Review on L'Occitane Eye Care & Mask Duo Brightening Correction ;P

Hi Everyone!

Happy Belated New Year! Errr, sorry, it's been a while. =P
I'm so sorry for not updating recently, I had an exam and a practical today, it was my first practical and I was very nervous for it. And we had only 2 weeks to study for both exams!
By the way, a practical is an exam based on cadavers and radiology, we are show images of cadavers, x-rays, CAT scans, and MRIs, have to either identify structures or knows what happens if they are damaged, so it can be intense!

Anyway, today I am reviewing the L'Occitane Eye Care & Mask Duo Brightening Correction

This product cost $38 and contains 0.5 oz or 15mL of product. It is said to offer 3 benefits: "a smoother eye area, an even and luminous eye area, and a fresh and rested look" And further describes to reduce wrinkles, firm skin, brighten the eye contour, minimize puffiness and dark circles. And a lot of lovely adjectives describing how wonderful this product is. =P

Directions:
"Apply this melting and fresh gel cream texture each morning and evening. massage the soothing applicator across the eye area and then gently spread a small amount.
To use as mask, apply a thick layer, leave it on for 10 minutes, then wipe off the excess, do not rinse."

What do I think about this product?
So, if you've been with me for a bit, you know that I find most eye creams pretty useless. I personally feel that they don't do much in terms of alleviating dark circles. They may reduce fine lines and puffiness, but not significantly and I'm not old enough to say that they reduce wrinkles, cus...I don't have any yet. =P
However, East Coast winter has been drying my skin out like crazy! Especially with the wind chill! The skin around my eyes get dry, tight, and have dry patches and fine lines start showing up and it feel uncomfortable. =/
I have an eye cream that I use at night, my Sana Nameraka. However, that one has retinol in it, so I only use it at night, because it makes my skin sensitive to the sun during the day.
So I was in L'Occitane and tried the sample and I really liked it! I do not like heavy or sticky eye creams, I don't think I'm at the appropriate age to use them and I don't like their texture. The super expensive eye cream at L'Occitane was to heavy for me and the fragrance was too strong.

This eye cream is more like an eye gel, the texture and appearance is gel-like, it spreads on easily and is buildable and absorbs fast. It does not feel sticky or heavy and does not irritate the skin around my eyes. It keeps the skin around my eyes well moisturized all day long! =D And it helped reduce the fine lines I was getting from my dry skin. As for brightening and reducing dark circles, honestly, I can't really tell. I'm also taking medical school classes, which involves not much sleep and, well, having dark circles all the time, so I can't really tell if this made a difference. However, it does reduce my puffy eyes when I don't get enough sleep, so that's good. =)

This is a squeeze tube container that has an applicator tip like so:

I don't use the applicator tip, just because I put on serum and moisturizer on my face (which includes the skin around my eyes), and I don't like it when products mix together on an applicator. I also find it much easier to just squeeze a bit on my fingers and massage it into my skin. So, I don't really care or have no use for this way of applying the product. =P However, if you like using eye products this way, it's probably very convenient for you.

I have also only used this as a day eye cream, not at night because I use my other one and also to make this product last longer because....it's expensive! I have not used it as an eye mask either, also to save product. So I can't tell you how I think of it as an eye mask, sorry. =/

Overall, I am quite happy with this product. To be honest, I bought it without looking at the price, and if I had saw it, I might not have bought it. =P It is very expensive. However, it worked very well for my skin and the skin around my eyes have not been dry since. =)

Do I recommend this product?
If you are young, 20s-30s, and you are looking for a high-end, light-weight, day and night eye cream for moisturization, fast absorption, and to reduce fine lines and puffiness, I recommend this product. =)
If you are an older person, maybe 40s, 50s, and/or you are  looking to reduce wrinkles and dark circles, I don't think this product is strong enough for you and you might want to try something else.
Also, of course, if you are looking for something more affordable, also, might want to try something else. =P

I hope that this review was helpful to you! Let me know if you have any questions or comments in the comment box below. Thank you so much for reading. =)

I'm sorry for not posting lately, things have been picking up speed and my brain isn't going to memorize all that anatomy by itself, so, I am studying alot! This month and the beginning of next month will be very crazy for me. A 3 hour exam every 2 weeks, so I will probably be studying non-stop! I will try to post when I can! Good luck to those of you in school! Keep on going!

