Frederic Fekkai Technician color care color protecting glaze review

I actually have most of the Frederic Fekkai Technician Color Care range of products from shampoo to conditioner and 3-minute mask and this glaze. I've used the mask a few times and while it smells nice and looks nice, it's not really dramatically hydrating or nourishing or prevent much color fading.

This review is specifically for the protection glaze, which is meant to be a color protection serum on dry hair.

All hair pictures here are not bubble hairdye colors as my previous many posts, I actually went to the hairdresser this time for overall color as my hair was simply getting too long to manage with bubble hairdye, and the last slightly failed attempt gave me uneven color so I really needed to fix it for good. 

 

It has a pretty smart nozzle design, you twist it to open, squeeze bottle to control quantity. It's very convenient and mess free, the serum consistency also means the nozzle never get clogged.

It's pretty much transparent (in the palm of my hands).

I've tried to use it on wet hair first here, before blowdrying:

Here's the overall result after blowdrying. You can see the top of head and mid section looks fine, but bottom is still a bit frizzy. This serum doesn't have any end control quality. As for whether my hair looks shinier, not too sure- maybe very very mildly, it's not really a shine serum either.

I've decided to use a few extra drops on dry hair, which is what the instruction says.

Here's AFTER, you can see ends are very mildly smoothed. Usually my hair color fades the quickest at the end of hair.  (My current hair color is a dark dark brown, I asked for a neutral/ cool brown without any red, it's not quite ash because I don't think they added much green base in it either).

On the left of picture below, I applied the glaze. On right, nothing.

You can see it does tame the ends very mildly.

Here's the result after proper styling with my usual straightener just at the ends ( I literally just iron through the ends very quickly for an inward curl before I sleep, otherwise the next morning it can look frizzy especially at the ends). It's by no means a full styling but just quick cheat for me when I need better looking hair the next day- only takes 3 minutes anyway.

Again on the left, with the glaze, on the right, nothing. Once you used some heat styling, honestly the difference is really minor.

The glaze has a nice light scent like the rest of the Technician color care line, and does not feel oily. It reminds me a bit like the consistency of Kerastase oleo relax serums (not similar effect or anything, just consistency), but even lighter. It dries instantly on the hair.

Overall I'd use it up but probably wont' repurchase, I still think the color stripping is mostly due to shampooing and no treatment product is really going to help to hold the color that much...
I've been told by the hairdresser that if I wanted to maintain this dark brown color, I should wash my hair at most every 2 days, but I really can't stand the feeling of even slightly greasy scalp so most of the week I wash daily.

Fancl White Mask Plus+ Facial Mask review (2012 version)

As you may all know the Fancl Whitening serum is my staple whitening serum for last 2 years, it gives me generally evened out skin and any acne marks fade quite quickly. (However it does nothing for long term freckles or broken capillaries).

Here's Fancl White Mask Plus+ , which is basically the 2012 upgraded version of the fancl whitening mask. Like many Japanese brands, some products are seasonally renamed (and sometimes a few ingredients added, whatever is trendy in the beauty market for the year), then released seasonally.

Packaging is very similar to old version which was white with navy blue, this time it's mostly light blue and white.

Each box contains 3 satchet sheets of facial mask.

Fancl prints manufacturing dates on the paper box only, not on the masks. Items have a 12 month expiry date in general. so this box would expire in 2013.

Individual sheet masks:

Japanese ingredient list etc:

Here's what it looks like.The mask sheets are quite transparent, but doesn't really tear easily. It fits onto the face easily and does not slip and slide much. Fancl masks aren't really dripping wet and there are seldom much liquid leftover in the satchet either after you take the mask out.

In terms of overall effect, I would say it's a pretty plain mask. You are much better off investing in the whitening serum. While this mask boosts calming and hydration and brightening effects, I know you cant expect more even looking complexion with just 3 sheet masks, but usually I'd expect a lot of hydration and soothing properties. This mask doesn't deliver all that much in all 3 claims.

It's a very light facial mask, afterwards I only experience mild hydration and immediate mild calming (but does not last til the next morning).

I would use this in summer or in more oily skin days when I feel like using a sheet mask, but feel my skin is hydrated enough and don't want much oil on it.

