Review: Purity by Philosophy Facial Wash

Hello! Sorry for the late updates, been really busy with school and exams! But now that the holidays have started, I'll try to post slightly more and update on what new stuff I have been trying out(:

I originally wanted to do a mega-post on the many facial washes I have used+ currently use, but I realised some of them are discontinued, so I've decided to update with one of my HGs ((holy grail)...

It's my Purity by Philosophy facial wash, that I've been enjoying for slightly less than a year now(: I purchased my first bottle of Purity in Sephora, London, together with my trusty Clarisonic Mia 2.

What drew me to this facial wash initially was the fact that it was included with the Mia before, so I assumed it would be a good product to have, to complement my Mia 2. I was quite disappointed when I discovered that it was no longer in a set with the Mia 2 ): Instead it came with the Boscia Cleansing Wash which I will review in a later post.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple is a pH-balanced formula that rapidly dissolves dirt and makeup while deep cleaning pores. The bestselling cleanser contains infusions of sage, chamomile, and carrot. (from Sephora.com)

PROS

Gentle on the skin-> unlike other washes I've used, this one doesn't leave my skin feeling particularly sticky nor tight, maybe it's because it's a more milky formula (which I know, doesn't appeal to everyone)

Moisturising-> leaves my skin feeling pretty hydrated and fresh

Can be used as a makeup remover-> YES it can! The lady at Sephora told me I could use this as a makeup remover in case I didn't like it as a facial wash, since it's more milky than bubbly. To use this as a makeup remover, deposit some on a clean cotton facial pad and wipe away gently.

CONS

Milky-> Sometimes after a really long day at school/work, all you wanna do is just to feel fresh and clean. This facial wash sometimes doesn't leave us with the super squeaky clean feeling, because it's bubble-free, so not everyone will like it!

Herby smell- I read in a review (can't remember by who, exactly) that it smelt of rosemary. I didn't pay particular attention to the scent of the wash at first until it was pointed out, and that beauty blogger didn't like the smell. My pregnant aunt also really dislikes the scent too!

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Would repurchase if I run out(:

Till next time!

x maddy

Update- PS. Have finished one travel sized bottle. one 8oz. version, and I've started on my 24oz (the monstrous one) bottle. Still loving it! My sister who recently tried it also really loves it! (:

Review: Clean Face Oil-Free BB Cream by THE FACE SHOP

Review: Clean Face Oil-Free BB Cream by THE FACE SHOP

This BB Cream is part of a series of products "Clean Face" formulated to help with acne prone oily skin. The range of products on shelf are all in similar coloured beige bottles, tubes, etc, and they're relatively priced. 

It's said to have chamomile extract, and its quick clear complex treats oily or problem skin more quickly and effectively. 

PROS:
-Nice texture-> BB creams are not simply moisturizers, nor provide the pore-clogging coverage that foundations tend to do. To me, it's important a BB cream is able to blend in and absorb well into the skin, without being too "heavy". I find that this one by Face Shop does a pretty good job in terms of its coverage. It's able to cover up minor blemishes and absorbs well without being too sticky. Because it's meant for oily skin, it doesn't give the type of "glow" that is generally popular and something that many Korean BB creams tend to have. I much prefer the matt look though, because you can always go over with highlighter for a brighter look!

Here's a picture of 2 BB Creams for comparison! Left is the one by Face Shop, Right is the one called "Dream Girls BB" by Skin79 (comes in a purple tube, I do NOT recommend this one!)

 You can just see the difference in formula!! The Face Shop one is much thicker compared to the watery skin79 one!

-Inexpensive-> I remember purchasing a tube (35ml/1.18oz) at less that 10 USD in Korea, so it's pretty worth it given that it can last you quite a while!

-Size-> Whilst some may argue that it's a really small size compared to say the luxurious bottle of Skin79 or the Liole BB Cream (this is almost half the size of the large tube!!) I think it's large enough to carry around in your purse without feeling too burdened! Nice travel size!

-Scent-> I can't place what exactly this smells of, but I LOVE IT! It happens to be the same scent as the air purifier they use in Ion, Orchard (shopping mall in Singapore where I live, haha).
[UPDATE: The scent is Modern Notes home fragrance-- Ginger, White Tea and Jasmine!]


