cosmeddicted

Review: Lancome Bi-Facil - the much-loved eye makeup remover

2013-06-12T11:28:00.000+09:00

(Purchased product)

For a very long time, I have been partial to oil-based makeup removers. Oil-based makeup removers take off my makeup easily, including my mascara and eyeliner. The brands which I use rinse clean, and do not leave an oily residue. Considering how many people swear by the Lancome Bi-Facil, I have been interested to try it - but not willing to pay the high cost for a product which I might not like. As with other high-end skin care items, I bought a sample at a Hong Kong drugstore to try it out.

What it does: (from the Sephora website)
Double-phase, fresh-as-water liquid eye makeup remover. Activates when shaken to gently whisk away even waterproof eye makeup, while conditioning and refreshing the skin. Ideal for sensitive skin and contact lens wearers. Leaves eyes feeling cool and relaxed, with no oily residue. Ophthalmologist tested.

Where to purchase:
This product is available at Lancome counters, as well as Sephora and Sephora online.

Price: $28 for 4.2 oz (approx 120 ml)

Pros:

This product did a good job of removing my eye makeup

Cons:

This product stings my eyes and also leaves them feeling oily
Expensive

Would I repurchase? No.

OK, really... I don't get why people love this product. Bioderma did a better job of removing my eye makeup, and it doesn't leave an oily residue nor does it sting my eyes. It also did a better job of removing my eyeliner and mascara. Oil-based cleansers (like the Shiseido TISS) take off my waterproof makeup easily, and don't sting. I'm so glad that I bought a small sample to try first before committing to a full sized bottle. I've been using the sample for 2 weeks, and I still have more than half of the bottle left!

Are there any products which are loved in the beauty blogger world, that don't work for you?

Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

Weekly Reads #113: June 9, 2013

2013-06-09T22:09:00.000+09:00

My life is about to become insane. I have 4 business trips planned in the next 2 months. When am I going to be able to pack? When am I going to be able to do laundry?? Life is going to be pretty insane.

I have 2 iPhones, an iPhone 4 that I have been using since I moved to China 3 years ago, and an iPhone 5 that I bought about 6 months ago. In Japan, cell phones are SIM locked, and unlocking services are really rare. Since I bought both of my iPhones in Hong Kong, they are both unlocked - a rarity in Japan.

Unfortunately, my iPhone 4 seems to have started to die down. I can no longer hear anything, which makes it useless as a phone. I planned to go to the Apple Store when I'm in Japan. But what if they can only replace it with a Japanese (meaning a locked) iPhone????? Agghhhhhhh... I even thought about asking my friend to go to the Apple Store in Singapore while she is there.

This is where googling really came in handy. I googled the situation, and no surprise, I'm not the only person in Japan that this has happened to. Apparently if you tell the Apple Store that your phone is an unlocked phone from abroad, they will replace it with an unlocked phone. Interesting! Hopefully I'll be able to blog about my experiences at the Japan Apple Store.

On to my Weekly Reads!

What were your favorite posts this week?

Don't fall for faulty logic, via The Beauty Brains. This reminds me of the Dihydrogen Monoxide hoax.
The Asian obsession with skin whitening, via Beautyholics Anonymous. Yes, I would much rather look pale.
2 weeks of clothes in a carry-on, via Wardrobe Oxygen. Amazing if you can do it!
11 things you can do right now to prevent wrinkles, via Skin Scrubs. A reminder that if it's good for you, it is probably good for your skin as well.
Hacks for your tiny closet and for your tiny bathroom, via Buzzfeed. A reminder that I need to purge my closet before I go back to Japan.
Tamagoyaki, via cookingwithdog (Youtube). This may not look like a traditional Japanese dish, but it is a staple that every Japanese person learns to make when they learn to cook. The dashi stock makes it taste very Japanese.

Connect with me! I love chatting and connecting with people, and sharing interesting stuff around the web!

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xoxo, K

Review: Canmake Gokubuto Mascara - the "Ultra Fat" mascara

2013-06-06T21:24:00.000+09:00

(purchased product)

When I started blogging, I was surprised to find out that Canmake was very popular in the beauty blogger world. Canmake is a beauty brand in Japan, which has a lower price than most other drugstore brands. I consider the brand to be hit or miss, but many of their products have been extremely popular online. For example, the Canmake Melty Nudy Lip swatch post was the most popular post on my blog for nearly 2 years!

When I went back to Japan last time, I desperately needed to buy a new mascara. Considering how popular it was in the beauty blog community, I decided to pick up the Canmake Gokubuto mascara. According to the Canmake website, it is their 2nd most popular product.

What it does: (from the Canmake website)
Apply in layers for ultra-thick lashes! Achieve fluttery lashes! The super-volumizing and curling mascara is here! Film-type formulation that washes off with warm water☆
note: "Gokubuto" means "ultra fat", referring to the volumizing effect of the mascara

Price: 630 JPY (around $6) The website says 600 JPY, but all products in Japan will be charged a 5% tax. Most products in Japan are required to show the price inclusive of tax.

Where to purchase: this and other Canmake products are available in most drugstores in Japan, as well as supermarkets and other discount stores

Pros:

Cheap
The brush is thin, making it easy to use

Cons:

This mascara smudged easily. The claim says it comes off with warm water. It also came off with sweat!
I do not consider this to be a film-type formula. "Film" mascaras, such as the Dejavu mascaras, typically slide off of my lashes in clumps when I apply makeup remover. This mascara felt the same as "normal" mascaras
This was an extremely wet mascara, sticking my lashes together until I felt like I had only 6 lashes left!

Would I repurchase? No.

I really did not understand the hype with this mascara. Many beauty bloggers swear by this mascara, but this was just a wet mascara that did not thicken my lashes. Canmake has several other mascaras in their line, so hopefully I may find a mascara that works for me!

Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

Up and Down #34: June, 2013

2013-06-04T12:31:00.000+09:00

This past month was... rushed. Guess what I'm fighting with now? My landlord is not giving me my utility bills! In what world do I need to ask to get billed for my utilities? I am a little scared that my utilities are going to be cut off!

On to my Ups and Downs!

Ups:

Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Energy Orange Ginger Lotion & Shower Gel

I am absolutely in love with this scent! It is not so sweet, with a citrus scent that is not sharp. I am looking forward to buying some more when I go to the US.

A review is coming up. Until then, please take a look at my review of some products from the same line.

Martha Tilaar Caring Colours Everlast BB Cream

(link goes to the review)

I am loving BB creams for the hot, humid weather we have in Jakarta. This is a local product that I reviewed recently.

green smoothies

I usually have a green smoothie each morning for breakfast, and even sometimes for dinner. I am taking full advantage of living in a tropical country with abundant fruit! (picture from my instagram account)

Downs:

OMG I am sooooo busy.

I know I'm often busy... I work long hours regularly. But now, I am busy in a different way. Since I don't have a successor for my work in Jakarta, my boss is trying to get me to finish some things. I think he knows that unless I finish them, no one is going to. At the same time, I have emails from my new job as well! I need a break!!

How has your May been?

xoxo, K

Weekly Reads #112: June 1, 2013

2013-06-01T19:13:00.000+09:00

I have been extremely tired this past week... Although I usually sleep on my 2-hr-each-way commute, it has been hard for me to wake up.

A funny thing which happened this week on our commute:
On the company bus to work, I usually sit next to an American guy, who I'll call Bill. One day as we were going home, I fell asleep just as we left work. I woke up part way home, to find that Bill had completely disappeared from the seat. His bag and his laptop were still there, but I couldn't see him next to me or anywhere else on the bus. I got really confused... Had he jumped from the bus? Was I just not seeing the 6-foot tall guy? Finally, I turned around and asked some colleagues what happened to Bill. They laughed and told me Bill was asleep, lying down on the back seat of the bus. No wonder I hadn't seen him!

And as they told me later, "K, it was so funny how you were looking around for Bill looking confused!"

On to my Weekly Reads!

What were your favorite posts this week?

What does "dermatologist tested" mean?, via Beautiful with Brains. Brands love to use words like these on their products, but...
Why your dinner doesn't taste as good as it looked online, via Buzzfeed. Or, why some food bloggers are more focused on pictures than on testing their recipes. Fortunately, I've tested multiple recipes from the food blogs I follow, and they are yummy.
Hot dogs with Sriracha and Asian slaw, via Simply Recipes. I love mayo-free slaws like this one in the summer.
Lemon basil fusilli with tomatoes, via Makeup and Beauty Blog. Pasta makes an easy, yummy meal.
Lady Gaga's Telephone covered by Japanese traditional instruments, via shaku8kozan (Youtube) Stay tuned until around 2:30.

Connect with me! I love chatting and connecting with people, and sharing interesting stuff around the web!

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xoxo, K

Review: Martha Tilaar Caring Colours Everlast BB Cream - an Indonesian local BB cream

2013-05-29T18:28:00.000+09:00

(Purchased product)

Since I moved to Indonesia, I've kept an eye on several Indonesian beauty blogs to learn of some good beauty products. One of the products I have been interested to try is the Caring Colours Everlast BB Cream.

Caring Colours is a brand which is part of the Martha Tilaar group. Martha Tilaar has several beauty brands in its group. The Martha Tilaar counter had quite a few makeup and skin care items, and was quite affordable.

Price: Around 60,000 IDR? I remember it was less than $10 USD.

Where to purchase: I bought mine at a Martha Tilaar shop in Grand Indonesia, one of the biggest shopping centers in Central Jakarta. I also found it at the Lotte Mart in Gandaria City Mall.

A swatch of the BB cream. It is slightly too pink for my skin, but blended in well enough.

Pros:

This product gave me a semi-matte finish.This works well with the hot climate in Jakarta
Initially, I thought that this product didn't give me enough coverage. After using it for a while, I realized that it did a good job in covering discolorations in my skin, but still looked pretty natural.
I don't believe that any BB cream is "everlasting", but it lasted well enough.
This product works well for the price.

Cons:

This packaging is misleading. It is more than half empty. The packaging says that it contains 1.23oz, but the bottle is similar in size as products which contain nearly 3 times as much. I suppose it does actually contain as much product as is written on the packaging... but it is quite frustrating to open a new product and find it more than half empty!
As far as I could tell, this product comes in only 1 color. Quite strange, since Indonesians have various skin tones!
This product separates slightly, similar to how Too Faced Shadow Insurance tends to separate.

Would I repurchase? Maybe. I like how affordable and easily available this product is. This is not my favorite BB cream, but it is not bad!

The fact that the package was over half empty made me really annoyed! Even if the correct amount is on the tube, I felt that it is misleading and wasteful to have a product which contains so little product. Still, it is a nice product, and I hope you have a chance to try it if you come to Indonesia.

Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

Weekly Reads #111: May 26, 2013

2013-05-26T13:40:00.000+09:00

Last week, while attending a meeting in Manila, I kept hearing my colleagues refer to some problem as happening because "of the summer". In Jakarta, the upcoming season is in fact the summer (at least to me), because the weather gets hotter. However, from what I know of the Philippines, the hottest part of the year has already passed. I kept getting confused on whether my colleagues meant "summer = hottest time of the year" or "summer = the time of the year that Americans refer to as summer". Apparently, it is "the time of the year that Americans refer to as summer", because this time of the year is the "summer term" in schools. Ah, the perils of living in a tropical climate!

I have also mentioned previously on the difference between when summer is in the US and in Japan. September is back to school and therefore autumn in the US. In Japan, the weather is the hottest in mid-late August, and September is still very hot... and so I keep referring to it as summer. Mid June to mid July, on the other hand, is tsuyu in Japan and not as hot as August.

