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Dealing with Pulmonary Embolism - Part One

2016-07-24T22:18:00.001+08:00

Three weeks in hospital, and this was how it happened...

It was a usual Saturday evening resting in bed when I realised I had pain at the back of my neck, of which I thought was just a tired/sore neck from improper posture or tiredness. Nonetheless, I went to sleep, though during the night, I woke up several times from feeling discomfort/pain in the left side of the body. I woke up the next day and noticed pain in my left shoulder. I thought I had slept wrong or pulled a muscle. I also noticed that I was always short of air, and always needed to take deep breaths, but whenever I took deep breaths, the left side of my body, including the neck, shoulder, and chest (the middle of my left lung) started feeling tight and painful. I thought I had strained something. At this point, I wasn't really concerned, and I wasn't into seeing a doctor, though I did call my usual GP to see whether my symptoms needed any medical attention, and he said that if was really worried, I could see a doctor, but just by the mere symptoms, he said I should be fine.That morning, I stayed at home.

Some time in the afternoon, I started coughing like mad, and when I coughed out the phlegm, there was blood. This happened twice, and it got me a little worried, though still not enough to make a visit to the doc's. I started googling my symptoms, and came across this term "Pulmonary Embolism" - many people who had taken Yaz or Yasmin ended up having this, and had similar symptoms. I had been taking Yaz on and off since giving birth to my oldest son, and suspected it may be the cause of my discomforts. In the U.S., there have been many filed claims against Bayer, the company that produces the birth control pills, Yaz and Yasmin, and Bayer even "agreed to set aside almost US$57 million in a fund to settle Yasmin and Yaz claims outstanding as part of a multidistrict litigation program in Illinois federal court, and Yasmin/Yaz lawsuits that have been filed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and California state courts. The settlement, which was announced August 6 [2015], will resolve arterial blood clot claims including heart attack and stroke". I figured that I really needed to have a check-up, but since it was Sunday family day, I decided to postpone my doctor's visit till the next day.

That night, we went out for dinner with the kids, and I didn't have much appetite. The pain on the left side of my body had increased, and even the back of my lungs had started hurting when I took in deep breaths. After sending the kids home, hubby suggested that I see a doctor, since the pain would not let me get a good night's rest anyway. Off to the doctor's we went, and after telling him my symptoms, by first glance, he suspected that I had Pneumothorax (the presence of air or gas in the cavity between the lungs and the chest wall, causing collapse of the lung), but needed to do tests to see what was really wrong with me, so he referred me to the Accident & Emergency Department (A&E) at the hospital. With the referral letter from the doctor, I was admitted into A&E immediately, and they set up an Electrocardiogram (ECG), and had me stay the night at the hospital, where they had my blood tested as well as having a CT scan early the next morning. I was off food for the night, and was given a sodium drip. After the CT scan, I was feeling a dizzy and short of breath again, so I was given a nasal cannula for extra oxygen intake.

I was surprised to see my doctor by my side as I was being pushed back into my room after the CT scan - he obviously had some ~~bad~~ news to tell me. He looked very worried and was slightly hesitant to tell me what was wrong. He told me that there were blood clots in the left and right side of my lungs, and needed to refer me to a specialist to see what they could do. A few minutes later after settling back in my room, the specialist came, and I was very surprised to see her - she was the doctor I saw when I was admitted into the hospital back in February, when I was down with Norovirus. She showed me my CT scan results, and said that there were blood clots in both sides of my lungs. As I was staying at a private hospital, she suggested that I transfer to a public hospital where they could monitor me 24-7, otherwise I would have to stay at the Intensive Care Unit (around HK$30,000 per night, excluding the doctor's fees, medical fees, etc) for around 2 weeks, and yet, it still wouldn't be as safe, as there isn't a specialist doctor at the hospital 24-7. I was instantly transferred to the closest public hospital via an ambulance.

Nonetheless, off the nearest public hospital I went. With the referral letter from the private hospital, I was admitted into the A&E pretty quickly, and after having done the ECG, I was taken up to the Medical Ward. They put me in the bed that was placed directly in front of the nurse's desks, and continued with the sodium drip and nasal cannula. Before the actual reports from the private hospital even arrived, I was instantly given a Clexane injection on the tummy. Who the hell invented injecting into the tummy? It's insanely painful, and the pain doesn't go away instantly either! The Clexane injection is used to stop blood clots from forming within the blood vessels. For the 2 out of 3 weeks of my stay at the hospital, I was given this injection, and my tummy was full of bruises.

As Pulmonary Embolism is VERY UNCOMMON in young Chinese females, the doctors all were very shocked to see my scan results! I was the one who told my doctors that I had been taking Yaz, and I read online that Yaz can cause Pulmonary Embolism. The doctor then went to do some research to confirm my findings, but said that the pills only triggered the illness, and is not the sole cause of PE.

Most people who have Pulmonary Embolism, usually also have Deep Vein Thrombosis, so I also had an ultrasound on my legs to see whether I had blood clots in my legs, but results turned out negative. I was forbidden to walk around before having done the ultrasound, but was encouraged to start walking a bit when they found out that there were no clots in my legs. It had been over a week since I had just stayed in bed, and my legs felt weak, and I needed to hold something or have someone hold me when I walked to and from the toilet.

After I had started walking around again, I noticed that my right leg always felt tingly, and my right hip had felt painful every time I had walked around. The pelvic area became so painful that it had often disrupted my sleep. I had an X-ray on my back and also a CT scan on the pelvic area. The CT scan results showed that there were blood clots in the right pelvic area, and I was forbidden to walk around again.

Two weeks in hospital with most of the time unable to walk around, I had not taken a shower at all! I had my body wiped with a wet towel every now and then, but my hair had started becoming very oily. These two products absolutely saved me - the Foresta Curo Refresh Styling Powder helped to minimise the appearance of hair oil, but it was the Shills Jasmine Damascus Voluminizing Dry Shampoo that really did the trick to make my hair feel non-greasy, looks dry & voluminised, and also smells of jasmine! Even the nurses there had complimented the way my hair looked!

After two weeks had gone by, it was time for me to choose my anticoagulant medication that would help to reduce future blood clotting. I would be required to take this everyday for a period of one year. After some discussions with my dad, taking into consideration of its effectiveness, its known side effects, and whether an antidote existed (in case of any accidents of internal bleeding), I decided to take Warfarin, despite the doctors asking several times why I didn't choose the newer ones. Warfarin has been around since the 1950s (so there have been many clinical tests, and we know of all its side effects already). The Warfarin treatment has several shortcomings though, for one, many commonly used medications and foods (particularly dark leafy vegetables, since they contain large amounts of vitamin K) interact with Warfarin, and its activity must be monitored by blood testing for the International Normalised Ratio (INR) to ensure that an adequate yet safe dose is taken. This means that I have to follow a strict Warfarin diet by eating the same amount of leafy greens everyday, and going back to the hospital for regular blood tests and doctor visits to see whether my INR is stable, and to see whether my medications need adjusting.

Despite still feeling weak and occasionally feeling short of breath, chest pains, and dizzy, I was finally discharged after spending three weeks at the hospital. I have been told to avoid all sorts of exercise for the year, and to take everything super slow.

During my stay at the hospital, I'm so glad to have had these with me...

Protec Blend

After a few days of not taking a bath, I started feeling itchy down there. My solution was to pour some Protec onto a cotton pad, and wiped down there. Protec contains Frankincense, Myrrh, Sage, and Cumin essential oils! Godly blend!

Lavender Pure Essential Oil

A drop of Lavender essential oil on my undies really did the trick to calm the skin, and help avoid any further itchiness down there.

I only use essential oils that are pure and are of therapeutic grade.

This information is provided here for educational and informational purposes only, and to motivate you to make your own health care and dietary decisions based upon your own research and in partnership with your health care provider. It should not be relied upon to determine dietary changes, a medical diagnosis or courses of treatment. Individual articles and information on other websites are based upon the opinions of the respective authors who retain copyright as marked.

The information contained on this website is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information represents what I, and Independent Distributor of Young Living Essential Oils, have chosen to do to take charge of my own personal health and that of my family. Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using these products.

REVIEW: Pony Effect Spray Paint Nail Lacquer

2016-06-28T16:54:00.002+08:00

Nail polish used to be my thing, though I was never really good at using it, especially when it came to applying it with my left hand. I was also never good at keeping my nails unscratched, so they always looked ugly within a few days. Sometime last year, I started getting gel nails done, and I was so pleased at how pretty they were and how long-lasting they were compared to my own polish-painted nails! This eventually became my monthly hobby, and I would come up with different patterns and ideas for the lady to copy. Soft gel nails usually only last 2-3 weeks, but hard gel nails can usually last 4-6 weeks (of course by 6 weeks, the nails would've grown out too much and would look very ugly). Recently, I've been in hospital, and my nails had grown out so much that I had to get them cut by myself at the hospital. Eventually, two of them fell off by themselves, and that's when I noticed how soft and thin my nails had become - they were like paper! I knew I had to get all the gels removed, and take a break from gel nails.

