Memebox Skincare Night

So tonight, I decided to try/use some of the products inside my Memeboxes...

1) Grinif Nature Oatmeal Scrub Bar (Memebox Special #4 Whole Grain)

I seldom use soap bars, whether for my face or my body, mainly because they are not as convenient as liquid soap, but I gave this a try anyway because it's 100% natural.

It lathered fairly easily, and the scent was not as strong as I anticipated. It did leave my skin feeling slightly dry afterwards, but I did notice that my pores did appear to be slightly smaller! I probably won't repurchase, but I will try to finish the whole bar!

2) Skinmiso Pore Beauty Nose pack (Superbox #11 Before Special Day)

There's no need to talk about the Skinmiso Pore Beauty Nose Pack, because I've already reviewed it here, and it's named as one of our holy grail products!!!

3) Herbclinic Rice Bran Powder (Memebox Special #4 Whole Grain)

Everyone knows I love masks, but I mainly use face sheet masks or sleeping masks (because of the conveniency), but I decided to give this a try today, also because it's 100% natural!

How to use:

Mix up 1 spoonful of the rice bran powder with 1 spoonful of oatmeal, black bean, or brown rice. Add an adequate amount of milk until it is slightly thickened. Apply onto your face and leave for 15-20 minutes before washing it off.

I didn't have any milk at home, so I used New Zealand's Manuka Honey instead, however after mixing it, I realised that it was slightly too thick, so I added in a teeny weeny bit of Jurlique's rosewater to water it up a bit. I also couldn't find any oatmeal at home except for the "Oats for Rice", so I soaked the "Oats for Rice" in hot water for a few minutes before draining it and using it for my mask.

I didn't have a brush at home, so I used my hands to put the mask over my face. The oats started falling off my face, and the honey started dripping - everything became so messy! I also didn't like how everything became so sticky on my hands and legs (it dripped onto my legs and clothes too). I'm so glad I was applying it while I was in the toilet, otherwise I would be attracting cockroaches and ants into my room! To avoid the honey and oats dripping everywhere, I had to put toilet paper all over my face...

OMG I FEEL SO BRAVE PUTTING THIS PHOTO UP!!!

After looking like an Egyptian Mummy for 15 minutes (I couldn't stand it any longer, and I'm so glad hubby wasn't home to see this!), I wiped the oats off my face with tissue, and I washed off the mask with warm water using my cleansing sponge. I did realise my face to feel a lot smoother, but it was definitely a very messy experience - I think that's why they suggested using milk (although it would still be quite messy with oatmeal/black beans/brown rice dropping off)! If I were to use it again, I'd need a lot of time and patience, because unlike face sheet masks, I can't walk around or do anything else without the mask dripping off my face!

4) Whamisa Organic Flowers Toner Original (purchased from Memeshop)

I purchased this toner because again, it's natural! It is a spray-on toner, and it absorbs very quickly into the skin! I love the smell, and it's very hydrating!

5) W.HOLIC Glutathione Whitening Essence (Superbox #23 Summer Meeting)

Although it's named as an essence on the bottle, it is actually more of a serum, and that's how I've been using it as. I've been using this for a few days now, but I haven't seen any obvious whitening results yet. It doesn't absorb instantly, so it does leave a slight sticky feeling on my face afterwards, but I will continue to use up the whole bottle.

6) WondeRuci Light Light Eye Balm (purchased from Memeshop)

This has a very interesting texture - it feels dry and almost crumbly, but once you warm it up with your fingers, it becomes very silky and smooth, and it's very easy to apply. It didn't seem to do much by itself, but when I use it with my Purederm Botanical Choice Pure Solution Eye Cream, I have realised that my dark circles have instantly become lighter when I wake up in the morning! I only use this at night, as it doesn't blend in too well with some of my skincare products for the daytime. It is faintly scented, and it doesn't irritate my skin!

