Clarisonic Mia

Live from New York, it's . . . the Clarisonic Mia! Thanks to my 三姐 who helped pick this up for me at Sephora last Christmas during her to trip to NYC (the last yellow Mia left at that time, she said). After almost a year of observing reviews and going it over my head, I finally decided it worth the hefty price tag. The original Clarisonic, which can be used for both face and body is a larger version of the Mia. The Mia is marketed as a face-only cleanser and also as travel-friendlier option. It comes in a wide variety of colors and other graphic designs. *There is actually a Clarisonic Mia 2 now, which has two speed controls.* The reception of this brush cleanser has been phenomenally successful, and as I believe achieving healthy skin begins in step one of skin care -- cleansing, that is -- I thought it would considerably improve my skin care routine.

 First opening.

The cover page.

 The above description says it all.

The promises.

Yet sleeping in the box.

Hello, sunshine. The brush is compact and is a visual pleasure elegant curves and all. This small thing is barely six inches long, yet is the ultimate cleansing powerhouse. The grey power button activates the brush and keeps it moving for 60 seconds.

The back of it.

User manual and pLink charger.

The Clarisonic Mia has no port for insertion of the end of a charger, unusual for gadgets that require charging. It has a magnet on the slightly recessed portion on the lower part of the handle (below the power button) where the head of the charger (with a magnet also) is magnetically attached. This one-of-a-kind feature makes it a treat to set up. 

The Clarisonic Mia is very easy to use. The above diagram shows each part of the face requires 10 seconds of brushing totaling 1 minute, which is enough for the Clarisonic Mia to clean the entire face properly. Beware of abrasion when cleansing over the recommended time. 
Observations
Usage: close to six months
Frequency: once a week with the delicate brush
Result: cleaner feeling than manual cleansing done with hands; softer epidermis; fewer breakouts, clearer skin; no reduction in pore size, however fewer clogged pores
Product pair-up: I follow up with Clarins HydraQuench Cream-Mask 
Charging: once every two months (my personal usage)

Other Clarisonic products.

The Gentle Hydro Cleanser came as a free sample. It is meant for all normal to sensitive skin.

It is a soft cream type of cleanser that smells of carrot juice. I didn't find this any helpful in cleaning the face. It left the skin unclean and dirty. Definitely not recommended.

The Delicate Brush Head is recommended for extra-sensitive skin, such as people suffering from rosacea, eczema, etc.

Each box contains two pieces of the brush.

An introduction.

Pale blue duo comes with a plastic protective cover. These are sturdily made and clasp on to the Mia securely and are also easy to remove.

The back.

There really is a difference among the brush heads. The sensitive brush head was too harsh for my skin, leaving it somewhat feeling raw and sore, while the delicate brush cleaned with no uncomfortable feeling.

Some description.

Recommend the Clarisonic Mia: yes.

L'Occitane Hand Cream Collection

It was in Changi Airport on the way back to Manila when I saw this Hand Cream Collection. I had been sniffing along L'Occitane's shelves, one of which was dedicated to hand creams. The selection was mostly travel exclusives in boxes of 3 or 4 of the same scent, and I finally settled on this one because of the variety and beautiful tin.

The colorful swirls and the see-through pane of plastic are doubly appealing.

There are four 1oz (appx. 30ml) tube-type hand creams, each featuring a different scent and texture.

Shea Butter, Rose, Lavande, and Pivoine Flora. A real sampling treat for my nighttime hand treatment!

The Shea Butter Hand Cream is one of L'Occitane's classic hand creams. It contains 20% pure shea butter and is intended for dry skin. Its texture is thick and while moisturizing, oddly did not moisturize my hands as well as the others. Each time I applied the Rose Velvet Hand Cream, it instantly filled the air with the divine smell of roses -- this one's a concoction of Grasse, Bulgarian, Moroccan, and Turkish species. The cream has a light pink texture and made my hands soft and smooth in the morning.

The ingredients list above for Shea Butter and Rose.