When is summer for you?

On to my Weekly Reads!

What were your favorite posts this week?

How to prevent eye wrinkles, via The Plastic Diaries. For some reason, I can't find an eye cream I love. What do you use?
Hot weather BB creams, via Worship at the House of Blues. I'm loving BB creams more and more in the hot weather we have in Jakarta!
5 secrets for lasting friendships, via Future Derm. Unfortunately, I'm not very good at this.
27 better ways to eat ramen, via Buzzfeed. Because, um, Indomie (a local brand) is delicious.

Connect with me! I love chatting and connecting with people, and sharing interesting stuff around the web!

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xoxo, K

Review: Lush Roots Scalp Cream - a minty scalp treatment

2013-05-22T00:27:00.000+09:00

(Purchased product)

I have a ton of hair but it tends to fall flat. I don't really like using hair products on my roots since they often irritate my scalp. I was pretty interested to try this product which claims to add body to fine hair.

This product is called "Genjitsu Tohi" (現実頭皮) in Japan. This is a funny pun - the characters mean "Real Scalp", and it is also a homonym for "現実逃避" ("Running away from reality").

What it does: (from the Lush UK website)
A stimulating treatment for people with thin or fine hair. Fine hair needs careful looking after – and this treatment is packed full of ingredients to revitalise from root to tip. Starting with three kinds of mint to stimulate the scalp and hair follicles, olive oil to give condition and strength, honey to soften and soothe and nettle absolute for shine. We’ve topped this off with a delicate perfume containing sweet orange oil, neroli and grapefruit oil all known to be cheerful and uplifting. Together these are the foundations to build great hair.

How to use:
Apply the product to the scalp when the hair is dry, then leave it on for 20-30 minutes before shampooing it out. The Lush website suggests using 1/4 of the pot for short hair and 1/2 of the pot for longer hair. I used much less than that.

Price: 9.95 GBP/225g, $19.95/8.4oz, 1880JPY/225g. This is in Lush's big black pots. I really wish Lush would come out with small sizes of all of their products. It is hard to drop $20 for a product you have never tried!

Pros:

This product leaves a minty feel on your scalp and is quite refreshing
This product left my hair feeling very soft and clean

Cons:

This product is a really thick cream. It was really hard to apply it on to my scalp. I like to dampen my hair before applying this product, which helps make the application smoother.
This product is relatively expensive, so I only used it on my scalp.

Would I repurchase? Maybe. At the UK price of 10GBP, I think this is a great product for the price. At the Japan/US price, it seems a little expensive for what it does.

I purchased this product in a haul from the Lush UK website. I strongly suggest that if you want to try out a bunch of Lush products, especially their products in black tubs, order them off of the Lush UK website. When I was in a Lush store in the US, the sales associate even told me that it is much cheaper to buy these products from the Lush UK website!

Hope you enjoyed my review!

xoxo, K

Weekly Reads #110: May 19, 2013

2013-05-19T07:54:00.000+09:00

What were your favorite posts this week?

Angelina Jolie shares her story, via Temptalia. Empowering!
Silicones in hair care, via Pink Sith. This is the most detailed explanation I have seen so far. Japanese shampoos are known for having high amounts of silicone in them.
How I shop for clothes online, via Wardrobe Oxygen. Most stores in Japan (both online and not) do not allow you to return items, so I only buy things online if I am sure of what I want.
Google penalizing sponsored links? and how to work around it, via Beautyholics Anonymous. Good news for beauty bloggers.
Song of Healing (from Zelda) played on wine glasses, via Youtube. Amazing!!

Connect with me! I love chatting and connecting with people, and sharing interesting stuff around the web!

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xoxo, K

Review: Rohto Shirocha Sengan Facial Cleanser - makes fabulous lather

2013-05-15T21:16:00.000+09:00

(Purchased product)

Although I used to religiously purchase facial cleansers, I stopped buying them while I was in China. However, this product caught my eye the last time I was in Japan.

This is a review of the Rohto Shirocha Sengan facial cleanser (白茶洗顔). "Shirocha" is Japanese for white tea. "Sengan" means "to wash your face". This product is available in a tube, as a solid soap, and as a mousse. The mousse form is in a can, similar to a bottle of hair mousse. Rohto is a major Japanese brand, mostly famous in the beauty blogger community for eye drops.

This product is supposed to brighten your complexion by increasing cell turnover. The commercials also talk a lot about how much this product foams up, creating mounds of creamy lather.

(The picture makes the tube look almost white, but it is actually light green)

What it does: (from Rohto's website)
We created a product with creamy lather to gently surround your skin. It is easy to make thick, creamy lather with this product. The firm lather will wash off old skin cells and dirt, without leaving skin feeling tight. Although this product is thick and creamy when washing, it will rinse clean.

Where to purchase: This product is widely available at Japanese drugstores.

Price: Retails for 525 JPY (around $5)

Scent: This product smells faintly of green tea

Pros:

I LOVE LOVE LOVE how easy it is to create lather with this product. As usual, I use a face wash net to make the lather quickly and easily.
The lather is really thick and creamy! It felt like I was washing my face with whipped cream.
Because this product makes lather easily, I can use very little product each time. I probably use less than half the amount I use with other facial cleansers
I love that I can rinse this product off of my face easily, and it does not leave a film or residue on my face

Cons:

Despite the claims, this does leave my skin feeling slightly tight. This can be counteracted by moisturizing quickly.

Would I repurchase? Yes, I liked how much lather I could create!

The Rohto website shows that you can do a "mousse facial mask" with the mousse version of this product. I'm not clear on why I couldn't do the same with this product. But be careful - leaving cleanser on your skin, or massaging with it, will increase the cleansing properties. It could make your skin dry out. This is different from the bubble face mask I reviewed before, since that product was not a cleanser.

Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

Weekly Reads #109: May 12, 2013

2013-05-12T17:26:00.000+09:00

When I was younger, my relationship with my parents was not that good. My parents were extremely strict with me growing up (I had an 8 o'clock curfew in high school). I preferred to keep things to myself rather than talk with my parents, because I knew that they would not be supportive of me.

Moving out improved things. I started appreciating all the things that my parents did for me, like sending me a box of winter clothes, essential kitchen utensils and food when I moved into a new apartment. My parents stopped judging things that I did, and just listened to me when I was stressed about work.

And I started sending gifts to them, not because I had to, but because I genuinely wanted to.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there, and thank you for everything that you do that we don't appreciate just yet.

On to my Weekly Reads!

What were your favorite posts this week?

Tai-meshi (mixed rice with sea bream), via cookingwithdog (Youtube). I love this dish soooo much.
Scallion pancakes, via Christine's Recipes. I ate a lot of these when I was in China.
Inglot virtual makeover app. I tried it and it was worth a few laughs! Obviously this doesn't work as well as they say it does.

Connect with me! I love chatting and connecting with people, and sharing interesting stuff around the web!

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xoxo, K

Review: Bourjois Bio Detox Organic Foundation - a "natural" foundation

2013-05-08T17:53:00.000+09:00

(gifted product)

I've posted Weekly Reads in the past about whether a product that labels itself as "natural" is really worth it. I am personally not a big fan of it, as I believe the word is a little overhyped. The Bourjois Bio Detox Organic Foundation was my chance to see how a "natural" foundation worked.

I have this product in the color 53 Beige Clair / Light Beige. It is a little too dark for my NC20-25 skin, but the next color lighter (52 Vanilla) looks to be too pink for me.

Apologies for the beaten up bottle. I did not think to take a picture of this product until after I had been using it for nearly 6 months!

What it does: (from the bottle)
Fresh & Even complexion. Detoxified skin. Ecocert organic cosmetic. Contains Chlorophyll, brings oxygen & filters pollution.

Ecocert is an organization which certifies natural and organic cosmetics. According to the website, the Ecocert Organic Cosmetics label certifies that "a minimum of 95% of all plant-based ingredients in the formula and a minimum of 10% of all ingredients by weight must come from organic farming". This sounds nice, but I am not sure what good it does for my skin. Also, I was skeptical about the claim that it contains chlorophyll. How could chlorophyll help my skin?

Where to purchase: This product can be found in Boots, Superdrug, and other drugstores in the UK

Price: Around 11 GBP (approximately $17 USD) for 30 ml/1fl oz on boots.com. This may seem pricey compared to US drugstore prices. After browsing the Boots website to compare the prices with other drugstore brands, Rimmel seems to be significantly cheaper, and Revlon seems to be more expensive.

Packaging:
Heavy plastic bottle with cap and pump. The pump is not air tight, and the product clogged in the nozzle, although the blockage could be pumped out. I liked the packaging, and will probably keep it to use with other foundations that do not come with a pump.

Pros:

I liked the packaging
This product did not break me out, and was easily removed at night.

Cons:

This product was extremely hard to blend. Apparently, this product does not contain silicones, which is good for people who are allergic to them, but which makes the product harder to blend. I needed to apply a small bit at a time and work quickly to blend it.
This product does not last long on my skin.
This product just didn't "work" well. When I tried it in cold weather, it wouldn't blend properly. When I tried it in hot weather, it just doesn't last on my skin.

Would I repurchase? No. I would recommend this product only if you are allergic to silicone, or if you are really looking for a natural product. Even in those cases, I am pretty sure that there are indy brands which are better.

Unfortunately, this product did not work for me. I will probably still use this up. If you are interested in trying out this product, I would strongly recommend using a buffing brush. A traditional foundation brush left streaks, and this product does not blend well enough with a stippling brush.

Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

Weekly Reads #108: May 5, 2013

2013-05-05T11:44:00.000+09:00

Wow, it's May already! Being in Jakarta makes it hard to feel the changing of the seasons since it is usually very warm and humid. The only sign that I can see is that the days are getting shorter compared to when I first moved here in November. Apparently the weather in Japan has been weird as well, with day temperatures more than 10 degrees below what they usually would be for this time of year.

On to my Weekly Reads!

What were your favorite posts this week?

Beauty regrets, via Beautyholics Anonymous. What are yours?
Blogging 101, via Wardrobe Oxygen. Yes, simplify your template.
ELF is launching a flagship store in New York, via Musings of a Muse. I'm not a massive fan of ELF, but I will be stopping there on my next trip to NY.
Decorating tricks to brighten up your rented room, via Buzzfeed. I should do some of these when I go back to Japan.
Shrimp with snow peas, via Simply Recipes. I am not sure what this method of cooking is called in Chinese (stir fry with stock, compared to a colored sauce), but I love it. Surprising that I don't know what it is called since I lived in China for 2 years!
Grilled chicken pesto wraps, via Emily Bites. I was EXTREMELY excited to see this.

Connect with me! I love chatting and connecting with people, and sharing interesting stuff around the web!

Follow @cosmeddicted on Twitter & Instagram
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You can also subscribe to Cosmeddicted through the feed, email, or Bloglovin!

xoxo, K

Up and Down #33: May, 2013

2013-05-02T12:08:00.000+09:00

No sooner than I get an apartment, I have to move back to Japan.

Someone at work asked me whether this was a personal decision, or a business decision. It was 100% a business decision by the company that I work for. I really enjoy living and working in Indonesia, even though I don't like leaving home at 5:30 AM every morning, or getting stuck in traffic jams for 2 hours whenever I want to go somewhere.

