Moisturiser Talk

Hi. I have combination skin. Do I still need a moisturiser?

This is the question that I always deal since teenager until now.  In school, rarely I will wear lotion/emulsion/moisturiser. I only use sunscreen lotion, which aggravated the oiliness and pimples on my face. I only had pimples over my forehead and temples area. I thought my oily skin could cover the need of moisturiser on my face. So, no need for moisturiser.

When I was in university, my skin has reduced the production of oil. Though I still have occasional breakout. During my final year I started to developed whiteheads along my jaws line that led to acne formation. I couldn’t stand it, but I didn’t take much account on skincare because I was focusing more on my study. So, no time for moisturiser.

Then, I started to work. Working in medical field, you don’t have time to really take good care of your well being for the first two years. You work and work; sometime you will skip your meal. The whiteheads and acne over my jaws worsening. So I was desperate to find product to control/reduce my whitehead/blackhead/acne. So I read up about b.liv by Cellnique on a website. I went to SaSa and bought that. The product really reduces my skin problem. But I encountered new problem. Over dry skin! I need a moisturiser.

I started looking for good moisturiser. Below are the current moisturisers I use which work good on my skin.

High end moisturisers:

1) Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Moisturising Gel (RM210): I have been using this moisturiser since 2010. It easily absorbs and smells flowery. The texture is watery gel. The whitening effect is not profound. To me it is just a normal night time moisturiser. But recently, I found my skin is drier than before, thus this moisturiser is not enough for my skin.

2) Origins Make A Difference™ Plus+ Skin rejuvenating treatment (RM190): Then I searched for this. It has creamy gel in consistency. Need longer time to absorb and has strong minty smell which is quite disturbing. First week of using it I felt it softened my skin, and then the next week it caused breakout on my skin. Maybe it is too moisturising so I alternate use it with other creams.

Drugstore moisturisers:

1) the bodyshop Vitamin E Moisture Cream (RM54): Moisturising with scent of lily/jasmine. Creamy in consistency. A decent face cream.

2) SANA Nameraka Honpo Soymilk Medicated Cream (RM53): Very moisturising with flowery scent. Good in lightening scar. Unfortunately SaSa and Watsons have stopped selling this brand. Thus, if I desperately want to continue to use it, I need to buy online.

3) Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening cream (RM59): I just bought this recently as to find alternative to my favourite SANA moisturiser. No scent with gel consistency and moisturises well.

My apology for the short review of each cream. I don’t like to write long review because I feel that will bored the readers.

November 2013 empties

1. Shokubutsu sakura body foam 500 ml

         This is just a simple body wash that cleanse but non-moisturising. Smell fair. Good price.

2. Bio essence tanaka white serum 30 ml

         This serum has good review in every blog that I came across. But from my experience it done nothing,           my freckles and dark spots are still same colour. Smell horrible too.

3. Elysyle tricho care hair tonic 100ml

         It is refreshing to my scalp. I have fine hair that easily to break and fall. Thus I really need good hair              tonic to prevent hair fall. Though at the moment I don’t see immediate improvement to my hair, I will              continue to repurchase this tonic.

4. Bio thymus F shampoo

         Mild shampoo.

5. Guardian magical garden gel hand soap 500 ml

         Normal hand soap.

6. Nivea body UV whitening serum

         This lotion gives me sticky feeling. It doesn’t really settle down to skin.

7. Kila doll tranexamic acid whitening mask

         Fair facial mask.

8. Dove beauty bar

9. Kao white elegant floral soap

10. Majolica Majorca pressed powder

         My second hit pan of this pressed powder. Well I never use other pressed powder. The first time I got          this, immediately I fell in love with it.

11. Zact whitening toothpaste

         It does remove stain over my teeth. I will continue to use it.

Current skincare product

I love to read about other people skincare regimen. I believe people with best skin are Japanese. Well that is true! When I was in Japan (circa 2007), I mingled with many people there. As I was living in the Kagoshima University International House, I got to get along with people from Egypt, Bulgaria, Thailand, China, Korea, Britain and US of A.

I noticed Japanese people have very good skin, moist, supple and free of acnes. It is very rare to see Japanese with skin problem. Most of them don’t wear so much makeup. The idea of makeup for them is to enhance the beauty. Unlike western people, makeup is to camouflage skin impurities.

Japanese ladies will spend more time and care to get the flawless skin. They also will spend more on beauty essence and beauty drinks (eg: collagen drink, anti oxidant drink).

As for me, I try my best to spend more time on skincare and find the best skincare products that is value for money and my needs. I am very minimalist with cosmetics. For my blog readers’ information, I have combination skin (oily on T-zone and dry patches over the cheeks and around the mouth area).

