Review: Kiehl's 5 Sample Set or the Forehead Diaries 2

WARNING: PICTURE HEAVY

So as I said before, I passed by Kiehl's at Shangri-la Mall due to a post I saw over at animetrics. I went into the store and told and NR saleslady that I wanted to try their 5 minute consultation + sample set. The lady made me fill out a form, took two patch(?) tests - one for my forehead and one for my cheeks to tell my skin type - and gave me these five samples:

5 samples + form

 The entire thing took 2 minutes. Store experience: meh.

Now to procede with the review proper...

I originally wanted to post it on facebook for the contest but decided to put it here instead. No big products for me then :'(

In order of application:

Kiehl's Blue Herbal Gel Cleanser (Sample Size - Front)

Kiehl's Blue Herbal Gel Cleanser (Sample Size - Back)

The active ingredient of this product is 1.5% salicylic acid. It actually has this minty medicinal scent, due to the camphor and menthol, sort of like Salonpas. It's blue, and maybe since I'm scrimping, but it doesn't lather as well as most cleansers. I wouldn't exactly call it a gel because it runs almost like water. I like the "coolness" I smell with this cleanser, but it doesn't feel cool around anywhere except when i hit the sides of my mouth. I like that it doesn't leave my skin feeling dry afterwards - no stinging sensation even with the salicylic acid concentration. This is one of the products I liked in the set.

Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion (Sample Size - Front)

Kiehl's Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion (Sample Size - Back)

I think the water and alcohol are supposed to be the cleaners here? There is some witch hazel, which could help the skin, but it's written after the camphor and menthol. There is also Sodium PCA, which probably keeps it from being too harsh. This one is also blue and smells like Salonpas. This is a liquid, and tends to spill, so I might have lost most of it prematurely (I got only 5 washes :( ). It's not a fault of the product, it's mine and the packaging. But for some reason (and in addition to that), even with my usual application, I end up popping zits when I use this toner, so I'm not really fond of it.

Kiehl's Blue Herbal Moisturizer (Sample Size - Front)

Kiehl's Blue Herbal Moisturizer (Sample Size - Back)

The moisturizer had a milder same camphor - mint scent, but was actually a white-to-blue-grean-cream-to-gel. It absorbed easily into my skin and mattefied it a little bit. I didn't end up looking like an oil slick at noon, which is a plus (then again, my standards are rather low when it comes to moisturizers). While I think this would work as a great day moisturizer - in conjunction with sunblock (because it has salicylic acid!), for my oily skin, I feel that I need something else at night.

Acne Blemish Control Daily Skin- Clearing Treatment (Sample Size - Front)

Acne Blemish Control Daily Skin- Clearing Treatment (Sample Size - Back)

This was a white cream, and in fact was heaviest on the skin of the 5 samples -it doesn't really sink. Strangely enough, the smell reminds me of playing cards. While it didn't sting me for the first uses, one day, I felt the burn (sting) post-usage once -I used this twice a day before and reduced it to once a day after- and had no problems after that.

Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense (Sample Size - Front)

Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense (Sample Size - Back)

 I can't really write much about this. Why? The sample contained only 1.5 ml. Even with maximum scrimpage (sunblock is something I don't really scrimp on - even if i'm an intermittent user at best), I ended up having just enough for two doses (day use only). This sunblock wasn't greasy and it's formula is thinner than, say, Armada sunblock (but thicker than Kanebo or Shiseido). Because I do like to touch my face, I found that I could still feel it, but it didn't seem to break me out, but that could be due to the treatment.


The Forehead Diaries 2

In the beginning:

Day 0

There was some expected irritation (redness), but it went away very quickly and was less likely after each wash. No new zits the next day though.

Day 1

By Day 3, I had run out of both the toner and the sunblock. You can see that some of the zits have disappeared, some of the bigger ones bled out though. (A different camera was used here, sorry).

Day 3: without flash

With flash, you can see that the acne treatment does leave a bit of a whitish cast:

Day 3: with flash

Then, it began to sting and got a bit red post application. Acne treatment dialled back to once a day after. While I did see some improvement to the older scars in this area, just a bit farther a way, unseen, a new cluster popped up.

