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AMOREPACIFIC Treatment Color Control Cushion SPF50+/PA+++ in 100C

February 6, 2016, 6:39 am
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Yes, we will talk about the flagship Amore Pacific Treatment Color Control Cushion today. It's about time.



I'm a huge fan of Caroline Hirons and I tend to hang out on her blog and YouTube channel quite a bit. Why do I like her? Because, unlike most beauty blogebrities these days, she's not 25 years old and she's not perfect.
And judging by the numbers of followers, many people feel about her in exactly the same way I do.

So yeah, a couple of months ago I was reading the comments on her blog and realized that there was one question that her fans keep asking her over and over, and which she very conveniently ignores.

And the question being:
Why don't you write something about Asian skincare products? Do you use Asian skincare? Please tell us more about Asian skincare!

Actually, that's two questions and one random comment, but I'm sure you know what I mean.

And whenever I see such questions directed at Caroline Hirons, I laugh so hard that Coke Zero squirts out of my nose. Why?
Because Ms Hirons, bless her heart, is a business. And any idiot who thinks that her posts are unbiased and non-sponsored, is indeed that - an idiot.

So the reason why Ms Hirons doesn't write about Asian products is very simple. No Asian companies have reached out to her PR people yet (and no, Tatcha is not an Asian brand).
Plus, she really likes those overpriced western "niche" brands, you know, those with "cutting edge" and "revolutionary" ingredients that are virtually identical to Hada Labo, but which cost 70 pounds per bottle.



I'm not sure whether Amore Pacific ever got in touch with Mr Hirons PR folks, but seriously, they should. She does endorse big name luxury brands, providing they are sufficiently expensive.
And Amore Pacific, with its flagship namesake brand, fancy ingredients, and equally fancy price tags fits nicely into that category.

Imagine what she could do for Amore Pacific Treatment Color Control Cushion, if she mentioned it on her blog! Literally thousands of good, little lemmings would run out to buy one.


And unlike those natural niche nonsense brands that Ms Hirons is so fond of, but which copy their ingredients wholesale from Asian products and think that an average woman is too dumb to notice, Amore Pacific is actually worth buying.


Why is it worth buying?
Because it's good. It might be overpriced, yeah, I agree with that, it might spout inflated claims here and there, but overall, it's a solid higher end brand with solid higher end products.

And this cushion - Amore Pacific Treatment Color Control Cushion SPF50+/PA+++ is no exception. It's not a coincidence that it gets rave reviews in the US (where you can buy it at Sephora). Because it's good. It's really good. And if you've read more than two posts on this blog of mine, then you know this is not something that I say lightly.


So, yes, let's get this party started.

Even though in the US there is only one Amore Pacific cushion available (correction - it seems that Neiman Marcus started to carry the anti-aging version with SPF25 as well), there are two in Hong Kong, and three in Korea.


image source: AmorePacific Hong Kong


As far as I could see, in the US you only get the Treatment Color Control Cushion (and exclusively at Neiman Marcus the anti-aging version with SPF 25). Hong Kong gets both types - Anti-Aging Color Control Cushion and Treatment Color Control Cushion. And Korea gets 2 types of Anti-Aging, where the main difference seems to be the level of SPF protection.

As it is normally the case in such situations, different shades are available in different countries.
Here's a handy compilation that I put together just for you:




My Amore Pacific Treatment Color Control Cushion is labeled as 100C. I got it on G-Market (a Korean e-commerce site similar to Amazon). And even by G-Market standards, it was pretty expensive (comparable to the prices in the US).


So what is this Amore Pacific, I hear you say?

It's the largest beauty company in South Korea. In 2014 its total revenue equaled 2.877 billion euro (by comparison, L'Oreal had total revenues of 22.532 billion euro).

Other differences - L'Oreal was founded in 1909, Amore Pacific in 1945; L'Oreal employs around 78 thousand people, Amore Pacific less than 12 thousand; L'Oreal and its many brands are very well known worldwide (including South Korea) while Amore Pacific is strongest on its home turf. When you consider the revenue of 2.877 billion euro in that context, then suddenly it turns out that Amore Pacific packs quite a punch.

And while we are at it, I am never sure how to spell "Amore Pacific" properly. Is it AMOREPACIFIC? Or AmorePacific? Or Amore Pacific?
Because I am lazy by nature, and to please the search engine gods, I am going to use all three spellings interchangeably.



Anyway, back to the cushion at hand.

If this is the first time you are seeing a cushion foundation compact, please click on the Cushion Foundation tab in the top menu and work your way backwards.

So, basically, a cushion foundation is a chunk of sponge that is saturated with foundation and housed in a special compact. You dab on the sponge with an applicator puff and then pat pat with the applicator on your face. Can't get any easier. No need for makeup brushes, beauty blenders, or getting your fingers dirty.

Amore Pacific is famous for its cushions. Iope, Laneige, Hera, Sulwhasoo are all Amore Pacific brands famous for their cushions. And yes, I think I have nearly all of them. (Nope, I don't have a problem, I simply like my cushions).

Confusingly, Amore Pacific is also the name of the flagship brand of AmorePacific corporation. And that Amore Pacific brand also has its own cushion, or two.

As you could see in the photos above, the box is simple and stylish.
The compact is also simple and stylish. (See Lancome, this is how it's done!)



Cushion refills from other higher end Amore Pacific should fit into it as well, so if you want, you can get away with filling it up with Iope or Laneige if you need a replacement refill.





That's the underside. As you can see, this refill was manufactured in September of 2014. Don't worry, I'm already done with it.

It's really easy to replace the refill, just pop it out of the compact. The trilingual leaflet in the box provides handy instructions in Korean, Chinese and English:



The leaflet also mentions that the puff is anti-microbial (RubyCell technology), which means it inhibits the growth of bacteria, which means you don't have to wash it after every single use.



Do not bend or fold the puff in two when you are applying makeup. You will break it. The idea is to tap gently to achieve that flawless, photoshopped finish.

What else was in the box? Apart from the compact (already preloaded with a refill) and a leaflet, a replacement refill is also provided for your convenience. So, while the whole box may seem very pricey, you are actually getting 30 grams of foundation in all.


Despite the much touted SPF 50+/PA+++, you'd be pretty stupid to rely on this cushion (or any other cushion for that matter) as your sole sunscreen. It's simply physically impossible to apply enough product to be adequately protected from the sun. Please be smart and always use a separate sunblock. Unless, of course, sunspots and skin cancer are your thing.

Inside the compact, it's pretty much all standard stuff:



As always, the cushion surface is protected by a sticker. Some people actually replace this sticker after each and every use, for as long as the sticky part will hold. I don't bother and chuck it in the garbage.



This is what the cushion surface should look like. The pores should be quite fine to help dispense the proper amount every time you press it with the applicator puff. Finer pores also keep the sponge from drying out too quickly.



My Amore Pacific Treatment Color Control Cushion is labeled as 100C, which is, as you can see, quite light beige.

Here's the swatch bonanza taken using different light sources.
AmorePacific Treatment Color Control Cushion SPF50+/PA+++ in shade 100C:


It's quite yellow on my hand, and it looks just as yellow on my face. And despite being labeled as 100C, it's still too dark.

So, can I get away with using it at all? You betcha!
I loved the gorgeous finish it gives me so much that I've been working around the less than perfect color match.
Because, let me tell you, everything else about this cushion is perfect. For once the advertising blurbs were not lying.



The finish is light, airy, healthy, it glows without being wet and dewy.  There is no rolling, no pilling, no emphasizing of large pores or wrinkles.
It moisturizes just enough during warmer months (not enough for winter with the heaters going on full blast), it doesn't cause any breakouts (and I break out from thinking about chocolate and looking at BB creams), it leaves the skin looking somehow better at the end of the day when you remove your makeup.
And oh yeah, it stays in place during our horrid, humid summers.

Seriously, everything that's on that leaflet, I've confirmed through my diligent field testing.



Bamboo sap instead of water doesn't excite me one bit, but it's there and I suppose it provides some skincare benefits.
Though honestly, I don't really care. I'm not an ingredient nazi.



And speaking of ingredients, here they are:

AMOREPACIFIC Treatment Color Control Cushion SPF50+/PA+++ ingredients (shade 100C):

Phyllostachys Bambusoides Juice, Zinc Oxide, Cyclopentasiloxane, Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Cyclohexasiloxane, Phenyl Trimethicone, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Butylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol Dicaprylate/Dicaprate, Ethanol, Arbutin, Lauryl PEG-9 Polydimethylsiloxyethyl Dimethicone, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Camellia Japonica Seed Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Acrylates/Ethylhexyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Sodium Chloride, Aluminum Hydroxide, Stearic Acid, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Lecithin, Isostearic Acid, Isopropyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Acrylates/Stearyl Acrylate/Dimethicone Methacrylate Copolymer, Dimethicone, Disodium EDTA, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Water, Silica, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499, Fragrance


In short, would I recommend buying AmorePacific Treatment Color Control Cushion SPF50+/PA+++?
If you can afford it, absolutely, go for it! You won't regret it.

This is the Porsche of the cushion world. It's priced accordingly, but just like a luxury car, it makes good on its price tag.



Incidentally, a few months back, a certain Polish beauty blogger living in Singapore expressed her displeasure at the mediocre performance of several cushions that she had tried. As it turned out, they were all rock bottom Amore Pacific brands, the cheapest of the cheap heap.

Based on that she proceeded to tell her thousands of followers that cushions are all hype and no substance. When it was suggested to her to try a quality cushion foundation from one of the higher end Amore Pacific brands, she responded that she didn't see why she should. After all, her cheap cushions were also "Amore Pacific" and, according to her, there couldn't be that much difference between different Amore Pacific brands.



While I normally don't endorse the "price equals quality" mentality, her reasoning made my scratch my head in disbelief so hard my coworkers thought I had lice.

That blogger was like someone who only ever test drove a Škoda, and thought it was a disappointing experience. Yet at the same time didn't want to try driving a Porsche, an Audi, or a Bentley, a Bugatti and a Lamborghini, because all of those cars are made by the same company - Volkswagen Group.



So yeah, don't make the same mistake. Fortunately this AmorePacific Treatment Color Control Cushion is a lot cheaper than a Porsche.
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Majolica Majorca Cream de Cheek

February 11, 2016, 6:27 am
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Majolica Majorca is not a brand that I would normally reach for.
If anything, the opposite is true. Usually, I tend to avoid it.

With its cutesy packagings and vibrant colors it almost looks like it could be Etude House's poor Japanese cousin.

Majolica Majorca is a low end Shiseido brand that can be found at any drugstore (and most supermarkets) in Japan. It's a makeup staple beloved by high school girls and starving university students countrywide.

And yet here I am, way past my high school days, writing about Majolica Majorca Cream de Cheek blushers.



And no, these are not press samples, or things I got for free. I channeled my inner school girl and bought these products myself. Yes, I am OK, thank you for your concern.

So how did it happen?

While I am not a high school girl, my friend's daughter is.
And, according to her, it's a hard life being a high school girl in Japan.



There are uniform checks to make sure your skirt is the proper length and not rolled up at the waist to make it look shorter.
There are hair color checks to make sure that your hair is the color it should be. I'm purposely writing "should be", because while 99% of Japanese high school girls have black hair, there is this unlucky 1% with naturally brown hair. Unlucky, because, well... if your hair should be black but it's dark brown, then according to your school handbook it clearly means you colored it. My friend's daughter finally gave up trying to convince her school's hair color commando that she is indeed a natural brunette and dyed it. Black. Problem solved.
There are also nail polish checks and makeup checks. And that hurts the most. Because, c'mon, which high school girl doesn't love makeup?

And that brings us to today's contestants - Majolica Majorca Cream de Cheek.



If you thought these were nail polish bottles, don't worry, you're not the only one.
They had me fooled too when I first saw them.

But my friend's daughter (who clearly enjoyed educating this ahem, ahem... older lady) very helpfully explained the basic facts of Majolica Majorca Cream de Cheek:


  • - No! It's not nail polish. 
  • - It's creamy blush!
  • - Look! So cute!
  • - This bottle is so small! You can take it with you anywhere!
  • - Much more convenient than a pressed blush compact, or a cushion.
  • - You can apply it with nearly surgical precision, because it has a tiny brush.
  • - Look! All you need is a tiny dot.
  • - Now, just blend it with your fingers.
  • - See? You don't even need a mirror - any reflective surface will do!
  • - And, and, and... it looks so natural! Just like my own cheeks, only sexier (but don't tell my mom, please)
  • - Some girls use it on their lips as well! 
  • - And it's so cheap!
  • - So of course, as soon as we leave the school grounds, we put on our makeup and then we go downtown. 
  • - And it stays on the whole afternoon! And all day on weekends!
  • - And this blush is so easy to use!
  • - And it looks so natural! So even if we run into any of our teachers, they can't tell we are wearing makeup (Nope, dear girl, we can tell you are wearing makeup, we just pretend we can't and everyone's happy).


image source: Majolica Majorca Hong Kong


After such a heartfelt endorsement, I had no choice.
I went to Trial (which is like a ghetto version of Walmart, with cracked walls and missing flooring, but it's open 24 hours 7 days a week) and bought me some Majolica Majorca Cream de Cheek. And because I was overcome with decision fatigue, I bought them all. All four of them.


The available Majolica Majorca Cream de Cheek colors are:
  • - RD 310 Coral Cream
  • - PK 312 Shell Pink Cream
  • - OR 313 Custard Cream
  • - RD 411 Kiichigo (Raspberry) Cream

The bottles definitely look like nail polish:

 RD310 Coral Cream

And because they're made of that extremely annoying milky glass, they are also very hard to photograph.

RD310 Coral Cream


Look, they even have little brushes, just like nail polish.

 PK312 Shell Pink Cream

And here it is again in a different light:

PK312 Shell Pink Cream

PK 312 Shell Pink Cream and RD 310 Coral Cream are my favorite colors.

The girl didn't lie. They are indeed very natural looking, and totally dumb-proof.
Impossible to find a blusher that is easier to apply than this thing.

These two colors below I gave away and made two high school girls very happy in the process.

OR313 Custard Cream

It wasn't my color.


OR313 Custard Cream

And neither was this bright red:

RD411 Kiichigo (Raspberry) Cream

Just about the brightest, in your face, red you can think of:

 RD411 Kiichigo (Raspberry) Cream


Here are the colors as presented by Shiseido Japan:






And here are the swatches according to me:






I never thought I'd live to see the day when I can say that I honestly love a Majolica Majorca product.

There is literally nothing I can complain about here.
This is a great, affordable blush that is ridiculously easy to use.

Not sure who would be interested in ingredients, but I plugged them into cosDNA anyway. Because I'm awesome like that.

Majolica Majorca Cream de Cheek PK 312 ingredients are here.
Majolica Majorca Cream de Cheek RD 411 ingredients are here.

So, to sum it up - it's a good buy.


And I'm glad there are only 4 colors available. Because if there were more, I'd buy them too.
Price? I think it was 850 yen plus tax.







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Shu Uemura blanc:chroma brightening UV cushion foundation

March 6, 2016, 5:11 am
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And yet another L'Oreal brand releases a cushion foundation compact that should have never seen the light of day.

And basically, that could be the end of this review, because you already know everything you need to know about the brand new Shu Uemura Blanc:Chroma Brightening UV SPF50+ PA+++ cushion foundation. Or perhaps blanc:chroma, as it says on the package.

 The oil was a freebie.

Paid and sponsored shills will tell you how great this Blanc:Chroma (a.k.a. blanc:chroma) is.
Luckily for you, I'm neither paid nor sponsored.
And luckily for you, I am actually a huge Shu Uemura fan girl (and an Utowa fan girl, too, if any Shu folks are reading this). Because I have this giant soft spot in my heart for all things Shu, I'll go as easy in this review as humanely possible.


So, let's be gentle now and say it as kindly as possible - this cushion is absolute shit. Rubbish. Garbage.
And trust me, that's a huge, fat understatement. Actually, I didn't think it was even possible, but it's a step down from the Lancome Miracle Cushion ver 1.0 (a.k.a. Lancome Blanc Expert, as it was called in Asia, ver 1.0).
At least those cushions were, you know... cushions.


But let's start at the beginning...

Rumors about a Shu Uemura cushion foundation had been going on for over a year. And despite Shu being, just like Lancome, a L'Oreal brand (and we all know how those cushions ended up), I was excited like a chihuahua high on Red Bull and acid when the actual release date was announced.


On Friday, February 26th, I got in the car and drove through the woods on winding mountain roads to the only Shu counter on the outer reaches of northern Kanto. I even managed to find a parking space close to the entrance to the mall. I took it as a good omen.

The Shu Uemura counter was moderately crowded, which gave me time to saunter over to Dior to play with their new cushion foundation, incidentally, released on the same day (more about it later). It's raining cushions, you people! A few years too late, but losers can't be choosers.

Back over at the Shu place, a friendly SA didn't even bat an eye when I asked to swatch ALL the available blanc:chroma cushion foundation shades. The closest, though still far from ideal, match for me turned out to be number 584 (fair sand).


And so with my Shu Uemura members' card in hand, I asked for a set. Because you see, as always in Japan, this kind of shit is sold here piecemeal. You buy everything separately - a case, a refill, and because Shu Uemura brought it to a new low - an applicator puff. A heartfelt f*ck you to whoever thought of this idea. The SA wanted to assemble my new cushion, but once I showed her the cushions in my purse (had an Iope and an AP cushion with me that day), she decided that I was suitably experienced to take my new Shu Uemura cushion home still all wrapped up, shiny and new.



If this is the first time you are hearing about cushion foundations, please click on the "cushion foundation" tab in the top menu and start there.
Basically, it's a sponge saturated in foundation and housed in a special compact. You press on the sponge with an applicator and pat it gently onto your face. This method of application is what makes cushion foundations so popular and trendy, because it creates a flawless, photoshopped look.


OK, back to Shu Uemura blanc:chroma brightening UV cushion foundation.

So, what do we have here?

Purple (lilac? violet?) boxes.
Inside there is an ever so slightly off-white purplish cushion compact.


The foundation is labeled as SPF 50+/PA+++, but please for the love of everything that is dear, do not rely on makeup as your sole source of UV protection. Don't listen to people who tell you that makeup with SPF is enough, that you don't need a separate sunblock/ sunscreen. They are blabbering idiots.


Shu says that it's a high cover foundation (think a crappy version of Estee Lauder Double Wear - I say that, not Shu, of course) that is supposed to brighten, have superior staying power, feel invisible on the skin and offer a flawless finish. Basically, your standard base makeup promises.

I can't be arsed to retype the PR bullshit, so here it is from the website verbatim:


And some more:


Screenshots taken from Shu Uemura's Malaysian website (because it's in English).
You can read all the PR spin here - click.


The compact case is identical to the Lancome cushion case, and they are mutually interchangeable. That means that a Shu refill will also fit into a Banila Co and A-True cushion cases.



Now, the question is whether or not you'd want to fit that refill anywhere other than a trash can... We shall see...

There is no leaflet in the box. That actually made me happy. Because it's eco-friendly. But that actually made me unhappy. Because if I am going to pay that much money for something, it better have all the bells and whistles, or paper leaflets, of a high-end brand.
Here, all relevant information is printed on the box.


The shade number is printed on the box only, but not on the foil packaging. Very confusing. And very cheap. And not nice at all. Imagine you have two different refills out of their boxes. You're shit out of luck.


You gotta open the refill packet to make sure you got the right color.
Refills are pretty standard 13 grams. Nothing special here.


And finally here you have the color number. It matches what's printed on the box. Hallelujah!
As you can see, this cushion is made in Korea.


The refill was a ridiculously tight fit into the compact. I don't know if all of them are like that, but mine was. Oddly enough, it fit into the Lancome compact quite easily. That leads me to believe that Shu compacts might run a bit tight indeed. Or are simply shoddily made. Somehow it wouldn't surprise me.


And here it gets all funky.

First, the puff.

Holymotherofbatman! What is it?
It's a normal pressed powder puff. A fuzzy little thing.


It's not a cushion puff!!!
I tried using this... this... thing to apply the foundation, and with absolutely zero surprise to no one, it didn't really work. The SA must have known it as well, because they didn't even bother with this abomination and used good ole triangle sponges.


The ironic thing is that one of the expert Shu people (Yuji Asano, international chief make-up artist / product designer) says this:

“I wanted to create an application puff which delivers visible coverage and beautiful natural radiance that are achievable for every woman effortlessly and without special technique.”

Yuji darling, you say you created a powder puff? Really? You mean, you got the brilliant idea to make it light purple perhaps?
Sweetcheeks, if fuzzy powder puffs were so awesome for cushions and natural radiance, then the good folks over at Amore Pacific (who invented the damn cushion thing in the first place) would be falling over each other to stick fuzzy powder puffs into their award winning cushion pacts.

Dear Yuji, you can spin it any way you want, but it's still a turd. Using this puff you will not achieve a "cushion" effect on your face.
I tossed it into my makeup drawer (briefly considered giving it to my cat to play with) and replaced it with a Rubycell puff (bought a bunch of those way back).

So, with the puff out of the way, we can finally open the refill lid.

Holymotherofbatman! What is this thing?


There is no sticker protecting the "cushion" surface. The "cushion" surface is white. The foundation sits deep in the bowels of the refill pot. Reminded me of a brand new A-True cushion. They also used to come out white. But, but... A-True was an actual cushion.

This thing here? Not so much.

The surface of the whatever-it-is is protected by a net.


You can see it better once you press on it to dispense some foundation.
The new Lancome cover type cushion, the one with SPF 50+ is also a net-type cushion.

What's under that net? Hmmm... Inquiring minds want to know.


With a box cutter I gently pried the net from under the refill's rim. I had to know what was in there. As a kid I used to saw AA batteries in half to see what was inside. I guess I never quite grew out of that phase of my life.

So, there it is. The innards of Shu Uemura blanc:chroma brightening UV cushion.


There is no sponge inside. Just this glass wool-like material that made me think of wall insulation.

Image: wikipedia

As a cost-cutting measure it was a brilliant move. Why invest in a high quality sponge (I guess I wasn't the only one who complained about the too porous Lancome cushion sponges, better fit for moistening stamps at the post office than for use in a cushion compact), if you can get rid of the sponge altogether? Winning!!!

