simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser (Full Review)

simple Kind To Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser (Review)

perhaps you've seen my old review on this cream, perhaps not. doesn't matter! i just want to add on to the previous review with more photos.

even though i wasn't quite happy with the ingredients lists being SO LONG despite the brand making me believe that it contains just a few ingredients, i have to say that i've been a fan of this cream for a good 6 years now. i've never come across a cream so moisturizing yet so light weight.


more information on the back of the bottle.

as the ingredients weren't printed on the bottle, i found them off the simple official website

Aqua, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Bisabolol, Methylparaben, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Mica, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol, Serine, Sorbitol, Urea, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Chloride, Allantoin

the opening of the bottle is a small hole that dispense the product just right.


it's quite viscous - it can hold a shape for a while!


spreads out to be absorbed quickly.

IN A NUTSHELL

texture: viscous, holds its shape until you blend it.
after-feel: moisturized and hydrated. not sticky at all.
fragrance: not scented.

IMHO

i make sure i have a back up of this cream with me even though i have so many other creams to use. i used to use this at night when i sleep with a/c on, but these days i prefer to use it before my makeup because it makes my skin so hydrated and smooth, my makeup goes on easier too.

perfect for hot and humid weathers, however it may not be sufficient for cold and dry weathers.

VERDICT

if i constantly repurchase it, i think it means something :)

i bought this for SGD$6.50 from some toiletry shop in chinatown. it usually cost SGD$13 in watsons or guardian.

Hadanomy Collagen Cream (Review)

Hadanomy Collagen Cream (Review)

this is the third product i got from the hadanomy collagen line - a light weight gel cream that is touted to contain 1000mg of micro collagen. having read so much about the skin, i want to state once again that these collagen DO NOT enter your skin to marry the collagen underneath your skin to plump your skin up. what this cream does is to provide topical moisture, and the collagen is supposed to form a thin protective film to keep the moisture in. once you get your expectations clear, you won't be disappointed with this product when you realize it doesn't fill out any wrinkles.


it comes in a pretty gigantic plastic container, and houses 100g of the product.

i've thrown away the plastic wrapping (that contained the ingredients list) a long time ago, and i'm not able to find any information on the ingredients of this cream. if you really want to take a look, it is probably similar to the ingredients in the aqua placenta cream as collated by ratzilla.

on its official website, it only said it contains hyaluronic acid, acerola extract, collagen, and honey. all are meant for moisturizing purposes. but i guess this cream will contain the top 3 ingredients in most other skin care products - water, glycerin, and butylene glycol.



i'm almost finishing it after daily usage for the past 8 months.



the cream is a gel based cream, it doesn't feel oily at all. it's quite viscous, as you can see it holds its shape like a jelly. after spreading out, it feel very watery when spreaded out, and once absorbed it leaves behind a slightly sticky feeling. not sticky like scotch tape, just the usual feeling you get when you use a product contain hyaluronic acid. slightly scented.

IN A NUTSHELL

texture: viscous when fresh, turns watery when spreaded.
after-feel: a slight adhesive feeling, skin feels soft and hydrated.
fragrance: slight fragrance, as with the other hadanomy products.

IMHO
having tried the collagen mist and collagen lotion, and now the collagen cream, i think i can give a really honest opinion about the entire line. i think my favourite product is the collagen mist. the lotion and creams are both quite meh in my opinion. perhaps my skin gotten used to it, or i simply do not really enjoy the after feel that it gives me. that sticky feeling, coupled with the humid weather in singapore just don't mix well with each other. and it makes it hard for me to apply makeup after i use this cream because a gel based product risk "reacting" with my make up and i'll end up with little rubbery balls on my face after i rub the product in.

but i do enjoy using this product at night, and i apply it in quite a thick layer too so that it's like a gel mask that i can wear to sleep. it's pretty affordable for this purpose so you can use it rather generously. and i also like the slightly cooling feeling when i leave it on my face.

personally i'd prefer a richer cream than this. even though a gel based cream would be perfect for the hot summery days in singapore, that after feel is something that i can't shake off. i'd be better off with my simple lotion and finish it off with a spritz of the collagen mist.

i bought this for HKD$78 from bonjour.