7) Purederm Botanical Choice Pure Solution Eye Cream (Memebox Global #11)

This eye cream doesn't do much by itself, but when used with my WondeRuci Light Light Eye Balm, I have noticed that my dark circles have significantly become lighter when I wake up in the morning - it's amazing because I've tried so many other eye creams, and nothing does the trick! The other good thing about this eye cream is that it comes in a huge 30ml tube, and it really does last a long time!!!

8) SNP Pore Contraction Whitening Gel Cream (Superbox #13 Pore Care)

This is in the form of a gel cream, and it absorbs very quickly into the skin! There is a citrus scent, but it's very relaxing and soothing! I have realised that it helps to soothe irritated skin, as well as tighten pores! It's also very hydrating and easy to use - perfect for the summer months!

In case you're interested, other than the aforementioned products, I also used these in my skincare regime today:

UGB Peeling Gel - highly raved, very gentle, leaves skin soft

Kiehl's Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque - quite expensive but it really works!

su:m37 Secret Programming Essence - smells fruity, says to tighten pores

Lumene Rejuvenating Neck and Décolleté Cream - neck cream, contains natural ingredients, absorbs quickly

Thank you for reading, and have a nice day!!!

The HUMID Months of the Year...

Spring has arrived, and if you're still using your winter skincare products, it's about time to start changing your products to summer skincare products. For me, I'm still finishing off some products that I used in the winter, but I have already changed my cleanser and serum, as the ones I used in the winter were too oily for me to use in this humid season.

Some people say that you should change your products every now and then, because if you keep using the same product, your skin will get used to it, and the product won't be effective on your skin anymore.

If you have really sensitive skin, I would recommend you to stick to the good brands you are using, but do change your products every now and then - at least have a set of winter products as well as a set of products to use for the summer, so that you can switch between them during the seasons.

In this post, I will be sharing with you the products hubby and I are currently using, and whether I would continue to repurchase them or not.

I have been told that I have combination skin, dry skin, and sensitive skin. I guess my skin changes from time to time. My nose tends to go oily quite easily, the rest of my face is quite dry, and my skin is quite thin - you can see the little veins near my cheekbones! Fortunately, I seldom have any pimples, except for the occasional one or two that I get from pregnancy or from using the wrong skincare products.

Hubby on the other hand, has very sensitive yet oily skin and he gets pimples very easily! I don't dare to change his products, as new products often cause him breakouts. His skin quality has definitely improved since using the skincare products I have bought for him though!


Step One: Remove Makeup

Cleansing Milk Makeup Remover
Pros: Not drying to the skin; can remove eye makeup too

Cons: Cannot remove heavy makeup; feels sticky and greasy if unwashed with water; does not completely remove all makeup; usually fragranced

Brands Used: Orlane
Repurchase? No

Oil Based Makeup Remover

Pros: Convenient (no need to use a separate eye makeup remover); usually fragrance-free; can remove heavy makeup
Cons: Made my eyes go blurry if it accidentally went into eyes; don't like it when it drips down my elbows; too drying; sometimes causes breakouts; don't like the feeling of washing oil off my face; leaves an oily feeling afterwards

Brands Used: Clinique, DHC, Fancl, and Shu Uemura
Repurchase? No

Oil Based Gel or Cream Makeup Remover

Pros: Convenient; not runny and easy to handle; not drying to the skin; can remove heavy makeup
Cons: Requires time to rub it in, then wiping face with tissue before washing it off with water (as advised by staff)

Brands Used: Chanel, Clinique, Kosé and Missha
Repurchase? Yes, still using it to remove heavy makeup

Water Based Makeup Remover

Pros: Suitable for sensitive skin; hassle-free; satisfaction when seeing all the makeup being wiped off; can do it on-the-go
Cons: Need to use a lot of cotton pads to remove makeup; cannot remove heavy makeup

Brands Used: Innisfree and Vichy
Repurchase? Yes, still using it to remove light daily makeup

Eye Makeup Remover

Brands Used: Chanel, M.A.C., and Vichy. Chanel is my top pick!


