[REVIEW] su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick

So today is going to be a short post on a new product which I am recently falling very much in love with - su:m 37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick. I picked this up when I went to Seoul two weeks ago. :)

Product Benefits:
"With plenty of foams, this cleansing stick removes wastes without skin irritation and has even a soft skincare effect" (from su:m37 official website in english)

"This unique cleansing product is specially formulated in a stick form to directly target dirt and impurities trapped in the skin. It is mainly composed of natural fruit extracts and fermented botanical herbs that offers deep cleansing without irritation. Aside from clarifying the pores, this cleansing stick also supplies nutrients into the skin to improve its texture and complexion. It is highly recommended for those who suffer from oily and sensitive skin as this also has a sebum-controlling formula and soothing effect." (from memebox)

Instructions for use:
There are several ways to use the cleansing stick.

1. Directly onto the face!
As per instructions from the box - wet face with water. Twist stick up about 1mm then place it on damp skin and rotate the stick in circular motions around the face. Use fingers and gently rub to create foam. Cleanse throughly and pat dry.

I've read some reviews which claims that this method causes the stick to finish faster. However, I think it depends on how light your hand is, and how much you rotate the stick all over your face. I use this method and gently rotate once around my face, then I would start soaping it with the tips of my fingers. There are also some reviews that highlighted a concern about whether it would be unhygenic to use the stick directly. Well, I use this only in the mornings, and usually after rotating the stick on my face, I would use a finger (of course, hands have been throughly washed with soap prior) to gently swipe once through the top of the stick as well as the sides.

2. Washing Net
Similar to technique #1, except that you rub the stick against your (damp) washing net instead of your face. Gather foam using the net, and place the foam on your face - proceed as you would when you clean your face, then cleanse throughly and pat dry.

Again, in order to reduce wastage, it would be wise to use a gentle hand when rubbing the stick against the washing net. Think of it as a bar of soap. If enough friction is placed, bits of soap may be grazed off by the net. :) So gentle is the key word here.

3. Konjac / Facial Sponge
Rub stick against damp sponge, and squeeze the sponge several times to achieve foam. Cleanse face with foam and sponge, then wash throughly and pat dry.

Some users swear by this method as they reported that it reduces wastage of the cleansing stick. I didn't use this method mainly because - my sink is way too small to place a sponge. Besides, I have grown to like the feeling of rubbing the stick around my face. XD

SUMMARY OF REVIEW

My thoughts: This cleanser is amaze-balls. It produces very little foam, making it for easier cleansing. And it leaves my skin feeling calm and soft - there is ABSOLUTELY no feeling of my face being stripped of oil anywhere. I'd usually feel a little tight and dry around the corners of my nose, even for the gentlest cleanser I have. But this one amazed me right off the first wash. My face feels moisturized, soft, and calm - if it's personified - it'd be...contented. Absolutely contented. I can get away with washing my face followed by my usual application of treatment essence (I'm currently using up my Innisfree's Soybean Energy Essence, and would be replacing that with Missha's First Treatment Essence - review soon too!)

The smell of the cleansing stick was also very pleasant. It was neither harsh, or overpowering. It had a very delicate soap + roses scent. Oh did I mention, there are also real damask rose petals infused into the stick. It doesn't seem to serve much purpose (maybe provide some gentle exfoliation?) though.

Dried damask rose petals infused into the stick

Would I buy it again: Yes. In fact, I had bought another one prior to leaving Seoul, and I currently have another one on the way from qoo10.sg. :D This is how much I love this cleansing stick and would always ensure to keep at least two backups. 

Price: 28000 won (approx SGD$35)

Verdict: 10/10

Thanks for reading this! And do share your thoughts about this product!

♥ Apple

[REVIEW] Innisfree NEW Green Tea Line (Some products from the Balancing + Fresh line!)

Hello readers! Double posts today because I had recently went on a hugggggeee Innisfree shopping spree in a span of two days. HAHAHHAS. 

