SHISEIDO

Here is a roundup of my all time favourite skincare products! I have a huge passion for skincare and instead of reviewing individual productS, I really like recommending the best ones out of the thousands I have used!

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Best Treatment LotionJurlique Activating Water Essence (bought here in Australia). For the best all-purpose essence lotion, it is a tie with the SKII Treatment Essence (reviewed here).  Since I’ve been using SKII for years, and the Jurlique is my new discovery from last year so it deserves to be crowned. It’s a water-essence lotion that hydrates and plumps up the skin immediately and preps the skin for better absorption of other skincare products. The perk of this lotion is that it has no alcohol and feels gentle and invigorating to the skin. The scent is amazing and it makes you feel instantly soothed and relaxed. One of my favorite products from Jurlique! jurlique-activating-water-essence-review

 

Best ExfoliatorBobbi Brown Buffing Grains for Face. I really like this simple grain exfoliator, and it looks very pretty in the glass jar. A little goes a long way, and you just need to mix it with your other cleansers (preferably lotion/cream based). There is nothing fancy about the ingredients of this product, but the finely milled blend of grains does an amazing exfoliation job and gives the most satisfying baby-smooth skin afterwards compared to other exfoliators I have used.

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Best skin regeneration/repair serumLa Mer The Concentrate (available here in Australia). Best of the best for skin healing, improving the appearance of skin scarring, regeneration and anti-aging. We all know the healing power of La Mer’s iconic ingredient The Miracle Broth, and this bottle has the highest concentration. I love it so much so that I splurge on the large bottle – it is expensive but worth the money. A detailed review is here.

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Best anti-aging serum/oil111SKIN Celestial Black Diamond Retinol Oil. If you haven’t heard of the brand, it’s developed by a leading cosmetic surgeon Dr. Yannis Alexandrides in UK who has an array of famous celeb clients. This product is extremely powerful and potent, as it contains a maximum strength of  1% pure retinol as an over-the-counter product. It is formulated with black diamond particles and the oil is moisturizing yet delivers powerful anti-aging and resurfacing benefits at the same time. It feels gentle upon application, but I think it is quite strong for daily use. I only use it 3 times a week, and over a short period of time I have noticed my skin texture appearing noticeably smoother and refined. To achieve the best results the brand suggests pairing the retinol oil with their best selling Y Theorem Repair Serum NAC Y2.

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Best day/night moisturizerLa Mer The Moisturizing Soft Lotion (bought here in Australia). Absolutely the best moisturizer I have ever used. I loved the La Mer’s cream to bits, but this lotion is wayyy better for absorption whilst delivering the same result as the original cream. The milky consistency feels ultra-luxurious on the skin and it instantly absorbs into the skin leaving the skin incredibly supple, smooth and moisturized. The consistency is perfection as it feels just right all year around– doesn’t feel too heavy in summer and it works well in winter.  I use loads of exfoliation products such as peel, scrub, AHA, Retinol etc and there is something about this lotion that just instantly calms my skin down. Really can’t gush enough about this lotion!

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Best Brightening EssenceHaku Melanofocus 3D. I like this brightening and whitening essence as much as the SKII Genoptics Aura Essence (reviewed here). Both of them deliver brightening results over time, helps to fade acne scars and gives a well-rested radiant glow to the complexion overnight. I thought I’d introduce this product in my post as it is much cheaper than SKII, and feels more moisturizing.

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Best Face Lifting LotionSisley Double Tenseur Instant & Long-Term Gel (bought here). Detailed reviewed here. I have gushed about this miracle gel over and over on my blog. It gives an instant face lifting effect that noticeably reduces the appearances of nasolabial folds and gives a better v shape to the face. It hydrates and sits beautifully on the skin as a makeup primer. I am up to my third bottle now!

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Best Sunscreen – ANESSA Whitening UV Protector SPF50 PA++++. Ultra lightweight with the highest sun protection. It feels like a light-weight moisturizing lotion that instantly absorbs, feels silky smooth and instantly makes the skin feel more soft and supple. If you are familiar with the Japanese sunscreen, you should know that Anessa’s gold bottle is the best seller but the consistency still feels a tad greasy and powdery in my opinion (so I use it on my body only), whereas the white bottle has the perfect formula for the face that doesn’t make you feel like you are wearing sunscreen at all.