Overall 2.5/5, probably a lot of better masks out there with cheaper prices. These retail for about 17-22USD a box (of 3) which is still on the pricey side.

Jill Stuart Mix Blush Compact 13 Milky Strawberry review/ swatch

Jill Stuart Mix Blush Compacts in shade #13 Milky Strawberry was released late 2011 or early 2012.

It is a blush quad with 4 different shades. You also get a silver retractable blush brush attached to the compact (it has a clasp closure so you can take it out completely).

I think this is also the image from the collection showing model wearing the blush (correct me if I'm wrong though!).

Comes in beautiful silver compact with lace design.

Inside: there's a plastic sheet separator which I have not shown.

This is what the embossed design look like after use, the entire print probably wears out after 10 uses (I've been using this blush almost exclusively for the entire month so it's reasonably used).

Here's swatch below, the left grey grid shows blush swatch according to same formation, on the right is what it looks like when all 4 shades are mixed together.

The top two shades are really hard to photo using flash photography, picture below shows the shimmer factor better: 

Basically top left corner is the largest shimmer in a pale pale pink, almost silvery, on top right it's a very soft subtle pink , it looks mauve pale pink in the pan but there really isn't much color, it's really there to sheer out the shade when you mix the bottom two vibrant colors together.

Bottom left is the nicest color, it's a bright pop of pink, without looking garish, it's extremely finely milled and a bit satin finish so it blends right into the skin and looks like such a pretty glow on the face. 

Bottom right shade looks coral/ peach in the pan but it's still rather pink when applied, at most a peach pink. it's not as pigmented as the bottom left corner color.

These are not too loosely or firmly pressed, I have great success using whatever blush brush I have.  They are a bit hard to swatch with fingers but with brush the color comes right out naturally.

The overall finish on me is a very pretty pink glow, on the vibrant side (but still looks really natural), mostly due to the bottom left hand corner pink shade which is so pretty. It reminds me of Bobbi Brown's pale pink blush (in powder form), but it's more wearable and not as fuschia, and has a nicer finish in terms of texture.

It's not quite like the model's picture when applied, hers look less pink and more subtle, this shade can really build up to a more vibrant pink as needed. I find the top left hand shade a bit useless though, it's a bit "chunky" shimmer compared to highlighters I prefer normally. I love this as an everyday shade, it makes me look awake , the pink is not overly cute and the shade is office appropriate.

5/5, I'd better start using my other mix blush compact (have several unopened ones in various shades), otherwise I'm so tempted to see if I should find a backup of this.

Lunasol Nail Finish N 02 Shell Pink (2012) nail polish/ lacquer review/ swatch

Lunasol 2012 spring/summer collection featured a bunch of new polishes (to their regular line). They are now "Nail Finish N".

Here's #02 Shell Pink. (If a shade is limited edition the color code starts with EX something). So if a code just says 01 / 02 / 23 etc, it means it is part of the regular line.

They are 10ml and retails for 1,500Yen which is about 17USD? though you can easily find these for cheaper on ebay. 

Below picture is probably the best picture of 02 Shell Pink, as it shows the soft pink base and also the slight pearly /sheen look to it, it's truly like the inside of a seashell where it's a bit pearly and almost reflects a really really faint blue.

 

At different angles the pearly sheen is non existent at all, like in picture below.

Comes in a standard plastic box.

Here are swatches with 3 coats. I hardly ever apply three coats since I don't like a thicker finish and 3 coats often take a lot longer to dry. However even with 2 coats it was still uneven, but 3 coats gives a rather even coverage and color now.

I didn't apply any base coat or top coat in pictures below.

Picture here shows the pearly sheen the best- The tiny blue iridescence or sheen is so subtle and very lovely. (Unlike the oh-lala pearl  pink from China glaze collection a while back which were reflecting really obvious blue and looked a bit tacky).

Picture below now with seche vite top coat, you can see the shine factor hasn't changed much.

Overall I love the color, it's very subtle and feminine but the pearly sheen and 'shell' finish gives a nice twist. The overall base color is quite common however, like a semi-sheer baby pink creme,  It's a really safe and office friendly shade. Probably not worth the full 1,500 yen price tag but if you can find it for a bit cheaper, definitely check these polishes out.

Overall 4/5.