Fruit for Your Skin: Caudalie Grape Water

There are two things I will reach for whenever I get bored with my writing - Clinique All About Eyes Serum (preferably chilled! - HERE) and Caudalie Grape Water. I'd purchased Shu Uemura Depsea Water Facial Mist and Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray, but none managed to grasp my attention and all ended up sitting on my desk, almost untouched. Caudalie Grape Water is the first spritzer I have ever thought of using amid my work. With 2 out of its 3 simple ingredients being natural extracts of grape, I don't feel like I'm loading my face with chemicals at all. Instead, it feels more like pumping nutrients into my tired skin. What I like most is that the hydration it gives is just nice for a midday spritz. It doesn't feel greasy, sticky, or at the other extreme, too watery. And because it comes in an aerosol bottle, the mist is so fine that you really don't need to pat it in after spraying, as is noted on the bottle. I however think that it's not hydrating enough to be used as a toner after wash. But that's fine. It's very affordable (HKD69 or USD9 for 100ml) and it also comes in a cute little 50ml bottle which you can easily pop into your handbag. 

Skincare Review: Bobbi Brown Brightening Gentle Cream Cleanser

Keeping your face well-cleansed is the first step to having baby soft and clear skin. Especially if you wear makeup almost every single day in a polluted environment, you will tend to be obsessed with products that can slough away the layer of the dirt, residues from the heap of beauty products we use, and the hideous dead skin cells that give you unwanted skin problems. But hang on, how many products in your daily skin care routine contains exfoliants, like glycolic acid??? If you are already doing regular exfoliation and using some sort of a resurfacing serum, it's very likely that you will only need a gentle cleanser...unless you work at a construction site (no offense!).

I'm currently using Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash (see review HERE) and I adore it. But the fact is, I definitely don't need such a strong cleanser for my morning wash. It's simply too clean considered the minimal amount of dirt that will ever deposit on my skin overnight. Plus, on nights that I am doing facial treatments which usually include some sorts of exfoliation, say with Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel or Clinique Turnaround Facial Masque (see review HERE), and worse if I am topping it up with an exfoliating or resurfacing serum, the huge amount of exfoliators (e.g. glycolic acid) will haven take away too much from my skin if I begin the routine with a strong cleanser...With this, if you think yea, but still...Bobbi Brown Brightening Gentle Cream Cleanser could be a good option for you.

The good thing about Bobbi Brown Brightening Gentle Cream Cleanser is that it's gentle and it also removes makeup. Honestly, being a 'worshipper' of Bioderma Cleansing Water, I don't use any other makeup remover. But at least, it says I'm not as gentle as being nothing, if you so want to give your face a good wash in the morning. This pearly iridescent cream formula doesn't strip off your skin's natural moisture, neither will it add too much moisture to your skin. Everything's just nice! I use it in my morning wash and it's good enough to kick off the day. 

Skincare Review: Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & Photo Damage Corrector

As I can consciously observe how my skin recovery is slowing down over the past few years and more significantly this year (caution!!!), I was looking out for an antioxidant and repairing serum, and preferably one that contains as many benefits as possible to save my wallet. I happened to receive samples of Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & Photo Damage Corrector when I repurchased my All About Eyes Serum the other day.

The serum vouches to boost natural collagen level and fight against lines, wrinkles, and UV damage in 12 weeks. I however stopped using the samples after a few days. What I dislike most is that it doesn't seep into my skin, but forms a transparent film that coats and tightens my skin. Perhaps it's meant to be, but I detest anything that doesn't leave my skin feeling refreshed and pampered. Of course, it is possible that this serum will work perfectly on mature skin. 

My verdict is, it's not what you should go for if you're just looking for a serum that can combat the early signs of aging in at your late-20s or early-30s. 

Makeup Review: Garnier BB Eye Roll-on

Hearing the name of Garnier BB Eye Roll-on was an excitement. How nice the world will be with a roller-ball serum-packed concealer! You can simply swiftly massage your under eyes, dab dab dab, and leave your place with bright, sparkling eyes!!! The story is however too simple to be true...

