Cleansers -Fancl - Mild Cleansing Oil
kissmark 11/27/2011 7:50:00 AM
Can't believe I havent reviewed this yet! I've been using this for the last 5 years. Prior to this I was using the DHC cleanising oil, which was too harsh and drying for me. Fancl is much more gentle, yet still very effective. It does a great job removing my foundation and the water proof sunscreen, but doesn't dry out my skin. I follow up with the MD Forte cleanser II and it's the perfect combo for me. One small thing is that it doesnt remove really stubborn waterproof mascara that easily, I have to rub it in a bit. But it's much better than the other mascara removers I've tried as they all irritate my eyes and make me tear up.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Clarins - Cleansing Milk for dry to normal skin
kissmark 11/27/2011 7:36:00 AM
Love this cleanser during the winter and have purchase several times already. Doesn't dry me out and and leaves my skin perfectly balanced after washing. Not too crazy about the packing though and would prefer a pump or something as it gets hard to get it out toward the bottom. It is not too cheap but it does last awhile. Overall a keeper for me.
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Hair Styling Tools -GHD - IV Styler (all sizes)
kissmark 11/22/2010 1:50:00 AM
Note I ordered my from Sephora, it says it is the "Classic" flat iron so I'm not sure if it is the IV style or not. I have thick, frizzy Asian hair and have tried different straightening methods over the years. The best result was with Japanese Thermal Reconditioning, but I had to stopp doing that because it was very costly. I had tried different moose, gel, spray and none of them do anything except weighing my hair down and makes my hair look greasy. I have heard that ceramic hair iron works but didnt want to shell out hundreds of dollars so I got a couple of cheap ones over the years, and they make my hair frizzy and dry instead of silky and smooth. I had given up on my hair when I was talking to one of my friends, who has blond, thin hair and whom I had always assumed had naturally beautiful straight hair. To my surprise she revealed that she actually uses this GHD everyday to make her hair look nice. She was an absolute believer and did such a good job on convincing me that this is the best thing ever that I bit the bullet and ordered this from Sephora just to try. I figured that if I don't like it I can always return, because my friend and I had completely different types of hair. Well it worked amazingly well! I have never achieved this kind of result with any other product except the Japanese TR. I am absolutely hooked! In the morning I only spent about 5min using it because 1. I don't have the time to and 2. I dont want to damage my hair too much. I have received several compliments from coworkers and people are always surprised that I only spent 5min doing my hair. So far I'm loving my new toy and although I promised myself not to use it everyday in fear of doing too much damages to my hair, I find myself reaching for it every morning! I do use a heat protectant spray with it as it gets VERY hot. So far, loving it and yup, I threw and way that Sephora receipt after I used it for the first time. It's a keeper!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Alpha Hydrox - AHA Souffle 12 percent Glycolic AHA
kissmark 5/7/2010 11:49:00 AM
Alright now I understand what the fuss w/ this product is all about - it really works! I have had acne since my teens, and as I got older I was mainly struggling w/ clogged pores and hormonal acne around on my chin. I was taking BCP and retin A mircro and the combination of these two kept my skin under control. However as I started contemplating about having children, I stopped both at the same time, and after a week my skin went crazy! In a desperate search to find something that is safe for pregnancy and would be a good alternative to retin a, I found AHA. And since this product seems to be really popular I decided to give this a try. When I first applied I didnt really like how it felt on my skin. It felt thick and my skin felt suffocated. However the next morning I woke to smooth, calm skin. Within a few days it cleared my clogged pores that were formed after I stopped retina a, and my skin looked just as good, if not better, than when I was using retin a. I am so happy with the result plan to use AHA for a long time! I will eventually add retin a back to my routine because of its anti-aging properties, so probably I will alternate AHA with retin a. I gave 4 lippies instead of 5 because: 1. I dont like the feeling after application. 