vitamin C Archive | Berries in the Snow

Review: Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum

9. November 2018

//AD / PR SAMPLE / SKINCARE //

Long time, no Vitamin C Serum Review! But today it is time for a new Vitamin C Serum I have in use these days, the Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum.

Dermalogica is an American Personal Care company and their products are sold in more than 80 countries all over the world. that means that it is quite likely, that you have heard of this brand before.

Vitamin C

Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) is always good to have in your skincare routine. I have tried a couple of serums in the past (check >>here<<). Vitamin C is an antioxidant and thus can prevent our skin from aging too early and from sun-damage. A high concentration of Vitamin C doesn’t mean automatically that it is more effective concerning anti-aging. Normally, a high concentration of Vitamin C aims at a visible effect, because it tends to operate as a chemical peeling by loosening dead and old cells. This is not a bad effect and stimulates the skin to regenerate itself, but keep in mind that it won’t affect the inner cell layers of your skin which have to be aimed if you really want an anti-aging effect. The thing about Vitamin C is, that it oxidizes with time, and you have to use it up very quickly. You will see as the color of some serums will get more yellowish with time. A possibility to prevent the vitamin C from oxidizing is to stabilize it with ferulic acid or vitamin E or use derivates. The Dermalogica Biolumin C Serum uses the approach of an ultra-stable Vitamin C Complex.

According to the description that you find on the cardboard box of the product it says that the Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum is a high-performance serum that enhances the skin’s natural defense system. It acts brightening, firming and reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Additionally, it is combined with AHA and peptide in enhancing its positive effects on the skin.

The cardboard box also lists the ingredients of the serum on one side.

Water/Aqua/Eau, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Lactic Acid, Salvia Hispanica (Chia) Seed Extract, Sodium PCA, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sophora Japonica Flower Extract, Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tocopherol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Aminopropyl Ascorbyl Phosphate, Trehalose, Polyacrylate-13, Propanediol, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Polyisobutene, Methylpropanediol, Carrageenan, Pentylene Glycol, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Limonene, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol

The AHA used in the serum is Lactic Acid. You can also see how Vitamin C derivates have been combined with Vitamin E (Tocopherol). The product is free from paraben, sulfate, alcohol, and silicone. Also, it contains Hyaluronic Acid for hydration. Since it contains active ingredients that chemically peel your skin you should keep in mind to use sunscreen during day. This is also noted on the packaging information. I used the serum during my night routine, and yet I use sunscreen during the day.

The serum comes in a bottle with a dropper as a cap. The bottle is opaque, which is great in case of Vitamin C. The bottle is made of glass by the way and seems to be sturdy.

Upon opening you see that the serum has a milky texture with a light yellowish color. It has an orange scent, which is not very intense or heavy. The serum has a smooth feeling upon application and feels hydrating, too. It sinks quickly into the skin and leaves a tiny bit of tackiness.

I used the serum every night for the last 3 weeks. I enjoyed using it and I had no negative experience regarding texture or irritated skin. The Dermalogica Biolumin-C Serum works well with other products that are applied below or above the serum. I cannot say how it will work in combination with any makeup product though. What I definitely see is, that my skin is appearing more smooth and that my makeup gets less flakey these days. This is probably thanks to the combination of the AHA and VitaminC/E. I didn’t notice any big changes regarding wrinkles, but I don’t have very prominent ones either. I can confirm though, that the skin feels more glowy and plump.

The Dermalogica Biolumon-C Serum was a positive surprise for me. It works nicely and combines some great and effective ingredients. I’m not sure, whether it will replace my all-time-favorite, the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop. Especially, since this serum is way pricier.

You can get the serum for 89€ from Dermalogica.

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Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by https://www.brandsyoulove.de which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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asian cosmetics beauty Eopenmarket PR Sample review

Review: Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum & Snail Repair Advanced 91 Serum

3. December 2017

// PR SAMPLE / SKINCARE / KBEAUTY //

I’m always up for new skin care products and I love especially trying new serums. Some of my favorite key ingredients are vitamin C and snail secretion filtrate. A while ago I received two serums containing exactly these two ingredients: the Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum and the Purito Snail Repair Advanced 91 Serum from Eopenmarket for reviewing purpose. I have tested these two products thoroughly the last weeks and here is my verdict regarding these two products. Additionally, there will be a giveaway on my Instagram account, where you can win both products!

Purito is a rather young Korean brand with cruelty-free and 10-free skin care products. The products are free from paraben, ethanol, surfactants, artificial coloring, fragrance, triethanolamine, phthalein, triclosan, petrochemicals, benzoyl peroxide.

Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum

The Purito Pure Vitamin C Serum is directed towards anti-aging and prevents the formation of new wrinkles as well. It is highly moisturizing containing almost 90% of hyaluronic acid. 10% of the serum is ascorbic acid (Vitamin C). Vitamin C is always good to have in your skincare routine. I have tried a couple of serums in the past (check >>here<<). Vitamin C is an antioxidant and thus can prevent our skin from aging too early and from sun-damage. A high concentration of Vitamin C doesn’t mean automatically that it is more effective concerning anti-aging. Normally, a high concentration of Vitamin C aims at a visible effect, because it tends to operate as a chemical peeling by loosening dead and old cells. This is not a bad effect and stimulates the skin to regenerate itself, but keep in mind that it won’t affect the inner cell layers of your skin which have to be aimed if you really want an anti-aging effect. With 10 % vitamin C in this serum this serum lies between the OST C20 serum and the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop. The thing about Vitamin C is, that it oxidizes with time, and you have to use it up very quickly. You will see as the color of the serum will get more yellowish with time. A possibility to prevent the vitamin C from oxidizing is to stabilize it with ferulic acid or vitamin E or use derivates.