I was able to push the netting back under the edge of the refill, so the cushion remained usable.

I dug around the net a bit and saw that Shu claims that this "new innovative cushion mechanism" (a.k.a. this wall filler thingy) is called "non-woven fiber matrix".
Non-woven fiber matrix is a fancy name for fiberglass. Fiberglass is a fancy name for... yep, you guessed it, glass wool!
I'm a f*cking genius! I know my wall insulation like a proper architect's daughter that I am.

Interested in the ingredients? Here they are (printed on the box).

Shu Uemura blanc:chroma brightening UV cushion foundation ingredients:


Denatured alcohol as the fourth ingredient. Wow! I'm impressed. It takes a special talent to release a product so mediocre and charge this kind of money for it.
And yes, I know, it takes a special kind of dumb to actually buy it. Guilty as charged.

Shu Uemura blanc:chroma brightening UV cushion comes in 6 shades.
Colors starting with "7" are yellow-toned. Colors starting with "5" are pink-toned.


Here, I swatched all of them for you, because I'm awesome like that.


Artificial light, no filters applied.
Number 764 is listed as "standard shade" on Shu's website.

I bought number 584 (a.k.a. fair sand). It looks very light next to other Shu Uemura blanc:chroma cushion shades. But, but...

Here is how it swatched next to Iope N21 cushion and MAC NW10 and NC15.

Natural light, no filters applied.

And here they are all blended:


Despite the less than ideal color, I decided to give this cushion a chance.
I wore it for 9 days. I was planning 2 weeks, but my skin needs a break. So I am going to stop now.

First impressions:

  • - pretty heavy cover
  • - this stuff is virtually waterproof! The SA tried to remove the store swatches using one of Shu oils and a makeup remover. That night I took a bath. The next morning I took a shower. There were STILL remnants of the swatches on my arm. 
  • - the formula is very drying. Let me repeat it - very drying. 
  • - because the formula is very drying, it is not suitable for dry skin.
  • - it doesn't visibly oxidize, the color stays true through the day.
  • - it lasts, and lasts, and lasts.
  • - it emphasized fine lines, pores and dry patches.
  • - it needed to be used with a primer.
  • - it kills the thin and sensitive skin under the eyes. 
  • - ugh
  • - it breaks me out. Not huge big zits, but rather closed comedones everywhere. An explosion of closed comedones. My skin was smooth and fine in the morning and covered in small white bumps in the evening. 
  • - no dewy effect
  • - no glow
  • - just a normal nearly matte finish. 
  • - the applicator that came with the cushion is a joke.




Unedited photo, natural light.

Products used:
- KohGenDo base (pearl)
- Shu Uemura blanc:chroma brightening UV cushion in 584
- KohGenDo Illuminator (white)
- Anna Sui highlighter
- Majolica Majorca cream de cheek blush (coral cream)
- Shu Uemura drawing crayons (orange and lilac)
- Shu Uemura drawing pencils (gold and brown)
- Dior It-Lash mascara
- Shu Uemura Lip Lacquer in BG02 and CR01

I can only get away with this cushion while wearing a turtleneck.
Because of the cover you can't really see the comedones on my forehead, but they are there, trust me.


Who would be happy with this cushion?
Hmmm... someone who needs more cover than what Korean cushions can provide. Someone who doesn't like dewy. Someone who doesn't have dry skin and a lot of wrinkles. Someone who is not sensitive to alcohol.

In other words - this is a very western foundation packed into a quasi-cushion form.
I should have sat this one out. That'll teach me.


How much:
  • refill - 4200 yen plus tax
  • case - 1300 yen plus tax
  • puff (yes, they charge you extra for this piece of shit puff) - 500 yen plus tax


From now on, I'll stick to Shu Uemura point makeup. Now, that stuff is definitely worth buying.










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Yves Saint Laurent Le Cushion Encre De Peau - Fusion Ink Cushion Foundation

March 21, 2016, 7:39 am
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Yes, this is indeed my review of the long awaited and much praised Yves Saint Laurent cushion foundation.

If you are new to cushion foundations, please start by clicking on the "cushion foundations" tab in the top menu, though I'm assuming that by now most beauty fans around the world are already familiar with the concept.

Please, don't ask. I don't know how it happened. I guess I secretly must enjoy the feelings of pain and disappointment, because despite my previous experiences with cushions from the house of L'Oreal, I keep buying the damn things.


You know, it's like when people slow down to watch car wrecks, they are both drawn and repelled by the gory mayhem. I'm like that with cushion foundations from the many L'Oreal brands.


Yet, of course, all these cushions (I mean high end, let's pretend that L'Oreal and Maybelline never happened) got glowing reviews by sponsored and pro bloggers, who were literally bending over backwards to please the brands' PR overlords.


And then there was Yves Saint Laurent and its magical Fusion Ink Cushion Foundation.
Like a good lemming that I am, I obediently marched to the nearest YSL counter (which just happened to be at Tobu department store) on March 18th (the release date in Japan) and got me one.

The L'Oreal Inc beancounters in Paris must be laughing all the way to the bank. They know they have me by the balls. Or cushion puffs. Or both.

I had a chance to play with this cushion a couple of weeks before the launch day and I was very cautiously optimistic. The color seemed all right. The staying power was fine, too. The finish was acceptable. Only the price wasn't.
Holymotherofbatman, that thing was bloody expensive! Breathtakingly expensive. Stroke-inducingly expensive. 7500 yen plus tax.

Yet in the end the pros outweighed the cons, and even though initially I was saying I'd rather chew my leg off and bleed to death than buy another L'Oreal branded cushion, it turns out that I am glad I did. (Yes, in case you've been living under a rock in cyberspace - Yves Saint Laurent is a L'Oreal brand).

And here I should just collapse and self-combust, or something, because it seems that I just said that I actually like a western, L'Oreal branded cushion foundation.

Shocked?

Don't worry! No one is shocked more than me.

Basically, you could just stop reading right here, right now and go and buy yourself your own Yves Saint Laurent Fusion Ink Cushion (you still here? what are you waiting for? go on and buy one already! and no, this is not a sponsored review), but if you want to stick around for the details, here they come!

So, let's get this YSL cushion party started, shall we?


The goods come packaged in a shiny, gold box. I suppose it meant to evoke the feelings of luxury, but instead made me think of old ladies who try too hard. Real luxury doesn't need to show off.

As you can see, I bought color number 10, or rather B10, as they call it in Asia.
Yves Saint Laurent Fusion Ink Cushion Foundation comes in 6 shades in most Asian countries, though only 5 are available for purchase in Japan.


The compact is black and gold. Again, I guess Yves Saint Laurent was going for rich and fancy, but instead ended up with high-end hooker esthetics.

On the back of the box it tells us that:


Yep, this cushion is supposed to perform all kinds of makeup sorcery:
  • long lasting
  • all-day wear
  • shine-free (calling all nearly-matte finish lovers!!!)
  • flawless coverage
  • ultra-smooth texture
  • weightless feel
  • protection, hydration, blah blah blah...
In other words, pretty standard claims of just about any base makeup product out there.

The cushion is made in Korea:


There are 14 grams of product packed inside.
The YSL cushion compact is interchangeable with other L'Oreal branded cushions and with some Korean cushions (most those manufactured by Cosmax).

Oh yes, the compact.
It's black. Nearly all black. Which makes me want to get a silver fern decal on the case and force my guy to do the haka every time I apply makeup.


The puff is average. Rubycell it ain't, that's for sure.
And pity that the application side is nearly white. Buuu... So much for my All Blacks fantasy.


In Japan the bottom of the case has a Japanese-language sticker. I was too lazy to try to peel it off.


And speaking of cushion cases, Yves Saint Laurent Fusion Ink Cushion came fully assembled. The refill was pre-loaded in the case. When I asked to purchase just the refill, I was told that wasn't possible. There was no option to buy the case separately, either. How very unjapanese, YSL!!! What were you thinking???

So let's open this baby, ok?


White sticker? How anti-climactic.
But yeah, if your cushion is brand new, the surface of the sponge should be protected by a sticker with the YSL logo. Any other generic sticker means that your cushion is no longer a virgin.


And under the sticker?

The cushion in all its glory.

Yes, this is why a cushion foundation is called that. It's basically a chunk of sponge saturated in foundation and placed in a compact. It combines the benefits of liquid foundation with the ease of powder application. And that's it, in a nutshell.



Ah yes, the same type of low-grade, extremely porous sponge that L'Oreal wants to be famous for.

I'll be the first to complain that it's really pathetic that a cushion with such a high price tag has something resembling a kitchen sponge inside. I b*tched and moaned about it last year when writing about the Lancome cushions, so I am not going to repeat myself this time around.

However, it was interesting to read the sponsored apologists explanations as to why L'Oreal brands use such crappy sponges in their products.

One of my favorite bloggers, normally a very level-headed and to-the-point reviewer - Musical Houses, while talking about Biotherm Evermoist CC Cushion (Biotherm is also a L'Oreal brand) totally drank the PR kool-aid and said that the porous sponge was one of the "features" of the Biotherm cushion.
As we can see, that is patently not true, regardless of what Biotherm PR spin machine claims. All L'Oreal cushions are stuffed with the same kind of porous pseudo-features.

In her review, she goes on to quote Biotherm that the bigger pores "are able to trap more air, moisture and formula for a light, breathable texture". Her guess was that "because the sponge is more porous, you pick up less (foundation) during application".

Unfortunately, the laws of physics don't quite work like that, no matter what them crafty PR folks tell us.

This is what bigger pores mean for your cushion foundation:

  • Bigger pores mean more foundation is picked up during the application process. 
  • That means you waste too much foundation with each application.
  • That means you end up overapplying the product.
  • Bigger pores mean more air gets trapped inside the cushion causing the product to dry out much faster.
  • Bigger pores are more suitable for thicker, heavier textures (but then so are metal plate cushions).
  • Sponges with bigger pores are also cheaper. 

This actually explains the infamous bit when the Lancome makeup guru, Lisa Eldridge, was seen applying the Lancome Miracle cushion while bending the applicator puff in half.
It took me nearly a year and a YSL cushion to finally understand why.

The puff picks up waaaay too much foundation and stamping it onto your face is an exercise in futility. To not waste all this already-picked up product, you gotta smear it the traditional way, which is damn hard to do with a cushion puff. So you gently bend it in half and start smearing. I actually caught myself doing that.

Anyway, where was I?


Ah, yes... The YSL Fusion Ink cushion surface.

I pressed it with my finger ever so gently. This is what happened:


See what I mean?
This is too much product for a gentle press. This is what big pores will do.

The color looks light enough, right?
It's B10, let's see how it stacks up next to MAC NC15 and MAC NW10.

Taken in natural light, no filters.

The foundation inside YSL Le Cushion Encre De Peau sets awfully fast, you gotta spread it out ASAP, otherwise you're gonna end up with a mask.
Here is a more blended shot:


I see pink undertones in there, but then again, that's me.

And because I am awesome like that, I also swatched for you shades B10, B20, B30, B40 and B50. B60 in not available in Japan.

(click on the image for larger view)


I also did an oxidation test.
Here are the results after one hour:


Right - freshly applied (artificial light, no filters)
Center - after setting (natural light, no filters)
Left - after one hour (natural light, no filters)


So, what do you think?
Not so bad, I'd say!

Now let's talk about the very misleading name - Yves Saint Laurent Le Cushion Encre De Peau, or YSL Fusion Ink Cushion Foundation.

You might be excused for believing that the cushion contains the iconic Fusion Ink product. In fact YSL makes us believe it actually does.
But does it?

Well... A quick look at the ingredients tells us otherwise.
Despite the Fusion Ink name, the product inside is something else.

Don't believe me?

Here's a screenshot of what's inside the Fusion Ink Foundation:

From YSL's official page.


And here is what's inside the cushion:

Yves Saint Laurent Le Cushion Encre De Peau ingredients:
Yves Saint Laurent Fusion Ink Cushion Foundation ingredients:


Quite different, wouldn't you say?
Here, I even entered it into CosDNA for you - link.

So yeah, whatever it is, it sure as heck ain't the original Fusion Ink. Nice try YSL! Next time try harder.

What else?

Just like Lancome Miracle Cushion and Biotherm Evermoist CC Cushion, YSL Fusion Ink Cushion also has SPF 23/PA++.

Of course, as with most SPF equipped base makeup, this is just a vanity selling point.
Do NOT, and let me repeat it once again, DO NOT rely on makeup as your sole source of sun protection. Unless, of course, you want to age in a hurry and entertain the possibility of skin cancer in the future. Then, by all means, feel free to listen to idiots, who tell you that SPF 23/PA++ rating provides "an ample dose of sun protection".



What else else?

YSL is touting the "rolling ink gel system" that this foundation supposedly has, and which provides superior spreadability and color delivery, as well as a soft focus effect cover.
Whatever that means...

What else else else?
  • It's a liquid-to-powder formula.
  • The "innovative structure" of the liquid forms an ultra-thin veil on the skin.
  • .... zonk.

Oh, what the heck... I'm too lazy to translate the official blurbs from the webpage.
Here.
This is what the very multi-lingual leaflet in the box says:


Yada yada yada...


My thoughts on YSL Fusion Ink Cushion Foundation.

Guess what???
Their promises are TRUE!!! Well, nearly all true.

  • - natural looking effect? YES.
  • - long lasting? - YES.
  • - lightweight? -Yeah.
  • - matte finish? - Kinda.
  • - coverage? - Sufficient.
  • - moisturizing? - NO!!! Absolutely no!!!
  • - comfortable to wear? - Yes.
  • - light-diffusing? - How the hell am I supposed to know?
  • - shine-free? - Absofreakinlutely.


And some additional thoughts:
  • Did it break me out? - Too soon to judge, but so far so good.
  • Accentuates fine lines? - At my age anything accentuates fine lines and wrinkles. But this foundation did not make me look 10 years older, so I'm quite pleased.
  • Emphasizes pores? - Well, not in my case.
  • Scent? - Minimal and non-offensive.

And now, excuse me while I collapse to the floor and self-combust.
I've gone and done it.
I'm liking this cushion. A lot.



Final verdict?

Yves Saint Laurent Le Cushion Encre De Peau (a.k.a. YSL Fusion Ink Cushion Foundation) is a great cushion, western or otherwise. Few Korean cushions come even close.

The next sound you hear is me fainting and hitting the floor...

Bang!




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Shu Uemura Drawing Crayons

March 28, 2016, 8:31 pm
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This review of Shu Uemura Drawing Crayons will be short and sweet.


Very short and very sweet, because unlike the freakshow that was Shu Uemura Blanc:Chroma cushion foundation, these crayons are awesome.
Which only proves what we've all known for ages - Shu Uemura does eye makeup well. Does eye makeup remarkably well.

And no, this is not a sponsored review - I bought these.


I am a huge Shu Uemura fangirl, I can't deny it. Even though Shu skincare leaves me feeling meh, their point makeup more than compensates for that.

I have already written about my collection of Shu Uemura Drawing Pencils.
Today we will talk about Shu Uemura Drawing Crayons.


What is it?
Basically, your standard big, fat crayon that works as an eye shadow, or - according to Shu - as an eyeliner.
I use them as eye shadows.

They are waterproof, long wearing, non-smudging colors that stay-on-forever in a true Shu Uemura fashion.


The colors are beautiful soft pastels - perfect for spring.
The swatches I have seen on the internet look awfully photoshopped with saturation and vibrance cranked up to the max.
In reality, they are much softer and subtle - even the bright hues like blue or green.

The whole collection consists of 12 colors.
They are marked as M for matte, P for pearly, and S for shimmer (in some countries, like Malaysia, shimmer shades are not marked as S, so be careful).

image from Shu Uemura Malaysia


I have these six colors:
  • Pearly Brown
  • Pearly Yellow Gold (doesn't seem to be available anymore in Japan)
  • Pearly Purple
  • Pearly Soft Orange
  • Pearly Pink (number 1 popular color, according to Shu Uemura Japan)
  • Matte Soft Brown.


And this is how they swatch.
No photoshop and no filters applied!

Swatches of Shu Uemura Drawing Crayons:


As you can see, all of them are very wearable, everyday colors.
I am clueless when it comes to traditional eye shadows, I don't know how to use them, how to apply them and how to blend them.

Eye shadow crayons are my salvation. Just draw a line, smear it a bit with your finger and you're good to go. That's how I roll. Fiddling and piddling with brushes requires a level of makeup skills that I just don't have. And at my age, I am too old to master. So it's sticks and crayons for me all the way.

Same as Shu Uemura Drawing Pencils, these crayons are made in Germany.


They are very old school. You will need to sharpen them. You will need a big, fat Shu Uemura sharpener here.
Let me repeat it, these are NOT the twist type. These are the old school sharpening type.

To most Shu fans that is pretty obvious, but to newcomers to the brand it might be a bit of a shock. One reviewer on the American Shu site complained that "they are good for only a few times and there is no way to get more crayon."
Yes darling, there is a way to get more crayon, it's called sharpening.

To me it's not a deal breaker, but I know to many people might be.

Not sure who'd be interested in the ingredients, but here they are, just in case.

Shu Uemura Drawing Crayon ingredients:


How much?
2800 yen plus tax.

A bit on the steep side, but we're not talking about L'Oreal Infallible® Eye Shadow Crayons here.
Incidentally, Shu Uemura is a L'Oreal brand, and it's been said that the Infallibles make for good Shu dupes. Personally I don't know, so can't confirm.


From what I've seen on them innernets, L'Oreal Infallibles are much more shimmery with quite big glitter particles.
These Shu crayons are more in line with Clinique Chubby Sticks Shadow Tint for Eyes. But Clinique sticks are not as long lasting as Shu Uemura Drawing Crayons. However, on the plus side, they don't need to be sharpened.
(And I have a crapton of those, so I definitely can confirm.)

So there.
You have all the pros and cons.

My verdict?

I love them.
If I had more disposable income, I'd buy all 12 colors.



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Tonoike Sake Brewery visit and Kuramoto Bijin skincare haul

March 30, 2016, 12:04 pm
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Wait!
Sake brewery and skincare haul all at the same time?

Yep. Totally possible if you live in Japan.


Sake based skincare has been around for a long time, even since before SK-II patented their Pitera.
And in recent years there has been a virtual explosion of sake-inspired, sake-infused, sake-blended, and sake-based cosmetics. At least in Japan.

Why? Because sake is virtually everywhere here, sake by-products are full of vitamins and anti-ageing compounds, and fermented products are probably one of the oldest beauty treatments known to man.



Kuramoto Bijin rice oil and sake serum (the red one) has been my friend since last year. I loved it so much that I began to spread the joy to my friends in foreign lands.

A few weeks ago I was finally getting ready to write about it (and as always, the review is still pending) and had the mother of all eureka moments.



Tonoike Sake Brewery that makes the product is literally down the street from my house. It's located in Mashiko in Tochigi prefecture.

A quick look at the company's website revealed that the brewery is very visitor friendly.
You didn't have to tell me that twice.

And so last Monday I hopped in the car and zoomed over to Mashiko.
Mashiko is famous in its own right - it's one of the main pottery centers in Japan. It holds two pottery festivals a year and if you're into expensive tableware and pretty things, you should definitely consider visiting.


I don't drink alcohol. I dip my tongue in sake only during official ceremonies when it absolutely, positively can't be avoided. I am no sake expert. I only know what wikipedia tells me.

But what I do know is that sake kasu (a.k.a. sake lees) makes for a wonderful face pack.

With that in mind, I had no idea what I could expect during my visit to Tonoike Shuzouten in Mashiko.



As it turned out, I worried needlessly. A visit to a sake brewery is great fun even for a non-drinker and a sake noob like me.


 I was met by Mr Shigeki Tonoike, the boss himself, who kindly volunteered to be my guide.

The Tonoike family has been in the sake making business since 1829 and the current brewery in Mashiko was established in 1957.
And apparently, as evidenced by numerous domestic and international sake competition awards, they really know their stuff.


My tour started with a video explaining the sake making process.
After that I donned special slippers, a white smock and a hat and went to see the fermenting rice up close and personal.


What makes sake special is how the rice is polished. The more of the outer layer you remove, the fancier the sake later on.



When polished and washed, the grains don't look like rice anymore. They resemble tiny white pearls. And are just as shiny.



And here you can see it fermenting in huge vats:


There's your sake being made. And cosmetics :-)



Actually Tonoike Shuzouten doesn't manufacture beauty products in-house. Instead they send their raw materials to proper, licensed plants that do the work for them. They also work with cosmetic chemists and scientists to make sure that their products are up to the highest standards.


Mr Tonoike explained that the cosmetic side of things started 10 years ago with soap.
Sake bottles are heavy, and while they make great gifts and souvenirs, they are big and hard to transport. And not everyone is a drinker.

Sake based soap seemed like a perfect solution. It was small, light and something that everyone uses.

Then came sake-infused hand cream. And let me tell you, it really does smell like sake. If you're a drinker you might end up licking your hands. A lot.

But what about those who are not fans of the sake smell?


The answer was very simple - tochiotome strawberries - Tochigi's most famous crop.
And that's how the strawberry infused cream was born. And let me tell you, it really does smell like strawberries. I wanted to lick my hands. A lot.


Then came sake and strawberry infused bath salts. If you ever wanted to bathe in a sake smelling soup, this one's for you. I used to plop a chunk of sake kasu into my hot bath, now I can use proper bath salts. Saves a lot of work when scrubbing the bathtub later on.

Kuramoto Bijin Hakumai Ferment Lotion was new to me. I can't wait to try it.


Kuramoto Bijin Hakumai Ferment Milk was made famous by Ratzilla's best pick feature.


I am on my second bottle and it has become my winter dry skin savior.

Ratzilla also wrote about Kuramoto Bijin Komeyu Rice Oil.


I have been using it on my eczema patches and works better than any other facial oil I have tried. Eat your heart out tsubaki!

The three rice grain ladies (yep, they are shaped like rice) signify women in their 20s, 30s and 40s. In other words - Kuramoto Bijin Komeyu is skincare for everyone.



