While it is a review, I would like to think this is more of... sharing my thoughts about this product? 

Sometimes I find the term 'review' can sound a little too 'fact-heavy' but I guess there really isn't any other way to put it.

❧

Nonetheless, aside from their sunscreen, I have never used any Clarins products prior and have only heard positive remarks about their whole skincare and bodycare range.

I had received a bodycare travel kit (of some sort) sometime back and while I have not given the other items within a shot, I sifted this one out and am absolutely in love with it.

The Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil is an all-in-one moisturizing and also skin-toning body oil.

Body oils, as the name suggests, are oils and may prove to be a more nourishing form of hydration for the skin. Oils may not be everyone's cup of tea as they do leave a lingering feeling on your skin as compared to some lotions.

Though for my perpetually parched eczema-prone skin, I welcome anything nourishing, hydrating or rich, especially for night-use.

Night-use is exactly what I would classify the Clarins Tonic Body Treatment as due to its richer oil texture and the more apparent film it leaves on the skin after massaging most of the goodness in. Though with that said, the body oil has a silky and liquid consistency which makes it easy to work with and for the most part, easily absorbed.

The slightly richer texture makes it good to use for a mini-massage session (along with the accompanying awesome scent).

In fact, the instructions for use do suggest to massage it from the ankle, upwards if you are working on your legs. When in the mood, I do the whole massage works but otherwise I would just give this a good rub all over.

I wouldn't classify this as a heavy oil because compared to some other variants I have tried, this has a considerably lighter 'lingering' feel on the skin. Yet it doesn't quite fall into the light-weight category either due to the richer nature of it.

The scent of this is absolutely divine — pleasantly soft florals but in a rather spa-like and soothing manner. If anything, the scent really does it for me and is probably what leaves me this smittened with it.

I don't use this daily but I like to indulge in it now and then as it leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth and well nourished through the drying air conditioned nights.

One pet peeve with this would be the packaging.

The one I have is not the retail size but the issue faced is the same, apparently. This glass bottle opens to expose the full 'opening', without a stopper or nozzle to restrict the dispensed amount. Due to that it could be tricky getting the right amount out, especially juggling the glass and fragile aspect. That aside, I really have no qualms with this!

The Tonic Body Treatment Oil is apparently a miracle worker for ridding stretch marks and also toning the skin by tightening and firming it.

I don't use this often enough for the tightening, firming and stretch marks ridding effect to be noticeable but I do find my skin temporarily firmer after use though that goes away since I am not religious with this.

While I rotate other body moisturizers be it lotions or oils, I do love having this in my stash for occasions when I want to pamper my skin and my senses.

I would definitely recommend this if you are into body oils or on the look out to treat your senses with a nourishing body oil.

Sophia (Makeup Blogette) had also given this bottle of goodness in her recent Shower Essentials entry.

Have you tried this? Do you like it?

Thanks for reading!

Disclosure:
Products were provided to me for review consideration.
I am not affiliated to them and all opinions expressed are my own.

A little staggered with my mentions, do pardon me, but here are more items from Lancôme's sultry, feminine and fun Fall Color 2012 range, Midnight Roses.

After giving some glow with highlighters, one can't simply just forget the lips so this Fall Color 2012 sees the release of 3 shades to suit the varying lip color preferences.

❧

The L'Absolu Nu range is a tricky little one, I must say.

Housed in an elegant lipstick packaging with a sleek hold and magnetic closure, I half expected these to take on the characteristics of an old-school lipstick. Think the slightly heavier, creamier formulation that is pigmented but a tad drying with wear.

Yet, I was surprised to learn (and find) that these have a certain buttery texture to them, gliding over the lips in a smooth and slick manner. Infused with Pro-Xylane™, an anti-aging ingredient patented by Lancôme, the L'Absolu Nu Lipstick pairs a light-weight formula with lip-friendly care that subtlely hydrates with wear.

The Midnight Roses shades see a release of tones from pinks to a neutral-rosey shade and even a wine-red to cover glammed up night looks.

For comparison, I find the L'Absolu Nu Lipstick delivers a touch more color than Rouge in Love (asian edition), without sacrificing on the lightness of how it feels on.

The shades don't exactly replicate the lipstick tube color and go on more like a veil of color, with enough pigmentation and also a glossy translucence to it. This means you don't entirely have to be too careful when applying the darker tones or the brighter shades but yet you can't just 'throw on and go' the bolder tones either.

with sunlight

with camera flash

I would say they are not particularly commendable in hydration but they do an okay job in keeping the lips from feeling taut or dried out with wear.

Here's a look at the individual shades and how they swatch on the lips.

Now, Prune Résille gets some extra shots because aside from it being a beautiful deep red, it is also littered with fine pink shimmers within. Absolutely gorgeous!