Meishoku Organic Rose Skin Conditioner (Review)

Meishoku Organic Rose Skin Conditioner (Review)

another product that i didn't buy when i had the chance to in hong kong. it wasn't on my radar then as i haven't researched that much into this line yet, but once i got back to singapore.. DAMN IT, why didn't i get it!? it has such good reviews being the cheap and good astringent. even though it's named "skin conditioner", it really is an astringent as it contains witch hazel extract, and also some other hydrating things inside (note: this is the equivalent of an american toner), so it's slightly different from the toners - this comes before the toner.

if there is one thing i want you to know about this product, it's the wonderful damask rose scent. it smells so luxurious and relaxing, I LOVE USING IT!


what's pink and chubby and fits right into my hand? i love the packaging!


they have chinese instructions on the outermost wrapping.

"what's special about this skin conditioner: it is formulated for pore ridden, oily, and/or dry skin. contains natural organic rose water, job's tears extract, witch hazel etc. it is able to penetrate into the skin to shrink pores, control sebum production, and quickly returns the pH of the skin (to a slightly acidic state) after face washing.

directions: after washing your face, apply some onto a cotton pad and gently pat into your skin until it is absorbed. it contain lotion ingredients. when paired with the skin conditioning gel, your skin will remain hydrated even after a long time."



if you don't already know, rose water has moisturizing properties.

when coupled with all the other active ingredients, this is a moisturizing astringent that can help to control sebum production. soap and face wash are usually alkaline and that disrupts the acid balance on the skin. the skin conditioner is able to return the skin to a slightly acidic environment. lastly, it shrinks pores. it's like a product that targets all possible troubles!

the ingredients as obtained from their official website:
水、変性アルコール、ＢＧ、ダマスクバラ花水、ヨクイニンエキス、ハマメリス葉エキス、クロルヒドロキシＡｌ、ソルビトール、乳酸、乳酸Ｎａ、メチルパラベン、エチルパラベン、香料

i'll try to translate all those ingredients into english:
water, denatured alcohol, butylene glycol, damask rose water, coix seed extract, witch hazel leaf extract, chlorohydroxy Al, sorbitol, lactic acid, sodium lactate, methylparaben, ethylparaben, fragrance.


there is a small opening, preventing too much product from being poured out.


it looks like plain water, feels like water, flows like water too.


it also absorbs pretty quickly too!

IN A NUTSHELL

texture: watery, absorbs fairly quickly.
after-feel: no sticky feeling, skin feels hydrated and smooth right after application.
fragrance: VERY LOVELY ROSE SCENT.

IMHO

i've been using it for almost a month now, and i notice the oils on my forehead isn't as much as it used to be. BUT i'll keep observing to see what happens. i did follow the suggestion to use it with a cotton pad for the first few days, but i got lazy and started patting it in with my palms instead.

honestly speaking, the rose scent was such a delight, it probably distorted my views on it. but.. I REALLY LOVE THE SCENT. it's as though even if this product doesn't do what it says, i'll still keep using it because the of the aromatherapeutic effects. and i feel so pampered when i use this.

everything about this product is on point - packaging, price, scent, and application. i'm slowly seeing effects too so i think i'll be in love with it for a very long time.

my gf picked this up for me in HK for HKD$79.

L'oreal RevitaLift Double Lifting Eye Cream [Full Review]

L'oreal RevitaLift Double Lifting Eye Cream and its Full Review

this may be the worst review i can ever do. worst in terms of quality because i realized i finished the bottle before i took any photos of the actual product, threw away the packaging that contains the list of ingredients.. and this was quite a while ago, so i have to recall based on memory.

from its website, it claims to

"Smoothes wrinkles under eye. Instantly lifts the eyelids."

" RevitaLift^® Double Eye Lift is L’Oréal’s first double-action eye treatment that combines two exclusive, complementary formulas: fortified Pro-Retinol A^® to minimize under-eye wrinkles and puffiness and Pro-Tensium E to instantly firm and lift the upper eye area." 

claims are but claims.




even though i already threw out the packaging, nothing is impossible with google.

from paula's choice,

Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Alcohol Denat., Isocetyl Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Lithium Magnesium Sodium Silicate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cera Alba (Beeswax), Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-20 Stearate, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Acrylamide/Sodium Acryloyldimethyltaurate Copolymer, Stearic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Isohexadecane, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Triethanolamine, Retinyl Palmitate, Polysorbate-80, Polycaprolactone, Methylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea, Butylparaben, Chlorphenesin, Yellow 10, Red 33, Fragrance, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Citronellol, Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, Geraniol, Limonene, Coumarin, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Butylphenyl Methylpropional

looking at the ingredient list, this thing should hydrate the eye area at the very least. after sifting through the ingredients that makes up the bulk volume of the cream and gel, what's left is probably the active ingredients: retinyl palmitate, which is probably the pro-retinol a. i have no idea where is pro-tensium e. but you know what? it doesn't matter at all.


the cream comes in a double tube packaging. one pump is sufficient for both eyes unless you have eyes as big as the big grey wolf.

the colour of the pump corresponds to the colour of the product.

the white cream is meant for the under eye to get rid of wrinkles. it doesn't have a fragrance, but it has a scent to it. it's a scent that's quite off putting because it smells like chemicals. it has a texture of a rich cream.

the red gel cream is meant for the upper eye to give it an instant lift. it doesn't have a fragrance too, and is unscented, unlike the white cream. this is a gel based cream which will dry up to reddish gel balls when left in the air for excessively long period of time.

