Product Review : L'Oreal Youth Code Boosting Essence

Hello hello! I've been slacking today T^T But I saw this product on the Watsons sale and I simply HAVE to review it now.

This is a product that has been raved by plenty and mentioned as a dupe for a certain product.

Presenting...

The L'Oreal Youth Code Boosting Essence! (Usually mentioned as a dupe for the Lancome Genefique Youth Activator. I have not used that thus I am unable to provide a comparison.)

This is... In a sense, a serum for your serum. SERUMCEPTION. Okay not really unless you use two serums like me. Otherwise, take it as a primer for your facial cream. Of course it's also supposed to be a serum that provides you with the above effects as well.

Apologies in advance here as I'm honestly not a pro in this aspect and can only show you what L'Oreal says.

Here's the ingredients list for those of you who understand the various names above. (I only understand very basic ones)

So... Let us talk about the usage. It doesn't specifically mention how much you're supposed to use each time other than using this twice a day. This product looks like this.

A simple glass bottle with...

A dropper. When assisted by the SA, I was told that one drop would be sufficient for my entire face. That, I have found to be untrue as I have a fat face. Fat face needs more than one drop. The dropper only picks up a little amount of product each time and I have found that the best amount is just fully pumping out whatever the dropper can pick up. (Please do not strictly follow by this as sometimes it picks up slightly more as shown in the picture. Adjust accordingly to how fat your face is :P)

For the texture, it's amazing! It's a rather liquidy serum that spreads super easily on your face and absorbs a few seconds later. This will be a great product for the oily skin peeps as most products that have any anti aging properties at all are usually somewhat greasy, even if slightly. This absorbs like a dream and leaves skin feeling hydrated and plump.

Here's the product on my skin.

Huuhuu, don't be mistaken, this is just one drop!

Absorbs without leaving any hint of dewiness or oilyness on the skin. Perfect!

It's better if you have two hands to compare the before and after but my camera isn't the best so you'll have to either trust me / google for more reviews / go to watsons to try.

I've been using this for more than a month and it's safe to say that I adore this product. I'm not sure if my other skincare products have gotten better with the usage of this serum but this by itself is already doing a wonderful job. It's no wonder so many beauty bloggers love it! I also did not get clogged pores or any breakouts from this. My skin's really nice right now :3

Regarding the scent, it's a very mild floral scent that goes away shortly after application. Nothing much, acceptable to me.

I can't say that everyone would like this because well, everyone's different. I've yet to see a product that is 100% loved by people. This one usually retails for $39.90 if I'm not wrong but during the Watsons sale, this goes for just $29.90. One bottle will last you for about 3 months or so with daily usage as I'm only about 1/3 through with mine. (Alternatively if you're still not a Watsons member, Guardian will do too :) Use Passion card!)

***UPDATE***

I'm sad to say, this product is no longer of use to me. Initially, I had just finished my doctors medicine so I wasn't prone to breakouts at all. I also didn't know that this product was causing me to have oil seeds and zits till I was experimenting with another serum and realized my breakouts stopped. I have now stopped using it as it is not suitable for my skin. Ratings have been edited.

Texture : ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ (Almost instantly absorbed.)
Scent : ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆ (A pretty normal scent, nothing overwhelming. Just okay with it.)
Effectiveness : ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ (Works well with smoothness and plumping but broke me out :<)
Overall : ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆ (If it didn't make me breakout, I would give it more stars.)

Love,
Domo

Product Review: AquaJuju Aquamoist Hyaluronic Acid Essence

Sorry I have't been posting much. Work has been hectic and my computer is down (using my dad's netbook now). But since I have a few free hours today, I'll be reviewing on a product that I've been using for quite a long time (second bottle down, third one to go!). 

The product I'm talking about is the Juju's Aquamoist Hyaluronic Acid Essence. I bought both bottles (at separate instances) from Watsons during their sales period, at about $30+ each. This is the best-selling item of the Juju's Aquamoist range, and for good reason.

Here's the product description on BeautyCarousel's website:

JUJU AQUAMOIST PURE HYALURONIC 100% ESSENCE uses GEN-EKI (pure essence) of Hyaluronic Acid that can provide ultimate moisture to your skin. Bio-Hyaluronic Acid captures moisture and improves elasticity of your skin greatly. 

Natural Hyaluronic Acid levels in the body decrease with time, so good hydration with Aquajaja 100% Hyaluronic Acid essence is the key to keeping your skin young and healthy. Hyaluronic acid essence seals moisture in your skin and your skin is deeply nourished for all night long. 

While asleep, the pure Hyaluronan works like a facial mask that creates a thin moisturizing layer to your skin to prevent from the dehydration and helps your skin’s healthy turnover. A little goes long way! 

Low acidity, Fragrance free, Color free, Mineral Oil free, animal ingredients free.  

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Here's my bottle (sans cap because I dropped it behind my dresser and never found it). I love the simplicity of the packaging design, though the tinted glass bottle makes it difficult to estimate how much essence is left in the bottle. 

I didn't keep the exterior blister pack that the product came in, so I don't have a photo of the ingredients in English, but a quick google search revealed that the ingredients were simply: Water, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, and Methylparaben. The good thing about products with lesser ingredients is that there's a significantly lesser chance of you having an allergic reaction to the product. I have sensitive skin, so that's good news for me.

I'm no chemist, but sometimes (when I'm not too lazy), I like to research about the various ingredients in the products I use.

Sodium Hyaluronate for instance, the key active ingredient in this essence, has a smaller molecule size than HA, making it especially penetrative when applied topically. It's also able to hold more water than other natural substances (up to 1000 times its own weight in water). Due to this particular attribute, it is often used as a wrinkle filler (in injections) as well as in formulations of skincare and cosmetics products. Sodium Hyaluronate molecules reach deep down into the dermis to combine with, maintain and attract water, as well as to promote skin/blood microcirculation and nutrient absorption and maintain normal metabolism. All in all, this results in super-hydrated skin that is smoother and softer to the touch and minimize the appearance of wrinkles as well.

Phenoxyethanol and Methylparaben act as a fixing agent and preservative to keep the product stable for longer shelf-life. Though I would prefer products that are paraben-free, just to be on the safe side, sometimes they're necessary evils. Methlyparaben in particular (as well as propylparabens) are considered Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the US FDA for food and cosmetic antibacterial preservation, and acute toxicity studies have shown it to be non-toxic by oral and parenteral (ie: injection) administration.

But enough of the pseudo-scientific babble and on to the actual review!

How to apply: After your cleanser and toner, apply 1-2 pumps of the Hyaluronic Acid Essence on your face and massage it in gently.

It has a rich gel-like texture that readily turns into a watery state when applied, and is absorbed into your skin very fast.

And by fast I do mean fast. After the essence gets absorbed into your skin sufficiently, you may want to lightly cover your face with both palms to better facilitate fuller absorption. After that, your face feels light and smooth, without any oily or sticky residue at all. The product description recommended this for night usage, but as the essence is super-hydrating without being too rich, I use this in the daytime as well. 

So far it's one of the best moisturizers I have tried. Suitable for all skin-types, but I highly recommend this to people with sensitive, dry skin especially. 

Texture:  (Applies quickly and effectively, non-oily, non-sticky)

Fragrance:  (There's not much of a scent at all, so this is a bonus to me.)
Hydrating Effect:  (Skin really feels softer and smoother after application.)
Overall:  (I keep restocking them, what do you think?)