Absolute Crap: Natio Eye Makeup Remover Gel

This particular Natio eye makeup remover is an emulsifying gel that leaves the skin feeling moisturised and soft to the touch. Sadly, that is where the good part of this review ends.

Hands down, this is one of the worst eye makeup removers I have ever tried. It can't remove anything: mascara, pencil eyeliners, foundation... I think it does remove powder but then again, even water does that.

Don't waste your AUD13.59 on this! Stick to Neutrogena's eye makeup remover instead.

Review: Mandom Cleansing Express Sebum Cleansing Lotion

Mandom Cleansing Lotion is one of those Micellar type cleansers. You know, some kind of special water which promises to remove your makeup, cleanse your face and leave it moisturised after use. It sounds like a godsend for the truly busy and the truly lazy.

I have been dying to try it out for quite a while. See, I belong in the former category of The Truly Busy and anything which promises to save me time immediately piques my interest. It seems so convenient: Just swipe and go. Perfect to use before exercise or while travelling. Since it's water, you don't have to worry about stickiness if it spills in your bag or on your clothes. The fact that Mandom Cleansing Lotion comes in large 300ml bottles for RM34.90 makes it much more appealing than cleansing wipes.

So how did it fare?

Review: Neutrogena Oil-free Eye Makeup Remover

I can't believe that I have never reviewed this before. Ladies, meet my favourite eye makeup remover. I stocked up on what? 3 bottles of this when I was in Australia last year and am down to the last 1/5 in my very last bottle.

Sigh. I can feel withdrawal symptoms coming on.

Review: Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moisturising Makeup Remover

This is an interesting product. A water-based makeup remover that actually functions like a cleansing oil. Cool huh?

If you've got dry skin, use relatively light makeup and find cleansing oils too stripping, you're going to love this makeup remover. Before you read this review, please bear in mind that I have exceedingly oily skin and so I use cosmetics that are long-lasting, designed to last all day and therefore are very hard to remove. That being said, I was surprised how much I like this product although I don't think I can use it daily or will repurchase.

Wonderful: Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil

I don't know if you remember Shiseido's TISS Deep Off cleansing oil? Priced at RM39, it was my introduction to cleansing oils. When it ceased to be available I tried other affordable alternatives, like Kanebo Freshel White C and even Maybelline's cleansing oil. But not only were these less effective, they broke me out. So I went back to using a cream remover (Neutrogena's Deep Clean Lotion) and separate eye makeup remover. Yes I love Shu Uemuera's cleansing oils, but for me, they're too expensive for daily use. 

Then I went on my trip to Japan and impulse bought this bottle of cleansing oil in a 7 Eleven (of all places). Priced at about RM20, I didn't really have much hope for it, but harboured visions of finally having an affordable cleansing oil that worked for me. Well guess what? It does work wonderfully for me. And of course, it's not available in Malaysia. *WAILS*

Biore Makeup Removing "Oil Cleansing" Wipes are Meh

I thought this trip to Japan would be a great time to road test these makeup removing wipes you can now find at Guardian and Watsons. And my take is they're just... meh. Oil Cleansing or not, they don't outperform other makeup wipes like Simple and each sheet is only half the size of Simple's. So they fall down there too.

Needed! An Eye Makeup Remover

This sore-eyed kitten image was taken from The Foster Babies' Blog

Help me out here, ladies. I need some recommendations for a good and inexpensive eye makeup remover.

I have been mostly using Neutrogena's oil-free eye makeup remover (its the blue bottle on the bottom left here) for the past two years. Now that I am back in Malaysia, I have got to look for an equally effective and inexpensive alternative.

This is where you ladies come in.

But before you start giving me suggestions, let me tell you what I have tried over the years and which have miserably failed.

1. Maybelline Eye & Lip Makeup Remover
Most of you would know this one. It was the first makeup remover I ever used and would have continued with it until it started giving me milia a few years ago. I was quite upset when that happened as I was pretty pleased with it (wipes off waterproof mascara in 30 seconds) up til then. (If you don't know how it looks like, check it out on Plue's blog here)

2. Simple Conditioning Eye Makeup Remover
Let's just say that this is on my "Never again, not even if there was only one bottle on the shelf and a sheep" list of things to buy. Mascara simply would not budge from my eyelashes with this stuff and it stung my eyeballs so badly, I wanted to pop them out of my eye sockets and rinse them in saline water for relief.

