when i went to japan, i saw that there were several limited edition mask. i never bought one before. but recently i saw there were several limited edition masks from my beauty diary. so i immediately grabbed them. as usual since it was written in japan, i have no idea what it was. even when i was already back home, it was pain to find out what type of mask it is. why do they have to make it so hard? anyway... let's see how it goes.

this is the description i managed to get from their website: to commemorate that greet the brand birth 15th anniversary this year, the taiwan to wareteki beautiful diary was born to more people in thought that i would like you to feel, and plenty of using the plant that fostered the taiwan of the wonderful natural environment. "taiwan alishan tea mask" has been released. taiwan used to be called "formosa". its beautiful and harsh natural environment is ideal for tea production, and its high quality is known worldwide. taiwan alishan tea mask contains an extract from the famous tea "ariyama takayama tea" which is harvested and carefully selected in an environment where the temperature difference is more than 1000 meters above sea level. alisha takayama tea leaf extract high antioxidant action will approach stains and wrinkles, and will lead to popping firmness and sparkling shiny skin. in addition, it blends taiwanese black sapling fruit extract and bitter melon extract to improve the skin environment and lead to full skin.

the packaging: i bought a box of this mask. the box and the individual packaging has the same design. it has light green base with the picture of field of tea at the back and a teapot of tea at front. at first i thought it is a green tea field, but i was wrong, apparently. as usual, there's description at the back in japanese.

the packaging

the scent: there's a hint of tea scent but it's very faint, and it doesn't linger either.

the product: the mask is very thin as usual with clear essence. since there's no telling what type of essence it is, i'm very happy to find that it's a clear essence. so far i don't like the milky type essence one. there's a bit essence left in the pouch. the mask is slightly big for me. it has tall forehead and big eye holes and there's slit on the outer eye part so you can adjust the mask. it has long nose flap, long chin but narrow jaw. but it's okay for me. the mask is very adjustable. but since it's soaked with essence, the first few minutes the mask is very slippery because of the mask, so maybe lying down is best when you first put it on your face.

left: before middle: mask on right: after

the result: i put this on for over 30 minutes and after i take it off my face, i can feel my face is hydrated and brightened a bit.

i think it's a good mask. i would definitely repurchase it if i could, but this one is limited edition, so probably there won't be other time. anyway, if you were in japan and saw this, definitely grab one. i think it would be suitable for all skin types. as for price, i don't think there's any difference with the usual type, but correct me if i'm wrong.

the one thing in my makeup vanity that i knew i will finish is eyebrow pencil (aside from powder, of course.. but i finish eyebrow pencil faster). that's why i always buy something new or stock up. i never want to try high end brands because this is something that i go through very fast, so it's more rational to just try drugstore ones. i believe there are great eyebrow pencil from drugstore too. so when i saw jessica braun mentioned this la girl eyebrow pencil, i decided to give it a try. unfortunately, the price here is ridiculously high, it's not as affordable as in the US, so let's try whether it's worth the money or not.

this is the description from their website: shady slim brow pencil is the perfect way to get fuller, beautifully sculpted brows. shade and fill brows with the retractable super skinny tip to create natural looking hair-like strokes. use the opposite end spoolie to brush and blend brow color for a finished look.

the pen

the packaging: it's just a pencil covered with plastic sealing. you can see the colored cap and the written shade on the body. it's very slim just like the name though. i don't think i ever find any other brow pencil that's as slim as this one. there's a pencil tip on one side and there's a spoolie on the other side.

you can read the shade name on the body

the color: it has 10 different shades ranging from black to blonde, so you can find something for you. i don't know which one to pick since where i bought this there's no tester, so i just judging from the cap. i pick two, and this time i open the brunette one first. so far it's okay for me, not too dark not too red. i think if i were to describe it, it's more like a cool tone dark brown.

pencil tip

the product: it's a very slim pencil like i mentioned before. it has the pencil on one end and the spoolie on the other end. but since the pencil is very slim, the spoolie is very thin as well. i wish it was bigger and softer like elf one. anyway.. the pencil is so slim and small that at first i have difficulty drawing my eyebrow. but after couple times using it, i get used to it. the pencil is slightly harder than the elf one and doesn't feel waxy. but, it only comes in 0,08 g while elf one is 0,18 g. considering how little amount you get in this pencil, it's not that cheap anymore.

spoolie side

the result: since it's very thin and small, it's easy to draw hair-like strokes. but the spoolie is small too, so it's easier to brush my hair using a bigger spoolie. i wish the spoolie wasn't that small. but since it's so small, it takes time to draw my brow. it takes longer than i usually do.

