Cerave mini review

Cerave moisturizing lotion

 

I decided to give Cerave another try during summer but it wasn't much different from my winter review, so I decided to just leave my review as it is... please click on this link for my review of Cerave cream

Cerave Moisturizing Cream

This review is about both the Cerave Moisturizer and the moisturizing cream. I grouped them together because, despite consistency and how they absorb, I noticed that both of them have similar effects on the skin.

impressions:

• drying up acne and pimples
• temporary relief of dry skin
• temporary smoothing texture of the skin

If there was one thing I would recommend to my friends and family about Cerave creams and moisturizers, is that they have the ability to dry up acne and pimples! No other product on my radar does a better job than Cerave. It is almost a guarantee... I discovered this benefit (that I feel is unique to Cerave) one day while I was looking for something to moisturize my skin and Cerave happened to be the only product near me... a few hours later, I felt my acne/pimples drying up... at first I thought it was a coincidence, but realized later on that it was Cerave, and both the cream and moisturizer does this trick.

I want to emphasize that it does not solve your acne/pimple issue, but drying it up is the first step to treating it, those with raw pimples know what I am talking about. (also... no picking the dry bits out >__<)... also, take note that it will take a few hours for it to work...

How to

I experimented using different "treatments" and found the best result was when I put a thin layer applying slightly more to the problem area, pimples (moisturizer - completely absorbed, cream - try to make the layer as thin as possible) and let it absorb and dry (do not add anything above or below this layer e.g. no toners, serums, sprays, leave on face masks, etc)... then in a few hours your pimples will dry up! This also works very well if you do it before you go to sleep.

I hope this tip is helpful to you!

Lion' s 休足時間 cooling patches for legs and feet review

Japanese foot and leg cooling patches

Before this review, I want to mention that this was written on July 1st, 2016 (yes, you read that right), so apologizing in advance for the poor lighting, and if you notice that the review style feels like my older reviews... well... it is :P

I realized I have already made a part 1 review of this product... so here is a second (with more details)

After all this shopping for the first 2 weeks of the year... my feet are tired!

So first things first: these are cooling sheets for legs and feet. They are supposed to relieve your feet and legs from the fatigue of standing or walking too much, and if you have cramps, they are used to get rid of them. 

size against my feet (I am a size 5.5-6)

All of them are in this size... you can see how they can fit your whole feet

wrapping the patch around my legs

This shiny part is to be peeled away so you can reveal the self-adhesive side... honestly, I was disappointed that it was so hard to take off. Most Japanese products don't have this problem... 

I usually use these right before bed, I put them on and peel them off the next morning. Do not walk after putting them on, they will easily fall off (and you won't' be able to stick them back on). 

further directions can be found in part one

packages, cut along the line, and fold according to the dotted lines

impressions:

• packaging needs work
• for "normal skin such as the skin on legs (the cooling effect takes 4-5 minutes to activate, but for soles of  feet where the skin is much harder, it will take a much longer time (like 15-30 mins) the cooling effect is less obvious too
• works... aside from the cooling effect, my feet and legs were cramp-free for the next few days!
• got rid of my foot cramps

The packaging is a bit of a disappointment. I am not referring to the box packaging but to the paper foil bag that holds the actual patches. In order to "close the bag" you need to fold it twice, I haven't experienced the patches drying (cause I try to use them up within a month) but I can imagine them drying if you don't fold it properly. It would be so much better if they had put in a ziplock seal to hold in the moisture (since the patches are a bit wet (trying to avoid the word "moist"))

instructions

I tried fanning the sheets (don't ask how I thought of this) but it sort of helps activate it... and helps the cooling effect and patch to work better.

These are amazing and I highly recommend this to people who have to always be on their feet, wear heels, or always walking (or all of the above). Prior to using these, I experienced a lot of cramps (especially from my heels and from always walking) but I have noticed a difference 

score: 9.5/10
website: http://www.lioncorp.com.sg/Kyusoku%20Jikan/kyusoku-jikan.html

Paula's Choice Super Hydrate Overnight Mask review

Hello, I am so thankful for the wonderful summery weather we have been getting. It is currently 30 degrees (celsius) where I am. 

My skin seems to be more demanding lately and with the need of turning on the AC, my skin is dehydrated. So I went on Paula's Choice's website and found this mask. (I am not sponsored by or affiliated with Paula's Choice in any way, I use their products because they work for me)

It is a Super Hydrate Overnight Mask that contains Cloudberry and Reishi mushrooms. It is suitable for all skin types.