And a couple more shots of Prune Résille, just cause. Heh.

The reason for the Prune Résille spam is because my mom claimed it upon setting eyes on it so I probably wouldn't be featuring that shade further in LOTDs since it is with her.

However I have been using and loving Rose Damas on my part and find that the L'Absolu Nu lipsticks are very comfortable and lovely to wear, from the finish right down to the color. The sleek tube and metalic closure also makes it chic to carry about for touch ups.

Here's me with Rose Damas on a little-to-no-makeup weekend look from a while back.

Due to their more slick nature, they don't last very long on me and definitely not through a meal. I generally get 4 hours of wear with coffee or drinks in between but they do disappear after.

The deepest berry-red doesn't seem to lend a staining effect to my lips either and is something I can wipe right off and start at square one again.

Easy, comfortable colors with a chic packaging, I would definitely recommend checking these out if they are still in stock!

Lancôme L'Absolu Nu Lipsticks retail for S$44 at Lancôme counters (if still available).

Thanks for reading and happy weekends everyone!

I have here one of beautifully classic pieces from Dior's Grand Bal, Holiday 2012 Collection.

As you can see, the packaging design is absolutely stunning to both hold, admire and have in the stash. It was a slight pain to photograph too because I kept catching myself in the reflection of it (and gave up dodging in the end) but that's not the point...

To accompany the classic grandeur, the lipstick has a slight weight to it but nothing too heavy that would make it a hassle to carry around.

The shade I opted for was Diorling and based on what I had seen from swatches and mentions online, I was quite surprised when I uncapped my press sample.

This was before I read the press file and took note of the shades available but it seems, as mentioned in my Dior Grand Bal overview entry, the shades available to us differ from the US launches.

From Musings mention and Temptalia's mention, you can get a glimpse of the vibrantly bold US version of Diorling (which is numbered 037).

The local version, numbered 340, while not what I expected shouldn't be discredited.

Our Diorling 340 sits on the more neutral and wearable side of things, leaning a little pink and a little coral at the same time with a hefty amount of fine gold iridescence running through the shade.

In terms of formula, this takes a slight step away from the lustrous glaze-like formula that we have seen quite a fair bit these days.

I want to say this is drier but that would not seem appropriate either.

The Diorific Lipstick formula is creamy but stays close to the lips once you have applied, such that you need not fear it slipping, sliding or migrating around. There is no tugging involved nor is it difficult to achieve an even, beautiful finish on the lips.

The final color pay-off would best be described as a satin but thanks to the load of iridescence in it, provides a more dimensional look in a different way that something lustrous and glossy would.

I do recall seeing lipsticks of this finish before but due to the influx of glossy translucent ones filling the market these days (especially for nuder shades) this seems like a novel thing to reach for again.

I can't stress enough about how lovely a neutral this is. Definitely not boring with that golden glimmer it gives off when it hits the light.

Though one negative about Diorling 340 is that since it has a golden sheen and is a formula that clings closely to the lips, it does have a habit of accentuating any fine-lines or dryness that you may have. Thus those who battle such problems may be less than pleased with the results of swatching this on.

In some cases, this might require some prepping beforehand but otherwise, it is still a lovely finish and shade to have.

With this, I get about 3-4 hours of wear perhaps due to its lighter and more neutral quality. I don't know how the bolder reds will fare but I did not notice any staining with this (obviously because it'a s nude, ha!). The color also cleans right off with a serviette, leaving my lips as they were, without the golden sheen.

It doesn't feel drying on but it is certainly not moisturizing either.

Here's how the lipstick looks from afar, the golden shimmer not as apparent but still lovely. I really do love the tone of pink it becomes on my lips.

The Diorific Lipsticks retail for S$49 and will be available island-wide from 1st November 2012 onwards.

In the meanwhile, check out what other products will be launched with Dior's Grand Bal collection if you haven't already.

Thanks for reading!

Disclosure:
Products were provided to me for review consideration.
I am not affiliated to them and all opinions expressed are my own.

Okay, I still owe you guys a long overdue review about the Maybelline BB Stick but trust me, that one is coming soon!

In the meanwhile, here is another product from the brand with a totally different purpose but yet housed in a twist-up tube as well — Maybelline Baby Lips Lipbalm.

Maybe I am being all judgmental but when this first launched, I never gave it 2 looks. Maybe it is something about the name, something about the packaging or perhaps my whole not-very-into-Maybelline inclination from the start but I never thought much about these.

Somehow I had an impression that these would be the 'usual' lip balms — smell nice, fruity and all but just perform okay or rather 'normal'  in the balm hydrating factor.

That is true to some extent because, a lip balm is a lip balm, right?

