Naruko Raw Job's Tears Supercritical CO2 Brightening Make-up Removing Cleansing Mousse

Hello! It's finally the holidays and even though I have had June holidays since I was a kid (Ermahgawd. Ageing. ಥ_ಥ), somehow this one feels extremely precious. Maybe it's because I took on a little more but it was nice being busy. Though it wasn't so nice falling sick... Twice. Sheesh, stupid body.

Anyway, just the other day, I was wondering if people still read blogs. I go onto Reddit for reviews because there aren't many active blogs now, which is kind of sad but oh wells. I mean, I'm barely active too. Heh. It would be a lot easier and convenient to blog when I move on to a new work place next year. Hopefully. ◡̈

Today, I'm going to review Naruko Raw Job's Tears Supercritical CO2 Brightening Make-up Removing Cleansing Mousse. For those who don't already know, Naruko is my current favourite-st brand and when the brand decided to pull out from Singapore early this year *insert loud sobs*, I went slightly crazy and carted out parcels after parcels of products. So much for minimalism and I really need to remind myself that I'm not Watsons personified. Heh. Anyway, I'm actually more for the masks but the cleansers were BOGO so... *guilty grin*

This cleanser doubles up as a makeup remover and even though it says 'mousse', it's more foam. And if you're familiar with Naruko products, you would know that their ingredients list is essay-like (Which is actually one of the reasons why I took so long to really love this brand because I prefer minimal ingredients.).

Here are the highlighted ingredients on Naruko Malaysia's website, along with some Google research:

• Betaine: Humectant and anti-irritant, that hydrates the skin without leaving any sticky residual. Temporarily smoothes out lines and wrinkles for a youthful appearance.
• Yeast Complex B and Gluconolactone: Yeast Complex B reduces sebum production and Gluconolactone, otherwise known as Polyhydroxy Acid (PHA), protects skin from UV radiation damage.
• Raw Job's Tears, Polished Job's Tears, Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Tranexamic Acid: The first two are for hydration, Ethyl Ascorbic Acid is a stable Vitamin C derivative which helps brighten the complexion and Tranexamic Acid helps to whiten.
• Hyaluronic Acid, Tremella Extract and Phytoferulin: Hyaluronic Acid is for hydration, Tremella is a kind of fungus that is a natural substitute for Sodium Hyaluronate and Phytoferulin is Naruko's patented ingredient which contains 11 plant extracts for their antioxidant properties and brightening effects.

I'm currently on my 2nd and last bottle (Trip to Taiwan soon please. Also, to feed my current idol drama obsession. #jerryyan4eva). I use this every evening, after I come back from work. It removes sunscreen and light makeup really easily but it's not so clean when it comes to heavy eye makeup. I will double cleanse with this sometimes. Otherwise, I will use Naruko Tea Tree Purifying Clay Mask & Cleanser in 1.

The cleanser doesn't give me that super squeaky clean feeling (Which is a good thing.) and doesn't irritate my sensitive skin. I'm quite fair so the brightening effect isn't that visible but there's Niacinamide in it, which is a brightening ingredient that Redditors love. It leaves my skin soft, smooth and comfortable and I will definitely get this again if I come across it (Does Naruko Malaysia ship to Singapore? ಥ_ಥ) because it's pretty pocket-friendly as well. Also, foam is supposed to exert less stress on your skin so it prevents premature wrinkles. Not that this really matters to me because I totally skoosh my face into my pillow when I sleep so... Heh. Anyway, definitely check this out if you're looking for a fuss-free and gentle cleanser for sensitive skin!

Lierac Huile Sensorielle Aux 3 Fleurs Blanches

A year back or so, BlackBox had some really huge discounts and I managed to get my hands on the Lierac Huile Sensorielle Aux 3 Fleurs Blanches for only SGD39.90. Whoop! ٩(^‿^)۶

This multi-purpose oil is made from 3 types of white flower which help to nourish skin, hair and body. Argan oil is also added to repair environmental damage on the cellular level while omega-rich olive, sunflower, hazel seed and sweet almond oils boost firmness and elasticity.

I have been using this on and off for about a year, am down to my last few drops and thought I had better do a review before I bid it goodbye. But yeah, okay. Of course, I have a backup stashed away. Heh.

The gold-tinged oil is lightweight, comes out pretty runny and smells super good! It has a light floral scent that isn't overpowering. I use this mostly on my hair but I have tried this on my face and body as well. And on all 3 areas, it is absorbed very quickly, leaving barely a hint of an oily residue. For my face and body, I felt that the effects were just okay. Nothing special and nothing that I couldn't replicate with other products. But on my hair, it's a different story. My hair loves it. Loves. ♡_♡

After showering and blow drying my hair a little at night, I would apply 2 pumps of this golden goodness from the mid-length of my hair downwards, concentrating on the ends. It doesn't weigh my hair down and it has made it crazily soft, but not limp, and super healthy. Will definitely repurchase this when it goes on sale again!

The Minimalism Project I: Beauty Expenses Part 1

This year, I am going to try very hard to be a minimalist in all aspects of my life. And this includes my skincare because this is really where all my pay check goes to. Heh. •͈ᴗ•͈ This section is a record of all my sins, along with their 'justifications', throughout the entire year as mentioned here.

