Basically Jo: Centella Cica Skincare for Acne & Sensitive Skin [Sponsored]

BasicallyJo was founded by Jolene, who suffers from acne and contact dermatitis (a form of eczema). Her persistent research and experiment with products led to many of her friends in the same situation coming to her for advice on skincare products and she was then inspired to launch BasicallyJo to share her knowledge on natural beauty remedies and products, and help those in the same shoes to regain their skin confidence. 

Promising to be a vegan, clean, cruelty-free and sustainable skincare line, BasicallyJo now carries two brands of Korean skincare - Pureforet Centella Cica and T'else Kombucha Teatox. Both brands contains natural ingredients and are free from harmful chemicals, which allows the skin to 'breathe freely' and hence reduce the possibility of potential acne breakouts and other skin allergy outbreaks. 

Pureforet Centella Cica Multi Cream - $52.90

Do you know that exposure to blue light from screens causes our skin to age rapidly, leading to development of wrinkles and fine lines? In order to repair our skin barrier and combat the premature skin aging, we require ultra-intense hydration and collagen. However, rich moisturisers are typically not very well tolerated by those with sensitive (easily clogged up) skin (like yours truly), and many of us tend to lose out on the benefit of having a well hydrated skin. 

Pureforet Centella Cica Multi Cream is specially formulated after 12 years of research with the Korean Skin Centre for sensitive skin. With a triple combination of shea butter, aroma oil blends and centella asiatica, this multi cream hydrates the deeper layers of the skin, while antioxidants from centella cica stimulates collagen production within the skin, hence minimising the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. This simply means that this cream is not only good for acne-prone or eczema skins, but also comes with anti-aging benefits! Talk about win-win! 

Coming in a handy-dandy 50ml tub, a little goes a long way when using this multi cream. With a slightly gel-like creamy consistency, this multi cream spreads easily and gets absorbed into the skin quickly, leaving no feeling of oiliness behind. Using this cream as part of my night routine has allowed me to wake up to a soft and supple skin, with no oily sheen on my face. The quick absorption of this cream also makes it a good day cream, as I need not wait too long for the cream to "set" before layering on my sunscreen and/or makeup.

Being a rich moisturiser (shea butter is no joke for oily-skin ladies like me, really!), I do get a slight sticky feeling on my skin should I dab on a little too much of the cream. But after nearly two weeks of using the cream, I'm glad to say that the richness of this multi cream is definitely all good and no harm to my extremely oily and yet dehydrated skin. 

And do you know that BasicallyJo is actively looking for testers for their products? Check out their FAQ to find out how you can apply to be their product testers! 

For more information on BasicallyJo and their range of skincare products, visit their website or IG

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Althea Korea: A'bloom Launch

Yes, Althea Korea has yet another awesome launch, A'bloom, bringing to us a series of great products at a very affordable price. 

The newly launched A'bloom collection is still relatively small, consisting of 4 different facial masks, meringue make up puffs and a blackhead blaster stick. And do I need to further point it out that their packaging is just so ridiculously adorable? 

BHA Blackhead Blaster (8g) - $5

A’bloom BHA Blackhead Blaster is an easy and quick triple treatment for blackheads, whiteheads and dead skin for daily care. It contains natural ingredients to help gently deep cleanse the pores and removing dead skin cells while preventing any irritations or redness on the skin.

The product comes in the form of a super convenient and handy twist-up stick and using it can't get any easier. Just dampen your face, twist up a little bit of the product and just roll it away on your face. You can just keep to your targeted area with blackhead & whitehead issue, but I went around my entire face and focus more on my t-zone. After washing off the product, my skin felt thoroughly cleanse but without the tight, squeaky clean feeling.

The 4 main ingredients in the BHA Blackhead Blaster are:

● Natural BHA ingredient to deep cleanse our pores by exfoliating the dead skin cells.

● Apricot seed powder to remove excessive sebum.

● Charcoal to absorb the dirt in the pores.

● Tea tree leaf oil to soothe as well as prevent any redness and irritations on the skin

A'bloom Fruit Mask Packs, $0.60 each, $5 for 10 pieces. 

Anti Blemish Peach Mask

Peaches are rich in moisture and vitamin A retinol components which helps control the oil and water balance of the skin. It helps normalize the skin turnover cycle with retinol by preventing troubles and taking care of dead skin cells and provide smooth, hydrated skin. The mask contains tea tree extract to help sterilization and takes care of trouble spots and pores.

