Updated: Laneige Water Bank Eye Gel Review

 Today I'm going to be doing a review on the Laneige Water Bank Eye Gel.

I needed an eye cream after finishing the Estee Lauder Advanced Eye Repair Eye Cream (reviews on that another time) and wanted something lighter as I have always had problems with milia seeds around my eyes. I'd tried the Water Bank Gel Cream sample and liked the texture, so decided to give this a go.

Just some info for you from the insert in the box that came together with the eye gel. :) 

There's a load of steps in Korean skin care, as we know, refiner (toner)- emulsion- essence/cream. Spot treatment comes before essence/cream. 

I have never done all these steps... but anyway, here's what's recommended by Laneige. 

Onwards to product pictures!

 It really is a very light gel consistency, with the typical Laneige scent (refreshing and light). I usually use my ring fingers to lightly tap it in all around the eye.

 

 After being blended a little, you can see it's a bit glossy and slightly tacky. What I usually do is keep patting it in till it's almost absorbed, which is pretty quickly. 

 When it's fully absorbed, it's gone! I usually just carry on with concealer if I'm heading out. 

Verdict: (updated March 14, 2013)

I think it helps with dark circles only a tiny bit, but doesn't do much for eye bags or fine lines. There is a slight cooling sensation upon application but it quickly goes off. 

It does keep the eye area pretty moisturized, but if you're looking for an eye gel to help with fine lines, this is not the one for you. I have noticed a couple of new and slightly deep lines (sob!) appear recently, but it could be because of my growing eye bags so it ggravates eye lines. :(
{honestly, I think this does a fine job of moisturizing the eye area.... it also allows makeup to go on smoother after I apply a thin layer of it. I like that it doesn't give me oil seeds too.}

I am in my early 30s, and probably need a better eye product. I have tried so many 'good' brands like Estee Lauder, Lancome, but the only thing that ever worked (I think) was the Estee Lauder Dark Circle eye Cream but that was discontinued years ago. I may keep to this for day as I like it's light, non-greasy texture. It's a good gel for people in the late teens to late 20s. I will likely move on to find a good eye cream for night. 

{I have just bought Laneige's White Plus Renew Eye Mate which is for the day time and has SPF, and will review that once I have used it sufficiently! :) Because I think Laneige works really well for my skin, i.e. no break outs and keeps skin hydrated, I am thinking of also trying their Perfect Renew (anti aging line) Dual Eye Treatment once this is finished... I think it may work better for lines}

Retails for about SGD 52 in stores.

Merry Christmas!

Hi there! Hope everyone had a great Christmas and that we're all gearing up for an awesome 2013!

Apologies for the silence over here, I do have many reviews to do soon, but with the festivities and all, it's been busy around here.

Coming up next Monday as well as in the new year, reviews for Secret Key Treatment Essence, Laneige Water Bank Eye Gel, Phyto hair products, MAC eyeliners .... heaps more! If there's anything you may be interested in and that I have, let me know, and I'll try to give you my humble take on it.

I have been gifted some skin care and makeup products for Christmas too, so am super excited to share my (amateur) reviews here.

Stay tuned, there may be a giveaway coming up too....  thanks for stopping by! :)

MediHeal & Leaders Insolution Masks Review

 I have used masks before, and had seen these particular ones pop up everywhere on Qoo10 so decided to give it a go. To be honest, I had no idea they were different brands, as they were sold by the same seller. Haha... As I found out, price, nor branding didn't matter with these....

I ordered a bunch to add to Christmas gift packages, but so far have tried Mediheal's NMF and Leaders Insolution Vita masks. 

 Mediheal's NMF, EGT, PDF and IPI are slightly more expensive than their other masks, maybe because of the more exclusive ingredients. There are a few more not pictured above like Collagen. Anyway, they were still ridiculously cheap. 

I tried the NMF one because I was suffering from some massive dry skin flaking near my mouth, to the point that it was painful that day, and it contains Hyaluronic Acid which is known to majorly moisturize skin. Reviews will be made together with the Leaders one later below. :) 

Apparently, Leaders Insolution  is owned by the Leaders Cosmetic Group in South Korea, who own and operate skin clinics all over the country. The team has researched and developed a line of skin care including these masks.

I tried the Vita Bright one the very day these masks arrived. I couldn't wait. I wasn't disappointed. 

You know how most masks don't fit the face, the essence drips off down your neck and around your ears.... I hate that. And can say in confidence that neither masks give me those problems. The masks are a sturdy but thin material, soaked in a watery-gel like essence that sit flat on your face and hug every inch. It's really comfortable. I usually relax lying down with the mask on and the liquids drip off my face with other masks, but these two brands don't. 

