skincare

Shiseido skincare reviews

~ stashy ~ 43 Comments

First, let me insert my usual disclaimer here that I’m no expert on skincare – I’m just a skincare enthusiast.  I’m also by no means a guru on all things Shiseido – there are just my experiences with these products.  I’ve been using skincare from this brand starting about 5 years ago.  I would categorize the brand as high-end but not luxury, with the skincare above the $50 price point and mostly below $100 each.  Shiseido is sold primarily through department stores and inside special beauty boutiques in some drugstores.  All of the products shown are made in Japan.  The line has some nice moisturizers and cleansers that I’ve repurchased – but like all brands, there are good and bad products within the range.
shiseido_skincare2
I thought I’d provide a quick overview of some of the products that I’ve tried.  I’ve categorized the items into Love, Like, and Loathe.

Continue reading →

Cute Asian cosmetics

~ stashy ~ 28 Comments

Like a lot of you, I’m a sucker for cute packaging and I think Asian brands do them especially well. But, these products are not just a pretty face.  Even though some of the packaging look like they could be cheap makeup for children, they’re actually quite good quality.
cuteasiancosmetics2
Here’s a sampling of some cute Asian beauty items I have – all of these items are either Japanese or Korean brands.

Continue reading →

Review: Wonder Cloth

~ stashy ~ 9 Comments

Last year I was Christmas shopping for the boy at Bed Bath and Beyond and came across this washcloth, called the Wonder Cloth.  After reading the claims on the box, and doing a quick search for reviews online on my phone, curiosity got the better of me and I shelled out $14 for it.
wonder-cloth
According to the Wonder Cloth official website, here are the claims:
• All Natural Make Up Remover Cloth
• Hypo-Allergenic & Dermatologist Tested
• Helps to exfoliate skin
• Removes all make up quickly and easily with just water.
• Rinses clean with water, no stains remain on the cloth!
• Machine washable
• Re-usable – economical – Use Wonder Cloth over and over
• Bleach-safe cloth lasts twice as long as a standard washcloth

Keep reading to find out if Wonder Cloth is full of wonder

Consonant Skincare Annual Skin Care Swap

~ stashy ~ 10 Comments

Starting today, Consonant Skincare will be offering their annual Skin Care Swap.  This is a phenomenal offer: bring in a full size face wash, face cream, eye cream, face mask, sunscreen (used or unused) to trade in for 50% off the equivalent in Consonant Skincare product.  They will even honour the discount via social media requests if shoppers can’t make it to the stores. Find out more details by clicking on the image below.
consonantskincareswap2
Continue reading →

Tips for going to the spa

~ stashy ~ 12 Comments

I recently got a facial done – my first of the year!  I used to get one about once a month but lately I haven’t had the time.  Going to the spa is a nice indulgence – I do upkeep and maintenance at home, but nothing beats getting your face and scalp massaged for you!  I thought I’d share some tips on going to the spa.
facespa
Continue reading →

Grading skincare routines – part 2

~ stashy ~ 30 Comments

It was inevitable that after I posted the Grading my friends’ skincare routine entry that my other friends also wanted to have their routines reviewed.  I also had a reader asked me in the comments to review her skincare – which is very trusting of her! Below are their self-reported skincare routines.  My comments are in [italics].  Brace yourself, this is a wordy entry.  Again, as per my previous post’s disclaimer: I’m not a dermatologist or trained esthetician, I just play one online. 😀

Continue reading →

Shiseido Benefiance Instant Treatment Eye Mask

~ stashy ~ 26 Comments

Shiseido Benefiance Instant Treatment Eye Mask ($72 for 12 pairs) is something I’ve been curious about for a while since it has great reviews online.  They’re expensive, at $6 per treatment, so I’ve resisted buying them. One day, my co-worker (the one who gave me all the freebies) came to work and handed me a pack of these and said, “Try these, they’re amazing”.  She’s a skincare junkie (as well as facial treatment junkie – she does peels, lasers, light therapy, the like) so I tried it that same night and I was hooked from the first use!
Shiseido_eyemask1
Continue reading →

I bought a $12 spray pump

~ stashy ~ 28 Comments

I was just itching to buy something at the MAC store.  I was at a mini-makeover a few weeks ago with my coworker and while she was making her purchases, I spied this:
MACpump2
It’s a spray pump.  I asked the makeup artist how much it was. $12 CAD ($10 USD).  Against my better judgement, I said, “I’ll take it.”  I’m now the proud owner of a $12 spray pump from MAC.

Yes I really bought a $12 piece of plastic

Trash Stash: April 2015

~ stashy ~ 36 Comments

April was another stellar month for using up more products from my stash!  Let’s get right down to it:
trash201504_1
These are ALL full sized products, folks!  #soproud

Continue reading →

Sheet mask stash

~ stashy ~ 24 Comments

I’ve amassed a lot of sheet masks.  They’re an inexpensive pick-me-up that have become more readily available in Canada in recent years.  For those of you who don’t know what sheet masks are, they’re pre-soaked disposable paper masks that delivers concentrated skincare (usually serum) to the face. After freshly cleaning the face, the sheet mask is applied for approximately 15 minutes and the remaining serum is allowed to soak into the face, followed by regular moisturizer.  They’re an Asian beauty staple, and it used to be that I purchased mine exclusively online at sasa.com, but nowadays, with The Face Shop at our local shopping malls, and even drugstores carrying sheet masks, there are endless sources.

Here’s an overview of what’s in my current sheet mask stash – I won’t go too in-depth about each:
sheetmasks2
10x Face Shop Real Nature sheet masks @ $2 each.  They’re often on some sort of volume discount so I like to stock up.

Sheet masks galore, this way please