Review: Clariancy facial treatment

Place Reviewed: Clariancy

Price: S$30 for 90 min facial (I bought a special deal voucher from StreetDeal.sg in Jan)

Available at: Jurong Point, Raffles Hotel Arcade

Services available: Facial, massage, body scrubs & wraps, hair removal treatments, slimming treatments

Review:
Before the treatment: I have been on the lookout for facial promotions on group buying websites as my current facial package was about to end and the salon wasn’t giving me a good deal anymore. So I have been dabbling a little here and there to try out facial services at various salons. Clariancy sounded very professional and the lady who took my appointment was eloquent and polite. Brownie points here! I can’t stress how important language skills are when it comes to the service line. ANYWAY… .

Atmosphere: When I arrived at the place, I felt a little uncomfortable. The place was actually a retail shop, in crowded Jurong Point, with a few partitioned rooms as the treatment rooms. I had to wait for a while for them to prepare the room (not sure why they couldn’t have done this beforehand since they already know they have appointments!) and I was left outside to browse the products they’re retailing. The therapist zoomed to me and blabbered on sales pitch if I lingered at a product for more than 5 seconds. C’mon! Give me my browsing space!

The room I was brought to was bare and minimal. The room was big but empty, with the treatment bed on the left, the sink in the middle, and a row of cupboards on the right. The bed was small and wasn’t heated though the aircon was freezing. The blanket (what blanket? It was merely a bath towel!) provided was thin and didn’t provide enough warmth. Even when I was wriggling halfway through the treatment to indicate that I was cold, the therapist didn’t offer me an additional ‘blanket’. The walls were thin and I could hear the salespeople serving the customers outside, every single sales pitch, complain and laughter, I heard it all. If you have been to Jurong Point on weekends, you’d know that the whole place is swarming with people and it’s extremely noisy.

Treatment review: The therapist was a little chatty in the beginning, but I was a lady of few words during such treatments so after a while, she just concentrated on her work. The treatment started with a cleanser, then a liquid peeling gel of some sort, after which she used the steamer on my face (how old school!!!) for a few SECONDS. Not sure if the few seconds of steaming helped to open up my pores because the extraction was over in a minute. The treatment was followed by a facial massage then a gel mask.

I wasn’t impressed with the treatment at all. The atmosphere was less than ideal, the therapist was bordering on slipshod and unprofessional (if you need to inform your colleague something, excuse yourself and do it outside the room. I’m not interested to know if you’re having fish soup or deep fried fish beehoon for dinner. And I still found some blackheads on my nose after the treatment), and the treatment was definitely NOT WORTH $200. There wasn’t even a shoulder massage! I reckon the massage gel used for the face massage was aloe vera gel or something like that because it didn’t provide any glide on the skin, even to the point of tugging at my skin when it was almost all absorbed into my skin. Unlike other facial treatments I have done, there was no visible effects after the treatment, no glow, not even a “your skin looks very clean” look.

The therapist still told me “the products will absorb into skin very quickly. There’s no sticky feeling” Erm, yea right! The products used were from an obscure brand from Japan and they were sticky as hell! Even after 30 minutes.

Rating: 1/5 (If I could, I would get a refund! Total waste of my time & money)

Would I go back again: Obviously not!!

Review: Baviphat Woori Gokmul Oatmeal mask sheet

Item Reviewed: Baviphat Woori Gokmul Oatmeal mask sheet

Price/pack size: S$2.90/piece

Available at: Baviphat at Gmarket Korea

Description: Moisture & Nourishing

Usage: Apply mask sheet to cleansed face and leave on for 10-15 minutes. Remove mask and massage remaining solution into your skin with hands.

Review: To be honest, I had no idea what this mask is for as there is no English description. I only bought it because the packaging looks so cute! LOL It was relatively cheap too. I gathered that it should be for sensitive skin since oatmeal skincare products were for sensitive skin in general. The mask fits pretty well, but I guess that was the only thing that I liked about the mask. The essence took long to absorb into the skin, and it made my skin sticky. I had to rinse off after a while because I just couldn’t stand it. Perhaps the other masks in the range would be better.

