Review of besolbo Skin Purify Smog Mask

Editorial

The final beauty item of BNT beauty box May '16 is  besolbo Skin Purify Smog Mask - a facial sheet mask marketed to target all skin concerns and claims to form a protective barrier against pollution.

Fortunately for me in Singapore, almost three quarters of the year is free from pollution. But still, I was intrigued to see how this one works.

WELLAGE Black Aqua Roll Mask Pack Review

Editorial

The second item in the BNT beauty box that I'd like to share my thoughts on is the WELLAGE Black Aqua Roll Mask Pack.

Comes in a handy plastic cylinder of 10 sticks (masks), this bundle of joy is perfect as a travel companion.

Philosophy Ultimate Miracle Worker New range Review

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UVA and UVB suncreens have long been an industry standard for sun protection, but do you know that that's only part of the story?

UVA and UVB make up only 7% of light spectrum while visible light* and infrared comprise of 93% - which induce 50% of free radicals, contributing to skin damage and premature aging.  

*Visible lights are everywhere - the spot lights in the malls, your office fluorescent lights, even some of your home lightings; whereas infrared  is a type of electromagnetic radiation that you can't see but can feel as heat - your everyday electronic gadgets such as TV, PCs, cellphones, microwave ovens emit infrared!

This horrible fact is a total game changer to my sun protection skincare routine. And boy, am I glad when I was introduced to Philosophy Ultimate Miracle Worker New range. This is the first brand that developed the first all-in-one anti-aging miracle products with full-spectrum protection against UVA, UVAB, infrared and visible light.

Dr. Belter Cosmetic Derm-A-Renew Treatment Review

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Large pores, acne & blackheads, aging & dull skin...sounds like your skin concerns? Then we are on the same boat.

For Beloved One Melasleeping Brightening Daily Defence Cream - Review, Swatches & MOTD

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Remember the BB Cream hype when it was first introduced some years ago? Next comes CC cream...and now, we've got DD cream. Yes you heard right. DD Cream = Daily Defence Cream.

I first got acquainted with For Beloved One Melasleeping Brightening Daily Defence Cream at a blogger friend's private party. 

Founded by a Taiwanese beauty editor in 2003, For Beloved One is a brand known for being the pioneer of the world's first bio-cellulose facial mask. With many awards & accolades under its belt, FBO spiked in popularity in Singapore since last year 2015.

After trying For Beloved One Melasleeping Brightening DD Cream for two months, I decide to review it here.

L'Oreal Paris Revitalift Filler [HA] Micro Volumizing Essence and Revolumizing Cushion Cream Review

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Is aging skin one of your skin concerns? But do you know what are the signs of aging skin? If you felt your skin is losing plumpness, looking more dehydrated than usual - that could be one telling sign that you need to start anti-aging skincare!

Prevention is always better than cure. The short-term "cures" that people nowadays go for are aesthetic procedures that include botox & filler injections, laser treatment, light therapy, etc. If you are one of the many who are contemplating any aesthetic procedure to achieve better skin, you may want to halt a bit first - this post may be of interest to you!

This month (Feb/March '16), L'oreal Paris launches their latest range of anti-aging skincare Revitalift Filler [HA]. This is the first skincare line inspired by hyaluronic acid filler injections. Targeted at correcting skin volume loss, Revitalift Filler [HA] contains the highest Hyaluronic Acid concentration ever in a L'Oreal Paris skincare, and also one of the highest in the market. What a breakthrough for L'oreal!

Product Line Claims:

1. Smoothen Forehead Lines
2. Plump Up Cheeks
3. Smoothen Laugh Lines
4. Plump Up Chin for V-Shape

Review of Hwajin Cosmetics Yeblang Special A Star Jelly Cream

Editorial 

The third & last item in my Feb '16 BNT Beauty Box is an anti-aging face moisturizer/wrinkle cream:

Hwajin Cosmetics Yeblang Special A Star Jelly Cream

Quite a mouthful for a product name. 

