Review: Korres White Tea Facial Fluid Gel Cleanser

Korres is a new favorite cosmetic brand of mine. The scents of their products are usually a miss for me but the products themselves are great. I also appreciate the fact that the brand is cruelty-free!
Since mid-May, I've been using the Korres White Tea Facial Fluid Gel Cleanser and while I have had no ill effects because of it, you must know all of the perks of this cleanser.

Korres Description:


Formulated with vegetable-derived soap substitutes-deeply cleanses and refreshes without dehydrating the skin.

Key Features & Benefits
- The gel with oat proteins rinses off easily, while softening and moisturizing the skin.
- Mild liquid gel is fine - lathering to avoid over-stripping the skin.
- The Selected combination of naturally derived cleansing agents ensures excellent tolerance to skin.

What it is formulated WITHOUT
- Parabens
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petro-Chemicals
- Phthalates
- GMO
- Triclosan

This Korres cleanser is extremely basic. While it doesn't foam up as much as I like or remove thick layers of make up, this is the type of cleanser I'd recommend for the whole family or skeptical-about-skincare-boyfriends (such as mine).
Easy to describe, the scent is a lick of lemon and wash of white tea. Imagine: Hong Kong-style Lemon Tea. It's fresh and a bit calming; not overly-bright thus suitable for all sexes.

This cleanser foams up very lightly due to the SLS-derivatives but luckily my skin hasn't dried out because of it. To get the most out of the derivations, my favorite method to using this cleanser is taking two wet silicone face scrubbers and rubbing them together. This will generate enough bubbles to tame my bubble-holicism. The Clarisonic works well too but two scrublets is more affordable than a Clarisonic!

The stock photo shows a fussy pump-less bottle but since I have a squeeze tube sample, I can't comment on the packaging. My main concern is how easily this thin fluid cleanser can be diluted. Too wet of hands will rinse away the SLS-derivatives and the whole cleansing process will be less fun. It's safest to use two wet scrublets and a dry face. While the negative seems tedious, it also means the cleanser rinses off easily.

Bottom Line:
If you're interested in a basic cleanser good for yourself, usable for the family or beau then I highly recommend you try this. At $21 for 6.7 oz, available at Sephora, you can give it a try and return it easily if you dislike it. I understand some people need a cleanser that removes make up effortlessly but I enjoy a separate make up remover for that.

Ingredients
Aqua (Water), Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, PEG-120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Betaine, PEG-40 Glyceryl Cocoate, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sucrose Laurate, Capryloyl Glycine, Coco-Glucoside, Glyceryl Oleate, Hydrolysed Oats, Arginine, Benzyl Alcohol, Butylene Glycol, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Castoryl Maleate, Geraniol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Lactic Acid, Linalool, Magnesium PCA, Manganese PCA, Panthenol, Parfum (Fragrance), Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Coceth Sulfate, Sodium Lauroyl Oat Amino Acids, Sodium PCA, Tocopherol, Zinc PCA.
*Bolded ingredients indicate SLS-derivatives. 

Review: The Body Shop Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser

As promised I am back with a review. Did you miss me? I bet you did(n't)... Anyhow it's Friday and it's time to PARTAAAY! I'll just get right to it before I lose your focus.
It's not short and to the point but you can find a shorter less detailed review below (right above the ingredients list!) 

Here's what you want to know and should know about the Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser by The Body Shop.

Best if you want to:
Soothe your sensitive skin with a mild, soap-free cleansing lotion that gently, but thoroughly, removes make-up and impurities.

How it works:
Preservative-, fragrance-, and dye-free aloe vera hydrates and calms sensitive skin.
Organic Community Trade babassu oil softens skin and helps it retain moisture.
Dermatologist-approved and clinically proven as suitable for sensitive skin.

A little break down on the ingredients by TBS:
Aloe vera gel has excellent soothing and calming properties.

Babassu Oil (Organic Babassu oil) - nature's best - is a wonderfully light and non-greasy skin moisturizer extracted from the wild-growing babassu palm trees only found in certain area of Brazil and South America.

Sorbital is a water soluble moisturizer that enriches foam and lather.

Panthenol is proven to improve flexibility of the nails, helping to reduce flaking and breakage.

Glycerin is an effective moisturizer which helps improve softness and maximize hydration.

