REVIEW: DIOR SNOW SPF 50

 DiorSnow

What it does:

Diorsnow IS my HG Sunscreen! It has not been unseated by anything else…yet. It protects (SPF 50), it is brightening, combats dark spots left by my zits and is the perfect moisturizer for my oily skin (yep, it may sound counter-intuitive but oily skin needs to be hydrated as well!).

 

Price: might be pricey at roughly P2500 (would buy this at 550MOP in Macau or Hong Kong) but it lasts a good 8 months for me—and that includes covering my neck.

Packaging:

Comes in a pump. Can travel with it because the pump has a cover but I usually just depot this in a small container good enough for the travel period. One pump is enough for face and neck so I usually just pump out the same number of days I am travelling.

Experience:

Although I prefer the old formulation better (it was easier to spread and thin out, less emollient than the new one and felt more matte), this sunscreen still trumps all the others i’ve tried so far. I use DiorSnow sunscreen before I put anything else on my clean, toned skin. It doubles as my facial moisturizer as well. I dispense a full pump on to my fingers, mix it with fingers and then dab the product all over my face and neck. Massaging it in, follows (I like this step).

This layers well with makeup and I think was even formulated to help with it—the uv pearl in its formulation does make your face brighter. Yes, it really does. It was made more apparent when I was on a cycle of antibiotics one time and my skin had this sickly grey pallor. When I spread DiorSnow, it erased the overcast on my face. I liken it to neon backlighting. Whatever it is, it made a huge difference.

When I am in a rush, I usually just top this off with powder and I am all set.  And yeah, I never broke out with this one!

Have I said, the scent is lovely?! Not cloying at all even in summer when the Philippine heat can get too much.

Shelf Life:

There was one tube that lasted me over a year and half. It was at that time that I had been experimenting and comparing it with other sunscreens. Even on the 18^th month of use,  there was no difference in product color, smell or consistency.

Repurchase:

A resounding YES! unless I find something else that rivals it at a lower price. As I mentioned above, I experimented with others and these were Guerlain's Blanc Pearl,  Lancome’s UV BB Cream, Clarins’ Sun Wrinkle Control Cream, Neutrogena’s Sheer Touch, CotZ and TIZO. None of them has unseated DiorSnow. I know I still have to go through a whole lot of these sunscreen tubes but I’m pretty sure that once I am midway through the lot, I will get my hands on yet another tube of DiorSnow.

Side Story you can skip:

I saw a video on YouTube about how this special camera captured the sun damage done to unprotected skin. All I could think of was: Thank God! I use sunscreen! And then I got paranoid and thought of those years when I was very inconsistent with it. I started getting into the serious habit of it late (around age 30) in spite of my mom’s persistent nagging.

Admittedly though, I do have to work on my habit of using sunblock for my body. Unless I’m heading for the beach, I couldn’t be bothered with using body sunblock—instead, I spread body bronzers (as if I’m not dark enough! Hahaha). In Manila, where whitening products fill up several shelves in the market, this attitude towards body bronzing might be a tad puzzling. But I just enjoy the sheen and glow that bronzers give—wish the products I love come formulated with SPF. Enough. I’ve digressed too much. Back to sunscreen.  I am really trying to be more vigilant about using it on my body as well.  So far, for body use, Neutrogena Sheer Touch Sunscreen is the most comfy to wear here in Manila where the heat and humidity is no joke. But that’ll be the topic of another post.

Review: L’Occitane 5 Essential Oils Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner

REPURCHASE? Yes, but I am in no rush. Refilled this soooo many times and having these bottles in my bathroom shelf everyday for the past 4 years have gotten me quite bored with them. It consistently gave me beautiful hair, however, I need a break from it. Anyhow, will keep the empty bottles in storage first and give myself time to miss it before topping them up.

L’Occitane 5 Essential Oils Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner was a set that I always ignored inside the L’Occitane shop--- I was going through my Verbena phase then. However, when my husband brought home a couple of small bottles from a hotel stay, I wasted no moment trying them out and wow! Was I immediately chastised for snubbing them! Somehow, by some sort of miracle, this L’Occitane 5 Essential Oils Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner duo revealed beautiful hair! The scent got me hooked some more because it never failed to bring fond memories of childhood. It smells similarly to Johnson & Johnson’s baby shampoo, aka, the “scent of my childhood”. That same week, I made a trip to the L’Occitane shop for the sole purpose of getting the full sized set 

I often used the shampoo on its own, foregoing the conditioner. This was no hardship because the shampoo took care of my hair so well. Hair was bouncy. Every single strand had flounce to it. It was light. It was shiny. Have to say, too, that it was easy to brush--- wet or dry. Skipped conditioner half the time because good-hair-days lasted longer this way. My hair didn’t get oily too fast and I found that using the conditioner forced me to shampoo my hair more frequently than I liked. For 5 years now, I have religiously followed this rule: shampoo hair at the very most, every two days. I strive for 3. Ever since I started this habit (helped by dry shampoo and the fact that I’ve stopped going to the gym) my hair has become thicker and healthier.

