Review: Elizabeth Arden Prevage Hydrating Fluid & Biotherm Aquasource

To be very honest, I've found it really hard to evaluate skincare. I'm not sure if you feel the same? In my opinion, the impact is generally milder and the side effects take longer to show.

This review will be split into three review portions, first my old love - Biotherm Aquasource Moisturizer followed by my new love - Elizabeth Arden Hydrating Fluid and lastly a comparison against each other. Its going to be a long post, be prepared!

1. Biotherm Aquasource Non-stop Moisturizer (for combination skin) - the green gel

My background with moisturizers are quite straightforward. From as far as I could recall, I've been using Biotherm's Aquasource since its old formula (lighter and less fragrant) and old packaging. I think it has been approximately 10 years since! (woah) Unfortunately, no biotherm has not rewarded me very much for being such a loyal fan, in both monetary/gift benefits and skin benefits, especially after I've started a full make-up regime on a day to day basis. As such I've decided to move away from Biotherm Aquasource.

So let's get digging into the review!

Ingredients

Aqua, Alcohol Denat, Cyclohexasiloxane, Glycerine, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil, Butylene Glycol, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Dimethicone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Hexylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Parfum, Chlorphenesin, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Gluconate, Serine, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Citrulline, Cholestrol, Liminene, Fructose, Glucose, Tocopherol, Vitreoscilla Ferment Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Disodium EDTA, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Hexyl Cinnamal, Benzyl Salicylate, Urea, Menthoxypropanediol, Zinc Gluconate, Linalool, Ceramide 3, Hydroxypalmitoyl Sphinganine, Citral, Dextrin, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Benzyl Alcohol, Copper Gluconate, Hexyl Nicotinate, Sucrose, Glutamic Acid, Manganese Gluconate, CI 42090, CI 19140, Aspartic Acid, Alanine

To be fair, let me highlight that this moisturizer is not a bad moisturizer. I love the gel-like formula which leaves my skin a refreshed and supple! It has a fresh and a cooling hydrating texture just like spa water! Furthermore, it is light, gentle to sensitive skin (mineral oil and paraben free) and easy to apply - does not leave a greasy oily feel, perfect for summer weather. But on the long run, it does not work miraculously, definitely not for dry skin types, and more importantly, it is insufficient for your skin if you are like me, spending 5 days a week in air conditioned spaces. Oh yes, and nah, put this aside if its winter.

Summary: I will not repurchase this unless I'm dying for a quick spa pampering perk-me-up as it does not do much for my facial skin. Besides, the increasingly hefty price tag for this product with such strong alcohol denat content makes me ponder twice before purchasing for that quick perk.

2. Elizabeth Arden Prevage Hydrating Fluid (S$221)
{see EA's official page}

I've been using this new product launched by Elizabeth Arden (EA) in March 2012 (Singapore). It was launched together with Prevage triple defense SPF 50+++. Anyway given my experience with Biotherm Aquasource as described above, I decided to embark on a new journey with this moisturizer which was meant to be light weight for oily to combination skin & suitable for sensitive skin as well. It was also meant to be suitable for folks living in a humid climate (yay, that's Singapore) EA also mentioned that this can be doubled up as a primer!

Prevage was range developed by EA to combate skin aging signs which are caused by environmental factors like air pollution and our exposure to the harmful sun rays (UVA, UVB and Infrared-A). These will eventually lead to fine lines, skin dryness and pigmentation visibility on our skin.

This moisturizer is orange in colour and easily absorbed into the skin, leaving a silky finish. It contains two antioxidants (Idebenone and Thiotaine), Soy protein, glycerin and peptide complex to help combat these environment stress, repair and hydrate the skin.

Unfortunately this product comes with a hefty price tag (S$221) at all EA counters since March 2012. The bottle is not opaque and hence I'm not sure how long it will last. At the moment, I use 1.5 - 2 pumps per use in order for full face coverage. Just after 2 - 3 weeks of using this moisturizer, I've seen my facial skin improving - smoother, more radiant and more hydrated! However, I'm concerned about the trade off between the cost and its benefits.


Elizabeth Arden's Prevage Hydrating Fluid vs Biotherm Non-stop Aquasource Moisturizer - who wins?

Well its pretty obvious that EA's product won Biotherm's handsdown given the scoring. However, it is note worthy to point out that Biotherm's product application was smoother and it gave me a more relaxed feeling. Unfortunately that does not live up to its product function as a moisturizer. I also just started on EA's Ceramide Intense Moisture & Renewal Regeneration Eye Cream as I'm done with Bobbi Brown's Extra Eye Repair Cream. More of that at a later date!

