A state of the art blend of several well researched antioxidants, plant oils and potent anti irritants in a silky silicone base

Truly a unique product due to the number and levels of antioxidants it contains

Concentrated formula leaves skin radiantly soft
Supplies dry to very dry skin with the ingredients it needs to function normally, as well as look radiant and feel silky smooth

May be used around the eyes

100% fragrance and colorant free

Contains stabilized retinol

I started using this in June last year and for the past 7 months I believe that this product has really repaired my skin. I think that this serum was one of the products apart from my other Clinique products which had repaired my skin completely. It has repaired my skin so completely that I went from having absolutely dry and parched skin to a normal, balanced skin.

This serum is orangey in colour and is not fragranced. It is very silky in texture and makes my skin feels absolutely nice and smooth immediately upon application. It absorbs really fast and I only use a teensy amount at night.

It feels gentle yet it is incredibly effective. During winter and when I initially started using this product, it wasn’t enough for me and I would normally put on my Clinique Super Rescue Night Moisturizer after it.  However, over time, using this serum alone at night has been adequate to hydrate and moisturize my skin.

At the moment, I have stopped using this product as I find it to be a bit too much for my skin to handle in the summer heat. I’m afraid that it might be a bit heavy for my skin in the summer. When winter comes, I’ll see if I still need this product or perhaps my skin has well and truly been repaired to a normal state of balance.

It is notably a rich serum so I don’t think I would recommend it for oily skin. However, it certainly worked wonders on my skin and for drugstore pricing of $39.90 (Member Price) for a tube that lasts forever, I’m certainly a pleased customer.

I’m back from the Whitsundays…I’ll share some pics of the place with you all soon!

It was a wonderful break and I truly enjoyed it! Very, very relaxing indeed and whilst I was bummed that it wasn’t all sunny and bursting with the sun rays every single day, I did get to go on most of my planned itinerary, so it was great! I got myself all tanned now thanks to staying out in the sun enjoying the beach!

That’s the good news.

The bad news is off late I’ve noticed some milia appearing around my cheeks. It started at the very bottom of my cheeks but has now spread upwards and I’m horrified! It isn’t that noticeable unless you look super closely, but since I’ve always had clear skin, this is indeed a horrifying thing for me!

I now realized that the probable reason for their appearance is due to the amount of intensely moisturizing products I used. See, I’ve always had dry skin and as such, have been concentrating on extremely nourishing and high in moisture products which are thick in texture and heavy in consistency. However, ever since I used Clinique’s products last year, I had actually unknowingly repaired my skin from dry to a normal combination state. My T-zone have gotten a bit oilier lately and I have just been ignoring it, always thinking my skin will forever be parched and dry.

How stupid of me! Anyway, I have a strong feeling that this is really the case since in December, I had actually bought for myself the richest moisturizing cream from Skin Food which had probably caused the milia condition to exacerbate as it must be a bit too heavy for my newly repaired skin to handle, particularly during the hot and sweltering summer months.

Two days ago, I decided I’ll do something about this and am now switching to a whole new skincare regime for normal and balanced or combination skin.

I’ve noticed that my skin doesn’t feel so parched and I actually feel quite comfortable using these lighter products, and I must admit I am pleasantly surprised since I’ve been so used to those heavy consistency products! I now know that my skin no longer needs those thick textured products and I can now switch my skin care regime to combination skin type products.

I’m so hoping that this will work for me and remove the milia from spreading and slowly, eventually, I’m hoping that it’ll go away!

For those looking for the purifying power of a foaming wash without compromising on makeup removing effectiveness, even around the eyes, and without drying the skin.

With its fresh, pure sensation and optimal makeup removal, De Maq Expert Velvet Creme Wash Expert Make Up Remover combines a rich, creamy texture with an ultra refreshing and purifying effect on the skin. Specially developed for women who love face washes, it removes all makeup, including mascara and rinses off in an instant. Perfectly cleansed, skin is purified, soft and supple with a comfortable, fresh sensation.