There were times when I’d slather on the conditioner, though, and that was when my hair was particularly dry because of the weather or because of heat styling. However, I found myself reaching for the conditioner when I craved for the scent. I noticed that the fragrance stayed on my hair so much longer as opposed to just shampoo where the scent dissipated as my hair dried.

As I finish writing this blogpost, I’m beginning to wonder how long before I miss this. Bet it would be soon. Gosh, there must be something wrong with me!

Review: Movis Facial Soap by Lush

I’M LOVING IT!

Oooohhh. I really am loving Movis (a wheaty Face Soap). Every time I dab my face dry, I get a little more in love with it. My face feels smooth to the touch, soft, supple and oh so clean. Whether used in the morning, noon, night or dawn, it gives me the same beautiful result! Such a pleasure to use this one. Really. Think soap version of honey-sweetened oatmeal (although it has wheat germ and wheat bran in it and no oats!). My nose thinks it has a touch of cinnamon—at least a hint of the scent, but it isn’t listed as one of the ingredients. My face feels so fresh and clean that it tempts me to skip the moisturizer (but I don’t). When used fresh, a little goes a looong way; foaming up easily and exfoliating decently. Plus: I get to open my eyes comfortably and that for me is such a treat. Got my healthy sized sample from Lush Mong Kok (Hong Kong).

DOWNSIDE:

After the four-week mark, it dries and shrinks down to a gelatinous state instead of the initial soft, bready kind of soap. Am I making any sense?! It was easier to use when it was still at the latter state simply because it was easy to pinch off a little bit, lather up and scrub the face with the bran and the germ. But 4 weeks have passed since then and it is no longer easy to take a bit off. It even gets more challenging to lather it up on my face or on my palms. When it shrank down to a gelatinous state, the scrubbing action was gone. I still thoroughly enjoyed using it though. Like tonight, it was harder to form a lather and yet, my face still feels great after.

Over 4 weeks

I used it as a “solid facial scrub,” a facial loofah of a sort. Same result. Skin was smooth and fresh. However, I do have a bit of psychological problems with it. It has not broken me out but the thing is, I am not so sure how hygienic it is when used directly on my face---I do rinse it off after use (just how one would when using solid soap) but still…right? And also, when I rinse it under the tap, I do know that a bit of product is washed away. Nonetheless, in spite of all the rinsing, it still has stayed in its “chewy” state.

A HAPPY ACCIDENT:

Left the chewy Movis bar by the tub and it got really wet (kids were enjoying Shooting Star and Drummers Drumming-both by Lush).  The chewiness gave way to floppiness and when I used it, it was as if I was using it fresh from the store. Its outer surface sloughed off and the bran and wheat germ were free to roam around and scrub my face. But then again, I wonder about what germinates in there when it gets “rehydrated.” Result-wise though, I still am happy to say that after using it this way for a week, it still delivers the same beautiful result.

THE CHALLENGE:

I still do not know how to extend the fresh state of this soap beyond the 4 weeks. I have used zip lock, the lush tin…with no desired result. Was planning to stock up on this as it isn’t available in the Philippines yet, but as with all Lush’s fresh facial cleansers, its short shelf life prevents me from doing so.

INGREDIENTS:

Review: Neutrogena Deep Clean Energizing Foaming Cleanser

REPURCHASE? MAYBE.

Purchased Neutrogena’s Deep Clean Energizing Foaming Cleanser from our local Watson’s store here in Manila for the price of PhP190 (roughly USD4.5). You get 85 grams of product (about 90 ml). Will I get this again? Maybe but not after I’ve finished all the other cleansers I have lined up. I’m on a facial-cleanser-ban as I have several of different brands (a whole lot!) to finish within 3 years. If this had reached Holy Grail status for me, I would have made an exception to my self-imposed moratorium.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

This product comes in an oversized plastic tube with a flip top cap. Do not be misled. You only get 85 grams of product. I was surprised that after only a couple of uses, I started to see a noticeable “dent” on the tube. That was when I looked closely and realized what I had paid for. 

