Random Review of the Day

Review: Aeris Memory Foam Seat Cushion

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

Sit Comfortably with Aeris Memory Foam Seat Cushion.

- It can help ease the hemorrhoid discomfort and coccyx pain.

- It conforms to hip and leg curves, the special design is helpful to relieve coccyx pressure.

- Its core has a superior bearing capacity and breathability, it can disperse pressure evenly, and relieves muscle fatigue.

- Avoids flat buttocks due to sedentary, waist pain, discomfort caused by hemorrhoids, and creates a perfect shape.

This seat cushion is ideal for car, plane seats, office, kitchen, computer, sofa and any other chairs and very comfortable to sit on - Highest quality memory foam available.

The Best Memory Foam Seat Pillow with increased density to offer more support

- Every product has been aerated for 7 days to allow the odour of newly manufactured memory foam to dissipate

- Easy to clean with a machine-washable luxury plush velour cover. The Only Memory Foam Seat Cushion with Lifetime Free Replacement Guarantee

My observations:

It is super soft! The first time I used it, I reveled in the feeling as the cushion slowly conformed to my shape. I thought since it was so dense that it would be firmer and wouldn’t sink too much. If anything, it was a bit too soft for my liking. I was hoping I could use it as a mini-booster while driving (since I’m so short) but it won’t really help much as it is memory foam and not regular foam.

It is quite wider than expected. There was some overhang as it was slightly bigger than my office chair.

It is strangely lint-repellant, which is a nice surprise!

It did increase my comfort while sitting for long periods of time. It helped hours of review-writing go by unnoticed :)

Review: Regenepure Essentials Advanced Hair Loss Formula with Biotin Maximum Strength

Claims:

Essential Nutrients to help restore and promote healthier hair from within. Clinically proven ingredients including Biotin, Saw Palmetto, Apple Polyphenols and Essential Amino Acids

Supplement Facts:

Serving size: 3 capsules /Servings per container: 30

Contains: Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Biotin, Iron, Zinc

Observations:

The pills are easy to swallow.

The smell when you first open the bottle is a bit overwhelming :/ Of all the biotin supplements I've tried, this was the worst smelling.

The results were just alright. My hair was already long when I started so I can't really comment if it made my hair grow faster. I did notice I shed less hair in the shower. My nails were a bit stronger and thicker.

Review: Utilyze Electronic Foot File

On the package: This Electronic Foot File is an innovative device created to smooth dry, rough and calloused skin on the feet. Unique roller heads spin 360 degrees, second, 300 degrees wide angle to gently and effectively buff away hard, jagged skin on the heels. This device works faster and is safer than metal scrapers, with no blades that cut the skin, and easier to use than other methods that require constant rubbing to achieve results. It is rechargeable and designed to fit comfortably in your hands. Smooth, silky feet have never been easier to maintain. It's the ultimate pedicure in the palm of your hand!

My observations:

The device feels very light in your hand and is comfortable to use.

I love that it's rechargeable! Meaning I don't have to scramble to find batteries and I can use it on and on. The cord is quite long too. It's also water resistant, so you can rinse it in water for cleaning

It comes with a tiny brush for cleaning (trust me, you need this!), a protective cover plus an extra roller head.

The sound it makes against your skin isn't the best sound in the world. Kinda makes me think of the drill at the dentist's office when you get your teeth cleaned. A little unpleasant, but bearable.

I had to stop from time to time to brush off the accumulating "feet dust." Even if you try to tap the dust off, there's still some under the roller head that needs brushing off.

I've used callus shavers with blades, egg-shaped heel buffers, foot files and pumice stones, and this by far gave me the least injuries. I tend to cut too deep with blades, scrub too hard with pumice and files, but this stops me from overdoing it because when you press too hard, it automatically stops.

Tips on use:

Try to buff your feet over a trash can because the dead skin tends to fly everywhere. Kinda fascinating and gross at the same time. "Foot dandruff" comes to mind :D

Read the included User Manual! It is very helpful.

Charge it before use. I didn't, yet still had great results. I imagine it would perform even better if I had followed directions.

Try to go in different directions to see what works best for you.

I do wish it buffed even faster and more intensely. But, that's just me. I have a high pain threshold and always in a hurry. And I wish the charge lasted longer. But overall, I am very satisfied with this product and would continue using it till it breaks (which isn't too soon I hope).

Review: Praticube Large Ice Cube Mold

I’ve never had XL ice cube trays before so this was a fun product to try. 

It was easy to fill with water as the wells are very deep.

I like that they are made of silicone because plastic trays tend to crack when you remove the cubes.

It is also very easy to handwash. Dishwasher-safe too, if you’re feeling lazy.

They take a longer time to freeze though as expected. I checked on them an hour after filling and it’s not frozen through yet.

It only makes 4 2.25 inch ice cubes at a time, which may or may not be enough for your needs.

This will really be great for alcoholic drinks that you don’t want to get watered down easily. I can see this being useful for freezing other things, maybe chocolate or yogurt to make frozen treats? It can also be used for decorating for dinner parties, like if you put berries & chopped fruit in the trays before adding water then you can make pretty ice cube centerpieces :) Overall, I really liked it.

Review: SCS Advanced Face Serum Hyaluronic Serum + Vitamin C

According to the package:

Hyaluronic Acid Serum with Vitamin C gently binds formidable amounts of moisture to the skin and its layers while preserving your skin’s most important youthful characteristics such as suppleness, elasticity and tone. This serum nourishes, soothes and moisturizes your skin, helping you maintain a beautiful, youthful glow while protecting your skin with the power of Vitamin C.

Produced WITHOUT the following:

Parabens

Sulfates

Synthetic Fragrances

Petrochemicals

Phhaalates

GMOs

The ingredients list was surprisingly short: De-ionized Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Vitamin C (as scorbic acid), Isothiazolinones as preservative

My verdict: The bottle was quite smaller than expected. The dropper dispenses properly, and you don’t need a lot to cover your whole face. The serum itself was clear, watery and non-sticky. It felt very light on the skin and sunk in quickly. I felt that it was very gentle on my skin. It was indeed moisturizing. It was scentless and there was no residue after application. I would recommend it to someone looking for a non-irritating serum for everyday.

Review: Lazy Lids Sleep Mask

To be honest, I can fall asleep really easily anywhere, anytime :D But my mom is my total opposite. She has sleep apnea and cannot fall asleep unless there is total darkness. So I looked for a mask that could help her get a good night’s sleep.

The Lazy Lids Sleep Mask was the perfect gift!

The outside part was made of satin, with a plain, no-frills, simple design in my favorite color, black.

It was well-stitched, had no frayed threads anywhere.

The inside part was very soft and comfortable, like a really soft face towel.

It was wide and opaque enough to block out light completely.

It was adjustable, with a velcro closure that didn’t dig into your scalp while sleeping.

It even had a bit of padding for your nose so there’s no pinching.

It’s easily washable and looks like it will last a long time.

It also includes earplugs if you’d like to block noise as well.

Review: Adeline Anti-Aging Moisturizer with Matrixyl

Quick Q&A: What is Matrixyl and what can it do for me?

Matrixyl (palmitoyl-pentapeptide-4) is a peptide that specifically stimulates collagen synthesis and skin repair.

According to its package, Adeline Anti-Aging Moisturizer with Matrixyl “contains powerful antioxidants to diminish fine lines and wrinkles.” It also has hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C, shea butter and Green Tea extract.

What I liked about it:

It is for all skin types.

It comes in a pump bottle.

It was not sticky and spread easily.

It had a slight peppermint scent :) (I checked the ingredients list and it indeed had peppermint oil).

It was moisturizing without being too heavy.

It worked great as a follow-up moisturizer for the Adeline Antioxidant Serum.

Review: Adeline Antioxidant Serum 20% Vitamin C

You see & hear it everywhere but just in case you’re still wondering: What exactly is an antioxidant and how can Vitamin C help my skin?

 Antioxidants are man-made or natural substances that may prevent or delay some types of cell damage.

 Vitamin C limits the damage induced by ultraviolet (UV) light exposure. Vitamin C is not a “sunscreen” because it does not absorb light in the UVA or UVB spectrum. Rather, the antioxidant activity of vitamin C protects against UV-induced damage caused by free radicals.

Living in California means lots of sunny days for me. I constantly about skin damage from sun exposure so I’m always searching for new products to try out & add to my daily routine.

