Skincare-holic's 2010 Favourites List

2010 is coming to an end and I thought I'd do up a Favourites List like the one I did for 2009! I looked through the reviews I did in 2010 and rounded up the few I really liked.


Best 2010 Cleanser: Hada Labo AHA/BHA Tamagohada Exfoliating Face Wash Foam

This Hada Labo cleanser doesn't exfoliate well but it cleanses well enough. I like that it is self-foaming and convenient to use. It removes dirt and oil without making my skin feel dry or tight. I used to like Fancl Washing Powder a lot and this cleanser is a good competitor as it doesn't require a foaming ball nor do I have to worry about expiry dates.




Best 2010 Lotion: Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing Lotion

This lotion helped improve my skin texture. I could see that my dehydrated skin was more plumped up. It comes in a big bottle and each usage only requires a small amount, so it lasts a long time. 



Best 2010 Moisturizer: La Mer Creme de La Mer

This was the only cream I could use when I had patches of dermatitis on my face. It may be rich but if you control the amount you use it will not clog pores (I first press the creme into my cheek area before using the remaining on the t-zone). I like that it is quite soothing, even when my skin was sensitive and would react to most other products. I felt my skin become smoother with usage.


Best 2010 Hydrating Mask: Laneige Water Sleeping Pack

I used to like Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Relief but Clinique did not work well when my skin was very dehydrated and sensitive. It caused redness and stinging. Laneige, however, worked really well and helped restore my skin to normal. I don't experience any clogged pores even when I apply a thick layer. I wake up the next day with hydrated skin.

Best 2010 Clay Mask: BeautyDIY Dead Sea Mud Mask

I think this dead sea mud mask is cheap yet good. Its main purpose is to suck out dirt and excess oil from the pores so I don't need an expensive mask with wonderful ingredients and this mask does just that. As the mask dries, I can see spots of oil where pimple or blackheads are at, which shows it really works. It contains tea tree oil, which helps dry out and heal pimples. It is good to follow up with a hydrating mask to replenish moisture. 

Best 2010 Eye Mask: The Face Shop Raspberry Slim & Lift Collagen Eye Patch

I almost forgot that I really liked this eye mask until I looked through my 2010 reviews again. It is a bit pricey but it works nicely to hydrate and plump up my under eye area. After using this mask, the jelly-like mask becomes thinner, which shows the essence has been absorbed by the skin. I think I will be purchasing some more soon. 

Best 2010 Face Spray/Sensitive Skin Product: Avene Thermal Spring Water

I have been using this for a few years now and I always re-stock whenever there is the 2 for S$29.90 promotion. The Avene Thermal Spring Water soothes my sensitive skin really well and I even use it as an eye mask at times - by saturating a cotton pad with the spring water then tearing it into half and using it as a normal eye mask. It is cooling on the skin and reduces my redness effectively. It also helps when skincare products are too thick/sticky, I spray this over my face and try to massage the products in again. 

**This is all for my favourites list this year. It is too bad I didn't find a favourite sunscreen. I have been looking but haven't found one that I like yet. 

Do comment with recommendations of skincare products you like and find works well! I would like to try more skincare in 2011 =)

Review: Fancl Brightening Mist Lotion (Limited Edition)

The Fancl Brightening Mist Lotion I have came with the 2010 Perfect Whitening Kit and the bottle is darker green in colour compared to the Takashimaya Exclusive one available now. The SA I checked with said that contents are the same despite the difference in packaging.

This Fancl Brightening Mist Lotion is supposed to combat dehydration and protect the skin from UV damage. I was doubtful of how this Brightening Mist can help combat UV damage without any SPF in it. So I did some research: according to the Fancl Hong Kong website, there are aloe vera extract and other extracts that help hydrate, suppress dark melanin, and soothe the skin. So technically it combats UV damage not by blocking out UV rays like sunblock but helps to soothe the damage. I think the best protection is still sunscreen so do not rely on this Brightening Mist Lotion for protection.

I have finished my bottle of the Fancl Brightening Mist Lotion and frankly, there are not no effects visible.I did not experience any whitening effects. It gives moderate hydration but little effects otherwise.

I use this whenever my skin feels dry but it manages to hydrate my skin for a while but it becomes tight after a while. So I think this is a handy mist to carry around for emergency situations when you do not have any moisturiser on hand, but not a lasting solution to dehydrated skin.

