Artfully Feminine

You know, I've quite taken to participating in these 'Blogger Challenge's' because it gives me an outlet to try out products I'd never pick up otherwise, and more importantly, it sets a deadline for me to get down and start blogging again. :) Anyway, today's entry, as with others that deal with more than one product, will be more summarized (so breathe easy about having to read huge chunks of text!).

First off though, I do have to mention that I've only been using these products for only two weeks; even Eucerin's promises of completely clear skin comes with the caveat of taking at least four weeks of consistent product-use to achieve said results. I really think The Sample Store is shooting itself it the foot by enforcing unrealistic deadlines on bloggers. :/ Therefore, what I can tell you as of writing this based on my limited experience with the products.The other worth mentioning is that the full DermoPurifyer ranger comprises five products - the cleanser, exfoliating scrub, moisturizer, toner and concealer stick. However, I've only had the opportunity to try out the former three.

 

 

Cleanser:

Packaging: There's a very generous 200ml of cleanser here, what with the observable norm for others being only 120-150ml. The opaque white plastic bottle, while it can appear rather inconspicuous and sterile, does fit it with the rest of the brand's professional, low-key image. Whilst I like the flap-up cap, I find that, over time, the product can seep into the crevice of the cap and generally get a little icky. The plastic is also a little too soft for my liking, often leading to me dispensing too much cleanser, though it makes for an easier grip in the shower.

Scent: There isn't any to speak of, I'd say.

Formula, Texture and Viscosity: This product is actually very runny, This item reminds me very much of the Mild Facial Cleaser from Clinique's famed three-steps skincare regime, if not a bit more viscous. The product is completely clear and very easy to spread, even without the addition of water. One point to note is that this product doesn't foam up very much, if at all; if you're the sort to favour rich, velvety suds, you'll be sorely disappointed! The product also washes off easily, leaving neither dryness or the sensation of a 'film' in its wake.

First Impressions: This cleanser claims to be soap-free, which I suppose renders it ultra-gentle, so I was a little doubtful as to whether it would be potent enough to remove my makeup and give my skin a deep clean in just one wash.These worries are quite unfounded though, as the product managed to remove my B.B. Cream/foundation and powder, blush, eyeliner(s), eyeshadows and lip product effortlessly, provided I massage it into my skin. On the occasion that I did get it into my eye, the irritation wasn't as great as I'd have expected, though I certainly teared. As mentioned, this product works effectively to clean the skin without drying or irritating it, and true to that I didn't experience any averse effects during the two weeks.

Overall: After my trial run of this product, I was left rather ambivalent about the whole thing. Nothing much about the product stood as particularly outstanding, but I didn't have any complaints about it either. It is affordable, cleans easily and well without drying my skin out and generally did what cleansers are supposed to do. However, other than being a solid if basic product, I was left still favouring my cheaper and more 'special' cleansers (eg. the Hada Labo Tamagohada face wash which niche is in exfoliation). Perhaps over time, the acne-hostile effects will kick in more observably and I will rescind these words, but as of these two weeks, I don't see myself liking this product any more I do than my other cleansers.

 

 

 

Scrub:

Packaging: This is probably as utilitarian as it gets, with a basic squeeze-tube and flip-cap. Again, Eucerin chose a servicable, as opposed to flashy, design. The one bone of contention I do have to pick with this is the size of the hole in the cap. For how runny this product is, a smaller hole would make the packaging far easier to handle. I do wish that the product came in a larger size though, for the tube only contains 100ml of product.

Scent: As much as I think fragrances are quite unnecessary in skincare products, especially those geared towards sensitive and/or acne-prone skin, I have to admit that I love the scent of this! The smell honestly brings my memories back to the crisp, dewy air of the Tazmanian forests when I was holidaying there a decade ago. :) Otherwise, I have no idea how to begin describing it, because it isn't sweet, nor minty nor anything else I can identify, just refreshing and oddly comforting.

 

 

Formula, Texture and Viscosity: The product oozes out thinner than I'm used to with scrubs. If you're accustomed to something like the popular St. Ives Apricot Scrub, you'll find you'll have to end up using quite a lot more product with this because of the lesser density of the product. There's also far less exfoliating beads here, though there appears to be two types of them - a larger green one and a barely-visible white variety. I do not know if there is a difference between the two though one of them is purportedly Lactic Acid beads. I'm no dermatologist, so I am not certain of the effects of Lactic Acid on skin, but I do know that it causes muscle aches and has to be metabolized by the liver because it is toxic in the muscles. Gulp.