i tried to draw more but somehow my hands are not cooperating. the pencil can't seem to draw well on my hand that day

on my eyebrows it's just a match!

this is a decent eyebrow pencil. if you're a beginner and have sparse eyebrows, this pencil would be a good option for you. especially if you live in the states, the price is unbeatable. it's super cheap. but here in my country or in singapore where i bought this, even the sales price is still twice almost three times the price in the US. considering the cost, unless i bought this on sale, i don't think i will repurchase it. shade wise, it offers a good option, no matter what hair color you have. but since i have dark hair, it's easy for me to get any eyebrow pencil here, even the local one. and i have quite full brow, so i like something bigger and faster to just fill my tail. but this is a good eyebrow pencil. go try it if you haven't.

i like holidays because on holidays, brands are making special sets for holidays. and i like that since i can try high-end brands in mini size within reasonable price. last year i bought several origins set. one of them is their cleanse treat and hydrate set. the one from this set that i'm interested in is the ginzing gel moisturizer. i heard good feedback about it, so i bought the set. but i haven't got the chance to try it. so i think i'll try the face wash first since i've finished my previous one.

the complete set

this is the description from their website (there's no description about the set since it's probably limited edition): our best-selling face wash that easily rinse away makeup, impurities and surface oils for skin that feels comfortably clean.
what it does: gentle enough for daily use, this frothy face wash with broad leaf kelp extract, wheat protein and tourmaline cleanses and purifies all skin types. dry and oily zones are left feeling comfortably clean, refreshed and balanced. plus, invigorating mint essential oil refreshes the senses.
we formulate without: parabens, phthalates, sodium lauryl sulfate, propylene glycol, mineral oil, DEA, petrolatum, paraffin, polyethylene beads, formaldehyde and animal ingredients.

description at the back

the packaging: since i bought it in a set, it comes in light cardboard envelope-like pouch which has description of each items in the set. at front, you can see the picture of all the items inside. at the back. there's description of each products in english and french. there's ingredients list as well. the face wash itself comes in transparent plastic squeeze tube with white plastic screw cap. at the back there's another description in multiple languages. since this is a set, the face wash comes in mini size, which is just 50 ml. it's slightly bigger than usual face wash that comes in a set. i completely forgot whether or not it has a seal on the opening.

all items in the set

the scent: it has slightly herbal scent with a hint of mint. at first i thought it was strange, but after reading the description that it contains mint essential oil, i see where the subtle mint scent came from.

the face wash

the product: the face wash is a pearly white cream face wash, it's thick and creamy and it lathers up well. i can use it with my bare hands or with my foreo. i only need to scrub it around my face first if i'm using my foreo with it. even though it comes in 50 ml, you only need a small amount every time. i've been using it for over a month now and i still have a quarter left.

description at the back

the result: it does cleanse well. but i don't know about the pH of the face wash. sometimes i think it makes my face squeaky clean, but sometimes i think it's okay. i think it's not as drying as my usual japanese face wash though.

the opening of the tube

i think if you bought a set it would be a good option to bring it travelling with you. the face wash lasts over a month, so if you're travelling, you can just bring one mini face wash with you. i don't have any problem while using this face wash, but i mostly don't have any problems with any face wash that i've tried no matter what the pH is. anyway, i don't think i could easily recommend this face wash to anyone. even though origins says that their products are free of parabens and phthalates and any other stuff, they use essential oil in this face wash and i don't think essential oil is good in skincare. some people might be sensitive to it, so i think you should proceed with caution. luckily origins do have some sets during the holidays, so if you wanted to try it, i think it's best to get them in set during holidays. as for me, i don't think i would purchase the full size version after trying this one, but getting another set with this face wash inside is not a bad idea.

after learning about FTE, i decided not to buy SK II, but i always try to find its dupe. i've tried innisfree, secret key, from nature, and even purito one. some were great, some were so-so. but i always think that all the dupes that i've tried are from korean brand. SK-II is a japanese brand, so it's weird that i never stumble across japanese brand FTE that's tauted as dupe for SK-II. so i began to search for one. then i saw that muji has booster essence lotion. i had no idea what it is for, so i thought it might be an FTE. especially when i read that it's supposed to be used before toning water, just like FTE. but later i found that it has no fermented ingredients. so let's see what it does.

