DHC Acerola 100

DHC is a Japanese mail-order cosmetics company most famous for its Deep Cleansing Oil, which is infused with olive oil and Vitamin E. The brand was basically built around its olive oil-based products and has since expanded its product lines. It is known among beauty junkies with sensitive skin looking for additive-free products. The brand can be somewhat compared to Fancl, another Japanese brand that started out as a mail-order company. Since Neova R2 Serum is a bit too much for my beauty pocket, good as it is, I couldn't help but look for an alternative. I found excellent reviews on DHC's Acerola 100 Serum. It worked very well for a variety of skin types, even those with rosacea. It is one of the harder brands to find (from where I live), so during a trip to Singapore, I got myself a bottle.

It comes in a girl-y pink box, which I wouldn't care for in skin care products. But the cute acerola berries (one in silver, another in white) and simple lay-out won me over. Leave it to the Japanese to entice.

The box comes with another layer of carton inside, which protects the glass bottle from breaking. 

The pink glass bottle comes with a clear plastic cap.

The back reveals this contains 30ml. The bottle feels very smooth and has a considerable weight that is nice to hold and feel.

DHC's Acerola line, which also includes toner, cream, and gel has the acerola fruit taking center stage among its ingredients. Every 100g of acerola contains as much as 1700mg Vitamin C. This serum promises to add clearness and firmness to skin. Aside from that, it can also treat skin damages and improve texture. Short of labeling it as a miracle-in-a-bottle, and no wonder, acerola is purportedly known as the "Miracle Fruit for skin and beauty." It contains only three simple ingredients to boot -- and is "free of colorings, fragrances, alcohol, and parabens."

I would normally hesitate when a product promotes such amazing claims, but most reviews confirmed that DHC Acerola 100 worked great for people with sensitive skin. 

The serum is yellow in shade and is very liquid in consistency. One pump produces the amount as pictured above. I should have known from the first moment I applied this on my face that it did not fare well with my skin. I used about two pumps because one pump did not feel like it provided adequate moisture. However, even while two pumps fully coated the surface of my entire face, the Acerola 100 just sat there. Not only did I catch its distinct sweet medicinal scent every few minutes, I felt the serum on my face throughout the day. It didn't absorb into my skin and also left a slippery, bordering on oily texture that was bothersome. Never learning my lesson and being stubborn (for I read reviews that one has to give this serum time to deliver its results), I continued with applying it day and night as my first skin care step for another week.

The only good thing I noticed was my face looked brighter, but other than that everything else was a disaster. My skin oiled up more, felt rougher (obviously no moisturizing properties from this serum), and worst of all, flared up my cheeks to crimson red and broke me out in tiny painful bumps, especially on the lower cheeks and near the mouth. I did not want to give up on it yet, so by that time I tempered the amount from two pumps to one. While my face did not feel as oily, the breakouts and redness continued. After 10 days with this acerola-miracle, I cut it off my regime. My skin has gotten so much better since I stopped using this. The acne has stopped, the redness drastically subsided, and no oily, uncomfortable feeling has been plaguing me. 

This is how it looks like when patted on the skin. You can see (with a sharp eye) tiny droplets remaining on the upper left corner. It doesn't really absorb into skin. I wouldn't recommend this to people with skin types leaning on oily or normal-to-oily, and especially not to those with rosacea. This seems to work out well with dry skin-type gals though, as evidenced by the glowing reviews of this blogger. 

The pamphlet introduces the product and includes usage instructions . . . in Japanese. 

Some more. Overall, a bitter disappointment of a serum. Never I mind, for I may use this on the neck, or on other body parts. Nary a product wasted!

Klenzit MS Microsphere Gel

I am of the spotted-kind. I get them every few weeks or so; they never stay away. They don't care that they're not welcome -- they just have to visit me at the very least once a month without fail. You can pretty much change anything now these days except genetics and skin. Well, you can change skin I guess, but I'm not into devouring potions or wielding knives. So I pestered the dermatologist for a good pimple murderer.

She paused for a while before muttering "Klenzit," as she scribbled out her prescription. 

It comes in a plain white soft plastic tube with a screw cap cover.

I have to be careful squeezing out the product for the opening is really huge. The gel is translucent in color. This drug is very potent; a little goes a long way. Although it has a tendency to dry out the areas applied on, it is simply the best pimple medication I have ever used, and that is a real compliment, because I've tried my fair share of acne busters from Differin, metronidazole, benzoyl peroxide, tea tree oil, etc. All those took weeks to zap breakouts, but Klenzit? Klenzit took under 2 hours for tiny ones, I swear. I don't even want to risk it losing efficacy by disclosing the great news, but it's really that good (knock on wood three times). Spots are visibly smaller in size after a few hours. Give a huge pimple one or two nights of consecutive application and it will say good-bye with a bang. You can see that it's really gone. As is always the case with unwelcome visitors, good riddance!

