Review: Pure Beauty Pomegranate Antioxidant 2-in-1 Foam Cleanser

Sorry that I've been away from the blogosphere for too long a break. I believe that I'm back with a greater determination than before, now that I possess a brand new iPad Air with a matching Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio :D

However, uploading photos is still a pain in the a*s as I personally think that my point and shoot camera takes better pictures than iPad Air does.

Ok, redirecting to today's review of Pure Beauty Pomegranate Antioxidant 2-in-1 Foam Cleanser.

I recalled my first encounter with Pure Beauty few years ago when it was first launched in Malaysia. On that very fine day, I was browsing at Watson's all alone, hunting for new beauty products, and I was quickly caught by this sales assistant who then recommended their eye masks from the pomegranate antioxidant range to target my dark eye circles and eye bags. I had not heard about Pure Beauty yet. All I knew was that Fish Leong was their spokes person, and I thought well, it can't be bad! Ha, I was that naive back then!

And so I went home with their Pomegranate Antioxidant eye masks and still repurchasing them every now and then. Enough to say that they aren't bad products ya?

About a year later, as I started to explore the high-end products and put behind all others, I came across Estee Lauder's Nutritious skincare line. I got myself a few products and when their BA pushed me to purchase the whole line, I stayed firm and did not get their 2-in-1 cleanser, as I already have some stocks lining up at home. But as I got home, the cleanser kept playing in my mind and I started to regret for not buying it.

Few weeks later, I was again at Watson's and saw this cleanser on the display, selling at a very affordable price (RM 21.90 if I'm not mistaken). I read the description and found it quite similar to Estee Lauder's. Without second thought, I grabbed this and went home with joy, thinking that I've found a cheap dupe of what I've been wanting!

On the box, it says that this cleanser will help to protect collagen reserves, promote healthier skin and help in skin rejuvenation. The Pure Beauty's Pomegranate Antioxidant Skincare Range delivers a 3-steps protection - neutralising damaging free radical, preventing oxidative damage, and boosting skin circulation to create a healthy and radiant complexion.

"Our unique combination of ingredients - featuring Korean Pomegranate Fruit Extract, Swiss RADICARE, French ECOCERT validated fruit and herbal extracts, and Bulgarian Rose Water - work together to promote healthy, radiant and youthful skin, promoting nutrition, hydration and invigoration, while simultaneously fighting free radicals and providing anti-aging and antioxidation benefits."

It all sounds so wonderful and promising to give all the good that our skin needs.

The product comes in a 125mL squeeze bottle in pearly white, with a metallic red twist cap. As a lazy woman, I naturally dislike the twist cap and prefer flip open ones.

It squeezes out smooth and look! There are tiny orange beads in it which I thought will burst into nutritious active ingredients as we rub against our skin! But I was quickly proved wrong because I really didn't feel anything then. No fun factor :(

The foam cleanser lathers up a little and smells just like, uhm, pomegranate. Do not expect it to lather into thick foam. I usually squeeze about an inch and it's enough for my face and neck.

It rinses off quite easily and leaves a clean feeling, which is perfect to be used after my Biore cleansing oil to remove any residual filmsy feeling. I must say that the cleansing power is quite superior for a drugstore brand. However, I dare not to use it twice a day as I'm afraid that it might be too drying for my skin.

To use it as a purifying mask, I will spread a generous amount over my damp face and neck before shower, and then leave it on, proceed with shampooing my hair, then wash it off together with the shampoo (lazy people always have their lazy ways) and viola! My face is so fresh and clean! Beware though, don't let it gets into your eyes as this really stings!! Ouch!

I like it as a night cleanser but I'm not sure about all the claims regarding collagen reserve and healthier skin. Cleanser is a cleanser. To cleanse without sucking away all the skin moisture, I think it is good enough. I do however love that it's alcohol free.


My Verdict:  ★★★☆☆
For a wallet friendly price, this cleanser deserves a 3 stars from me :)

Repurchase? Maybe, but not in short future

Having using this for the past 2 months, I will finish this and move on to other cleansers in my stash.



As to whether this is good enough to be labeled as a dupe for Estee Lauder's Nutritious Purifying 2-in-1 Foam Cleanser? I will try to get my hands on the latter for comparison later, not in near future :p (still sticking to my 100-days-spending-ban eh?)