Rating: 1/5

Would I buy again: No.

Review: Skinfood Salmon Brightening Eye Massage Serum

Item Reviewed: Skinfood Salmon Brightening Eye Massage Serum

Price/pack size: S$75 (15gl)

Available at: Skinfood retail outlets, including Jurong Point & Far East Plaza

Ingredients:

Description: Designed with a relaxing massage tip, it intensifies blood circulation on eye area and enables faster absorption of omega-3 fatty acid, arbutin and vitamins.

Usage: After toner, apply an appropriate amount around your eyes using the container tip for quicker absorption. Use once or twice a week. For quicker results, complete with Salmon Brightening Eye Cream.

Review: Wow… this product has got a super long name! To shorten things, I shall call it SES (Salmon Eye Serum) for this review’s purpose. Being in my mid-twenties now, I reckon I better step up on my anti-aging regime… I used to think I’ll have young skin forever (read: acne & pimples) but sigh… the crow’s feet are slowly appearing now! Early this year, I moved into the study room where I could play computer games and Youtube all night without my parents nagging. While the freedom was good, the aftermath was not. Staying up all night made my skin really dull and I developed dark eye circles!!! Furthermore, the skin around my eyes was dry and sensitive.

I was at Jurong Point one evening with the family and decided to check out Skin Food.  I browsed their shelves and enquired about solutions for dark eye circles. The SA recommended the SES to me. Thinking that I only need to use it twice a week, it would last me a long time though $75 was a little too much for an eye cream. Mum’s paying, so ok!

The idea was innovative – to use the unique applicator to massage the serum onto eye area twice a week to aid blood circulation. The serum was a light gel that wasn’t sticky, and dried fairly fast. The applicator, however, wasn’t really pleasant as the edges felt rough and uncomfortable on delicate skin around the eyes. Every time I applied the serum, I felt like it was scratching me. As the serum absorbed into the skin, it felt like the applicator was dragging and pulling the skin too. Not so good if you want youthful eyes! I resorted to pumping out the serum onto my finger and applying onto the eye area, gently tapping and dabbing as I get the serum to be absorbed. That worked, but I didn’t see any visible results from the eye cream. It was not moisturizing enough for me (I have an eczema patch on my left eyelid) as my eyes were always dry by lunchtime. Another minus point is that the packaging was not transparent or translucent, so I don’t know how much more product I have left.

Oh, and I read from online forums that the SES only cost around S$21 in Korea! &^%$# I paid S$75 retail here! Though freight and retail overheads usually cause local prices to be higher than home country, more than 300% is just way too much!

Rating: 1/5

Would I buy again: No… I feel cheated!

Review: Everyday Minerals Pressed Olive Light foundation

Item Reviewed: Everyday Minerals Pressed Olive Light foundation

Price/pack size: US$12

Available at: Online

Ingredients:
Mica (CI 77019), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lauroyl Lysine, Tocopherol Acetate (Vitamin E). May Contain: Zinc Oxide (CI 77947), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Ultramarines (CI 77007).

Description:
For fair to light complexions with yellow and olive undertones

Pressed minerals offer a soft matte finish and full coverage. Enjoy the super light weight feel on your skin, can be applied with the latex free flocked sponge that comes with your compact or a brush.

Review:
I love the loose version of Everyday Minerals, it’s my favourite mineral foundation to date. But sometimes I just need a quick dust of foundation to get me out of the house fast and loose minerals are just too much hassle in the mornings. So I was really glad and pleased when EDM introduced a pressed mineral foundation.

However, I was quickly disappointed when I tried the pressed product. The colour was totally off, unlike the loose minerals. It was far too dark and orangey for me. I thought I had gone lighter and tried the loose minerals but they were fine, so it had to be the pressed version gone wrong.