2. The finish is a bit shiny, so I won't be using it in the morning 3. the packaging! many reviewers have metioned about the jar packaing. In addition to being unsanitary, it is also hard to travel with. I don't understand why cant just put it into a tube or pump. 4. This is true for AHA's in general, but if i have been picking or have a cut on my face, then it burns and itchies. But despite all these, it is still a fantastic product and I will definitely repurchase.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Shiseido - Anessa - town use sunscreen SPF30
kissmark 1/13/2010 6:38:00 PM
Another great sunscreen from Shiseido! The bottom line: great finish (evens out my skin tone, makes my pores less obvious, and keeps me matte) w/out drying me out! which is very important because most Japanese liquid type of sunscreens are quite drying and hard to use in winter. This one is cream texture in a tube, and has some moiturizing ingredients. I find this to be perfect in the winter months when my skin gets drier, and dont need a super high spf (but still pa+++). MU looks great on top as well. Also, this sunscreen is not hard to remove like the other Japanese sunscreens, you dont need a separate cleanser. Would definitely repurchase when I run out.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Unlisted Brand - Mentholatum Skin Aqua Whitening Milk SPF50
kissmark 11/29/2009 2:36:00 AM
This is from the same series as the Mentholatum Skin Aqua Moisture Milk spf 50, which there is a separate review for. I've been using the Moiture milk for awhile now, as it is more moisturzing and cheaper than shiseido/sofina/allie but still has a nice finish. However it was getting a little too dry for me in the winter, so i bought the Whitening Milk on a whim, and it definitely exceeded my expectations. As with the Moisture Milk this one is spf 50 and supposed to be water resistant. It is more moisturizing, but still leaves a very beautiful finish, neither greasy nor shiny. It is not as mattifying as the other sunscreens i mentioned earlier, so probably I wont be using this in humid summer, but for the other 3 seasons it is perfect! I think this is a good sunscreen for someone like me who is breakout prone (especially from s/s w/ avo), and whose skin gets dry in winter because of retin a. This one is more expensive than the Moisture Milk though. The listing price are the same for the two but with MM you get 40ml and the WM is only 27ml. If you like the finish of Japanese sunscreens but think Shiseido/Sofina are too dry for you, definitely give this a try.
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Moisturizers -DHC - Coenzyme Q10 Milk
kissmark 11/22/2009 1:20:00 AM
EDITED: overall rating lowered from 4 to 3 lippies. This is just too sticky and makes me shiny that I cannot use in the morning. I don't completely hate it but probably wont be repurchasing anytime soon, there are many other products out in the market that I want to try. ******************************************************************************* This is a decent, light moiusturizer. It is more gel/serum like, kind of transparent, than milk. It is somewhat sticky, and the stickiness doesnt completely go away with time either. But this is not a problem for me since I always put a mattifying sunscreen on top. The price is very reasonable, and the packaging is great in a well designed pump bottle. It keeps me moisturized and doesnt break me out, which is mostly what I'm looking for in a moisturizer. 4 lippies instead of 5 because I'm not sure if the Q10 is really doing anything.