On MakeupAlley (one of the best places to find an overall rating on beauty products) I found The Body Shop Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser had an average rating of 3.2 out of 5 and only 30% of the reviewers would repurchase the cleanser again.
My rating is 4 out of 5 & would I repurchase this cleanser? Yes... As soon as I finish all of my OTHER cleansers but also, not for the full price ($14CAD).
Back in May I went to TBS with a list of things to buy during the 50% off sale with a purchase of a $5 donation basket. This cleanser happened to be on the list so yes, I had intentions to purchase this cleanser.
I chose this specifically because the ingredients in this aloe cleanser were safer than that of the aloe foaming cleanser. After two and a half months, I have finally finished the cleanser! For $14, this doesn't last long and will become cost effective granted I buy it often! I used this every morning and night because it was extremely gentle and I had absolutely no bad side effects. I guess a lot of people find it useless to wash their face with a cleanser in the morning since they technically don't have much on their face during the night but because this was so gentle, it was more satisfying than splashing my face with cold water! The Body Shop may say you can remove make-up with this cleanser but because it is soapless don't expect it to remove waterproof eye make-up or heavy foundation and concealer because it won't. On the days I wore make-up I would use the Cucumber Cleansing Milk (also by The Body Shop) and followed with the Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser to ensure my skin was thoroughly cleansed! Since this cleanser is soapless, it is also residue- and lather-free. If you're a foaming freak or love that rich creamy lather, get out of here! I enjoyed the fact that it was a lotion cleanser because I knew it would not strip my skin of its oils. I have extremely dry skin (because I don't drink my 8 cups of water a day!) and even jojoba oil alone cannot cure my dry patches and flaking. With this cleanser, my skin was actually a bit moisturized after washing. You can call that a benefit for sure! My skin is less red & irritated too and I thank Aloe for that.
The downside is that it's not a pump bottle but rather a flip-cap bottle. I find it tedious to flip a cap & then the bottle to get product, don't you?? Anyhow I curbed that issue by transferring all of the cleanser into an empty pump bottle I had laying around. Again, the price isn't budget friendly since it lasts for almost 3 months. If I buy four bottles a year the total cost is $56 not including tax. I suppose it isn't that bad considering some cleansers are in the $20-$100 range... I'm picky! I would still purchase this over a drugstore cleanser anyday, okay??

A shorter less detailed pro's & con's review:
It's gentle enough to use twice daily not to mention moisturizing. Although it's not anti-aging it isn't a damaging product that causes aging! It may not prevent acne or cure it but it doesn't cause break outs (for me atleast). It works just as it promises but it doesn't promise too much. Or maybe that's a good thing... With no pump, this may bug a few people but don't forget that the product is much harder to get once you reach the bottom of  the bottle. With a capped bottle, you can always leave the bottle flipped upside down so the cleanser is easier to get to! Although I do have a list of ingredients I tend to stay away from, I'm not 100% familiar with any ingredient. Paraben haters can rejoice as this cleanser is paraben-free.

Overall, I'm a happy customer! If you decide to try this cleanser, tell me how it goes. If you've tried or are trying the cleanser, tell me how it went or is going. I love comments & it brings me so much joy to know someone is reading!

Thanks for reading,
Ashley.

Ingredients:
Water, Aloe Barbadensis Gel, Pentylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Elaeis Guineensis (Palm) Oil, Butylene Glycol, Cyclomethicone, Glycerin, Glyceryl Stearate Citrate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Sorbitol, Glyceryl Stearate, Orbignya Oleifera (Babassu) Oil, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Xanthan Gum, Disodium Phosphate.

P.S. I bought this myself and I'm not being paid for this review. Neither am I affiliated with the company.

Project 10 Pan - Facial Cleansers (& Masks/Exfoliators)

Uuuhh so I haven't been posting a lot lately. I'm terrible but atleast I'll apologize... I'm sorry!
So I'm back for the night with another P10P (Project 10 Pan) post. This time, I'm doing a mash up of Facial Cleansers and Exfoliators. I know a lot of guys n' gals hate P10P but I LOVE IT!! While I enjoy using 10 of my most cherished and hated products, others can't stand it & give up! I won't give up this fight, oh no I won't! When I do P10P I notice how much I have and how little I need in actuality. It keeps me from buying "back-up's", "spares", "extras" and things just for the heck of it!
Anddd because of of my No-Buy Oath, it's really boosting my resistance in shopping! I feel it is reaaaally helping my addiction but my friends just laugh it off..

With no further introduction, here is my list for Project 10 Pan Facial Cleanser (& masks/exfoliators).

1) The Body Shop Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser

2) The Body Shop The Body Shop Cucumber Cleansing Milk

3) L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Cream Cleanser

5) Clinique Liquid Facial Soap

6) Vichy Normaderm Deep Cleansing Gel

7) Freeman Beauty Good Stuff Organics Smoothing Facial Scrub

8) Freeman Beauty Good Stuff Organics Revitalizing Facial Mask

9) St. Ives Mineral Clay Firming Masque

10) Soap & Glory Scrub Your Nose In It

It will take a fair amount of time to finish this project but I'm going to be dedicated as H***!!