Enter Adeline Antioxidant Serum. It has 20% Vitamin C, L-Arginine, and Hyaluronic Acid. It’s in a slim, airless pump bottle, which helps prevent product waste and also prevent its oxidation. The serum is yellowish, thin and runny which helps it get absorbed quickly.

I liked that it felt very light on my skin. It was lightly sticky at first and seemed to tighten my skin for a bit as it dried. It was virtually odorless too. My combination skin didn’t exhibit any nasty reactions to it. It still needs to be followed with a moisturizer and sunscreen, but overall I liked it and would continue using it.

Review: Belle Peau Beauty Dark Spot Corrector with Hyaluronic & Kojic Acid

Confession: I tend to get restless and pop my zits whenever I notice one on my face! Which is bad (I know) since it causes scarring, but I just can’t help it. This means I always have some sort of dark spot on my cheek, which is annoying and frustrating because then I have to use cover-up to feel less self-conscious.

I’ve tried a lot of lightening products for these random brown spots and if you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know I’m a big fan of Hyaluronic Acid & Kojic Acid. Together they just work really well for my skin.

Belle Peau Beauty Dark Spot Corrector has both these ingredients in addition to other recognizable ingredients such as: Aloe Vera Extract, Witch Hazel, Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Vitamin E & Jojoba Oil. It is 98% Natural/72% Organic and not tested on animals.

It comes in a slim, plastic package with a pump. It contains a good amount of product for a spot corrector, which should last you for a while (1 fl. oz/30ml). The serum itself was a clear, runny liquid, which feels silky on the skin and dries in seconds.

On the package it says:

Natural skin brighteners, clinically proven to be more effective and safer than hydroquinone, are the key to this phenomenal serum. MSM (Methylsulfonylemethane) helps drive the product to the layers of the skin where miniscule scar tissue builds up and skin clarity is compromised. Chirally correct ingredients and narural skin brighteners make photo damage and aging skin a thing of the past. Hyaluronic acid helps hydrate and moisturize the skin. The result is a more youthful, even toned complexion. Safe for daily use.

Sounds fancy right? But did it work? I am happy to report that it has slowly but surely faded my latest zit mark! :) Not overnight of course. It doesn’t bleach it that way. It lightened very gradually with consistent use (I used it for a month). Be patient! :)

Review: Amara Organics Retinol Cream

Now that I’m in my 30s, I’ve been more diligent about my skincare routine. I find that when I have great skin, I’m more confident about going bare-faced and don’t bother with foundation anymore.

I’ve always been curious about retinol ever since I’ve read about its anti-aging benefits. It’s never too early to stop aging on its tracks! :)

Amara Organics Retinol Cream is an “advanced blend of Retinol with Hyaluronic Acid and powerful antioxidants Vitamins E & B5″  which claims to:

activate collagen to erase fine lines and wrinkles

restore firmness and elasticity

improve texture and tone

It is 97% Natural/71% Organic and not tested on animals. I was pleased to see Organic Aloe Vera as its first listed ingredient. It also has organic sunflower oil, organic jojoba oil, wildcrafted green tea and shea butter!

What I liked about it:

It is housed in an opaque plastic container with a pump, which is great since retinoids are unstable antioxidants. The pump controlled portions perfectly & is very hygienic. 

Its consistency is not runny, but is absorbed quickly.

It had no discernible or offensive scent.

It felt very moisturizing on my combination skin.

I had no peeling, flaking or breakouts.

I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in trying out retinol products. I thought the 2.5% concentration would be too harsh but it wasn’t. Just remember to follow the tips about using it at night and always using sunscreen.

Review: Justified Laboratories Professional Strength Teeth Whitening Kit

Every morning starts out the same for me - I have to have my morning cup of coffee or I will be grumpy all day! Years of this has resulted in my teeth not looking its best lately so I jumped on the chance to try this out. My kit came with five 5cc syringes of whitening gel, a duplex tray and a mini blue light accelerator. According to the package, there is an on-the-go whitening pen & Vitamin E swab available (sold separately) in case you need them for touch ups & tissue irritation. I loved that:

There is a lot of gel included, it is really good value for the price.

The mini blue light accelerator already had batteries inside.

The instructions in the insert were easy to understand, though pictures would've been great also. I've seen similar kinds of whitening kits in Instagram so I was already familiar on how to use it.

