Holika Holika Healing Nails Finger Glove

Now... I've never thought I will see something that's like the reverse of fingerless glove a la Michael Jackson...

But look... here it is... Healing Nails Finger Glove from Korean brand, Holika Holika. It is promoted as 'mask' for your nails... for rough nails and dry cuticles to be precise. 

What's genius... the sheet masks are waterproof, so you can still tweet and instagram away while wearing it!

Are you interested to try it?

(holikaholika.co.kr)

Sasatinnie Magic Fairy Coralline Algae Mask

Another mask from Sasa’s house brand! Recently I cant help but noticing wide variety of beauty products the Sasatinnie brand has to offer. From creams to masks…

The Magic Fairy masks comes in a box of three sheets, each individually packaged as other sheet masks do.  The nonwoven material in this mask is thicker and somehow more rough than other brands I tried, like My Beauty Diary. As usual, each mask has its own thin plastic sheet backing and ultra saturated with essence.  Just place the mask on your face accordingly (there are holes for eyes, nose and mouth) and watch your favorite re runs! Sasatinnie recommends 15-20 minutes. Me? Sometime I bring sheet masks to short nap or to watch few episodes of my favorite shows.

Coralline Algae mask is designed for all skin types, especially dehydrated skin. It promises to energize and nourish skin. The mask contains coralline algae to reduce fine lines & pigmentation, USDA organic aloe vera for hydration, anti aging & skin repair plus ECOCERT edelweiss to minimize pores and act as anti oxidant + anti blemish. All sounds good to me…

Despite the rougher thicker mask material, I love this mask!!! My skin feels so refreshed and supple after wearing this. The essence got absorbed easily by my skin and it doesn’t leave sticky residue.  Lovely!

Bottomline,

This is an enjoyable mask to wear. Too bad each box only comes with 3 pieces, not more! Softer materials will be appreciated too!

Things I finished this month...

No doubt I am a self confessed product hoarder. I like to try new stuff and tend not to finish them. Yet, I also buy numerous repurchases of stuff I really like. So, when i do finish something, especially those random purchases, I am so proud of myself... So, drumroll please... These are stuff I finished this month!!!

Sasatinnie magic fairy aloe Vera and tea tree mask

okay, this is not thing I'm proud of, since a box only contain 3 sheets. The mask is traditional Asian sheet mask from non woven material, soaked in serum/ essence. The material in this mask is thicker than my usual My Beauty Diary masks. It smells like tea tree and feels soothing when worn. The mask contains ingredients like moisturizing aloe, blemish reducing-pore minimizing-sebum secretion balancing tea tree and pore minimizing-anti blemish-anti oxidation edelweiss. The aloe and edelweiss is claimed to be of organic origin. As with most oil balancing mask i've tried, this doesn't really help my oily t zone. But I do enjoy the soothing, cooling feeling when wearing this mask.

Cussons first years nourishing stretch mark cream

not like I need stretch mark cream. I got this as part of cussons first years box I purchased during a boring day. I do end up with most useless purchases during boring days... Anyways, it is light and easily absorbed. But not moisturizing enough for me. May be because it is designed for stretch mark, but not moisturizing? I do liked the fragrance in this cussons first years series thou.. Light airy fruity floral. Just enjoyable.

Tony moly red appletox honey cream

another purchase I made just because I can't resist the cute apple shaped jar. The cream contains apple, honey and collagen to Moisturize and enhance elasticity of skin.It is recommended for tired, dehydrated sensitive skin. Don't expect cream here, you are getting gel with honey consistency. It even comes with a tiny spatula to take the product from the jar. I find it too moisturizing, borderline sticky for my combination face skin. Since I don't want to waste it, I ended up using it for my hands. But it is not moisturizing enough for my dry hands. feels like the gel just sits on top and does nothing. I'm glad I'm done with the content and now, i can clean the cute apple shaped jar up and use it to store my tiny trinkets.

Kose Cosmeport Rose of Heaven Hand Cream

Seems like I finished a few creams this month! I still remember this cream being so fragrant, however, the fragrance doesnt last very long, as last I applied it, the fragrance has subdued to light sweetened rose scent. I do like the sweetened rose scent, but I expect longer lasting perfume on my hand creams. The texture itself is enjoyable, easily absorbed and moisturizing. But I wont repurchase this one.

L'occitane Amande Pomme Velvet Face Fluid

Been using this since my lazy days...this light yet moisturizing fluid is suitable for my combination face. Doesn't make my face too oily, yet provides enough moisture. It has SPF of 40 as well. However, won't repurchase, as nowadays I prefer separate moisturizer and sunblock. Right now I am using moisturizer still from Amande Pomme -the non SPF version.

Kao Essential Damage Care Rich Premier Shampoo

I had high hopes for this one, especially that is promises smooth & manageable hair. it contains honey, shea butter and sunflower oil. Sounds wonderful. however... it doesnt work on me as much as I would like it to be. Somehow it makes my hair tangle more- that's the opposite of smooth and manageable . I am so glad I have finished this bottle, surely I wont be repurchasing. I still have the conditioner and leave-on serum from the line which I havent try...lets hope the conditioner and serum works better.

