Viva Woman

I was actually quite hesistant in getting the Organic Surge Pure Extracts Refreshing Toner.  But because I’ve already ran out of my usual toner and couldn’t find an alternative quickly, so I got it eventually even though I was uncomfortable with the long list of ingredients, many of which don’t look familiar to me.  But thank goodness this toner has not given me problems so far.  

Organic Surge Pure Extracts Refreshing Toner combines skin-calming chamomile and energising green tea, supposedly to stimulate and brighten complexion.  I was quite intrigued that it contains Absorbic Acid and apparently, the citrus ingredients can also help to provide antiseptic and balance acidity although I wonder if some of these are potentially skin irritants or drying for some skin types.  But I have to say with the combination of the various extracts, the smell of this toner is truly uplifting.  It’s definitely a great pick me up!

Ingredients:
Aqua (water), Glycerin (vegetable), Peg 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (naturally derived), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C from fruits and vegetables),Citrus Bergamia, Citrus Linonum, Citrus Aurantifolia, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis, Cymbopogon Martini,Rosmarinus Officinalis, (Organic essential blend), Phenoxyethanol, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Camellia Sinensis Leaf (Natural plant extract),Anthemis Nobilis (Natural plant extract), Mentha Viridis (Natural Plant Extract), Disodium EDTA, Citral, Geraniol, Limonene, Linalool

On the whole, it looks like Organic Surge Pure Extracts Refreshing Toner has got an entire list of natural goodness but I found out that Disodium EDTA is actually toxic (source) and so I’m not exactly sure how true their claims that this toner contains no nasties or obscure chemicals is.

Seriously, I’m still uncomfortable with the fact that this toner has to be packed with so many ingredients.  I compared Organic Surge Pure Extracts Refreshing Toner to Sukin Hydrating Mist Toner which is also another affordable natural skin care product and I have to say that I much prefer the latter in terms of its ingredient listing which only states: Purified Water, rosewater, chamomile extract, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate (sutocide) vegetable and Citric Acid.  Smell wise, Sukin’s also quite good too, although Organic Surge’s outperforms with a more refreshing scent.  In terms of price, both seems comparable.  The 125ml Sukin Hydrating Mist Toner cost S$12.95 while the 200ml Organic Surge Refreshing Toner cost about S$20 or so.  (I got it cheaper at S$18+ so I don’t know the exact retail price.)

Overall, I’ll rate this toner 3 out of 5 but I’ll tell you for certain that I won’t be buying this again.  Natural or not, I’ll stick to using Organic Surge products only on my body in future.

Organic Surge Products are available in selected Guardian stores.

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If you’re dying to try Creme de la Mer Moisturizing Cream but have been worried about the rich content breaking your skin out, you might want to give their La Mer Moisturizing Gel Cream a try instead.  And with the launch of the 30ml version here, the gel cream is now within reach at S$225 instead of S$400 for the 60ml pot. 

Like the original version, La Mer The Moisturizing Gel Cream also contains the nutrient-rich Miracle Broth created by Dr. Huber and La Mer’s proprietary sea kelp which is a natural humectant.  However, unlike the original formula, this one is an ultralight edition with a gel-like texture ideal for warmer weather like what we experience here all year round.   Plus, the formula is also apparently better for those with combination to oily skin.

Ingredients:
Seaweed (algae) extract, cyclopentasiloxane, butylene glycol, citrus aurantifolia (lime) extract, glycerin, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/ vp copolymer, sesamum indicum (sesame) seed / sesamum indicum (sesame) seed oil, medicago sativa (alfalfa) seed powder, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seedcake, prunus amygdalus dulcis (sweet almond) seed meal, eucalyptol, sodium gluconate, potassium gluconate, copper gluconate, calcium gluconate, magnesium gluconate, xinc gluconate, tocopheryl succinate, niacin, aloe barbadensis leaf water, palmitoyl oligopeptide, dimethicone, sucrose, trehalose, sorbitol, sodium hyluronate, oleth-10, caffeine, tocopheryl acetate, glyceryl polymethacrylate, hydrogenated lecithin, peg-8, disodium edta, phenoxyethanol, potassium sorbate, limonene, hydroxycitronellal, linalool, geraniol, citronellol, fragrance

La Mer Moisturizing Gel Cream does not contain mineral oil like the original Creme de la Mer which I’ve reviewed in an earlier entry.  A colleague who broke out using the original formula has nothing but raves for the gel formula.  In addition, the product does look promising with 25 reviewers at Makeupalley giving it 4 out of 5 rating.   One of them even said the consistency is nearly identical to Clinique’s Moisture Surge Extra but it’s “slightly more opaque, and definitely more hydrating than the average gel-type moisturizer.”