Tonoike Sake Brewery is working on additional beauty products - face cream, sheet masks and a face pack (which means no more do it yourself sake kasu!). A premium line is also in the works.

And the best news is that the company is working on an English-language internet store with worldwide shipping.  How awesome is that?


Many Japanese companies are totally oblivious to the popularity of Japanese skincare overseas, they don't care and can't be bothered.
So it was so refreshing and inspiring to see a Japanese company that understands the importance of making life easy for its foreign customers.



HAUL TIME!!!

This is my entire Tonoike Shuzouten Kuramoto Bijin haul.


Kuramoto Bijin Komeyu Rice Oil and Kuramoto Bijin Komeyu Rice Oil Serum:



Kuramoto Bijin Hakumai Ferment Lotion and Kuramoto Bijin Hakumai Ferment Milk:


Kuramoto Bijin Hakumai Ferment Soap:



Tochiotome hand cream and bath salts:


Nameraka hand cream and sake bath salts:




And... sake kasu pound cake!
It was delicious!



I seem to have missed the strawberry body lotion, but that's ok. I have an excuse to visit again!

Thank you so much Mr Tonoike and Ms Sato for making me feel so welcome!


Isn't it awesome to realize that your favorite skincare brand was born literally in your own back yard?

I will be reviewing the products in the coming weeks. So stay tuned. Because a Kuramoto Bijin giveaway is coming too. I hauled lots and I'm happy to share!


UPDATE:

If you're interested in any of these products, but can't purchase them easily online (I know they can be hard to find!), please let me know.  I'll be happy to help. Because, hey, Tochigi pride! Represent! :-)
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Sidmool - first impressions

April 2, 2016, 6:19 am
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Sometimes a review basically writes itself.
And sometimes you birth it in such pains and for such a long time that the very thought of it makes you physically shudder.

This is one of those times.

Sidmool. I wanted to love Sidmool.
Sidmool skincare is ingredient p0rn for ingredient snobs.

I'm not a snob. I just wanted something that would be affordable and effective.
Sidmool was definitely affordable. But effective? Hmmm... It was a mixed bag of effects, from dazzling and awesome to "is this thing doing anything at all?".



But first things first.
What is Sidmool, I hear you say?

Sidmool is a South Korean cosmetic brand that focuses on natural, high impact ingredients and simple and unadorned formulations. Their products contain only what's absolutely necessary.
Sidmool was founded in 2006 and currently offers a full range of skincare and makeup products.

The company claims that it listens to and values its customers feedback. As long as said customers are Korean. When it comes to foreign customers, Sidmool doesn't give a flying f*ck through a rolling donut. In fact, the company goes out of its way to avoid selling to international consumers. It went as far as requesting that Jolse, one of the popular on-line stores selling Korean cosmetics, stopped offering Sidmool products.

I used to get my Sidmool from Jolse.
Now you have to look for Sidmool on G-Market (a Korean version of Rakuten, or Amazon), ebay, or brave Sidmool's own convoluted internet store, which is, no surprise here, completely English-language unfriendly.

I mean, it takes a special kind of company to basically tell its foreign customers off. Well done, Sidmool! You're such a speshul snowflake.



Why is Sidmool so foreign customers unfriendly? Hmmm... Does it have anything to do with how Korean cosmetic companies list the ingredients of their products? We all know the ingredient labeling order is different in Korea than in other parts of the world - link.
Thanks to those differences Korean products very often look vastly superior to non-Korean cosmetics. Of course this superiority is only superficial, and when the ingredient lists are re-shuffled to conform to American or Japanese regulations, the magic is no more.

Is Sidmool playing that game? That's anybody's guess.

So, let's talk about the products, shall we?

There were four of them, but one I gave away (and that friend later chucked it saying it was awful), so only three are pictured here.


I have a couple more, but I'm just not itching to try them. Not at all.

We'll start with the hits, and then talk about the misses.


  • Sidmool Snail Brightening Liposome Essence (60ml)

Sidmool Snail Brightening Liposome Essenceturned out to be my very unexpected number one hit.


Sidmool Snail Brightening Liposome Essence ingredients:

Snail Secretion Filtrate 30%, Chamaecyparis Obtusa Water, Aqua, Butylene Glycol, Arbutin, Polyglutamic Acid, Lactobacillus/Soybean Ferment Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Origanum Vulgare Leaf Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Paeonia Suffruticosa Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, sh-Octapeptide-4, sh-Decapeptide-7, sh-Oligopeptide-9, Sodium Hyaluronate, Algin, Salicylic Acid, Hydrolyzed Algin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chlorella (Chlorella Minutissima, Chlorella Vulgaris, Chlorella Pyrenoidosa) Extract, Sea Water (Maris Aqua), Alpha-Arbutin, Adenosine, Carbomer, Arginine, Hydroxyethylcellulose

I don't use snail products. That this ended up in my cart was a case of clicking too fast.
I don't use snail products, because one, my skin disagrees with them. And two, I disagree with them. But that's a story for another post that is not going to happen.

Having said that, when I realized that a snail product was in the shipment, my "waste not" philosophy kicked in and forced me to try it.

To my huge surprise, my skin actually liked Sidmool Snail Brightening Liposome Essence. Which leads to me believe that there is very little of actual snail secretion filtrate in the product. Oh wait, the ingredient list confirms that, only 30%.

Here you can read what this essence claims to do. Your skin will be brighter than bright. Yo people! The fairest of them all!

 
Did it work?
Yes and no.

I used it in the mornings only. I liked how it dried matte and could be followed with whatever else I needed it to follow. My skin definitely seemed brighter, however the results were only temporary. A few days after stopping the essence my skin returned to its normal pinkish, eternally flushed state.

You see, just recently I got officially diagnosed with rosacea. I have been suspecting rosacea for years. I have no lesions, no papules, no pustules and no swelling. My occasional breakouts are due to other triggers.
My rosacea manifests itself in facial redness only. And it's usually limited to my cheeks and nose.
It was only when rosacea started to affect my eyes that the official diagnosis was finally made.



So what did Sidmool Snail Brightening Liposome Essence do for my skin?
It worked to control the flushing. My cheeks were less pink. To the point that on good days I could get away without using any CC or BB creams. I only slapped on some sunblock and was ready to go.

However, as I have mentioned before, the results were only temporary.

Note:
This is not a moisturizing essence. If you have dry skin, you may find your skin getting dryer if you do not amp up the moisture.
If you have oily skin, this just may work to control your oil production.

Sidmool Snail Brightening Liposome Essence swatches:


As you can see, it's a gooey, watery slime that dries completely matte. It plays nicely with whatever else you need to put on top of it.

And it really does a great job of controlling the redness and making the skintone appear more even and clear.
It has no scent, none whatsoever, which made my nose very happy.



Having said that, it has snails. It might be too depressing for some people.
Am I going to repurchase?
Despite it having snails, and I am anti-snail in general for ethical reasons, I am very much on the fence.
I like what this Sidmool Snail Brightening Liposome Essence does for me. But the snails... But the results... But the snails...
I might get it again.

Chances are I will go back to using Hanyul White Chrysanthemum Radiance Serum first, because despite the strong scent, it doesn't have any snails. And its ingredients are legit confirmed to combat rosacea.
However, I am not ruling out having a second go at Sidmool's snails.



Hit number 2:

  • Sidmool Alpha Whitening Power Ampoule (12ml) 
I didn't expect Sidmool Alpha Whitening Power Ampoule to be a hit at all. I usually don't have much luck with products promising "whitening" or "brightening".



    Sidmool Alpha Whitening Power Ampoule ingredients:

    Physalis Alkekengi Fruit Extract 71%, Sodium Hyaluronate, Butylene Glycol, Polyglutamic Acid, Niacinamide 3%, Morus Alba Bark Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Krameria Triandra Root Extract, Alpha-Arbutin 2%, Phellinus Linteus Extract, Rhododendron Chrysanthum Leaf Extract, Propolis Extract, Betaine, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Usnea Barbata Extract, Alpha Bisabolol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Panthenol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate 

    All I can say about Sidmool Alpha Whitening Power Ampoule is that it works. I don't know how, what or why, but it does.

    I used it only at night, plus the already mentioned Sidmool snail essence in the morning, and the results were very visible, and what's even better - longer lasting than when using the snail essence alone. Or when using the Power Ampoule alone.



    I have tried it in three combinations:
    1. - Sidmool Alpha Whitening Power Ampoule at night only
    2. - Sidmool Alpha Whitening Power Ampoule at night and in the morning
    3. - Sidmool Alpha Whitening Power Ampoule at night and Sidmool Snail Brightening Liposome Essence in the morning

    Number 3 brought the most dramatic results. And even though I am really hesitant to repurchase the snails, I will be most definitely buying Sidmool Alpha Whitening Power Ampoule again.

    I want to bathe in this stuff. Sadly, as the bottles are teeny tiny it's not really a feasible option.

    Sidmool Alpha Whitening Power Ampoule swatches:


    The liquid is slightly oily and it does leave a somewhat shiny sheen when fully absorbed. It took its sweet time to get fully absorbed, too. Hence my choice to use it only at night.
    There was no detectable scent.
    I didn't experience any adverse reactions when using Sidmool Alpha Whitening Power Ampoule. There were no breakouts, no irritation, no nothing.



    Sidmool Alpha Whitening Power Ampoule worked to control the redness in my cheeks, and in addition, helped with fading some other discolorations.

    All in all, a lovely product with awesome results.

    I have used products with niacinamide before and they did absolutely nothing for my skin. I strongly suspect that this time the results are due to arbutin rather than niacinamide, as arbutin is present in both of the Sidmool products that made my skin visibly brighter, more even and less flushed.

    So those were the hits.



    Now time to introduce the misses.


    • Sidmool Min Jung Gi Volufiline Ampoule (11ml)



    A bit of a background story.

    A few years ago, when Sidmool still produced Pueraria Anemarrhena Elastic Essence, which contained pueraria mirifica extract, the hype was so great that I, the good lemming that I am, of course joined the masses and started using it as well.

    It did absolutely nothing.

    Then came the reformulated Sidmool Anemarrhena Elasticity Essence without pueraria mirifica, which I also used. And which also did absolutely nothing.

    And that's how I ended up with today's contestant - Sidmool Min Jung Gi Volufiline Ampoule.


    Sidmool Min Jung Gi Volufiline Ampoule ingredients:
    Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Anemarrhena Asphodeloides Root Extract


    And these two ingredients are nothing other than Volufiline™, in other words, this ampoule contains 100% Volufiline.

    What is Volufiline? It's an ingredient developed by Sederma and normally used as a bust enhancer. Yep, breast creams and that sort of stuff.



    This is what Sederma has to say about it:

    Volufiline™ is a non-hormonal treatment that reportedly stimulates adipocyte differentiation, proliferation and volume with a plant-derived molecule in order to bring volume where it is needed. The plant-derived molecule formulated into the ingredient is an extract of Anemarrhena asphodeloides, a perennial evergreen that grows in Eastern Asia.

    The mechanisms of action were studied in vitro with a genetic analysis based on DNA array experiments. According to the company, a two-month clinical study, using the FOITS (fringe projection) technique to measure volume, curvature and body lines, revealed that the cleavage is rounded off by up to 8.4% with use of the product.
    source


    A two month clinical study, they say? I'm rolling my eyes so hard I can see my brain.
    Notice the word "reportedly" in the text above?

    So what do breast enhancement creams and general skincare have in common?
    Because Volufiline "reportedly" stimulates fat production, the idea is that it can be put to work as a natural wrinkle filler.

    That's the premise. Sounds great, right?



    I am like Fox Mulder, I want to believe. But when all the supporting studies are either exclusive to the company that produces this stuff, or sponsored by the company that produces this stuff, or in collaboration with the company that produces this stuff, color me skeptical.

    People on them innernets, including various beauty bloggers, claim Volufiline is a miracle worker, that it fills out wrinkles, tear troughs, sunken cheeks and stubborn frownies or smile lines. All of that in addition to making your bust and butt bigger at the same time.

    They provide more or less blurry and out of focus before and after photos.
    They conveniently ignore the fact that even minimal weight gain, caffeine consumption, or hormonal problems are going to influence facial fat distribution. All of that in addition to the power of autosuggestion and (scientifically proven and peer-reviewed) placebo effects.



    So, how did all this Sidmool natural wrinkle filler work for me?
    After nearly 3 years of use I can say that not at all. It didn't work at all.

    In fact, it made my undereye areas look worse. The wrinkles became MORE prominent and more visible. At first I thought I was hallucinating, that my skin was dry, that it was winter, or that it was stress, or that it was summer, or that it was whatever.
    But those times when I stopped using the filler, after a few days (not weeks, DAYS!), the overall condition would improve.
    Oh hit me with a wooden stick, for crying out loud! This shit was supposed to work the OTHER way round.



    Over the years I have broached the subject of Volufiline and natural fillers with three different doctors specializing in cosmetic medicine. Their reactions?

    1. If you think it's going to work, then why not?
    2. Do you really think that a topical treatment is going to influence cellular changes significant enough to show a visible difference?
    3. Eye roll (but a very subtle one, and not in my direction but to the nurse in the room).

    The general consensus was similar in tone to topical collagen - we know it doesn't work, but we still use it, right?
    And Volufiline? If you think it's working, then be my guest and knock yourself out. But don't be surprised if it doesn't.

    I guess I was surprised it didn't. I mean, it worked, seemingly, for everyone else on the internet, right? Then why not for me?

    In frustration I went ahead and got Restylane fillers under my eyes and couldn't be happier. Took 20 minutes and the cost was less than what I have spent on Sidmool's magical wrinkle fillers over the years.
    That'll teach me.



    And the final dud of the evening?


    • Sidmool Secret Of Red Astaxanthin Concentrate 

    This one doesn't even have a proper photo. Because, seriously, why bother?


    I live in Japan. Japan practically invented astaxanthin skincare. We have asta hand creams over here. What was I thinking when I ordered Sidmool? Not much, apparently.
    It was a sticky, nasty, primitive mess.
    I gave it away.
    And my friend threw it out.

    End of story.



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    Diorsnow Bloom Perfect Brightening Perfect Moist Cushion SPF50 PA+++

    May 3, 2016, 3:30 am
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    Whoa!
    A month without a new post!
    How did that happen?

    My new job punched me in the face, full force, so hard that it took me a month to get up and get my sh*t together. No, I don't work for the UFC as an MMA fighter. I'm just a proper Japanese salarywoman now. With work meetings that last into eternity, and nomikais to attend, and urgent paperwork to take care of, and weekend work, just because. That sort of stuff.

    What keeps me going is payday (that's the reason I took this job in the first place) and one of my co-workers, who looks like a Japanese version of Robert Downey Jr.

    Anyway, what was I going to talk about today? I forgot already.



    That should tell you everything you need to know about this sad mess that is Dior's first attempt at a cushion foundation. That I am more excited to tell you about the guy I work with than this cushion. The guy is hot, this cushion is not.

    If someone had told me this two months ago when I first bought this cushion, I would have died laughing. But here I am, two months later, ready to finally admit the truth.




    This Diorsnow Bloom Perfect Brightening Perfect Moist Cushion SPF50 PA+++  is as far from perfect as you can get without leaving our solar system.
    There is no other way to put it - this Diorsnow Bloom Perfect long name cushion sucks.
    And it sucks big time.

    Actually, it shouldn't surprise me. Dior does everything on a grand scale. So no wonder that if they do something that sucks, it's sucking on a grand scale, too.



    I love Dior. I have always loved Dior. I have loved Dior even when the products I bought were not working for me. Because Dior, you know? Just the name alone makes me feel important and fancy.
    I live and die by Dior mascaras and Dior fragrances.
    When Diorsnow first appeared on the market (yes, I am that old), my panties nearly melted off from sheer excitement.

    When last year the news came out that Dior was working with Amore Pacific* to create a cushion foundation, it was as if a heavenly cherub choir was singing. I mean, Amore Pacific. Cushion. Dior. Impossible to f*ck it up, right? Right? RIGHT???

    * Amore Pacific is a South Korean cosmetics giant, the home of such brands as Laneige and Iope among many others, that basically created the cushion foundation as we know it. 



    And then the cushion landed.
    And everything has changed.

    My world will never be the same.

    So let's get this train wreck started, shall we?

    First, the name.

    Really? Are you freakin' kidding me?
    Diorsnow Bloom Perfect Brightening Perfect Moist Cushion SPF50 PA+++ ???

    Who the f*ck thought of this ridiculous name? Did they have a company-wide contest for the longest and most incomprehensible name and the janitor, who didn't speak any English, submitted the winning entry?



    Second, the price.

    Really? Are you freakin' kidding me?

    Yes, I know that this Diorsnow long name cushion is sold with a refill, the way Asian cushions are, but seriously, 8500 yen plus tax?



    What is this cushion made of? Unicorn farts and pixie dust?
    Probably I'd bitch less about the price if this was a decent cushion, but alas, it is not.

    Luckily, I didn't completely lose my mind because Dior and only bought a refill.



    And luckily, because it was developed with Amore Pacific, it actually fits into Amore Pacific cushion compacts.



    Third, the performance.

    Really? Are you freakin' kidding me?

    Really, if I am going to spend that much money on a luxury cosmetic, I expect it to be, you know, luxury and stuff.
    What I don't expect it to do is to oxidize within 30 seconds of being applied.
    And I don't expect it to totally rub off and disappear within 3 hours of being applied.



    This cushion was released in Japan the same day that the Shu Uemura cushion hit the stores and, of course, I was at the Dior counter that afternoon ready to shop.



    I'm glad they added that by Dior disclaimer, but I'm sure there will still be naive souls out there reading it and believing that it was Dior who came up with the first cushion ever.


    I asked the sales assistant for the lightest shade, 005, and she dutifully swiped some on my hand. And we both stared in utter horror.
    She looked at the cushion label, she looked at printed color table, and thinking the cushion was mislabeled, actually went to open a new one.
    She swatched it on my arm again, and the same thing happened. The swatch turned into a dark mess within 30 seconds.
    Her exact words were "I don't know why it's so dark, but it's too dark for you. I can't sell this cushion to you. The color looks nothing like the swatch table. I'm so sorry."

    This cushion comes in 3 shades: 005, 010 and 020 - dark, darker and the darkest.



    005 was supposed to be the lightest, developed with fair-skinned Japanese women in mind. I am not Japanese, but there is plenty of Japanese base makeup I can wear. Because it's light enough for me. And because it doesn't oxidize immediately upon application.



    A week later, at a different Dior counter, the sales staff was much better prepared. They clearly knew that this shit oxidizes like crazy and were instructed on how to apply it.
    I was sat in front of the mirror and flat out told that the color is supposed to be that dark. Because, guess what? It's supposed to be applied onto a pasty white primer base to look good.



    Having said that, the sales lady grabbed not one, but TWO bottles of different white primers and went to work. When she turned me into a white faced geisha, she then applied a layer of cushion on top of it all.

    She also clearly knew that this cushion has a lasting power of zero, because she then proceeded to use copious amounts of powder to set it all into place. She didn't stop until she turned me into a noh mask. And despite her best efforts the foundation still managed to darken. She pretended it was supposed to look like that. As if having a face several shades darker than the neck is a new fashion trend, or something.



    When I was leaving the counter, I overheard another customer, a middle aged Japanese woman, complaining that "Why is this foundation so dark? Is this the lightest color?"

    That somehow leads me to believe that Dior's mindset is still stuck in the colonial times, when them Asian savages were considered yellow faced beasts.
    Asian brands somehow manage to make a variety of shades to suit a variety of lighter skin tones (darker skin tones, that's unfortunately, another story), both Asian and non-Asian. And a western brand apparently took the reference to "yellow race" quite literally.

    What the fuck Dior?

    Swatch of Diorsnow Bloom Perfect Brightening Perfect Moist Cushion SPF50 PA+++ in shade 005:



    Anyway, is there anything I like about this cushion?
    Apart from the fact that it looks like a Korean cushion and fits into Amore Pacific cushion compacts, no, not really.



    Fourth, the ingredients. 

    Really? Are you freakin' kidding me?

    Its magical brightening powers are supposed to come from its star ingredient - edelweiss a.k.a. Leontopodium alpinum.



    But when you look at the ingredient list, you will see that Leontopodium alpinum extract is the 36th ingredient out of 48 ingredients total. Ahead of this magical extract we have "parfum" and nearly all other fragrance ingredients in the formulation. Which makes it clear that the poor edelweiss is there in trace amounts, only for marketing purposes.



    Diorsnow Bloom Perfect Brightening Perfect Moist Cushion SPF50 PA+++ ingredients:


    So there you have it.
    What should have been tears of joy that we finally get a decent cushion from a western brand, turned into the weeping hour over my own stupidity for buying this nonsense.

    At least the puff looks familiar, wouldn't you say?


    And the other side:



    Conclusion:

    I should have listened to myself and sat this one out.
    But I didn't. Because Dior, you know.
    Stupid me.

    ~~~

    Po polsku:

    Poniewaz podklad w poduszce Diorsnow Bloom Perfect Brightening Perfect Moist Cushion SPF50 PA+++ to kolaboracja Diora z poludniowo-koreanskim gigantem kosmetycznym Amore Pacific, oczekiwalam poduszki o poludniowo-koreanskim standardzie (czyli o swiatowym standardzie).
    Amore Pacific to koncern do ktorego naleza takie marki jak, miedzy innymi, Laneige i Iope. Marki Amore Pacific sa znane ze swoich podkladow w poduszkach i co roku plasuja sie na czolowych miejscach w kosmetycznych rankingach.
    Od Diora oczekiwalam takiej samej jakosci.

    A tymczasem to co zaserwowal nam Dior pod postacia Diorsnow Bloom Perfect Brightening Perfect Moist Cushion SPF50 PA+++ to kosztowny bubel.

    Podklad ten utlenia sie w ekspresowym tempie i ma zerowa trwalosc. 
    Skladnik, ktory jest na czolowym miejscu marketingowej papki, edelweiss (szarotka alpejska), znajduje sie na 36 miejscu w skladzie. Caly sklad ma 48 pozycji i powyzej szarotki znajduje sie cala gama skladnikow perfumowych. To mowi samo za siebie.

