Review: Fancl Moist & Vital Mask (Limited Edition)

credit: fancl.com.sg

This is a limited edition mask from Fancl, but I think it is still available in stores, so go out to grab it if you want to try it out.

Fancl Moist & Vital Mask is a facial mask with a cream-type essence. Indeed, when I removed the mask from the packaging the first time, I thought: what a strange mask material. It felt plasticky but adhered nicely to the skin. There is a lot of excess essence when I removed the mask from the packaging and when I squeezed the mask material after using the mask for 15 mins, more essence was squeezed out, so the mask is nicely saturated with essence and because of the texture of the essence, there is no issue of dripping essence. It's the first time I am using a cream-type essence mask. The "cream" is more like an emulsion than a cream. It is very rich and would suit dry skin the best. I thought it was too rich for my combination skin and I only used this once a month. Although the mask is rich, it didn't cause any break outs or clogged pores.

After using the mask, my skin was very moisturised. It took more massaging than other masks for the essence to be absorbed. But then again, my face was still oily with the cream essence after massaging. After half an hour, I blotted the remaining oil with a tissue paper. I couldn't bring myself to follow the mask with a moisturiser, so I patted on some Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moisturising Lotion.

This Fancl Moist & Vital Mask contains HTC Collagen and Hydroxyproline , which enhances collagen production. And Hyaluronic Acids for long-lasting, intensive hydration.

This is a wonderful mask but too rich for my skin - very hydrating but too oily. It would be great for dry skin or if you're in a dry climate.

Review: Niu Er BioBeauty Advanced Hydrating Serum II

Niu Er BioBeauty Advanced Hydrating Serum II is basically made of hyaluronic acid, which is one of my favourite ingredients to have in my skincare products. Hyaluronic Acid is a humectant, which can suck up moisture from deeper skin layers to the skin surface to hydrate the skin surface. Hyaluronic acid can hold moisture up to 6000 times its weight, so 1ml of hyaluronic acid can hold 6 litres of water! It is amazing and it is one of the hottest ingredients around.

I am now using my fourth bottle of this Niu Er BioBeauty Advanced Hydrating Serum II as it is a relatively cheap and basic serum and it sufficiently hydrates my skin. It is easily absorbed and is sticky as I am patting it in but once it has been fully absorbed the stickiness goes away. This stickiness is very mild so it doesn't bother me at all.

I use this after all my other serums (so I use my whitening serum before using this) and before moisturiser. I use 3 drops and pat it into my skin. And since it can hold lots of water, i spray Avene Thermal Spring Water then pat it in again.

Pricewise, BioBeauty products in general are quite affordable and the same goes for this BioBeauty Advanced Hydrating Serum II. I have been re-purchasing this serum. But there is the new Hada Labo Hydrating Lotion out in Watsons now, which is the new hype from Japan that uses Hyaluronic Acid as the main ingredient as well and I shall be comparing the two before deciding which to repurchase.

DIY Your Moisturiser with Rose Hip Oil and Hyaluronic Acid!

There are ingredients that I like but can hardly find products that I like, so I have yet to find my ideal holy grail moisturizer.
A very good example of an ingredient I like is Rose Hip Oil. The brand of Rose Hip Oil I use is Trilogy (I prefer this to Renew, both available at Watsons Ngee Ann City) however the Trilogy brand moisturisers are cream-based and too thick for our humid climate. I also find that using Rose Hip oil alone as a moisturiser too oily. So what I do is I customise my moisturisers.

Rose Hip Oil:

Rose Hip Oil contains Omega 3, 6 & 9, essential fatty acids and antioxidants to restore optimum skin health. Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil has been clinically tested and shown to help minimise the appearance of wrinkles, smooth skin and dramatically improve skin moisture levels, leaving the skin's appearance radiant and glowing.

I like to use emulsion/lotion form moisturisers and find moisturisers like the Trilogy moisturising cream too rich and thick for our humid climate. Because normal moisturiser have ingredients to emulsify oil-based ingredients into a cream form, the rose hip oil will easily 'combine' and melt into your moisturiser, making it a moisturiser with all the benefits of Rose Hip Oil!

My routine.. :  Pump out the amount of moisturiser you use for your daily skincare regime onto your palm, add one drop of rose hip oil and mix (I usually add one drop, I add two drops if my face feels dry, dull, tired or if I want to massage my face for a longer time). Apply onto face and massage, spray some Avene thermal spring water to emulsify rose hip oil and gently massage skin and press into skin. To increase absorption of your moisturiser, rub your two palms together to warm them, then cup if over your face. 

Hyaluronic Acid:

Hyaluronic is another well-loved skincare ingredient with highly moisturising properties. Hyaluronic acid can lock moisture in your skin and itself absorb up to many times of water content as compared to the original size of the hyaluronic molecule. It is also essential for maintaining collagen in our skin. Hyaluronic acid Advanced Hydrating Serum II from Niu Er's Biobeauty is where I get my dose of hyaluronic acid into daily skincare regime. Many skincare products have small amounts of Hyaluronic Acid in it but I feel that it isn't sufficient for enough of the wonderful benefits of Hyaluronic Acid.

What I do...? On top of adding one drop of Rose Hip oil, I also add one drop of Hyaluronic Acid Serum into my moisturiser. I skip the step of this hydrating serum as I use whitening and other serums and do not want to burden my skin with an additional layer. Most products already contain hyaluronic acid and adding an additional drop to boost the benefits of your moisturiser by giving your skin more moisture.

On top of that, cream-based moisturisers are usually too thick and rich for my liking as they leave my skin sticky. If I do happen to have a cream, using less of the cream and adding the hyaluronic acid will help to 'dilute' your moisturiser to make it less thick and more similar to an lotion, whilst using the hyaluronic acid to provide moisture.

Share your skincare DIY experiences with me!