Review | Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream

In almost every medical article I read - it says retinol is the only skincare in this world that can reverse fine lines. So I introduced retinol into my regular skincare routine  I thought I’d get the Drunk Elephant retinol cream since Drunk Elephant is known for its green skincare reputation and it has 1% retinol, which is the highest percentage retinol in off-shelf skincare. 

If your main skin concern is fine lines & wrinkles, do read on to find if the product is suitable for you.  

Brand name: Drunk Elephant

Product name: A-Passioni Retinol Cream 

Purchase from: Sephora, Shopee

Price: RM340 / 30ml

Price breakdown: RM11.30/ml

Review | Chanel No.1 De Chanel Revitalizing Serum

When Chanel first tease us with the red camellia newsletter, I was intrigued. My guess was a new fragrance, but it turns out to be an entirely new product range from Chanel. The No.1 range from Chanel uses the recently discovered red camellia as an active ingredient. And the bonus is - this range offers an eco-sustainable packaging. The products are packed in recycled and reusable packaging, and the product information print-outs have been minimized into a printed QR code on the box. 

To feed my curiosity, I purchased the star product which is the Revitalizing Serum. Click below to read the full review. 

Brand name: Chanel
Product name: No.1 de Chanel Revitalizing Serum
Purchase from: Chanel
Price: RM475 for 30ml | RM650 for 50ml 
Price breakdown: RM15.84 for 1ml | RM13 for 1ml
Made in France

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-tight Toner Review

I purchased this Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-tight Toner together in a set with the Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drop Serum. The two products complement each other. 

Brand: Glow Recipe
Product Name: Watermelon Glow PHA + BHA Pore-tight Toner
Purchase From: Sephora, Cult Beauty
Price: RM160 / 150ml, RM1.07 / 1 ml
Made in Korea

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops Serum Review

I admit that I bought this due to the over-hyped reviews on the product. A lot of comment says that this product gives an immediate glow after just one night of application. The Glow Recipe brand pride itself as a clean beauty brand. The ingredients that are used in their recipe are natural and gentle on the skin. This Watermelon serum (the full name is such mouthful, I thought I’d just call this as Watermelon serum), has been a best seller under the Glow Recipe umbrella. 

Brand: Glow Recipe

Product name: Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops

Purchase from: Sephora, Cult Beauty

Price: RM160/40ml 

Made in Korea 

Spoiler Alert: Dior 2021 Beauty Advent Calendar Revealed

Really, there’s no secret to the content of the Dior advent calendar. When you purchase it, there’s already the product description on the outside. And also, if you're a Dior fan, it is also quite hard to dodge the unboxing videos on social media. I'm guilty of posting up the unboxing video almost the next day after I gotten the advent calendar. Not to spoil the fun and destroy the spirit of advent calendar, but the excitement is another level that I can't contain. 

I'm going to be very honest with the review here. So, click on to read the unexpected:

Natasha Denona Mini Nude Palette Eyeshadow

I received this as a gift from my friend. I wouldn't think of buying an eyeshadow in the middle of a pandemic when we have nowhere to dress up for. But this gift is well received and I begin to love it after the first swatch.

Brand: Natasha Denona

Product Name: Mini Nude Palette

Purchase From: Sephora

Price: RM109

Size: 0.8g each pan

Price: RM21.80 per pan 

Made in Italy

La Mer The Replenishing Oil Exfoliator

 

As long as we are stuck in lockdown mode, I will continue to drop my review on skincare. There is literally no chance (or no motivation) to try out new makeup products. 

The La Mer Replenishing Oil Exfoliator works hand-in-hand with the Cleansing Foam which I talked about in the previous post. I use this exfoliator around 2-3 times weekly, right after my regular cleanser with the La Mer Cleansing Foam.

Brand: La Mer

Product name: The Replenishing Oil Exfoliator

Purchase from: Sephora, La Mer 

Price: RM470

Size: 100ml

Price breakdown: RM4.70/1ml

La Mer The Cleansing Foam

 

When I was much younger, I always think that a face cleanser is something I shouldn’t spend much on. So I stick to drugstore brands and even picked up the cheapest I can find. But now I have a totally different perspective. 