Moisturising Watermelon Mask

The watermelon fruit has 92% of water which is excellent for moisturizing and soothing for the skin during the hot weather. It contains natural aminoic acid called Citrulin and Betain that forms a natural moisturizing membrane on the skin, leaving it moisturized as well as a smoother skin that does not dry out. The mask also contains lavender extract which helps soothe sensitive skin and provides liveliness.

Brightening Lemon Lime Mask

Lemon and lime contains high vitamin C ingredient to help repair and protect the skin from UV damage. The vitamin C’s function of inhibiting melanin production provides a clear and

transparent skin. This mask contains green tea extract which is also rich in vitamin C ingredient to assist in controlling melanin production and skin care.

Nourishing Avocado Mask

Avocado is known as the butter of the forest with rich protein that prevents aging and provides strong antioxidant with vitamin E tocopherol. The excellent absorption of skin-friendly unsaturated fatty acid provides shininess and elasticity to the skin. It is mix with hibiscus flower extract that contains Antocyanin, an antioxidant to prevent the skin from aging.

I love these little diagram at the back of each mask, telling you the main benefits (and its efficacy in comparison to each other) of the mask. 

The mask sheet is of an extremely soft and smooth texture that sticks over my face like a second skin, while the essence that's soaked up in the sheet is of the right consistency that's neither too watery (that it drips everywhere) nor too thick (feels too heavy on the skin). Popping the pack into the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes before taking it out and applying on your face also makes masking a super refreshing experience, especially when the days/nights gets unbearably hot!

And now, get ready for some ultimate cuteness!

Baby Meringue Puffs (3 pcs) - $4

Giant Meringue Puff (1 pc) - $3

I literally squealed upon pulling these out of the box, especially those baby ones. They are so adorable, and in different shades of PINK! These cute little meringue sponge puff design was inspired by none other than meringue cookies! The giant meringue puff will provide quick and smooth makeup application on wide surface of the skin while the baby meringue puff will provide fine and detailed makeup application on small surface of the skin with its pointed tips.

The meringue puffs are made out of non-latex sponge with hydrophilic properties which will

grow 1.5 times bigger than normal size when soaked with water allowing makeup to be applied

perfectly on the skin.

There is two ways to use these puffs to achieve a flawless make up look:

1. Soak the puff in water (and squeeze out the excess, of course) to get a moist and glossy skin

2. Use the puff dry to get a matte and flawless looking skin

A'bloom collection is now available on Althea Korea

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Mia's Althea Christmas Wishlist

Hey there, lovely readers! 2018 is soon coming to an end, but it's not the time to look back on the year and reflect... yet, for Christmas is around the corner! 

Still fretting over what to get for your girlies this Christmas? Well, not to worry because this time, Althea got you covered with tons of on-going special promotions with various discount codes up for you to grab over the week!

So let's move on with my specially curated top 10 Althea Christmas wishlist/recommendation, not in any particular order.

First up, let's take a look at the awesome line of Althea Exclusive, that's currently having 25% or 50% off minimum spending of $40 or $60 (until 19th Dec) and free shipping until 31st Dec 2018.

#1 

Skin Fresh Skin Detoxer Set - $25
(both Rose and Green Tea selling separately at $14 each)

A successful collaboration between Althea and Korea's top beauty programme, Get It Beauty, these two skin detoxers are both your super convenient 10-seconds wash off mask and facial cleanser combined!
I've previously talked about these two amazing products HERE, so do check it out!

#2

Milk Peel Cream Mask - $12.50

Another wonderful product from Althea Exclusive line, the Milk Peel Cream Mask contains AHA & BHA to help exfoliate dead skin for smoother skin, and at the same time contains Casein Protein (milk) to provide moisture to the skin and help our skin stays moisturised all day! I absolutely love the soft and creamy, clay-like texture that BUBBLES UP on our skin after application, it was so fun!

#3

Petal Velvet Set - $17.10
(Sunaway and Velvet Powders are selling separately at $13 and $6 respectively)

Armed with the highest sun protection of SPF 50+ and PA++++, the Petal Velvet Sunaway is made to be ultra lightweight on our skin. This translucent sunscreen is formulated with Damask rose extracts to make sure that our skin stays fresh and hydrated throughout the day without any streakiness or the dreadful ghastly white cast. 
(Read more about Sunaway HERE)

The velvet powders comes in 3 variations, translucent, warm beige and lavender pink, all of which 
helps to set makeup and leave behind a silky finish to the touch. Infused with oil from Althea seeds, this powder works to keep sebum production at bay without drying out the skin for a radiant, fresh look, all while giving out a gentle scent. 

