TRAVEL SERIES PART 1: MY SKINCARE TRAVEL BAG

I'm gonna go on holiday for 8 days starting next week, so I really want to share with you what beauty products I'll bring with me. Let's start with my favorite subject: skincare ^^ (Some of the products have been reviewed on my blog, so if you want to read the full reviews, just click on the names).

This bag is a freebie that I got from Tonymoly as a GWP. I love it and it has followed me through many trips. 

• Cleanser: I bring along Bifesta Cleansing Express Eye Makeup Remover and Biore Cleansing Milk. The latter can double up as a makeup remover and a regular cleanser, so I don't have to bring a separate cleansing foam.

• Exfoliator: I exfoliate once or twice a week, so I only bring 1 sachet of It's Skin Mangowhite Peeling Gel. This exfoliator is gentle yet effective.

• Toner and moisturizer: I've saved up all the samples I received in several months to use them on the trip. I'll use It's Skin Collagen Toner and Emulsion, It's Skin Hyaluronic Acid Toner and Emulsion, It's Skin Fermented Floral Water Whitening Toner and Lotion, and It's Skin Caviar Double Effect Toner and Emulsion. I know it may sound excessive, but these samples are tiny and can run out at anytime, so I'd rather be safe than sorry :P Besides, I've used them all before and they don't irritate my skin in any ways. Side note: It's a really bad idea to try out new skincare products while traveling because if you're allergic to them, they'll ruin your holiday.

Since these samples are all emulsion, I also bring along some sachets of It's Skin Prestige Creme D'escargot in case my skin gets dry.

• Eye cream: It's Skin Brighten System Eye Cream. (I'm almost out of this one, but I think it can last until the end of my holiday).

• Sunscreen: I have It's Skin 2PM Sun Block SPF50+ PA+++ for my face and Biore UV Perfect Milk SPF50+ PA+++ for my body.

• Lip balm: Maybelline Baby Lips in Cherry Velvet. This lip balm has good moisturizing property as well as SPF20.

That's all for today. The post about my travel makeup bag will be up tomorrow, so stay tune for that ^^

REVIEW: THE BODY SHOP SEAWEED IONIC CLAY MASK SACHET REVIEW

After the less-than-stellar performances of The Body Shop Vitamin C Microdermabrasion Sachet and Vitamin E Sink-in Moisture Mask Sachet, I honestly didn't have much expectation for the Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask Sachet. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the effectiveness of this mask.

(Click on images to see description, instruction and ingredients)

My opinion: This mask looks like brown mud and it dries pretty quickly (within 1 minute after application). It has a very faint seaweed scent which doesn't bother me. The instruction says to leave it on for 10 minutes but I let it sit on my face for 20 minutes and didn't experience any irritation whatsoever. After washing it off, my skin looks clearer and my acnes are significantly reduced! It also loosens up my blackheads so that when I use a toner afterwards, I can see little black dots on the cotton pad! It helps unclog my pores as well, though it takes 2 uses to get rid of them. It enables my skincare products to absorb faster and better, possibly because it takes away my dead skin cells. Whenever I use this, I'll wake up the next morning with smooth, healthy and glowing skin. It definitely lives up to its claims, which are drawing out impurities, clarifying and refreshing. And it does all these things without drying my skin out! This is my holy grail deep cleansing/exfoliating mask! I highly recommend you try this one out as it's cheap and one sachet can last for 2 uses. The only con is that it dries out really fast. I stored the product in a little pot and by the second time I used it, the mask had hardened a little bit and it was slightly difficult to apply on my face.

Pros:

- Get rid of blackheads, clogged pores and dead skin cells

- Deflate acnes and help them heal faster

- Non-drying and non-irritating

- Skin looks clearer and brighter

Cons:

- Dry up fast

Repurchase?: Yes, in fact I've already bought the full-size product!

REVIEW: THE BODY SHOP VITAMIN C MICRODERMABRASION SACHET

I've been on the hunt for a good exfoliator ever since I finished my 2nd tub of Tonymoly Gold Black Sugar Mask. As this product receives good reviews and the sachet costs only 69,000 VND (about US$3), I decided to purchase it.

