it's here!!!

My Clarisonic Mia has arrived! It took ages for it to get here because it was backordered. I used it last night and this morning to wash my face. Going to give it some time before reviewing but so far it's made my face ridiculously smooth. Like, I didn't know my face could feel *this* smooth and soft. I'll probably give it a proper review in 2 weeks or so. =)

I also got some samples from the NIA24 line with my order. I'm interested to see how the products are since I've heard some good reviews.

Redken Hair Cleansing Cream & Kerastase Sublimateur Jour

I have a confession to make. I have never, ever used a clarifying shampoo before. There I said it. I don't know how I managed all these years without clarifying somehow I just did. Thinking about all the product buildup is just horrifying to say the least. Thankfully, I have now seen the light and am using Redken's clarifying shampoo. The Hair Cleansing Cream left my hair squeaky clean. Which is great I suppose but it also left my hair very dry. I followed up with my Shiseido Tsubaki conditioner as usual but that didn't cut it. So it was a perfect time to try out the leave-in conditioner by Kerastase.

The leave-in itself has a very light, non-greasy consistency. It actually looks and smells like a light lotion, except that it's lotion for your hair. Sublimateur Jour uses hydrolized wheat protein that forms a protective layer around the hair fiber. While UV filters protect the hair fiber from oxidation and silicone eliminates dryness and frizz. Now I've been hearing nothing but raves for SJ so I was expecting something miraculous to happen. I was expecting super soft and glossy, hair-from-shampoo-commercials hair. With all that hype I should've known that it wouldn't live up to expectations. Which is exactly what happened...at first.

I put SJ in my slightly damp hair and left it in while I air dried. I woke up the next day and.... nothing. In fact, my hair was still feeling a little straw-like from clarifying the night before. Soo... I put in some more SJ (and wondering if I had just wasted 40 bucks) in my dry hair and went about my day. Strangely enough, as the day went on my hair became more and more soft. By the end of the day, my hair was soft and glossy and definitely didn't feel like straw. Now I don't know what to think about SJ. I don't have hair like the girls in shampoo commercials, but it is soft and shiny and overall looks healthy. The only problem is that it took half a day for SJ to work! One thing I will say is that the effect lasts for a long time. It is now the next day and my hair still feels and looks great.

Joico K-pak Reconstructor Review & Other Stuff

With the holidays upon us and final exams, I've been a bit busy to do reviews. I have bought more things lately though. I've gotten a ton more My Beauty Diary Facial Masks (literally like a ton), Tony Moly BB Cream, Kerastase Nectar Thermique, Kerastase Sublimateur Jour, Redken Hair Cleansing Cream, and Illamasqua nail polish in Muse (lovely turquoise color). I'll do a swatch for that in a later post. It's such a gorgeous color and one coat gives me the color I want. Oh, and my Clarisonic Mia has finally shipped so I'm hoping it'll get here soon. Is it silly that I can't wait to go and wash my face?

So the Joico K-Pak Reconstructor. It is fan-ta-stic! I love it. I don't love the way it smells though. It smells like bananas. It's not unbearable, but it's not great either. It doesn't matter though because the Reconstructor works fab. The product itself is white and gloopy-looking and goes on very lightly. I put some in my hair after shampooing (it's recommended to use a clarifying shampoo beforehand) and left it in for about 5 minutes or so. Rinsed out and followed with Shiseido Tsubaki Conditioner (love this btw). There was a physical difference in my hair afterwards. It felt silky smooth and it lasted for 2 or 3 days afterwards. Usually my hair is always nice the next day but by day 2 it's starting to tangle and look dry again. My hair actually looks and feels healthier now. I used the Reconstructor last week and my mom commented on how healthy my hair looks. =) Depending on how damaged your hair is, you can use the Reconstructor once a week to once a month.

And a quickie review on the My Beauty Diary Facial Mask in Strawberry Yogurt. Smells exactly like strawberry yogurt. It smells good enough to eat! It's meant for normal/combination skin and is said to whiten your skin while refining the pores. It didn't work as well for me as the Pearl Powder mask. The Strawberry Yogurt mask didn't really sink all the way into my skin even after a long period of time. It seems to whiten as well as the Pearl mask but I didn't notice my pores being smaller. The next morning my skin was oily, whereas the Pearl mask left my skin supple even throughout the next day.


Happy holidays everyone! =)

DIY: Using rice water to wash your face

So I'm sure a lot of people have already heard about using rice water to wash your face and all the great things about it. I don't make rice very often and, honestly, I've just been too lazy to try this but I've finally tried it the other day. To my surprise, it works really well. My skin feels soft and smooth after washing with rice water. I've been keeping my rice water in the fridge so its feels refreshingly cool. I just feel so clean afterwards. It also seems to help with controlling the oil production on my skin, since my skin is less oily the next day.

For those who have never heard about using rice water to wash your face, it's very simple.
The rice water contains vitamins and nutrients that are beneficial to your skin. You can use it to rinse your face after washing with a cleanser or use it as a toner. I have tried both and the results are great. I have read about others using organic rice to make rice water because it is pesticide free. I would suggest this to you if you have organic rice available or have sensitive skin. I personally did not use organic rice because I didn't have any at home.

