Product Review: Biore Cleansing Oil Cotton Facial Sheets. The originalor the NEW version?

After years of experimenting in the department of makeup removers, I now tend to reach for oil base makeup remover, to me it works best especially on waterproof makeup, it is super thorough in taking off all the traces of makeup from the pores, and friendly to skin(If you choose the right one). I used to bring along a tiny bottle of them for travel and yes sometimes it can get messy. So last year when I was prepping for my short trip to Kuala Lumpur, I saw this little pocket-tissue size of makeup remover sheets in SASA. I thought why not give it a try, it is light-weight, doesnot take up space and for sure it wont give me surprise when I open my luggage. In the end I totally fell in love with these so much. Since then I tried some from other brands, still the Biore cleansing oil cotton facial sheets remain my top choice at the moment.

Now they just came out a NEW version. So I'm going to review both of them and how they perform differently on my skin.

The Original Biore Cleansing Oil Cotton Facial Sheets; 3.90sgd
(10 sheets)

The Original Biore cleansing oil cotton facial sheets: 

It claims: 

It contains smooth cleansing oil to remove stubborn makeup gently and effectively, minimizes need for repeated wiping on eye lashes, eye area and face. 

How to use: 

Using clean hands, gently wipe off makeup with sheet. Makeup removal is complete when there is no trace of makeup on the sheet. 

To remove waterproof mascara, place sheet on closed eyes for 5-6 seconds before wiping off.

 

Love it from first use. I found it so effortless to take off my very stubborn waterproof makeup so completely, with one sheet for my whole face. Just because I am paranoid about any makeup residuals, I always take a 2nd sheet to go over my whole face one more round, and I barely see anything on it any more. These sheets are very very moist, I dont have to use pressure or pull my skin, the trick is gentle wiping. I love how my skin feels so clean and fresh everytime, no feeling tight or sticky. They are cleansing oil sheets but give no greasy feeling. Also I noticed an interesting whitening effort and glow on my face, not sure it is just me? :P

The New Biore Cleansing Oil Cotton Facial Sheets; 3.90sgd
(10 sheets)

The New Biore Cleansing Oil Cotton Facial Sheets: 

It claims:

• To cleanse and care with smooth cleansing oil and hydrating beauty essence.
• Thoroughly removes all traces of makeup including waterproof mascara without irritating or drying your skin
• Minimizes repeating wiping by 50% on eye lashes, eye area and face
• No greasy or sticky feeling after use as cleansing oil does not remain on skin
• Contains hydrating beauty essence that leaves skin moist and smooth
• 100% natural fibre sheets for a softer glide on skin

I'v used these for couple of days, honestly I feel they just work exactly the same! As for the hydrating part, I think it is a nice concept to put skincare to our skin cleansing process. However, I didnot notice any immediate difference on my skin. 

So which one do I prefer?

With the fact that they both work equally well, I probably go for the original one. It has a slightly smaller pack, easier to slip into my cosmetics pouch, as I only use facial sheets on the go. And I love the radiance on my skin after, which idnot happen on the new version.

As for the additional hydrating and skincare benefits from the new version, I personally don't demand it from a makeup remover product. I believe skincare products work better in that department, happy just the makeup removers just play their role.

Biore oil cleansing cotton facial sheets are also available in this plastic pack, and the refills. I don't recommend it unless you use it on a daily basis, otherwise I notice the sheets can lose its moist slowly since the package is not super airtight.

Happy weekend!
Rae

Beauty goodies I discovered at Watson store.

I have a young colleague from a few years ago, every morning she showed up wearing either eyeliner, or eye shadow, or eyebrow pencil, or lip gloss, only ONE of them each day. I was curious and asked her why. :) And she laughed: 'Shhhh..Cosmetics is pretty costly, I have budget...'

I know. Thats why everytime when I find good and inexpensive stuff, I have to tell the whole world. So we dont have to break our wallet to look just fabulous. These two items I have been using for months. And I think they definitely worth  checkout, both available inWatson store.

1)Bourjois Translucent smoothing primer
-Correcting airbrush action for an instantly beautified complex

It comes in a little pink pot. The texture feels soft and very much siliconey, By look it is slightly pink, but turns colorless once being applied onto skin.