 

 

First Impressions: Due to the sparse and rounded exfoliating beads , I found this product particularly non-abrasive. The gel-suspension is also delightfully easy to spread, much like the cleanser. To compensate for the generally gentler nature of this scrub though, I do find myself subconsciously spending more time and pressure massaging the beads into my skin. This product too does not strip my already slightly-dehydrated skin of moisture regardless of the frequency of usage, so I reckon even dry skins can take advantage of this. I can certainly see this product being safe to pair with a regime other exfoliating skincare or being used daily.

Overall: I'd stick my head out and say that this product doesn't do much to exfoliate nor clear out clogged pores purely by virtues of its scrubbing beads, so the Lactic Acid must be pulling its weight here. Over the short two weeks that I've been experimenting with this scrub for, I've found my skin significantly smoother to the touch, but not necessarily observably so. In that sense, it works very similar to the Hada Labo Tamagohada Exfoliating Face Wash that I've reviewed on this blog previously. I did not experience a decrease in the number of blackheads or spots during my two weeks, but perhaps the two weeks is simply too premature for any such changes to occur.

 

 

Gel-Cream: 

Packaging: Nothing to pick on here, since everything is kept simple and sanitary!:)

Scent: The scent here is almost the exact same as that in the scrub. I do find it peculiar that the cleanser should be left unscented, while the scrub and moisturizer have not. I mean, if I were sensitive to added fragrances, I would much rather have it in tolerable doses in a cleanser product that is to be washed off almost immediately, than to have it in my moisturizer which I actually leave on my skin. :/ Nonetheless, I haven't experienced any sort of negative reactions, as a result of the scent or no.

 

 

Formula, Texture and Viscosity: Firstly, the product is opaque and white. Upon applying it, one realises that the texture is really quite thick in the sense that it is rather hard to spread. However, it has a rapid dry-down on the skin and leaves absolutely no sticky or 'wet' sensation afterwards. In fact, the queerest feeling sets in when the product dries; it seems to mattify the skin, yet the surface does not feel at all powdery. The product also doesn't lie when it calls itself a gel-cream; it looks and applies like a cream but with the lightness and hydrating properties of a gel.

First Impressions: I am very pleased with this product, to be honest! I think the item really helps keep my face matte even if I were to stay in a sweltering room or under prolonged exposure to sunlight. I find that I have to I'd venture to say that this helps a little in the way of keeping my foundation in place, as the texture and performance reminds me of many a Japanese makeup base. Used on top of my Hada Labo Gokujyun Lotion, it is quite perfect for my fluctuating-around-normal skin. :)

 

 

Overall: I reckon that this product will be fantastic for normal to oily skins because, while it is unmistakably moisturizing, it isn't overtly so and has a lovely mattifying effect without exacerbating dry areas. Therefore, it strikes a good balance in more troublesome combination skins. It is because of this that I can see it controlling sebum production and in extension, help decrease the occurence of acne. However, I cannot honestly recommend this product to someone with skin any drier than that because it might not moisturize as commensurately as they might like and may even leave the skin slightly taut. I am also unable to vouch for the effectiveness of Lactic Acid as an ingredient here, but I have read numerous extremely promising reviews for it online!

If you're interested to redeem some sample to try for yourself, please do so here:

http://www.thesamplestore.sg/product/details/2288/0/name-eucerin-3-in-1-dermopurifyer-sample-kit

 And, just to fulfil the Challenge criteria even when I'm yet to be sure of my favourite Eucerin product, here's an utterly bizarre expression that (one of my three) my pet dog is donning for the camera! ;)

 

Hey ladies!

If you happen to reside or work near Holland Village (it's at Buona Vista), there's actually (what I am pretty darn certain of is) a stand selling items from Lush!

If anyone's interested, the stand is located at the entrance of Holland Road Shopping Centre, where the escalators up are located. If you've any problems finding the place, just remember that it's right beside the very prominent Cold Storage outlet. Now, I'm not sure how long they'll be there for, but I distinctly recall seeing lots of merchandise left, so perhaps you might want to hurry if you are keen.

 

 

I'm sorry I don't have any pictures to back this up (I don't carry a camera or phone with me when I'm out) but if any of you readers will be passing by the area, please do confirm of dispute this in the comment section below!

I know I am so, so, so behind on posts, and I can't see any end to my workload.  I'll get around to doing something, some time, but I just can't seem to manage it right now. As many of you ladies know, I juggle a gazillion different 'odd-jobs' on top of my primary two, so it's really hard to be keeping track of everything all the time. :(

All I've been doing is hauling since I've barely had enough time to really experiment with makeup, so don't mind if my next few entries are all really short ones on my recent purchases! I've also updated my Foundation Shades list with the names and colours of the base products I'd just gotten myself, so do check that out if you're interested. I'm also playing with the idea of showing you ladies my stash, but I'll have to hunt around the house to see if anything's being left out first. ;)

So sorry to everyone out there and please bear with me!