When I was provided these to try, I thought why not give it a chance and shelved my beloved Carmex only to be surprised that these Baby Lips are actually pretty awesome!

I have here with me Mango Pie and Cherry Velvet. Sounds yum!

As expected, these have a fruity and sweet scent to them that I do like and I don't seem to recall any notable flavor. They do not have a tint either, which is different from the US variant which appears to be tinted?

These Baby Lips are more on the balmy (not greasy) and thicker side when slathered on. In comparison to Mentholatum which I was alternating, these have a thicker balm feel on the lips and seem to be more hydrating.

In terms of formula and 'smooshiness' (as I say) on the lips, these feel softer compared to the Mentholatum ones too.

Mango Pie

If you ask me, the closest comparison would be to the Lip Smackers Limited Edition Paul Frank tube-balm (as seen on Rouge Deluxe) which I tote around in my purse and love for a coconut-y dose of hydration.

They both leave a nice layer of balmy hydration on my lips and keeps it feeling moisturized for a good amount of time. Even after it wears off, my lips are left in a soft and supple state instead of craving for a touch up.

The addition of SPF20 is also a nice plus. I don't give that much thought but it is important to give our lips some UV protection too since they are most often forgotten when it comes to that.

Cherry Velvet

In all, I am pleasantly surprised with these and no guesses here that the Cherry flavor would be my favorite of the two scents I have!

Though just a heads up, for those who do prefer the lighter balm texture may not be the biggest fan of this. This is definitely on the heavier, more hydrating yet not greasy / oily side of lip balms.

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Balms are available for S$5.90 at Maybelline displays.

Have you tried the Maybelline Baby Lips? Do you like it?

Thanks for reading!

Disclosure:
Products were provided to me for review consideration.
I am not affiliated to them and all opinions expressed are my own.

This weekend involved a little bit of running around, driving around and being busy from place to place so I figured that it would be a perfect time to use Make Up For Ever's Aqua Rouge.

I didn't want to look too made up just to run errands so I reached for the very much loved Nude Beige shade and took this opportunity to also snap some pictures and post my thoughts about the Aqua Rouge.

The Aqua Rouge applies in a matte and almost dry-like finish on the lips and while I am not certain about the reds, you most certainly do not want to leave the nudes in this state.

1 Nude Beige is pretty close to my natural lip color except perhaps with a little more beige / brown tones to it. It appears quite light at first and without a gloss, it honestly does seem a wee bit nasty... like dry-ish lips.

Yet after slathering some clear gloss over, the color takes a complete turn and actually looks like a proper nude-ish gloss!

I did apply this a little haphaardly before dashing out of the house (thank goodness its a nude) hence the closeups are a little messy. My apologies about that!

I love how the Aqua Rouge seems to wrap around the lips and if in terms of wear, these really do impress me.

Up close they may not seem the most perfect because the color portion is a dryer formula, this tends to cling to the lips instead of plumping it up and ridding lip lines. When viewed from a 'normal distance', you can't quite pick up on the lines so much and it does look a lot better.

However if you have dryer lips or battle some flaking then maybe these are not a good thing to reach for in those times. Some lip exfoliation beforehand would be good for those who require it.

But otherwise, these wear through a whole day of errands or work (about 10 hours), even after food – think breakfast, lunch, snacks! Of course the gloss part has to be touched up to ensure the color continues to look good but any clear gloss would work and due to that, you would not even need a mirror to do touch ups! I do notice some parts fading a little after the 8 hour mark but overall the lip color still seems to be in good shape.

In terms of how it wears, it is not a heavy formula yet you can still feel this on your lips especially when you press them together. Without a gloss, the rouge itself is like having glue dabbed on the lips, okay not that extreme... it takes on a sticky yet thin consistency so that urges you to layer gloss over to transform the color back to its glorious state.

Here's the gloss from 'afar'!

The brownish tone to it does help this shade (1 Nude Beige) from looking too zombie or corpse like. It's a good enough nude to wear for a casual look yet not too nude that it makes you look sickly or can only be paired with a smokey look.

What I have on the rest of my face is boring boring same old stuff so I will skip mentioning those. And yes, my mascaras still haven't been getting much love from me but oh well, soon!

I am somewhat enjoying the easier makeup removal process with the lack of mascara but I do miss how that really 'opens up my eyes'. ha! Didn't mean to use that cliche statement.

Anyhoo, I hope everyone had a great Mid-Autumn Festival celebration be it through feasting or just spending some quality family time!

I got to head home yesterday to have a pre-celebration with my parents and spent today chowing down a mooncake platter with the boy's fam. Overall, very accomplished weekend! ha.

Thanks for reading!

