Sana Hadanomy Collagen Cream

I absolutely love this lotion, it is a must have if you have sensitive, combination and acne-prone skin like me. The cream is color free and mineral oil free, and it contains 1000 mg of Micro Collagen, Hyaluronic Acid Na, Acerola extract and Honey. As you may already know, collagen is supposed to help promote elasticity and make our skin look plump and youthful. 

Due to my skin type, typical anti-wrinkle products are often too creamy and caused me to breakout.  Then I would have to stop using the cream for awhile and wait for my acne to go away, which means I can never consistently use traditional cream to see any results.  

However, Sana Hadanomy Collagen Cream is the perfect blend to keep my skin moisturized while maintaining it acne-free!  I know the name has the word "cream" in it but it really is more of a thick gel-like lotion, and it will feel a bit sticky initially.  But this stuff works, smells great and is inexpensive, I highly recommend this product!!!  Winter is coming, it's the perfect time to give your dry-out summer skin a good replenishment.

You can also find this product at Amazon.com, in case you prefer to purchase it from a bigger online store.

• Consistency  
• Thick gel-like lotion
• Moisturizing
• Yes
• Fine line Reduction
• Yes
• Wrinkle Reduction
• Yes
• Preventive
• Yes
• Price 
• Serum $18.99 (100g) at Pretty & Cute
• Rating (out of 5)
• 

NOTE: I took the photo after I have almost empty my bottle, sorry.

Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner

I just want to make sure that you don't even waste five bucks on this eyeliner.  It's worthless. The self-sharpening doesn't work and the tip keeps breaking off.  I ended up throwing this away and eventually it broke into two pieces and only a small piece remained inside the tube.  It's difficult to "glide" since it wasn't all that creamy.  It's impossible to draw the line. I have pretty much switched permanently to use Korean brands eyeliners, they work way better!!!

• NOT Smudge-proof, NOT Waterproof
• Poor Pigmentation
• Not Creamy 
• Difficult to Apply
• Price 
• $5.99 at CVS, at $5.64 Target
• Rating (out of 5)
• 

Skin97 BB Miniature Set

If you follow my blog, then you may recall I had mentioned purchasing the Skin97 BB Miniature Set.  I was really excited when I saw this mini set because it's cheap and I can try four different types of BB cream.  And from what I read in the Internet, Skin97 is supposed to be the better brand of BB cream and people raved about Skin97.  


The packaging is very nice and cute but otherwise, nothing special about this BB cream.  The coverage is not bad but the color is a bit odd for me, it doesn't look natural at all.  BB cream is known to give you a natural look but all four of them give me that good old foundation look and feel.  And yes, I do mean it feels like foundation.  It's very sticky in my opinion, so maybe this will be good for people with dry skin.  After wearing the BB cream for one normal day, not an extremely long day, I had those little oily bump. I had to do a very thorough job cleaning my face afterward!

The BB Cream is in the following order in my photos:

• Gold Label Mini BB Cream SPF25 PA++ (5g)
• Pink Label Mini BB Cream SPF25 PA++ (5g)
• Diamond Mini BB Cream SPF25 PA++ (5g)
• Diamond Luminous Mini BB Cream SPF25 PA++ (5g) 

The differences among this set of four is that the Gold Label is the thickest of the four and the lightest is Diamond Luminous . You can probably see in the picture that the far right, the Diamond Luminous, is very fluid and was running down my hand.  Also the Gold Label is the darkest and most shimmer of the four and the color and shimmer quality go down as you proceed to the right.

I'm just really disappointed because I read so many good reviews about this line.  I guess I set my bar too high!  :(

• Coverage
• OK
• Color
• OK
• Skin Type
• Dry only but not for Combination, Oily or Acne types
• Price 
• ~ $10.00 at Amazon.com
• Price varies depending on seller and shipping
• Rating (out of 5)
• 

Lioele Quick Point Eraser

Besides the actual cosmetics, the one thing I must have when I put on my makeup is cotton swap.  Even after years of practice, I still make mistakes when I apply my eyeliner and mascara.  This is especially true when I want to draw the "wings" eyeliner effect, it's hard to get both sides even and aligned.  So I would dip the cotton swap to the make up remover to fix my eyeliner.  Another common clean up is to remove the mascara that I accidentally brushed onto my eyelids, very annoying!

I saw Lioele Quick Point Eraser on Pretty and Cute website, granted that I do think is a bit expensive, but I still want to give it a try.  And I absolutely love this eraser pen! It really works, even on waterproof eyeliners.  You are probably wondering what's so special about this pen when I could use cotton swaps.  Well, the problem with the cotton swap is that it smears and it's not a one-clean-swipe. And not to mention, those little fuzzy cotton sometimes get caught in my eyes, irritating!!! 

But this pen can do the touch up in one simple step and no fuzzy strand getting stuck in my eyes is wonderful. And yes, you do have to wipe the head clean after each use, but it's still so much more convenient than a cotton swap.  Also, what if you need to touch up your make up in the middle of day?  I most certainly don't carry a pack of cotton swaps with me in my purse, but this pen, I could take this with me everywhere! Yeah!!!

