Kanebo Sensai Silky Purifying Cleansing Oil

Or: How once again Kanebo Sensai saves the day (and face).

Skin mishaps are the biggest occupational hazard of beauty bloggers. We subject our faces to many products (you know, so you don't have to) and some of them are not only wrong for us but also create a disturbance in the Force.

I got a bad case of clogged pores recently and had to find a good and quick solution. From my experience, cleansing oils are the best products for this situation- you can massage your face slowly and methodically until the skin is softened and your pores let go of the dirt clogging them. For a minute I considered Shu, but I already knew it was too efficient and would strip my skin bare. Using a very drying product is actually the worst thing you can do in this situation because it send the skin into an overdrive. Definitely not the right course of action when you seek to restore balance. I turned to my beauty closet and retrieved samples of Kanebo Sensai Silky Purifying Cleansing Oil. Cue superhero music.

I already knew from past experiments that Kanebo Sensai Silky Purifying Cleansing Oil was very  good at makeup removal as long as you gave it a little time to do the work after massaging it all over the face. It's interesting to watch the oil dissolves the makeup and make it float to the top. It's not as good with eye makeup, but I've always preferred using an eye makeup remover as the first step and letting my face cleanser, oil or not, just take care of the leftover debris.

I started to use the Kanebo Sensai oil over makeup-free face as well as to remover the paint. I took the time, rubbed the oil methodically and was fascinated when I actually saw and felt the gunk evacuate the pores. It's cool in a very disturbing way. A few days of that (and a couple of other products I'll review soon) did the work and I no longer felt like the oldest teenager in the world.

There are several other product in the Silky Purifying line and I'm working on incorporating them into my skincare routine. You'll hear all about it.

Bottom Line:  A full bottle is making its way here as we speak.

Kanebo Sensai Silky Purifying Cleansing Oil ($50, 150ml) is available from neimanmarcus.com (online only) and Bergdorf Goodman. The samples were sent from the company's PR team. I purchased a bottle at full price.

Image: style.com

Kenzo Belle De Jour White Lotus Mask

Out of all skin care products, face masks are the one hardest to evaluate, especially ones you only use a couple of times a week while they promise long-term results with continuous use . Kenzo belle De Jour White Lotus Mask (did you know Kenzo has a full skincare line? I've only learned about it recently) is a restorative, hydrating and brightening product, so I decided to do an ongoing series kind of thing- I've used three times by now, so you will get a quick review now, a progress report after 6-8 weeks and a conclusions once I finish the jar.

The first thing you notice about Kenzo Belle De Jour White Lotus Mask is the packaging and attention to details. It comes with a thick, well-designed album-like booklet and an application brush that looks sturdy and very well-crafted. This made me very happy, because nothing ruins the a skincare experience like fingers in the jar (germs! cooties! bacteria!). Then there's the white lotus scent, which I might not want in a personal fragrance, but when it comes to skin care it's actually quite exquisite and enhances the spa-like feeling.

You brush a thin layer of the mask to clean face and let it dry for ten minutes. The mask is clear and you can actually open the door without traumatizing the UPS guy. Ten minutes of quiet time, inhaling the scent and relaxing are quite wonderful no matter what exactly you put on your face, but Kenzo Belle De Jour feels great (there was a tingling sensation around my nose the very first time I used it, but it hasn't returned since), it doesn't tighten or flake, so you just remove it with wet cotton pads (I prefer a warm washcloth). This is also a good time to wash the brush and let it air dry.

Once clean, my skin looks as it feels- clear, bright and visibly renewed. I noticed the areas I regularly load with a brightening serum look... brighter, I guess. The face is smooth and comfortable- it doesn't scream for a moisturizer right away, but of course I treat it, and my Secret de Vie seems to sink right in and do its regular magic.

We'll see how it goes long term, but so far, so good.

Kenzo Belle De Jour White Lotus Mask ($70, 2.5oz) is available from kenzousa.com. A press sample was sent by the company for my consideration.

Shu Uemura Stage Performer Signs Off & Instant Glow

It's not exactly a secret that the lifestyle of a model is rarely conductive to waking up bright and early, going to work and looking all pretty and glamorous, which is kind of a problem when your job is actually to look pretty and glamorous. Of course, in cases like Kate Moss the only solution is photoshopping her until even a vodka bottle wouldn't recognize her (seriously,  I cringe every time I see her on those huge ads right before the Lincoln Tunnel). But we're here to talk cosmetics and not extreme virtual makeovers.