3. Any Eye Makeup Remover from Nivea
I like Nivea products in general but their eye makeup removers belong to the same category as Simple's. Absolute rubbish at removing makeup and by golly, do they sting the eye. OUCHIE. I was rolling around on my bathroom floor for a while.

4. Olive oil and other vegetable oils
Don't mind the oiliness but they all cause milia.

5. Baby oil
Works a treat but I am worried about milia (see 1 and 4).

6. L'Oreal Gentle Eye & Lip Makeup Remover
Another popular drugstore makeup remover. I bought this last week only to find out that it breaks me out in rashes. Arrrrgh. 4 days later and I am still waiting for some tiny bumps on my eyelid to subside. Boy, do I look cock eyed at the moment.

7. Vaseline
When All Else Fails, there is always Vaseline. I usually use this as a backup but I would prefer something which doesn't cloud up my vision so much.

So, ladies, I need an eye makeup remover that is inexpensive (I am soon-to-be-earning a civil servant's salary), non-oily, dermatologist-approved and hopefully animal-friendly.

Whadayya say?

Hot to tote: Daiso's Makeup Remover Pencil

I bought a teenie tiny makeup remover pen from Sephora when I was in Paris, and it loved it. The felt tip pen with remover in it was just so... logical. So right. And so completely unavailable in Malaysia! Augh!

So yes I was waving it in the faces of everyone hoping someone knew where I could find a replacement, or that someone would see the gap in the market and MAKE one.

Then I found this in Daiso (it's in The Curve by the way), and like everything else in Daiso only costs RM5. Huzzah!

I won't say it's as good, for one thing it's essentially vaseline in a stick. Unlike the felt-tip style it can't really clean up stray liner, mascara, and lipstick on its own. You have to rub this in, and then wipe it off with a tissue or your finger. And be sure to set it with powder over or it may carry on dissolving the rest of your eye makeup.

But, on the other hand, this will never dry up and it's available right here. Which counts for ALOT.

This baby has a permanent place in my handbag as another symptom of oily skin and long days is that even the most resistant of liners may start to travel a little. And if I absentmindedly wipe my eyes - poof, panda!

This lets me remove wandering makeup quickly, easily and cleanly with no excess rubbing. Oh, and don't forget it also works with lipsticks - so be sure you have it whenever you bring on the hot-red lips.

Relaxing beauty ritual: Neutrogena Deep Clean Cleansing Lotion

I have a new favourite method of removing my makeup. It's not more convenient - in fact it takes longer, and it is only marginally more effective. So why do I do it? Because I find the slow luxurious ritual of massaging this cleansing lotion in and tissuing it off at the end of a long day wonderfully relaxing.

I love doing this while watching a serial I've downloaded at the end of a long day. Also I find my skin stays clearer when I take the time to remove every single scrap of makeup combined with the mild exfoliation the lotion and tissue-ing off provides.

The Lotion
This lightweight lotion comes in a convenient pump bottle. I find it very suited to oily acne-prone skin. It may have a chemical exfoliant like salicylic acid - so it can sting if left on too long. This could also make it unsuitable for dry sensitive skin.

Effectiveness
Although this remover has the chops to get light makeup off, I find with longlasting foundations several rounds of application and removal is needed. Two rounds for Clinique Superfit and three rounds for Revlon Colorstay. With two tissues used for every round this is admittedly wasteful and I do feel guilty. So I'm looking out for a more efficient cleanser that will also let me keep my ritual.

Also a separate eye makeup remover is needed as this lotion cannot remove waterproof mascara and eyeliner effectively. Plus it can sting your eye area a little.

I also don't feel comfortable about not washing my face. So I will still give my face a quick wash with a facial cleanser and water.

Repurchase?
Because it keeps my skin so clear, and only costs RM22.90 I may buy this again. But not before I try out a few other tissue-off cleansers. After all, I've almost finished this bottle so it must be doing something right!

