Gel moisturizers are perfect for oily/combination skin and absolutely god-send in our current weather.

I received this moisturizer from the Pond's exclusive March box (see unboxing here) and if you follow my instagram you've seen me profess my (surprising) love for this tub of goodness.


A lot of people who've tried this are particularly fixed on the scent which is I guess, supposed to smell like a rose. I get a hint of rose but not too much. It's more perfume-y than anything else, BUT its fragrance is comparatively lighter than the rest of the line which are borderline fabric softener/Sunsilk shampoo in my opinion —which is probably what made me break out.




The packaging is a weighty glass tub with plastic cap sprayed over with metallic pink. Not ideal for travelling but looks very very luxurious especially on the vanity. To tell you the truth I'm not a #pondsgirl. I've tried their face washes, powders, toners and face creams before but they just broke me out BAD. And I was a fragile teenager back then adjusting to puberty. (woe is me)

After taking a chance again when I received the March box, I still broke out on all of the skincare included except this one. I'm really attributing my breakout recently to Pond's heavily fragranced products. I mean, I don't want my skincare to smell medicinal or funky but I don't want to feel like I'm putting on fabric softener you know?


I guess the first two ingredients which is Water and Glycerin really made it more acceptable by my skin. Regarding the texture if you've tried the Celeteque water-based moisturizer it's a little similar it's just that this one feels more "creamy" in a way, probably because of the third ingredient Dimethicone.

So it's like when you mix the water-based moisturizer with a silicone primer. That is the best I could describe it. On the skin it feels smooth and light and it's absorbed quickly leaving my skin refreshed, plumper and softer.

I would highly recommend this product to anyone who has tried Pond's and been scorned before. For Php399 you get 50g which isn't bad at all considering the packaging (and the fact that it never broke me out!!!).

You really don't need a lot, just smaller-than-a-pea sized amount would definitely suffice but if you're like me and are a little heavy-handed with skincare, a dollop feels absolutely glorious on the skin. Follow it up with a face mist and you're golden.


Have you tried this before? Or have you tried any gel moisturizers before? What are your thoughts on them?


xx,
CJ

I have sparse lashes. They're not short per se but they're spaced about here and there as if to spite me. I think it's pretty common among asian girls having sparse and sometimes short lashes. The eyes being the windows to the soul, would mean that the eyelashes are...curtains...? Where was I going with this?

Let's get on to the actual reason I'm writing this post.






Because hey, whatever, I had little to no expectations to begin with. Maybe, just maybe, they'll work on my brows. (Inner plea to the gods : Please oh please oh please let this not be a complete waste of time)



Have you tried lash growing serums?

xx,
CJ

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Etude House PH website : http://www.etudehouse.ph/

Following the demise of my Freshel eye cream, I busted out my backup.

Ziaja is a Polish family company with 25 years of experience in pharmaceutical and skin care market. Ziaja is a leading producer in Poland with sales over 50 million units per year. 

Production adheres to strict system and process quality standards; the high quality of Ziaja products are guaranteed by ISO 9001:2008 and GMP standards. Each recipe is prepared with great care, in terms of dermatological and physico-chemical standards, and is consistent with European cosmetic law.

It's not a relatively known brand in the Philippines in terms of skincare. I was planning to keep it my dirty-little-secret but I decided to spread the word instead because this brand is something to watch out for. They have a lot of lines from babies to women and men. To date I've tried the face cream under the Goat's milk line (featured here) , Jasmine Micellar water from the Jasmine 50 line (featured here) and this eye cream I'm about to share with you.


Experience

This is relatively thinner compared to the Freshel one and I can't find any discernible scent. As it's thinner in consistency it feels lightweight on the skin but still moisturizing. Lately I haven't been as religious as when I first started using this (I think I can skip a day or two) but I find it good.



The nozzle/tip of the tube is similar to the Freshel. I wish most eye creams were packaged like this. I don't mind jars but this kind of design is compact, travel-friendly and hygienic (to germophobes).

Most of their products (if not all) are super affordable — it's sick. The range of products are staggeringly wide, the packaging is simple and straight-forward it looks retro plus the site is very detailed.


Where to find

I found ZiaJa at BeautyBar sadly they don't have a lot of variety in terms of line range. I suggest buying directly from the site for a complete list of all products and feast your eyes on everything. Squee.

Have you heard of this brand?

PS. Buy in bulk.
PPS. ZiaJa's quite famous in Korea — they get massive orders from people there.
PPS. Products are made under European standard people! European! Next best standard to Korean in my opinion.

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Price at BeautyBar : Php150
ZiaJa US site : http://ziaja.co.uk/
ZiaJa UK site : http://www.zjashop.com/

I'm back with a proper review for you (been a while, I know). You might think me too young to use eye creams, but prevention is better than the cure as they say.


At first I didn't see the point since, I am just 23 and I thought eye creams were supposed to be used when you're 30 and up (according to one article I read, you start showing small signs of aging when you hit your late 20s going into 30s, so prevention should start at around 25)

I'm two years too early but who cares. I don't.

*This is a sample size I got from the goody bag during the KATE Tokyo launch.*

Consistency is thick and creamy. It's emollient and sinks in slowly. It's not a fast drying eye cream, so if you're looking for something more snappy, I suggest go for an eye gel. They tend to dry faster. As most gels are wont to do.





It has a very very light flowery talc smell but doesn't irritate my eyes or anything.

I like the moisturized feeling it gives. It's a nice step to add (if I remember to do it) and being the thinnest skin (or one of) it requires a little bit more attention at least to me. So despite not being a necessity I like to think it'll help me in the future.



I wouldn't say it's my holy grail, but it's not a bad eye cream. And knowing it's a known Japanese brand I'm reassured that excellent ingredients were used and that the product was tested thoroughly. I mean, have you seen their skin? Apart from their diet, they have the best skin in my opinion.

You can find these at some Watsons' stores and Department stores - Beauty section.


PS. What eye creams have you used, and can recommend me?
PPS. What do you think about eye creams/gels in general in relation to adequate age usage?
PPPS. Seriously, have you seen Japanese people's skin?

1. Essence - Get Big Lashes (non-waterproof)
One thing's for sure -- The brush was too big for my eyes, or for regular lashes. It also didn't provide the 'volume boost' it claimed for my straight and sparse lashes. I would imagine this working much much better for fuller lashed people who don't need a lot of volume.

It wasn't waterproof too so at the end of the day I'd ponder if I'd put on eyeliner while getting ready.