October 2016

La Mer The Concentrate Review – Truly a Miracle Product

October 6, 2016

If I could only have one skincare product, it would be the legendary La Mer The Concentrate (bought here in Australia). I first splurged on it about 5 years ago, and I’ve been hooked on it ever since though my heart bleeds every time I hand over my credit card.

We all know the story of La Mer, whose founder was severely burnt and he invented this legendary formula of ‘miracle broth’ that healed his burnt skin. The miracle broth can be found in most of La Mer’s skincare products, and one of the most famous is of course the La Mer Cream which people swear by its moisturizing ability as well as repairing and healing of sensitive and irritated skin. I love La Mer cream (one of my staples), but the La Mer Concentrate is totally on another level for healing and regeneration that really blows me away. At my sad age where the natural skin renewal process has gone down drastically – you will notice that if the acne scars/marks from your breakout never goes away, then this is when I need to heavily rely on premium skincare products for stimulating the regeneration process.

Texture:

It has a clear milky white elixir consistency with silicone feel. Once it is applied, it makes the skin feel silky smooth and velvety (almost like a makeup primer) without feeling heavy and sticky. It also has an interesting slightly powdery minty scent. If you look at the ingredients list, you will find a list of common ingredients but what makes this product so special is the patented treatment and process of the fermentation of seaweed, and The Concentrate contains the highest dose compared to all the other La Mer products.

How I use it:

I use it sparingly, and 2-3 times a week due to the high price tag, and mainly along the lower jaw lines for a lifting effect, and the area of the skin where it needs to be ‘repaired’. If my budget allows, I really wouldn’t mind it using it twice a day like a normal serum.

My experience:

The most miracle serum I’ve ever used for skin repairing. If I get a new breakout, and the scar never goes away without using any skincare product. With the concentrate, I apply it for 3 consecutive days on the new acne scar and it completely diminishes the mark. On old acne marks, it also helps to heal and fade the marks visibly over time. If I am having occasional dermatitis, sensitive, and irritated skin due to season transitions, this serum heals my skin and brings it back to its normal state overnight. If my skin has been ‘traumatized’ ie. extractions from facial, laser treatment, then this serum calms it down within a few days. I don’t have any surgical marks on my body, but one of my girlfriends used it on her surgery scar from c-section, and it completely healed it as well!

Bottom line:

Truly a miracle product! As a loyal fan, I always go for the 1.7 oz (50ml), and the smallest size it has is the 0.5oz (15ml). If you only use it for mild acne scarring, a small bottle will last more than 6 months. A brief mention that please do not buy prestige skincare samples such as La Mer, La Prairie etc on Ebay, as 99% of time they will be fake.

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Labels: LA MER • SKINCARE

Suqqu Face Designing Concealer Palette Review

October 4, 2016

One of the main reasons I love Japanese beauty products is because they always put in some extra thought into the concept, and you will always find some amazing products that you wished had existed long ago. Case in point is the relatively new Suqqu Face Designing Concealer palette that was released last year – it is a customizable palette that includes 3 types of concealers with different coverage and purpose such as highlighting, covering dark circles or blemishes. I thought it was a brilliant idea and I’ve been pretty much reaching out to this convenient palette every day.

There are 8 shades and 3 different finishes to choose from, and the below chart will give you a more clear idea. Basically any shade that starts with H is for highlight purposes, C is for high coverage ie blemishes, and N is for covering the under eyes. You need to buy the compact case separately, and it comes with a mini concealer brush and sponge applicator. As usual, Suqqu makes the best mini brushes which are very pleasant to use.

I picked H-01, C-01 and N-01.

H-01 is a sheer white shade, and is designed for lifting the color by 1 or 1 ½ tone without altering the skin color. When it is applied under the eyes, it brightens and reflects the light.

C-01 has a neutral undertone, that is more suitable for covering the imperfections on the face.

N-01 has a hint of peachy tone, so it counteracts and neutralizes the typical dark circle color.

Swatched on bare skin with 1 swipe each, once they are blended, they match my skintone (NC15/20) perfectly.

All 3 concealers have a silky and creamy texture but not overly emollient, rich and thick. They all apply nearly streak-free with a flat synthetic brush (still good to have the fingers pat it in as a final step), and it melds into the skin without much blending required.

For under eyes, I apply a layer of N-01 first (or more), then apply the highlight shade (H-01) to brighten it up. The texture is very lightweight, so it never looks cakey and heavy under the eyes regardless of how much coverage you want to build up. It dries down to a semi-velvet finish, and no extra powdering is required. It stays put the whole day without enhancing the dry lines and creasing.

C-01 has a tad more coverage than N-01. It covers mild imperfections such as small blemishes or the dark areas around the nose/mouth corners, and I personally like to use it for concealing the lip lines. However it is not a heavy-duty concealer that will cover big acne/scars etc.

Overall big thumbs up for this palette, particularly for under eye concealing. I have had a fair share of concealing and highlight products designed for under the eyes. I find the cream concealers (such as the Bobbi Brown Creamy concealer) are too creamy and emollient, so they tend to crease over time and makes my eye makeup smudge. Most highlighter pens I have used are a little drying (such as the iconic YSL Touche Eclat). The liquid concealers are not opaque enough for other uses. If you have the same issue as me, then I highly recommend you to give this palette a try, as they are probably the best all-purpose concealers I have ever used that covers, and brightens, and stays put beautifully on dry skin.

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Labels: CONCEALER • SUQQU

If I Could Only Have One Sweater

October 1, 2016

Though the weather is getting warmer in Australia, I couldn’t help but pick up this cozy Acne Studios Deborah Sweater recently as soon as i saw it online. It is oversized, chunky, ribbed with slightly puffy sleeves – it’s such an everyday easy-to-wear style but so-on point with the silhouette. I love it so much that I really want to get the grey piece as well! Size-wise, for a boxy fit or layering, stay true to your size, otherwise go down a size for a more fitted look.