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!

The Face Shop Rice Ceramide Moisture Cream 🌸

The last time I posted about TFS Chia Seed Cream I was not able to show the inside of the bottle and so here it is. I was not able to do so as no time left to take a photo haha. You can see the it is a clear kind of cream. And I finished it off in the month of September.

Looks like a gel right? Looks sticky but believe me the skin absorbs it immediately. And this is the most expensive cream from The Faceshop that I ever tried. Goodbye to it and hello the Rice Ceramide Moisture Cream. I had to do this one in and one out scenario, to make sure I finish all the creams. And at the same time they will not create clutter in my dresser.

The Faceshop Rice Ceramide Moisture Cream. I bought it last year. I cannot remember if I got it on sale but I purchased it because of the word rice. I have this thought that rice will be good on the skin. 

Sadly my initial impression with this Rice Ceramide Moisture Cream was not good. I love the smell. But the cream was very heavy to my skin. Or maybe because it was start of summer that year? I kept it thinking I could use it as a body lotion later on. But I know now that time won't come as I have many body lotions in the drawer.

Now even though I do not like it much I will use it just to avoid wasting it. Probably in the morning I will mix it with BB cream. As this will work well for someone with oily skin. And I have a combination skin. What can I do? I bought it out of curiosity and here we do not get sample sachets of the products.

I only have until November to place an order via Ebay. All orders by then will come by December. And next year when VAT has been implemented I am not sure if buying my Ebay will have tax or not. But even then I cannot bring myself yet to order anything as I do not know if I will be able to finish it in a month or more. And I think I still have 3 or more than moisturizers that I must finish before they expire.

The Faceshop Rice Ceramide Moisture Cream does not come with a box unlike the first two The Faceshop creams I used. But I do not mind. To avoid the waste. I took a lot of photos of the back of the tube for those who are curious or interested in other details and ingredients. I stopped doing that. I just listen to what my skin says. 

Rice Ceramide also has toner, serum and essence. Which I did not bother to buy anymore since I am not really happy with the cream. I think the only line from The Faceshop that I bought on complete set was their Green Tea Line.

And that's all for today. If there is anything else that I can add up regarding this cream then I will just edit this post. But for now I cannot think of any.

Now moving on to different topic. Regarding the VAT. I do not know why Middle East want to implement such. But as a lowly employee who has been around here for a decade, I can feel the changes around me. And this is not a good kind of change. I know many of you thinks that the salary here is very awesome as there is not salary tax. But from where are you basing that thought? Maybe if you are thinking about Westerners in top management positions. But if you will look at the lowly employees like me, I doubt that you can still say the same. 

I am doing my Pan Project and Decluttering because maybe deep inside of me I know that the life here that I had known is about to get harder. And with that I had no idea until when will I be here or until when can I last? The salary has been stagnant for a decade. But the expenses won't stop going up. Vat will surely affect everything else. I maybe talking about ordering from Ebay but not really sure about that. As the months passes by, money gets tighter too. Sorry to end the post in a bad light. 

November 19, 2017: It is over a month now and I am not yet finished with The Faceshop Rice Ceramide Moisture Cream as I am using it only in the morning. Now there is something weird. I am sure that last year when I first use it, it feels sticky/slimy to my face. But then when I started using it again I do not feel the same sticky/slimy I felt upon the first use. Could the weather played a part? We do not have the extremely cold winter here. But the weather has changed from extremely hot to tolerable as of October. Could it also be that I am not applying layers of skin care? Like in the morning I only use this moisturizer and sunscreen. And last week with the addition of Japanese emulsion. So since it is the cheapest cream The Faceshop can offer then it will do. 

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.

The Face Shop Chia Seed Cream 🌸

Another moisturizer from the past. I bought this The Faceshop Chia Seed from an online seller back in 2014 or 2015. I know that time that The Faceshop is available in UAE but I was not yet their customer.