Extremely belated with my mention but here is Lancôme's beautiful Blush Highlighter Illuminating Powder in 001 Moonlight Rose that was released along with the Lancôme Midnight Rose Collection.

I can't be entirely certain but this is likely a Europe, Canada and of course Asia exclusive as it is not within the US inventory of the Midnight Rose Collection.

(image source: google images)

Midnight Rose had arrived at Lancôme counters in Singapore on the 1st of September and this Fall 2012 Color Collection is inspired by the fragrance, Trésor Midnight Rose. Splashed with sensual purple hues, Midnight Rose (the collection) is made to evoke mischief and also a feminine glamour.

❧

Back to the product at hand, the Lancôme Highlighter in Moonlight Rose, which probably plays a part in the glamour aspect of this collection.

This is a white-pink hued highlighter that imparts a soft moon-lit glow to the cheeks. It has a healthy dose of sparkle to it that gives it a pronounced highlighting quality yet prevents it from being glitter-ladden.

The brush that comes encased with is alright – good enough to use if you were out and about but honestly nothing much to give special mention to.

For highlighters I typically use the ELF Studio Blush Brush (center one in the image above) because it is a good size to place colors just on the high points of my cheeks yet is soft enough for me to buff the application out so it appears natural.

This Lancôme highlighter has been compared to Guerlain's Cruel Gardenia Meteorites and from what I have seen, they are pretty darn close! Check out Sophia's comparison swatch of them.

Guerlain's Cruel Gardenia Meteorites – (picture from Temptalia)

Thankfully I do not own the Guerlain variant so I do adore and really love Lancôme's Moonlight Rose highlighter.

Though there is a close dupe mention above, I find that silver/white-pinkish hued highlighters of this breed seem a little hard to come by. It gives the perfect touch of glow without lending too strong a pink tone and has a finely-milled texture that allows the silver to give a soft moon-lit touch without making the it look gritty.

According to Lancôme's very poetic and serene way of putting it, it is meant to mimic the soft glistening glow of moonlight dancing and bouncing off ripples along the banks of the River Seine in France.

The illustration of that is a very soft romantic glow yet with a lively spirit to it, very poetic for something as simple as a highlighter but this sure does have the glow to boot that description!

Formula-wise the powder is smooth in texture, picks up quite well and of course is artfully embossed.

I am take extra care with this and only dipping my brush along the sides. It's quite a challenge but I am doing my best not to ruin the beauty of the rose. On top of that, while I wouldn't classify this as something pigmented per se, it can pick up a little more potently than your usual highlighters so practice some control with this!

I have worn this out a few times to work but have not managed to snap a good shot to post and I wanted to get this entry out as soon as I can so no face swatches here but that will come soon!

In the meanwhile, do drop by the Lancôme counters and swatch this lovely Limited Edition highlighter for yourself if you are captivated by the glow (or embossed design) of it.

Hopefully it's not out of stock at counters just yet!

Lancôme Blush Highlighter Illuminating Powder in Moonlight Rose retails for S$70 at local Lancôme counters!

Thanks for reading!

Disclosure:
Products were provided to me for review consideration.
I am not affiliated to them and all opinions expressed are my own.

Hey everyone!

Still in the midst of my disappearing act and the absence has thrown me a little out of the blogging state-of-mind as well but I aim to get that back as quick as I can! Along with some time to talk about loads of back-logged and belated items.

❧

Anyway, following my recent discovery and love for the Bioderma makeup remover, I had the chance to try out the variant for Oily Skin which is called Sèbum H2O as opposed to the Sensitive skin one that is called Créaline H2O.

In all honesty the names and terms have me confused but just note that the Oily variant has a green cap and the Sensitve one is a red cap.

After having the chance to give both of them a shot, I figured I would quickly share my thoughts for those who may be undecided about the two versions and wondering what the difference is. 

It is not much of an essay to write so I aim to keep this short but in general, there is one version that I do prefer!

The Bioderma Sèbum H2O (Oily) comes in a green capped bottle and the liquid itself has a faint blue hue, very pretty yet reminds me of chlorine in a pool though that has nothing to do with the review at all.

As for how it fares, if you ask me, I would say that Sèbum H2O (Oily) is more effective and seems to work quicker in removing makeup as compared to Créaline H2O (Sensitive).

That being said, Créaline H2O (Sensitive) does a great job too but to properly illustrate it, lets say Créaline H2O (Sensitive) needs a couple more swipes to achieve the same removal that Sèbum H2O (Oily) does in less swipes.

Though after sharing that, I still stand my ground and prefer Bioderma Créaline H2O (Sensitive) because like Mandom, Bioderma Sèbum H2O (Oily) does have a stinging sensation when it gets into my eye during eye makeup removal.

