Naruko Tea Tree Anti-Acne Sunscreen

Sunscreen is so so important in our skincare regime.. As you know, UV rays is very harmful to our skin, it is a must to put on sunscreen whenever you go.. 

In the recent years, I have been increasing the SPF level of my sunscreen from 15 to now 50!! But as the higher the SPF level goes, the more oilier it becomes.. And in this humid Singapore weather, it can be a burden to put on oily sunscreen.. 

I have been searching for something that is water-based (light in texture) without comprising my SPF for a very long time.. And I think I managed to find one 2 years back in Taiwan. 

Ta-dah... 

This sunscreen is very watery, tinted and has a refreshing Tea Tree scent. According to the description, it helps to prevent breakouts and beautify your skin at the same time.

For me, tinted sunscreen is always preferred versus a non-tinted one cause when I am lazy to put on my BB cream or foundation, I will just treat the sunscreen as a base instead & set it with my loose powder or ZA 2-way foundation. 

The coverage for this sunscreen is pretty decent. It can even out my skintone and cover light marks. For those dark acne spots & eye circle, concealer is required though. (I had took a picture of the before n after but it does not come out well. Will be updating the pic once I took them. )

It comes in a 30ml package and it must be shaked before use. If unopened, it can be kept for 3 years or until the expiry date stated on the bottle. Usually, 1 bottle can last me more than 3-4 months. 

I usually get this on my trip to Taiwan. But it can be found in the Singapore's watson as well, if I do not rem wrongly. 

I will definitely continue to use this until I find a better one in the future. Right now, I am into my 2nd or 3rd one now and had thrown away the others in my collection previously. 

Pros:

• Light texture 
• High SPF
• Tinted
• Cheap
• Pretty decent coverage
• A little goes a long way

Cons:

• Some might not like the Tea Tree scent

I

Laneige Purify-Tox Boosting Essence

I am first introduced to this detoxifying essence while I was in Seoul buying my first batch Laneige products..As I am not sure if their skincare is suitable for me and I do not wish to buy so many at one shot, I have given this essence a miss then.. 

After months of using those skincare from them, I know that their products are suitable for my skin and that makes me regret even more for not getting this detoxifying essence in Seoul cause SG did not carry this product yet!!

But luckily one of my gal frenz happen to be going to Seoul last month and she is very nice to agree to get it for me despite her tight schedule there.. I got hold of this product about a month back and has been using it ever since.. 

This is how the packaging of the essence looks like.. 

and this is the texture of the essence.. 

According to the salesperson who introduced me this product, she said that this essence helps us to detox and revitalise our skin from the harmful toxin which is the main reason why our skin still looks dull and tired even though we have a good night rest and failed to see any results despite using those brightening and expensive skincare..

That is the reason why I am so adamant in getting this essence cause I can totally relate to what was mentioned above!!

The texture is similar to the Water Bank Essence but a little more watery.. Like those Laneige products I have, absorption is fast and it has a pretty refreshing scent.. This is the first product to use after toning your face.. 

During the first week of usage, there are slight breakout ( 2-3 pimples) on my forehead and chin area.. I think this is the detoxifying effect of the essence to purge out the toxin inside as I did not change my skincare regime during that period.. Things started to get get better as I continue to use the essence.. 

Right now, I am in my 4th week of using the essence and I can feel that my skin is slightly brighter and glowy ( it is not as dull as before). I am attributing my slightly glowy skin to the use of the essence as I mentioned nothing has changed apart from the additional of this product.

I will continue to use this product and monitor my skin condition as it goes. Will update you guys again. 

UPDATES: 

I have been using the booster for close to 2 months and I still have around 2/3 bottle left. My skin radiance & condition remains the same after my last review. It could be due to my late sleeping habits and diet these days but I think I will not be purchasing this product after I finish this bottle. 

Pros:

• Easily absorbed into the skin
• Nicely scented
• Great Packaging (Can see the amount left inside)
• Watery, light texture
• Slight dewy, radiance after 1 mth of usage
• Not pricey ( Cost $40 in Seoul )

Cons:

• Slight breakout during first week
• Cannot get in SG

Etude House Fresh Cherry Lip Tint

I have seen alot of different lip tints but most of them are those clear type kind of dark red tint which I find it very intimidating.. That is the reason why I am scare to try them out cause I am not daring enough to go out with bright red lips.. 

But the trip to Seoul, the heaven for skincare & cosmetics introduced me to a lip tint that is unlike those I had seen before.. That is why I bought 3 at one-go!! 

This is the Etude House Cherry Lip Tint.. 

With & without packaging.. 