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Powder -Kanebo - Revue Essence In Pact
kissmark 11/22/2009 12:57:00 AM
This foundaiton really exceeds my expectations! As a reviewer mentioned below, Revue powder foundations always rank very high on the Japanese cosmetic website cosme.net. I have always wanted to try it but was kind of put off by its price. The listed price is about $45, including the case. However, the company that makes this brand, Kanebo, decided to discotinue it for some reason, so now it's 30% off everywhere. But probably because of its popularity I think Kanebo is still making and selling it. The finish is very lovely, makes my face look flawless and covering all my pores and blemishes. The best part is that it is not drying. With most powder foundations, the matte ones make me really dry, and the moisturizing ones leave me greasy and shiny. So it is always a struggle to find a good powder foundation in fall/winter. This one well....keeps me matte yet doesnt dry me out! I dont know how it does it, but it is wonderful! If you ever go to Japan or can get your hands on this product, definitely give it a try, especially now that it is on sale. If you need color recommendation feel free to mail me. I am the typical Asian color and I use O-C.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Avene - Light Protective Hydrating Cream (Hydrance Optimale SPF 20)
kissmark 7/5/2009 9:41:00 PM
Love Love Love this stuff! It is a very light mosturizer that contains tinosorb s and leaves a beautiful finish. It does leave a VERY slight white cast, but as a result my skin looks more even toned, and my pores seem less obvious. It leaves a matte finish and isnt oily/greasy at all. In winter time I need to use a separate moisturizer underneath coz it doesnt provide enough hydration for me. It is spf 20 and contains tinosorb S, but doesnt label the ppd. In the summer time or really sunny days I still use another s/s on top. I will definitely repurchase. 4 stars instead of 5 because 1. I wish it is bigger, for the price you dont get much product. 2. Wish they would label the ppd like the other lpr s/s so I know exactly what kind of protection i'm getting.
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Sunscreen -Lancome - UV Expert SPF 50
kissmark 4/7/2009 11:06:00 AM
This review is for the new UV Expert Neuroshield spf 50 pa +++. This sunscreen was reformulated in either 2007 or 2008, and the old name was DNA Shield. The active ingredients are Meroxyl XL and SX. I've been using this almost everyday for about a month. I have combo skin. This sunscreen has a very light lotion like texture. It looks white when first squeezed from the bottle, but becomes transparent when applied to the face. The finish is nonoily and somewhat dewy. It is not mattifying so this might be too rich for those with super oily skin. Pro: does not clog pores (big yay!), does not make me breakout. Nonoily yet moisturizing. Con: * too expensive. The cheapest I can find is $35 for 30ml. If I use the recommended 1/4tsp per day everyday this will last me only 1 month. * when I use 1/4 tsp there is a slight shine and feels a little sticky. However these can be easily solved with a little powder. * although this has meroxyl XL and SX, I read somewhere that the ppd is only about 10. Lancome doesn't disclose % of the active ingredients so I have no idea what the ppd really is. Overall I really like the look and feel of the sunscreen and I think it is almost HG for non summer season. So far my experiences with sunscreen have been either too oily (most Euro ones) or too drying (most Japanese ones). This one however feels perfect, non oily yet keeps me skin hydrated. However I will not repurchase because it is too expensive for me. I cannot afford to keeping buying this. For those who thinks prices is not a big issue, definitely give it a try.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Sofina - Beaute SPF 24 PA+++
kissmark 11/15/2008 2:14:00 AM
This is a new moisturizer with sunscreen launched in 2008. I read before that this is to replace Sofina Rise and Vital Rich, although I am still seeing the other two series on the shelves. This comes in two spf levels, 24 and 50, and each spf level also has two versions, rich and ligh. This review is for the spf 24 Light version. As with the other Sofina sunscreens/moisturizer with sunscreens, the finish is beautiful. Non-greasy, matte finish which also makes my pores seem smaller. My mu looks beautiful on top. However for the winter time, this is not moisturizing enough to be used on its own for my combo skin. Although it is marketed as a moisturizer with sunscreen instead of sunscreen, I still need to use a separate moisturizer underneath. The other complaint is the price, I paid around $35 for 40ml.
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Sunscreen -Avene - High Protection Emulsion 40 SPF
kissmark 11/15/2008 2:04:00 AM
I got the new 2007 version, which contains Tinosorb S and M. I had high hopes for this sunscreen coz there were many raves on the skincare board, but I found the finish to be similar to the other Avene sunscreens. It feels thick when first applied, and my skin felt suffocated. There is a slight white caste which disappears quickly, but the most intolerant part is the fragrance. My face looked slightly shiny right after I applies, and my mu looked thick and ashy on top. My pores also looked huge and the sunscreen as well as my mu settled into my pores. I guess I will only use this when I don't need to look good or wear mu, will not purchase again even though the protection is excellent.
