Pan Project 2018: The Faceshop Fresh Milk Cream ♥

One of the many items for my Pan Project 2018. The hoarder in me bought it in 2017 just because it was on sale for only 28.00AED now I need to use it up or throw it out. No excuses. No beauty products are allowed to reach in 2019. 

Pan Project 2018: Nature Republic Aloe Vera Gel ♥

One of the many items for my Pan Project 2018. I wish to finish this year or finally throw it out. Hopefully. PS: for those who are curious this brand is not available in UAE I got it online for 60.00AED.

Korean Beauty Products ♥

Hello! Been posting various photo as I am deleting them from my PC at work. What happened was I take photos of just about anything then saving them at the said PC. But then since I am no longer sure until when will I be in the company that I started cleaning it up. I mean personal files and photos like this one.

Back on the photo. One item is Aloe Vera Gel from Nature Republic the said brand is from Korea and not yet available in UAE market. But do not worry there is now a shop in DFC called Mumuso and they also have their own version of aloe vera gel. Sometimes Daiso has it too. But Daiso UAE is not stocking up much when it comes to beauty products. I cannot comment yet on how the product is as I am not yet using it. One of the many items I hoarded in the past. I will be doing my Pan Project until 2018!

Second item is from The Faceshop. It is called Fresh Milk Cream and as you can see not yet opened. I bought it on impulse just because it was on sale. Again I kept it and it belongs to the items that will be in Pan Project 2018. I was a hoarder. I am a recovering hoarder. 2017 I still made a lot of purchase. But at least it is a great improvement comparing to 2016 or 2015 especially in 2014! I am still very far from my goal of having my items fit into 2 suitcases but the more I declutter or pan project the more I see that it is possible. Ciao!

Hada Labo Sunscreen 🌸

This Hada Labo sunscreen was from the first and only batch of sunscreens I ordered from Ebay. Thought I'd write a post to share photos and for me to remember this brand in the future if I ever run out of sunscreens.

Bought myself Hada Labo and Biore from Ebay but I was not able to finish them all off as I also purchased all the variants of Biore Japan back home. Anyway first photo is the front side of the tube and the packaging. And as usual this next photo is the back side. Name at the front is the only English on this product and I am fine with that. After all it is meant for Japanese people.

Once you started using Japanese sunscreen there is no going back to other brands from other countries. They are inexpensive. Sinks in to the skin easily. And moisturizing as well. Even though it contains alcohol I do not mind. Sadly it is not available in UAE probably because of the alcohol content. Which is weird since we are not drinking it.

Price was around 40AED and I think if you are in Japan you will get it for as low as 15AED. 50grams will last for a month or two. In my case it has taken months as I have other variants that I am using as well. Expiration date is not mentioned but usually it is up to one year only.

It is a cream type. Seems that it has more alcohol than Biore but I don't mind as the smell disappears as quickly as it has been there.

That's all for today. As in the background you can see my more than 100 items on top of my dresser that I am trying so hard to discard. Slowly.

Skinfood Black Sugar Perfect First Serum 🌸

I cannot what I ordered from Ebay or from which seller but I got this Skinfood Black Sugar Perfect First Serum for free. Maybe together with the other samples I posted before.

It is serum so I was expecting it to be a light cream but instead it is a clear liquid. Was not able to take a photo of that one as I accidentally spilled some on the floor and immediately used up the remaining liquid. Well it was fine but I cannot say if it will be in the long run as the serum was for one time used only. And right now I cannot buy anything for the face as I still have many stocks.

Just posting it to document that I was able to use this brand/product and take note for the future if ever I run out of facial products. Other items worth trying out also: 
Etude House Honey Cera
Tony Moly Snail Cream
Tony Moly Black Tea Cream
Etude House Sunscreen
But maybe, just maybe, Korean product works well with me because they are specifically designed for Asian skin?

Victoria's Secret Fantasy Series

PHOTOS are not mine. Got them from Pinterest. Well this is the old packaging of Victoria's Secret for their Fantasy Line. Sharing it to say that their body butters and body washes are great. If you can't afford them like me, then better wait on their annual sale.

Baby Foot Lavender and Baby Foot Men

Back in 2015 when I found the Baby Foot in Carrefour. No one told me about it and I did not read about it in the internet. I was curious as who would not want to have a soft feet anyway? So I bought one which I wore for 2 hours and my foot peeled in a week. 

