Wednesday 21 August 2013

THE FACE SHOP Clean Face Mild Toner Review

The product that I'm going to talk about today is........*drumroll* The Face Shop's mild toner from their Clean Face line!! The employee at The Face Shop recommended this to me and told me that this line was for teens with acne-prone skin. Well, I did a little research after and found out that the Clean Face line is the bestselling trouble controlling line for oily skin. That really persuaded me to buy something from their line so I went back and purchased the Acne Solution Foaming Cleanser and the mild toner to see if it'll work to remove my stubborn whiteheads and pimples ahaha Anyways, the product looks like this:


I bought this product for around $17 CAD which is pretty affordable for 130mL of product!! However, I've used this for 2 times daily for the past 2 weeks and there's only a little over half of the product left. So I don't think this product will last over 2 months...

Description:

  • a toner that helps treat skin troubles
  • Controls the production of oil/sebum
  • Contains tea tree extract which kills acne-causing bacteria
  • Gets rid of skin's impurities/blemishes
  • Contains malt extract that calms skin

Directions:

After washing face, get adequate amount on cotton and rub out from the face to the neck area.


^^These directions were taken from The Face Shop's International website, but I personally don't really follow them ahaha. I dont use the cotton pads and instead I use my hands to gently pat the toner around my face. I dont know why....but this makes my face feel more moisturized. LOL Also, I know many people "double-cleanse". Double cleansing is when you first put the toner on a cotton pad and use the cotton to wipe your face from any remaining dirt or residue and then re-apply the toner again. I don't use the double cleansing method because I believe that if I did the face washing part accurately and thoroughly, I don't need to cleanse AGAIN with the toner. xD But it's all up to the individual's opinion. :)

Packaging:
The packaging is pretty nice. The product is in a tall orangish glass bottle. The liquid comes out easily through the hole at the top but might require you to lightly shake/tap the bottle. It would be better if it came out of a pump for hygienic reasons. But so far my only concern is that one day I might accidentally knock over the bottle and break it since I am pretty clumsy. :P



Smell/Texture:
In my opinion, the smell is pretty pleasant. I dont really know how to express how it smells like....it smells a little florally but at the same time not really florally...i dunno LOL But i can say that it smells really fresh and calming. The texture is a light, clear runny liquid. It absorbs into the skin really quickly and isn't sticky at all. It leaves my skin feeling refreshed and moisturized! :D


Effectiveness:
I'm not 100% sure that this helps clear up my skin. I haven't really noticed MAJOR visible results, but Im going to continue using this and see if any improvements happen. :)

Pros:

  • Didn't break me out
  • Left my skin feeling really moisturized and refreshed
  • I like the smell <3
  • Easy to dispense out of bottle


What I didnt like:

  • I don't know if it's just me, but I'm using this product up rather quickly LOL so i dont think this product will last for more than 2 months
  • I didn't really see a major improvement in my acne...just didn't break me out


Total Rating= 3.5/5 Mostly lost marks on the effectiveness

Will I repurchase?
No, I don't think so. After I finish using this, I want to try Hada Labo's Arbutin Whitening Lotion ahaha I heard great things from this line. :)

I'd love to hear your thoughts too!! Feel free to leave a comment :D

Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil Review

I have just entered the world of cleansing oils recently :) When I went to Pacific Mall to pick up the DHC cleansing oil, I hesitated because in the store I went to, the packaging of the oil looked kinda weird and Pmall was known for their fakes. Soooo I went to a trusted store instead, which offered the DHC cleansing oil AND the Fancl mild cleansing oil. In the end, I chose the Fancl cleansing oil because it was cheaper (like 3 dollars cheaper LOOOOOL) and cause I've heard great things about it also!! So here's how the product looks like:



There's 120mL of product, which I think can last me like one and a half months since I use it both morning and night. xD However, when I first opened the product, the liquid wasn't filled all the way to the top of the bottle and there was a HUGE empty space.....i dont know why

Description:

  • enriched with Meadow Foam Oil which aids the removal of keratin plugs over time for a clearer, smoother complexion
  • removes all traces of makeup
  • is an gentle oil-based cleanser


Directions:
With dry hands, apply to dry face. Massage gently to remove makeup. Rinse off with lukewarm water.

I usually massage the oil around my face for like 5 minutes because its really relaxing!! LOOL I've also noticed that after I massage my face for around 2 minutes, little tiny dirt things come out of my skin. They feel like the tiny particle things in scrubs LOL



Packaging:
Well, the product first came in a paper box for outer packaging with Japanese instructions written all over it. I'm sorry I don't have a picture of it cause I already threw it away :P But the actual product comes in a teal, kinda glossy plastic pump bottle. It has a sleek design and also comes with this stopper thing to lock the pump in place. I don't know if you're supposed to throw away the stopper after you open the package, but I kept it and I put it back on after each use :$ Also, the product comes out really nicely and doesn't spill.