Step Two: Face Cleansing

Foam Cleanser Moisture by Laneige (180mL)

Pros: Mild (does not irritate pimples); cleanses very well; noticed minimised and cleaner pores; creates foam easily; not drying to the skin; face feels refreshed and moisturised after use; a little goes a long way
Cons: The smell is bearable but I don't love it
Repurchase? Yes

Gentle Skin Cleanser by Cetaphil (473mL)

Pros: Suitable for sensitive skin and acne prone skin, cheap price
Cons: Does not clean very well; only suitable for normal to oily skin
Repurchase? Yes (only because hubby refuses to change to other products). 
Hubby has also tried the cleansers from Physiogel and Kiehl's which also did not cause him breakouts, but then again, Cetaphil is much cheaper to buy and he refuses to change - that's okay as long as he wipes his face with a good toner to get rid of the dirt afterwards.

Step Three: Apply Toner

For me, I use a few different toners depending on my skin condition that day.

White Plus HP Gentle Renewing Brightening Peel by Clarins (125mL)
The name of this product can be quite confusing, but it is actually a peeling/exfoliating product in liquid gel form, and can be used as a toner, or before your normal toner. I use this only when I have pimples on my face, and it helps clear the pimples faster. This cannot replace your weekly scrub, but it helps maintain the quality of your skin. The way to apply it is to soak a cotton pad in the lotion and apply to the face and neck, avoiding the eye contour.

Pros: Gentle enough to be used everyday; helps clear pimples faster; skin absorbs products better after using this; minimises pores; a simple way to exfoliate skin; lotion only comes out when you squeeze the bottle so it doesn't all pour out
Cons: None that I can think of
Repurchase? Yes, I just went to buy myself another one!

Rosewater Balancing Mist Intense (Deluxe Edition) by Jurlique (200mL)

Pros: Nice scent of rose; can be lightly misted directly onto face or misted into hands and gently pressed onto skin; uses natural ingredients; alcohol-free, hydrating; nice design of the bottle
Cons: Not advised to apply using a cotton pad so that cannot wipe off any dirt or residue as you normally would with a toner; if misted onto face directly, need to use hands to press gently too; cannot be used as a before and after makeup mist as the water particles are too big to absorb by itself; quite expensive
Repurchase? No, since it's not fascinating, and I'd like to try other things.

Bee Care Calendula Toner by Holika Holika (140mL)

Pros: Suitable for sensitive skin including acne prone skin; contains propolis extract and calendula extract; can see the calendula flowers inside the glass bottle; alcohol-free; hydrating; has a nice scent; much cheaper than the Calendula Toner from Kiehl's
Cons: Formula not as effective as the Calendula Toner from Kiehl's; not suitable if you are allergic to bee products
Repurchase? No

Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner by Kiehl's (500mL)

Pros: Suitable for sensitive skin including acne prone skin; alcohol-free; soothes and improves problem areas (acne and acne scars); nice & relaxing flower scent; can see the calendula flowers inside the plastic bottle; comes in two sizes - 250mL and 500mL
Cons: More suited for normal-to-oily skin types so it may not hydrating enough for those with dry and sensitive skin (but problem can be resolved by using moisturising serums or creams after the application of toner); quite expensive
Repurchase? Yes, this is our third bottle already!

Clarifying Lotion Twice a Day Exfoliator 3 by Clinique (200mL)

Pros: Suitable for sensitive skin and acne prone skin; a simple way to exfoliate skin
Cons: Must use cotton balls instead of cotton pads to apply toner otherwise ineffective; has an overwhelming smell of alcohol; quite drying for the face
Repurchase? No. I originally purchased this for myself, but it was too drying for my face so I gave it to hubby, and I refuse to use so much alcohol on my face.


