Washi Washing Cloth from Curetex - Kind of a Konjac Sponge?

In the midst of all the hustle & bustle surrounding the baby (who is lying across my lap as I type this), I've unfortunately put aside a lot of my beauty products, trimming my routine down to just the Clarisonic, DHC Toner, Skin Inc serum and Laneige Emulsion and very basic makeup since I have lesser time and basically don't get out much these days.

One fine morning I was looking for a new Konjac sponge to wash my face but couldn't find one so I broke out the Washi (和紙) washing mitt that I bought from Ippin Cafe Bar during the food tasting session back in April~

Curetex Washi Washing Cloth - approx S$11

So what is Washi (和紙)?

Washi is Japanese Paper and Curetex has a range of products made with Japanese Paper Fiber. The characteristics of this material include being comfortable, anti-bacterial, anti-odour, UV Block and excellent sweat absorbtion. In other words, perfect for summer! Ippin stocks a range of shawls, clothing and accessories from Curetex's Washi range but I remembering finding it a tad pricey...I think $60 for a T-shirt?

So anyway, since this is a washing cloth, a lot of these characteristics don't mean much, probably just the anti-bacterial part I guess (^-^;;)

The cloth comes as a small mitt, big enough to put 4 fingers in, and has 2 sides, 1 with a criss cross design and the other a flatter, smoother surface.

The smoother side of the mitt

The staff explained to me that I should use the rougher side first and then the smoother side. The rougher side would act as a gentle exfoliator and the smoother side as a sort of buffer to smoothen the skin.

The packaging mentions that as wash comes from a natural source, it is gentle for both the skin and the environment. It also lasts very long so it can be used for many washes and has the ability to retain its characteristics (Anti-odour, anti-bacterial, UV Cut etc). Again, characteristics more applicable in the form of clothing.

So how did it perform as a wash cloth? As instructed, I used the rough side and then the smoother side. Undoubtedly it feels really clean after a wash (even without a cleanser) but not unlike the effect of a konjac sponge. =\ I really was expecting abit more...maybe a smoother finish given the supposed buffing from the smooth side.

So in a nutshell, the Curetex Washi Washing Cloth:

• is an affordable, organic basic skincare tool with very gentle exfoliation.
• gives a cleansing effect very much like a Konjac sponge.
• good for people looking to return their skin to it's natural balance.
• a speedier option compared to a Konjac sponge as you can skip the soaking-in-water step, people who prefer a speedy wash-up routine will appreciate this.
• doesn't seem like it would absorb excess sebum/oil as well as the Konjac.
• as far as price goes it's about 2 to 3 times the price of a single sponge and would last much longer I think.
• Not widely available in Singapore at the moment.

And so, in conclusion, I don't think I would purchase this again since I'm so used to my sponges. (^_^;;)

The Kanebo Seasonal Sale 2015 is on next week!

If you haven't already heard, the Kanebo Seasonal Sale 2015 is happening next midweek!

Date: 22 & 23 April 2015 / 10am - 7pm
Where: 83 Clemenceau Avenue #01-35 / 36 UE Square 

My Japanese ex-colleague is all of a flutter~ =D

Past season sales had prices starting from single digits for much of the Kate range and go up to about 70% for the more expensive brands! With my limited spending power now, that sounds really good~ (insert Homer Simpson slobber here)

Still a week to go but~ Happy Shopping Ladies!!

Kyusoku Jikan 休足時間 Cooling Leg Sheets - Now at Watsons!

Remember the cooling leg sheets I bought (and used) on my Tokyo trip last year? Well, Watsons has brought it in! On sale now too at S$6.95 for a pack of 6. Of course this is more expensive compared to Japan where I bought my 12-pc 休足時間 Night Aroma pack for a mere 498yen (approximately S$6) but oh well~

Formulated with Lavender, Sage, Rosemary, Lemon and Orange, you know it's gotta smell and feel good after a long day at work, out and about or after a workout =D These cooling knit-type sheets coated with a high moisture gel give the pads a very very slight sponge-like texture that adheres well and stays put even if you leave them on overnight. Just don't stretch them too much and they'll stay on just fine =) Extremely gentle on the skin, it doesn't hurt one bit during removal~

Do note however that they're mainly for the cooling sensation and are not really meant for pain relief like, say, SalonPas. It's just an enjoyable feeling for tired legs =)

Definitely gotta pop by Watsons soon ^^ I just hope my neighbourhood branch has these!