Besides the inaccurate colour, the flocked sponge that came with the pressed foundation was not of quality as well. It was thin and looked like it was going to tear easily. It also did not apply the powder well and evenly. I had thick patches of powder on my skin, extremely cakey. I remember EDM used to sell refills of this flocked sponge, but it is now gone and I don’t know how else to apply the foundation when I want to change my sponge for hygiene purposes. I mean, I could of course use a kabuki or flattop brush, but when I’m out and want to do a quick touchup, sponges are more convenient.

This product is truly a disappointment especially with the colour selection. US$12 is not cheap to keep buying and trying till you get the right colour match.

Rating: 1/5

Would I buy again: No

Review: Follow Me O2 Renewal Gel

Item Reviewed: Follow Me UV White O2 Advanced Renewal Gel

Price/pack size: 60ml

Available at: Major retail outlets

Ingredients:

Description: Further infused with Grape Seed Extract and Retinol to enhance skin repair, collagen regeneration and keep wrinkles, acne, dull skin and blackheads away at bay.

Review: Whatever it is, even if you’re desperate to exfoliate your skin, DO NOT GET THIS PRODUCT!

Follow Me O2 Renewal Gel has got to be the worst skincare product I’ve ever purchased in 2009. It is supposed to be a gentle chemical exfoliant, something like Cure Miracle Gel and Ginvera Marvel Gel. However, it oddly felt like glue on my face and even SMELT like it.

Your face and hands must be completely dry, otherwise it is very hard to get the chemicals working to rub the dead skin cells off your skin. As my skin is pretty sensitive, I felt an immediate stinging sensation 10 seconds after I applied the gel to my face. My skin was slowly turning red and my nose hurt from the pungent alcohol/glue smell. I used it for 3 times before I gave up and used something else.

Finally, I found the best way to use up this useless product as it was taking up space on my vanity counter – to give my legs a good ‘scrub down’. On my legs where skin is not sensitive, the product worked and made my legs super shiny and smooth. However, I wouldn’t buy it again. It certainly isn’t cheap enough for me to use it on my legs!

Rating: 1/5

Would I buy again: Definitely NO

Review: Mario Badescu Strawberry Tonic Mask

Item Reviewed: Mario Badescu Strawberry Tonic Mask

Price/pack size: USD$18/60ml tub

Available at: Onlyaesthetics, 5 locations including Delfi Orchard & Holland Village (I ordered mine online though)

Ingredients: Deionized Water, Kaolin, Seamollient, Wheat Starch, PVP, Sclerotium Gum, Balsam Peru, Zinc Oxide, Strawberry Extract

Description: This Alpha Hydroxy rich clay mask absorbs surface oils and debris to keep normal, combination and slightly oily skin clear and healthy. Soothing botanical Balsam Peru helps reduce minor irritation and redness on sensitive skin. Also great for minimizing old acne scarring.

Usage: Apply a thin layer of mask on clean skin avoiding eye area. Wait 15-20 minutes and rinse thoroughly with tepid water. Follow with moisturizer or night cream. Use 2-3 times a week.

Review: The strawberry scent comes through really strong in this mask, not that it’s a bad thing cos it just reminds me of yummy strawberry milkshake! The colour and texture of the mask further enforces my thought – light pink and creamy. I was very tempted to taste it! There’s kaolin in the mask so it dries on my face, absorbing all the sebum and nasties. Seamollient moisturizes the skin, balancing it nicely. Zinc oxide has antibacterial properties so if you have acne-prone skin, feel safe to use it. I have never broken out using it, so if that’s a testimony to you… =) I use this mask alternatively with my DHC Mineral Mask as a deep cleansing treat. My skin is always soft and smooth, slightly brightened up when I rinse STM off.

Strawberry extract contains AHA which is great for oily, acne-prone skin as it helps to get rid of the top layer of dead skin cells, revealing fresher skin.

