Miss Say Reviews: Skincare Stuff

These are the stuff I bought recently. Spending way too much! Okay, they are "investments", as some girls put it.

Shu Uemura's Cleansing Oil has been much raved about everywhere. They really do remove every trace of make up as oil is the only product that can remove the toughest of mascara. Every bit of my foundation dissolved into the oil too. I love watching the oil emulsify into a milky solution when water is added to the oil. It's like science lab experiment everyday when I clean my face! I do however have two reservation about this. Firstly, I can't get the cleansing oil to spread around my eye properly. Either I get the oil into my eye resulting in blurry vision, or I'm left with residual eyeliner or mascara on the inner eye. Still finding my way around this product -- I've only started using this one week ago. So far, it is as good as the reviews raved everywhere. Get it.

Biotherm Aquasource Non-Stop Moisturiser. This product came highly recommended to me by many flight attendant friends who swear by it. Trust me, nobody knows better about moisturiser than flight attendants. The aircraft cabin air is so dry and the flight attendants have to wear full make-up for as long as some 16 hours at a go. They really do know how to pick a good moisturiser. I have been using Biotherm Aquasource for the last four years and I have no complaints at all. It is super light texture, easily absorbed, and best of all very very hydrating. Imagine this: 5000litres of enriched water in each jar. I literally feels my skin "drinking" up the moisture every time I splatter on this moisturiser. Because it is so light on my skin, using it under make-up ensures a matte face all day. My skin is constantly hydrated and refreshed. I can't emphasise enough how great this product is. Go get it! Pronto!

Kielh's Acne Blemish Control Treatment Gel. I've never used Kielh's product until recently. I had a minor zit outbreak so I thought I'd try this product. It is formulated with a powerful blend of blemish-fighting acids known to minimize the appearance of acne and blemishes. Well, frankly I think it works little to reduce the blemishes once they've already appeared. But perhaps it would be good as a preventive measure. Slight tingling feeling when I use it all over my face. I'd say this is not a must-buy.

No 7 Protect & Perfect Eye Serum. Works just like any other eye cream. Nothing spectacular. I'll stick to my SKII Advanced Eye Treatment Film. The ergonomics of the bottle is not well-designed either. Gotta stick your finger into a small hole to dig out the cream. I'm not liking it. Pass up this one, girls.

Dior Snow Sublissime Whitening Liquid Foundation. I have never been a fan of any whitening product so I was a little hesitant about getting this. Since my Lancome liquid foundation is running out soon, and Dior came highly recommended by some friends, I decided to try it out. The texture of this liquid foundation is thicker than expected -- just a little thinner than a gel or mousse. Because it is quite thick in texture, a very tiny pump of foundation is enough for my whole face. The thick texture does take a little getting use to but you'll find the smooth and brightening effect this foundation brings is enough to compensate for any negativity. My face appears more brilliant and tones the face shade evenly. I simply love how my face appears brighter after using this foundation! This is perhaps the "whitening" effect, and not a paler shade as expected of whitening products. Great buy.

That's all for my recent purchases. Go get 'em.

Miss Say Reviews: Nexcare Acne Patch

I don't know if it's the weather back home, or the unhealthy -- but totally to-die-for -- local cuisine that has unleashed a wave of pimple outbreak on my face. The weather back home is so hot and humid I don't even use moisturiser after I wash my face. Bad, I know. I only slather on night cream before I go to bed at night to make up for the lack of diligence in moisturising during the day. And even that has not been a nightly ritual. That's in addition to stuffing my face with the much-missed local cuisine which are more often then not unhealthy -- but oh so super yummy! No wonder my body is reacting in protest to such abuse.

First there was only one painful pimple. (Ok, I can handle that.) When I woke up the next morning, there were two. (Alright, just don't touch them.) And by the end of the day, three (THREE! *pitiful sobs*) are threatening to rise out of of T-zone. Except I know they won't because they are all headless pimples. These are the real killers, aren't they? Painful, swollen, and yet there is nothing one can do about them since there is no pus to squeeze out. I complained of my situation to my bestie while hanging out with her yesterday and she recommended me Nexcare (3M) Acne Patch. Well, she also swears by Clinique's anti-blemish solutions Spot Treatment Gel. But since Clinique doesn't do anything for my skin judging for past experience, I decided to try her other suggestion.

Nexcare Acne Patch works this way. Each patch is a water-based gel which reduces the swelling and redness of the pimple when applied. It works by absorbing the oil secretion of the pimple onto the gel patch. It also acts as a protective layer that prevents infection. Sounds simple and convenient enough to tempt any acne-tortured soul to give it a go. Last night before I went to bed, I apply three patches over the reddish swollen pimples. One was a ginormous size zit so I had to use the bigger size patch over it. The other two were milder so I patched the mini-me size ones over them.

I woke up this morning eagerly to investigate the result. Have the patches work their miracles overnight? Have they sucked enough oil out of my volcanic pimples to power up a whole village?

Well, I am happy to report that two of the smaller pimples are less swollen, and thus "flatter". They are almost invisible unless I press hard into the skin. Good job there. However I am not convinced the patch has much effect on the kingpin pimple. The zit is still quite swollen and red, and painful. I can't tell if much oil has been absorbed since the patch appears pretty clear to me. I believe the resistance from the monstrous zit is much too strong for the little acne patch's prowess.

So go ahead and try the acne patch on small, new-grown pimple. Patch them on immediately upon discovery. (They are clear and match one's skin tone closely. I like that.) As for for cosmic-sized zits, expect little effect but use it as a shield to prevent the infection from getting worse. I just replaced the patch over that massive zit with a fresh one. Work, little patch, work! Work your wonder!