Archive for August 2022

as i've said in other posts, i was about to go to europe for two weeks when i realized i didn't have any travel set with me. so since i had a long flight, with a transit in between, so i needed a smaller set in my bag all the time and a slightly bigger one to keep in my luggage to use for the two weeks span. anyway, it's quite hard to find such a set here so i decided to get two of glowincpotion travel set. however, the seller made a mistake and sent me the maintain and hydralive set instead of the hydralive and forever set that i chose. anyway, i decided to buy the forever one again so now i have three sets to review. okay, now let's talk about the essence from hydralive set.

this is the description from their website: a facial essence/toner for dry& dehydrated skin. provides moisture in every layer of the skin and keep skin youthfulness. formulated with 8 layer of HA, triple ceramide, cucumber and rice water.

key ingredients:

- 8 layers of hyaluronic acid: 8 different HA molecule that can provide and lock skin moisture in every layer of the skin to the outermost layer.

- triple ceramide: maintain skin barrier balance and strengthen skin barrier, helps prevent premature aging, reduce skin sensitivity.

- cucumber: help reducing skin irritation and moisturize the skin.

- rice water: helps brighten the skin and disguises dark spot

ingredients list: Oryza Sativa (Seed) Water, Glycerin, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Cucumis Sativus Extract, Hypnea Musciformis Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sargassum Filipendula Extract, Sorbitol, Ethylhexylglycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Gelidiella Acerosa Extract, Pentylene Glycol, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Hyaluronic Acid, Methyl Diisopropyl Propionamide, Citric Acid, Hydrolyzed Hyaluronic Acid, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ceramide NP, Ceramide AP, Phytosphingosine, Cholesterol, Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hyaluronate, Potassium Hyaluronate, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Peg-9 Diglycidyl Ether/Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Sodium Acetylated Hyaluronate, Spirulina Platensis Extract, Ceramide EOP

this set included:

- hydralive+ moisture lock gel cleanser 5 ml

- hydralive+ moisture lock skin drink essence 5 ml

- hydralive+ moisture lock serum 5 ml

- hydralive+ moisture lock everyday moisturizer 5 ml

the packaging

the packaging: the set comes in jelly pouch, which is a soft plastic pouch with the name of the set at front. they also put color coded on the font. for hydralive, it's dark blue, which is similar to forever (purple) and maintain (light blue). the pouch comes with zipper so everything is secure inside. all the bottles inside the set comes in the same packaging. for the toner/essence, it comes in short greyish plastic bottle with screw cap. there's a big number 2 written at front so everyone can see that it's the second step of the skincare. usually it will be toner, but for the hydralive set, it's an essence. it comes in 5 ml which is not enough for two weeks, but enough for 2-3 times usage.

everything included in the set

the scent: this one is definitely scented, something like floral scent? but it's quite subtle, but i'm not fond of the scent. luckily it's just 5 ml so it will be gone before i knew it.

the essence bottle

the product: the essence is bluish and has water-like consistency. it has a slight slip on touch after i spread it around my face. that's why it takes a few seconds to sink in to my skin. it doesn't feel tacky afterward as well.

how it looks like on my hand

the result: this one is definitely more hydrating and moisturizing compared to the maintain one. i like this one better than the maintain one. even though it's watery, it still has some body into it.

i have to say that this one is suitable for all skin types, but i don't think it will be enough for dry skin type. anyway, travel set like this is ideal to grasp the idea about the whole set before committing to full set and the price is quite reasonable. as for the full size, the price is still affordable. as for me, i will the try the forever set as well first before deciding which one i like best.

if you've read my other posts, i love the loreal extraordinary oil. however, after finishing two or three bottles, i got bored. i decided to try the matrix smoothing serum because the advertisement kept appearing in my feed and someone mentioned that it's good. yeah, i'm weak just like that. let's see if this can replace the extraordinary oil.

this is the description translated from their website: frizzy hair sometimes get wild and difficult to style. inspired by camelia flower that's water-resistant, biolage smoothproof deep smoothing serum for frizzy hair helps to fight humidity and makes it soft even when the humidity is close to 97% (if using shampoo, conditioner and the serum compared to shampooed-hair without conditioner).

untangled hair and managed frizzy hair and make it shine. soften and protects hair from hot styling products and humidity. paraben free formula that's also suitable for colored hair.

the packaging: the serum comes in yellow plastic bottle with white flip top cap. the bottle is see through so you can see the remaining product from the outside. there's description at the back of the bottle. it comes in 100 ml but since the bottle is slim and bit short compared to loreal extraordinary oil, it doesn't look like a lot. since it's made of plastic, i can bring it with me while we went to europe without worrying that it might break.