First day: 

[TOP] Innisfree Cotton Pads x3
[BOTTOM LEFT]: Creamy Tint Lip Mousse, Green Tea Seed Serum, Lip Base
[BOTTOM RIGHT, clockwise from top left]: Makeup Sponges, Lip Brush, Diagonal Brush for Blusher, Green Tea Balancing Skin, Lotion, & Cream

Day Two: 

[TOP LEFT]: Green Tea Seed Serum Trial Kit, Green Tea Fresh Cream
[BOTTOM CENTRE]: Shadow Pencil in #1 Snow Crystal & #6 Sour Tangerine,Brush, Daily Brush Cleaner

As you can see, it was a huge haul on their green tea line products, lip-cosmetics, as well as beauty tools. :D For those who are unaware of it yet, Innisfree had recently re-launched their Green Tea Pure Line into THREE different types: 

1. Fresh (for oily skin type): Skin (i.e. toner/refiner), Essence, Cream
2. Balancing (for combination skin type): Skin, Lotion, Cream
3. Moisture (for dry skin type): Skin, Essence, Cream (Moisture Skin was previously Pure Skin)

(Note that only the Balancing Line has Lotion, whereas only Fresh & Moisture has Essence)

So many creams~~!
Fresh - Oily, Balancing - Combination, Moisture - Dry, Seed - Deeply Moisturizing

Product Benefits: 

[Balancing Line - For Combination Skin Type]
Skin (toner/refiner), Lotion (moisturizer/emulsion), Cream (moisturizer)

[Fresh Line - For Oily Skin Type]
Cream, Skin, Essence

I bought the Green Tea Seed Serum, which I raved over in a past review here, and there was a special promotion ongoing where if you buy a Green Tea Seed Serum (SGD$36), you'll receive a Green Tea Special Kit containing 3 products from the Balancing Line: Skin, Lotion, & Cream. 

This was perfect as I was also looking for a moisturizer to replace the one I was currently using (that one was getting a little too oily for my face, in this humid humid huuuuuuumid weather). 

The Green Tea Special Kit aren't exactly the full sized products, but they're definitely generous enough to make it this large too! :D

SUMMARY OF REVIEW

My thoughts:

Green Tea Special Kit: I love the Skin & Lotion! The Skin is sort of like a watery gel, and leaves my skin feeling cool and clean. The Lotion is absolutely perfect, not oily and makes my skin feeling soft afterwards! The Cream was a tad too rich though, it left my skin feeling like I've put too much stuff on my face to absorb (this may very well be true seeing that this was the last thing I applied). Although this slightly gunky feeling disappears after half an hour or so, with mad rushes in the morning, I doubt I'll have the time or the patience to wait for my skin to absorb the Cream before applying my make-up for the day. 

Here's where the Green Tea Fresh Cream comes in to save the day! 

I absolutely loveeee the clear gel! It spreads across my face like cooling water and is very very easily absorbed even after applying the Skin & Lotion. :) 

I replaced the Balancing Cream with this Fresh Cream. :) Perhaps my skin hovers in-between the Oily and Combination skin types. hahhahas. 

[Reviews on the Creamy Lip Tint Mousse & Creamy Tint Lipstick Here!]

[I'll be posting reviews on the eye shadow pencils at a later date!]

Would I buy it again:
Yes! I most definitely think so! And I'd recommend the Green Tea Lines as gift ideas for your girlfriends, wives, friends, etc.! 

Price: 

• Green Tea Fresh Cream: SGD$25
• Green Tea Seed Serum: SGD$36 for the serum + free Green Tea Special Kit

Verdict: 10/10!

Thanks for reading this! And do share your thoughts about these product!

♥ Apple

[REVIEW] Laneige Multiberry Yoghurt Peeling Gel

Hello readers! I have decided to do a review on my favorite facial care regime brand - Laneige today!

Today's review would be on Laneige Multiberry Yogurt Peeling Gel. This product is a very very gentle exfoliating facial scrub. So I use this about once or twice a week, depending on how rough I think my skin feels. 