Immerse your skin in freshness and softness, with Velvet Creme Wash. De Maq Expert Velvet Creme Wash is concentrated in makeup removing ingredients as well as purifying foaming agents. Rich and creamy, the formula brings together practicality and makeup removing effectiveness without drying the skin.

This is a gel cream makeup remover that slightly foams as a face wash. When you squeeze a little product onto your hands and rub against it, it’ll lather slightly and then you can start lathering your face. It feels very velvety i.e. cushiony when applied and you won’t feel the lather or soapy texture that you’d normally feel with other foaming face washes, probably due to the creamy texture that it has.

I feel that it’s really good as a makeup remover as it really dissolves foundation quite quickly. It doesn’t work with waterproof eye makeup but its okay if you want to squeeze a little product out onto a cotton pad and gently rub your eyes to clean out non-waterproof mascara or eye makeup.

As a cream cleanser, it rinses out rather quickly, but for those of you who are used to washing off foamy cleansers might find this hard to wash out. I don’t think that there is any residue if you wash out properly.

It is non-irritating to my skin and I love its creamy texture and the fact that it functions well as a makeup remover. However, it is slightly scented – milky-like scented which I don’t particularly appreciate.  But overall, it is a fairly reasonable makeup removal cleanser.

Olay Definity Cleansers penetrate deep into the surface to reveal skin that’s highly defined, beautifully clean and more luminous. It is ideal for skin that is dull, uneven and dry. Its rich hydrating formula gently removes micro-residue – even small traces of dirt and makeup – while rehydrating to instantly illuminate the skin.

This is a non foaming cleanser with a milky lotion texture that feels slightly grainy. I find it good to use this a few times a week (2-3) during my nighttime ritual as it is similar to exfoliation. However, using this on a daily basis caused me dryness due to the grainy, scrubby bits that it contains. Like all Definity products I’ve tried, this one also has a slightly strong scent, which is not particularly something I favour.

Having exfoliation bits in it makes my skin smooth and seems to clarify it somewhat, though I really can’t see any added luminosity or evenness with this cleanser. I don’t think a cleanser which goes down the drain in 30 seconds can make your skin brighter in an instant, but, well some people have claimed that it had.

Packaging-wise, I must say Olay didn’t pick the best form of packaging for this product. It is very badly done. It comes in a squeeze tube that sits on its cap. The bad part is, the product is dispensed by twisting the cap – not off, just a counter clockwise twist that opens up the hole in the middle of the cap where the product comes through. I hate the packaging as putting it in the bathroom causes the cap to accumulate with all the dried-out leftover cleanser gunk and also that it may accumulate whatever lies on the surface of the bathroom sink.

Hence, I make it a point to wash out the whole tube including the cap every single day and this is an obvious additional task that is not warranted had it only been packaged smartly like all other cleansers. Anyhow, needless to say, I hardly use this product anymore simply due to the packaging factor which I truly do not like. I use it only twice or thrice a week just for the sake of not wasting the product.

Whilst I’m okay with the product itself, I’d definitely not repurchase as the packaging is truly a big turn off for me.

Description: Totally tugless, two-way makeup remover speeds the departure of hard to remove eye and lip makeup. Dissolves and lifts away long wearing makeup, even waterproof mascara. Non irritating, non stinging. Opthalmologist tested. Appropriate for contact lens wearers.

I got this in one of those Clinique gift packs that comes free with purchase. I had an instant liking for it. If not for it’s price at $35 for a 125ml bottle, I’d actually be thinking seriously about having it as part of my skin care regiment.

It takes off eye makeup fabulously (even waterproof mascara) without hurting my eyes at all. There’s no need to rub and tug much, just a light dab is enough to instantly remove it. It rinsed off well with water.

