Category: Reviews (Page 8 of 19)

DAMOAE THERAPY SHAMPOO & TONIC REVIEW

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Wishtrend was kind enough to send me over a product, the likes of which I’ve never reviewed before, a shampoo!

I’ll give you a quick introduction from their website before I get to my thoughts and experiences

“What is DAMOAE?Damoae is made of natural Chinese medicinal herbs that can be ingested, and there for is not harmful to the body. This product is patent proven to increase hair count as well as effectively treat dandruff and has been approved by the KFDA as a hair loss prevention product that increases hair growth and thickness.

If the problem of hair loss gets to a point where it is clearly causing aesthetic or other issues for someone, with visible bald spots and clumps of hair falling out at a time, then it could prove prudent to consult a hair specialist or opt for a natural-looking neograft hair transplant. While that is always an option, there is definitely no harm in first trying out herbal shampoos such as Domoae or other remedies either!

Damoae consists of 17 natural herbs used in Chinese medicine, including dried orange peels, aloe, and peppermint. These ingredients work together to perform the most ideal medical action on the scalp to prevent hair loss and treat dandruff at the same time. Adult men suffering from hair loss and who fear they are going bald may wish to take a look at the meds available at Blink Health as things like finasteride are often used to treat male pattern baldness.

By continuously using Damoae, you can see improvement in the following areas: hair loss, dandruff, scalp itchiness, seborrheic dermatitis, damaged hair, and more! You’re scalp will feel clean and your hair will feel luxuriously thick and smooth!”


My first thought was “Whoa, this sounds right up my alley”. I had yet to try any Korean shampoo, and with all of this fanciness and natural herbs ingredients, I couldn’t have asked for a better first try. It almost felt like I was going to be using Salon Hair care products because it just appeared very professional and it was something new; I always link that to going to a salon because they always have new products to try. So, without further ado, let’s take a closer look at what exactly is contained within this bottle:

Ingredients

CitrusUnshiuPeelExtract, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, PolygonumMultiflorumRootExtract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra(Licorice) Root Extract, Citrii Unshiu Immature Peel extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Lycium Chinense Roof Extract, OenotheraBiennis(EveningPrimrose)SeedExtract, AloeBarbadensisLeafExtract, DisodiumLaurethSulfosuccinate, SodiumCocoylAppleAminoAcids, CocamidopropylBetaine, Pyrithione Zinc, biotin, nicotinamide, DisodiumEDTA, d-panthenol, Citrus Paradisi(Graperuit) Fruit Extract, Xanthan Gum, Polyquaternium-10, Glycerin, SilkAminoAcids, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, OenotheraBiennis(EveningPrimrose)Oil, CamelliaJaponicaSeedOil, 1,2-Hexanediol, L-menthol

Much like Korean skincare regime, this shampoo also comes with some rather detailed instructions to follow. Notably that this shampoo does not require an additional conditioner afterward. I was skeptical about that, especially with the state my hair was in. Up until about a year ago, I had been bleaching my hair every 7-8 weeks for five years! Pretty much the most brutal thing you could possibly do to hair and I was doing it on the regular. My hair held up fairly well, but it was definitely beat to hell by the end of things. Even now I still lighten my hair, my natural shade is many, many shades darker than what I am now and I have a bit of an ombre effect on the ends, so even though I’m off the hardcore bleach I’m still not totally virgin (and never will be haha). What I’m trying to say is, my hair has been strugglin’, and it could always use some help. When I fist pumped out the product, I took inventory of the smell. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but it smells vaguely like lemons and a swimming pool. I know that’s an odd descriptor but that’s what I always think of when I’m using it, and it’s not unpleasant! I’m into the smell. Following the instructions I double washed my hair, by the first rinse I could tell they weren’t kidding about not needing a conditioner. My scalp was tingly clean yet my hair was incredibly moisturized. By the second washing and rinse I was cursing myself for not trying a Korean shampoo sooner, much like the way I felt when I first tried Korean face products.


When I towel dried my hair, the next step was to try the Damoae Therapy Tonic as per the instructions

“How to use

After shampooing with DAMOAE’s Therapy Shampoo, towel-dry your hair. Shake DAMOAE’s Therapy Tonic 3-4 times. Spray a moderate amount all over scalp. Using your fingertips only, lightly tap all over your scalp to increase absorption.