If you look at the ingredients list of this serum you will see that the ascorbic acid is not stabilized, so the only way is, to store it in a dark and cool place and use it up quickly, once opened.

ingredients: Sodium Hyaluronate (84%), Ascorbic Acid (10%), 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Arginine, Human-Oligopeptide-1, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Nelumbium Speciosum Flower Extract, Magnolia Liliflora Bude Extract, Lilium Tigrinum Extract, Paeonia Albiflora Root Extract, Tuber Magnatum Extract, Pyrus Malus Extract, Red Ginseng Extract, Sodium Polyacrylate, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA

You can check for the properties of the single ingredients via Skincarisma. Ascorbic Acid and Niacinamide have brightening and anti-aging properties, and also arginine is directed towards anti-aging. The ingredients are also listed on COSDNA.

As you can see my serum already started to get darker in color and it is time to throw it out. Yet when I opened it up newly it already had a light yellow tint. The serum is a quite runny formula despite being a serum and it feels very moist and hydrating on the skin. It has no specific fragranced scent either. Once applied it will dry down after a while. At first, it will still have a slightly tacky residue, which disappears after some time without a trace. I don’t have any before and after pictures of my skin, because I use a combination of many products which affect each other. But this serum definitely makes the skin feel softer!

Purito Snail Repair Advanced 91 Serum

The second serum from Purito is the Snail Repair Advanced 91 Serum and as the name says, this serum contains 91% of snail secretion ferment. Snail Mucus claims to be rich in hyaluronic acid and antioxidants and thus help our skin to regenerate stimulating the formation of collagen, elastin and dermal components that repair the signs of photoaging. Also, it claims to minimize the damage generated by free radicals that are responsible for premature skin aging (there is a Wikipedia entry for snail mucus, too). The snail mucus is not obtained by harming the snails, but it is collected is so-called snail farms.

The ingredients are also listed on the cardboard packaging:

ingredients: Saccharomyces/Snail Secretaion Ferment Filtrate (91%), Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Betaine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Allantonin, sh-Oligopeptide-1, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Pyrus Malus Fruit Extract, Cucumus Sativus Fruit Extract, Camelia Sinsensis LEaf Extract, Adenosine, Disodium EDTA, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Citrus Limon Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcus Oil, Cananga

You can check out the properties of the single ingredients via Skincarisma or COSDNA. The Purito Snail Repair Advanced 91 Serum contains more ingredients than the Vitamin C Serum, but mostly plant-based extracts and oils. Again, because of the oils added people with sensitive skintypes should be aware of potential reactions.

The serum has a clear color and feels a bit tackier upon application. But also here the product absorbs without traces after a while. This serum is free from any fragrance, too, and feels calming on the skin. I love using anything that contains snail secretion on irritated skin and troubles. I feel they help to reduce redness and irritations.

I’m really happy with both serums, although, I would wish that the Vitamin C in the first serum would be stabilized to make it last longer. I like the short and mainly plant-based ingredients lists and the fact that the products are free from 10 unwanted chemicals. Additionally, it is a plus that the brand is cruelty-free. On top, the price for the serums is super affordable with only 10.31US$!

If you are curious about these two serums you have the chance to win both of them on my Instagram account! Feel free to enter :)

Have you heard of Purito? And what serums are you using in your skincare routine?

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Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by http://eopenmarket.com which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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asian cosmetics beauty PR Sample review Wishtrend

Review: Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop

7. December 2015

// PSR SAMPLE / SKINCARE / KBEAUTY //

I’ve mentioned a couple of times that I love including vitamin C serum in my skincare routine. I’ve tried a couple of them already, but Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop was not on my list yet. I was very happy, that Wishtrend asked me whether I wanted to try this rather newly launched vitamin C serum because I’ve been very happy with all of the Klairs products I tried so far. Let’s see how the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Serum performs!

Klairs is a Korean brand sold on Wishtrend. It is eco-friendly, claiming to produce products which are animal-testing-free, alcohol-free, paraben-free, and artificial-color-free. Their products address people with sensitive skin and people who want to moisturize their skin. I reviewed some of their products before, like the Klairs Illuminating Supple BB Cream or the Klairs Gentle Black Cleansing Combo, which both convinced me in their effects. I also did like the Klairs Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner, which by the way has been updated and improved recently to a larger volume and more moisturizing ingredients. But let us return to the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop for this post.

