Mineral Oil Myths Explained: Cancer, Safety, and Skincare Benefits

It's been awhile as life has gotten busy! But I'm back with more skincare geekery - this time on mineral oil! I've wanted to write this post for awhile, because over my years being an amateur skincare nerd, I've noticed lots of fearmongering with respect to mineral oil. Some people believe that 1) mineral oil is bad for you because it prevents your skin from breathing, 2) mineral oil causes cancer, or that 3) you shouldn't use it because it is derived from petrochemicals. I'll be taking a look at these three myths in this post!

First though, a little bit of a primer into mineral oil itself.

What is mineral oil?
Mineral oil is a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons (i.e. molecules comprised only of carbon and hydrogen atoms) obtained from petroleum, and consists of saturated hydrocarbons having carbon numbers predominantly in the range of C15 through C50. As seen in the bottles of baby oil, it is easily recognizable as an oily transparent liquid. It's manufactured by the distillation of petroleum, and then followed by refining of residual fractions to meet the standards for cosmetic grade mineral oil.

Peel-Off Masks: Why They're Bad For Your Skin

Recently, I've been seeing a lot of press about peel-off masks, and how awesome they are. I've blogged about somewhat dubious skincare and beauty product trends when I think the hype gets out of hand (I've always been kind of terrible as a shill that way, LOL), but this is probably one of the more egregious ones I've seen lately, so I'll get to the point - I'm really NOT a fan of peel-off masks at all, regardless of brand, and I highly discourage anyone from using them.

Unfortunately, they're really popular, and seem to be receiving a lot of mainstream press as of late. A quick google search turns up the following:

What a cursory search for "peel-off mask" returns

Why are these masks so popular? In a word, it's novelty. Prior to peel-off masks becoming popular, most masks have been clay or gel masks that you leave on and wash off, and can often get messy and drippy. By comparison, peel-off masks seem so much more fun and easier to use - the mask doesn't drip, and instead of washing off the mask, you get the satisfaction of peeling off the mask like this:

Part of the a-peel (see what I did there?) of the mask is that you peel it off (Source)

And, now brands are adding to the fun and entertainment factor of peeling masks by doing things like adding glitter to them, which while fun, doesn't really enhance the skincare value of the product in anyway. But, damn if it doesn't look like the most fun to apply and peel off though!

And yes, this is a My Little Pony mask collection (Source)

But as I've mentioned (right in the title, too), I'm not a huge fan of peel-off masks. I personally find them really bad for skin, and the general formula of these peel-off masks is such that by their nature, they're rather drying and sensitizing to the skin, and it's hard to escape that fact, no matter how much glitter you throw into them. We'll take a look at the general formula of such masks, and see how the masks work, and then check out the ingredients lists of some of the more popular peel-off masks, to see how much they adhere to the general formula. It's lots of ingredients reading. But it's fun! And worth it for better skin!

Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic Review and Ingredients Analysis

Pixi's Glow Tonic has been a cult favourite skincare product, and if you've heard about the brand at all, then chances are, you've probably heard of Glow Tonic. This cult product has raves from virtually every blogger out there, with people excited over how it is both cheap and effective, so I figured it's high time I got around to review it!

Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic: This is THE cult skincare product from the Pixi brand

In case you're wondering why the Pixi Glow Tonic is such a fabled product, in part it's becuase the 5% glycolic acid, which is pretty rare in a product at that price point. So I do get why it lives up to the hype, with people claiming that it works to give them that glow, even for sensitive skin!


Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic: I've been seeing so many rave reviews for it, so I've decided to see how it stacks up!
So, does the Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic actually live up to the hype? Well, let's dive in and find out! Of course, we'll start right at the ingredients list!

Tarte Shape Tape Hydrating Foundation and Hybrid Gel Foundation: Dupes or Not?