Product itself is a silky light blue creamy foam that has very few blue beads scattered. These blue beads are what the packaging promises to be “energizing microbeads.” I found them to be anything but energizing. I got mildly irritated with them at times—not skin wise. Firstly, there were so few of them that it just served to be a nuisance. Now you feel them, now you don’t. Secondly, when you did feel them, they were so micro, so smooth, so polished that it made me wonder whether it served any purpose at all. I was thinking that maybe, just maybe the beads would burst and give off energizing whatever but nope. Nothing.  By the way, they do not even dissolve--this got me a bit unsettled. Haven’t clearly figured why it makes me feel like so.

Nonetheless, this product delivered on its promise of leaving my skin “refreshingly clean, soft and smooth” or at least as smooth as it can get.

This foaming facial cleanser is from Neutrogena’s Deep Clean line, a line which has wowed me twice. Its Blackhead Eliminating Warming Treatment I’ve repurchased again and again and its Oil Free Makeup Removing Wipes, I buy a lot of when I get the chance (I have not spotted it here in Manila).

EXPERIENCE:

I usually squeeze a very short strip of product every use. I like how it lathers up easily into foam, turning opaque white, even with makeup on.  I love that I can open my eyes comfortably. I highly appreciate having the option of keeping my eyes open even after Ive soaped my entire face. Eyes closed in my bathroom (any bathroom for that matter) just freaks me out big time! Heck, my own face in the mirror even freaks me out! Sorry. Anyway. Scent. This has a light fresh scent. Pleasant. I would have probably described this as a no-nonsense, straightforward kind of face wash if it weren’t for those pesky beads! Did I mention that there are so few of them that I can actually count how many there are. On an average, there are 12-15 per use. Darn beads! Moving on. Another thing I liked about this was how consistent it was. Whether or not I worked it in thoroughly or haphazardly (rinsed off after 5 seconds kinda thing) my skin still felt fresh and clean but not dry, taut or stripped. This made a decent makeup remover (even waterproof mascara), too. I found that I just needed 2 cotton rounds (with Bioderma makeup remover) to take the very last traces of makeup. When used with my Clarisonic Mia, I skipped Bioderma altogether.

COOLING TIP:

I noticed that it gave a very slight cooling effect if worked in thoroughly for at least a minute.

PACKAGING:

Aside from the oversized-marketing-gimmickry kind of packaging (I’m open to hearing legit reasons), I love how the product can stand on its flip top cap. Saves counter space. One more thing. The flip top cap can be unscrewed off allowing you to pinch the tube towards itself, squeeeezing out the last bit of product. When I did this, I was able to get an additional week’s use out!

REVIEW: Blousey by Lush

I WILL NOT REPURCHASE:

I wont repurchase plainly because it did not wow me.  Forking over PhP1250 (roughly USD28) for 240 grams of product (about 25 to 30 uses for my really long hair), I felt ENTITLED to be wowed. I EXPECTED to be wowed. Unfortunately, my hair just didn’t take to it.

The reason why I got Blousey in the first place was because of the online hype surrounding banana shampoo and besides the packaging itself claims that it is for damaged, bleached or naturally fragile hair.

MY HAIR FACTS:

I have really long, black, coarse hair that has been re-bonded twice in the past 3 years. Last re-bonding happened over a year ago.  I used Blousey around 6 months after that. I have never colored my hair. I shampoo every 3 to 4 days--I can afford to do this because I use dry shampoo in between washing. I use argan oil for the ends on a daily basis. I rarely blow dry my hair (thrice a year--max), opting for the fan if I am rushing. I rarely use heat styling tools (twice a year--max). I get a trim once a year only---it should be more often but it requires so much effort to go to a salon and have it done--my patience was all eaten up by the re-bonding session!

WET HAIR EXPERIENCE:

The Lush UK website (https://www.lush.co.uk/products/blousey) describes this as:

“[a] thick, deeply moisturising shampoo that hydrates your hair, leaving it feeling soft, nourished and cared for. Blousey is bursting with butters, bananas and berries to revive and protect hair. Bananas are protein-rich and soften the hair; cocoa and cupuaçu butters also restore moisture, xxx.” It might have hydrated, nourished and protected my hair but it did not show nor did I feel it. I did get to do my “no conditioner test” though (a test I do to see how well a particular kind of shampoo performs on its own), so this wasn’t as bad as the other shampoos I had tried (Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, Lush’s Shampoo Bars Ultimate Shine and New) where my wet hair just screamed for conditioner! However, like I said, this was a mediocre performer especially taken in the backdrop of the price I had paid for it.

