Aveda – Botanical Kinetics Purifying Creme Cleanser November 28, 2007

Reviewer: Jenny, Skin Status: Combination/ Dry skin, Age group: 26 – 30 years old

I can’t believe I haven’t wrote a review for this cleanser yet. This has been my favorite and the only creme cleanser that I have been using in the last seven years or so. I tried using other brands before but it is just not the same. This facial creme cleanser leave my skin clean and not dry at all. I also like the scent of this creme cleanser which is a very natural floral scent. Aveda products comes in trial/ travel size, regular size and large bottles. If you want to give this product a try, I recommend buying the trial/size first and if you like it, go for the large bottle. The large bottle of this creme cleanser is 500ml and it will last a very long time even when you use it day and night. Then you can keep the trial size bottle for traveling. Normally, I use one pump of the facial creme cleanser, mix it with water and massage onto my skin. I use a facial sponge to rinse my face after. Aveda is one of my favorite all around brands, I like almost everything from Aveda.  There will be more Aveda product reviews coming soon.

Vaseline – white petroleum jelly November 17, 2007

Reviewer: Jenny, Skin Status: Combination/ Dry skin, Age group: 26 – 30 years old

Vaseline has to be one of the most economic and versatile skincare product out there, it has so many different uses. Vaseline can be used as facial moisturizer, hand moisturizer, eye makeup base, eye makeup remover, sooth minor burns, lip treatment, and etc… According to Vaseline package description, it is dermatologist recommended, hypoallergenic and won’t clog pores. In general, no matter what you are using Vaseline for, use only very very small amount to begin with, once you use too much, you will probably need to blot some out.

As facial moisturizer, it is great to get rid of dry skin patches on your face. Personally, I wouldn’t use it for day time use or every night. I only use it as a night time moisturizer about once a week. Or, if you are traveling and you forgot to bring moisturizer. Apply only a small dab onto your face because Vaseline do sort of melt on your skin once you start rubbing. I think Vaseline is a great product but I can’t really stand the petroleum smell when i rub it around my nose area. Maybe this is because I use the unscented Vaseline instead of the scented Vaseline. This product will make your face greasy and oily. When you use it at night and you are worried about ruining bedsheets, I recommend putting a towel on your pillow before you sleep. You can also apply Vaseline on dry elbows and knees too!

As hand moisturizer, it is excellent for itchy dry hands. Again, use very little amount and rub it thoroughly on your hands. Vaseline will make your hands feel greasy but your hands will feel baby soft again the next morning. I definitely recommend using this at night before you sleep.

As eye make-up base, i will use a q-tip to dab softly onto Vaseline and then swipe across the eyelid area very gently and then apply eyeshadow. It will enhanced any eyeshadow color that normally won’t stand out. It has a very strong vibrant effects. As eye makeup remover, I think it is great at removing eye makeup but it does leave your eyes very greasy and oily so I still recommend using jojoba oil as eye makeup remover (Jojoba oil is under home remedies section).

Overall, this is a great product, it works well on dry skin. The only downside is the smell. I also recommend getting the convenience size tube instead of the jar, that way, you can carry it everywhere.

If you know any other undiscovered use of Vaseline, feel free to leave a comment and let us know.

Chanel Hydramax + Moisture Boost * Comfort Cream November 15, 2007

Reviewer: Jenny, Skin Status: Combination/ Dry skin, Age group: 26 – 30 years old

This is my new favorite cream. I finally bought this after deciding whether I should stick with the Chanel moisture boost cream or trying this new product. This is very similar to the Chanel moisture boost cream except this is for dry skin which gives more hydration. I was worried that it may be too moisturizing for me at first but after applying it on my face day and night, it is just right for dry winter weather. I like the scent of the comfort cream even more than the moisture boost cream. The scent is slightly stronger than the moisture boost, I find the scent very pleasant and fruity. As soon as I apply the comfort cream on my face, it pretty much sinks right in and no oily finish either. The best part is, you don’t have to use a lot of the comfort cream, a dab here and there should be enough for the entire face. With Chanel moisture boost cream, I have to use a lot on my face in winter time, I am really happy that Chanel decided to create a new and more hydrating product. As for price tag, the price for moisture boost gel-cream, moisture boost cream and moisture boost * comfort cream are all the same so you only have to choose the product that is suitable for your skin type. If you find the comfort cream to be too moisturizing for your skin type to be used both day and night time, I recommend using the moisture boost cream for daytime use and get moisture boost * comfort cream for night use. The price difference between the moisture boost cream and the serum is that it is more economic to get 2 Chanel moisture boost cream products than to get 1 Chanel moisture boost serum and 1 Chanel moisture boost cream product.

