philosophy: purity is natural. we come into this world with all the right instincts. we are innocent and, therefore, perceive things as they should be, rather than how they are. our conscience is clear, our hands clean and the world at large is truly beautiful. it is at this time we feel most blessed. to begin feeling young again, we must begin with the most basic step of all, the daily ritual of cleansing.

Philosophy products are made to enhance the skin as well as well-being and that is translated into uplifting messages on each bottles and jars. Philosophy said that each of their product has a story and each story speaks to the heart of the brand.

One of my best kept secret is the simplest and shortest time I take to remove all my makeup, cleanse and tone. Obviously the secret is out now that I’m telling you that the secret is this Purity Made Simple 3-in-1 Cleanser For Face and Eyes.

The Philosophy Purity Made Simple 3-in-1 Cleanser For Face and Eyes is the easiest and the most simple 3-in-1 cleanser I’ve used. It is made to remove makeup thoroughly, cleanse at the same time and lastly, tone. This means I don’t have to double cleanse because this unique gel, non-foamy cleanser gave me a squeaky clean face. And I can skip toner too. However, on days where my skin is particularly dry, I still use a toner. It gave a peace of mind but there is absolutely no harm if one would want to continue the normal skin care routine.

I’ve tried using this cleanser to remove my eye makeup as well. Now, if you know me you will know that all my eye makeup are waterproof and long lasting. That means removing is a pain most of the time. I don’t have an issue with removing eye makeup with this cleanser except for mascara. It’s not a problem for me since I always remove my mascara separately but if you are looking for one product to remove everything, you need to work on the area more. I hate to say this but this cleanser stings my eyes unless I close both eyes tightly, work faster and quickly rinse thoroughly with water thereafter.

Some time ago Philosophy had a workshop and a few of bloggers went. Right after the workshop, a few of the bloggers actually told me that this cleanser also make a great brush cleanser. I never doubted this cleanser in any way before and I could totally see why it is able to remove dirt from makeup brushes. But then again, I might not spend that much for brush cleanser lol. This bottle I have is so precious to me and I wouldn’t want to finish it up so soon

If you want me to recommend one product from Philosophy to try for a beginner, I would say get this Purity Made Simple 3-in-1 Cleanser For Face and Eyes. Not the shower gel but get this. If you want a skin care that is more targeted, I’d always recommend the The Microdelivery Peel, which I’ve gone through two sets

Disclaimer: Press sample. This doesn’t affect my judgement in the review in any way.

The post Philosophy Purity Made Simple 3-in-1 Cleanser For Face and Eyes: Fastest and simplest way to remove makeup, cleanse and tone appeared first on Street Love. by Fiona

While I was composing product review for a new skin care range that I’m currently on, I feel the need to walk you through types of moisturizer and how to choose the right one for your skin type. Come to think of it, it will be a bit odd (for me) if I don’t start from the cleanser up to moisturizer. Being as random as I can be sometimes, this brings us to today’s topic – Facial Cleansers.

There are so many different type, brand, texture, function and benefits cleansers out there to choose from. Sometimes I can’t help but to wonder, is it really necessary to came out with so many type? I don’t usually go with a specific cleanser targeting a skin concern unless I have a severe breakout then only I’ll start searching for something to calm the breakout. Otherwise, I’m more into texture type of cleanser.

In today’s Cleanser 101, I’m going to walk you through basic types of cleanser for the last step in cleansing before toning. I’m also leaving makeup removers out of today’s topic because that’s going to be in another topic. Do bear in mind I’m only talking about some of the cleansers I have with me with what I think, there might be more cleanser out there and you may have different view than I do. But really, it used to be as simple as gel, self-foaming, milk and cream cleanser!

Gel Cleanser

Suitable For: Combination, oily and acne-prone skin.
Recommended Product: Antipodes Juliet Skin-Brightening Gel Cleanser, Biotherm PUREFECT SKIN Cleansing Gel, Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Daily Face Cleanser.