this is the description from their website: use after cleansing and apply before toning water. apply on palms or cotton pad, pat lightly onto face and neck until thoroughly absorbed. this item regulates the skin to make it easy for beauty components to permeate. mixed with plant extracts from lustrous rice bran, akebiae caulis, ophiopogon tuber, and apricot juice. this item regulates corified layer and enhances moisturizing result and effect of beauty ingredients.
ingredients list: water, propanediol, dipropylene glycol, PEG/PPG/Polybutylene glycol-8/5/3 glycerin, pentylene glycol, camellia japonica seed extract, akebia trifoliata stem extract, ophiopogon japonicus root extract, oryza sative bran extract, prunus armeniaca juice, portulaca oleracea extract, polyquaternium-51, sodium hyaluronate, oleyl alcohol, glycerin, butylene glycol, ethylhexylglycerin, polysorbate 80, PEG-60, hydrogenated castor oil, citric acid, sodium citrate, phenoxyethanol.

the packaging: i bought this from muji store singapore, so it didn't come with any sealing. it's just a grey plastic bottle with flip top. it comes in 50 ml size. i don't know why this booster only come in 50 ml and there's no bigger size for this booster. there's a bit description at the back in japanese and there's a small sticker label with english description added to the bottle, but they didn't translate the ingredients. just a statement that the ingredients list is just like what is printed on the bottle.

the bottle

the scent: this is another scentless product. i think muji products that's from sensitive line are scentless. if you want something a bit scented, you should try their other line, the one that comes in orange or green bottle.

description at the back and sticker label

the product: this is just like toner or FTE, transparent liquid just like water. it spreads easily onto my skin and absorbed quickly too. it doesn't leave any sticky feeling afterward.

the lotion on my hand

the result: i've used this before toner step. honestly, i don't notice any difference, but i can say that when i use this booster, i can feel that my toner works better afterward. i use hydrating toner so i can feel that it's a bit more moisturizing as well when i use it in combination with the booster. but i don't see any brightening effect even though it has apricot seed extract and rice bran extract that have brightening properties.

after patting it in

so, is it really worth it? well.. yes and no. i like how it boosts the effect of the next product but it doesn't work miraculously that i need to have that booster in my routine. plus, it only gives hydrating effect, no brightening or anything else, so i think if you want something more, you should just get FTE instead. if you're really curious, you can try it since it comes in mini size. it's not super expensive either. but you won't miss anything if you decided to skip it. as for me, i don't think i will repurchase. i think i'll buy FTE after finishing this one.

i didn't use cleansing water solely to take off my makeup, but i do use it everyday after exercising at night. yes, i exercise at night so i use cleansing water to take off sweat and dirt though usually i stay at home all afternoon. that's why i always have cleansing water in my stash. in the past i've tried bifesta cleansing water and though it's okay, somehow i wanted to try something new. so when i saw raquick cleansing water, i decided to grab one.

this is the description from their website: a lotion that can be washed just by wiping, and can be used to remove the hassle of a lotion with a moisturizing ingredient. it does not take too much sebum and keratin and is gentle on the skin and easy to use every day! ease your busy morning hours and be beautiful!
ingredients (the green bottle): water, DPG, BG, sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid, hydrolyzed collagen, hamamelis leaf extract, adlay seed extract, serine, sapin strihoriatus fruit extract, hydroxypropyl cyclodextrin, pentylene glycol, Na citrate, citric acid, butynylcarbamic acid, propynyl iodide, phenoxyethanol.

the bottle

the packaging: as usual, there's no excessive packaging. it's just a green plastic bottle with pump head. there's a water drop pattern at front which is the same with the red one. probably it's their signature design. there's description at the back but it's in japanese. i transferred all the content to other clean bottle with pump on top that i always use for cleansing water since it's easier to damp my cotton pad using the pump from this bottle, so i can't say anything about the pump. it comes with protective film to cover the pump head but nothing else.

back of the bottle

the scent: i don't think i can pick any scent, and there's no added fragrance in the ingredients list, so it might be okay for sensitive skin.

this is what the cleansing water looks like

the product: just like any other cleansing water, it's transparent and liquid like water. i use cotton pad to apply it to my face. as i've mentioned before, i didn't use it to take off any makeup, so i can't say whether or not it stings my eyes.