But... oh well, I guess. I realize that since I moved to Jakarta, my blog has been suffering a little. I don't have time to travel much, while I previously did a mini travel series for some cities in Japan (link to blog posts for Kobe, Kyoto, Osaka, Fukuoka... a list is in the tags section of my blog). I also stopped cooking as much, when previously I did one cooking post per week. Hopefully, I can start posting more once I'm back in Japan.

On to my Ups and Downs!

Ups:

Lush Dirty Shower Gel

This is the last of the Lush products that I bought in Japan. A review is coming up!

Bioderma cleanser (link goes to review)

I gave this a "maybe" in my review, but I'm growing to like it a lot. It removes my current mascara (it didn't remove the mascara I wore in my original review), and it is really easy when I come home tired.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye (link goes to review)

I am seriously considering purchasing a full size of this eye cream! I love that it absorbs quickly and does not leave my skin sticky.

Downs:

Moving AGAIN so soon

I'm bummed that I will be missing Eid ul-Fitr (the festival at the end of Ramadan) by a few days, a HUGE cultural part of Indonesia. I'm bummed that I will be missing the best season for mangoes, one of my favorite fruits. I'm tired of having to pack up and move so frequently - this will make the third time in 12 months.

How was your month of April?

xoxo, K

Review: Lush Daddy-O Shampoo - the purple shampoo

2013-04-30T16:35:00.000+09:00

(purchased product)

This is a review for the Lush Daddy-O shampoo. This is a purple-tinted shampoo which claims to keep away brassiness in blonde hair. Now, I don't have blonde hair - so why did I purchase this shampoo?

The truth is that when I bought this, I didn't know it was for blonde hair. I also didn't know it was a tinted product! The "purple tint to keep away brassiness in blondes" claim is clearly stated on the UK version of this product, but not on the Japanese version. I suppose it is because there are less blondes in Japan, but I think people need to know that this is a tinted product!

The Japanese product is called "Sexual Violet No.14", probably after a popular 1970s song called "Sexual Violet No.1" by the Japanese singer Masahiro Kuwana.

What it does: (from the UK bottle)
A purple shampoo to keep blondes from going brassy. Violet and fresh lemons work beautifully together to keep grey and blonde hair bright and shiny (and it works just as well for brunettes too!)
The claim on the Japanese bottle basically omits the first sentence, mentioning that this shampoo will keep hair looking shiny and smelling fresh.

Price: 4.95GBP/100g in the UK, 900JPY/100g in Japan, and $9.95/3.3oz in the US

Where to purchase: Lush products are available in Lush stores, and Lush Online.

Scent: This product smells like a mixture of floral scents, lemon, and herbs.

Pros:

On the bottle of the Japanese product, it mentions that this product is formulated for normal to oily hair. This product does a good job of removing oils from the scalp.
This product rinsed clean and did not make my scalp itch
A sparkly dark purple shampoo is fun!

Cons:

I think I have a pretty oily scalp, and I live in a humid country. Yet, I felt that this product stripped too many oils from my hair and scalp
The purple in this product will stain. After I got some on a towel, I could not rinse the color out until I washed it in the washing machine.

Would I repurchase? No. I don't know how well this product works to keep away brassiness, but it left my hair too dry.

Unfortunately, this product did not work well for me. I'm not sure that this product should have been released in Japan since the main claim does not work for a large population in Japan. Leaving the claim about the purpleness out felt like misleading to me.

Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

Weekly Reads #107: April 28, 2013

2013-04-28T15:23:00.000+09:00

I'm moving yet again... Back to Japan.

I'm moving back to Japan in August. I'm kind of stunned at this since I was really excited about coming to Jakarta, and I've been having so much fun since. My life here has been so hectic that I haven't had enough time to enjoy Jakarta, much less the rest of Indonesia.

I have 3 months left, and a ton of things that need to happen within that time. I plan to enjoy every minute of my time here!!

On to my Weekly Reads!

What were your favorite posts this week?

A topcoat that is better than Seche Vite, via Beautyholics Anonymous. Something to put on my wish list.
More about reusable cotton pads, via Wardrobe Oxygen. I want to buy these. I want to try to find some that can make a sheet mask.
An alternative to the $39 Sigma brush washing glove, via Makeup Withdrawal. Because I would rather spend the $39 on something else.
Yet another alternative to the $39 Signa brush washing glove, via Makeup Savvy. This made me want to buy one (not the $39 version)
Single serving desserts, via Buzzfeed. I get hungry looking at lists of yummy desserts.
Subway maps as cuff bracelets, via Design Hype. I want this one...but they charge $33 for shipping to Japan!!!
How to wear makeup in hot, humid weather, via Temptalia. I currently live right below the equator, so my makeup has been melting fast.

Connect with me! I love chatting and connecting with people, and sharing interesting stuff around the web!

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xoxo, K

Review: Dove Oil Awa Cleanser - a oil-based makeup remover that lathers

2013-04-24T23:56:00.000+09:00

(gifted product)

This is a review of the Dove Oil Awa Cleanser. Awa is a Japanese word meaning bubbles or lather. This is an oil-based makeup remover that comes out as a foam.

This was a pretty hyped product when it came out. As I mentioned before, oil-based makeup removers are very popular in Japan. This product is supposed to be easier to use since it does not drip and is less messy.

What it does: (from the Dove website)
This is an oil-based makeup remover which comes out in a fine lather, melting away makeup for heavy makeup users. The oil-based lather also removes mascara quickly, and removes the makeup deep in the pores.

Price: varies, amazon.co.jp has this for 830 JPY (around $9)

Where to purchase: This product can be found in drugstores in Japan

Pros:

This is less messy to use than traditional oil-based makeup removers. The foam is very thick and does not drip.
It is easy to spread all over your face quickly

Cons:

This product does not remove my non-waterproof mascara or eyeliner, which most traditional oil-based makeup removers can dissolve quickly. It simply does not do anything for my mascara.