 

“xxx and antiseptic pimento berry is effective in maintaining a healthy scalp.”

My scalp felt great though. My hair felt clean, smelled clean (nothing of banana); oils were easily washed away but not leaving it stripped. BUT. But. Although my hair felt squeaky clean, my white towel would tell a different story. Some fibers from the banana would always be left behind, no matter how often and how vigorous you rinse your hair. Worse it would transfer to my poor white towel. At first it bothered me but towards the end, I just shrugged it off.

DRY HAIR EXPERIENCE:

I felt my hair to be a tad too bouffant, volumized and frizzy on day 1 when I used this without conditioner. Day 2 gave better results but I’ve seen my hair looking beautiful, soft and shiny with other shampoos  even without conditioner!

Pairing this with Lush’s Veganese & Happy Happy Joy Joy or Macadamia Natural Oil's Deep Repair Masque & Moisturizing Rinse, most definitely helped. But again, (who cares if I sound redundant, right?!) i’ve had better hair days with cheap shampoos paired with those enumerated conditioners.

SCENT:

I really do find the scent to be that of fresh bananas. Banana scents almost always come across to me as funky and off the mark but there is nothing artificial-smelling about this one. It helps of course that fresh real bananas are used. The scent may be strong if you sniff the product straight from the pot but the scent lightens up when used and pairs with other scents (of conditioners) well.

DOWNSIDE:

Aside from its mediocre performance, man how this product stings!!! So do not let it get to your eyes, even when rinsing! And if you have an over active imagination (like my sister), you might want to get used to the way it looks --think wrigglers in a pot of sludge. It doesn't help that it oxidizes as it ages.  Hope the picture helps.

TIP:

This product bubbles up only when there’s much water added to your hair. The first time I used this, scooped so much of it because my wet hair just did not lather up. It was when I started to rinse off under the shower that it did.

SHELF LIFE:

This lasted quite a long time. I used this for almost 2 month past the best before date without any changes in its performance.

INGREDIENTS:

 

REVIEW: Chanel Mattifying Fluid

                                                       PRICE: 

I roped myself into getting this Chanel Mattifying Fluid because I needed something that could control my royal oiliness. I figured that my hardworking oil glands were the root cause of all my acne and the reason why my makeup could not last longer than 4 hours (if lucky). Also, I needed a moisturizer catered to oily skin that would actually work! I loved the Chanel Eau Douceur so much that I felt this would deliver the same way. In short, I wanted a 2-in-1 product and the Chanel Mattifying Fluid fit the bill. The only bump in the road was the price tag. PhP3950 for a 50 ml bottle. That’s roughly USD88! I initially left the counter, thinking there was no way I’d fork over that much (that was then—I’m better at squeezing the trigger now. Ha!) My wavering was short-lived. Briskly walked back rationalizing: it’s a 2-in-1 product so, really, I was paying for 2 products.

A GREAT PRIMER, TOO:

Initially, I used it merely as part of my night routine but when I started using it as a makeup base, it made my makeup last so much longer. It makes a really great primer! The feeling it gives is similar to the Makeup Forever HD Primer. Spreads easily like thin lotion and dries down to a very slight tacky finish, leaving your skin feeling moisturized and looking supple. My skin, oily as it may be, absorbs this pretty quickly. This also layers well with any foundation formulation—be it cream, gel, silicone or powder. I apply it second to sunblock. Instead of looking oily at the 4-hour mark, this made my skin look dewy. It smells sooo good, too! The usual Chanel scent is very much present in this. Duh.

SHELF-LIFE:

Packaging indicates 6 months but this lasted a really loooong time. Not because I was saving it but because 1 single pump (comes with a very convenient pump) was more than enough for my face—often times there’d even be enough product left on my fingers to spread down to my neck. 

DRAWBACK:

This did not permanently regulate my oily skin. Also, I mentioned the price of this, right?

