Hiruscar Anti-Acne Range To Keep Your Skin Flawless

I'm not gonna lie here, my skin never was the best. In fact, its still littered with black and whiteheads, ripe and unripe tiny pimples, enlarged pores etc etc. Hormonal change happened to me when I was 15 — my skin took a downturn then, especially along my jawline. And when couple with itchy fingers that will only rest when they've successfully clawed the life out of sore, raw pimples... we have a winning combination.

So it's pretty much safe to say that my complexion is pretty meh. Granted that it has improved so, so, SO much ever since I took the plunge with skincare from The Ordinary, there are little acne scars that have followed me for years. 

And with Hiruscar's Anti Acne Range promising to actively improve acne woes in just two days... I knew I had to give it a good go. 

Behold... the bare faced selfie:

No makeup except concealer under the eyes, fill-in brows, and a swipe of mascara

I have a huge zit that I just popped right smack in the middle of my right cheek, and that red little spot is the remnants of its once rounded glory. It has been close to five days, and while the area has significantly flattened, the scar still remains. (Itchy fingers, once again.) 

That spot right there will thus be our test subject — I'd love for it to go away soon!!!

But first, more about Hiruscar Anti-Acne. Being a dermatological skincare range that's specially formulated for acne prone skin, ingredients in its products include aloe vera to soothe annoying redness, as well as salicylic acid — the warrior component that helps actively fight acne. 

(P.S. Salicylic acid is the HG that kept my skin relatively clear these days. I just finished up a bottle from The Ordinary, so this range came by just in time.)

There are three products in the range; a cleanser, a serum, and a spot gel.

Hiruscar Anti-Acne Pore Purifying Cleanser

$14.90

God, first impressions of this cleanser: it smells fresh. I do like my facial cleansers to come with some sort of minty scent, but a whiff of this fresh, fuss-free product does appeal to me as well. (Scents may sometimes irritate sensitive skin, so it's nice that Hiruscar thought of that aspect instead of piling on the artificial aromas that might trigger reactions.)

The product itself is very liquid-y and lightweight, so don't expect a fluffy mousse or viscous gel. Due to how fluid it is, the product spreads out fast, and doesn't require much effort for it to start foaming after being worked into the skin.

I love this lock function of the cap!

What I do like is that the formula is incredibly gentle. It doesn't tug or pull on your skin, nor leaves it feeling dehydrated after cleansing. My skin feels clean, with all that dirt and sebum removed, but still adequately moisturised. 

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Hiruscar Anti-Acne Pore Purifying Serum

$39.90

Serums are possibly my second favourite products when it comes to skincare, with the first being sheet masks. Serums after sheet masks — a golden combination. This one by Hiruscar charmed me over with how gentle and lightweight it is; I personally don't quite like having heavy products piled up on my face.

The scent of this one is a tad too strong for my liking though. Upon application, I realised that the product actually smelt... spicy. Somewhat like ginger; which wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but it was  just a bizarre choice of scent for skincare products. I took a quick peek at the ingredients list, and my guess wasn't far — the serum does include onion bulb extract in it. Turns out that one active ingredient helps in preventing inflammation of acne scars, which reduces redness and in the long run help the scar fade away entirely.

Aaaaaand the one key feature that I really appreciate: the serum has pore-tightening effects! I only use toners that promise to tighten pores because as mentioned, my gaping pores are just... huge. The current one that I'm using is by Caolion, and while that one works beautifully, I'm looking forward to use this one in the long run just as much.

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Hiruscar Anti-Acne Spot Gel

$19.90

We've now arrived at what Hiruscar deems as it's star product — the Spot Gel. It's all in a name really. The product is essentially a gel that's used for spot treatments of acne problems like blackheads, whiteheads and pimples. It has a more concentrated amount of salicylic acid to really dive deep to target problem areas, as well as Vitamin C to lighten acne scars and dark patches of skin.

The gel is clear and thicker than the previous two products, but it still gets absorbed into the skin quickly. Perfect for wearing under makeup~

My current concoction of these two power ingredients consist of the salicylic acid formula by The Ordinary, as well as Vitamin C derivative from Skin Inc. The Spot Gel is effectively a two-in-one product that'll I'll probably find much use out of in snoozy mornings, and it comes in a dainty tube perfect for travelling. 