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Current Favorite Cleansers

October 12, 2017

Sharing some cleansers I have been using lately. As usual, I love to have a lot of products to choose from depending on my mood. There is a mix of Japanese skincare products in my routine now as I brought back a suitcase of them from my trip to Japan!

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Shiseido ELIXIR WHITE Purify Cleansing Gel Cream – I really love this fresh gel cleanser in a clean white pot. It is a makeup remover that reminds me of the cult favorite Eve Lom, and it is best to be used together with a muslin cloth. The difference is that it’s much cheaper with a very lightweight jelly-like consistency.  It applies like a creamy jelly – doesn’t feel balmy nor oily, but removes and dissolves the makeup including waterproof eye makeup thoroughly. It is ultra-gentle and feels very hydrating to the skin, and your complexion feels very clean, fresh and supple once it’s removed with a muslin cloth. Highly recommend it if you are after a non oil-based lightweight makeup remover but still does a good job.

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Sodashi Clay Cleanser with Lime – A luxury under-the-radar organic skincare brand. If you are into luxury spas, you will be quite familiar with ultimate heavenly Sodashi facials and treatments that are widely used in a lot of high-end hotels such as the Four Seasons Resorts around the world, and the Qualia resort in Australia. I couldn’t help but buy some products to try after having the Sodashi facial years ago. Since then I was hooked on the Clay Cleanser which I have repurchased over and over. It’s a luxurious, gentle cleanser with a milky clay texture. It cleans the face, helps to restore the moisture and balance, and the clay helps to calm and detoxify the skin. The amazing invigorating spa-like smell also instantly brightens up my mood when I use it in the morning. Totally love it.

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Kate Somerville Exfolikate Cleanser – Since I love their Exfoliating Treatment so much, I bought the cleanser version of it! It has a blend of AHA (glycolic acid and lactic acid) and enzymes that help to exfoliate and renew the skin mildly. It’s very gentle to my normal-dry skin, and doesn’t strip the moisture off. I love using it at night after removing my makeup. It has a creamy minty green clay texture that doesn’t lather much. Overall it brightens up my complexion after use and keeps the skin very clean and keeps the pores clear. Another big thumbs up from me!

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Kanebo SUISAI Beauty Clear Powder – These cute little tiny pots of powder cleanser is trending everywhere in Asia now. It’s very affordable and I love the packaging which is very convenient for traveling. One pot lasts for two uses for me depending on the condition of your skin. The powder is quite grainy, and it lathers up mildly and cleans the skin thoroughly with a mild exfoliation effect. It is gentle and non-drying to my dry and sensitive skin. It makes a great and affordable dupe for the cult Dermalogica daily microfoliant.

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Kose SEKKISEI White Powder Wash – I am going through a powder cleanser phase, so I also picked up this product to give it a try as well. This powder feels quite different to the Suisai Beauty Powder above, as it works like a typical Japanese foam cleanser that lathers up to an ultra-rich creamy foam, and deeply cleanses the skin with a squeaky clean feel. If you have combo to oily skin, you will like this one. I personally find it too strong for my dry skin during the cold days.

 

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I have been frequently reaching for my Suqqu Eye Colour Palette Bordeaux EX01 lately so I thought I’d write up a review and FOTD post for it. I love the color combination of this palette. They are different to the usual neutral earthy palettes that I normally gravitate towards. The colors are relatively more vibrant outside of my comfort zone, but somehow I find them to be very wearable yet fresh looking, with the signature Suqqu’s subdued elegance to it.

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The Suqqu eye shadow is among the most superior eye shadows you can find. The quality of the newer 3 eye shadow palette feels quite similar to their regular quad. I have done many reviews for them in other posts, and overall the texture of Suqqu is slightly different to the western brands. The powder feels more creamy and moist to the touch, and they glide on weightless, silky smooth and evenly without looking powdery that would really work well on dry skin. The color payoff is also great for this palette – one to two swipes will show the true color as you see in the pan.

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Shade Description

Top : Icy white color, slightly sparkly

Middle: Shimmery coppery golden peach.

Bottom: Wine color with a purple undertone in semi satin finish. It contains multi colored glitters but they don’t show up once applied unless you look at it very closely at a certain angle.