the bottle

the scent: this one certainly scented. i think it has floral scent but it's quite subtle. compared to extraordinary oil, the scent is more subtle but still enjoyable. it's not annoying or anything.

description at the back

the product: the oil is on the runny side, similar to extraordinary oil. if not a bit runnier. it's less sticky than extraordinary oil. i use it just the same way as i used extraordinary oil. i put it on my damp hair before blowing my hair out.

the bottle opening

the result: after blowing it out, i can feel my hair is soft but not as smooth as usual. compared to extraordinary oil, it's still frizzy. i still have baby hairs flying all over. luckily, my hair is not dry even after blowing it out.

see that i still have flyaways?

i have to be straightforward, this one is not superior to extraordinary oil. this one even though makes my hair soft and not dry, it doesn't smooth my hair enough. i like the result from extraordinary oil better. however, this one is cheaper than ordinary oil. my hair is naturally frizzy and and difficult to tame, so maybe this serum is not enough. but if you have pretty straight hair, then this might be okay. as for me, i'd try the kerastase first then decided which one i like better.

i asked my sister to bought me the foreo silicone cleanser online from sephora, so naturally it came with some samples. one of them is the fresh rose toner. i've been wanting to try it for quite some time now, so i guess it's a good place to start since i'm always hesitant in giving a go. anyway, since this only comes in a sachet, this is more like a first impression rather than the full review.

this is the description from their website: a daily, non-stripping toner with real rose petals and hyaluronic acid that minimizes the look of pores while increasing skin hydration. this best selling, alcohol-free formula has an unmatched amount of rose power: toning rose fruit extract, soothing rosewater, nourishing rose oil, and real floating rose petals. it hydrates and clears skin of leftover impurities, leaving it silky soft and prepped for the products you apply after. deeply hydrates skin, softens and refines the look of pores, tones and preps skin for the next steps.

key ingredients:

- hyaluronic acid: attracts and maintains moisture to enhance suppleness.

- angelica leaf extract: helps retain moisture.

- rose fruit extract: is known for its toning properties.

- rosewater: helps to calm and soothe.

the packaging: as i've said that it came in a sachet with the picture of the full size version at front. there's a bit description at the back. one sachet is 2 ml and it's enough for one time use only.

the sachet

the scent: i think i'm glad that i manage to try the sample first as i'm right about my hunch. i was worried about the scent and it's proven right. the toner has strong rose scent and it's quite fragrant. let me tell you, i got covid when i tried this toner and my nose was stuffy so i couldn't smell well, but i can still smell the fragrance from this toner. imagine if my nose wasn't stuffy, how fragrant would it be?

the product: the toner is brownish in color with specks inside. i believe the specks is the remnants of rose petal bits that usually comes with the full size toner. it's watery in consistency so it's easy to spread around. one sachet is only enough for one time use.

how it looks like on my hand
notice the brownish specks?

the result: i have to say that this is really hydrating and a bit moisturizing. i'm quite surprised since usually western toner tends to be drying instead of hydrating, so this is a nice surprise to actually find that this toner really hydrates my skin. it can be layered and works well under my other steps.

i have to say that this toner seems to deliver its promise. unfortunately, i can't stand the scent. it's too fragrant for my liking. i'm not against scented products in general, but this one is too much for me. that's why i'm glad i get to try the sachet sample first rather than buying the mini size which is a little bit too expensive for mini size. anyway, if you want to splurge, then this toner might be a good option. if you don't mind with the scent, that is. it is suitable for all skin types and can be layered. if only the scent is not that strong, then i won't mind buying the mini one.

i got this as a GWP awhile back, but i haven't got the chance to use it. anyway, later i bought somethinc glow maker and decided to do a comparison. though they were not completely the same (somethinc one doesn't have vitamin c in it), but they're both an exfoliating toner. i've written a separate post about the glowmaker, and now, let's talk about the cosrx one. i'll compare them side by side in a separate post.

this is the description from their website: daily savior toner for dull skin owners! skin revitalizing daily toner containing AHA, BHA, and vitamin C that helps to improve the skin's texture and tone to leave dull skin refined and radiant.

- refreshing, watery texture for all skin type: toner with watery and light-weight texture suitable for all skin types. absorbs immediately into the skin to leave it soft, smooth and prepped for the next skincare products to follow.