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Now as mentioned in the earlier portion of this entry, we'll be tracking the very obvious red spot on my cheek to see if it lightens after using the trio of products for TWO DAYS. Bold claim, but we'll nonetheless give it a fair test — all of my current skincare products remain the same, except for the ones that Hiruscar will be replacing. 

Here's what my skin looked like when I applied the Spot Gel on Wednesday morning:

I probably don't even have to direct your attention to *that* spot anymore

And on Friday morning:

How drastic is the difference?! Most of the redness is gone — bear in mind I don't have a single swipe of base makeup on me at all — and that spot that we were trying to test? It does look so much lighter!!! The gel did take away the redness around the area and it doesn't look as jarring as before. I can easily cover that up with concealer, while healing it at the same time.

The serum might have been the one product that effectively got rid of all the annoying red splotchy patches on my face due to the onion bulb extract in it. I'm so impressed.

Should you want to try out the Spot Gel for yourself before committing to an actual purchase, simply sign up an account with Sample Store and you'll be able to redeem a sample size of the gel for yourself. 

And after you're convinced, all you have to do is to pop by any Watsons or Guardian stores to get your hands on your very own set of Hiruscar Anti-Acne range.

This entry is bought to you by Sample Store, in collaboration with Hiruscar Anti-Acne. 

Getting Highlights At J&J Hair Identity Salon

For someone who's never had her hair dyed at all in 22 years of her life, I was thrilled to be invited down to J&J Hair Identity Salon for a hair treatment / makeover of my choice. Granted that I did have a choice of going all unicorn-mermaid with pastels and whatnots, I still decided to play it safe by just trying a different hair colour out with simple blonde highlights. Since I already had natural chestnut brown hair, the 'base colour' was kinda settled and all I had to do was... hope that the stylists at J&J's delivered great results.

And they did! Here's my hair after highlights:

I will put this out there: I was really quite expecting an ashier tone to the blonde strips instead of the more yellow-hued shade, and I do need some time getting used to having a new colour in my mane (it's my first hair dye experience after all), but the colour does grow onto you over time. I also just realised that I wasn't given the choice of choosing which shade of blonde I wanted to go — the hairstylist jumped straight in. It was overall a really pleasant experience though. J&J, if you're reading this, I'm more than happy to head back to your salon for a different shade of highlight anytime soon ~

My session only took two hours, which was nothing compared to the girls who had to sit in the salon for nine hours straight. But that said, service was still great — I was informed of whatever was being done to my hair, from the first to the last step, something that I really appreciated for a first-timer.

The dyes being used at J&J's are from Natulique, an organic hair dye brand that's ammonia-free and environmentally friendly. And it's true, come to think of it, I never smelt anything remotely chemical / foul-smelling during my session, and even when I'm bleaching my hair.


via GIPHY
What was the most pleasant part of my treatment was actually the hair wash. My hair stylist had such magic fingers — she gave me one of the best scalp massages that I've ever gotten from any salon, and I could've fell right asleep while she gently washed my hair clean. It was a beautifully pleasant experience and I'd highly recommend J&J's, should you want a pamper sesh for your scalp.

L - in the process of bleaching / R - after washing hair

I then got a quick trim to even out my hair ends, and got my tresses curled before leaving the salon. Everything was done efficiently, and the stylists who attended to me knew exactly what they were doing. I found that really important because I've had hair stylists who seem... lost when they were explaining thing to me / proceeding on the next step which y'know, can never be a good thing because they may potentially screw up your hair!!! But nothing of that sort at J&J's.

The ambience of the place was tranquil and bright. It contributed to a peaceful feeling that has the ability to lull you into a snooze should you be staying at the salon for long, and generally just puts your soul at ease while the hair stylists work their magic.

J&J Hair Identity Salon is located on level 2 of Katong Square Mall. Prices range from $25 for a wash and blow, to $328, for a cut+perm/rebond. Check out their Facebook page for more information, and their Instagram account for some of their past works on satisfied customers.