This was when I came across these spray paint nail polishes! I originally only wanted to order the silver and blue, but then I realised they came in a set, and I could not purchase them separately. I ordered these from www.minikmall.com for HK$328 (US$41.60) for 5 cans, each can costs HK$65.60 (US$8.30). This set took around 2-3 weeks to arrive, because they said that spray cans could not be shipped by airmail, and needed to be shipped to HK via surface mail.

Pony Effect Spray Paint Lacquer Set (HK$328/US$42)

Colours:

#Secret Code (gold/yellow)

#PingPong Game (green)

#Chic Chico (blue)

#Go Play (purple)

#City Roller Coaster (silver)

The set also includes some stickers for you to decorate your nails with.

How To Use:

1. Apply base coat onto nails.

2. Give the bottle a good shake, and hold around 10-15cm away from your finger.

3. Spray onto your finger nail in a downward motion (towards fingertip). Repeat if necessary.

4. Apply top coat onto nails.

5. Wash away the nail lacquer on the skin with water.

To remove the lacquer from your nails, use your usual nail polish remover.

The Packaging:

They all come in a reflective gold cardboard box with a colour label on the top.

The cans look like this - not girly and pretty as such, and you can only see the colours from the front, but if I were to put these into a box, I would've hoped to see which colours I would be taking out on the lid, instead of having to guess the colour of each.

Here is a swatch of the five colours under natural lighting.

All the colours turned out pretty okay, except for the green. Even after a few sprays, the green still appeared to be thin, uneven, and cheap. The silver, blue, and the purple looked pretty good, though the gold was a bit too yellow for my liking. I actually quite liked the silver, as it's quite bold in colour, and it's unlike the colour of other silver nail polishes. I didn't add a top coating to these, as I wasn't planning to have multi-colour fingers. With the exception of the silver, all the other colours washed off pretty easily. I had to use my nails to scratch away the silver, as it wasn't as easy to wash off.

The next day, I decided to make my nails silver and blue. I added the base coat from Missha, the paint lacquer, and the top coat from Missha. The top coat actually makes the nails appear to be more glossy rather than matte. When I tried to wash off the excess paint on my skin, the blue on the nails washed off too (I didn't even rub it with my fingers). Most of the silver remained on my nails, but a little bit chipped off too.

The Verdict:

The idea behind these paint sprays are amazing, but only if the colours had stayed ON my nails instead of having being washed off so easily under water. I wonder what would happen if I washed my hands with soap and water! I also ended up having a blue sink, and I had to rub the blue off (I started off using nail polish remover, but it took too long and I had to literally scrub my sink, and then I started using my Young Living Thieves Household Cleaner, and it got the job done within a few seconds! These were fun to play with and easy to use (even with my left hand), but I would definitely not repurchase again! Will try again using a different brand of base coat and top coat, but I doubt it would make a difference!

If you want to find more about Young Living products, you can go here.

Thank you for reading, and have a nice day!

Dealing with Itchy Skin Problems

2016-04-01T23:16:00.002+08:00

I've always had near-to-perfect skin, with no major problems, and only 1-2 blemishes on my face each time after PMS. I woke up on Wednesday morning, to find half my face covered in pus-filled red spots, and my face swollen. I literally didn't know what to do! I instantly went to see a doctor (he's my GP, but he also specialises in dermatology), and he told me I had Folliculitis. I asked him whether it was because I had a Lipodermis treatment on Monday, or whether it was the new mask that I had used on Tuesday night, but he said it was neither, as it's only on one side of the face, AND that it had grown in a circle.

He literally stared at my face and jokingly said "I really can't figure out why it's grown in a circle shape. That's really unusual". I told him it might have been my pillow, since I mainly sleep on my left side. He prescribed me with a non-steroid ointment (Fucidin) to apply morning and night, but the results were too slow, as I had a high school reunion on Saturday, and I wanted to recover ASAP. This is what my face looked like, and although it doesn't look that bad in the photos, I was devastated and depressed already by the sight of it! My face was literally SWOLLEN, and of course, I wasn't used to seeing my face so red and eww!

My face felt itchy and irritated, and I was too scared to use anything. I used the Cerave mild face cleanser that the doctor had given, then used the Hydro Intensive Toner and Doctoray Intensive Hydrating Cream from CNP Laboratory, which I reviewed here.

To help relieve the irritations, I decided to create my own mask. I applied this 3-4 times a day.

Ingredients:

Distilled Water (acidic)

Lavender Essential Oil

Frankincense Essential Oil

Ylang Ylang Essential Oil (optional)

Cotton Pads or Blank Sheet Masks

I usually add 1-2 drops of Lavender, and 1-2 drops of Frankincense into a ceramic (non-reactive) bowl. I also started adding in 1-2 drops of Ylang Ylang too as I had an inflammation, and wanted too see quicker results. Fill the rest of the bowl with distilled water.

Mix the mixture a little with your finger. Soak the cotton pad or blank sheet mask into the mixture, and apply to the face. If the mask does not adhere properly, wet a cotton pad, and press gently against the bits that are sticking out.

I created this mask to apply to my face 3-4 times a day. On the first day, I only used Lavender and Frankincense, and I found that they were too mild for my condition, like they were soothing as such, but it didn't help with the spots in particular. I must say, I hate the smell of Frankincense and Ylang Ylang, but anything that would help my skin, I would try, and when they were diluted in water, it didn't smell as bad! During the first two days, I used cotton pads as I didn't have any blank sheet masks, and although some cotton pads may not adhere very well, they actually stay wet for longer, and can stay there for up to 1 hour.

Cotton pads usually stay wet for longer, so you can leave it on for 30 minutes or so, or until it dries, whereas the blank sheet mask will dry quicker, so you'll have to remove the mask after 15-20 minutes. You can keep wetting the mask with a cotton pad if you want it on for longer.

After waking up on Day 2, I realised that my pillow must have been the cause, as the spots were redder than they were the previous night, AND I started having spots on the other side of my face too! I instantly put the pillow case in the washing, and used another pillow just in case. I also started using Ylang Ylang on Day 2, and sometimes, it would sting my face, but I read online that it's just doing its anti-septic job.

I cheated, and replaced the Fucidin with Hydrocortisone 1%, since the Fucidin was too mild for me. I continued to mask my face 3-4 times a day though. On Day 3, I was able to purchase the blank sheet masks from Miniso, and the fitting was terrible! The blank sheet masks were made of cotton, had a slightly different shape each time, and required lots of folding down and touch-ups. Putting the masks into the water was quite entertaining though, as they reminded me of the tampon-in-water experiment we had at high school. The only good thing about my DIY masks, is that I know I used quality ingredients in the making of the mask!

By the end of Day 3, I could see that the spots had become less bumpy. I also went to purchase a new foundation and concealer to cover it all up the next day!

By Day 4, the day of my high school reunion, the spots had subsided significantly, and the spots on the right side of the face were nearly gone!

A quick photo while heading to the reunion! The spots were still slightly visible, but were definitely much easier to cover, and were barely noticeable to others, unless they stared at my face!

A happy girl heading to the reunion!

I usually use the leftover mixture as a toner as well - I just soak cotton pads into it, and then use it to wipe my face. If you don't want the mixture to go to waste, you can either pour it into your diffuser, or add some Himalayan Salt, and make a foot bath.

My friend started having a spot "down there" that felt itchy and painful, and she remembered what I had said about using Frankincense and Lavender to mask, so she stuck (literally, using tape) a cotton pad soaked with the oils onto that spot. She continued doing this consecutively for a few days, and the spot magically disappeared. She was so happy, and so was her wallet!

I really like how the products from CNP Laboratory are fragrance free, and are even suitable for the most sensitive skins. I soon found a sample cleanser from CNP Laboratory (also from the Hydro Intensive line, which is used to hydrate and soothe skin), and started using that instead of the one that the doctor gave. I also started using the CNP Laboratory Mugener Ampule and Mugener Deep Soothing Pack recently too.

Things have gotten much better, and now there are just three faint pink dots on my skin, which will hopefully go away soon after using some peeling products. I now change my pillow case every few days, and I'm still sticking to gentle (fragrance-free) products for now. Sometimes I will add a few drops of Frankincense Essential Oil to my toner, so that my skin can recover faster.

The doctor told me not to apply any essential oils to my skin, but I didn't listen, as I knew I had the most trusted essential oils at home. All the oils I used are therapeutic grade, and are from Young Living.

If you wish to order any Young Living essential oils, you can get them here.

If you have any questions or need help enrolling/setting up your account, please e-mail me at geniesfavproducts@gmail.com

This information provided here is for educational and informational purposes only, and to motivate you to make your own health care and dietary decisions based upon your own research and in partnership with your health care provider. It should not be relied upon to determine dietary changes, a medical diagnosis or courses of treatment. Individual articles and information on other websites are based upon the opinions of the respective authors who retain copyright as marked.