I bought this during the time I was on my hoarding phase and I was hoping to have the chok chok skin that Koreans have. Take a lot of photos for this post. At least before throwing the cute box away (boxes was one of the reasons for my mess inside the tiny room). Anyway it said to be perfect for oil control and since my Tzone never stops producing oil I thought this might help.

Took photos of all the sides of the box without really reading them. Well the older I get, the more I don't care much. I mean all I want/need now is an affordable moisturizer that works. Whether the packaging is cute or not. And this one said to be GMO free. Not really avoiding it. Seriously.

This Chia Seed Cream comes with a scoop. Do you use one? I don't. Don't believe in it anyway. Because I am the only one who uses my cream. And before putting anything on my face I make sure that I wash my hands properly. Actually I always wash my hands well to avoid getting sick. As I do not want to be sick anymore.

So it is one in and one out. I finished the olive face cream and now will try to finish this chia seed cream. Chia seed cream is transparent gel cream while olive cream is the usual white cream. On my face chia seed cream feels to be thicker than olive cream. Both are same 150grams but because of the bottle chia seed looks like it has more on it. But do not be deceived.

The Face Shop Olive Face Cream 🌸

Hello to all! I wish this is an in depth review but this is not. For those who do not want to read the long story, The Face Shop Olive Face Cream is available in The Face Shop UAE. Price is below 100AED but I bought mine on sale. I have a combination skin and its working great on me. When I say working great what I meant is: sinks in to the skin easily without any greasy feeling. Does not irritate the skin. You know the usual way how the moisturizer really works. But to be honest in the last 2 months I experienced better moisturizers but sadly those brands are not available in UAE. So this one will do. As long as it can moisturize well without funny effects on the skin.

For the photos I used my camera. As it is already collecting dust in the drawer. But then after 2 years (?) of having it I still cannot work on my way into taking close up photos. But anyway, I just want to show how the product looks like. It came in a small bottle. Without a box, which is fine with me as to helping the Mother Earth even in a smallest way. And it does not have a scoop either. Others have. Then again I do not mind. I use my fingers which I wash first with soap and water before dipping it into the bottle of cream. 

Anyway I think it is self explanatory that the name is Olive. Meaning one of the ingredients in making this cream is olive. Olive has been known to be good on health and so it is not surprising to find this in skin care products s well. Although I am not really a huge fan. I purchased my The Face Shop Olive Face Cream because it was on sale and I thought I'd just try it out. Purchased last January 2017. About this finish before August ends. It has taken me time to finish because I'm using other brands/creams at the same time. I mean I am alternating them.

Last winter, even though the winter here is not much cold, I was able to consume too many moisturizers as I am doing it the Korean and Japanese way. But comes summer I cannot as I find them too uncomfortable and feels like my skin cannot handle layers of skin care and makeup. So if I could go back in time I would not purchase so many skin care products. Only consolation is since some are still unopened and the expiration date is on 2019.

This is what the cream looks like. Nothing extra ordinary. Just like any other moisturizing cream I own. As much as I want to move on to other creams I cannot as I am still trying to finish it. Maybe I will be able to buy new creams only in 2018. Or in 2019. Don't know. Not because I do not have a budget for it but the usual story of having too much of it.

Tada! 1/8 of my stash that I am trying to finish! I doubt that I can finish them all by end of this year. But it is okay since they will not yet expire anytime soon. Most are not yet opened. But soon enough I will be discarding a lot of makeup. Summer makes my skin crazy that for a few days I find myself with flaky skin. To think that I eat a lot of vegetables and fruits. I eat fish. I drink a lot of water to the point that I need to pee a lot because of it. Plus I moisturizer. And I do not use facial wash that strong for my face. Maybe it has something to do with age. The older we get, the drier our skin will be.