This entry is brought to you by Samplestore, in collaboration with J&J Hair Identity Salon.

Beauty Keeper / Taiwan's Most Innovative Beauty Products

If there's anything that you should know about me, is that I love skincare, and I don't discriminate. Western, Korean, Japanese, and even Taiwanese (admittedly my least used), I am game to try anything, as long as it promises me soft, supple and kissable skin.

Asian skincare products are my most used, well, firstly because I'm Asian myself and these products are likely to be formulated to work best on #teamazn. Current favs are Hada Labo (been using this shiz since forever and it has never failed me) and Laneige, a relatively recent obsession. Shame on me, though, for not using much Taiwanese products though, and I will fully confess that the reason is because I honestly do not know what are the best ones out there.

I mean, if you're gonna spend moolah on it, you'd want to go for something that's already been tried and tested, right? I know places like SaSa has tons of imported Taiwanese products but you're never really sure which are the best ones unless a trusted (and I emphasise trusted) beauty influencer recommends or you get to pick from sites that actually curates the best of the best.

And that's exactly what Beauty Keeper Taiwan does. They curate some of the most innovative Taiwanese beauty products in the market for consumers who are looking for smart beauty and skincare.

I have with me today, a selection of skincare of products that was most kindly sent to me by SampleStore and I'm thrilled to finally get my hands on some of the best Taiwanese skincare. I've tried a couple of items for a few days now and have mostly not been disappointed.

From top left, clockwise:
1. Ethel AHASource of Citric Acid Tablet
2. Sevynal Brightening and Firming Repair Mask
3. VitaLab Perfecting Revitalising Elixir
4. Jandan Rose Facial Essence

Let's get right into it:-

Jandan Rose Facial Essence

If it's one thing that I'm particularly impressed about this toner water is the subtle rose fragrance that comes with it. Now I don't really care for scents, especially when it comes down to skincare because they kinda irritate me. Especially lavender scents.

This one, however, smells really fresh — almost like a fresh bouquet of roses. It's quite soothing I must say. The toner itself performed well too, it is lightweight and got absorbed quickly into my skin.  Skin felt hydrated and refreshed after. There was no sticky feeling after patting the liquid in, which is always a plus point.

As its name suggests (Jan Dan meaning 'simple' in Mandarin), the toner is packed with natural ingredients — a whole 46% of it in fact, and the remaining 54% being water. Use it in your daily skincare regime for brighter skin, or as a light moisturiser for days when not much makeup is needed.


VitaLab Perfecting Revitalising Elixir 

Okay, those of you who still have that common misconception by thinking that products that promise to "reduce fine lines" are only for middle aged women, throw that thought out now. Not having fine lines does not mean that we can't use such products; in fact religious application only serves to protect the skin longer against wrinkles. Nobody says no to that, right?

The cream felt very much like any other creme products. It was relatively light, and did not have any particular scent to it. It did, however, took some time before being fully absorbed into my skin. But that might be due to the heavier consistency of the product, and also the fact that only a small amount is needed to be used on problem areas.


Sevynal Brightening and Firming Repair Mask

I love sheet masks!!! And I am willing to try absolutely any kind of masks, from firming to moisturising. This one from Sevynal is made from ingredients that are environmentally friendly, so brownie points for that. The sheet itself is made of 100% cotton, so the mask better holds to the good stuff, and the material is supposedly made for better adherence to your face.



There weren't any instructions as to how long was I supposed to leave the mask on, so I went ahead with the usual 15-20 minutes routine. My greatest peeve with this mask was that it refused to be stuck to my face. Was it perhaps of the wholly cotton claim that made the mask less soft and flimsy to the touch? The ends of the mask kept flipping off my skin and the lower half of the mask was just way too big for my face. It wasn't a good experience and I sat through the duration constantly tugging at it to ensure that it adheres to the curve of my chin.

My skin did look brighter, though the firming effect did leave something to be desired. I was kinda expecting the mask to have some sort of moisturising effect, as per most masks, and that did happen — but it went away quickly. I still had to go ahead with my usual amount of moisturiser (usually I use a lil lesser after a good mask) to keep my face hydrated.