Review on SANA Nameraka Wrinkle Eye Cream ;)

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to the beginning of the week! I have an exam on Monday next week, so personally, I want the days to go by slower =P

Today I am reviewing the SANA Nameraka Wrinkle Eye Cream!

Yes, I know the title of the label says "facial cream" that is a mistake, just continue reading and you will see "eye cream"

This product costs $13-16 and contains 25 grams of product. I bought this at Mitsuwa but you can buy this on Amazon for free shipping here. It is said to moisturize the eye area and prevent and combat fine lines and wrinkles. (Or that's what the sign on the shelf said in English, I don't know how to read Japanese =P)

What do I think of this product?
So, I stopped using eye creams a while back, probably half a year to a year ago, because I did not feel that they were very useful or produced significant results. Significant results meaning, enough improvement in hydration, fine lines (and future wrinkles I guess, I'm not old enough) for it to be my money's worth. Eye creams/serums/lotions are expensive O_O. They must be one of the most expensive specialty skincare products I have ever seen. So, if I didn't think it was worth it, I would use my money for other things, as a better investment.
However, starting this summer. I started to get dryness around my eyes. I'm not sure why. My home is in California and it was a particularly hot and dry summer this year (having a lovely drought at the moment), and perhaps that contributed to it. It not only felt dry, it looked dry too. My mom asked me if my eyes were okay, because apparently she could see more fine lines and dry skin. Or maybe she was just being a mom. =P
Either way, I don't like feeling dryness around my eyes, the tightness of the skin and irritation from dryness are not comfortable and not pretty looking.
I was looking around Marukai and picked this up because this was a store recommendation and I tried the sample and it was very smooth and hydrating. (This is the great thing about Asian stores, they have a sample product that anyone can go and try, even foundations and primers). So, I tried it out over the summer, and I love it. =)
If you read the ingredients list you can find a form of retinol in it as well as glycerin. Retinol helps with fine lines and wrinkles and glycerin locks moisture in. I usually dislike products with retinol in them, because I have sensitive skin and it always gets red and feels irritated when I use retinol. But this product had a low concentration/amount of retinol (rules of ingredients, if you didn't know, the first on the list, is in the greatest amount, and then it goes down as the list continues) so I did not have a negative reaction to the product at all! Also, it is fragrance free.
The product is a squeeze tube with a very very fine tip/nozzle. It allows you to control and distribute the amount of product you want very well, and easily. As seen in pictures below:

This product did a great job of moisturizing the area around my eye. I used to use it everyday over the summer, and now I use it every other day. I'm trying to make the product last longer. XP It has also decreased my fine lines to a certain extent. That doesn't matter as much to me as hydrating my skin, because keeping the skin properly moisturized (with sunscreen everyday) is the best way to prevent and soften fine lines and wrinkles in my opinion.

Do I recommend this product?
If you have sensitive skin, I recommend this product. =) Also, to anyone who is looking for something to give you good hydration and help with fine lines! I recommend applying this only at night before going to bed though, because retinol makes skin sensitive to sunlight. You can put sunscreen on over it, but I would not risk that, especially since I've had sunscreens that worked for my face, but irritated the skin around my eyes. T_T

Sorry for rambling in the beginning =P. I hope it wasn't too time wasting or distracting.
I hope that you found this review helpful. =) Feel free to comment or ask questions in the comment box below! Thank you for reading and I will see you later!

Review on "The Body Shop" Nutriganics Smoothing Eye Cream

Hi Everyone!

