Review – Mentholatum Sunplay Skin Aqua UV Moisture Milk SPF 50+ PA+++

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Protecting my face from the harmful rays of the sun is an essential part of my daily skincare routine. What about you? Despite how sun care products are heavily promoted these days, i still know some people who don’t use sun block at all. There is a misconception that sun block or sun care products in general are only for those who are into “whitening” or for those who wish to maintain their fair skin. The fact is that the sun can do quite a lot of damage to your skin. Just because you don’t feel/see it right away doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. I know some friends with pigmentation who wish they could have started using sun care products earlier.

So anyway, as you may have already guessed, today’s review is all about the new Sunplay Skin Aqua UV Moisture Milk SPF50+ PA+++ from Mentholatum. I’m pretty sure you have come across this brand several times before in Watsons or Guardian, and other departmental stores. This is my first time trying out a Sunplay product so i was definitely excited about doing this review.

The Skin Aqua UV Moisture Milk (42g) is safe for use on both face and body. Formulated with Solarex-3, a 3-in-1 UV Defense system, this product claims to provide:

(1) long-lasting, superior UV protection with SPF 50+ and PA+++

(2) UV anti-aging protection with RonaCare Ectoin and French Golden Algae to help prevent pigmentation and wrinkles

(3) intense hydration with Hyaluronic Acid, Collagen and Pro Vitamin B5

The bottle comes with a screw cap packaging and is fitted with a nozzle-like opening to dispense the contents. With its narrow opening, it is easy to control the amount of product dispensed and of course, it is sanitary as well. You should shake the bottle well before use, and you can hear something like ball bearings inside the bottle.

The texture of the moisture milk is, as you may imagine, watery. However, it has somewhat of a slight gel texture to it. It was very easy to apply on my skin – no stickiness and best of all, no white cast!! It also dries fairly quickly, leaving my skin with a smooth satin-like finish and that’s probably because it contains silicones. This makes it suitable as a make-up base and i must say it has been a pleasant experience so far. It even helps to control the oiliness on my T-zone to a certain extent. Also, my sensitive skin has had no reaction with the use of this product.

The only thing i’d like to mention is that though it doesn’t dry my skin out or anything like that, my skin doesn’t feel very hydrated throughout the day. Otherwise, i think it is a great economical product that works like it should and you should check it out for yourself!

The Sunplay Skin Aqua range is available at Watsons, Guardian, Sasa, Unity and other major department stores. Do check out Sunplay’s Facebook page here for more information on their products.

Review – VMV Hypoallergenics Hydra Balance Smart Cleansing Scrub

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VMV Hypoallergenics is a brand i discovered recently, and they cater specifically for people who have sensitive skin. If you’d like a quick introduction to this brand that just launched in Singapore back in September, read this. Skin safety for VMV Hypoallergenics – isn’t just a nice perk, it’s a complete lifestyle.

I mentioned in my previous post that VMV Hypoallergenics is the world’s ONLY brand that uses a validated hypoallergenic rating system. So how does a VH-rating system work? And what does that mean to you and me?

The higher the number, the more allergens are ABSENT from a product and the better the chances that you won’t develop a rash or other skin problems. The slash followed by a number shows the current maximum number of known allergens. The current highest VH-Rating is -76/76 (contains 0 of all 76 known allergens). If a product contains one allergen, its VH-Rating would change to VH -75/76* (contains one allergen out of 76). The asterisk is repeated on the product’s ingredient list so you can quickly identify which is the included allergen (it’s underline, too, so you can’t miss it).

Almost all VMV products are ranked VH -76/76. While lower VH ratings can work for many people, you can choose products with higher VH numbers if you have a history of allergies or hypersensitivity. This is the beauty of the VH-Rating System: you are empowered with a clear skindication of what allergens are included/excluded so you can more wisely choose what you can use.

So without further ado, let me introduce to you one of my favourite products from VMV – the Hydra Balance Smart Cleansing Scrub.