I can safely say that this is the best eye makeup remover I’ve ever used. I’d really like to consider having it in my regime, but to pay $35 for a remover, is a bit much, I’d say. Having said that, you really don’t need much of the product to remove your makeup. A bit of product and a little wipe is all you need.

Stubborn waterproof mascaras and long lasting eyeliners and eyeshadows are easily removed with no stinging, no burning, no redness, no oiliness, nothing! Pretty great isn’t it?

Great, great product! Stinging price, but it sure does the job well!

Description: New Total Effects Serum helps fight the 7 signs of ageing. With 2x the anti ageing ingredient it holds the secret to your age. It helps fight the 7 signs of ageing.

1. Visibly diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

2. Smoothes skin texture visibly and to the touch.

3. Evens skin tone for younger looking, more balanced colour.

4. Improves surface dullness, giving skin a radiant, healthy glow.

5. Minimizes the appearance of pores.

6. Visibly reduces the appearance of blotches and age spots.

7. Soothes dry skin. Our new serum is designed for daily usage.

You’ll see the benefits immediately and overtime. Its fast absorbing and new greasy. Total Effects Serum is formulated with 2x more concentrated Niacinamide compared to Total Effects Moisturizer.

It contains Olay’s exclusive anti-ageing formulation, VitaNiacin with Vitamin B3, Vitamin E, Pro Vitamin B5. And it’s infused with Olay moisture too, so it could be the only anti aging product you need.

I am pleased to say for a product that costs around $35, this product is pretty good as a rival to all other big brands (big claims) serums! This was the first serum I’ve used as part of my regular routine in a long time. I used it early this year for a few months. When the product finished, I hadn’t repurchased as I wanted to see what else is out there in the market.

I must say having tried a few Olay and Clinique products already now, I’m quite pleased with both and must admit that the results are really quite comparable. I’m thinking of sticking to some Olay products, that is a surefire strategy to save some money!

Okay, back to the serum. I was attracted to this product as I have uneven skin tone and a little sunspot. The serum has a light, non greasy texture. Once I apply this, it goes on smoothly on my face and makes my skin very, very light and smooth.

After using only a bottle, I could see some spots fading slightly. Not gone, but fading, which is a pretty good sign. This product contains no fragrance, which is perfect for me. It looks great underneath makeup too.

You can even use this product on your hands and it’ll make a difference to how smooth and nice it’ll look. I tried.

Bottomline is, a pretty decent product at a great price! I’ll definitely try this out again and perhaps keep it in my routine this time.

Description: Stress may damage the appearance of skin. You can confirm this yourself. When you’re stressed, skin often looks tired, lifeless.

Superdefense SPF25 Age Defense Moisturizer helps protect skin from aggressors such as sun and pollution that can surface as lines, wrinkles, uneven skin tone. Skin is better protected, moisture barrier is improved and skin looks more radiant and comfortable even when your environment is at its most stressful.

All so you can look better, longer.

I’ve just repurchased this moisturizer since the jar I’m on is almost finished after almost 5 months plus of using it. I purchased the Dry to Combination formula and this formula seems to suit my skin to perfection.

The texture of this moisturizer is quite thick and creamy, very emollient but the great thing is that it absorbs quickly. It’s not mattifying, but certainly does not add extra shine either. By far, this is one of the best sunscreen moisturizers I’ve ever used and I intend to stick to this in my regime. This moisturizer sinks well into my skin and leaves it feeling absolutely velvety soft.

This year, I am no longer trying to try different products everytime I deplete a jar or bottle of skincare item. I am all out this year to find the best products that suit my skin and once I’ve found them, I intend to stick to it for a while, maybe a few years and see if using the ‘chosen’ regiment reaps benefits for my skin. All these while, I’ve never stuck to a program and have always changed it to my whim and fancy upon finishing each and every product. Now that I’m nearing the big three-oh, I thought a consistent regiment might be better as opposed to a constantly changing one.

Anyway, back to Clinique’s Superdefense Moisturizer.