The duplex tray was surprisingly soft and comfortable on my teeth and was also quite easy to rinse afterwards.

The syringe made it easy to control the amount of gel I could put on the tray.

Review: Oz Naturals Super Youth Eye Gel

My eyes are definitely my favorite facial feature. I‘ve always been complimented on them because they’re so big haha! :D  My lids are somewhat naturally tinted that I’ve been asked if I was wearing eyeshadow even when I’m not. I may not have 20/20 vision, but I’m always thankful for my eyes that let me take in the world’s beauty and do my favorite hobbies, people-watching & drawing! :)

Sadly though, I’ve inherited my father’s perpetual dark circles :( Even if I oversleep, they’re still there. So begun the endless quest for eye treatments that might help. 

The Oz Naturals Super Youth Eye Gel piqued my interest because, well, it said SUPER YOUTH! :D It has this awesome combination of Plant Stem Cells + Matrixyl 3000 + Peptide Complex  + Hyaluronic Acid  + Vitamin E . It is also 100% Vegan & Cruelty Free.

Its Claims:

Dramatically Radiant & Youthful Eyes

Eliminates Dark Circle and Puffiness

Soothes and Softens the Dark Area

According to the package, it can also be used as an all over face treatment, and addresses every single eye area concern including wrinkles, sagging, puffiness & dryness.

I liked that:

The pump dispensed just the right amount.

The packaging felt sturdy and spill-proof.

 It felt cool upon application.

 It had no over-perfumey smell.

 It didn’t cause eye irritation.

 The gel consistency absorbed quickly and didn’t drag.

 It certainly hydrated my undereye area; applying concealer was less cakier than usual.

I do wish though, that there was more product in it. I didn’t really expect it to erase my dark circles at all because, well, they’re hereditary and will probably be there forever.

Overall, this was a pleasant experience. I think this would be a great addition to one’s night time beauty regimen.

Review: Key West Skin Lightening Cream With Hyaluronic & Kojic Acid

Last March, I downloaded a running app aiming (hoping?) to run at least 3 days a week. I’m proud to report that I’ve been consistent in my morning routine (though I’m still not very fast yet haha :D) Unfortunately, running in the summer has darkened my face even while using a hat & sunscreen combo. Panic ensues.

I won’t deny that I’m a big fan of whitening products. It’s just a personal preference, I just think I look better pale (I blame my inner goth-emokid). I’ve used kojic soaps in the past and was extremely pleased with the end results. So when I saw that the Key West Skin Lightening Cream had Kojic acid in it, I immediately jumped at the chance to try it.

I liked the slim packaging. The pump gave just the right amount to cover the whole face. I was pleasantly surprised that I recognized a lot of the ingredients on the label and that it was 97% Natural/72% Organic & not tested on animals.

My verdict: I love this cream! :) It felt so light on my combination skin without feeling like I had to layer another moisturizer. It spread easily and dried quickly. I expected some peeling or dryness but there was none. No breakouts to report, and no overpowering smell too.

I’m pretty sure there is no one product that can make you lighten a shade overnight...and I didn’t expect that from this cream. But I can honestly say it brightened my complexion noticeably! :) Also had very gradual lightening of acne scars as a bonus. Highly recommended!

Review: 42 BEES Slant Tip Tweezers

One of my top five can’t-live-without-one beauty tools is the tweezer. Without one, my brows, which grow like weeds, just effortlessly join in an M-shape on my face :D I’ve tried waxing and depilatories, but I keep coming back to tweezing. I like the precision, the pain is very minimal, and it can be quite a relaxing task.

I was glad to test the 42 BEES Slant Tip Tweezers because the comb part was intriguing. I found that the comb is somewhat useful when doing one's eyebrows as you can comb, shape and separate the “good parts” from the stray hairs. The tweezing tip is sharp enough, and wide so that it grasps the hair firmly.

Unfortunately, having the comb part at the end shortens the actual tweezer length. This means a shorter grasping area, and makes tweezing more tiring than necessary :/ Your fingers kinda get too close to the tweezing parts and you have to squeeze harder (compared to using my trusty Tweezerman).

Is it the bees’ knees? Not quite I’m afraid. Still a very useful tweezer, just not my first choice.