Swatch with one swipe

Suqqu-Eye-Colour-Palette-Bordeaux-EX01-review-swatch-3Suqqu-Eye-Colour-Palette-Bordeaux-EX01-review-swatch-4FOTD:

Suqqu-Eye-Colour-Palette-Bordeaux-EX01-review-swatch-fotd-2Suqqu-Eye-Colour-Palette-Bordeaux-EX01-review-swatch-fotd-3Suqqu-Eye-Colour-Palette-Bordeaux-EX01-review-swatch-fotd-4Other products used in the FOTD

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Shiseido Pore Smoothing Corrector

Shu Uemura UV Underbase Mousse – totally obsessed!

Tom Ford Powder Compact Foundation (reviewed here)

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette

Eyes & Brows

Tom Ford Brow Sculpting Kit (new, review coming soon)

MAC Pro Longwear Waterproof Brow Set in Toasted Blonde

Dior Addict It Liner (reviewed here)

Lancome Mascara

Lips (my current favorite combo!)

MAC Lip Pencil Rosy Rim (reviewed here)

MAC LipStick Please Me

The Suqqu Eye Shadow Palette can be purchased here with international shipping available (TAX will be automatically deducted at the checkout), and more colors are also available at Selfridges.

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I am currently on vacation so Ill just quick share some of my absolute travel beauty essentials. After years of traveling, I came to realization that I don’t need to bring my entire bathroom vanity along with me! This edition is more for a summer holiday where my main priorities are skin-hydration, sun protection, and last but not least staying photogenic (even with binge eating everyday!)

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Skin Hydration

I chose to bring the Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil in travel size with me – one of the very few brands that has makeup removal oil in travel size, and I have always been using the green one for traveling. It completely removes every trace of makeup and it’s not so oily but retains the moisture in your skin so it’s just perfect for hot weather. Then I do a second cleanse with any foam cleanser sample I can find with my beloved Clarisonic Cleansing Tool (reviewed here). I did not include the moisturizers in this post, as I am not that greatly fussed about it. I basically just grab a lot of sample moisturizers with me and use them along the way. The SK-II Facial Treatment Mask is an essential item for keeping my skin hydrated during holiday – I use one every night. After a day of exposure to the sun and chlorine, there is no moisturizer that does the same job as good as a nourishing mask for repairing and hydrating purposes.

Sun Protection

Sun protection is my passion now. I love bathing in the sun on holiday but with my current skin condition I have to be extra careful. The Shiseido Anessa Sunscreen is my go to sun protection line which I have been using for many years (my hubby also only wears this one!). It has a really high SPF, feels weightless and non drying, and best of all (for Asians),  this is the best one for tan proofing! I hardly get tanned if I wear this one liberally. The For Beloved One Advanced Whitening Arbutin plus Q10 Jelly is my new discovery. It’s a brightening and anti-pigmentation gel mask that can be used as a sleeping mask. I bought this one because this brand is known for their brightening sheet masks, so I thought I’d give this one a try. So far it’s been great as there is no darkening of any spots on my face even with the amount of outdoor activities that I do.

Photogenic

Taking pictures and selfies are the most important  things we do on holiday for girls. So as a blogger I feel ‘obligated’ to stay photogenic lol! Having a more lifted face shape (the v shape) is absolutely critical to look “better” in pictures and my secret weapon is the 24K Gold Beauty Bar. I am loving it so much as I have been raving about this tool to everyone around me, so I will definitely post a detailed review for it. In short, 5 minutes massaging face with this tool gives a noticeably more lifted and firm looking complexion that beats any face slimming/firming moisturizers in the market. I always use this one before taking FOTDs, and I love how portable this tool is.

Other products featured in the pictures include Celine Nano Luggage and Karen Walker Sunglasses.

 

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Sheseido Maquillage has released a new line of lipsticks this year called Dramatic Melting Rouge. Since I am a devotee of their highly popular lip gloss (Essence Glamorous Rouge that has won many beauty awards in Japan), I was excited about this new launch. Similar to the lip gloss that was enriched with hyaluronic acid, this new lipstick claims to have a high concentration of their unique blend of ‘beauty oil’ that hydrates your lips like moisturizing essence, and provides a full coverage with a mirror shine gloss.