Update (April 19, 2009): I've upgraded Neutrogena's deep clean cleansing lotion to HG status. In the week I tried other cleansers my skin detriorated slightly - no matter how much I cleansed. Once I went back on the lotion, my skin started improving in clarity and texture within 3 days.

Guest Review: EGO Cleanser a buffed up Cetaphil

After a brief hiatus, the much-missed regular guest-reviewer on So Loverly, Eli is back! Hoorah!

The Cetaphil Challenger Cometh!

With its plain blue and white packaging, Ego’s QV range really does seem to be the Australian answer to Galderma’s Cetaphil. The fact that these products are nearly always placed side-by-side in pharmacies just reinforces the impression even more.

For non-Ozzies, Ego is an Australian pharmaceutical brand which (like Cetaphil) produces skincare products for dry and sensitive skin. They use very plain packaging in blue and white (like Cetaphil), and don’t fragrance their products either (like Cetaphil). The only differences I have seen so far is that Ego offers eye cream, moisturisers with SPF and does not test on animals.

After running out of my trusty Cetaphil a few months ago, I picked up the Ego QV facial cleanser instead. It was selling at around AUD10 for 200ml and I didn’t feel like buying a 500ml bottle of Cetaphil.

My cosmetic-whore fingers were itching anyway.

Outside appearances aside, these two products are completely dissimilar. The Ego cleanser is very milky, watery and froths up quite a bit compared to its counterpart. I have been using Cetaphil for such a long time, I have forgotten how it is like to use a cleanser which bubbles. It gave me a bit of a shock at first.

Those who found Cetaphil too emollient for their skin may want to give Ego a try. It removes oil and makeup so thoroughly, it eliminates the need for double-cleansing. Great for the nights (or mornings) when I come back from clubbing or stagger home late from the computer lab.

Other Cetaphil users may find Ego too drying on their sensitive skin though.

I have not tried Ego out on cheek stains yet but I think it would be much better than Cetaphil. I usually have to double-cleanse and then do the 2-minute trick (sing the “abc” song twice while cleansing) with Cetaphil.

Another great thing with this product is that it doubles up as a body wash while I am travelling. Bathing with Cetaphil gives me an “aiyee” icky feeling all over my body.

In the case of Ego vs. Cetaphil, I am choosing Ego. They are both great products which work great for me. In terms of convenience and travel though, Ego wins hands down. It is also much cheaper than Cetaphil in Australia.

So far, I have only seen Ego products being sold by Caring Pharmacy in Malaysia. I am not sure of the price though and it seems to run out fairly quickly. In Australia, you can get Ego products from any pharmacy and the facial cleanser is sold in bottles of 200ml and 500 ml for about AUD10 and AUD20 each.

Review: Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleasing Oil

A while back, Kahani and I "walked by" a Shu Uemura outlet, which resulted in us walking out with two bags of Shu goodies. We had bought a makeup set together and then drew lots to see who got what.

(Oh fine, we didn't draw lots, we just agreed before hand.)

One of the items I landed with was the legendary, hugely raved about Shu Uemura cleansing oil. A little 50ml bottle, but I was more than eager to try it out.

And boy were the raves right.

Like all oily-skinned girls, I used to think it was madness to use an oil cleanser. I mean, I'm wired to do everything possible to keep my skin from getting oily. And you want me to slap on oil? *Gasps* What if I break out?

But oh well, judging from this oily girl's recommendation, I decided to take a leap of faith. And I converted.

This little baby packs a LOT of oil in one little bottle. Ingredients include Mineral Oil, Corn Germ Oil, Jojoba Seed Oil, Sea Water, Macademia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Canola Oil etc. And it's got a bit of fragrance too, by the way.

How to Use

1. Apply it to your face dry. This means before you wet it. And make sure you hands are dry too, as the oil will emulsify the moment in comes into contact with water. Be a little generous with the oil. Too little and you'll feel like you're spreading too little butter on too much bread.

2. Massage the oil into the skin with gentle wide strokes. I personally find this works best for me. Rub too hard in small sections and you might end up as I did - with hot and bothered skin. Slightly inflamed too, for a short while.

3. Work on the eyes last and be gentle with them. Too much pulling and stretching results in wrinkles *grin*, or worse yet, you could have oil get into them. (In the event that does happens, clean your hands, and start washing your eye with clean water pronto!)