top to bottom: foundation, highlighter, lip cream, eyeshadow stick, eyeliner

the result: i usually use this after working out before putting my nighttime routine. so obviously i don't think it would be super dirty. but i'm surprised that it managed to lift off some dirt or sebum since the cotton pad is a bit dirty. let me remind you that i have used cleansing oil and face wash to take off my makeup first, and i stay mostly indoor, so it's quite surprising that there's still dirt on the cotton pad. as for makeup, i use this to clean swatches on my arm. so you can clearly see in the picture that it struggles in cleaning up eyeliner and lip cream and probably mascara too, that's why you shouldn't use this solely to remove your makeup. this is the refreshing type, but i haven't tried the moist one so i can't say about the difference.

you can see that it struggles with lip cream and eyeliner this is my second cotton pad fyi

i totally forgot how much it costs, but i bought this in drugstore, so probably it's still reasonable. it comes in 330 ml which is quite big but i think other cleansing water comes in similar size. so it's quite generous in term of size. personally i think it's okay, but nothing special that i want to buy another one. but i think it's a good option to put into my cleansing water rotation. if you're into cleansing water and looking for something affordable, you might want to try this one.

i don't what got into my mind when i decided to buy this eyelash tonic. i don't have problem with my eyelash. for me, they are okay in length, although if i could change one thing, it would be to have more fuller and longer bottom eyelash. but i've seen people buying eyelash tonic from japan. i don't know which one to get, so i decided to get dhc one since i've seen some people talking about it. when i was in japan, there are two types, the blue and yellow pouch, and the other one is pink and blue pouch. i didn't know what is the difference between them, so i bought the yellow one which is the original. the pink one is called beauty extra.

the packaging

this is the description from their website: this nourishing eyelash conditioner strengthens lashes with botanicals including ginseng, comfrey, aloe and swertia japonica extract. helps prevent breakage so that lashes will appear fuller and enhances elasticity so that lashes become stronger and stay intact while allowing new growth. wear this colorless lash serum under mascara during the day or alone for overnight conditioning. also ideal for brittle lashes or post-extension care.
key benefits and ingredients: aloe barbadensis leaf juice (strengthens and conditions), swertia japonica (helps prevent breakage), willow bark extract (strengthens and conditions), comfrey leaf extract (soothes and conditions), olive leaf extract (the leaf of the olive tree helps protect the skin against pollution and helps to fight the visible signs of aging), ginseng root extract (nourishes and strengthens).

the tube

the packaging: it comes in a plastic pouch, it has combination of blue and yellow for the original version. at the back there's description but everything is in japanese. you just rip the pouch and the tonic is inside. it's packaged just like mascara tube. it has transparent plastic body so you can see the tonic inside and it has white screw cap with the wand attached to it. the bristles is similar to eyebrow spoolie.

a bit description in japanese

the product: it looks like a thick transparent gel lotion. since it's transparent, sometimes it is difficult to see that i've coated all my lashes, but i can see my lashes get wet, so there's something on my lashes for sure. i've once poked my eyes accidentally and the tonic stings a bit.

the spoolie

the result: i've used this for almost 3 months both on my upper and lower lashes every night. for my upper lashes, at first i didn't notice anything. but then i read another review. some people said that it makes their lashes stronger and using mascara is easier after using this tonic regularly. then i realize that i never see my lashes fall since i use this tonic. usually when i rub my eyes there's some fallen eyelash. but after using this tonic, i never see any fallen eyelash. my mascara wears better too. somehow it curls easier and it stays that way for 4 hours even though i didn't curl my lashes beforehand. then i started to look closer for my bottom eyelashes. i notice that there's a bit new eyelash growing, but it's not super lengthening either.

my right eyelash top: before bottom: after 3 months

my left eye left: before right: after 3 months

all i can say that you need to use this tonic regularly, everyday if you want to see some changes. the changes is slow too, but you need to be patient. it does work. though it's not super lengthening and super volumizing like other eyelash tonic, let me remind you that this one is really affordable, so i'm quite happy with the result. i hope i can see more growth on my bottom eyelash. in the picture, it's not clearly seen, but up close, i can see my lower lashes is growing a bit. definitely a steal.

for years i've been hating my hair. i have long thick and wavy hair, and some days it would be super frizzy and i will wake up looking like a lion. my sister has more curly hair than mine, so back when we were in high school, she wanted to get her hair rebonded, so we both got that. but it just made the current hair straight, but the new hair would still be wavy. i did smoothing couple times more after that, but since i got married and had babies, i never did anything to my hair anymore except for coloring it. and i have super thick hair so when it gets super thick, it takes ages to dry it even using my previous hair dryer. it's not the hair dryer fault anyway.. it's just a travel hair dryer and it's only 400 W, so it takes hours to dry my hair. when we were about to go to japan, i learned about hairbeauron straightener and curler and almost bought it if i could see it. but we didn't find it so even though my husband told me to just buy it, i decided not to.