Reviews now! The LS Vita Bright one surprised me a lot. I left it on for about 20-30 minutes, did some work at the laptop and when took the mask off, my skin was visibly brighter and fairer! There was definitely no breaking out, and I dare say it actually helped clear my skin because my skin started looking much better the days that followed. 

The Mediheal NMF one was equally good. The cracked, painful skin around my mouth and lips were instantly moisturized. I know it sounds crazy but it's true! After that, my skin felt comfortable and sooo sooo soft I couldn't stop touching my cheek! (PS: I am not paid to write this, so it's completely my honest opinion.) 

I do believe both brands are just as good. Mediheal's tend to be a little cheaper than LS' but I think they are just as good quality in terms of the mask material and essences. If your skin is a little sensitive, just wash off the residue after using the mask.

I just ordered a bunch more to stock up... because the seller is having a massive sale now. These work so well I doubt I will use the other brands' ones again.

Paid between SGD 1.20-2.60 per mask. From here. Seller ships these out very quickly, both times I've purchased, she shipped them out the same or very next day. Shipping time is a little long (took between 1.5-2 weeks I think) but hey, shipping is free!

GO TRY THESE IF YOU HAVEN'T YET! :D 

Updated: Laneige Water Bank Gel Cream Review & Note about Authenticity and Logo

 I got a sample of this with some of my purchases from Korea, with this being one of them. I really liked the texture, so got this online when I needed a moisturizer. 

 All Korean words at the back. 

 Love the blue glass jar, and neat packaging. Also love Laneige cosmetics' scent for their products.

Note about logo: I have read reviews online and many question the authenticity of the Laneige items they buy because the logo doesn't have the tick at the I. Some do, some don't. I tried researching this a few times, and could only find one weird link that said that Laneige is changing their logo to the one above (ie, no tick at the I). I have checked out photos of people going to the Laneige counter for events etc, and I see this logo on their box and jar packaging, so it seems like it really is the new one.

The other thing I compared it to is my Laneige Water Supreme foundation that was bought at the Laneige shop in Korea, and the logo is like the one above. So I believe it is genuine. The scent and texture is also the same. My guess is the logo with the tick at the "i" may be the old logo, maybe older stock (but still within this year), and not that those items are fake either.

When in doubt, buy from a seller with heaps of good reviews or at retail stores. :) 

 Korean skin care and makeup tends to print the manufacture date, not expiry date. This one was made 2012, October 10! 

 What it says about the Water Bank line... 

 There's a little cap to keep the cream from spilling out, as well as to keep it clean, I suppose. Good idea.

 It truly is like a gel, very light and cooling upon application. 

Here's a picture of it blended on my hand. It leaves a slightly glossy but not oily film, and doesn't feel too heavy. 

However, though I am probably more used to a very minimal and light skin care routine (toner/essence, pimple cream, eye gel), layering this on top of all of that felt kind of suffocating for me. Don't get me wrong, I guess I'm just the sort who prefers skin that feels like there's nothing on it. So I will be using this more on dry spot areas instead of all over my face.

{Updated: I actually really love putting this on now! It doesn't feel "suffocating" anymore, and absorbs quickly, so it just feels ... hydrated. Haha.. I actually use it especially around my nose and mouth areas where my skin tends to get slightly dry. Works like a dream.)

Verdict: It does its job, and does moisturize the skin. Whether it does for 24 hours as it claims, I'm not too sure. I haven't used it everyday, but maybe every other day and it doesn't break me out (most important for me!). Happy with it to continue using this...

Bought for only SGD 28.80  from  Amorepacific,who is apparently the company that owns Laneige! This company owns Sulwhasoo, Innisfree, Mamonde, Iope... amongst others. Shipping is horrendously slow, but it is free, and if you aren't in a hurry, it's alright.

It retails for about $55 in stores, if I'm not wrong. 

I will be reviewing the eye gel soon, as well as Leaders Insolution and MediHeal masks! 

Stay tuned and please say hi if you feel comfortable to :) 

Kose Seikisho Clear Lotion Review

 I bought this quite some time ago when I read about it being effective for clearing up problem skin. I used it a few times and left it aside, but decided recently to try it again. I do love the sleek blue bottle.

 All Japanese words, and I've thrown the box away so for more information, check this page out. 

 Light, watery texture... I don't know why they don't just call this a toner... because it acts like one, to be used after facial cleansing and to remove dead skin and dirt. 

It has a rather strong medicated/herbal yet pleasant (to me) fragrance. I actually use a cotton pad instead of my hands.

I started using this after a bad hormonal breakout, and I am pretty sure adding this step helped improve my skin tone in about a week. No additional breakouts or rash on my sensitive skin.