The information contained on this website is not meant to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information represents what I, an Independent Distributor of Young Living Essential Oils, have chosen to do to take charge of my own personal health and that of my family. Statements on this website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Products on this site are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition, consult your physician before using these products.

That's probably enough for today. Thank you for reading, and have a nice day!

My Winter Skincare Regime

2015-12-10T17:49:00.002+08:00

GENIE IS BACK!!!

It's been SOOO long since I've blogged - I did become a little put off by the fact that one of my blogposts was suddenly deleted without my consent, and RSS Feeds stopped working anymore. Since then, I've been really busy with my life with the two kids, trying to find a job, my severe back pain, and MaskGenie. Most importantly, I just lacked the motivation to blog, especially not being able to find something that I really wanted to blog about and something that was worth blogging about.

In this blogpost, I'd like to talk about the products that I'm using now, after having switched to products suitable for the super dry winter climate.

Since November, I've been slowly incorporating richer products into my skincare regime. I've been using products from CNP Laboratory since summer, and it has really helped to boost the water level in my skin. During the home care facial that I had at Shiseido's as a part of the birthday special they offer for VIPs, they used a special device to check my skin, and they found that my face was highly hydrated (all thanks to the CNP Laboratory products I had been using), but my skin slightly lacked collagen.

When winter was approaching, I realised that CNP products were not moisturising enough for my skin (even after switching to a heavier face cream), so since then, I have been incorporating Shiseido products into my regime, though the first night I started using them all (I was too excited to try them all), I broke out on my forehead. This didn't stop me from continuing with Shiseido products though, but I did stop for a few days before slowly adding them back in. During the days that I broke out, I used these products:

CNP Laboratory Hydro Intensive Toner

LJH Tea Tree 90 Essence

CNP Laboratory Dual-Balance Waterlock T/U Serum

CNP Dortoray Intensive Hydrating Cream

I also used a few Dr. Morita masks to help calm my skin and soothe the breakouts.

After recovering from the breakouts, I slowly added the products into my regime, sometimes adding the emulsion, sometimes adding the toner, until my face felt stable and okay with adding them in.

I'm currently using up a random cleanser from Memebox - Awesome Aqua Whip Hug Foam Cleanser. Nothing special, doesn't clean very well and quite drying for the face especially in this weather. Will not repurchase.

Currently using up another Memebox toner - Tosowoong Timeshift Skin Toner. It's more like a gel rather than a watery type of toner, not so moisturising, but it cleans very well and makes the cotton pad brown after swiping it on my face and neck. Will not repurchase. During the days after my Lipodermis treatment, I use the CNP Laboratory Hydro Intensive Toner instead, as my skin is very delicate then. Will consider repurchasing since this is very moisturising and gentle.

I don't always use an essence anymore (I used to use the IOPE Bio Essence Intensive Conditioning religiously, but stopped during summer), but when I remember to, or when my face reminds me that it's extra dry, I'll use the DM Intensive Hydrating Essence. The essence itself is great, leaves a slight sticky feeling, but the pump sucks. My sister-in-law gave this to me, but I don't know if I'll repurchase since it is kind of pricey. When my face is super dry, I'll apply the IOPE Essence before applying the DM one. This is my second bottle of IOPE Essence, but I'm not sure whether I would purchase a third one, since I don't use it as often anymore.

When I know I'll be putting on makeup the next day or when my face really needs that extra water boost, I'll use the Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate before using my usual serum, followed by the Ultimune Eye for the eyes. I realised that my makeup does adhere better, and my face is less dry after using the Ultimune line, but they are kind of pricey, so I'm not sure whether I would repurchase. I don't use these everyday, so I'm hoping they'll last me for a while before my next repurchase.

As for the serum, I have the most expensive serum that I've ever purchased - Shiseido's Vital-Perfection White Circulator Serum. I started with a deluxe sample, but finished that, and opened up the full size. I use two pumps of this on hubby's face, and his face reacts very well to it (did I mention that he breaks out using most products but not this one?), but I did break out on the first two times of use. I use 1.5 pumps on my face, massage it into my face, and a few times more on my cheekbones (where the hyperpigmentations are). May consider repurchasing but I'll need to save up for it.

I admit I've been lazy with eye creams lately, I think it's because CNP Laboratory products can all be applied around the eyes, so I've been too lazy to apply other things, but seeing it's winter, that's when lines start to appear, so I decided to do something about my dark eye circles and fine lines. I was looking for Christmas presents at Fresh when I decided I want something for myself too, so I got a Christmas Set that came with a Black Tea Eye Cream, a Black Tea Cream, and a Black Tea Sleeping Mask. Despite it being an eye cream, it's very light and easy to blend. It doesn't cause milia. The full-size product is really expensive, so I'm not sure whether I'll repurchase, but if it does do something for my dark eye circles and lines, I will consider saving up for it. Before I started using the eye cream from Fresh, I tried a sample of an eye cream from Shiseido that was really rich, but felt nice and smooth after blending, and really did seem to do something for fine lines, but I bet it's really expensive just by looking at the packaging.

As for the night cream, first off there's the one from Shiseido - Vital-Perfection Sculpting Lift Cream. It is rich and moisturising, not oily, but its perfumey scent is really strong. After realising that my face was okay with using such rich creams, I decided to take out my long lost favourite, the IOPE Super Vital Extra Moist Cream. I used to love this cream, but there was a time after I gave birth to my second child, that I couldn't use anything heavy on my face, otherwise I would breakout. I tried it again, and my face loves it again. The only problem with this cream is that if you take too much of it, it does feel a bit oily. I now use the little spatula I got from CNP Laboratory to scrape the top layer of the cream a few times to get what I need, and this ensures I don't get too much, because you really don't need a lot! Out of the two creams, I think I prefer the IOPE one, as it's actually more moisturising, and the scent is more acceptable. As for the price, Shiseido is more than double the price of IOPE! Plus, I still have two more deluxe tubs of the IOPE, so I won't need to repurchase in a while!

I also have another cream sample that I use - A-True Darjeeling Black Tea First Anti-Wrinkle Cream, but because it is actually quite light, so I use it in the mornings instead. Light in the day, heavy at night. The A-True cream actually smells like black tea which is really nice and relaxing. Probably won't repurchase though, since Memebox products are quite hard to source.

Every night, I apply the Fresh Sugar Lip Serum Advanced Therapy followed by the L'erbolario Shea Butter Lip Balm. I absolutely cannot live without this lip balm - this is my second one! I used to have serious flaking lips, and nothing would help except this lip balm! They recently ran out at the shop, so I got their Natural Glossy Lip Balm as a spare, but it's nothing like a lip gloss that you normally think of, nothing in the cosmetic sense, instead it's like a tube filled with different essential oils, and is super moisturising to the lips! It has a slight flowery-herbal scent, but nothing synthetic.

In the mornings, I keep it simple. I wash my face with cold water. That's it, no cleansers or anything, just plain water. Then, I follow with my Tosowoong toner, CNP Laboratory Waterlock T/U Serum, Shiseido Vital-Perfection Emulsion, and CNP Doctoray Intensive Hydrating Cream or A-True Black Tea Cream. The CNP Laboratory Dual-Balance line is my absolute "go-to" for summer - I used the toner, serum, and cream from the same line during summer, whilst hubby uses the A-Clean line!

Next, I apply my CNP Doctoray Real Perfect Sunblock which has a UVA PA+++ and UVB SPF 50+, AND it has a slight tint to it (I blogged about the summer edition before, but that's the post that got deleted), but I really can't tell you enough by words how much I love this! My face is matte and oil-free all day long!

If, for some reason, my skin feels dry during the day, then I'll use a mist spray - I swear by the Recipe By Nature Spray Essence Water, but if I'm wearing makeup, I'll use the Recipe By Nature to prep my skin before applying makeup, and the CNP Laboratory Quick Soothing S.O.S. Mist over makeup. I've lost count of how many Recipe By Nature mists I've used, but it's definitely a lot, and the great thing is that it's free from mineral oil, synthetic fragrance, synthetic dye, triethanolamine, and parabens! The S.O.S mist is great as not many mists can be used over makeup, and this one can because the particles are very small, and won't leave droplets over your face after spraying. The S.O.S mist also smells of rose, but it's not overwhelming or annoying.

Other products that I use every now and then:

Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner
I actually like its predecessor more (I blogged about it here), but this one is still pretty good and convenient to use. Not suitable for sensitive skin.
CNP Laboratory Deep Enzyme Powder Wash (click here for the review)
Absolutely love this powder wash - it's very gentle, yet it cleanses and minimises pores.

CNP Laboratory Anti-Pore Black Head Clear Kit (click here for the review)
I absolutely swear by this blackhead set, and would definitely recommend it to others! After using the first mask, all the impurities really float to the top, and it doesn't require much effort to squeeze out the blackheads using a blackhead extractor!

Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask
Started using this recently. There's no need to apply night cream before using this mask, only requires a thin layer, and leaves face feeling super moisturised - probably will not repurchase due to the high price tag.

I also use lots of different masks - sheet masks, sleeping masks, and wash-off masks.

That's a lot of CNP Laboratory products as well as the newly added Shiseido into the family! I must say that my face really does look flawless and has a glow after incorporating Shiseido products into my daily skincare regime! I also have a Lipodermis treatment done every 3-4 weeks, and I've noticed that my skin is back to being flawless, as well as my pores being slightly minimised. The only downside to these treatments is how painful they can be - it's like a facial scrub, but much more intense, and much more painful! Will talk more about them later in another post.

I used to be reluctant to use and eat products made in Japan, especially after the radiation leak, and having heard several stories from friends and families about the side effects and things that happened to their close friends after visiting Japan and everything, but nonetheless, one day I decided to try some of their makeup products since I've heard many good things about their products, and that's when I received some of their skincare samples to try, and I absolutely fell in love with the results! By the way, I love their makeup products too, but those will have to wait for another post.

As you can see, the Shiseido products that I have are mainly in sample sizes. Shiseido gives out many samples to try, and I have yet finished them all, so I haven't purchased anything in full size other than the serum. The only thing I don't really like about Shiseido's products is probably the perfumey smell and the high price tag to them, but other than that, Shiseido is awesome and I'd definitely recommend this brand to friends and family! Shiseido always comes out with these trial packs, and they're a great way to be able to try everything! Shiseido HK also has a VIP programme, so that's even more samples to try, as well as having birthday treats and discounts! What's more is that they even have samples for loose powder and other makeup items! Look below at the photo where the tub on the left is the loose powder in its full size, and the one in the middle is the deluxe size, and the deluxe also comes with a small puff inside the container! This loose powder is the best I've used, like seriously!

Okay, so that's a fairly long post with lots of products and lots of photos. I hope to see you guys soon in my next post, which hopefully won't take another 6 months to write.

Thank you for reading, and have a nice day!

If you guys have any questions about the products, please comment below :)

REVIEW: GINSENG HEALTH PATCH (KOREA)

2015-07-06T22:33:00.000+08:00

So I've been really lazy with blogging recently, but I thought this deserved its own post here, because it really works!

Some history about me...

I injured my back from ice skating over 10 years ago, and I guess it never recovered properly. Back then, I couldn't even sit properly at school unless I used a cushion! I saw both Western and Chinese medical practitioners, and I thought I recovered, as I didn't feel anymore pain. The pain suddenly hit me a few years later when I was in New Zealand, and it was so painful that I couldn't even walk properly.

I've sought all kinds of medical help, including acupuncture, Chinese massage, acupressure, Chinese medicine, physio, yoga, and other pain relief patches (Tiger Balm's warm plaster does a good job to relieve pain temporarily), but nothing had really done any long-term change. Having constant back pains has disrupted my sleep, and it's one of the main reasons why I joined yoga, but even so, yoga only gives me temporary relief.

I suddenly came across this product whilst looking for masks for MaskGenie, and I decided to try it. There were a few reviews on this product, all saying how good it was.

The product that I'm going to review today, is the
Ginseng Health Patch from Korea.

The idea of the patch is it stick it onto a part of the body which feels painful or tired. I forgot to mention in my review on Instagram that the patch feels slightly warm after application.

Each patch is like a thin sticky piece of paper that smells strongly of ginseng, and has many small black dots in the patch. Each patch is 9.5cm x 13cm in size, which is not particularly large, but I managed to stick it on the most painful part, and it still worked for me. It is recommended to use the patch each night for three days consecutively, even if your body doesn't feel painful or tired anymore.

On the packaging, it shows the places (acupressure points) where you can stick the patch.

The patch is very thin, but it adheres to the skin very well, and the corners do not roll up. It's not obvious under clothing unlike other pain relief gel patches. After taking my shower at night, I waited for 30 minutes before sticking on the patch. There is a Chinese belief that you need to let the "wetness" (濕氣) inside the body out first, otherwise the "wetness" will just build up, and cause even more discomforts.

I couldn't understand any of the instructions on the packaging (and there's not much information online), so I assumed that I had to peel it off in the morning (after 8-10 hours) like any other pain relief patches, but I just realised it does say "24 hours" on the packaging, so perhaps you're supposed to leave it on all day. When I peeled it off, a little of the plastic had stuck onto my back, and I had to rub it off.

After the first night, I felt that my back wasn't as painful anymore already, but I continued to use it for two more nights to get optimum results! My skin isn't super sensitive, so after the first night, my back didn't feel itchy. By the third day, I was really amazed to see that my back was not painful at all anymore, and I've never felt so good before! My skin, however, did start to feel slightly itchy after using the third patch. It's been one week since using the patch, and my back still feels perfectly fine!

I did, however, try the patches on my thighs which had muscle aches (from an intense yoga session), but the patch didn't seem to be effective at all.

I'm super satisfied with the results, and I hope they're not temporary, but even so, I'm a happy girl again, and I can finally get some good night's rest!

Rating: 9.5/10

Thank you for reading, and have a nice day!

REVIEW: CNP LABORATORY ENZYME POWDER WASH

2015-05-16T17:45:00.001+08:00

During my CNP Laboratory haul, I got a free bottle sample from the shop, and my, it's quite a big sample with quite a lot of uses.This is the first time I've tried an enzyme wash, but I've heard many great things about it before.

I feel that the traditional Korean peeling gels aren't really effective, as I've tried rubbing the peeling gel on different surfaces (including the stone bench top), and the same rubber pieces still appear. I've also been told many times that scrubs are too harsh for the skin, especially if you have thin and sensitive skin like me.

So here I am with my powder wash. It's not the first powder wash I've tried though, as my first was with a Japanese brand, Fancl. The difference between the two, is that the Fancl required the use of a sponge to foam up, whereas this enzyme powder wash foams up with water alone.

So, back to business, this is the
CNP Laboratory Deep Enzyme Powder Wash.

Full Size Product: 70g

Ingredients

Mixed fermented complex (pomegranate fermented extract, pu'er tea fermented extract, bean fermented extract), green tea EGCG

Product Description

Plant originated protein decomposition enzyme cleanses old impurities deeply.

Creates smooth skin texture.

Enzyme removes dead skin cells on skin surface to activate turnover period and create healthy skin.

Fine lather exfoliates without burden to the skin

Skin remains moisturised skin without dryness after cleansing

Contains niacinamide and rice bran extract for dull skin improvement to brighten the skin.

Enzyme in the powder wash activates the best among 35-40 degrees.

No additives, artificial colours, talc, benzophenone, mineral oil, alcohol, silicon, sulfate, surfactant.

How To Use

Pour a moderate amount into your palm and add some water.

Add some water to create enough lather.

Apply the foam all over the face, and gently massage.

Rinse off with warm water.

Apply 2-3 times a week depending on your skin condition.

Tip 1: Put some water to the powder, and rub against the face for a scrub effect. *Avoid the eyes

Tip 2: Rub the powder to wet nose to remove sebum and blackhead.

Tip 3: Mix the powder to your usual facial cleanser for a richer lather and deep cleansing effect.

You only need around a penny size worth of product to work with. There's a slight fruity scent, but not artificial or too overwhelming. It foams up easily with water, but it may feel slightly beady at first when the powder is still dissolving. The powder only foams up slightly, as it does not contain any foaming agents. After rinsing the foam off my face with water, I instantly noticed that my face felt super soft, smooth, and pores were minimised. My face did not feel dry afterwards.

There were so many uses out of the small bottle that I still haven't finished my bottle yet, though I went to buy myself a full size product during the Mother's Day promotion. I use mine at least once or twice a week, and have loved it since! I'm really loving CNP Laboratory so far!!

Rating: 10/10

Thank you for reading, and have a nice day!

REVIEW: OSEQUE HIGH-END TOUCH SPF34 PA++

2015-05-14T12:28:00.000+08:00

This product has been continuously showing up on my Facebook news feed, so as a beauty blogger, I knew I had to get it!

This is the Osèque High-End Touch in shade 21 Light Beige. This product was also mentioned in the "Get It Beauty 2015", hence its popularity.