- gentle but effective: made with only 16 essential ingredients including AHA, BHA, vitamin c and niacinamide. it has also been specially formulated with vitamin C patented by COSRX, the golden-RX complex, derived from actinidia chinensis (kiwi) fruit extract and hylocereus undatus fruit extract.

the box

ingredients list: actinidia chinensis (kiwi) fruit extract, hylocereus undatus fruit extract, salix alba (willow) bark water, pyrus malus (apple) fruit water, butylene glycol, niacinamide, 1,2-hexanediol, ethyl hexanediol, sodium lactate, water, glycolic acid, allantoin, panthenol, adenosine, betaine salicylate, ascorbyl glucoside.

description at the back

the packaging: this comes in a white box with blue oval shape at front. there's description and ingredients list on the box. since this is the sample size, it comes in transparent plastic bottle with white flip top cap. the opening is big enough to pour the toner but not too big that it'll spill all over. the same description was written on the bottle as well. the sample size is 50 ml while the big one is 150 ml.

the bottle

the scent: this one is not scented as well.

the cover on the opening

the product: it looks and feels like water. i use cotton pad for this toner but just like the somethinc one, the cotton pad remains clean for the first few uses. but after a week or so, i notice dirt on my cotton pad. just like the somethinc one, i only this in the morning on half of my face. this one lasts more than a month since i only use it on half of my face.

again, the cotton pad looks almost clean

the result: i have to say that this one is really mild as well. no drying or anything. now let's move on to the claims. improve skin texture - uhm.. not really. i can still bumps, but not as bad as the other side. however, this side gets more acne than my other side. makes skin refined and radiant - um.. maybe, but not solely because of this toner. i also use vitamin c serum at the same time, so together with the vitamin c serum, it helps my skin looks radiant. i do notice acne scars fade a bit faster with retinol and vitamin c in combination with this serum.

i only use the toner on this side and somehow it looks like it gets better but not really

that being said, i'm not quite impressed with this toner. but if you're looking for a gentle exfoliating toner, then this might be a good option. as usual, korean products don't state the concentration of the acid but they usually come in less percentage than western brands. price wise, this is more expensive than somethinc one. as for now, cosrx is still easily found in several online shops, including sociolla. but as expected, the price would be much higher here. as for me, i won't repurchase. my pick will still go with acwell licorice toner.

it's been ages since i last use an exfoliating toner. i've been using retinol so somehow it makes me forget about exfoliating toners and other exfoliating products. however, since i used votre peau night cream that contains glycolic acid and i saw the result on my skin, i want to keep using exfoliating products, so i thought an exfoliating toner will be a good option. i got cosrx abc toner as gift some time ago so i decided to compare it with somethinc glow maker. though both of them are not quite similar, but they're both exfoliating toner. i will write separate post that will compare them both head to head. for now, let's talk about somethinc glow maker first.

this is the description from their website: daily exfoliating toner for beginners. a mild daily exfoliating toner that is suitable for beginners or sensitive skin. exfoliate from the skin's deepest layer to the outermost layer. clinically proven to get rid of dead skin cells, unclogged pores, soften your skin texture, even out skin tone, removes the remaining dirt so that the skin can absorb skin care better, fight acne, blackheads and whiteheads. and in 30 days, let your skin glow!

main ingredients:

- 3% glycolic acid (AHA): AHA works in the skin layer of the epidermis stratum corneum to shed dead skin cells, get rid of closed dirt, excess oil to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and acne.

- 0,01% salicylic acid (BHA): able to even out the skin texture, reduce blackheads and acne, control sebum/oil production, clean the skin layers optimally.

- 0,1% lactobionic acid (PHA): PHA is a humectant that gently sheds dead skin cells with less irritation and keeps it supple.

- arginine: arginine acts as an antioxidant that can help balance the moisture level, increase skin elasticity and help collagen production to make our face look younger.

- betaine: the chemical structure of betaine resembles amino acid glycine with three additional methyl groups (called trimethylglycine). the benefits of betaine in skin care include hydrating, soothing, as an anti-inflammatory and anti-aging to skin.

- caffeine: caffeine is a powerful antioxidant known for its anti-aging benefits. caffeine can also reduce redness (rosacea) and reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

- anthemis nobilis flower extract (roman chamomile) has the ability to help moisture the skin from within, relieve inflammation, act as an antioxidant and inhibit bacterial growth.

the bottle

the packaging: there are two sizes of this toner, 100 ml and 40 ml. the overall look is the same. the only difference is the height and the dispensing system. i think for the full size one it use pump head but for the sample size, you have the usual opening that you can use to pour the toner onto the cotton pad. i have to praise the seal though. it has this plastic sealing on the opening so the toner is secure even though you bring it with you while traveling. i think they only wrap the outer bottle with plastic sealing and there's no box. there's description as well as the ingredients list on the bottle but i don't bother to read it as they print them in tiny fonts.