To make rice water all you do is take some rice and place it into a bowl (I wash my rice in the rice cooker bowl) and wash the rice with water. As you're washing the rice, the water should turn cloudy and white. This is the water that you want to collect. If you're using non-organic rice, you may want to drain out this first "washing" and collect the water from the second and third washings. Typically when cooking rice, you would wash about 2-3 times anyway.

If you're going to use the rice water right away, you can collect it in a bowl. Otherwise you may want to place it into a bottle for later use. Rice water does not keep for very long and I strongly recommend placing it in the fridge. If your water changes color or starts to smell funny, dump it out!

Has anyone else tried this? Let me know your results! =)

Stuff I bought & Stuff I want

Got some Joico K-Pak Deep Penetrating Reconstructor today. It's the 30th anniversary packaging so you get 30% more for the same price. The store I was buying from was also having a sale so I ended up getting it for less than $22! :D

The K-Pak Reconstructor is a protein treatment meant to repair dry, damaged hair by reconstructing the hair from cuticle to cortex. My hair is naturally dry and weak so I'm always getting split ends/breaking/knots. Currently my hair is "virgin" (all the dyed parts have long grown out and cut off) and I don't use any heat styling tools or blow dry my hair. I've tried deep conditioners, leave-in conditioners, leave-in oils and still the split ends happens! The only solution seems to just be cutting my hair more often than I would like, as I'm trying to grow out my hair right now. So I'm hoping by repairing my hair with the Reconstructor and deep conditioning the split ends will stop.

The next thing I'd like to try is Kerastase Sublimateur Jour Leave-In conditioner =)
I've also ordered a Clarisonic Mia a few days ago and I'm still waiting for it to be delivered. Argh waiting is always the hardest part!

My Beauty Diary: Pearl Powder Mask

(Top picture shows what the box looks like; Bottom picture is what the individual pack should look like)

Pearl Powder mask 

Main ingredients: Pearl powder, amino acids, vitamin B, mulberry extract, algae-yeast complex, licorice extract, lemon extract

What it does: Softens and whitens your skin for a more radiant and supple look. Nourishes the skin with vitamin B, while licorice and lemon extract helps balance out the skin

Who should use it: All skin types; especially those with dull and damaged skin

Directions for use: Apply to a clean and dry face. Leave on for 20-30 minutes or for as long as you like

I really enjoyed this facial mask. When I was putting the mask on I had some extra serum left so I just smeared it on to my hands. To my surprise, the serum sunk in almost immediately and left my hands feeling soft and smooth. Most facial masks I have used never really seem to "sink in" all the way and leave my skin feeling sticky. I almost always have to rinse it off or swipe toner over my face afterwards but not with the pearl powder mask. My skin feels nice and smooth. It's probably my imagination, but I do think my skin  tone looks more even and a little lighter. The mask has a clean, gentle soap smell. It's very mild and there's something oddly familiar and relaxing about it. Overall, I'm happy with this mask and can't wait to try the others now. =)

You can find the My Beauty Diary masks at your local Asian market, cosmetics store, or pharmacy. They're also available online at Amazon.com and many other sites.

My Beauty Diary Facial Masks

I went and got myself some My Beauty Diary masks today :D

I got the best sellers 7 day box set for $12.59. It has 7 different masks: cherry blossom, strawberry yogurt, pearl powder, black pearl, red wine, rose, and aloe. There's so many other "flavors" left to try. There are interesting ones like the whitening truffle mask, natto, chocolate, camellia, mixed berry... and so much more.

I also got a 10 piece box set of the black pearl. This one was $19.99 (a rip I know).

I've been wanting to try these for a while and now I can't decide which to try first.
I'll come back with reviews when I've tried one!


P.S - Just want people to be aware that there are fakes and imitations out there.Familiarize yourself with the packaging before purchasing!

RoC Multi-Correxion Night Treatment

RoC Multi-Correxion Night Treatment is an OTC retinol cream. It claims to reduce all signs of aging including: dark spots, wrinkles, reduce the size of pores, and diminish dark circles. RoC says that in just 4 weeks you can notice a difference with your dark circles, 8 weeks pores and brown spots will have reduced, and by 12 weeks fine lines and wrinkles will be diminished.

I've been using it for about a month now hoping for a change in all of the above. So far the performance has been average. My dark circles remain the same. I think they might have lightened ever so slightly, but not enough to really say that they have improved. Can't say I'm surprised though, I have terrible dark circles that nothing seems to get rid of.

What I did see improving is the lightening of some freckles/acne scars, reduction of pores, and diminished fine lines. The fine lines is actually what I'm most impressed with. I would say within the first week the laugh lines around my mouth were gone. It also softened up the appearance of a deeper wrinkle on my forehead. The pores on my nose and cheek have reduced but some stubborn blackheads on my nose remain.