Ethel AHASource of Citric Acid Tablet

Haven't got down to trying this one yet, but it sure does look interesting. I've never had skin supplements before so a part of me is feeling kinda sketchy about this, but you never know if you don't try, right? The exfoliators that I use, from BeautyBiotics has AHA in it so I guessing that this is great for the generation of new skin cells (because you can't rid of dead skin by having tablets right...?)

The tabs are water soluble, but I'm not sure what do they taste like. Perhaps lemon? Anyhow, my choice would be to mix them into a fruit smoothie that you can sip on while watching Netflix. Three to five tablets per serving!

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Now that I took my first step into Taiwanese beauty, I'm more confident to purchase even more brands. Apparently there are some bombass sheet masks from Taiwan so you can be sure that I'll be stocking up on those. My favourite from the bunch would be the Jan Dan Rose Facial Essence, which I'll be testing out more to see if it could rival my beloved Hada Labo.

Interested folks, do have a peek at beauty-keeper.com and you might just end up snagging some Taiwanese beauty goodies!

This entry is brought to you by Beauty Keeper, in collaboration with SampleStore.

Much love,
Chels x

Bioré Marshmallow Whip / Airy Fairy Creamy

Pssssssst, I think I might just have a new-found favourite facial cleanser.... the Bioré Marshmallow Whip!

Now if you guys aren't aware, my skin inclines towards the oily side, and trust me — it's so hard to keep yourself from looking all shiny sometimes. I've always been using foundations with matte finishes and I douse my face in setting spray before I step out of the house.

On good days, I come home after a day of errands with my makeup still intact, and only my nose shines. On other days, I come home a greaseball. I'm not even kidding — my cheeks will be oily, my nose literally glows and my forehead will be disgustingly greasy. And on top of that, I'll spot my eye makeup smudging (after using the most budge-proof ones) because my lids are oily.

All of the above complaints are further aggravated by the !@#$%^ weather that Singapore is experiencing. 36 degree celcius outside?!?! That's like my body temperature!!

It's so frustrating because I always always always use primers!!!!

But that said I dislike using facial washes for oily skin because (the ones I tried) tend to strip away moisture from my skin and I come out from the show with dry, thirsty skin and I end up lathering myself with more post-shower moisturiser than usual.

So I always used facial washes for normal skin because I believe my skin is a combination of normal-oily. 30-70 maybe.

The Bioré Marshmallow Whip is a cleanser routine changer!!!

If it's anything that I absolutely adore about this cleanser (omg so hard to pick though) it would be the fact that the wash does not dry my skin out.

Bioré has always been known for the effectiveness of their products and I'm so thrilled to say that the new Deep Clean range did not disappoint too.

Foam was fluffy and thick, but at the same time lightweight. Very much like their name Marshmallow Whip. The consistency was almost like whipped cream — very dense and fine, but in soap form. That's attributed to the size of the bubbles in the foam which were engineered to be smaller than the size of our pores.

Now the thing about foam products is that because they're made of bubbles, they might not lather upon contact with your wet face because well, the product just melts away. The Marshmallow Whip though, lathers beautifully. Airy fairy foam touched my face, I start to massage my skin, and the foam forms a creamy consistency. I can't see the bubbles cleaning my face, but I can feel that the process is thorough and that itself is already an assurance of a good product.

And as it promised, the Marshmallow Whip washes off to a smooth and squeaky clean face, but because it's so gentle on the skin, my skin did not feel dehydrated at all. I say this with much conviction because I am genuinely blown away by the effectiveness of the product.

Also, super excited to keep my oily skin until control so I don't end up like a greaseball all the time.

Because cleaning oily skin does not equate to stripping off all sebum from your face!

The Bioré Marshmallow Whip Deep Clean Facial Wash is retailed at $13.90, and can be found at all beauty stores, department stores, and hyper-supermarts.

This entry is brought to you by Bioré, in collaboration with SampleStore.

Much love,
Chels x

Eruca Haircare / Nature in a bottle

You can always count on the Japanese to bring to us the most beautiful of products, inside out. ErucA is a Japanese haircare brand that prides itself on having botanical oil infused shampoos and conditioners, so that your hair stays in the pinkest of health and the prettiest at its best!