but i get bored drying my hair using my old hair dryer, so i told him to buy me a new one. i have no idea which one to get since there are so many influencer promoting dyson, remington and tescom, and all of them are quite expensive, so i totally have no idea. then my husband told me to take a look at xiaomi hair dryer. he showed me some pictures and videos and i just said okay. then the package came, and i tried it the first time and i can't believe the result!

the box

this is the description from aliexpress website: soocas hairdryer incorporates the japanese aesthetic concept. it's simple, white and the red light of the low-gray silver has a modern sense. the integrated design, the machine is seamless without screws. with a though, sharp lines, the expression of avant-garde attitude. all aluminium alloy barrel, unlike traditional ABS plastic shells, is made of higher-cost all-alumunium alloy material, and the shimmering metal body makes it possible to effectively reduce the temperature of the hair dryer.
the innovative diversion design has achieved greater air volume. through the conical conducting fluid placed at the air outlet, the outer diameter of the cone is gradually increased along the wind direction, and gradually diverged under the action of the conical guiding fluid, which greatly reduces the resistance. high air volume is inseparable from the choice of blades and motors. the larger the fan blades, the greater the required pneumatic power, and the stronger the air flow.
specially designed large blades, with a strong DC motor, can significantly increase the air flow. using 1800 W power, softer than 2000 W, stronger than 1000W, is just good power. without drying the hair, it blows fast enough and saves your valuable time. soocas hair dryer dual channel output tens of millions, high concentration of negative ions to show release layer, maintain moisture and shine. 360 rotating air nozzle, long and flat shape, focus on the wind blowing your favorite hairstyle.
3 temperature options to meet a variety of hair care needs, the operation is more simple. double circuit protection, safety temperature protection device, using a thermostat imported from south korea and a fuse for detecting abnormal temperature, fully prevent the air from overheating, protect the hair scales from damage. the double layer anti-scalding air nozzle design, the air outlet increases the insulation layer, the heat does not directly touch the outer layer of the air nozzle, effectively avoids scalding caused by the heat.

back of the box

the packaging: when it first came, i can't believe how big the box is! i knew that the hair dryer is not bendable, but i didn't think that it would be that big. the box is quite sturdy but not too heavy since the hair dryer is not that heavy either. there's the picture of the hair dryer at front and when you slide it out, you can see a plastic separator that holds the hair dryer at top and below it you can see the nozzle and travelling pouch.

the hair dryer inside

the product: the hair dryer has all aluminium body so it's not that heavy and it has reddish rim. it has separate nozzle that has double insulated design so you can touch it without being scorched by the heat. the cable is quite long so you don't need to stand closely to the electrical outlet. it also comes with built-in cable tie. it only has two buttons, one is the on-off button and the other is the setting button. there are three heat setting, the top is constant heat so the hair dryer will only use 57 degree heat, the second one is flash heat so it's hotter than the first one to dry your hair really quick, the third one is the coo air setting so you can set your hair.

with the separate nozzle

the result: if you dry your hair from wet hair, it would take about 5 minutes with flash heat setting and then cool it off. if you use the constant heat setting, it would definitely take longer but still faster than when i use my previous hair dryer. and the cool air setting is a game changer. i used to have frizzy hair, but since i use the cool air setting to cool off my hair after drying it, the frizziness is settling down. all i need to do is putting a bit of hair oil before and after drying my hair and my hair would look sleek and soft. though not super sleek like the one you look in the advertisement, but still sleeker than i used to have.

before: my frizzy hair after: more sleek hair without much styling

so, totally you would see that i love this hair dryer. it's quite affordable and it works really well. i totally have no idea that ionic hair dryer could do much to your hair. i used to think that it's just another marketing gimmick, but after using it myself, i have to say that it's true! even my husband commented that i now have better hair! my only cons with this hair dryer is it's not bendable, so it takes up quite a space in my closet. i wouldn't be able to bring it when i'm travelling since it would take much space in my baggage as well. oh well... i can survive several days without it.. so i guess it's a win for now. if you're looking for new hair dryer or if you are tempted by lots of influencer using more expensive hair dryer but you don't have the budget, i think you should try this one.

if you read my other post, you'd find out that i bought drunk elephant minis and set just out of curiosity. i particularly interested in the vitamin c and the retinol and protini since there are many people like it, so obviously i get curious whether i would like it as well or not. so, when my husband told me i could get the set, i grabbed the minis as well. i do want to try the glycolic one, but i think i can wait for next time. i've tried the vitamin b serum, so now let's talk about the vitamin c one.

