Etude House Moistfull Aloe Mask Sheet Review

WHAT IS IT: Etude House Moistfull Aloe Mask Sheet

THE PRODUCT(S):

Etude House Moistfull Aloe Mask Sheet: Enriched with Baobab Tree extracts and Organic Aloe, this essence mask sheet provides refreshing and comforting hydration to dry, irritated face.

Slightly bigger than my chubby face, I find that it fits over my entire face decently enough with a little more to spare. Unfortunately, my face isn't the long variety, so it does overlap a little more onto my chin area. But then, my chin area is also skin, so it works out :D

Here's what the mask sheet looks like after usage.

VERDICT: At first sniff upon opening up this packaged mask sheet, there's this really nice scent wafting out. Had a somewhat blocked nose while using this, so I can't really tell what scent it is. (I did nommed a small amount of wasabi to get my blocked nose to clear up for a short while for the sniffing test. The things I do just to sniff sniff here and there LOL) But I was still briefly aware that it smelled nice, almost to the point where I just wanted to immediately rubbed the mask sheet as it is onto my face first before spreading it out properly and applying to my face the proper way.

I personally found that the mask sheet seemed a little too big for my already chubby face. But the good thing about it is that, it managed to overlap my chin. And since the area on my chin is also skin, it kinda works out well. Only issue is that it goes really close to my hairline, not that I'm complaining since I always encounter mask sheets in varying lengths and shapes. Some do leave a small gap of skin exposed from my forehead to my hairline, so I am glad that this long is a little longer than the usual ones I have used and tried before.

Normally, my preferred method of using mask sheets is to apply it on my face following the usual standard skincare regime. You know, the cleansing part. Although I did apply pre-essence such as The Face Shop Chia Seed Boosting Essence, followed by my regular facial toner before applying this mask sheet and following up with my regular facial moisture lotion and ending things up with my favorite The Skin Shop LUS Aqua Source Cream. The only difference is that, I waited a little more than 30 minutes or at least until the mask sheet itself is almost 95% dry before removing it from my face.

There's no scientific breakthrough, research or information about leaving mask sheets to dry up on the face. It's just my usual way of using mask sheets as I felt that it's wasteful to remove it when it's still decently wet with the essence liquid, it's almost as if the essence is not thoroughly soaked into the pores of my skin if I removed a still-wet mask sheet. In short, I'm rather stingy and money-saving with mask sheets LMAO

After removing the mask sheet, I noticed that my skin left my skin feeling soft and moist. And an hour later, my skin felt a little oily. But that's not the worrying part. It's better if your skin looks and feels oily and still know that your skin is properly moisturized and well taken care of with mask sheets than to have skin that looks and feels oily, but is severely lacking in moisture. I just wait out another hour or so before gently patting the excess sebum (I'm going to presume it's actually facial sebum since Singapore is indeed a humid country even at night sometimes) off with oil absorption paper/film before proceeding with my usual skincare regime.

And when I woke up the next morning, my skin doesn't look too dry nor chappy and yet at the same time, it doesn't look overly oily at all. In fact, I did noticed that my skin looks better moisturized, feels so baby smooth and my skin doesn't look dull at all. I always wake up to dull-looking skin in the morning, so it's a pleasant surprise to wake up with non dull-looking skin for the first time. And it also didn't irritate my skin nor did I have after-effects such as pimple and acne breakout after usage too.

VERDICT: ✓✓✓

WHAT I THINK: Never had much knowledge about the Baobab Tree unless it involves literature of some sort. but still, I'm glad I woke up to see skin not looking dull and meh.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: I got to redeem this sample from Etude House app via Facebook sometime in 2013.