I experienced some burning and redness the first week, to be expected when using a retinol cream. My eye area looked horrible that first week. I had some minor flaking but the skin just looked so wrinkly and crepey. I was so freaked I immediately cut back on the cream and slathered on some eye cream. I've also noticed that my skin has been more oily lately after starting this night treatment. I would recommend exfoliating more often than usual when using any retinol creams as the retinol increases the cell turnover rate. Don't forget to wear sunscreen (although you should always wear sunscreen anyway) because retinol makes the skin more photosensitive.

Overall I would say this was a nice introduction to OTC retinol treatments. It has only been 4 weeks so maybe I'll see some more improvement later on. Somehow I doubt that though, as it seems my skin has already gotten used to the retinol. I'm definitely interested in trying stronger retinoid treatments in the (near) future.

DIY: Quick and Easy 30 Second Lip Scrub

As I was looking at Sara Happ's Peppermint Lip Scrub, I noticed how few ingredients were in it. It was simply sugar, petroleum, jojoba oil, grape seed oil, and flavoring. But that tiny little tub was selling for $24! Amazing.

So I decided to make my own lip scrub and it probably took about 30 seconds.

To do your own scrub for pennies at home:

• Pour a tiny amount of sugar into the palm of your hand.
  
• Take a little bit of Vaseline on your finger (in my case I didn't have any, so I used some Carmex instead)
• Dip your finger into the sugar and apply to your lips. 
• Scrub in a circular motion until satisfied. 
• Tissue off or wash off with water. Done! Enjoy your smooth lips =)
  

I followed up with some Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm in Lemon Chamomile.

Imju Fiberwig Mascara now at Sephora!

Sephora has recently starting selling Imju Fiberwig Mascara, a popular mascara from Japan. It's claims to give you the look of false lashes by coating your lashes in a "fiber film that is resistant to tears, sweat, and oil". Before we go on, I must say that Sephora is selling Fiberwig mascara at outrageous prices. Sephora is selling Fiberwig for $24 a tube, when in Japan it retails for only $12USD. I would recommend purchasing Fiberwig from your local Asian market or cosmetics store.

One of the best things about Fiberwig is that it's very easy to remove. The mascara comes off with warm water so you're never left with panda eyes the next day. So how well does the mascara perform?

Fiberwig lengthens very well but sadly does not provide very much volume. You don't end up with a "falsh lash" look, if that's what you're going for. It does stay on quite well as advertised and it does remove very easily.One thing I noticed with Fiberwig is that it doesn't hold a curl very well, my lashes end up straightening out.

Should you get it? If you want a mascara that stays on well and removes easily, this would be one to try. Personally, I find that Cover Girl Lash Blast performs much, much better. Definitely not worth it for $24, if you're getting from Sephora.

wash, rinse, repeat

Being the (slight) germaphobe that I am, I am constantly washing my hands. Now that it's the flu season I'm washing even more often. Soo what does that do to my hands?? They're dry and looking a little wrinkly. Not cute. It doesn't help that I'm always too lazy to put on lotion.

So, I got out my Crabtree & Evelyn Hand Therapy hoping to repair some of the damage. Well it helped a bit. They were looking more moisturized but still kinda wrinkly and...dare I say it? Old. It looked like my hands were dry even though I had lotion on. I figured I just needed to put more lotion on until it repaired itself.

I stopped by the Crabtree & Evelyn store to pick up some more lotion and discovered their "Citron Honey & Coriander Rejuvenating Hand Remedy". Hand Remedy is part of their Hand Treatments line. According to their website it has peptides and antioxidants to keep hands looking young while maintaining the moisture. Some of the benefits include: even skin tone, supple skin, and reducing the signs of aging.

I picked it up along with another Rosewater Hand Therapy and lemme tell you, it's fantastic! My hands are looking young again and they seem to stay moisturized longer than the regular Hand Therapy. My hands are smooth and they really do look more "supple". As for evening skin tone, I haven't seen much of this. I have a small burn scar on my hand that I got a few months back and it has remained the same. The citron scent is just lovely. I adore citrus scents and this one smells great without coming off like furniture polish. This is possibly my new favorite scent from them, beating out La Source.

Hand Remedy is a little more expensive than the regular Hand Therapy ($24, $15 respectively for 100mL) but I find myself using it more and I actually like it much better than Hand Therapy. Anddd right now www.crabtree-evelyn.com are having a storewide 20% off sale! If you're having hand issues like me, try it out and let me know what you think. =)

But who cares? No big deal I want more

"Look at this stuff
Isn't it neat?
Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?
Wouldn't you think I'm the girl
The girl who has everything?"

My collection of "stuff" (beauty products, make up, skin care tools and.... other stuff) is constantly growing. I also have the bad habit of over-researching things. I subject just about everything to a google search. I say bad habit because I can literally spend days, weeks, months researching to make sure I've made the "right" decision to purchase. Isn't buyers remorse the worst thing? That's why I google and read reviews to my heart's content. By no means am I a beauty expert offering her professional opinion on a product. I'm just another product junkie out there in the vast sea of product junkies making reviews. Expect to see reviews in the future on different products I felt that I "needed".