Have you ever heard of Hwajin Cosmetics? I have not, but I am happy to add this to my beauty lexicon! Upon some kind help from Google, I learnt that Hwajin Cosmetics is a relatively new brand but its R & D laboratory & factory was set up since 2011 in Korea. It has since created several high quality skincare & makeup products; previously the ISILOE Premium Whitening Kit that I raved about HERE was in fact one of them!

Hwajin Cosmetics does not target merely on the Korean market, it aims to share the pie in Chinese and Japanese markets as well. If you understand Chinese, do check out this video and be impressed by their massive business presence. No English information available on their site yet.

Review of WHITE CAT- Super Berry Silky Eye Balm

Editorial

 

The second item in my BNT vanity trove is something I personally thought is rather unique & interesting - WHITE CAT Super Berry Silky Eye Balm.

Review of Que Origin Shower.Bath + FREE Samples giveaway!

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Health & beauty - Which will you choose?

What if you can choose BOTH? :)

Skin is the largest organ of the body, so we need to take good care of it (I know many of us do neglect it sometimes, guilty-as-charged.) As the skin absorbs the good & bad and eventually all of that goes into our body, therefore we also must take heed of the ingredients that we apply onto our skin, agree?

That's why organic bodycare products are something I personally feel everyone must invest in, regardless of gender; regardless of whether you are into beauty products or not.

THIS IS YOUR HEALTH!!

I am very pleased that recently I was introduced to a new local Singapore bodycare brand - Que Origin. 

Que Origin is a completely new brand started from scratch aiming to provide nourishing body care. The first product to kick start this brand is their Shower Bath which can be used as both body wash and bubble bath. It is formulated with natural oil, infused with botanical extracts and scented with only natural essential oils from Australia. Numerous harmful chemicals have been excluded, and that could make the process of formulation a challenge, but Que Origin did it!

Furthermore, the essential oils they used were carefully selected from Australia and transport them to Korea facilities with GMP for manufacturing. Thus making sure that each and every bottle was made with purest ingredients in an advance facility.

Review of L’Oréal Paris Hydrafresh Genius range (Multi-Active Genius Water,Multi-Active Essence Cream,Water-Bursting Mask)

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L’Oréal Paris launches their latest skincare range, Hydrafresh Genius in Singapore. "Enriched with mineral-rich French Spring Water and moisturising Hyaluronic Acids, the new franchise provides deep hydration, in unbelievably innovative lightweight and refreshing textures ideal for combination to oily skin types." - This liner alone gets me hyped-up already, because as you may already know, my skin type is combination, sensitive and acne-prone... extra hydration is always welcomed. :)

This new skincare line boasts of triple hydration efficacies - intense and long-lasting, without all the unpleasant stickiness. The three products are namely Multi-Active Genius Water, Multi-Active Essence Cream and Water-Bursting Mask.

Was blessed with a complete set as pictured above, so I will be reviewing all three products. (A torchlight was included. For what purpose? Read on.)

Review of Nature Republic Gingseng Royal Watery Cream

Editorial

The second item in my January BNT Beauty Box is a "high profile", well-known moisturiser throughout Korea - Nature Republic Ginseng Royal Watery Cream. Why is it so popular? Simply because it is soooo awesome that Korea's ex deputy Prime Minister Choi Kyung Hwan also recommends it! *gasp #OMG

Nature Republic is a well-established Korean brand that quickly became the talk of the town through its natural & effective products manufactured since 2009. Many celebrities endorsed this brand. Although it does not have a counter in Singapore, many Singaporean beauty lovers know about Nature Republic (largely due to its famous Aloe Vera Gel). Read more about the amazing brand journey HERE.

After generating so much buzz around Ginseng Royal Watery Cream, another awe-inspiring aspect of this divine cream is the ingredients.


Key Ingredients: ginseng extracts, pure 99% gold, royal jelly, gold silkworm

It’s a functional cream that whitens skin and improves wrinkles.Used as a last step of your daily skincare routine, its ginseng extracts supply nutrients to skin and silk amino acid balances skin’s oil and moisture.

Nature Republic released base products such as Ginseng Royal Silk Essence after the tremendous popularity of Ginseng Royal Watery Cream

This anti-oxidant and anti-aging item is certified by Korean Institute For Skin And Clinical Sciences for its moisture, wrinkles and elasticity improvement.

