My Skincare Haul: Muji, Garnier, Renew

My next Skincare Haul. I have been buying a lot of skincare products recently. I think it's the Christmas season and that gives me excuses to buy more skincare products. 

MUJI Cleansing Oil

 I have been reading good thing about this cleansing oil and since my Hada Labo Makeup Remover was about to finish, I decided to try this next. Since many people compare MUJI with Fancl and Shu Uemura Cleansing Oils, I thought I's give this one a try too. The price is cheaper too at S$13 for 200ml.

Garnier Pure Active Roll-on for Blemishes

 Niu Er introduced this on the 20/12/2010 episode of Nu Ren Wo Zui Da (a Taiwanese beauty programme) and I went to Watsons to get one the next day. The selling point of this pimple roll-on gel is the 2% Salicylic Acid, which is a BHA that will help not only in drying up the pimple, but also to boost skin turnover via exfoliation so that the pimple scar fades faster. It has a high alcohol content and with the metal ball roll-on, it feels cool on touch. I think the metal ball design does not seem that hygienic but I wanted to try the 2% salicylic acid. There is a discount now so the price was $15.90.
Update: My review here.

Renew Rosehip Oil

 If you've been reading my blog, last year was when I was really into Rosehip Oil. Rosehip Oils contain high essential fatty acids, vitamin E and antioxidants like lycopene and beta-carotene. The Vitamin A also has anti-aging properties. Rosehip Oil helps heal scars, wrinkles and skin cell repair. I did not see any changes in my wrinkle when I used this but I do believe in the beneficial components RHOs contain. Will be adding this to my night time skincare. (I mentioned before that I prefer Trilogy rosehip oil, but Trilogy is only sold at selected Watsons and I didn't see it the last time I was at Ngee Ann City or Raffles City Watsons, so I'm not sure if they're still around. I got Renew as it is available at most Watsons.)

Renew Hydrating Mist Toner

When I got the rosehip oil, I bought this as well as I thought it smelled nice. The ingredients were mainly water, rose water and chamomile extract, so it seemed quite soothing. I am not expecting any effects with this product, I just got it to use together with the rosehip oil. A spray like Avene Thermal Spring Water wold work just as well.

Oil cleanser or Milk cleanser?

For my oily on the inside, dry on the outside skin type, I was advised to not use oil cleansers. A doctor that I visited also advised the same as emulsifiers can clog pores. But the thing is, no other cleansers beat the convenience of oil cleansers. With a few pumps, it was thoroughly remove all traces of make up from my skin. Whereas for milk cleansers, I have to repeat the cleansing steps a few times before my skin is make up-free. I am currently using Drgeorgialee cleanser for sensitive skin as a make up remover. She prescribed it to me as she said my skin is a bit sensitive. With this cleanser I have to pump three times while cleansing the first round, remove with cotton pads, then use two pumps and repeat until the cotton pads are do not indicate any colour. This process usually takes me three or four and even five times if my make up is thick. This is why I usually prefer oil cleanser when I have thick make up on. However, I still wonder if I am sacrificing good skin for convenience when I am using oil cleansers.



I don't think I will give up on oil cleansers yet. Although I know it isn't good and might not suit my skin type, I think it is still the easiest alternative for removal of thick make up and when I am in a rush.

It is important to check the suitability of your cleanser for your skin type. If your skin is having adverse reactions to your cleanser, for example sudden breakouts, the cleanser might not suit your skin.

Although my skin used to take well to oil cleansers, my skin type changed while I lived overseas for a period of time. It is also important to observe your skin and skin type to ensure that your skin is kept in its best condition.

I will be doing a full review of drgeorgialee skincare cleanser for sensitive skin soon. Stay tuned!

Oil Cleansers

There are so many brands of oil cleansers in the market nowadays and so many different types of oil cleansers, but do all of us suit oil cleansers?

For some, oil cleansers cause break outs or increase in clogged pores. I suffered that before. One of the reasons behind this is because oil cleansers contain emulsifiers - an ingredient that causes the oil to become milky upon contact with water so that we can wash the oil off easily. The emulsifier can potentially clog our pores and cause breakouts.

That is what happened to me but I still prefer to use oil cleansers than milk cleansers to remove my make up and sunscreen. Reason being, oil cleansers give me a cleaner feel. With milk cleansers, I have to repeatedly use cotton pads to remove my make up and it gives me a sense of not having clean skin.

So how do I choose oil cleansers that will suit my skin? Consider whether the oil cleanser has reduced risk of clogging pores by checking the label to see if it is non-comedogenic. One example will be Shu Uemura's cleansing oil. One thing good about Shu Uemura is you can cloose the type of oil cleanser to use depending on your skin type. One drawback is that it contains mineral oil. Something that I usually avoid as it is also reputed to cause breakouts.

Do consider the texture of the oil and if it emulsifies thoroughly without leaving any oily residue. And most importantly, always cleanse with a normal facial cleanser after using an oil cleanser. Double cleansing is important to ensure that your skin is thoroughly clean from oil and dirt.