I use it after my skin care routine and before foundation. Apply with clean fingers, it gets into every pores and fine lines, so they look less obvious. It mattifies the skin, gives a very smooth surface getting the skin ready for foundation application.

I usually put on my makeup at 7am, and reach home 8-9pm or even later. My foundation stay put, in fact it looks even better towards end of the day, and throughout the entire day I only blot the bit of shininess once in the afternoon time. The primer absolutely works in some way.

Good to know: It has non-pore blocking, oil-free formula, enriched with wild azalea extract to protect cells' youth.

And.. I just dumped my Benefit the POREfessional for this pink baby. Ha!

Price: 25.4sgd.

2)CANMAKE Cover & Stretch Concealer UV SPF25 (waterproof)

This concealer is in a little glass tube. Available in 3 shades, number 1, 2 and 3(from fair to dark). Its texture is very creamy, provides mid-full coverage of almost-ALL imperfection. 

So far I have purchased my 4th tube, for my regular concealing of marks from acne. (I still have them once in a while). And I stock up them for my professional kit as well.

The best way to use it? Just apply very little amount of this product onto the concerned area with the sponge tip applicator, take a clean finger to dab and blend it into the skin around the area; Some people prefer to blend with a concealing brush, whatever it works better. 

One secret is, since after my too-faced shadow insurance run out, I experimented this product as eye primer. All I can say is its performance is beyond what I expected. It blends into the eye area nicely, covers my tiny blue/purple veins well, and its creamy texture holds the eyeshadow in place longer. So we just kill two birds with one stone, save the eye primer. :)

 

Price: 19sgd

Till next time. 

Rae

Olio Cafe @Compass Point

This is a restaurant I pass by every single day, however, never bothered to go in before, until today, only because everywhere else was long queue. LOL..

The environment is pretty casual and relaxing, food is simple and good. Definitely I'll go again wif friends.

Cream of broccoli soup.

Seafood squid-Lnk linguine

Root beer float

Love how the root beer float completed my meal. :)

Cheers
For the weekend!

ColorVUE Big Eye Cosmetic contact lens---My long lost love FOUND!!

So a while ago when I walked to Sunny Eyewear(at Far East Plaza), where I used to pick up my ColorVUE contact lens, Sunny told me all the ColorVUE series have been discontinued in Singapore. My heart sunk.

(I'm a loyal fan of ColorVUE Big Eye contact lens for years, I love how they make my eyes look so much bigger, mysterious and more alert, in a very subtle way. They won me tons of compliments, and lotsa people asked what brand and where I got them etc. Since then I tried all different colors from the same range, eg sweet honey, cool blue, party green and amazing black, however, 'evening gray' remains my favourite.) 

I started my long and desperate searching for ColorVUE Big Eye, constant testing out color lens from various brands, and keep getting disappointed...

Until recently I run into one website that carries ColorVUE Big eye, I was overjoyed! It was like discovery of treasure. So I placed the order on the spot, it was like a dream come true.

 

10 days later, I got this...

Who doesnot love package by your doorstep?!

And when I opened it...

They are so carefully and neatly packed. There are 4 cases came along..

This is how the 'evening gray' looks..

And on me...

I really love how flattering they are, and for long wear from 7am to midnight, they never give my eyes any discomfort. What's even better, they cost only 34.3sgd per pair from this website, comparing to 49sgd when I purchased them from Sunny Eyewear store, it is a steal. International shipping fee was 3.48 sgd, just reasonable.

If anyone of you would like to get them, the website I mentioned is:
http://www.my-contactlens.com/
They have a lot other fancy cosmetics lens, as well as the regular contact lens, happy browsing!

Brunch out @Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel

Durian pudding-Highlight of the brunch @Brio's cafe Grand Copthorne waterfront Hotel. Simply divine! They are made of 100% fresh quality durian. And just for the record, I had 10 of them.. ;)

3 of my favourite mascaras

In the first picture are my natural lashes, short, straight, point downwards, they are also stubborn to get held in place after being curled. :-/

So when I look for a good mascara, I need it to do well in lengthening and volumizing, and has long-lasting power. Considering the humid climate we are living in Singapore, I go for waterproof always.

These 3 are the ones I use over and over again. I thought it is a good idea to put them together for a bit comparison.

