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!

Mega Empties Post Part 2: Masks, Serums, Essences, Sunscreens, Eye Cream and Makeup

This is my epic empties post part 2 (part 1 was written a few weeks back), and yes, we're going to do a quick-hits rundown of what I liked, what I didn't like, and why! And yes, there are some products I didn't like in part 2, unlike in part 1 where everything I did actually like. Which ones? You'll find out!

Yes, I am indeed capable of using up my massive stash of skincare products!

Today's post will focus on sunscreens, serums and essences, masks, sleeping masks, and exfoliating products, as well as the lone eye cream. Basically we continue from part 1 and cover all the product categories part 1 did not.

Instagram post of all my empties!

Well, we've got a lot of products to cover today, so if you're ready, let's get started!

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!

Sulwhasoo Snowise Brightening Serum Review and Ingredients Analysis

Sulwhasoo's Snowise Brightening Serum was launched earlier this year as an addition to Sulwhasoo's already very successful Snowise skincare range, which is a whitening range (as you might guess from the name). Sulwhasoo is a niche, high-end skincare brand that hails from Korea, with a focus on "holistic beauty" that is "inspired by Asian philosophy", which in their skincare line, means the use of plant extractsa nd ingredients that are traditionally used in Asian cultures.

Sulwhasoo Snowise Brightening Serum: A new addition to Sulwhasoo's Snowise whitening range

If Sulwhasoo's Snowise Brightening Serum sounds slightly familiar, it's because previous iterations of the same product have been released. This version, according to parent company AmorePacific, is the "advanced eighth-generation" version, with "enhanced white ginseng extract, moist and smooth finish and a new packaging design". A whitening serum, punched up one level - what's not to like?


Sulwhasoo Snowise Brightening Serum: The 8th genertion version of the serum was released earlier this year
Sulwhasoo opened a store in Singapore last year, and since then it's been getting quite a lot of buzz. Furthermore, the kbeauty trend is still a pretty hot one right now, and so I was quite keen to review this product. So, without further ado, let's take a look at the ingredients list, and begin our review!

Dr Ci:Labo Review and Ingredients Analysis: Super 100 Collagen, Vitamin C, Placenta, Hyaluronic Acid, EGF Serums

Dr Ci:Labo's Super 100 range is part of the brand's "Special Care" range, and it consists of 5 different ampoule/serum type products, featuring different ingredients, including Hyaluronic Acid, Marine Collagen, Vitamin C, EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor), and Placenta. These serums can be added to your moisturizer, or else used on their own before moisturizer. When mixing it in your own moisturizer, I'm told that you just add a drop or two into the appropriate amount of moisturizer in your palm, and mix before application.

Dr Ci:Labo Super 100 Collagen, Vitamin C, Placenta, Hyaluronic Acid, EGF Serums

These all come in blue or brown glass bottles of 10ml or 30ml, with a little tip that dispenses the serums one at a time. The Super 100 serums are all unscented, and in my opinion can be used with any moisturizer, although Dr Ci:Labo recommends that you use them with the other Dr Ci:Labo serums. Specifically the Hyaluronic Acid, Marine Collagen, and Placenta Super 100 Serums are meant to be mixed with the Labo Labo Super Moist Gel 5H5C (which I've reviewed before here), and the EGF and Vitamin C Super 100 Serums are meant to be mixed with the Labo Labo Super Keana Gel.


Dr Ci:Labo Super 100 Collagen, Vitamin C, Placenta, Hyaluronic Acid, EGF Serums, with the two Labo Labo moisturizers recommended for compatibility
Anyway, these might be pretty useful as nifty little boost to your skincare routine. And without further ado, let's take a look at the individual serum's ingredients and what's inside!

Stuff I've Used Up! Super Mega Empties Post: Skincare and Makeup

This is a pretty major empties post, because the last time I blogged about my empties was half a year ago in December last year (it was also a pretty large post, that I split into two parts, part 1 and part 2). This time around, I have even more stuff!