Skincare-holic's 2009 Favourites List

2009 is coming to an end and I thought it would be good to round up the year with my all-time favourites list. I love trying out new skincare products so unless I particularly love the product, I will not purchase it again. So the products in this list are products that I have purchased twice or more, I think work nicely for my skin, and is worth it's price

1. Fancl Washing Powder

This washing powder creates dense foam that effectively cleanses my skin without stripping it of its moisture. I do not experience any tight feeling after cleansing with the Fancl Washing Powder. When use with the Facial Washing Puff, my skin is left clean with lesser blaskheads. No other cleanser can achieve these results for my skin.

2. Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil

Double cleansing is an important component of my skincare regime. I have used countless bottles of Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil as it removes all of my makeup thoroughly and effortlessly, even my waterproof mascara. It emulsifies easily and does not leave any oily residue behind. Although I am currently using Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil, the Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil is still my preferred choice.

3. Fancl Sunguard 30

The Fancl Sunguard has SPF30 PA+++ so it blocks out both UVA and UVB rays sufficiently. I like its light texture and how it is easily blended into my skin.

4. Clinique Moisture Surge Extra Extended Thirst Relief

I always buy the Clinique Moisture Surge Extra Extended Thirst Relief whenever I have the opportunity to travel. I buy it at the Changi Airport DFS because it comes in the set above which includes the Moisture Surge Eye Gel and I find that it is quite a good deal. The Clinique Moisture Surge Extra is what I always use whenever my skin feels dry and what I always bring along onto the plane where the air is very dry. It combats change in humidity and any weather changes effectively. It always keeps my skin moisturised for a long period of time. I use this in thick layers without any fear of milia seeds and I use this around my eye area as well.

5. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion

I like this moisturiser as it is a basic moisturiser that serves the purpose of keeping my skin moisturised. It does not leave any sticky feeling and absorbs readily. I use this whenever I am suffering from any breakouts as I feel this does not further aggravate my skin condition and does its job of moisturising well.

6. Kose Sekkisei Lotion

I have used 3 bottles of Kose Sekkisei Lotion. I like it as a lotion mask and how moisturising it is for my skin. Although the whitening benefits of the Lotion are not that obvious, the Sekkisei Herbal Esthetic Mask makes up for it. These two Sekkisei products are good but the rest of the Sekkisei line are disappointing.


7. Trilogy Rosehip Oil

Rosehip oil has wonderful anti-oxidants and skin regenerative properties. I turn to Trilogy's Rosehip Oil for additional moisture boost when my skin feels dry. Trilogy Rose Hip Oil absorbs easily without clogging my pores and does not leave any oily residue on my skin. I am including this because I was quite crazy over Rosehip Oil products at the beginning of 2009, but the Trilogy range of products (cleansers, toner, moisturisers, masks) disappointed me so I might try other products after this.



To end off my post, below are products I will always avoid.

- Biobeauty Advanced Hydrating Eye Freshening Gel HA玻尿酸清新眼凝露
This caused my eye area a severe allergic reaction which made my skin red, inflamed, swollen and hurt as though I got burnt.

- Henry Tianus.
I bought this after reading raves on Cozycot and because it was a natural product. But the Overnight Skin Perfector caused me acne problems that I have not experienced in years.

Review: Shu Uemura vs Fancl Cleansing Oil

Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil has been my favourite cleansing oil for many years. I have tried other brands' cleansing oil but none worked as well as the Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil, so I have been sticking to it for many years.

Recently, I noticed that my face has more oil clogs than usual. These look like bumps on the skin and I can feel it when cleansing my face. When I try to extract it (which is a bad thing to do), some substance will get squeezed out. My facialist at Fancl terms this the 'toothpaste' because it gets squeezed out similar to a toothpaste. After a round of questions, she said that the Mild Cleansing Oil might be causing the oil clogs but it is just a preliminary guess. So I thought I might just take the chance to try out the Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula. The Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil also recently upgraded to a new version so I thought maybe the new version didn't suit my skin. I will compare the two cleansing oils in this review.

I bought my Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula in Korea as it was cheaper there (also due to some sales at the duty free).

Back to my review, texture wise, the Fancl MCO is more thick/viscous and less oil-like, doesn't drip and flow down my hand while massaging away the makeup. The Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil however, is more similar in texture to cooking oil, so it is more runny. I personally prefer the thicker Fancl MCO texture as it feels less like oil on my face and has a cushiony feel while massaging. The Shu Uemura is more runny and oil-like in texture so I prefer the Fancl one more.

In terms of how well the cleansing oil emulsifies on contact with water, Fancl also does better as it melts away into a milky solution on contact with water and face feels clean, whereas for Shu Uemura, it feels like I still have something on my face after washing off and I feel like I must quickly use a cleanser to wash it off more thoroughly.

I also think that Fancl has more cleansing power than Shu Uemura, so my face feels cleaner after washing off. Upon testing with Clinique Clarifying Lotion, I sometimes find some yellowish stuff on the cotton pad, which is leftover dirt on my skin when using Shu Uemura but this doesn't occur with Fancl MCO (I use the same cleanser both times - Fancl Washing Powder).

I bought the 450ml Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil and it works out to be cheaper than Fancl MCO when per ml cost was calculated (surprisingly!).

All in all, I prefer Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil to the Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula, however as I am afraid that it might not suit me, I will be monitoring to see if there is any improvement with Shu Uemura and if anything happens when I switch back to Fancl.

Rate:
4.5/5 Fancl;
4/5 Shu Uemura