Review - Garnier Sakura White Pinkish Radiance Skincare

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about the super pretty Garnier Sakura White Pinkish Radiance Skincare! Just like the Ma Cherie hair care review by Qiuqiu, I was sucked into purchasing this line of skincare by Xiaxue who wrote a very convincing review on this skincare line. Since this line of skincare is not available in  New Zealand, my lovely and long suffering boyfriend bought these for me in Taipei last year and bought them back for me. (seriously though, his suitcase was so full of skincare and cosmetics it was quite overweight ><)! 

I initially put off trying this skincare line because I was on acne medication for the first third of this year and I didn't want to potentially irritate my skin while it was being temperamental, which is why this review has taken 6 months, so lets get onto it!

First up we have the Gentle Cleansing Foam! 

 This cleanser is a very cute shade of baby pink and has a gel formula. I find it very difficult to get this cleanser to foam, it only really foams when I'm rinsing it off, which is why the foam looks so sparse and wet. 

It's super duper gentle, but it's so gentle that I don't really find that this cleanses my skin very well, it also leaves my skin feeling quite dry if I don't moisturize asap which I do not like. I'll be using the entire bottle of this when I double cleanse, but I wouldn't repurchase this product because it just doesn't really work for me.

Essence Lotion

I couldn't use this product on my face. It broke me out SO badly, I don't know why, but it did it on three separate occasions, and three is enough! It has a very thin gel like consistency and almost smells like alcohol, but is still the sweetest smelling of the four products. 

I found that the three times I used this lotion that it gave me the lightest moisturise possible, and took forever and a half to absorb into my skin. I was not a fan of this product. 

Moisturizing Cream SPF21/PA+++

This moisturizing cream is a super cute baby pink colour and is really quite thick for what is supposed to be a day cream. I love that it has SPF21 but potentially because of the higher SPF level it does leave a white cast on my face! 

I actually quite like this moisturizer, it works really well under makeup because it is quite thick and moisturizing. I did however find that it gets caught on dry skin making it look drier and flakier, and I have to be quite careful to rub it all in since it can leave white streaks (like you can see around my eyes).

 Intensive Whitening Mask

The masks are my absolute favorite out of the entire line. They are the cutest baby pink colour, smell like cherry blossom and make my face feel super soft and firm! 

The masks don't have any backing to them, so you need to peel the mask apart very gently. It feels like super soft cottony fabric which is lovely to feel on the face, but the only problem I have with this mask is that it doesn't fit my face very well. I have a lot of issues with sheet masks because I have quite a high nose bridge/massive nose, and obviously since this line of skincare was specifically made for Asian skin that doesn't really help. The biggest problem is that since the mask is stretched so tightly over my nose, it pulls the eye holes of the mask inwards so the mask is pressed right up against my eyes which makes my eyes very irritated.

 

 I don't really think that this mask whitens my skin, but it does make it feel lovely and plump!

What I Love

- Mask is amazing

- All products smell lovely (like cherry blossom!)

- Products are pink (Major points for me)

What I Don't Love

- Cleanser doesn't really cleanse

- Lotion breaks me out and isn't moisturizing

- Moisturizer isn't super nourishing

- Moisturizer leaves white cast

Final Thoughts

I'm very 50/50 with this skincare line! On one hand I love the mask and quite like the moisturiser, on the other hand the Lotion was a major fail and the cleanser just doesn't really cleanse! I don't think these products whiten or brighten the skin, nor do I think they provide rosy radiance or satin softness. I'm not sure if it's because I don't have Asian skin (which this skincare line is specifically for) or what! I will definitely be repurchasing the masks when I return to Taipei though! ^.^

Have you tried the Garnier Sakura line? Did you love it or hate it?