I usually use this as part of my skincare routine at night. I spray a few times after spreading my whitening essence then use the moisture from the mist to massage the essence in a second time. I do this because sometimes I find that the essence does not get fully absorbed but gets dried up on my skin instead.

Since this Brightening Mist Lotion is said to protect from UV damage and because no one uses UV protection/sunscreen at night, I usually spray a few pumps after my last skincare step, just to use it as protection from the UV rays from the lights and computer screen. Although I am doubtful of its efficacy, I use it merely for a piece of mind.

All in all, I would not pay the price of $29.50 for another bottle of this Fancl Brightening Mist Lotion as I find it similar to other sprays in the market and I rather stick to my Avene Thermal Spring Water. I would buy/use it if it comes with another Perfect Whitening Kit.

Review: Avene Thermal Spring Water

On my previous write up on face sprays, I mentioned that I will be reviewing the Avene Thermal Spring Water. How I came across this face spray was when I had a bit of skin sensitivity to a sunblock a few years ago. My skin is unable to tolerate sunblocks like Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunblock as it made my skin burn and turned red like a lobster. So I decided to switch to the Avene Very High Protection Emulsion SPF50 instead as it was meant for sensitive skin. That was how I got introduced to this brand.

I bought the Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray on the advice on the Sales lady as this is their best selling product, I had to give it a try. Initially, I used it as a step before my moisturiser and I found it easier to glide my moisturiser on and to massage it into my skin as it made my skin moist. It also helped to calm my sensitive skin quickly as it seems to be able to lower the temperature of the skin to keep it cool. Since then, I always have a can on Avene Thermal Spring Water around with me even though I do not use it very often nowadays.

As I've mentioned before, I suffered acute dermatitis due to an allergy to an eye product and I had very red, inflamed and swollen skin around my undereye area. The only thing that managed to soothe my skin was Avene Thermal Spring Water. I sprayed the water onto a cotton pad and used it like an eye mask and this took the pain and heat away from the inflammation. My eye area felt like it was burning and the Avene water managed to cool it down such that my eyes felt much better. This was before I saw a doctor. This spray was really a savior at that time as no other product could do what the Avene water did, not even La Mer which is touted to be be moisturising and soothing for even the most sensitive skin. I left the cotton pads soaked with Avene Spring Water on the entire day, periodically spraying it to wet the cotton again. This is why I always have a can with me as it helps whenever anything bad happens to my skin.

This is one product that i have been re-purchasing over the years as it hasn't let me down.

Review: Niu Er BeautyDIY Rose Floral Water Calming Spray

I like face sprays that have properties other than providing moisture to the skin. This Niu Er BeautyDIY Rose Floral Water Calming Spray is said to contain calming, soothing and moisturising properties.  The rose water is said to be derived from the Bulgarian rose.

This spray can be used as a lotion/toner before moisturiser or as a spray as and when you need it. I find that the spray alone did not work very well for my skin as a toner and it is too bulky to carry around with me. This is why I use it as a 'carrier' for my pearl powder.

Pearl powder has very good brightening properties and have been used since the olden days as a very precious skincare ingredient that the royalty use. I use this whenever my moisturiser is too oily and I need to remove some excess oil. I find that using the pearl powder alone makes it difficult to spread which is why I add it into this Rose Floral Spray and spray it directly onto my skin before spreading it out. This would be my last skincare step. This brand's philosophy is DIY beauty and also after studying the ingredients list of the Rose Floral Spray, I found that it is a very simple list with rosewater with preservatives so I felt at ease mixing my pearl powder in directly.

Price: NT299, I purchased this through sprees online.

Rate: 3.5/5

My Experience: Face Sprays

Face Sprays are wonderful perk-me-ups for the skin and can sometimes work as an instant skin fix. Most face sprays are used for their moisturising purposes, providing instant moisture for dry skin. I have combination skin so I don't usually need a face spray unless I am in an air conditioned environment.

I have heard people telling me that using face sprays make their skin feel soothed (from dryness) for a while but after a while, it feels dryer than before. This is because most people do not pat the water into their skin. What happens is after spraying, the mist is on the skin and soothes the surface dryness. However, as the mist evaporates, it carries along with it it the moisture from the skin. This is why I find it important to clean my hands and pat the mist into my skin. 

There are a few face sprays that I will be writing about - Avene Thermal Spring Water, Clinique Moisture Surge Face Spray and Niu Er BeautyDIY Rose Floral Water Calming Spray.