CONS/STUFF TO NOTE:
-Packaging-> Ok, not packaging per say, but more of the way it's dispensed. This tube design is an issue with most of the products I use, though. If too much is squeezed out of the tube then when you close it the mouth of the tube will have leftover traces which to me, seems rather unhygenic!! I prefer a pump dispenser, if possible... Then again, you can't have the best of both worlds because a pump dispenser would be for tubes with more product!

The tube! 

-Coverage-> Coverage is good for the first few hours, and it does its "oil control" job pretty well; I like to blot after some time though as it doesn't keep your face matt all day long. 

-Colour-> As you can tell from the comparison shot I took (see above), it has pink undertones and can tend towards being ashy/greyish-looking, as compared to a BB cream with yellow undertones. It will, however, oxidise into your skin; just take note that it's more suitable for fairer skin tones... It's a bit lighter than my original skin tone(MAC Foundation Colour NC 22), but I think it's alright for me. 

Overall, I think this product is not a bad buy, and worth it if you're looking for something inexpensive to just try out. I have seen reviews online that this has broken some users out, and no product is ever perfect, so some people do have issues with this product. So far, it's been working fine for me; I haven't experienced any major breakouts as I do ensure that my face is properly cleansed everytime I apply make up. (I think it is very important to cleanse well especially once you are home, and give time for your skin to rest~) 

Rating: 3.0/5.0

Review: The Benefit Boi-ing Concealer

Review: The Benefit Boi-ing Concealer 

Price: USD 20.00 on Sephora.com

The Benefit Boi-ing concealer is an "industrial strength concealer".
It's said to camouflage dark circles, shadows, and discoloration without creasing or fading. An added bonus? This formula is now available in a full range of shades from light to deep so gals of all skintones can be imperfection-free. (from Sephora.com)

I purchased mine quite a while back, and I was shade 02-medium. Based on the sephora website, they've come up with in-between shades, which is perfect because I always believe that a concealer should be as close to your skin tone as possible, even if you are going to wear foundation over it. What I look for in a concealer is its staying power and ease of application, because it's no point really, having a perfect formula and lousy packaging/difficult application of the concealer. 

PROS
-Good formula->it has pretty amazing staying power, but there is a catch. I've realised that layering it on BB cream is not very effective as the concealer tends to rub off after a while--maybe something to do with its oil based formula? What I do is to wear BB cream first and then powder before putting on the concealer so it sticks better. Besides, the concealer has a matte finish so it doesn't draw extra attention to that hateful blemish of yours. 

-Colour->I find that the colour 02 matches my NW22 (MAC foundation colour) skin almost perfectly when blended in. It doesn't leave my skin looking grey (as some other stick concealers have done). 

CONS

-Drying and cakey-> This is after all, a heavier consistency as compared to a liquid concealer, and for some this can be rather drying for the skin. For those with oilier skin (like myself), I find that this concealer tends to cake up on the area after some time-- if it hasn't rubbed away, causing skin to look blotchy and even worse than before. 

-Unhygenic-> This comes in a pan rather much like eyeshadow and for concealer, I'm not sure this is the most hygenic way it can be packed. The best application tool when using the Benefit Boi-ing, I've discovered, is your God given fingers. You can rub your fingers on the palette and tap gently on the blemish to fade it away... That being said, this would contaminate the pan and is not ideal. I prefer to use my fingers to apply my concealer (after washing them, of course), and I'm not sure why, but over some time, my pan of concealer had a greyish look on the top like it got contaminated. I'm very sure it's not mould, but still this grey patch is quite troubling. 

-Difficult to apply-> Other than using one's fingers, you would need a small concealer brush. Your fingers are able to cover up bulging pimples, but as for more severe acne scars on dents in the skin, your finger isn't going to be able to reach into the tiny cracks and fill them up with concealer. The second best option would be to use a concealer brush, which would cause the area of skin to be cakey. Blend it out patiently to achieve a more even skin tone. 

-Packaging-> I'm not sure I love the packaging... It could have been better if it were in a lipstick tube, or at least a case that flipped open rather than a screw lid. For the record, screw lids could potentially go missing and leave you with a lid-less pan of concealer. Bacteria heaven. 

In general, I quite like the benefit concealer, because I don't have many more deep acne scars, basically some discolouration of the skin and the occasional zit or two. It does an okay job for what it;s suppposed to do, especially the fact that it isn't too grey(: 

Rating: 3.0/5.0




Would I repurchase? Maybe not. I say maybe, because the colour does match me quite well and it isn't too grey(one of my pet peeves wrt concealer!)