#4

Pore Purifying Serum Cleanser - $11 

This is definitely one of Althea Exclusive latest launch that I'm so excited to try out! 
Combining the powers of a cleanser and serum, this product whisks away makeup, dirt, and oil with mint extracts while ensuring the skin stays cool and hydrated throughout thanks to a dual moisture cell system that envelopes the skin in a serum-like formula. It prevents the skin from drying out and effectively minimizes enlarged pores, keeping it smooth to the touch. This product also helps to balance the pH levels of the skin to keep it working in tip-top shape! Best of all, it's gentle on the face and suitable even for those of us with sensitive skins!

And now, onto winners of 2018 Althea Award, with 15% off with minimum purchase of any 3 items under the Award list.

#5

Laneige BB Cushion Pore Control - $38

Laneige BB Cushion Pore Control has to be my favourite cushion, ever! And now, they've gotten an upgrade! With an even prettier packaging and new, improved formula, this cushion provides smooth coverage with effortless application. The Pore Control comes with a formula that controls excessive production of sebum, leaving the skin looking and feeling fresh throughout the day. It also has long-lasting properties to keep it on all day so you won’t have to worry about it budging. These compact cushions make morning routines a breeze, and are great to keep in your bag for touch-ups on-the-go!

#6

W.Lab Jewelry Base Sapphire - $21

A gem-infused skin base, have you heard of it before?! With a mix of hydrating ingredients like Centella Asiatica, glycerin, and sunflower seed oil, this base moisturizes the skin, prepping and smoothing it for a flawless makeup application. This pretty base also contains illuminating sapphire and pearl pigments that give the complexion a gorgeously radiant glow. 

Sounds amazing, right?

#7

Laneige Water Sleeping Mask - $27

I'm pretty sure this world's best-selling sleeping mask needs no further introduction. This is probably THE product that gained Laneige most of its ardent fans. 
With 1 sold every 12 secs, this light gel mask provides intensive hydration, vitality and brightening effect while restoring skin with deep relaxation. This product contains a number of patents including the SLEEP-TOX™ technology that purifies skin during sleep, keeping it in optimum condition while MOISTURE WRAP™ helps skin retain moisture throughout the night. It also has an aromatic SLEEPSCENT™ helps you relax during sleep. Best of all, it’s also formulated with skin soothing agents that are gentle on the sleeping skin, helping it to recover overnight.

#8

Nature Republic Aloe Vera 92% Soothing Gel - $5

This is definitely one of my holy grail product! Made from 92% Aloe Vera gel, Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Gel is enriched with vitamins and can be used for just about anything, from soothing sunburns to hydrating the skin and hair in the form of a mask, to an everyday moisturizer for supple skin. The aloe vera used to make this product comes from certified organic farmers in California (CCOF) and is kind to even the most sensitive of skins, making this suitable for all skin types. 

#9

Laneige Wild at Heart My Neon Sign Stained Glasstick - $28

Coming in Neon Pink or Neon Orange, this is Laneige's 2018 Limited Edition Holiday Collection, so grab yours before they're gone! It's a glowy tint lipstick that gives us the watery, stained glass lip makeup look. The festive, cute packaging is definitely the cherry on top! 

#10

RiRe Bubble Bubble Lip Mask - $9.50

Last but not least, I've decided to add a lip mask into my top 10 list, for lip care still seems to be always neglected! This hypoallergenic, innovative lip scrub foams up after moments and gently exfoliates away dead skin cells using fruit enzymes so you won't have to worry about accidentally scrubbing too hard. It also helps moisturize any dry patches, so you'll be left with smooth, kissable lips that are prepped to take on any lipstick you desire.

So, what are your thoughts of my Althea top 10 wishlist/recommendation? Have you tried any of these ten products before? Let me know your experience with these products down at the comment board below!

Till then,
Mia Foo

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Althea Korea Petal Velvet Sunaway [Advertorial]

Scared of the unforgiving sun, but even more terrified of the ghastly white cast that your thick, sticky and heavy sunscreen gives you? Now, Althea has got you covered!

-credits to althea-

Made to be ultra lightweight, this translucent sunscreen is formulated with hyaluronic acid and Damask rose extracts to make sure that our skin stays fresh and hydrated throughout the day without any streakiness or the dreadful ghastly white cast. 