Why not like my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PuNiaosProductReviews to be informed of latest samples I found, which is duly updated? Also includes updates to health, beauty & lifestyle tips at least once a day. It will definitely save you the trouble of having to hunt them down :)

Read More

BeautyBiotics Dream Cream Exfoliating Jelly Review

WHAT IS IT: Beauty Biotics Dream Cream Exfoliating Jelly

THE PRODUCT(S):

BeautyBiotics Dream Cream Exfoliating Jelly: Exfoliating Jelly is a dermatologically formulated gentle exfoliating peel that helps unclog pores, remove impurities and dead skin to enhance your skin’s absorption of nutrients. It contains fruit derived AHA + BHA enzymes that gently exfoliates skin to restore clarity, brilliance and radiance.

This product comes in a pump-nozzle bottle version, and you can actually control how much product is being pumped out. Half a pump for the nose area, or a full pump for the elbow and arms.

It's really gentle on the skin and as you can see here, it's like a clear liquid gel at first glance. But upon massaging into the skin, you can see, observe and feel that it's a jelly meant for exfoliating.

Surprisingly, the skin on my face is much cleaner as compered to my arms and legs LOL I never get that much dead skin and impurities on my face even if I use this once a month only 0_0

VERDICT: At first sniff, I didn't detect any chemical-related scent to the actual product. (Oh yes, I unscrew the bottle up and sniff around it LOL). But I do have to admit that I detect this really faint scent that reminds me of cleanliness, a really clean scent that doesn't seem too bad at all. Let's face it, sometimes we just want products that doesn't go overboard with the scent part. Something that just is simple and easy to use without any fuss or frustrations and along with a clean and simple scent that just makes you want to keep using it again and again.

As soon as I pumped a pump-ful of the exfoliating jelly out, it actually looks rather gel-like in texture. But consistency wise, it's definitely in jelly form. Looks clear, almost comparable to those mama shops hair gel you see that comes in small little tubs with colorful lids dictating which one is for "strong" hold and so on. But the truly fun and great thing about this product is that, it's really gently and kind on the skin at all times. As my skin sometimes behaves erratically like an angsty teenager with mood swings, I'm am glad and happy to say that it doesn't irritate my skin at all. And it doesn't even dry out my skin during and after usage too.

Just from the very first usage, I can immediately feel my skin feeling so much cleaner. Not sure about the clogged pores clearing part due to the fact that I'm a total klutz in the scientific technology part, but I dare say my other facial products does work better then before after exfoliating my face with this BeautyBiotics Dream Cream Exfoliating Jelly. And my skin definitely looked clearer and much more radiant. It's almost like I've cleaned off a century of tiredness from my face at one go.

As the product suggests, after using this product, your skin will tend to be a little more sensitive to sunlight due to the natural ingredients. But so far, I've never encountered this product as I use this exfoliating jelly more at night than in the daytime. During night time, our skin lose more moisture as we sleep. Hence, we need to apply serums and moisturizers prior to bedtime to combat the loss of moisture and whatnots. And suffice to say, when I go out of the house the next day under the scorching sunlight, I've never encountered any type of skin sensitivity at all. Phew~

Personally, I use this at least 3 times a week despite applying only light makeup at work. My pre-work makeup regime consists of only BB or CC Cream, foundation powder, highlighter powder and blush. That's it. Maybe that's why I find that it works wonderfully on my skin as I generally tend to avoid heavy makeup at all times.

VERDICT: ✓✓✓

WHAT I THINK: Despite being a little hesitant due to the hefty price tag at first, I dare say it's a product well worth that S$43.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: No sample for redemption. But because it's retailing at all Watsons outlets in Singapore, you can just pop by any Watsons near you and test it via the opened Sample bottles Watsons has set out.

Why not like my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PuNiaosProductReviews to be informed of latest samples I found, which is duly updated? Also includes updates to health, beauty & lifestyle tips at least once a day. It will definitely save you the trouble of having to hunt them down :)

Read More

Monthly Topic #20: Sexercise!

The more in shape you are. the better sex will feel. So, if you can't get no satisfaction, it's time to get going on some sexercises. Learn to bend and stretch and you may even see stars!