With a packaging that screams elegance and luxury, I could not help but squealed in delight when I first held it! The spatula is useful, so is the hardy box that protects the exquisite tub from scratches.

 Seriously, check out the gold flakes present in the cream!

  

Review of ORIGANI God's Nectar Manuka Honey Gentle Peel and God's Nectar Daily Glow Toning Cleanser

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Two popular best-sellers of Organi, Singapore.

ORIGANI is one of the few brands that offers luxury organic skincare in Singapore. As one ages with grace & wisdom (yes, talking about yours truly here. LOL), one gradually appreciate high-grade natural ingredients more & more. I have been actively seeking out good quality organic skincare products for a while now, but none has caught my fancy until the day Organi Singapore graciously sent me two best-selling products from their God's Nectar Honey line.

Side Note: The name of the shop is known as Organi Singapore and the products under Organi are their basic range products. However, they carry another brand (a more upmarket series) called Origani. Origani consist of a few different lines of products such as Dermassure Clear & Calm, Brightening, Ageless by Nature, Repertoire for Men and God's Nectar.

After trying these two products for a month, I decided to review them here.

A Delightful Experience at D'Light Adara Spa! - Review of Payot Solution Techni Liss

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Heard of the Parisian beauty brand, Payot? I believe you are one of the many women who have, especially if you for go regular facials. Payot, with a history of over 100 years, is one of the oldest & most trusty brands that quality beauty salons use for their facials. 

Boss of D'Light Adara (left) with Mr Rodrique Chastenet de Grey, Export Director of Payot Paris.

Recently, I had the honour to be invited for a facial by a beauty spa, endorsed by the current Regional Director of Payot in France himself. (Yes, out of so many Payot authorised beauty salons in the world, the Export Regional Director of Payot actually flew to Singapore and paid a visit to this beauty spa!) And this beauty spa I am reviewing today is none other than D'Light Adara Spa!

D'Light Adara Spa is situated in the recluse of Hougang Street 21, away from the hustle & bustle of the city. As I first stepped into the spa, I was cordially greeted by the lady boss, Ms Doris Lee and her friendly female staff. One of spa's selling points is female privacy, hence, no males are allowed to enter the grounds. I felt at ease & comfortable knowing that I am in good hands, and my privacy won't be compromised.

Lounge area 

The first step of the facial experience entails a quick assessment of my current skin health and completing a form to help the facial therapist understand my needs better. 

Upon removal of my makeup, Shirley, my facial therapist, immediately analyzed my skin as combination skin type and followed by recommending me one of Payot's signature salon treatments - Solution Techni Liss.

Quoted from Payot's official website:

"Solution Techni Liss is an  ultra- smoothing protocol that consists of a relaxation prelude to release muscle tension and eliminate fatigue.
It is followed by a high concentration of AHA peels to " makeover " and refine skin texture.
A specific modeling, the 42-Movement massage, stimulates muscles and skin to tone and stimulate your body.
A rebalancing smoothing mask with hyaluronic acid completes the task and restores the pH of the skin after peeling while smoothing and filling wrinkles."

BEFORE FACIAL

Unedited shot of my face with zero makeup - horrible spots, acne scars and dull complexion.

Review of ISILOE Premium Whitening Kit

Editorial

Last and the most stunning & huge product from BNT Beauty Box is....

ISILOE Premium Whitening Kit

This is a full-sized whitening size kit that consists of Enriched Softener, Enriched Cream and Enriched Concentrate (Apply onto face in that order) and two travel sized softener and cream.

Unboxing this set was great joy because all parts of the packaging oozes class & elegance. Side note: it will make such a fabulous Christmas gift!


Through the press release, I was informed that by using Alpha-Bisabolol , this product’s whitening function was recognized by KFDA (Korean Food & Drug Administration). It sounds cool, and I feel safe using products that are approved by national health authority.

Key Ingredients

Sophora

Mulberry root

Whitening Booster

Its extracts of Sophora and Mulberry Root effectively brighten your skin and prevent dullness.