Welcoming the new year in a different way

A very belated happy new year to all!

It's pretty embarrassing that I had been away from the blogosphere for 3 weeks after I vowed to be consistent in writing posts not long ago.

It is not without a good reason for my absence.

I've moved to a new town on the new year day to an entirely new working environment. Things have been busy and rather made my life a little stressed up.

Furthermore, my 7-year-old lappy decided to die off on the 3rd new year day! This made me feel handicapped and I don't have a clue how to blog without my dearest lappy with me. Sobs T_T

I'm yet to get myself a good new lappy and restart my blogging days. This post however was created using my smartphone and I find this quite inconvenient. Still prefers hitting the keyboard as how I used to be.

Nevertheless, I'm still very compliant to my 100-days-spending-ban, though not so good in sticking with a mask a day campaign.

Hope I could get my hands on a real good lappy soon! Any recommendations out there? :)

Weekend Mani: Elianto Nail Colour - 08 Baby Shine

Elianto, which was made available to where I lived during my high school days, is the nostalgic brand where I got my first nail polish from!

They certainly provide budget items for beginners to venture into the world of makeup without burning a big hole in their wallets. I remember those days when my BFF and I used to stroll around in the shopping mall, lusting and swatching each and every new polish color they had, back then, selling at the small price tag of RM5.

Elianto Nail Colour - 08 Baby Shine, 14mL, RM8

This is a pink peach polish with extremely fine silver and fuchsia shimmers in it, so fine that it almost appears sheen. It applies quite evenly on my slightly pitted nails and covers up the irregularities.

The texture is smooth and not goopy, and the drying time is around 20 to 30 minutes. I however did not wait for it to dry completely before applying the second layer. I needed 2 layers in order to get the desired opacity.

The colour is so soft and lovely, which in my opinion, will look flattering on most skin tone. The shimmers in it helps to make mistakes forgivable.

Under fluorescent light, without flash

 Under fluorescent light, with flash

If there is one negative thing to say about this polish, that would be the slightly uneven surface when it dries completely, which is only noticeable up close. This can be easily fixed by layering with a top coat.

Elianto nail polishes will generally last a good 2-3 days on my nails without chipping away. Their longevity however is never my concern as they will most probably need to be removed by the end of my off days (usually 2 days at max), as I am not suppose to wear any nail polish at work.



My Verdict:  ★★★★☆

-yay for the small price tag!

-sweet colour that will appear flattering for most

-smooth texture and relatively quick drying time



I believe that I'll never ever repurchase anything from the makeup category as the brands will always churn out something new and exciting on each new day!

So no, I'm not gonna repurchase any makeup item! :D

A Mask A Day: Color Combo Honey Moisturising Facial Sheet Mask

Ever since I started the “a mask a day” campaign, I’ve been very obedient to treat myself with a sheet mask for the night routine everyday.

I believe that one can never see the true result of sheet mask with just 1 application per week. At most, they will leave you with the instant effect of brightened and well-nourished skin, which tends to disappear as you wake up the next morning. Consistent application of masks with similar function is the key to really help target your skin concern.

The first 2 weeks of the campaign, I tried to use up all the masks which I owned as singles, just to get a rough idea as to whether I shall purchase them in bulk for consistent use. And now, I’m moving on to review those that I can use for few days in a row, to see whether it is really doing any good.

Color Combos Honey Moisturising Facial Sheet Mask, 30g

“A deep moisturizing mask to help with dehydrated skin as dryness is one of the major causes of wrinkle formation.

Contains Honey Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Cucumber Extract and Multi-Vitamin to keep skin soft and supple.

An excellent treatment to replenish dry, rough skin.

Suitable for all skin types.”

I got this from Sasa a while ago when they were having promotion, where 4 masks were sold at the price of RM10. It was a good deal as one sheet mask will usually cost RM3-5 even if you buy them in boxes.

Nothing exciting about the packaging.

And there isn’t much essence left in the bag.

It was a big turn off when I opened the mask pack for the first time. BY.THE.SMELL!!