• Works on waterproof eyeliners
• Yes
• Price 
• $13.99 (1 oz) at Pretty and Cute
• Rating (out of 5)
• 

Rimmel ScandalEyes vs Maybelline Colossal

I've been sick and just finally recovering from my cold.  So I'll keep this post short by showing just comparisons of my two latest volume mascaras.

• Rimmel ScandalEyes
• Brush head was way too big, it was very difficult to use.  Every time I stroke the brush, I have to clean up my eyelid.  It was impossible to use this on the corner of the eyes, the brush was just too awkwardly huge. I tried up to three coats but I still didn't get the volume I was hoping for, and no plump either!
• Maybelline Colossal
• The Brush head is bigger than normal size but much more manageable than Rimmel's. My pictures don't do the justice, but I saw immediate difference using the Colossal. Even my boyfriend commented on it, he said my lashes look much fuller. ;) The tip of the brush head is pointier and it's much easier to brush my little corner lashes.

Brand

Ease of Use

Clumps-Free

Volume

Length

Price*

Verdict

Rimmel ScandalEyes

Poor

Yes

Below Average

Good

$6.99

Returned

Maybelline Colossal

Good

Yes

Very Good

Good

$7.49

Keeper!!!

 * Prices are from CVS.

NOTE: The pictures are showing one coat.

  

Rimmel Volume Flash Scandaleyes

Maybelline Volum' Express the Colossal

Philosophy Miracle Worker Dark Spot Correcting System

I'm finally done with Philosophy Miracle Worker Dark Spot Correcting System and my overall impression is that it's OK. I do believe it is effective to certain degree but it does come with a pretty hefty price tag.  


My skin tolerates both the Retinoid Solution and Corrector, no allergic reaction and they are fragrance-free products, which is also good.  The pad is a bit greasy and it does dry up fast, so apply it quickly and be sure to tightly close the lid immediately after each use.  The Corrector has an odd light brown color to it, but it spreads clear on the skin, so don't worry. I use the system at night and apply plenty of sunscreen in the morning, and you should use sunscreen everyday anyways to protect your delicate skin from sun damages and aging.  


When I started this system, I was going through my regular episode of acne breakout, so I had quite a few red spots on my face.  And I felt like my spots did fade a bit faster this time around.  But, my one very old acne scar from many years ago remains about the same.  Now, according to Philosophy, this system also has a number of other benefits which I'm a bit skeptical about and I included my results in the list below.  I absolutely see no improvement on my fine lines, maybe it works for other people, but not for me!


The Correcting System costs $80 and it comes with a 0.5 oz Corrector and a 30-day supply of Retinoid Solution/Pads.  In other words, it will cost me $960 for a one-year supply, now that's a lot of money for just one product in one year.  Let's be honest, I still need to spend money on other skin care products such as sunscreen, masks, eye cream etc, and this system cannot replace my entire skin care routine, so this is far too expensive for me to invest in it.  However, I may use this as a treatment once or twice a year. If you know of a good dark spot correcting product, leave a comment.  It's almost Friday, yea...have a good weekend!!!

• Skin Radiance Improvement  
• No
• Skin Brightness Improvement
• A little
• Skin Evenness Improvement
• A little
• Discoloration Improvement
• Yes
• Fine Lines Improvement
• No
• Price 
• $80 at Sephora
• Rating (out of 5)
• 

Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Serum and Eye Cream

I'm really busy lately so this review will be short.  Also, I will combine this review for both Origins Plantscription Anti-Aging Serum and Eye Cream since they are technically under the same family and I did use them together.


There's no special scent in either product, and the consistency is pretty much the same for both the serum and the eye cream. I would say is between a gel and cream because it's not as heavy as a cream but not as light as a gel. They absorbed quickly to my skin and didn't feel oily.  


Now, does it really work like Origins claims?  Well, I'm already done with both of the products so I think my assessments on how effective it is on fighting anti-aging are fairly accurate.  And, I consistently used the serum and eye cream for three months. Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with the results, hence the 4 stars rating.  First, no allergic reaction which is very important to me and second, I actually saw a reduction of fine lines around my eyes area.  Also, the skin do appear to be tighter and I definitely didn't see any new fine lines developing. But please don't be fool, this will not miraculously erase your wrinkles, if you have any that is.  For whatever reason, I have a few deep wrinkles in my neckline since my 20s.  Yup, unbelievable, neckline wrinkles since my 20s?!)(#$&$%)(  Oops...sorry about that.   I have not yet find a solution to that and I was really hoping for magic...silly me.  


But in any case, I think this works really great to smooth out fine lines and as a preventive measure against anti-aging.  This combination solution is around $90 and it lasted the winter season for me, so all-in-all is not too bad of an investment.  If you must choose one, give the eye cream a try!