The Minimalism Project: Beauty Expenses
Chapter 1: January - March
Chapter 2: April - June May
Chapter 3: July - September
Chapter 4: October - December
R.I.P

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March Diaries March failed terribly, in terms of this Minimalism Project. ಥ_ಥ Firstly, Naruko is pulling out of Singapore (Side note: I'm extremely upset about this. *mourns*) and I went a tad insane stocking up on my favourite masks, as well as getting new products to try (It was like 2 for the price of 1!). So expect tons of reviews on Naruko in the months to come! *excites* But... Yeah, I spent a whole lot. ): SGD552, in fact. )): I want to say that I'm not going to spend anymore but we all know that actions speak louder than words, so 頑張ります！*inserts flexed bicep emoji*

Anyway, on to the photos above. I visited my facial therapist at the start of the month for some pampering after a crazy February and got my favourite Skin Origin Cleansing Milk (SGD75 before discount) and Naturelle Bio Dermatique Glyco-Bio III (SGD88 before discount). The latter contains 12% Glycolic Acid and I got it mainly to get rid of scars and clogged pores on my back. It has been fading old scars really quickly and my clogged pores are a whole lot fewer. But it's pretty pricey, so now that my back's better, I'm going to alternate it with Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic, which has 5% Glycolic Acid.

Right above aforementioned items are Dejavu mascaras, which I got from Sasa with a 20% discount (SGD20 after discount). My current one takes a lot of rubbing to remove and well, I'm aging and really do not need to risk having more lines under my eyes. Though these don't give you falsies-like lashes, they are comfortable and wash off incredibly easy with warm water. I think I'm just going to stick with them for life now. These and the ones from Innisfree. ♥

The second photo shows my stash of Aura Cacia essential oils from iHerb. I have a couple of colleagues who are very into essential oils for their kids and in my quest to have the control to be zen whenever I want to, I kinda joined the club. Essential oils that can be bought in Singapore come mainly from 2 companies, Doterra and Young Living. I know Doterra oils can be ingested but both brands are crazy expensive. I wasn't really interested in taken them orally so I decided to get mine from iHerb. FYI, Aura Cacia's oils cannot be ingested. I put many drops of Lavender on Gran's pillow cases, blankets and cardigan at night to keep mosquitoes away and it has been so effective. Gran doesn't complain about them anymore. For me, I mix Chamomile or Lavender in my body lotion, and Peppermint is used when I get stomach upsets.

Not pictured are tubes of La Roche-Posay Circaplast Pro-Recovery Skincare (SGD18.34 after discount), which I have known since forever. I had my skin tags burned off during the March holidays and was spamming this magical gel on the wounds. Healed beautifully. Please, please, La Roche-Posay, please don't every discontinue this.

Cost of sins: ~SG840

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February Diaries Okay, so I didn't think I would be updating this entry so soon (And at the start of the month some more. ಠ_ಠ) but January kinda ended on a really stressful note. It's actually going to be a stressful February too. Anyway, in between work on February 1st, I found some time to log onto BeautyFresh and got my NARS blushers in Deep Throat and Orgasm (SGD36.19 each, after a V-day discount of 23%). I have been going foundation-free for a year now but I wanted to add some happiness to my face. Lol. I have owned them both before, though I never actually hit pan on one. 😕 Side note, BeautyFresh's amazing. This is my 2nd order with them and it has been a wonderful shopping experience. Think: Smooth transactions, timely updates and quick deliveries.

Right after work ended and my afternoon appointment got cancelled, I headed down to the mall for more serious retail therapy. Sasa was having a private member sale and I got theBalm's DownBoy and CabanaBoy (SGD35 each but there was a 30% discount), Dejavu's Lasting-fine Brush Liquid Eyeliner (Espresso) (SGD5 during the sale) and Pink Lady's Double Eyelid Tape (S) (SGD4.50 each but it was a buy-1-free-1 deal.). I have been using my Benefit blush palette, Dandelion in particular but I couldn't stop thinking about DownBoy. The latter is just so much prettier to me. CabanaBoy is a winter-bitten kind of blush. It is very pigmented and very pretty!

Last night, I received my Laniege Two Tone Matte Lip Bar in No. 10 Soft Knit (SGD24.40, with shipping) parcel from Breezy Qoo10. I tried it earlier and it was pretty drying so I'm glad it came with complimentary trial sizes of the Lip Sleeping Mask and Lip & Eye Remover.

Okay, confession time. The Innisfree nail polishes (SGD4 each), Jovisa Eyelash Tonic (USD16.99) and Silk18 Natural Hair Conditioner (USD15.83, with shipping) were bought last month. Heh. Innisfree nail polishes are the absolute best. They go on smooth, dry fast and they dominate my nail polish collection. Amazon (ILU. ♡) has been my go-to scrolling page when I have some leisure time. I found the Jovisa eyelash serum at a much cheaper price and decided to get a Buzzfeed-featured conditioner to try.

Cost of sins: ~SGD215

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January Diaries This is my backup of ICM Pharma's Acne Clear Pimple Treatment Cream (SGD6.20). It is my current pimple destroyer and it is so effective! Apply some on potential and existing pimples and they should be eliminated within a couple of days. I got the Acne Clear Lotion (SGD7.60) too for clogged pores on my back (Which my Sinseh said is the manifestation of 虛火, or otherwise known as Deficient Fire in TCM terminology.). It has the same active ingredients as the cream, but in slightly different proportions and sans Zinc Oxide. Though it's a lot easier to apply this on my back, it unfortunately doesn't work as fast. ٩(͡๏̯͡๏)۶

The Centellase Ointment (SGD17+) was spotted on Guardian shelves during one of my window shopping trips. I love Centella Asiatica because of Cosrx and this has 10mg of it. Haven't tried this yet because I'm trying to finish up my Hiruscar but will report back as soon as I can. :D

Cost of sins: ~SGD31