description at the back as well as ingredients list

the scent: i think it's scentless but it's completely neutral. no annoying scent from the ingredients.

the plastic cover on the opening

the product: it's just like other watery toner. it looks and feels like water. i use cotton pad as this is an exfoliating toner. the funny thing is, with acwell licorice toner, my cotton pad is dirty even from the first use. while with this one, the first time i use it, my cotton pad still looks clean. but after a week or so, my cotton pad is a little bit dirty but not as dirty as when i used acwell one. if you're curious, this toner last for more than a month on me (i only use it in the morning, half of my face only).

you can see that the cotton pad is not as dirty as the one that i had when i used acwell licorice toner

the result: i have to agree that it's mild since i don't experience any dryness or any negative reaction. there's no tingling whatsoever when i used it. i only use this in the morning to avoid over exfoliation since i use retinol at night. now let's move on to their claims. unclogged pores - okay, i see fewer blackheads. but let me remind you that i also use another cream that contains AHA BHA weekly. soften your skin texture - sorry to say, but no.. i still have bumps on my side of face where i use this toner. even out skin tone - this one might be, but not completely because of this toner only. i also use vitamin c in the afternoon so they might help with the skin tone as well. removes remaining dirt - yes, the dirt on the cotton pad is the proof. fight acne and its friends - sadly no. i still get some acne popping, but i think it's hormonal.

you can see from the progress picture that even though my skin got better at first,
then it took turn and got worse.

that being said, i think i don't think i'll buy the full size one. i prefer acwell one over this one. maybe i'll just use their exfoliating serum instead of their toner. but if you're afraid to use stronger acid or you're still beginning your acid journey, then this might be a good option. this one is mild, non scented and it's a local product so it's easier to get them. more over, somethinc often holds sales and promotions, so make sure to snatch them during sales period, which is quite often. price wise, it's very affordable and somehow for the toner, they use the normal size so price per ml will still be affordable.

i did suffer hair loss after giving birth, but it's just so-so. i still have lots of hair that i always ask my hairdresser to thin it every time i get a haircut. however, around two months ago when i went to europe, i didn't bring my shampoo and my essence. i just brought my hair oil for blow dry protection. usually the hotel provided shampoo, so i never bothered to bring one. usually i have no problem with the shampoo provided, but this time it was different. during our stay in one of the hotels, i think it's the paris one, my scalp reacted with the shampoo. it was a 2 in 1 product, shower gel for hair and body. my scalp felt hot and heated and after that, i suffered hair loss, even worse than before that i started to worry that i'll go bald since i have to endure two weeks without any hair care aside from hair oil. so, when i got back home, i cracked this one open and used it immediately.

this is the description from their website: enriched with rosemary essence, ginger and perilla extract to effectively activate the microcirculation of the scalp. enhancing the penetrating ability of hair follicles to supplement nutrients and improve follicle activity. helps reconstruct hair cells and nourish roots to prevent hair loss while effectively repairing damaged follicles, giving a dense, healthy and vigorous head of hair.

the box

the packaging: the packaging is similar if not identical with the dancoly color protecting one. the only difference is the color on the sides. it has the blooming flower paper cut at the top to open up the box which is pretty. there's description on the box in various language, but then there's the indonesian translation as well. the bottle itself is made of amber glass with pump head that's covered with black plastic cap. it's really similar to the color protecting one. so you have to be careful. read the label correctly or you'll end up buying the wrong one. i have problem with the pump because the essence is liquid, somehow it squirts the product everywhere. maybe a dropper will be a better dispensing system for this essence. anyway, it comes in 50 ml which is not a lot but surprisingly it lasts around three weeks if not almost a month on me.

description at the back and the indonesian translation

the scent: you can guess that since it contains rosemary and other extract, the scent is pretty strong. anyway, i'm not familiar with scents, so i can't specify the scent.

the pretty flower cut at top

the product: as i've said before, this essence is liquid so it squirts everywhere when being pumped out of the bottle. i use one pump per hair section so maybe around 4-5 pumps altogether. at first i didn't feel anything, but after a minute, my scalp felt hot. at first i didn't know that it would heated up so i used more than 5 pumps for my whole head, and it was burning up. i felt worried since it felt similar last time when my scalp gave some reaction and i ended up with balls of hair falling out. but after two or three minutes, the burning feeling subsided and nothing happened.

the bottle

the result: let me tell you my hair is dyed and i have coarse long hair. i never treated my hair in salon, so i only resort to home treatment so far. i used anti hair fall shampoo from loreal and hair mask from matrix together with this hair essence. so, after using this essence regularly, after two weeks i started to notice that less hair fell. though i still experience hair falling, but it's not as bad as before. i don't have balls of hair crawling down to my feet when i wash my hair. the amount of hair stuck on the drain also lesser than before.