The Osèque High-End Touch comes in two shades:
#21 Light Beige#23 Natural Beige

Volume: 30ml

Product Features
Soft and fantastic colour
Soft moisturisation all day long
Colour which improves the beauty of all types of skin tone
Youthful skin with dazzling sparkle
Contains new material RonaFlair® (sapphire structure)
Fine wrinkle hiding effect using light diffusion
Expression of 3D facial features
Moisturising and nourishing makeup
Contains propolis, fermented bifidus lysate
1 bottle of essence for reinforced nourishing powder
Makeup and skin care at the same time
Convenient applicator
Roller type for easy and convenient application on curvy facial features
No lumping even after multiple applications
Sebum control for maintenance of balance
Moisture upon application, with fluffy finish
Sebum control for refreshed makeup all day long
Whitening care with blemish elimination
Wrinkle care for firm skin
Sunlight and UV ray blockage (SPF34, PA++)

Major Ingredients

Lorna flare (synthetic sapphire) , propolis extract, non-seafood appetiser for fermentation, six kinds of plant callus culture extracts (green tea, cactus, rice, tomato, carrot, lotus).

It comes in an elegant and sleek, black plastic bottle with a roller applicator. The lid (and even the shape of the bottle) reminds me of Chanel's products.

The roller applicator is perfect for lazy people like me, as there's no need for foundation bases or brushes or sponges anymore; however if you don't like the idea of using a roller on your face, you can easily pop off the applicator and apply it with your hands or usual applicators.

When you press the button on the side a few times, the foundation will leak out, so that you can easily roll it over your face. It does, however, get a little messy if you press the button too many times, and too much foundation squirts out at once. Sometimes, the foundation doesn't roll onto the roller applicator, so you may need to use your finger to wipe it off the applicator to put onto your face, then to use the roller applicator to blend.

The Osèque High-End Touch comes with skincare benefits too ~ anti-wrinkle, whitening, and SPF34, so it's not just an ordinary foundation!

How To Use
After using your usual moisturiser, press the switch on the container, and roll the roller puff evenly onto the face. Press the switch several times so the contents are squeezed upwards. To wash the puff, old the puff and pull upwards to detach.

If you have trouble getting the foundation on the corners of your nose, you can try dabbing the applicator onto the area instead of rolling it on.

If anyone is interested, I did a tutorial & review video on the Osèque High-End Touch. I just realised that it's a pretty long video (oops!).

COMPARISON: OSÈQUE High-End Touch vs. JENNY HOUSE Perfect Skin One Shot Cover Stick Foundation

In the first photo, I only applied the Osèque High-End Touch onto the left part of my face. If you look carefully, you will see that my dark eye circles are less dark, but it didn't really change the colour of my skin. There are no obvious differences yet.

In the second photo, I am applying the Jenny House Perfect Skin One Shot Cover Stick Foundation onto the other half of my face.

If you look carefully in the photo below, you can see that my dark eye circle is concealed better on the right hand side. I do have quite a few moles (as shown in the photo above), but the small one below my eye is not as obvious anymore. The Jenny House Stick Foundation does a better job at concealing dark eye circles and small moles.

On the left: Osèque High-End Touch

On the right: Jenny House Perfect Skin One Shot Cover Stick Foundation

As you can see, with the photo on the left, the pores on my nose are not obvious, whereas with the photo on the right, the foundation seems to be stuck inside the pore. The Jenny House Stick Foundation is obviously more dry, as it is, after all, not a liquid foundation, hence sinks into the pores, so until the nose starts creating oil, the pores will still appear to be powdery. So, in this case, the Osèque High-End Touch seemed to do a better job at making the face appear poreless! As for the fine lines under the eyes, I think both give similar results, but Jenny House's Stick Foundation is slightly better, due to the better concealing function.

Overall, I think the Jenny House Perfect Skin One Shot Cover Stick Foundation still wins. The reasons are:

1) It's in the form of a stick, so it won't leak or spill, so it will be easy to carry around.

The button on the Osèque may accidentally be pressed when put inside your handbag, so it may leak.

2) The design is really convenient, as my hands don't get dirty your hands at all.

The Osèque can get quite messy, and you may need to use your hands to apply the foundation onto your face, before using the roller applicator.

3) It gives more coverage, so I don't even need to use a concealer unless I have a pimple or something big to cover up.

The Osèque gives a more natural look, so its coverage is very low.

4) It leaves my skin matte even after a whole day outside.

The Osèque doesn't make my face oily, but the finish is more dewy.

5) The retail price is much cheaper than the Osèque (Jenny House is selling for USD25, whereas the Osèque is USD33).

Overall, the Osèque High-End Touch is a good product if you don't need much coverage - it gives a natural look for everyday wear. The colour stays and doesn't wear off until you wash it off with makeup remover. It is very light-weight, isn't drying for the face, and makes your face look brightened. The bonus is that it contains many natural ingredients, as well as a serum included, so that it is not only a foundation, but also a skincare product. The main downside of this product is still its applicator, as it can get a little messy.

Rating: 8/10

Thank you for reading, and have a nice day!

REVIEW: HITACHI HADA CRIE CM-N8800BF

2015-04-25T19:06:00.001+08:00

Back when I had little-to-no followers, I did a blogpost comparing the Clarisonic Mia2 and the Hada Crie that my sister-in-law bought, but as I was pregnant at that time, I was unable to test out the Hada Crie for myself, and as time went by, I never got around to purchasing my own, until one day, hubby's friend told me he owned one and he could lend it to me to play around with. I borrowed it so that I could do a blogpost comparing it with another device that I purchased, but after a few uses of that device (and a lot of procrastinating), that stupid device stopped functioning, so I didn't get around to blogging. Recently, my sister-in-law told me that she stopped using her Hada Crie, and said she could give it to me, so now, I can play around with it again.

In my previous post about the Hada Crie, which was about a year ago, she stated that she really loved using her Hada Crie. Things, however, have changed since then. She told me she used to use her Hada Crie everyday, and at first, her skin was amazing, but after a few months after using, she broke out. She's not sure whether it's because of the Hada Crie or other reasons, but she started having really sensitive skin, so she stopped using it. She also stopped going to the beautician she used to go to, as she suspected that it was one of the factors causing her breakouts. The thing is, I've taken up her package at her beautician's, and so far, I'm really enjoying the service there. So she has now accepted the fact that her skin is SUPER DUPER sensitive, and she now has to be super careful when trying out new things.

Okay, so I'm finally able to do MY OWN REVIEW on the product!

Hada Crie CM-N8800BF by Hitachi (HK$2190 = US$292)

Please note that this model is equivalent to CM-N820, but the plug is a Hong Kong plug instead of the two-legged Japanese plug, hence the different model number.

This is an ion cleansing with moisturising support device.

Key Features:

Made in Japan

Pore Cleansing & Moisturising

3 Operating Modes: Cleansing, Moisture, and Mask

Titanium Head: Prevents allergy

Dimple design which allows you to use thicker toner-type products

Can use with your regular toner, lotion, and mask

AC/Rechargeable: can be used when travelling

3 power levels selection

Auto-stop function

Items inside the box:

White Hada Crie unit

Hada Crie holder

2 cotton rings to keep the cotton pad in place

Charger

Summary Card (in Chinese)

User Manual

How To Use:

1. Before first use, charge the device for at least 8 hours.

2. You must remove all makeup before using this device.

3. There is a contact plate (for ion induction) at the back of the device, and you need to wrap your hand around to device to "complete the circuit" in order for your device to work.

4. Push the on/off button to turn on your device.

5. Push "MODE" to select what you want to do: Cleansing, Moisturise, Mask.

The default setting is at Cleansing.

6. Push "LEVEL" to select speed. For first time users, it is advised to use the lowest speed. The default level is at Low.

7. If you are on the Cleansing Mode, place a cotton pad on the titanium plate and snap the cotton ring over it. Slowly soak the cotton pad with your toner, and massage onto your face. The device will stop after 5 minutes.
8. For the Moisturise Mode, you can either pour your moisturising toner onto a cotton pad, or if you are using thicker products, you can just add the products directly onto your face, and massage with the device.
9. For the Mask Mode, you can either apply the products directly onto your face or apply a face sheet mask, and glide the Hada Crie directly over the mask.

The way to massage is to either glide the Hada Crie onto your face, or by making circular movements on your face.

The way to glide the Hada Crie onto your face:

9. Place the device on your face and it will start vibrating.

10. The device will turn off automatically after 5 minutes.

11. Do NOT wash the device with water as it is not waterproof!

You can experiment with different cotton pads, but the cotton pads I use when I use the Hada Crie, are the ones by IOPE - they are big enough to cover over the Hada Crie, feel silky, and work very well with the Had Crie, though they do tend to tear more easily. This is the cotton pad after 5 minutes of it massaging over my face and neck (it's actually my neck that made it so black).

If you're still unsure of how to use the Hada Crie, don't despair, because I did a video just for you guys!

The HadaCrie that hubby's friend lent me is the older version, CM-N810.

The differences between the N820 and the N810:

The new edition no longer has the "Micropat" mode
The ion plates now have a dimpled design
In the "Moisture Up" mode, thicker products (i.e. gel or emulsion type products) can be used without a cotton pad
The contact plates (for ion induction) have moved from the side to the back
The duration of the full course (all modes) is reduced from 20 minutes to 15 minutes.