This definitely smells like decomposed something, or a vagabond who didn’t bathe for few weeks! Imagine putting that mask onto your face and so near to your nose! O.M.G.

o.O

Never mind the smell; I still put it on to see what good it can do --- holding my breath! :x

The mask cutting was below my standard as you can see there isn’t any nip on it that enables you to shape it to fit your individual face contour.

It is surely making an effort to impress by designing it in a way that you can hook on the mask and be able to walk around, watching TV without worrying that the mask will drop from your face.

 I seriously dislike the thick ear hook which tends to transfer the essence to my hair, and make them sticky.

I find that the sheet material was unable to hold the essence on for too long a time. On my face, I feel that it starts to dry out by 5 minutes, and rarely last till the recommended 15 minutes of masking time. However, when I remove it by the end of 15 minutes, I was surprise to find that the essence is mostly retained on the sheet mask and was not delivered deep into the skin.

What I realized after each treatment was that the essence remained sitting on the superficial layer of the skin, and leaves a super sticky feeling. And foul smelling. No amount of massaging could get the essence absorbed, trust me. I end up have to wipe them off and follow with a heavily scented moisturizer --- Etude House Skin Mal:gem Emulsion --- to cover up the awful scent.

As you can expect, I did not derive any benefit from this mask and certainly won’t be giving it a second chance A.N.Y.M.O.R.E.!

Still have to struggle with it for another day T.T

My Verdict:  ☆☆☆☆☆

-absolutely no reason for me to like this
-one helluva smelly mask which did NOTHING!!



Repurchase? HELL NO!!


Lesson learned: Never buy anything in bulk if uncertain of its performance.

100-days-spending-ban: Day 14

It's been 2 weeks since the launching of my 100-days-spending-ban and WOOT! I've put aside RM420 for my trip already! :D

I'm glad that I have not broken any rules yet, and hope to be able to stay calm despite all the seducing SMS/ flyers/ brochures from various cosmetic and fashion companies that I received during this gifting season. *praying hard for strength*

I have decided to remove Sephora Makeup Academy from my wish list, and there will be no new product added this time round. Will update my wishlist on the new year day! Steady!

Review: Beauty Mate Purifying and Hydating Nano Toner

I find that I go through toners very quickly so here’s another review of one that is going to reach its bottom within the next few days, the Beauty Mate Purifying and Hydrating Nano Toner.

Beauty Mate Purifying and Hydrating Nano Toner, 120mL

“Purifying and Hydrating Nano Toner is extracted by Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Pearl and Glycoproteins.

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract which helps to hydrate your skin and facilitate the metabolism which prepares fast absorbing of lotion.

Formulated with the natural mineral of Hydrolyzed Pearl can bright up the skin tone and balance the pH value, it makes your skin soften and smooth.

Glycoproteins helps to increase the moisture level of skin by 60% and keep the moisture balance in cuticle up to 15 hours or above.”

I got this Beauty Mate Purifying and Hydrating Nano Toner from my June 2013 Wonderbox subscription, which made my heart skipped a beat as I have always wanted to try other products from their Purifying and Hydrating range, besides the much raved sheet mask.

The product comes in a sturdy glass bottle with convenient pump system, which is still functioning well up till the last bit of product left. The only gripe was that each pump only dispenses little amount of liquid and I have to use about 8 pumps to get my facial cotton adequately soaked. The silver top cap however didn’t loosen a little after repeated covering and uncovering, so there's no need to worry about the glass bottle slipping off when one picks up the bottle by its cap. Nonetheless, packaging in glass bottle is definitely a plus point for me!

The toner itself has a consistency near to plain water that would easily escape from your palm, which is why I preferred applying this with facial cottons. It has a hint of herbal/ floral that smells similar to their Purifying and Hydrating sheet mask.

I like the fact that it lives up to its claim, as it really soften my skin and keep it hydrated. The lasting moisture for 15 hours however is yet to be tested. Recently I was working on shifts instead of calls, thus temporarily free from those “working-30-hours-continuously” schedule. I would have already washed my face and reapplied everything necessary in less than 15 hours interval.

I absolutely love the dewy skin that it gives! Not a bit of stickiness that most toners will leave, and my skin feels oh so lovely! It also prepares the skin for better absorption of serum and moisturizer that follow. My skin tone does brightened a little over the past 2 months of using this toner, but I can’t be sure whether it is the effect of this alone, or the combined effect of my current skincare regime.

