Hello and welcome to Makeup Kismet. My name is Ashley and I hoard lip balms!
Compared to the average person who owns about one to three lip balms at a time, I own over twenty-six at a time...
If there are other crazy(er) lip balm ladies out there, please stand up and join me. I don't want to be the only crazy person at this party.
One chapped lip, 26 balms to use:
Depending on how much water I drink per day and if I use my new love and holy grail, Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm, I don't find myself needing lip balm all that often now.
The stuff works extremely well and I already have two more flavors coming in the mail.
This lot may last me a year and a half. Hopefully less because I'm sick of rotating the same lip balms over and over again. I literally have to ask my mom to hide JB from me or I'll finish the little sucker in a heart beat.
I still enjoy EOS, Aquafina and Softlips but the love is dying. Everyone knows and agrees that EOS has the best scented lip balms out there and the cool sphere design will always have a place in my heart but the performance of the product is so-so.
Aquafina and Softlips are just okay lately but who knows, my mind changes all the time.
Once again, I conclude another random Hoarders entry and as always I am willing to take review requests in the comments below!
One more thing, be prepared for my 50+ giveaway which will be up and running on Friday ;)
Cheers!
I love getting mail and that's no surprise.
I especially love large parcels, thick yellow bubble-wrap envelopes but regular mail is great too ;)
Sometimes I'll even make a small orders online just so I'll have something to look forward to as the weeks go by. When I'm having a day but suddenly find mail with my name on it, I light up and things are good again. It sounds ridiculous and expensive but most purchases don't exceed a $5 limit.
When I came across the BeautyBar.com half-off gift certificates on Hautelook, I carefully asked the SO if I could buy a few. The SO is not the biggest fan of online or in-store shopping unless it's a MUST. Luckily, I actually needed to replace something so he happily agreed to this purchase.
Since BeautyBar only ships within the U.S., the SO had to wait for the items to be sent to him so he could send them to me. A month later and this is what I find in my mailbox:
Confession time... the Clarisonic Delicate Brush Head replacements are the only things I need but my mom needed another Philosophy Help Me retinol night treatment so I picked that up for her. It's not pictured as it's an early birthday present for her (I love my mummy<3).
For the miscellaneous purchases, I chose the LORAC Close Up: Real Life to Red Carpet Eye Tutorial as I have had my eyes on the kit for over a year now. There just wasn't a better time to buy it so I happily paid $18 for the set that retails for $36 but is valued at $110.
The Pomegranate Regimen Kit by Korres was a "Buy Before You Think" purchase which means I regret the purchase. I still have loads of cleansers and exfoliators to go through so I have no idea when I'll be able to try this kit altogether. I may just use them seperately but that defeats the purpose of this new "Regimen Kit"...
I must note that the products are much smaller than the box it's stored in. It's quite deceiving but better I pay half of $19.75 (regularly $39.50) for deluxe samples than super tiny sample packets!
The (last) super unnecessary purchase - Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm with SPF 25 in Lemon & Chamomile. As unnecessary as the purchase is, the item is very useful and possibly HG-title worthy. It came with a bonus Jack Black Sun Guard too!
That's it for my May edition of "I've Got Mail". Be prepared for a June edition because I am expecting more goodies courtesy of the SO :P
Have you received anything nice in the mail lately?
(P.S. I'll be writing up another Hoarders post soon and it'll be on my lip balm collection so you can see why I'll be going on a lip balm ban for the next 3 years...)
After reviewing the Hada Labo GOKUJYUN Face Wash, it would only make sense to review the Hada Labo GOKUJYUN Lotion which is the follow-up toner. To simplify things, I'll start calling this lotion the SHA Lotion but let me also cover some other things:
1) Hada Labo keeps it simple with the ingredients they use. You'll find that their skincare range is free of fragrances, colorants, mineral oil, and alcohol; a suitable option for sensitive skin.
2) Lotions are a type of toner that are gentle on the skin and prevent moisture loss. In some cases, lotions can provide an extra boost of moisture which this SHA Lotion happens to do.
3) Yes, I live in Vancouver but no I did not purchase the SHA Lotion within Canada.
My mom bought the lotion for $85HKD in Hong Kong; roughly $10CAD. Check out Sasa's website if you're sincerely interested in trying out Hada Labo products.
Now onwards to the review....
Sasa's Description:
Hadalabo is a newly mutually-developed brands operated by Rohto (Japan) and Mentholatum (USA), with the concept of 'Perfect & Simple’. They bring you a series of skincare products with the highest purity of ingredients under strict quality control.
HadaLabo GOKUJYUN Super Hyaluronic Acid Lotion is infused with super hyaluronic acid which deeply penetrates into skin. It keeps on moisturizing and softening skin, meanwhile enhancing skin’s water-binding ability, leaving skin supple, smooth and radiant. Weak acid, no fragrance, and no colorant.
Also, the Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Lotion is said to retain twice the amount of moisture than compared to regular Hyaluronic Acid. Whether or not this is true, another claim says at least one bottle of this lotion is sold every 4 seconds in Japan!While I have yet to try regular Hyaluronic Acid, Hada Labo's SHA turns my face from dry, patchy Hell to smooth and soft skin Heaven - all thanks to 3 drops of what feels like Jell-O water.