The nice thing about empties is that, for me, using a product up comes with a sense of accomplishment (as in, hey, I actually stuck to something long enough to use it up!) and also a sense of permission (as in, hey, I've used up a lipstick, now I can buy another lipstick)! So for a beauty junkie like me, it's both gratifying and enabling!



Obviously, there's a lot to go through, so without further ado, let's jump right in!

Origins Original Skin Retexturizing Mask and Renewal Serum Review

Origins' Original Skin Retexturizng Mask and Renewal Serum aren't new products - they were actually launched end of last year - but since I'm catching up on some old reviews at the moment, I figured, better late than never! And I suppose as far as skincare reviews are concerned, it's always a bit better to wait til you've tried the product more before reviewing it, because then you really get a better sense of how the product works.

Origins Original Skin Retexturizing Mask and Renewal Serum: Targeting A Slightly Younger Crowd

From some of the promotional material I've seen, the Original Skin range is meant to target ladies with a "quarter-life crisis", so unlike traditional anti-aging lines it has a younger target audience. The Original Skin Retexturizing Mask is supposed to be a "two-in-one purifying mask and skin refiner", while the Renewal Serum is billed as a "renewal serum (duh, I guess) designed to restore the glow of younger skin". As with most Origins products, these have a slew of natural plant-based extracts and ingredients.


Origins Original Skin Retexturizing Mask: One of the products in the range
As with all my reviews, we start with the ingredients list, so we get to see what's in the products, and how the products work! So, without further ado, let's begin!

The Body Shop Drops of Youth Review: Eye Concentrate, Bouncy Sleeping Mask, Essence Lotion, Cream, Youth Concentrate

The Body Shop's Drops of Youth collection of skincare products has launched, and this range targets the first signs of ageing and delivers hydration to skin. It is a surprisingly comprehensive range, with a Essence Lotion, Eye Concentrate, Youth Concentrate, Youth Cream, and Bouncy Sleeping Mask. So yes, a total of five products are being launched!

The Body Shop Drops of Youth: A skincare range to target the first signs of aging

Some of you may remember my old review last year of The Body Shop's Drops of Youth Concentrate, which is part of the Nutriganics Line. And while I didn't review it last year either, the Nutriganics line also had a Bouncy Sleeping Mask too. The packaging of the products in the Nutriganics line is slightly different - the "older" Bouncy Sleeping Mask, for example, has a white cap rather than a black one, while the Concentrate had a different lid and dropper.


The Body Shop Drops of Youth: Five products, ranging from lotions to concentrates to masks
Anyway, we'll be looking at all these products in the Drops of youth collection - Lotion, Eye Concentrate, Youth Concentrate, Cream, and Bouncy Sleeping Mask, and as always, we're going to take a closer look at how these products work! Since there are quite a number of products to go through, this post is going to be a tad long, so buckle your seatbelts, and let's get starte!

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence Dupe Part 1: 10 Possible Dupes with Pitera

SKII's Facial Treatment Essence, with the acclaimed Pitera as the main ingredient, is one of the most famous products in the world of Asian beauty. It's got a cult following despite the high price, and people swear by it.

A year ago, I reviewed the SKII Facial Treatment Essence (together with the Clear Lotion and the Mask), I talked about the science behind Pitera (aka Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate), and also tried the product on myself. Once the review was up, I had a number of questions on whether there were any dupes for the SKII Facial Treatment Essence. Of course, I had to go and investigate myself!