Product Benefits (taken from the Laneige website):

* Hypo-allergenic peeling gel gently polishes skin for a smooth complexion with mannan and strengthen the skin barrier with the fermented yogurt.* Soft yet powerful exfoliation- Natural Konjac (Mannan) beads gently exfoliate dead skin cells and impurities with short time of massage.- Recoverine from Chestnuts extracts promotes turnovers of horny layers to remove dead cells for vigorous water supply and sleek skin texture.* De-oxidating and calming effect for healtier skin- Sogurty™, a specialized fermented yogurt, has anti-inflammatory effects to soothe skin from skin troubles.- Multi berry complex (various berry extracts from raspberries, blueberries, wolfberries, cranberries, and strawberries) delivers abundant nutrition and antioxidants to eliminate harmful free radicals.

Instructions for use (taken from the Laneige website):

1. Used on wet skin after face wash.

2. Take an appropriate amount (2cm in diameter is recommended) and gently massage over the face using

gentle circular movements with the fingertips, and then rinse with lukewarm water.

The texture feels like like thick liquid

* Use 1-2 times a week.

* For best results, follow with Laneige Multiberry Yogurt
* Caution: Avoid eye area

SUMMARY OF REVIEW

My thoughts: The peeling gel has a fragrance skin to strawberry yogurt...and medicine? It reminded me of a pastel pink strawberry flavoured liquid medication I had taken in the past when I was sick. So...the fragrance wasn't very pleasant to me. However, if you had no past experiences with yucky medication, this could actually smell like sweet strawberries! (with yoghurt of course). The gel was very very very gentle, I could hardly SEE the konjac beads without squinting my eyes, and I could NOT FEEL the beads when I was massaging it all over my face either. 

I tried to take a photo of the konjac beads, but it was hard enough to see it as it is. :P

After washing it off, my skin felt smooth and there was absolutely no redness at all either. I'm not sure whether the smoothness of the skin was because I had washed my face or it was really the exfoliating properties of the product. It was THAT GENTLE. 

Would I buy it again: Probably not. I was a bit doubtful over whether it really did exfoliate the dead skin, and the price isn't too hot either if I keep this as part of my regime permanently. In addition, the fragrance isn't appealing to me either. However, this product is so gentle, it would probably be good for those who has very sensitive skin. :) 

Price: SGD$42 at local Laneige counters and boutiques, approximately SGD$20 in South Korea, SGD$21.50 at qoo10.sg

Verdict: 7/10

Thanks for reading this! And do share your thoughts about this product!

♥ Apple

Innisfree in Singapore! + [REVIEW] Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum

Hello readers!

For those who are huge fans of Innisfree products (like me!), I'm sure you know by now that a store has finally opened in Singapore on November 22nd!

It's located at #B2-34/35 of Takashimaya/Ngee Ann City. It's located nearby the water fountain. 

Store Layout (Credits to Today Online)

The salespeople there are friendly and helpful - giving great recommendations and helpful suggestions to suit your needs. :) Special thanks to the lady who recommended various hand creams to me! You were a cheery and patient salesperson. :) 

Prices in the store are comparable to Korea's, especially the facial care products. Cosmetics were marked a little more steeply, but hey, when you take into account the costs of importing these products, I guess it's worth the investment. Despite the slightly higher prices, most of the products in the store were no more than $20-30. 

As an avid fan of Innisfree's products - especially their cosmetics & body care, I left the store with these few items. (I'll be doing a review for most of these products at a later date, so do check in often!)

[Top Left to Right] Green Barley Cleansing Wipes (free with every purchase), Jeju Volcanic Blackhead Out Kit (2 for $4)
[Bottom Left to Right] Mineral Make Up Base in #3 Purple ($20), Green Tea Mineral Mist 50ml ($8), Olive Real Moisture Hand Cream ($10), Green Tea Pure Deluxe Kit (free with every purchase $50 & above), Green Tea Pure Cleansing Water ($20)

I also got the Green Tea Seed Serum Special Set for my mother. :) Although this isn't mine, but my mom and I had a chance to try out the products yesterday night, and I was pretty impressed by the results the next day. Hence, today's review would be on this wonderful serum. 

Green Tea Seed Serum Special Set ($36)

Product Benefits:

The green tea seed serum is part of the green tea line, boasting 100% Jeju eco-friendly green tea water (in place of distilled water). 