Step Four: Apply Serum

Water Bank Essence by Laneige (60mL)

Pros: Absorbs very quickly and does not feel sticky at all; leaves my skin feeling silky soft and smooth even just after one use; very hydrating; has a very faint scent; comes in a nice blue glass bottle
Cons: Slightly pricey
Repurchase? Yes

Drops of Youth by The Body Shop (30mL)

Pros: Suitable for sensitive skin and acne prone skin; absorbs very quickly; made skin smoother as it was originally very bumpy from the acne scars; one bottle lasts quite long as only one drop is used every time; comes in a small glass bottle with a pasteur pipette/dropper
Cons: Absorbs too quickly and one drop does not seem to be enough if you do not apply it wisely; very expensive for just 30mL
Repurchase? Yes, this is our fourth bottle already! I usually stock up on them when they're on sale or during any special offers!

Aquamarinal 1032 Serum by Leader Clinic (45mL)

Pros: Suitable for sensitive skin and acne prone skin; pigment free; artificial fragrance free; no scent; very moisturising
Cons: Always sold out at the koreacos.com.hk website
Repurchase? Yes, this is our fourth bottle already! I usually stock up on them just in case they're out of stock at the shop!

Step Five: Apply Eye Cream

Advanced Extra-Firming Eye Contour Cream by Clarins (20mL)

Pros: Moisturising yet not greasy; does not cause milia; suitable for applying under makeup; my fine lines have not worsened although not completely gone; hygienic bottle with a pump dispenser
Cons: Did not help with dark eye circles
Repurchase? Maybe

Midnight Recovery Eye by Kiehl's (15mL)

Pros: Light and not greasy; hygienic tube; helps lighten dark eye circles; does not cause milia; contains no parabens/fragrance/mineral oil/silicones
Cons: Not moisturising enough if ladies have to apply it under makeup
Repurchase? No, because hubby doesn't use eye cream anymore, and because it didn't work for me (Genie).


Step Six: Apply Day Cream or Night Cream

Multi-Active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream-Gel by Clarins (50mL)

Pros: Very moisturising but not greasy; has a nice scent though may be too strong for some; absorbs quite quickly so does not leave a sticky feeling to the face; suitable for normal to combination skin
Cons: Quite expensive
Repurchase? Maybe, but only for use in the winter.

Multi-Active Night Youth Recovery Cream by Clarins (50mL)

Pros: Very moisturising but not greasy; has a scent but not as strong as the day cream; absorbs quite quickly; suitable for normal to combination skin
Cons: Quite expensive
Repurchase? Maybe, but only for use in the winter.

Biopure Reoxygen Intense Cream by Ericson Laboratoire

Pros: Suitable for normal, dry, and sensitive skin; smells fruity; not too thick so can be used as both day and night cream; hydrating; non-greasy; does not leave a sticky feeling after application; absorbs very quickly; leaves skin radiant and moisturised
Cons: Very expensive
Repurchase? No, it is too expensive

Le Weekend de Chanel by Chanel (50mL)
This product is part of the skincare trilogy by Chanel - the other products are Le Jour de Chanel and La Nuit de Chanel. The Le Weekend de Chanel enhances renewal and replenishes hydration to give skin a much-needed weekend break. Combined with relaxing Rose Water, a gentle Glycolic Acid Complex is gradually released for ideal exfoliation and lasting moisture. Skin is softer and more luminous for the week ahead. During the weekend, apply morning and evening to the entire face and neck, avoiding the eye area. Use in place of your usual serum and moisturiser, and always follow with sun protection in the daytime. Apply two days in a row to intensify the benefits.

Pros: Won't feel guilty for being lazy in the weekends; absorbs very quickly; surprisingly hydrating although it feels quite light; not greasy or sticky; has a nice flower scent; leaves skin feeling soft; nice design
Cons: Quite expensive
Repurchase? Maybe

Aquamarinal 1032 Lotion by Leader Clinic (150mL)

Pros: Suitable for sensitive skin and acne prone skin; pigment free; artificial fragrance free; no scent; very light yet hydrates very well; helps balance skin's equilibrium; one bottle lasts very long; very cheap for such a big bottle (HK$165 original price; HK$119 on sale price)
Cons: Always sold out at the koreacos.com.hk website
Repurchase? Yes, this is our second bottle already! A bottle goes a long way, so we haven't had to repurchase very often.


Products used in a home facial...