ErucA places its focus on seed oils that gives your hair the healthy natural shine. These seed oils come from broccoli, cowberry, milk thistle etc that can coat hair in a 'silicone-like effect', yet au naturel! The brand has come up with three ranges of haircare products: Extra Volume Up, Moist and Repair and Scalp and Volume.

The Extra Volume Up collection is definitely my favourite! I have fine and thin hair, and I always have to blow dry it before I go to bed if not it'll result in flat and limp hair the next day, which is not appealing at all. If I'm feeling lazy, I'd apply mousse and blow dry it, then spritz on hair spray so that my hair stays in shape. Not exactly the healthiest of haircare choices....

But not anymore with the Extra Volume Up shampoo and hair foam!

Both products are silicone-free, and help to volumise the hair from root to tip so that you need not use any harmful hair products that may potentially destroy your hair. (How ironic isn't it... In a bid to achieve beautiful hair we're actually slowly destroying it...) 

The foam smells beautiful. Light and bouncy, it applies easy on my hair and is quick absorbed. Most of the time I simply rub it in dry hair and give it a good blow on medium heat, and I'm good to go!

The Scalp & Volume collection is targeted at people who are looking to regain their scalp health. We constantly put our scalp to damage due to all our hair modification procedures, be it dying, perming, rebonding - sometimes every blow drying might hurt our scalp! And, as "gentle" as any process might sound, they are still harmful to your scalp, which may result in premature hair loss. 

That's where this collection comes into play! The botanical oils in the Scalp & Volume series helps restore the pH levels of damaged scalps to a balanced one, and also helps to moisturise and alleviate scalp problems, such as itchiness or dandruff.

The hair mask is one of my top-picks. Simply because apart from washing and conditioning, our hair deserves pampering from time to time, and what more luxurious that a good dollop of botanical-oil infused hair mask to seal the deal? The hair mask is of an addictive floral scent that not only deeply moisturises your scalp and hair, but also leaves you with a fresh-smelling mane.

Now tell me, which girl does not desire for a head of gorgeous silky smooth hair that flutters with the wind? Try the Moist & Repair collection then! This series contains products that are infused with oils that help in restoring water and oil into your scalp and hair itself for frizz-free mane.

Say yes to manageable hair! Moist & Repair products contain argan oil, virgin prune oil and marula oil that gently rids your hair of frizz and flyaway strands.

The shampoo is clear and light, and glides easily along my hair. 

Which brings me to my next point: Use the right amount of shampoo / treatment for optimal results!

For short hair (i.e. pixie cut), use products the size of a ten cent coin. Fifty cent coin for average hair length, say from ears to slightly below the shoulder, and two twenty cent coins for long hair below the shoulder. Using more product does not mean better / faster results!

ErucA products can be found at Guardian and Tokyu Hands. For online purchases, make use of this link: http://www.maimeescorner.com.

Products retail for $18.90 to $22.90.

This entry is brought to you by ErucA, in collaboration with Samplestore.

Much love,

Chels x

Kotex luxe ultrathin overnight / never your fault

*Warning: This entry touches on a sensitive topic for girls, so if you're uncomfortable reading about periods and pads please go ahead and watch some cute videos of cats falling off ledges. Period!

It's that time of the month again...

To be honest, periods are fine. After years of lamenting on the unfairness between the sexes, I've come to accept that periods are part of what makes girls women, and there really is nothing we can do about it except to just think of menstruation as a natural process that we have to go through every month.

What ticks me off, however, is the fact that with periods come uncontrollable flowing of blood. And with uncontrollable flowing of blood comes... Leakage. Stains. Embarrassment. Frustration.

I have the bad habit of tossing and turning when I sleep, and I always sleep on my side. Those are the worst habits to have when it comes to periods. Imagine sleeping on your side while the blood flows. If the pads aren't secured tightly enough to your undies, BAM. You can be sure 1. Leakages WILL take place, 2. Your panties will be stained, 3. Your shorts might be stained, 4. In the worst case scenario, your bedsheets might be stained.