Pdt Information:
This moisture-balanced, deep cleansing, pore-clearing facial slougher gets combination skin really, yet safely, clean. It softens + hydrates even as monolaurin deals with acne + controls shine where needed.

Ingredients:
Aqua/Water/Eau, Cetearyl Alcohol, Paraffin, Glycerin, Glyceryl Laurate, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Pumice, Glyceryl Stearate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, Triethanolamine, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Carbomer, Citric Acid, Sodium Phytate.

 To Use:
2x-a-day, massage a small amount onto damp skin. Rinse well with water. Do not apply pressure or rub vigorously–a gentle massage is all you need. Do not scrub any one area for longer than 1 to 2 seconds at a time.

Here are some pictures of the product for you

My thoughts: 

It’s pretty much been a challenge to find a facial scrub product that my skin doesn’t react to. Most scrub products tend to be overly abrasive and leaves my skin dry with that squeaky clean feeling. Even before VMV walked into my life, i’ve been using a soapless facial cleanser to avoid upsetting my skin for the longest time. Though at the back of mind, i’ve always wondered if my skin is clean enough?

The texture of this product is very creamy and the natural pumice is quite fine. You only need a small amount for your whole face. I’m glad to share that so far my skin is pleased and it hasn’t caused any irritation. My skin feels really silky smooth after the use of this product. Just try a little on the back of your hand if you do go down to the store, you’ll know what i mean.

They say you can use it twice a day, but i usually stick to twice a week, just to give my skin some deep cleansing action and to clear the pores of grime and dirt. I love how clean my skin feels without that overly-dry squeaky clean feeling. It gives me that added assurance that i’m doing my due dilligence in keeping my skin clean, without using harsh products that might irritate my skin.

If you suffer from sensitive skin, i’d highly recommend this product. I’m loving it so far.

Disclaimer: Products featured were provided for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with or  compensated by the company.

Review – Kate Cosmetics 2012 Spring Summer Collection

Sponsored Review

How many of you have heard of or are users of Kate Cosmetics? I’ve come across their product displays while browsing at Watsons, Guardian and Sasa, but the only Kate product i’ve tried previously is their Quick Eyeliner in Brown which i didn’t really enjoy using (Read the review here). To be honest, i haven’t paid much attention to the brand since then.

I don’t really know much about the brand, or the story behind it. All i know is that they are one of the brands under the Kanebo Cosmetics Group. So I’ve been told, Kanebo was actually established in Japan as a textile company, and only in 1937 did they diversify into the cosmetics business. They offer a wide variety of beauty brands which target different audiences, some of which you may be familiar with. They include Impress, Kate, Lunasol, Freshel and others. And since Jan 2006, Kanebo Cosmetics has been a member of the Kao Group. So the brand does have a rather rich history behind it. On a separate note, I’ve heard several rave reviews about Lunasol’s products, and they are definitely quite high on my list of cosmetic brands to try!!

Anyway, Kate Cosmetics latest Spring Summer Collection has just launched this month (May 2012), and is already available in stores as you read this post. The soft lustrous colors you see throughout their collection is definitely reminiscent of the current season, where they focus largely on creating softly shaded, lightly textured and contoured eyes.

3 of their new, highly anticipated eye products from the Spring Summer collection were sent to me for review, and they include:

• Kate Real Create Eyes, a five-shade eye shadow palette designed specially to create large ‘real 3D’ eyes. It includes a unique glow jelly makeup base which increases the translucency and lustre of eye shadow, making them last longer.
• Kate Super Sharp Liner, an ultra fine brush that enables the finest lines to be drawn smoothly at the edge of the eyes
• Kate Art Dial Mascara, a revolutionary mascara which is fitted with a tilted comb applicator that lengthens, maximizes and curls lashes all at once

First, i’d like to share with you some press images and product information that were provided. Following that, i will share my thoughts on each product and you will see a few other pictures that i’ve taken myself as well. A FOTD to illustrate how i’ve used the products to put together a look will come after that.