LANCOME Hypnose Star Waterproof: It gets to every lash, work very well for lengthening, not the best for volumizing tho. It gives a natural and flattering effect with just one coat, and some thickening effect with two or more coats. It is sweatproof and smudge-free. It lasts forever.

I bought it at Sephora, sgd50.

CHANEL Inimtable Waterproof: It does what it says. So far it is the queen for volumizing and lengthening. Best part, no clumps! Every lash get nicely separated. I love most how my lashes are curled when using it. It lasts till when I decide to remove it in the night, good for Singapore weather.

I bought it at Chanel store, sgd50.

SASATINNIE Super Dolly Powerful Curling Mascara: This is my first love in the world of mascaras. Very good at lengthening and it holds the curls forever. The only thing I don't like about it is, it can get some lashes stuck together during application, so I sometimes end up looking like have less lashes than I actually do. And it can be a little clumpy, which I am not a huge fan of. But overall it is still a very good one for only sgd9.80. Available at SASA beauty store.

Product Review: Loréal Men Expert VitaLift Revitalising Foam

I have tons of face wash in my bathroom, when I noticed I'm reaching for this one so often these days, I have to recommend it -) Yeah I know it is from L'oreal's men expert skincare range, but does not mean only men can use it. It is good for everyone who has combo to oily skin. I love it as it contains salicylic acid, which I think everyone should include in their skincare routine, to gently exfoliate our skin on a daily basis.

It foams up very well and does a great job in cleaning the pores, without stripping it of the essential oils. My skin feels clean soft and smooth to touch after use, never dry, tight or irritated.

I purchased it from Watson's at 10.90 sgd, for 100mls of product, really a good bargain.

Will I purchase it again? Yes.

Happy Sunday to all!!! And quick acne fix?

Yeah I'm chilling out in Andersen's and enjoying my favorite ice cream combos, never get enough of these, so good! 

The past week has been a bit stressful at work. But I can smile now, because time finally did justice. It was not easy being the only one who stood up for what's right, then being back-stabbed sabotaged and misunderstood again and again. I chose to hang on knowing there is this day when the truth is out. It took 2 months!! It definitely calls for some celebration now. :)

As for my skin, it's been really happy and free from acnes for a while. But stress took quite a toll on it this week, there were two fierce and angry zits popped up on my chin and neck area, they behaved like they are not going away for a long time.

 

My resolution? I did a microdermabrasion to clean those pores and remove the dead cells on the surface of skin to prevent further breakouts on other part of my face; After that I did a chemical peel, for the salicylic acid to penetrate deeper in the skin and dry it up faster.

And...If anyone is looking for the quickest way to shoo the zits away? Yes, the injection. My dermatologist did a Kenacort jab for me, 24hours later now the bumps already subsided by 90% :)Isnot just wonderful!? If I wanted to use foundation/some concealing on top, it'd look perfectly like normal skin. (I know how girls like to use makeup and concealer to cover imperfections on our face and body, but concealer and bumpy zits are not good friends.)

 

But how does this kenacort injection work?  Kenacort is a corticosteroid used to provide relief for inflammations. So it works best for those hard and bumpy zits. 

Happy weekend everyone.

Rae

Product review: AKNICARE Cream

Some friends asked me about Aknicare cream. It is by far the only moisturizer that suits my skin type. My skin is oily, for almost my entire face. I have tried a wide range of moisturizers from street brands to high end brands before I got my hands on Aknicare cream, they've failed me. All of them claimed to be able to control oil, mattify skin, or oil-free, but my skin was so stubborn and didnot recognize them at all.

Till I started working with people specialize in dermatology, one really nice girl passed me a sample size of Aknicare cream(Guess because she couldnot tolerate my shiny face in the office, LOL), I was surprised at the result. It kept my face shine-free for about 6 hours, for the first time I'm impressed by the oil control power of this moisuriser. Now I have purchased the full size one, I use it twice everyday, yes this is kinda the happily-ever-after for my skin! :)

I also noticed on regular use, it doesnot only control oil/shine, also it does its duty to keep acne at bay. So many friends have commented improvement for my skin:) From what I know, some dermatologists in fact prescribe this product to their patients for treating mild to moderate acne breakout.