It has a gel slimy texture that reverses dehydrated damaged skin. 

Cloudberries are rich in Vitamin E, it shields the skin from harmful free radicals and prevents wrinkles, dryness and maintain skin luster. 

Reishi mushrooms attract moisture to the skin (similar to hyaluronic acid), in addition, it deeply hydrates and detoxifies your skin. It helps diminishes fine lines, premature aging and reduces redness.

impressions:

• very thin and slimy - not a fan of the texture
• has a herby, ferny scent (reminds me of wet crushed flax seeds)
• good to use a moisturizer or cream after
• hydrates skin
• applies terrible but works!
• do not use this on your lips!

Paula's Choice suggests using it on clean skin or as a last step in your night routine. I choose the latter because why wash off something if it doesn't need to be?

I do like it as a last step but rather than the last step, I use it as a second last step. I find the texture and thinness of the product stripping and drying out my skin and without some extra protection, it does more harm than good (I learned this the first two times of using this product), so I suggest putting in a layer of moisturizer or cream to seal in the product to prevent it from stripping moisture from your skin. 

I have to further elaborate on the texture... I hate it... I hate how slimy it is but I am glad despite the sliminess it works... I have had issues with slimy and thin products in the past, but this did not irritate me. The thinness makes the mask an ideal serum, and I have been using it after my toner and before my moisturizer. So far (2 months) it has worked and I haven't come across any issues.

Despite it working really well on dehydrated skin (and especially on acne as a result of dehydration), do not think that it works on your lips. I made the mistake of using it on my lips and it dried them out and made them crack! 

Score: 8/10

Website: https://www.paulaschoice.com/super-hydrate-overnight-mask/287-2870.html

McDonald’s Donuts short review

I started noticing McDonald's has added donuts to their menu... they look tinier than your regular donuts and I found it interesting how they have ventured out into the donut world.

They have 6 donuts, I ordered one of each to see how they taste. My first comment is that I appreciate how little sugar they have added into each one! (It is even less sweet than their muffins).

For this review, I didn't look up which was which and let my tastebuds guess what each one was.

Cinnamon and Cream Donut

This was the first donut I tried and I was impressed, despite its smaller than average donut size, it was very tasty. There is a very light cinnamon taste (but nothing overbearing) which gives you a hint that there is cinnamon but not enough for you to taste the pungent taste. I liked how the cream added some texture and variety to the donut. The cream also had a very mild taste. 

Maple Iced and Caramel Filled Donut

The moment I took a bite out of this donut, my tastebuds immediately identified the maple syrup. The maple icing (yes you read that correctly...) complemented the caramel syrup very nicely. Despite both the maple syrup and caramel being sweet, this donut was also not too sweet.... it was just right. Don't let the filling fool you... it may look like maple syrup, but it is caramel.

Strawberry Jelly Powdered Donut

I was very excited they had a powdered sugar donut. The strawberry jelly is a nice surprise. It relieved me from the dryness of the powdered sugar.

Boston Cream Donut

This Boston Cream donut is a bit different from the other Boston Cream donuts I have had. Like the others, it is filled with Bavarian cream but unlike the others, it has a thicker chocolate icing that doesn't melt and is not sticky. I liked the variation and amount of chocolate they had topped and drizzled on top.

 

Apple Fritter Donut

When I took a bite out of this donut, I knew there was something fruity about it (my first guess was raisins). Despite there being 14% of real apples (according to their website) my tastebuds had a hard time pinpointing the taste as "apple". The cinnamon is also very subtle.

Sprinkle Donut

This donut is probably the most eyecatching of them all! But don't be fooled this is a plain donut with a sprinkle and icing glaze. I was a bit disappointed that this donut did not have any filling inside. I liked how the sweet pink vanilla wasn't very sweet, just sweet enough. 

score: 8/10

website: https://www4.mcdonalds.ca/mccafe_eng/donuts/

Mike Sesame Oil Popcorn review

ごま油ポップコーン

so... I saw this sitting at the bottom of my drafts and realized I forgot to publish it (I wrote this review on June 11, 2018)... it has been 3 years and I haven't seen it reappear... still... I thought I would share this with you. 