Tarte's Shape Tape Concealer has finally launched to much fanfare and - perhaps not too surprisingly in this day and age - controversy. I'm sure you'll have seen it if you weren't living under a rock. The Shape Tape Foundation - which was released in two forms, matte and hydrating - was very, very eagerly anticipated as the makeup launch of 2018, owing to the massive popularity of the Shape Tape Concealer. The main controversy with the Shape Tape Foundation was the lack of shades for darker skin, which was problematic for a brand that had previously claimed to champion diversity. I won't say too much more because that's not the focus of today's blog post, but should you be interested, you can google it; there are some very articulate and thoughtful summaries of the issue and why it is problematic.

Tarte Shape Tape Hydrating Foundation: Probably the hottest anticipated foundation launch so far this year, but pity the shade range

What today's blogpost will focus on is another issue with the Shape Tape Foundation, specifically the Shape Tape Hydrating Foundation. What's the source of the controversy with the Shape Tape Hydrating Foundation? Basically that Tarte was already re-releasing an existing formulation as a new product. The existing product in question? Tarte's Hybrid Gel Foundation, which has already been on the market for awhile. So, if this is indeed true, it means that all Tarte did was essentially repackage their existing product into a different container, and then tried to sell it as a different product. And that, of course, would be awful.

Tarte Shape Tape Hydrating Foundation is also claimed to be identical to the existing Hybrid Gel Foundation

So, in today's post, let's see how this little kerfuffle started, and take a look and see how similar the two products are, and whether they are really dupes or not!

Fancl BC Night Intensive Cream and Essence Review and Ingredients Analysis

Check this out - an actual "proper" skincare review! I know I've not done one of these in awhile, but better late than never, right? Fancl's BC range, according to the Fancl website, provides "intensive treatment for aging skin needs". I'm actually not sure what the BC stands for, but suffice to say it's an anti-aging line. Recently (and by recently I meant "actually a couple of months before Christmas last year because I've been busy like that"), Fancl has added two new products to the BC range in Singapore - the BC Night Intensive Cream, and BC Essence. Existing products in the range include a facial cleanser, lotion, as well as eye essence.

Fancl BC Night Intensive Cream and Essence: The newest additions to the BC skincare range

As you can imagine, the products feature a lot of Fancl's typical brand claims - for example being suitable for sensitive skin, having a gentle, simple formula that works as it claims without any unnecessary frills, and also being what the brand calls "preservative free". Some of you may recall I was previously introduced to the brand's "preservative free" philosophy and have done a review here, where I examined whether it was really preservative-free or not. Much to my satisfaction, my assessment of the concept of a "preservative-free" formulation was retweeted by an actual cosmetics formulator, who called it "long but well informed". I won't deny it's long (if you haven't realized my ingredients analysis-type reviews tend to be), but I was happy that he found it accurate. Colin also incidentally runs the blog Colin's Beauty Pages, which I really value for its take on cosmetics by an actual person who knows his ingredients and formulations, and works in the biz!

Fancl Moisturizing Lotion I Review and Ingredients Analysis https://t.co/RCJmlACbL1 //A long read but well informed pic.twitter.com/683b79lkNk

— beautyscientist (@beautyscientist) March 4, 2017

Anyway, after being retweeted by Colin, whom I really respect and admire for his competency, I don't know if this review will live up to my previous one. But I can try! Or at least just do the best I can.


Fancl BC Night Intensive Cream and Essence: Claims to be formulated for sensitive skin, and to be preservative-free
Anyhoo, that was a really, really long introduction for a blogpost (which, by the way, is also going to be quite long). Let's just dive into the review already, shall we? And of course, we're going to start with the ingredients!

The Body Shop Japanese Matcha Tea Mask Review and Ingredients Analysis

The Body Shop Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask was launched a couple of months back, and I'm finally getting round to reviewing it! I really wanted to review this mask because it seems to tick off all the right, trendy boxes at the moment - the website for the Japanese Matcha Tea Mask claims that the mask is "100% vegan" (which I interpreted to mean that it doesn't contain any animal-derived ingredients), and that it "purifies, gently exfoliates and liberates your skin from the weekly build-up of city pollutants and everyday impurities". For those of us (including myself) who live in highly urbanized, city environments, doesn't this sound great?