I can't say that everyone would experience that same eye-stinging sensation and perhaps some out there don't but this is just me! Though my eyes aren't exactly the super sensitive sort either, if you need a gauge.

Here's the ingredients listing for Bioderma Sèbum H2O (Oily)

Simply said, I still love Bioderma Créaline H2O (Sensitive) for its all-in-one purpose and if I were putting a use to the Sèbum H2O (Oily) version, it would be handy for quick and thorough removal of face makeup such as foundation.

If anyone is interested to know, I get my Bioderma from Eliza (from here!). Though right now she's currently away and will be back on the 29th Sept but you can still drop her a note.

Thanks for reading!

Have you tried both variants? Which do you prefer?

If you haven't read the first of my Jyunka posts, featuring the facial experience and scientific explanation of it, I highly recommend that you do since it is somewhat a flow-in into this entry.

Now that I have gotten most of the techy beauty bits ironed out, I will keep this entry more focused on the product benefits along with my personal experience and thoughts about it.

What is Jyunka M+ Fluid?

The active ingredient found within Jyunka M+ Fluid, as discussed, is Vitamin C (or also known as L'Absorbic Acid).

Looking at the ingredient make-up of this Fluid, you can tell that it honestly is banking on the technology of ensuring Vitamin C is absorbed deeply and thoroughly into the skin since there really aren't many ingredients to it.

Jyunka M+ Fluid comes with a very promising list of claims such as being able to see immediate results along with far better benefits with a prolonged used. The benefits of that would include:

• Lightening Pigmentation and Age Spots
• Tightening Pores
• Plump up Fine Lines
• Jyunka Glow! – A brightened complexion as toxins are flushed from the skin
• Reduced Under eye circles

And yes, you read that last point right! Jyunka M+ Fluid is actually safe to use on the tender area right under your eye. I am assuming this factor does vary and those who are extremely sensitive in that area might not want to risk getting milia seeds but the option of an undereye use is there!

While the above list is a compilation of benefits from a prolonged usage, Jyunka also emphsizes that due to it's fast-absorbing quality, instant and immediate effects can be witnessed!

I hope I am not all over the place with this review but speaking of instant results, here's a flashback to the half-face demo I mentioned in my earlier entry.

Immediate Effects

At the beauty salon, they felt the best way for me to see the difference is to apply Jyunka M+ on half of my face and leave the other as-is. For best results, it was also recommended I left myself this way till the next morning (at least).

They applied Jyunka M+ to the left side of my face, mentioning that it is slightly chubbier than my right and not as 'well-defined'. It is a partial observation but I suppose it is also why I have always prefer taking photos from my right.

Immediately after 10 minutes of application, they snapped a quick shot of my face for me and while I look downright cheesy and bleh, here it is:

With the immediate results, what you would notice is:

• Plumping of any fine lines (such as laugh lines or creases around the eyes)
• Slight lifting of the skin – note how my left (right in the photo) eye area appears slightly 'lifted'
• Slight sculpting of the cheeks (also due to lifting)

Since the phone camera quality is unable to snap commendable pictures, once home I took more shots in hopes of capturing the difference.

In all honesty there is a difference if you scrutinize your face in person. Of course people you see on the streets would not be sending weird stares your way for any odd facial symmetry but for observant people that know you (and yourself), you can see the refined shape and lifted look on the side with M+

There was also plumping to the laughline when I looked at myself in the mirror but for some reason, it refused to get captured on camera with flash.

While my left (right in picture) does look chubbier and has a more angular jaw, that is impossible to correct with M+ since we are talking plastic surgery here. Though what M+ did is to sculpt the meatier cheek portion, places that a serum can alter.

In the pictures, and I honestly hope it's not just me over-scrutinizing myself, I do see a better contour on my left cheek (right in photo). Note how there is a more evident 'front line' on there casting a deeper shadow?

The camera flash does cause everything to be picked up and highlighted but in person, that 'line' works as a contour and does shape your face to make it appear slimmer. Keyword here is appear.

Alright, enough of my scary gummy smile but that's what I captured through initial usage.

❧

Prolonged Usage (3 Weeks)

After my facial experience, I received a bottle of Jyunka M+ and used it religiously for about 3 weeks – rather religiously that is.

The instructions say to use this day and night however due to it's serum-like consistency (not exactly thick and oily but I will explain!), I don't fancy using this in the day and would stick to my light-weight moisturizers.

So, after 3 weeks of use, how did it fare against its claims?

A foreword, I can't entirely attest everything to this product and while I didn't change up anything else in my routine, my skin does go through phases of being good and bad so... if anything, maybe this aided with the good.