I think the products that you can use for each step is quite confusing, so I tend to stick to these for easy remembering:

Cleanse - toner

Moisturise - essence/serum

Mask - face sheet mask

I know you can use a toner for the Moisturise Mode, and you can also use the serum for the Mask Mode, but I don't like to confuse myself!

I think the Hada Crie is great with its cleansing function, as it feels so satisfying to see the cotton pad so dirty, despite cleaning my face with the Clarisonic Mia2 everyday already! The other functions are so-so, as I haven't really noticed anything WOW to my skin yet (I have noticed my face to look brighter, but I don't know whether it's because of the Hada Crie or the masks I'm using). The fact that I got my device for free makes the product more worth while, otherwise if I had to pay for it myself, I'd probably not be so keen. The other thing I don't really like is that each step takes 5 minutes, so it's actually quite time-consuming - you can stop it any time you want, but the full procedure takes that long! Hubby really hates the vibrating sound - haha!

That's it for today. Thanks for reading and watching :)

MaskGenie Giveaway!!!

2015-04-10T21:31:00.001+08:00

UPDATE: Winners have been announced on the Rafflecopter app!
Congrats to Judy Menacker and Pegi Hoffman!!!

Thank you for everyone's support in MaskGenie for the past few months!!

To thank everyone, we have decided to do a Giveaway, where we are giving away TWO PRIZES to TWO WINNERS!!!

Annie's Way has kindly sponsored us with two Annie's Way Trial Sets to give away as part of our prizes, of which, both come in beautiful Annie's Way pouches. We will also add in an assortment of Asian masks to give to each of the winners.

Each Annie's Way Trial Set includes:
1 x Willowherb Herb Balancing Jelly Spray 12ml
1 x Gigawhite Whitening Jelly Spray 12ml
1 x Calendula Softening Jelly Spray 12ml
1 x Lavender Relaxing Jelly Mask 35ml
1 x Annie's Way pouch

HOW TO ENTER:

Enter via Rafflecopter.
All entries will be verified and anyone who has multiple accounts will be disqualified!
Qualified entries will then be randomly drawn.
I will notify the winner within 24 hours after the contest ends. The winner will then have 36 hours from then to contact me with the following information: their full name and mailing address.
If the winner does not contact me within 36 hours, another winner will be drawn, and the original entry will be null and void.

Starting Date: 12am on Saturday 11th April, 2015

Ending Date: 12am on Saturday 18th April, 2015

(HKT +8H GMT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

OTHER INFORMATION:

By entering this Giveaway, you are agreeing to the following terms:

The winner is responsible for verifying the products and their contents and to determine the suitability of those products for their own needs. geniesfavproducts is not responsible for the actual products and ingredients inside the products.
This Giveaway is only open internationally.
The winner is responsible for any custom and/or import duties in their country. geniesfavproducts and MaskGenie are not responsible for those fees.
You must be 18 years of age or above, or must have the express permission of a parent or legal guardian to enter and receive the prize.

I joined the Blog Hop Giveaway held by The Glitter Chic. To see the other giveaways, please click on the button below:

For more information on MaskGenie, please visit our website:
http://www.skinilove.com

Good Luck!!!

REVIEW: JENNY HOUSE PERFECT SKIN ONE SHOT COVER STICK FOUNDATION

2015-02-15T23:39:00.003+08:00

I've been so busy lately that I haven't really had time to update my blog, especially after I've realised how easy and convenient YouTube videos are compared to blogging, however, I think videos can't always show how great things are, so here, I've decided to write about it instead!

The product that I'm going to review today, is...

"Jenny House Perfect Skin One Shot Cover Stick Foundation".

A portable 3 in 1 (Base + Sunscreen + Foundation) perfect skin cover stick foundation can transform your skin through instant skin perfection and long-lasting makeup. Its advanced lightweight formulation delivers a very subtle sheen with high coverage and great adhesion to your skin. Patented Vitamin-C complex core essence illuminates your complexion and whitening your skin, also visibly minimises all imperfections, pores, fine lines, and dark spots instantly and over time.

Lightweight, breathable, silky hydrating base with high coverage that make your skin become a beautiful flawless airbrushed finish without any stickiness. It helps to keep you looking and feeling your best through any season. Its high coverage, great adhesion and long-lasting formula that leaves your skin looking virtually flawless without a trace of heavy foundation after blending like a natural born beauty.

It comes in a pretty silver box, and the product itself is also wrapped in silver, with a pink bow at the top.

Why did I get it? I was really tempted to get it after watching videos that appeared on my Facebook newsfeed! I'm so glad I bought it, because now I'm in love with it!

This is a foundation stick that comes with a sunscreen level of SPF50+/PA+++. The foundation stick comes in two parts - the bigger circle with the foundation, and the smaller circle with the sunscreen and serum - they come out as one, so problem there!

The fun thing about it is that the foundation is on one end, and the brush is on the other. The brush is also at a slanted angle, so that it's easier and less tiring to use.

The bristles of the brush are super soft and silky, so it doesn't cause any irritation to the face whatsoever.

There are two shades to choose from:

No. 21 Light Beige

No. 23 Natural Beige

How To Use:

1. Gently twist the bottom part of main container for 0.5cm of stick foundation then apply a thin layer directly on your face, no primer is needed generally.

2. Use the built-in special designed professional foundation brush for blending the foundation inside out evenly onto your skin in order to get a flawlessly blended, full coverage, high definition results. Re-apply it as a concealer on specific spot area for building up some extra coverage there if needed.

I did a video to demonstrate how to apply the Stick Foundation:

The shade I'm using is the No. 21 (I also use the N21 IOPE Air Cushion XP). The foundation is very creamy and very easy to blend in (it does take some time, but it'll be perfect after you're done!). It doesn't even feel like I've got anything on my skin, and it doesn't block my pores! It's not sticky too, doesn't need a lot of loose powder to cover up, and my face doesn't look oily at the end of the night!

It matches perfectly with my skin tone, perhaps slightly white on my face, but it gives my skin the kind of glow that it needs!

"At the end of the night" look - still flawless and non-oily (with no touch-ups during the night)! I had a few bumps on my forehead that night, but the foundation stick did an awesome job to cover them up (my concealer sucks, so the foundation stick definitely takes the credit)! I guess I forgot to mention that I use minimal makeup each time, so what you see is what you get!

I also forgot to mention that in the past, my face would normally feel super dry after a day of makeup, and I would urgently need to use a face mask that night, but since using this foundation stick, I haven't had this problem anymore!

The only complaint I would make would probably be the silver packaging, because all my fingerprints get stuck onto it and makes it not so pretty, but it's easy to wipe off so it's not too bad!

Price: HKD188 (equivalent to USD25)

Let's compare this to my previous favourite...

IOPE Air Cushion XP in N21

I really liked this before because...

1) the colour was a perfect match to my skin

2) it's really easy to use

3) it's not drying on my face

But what I don't like about it is that using it was very messy to use (and I don't like my things to look dirty!). As you can see from the photo below, the puff has already changed to become a beige coloured puff, but I've only used it a few times (every time I dipped the puff into the cushion, the foundation would all float to cover the sides of the puff). The mirror is also very dirty too, though it was never clear enough to be a mirror in the first place. The most important thing is that the cushion is already used up, and I've only used it a few times, so it's quite pricey for something that can only be used with a few uses! It also left a sticky feeling on my face, required me to apply a lot of loose powder on top, and yet still had an oily nose! I guess it's really not suitable for the humid weather we have here in Hong Kong!

Enough rambling over my new product...I bet you guys want to know where I got it from or where you guys can buy it (goodwillbeauty ships worldwide too!):

http://www.minikmall.com/shop/all/jenny-house-perfect-skin-one-shot-cover-stick-foundation-%E6%99%BA%E5%AD%9D%E7%B2%89%E5%BA%95/

http://www.goodwillbeauty.com.hk/en/face/595-perfect-skin-one-shot-cover-stick-foundation-spf50-pa.html

Thank you for reading, and have a nice day!

The italicised phrases are copied from www.goodwillbeauty.com.hk.

REVIEW: BEYOND HIPPO PATCH

2014-12-29T04:11:00.000+08:00

MaskGenie Challenge Mask 20: BEYOND The God of the Patches - Bye Bye to Excess Fats Firming Patch (hippo) (Korea)

This mask reminds me of those body painkiller patches, but this is actually for slimming purposes. The patch is a combination of a cotton sheet and a hydrogel sheet, and it's soaked completely in essence. Surprisingly, despite how wet it was, I was still able to stick it onto my tummy with the plaster it came with (and it didn't soak through the plaster either). It was quite late at night when I was going to put it on, and hubby asked me what I was doing. I told him I was going to do a mask, and he was shocked, because all he wanted to do was sleep. I told him it's an overnight mask, and that I would leave it on while I sleep. Guess what he said? He said "Oh, then I'm going to sleeping with a hippo tonight?!" Boo! I ignored him, and I put it on my tummy, and took it off 8 hours later. During the night, I felt my tummy was slightly itchy, but I continued to leave it on. I also woke up to go to the toilet once during the night (not sure if it's related because I seldom need the toilet during bedtime), but I was also desperate for the toilet when I woke up the next day. After I removed the patch, my tummy felt firmer and flatter, but results were only temporary. Will need to try it again to see if it's really effective, and whether the need for the toilet is related (perhaps it's losing water retention?).