The Body Shop Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask: The newest mask claims to exfoliate and purify skin

As is typical of The Body Shop products, the Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask also boasts a few plant-derived ingredients, as you might expect from a "vegan" mask. There's "matcha green tea from Kakegawa, Japan, dandelion extract and soul-soothing Community Trade aloe vera from Mexico". Also, you can't tell from a first glance at the advertising material, but this mask actually has little scrubby bits - in this case, they are again derived from two plants, Luffa Cylindrica and Apricot Seed Powder. But the exfoliation offered by this mask is advertised as being gentle - this isn't one of those harsh masks.


The Body Shop Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask: In line with recent trends, it also claims to remove pollutants and impurities from skin
How is The Body Shop Japanese Matcha Tea Pollution Clearing Mask as a clay mask? As an exfoliating product? Would it work for sensitive skin? And which ingredients are in there making the product work? We'll find out!

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix Review and Ingredients Analysis

Estee Lauder's Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix was launched a few weeks back, and of course expectations are pretty high for this new product, because it's an extension of the brands "Advanced Night Repair" line, which houses some of the most iconic Estee Lauder products, such as the Advanced Night Repair Complex, which has become something of a cult product in some skincare circles, with some people trying to find dupes or similar products for it.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix: The latest addition to the Advanced Night Repair line

The new Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix is an eye serum/concentrate that is added to the line, and Estee Lauder claims that the product will hydrate skin "for a full 24 hours with a 2X concentrated infusion of Hyaluronic Acid". Also, like the rest of the Advanced Night Repair line, this product also claims to have anti-aging benefits, to "dramatically reduce the look of lines, wrinkles, puffiness and dark circles." Despite the "Night" in the product name, the product is suitable for both day and night use, and you're supposed to apply the product by using the given massage applicator to roll the product around the eye area.


Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix: Claims to offer 24 hours of hydration, as well as various anti-aging benefits for the eye area
So, with that overview of the Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate Matrix, let's dive headfirst into the ingredients list, and see what is inside this product!

Vichy Mineral 89 Booster Review and Ingredients Analysis (and a pH test!)

Vichy Mineral 89 Skin Fortifying Daily Booster was just launched here, and this is one of Vichy's largest launches this year - so of course I had to review it! The Vichy Mineral 89 Booster claims to make skin "bouncy inside and glowy outside", which are definitely very popular themes in skincare in Asia - bouncy, glowy skin is definitely "in", with the theory being that bouncy, glowy skin looks younger (I don't disagree).

Vichy Mineral 89 Booster: Claims to give users bouncy, glowy skin

Interestingly, I noticed that Vichy gave slightly different names to this product - perhaps because what different markets expect and finda cceptable vary from place to place. Here, in Singapore, it's called the "Mineral 89 Skin Fortifying Daily Booster", because the concept of "booster" products (stemming from Asian beauty brands) has become fairly mainstream here. However in the USA, it's actually called "Mineral 89 Hyaluronic Acid Gel Face Moisturizer", perhaps because the concept of a "booster" might seem foreign to Western markets. But, it's the same product with the same ingredients list anyway. Just slightly different wording in the product name.


Vichy Mineral 89 Booster: One of the largest launches for 2017 from the brand
So, does this live up to all the buzz? Well, let's find out, by starting at the (surprisingly short) ingredients list!

Kiehl’s Calendula & Aloe Soothing Hydration Masque Review and Ingredients Analysis

Kiehl's Calendula and Aloe Soothing Hydration Masque was just launched earlier in April, and I fully expect this mask to be popular for one big reason - calendula. If you're familiar with the Kiehl's brand, then you'll know that one of the bestselling flagship products is the Kiehl's Calendula Toner, as a gentle and hydrating toner (which I'm also using right now - I need to get around to reviewing this one day!). Of course, the product line also includes a Calendula Foaming Face Wash. Now, the Calendula line of products has been extended further with the introduction of the Calendula & Aloe Masque, which is a pretty smart move given the popularity of the Calendula range.