Above is an introduction to the product, which is made by an Indian pharmaceutical company. It is stated that adapalene, the drug of choice for this medicine is "delivered to the skin in a controlled time-release pattern after it has been applied." Differin, which I've used before, also goes by the generic name of adapalene, but I did not experience as spectacular results with it as I did with Klenzit, and I suspect it has a lot to do with the different technology applied on these two medicines, despite using a similar main ingredient.

The microsponge delivery system (read still shot above for more in-depth explanation) allows skin to absorb small amount of the drug over a period of time, which reduces or eliminates skin irritations. I didn't experience any significant skin reactions from Klenzit, aside from minor itchiness right after application that goes away in a few minutes. Dry spots are felt over medicated areas, but this is a minor price to pay and nothing that a good moisturizer can't address.

Klenzit has done for me what other pimple medications have never accomplished -- eliminate spots and acne, fast. I definitely recommend this to one and all.

L'Occitane Extra-Gentle Milk Soap

Not to be left behind, the Extra-Gentle Milk Soap from L'Occitane was part of last post's collection.

This came in a smaller size (50g) and was intended as a hand soap, but I opted to use it as a body soap.

 View from the side.

Opening . . .

This Milk soap comes off whiter than the the Verbena, which has a creamy yellow tinge to it. The texture is smooth, rich, second to none. The scent is very delicate and unobtrusive. It cleans really well and I would say moisturizes the skin better than Verbena soap. Between the two, I enjoy using the Milk soap more.

The ingredients list above.

L'Occitane Bath and Shower Series

One of the highlights (at least for me) of staying in hotels is partaking of their complimentary bath amenities . . . especially if they are from L'Occitane!

Pictured above is the evidence of hoarding. I brought home their Shampoo and Conditioner with 3 Essential Oils, Verbena Shower Gel, Verbena Body Lotion, and Verbena Extra-Gentle Soap.

All of them except the soap come in perfectly travel-sized 50ml bottles. I've been using the shampoo for over two months now and have had very good results with it. I can't say anything about the conditioner since I haven't used it (rarely use conditioner).

This tandem is made of three essential oils namely from angelica, lavender, and geranium. The shampoo's scent delivers its blurb on "soothing, repairing, and stimulating properties." Whiffs of calming lavender swirl through the bath when I lather the shampoo on, accompanied by the energizing crisp scents of angelica and geranium. The concentrated plant-based aroma smells very natural, as if the extracts were picked fresh from the plants and infused straight to the bottles. After use, my hair is really softer, shinier, and "repaired." The strands look fuller and moisturized and generally healthier.

The ingredients list. I didn't experience any irritation from the shampoo.

The aluminum cap is very nice to look at and easy to open and close. A round rubber helps keep the products securely covered.

Both body gel and lotion are from the Verbena series which smell like sweet oranges and green tea to me. (Verbena is actually a flowering plant.) The scents are perfectly blended without being annoyingly sweet or cloyingly strong as some bath products go.

The lotion is enriched with grape seed oil, aside from the obvious Verbena extracts. I would classify the consistency as medium rich, as I find it too sticky to use every day in Manila's weather. It works twice or thrice a week perfectly. I put this on my arms and legs when they are feeling dry and looking dull and see good results right away. The shower gel is very friendly to use -- it cleans well and does not irritate my skin. When toweling off, I notice my skin is not as dry as when I use conventional soaps. There seems to be a supple quality to my after-bath skin every time I use this. Also, a few squirts of this gel go a long way to foam up a bath puff. I must mention the scent is absolutely divine.

Ingredients for Verbena Body Lotion and Body Gel above.

I couldn't not try this Verbena Extra-Gentle Soap. Not when it is packaged so nicely in beautiful brown parchment with stamped-on design prints.

It is a hefty 100g bar, square-shaped and around two inches thick. The soap is even wrapped with a white cardboard type paper to protect and keep it in place. I noticed the soap's concentration when it started emulsifying slightly upon contact with my hands.

It has the same citrus-y sweet scent as the other Verbena products. I think the main thing that differentiates this L'Occitane soap from common bar soaps is its smooth "slip" and presence of many nourishing extracts and emollients. It is made of many great ingredients such as shea butter, glycerin, May Chang/mountain pepper extracts, vitamin E, rosemary leaf extracts, and sunflower seed oil. It's hard to ask my drugstore soap to beat that. It cleans the skin very well but does not strip it of moisture. It lathers properly and lasts me about 10 days.

Overall, a very satisfying set from a brand that incorporates more natural than chemically-produced ingredients.

The Souq Moroccan Argan Oil

Extracted from kernels of Argan trees, argan oil has come a long way from its exotic origins of Essaouira, Morocco to beauty retail points round the world. When before this oil was hush-hush to only wealthy jetsetters from the West, now it is a commercialized multi-purpose beauty elixir: Moisturizer, anti-ager, skin softener, hair restructurer, frizz-fighter, scar-fader, nail treatment, you name it. It was last December when I ran out of Naruko’s Narcissus Night Gelly when my delighted paws received The Souq Moroccan Argan Oil (in perfect timing) as a Christmas present (thank you 大姐 and 三姐). 

