cosmeddicted

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!

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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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You can also subscribe to Cosmeddicted through the feed, email, or Bloglovin!

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
Like Cosmeddicted on Facebook
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You can also subscribe to Cosmeddicted through the feed, email, or Bloglovin!

xoxo, K

Review: Wet 'n Wild Color Icon palette in Comfort Zone - my go-to palette

2013-03-27T00:26:00.000+09:00

This product was a gift from a friend unassociated with Wet 'n Wild. All opinions are my own.

For the past months since I moved to Jakarta, I have been using the few eyeshadows that I brought in my suitcase - L'Oreal Infallibles and a certain Wet 'n Wild Color Icon palette. This palette was a gift from a friend of mine as it is not available in Japan. Since I have been using this so much, it is high time I reviewed this - the Wet 'n Wild Color Icon palette in Comfort Zone.

Here are swatches of the 4 colors on the left hand side of the palette. I use this side mostly as it says on the back - the top shade as a highlight, the next two as lid colors, and the bottom as an outer crease or liner color.

Here are swatches of the 4 colors on the right hand side of the palette. I use the top two colors as lid colors, and the bottom two as outer crease or liner colors. (Unfortunately, the lighting is off - sorry for the greenish tint!)

Price: varies, Walgreens.com has this for $5

Where to purchase: In the US, this product is available in drugstores (Walgreens, CVS, Duane Reade, etc) and discount stores (Target, Walmart, etc)

Pros:

Great color payoff!
The colors in this palette are great for every day, and can be used for both a simple and a dramatic eye look

Cons:

The darker colors are harder to blend for me
The famous MAC Club dupe (the bottom color on the right hand side) blends out to a really reddish brown. I'm disappointed that the duochrome is lost so quickly. Also, the prominent red undertones make me look bruised

Would I repurchase? Yes, and hopefully I can try out some of the other palettes as well.

I'm glad I brought this in my suitcase. It has been really useful to me while I wait for my shipment from Japan!
Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

Weekly Reads #102: March 24, 2013

2013-03-24T17:28:00.000+09:00

SOOOOO... I finally moved in to a new apartment! After a month and a half of living in a hotel, I was really ready to move to a permanent apartment. I grew up moving around every 3-4 years, and this is my 4th apartment since leaving my parents' house 7 years ago. As with any new home, there is a learning curve - I need to decide where to put stuff, I need to buy stuff so that I can live (ziplock bags and plastic wrap are very handy!), and I need to get used to sleeping on a new bed.

I adore my new apartment, and I love the location, but there is one (rather large) downside - it is near quite a few mosques. More Muslims live in Indonesia than in any other country in the world. And... I can hear 3-4 calls to prayer quite loudly. That in itself is not so bad, but remember that the first call to prayer is before dawn, currently around 4:15 AM... Oh well, I'm sure I will get used to it pretty soon.

What were your favorite posts this week?

How to be real and authentic on your blog, via Beauty Fool. This is rather difficult for me. What do you want to know about me???
A trick to extend the life of creams and gels, via Makeup Withdrawal. A nifty trick!
How to remove bio sculpture gel nails at home, via The Plastic Diaries. It seems you do need special remover.
How to take care of brightly colored hair, via Phyrra, the queen of bright hair. And she is also cruelty free!
How to sell clothes on eBay, via City Girl's Fashion Box. Can you believe that I have never used eBay? It is not that popular in Japan
Slow cooker Guinness stew, via Simply Recipes. This can also be made in the oven.
Quick meals in a microwave, via the Independent. Mug recipes that are not sweet.

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

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

xoxo, K

Review: Mustika Ratu Bengkoang mask - my first local Indonesian beauty product

2013-03-20T12:15:00.000+09:00

As a beauty blogger who relocated to Indonesia, I've been very interested in trying beauty products from local Indonesian brands. The first one I tried was this Bengkoang mask from the brand Mustika Ratu.

What it does: Someone suggested I try this mask for its whitening and brightening effects. Benkoang, known as Jicama or Mexican Yam, is a root vegetable eaten in Mexico, as well as in Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Price: Unfortunately, I forgot to list down the price. I found mine in a large supermarket, and I'm quite sure it was cheap.

How to use: This product comes in a powder form. I mixed the powder with water, applied it to my face, left it on until it dried, and then washed it off.

Pros:

This WORKED. This is the only whitening product where I saw visible results.
This product did not lighten my sun spots or freckles, but it did make my skin visibly brighter and lighter.

Cons:

This product smells like herbal medicine.
This product was REALLY hard to mix into a paste. I first tried mixing it in my hand, but it did not combine well with water. I suggest putting the powder in a bowl before adding water.

Would I repurchase? YES. I also want to try out the other products in this line!

I'm really excited about finding a local Indonesian beauty product that I like. Please let me know if there are others that I should try.

Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

Weekly Reads #101: March 17, 2013

2013-03-17T11:50:00.000+09:00

Wow, I forgot to schedule a Weekly Reads post last week! I was on a really rushed business trip back to Japan for a few days. On the day that I left, the pollution from China was turning Japan's skies yellow. Think these pictures are shocking? My Facebook timeline was filled with pictures like these from my friends. It is shocking to think that people were breathing this in...

What were your favorite posts this week?