That's all for today. And I hope my post makes sense somehow. I am writing just an outlet. To break the ice from my busy life from work. And to steer my thoughts away even just for a few minutes. Once again I find myself having problems which I did not create in the first place. You know, it was not my choice to be the eldest and the bread winner. Ciao!

A few days after writing this post I was able to finish the tube of the cream and before throwing the bottle I opened the sticker and the bottom. Took photos for those who are curious or interested. But then as of me it is yay! Another item off my magic dresser. I call my dresser magic because seems like it never runs out of stuff on it. I keep on saying that it only has 100 items but no matter how many items I either used up or discarded, it is still overflowing as ever. If only.. If only I did not waste my money is so many things..

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence

And I am back with another sunscreen post. This is not a thorough review. I just taken a lot of photos for product familiarization. And I feel like it is worth sharing as this is a great sunscreen and so let's begin.

The only English part of this is the name that says Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence and the rest are all written in Japanese which I do not understand. Sharing them here anyway for those who are interested.

Biore Japanese products among with other Japanese goods are not available in the UAE or in Middle East but easily accessible in my home country, Philippines. And Biore sold over there have English translations at the back. Unlike this.

Please be aware that all Biore sunscreens have alcohol so this can be tricky. DHL will not allow sending it to UAE due to customs restriction regarding alcohol but then I got this one from Ebay without any problems. Will the airplane going to explode if they are carrying sunscreens?

Cosme Award 2014. Don't know how the Cosme Award works but it sure can be trusted. Surely all Japanese sunscreens have different characteristics but I love them all the same. For those who are curious about the price I got it for only around 10USD and one month waiting time.

Just more photos... By the way I have a combination skin. Nose is the only oily part while the rest can be normal to dry. Our UAE winter is not extremely cold. I am sharing this because maybe those things play a part too why the sunscreen works well with me.

In this photo up on my hand is the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence while down is the Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Gel. Even though I do not know the ingredients I have a feeling that they are the same except for the consistency. One is gel while the other one is watery.

Showing how these sunscreens are when spread. I just did not spread it properly. And I am now following the rule of teaspoon full for the whole face and re applying after a few hours.

I am a broken record whenever I describe any Japanese sunscreen. For example this Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence:

• Affordable
• Sinks in the skin easily
• Turns matte afterwards
• Moisturizing
• Blends well with other skin care products
• Blends well with other make up
• Does not ball up on the skin
• Does not leave a white cast
• Alcohol smell goes away immediately
• No greasy feeling

But of course I am not sure if it will work the same well for others. You might want to consider skin type and climate. I still have to see yet how it will work when summer comes and it becomes extremely hot over here. Especially on June to August when it feels like the country is one big oven.

I am using these Biore alternately. And these 4 sunscreens are the first purchased I had on Ebay. I cannot differentiate them from one another except maybe the Hada Labo feels like one of my moisturizing creams. So you can choose any brand and you will be just fine.

Don't know what is wrong sometimes my photos are turning up this way. That is all for today. And thanks for visiting my page.

NOW ON OTHER THINGS. I am currently and I do not know when it will end, shedding items I own. Until I reach my goal of having material possessions that would fit only on one or two luggage. So almost everyday I am writing down a Goodbye Post Series.

But even though I am shedding down my items, I bought a handful of skin care products from December to February. Well I started my Asian Skin Care Regime last 2015 but then in between there has been a stoppage. For various reasons. So this year I decided to at least give it one shot and see how it will be as the year ends.

Purchased loads of sunscreens. Purchased loads of toners and emulsions. Waiting for loads of face powders. And lots of face creams. I almost fall into the category of hoarding again. Except that I am using everything alternately and trying to figure out which one will works best. But one thing is for sure I will definitely ditch the Korean Skin Care Regime soon. All in one creams will suite well my budget and lifestyle.

I love essences but when I am using one I feel like its enough and I cant go on with emulsion and cream anymore. I love emulsions but then pairing it with essence and cream can lead to a sticky face. But my main concern upon switching with all in one cream is: the brands I have my eyes on are hard to ship in the UAE. Because they are coming from Japan.