Kate Real Create Eyes BR02

Make your eyes look naturally shimmery with the collection’s star product, Kate Real Create Eyes, a five shade eye shadow palette designed specially to create large “real 3D” eyes through a fine balance of light and dark colours. The palette consists of Clear Jelly which increases translucency and lustre, Clear Real Colour that contains light-transmitting pearl powder, and three gradation monotone colors to create deeply contoured eyes. Kate Real Create Eyes comes in five colours, pink, brown, orange, green and blue.

Retail price: S$27.00

Kate Super Sharp Liner BK-1

The Kate Super Sharp Liner comes with an ultra thin brush that enables the finest lines to be drawn smoothly. Higher fade-resistance has been achieved via a newly developed sebum-forming agent, making Kate Super Sharp Liner impervious to sweat and moisture. Increased pigments also allow for better colouration and deeper blacks. Kate Super Sharp Liner is available in three colours, jet black,natural black, and natural brown.

Retail price: S$17.00

Kate Art Dial Mascara

Messy mascara is a thing of the past! Bold and revolutionary, the Kate Art Dial Mascara is fitted with a tilted comb applicator that lengthens, maximises and curls lashes all at once. The comb allows excellent lash separation, preventing possible clumping while fully coating each strand evenly. The lashes are simultaneously lifted from the base and curled or lengthened according to preference, with the lift and curl maintained by a fast-drying adhesive fluid. The Kate Art Dial Mascara also prevents the mascara from drying up prematurely by a special twisting mechanism that dispenses fluid only when the dial-comb is turned. A great choice for lower lashes as well!

Retail price: S$27.00

Actually, there are 2 other products from the Spring Summer Collection which caught my eye. I’ll definitely be checking these out at the stores.

Kate Eye Shadow JC – works as a gel eye makeup base, providing a shimmering pearl powder that adheres perfectly to the skin to create long-lasting transparency and shine.
Kate Mineral BB Gel Cream SPF 30 PA++ – The ultimate all-in-one solution for skin coverage. Serving as a makeup base, foundation, sunscreen and emulsion, it comes in a light gel-like texture and has moisturizing effects like a cream. It spreads smoothly without becoming sticky and maintains good skin adhesion for a long period of time. Double-effect mineral powder covers visible press while multiple moisturizing agents prevent the skin from dryness. It is available in 3 shades to suit all major Asian skin types.

You can visit their website to find out what other products are part of Kate Cosmetics Spring Summer line-up.

Here are my thoughts on each product and some real life product pictures that i’d like to share with you

My thoughts:

- This palette is housed in a lightweight plastic casing with a clear window, showcasing the different colors of the palette.
- It doesn’t feel very solid, and might very well give way to cracks if you are the type to drop your things. But having said that, it works well for those of you who tend to bring your make-up out with you most of the time. I mean solid cases are nice and feel good, but the weight of all your make-up really makes a difference and i wouldn’t want to add on to the weight of all the stuff i’m already carrying in my bag.
- Though i typically reach for my UDPP whenever i apply my make-up, i do like the idea of this jelly base that they have provided as part of the palette. It’s meant to to increase the translucency and lustre of the eye colors, but what i like about it is that it amps up the shine factor. The texture of this base is on the sticky side, but after u apply the various eye colors, it doesn’t leave a sticky feel on the lids.
- The different colors of the eyeshadow are very complementary to each other, and they are reasonably pigmented.
- They are quite smooth, easy to apply and blend. What’s great is that i didn’t experience much fall out.
- When all the colors are used together, i like that it has that gradient effect and gives my eyes more ‘depth’. I usually use only 2 colors for my eyes, so this is something new for me. And i like it so far.
- In terms of lasting power, it lasted for about 5-6 hours or so (with primer). i notice that of course, it is less shimmery as well towards the end of the day.
- If i were to choose, i would purchase the green (GN-1) palette for myself instead. The green seems to ‘pop’ more than the rest of the colors.

