Paula's Choice CLEAR Acne Kit Review

Hello Everyone!

Wow, I cannot believe it's been this long since my last product review :| I hope you still find my blog useful and hopefully I'll get back into the habit of doing more frequent reviews! :)

Long story short - I had came back from a two weeks business trip in India back in August and my skin took a turn for the worst :( It might've had something to do with the food that I had consumed while I was out there but most importantly - their poor water quality. India is one of those places where even doctors would recommend you brushing teeth with bottled water due to their water issues. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford to wash my face with bottled H2O as well so it became extremely bumpy and I had gone through rounds of break outs for weeks after this trip...

While trying to rescue my face, specifically targeting these crazy break outs...I came across Paula's Choice CLEAR Acne Kit. Paula's Choice hasn't really being on my radar in the past because you typically don't see their products at Sephora or any of the beauty section in Macy's/Norstrom so I was a bit skeptical on the quality and effectiveness of it. For USD$13, I was able to get 3 trial size bottles so I figured why not give it a shot. Additionally, they claim to be fragrance-free and suppose to be great for sensitive skin to use as well.

Let's go through each of these products - first, the CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser: I actually like this cleanser quite a bit because it just feels...clean! My face doesn't feel dried out after each wash and it also doesn't leave any residue which is a major plus. Personally I don't like those cleansers where they claim to keep your skin "moisturized" by leaving an invisible layer of oil of some sort that could never be washed off so Paula's Choice won my heart in round 1.

CLEAR Anti-Redness Exfoliating Solution - This is step 2 of the kit and counts as their "leave-on toner". I thought it was a little strong for me in the sense that after you softly wipe your face with a cotton ball filled with this solution, it exfoliates the top layer off of my face to the point where my skin turns a bit red. It also smells a little funky, potentially has to do with the 2% salicylic acid inside. I don't enjoy using the solution in the morning as much since I have to follow up with sunscreen and other make up products which occasionally causes some irritation to my skin. but I do like to use it at night because it does make my skin feel and look much smoother the next morning!

CLEAR Daily Skin Clearing Treatment - As the last step, you're suppose to apply this product on acne prone/active area. This step dried out my skin quite badly unfortunately so I tried to minimize the use of it unless my skin is extremely inflamed. Similar to step 2, I tend to use this product at night only. It contains 2.5% benzoyl peroxide that's meant to prevent acne breakouts - I like to use it as a way of reducing the redness of my active acne overnight so that I can wake up to a much better looking and calmer face.


All in all - I'm pleased with this line of products and I actually ended up buying the full size cleanser (USD$12) and the exfoliating solution (USD$26) because I did see an improvement of my skin after the first 2.5 weeks of using the trial kit. 
I will most likely try out more of Paula's Choice products and will let you know how they are afterwards!
Thanks for dropping by and happy Friday :) 

Happy New Year!!

Happy New Year Everyone! :)

Sorry I've been MIA for almost 3/4 of a year in 2014 as a ton had happened in life (mostly good though)! I will do my best in sharing more product reviews, skin care tips, and miscellaneous posts in 2015 :)

That being said - to follow up on my previous post regarding Zoya nail polish, their 2015 three free bottles of nail polish (~$27 value) is back! The deal expires today (1/14/15) at 11:50pm EST so act fast! The new twist with this year's new year deal is that for $15, not only do you get three full size bottles, you also get three mini exclusive "mystery shades" that's not available for sale!

I'll let you guys know as soon as I receive mine and will let you know what I think :)

That's all for now, more to come later so have a great rest of day everybody!

New Fav - Zoya Nail Polish!

Hi Everyone!

Sorry it's been a long while since my last post - life has been quite a roller coaster the past month but I'm now back on track and ready to share new things with you again :)

Today I wanted to introduce you to my latest nail polish brand addiction - Zoya! This addiction started back towards the beginning of this year when a friend of mine sent me a deal to Zoya nail polish (3 colors for US$12). Since this was my first time trying out the brand, I ended up getting 3 different color finishes including their newest PixieDust finish in Sunshine, Holographic in Storm, and Cream in Elodie.

All the colors that I chose were rated either 4 or 5 on their opaque/intensity scale and after trying on the first color, I must say I'm thoroughly impressed at how opaque the polishes are with only one coat!

The first color I had put on was PixieDust finish in Sunshine. It's a navy blue, matte finish coat with a ton of sparkles. The texture sort of reminds me of fine sandpaper. One thing to note is that since this is a matte finish - do not apply a separate shiny top coat as it will defeat the purpose of it being matte :P The polish lasted fairly well despite my weekly rock climbing routine. I dreaded removing the polish but it turned out to be one of the easiest sparkly polish to remove ever for me!