~Image Source: The Canadian Daily~

Passionate sex is an athletic act, and for prolonged bouts of it, you need a well-maintained lurve machine. Strong, toned muscles, flexibility and good circulation mean heightened sexual performance and pleasure. So get to work at working out - it's worth it!

All-round fitness raises your self-esteem, making you feel sexier, and increasing your stamina - in bed and out of it. Studies show more people who exercise "are easily aroused and feel younger". Exercise can banish stress, depression and anxiety, which all conspire to defeat sexual enjoyment.

Aerobic exercise improves circulation, and so more blood flows to your extremities, increasing sexual responsiveness. The greater efficiency of respiratory and cardio-vascular systems meant more staying power in bed.

Take your pick: swimming, dancing, aerobics, walking, netball. Any activity that makes you sweat increases your lung capacity and cardiovascular response - and it works thigh, butt, back and abdominal muscles, all of which comes in handy in the sack!

Weight training gives you the strength to enjoy the more demanding sexual positions. A toned body also leads to greater confidence and less physical inhibition in the bedroom. Don't shirk those squats, leg raises and crunches. Opt for machines and classes that work your lower half. If not weights, try stair climbing, rowing machines or horse riding. Stretching and yoga increase flexibility, allowing more gymnastic sex positions. Plus, yoga teaches breath control, which can be used to heighten sexual pleasure.

6 Sexercises for sure-fire success

There are exercises that boost sexual readiness, stamina and response. Some, such as Kegel exercises, are well known and widely practised, while others are more obscure. Here are 6 of the best:

1. Kegel Exercise Strengthening the small muscle on your pelvic floor known as the pubococcygeal (PC) muscle brings many sexual rewards. Kegel exercises, developed about 60 years ago as an aid to bladder control, were found to lead to more - and more intense - orgasms in some of Dr Kegel's female patients.

Subsequent research has suggested that girls with stronger PC muscles may find it easier to achieve G-spot orgasms. One study found that by contracting the PC at 15-minute intervals while fantasizing, women got more aroused - even if they were new at the exercise.

Kegel exercises involve tightening, holding and relaxing the PC muscle. Locate this muscle by interrupting your urine flow. Test its strength by inserting a finger or vibrator into your vagina and gripping it: if your grip's strong, so is your PC muscle. Once you've found it, developing it is relatively easy - it just takes practice.

Start with five repetitions, tightening your PC muscle (gripping a finger may help). Hold for three seconds each time, relaxing the PC muscle fully between repetition. Repeat this sequence, working youy way up to 10 sets of five per day. In a few months, you'll be able to flex your PC muscles during sex to intensify arousal and orgasms for both you and your husbands.

2. Butt Clenches Almost as effective as PC-muscle contractions are isometric exercises. Do-anywhere butt clenches are simple: just contract your gluteal (bum) muscles strongly, hold for three to five seconds, then relax. Repeat six to 12 times throughout the day.

This exercise tones your buttocks and "lits" your butt. Having strong butt muscles makes more strenuous sex positions possible, and some gals attest that if you clench and relax your globes rhythmically during sex, it leads to bigger and better Os.

3. Chinese Exercises In China, sexual exercise is nothing new. The Taoist concept of getting yin from yang, familiar in ancient Oriental sex manuals, involves women "retaining their own sexual energy while gaining healing energy from their partner". At the heart of the technique is orgasm control, which is supposedly why Taoist queen and sex goddess Xi Wang Mu was reputed to look younger as she grew older.

Li Exercise 1: The Li-starting position is standing upright, with your legs about 30cm apart and knees slightly bent. You must try to contract your anal and vaginal muscles simultaneously, hold for five seconds, and then release. Now repeat this 10 times.

Li Exercise 2 & 3: From the starting position, tighten your abdominal muscles, buttocks and the front of your thighs, then while these muscles are contracted, rotate your hips in a clockwise direction. Repeat 10 times, then relax the muscles. Before you repeat the sequence, this time rotating hips anti-clockwise, do five repetitions of Li Exercise 1.