Trust me on this. I've personally experienced all of the above — and I always felt really frustrated at myself. Why can't I sleep on my back? Why didn't I align the pad to this certain position? Why didn't I ensure that the pads stuck onto my panties firmly?

Now, when I received the Kotex Luxe Ultrathin Overnight Pads I still wasn't exactly bought by the many advertisements that they had online. I mean, pads are pads right? I never got down to opening the packs until the next time my period came (which is also the reason why this entry was delayed for about a month...) and was pleasantly surprised when I ripped it open.

SO COLOURFUL!!!!! Have you ever seen pads packaged in such bright happy colours? NOT ME.

Packaging aside, The Kotex LUXE Night pads definitely bought me over. I was on Day 1 of my period and I wore the pad to bed, as usual, precariously hoping that I won't end up staining my undies. Guess what, I woke up to clean panties. Not even a drop.

Can you imagine how impressed I was???

I wore it again the next night, with Day 2 being the "heavy flow" period. You know the thing about periods is that at random moments there will be strong "gushes" of blood? The pad has to be absorbent enough to take on these incoming flow so that it doesn't leak. I got the same result as per the first day — no leakages, no stains.

I woke up a happy girl despite being on my period :)

So now, to explain the mechanics behind the amazing Kotex LUXE Night pads:

1. The pad is 32cm long, so it covers from end to end like a pair of mini pampers.

2. Honeycomb Liquid-Locker (New): The middle portion of the pad (where the blood first comes into contact with the pad) is specially designed to rapidly absorb fluid, and to lock it in to prevent back-flow.

3. Ultra Comfort Cover (New): The centre portion of the pad will keep your skin dry, while the surrounding parts of the pad, lovingly named the 'Comfort Cover', is soft and cottony, providing your skin with the most intimate care it needs.

4. Surround Lock Protector (New): The surrounding areas of the pads are embossed with star-contours for additional security against leakage.

And with that, it's no wonder that Kotex brands as "The pad that will help you realise that overnight leakage is never your fault." I fully agree!!!

The Kotex LUXE also comes in Day pads, which are 24cm with the same functions. No more compromises on performance levels, even when on periods!

Each pack retails at $5.95, but should you want to experience the revolutionary pad as a sample first, you could always redeem one from Sample Store, or request for one through Kotex's Facebook page.

This entry brought to you by KOTEX, in collaboration with Sample Store.

Much love
Chels x

Bioré Aqua Jelly Makeup Remover / Coming Clean

This is how my makeup looks like when I'm heading out. Putting on makeup is easy — we all start off on a fresh face and continue piling products on till satisfied. Removing makeup — now that is the hard part. How many times have I wished for my makeup to just magically disappear after a long day's worth of activities, and that I can still wake up to clean and healthy skin.

But no. As much as we desire it, makeup isn't just going to be sublimed into thin air, and that is why i constantly strive to find makeup removers that are energy and time friendly.

What do I mean by that? Simply put, makeup removers that are all-in-one, effectively removes makeup (i.e. no need for back and fro wiping) and still leaves my skin free from oiliness.

The answer might just be found in Bioré's latest makeup removal product — the Aqua Jelly Makeup Remover. Makeup enthusiasts would know that Bioré is Japan's top makeup removal brand, and wouldn't be foreign to successful products like the Bioré Cleansing Wipes and Micellar Water.

The Aqua Jelly, as its name suggests, is of a revolutionary jelly-gel like texture. It is different from the usual makeup removers, which tend to come in really watery and fluid consistencies. That said, it is still made of high water concentration, which results in a light liquid that is able to easily glide across your skin, while dissolving your makeup.

And the best part... Without the need to use cotton pads and/or tissue paper!!!

I was quite skeptical about the whole lack of cotton pads idea, I mean, does that mean that there will be no wiping involved???

The answer is YES.

The Aqua Jelly has the ability to dissolve even the most waterproof and oil proof of makeups by just massaging, and it leaves your skin squeaky clean after rinsing off.

I'm gonna put the Aqua Jelly through a small test, using the my most water-resistant products.