I’m giving this a miss though.  I might have tried this if the 30ml was made available right at the beginning.  But now, I cannot find a good reason to purchase this.

La Mer Moisturizing Gel Cream is available at La Mer counter over at Tangs Orchard and Robinsons Centrepoint in Singapore.  You can also get the product at the airport for a lower cost of S$196 for the 30ml and $328 for the 60ml. 

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Like the Hermès Birkin bag? Then you might want to check out this Bag A Birkin campaign organized by Cozycot, Singapore’s leading women’s forum on beauty, fashion and lifestyle.  To welcome their first 1,000,000th Cotter, Cozycot is giving away TWO lovely Birkins! Yes, two!  A shocking pink and violet bi-colour Birkin in goat skin and an orange colour Birkin in ostrich skin.  This is the first time I’m coming across such a great giveaway from a forum and so I thought it’s worth a mention here. 

To qualify for a chance to win the Hermès Birkin, you have to sign up to join the forum, accumulate the most reward points and contribute in an all-rounded manner to the various channels within the site.

Cotters who sign up before 5 September 2008, makes at least 20 Raves at CozyCot and refers 20 friends who successfully sign up as Cotters will be recognized as Founding Members and be awarded with a generous 1,000 reward points as a headstart.

According to Cozycot, once their site garners 1,000,000 Cotters, the selected top Cotter will bag the stylish 30cm shocking pink and violet bi-colour Birkin in goat skin. And as soon as the site crosses its 10,000,000 mark in membership, another lucky Cotter will walk away with the exquisite 30cm Birkin in Orange colour ostrich skin.

So if you’ve been hankering after that Birkin, you might just get it for free by signing up as a free member with Cozycot today!

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Here’s the best from beauty from the ladies at Total Beauty network:

Who is the THEVI Woman? Girl-Woman-Beauty-Brains-Blog introduces you to the new line of cosmetics for the NEW ethnic woman.

Does the T3 Plump Heat-Seeking Liquid Hair Plumper give Makeup Bag hair like Serena Van der Woodsen?

Alison of the Advice Sisters Guide To Life, Success & Happiness Blog visits with Redken’s color consultant, David Stanko at the Angelo David Salon in New York, and answers the question: Are In-Salon Treatments Really Worth it?

The Muse saws open her Urban Decay Potion Primer and finds out how to make the most of it!

Meredith at Daily Dose of Coffee finally checks out MAC’s Tendertones and thinks that it’s a product worth keeping in your makeup bag.

Beauty’s Spot is tangled up in shades of orange this summer as Nars Lip Lacquer in Capucine has stolen her heart.

Beauty Anonymous reviews Corioliss Pro Black Flat Iron!

Tink at Casual Lavish provides a step by step Beach Waves hair tutorial.

Get your summer groove on with some fun waves and have fun!! Monique at Beauty Girl Musings has discovered a new, more grown-up scent that she adores!

Top 10 Celebrity Hair Stylists Hair Tips by Talking Makeup.

The girls over at Beauty in Real Life got a chance to interview celebrity makeup artist Fatima Olive, click here to read her fabulous makeup tips.

Come join The Life of a Ladybug’s no!no! giveaway! All you have to do is enter your name and e-mail address and you have a chance to win a brand new no!no! hair removal device!

Jeanne at Periodic Style is dealing with a self-tanning mishap…

Summer heat doing a number on your skin? Beauty411 shares how the new June Jacobs Cooling and Soothing Masque can help you beat the heat and improve your skin!

Makeup Junkie shares a new Makeup Obsession and it’s not lip gloss!

Beauty Tyrant is virtually poreless now, thanks to her Pore-fect Idealist. Find out how this product makes it to her Holy Grail!

The Beauty of Life is giving away over $100 in Lisa Hoffman products! Click here to enter!

Melissa from The Makeup Divas reviews and shares photos of eye shadows and slimshines from the Mac Cool Heat Collection.

Enjoy the reads and your weekend too!

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