The second color that I tried on was Holographic finish in Storm. It did take ~2 coats to achieve the color I was looking for but it was holographic indeed! There was a high concentration of micro fine-diamond-like holographic glitter which paired up perfectly against the rich black base! I do like darker colors but this one looks a tad bit more interesting than just pure darkness :P

Last but not least is the Cream finish in Elodie. This one didn't quite live up to the high expectation I had after experiencing the other two colors. There was nothing wrong with the polish itself but there was nothing special either unfortunately. Similar to Storm finish, I had to put on 2 coats to achieve the opaque color that I was looking for. The color on this one is not as red as the picture shown below, instead I would describe it being more of a hot coral color with a slight tint of pink.

Overall, I'd have to say that the colors shown on their website are fairly close to what you see in real life and Zoya definitely wins on anything with sparkles! If they ever have another 3 for US$12 deal, I'd highly recommend you trying out a few of their sparkly finishes :)

NARS Multi-Action Hydrating Toner Review

Hi Everyone! Happy Wednesday to those of us who are one day closer to the upcoming long weekend :) Today, I wanted to share with you guys my thoughts on the NARS Skincare's Multi-Action Hydrating Toner which I've used steadily for the past 2+ months.

For whatever magical reason, I've lived the past 28 years blindly without ever applying toner on my face until it was introduced to me by a NARS makeup artist at Saks Fifth Avenue in SF. [I had signed up for a free makeup consultation sponsored by work last December and was sold on the concept of adding "toner" to my daily routine.]

By definition, toners are meant to help restore our skin's pH level after cleansing. It was created back when people were using bar soaps which had the tendency of raising our skin's pH level beyond its natural/preferred stage. Nowadays, due to all the fancy face washes we have, toners are used more for general skin restoration as it contains antioxidants and skin-repairing substances.

That being said - I decided to give NARS toner a try since it was highly recommend during my consultation for my extremely dry skin. This toner claims to "hydrate, soften, and exfoliate" which seemed like a perfect fit where it moisturizes and gently removes all the dead/unwanted dry skin cells on my face.

This toner is priced at US$32 before tax for 6.7oz bottle. As much as I wanted to rave about this, I unfortunately am just not a big fan of this product :( It did an okay job with exfoliation to remove the dead skin cells during application, however, I felt it was too temporary. I continued to have the same flaky skin issue on my forehead after cleansing and have not seen any improvement despite having used this toner consistently for a while now.

Another slightly bothersome fact about this product is their bottle design. The pump tends to leak or drip quite frequently. Although I do wipe it clean with the cotton pad each time, I feel like I'm forced to waste or use up more of the product than I really needed to.

I'm about two-thirds of the way through with this bottle and can't wait to try out something new next :P Perhaps NARS skin care is just not the right fit for my skin but do let me know if you have a different experience or have a suggestion on which toner I should give it a go next!

That's all for now, thanks for stopping by until next time :)

Liquid Eyeliner - Stila vs Dolly Wink

To be perfectly honest, I didn't actually use eyeliners of any sort till maybe ~2.5 years ago. I started off with pencil, then my old college housemate introduced me to liquid liners, and I eventually welcomed gel liners into the collection after sifting through countless numbers of YouTube videos :) [I'll post about the 3 different liner use cases in the near future to hopefully help you understand when and what to use!] That being said - for today, I wanted to share with you guys the most popular liquid eyeliners in the states and in Asia, which I personally have tried as well.

In the states, the makeup artists or beauty consultants that I've encountered usually recommend Stila Stay All Day Waterproof liner. It comes in multiple colors and the one I got was Jet Black. This liner feels like a pencil in hand but comes with a clean felt tip. It costs US$20 and can last up to a year depending on your usage.

PRO :: Jet black is extremely rich in black where one stroke is really all you need to achieve that clean dark line! It's easy to use and lays down fairly precisely. The liquid also doesn't "crack" when dried on your skin. I've seen other brands of liquid liners where the ink would turn into tiny hard flakes and breaks off throughout the day as it completely dries.

CON :: This might be due to the way how my semi-mono lid is folded, but if I were to line my eyes all the way to the inner corners - I'd actually turn into a clown about midway into the day. The liner would smear (despite having primer on) right where my eye folds are and creates two dark spots on my eyelids. I've actually gotten comments from my coworkers asking "what's that on your eye?" :( The workaround is to only line the second half of my eye from the middle of my pupil to the outer corner for the wing.

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In Asia on the other hand, Koji Dolly Wink Liquid Eyeliner is probably the most beloved liner. Unlike Stila, Dolly Wink liner comes in a stiff brush type of tip. It applies cleaner than Stila's felt tip and is more sensitive in reaction to the different pressure and angle of your hand during application. You can purchase this online or in local Japanese stores for anywhere between US$18-$20.

PRO :: The stiff brush tip makes your lines ultra clean. Similar to Stila, the ink doesn't crack and most importantly, it doesn't smear on my lids! So far I haven't been asked about looking like a clown and even on lazy days without eye primer on, Dolly Wink still holds fairly well!

CON :: The black ink is not as rich of a black when compared to Stila. It does require double layering on some parts if you want to achieve that dramatic black line.