Kiehl’s Calendula & Aloe Soothing Hydration Masque: The latest addition to the calendula range of products

According to Kiehl's, the Calendula & Aloe Soothing Hydration Masque has "hand-picked Calendula flower petals and Aloe Vera, [and] bursts into a refreshing surge of cooling hydration upon application to instantly achieve hydrated and soothed skin". Kiehl's also claims that you only need to leave this mask on for 5 minutes to get the hydrating and soothing effects, although you can leave it on longer if you wish. The product is suitable for both day and night use, but night use is preferable.


Kiehl’s Calendula & Aloe Soothing Hydration Masque: Kiehl's claims a 5 minute application is sufficient
So, does the Calendula & Aloe Masque live up to its claims? Can it really soothe the skin? Well, we'll find out by looking at the ingredients inside the mask!

Skinceuticals H.A. (Hyaluronic Acid) Intensifier Review and Ingredients Analysis

Skinceuticals recently launched their HA Intensifier, or Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier. As the name suggests, it's a serum/booster product with hyaluronic acid - but more than that, Skinceuticals also claims that the HA Intensifier will also help to boost your skin's ability to make its own hyaluronic acid, beyond just replenishing it. Application-wise, Skinceuticals recommends this go after your toner, but before your other skincare products.

Skinceuticals HA Intensifier - in case you didn't know the HA stands for Hyaluronic Acid

Skinceuticals is one of those brands that's a little niche, but has quite the following among skincare devotees, particularly for its CE Ferulic (which is sometimes considered the gold standard in Vitamin C serums). So I was pretty excited about the HA Intensifier, and was hoping that it would also live up to the brand's reputation for good skincare.


Skinceuticals HA Intensifier: A key claim is that the product helps to boost skin's own hyaluronic acid production
I'm sure at this stage, you're curious about so many things - does this serum live up to Skinceuticals' brand reputation? How exactly does a serum boost your skin's own ability to make its own hyaouronic acid, and does the Skinceuticals product do so? So, let's start our review - at the ingredients list!

Fancl Moisturizing Lotion I Review and Ingredients Analysis

Fancl re-launched its skincare line in Singapore last year, and since then, I've had the opportunity to try quite a few products from the brand, and I'm slowly getting around to reviewing them! One I thought I'd start off with is the Moisturizing Lotion I - because it's one of the foundation products of any skincare routine.

Fancl Moisturizing Lotion I: A basic hydrating lotion to be used under other skincare

Fancl is known for its simplistic, no-frills approach to skincare, and the brand claims to be free of fragrance, as well as free of preservatives. As you can imagine, a key target of Fancl's audience is also people with sensitive skin, as the brand also claims to avoid ingredients that could irritate skin. Now, that sounds pretty cool, but I'm sure some of you are wondering - is this really all too good to be true? I mean, no preservatives? Wouldn't a product go bad without preservatives, and how does Fancl do that?


Fancl Moisturizing Lotion I: The brand sells its products in small sizes, with the claim that the products are preservative free
Well, we're about to answer some of these questions (and more) in the review, but I gotta caution you, it's going to be a long one. So strap in, and let's start at an obvious place to get some clues - the ingredients list!

L'Oreal Youth Code Skin Activating Ferment Pre-Essence Review and Ingredients Analysis

The L'Oreal Youth Code Skin Activating Ferment Pre-Essence just launched earlier this month, and already it's making quite a splash here. Firstly, this is supposed to be an upgrade of the original L'Oreal Youth Code, which was already a pretty popular product in its own right. But beyond just "sequel syndrome", the marketing is pretty eye-catching, too. The product claims to have "98% Ferment Essence (extracted at 98% purity) to stimulate skin metabolism and accelerate cell renewal". So the Ferment Essence is really a huge draw here, too.

