rinnah’s consumer views|what a consumer really wants and thinks about products and services

Tagline : Enjoy rapid refreshment and a full 12 hours of soothing moisture with an addictive by-a-waterfall feel. Advanced hydration boosters and a new botanical blend hold skin’s moisture in balance through stressful shifts in humidity, indoors and out.

Description : Rapid, long-lasting hydration in a refreshing oil-free gel. Fast-absorbing formula with active aloe delivers a burst of moisture. Smooths, softens, plumps up fine dry lines. Locks in moisture all day with advanced hydration technology. Unique moisture balancing system helps skin better resist dehydration despite drastic shifts in humidity. Use whenever, wherever needed, under or over makeup. Or as a 5-minute moisture mask. For all skin types.

Packaging : 1.7oz/50ml or 2.5oz/75ml

Recommended retail price : USD 34 (online) / MYR 160 (local) or USD 46.50 (online)

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My review :

It’s funny, but I started out my beauty blogging stint (if sporadic posts on beauty products can be thus called) being nicknamed the Clinique lover by Beetrice because nearly every other review post was about Clinique. Truth be told though, while I like Clinique’s stuff, I don’t love it nor rave about it that much. Not until I met Clinique’s Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief formula (referred after this as Moisture Surge).

Do I like it? No, I love it and can’t live without it!

Coming from me, that’s like the highest praise I can give any product due to the nature of my skin. Not only do I have hyper-sensitive skin, I have eczema to go on top of the hyper-sensitivity, which means most products will cause some form of erratic reaction, ranging from redness to spots/zits to even a full-blown eczema rash breakout.

I was gifted a full sized jar of Moisture Surge (50ml) sometime in June last year while I was in the middle of yet another eczema breakout and was initially quite wary about trying out a new skincare product on my face. What if it made the eczema worse?

I am happy to say that all I feared did not occur. In fact, Moisture Surge managed to restore my poor red, flaky skin to normality over the period of 6 weeks. Folks who have seen me at the height of the outbreak can testify to how much improvement has taken place since then till now, and I even get comments asking me what did I do to my skin that its now perfectly smooth. (As a female, you know how good it feels to be praised as having “smooth, supple skin”? Oh yes. And that coming from a guy too!)

I love how the pretty rose-pink lightweight gel formula just disappears into my skin without that sticky and oily feeling that makes me want to wash my face again – which is normally the case for me with other moisturizers (even Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, which many people swear by). In fact, the first few times I when I had Moisture Surge on, I kept on running my fingers down the side of my cheek (which is not affected by eczema, thankfully) thinking in my head, “Oooh! So smooth!”

For me, this product would be quite budget-friendly as it has taken me more than six months to hit rock-bottom and this is with twice-daily usage. And for what it’s worth, this is the first time ever I have actually finished off an entire jar of any skincare product. I am going to repurchase this soon as I don’t want to be caught without this staple in my beauty closet!

Yes factors : Sensitive skin friendly, good hydration, non-oily light formula
No factors : Nothing I didn’t like about it

Read other blogger reviews here :
Beetrice (previous version)
Kahani (current version)
Nikki (previous version)
Paris B (current version)
Pretty Beautiful (previous version)
Tine (previous version)

Tagline : Thermal Spring Water soothes and softens sensitive skin

Description :
Avène thermal spring water comes from Avène-les-Bains thermal spring in France which was declared to be of public benefit in dermatology in France, in 1874. This thermal spring water’s unique and constant composition gives it soothing and softening properties for sensitive skin. This has been acknowledged by numerous scientific studies. Avène thermal spring water is used for many skin conditions at Avène Dermatological Hydrotherapy Center in France. Tested by dermatologists, it is particularly suitable as essential care for sensitive, hypersensitive and allergic skin.

Dermatological care – post surgery, post procedure, redness-prone skin/inflammation, keratosis-prone scaly skin, eczema/atopic dermatitis, allergic reactions/sensitive skin/irritation, burning/stinging/itching/tingling

Daily care – after cleansing, after shaving/after waxing, after exercise, during travel, sunburn, burns, diaper rash, to set makeup

Packaging : 50ml / 1.76oz, 150ml / 5.29oz, 300ml / 10.58oz

Recommended retail price : MYR18.90, MYR35.90, MYR53.00

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My review :
I’ve been going through a really bad spell with my skin lately, experiencing extended outbreaks of eczema that seem to flare up with greater intensity and in new places too. The worst part about the recent spate of outbreaks (which is still ongoing, although in a reduced intensity by now) is that this time around, it now affects my face, mainly all over my eyes and forehead and parts of my cheeks too. You can imagine my horror when I started seeing unsightly red, roughened splotches all over my face accompanied by skin so dry that it literally flaked off my face like dandruff. I panicked, of course. I’d never had eczema break out on my face before in my life, and I’ve been battling ezcema since I was young, around nine years old. All of my normal control methods didn’t seem to work and I was extremely cautious of what I used, since it affected my facial area. Steroid creams were my last resort as they thin out the skin quite drastically.

Luckily for me, I found something that did work (although it doesn’t cure) in the Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray (referred after this as Avène spray). Avène spray is basically pure thermal spring water in a pressurized spray bottle and it’s touted to help soothe and soften sensitive, hypersensitive, allergic and irritated skin.

With this in mind, I used Avène spray quite liberally on my face. I use it to dampen my face before applying my moisturiser (Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief). I use it periodically throughout the day, keeping a travel sized can in my bag, a full sized can at my desk in office and another full sized can at home. That way I always have some Avène spray nearby and I make sure that I keep the surface of my skin moist, preventing it from further drying out and flaking/cracking. Using the spray delivers an immediate moisture charge to my dehydrated skin and keeps it from getting further irritated, which in turn helps to calm down my skin somewhat, making it better receptive to moisturisers and creams later on.

I’d say that my skin has improved tremendously since I started using Avène spray and it has earned a place as a staple in my skin maintenance routine.

Read other blogger reviews on Avène here :
beauty geeks
Pretty Beautiful

Ingredients : Amebia euchroma, roselle, verbena, patchouli, petitgrain, eucalyptus oil, beeswax, olive oil, grape seed oil

Description : It can reduce eczema and detoxify when used externally. This soap is created for those who develop prickly heat easily and whose skin is too oily and dull. For people with acnes, prickly heat, eczema and itchiness due to unknown causes, inflammation, allergic skin and athlete’s foot; also kills bacteria, stops itchiness and heals wounds.

Recommended retail price: MYR 22.50

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My review :

When one is an eczema sufferer, you’ll find yourself willing to try out just about anything to stop that itch!

I first read about Yuan handmade organic soaps on MyWomenStuff.com and immediately thought of trying it out since it was reputed to help eczema sufferers. But as it was not easily locatable at that point of time (only at selected organic standalone shops), I did not go searching for it. However, I was pleased to find a whole selection of Yuan soap being sold at BodyBar on one of my forays to Tropicana City Mall.

Originally I intended to get the Wild Patchouli soap as I had read a blogger review on this particular soap that said that it gave relief to someone with hand eczema. However, Noor, the sales assistant at BodyBar, introduced the Purple Gromwell & Roselle soap to me instead, mentioning that it had helped other customers with eczema. So that’s what I purchased instead.

Firstly, if you’re not used to traditional Chinese herbal medicine, be forewarned that the Yuan soaps give off a very strong herbal smell which lingers in the bathroom after you’ve finished your bath/shower. However, I like the smell, so it doesn’t bother me at all. Using this soap in the shower, I find that it doesn’t lather up like the normal varieties of soap, which is a plus point in my opinion. Also, it left my skin feeling clean but not tight, although I did feel that it dried out my skin more than my regular dermatologist recommended Oilatum or Eubos cleansing liquid. All those were plus points for me.

However, there was just one thing that bugged me about using Yuan soap. Technically the soap variety that I bought – Purple Gromwell & Roselle – was supposed to help with eczema problems. How did that work out for me? Not too well. I found that using the soap tended to aggravate my skin after my shower, leaving me with a strong burning/itching sensation at the areas where my skin was affected with eczema. It was totally not the kind of reaction I had expected. The burning/itching sensation would start the moment I applied the soap and lasted for up to 30 minutes after I’d stepped out of the shower. Not even applying my normal moisturizing lotion immediately could halt the burn/itch. I did find with some experimentation, that showering with hot/warm water increased the sensations whilst cool/cold water helped to calm down the skin somewhat (but still with the burn/itch sensation). Despite the irritant factor, it might be helpful to note that at all times, my skin did not become inflamed (red) nor did my eczema grow worse, just that there is the discomfort of an underlying sensation of burning/itching. Some might say that it is an indication of the healing properties of the soap at work, but I personally feel that my skin is not suited to the soap.

If Yuan soaps work for you, that’s great, but for me, the search for a compatible product goes on.

Yes factors : Unique selling point, herbal smell, all natural ingredients
No factors : Quite pricey, not easy to find, herbal smell, may irritate sensitive skin

Read other blogger reviews on Yuan soap (other varieties) here :
Paris Beaverbanks
Sesame

It’s a pity, really, because I have a friend who swears by their facials and I really love her clear, flawless skin. But the thing is, every time I get anywhere near a Clarins counter in Malaysia, I get very put off by their beauty consultants. They don’t seem to realize that their service is the make or break factor for customers. The break factor for me was my bad experience with one particular beauty consultant as detailed below.

Clarins recently ran an online promotion (valid until 31 December 2008) giving away two samples of their skincare line, a hand massage and eyebrow grooming. If I’m not mistaken, it had to do with their “Clarins We Care” charity promotion? Anyways, I put down my contact information and printed out the e-voucher that allowed me to redeem the items above. My voucher told me that I could collect the same from the Clarins counter in Parkson KLCC and I headed there on a weekday after work with a colleague. My colleague also had the same e-voucher, but for some strange reason, hers was printed as the Clarins counter in Isetan KLCC. Weird.

Anyway, we went over to Isetan first, being nearer there and my colleague was attended to by a very sweet girl who mentioned that she was temporarily assigned there. All went well and we (my colleague and I) were quite pleased with her service. She did say apologetically when we asked that she couldn’t assist me as my voucher was clearly printed as redeemable at Parkson KLCC but I was fine with that.

So after we were done with Isetan, we walked over to Parkson KLCC, where we were greeted with an empty Clarins counter. No beauty personnel around. We walked around for a bit before coming back to the counter and saw one of the Clarins personnel come out from the door behind the counter. When we approached her to redeem my e-voucher, she brusquely said that I could not redeem the items listed on the e-voucher as I did not make an appointment. I then asked if I could just get the skincare samples – I was willing to forgo the hand massage and eyebrow grooming as I was more interested in testing out Clarins’ skincare products – but again, the beauty personnel brushed me off, saying that I could not get anything from them because I didn’t have an appointment and she didn’t have time to do a skincare analysis for me. Instead, she told me to go to the Clarins counter at Isetan KLCC to redeem the e-voucher. When I mentioned that we had just come from there but since my voucher stated Parkson KLCC I couldn’t redeem it there, the beauty consultant then said disinterestedly that I should come back tomorrow if I really wanted the products. I had enough of her uppity attitude and we left the counter.

I just can’t help but compare the difference in attitude and service rendered between the beauty consultants at Isetan KLCC and Parkson KLCC. It is also pertinent to note that my colleague did not make any appointment at Isetan KLCC before redeeming the exact same e-voucher that I tried to redeem at Parkson KLCC. What’s also interesting to note is that no skincare analysis was done on my colleague before she was given the skincare samples at Isetan KLCC. Hmm. Was it an oversight by the beauty consultant at Isetan KLCC or merely an excuse by the beauty consultant at Parkson KLCC?

Anyway, I don’t think I will be going back to Clarins for a long time, if at all, because of the attitude of one beauty consultant.

Note: This post is back-dated to 23 August 2008.

When I’d first heard of this warehouse sales, my first thought was that of dismay as it was a 1 day only sale. I had a scheduling conflict in terms of an exam scheduled for that very day at 10:00am, which happened to be the time that the warehouse sales began. I figured that all the good stuff would be snapped up before I could even possibly hope to get there. Luckily, I was proven wrong.