4. Wet your hands and apply a bit of water to face and continue massaging gently. The oil should have emulsified by now, and what you'll get is white milky liquid.

5. Rinse your face thoroughly. I personally prefer to double cleanse and so I'll finish with another round of cleansing with this beloved Himalaya Herbals cleanser.

The end result is clean, supple, smooth and almost baby soft skin. Lovely.

Verdict

This cleansing oil, I find, works great as a deep cleanser. So I wouldn't recommend it for daily use. But it works great when I've got heaps of makeup on - foundation, concealer, liner, etc etc. That super waterproof, budgeproof, smudgeproof mascara you've got on? This cleanser can take it all off.

I'm loving it very much. But for RM99 for 150ml and RM260 for 450ml (it's a massive bottle), I'll be thinking very hard about whether I'll be buying it again.

It's never broken me out, which is absolutely thrilling. But at RM260, it just might break the bank.

Product Review: DHC 4-Step Skincare System

Because I've long been in favour of the 4-step system (which involves double-cleansing) this is not a review of the system itself, but of the DHC products marketed by DHC as the "basic 4-step skincare system" or, "Olive Oil range".

About DHC
DHC is a line of skincare products from Japan that has a long history and is tried, tested and beloved. Don't be fooled by the childish packaging, DHC has produced ground-breaking, sophisticated formulations. Prices range from crazy expensive to surprisingly affordable as the line, unlike most, seem to price products according to the cost of the ingredients. Which makes them, in the beauty world of pricing for branding - slightly nutty.

Newly landed in the UK, DHC is out in force giving away lots of free samples at subway stations. Registering with their site also gets you a welcome pack with more free samples of their basic system. A word of warning though, the sample pack is incredibly annoying as the oils come in sachets. SACHETS. Oils are messy enough to start with , putting them in tiny little packets isn't going to help. Also, although the sachet says "one application" that's not true. I've decanted 5 sachets of the Deep Cleansing Oil (yes I've been getting the samples left and right!) and have enough to last me at least 2 weeks.

Alrighty, on to the reviews!

Step 1: Deep Cleansing Oil
One ingredient you'll find DHC waffling on and on about is extra virgin Olive Oil. It's in this cleansing oil, it's in the soap, and by gum it's a moisturiser all on its own. I found the cleansing oil to be quite rich feeling and it removed all my makeup, including waterproof eyeshadow, easily. It also emulsifies completely on contact with water and rinses leaving skin clean and soft - without oils and not stripped of moisture. It also promises to reduce clogged pores, blemishes and blackheads with regular use - although that can be said of any 4-step system with an oil cleanser.

However, I find that it causes blurry vision for awhile if I got too enthusiastic with the oil removal, and it also did not remove as efficiently as Shu Uemura's cleansing oil. Plus, you also need more of the product to cleanse than with Shu Uemura. It's also pricey at £16 - for the price I'd be more willing to pay £19 for Shu Uemura. The product I really find myself longing for though is Shiseido's Tiss Deep Off Cleansing Oil. It's so much cheaper (£10), and it works just as well. I used to be able to get it for only £5 in Malaysia so M'sian girls, check out Sasa and see if the oil is still around!

Shu does however contain mineral oil which is a big no-no to many ladies out there. If you're one of them, DHC is entirely vegetable oil based and a great alternative.

Mild Soap
My reaction to this product is basically, "meh". It's not great, it's not bad. It hasn't radically changed my skin, it doesn't feel amazing, and it's just well.. "meh". On the other hand, it would be a great cleanser to take travelling as it won't spill or take up your precious liquid quota at airport security. I suggest poking holes in a ziplock bag and toting a sample-sized one around that way. If you do love this cleanser to death though, you can buy a full-sized 90g bar for £10.

Mild Lotion
Confusingly, this isn't a moisturiser, it's a toner. And a nice gentle one at that. It contains cucumber and feels soothing and cool on application. It also helps moisturiser absorb faster and claims to help it "go the extra mile" - something I can't attest to. It feels great in the mornings and helps with the dull skin and baggy eyes. But for what it is, £16 is too steep a price to pay in my opinion.