Several years ago, I was recommended to use gel-based cleanser as I have combination to oily skin. The right gel cleanser with the correct pH balance could be perfect for combination to oily skin users. Some gel cleanser doesn’t foams up a lot but they do provide decent amount of foam for cleansing action. I have been on and off gel cleanser because I’m not crazy over it. It does clean my face well but due to the fact that my face oils up faster than other people, I prefer cleanser that is “stronger” i.e. exfoliating cleanser. The gel-ish texture doesn’t give me the psychological peace of mind that my face is clean. For me, I feel that all skin type can use gel cleanser. Some people do feel it’s a tad bit too dry on them but that depends on which brand / type of gel cleanser. If you are looking into trying out gel cleanser, look for one that suit your skin type.

Cleansing Milk

Suitable For: Normal, dry and sensitive skin. Some cleansing milk is formulated for oily skin as well.
Recommended Product: Clarins Cleansing Milk With Gentian

I was debating with myself if I should include cleansing milk into this post because I use cleansing milk as my makeup remover, not as a form of cleanser. Typically, cleansing milk is meant for normal, dry and sensitive skin users as it’s a cleanser with moisturizing properties. It does not foams up at all. Some said it’s not suitable for combination or oily skin but I personally feel it is definitely suitable. As you know, some oily skin users are dehydrated on the inside so they need to hydrate their skin in order to control sebum secretion. You also need to be careful not to stripped of the skin’s natural oils therefore cleansing milk is the way to go. I was told to incorporate cleansing milk as the first part of my cleansing routine because of this reason. However, it can be too tacky thereafter so I would need to double cleanse. Dry skin user may find this step not necessary. I say follow what your skin tells you. If you feel your skin is clean and happily hydrated, just skip the 2nd cleansing step.

Self-Foaming Cleanser

Suitable For: Normal, combination and oily. Dry, very dry, sensitive and eczema-prone skin will need to beware.
Recommended Product: SENKA Speedy Perfect Whip, Yadah Anti-Trouble Bubble Cleanser, Thursday Plantation Tea Tree Daily Face Wash.

Self-foaming cleanser has been a hit over recent years as it’s hassle-free, time-saving and environmental friendly as you use lesser water to rinse. It can be quite fun and luxurious to use due to the ultra-smooth foams. I wouldn’t recommend this to very dry skin users because the foam can (some don’t) dry your skin out. I think it all lies down to how long you left the cleanser on the face. I would suggest to quickly cleanse and rinse to prevent dryness. I personally didn’t encounter any dryness nor has it stripped off the natural oil from my skin. I actually kinda like the squeakily clean feel after rinsing.

Exfoliating Cleanser

Suitable For: All skin type, except for sensitive and very dry skin.
Recommended Product: Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser With Orange Extract.

My favourite cleanser of all time is some sort of 3-in-1 cleanser whereas it removes makeup thoroughly, cleanse and exfoliate at the same time. I call this my lazy cleanser. This type of cleanser is one of the best to use because it really do removes makeup completely and cleanse at the same time. The exfoliating beads is not too harsh on the skin thanks to the cream cleanser. Depending on the brand and type, some cannot be use daily. So far I’ve only tried one brand and it can be use daily. I have nothing else to say about exfoliating cleanser but everyone should give it a shot. Oh and this is also suitable for all skin type, even dry skin. A few of my friends that have dry skin said this cleanser suits them well. If you have very dry skin, you should avoid any form of exfoliating products.

Multi-Task Cleanser

Suitable For: All skin type.
Recommended Product: Philosophy 3-In-1 Cleanser For Face and Eyes.

A multi-task cleanser is an all-round removes makeup, cleanse, tone and hydrate product. It’s similar to exfoliating cleanser except that this one includes toning action and without exfoliating beads. What this means is you can skip your toner after using the cleanser. I like to use this when I don’t have heavy makeup on and when I’m in a rush. It may look like a lotion cleanser but it lathers well and does a great job in cleansing. It is somewhat a light cleanser but extremely hydrating on the skin. You can also use this on bare face itself. Not necessary when you have makeup on. However do bear in mind not all multi-task cleanser available in the market are formulated and made to be same.