SK-II Facial treatment Essence Dupes: Some of these products are said to be dupes for SK-II

Initially, when I started in my dupe hunt, I thought it would be an easy task - maybe a handful of products, and that's it. It wouldn't take long to do or be a lot of effort, right? Turns out, I was wrong! Upon closer investigation, however, I found that there were really many ways to make a similar product. There are products that try to mimic the formula almost exactly, while others bank on selling the star ingredient, Pitera, instead. Perhaps it is the popularity of the Facial Treatment Essence that prompts so many brands to create similar products. In fact, I found so many dupes and similar products that I ended up organizing them into categories:

Category 1: Close Dupes of the SKII Facial Treatment Essence
Category 2: 100% Pitera/Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate products
Category 3: Partial Dupes, retaining Pitera as the star ingredient, but don't closely follow the SK-II formula
Category 4: Dupes of the "Older Version" of SK-II's Facial Treatment Essence, with Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate instead of Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate

SKII has something of a cult following, particularly with its Facial Treatment Essence

That's quite a list! Clearly, even when brands don't put out a close dupe, they do put out tangentially SK-II inspired products, and that's fine by me - the more options the merrier! As for Category 4, I'd like to clarify that while there isn't an "older version" of SK-II's Facial Treatment Essence in that the key ingredient, Pitera, hasn't changed, P&G (the parent company of SK-II) had previously mis-characterized Pitera as Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate, and later changed it to Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate upon further analysis (you can read more about it in my SK-II review I posted previously). Despite this error, it seems a lot of companies were inspired to create products with Saccharomyces Ferment Filtrate that seemed close to SK'II's formula, so I thought they might be worth a mention, too, for the sake of completeness.

So, as you might guess, we've got a lot to go through! Hence the "Part 1" in the title of this post - I don't know how many parts we will have eventually, but I do know that we'll need more than one post to go through all these!

The Body Shop Drops of Youth Concentrate Review and Ingredients Analysis

The Body Shop's Drops of Youth Concentrate is a new skincare product, and according to The Body Shop's website, it "works to help boost surface skin cell renewal", so that your "skin feels immediately moisturized and instantly softer". For those who like such products, it also claims to be silicone-free and paraben-free, with "99% natural ingredients".

The Body Shop Drops of Youth Concentrate: Part of the Nutriganics Line

With such a description, I was very curious to check it out and see exactly how it works! I mean, even the packaging has a whole list of awesome things the Drops of Youth Concentrate does - smoother skin, firmer skin, more even skin, fresher skin. What more could a girl want, right?


The Body Shop Drops of Youth Concentrate: Advertised skincare benefits include smoother, firmer and more even skin
With that in mind, I decided to take a look at the product's ingredients list first, in order to really get a sense of how it works, and whether it lives up to its hype.

CNP Laboratory Propolis Energy Ampule Review and Ingredients Analysis

CNP Laboratory is a Korean skincare brand that boasts that it is started by doctors, and has an emphasis on skincare science - now, doesn't this sound like the kind of skincare brand I would like? So of course, as a beauty blogger who's into the science and geeky stuff behind skincare, I felt like I just had to review at least one of their products! CNP Lab's most famous product is their Propolis Energy Ampule (yes it is spelled "Ampule" not "Ampoule" - apparently "Ampule" is an acceptable spelling of the word, but the lack of an "o" in the word just throws me off when I'm reading it visually), so naturally I figured I'd start with this!

CNP Laboratory Propolis Energy Ampule: CNP Labs' bestselling product

The CNP Labs website claims that this prooduct "contains Propolis extract also known as Honey Essence, it is well known for its antioxidant and moisturizing benefits". Interestingly, though, although CNP Labs calls propolis "honey essence", propolis is actually not a component of honey - it is instead "a natural resin produced by honeybees" that is used to build their nests. The product also contains Hyaluronic Acid too, "to maintain firm healthy glowing skin". Looking up some online retailers, I found out that the product has 10% propolis extract.

So now that we know what we're looking at, let's start dissecting this product, and taking a look at its ingredients! But first, I thought we should take a closer look at propolis, because, after all, it comprises 10% of the product and is the advertised ingredient. In particular, does propolis have a use in skincare? Is it beneficial to the skin? What effects does it have?

ISOI Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum Review and Ingredients Analysis

ISOI is a Korean skincare brand that touts itself as using natural products and "no harmful chemicals" (quote directly from the front page of the website). ISOI stands for "I SO Intelligent", and the main page of the ISOI site also encourages people to "Be an Intelligent Customer, and use isoi" and its "speed-effective natural skin care". And, the bestselling product from ISOI is its Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum, which I'm reviewing today.