It contains green tea seed and green complex from the islands of Jeju and revives dry, stressed skin by supplying abundant moisture. 

It also has a 3-free system - no mineral oil, no artificial colour, and no animal by-product. 

Serums usually work by reaching into the deeper layers of your skin, so remember to apply lotion/emulsion/moisturiser after that! Serums nourishes the deeper layers of your skin, whereas moisturisers nourishes the superficial layers. :) 

Instructions for use:

Instructions on the box says to apply serum first then the toner (termed as skin) followed by the moisturiser (termed as lotion). 

[Left to Right] Serum, Skin (toner), Lotion (moisturiser)

Pump 1/2 to 1 pump of the serum onto palm, and spread over face. You can lightly tap your face with the pads of your fingers to quicken the absorption of the product. 

Tap some toner onto your palms and pat gently over face. 

Dab lotion over face. You may also rub your palms together and hold them gently over your face to encourage better absorption. :)

Summary of Review

My thoughts: 

The smell of the green tea seed can be pretty soothing to some, and absolutely horrible to others. So I'd advise you to head down to the store to try out the samples available there before buying. I personally liked the smell - it was not flowerly or fruity smelling, but more towards herbs and grass. 

The serum was initially a little sticky, same goes for the lotion, but within 2-3 mins, the stickiness feeling was gone, and my skin felt softer immediately. 

My skin remained soft and supple the next day, even after washing my face. So i was pretty impressed with the product. :) I would recommend this to you if you have not had a set facial care regime yet (I'm already a diehard Laneige fan for my facial regime, if not I would have considered this line as a facial care regime too!). 

Would I buy it again?: This product wasn't bought for me in the first place, but I would buy this for a friend! Christmas is coming, and why not spread a little joy to your close ones!

Price: $36 for the special edition set! The original price is $36 just for the serum, but with this special edition set, you get a pretty good sized green tea skin (toner) and lotion (moisturiser) too!

Verdict: 9/10

Thanks for reading this! And do share your thoughts about this product!

♥ Apple

Psst, they also have another special edition set: Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask Set (includes 1 Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask, 1 Jeju Volcanic Pore Toner, 1 Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam) selling at $21. The clay mask is another one of their all-time best selling products, so do give it a try! :) 

Credits to Coconuts Singapore

[REVIEW] Laneige Power Essential Sensitive Skin Refiner & Balancing Emulsion

Happy Monday everyone!

I hope you're all enjoying this Deepavali-in lieu off-day!

Today, I will be reviewing three products! Two of the products will be reviewed here in this post, and the third one would be done on a separate post here!

The two products for review here today are the second and third step of my morning daily facial care regime - Laneige Power Essential Sensitive Skin Refiner and Laneige Power Essential Sensitive Skin Emulsion.

I guess you would have figured out by now, my entire facial regime is based on Laneige products - that's because I believe that they really do work well for my skin. I had noticed (after many years of suffering while trying to search for products that suit my skin, that I seem to be a lot more sensitive to american-based facial care - which has lead me to suffer from severe acne and hypersensitive itchy skin ><)

For those who are first time readers, Laneige is a popular facial care and cosmetics brand located in Korea. Under the company of Amore Pacific, Laneige prides itself in using the science of water to produce their best-selling products. Laneige means "snow" in French and is the result of intense research into hydration technology.

(I apologize, but I only have one photo of the products. I had thrown the boxes away. :P)

[REVIEW FOR SENSITIVE SKIN REFINER]

The words on the clear bottle says: “Soothing skin refiner with detoxifying and anti-stress effect for healthy skin.”

Now doesn't that sound absolutely clarifying? :D

Product Benefits (taken from the Laneige website):

- Soothes sensitive and stressed skin and gently exfoliates excess keratin without irritation for healthy skin with fragrance-free, alcohol-free and color-free system
- Bio Dusali, extracted from fermented seaweed with strong energy of life, supplies energy to the skin and promotes keratin turnover, while the Hyacinth extracts purify the skin from heavy metal, smog, and other harmful materials to leave the skin moist and transparent.
- Rice bran extracts with outstanding skin soothing and moisturizing effects along with a highly skin-friendly high-molecular moisture barrier provides sufficient moisturization and healthier skin condition.