Basically, I encounter two major problems:

1. Like most roller-ball applicators, there's hardly any way I could control the amount of BB cream I get on my under eyes. Yes, I can roll it onto the back of my hand first, but that will defeat the entire purpose of having the roller-ball, isn't it...?!

2. It's too dry for my rather dehydrated under eyes. I believe it could be good for young, hydrated skin, but definitely not for me (well well...I'm just 30!!!). It settled into creases and made me look sooooooo ooooooold...

If your under eyes are hydrated enough, the good thing I can say about this product is its sheer texture. Your eyes definitely won't be weighed down...Hmm, I guess it's also meant to be handy for retouches, but unfortunately I only see its cumbersome self...

I do look forward to the day when I can do eye massage and makeup in one go. Meanwhile, I still prefer massaging my eyes with Clinique All About Eyes Serum (HERE).

My buddy at work: Clinique All About Eyes Serum

Back to work...yawn...Since a major part of my job is reading, I always keep a Clinique All About Eye Serum at my desk for a quick hydration and eye massage. The "medical grade stainless steel roller-ball allows a rolling motion during application which increases micro-circulation and helps reduce fluid." Frankly, although the official description claims that this roller-ball serum doesn't only help reduces puffy eyes, but also dark circles because of the increased micro-circulation, I can't really tell if it's reduced my seasoned dark circles. What I know for sure is, both the roller-ball and the serum are very cooling! It does soothes the heaviness on my entire eye area, which really keeps me going. Also, the serum disappears very quickly on my skin, providing an instant replenishment for my tired eyes...Oh by the way, it hydrates, but doesn't moisturize or lift your eye area! It's completely water-based, which makes it suitable for all skin types and provides the ease of using it as often as needed. I highly recommend this serum to all tired eyes!

The first step to real facial treats - Clinique Turnaround Instant Facial

I've this indulgence in exfoliating and brightening/purifying masks lately, which (you're right!) kind of burns a hole in my wallet! BUT, you can expect more reviews of mask coming up! 

Exfoliation is a 'must' in everybody's skincare regime. There was a period of time when I was too lazy to exfoliate my skin regularly. But before I knew, my skin started protesting. It looked dull and bumpy. My lotion couldn't seep through and my makeup couldn't stick. AHHHhhhhh! The moral of the story is, no matter how busy you are, don't ever hesitate to spare JUST a few minutes (fine, about 10-15 minutes) to remove the irritating dead cells, which weakens your skin and tarnishes your natural beauty! 

For many years, I've been using Clinique Turnaround Instant Facial. The company launched it years back as a modified version of the Turnaround 15-minute Facial. It truly is an upgrade and it's a product I can't live without these few years! Well, I do find it a bit misleading to name it a 'Facial' or 'Masque' in French as it's more of a facial scrub to me. Erm...but yes, on second thought, perhaps it does a little more than a scrub. The ultrafine microdermabrasion beads can cover every tiny bit of my skin and 'grip' onto the dead cells and impurities on my face. As I scrub my face with water in a circular motion, I'm able to take all the 'junks' off my skin in a gentle, yet effective way. It never fails to leave my skin silky smooth, radiant, and more even-toned. My skin can then 'drink up' my other skincare products and it also saves me lots of glooming time in the next couple of days since my cosmetics can now glide on my face! I've tried other exfoliators (e.g. Dermalogica, Bioderma, and Estee Lauder - reviews pending I promise), but this is thus far THE ONE that I always end up getting back to.  

My 'zoned' last-minute rescue facial

I was horribly exhausted last week, but I had to attend a wedding ceremony on Saturday morning. Like many other girls, I'd definitely want to look great in front of my long-lost high school friends! Trust me, I was a legal zombie by Friday. The rescue started at 11:30pm on Friday. Although my friend commented that I could be better off sleeping earlier, I still did my rescue facial. After all, it only took me like half an hour more, so why not, ya?

By now, you should know that I've combination skin with an oily T-zone, dry face, and super dehydrated and dark under eyes. For a more targeted rescue, I used Clinique Pore Minimizer Refining Mask on my T-zone and chin, Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque on my face, and Borghese Spa-Whitening Eye Masque. 