Verdict: I like it alot, but have recently tried Laneige Skin Refiner Light, which I do like a lot too (even more watery and light, smells great and also doesn't break me out), so I'm not so sure if I'd repurchase this. I am halfway through this bottle, so will have to finish it up and then decide. :) 

Bought for SGD 33 (if I remember correctly) from Robinsons' Kose Counter. 

Petitfee GOLD & EGF Eye & Spot Patch Review

I read about this from blogs and had seen some good reviews so I decided to get a box to try. Ordered the Gold & EGF one...

These are the only English words on the box and tub... 

The jar, which comes with a spatula... but I don't bother with it because... it's cumbersome. And where do I keep it?

Little curvy shaped pieces of 'jelly' infused with gold sparkles and liquid. It sticks really well to the face, so you can plop it on and walk around with no fear of it coming off!

I have tried it a few times now, and every time, I get this slight burning/tingling sensation around my eyes. Thankfully, there's no skin reaction, ie rash, so it's very strange. I stopped it for two weeks.

I realized recently that my eye bags had grown. *crrrrry* So when I came home, I decided to try it again. Sure enough, there was that same tingling sensation, but when I peeled it off, my eye area seemed tighter. From sheer depression over these new-found bags, I decided to do them again at night. After that, I used the Laneige Water Bank eye gel, and the next morning.... 

After just 2 days, I swear my eye bags are smaller!!

I have continued to use it either in the morning or at night before bed... so far, so good. I think the tingling/burning sensation may just be the 'jelly' tightening the area around the eyes. Well, if I have no skin reaction to it and it works... I'm going to continue with it!

May try the Ginseng one next which is supposedly good for dark circles. This Gold one does seem to temporarily lighten dark circles... You can use the round patches for parts of the face, I guess...

Verdict- if you have very sensitive skin, you may not want to use this. The burning sensation was quite alarming for me. But I think the EGF must've helped. The eye patches are slightly too narrow, so they don't fit fantastically over the eyes. Be sure to place the patches right up, almost to the lash line, so you don't unknowingly create a line on the skin from the patch to the bare area .... am I making sense? haha... 

Bought here on offer at SGD 11.90 before shipping. 

Definitely going to purchase again and stock up! 

Missha The Style Shining Eyes Stick Review

I bought the Missha Shining Eyes Stick on a whim in GL01 when I bought a ton of other stuff from the same seller. 

I like to use gold, dark purple and dark green on my eyes... and my Revlon gold was really old so I threw that away and got this. :) In a handy stick form.

This is what it looks swiped, unblended. A flattering cool-toned gold. 

Once blended, it looks just like a light wash of sparkly color, great for a natural look. 

Texture is light, not creamy, with very subtle sparkle, which is good for eyes. Disco balls sparkles is not flattering. ;) 

It's a good buy considering the price, because there isn't a lot on the stick. It lasts the whole day but does rub off a little and crease a little into eyelids, so I guess the best would be to pat powder over the lid before using this. 

I like it! So may purchase the pink or silver in the future. A good buy. 

Purchased for SGD 6.50 from here. 

Skin Food Banana Yogurt Mask Review

 Decided to try these yummy pots of masks! I bought this Banana one and the Hot Sesame Mask, but so far, have only opened this one up. 

This one is supposed to soothe sensitive skin and rehydrate.

Click for more ...

Updated with blended pics: 3W Clinic Professional Powder Crystal Creator Bright Review

 Apparently this used to be called Palgantong Theatrical Powder. I'd heard about it ages ago and had been curious to try it but never knew where to get it till I saw it being sold on Qoo10 for an amazingly low price. So I got it, one for me, one for a friend. :)

There are claims that it slims the face, highlights areas that need to and downplays areas that shouldn't be... etc, but basically, this is a loose setting powder that gives a smooth, matte complexion with oil control.

Box has all Korean words, and as you can see, it comes in a huge plastic tub. When peeling off that sticker inside, do it really carefully, or you might get lots of powder coming out! 

I got it in Shade 23 Natural Beige, as I was worried no.21 (Light Beige) would be too white/light. I am quite fair, and am slightly more yellow toned than pink, and this gave me a brighter appearance. I used it on top of my bb cream.

I didn't show a swatch of it because it really blends out to nothing on my hand. :) 

Updated:

 Here's the colour of no 23, Natural Beige... slightly more pink toned, but I think it's ok as it brightens up the skin. 

On the right side of my hand, I blended a little bit of my Skin79 bb cream and then patted the 3W powder over it. 

When it's all blended, you can see it mattifies and brightens a little...

Texture- Very finely milled powder, very smooth whether you use the lovely squishy puff or a brush. Personally, I prefer using a brush with this (kabuki or normal, clean blush brush) as it gives a smoother and more even look.

Scent- very light baby powder scent. Quite pleasant.