It came in a crimson box with Middle Eastern-type golden trimmings printed (Arabian nights…Arabian days…song came to mind). 

Product description.

The product is concentrated argan oil imported from Morocco by locally-based The Souq International. The website guarantees it is certified organic by Ecocert.

It comes in a 30ml glass bottle with a glass dropper applicator. 

The dropper makes it easy to control the amount of product released. I found out that for the face, one to two drops is already enough.  

The oil is transparent pale yellow and has a mild scent similar to mineral oil. It dries to a velvety finish – not sticky or oily at all. 

It was reassuring to know that argan oil receives generally positive reviews online. It also helped that the bottle states that it is safe for all skin types and is also hypoallergenic and paraben-free. I thought I struck gold with these pieces of information and was looking forward to beautiful skin. The first time I used this was as an evening moisturizer. The oil glided easily as I spread it all over my face. However, it did not absorb or sink into my skin. I felt the oil just “sat” on the epidermis. It also didn't manifest any nourishing effects. The next morning my skin was rougher than usual, which worried me a bit for I usually get soft and supple skin from nighttime oils and moisturizers.

Since it was a result from just one application, I persisting with my newfound skin care product. In the course of using it nightly for a week, I developed new spots and saw no smoother skin. My skin looked dull and became rough to touch. Generally, it didn’t provide moisture or any form of treatment to my skin. Skin care is really subjective; I’ve also read many glowing reviews of argan oil from people with sensitive skin. It is really too bad that my extra-fussy skin didn’t welcome this oil, or rather they just didn’t blend well together. 

The great thing about a multi-purpose product is, it can be used elsewhere. I’ve tried smoothing this argan oil on stray strands and it worked just fine. A little went a long way, since too much made my hair look oily.

Naruko Magnolia Brightening and Firming Night Eye Gelly

Naruko is one of my favorite brands as you may already know -- or not. It is homegrown in Taiwan, created by the island's beauty expert Niu-Er. The brand is famous for its skincare particularly the Night Gellys. I've had good experiences with Naruko products so far, and I readily made the switch from Shiseido Bio-Performance Super Eye Contour Cream, my trusted eye cream of many years, to Naruko's Magnolia Brightening and Firming Night Eye Gelly.

The design of the Magnolia line is slightly different from Naruko's other lines. The product name and description in front is entirely in Chinese text and is presented like an Oriental poem.

The Eye Gelly is described to be anti-aging, repairing, brightening, protecting, moisturizing. Usage: After washing the face, use spatula to scoop out about two pearl-sized amount and spread thinly first on the undereye area, then continue application on the eyelids up to near the eyebrows. No need to rinse with water after application. Suitable for all-skin types, especially dry around the eye area.

Opening . . .

It comes with a spatula. The handle is slightly curved. It fits nicely between the thumb and forefinger.

Out of the box! The jar is made of glass and feels hefty on my hand. It contains 60ml of gelly goodness. Very generous for an eye product. The Magnolia line uses a creamy off-white color label that I find to be the most pleasing among all the other lineups. It looks very grown-up and elegant.

The description says this product is for firming and toning the eye area.

This anti-aging eye treatment also aims to "deeply hydrate the skin and increase cell turnover rate to promote radiance."

It has a separate plastic cover aside from the screw-top cap.

The Eye Gelly has a pale yellow, milky shade. The texture is like gooey gelatin. It has a sweet, candy-like smell. Sometimes I am reminded of Nerds candy during application. The jelly texture makes it easy to spread around the eye area which is a plus because it's better not to tap or rub on the sensitive eye area for too long. With this product on, there remains a cooling sensation on the eyes which feels really nice. I don't think I ever had experienced such a "cooling" feeling with other products, even after putting them in the refrigerator. It feels like the Eye Gelly is draining the eye area of excess heat/stress. When I use this product at night, my eyes feel moisturized, supple, and firm in the morning. The only difference it has from my Holy Grail Shiseido Bio-Performance Super Eye Contour Cream is that it is not as effective in eliminating dark under eye circles. Note: Not as good does not mean it does not lighten my dark circles, it's just that Bio-Performance is really superb in that aspect. Another thing is I would have preferred a pump bottle instead of the unhygienic jar type packaging. Those aside, Naruko Magnolia Eye Gelly is much, much friendlier on the pocket. This Eye Gelly's overall performance is something to sing praises about. I would definitely keep on using and repurchase this product.

Product description on the bottom jar is similar to the one printed on the box.

Above, the ingredients list.

Side of the box.

The pamphlet. The Magnolia line features a whole range of other skincare items.

An introduction to skin care around the eye area.

The Magnolia line step-by-step usage:

And Naruko's products never end without recycling tips.

How to turn the carton/packaging into a box:

 Six steps to transformation . . .

 Ta-da!

 With the lid on : )