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'

Serums

What is serum? I did not know about serums not until I was introduced to Korean skin care regime. It is a facial product with a light consistency to be used on after cleansing the skin. But before emulsion, face cream and/or sleeping pack. It has a higher concentration of an ingredient/s for a specific target for your skin problem. Mine is all about the sun spot. And the oily nose. But if you are using an ampoule then the ampoule should go first. Now interestingly serum and essence are the same. Or at least almost the same in some brands. But if you still want to use a serum and essence use serum first (after the ampoule) if it is watery. But then if serum is oil then it should be the first before the essence. Here are some of the serums I am currently using. But please note that I am not using them all at once. I am rotating them.

📍 TFS Calendula Serum ~ I'm using it at night. But only when I need extra hydration. I think it will work better for those with extremely dry skin. It is making my skin oilier than the usual. But I can't throw it away so I'm using it anyway in spite of the outcome.

📍 TFS Green Tea Serum ~ I am about to finish the bottle now. As it works well with my combination skin. Purpose again is for extra hydration. I am using it in the morning rather than in the evening.

📍 Loreal Revitalift Serum ~ I purchased it on impulse and keeps on using it just to avoid wasting it though I can't tell if it is really doing what it is supposed to do.

📍 Skin Food Peach Sake Pore Serum ~ It is taking time for me to finish as it goes only to my nose. The only oily part of my face. It never fails to produce oil 24/7 and so I had to combat whiteheads on the nose on almost daily basis.

 

That's all for today. Thanks for dropping by. I hope I am able to impart something no matter how small it may be.

Muji Moist Essence Lotion

Muji Moist Essence Lotion 200ML

Price: 100.00AED
Sale Price: 75.00AED
Made in Japan

Anti Ageing

Purchased at Mirdif City Centre

Purchased on November 2016

3M shelf life upon opening

Good for 2 - 3 months usage

In case you are wondering why there are 3 photos below which are almost the same it is because I was trying to capture the look of the essence properly. And since right now I have 2 serums and 3 toners from The Face Shop can't help but compare it from those products.

Muji Moist Essence Lotion is thicker than water but thinner than cream. It is transparent. If I am to put all my toners, serums and this essence on my hand I might not be able to differentiate them all to one another.

At first I found it sticky to apply but then I figured out I was using too much and not spreading it properly hence the sticky feeling. You can use a cotton pad when applying it but that would be a waste of product so better use the palm and gently pat on the face.

Verdict: I love it but I will not repurchase. Muji is a Japanese supposed to be a no name brand but in the UAE it is very expensive. Price is the only factor why I will not repurchase and instead look for a cheaper option via Amazon Japan. 

 

Product Description as per their website: A treatment toner that provides hydration and restores the skin with natural ingredients, such as rose water and raspberry. Gives a serum-like feeling. Added 10 natural skin beautifying ingredients such as pomegranate, raspberry and 5 functioning ingredients such as hyaluronic acid and collagen. No fragrance. No artificial colours. No mineral oils. Weakly acidic.

 

Whoah it has only been 2 years since I started a skin care regime and included toners in it. And now toners are no longer products meant to clean the skin. It has evolved into something else. The same way that facial mists are no longer special water to freshen up during summer months. I purchased it without knowing that it is what they call  treatment toner. As I have said I love it because it really works well for me. But as I have said Muji is expensive that I am looking for an alternative. And believe me South Korean and Japanese skin care products alone are offering too many items to choose from.

 

It is just at times it can be confusing because toner in Japanese is lotion. Meant to prep the skin. Unlike the usual batches of toners I used before. Now there's also a blurred lines between Japanese face lotion and Japanese face conditioner. I think a Japanese face lotion can be a replacement for a Korean toner and serum. I may never be rich and may never reach my dreams but at least I can have a beautiful skin.