I was curious and went on to study why this cream can make a difference, found out it has a few active ingredients as listed below:

Triethyl citrate: It controls oil production, inhibits bacterial proliferation, and prevents inflammation.

Ethyl linoleate: It reduces sebum(oil) production, provides anti-inflammatory effect, lightens skin pigmentation, and corrects follicular keratinization.

Salicylic acid(0.5%): It works as an exfoliant, unclogs the pores, breaks down blackheads and whiteheads, by helping to shed away the dead cells in the skin follicles.

Hyaluronic acid: It acts like a reservoir in our skin, secure the moist and keeps skin look hydrated and youthful.

GT-peptide- 10: Inhibits bacterial proliferation (P. acne)

What makes it better, it does not contain antibiotics, retinoids, or steroids;
So no need worry about skin's getting resistant to antibiotics, no worry about the redness or peeling from topical retinoic acid, or the skin thinning from steroids.

The only thing is I dont think it is very accessible to people who live in Singapore. I purchased it from a medical sales rep who supplies medical grade skincare products to the dermatologists only. Otherwise I have not seen it anywhere in the Watsons, Guardian pharmacy or other beauty stores. So those who wanna give it a try, maybe check out the dermatologists' office, or GP clinics.

Please also check out my review on aknicare cleanser, and aknicare treatment lotion. If you tried it or any other products from aknicare range, let me know your thoughts?

Rambles

I'm still awake at this hour!

Tired but somehow I feel my emotions are too unsettled to have a good night sleep. Crazy things are happening at work, which overwhelms me much. Maybe because I'm such a newbie in the department of office politics. Or maybe it is just tough to be the only good guy. 

But what's wrong with being the good one and doing the right thing? The only part which is wrong for now is, I'm not strong enough.

But what do I need to be afraid of..since I have got boss on my side?

Post-Fraxel update. Day 6

I'm totally upset by the result so far!! :(

My skin turned so sensitive, still pink, and breaking out a lot. I asked Jenny (Fraxel consultant), she replied because it is a much higher setting this round, thus a longer recovery time.

'Oh ok..'

But miracle pls!! Tomorrow is my birthday, I need to wear makeup and look pretty...... How to if my skin is so intolerant to almost anything???

Post-Fraxel update. Day 5

It's the 5th day post-fraxel. And my skin is really taking its time to recover. I remember by day 5 after my first fraxel treatment, my face was so ready for bb cream and full makeup. But not now. I guess it might be due to the higher setting in this treatment, so theoretically there is more repairing work to do and more recovery time?  I'm not sure. Will have to consult the expert tomorrow.

Generally the dead skin flakes are completely gone, I'm having a very pink tone all over, which is how my skin is screaming for attention again.

Yes the pores are still very visible now. According to my dermatologist: it takes 4-6 weeks to see best result, because that's how long our body need to produce collagen.

Till tomorrow.

Post-Fraxel update. Day 4

I am still red! Went to work bare-faced, the guy from my next-door office teased me saying it is like 'monkey face'!!??? :-/

Generally my face is a better version of yesterday's, flaking and peeling is the most happening thing right now. My new skin is saying hello, it is super super SUPER sensitive, and screaming for my extra attention all the time. I tried using pure aloe vera gel, however I still feel Avene skin recovery cream and the thermal spring water does the best job.

And...it is kinda bothering me that there are several tiny whitehead-like breakouts on my forehead and chin, as well a pustular one on my right cheek. Yes the same symptom occurred as after my previous session, which is a normal response after Fraxel treatment. Just imagine the the top layer of skin is covered with all the dry and dead cells, meanwhile the inner is actively producing sebum, so when the sebum cant come out, they get stuck, there are then acnes.

So now I'm waiting patiently for my skin to get less sensitive, will see what I can do.

Post-Fraxel update. Day 3

Happy Sunday to everyone!

I'll do a very quick update on my post-Fraxel laser treatment day 3 progress. Sorry for the slightly different lighting, but the iPhone camera still did a good job in capturing the details:)

I'm very happy to see about 70% of the swelling is gone!  The black-colored pixels started to flake off, some fresh and new skin is peeking thru. My forehead and both jaw areas seem recover a bit slower, so they are still covered with the dirty-looking black dots. Yes the itchiness is still going on, so Avene thermal spring water spray come to rescue!

Patience, for my new skin. 

Post-Fraxel update. D1 and D2

After my Fraxel treatment this time, there is this sudden thought to document my daily recovery progress thru picture, for the benefit of those who intend for this laser treatment, this may give you a rough idea how much downtime you need to plan.

 

Day 1

Day 1 is all about the swelling and raw redness. My whole face was so swollen until when I looked down, my cheek blocked my partial view. LOL

My face felt taut, as if I am having a peeling-mask on, but no discomfort or whatsoever. 

I went to work without any makeup, my colleague commented this effect made me look 'grumpy'.

It is okay to wear makeup?
Not advisable, because we dont wanna put anything extra on the raw skin.

Day 2

The swelling is still there, it subsided a little but I am still upset with this all blown-up look.

The pixels of redness turned to black color, kinda dirty-looking, my skin right now is super rough and dry to touch, has exactly the same texture like sandpaper. 

Itchiness developed on my whole face, which is part of the natural healing process, however lotsa facial spray helps to calm it down. I got Avene Thermal Spring water to take care of that.

Is it okay to wear makeup?
Yes.. But I'm sure it doesnot give the best look, due to the skin's current texture, it is hard to blend the foundation on nicely. I just allow my bare skin to breathe freely.

When I came back just now, J actually asked me if I went for suntan yesterday! :D

My Fraxel experience

As many, I have been troubled by my gigantic facial pores which is a constant unpleasant reminder of my long term struggles against acne since as a teenager. While my acne is getting under better control now, living with enlarged pores is not any better to deal with. Even with makeup on, they dont look great.

In my quest of finding the right and effective treatment, Fraxel was offered to me as a trial one month ago. About one week since after then, I have received a good number of compliments on how my pores are shrunk and how youthful my skin turn to. Yes I absolutely love it!

So I had my 2nd treatment today. While the experience is still fresh, I'd like to write it down for those who are on the fence about doing Fraxel, you might wanna put all these into consideration.

As shown on the picture, I got the 1550nm wavelength, which is for treating enlarged pores and stubborn scars. According to the expert, this fractional laser works by producing thousands of microscopic laser columns that penetrate deep into the layers of skin that stimulate its own natural healing process. The body then produces collagen to replace the damaged skin. The results are more youthful, smoother and healthier appearing skin.

Is it painful?

Personally I have very good pain tolerance level. As being warned it is the 'very aggressive kind of laser' prior to Fraxel treatment, I took oral Codeine 30mg and Arcoxia 120mg, and used topical anesthetic cream all over my face as instructed by my dermatologist. At the beginning, it felt just a little tingling which can be ignored. I started feeling more and more as the roller repeated back onto same area(8 passes in total). And towards the end, the pain was like some hot iron rolling on my face, I was holding my breath each stroke and breathed in quickly inbetween every two strokes. With the distraction therapy kindly provided by the girls, I still teared, embarrassingly... But I survived it. Even requested for a higher setting on my 2nd treatment session :) The amazing result I had from my first session convinced myself the pain is worthwhile. 

What to expect after the treatment?

The pain was almost gone within 5 mins. What I saw in the mirror was a pinkish and swollen face, as shown in the picture above. Not a good look, and the bad news is.. not advisable to put makeup within 24 hours. 

It took 5 days for my skin to recover and looked like skin again, and almost 7 days for all the redness and swelling to disappear completely. 

Post treatment at home?

Here is my regime. Please use as what your dermatologist recommend.

Face wash: Cetaphil gentle skin cleanser

Moisturizer: Avene skin recovery cream

Sunblock: Heliocare ultra gel SPF 90

Avoid sunlight.

Avoid using any products that may cause irritation.

Avoid using abrasive exfoliating scrubs, toners or products contain glycolic acid, or retin A. 

Elevate head when sleeping, so swelling(edema) go off sooner.

Final result?

I was very happy how it brightens and evens up my skin tone, my pores are noticeably smaller in size and doesnot so deep as before the treatment! Generally my skin look so much younger. I will definitely be going for the 3rd session. :)

Product review: Benefit Foaming Face Wash

I am constantly on the hunt for the perfect skin care products, so when the salesgirl introduced me this new face wash from Benefit thru a demo on my hand, I was impressed at its pleasant fragrance, and how rich it lathers up. 