Lavande has the lightest texture among the four choices, and surprisingly it offers better moisturization for me than Shea Butter. The scent is pure lavender that I am not so attached to, however it can be quite addicting because I truly felt more relaxed the more I breathed in the lavender scent on my hands. Among the four variants, I would choose a full-sized Lavande for purpose and practicality. Pivoine Flora (Peony) is another floral concoction enriched with grape seed oil and shea butter. I am not so fond of the scent. Its hydration properties is just about the same as Lavande's.

Above: Lavande; below: Pivoine Flora.

Overall, L'Occitane's Hand Cream Collection didn't just provide a visual delight, but also a sensory experience with real results.

An Introduction to Peter Thomas Roth

My sister kindly brought home this Peter Thomas Roth set from her trip to New York (thank you 三姐). PTR is an American brand that carries a wide range of products with a heavy leaning on skin care. Mr. Roth, of Hungarian origin, is no stranger to the beauty business. Witnessing firsthand his parents' spa resort business in Hungary, he launched PTR in 1993 focusing on the soothing and healing school of Hungarian thermal springs. See his brand's story here. 

From left to right: Mega-Rich Shampoo, Mega-Rich Conditioner, Mega-Rich Body Lotion, Non-Irritating Mouth Wash.

These hair products smell fresh and sweet, at the same time never cloying. Great fragrance for my picky nostrils.

The Mega-Rich Shampoo is formulated as a clear gel (with tinge of green). It smoothed some of my frizzy strands and added noticeable shine. This counts as one the best shampoos I have used. I couldn't say the same for the Mega-Rich Conditioner though, as I felt it didn't make my hair feel significantly softer. Its creamy consistency washed off nicely, but there were no significant smoothness noted as a result.

I'm not a fan of applying lotions on the body. The last thing I look to doing after a relaxing shower is having to take an extra few minutes spreading myself with a sticky substance. If I were forced to do this tedious ritual, I'd say give me Peter Thomas Roth's Mega-Rich Body Lotion. For one, it smells divine -- sweet and sharp citrus notes combined. Two, it's more liquid compared to its counterparts, as you can see it oozing out in the above picture. Last, it is not sticky! If only for the high absorption ability, I would always remember this product. May I add that it effectively moisturizes throughout the day. I would slather this on every day if I could overcome the after-shower-lotion-sloth in me.

The Non-Irritating Mouthwash is a different matter. Indeed it doesn't sting and smells very refreshing, but it does nothing in the odor department as say, my current staple, Oracare. Skip this. Overall, I am really glad to discover two gems from PTR. I do look forward delving into this brand more.

Mandom Barrier Repair Repair Concentrate Serum

Our skin adapts as we sail through the ages. The past few years saw an increase in my skin's sensitivity -- I learned that a mild form of rosacea had creeped in, aside from the fact that skin care is a lifelong commitment.

Desperate to soothe my skin without overly relying on my dermatologist, I sought out products that would address my skin concerns. It was in this journey that I found myself reaching for Mandom's Barrier Repair Repair Concentrate Serum -- consistently on Cosme's annual The Best Cosmetics Award list and personally recommended by Ratzilla.

It was just over HK$70 in Sasa, where it was on display and decided it the opportune time to try. The entire bottle is made of lightweight plastic -- sturdy, practical, and travel-friendly.

This product is listed to be free of additives and parabens. See the complete ingredient list here.

 The serum comes out as a milky white fluid. It smells of nothing.

Spreads easily and sinks in quick. The moisture level (high) is evidently felt after application.

The product weighs 60g -- quite a lot for a serum, which is usually sold for 30ml. I found this serum to be really effective on the hydration front, though it doesn't sink in as well as other serums. I would say this is a hybrid of serum and moisturizer. After less than a week of daily use in the morning and evening, my pores were clogged. It must be the silicones in the formulation. It didn't soothe my irritation either; my skin had a general red tone on it. However, it didn't cause any break outs and moisturized my skin well. This will perform with no trouble on non-sensitive skin types.

 

Here's another beauty lesson: don't just bank your skincare and makeup on rankings. One beauty editor's meat is another consumer's poison. It's best to read the ingredients list first, but before that you should know what to be looking out for -- either by trial and error or through a skin patch test. In my case, that is both.