ISOI Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum: The best-selling product from ISOI

Let me first say, the irony of encouraging people to be intelligent consumers while trashing "harmful chemicals" and promoting "natural skin care" in general is not lost on me. The fact is, as far as skincare is concerned, chemicals are not inherently bad, and not everything natural is automatically good. This is particularly the case for skincare, where the application is topical, as opposed to ingested, so while certain ingredients are good for the body when eaten, they might not have the same effect on skin. For example, even simple, natural things like lemon juice can be bad when applied to skin, because they are phototoxic could trigger skin reactions when exposed to sunlight after application, while certain "chemicals" like retinols, are good for skin.


ISOI Bulgarian Rose Blemish Care Serum: ISOI bills itself as a natural skincare brand with no harmful chemicals
But that's just the marketing, and in a highly competitive market, brands will market themselves in whatever way sells best to the customer and gets their attention. And, the natural skincare trend has been blooming for awhile (as we've recently seen at BeautyAsia 2015 and other trade shows), and shows no signs of abating. And since I'm the kind of consumer who pays more attention to the ingredients list of the product than who the spokesperson for the brand is, I'm pretty much indifferent to how the product is marketed. So, marketing aside, how does the product fare?

To answer that question, we'll start at my very favourite (and my very usual) place to begin a product review - the ingredients list!

Elizabeth Arden Flawless Future Review: Caplet Serum and Eye Gel

Elizabeth Arden has launched its new Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide skincare line, and this line is actually geared towards younger women in their 20s and 30s looking to treat the first few signs of aging, as well as to keep the skin in top condition for future years (hence the "Flawless Future" tagline, I suppose!). This certainly is something a little different from what Elizabeth Arden is known for, since the brand is probably best known for its anti-aging products geared towards more mature ladies.

But don't let that deter you from checking out this range, because this range is actually quite pleasant to use. Elizabeth Arden has taken care to keep the range lightweight and easy to use (which people our age will probably want in their skincare), but at the same time, they've managed to keep in the Flawless Future range some of the ingredients from iconic products that made Elizabeth Arden's brand so famous, such as the the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules (which I've reviewed before). In fact, Elizabeth Arden explicitly makes this link to their mature-market Ceramide range, labelling the Flawless Future range "Powered by Ceramide".



Let's take a closer look at the two products I have - the Flawless Future Caplet Serum, and the Flawless Future Eye Gel, and see if their ingredients really live up to the brand's much-vaunted reputation for skincare!

Origins Dr Weil Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Review and Ingredients Analysis, and My Top 3 Picks

Origins is famous for its plant-based skincare products, and indeed the brand was one of the first mainstream brands to heavily market itself as a natural skincare brand. Chances are, you've probably heard of any of their skincare ranges, with really cute names like Plantidote, A Perfect World, or GinZing. Despite being around since 1990, the brand is fairly new to me. I've never tried anything from the brand, so it was some interest that I started testing out their Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Collection.

Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief: Mushrooms and lots of other plants to the rescue!

The Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief range is a plant-based range and advertises itself as such, so I thought a quick summary of the science on 1)the oils in skincare in general, and 2) the oils in the product range, may help to set the stage.


The Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief range has a grand total of eight products to suit all preferences.

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Hydration Serum & Rich Cream Review

Vichy's latest range of Aqualia Thermal skincare products, has the tagline "Dynamic Hydration", and as you might guess, the range promises hydration for all skin types. There are a few products in the range, the key ones being the Aqualia Thermal Serum and the three types of Aqualia Thermal Creams, the Rich Cream (for drier skin types) and the Light Cream (for oilier skin types), and a Night Cream. There's also other products including a Lip Care, an Eye Cream, and a Day Care Lotion with UV Protection. So you know that within the Dynamic Hydration Aqualia Thermal range, there's something you're bound to like!