Li Exercise 4 & 5: From the starting position, bend your right leg, slowly raising your knee to your chest, and then lower it again equally slowly. Repeat 10 times. As in the execise above, before you repeat the sequence using the opposite leg, do five repetitions of Li Exercise 1.

Li Exercise 6 & 7: From the starting position, raise your left leg slowly, sideways from the hip to a 90-degree angle, and then lower it slowly to the floor again. Repeat 10 times. Before you repeat the sequence on the opposite leg, yes, you know it: do five repetitions of Li Exercise 1.

Tang Exercise: Lie on your back, arms at your sides, knees bent and feet flat on the floor - about 30cm apart. Use your thighs, hamstrings and buttocks to lift your hips slowly off the ground, raising them as far as you can. Hold for five seconds, then lower your hips to the starting position. Repeat 20 - 50 times depending on your fitness level.

4. Inner-Thigh Exercise Sometimes sex feels better when your legs are wide apart, or stretching over your head - but you need to be flexible to enjoy these positions. Inner-thigh exercise helps by loosening up the hip joints and stretching the inner thighs.

Lie on your back, knees drawn up, and keeping the soles of your feet together on the floor, let the knees fall outward. Stay in this position, relaxing and breathing in a slow, even fashion, for one to three minutes.

For a seated variation, sit upright with the soles of your feet pressed together, knees falling outward. Gently use your elbows to push knees further towards the floor. For maximum sensual benefits, do some hip adductor and abductor exercises at the gym, and add lateral leg raises to tone and strengthen the thighs.

5. Double leg raises Strictly for girls with great abs, double leg raises are worth working up to even if it takes a year or two. You have to master 100-plus ab crunches (or equivalent a day) to make this rapid-arousal exercise possible. If you're already that fit, here's a way to get very horny, very fast.

Lie back on your elbows and keeping your legs straight, slowly raise them till they're about 30cm off the floor. Then lower slowly till they almost touch the ground before raising them slowly again.

(A note of caution: stop the exercise midway and relax if your abdominals feel strained or sore - you don't want to pull a muscle or give yourself a hernia.)

As you continue, you will start to feel aroused as blood flows into the pelvic region. Some girls report being brought to the brink of orgasm after a minute or so of this exercise - with no other stimulation. Want a quick thrill? Just perform a few double raises and you'll be halfway there before you know it.

6. Tantric breathing Tantric and yoga practitioners, along with Eastern sex gurus, believe breath creates a sexual-to-spiritual connection and intensifies arousal. Here's a simple Tantric breathing exercise to encourage a sense of oneness with your man.

Start by matching your breathing pattern to your partner's as you lie side-by-side, curled into one another. More formalised synchronised breathing is a great prelude to sex. It's a tad New Agey but simple and surprisingly effective.

Look into each other's eyes and place a hand on each other's chest, over the heart, then breathe in and out, slowly and rhythmically, concentrating on doing it in unison. A minute or so of this and you've established a "breath connection", and set the tone for intimate, sensuous, soulful sex.

Read More

Winner of the L'Occitane Angelica Ultra Matte Fluid

Let's put our hands together and congratulate Alice Tan (facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006482145242)

Alice Tan will have to get back to me within a week from now with her mailing address to facilitate the mailing of her prize. If I don't hear from Alice Tan after a week, I'll have to re-pick another winner. So, hurry and tag and inform Alice Tan that she has won!!