Peeling or Exfoliator

Multiberry Yogurt Peeling Gel by Laneige (120mL)

Pros: Suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin; very gentle on the skin; skin feels smoother and softer after use; can use it as a peeling mask if you have oily and acne prone skin; nice strawberry scent
Cons: More of a gentle exfoliator rather than a peeling
Repurchase? Yes. I used to use the Strawberry Yogurt Peeling Gel but that has been discontinued and has been replaced with the Multiberry one, which I find to be gentler than its predecessor.

Maximum Radiance Exfoliating Gel by Chanel (75mL)

Pros: Granules are very fine; not abrasive to the skin; leaves skin very soft and smooth; does not cause breakouts; has a nice scent
Cons: Slightly hard to wash off; quite pricey
Repurchase? Yes


Pore Cleansing Mask

Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque by Kiehl's (142g)

Pros: Effectively "brings out" blackheads, excess oils, and dirt to the top layer of the skin so that you can easily remove them; some people use it as a spot treatment for acne 
Cons: Slightly drying to the skin but can be easily resolved by using moisturising products after application; has a tingling sensation when applied to the skin
Repurchase? Yes. I have tried other pore cleansing masks from other brands, but none were as effective as this one.


Pore Extractor

Nose Pore Pack by Bioré (10 strips)

Pros: Satisfaction when seeing the pores being extracted from the nose (works better on hubby's nose); convenient and easy to use
Cons: Damages the skin; enlarges the pores; not the entire blackhead is extracted; can be quite painful when peeling the strip off the nose
Repurchase? Yes, but we don't use them very often.


Face Mask

Firming Sleeping Pack by Laneige (50mL)

After you mix the gel, it will go back to its normal shape after a few seconds ~ miraculous!

Pros: Suitable for all skin types; a leave-on mask and does not require washing off until morning; convenient; skin is very hydrated and radiant in the morning; comes with a spatula for hygiene purposes; has a slight scent; very easy to apply
Cons: Suggested to apply 30 minutes before bedtime; if apply too much, will feel sticky; absorbs more slowly than the Water Sleeping Pack
Repurchase? Maybe


Other products:

Face Mist

Reskin Solution Mist by Reskin (60mL)

Pros: Suitable for all skin types; particles are very small so can be misted onto face before and after makeup; absorbs into skin instantly; fragrance-free
Cons: Not moisturising enough
Repurchase? No

Snail Repair Hydro Mist by Mizon (120mL)

Pros: Suitable for all skin types including sensitive skin; very moisturising; can be used as a toner as well as a mist; can be used under or on top of makeup; has a nice scent
Cons: Always out of stock at the koreacos.com.hk website
Repurchase? Yes, this is my third bottle already!


Sunscreen

Mien Aqua UV Protection SPF50 by YANYIM (50mL)

Pros: Suitable for all types of skin, but it is especially made for sensitive skin; milky in colour but the texture is like water; absorbs instantly; does not feel sticky or greasy unlike other sunscreens; skin feels very smooth after application; not drying for the skin; does not leave any white residue unlike other sunscreens; can apply under makeup
Cons: Has the typical sunscreen scent
Repurchase? Yes


Lip Balm

Lip Care Balm by Jurlique (15mL)

Pros: Conditions and softens the lips; helps get rid of flaky and chapped lips; faint scent of beeswax; can be used as a lip mask
Cons: No applicator on the tube; quite difficult to squeeze the balm out of the hard metal tube; quite expensive
Repurchase? Yes, I already bought a new one just in case they run out of stock again!
Fore more information on this product, please check out my The Dry Months of the Year... post.

Hydrating Conditioning Lip Balm by Chanel (3mL)

Pros: Not sticky; moisturising; slight flower scent; posh packaging; does not irritate or worsen flaky and chapped lips
Cons: Quite expensive; may need to apply a few layers
Repurchase? Yes, this is my second one already!



These are the products that hubby and I are both currently using. I hope these suggestions will help you in finding the right products for you. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment below!

Hope you enjoyed reading, and have a nice day!