the pump head

i have to say that this might work as i only use one bottle. i'd like to repurchase it if other products failed. anyway, i'm currently trying matrix ampoule and i have kerastase products in my stash, so i'll try them first before deciding which one works better in preventing hair loss. if you want to try this one, you only can buy them online from their official marketplace or other online store. the price is quite expensive for that size, but still affordable compared to kerastase.

i'm on makeup buying streak because i decided to throw away my expired makeup at last. yep. i kept them around since it's pandemic! i don't mind putting them on my face for a short amount of time, and so far my face is okay. but, i can feel that the texture is a bit off, so i decided to ditch them all now that the situation around the world is getting better. people is starting to go back to work, travelling and such, so makeup buying is a need. i actually wanted to buy cream bronzer, but around the time i bought this, i can't find any local brand that has decent cream bronzer (matte one, not glowy one), so i decided to buy somethinc one despite it being a powder bronzer. let's see how it goes.

the box

this is the description from their website: instant 3D effect, desired depth in a dab. buildable contour and bronzer with soft powder texture. get that v-shape egg face with 3D shading effect that is blendable and seamless to your skin. formulated to be high sweatproof, make it long-lasting and suitable for daily to heavy activity. resulted in ultra smooth look, minimum fall out, and long lasting pigmentation.

infographic and shade name

the packaging: it comes is a brown box with the picture of the bronzer at front, ingredients list at the back and how to slide open the bronzer on the side. you can read the shade name on the lower side part. the bronzer itself is quite small. the packaging is cute. it comes in plastic egg-shaped compact that you can slide the top to reveal the bronzer inside. there's no mirror, but you can read the shade name at the back. the material is a bit unusual, like there's a mix of rubber in it. however, the pan is quite small, so it's difficult to swirl my big brush on the pan. the size is just 1,5 g so i'm challenging myself to finish this one for once. it's wayyyy less than my usual powder product, but then again, i never finish any powder product, so let's hope that i can finish this one.

the "egg" bronzer

the color: there are 3 shades to choose from; dragon, eternal, mistress. on their website, you can see that dragon is the lightest and mistress is the darkest. yep, you might say that it won't cater all skin tone, but this is a local brand. i'm sure they've done their research to come up with 3 shades that can cater most skin tone locally. i pick dragon which is the lightest one. unfortunately, i've ditched my old bronzer from RADC travel set so i can't compare it with this one. judging from the pan, this one is a bit greyish, like a contour shade. out of memory, the RADC one leans a bit orangey, while this one doesn't.

look how tiny the pan is!

the result: i have to say that it works okay as bronzer but not so much as contour. it looks a bit weird when i try to use it on my nose. if i use too little, it won't show up, but if i put on a bit more, it looks weird. but maybe it's just me. i think it looks a bit orangey on me if i put on too much.

arm swatch

anyway, this bronzer really has a cute packaging. i've just realized that i looks similar to lilah b, only different in shape. but the concept is the same. however, the pan is too small for my brush. maybe if it's cream, then it wouldn't matter, but since this is powder, it's quite hard to pick up the product evenly using a big brush. performance wise, the color payoff is really good but i have to be careful since it could lean toward orangey on me. however, i'm surprised of the price though. it's really cheap, but it only comes in tiny size, so i really have to calculate the price per gram to be sure. all in all, this is a good buy for me for now. i don't think i'll repurchase any powder anymore since i tend to use cream products more these days. but if you like powder bronzer, give it a try. somethinc is widely available now, so it's easy to get your hands on it.

i had no expectation when i came to singapore. i just hoped that i could find some sets that i haven't tried before. actually at first i wanted the fresh black tea and drunk elephant set, but turned out they're not as good as my expectation (the size of the products inside are too tiny to draw any conclusion or the price is very expensive, etc.) so i was glad when i found out this set. actually i saw there's a complete set from sunday riley that includes the retinol and vitamin c serum. however, when i was in sephora, there's no set like that and they separated the day and night one, so if you want to try the vitamin c, you should get the vitamin c, and buy the night one if you want to try retinol. it's hard to choose but it's redundant to buy both because the other products in the set are the same (like the cleaner, essence and the sleeping oil). anyway, at the end i decided to get the "go to bed with me" set. as much as i want to try the retinol first, unfortunately i've finished my current moisturizer, so the moisturizer is the one that i try from this set.