Day 4

And finally... on the last day.

Day 6

By this time I only had enough for one last wash and decided to end this round. Also, my pictures need refinement. I'm not sure if this is doing more harm than good because the pics don't really capture the real deal >.< wah. Might have to abort TFD for a while. Sads.

The Final Verdict

Though it did help heal existing pimple scars, it didn't really help prevent new ones from forming, so I wouldn't recommend using these 4? 3? products exclusively. If you had mild acne, these may be enough for you. Sadly, my face is suck.

The Cleanser: I think this would make a nice summer cleanser: It's a nice scent to smell when it's hot. And the non-irritating salicylic acid content is a plus for acne prone skin.

The Toner: Aside from the fact that I liked the smell of camphor-mint, it really didn't do much for me.

The Moisturizer: It was light, and the fact that it was dual purpose (with the same salicylic acid content) makes me think it's a possible day moisturizer.

The Treatment: This is probably a good bet for sensitive acne-prone skin since it doesn't sting or dry when used once a day. However, that probably means you'll probably see its effects only during the long term (whereas twice a day use will irritate your skin).

The Sunblock: What sunblock??

The biggest detriment to Kiehl's purchasing? The price. I'm pretty sure you could get something with salicylic acid for cheaper - but there is a bonus for buying such as scent, packaging, irritation and comedogenicity. If I had the money, I'd probably go for the cleanser and the moisturizer, but until then... goodbye Kiehl's sample!

Reading: Bridget Jones

I don't know what is it about Bridget Jones - maybe it's because she's such a mess? maybe because of Mr. Darcy? maybe because of the utter british-ness of it - but I love her diaries. Bridget Jones's Diary and its sequel Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason are must reads in chic lit.

For those who don't know, Bridget Jones is a more modern version of Pride and Prejudice, with a heroine you can relate to more than old-world Elizabeth Bennet. If you've watched the movies (with Colin Firth - THE Mr. Darcy), then you'd know how much more likeable Bridget is - and how much of a disaster.

It's hard to believe but I've found that she's a bigger, more interesting character in the books than in the movies, as are the others. Unlike the movie sequel, the book version is as interesting as its predecessor. If that's not enough, the second book mentions Colin Firth and his wet shirt!

I think Helen Fielding has successfully created one of the best contemporary pieces of chic lit I've ever read (I'd put P&P as one of the best classic one ;) ). I'd recommend this book for anyone with ovaries.

Secret Recipe at Shangri-la Mall

So yesterday I went over to Shangri-la Mall because I heard about a Kiehl's challenge over at Animetric's. That's gonna come later. I'm excited about it, but that has to wait!

Shangri-la Mall East Wing

 The new wing at Shangri-la Mall. It was actually a pretty nice shot until these two walked in. Haha.

TWG Coming Soon

 Hee. TWG is coming over to Orti. It's not looking as nice as the one over at Greenbelt, but it would be nice to have a tea place close by.

Shu Uemura - Shangri-la

 At Floor 2/3 -Is a Shu Uemura.

Kiehl's - Shangri-la

And a Kiehl's where I got my 5 free samples.

While waiting for some family members, I ended up waiting at Secret Recipe on the highest floor of the Mall and ordered an Americano with milk (P95 - according to munchpunch, it's called a Flat White).

Americano and Free Cake

 Apparently, you get a free slice of one of their cream cakes when you order a coffee hot or iced. Yay!

Coffee and Terry Pratchett

 I'm not a big fan of Terry Pratchett, but he is funny, especially his footnotes.

Chocolate Banana Cake

 The free slice, while by no means can be considered a sliver, is a little on the lean side. I don't know why I got a plastic fork with it, but it was yummy! :))

Americano

 I did like the foam art, along with the service: very prompt and very hospitable servers. I got a glass of iced water sometime while I was reading without prompting. The coffee went excellently with the cake.

Chocolate Banana Cake again

I would definitely buy this if it were a bit bigger :)) But I'd rather have it free with a coffee, even if it's a smaller slice.

Would I return? Definitely yes, if I ever had to wait for someone at Shangri-la, or any other mall with a branch as long as they had this promo and I had a good book.