Klairs is known for very simple packaging design, reminding me of the brand Kiehl’s for example. compared to the other products the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Serum has not just a simple black and white packaging but has imprinted a holographic illustration of the bottle on the cardboard box. I really love how colorful the packaging is, depending on where the light shines on it. And yet, the packaging design is clean like we are used to from this brand. The vitamin C serum comes in a clear, thick plastic bottle with a dropper…WAIT?! What? A clear bottle for a vitamin C serum?! But we know that vitamin C oxidizes with sunlight exposure. This is the reason while a serum like C20 is packed in a brown glass bottle! A closer look at the bottle reveals the sentence: “Hybrid Stabilization Technology”. It seems the ascorbic acid used in this serum is stabilized and thus not so prone towards oxidization according to Klairs. I know that ways to stabilize vitamin C are ferulic acid or vitamin E. Both of these are not included in the ingredient list as far as I can tell. Another way to have stabilized vitamin C is to use derivates. I see that the ingredient list contains also Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, which is a stable and water-soluble derivate of ascorbic acid. Nevertheless, I still do not know how they manage to stabilize the ascorbic acid listed as the third ingredient in the list. The product description it is stated that you should keep the product cool, dry and avoid its exposure to sunlight.…okay, why don’t they just make the bottle darker then?! Maybe because of the content of only 5% of vitamin C the effect of whether vitamin C is still stable or already oxidized is too small to feel the difference? I don’t know to be honest. I would recommend you store it in a dark place or simply inside the cardboard box anyways…

Compared to 20 % vitamin C which you can find in OST C20 Vitamin C serum 5 % sounds like nothing. So what is the advantage of using a higher dose of vitamin C in your serum? Vitamin C is an antioxidant and thus can prevent our skin from aging too early and from sun-damage. A high concentration of Vitamin C doesn’t mean automatically that it is more effective concerning anti-aging. Normally, a high concentration of Vitamin C aims at a visible effect, because it tends to operate as a chemical peeling by loosening dead and old cells. This is not a bad effect and stimulates the skin to regenerate itself, but keep in mind that it won’t affect the inner cell layers of your skin which have to be aimed if you really want an anti-aging effect. I know that for many the C20 Vitamin C serum with its high concentration is to harsh on the skin. With 5 % vitamin C serum you won’t have any problems with using it on sensitive skin, but you also won’t have the effect of regenerating skin. The benefit of the Klairs lies much more in the combination of all the ingredients together. You can check out the ingredients on COSDNA. The second key ingredient of Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop is that vitamin C is paired with Centella Asiatica extract. Centella Asiatica extract has various benefits since it has anti-bacterial, smoothing and soothing properties. Triterpenes are one of the key compounds within the Centella Asiatica extract. They stimulate the synthesis of collagen and fibronectin with the skin cells. One of the subgroups of the triterpenes (madesaddoside) has shown positive effects on wrinkles and sun-damaged skin in combination with vitamin C. Apart from these two key ingredients you will find a bunch of other plant extracts with different moisturizing and anti-bacterial properties, which round up the formula of this serum.

The included dropper makes it easy to use the product. The serum has a clear color and is slightly runnier than oil. Unlike the C20 serums, this vitamin C serum doesn’t feel like water either but has a similarity to light oil or ampoule. When you distribute it on your face it has a smooth feeling. Additionally, the serum also has kind of a warming effect on the skin. I was really surprised about the formula, because it really reminded me of facial oil first, but didn’t make the face look greasy. It gives your skin a nice glow though. The scent is a citrus-herbal-lavender scent to me, but it is not overpowering.

Since I didn’t use it for a long time yet, I cannot show you any long-term effects, but even if I could I think you would not see much of a difference because my skin has been in a good condition for quite a while now. I can say for sure that it is much milder than the C20 vitamin C serums, yet, on the other hand, I don’t think that you can call this a pure vitamin C serum because of the low concentration. The main reason why this serum is great and probably efficient for many is the combination of the ingredients and especially the combination of vitamin C with Centella Asiatica extract.

I’m really fond of Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop because of the mild and pleasant formula and the benefits it combines by the combination of the two key ingredients vitamin C and Centella Asiatica. If you have sensitive skin I definitively recommend you this over the C20 serums, but if you are looking for a chemical peeling effect and quick renewing of your skin I still say that the C20 serums are better suited. I’d rather call the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin C Serum not a pure Vitamin C serum. It is more a great combination serum of a bunch of great ingredients with nice long-term effects. You could call it a cell-renew serum or something like this, but it is totally worth a try! You can get the Klairs Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop on Wishtrend for 23.00 US$. Don’t forget to check out the Wishtrend monthly vouchers in order to save some money on your order and get freebies. Also, if you are interested in Vitamin C serums, here is a list of my past reviews:

OST C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum

OST Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum

Tunemakers VC3 Vitamin C Derivate

Maple Holistics Vitamin C Serum

Which is your favorite Vitamin C Serum so far?

Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by http://www.wishtrend.com/ which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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beauty MapleHolistics PR Sample review

Review: MapleHolistics Natural Beauty Products

14. October 2015

I’m so sorry for the being absent in the last couple of days…or weeks, but today I’m back with a new review! :) Actually, here are 3 reviews I will be discussing in this post, all of them dedicated to a couple of really awesome MapleHolistics Natural Beauty Products. It could be especially interesting for those of you looking for products with a short ingredients list consisting only on the necessary…and of course for all of you who love natural beauty products! Upon request by MapleHolistics I was allowed to choose products of interest and they were so kind to send me all the products I was interested in, which were a argan shampoo and conditioner and a vitamin C serum. They were so kind, that they even included a lip balm on top! Since I really do like all of the products and I’ve been testing them very thoroughly I can really recommend you to keep on reading and maybe also take a look at the range of products by MapleHolistics.

MapleHolistics is a US based beauty company that has been around for the past few years. They develop and manufacture their own all natural cosmetics, which is also animal cruelty free, and focus mainly on shampoos and conditioners. Nevertheless, you will spot some skincare and bath and body products on their web page, too. I decided to do a review about the Argan Oil Shampoo and the Argan Oil Conditioner. Argan Oil is one of my favorite haircare ingredients, since it makes my hair less frizzy and manageable. I love the Argan oil products from Confume, for example and I’m using them almost daily. I also chose the Vitamin C Serum by MapleHolistics. I was drawn to this serum by the short and really good ingredients lists here. And last but not least I received a Acai Berry Lip Balm on top.

I’ll start of with the Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner: MapleHolistics Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner is designed for men and women. It comes in a red plastic bottle with a simple design. Some illustrations on the label make it still look appealing. Since the bottle of the shampoo and the conditioner is both red, the difference of the two products lies in the color of the label, which is red/brownish for the shampoo and white in case of the conditioner. Also the consistency of the products is different: The shampoo is more runny and has a milky color whereas the conditioner is a white balm product. The scent of the Argan Oil Shampoo and the Conditioner is very subtle and not heavily perfumed at all. In order to dispense the shampoo you can press the cap. This kind of bottle is convenient if you are traveling.

All the MapleHolistics Natural Beauty Products I received came with a information card. The card lists the effect of the key ingredients, but there is a full ingredients list on the label of the bottles, too. Here are the key ingredients of the shampoo as listed on the web page of MapleHolistics:

Argan: Also known as ‘Moroccan Oil’ and one of the rarest oils in the world, argan helps supply shine and a healthy look to hair with its abundance of vitamin E, carotene and essential fatty acids.

Peach Kernel: Contributes valuable regenerative and moisturizing properties, and is great for sensitive skin.

Jojoba: As it closely resembles sebum naturally produced by the scalp, jojoba is one of the skincare industry’s most favored ingredients and has a host of therapeutic properties.

Avocado: Enriches the formula with its high vitamin content, which includes vitamins A, B1, B2, D, and E.

Camellia Seed: Nourishes the complexion and helps condition the scalp, while providing healthy antioxidants to rejuvenate hair and scalp alike.

Almond: An excellent moisturizer,which is rich in proteins, olein glyceride, linoleic acid and vitamin D to help soothe dry and irritated areas on the scalp.

Botanical Keratin: Keratin is a family of fibrous structural proteins, which contribute to the composition of hair. As it is essential to hair’s formation, insufficient quantities of keratin may be a contributing factor to having frizzy and unmanageable hair. This naturally derived ingredient helps to replenish the ideal keratin content for strong, durable hair.

Honey and Vanilla: With their light and sweet fragrances, these ingredients enrich the formula for a balanced and soothing experience.

The Argan Oil Conditioner has these key ingredients listed additionally, apart from Argan Oil and Jojoba Oil

Shea Butter and Green Tea: These helpful ingredients are fast-absorbing and commit moisturizing qualities to dry and delicate hair strands. Shea butter, in particular, contains vitamins A and E, making it an excellent natural moisturizer for the hair. It locks in moisture without leaving the hair greasy or heavy. Green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which strengthens hair roots, activates hair follicles and promotes hair growth.

Pomegranate, Hibiscus and Sea Buckthorn: Certified blend assists in repairing damaged hair follicles to revitalize healthy, flowing hair. Pomegranate contains ellagic acid, which prevents the moisture in the hair from drying out. Hibiscus (“the flower of hair care”) helps prevent dryness, dullness, and hair damage. It also prevents problems like dandruff, split ends, and premature graying. Sea buckthorn, on the other hand, contains high levels of Omega 3, 6, 7, and 9, as well as vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K that promote healthy skin and hair.

Both products work great on my hair and although the Argan Oil Shampoo is sulphate free it leathers up really nicely and generates a soft foam. Furthermore my hair does not feel dry after using these two, which is my main concern with other sulphate free shampoos. The hair is shiny and I can comb it easily even while it is still wet. I definitively like this shampoo and conditioner and it is worth to have a look at it, if you are on the look for a sulphate free shampoo at the moment. The bottles contain 8 oz and retail for 12.97 US$ for the shampoo and 7.89 US$ for the conditioner. It is probably more expansive than a lot of drug store hair products, but after all I think it is worth it.

The next product I tried and really enjoyed using it the MapleHolistics Vitamin C Anti-Aging Serum. You know I love the O.S.T Vitamin C Serum and I repurchased it a couple of times already, but this one impressed me because of its mild formula and short ingredients list. If both versions of the O.S.T C20 Vitamin C serum are too strong for your skin I can recommend you to check out this Vitamin C Serum instead. Like all the Vitamin C serums I tried so far it comes in a brown glass bottle with a pipette attached to the cap. The liquid is almost clear with a slight yellowish tint. Unlike the Vitamin C serum from C20 this one doesn’t have the same watery texture, but a more serum-like, thicker texture which feels very soft upon applying it to the skin. Moreover, it has almost no scent. It absorbs fast without stickiness and works well with other products. Nevertheless, I always wait a couple of minutes after applying any vitamin C serum before I continue with the other skincare steps. The ingredients list is short and contains these ingredients:

Water, Vitamin C (Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate), Vegetable Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Vitamin E Acetate, Retinyl Palmitate, Ferulic Acid, Algae Extract, Pullulan Xanthan Gum, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Glyceryl Caprylate

So this serum contains not only Vitamin C, but also Vitamin A and E, plus hyaluronic acid and quite important Ferulic Acid to stabilize the Vitamin C. Really a lovely ingredient list! My skin didn’t react to this serum and I’ve been testing it for a month now. Definitively a very good serum! The bottle contains 30 ml and and retails for 11.77 US$ which is affordable compared to other Vitamin C serums.