L'Oreal Youth Code Skin Activating Ferment Pre-Essence: With claims of 98% Ferment Essence, this product has been making a splash

For those with some familiarity with the original L'Oreal Youth Code (as well as a similar product from L'Oreal's sister brand, Lancome's Genifique Youth Activator), you might recall that the "ferment essence" used in those products was Bifida Ferment Lysate. And indeed, it seems that L'Oreal has increased the concentration of Bifida Ferment Lysate in the updated Youth Code. Beyond the increased use of Bifida Ferment Lysate, L'Oreal also claims that the Pre-Essence will "boost skin recovery ability against fatigue and aging signs".


L'Oreal Youth Code Skin Activating Ferment Pre-Essence: An updated version of the L'Oreal Youth Code
That sounds pretty cool, but how does the Pre-Essence work? What ingredients are in there to help in skin renewal, or in anti-aging? And how different is the new product from its old formulation? Well, we'll find out!

Maybelline Super BB Cushion Fresh Matte SPF25 Review and Ingredients Analysis

Maybelline's Super BB Cushion Fresh Matte SPF25 has just launched this year - making it one of the earliest 2017 launches in the drugstore! I thought there was no better way to start off the year than looking at a new and shiny product, and the Fresh Matte BB Cushion caught my eye - after all, you can never have too many BB cushions, right?

Maybelline Super BB Cushion Fresh Matte SPF25: A matte cushion for hotter months

The Maybelline Fresh Matte BB Cushion is a matte cushion, and it claims to be a lightweight foundation with a "natural matte finish that keeps excess sebum under control & is up to 12H long lasting!" All of these properties are super useful in our hot, tropical weather, and for people with oily skins. It's also the matte counterpart to Maybelline's Super BB Cushion that was launched in May 2016 - so if you liked that cushion but wanted a matte version, it has now arrived.


Maybelline Super BB Cushion Fresh Matte SPF25: A matte counterpart to the dewier Super BB Cushion
So, let's check out the mattifying properties of the Maybelline Super BB Cushion Fresh Matte - starting with the ingredients list!

L'Oreal Tint Caresse Orchid Blossom Review, Swatch, Ingredients Analysis

L'Oreal Tint Caresse was launched a few months ago, and basically, it's a pretty nifty powder lip tint. Yes, powder, with a sponge applicator! L'Oreal advertises this as the "1st lip gradation cushion tint for lips that blossom with delicate colour", and the idea is that the sponge and powder combination is supposed to make it easier for you to get that on-trend ombre lips look.

L'Oreal Tint Caresse Orchid Blossom: One of a range of Tint Caresse shades

The Tint Caresse seems to be developed out of Japan, or at least, the packaging and wrapping all has Japanese text. Sometimes L'Oreal does develop Asia-exclusive products, so perhaps this could be one of those - indeed, the idea of gradient lips is pretty much a Kbeauty/J-beauty sort of concept. I'm always pretty happy with such products though, as it often results in some pretty innovative and unique products. The shade I'm reviewing today is Orchid Blossom, which is one of several shades.


L'Oreal Tint Caresse Orchid Blossom: The Tint Caresse seem to be an Asia-only product
This is the first time I've seen a powder lip product before, so I have to admit, I had all sorts of curious questions about it. How did L'Oreal formulate a powder lip product? What does it feel like on lips? What does it look like? Well, let's find out, by starting at the ingredients list!

Biotherm Skin Best Wonder Mud Review and Ingredients Analysis

Biotherm's Skin Best Wonder Mud is a mud mask, and was launched earlier this year. I've had this for awhile, and finally got around to reviewing it, after a few months! Well I guess better late than never right? (Ignore the crickets chirping, will you, LOL.) Anyway, Biotherm's Skin Best Wonder Mud claims to have the antioxidant Astaxanthin to combat dullness, as well as Ghassoul mineral clay to absorb oil and impurities. As the website eloquently puts it, "antioxidant superpower (Astaxannthin) has 100X more antioxidant than Vitamin E and Ghassoul clay are combined to form a mask that truly combats city toxins, grime and free radicals that attack our skin every day". Sounds exciting, right?