the packaging

this is the description of the cream: quench thirsty skin and revitalize your look with sunday riley tidal brightening enzyme water cream. this advanced skin-hydrating formula delivers a healthy hydration boost to the face using a combination of hyaluronic acids and botanical extract to help skin absorb and hold vital moisture. enriched with tamarind extract and papaya enzyme, the cream couples intense hydration with gentle exfoliation to brighten dull skin, while the addition of alpha-arbutin works to lessen the effects of hyperpigmentation and dark spots on the skin. sulphate, phthalate and paraben-free, sunday riley tidal brightening enzyme water cream provides instant relief for parched skin and long-lasting hydration.

key benefits: instant long lasting hydration, revitalises dull skin, brightens dark spots, gentle exfoliation, sulphate, phthalate and paraben-free.

top: the sleeve part
bottom: the hardbox

what's inside the set:

- ceramic slip clay cleanser

- pink drink firming resurfacing essence

- A+ high dose retinoid serum

- luna sleeping night oil

- good genes lactic acid treatment

- tidal brightening enzyme water cream

everything inside the set

the packaging: the set comes in sturdy box dominated with light blue color with the picture of all products inside at front. there's short description of everything at the back in english. the outer sturdy part is just a sleeve and when you lift it up, there's a sturdier white box with magnetic closure. everything inside is placed in a plastic tray in its own place, so everything is secure. which is good because some of the products com in glass bottles. the cream itself comes in blue plastic tub with white plastic screw cap. there's no description nor plastic cover on the inside. the size of the cream is 15 ml which is half the size of normal moisturizer, so it's quite decent.

the tub

the scent: it's supposed to be scentless. however, since it contains lots of ingredients, it affects the scent as well. i'm not that fond of the subtle scent. for me it smells a bit like cucumber, and interestingly, it does contain cucumber. even though it's very subtle, i can still pick it up. products like this make me hope that they added fragrance to cover the underlying scent.

how it looks like inside the tub

the product: it's a blue green gel type moisturizer that's quite thick, almost like cream texture. not as thick as the fresh rose moisturizer but, but thicker than the tatcha one. this one also doesn't melt into watery traces, but it's still easy to spread around and quick to absorbed as well.

left: on my hand
right: after spreading around

the result: it's definitely more moisturizing rather than hydrating. it feels more occlusive compared to tatcha one. when my skin feels dry in the morning, i'll use this in the morning as well. but if it's scorching hot and humid, i'll just use this in the afternoon and just use sunscreen after my serum. so far, this works okay for my combination skin. it doesn't feel heavy even though it's quite thick. as for the brightening effect, i can't say for sure since i also use vitamin c serum and my skin is already fair to start with, so i can't say anything about it.

compared to tatcha one, i prefer tatcha because it's more lightweight and doesn't smell weird. this one smells to cucumber-y for my taste. and it's a bit thick so it's not something that i'll reach for in the morning. i think this is suitable for all skin type but i think it can be too much for oily skin. i can't check about the price as this one is already discontinued.

i've always wanted to try this serum for so long that i barely remember the reason. i always postpone it because i keep finding new products to try first. anyway, somehow i walked around sephora and found that it came in a set, the full size one, the sample size one and some blisters of ampoules and the price was quite reasonable so i decided to try it at last. i was glad i bought it since i've been traveling again and the sample size came in handy as i can bring it with me while traveling. let's see how it goes.

this is the description from their website: essential recovery serum to boost the skin's energy and create a smooth radiant skin in only five days. hydration and oil moisture balancing, get smooth and softer looking skin moisture barrier strengthening. all round player to improve the look of skin texture, tone, glow and firmness.

- powerful anti oxidant on another level: 70% more powerful anti oxidant than pure vitamin C, pomegranate polyphenol. compared to the common hydrothermal extraction method, 5x more powerful antioxidant, pomegranate polyphenol, extracted using the unique extraction method of squeezing the seeds, flower and fruit. blossoming energy, the energy that keeps flowers in full bloom is the key ingredient of mamonde. it provides skin energy to the skin and keeps skin looking healthy.

- benefits proven through human clinical trials: moisture level, skin texture and skin moisture barrier improved in only 5 days. skin firmness, glow and clarity looks improved in only 14 days.

- skin that feels refreshed, moisturized, soft and smooth: completely absorbed into the skin, no feeling of stickiness. it leaves the skin feeling soft, smooth and fully moisturized.