As a product meant for use under makeup, it has not caused any problems to my skin or in preparing my skin to be made up. Skin feels smooth and dewy, nicely moisturized and fresh after putting this on. The moisturizer hydrates well and seems to be good for my skin.

I’ve tried this on top of Clinique’s DDML and on it’s own. I think that for my skin, using it on top of the DDML is great for winter when it’s drier, but certainly for spring and summer, I’d use it on it’s own as it is fairly thick in consistency.

As this is an antioxidant moisturizer and is quite expensive at $90 a jar, I thought of switching to Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Moisturizer as it is also an antioxidant moisturizer for 1/3 the price. Unfortunately, after 2-3 days of using it, PC’s Moisturizer didn’t quite work on me as it didn’t seem to absorb well on my skin and I feel as though I have a thick gunk on my face which does not sink in at all.

On Strawberrynet, I can get this for $65 which is certainly a relief at least. For me, Clinique’s Superdefense provides all that I need in a day moisturizer: good sun protection, hydrating and basically a cream that will make my skin smooth and is absorbed well by my skin. I’ve certainly found my solution.

Description:

• Hydrates and soothes the skin, leaving it silky smooth and radiant
• Fortifies skin with potent antioxidants
• Calms sensitive or reddened skin with effective anti inflammatory ingredients
• Excellent for stabilizing and reinforcing the skin’s intercellular matrix and helps reduce dryness and flaking
• Contains no irritating ingredients such as alcohol, witch hazel, menthol, peppermint, lemon or grapefruit
• Fragrance and Colorant-free
• pH5
• Ideal pre-moisturizer or specialty product to restore essential components of skin’s intercellular matrix, lipids while gently and effectively hydrating skin
• In summer months or humid climates, this may be the only moisturizing product normal to slightly dry skin needs
• Borage oil and numerous antioxidants help restore skin to a healthy looking state
• A superior choice for anyone with sensitive, normal to dry skin and is an excellent as a non-occlusive post peel or post microdermabrasion repair technique
• Perfect for those sensitive to natural or synthetic fragrances and / or synthetic coloring agents

Ingredients:

Purified Water, Cyclopentasiloxane (silicone slip agent), Butylene Glycol (water-binding agent), Glycereth-26 (glycerin- and glycol-based water-binding agent), Dimethiconol (silicone slip agent), Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Borago Officinalis (Borage) Seed Oil (non-volatile plant oils), Sodium Hyaluronate (water-binding agent), Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol (vitamin E/antioxidant), Ascorbyl Palmitate (vitamin C/antioxidant), Niacinamide (vitamin B3/cell-communicating ingredient), Superoxide Dismutase (antioxidant), Panthenol (water-binding agent), Allantoin (anti-irritant), Glycerin, Hydrogenated Lecithin (water-binding agents), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (emollients), Linoleamidopropyl PG-dimonium chloride phosphate (stabilizer), Laureth-4, Laureth-23 (emulsifiers), Disodium EDTA(stabilizer), Sodium Benzoate, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol (all preservatives).

When I first saw the attributes to this product, I thought “wow”. A toner that delivers all that would certainly appeal highly to me. It also sounds very much like the Aesop Parsley Seed Toner I had used before and very much loved but at a fraction of the cost. I was very excited to get my hands on this excellent sounding toner.

For me, this toner delivers all it promises excellently. I fell in love with it the minute I tried it on. It feels like a dream when you wipe it on your face with a cotton pad after cleansing. So very light and moisturizing, almost velvety like. The antioxidants and many potent ingredients that it contains are a bonus as well and certainly probably made my skin feels and looks better.

I use this day and night and the 177ml bottle which I purchased for $23.10 (Member’s Price) has lasted me about two and a half months, close to three months. I’ve even purchased my second bottle earlier this week. I love this product and for something that is as potent as Aesop’s Toner which was my favourite before but at a fraction of the cost, why not, right?

