My skin is allergic to dust, heavily fragranced products, menthol and witch hazel just to name a few, so as a skincare enthusiast, née junkie, I read the labels of every product I put on my face. I automatically put down products with fragrance named near the forefront in the ingredient list as well as witch-hazel and menthol.

Even then some products that don't have those ingredients might still inflame and irritate my skin. After I stop immediately I use really 'basic' skincare that I know and trust to calm my skin down. 

I've used Cetaphil, Celeteque, Neutrogena and Esfolio (or any brands along those lines). But this time I wanted to try something new - enter Luxe Organix.

Aloe anything products have always agreed with my skin, even if they did have a smidge of alcohol in the ingredient list.

This line is alcohol, paraben-free and Made in Korea. Yes being made in KOR, is immediately a plus for me, only because they really have strict guidelines in terms of skincare and medicine and the ingredients that go in them.

Aloe Calming Toner : Php 209

Aloe Vitamin Face Mist : Php 199

Aloe Aloe Vera Cream : Php 249

The toner and mist doesn't feel drying at all once it settles. And I love putting this water on my skin. And I say water because it feels just like it. It smells good, so that's the main difference. 

Apart from the Aloe, this moisturizer as Vitamin C - which helps evening out the skintone. It also has Centella Asiatica extract one of the current star ingredients of the skincare world - especially in Korean skincare. 

What is Centella and what does it do?

I'm a fan of this line and I'm beginning to be a fan of this whole brand. I've used their serums and currently using their Power Glow one. So far so good, no allergic reactions etc. I'm currently looking into what to add to my routine from this line.

Have you used this or this brand? Let me know below!

Ask any beauty aficionado, what their favorite sunscreen is and more often than not the Biore UV watery essence will pop up. It's no secret that most Japanese skincare brands have my heart (along with Korean beauty products) - they just work really well for me. I'm an avid fan of the Biore UV watery sunscreen in the blue tube/bottle and can completely understand why it has cult status.

Why's to love about Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essense?

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It has a water-gel texture that's easily absorbed by the skin giving a natural, skin-like non-greasy finish (no noticeable white cast). It's also super lightweight, making it great under makeup or by itself.

Sometimes  though you want something different, you can't get a hold of the Biore sunscreen or for some reason it's not working for you anymore. Enter Village 11 Factory's Hydra Sun Fluid.


 
Biorè vs Village 11 Factory

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1. Bottle - Village 11 has a pump but there's a tendency to lose the cap as it can be easily opened whereas the Biore one comes in a squeezable tube and a harder bottle with a screw-top.
2. Scent - The Biore has this alcohol-scent to it while this one has no noticeable scent.
3. Texture - While similar, Village 11 is more water-gel-like than Biore. But both are runny.
4. Color - Biore is has more of a milky color that blends on the skin while the Village 11 is clear.
5. Availability - Biore is more easily accesible at most Watsons' stores while Village 11 you can only find online. I got mine at Mei Satsuki on Shoppee (they also have a Facebook!)
6. Price - Biore's 50g tube costs around P500 at Watsons while Village 11's 50ml tube is around P650. Not much difference really.

Get the Biorè if you like Japanese brands or if Biorè in general has worked for you (if certain brands already work for you my advice is to stick to it) but if you're sensitive to scents or don't like alcohol-smelling products get the Village 11 Factory instead or Face Republic's Super Screen Sun Gel! (Very similar to Village 11's. All in all, they work great on their own and under makeup :)

Which one have you tried? Are you a kbeauty hoe or a japanjapan one? I'm both if you couldn't tell already.


xx,
CJ

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Toners or 'skin', as labeled in some asian products, are always marketed as a must in your skin care regimen. You know how it goes, after washing place some toner on a cotton pad or your palms and gently pat on your skin. Not to be confused with astringents or those alcohol based toners that leave your skin feeling tingly, minty, tight and dry.