IMHO

remember i said that the ingredients doesn't matter at all? because this thing didn't work for me. so there's no point in trying to point out the ingredients that make it work. i got this cream with the intension of helping with my puffy eyes. obviously, i have gotten the wrong product for this purpose. i admit i got carried away when it claims to get rid of "under-eye wrinkles and puffiness". they must be talking about a different kind of puffiness, like, saggy kind of puffiness. mine are water retention, what i needed was probably a product loaded with caffeine.

i didn't experience any eye lifting action too. i thought i can see myself transform into mulan, but no.

as this product didn't meet my needs, i won't be repurchasing this.

i purchased this for ~SGD$16.

Shiseido Senka Whitening Lotion (Fresh) [Full Review]

Shiseido Senka Whitening Lotion (Fresh) EMPTIED!

now that i've emptied this bottle of toner, it's time for another entry on it to give you my full thoughts on this. if you haven't seen my partial review on it before, you can read it here, i wrote that after i've used it for 6 months. 

4 months later, i finally used up the last drop of it.



i didn't take a photo of the ingredients because it's all in japanese.

but i found it from ratzilla:

active ingredients: l-ascorbic acid 2-glucoside and disodium glycyrrhizate

other ingredients: sodium acetyl hyaluronate, sodium hyaluronate, royal jelly extract, water, dipropylene glycol, alcohol, butylene glycol, glycerin, methyl gluceth-10, PEG-20, PEG/PPG-14/7 dimethyl ether, potassium hydroxide, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, sodium citrate, triethyhexanoin, polyglyceryl-2 diisostearate, disodium EDTA, benzophenon-5, citric acid, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) oil, lavender oil, methylparaben.

even though the formula contains alcohol, it doesn't actually dry out my skin. it is acting as a "key" to open up the skin so that the ingredients can enter the skin. moreover, the myriad of hydrating agents (sodium acetyl hyaluronate, sodium hyaluronate, dipropylene glycol and butylene glycol) already countered the drying effect of ethanol.




i took this photo not just to show you the opening of the bottle, which is a small hole which would dispense enough product for your face when you flip the bottle over momentarily. i wanted to show you the yellow marks on the bottle cap.

i have no idea what is it, but i can tell you that the solution in the bottle is actually colourless. my guess is that it has oxidized over time upon contact with air. somehow it reminds me of my vitamin c powder, which turns yellow over time too. this made me think that the vitamin c in the bottle is actually pretty stable, considering they didn't turn yellow unless they are exposed to the outside world!



this was one of the last few precious droplets of lotion i have before i ran out of it. it is watery and does have a slight alcohol scent to it. other than that, there's a slight sweet smelling scent to it, it's very mild and you won't be able to smell it unless you unscrew the bottle cap and shove your nose into the bottle.

IMHO

this bottle of lotion lasted me for a good 10 months. sometime after the 6th month, i cut down to using it just once a day. i assume if i use it twice daily, it'd have only lasted me a total of 8 months.

because it's so watery, getting evenly on my face was a little challenge, as it may drip if i have too much lotion on my palm. 

i've already mentioned my experience with it in the previous entry. and now.. drum roll please..

VERDICT

the whitening and brightening effect didn't amaze me. at first i did notice a slight brightening, but after my skin tanned a little, it failed to return me my original skin colour. :( maybe it's due to me using it only once daily (at night), but the hydrating effects were ok! and i do like the slightly cooling sensation upon applying this and patting it all over my face.

for HKD$89, it's a good hydrating toner to get, but don't expect it to work wonders.

simple hydrating light moisturizer

this is my 6th or 7th bottle already.
nuff' said.
i just can't live without this little gem!

price: SGD$6.80
i bought this from the toiletries shop located in chinatown people's park complex.
it retails for twice the price in watsons or guardian.

what it claims:

- 12 hour moisturization
- contains vitamins 
- borage seed oil contains gamma linoleic acid, some good stuff for the skin!
- no fragrance or color so it's suitable for those with sensitive skin

sometimes i feel that this brand tries to promote the image of not using a lot of chemicals in their formulation, but when i look at the ingredient lists, i seriously doubt that because i see quite a long list of chemicals being used!