After insanely rushing through my exam in record time (I wonder what the results will be like?) I drove over to the Parkroyal Hotel, which was where the warehouse sales was being held. Saw a number of people evidently leaving the sales with plastic bags of stuff, and my heart sank. The lack of any queue as I headed up to the first floor was even more discouraging! Apparently the organizers only opened the doors every 20 – 30 minutes or so, and I arrived with perfect timing to get in without even having to wait. Yay!

My colleague was a bit disappointed because she’d asked me to get her Ralph Lauren Romance perfume, but there was only Ralph Lauren Rocks available then. The Biotherm stocks rapidly dwindled too, but there was plenty of Lancome skincare around. Pity that my favorite Lancome mascara was not available in black, but only in odd party/funky colors. Still, I got my hands on some Lancome lipsticks and grabbed a couple of Lancome skincare items for mom and myself, plus a Biotherm moisturiser.

It was a far better set-up than the previous warehouse sale I’d attended just a week earlier and I was pretty happy with what I got. Definitely one of the warehouse sales to put on my list for next time!

Image credit

Tagline : Moisture the way nature intended™

Description : Hypoallergenic. Fragrance and colorant free. Used and recommended by hundreds of dermatologists. Conventional lotions only attempt to replace natural moisture with artificial moisture. The problem is they come off when you wash. For moisture to really do any good it needs to get below the second major layer of skin; only your natural moisture is going to reach that level. Gloves In A Bottle will not wash off, helps keep out moisture-robbing irritants while helping retain natural moisture, resulting in smoother skin that is not dry. Comes off naturally with exfoliated skin cells.

Packaging : 240ml / 8 fl oz

Recommended retail price : USD 12.95

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My review :

Ever heard of a shielding lotion called Gloves In A Bottle?

I didn’t, until I read of this very uniquely named product through a review on Tine’s beauty blog. The name alone was enough to intrigue me and want to try it out and I was lucky enough to get my hands on a bottle to review.

The reason I delayed so long to write this review was because I had a bad rash outbreak right after I received it so I was rather wary of testing anything new that might further irritate my sensitive skin. So I stashed it away in my beauty drawer and forgot about it for a while, using my skin specialist recommended Balneum lotion.

Then last month, I had a short holiday up to Cameron Highlands and was looking for an effective moisturiser to bring along. I remembered reading on the website that shielding lotions were perfect for use in cold, dry conditions so I promptly dug it out and packed it in my bag.

You could say that I put it to the acid test!

Firstly, the product is in a lotion form, not too heavy or oily. (I personally dislike thick heavy oily lotions/moisturisers on my skin as it makes me want to go take a bath immediately after application!) The lotion spreads easily and is easily absorbed. I like to apply it after a shower while my skin is still slightly damp as it feels even softer and easier to apply.

Does it work? Well, for me it does. You see, I had a very bad patch of dry and reddened skin on my neck – an ezcema rash actually. The skin was so dry it was actually flaking off in big pieces and leaving behind tender raw skin. It sounds bad and believe me, it was. I applied the lotion immediately after my shower and occasionally throughout the day whenever I thought the skin looked (or felt) dry. (You don’t have to slather it on – just a little bit is enough to cover an arm or a leg.) By the second day of my vacation, it was at least 50% improved! But that’s not all. I also used the lotion for the rest of my body as protection against dryness in the colder temperature of the highlands and it worked a charm. In fact, I do think that my skin never felt softer and smoother than those days when I used it exclusively whilst on vacation.

Now that I’m back in the city, I have reverted back to my other lotions, but whenever I see that my skin needs something “more” out comes the Gloves In A Bottle. I have to say that my normal lotions only keep my skin from getting worse but they do not produce results the way Gloves In A Bottle does. The only reason why I’m not using it for everything is because I can’t get it in Malaysia. *sigh*

Yes factors : Works like a charm, only a little bit is needed per application.
No factors : Currently not available in Malaysia. Nothing else.

Read other blogger reviews on Gloves In A Bottle :
Tine
Beetrice

If you have a blog and would like to review Gloves In A Bottle, you can drop Pete Grimaldi a line at petegrimaldi [at] earthlink [dot] net. However, if you live in either US or Canada and only need a sample, you can get some from their website here.