It's Fridddaaayyyyyyy! I'm so happy! I've been waiting for this day, because I am super tired this week haha. XD

Today I am reviewing "The Body Shop" Nutriganics Smoothing Eye Cream

This product can be found online or at "The Body Shop" store. It costs about $21 and contains 15mL or 0.5 fluid oz.
It is said to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with a gentle lightweight treatment that smoothes and softens the delicate skin around the eye area and is opthamologist tested.

What do I think of this product?
I bought this eye cream a couple months ago to see if I could find an eye cream that was moisturizing enough for my eyes. The Aloe Eye Defense and the Vitamin E Eye Cream from "The Body Shop" were not moisturizing enough and sometimes the skin around my eyes would feel drier and tight after applying these eye creams.
I use this eye cream every morning after I shower. I decided not to use it twice a day to let it last longer because eye creams are expensive! And I actually use the Aloe Soothing Night Cream before I go to bed on my face, neck, and as an eye cream and it works pretty well.
I really like the container of this eye cream. It is in the form of a pump which is clean and hygienic. Also, I can control how much product I want to dispense and use. But I do wish that the container was clear like the Aloe Eye Defense so I can see how much product gets used, so I know when I am running out and that I need to get another one soon.
So, I do like this eye cream better than the previous other 2 that I tried. The consistency of the cream is light, smooth, and soft. It absorbs well into my skin and does not irritate or redden my skin. It is somewhat more moisturizing than the other 2 eye creams that I used before. However, after I apply, the skin around my eyes still tend to feel a bit tight and dry. After applying a second time, it feels okay. It does have a fragrance, and it is hard to describe but it doesn't smell bad. It is not a sharp, strong scent, and it goes away quickly. I think it smells nice enough and it doesn't bother me.
As for reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, I'm sorry, but I can't say much since I'm 22 years old and I don't have fine lines or wrinkles around my eyes. I am using eye creams now as more of a preventative measure for future fine lines and wrinkles when I get older.
Overall, I think it it is a bit expensive for an eye cream and I might want to try something else. But it's not bad and if I can't find anything better, I'm fine with sticking to this one for now.

Do I recommend this product?
Unless you have very dry skin around your eyes, I do recommend this product as a good product to try. Depending on how well your skin absorbs the product and how much you use, it can work out for you. I would say go to "The Body Shop" store and ask for a sample before you actually buy it.

So I hope this review was helpful to you. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to write in the comment box below! Thank you for reading and have a great weekend! ^_^

Thank You! plus Review on "The Body Shop" Vitamin C Eye Reviver Duo

Hi Everyone!

I know it's been a while, sorry, senior year of university is definitely not giving me senioritis haha XP.

But I would like to thank all of you because I have OVER 20,000 pageviews!!!
Thank you for all of you who liked and read my posts! =) It makes me happy that people read what I write and I am open for critiques, comments, and questions in order to improve my blogging skills! =D

Thank you again!

Now, today I will review "The Body Shop" Vitamin C Eye Reviver Duo

This product can be found online or at the store "The Body Shop". It costs $22 and contains
10mL or 0.16 US fluid oz of producdt total. Each side contains 5mL of product.
It is supposed to brighten, refresh and revive sensitive and delicate skin around the eyes and minimize the appearance of dark circles. 