- good for those who has delicate skin about cosmetic ingredient, hypoallergenic formula: hypoallergenic 8-free serum but with powerful ingredients offering great skincare benefits. hypoallergenic formula to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles and improve the look of skin firmness. no more thick and heavy serum.

the box

the description at the back

ingredients list: water, dimethicone, alcohol, glycerin, propanediol, 1,2-hexanediol, betaine, niacinamide, glyceryl polymethacrylate, butylene glycol, tranexamic acid, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/ VP copolymer, saccharide isomerate, cetearyl alcohol, polyglyceryl-3 methylglucose distearate, sodium hyaluronate, xanthan gum, glyceryl caprylate, hydrogenated lecithin, glyceryl stearate citrate, ethylhexylglycerin, hydroxyethylcellulose, adenosine, sucrose, fragrance, sodium citrate, citric acid, rosa canina fruit extract, tocopherol, punica granatum flower extract, indole acetic acid.

all the products included in this set

the packaging: it comes in a red box that has all the products inside pictured at front. there's description at the back in english as well ingredients list. there are two sizes in one set, the full size one and the sample size one. the sample size one comes in all red plastic bottle with pump head that's covered with red plastic cap. it comes in 15 ml. while the full size one comes in red gradient glass bottle (it's transparent at the bottom so you can see the remaining product inside), with pump head that's covered with gradient plastic cap (it's transparent at top, so it's the opposite of the bottle). it feels luxurious just like other amore pacific products. it's quite heavy since it's made of glass. there's a short description at the back of the bottle in korean. the pump works well and i have no problem with it. both the sample and the full size one.

the full size bottle an the pump head

the scent: this one is fragrant. i think it has floral scent, but it's rather relaxing than annoying. i don't have any problem with the scent, but if you're looking for scentless products, then you should steer clear from amore pacific products since they're all mostly scented. they believe that skincare is holistic, so they also use scent as a part of skincare. i, personally, don't have problem with scented product, as long as it's not overwhelming.

the sample size

the product: it's a milky white runny gel type serum that melts easily into the skin. once spread around, it melts. i usually use two to three pumps of it for my whole face and neck. looking at the ingredients, it contains lots of moisturizing, hydrating and soothing product. again, amore pacific products contain extracts in their ingredients, so if you're against long ingredients product, then steer clear again.

how it looks like on my hand

the result: i have to say that using this serum is quite enjoyable. i love it. it works well in moisturizing my skin even though it's quite lightweight. in fact, i have to agree that since using this serum, my skin looks glowing. though it might not solely because of this serum, but this serum contributes part of it at least. it works well in counteract the dryness effect of retinol that i used daily at night now.

after spreading it around

i do wish that they release the sample size as i can use it while traveling, but i guess they only made it for special set. i'm glad that this works well and it delivers as the promise, however, i'm a bit hesitant to repurchase because of the price. korean skincare's price is getting more expensive these days, and local skincare products are overflowing in the market. i still want to try innisfree black tea serum, so maybe i'd try that one first before diving back to local brands ones. anyway, if you've been wanting to try this serum, i'd say give it a go as it's good. i think it'll suitable for all skin types. as for me, i'd keep this in my rotation list as i quite enjoy this one.

since i bought sunscreen stick some time ago, i decided it's perfect for traveling and for touch ups. my kids didn't have the patience to stay for touch ups, so bringing liquid sunscreen for touching up is troublesome and messy since they couldn't stand still. so, i decided to buy another one, this time the labiotte one. actually i bought this on my last trip to japan but didn't get the chance to crack it open until i went traveling last month. anyway, let's see how it goes.

this is description from yesstyle website: this suncreen stick with powerful broad spectrum SPF 50+ PA++++ protects skin from free radical damages. easy to carry around and comfortable to wear. it has a refreshing formula that does not leave your skin with a white cast or sticky. formulated with pycnogenol, a french marine pine bark extract, soothes irritated skin due to sun rays.

the packaging

the packaging: it comes with the usual packaging, cardboard backing with description in japanese, then plastic transparent covering so we can see the product from the outside. the sunstick itself comes in light blue plastic packaging, with the same light blue plastic cap. there's a dial at the bottom so you can twist the sunstick up. there's another description at the back of the cap in japanese as well. the sunstick comes in 16 g. i think there were two types of this sunstick, but i'm not sure since i think it's discontinued now.

description at the back

the scent: it is scentless.

the tube

the product: the sunstick is transparent green stick. it feels balmy and a bit slimy on touch but it helps a bit as it easily glides on my skin. the stick is curvy at the top as well, which i think also helps as it fits the contour of my face better. i have no problem using it all over my face, even the area around my nose.

