MAJOR HIATUS

Hello readers!
My blog will be on a short break due to a malfunctioning computer.

There will be many reviews to come and will be posted when I come back!

Bye for now!
Have a great summer!

SANA Super Hard Massage Gel

There are so many famous products in Japan and SANA's Super Hard Massage Gel is one them. The collection of massage products for toning and making skin smooth is also known as SANA Esteny. The one I have here is the Super Hard Massage Gel which has lots of chili pepper ingredients and marine extracts for exfoliating. It helps smooth everything down while the gel heats up as you massage in an upward circular motion. This one is particularly aimed for tummy, thighs and calves. There are many others for legs and another one to target the tummy. Unfortunately, I have used this product up so there are no pictures of the exfoliating beads and the gel up close. So this review may be a little on the boring side.

The target area that I was focusing on was mainly my thighs and tummy. I used it at least twice a week and it only took a medium sized squirt of it to cover my whole body. I found that when in the shower the gel gets pretty slippery so there should be caution when squirting it out. I had some major accidents when I squirted too much and wasted a bit. Good thing is that this gel is inexpensive so it didn't really matter too much to me. The best thing about the gel is that you can immediately feel the results. Skin feels tight and is smooth to the touch. People use this to slim down so it's probably similar and comparable to a cellulite scrub. I love the fact that I actually felt scrubbing and the heat felt really refreshing. I really loved using it so I probably would purchase this again when I see it. Currently I am using the normal Sana Esteny Citrus Massage Gel which I will review a little later.

Pros: Makes skin feel soft and tight. Inexpensive!
Cons: A bit slippery!

Kosé Visée Metallic Gloss Rouge

There doesn't seem to be anyone talking about the recent additions to Visee Metallic Rouge or the original lipgloss itself. I didn't find it that interesting either but I managed to find myself purchasing 2 out of the 3 newest colours from the Spring 2008 line. I suppose the lipgloss isn't quite popular because it's outer appearance isn't attractive at all. The packaging and colours available are pretty plain jane with a black cap top and a shapely bottom. I'm not a huge fan of Kose Visee products because I never really gave them the time or day to try them out. That's why I find it surprising that I actually have them. The mascara I tried before was exceptional because it looked promising even though everyone knows that people who do mascara commercials are usually wearing fake lashes or they beefed it up with a graphic program. But let's now talk about the lipglosses!


I don't know why but I always have to buy a pink when it comes to a new product. Maybe for the safety or maybe because I really like pink lips. I really don't know. This is PK-858 and it's a light pearl shimmery pink. It's a very warm pink that it could be almost mistaken for a nude lip. When put on it's pretty and shimmery just like the next pink lipgloss out there. There really isn't anything special with this one because I have plenty of the same colour already. In fact it is comparable to Shiseido MM's plump glosses.


BE-354 is the ultimate nude champagne colour. It might as well be champagne with all the shimmer that could represent all the bubbly bubbles. It's pretty pigmented that it makes my lips look very fake, loaded with gloss and gross. I had to blot many times to get a more natural look but who really blots their gloss when it's just 1 coat? That's just weird and a waste of product. I suppose this colour is for those who have darker and tanned skin because the gold flecks and champagne colour would match perfectly! It really reminds of Gyaru makeup. Too bad I'm not into that kind of style or this would be perfect!

The texture of the gloss is pretty sticky and it makes me think that Visee is behind in creating an excellent formula that's lightweight. It just doesn't feel great to have such a heavy layer for Spring. But if you look on the brighter side of things, thick gloss means it will last longer. I'm really not WOW-ed at this collection of lipglosses and I really wish I hadn't put money down on it. Oh well! It's just going to end up at the back of my lip drawer.

Pros: Safe colours
Cons: Thick gloss, blah colours

Anna Sui DOLLY GIRL Bonjour L'Amour Lipsticks

Anna Sui isn't from Japan but she's really popular there with her makeup collections. The packaging of the makeup is very elegant with gothic kind of look. Romantic black swirls with her signature butterflies engraved. Not only are the products are encased in cute containers but they are also of great quality! It's a luxury and every Anna Sui fan's dream to have a room filled with her style. I've had the Anna Sui DOLLY GIRL Bonjour L'Amour Lipsticks for awhile already. I haven't been catching up with the new trends from any lines these days so I'm just going to bring out good buys/finds that I love that are already in my collection. Some may be discontinued but there are places that will still offer them and what's better.. with discount! The discontinued cateogory is only for those things from way back. Anyhow, back to the Anna Sui lipstick!