Lastly, here is my impression on the Acai Berry Natural Lip Balm by MapleHolistics. This is a solid, but simple lip balm consisting mainly of Shea butter, coconut oil, cocoa butter and sunflower seed oil. Vitamin E and Aloe leaf extract give some extra moisture and nutrition to your lips. It has a fruity-sweet scent reminding of berries and does a good job in hydrating the lips. Moreover, it comes in this bullet shape and is more hygienic than lip balms which come in containers where you have to use your finger. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find it in the shop, but this lip balm contains 4.25 g in total. It was really a nice surprise to receive this and I’m using it daily and I’m totally happy about it, too!

Although I didn’t know MapleHolistics before I’m very pleased and positively surprised about the MApleHolistics Natural Beauty Products. I liked all three of them and I can recommend you to check out their products if you have the chance. There is also the possibility to check out http://www.mapleholistics.com/free-products/ in order to get your hand on a free product. Moreover, I wanted to point out that their blogger connection is being sponsored by edumuch.com. Last but not least, I hope you accept my apologies for my rare postings in the last days, but I promise there will be a bunch of new reviews within the next time. ♥

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advertorial other Wishtrend

Wishtrend September 2015 Coupons

3. September 2015

Summer has passed and the season of autumn has started, and as with every new month I have the Wishtrend Coupons for September for you. You can use these new Wishtrend coupons and gifts for your shopping experience at Wishtrend. If you don’t know Wishtrend, but love Korean or Asian cosmetics and skincare products I can recommend you to check out their online shop, especially for one of my favorite products, the O.S.T. Vitamin C Serum. You’ll also find some products sold at Wishtrend on my Top 20 favourite product list for 2014, like the Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil. Also, they have listed brands like COSRX, Tosowoong and Mizon. You can find a list of all the products I reviewed from Wishtrend at the bottom of this post. Furthermore, they have really a great affiliate program for blogger and I can advice you to join it if you are one. Here are the Wishtrend coupon codes for September:

As usual, I’ll start off with the 5 Us$ referral coupon you can receive if you are a new customer. The principle is easy as this: If you use my invitation code 17939205 upon registration you’ll receive a 5 US$ voucher immediately. There will be a specific field in your registration form called “friends invitation program” where you can put the code mentioned above. This way new customers can get 5 US$ off, which is a great to save some money on your first order.

Second, there is also a 10% discount Wishtrend coupon available for August. Below, you’ll find the coupon code for this:

Coupon Code: WISHSEP2015
Requirement 1: Shopping cart order must be 55 US$ and over to be able to use the 10% off coupon
Requirement 2: Coupon code cannot be combined with any other discount or voucher code.
Only valid until the end of September 2015

The second promotion code is a special gift you will receive by using the code below. The voucher is valid on ANY orders at Wishtrend! I’m really excited about this months free sample, since you will receive in addition to the usual free samples a free C21.5 Mask Sheet (2.50 US$ value).

Voucher Code: WISHGIFTSEP2015
ANY ORDER
Only valid until the end of September 2015

I would advice you to check out their “Free Shipping Area”, so you don’t have to spend the saved money for shipping costs. They have quite some nice items available there, changing from time to time. At the moment they are providing the OST Vitamin C serum for 14.99 US$ in their free shipping zone!

I did a couple of reviews on various Wishtrend products in the past. You might like to check these out, if you are interested in purchasing these:

Lailly 7 Seconds Make-Up Booster

Pongdang Mulbit Glow BB Cushion

COSRX BHA Summer Pore Minish Serum

COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Toner

I’m from Honey Mask

Boutique Bebe Hair Salon Protein Treatment

COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch

ElsihaCoy Aloe & Lavender Mask Sheet

Berrisom My Lip Tint Pack and Lip Tint Cleanser

OST C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum

Confume Argan Treatment Oil

Pongdang Donkey Milk Emulsion

Klairs Rescue Moisture Kit Part 1 and 2

Berrisom My Lip Tint Pack

CareLab Powerful Pudding Mask

Klairs Gentle Black Deep Oil Cleanser and Sugar Facial Polish

Rojukiss Multi Vita Cleansing Powder

Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Sheet Mask

Damoae Therapy Shampoo and Tonic

Skinmiso Rice Foam Cleanser

Klairs Illuminating Supple BB Cream

O.S.T. Pure Vitamin C20 Serum

Wish Formula Panda Eye Essence Mask

ONL Saladit Essential Juice Sheet Masks

Do you have any favourite item from Wishtrend? What would you love to try from their products?