If you ever going to invest in your skincare products, you should invest it in the cleanser. An effective cleanser is really the only thing that you need. Since it is also the first step in any skincare regime, you should pay attention to your skincare performance - do is clean your skin thoroughly, will it harm your skin (some cleanser contains ingredients that might strip off your skin), does it retain the moisture level of your skin? 

I really never give much thought to cleansers until I bought the La Mer The Cleansing Foam. I purchased this out of curiosity and it was also the time La Mer debut in Sephora, so I thought I would give it a try. This is when it changed my perspective of facial wash entirely.

Brand: La Mer

Product name: The Cleansing Foam

Purchase from: Sephora, La Mer

Price: RM385

Size: 125ml

Price breakdown: RM3.08/1ml

Drunk Elephant Sweet Pitti Deodorant Cream

I have never thought of reviewing a deodorant on my blog because it is generally a product that we don't pay too much attention to. But, I am so excited to share with you how fantastic this deodorant is. Not just sharing the information, I actually bought a few for my friends too, so they can try it for themselves. 

Drunk Elephant is still a new skincare brand. They pride themselves as a clean skincare brand, i.e. using minimal ingredients on the product and also mindful of its packaging materials. Because of their philosophy, I think it is worth it to try out the brand. If their product works, then I'll stick to it, and this deodorant will be one of them that I'll stick to for a long time. 

Brand: Drunk Elephant
Product name: Sweet Pitti
Purchased from: Sephora
Price: RM69
Size: 60ml
Price breakdown: RM1.15/1ml

CS12 Miracle Mask

CS12 is a well-known indie skincare brand in Hong Kong, but surprisingly it is actually a Malaysian brand. I have been seeing a lot of hype about the Miracle Mask, which is a sheet mask, especially in magazines and social media. I tried to get it sometime at the end of the year, unfortunately, it was out of stock. That resulted in me contacting the owner of the brand to reserve it for me when they have it in stock. I thought she had forgotten about my request, surprisingly, last month she contacted me and told me the mask is back in stock. 

Brand: CS12

Product name: Miracle Mask

Purchase from: Directly from CS12 website

Price: RM218

Size: 7 sheets; 30ml per sheet

Price breakdown: RM31.15 per sheet

LUSH Mother of Pearl Bath Bomb & Jasmine Cream Bubble Bar

 

I was so thrilled to try out the latest LUSH's Bath Bomb and Bubble Bar - Mother of Pearl and Jasmine Cream respectively. These two releases are limited edition in conjunction with Mother's Day. The bath bombs provide skin benefit (depending on the types of bath bombs you choose), meanwhile, the bubble bar gives the luscious bubble foam. So, the two have different functions, hence I put both into my bath for a self-pampering time that I deserve.

DIOR Prestige La Micro-Huile de Rose Advanced Serum

This is by far the most expensive skincare product that I've ever bought. Off the shelf, it is RM1380. That's a price tag above minimum wage in Malaysia. It is ridiculous! It is unnecessary! What a show-off! But yet, my irrational mind thinks I should get it. In my defense, I was presented with a good opportunity. My bff (his blog is Fishmeatdie, do show him some love), told me he has some Isetan vouchers and he could give it to me. So technically, I spent RM800+ on this serum. It is still a hefty price tag, but at least I got some value back. In any angle that I tried to present my case, behind my mind there is still a little whisper that says, I shouldn't have bought it. Anyway, we have come to this, so, I might as well make use of my experience with this luxury serum and share with you some thoughts. 

Brand: DIOR Prestige

Product Name: La Micro-Huile de Rose Advanced Serum

Purchase from: Dior Beauty counter/boutique

Price: RM1380

Size: 50ml

Price breakdown: RM27.60 / 1 ml

L'Occitane Rebalancing Scalp Essence Review

 

I've been featuring a lot of the products I love on this blog, but I seldom talk about products that I don't fancy. That is because there is a sense of excitement when I introduce something that I enjoy using. However, today is an exceptional case.

Brand: L'Occitane

Product Name:  Aromachologie Purifying Freshness Rebalancing Scalp Essence

Purchase from: L'Occitane

Price: RM140

Size: 75ml

Price breakdown: RM1.86/ml

Rating: 

Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Protection SPF 50 PA+++ Review

It is crucial to use a good primer if you are using a foundation. This is because a primer can multitask in protecting your skin, as well as preserving your foundation. I've seen some beauty YouTuber using the Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Protection as their base and it got me intrigued because everyone claims it is lightweight and hydrating. There is only one way to find out, which is to try it myself.