Olive Virgin Oil
This is where DHC appears to go more than slightly nutty. The only thing that convinced me to try this oil on my face is my dedication to this blog! The oil is odourless and colourless, and DHC swears, free of impurities. You don't slather it on like a moisturiser, you put a few drops in your palm, rub your hands together to heat it up, and gently pat it on your freshly toned skin.

Despite reassurances from DHC that the oil is non pore-clogging, anti-aging, and will form a protective barrier between my skin and the elements - I have as yet, not been able to leave it on my skin longer than 30 minutes. The mere idea of adding to the oil on my face is shudder-inspiring. Also, my skin was oily at the end of 30 minutes and I went to wash it off. I suffered no ill-effects though and with recommendations like these, and how this oil made a stubborn dry patch under my chin disappear overnight, I tried using this on my face all night. While definitely feeling greasier going to bed than I normally do, I woke up with skin that was no worse than usual and looked a whole lot better!

I've been touching my face all morning, no breakouts, even, calm, and glowy. I'm not even rushing to put on makeup like I usually am so I don't have to see my naked face in mirrors. I don't think I'll try this every night as that may be pushing it, but twice or three times a week as a night-treatment should be great!

But "one drop only needed" or no, at £25.50 for 30 mls, the extra virgin olive oil sitting in my kitchen cabinet is looking increasinly attractive.

Why Double Cleanse?

That foundation you think is breaking you out may not actually be to blame. If you don't double cleanse, chances are you're not getting all of it off. Today's cosmetics are formulated to be waterproof and long-lasting - yet we expect a simple one-step cream or gel cleanser to remove it all. Not going to happen.

Since switching to double cleansing, I've noticed a substantial improvement in my skin clarity and tone. Pores are smaller, blackheads are fewer, moisturiser is absorbed faster, and my skin is calmer in the mornings for having enjoyed a night completely free of makeup.

When should you double cleanse?
If you use waterproof, or long-lasting makeup like Revlon Colorstay Foundation, you should be double cleansing every night before going to bed. If not, it's a good idea to double cleanse on alternate days, just to dislodge any gunk that may have built up around your oily pores. You don't need to double cleanse in the morning.

How to double cleanse
Ideally, double cleansing should be performed with an oil-based cleanser, followed by a water-based gel or cream cleanser. Oil-based cleansers include Japanese cleansing oils like those by Shu Uemura, DHC, Kosé, and Kanebo, oil-gel cleansers like the ones by Clarins and L'Oreal, or even basic cold cream.

1. With clean, dry hands, massage the oil-based cleanser into your face. Take your time with this. Use fingertips to work it into your skin, and lashline completely dislodging all makeup. You may even find clogged pores being dislodged with this method. Take at least 30 seconds.
   
2. Wet hands with warm water, and massage moisture into your face. The oil cleanser should now emulsify. If you're using cold cream, skip this step and tissue off the cream instead.
   
3. Rinse face thoroughly.
   
4. Now massage the cream or gel cleanser into your face. This doesn't have to be as long, but massaging's good for your circulation. I like to use a mild daily exfoliant at this step. If you have drier, or more sensitive skin,use a gentle cleanser instead.
   
5. Pat dry, your skin should be glowing from the massage and when you tone later your cotton pad should stay clean.
   

If you're not a fan of waterproof makeup, dislike oil-based cleansers, or simply don't want to invest in an additional cleanser. You can still double cleanse with only one cleanser.

1. Massage your cleanser with clean dry hands on your face. Again, take 30 seconds with this. One reason why facials work so well is the time they take to massage the cleansing products into your face.
   
2. Wet hands with warm water, and massage your face with your warm hands until the cleanser has completely foamed up.
3. Rinse thoroughly.
4. Wash again with the same cleanser, just to make sure your face is squeaky clean.
   
5. Pat dry.

Duped: Clarins Pure Melt Cleanser

Zara's rave review over at Kiss and Makeup for the Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel certainly makes me want to run out and buy it. It takes alot to wow a beauty editor and Clarins certainly seems to have done it. Or have they?