I admit I personally didn't see the importance of toners in my teens as I frequently forget to put it or just disregard it completely but they in fact do a significant difference to the skin. Let me break it down...


Retails at ₱1,580.00/ 130ml

The skin has a natural PH level of 4 to 6 with the scale of PH ranging from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most alkaline). Healthy skin has a PH level of around 5.5 which is slightly acidic. Washing the face with your cleanser plus water skews that balance and makes it typically more alkaline so a toner's job is to 'balance' it out to it's natural level to make it radiant and healthy. So toners generally are *slightly*  acidic to help re-balance your skin post-cleansing.



Use a toner. Periodt.

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Similar to moisturizers, no matter what skin type you have, you should always use a toner. It maybe a little more tedious but it does help in establishing a healthy barrier and preps your skin to absorb the rest of your skin care.

There are many toners in the market that can cater to a lot of people but I generally prefer Asian or Korean made skincare. What I've been using lately is this So'Natural PH5.5 RED WATER TONER, which fits the bill EXACTLY. This toner has a unique red color and not just the matte glass bottle but the liquid itself. This is not a result from artificial colouring but from the natural ingredients it has.

Ingredients : 
Purified water, glycerin-26, glycerin, 1,2-hexanediol, butyleneglycol, methylglucose-10, sodium citrate, indian myrtle flower extract, indian myrtle leaf extract, xanthan gum, sheet Ric Acid, Betaine, Caramel, Daodium Sodium Dithia, Tea Tree Leaf Extract, Ivygod Fruit Extract, True Coral Horse Extract, Centella asiatica Extract, Lemon Extract, Green Tea Extract

Fun fact : This toner has an EWG GREEN rating, meaning that all the ingredients meet the strictest European Union's standard of acceptable health, ecotoxicity and contamination concerns. The labels properly state all of the ingredients and follow good manufacturing practices amongst other criteria.
See other products/ingredients that are RED, BLACK OR GREEN on EWG here.

Typically I pat this on my skin after washing my face or whenever I feel like my skin feels dry and needs a little boost. So far, I don't see any visible results from using this particular toner after 3 weeks of straight use BUT I do notice that my skin isn't as taut after washing and using this. I feel assured in knowing that I take care of my skin properly (as much as I can) and that it will pay off as I get older.

How about you? Which toners do you love using?


xx,
CJ

PS. Thank you SeoulUnni for sending me this to try!

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Gone are the days when skin clinics are only for those with extreme skin issues and who were rolling in dough. There are multitudes of skin clinics now available for the vast majority of people who want to address various skin concerns.

When you think of laser procedures, you'd think it's really expensive and opt out...therein enters Substance Clinic.

They offer skin procedures that rival any other skin clinic's. Quality is not compromised here regardless of the price - as is their motto.

Launch pictures below!

With 'Glass Skin' being the latest talk of [Korea beauty] town in terms of skincare, it's no surprise that affordable korean beauty source, Althea Korea came up with another addition to their line.



Makeup artist Ellie Choi shares her skincare routine to achieving clear, pristine, poreless a.k.a 'glass-like skin',

I've tried the whole line for about a month and I have to say this line overall is pretty good with one a particular standout I might add.


Althea Korea, has been on a roll with their own beauty brand following a great response from their pioneer product - Althea Velvet Powder. Now they're delving into the world of skincare and tackling the laborious 10-12 Korean skincare routine. Their answer? The 3 step 'Bare Essentials' line.

Great makeup starts with great skin

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As most makeup lovers know, great skin equals great makeup. There's no denying the satisfaction of playing with makeup and getting your face ready for the day but there's equally a satisfying feeling when you apply less or not to even wear makeup at all you know?

The 3 step line, aims to give a more streamlined easier approach to having Kbeauty skin without the intense multi-step regimen.




The product breakdown

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Step 1 - Cleanse
Contour Cleanser - a rich and refreshing foaming cleanser that contains micro capsules to both cleanse and gently exfoliate away impurities while improving blood circulation for that V-shaped look.