Would I repurchase? No. This is supposed to be an improvement over normal oil-based makeup removers, but it falls short in the effectiveness of the product.

When I look at the claim on the Dove website very carefully, there is an asterisk on the word "oil cleansing", with a note at the bottom saying "contains oil (cleansing components) as an ingredient". This made me think whether this was really an oil-based makeup remover, or whether it was a makeup remover that just had some oil. How can you get oil to form a lather, anyway?

I was disappointed with this product. I'll stick to products that can actually remove makeup!

Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

Weekly Reads #106: April 21, 2013

2013-04-21T19:07:00.000+09:00

What were your favorite posts this week?

Daily skincare routine, via Wardrobe Oxygen. I did not know about reusable cotton pads!
What makes or breaks a sponsored post, via Beautyholics Anonymous. Be honest and disclose correctly.
Braided formal updo, via LetsMakeitUp1 (Youtube). This look is easier than it looks, but it may be better to have it done by someone else.
Best drugstore products (in the comments), via Temptalia. Now I have a wish list for my next trip to the US.
Dove Real Beauty Sketches, via Youtube. Surprise! A random stranger thinks you are more beautiful than you think you are.
Are there any beauty brands that you are not interested in trying? via Beautiful with Brains. Lime Crime, definitely.
Overnight oats, via Buzzfeed. Yes, I want to eat this for breakfast.

Connect with me! I love chatting and connecting with people, and sharing interesting stuff around the web!

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xoxo, K

Review: Mustika Ratu Mundisari peeling mask

2013-04-17T13:22:00.000+09:00

(purchased product)

After purchasing and reviewing the Mustika Ratu Bengkoang mask, I was interested to try out some other local Indonesian beauty products. This is another mask I purchased from the same line.

What it does: (from the package)
Helps to cleanse and exfoliate dead skin cells. With Murraya exotica leaves extract that helps soften the skin, while its fenugreek extract and curcuma heyneana powder help exfoliate dead skin cells and dirt off the skin.
All of these are herbs that are regularly used in Indonesia. Curcuma Heyneana refers to tumeric.

Price: Less than 1 USD

Where to purchase: I found this in several large supermarkets in Jakarta

Thoughts:
This is usually where I write the pros and cons of this product. To be honest, I really did not like this product as it was too harsh for my skin. The instructions say to mix the powder inside this sachet with water, apply the paste to my skin, wait for it to dry slightly and rub it off. I followed the instructions and felt as if I was rubbing sand into my skin! I also tried washing it off, but it didn't do anything for my skin that way. Even as I was applying the paste to my skin, I felt it was too harsh. It was no surprise to me that when I finished washing my face, it was bright red!

Apparently, there is a similarly named product from this line, which is in a tube form. The reviews from Indonesian beauty bloggers aren't bad for the tube form, so I hope I can try it out.

Would I repurchase: No. There are definitely better peels out there.

I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't find another wonderful product, but I'm sure that they are out there. Please recommend any local Indonesian products that I should try!

Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

Weekly Reads #105: April 14, 2013

2013-04-14T00:12:00.000+09:00

My visit with Miss A, which I was extremely worried about last week, went extremely smoothly. Just like most things that I worry about, I was apprehensive about the visit for no reason! The work part of the visit was just as I expected, with some things that we need to do differently and some areas which went well. The shopping part went EXTREMELY well. We ended up buying things for her young daughter, which was fun. Looking at cute clothes and accessories for a young girl was really quite fun, and it led to some open conversations with her.

Miss A: (after picking out 8 t-shirts at a local mall for her daughter) Do you think I need to buy these?
K: Does anyone actually ever need new clothes?
Miss A: You're right. I'm buying these because I want to.

On the other hand, unfortunately, I had to fire my driver after only a week. 95% of expats in Indonesia have a driver assigned to them, and I also had one when I was in China. Perhaps it is because I had a really trustworthy driver in China, but it just because such a hassle to train my new driver. I had heard of the things I need to be careful of in this country, such as the driver swiping gas money (which is provided by me), the driver taking the car on unauthorized trips (which is a problem since I'm paying for the gas), and the driver not knowing the roads. It just became a major hassle for me.

On to my Weekly Reads!

What were your favorite posts this week?

How to remove residual wax on candle jars, via J. Angel on Snapguide. Now I want to go out and buy candles.
The best photography and video equipment for beauty bloggers, via Phyrra. I want the tabletop background. I'm having a lot of trouble in my new apartment finding a good spot to take pictures.
How bad is it to wear makeup to the gym? via Future Derm. I even don't want to wear makeup in the hot and humid Japanese summer, mostly because I need to walk everywhere.
Basic photo editing tutorial, via TheTragicTruth-Of-Me on deviantART. I typically crop and adjust the exposure, so this is a good tutorial on some other basic steps.
Barbie without makeup, via Huffington Post. I'm not sure if wearing braces counts as "without makeup", but still interesting.

Connect with me! I love chatting and connecting with people, and sharing interesting stuff around the web!

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xoxo, K

Review: Lush Cynthia Sylvia Stout Beer Shampoo - better than expected!

2013-04-10T19:51:00.000+09:00

(Purchased product)

When I was in junior high school, I heard somewhere that beer could lighten my hair color. One night that my parents were away, I cracked open a can - not to drink, but to get a coveted lighter hair color. Unfortunately, not only did my hair color not change, but the combination of the steaming bathroom and the beer made me feel kind of sick!

Another story on beer -
I never liked beer when I was in college. I found it bitter and gross. Then one day, I went to a dinner party at a professor's house. One of the younger professors had a "beer tasting" going on - no, seriously. He had brought around 20 different types of beer, and offered me a little sip in cup. "Try all of them", he said, "you're bound to like one of them." I did find one that I liked, an imported berry-based beer which I don't remember the name of. And um, it started my love of beer.