Shu Uemura's new(ish) Stage Performer line offers two products that were supposedly created to help the makeup artists working on models' faces hide the signs of last night's debauchery and make them look fresh and perky (or at least like flawless corpses in the case of certain fashion designers). Stage Performer Signs-Off is a liquid in a pen that is supposed to plump up skin with extra moisture that temporarily diffuses the appearance of fine lines, especially those that are a result of fatigue and dehydration. The pen has a soft silicone applicator tip that I like very much, a couple of clicks dispense enough for both eyes (I use is under my eyes, as a base for YSL Touche Eclat).

My nerdy suburban life style is not exactly the stuff of which legends are made, but like many of us I can use a little help in the under-eye area. I can't say Signs Off is making me 21 again (and that's a good thing, believe me), but I can see an overall improvement in the way my makeup ends up looking- there is a certain brightness that is lacking if I don't bother with this Shu Uemura product.

The results from Instant Glow are easier to spot. This is a thin lotion in a tube that goes over your skin care (the same as with Signs Off, by the way) and under any makeup you're using or even on. You need to wait at least 30 seconds before applying primer and/or foundation- I usually give it a couple of minutes because I love seeing the full effect before makeup. Instant Glow combines light-diffusing, moisture-locking and a similar brightening effect like what you get from NARS Brightening Serum or Blanc de Chanel. Considering the amounts of Cle de Peau skincare I use, it's hard to tell if Shu Uemura Instant Glow provides any long-term results, but I can tell it affects the way my makeup looks- everything is smoother and looks enhanced.

Both Instant Glow and Signs Off contain dimethicone, but I still find that topping them with a primer is preferred for long lasting makeup. It's probably not necessary if you're only doing your makeup for a night, but I do some of my testing as a 12-16 hour day, just to be sure what I have on hand. Both products contain ingredients like ginko bilboa, plant and flower extracts and sea water (that's the number one ingredient, actually), but also various silicones and titanium dioxide, so take that into account if you're sensitive to the stuff.

Bottom Line: I'll take any help I can get.

Shu Uemura Signs-Off ($45) and Instant Glow ($49) are available online from shuuemura-usa.com and from various retailers outside of North America.

Photos of Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista and Steven Meisel at a 1990 party from some fashion message board. I  couldn't find the source.

Bobbi Brown Cleansing Oil

It took me a while to amass enough samples of Bobbi Brown's Cleansing Oil for a two-week testing. Once I got there, though, I find myself enjoying the oil a lot more than I expected.

First there's the scent- a green pine, almost incense like. It instantly puts one in a relaxing mood. The texture of Bobbi Brown's oil is thinner than the more famous Shu Uemura, and is easier to use as a face massage oil (contributing to the whole relaxing thing). The oil removes makeup very efficiently, including mascara, liquid liner and whatever else I pile on my face. It's also a great- and I mean it- GREAT- for unclogging pores and removing any gunk that's settled on one's face. You can see and feel the stuff working right there in front of your mirror, and thoroughly enjoy rinsing it off.

Unlike the Shu oil, this Bobbi Brown product isn't over-drying (even now, during the worst part of winter), and while I tone and moisturize right away, my skin doesn't feel tight and stretched.

Bottom Line: Excellent

Bobbi Brown Cleansing Oil ($39, 6.7oz) is available from most department stores and bobbibrowncosmetics.com. All the samples I used came with various purchases online and in store.

Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra Comfortable Face Cream

Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra Comfortable Face Cream is an interesting hybrid product. It gives dry skin a quick shot of moisture when needed and also creates a very smooth layer under your makeup that forms a barrier between your face and the elements and can successfully replace a primer if you're so inclined. The thing is that in addition to a large amount of honey (I even got a taste. Don't ask) and assorted seed oils and plant extracts, Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra Comfortable Face Cream also contains a significant amount of the same silicones you find in primers- several varieties of Polymethylsilsesquioxane, so if the stuff clogs your pores this is not the right product for you.

What I've found over a couple of weeks testing this Nuxe cream is that while it doesn't sit well with my Cle de Peau and No. 7 Protect & Perfect serums (it creates a flaky film when used over these products) it's an incredible pore refiner. Seriously- my skin becomes so visibly smooth you don't see any pores. So while this is definitely not an anti-aging product and doesn't replace any of my heavy-duty moisturizers (especially not at night time), Reve de Miel is a good option when you want to reduce the number of products you use under makeup, as long as you don't object to silicones.

Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra Comfortable Face Cream ($40, 1.7oz) is available from beauty.com and b-glowing.com.  A press sample was provided by the company.

Shu Uemura High Performance Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula

Six or seven years ago as I was trying to figure out was going on with my skin*, my searches led me to several message boards and to the oil cleansing method. I tried various oils- from jojoba to olive and everything else I had at home (you'd be surprised how many different oils can be found in your various cabinets). It was fine, I guess, but not enough to make me stick with anything specific or with the method itself. Yes, oil really helps to  break down grime and grease and remove makeup; as long as it's a good pure oil it doesn't have any additives and other questionable ingredients, so that's a plus, too. But I'm just not a fan of using food stuff on my face, dealing with the smell or feeling too crunchy.
I probably got the bottle of Shu Uemura High Performance Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula because it was on some serious sale and I've heard many raves and gushes about it, so I had to try. It's a cosmetics bottle, with a pump, so the mess is kept to a minimum and it doesn't have a Birkenstock aura,so that's a plus. And it's Shu, so I'm already a fan.
The good news about the Shu Uemura cleansing oil is that it cleanses really well. The high performance advanced formula keeps its promise to remove even the clingiest waterproof makeup (including mascara), which is a nice perk. It has also proven to be efficient in unclogging the occasional pore (the beauty blogger's biggest occupational hazard). The thing is the Shu oil is so efficient it completely strips my skin of every last bit of natural oil, which is not the best idea when one's skin can get very dry. Especially not in winter. I've found myself with such a tight dry skin I have to slather my face with the heaviest creams I own right after I finish cleansing. That's not my favorite thing to do during my nighttime routine- I prefer to start with something lighter than use serums, and only add the heavy guns right before bed.
Bottom Line: Scarily efficient. I'm saving the bottle till summer.

*My skin issue back then? It turned out I needed a lot more moisture and to avoid Clinique 1-2-3 system.
If you're in the US, Shu Uemura High Performance Cleansing Oil Advanced Formula ($28, 5oz), just like other Shu products, is only available online through the company's American website (shuuemura-usa.com).
Photo: style.com

Guerlain Toner Super Aqua Lotion

Josephine here is not the only one who likes the good stuff. My latest skincare obsession is hydrating toners that not only make skin look and feel fresh, they also moisturize. My nightly routine includes the excellent Lancome Secret de Vie Toner, but in the morning I often prefer something a little more invigorating. This is where Guerlain Super Aqua Lotion (a confusing name, for sure) enters the picture.

Super Aqua Lotion is not as thick as the gel-like Lancome and definitely feels a little more like a toner. But it's still gentle and moisturizing while doing its job to refresh and lightly tone the skin before I start loading it with serums and creams. I don't know much about the desert rose complex Guerlain is using in their Super Aqua line (other than it gives me an earworm- see Sting's song below), but the toner smells nice, feels good and my skin is happy.

Guerlain Sper Aqua Lotion ($48) is available from select department stores. The travel size I've been testing was part of a GWP.

Photo by me.

MintGlaze FX Lip Treatment

It never fails. Temperatures drop, heating is cranked up and my lips dry out instantly and crack. The whole thing is painful, not to mention how bleeding lips are not my best look, Halloween or not. The cure this fall has been extremely effective, not to mention multi-functional.

MintGlaze FX from Cover FX is a lip treatment that serves a double and triple duty as a primer, plumper and moisturizer that also gives some sun protection. It has a minty tingle that had me worried for a couple of seconds, but it never irritates my already tortured lips and instead makes them look and feel better within minutes. The plumping is a result of the glaze's hydrating action and the way it locks moisture in. It's a little sticky at first so I'd recommend giving it at least 15 minutes before applying your lipstick.

MintGlaze FX comes in a little tube with a doe-foot sponge applicator. It doesn't only look like a lip gloss- the shiny coat it creates is actually nice enough if you prefer a nude lip look. I find that applying it about 3 times a day is all I need to maintain healthy lips, at least under current conditions. I'll probably apply more once winter gets here and the weather is blistering cold, but I expect similar results.

Bottom Line: a real winner.

MintGlaze FX Lip Treatment ($22) is available from Sephora.