From left to right: Red (RD301) , Orange (OR201) & Fuchia Pink (PK002)

The packaging itself is also unlike those tints I had seen.. It is very cute & does not comes in a transparent tube that allows you to see how much is left inside but I am totally fine with it though some people might classified this as being a con.. 

It has a very nice cherry smell which me & my clients love.. And now coming to the part I love the most -- its creamy colour & smooth texture!! 

Colour swatch.. From left to right: Orange, Pink , Red

As you can see, the colour of the tint is exactly the same colour as the packaging.. What you see outside is what you get inside.. This is also one thing I like..

I do not know if it is just my personal opinion, but the creamy milky texture makes the color looks more pigmented & fuller as compared to those transparent tint.. 

It comes with a lip applicator for easy application.. It does not have uneven patches after application.. But if your lips are too dry & has too much dead skin, those part will become slightly darker.. When this arises, you know its time to do some lip exfoliation.. :)

The tint is pretty long-lasting, I do not need to touch up for >4 hours which is pretty good for me.. 

Another thing about this range is, it comes with 4 different colours unlike most of the brands which carry 2-3 very similar colors.

Just some tips for those who want to use this lip tint.. 

Apply lip balm. Do this before you apply your foundation so when your makeup is done, your lips will be moisturised & ready for the tint.

For those has darker colored lips, it is advisable to use some liquid foundation to prime your lips before you apply the lip tint for the desired colours to appear.

If you want a more dramatic & vivid colours, you can apply 2-3 coats of the tint onto your lips. 

This lip tint is going to be a staple inside my makeup trolley and I am going to get the light pink one soon to make it into a complete collection!!

Pros:

• Nice cherry smell
• Creamy, smooth texture
• 4 colours to choose from
• Can be applied on easily with the applicator
• Long-lasting
• Cheap

Cons:

• None so far

Faceshop Tea Tree Cleansing Wipes

I had used a few makeup removal cleansing wipes but my favourite is still the Faceshop Tea Tree Series. 

Tea tree has this antiseptic properties that helps skin blemishes so its just the right product for my occasional breakout. 

The packaging might look abit different from those sold in SG cause I bought this in Seoul.

Unlike the usual facial wipes, the cleansing tissue is like  net-like mesh cloth. According to the salesperson, this provides gentle exfoliation, deeper cleaning & removal of excess sebum while removing the makeup.

 

How the cleansing wipes looks like..

The cleansing wipe is pretty big & the smell is pretty nice. It comes with a resealable packaging that helps in preventing the wipes from drying up. I think the seal really works cause as compared to all the other cleansing wipes I had tried, this one really doesnt dry up easily. 

My face felt really 'clean' after using it. How should I say it? There are times when after removing your makeup, you still feel that it is not clean or there are still traces of makeup left. I totally did not have this feeling throughout the times I am using this wipe. 

Overall, I think this is a very good product & I do feel that my pimples breakout becomes lesser after using this. I am totally loving this removal wipes!!

Pros:

• Mesh cloth helps in exfoliation
• Face feels refreshed & clean with just 1 cleansing wipe
• Smells pretty nice
• Does not dries up easily
• Helps with my blemishes

Cons:

• None so far

My Makeup Removing Procedure

Removal of makeup is such an important procedure in our makeup process. Imagine the amount of chemicals mixed with dirt & oil staying on your face while you sleep. How can one not have breakout under this kind of condition!!

This post is to share my makeup removing procedure & hope it will work for you guys as well. :)

Like I mentioned earlier, makeup removing is very important. But just like some girls,I used to overlook the importance of it until I started having adult acne. During that period of time, I will put on lots of makeup & concealer to cover up the pimples & blemishes. 

The amount of makeup on my face increased but the steps I used to clean off the makeup remained the same, which is like only using my cleanser to double cleanse. Can you imagine what happened?? My skin condition worsen!! 

I begin to take removal of makeup seriously after the doctor advice. Despite how tired I am after a full day of activities in school or after a night of clubbing, I will still complete my full removal process diligently. 

I had tried on different types of makeup removal like cleansing milk, cleansing oil, cleansing lotion, water-based cleansing gel, cleansing wipes etc. But because of how sensitive my skin is after the application of those products prescribed by the doctors, it is hard for me to find something that suits me & can last me for months without having minor breakout. 

After trying so many products, I finally found a great combi for removing makeup. There are 4 products I used in my cleansing procedure. 

    1.  Bifesta Eye Makeup Remover
    2.  Faceshop Tea Tree Cleansing Tissue
    3.  Bifesta Cleansing Express - Brightup
    4.  Normal Cleanser


First thing, I will use a cotton pad & put the eye makeup remover then cover it onto my whole eye area for 10 second before slowly wiping it in a downwards position gently. Will repeat the step until most of the eye makeup is removed.