I'm also thinking of doing reviews after I finish each product... but since I feel I have no readers, I'll wait for comments asking for them. Or I could just do a review for the heck of it & maybe someone will find my blog unexpectedly! I believe in destiny hence (makeupkismet) so instead of advertising myself 100%, I'll wait & see how many people eventually find me.
I'll confess, I did something bad! A few weeks ago I passed by The Body Shop to pick up their new deodorant and also grabbed the Passion Fruit Facial Cleansing Gel from their Originals line. While that goes against my No-Buy Oath, I'll have you know... I am shameless! The consequences of my actions are NO STARBUCKS FOR A MONTH. That's right, all of July I will NOT be sippin' on a delicious iced caffeinated beverage :(
I can still have my Tim Horton's Ice Cappucino but it's not the same as a Caramel Frappucino, which makes me want some Starbucks even more (sighhhh)!
The bright side is that balance IS restored because I am super close to finishing 1) The Body Shop Aloe Calming Facial Cleanser and 3) L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Cream Cleanser! Please note that I use the L'Oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Cream Cleanser to wash my make-up brushes aswell as my face. I need to get rid of the product & I don't have a brush cleanser at this moment, so sue me! It's not cheating.. it's a loophole ;)

I think I've covered everything I had to for this post. I'll do a review for Aloe cleanser in my next post because it kind of excites me (even though the product itself is boring...). HA!

Bye-bye for now,
Ashley.

One Week Trial - Bioré PURIFY Steam Activated Cleanser Review

I'm finally getting it together with Blogger & trying to do more reviews. While it's usually a "mini" review, it is a review nonetheless. Today I wil be reviewing the Bioré PURIFY Steam Activated Cleanser (with SteamActiv beads).

What Bioré has to say about their new product:
Bioré PURIFY Steam Activated Cleanser with SteamActiv beads harnesses the steam in your shower to give you your best clean! The unique SteamActiv beads are activated as the cleanser is lathered, providing a mint infused sensorial experience you will want to experience everyday!
What they recommend (instructions and frequency): Pump cleanser into hands. Beads activate as you work the cleanser into a creamy lather. Gently massage face. Rinse thoroughly. Use product daily in the shower for best results.

After one week of testing the product I've decided to do a review on it. I started using it on Monday and continued to; once a day in the shower for a week. I wasn't expecting much out of this cleanser or to even like it but I actually did. I'm really surprised because I usually dislike Bioré products. While I'm not running to Wal-Mart or Shoppers Drug Mart to buy it any time soon, it is on my To Buy list when I run out of a cleanser (I have atleast 2 or 3 bottles of cleansers to finish off, *sigh*). I would buy it if I wasn't on my No Buy Oath though...
So I've read some reviews on the Bioré PURIFY Steam Activated Cleanser &  Muse from Musings Of A Muse is very keen on this stuff too. The downside was that she didn't find it lathered on the face very well so the cleanser had to be rubbed in between hands first. I actually didn't have a problem with the foaming abilities. A pea size amount slathered on the side of my cheek would lather enough to cover my whole face. Another review said there was inconsistency with the beads. From my sample*, I agree 100%. I only many beads in my sample* but I only caught them on my hands twice. I'm sure if I had the actual product in a pump bottle things would be different. Even so, there aren't enough beads to exfoliate & neither does it "activate" as I cleanse like Bioré says it will. The "mint infused sensorial experience", I find came from the cleanser itself & not the beads. Seriously, I think the beads are useless! If anyone argues otherwise that's entirely fine by me. Considering how I used 2 beads out of the 7 times I tested the product I can honestly say that the refreshing & cooling sensation I felt in the shower definitely did not come from two beads that I only used twice on separate occasions. Yeeeesh! Besides the bead fiasco, the cleanser itself is alright. It produces a nice creamy lather & cleanses well. On the downside, after 7 straight days of testing the cleanser I noticed my skin has become tighter & drier. That only means I can only use this every other day :( Another downfall is that eyeliner and non-waterproof mascara cannot be fully removed with the cleanser (without leaving black smudges under the eyes). I use the cleanser to remove light foundation or tinted moisturizer in the shower because the steam in conjuction with the cleanser work well to break down my facial make-up. The major highlight for me is  the scent. I was expecting it to be a plethora of minty freshness but I find it smells like vanilla mint toothpaste but less toothpaste-y/minty & very pleasant. I was expecting a burst or a super charge of "invorating" and "refreshing" because the description said it would provide a mint infused sensorial experience but that didn't happen. It is a tinge refreshing in a hot shower but not annoyingly so. I expected this to be very irritated after using the cleanser daily for a week because it contains menthol and that held true... It sucks that I can't use this daily but it works, sort of. Right?