What do I think of this product?
So my previous eye cream review was on the Vitamin E eye cream also from "The Body Shop". I felt that product did not work the best for me so I decided to try another.
My friend recommended that I buy something with Vitamin C because it helps with dark circles.
So I saw this at the store and decided to get it. The price was expensive to me, but if it worked for me, it was well worth it! My dark circles were getting worse from staying up late at  night studying for my finals Q_Q.
So I have been using this product for about 3 months. And overall, I do not think it does much for me.
It has two ends. A roller ball with a serum of Vitamin C is first applied around and under the eyes after a cleanly washed face. Then a stick applicator with the eye cream is applied around and under the eyes.
I like to apply the eye cream after the refreshing serum is almost dry. I feel that more serum is absorbed first that way.
Neither the serum nor the eye cream irritate or harm my skin in any way. The skin around my eyes are thin and sensitive but they were not hurt by any product.
So the serum feels nice and cool on my skin and it does help reduce eye puffiness a little when I wake up in the morning. However, I feel that the rollerball is a little too small and I would prefer it in a larger size. It can cover more surface area in one stroke that way and with a smaller ball, it tends to not move as well.
The eye cream does moisturize my skin, but it is just as moisturizing as the Vitamin E eye cream and sometimes I still feel a little dry around my eyes and need to apply more. Over time, I did not really see a change in my dark circles or skin. My dark circles did not look less dark or reduced and my skin did not look brighter.
What I disliked most about this product was the packaging or applicator stick of the eye cream. Using this applicator I know I will never ever be able to get out and use all of the product in the little bottle. Which is a waste of money. And now that I am near the end of its use, the applicator does not have much product so I have to reinsert it more than a few times to get the amount of product I need.
A recap of my thoughts: this product did not work for me and I probably should not have bought it because I will never be able to use up all of the product which is a waste of my money.

Do I recommend this product?
I do not recommend this product. Mainly because it is quite expensive and the applicator eye stick does not allow maximum use of all of the eye cream in the little bottle. About the properties and benefits of this product, I am doubtful because it did not work for me. Perhaps if you have less severe dark circles or different skin, it may work for you, but I cannot guarantee anything.
The only good thing is that it does not irritate or harm the sensitive skin around my eyes. However, there are other "The Body Shop" eye creams and other eye creams out there that will provide the same benefit.
The only thing I can see this product for is an expensive travel dual eye serum and eye cream because it does save the space of one extra product. But even that is not worth it alone. =P

So a bit of a sad review, because this product didn't work well for me. But I hope it is informative for those of you looking for eye creams to buy! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to comment in the comment box below. Thank you so much for reading and I will talk to you later! ^_^

Review on "The Body Shop" Vitamin E Eye Cream!

Hi Everyone!

I hope for those in the USA, had a great 3 day weekend =). I had a wonderful weekend with my bf and now I'm back for work and school. =P

Today I will be reviewing "The Body Shop" Vitamin E Eye Cream

This product costs $18. I got mine at "The Body Shop" store but you can definitely find it online as well. It contains 15mL or 0.5 fluid oz of product and I have been using this product for about 2 months.

What do I think of this product?

I decided to try this after I thought "The Body Shop" Aloe Eye Defense was not hydrating enough for my skin. The consistency is very thin and smooth. It is easy to massage into and around the delicate skin around the eyes. It does not feel oily or sticky. This product does not irritate my sensitive skin in any way and feels soothing. 

I think this does a better job than the Aloe Eye Defense in terms of hydrating and moisturizing my skin. My skin does not feel as dry afterwards, but sometimes it can get a little dry, and I will apply a bit more. It helps with moisturization, and fine lines but does not do anything for me for puffiness and dark circles. I kind of expected this because cream-based eye products are not as penetrating and intense as a serum, so it wouldn't do much for eye puffiness and dark circles anyway.

The skin around my eyes easily absorbs the Vitamin E eye cream and does not form little balls of cream as if it was solidifying like the Aloe Eye Defense. I can layer and apply more without worrying about rubbing the cream off!
Overall, I really like it. I just wish it wasn't that expensive, because this product will only last about 2 months for me and I use it twice a day, every morning and night. So, a year's cost is about $120! O_O Which is like...wow....what a use of money. =P I would like to try something more affordable, hopefully!

Do I recommend this product?

If you do not mind the cost, I do recommend this product for any skin type especially if your skin tends to be dry and if you want to prevent fine lines.
Overall, I think it is a pretty good eye cream for dry skin and fine lines. If you are looking for something to reduce puffiness and dark circles though, this is not the product for you.