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

My thoughts:

- The eyeliner pen is lightweight and easy to hold, making application easy and convenient.
- Use a light hand, it doesn’t take much pressure at all to line your eyes with this product. Switching from a different product with a different brush, it took me 1 or 2 tries to finally get used to drawing with this eyeliner pen.
-  The brush is soft, but firm enough to draw a solid line of intense color. There is no ‘bleeding’ like what i had experienced previously with the Quick Liner.
- In terms of lasting power, it performed pretty well and did not fade nor smudge by the end of the day (with primer).
- As for overall performance, it is quite on par with my all-time favorite Maybelline eyeliner pen that has been my best friend for 3 years now.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

My thoughts:

- The  first time i tried it, i twisted the dial one too many times cos i didn’t see anything happen. That caused too much fluid to be dispensed and it was messy. But that was my fault. Subsequently, all it took was one or two twists of the dial to dispense just the right amount of fluid.
- I have never used a product like this before, having always used the conventional mascara by dipping the wand into the tube to coat the brush with enough product before using them on my lashes.
- The concept of a mascara in an integrated dial-comb bottle is quite novel to me, and i do like that the sealed mascara bottle prevents the liquid from drying up prematurely. It’s much more sanitary as well this way, which is a bonus.
- It took me 1 – 2 applications before getting comfortable with this product and being less awkward holding this pen-like applicator.
- After the initial awkwardness, it is easy to use and there is indeed less clumping of lashes and more volume, giving me luscious lashes. Oh, and its so much easier to reach the innermost lashes with this tooth comb!
- However, due to the size of the tooth comb, it takes a longer time to finish doing your lashes. Perhaps, with time i will be able to do it faster once i am completely comfortable with the motion of using a pen-like applicator to coat my lashes.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

And finally … here’s a FOTD where i’ve used the Real Create Eyes and the Art Dial Mascara. I will feature the Super Sharp Liner in another FOTD as i thought the black liner was a bit too harsh for this look.

Kate Cosmetics products can be found at selected BHG, Guardian Pharmacy, OG, John Little, Metro, Nishino Pharmacy, Sasa Cosmetics and Watsons stores.

Thanks for reading, i hope the review was useful for you.

Disclaimer: Products featured were provided for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with or  compensated by the company.

Review – Sleek Bad Girl i-Divine Eye Shadow Palette + ZA True White Liquid Foundation

Today, i’ll be reviewing the Sleek Makeup Bad Girl i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette and the ZA True White Liquid Foundation in OC00. I bought the eyeshadow palette from Luxola during their recent 35% off sale. There are a total of 12 colors in the palette, and it retails for S$20 on the Luxola website. I have the Original i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette as well (You can refer to the review here), and so far i’m enjoying both. As for the foundation, I purchased it from the Tokyu department store during my recent trip to Bangkok. It retails for 479 Baht (~S$19.50) there, whereas the retail price in Singapore is S$23.50.

Sleek Makeup Bad Girl i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette

(L-R) Innocence, Gullible, Blade, Gun Metal, Underground, Noir

(L-R) Intoxicated, Envy, Obnoxious, Abyss, Twilight, Rebel

The product is housed within a slim black casing that comes with a mirror, and a 2-sided foam applicator. As with my original i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette, the colors are vibrant and pigmented, and are pretty long-lasting without much creasing at the end of the day. Very little fall out if any, for some of the colors in this palette too. If you have oily lids like i do, please apply an eyelid primer first. There’s also a variety of looks that you can create with this palette, which is extremely value-for-money in my opinion. My favorite colors are Gullible, Gun Metal, Intoxicated and Twilight.

There’s 1.1g of product for each of the 12 colors in this palette of mineral-based eyeshadow colors, and it is made in China.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

ZA True White Liquid Foundation in OC00 (SPF 25 PA++)

The foundation comes in a squarish glass bottle with a pump that makes for easy and sanitary dispensation of the product. I like most products that come with pumps as it makes it easier to control the amount of product that you need and avoid wastage. The consistency is smooth and light and leans towards runny, making it a breeze to blend whether with fingers or a brush (depending on your preference). It provides light to medium coverage, and was able to conceal the redness on my cheeks, around the nose and mouth. It was also able to cover lighter spots on my face, but you’ll probably need a concealer if you want to conceal darker spots.