    Pomimo zapewnien, ze kolory tego podkladu zostaly dobrane z mysla o azjatyckich karnacjach, sa one malo trafione. Co wraz z ekspersowym utelnianiem powoduje, ze mamy trzy odcienie koszmarnej zoltosci - ciemny, ciemniejszy i karykaturalny.
    Nie wiem czy eksperci kolorystyczni od Diora wiedza, ze Azjatki raczej stronia sie od slonca i ze wiele z nich odcieniowo plasuje sie w okolicach NC15. A jak ten podklad ma sie do NC15 to widac na swatchach.

    Podsumowujac, Diorsnow Bloom Perfect Brightening Perfect Moist Cushion SPF50 PA+++ to bubel.

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    SainTFengel - new Taiwanese brand - first impressions part 1

    August 2, 2016, 9:12 am
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    Yes, unbelievable. I am back.

    With my deepest apologies to all my readers. My new job is the stuff that Japanese job horror stories are made of. And to add injury to this insult, my beloved laptop moved on to Laptop Heaven. I ordered a new one, but... Adobe Photoshop had me spitting nickles and pissing cement. Seriously, their cloud subscription system is beyond awful. Unfortunately, I don't have 2 thousand bucks just lying around to buy one of the few copies of CS6 still out there, so I'm kind of stuck right now.

    But the good news is that I am back to blogging. And that is all that matters, right? Right!

    Today's review is loooong overdue. The kind people that sent me these products have been incredibly patient. Thank you!
    But the good news is that this long delay gave me enough time to try all the products and really get to know them very thoroughly. So thoroughly that I have already finished some of them. Which is the best news of all, because nothing is more annoying than a sponsored review after a week of using something. Or not using at all, because "it wasn't right for my skin..., blah blah blah".

    So, let's get started, shall we?

    SainTFengel. Spelled just like that.



    Sorry, I am not a fan of this name. It claims to be the name of a holy Scottish prince who never aged (according to the company's blurb), but google results bring back nothing. So there you have it. An immortal Scottish prince, who eventually disappeared. Sounds familiar? It's been a while since I watched "Highlander"...
    Here is what the company says - SainTFengel brand story.

    The SainTFengel brand concept (printed in the pamphlet white on black, why??? why???) is the usual PR stuff. What caught my attention, however, is the fact that the company operates its own R&D department with in-house product research. Nice! So when SainTFengel contacted me for a review, that bit of information convinced me to say "yes".

    Here you have the link to what it says about it on their website - SainTFengel brand concept.

    You know that I am a big fan of Taiwanese skincare, especially skincare made by doctors(fun fact - I wrote about Dr Wu nearly exactly a year ago, plus minus 2 days). I was happy to see that there is also a real life doctor behind SainTFengel - Dr. Tsong-Ming Chang, who has a PhD in something. According to his bio, he is the Chief of R&D at HungKuang University in Taiwan.

    Of course, I had to google it. This university has, among more mundane offerings such as nursing, something called "College of Human Ecology", where one of the departments is listed as Department of Applied Cosmetology. And that is, apparently, where Dr Chang is a "distinguished professor". And what about his Research and Development position? It checks out - he's the dean.

    Not sure what the link is between SainTFengel and HungKuang University and I don't really have the time to dig deeper here. Most likely, SainTFengel is our doctor's side gig for some extra moolah.
    But I'm glad that the story checks out (unlike in the case of some other brands, who lie through their teeth).


    image source: SainTFengel website


    There are seven products in the SainTFengel portfolio right now. I got to try all of them. They were sent to me for free in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
    The brand rep actually read my blog and was very much aware of my outspoken, oftentimes rude and uncompromising style, yet she was absolutely confident that I would love SainTFengel skincare. It takes balls of monumental proportions to claim that and based on that alone, the brand won my respect.

    So, did I love the products? Read on and find out.


    SainTFengel - the airless pump and spray edition. 


    From left to right, you can see:
    • SainTFengel Energizing Floral Spray Serum (100ml / 3.4 fl oz)
    • SainTFengel STF Anti-Aging Serum (30ml / 1 fl oz)
    and
    • SainTFengel Anti-Dark Circles Brightening Eye Cream (15ml / 0.5 fl oz)

    Let's starts with the guy in blue.

    SainTFengel Energizing Floral Spray Serum
    (100ml / 3.4 fl oz)



    Here you have the official info about SainTFengel Energizing Floral Spray Serum from the company's website - link. Watch the video, if you have a minute, it's worth it.

    And if you are too lazy to click, this info comes directly from the pamphlet:



    That mysterious PENTAVITIN® is none other than Saccharide Isomerate.


    The claims set the bar very high. Maybe too high even.
    I wanted to love this spray. I was in the market for a new hydrating mist. This seemed like a perfect product for me. Brightening! Hydrating! Soothing! Anti-inflammation!


    Unfortunately, the smell killed it all.
    This spray claims to have a floral scent. If you look at the ingredient list, you expect roses and daisies. I love roses. Rose fragrance is one of my most beloved scents.


    But this thing here? It reeked. It smelled like an old grandma. The scent wasn't heavy, but nevertheless, it made me gag. The scent disappears about 2 minutes after the application (yes, I timed it!), but in those 2 minutes my eyes started to water, my nose started to drip and I was gasping for air.
    The only way I could apply it onto my face was if I had a fan in my hand.
    Still, the experience was not pleasant at all.


    I gave this SainTFengel Energizing Floral Spray Serum to my friend, and she loves it. She has normal to dry skin of the aging variety and she says it became her favorite refreshing mist. She uses it not as a setting spray, but as a prep step before the makeup. She's asked me for more, because her mother absolutely adores the scent. Yep. Adores.


    As you can see it dries to a slight sheen. It takes quite a while to fully absorb.

    So there. Your mileage may vary by a couple thousands miles, apparently.

    SainTFengel Energizing Floral Spray Serum ingredients:


    And here is the CosDNA analysis - link.

    Here is what it says about the SainTFengel Energizing Floral Spray Serum in the product leaflet that was included in the box:

    So there you have it.
    I had high hopes. But the scent shattered them all. There are cheap rose fragrances, and there are classy rose fragrances. This one is cheap and not particularly rosey either. If the brand can change it to a classy rose scent, I'll be pouncing on this spray like a cougar on a young chicken.



    Time for contestant number 2:

    SainTFengel STF Anti-Aging Serum
    (30ml / 1 fl oz)



    Here you have the link to the English language product page on the brand's website - SainTFengel STF Anti-Aging Serum.


    I watched the video and unfortunately, despite my best efforts, I was unable to replicate the hydration results presented there. I found it a bit misleading that the levels were very conveniently tested on one of the thinnest bits on the human body - the piece of skin between your thumb and forefinger.
    Testing it on the back of my hand, or on my forearm, or on my face (the proper place to apply this serum) I have been unable to replicate their results.


    If anything, I would say that this serum did not provide any substantial hydration for my dry skin. It had to be followed with heavy duty moisturizers. This was one of the reasons why I initially put it away and wasn't so keen on continuing my tests.


    Then came our lovely Japanese summer. 99% humidity and ridiculous heat. The kind of weather that makes you question every skincare product you put on your face. The kind of weather that makes you pray for something non-sticky, something absorbing in record time, something that leaves your face feeling soft, but dry.


    I reluctantly dug out this serum and gave it a second chance. Bingo!
    SainTFengel STF Anti-Aging Serum seems to be custom made for this dreadful weather.

    I use it in the morning after my toner and followed with a light moisturizer (if needed) or directly with a moisturizing SPF.

    Here is what it says about SainTFengel STF Anti-Aging Serum in the official product pamphlet:


    Yes, I know...
    If you are launching a new brand, the least you could do was hire a proofreader to check your PR materials. Especially if your native language is not English.

    So, let's see... After over a month of daily use did I notice any significant changes in my skin? Or even insignificant changes? Or any changes at all?

    Nope. Not really.
    The only thing I noticed is that SainTFengel STF Anti-Aging Serum plays well with others. You can put stuff on top of it and nothing pills and nothing bunches up.

    If it is doing something, it is doing it so stealthily that I can't really notice anything.

    SainTFengel STF Anti-Aging Serum dries matte, as you can see:


    And it stays matte even in million degree weather.
    Because of that I am suspecting it would work wonders for oily and combination skins.
    For dry skin under normal conditions, unless one day I can reproduce their hydration results, not so much.

    SainTFengel STF Anti-Aging Serum ingredients:


    The company provided me with an INCI listing and I entered it into CosDNA for your viewing pleasure - link.

    Here's a blurb from the leaflet that came in the product box:


    So there you have it.
    Despite magical hydration claims, SainTFengel STF Anti-Aging Serum does not hydrate my dry skin under normal conditions. In fact, if anything, it leaves it feeling slightly dry. Because of that, it works well in hot and humid weather. I did not notice any visible changes in my skin, nothing good, but nothing bad either.


    It seems to me that SainTFengel STF Anti-Aging Serum is more suited for oily or combination skin, as it definitely (and let me repeat - definitely) controls sebum production. This fact has been confirmed by an oily skinned friend. She was quite pleased with how it behaved on her oil slick of a face and how it layered nicely with whatever makeup she put on top of it.
    We shared this bottle and that's why it's practically empty now.



    And, finally, last but not least, our contestant number 3.

    Saving the best for last!


    SainTFengel Anti-Dark Circles Brightening Eye Cream
    (15ml / 0.5 fl oz)


    This is what the company has to say about SainTFengel Anti-Dark Circles Brightening Eye Cream - link to the official product info.


    I must admit, I was skeptical but I found myself really liking this eye cream. It's pretty rich, it takes time to absorb, and it seems to really nourish the eye area. I didn't expect any major fireworks, and there were none. Instead, I got a really solid, functional eye cream.


    Here is the official product pamphlet spiel:


    I can't really say if it does anything to dark panda circles, because I no longer have any. Getting Restylane fillers under my eyes took care not only of most of my deep undereye lines (the small lines are still there), but also magically eradicated my dark circles. Serious esthetic medicine voodoo.


    The only issue I have with SainTFengel Anti-Dark Circles Brightening Eye Cream is that it's not moisturizing enough. Despite its richness, my dry skin needed more moisture. And then, the same old hot and humid weather story happened. Our lovely Japanese summer arrived in all its evil glory and suddenly it turned out that this cream was enough. More than enough.
    It leads me to believe that it would work like a charm on oily, combo and normal skin under "normal" conditions. If your eye area needs some TLC, this cream is for you.


    Honestly, there is nothing here that I can bitch about. I like this cream. I've been using it both morning and night and I am nearly done with the bottle.


    The company says SainTFengel Anti-Dark Circles Brightening Eye Cream is fast absorbing. This has not been my experience. If anything, this cream takes its sweet time to sink in. But once it sets, you can pile other stuff on it. Again, it plays nicely with others. Actually, that seems to be true of all SainTFengel products.
    I put SPF on it - no problems.
    I put concealer on it - no problems.
    I put foundation on it - no problems.

    SainTFengel Anti-Dark Circles Brightening Eye Cream ingredients:


    I'm not going to analyze them for you, because I am not a cosmetic chemist, and besides, you all can read. No need for me to rehash it again and feel self-important.

    What I can do is enter them into CosDNA for you - link.

    This is what the leaflet included in the box says:


    As you can see this last entry is short and sweet, because SainTFengel Anti-Dark Circles Brightening Eye Cream gives me nothing to complain about.



    I do have a few general complaints about SainTFengel overall product presentation.
    You see, a well formulated cosmetic is truly successful only when people buy it and use it. To get people to buy your products, you need to appeal to them. And to appeal to your customers, you need to pay attention to details.

    If you don't look too closely, it seems that SainTFengel is paying attention. There are pamphlets and bilingual leaflets and a detailed website. There are ingredient lists in English and in Chinese. There are hygienic airless pumps and spray bottles.


    Things start getting a bit shoddy when you get closer.
    The English language descriptions desperately need proofreading. The ingredient lists need to be presented in a proper INCI format. And how come they are not available on the brand's website?
    The company logo looks cheap and tacky, and the graphic design on the packaging just screams "stuff for old ladies".
    If you are trying to position yourself as a mid-range or premium brand, you need to look like a mid-range or premium brand. Not like something that can be found on the bottom shelf at a local Chinese market.

    Cleaning up the visuals will go a long way towards the general appeal of the brand and this is something that SainTFengel should seriously consider if they want to sell to the western audience.

    Anyway, that is just my opinion.

    If you want to try any of SainTFengel products (the camellia cream, trust me, it's worth it, just wait for the review, it's coming soon), you can find them on Yesstyle - non-affiliated link.
    That camellia cream, mark my words....


    PS. I will add the moisture percentages (taken with my own skin analyzer) photos as soon as I find that memory card.

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    Cremorlab - second impressions

    August 10, 2016, 7:46 am
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    (Wersja polska na dole wpisu).

    This is going to be a long mega-post, so go grab a sandwich, or a coffee. Yes, you may need some caffeine just to stay awake.
    Go on, I'll wait.

    I'm going to get a drink myself.

    This review has been simmering here since last fall. Yep. Nine months. If it were a baby, it would be screaming for some breast milk now.

    Anyway, where was I?
    Ah, yes... Cremorlab.


    Actually, it's good I waited out the Cremorlab hype with these products. It gave me enough time to get to know them and to form an opinion of sorts about the brand in general.
    And what a huge difference a year makes!
    It seems that Peach and Lily stopped pushing Cremorlab in every single advertorial, the hype is done and over now. So what did Cremorlab do to fall from the K-beauty pedestal? Nothing really, apart from being boring and expensive.

    Yes, expensive...

    I bought all of today's products myself, and the only reason I could afford them was a huge discount at SkinGarden in Shin Okubo in Tokyo.


    I've been getting quite frequent emails from people asking me if I could buy them Cremorlab this and Cremorlab that in Shin Okubo and unfortunately, I can't. One, because I am not a buying service, and two, because this is not how sales in Shin Okubo work.

    You see, the huge discounts you can find at places like SkinGarden come with a trade off of short expiration dates, usually a year or less. Some products at 90% markdown are waaaay past their prime, I have seen SanDaWha and ElishaCoy that were so expired I'd be afraid to handle them without a hazmat suit.

    Such are the risks of buying discounted Korean cosmetics in Shin Okubo. Those stores buy less than fresh overstock for super cheap and try to unload it as fast as possible. Once a brand is gone, it's gone for good.

    That was the case with Cremorlab. Maybe some day it will appear in Shin Okubo again. If that happens, I will carefully check the dates on every single product and buy like there is no tomorrow. But until that happens, I will pass on Cremorlab. There is no way in hell I am paying the standard online prices.


    But let's get started, shall we?

    Last year, nearly exactly to the day (can you believe it?), I was writing about Cremorlab sunblock.
    Today I will tell you about the rest of the Cremorlab goodies:
    • Cremorlab Enriched Moisture
    • Cremorlab Smooth Pudding
    • Cremorlab Aqua Essence Water Fluid
    • Cremorlab Fresh Water Gel
    and
    • Cremorlab Body Lotion.
    I have finished all of them a long time ago. Some were multiples (Aqua Essence and Fresh Water Gel), and some were not.

     My overall impression of the products?

    I liked them. I really did.
    They were simple, functional, basic, boring skincare. They did not irritate, they played well with each other and with others and they left my skin looking supple, smooth and ... ran out of ideas for more s words here... Anyway, you know what I mean.

    They gave me nothing to complain about. Except the price, that is.
    And maybe the fact that apart from moisture and plumpness, they didn't do much else. For that kind of money I expected bells and whistles and skingasmic experiences to live up to the Peach and Lily hype.


    Instead, it turned out that the hype was just that. Hype. A year later there are new K-beauty darlings and Cremorlab is no longer the cool kid on the blog. You'd think that it would translate into lower prices, but noooo...

    A new Korean beauty online shop selling Cremorlab - Brush and Powder, keeps the prices firmly in the Peach and Lily territory.
    But unlike Peach and Lily, it runs frequent "buy one get one" Cremorlab promotions. And guess who will be dropping some change on a BOGO Cremorlab next time it happens? Yours very truly, that's who. Because despite all my bitching and moaning, and Cremorlab's ridiculous magical water mythology, it IS a good brand with decent products.

    Wait, what? Magical water?

    Yep.

    I took this screenshot last year. It seemed to have mysteriously vanished from the Cremorlab website. Or they buried it so deep, I can't find it now.

    Pity, because this blurb is pure PR drivel gold.

    I have enlisted the help of a Korean speaking friend and we've been trying to contact Cremorlab to find out the exact location of this magical hot spring in Geumjin where the water used in Cremorlab products reportedly comes from. No luck. The company simply ignored us.
    In other PR blurbs, now no longer appearing on Cremorlab's website (at least not in English), it stated that their water had unique red wine color. 

    We have emailed the tourist board in Gangwon Province and asked them for help in locating this mysterious hot spring. They had no clue either. Gangwon IS famous for hot springs, but this particular one proved hard to find. Red wine color and all. Nobody knows...

    Not sure about you, but this kind of stuff always pushes my BS alert into overdrive.

    Yes, miracle blending indeed...

    Here is another blurb of the same, but this time from Lotte Duty Free website:


    Anyway, what does T.E.N. stand for?


    Apparently, for this:
    • T = Thermal water therapy
    • E = Eco-energy
    • N = Natural nourishment

    Exciting stuff, right?


    So let's get this party started, shall we?

    • Cremorlab Enriched Moisture T.E.N. Cremor for Face (45ml)



    The bar is set pretty high with claims of highly effective hydration, brightening and nourishment.
    No, this photo was not taken in black and white, the box really is that simple and spartan.

    Until you turn it over and see this:


    Yep, it's printed in Japanese and in English. How very fancy. Here we have the blurb about the red wine color.

    Why is the box in Japanese if Cremorlab is a niche Korean brand?

    You see, apparently, Cremorlab is one of those arrogant Korean brands who think that having Japanese packaging is the key to success in the Japanese market. Whamisa is another such brand. Idiots. They should have learned from the flagship Amore Pacific failure. It takes a lot more than Japanese writing on the box to succeed in Japan.


    Cremorlab touts its eco-friendly cred, but as you see above, it's just lip service. The amount of waste that goes into preparing country specific packaging for every product is mind boggling. And very, very eco-unfriendly. Japanese language stickers satisfy all legal requirements for imported products, are much cheaper to produce and have a much lower carbon footprint. But noooo... Cremorlab is so green and eco-friendly, they had to produce individual boxes for the Japanese market. Idiots.
    Let me repeat it one more time. Idiots.


    K-beauty fans used to fawn over Cremorlab's minimalistic design. I don't find it particularly worth of fawning over. Maybe because many Japanese products in the comparable price range follow similar esthetics.


    Now, whoever at Cremorlab thought it would be a good idea to have white print on a very pale whitish-gray background needs to be fired. It looks clean but is impossible to read. Hello Cremorlab, ever heard of visually impaired people? If it was the US of A, you'd get your ass sued by someone who's legally blind and can't read the blurbs on your containers.

    All creams came with spatulas. Personally, I didn't bother with them and just used my fingers. I think I tossed them as soon as I opened a box, that's why you can't see any in most of the photos.

    Cremorlab Enriched Moisture had a light, fluffy texture. A nice surprise for a quite rich cream.

    It hydrated and moisturized like a champ. I didn't notice any brightening. Nourishing can be debatable, but my skin did feel more plump and smooth.

    Cremorlab Enriched Moisture swatches:


    You can see that initially it looks very rich, and then - magic! it absorbs completely and fully. There is no shiny cast, there is no residue. There is no sticky film. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Just happy, plump skin.


    As you can see above, the ingredient list is printed in Japanese as well. There was no Korean and no English version.

    Cremorlab Enriched Moisture T.E.N. Cremor for Face ingredients (in English):
    Water, Glycerin, Caprylic/capric Triglyceride, Isotridecyl Isononanoate, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Dimethicone, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Triethylhexanoin, Polyacrylamide, Panthenol, Cetearyl Alcohol, Hamamelis Virginiana (witch Hazel) Water, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Brassica Oleracea Italica (broccoli) Extract, Orchid Extract, Theobroma Cacao (cocoa) Extract, Glycine Soja (soybean) Oil, Yeast Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (licorice) Root Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (matricaria) Flower Extract, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Myristyl Myristate, Bis-diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Tribehenin, Pentylene Glycol, Peg-40 Stearate, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Sorbitan Stearate, Laureth-7, Caprylyl Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Bisabolol, Adenosine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, 1,2-hexanediol, Algin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polysorbate 60, Myristyl Alcohol, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

    As you can see, the ingredient list in English has a very different order from what's printed in Japanese on the box. Let's just say, some of the extracts dropped to the very bottom in the Japanese version. Which leads me to believe that despite Peach and Lily's assurances that their ingredient lists were reshuffled to comply with the American regulations, they are not.

    Later, when I have a moment, I will add the Japanese listing in English. Japan is very strict about the ingredient order in cosmetic products. Korea, on the other hand, tends to fudge things somewhat so the products appear "better" ingredient-wise than they really are.

    Here is a nice write up about the differences between Korean and American ingredient lists: link.

    ~~~

    Time for contestant number 2.

    • Cremorlab Smooth Pudding T.E.N. Cremor for Face (60ml)



    Cremorlab Smooth Pudding was my favorite from the whole lineup. I would pile it on after my Hanyul White Chrysanthemum Radiance Serum and let my skin drink it all up.

    I didn't notice any anti-wrinkle results. I did notice, however, that my skin was amazingly hydrated, moist, supple, plump and glowing.



    Last fall while waiting in a waiting room somewhere I grabbed a women's magazine and started paging through it absentmindedly. An article about skincare caught my eye. It advocated something, which I dubbed "force feeding". The basic principle was that you are supposed to force your skin to drink as much moisture as possible. Winters in Japan are notoriously dry, my dry skin tends to crack, flake and peel. I went home, pulled out my Cremorlab lineup and started force feeding my skin. Turned out my skin was a bottomless pit when it came to moisture. It would immediately eat up whatever I gave it. And it wanted more. And more.


    The texture was indeed very smooth and very puddingy. The name didn't lie.