Love and kisses to all of you,

Anonymous B.

Hi hi!

A while back, I participated in and was lucky to get selected for a Bloggers' Challenge hosted by The Sample Store in conjunction with Kao Biore. Each blogger was supplied with three makeup removing products and were allowed to give it a short road-test before a review.

I'm sure you've all seen the other reviews for these products by now, and in contrast,  mine's probably only going to serve as a confirmation of sorts of what every other reviewer has claimed: Yes, they work! Before I get any further with this though, I'd like to bring your attention to a couple of things first:

1. I'm not directly comparing the products because, well, The Sample Shop has made it explicitly clear not to. :/

2. First time for everything, huh? I'm doing this in segments because there're three products and I want to do them all justice. I'm sure lots of you are relieved to hear this eh, but do let me know if you prefer this format to my usual rambly ones!

3. For every one of the makeup removers, I used them on a full face of makeup. By that I mean that I have the following on: Makeup base/primer, liquid/cream/stick foundation/B.B. cream, setting powder, blusher, black liquid eyeliner, sparkling liquid eyeliner, eyeshadows, brow pencil, lipstick and/or gloss. Believe it or no, I very rarely use mascara nowadays, mostly because I wear glasses and my natural lashes aren’t too shabby themselves. In the images below though, are a makeup base, a waterproof foundation, a lip and cheek colour (so I don’t run out of arm-space, see?), a cream eyeshadow/base, a pigmented powder eyeshadow, a longlasting pencil liner with stubborn glitter bits, another longlasting liquid liner, a third but coloufully pigmented tenacious liner and a gliiter-filled liquid liner in a gel suspension.

 

 

 

First up, the Hydra-Clear Makeup Remover. My favourite of the three is all I can tell you. ;)

Packaging

Well, I think it's pretty and ergonomic, so it's good with me. The bottle's made of plastic just the right thickness so it doesn't feel all cheap and crackly, but yields easily if you have to squeeze. The cap also snaps securely into place and there's zero leakage. Additionally, I love how the shape and colour alludes to water! The dispensing hole is too big to have me safely saying that you could use it with your eyes shut though; there's a tendency to get the fluid all over. It's a good thing then that the formula itself doesn't flow too quickly out, given its thickness.

Formula

 True to it's name, it sits pretty in the slender bottle looking just like water 'til you tip it out. Although many ladies may compare it to a cleansing oil, I'd stick my neck out and say that it's thicker than that; it's almost like the oil is coagulating a little into a jelly. What you get is lots of slip and thus, extra mileage in removing your makeup (cliche: a little goes a long way). Despite all of that, it isn't particularly oily at all and doesn't leave an film or residue.

 

 

Effectiveness

I think I've read somewhere that a considerable lot of people find that it doesn't clean off waterproof makeup, but I honestly don't have that problem. Honest! Granted that I've on the full deal of makeup, there really isn't much left even after a mere one-over. I only have to squirt out a Singapore twenty-cent coin worth of product into my palm, smear it over my face and rub it for less than ten seconds without focussing on any particular area. Doing so removes all of my makeup 70% of the time; sometimes I find that I have to go over with just a touch more product to completely rinse off my eye liner. I then follow up with washing my face with regular cleanser and experience no problems with needing to emulsify or scrub off any residual oiliness/stickiness.

 

 

Drawbacks

None I can think of, though I'm update this again since it's been less than two weeks, after all... If I do have to nitpick I'd say that I won't want to travel with this since the large bottle can be rather unwieldy if you're on a plane or something and it won't be the most pleasant thing to tote around in a foreign land either.

Additionally

Apparently water-based, so I've half a mind to think it's oil-free? I'm also enjoying the fact that I don't have to use any cotton pads with this, unlike most other makeup removers. It somehow seems more environmentally friendly, convenient and cost-effective. A very convenient and versatile product indeed! :D

Next is the Biore Makeup Remover for Eye and Lip:

 

 

Packaging

Pink and pleasant, I'd assume most of you ladies are thinking. ;) Personally, I'm just alright with this. The dual-phase formula, while pretty, is nowhere near novel for a makeup remover (unlike for hair products!) though I'd say that the slight prismatic facets on top are quite appealing. Again, I wish the dispensing hole could be a touch smaller, particularly since this formula is far more viscous than the last, and the cap again snaps firmly in place. Otherwise though, it's just another makeup remover on the drugstore shelves to me.