Rating: 9/10

REVIEW: DD'ELL GOLD KIWI MASK

2014-12-29T02:36:00.001+08:00

MaskGenie Mask Challenge Mask 19: DD'ell Gold Kiwi Mask (Korea)

This mask really smells like putting on a golden kiwi - so delicious! It comes with slits for the eyes, but I like to fold them down (I should've cut them out to put on the sides of my nose). The mask is quite big, and it has enough for me to wrap under my chin. My nose was not covered at all (that's why I should've cut out the slits for the eyes!). The mask, however, did make my face slightly itchy and irritable, not unbearable, just uncomfortable. It was a very moisturising mask though.

Rating: 6/10

REVIEW: DEARY EDELWEISS HYALURONIC ACID MOISTURISING INVISIBLE ELASTIC MASK

2014-12-29T02:26:00.002+08:00

MaskGenie Challenge Mask 18: Deary Edelweiss Hyaluronic Acid Moisturising Invisible Elastic Mask (Taiwan)

This mask was soaked completely in essence when I took it out of its packaging. The fitting was okay except for the nose again, as well as the hole for the eyes which was a bit small and it kept poking into the corner of my eye (that's probably what caused my eye infection). There's hardly a scent in the mask, so leaving it on for 20 minutes was easy. After removing the mask, my face felt very moisturised and soft, and it didn't leave any sticky feeling. The other complaint would be that the texture of the mask feels a bit cheap, but it's definitely better than the paper mask I got from Etude House last time.

Rating: 8/10

REVIEW: SEATREE SEATREE ART ALOE 100 MASK SHEET

2014-12-29T02:12:00.001+08:00

MaskGenie Challenge Mask 17: Seatree Seatree Art Aloe 100 Mask Sheet (Korea)

The shape of this mask made me laugh - do I look like a panda? The holes for the eyes were really big, and only a little bit of the mask covered my nose (my nose isn't a big one either). I do usually like my masks to do something for my eyes too, especially if I don't have an eye mask on at the time, but the holes for the eyes on this mask were way too big to do that! The mask was also big enough to wrap under my chin too! Despite the funny shape, this mask was completely soaked in essence, adhered very well, and was very soothing & moisturising to my face! My skin usually becomes very dry and irritated after a day of makeup (that's why I seldom use it), but it was very relaxing with this mask on, and my face felt soft and supple again! Left a slight sticky feeling on my face afterwards though.

Rating: 8/10

REVIEW: MASKS FROM PRIMERA

2014-12-29T01:39:00.001+08:00

Primera is Amore Pacific's most high end brand, previously only available online or via door-to-door salesmen. Primera uses natural bean oil to print out letters on their packaging to save natural resources. Primera's products are suitable even for the most sensitive of skins, including those who have eczema! I saw that they also have a line just for babies!!!

1) Primera Lift-Up Seed & Sprout Energy Mask - Sugar-Apple Seed

Material: Thick, silky cotton blend, soaked completely in essence, but unlike other masks, the essence inside this packet is white, like a creamy lotion. The mask is also not pearl white in colour, but a creamy white with small black dots on the mask (the evidence of using organic cotton). There was still a lot of essence left inside the packet for me to apply a thicker layer over my mask as well as on my neck!
Scent: Sweet, but not perfumey nor overwhelming, quite nice
Shape: The shape was okay - the hole around the eyes and mouth fitted just right, but it didn't cover the sides of my nose too well.
Effectiveness: There was still a lot of essence left on my face after removing the mask, so I massaged it into my face. It left my face very smooth, but I felt that there was a layer of something left on my skin afterwards (but I didn't wash it off). I felt that my face was very moisturised and that it had helped soothe redness and irritation (from extracting my pores).
Price: HK$18-25 per mask
Rating: 8.5/10

2) Primera Emblica Lifting Hydro Gel Mask - Indian Gooseberry Sprout

Material: Gel-type mask
Scent:
Shape: It's a 2-piece gel mask - the top part covers the forehead, eyes and nose; the bottom part covers the mouth and chin. The mask is a little small as it doesn't cover my face (the upper forehead and the jaw) entirely, the hole around the eyes and mouth is a little big, and it does not cover my nose entirely, but it was easy to put onto my face. Again, I don't really like gel-type masks, because of the slimy feeling when putting the mask onto my face!
Effectiveness: The mask did not leave a sticky feeling after I removed the mask. My face was slightly more moisturised, but the effects were not as obvious as the cotton blend version of the lifting mask.
Price: HK$29 per mask
Rating: 6.5/10

3) Primera Cresswhite Brightening Hydro Gel Mask - Watercress Sprout

Material: Gel-type mask
Scent: I can't figure out the smell for this actually, but it's a little flowery and it slightly makes my nose itch
Shape: It's a 2-piece gel mask - the top part covers the forehead, eyes and nose; the bottom part covers the mouth and chin. The mask is a little small as it doesn't cover my face (the upper forehead and the lower chin) entirely, the hole around the eyes and mouth is a little big, and it does not cover my nose entirely, but it was easy to put onto my face. Again, I don't really like gel-type masks, because of the slimy feeling when putting the mask onto my face!
Effectiveness: The mask did not leave a sticky feeling after I removed the mask. My face felt slightly tight afterwards, but I saw that my pores appeared to be slightly smaller.
Price: HK$29 per mask
Rating: 7/10 (because I still prefer cotton masks over gel masks)

4) Primera Clear-Up Seed and Sprout Energy Mask - Linseed

Material: Cotton blend, soaked completely in essence, but there is no essence left inside the packet. The mask is also not pearl white in colour, but a creamy white with small black dots on the mask (the evidence of using organic cotton). The mask reminds me of a gauze, and the mask is not as smooth as other masks.
Scent: It kind of smelled like a citrus scent when I opened up the packet, but as I continued to smell it, it had a slight chemical/medicine smell.
Shape: The shape was okay - the hole around the eyes and mouth fitted just right, but it didn't cover the sides of my nose too well.
Effectiveness: There was still some essence left on my face after removing the mask, so I massaged it into my face. There was originally a pimple on my face, but after removing the mask, my pimple had gone down by a lot, and it was hardly red and swollen anymore. It did, however, leave a slight sticky feeling on my face.
Price: HK$18-25 per mask
Rating: 8/10

5) Primera Moist-Up Seed and Sprout Energy Mask - Lotus Flower Seed

Material: Cotton blend, soaked completely in essence, and there was some essence left inside the packet. The mask is also not pearl white in colour, but a creamy white with small black dots on the mask (the evidence of using organic cotton).
Scent: It smelled of lotus flower, but it wasn't a perfume type of smell that would irritate my nose. It was also mixed with some chemical/medicine smell.
Shape: The shape was okay - the hole around the eyes and mouth fitted just right, but it didn't cover the sides of my nose too well.
Effectiveness: There was still some essence left on my face after removing the mask, so I massaged it into my face. My face felt moisturised and my pores appeared smaller; however, it did leave a slight sticky feeling on my face.
Price: HK$18-25 per mask
Rating: 7/10

Overall, I'm really impressed with the masks from Primera, especially the Primera Lift-Up Seed & Sprout Energy Mask - Sugar-Apple Seed!! I have continued to buy masks from Primera, despite the high price tag.

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

REVIEW: ETUDE HOUSE HAND BOUQUET RICH BUTTER FOOT MASK

2014-12-29T01:30:00.002+08:00

MaskGenie Challenge Mask 16: Etude House Hand Bouquet Rich Butter Foot Mask (Korea)

This mask was a little annoying, since there are actually two steps to it: firstly putting the mask on, then secondly putting the plastic sleeve on. I didn't realise there were two steps to mask, so I (stupidly) left the packaging on the table while I took the masks over to the bed to take photos, then to realise that the foot masks were really moist, so I had to slide myself across the bed to get the other half of the packaging. The size of the foot mask, I would say, is rather small - I wear a size 38 and it was just right, but any bigger feet would find it too small. The mask smells of shea butter, which is really nice. After putting on the plastic sleeve and taping it, I could finally walk, but the tape was on too tight. It was quite hard to massage (like how it said on the instructions) because of how small the mask and sleeve was. I removed the mask after 30 minutes, and my feet still had a lot of essence. I massaged the essence in, and my feet felt really soft and smooth!