• The pores around my nose does seem slightly smoothened out, though I never had too major pore issues to begin with so... not the best judge!
• My complexion seems to be brightened and more radiant. It's a partial observation and not cosmetic-product-glowy but rather my skin doesn't appear so dull and I don't look zombie-like without makeup.
• I don't have much pigmentation or age spot issues so I can't comment on this.
• I do notice (and I hope it's not the mentality-thing) that my face appears more lifted and contoured. It's not a super drastic measure but from certain angles my face almost appears... slimmer. No kidding!
• I can't comment too much on fine-line plumping either since it's not a major issue of mine but I have noticed my smile lines being less indent (again, if I scrutinize myself).

I know the slimmer face part honestly sounds too good to be true and I can't promise that I can convince you about it but that's what I felt about myself and here are some shots after 3 weeks of use.

And for variety, I tried to snap some with sun because of how harsh camera flash can be but that meant sneaky snapshots on the bus. Since over the working period, that was the only time I was 'exposed to sun'.

Of course I can only share what I think I experienced and this is in no sense gimmicky, I'll let the photos be the judge and you can decide for yourself if you do see a difference in my skin!

For other references, I did post up this LOTD mid-way through my Jyunka usage and I felt from there on my face already seemed a little more 'lifted'. Though, as I said, you be the judge based on the images!

I personally felt like it was doing some sort of good and even if it didn't do the whole slimming and lifting job, it did a great deal to help make my skin appear better on it's own – more radiant with a better complexion. So this is probably the culprit as to why I've been lazy to wear makeup out on weekends!

How this feels on

Incase anyone is wondering about how this product feels on, is it thick and greasy etc? I'll take some time to describe the consistency and scent of it.

Instructions say to use 2 pumps per application but I find that could be a little much for me so I usually do 1 pump, sometimes 1 1/2.

The consistency of this is typical to that of most serums, rather liquid in nature yet not as 'thin' as water.

When you first smooth it on your face, it does feel a little thick and greasy on. However the trick here is to continuously massage and rub this into your skin.

As you do that, you can feel the product being absorbed and in time, most of the greasy oil-like quality would have disappeared. It's not to say that it will feel as if there's nothing there since it is somewhat a serum but it's a lot lighter feeling on, compared to the initial heavy oily feel.

With that said, there is no recommended or preferred way of application though the usual upwards rubbing and circular motions are good enough. You don't have to follow it entirely of course but if you do have to spend some time rubbing it in, why not.

How to use this in the routine

This product, while serum-like, is actually used as a pre-serum – you can use this after toning, before your usual serums.

Though as a personal preference, since it is somewhat serum-like on it's own I do use this in place of a serum and stack my normal serum over it on alternate days so the whole routine doesn't feel too rich.

Though a quick note!
Some people MAY experience purging for the first week upon using this since our skin does react a certain way to high amounts of Vitamin C and Jyunka M+ aims to expel toxins from the skin. Though if you continue using it (no matter how scary that seems), your skin condition will get better.

Personally I didn't notice breakouts but I did get some dry patches on my skin for awhile though those went away quite quickly.

❧

In Conclusion

I think I have blabbered on for long enough about it and I personally find Jyunka M+ Fluid quite a find in the skincare realm. I have noticed significant results on my skin for this and am glad I got a chance to use it and see what it could do for my skin.

While I do love it, I don't want to step into the boundary of raving too much about it because of its high price of S$322 for 30ml (available at Beauty Veranda). If it were slightly cheaper, I would be all "you should go try it out because it's awesome" but this price tag is rather luxurious and I would say if you are looking for a change up to your skincare and don't mind forking out this sum, I do urge you to try Jyunka M+ Fluid.

It's been awhile since I have noticed something do this much for my skin and I suppose immediate and effective results do come at their own price!

Thanks for reading and I hope this entry has been informative for you!

Disclosure:
Products were provided to me for review consideration.
I am not affiliated to them and all opinions expressed are my own.

Hello!

Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend and Selamat Hari Raya to those who celebrate the occasion!

In this entry I will be running through 2 things -
one, the facial experience and
two, the introduction of a fairly interesting (and potent!) product, which is also part 2 of the facial experience.

Hope that doesn't confuse you!

The facial experience works to compliment the usage of the product by prepping your skin, cleaning it and ridding it of any surface impurities. It's not a necessity as the product can be used day-to-day in the comfort of your own home but hey, if there's a pampering facial session to go with, I'll take it!

❧

I had my facial session at Beauty Veranda, one of the few beauty salons that carry out this Jyunka M+ facial treatment (along with carrying the product).

(image from Beauty Veranda)

The session was kept simple without fancy machines and devices since the aim of the facial is the serum - Jyunka M+

Due to a series of situations, I didn't have my proper camera with me so you will have to make do with some iffy shots snapped with an iPhone. My bad!