Just a little ramble and a romp~

How do you like the new banner? I think it looks kinda babyish XP but since that's where I'm headed in a few months it seemed quite appropriate hehe

Chinese New Year has come and gone, with much less fanfare as compared to previous years =( The Husband isn't a fan of visiting so my outings have dwindled after our marriage..talk about the old ball & chain huh.

Not sure if it's hormones but I get bored easily and go through bouts of irritability during this 2nd trimester...oh I'm a little past 5 months now by the way~ *flashes a peace sign* Gained like 6kg only to be told by the doctor that that's too much weight too soon! Blaarrgghhhhhh~~~~ my husband and my mom are more than happy to wave that bit of info in front of me now whenever I reach for my beloved rice (or anything remotely related to carbo and sugar). Pppfffttttttt I hate it when people get between me and my food.. ( =_____= )|||

On the other hand, I did manage to wander around Takashimaya and Westgate mall over the last couple weeks and managed to buy a couple of items to inject some life into my otherwise boring beauty routine!

Maybelline Hypersharp Wingliner snagged at S$11.90 at Watsons!

White Wash Carbonated Foam - whitening & brightening facial foam S$26 at Tokyu Hands

Lits Wistea Skin Revival Lift Ex serum - Bought from Matsumoto Kiyoshi on my Tokyo trip but is
also available at Tokyu Hands Westgate in Singapore. Retails around S$50-60 from what I remember =P

I've only been using the Lits Wistea serum and WhiteWash facial foam for a couple days so I can't say much about the effects as yet. But I've experienced no adverse reactions, which is a good start!

The romp through Tokyu Hands really....REALLY....made my heart ache for Japan (Y__Y) If I had known I was gonna get pregnant at this time I would've shopped more during last year's trip!!!! ARRRGGHHH!! So tempted by the Yokohama Canvas totes by the way >_< the designs are so classically simple Japanese and the canvas feels SO tough! But forking out S$200 for a simple tote seems....extravagant at this moment when I'm forking out hundreds for hospital visits every month.. =((( Contemplated a sakura-viewing trip this year but mom does not approve for fear of~~~ get this....radiation ( =____= ) *throws hands up in exasperation*

Sigh....oh Tokyo, when can I see you again~

Cyber C'kin Cell Recharge Snail Serum - Slime-me!

The whole thing about snail mucin in skincare has been around for quite a long time now but I have yet to experience it first hand until now~ This is the Cell Recharge Snail Serum from CyberColors skincare range, Cyber C'kin!

Retailing at S$42.90 at Sasa (now on promotion at S$25!)

Why did I buy this product? Well, I had the most stubborn zit just under my nose that seemed to be applying for permanent residency so on a spur of the moment, I popped it! And it left this awful gaping pore above my lip. T____T (photos further down)

So I was basically looking for something that would heal it FAST. Chanced upon the Cyber C'kin snail range and it was on sale and I'm such a Budget Barbie so why not?

Containing 90% snail filtrate and a high concentration of cartilage glue sulfate (which I think is a fancy term for collagen), this product claims to increase skin elasticity, overall radiance and heal damaged and inflamed skin conditions. If you'd read my previous post on Japanese & Korean Beauty secrets, you will recall this bit below:

"Snail slime, secreted in large amounts when snails are stimulated, contains proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans, glycoprotein enzymes, hyaluronic acid, copper peptides, antimicrobial peptides and trace elements of copper, zinc and iron. Simply put, it's packed with glycolic acid, elastin, collagen, hyaluronic acid and protein. Given that snail secretion protects its host from bacteria, cuts, UV rays PLUS the fact that Hippocrates (the Father of Medicine) noted an effective combination of crushed snails and sour milk to sooth skin inflammations, this product seems believable enough."

Today's back-of-the-box info:

Dispenses with a regular pump:

I like that the cap and pump are of the stiffer variety but the pump is little stiff. Makes it slightly difficult to control if you want just a drop, but that's nothing to yell about. =) One pump dispenses a small pearl-sized amount, pretty much the amount shown in the following photos.