Aqua, Glycerin, Paraffinum Liquidum, Polyglyceryl-3 Methylglucose Distearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Dimethicone, Cetyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, Bisabolol, Methylparaben, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Disodium EDTA, Propylparaben, Lactic Acid, Sodium Lactate, Mica, 2-Bromo-2-Nitropropane-1,3-Diol, Serine, Sorbitol, Urea, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Chloride, Allantoin

source: simple website
i'm not joking when i say the ingredient list is long. kind of opposes the brand 'simple' because it's not that simple after all..


amongst the well known hydrating agents and humectants in most creams (such as aqua, glycerin, and paraffinum liquidum, sodium lactate and urea), the rest are either additives to soothe the skin, or to control the viscosity/pH/texture of the cream, and some preservatives (propylpareben and the 2-bromo-BLAH!-diol).
what sets it apart from other creams is the addition of more natural ingredients, in this case, the borage seek oil.
the vitamins it contains are vitamin E (tocopheryl acetate) and pro-vitamin B5 (panthenol).
the rest are really just.. fillers, in my opinion.

oh well..
however i've never once reacted to the cream, and it did keep my skin well moisturized, so i don't really care!


my experience with it:
i used to use this every night back then when i sleep in air conditioned rooms.
it was able to keep my skin moisturized throughout the night, i will wake up to smooth and moisturized skin!
these days i no longer use my a/c, so i use this fortnightly.
perhaps it's because i don't sleep in a/c anymore, my skin actually releases a small amount of oil throughout the night.
natural moisturizer? :)
i love it's texture. it goes on smoothly and is absorbed into the skin quickly, leaving my skin soft and supple.
it doesn't make my skin feel sticky or whatsoever!

i still use this before i do my makeup because it preps my skin up into a smooth canvas, my makeup goes on a lot easier with this on!

plus it's so affordable, it doesn't hurt my wallet to use this cream at all.

whether the cream really hydrates me for 12 hours.. i can't test that claim.

aqualabel moist essence cream

discontinued product from aqualabel.
this is probably the first generation gel cream they have!

price: HKD90+
bought this off adambeauty when it was on clearance.

what it claims:

i can't really remember what its packaging says, but it's the same old story.
- hyaluronic acid, acting like magnets to attract water molecules under our skin
- collagen, acting like a film that prevents water loss from the surface of our skin
- honey, natural humectant to retain moisture from the atmosphere on our skin

my experience with it:
this is my first oil free cream that i've ever tried.
it goes on light and absorbs easily.
the consistency is like a jelly, but smoothes out to a watery texture upon touching my skin.
it does leave a slight sticky feeling (when i press my finger on my face and lift, my skin gets lifted up as well!).
does a good job as an overnight mask in my opinion.

i think this is suitable for the oily areas of my skin (t zones).

i won't repurchase it because i found better substitutes that does the same thing!

hadanomy collagen lotion

another steal i got when i was in hongkong this may.
the collagen lotion is not the most well known product in this hadanomy line,
but i decided to get it anyway because it's affordable,
plus, if the collagen mist works well, then the more concentrated collagen lotion should work even better, right?



price: HKD$79.2
i got this in sasa when it was having a 10% off for hadanomy products.

what it claims:
as with most hydrating lotions, it contains hyaluronic acid,
but the biggest difference is the collagen it contains that helps to seal in moisture.
they said that there is 1000mg of micro collagen that is much smaller than a normal collagen molecule. 
i can't tell you how much smaller the micro collagen is, or if it even exist in the solution or not because my naked eyes can't see it! i'll just assume that it does.

the collagen does not penetrate deep into the skin (by that i mean into the dermis layer) to fill out wrinkles (i wish..!!!), instead it stay on top of the skin (and maybe some of it finds it way into the top few layers of my epidermis) and act as a barrier to prevent loss of moisture.
that explains the slightly sticky feeling after application.
still bearable though!

it's formulated with acerola extract (source of vitamin C) and honey (humectant).
not that i can tell, really. haha!

my experience with it:
i used to apply this right after i wash my face,
but these days i apply this after the senka whitening lotion because i sometimes feel that the collagen layer blocks the whitening lotion from entering my skin.
as of late, i'm using this for my  body instead of my face because the senka whitening lotion is actually hydrating enough for my face!

