The Neutrogena Deep Clean Ultra Foam Cleanser comes in two variants: Revitalizing Pink Grapefruit and Brightening Mulberry. You must be wondering how someone overly gaga about brightening and whitening chooses to prioritize testing out the revitalizing variant over the illuminating one. Let me tell you that ever since I turned 30, I'm more for products that promote cell renewal!

Product says ---

Developed with dermatologists, the innovative new formula contains the leading Neutrogena® Deep Clean® Technology that effectively removes 99% of dirt, oil, impurities and dead skin cells from the skin with a velvety fine foam, as well as Anti-Oxidant Pink Grapefruit Extracts that helps stimulate healthy cell renewal.

The product promises:

• an ultra clean face through its ultra velvety-rich foam
• better cell renewal c/o Pink Grapefruit extracts

The Deep Clean Promise

Unless one has a super techie device to objectively quantify a clean face, the best way to evaluate a cleanser's efficiency is to observe the amount of gunk a cotton ball shows us after toning. I often use an antiseptic, Clindamycin, after cleansing and the Neutrogena Revitalizing Pink Grapefruit Ultra Foam cleanser passes the "cotton ball test". I never had to worry about any evidence of extreme dirt residue during the time I used this.

And if you'd like to know what I think about the cleanser in the least objective way, my face feels clean and looks brighter after I use it!

This product works well for those who use light face makeup or none at all. Since I am acne-prone, even if I wear sheer powder, I always tandem the Neutrogena Ultra Foam cleanser with a good cleansing oil or a cream makeup remover.

The Antioxidant Factor and the eX-Factor

The product introduces grapefruit extracts into the foaming facial wash to stimulate healthy cell renewal. I almost literally died when I learned about it since it was what my stressed out skin severely needs. 

However, I started breaking out from the cleanser in less than a week. I gave it another week to be tried out but the pimples are just making my skin, in its already bad state, far more horrible-looking. And so I had to stop. I knew I had to give the Neutrogena Revitalizing Pink Grapefruit Ultra Foam Cleanser the eX approval. We were over.

I gave the bottle to a good friend who has a normal skintype and was experiencing occasional bouts of stubborn whiteheads (which she never experienced before). And what do you know--- she loved the cleanser and is using it religiously to date.

ღೋღೋ ღೋ ღೋ

I would have loved to keep the product because it:

• was just P307 for an effective 175mL cleanser
• had a citrusy, yummy fragrance (but is def too strong for those who prefer non-scented cleansers)
• creates a rich, velvety foam out of the pump

I would have loved to experience a more permanent revitalized face from the Neutrogena Deep Clean Revitalizing Pink Grapefruit Ultra Foam Cleanser if only I did not break out from it. I am still unsure why I harbored tiny grape-like zits on my face but I'm hoping it's not from the grapefruit extracts!

__________________________________________________________________________________

Disclaimer: This is not a paid post. Product was sent to me for review purposes. Post content is in accordance with my personal experience while using the Neutrogena Deep Clean Revitalizing Pink Grapefruit Ultra Foam Cleanser.

I can't wait for these to get to our local counters! Although the beauty brand stayed safe with launching a couple of safe colors, I still think these lipsticks are worth checking out. Shiseido Lacquer Rouge creator, Dick Page, says:

The collection is about the simplicity of a lip gloss married to the intensity of a lipstick, with deep pigment and rich color payoff, long lasting shine and gloss.The lacquer rouge collection creates 'a speedy glamour'.

There are 12 shades to look forward to, four of which are Asia-exclusive colours (Carnelian, Amethyst, Rubelite and Sunstone). I dug up photos and some swatches from the net but wasn't successful with finding swatches for the Asian four (hee!):

Photo Source, by Ars Aromatica
Shiseido Lacquer Rouge swatched on NW18  (Asian skin)

Swatches from L-R: Nocturne, Drama, Savage, Nymph, Portrait, Blaze, Disco, Camel

Photo Source, by Beauty and the Feast

You can definitely tell that the lip lacquers are best on well-exfoliated lips!

For the Michael Kors NY Fashion Week Fall '12 runway, Dick Page did something marvelous with the Shiseido Lacquer Rouge. He used a wedged sponge and applied the liquid lipstick on the cheeks!

Check out The Effortless Chic for more photos

For sexy, flushed cheeks, makeup artist Dick Page used a white wedge sponge to spread Shiseido Lacquer Rouge in Drama (yes, that's a lipstick) from the largest part of the cheeks down toward the jawline in a chevron shape. "It's how you look if you've been skiing or in a hot tub or having very good sex one hopes," Page said.

Also, I found one reviewer who loved the Shiseido Lacquer Rouge's formula over the Chanel Rouge Allure Laque (check her story). The other blogger loved Shiseido's more than YSL Glossy Stains and Chanel RAL (her lip swatches here).

My eyes are glued on the Shiseido Lacquer Rouge in Blaze. I've never tried anything orange on my lips. I hear from other girls that among the 8 internationally released shades, Blaze is relatively transparent but buildable. The rest of the lip lacquers finish opaque at first swipe!