This toner gained so much love from me that I even use them on those warm, stuffy afternoons to quickly refresh myself, and it works! I’m yet to try using this as lotion mask and facial mist, which I think I should have. Maybe I shall get another bottle and try that out once the spending ban is over. Hehe :D

My Verdict:  ★★★★★

-nice packaging

-soften skin and prepare skin well for serum and moisturizer

-brighten complexion

-moisturizing

-quick pick-me-up

-affordable and easily available at Watson pharmacy

Drawback:

-each pump only dispenses a little amount of product

Repurchase? YES!

I'm really grateful that Wonderbox included this in their June 2013 box that I finally have the opportunity to try, not only a sample size but the generous full bottle so that I can make up my mind as to whether I shall include this in my daily routine. However, I'm still open to experience more toners out there that might pull this one down from its throne!

So I thought that's the spirit of a true beauty junkie NYAAHAHAHAH!!

Review: Elianto REVEAL Nourishing Cleansing Milk

 Elianto REVEAL Nourishing Cleansing Milk, 150mL

"Elianto Reveal Nourishing Cleansing Milk leaves your skin feeling soft and nourished after cleansing.

Formulated with Rice starch, Rice oil, Granatum extract to protect against free radicals, it also contains sweet almond oil and avocado oil to nourish skin and boost skin regeneration."

I have wanted to review this cleansing milk for the longest time ever but due to my ultra laziness, the thought has just been sitting in my mind for the past 1 month or so.

This, was one of my impulsive purchases from Elianto which I regretted afterwards. Fortunately it didn’t burn a big hole in my wallet with the acceptable price of RM39.90.

Packaging wise, I do like the stopper provided to avoid unwanted wastage when one accidentally pressed on the pump. However, the pump system was a failure as you can see from here that the last 5% of product was extremely difficult to be pumped up from the bottom. The transparent purplish bottle was nice to see with its classy appearance.

Texture wise, this Nourishing Cleansing Milk is quite runny and could easily flow off your palm if you aren’t careful. Once applied to face, it turns even runnier and almost liquid, so it will flow down your neck and cause a mess.

And this, has absolutely no foam at all and does not lather, which does not hit the right button for me as I prefer foamy cleansers as mentioned earlier. I was forewarned by the BA about this so no surprise.  Reminded me of the olden days when we used to remove make up by using baby lotion. This feels exactly the same, but stings a little if I were to use it after my facial session with Dermalogica.

I usually use a full 2-3 pump for each wash, partly because I wanted to finish it fast. The cleansing power is quite poor and leaves behind a filmy sensation. No squeaky clean feeling at all. Maybe this is the “moisturizing” part it says on the bottle? But this totally puts me off, so I had to wipe my face with warm towel to get rid of the yucky feeling. Simply splashing with water is definitely not adequate to remove the film.

After using this continuously for the past 3 months, I must say this should have been tossed away earlier. It did absolutely NOTHING for my skin and the main reason of me continue to use it, is because I don’t like to waste my money just like that. Wondering why they named it as “REVEAL” as it really did not reveal any beautiful skin at all. Lucky though, it also did not “reveal” bumps and acnes on my face.

No comment on the firming and anti-oxidant properties as I don’t usually believe that cleansers are able to take care of these issues. Leave that to serums, masks and moisturizers.

The scent is not heavenly, but was nice to sniff at. Smells like a mixture of rice and milk, with some floral hint. It does contain fragrance in its ingredient list.

Now that I have only 5% of product left in the bottle and find it difficult to dispense from the pump, I shall just forget about it and start a new journey with another cleanser on my stash. No more looking back!

My Verdict:  ★☆☆☆☆

-smells nice

-packaging looks classy with stopper provided to avoid potential disaster

-friendly cost at RM39.90

Drawbacks:

-pump system fails to deliver last bit of product

-poor cleansing power

-leave behind filmy sensation

-stings a little if used after chemical peeling

Repurchase? Definitely NO.

7 days into my 100-days-spending-ban challenge and I’m staying strong! Still sticking to my “a mask a day” campaign and not seeing any drastic changes on my skin condition yet.

7 x 30 = 210

I now have RM210 in my travel fund!

Hooray and keep it up, Eliz!