Foaming Cleanser

Suitable For: Combination and oily skin.
Recommended Product: Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser With Cottonseed, Hada Labo Fash Wash, Oxy Deep Cleansing Wash, Oxy Anti-Blackhead Wash.

The most common and popular cleanser of all time is foaming cleanser. Foaming cleanser may be too drying for dry to very dry skin users so combination and oily skin tend to have better luck with foaming cleanser because it is made to deep cleanse, removing dirt, sweat, sebum, bacteria and moisturizes the skin. Usually this type of cleanser lathers very well so you only need a small pea size each use. One tube of cleanser could last you for months!  Some foaming cleanser are infused with oils or other emollients but these ingredients may not strip the natural face oil from the skin. There are tons of different types of foaming cleanser available. Choose the right one according to your budget and needs.

Hope you enjoy today’s feature on Cleanser 101. I do apologize if there is any shortcoming with the feature as it’s a last minute decision to do this post. These are just the basic types of cleanser that I’ve used personally. It can be quite confusing shopping for cleanser because there are just too many types out there. All you need to remember is to choose either gel, milk, self-foaming, multi-task or the conventional foaming cleanser. Then from there it should be easier for you to choose the specific targeting cleanser that you need.

The post Cleanser 101: Types of Facial Cleansers appeared first on Street Love. by Fiona

It is not a secret I love facial scrub. I think it’s the best product to get rid of all the dead skin cells and rejuvenate the skin, especially that I have acne marks to lighten. I’m trying to scrub lesser these days so that I don’t overdo it and causes my skin to get even more oilier. So yes, I stopped stocking up facial scrub since one year ago. What I have in my stash could last me for a good full year now that I do scrub my face lesser.

When I first tried The Microdelivery Peel at the media launch of Philosophy back in February 2014, I was literally having the ooohhhs and aahhhs moment because I was fascinated on how two products work as one. It’s interesting, I feel like a scientist, the product feels good on the back of my hand and this is not just any in-home peel but a Vitamin C peel system. I get to bring home a set, used it all up and this is my repurchase set

When you’re at Sephora, you will find this white huge box with lots of words on the top flap. Just look for one that says “The Microdelivery Peel”. The box’s top flap is removable. Well, not removable completely type of removable. You can actually open up the top flap to see the content on the inside.

The Microdelivery Peel set contain two products. On the left is the Step 2 product – a 60ml Lactic/Salicylic Acid Activating Gel and on the right is the Step 1 product – a 60g Vitamin C/Peptide Crystals. 60ml or 60g it’s all the same. Actually they should place the product the other way round according to sequence.

Philosophy, the peel expert said that regular exfoliation is a requirement and critical step to de-age the skin. I couldn’t agree on that more! Peel or scrub is important to remove the upper layer of the skin, which is mostly dead skin cells in order to push the newer skin on the bottom to the surface. So Philosophy created this Microdelivery line that is able to help brighten, reduce signs of aging, improve clarity, promote smoothness and to enhance the performance of skin care products applied thereafter. All these in 3 minutes or less. The Microdelivery collection consists of seven facial product and one body product. Six out of eight product bears the same “The Microdelivery” name. It’s not that confusing providing you read the label carefully. One thing I’m confuse with is the actual name for this The Microdelivery Peel. On the box it said The Microdelivery Peel but on Philosophy website it said The Microdelivery Peel In-Home Vitamin C Peptide Peel. But on the video on the product page, the lady mentioned The Microdelivery Vitamin C Peel. Which is which eh? LOL. One thing I know is that this is an anti-aging peel

So what does this Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel does? Simple. This is a two-step, in-home peel that helps to resurfaces and rejuvenates sun-damaged, hyperpigmented and aging skin. Unlike the conventional scrub or peel that only does exfoliation job, this peel system delivers Peptides and Vitamin C to the skin, while being rapidly exfoliated. When used as a set, the product resurfacing and replenishing the skin at the same exact same time.