 

It's also not particularly slimy or sticky, thank god. And absorbs nicely into my skin, leaving it feeling nice and smooth ^_^ The first time I used it I felt a slight warmth for just a few seconds and as the serum absorbed, it felt like a seal was being spread over the applied area.

I have to say I didn't see much difference in my skin tone or fine lines and my skin isn't experiencing any inflammation so I can't vouch for that either. BUT in the area of potential scarring and skin damage, I think my busted zit fits the profile.

And this is after agonizing over my busted zit for a few days! I applied the snail serum the night I bought it and went to bed with a silent prayer. The next day I woke up and saw that the gaping crater of a pore had pretty much closed up and the redness and swelling was ALOT lesser! Oh Joy!!! And by Day 3, you can see for yourself that it's almost unnoticeable~ =D

In conclusion, the Cyber Colors Cell Recharge Snail Serum:

• is an affordable serum that should be on sale quite often given Sasa's frequent promotions
• applies smoothly and absorbs like a dream, leaves my combination/oily skin feeling protected and smooth without tackiness or shine
• no smell that I could detect
• works well on damaged skin e.g popped zits & inflammation
• prevented the formation of a pimple scar
• might not be as effective on fine lines (but maybe that's because I don't have that many yet?)
• doesn't seem to have much effect in the radiance department too *shrug*
• pump dispenser is abit stiff, might pose a problem IF you only want to use a little drop. For reference, 1 pump is enough for half my face.

I think this product is probably good for people with acne and those who have itchy hands and pick at or bust their zits (like me =P) as the serum kinda forms a protective layer over the damaged skin and so the skin has a chance to rest and heal without further damage from the elements thus the accelerated healing of my zit. At least that's how I see it.

In my case, I'm really glad that it healed my zit so quickly and without leaving a scar! I've had zits like this before and when damaged like that, they almost always leave a scar.

Cyber Colors/Cyber C'kin also has a moisturizer cream in the snail range that contains 70% snail filtrate that's on sale for S$25~ I think it might be worth popping by and checking out the testers especially while the sale's still on~ (^___^)



Bijinsenmon 美人専門 Face Slimming Serum - Fugu Face?

Fugu is Japanese Pufferfish by the way. ^_^

I realize many girls nowadays have really slim faces.... Like nice sharp chins and no unsightly cheek bulges and double chins. And it's killing me softly inside. *sigh* On my first trip to Paris I refused to be photographed by my friends because it was so difficult to get a flattering angle of my big face! And even in my own shots, there was no hiding my chubby jawline. Now don't get me wrong, I don't mind some flesh on my face but the looming double chin is too much for my delicate ego. =P

So I bought this:

Bijinsenmon Face Slimming Serum - S$49 from Guardian Pharmacy

Closeup so you can see those E particles

Although fronted by popular HongKong actress Christine Ng, Bijinsenmon is of Japanese formulation. You can read more about the company HERE.

A look at the back of the box info:

Closer look after the cut!

Majorly Romantic - Majoromantica M Mystic Garden Perfume

*mumbles to self* Is this my first fragrance post? *checks* yes this is my first fragrance post.

So. =D I haven't bought fragrances for a long time because I have too many bottles of Victoria's Secret body mists to finish up before I can justify getting perfume but Majolica Majorca's packaging is always a little hard to ignore in the drugstores... Japanese are quite big on smelling nice and I've bought my share of beautiful smelling hair perfumes. So I swiped the tester on just for fun and went happily on my way. Sniffing and sniffing as I went along....I decided it was a very pretty Japanese-y sort of scent lol...so I went back for a closer look.

Which of course resulted in a purchase. And what a mouthful it is~ Majolica Majorca's Majoromantica M Mystic Garden scent:

S$25.90 at Watsons

This scent is part of the Majolica Majorca's Spring collection (Chapter 36 Secret Blink) just released in end Feb 2013. I like Majolica's packaging but their products seldom catch my eye. The only other Majolica product I own is the Blood On lip and cheek rouge, which I do use regularly.