I have on my hand swatches of the different makeup products that I use on a daily basis. Most of them are extremely water, sweat and smudge resistant because I tend to have oily skin. (I would've swatched on my M.A.C lippie but I didn't have it with me then...)

From the left:
1. Nature Republic Super Origin B.B Cream
2. IN2IT Eyebrow Liner in Dark Brown
3. CLIO Kill Black Pen Eyeliner (this is, imo, the holy grail of eyeliners. After searching high and low for it I finally found a liquid eyeliner that doesn't budge AT ALL.)
4. Revlon ColourStay Pencil Eyeliner in Black Brown (Once again, another eyeliner that can last the weather. Favourite on casual days where I'm lazy to draw on the liquid eyeliner.)
5. Essence Matt Lipstick in All You Need Is Red

The Aqua Jelly is transparent and flows really easily! Look it's almost dripping off my wrist despite just pumping it on. I let it stay on for awhile, around 30 seconds before starting to lightly massage it for about three rounds.

After rinsing, B.B. cream is totally gone, eyebrow liner and lipstick swatches became faint, while the two eyeliners are still prominent. (See, what did I say about these eyeliners?!) This time round, I pumped twice and massaged it harder (the force equivalent to massaging your face with a facial cleanser).

And... Tadah!!! Everything gets washed away upon rinsing! From the looks of it my wrist doesn't look oily too.

Now, you may think that it may work on my wrist but not on my face, so let's try it on my made up face too.

Washed off half side of my made up face using around three full pumps of the Aqua Jelly. As expected, everything came off easily and as I look into the mirror after rinsing I see a clean face that feels airy and smooth.

My only gripe is that the massaging process might get a little messy; especially if you're into eyeshadow, because while massaging all the colours tend to get "mixed", creating this somewhat unsightly slush. But upon washing it off (the jelly washes off easily too) you'd be greeted with a fresh face, so yes, I can overlook that.

I'd bare my acne marks for you, Bioré. 

Do get your own bottle of Bioré Aqua Jelly Makeup Remover at all leading supermarkets, personal care stores and western pharmacies and departmental stores for $24.90. Alternatively, should you want to try out the product first, Samplestore is giving out free samples, do catch them before they run out of samples!

This entry brought to you by Bioré, in collaboration with Samplestore. 

Much love,
Chels x

Essential / Leave-on treatment

Been a really happy girl after receiving some products from famed Japanese hair care brand Essential! This September they've recently launched two new products — my favourite hair care concepts — the Essential CC Oil and Night Care Milk.

These two products are both leave-on hair serums. That means there is no need to wash them off after use; in fact you can just slum into bed with it! Lazy products created for lazy people like me.

Both products target damage caused to hair that people often overlook. Apart from the usual harm caused by dyeing, perming, rebounding etc., our daily activities also causes friction, resulting in our hair undergoing wear and tear without us knowing.

The Essential CC Oil is a non-greasy hair oil that functions the same way as your typical BB / CC cream — it has different multiple functions to shield every hair strand from the five hair stresses that every girl faces.

Aptly termed the Cuticle Care Oil, the sweet smelling serum protects your hair from these five stresses, caused either by external factors or personal habits:

1. Blow-Drying 
The heat from blow-drying removes moisture both from inside and outside our hair follicle, and that is the reason why constant blow-drying leaves hair dry and brittle. Girls who blow-dry their hair at night before sleep and in the morning before leaving home are especially susceptible to damaged hair.

2. Combing
Even the simplest and most common of tasks can lead to hair damage! Combing through wet hair, especially, causes great amounts of damage as our hair is in it's most fragile state, after going through all the tugging and scrubbing in the bath. Likewise, combing through dry / permed hair causes hair knots that makes hair prone to unnecessary breakage.

When I still had my long permed hair I got so frustrated combing my hair after bathing. It was wet, tangled and full of knots which got me riled up all the time because I always want to comb through them. Most of the time I just force my comb through the knots... And now I know that causes hair damage as well :(

3. Split Ends
The longer the hair, the older the hair, and thus the driest the hair. Split ends occur because our natural protective hair cuticle is destroyed by every day activities, resulting in the ends of the hair splitting into two. I used to have them all the time when I had my long mane, they were really ugly.