My beautician for the evening, Cherry, pointed out that it has been awhile since my last proper facial session. According to her, while my skin is looking good, it wasn't at the most optimal as some portions could use a little exfoliation to brighten it up. And to think I felt that my skin didn't need that much love now!

I'll run through the facial as brief as I can, just so you know what was done but since it is a prepping step, it's not that far different from your usual sessions.

--

I was ushered into a small room where my session was held at and did the usual of changing into the robes provided.

Cleansing
The facial started off with Cherry cleansing my skin and removing all traces of makeup.

Epidermal Peel
After cleansing, Cherry continued with an epidermal peel. She used Jyunka's Epidermal Peel Cream which is a product you can actually purchase from Beauty Veranda for an at-home exfoliation session.

Upon application, this does have a slight stinging sensation to it. That feeling is most similar to the facial procedure of putting fruit acids on your skin, where you get a biting feeling that isn't entirely painful (depends on your threshold!) but I would say it's far from comfortable. I sucked it up and winced at the biting, knowing I would have smoother skin after!

Epidermal Lotion
After leaving me in some agony for 5 minutes, okay I dramatize, Cherry returned and applied some Epidermal Lotion to my skin. Because the peel tends to pull the skin's pH into the acidic zone, the Lotion works at neutralizing and returning it to the optimal pH levels once more. This also ceases the biting sensation.

Facial & Shoulder Massage + Masking Session
Following the above, I was treated to a very relaxing facial massage along with a much-needed shoulder massage. Digressing here but I could literally feel how much more tense I was in the right shoulder and Cherry helped me massage the tension away - as much as she could that is. See, don't always lug your bags on one side!

While the shoulder massage was underway, Cherry had also thrown on a soothing facial mask for me. There are various types available and they will 'prescribe' one for you based on your skin condition. If I am not wrong, I received the hydrating one becaused Cherry noted that my skin was tip-toeing in the dry zone.

So I was a little unfair and clumped the remaining bits together, but like I said, the facial session itself isn't too miraculously different to go into detail of and I don't want to bore you too much before I get to the main point of this entry!

Once the whole facial session was over, I did notice a slight brightening effect to my skin and it seems as if some dead skin and darkened portions were sloughed off, not to mention smoother skin!

It's not a magical brightening procedure but it did make my skin appear more rejuvenated.

Know what this calls for? Cue mildly freaky before and after photos:

Not major but I would say my skin looks slightly better and more 'perked up' in the After?

❧

So moving on, after the facial session was completed, I was ushered out into a consultation room to witness the effect of and also to try out the Miracle Fluid, Jyunka M+.

Introducing Jyunka M+ Fluid...

Before this experience, I received the fact sheet and did some googling of my own. The search results were actually rather intriguing and apparently this Miracle Fluid (as Jyunka calls it) has been mentioned since a good while back on forums like Cozycot and Flowerpod. While it probably isn't that new to the market, it's the first time I was introduced to this.

Jyunka M+ Fluid is largely made up of Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid) which is a nutrient essential to our bodies. We do see the inclusion of Vitamin C in a lot of skincare products as well because it helps promote clear and beautiful skin.

Vitamin C works best when it is absorbed directly by the skin. While ingesting it has its benefits, it doesn't contribute all that much to surface beauty since a good part of it gets lost in our dietary tract and does not even get absorbed for our skin. However, since pure Vitamin C is sensitive to sunlight, oxidizes with oxygen and water-soluble (our skin is a barrier to water and absorbs oil-based items quicker), it is difficult to properly find a way to slather that straight onto our skin.

However, Jyunka had found a method to solve the problem and it does involve a little bit of science but I will aid the explanation with some visuals! I know it's a lot of words but if you are into the science of how things work (and to understand how this seems more potent), do read on!

Yes, this flashback to chemistry lesson in school is the answer. Jyunka encapsulates their Vitamin C within this little thing called the Qu-some Particle.

Basically this Qu-some Particle is

• Super nano in size so it can penetrate the skin's first membrane
• Alternates water and oil layers to help penetrate different layers of the skin. While the outermost layer of the skin absorbs oil quicker, the inner-most layers do better with water.
• Helps hold the active ingredient stable within the particle

So in short, this ensures that Jyunka M+ Fluid is fast-absorbing and you honestly see results about 10 minutes in after application (more so if it's your first-time).

To wrap up my experience with the science part of Jyunka M+ Fluid, I was shown a little experiment about how potent the Vitamin C content is in comparison to ... a lemon!

Iodine was dropped into 2 'jars' and while a tad more Iodine was dispensed into the Jyunka one, it doesn't matter.