Cleanser:

1. Biore facial foam pure mild: I use this in the morning. Although it stated as mild cleanser, but still it is a bit drying for my skin.
2. Shiseido white lucent brightening cleansing foam: I have been a loyal user for this product almost 2 years. It really cleanses my face without stripping my skin natural oil. The smell also is very nice. Though it is a bit pricey but I don’t really mind as long it does the job well. I use this at night.
3. Origins never a dull moment skin brightening face cleanser: I alternate use this with the Biore in the morning. It has good smell but it doesn’t cleanse so well. Definitely won’t repurchase after I finish this off.
4. Shiseido men deep cleansing scrub: I use 1 to 2 times a week.

Lotion:

1. Cyber colour brightense intensive moisture optimiser: this is actually a free product that I got from Sasa. They have this stamp programme, once you filled up all the stamps required, you can redeem a product (yup I really sucks with that). Anyhow, I use this in the morning after washing my face.
2. Kracie clear lotion: this is a cheap lotion that I bought from Watsons. I will use this at night after washing. A normal lotion that cleanses up any residue from facial foam.

Serum/essence:

1. B.liv by cellnique off with those heads gel: I swear this is the best product and staple in my skincare. Since I started using this in 2010 (yup specifically!) all the whiteheads over my jaw area were gone. Blackheads over my nose area reducing in size. Occasionally I will get pimple, let say once in 6 months. If you want to invest a good skincare product that delivers what it claims, this is the product that I recommend to you. I only use this in the morning after lotion.
2. O’slee lemon soda serum: I just started using this about a week ago. Can’t comment much on it. I use it at night only.

Emulsion:

1. Shiseido the skincare day moisture protection SPF 15: I use during day time. It smells flowery and moisturising too. It may a bit oily but my skin loves it.
2. Shiseido white lucent brightening moisturising emulsion: I use at night.

Cream:

1. SANA Nameraka Honpo arbutin cream: I use after the emulsion. I only take a pea size and spread it all over the face and neck area. The smell is so calming and it does make my face brighter the next morning. Very moisturising.
2. Shiseido white lucent brightening moisturising gel: I alternate this with SANA. Although I have been a loyal user of this gel, but I find that SANA is much better in term of the moisturising.
3. L’Oreal White perfect laser moisturiser SPF 19: I use this during day time when I need more moisture for my face.  I don’t pair it with Shiseido the skincare moisture protection SPF 15.

Extra:

1. Shiseido the skincare eye moisture recharge: a decent eye cream. I only use it when I feel I need it.
2. Kose nature and co mint and tea sun protector SPF 50 PA3+: if I need higher sun protection, I will use this.

Quite plentiful, but as a reminder to readers, whatever products I use may not be working with your skin. Most of these are trial and error. But for my concern, my skin best react with Japanese skincare product. What is your skincare product/regimen?

Skincare purge

I was having skincare cleaning and noticed I have loads of expired products. Gosh, this is really disgusting! I don’t want to use expire skincare products on my face. Do you? Below is the photo of the products.

1. Organiga story revitalising hand cream organic green apple (not yet open)
2. Rose fairy hydrating hand lotion (not yet open)
3. Hada labo shirojyun emulsion: half way used, I dislike the smell and the texture. I’m not fond of the idea slapping my face to make the emulsion absorb into my skin.
4. Baylis and Harding French lavender moisturising body lotion: the smell is too strong, I will feel sleepy immediately after putting it on my skin.  It’s just a normal body lotion which has no moisturising effect at all.
5. Hada labo arbutin whitening essence: as I have mentioned in my previous post before, it has done nothing to my skin. This one was given by my sister because she got skin reaction towards it.

Second line is lip products
6. Bioglo Pink Lip essence
7. 2 Lip Ice Colour lip balms
8. Silky Lip balm
9. Watson bee gorgeous lip balm (halfway through)
10. Nivea lip care velvet rose (this is super drying!)
11. Nivea lip care repair and protection (a good lip balm but I totally forgot about it)
12. 2 Etude house milk screw lip balms (also super drying!)
13. Za lipstick
14. Organiga story enriched lip butter organic green apple

September and October 2013 empties

1)      Listerine Total Care mouth wash

2)      Skinfood papaya yogurt mask

3)      Kao white soap

4)      Oslee Rosehip Peeling Gel

5)      Oslee Rosehip Beauty Lotion

6)      Maybelline Hypercurl Volume Mascara

7)      Za deep cleansing oil

8)      Pearldrop freshmint toothpaste

9)      Shiseido white lucent brightening cleansing foam 125ml

10)   Pantene clinicare shampoo 250ml

11)   Pantene clinicare conditioner 250ml

12)   Guardian wet wipe rose

13)   B.liv by cellnique beads cleansing gel 50ml

14)   Pond’s facial foam   50g

Empty of the month

1. Dove soap
2. Antabax soap
3. Pearlie white advanced toothpaste
4. Zact whitening toothpaste
5. Kordel’s vitamin C
6. Etude House Dress room shower cream
7. Sofia goat’s milk shower cream
8. Body natur hair removal mouse
9. Three wet wipes from guardian (sea breeze and rose)
10. Kracie naïve olive wet wipe
11. Beauty diary pearl powder mask

Makeup and skincare purge!