Brand: Bobbi Brown

Product name: Primer Plus Protection SPF 50 PA+++ Base de Tint

Purchase from: Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Sephora, Nordstorm

Price: RM153

Size: 40ml

Price breakdown: RM3.82/1ml

Rating: 

PAT McGRATH LABS Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation Review

The PAT McGRATH LABS products never fail me. Before they became a mainstream brand, PML has been famous because of its quality and they didn't even need a strong marketing plan to sell out their products. Although now the brand is now worth more than Kylie Cosmetics, the quality is still maintained and they stay true to their brand although becoming mainstream. The Skin Fetish: Sublime Perfection Foundation was released after they've joined the Sephora. 

Love Liner Liquid Eyeliner Review: Love It!

When I went to Japan, I received so many orders to help buy this eyeliner. Immediately I became curious - is this eyeliner THAT good? I had to buy one to try myself. That’s when I immediately regretted that I bought only one to try. Luckily enough, my friend Arisa helped me to stock up another one, so legitimately I’ve been using this eyeliner for the past 4 months now. Don’t take my word for it, do check out Arisa’s review on her blog too!

Gucci Beauty Lipstick Review: The Painted Veil shade in Satin & Matte Finishing

End of last year, Gucci brought the beauty line into Malaysia market and hence we have a stand-alone Gucci Beauty in KLCC. More about the store below. I was excited to try out the lipsticks and I have been wanting to get the vintage-inspired lipstick with turquoise cover. It turns out, that is the lipbalm. Gucci has different packaging for the different formula lip products. I'm not a fan of lip balm, so I'll pass. Instead, I bought the satin lipstick and matte lipstick both in the same shade - 201 The Painted Veil.

Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado Review

The Kiehl's avocado range took a few years of hiatus. I got to know it when I went to a newly opened Kiehl's shop early this year to look for this eye cream and the sales assistant looked at me with a puzzled expression. I believe she thinks I'm lying or crazy because her response was, "We don't have any avocado products." I was equally puzzled, because I know clearly that they had the avocado eye cream and it was my favorite a few years back. Finally, it is now back and I hope it's going to be a permanent range.

P/S: They also discontinued the acai range which I loved.

• Brand: Kiehl's
• Product Name: Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado
• Purchase From: Kiehl's, Bloomingdale's, Ulta, Selfridges, Macy's
• Price: USD48 / 14g
• Product Summary: This creamy preparation with Avocado Oil gently moisturizes the delicate eye area. The unique, concentrated texture does not migrate into your eyes. Tested under Ophthalmologist and Dermatologist control.
• Rating:

Kiehl's Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence

I love my SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, but let's be honest... it is expensive! Also, I heard that a lot of people are not suitable to use the SK-II FTE because of its fermented essence. Hence, I want to recommend Kiehl's Iris Extract Treatment Essence that I have used for a long time. This is my second bottle, and I can say that I can't live without it.

• Brand: Kiehl's
• Product Name: Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence
• Price: RM188/200ml
• Purchase From: Kiehl's, Selfridges, Bloomingsdale 
• Product Description: With age, skin’s texture begins to look rough and radiance is lost. The causes are three-fold: skin’s hydration levels and cell turnover rate decrease, and the integrity of the skin’s layers is reduced. To reactivate these properties and impart essential nutrients, Kiehl’s proudly introduces Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence – a multi-action formula that optimizes penetration of subsequent skin treatments and instantly reveals radiant, smooth and younger-looking skin.
• Rating: 

I Tried the Coco & Eve Hair Masque So You Don't Have To

For the same reason as the Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay Mask, I bought this Coco & Eve Hair Mask because it keeps popping up my radar on social media. It feels like this brand came out overnight and was already a success in the market. Generally, I got curious. I kinda suspect that the Coco & Eve and Sand & Sky brands are from the same company, but when I looked up at the addresses, they're both different. If you have any information about the companies, please let me know.

Brand: Coco & Eve
Product Name: Super Nourishing Coconut & Fig Hair Masque
Purchase From: ASOS, Selfridges, Revolve ClothingPrice: $50
Product Description: A hair masque and tangle tamer set that will transform your hair after only one treatment, taming frizz and adding shine to your locks.

Rating: