Viva Woman

I was really happy to get my hands on Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream which is a glycerin-based moisturizer enriched with Vitamin E, Vitamin B2 and Camphor.  This cream is one of the best selling medicated, vitamin-enriched skin care products in Japan developed by Yoshikiyo Nowatari since 1957.  In Japan, it’s known as Yuskin A.

Don’t be fooled by the simple packaging or taken aback by the yellow color or campor smell.  I’ve used enough hand creams to tell you that this is an excellent product that absorbs well into my skin quickly, replenishes the lost moisture, making my hands look soft and supple without leaving my hands slick and greasy.  In fact, it makes quite a good lip balm although there is a new Yu-Be Lip Therapy available now.  I’ve also tried using this on my cracked heels and I have to say, it makes the hard skin so much softer. 

Effective on dry skin, chronic eczema & atopic dermatitis
According to information from Yu-Be.com, Yu-Be Moisturizing Cream is even effective on severe dry skin, chronic eczema plus atopic dermatitis and hence, recommended by dermatologists.

Ingredients:
Glycerin, Water, Isopropyl Myristate, Stearic Acid, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Triethanolamine, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Glycyrrhetinic Acid, Camphor, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Hydrogenated coco-glycerides, Stearyl Alcohol, Polysorbate 80, EDTA, Methylparaben.

It’s conditioning ingredients include glycerin which is a natural humectant that attracts and retains moisture in the skin, making it softer.  Vitamin E is a natural anti-oxidant and skin protector while Vitamin B2 helps to smooth rough or damaged skin while giving Yu-Be it’s yellow color.

The camphor, which helps to soothe minor skin irritations has a mild medicinal scent but it fades in minutes and doesn’t linger at all.  So you don’t have to worry that you’re a walking camphor stick while wearing this cream.

The 33g tube cost US$15.  The only thing is this product isn’t readily available as few sites which carry this product offer international shipping.  I got this courtesy of Misikko but again, they ship to US and Canada only.

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I haven’t had the urge to buy lipsticks for awhile now.  Until I saw these.  Paul & Joe lipsticks with interestingly designed print case from Dear Pleasure and Chocoholic under their Sparkles Collection.  Don’t they look so pretty?  Good thing for me was that I was given the one from Chocoholic free. 

You can check out the entire Sparkles Collection, which consist of facecolor powder and lipsticks here.  Each of these cost S$39, which is S$2 more than their regular lipsticks.  I was told I can remove the print cases and put them on the regular lipsticks.  Not a bad idea huh?  Just that because these print cases are made of cardboard material, it means I have to be careful not to get them wet.

I haven’t worn the Chocoholic one yet but the one under Dear Pleasure, Lipstick CS N, is likeable in terms of color and moisturizing factor.   Other than that, it seems fairly regular to me.  But I definitely love it for making such good eye candy in my cosmetic bag!

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One of the tricks I picked up from the hairstylist who did my hair during my wedding is that I can use a crimper to give my straight and fine hair a different texture and more volume.  It’s actually very easy and I can achieve the effect very quickly within 10 minutes.  The only tool I really need is the crimper but I can use some hairspray if I want a more lasting effect. 

First, I need to heat up the crimper for about five minutes.  After which, I start with the insides of my hair,  take sections of it and put the crimper on for around one minute on each section.  The longer I leave the crimper on, the harder the look of the crimps, which may not be natural looking.  It’s also important that I do not redo the sections I’ve already crimped otherwise my hair would look too brittle. 

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If you’ve been shopping at Watson’s a bit, you would probably have seen the Lavera organic range of skincare from Germany.  I started using Lavera SPF 40 Neutral Sunblock, and then moved on to purchase some of their other products when they were on a 20% offer. 

Laveral SPF 40 Neutral Sunblock S$28
This is a physical sunscreen containing titanium dioxide.  In my last review, I rated this as above average.  The plus point is that this sunblock contains organic plus natural ingredients and is suitable for those with sensitive skin.  In addition, it is water resistant so it’s great when you’re using it for outdoor activities.  On the downside, the texture of this sunscreen is rich, creamy and slightly greasy and does leave a white overcast on the face if you don’t blend well.   Hence, I would only recommend this if you have drier skin.  In addition, even thought the formulation is fragrance free, but some people may not like the mild smell because it contains evening primrose oil to nourish and active ingredients from licquorice root to soothe.  3.5 out of 5 hearts from me.

Lavera FACES Wild Rose Eye Gel S$33
This eye gel is described as an intensive treatment gel which is packed with nourishing plant-based liposomes from organic wild rose, ginkgo, orange blossom with Vitamins C and E to provide care for the delicate skin around the eyes.  In addition, it contains calming extracts of comfrey and green tea to reduce puffiness and firm plus evening primrose and jojoba seed oils, as well as hyaluronic acid to seal in moisture and provide long lasting hydration.

Apart from the great wild rose smell, I find that this eye gel does nothing for me even after using it for about two months now.  I’m using it only because I have it but I will probably put it aside as soon as I find another replacement.  2 out of 5 hearts from me.

Lavera FACES Wild Rose Toner S$19
I love this toner for the great smell.  It’s really refreshing and is supposed to revitalize skin and balances its pH level after cleansing.  The extracts of organic wild rose, myrtle and orange blossom, all from certified organic sources are said to deliver an immediate, intensive moisture surge to dry skin and boost skin firmness. 

Honestly, I can never tell the performance level with toner except for those with alcohol which tends to be more drying for my skin.  But still, I really like this toner and I give this 4 out of 5 hearts!   My only gripe is the 50ml is really too little to last very long.  Anyway, I finished one bottle of this and moved on to try the Calendula toner which is more suitable for me since I have combination skin.

Lavera FACES Calendula Skin Toner S$19
I picked the Wild Rose Toner first because I was not used to the strong calendula smell.  But after a few times of using this, I’ve gotten used to the smell and even find it quite pleasant now. 

This toner contains organic calendula and pro-vitamin B5 restore and maintain moisture. It comes with a neutral pH 5.5 formula and the astringent properties of organic witch hazel plus whey extracts bring into balance combination skin’s oily T-zone and dry areas.  So as a whole, I find this toner works better to help control my oily areas than the Wild Rose Toner.   4 out of 5 hearts from me for this Lavera Calendula Toner.

Lavera FACES Calendula Exfoliating Wash S$28
This is my favorite of all the five products I’ve tried from the Lavera range.  It indeed provides deep cleansing because it comes with finely ground olive grains and siliceous minerals to remove dull surface cells and stubborn impurities.  I use this exfoliant wash twice a week and my skin always feel soft and smooth afterwards.  I also love how this smells with the certified organic apricot and peach extracts.   A bit pricey for the small 30ml tube but it’s a great treat!  So 5 out of 5 hearts from me.

Summary
The good thing about the Lavera range is that it is easily available.  However, it’s only a limited range.  If you check out their website, you’ll noticed they have a couple of promising skincare products which are not available here.  So I can only comment on what I’ve come across and based on what I’ve tried so far, I’ll say they’re a fine organic range that performs above average.

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