7th blog giveaway will be in October, the month where Halloween falls~~

Read More

Samples Received & Redeemed: August 2014

How fast time flies for the month of August. Before we know it, it's the end of August as we embark into September. Featured in this monthly post are some Daiso goodies I happened to see and madly grabbed them while they were still available. Although not fast enough as the Daiso at my area didn't stock them after the products got sold out in the span of 2 days LOL

I was browsing around 7-Eleven in the dead of the night after a closing shift, spy a free tote bag that comes with the August issue and grabbed one. But not before choosing the Eiffel Tower design, since it's touted as a Agnes B. tote bag :O

P/S: When I flipped through the magazine, I was rewarded with yet another sample. A Nivea Body Lotion In-Shower Skin Condition Whitening satchet (10ml). So many Nivea samples LOL

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: You can still visit any bookstores, newstands, etc and see if they still have the August 2014 issue in stock. But if not, oh well.. :/

The Sample Store was previously giving this away via their "Sponsored" samples section (now changed to "Free" samples section). Of course, I just requested for it and little did I expect it to be the actual retail size LOL

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Fully redeemed.

I was browsing through Daiso when I chanced upon these Foot Mask Pack and grabbed 5 packets. And you can actually see the effects right from the very first use, which I decided to go back the next day and grabbed more. Only to see another 5 left remaining in stock. When I last left Daiso the previous day, there were more than 10 pieces. Of course, I quickly grabbed the remaining stocks. And until now, I still didn't see any new stocks for this product being put up :( At S$2 a piece, it's actually a steal.

Although I wouldn't recommend using Daiso makeup products, but anything else is actually fine :)

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: No samples from Daiso.

So, I finally finished up using my very last My Scheming masks and decided to head down to Watsons for some stocking up. Until I realized something... I couldn't find any My Scheming masks in Watsons at all. Thinking that maybe Watsons has sold out, I tried Guardian Pharmacy and the same thing happened. Not a single My Scheming masks in sight. And further thinking that maybe it's my area that's out of stock, I went down to JEM Watsons the next day. Still out of stock, same thing happened in Lot 1 Watsons and Causeway Point Watsons. Feeling a little emo, I decided maybe it's time to switch to another brand and bought quite a few boxes from My Beauty Diary. Only to have them had a sale roughly 1 week after buying so many boxes >.<

Apple Polyphenol Mask & Aloe Mask.

Beaute Forest (布萊斯森林) Witch Hazel & Chamomile Soothing Mask & Luffa Mask.

Watsons Soothing and Moisturizing Facial Mask & Watsons Calming and Moisturizing Facial Mask.

Watsons Deep Cleansing Nose Pore Strips - These are for use on my face instead of my nose.

Biore Fresh Grapefruit Nose Pore Strips & Biore Sweet Berry Nose Pore Strips - These are actually meant for my nose only LOL

Aqua Rine Japanese Aroma Bath Sea Salt - Kinda been eyeing this brand for a new years. But because Watsons didn't carry the full range previously, so I didn't get any. But recently the Watsons at my area underwent renovation and they brought in the full-range, so I got this one to try out :D Seems like there's a total of 6 different "flavours", but Watsons always seemed to carry only half the available "flavours". Hmm...

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: No samples from Watsons.

The Body Shop had new EDT in stock, including more items from the same range, Fiji Water Lotus. And my mother had been silently hinting to me to grab it. So... I got the EDT and Shower gel for myself and got my mother the EDT and Body Lotion. After she got the Fiji Water Lotus goodies from me, she then went on to casually mention that the scent is great, as reported in the newspapers. Like Mum, be a little more ecstatic leh...

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: You can pop by any The Body Shop outlets near you and "sniff-test" the range :D

Kao Singapore was previously hosting a MegRhythm Steam Eye Mask sampling activity. So, I went to request one :D It's an innovative self warming steam eye mask that relieves and relaxes your hardworking eyes :O

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: If you still haven't got your hands on this sample, go over to http://web.kao.com/sg/megrhythm/request/index.html and fill in a short questionnaire to redeem one. Sample will be mailed to your mailbox :D

The Sample Store also had this Ocean Health Memore supplement sample to redeem. Same thing, I redeemed for it and received 3 satchet in the mail. Each satchet contains 2 soft gels.