Armed with the highest sun protection of SPF 50+ and PA++++, the Petal Velvet Sunaway is actually a non-chemical formulation, with an advanced non-chemical UV filter that has a more transparent formula, helping it to apply evenly and smoothly onto the skin without leaving a white cast behind. 

Combining the effect of a micro powder barrier system, which absorbs sebum and excess oil from the skin, and the moisturising & hydrating effect of hyaluronic acid, the Petal Velvet Sunaway not only helps to control excess sebum on the skin, but also ensures that the skin is kept hydrated throughout the day. 

Suitable for all skin types, the Petal Velvet Sunaway is retailing at only $13 (55ml) HERE

Even better, you can now pair your purchase with your choice of Althea Petal Velvet Powder (now comes in 3 shades) and get 10% of the petal duo!

Visit sg.althea.kr for more product information. 

ps. do you know that Althea is also on shopback.sg now? Check out how you can get up to 5% cashback on all your Althea's purchases HERE

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Joining the Ban Ban Trend

If you think my ban-ban cookies is all to the ban-ban craze, you're wrong! Apparently, the Koreans has also allowed the ban ban trend to take over their skincare scene.

To join in the trend, I decided to pick up two more ban ban items on qoo10, Gram Double Chemi Ban Ban Pack and Mogong Dodook Pore Professional Ban Ban Cream. 

Both comes in a handy tub with two separate sections for each product, along with a spatula for more hygienic usage. 

Mogong Dodook - $23.66 (Get yours at Qoo10)

The Mogong Dodook comes with a pore tightening pudding gel-like texture day cream, and a moisturising whipped cream texture night cream. You can use them separately as a day and night cream, or mix them up in proportion suitable for your own skin type like I do. 

Packed with tons of good stuff like gold extract, lotus extract, witch hazel extract, lemon balm extract, marine collage, baobab tree extract, hyaluronic acid and argan oil, this day & night cream boast of much anti-aging, pore tightening, whitening and moisturising effects. 

A mixture of 2 night - 1 day cream for the night leaves my skin well nourished and feeling smooth and supple the next morning when I wake up, while a mixture of 2 day - 1 night cream for the day keeps my skin well moisturised and keep my face relatively oil-free throughout the day. There's also a very subtle, pleasant citrus-lemon scent that invigorates your senses.

Ban Ban Pack - $24.90 (Get yours at Qoo10)

This banban wash off pack comes with two "flavours", green tea for our T-zone and pumpkin for our U-zone. The idea of this product is that most ladies actually suffers from oily T-zone while their U-zones are generally more dry and lack hydration.

 The green tea clay mask helps with deep pore cleansing, reduces our oil & sebum, and also reduces appearance of our blackheads. The pumpkin cream mask helps to moisturise our skin, firms up our skin and provide nutrients while reducing dryness and sensitivity. 

Well, I have very oily chin (speckled with tons of whiteheads) hence I chose to use the clay mask on my chin as well. 

Rather than helping to reduce appearance of blackheads, I find that the green tea mask helps to "pull out" the blackheads, making it easier for us to remove them, either by following up with a pore strip or just using blackhead remover stick to lightly scrap through. My entire face always feels super smooth and thoroughly cleansed after each use. Best part is, you only need to wait for 15 minutes for the mask pack to do their work, hence it's a super quick and easy fix for your skin. 

Till then,

Mia Foo

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Mia's Review: Song Joong Ki FORENCOS 7 Days Masks

If you haven't heard of Song Joong Ki, you probably have been living under a rock. Previously one of the pioneer Running Man members, he has churned out some greatly popular dramas and movies such as Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010) and The Wolf Boy (2012) and has been labelled the Flower Boy visual during the RM-8 (when RM has 8 members instead of 7 now) days. 

2 years of military service and a hit drama with Song Hye Kyo (Descendants of the Sun) was all it took to give his acting career a 2nd boost and many companies were just snapping him up to endorse their brands just so they can sell more.

 

Forencos, which stands for "For Environmental Cosmetics" was pretty quick to put Song Joong Ki on their sheet masks and came up with this 7 Days Mask. Song Joong Ki has always been known to have beautiful clear, baby-like skin, so this special collaboration didn't come as that much of a surprise. Just that I really didn't think that they would have printed his face on their packaging as well. 

Not being the cheapest sheet mask you can find in the market, I didn't want to try out the full set of 7 as they do not sell in single pieces. So I ended up buying only 3 out of the 7 types that I feel are more suitable for my skin type.