 

WILL I REPURCHASE? MAYBE:

The reason why I am thinking twice before repurchasing this boils right down to its price. There are so many other mattifying products out there that I would like to experiment on---cheaper, I might add. And besides, if other products fail, there is always the Combos Skin Tea Tree Balancing Mask ( http://kalfafarasia.blogspot.com/2014/11/combos-skin-tea-tree-balancing-mask.html ) that similarly does the job, when needed.`

REVIEW: Chanel Eau Douceur

I WILL REPURCHASE:

I got Chanel’s Eau Douceur from the Chanel counter in Rustan’s (much like your Neiman Marcus, Harrods or Galeries Lafayette). It set me back around P2,250 (roughly USD50) for 150 ml of product. It is cleansing water formulated for both face and eyes.

BACKSTORY:

My story with make-up removers started when I began putting more than just powder. A couple of years ago I woke up one morning to a pair of pimples. This pair multiplied (exponentially) that by the end of the week, one could arguably say I had acne vulgaris. Waking up every morning to zits, scars left by zits, emerging zits and healing ones was literally and figuratively speaking, a pain in the neck (and face!). Anyhow, this urged me to begin my love affair with makeup. Brightside. Thank you, zits! I was successful covering them up with liquid and cream foundation but taking it off at the end of day with Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser was sooooo tiresome and time-consuming---had to repeat massaging-in and rubbing off with tissue that my face felt raw every night. I knew then that there was an efficient way of cleaning face and I was right.

EXPERIENCE: 

I discovered Chanel’s Eau Douceur when I was trying out Chanel foundation. The beauty assistant gave me a cotton pad soaked with it to remove my existing makeup and I was impressed! One gentle swipe and the cotton pad was loaded with gunk. Not just that, the quintessential Chanel scent it left behind made me feel really luxe and sophisticated. A woman of the world; as if I was part of old Hollywood glamour--may be eye-roll worthy to some but that’s my truth.  Long and short of it, the escapist side of me brought a bottle home that day.

TAKES MAKEUP OFF EFFICIENTLY: 

This cleaned my face efficiently and gently. No need for rubbing or elbow grease, as was required by Cetaphil when taking makeup off. This also removed eye makeup, including waterproof mascara, easily without stinging. Plus, you have an option of not having to wash your face after. This isn’t fragrance free but my skin does not take issue with this. On the contrary, like I said earlier, the scent just added a layer to the lovely experience. And! And! My pimples calmed down. Yes, it did!

PACKAGING FORM and FUNCTION: 

The sleek packaging graced my makeup table so beautifully. More importantly, this comes with a pump that makes dispensing very convenient. I found that 2 pumps per cotton round (I’d use 5 to 6 for a full face of makeup) were enough to soak the cotton.

LIFESPAN: 

The package indicates 6 months but I used this waaaay beyond that. I admit in a small voice: a little over 2 years. I know! I know! But I assure you, it was still as good as day 1. No change in scent, color or efficacy. No breakouts, too (acne had already been managed at this point). I saved it as long as I could by using it sparingly. I used it on those days when a pick-me-upper was needed. Stretching this out to last for this long was made possible because not very long after, I discovered and became totally dependent on Bioderma’s Cleansing Water.

DOWNSIDE:

The downside to this is the price tag. For a 150 ml bottle, I paid Php2250 (roughly USD50); compare that to Bioderma’s 500 ml for 125 MOP (roughly Php750 or USD 17).  Another one: although it was safe to travel with it (the pump has a cover), it just took too much space in my beauty case. Decanting it to a travel bottle just didn’t give me the same luxe experience so I stopped traveling with it.

KIDS’ CORNER:

My little girls (ages 10, 7 and 4) play with “real” makeup a lot requiring makeup remover. I shared this with them once in a while and their skin was totally fine with it. No sign of irritation and they unanimously loved the fragrance. However, my 4 year old did complain that it would sting her eyes—especially when the pad was too soaked.

REVIEW: NIVEA In Shower Intensive Skin Conditioner in Almond Oil

I WILL NOT REPURCHASE : ( I heard about this NIVEA In Shower Intensive Skin Conditioner (Almond Oil) a couple of months ago from YouTuber Tanya Burr. I was so excited to see whether this could rival Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner (by LUSH and my top favorite) as they are both rinse-off body moisturizer/lotion, so I immediately checked it out on the boots.com website. I jumped to conclusions that the Philippines would probably get it late, so I was beside myself when I spotted it in our local Watson’s! For 250 ml and 100 ml, you pay PhP189 (USD 4.2) and PhP156 (USD 3.5), respectively. Cheap compared to PhP1200 for a 250 ml tub of Ro’s. I got all three scents/formulations: Camu Camu, Sea Minerals and shown in the picture above (which I like the least and ironically the first tube I finished): Almond Oil.

WHAT IT IS:

It is a body lotion/moisturizer you use inside the shower.  It needs to be rinsed off. For me, this really does not save you any time as it still requires that additional step anyway. You either moisturize your body, in or out of the shower and that decision (might be shallow but it has to be made) will really depend on product preference. I go by how I feel…for the day.

EXPERIENCE:

no, it's not what you're thinking! it IS the lotion.

Anyway, using this product was such an odd experience for me. One should've been there with me the first time—it didn’t help that out of the three, I picked the fragrance I least liked. (I know, I know. I should’ve smelled it before buying. Serves me right.) My face scrunched up because it smelled sooo artificial. Quickly opened the other tubes and was relieved that the other two scents were okay. But the feeling. Ugh. The first time I spread it all over me I was on repeat mode: “oh no!” How was I going to finish all 3 tubes of this slime?! I do not know how to articulate it, so for this reason, buy one and help me figure it out! Please? Okay, just kidding.

I’ll try to explain anyway. Unlike Ro’s, where it still feels like the familiar lotion/oil you’re massaging in, spreading this felt like a useless exercise—in my head I was thinking there was no way this...this thing, was going to be accepted by my skin. It was as if I was spreading molten, slicky, slimy plastic all over me. It did not feel organic. Worse was when I rinsed and toweled off! Without the water for the additional slick, my skin was left with this peculiar rubbery slip to it. This got me scrutinizing the listed ingredients. “Paraffinum Liquidum.” For me, this was its savior. Felt less uneasy because “paraffin” sounds friendly enough. I thought of those paraffin hand treatments my mom used to have and I figured this must be okay. And you know what? It feels less and less weird every time I use it. A good thing as I still have the 2 other tubes to go through.

EFFECTIVE MOISTURIZER:

However, with all that said, I concede that this product did deliver on the primary purpose it was made for. It moisturized my skin and it stayed that way until the end of the day. That’s quite a big achievement. With the exception of my oily face, the cliché, “dry as the sahara,” applies to the rest of my body. It is the kind where a chalky trail is left wherever you scratch it. Take note though, that this will not give you that healthy, glowy sheen other lotions and moisturizers do. 

INGREDIENTS:

 

This product is made in Thailand under license.

Review: NIVEA 3-in-1 Daily Deep Exfoliating Wipes

 

I WILL REPURCHASE.  I bought a pack of this Nivea 3-in-1 Daily Deep Cleansing Exfoliating Wipes (Made in Germany) from our local Watson’s store here in Manila. Choosing the formulation made for Oily/Impure Skin was a no-brainer. My skin is guilty on both counts.  

REASONABLY PRICED. For the price of Php149 (roughly USD3.5), you get 20 WET wipes.  Reasonable! I might even say, a lot cheaper than Neutrogena’s or Simple’s and most definitely cheap compared to Soap and Glory’s wipes. First off, I love makeup wipes and I have been fearless trying different brands from the cheapest to the more pricey ones. I just find them really convenient. (I even have a pack of it in my bag, for a headstart, when on my way home). Heck, even the “driest” of wipes has, at least once, played the hero for those nights (admit it, we’ve attended those too-much-to-drink kind of parties) when I just could not be bothered to go through my nightly ritual.

the rough side

the "smooth" side

EFFECTIVE IN REMOVING MAKEUP. Anyway, back to Nivea’s wipes. The wipe is wet enough. Both the smooth and rough side take makeup off easily—including waterproof mascara (Maybelline’s Hypercurl).  I find that using both sides of the wipe is enough to get me ready to wash my face. I usually use the rough side first to scrub off makeup, then use the smooth side (same wipe) for a second pass. I only use the smooth side, by the way, when I take eye makeup off (if you follow the package instructions strictly, you are to avoid contact with the eyes—makes sense as it lists alcohol as one of its ingredients). For makeup free nights, I skip the rough side as I learned that cleaning my skin with it left it feeling a teeny bit raw.  For those who can’t stand textured wipes or cotton, you might not appreciate even the smooth side of this wipe because you’ld still feel a faint trace of the bumps on the other side. I used this for more than 2 weeks and no breakout, so yey!

OTHER USES: These wipes I also find handy when I put on more elaborate makeup. I clean my gel liner brush with it in between dips to the pot. It’s also useful to surface clean your foundation buffing brush with it, extending its use to contouring.

INGREDIENTS:

It is scented. It has alcohol. 

earlier that evening: )

ready to wash my face!

Sorry, might be TMI. Just wanted to show off what it can do!