Step 1: Exfoliation – Vitamin C/Peptide Crystals

The first step to a 3-minute skin makeover is exfoliation. There wasn’t any spatula or spoon provided so I’m using my own spatula to scoop the Vitamin C/Peptide Crystals out from the jar. The amount that was recommended for the whole face is a teaspoon. I’m actually using lesser than a teaspoon. Bear in mind this product is to be apply onto clean and dry skin. I usually skip my cleanser and use this instead because that’s the only time my skin is dry. The Peptide Crystals smell citrusy. It’s quite pleasant and not overpowering at all. This product is absolutely coarser than I thought. So I massage all over my face oh-so-gently for maybe 30 seconds or slightly more? I’m not too sure. But it is recommended to massage for 60 seconds. By all mean do avoid the eye area. It’s too harsh to be there at all. It is definitely a bit scary for delicate skin or sensitive skin. So what I suggest is for you to just apply without the massage if you do have a much more sensitive skin. As for me, I absolutely enjoy the massage. A bit ticklish but it’s all good.

Step 2: Replenishment – Lactic/Salicylic Acid Activating Gel

The second step is all about rejuvenating and de-age the skin. After massaging the Vitamin C/Peptide Crystals for 60 seconds (or less), still with my orangey hand, I would then squeeze out a teaspoon amount of Lactic/Salicylic Acid Activating Gel into the palm. I put both palm together quickly to get the product evenly on and apply onto the Peptide Crystals that was still on my face. What happen next was amazing. There’s this warming sensation as I massage the activating gel onto my face. Don’t worry that it will be uneasy. It’s just for a brief while. I wish it was longer! When this happens, white foam will appear. It means both product is working hand-in-hand together for product activation. After this step, you can either choose to leave the product on your face for 2 – 3 minutes or you can continue to massage the face for more exfoliation benefits. I usually massage more and then rinse. Sensitive skin user should and not advisable to massage further but instead you should just let it sit on the skin and rinse off after 2 – 3 minutes.

One thing that got me hooked onto this Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel is how smooth my skin feels after the rinse. It’s velvety smooth, as if I had some matte primer on or something. Like baby skin. It’s bouncy very bouncy. Face doesn’t feel like my own face because they’re a bit numb from the peel so it’s like touching other people’s face. Everytime I use the peel system I couldn’t stop touching my face thereafter because I couldn’t believe that’s my skin. You know what’s best to do after using Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel? Put on any hydrating sheet mask or cream mask on or even apply any powerful serum that’s your favourite. That’s what I usually do. Makeup on the other hand glides on smoothly and the finishing of it is flawless. You can use this before going out for an important event

Here is the ingredient list for both product.

Vitamin C/Peptide Crystals
peg-6, sodium bicarbonate, oleth-20, glyceryl stearate se, silica, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, tocopheryl acetate, retinyl palmitate, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) oil, beta carotene, isopropylparaben, isobutylparaben, butylparaben, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate. rapid activation gel: water (aqua), lactic acid, hydroxyethylcellulose, linoleamidopropyl pg-dimonium chloride phosphate, polyquaternium 10, propylene glycol, diazolidinyl urea, methylparaben, propylparaben.

Lactic/Salicylic Acid Activating Gel
aqua/water/eau, lactic acid, hydroxyethylcellulose, salicylic acid, linoleamidopropyl pg-dimonium chloride phosphate, 1,2-hexanediol, caprylyl glycol, polyquaternium-10. crystals: peg-6, sodium bicarbonate, oleth-20, glyceryl stearate se, silica, tocopheryl acetate, 1,2-hexanediol, caprylyl glycol, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, tocopherol, beta-carotene, retinyl palmitate, ethylhexyl palmitate, parfum/fragrance, palmitoyl oligopeptide, tribehenin, sorbitan isostearate, limonene, bht.

While I’m loving the baby soft velvety skin after the peel, however I can’t say the same for the steep price. No doubt this should last for a few months because you only use it once a week but then again I can easily get a facial scrub that cost at least half the price for the similar result. I do like the short 3-minute time spent in the shower and I can get everything done and out of shower with zero downtime. The two-step idea behind the kit is still what I like the most. I think it’s a brilliant way for skin rejuvenation. How awesome is that I get to do a Vitamin C peel at the comfort of my home? The price? Errrr not so awesome.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored review. I bought the product on my own.