Tuesday - Volcanic Ash Detox Silk Mask

Friday - Gold Regenerating Silk Mask

Sunday - Black Pearl Brightening Silk Mask

First up, I love the material of the mask as it sticks to my skin perfectly and doesn't slide around/falls off as the essence dries up. After removing the mask, it requires only some light patting motion to let the remaining essence get absorbed into the skin and there's no more heavy and sticky feeling, and I wake up the next morning to smooth and supple looking skin! 

To get your hands on these mask, check out amazon.com or qoo10.com.sg

Till then,
Mia Foo

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Mia's Review: J.ONE Jelly Pack

After seeing this product in Ha Ji Won's segment in Get It Beauty, I got so intrigued by this miracle-sounding, multi-purpose skincare product and quickly jumped onto the 'buy it' tab when I found it on sale at Qoo10. 

From the product name of this flagship product of Ha Ji Won's beauty line, it definitely sounds more like a sleeping face pack but since HJW used it directly on a cleansed face under her make up (and recommended doing so), I ended up trying it out the same way first.

The product comes with a pump head that dispenses the thick, salve-like gel in very manageable amounts so there's no fear of over dispensing the product. I uses about 3 to 3.5 pumps for my day routine and up to 4.5 pumps for my night routine.

The gel is extremely thick and tacky, which comes as a huge surprise (I can't really say it's pleasant) and I really wondered if I should apply it under make up. Actually, I even fear putting it onto my face as I'm very prone to clogs from rich, creamy products. 

After spreading the gel across the skin, wait for a few seconds before using your hands to pat it in delicately, after which your skin will feel extremely sticky and the stickiness will take a while to go away. I highly suggest that you incorporate this jelly pack into your morning routines only when you have the luxury of  time to wait it out, for I usually wait for 5 to 10 minutes after patting the gel in for the tackiness to go away. For my oily skin type, I have to say there's still a slight stickiness that stays behind regardless of how long I waited, which I feel is pretty obvious from the sheen created on my right side of my hand that's with the product as compared to the left side that's left bare. However, I feel that this tackiness is also the make up gripper, that holds onto whatever foundation you put onto your face.

And so, let's test it out with the Missha x Line Magic Cushion (Brown), which is supposedly the one that gives you a matte finishing. 

(A review of this cushion is on the way, so do stick around!)

 Right side: 1 layer of Missha Magic Cushion over J.ONE Jelly Pack

Left side: 1 layer of Missha Magic Cushion

As you can tell (I hope), other than making the supposedly matte finishing rather dewy, having the jelly pack under the bb cushion also gave it an overall smoother, more flawless looking finishing with some really evident pores diminishing effects. 

And here's a badly taken selfie to show you how my bb cushion ended up looking dewy (instead of matte) and the final finish way more refined than it would be without applying the jelly pack. 

A downside of using this jelly pack under make up, is that it turns everything extremely dewy and the foundation will just slip around on your face and never sets. The only base make up I currently own that managed to set on its own on top of the jelly pack is the Skinfood Pore Fit Cushion Bottle (my review HERE). And for everything else, setting them with a good dust of loose powder can never be skipped. 

Even so, as I do not believe in really mattifying out the entire face with a thick layer of loose powder (and risk walking around with a caked-up face), I left my face semi-dewy (yes, does feel a little sticky and heavy for I have extremely oily skin) on an extremely hot day (weather these days are absolutely crazy!) and my daily walk out to the MRT station (3 bus stops' worth of brisk walking, takes me around 20 minutes) left my face literally raining perspiration. I definitely thought that my foundation would have totally melted, or worse, turn streaky (perspiring beige sweat, oh no!). But a quick dab of my sweat-covered face showed minimal transferring of my foundation to the piece of tissue paper! 

And the slight discomfort of a heavy, sticky face for the entire day aside, I was pleasantly surprised to find that most of my foundation stayed put for the 10 over hours I was out, with all the crazy sweating from my daily routines.

As for the usage as a sleeping pack, I feel that the results is pretty decent, giving me well hydrated and plump-looking skin the next morning, but I do not really enjoy going to sleep with a sticky face.

So have you ladies also tried out this super-tasker wonder product? Tell me your thoughts on it!

You can get J One Jelly Pack and other products in their range at lazada.sg, amazon.com or qoo10.com.sg

Till then,
Mia Foo

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