Revised review 27 Dec 2010: I fell out of love with this mask, mainly because it was so difficult to wash off! I had to use a washcloth to get it off, but even then, it feels like there’s a layer of oil on my skin which was damn hard to remove, even if I used a cleanser after rinsing the mask. BAD. Even if the mask helps to absorb sebum, reduces redness etc, it’s still a no-no for me.

Some people may be allergic to Balsam Peru, an ingredient widely used in MB’s products (eg: Control Cream, Healing Cream, Whitening Mask & Azulene Mask). According to Dermnet NZ, Balsam Peru may be antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic, but it also contains essential oils similar to those in citrus fruit peel. These are all potential allergens. Thus, you may want to try out a sample of these products before committing to a full size tub.

Rating: 4.5/5 (Revised rating: 1/5)

Would I buy again: Yes (Revised: No)

Review: Mario Badescu Whitening Mask

Item Reviewed: Mario Badescu Whitening Mask

Price/pack size: US$24 / 60ml tub

Available at: Onlyaesthetics, 5 locations including Delfi Orchard & Holland Village (I ordered mine online though)

Ingredients: Deionized Water (Aqua), Kaolin, Balsam (Myroxylon Pereirae Resin) Peru, Wheat (Triticum Vulgare) Starch, Titanium Dioxide, Zinc Oxide, Sorbitol, Kojic Acid, Mulberry Extract, Licorice Extract, Grape Extract, Scullcap (Scutellaria Galericulate) Extract

Description: This hydrating mask will help brighten uneven skin tones and gently minimize the look of old acne scars and discolorations from the sun. Skin lightening, natural ingredients like Kojic Acid, Licorice and Mulberry make this mask gentle for all skin types. Contains no Alpha Hydroxy Acids making it safe and gentle for acne erupted or very sensitive skin.

Usage: Apply a thin layer of mask on clean skin avoiding eye area. Wait 5-10 minutes and rinse thoroughly with tepid water. Follow with serum and moisturizer. Use 2-3 times a week.

Review: Due to the grape extract as one of the ingredients, the mask smells absolutely yummy – quite like a grape sweet. Consistency of the mask is good, liquid but yet not runny. You won’t need a lot to spread evenly on your face, making the mask pretty economical (USD$24 for 60ml – I reckon it can be used for at least 4 months with twice weekly usage). I cleansed my face with a exfoliating wash before applying the mask, and surprisingly it stings for a couple of moments when first applied. None of the MB masks have ever stung me so I was taken aback and quite worried that I’ll get some kind of reaction to the mask.

Luckily, nothing bad happened, and in fact, my skin was brightened up after one use! It can be a little difficult to wash off due to the titanium dioxide and zinc oxide (they’re not water soluble). I prefer to follow up with a mild cleanser to make sure I got it all off.

Revised review 27 Dec 2010: I decided I had enough of the mask because it was such a pain in the ass to wash it off thoroughly.

Some people may be allergic to Balsam Peru, an ingredient widely used in MB’s products (Control Cream, Healing Cream, Whitening Mask & Azulene Mask). According to Dermnet NZ, Balsam Peru may be antibacterial, antifungal and antiparasitic, but it also contains essential oils similar to those in citrus fruit peel. These are all potential allergens. Thus, you may want to try out a sample of these products before committing to a full size tub.

Rating: 3/5 (Revised rating: 1/5)

Would I buy again: Yes (Revised: No)

Review: Skin Food Rice Mask

Simple Smoothing Cleansing Scrub

Ingredients: Corn cob granules exfoliate dead cells and impurities, while Vitamin E moisturises and enriches your skin.

Price: Around the range of $10
Please contact me via email (madaboutsprees@gmail.com) if you’re an international reader interested to buy.

Reviews: I thought this was pretty useless. The texture was far too liquidy for me to spread the scrub around my face evenly. I kept on having goops of corn granules in certain areas of my face, while the other parts of my face only had the liquid. The granules were also far too big to scrub my face gently. It actually hurt to scrub my face with this. The sides of my nose were still rough after using the scrub.

Overall rating:

Origins All And Nothing Loose Powder