Moisturizing and Tightening

Its papaya extracts maintain the luminosity of your skin thanks to its mild exfoliating function.  

  STEP 1: Enriched Softener

Softener is another word for toner. Apply with cotton pad or just pat some onto face.

Review of THELAVICOS Whitening C Ampoule

Editorial

Next up from the BNT vanity trove is .... 

                     THELAVICOS Whitening C Ampoule

THELAVICOS Whitening C Ampoule is a relatively new product launched in November, and you probably have not heard about it before. However the Korean brand is not new, and its market segment reaches as far as Taiwan and China.

The shimmery white packaging spells L.U.X.U.R.I.O.U.S and truly befits this festive season!

Whitening Project For 4 Weeks

THELAVICOS Whitening C Ampoule comes to me in a box of four small bottles as shown in the above pic. Each bottle is sufficient to last a week long of applications. 

Upon scrunity, you see orange tiny beads on the top compartment, beneath that is the transparent gel.

How the bottle look BEFORE mixing the beads and gel

First Impressions of Bevy C. Lumiwhite collection

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BEVY C. skin care, one of the most reputable skin care products in Taiwan, has been engaged in this industry since 2012. They are particularly well known for their pre-make up skin care series and are actively into global expansion. BEVY C. now has over 30 shops in Taiwan, cosmetic counters in Malaysia, a Singapore online mart, and over 13 retail sales in Hongkong LOG ON、Finger shopping in OK shops and also in Hongkong airport. 

The brand, BEVY C., has recently launched in the Singapore market.

If you are into Taiwanese variety shows, you will be very familiar with the ever-so-popular beauty edu-tainment show, "Lady First 女人我最大". There were a few episodes that the beauty gurus/makeup artists on the show demonstrated makeup looks on celebrities using Bevy C. products. And that was how I first got acquainted with this brand.

BEVY C. focused product research in 3 major fields:

1. Skin in endurance of wearing long-term makeup

2. Essential skincare for pre-makeup

3. Creating perfect and long lasting makeup

Their bestselling line is the pre-makeup Lumiwhite collection which focuses on skin care before makeup. NOTE: Bevy C. pre-makeup skin care is not limited to pre-makeup use only; you may also use it as your daily skin care routine without makeup as well.

 Lumiwhite Collection

 

I was blessed to be gifted a set to review. After religiously using all four products for 10 days (once a day before makeup), I thought it might be useful to share my first impressions of this collection.

This collection features 4 key products (application order as below):
1. Lumiwhite Moist Up Lotion
2. Lumiwhite Moist Up Elixir
3. Lumiwhite Moist Up Elixir for Eyes & Lips
4. Lumiwhite Moist Up Emulsion

Review of Swisse Hair Skin Nails and Swisse Argan Face Oil

 

"Beauty comes from within." Cliche as it sounds, it's true.

Hang on a sec, I am not advocating the importance of inner beauty; of course that's important but we shall leave that for another day.

I do believe that if a person really wants to look good, besides the products he/she slaps on the skin, it is pertinent that he/she reviews the stuff he/she puts into his/her mouth. "Garbage in, garbage out" couldn't be more apt here.

When we are in our early twenties, we probably don't give too much thought about what goes into our body, much less to say faithfully ingest a good health/beauty supplement. Now that I have hit my big 3, I am more receptive when people recommend me good health supplements. 

 Swisse Hair Skin Nails+

My hubby is an avid traveller due to his work nature, and he has a special interest in health products. When he first bought me this Swisse Hair Skin Nails+ from Australia about 5 months ago, I was still quite skeptical if it suits me. After reading the ingredients list, I find that it seems no harm giving it a try.

Click to enlarge ingredient list

After trying Swisse Hair Skin Nails+ for a couple of months (1 pill per day), I started seeing the brand's advertisements airing on my local TV. Quite happy to see that Singapore has imported this from the Down Under! Swisse Singapore engaged our local celebrity, Rebecca Lim, to endorse this supplement.

Seeing Rebecca as their ambassador puts my heart at ease - I felt like I could trust her. Haha!