FTE Battle #1: COSRX Galactomyces 95 Whitening Power Essence vs. SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

Some time in May and June, I carried out a small experiment: for 4 weeks, I applied two different FTEs on two different halves of my face.  (I also wrote a rather unstructured, irregularly updated diary of the process here.)  The aim is simple: I was looking for a substitute for the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence,…

Shiseido Perfect UV Protector SPF50+ PA++++ WetForce HydroFresh

Maybe it's just me and my few loose screws, but as an owner of relatively sensitive skin, sometimes I get bored by my own skin and consciously go for something that would probably kill my skin (but perhaps not!).  This review was born out of such an occasion. Let's get everything out of the way,…

Tunemakers Concentrated Moisturising Creamy Lotion and Various Boosters

I like experiments, and apparently this sentiment extends to experiments on my face. Expect hydrating toners and serums to rotate through the door, while emulsions and creams come and go. However, I do have two mainstays in my routine -- two cornerstones that can hold up my skin even as everything else falls apart: one…

Kuramoto Bijin Komeyu Serum, Hakumai Hakkou Milk, and Komeyu

As much as I love the more clinical Japanese skincare products like Hada Labo, I am weak to the ingredient stories that are especially prevalent in Japan.  Locality, seasonality, and the producer-product relationship are parts of the traditional Japanese aesthetics, and, in the store, my eyes tend to stray to products that espouse this philosophy…

FTE Journal: COSRX vs. SK-II

Last log: 16 June 2017, Day 30 (AM). 27 May 2017 Update: Thank you to Narcissus1991 for pointing out the mistakes in the article. Introduction Both COSRX Galactomyces 95 Whitening Essence and SK-II Facial Treatment Essence are mainly composed of Galactomyces ferment filtrate.  The most glaring difference between the two products are the price tags: 100 mL of the COSRX cost…

Mentholatum Melano CC Serum

  Welcome to the blog's first vitamin C product review! I hope you will enjoy your stay, as this is most likely the last vitamin C review to appear in a very, very long while.... My chin suffers from hormonal acne: red, painful pimples that thankfully remain small and usually die down quickly.  The problem…

Blog Appearance

I am still fiddling with the blog appearance.  Since I am unfamiliar with WordPress and blog-building in general, I am afraid I will have to take some time figuring things out.  Expect the blog appearance to change radically for the next week or so.  I will try my best to decide on a layout and…

Country & Stream Honey UV Water Gel (SPF 50+, PA ++++)

Updated on 10 May 2017 to include information regarding Country & Stream's parent company. I was on the hunt for a lightweight yet non-drying sunscreen, and this product has been generating rave reviews on Reddit.  Since I know that my skin reacts well to honey, I grabbed this sunscreen when I passed it in the…

Acseine Super Sunshield Bright Veil (SPF 50+, PA ++++)

The worst reaction I have ever had towards a skincare product involved a sunscreen (RIP, Biore UV Perfect Bright Milk).  The stinging started about an hour into wear, gradually increasing in intensity, until my face felt like it was being burnt from the inside.  This was before I got into the Asian Beauty community and patch-testing…

Chanel Misia

On paper, there is no reason why I should desire Misia: no lush white flowers repose within its folds, it does not ride on a well-oiled leather saddle, and, while it has its sweet side, it does not satisfy the sweet tooth. There is, however, some truth in the saying that love follows no logic,…