But back to the fragrance. Packaged in a slim glass bottle is 20ml of concentrated scent. The rounded wand applicator holds the liquid well on the way out so it doesn't drip all over the place. I like that the scent has multiple notes and ends on a musky tone. The initial floral fragrance isn't too overpowering and 'matures' quite nicely with my body chemistry. Product amount is also easily adjustable since it's not a pump or spritz bottle.

Sadly, the fragrance doesn't last forever and ever. But the bottle is slim and hardy enough to carry around and easy for low profile touch ups since you're not spritzing away. Just whip out the wand and swipe your wrists and neck~ It makes a nice hair fragrance too! I also realise that the product will finish quite fast, having gone through about 1/4 of the bottle in just a week so I just got a 2nd bottle. I guess I'm quite trigger happy with it >_<

So in short, Majoromantica M Mystic Garden fragrance:

• is very affordable (plus watsons always has sales; I got both bottles at 20% off)
• comes in a cute convenient glass bottle + applicator (I imagine this glass bottle can be recycled to hold essential oils in the future~)
• multi-note scent is sweet and fruity without being overpowering and ends on a nice musky note; youthful but in a grownup sort of way ^_^
• fragrance doesn't stay very long but the packaging is designed for touchups on the go so no big deal
• by my estimate, the bottle will last about a month of regular usage

This is my first fragrance from a cosmetic brand...and it's not bad, cheap too. I think I'll keep a lookout for any future fragrance Majolica releases in future~

Have you ever used a fragrance from a cosmetic brand? How was it?

A Teaspoon For Your Makeup Pouch!

This is for all those ladies out there who have trouble drawing a steady eyeline, yes that includes yours truly~ I don't have shaky hands but I often have trouble getting an equal curve on both eyes =\ And you know there are those days when your makeup just REFUSES to cooperate >_< Well, here's the solution to your eyeliner drawing woes!

I wanted to share this video by Sasaki Asahi (佐々木あさひ), she's an awesome Youtube beauty expert whose videos I love love LOVE to watch~ I saw this video a long time ago but forgot about it till I stumbled upon it again recently!

In this video, she introduces the humble teaspoon as a girl's best friend for eye-make! I love this chick, she's so cute!

I'm game for all but the eyelash curling part...>_< Too worried that my eyelashes will just fall off if I 'roll' them along the spoon rim like that. But I was more than happy to test the eyeliner method!

From Left: Handle for the lower curve, Head to shape the top curve~
(Using the KATE Dual Liner)

I realised you can use the head of the spoon for various angles depending on what kind of 'wing' you're looking to achieve~ Pretty nifty hey? ^__^

And tadah~~~~a quick & easy mistake-free winged eyeline!

What do you think? Isn't this just SO EASY? ^o^ And you can doodle on or decorate your teaspoon to your own taste! I bought a cute one from Daiso to bring around in my makeup pouch!

 

You can check out the rest of Sasaki-san's videos HERE~ ^___^

Japanese & Korean Beauty How-Tos? (Part 2 - Of Bird Poop & Rollers)

Yep you read that right. I said Bird Poop. Kind of hard to relate that to the conventional idea of beauty and skincare right?



Uh..yeah, I guess.

Today I'll share a couple of these titbits that could, possibly, maybe, inch you and me towards our beauty ideals~ Maybe.

As we say in Asia, it's easiest to earn a womans money. When it comes to beauty, I guess we're especially susceptible. Korea, Japan and China are up there in the rankings when it comes to producing, or reintroducing, these weird and wonderful thingamajigs. Let's take a look shall we?

Japanese and Korean Beauty How-Tos? (Part 1 - Diet)

You can't help but wonder if there's something special in the water in Japan and Korea. The beauty secrets of both nationalities have been a popular topic for women (and men) owing to the youthful looks and graceful aging demonstrated by both celebrities and regular people alike~

So what's the deal?

There's quite alot of material on this topic so I shall separate them into different posts for digestable reading~ ^_^ Today, we'll explore some common components in the Japanese / Korean diet~



Image 10059845 by maya picture

Same Same But Different?

Remember when I said that the Konjac sponges might come in different densities? Well, I'd just like to illustrate that with the 2 sponges from 2 different brands.

