Bioré UV Light Up Essence | Review

I haven’t been a big fan of using sunblock until recent years after learning that exposure to sun can cause additional skin problems like break outs, more moles and maybe even skin cancer in the long run. Since then, it has been an aim of mine to find a good sunblock.

The previous sunblock I was using was good but it was being discontinued due to a discrepancy in the SPF rating. I still had quite a bit left but after testing, the SPF wasn’t as high as stated which means I wasn’t getting that much protection… So I had to find another alternative sunblock fast. 

After looking around for a while, this Biore UV Light Up Essence sunblock kept popping up on my timeline. Plus, it was pretty affordable, ranging from $16 - $19. It also has SPF50+ PA++++. 

My thoughts on this product…

Krave Beauty Oat So Simple Water Cream | Review

First beauty post of 2021! (Hoping to write more beauty related posts this year) 

I took awhile to decide whether I should get this product considering I'm quite picky with moisturisers/lotions. In the end, I got this product in May last year with my second order of Krave Beauty products. 

When it comes to moisturisers and lotions, I am picky about them because... Singapore is so hot and humid! I wouldn't want a product that is too thick or makes my face look oily. On the other hand, products that are not thick or oily, usually do not have the same moisturising value. 

Here are my thoughts after using this product...

April Skin Real Calendula Peel Off Pack | Review

It's been a while since I've tried new beauty products! Received this product for Christmas and finally had the chance to test it out! April Skin has been promoting this product quite actively on Instagram as I've seen this product on my feed quite a few times. Most of the time it shows how well this product removes things stuck in your pores. 

After testing this product out...

Krave: Great Barrier Relief & Beet The Sun ♥︎

For the longest time, I've wanted to try products from Krave after hearing good things about their sunblock but the shipping was not very favourable. Finally, they launched their global website with more affordable shipping so I went ahead to get some products. 

Krave Beauty
Great Barrier Relief
Beet The Sun 

COSRX: Acne Pimple Master Patch & Clear Fit Master Patch ♥︎

With the increasing workload, there's also an increase of stress. With the increase of stress, there's an increased breakout rate. So for the past few months, that's exactly what I've been battling with. Without the help of these COSRX Pimple Patches, I probably wouldn't have been able to survive these breakouts.

COSRX
Acne Pimple Master Patch
Clear Fit Master Patch

Innisfree: Wine Peeling Jelly Softener ♥︎

I recently have been trying out new skincare products. For some reason, these products are mostly from Innisfree!

Innisfree 
Wine Peeling Jelly Softener

This product was recommended by the sales personnel at the shop as I was looking for an exfoliating product. I felt that my pores were clogged and the dead skin caused the surface to be rough. So was looking for something to help with removing the dead skin and hopefully through that minimise the black heads.

Chanel: La Solution 10 ♥︎

I recently had the chance to try out a new product as a collaboration with Female Magazine. It’s none other than Chanel’s La Solution 10! It’s a cream for sensitive skin and when I first heard of the product I was on a holiday in the UK. Due to the cold and dry climate, my skin was in quite a horrible state with dry patches and itchy red spots or white heads all around my face.

Before I talk about how has the product worked for me, let’s first talk about the product. Here’s a description of the product as written on the packaging:

Soothing and de-stressing restorative moisturizer for sensitive skin. Defense against pollution.

The name La Solution 10 came about because there are 10 ingredients in this product. These ingredients include:

Water | Vegetal Squalane | Soft Powder | Glycerin | Silver Needle Tea Extract | Shea Butter Extract | Emollent | Emulsifier | Humectant | Preservative

Thoughts

Initially when I read up on the product, I thought it would be more like a lotion but the texture is more similar to a cream. Although it’s a cream, it’s pretty easily to spread over my face. I don’t have to pump out a lot to cover my whole face. There isn’t a scent to the product, there is a faint scent but it isn’t very strong like some lotions I’ve used previously. For friends with sensitive skin, I really recommend using products without scents as something the chemicals in the scents may cause reactions.

The product comes in a bottle with a pump top, which honestly I prefer compared to a tub, as it’s so much more hygienic! Also, with a pump it’s easier to control how much product you want to use, reducing wastage. Especially with sensitive skin, it’s safer to have a pump to minimize contact with bacteria and dust.

So, I’ve been using this product since mid April and at first I thought the cream didn’t help. I’d still have pimples and some redness around my nose. Then I realised something one day at work when I was standing out in the sun, my skin no longer had those itchy red spots that would appear when the weather changed. Those spots looked like little insect bites or rashes and they really itched. If I accidentally went to scratch it, the skin will tear and it’ll become an ugly scab.

Also, the skin doesn’t peel around my nose area as often anymore. Previously, my skin would get dry rather easily even when I apply lotion. When I apply any base makeup, the dry flaky skin shows up clearly. It does not look pretty at all. So far with the La Solution 10, although it doesn’t feel moisturising like the lotions I’ve been using, it does provide enough moisture for my skin to not flake.

Verdict

As this product is for sensitive skin, I would really for the friends in this group to give this product a shot. I react to change in the weather or climate and sometimes dust. My symptoms for sensitive skin include:

• Redness around nose and cheek area
• Dry patches, flaky skin around nose
• Itchy red spots and white heads on cheeks

If you can identify with these symptoms and they occur because of pollution, stress, climatic changes, you may wish to try this product out!