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I picked the colors PK227 and RD425 – a pink and a bright red as they are my go-to colors these days. The texture completely lives up to my expectations as they are ultra smooth and glides on like silk that just melts into your lips. It nourishes even the driest lips without enhancing any dry skin and lines, and make them appear fuller and youthful. It feels very lightweight and extremely hydrating on the lips. The coverage is excellent and it’s opaque with a degree of translucency. It also has a jelly like shine without any shimmer which I absolutely adore. Best of all, they are very long lasting for a glossy lipstick. The colors remain at full intensity even after 4 hours of wear and I even had snacks in between!

Shiseido Maquillage Dramatic Melting Rouge in PK227 is a beautiful girly and soft neutral pink that is neither too cool or nor too warm. You probably would have seen a gazillion of them on my blog, but this shade just guarantees to make me feel happy and pretty which is the most important purpose of wearing makeup!

Shiseido-Macquillage-dramatic-melting-rouge-pk227-review-swatchesLip Swatch with a single swipe – natural day light

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FOTD wearing PK227

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Shiseido Maquillage Dramatic Melting Rouge in RD425 is a bright cherry red in high gloss. You can either apply this color to the center of your lips for a gradient look, or you can apply it to your entire lips for a more glamorous look but still stay young and fresh.

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FOTD wearing RD425

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Group Swatch

Left PK227 Right RD425

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Other makeups used in the FOTDs include

Sheseido-Macquillage-dramatic-melting-rouge-review-swatches-fotdDIOR Diorskin STAR Studio Foundation

CHANEL Natural Finish Loose Powder

YSL Touche Eclat

NARS Illuminator Limited Edition

HOURGLASS Ambient Blush Palette Limited Edition (reviewed here)

JILL STUART Ribbon Couture Eye 03 Vintage Satin (reviewed here)

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Calling it “I hate clogged pores with passion” is an understatment. Though this problem has become much better as I age (one perk about getting old!) as well as knowing what skincare products work for me, unfortunately every now and then my skin still ‘flares up’ with blackheads on my nose, and some congested pores on my cheeks and forehead due to stress, lack of sleep, and PMS. If that happens, I always reach for my “special skincare kit” that guarantees to clear them up within several days. These four hero products give the most effective result without irritating my sensitive skin, and are also great for prevention. They are the best ones I have used so far, so I must share!

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1. Clarisonic Facial Cleansing System – I have a very detailed review here. This cleansing brush tool is great for prevention and minimizing the occurrence of clogged pores. On average I use it 3 days a week as I don’t like to over exfoliate my skin.

2. Kate Somerville Intensive Exfoliating Treatment – This is the best exfoliator for congested skin. It’s a very strong and robust product  for clearing up mild cases of congested pores and smoothing skin out completely. I apply a very thin layer over the ‘rough areas’ and leave it on for a few minutes. It clears up and clarifies the congested pores by at least 50% after each use.  Since it is a very intensive treatment I wouldn’t use this as my weekly exfoliator, but this is my absolute top pick for treating blackheads/whiteheads on occasions. If you have very sensitive skin you might want to start with the Gentle Exfoliating Treatment first. For daily use I recommend TATCHA Rice Enzyme Powder for purifying the pores gently.

3. Shiseido Revital Retino Science AA Lotion – I bought this product because it has a small percentage of retinol which we all know is a dermatologist approved ingredient for treating enlarged pores. I don’t have much luck with retinol cream but I feel comfortable to use this gentle lotion frequently for hydrating and improving skin texture. This product is a treatment lotion that you use after cleansing, and followed up by other products. The texture is like runny gel and feels very hydrating on the skin which also helps to fight the aging signs.

4. Chanel Le Weekend Renewing Face Care – Chanel released a 3-step simplified skincare product this year. I have used all of them and decided to only repurchase this one. This product is marketed to be used on weekends only as it helps to resurface and renew the skin. I like this product because it contains glycolic acid complex (not sure the percentage but it’s the 4th ingredient) which is another star ingredient for treating congested pores, and it feels gentle enough for my skin. The texture is like a milky serum and it can be used to replace your usual serum and moisturizer. Using this one for 2 days in conjunction with the Shiseido retinol lotion definitely helps to noticeably unclog the pores, and gets you as close as possible to a poreless complexion.  Note that they are not recommended to be used daily, as you don’t want your skin to be too dependent on these strong ingredients especially if you are still young.

