PRODUCT REVIEW: Lush Ocean Salt Facial Scrub

Today I'm doing a product review on another Lush product, this time it's the Facial Scrub "Ocean Salt". Like all Lush products, it's made out of all natural ingredients. The main ingredient for the scrub part of the product are real chunks of sea salt. So when you open the packaging at first, it would have a citrus and tangy smell, like an ocean breeze. Since there are some real sea salt in the product, some of you would be worried about it tearing at the facial skin. It doesn't tear at it at all, with coconut and avocado (two natural moisturising ingredients) it does no harm to the skin, the salt isn't jagged with any sharp points and would fall of after a few minutes.

Ocean Salt comes in two sizes, this is the smaller version of it. It comes in a black plastic pot, but the beauty is that this pot is recyclable. The company encourages people to recycle the plastic pots with their gather 5 pots and get a Fresh Mask free idea. Honestly, I don't like the pot idea at all, its so small and messy and the product just goes everywhere, the only great thing about it is that it is easy to store. Like all Lush products, they seem to have the black and white theme going.

This is what the actual product looks like. As Lush in the kind of store that tries to be all natural, I did not expect it to be all colourful and beautiful. It has a really strong citrus smell though. since there is so much citrus extract in the product. I know that they didn't really use perfume on the product since its one of the last few ingredients in the list. It smells great and I personally really like the lime smell. It freshens me up whenever I use it.

As with most things in life, too much is not always a good thing. Scrubs does wonders for your skin but too much scrubbing isn't good at all. Your skin also needs time to regrow itself, so if you want you're baby soft skin, use it sparingly. Again, a little goes a long way with this product. There is a dosage on how often you should use the product, for dry skin once a week is enough, for oily (Depending on the severity,) it could be twice or thrice a week.

I have combination skin so I usually use this thrice a week max. I've been using this regularly and I can say that while it smells great, it has a so-so scrubbing power.Yes it did clean my skin, but it didn't really help with preventing whiteheads from popping up. I love the smell and the fact that this is a natural product, with no harsh chemicals whatsoever but it didn't really do what I expect it to do. A tip for those who buys this scrub, there's real salt so when  you rinse it off, make sure you keep you're mouth and eyes shut tight unless you want salty water to come in. (trust me, it was NOT funny)

All in all I give this product a 6/10, for the not so great packaging and the lack for scrubbing power. I would recommend it to those who are natural product junkies who are searching for a more gentle scrub, not so much for people like me who likes a slightly harsher ones.

So that's it for my view on this product, if any of you have different experiences with it comment bellow, I'd love to see what your experiences are about the product :) Have fun trying it out for those who like gentler scrubs.

-ElizabethTiffany

Asian Skin Care Routine

Being an Asian myself, I notice that there are several differences between an Asian skin care routine and a Western skin care routine. With the latest trend being the a lot of Asian branded skin care products from mainly Korea or Japan, I think that it'll be great to share with you guys on the main parts of an Asian skin care routine.

It's strange but I notice that most westerners prefer to splurge on make up (personally I love to buy these as well since they're the fun part of a girl's life) but Asians usually go nuts about skin care. Sunblock, whitening, brightening, all the things that prevent skin from tanning and helping skin grow whiter is what most of us splurge on. I myself like to splurge on sunblock and face masks, they're my two favourite things. We like to have pale and bright skin, I myself try to avoid tanning myself to much and prefer to stay in the shade because of this. Although I'm pale for an Asian, it's nothing compared to most Westerners who have very pale skin. Pretty much a clear bright skin is the aim with of most women in Asia.

A typical skin care routine for me would be:

1. Do the Double Cleanse, this is when I first use my Cleansing Cream/Lotion (in my case the Lush 9 To 5) or a Cleansing Oil to first remove my make up completely from my face, then I use a Foaming Cleanser to further ensure that no make up is still in place.
2. Next I would use a Toner, most Asian Toners not only cleanse but they also hydrate the skin, to fix the amount of fluids lost through the Double Cleanse technique. Western toners usually help to remove the particles between the skin so they are a bit more drying. Sometimes, we could use a Booster which helps the absorption of other products into the skin together with the toner. Some toners have a mix of both a toner and a booster while some brands separate them.
3. For those people who use Eye-cream, the next step would be to use the eye cream on both the upper lid and the eye bag area. As the skin around the eye is very delicate, it is best to spread the eye cream with light pressure by using the ring finger. Most people feel that using an eye-cream is only for those who are fighting anti-ageing signs but teens can use them too, as long as its only for hydration purposes. (Eyeshadow goes on better after using eye-creams)
4. For the skin care enthusiast, they would use the Sheet Masks (or Paper Masks) for night time ONLY. Paper masks are basically thin cotton sheets soaked in treatment essences that helps a particular skin problem (e.g lemon = brightening, honey = moisture & brightening, etc). You could use them daily, or twice a week (it depends on you really). Use the mask for 15-20 minutes and don't wash it off, just rub the excess residue into the skin. 
5. Next is the Essence/ Serum which are just liquid concentrated skin care actives, with a texture thats around a liquid and a gel. They are also known as ampoules.
6. After the Essence is the Emulsion. Emulsions are just lighter versions of moisturising creams but with a lesser concentration of the skin care active ingredients in an Essence. Living in a tropical country (terrible heat and humidity issues) would mean that this is the only moisturising you'll need.
7. Spot Treatment comes after, all the acne treatments, whitening serum, anti-ageing spot treatments, etc are used after
8. Then for people living in four seasoned countries, they could use Creams to further moisturise their skin.
9. Finally (again this is optional) for the night time routine, there's the Sleeping Pack my favourite being the Laneige Sleeping Pack Ex. It's basically a sleeping mask that gives intense hydration and other added benefits to the skin 
10. For day time routines, use a Sunblock at the end.

Depending on how hot and humid the day is I might use some products that merges some steps together (e.g use a toner that already has a booster) or when I'm feeling lazy, I tend to skip some steps but this is the basic Asian skin care routine, you could try and combine steps if you want to try and save on time. It has great results and hopefully, you'll get your favourite Korean celebrity's skin.

If you want to go FULL on Korean, then some brands that are legit from Korea are Innisfree, Skin food, Etude House, and Face Shop. ( I like them all really but not so much on Etude House, leaning more to Skin Food and Innisfree as a favourite Korean brand) 

Your skin care products don't have to be full on Asian, just use products you feel fit the categories listed above and substitute them in. Western products could be used too together with the routine. I like to switch up my masks between the classic clay mask and the paper masks just to get both benefits from the two masks,

Have fun getting the lovely skins you want :) good luck. No need to hide yourself too much with a ton of make up, let your natural beauty peek through. With clear skin, it's much easier to apply make up.

-Elizabeth Tiffany

PRODUCT REVIEW: Lush 9 To 5 Cleansing Lotion

Product Review: Lush Cleansing Lotion 9 To 5















Actually, I bought this when I went to summer school a few months back in Oxford, England. When I first bought the product, I didn't really know about the brand Lush, it just looked like an interesting hippie styled store that has a similar outlook as body shop. So I am pleasantly surprised on my first purchase. Lush uses all natural ingredients in their products so they are gentle to the skin. For the 9 To 5, Lush uses Dove Orchids and Ylang Ylang Oil, which follows their all natural motto. The packaging itself is very simple, black and white printed label. The neo-futuristic feel of the product gives it it's edge natural feel.

The cleansing lotion feels like a normal moisturiser, it has a pastel yellow colouring and is quite light to use. It claims to remove all types of make up be it waterproof or smudge-proof, which should be great for most eye make ups. Typically, I like to use a waterproof mascara everyday so having a make up remover that could do that is a great help. The skin around my eye area is usually very sensitive to most types of removers so the removers I use cannot be too harsh for the skin.

I usually use the cleansing lotion with a cotton pad to wipe the mascara off my eyelashes. It feels slightly cool and it doesn't irritate my skin. There's no stinging sensation when I slowly remove the mascara. Usually, one cotton pad lathered with the lotion is enough for removing two coats of mascara on each eye. The lotion is quite good in removing my daily make up, it also doesn't hurt that its gentle :)

Thanks to this cleansing lotion, I actually became quite a fan of Lush products. The natural appeal is great and the products actually does what it's supposed to do, with that I give the product again a 9/10. A nine only because I thought that they could try and be better with the packaging. I really liked the product and recommend it to anyone who likes to do the Double Cleansing method.

-ElizabethTiffany

PRODUCT REVIEW: Kérastase Cristalliste Hair Mask

 The next product review is on the Kérestase Cristalliste Hair Mask.

As you can see from the packaging, it's very luxurious and has a the Kérastase feel to it. The Cristalliste line is quite new to the Kérastase family. It's main goal is to add more shine to the hair, without compromising moisture. We all know that most products that add shine usually skip out on the moisture part of the deal, well Kérastase hasn't failed me before so I gave it a try.

This is what the product looks like, it has a pink creamy texture with a lustrous sheen to it. In short it feels smooth to the touch, and looks super girly. It smells really good too, kind of like a sweet candy smell. So when I use this, I follow the instructions of making my hair wet by rinsing it out first, then I massage some of it to my scalp before leading it down to the ends. Then, I put my hair up in a shower cap to trap heat, so the mask would be delivering more nutrients. I usually leave it for around 30 or so minutes before rinsing it off and shampooing it.




After continued use of the mask, I can say that once again, Kérastase never fails to meet my expectations. It gave my hair a very light and airy feel, making it very smooth to the touch but at the same time not at all oily. My hair now has more shine to it, making my hair feel healthy. I love the mask and recommend it to anyone with LONG hair and have problems with shine and oily scalps but dry ends. It helps to evenly distribute the hair's natural sebum along the entire hair. I give this product a 9/10 because of it's great performance.

Everyone, try the new Cristalliste line, it really gives a lot of shine, and I can say that the mask does also give the correct amount of moisture. Sometimes, we focus too much on our skin while our hair needs a little pick me up too. With all the styling we do to our hair, they deserve a little pampering :)

-Elizabeth Tiffany

PRODUCT REVIEW: Laniege Water Sleeping Pack EX

So today I'm going to make a review on the Laneige Water Sleeping Pack EX which is supposed to be a better and newer version of their old sleeping pack. For all of you who don't know this brand, it's actually a Korean mid level brand. As Korean skin care products are kinda popular, I wanted to see what's the big fuss about them. The sleeping pack in particular is also a very Korean product, but now some western brands also produce them.

Onto the packaging, from here you could see that it looked pretty cool and has a luxurious feel with the cooling blues and the nice thick packaging. I liked that its in a jar instead of a pump cause it's supposed to be like a mask that you wear while you sleep. It lets me get ALL of the product without any wastage. It seems unhygienic though since so much of the sleeping pack was exposed to the air, but thankfully they provided a little spatula that lets you scoop the product to your face so no bacteria transfer from your hands to the pack.

The Claim:
The product claims to have a soothing brightening effect that helps with moisturising the skin throughout the night, it also claims to let you sleep and relax better through their sleepscent technology. By using their snow water, Ceramide SLN, Hunza Apricot Extract, and Chesnut Extract, it claims to be like an antioxidant and  to help renew skin cells for a sleek skin texture.

This is what the product looks like, together with the spatula that I just mentioned. Its a light gel like texture with a faint blue colouring. When applied, there's a cool feel to my skin with each application. It really helps me relax and cool down my face whenever I use it. However, you can only use the sleeping pack twice a week maximum. This is to make sure that the skin does not get too irritated, due to the sleepscent. It has a very  nice smell which also alerts me to actually follow the dosage on the product (I usually don't do this and use products as often as I wish but not for this one) it's hard to believe that a product which you could clearly smell the perfume could be safe to use everyday. After using this product according to the instructions, it is safe to use.

This is how it looks like when its first applied to the skin, the cream is a semi-transparent and has a feels very cool and soothing to the touch. When its evenly spread out on the skin, it has a watery sheen to it. But it absorbs fast, and doesn't feel sticky when it's dry.

When the sleeping pack is already absorbed into the skin, the smell is not as strong as before and the skin looks moisturised and is soft to the touch. It only takes about 3-5 min for the pack to be absorbed into the skin.












After the full 8 hours, the pack should then be washed off, leaving clear, brightened and moisturised skin. In my case, my face felt moisturised and is not as oily any more. I have combination skin (oily on the t-zone area only) but its not acne prone, just gets a lot of white-heads (I hate them.) and the sleeping pack was great for me. The only major turn off for me would be the amount of perfume in it, so there is only a twice a week dosage. I'd rate this an 8/10 for overall use. I totally recommend this product to anyone who just needs a good moisture boost. For those living in four season countries this is great for the winter months. For people living in the tropics, its great for you guys too, the humid weather provides some moisture for your skin but under the AC its just as dry as being in a four season country.

Love the product, and remember a little goes a long way with this sleeping pack. :) Try finding them in Sephora, they are carrying the brand in my area so try them first. If not you could find them online. Have fun trying this sleeping pack :) its works like a dream.

-Elizabeth Tiffany

Blood Type Diet Series (Type AB)

The last of the Blood Type Diet Series, Type AB so this is for everyone who has the AB blood type. As an AB blood type group, you guys are a combination of both the Type A and the Type B groups. Meaning this diet would allow you to eat quite a variety of food, but of course in small portions.

On to the Health concerns most AB blood types face:

1. Low levels of stomach acid
2. Asthma
3. Frequent Infections
4. Excess Mucus

Again like all diseases listed throughout the series, they are a possibility but not a must. It could be avoided again through a healthy lifestyle, so not just by following diets but also by doing routine exercises. For AB blood types, you respond best spiritually with a creative method to express yourself. Relaxation exercises are the best type of exercise for those who are in the AB blood type. Yoga is a great way for AB blood types to relax and have a full body work out.

Food Do's and Don'ts for AB blood group:

• Meat: no more than 4-6 ounces Best types are Lamb, Mutton, Rabbit, Turkey, Cod, Ocean Perch, Mackerel, Pike, Rainbow Trout, Red Snapper, Salmon, Sailfish, Sardine, Sea Trout, Snail, Sturgeon. AVOID Pork, Ham, (ALL pork derived foods), Beef, Buffalo, Chicken, Cornish Hen, Duck, Goose, Partridge, Veal, Venison, Clam, Anchovy, Crab, Eel, Frog, Gray Sole, Halibut, Herring, Lobster, Lox, Octopus, Oyster, Sea Bass, Shrimp, Yellowtail
• Dairy & Eggs: Best types are Cottage, Farmer, Feta, Goat, Kefir, Mozzarella and Ricotta Cheese, Low fat Sour Cream and Yoghurt. AVOID American & Blue Cheese, Brie, Butter, Buttermilk, Camembert, Ice Cream, Parmesan, Provolone, Sherbert and Whole Milk
• Oils & Fats: Best type would be Olive oil, AVOID Corn, Cottonseed, Safflower, Sesame and Sunflower oil.
• Nuts & Seeds: Best types are Chestnuts, Peanuts and Walnuts. AVOID Filbert, Poppy, Pumpkin, Sesame, and Sunflower seeds
• Beans & Legumes: Best types are Navy, Pinto, Red,  Red Soy, Green Lentil beans. AVOID Asuke, Azuki, Black, Fava, Garbonzo, Kidney, Lima and Black-eyed Peas
• Cereal, Breads, Grains & Pasta: Best type Cereal (millet, oat bran, oatmeal, ricebran, puffed rice, spelt), Bread (Brown rice, essene, ezekiel, fin crisp, millet, rice, rye, soy, sprouted wheat, wasa) Flour (rye, rice, oat), Rice AVOID Buckwheat, Corn, Kamut, Kasha, Artichoke & Soba
• Vegetables: Best type Beet, Broccoli, Caulliflower, Celery, Collard Greens, Cucumber, Eggplant, Garlic, Kale, Mustard Green, Parsley, Parsnip, Sweet Potato, Alfalfa, Tofu, Yams. AVOID Artichoke (domestic, jerusalem), Avocado, Corn (white, yellow), Lima Bean, Mushroom (abalone, shiitake), Olive (black), Pepper (green, jalapeno, red, yellow), Sprout (mung, radish)
• Fruits: Best type are Cherry, Cranberry, Figs, Gooseberry, Grape, Grapefruit, Kiwi, Lemon, Loganberry, Pineapple, Plums AVOID Banana, Coconut, Guava, Mango, Orange, Persimmon, Pomegranate, Prickly Pear, Rhubarb, Starfruit 

Thats it for the whole Blood Type Diet Series. For the AB type, now that you have all the info you need to try out the diet, its okay to take baby steps to get used to this lifestyle change. Again as what I stressed in my other posts, a good and healthy lifestyle is the key to getting that body you've always wanted. To lose weight and be healthy, it will take time, results do not just happen overnight, with that in mind, hold on and keep going through the diet. GOOD LUCK you guys :) do your best to be healthy, remember you're only doing yourself a favor.