I like to watch YouTube especially project pan videos. Apart from it, I also like to watch purging/decluttering makeup and skincare products. I admit, I am a skincare junkie. I like to try new skincare and experimenting with them. Then I realized, I have collected many skincare and makeup which I can bet, I will not be able to finish using it and most of my stuffs will pass it expire date. Photos below are the products those I want to throw away, either pass it expire date or affect my skin badly.  

1) Skinfood Aloe Sun BB Cream No 2: this is a good BB cream which match my skin tone perfectly well. However, I do not have bad skin and my routine skin prep does not include any BB cream or foundation. However, I do wear foundation on special occasion.

2) Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation 402: I bought this foundation because I want to mix it up with BB cream where the colour is too fair for my skin. 

3&4) Clinique derma white clarifying brightening lotion: this product is the worst ever. it makes my skin breakout. The smell also horrible.

5) Shiseido Elixir Superieur whitening CE emulsion II: I bought this in a set including a cleanser and toner. I found this product too oily for my skin. So off to garbage.

6) Differin gel: I used this gel to prevent premature ageing. However it passed the expire date.

7) Skinfood fruits brunch lip box: old product

8) Skinfood sugar bloom shadow box: the eye shadows are too powdery and causing fall off.

9) ZA eyes vibrante E4: old product

10) Etude house magic tint balm: old product and smell badly

11) Random eyelash curler

12) heme 24hr Hydrating Detox-white night jelly: causing itchiness to my skin

13) heme pore perfect purifying gel: does not do anything to my skin

14) BRTC jasmine water BB cream sample

15) Etude House precious BB cream mineral sample

16&17) Bloop Cupcake glosses

18) Sebamed lip balm: I used this when I go for swimming and it passed the expire date

19) SKII lipstick: very old product

20) Elianto sunscreen lip balm: old product

21) Random lip balm

The end of my project pan

88. Kordel's Lecithin 1200 mg, 180 tablets
89. Kordel's Gingko Biloba, 120 tablets
90. Natrol Biotin 10 000 mcg, 100 tablets
91. Biolife Co-en Q10, 50 mg, 30 softgels
92. Kordel's Bio ester C 1000 mg, 30 tablets
93. Kordel's Vitamin C 1000 mg + zinc
For me multivitamins are part of essential supplements. Since childhood, my dad forced us to take multivitamins. So, if my patients refuse to take their medication, I will tell them how many tablets I take everyday. Most of my patients are surprised when they know I take supplement as much as what they take daily.

94. Dove Hair Therapy Shampoo 250 ml
95. Dove Hair Therapy Conditioner 250 ml
96. Body Shop, Japanese Cherry Blossom Shower Gel 250 ml
97. Yardley Red Roses Soap
98. Dove soap
100. Kao white fresh floral beauty soap
101. Protex pro expert antibacterial soap

102. b.liv off with those head sebum gel 45 ml

103. Hada Labo arbutin whitening essence 30 ml

104. Shiseido White Lucent Softener 75 ml

105. Neutogena fine fairness daily lotion SPF 30 (this was my second bottle)

106. Nivea lip balm (an old lip balm)

107. Colgate Optic White Toothpaste (I didn't see any improvement of the fairness of my teeth, and I have another tube to finish off)

108. Colgate Total Whitening Toothpaste (normal toothpaste)

109. Leia rehydrating, lightening, firming collagen mask (This mask is super duper good and totally expensive. I got this from my beautician)

110. Beauty diary white pearl mask

111. Beauty diary white pearl mask

112. Diamond mask (It's a K-pop mask. Haha)

113. Sasatinie Rose Q10 mask

Yup, that's it. I finish total 113 products (which including 10 masks). And I still have many products to finish off. 

Project Pan Number Seven

Last 2 weeks, I went to participate a project in HUSM, Kubang Kerian. I managed to finished a face mask, a soap and  a travel size of mouthwash.