From Left: Dry Charcoal Konjac Sponge (Pink Package from Watsons)
& a moist Aloe Konjac Sponge (Konjac Care; Star King from SaSa)

The Charcoal Sponge is completely dried up like a prune in the above photo, but when moist it will expand to the same size as the Star King Aloe Sponge and look like this:



From Left: Moist Charcoal Konjac Sponge & moist Aloe Konjac Sponge

 

If you can tell, the Charcoal Sponge is slightly more porous than the Aloe Sponge. I'm not sure if it's because of the additional 'ingredients' that make the Aloe Sponge feel firmer and more spongy. It also doesn't give the 'omg so clean but so hydrated' feeling that the Charcoal Sponge imparts. Visually, it looks like the net-like structure of the konjac fibers is more concentrated on the Aloe Sponge thus the less 'contour-friendly' feeling.

 

I haven't opened the other sponges yet but I believe that the ones with additives (tomato, cucumber etc) from Star King are all of the firmer variety. Personally, the softer Charcoal Konjac sponge appeals to me more for the texture and the cleaner, more hydrated feeling. Just a little comparison for your reference~ =)

If you noticed, I received 2 Yamamoto Farm Konjac Sponges at the Watsons sale from my Collagen box sets, very lucky 'cos I was about to buy them online~ The sponges I have been using are made in China but I've been looking to get the Japanese ones for comparison. ^^

Have you tried the Konjac sponges from different countries yet? How do they measure up against each other?

One Great Thing in a Little Squishy Package~

Ever thought that you could actually get by WITHOUT cleansers? No more foaming soaps, gels, milks or creams? As it turns out, you can. Well, almost anyway. If you wear makeup regularly, you'll still need your usual makeup removers + cleansers to completely clean up but in all other situations, this sponge will do the trick!

Konjac Sponge Specimen A - Looks like a rock but cleanses oh so gently~

This is~~~ A Konjac Sponge~

You may have heard of Konjac sponges some time ago (maybe a year or two?) when it first swept through the beauty market but the hype died down quite soon and I've not heard much of it since. This is very common in Japan (and I'm sure in Korea and China as well) and retails for a few hundred yen at Matsumoto Kiyoshi. I regret not picking this up when it was always in my face. I'd put it down as pure hype then, an unfortunate characteristic of many Japanese beauty products.

Tanaka Facial Massage - Beauty at your Fingertips

If you recall, I mentioned the lymphatic facial massage as part of the Asian Skincare Routine in a previous post. Well, here's the promised elaboration~~~

I use the Tanaka routine by Japanese skincare expert Tanaka Yukuko that's really fast and easy~ The idea is that a facial massage focusing on lymph nodes after removing your sheet mask, or with your favourite essential oil or cream, will help absorbency of the remaining essence as well as improve your circulation and help skin cell renewal by encouraging detoxification. However, OVERcirculation is not a good idea for oily or acne-prone skin types as it agitates the oil glands...so you might want to avoid this step if your skin belongs to that category.

The following videos off Youtube will show you how~

Video 1 - in Japanese, demo plus a little Q&A from the guests

Video 2 - in English, full length tutorial split into 4 parts. This is only Part 2, which is the one that shows the DIY technique (starts at the 1:45 point in the video).

If anything, this massage is definately relaxing at the end of the day and puts you in the right state of mind for bed. I haven't been doing this long enough to see drastic slimming results but I can confidently say that my cheeks are less puffy and my cheekbones are slightly more defined that before! This was previously just a suspicion of mine until a colleague asked if I was using shading powder on my cheeks =D



I mentioned this massage to a number of friends and colleagues and was surprised that nobody had heard of it. If you've tried this before, how did it work on you? =D

The Asian Skincare Routine

I got confused awhile back about my skincare product sequence after purchasing an emulsion from Laneige. Emulsion? It was my first product with that term and it threw me off a little. It looks like a moisturiser, feels like a moisturiser, description seems to be that of a moisturiser...but is it a moisturiser?

My search to define this product's place in my routine led to checking out the whole skincare routine according to Asia. And by Asia I'm leaning towards Japan 'cos let's face it, Japanese women seem to age ridiculously well...I have colleagues in their 40s who could pass for early 30s!