• Consistency  
• Between Gel and Cream
• Moisturizing
• Yes
• Fine line Reduction
• Yes
• Wrinkle Reduction
• No
• Preventive
• Yes
• Price 
• Serum $55 (1 oz) at Sephora
• Eye Cream $42.50 (0.5 oz) at Sephora
• Rating (out of 5)
• 

Shop Online for Korean & Japanese Cosmetics...Updated 5/19

My last post was about Korean cosmetics and today I came across a post with a compiled list of online places to shop for Korean & Japanese Cosmetics. I thought I'd share with everyone.  The post is a year old but I think the list is still pretty valid.  I recognize a few of the online shopping sites from the list (i.e. www.yesstyle.com, www.sasa.com, www.strawberrynet.com, www.shuuemura-usa.com, www.kose-usa.com). In fact, I have previously purchase from yesstyle, sasa and strawberrynet, so I know these are definitely safe.  And shuuemura-usa and kose-usa are the US company websites, so they should be fine as well.


And just a word of advice, if have any doubts or if anything looks suspicious to you, don't purchase from the website.  Happy shopping!


Oh! And I just purchased Skin79 BB Cream Miniature Mini Set (Black), I can't wait to get them and try them out.  I'll probably write a post comparing them to my Dr Young BB cream.

Updated 5/19/2012

My latest discovery to shop for Asian cosmetics and skin care products is Pretty & Cute!  Huge selections, free US shipping on orders over $50, free samples and fast delivery.  I placed my order on Thursday and received it on Saturday using just standard shipping option!!! 

Lioele All in One Gel Eyeliner

If you are into cosmetics, I'm sure you know that cosmetics has a huge presence and market in Asia.  Every time I visit NY, I will go search for new Japanese and Korean cosmetics and skin care products. When I went to NY Chinatown this past Christmas, I stocked up a few items and here's the first item I want to share. 


Also, there are countless Korean and Japanese cosmetics brands, I simply can't keep up.  If you are interested to learn more about them, do some research online and you'll be surprised what you'll discover.  Another off the topic comment about Asian makeups are the packaging, these companies really do spend time and money on the packaging, talk about marketing strategies.  Most women would be totally attracted by the package alone, they are all so pretty to look at!

So this is my first time trying gel eyeliner, well officially the second time.  Before I forget, gel eyeliner is the same as cream eyeliner. I bought L'Oreal HiP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner in purple a long time ago, I hated it!  It wasn't creamy at all, very difficult to apply and the brush was impossible to use.  And since that time, I've never touched cream eyeliner until my last trip to NY.  Honestly, I had no expectation but I figured I will give it another try. But when the package looks gorgeous, it somehow translates to it will look beautiful on me too.  How silly but many times that's how I decide on which make up product to buy!  

OK, back to the cream eyeliner.  It's sooo crazy smooth and easy to use, I didn't know I can handle a cream eyeliner too.  The color is as dark as a liquid eyeliner and I could draw thin or thick line.  I included a couple photos below using this eyeliner, the pigmentation really is impressive. I was totally amazed, I've always thought that the brush would be very hard to handle, I was wrong.  I absolutely love this eyeliner!  And it stays on ALL DAY, girlfriends, this is very important!!!  No smudge...finally!  Now, of course, if you are looking for a smudgable eyeliner, this wouldn't be it.  Please go check out my older post for smudgable eyeliner.


I think the eyeliner is very reasonably priced and with an over the top result, I gave it 5 out of 5.  Give this a try and you can find this on Amazon.com, so it doesn't matter where you live, you can own one yourself!  ;)

If you've used other Korean and Japanese cosmetics, please leave a comment and share!

• Long Wearing
• Highly Pigmented
• Creamy
• Easy to Apply
• Price 
• $16.99 at Amazon.com
• Rating (out of 5)
• 

Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extension Waterproof

I've been itching to buy a new mascara and I saw the Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extension several times in Target already. I can't help it so I bought it a couple weekends ago.  I finally tried it this past weekend and I did my best at the photos, I hope is clear enough you can see the differences between the coats of mascara.  

I'm very happy with the result, it definitely adds length to my almost non-existence lashes.  I didn't get any clump because it's on the thin side, this is especially important when I have to apply multiple coats.  But for this exact reason, you will not get much volume out of this mascara.  But for normal usage, just apply a second or third coat and it should build enough of a volume for most. 

However, if you want lots of volume, then use the Maybelline Illegal Length Fiber Extension as a base to get the length you want, then apply a volume mascara on top to have that exaggerate bold-looking lashes.  But I suggest you do this sort of application for an evening or party look, it might be too much for an everyday look.  ;P  

I also like the brush on this mascara, I'm not sure what it is but it seems to help give the lashes a better lift compare to my other mascaras.  Oh! Beware, this is a waterproof mascara, no joke, so make sure you use a waterproof eye make remover!


Let me know what you all think, drop a comment. :D

• Length
• Add visible length
• Volume
• Not much
• Price 
• $6.99 at Target
• Waterproof 
• Yes
• Rating (out of 5)
• 

Both eyes with no mascara

Left eye with 1 coat of mascara

Left eye with 2 coats of mascara

Left eye with 3 coats of mascara

Both eyes with 3 coats of mascara