When I picked up the Lush Lhune shampoo, as it is called in Japan, I didn't realize the primary ingredient was beer. I only realized it when I started doing some research online to prepare for this review!

This is a review of the Lush Cynthia Sylvia Stout Beer Shampoo. No wonder Lush Japan decided to name it something different! Lhune is the Gaelic word for beer.

What it does: (from Lush Online)
This shampoo is drunk with success. Bottoms up, to taming fluffy frizzy hair. It’s been known for hundreds of years that rinsing hair with beer will give it shine and volume. So half of this bottle is filled with beer, whilst the other half has lots of other clever ingredients to help the process.

Where to purchase: This product is available in Lush online and in Lush stores

Price:
4.40 GBP/100g in the UK, $9.95/3.3oz in the US, 680 JPY/100g in Japan. Wow, this is expensive in the US!

Scent:
Lush says that they added lemongrass and cognac oil to mask the scent of beer. The product smells faintly of stout, and is very herbally without being sweet. For me, it was a nice change from the typical floral scents in Japanese shampoos.

Pros:

This product did make my hair very smooth, without being full of silicone like most Japanese shampoos
This product did not make my scalp itchy
I personally liked the scent, especially since it didn't linger in my hair

Cons:

Personally, I feel this is a no-frills shampoo. I liked it a lot, but you may want more from your shampoo

Would I repurchase? Yes. I really liked this shampoo! This will probably be the shampoo that I go back to from time to time.

Writing this review made me want a good stout! Local beers in southern Asia tend to be very light. They fit well to the hot and humid climate here, but I think I want to go find a good stout now...

Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

Weekly Reads #104: April 7, 2013

2013-04-07T20:03:00.000+09:00

As I've mentioned before, I write my blog posts at least a week in advance. For the Weekly Reads, I usually write them on the Sunday before they go up - a week early. Weekend evenings are the time when I can clear my mind of work, and write about beauty stuff. To tell you the truth, I probably write blog posts on Sunday evenings just so that I don't start thinking about work, which always leads to anxiety and insomnia for me.

Today, I have an even bigger reason for anxiety - we have a visitor to my workplace (let's call her Miss A) this upcoming week, one who I don't particularly like. Usually I avoid people I don't like since I have a bad habit of saying stuff I regret later. Unfortunately, I am hosting this person this time, so I don't really have a choice. Oh, and did I mention that she would be my boss if I were to go back to Japan? Not someone I should be pissing off...

A conversation last week between my boss and me went something like this.
Boss: "Miss A wants to go shopping after work, apparently"
Me: "Yeah, I'm going to arrange for someone to take her."
Boss: "I think she wants to go shopping with you" (looks at me pointedly)
Me: (stays silent while I think to myself, "I know that but I don't want to go shopping with HER!!!")

On the plus side, the visit will be over by the time this post goes up!

On to my Weekly Reads!

What were your favorite posts this week?

Why do fingernails grow faster than toenails, via The Beauty Brains. VERY interesting!
A review of Shiseido The Makeup Facial Cotton, via Jeweled Thumb. In Japan, these aren't much more expensive than other cotton pads. Lucky for me!!
How much did the products I use today cost?, via Beautyholics Anonymous. Should I do a similar post?
Behind the scenes, via Wardrobe Oxygen. Maybe I should do a post like this as well.
Dandan noodles, via Christine's Recipes. Now I can make a favorite Sichuan recipe at home.
Charred scallion dip, via Macheesmo. The blog recommends it for potato chips. It sounds great for veggie sticks as well.

Connect with me! I love chatting and connecting with people, and sharing interesting stuff around the web!

Follow @cosmeddicted on Twitter & Instagram
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xoxo, K

Up and Down #32: April, 2013

2013-04-05T23:23:00.000+09:00

(purchased products)

I mentioned in a recent blog post that I finally, finally got an apartment! Maybe this is because I'm from Japan - but there are several small things that aren't working quite correctly, or are designed really badly. For example, my bedroom door will not close properly in one spot, because my floor isn't perfectly flat. Like, really??? Isn't that a basic thing to do when you make an apartment? Apparently not - I've found similar examples at work as well. The saddest one was when we found multiple holes in the walls of the office building, which the construction company said that they "would try to fix some of it". Um, I think having solid walls are pretty important...

I went back and forth to China for approximately 5 years, and during that time, I saw a lot of advancement. Some highly visible signs were that more people were able to afford cars, or that more people had smartphones. The not-so-visible signs were that people's sense of what is normal became more developed. More people had traveled abroad and saw what was normal in developed countries such as Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

Jakarta is a very large city, with nearly 30 million people living in or near the city. There are lots of cars, and many people use smartphones. But I feel it is not as developed as China is.

A simple example of this is when I asked a young Indonesian colleague how he felt after going on a month long business trip to Japan. He said that he felt Japan was a very developed country, very different from Indonesia. I asked the same question to a young Chinese colleague, who said, "I want to teach my son to not litter everywhere, to follow traffic rules, to wait patiently in line, because that is what developed people do." I felt that Chinese people thought it was up to them to make China a really developed country.

On the other hand, and perhaps related to this development - Indonesians in general are definitely nicer than Chinese people. Although I developed close relationships with many people in China, if you compare the average people on the street or the average taxi driver, Indonesians are much nicer than Chinese.

On to my Ups and Downs!

Ups:

Lush Cynthia Sylvia Stout Beer Shampoo

Yup, you read that right. This product is named after beer! This product left my hair soft and silky without weighing it down with silicone. A review is coming up soon!

Maybelline the Colossal Volum Express Mascara

This must be nearly the first time I repurchased a mascara. I love that it thickens my lashes and does not flake under my eyes, even in the hot/humid weather.

MAC blot powder

(picture from MAC's website)

I love this for setting my makeup. I just wish it were cheaper in Japan!

I also just realized that I have ZERO reviews on makeup products from MAC, although I own several. I'll try to fix that soon!