After that, I will use a cotton bud & put some eye makeup remover onto it & use it to clean the remaining eye makeup near the upper & lower lash line. Most people will think that our eyes are clean thoroughly with zero makeup after using the cotton pad. You will be surprised by how dirty the cotton bud will look after this process. :P

Next, I will move on to use the Cleansing wipes to clean my full face. I will use cotton pad with the Bifesta Cleansing Express to clean again to make sure that no makeup remained on the face. 

Lastly, I will cleanse my face with my daily cleanser!!

I know it is a pretty long procedure & alot of time will be taken up to clean the face. But as long as this works for me, I think the time spent is all worthwhile. 


      

Laneige Water Bank Essence

Laneige products are so cheap in Korea!! That is what leads me into getting 3 products from them in one shot despite my sensitive skin & first time trying out their product. 

The product I want to review here is one of their star product -- Water Bank Essence. 

Water Bank Essence

Just like the Water Sleeping Pack, I had been hearing alot alot of raves about this serum upon its launch. Finally I got to lay my hands on one & get to try it out myself. 

Texture of the Water Bank Essence

The texture of the Water Bank Essence is even lighter than the White Plus Renew Emulsion!! Absorption is fast as well and the smell is heavenly too. 

The product packaging claims that it helps to supply, circulate & retain moisture for 24 hours. And the seaweed & chestnut extracts help to promote the turnover of dead cells and exfoliates the skin for clean & lively skin texture.

As mentioned on the previous post, I had been using Water Bank Essence together with White Plus Renew Emulsion for 4 mths. My skins looks more radiant & supple after using the products. 

As for moisture & hydration wise, I think the Water Bank Essence really works for me. Due to my adult acne problem, I will have to use some really drying products like clinda gel & Stieva A periodically. 

Because of those products, my skin can become really dry & starts to peel. But after using the Water Bank Essence, my skin does not peel even though I use those products everyday & on top of that, it still feel pretty hydrated.

I totally love the light texture of the essence & how hydrated & supple my skin looks after using it. This is definitely a MUST-HAVE for those who have dry skin. 

Pros:

• Even lighter texture than White Plus Renew Emulsion
• Smells heavenly
• Very hydrating
• Easily absorbed
• Hygienic pump packaging
• Cheap for the effect it gives (if you buy in Seoul)

Cons:

• None so far

Laneige White Plus Renew Emulsion

How many steps do you have in your usual skincare routine?  Many will reply 3 steps -- Cleanse, Tone, Moisture. 

That used to be my answer as well until I start using serum when I turn 25. But recently, after my korea trip, it had 'upsize' to 5 steps. This additional step together with the serum is the reason why so many Koreans have such to-die for skin!! (I read this from somewhere online)

This is what I want to introduce today -- Emulsion. Emulsion is a light moisturiser that can be use as a moisturiser by itself if you have oily skin OR it can be use after your toner, before serum to retain your moisture in the skin & help in better absorbtion of the product following it.

I had been wanting to try out emulsion for a very long time but I do not know what it is & how to use it until I went to Seoul last year. 

I was shopping for skincare at Laneige & was tempted when I saw this White Plus Renew Series. I am bothered by acne marks & needed something to lighten it. And White Plus series is the whitening range for Laneige. 

For me, if I want to try a new range of product, I will go for the serum first. But I want to try out the star serum -- Water Bank Essence. So in the end, I went for the emulsion for White Plus Series 

White Plus Renew Emulsion

How the texture of the emulsion looks like. 

The texture is pretty light & easily absored into the skin. Like all the Laneige products I am using, it has a very nice smell. 

According to the packaging, The White Plus Renew emulsion helps to soften, calms & replenish moisture to weary skin. 

I had been using this product together with the Water Bank Treatment Essence for almost 4 months. I must say that my skin does look more radiant & moisturised after using them. It is pretty hard for me to use new skincare products cause of my sensitive skin. Most of the products I had tried before Laneige are too oily for me & within a few days/weeks of using it, I will have all those stupid breakout. So I am really glad that Laneige is working pretty well for me so far. 

I will use 1 or 1.5 pump of White Plus Renew Emulsion every morning & night before my essence or before my Water Bank Mask on some nights. 

Will I recommend this to my frenz? Erm, well I just bought my 2nd bottle!!

Pros: 

• Light, non-sticky texture
• Easily Absorbed
• Nice smelling
• Skin feels softer & radiant
• Hygienic pump packaging

Cons:

• Glass packaging, abit heavy to bring overseas.