Tri-Luma That Dark Spot!

Unfortunately, one of the pitfalls of being a pale Asian is being prone to melasma and dark freckle-like spotting on the face. Too bad they are not cute like freckles!

I had one spot on my left cheek that was quite prominent. It was brown, and nearly the diameter of a pencil eraser. It was bothering me a bit, as I always had to cover it up with heavy-duty concealer. However, when I last went to the dermatologist (where I seem to go all of the time!) to see about fading a dark patch of skin on my stomach from my nickel allergies (thanks to jeans) -- she recommended Tri-Luma, and said that it would also help on my face.

With a sample tube in hand, I proceeded to apply a thin layer nightly. Now, it did mention that skin irritation was one of the side effects, as was lightening of the surrounding skin. I did experience some itchiness on the patch on my stomach, and I did notice that the diameter of skin around the spot on my face was a tad whiter/paler than usual. Aside from this, though, I had good results. After about 5 weeks of continuous treatment, I have noticed that both spots have lightened significantly. In my last dermatologist appointment, I was told to continue applying nightly to my face, and only twice a week to my stomach, so as not to experience more skin irritation.

Do note that on the face, which gets more sun exposure than the stomach (I'm not a bikini model - haha) --I always use a lotion of SPF 45. The dermatologist recommended SPF 30. You must limit sun exposure also, or else the spot will return and could potentially get darker. (Yikes!)

Tri-Luma is manufactured by Galderma and is available by prescription only. Additionally, since this cream is considered for cosmetic use, insurance does not cover it... and it has a pretty hefty pricetag of around $200USD for a 30-gram tube. Try to get a sample if you can, as I have heard it does not work for everyone.

Here is the official website for further information:
http://www.triluma.com/TrilumaCream/Default.aspx

Good luck!!

Double Your Lashes, Double Your Fun (Mavala)

I first heard of Mavala Double Lash on the boards of makeupalley.com back in 2005 or so. This was before the advent of Latisse, or Jan Marini's lash growth product, and really the only main competitor was Talika Lipocils.

Since Talika was much more expensive, I decided to try Double Lash instead. Unfortunately, it wasn't readily available in the US, so I had to get it through other means. The first time I got it was through my friend Aurelie, who purchased it in Canada. The second time, I had a kind-hearted Singaporean makeupalley-er purchase it for me. The third time, I got a brand new one in a swap with a Greek makeupalley-er. Through the years, it has been more easily purchasable in the US, via websites such as whatshebuys.com, but I must note that now it is always in stock at Douglas cosmetics for the pocket-friendly price of $16.50USD.

The product comes in a small glass bottle, about the size of a nail polish, and not very fancy. There are 0.3 ounces of product, but you will probably not be able to use it all up... And besides, like all liquid eye products, you should replace every 3 months.

The applicator is a spooley brush that resembles a mascara brush. As for the actual product, it is a whitish liquid, quite watery in texture. There is no scent or odor. It is to be applied mainly on the lashline, so as to encourage lash growth. I personally only applied it at night, but some ladies have used it underneath their mascara during the daytime. It does dry clear, but while the product is on your lashes, they feel a little crunchy. I always wash off any residual in the morning with some warm water so I can start with fresh, clean lashes.

So does it give lush lashes? Well, that is debatable. To me, this is more of a lash conditioner. It restores the lashes after too much mascara use or tugging when removing eye makeup. With Double Lash, I did find that my lashes felt much softer, and I had less lash loss. Each individual lash also felt and looked plumper. I found that my mascara wore better, meaning that my lashes looked more well groomed and glossy with mascara.

But, don't expect crazy lashes to start sprouting, or lashes so long you'll have to trim them down. Save that for Latisse or something that is medically proven. With Mavala, you will just have "good lash days" with your soft, glossy, conditioned lashes. For me, that is enough (for now!). I don't want to put the mascara business into ruins - haha.

Also, I just want to note that I have sensitive eyes, and did not experience any irritation whatsoever. This is a continuous repurchase for me. Love it!

Oh, J'adore Dior Capture Totale!

I just celebrated another birthday, so I thought it would be an appropriate time to invest in some good skincare. I am definitely not a stranger to anti-again products or high-end items, but forking out lots of dough has, at times, seemed like a waste.

The Capture Totale Rituele Nuit comprises of 2 different parts: (1) An anti-aging peeling toner; (2) A gel-cream format night cream. They retail for $85USD and $125USD respectively, which is certainly a bit of an investment.

One of the toner's active ingredients is salicylic acid, though I'm not sure of the percentage. It is quite exfoliatory and helps get rid of the dead skin cells that are hanging out on the surface of the skin. There are also other ingredients to help it be more gentle, so you don't feel like you are applying astringent to your face or anything, and there is absolutely no burning, and I have pretty sensitive skin It also has a pleasant, flowery scent, and comes in a shiny plastic purple bottle, which helps with the illusion of prestige. As per the drections, you are to wet 2 cotton pads and apply from the throat up to the facial contours and cheeks and then swipe across the forehead and nose. It leaves the face feeling very sightly sticky, but only for a few minutes. The bottle contains 3.4 ounces, and so far, in the month I have been using it, I have gone through about 1/5 or so of it from using it every night.

Now, for the cream. It has a unique oil-cream consistency, which means it feels quite moisturizing without being thick or heavy. The application instructions recommend using just a small amount, and warming it in between the hands before applying. For me, I use about a pea-size for my face and then another pea-size dollop for my neck/throat/decollete. This cream comes in a jar, which some may find unsaitary, but it does come with a spatula. The cream is quite lightweight, has the same pleasant scent as the toner, and absorbs quickly into the skin. I have combo skin with a very oily t-zone, and I have not had any breakouts whatsoever. I do sometimes wake up oily in the t-zone, but that happens regardless of what I use. I don't now how this will fare in the dead cold of the Northeastern winter months, but for early spring weather (which is still quite chilly), it has rich enough. I do think this 1.7 ounce jar will last quite a while, as I've had it for a month and have barely made a dent in it.

As for visble effects? I do notice that I wake up with more radiant-looking skin, and my morning skincare and foundation/powders apply more smoothly. I also notice a reduction in the blackheads on/around my nose (undoubtably the results of the salicylic acid). I can't attest to any wrinkle reduction, as I didn't have any to begin with (I am more about prevention.). I am very pleased with these 2 purchases, and I imagine that I will continue purchasing, and probably add the serum and eye cream to my routine, too. (Currently, I use a non-Dior eye cream, and do not use serum.)