    Cremorlab Smooth Pudding swatch:


    Again, initially it looks very rich, and then - magic. It's all absorbed into satiny nothing. There is no sticky film, no filmy residue. Nothing. Just moist, fluffy skin.


    No surprise to anyone that we run into the same ingredient order problem as with Enriched Moisture.

    The Japanese and English language versions don't match up.

    Cremorlab Smooth Pudding T.E.N. Cremor for Face ingredients (in English):
    Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Poly (c6-14olefin), Butyrospermum Parkii (shea) Butter, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (lavender) Water, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (witch Hazel) Water, Orchid Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (licorice) Root Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (matricaria) Flower Extract, Yeast Extract, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Pentylene Glycol, , Polysorbate 60, Glyceryl Stearate, Peg-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Glucoside, Dimethicone, Acrylates/c10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arachidyl Glucoside, Silica, Sodium Acrylate/sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Potassium Hydroxide, Isohexadecane, Adenosine, Polysorbate 80, Sodium Hyaluronate, Caprylyl Glycol, 1,2-hexanediol, Algin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cetearyl Alcohol, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Caffeine, Xanthan Gum, Alcohol Denat., Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Fragrance (parfum)
    Again, the differences in the ingredient order between the Japanese version on the box and the English listing provided by Peach and Lily are quite shocking. I was under the impression that Peach and Lily had the reshuffled American ingredient order. But apparently no.

    I guess I'll have to get my stuff together and post the Japanese translation as well.


    OK, moving on.

    ~~~

    Next up is:

    • Cremorlab Aqua Essence Water Fluid T.E.N. Cremor (50ml)


    The name of this essence is very misleading.
    It's neither "water" nor "fluid". And yes, I do think that "aqua" and "water" in the same name is a bit of an overkill. Especially if your product is neither.

    Here you have a review of Cremor Aqua Essence Water Fluid by the lovely adoredee - link. She wasn't particularly pleased with this product.
    I, on the other hand, loved it.


    Make no mistake, despite what you can read about it on the internet, this is not an essence in the traditional sense. Not a "booster serum" either.

    It's just a plain, old moisturizer.

    It claims to do three main things: anti-wrinkle, whitening and super mega hydration.

    I have gone through 2 bottles of it, and while I loved it for the super mega hydration (no lie here), I noticed zero whitening and zero anti-wrinkling. If anything, whatever superficial anti-wrinkle results it did offer were due to superior hydration. Plump skin looks visually less wrinkly than dry skin.

    Cremorlab Aqua Essence Water Fluid comes in an airless pump bottle. Yay!

    The "essence" looks like that:


    See what I mean? Not very "aqua" and not very "water". "Fluid"? Hahaha! Nice joke, Cremorlab!

    Cremorlab Aqua Essence Water Fluid swatch:


    See? This is why I loved Cremorlab. It absorbed to nothing on my dry, dry skin. Initially I used it after my toner and before the Hanyul serum. I found that it wasn't the best order for me (despite what other websites claim) and started using it after the serum. The results were immediate. Soft, hydrated, plump skin. Happy, happy, yay, yay!


    Ingredients in Japanese:



    Cremorlab Aqua Essence Water Fluid T.E.N. Cremor ingredients (in English, from Peach and Lily):

    Water, Butylene Glycol, Isohexadecane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Rosmarinus Officinalis (rosemary) Leaf Extract, Glycine Soja (soybean) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (lavender) Water, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (witch Hazel) Water, Orchid Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (licorice) Root Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chamomillarecutita (matricaria) Flower Extract, Yeast Extract, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Glycerin, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Octyldodeceth-20, Peg-5 Glyceryl Stearate, Sodium Acrylate/sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Bisabolol, Caprylyl Glycol, Arginine, Polysorbate 80, Acrylates/c10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Adenosine, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, 1,2-hexanediol, Algin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Polysorbate 60, Cetearyl Alcohol, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Alcohol Denat., Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Dehydroacetic Acid

    And no surprise to anyone at this point, the order is completely different. Shockingly different.


    Hang on, this is the final stretch. Only two more products to go!

    ~~~

    • Cremorlab Fresh Water Gel T.E.N. Cremor for Face (100ml)


    Yes, it's really THAT big. It's not a typo. 100 ml. For real.
    The jar is huge (relatively speaking) and it almost justifies the non-sale price of US$48.00


    I used it as a sleeping pack. Yes, on top of all the other Cremors. I kept it by the futon and just smeared it on when it was time to go to bed.
    If this goes on a "buy one get one" sale at Brush and Powder, I am totally buying it.



    Oh yes, the design. Here you can see the details. Alien doodles, as my friend called them.

    The gel is really gelly and kind of watery:


    I loved this Cremorlab Fresh Water Gel. No matter how many layers were on my face before I got to put it on, it always managed to somehow sink in and keep it all together. Important when you consider the pillow mess that some sleeping packs can create.

    Cremorlab Fresh Water Gel swatches:


    The gel claims to be soothing and smoothing in addition to highly effective hydration. This one actually did all three. The skin looked fresh and rested in the morning.

    Japanese ingredients:


    Cremorlab Fresh Water Gel T.E.N. Cremor for Face ingredients (in English from Peach and Lily):

    The first ingredient should be "water" but it's not included in their listing. Oh well...
    Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, 1,2-hexanediol, Sodium Glutamate, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone, Orchid Extract, Yeast Extract, Glycerin, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Pentylene Glycol, Lavandula Angustifolia (lavender) Water, Benzyl Alcohol, Dehydroacetic Acid, Glycine Soja (soybean) Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (licorice) Root Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (matricaria) Flower Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Portulaca Oleracea Extract, Water, Rose Flower Oil, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Algin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Polysorbate 60, Silica, Cetyl Peg/ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Hamamelis Virginiana (witch Hazel) Water, Alcohol Denat.

    And of course the ingredient order is very different than the Japanese language version. I also think there is a typo in the listing provided by Peach and Lily, because "water" is not listed at all, yet it clearly is the first ingredient.

    EDITED to add:

    this is the ingredient list from the package intended for international markets:



    It does not match the Japanese version.
    So Cremorlab is full of it.
    And fuck only knows what's REALLY in their products. This is a perfect example of how unregulated the Korean market is when it comes to ingredient listing rules.

    And Peach and Lily is full of it too for putting imaginary INCI on their website.



    Sadly, Brush and Powder just copied and pasted the Peach and Lily version on their website, instead of checking what's on the actual package.
    ~~~

    And we are almost, almost done.
    This is the last item for today:

    • Cremorlab Body Lotion T.E.N. Cremor (250ml)


    Comes in a standard pump bottle.


    The texture was very similar to the smooth pudding but more sticky.

    It was OK as a body lotion. Unlike Cremorlab's facial products, this one left a filmy layer. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was there. It moisturized, it did its job. But for that kind of money, I expected, I dunno... more... I guess. I'm glad I got it for really cheap in Shin Okubo, otherwise I'd be might pissed it I had paid full price for it.

    This one's totally not worth it. Skip it.



    Cremorlab Body Lotion T.E.N. Cremor ingredients (in English via Peach and Lily):

    Water, Glycerin, Dimethicone, ceetyl Ethylhexanoate, Butylene Glycol, cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitol, Butyrospermum Parkii (shea) Butter, Cyclopentasiloxane, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Glycine Soja (soybean) Oil, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extrat, Hamamelis Virginiana (witch Hazel) Water, Orchid Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (licorice) Root Extract, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (matricaria) Flower Extract, Yeast Extract, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Cyclohexasiloxane, Sorbitan Stearate, Pentylene Glycol, Polysorbate 60, Peg-100 Stearate, Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Acrylate/sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Allantoin Polysorbate 80, Tocopheryl Acetate, 1,2-hexandediol, Algin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Stearyl Aclohol, Xanthan Gum, Caffeine, Alcohol Denat., Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Yellow 5 (c1 19140) 

    Of course they are arranged differently than the Japanese version printed on the box. Of course.


    Final thoughts:

    So there you have it.

    Of all the products presented today, I'd repurchase all (except the body lotion) if I could get them on sale.
    There are other Cremorlab products I'd like to try, so you bet I'll be waiting for a "buy one get one" sale over at Brush and Powder.

    Folks in Europe can get Cremorlab from Honeysu.

    These are NOT affiliate links. I'm just putting them here for your convenience.


    When I translate the ingredient lists from the Japanese boxes, I will add them here for comparison purposes. Somehow, I am more inclined to believe the Japanese language version ingredient order, because it simply makes more sense. They make Cremorlab look less of a formulation darling that it's been advertised to be for the western audience.

    Still, even despite that, Cremorlab is solid, basic skincare and if you can find it somewhere on sale, jump on it. Chances are you'll like it.

    ~~~~~~~~~~~

    Streszczenie po polsku:


    Cremorlab to koreanska marka kosmetykow opartych na wodzie termicznej (termalnej, czy jak jej tam), cos jak koreanskie Avene. Lansowana byla az do bolu przez oficjalna dystrybutorke w USA, ktora jest wlascicielka sklepu internetowego Peach and Lily. 

    To bylo w zeszlym roku. Zachodnie wielbicielki azjatyckiej pielegnacji dostawaly zbiorowego orgazmu jak tylko marka Cremorlab byla wspominana. Pani od Peach and Lily twierdzila, ze to super hiper popularna marka w Korei, ekskluzywna, cudotworcza, jedyna w swoim rodzaju. Jak latwo sobie wyobrazic, nie, nie, nie i jeszcze raz nie.

    Ale ja tez padlam ofiara Cremorlabowej histerii, wiec jak tylko wypatrzylam ja w koreanskim sklepie SkinGarden w Shin Okubo w Tokio (nie mylic z polskim sklepem internetowym Skingarden, ktory, co za niesamowity zbieg okolicznosci, rowniez sprzedaje koreanskie kosmetyki), to wzielam co bylo do wziecia. Sklepy w Shin Okubo maja to do siebie, ze potrafia miec niesamowite znizki, i tak tez bylo w przypadku Cremorlab. Za pelna cene w zyciu bym tego nie kupila.

    Za pol ceny bylam bardzo zadowolona. Za pol ceny kupilabym znowu.

    Moja sucha i wrazliwa cera polubila sie z kazdym produktem opisywanym powyzej. Fajerwerkow nie bylo, ale za to bylo mega nawilzenie i ukojenie cery. Zero wypryskow, zero podraznienia. Ale rowniez zero dzialania przeciwstarzeniowego, czy przeciwzmarszczkowego, czy ujednolicania kolorytu. Tego nie zauwazylam. Zauwazylam tylko wspaniale, dlugotrwale nawilzenie. 

    Jesli znajde gdzies Cremorlab za pol ceny, to z pewnoscia znowu kupie. 
    Za pelna cene uwazam, ze nie warto.
    ↧

    Best and worst of Tatcha - Indigo cream and Silken sunscreen

    August 14, 2016, 5:53 am
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    I mean productwise, not PR or marketing stories. I already wrote about what I think about Tatcha's nonsensical claims of ancient geisha beauty secrets and mystical lost books full of Japanese skincare magic, which can be easily found on Amazon.
    Here's the link to my Tatcha - first impressions blog post from last year.

    Nah... Today we'll talk about products. One Tatcha product that actually shines in the brand's otherwise quite medicore lineup, and one Tatcha product that was met with total disbelief from my Japanese friends when they tried it, and which then inspired a ROTFL episode when they heard the story behind it.


    The rest of the stuff I bought and tried was either just OK, not worth the money, or simply meh.

    Yeah, I might not be a fan of the brand's PR mythology, but that doesn't mean that I am going to automatically wave off the entire product lineup. No. If something is good and if it's working for me, I will tell you about it. I will tell you about the other stuff too, just to keep it nicely balanced, you know?


    But before we begin, we need a little refresher lesson in botany.

    • 1. Latin. It's used by scientists and in INCI listings for a reason.

    Exhibit A:


    See this?
    Two plants, right? Don't even look alike, right?
    So what the hell do they have in common, apart from the "tinctoria" bit in their names?

    Both of them are sources of blue dye used to dye clothes since the beginning of time. Incidentally, that's what "tinctoria" means - it's a Latin word meaning "used for dyeing or staining".
    Both of them are commonly known as "indigo".
    Both of them have anti-bacterial and analgesic qualities and have been in used in traditional folk medicine.

    WTF, right?

    Same, same but different. Very different, in fact.

    The one on the left is known as Chinese indigo (or Japanese indigo), genus Persicaria, family Polygonaceae.
    The one on the right is the regular Indian indigo, genus Indigofera, family Fabaceae.

    Their origin is completely different. They are completely different species.

    We are interested in the one on the left - Japanese indigo.

    Exhibit B:


    My pretty, pretty indigo blue purse. I got it in Kiryu, Gunma prefecture. Kiryu is a famous local indigo dyeing center. But there is also a famous indigo dyeing place in Tochigi, right down the street from me, in Moka (I love this town, btw!). They still do it the traditional way using locally grown indigo.


    But, but...
    Back to indigo plants.

    That's not the end of it, because there are actually five other different species of plants that are referred to as "indigo" in Japan, and that are also used for dyeing fabric: Indigofera suffruticosa, Isatis tinctoria, Strobilanthes cusia, Marsdenia tinctoria and Mercurialis leiocarpa. And all of those fuckers are called "ai (藍) something or the other" (ai meaning "indigo" in Japanese). Not to be confused with a different "ai" meaning "love".

    You still with me?


    • 2. That is why, when talking about plants, Latin is so important.
    Otherwise you're gonna end up looking like an idiot.

    Why am I telling you all this?

    Because I've seen a few reviews of Tatcha's indigo cream that got the plants wrong, that got the words wrong (ai and ai, I know, I know, kanji can be very cruel like that), that got the story wrong.

    It's like saying that AHA and BHA are the same. I mean both are acids, right? Both are used in skincare, right? Both exfoliate, right? Ergo, same!

    So while a rose is still a rose is still a rose by any other name, it's not so simple with indigo.


    • 3. Today we want Persicaria tinctoria. 
    a.k.a. (because this fucker has not one but TWO Latin names, mutually interchangeable) Polygonum tinctoria, a.k.a. Japanese Indigo, a.k.a. Chinese Indigo (because that's where it came from).

    So Latin, folks, Latin...

    Tatcha's indigo cream contains extracts from both indigos - Polygonum tinctoria and Indigofera tinctoria, but it's only the first one that is the Japanese indigo of Tatcha's pretty story of Japanese tradition, Tokushima prefecture, banks of the Yoshino river, blah blah blah...

    Here you can read more about Japanese indigo from a source that is not Tatcha, meaning it's not going to make you gag. (You're welcome).

    Because Tatcha, as we all know, tends to have a very elastic relationship with facts, Japanese history and Japanese culture.
    Anyway.

    Now that we know what we are talking about, we can finally start talking about it.

    ~~~

    Best of Tatcha:
    Tatcha Indigo Soothing Triple Recovery Cream - 50 ml - link.



    Full disclosure:

    When I placed my massive Tatcha order last year, I ordered the travel size of this indigo cream. When the package arrived, there was a full size jar in it along with the small one I ordered. I was using that full size jar and loving the cream and then one day at some shitty hotel in a third world country, my precious Tatcha Indigo Soothing Triple Recovery Cream was rudely stolen from my room (they also stole Ettusais Amino CC cream in pink, WTF, in a country where no one is pink? Maybe they took it for a hemorrhoid ointment, or something, I don't know).



    So when Miss Y (my dear friend who should be nominated for sainthood) was going to the US earlier this year, I asked her to bring me another Indigo cream. She did. She also brought a Tatcha lipstick, which, incidentally (#1), is also amazing. Miss Y compared the lipstick to Pola lipsticks, applied it onto my lips, and even though the color was totally not me, everything else about that lipstick was amazing. If Tatcha ever does colors other than hooker geisha red, I'll totally get them. The comparison to Pola made me go out and buy a Pola lipstick. And I don't even wear lipsticks! LOL!

    Incidentally (#2), this is the second time when Tatcha and Pola meet in my narratives. Something's going on here...

    End disclosure.


    Every time I read Tatcha's PR bullshit, I roll my eyes so hard, I can literally see my brain. That two hundred year old text? I got mine on Amazon. For 12 bucks.


     ~~~

    Anyway, where was I?

    Tatcha Indigo Soothing Triple Recovery Cream.



    I did not expect much from this cream. Because Tatcha, you know?
    So one day last year when my hands and wrists were being eaten alive by dryness and eczema, I was ready to try anything. I cracked open the Indigo Cream and smeared it on my red splotches. It said in the promo blurbs that it's supposed to help with eczema and irritated skin. Right? I wasn't holding my breath. I went to bed.

    I woke up to soothed and calmed skin.

    Holymotherofbatman!!!
    Tatcha Indigo Triple something something actually worked.

    And grudgingly I had to admit that this cream was slowly moving into my must-have territory.
    Guess what?

    Nearly a year later, it firmly is in the must-have territory.

    I don't know what I am going to do when I run out. Ordering just this cream from the US is not very cost effective. But I'll worry about it when the time comes. Right now I still have some left in the second jar that Miss Y brought back from the US for me.


    So what about this cream?

    What is responsible for the results it brings?
    Is it indigo? Or is it plain, old oatmeal? The cream has both. I don't know, and frankly I am not interested. As long as it keeps soothing and calming my red face, I'm happy. As long as it keeps moisturizing and nourishing my aged, wrinkled skin, I'm happy.

    If you look at the box, you will notice that only the oatmeal is listed as the active ingredient. I supposed calling it "Oatmeal Soothing Triple Recovery Cream" doesn't sound as sexy as "Indigo". And that's fine, I don't mind. As long as the formulation works for my skin, it's all good.


    Can you see it?
    This cream was not made in Japan. It was made in the US. It says "formulated in Japan", but knowing Tatcha's propensity for bullshit, I'm going to take it with a spoonful of salt.



    Make no mistake, this is a rich cream. For dry skin, it works both as a night and day cream. For any other skin, it's strictly an evening moisturizer.

    It has a very faint smell. Very faint. Reminds me of oatmeal and basil. An odd combo, I know, but that was my very first though when I sniffed it.


    Indigo is blue, and so is this cream. Its light blue hue dissipates upon application and does not transfer to clothing. Don't worry, you will not end up looking like a Smurf.


    The jar looks very small. Hard to believe it contains 50ml. I did not see a spatula in my box. Doesn't bother me, because I prefer to use my fingers.


    Yep. Blue.
    This is what Tatcha Indigo Soothing Triple Recovery Cream looks like on the skin:



    It takes time to absorb. It will feel slightly tacky and sticky right after application. But if you are patient, or have dry skin, you will see an incredible glow. Not greasy shine. Not oily mess. Just beautifully moisturized, calm, glowing skin.

    And you know why I love it so much?

    Take a look at the ingredient list (below).
    See what's in the second place, right after "water"?
    Squalane.

    My holiest of holy skincare grails. My skin loves squalane. No wonder it loves Tatcha Indigo Soothing Triple Recovery Cream.


     Tatcha Indigo Soothing Triple Recovery Cream ingredients:

    Active Ingredient: Colloidal Oatmeal 3%
    Inactive Ingredients:Water, Squalane (Olive origin), Glycerin, Propanediol, Cyclopentasiloxane, Diisostearyl Malate, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Wax, Xylitol, Behenyl Alcohol, Polygonum Tinctorium (Japanese Indigo) Leaf/stem Extract, Indigofera Tinctoria Leaf Extract, Avena Sativa (Oat Kernel) Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Sophora Japonica Flower Extract, Prunus Lannesiana Flower Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Germ Oil, Inositol (Rice Extract), Sericin (Silk Extract), Tetrasodium Tetracarboxymethyl Naringeninchalcone, Chondrus Crispus (Red Algae) Extract, Amorphophallus Konjac Root Powder, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dextrin, Sorbitan Tristearate, Trihydroxystearin, Dimethicone, Dimethicone/vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Beheneth­‐20, Bis-­Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-­2, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Disodium Edta, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Sodium Acrylate/acryloyldimethyltaurate/dimethylacrylamide Crosspolymer, Titanium Dioxide, Calcium Carbonate, Tin Oxide, Phenoxyethanol, Mica.

    Tatcha has other products in the Indigo line. Am I going to try them? No, they are too expensive for me. If they were available locally, then maybe. But as it is now, getting them from the US is just too pricey.

    Tatcha Indigo Soothing Triple Recovery Cream is breathtakingly expensive as well. 50 ml for US$135.00.
    Yes, that's one hundred thirty five dollars, no typos here.

    Final verdict:

    It's in the SK-II price category, it's not available in Japan, but my skin seems to like it.
    I will weep and eat nothing but rice and nori for a few weeks, but yes, I will be repurchasing.



    Final notes:

    I was reading an interview with Ms Tsai (the founder of Tatcha) in which she claimed that Japanese indigo is not commonly used in cosmetics. Of course that is the usual Tatcha nonsense.
    A quick search reveals that Japanese indigo is an ingredient in (for example):

    • Kose Sekkisei Supreme Powder Foundation
    • Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Repair Eye Cream 
    • Kose Sekkisei Supreme Liquid Foundation 
    • Kose Sekkisei Supreme Whitening Eye Cream 
    • LuLuLun  Face Mask (white)
    • Dr. Ci:Labo Photo-White-C Whitening Lotion
    • Kose Sekkisei Supreme Revitalizing Cream
    • Kose Sekkisei Supreme Moisturizer II 
    • Naruko Raw Job's Tears CO2 Brightening Mask

    And I'm sure it's used in many other products by many other companies. I'm just too lazy to search more.



    And that concludes our Best of Tatcha segment.


    EDITED to add:

    Yes, I know, blue creams and blue skincare in general seems to be in now. It's the new snail, if you will. May Lindstrom, Sunday Riley, klairs and a bunch of others all have something blue in their lineup. But as far as I can tell, none of the products contains indigo of any kind.

    ~~~

    Let's move on to:

    Worst of Tatcha
    Tatcha Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 35 (60ml) - link.


    Full disclosure:
    I didn't buy it. It was included as a present with my order.

    Let's keep it short and sweet, because this sunscreen is not worth more than 5 minutes of my time. And definitely not worth the 68 dollars that Tatcha wants for it.


