Skincare Routine & Everyday Makeup

Similar to my Beauty Profile, I will keep updating this page, so stay tuned :P



Morning:
Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser For Face And Eyes
Dermalogica Soothing Protection Spray
Dr. Andrew Weil For Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Advanced Face Serum
Egyptian Magic Skin Cream

Evening:
Dermalogica Precleanse
Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser For Face And Eyes
Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Moisturising Lotion
Dermalogica Soothing Protection Spray
Dr. Andrew Weil For Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Advanced Face Serum
Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

Eye Care:
Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye



Makeup:
Eyes: Guerlain Eye Pencil And Kohl in ME Black 1 (Top), Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Zero (Bottom), Shu Uemura eyelash curler, MAC Plush Lash in Plushblack.
Face: Clarins UV Plus Day Screen SPF40 PA+++ in Tinted, T. LeClerc Pressed Powder in Banane.
Makeup Remover: Clarins Instant Eye Make Up Remover.

De Fennel Beaute & Skin Care

So I went for my facial last Tuesday since I moved back here to West Malaysia (I haven't had a facial since, which is 2 years!), and I came out of it feeling very pleased and refreshed. Now my review might sound a little bit biased because the owners are my cousins (They're sisters working together) :P I also apologise for having no photos because my appointment was at 11 am and I was still feeling sleepy when I arrived there so I completely forgot to take photos- so you'll have to make do with photos of brochures I got from there >_<

It's going to be a rather long post too, so yeah.

The last time I went there (Before I got into the whole makeup and skincare thing and actually went for facials) their salon was only half a shoplot, but they've extended to a full shoplot now. I have to say that my first impression of the interior design is very comfortable, simplistic and welcoming- much like most facial salons. Their treatments rooms are also private as far as I know (Although I think they have "pair rooms" for those girlfriend bonding sessions)- dimly lit and have piped in soothing music. They also seem to have their own air-conditioning, which can get very cold, but once you get settled in they have a rather thick blanket to cover you! It's a first for me- I've experienced towels or cloths, but an actual blanket? XD



Their treatment prices range from *Gasp* RM 38 for a 45-minute Student Acne Facial to RM 200+ for more specialised treatments (Anti-aging or something along those lines if I'm not mistaken), but no more than RM 250, unless of course you add on services (e.g. eye treatments) and/or buy their products and such. The pricelist is displayed rather prominently beside their door, and I have to say that I find the prices quite affordable (I expected a basic facial to be around RM 50+ at the very least) compared to places such as Leonard Drake, but then they use Dermalogica so to each their own I guess.

I was attended by Yean Cheng, the elder sister who has been in the beauty and skincare line for more than 12 years. She used to work for Dermalogica for 9 years before opening this Cellnique salon of her own now. She analysed my skin and told me that I have inborn, very sensitive and dehydrated skin- very prone to redness and pimple-like bumps and aggravated by stress, heat, pollution and things like diet as well. The she asked me questions like what is my basic skincare regime now, so I told her:

• Dermalogica Ultracalming Cleanser for Face and Eyes
• Dermalogica Soothing Protection Spray
• Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream (Day)
• Dermalogica Barrier Repair (Night)
• Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Masque (Twice a week)
• Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (Twice a week)

She told me that I am using the correct regime and I should keep it up- and gave me advice such as applying a light layer of Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream before bed if I sleep in an air-conditioned room to keep my skin hydrated, and that pore refining is out of the question for me at the moment because my skin is sensitive and pore refining products usually contains ingredients which may irritate it further, so it's best to deal with and tend to the sensitivity and dehydration issue first.

After the analysis she proceeded to manually extract any vagrant whiteheads and blackheads that have taken residence on my skin during the years and then I was shown those little buggers. For some reason I liked seeing that :P There wasn't much to extract though, even after 2 years, which is kind of surprising since my whole face used to be prodded all over but now it's just mainly the T-zone!

I was given an intensive soothing and hydrating aromatherapy facial treatment (2 masks, one of which smelt like pineapples and a scrub) with facial oils from Eve Taylor (Which smells of, well, lavender). I'm not sure if it's a package of their or it's customised for me (They can and do customise packages based on customer's needs and wants) as I was enjoying the pampering and massaging (My neck, shoulder and a bit of my back was massaged) too much to ask (And I actually fell asleep for a while) :x It cost me RM 105 after discount (Family member :P), which is quite worth it- as a similar treatment (For sensitive, dehydrated skin) at Leonard Drake would set me back by RM 210+.

All the while she did not even ask me to switch to using Cellnique products or push any package or services (Even though I am a family memver), although she did recommend a supplementary product for me so that I can deal with my sensitive skin problem:



Cellnique Intensive Soothing Factor- actually a salon exclusive product. The retail price (I'm not exactly sure if it's even for retail, but professional recommendation is definitely, err, recommended) is RM 210 and only 2-3 drops are needed, twice daily. According to Yean Cheng, it can last for about 7 months so it's very well worth the price. I haven't really tried it out yet as I just got it (They had to restock), so a proper review is in order (Along with many other reviews backlogged) T.T It's to be used after toning (Dermalogica Soothing Protection Spray) and before moisturising (Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream or Dermalogica Barrier Repair). In a way I guess it's almost similar to Dermalogica Gentle Soothing Booster, but this is much more lighter on the wallet for me.

Here is their address and contact details:

De Fennel Beaute & Skin Care
No 14, Jln 9/125D,
Desa Petaling,
57100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-9057 1198

Yes, it is pretty far from where I am staying but I am very satisfied as a customer, although I can't say much since I am related to them. But one thing's for sure I'm definitely trying to make facials with them a once-a-month thing!

They are closed on Thursdays, although I highly suggest calling in to make an appointment before hand even though they have stated working hours (Which I am guilty of forgetting also) as they can be fully booked especially on the weekends and they mainly run on return customers now ;)



If you've tried them, let me know ;) Tell them Stephanie their cousin sent you along.

Reviews Of My Skincare Products

Reiterating from my first post, I am going to start off with reviews of the products in my daily routine skincare set :D It's going to be a long post, with many items to cover though!



Let's start off with the cleansers. I have two cleansers: one for day and one for night. My day cleanser is the Cellnique Paramedical Seaweed Cleansing Gel and my night cleanser is the Cellnique Paramedical Gentle Foaming Cleanser.

Cellnique Paramedical Seaweed Cleansing Gel is green coloured and smells of peppermint, because one of the ingredients is peppermint oil, but it's main ingredients are green tea and algae. It's mainly for normal/sensitive skin, and costs RM 99 for 200 ml. I use it in the mornings to cleanse my skin from the built-up it might have or has accumulated throughout the night, and as since it has antioxidant protection it works well when you're out at the day and exposed to all sorts of pollution and free radicals. Coupled with the rest of my regiment my skin doesn't get too oily or shiny later in the day though :D

Cellnique Paramedical Gentle Foaming Cleanser is almost white-ish in colour and smells lovely- like fruits. It's main ingredients are alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and tomato, and it's mainly for normal/combination skin. Costs RM 109 for a 200 ml bottle too. I use it at nights to "deep cleanse" as AHAs can be exfoliating in a way (Although this is not abrasive at all), hence renewing my skin at the same time. Killing two birds with one stone! I can't use this in the mornings as I find that it makes my skin get oily or shiny later in the day, but used at night it keeps it clear... so yeah. A working combination here :P

Both cleansers seem to be able to last a very long time as only a little is needed for a full cleansing experience.



After cleansing, I proceed with my toner- Cellnique Paramedical Soothing & Hydrating Lotion. It comes in a convienient spray bottle- I generally spray about five sprays onto a cotton pad and wipe it all over my face, avoiding my eye area of course, and that's enough for me. It smells of ginger, and although I don't like eating ginger I don't mind the smell XD My face feels a bit tingly in a tightening way (But not drying or pulling though) after application with shrunken pores, and does feel smooth after a while. I can feel and see it calming any redness I might have after cleansing as well. It's RM 79 for a 200 ml bottle.