Formula

Unlike the Hydra-Clear, this doesn't have any of the thickness and is really very fluid. Because of that, you do have to take caution when tipping out the product or risk an oily counter-top. One quirk I did notice was that the product has an interesting propensity to separate really quickly, something which I enjoy observing for kicks. ;) However, if you're the sort to take time to massage your makeup off part by part, you might find it frustrating to have to keep shaking the bottle to mix up the two immiscible layers.

 

 

Effectiveness

It cleans off everything in the first round without needing to leave it on for my skin to marinate in it, nor do I really need to massage it over say, my eyes, to clean off more stubborn/waterproof makeup. There was a bit of a residue, but nothing some soap and tepid water couldn't emulsify quickly. I don't expect any more or less of any other specialized makeup remover though, so while its performance is commendable, it didn't quite have anything extraordinary to offer (nowadays, Hyaluronic Acid doesn't cut is as much of a bonus, since every product carries it!).

Drawbacks

It gives a slight tingle to my eyes the first time I used it. Don't get me wrong though, it was more alarming than unpleasant since it never actually stung. Subsequently though, I never had the same sensation as long as I used the product consecutively. I did, however, stop for five days or so to try out another Biore cleansing product and when I returned to this stuff, the feeling was back! As with before though, later uses proved that the sensation didn't plague me. I was confounded to no end by this and even asked my mother to try it out, but she reported that she didn't feel anything despite being sure it got into her eye at some point. :/

 

 

Additionally

Personally, I think that this is tied  in a deadlock with the Neutrogena Eye & Lip Makeup Remover and ranks just under Lancome's Bi-Facil, the latter only because my eyes feel really smooth and taut even after cleansing again with soap. However, in the price category, I'd definitely say that it's a toss-up between this and the Neutrogena, since they're so very similar in every aspect. Of course, if I was allowed to pit Biore product against Biore product, well, you already know my choice! :x

And lastly, here's the Biore Cleansing Oil Cotton Sheets (does it really contain cleansing oil though?):

 

 

Packaging

Pink, again, so make what you can of it. ;) The opaque plastic casing for this product is very sturdy, though if you were to go travelling with it, the removable bottom plate that holds up the wipes is sure to fall off.  I do like that the 'cover' portion which you can flip up to reveal the product can be secured into place so it doesn't flap against the surface (if that makes sense?) and threaten to dry out the moisture of the wipes.

Formula

Not really applicable in this case, but if anything I'll say that the cloths aren't too saturated with makeup remover so it's not dripping all over, but it's definitely sufficient for thorough cleansing. The fabric itself is quite soft and of reasonable and plushy thickness too, but it can be a little abrasive if you're impatient and rub is vigorously over sensitive or thin skin. There's a soft powdery scent that, considering this product washes immediately off afterwards, really doesn't play too big a factor here.

 

 

Effectiveness

Well, I'd say that the makeup removing prowess of this product is the comparative weakest of the three, though it isn't by any means shabby. Considering that wipes are almost never as potent as their bottled counterparts, this one performs commensurately anyway, removing all my makeup in four wipes or less, save for non-waterproof mascara. With the latter, I find that I have to gather a bit of the cloth around my index finger, hold it in place over my lashes for a few seconds before wiping downwards gently in a zig-zag motion (the reverse of mascara application). In the picture above, I've shown how my arm looks after a single quick swipe over with the cloth, before taking an additional two wipes to completely remove all product.

Drawbacks

There are a mere 48 wipes in this large pack (there's a smaller pack of ten), which isn't a lot if you're me and you have on makeup virtually every day of the week. With nigh-daily use, there's probably barely two month's usage (or less) so it's definitely less cost-effective than any of the other makeup removers. This may or may not work out to be a bad thing for others though, especially if you're the sort to use light-ish makeup only a couple times a week and don't want to let liquid cleansing formulas 'stale'. The other thing about this is that the wipes aren't particularly large, so you might have to milk out the usage by using both sides of each wipe.

 

 

Additionally

With this, I can't emphasize how important it is to follow the instructions noted behind and hold the wipe over more stubborn (eye) makeup for a few seconds. By doing so, you can usually remove most of your eye makeup, but all bets are off if you use either one of Majolica Majorca's or Fasio's notoriously tenacious mascaras. Otherwise, you may simply end up rubbing over your eye area, which is likely to end in some form of eyelash fatality. This product is available in just ten wipes though, so those'll be perfect for bringing on a trip. Anyway, I can only safely recommend this if you aren't a fan of waterproof products or if you generally favour light makeup, especially while travelling.