Have you ever wondered what kinds of chemicals are in skincare?

Have you ever wondered what kinds of chemicals you apply on your face during your daily facial routine? Whether it's an exfoliant to scrub off all that dead skin cell, or just a regular cleanser - regardless of how high-end that brand is, or the toner you use, or the moisturizer you think is so moisturizing - making your skin feel ever so soft? Well I came across this website a few months ago, so go find out the truth behind your skincare product -- Cosmetics Database

So on the website, it categorizes chemicals into numbers and colours, where 10 is highly hazardous (red) and 0 is low hazardous (green). Now obviously you want your skincare in the low range.  So I explored one of the famous facial exfoliants that many people use - St. Ives Apricot Scrub.  And believe it or not, it's worth a 7 - therefore, will I use it? No.  As a matter of fact, I've never purchased their exfoliant.  I own the Shiseido Pore Purifying Warming Scrub, but too bad the website doesn't have a review on this product. =(  But I can probably search up each ingredient to see if it's bad for my skin.  My laziness is stopping me from doing that though. =P

Anyways, look up your product you're using right now and see if it's any good.

New layout

Ok, so I decided I should change things up a bit.  I was kind of getting tired of the pink, so I thought I'd make the theme blue.  =)

I think I'll be off to the gym soon.  By the way, I failed to mention that I go to the gym now.  I joined the gym at the end of July and now, I've been going almost everyday.  I just want to keep a healthy balanced lifestyle.  =)

Review: MAC lip stick in Honeylove

I've been thinking about what to write for more than a week.  Now I finally thought of something new.  MAC lipsticks.  Well the ones I own.

I bought these together back in February of 2010.  I was looking for a mauve / nude-looking lipstick.  So then I found this, and the MAC sales gave me a lip liner to try.  I personally like the look.  Anyways, it's a matte, mauvy nude colour.  It looks and feels dry, but I guess it's the ingredients that all matte coloured lipsticks have.  Does it last long? It definitely does rub off throughout the day.  I'd say this needs reapplying every 2-3 hours.
I like the colour but I'm not too quality of the lipstick.  Is it nourishing? No.  If you compare a Shiseido lipstick and a MAC one, you can definitely tell tell the difference.  There is a reason why Shiseido lipsticks cost a few dollars more than MAC ones.  But if you're looking at the MAC lipsticks alone, it's got great pigmentation.  You can fix the dryness it gives by applying some lip balm before applying the lipstick.  For the colour payoff this lipstick gives off, it's worth it. 
 

 Honeylove without lip liner.

Honeylove with lip liner.

Product: MAC Honeylove

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Pros:

- Great mauvy beige nude colour (for my complexion)
- Great colour pay off

Cons:

- Ingredients make the lipstick a little on the dry side

Moroccanoil Argan Oil

Yes, I finally bought the larger sized (3.4 fl oz or 100 mL) Moroccanoil.  It cost me $ ~39 CAD.  Kind of expensive for that size, but I think it's worth it.  I may or may not repurchase it due to the high price.  But considering the results of this product.  *meh* I really don't know.  But whatev, I'll decide when I'm done the bottle.

Review: Kirkland Facial Cleansing Towelettes

 I bought these a few months back, been using them on and off.  Well so far, I've already finished a full pack and I'm working my way through the 2nd.  And you know what? I don't really like them.  I mean they remove makeup really well.  They don't dry out in the packaging after opening.  The moisture is maintained in the packaging for more than a few months after opening.  But I find the downside of it, well for me at least, is that it sometimes gives me this stingy feeling on my cheeks and chin area.  Kind of irritating actually.  That's why I've been putting it off and not using them as often.  I bought these back in February of 2010 or maybe before then and I'm only on the 2nd pack.

Just like how the package claims, it does feel moisturizing after using them - like I feel the softness on my skin.  It's the work of the Vitamin E that they claim they have soaked the towelettes in.  However, if you ask me if it wipes off my eye makeup well.  I'd say no.  Well, then again, you're not suppose to use it in the eye area.  And trust me, I got it into my eye a few times and it stings! In terms of face and foundation makeup, I'd say you have to wipe your face 2-3 times before you get most of your face makeup off.  Well this is expected.  I don't expect this product to wipe off ALL my makeup at once.  I just wish it would wipe off my waterproof eye makeup.  =( But sadly it's not designed to do that.  So now, I use it to clean my brushes between uses before a deep cleanse.  Also I use them to wipe my hands free of makeup after my morning makeup application.

Product: Kirkland Daily Facial Cleansing Towelettes for All Skin Types

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Pros:

- does wipe off quite a bit of makeup

- quite moisturizing

- doesn't dry out in the package even after not using it after wks

- great to be used after coming home late and don't want to go through the fuss of using a cleanser to wipe off your makeup and a moisturizer to moisturize your face.

Cons:

- sometimes I get this stingy feeling on my face

Blog Sale - all MAC products =)

Hey Beauty lovers!

Guess what? I have another blog sale!! =) It's all MAC cosmetics this time.  Many are limited editions.  So here are the conditions:
1.  Shipping will come with delivery confirmation and CanadaPost is the only postal service I'll use.
2.  Item(s) will be shipped either on the same day I receive your payment or the next business day.
3.  Sorry but I can't hold items.
4.  Leave me a comment below to provide me your state if you live in the US or provide me with your province if you live in Canada.  Then I will provide you with the exact shipping cost.  But generally, shipping to US costs ~15 USD.
5.  No additional cost for combined shipping.
If you are worried about my reliability, please check my eBay feedback.  I've made a few selling auctions on there.  My eBay name is tsem2 <-- click here.

Also, you can always include the items I have from my last blog sale.  Pictures are found in the 'June' archive located here.

1.  MAC LE Lipglass in Major Minor -- $ 9 USD
2.  MAC Discont'd Frost Lipstick in Delish -- $ 9 USD
3.  MAC Discont'd Glaze Lipstick in Her Fancy -- $ 9 USD
4.  MAC LE Mineralize Skinfinish in Light Flush -- $ 15 USD
5.  MAC Mineralize Eye Shadow in Play on Plums -- $ 16 USD
6.  MAC LE Mineralize Skinfinish in Shimpagne -- $ 30 USD
7.  MAC LE Mineralize Blush in Earth to Earth -- $ 14 USD
8.  MAC LE Mineralize Skinfinish in Brunette -- $20 USD

Review: Hair Magic Sheet bought from eBay

 

I bought this off eBay a few weeks ago.  It cost me like $0.24 USD.  I have a feeling it's a rip off of the real thing because it doesn't hold up my hair that well.  And plus, I read the label behind the package, it said 'made in China'.  So I can only assume it's not real.  I think the real ones are made in Japan.  Anyways, these rip off ones don't the job well or maybe.  Even the packaging seems a little off.  Every time I pull my bangs / fringe back, it just falls right back down.  If you're planning to get these off eBay, make sure you ask the seller where it was made.

Product: Hair Magic Sheets in pink from eBay

Rating: 1 / 5

 Pros:

- sometimes it can hold my fringe back (when my hair is tied up)

Cons:

- doesn't hold by hair back for long

- not a stable hold