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Hydration Serum and Rich Cream

The "Dynamid Hydration" product claims are quite interesting - the products give up to 48 hours of hydration but don't feel heavy or thick. I have for review, the Aqualia Thermal Dynamic Hydration Serum and Rich Cream. I thought I'd test both of them and review them for you - and of course knowing me, we start off right at the ingredients list!

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum Review

One of the more famous products from Elizabeth Arden's roster are the Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum. I've heard of Elizabeth Arden, and I've seen the glossy ads with the capsules, and I've definitely seen the rave reviews (no kidding, if you google the product name, pretty much every review agglomeration site - Ulta, Makeupalley, Skinstore, and so on, all give it rave reviews overall). And now, I got to examine the product for myself to see what is so special about these capsules.

Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum: Nothing but love from reviewers

Inside the super-luxe looking box, you get 60 capsules a box, which if you use at the rate of 1 a day, will translate to a 2 months supply. The product is both fragrance and preservative-free, which is pretty unique, because most skincare definitely needs preservatives to ensure it doesn't go bad once you open the jar! I attribute this to the unique individually-packaged capsules. I guess they could have just done what other companies would do and put the serum in a jar or pump, but then that would necessitate adding some preservatives since the packaging makes the product more likely to be contaminated. So if you're reactive towards either fragrances or (much less likely) towards preservatives, this is a good try.

Packaging and fancy capsules aside, I have to say, I was impressed with the product. When I first received it for review, I was thinking, "Oh great, another mediocre but overpriced moisturizer with no substance except the brand name and packaging". Turns out, as I started looking into the scientific literature available, it seems that the Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum is actually pretty well-formulated, and there is actually quite a lot of science behind the product!


A luxurious serum that is also backed up by the science.
Yes, this means I did indeed start being a skincare nerd and was trawling PubMed, ScienceDirect and the like to look up the key advertised ingredients.In the Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum, this is ceramide. To be precise, it's a combination of Ceramide 1 and Ceramide 6 (phytosphingosine and fatty acid are added too, but we'll get to that soon). It looks like the science is actually in support of ceramides!

Apivita Natural Serum Radiance: Natural Skincare That Works!

Let me introduce you to my newfound skincare BFF - the Apivita Natural Serum Radiance with Bilberry & Vitamin C. I've been trying this out, and now that I'm almost halfway through the bottle, and have has too results, I thought I'd share my thoughts on the product with you guys!

Apivita is a Greek brand emphasizing the use of natural ingredients, and holistic body care - while I'm most interested in skincare products, Apivita has a whole range of products, including haircare and body care, which is really impressive. Apivita has also consistently used natural ingredients that actually work in their products - and although I'm not a particularly big follower o the "natural" trend, I'm still really keen on their products as they perform really well based on standalone evaluation. This makes them, to my mind, far better than those "natural" brands with crappy products that offer only scaremongering as a selling point. In contrast, Apivita's products stand up to scrutiny, whether or not you are a proponent of natural skincare. My previous experiences with Apivita products has been very good, so the efficacy of their ingredients is well borne out by my own personal experience.

Skincare That Works: Vitamin C HA Peptide Serum

If you've been reading my blog long enough, you'll know that on the rare occasion, I can be a little cantankerous. (Okay, okay, sometimes I can be a lot cantankerous, LOL.) Although it may not always endear me to PR folks, my cantankerousness leads me to do all sorts of things - sometimes I dismiss the marketing claims made by products, sometimes I make fun of brands, and sometimes I just plain outright say that a product sucks. So, when a product makes me rave, you know its gotta be good!

I was sent this Vitamin C HA Peptide Serum from Natural Skin Shop a loooong time ago (shamefully long, I'll admit!), but on the bright side, you know this means I've had the chance to use it fully, and give you a totally thorough review!

I was pretty excited to try this product, as vitamin C is one of the few things proven to actually help your skin in the long run, and, along with retinoids and sunscreen, are actually backed up by published studies in science journals. But, it just doesn't get as much hype from a marketing perspective, I guess.