^^I was trying to show the stopper in the pic :P


Smell/Texture:
There is literally no smell....i dont know if its just my nose though :P It doesn't smell like olive oil and is just plain! I think this is perfect for those with sensitive noses and is looking for a good face cleanser. The texture is thicker than water (obviouslyyy cause its an oil) but it kinda still runs. It's not as thick as I thought it would be. When you apply this to your face, its not light but really oily (obviouslyyy again), but after when you wash it off, the oil emulsifies perfectly and leaves your face feeling smooth and clean. :)

Price:
I got this for $32, which I believe is a reasonable price because other cleansing oils are about the same price range.

Effectiveness:
OMMMGGG this was my first ever cleansing oil, and I have to say that it is incredible!!!! It does what it says and removes impurities that are in your pores and also leaves your skin feeling smooth and not dehydrated. I agree that this is also super gentle and good for those with sensitive skin like me! But for the makeup removal part, I'm not that sure if this can do the job because I rarely put on make up and instead use this as a daily face cleanser. :)

Pros:

  • removes the dirt/sebum buildup in pores
  • really gentle
  • does not strip my skin of its moisture
  • no smell :D
  • pump bottle for hygienic reasons 
  • doesn't spill
What I didnt like:
  • NOTHING!!!!

Total Rating: 5/5

Will I repurchase? 
Yes, I would repurchase this product buuut next time, I might purchase Shu Eumura's cleansing oils instead cause they're considered "the best" of all cleansing oils LOOOL

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this product too!! Feel free to leave a comment :)

TONY MOLY AC Pink Dip Spot Serum Review

Heeyy everyone!! I'm back with my second review on a Tony Moly product! If you've read my previous review on Tony Moly's AC Control serum then you probably know that this is one of my first products that I bought from Tony Moly!! I heard great reviews on this product before that this serum "dried up their pimples overnight" or "this really works" so I really wanted to try this out for myself to see if it worked on my skin and finally get rid of my acne! ahaha So this is how the product looks like:





Description:
  • A spot-on blemish treatment
  • Dries out existing acne
  • Salicylic acid, camphor, and kaolin soothes irritated skin
  • Houttuynia Cordata extract, Laminaria Saccharina, Althaea Officinalis root extract and mistletoe strengthen skin to prevent further irritations

Directions:
Using a cotton bud, apply pink powder on problem areas. Do not shake the bottle before using. (The clear liquid and the pink powder should be separate and not be mixed together) Here's a pic to show you how it's separated:



^Dont worry!! The bottle was full when i bought it LOL It's just that I already used a lot of the product!! 


There's only 0.63oz of product?!?!? LOL It's actually pretty tiny so I have to use it really sparingly.


^^Sorry for my kinda gross cheek picture but I put it on my cheek to show you guys the product! Some pimples were coming up so I decided to put some on anyways.

Packaging:
The packaging is in a simple tiny glass jar. And when I say tiny, I mean realllyyyy tiny. LOL Also you're supposed to put a cotton bud in the bottle anyways, so I guess it can't be hygienic with a pump and everything :P Here's a pic to show you guys how tiny the bottle is. I compared it with my Tony Moly AC serum and my Hada Labo arbution lotion:



Smell/Texture:
If you actually go and the smell the bottle, there's a SUPER strong scent of alcohol. But when you go and apply it, you can't really smell anything. Well, the texture is powdery and blotchy. When you apply it, you first feel like a cool tingly sensation. LOL I don't know if this is a gimmick, buut it does make me feel like the products working. And then after a minute, you don't even feel the product on your skin cause it's dried.

Price:
I bought this for $13.99 at my local Tony Moly store. This price is ...ehhh. LOL but the product does work so keepp readingg :D

Effectiveness:
This product is actually pretty good at killing those fat stubborn pimples LOOOL but for the biggest ones, it might take like 3 days until they're gone and sometimes it still leaves a mark/scar. But, I do believe that this product does what it says and doesn't disappoint me. :)


Pros:
  • IT WORKS!!!
  • generally no smell unless you go and smell the bottle LOOL
  • The cool tingly feeling

What I didn't like:
  • The price is kinda expensive for such a little jar

Total Rating: 4.5/5 Minus the .5 for the price :(

Will I repurchase?
Yes, I probably will repurchase this once I run out. However, I heard that The Face Shop has a product that is similar to this so I might go and get that one instead. :)

I'd love to hear your thoughts too!! Feel free to leave a comment :)

TONY MOLY AC Control Serum Review

Annyeong haseyo!! I'm back with another post on Korean skincare! This time I'll be doing my first ever review on a product from Tony Moly. This was one of my first products from Tony Moly which I bought not that long ago as I didn't get obsessed with Korean skincare until recently. I purchased this product along with Tony Moly's AC Control Pink Dip Spot serum hoping it'll be the solution to my acne skin. xD But it was kinda weird cause when I first started using this, I thought "serum" was the same as lotion so I just used it as a daily moisturizer. Until like a week later, I discovered on another blog the difference between a serum and an emulsion. I realized that a serum was a really concentrated liquid of nutrients and vitamins for the skin and that it was to be used BEFORE the emulsion. And for the emulsion, that it was another word for lotion and acts like a moisturizer. For those who are just like me and are not super familiar with the Korean skincare routine, you can read this post that teaches you on the difference between emulsion and serum. Click here ------> CLICK :) It was really helpful for me. Okkkk so back to the review, this is how the product looks like:




Description:
  • Medicated acne treatment that reverses the signs of skin damage
  • Soothes and heals skin
  • Helps create an even-toned complexion
  • Sciadopitys Verticillata root extract regulates oil/sebum production
  • Keeps skin matte

Directions:
Apply serum using gentle patting motion on cleansed and toned skin.
(Use after toner, before lotion/emulsion)

There is 50mL of product in here, which isn't a lot...but for a serum its normal.

Packaging:
The packaging is okay. It's not like one of those super cute Tony Moly products that I've seen though. The product comes in a short, blue-tinted plastic cylindrical container. LOL I love how it's super hygienic as the serum comes out from a pump and there's also a lid to cover the product when not in use. However, I don't really think the lid realllyy affects the product in any way buut I guess it does keep the dust off of things. ;P



Smell/Texture:
The scent is kinda florally/citrusy LOL i dont really know how to describe it! But it doesn't bother me and actually is a little bit calming. For those who are SUPER sensitive to smells, I'd say to pass this product. The texture is light and watery, but not too watery that it starts spreading all over your hand xD It doesn't feel sticky, and absorbs quite fast. It also has a cooling sensation which I looove. <3 It leaves my face feeling soothed and hydrated.



Effectiveness:
Well, my skin showed minimal signs of improvement, but I'm not that sure it helps keep my skin matte and regulate the sebum production. My face is stiill pretty shiny especially in the T-zone area so I'm not sure this product really helped with the oil. However, I do think that it does soothe my skin and my breakouts do heal a LIL faster.

Pros:
  • Didn't break me out
  • Helped heal my breakouts faster
  • Soothes my skin
  • Calming scent
  • Cooling sensation
  • Packaging is super hygienic
What I Didn't Like:
  • Oil on my t-zone is still the same :(
  • Didn't help that much


Total Rating: 3/5

Will I repurchase?
Sadly, no...even though there are so many pros to this product, it disappointed me as it didnt help that much with my acne. I believe I'd rather try out other serums in the future. :D

I'd love to hear your thoughts too!! Feel free to leave a comment :)

Monday 5 August 2013

The Face Shop Acne Solution Foam Cleansing Review

For my first ever review, I'll share to you the Acne Solution Foam Cleanser from The Face Shop's Clean Face line!! :) Just some background info...I have combination, oily skin (t-zone is oily, cheeks are dry/normal) and suffer from moderate acne...errrrrrr >.< I started getting a few pimples when I was 12 (I'm 14 now ahaha) and it grew into acne. I'm always on a search for new acne products that can help relieve my trouble skin. haha anyways back to the review...I bought the cleanser and toner from the line a month ago and so far have been loving it. I purchased it for around $17 CAD I think, which is pretty affordable. This is how it looks like:





Description:

  • Contains Green tea extract which soothes skin troubles
  • Is a medicated foam cleanser that is dedicated to treating acne-prone,oily skin
  • Oil-free


Directions:
Dispense an adequate amount and lather fully with water. Massage into the face and rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.

There is 150mL of solution which is pretty good as it will probably last me 2-3 months. I have used this every night (for morning I use Neutrogena's oil-free acne redness soothing wash) for a month and there's still 3/4 of product left in the tube. I usually only dispense about a pea-sized amount of the cleanser each time because I find that this product foams up pretty well.

Packaging:
The packaging is quite simple. It's in a orangish bottle-capped tube. It's not one of those cute-packaged Korean skincare products, although I wish it was. :$ I luv adorable packaging ahaha

Smell/Texture:
The cleanser has a mild green tea-ish scent. I find that the scent is really calming and not bothersome, even though I'm not that sensitive to smells anyways. :P The texture is more creamy than foamy for me. It's not super light either.

Pros:

  • Didn't break me out
  • Reduced acne
  • So much product inside the tube!!! I can use it forever
  • The smell is really nice aha
  • The price was not thaat expensive


What I didn't like:

  • It took me a while to see the results. For the first week, nothing really happened. And then the second-third week, I broke out A LOT, i mean A LOOOOOT!! and then fourth week, I can notice less breakout than when I first started using it. But even though there was less breakout, the difference wasn't really major. I still have lots of whiteheads.

Total rating= 3.5/5 mostly because the product didn't make that much of a difference on my skin


Will I repurchase?
Probably not. I think I'd rather experiment with other acne cleansers that can show better results to my skin.

I'd love to hear your thoughts too!! Feel free to leave a comment :)