look at the curvy shape

the result: i have to say that this doesn't work like promised. even though that it's easy to carry around and doesn't give white cast at all, this one is sticky. i've used this sunstick twice while traveling. once to europe in the spring, and once to singapore in the summer. it doesn't cause any trouble when i brought it with me to europe. the weather was cool so it didn't give any problem, no stickiness at all. however, it's a different story when i used it in singapore. it was blazing hot and very humid, so i was sweating a lot. i brought this to reapply my sunscreen, so even though it's practical to do so (and to use it for my kids as well), it's sticky as hell when i reapplied it all over. even though i've tried to pat all my sweats before using this on top, it was still sticky and uncomfortable. however, this one works. all of my kids refused to reapply the sunscreen when we rode luge and the skyride and they all got sunburnt, while i'm saved.

even though here you can barely see the glow, but it's a bit glowy. more so when it's hotter

anyway, i like this sunscreen for its practicality and the easiness of use, but i don't appreciate the stickiness since i live in hot and humid country like singapore. anyway, since this one is discontinued, i have to find other sunstick now. there are some local brands that sell sunsticks, so i might try them after finishing this one.

i was on vitamin c serum testing streak and i didn't realize that this one was the last one. there were a bunch of local vitamin c serum being released around that time so i was excited to try them all. since i only have one face, i'm grateful that elsheskin offers smaller size so i can get through it faster. anyway, let's see how it goes.

this is the description translated from their website: for skin that encounter problems such as always in contact with pollution, uneven skin tone, wrinkles and fine lines, dry skin. benefits: 8 times more protection and rejuvenation, better than just vitamin c.

star ingredients: tea tree extract, sea buckthorn extract, sunflower seed extract, liposhield HEV melanin, 15% ethyl ascorbic acid, ferulic acid, vitamin e, pollushield, liposhield HEV melanin, infraguard, polyglutamic acid.

the box

ingredients list: aqua, ethyl ascorbic acid, niacinamide, propylene glycol, glycerin, dimethyl isosorbide, alpha arbutin, camellia sinensis leaf extract, ethylhexylglycerin, tocopheryl acetate, butylene glycol, glycyrrhiza glabra root extract, sesamum indicum seed oil, hippophae rhamnoides fruit extract, BHT, ascorbyl palmitate, carbomer, ferulic acid, hyaluronic acid, caesalpinia spinosa fruit pod exxtract, phenoxyethanol, helianthus annuus sprout extract, sodium benzoate, polyglutamic acid, disodium EDTA, xanthan gum, propanediol, diisopropyl adipate, lecithin, acrylic acid/acrylamidomethyl propane sulfonic acid copolymer, dimethylmethyoxy chromanol, glyceryl caprylate, melanin, pentylene glycol, ethylhexylglycerin.

description at the back of the box

the packaging: it comes in yellow triangular prism box with transparent window at front. it was quite unusual shape for the box. anyway, when i bought this, they have revamped their whole serums, so this looks completely different than the usual elsheskin packaging (the simple white/red combination). now each serum has different color. for this serum, it's darker yellow and white combination. the body is opaque white, but the dropper is yellow. there are descriptions and ingredients list printed on the box. there are two sizes, and i bought the 15 ml. it's half the full size one so it's quite decent to try.

the bottle

the scent: it's not completely scentless, but it has that citrusy scent that usually vitamin c serum has. but it's very subtle so i don't mind it at all.

pump head

the product: the serum is yellowish in color. it's runny but i think it's a bit viscous like it has some oil in it. no completely watery. it's still easy to spread around but once it's absorbed, it feels a bit tacky. however, it doesn't pill when i put moisturizer on top of it. i brought this with me during traveling and it's pretty cool there, around 15-22 degrees C, so i don't keep it in the fridge and it doesn't oxidize. but back at home, it's significantly hotter so i put it in the fridge. i think it'll stay the same even if i don't keep it in the fridge, but i don't want to risk it.

how it looks like on my hand

after spreading it around

the result: this is definitely moisturizing, but not as moisturizing as the whitelab one. it gives a bit tacky finish like the somethinc one. i can feel this works okay as antioxidant and evening out skin tone, but for brightening or lightening acne scar, not so much. i think this one is still okay for hot days as i don't have any problem with it. i keep using it during traveling and after getting back home and i don't face any problem.

left: before
right: after (i know it's different lighting, but i can say that my skin is well moisturized and even-toned)

top: before
bottom: after (really right after finishing the whole bottle)

i have to say that out of 3 vitamin serums that i've tried, i like somethinc and elsheskin more than the whitelab. but just only by a fraction. i don't like the whitelab because it feels to rich for my skin, but if you have dry skin, it'll be perfect for you. anyway, price wise, it's still affordable, but elsheskin gives more option with 2 sizes to pick from while somethinc only offers 20 ml size. i'll put this in my rotation list with somethinc one if i ever run out of product to try.

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