I was not able to buy again because it is too expensive for me. And I let my feet on its natural state of being dry since then. And fast forward 2017 when I became a regular buyer from Ebay and I purchased Rolanjona from China thinking that it is a cheap alternative of Baby Foot but I was wrong.

But I want to have a soft feet at least before I die. I mean can I not have this little pleasure in life? And so without blinking I finally made a purchase again from Carrefour. At least I am sure that they do sell legit items than Ebay. Please don't get me wrong I do not have problems with my other purchases from Ebay. Just except for this one. That does not work.

And here are my Baby Foot from Carrefour. The white one is for women. With lavender scent that I failed to notice upon using. Price is 62.00AED while the black which is meant for men is 68.00AED. The old one I had to wear for two hours. This new one I had to wear for only one hour.

In the old one my foot peeled right away and kept on peeling for several days. In this new one my foot started peeling after 2 days. But I will not complain nor bash the product. Besides I was not able to clean thoroughly my foot before using the product and did not set the alarm. So I was at fault if the peeling is slow. But I still have my faith on it. And this product is really working unlike the cheap one I got from Ebay. It says that peeling will last up to two weeks. Now I do not know if it is safe to apply it again after that period of time. I will ask Google or experiment with it.

I know for a year now I had been talking about being a minimalist and frugal. Maybe an extreme frugal will not spend money on this. Anyway one can live with dry foot. Maybe the frugal will just make a DIY. But I am not really good in that. My DIY body scrub is still in the bathroom for 3 months now. 

But lately I had been really down. And thinking a lot about life like I always do. I still believe in concept of minimalism and frugal but then it is not something like one size fits all. It will really vary on each person. For me as long as it will not break my bank account then it is okay. Maybe I will fully stop buying items when I no longer have a job. But for now while I still work I want to reward myself for little things like this. 

Also I do not know how much it would cost if I will go to salon or clinic for the same procedure but I predict the amount will be higher than amount of Baby Foot. I might do it twice a month if allowed until I achieved desired results. I am planning on going to Japan but I cannot think of what products I can stock up. As after all the allowed baggage will only be 20 to 25 kilos. 

Empty Bottle #115: Cathy Doll One Day Whitener Body Cleanser

Bought this Cathy Doll One Day Whitener Body Cleanser last September 2016 and again I do not need it when I made the purchase. I am just curious and I was having a bad skin after my vacation. So I thought of pampering myself with loads of skin care products.

And for the simple reason that I have too much that I managed to finish it only on the 2nd quarter of 2017. The verdict? Sadly it was just a waste of money. But I am not kicking myself over it. As of being a cleanser there is no question about it as it delivers. But it is expensive. And as of whitening? Haha. If all the whitening products in the market are for real the probably there will be no more dark skinned or brown skinned people in the world. 

Just another lesson learned from me. Move on and never to make the same mistake again. And somehow there has been little progress on my side because this was the last time I ever purchased body washes/body gels/body liquids. Even though in those months there has been sale repeatedly on various shop across the UAE. Being able to say no and focus on finishing off my stash was something.

So that's all for today.
Thank you for dropping by.

Etude House Honey Cera

I got this Etude House Honey Cera cream for free from one of my purchases in Ebay back in February. Decided to finish off the free samples I've got before they expire. Feedback? Sorry Etude House, this cream is not for me. You see I am not really hard to please when it comes to  moisturizer but my skin must feel something extraordinary compared to all the creams I used in the past, before I sing praises. In short there is nothing in this brand that makes it stood out.

The Faceshop Calendula Moisture Toner

I read online where people says that Korean brand of cosmetics are so affordable. But in spite of it only The Faceshop managed to come here in the Gulf and the prices are not exactly affordable. 

Today let me share with you The Faceshop Calendula Moisture Toner. I forgot the exact price but I got mine on sale around 50.00AED for 150ML. This said to be a moisture toner.

Calendula is said to be a flower but unfortunately I haven't seen one so I do not know the real smell and to where to compare its smell. And I cannot figure it out either. I know the smell of roses and sampaguita too well. But not this one. I bought this Calendula Moisture Toner just to try it out. It has a faint flowery smell and said to be moisturizing on the skin. Above photo is the box where the Hangul is written which is something I do not understand. Next photo is written in English with ingredients list.

Next photo is how the Calendula Moisture Toner looks like. Thicker than the usual toner I used in the past. But not as thick as serum or essence. It can remove make up and dirt but I simply run out of time to take photos as a sample. (When did I ever have an ample of time anyway?)

I have 3 variants of toner from The Faceshop but this is my least favorite due to smell. As of the alcohol even though it is not alcohol free my skin does not feel funny nor heavy. And to be honest I also tried the 7 skin steps which was a Korean craze a few weeks ago. Meaning you will use a skin/softener/toner 7 times not necessarily mean you need to have 7 brands or 7 variants. Did I like it? Well yes but then it was cold that time but as soon as March came it became hot (weather) and I don't like applying too many products on my face anymore.

It was 2014 when I decided I wanted to have a beautiful skin. Beautiful in a sense that it does not dry out. Dry skin is not cool as it can be itchy and flaking does not look good. I tried different brands and included toner in my beauty regime. But since 2014 you will hear me say contradicting views regarding toner. The factors are the price and the weather. 

Some says that when the weather is cold that is the time they experience extremely dry skin. But seems like it is the opposite for me. When the weather is hot that is the time that my skin goes crazy. Name it. Dry skin. Oily nose all the time. Whiteheads on my nose 24/7 no matter how I clean, scrub and moisturize. By the time I finished writing this post the bottle would be emptied out. But even so I do not have plans to repurchase it.

No plans to repurchase yet as I still have other toners at home. In UAE even though it is extremely hot almost all the establishments do have air conditioner. And since I am working inside the office I will not be exposed that much under the sun. So even though my skin is going through some craziness I still do not need much face products. As too many face products will lead to feeling sticky and heavy. As well as irritating. Just a cleanser and moisturizer will do. Being inside the air conditioned areas + not being exposed to sun makes my skin not produced much oil and whiteheads.

But if I am in Turkey or Philippines or any place with the opposite condition in UAE meaning the summer is not as hot as UAE but then not all establishments do not have air conditioner, and I will be exposed under the sun ~ that is the time that I will still need all the toners in the world. To prevent my nose from producing too much oil. As well as prevent the whiteheads. Or at least slow them down. 

And since I've used far too many brands of toners that I do not have a specific favorite anymore. Since most works the same. Difference would be the price and the scent. But then financially wise once I lost my job I probably would not even bother to purchase a toner at all.

A minimalist mantra as a friendly reminder.

Biore from PH

I know that Biore is a Japanese brand of skin care products but then online I am seeing Biore from US too. So I would say I am not sure of Biore Japan and Biore US are the same or connected to each other. 

Anyway on this post I just want to share the Biore Japan sunscreens that are widely available in the Philippines and thanks to Watsons (I am always forgetting the S in that). 

I am currently in the UAE and we do not have many choices when it comes to Asian beauty products especially with Japanese brands. Maybe because Japanese uses alcohol which is haram in Muslim. Just maybe. I am not sure about the reasons. Because honestly there are many beauty products in there with alcohol and no one cares or bats an eye. So getting my hands on my affordable asian skin care is a struggle.

I can order them through Dessercart but I find them too expensive and the waiting time of one to three months is just too much for me. I can order them via Ebay but then they uses only EMS and one month waiting time. I just got lucky that a colleague went on vacation and I asked my brother to get me a complete line of Biore sunscreens from Watsons and here they are.

Biore UV Bright Face Milk

SPF 50+ PA++++

Waterproof and Perspiration Proof

PHP 380.00

Perfect Series for Oily Skin

Biore UV Perfect Milk Face
SPF 50+ PA++++
Waterproof and Perspiration Proof
PHP 380.00
Perfect Series for Oily Skin

Biore UV Perfect Milk
SPF 50+ PA++++
Waterproof and Perspiration Proof
PHP 395.00
Perfect Series for Oily Skin

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence
SPF 50+ PA++++
Not stated if: Waterproof/Perspiration Proof
PHP 420.00
Aqua Series for Dry Skin

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence with BB
SPF 50+ PA+++
Not stated if: Waterproof/Perspiration Proof
PHP 450.00
Aqua Series for Dry Skin

Biore UV Aqua Rich Whitening Cream
SPF 50+ PA++++
Not stated if: Waterproof/Perspiration Proof
PHP 420.00
Aqua Series for Dry Skin