The Shiseido Perfect Smoothing Foundation is the first powder foundation I've tried from the brand. If you have seen my Bangkok trip photos, I've been consistently wearing this medium coverage powder in shade O40.

How much? P1800 refill, P1100 compact case, 10g

Availability: Shiseido counters (select SM Dep't stores, Landmark, Greenbelt, Glorietta)

Texture & Color. This foundation is milled to perfection allowing it to look natural and soft against the skin. O40's a great match. However, this oxidizes on me several hours after but I noticed that with a good primer, the degree of darkening is decreased (but oxidation is still obvious).

If your skin is notorious for turning foundations a notch darker, I suggest you get hold of the Shiseido Perfect Smoothing Foundation one shade lighter than your perfect match (in my case, it's O20). Good thing it has 13 shades to suit most skin tones.

The Perfect Smoothing Foundation is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation

Finish and Feel. I apply this using the sponge that came with it and I end up with a glowy, smooth and evened-out skin. I think that the microglitters on the powder are the ones responsible for the amazing pearlescent finish.

On my face, it can feel a little heavy immediately after application, but I start to appreciate how lightweight it can get 30mins after as it melts into my skin.

Coverage & Wear. For those with acne scars and pimples like me, this foundation can get help from a good concealer on  days you use it for big events. During weddings, I personally choose to use the Perfect Smoothing Foundation over a great primer and  concealer. If you plan to use this on top of a liquid foundation, please use something that finishes sheer. 

FACE:  Shiseido Refining Makeup primer
Shiseido Perfect Smoothing foundation
Shiseido Oil-Free Bronzer #2

Photo taken 5 hours after application. You can tell that it has oxidized on my skin but because I wore a primer, it didn't look that muddy. Sans a makeup primer, you can just imagine how dark O40 goes on me when it oxidizes.

On normal days, because this foundation can cover decently, I just use it solo (over primer & moisturizer). It isn't foolproof when used alone, though. I blot several times a day and see the need for retouching with sheer loose powder somewhere in between long hours.

Others. I broke out from this after 5 months of using it. It's weird but if you knew the story about me and Clinique moisturizing gel, you wouldn't be surprised. Also, it wasn't until I broke out from it that I realized it wasn't the best formulation for my skin. The glowy finish can end up looking oily after severaaaal hours.

Good thing I hit pan before the zits showed up

Recommendation. The Shiseido Perfect Smoothing foundation is a jewel to those with normal to dry skin *sighs*. I must add that it photographs well, too, dry skin or not!

I recommend the sponge that goes with it and to not dip brushes on the pan to avoid wasting too much of the product. To avoid cakiness, after dabbing & sweeping product using a sponge, you can take out excess powder using a brush and flick it lightly, outwards.

I still hope to use up whatever's left in my Shiseido Perfect Smoothing foundation pan. I fell in love with it despite the strings of disadvantages (oxidation, poor oil control, not longwearing) because my skin looks a million times better underneath it without looking too made up. However, since we're already talking about zits here, I must restrain myself from even thinking about the almost used-up pan and just consider this among the products I had a hard time letting go of but had to.

I attended a workshop conducted by Shu Uemura makeup artist, Patrick Alcobar, at the Trinoma Mall last week. I ran in late but it's a good thing I didn't miss much.

Here are the main products used during the workshop:

1. UV Under base Mousse (in beige), P2000 - a primer and a moisturizer in a can. An excellent product for creating a smooth canvass for any type of foundation

2. Face Architect Liquid Foundation (in 554, medium sand), P2150 - gives medium to heavy coverage

3. Cover Crayon (in 7YRmed/7YRml), P1700 - undereye and face concealer in one pencil!

4. Face Powder Matte, P2350 - loose powder that sets the face architect liquid foundation perfectly.

5. Hard Formula Brow Pencil (in Walnut), P1400 - this is such an investment! No wonder both Phoebe and Kira likes this so much!

6. Chocolat Donna Eye Palette (in Raspberry & Mocha), P4000 - a beautiful set of browns perfect for any occasion. All shades are so wearble! This, by the way, is a limited edition palette.

7. Rogue Unlimited (in RD160 and PK315), P1195 - excellent pigmentation and staying power! I lalalalove RD106!

Continue reading »

I've already told you how I use the Camaru Bamboo Charcoal soap to spot-treat pimples on my face. I haven't tried cleansing my entire face with the soap as it can be very drying, but I can attest to how much this bar can brighten my body in a few weeks' use.

I suggest you:

• use it twice a day
• work the soap into a rich lather on the body
• let the soap sink in the skin for 5-10mins (only for the first week; succeeding weeks, I don't wait for the soap to get completely absorbed into the skin)
• use Vaseline Healthy White lotion after bathing
• use Asian Secrets Lulur thrice a week to ensure optimum effects of any whitening product on the skin

It stung like crazy when I allowed the soap to sink into my skin during the first week. My body (and hands!) exfoliated intensely which didn't look very pleasant at all. Thanks to the bits of patience left in me, I reaped impressive benefits after 3 weeks of using the bamboo charcoal soap.

Coping With Its Imperfections

The bamboo charcoal soap has a few cons:

Continue reading »