Biotherm Skin Best Wonder Mud: A clay mask with antioxidant benefits

What's interesting about the Skin Best Wonder Mud is also its application method. Unlike traditional masks where you leave it on for anywhere from 15-30 minutes, the Wonder Mud mask is designed to be a quick fixer-upper for your skin that can be used in a few minutes - in fact, Biotherm recommends 3 minutes, so that you can use it even if you are in a rush. Basically, you apply the mask to your skin, let it sit on your skin for 3 minutes, and then you rinse it off, massaging the mask as you do so to get the exfoliating effect of the "crushed apricot stones". Biotherm recommends using the mask twice a week.


Biotherm Skin Best Wonder Mud: Advertised as having Ghassoul mineral clay and Astaxanthin
So, we do have a pretty interesting product to look at today, and we'll also look closer at the Astaxanthin in the product. So, let's begin with my favourite thing - a look at the ingredients list. I didn't have a copy of the ingredients list with me, but fortunately a bit of googling turned up the ingredients list, so here we go!

Etude House True Relief Review: Moist Cream, Mist Toner, Emulsion, and Ingredients Analysis

Etude House's True Relief skincare line consists of 3 products - the Moist Mist Toner, Moist Emulsion, and Moist Cream. As the line indicates, this is supposed to offer "true relief" for sensitive skin, without irritation. This certainly is pretty unusual as compared to Etude House's typical skincare range, which tends to be geared for a pretty young age group, as it seems geared towards a broader age range. So this is actually a fairly unusual step as far as Etude House skincare goes, and I'll be taking a look at how this fares!

Etude House True Relief Skincare Range: Meant for dry and sensitive skin

If you've read some of my Etude House reviews, you'll probably know that while I do love their makeup products in general, their skincare tends to be something I'm more ambivalent with - in fact, my last Etude House skincare product review wasn't exactly a positive one. This is perhaps because at nearly 30, I'm slightly older than the typical Etude House customer, and a lot of their skincare products are really best for very thick and oily skin. So, I was kind of interested to see if finally, there was a skincare range from the brand that made more sense for my skin type.


Etude House True Relief Moist Toner, Emulsion, and Cream: Slightly different from the typical Etude House skincare products
And as usual, for each of the products - the True Relief Moist Mist TOner, Moist Emulsion, and Moist Cream, we'll start off the review with a look at the ingredients list! We have three products here, so it might be a tad (just a tad, don't worry) longer than the average review, but I'll try and keep it as short and sweet as I can!

Reader Question: Elizavecca Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask Ingredients Analysis

As some of you may know, I do feature reader questions on my blog from time to time, especially when they provide inspiration for science-y posts, like this post on parabens and safety, and this other post on talc and safety. Recently I received a reader question on the Elizavecca Bubble Clay Mask, and it's an ingredients analysis type of question - exactly the sort of questions I love to take a stab at!

Elizabeth asks:
Do you think you could evaluate the "Elizavecca Bubble Clay Mask"? I bought it but I'm not sure if it actually works...it does make my skin feel smooth and soft right after but I'm not sure about any long term effects. I'm afraid this product might be mostly skintertainment because of the bubbles.

Elizavecca Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask: A niche product that has gained a little bit of a cult following (Source)

The Elizavecca Bubble Clay Mask is something of a niche cult product that has gained popularity among some kbeauty fans over the past couple of years or so, along with other bubble masks. Elizavecca is a fairly niche Korean beauty brand, and their Bubble Clay Mask seems to have gotten popular in part due to the novelty factor. Basically, the Bubble Clay Mask goes on like a normal clay mask, but once applied, quickly foams up with lots of little bubbles when you apply it, like so:

Elizavecca Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask: A large part of the novelty is the bubble and foaming effect (Image source)

I'm pretty sure a part of the reason why they're so popular is because the foam gives rise to all sorts of really cute, funny, or weird (sometimes all at once!) selfies, like this. I mean, imagine applying a mask and then having it foam and bubble up right on your face! That's pretty fun, isn't it?