Maybe by now the Biore Aqua Watery Gel has been brought to the Philippine market. I started using most of the items as soon as I got them except for the pink one. And I have more than dozen because of the purchases I made from Ebay last year which came only this year. Plus when a friend went home and asked me what do I want as 'pasalubong' I said Biore sunscreens. My verdict: I love them all. And I am satisfied except for the Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence with BB. First of all production date was 2015 and as I can remember even though Japanese beauty products do not have expiration dates they are good up to one year only. Then it is Made in Taiwan and not in Japan. And as I can see from the internet there is already a 2016 version which has PA++++ so I have this feeling that Watsons Philippines are carrying the old and expired ones. What can you say?

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel

Not a thorough review of the product. But just product introduction for those who does not know yet it exists. And some sharing of my life over here. Loads of photos as well.

November 2016 when finally I was brave enough to order online. The downside is you need to have a credit card to do such thing. First I made an order to DesertCart which is based in UAE and acts as third party between customers and Amazon. But the issue I had with them was they are taking long to deliver an item. 2 weeks if you are lucky which is understandable but in some cases it will take months. Then Amazon Japan which takes only 3 days but since it is using DHL carrier and via air, there are many restrictions. They wont even send a sunscreen just because it contains an alcohol. In spite of explaining that it is for face. Then lastly I ordered from Ebay. And I am glad that it was a smooth transaction. I got my items after a month of waiting.

I got this Biore Aqua Rich Watery Gel through Ebay and this is recently introduced to Philippine market. Yes Biore products are available via Watsons across the Philippines but nowhere near in UAE or in the Middle East. I will be sharing more photos but they are written in Japanese and I don't understand a thing.

Product Details. Ingredients. Everything you need to know. But written in Japanese. Others would surely be curious but as of me I do not mind at all.

Cautions and how to use are surely written too. As that is the standard anyway. Can't blame them though for not writing it in English after all it is meant for Japanese market. But we foreigners are too damn curious to acquire their products no matter how hard to get them.

I don't understand them at all but believe me that this product is love. As I write this I can't decide which Japanese brand of sunscreen I love the best. Seems like I cannot choose one out of the dozen or so that I own.

Made in Japan. Before I forgot I got this for barely 40.00AED and no complaints because my La Roche Posay cost me 130.00AED so in short Japanese brands are way more affordable. Plus this bottle of Biore Aqua Rich Watery Gel contains 90grams as opposed to other Biore that only has 30grams to 40 grams.

SPF 50+ PA+++ Japanese brands have the highest out of them all. Perhaps because their government is not that much strict. It really feels like a sunscreen if I were to compare to the US brand that I tried last year.

I wish I can share the ingredients for those who are curious but they are in Japanese. All I know is I love it. It does not leave a white cast. It sinks in the skin. It does not go bad when paired with other skin care products or make up. Affordable. Especially if you will buy it in Japan. So when I visit Japan I would surely stock up on sunscreens. So far I can't find any faults yet.

I am following the step of at least 1/4 teaspoon for the whole face and re applying hours later. But it takes time for me to finish this one just because I am also using other brands alternately.

It does not feel heavy on the skin. And does not aggravate the whiteheads on my nose. That is the only thing that concerns me big time. I am the one with endless whiteheads on my nose. Whether I put something on my face or not.

In the evening I clean my face first with cleansing oil also from Japan. No matter how tired I am at night I never skip cleansing. After cleansing oil I wash my face with facial cleanser and water making sure that all the traces of sunscreen and make up if there are any has been cleaned properly.

All the top of bottles of Japanese sunscreens are like this. Not pump type. But old school type instead. I don't mind though.

They call it gel but the consistency is still cream like. Milky white cream. I am certain it contains alcohol but the smell is not overwhelming.

Biore Aqua Rich Watery Gel when spread. Do not worry about the shine it will fade away. And honestly I find it giving a momentarily dewy look.

Upper one is Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence while down is the Biore Aqua Rich Watery Gel. The essence is more liquid than the gel. But both produced the same results. I do not feel any difference at all.

Both will sink in to the skin fast so don't worry. I took this photo just to see and show you if there will be a huge difference.

My love for Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel and Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence is a tie. Please do not make me choose. Last photo is the photos of the 4 sunscreens I ordered from Ebay. Right now I am using 3 of them. I will be sharing another post about them. I may not offer an in depth reviews but I'll just take loads of photos again for product familiarization. All of them do have alcohol which might not sit well with some of you. But they are the best out there. Better than French brands.