One of my favourite "oils" of all time is sesame oil... and one of my favourite snacks happens to be popcorn... so you can imagine my excitement when I found a whole shelf of these Sesame Oil Popcorn bags lying around at my local grocery store!

impressions:

• strong seaweed taste
• where is the sesame oil?
• has a strong "Mike's popcorn taste" (which I'm not particularly a fan of...)

I was disappointed and I hope they never bring this back... when you say there is sesame oil and the aroma or taste is not there... that is extremely careless... I did taste the seaweed

score: 5/10

website: no website

Paula's Choice Hydrating Treatment Mask review

 

I came across this "mask" while I was on their website to refill on more of their popular leave-on exfoliant. 

My skin has been quite dry lately and since I am very impressed with their exfoliate I decided to give this mask a try. I haven't heard of it prior and there seems to be no mention of this product from other skincare specialists. 

This is a hydrating treatment mask that contains Borage oil. According to stylist.co.uk, "Borage oil treats all kinds of skin inflammation including eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis, and rosacea. It is also good if your skin feels dry as it is calming, nourishing, and redness-erasing prowess. It's also useful in helping calm acne and it's lighter than many other oils so won't leave your face feeling greasy."

This mask claims to hydrate dry, flaky skin, fortifies the protective moisture barrier, and calms and soothes sensitive skin. It is listed under their "Skin Recovery". Paula's Choice also recommends it as a good hand hydrating mask (but I didn't/haven't feel/felt the benefits of it).

Directions 

Use on clean skin. Apply a generous layer all over the face and neck. Leave on overnight as your last step in your skincare routine. Use as often as needed.

I have been using this mask (sometimes I use it as a moisturizer and almost every night as a leave-on mask) for almost 4 months and I love it!

Impressions:

• affordable
• calming
• your skin needs to adjust to the texture
• it hydrates your dry skin!
• can be used as a moisturizer/eye cream
• long-lasting (effects last for hours)
• Use around 1 cm of product for the whole face
• very thick, leave-on mask but light-weight (skin absorbs every bit of product)
• no irritation
• softens skin, soothes skin
• non-greasy

When I first started using this mask, my skin felt uncomfortable with the thickness and consistency, it took around 2 weeks till my skin was able to adjust and became comfortable with the consistency and properly absorbed the product. 

I noticed it would dry out some smaller pimples and acne within 1-2 uses.  I use it as an overnight leave-on mask, and my skin feels very plump and hydrated the next day. There was a tiny wrinkle on my skin (prior to using this mask) and this mask took it out within 2-3 uses!

I have super sensitive skin and this mask/cream did not cause any issues. There was absolutely no irritation, but my skin had to adjust to the thickness of "learning how to absorb it properly". 

I am super happy I found this product and it is also one of Paula's Choice's more affordable products.

Score: 10/10
Website: https://www.paulaschoice.com/skin-recovery-hydrating-treatment-mask/280.html

CoCo's Passion Dragonfruit Smoothie short review

Large Passion Dragonfruit smoothie

I haven't gone out to explore places (restaurants, bars, etc) since the pandemic so I haven't been able to write a lot of reviews... while I like the convenience of taking out, it just isn't the same as dining in... I can't wait till we can all dine out again and be free to explore places! 

After months of reviewing products I am so glad I finally came across a drink I really like and can't wait to share with you, this is Coco's Passion Dragonfruit Smoothie... isn't it pretty? 😍 

ALSO! they have a special promotion right now... it is $5.50 (for the month of April... I'm not sure how long it last though)

The Drink:

The staff warned me that somewhere in the ingredients there is milk, so if you are lactose intolerant, be warned. I couldn't taste a strong milk presence, though. 

I think this is a seasonal item since I see dragonfruits popping around everywhere but am secretly hoping it is a permanent menu item. 

I couldn't find this item on their website... so the ingredients list will be based on my tastebuds and experience. 

Ingredients: 

It contains real dragonfruit bits, passionfruit bits, passionfruit seeds (replacing the traditional tapioca balls), and milk (according to the staff)

Experience:

I love this drink because it isn't artificially sweet, it is just right, and it also isn't sour, but with hints of tart in the blend (from the passionfruit bits). Despite being a smoothie, it is very refreshing and contains lots of liquid. I hate traditional smoothies that are not refreshing and don't quench thirst, but this isn't the case for this drink at all. 

score: 10/10

website: no website