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As we all know the BB cream and CC cream are taking the world by storm. The latest release of Perfect Hydrating BB Cream by Shiseido just hit the Australian shores recently, and I was extremely eager to try it out as I am going through the BB and CC cream phase at the moment, and have been reaching to them more frequently than the usual foundations.

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I have been using BB cream on and off for years – when it was first introduced in Korea many years ago. Back then I thought BB cream in general was way too over hyped as most of them that I tried were quite ordinary. Fast forward to now, and there are much better BB creams in the market as the technology has evolved. I am very impressed with the new ones that I have purchased lately, and the Shiseido BB Cream is one of them.

Product Information:

– A multifuntional BB cream with a makeup effect and skincare benefits for bright, vibrant lookinng skin that is moistruized, and protected against UV damaage. It is oil free and has SPF30. For the ingredient list [;ease refer to the Sephora website.

My Thoughts:

Texture:

Unlike the traditional BB cream which is thick and heavy, the Shiseido has a silky fluid texture. The lightweight formula blends evenly and instantly assimilates with the skin, and  leaves no traces of makeup on the skin.  It is perfect for those of you who don’t like the feel of wearing makeup. It also keeps the skin quite hydrated and supple, so there is no need to prep the skin with loads of other products prior to using this one if you don’t have dry skin. However you might find this product not nourishing and rich enough if you have very dry skin.

Color:

The color match is also great for people with fair complexion. I bought it in Light Clare which is the lightest shade of the range. It matches me perfectly (I am NC15) without any grey cast and oxidation – as you can see in the comparison swatch below.

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Coverage:

It offers a sheer coverage that helps to even out the complexion with a natural, translucent and slightly dewy finish. It helps to conceal the pores and redness moderately, and does not enhance any dry skin. I personally like to use this product first, then followed by using a concealer to cover up the problematic areas.

Bottom Line: If you have good skin to begin with, you would love this product as it offers the most natural and comfortable even-toned finish with a soft glow. It also serves a great foundation primer as it is extremely lightweight and comes with a decent level of SPF30.

The Shiseido Perfect Hydrating BB cream is available at Sephora and Nordstrom in the US, and House of Fraser and Harrods in the UK with international shipping available.

I bought mine at David Jones for AUD$52.

 

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This is another post requested by my readers – A FOTD of dark smokey eyes paired with pale blush and lips. I hardly wear smokey eyes so I thought that was such a good idea for me to practice. I wanted to wear black eye shadows, and the Nars Pandora Duo Eye Shadow was the first one that came to my mind. I bought this duo many years ago when I was in the Nars phase, but had never worn them yet! So I am giving this duo a road test today.

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Pandora contains a matte black shade and a shimmery white shade, and it is regarded as one of the most iconic Nars duos (along with Rated R) to be collected. Surprisingly, it is not as difficult to wear as I thought. Both the black and white shades apply smoothly and evenly, and are easy to blend. It is very densely packed so I didn’t experience any fall out with this product using a fluffy blending brush (MAC 217).

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Face: I wanted my base makeup to look sheer and natural, so I opted for the Sunday Riley Tinted Moisturizer, and the Bobbi Brown Corrector for under eyes concealing. Then I set my makeup with the Tom Ford Translucent Finishing Powder.

Cheeks: A few swipes of Chanel Joues Contraste in Narcisse.

Eyes: Since Pandora is matte and can look flat on the eyes, I first used the Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill 13 Noifa for a sheer wash of color over the eye socket. This is my go-to product for quick  smokey eyes – it blends out beautifully with MAC 217 and the shimmer straight away creates a multi-dimensional layered effect without the need of applying 4 and 5 different shades! I then applied the black shade of Pandora starting from the lash line into the crease for a more dramatic effect. The white shade was added  under the brow bone to highlight.

Brows: They were done when preparing this eye brow tutorial, though this post shows the nose contour (step 5) better.

Lips: Applied with the Shiseido Sheer Gloss Lipstick in Doll Pink which is my favorite pale pink lipstick, then MAC Creme Sheen Glass in Partial Pink was layered on top. They go perfectly together!

More pictures:

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