this is the description from their website: a daily dose of vitamins for your complexion. what it is formulated to do: you take your vitamins every morning, so why stop there? this daily dose for your complexion delivers powerful antioxidants to firm and brighten while replenishing essential hydration. witness your glow everyday.

the packaging

b-hydra intensive hydration serum: like a cool drink of water for your thirsty skin, this ultra-hydrating serum replenishes the complexion and improves the look of skin texture and tone.

description at the back

c firma day serum: a revolutionary vitamin c serum packed with a powerful antioxidant complex of L-ascorbic and ferulic acids to reveal a brighter, firmer and more even-looking complexion.
a super potent vitamin c day serum packed with a powerful antioxidant complex, essential nutrients and fruit enzymes, all working together to firm and brighten the appearance of skin, while improving the signs of photoaging.
what it is formulated to do: this revolutionary serum, jam packed with a potent antioxidant complex of l-ascorbic acid, ferulic acid and vitamin e, plus other formula-supportive enzymes and antioxidants, helps neutralize pollution, environmental stressors and the damaging effects of free radicals while replenishing lipids and visibly reducing the appearance of dark spots and wrinkles. uniquely formulated with pumpkin ferment extract and pomegranate enzyme, c-firma enzymatically dissolves dead surface skin cells. sodium hyaluronate crosspolymer quickly penetrates skin and provides intense hydration. the result is a noticeably diminished appearance of photo damage, replaced by incredible radiance and luminosity.
c-firma has a reservoir effect, which means it will stay active on skin for up to 72 hours and cannot be washed or rubbed off. c-firma has a pH level of 3.3. 100% free of essential oils and fragrance.
c-firma contains pure L-ascorbic acid and is best when fresh, so use immediately and don't stock up!

vitamin b and vitamin c serum in the set

the packaging: i bought this in a set, so it comes in little can that you can lift up the top. it has combination of orange and blue design since it's consisted of vitamin c and vitamin b serum. it has a bit description on the can in english and france. there's a list of ingredients for both serum as well. inside the can there are two little bottles, the vitamin c one and vitamin b one. i have wrote about the vitamin b in other post. for the vitamin c, it comes in white plastic bottle with orange pump head covered with orange plastic cap. there's a usage suggestion at the back in english and french. and they use airless pump system so you cannot refill the bottle. once you're done, you're done.

the pump head

the scent: it's scentless but since it's vitamin c, you can notice a hint of citrusy scent that most vitamin c serum has.

description at the back of the tube

the product: it's a golden orange liquid serum. you can see the original color just by googling it, but if you're not sure, i guess you can contact them to be sure. the serum will turn darker if it's oxidized. the serum comes in 8 ml just like the vitamin b serum. i use two pumps each time. now here's the weird part. since i'm not sure how to use the serum, i make sure to read some reviews first. and some of them mentioned that the serum dried quickly. so at first, i would just drop the serum an the back of my hand then pat it all over at once. but i realize what the other person said. the serum dried quickly so it's hard to spread it around when it's dried out. so i change the way i use this serum. i would just dot on one area and pat it around that area before proceeding to other area. that way, the serum is not dried out.

the serum on my hand

the result: the sample lasts about one month and several days since i use it nightly. yep.. i know it's supposed to be used in the morning but i don't want to risk putting it under makeup so i use it at night. vitamin c serum could be used day or night, so i use it at night. and it's supposed to be used after cleansing your face, but i use it after toner. anyway.. since i just only had a month, i can't judge its capability in full term. i can say that it's moisturizing. even more so when it's combined with vitamin b. but i don't see any brightening effect or lightening in my dark spots. in fact, i think i notice my senka white serum works better in brightening up my skin tone.

after patting it in

so, i don't have solid conclusion. actually i'm a bit surprised that this serum didn't work magically, considering that many people singing praises for this serum. but i also understand that one little sample can't do things magically. it probably need more time to show its magic. but i'm not saying that you should go run buying this stuff as it's expensive as hell buying it full size. but if you're curious, you could buy tiny little sample like i did. as for me, i think this is a decent vitamin c serum. but i don't think you should go buy this one. plus the application is a bit tricky so it might not be the best option for beginner. i believe there are other vitamin c serum within reasonable price that works as well as this one. the key is consistency. and patience. as for me, i'm glad i've tried this serum but i definitely won't buy the full size product.