Hopefully you've found this post somewhat useful! As always, please feel free to share your feedback and comments below and I look forward in hearing from you!

P.S. If you haven't already - follow me on g+ for my new #photoaday posts!

Did you use sunscreen on your face today?

A few months back when I went for my 3rd facial (3rd in the last 28 years that is) prior to one of my best friend's wedding, the aesthetician asked if I use any sunscreen on my face. I immediately responded with "I'm pretty sure my BB cream has SPF something..." and before I could finish she responded with a firm "that's not enough!"

Being a curiosity monkey - I did some additional digging and it's come to my attention that these ultraviolet (UV) rays are not only invisible to the naked eyes, they also act like sharp arrows, silently shooting down our skin cells one at a time. Too little UV ray may lead to a lack of vitamin D, but too much UV ray can actually lead to direct DNA damage, increase skin aging, or even cause skin cancer in extreme cases.

Random inspirational sketch :P

So here I am, several months later, have finally gotten into the habit of applying facial sunscreen before I leave the house every single morning (yes, even on gloomy days!) and I wanted to share with you guys my current favorite product!

I don't know about you guys but I don't really like the thick, oily, shining feeling that regular sunscreen provides and the last thing I want to do is to rub them all over my face... So the key criteria I used in looking for the perfect sunscreen are water-based light weight formula, good for daily use, and high in Sun Protection Factor (SPF) coverage. What I've found is Shiseido's oil-free UV protector (SPF 42) that meets pretty much everything on my checklist!

PRO :: This is a super light and non-greasy product just like what I had pictured in mind! It comes out in a milky liquid format that absorbs quickly and leaves your skin in a matte finish. The scent smells great and the product is good for up to 42 minutes of sun protection and is totally okay for daily usage!

CON :: 1) Pricey for one oz. of product at US$30 before tax! Depending on how often you are underneath the sun, you could go through bottles easily with multiple applications throughout the day. 2) Because of its matte finish, combined with my super dry skin - it occasionally leaves a chalky look on the driest part of my face. What I do to compensate for this is to apply extra moisturizer in those areas prior to using this product.

P.S. Since this is my current favorite facial sunscreen, I will continue to be on the lookout for a more affordable yet comparable product if there is one out there! I will definitely share with you guys when that day comes :)

As always - don't hesitate to leave a comment below and let me know what you think. All feedback are greatly appreciated!

LUSH Fresh Face Masks

A friend of mine recently introduced me to LUSH's fresh face masks. After walking into their store, I was immediately drawn to the concept of using fresh ingredients. In fact, it's so fresh that you literally have to keep the mask in the fridge for a shelve life of ~2-3 weeks. Make sure to check for the latest expiration dates on the bottom of the mask container before you buy!

I was so excited during my first visit that after chatting with one of the LUSH employee, I went ahead and bought a pot of Oatifix* per their recommendation at US$6.95 for 2.1 oz of product. You get about 4-6 use out of it depending on the amount you apply onto your face. To use - just apply the mask over your skin, leave on for 10-15 minutes, then wash it off with warm water and pat dry.

*Oatifix can be described like a bowl of mashed banana mixed with oats and ground almonds. It's suppose to be super moisturizing and great for sensitive and dry skin. That being said I unfortunately had an allergic reaction to this product. After ~5 minutes of leaving this product on my face, I started feeling this burning sensation which I then immediately rinsed off with warm water but the product left my skin with red rashes/lumps that lasted for a few hours. I had to try this mask a second time just to confirm that yes I am indeed allergic to it :( The mask does smell good (if you like banana that is) and leaves your face feel somewhat....oily but soft. It's oily in the sense that I feel like the mask left a film of wax or something.

Given my initial failed attempt - I thought I'd give LUSH another try since they do have a solid selection of masks. Instead of purchasing a full pot, I got two samples (Love Lettuce and BB Seaweed) this time. Each sample came in a tiny container and lasted for about 2 use for me. Luckily I had no reaction to either of the sample masks :)

Oatifix in full size pot and the other two in sample sizes. 

Love Lettuce is one of their more popular exfoliating mask. It contains ground almond, seaweed, honey, and french lavender oil. I do like the smell of it and it's also great for removing dead skin cells but it might be a bit too much for my face. My skin was left super soft as if a whole layer of skin was scrubbed off yet my face was super dry at the same time. I had to follow up with double the amount of my usual oil/moisturizer usage afterwards.

BB Seaweed on the other hand is most likely the one I will go for a whole pot next time. It contains ground almond for exfoliation with decent size chunk of seaweeds, mixed with aloe vera gel, honey, and olive oil. I'd say it's a good combination of what Oatifix and Love Lettuce was trying to achieve, leaving my skin feeling soft yet moist at the same time!

BB Seaweed Mask with chunks of seaweed!

That's all for now everyone! Hope you enjoyed this quick review. Let me know about the other LUSH masks that you've tried and liked! 4-6 masks for US$6.95 is not a bad deal in my book :)