Downs:

"Learning the ropes" at work

Yes, I've been at my current job for quite some time now, so I should have already have a rhythm going. Unfortunately, I don't. There are several days when I feel like I am going to have a panic attack. I realized that I am the only "experienced" person at my current office who has a different job than they did before. And I have two new positions at the same time!

My luggage hasn't come yet

A Japanese colleague told me that it took his stuff 4 weeks to get through customs in Indonesia. Hopefully it will get here before May!

How has your month been?

xoxo, K

Review: Estee Lauder Resilience Lift Firming/Sculpting Face and Neck Creme

2013-04-03T21:29:00.000+09:00

(Purchased product)

This is a review of the Estee Lauder Resilience Lift Firming/Sculpting Face and Neck Creme. This is another of the sample sized products that I bought in Hong Kong. This product comes in 2 different formulas for Dry and Normal/Combination skin.

What it does: (from the Estee Lauder website)
You want it all-the lifted look, the firmer feeling and the radiance that reflects how beautiful you are. Now look as young as you feel with a multi-faceted, 24-hour lift system. Powered by our exclusive Photo-Activated Lift Complex, Resilience Lift day formulas harness the beneficial power of visible light. Featuring a light-responsive enzyme (Plankton Extract), mineral (Malachite) and plant extract (Mimosa) to help skin amplify its natural collagen and elastin production. Over time, skin's strength, resiliency and volume are renewed and you'll see a remarkably younger, revitalized look.
.
Price: $94 for 2.5oz (74ml). The sample that I bought was 0.5oz (15ml) and probably cost around $10-15.

Pros:

Very moisturizing
The scent is very faint. I can smell it in the pot, but cannot smell it on my skin.

Cons:

It is a little too moisturizing for the warm weather in Jakarta, but it works for me when I'm in Japan
I'm not sure it gives me a lifted, firmer face

Would I repurchase? No. While this was a good moisturizer, I was not wowed by it.

While this wasn't a bad purchase, I definitely did not feel that it was worth the hefty price tag. I'm glad I got a smaller size to try it out first.

Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

Weekly Reads #103: March 31, 2013

2013-03-31T20:11:00.000+09:00

As everyone probably knows by now, Google Reader is shutting down. How are you moving your feeds? For now, I have moved to Feedly. I tried moving to Blog Lovin', but I can't handle the fact that it does not let you sort your feed by oldest first. I like reading the fresh ones later!! Strangely enough, I'm the opposite away around for email - I read the new emails first, because some of the questions asked to me in old emails will have already been answered.

On a not-so-fun note, I got sick this past week (hint: I write these posts a week in advance, so it is actually 2 weeks ago). I felt a little tired the night before, with no appetite at all. When I woke up the next morning, I vomited twice. When I got to work, I couldn't leave the restroom for the first 1.5 hours because I was continuously vomiting or having diarrhea. I finally made it down to the medical clinic, where the doctor said I probably had a bacterial infection. I took the medicine she gave me, and went home. Luckily for me, the meds worked and I did not have any "emergencies" in the 2 hour car ride home. And even luckier for me, I got much better after 2 days at home. I'm lucky it wasn't anything worse.

Getting sick is not fun. Getting sick when you live alone is even worse. And getting sick in a foreign country where you are living alone is definitely the worst.

On to my Weekly Reads!

What were your favorite posts this week?

Is this argan oil product a lie, via The Beauty Brains. Another example of how claims, while technically correct, can be misleading.
Honing your personal style through closet organization, via Wardrobe Oxygen. I will do this once my luggage from Japan arrives.
What packaging bothers you? via Musings of a Muse. The original Urban Decay Naked Palette attracts dirt and cannot be fastened closed. How does everyone manage?
How to make disclosure buttons for Blogger (via 15 Minute Beauty Fanatic) and Wordpress (via Beauty and Fashion Tech), links courtesy of Phyrra. I am also updating my disclosure policy.
Homemade Baileys Irish Cream, via averie cooks. Homemade!!!
Leeks vinaigrette, via Simply Recipes. A simple vegetable dish marinated in a vinaigrette sounds super delicious.

Connect with me! I love chatting and connecting with people, and sharing interesting stuff around the web!

Follow @cosmeddicted on Twitter & Instagram
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You can also subscribe to Cosmeddicted through the feed, email, or Bloglovin!

xoxo, K

**cosmeddicted **

Review: Lancome Bi-Facil - the much-loved eye makeup remover

Weekly Reads #113: June 9, 2013

Review: Canmake Gokubuto Mascara - the "Ultra Fat" mascara

Up and Down #34: June, 2013

Weekly Reads #112: June 1, 2013

Review: Martha Tilaar Caring Colours Everlast BB Cream - an Indonesian local BB cream

Weekly Reads #111: May 26, 2013

Review: Lush Roots Scalp Cream - a minty scalp treatment

Weekly Reads #110: May 19, 2013

Review: Rohto Shirocha Sengan Facial Cleanser - makes fabulous lather

Weekly Reads #109: May 12, 2013

Review: Bourjois Bio Detox Organic Foundation - a "natural" foundation

Weekly Reads #108: May 5, 2013

Up and Down #33: May, 2013

Review: Lush Daddy-O Shampoo - the purple shampoo

Weekly Reads #107: April 28, 2013

Review: Dove Oil Awa Cleanser - a oil-based makeup remover that lathers

Weekly Reads #106: April 21, 2013

Review: Mustika Ratu Mundisari peeling mask

Weekly Reads #105: April 14, 2013

Review: Lush Cynthia Sylvia Stout Beer Shampoo - better than expected!

Weekly Reads #104: April 7, 2013

Up and Down #32: April, 2013

Review: Estee Lauder Resilience Lift Firming/Sculpting Face and Neck Creme

Weekly Reads #103: March 31, 2013

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