Product description (source: thebodyshop.co.uk): Fine exfoliating micro particles and crushed garnet stones remove dead skin cells to reveal a brighter, more radiant complexion.

• Removes dead skin cells
• Leaves skin feeling soft and smooth
• Gives skin a brighter, more radiant look
• Improves skin texture and tone

How to use (source: thebodyshop.co.uk): Wet face and neck. Apply using circular motions and rinse off with clean water. Use once or twice a week.

Ingredients: Aqua (Solvent/Diluent), Solum Diatomeae (Abrasive), Glycerin (Humectant), Aluminum Silicate (Exfoliant), Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Dimethicone (Skin Conditioning Agent), Butyrospermum Parkii (Skin-Conditioning Agent/Emollient), Cetearyl Alcohol (Emulsifier), Glyceryl Stearate (Emulsifier), Phenoxyethanol (Preservative), PEG-100 Stearate (Surfactant), Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer (Stabiliser/Viscosity Modifier), Polysorbate 60 (Surfactant), Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (Antioxidant), Xanthan Gum (Viscosity Modifier), Parfum (Fragrance), Sodium Hydroxide (pH Adjuster), Disodium EDTA (Chelating Agent), Linalool (Fragrance Ingredient), Limonene (Fragrance Ingredient), Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Citral (Fragrance Ingredient).

Size: 6ml

My opinion: Although the sachet contains 6ml of product, it's enough for 6 uses as you only need about a pea-sized amount each time. I think this is a decent exfoliator. It removes my dead skin cells really well and making my face look clearer. However, it fails in removing blackheads and unclogging pores. This scrub hurts my skin a tiny little bit. Nothing major, it doesn't give me broken capillaries or make my skin red, but it just feels a little harsh on my face. It also doesn't give me that baby-smooth feeling that I often get when using peeling gels. My face doesn't look significantly brighter after exfoliating and it does nothing to improve my uneven skin tone. Another thing I dislike about this scrub is the smell. I rarely have a problem with scented products, but I really hate the scent of this. I tried using this when my skin was just a little bit dry, and ... it was not a nice feeling. So, if you have dry or sensitive skin, this product may not suit you.

Pros:

- Remove dead skin cell

- Skin looks clearer

Cons:

- Can't remove blackheads and unclog pores

- Hurt my face a little bit

- Fail to make skin feel baby-smooth

- Can't improve skin tone

- Weird scent
- May not be suitable for dry/sensitive skin

Repurchase?: No. I think I'll stay away from scrubs as they are generally too abrasive for my liking and I'm afraid that they can leave micro-cuts on my skin.

REVIEW: TONYMOLY GOLD BLACK SUGAR MASK

It's good to exfoliate your skin once or twice a week to get rid of the dead skin cells. One of my favorite exfoliator is Tonymoly Gold Black Sugar Mask. This is also one of the few beauty products that I've actually repurchased (I've just finished my 2nd tub!).

Size: 100ml

Price: 223,000 VND

My opinion: Although this is a mask, it has a grainy texture that resembles a scrub. I tried using it as a scrub but it was a little bit too abrasive and didn't really take off my dead skin cells. The best way to use this, in my opinion, is to apply it all over my dry face and neck, let it sit there for 15-20 minutes, then wash it off. At first, I can feel the mask heat up on my skin, which is quite nice and relaxing actually. The feeling goes away after about 5 minutes. After removing it, my skin feels soft and looks radiant. It helps deflate my acnes, too! It can get rid of blackheads and clogged pores, but only to a certain extent. If you have extremely dry or sensitive skin, don't use this coz it may dry out or irritate your skin. I tried this when my skin was dry, and trust me, it wasn't a nice feeling! But if you have dull, oily and congested skin, I highly recommend this product coz it's cheap, easy to use and effective. One tub can last up to a year since you only need to use it once or twice a week.

Pros:

- Cheap

- Last for a very long time

- Effective in removing dead skin cells and deflating acnes 

- Relaxing feeling 

Cons:

- May not be suitable for people with dry or sensitive skin

- Not really effective in removing blackheads and clogged pores

Score: 8/10

Repurchase?: No. It's good and I like it, but after using it for 2 years straight, I wanna try something new. Besides, I feel that peeling gels are gentler and more effective in terms of exfoliating.