Even when companies put out Vitamin C products, not all of them package the product securely. Vitamin C can be very volatile, depending on the type - L-ascorbic Acid is the most effective but also the most volatile, as compared to its other forms, e.g. magnesium ascorbyl glucoside, ascorbyl glucoside, ascorbyl palmitate etc. The best way to package these are in small, dark bottles or airtight pumps. Fortunately, the Natural Skin Shop Vitamin C HA Peptide Serum is packaged in a dark bottle - great!

Anyway, this product is a watery, clear liquid with a slight brown tinge, like most well-formulated Vitamin C serums. This photo was taken sometime after I actually began using the serum, so it isn't this brown when you first get it - when you first get it, the product is almost colorless. It just oxidizes and turns brown with exposure to air and the elements. So, I do advise you to 1) store this in the fridge to slow down the oxidation process, and 2) use it as soon as you get it!


So, how exactly do you use a Vitamin C Serum? I've personally found it best to use in the day - there is some evidence that Vitamin C and E when used topically, can help to boost the UV protection you receive from your sunscreen. So I personally like to use this as the first thing on my skin after I wash my face in the morning, before moisturizer and sunscreen. As the texture is watery, it absorbs really quickly, thus making it a quick and easy addition to any skincare routine. Also, as it has a slightly drying/matti dying effect on the skin, people with oily skin will also like that it doesn't make them look like a greaseball, although its suitable for all skin types too. The exception would be people with rosacea, since acids can irritate their skin.

Here are the ingredients. As you can see, there's a lot of good stuff in here - L-Ascorbic Acid is the most potent form of Vitamin C that can be applied topically (and also the most volatile, hence the need for storage in brown bottles, refrigeration, and for quick usage). There's also Hyaluronic Acid, which helps to moisturize skin, and a whole lot of botanical extracts and peptides. I have to say, I'm impressed by the ingredients list!

LABEL INGREDIENTS: Distilled Water, L-Ascorbic Acid, (Vitamin C), Hyaluronic Acid, Acetyl -3 (Argireline), Hibiscus Extract, Seaweed Extract (Plankton Extract, Sea Buckthorn Extract, Watercress Extract, Marine Algae), Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Potassium Sorbate, Hexylene Glycol.

I really enjoyed using this product - I did find when using it that my skin quality was better overall - my skin seemed a little brighter, less tired and I had better skintone overall. I rarely do this with skincare products, but I really recommend the Vitamin C HA Peptide Serum from Natural Skin Shop. It is effectively formulated, well-packaged, and easy and quick to use. The only drawback is the price (but then again most similarly formulated and packages Vitamin C serums also tend to be priced around the same range, or more expensive). If you are looking for one skincare product to splurge on that really works (and don't have rosacea0, this is it. The Natural Skin Shop ships internationally and have other equally excellently-formulated products, so it's worth checking out.

(Product was sent for review. Review is my complete and honest opinion. I am not affiliated with/compensated by the company.)

Cellnique Skin Action Sebum Gel Review: Get A Free Sample!

Those of you who know me will know that for most of my later teenage life I've been struggling with acne. Even as an adult (albeit a relatively young one), I've never been the girl with smooth, problem-free, oh-I-didn't-airbrush-this-photo-I-just-look-like-that skin. In part this is due to various external factors (yeah, yeah, blame everything else but me for my own crappy skin) - the weather I grew up with (you try having nice korean-actress clog-free skin in a place where you sweat even in your sleep!), the fact that I fly long distances pretty often (and that my skin has trouble adjusting to new climates), and the fact that as a grad student attempting to have good grades, a social life, and a regularly updated blog, sometimes I skimp on proper nutrition and sleep, which of course can wreck havoc on my skin. Right now, I'm dealing with clogged pores, blackheads, and some stray pimples here and there. So if a product promises to clear my skin, you bet I'm going to be sooo tempted to try it.