I believe these were launched the same time as the DOLLY GIRL Bonjour L'Amour perfume. I adore the DOLLY GIRL series that Anna Sui has put out. The DOLLY GIRL series is somewhat like Escada's limited edition perfume (Sunset Heat, Rockin' Rio, Ibiza Hippie..etc). She puts on 1 every year I believe and I have collected until the 2nd latest (Bonjour L'Amour) as the newest one(Lil Starlet) isn't available yet. Along with the DOLLY GIRL perfumes there are nail polishes, lipsticks and special casings that are available for a short while. In Japan, these are sold quite quickly but in America, it's not quite as flying off the shelves. But that's fine with me because that means I have no need to run to the counter just to get something limited edition. I got these pretty much months after the release but at original price. These lipsticks are just as big as MAC ones and they have the signature Anna Sui rose scent to them. I was surprised they didn't smell like the DOLLY GIRL Bonjou L'Amour fragrance. The packaging doesn't have engraved swirls but it has the famous Anna Sui mannequin head dolls. Very cute and collectable! There are only 3 in this collection labeled 01, 02, 03 I never understood why she likes labeling them with numbers because I find it so hard to "know" the colour! And as always for lip reviews, here is a picture of my bare lips.


01 is in a orange packaging but what's inside is a bit different. It is a shimmery light almost-mod pink. It has some fuschia and blue tones in it. It's awfully pretty to just stare at for the colour. When on lips it goes on pretty sheer with a slight tint. It's a winner for cute lip colour and more on the safe side.


02 is also packaged in a different colour from the actual lipstick. Red shimmer lipstick in a purple case is by far the best combination of the 3. This is probably the most interesting and signature item from Anna Sui. The designer herself loves black but adores red lipstick so this one is only natural to come out. I love how sheer this lipstick is despite it's deep red. You can apply a light layer or pile it on for a dramtic look.


Last but not least, 03 is a orange shimmer. It's honestly not much different from 01 just orange. I'm not so into it but I got it for collecting purposes. I had an Anna Sui obsession before. I still have it but in small doses. Have you noticed the engraving in the lipsticks yet? That's major WOW-factor. I don't want to "erase" it so I'm keeping the usage to a minimal. I love these lipsticks a lot, not only for collecting or packaging but because of the sheerness plus it's extremely easy to glide on. However, I do find it very easy to rub off and that's not cool at all. I wish it had more stay-put power so I wouldn' t have to keep on applying it.

Pros: Colours are quite pretty, Scent, Signature Anna Sui item
Cons: Price is so-so, Easily rubs off.

SANA EXTRA LARGE MASCARA

I'm back with another SANA product! This is their EXTRA LARGE MASCARA. It's selling point is the huge volume and curl effect it gives with one coat. It's a fiber mascara that coats at least 15 fibers on one lash which gives you fuller and longer lashes. They have english site on the official page for this mascara but I clipped the graphic and posted here for those who wanted to see directly. Basically the fibers get sucked into the brush bristols and get evenly distributed with a roll-zig-zag application. Sounds good? I think so too! The brush is a pretty average shaped/sized one. It's comparable to the Maybelline Volume ones. This mascara only has one colour and is super water/sweat resistant.



The shots of my eye before putting on a single coat. I did not curl my eyelashes here but they seem a bit curled which makes me think my lashes are splitting! Must buy and try those eye lash treatments. These are your pretty average asian eyelashes. Short, sparse and curl-less.


Here are shots of my eye with curling(from curler) and 1 coat of the SANA EXTRA LARGE MASCARA. You can really see the difference. It wasn't hard to apply nor was it messy. However, I wasn't incredibly happy with the result. Just more than average. BUT, I must say one thing that this mascara is incredibly hard to remove! It's like most fiber mascaras but tougher! It really lived up to it's name of being water/sweat resistant! Even oil based makeup remover didn't work so well. Do we have a breakthrough or what?!

Pros: Long lasting, waterproof, sweat-resistant (at your own risk!)
Cons: Hard to remove, slight bit clumpy

AQUAJUJU AQUAMOIST Collagen Cream

I'm back with some more AQUAJUJU! I've tried 2 from this line already. The Vitamin C and the Aloe Vera one. After the aloe vera one, I've been using the Collagen one. It was new and I thought I might try it because it didn't seem bad at all. The collagen in this cream strengthens the skin barrier while keeping it tight and moisturized. Honestly, this cream is like all AQUAJUJU products. They keep the skin from feeling dry and it's non-irritating. I don't think I would buy the Collagen one specifically next time but if you are looking for something to keep your skin tight then this is the one!

Pros: Same award-winning formula. Moisture-full! Tighter skin.
Cons: Slightly heavier than normal cream.

Kesalan Patharan Lip Jelee

Keselan Patharan is a name for a plant and for a very elegant line in Japanese cosmetics. It is famous for high quality makeup with flower/plant exteriors. There are probably a lot of natural plant extracts put in it as well hence the name. Although they are famous for their base products, the Lip Jelee has appeared in numerous magazines over the years. It is known for it's colours and hi-shine. I got 003 which is a vibrant orange with slight shimmer. There are 3 other colours in the Lip Jelee collection. Numbered 001-004.

