin, you might want to skip this. if you're looking for full coverage, you should skip this too. as for me, i think i have enough japan base product.. i won't try again.