it is easily absorbed into my skin and has a light rose scent to it.
i like the scent!
the consistency is slightly thicker, almost like a gel that will turn into a liquid upon touching my skin.


texture: gel like.


after spreading out.
it imparts a shine on my skin after it is fully absorbed.
is that supposed to be the collagen layer?
or is it just the gel setting on my face?
i like that it is absorbed pretty quickly into my skin.

as far as hydration goes, it does an OK job at hydrating.
i feel that my skin is still thirsty after some time despite using a cream after this.
i think there are better hyaluronic acid lotions out there.
i've previously tried samples of the hadalabo hyaluronic acid lotion,
that too isn't to my liking.
this hydrating lotion isn't hydrating enough for me.

since this is my first hydrating lotion, i still need to try out more stuff before i can do a comparison!
the next hydrating lotion in line is most probably the muji light lotion, or the senka moisturizing lotion.

p.s.
perhaps you are wondering why am i using both whitening and hydrating toner if the whitening toner has hydrating effects too.
if i'm at home all day, i prefer to use just the hydrating toner during day time because i won't be wearing sun screen at home.
if i used a whitening product, i must wear sun screen otherwise i might end up getting darker!
so i usually hydrate in the morning, and whiten at night. :P

hadanomy collagen mist

here comes the mist!
it was the hit product a few years ago,
i only managed to lay my hands on it this may.

price: HKD$68
i got this from sasa when it was having a 10% off for hadanomy products.

what it claims:
this belongs to the hadanomy collagen line up, so the claims are the same as the collagen lotion mentioned in previous entries.
- hyaluronic acid to attract moisture
- 1000mg of micro collagen that penetrates skin to lock in moisture
- contains acerola extract and honey for unknown purposes (well, they didn't state, but i assume it's for moisturizing purposes)


my experience with it:
i like to use this during day time after i wash my face in the morning.
its consistency is much lighter (slightly more viscous than water) than the collagen lotion, absorbs a little easier than the lotion since i don't have to pat as much. saves me time in the morning rush hour too!
it preps up my skin for the flurry of products i'll apply next.
depending on the situation, i'll add a layer of cream most of the time before i pile on my sun screen and make up.

i also like to use it as a setting mist after i've done my makeup to help it last longer.

however, the mist produced isn't really even, i can feel that it's a circular ring of products being deposited on my face. hmmm..

i really like the spray bottle. it makes application more convenient!
i may or may not repurchase this, but if i don't, i'll probably reuse the bottle with my new lotion. :P

shiseido senka whitening lotion w(s)

my first ever whitening product in my skincare routine!
i decided to buy this after reading good reviews on both cosme.net and urcosme.com (japanese and taiwanese beauty review portals!).




ok, i admit the main reason why i bought this was because it is dirt cheap for the effects it claims to deliver.

price: HKD$87
i don't think i can find anything more affordable than this.
it being this easy on my wallet means i can use it generously with cotton pads as instant face masks for a last minute pick-me-up.

the main whitening ingredient in this lotion is the stable vitamin C derivative.
vitamin C on its own is an anti oxidant and oxidizes very easily.
i think there's some truth in it.
the lotion is usually clear and colourless you see..
but there are drops that will leak out of the opening and over time i realize those droplets will have a tinge of yellow! which looks exactly like how my oxidized ascorbic acid (vitamic C) crystals!
so yea, i think the fact that the lotion is colourless means it's still "fresh" (active ingredients still alive!). 

it claims to be as effective as a serum (they define a serum as something that is small enought to penetrate the skin easily),
but lightweight as a lotion.
i'm not sure about the first, but the latter surely is true.
it's a clear fluid that's as viscous as water,
smells a little like alcohol to me,
absorbs quickly with some light patting.
best thing is it doesn't leave my face feeling sticky after that!

i've been using it for 5 months already,
sometimes twice a day, lately it's been reduced to only once at night.
i use it right after cleansing my face at night, since it hydrates and whitens.
i pile on my other hydrating lotion and creams after that so seal everything in. :)

i noticed my dark spots lightening up after the months of using this product.
it is quite unnoticeable, which was probably why it took me 5 months to realize it.
however, i find my face and neck to be brighter these days.
i used to be quite dull and yellow in the first few months of 2012,
but not anymore!
i'm not as fair as i used to be, but definitely not as sallow as compared to a few months ago.

don't expect this to give you instant whitening effects though.
it's a lotion afterall, the effective ingredients can't penetrate that deeply into our skin.
for those kind of effects, you might want to try serums (especially those that will burn a hole in your pockets).