What's Jell-O water?
Imagine making Jell-O but not all of the Jell-O hardens and you're left with drops of runny Jell-O mix. It's not quite water but it's not a jelly; it's Jell-O water!
The application is fun - I pour 3 drops of the lotion into the palm of my hands and gently pat the lotion onto my skin as instructed. My face becomes bouncy and sticky with continuous but the latter subsides after a minute or so and then I'm left with soft and supply skin!
As wonderful as the SHA Lotion is to my dry skin, practically any skin type can benefit from this lotion as the consistency is so thin and the product absorbs without a hint of shine or residue. If your skin is in need of a quick fix, the lotion can also be used as a face mask - all you need are cotton masks. Perhaps combination to oily skin types can even use the lotion as a light moisturizer.
Remember, it only takes 3 drops to cover the entire face and the consistency is thinner than the average gel-cream, see?
More great news - the 170 ml bottle which costs roughly $10CAD can last up to 8 months even if used twice daily. I have been using my bottle since January and only now has it hit the half bottle mark!
Bottom Line:
I'd say "run, don't walk to your nearest Hada Labo retailer & grab a bottle of this lotion" but that's not possible for many of us. The Hada Labo brand is only (officially) available in Asia. However, if there's a way to pick up a bottle of this magical liquid, do it because I recommend this product 100%. The price is right and the product does not disappoint!
If you can translate the label, be my guest!
After 4 months of using Hada Labo GOKUJYUN Face Wash or better known as HadaLabo Super Hyaluronic Acid Face Wash, it's about time for a review. Plus, I need to show my readers some sign of life! Don't worry, I'm not dying and I haven't been sick, I simply took an unannounced break from blogging :)
Another FYI - this facial cleanser is not readily available for most people. My greatest advice: do not purchase Had aLabo products in-stores from unofficial retailers at inflated prices - you are being ripped off. Sasa sells most Hada Labo products online at an honest price.
**My mom purchased the Hada Labo SHA Face Wash in Hong Kong for $58HKD/$7CAD (no more than $8CAD)**.
Now let's begin the review!
Sasa's Description:
First and foremost, "Gokujyun" translates to "Super Hydration". The"Super Hyaluronic Acid" helps improve the moisture rention of skin twice as much as regular Hyaluronic Acid.
Hada Labo is a newly mutually-developed brands operated by Rohto (Japan) and Mentholatum (USA), with the concept of 'Perfect & Simple’. They bring you a series of skincare products with the highest purity of ingredients under strict quality control.
Hada Labo GOKUJYUN Face Wash is infused with super hyaluronic acid. It cleanses face while locking water inside skin. It will not irritate skin with the weak acid same as healthy skin’s. No fragrance, no colorant, no alcohol and is oil-free.
Suitable for ALL skin types.
As you can tell, the Gokujyun line is all about hydration. While the Hada Labo SHA Face Wash is "hydrating", I think it's suitable for all skintypes. I fully agree to Hada Labo claims that this cleanser is gentle and non-irritating to the skin while locking moisture in. I have not experienced tightness after using the cleanser and neither has it dried out my skin. It's not necessary to follow up with a moisturizer right away which is saying a lot.
This simple cream cleanser lathers into a milky foam and rinses off easily. While it's perfectly fine to use the cleanser around the eye area, I have to be careful not to get any of it IN my eyes. Once the cleanser gets into my eyes, it causes slight sensitivity. The sensitivity is a mixture of burning & stinging but it's not intense. I can only describe as if you tried a new eye drop and your eyes were adjusting to it. Luckily, the cleanser has not caused any other irritations or breakouts. I should also mention that I normally break out due to hormonal changes and rise in stress rather than product sensitivity.
Most importantly, the Hada Labo SHA Face Wash leaves my skin smooth and soft yet impeccably clean. I do not rely on this cleanser to remove make-up - just excess oil and dirt - but it does remove lighter layers of make-up. Full coverage make-up can not be efficiently removed. But despite the "no fragrance" claim, I detect a light scent of rice. It's soothing like oatmeal?; definitely not nauseating or cloying.
Bottom Line:
I recommend you grab a tube of Hada Labo GOKUJYUN/Super Hyaluronic Acid Face Wash if you can. I think anyone would enjoy a cleanser that doesn't cause tightness, excessive-dryness or breakouts but instead, leaves you with soft and supple skin. I can't provide an English ingredient list but I have taken pictures of the entire bottle so translate it if you can/like. You can view them below.
**Click to Enlarge**
Disclosure
Make-Up Kismet is a personal blog written and edited by myself. This blog was created to share my experiences with whom ever reads it.
All reviews posted are written by me and are my honest opinions. All products reviewed are purchased by me for personal and/or review purposes unless stated otherwise. Each person is different, as are our experiences. With that said, I cannot be held responsible for any unsatisfying reaction to a product I review or recommend.
Photos on this blog are either from Google, other Bloggers or, my own. I try to depict all products as accurately as possible. I may edit photos for this purpose.