By the way, I've also tried Biotherm Skin.Ergetic Concentrate from 1 Jan 2012 to date. I've decided to boycott that product as it was simply a waste of money. [Afternote: I've reviewed the product in September, see here]

Thanks for your continual support for my page! hugs! Till the next post!

Honey Yogurt Oat Mask

Hello! I'm back with a homemade recipe mask today!

Honey Yogurt (Yoghurt) Oat Mask 

- a moisturizing mask for dry skin
Remember to do a skin patch before applying to your face! You won't want to end up with an irritated face!

Ingredients:

• - 2 tablespoons plain yogurt (the fattier the better)
• The most important part of yogurt mask is to use regular yogurt that has fat, do not use non-fat yogurt as a mask, the result will not be noticeable or the mask won’t work at all. 



Honey Yogurt Mask - Paste Like

• If you are afraid of drippy masks, use a cream yogurt.
• - 1 tablespoon honey
• - 1-2 tablespoons cooked & cooled oatmeal

How to?

Mix everything together until it forms a smooth paste. Spread over the face and leave on for 15-30 minutes. Wash off with a warm water/washcloth.

How long can it be kept?

Normally I'll keep it in a tub for a maximum of 1-2 weeks depending on the condition of the mask by then. Once you spot green dots on the surface, discard the mask. If you think it looks out, smell it - anything remotely slightly sour is terrible - throw!

Variations:

• Use only Fatty Yogurt: Perfect if you just got off a flight/overseas
• Good Scrub: Replace Oats with 2tbsp of finely ground almonds & 1/2 tsp of lemon juice 
• Combat Acne: Replace Oats with 5 uncoated aspirins (dissolved in water)
• Face Brightener: Replace Oats and honey (optional) with 1-2 drops of lemon juice (citric acid helps, but not too much otherwise it might irritate your face)

You should get a smooth paste. Enjoy!

Hauls from Changi Airport!

Hello folks! I'm back from my trip, along the way I also picked up some beauty products from Singapore's Changi Airport Duty Free by Nuance Watsons! They carry a huge range from perfume, skincare to make-up & nail polishes! I like to pick up some products on my way out of the country as its tax-free! However, don't expect good advise from the CSAs as they are mainly generalists or newbies. So its good to make sure you know what you want or if you have an acute sense of being able to tell from self-testing. 

Here are my hauls from this trip: 

1. Bobbi brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner set - I bought this as my sepia ink liner is running out and there's a free ultra fine travel brush together with the black liner. A pretty good deal - S$58.50

2. Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer (Natural shade)- to stock up on what I'm currency using - S$33.10

3. Lancome Subtil Rose Blush - I saw it the last time round I was going out of the country and though it looked pretty, randomly chose the #30 shade after some testing on my arms. Love the mix of shimmer come peach/pink undertones! A pretty full color match! - S$48.00

4. Dior Show Iconic Extreme Black - heard pretty good reviews about this so I decided to buy one to try. - S$43.60 (Still, I'm loving my Lancome Hypnose Waterproof (Noir) very very much! - retails at Changi airport for S$35.60).

Mt Sapola Sweet Dreams Sugar Scrub -
Untouched so the essential oils are floating on top!

I also bought the Mt Sapola Lavendar scrub and room mist at Bangkok's airport. Will review them in the future after some use. Hearts the soothing effect from the Lavender room spray!

Baby with eczema?

If your baby has got eczema, you can try

• Moogoo Skincare range (Australia, Ireland, Malaysia but shipping overseas available)
• Aden & Anais (available in Mothercare, Singapore) 
• Mustela (Europe/USA)

I have previously tried Aveeno as well but that's more for adult + it didn't work for me. Eczema is a tricky thing. You have trial and error and look out closely for reactions. 

Good luck! 

Primers

My dear readers, apologies for the hiatus as I'm sick at the moment and heading off for a trip soon! I'll be back soon with some reviews!

Meanwhile I'm wondering if I should purchase Laura Mercier's oil free primer. The last I checked, it was currently out of stock at all Sephora LM counters. Does anyone have any thoughts or feedback on this product? If not, what are you using as your primer?

Review: Chanel Natural Finish Pressed Powder

Hello folks! Chanel's Natural Finish Pressed Powder (Poudre Universelle Compacte) is the key product for review today. I've been using this pressed powder for over 2 months and decided that it was time to put something down in black and white.