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Sample fully redeemed.

Ah Yuan Soap Facebook page was previously hosting a sampling activity. I only got to know about it on the last few days, so I simply just shared it on my personal page timeline instead as I'm not sure if there's limited samples for redemption.

I got the Eucalyptus Yuan Soap (Body) and the sample soap actually came with a small booklet detailing many of their different soaps for different usage. Gonna find their physical store and see if there's any meant for clothes too. My skin sometimes get too angsty and break out in rashes from synthetic cloth detergent :(

P/S: When my family goes for holidays and I'm the only one left at home, I hand-wash my clothes instead of the washing machine. Let's just say I'm an absolute idiot to operating washing machine(s) LOL

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Sampling activity is over.

Summer's Eve Facebook page was hosting a sample giveaway, so, I requested for my sample :D

I received:

• Summer's Eve Feminine Wash - Normal Skin @ 5ml
• Summer's Eve Femine Cleansing Wipes - Normal Skin @ One Wipe

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: If you haven't tried Summer's Eve before, go over to http://www.summerseve.asia/free-sample/ and request for your sample today. The sample will be mailed to your mailbox :D

Curél Singapore previously hosted a sampling activity for their latest a.k.a newest Curél Sebum Care. I received:

• Curél Sebum Care Lotion @8ml
• Curél Sebum Care Moisture Gel @ 7ml

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Go over to Curél Singapore Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Curel.SG, Like their page first. Next, look for the Curél Sebum Care Samples tab and click on it. Follow the on-screen instructions and wait for the samples to arrive in your mailbox :D

Innisfree Singapore has previously hosting a tag-and-share sampling activity. There were around 10,000 sample kits to be given away when you tagged and shared the affiliated post around. I don't think it really reached 10,000 tags and shares, but then, those whom I did tagged had already done the tagging and sharing. Hence, I didn't tag too much, although I did share it a few times around on my personal timeline instead.

The kit I received includes:

• innisfree green tea balancing skin x 2 @ 10ml each
• innisfree green tea seed serum @ 5ml
• innisfree green tea balancing cream @ 5ml

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: This sampling activity is over. However, they have another soon-to-come sampling activity in lieu of their global online store opening. Party 1 has ended, but there's still Party 2, Party 3 and Grand Open sample kits to be won. So, head over to http://www.innisfreeworld.com/commingsoon/openEvent1.do and bookmark your calendars to join :D

Saw this Bio-essence Tanaka White sample at the "Free Sample" section and requested for it :D

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Samples fully redeemed.

3M Singapore regularly had a sampling activity of some sort where you can redeem for free 3M products to try out. I was looking around for a scotch tape that doesn't peel off nail polish when doing nail art. I think this 3M Magic Tape does a good job :O

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: I presume the sample redemption is over as I can't find the link anymore >.<

I was randomly clicking around L'Oreal Paris Singapore Facebook page and decided to tack down some old samples. Weird that this got through LOL

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: I forgot exactly which sample link/tab I got this from, but you can play around over at https://www.facebook.com/lorealparissingapore and click on the "More" tab for some sample fun xD

Bt the way, I redeemed the L'Oreal Paris Perfect White Laser sample :D

Exuviance Singapore was hosting another sampling activity. Kinda forget if this is the exact same sample as they hosted previously. But this time round, I requested for the Exuviance OptiLight Essential 6 Serum samples (2ml per satchet). Samples will be mailed to your mailbox :D

WHERE TO REDEEM SAMPLE: Go over to https://www.facebook.com/ExuvianceSG, Like their page as a fan first. Next, click on the "More" tab and then click on "FREE Sample" to request. You can only choose 1 sample of the 3 offered :)

Why not like my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PuNiaosProductReviews to be informed of latest samples I found, which is duly updated? Also includes updates to health, beauty & lifestyle tips at least once a day. It will definitely save you the trouble of having to hunt them down :)

Read More