(Above) Upon squeezing the lemon juice, the jar did turn significantly lighter in tone (pre-stirring) while the Jyunka remained exactly the same in shade.

After stirring both jars up, the one with Lemon Juice cleared up to a cloudy state while the one with Jyunka M+ became completely clear! That was really surprising given how soy-sauce-looking it was previously.

With this experiment, it was explained that besides the obvious fact that one squirt of Jyunka M+ packs more Vitamin C than juicing half a lemon, Jyunka keeps the Vitamin C 'encapsulated' until stimulated.

For some reason the last part of that sentence makes me laugh but it is truth. The Qu-some Particle stabilizes the Vitamin C within until you stir it or in our case of use, until you rub it out on your skin.

Science talk aside, I was asked to try Jyunka M+ Fluid on one half of my face while I was at the beauty salon.

How did that turn out?

Well, you'll just have to stay tuned to the review entry to follow! I feel this post is getting way long and I have done enough here with introducing my Facial Experience with Jyunka M+ so I will save findings, detailed skincare benefits and all for what's to come!

Stay tuned if you are intrigued with the wonders of Jyunka M+ Fluid!

Thanks for reading this lengthy entry and really, you don't have to wait long for the next one!

[edit: Review and thoughts of Jyunka M+ Fluid is up! Read it over here!]

I was sent these CIELO hairdyes from awhile back but I had the hair makeover session at Komachi lined up and had no intentions of coloring my hair anytime soon so when the brother said he wanted me to DIY for him, I took it as a great opportunity to give these a trial.

I received it in 2 shades, and knowing my brother, he opted for the mousey brown one (4M) as opposed to the other reddish toned one (3SA).

From the brand Hoyu, the idea of CIELO Mousse hairdye is that they mix themselves as you dispense so there is no need to mix-and-shake 2 solutions together and here's the best part!

You can store them if you haven't finished using it all.

Because they are housed in separate canisters that mix upon dispensing, you don't have to worry about it being effective for only 1 hour after mixing.

To my dismay though, the instructions are all in Japanese and for something that is of 'new technology' (new to me), i could really use some English!

Theoretically it shouldn't be that far off from the usual hair dye method but who knows, I could be skipping out on important information!

Googling provided very brief English instructions, hardly of any help, so I decided to just go with the wind and see how it turns out. It's not my head/hair anyway.... heh!

Key points I noted:

• Shake the canister before use
• Always dispense the foam at a 90 degree angle
• Leave on for 20 minutes (or 30 if desired)

Yay to diagrams!

The product dispenses like a foam for 'easier coverage' and boy am I glad it's just a press-and-dispense. My last encounter with Liese foaming hair dyes aren't all that pleasant. I remembered it being more like a workout than a hair coloring session.

If you take a good look, you will notice a darker purple lining the bottom of the foam. I suppose that is the difference from dispensing it from two canisters.

Regardless, I give the foam a good stir in my palms before slathering it all over their hair.

The boy decided to join in as well since my brother wouldn't finish a canister himself. And so overnight, I seemed to be operating a hair salon coloring service.

Even after some liberal use on 2 heads (of short hair), there was about 30% of the product left. This was based totally on the rough weight of it, I wouldn't actually know.

So the idea is that if you purchase hairdye to touch up your hair or if you have shorter hair, this would be very ideal since you can keep it for the next use.

It does get messy during the coloring process but the dispenser washes easily.

Here it is post-wash, almost good as new! If you are a frequent DIY-er, you would know how nasty hair dye bottles can look after.

Now... after I have gone through all facts and such about this product, it sounds so perfect and ideal, yes?

Well, I really liked the whole idea and the way it works but sadly - so very sadly - this did nothing to my brother's hair (and hardly anything on the fiance's).

If it is of any reference, this is my brother's first time coloring his hair so I figured maybe the color wouldn't be obvious but I practically couldn't see a difference. Under sunlight it does shine a little brown - a little bit if you try and spot it but generally, zilch.

On the boy, there was hardly any difference but it did cover over the reddish-tone he had previously, making his hair appear slightly darker.

Here's the after on the bro.

Overall, it was quite a disappointing coloring effect and I want to believe that I got a wonky one but there aren't enough reviews online to cross reference the effects either.

I do have another box in a redder tone (which fiance and bro do not want to use) so maybe I will try that on myself sometime down the road. I am looking at a hair refresh in maybe end August? So... we'll see again!

Has anyone else received this or bought and tried it for yourselves? I love the idea and even the texture of the mousse so I wanted this to work so much but.... pity.

Thanks for reading!

What are some of your favorite DIY box dyes?

Disclosure:
Products were provided to me for review consideration.
I am not affiliated to them and all opinions expressed are my own.