Innisfree: Green Tea Balancing Skin ♥︎

A new change to my skincare routine! I think I might end up switching to all the green tea products eventually. You'll see why as you read on~ I've really grown quite fond of the Innisfree skincare products!

Innisfree
Green Tea Balancing Skin

Basically after purchasing The Green Tea Seed Cream (read review here) I really was quite impressed with its moisturising properties. I also realised that my skin was actually drier than I thought it to be. So instead of a pore reducing toner, I should go for a moisturising toner instead to prevent flaking of the skin around my T-zone.

Unfortunately, due to the lack of time, I had to send my mum to purchase this for me. I didn't know that there are a few different green tea lines. Apparently, the different green tea lines cater to the different skin types.

• Oily skin: The green tea fresh line

• Combination skin: The green tea balancing line

• Dry skin: The green tea moisture line

• Special moisturizing and nourishing care line: The green tea seed line

She had to check with me what my skin type was before making the purchase. I'm of a Dry-Combination skin type so my mum got this toner for me.

Here's a description of this product from the Innisfree site:

A moisturizing and nourishing toner with eco-friendly Jeju fresh green tea & green tea seeds
More moisturizing and refreshing than ever before!

1. Green tea extracted from fresh green tea leaves harvested on Jeju Island is rich in amino acids and minerals that help keep the skin moisturized.
2. With a water-like texture, it applies smoothly and absorbs quickly without any stickiness.
3. The natural moisturizing agent betaine, derived from amino acids, provides intense moisture for combination skin to restore the skin's natural balance.

My Thoughts

It actually caught my by surprise when I first tried to use the product. Unlike the liquid texture of previous toner I've been using (unfortunately, didn't write a review for that), this toner has a thicker, gel like texture. I was a little skeptical at first on how it would feel on my skin but it felt fine ☺ It's not sticky neither did it feel thick.

The Green Tea Balancing Skin retails for around SGD $24 for 200ml of product. It is quite reasonably priced and toners do last quite a long time. Especially for this toner, I don't have to pour a lot out onto my cotton pad, around a 10c or 20c coin size would suffice 👍🏻

The Verdict

After using this product for around a week or so, I've observed that my skin seems more hydrated. Previously, if I skip out a day applying lotion, my skin would be quite dry and my foundation would be patchy. With this toner, my skin doesn't appear dry or patchy as quickly. I can't comment if there has been lesser oil secretion as the weather is really hot right now ☹ But really, hydrated skin really makes a huge difference; lesser dry patches, lesser breakouts.

I would recommend this product for people with combination or combination-dry skin. I'm not so sure about the oily skin type, as moisturising products might cause the skin to appear oily or shiny.

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Hope that this review was useful though it was a short one. I'm really starting to switch to mostly Innisfree skincare products. Probably going to be getting the Green Tea Cleansing Foam next!

Etude House: Pure Water Baobab Cleansing Foam ♥︎

Here's another beauty product review! I guess you'll be seeing more beauty product reviews more frequently now! 

Etude HousePure Water Baobab Cleansing Foam

At the beginning of September, I was given a sample of this product with another purchase from Etude House. I decided to try it out since I had an event and didn't want to carry a big bottle of facial cleanser out so I brought the sample. 

I liked how my face felt after using this cleanser so that week, I decided to purchase the full sized one from Etude House. 

My Thoughts 

For 150ml it retails around SGD $9.90. Which isn't too pricey compared to the other facial cleansers I've used before. I've used products from The Face Shop and Innisfree so comparing to those brands, this would be the cheapest facial cleanser I've gotten.

Since I tried the sample first, I didn't get to see the packaging. If I did see it first, I'm sure it would have caught my eye as well. Hehe. The pastel colours and the font looks so pretty! But what made me purchase it again was mostly the texture of the product and how my face felt after cleansing.

The product is like a gel substance and it foams up really well. I didn't dare to squeeze too much on my first try but it was able to wash my whole face. So I felt that it was worth the money as I don't need to use a lot of product. 

It also has a pleasant scent. It's not too overpowering but it's a sweet scent, not particular floral either. 

The Verdict

Comparing this to the previous face wash I was using, the Apple Juicy Cleanser from Innisfree, I felt like this wasn't too drying and in fact quite moisturising. The skin around my nose stopped peeling. Also, after using it a few times, the skin around my nose decreased in redness.

Other than looking pretty, the packing is pretty good too. Good in the sense that the cover does close properly unlike some other brands of facial cleansers where the cover doesn't close tightly after awhile. Personally, I prefer if the cover closes well as I don't like water going in to dilute the product. It just makes it feel yucky and unhygienic.

I would recommend this product to whoever who's looking for a basic facial cleanser that's moisturising. I like that it isn't too strong and my face doesn't feel tight or dry after using it. 

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That's all for this rather short review! Hope it was useful and that you'll be able to make an informed purchase. However, do note that this review is written based on my own experience and not everyone has the same skin type. If you've tried this product and want to share your thoughts, you are welcome to do so!