Wishtrend June 2015 Promotions

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asian cosmetics beauty PR Sample review Wishtrend

Review: OST C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum

18. March 2015

You may know that one of my favourite products from Wishtrend is the OST Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum. I reviewed it previously, but I didn’t have any before and after pictures. Nevertheless, I was really impressed how the serum changed my skin and made it so much better in various aspects. When I saw that there was a new version of this I was most excited to try this new OST C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum. And, as you might guess I had high expectations for this serum. Could it hold up to them?

The brand OST or C20 is best known for the popular OST Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum in it’s signature orange packaging and the brown bottle. This serum is highly effective in terms of using the peeling ability of ascorbic acid in order to improve the skin condition. Despite being effective, it had some minor cons, for example it was very sticky, it was too aggresive for people with sensitive skin and it contained some artificial ingredients. The new OST C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum has a completelly different ingredient list and as the name says, the amount of vitamin C serum has been increased, too. The original serum contained 20 % of Vitamin C whereas in the new formula you will have 21.5 %. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and thus can prevent our skin from aging too early. The content of Vitamin C in both serums compared to other vitamin C containing products is rather high. It contains 20 % (21.5 %) Vitamin C. You have to know that a high concentration of Vitamin C doesn’t mean automatically that it is more effective concerning anti-aging. Normally, a high concentration of Vitamin C aims at a visible effect, because it tends to operate as a peeling by loosening dead and old cells. This is not a bad effect and stimulates the skin to regenerate itself, but keep in mind that it won’t affect the inner cell layers of your skin which have to be aimed if you really want an anti-aging effect.

As with the previous serum the cardboard box comes with a lot of description in Korean and in English. It is very detailled in how to use it and what precautions to take. The new serum has even more details in English, than the previous packaging. The ingredient list of the new formula is very short. You can look them up on COSDNA and you’ll discover that the ingredients are safe to use and that there is no artificial ingredient either. The ingredients of the old serum were safe to use, too, but the list of substances is much longer as you can look up >>here<<. Since both products contain Vitamin C they have to be stored in a cool place. They also do have to be protected from sunlight, in order to prevent the vitamin C from oxidizing. When I received the product the manufacturing date was really fresh, which is important for vitamin c products, too, because they have a short shelf life. Usually, I would recommend you to use it up as quickly as possible after opening.

You will find more information and detailled description about the serum on Wishtrend, too. The signature orange cardboard box contains a brown glass bottle and a separately packed dropper. You can simply exchange the lid of the bottle with the dropper after opening.

The dropper makes it very easy to take out the watery and runny product. The OST C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum has a clear color, which is also a sign that the vitamin C serum is fresh. If it turns yellow the vitamin in the bottle has started to oxidize. The scent of the product reminds me a bit of oranges, but with a different scent combined, which I cannot figure out. The scent is not strong and doesn’t linger on the skin, so it doesn’t matter anyways.

I’ve been using the OST C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum for 3 weeks now in the evening and on most days in the morning, too. When used during daytime keep in mind to use a sunblock, too! Below you can see how the serum effected my skin.

I had some redness, when I started to use the serum. After 3 weeks the pictures show that the redness has decreased and I could feel that my skin is smoothened. Apart from this I didn’t experience any changes in my skin structure. I used this serum in combination with the Klairs Moisture Rescue Kit I reviewed previously. I used it after the Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner and the Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Serum and before putting the Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Cream. Sometimes I mixed the cream with a few drops of the vitamin C serum instead. The Klairs products may have contributed in reducing redness, too. The OST C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum is definitively less sticky than the old formula, but it is still a bit sticky, which is why I still like it better mixed with some other product.

Did the new OST C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum fulfill my expectations? I’m not sure. Somehow I have the feeling that the old formula was more effective. I remember with the old formula, that I felt a stinging experience the first times I used it. I didn’t have any feeling like this for the new formula. Maybe, this new formula is better suited to sensitive skintypes than the old one. I could observe a decreased redness in my face, but I cannot assure that it is only due to the new vitamin C serum, but it will be a combination of my skincare routine as a whole. Maybe if I repurchased this serum I would go for the old version, just because I had the feeling it worked better for me (and to confirm my observation). I can recommend you to try this new formula of the C20 if you were unhappy with the previous ingredients. This formula is almost completely different and doesn’t contains any parabens or other artificial ingredients. It doesn’t contain alcohol either. The old formula does have some cons, like the extreme stickiness and the ingredients, but I would not claim that the new formula shows better results, even with a higher concentration of vitamin C. Both serum, the old and the new version can be purchased at Wishtrend. The old OST Original Pure Vitamin C20 comes with free shipping and retails for 14.99 US$ at the moment, which is really affordable for a vitamin C serum. The new OST C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum retails for 24.99 US$. Both bottles contain 30 ml. I made a post about the promotions from Wishtrend for March >>here<<. Also, keep in mind their friend-referral program: You can receive a 5 Us$ referral coupon if you use my invitation code 17939205 upon registration and you’ll receive this voucher immediately. There will be a specific field in your registration form called “friends invitation program” where you can put the code mentioned above. This way new customers can safe 5 US$ which is a great possibility to safe some money.