Secret Recipe is at the 5th floor of Shangri-la Mall.

Review: Kojie San Kojic Acid Soap

Note: This post has been edited on 04/11/2015 with additional information and pictures.

I've been using Kojie San on and off for the past 5 years. I've only used this brand because in the past, it was difficult to find a mainstream brand of kojic acid. When I last went to Watsons, it was the only soap that listed kojic acid as the first ingredient.

While the picture below shows the Kojie San soap for P50, I've previously bought the bigger versions for cheaper at P120 for 3.

Kojie San Whitening Soap

In the back, you can see the expiration date quite easily, along with the ingredients list. I find the box quite strange.

Ingredients: Kojic Acid, Sweet Orange, VCO, Glycerine, Vegetable Extract and Vitamin C.

As you can see, Kojic acid is really what you get when you buy this product, the sweet orange probably acting as a preservative for this product. It also acts as a pleasant orange scent for the duration of application. It washes of quite easily, so don't be afraid to use a second wash or lotion after it.

 For those who don't know, here's a bit about kojic acid: it's an acid that's capable of inhibiting melanin, or dark spots, on the skin. It's antibacterial, but its safety has been determined at concentrations of 1%, and any further use can cause sensitivity. Unfortunately, kojic acid at that level won't cause any skin lightening. It is not considered to be carcinogenic.

Kojie San Soap Box Ingredients

I've found that this product, is very good at cleaning the face and skin: I've found that even a henna tattoo stays on half as long when I use kojic acid. Long term use leads to increased succeptibility to minor cuts and abrasions, probably due to increased skin fragility. However, short term use is already irritating on sensitive areas such as the face and groin so it's best to wash it of as quickly as possible after lathering it on these places. It's fine on the thicker parts of my skin. Also, while my face gets a bit red if I leave it on longer than a few seconds, I don't break out from it.

On another note, a lot of leave-on kojic acid products are currently in the Philippine market. I'm not comfortable leaving something like this on my skin though.

Tips:  Don't use this product more than once a day, and moisturize straight after. You might feel a stinging sensation right after application, due to the fact that you are peeling your skin.  Thus, you should use a sunblock religiously if you decide to use this or any other peeling/whitening product.

Kojie San Kojic Acid Soap

While I don't have much experience with whitening products, I've noticed that using this soap has kept me from darkening during summer, as compared to when I use other, non-whitening soaps. I tend to use a bar of this every summer just to keep from changing my skin color. I also end up using a bar of this every 4 months, especially when my face is breaking out severely (due to its antibacterial properties - trying to control the bacterial spread of P. acnes). However, using this for too long will actually irritate my face even more so I tend to stop after 2 weeks and finish the bar for just my body. I have found that it does lighten my acne scars, though slowly compared to chemical peels from my dermatologist.

How does this compare with other whitening products? It doesn't work as well as hydroquinone but better than, though more harsh than papaya soap.

What I dislike most about this soap is that it melts easily! I used to cut a bar in half to keep it from melting quite so quickly. I buy the smaller versions if I'm too lazy to cut. Keep it away from possible sources of water and it will last around 4 weeks of heavy use.

Let's recap.

Yays

• antibacterial - may help control acne
• cleaning
• whitening - effect on both normal skin and post-acne scars
• inexpensive

Nays

• can be irritating (drying or stinging)
• melts easily
• Not for long term use

Hays

• Do not leave on sensitive areas for more than a few seconds
• Use a moisturizer after
• Use a sunblock after

Okays

• Those interested in skin whitening
• Those who are acne prone should check for a reaction first
• Not for sensitive skin

Buy Again? Yes. Unless I get a definitive report I'll probably continue purchasing this product. I'd switch if I found a cheaper one with near the same ingredient list though.

It's a long weekend for me! This Monday, aside from the Starbucks promo, CBTL also has a special treat for Swirl Card holders: Get half of the Moroccan Mint Tea Latte from 3-5 pm as the last of their Thank You for 50 promos.

I'm kind of torn as to which one I'll probably get...

Happy weekend everyone!
-SS