Coverage- minimal, but it really smoothens out the complexion and makes it appear matte and almost poreless, like my Laneige Air Light compact.

Verdict- this is a great powder, price for the tub is awesome, and it does last. I walked and sweated with this on, and all I had to do was dab my sweat away and I had that smooth looking skin again. So it is great for oil control.

Honestly, the only thing is, I am not so sure if this breaks me out though it does state that it doesn't clog pores. I have tried it twice and both times after, I broke out a little. But it may just be that I have very sensitive skin anyway. I will have to try it again to see how it goes and update again :) I haven't heard any complaints from my friend though, who has drier, normal skin, so I think it should be ok. She has said it does give her skin a matte, smooth look on top of her compact.

Bought it for SGD7.20 from here. 

Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Clay Mask Review

 I was shopping on Qoo10 at this seller's shop, when I saw this and remembered I needed a clay mask. I read some good reviews on it, researched the brand (had never heard of Innisfree before this) and liked that it was attempting to be as green as possible, and used natural ingredients, so I put it in my cart. 

 Ingredients, parabens-free and has the important volcanic ash and kaolin to suck up all the oil and dirt! I ripped a sticker off it, so some words are faint. But I can see camellia, orchid, bamboo, cocoa extracts in this. Comes in a recycled paper box and the jar is also made of recycled plastic. I really like that!

 Picture is of Jeju volcanic ash? Looks like dirt/mud. :P

 There's a plastic cap to keep the clay mask from drying up. Very helpful! 

 I LOVE its texture. It's thick and not runny, so you don't need to scoop out tons to get a nice thick layer on your skin. It doesn't have a weird scent either, but smells.... like clay but pleasant :) Some people are picky about dipping their fingers repeatedly into a pot but... I wash my hands before touching any skin care, and am not fussy about that. ;)

 

 Just a little dab to show u how thick it is. 

And spread out on my skin. 

Reasons why I love this are:

1. it visibly brightens my skin after I wash it off

2. I don't need heaps of it to get a nice thick layer like above

3. it definitely helps with oil control for the next 24 hours

4. doesn't break me out at all. 

5. I leave it on for about 15-20 mins and it does dry up but not into a stiff, super-uncomfortable, my-face-is-gonna-crack kinda layer

I use it 1-2 times a week, and so far, so good! I bought it from this shop's link for SGD 15.50 before shipping. Definitely will buy it again when I run out! Am thinking about trying out some of the brand's other products next!

CU Clean-Up Super Sun Block Review

Today, I'm going to review my favourite sunblock! 

 I had gone to KK Hospital for some mild aesthetic (laser) procedures and needed a sunblock to protect the scars from turning into pigmentation. I have used a few brands of sunblock before, but was getting pretty lazy about it and haven't regularly applied it for the past few years. I don't tan very easily, don't have pigmentation, but because of the procedure, got scared out of my mind at possibly getting another skin problem. Plus, I thought I needed to take care of my skin before I got old. SOB.

There were a bunch on display but I'm not sure why I picked this up. Maybe because it had "sensitive skin" and "super antioxidant" on the bottle, and has pretty high SPF. In my opinion, why bother with SPF 20-30 if you can wear 50! :P

 No English words on the back.

Ingredients list on the box. It does have parabens and phenoxyethanol, but this doesn't break me out at all, and I have been using it for a few months now. (my skin is sensitive, combination-oily) It has plant stem extract in it...  I just read something about that being the latest trend in Korean cosmetics.

I have tried Biore (pink one), Avene (too heavy and white, so I use it for my body now), Cetaphil (my 2nd favourite), Lancome (it's ok) and some others I really don't remember now... But this one is definitely my favourite!

 It's a slightly runny, watery texture and white in color. Very lightweight. And for those who hate the white cast sunblock gives, look at how it is when it blends out! (very easy to blend out)

INVISIBLE!!!

It actuallly dries quickly and matte, so you can put on your bb cream or concealer over it right away. 

I don't tan easily, unless I purposely try to, but under normal circumstances, my skin was a normal, Asian- kind of fair, not very fair like some Koreans or Japanese.

After the laser procedure, I started wearing this everyday, especially where the laser marks were, and in just 1-1.5 weeks, I was noticeably much fairer. Even a friend noticed... She said my skin looked softer and seemed to glow too. HAHA, must be from getting fairer. 

You can buy it at KK Women's and Children's Hospital's Aesthetic clinic which is located within the Breast Centre on the 1st floor. Just ask the ladies at the counter where you can purchase the aesthetic products. :)

The price is a great plus too- it was about SGD 25+! Highly recommended. Even my mom asked me to get her a bottle, and she's fussy about skin care and cosmetics ;)

How to get there, click here.