Instructions for use (taken from the Laneige website):

1. Dispense appropriate amount onto a cotton pad after cleansing every morning and evening.
(one tip: if your cotton pad appears brown - dirt/makeup, if your cotton pad appears gray - dead skin cells)
2. Gently apply as lightly wiping out from inside to outside

(Alternatively, you can shake a few drops in the palms of your hands and pat the liquid on your face - Korean refiners work for a different purpose from European/American toners)

[REVIEW FOR SENSITIVE SKIN EMULSION]

Product Benefits (taken from the Laneige website):

-Enhances weak skin barrier to protect the skin, and its mild texture soothes sensitive skin with fragrance-free, alcohol-free and color-free system.
- Bio Dusali, extracted from fermented seaweed with strong energy of life, supplies energy to the skin and promotes keratin turnover, while the Hyacinth extracts purify the skin from heavy metal, smog, and other harmful materials to leave the skin moist and transparent.
- Rice bran extracts with strong soothing and moisturizing effects and rye extracts that fortify skin resistance against external aggressions improve stressed and weak skin for healthier skin condition.

Instructions for use (taken from the Laneige website):

1. Dispense appropriate amount after skin refiner every morning and evening.
2. Gently apply as lightly wiping out from inside to outside

SUMMARY OF REVIEW:

My thoughts: Prior to using the Sensitive series, I was using their Light series which I still found to be a lot better in terms of absorption and oil control. :) But this could be considered for those who have more concerns over sensitivity than oily skin! I use these products at least once daily (at night) and twice (once in the morning, once at night) if I'm heading to school/heading out that day. Taking my previous usage of Laneige Light series as a gauge (they're the same sizes for the refiners and emulsions respectively), both of them lasted about 6 to 9 months. :) So it's rather a good value for money!

Would I buy it again: Not really, I was previously using their LIGHT skin refiner and I preferred that to the Sensitive type. Mainly because I felt that my skin was more hydrated using the Light version and it has a nicer smell.

Price: I bought the Laneige refiner and emulsion at either:
- the duty-free store located in the airport:
- or at Lotte Duty Free when I was in Korea over the summer: Approximately S$23/US$18 (Refiner) & S$25/US$20 (Emulsion)
They are relatively cheaper compared to buying from the Laneige stores in Singapore (Approximately S$45 - Refiner & Emulsion separately).

Verdict: 7/10

Thanks for reading this! And do share your thoughts about this product below!

♥ Apple

[REVIEW] Laneige Water Bank Essence

Hello readers! Today I'll be doing a review on an essential item in my daily face care regime - Laneige Water Bank Essence. 

This is one of Laneige's all-time best sellers. It comes in a sleek 60ml cerulean blue glass bottle (be careful if you have butterfingers!).

The product is dispensed through a pump to ensure hygiene - one pump is all you need!

The essence is a watery-like gel. The texture hovers on the fence between watery and gel-like.

I like to dot the product on five points of my face: the forehead, tip of my nose, on both sides of my cheeks, and my chin, before spreading them in a circular motion.

The essence would feel greasy at first, but not to worry, this will be absorbed into the skin in a minute or two. I suppose the greasy-feeling may be due to the fact that an essence is a highly concentrated form of moisturiser which works to hydrate the deeper layers of your skin. (a moisturiser would hydrate the outer layers of skin - so both are needed for your face care routine!)

 

Product Benefits (taken from the Laneige website):

- A 24-hour long-lasting moisture essence that contains mineral water for skin regeneration and Water Pump System for moisture circulation to safeguard skin moisture and hold it in to leave the skin moisturised and smooth.
- Instantly dampens the skin with ample moisture and forms a natural moisture barrier on skin surface to protect the moisture that is in the skin.
- Contains chestnut extracts and seaweed extracts to enhance keratin turnover to fight roughness and energises the skin for a smooth and healthy texture.