The post Philosophy The Microdelivery Peel: Two-phase Vitamin C resurfacing and replenishing peel for a 3-minute skin makeover appeared first on Street Love. by Fiona

And so my mum was curious as to why I went to the bathroom and took the Philosophy Raspberry Sorbet Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath to my room. She happened to stood nearby when I tip-toe into the bathroom . As you already know what the hype is all about two months ago, Philosophy is finally launched in Malaysia back in February 2014. All this big and highly raved brands is slowly making it’s way into our country, very much to beauty enthusiast delight. There’s another one coming to us very very soon. I’ll tell you about it when I can.

I happened to be given a few of Philosophy best-seller products to try. I can’t tell which one I like because I love it all! Philosophy product works so well on me that it makes me happy by just looking at it. Because I love it so much, I thought I should also tell you about it. Philosophy Raspberry Sorbet Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath happens to be the first Philosophy product I ever tried from the loot. This is love at first sight.

One particular product that I’ve been reading a lot on Philosophy previously is the multitasking 3-in-1 shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath product. There are a few flavours of 3-in-1 shower gel offered by Philosophy and although I have yet to try it all, I can safely said that I’m quite glad I started off with Raspberry Sorbet flavour. One sniff already sent me to heaven. One bath? There’s no turning back!

I have heard before a few years ago from my guy friends that they only use one product for head to toe. I was like “is there such product?”. Well, looks like there is…for guy that is. This Philosophy Raspberry Sorbet Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath is a 3-in-1 head-to-toe cleansing product. At first I thought it’s just a shower gel. When I really read through everything printed on the front of the bottle, I was pretty excited to use it as a shampoo as well. I only wish I have a bathtub at home.

The gel is not as thick as I thought it would be. But it is creamy nonetheless. It lathers so well that I need not to add more as I shower. I used it as shower gel most of the time but there are times where I used it as shampoo AND as shower gel when I was not feeling well or times when I was rushing. Tell you something funny. The first time I used it as shampoo and shower gel is when I wanted to try out how it fares as a shampoo. I know it works so well as shower gel but I have no idea at all how it would be as shampoo. Will my scalp sensitivity came back? Will I get dandruff? Or will my scalp get greasy easily? I started off with shampooing my hair. As you know I have long hair so I pour a bit more extra. What I didn’t know is that when it is used as shampoo, it lathers even more. I find myself ended up with a whole head full with thick foams. Lots of it. I wouldn’t want to waste more product to shower so I pull down all the foams to my body and start lathering myself LOL. Gross I know but I couldn’t help it. I did it because I know my hair wasn’t that dirty at all. I mean how dirty can your hair get sitting at home all day eh? You know what? Surprisingly I managed to wash the whole body by using all the foams. It feels clean, I smells like raspberry from head to toe so it’s all good

As a shampoo, it is superb! To be honest I didn’t expect that. My hair feels airy and light, my scalp doesn’t gets oily, there’s no dandruff and scalp is not itchy. Basically it works better than some shampoo. As a shower gel, the skin feels hydrated and clean. What I like is how the raspberry scent stays on me for hours and hours. I like how my hair and my skin smells the same and how there is absolutely no chemical scent at all.

Philosophy kept their bottles and jars simple. Each product has a catchy name to help you to remember the important things in life, each product has a story and each product bears an uplifting messages. As for Philosophy Raspberry Sorbet Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath, the bottle bears a recipe for raspberry sorbet. Interesting.

This is one shower gel that I wouldn’t mind repurchasing. I like it’s multitasking usage that can double up as shampoo and shower gel for me whenever I’m feeling lazy or in a rush. I mean, guy can have a head-to-toe product and now women can too.

Philosophy range is not totally complete yet in Sephora so do give it some time for the brand to slowly bring in more and more products. Same goes to the 3-in-1 shower gel as well. If you do plan to pick up a bottle, you can always try the Raspberry Sorbet Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath

Disclaimer: Press sample. This doesn’t affect my judgement in the review in any way.

The post Philosophy Raspberry Sorbet Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath: A head-to-toe cleansing product that is conveniently my shampoo and shower gel appeared first on Street Love. by Fiona