Generally, this essence is used morning and evenings. However, if you like the setting effects of this essence, you can use it throughout the day.

Using a wooden bristle brush that gently massage your scalp will help with absorbing and activating the ingredients in the essence.”

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After blow drying my hair on low heat (sorry, I can’t do no heat or air dry, my hair is way too unruly for that) my hair had a lovely glossiness that is usually reserved for after the application of silicone serum products. It had a nice weight to it as well, and I don’t mean a build up of heaviness, almost like a newfound plumpness of the hair shaft. It wasn’t weighted down, it was more like it just tamed the fly-aways and dryness.I will say, the smell of the shampoo is a lot more pleasant than the tonic, which smells highly medicinal. However, it is not a smell that lingers in the hair, it dissipates quickly. I did detect a slight tingle the first few times I used this tonic, and I trace that back to the salicylic acid that’s listed first in the ingredients

“Ingredients

salicylic acid, L – menthol, D-pantenol, Citrus Unshiu Peel extract, polygonum multiflorum root extract, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice Extract, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra(Licorice) Root Extract, Citrii Unshiu Immature Peel Extract, Lycium Chinense Fruit Extract, Lycium Chinense Roof Extract, Ethanol”




I’ve been using this shampoo for a month now and while I don’t have any real hair loss or dandruff, which is something these products target, I can speak to it’s power as a highly invigorating, nourishing shampoo and tonic. I got three compliments on how healthy my hair looked within the first week of using it. No kidding. The first one was the second time I’d used the shampoo and from my friend Ginette who remarked that my hair looked “so shiny and great” while we were eating a ramen lunch. Two more friends said similar things in the subsequent days following. I even asked my husband what he thought and being the wordsmith he is he replied “shiny!” lol. I had no idea what to expect going into this review but it’s been a pleasant surprise! I’m very happy with this shampoo and tonic!Damoae Therapy Shampoo and Tonic are available individually at Wishtrend or can be purchased as a set where you will save $10 on the overall cost. If the $68 price seems steep, keep in mind Aveda’s new Invati line, which is almost the exact same idea as this shampoo right down to it’s inclusion of salicylic acid (but without all the great natural ingredients and herbs) retails for $114!

http://www.wishtrend.com/sol-kit/934–hair-kit-.html?a_aid=thebeautywolf

http://www.wishtrend.com/hair/930-therapy-tonic-damoae.html?a_aid=thebeautywolf

http://www.wishtrend.com/hair/929-therapy-shampoo-damoae.html?a_aid=thebeautywolf

SUM:37 MIRACLE ROSE CLEANSING STICK REVIEW

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If you would have told my 10 year old self that when I grew up I’d be washing my face with rose petals, I’d have said “So you’re telling me I did grow up to be a Supermodel-Princess-
Anthropologist-Millionaire?!”. Well, I may have grown up to be a lowly anonymous beauty blogger, but I am still washing my face in pure luxury thanks to the Su:m37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick

I’ve been meaning to write this review for awhile and by now you’ve probably already heard the praise heaped upon this product by my beauty blogger peers. I’m here to tell you every bit of it is totally deserved. In case you have’t yet heard of this wondrous pink baby, allow me to introduce you to your new best friend.

When I first heard about this product from my girls over at The Wanderlust Project and Skin&Tonics, the unusual presentation of a cleanser in stick form was enough to get me to sign on. Housed in a sturdy plastic tube that reminds me of a glamourous industrial sized glue stick, this twist up cleanser is solid like a soap, but much creamier and softer.
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To use you simply twist it up a couple of millimeters, apply to your wet face in a circular motion, and then lather as you would any other cleanser. Speaking of lather, this one’s is like a rose scented marshmallow cloud. If I had to guess what unicorns used to wash their face, I couldn’t imagine them choosing anything but this product. It’s unbelievably lush and creamy. Ugh, it’s heavenly. You really feel like you’re doing something special to pamper your skin rather than just the routine, boring, chore of washing your face. Keep in mind before I tried this cleanser, I was perfectly happy with my CerAve cleanser, and I still use it just to switch things up, but now I can’t imagine my routine without the Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick in there at some point. 


In addition to smelling, and feeling like a rosy dream, this cleanses superbly. It leaves my skin feeling clean but insanely soft. I really dislike cleansers that rob your skin of it’s moisture in the name of ‘squeaky clean’. This is the opposite of that, it leaves me feeling more supple than before I washed my face when I’m experiencing dryness. That being said, it’s not overly heavy if my skin is behaving normally.


Another huge plus for this already brimming with positives cleanser, is it’s portability. Traveling with your regular cream or foam cleanser is such a pain. This plastic tube keeps your cleanser protected, takes up minimal space, and will never be subject to those B.S. liquid limits at the airport. It’s slim upright design also lends itself perfectly to your precious bathroom storage space. If you live in the city like I do, you’ve got a bathroom like a closet and space is always an issue, especially when you follow a multi-step routine. 

Keep in mind before I tried this cleanser, I was perfectly happy with my Cerave cleanser, and I still use it just to switch things up, but now I can’t imagine my routine without the Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick. 


Packed with ingredients that boast basically every good “anti” you could ask for: antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and emollient properties, Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick certainly lives up to the name Miracle for me. Five out of five turtles, plus one, earning a holy grail status. 

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 Available at Amazon with Prime shipping at a great price here

and on ebay here

 

HANYUL WHITE CHRYSANTHEMUM POWDER SERUM REVIEW

hanyul white chrysanthemum powder serum
Chrysanthemums, in their various incarnations, are one of my absolute favourite flowers. It’s fitting then that this chrysanthemum serum has turned out to be one of my absolute favourite discoveries.

Hanyul white chrysanthemum powder serum is a brightening and dark spot lightening serum. It says “whitening” but that doesn’t mean what you might think it does, this does not bleach your skin. It simply targets any dark marks or visible sun damage you might have in a very gentle way. It’s also works as an overall skin tone brightener. The namesake of this product, chrysanthemum extract, is used in skincare for it’s anti-inflammatory, natural astringent, and revitalizing properties. Other skincare ingredient stars with anti-inflammatory and skin brightening properties are also featured prominently on the ingredient list. Notably Peony root extract, Ginger extract, and Angelica root extract. The serum is a light watery milk consistency that absorbs nicely into the skin. It’s very light and doesn’t offer much in the way of hydration, but you should get getting your hydration from your other products anyway.
hanyulwhitepowderswatchWith the inclusion of all of those natural and flower derived ingredients you get not only a stellar performance, but also one of the most delicious smells I’ve come across in a skincare product. It’s a highly subjective thing, but to me this smells like heaven’s garden. This serum has a light but divine floral fragrance. It’s not an old lady powdery floral either, it’s a throughly modern earthy floral that I ended up looking forward to every night when it comes time to do my skin care ritual.After only a month of using this serum I noticed visible lightening of some emerging sun damage that was starting to peek through on my cheeks. I didn’t have any dark post inflammatory hyperpigmentation acne marks to test it on but others have had truly amazing results treating them with this serum. Though, if I did I feel as though I would want to find a professional (like thevictoriancosmeticinstitute.com.au) to help sort this, rather than use a product like this. In any case, in addition to the lightening of the sun damage, I also noticed visible overall brightening to my skin tone. Not lightening, straight up brightening. My skin was in a tailspin after a long bout with illness and this really put me back on track and beyond. I could not be more pleased with the results of this product and I will absolute be repurchasing it again, and again. This has earned a coveted spot in my permanent lineup. I’m thrilled with this product, I’m only sad I didn’t know about it sooner!

Hanyul White Chrysanthemum Powder Serum get 5 out of 5 turtles plus an extra turtle for overall outstanding awesomeness (so scientific, right?)
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This product is available at W2 Beauty where if you’re a first time customer, you can get a five dollar voucher to use immediately on your purchase by entering my sponsor code 071087605 when you sign up for an account!

Also available on eBay in the 40ml size here
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HANYUL-White-Chrysanthemum-Serum-40ml-/400896401576?hash=item5d5749a0a8

You can get a 40 piece lot of samples of it here
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hanyul-White-Chrysanthemum-Powder-Serum-40ml-1mlx40pcs-Anti-aging-Whitening-/201241509047?hash=item2edaedbcb7

And on Amazon with free shipping here
http://www.amazon.com/Hanyul-White-Chrysanthemum-Powder-Serum/dp/B00L8HN4DY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1438359959&sr=8-2&keywords=HANYUL+WHITE+CHRYSANTHEMUM+POWDER+SERUM

TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL DINOPLATZ CINEMA CITY MULTI CC REVIEW

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Too Cool For School roars into the CC cream game with their Dinoplatz Cinema City Multi CC. The multi in the name refers to several things in the claims, but most notably a multifunction cosmetic product included in the lid of the packaging. This is one of my favourite things about Too Cool For School, in addition to their amazingly cute and creative packaging, they’re always so innovative with their all in one products. I’ve raved about their products before, I especially loved their After School BB Foundation Lunchbox and this seemed like it would be a great complimentary product to that.

Back to the multifunction part of this product, although the CC cream itself is only available in one shade, you get the choice of either a cheek/lip, highlighter, or a concealer ball that detaches from the cap. I chose the cheek product since I already had the concealer and highlighter included in my foundation lunchbox. The shade is a red coral-ish shade and it’s a great compliment to the orange and bronze shades that are so hot this summer. It’s a lot more subtle than you might expect so don’t let the bright red looking ball intimidate you. The little ball is creamy and blends very easily. I have not been able to try this as a lip product because I’m still recovering from the bad reaction I mentioned in my last review 🙁 Sorry Beauty Pups 🙁 But the shade itself would make for a really cute lip colour and I look forward to trying it out as one.
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This CC cream is very watery compared to all of the others I’ve tried. It’s not grey or pink, nor is it one of the white colour adjusting beads kinds. It comes out a peachy beige colour so if you’re not within the restrictive as hell shade range you’re screwed. I’m normally an NC15/20 but I do get tanned pretty easily thanks to a mixed heritage so I’m currently sporting about an NC25 right now and this was a little too light for me. I think they made it this way on purpose, as this claims to be “whitening” which usually just means “brightening” in Korean cosmetics. Personally I’m not a fan of it and don’t need it but if brightening is your thing this is definitely for you. For a CC cream this went on surprisingly matte, another thing I’m not personally a fan of. My skin is on the dry side and I’m a big fan of the ultra dewy look. The grass is always greener, ect. Again, that is just a personal thing so I can’t deduct any marks for this being more matte. The finish is going to be a big plus for the oily skinned folks out there I think, especially in the heat of the summer, as it’s extremely light and airy. If you hate the feeling of being suffocated by heavy product you’re going to like this one. The coverage is extremely sheer, only the best of skins are going to want to wear this alone. It does however lay down a good foundation for your other products and tone correct slightly (and “brighten” like crazy). I’m really sorry I don’t have any pictures of this on my face, once again I’m still recovering from lupus related BS so all of the pictures I tried to take were horror shows. I do however have these swatches on the back of my hand that give you an idea of how this performs. What you see on the hand is pretty much exactly what you get on the face. Here it is just out of the tube on the left, and then blended on the right (as well as a blush swatch).
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With an SPF of just 30 PA++  I would not recommend using this in place of your regular sunscreen like their ad copy suggests. This also claims to stop moisture loss and put up a moisture barrier once applied, that might be true for a different skin type but that wasn’t really the case with my dry skin. I really think this is best suited for an oily skin looking for a brightening effect, I think it would be especially nice when used in conjunction with the Pudding Aqua Shaking BB Cream if you’re going to the perfect matte face. Drier skins, especially those with flakes as this really highlighted mine, should search for other options. Too Cool For School Dinoplatz Cinema City Multi CC cream gets 3 out of 5 turtles, I really like the little multifunction cap at the end (and love the packaging!) but this just did not work for my skin type.

EDIT: NOW AVAILABLE AT SEPHORA!
http://www.sephora.com/dinoplatz-cinema-city-cc-cheek-blusher-P399209?skuId=1733385

Available on ebay here
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TOO-COOL-FOR-SCHOOL-Dinoplatz-Cinema-City-30ml-/400855519594?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item5d54d9d16a