There are a total of 6 shades available from this range. They are OCOW, OC00, OC10, OC20, OC30 and PO10. The former 4 are yellow-based, and the last one pink-based. OC00 was a great match for my skin color, and it gives a nice, natural radiant finish to the skin. I have oily combination skin, and the True White Liquid Foundation offers fairly good sebum control, and performs better than my Maybelline Pure Liquid Mineral Foundation (SPF 18) in this aspect. However, in comparison, the Maybelline foundation provides a slightly more ‘matt’ finish as well which i prefer in general.

This foundation claims to ‘achieve a white, pearly, radiant finish’. It also claims to contain ‘Bright White Complex, Vitamin C and Vitamin E. This bottle contains 30ml of product, and is made in Taiwan.

 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

And finally, here’s a ‘Face of The Day’ where i’ve used both products reviewed above. Thanks for looking, and i hope the review was useful for you.

Face – ZA True White Liquid Foundation OC00
Cheeks – Sleek Makeup Blush Rose Gold
Eyes – Sleek Makeup Bad Girl i-Divine Eyeshadow Palette (I used ‘Intoxicated’ & ‘Gun Metal’)
Lips – NYX LSS 522 CIRCE + Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in 025 Peach Parfait

Review – Skin79 Hot Pink Triple Functions BB Cream SPF25 PA++

After reading several rave reviews about Skin79 and its range of BB creams, i was very curious about the brand and exactly how effective it would be. I’ve only tried 2 other BB cream products before, and they are the Maybelline Pure BB Mineral 8-in-1 BB mousse and Maybelline Clear Smooth Minerals BB Cream. Both did not work well for me. I’ve reviewed them here, if you are interested.

From the reviews, it seemed that the hot pink one was more suited to oily combination skin types. I bought it off Gmarket Singapore for about $15 with a promotional coupon (40ml), and received it in a week.

This product gives light to medium coverage and claims to have the following properties:
- Whitening
- UV Protection SPF25 PA++
- Wrinkle Improvement

The ‘triple function’ is what really attracted me, and i have high hopes for this product. With long-term use, i hope that it will at least prevent more spots and lines on my skin. I don’t quite expect it to have perform any miracles on my current skin condition.

The BB cream is contained in an attractive hot pink bottle with a pump that facilitates sanitary dispensation of the product. It is also easy to control the amount of product dispensed to avoid wastage.

When i first swatched the product, it looked rather dark and i was worried if it leave a strange color on my face after application. However, after blending it into the skin it looked fine and it leaves a very soft moisturized feeling on the skin. The fact that it has a very light pleasant scent is a bonus. And since it has SPF25, i skipped my usual moisturizer when i used this. My face did not feel dry or tight despite that. Great time-saver especially when you are in a rush!

As usual, I set it with my Bobbi Brown finishing powder to complete my make-up. After 3 hours, i used a blotter only once to remove a little shine on the T-zone. I found this product to have pretty good sebum control. I would usually experience more shine than this after 2 hours when i apply a normal foundation, which is pretty normal for me since my skin leans towards oily.

Overall, i found this product to be more than satisfactory. As for the ‘Whitening’ and ‘Wrinkle Improvement’ bit, i do hope that i will  see results over time. In terms of coverage, it is not too heavy for me as i usually shy away from anything too heavy. It doesn’t totally cover dark spots, so if that is a major concern for you, then a concealer would be necessary. It does however, help to conceal redness and light veins. That is good enough for me, and i will continue to use this product.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Here’s a FOTD where i used the Skin79 Hot Pink Triple Functions BB Cream. Thanks for looking! I hope the review was useful to you.