4. Hair Breakage
That means that hair breaks off halfway, or simple falls off from the scalp. Either way, hair breakage is can be caused by seemingly harmless activities such as tugging your hair into tight ponytails (for sports especially) as well as twirling hair with excessive strength (like braiding).

I occasionally braid my hair to sleep for mermaid curls and that's probably the reason why my hair breaks off so easily. A simple tug with minimal strength breaks it off.

5. Dryness
Dry hair is probably the next worst thing that can happen to hair apart from oily scalps. Dry hair feels rough to the touch because of weak hair cuticles that are unable to retain moisture. Constant exposure to air-conditioning is especially harmful.

With all those damage that your hair goes through every day, it's necessary to constantly keep your precious locks protected. And that is exactly what the CC Oil does.

The oil is transparent and (surprisingly) non greasy. It's best applied on towel-dried or damp hair, but you can also use it on dry hair. What I loved most about the product is that it gets absorbed extremely quickly into your hair, and still leaves it smooth to the touch.

It contains Hair Supplement Oil, a type of oil that is similar to your hair's natural oil so that while your hair's natural oils regenerate, the hair follicles remain protected.

I've used certain leave-on hair oils that left my hair really oily to the touch, and that certainly did not leave me impressed. I even had to urge to wash it all off so that my hair doesn't get the greasy feeling reminiscent of an oily scalp.

To use:
1. Pump appropriate amount on palm. (For long bobs like mine, amount equivalent to one and a half pumps should be enough)
2. Spread evenly onto hair, concentrating on the middle length to the ends. (because that's where the hair is most damaged)
3. Briefly finger comb / brush through and you're good to go!

The CC Oil can be reapplied any time of the day, should you feel that you need to protect your hair from the blazing sun, or from the Narnia-like environment which you'll be spending your day in.

The next product is my absolute favourite. It's the Essential Night Care Milk, that protects your hair from "pillow friction". I tried it for jut one night and I am blown away by its effects.

But before that, what exactly is "pillow friction"?

It's the friction that takes place when you toss and turn at night. Most of the time people just flip their heads, it's unlikely that they lift their entire head up to change positions. And that's where the friction occurs, resulting in you waking up to.... Frizzy hair.

I, especially, have the bad sleeping habit of tossing and turning in my sleep. It's impossible for me to lay still in one position, I need to change sides every once in a while. And while doing so my hair keeps rubbing against the pillow, which is why I always have to comb through knots and tangles in the morning. Even with shoulder length hair. Other times I use an anti-frizz serum, but that doesn't solve the root of the problem.

Which is why, I am especially appreciative of this Night Care Milk.

Apart from the fresh floral fragrance that it comes with, the hair milk provides intensive repair and moisturising properties when you sleep, so that you wake up to smooth and manageable hair. It's a rich formula but similar to the CC Oil, it's non-greasy.

It could be used on towel-dried hair, but for best results it's recommended to be used on dry hair. It takes a longer time to be absorbed into my hair as compared to the CC Oil, but after spreading it out it was all taken in.

(Two of my favourite terms; rich and non-greasy. Fried food should be these. Haha ok I digress)

To use:
1. Pump an appropriate amount on palm. (I used approximately four pumps)
2. Spread evenly onto hair, concentrating on the middle length to the ends.
3. Briefly finger comb and you're ready for bed!

True to its word, I woke up the next morning only having to finger-comb my hair and I'm ready to go! Even as I shake my hair it doesn't frizz up. I tried using a rat tail comb to comb through the back locks of hair (because those get tangled up really easily) and they all passed the test!!! It still smelled of the same floral scent in the morning. Definitely scored 5/5 stars from me.

Both products work hand in hand together — apply the CC Oil after washing hair, and after it's dry apply the Night Care Milk. Smooth and manageable locks isn't that hard to attain after all!

They both cost $11.90, but if you want to win weekly prizes from Essential, do try out their Mane Hero Facebook game! All you have to do is to defeat the five pesky Hair Stress brothers and the evil Pillow King to win!

This entry is brought to you by Essential, in collaboration with Samplestore.

Much love,
Chels x.