Now I have used it for over one month, would give it a fair review for those who intend to purchase one.

The size of a 5-cent coin of  the product is all I need each time, it lathers it up nicely. Overall it does a decent job in cleansing my face without drying it out. However, on days when I wear waterproof eye makeup or mascara, I'd have to use my makeup remover prior to washing my face. 

The design of the packaging is very cute at first sight. However it is not practical as it is so stiff which makes it difficult to squeeze the product out. Now it is only the 4th week I used it, suppose there are still plenty of product in it, yet I gotta shake really hard to get it out. Thats a chore especially in the morning when I dont have much time to get ready.

I like the fragrance which is refreshing, but it is not essential to me for an everyday facial wash.

Benefit Foaming Face Wash is available in Sephora store, at 35sgd for 127.5g. It is rather pricey for a ok face wash. 

Will I buy it again? No. With this price tag, I personally think there are better options.

HydraFacial treatment

I had the great honor to try this HydraFacial treatment at Dr Pat Yuen's clinic last week, by two lovely ladies Maryanne and Jihua. I enjoyed it as throughout the entire treatment there was no discomfort at all, unlike the traditional facial treatments I had at different beauty salons all these while. I'm sure who have oily to acne-prone skin definitely understand what I mean! Nobody likes the torturing part of 'squeezing' if you have pimples, or sometimes black/white heads on your face...

The instant result I noticed was my skin was SO brightened up and super soft to touch, however I was slightly not convinced as my pores were still looking the same. But miracle happened two hours later. My whole face look so lifted-up, glowing like never before, and my pores shrunk! Truly amazing!

Right now I'm monitoring my skin changes, and the duration of this positive effect. Will update on this again.

And surprised there is a clip on Youtube, for those who might be interested.

Brunch @Tanyoto

I love it when my day is filled with great food good friends and interesting conversations. Speaking of great food, Tanyoto steamboat has it on my top list. I always enjoy its tasty soup base(mala is a must!), extremely fresh ingredients and the nicely complementary dipping sauces. Yum! It is a cool place to dine in with family friends colleagues and all, only not ideal for first date perhaps since it can get a bit messy ;) For those who might wanna give it a try, I suggest purchase the vouchers from Qoo10.sg AKA Gmarket, to enjoy the discounted price which usually ranges from 18.8$-24$, otherwise walk-in price would be 49$ for the same deal.

Zhiwei and I went there for brunch today, she is very fussy when coming to fish, still she commented the fish head was nicely prepped. And my favourite? That'd be fish head, fillet, cuttle fish, crabs, and the very helpful and cute waiter:)

My day ended with a rewarding shopping at Sephora, lotsa beauty products to celebrate for my new job tomorrow.

Till next time, wish me good luck. :)

'TGIF'

It's been a very trying week, emotionally and physically. Headache is such a freak she seems always like to walk hand in hand wif me everytime when I have my period. Even wif loads of coffee, and comfort food I'm feeling worse than dead now.

I don't have the habit of writing sad diaries, because real pain is always beyond the description of words, is when you don't say anything, but your eyes are flooded wif tears. 

Weekend is here. But it is not here for me.

Happy Valentines' Day to all

Valentines' Day is a celebration of love.

How did you celebrate the day? And who's your valentine?

It is almost crazy how my day turnt out to be. Knowing how much I wished to spend the day wif someone I always think dear to my heart, I had to let him go just the night before. No explanation is necessary, just because the truth is that clear. Only women in love dont see the truth till something happens.

If you happened to know the old me, you would expect I crumble.
But now I accepted it. I know the only thing I can do for myself is looking forward.

Took a day-off from office
Went on a makeup job
Rewarded myself a hearty meal
Reserved quiet time for myself and massage
Attended an amazing yoga class by Adeline(She tailored for today specially 'open our hearts')
Received a text from my client how much her husband and she loved my work
Now in bed and zzZZzzZ.. -)

Sleeping with the light on? You're welcoming depression, obesity and more

I saw this 'Studies Found Women Who Sleep With Lights On or Work Night Shift Have Higher Risk of Getting breast Cancer' in my professional email, immediately I went google for more info, and got horrified by what I found.