Rating: 7/10

REVIEW: SEATREE EGF HYDOGEL MASK

2014-12-29T01:13:00.000+08:00

MaskGenie Challenge Mask 15: Seatree EGF Hydrogel Mask (Korea)

The size and shape of the mask was surprisingly okay with just a small part of my nose not covered, but I thought the hole for the eyes was slightly too big, as I usually like my masks to do something for under my eyes too. Faint scent. Quite moist for a hydrogel mask. Adhered pretty well and didn't slip down my face. A relaxing mask for 20 minutes. Left my face a little sticky afterwards, but it was okay after it had all absorbed. Didn't really notice anything significant, but that's probably because I don't have wrinkles to begin with. My face felt smooth, soft, and pores smaller.

Rating: 8/10

REVIEW: ETUDE HOUSE COLLAGEN MOISTFULL MASK SHEET

2014-12-29T00:49:00.001+08:00

MaskGenie Challenge Mask 12: Etude House Collagen Moistfull Mask Sheet

When I took the mask out of its packaging, I originally thought that it was going to be a rough and harsh mask, but luckily that was just the plastic...but the mask wasn't really much better - the mask is not made of cotton, but in fact, it felt like a piece of paper (did I receive a fake?), and obviously paper doesn't stick well to the face, and the shape of the mask didn't help at all. Someone also commented on my Instagram photo saying the same thing about the mask feeling like paper, so it's not just me. The mask was dripping wet when I took it out, but surprisingly, after 20 minutes, the nose part was dry already although the rest of my face was still very moist. The essence absorbed very quickly into the skin, and my skin felt soft, smooth, and pores tightened. No sticky feeling.

I have tried using the 3D Princess masks from Etude House, and they were a nice and silky cotton sheet mask, but of course, those masks were more expensive, so perhaps it's because they're from a different series? I talked to the lady I bought the masks from, and she said that the brand, Etude House, is actually aimed at teenagers and the early 20s, and they have less expectations, so hence the poorer quality. Not sure if that's the case, but oh wells, moving on...

Rating: 7/10

REVIEW: BEAUTYMATE WHITE TEA NOURISHING & SMOOTHING MASK

2014-12-29T00:24:00.002+08:00

MaskGenie Challenge Mask 11: Beauty Mate White Tea Nourishing & Smoothing Mask (Taiwan)

This mask had a lot of essence soaked inside, and was dripping wet when I took it out of its packaging. The holes for the eyes, nose, and mouth were tiny, but the mask was quite big and was able to wrap under my chin. The sides of my nose was not covered again. There's a smell that's not really that nice (kind of medicinal), but it was bearable. After removing the mask, there was a lot of essence left on my face, but it was quick to absorb. My face felt super smooth and super soft, and my pores appeared to be smaller - I couldn't help but keep touching my face afterwards!

Rating: 9/10

REVIEW: MEDIHEAL MOGONGTOX SODA BUBBLE SHEET

2014-12-29T00:21:00.001+08:00

MaskGenie Challenge Mask 10: MediHeal Mogongtox Soda Bubble Sheet

This mask is so cool!!! Normally, we just have bubbling wash-off masks, but this one is a bubbling sheet mask!!! I forgot to take a photo of what it looks like straight out of the packaging - like a normal sheet mask actually, it starts fizzing a little after 2 seconds, and as soon as I put it on my face, it started bubbling instantly! The shape of the mask is a little unusual because it doesn't cover the forehead, and the sides of my nose weren't covered properly either, but that didn't really matter! The mask started to burst bubbles after I had the mask on for 3 minutes, and it continued to bubble until I took it off. You're supposed to leave the mask on for only 10 minutes, but since it was still bubbling so much, I wasn't sure whether to take it off or not, so I ended up having it on for 15 minutes, which is not recommended because my face appeared to be slightly red after removing the mask. The bubbling feeling actually feels tingly, but it's not irritating. After removing the mask, I added some water to my fingertips, and massaged the remaining foam on my face, in which, it felt like a creamy foaming cleanser. After washing it all off with water, my face felt really smooth, and my pores appeared to be slightly smaller.

Rating: 9/10

REVIEW: KRACIE MOISTURISING FACIAL MASK EXTRA MOIST

2014-12-29T00:15:00.000+08:00

MaskGenie Challenge Mask 9: Kracie Moisturising Facial Mask Extra Moist

This mask came in a thick cotton mask with a unique pattern and texture, no scent, and soaked in a lot of essence. The mask was quite big for my face, and it even covered under my chin area, and I had to overlap some parts to make it fit better on my face. My nose was not covered at all again. It's a 5-10 minute mask, so it's perfect if you just want a quick fix. After removing the mask, my face seemed to be slightly red, and there was some essence left for me to massage in. My face felt soft and moisturised, and I didn't need to apply any heavy moisturiser afterwards; however, the next morning, I realised my nose to be quite dry and flaky (not sure whether it was the makeup or the mask - I usually have super dry skin after using makeup, but it's rare to see it dry and flaky even having used a mask the previous night).

Rating: 7/10

REVIEW: SECRET KEY GUNG SOLUTION DOCTOR'S AQUAFILL MASK PACK

2014-12-29T00:03:00.000+08:00

MaskGenie Challenge Mask 8: Secret Key Gung Solution Doctor's Aquafill Mask Pack (Korea)

This is a cotton blend face sheet mask with slits for the eyes. As I don't like my eyes to be covered, I cut out the slits for the eyes, and put them on the sides of my nose, which then, made a perfect fit on my face. There was a faint scent to the mask, but it wasn't overwhelming. The mask was soaked in essence, but it wasn't dripping wet or anything ~ just enough to last 20 minutes. After having the mask on for 5 minutes, my face started to sting a little, but it wasn't unbearable. After removing the mask after 20 minutes, there was still some essence left on my face, but it absorbed pretty quickly into my face. My face felt pretty hydrated (I usually have really dry skin after a day of makeup, so this mask helped!)

Rating: 7.5/10

REVIEW: GUERISSON HORSE OIL HYDROGEL GOLD MASK

2014-12-28T23:56:00.002+08:00

MaskGenie Challenge Mask 7: Guerisson Horse Oil Hydrogel Gold Mask

Guerisson, one of the higher end Korean skincare brands, has come out with a highly raved 24K gold mask. I personally don't really like hydrogel masks due to their slippery slimy texture, but I have heard so many great things about them! This one, surprisingly, is rather small in size, and didn't even cover my whole face - the sides of my face weren't covered nor did it extend to my hairline! Since this is a two-part mask, my nose was covered better than most other masks, but still, it wasn't perfect. It's a 30-40 minute mask, so it's great to relax with, but can be too time-consuming if you're tight on time. It's a thin type of mask, gold in colour, doesn't rip easily, and it also has a faint relaxing scent. After removing the mask, my face felt moisturised, and my pores appeared to be slightly smaller, but it did leave parts of my face slightly sticky.

For the price, I would've expected more.

Rating: 8/10

REVIEW: SECRET KEY STARTING TREATMENT ESSENTIAL MASK

2014-12-28T04:53:00.001+08:00

MaskGenie Challenge Mask 6: Secret Key Starting Treatment Essential Mask (Korea)

There was a lot of essence on the mask as well as inside the packaging, and there's not much of a scent. The shape of the mask was quite big (tried my best to overlap the sides to fit my face as well as possible, but there were so many air bubbles), and the piece for the nose was rather long but not wide enough to cover the sides of my nose ~ terrible shape!! The best part of this mask is how hydrating it left my face ~ my face didn't feel dry and I didn't need to apply my moisturiser instantly after!! There was still some essence left on my face afterwards, but it didn't take long for it to absorb.

Rating: 8/10

REVIEW: CNP LABORATORY BLACKHEAD CLEAR MASK & PORE TIGHTENING MASK SET

2014-12-28T04:46:00.001+08:00

MaskGenie Challenge Mask 5: CNP Laboratory Blackhead Clear Mask & Pore Tightening Mask Set (Korea)

This has overtaken the Skinmiso Pore Beauty Pack's status, and is now holding the title as my Holy Grail item for keeping pores clean! This is actually very similar to the Skinmiso, but the smell isn't as strong. There are two steps of the mask, of which the first is to clear the blackheads, and the second mask is to tighten the pores. You're supposed to leave the 1st mask on your face for 10-15 minutes, but I kept it on for 20 minutes. After removing the 1st mask, I was disappointed to see nothing on my nose, but after I used a pore extractor to gently press against my nose, I instantly saw all the whiteheads floating out to the surface of my nose! I then, used the pore extractor to glide gently on my nose, and all the whiteheads all squirted out!!! They were so easy to get rid of (no more picking and pressing hard on your nose)!!! There were some whiteheads that I couldn't get off with my extractor, so I used one of the black charcoal buds that they'd given, slid it gently on my nose in a downwards motion, and the whiteheads stuck onto the bud, and voila, no more gunk in my nose! The 2nd mask helps tighten up the pores, and yes, it did a good job!!! I'm totally loving this mask!!!

Rating: 10/10