Now about my life here as an OFW: for years I had been complaining about money. But not really looking deeply at myself like about my spending habits. Only last year when I finally took charge of my life and decided to make some changes. Little and slow changes. But changes anyway. I started Pan Project with all the make up and skin care products I own during my hoarding phase. I started discarding items I do not need and keeps on doing so until I am satisfied. And trying hard to be smart with my expenses. Plus disciplining my family back home not to rely on me all the time since all my siblings are all grown ups.

I know most OFW's have the same problems like me. About money and family back home. But only us and us alone can change our lives if we want to. I always thought that it was only my family that drains my money forgetting that I am also at fault. As I discard a clothing of mine per day at the same time I am also on a Shopping Ban. Not only for myself but for my family back home. September up to the present I purchased only one dress on sale. Somehow it makes a difference with my budget no matter how small the difference is. I wish someone influenced me about minimalism and being frugal since Day 1. So the people that surround us play a part too. Surround yourself with people who will help you grow. If not possible read blogs and books about self help and the likes.

September 2016 ~ the last time I purchased body wash I am still using some that I acquired when I was still a hoarder. And I will be going back to using bar soaps again soon. It will be 6 months of me not purchasing. I would rather save the money for future travels. I do not remember when was the last time I purchased body moisturizers but I know it is more than 6 months now. It is a big help since most of the spaces are getting clearer.

Right now the only items I am still buying are food. But I am avoiding stocking up as it leads to being expired which is a waste of money. I am still buying skin care products and admittedly I have at least 30 now but I got them all of sale or they are not available in the UAE market and I am really using them unlike in the past that I would buy something and keep it until I forget about it. For example: I have 5 kinds of toners but I am using them all for my 7 skin layering (not necessarily need to follow 7) and I have 4 kinds of emulsions which I am using alternately to see which one will works best for me. The only remaining thing is finding another alternative source of income. I know one day I will come to that.

But one step at a time. I only started saving for my future. And at the same time paying off debts if there are still any. And of course take a vacation that I deserve. Something I deprived myself off for the last 10 years. I still have problems but I feel that at least my life now is better than it was.

Hada Labo and Biore from Ebay

First let me start by saying that The Faceshop UAE extended their sale until February 07, 2017. You simply cannot buy Japanese products in the UAE but if you are interested in Asian Beauty Products then you can get it from The Faceshop which is a Korean brand.

Now moving on I shared about Japanese Sunscreens I purchased from Ebay. I bought from Ebay as that is the only source I could find. The only downside was it has taken one month before the products reached me. (Amazon Japan would have taken only 3 working days but because of the ingredient Alcohol they wont be able to send products here). But on that post I was not able to share the photos inside the box completely. So I am writing a post about it now.

I'm blabbing about sunscreens a little late as I seriously started using it some 2 years ago but during that time I was using it the wrong way. I only learned how to use it properly some months back. And after learning how to do it properly only then I was introduced to the best brands of sunscreens. So right now this is my holy grail among my morning beauty products.

From left to right:
Rohto Hadalabo Gokujyun Perfect UV Sunscreen 50g SPF50+ PA++++
2016 Model Kao Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++ 90ML
2016 Model Kao Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen SPF50+ PA++++
Rohto Hadalabo Gokujyun Perfect UV Gel Sunscreen Pink Beige 50g SPF50+ PA++++

Can't help but compare them with other brands I am currently using. The fact that I keep on mentioning about it means only one thing. I am in love. I am satisfied. Each cost around 10USD with free shipping fee and if converted in AED that is only around 40AED which makes it to the affordable category, as per my financial status.

Biore is now available in the Philippines through Watsons but I am not sure about the Hada Labo. That's all for now. As much I want to share the swatch and load of photos and help you out with the ingredients for those who wants to know, that has to wait until my next post. But let me tell you that if you are taking sunscreen seriously like I do then better try and/or switch to Japanese brands. I promise to share all the sunscreens I am using now. (For the month of January I purchased quite a lot of beauty products which all are Asian Beauty Products. But hopefully it did not fall into the category of hoarding. That is how badly I want to have a beautiful skin.)

'Beauty is being comfortable and confident in your own skin'