    Seriously???
    US$68 for this thing?

    Only an idiot would willingly spend that much money on this mediocre approximation of a cheap Japanese sunscreen makeup base.

    Tatcha claims this sunscreen was formulated in Japan and manufactured in the US.

    Personally, I don't think this sunscreen got anywhere near Japan.


    Don't get me wrong. I understand the limitations of producing an SPF product for the American market. The US is still in the middle ages when it comes to approved UV blockers.


    Japan, on the other hand, is THE sunscreen capital of the world. Sunscreens here are cosmetically elegant (for the most part), plentiful, come in a dazzling variety of formulations and in every price point - from rock bottom cheapos for the equivalent of 5 dollars to high end skincare miracles that can cost upwards of a hundred bucks.


    Japan knows sunscreen.

    And Tatcha?
    Tatcha doesn't know the first thing about Japanese sunscreens. Their product is not even in the same category as Japanese sunscreens. They are trying to pass off an American sunblock as a Japanese-formulated product.

    First of all, the SPF.
    35? Really? Really, really?



    Standard for Japanese sunscreens is SPF50 and PA++++ (which, I suppose would be the equivalent of a very broad spectrum).

    Lower SPF is usually found in base makeup and makeup primers.

    This is exactly what Tatcha Silken Sunscreen is - an SPF enhanced makeup base. Tatcha even admits as much on their website.

    Unfortunately, Japan also happens to be the leading power in makeup bases. We love our primers here and we sure know our bases.



    So how does Tatcha's Silken compare to an average Japanese pore perfecting makeup base? Not very well, unfortunately.

    • Tatcha says it's "weightless" - it's not.
    • Tatcha says it's "pore perfecting" - sure, in the same way that wall spackle is.
    • Tatcha says it's "brightening" - if a horrid white cast is your idea of "bright", then sure, yeah, it is.
    • Tatcha says that it has skincare benefits from all the wonderful extracts in the formulation - personally, my skin was screaming for air when I applied it to my face. 

    I was expecting sunscreen. I got something that felt like a wash off mask.

    But then again, I am spoiled. I live in Japan and use Japanese sunscreens daily.



    I thought I was being unnecessarily harsh on Tatcha Silken Sunscreen, so I invited a couple of my friends to try it. Miss I and Miss Y both politely said that this sunscreen was nowhere near Japanese standards in this price range. It was nowhere near Japanese makeup primer standards in this price range, either.

    They were a lot less polite when they found out about the nonsensical geisha story used to peddle this product. Let's just say that good LOLs were had by all.



    Tatcha Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen ingredients:

    Water, Isododecane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propanediol, Hdi/trimethylol Hexyllactone Crosspolymer, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Octyldodecyl Neopentanoate, Behenyl Alcohol, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Rosa Multiflora Fruit Extract, Eriobotrya Japonica Leaf Extract, Stearyl Glycyrrhetinate (Licorice Extract), Glycyrrhiza Inflata (Licorice) Root Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Pistacia Lentiscus (Mastic) Gum, Sericin (Silk Extract), Algae Extract, Lecithin, Inositol (Rice Extract), Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Sorbitan Tristearate, Sodium Dilauramidoglutamide Lysine, Silica, Potassium Sorbate, Beheneth-20, Sodium Acrylate/Acryloyldimethyltaurate/Dimethylacrylamide Crosspolymer, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Titanium Dioxide, Methicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Dimethiconol, Disodium Edta, Iron Oxides (Ci77491), Tin Oxide, Mica, Fragrance (Natural), Ethylhexylglycerin, Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol


    Final thoughts:

    From all the Tatcha products that I have tried, this is hands down the worst ever. The exfoliating rice powder is a close second runner up, but this sunscreen gets the honors of being total shite. At least the rice powder I can use to wash my feet.


    So there you have it.
    One Tatcha winner and one Tatcha loser:


    And did you notice that both of them were "formulated in Japan" and "made in USA"? Interesting, isn't it?

    Now, if ever this Plum Blossm Lipstick comes back in stock, it shall be mine...



    ↧

    K Beauty online shopping featuring Cremorlab haul from Brush and Powder

    August 27, 2016, 4:10 am
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    I don't normally do store reviews.

    Why?

    It's been proven time and again that I am a bitter and miserable human being. I love to complain. I live for complaining. No kvetchin', no life.

    That makes me a nightmare of a customer.

    I freely admit it.
    When I go online to do some shopping, I usually tend to spend a fair amount of money. When I shop, I usually buy the entire line (as evidenced by some of the entries on this blog) instead of piddling piecemeal. I don't have the patience for "hauls" consisting of one product. When I go shopping, I mean it. I shop.

    Because of that, and because I am a bitter and miserable human being, my customer service expectations are somewhat different. When shopping, I'm in my special snowflake mode and I expect to be treated as such.

    My usual shopping place is W2Beauty(affiliate link, this is the ONLY affiliate link in this post), because Alice totally gets it. She treats me like a special princess that I am. I love Alice.
    W2Beauty is more expensive than other online stores, but I am willing to pay more for the opportunity to be treated like a spoiled brat. Because I am one. Alice knows that too, and I love her for that.

    Last year Alice went above and beyond her responsibilities of an internet store owner and got something for me that was sold only duty free at the airport. She was going on vacation. She lugged my shopping with her around Europe. She EMSed it to me when she returned to Korea. THAT'S why I love Alice.
    When I had questions about plastic surgery clinics in Seoul, she actually asked her friends and associates for recommendations. THAT'S why I love Alice.


    I never win any of her giveaways, I hardly ever post any reviews on her website. Apart from one W2Beauty sponsored review on this blog, everything is always paid with my own money. Because I love Alice. And I will continue buying from her for as long as she stays in business.

    ~~~

    Another place I shop at is TGI Wholesale, because despite the awful site design, they also get customer service. And just like Alice, they go mental with samples and freebies, as well.


    When I needed a particular recommendation, they actually wrote back with a list of what was trending at that time in Korea. And guess what? On that list they included items they did not carry and did not sell. I appreciate such honesty.
    Unfortunately, lately their selection seems to have shrunk. Pity. On the other hand, they are revamping their website. So maybe new and exciting things are going to happen soon. Good luck, TGI Wholesale!

    ~~~

    Everybody's favorite Jolse is not my preferred shopping destination. Yes, I do buy from them from time to time. But I never understood their high standing among foreign Asian beauty fans. Jolse used to be referred to as BAE by people who just got their first package full of CosRX something or the other. Because apparently a handful of cheap foil packets made them look so generous and special.
    I have no use for low-end samples, I have no use for TonyMolys, or Skinfoods, or other Etude Houses. If I haul in triple digits and get Tony Moly Tomatox foils, I will not be shopping there again.


    Sorry, that's just my thing. Your thing might be different. But I'm going to take my business elsewhere.

    ~~~

    I have hauled from RoseRoseShop in the past and it was a less than satisfying experience (see Jolse above) mainly due to looooong as all eternity shipping times.
    I have hauled from Koreadepart and it was meh, too.

    I am a semi-regular G-Market hauler and due to the nature of that site, it can be a very hit or miss experience. I had more hits than misses, but their point system sucks. For that reason, if I can, I tend to avoid G-Market altogether.

    I have hauled from numerous Ebay sellers as well. Overall, it was a decent experience. With one exception. But more about it soon.

    ~~~

    (all links to Wishtrend are non-affiliate)

    One place I refuse to shop at is Wishtrend.
    Why? They allow, suggest even, to mask affiliate links, because they are well aware of the fact that some people (like me) choose not to click on a random affiliate link. That fact alone made me say "fuck you" to Wishtrend and avoid any link with "wishtrend" in it 100% of the time.


    Pity, because I'd like to try their klairs brand. But I am not going to. Unless I can get it from somewhere else.

    ~~~

    However, despite my deep and undying love and devotion to Alice at W2Beauty, I am always on the lookout for new places to shop.
    • One, because I love to shop. 
    • And two, because Alice does not stock every single brand under the sun. She's trying, yes, that's true. 
    • And three, because whenever I want something that she doesn't sell, I feel bad for asking her to do me a favor and get it for me anyway. Even I know there are limits to my special snowflakeness.

    (no affiliate links below)

    It seems that the majority of new online vendors these days are located either in the US, or in Canada, or in Europe. That doesn't do me any good.

    Though there is one store in the UK, named very appropriately K-cosmetics, that offers free worldwide shipping, has an interesting brand that I am lusting after (I'm From) and decent prices (considering their physical location).
    It seems like a great choice for folks in Europe to try.


    And they're also offering 40% off right now, if you sign up for their newsletter or something, something. Their website kinda sucks, but the prices are really reasonable, and that I'm From is calling my name (especially since I refuse to buy from Wishtrend, which is like the only other place that stocks this brand).

    ~~~

    (NO affiliate links below, this is NOT a sponsored review)

    There is also a new player based in South Korea, one called Brush and Powder.
    I mentioned them before in my Cremorlab review. They are notable for carrying a fuckton of Cremorlab and having periodic "buy one get one" offers on Cremorlab Fresh Water Gel (and hopefully on other Cremorlab, too, hear this B&P???). It was one of these offers that lured me in.


    Don't know about you, but I hate the name. Sounds too much like a makeup store. True, they also carry a bunch of makeup, including some lesser known brands (Unpretty Rapper, you're next!), but that's not all they have. So why the stupid makeupy name? No idea.

    They are very active on Instagram and that's how I found them.
    They are kind, friendly, and for the most part, well organized. For the most part, because as you will see, there was a little snafu with the discount code. However, overall, their customer service is second to none. They actually indulged my special snowflakedness and did so with a smile. Gotta love that.

    When shortly after my Cremorlab post, they announced on Instagram they were running their BOGO offer on Fresh Water Gel, I immediately jumped on it. Cremorlab is good, but only if I can get it for less than the regular price.

    And so I placed an order. I also added Cremorlab Skin Tone-Up CC Cream, which I've been wanting to try for a while now, and which turned out to be excellent.

    Before I placed my order, I got this pop-up:


    So you mean not only a BOGO offer on Cremorlab, but 10% off as well?
    Just shut up and take my money already!

    Of course I signed up.
    I didn't get any email with an activation code, or a discount code, so I assumed it would be applied during checkout. I assumed wrong.

    Now, my total wasn't that outrageous. It came out to 87 dollars. But 10% of 87 dollars that's 8 bucks. That's a fully customized Starbucks soy frappuccino in Japan. Nothing to sneeze at.

    I wanted to know if perhaps I did something wrong and missed my 10% off, so I sent an email. Even though it was almost midnight here and in Korea, their lovely rep got back to me almost immediately. Seriously people, don't you ever sleep???

    She explained that emails are sent at certain times, and that unfortunately, I missed my discount code for my first order. Yeah, I was bummed. But then she suggested that she could upgrade my shipment from normal registered air to K-packet to make up for the inconvenience of missing the discount.
    Now, you see, I live in Japan. I always pick the cheapest shipping option when choices are available, because whether it's a K-packet, or a registered air package, they get here around the same time. It doesn't make any difference. EMS, if it's sent out first thing in the morning in Korea, gets to me the next day. We are close enough that extra shipping options don't really make much sense. Better to use that money towards an extra sheet mask, or two.

    Of course if you live in a country with a less reliable postal system, by all means, go for the safest option.
    In all my years of buying from Korea, I have lost only one package. With three su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Sticks. From an Ebay seller, who didn't send it with a tracking number. But I placed that order during the famous MRCS shortage, so it's anybody's guess whether the package was actually sent out at all. After a long wait for my sticks and a very brief Ebay dispute, I got my money back. I ended up ordering the sticks from W2Beauty, because by then they were back in stock and available.

    Back to Brush and Powder...

    While I appreciated the shipping upgrade gesture, I didn't really need it. I paid for the tracking number anyway. I would have preferred a couple of sheet masks instead. I said so to the Brush and Powder rep, and she basically replied "whatever makes you happy".

    Time frame:
    • I placed my order on Monday at midnight, or very early Tuesday morning, we're talking like zero A.M. here.
    • It was shipped out on Friday.
    • It got to me a week later.


    It was sent out as K-packet AND there were the masks I whined about. AND a packet of Cremorlab makeup cleansing sheets AND a bunch of samples and foils. AND a handwritten personal note.

    People, that's how you do customer service.

    Am I going to be shopping at Brush and Powder in the future? Hell yeah! Especially since after all that, I can STILL use my previously missing 10% discount code.

    And that is WHY I am writing this post.

    Too often I bitch about bad service (I refuse to shop at the flagship Shu Uemura store at Omotesando Hills), shady service (staff at SkinGarden in Shin Okubo in Tokyo diligently scratching off stamped expiration dates) or racist service (as detailed in this entry).
    So to balance it out, today I am writing about excellent service. And unlike my shopping experiences in Japan, this excellent service is available worldwide with free shipping, no matter where you live.

    But of course, I wouldn't be myself, if I didn't find something to point out.
    Now, this stuff doesn't really matter to me, because Japan and Korea have some sort of offcial agreement and nobody cares what's written on customs slips.

    However, if you live in a country with an anal retentive customs office, you might be in for a rude surprise.

    The package was marked as a gift, but... the sender was listed as "Brush and Powder". That is an immediate red flag that the parcel is not a gift, but in fact, merchandise.


    In contrast, W2Beauty and TGI Wholesale (don't remember about Jolse) write the name of an actual person as a sender, so the package has at least a semblance of being an actual, private gift. A tiny thing but one that customs officers look at when "randomly" selecting shipments for inspection.

    Another thing that could be a red flag for bored customs staff was that the total value was listed as "0" on the customs form. Yep, zero dollars, zero won, zero yen, zero anything.  


     Yeah, we all play that lower-the-value-to-avoid-customs-fees game. I do it every time I send a package to Europe. But c'mon now. Keep it believable, please?

    Anyway, that's just my two yen worth of bitching.


    So...

    What exactly did I buy?
    This:


    • Cremorlab Skin Tone-Up CC Cream - single price US$36.00. This stuff is magnificent, perfect for hot and humid weather. If you have oily or combo skin, this is going to be ideal for you (according to my very oily friend). It has yellow undertones and is suitable for light and very light skintones up to NC20, maybe. I'll post a full review after testing it some more.

    Here are the two sheet masks:



    As you can see, the combined total of these masks is nearly double of what my 10% would have been. Thank so you much, Brush and Powder!!!

    The hand written note recommended this mask:


    I'm going to try it tonight and report back :-)

    And in addition to all that, a generous stack of samples and foils was included in my shipment as well.


    Miss N (the oily skinned friend) immediately grabbed the CC cream samples. She's the one who reported back that it worked like magic.

    Mineral Treatment Essence, Shadow-off Cream and Essence Tonic are new to me. While one foil is not enough to get an idea about a product, I'm still looking forward to trying them all.
    Incidentally, September is my "use up all the samples" months, because I am trying to reorganize my stash.

    So there you have it.
    A totally honest, non-sponsored store review.

    What are you waiting for?
    Go, do some shopping!

    And now, if you excuse me, I have to start preparing for yet another typhoon. Meh...




    ↧

    SainTFengel Camellia Quintessence Revitalizing Cream (day and night)

    October 10, 2016, 3:25 am
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    Do you love tea?
    I do. Though despite living in Japan, I am not that crazy about green tea. My preferred kind of tea would be Earl Grey, hot. Bonus points if you recognize this reference ;-)

    While I might be a picky tea drinker, when it comes to skincare, I don't discriminate. Tea is tea. Is tea. Or rather, is camellia.
    Show me a cosmetic product with Camellia sinensis and chances are I will buy it. Or beg it. Or try to get my grabby hands on it in some other way. Because tea. Must have.

    When SainTFengel, or Saint Fengel, or however you want to spell it (part 1 of my SainTFengel experience is here) initially contacted me with their product list, the first thing I saw was "camellia". And my brain immediately went "yeah!"
    I wasn't interested in other SaintFengel products, all I wanted was this camellia thing in a big pink jar. Pink! My brain was like "just give it to me already!"

    image: SainTFengel website

    And that's how I met today's contestant.
    But before I continue, let me make a cup of tea. It's bloody cold here, been raining for days, typhoon number whatever (they number them in Japan) and it seems the season of wearing parkas indoors is already here. In a few short weeks we'll be wearing those damn parkas to bed.
    Some hot tea will do me good. Actually, it's my second cup today.



    Hang on. I'll be right back.

    So. This is it.
    SainTFengel Camellia Quintessence Revitalizing Cream.


    Yes, it's a sponsored product. It was sent to me by SainTFengel. The brand was sure that I was going to like it. It takes balls of monumental proportions to be so confident. But the brand did their homework. They read my blog and knew my skin concerns. And as it happened, this cream ticked all the boxes.

    But let's talk about tea first.

    You see, camellia sinensis, because that's what tea is, is an interesting plant. Green and black tea come from the same plant. The only difference is in how the leaves are processed.

    The health benefits of drinking tea have been studied for nearly 5000 years. You'd think that in all this time we could agree on the results. But, as it turns out, it's not that simple.

    While tea is loaded with compounds essential for our health, the actual studies of the benefits of drinking tea are to this day inconclusive. Any studies examining this tea-health relationship are careful to use words "likely" and "possibly" and "based on limited evidence". Why? Most of those studies were conducted in test tubes on tissue cultures.

    Bottom line, it seems that most of the health benefits of drinking tea are actually linked to the fact that you need to boil the water first. Boiled water was (and still is!) safer to drink in most parts of the world. It is very possible that the stories about magical properties of tea started in ancient times when one person was drinking water and fell sick, and another was drinking tea and stayed healthy.  That is just one reason why statistical models can be very misleading.

    The truth is that we don't really know.

    The other truth is that tea is loaded with lots of beneficial compounds. But it's also loaded with compounds that may make many health conditions worse.

    So, that's all about drinking tea.

    What do we know about skincare benefits of tea?

    Here the situation looks a lot better.


    There have been studies that showed that tea extracts help to heal sun damage, that green tea extracts are beneficial in treating inflammatory conditions, including in papulopustular rosacea, that tea extracts can slow down the development of some signs of aging (that might be due to the tea's power in healing and protecting from sun damage).

    See?
    Now you have several reasons why, when I see a product featuring Camellia sinensis, I buy it, sight unseen.


    disclaimer:
    This product I didn't buy. It was offered to me in exchange for a review.The company was perfectly straightforward in communicating that they wanted an honest review.
    Personally, I don't give a flying f*ck through a rolling donut if a product is sponsored or not. It's going to get my usual treatment regardless.

    So let' s get this party started, shall we?

    What do we have here?

    SainTFengel Camellia Quintessence Revitalizing Cream Day and Night



    Country of origin: made in Taiwan

    Volume: 56 ml / 1.9 fl oz

    Packaging: a very pretty pink jar in a massive paper box. Came with a plastic spatula.

    Active ingredients and claims to fame:



    Consistency and texture: thick and luxurious but silky and light at the same time, soft, delicious, easily absorbed, yummy.

    Feel on skin: absorbs to nothing, leaves zero film and zero residue, no pilling, plays nicely with others (actually, this was something the company emailed me about after my previous review to clarify that all of their products are formulated to work well with other skincare and/ or makeup products) - huge props for that!

    Scent: none really.

    How I used it: morning as my moisturizer, night as my cream.

    And here is the point that makes me want to spit nickels and piss cement.

    You see, the SainTFengel Camellia Quintessence Revitalizing Cream jar has a divider inside. One part is filled with the day formula, and the other - with the night formula. Great concept. In theory only.


    C'mon people, if you're going for something like that, couldn't you mark the sides clearer??? Which is which??? Day??? Night??? For crying out loud, was it that hard to put happy suns and moons on the appropriate sides?

    Yes, I know, the jar came with an inner plastic lid with day and night markings, but unfortunately, you could put that lid any way you wanted. Those markings meant nothing.


    According to the video on the company's website, it may appear as if the sun and moon signs on the back of the jar might indicate which part is the day cream and which is night. But... when you look at the front of the jar, the words "Day & Night" don't match up with the signs in the back.




    So, as a result I had no clue whether I was smearing day or night cream on my face. I could make an educated guess, but I was never 100% sure. Fortunately, I didn't notice any ill effects either way.

    Swatches of SainTFengel Camellia Quintessence Revitalizing Cream:


    Results: skin was soft, moisturized, even toned, irritations and angry red splotches were soothed and calmed. There was no adverse reaction at all. No breakouts, no zits, no nothing.

    Actually, the results reminded me of a much more expensive Korean cream, cough... cough, with the name starting with "s" and ending with "7". But which was three times (if not more) as expensive.

    This is what the company says:



    Final verdict: I loved it.

    Purchase again: Hell yeah!

    SainTFengel Camellia Quintessence Revitalizing Cream ingredients are here:


    As you can see, it isn't really clear which is the night version and which is the day version. Again! To figure it out ingredient-wise, I had to contact the company and ask for clarifications.

    And here day version and night version entered into cosDNA: day and night.


    Where to buy:

    The biggest issue is where to buy this stuff.
    Seems the only place that carries SainTFengel Camellia Quintessence Revitalizing Cream is YesStyle - link (not affiliated with me in any way).


    Other comments:

    This products contains a patented compound ALPAFLOR® GigaWhite developed by DSM, which is a Swiss company making cosmetic ingredients. I have been interested in Alpaflor ever since I heard about it last year through a special project I was participating in.


    So, getting a chance to try this ALPAFLOR® GigaWhite in the wild, as part of a formulation of an Asian beauty product was the icing on the cake for me. Worth noting is that I had no idea SainTFengel Camellia Quintessence Revitalizing Cream contained this proprietary compound when I agreed to test it.



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    Dior Capture Totale Dreamskin Perfect Skin Cushion SPF50 PA+++

    December 3, 2016, 8:38 am
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    It's so damn hard to come back to blogging after an extended break. Even harder when you are feeling sick. And it's cold outside. And you have a crapload of work to take care of before Monday morning.

    Anyway, enough of this self-pity. We have a cushion review to write.

    Today's contestant is none other than Dior Capture Totale Dreamskin Perfect Skin Cushion SPF50 PA+++ in shade 012.