-Elizabeth Tiffany 

Blood Type Diet Series (Type B)

Okay, now its time for all you Blood Type Bs out there. You guys get the best of both worlds, unlike the Blood Type A whose good with veggies only, or Blood Type O that's all carnivore, Blood Type B is great with BOTH veggies & meats, to top it off, you could eat Dairy products & Eggs, something that they the other diets cannot do. Congrats guys, you have the blood type that lets you eat a bit more well rounded but like all diets remember WILLPOWER and eating JUST ENOUGH is key for a successful diet.

So the typical health concerns you guys would have are:

1. Immune system disorders
2. Neurological disorders
3. Puffy type arthritis
4. Anaemia (NOT due to lack of meat)

That sounds serious but worry not, a good diet and a healthy lifestyle would help you avoid these problems. Another thing about Blood Type B would be that you need a balance between mental and physical activities to stay in shape. Working too much, try relaxing a bit and go do some exercise like a light jog or some yoga, it'll help you do wonders. When you're all stressed up, Blood Type Bs handle that by creativity so try you're hand at art or music, maybe knitting or sewing? Be creative and try new hobbies, that should help with relaxation.

On to the DO's and the DON'Ts for the food category:

• Meats: Best type would be Lamb, Mutton, Rabbit, Venison, Cod, Flounder, Mackerel, Salmon, Monkfish, Ocean Perch, Sardine, Seatrout, and Sturgeon. AVOID Pork, Ham, Bacon, (All pig derived foods), Chicken, Cornish Hen, Duck, Goose, (All Poultry), Anchovy, Barracuda, Clam, Bluegill Bass, Crab, Crayfish, Eel, Lobster, Octopus, Oyster, Sea Bass, Shrimp, Snail, and Yellow-tail.
• Dairy & Eggs: Best type are Cottage, Farmer, Feta, Goat, Kefir, Mozzarella, Ricotta cheeses, Skim or 2% Milk and Yoghurt. AVOID American Cheese, Blue Cheese,Ice Cream and Strong Cheese.
• Oils & Fats: Best type would be Olive oil only, AVOID Canola, Corn, Cottonseed, Peanut, Safflower, Sesame and Sunflower oil.
• Nuts & Seeds: There are no best types for these but you could eat Almond, Brazil, Chestnut, Macadamia, Pecans and Walnuts once or twice a week. AVOID Cashew, Pistachio, Peanut, Poppy, Pumpkin, Sesame and Sunflower seeds
• Beans & Legumes: Best type are Kidney, Lima, Navy and Red Soy Beans. AVOID Azuki, Black, Garbonso, Lentil, and Peas 
• Cereals, Breads, Grains & Pasta: Best types are Cereal (millet,oat bran, oatmeal, rice, spelt), Bread (brown rice, essene, ezekiel, fin crisp, millet, wasa), Flour (rice & oats). AVOID Buckwheat, Barley, Bulgar, Couscous, Corn, Rye, Wheat
• Vegetables: Best type would be Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrot, Cauliflower, Eggplant, Kale, Lima Bean, Shiitake Mushroom, Mustard Greens, Parsley, Parship, Pepper, Sweet Potato, Brussel Sprouts, Yams. AVOID Artichoke, Avocado, Corn, Olive, Pumpkin, Radish, Tempeh, Tofu, Tomato
• Fruit: Best types are Banana, Cranberry, Grape, Papaya, Pineapple and Plum. AVOID Coconut, Persimmons, Pomegranate, Prickly Pear, Rhubarb, Star-fruit.

That's it guys for the Blood Type B diet, with all this info it won't hurt to try the diet out. It maybe hard to adjust immediately to the food changes but it's okay. Baby steps are better than no steps at all. Try easing yourself to the diet and do your best to maintain it. So good luck and have fun on your new healthy lifestyles :) 

-Elizabeth Tiffany