Review & Giveaway: Annies' Way; Arbutin + Hyaluronic Acid Mask

(Sponsored)
Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be talking about an amazing jelly mask that I first heard of through Lindy from Bubzbeauty - the Arbutin + Hyaluronic Acid Brighting Jelly Mask from Annie's Way! I was kindly sent this product by YesStyle and this is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to purchase legitimate Annie's Way masks since they tubs are quite heavy they often cost quite a bit to ship to New Zealand. YesStyle offers free international shipping for orders over $25USD, and in September are offering a free spatula with the purchase of the Jelly Masks, and a free Jelly Mask or Sheet Mask sample with any order over $17USD.

Before anyone tries to call me out on fake sponsored posts, you can check out my previous un-sponsored reviews of YesStyle from 2 years ago, here, here and here. *sassy finger wiggle* I don't have time for fake paid reviews.

The mask is packaged in a beautiful pastel printed paper wrapping with English translation of the Mandarin instructions, which is great because I am absolutely terrible at reading Mandarin. The mask is made in Taiwan, my boyfriends home!

The packaging is massive, but very practical. It's made of plastic so it's lightweight, and won't break if you drop it. It also comes with a thin plastic covering between the product and the cap so that the mask won't spill into the cap. The mask is super thick and literally like soft jelly, so you can tip the mask over without it spilling out!

The mask had a safety seal so that you know it hasn't been opened, and it came with the spatula to apply the mask with. You will actually need the spatula to get the mask off too, so it's extra awesome that YesStyle are offering this free as their monthly promotion!

"Revitalizing jelly masks treat skin to continuous moisture combined with a whitening effect to minimize dark spots and even out skin tone for a fair and translucent complexion. For a weekly pampering session, spread a dollop of mask evenly on cleansed and toned face and leave on for 30 minutes before scraping off. Wipe face with tissue after removing mask and rinse thoroughly with water.

Whitening, moisturizing, minimizes fine lines, leaves skin radiantly bright. Direction of Use: 1. Clean face and apply toner on the skin as base. 2. Apply Jelly Mask approximately thickness 0.3~0.5 cm evenly by using a spatula. 3. After 30 minutes, remove the jelly mask by scraping gently from outside to inside. ( It will be more effective if scrape forcibly. Especially the jelly mask has softened the blackheads and acne. You will be able to scrape it all out easily. 4. Wipe off with tissue paper after you scrape it all out. 5. Repeat the same action few times, and rinse with water. Apply moisturizer or paper mask as what you usually use. Use twice a week, or as needed. Attention: Rinse with water immediately if you feel uncomfortable in the beginning of use the product. Warmest Reminder: For sensitive skin user, use only for 15minutes for first time, and follow by 15 to 20 minutes. Pack Size - 250ml" (1)

The mask literally looks like jelly on my face! It's also very cooling and I can feel a slight tingling feeling while using the mask, though it's not at all painful like the Glamglow mask was for me!

These are the immediate results of before and after the mask was used. You'd probably have to zoom to see the results, but my skin looks more hydrated and my pores appear a little smaller. There is a very small difference!

Here are the results after one month of use. I'm currently massively breaking out on my chin due to a new serum that I'm trialling (dam you, Shiseido Ultimate serum!) but there's not much I can do about that. I found that the mask lightened some of the smaller scars, but didn't really make my face whiter. It did make it brighter for a short period of time, but if I missed one session of the mask then the brightness would also stop. I found that the mask hydrated my skin a lot, so it plumped out the finer wrinkles on my forehead and mouth, while also helping to remove some of the dead skin from the acne around my chin.

 Cheek comparison

 Forehead Comparison

 Chin Comparison

Chin Makeup Comparison. This is where you can see my favorite difference, since it was taken midway through my trial (before my breakout). Makeup always gets caught in the super gross acne on my chin. Exfoliation and micro-dermabrasion didn't help, but the mask absolutely, truly helped. I wouldn't recommend it if it didn't.

What I Love

-  Immediately brightens skin

- Hydrates skin (thus improving fine lines from dehydration)

- Smells lightly and pleasantly of lemons

- Easy to apply and remove

- Great practical packaging

- Lovely cooling feeling

What I Don't Love

- Usually need to purchase Spatula separately, which is silly since you do need it to use the mask effectively.