My Beauty Diary - 2 Step Autumn Repair Pack

Yes, Spring is coming… but I still own few mask from Autumn by My Beauty Diary. I am so loving sheet masks from this Taiwanese brand. 

This 2 step repair pack contains of 1 Snail Mask and 1 Snail Repair Cream. This mask set is supposed to make my skin more moisturized and plump. 

I have to admit, those snails on the package are cute… yet again, every time I open this pack- I cant help but imagining having slimy snails running around to get their slime harvested! Ha!...

So, naturally, I dig the ingredient list and the synthetics aside- I saw arnica monatana flower extract, mushroom extract, hydrolyzed milk protein sweet almond oil, sambucus nigra flower extract, soluble collagen, grapefruit extract, sugar maple extract, aloe leaf juice, cantella asiatica extract, orange fruit extract, leon extract, gentian lutea root extract, licorice root extract, rice protein, laminaria digitata extract, mallow extract and sugar cane extract. Sooo glad I didn’t see any thing that sounds like snails in the list.

The cream attached also looks like it doesn’t any snail in it…but it does contain mineral oil.

The snail mask has soft fragrance, not strong at all. I cant smell it anymore once I put the mask on. The essence got absorbed nicely on my drier skin area, but it got sticky on my more oily T zone. I end up rinsing my face with water to lighten up the stickiness. While it is not so suitable for my skin now, I think this would be wonderful for autumn or winter.

The Snail Repair Cream included is rich and creamy without any discernible fragrance. It gets absorbed easily, yet it feels slightly slick… may be it’s the mineral oil in it… may be it is just the whole formula. 

Bottomline…

I don’t like this…too moisturizing for me, especially the cream.

Baviphat Snail Cure Mask Sheet

I do think this is the latest beauty fad (or may be trend?) in Korea recently. Not sure how recent is the snail wave started, but judging from the ubiquity of snail creams, mask and other stuff… this snail wave is going to stick for sometime…

Now, if I were not to receive this as a sample when I purchased other Baviphat stuff, I don’t think I would voluntarily slap on something snail slime related on my face or body or anywhere near me. Especially with that innocent looking snail happily sitting on aloe plant on the packaging illustration.

First… how the heck do they get so much snail slime from? I never heard of any snail farm except for those destined for chic French restaurants.

That aside… snail slime is said to contain many many good stuff for skin. Ho hum….

Baviphat’s mask contains snail slime and aloe vera leaves to recover skin’s balance and increase moisture retaining capacity of the skin. Honestly, I am having hard time not to scratch my head while trying to understand what does Baviphat means with this statement slapped on the back of packaging:

‘the contents of snail slime leached substances and aloe vera leaves abstracts which recover the stability of unbalanced troubled skin due to the stress, increases the moisture retaining capacity of skin and keeps moisturizing skin long-lasting’

Confusing English aside… the instruction to use is pretty much similar with all other sheet masks… clean your face, then carefully open … carefully… not to tear the mask sheet. The mask is cotton/paper sheet, pre-soaked with essence/serum. They varies from just nicely wet to dripping wet, depending on the brand.

Then unfold it… also carefully, as some masks are pretty thin and tears easily if you handle it roughly. This Baviphat one is made of non woven material which is pretty tough. There’s hole for your eyes, nose and mouth. So far, I haven’t found any mask which suits my small face nicely…most are too big. When it happen, just move it around to make the sheet. Now, sit back and relax for 15-20 minutes. Read your magazine, continue watching TV just don’t do anything that require too much movement… it might fall off. At times I left mine on for an hour or two…

When done, just take off the mask and pat your skin so the left serum/essence get absorbed. You can continue with your regular moisturizer. Most of the time, I wont, at times some brands proves too sticky or too moisturizing for another helping of moisturizer.

Back to Baviphat… I was half expecting funny smell of snail of this one. Thank God … I am wrong. The mask smell more like aloe vera leaves than anything snail. The essence on this one is pretty slimey compared to other masks I’ve used. Is that the snail slime? Considering the other content is aloe vera, this slimey stuff might as well be aloe vera gel. Thick fresh Aloe vera leaves are simply filled with gel-like substance when cut.

Beside refreshing feeling (which is totally expected after wearing sheet masks), my skin don’t feel better. It just feel moisturized… moisturized by loadz of aloe vera gel to be exact. You know that slightly sticky feeling after slapping aloe vera gel- yeah… like that.

Bottom line… I don’t think I would purchase this one.

For those interested…here’s the ingredient list…

Water, glycerin, butylene glycol, portulaca oleracea extract, carbomer, triethanolamine, collagen, betaine, polysorbate 80, sodium hyaluronate, methyl parabe, hamamelis virginiana (witch hazel) water, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, allantoin, sodium pca, snail secretion filtrate, sodium polyacrylate, hydrolyzed elastin, disodium edta, natto gum, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, tocopheryl acetate, perfume, propylparaben.

Eeppsss!!! Snanail Secretion is really part of the mask!!!