I shared this post with the Asian Beauty Blog Link Party! Feel free to check out the beautiful reviews presented in their threads:

Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by www.wishtrend.com, which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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Review: Tunemakers VC3 Vitamin C Derivate

20. September 2014

A while ago I reviewed the Tunemakers Original Moisture Lotion (a Japanese toner) I’m using currently, and – as I mentioned back then- I use it together with a serum called Tunemakers VC3 Vitamin C Derivate Serum. Both items have been provided by Beautystar, a new online shop for some Japanese beauty products which are harder to get for people living outside of Japan. If you want to have soft skin and don’t use products with a long ingredients list but with natural ingredients mainly these two products are a perfect combination which I can recommend to you anytime. Keep on reading if you want to read more about it :)

Tunemakers is a Japanese brand, which seems to be featured in a lot of Japanese magazines…unfortunately the brands site is in Japanese only, but according to Beautystar’s describtion, Tunemakers was born through the wish of a lot of people for skincare products which contain ingredients which are part of the skin. I think this means, the use of raw ingredients in a good concentration to be absorbed by the skin and yet have the best possible effect. Tunemakers VC3 Vitamine C Derivate serum is formulated, as you can say from the name, from a vitamine C derivate for skin conditioning. It can fix the balance of oil and moisture in skin, and leads to glistening and smooth skin according to the product description. The ingredients list is again – like for the Tunemakers Lotion- very short and contains safe ingredients only: water, BG, ascorbyl phosphate Mg, hydrogenated lecithin, citric acid Na, PEG-100 hydrogenated castor oil, dihydro correspondent-20, Toriokutanoin, citric acid, cholesterol, tocopherol acetate, methyl paraben. You can look up the ingredients on COSDNA >>here<<.

This tiny bottle is made of brown glass, like the Tunemakers Lotion, and prevents the content from light in this way. Nevertheless, since it is real glass you have to be careful not to drop it. The design looks again like the old bottles in pharmacies. I personally like it, but maybe some of you will consider this boring… The cap can be winded on the bottle tightly, too, to prevent oxidization. The opening of the bottle has a dripping nozzle, so you can get out the product dropwise…according to the product description it is advised to use 2 drops in the morning and two in the evening. In this way the bottle should last you last less than two months…I was sometimes a bit unpatient with the nozzle and I ended up with more drops on my hands than the two drops, but still after 4 weeks I have still serum left in the bottle.

The serum is a watery milky colored liquid which is scentless. After a while of using the product you’ll see some white powder on the winding of the bottle. Don’t worry about this, because it is only the dried vitamin C powder. The VC3 derivate is a stabilized vitamine C derivate matched with a derivate of phosphoric acid in high stability. In order to guarantee the stability it is based on capsular lecithin. Other than the O.S.T. Vitamine C Serum, this serum doesn’t change it’s color because of oxidization or anything and doesn’t have to be used up super quickly...but the concentration of the vitamin C in this serum is also less than in the O.S.T. vitamin C serum and thus the effect of these two serums is quite different. As a huge fan of the O.S.T. Vitamin C serum I certainly want to compare these two vitamin C serums and I came to the conclusion that both are good in their own ways. The Tunemakers VC3 Serum makes your skin as promised smooth. Especially in combination with the lotion the skin feels nice afterwards. The ingredients list of both products is short, so it will be suitable for sensitive skintypes, too. The O.S.T Vitamin C Serum shows a more visible result. Because of the high concentration of vitamin C it acts like a chemical peeling, and you will even feel some tingling on your skin sometimes. I didn’t experience any tingling feeling with the tunemakers serum. The downside of both are, that they feel a bit sticky after application, that’s why I prefer to use them at night. If you mix the serum with a cream the stickyness is reduced though.

Concluding these points, I would say that I recommend the tunemakers VC3 serum for a use on daily basis, whereas I recommend the O.S.T. serum for a more deep peeling. People with very sensitive skin, who did not like the tingling effect of the O.S.T. serum will maybe enjoy the tunemakers VC3 serum more. You can get Tunemakers VC3 Serum (and a lot of other serums, too) from BeautyStar. This bottle costs 14.60 US$ and contains 10 ml. Also, check out my review on the Tunemakers Original Moisture Lotion which teams up perfectly with this serum. Did you know about this Japanese brand? Which is your favourite vitamin C serum? :)

Just as a short reminder: All products mentioned and reviewed on this blog are of my personal opinions. This product here was sent to me for reviewing purpose by http://www.beautystar.me/ which doesn’t influence me in providing my honest opinion on the products.

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Review: O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum

23. October 2013

EDIT: A new version of the O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum has been released, which is called C21.1 Advanced Serum. If you have sensitive skin I can recommend you to check out the review on the new formula >>here<<.

A couple of month ago I took part in one of Wishtrend’s giveaways and I was very lucky to be chosen as one of the winners. Around two weeks later I got a package from Wishtrend containing the popular O.S.T. Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum. I’ve read a couple of reviews for this serum before and it did seem to work greatly on most of the reviewers, so I was especially curious for the effects.

The brand O.S.T or C20 is best known for exactly this serum reviewed here. O.S.T or C20 belongs to the same manufacturer as COSRX and Ciracle and is a Korean brand. The signature packaging of the O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum is the orange cardboard box containing a brown glass bottle with an orange label. Many people will ask themselves why to use a vitamin C serum in their skincare routine? Usually, Vitamin C serums help to keep your skin nourished. Vitamin C can help brighten your skin, it can act as chemical peeling when used in a high concentration and it has anti-aging properties. Sounds promising!