I've been using Clinique's refining mask for years. The white clay tightens pores and absorbs excessive sebum from your skin in just 10 to 15 min. You can feel the 'pull' as the clay dries and it doesn't leave your skin dehydrated, but smooth, glowy, and balanced. It comes in a huge tube which is probably enough for years, many years, considered the relatively small amount you need each time. By the way, the mask is very spreadable and you don't really need to apply a thick layer. Simply make sure you've fully covered the targeted area and you can sit back to wait for the mask to do its job!

Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque 'helps skin recover from damage while enhancing barrier properties and promoting healthy tissue regeneration'. It pampers your skin with a concentrated boost of vitamins A, C, E and F. It feels a bit tingling, just a  very tiny bit, which kinda worried me at first as my face can be really sensitive. But no worries, it's actually very gentle and it left my skin soft and supple, and more importantly for last Saturday, looking radiant as if I've had 7 days of quality sleep! Apply generously for best results. Although this also means that the tube will soon be flattened, I believe you won't hesitate to get the most out of what you've paid for!

Borghese Spa-Whitening Eye Masque contains a registered whitening essence, soluble collagen, and natural minerals which brightens, repair and hydrate the eye area. It can be used both as a quick-fix or an overnight treatment. Personally, I can't use it overnight as it seems to get into my eyes. I usually use it simultaneously with other facial masks, like what I did for last Friday's rescue. Again, apply it generously and it will work even on seasoned dark circles like mine! It plumps up the eye area instantly! The brightening and hydrating effect can last for around 2 days. Well, there could be a more lasting eye treatment, but my experience is that many other masks don't really brighten my eyes as the product description has claimed. This is so far the best I've found. Still in search for better ones tho...=p

Clinique for younger skin (Part I)

Before the change of skin condition last summer, I was practically a die-hard fan of Clinique (well I did and still do use a couple of products from Shiseido). But as I said in the previous entry, almost the entire collection didn't work all of a sudden. It must be AGE! 

Like many other Clinique users, I used Clarifying Lotion 2 (one of the Clinique items that I'm still using - it's a great exfoliator!), Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief for my cheeks, Anti-blemish Moisturizer for my T-zone, All About Eyes Rich and I topped up with their Antioxidant Night Moisturizer at night. I also used and am still using their Turnaround Facial Mask once or twice a week (if I remember). The collection gave me flawless skin for...2 to 3 years...That's somewhere between early- and mid-twenties! 

Some people may find their Clarifying Lotion too dehydrating. The rule of thumb is, you don't always have to use it on your entire face. It really depends on the season. Here in Hong Kong, I will definitely go without it or any other toner in winter, when the relative humidity hovers around 20-60%. Over those dry days, I will only do a weekly facial scrub (with Turnaround Facial Mask), which is of course followed by a moisturizing mask. In summer, as I apply the toner with a cotton pad, I will first wipe the Clarifying Lotion on my T-zone, then my cheeks and other parts of my face. On certain days, I may only wipe it on my T-zone. If you can be selective in using it, it can be one of the best exfoliator in town! Another rule is, make sure you use a moisturizer after that!

Although the official Clinique website says that Moisture Surge can be used as a quick facial mask, it never worked for me. It's too greasy even for my relatively dry face. But the product was great if I used it in a smaller amount, just nice to cover a thin layer on my face (excluding my T-zone). The gel is very spreadable can be absorbed very easily. Plus, the aloe vera extract in the gel really gave my skin a soft hydrating finish. 

I love Turnaround Facial Mask because the grains are really fine and since you're supposed to scrub it while dapping a bit of water onto your face, it won't damage your skin, but give your skin a good gentle exfoliating massage. The pearly particles in the mask leaves a natural-looking glow on your face. Clinique advises you to use their Turnaround serum right after the mask. My skin felt really smooth, looked poreless and illuminated after using the mask (and the serum). But other than the smoothness, I personally don't think there's anything special with the serum. You can happily use other serums which provide more beauty benefits. Again, the usual moisturizing regime is a must after using this mask!