This toner leaves my skin wonderfully soft, moisturized, radiant and not sticky at all. Really calming and soothing. I can see the difference in my skin after almost 3 months of using this product, and this is another one of Paula’s Choice products which I intend to stick to in my skincare regiment from now on.

Description: Dry, sensitive skin will feel soft, smooth and beautifully clean with this rich, non-drying formula that cleanses gently but thoroughly and rinses easily.

 

Contains: Purified Water, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate (very mild cleansing agent), Hydrogenated Polydecene (emollient), Cocamidopropyl Betaine (mild cleansing agent), Acrylates Copolymer (suspending agent and film former), Soybean (Glycine Soja) Oil (plant oil/emollient), C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate (thickener), Polysorbate-80 (emulsifier), Carbomer (gel-based thickener), Glycerin (water binding agent), Laureth-4 (surfactant), Tocopherol (vitamin E/antioxidant), Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic Acid (vitamin C/antioxidants), Citric Acid (Ph-adjuster/stabilizer), PEG-8, PEG-7 (thickeners) Glyceryl Cocoate (emollient/surfactant), Butylene Glycol (water-binding agent), Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben (preservatives), Tetrasodium EDTA (chelating agent/preservative), Potassium Hydroxide (Ph-adjuster).

This is a cleanser that’s definitely on my favourite list! It’s not a “wow!” cleanser by any means but it is a beautiful cleanser that Paula has formulated which doesn’t strip my skin at all and leaves my skin perfectly cleansed, nice and smooth.

The texture is a milky texture and using the pump makes it easier to dispense the cleanser. The amount that comes out of the cleanser is just the right amount, about the size of a tiny coin.

This cleanser is recommended for normal to very dry skin and I felt that the statement justifies what it can do for dry skin. It does not aggravate or tighten the skin, but just a simple cleansing emulsion that works amazingly.

I purchased a standard size bottle of 237 ml for $26.60 (Member’s Price) from Paula’s Choice’s Australian website and I’ve only used a quarter of the product since I bought it about 3 months ago. Definite value for money and I think I’ll keep this in my ritual from now on as my morning cleanser.

Sometime last year, I posted my thoughts on Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion.

At that time, I used this on it’s own. I must admit that on it’s own, Clinique’s DDML is still not enough to hydrate my skin, especially in winter. However, it does make a great base moisturizer and along with my other thicker consistency moisturizers that I use in the day or at night, the combination of putting DDML before the others have worked wonders for me.

I turned to this again as I wanted to re-try the Clinique system since I found a few wonderful super moisturizers at Clinique which I truly liked. I thought I might as well give the 3 step a shot again. I purchased this first and was advised by the Clinique Consultant to use this just as my base moisturizer during winter as my skin tends to dry out a lot in the colder months. I questioned her if it would be a bit much for the skin to take. She says I would know if it was too much for my skin to handle and I even asked her if the same regiment could be applied in summer.

For the current cold months period, this regiment of having a base moisturizer has worked great for me. I’ve never thought of it before. Using double moisturizers as I’ve always assumed that it would be too much, but I guess it doesn’t really matter for someone with dry skin like me.

I’m currently using this with Clinique’s Super Defense in the Day and Clinique’s Continuous Rescue at Night. Both in the Dry Combination formulas – both very thick in consistency. I tried wearing them alone, but somehow for the winter, I feel putting it on above this feels way better.

My skin is now visibly more even toned, supple and feels so, so soft! It moisturizes and hydrates beautifully. I’m absolutely happy with how this new regime works for me.

The sudden move for me to Clinique products has been due to my sudden intolerance to certain fragranced products. So whilst on a search for fragrance free products, I turned to Clinique which are both fragrance and allergy free. Can’t complain at the moment, coz it works for me.

I’d certainly like to see whether this double moisturizer will work for me in the summer months or in Malaysia where it’s more humid. I doubt it will, since it might be a bit too much to use double moisturizers in hotter months, but that’s okay, at least I now have a trusted skin savior for the winter months.