Instructions for use (taken from the Laneige website):

1. After using the emulsion, release about a hazelnut-sized amount.
2. Gently spread from the center of the face towards the contours.
3. Cover the entire face with both hands to enhance penetration.

SUMMARY OF REVIEW

Would I buy it again: YES! I am already on my second bottle, and I have another two more from when I was in Korea over the summer. This product is truly watery heaven. I would recommend this for people of all skin types. :)

Price: I bought nearly all my Laneige products either from qoo10.sg, duty-free stores at the airport, or when I was in Korea over the summer as they are relatively cheaper compared to buying from the Laneige stores in Singapore.

1. Qoo10.sg is selling this for approximately S$35 for the full-sized product. There is also an alternative where you can get 4 sample-sized of the essence which is equivalent to the full bottle (60ml) at about S$25.

2. As for duty-free stores, I got it in a traveller's edition where it was selling 2 for S$60.

3. Lotte Duty Free Seoul was selling one bottle for approximately US$29 (S$35).

Verdict: 10/10

Thanks for reading this! And do share your thoughts about this product!

♥ Apple

[REVIEW] Laneige Multi Cleanser

Hello readers! This is my first post on this blog so I'm feeling a little excited about it. Do let me know under the comments section if there is anything else you'd like me to include in the reviews or if there is anything to improve on okay? Please & thank youuuu. :)

Now, I'll be doing a review on my #1 facial care brand today - Laneige.

Laneige is a popular facial care and cosmetics brand located in Korea. Under the company of Amore Pacific, Laneige prides itself in using the science of water to produce their best-selling products. Laneige means "snow" in French and is the result of intense research into hydration technology.

They have a series of Skin Care Lines to suit people of all ages and skin types such as:

1. Basic Care - 3 types for Dry/Normal Skin, Combination/Oily Skin, and Sensitive Skin.
2. White Plus Renew - for whitening
3. Pore Care - for pore troubles
4. Perfect Renew - for firming
5. Time Freeze (new in 2013!) - for anti-aging

Check out their Laneige SG website here for more details!

We have probably come across numerous reviews raving and praising their Water Sleep Pack_Ex (which by the way, is a product I will be reviewing next time too).

Today's review is going to be about one of their facial cleansers - Laneige Multi Cleanser

I have been using this cleanser for more than a year now, and it has now become a staple in my facial care regime. It has four functions:

- cleanser
- removes makeup
- removes sunscreen
- exfoliator (gentle enough for everyday use!)

This is perfect for those who wear light make up (such as BB cream) or sunscreen everyday!

Product Benefits (taken from the Laneige website):

- A new 4-in-1 cleanser removes makeup, removes sunscreen, exfoliates and cleanses at once.
- Micro-sized dense foam removes makeup completely leaving fresh feeling
- Mild plant-based cleansing ingredients and Papain enzymes, the exfoliating enzymes extracted from papaya fruit, remove makeup completely and exfoliate for smoother skin.

Instructions for use (taken from the Laneige website):

1. Wet face and then release about a coin-sized amount of cleanser to massage onto face and melt makeup.
2. Use every day to purify pores for brighter skin.

SUMMARY OF REVIEW:

My thoughts: One bottle of this can last you for a long time, even when you use it twice daily. All you need is a 10-cent sized amount.

 

After adding it with a little bit of water, the foam that formulates is dense and doesn't result in a lot of bubbles. You can use this to remove light make-up or sunscreen too! I have tried this previously and it does remove BB Cream / Sunscreen very easily, leaving your skin clean and great-smelling. :)

*there are other reviews which may mention that the cleanser often leaves their face feeling "too clean" and tight. But that wasn't a problem for me. For those who do experience the tightness (or are worried about it), I would suggest using a light moisturiser such as Hado Labo hydrating lotion afterwards. 

Would I buy it again: Yes. This has been a staple facial wash of mine for a little over a year now. I am currently on my second one, and had bought two more when I was in Seoul. :)

Price: 17000 won (S$20) @ Lotte Duty Free (Seoul), S$24.90 @ qoo10.sg, S$35 @ local Laneige stores (SG)

Verdict: 10/10

Thanks for reading this! And do share your thoughts about this product!

♥ Apple