The O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum has a volume of 30 ml and a shelf-life of 12 months after opening, although, since it is a vitamin C serum which oxidizes by time, you should use it up as quickly as possible. The cardboard box shows the detailed Korean description of the packaging. You can find English description on Wishtrend.

Ingredients of the O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum are:

Water, Ascorbic Acid, Ethanol, Sodium Lactate, Butylene Glycol, Glucose, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Rosa Davurica Bud Extract, Carthamus Tinctorius Flower Extract, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil. Sodium Hyaluronate, Bis-PEG-18 Methyl Ether Dimethyl Silane, Diethoxyethyl Succinate, Ammonium Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer, Xanthan, PEG-180, Gluconolactone, Beta-Glucan, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Zinc PCA, Panthenol, Niacinamide, Glycerin, Tocopherylacetate, Lecithin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ubiquinone, Diisopropyladipate, phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben

According to COSDNA the ingredients of this vitamin C serum are safe to use. There are some minor irritants though. Apart from vitamin C, the key ingredient, the O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum contains a mostly different moisturizers, some plant extracts as antioxidants, but also alcohol (Ethanol). Methylparaben is also listed in the ingredients. Sodium lactate, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide are some of the positive ingredients here, acting as moisturizer and brightener. Vitamin C is an antioxidant and thus can prevent our skin from aging early. The content of Vitamin C in this serum is very high compared to other vitamin C serum. It contains 20 % vitamin C. You have to know that a high concentration of Vitamin C doesn’t mean automatically that it is more effective concerning anti-aging. Normally, a high concentration of Vitamin C aims at a visible effect, because it tends to operate as a peeling by loosening dead and old cells. This is not a bad effect and stimulates the skin to regenerate itself, but keep in mind that it won’t affect the inner cell layers of your skin which have to be aimed if you really want an anti-aging effect.

The orange color of the packaging may be simple, but it reminds people of orange fruits, especially oranges, which makes them think about vitamin C automatically. The bottle inside comes with a sealed cap and a separately packed pipette. The pipette is very useful for the application of the serum and makes it possible to apply the serum carefully. Since vitamin C can oxidize the brown bottle is a good choice to prevent this, but you are even more safe if you store it additionally in the fridge, because warm/high temperatures can degrade the vitamin C as well.

Also make sure to close the cap of the bottle always tightly! As you can see in the image above, the color of the serum is a very light yellow. The color becomes more pigmented the longer you keep the serum, so it is best to use it as soon as possible, once the bottle is opened. A strong yellow color only means your vitamin C serum has oxidized!

As to the structure of the serum: it is a bit less fluid than water, similar to oil and has a similar thick consistency. When applied on the skin it leaves the skin with stickiness. I had no problems with the stickiness as long as I applied it only before sleeping. During daytime I didn’t want to have the sticky feeling. Finally, I started mixing 2-3 drops of the serum with my toner or moisturizer in the morning, which worked great and was much less sticky than putting it on your skin alone. The scent reminds me a bit of oranges. So, what effects did this serum have on my skin? I tested it for around 2 months now and it does some nice work on the skin: my skin feels more even and smooth and appears cleaner. I didn’t see a whitening effect or any effects on my black-/whiteheads (but I really don’t have many of them to begin with…). It seems the peeling effect by the vitamin C works really nice and the skin regenerates itself a bit, resulting in the nice feeling of my skin which I had. Since I liked the effect of it I can recommend you to try O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum by yourself. Perhaps it improves your skin, too and/or even helps with the other skin problems. One negative part I recognized was, that the serum stings the first few minutes after application. After a while this effect is not noticeable anymore though. If you tend to have dry skin like me, this serum can be a bit drying, but you can either mix the serum with a moisturizer or apply moisturizer afterwards.

I really like the O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum! It is affordable compared to other concentrated vitamin C serums and it is effective in terms of smoothing your face and making it look healthier. EDIT, since I can know compare this Vitamin C serum to the reformulated O.S.T C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum: The O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 Serum is much more intense than the O.S.T C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum. On the other hand the C21.5 doesn’t contain any parabens or other artificial ingredients. It doesn’t contain alcohol either. Also, it is not as sticky and doesn’t sting as much as the C20. Nevertheless, I had the feeling that the C20 was more effective on my skin. I had more visible results on my skin. Which of the two is the better serum for your skin I cannot tell, but I can recommend you to try rather the C21.1 if your skin is very sensitive. Go for the cheaper C20 if you have quite normal skin. Both serum, the old and the new version can be purchased at Wishtrend. The old O.S.T Original Pure Vitamin C20 comes with free shipping and retails for 14.99 US$ at the moment, which is really affordable for a vitamin C serum. The new O.S.T C20 Pure Vitamin C21.5 Advanced Serum retails for 24.99 US$. Both bottles contain 30 ml. Check out my blog for the monthly coupon codes for your shopping experience at Wishtrend. Also, keep in mind their friend-referral program: You can receive a 5 Us$ referral coupon if you use my invitation code 17939205 upon registration and you’ll receive this voucher immediately. There will be a specific field in your registration form called “friends invitation program” where you can put the code mentioned above. This way new customers can safe 5 US$ which is a great possibility to safe some money.

Rating:

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