Chanel created this pressed powder to produce a translucent, natural matte finish (not flat matte). It is ultra fine and light weight, to be used after your foundation or after your face makeup. There is also a slight tinge of floral fragrance to the powder. Do not use this powder if you are looking for a medium to heavy powder coverage. 

The ingredients are:
Talc, Nylon-12, Silica, Lauroyl Lysine, Magnesium Myristate, Hydrogenated Coco-Glycerides, Magnesium Stearate, Boron Nitride, Isopropyl Lanolate, Aluminium Hydroxide, Potassium Sorbate,  Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Parfum (Fragrance), tocopherol, Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Glyceryl oleate, Citric Acid

I love the sleek compact black packaging that comes with it (well, it's channel afterall!). There's also an applicator puff that comes with it but I generally prefer to use my own powder brush to pick up the powder. There's also a mirror in the package, so its really simple and easy to use on the go, for touch-ups or for setting make-up.

With talc being it's first ingredient, it is no wonder that the powder is so fine and light. While the product does not guarantee to be oil-free nor shine-free, it does allow my make up to stay matte for a good number of hours (8 - 5pm). It is also relatively lightweight such that you do not feel an uncomfortable layer of powder on your face. It doesn't create the kind of over-powdered look which some other powders may give. Most importantly, as my face is really sensitive, I was amazed that this powder did not give me any breakouts or rash despite the floral scent.

However this powder range has only 4 colour choices - clair 20; naturel 30, dore 40, muscade 140 - which I felt was a little limiting. I was matched with a 30 naturel despite my Chanel matlumiere foundation being 20 clair. I guess this was to avoid me looking like a geisha of sorts. Chanel also has another range of oil-free powder which was only suitable for ladies with a really oily texture and needed proper oil-control powders. Otherwise Chanel's Natural Finish Pressed Powder would work for normal to combination skin ladies.

How does it look versus some peers?

When compared to Loreal True Match Super Blendable Powder which is much heavier, Chanel's powder wins hands down for me. Loreal's powder has only 3 shades, of which none really works for me. Also, it's not oil-free, leaving my face looking greasy by midday. Chanel's pressed powder doesn't do the same!

I would also like to compare this against Bobbi Brown's Sheer Finish pressed powder and Laura Mercier's Loose powder. When put against BB's pressed powder, I felt that Chanel's oil control abilities were much better and it also felt lighter than BB's product. Unfortunately, BB does have a wider range of colours which may help to match our face shades better. Lastly, when put up against LM's loose powder, I felt that both worked wonders with different foundations. Chanel's powder had a little more coverage than LM's but LM's mattifying properties edges over Chanel's pressed powder slightly. Still, both powder's key ingredients are talc, which in essence is simply powder.

Summary

In short, I love this powder as I generally prefer lightweight makeup but the price tag at S$72.00 is pretty hefty! I would use this concurrently with my Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder.

Foot Glide - Blisters no more! Hurray!

Hello ladies! Ever felt apprehensive of fitting into a new shoe... weary of blisters or other forms of abrasion when wearing covered shoes, heels and boots?

I've recently tried this new product - Anti Blister Foot Formula Pretty Feet from Foot Glide brand, and it works like a miracle! It costs S$17.90 at all Watson (Singapore) stores and you can also easily find it at your local pharmacies.

Packaging in stores - Picture taken at Watson Singapore -
Retail Price: S$17.90 in Singapore, 2012

It's colorless, non-greasy , easy to apply and most importantly, long lasting! It is also resistant to humidity, perspiration and water. Remove with Soap & Water.

The packaging and formula. Just turn that dial at the bottom of the bottle
and you'll get the formula in a harden wax format.

One application per day is sufficient for my use (morning 8am all the way till past midnight in my new pointed heels from nine west!). So a tube will probably last you pretty long! An awesome partner for your feet but best used before the trouble start!

Ingredients & other notes

It is a roll-on applicator. All you need it to rub it wherever blisters may occur in your opinion! No more packs after packs of handiplast (plasters) and suffer from painful blisters when wearing pretty and nice shoes! I hope this helps to solve your woes as much as mine!

Note: this is not an advertorial, I was not paid to write this nor did I receive any free samples from Foot Glide. I truly feel that this saves more money than me buying packs after packs of plasters. All recommendations came from my bestie who has used it for several months before I hopped on the boat! Enjoy!