    The name definitely is an improvement over the previous Diorsnow Bloom Perfect Blooming Skin something something cushion. And I feel like this is the only improvement and I could basically finish this review right here, right now.

    Dior, I love you darling and you know it. But, damn... What is up with those shit cushions you keep releasing?
    You have a direct pipeline to the Korean cushion gods themselves, the mighty Amore Pacific, and yet, even with their help and licensing, you still can't make a decent cushion. Oh, for fucks sakes, I'm done being pleasant here.

    By now everyone should know what a cushion foundation is. If not, get on with the program and read some reviews (click here). It's basically liquid foundation in a compact. The foundation sits inside (or under, in some cases) a sponge on which you press with an applicator puff. Hence "cushion".
    So there you have it, your portable liquid foundation that is easy to apply on the go.

    Amore Pacific, the Korean cosmetic giant responsible for brands such as Iope, Sulwhasoo, Hera, Hanyul  and many, many others, is the granddaddy of cushion foundations. It holds a bunch of patents that make cushions possible. Dior wanted some of this cushion goodness and developed its cushions using Amore Pacific patents. The story is more complicated than that, but this is the TL;DR version for those of us with really short attention spans.




    But before we proceed any further, I have a confession to make.

    I am over cushions.
    So over cushions.

    I was an early adopter and really gave them my all. Don't get me wrong, I still like cushions. But given a choice of spending my hard earned cash on a cushion or a bottle of traditional liquid foundation, I am going to go with the liquid.
    Why? Cost-performance. And hygiene. But mostly the fact that with cushions you have to spend a lot of money for a minuscule amount of product. Which may, or may not, be crap.

    So yeah, I'm over cushions...


    I wasn't going to buy this one.
    I had no intention of buying this one.
    I went in for some nail polishes and the sales lady remembered me from back in February when I was lamenting how quickly the previous Dior cushion oxidized.

    This time the lady was prepared.
    As soon as I sat down to wait for my nail polish swatches to dry, she grabbed the cushion and started to show me the new shades.


    Here they all are. In Japan the darkest shade (030) isn't available.
    I was going to go to the department store with my trusty MAC NC15 tube for comparison purposes, but I've been feeling lazy. I'll swatch all the colors soon and post an update.

    My cushion comes in shade 012. It's not the lightest color, but it's nowhere near as dark as it looks in the screenshot above.



    And what else can I tell you?
    This cushion still oxidizes in a hurry. Granted, not to the point of some other base makeup products (ahem ahem, Blooming cushion, I'm looking at you), but close.

    However, when applied over a white, glowing base, it looked pretty decent. That was what fooled me. That's why I bought this cushion. Unfortunately, when I brought it home and tried to play with it the next day, it didn't play nicely at all.


    It hated my usual sunblocks.
    Yes, despite having SPF50 PA+++, this is not a stand alone  sunscreen. Don't be an idiot. Don't rely on a makeup product as your only source of sun protection. It amazes me that some beauty bloggers actually refer to cushion foundations as "sunscreens". They are not. They are makeup. But hey, it's your face and your photo aging process, so enjoy!

    So anyway, this Dior Capture Totale Dreamskin Perfect Skin Cushion hated the usual sunblocks I use. It would roll and flake forcing me to redo parts of my routine.



    It needed to be set with powder.
    Now, on a normal day I have nothing against that. But... it seemed to only like the loose powder from Dior. With that combo it looked perfect. The other loose powders I tested it with (Laura Mercier, Kanebo, different Kanebo and Kose) made it settle angrily into wrinkles and fine lines. Seriously, it accentuated fine lines in places I didn't know I had them.

    And finally, its staying power.
    Less than 5 hours. More like 4 hours. And that was with using a primer. This is not what I expected from a cushion that cost me an arm and a leg and a firstborn.  Meh all around.


    So, that's what I say. Because what I say is the reason why you're reading this review in the first place. But, in the name of fairness, let's check out what the marketing honchos at Dior have to say about this cushion.

    Blurbs about Dior Capture Totale DreamSkin Perfect Skin Cushion SPF 50 PA+++ straight from the box:



    And in detail:



    And here in a language that I can actually understand:

    Image source: Dior website

    Such awesome claims would mean an awesome ingredient list, right?
    Right?
    Well... not quite...

    Dior Capture Totale DreamSkin Perfect Skin Cushion SPF 50 PA+++ ingredients:


    Dior touts its organic gardens somewhere in the Alps and Madagascar.  That's supposedly where the "natural" ingredients came from. Well, you know what? They are at the very end of this ingredient list. They do nothing in this product and any magical skincare results you allegedly experienced while using this cushion, are nothing but wishful thinking.

    I'm very curious about these Dior gardens and would like to visit them someday. Or at least locate them on google maps, or something. Because considering the sheer number of products that Dior offers, and considering that nearly all of these products require plant extracts, these gardens must be mighty huge to meet all the demand. Or, it just shows you that the highly touted ingredients appear in truly minuscule amounts. Just enough to justify fancy marketing slogans.

    Source: Dior website

    And hey Dior, I always wanted to visit Madagascar. Hook me up! I want to see your Dior Gardens there!

    Now, the color...

    Here are the swatches of Dior Capture Totale Dreamskin Perfect Skin Cushion SPF 50 PA+++ in shade 012:


    See what I mean?
    Why the hell did I buy this thing in the first place?


    Overall, I am very disappointed. It's a very average cushion with an above than average price tag.
    For 8500 yen plus tax (yes, I live in Japan and that's where I bought it) you get two refills of 15 grams each and a compact. Standard stuff for Korean cushions, but a generous novelty among western and Japanese brands.

    The puff is identical to the puffs you can find in Korean roadshop brand cushion compacts:


    It doesn't feel as sturdy as the typical blue and white Amore Pacific puff we all know and love. This is a flimsier version.


    The surface is protected by a sticker so you know that nobody else was playing with your cushion.
    When you peel off the sticker you can see that the sponge (the cushion) is the same as in the older generation cushions from Amore Pacific brands:


    It's a lot finer than the abominations offered by the L'Oreal brands. Finer pores mean that the foundation is dispensed a lot more evenly onto the puff, and hence easier to apply on your face.

    So, is there anything else I can tell you about this cushion?
    Other than "save your money and don't buy this crap"?

    Let's see...


    The finish is moderately glowy, the coverage is minimal. It will even out the skin tone but that's about it. It won't cover any major redness or blemishes. It may accentuate pores and settle in wrinkles. It will oxidize.

    I always say "In Dior We Trust" when it comes to color makeup.
    But Dior still has a long way to go before they make a cushion that we can trust.

    If however, you like fancy logos and high end brand names impress you, then by all means, go out and buy it. Just don't complain later on.
    You've been warned...


    Final verdict?

    For 8500 yen plus tax I could have had 15.3 tall dark mocha chip soy frappuccinos. That means about one every week for 4 months. Yet instead I have this crappy cushion...
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    Koh Gen Do Watery UV Gel SPF50+ PA++++ a.k.a. Koh Gen Do Sun Protect UV Spa Gel SPF 50+ PA++++

    March 4, 2017, 8:47 am
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    Hello... It's me...
    Is there anyone still reading this blog?

    I am back and hopefully, this time, I will stay back. I mean, I will stay here. Blogging.

    So...

    What was I doing when I wasn't here? Many things. Mainly working.
    Cleansing. Applying toners and serums. And creams.

    And, of course, sunblock.

    I am one of these super annoying women who apply sunscreen rain or shine. Go ahead, hate me. I can take it.

    Contrary to what many, maaaany beauty bloggers think, UV protection is important even on cloudy days. Even in winter. Even when you are at home or in your car, but your windows are not covered by UV blocking coating or curtains.

    Paradoxically, clouds can even enhance UV exposure. Scientists figured it out back in the 1960s and it's really surprising that this fact is not more widely known. It's also surprising that UV forecasts do not take the cloud enhancement of UV (as it is scientifically known) into account when well... forecasting UV stuff.

    The American Scientist did a whole write up on this paradox here - Sunshine on a Cloudy Day. Don't worry, they used easy English and avoided long, scientific words whenever possible.

    So yes, there you have it. Even on a cloudy day it's important to slather on that sunblock.

    But don't stop reading just yet.
    Guess what?
    It gets worse.

    You think you are safe sitting under a beach umbrella, or carrying a UV parasol? Nope. You're not. The sun's rays are reflected off other surfaces, like sand for example, and still get to you. I told you, keep slathering on that sunblock.

    Empty beach in Antigua - my favorite kind

    You think you are safe in winter and can skip UV protection then? Unless you live above the Arctic Circle and spend your winter months in total darkness, you can't. If it snows a lot where you live, you are shit out of luck and should be using sunscreen daily. Why? Because snow and ice bounce back about 80% of the rays. But it's cloudy, I hear you say... OK, then click on the link above, the one about what clouds do to UV rays, and read it one more time.

    And don't give me those lame excuses that clueless beauty bloggers are so fond of. That using sunscreen will give you vitamin D deficiency. Oh please...

    This is a common misconception. First, most people don’t apply sunscreen well enough to prevent skin from producing vitamin D. Second, you need much less time in the sun to make adequate levels than you might think. If your skin just kept making vitamin D in response to sunlight, it would reach toxic levels, explains Day. After 15 minutes or so, the system overloads and production stops. Being tan isn’t a good indicator of healthy vitamin D levels, says Ronnie Klein, MD, assistant professor, Yale Dermatology. One classic study of Hawaiian surfers found that although all participants were tanned, many were still vitamin D deficient. “You can get enough vitamin D from a mix of diet, supplements, and incidental sun exposure,” says Klein.

    Quote from here.

    So yeah, you will not get rickets if you use sunscreen. What you will get if you DON'T use sunscreen is skin cancer. And that's a fact.
    And oh yeah, you will also look aged, wrinkled and splotchy.
    Your choice.


    Obviously, with all that in mind, choosing a proper sunscreen is a big deal. A very, very big deal. And yes, I know that theoretically "sunscreen" and "sunblock" are two different things, but who cares? For the sake of clarity, I will use both words interchangeably. Because even "sunblock" may not do what you've been told it does, but that's a topic for another post, another time...

    Anyway, where were we?

    Ah yes, choosing sunscreen.

    Because good UV protection is very important, choosing a good sunscreen is also important.
    Unfortunately, today's contestant is not one of them.


    Koh Gen Do Watery UV Gel SPF 50+ PA++++

    Or Koh Gen Do Sun Protect UV Spa Gel SPF 50+ PA++++, or whatever the fack the official name of this damn thing is. I wish Japanese companies would get their shit together when it comes to naming their products. Sometimes it can be surprisingly difficult to figure out what the official name is.


    First things first.
    I'm a HUGE Koh Gen Do fangirl. I love their stuff. Because 99% of the time their stuff is awesome. This is, unfortunately, that remaining 1%.

    I bought my tube of Koh Gen Do Watery UV Gel SPF50+ PA++++ last summer. And threw in the Koh Gen Do UV Cut Spa Lip Treatment you can see above. Mercifully that abomination has been discontinued as of this year. It was vile and horrible, and if by "treatment" Koh Gen Do meant "we're going to dry out and destroy your lips", then they definitely did their job.



    Anyway, back to the sunscreen.

    Koh Gen Do Watery UV Gel SPF50+ PA++++ a.k.a. Koh Gen Do Sun Protect UV Spa Gel SPF 50+ PA++++ has been raved about on the Asian Beauty subreddit, proclaimed to be a "holy grail" of sunscreens and all sorts of other wonderful things.

    The company was waxing poetic about it on their website, too.
    Here you have the mangled google chrome translation of the Japanese page:

    source: KohGenDo Japanese website


    Waterproof, they said.
    No white cast, they claimed.
    Magical onsen water from Izumo in it, they proudly announced.
    The next generation sunscreen, they boasted.

    The next generation? They went from zero straight to warp 9 with this stuff.


    The bar has been set very high.

    And what?

    And well...
    Nothing really.

    It felt nice on the skin. It was very cosmetically elegant with just the slightest hint of whiteness. It moisturized. It felt like a serum.
    As you can see below, it's indeed very watery upon application. They didn't lie.
    But that's about it.



    As a sunblock it was woefully inadequate. Inadequate to the point of sunburn.

    I'm not a sunscreen virgin. I do know how to use them. I take my sun protection very seriously. I've been applying sunscreen for more years than some of my readers have been alive. I know when a sunscreen does what it was formulated to do, and when a sunscreen just looks awesome in a tube and does nothing on the skin.

    In all fairness, I should have stopped using it when I first had a nagging suspicion that it did nothing. But... it was Koh Gen Do,and I love Koh Gen Do!
    So I stupidly stuck with it until my face was tanned and discolored.
    It took a blunt comment from an assertive friend to finally face the reality.

    And the reality right now is such that I will need laser treatment to remove the discoloration. I've already booked my appointment for the first round of laser therapy. At least it's an excuse to go to Tokyo...

    So yes, this is my story with the Koh Gen Do Watery UV Gel SPF 50+ PA++++, which turned out to be a costly and totally ineffective dud.

    Use at your own risk.

    What? No airless pump? For that kind of money, I expected better.


    I still love Koh Gen Do, but I am going to give their sun protection a wide pass from now on. Once burned (literally in this case), twice shy.

    You want to see what's inside this thing?
    My pleasure (and my translation).



    Koh Gen Do Watery UV Gel SPF50+ PA++++ ingredients:
    a.k.a.
    Koh Gen Do Sun Protect UV Spa Gel SPF 50+ PA++++ ingredients:


    This "spa water" is something that is worth taking a closer look at. It's listed as "onsensui" above, translated to "onsen water".
    Onsens are Japanese natural hot springs. They are everywhere here. You can literally poke the ground with a stick and hot water will come out. You don't even need to be named Moses.


    Proof - hot water shooting up from the ground right in the middle of my favorite onsen town - Kusatsu in Gunma prefecture. The water is bloody hot, reeks of sulphur and makes the whole town smell like the gates of hell. Yet they still use it their local skincare products.

    A certain skincare brand from Singapore that has "onsen" in its name will try to tell you that only THEIR products contain the only hot spring water approved for use in cosmetics by the Japanese government. That, of course, is utter bullshit. Onsens are regulated by individual prefectures, and quite a few popular hot springs have their own skincare lines as well.


    Yep, that's where Izumo is.

    I haven't been to Izumo (but I want to! Izumo Taisha is calling my name!) and I don't know anything about the hot spring where Koh Gen Do sources its water from. But I'm sure it's suitably fancy for a fancy brand like Koh Gen Do. However, here's something interesting about "onsensui" in general - regardless of its chemical composition, it's still water. After talking with a cosmetic chemist about the naming rules for hot spring water, I realized that no matter how unique the brand's PR materials make it sound, water is still water. And in the EU, it's still listed as "Aqua", possibly with a side explanation that it came from a hot spring.



    But what does Koh Gen Do do?

    It lists "normal" water as the first ingredient, and then down the line, between hydrogen dimethicone and birch sap, there's our onsensui. So basically, they list "water" twice in their ingredient list. How special!

    Also, maybe I am blind (very possible, I do need new contacts ASAP), but I could not find anywhere the chemical composition of this magical hot spring water from Izumo. Without that, I don't give two shits about where that water is from. I want a printed and confirmed analysis. All licensed onsens are required to make the chemical composition of their water public and post it in a place where their clients can easily see it.
    Otherwise, this water might have come from the tap at Koh Gen Do's very own swanky Azabu Juban salon and we'd be none the wiser.

    So yeah, my dear favorite brand, if you're claiming magical hot spring water in your Spa line, I want to see the chemical analysis. Receipts, or it didn't happen.


    My final opinion about Koh Gen Do Watery UV Gel SPF50+ PA++++ a.k.a. Koh Gen Do Sun Protect UV Spa Gel SPF 50+ PA++++?

    Hahaha! You gotta be kidding me, KohGenDo! What is this nonsense and why is it so expensive?

    You had enough common sense to discontinue the abomination known as Koh Gen Do UV Cut Spa Lip Treatment, so now do something about this damn sunscreen!!!



    Ok, speaking of Koh Gen Do UV Cut Spa Lip Treatment (it can still be found in some stores)...
    This is probably, hands down, the most horrible UV lip protector I own. Fancl comes in as a close second, but KohGenDo definitely claims the top prize.

    And it was supposed to be so lovely...


    It's horribly drying. Horribly, intensely drying. It sucks the life out of your lips. But with a hint of color.


    Looks nice, doesn't it? Sadly, looks can be deceiving.



    And here a swatch:



    See? Just a hint of color.
    No ingredients for you, because it's a discontinued product anyway. But if you see it somewhere and decide to buy it, don't complain later on. You've been warned.

    As for the sunblock, meh... There are better choices out there.




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    Meishoku Placenta Whitening Eye Cream

    March 16, 2017, 8:45 am
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    Or Medicated Whitening Eye Cream, or whatever the heck this thing is called.
    I bitched before about the names that Japanese beauty companies give their products. You have one name on the front of the product, another one on the back, and something totally different listed on the brand's website. What the hell, people?



    Today's contestant is known as:

    • Meishoku Placenta Whitening Eye Cream
    • Meishoku Medicated Whitening Eye Cream
    • Meishoku Placenta Medicated Whitening Eye Cream
    • Meishoku Medicated Whitening Essence EX (this is what it says on the back of my tube)
    • and Meishoku PlaseWhiter Medicated Whitening Eye Cream
    or even
    • Meishoku Place-Whiter Medicated Whitening Eye Cream


    F*ck that. Whoever has time for that? I kid you not. Meishoku, it's time to get your shit together.

    But before we get started, here's a little back story.

    I needed a cheap cream. And especially, I needed a cheap eye cream. Something small and easy to travel with. Something plain and very unsexy so it wouldn't attract the attention of housekeeping staff in certain hotels. Yes, Novotel in Shanghai, I am looking right at you.

    And then I remembered I had this Meishoku Placenta Whitening Eye Cream in my stash. I took it out, opened it up and realized it fit the bill exactly.

    image source: http://www.meishoku.co.jp/

    According to the company, this Medicated Whitening Eye Cream does everything but the dishes. It whitens the dark undereye area, it erases wrinkles, it moisturizes, it nourishes aging skin, oh my. All for the super low price of around 1200 yen for 30 grams, tax included. All through the magical power of placenta (domestic, of animal origin).

    Yeah, me too.


    I took it with me to China. It looked so cheap and boring that even the most inquisitive hotel room cleaner did not bother to touch it. My Dior samples, on the other hand, they loved them.
    I took it with me to Pyongyang. And even there nobody was interested in it. My Shu Uemura samples, on the other hand, they loved them. One sachet disappeared every day from the hotel bathroom.

    And it was in China where Meishoku Placenta Whitening Eye Cream finally showed its magical powers. But not in the way you would expect.


    I schlepped around China during the worst smog days in recent history. Flights were cancelled, trains weren't running, highways were closed, and people were told to stay indoors.
    But there were times when I had to go outside.
    I sprayed myself with a fine particle (PM 2.5) blocker, but I'm not really convinced this spray worked.
    I wore a 3M N100 particulate respirator, a.k.a. a fancy face mask, Fukushima grade.
    I tried to wrap every exposed bit of skin in something. I looked like an idiot. Or like a native. I blended in perfectly.


    I needed a way to protect the rest of my skin. And by "protect" I mean "a barrier that would stop PM 2.5", or at least make me think it would stop it. Also, I needed some relief for my poor skin after super diligent cleansing twice a day.

    Enter Meishoku Placenta Medicated Whitening Eye Cream. I would smear it on my entire face. It formed a thick protective barrier. I would top it up with a sleeping pack, or when I was out of sleeping packs, with straight up vaseline. On top of all that grease, I would put on a respirator mask and I was ready to brave the smog.

    Initially I tried using vaseline directly on my skin, which resulted in angry red splotches. I needed a barrier between the layers and here Meishoku Whitening Eye Cream worked like a superstar.

    Why?
    Just take a look, this thing is thick. Very thick.


    Yet it gave me zero additional milia (because I already have some) and zero unhappy breakouts (apart from what could be expected from days spent in some of the worst smog on the planet).

    When used on the entire face, it kept it deliciously moisturized and protected from the bitter temperatures of Pyongyang in winter.

    Did I notice any whitening results? Nope.
    Did I notice any improvement in the state of my wrinkles? Nope.
    Did I notice my skin was moisturized and vaguely plump? Yep.
    Did it aggravate my rosacea? Nope.

    For around 10 bucks I can't complain.


    Meishoku Placenta Medicated Whitening Eye Cream did some heavy lifting. Just in a different way than originally intended by the manufacturer.

    How about the ingredients?
    Here you are.

    Meishoku Placenta Medicated Whitening Eye Cream ingredients:
    (translated from the brand's website)


    As you can see, they are not totally crappy, especially considering how cheap this cream is.
    This cream is considered a quasi-drug in Japan.


    It's a very basic cream for a basic price with basic results.
    Having said all that, would I buy it again?

    Absolutely!
    I won't go to China without it.


    ***No affiliate links!!!***
    I buy it at my local drugstore, you can find it on:
    Yesstyle
    MiiBox
    Amazon and Ebay (Google is your friend)


    PS. This Placenta Whitening line also includes a lotion (toner) and a face cream. I might look them up.
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    POLA Muselle Nocturnal Lip Gloss

    March 22, 2017, 8:09 am
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    I always get asked why I don't post more often about makeup.
    The reason is simple. Point makeup does not really interest me. And when something does catch my eye, you will see it either on my Instagram, or Twitter feed. And once in a very blue moon you will see a touch of color here on the blog.

    And today is such a blue moon time! Yay!

    Warnings:

    I suck at describing colors.
    I suck at doing makeup.
    I suck at taking makeup swatch photos.

    With that out of the way, we can get this party started.

    Last year when I got a new job, I wanted to treat myself to something special. I went to Fukudaya, sat down at the POLA counter and started to look at their very compact and modest point makeup collection.

    I picked POLA specifically for this very reason. When you only have 5 lipsticks and 3 lip glosses to choose from, instead of 15 or 20, choosing is easy. With more choices I would have never been able to make up my mind.