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Sunscreen -Unlisted Brand - Mentholatum Skin Aqua UV Moisture Milk SPF50 PA+++
kissmark 11/15/2008 1:58:00 AM
This is my HG sunscreen for the winter. I got this in the summer time (see my review for Allie Perfect Sunscreen) and found it was too heavy for me since the Japanese summers are super humid. I left it in my drawer untouched for months, and when the weather got drier I tried it again and it is perfect! It doesn't break me out or clog my pores, and the finish is beautiful and mu looks great on top. It has a runny milky texuture that is typical for most Japanese sunscreens. Compare to Sofina this is less chalky and more gel like. Unlike the typical Japanese sunscreen which tends to be very matte and can be drying in the winter, this one provides just the right amount of hydration as it contains hyalunic acid, without any greasiness or shine. The price is also great, I paid for about $7 for 40ml. For those who live outside of Japan I think you can order it from Sasa. This was reformulated in 2008 and Sasa only carries the older version as of the time that I wrote this review.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -MD Forte - Facial Cleanser II
kissmark 9/7/2008 8:22:00 PM
This is a great cleanser. I've been using RAM for the past few years but it's not really getting rid of all my clogged pores and blackheads, so I decided to add an AHA product in my routine. I've only used one other glycolic cleanser before, several years ago I got the Serious Skin Care's glycolic cleanser. I can't really compare the two because I don't remember why I didn't repurchase the SSC, but at least I know that I'm definitely going to repurchase this one. This cleanser leaves my skin soft and smooth, and it definitely helps w/ the clogs. The price is very reasonable and the bottle lasts awhile. I only use it at night because I'm afraid it'll be too much for my skin if I use it twice daily. After washing w/ this cleanser I use jojoba oil to moisturize, then wait 30 min and apply RAM. Twice a week I will use DDF's glycolic toner instead of RAM (on these nights I will use a different cleanser, don't want to have AHA overload). Now my skin is in the best condition it's been in years, and I think it's the combo of retionid + AHA that did it. As others mentioned the packaing is pretty bad, the only minus.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Everyday Minerals - Pressed Powder in Fairly Light Golden
kissmark 8/31/2008 10:13:00 PM
I really like this compact. I can't use traditional foundation (breaks me out), and hate the messiness of loose mineral foundation, so my options are limited to the few brands that make mineral pressed foundation. For the last 3 years I have been using the Jane Iredale Pressed. I liked it but it was getting too expensive for me, so I decided to looking for a cheaper alternative. Everyday Minerals loose powder foundation always got good raves, but the pressed powder got very mixed reviews. Plus, the only EM powder I've tried previously, the silk finishing dust, broke me out. So I was really hesitant to try it. But as my JI was running out, I finally decided to give it a try. As a previous reviewer mentioned, the finish is a little dewy (probably due to the jojoba oil). I always tried to stay away from dewy finish foundations because I don't want to look greasy and shiny, but this one is just right and I actually prefer this over JI, which is matte and chalky. The coverage is also heavier than JI. This foundation really makes my skin flawless with a healthy glow. A male coworker even commented that I look like I just came back from vacation, and asked why I look so relax - maybe because of the glow? It covers up all my imperfections and makes my pores less noticable. No breakouts either. My skintone is NC20/25 and I ordered two, in Fairly Light Golden and Fairly Yellow. The Fairly Light Golden is a tad dark for me, while the Fairly Yellow is slightly light. But I think I can use one for the summer and one for the winter. The only thing that bothers my about this foundation is the packaging. It is too flimsy to carry around for touch ups during the day, and I'm not sure if it's strong enough to carry on trips. The powder is not as tightly pressed as some others and when I apply with a brush, the top layer always comes loose. But I can deal w/ all these and still think the product is 5 lippies. I don't know if it'll look good during the really hot/humid Japanes summer, but for now, it's perfect.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No