Final Thoughts

I really love this mask! I wasn't particularly expecting to like it as much as I do, even though I'd heard Bubz raving about it in a couple of Vlogs and favorite video's! I think that the mask works really well and provides immediate brightening results, but mostly that it really hydrates the skin and plumps it up which helps hide the appearance of fine lines. I'll definitely be using this whole tub, and trying a different version next time! ^.^

Thanks so much to YesStyle for sending this product for me to review!

You can win your very own Jelly Mask by entering my giveaway! This giveaway is open internationally too so anyone can enter! (:

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Review: Skinfood Deep Sea Water Brightening Skincare

Hello Princesses!

Today I'm going to be doing potentially the most boring and disappointing review I've ever done, on Skinfood's Deep Sea Water Brightening Multi Gel and Multi Toner! I purchased 10 samples of each product from RoseRoseShop almost a year ago and never got around to trying them out until a couple of weeks ago! I don't think that these were effective for me at all, in fact it felt like it was doing absolutely nothing at all to my skin, so I'm really glad I tried the samples first!

The sample pots are quite cool because they're shaped like the full sized bottles, but also not that great because it's quite hard to get enough product out without tipping the whole sample out (which I did actually do twice).

Both the Toner and the Gel are marketed as brightening products, and also described as products for "dark skin" which I find quite odd. I only got 2-3 uses out of each Toner bottle and 6-8 uses out of the Gel bottles, so while I used up all of the Toner, I was left with 5 sachets of Gel left, which I did not use up.


Skinfood Deep Sea Water Multi Toner (Brightening) 300ml

Makes skin bright and clean Contains mineral Recommended for dry skin and dark skin.

  Multi Toner Application Tips

-As Toner : Using a cotton pad or palm, apply liberally onto the face in gentle upward and outward motions.

-As Mist : Use with a spray bottle to mist over face and body whenever skin feels dry or hot.

-As Compress Solution : Pour into cotton pads or sheets and apply to face for 1 minute.

This toner literally felt like smoothing scented water on my face. It didn't make my face feel or look any better, pores were still large and open and it didn't brighten my skin at all.

SKINFOOD Deep Sea Water Multi Gel (Brightening)
A deep sea water-infused lightweight moisture gel that helps purify and brighten skin. also can be used as a facial gel, overnight mask, and body gel.

Deep Sea Water Story : Pure deep sea water is naturally cool and enriched with a myriad of minerals.

 Multi-Gel Application Tips:

  -For Face : After Multi-Water Toner application, apply an even layer to face. For severely dry skin, apply a thick layer to face before bed and leave in overnight.
  -For Body : Apply liberally to irritated or dry skin and massage until the gel is completely absorbed.

The Gel was incredibly interesting to me. Its so watery that I either had to use a teeny tiny amount so that my face didn't have to spend 5 mins drying or use a regular amount and let my face dry for 5 million hours. Honestly, if you're like me and are always running late, this is not the Gel for you. It doesn't really feel like it's doing anything for my skin either, it wasn't moisturizing, mattifying, oil controlling or pore minimizing, it really didn't feel like it did anything at all.

Let's just check out the before and after photos. 

You can see that a couple of little acne spots that have cleared up by themselves. The Toner and Gel didn't make my skin break out, but also didn't really stop it from breaking out either. I can still see the scars on my chin, forehead and cheeks and my skintone looks pretty much entirely the same.

What I Love

- Cute (but annoying) packaging

What I Don't Love

- Didn't feel like it was doing anything at all

- Irritating packaging

- Gel doesn't absorb fast (time consuming)

Final Thoughts

I really disliked both of these products. I just felt like they weren't doing anything at all, and it was quite time consuming for me since I'm almost always late in the mornings! I will not be purchasing the full sized products, because toning my face with water or the million other toners I already own is cheaper and potentially more effective. 

This does not mean to say that these products will not work for anyone else! We all have different skin which means that products will almost always work differently. ^.^ 

Has anyone else tried these products? Did you enjoy them or feel that they weren't doing anything to your skin too?