She describes the cleanser as a gel that turns into oil when rubbed onto dry skin, and then emulsifies into a milky fluid when touched with water - taking off every scrap of makeup (even waterproof mascara) and leaving the skin clean, but moisturised. All this sounds exactly like the much cheaper product I've been using all along - L'Oreal De-Maq Expert Elixir Concentrate Ultra Makeup Remover (phew that was a mouthful).

For a third of the price, the L'Oreal cleanser does everything the Clarins cleanser does, and it's been around for ages - so perhaps the Clarins cleanser is a dupe of L'Oreal's!

• Changes from gel to oil when massaged in? Check!
• Removes all makeup including waterproof mascara? Check!
• Emulsifies to a milky fluid when wet? Check!
• Leaves skin feeling clean and comfortable? Check!
  

As I haven't tested out the Clarins cleanser for myself, I cannot make a first-hand comparison. However, one of the main differences seems to be the presence of luxurious Marula Oil in the Clarins version, and I suspect (judging from Zara's review), that you need less of the Clarins product than you would L'Oreal.

But for the price difference, I think I can sacrifice a little luxury and waste a bit more product to achieve the same results.

*Disclaimer: The "Duped" column refers to cheaper alternatives to expensive products. It in no way implies that the cheaper product deliberately duplicated the pricier version. In some cases, the cheaper product may pre-date the more expensive product.

Superhero product: Vaseline

My little tub of Vaseline has done a fair bit of travelling. Everywhere I go, it goes.

Why?

Because I consider it my superhero product. This little tub of petroleum jelly can be used as a lipbalm/gloss, spot treatment for really flaky skin, stubborn makeup remover etc etc etc.

Beauty blogger Jen even uses Vaseline when cleaning up her eyebrows.

I love that a huge tub can purchased at almost any drugstore for pretty cheap and I am sure the list of how Vaseline can be used can go on and on.

How do you use Vaseline? I would love to know.

Kahani: It's great for dry cuticles and hangnails too!

Superhero product: Johnson's Head to Toe Baby Wash

What makes a product a "Superhero"? To qualify as "my hero", it must:

1. Have multiple superpowers
2. Able to come to the rescue in times of need
3. Look good, smell good, feel good.
4. Be available and affordable (sorry no superhero analogy there).

Johnson's Head-To-Toe Baby Wash meets all the above and more. A discovery I'd never have made without the lovely and resourceful ladies at Makeupalley (MUA), this miracle product is a must-have staple with me in all my globe-trotting adventures.

To discover its superpowers

Multiple Superpowers
This baby certainly has super product power! It is my holy-grail (MUA speak for the product that will end the search for perfection) daily facial cleanser. Rubbed onto a dry face it dislodges all but the most stubborn of waterproof mascara and eye liner. A second wash (I subscribe to the two-step cleanse regimen) cleans up the last traces of makeup leaving my oily skin squeaky clean. It is also part of the daily routine that has solved my acne problem (will post more on that later).

The wash also functions as a weekly clarifying shampoo, shaving gel, makeup brush cleaner, and (of course) a body cleansing gel - eliminating the need for many expensive products. Of all the above functions, I only stray from it as a body wash because I do so love my bath-time indulgences.

To the rescue
This product is also my saviour when I travel. Its multiple uses enable me to get past those pesky liquid travel restrictions, even in the incredibly strict UK airports. As a believer in the one-bag travel rule that enables me to by-pass luggage check-in (saving me time, and money) any product that helps me save luggage space is certainly, my hero.

When hopping across Europe, I have also used the detergent to hand-wash laundry and as a bubble bath.

Look good, smell good, feel good
Okay I'll grant that it's not the prettiest of products, but it isn't that embarassing either. And it certainly smells good! It has a light fresh scent with warm undertones that remind me of chocolate apricots. And as a cleanser and shaving gel it feels good going on and leaves skin clean without residue or dryness.

Available and Affordable
More of a problem than you'd realise unless you move countries every few months is finding the same product in the same formula. Johnson's is an international brand that should be available almost everywhere (although in Scandinavia, it's known as "Natusan") and in the exact same loveable formula. And of course, it's affordable... even in pricey England. I bought 2 large bottles (with the pump) for under £3 at Boots thanks to a BOGOF (Buy One, Get One Free) deal.