Enter Cellnique Paramedical Skin Action Sebum Gel. Cellnique is a company specializing in skincare, and they produce a whole range of serums, cleansers, toners, and moisturizers for various skin types. The Skin Action Sebum Gel is particularly targeted at problem skin, and it's one of the best sellers from Cellnique. It promises to clear out blackheads and whiteheads, reduce oil secretion, and generally keep congested skin clear. It's billed as a serum, which means it's used after your cleanser and toner, but before your moisturizer, sunscreen, or masque. It seems to get pretty good customer reviews on Cellnique's own site for the product, HERE. You can check out the company's main website and see their other skincare products HERE.

Ooh. Another skincare product? For my clog-prone skin? You've got my attention.

The product itself is very nicely and practically packaged. It comes in a white bottle, with a pump dispenser. I personally favour pump dispensers for facial products because I hate sticking my fingers into a tub...I always feel like I'm contaminating the product that way. The pump is easy to use, and allows you to squeeze out as much or as little as you want.

The Skin Action Sebum Gel has a light texture, which I really like. It's a gel, and it has a pretty nice consistency - it's not too thick or too watery, and it applies well. It also has a nice minty smell, and it tingles as it goes on. I personally didn't mind the tingly sensation, but this is a matter of personal preference - I know of friends who like the tingly feel as it convinces them the product is working, while others with hyper-sensitive skin don't like the tingling sensation. This is about the amount I used everyday, on my nose and my chin:



So how did the product itself work? I tried it on two areas of my face that were experiencing clogs and blackheads, and I used it everyday for 2 weeks. Here are the unedited results, in super-close-up photos, and in full macro mode:



Here, I used it in a spot on my face that was particularly clogged (I know the photos look really gross, but this is like 23423532x magnification...don't judge me!) with small bumps, blackheads and a couple of small-ish pimples. It didn't clear out the blackheads, but it helped reduce the swelling of the small bumps and the pimples. As you can see, in the "before" picture there are numerous small tiny bumps all over the area, but they're all gone in the "after" picture.



And in here, I used it on my nose - which mostly suffers from blackheds. I was actually really skeptical that this product could help blackheads, because in my experience, most products don't do anything for my blackheads, which seem to have roots all the way to my bones or something. Pore strips don't do anything, scrubs don't do anything, masks don't do anything, and those random cleansers with this-or-that acid don't do anything either. So when I used this on my nose, I was thinking, "Ah well, I'll just use it for a couple of weeks, and mention that there wasn't a difference for my blackheads, just like any other product", but it did make some difference. It didn't make them all disappear (if it did I would have been REALLY surprised), but it lessened the severity of the blackheads. As you can see, they're smaller, and less deeply embedded.

This was after a 2 week trial. Originally I had wanted to do a one-month trial, but I figured since I was seeing results in 2 weeks, I may as well just do a post. I liked this product, and I think it worked for me. It didn't further irritate my skin, and it helped with my pimples and swelling. And I didn't actually use a lot of product on those areas (remember that pea-sized amount in the photo I showed?), so I'm actually pretty impressed.

If you liked what you just read and want to give the Skin Action Sebum Gel a try, Cellnique has offered the first 50 readers of this review a 3ml sample of their product! Just email your full name and shipping address to fbfreesample@cellnique.com with the subject musicalhouses.blogspot.com. Please allow around 4-6 weeks for delivery. It's valid for a week and ends 31 March, so hurry!

If you're looking into buying a full sized bottle for yourself, it can be bought directly from the Cellnique website HERE. You can check out the company's take a look at their other skincare products HERE.

Ingredients: Purified Water (Aqua), Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Extract, Witch Hazel (Hamamelis Virginiana ) Extract, Carbomer, Propylene Glycol, Menthol, Poly(Oxy-1,2-Ethanediyl),α-(Donyl Phenyl)-ω-Hydroxy, Sodium Hydroxide, Peppermint (Mentha piperita) oil, Male Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas) Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Milk Protein, Potassium Azelaoyl Diglycinate, Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) Leaf Oil, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Diazolidinyl Urea.

This product was sent to me for review purposes. I am not affiliated with the company, nor do I benefit from the links posted. This review is my complete and honest opinion after an unbiased trial of the product.