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SHISEIDO HADA SENKA MINERAL UV GEL SPF50 PA+++ REVIEW

shisedosenkamineraluvgelAhh, the never-ending quest for good sunscreen. I really wish the world at large would have figured out just how horrible the sun’s rays are sooner, so we wouldn’t be scrambling like we are now (many of us having gone through skin cancer, premature aging, and childhoods peppered with sunburns). I think I’ve talked about it before, but it was the removal of skin cancer from the tops of my ears that really made me sit up and get serious about the sun. I grew up in the south in a time where people coated themselves in butter to get as dark as possible and sunblock was only for the palest of non-tanning white kids. Nowadays you’ll find me in long sleeves in the dead of summer cursing the beaming rays and testing out a non-stop revolving door of sun products. That very activity is what lead me to today’s product, Shisedo’s Hada Senka Mineral UV Gel SPF50 PA+++

If we take a look at the ingredients on the Cosdna site we see a couple of things here, the most important being that this protects from both UVB and UVA rays. UVB rays are the one that will burn you up like a steamed hotdog, UVA rays are what make you look like an old leather crypt keeper. It’s very important that whatever product you ultimately choose, that you make sure you’re protected from both kinds of UV rays. If you’re curious about the “PA” you typically see on Japanese and Korean sunscreen offerings, wikipedia solved that mystery for me:
PA system
Asian brands, particularly Japanese ones, tend to use The Protection Grade of UVA (PA) system to measure the UVA protection a sunscreen provides.

The Protection Grade of UVA (PA) system is based on the PPD reaction and is now widely adopted on the labels of sunscreens. According to the Japan Cosmetic Industry Association PA+ corresponds to a UVA protection factor between two and four, PA++ between four and eight, and PA+++ more than eight.

After finding that out I’m always on the look out for that sweet, sweet “+++”.

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Now, let’s get down to business. This bottle is a lot smaller than North American sunblocks if that’s what you’re used to. As you can see in the picture above, the whole thing almost fits in my hand, and I have tiny itty bitty hands. Before use, be sure to shake the bottle vigorously to mix everything together. You’ll hear a little mixing ball inside helping things along. Once you squeeze out the desired amount you will see how liquid-y this is, which is a texture I love for my sunblocks. The consistency is extremely light. When you first apply this to your skin there is a slick feeling and a sheen, but it quickly dissipates and dries nearly matte (I guess this is thanks to the inclusion of alcohol in the ingredients). This makes it easy to layer your product to get the best coverage. It’s suggested you use 1/4 tsp to get the maximum benefits from sunblock. That’s quite hard to do with heavier formulations. This is extremely easy and user-friendly. That is probably the greatest selling point for this particular product. Another thing that I really liked was that it did not cause me any breakouts.

Now, back to that alcohol. I normally don’t worry much about alcohol in products personally. But for some reason, this time around, the alcohol really did a number on me. However, I wouldn’t take my experience as typical, I have some factors that are pretty rare. I have a disease called lupus (let me take this time to say, seriously, f*ck lupus) and it’s been bothersome lately. During the first half of the month I starting testing this, everything was just perfect. But recently I’ve been dealing with some lupus related flare-ups and for me that usually manifests on my skin, mostly on the soft tissues. The alcohol in this coupled with the lupus crap made for a horrible reaction around my eyelids and mouth. I had huge red puffy flaky skin around those two areas. I’m steal dealing with the fallout from it now, which is why I haven’t been able to take photos and do reviews lately, I apologize for that! But like I said, that is a rare circumstance and I don’t think for a minute this product would do this for a regular user. It’s a really good sunblock, especially for oiler skins and the for the summertime. The almost matte finish it leaves you with makes for a good base to put your bb cream or foundation on top of without any interference. The high SPF and PA+++ rating is also another plus. I’m not exactly sure how to rate this product, do I base it on my personal experience or how I think it would fare for someone else? I’m just going to have to go with a middle of the road 3 out of 5 turtles. Drier skins and skins going through any sort of irritation or trouble should probably avoid this particular product and opt for something more moisturizing, but I encourage oiler skinned people looking for something light and layer friendly to check it out.
You can grab yours here on ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SHISEIDO-Hada-Senka-Mineral-Water-UV-Sunscreen-Gel-40ml-SPF-50-PA-FREE-SHIP-/181762255798?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a51dfebb6

and here on Amazon with Prime shipping
http://www.amazon.com/Shiseido-SENKA-Sunscreen-Mineral-Water/dp/B004Q1WT58/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434120105&sr=8-1&keywords=SHISEIDO+HADA+SENKA+MINERAL+UV+GEL

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