Many of us may have slept off with light shining onto our face or television on at occasions, some have their dim night lights for reasons. If this does sound familiar to you, please read on!

So the research shows even a little bit of light at night can have terribly negative effects on your health. By cutting out as much light as possible, you could reduce your chances of depression, obesity, diabetes, and even cancer. Sounds like a convincing argument to stop sleeping with the light on.

According to Dr Mercola, umerous studies support the need for complete darkness when we sleep. It encourages the body's natural rhythms and reduces the chances of illness. Much of this has to do with the production of MELATONIN, a hormone responsible for sleep and wake patterns, and mood regulations. Your body produce melatonin at night and especially after a day where you were exposed to bright light like sunlight. Decreased production of melatonin, whether due to lack of sunlight exposure or too much light in the evening hours has been related to depression, especially in SAD or seasonal affective disorder.

Among other things, melatonin reduces your body's estrogen levels at night. When our body Isnot producing enough melatonin, because your're sleeping with the light on or have the television on while sleeping, your estrogen levels never fall. It's this that the scientists believe could increase your chances of 'estrogen sensitive cancer' including breast cancer.

The wake and sleep patterns of the body are crucial for a variety of reasons. But oneof those reasons is that your body knows when it's time to eat(daylight) and time to fast (nighttime, when you should be sleeping). But when sleeping with the light on,  your body's internal clock tells you it is time to eat. To your body, a light is a light and that light indicates daytime-and daytime means it's time to eat. Because if this, sleeping with lights on could literally make you fat.

The American medical association says that health risks associated with the disruption of your sleeping and waking cycles can increase risks of cancer, obesity, diabetes, depression, and reproductive problems. Additionally, if you often find yourself waking up tired, you may find that sleeping in darkness can help treat that issue.

But, the solution is simple,:

SLEEP IN COMPLETE DARKNESS.

Whether you need to buy black-out drapes or simply shut off the television, sleeping in the dark will not only let you wake up feeling more refreshed, but it could increase your health and even your lifespan.

Hope

Have you ever tried helping someone who is not a member of your family or friends, even it means getting yourself hurt if you don't stop reaching out?

They say I should stay out of it for my own good, however a part of me feels so compelled to extend my hands to her.  Perhaps just because I was there before, I understand there is hope.

Smiles.

Product review: Bio-essence Snail Secretion Repair Serum

I was so excited to find out this yesterday @Watsons, without any hesitation I picked two of the serum, and one cream.

Normal price: 39.90 sgd

Now: 29.90 sgd (from 17-23th Jan only)

What did it do to my skin?

Prior to trying this snail secretion repair serum, my skin was experiencing a major breakout from using a wrong product, yes I have super sensitive skin. At that point of time regardless what I applied to my face, it felt irritated and burning. Practically I had to discontinue my skincare regime, used only Cetaphil the most reliable moisturizing cream so that my face wouldnot feel too dry and tightened up.

When I first saw Bio-Essence Snail secretion repair serum in the store, it claims to have 6 benefits:

1. Repair damaged skin

2. Stimulate skin cells regeneration

3. Lighten scars & marks

4. Anti-inflammation to prevent pimples

5. Moisturize & soften skin

6. Keep skin supple & elastic

I thought if it works as how it claims, my skin definitely need it. There started my experiment. By now I have used it for 10 days, I'm loving it! :)) 

It got absorbed fast while I massaged it to my face, on the spot skin feeling very well moisturized, soft and very light, most importantly it doesnot irritate my skin!

Generally I have acne-prone skin, so anytime if you bump into me, you might see one on my face. Even more depressingly as my skin ages, it's taking much longer time to go away. BUT, in the last week I did notice the acne drying out immediately the following morning after I used it, and the scars are fading off real quickly. Right now being acne-free, I'm so beyond delighted!

 

How did I use it?

I used it after cleansing and toning my skin, gently massage it to my entire face and neck, in the mornings and nights.

For those of you who have similar skin type as me(combo, sensitive and acne-prone), you may wanna give it a shot since it is 10$ cutdown now. 

Cheers for beautiful skin

Rae

A new start

So I start to write again, for myself. As we grow year after year, memories get precious. I suppose this is the way to keep it fresh, good or bad.

I wish 2013 is a real good year for me, all my family and friends, especially those who are close to my heart. Cheers.