    And despite that slim collection I still couldn't decide. I wanted a lipstick. Why? Because I didn't own any at that time. Yes, this is not a joke. I did not own a single lipstick last year.

    Choosing was still hard, and instead of a lipstick, I left that day with two lip glosses. Of which one was clear. So that technically makes it just one proper lipgloss, right? Right?



    Lip gloss is color makeup for dummies. You swipe, you swipe again if needed, and you are done. I'm obsessed with lip gloss. It's easy, it's convenient, it's foolproof.

    I'm talking about Asian lip gloss here. The magically non-sticky kind that does not feel like a layer of cake frosting on your lips. Western lip gloss is just hideous. Sorry. But it is. That shit should be burned, banned and banished, in no particular order. Yes, even the high end stuff. Nuff said.

    Anyway, what was I talking about?



    Ah yes, POLA.

    The name sounds oddly comforting when transcribed in English. Pola Corporation is one of the largest beauty companies in Japan. It was founded in 1929, it's currently headquartered in Tokyo, and its focus is on research and development. Pola does everything, from makeup to skincare to supplements. In 2012 Pola bought Jurlique, so yes, now Jurlique is technically an Asian brand. Pola also owns H2O, which is an American skincare, hair and body brand.

    Pola is also home to several Japanese brands, such as Orbis, Three, pdc, and a couple of others. And oh yeah, in Japan Orlane is owned by Pola.

    The name of the brand is variously written as Pola, or POLA.  I kind of like how it looks in all caps.
    Last year Pola, along with Kose, posted the biggest profit of all Japanese cosmetic giants.

    But enough of this boring shit.

    Pola Muselle Nocturnal line was launched in 2014. It was intended as a simple, no-fuss line for women in their 30s and 40s. Like me! Yay! The "Nocturnal" font looks like a carbon copy of "Addiction" (by Ayako) and you may be excused for thinking that these two brands are related. They are not. Addiction by Ayako is owned by Kose.



    The berry colors collection debuted in the fall of 2015 and was an immediate hit. All the items today come from the berry colors line.

    In 2016 Pola added nail polish to the Muselle Nocturnal lineup and the lemming me immediately went out and bought a couple of colors. But that's for another post. Back to the lip stuff.

    So yes...
    This Pola Muselle Nocturnal Lipgloss. There are three colors available:
    • RE01
    • BE01
    • CL01

    Here you can see BE01 and CL01 (that's the clear one).



    How can I describe them in one word? Menthol. Ohmyfrakinggod, menthol. Yet oddly enough, the lipgloss is not drying. In fact, during summer months, it's quite soothing and comforting.

    POLA Muselle Nocturnal Lip Gloss ingredients, if you need them:


    See? Bless their hearts, POLA prints them both in Japanese AND in English.


    The clear gloss makes an excellent base for other colors. The beige one lasts a decent amount of time, about 3 or 4 hours, if you don't eat. When it disappears, it vanishes very uniformly and leaves a pleasant hint of color on the lips. I like it. It did not top my favorite KohGenDo, or even Dior (the only western gloss worth owning), but it's a very good department store gloss. Some may say it's excellent even. And if I wasn't a gloss snob, I'd probably say it as well. And I'd definitely say it if it had been formulated without menthol. As it is, points off for that.


    See? Choosing out of three available colors is easy. I would have gotten the red one as well, but it just wasn't my shade at all.


    What else do you want to know?
    The price? 3000 yen plus tax.


    It's a freaking lip gloss. It works just like a lip gloss would.



    No rocket science here.

    Pola Muselle Nocturnal Lip Gloss swatches:


    Top: BE01, bottom: CL01.

    To be continued....


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    The Myth of the Ten-Step Asian Beauty Routine

    March 24, 2017, 7:49 am
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    ***Wersja po polsku pod wpisem anglojezycznym.***




    Why don’t you write about the multi-product Asian beauty “routine”? 
    Why don’t you talk about the steps involved and magical techniques used? 
    What about the “rituals” that Asian women follow to achieve that look of seemingly eternal youth?
    And what about the secrets??? You know, those famous Asian secrets to flawless skin that everyone in the West is blabbing about???

    There is one simple reason why I don’t write about them. They don’t exist. And I’m not going to make shit up just to humor my readers. Though I’m sure if I did, my readership would skyrocket.

    When Asian beauty fans in the West talk about an “Asian beauty routine” what they actually refer to is nothing else but skincare inspired by random K-pop stars and invented for the sole purpose of marketing and selling products. Asia is a huge continent. It stretches from the Middle East (yes, it’s in Asia) all the way to Kamchatka. Do you really think that ALL women in Asia do what K-pop stars do? They don’t. Do you think that all Korean or Japanese women do what K-pop stars do? Sorry to disappoint you, but they don’t, either.

    What? You heard otherwise? Let me guess… from people who run Korean cosmetic shops in America, or write books or editorials on K-beauty in the West. Yass! Selling products something something… Selling books something something… Clickbait something something…

    But but but… What about the multi-step routines that are so mind boggingly complex and complicated that they require special interactive visual guides to follow?
    Really? They do? Do you also need a visual guide to get dressed in the morning? A picture to tell you that your underpants go UNDER your pants? No? I didn’t think so either.

    Those fancy skincare infographics exist primarily so blogebrities who created them can get a much needed ego boost and a warm, fuzzy feeling of accomplishment.

    If you’re that naive that you really think that Asian women would consider an eye makeup remover, an oil cleanser and a second cleanser as three separate steps while washing their faces, then I have bad news for you. They don’t. They would marvel at how gullible you are, if they only knew what kind of nonsense you’ve accepted as supreme Asian skincare truth. (And the ones that do know, well… they were just laughing when I told them).

    But but but… The gurus! The magazine articles! The experts! They all say that Asian women have at least 10 magical steps in their daily beauty ritual, don’t they?

    No, they don’t. Because there is no ritual. Last time I checked, washing your face was still called washing your face. I always assumed that people in most civilized countries did that. But maybe I’m wrong. Because hey, what do I know? After all, I live in magical Asia, where things are oh-so-much-more-better. Right? Where skincare is better formulated, cheap, and generally more advanced. Right? Where we do things differently, right?

    Except, we don’t. We do it the same as anywhere else in the world. Only the products that some of us use may have funny squiggles on them instead of ABCs.

    So how many steps are there?
    Two. Three, if someone feels really ambitious.
    Yes, it's OK to be shocked and disappointed. I was too when a Japanese skin doctor explained this fact to me years ago.

    Step one - cleanse.
    Step two - moisturize.
    Step three - nah, there is no real step here, because very few Asian women use actives, apart from Vitamin C.

    Each of these steps includes multiple products, but that doesn’t mean they perform different functions. Cleansing is all about cleansing. It’s still one step, duh. No matter how many products you use, you are still washing your face and not putting an anti-itch ointment on your arse.
    Moisturizing may involve multiple products, but no matter their fancy names, their intended mission is the same - to replenish moisture and deliver nutrients to your skin.



    As western fans of Asian beauty no doubt have noticed, daily use of actives is not really all that popular in Asia. If you want actives, you buy a western brand online, or go to a beauty clinic to get a prescription strength formula. The recent crop of mainly Korean products with acids comes from brands that got their start selling to foreign customers outside of Asia. Why? Because foreign customers love their chemical exfoliations. And most Asian women don't.

    There are no magical techniques used in daily beauty routines here, either. There are fads that come and go, as everywhere else in the world. Here today, gone tomorrow. One day we are patting our lotions, because SK-II told us to do so (improved product absorption!), the next day we are using cotton squares for the same product, because SK-II told us to do so (gentle exfoliation while applying skincare!).



    How you do it doesn’t matter. What matters is that you do it. Cleanse, moisturize. Done. You want to use 3 or more products for cleansing? Fine, you do you. Just don’t spout nonsense that this is how all Asian women do it. You want to use seven or eleven products for applying moisture? Fine, be my guest. But don’t make blanket statements that this is how Asian women do it. Because they don’t. Some do. But just as many settle for an all-in-one product.

    Visit any Japanese drugstore and the first thing you will see is a proliferation of all-in-one skincare that is meant to simplify your routine, not make it longer. Hear this? Simplify. You want to keep it simple, you can. You want to use 15 different products, you can. It’s all there for you. It’s YOUR choice. And trust me, Asian women are not brainless lemmings, they choose what suits them.



    With all that choice, only two things are constant: you cleanse, you moisturize. Anything else is up to you. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Yep. That’s how Western women have been doing it for decades. Newsflash. That’s how Asian women have been doing it for decades, too.

    What Asian women do take very seriously is sun protection. THAT can be counted as a separate step in a skincare program. That is also the single step that is the real secret to why Asian women look younger than their age. It’s thanks to sunscreen (though good genes help, too). UV damage is a bitch, darling.



    You want to hear about secret Asian beauty rituals and magical techniques to keep your good looks well into the middle age? Use that damn sunscreen. Rain or shine. That’s the secret. Wash it all off at night and slather on the moisture. There’s your magic.

    Did you notice I haven't said “double cleanse using an oil or a balm followed up with a low pH cleanser”? Nope. I haven’t said that. Low pH cleansers are not really a thing in Asia. Asian women don’t care. They use what works for them. Including products that have high pH. Or, shock and horror, products that are NOT made in Asia.



    You want 10 steps, be my guest, knock yourself out. Just don’t delude yourself into thinking that women in Asia follow your made-up mythology about made-up beauty routines loosely inspired by K-pop starlets. And don’t get your sheet mask all up in a twist when someone calls you on your bullshit.

    So yeah, that is why I don't write about routines and steps and secrets. Because, truly, there are none.

    To be continued… 


    *** Wersja po polsku***
    (nie jest mi latwo pisac po polsku, wiec prosze nie narzekac na gramatyke i ortografie)


    Mit Dziesiecioetapowej Azjatyckiej Pielegnacji


    Dlaczego nie blogujesz o wielo-etapowych azjatyckich rutynach pielegnacyjnych? 
    Dlaczego nie piszesz o tym, ile w nich jest przeroznych produktow i magicznych technik, ktorych uzywaja Azjatki? 
    Dlaczego nigdy nie wspominasz o azjatyckich “rytualach” pielegnacji? No wiesz, tych tradycyjnych rytualach, dzieki ktorym Azjatki wygladaja na zawsze mlode? 
    A co o ich sekretach? No wiesz, tych azjatyckich sekretach urodowych, ktorymi kobiety na Zachodzie sie tak podniecaja?

    Przyczyna, dlaczego o nich nie pisze, jest bardzo prosta. One po prostu nie istnieja. A ja nie mam zamiaru wymyslac bzdur tylko po to, zeby mi wejscia na blog nabijalo. Bo wiem, ze jesli bede takie cuda wypisywac, czytelnikow mi przybedzie. 
    Teraz jest moda na cudowna azjatycka pielegnacje i niemal kazda blogerka z kremikiem Tony Moly nagle lansuje sie za ekspertke na temat tego jak Azjatki dbaja o urode. Ja ekspertka nie jestem, za takowa sie nie uwazam. Po prostu mieszkam w Azji i mam oczy szeroko otwarte.

    Dzis wiec czas na kilka obserwacji.

    Kiedy zachodnie fanki “azjatyckiej pielegnacji" mowia o tejze pielegnacji, nie zdaja sobie sprawy z tego, ze ta pielegnacja w rzeczywistosci nie istnieje. To, co one praktykuja, to nic innego jak pielegancja oparta na trendach kosmetyczno-urodowych spopularyzowanych przez idolki k-popowe i wymyslonych przez PRowcow firm kosmetycznych z jednym jedynym celem na mysli - aby sprzedawac produkty.

    Zacznijmy od tego gdzie w ogole jest Azja. To najwiekszy kontynent swiata. Rozciaga sie od Bliskiego Wschodu (tak, tak, Izrael i Arabia Saudyjska to Azja) az po Kamczatke (tak tak, Czukczowie rowniez mieszkaja w Azji). Czy naprawde internetowe znawczynie azjatyckiej pielegnacji uwazaja, ze wszystkie kobiety w Azji ta pielegnacje praktykuja? 
    Alez, alez… my wiemy, ze chodzi przede wszystkim o Koree i Japonie! No wiec, kochane znawczynie, czy naprawde myslicie, ze wszystkie Koreanki i Japonki jak leci bezmyslnie powielaja trendy gwiazdek koreanskich seriali telewizyjnych i k-popu? Niestety, przychodze ze smutna nowina. Nie. To, co uchodzi za “azjatycka pielegnacje” na Zachodzie, w rzeczywistosci w Azji nie istnieje.

    No ale jak to! Przeciez “wszyscy” o tym mowia!!! Jacy “wszyscy”? 
    Panie, ktore prowadza sklepy z koreanskimi kosmetykami w USA i udzielaja sie w prasie? 
    Panie, ktore napisaly ksiazke i teraz musza owo dzielo wypromowac? 
    Blogerki, ktore udaja dziennikarki i dziennikarki, ktore udaja blogerki, a wszystkie udaja ekspertki urodowe publikujace artykuly prasowo-internetowe na temat K-beauty? Alez oczywiscie! Kosmetyki same sie nie sprzedadza. Ksiazki same sie nie wypromuja. A klikniecia nie spadna same z ksiezyca. Popularne trendy to dzwignia urodowego biznesu. I w tej chwili, tak sie sklada, ze “azjatycka pielegnacja” to obecna moda. Mody maja jednak to do siebie, ze ostatecznie przechodza.

    Ale, ale, ale… Co wiec z tymi wieloetapowymi rytualami, ktore sa tak skomplikowane, ze zainspirowaly one ekspertki i fanki do stworzenia klikajacych wizualnych instrukcji o kolejnosci nakladanych produktow? Naprawde? Instrukcje sa potrzebne? Wydawalo mi sie, ze zdrowy rozsadek i logika powinna wystarczyc. 
    Jesli ktos potrzebuje obrazkowych instrukcji o kolejnosci nakladania kremow, pewnie potrzebuje tez obrazkowych instrukcji o kolejnosci nakladania ubran. Hint - majtki ida pierwsze, potem rajstopy jesli takowe nosimy, potem spodnie lub spodnice. Chyba powinnam przygotowac wizualna instrukcje obslugi. No bo co zrobic, jesli ktos lubi latac bez majtek? Pomocy!!!

    Te wizualy istnieja glownie po to, aby blogerki, ktore je stworzyly mialy sie czym chwalic.

    Bo Azjatki naprawde nie licza etapow. I jesli ktos jest swiecie przekonany, ze plyn dwufazowy, olej do demakijazu i pianka myjaca, to juz trzy etapy wieczornej pielegnacji, to niestety moge tylko wspolczuc naiwnosci. Bo trzeba byc naprawde latwowiernym, zeby w taka bajke uwierzyc. Azjatki by sie usmialy. Te, ktorym wyjasnilam o co w zachodniej “azjatyckiej pielegnacji” chodzi, smialy sie do rozpuku.

    No wiec co z tymi etapami? Sa, czy ich nie ma? Przeciez urodowe guru cale artykuly w pismach babskich o nich wyplodzily. Blogerki i youtuberki przescigaja sie w wyliczankach ile to one etapow kazdego wieczora rytualnie odwalaja. I przekonuja, ze podobne rytualy wykonuja w swoich lazienkach co wieczor Azjatki.

    Niestety, nie ma tu zadnych rytualow. Mycie twarzy to nadal tylko mycie twarzy. Zawsze bylam pod wrazeniem, ze mieszkancy wysoko rozwinietych krajow przestrzegaja zasad podstawowej higieny. Bo wedlug mnie, codziennie mycie do takowej nalezy. 
    Ale ja sie nie znam. Ekspertka nie jestem. A u nas w Azji wszystko jest lepsze, lepsiejsze i najlepsiejsze. Nawet zwykle mycie twarzy jest tutaj swietym rytualem odprawianym wedlug tradycyjnych, scisle strzezonych przez wieki przepisow, co nie? 
    Azjatyckie kosmetyki sa tanie, wspaniale, dzialaja jak magiczne pierdniecia jednorozcow i czynia cuda z chwili na chwile. Bo azjatyckie. A przeciez kazda blogerka dobrze wie, ze azjatyckie znaczy lepsze. I ze tu w Azji my wszystko robimy lepiej i inaczej.

    Tylko, ze niestety nie. Robimy wszystko zupelnie tak samo jak wszedzie indziej na swiecie. Jedyna roznica jest, ze niektore z uzywanych przez nas produktow maja krzaczki na opakowaniach zamiast lacinskich literek.

    Jesli ktos chce wyliczac etapy, to sa ich najwyzej dwa. Trzy, dla tych super ambitnych.

    Etap pierwszy - oczyszczanie. 
    Etap drugi - nawilzanie. 
    Etap trzeci - nie, nie ma, bo Azjatki nie przepadaja za kwasami i substancjami aktywnymi (oprocz moze witaminy c).

    Oba te etapy moga zawierac wiele produktow, ale produkty te naleza do tych samych kategorii. Oczyszczanie jest oczyszczaniem. Nie ma znaczenia ile roznych butelek sie uzywa, nadal myje sie twarz, a nie, na przyklad smaruje tylek kremem na hemoroidy. Nawilzanie robi to samo - nawilza. Kosmetyki moga miec rozne nazwy, od emulsji, esencji, po kremy, ale wszytkie one maja ta sama funkcje - aby nawilzyc i odzywic cere.

    Kwasy nie sa w Azji popularne. Azjatki za nimi nie przepadaja. A te, ktore kwasy lubia, siegaja po zachodnie marki, lub dostaja je od dermatologa na recepte. W Japonii kosmetykow z funkcjonalnymi stezeniami kwasow na prozno szukac w sklepach. A w Korei? Firmy, ktore produkuja preparaty z kwasami, to te kosmetyczne marki, ktore powstaly w celu sprzedawania klientom zachodnim. Bo klientki zachodnie kochaja swoje kwasy.

    Nie ma tu tez zadnych magicznych technik urodowych. Sa za to trendy, ktore pojawiaja sie i znikaja, jak wszedzie indziej na swiecie. Jednego dnia wklepujemy produkty, bo SK-II mowi nam, ze zwieksza to wchlanianie produktu przez skore. Drugiego dnia uzywamy wacikow, bo SK-II mowi nam, ze delikatne myzianie skory wacikiem sprzyja regeneracji naskorka.

    Jak sie to robi, nie ma najmniejszego znaczenia. Wazne jest, ze sie to robi. Myje, nawilza. 
    Chcesz uzywac trzech lub wiecej produktow do mycia? Fajnie! Tylko, nie dorabiaj do tego azjatyckiej mitologii pielegnacyjnej. 
    Chcesz uzywac, siedmiu czy jedenastu kosmetykow do nawilzania? Na zdrowie! Tylko nie wymyslaj bredni, ze wszystkie Azjatki robia to samo. Bo wyobraz sobie, ze calkiem sporo Azjatek uzywa all-in-one produktow i dobrze im z tym.

    Wpadnij to jakiejkolwiek japonskiej drogerii i pierwsze co rzuca sie w oczy to wlasnie polki “wszystko-w-jednym” kosmetykow, ktorych zadaniem jest uproscic pielegnacje. Uproscic, a nie skomplikowac. Co i jak robisz, to indywidualny wybor. Chcesz latwo i prosto? Prosze bardzo. Mamy produkty do tego. Chcesz dwadziescia etapow? Prosze bardzo. Mamy produkty i do tego. Do wyboru, do koloru. Azjatki nie sa az tak bezmyslnymi lemmingami, na jakie kreuja je sobie zachodnie blogerki urodowe. 

    Azjatki wybieraja, to co im odpowiada. Nie ma regul. Nie ma rytualow. Nie ma sekretow. Jedyne co pozostaje bez zmian to oczyszczanie i nawilzanie. Brzmi znajomo, nieprawdaz? Oczywiscie, bo przeciez dokladnie to samo robia zachodnie kobiety od lat. Wybieraja, to co uwazaja za stosowne.

    Jedyna roznica pomiedzy Zachodem i Azja jest w ochronie przeciwslonecznej. To wlasnie filtry sa tym tajemnicznym sekretem Azjatek do wiecznej mlodosci (choc dobre geny tez nie przeszkadzaja). Filtr. Kazdego dnia. Pochmurno, slonecznie, deszczowo. Nie ma znaczenia. Filtr musi byc. Bo promienie UV starzeja skore.

    Uzywaj filtra z wysoka ochrona, zmywaj go co wieczor, nawilzaj. Ot cala magiczna filozofia pielegnacyjna Azjatek. 
    Czy pianka do mycia ma wysokie czy niskie pH, Azjatek nie obchodzi. Uzywaja tego co im odpowiada. Czasem nawet uzywaja kosmetykow, ktore nie pochodza z Azji. Ba! W wielu przypadkach uwazaja nie-azjatyckie kosmetyki za lepsze od tych robionych lokalnie.

    Jesli absolutnie nie mozesz zyc bez dziesieciu etapow, to fajnie. Baw sie dobrze. Tylko nie wmawiaj sobie, ze kobiety w Azji tez tak robia. Wydumana mitologia oparta na wydumanych rutynach pielegnacyjnych zainspirowanych idolkami k-popu nie jest Azjatkom do niczego potrzebna.

    No i tu wlasnie masz powod, dla ktorego nie pisze o etapach, sekretach i rytualach. Bo ich po prostu nie ma.

    Ciag dalszy nastapi…
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    Ravissa UV White Protector SPF50+ PA++++

    March 30, 2017, 12:33 am
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    This is probably the first time ever that I've been terrified of a product. Not just terrified to use it, but terrified in general. You know the feeling... When you are about to bungee jump and you are standing on the railing of the bridge and keep wondering if the bungee cable is properly attached and you're going to be OK instead of smashing your head on the rocks below. I used to bungee jump
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    Paul & Joe Sun Protection Gel Milk SPF50+ PA++++

    May 3, 2017, 11:01 am
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    Paul and Joe?  What the heck? The name alone would always make me stay away from this particular brand.  My personal history with Pauls and Joes did not bode well. I've met a few Pauls in my life and they were all assholes. And the only Joe that crossed my path turned out to be a scam artist and just an all around creepy guy. Enter Paul & Joe Beaute, which despite its trailer trash
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