Next comes serum in form of Shiseido Eudermine Revitalising Essence. Previously I used SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, but at RM 289 for a 150 ml bottle it was getting pricey, so I sought for an alternative and found it. Plus, it's also one of the Japanese prized beauty secrets anyway and one of Shiseido's oldest product :P It's way cheaper at RM 149 for 125 ml and comes in a really lovely glass bottle with stopper and packaging! Honestly, it works just as well if not better than the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence for me. The smell is lovely, it's fast-absorbing, softening, moisturising and doesn't make my skin look very oily or shiny later. In fact it kept my skin more matte than usual. And using it on a cotton pad (Dab on cotton pad three times for me) is much better and more saving than pouring it on the hands and applying it to the face as opposed to the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. The reason I'm using a serum is because my facial skin is rather temperamental- open pores with some dryness and oiliness as well (Hence two cleansers as well), and serums help keep my skin in check and Shiseido Eudermine Revitalising Essence does the job well to me :)



My moisturiser is SK-II Aqua Physics Hydrating Gel, a product from SK-II I really love. A truly hydrating moisturiser that works for me. It has a gel-like texture and consistency, but unlike most gel moisturisers it delivers its moisturising properties well. It may feel a little sticky upon application, but after a while it "soaks" in the skin and skin feels soft and smooth, and that feeling literally lasts the whole day! It's RM 205 for a 50 g jar, and very worth the money though since the last jar lasted more than 4 months for me- as I also only used very little to apply on my whole face. I've tried Creme de la Mer's The Moisturising Gel Cream sample, but it didn't hydrate well enough for me as my skin felt taut instead, so yeah... sticking with my SK-II Aqua Physics Hydrating Gel :P



For my eye area, I either use the leftover Creme de la Mer's The Moisturising Gel Cream sample or Origins A Perfect World For Eyes, although I generally use the latter. I forgot how much it costs since I got mine for second hand and cheap, but I think it's RM 100+ for a 15 ml bottle, although like all good items you only need a bit of it. I like how the skin area around my eyes feel smooth after application, and doesn't affect the eyeliner I apply afterwards should I use it. The antioxidant effects offered are a factor that got me buying it too >_>



I complete my daily skincare routine with Shiseido Pureness Pore Minimising Essence since as mentioned I have open pores I'd like to take care of, and this product helps a lot. It smells very nice and has a a cooling effect, and you can really see the pores shrink once it is applied. Of course, pores don't immediately disappear and/or shrink forever (They almost never do), but over time it did help me reduce their size. Another plus is that it also helps keeps skin matte and smooth. This costs RM 93 for a 30 ml tube- but since you only need to apply it to areas affected by enlarged pores, it's a no-brainer that it can last quite a while.



Once a week, I mask with Cellnique Paramedical Intensive Soothing & Hydrating Masque. My only gripe with it is that it's a wipe-off mask, not a rinse-off, and wiping the mask off, although it is a gel-like texture and consistency, can prove a daunting task and I don't feel it's thoroughly "clean", so I tend to rinse a little after wiping. Otherwise, it's a highly hydrating mask, and whenever I get blemishes it really works to soothe out the redness and swelling of the pimple. On normal skin days (And blemished days as well of course) it makes my face look rather glowing and radiant, and keeps the skin soft and supple. The price is RM 99 for a 50 ml pump-tube.



I also scrub once a week, using the Shiseido Pureness Pore Purifying Warming Scrub though not on the day of using the mask. It's RM 79 for a 50 ml tube. This scrub is used on dry skin and applied with dry hands, and once applied is warm, but not burning. Instead, it's quite soothing. The texture is grainy and takes a little getting used to, but after rinsing you can feel that the skin has visibly softened up, and true to its name and range pores are again minimised. Followed up with the rest of my skincare products, my skin does look flawless! It's recommended to be used once or twice a week, but due to my skin condition I only use it once a week. Excess scrubbing is also not recommended, so massage it on for only about 30 seconds.

Next I'll be reviewing my makeup products. Not like they'll be a LOT of products to review, but yeah :P