All in all this cleanser worked fairly well, smelled great, & costs at most $10 at drugstores or grocery stores. If I use it strictly for the shower, it would last me a year tops! I dig it. It is one of those basic cleansers that are enjoyed best in showers. After two days with a new cleanser I usually notice signs of tight skin & redness or drying but it took five days for visible confirmation. You'd think I'd push the product away for that but I have issues, okay!?!
Last note: I recommend it for those who don't have sensitive skin or drier than dry skin but if you insist on trying it, don't use it daily! This should work well for normal to combination or oily skin types but I'm not an expert, this is based on assumption.

P.S. That "Ass out of U & Me" saying is true but I'm rubber and you're glue! What ever negative things you have to say about me bounce off of me & stick onto you! (Or something along those lines...)!

Ingredients:
Aqua, Sodium C14-16 Olefin Sulfonate, Ammonium Cocoyl Isethionate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Acrylates Copolymer, Glycerin, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Camellia Sinensis, Mentha Piperita, Cocos Nucifera, Withania Somnifera, Tocopheryl Acetate, Aloe Barbadensis, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Mannitol, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Chromium Oxide Greens, Iron Oxides, Potassium Hydroxide, Benzophenone-4, Menthol, Menthyl Lactate, Polyquaternium-10, DMDM Hydantoin, Diazolidinyl Urea, Iodopropynyl
Butylcarbamate, Parfum, Blue 1.


P.S. I signed up for a sample* of this product on the Bioré website and only 30,000 received a sample* of it, I was one of the lucky few. The sample* came with a $2.50 off coupon on the purchase of 2 Bioré products & of course a sample*  of the Bioré PURIFY Steam Activated Cleanser. I decided to do a review on the product for fun & to share my experience on this blog. I'm not being paid for this review. Neither am I affiliated with the company.

First Impressions

Don't worry pal, this blog will be short but not so sweet. It's all about first impressions!
This is all in relation to the first time I started using the Neutrogena UltraSheer Water-Light Daily Face Sunscreen which was Mother's day (yesterday)!

*Note: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Complete UV Waterlight Lotion - Asia version, Neutrogena UltraSheer Water-Light Daily Face Sunscreen - Canadian version, Neutrogena UltraSheer Liquid Sunscreen - American version.

First of all, I found out about it this sunscreen on Soompi. Soompi (IMO), where almost everyone in the forums are addicted to Asian cosmetics and skincare in relation to the two subjects in general. Most Soompier's & sunscreen fanatics like this sunscreen because it is milky in texture like most of the ones in Asia.

What can I say about this sunscreen? Nothing good enough to repurchase! I used it a couple of times & noticed a reaction but blamed it on my make up. Now I am beginning to think it wasn't and infact it is this sunscreen.
The reaction I got was a tingling burning sensation around my chin, nose and mouth. It didn't last as long as before but today even after 3 hours of washing it all off, my face is still burning. I used it all of today because I knew I was going to be in the sun for a long time. I applied it 30 minutes before going out and 10 minutes upon applying, the irritation began and since then it hasn't quit.
I enjoyed the milky texture and how easily it spread but it did not absorb quickly if at all. I felt that this sunscreen sat on my skin for more than 20 minutes before fully drying to a semi-matte finish. The formula made my dry patchy cheeks look greasy and ironically my t-zone was better than usual. However, the redness around my nose, mouth, and cheeks were worsened because of the irritation.
I conclude by not recommending this for sensitive skins!

**Read on if you are the type that nitpicks over ingredients.**

While it is PABA-free, paraben-free and claims to be non-comedogenic it is not. PABA can be irritating to some people and dimethicone is silicone based (definitely comedogenic). Plus ingredients that both irritate the skin and our environment. A well known ingredient, fragrance (parfum) irritates the skin which is begs the question why companies still include it in facial products! Most importantly this sunscreen contains oxybenzone which harm our Earth's coral reefs! Another is BHT, one of the worst ingredients and known as a immune system toxicant. What does that mean? It is harmful to the development of babies and pregnant woman should steer clear of this ingredient. While I advise all people to use a sunscreen daily, I wouldn't go for this one. I know there is a lot of controversy in regards to skin cancer and sunscreen but I will allow you to Google the topic yourselves.