I hope you liked this review and it was helpful to you! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to write in the comment box below! Thank you for reading! =D

Review on "The Body Shop" Aloe Eye Defense gel-creme

Hi Everyone!

Today I will be reviewing "The Body Shop" Aloe Eye Defense

The product cost about $18 online or in The Body Shop store.
It contains 15mL or 0.5 fluid oz of product of eye-gel cream.
This product is said to moisturize and sooth the skin around the eyes and made for people with sensitive skin.
It is ophthalmologically tested and is fragrance free, color free, and alcohol free. There are not added preservatives and it is fine for contact-lens wearers.

What do I think about this product?
So I have been using this eye gel-cream for about 4 months and even though I initially loved it (as I said my Aloe Skincare Line Sample Review) there are a couple problems I am having with it.
The pros are that it does not irritate my sensitive skin. It decreases swelling, redness, and irritation. It feels light and smooth and I don't need a lot for my eyes and I use it twice a day after I wash my face. I love the container. It comes in a cute pump form and you can easily pump out whatever amount you want depending on the pressure that you apply to the pump. It is hygienic and this pump will let you use up all of the product! None will be wasted! You can see as the bottom layer rises to the top as you use it and it will really hit the top when there is no cream left.
However, I have noticed that every time I put it on, my eyes actually feel dryer than more moisturized. I first thought I didn't put enough on or maybe most of it was evaporating, so I put on more, but it didn't change. I would feel a cooling effect after application (which is the evaporation part), but then my eyes would feel a bit stretched and dry and I don't know why. It feels dry before I put on eye cream and after I put on eye cream. So it is as if it does nothing when it comes to moisturization. I was really confused and I still feel really confused. I even got a 2nd one just in case it was because my skin had to adjust to it or something, but nope, I still felt dry after using this.
It is possible that it is just not moisturizing enough for me, which is sad, because I really like the product and it is relatively more affordable than other eye brands that are good. Also, because I feel dry after using the eye cream, my fine lines become even more apparent and get more wrinkly during the day because they are not properly moisturized. =_=.....T_T
And initially I felt it was moisturizing too, but maybe I was just too excited or something XP.
Another thing is that, sometimes when I put on more eye cream than usual (to try to compensate the dryness), I will rub my eye and these little rolls/balls of cream will form as I apply friction to my skin. (Just like when you rub your hands together and dirt stuff comes off.) This is annoying because then I have to spend time wiping all the cream residues away and if I wipe too hard, more will form. This is annoying and weird....I don't know what else to say =P. It is possible that the cream settles into my fine lines and when I rub my eyes, it comes out. But if this is true, then this eye cream doesn't do its job of moisturization and getting rid of fine lines....=(
So, I am not saying this is a bad product, I actually think it is a good product, but maybe it doesn't work well with my skin.

Do I recommend this product?
The answer is I don't know...I recommend this product as a good product to try for all skin types because I know it won't irritate anyone's skin. However, if you have very very dry skin, then this may not be for you. A good way to know is to try a sample of it at The Body Shop or ask for a sample of it to take home and use. I did that too, and it took a while before I got more negative effects.
I actually have oily eye lids which is weird because then I wouldn't need much moisturization. The fact that my eyelids feel drier after using the cream, means that maybe the cream is taking moisture away from my eyelids....I don't know...
Now, there are tons of reviews on this eye cream and they are like 98% positive with great feedback. Which means that it works for the majority of the population. As a gamble, this is worth it to try and if it works for you then great! I'm jealous haha because now I have to find a replacement. I recently got a sample from The Body Shop for their Vitamin E eyecream and I am liking that so far, so maybe I'll buy that one next!

So I hope this review was helpful to you! If you have any questions or comments (to please tell me that I'm not weird, because I feel like the only person having problems with this eye cream XO), then feel free to write in the comment box below! Thank you for reading and I will see you later! =)