001 - Peach Pink
002 - Light Pink
003 - Vibrant Orange(the one I have!)
004 - Nude brown


I must say getting the vibrant orange is nothing special. However, the formula is very good. Very light-weight, not sticky and it gives a beautiful shine on the lips. It's just one swipe and you get so much. There is no scent and no taste either. The shimmer is there in the tube when you look at it but it's job is more to enhance the shine and plumpness of your lips. It's one of those glosses that you dish out a high price tag for that you wouldn't use much. It's like you know it's really expensive but it'll always do the trick. I've honestly been saving this lip gloss because it's so good. I was hoping to get more but the price tag always pushes me back.

Pros: Great shine! Light-weight. Not sticky. Great formula.
Cons: A little on the expensive side. Small colour selection.

Mandom Beauty Barrier Repair Collagen Mask

Cuteness overload on the Mandom Beauty Barrier Repair Mask line! It's marked with the cute little baby face that we all want. Beautiful soft skin like babies! The one I have here is the Collagen one. It's an anti-aging one for lifting, tightening and the usual moisturizing in masks. I'm not like old but sometimes I feel my skin is very pudgy and needs some lift. I'm sure we all need that.


On the back of the mask package there are instructions on how to apply the mask. What I found about this mask is that it has an open end at the bottom where the chin is for a multi-fit. It's adjustable for any size of face. I know there are many masks out there with these cuts but I seemed to notice this one the most. The mask also smells great! I can't put my finger on the smell but it's similar to rice bran. It's the natural smell of the ingredients because this mask uses no added colour(which one does?) and scents. One of the things I like about this mask is that it's loaded with the liquid. The mask is so heavy when you remove it from the package plus there's some excess there as well! I quickly applied it to my neck. Overall, this mask is superb! My face felt firm and toned. My skin had more elasticity in it. Thumbs up!

Pros: You get more than you pay for, makes skin refreshed and tight/firm
Cons: none!

SEXYGIRL Hand & Body Whipped Cream

Do you want to be sexy? I want to be sexy! That is why SEXYGIRL is the best! Ok, not really. But it does fulfill dreams and makes one feel great! SEXYGIRL is popular for their hair product line but they have a couple for the body. Today I am going to review their SEXYGIRL Hand & Body Whipped Cream. There are 5 different scents for this cream and all of them are of food things. I mean who doesn't want to be smothered in peaches? Or fruit punch?


This is the Strawberry Mille-Feuille. Which means Strawberry Thousand. What is Mille-Feuille? That means a thousand layer puff pastry with cream and strawberries. Mmm! I love eating the dessert so I would naturally have to have this one! It actually smells really berry with a hint of cream scent to it. The texture is very smooth and watery. It feels like whipped cream that hasn't been beaten to it's fullest peak. It's easy to apply in a nice container and it sinks in quickly. Overall it's a great body cream and I would purchase it again.

Pros: Great selection, light-weight texture, smells great
Cons: Small container

My Makeup Bag - Summer 2008

I thought it would be time to do a "What's in my Makeup Bag" entry. I love seeing what's in others collections and bag of goodies. I personally love my collection a lot but I really can't bring all of them out so I really made one for every day work. Going out makeup is another story.

To start off I'm using a Victoria Secret makeup bag that I got for free at a checkout online with a $50+ purchase. I bought the eye shadow and face mosaic which is very awesome but I'm not here to talk about those. I used to use my COACH one but it's really too small to carry my new stuff. This one holds everything and still has room to breathe.


I know this is a Japanese beauty product blog but I just happen to be one of those billion happy users of the Laura Mercier primer and tinted moisturizers! I'm happy enough about it that I have never really looked into the Asian market. As I've pointed out in my previous entry, I'm not too keen on buying cute packaged face products. And yes! Tinted moisturizer for summer!

I still haven't found great-oh-my-gosh-holy-cow concealer for the undereye yet but the MAC one is probably one of the few ones I actually sat down in the MA chair to try. Coverage and texture is ok.


I'm so so very obsessed with bronzers for the summer! I own quite a bit but by far MAC MSFs are lightweight and great! I don't really see much bronzers in Japan. I guess they just like pink dollish cheeks. Now you must be wondering why I have that expensive MAC Kabuki brush there! I was slow in getting the one at Sephora before it sold out so there it is. I also use Revlon eyeliner because I'm horrible with powders. I am however looking into buying one from INTEGRATE.


Ahhh! The lovely LAVSHUCA Summer pallete! As I mentioned before, I love this one to bits! The colours are so right for summer and they create multiple looks from natural to daring. KATE and stila eyeliner that are different but both extremely outstanding. Just had to have a black and brown in the bag for different looks.


I love the Visee mascara a lot because it makes my lashes really long but sometimes I like to switch it up with my Anna Sui waterproof one. The Anna Sui one is also used for lower lashes.


And finally the lips! I'm currently using lip glosses for the summer because it matches the look and it's not going to melt. I have the stila plumping gloss and the MM Rouge Majex that I've been raving about!

So that's pretty much my entire bag for the summer! I'm currently looking for bronzed looks to do with my daily look. Maybe I'll scan and post some.