76. Diamond superwhite mask.
77. Antabax antibacterial soap (Yup, you can laugh at me. I brought along soap during outstation. People usually will bring along body wash. I admit, I'm old-fashioned and I love soap compare to liquid body wash)
78. Listerine mouthwash

Other products that I finished this month, and I'm really proud of myself.
79. Bioglo caramel peppermint shower cream (smells so good, you feel like eating yourself. Ehem, I'm not a cannibal)
80. Shiseido Tsubaki Shining Conditioner with tsubaki oil EX (best conditioner ever, which detangles my hair and makes my hair smooth. Definitely will repurchase after I finish my other conditioners)
81. Avelon Hair Fall Control and Scalp Repair (I like this shampoo, it smells herb)
82. Hada Labo Shirojyun Lotion (this is my second bottle which was given by my sister. I won't repurchase it because it doesn't do anything to my face)
82. Ginvera Nutri White Marvel Gel (a good exfoliating gel, now I'm trying to finish up my Shiseido Men Face Scrub)

83. Another antabax antibacterial soap
84. Doncaster de' passion papaya soap (this soap was made in Australia, I like the smell and it's quite big which lasted me for more than 2 weeks of usage. Usually, I'll finish a bar of soap each week)
85.b.liv by cellnique, sunblock and foundation (well I don't use foundation on daily basis, so this product turns out bad in it consistency. So off to garbage)
86. HeMe Rose 24hour hydrating instant recovery serum (normal serum does nothing to my skin)
87. Darlie toothpaste. (normal toothpaste)

Another 13 products to go to complete my project 100 pan.

Project Pan Number Six

I think this month is a good achievement for me since I managed to finish full size products which have sit on my bathroom counter for ages.

62. Naive Rose Deep Cleansing Foam 150g (a good makeup remover, but too drying on my skin)
63. Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Gel 50g (by the way, I have another 2 of this product in my drawer which are not open yet)
64. Silk Scarf Shampoo from Etude House
65. Silk Scarf Conditioner from Etude House
66. Clinique 7 days scrub cream (this is superb, makes my skin soft and smooth. Definitely will repurchase after I finish my Shiseido face scrub)
67. Lady Speed Stick Deodorant (I have this for a year and finally managed to use it. I don't want to brag, but I really don't have body odour)
68. Designer Collection Perfume (I love the flowery scent and may repurchase it)
69. Cordel Vitamin C 1000mg (daily supplement)
70. Natrol Biotin 10 000mcg (daily supplement)

71, 72, 73, 74, 75. Five sheet masks

 And, the final of today post is not in my project pan. I just want to share my experience. I am starting to take beauty supplement since working in a hospital on a heritage island, which is super HOT. I noticed my skin is starting to get premature ageing due to over exposure to sun. Thus, I chose Kinohimitsu J'pan UV Bright Drink. It's very tasty unlike other beauty supplement. After taking 16 bottles (I take one bottle daily), I still can't see any improvement of my skin. So I already bought another 16 bottles to continue the treatment. Please give some feedback if any of the readers had tried this drinks.

Project Pan Number Five

48. Kao white fresh floral beauty soap


49. Antabax antibacterial soap, active deo

50. Dove white beauty bar

51. Protex pro expert antibacterial soap

52. FairGlow soap with moisturiser

53. Skin Renew Smoothing Cleansing Foam

54. Skin Renew Smoothing Lotion

55. Olay Natural White Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30

56. Guardian Wet Wipes Green Tea

57. Beauty diary Hyaluronic Acid Moisturising Mask

58. Beauty diary Pearl Powder Mask

59. Kila Doll Tranexamic Acid Whitening Mask

60. Sasatinnie Rose Q10 Mask

61. Pearl Drops Extra Whitening Freshmint Toothpaste

Epic Fail of Project 100 pan

I violated the term(s) in my project 100 pan. By the way, I didn’t even set any term(s) and condition(s) for project pan. Two days ago, I went to nearby Watsons and was having window shopping. This sort of ‘window shopping’ caused me an impulse buying again, which I knew the stuffs that I bought already abundant in my stash. Thus, I penalize myself by adding two facial sheet masks to each item that I ‘accidentally’ bought at the Watsons.

Project Pan Number Four

42. Kordel Gingko Biloba

My daily supplement

43. Body Natur Hair Removal Mousse

This was my third bottle and will repurchase again.

44. Dentiste’s Plus White Herbal Toothpaste

I love the fresh peppermint scent. This toothpaste is awesome because it can prevent morning bad breath if you use it night before sleeping.

45. Safi Toothpaste

Normal daily toothpaste. I used it during on call time.

46. SANA Arbutin Soymilk Essence

I don’t see any improvement over my freckles and hyper pigmentation. But it has good rating in sasa.com. I’m doubtful of the effectiveness.

47. Crabtree and Evelyn Rosewater Glycerine Soap

This soap has overly flower smell that caused headache on me. I still don’t know why I purchased it.

I don’t have many empties this month. I’m looking forward for more empties next month. Another 53 products to go.