Elizavecca Carbonated Bubble Clay Mask: Possibly the most fun ever when masking (Image source)

That said, bubble masks, despite the novelty value, aren't actually anything super groundbreaking, and masks of this format have existed for awhile. In fact, waaaay back in 2011, I reviewed just one such bubble mask from another Kbeauty brand, The Nature Lab Oxygen Shield Bubble Mask. And more recently in 2014, I reviewed a sort-of-similar product from a Western brand, the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Boosting 5-Minute Facial, a 2-part skincare product where the first part also consists of a foaming mask. So while the Elizavecca one is more popular, it certainly isn't the first of its kind.

Anyway, since this is a reader question, let's get back to the question, and then we'll talk a bit more about bubble masks in general. What's inside the Elizavecca Bubble Mask, and what makes it bubble? Does this bubbling really help skin? Do bubble masks in general really bring any skincare benefit beyond being novel or entertaining? Let's take a look, starting with the ingredients list!

Cetaphil Daylong Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++ Review and Ingredients Analysis

Daylong is a suncare range, with a variety of sunscreens in drugstores here. Daylong is a sister brand of the cult favourite Cetaphil, and like Cetaphil, Daylong also emphasizes skincare for sensitive skin, that's still effective, at an affordable price point.

Cetaphil Daylong Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++: Sunscreen targeted to be effective, while suitable for sensitive skin

I have the Cetaphil Daylong SPF50+ Gel, which also has a PA++++ rating, one of the highest I've seen on sunscreens recently. I'm a huge advocate of using sunscreen regularly - in fact, one of the most popular posts on my blog is a post on sunscreen tips! So of course I was excited to try this out, and see how it performs. It doesn't just claim to provide broad spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays, but also against IR rays, or infrared radiation, which like UV rays, is also emitted from the sun. Don't worry if this sounds confusing - we'll be taking a look at it later in this review!


Cetaphil Daylong Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++: Like Cetaphil, the focus is also on products that work without behing harsh
So as you can tell, we've got a lot to cover in this review. As always, we'll start by looking first at the ingredients in the sunscreen - particularly at the UV filters, which are responsible for protecting skin from the sun!

The Body Shop Fresh Nude Foundation Review and Ingredients Analysis

The Body Shop Fresh Nude Foundation was launched earlier this year, and The Body Shop claims that this foundation "mimics the look of fresh-faced natural skin with a nude glow" to "make every day a good skin day". It also claims provide "up to 24h moisturization", and doesn't that sound great?

The Body Shop Fresh Nude Foundation: The Body Shop's latest foundation launch

I was half-expecting this to be a lightweight, watery foundation from the description, but it turned out to actually be more of a creamy foundation instead. And I'll admit that I've basically been procrastinating on this review because there were so many foundation/BB cushion/base product launches in the start of the year, that I just never quite got around to blogging about it! But now that it's already past the first half of the year, I figure I should get a move on this review, finally. So here you are!


The Body Shop Fresh Nude Foundation: Launched at the start of the year, this foundation claims to hydrate skin for 24 hours
So without further ado, let's start the review! And as with all reviews, let's begin at my favourite place - the ingredients list!

Biotherm Aquasource Everplump Review and Ingredients Analysis

Biotherm's Aquasource Everplump is the latest moisturizer to be launched from the brand. According to Biotherm, this isn't just any old moisturizer. As the name suggests, it's a plumping moisturizer, with a "highly dense gel texture so plumping even fine lines are pushed away", and "a single application delivers 72hrs of hydration".

Biotherm Aquasource Everplump: Biotherm's latest moisturizer

The idea behind the plumping claim in the Aquasource Everplump is is that as you age, the plumpness and volume in your skin decreases, leading to a more aged appearance. So, products like the Aquasource Everplump can help restore some of the plumpness lost over time. Biotherm also claims that this can be used around the eye area, and is also suitable for sensitive skin.


Biotherm Aquasource Everplump: The moisturizer that is supposed to plump up skin and fine lines
With that said, let's start the review, and look at the ingredients list! Unfortunately the product I got didn't come with the ingredients list, but a little bit of googling turned up the ingredients, so we get to start with the ingredients analysis!