Oil Of Olay Classic Moisturizing Creme November 6, 2007

Reviewer: Christopher, Skin Status: Dry skin, Age group: 31 – 35 years old

About three years ago I was steadily using high-end moisturizers, when I decided to try this one out just to see if I could get any skin benefit from this classic budget brand.
Other than its infamous rosey fragrance, this product is pretty much straight lanolin so I really couldn’t foresee any significant results. When I first started applying it I initially found the rosey fragrance a little strong and the creme texture a little heavy.
Despite initial impressions, I was pleasantly surprised to find that after a short while of massaging this creme in that it melted nicely into the skin, my skin looked hydrated and smooth, a little shiny, but not greasy (translation: my skin didn’t look perfect, but still it looked refreshed).
Initially I didn’t really like the smell all that much, but I’ve gotten tonnes of compliments about the fragrance (I guess the classic rose fragrance makes people nostalgic for simpler times).
Anyhow, its been three years since my first jar of this stuff and now its remained the most constant product in my skin care regimen. Its gotten so that I look forward to how the rosey smell wakes me up in the morning. Besides, the fragrance gradually dissipates to surround you with a barely perceptable aura of flowers 25 minutes after applying (you’ll be amazed at how many people will tell you how much they love your floral forcefield).
My conclusion
-Oil of Olay is great at making you look good, but not so good at making you look great. So use it on those days and nights when you don’t need to wow anyone with how nice your skin is. This way your skin stays healthy and moisturized, but for a lower cost; and you’ll be saving a whole lot of your high-end moisturizers from casual use so they’ll give you more “wow!!” moments when you actually need it.

MEI Camellia seed essence November 2, 2007

Reviewer: Christopher, Skin Status: Dry skin, Age group: 31 – 35 years old

If I am meeting up with friends and want to get compliments on my skin, this is my weapon of choice. All I have to do is wash my face, put a few drops of this on my fingers and rub it into my skin till it’s absorbed everywhere. This stuff melts into my skin to give me a soft subtle shine and a smoother complexion (the results can get you noticed, in a good way). Its fragrance free, you can add your moisturizer on top of it, and best yet, you need so little (I’ve used the same bottle off and on for 1 year now). The only drawback to this little miracle is that I would reserve it for going out or occasions you wanna look extra nice. The reason for this is it is very very VERY! moisturizing and extremely regular use can give you blemishes. Besides that, this is an amazing product, even after staying up all night, using this has gotten me compliments about how nice my skin (and that’s from my guy friends!!). Give it a shot. If you can’t find the MEI stuff, try and find the Camellia seed oil at a natural store (I’ve been wanting to try this and see if it works the same as the MEI).

Menard – Embellir Night Cream November 2, 2007

Reviewer: Jenny, Skin Status: Combination/ Dry skin, Age group: 26 – 30 years old

This is the exact description taken from the official Menard website for Embellir line:
Red Reishi and Black Reishi help to prevent the signs of aging and restore skin’s youthful vitality, radiance and clarity for superior appearance. EMBELLIR－made with a wish to create a first class skin from deep inside.

I was very fortunate to receive a deluxe sample of this product. I love the unique subtle rose smell that is different from other rose scented products out in the market. The cream moisturizes and softens my skin, however, I’m not sure about the anti-aging properties it claimes. Moreover, I found out the price tag for this product is ridiculously expensive unless this is a miracle product, I would never purchase this myself. If I decide to splurge on a product, I rather chose something from Valmont or La Prairie that gives more obvious results.

Menard – Fairlucent Night Essence White November 2, 2007

Reviewer: Jenny, Skin Status: Combination/ Dry skin, Age group: 26 – 30 years old

For those who are not familiar with Menard, Menard is a very reputable Japanese brand of both skincare and cosmetics. Not many places have the Menard store or sell Menard. I have use many different Menard products before and I find most Menard moisturizer not hydrating enough for dry winter weather in general except for the Embellir line. I like all of their masks from various lines. I was told that this night essence white can be used as moisturizer alone during summer nights maybe for humid places but definitely not for dry places. The only plus is that it sinks into your skin real fast and non greasy texture. Also, this doesn’t really show significant lightening results after continuous use, if you want more visible results, try Fairlucent pack white. The mask gives a more noticeable result than the night essence, day cream or concentrate. I used Pack White frequently after I hang out at the beach all summer, my skin didn’t look sun tan at all.

L’Occitane Hand Cream Enriched with 20% Shea Butter November 1, 2007

Reviewer: Jenny, Skin Status: Combination/ Dry skin, Age group: 26 – 30 years old

A few years ago, I used to receive deluxe samples of this L’Occitane shea butter hand cream. Back then,  it didn’t seem to do much (perhaps because I was younger)  but now that I’m a little older and because of winter weather hands, I decided to give this a try again. Main reason for trying this again is my hands are really dry (even my favorite Jurlique hand cream is not moisturizing enough for me right now, but mind you, I’m a frequent hand washer). Anyhow, I went into the L’Occitane store yesterday while searching for a new hand cream. I was looking at the Olive Radiance cream when a saleslady offered me to try this handcream.Like every other hand cream I tried, it felt very hydrating when I applied it, The big difference is that this cream was completely absorbed into my skin in no time, leaving my skin to feel moisturised without a film, and that was after just using a small amount. The saleslady told me that you only have to apply this hand crème twice a day, even for a frequent handwasher like myself. Besides being a good moisturizer, this hand cream has a pleasant subtle honey and sweet almond scent. There are 2 packagings for the hand cream, the 150ml metallic tube one or the 3 tubes of 30ml tubes. Since they are both the same price, I bought the 150ml one instead of the 3 little tubes. I use it again at night before i went to bed, in the morning, my hands feel smooth and not dry at all. I am very impressed with this product. I definitely recommend this product to people who have dry hands. I think it can give anyone smooth soft hands!