Updates on the FTC guidelines, via Beauty and Fashion Tech. Good guidelines to understand whether you are a reader or writer of blogs.
10 worst reasons to buy cosmetics, via Beauty and the Bullshit. Because you want to buy beauty, not bullshit.
What is the difference between unscented and fragrance free? via The Beauty Brains. They sound the same, but they are very different.
Japanese quinoa salad, via Endless Simmer. Even though quinoa is extremely hard to find in Japan.
Winter hosiery advice, via Wardrobe Oxygen. I used to often wear tights when I was in college, but I don't wear them much anymore...
Mushroom Ragu, via Endless Simmer. I love mushrooms!
A company that will make your shoes EXACTLY how you want them (Japanese). I want.

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

Follow @cosmeddicted on Twitter & Instagram
Like Cosmeddicted on Facebook
Follow Cosmeddicted on Pinterest

You can also subscribe to Cosmeddicted through the feed, email, or Bloglovin!

xoxo, K

K's Kitchen - Ethiopian style chicken drumsticks from Simply Recipes

2013-03-15T18:58:00.000+09:00

Buffalo wings are great with beer, but I have been looking for an easier alternative to deep frying. These bring the spicy kick of buffalo wings - make some bleu cheese dip if you want!

Adapted from Simply Recipes, shared on Weekly Reads #71 (August 2012)

Prep time: 10 min. Cook time: 2 hours

I love that this can be easily doubled or halved to fit your needs. I used boneless thighs, but they sound great with legs or wings as well.

Ingredients:

1kg chicken legs, thighs, or wings
1 tablespoon peanut oil or melted butter
salt
lemons or limes for serving

Spice mix (mix together the spices and taste. Adjust to your liking.)

1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1/2 tablespoon hot paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Coat drumsticks with oil, then sprinkle with salt
2. Mix the spices in a small bowl. Mix half of the spice mix with the chicken, and arrange the pieces on a lined casserole dish. Sprinkle more spice on top, then cover the dish with foil
3. Bake 90 minutes, then baste with some of the juices in the pan. Cook an additional 90 minutes
4. Serve with the remaining juices, over rice. Squeeze lemon before serving.

I love how easy this recipe is! I spent the most time measuring out the spices, but honestly, I could have gotten by without measuring. How easy is it to coat chicken with spices and then stick them in the oven for a couple of hours?

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

xoxo, K

Review: Muji Cherry Blossom Skin Milk - just in time for Sakura season

2013-03-12T21:00:00.000+09:00

Spring in Japan is almost synonymous with cherry blossoms, called sakura (桜) in Japanese. Many aspects of Japanese culture, such as anime or J-drama, show cherry blossoms blooming at school graduations, which is in March in Japan.

Hence, many limited edition products for the spring contain some reference to cherry blossoms. For example, Starbucks Japan releases Sakura drinks and foods, as well as Sakura tumblers and mugs.

Muji releases several Sakura products each year as well, including Sakura foods, skin care, and bath products. This year, I tried Muji's Cherry Blossom Body Milk.

What it does: (from the back of the bottle)

Contains Cherry Leaf essence and Raspberry juice as natural moisturizing ingredients to moisturize the body. The relaxing scent evokes images of cherry blossoms.

Where to purchase: In Japan, this product is available at Muji stores and at Muji online.

Price: 950 JPY for 200 ml (about $10)

Scent: This product has a faintly sweet floral scent.

Pros:

I like the scent. Japanese cherry blossom scents tend to be less sweet than American products.
This product is absorbed quickly into my skin and does not leave a residue

Cons:

For a product released in late-winter, this product was not very moisturizing. I think most people would prefer a richer product in this season, especially considering this past winter was very cold and dry.

Would I repurchase? No. While I liked the scent, it was not very moisturizing. Next year, I'll probably try a different product from this line.

The pollution in Japan has been horrible this year, due to the increased pollution from China. Hopefully the skies will clear up before Cherry Blossom season starts.

Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

Review: Muji Instant Brown Sugar & Ginger Latte

2013-03-08T13:17:00.000+09:00

This is a review of the Muji Instant Brown Sugar & Ginger Latte mix.

Can you tell that I hauled a bunch of food mixes at Muji recently? Muji regularly has a 10% off for online members, with a reusable coupon that can be used both online and in stores. I used the previous coupon to buy a whole lot of stuff to try out!

The Brown Sugar & Ginger Latte is a powdered mix to which you add water. Like other mixes, I found this mix to be very sweet. It does have a good ginger flavor, and it was nice to cuddle up to a cup of this on cold winter nights.

Oh and yes, there is a green tea latte mix as well!

From Muji Japan, 368JPY (around $4), for 120g

Hope you enjoyed this review!

xoxo, K

**cosmeddicted **

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

Review: Wet 'n Wild Color Icon palette in Comfort Zone - my go-to palette

Weekly Reads #102: March 24, 2013

Review: Mustika Ratu Bengkoang mask - my first local Indonesian beauty product

Weekly Reads #101: March 17, 2013

K's Kitchen - Ethiopian style chicken drumsticks from Simply Recipes

Review: Muji Cherry Blossom Skin Milk - just in time for Sakura season

Review: Muji Instant Brown Sugar & Ginger Latte

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