Expensive vs inexpensive
I used to think that by using a more expensive product, you
will benefit from it in the long run. Think of the branded stuffs compared to
cheaper options, in this case, let’s narrow it down to handbags or clothes. One
will assume that branded products will last longer and have higher quality
compared to their counterparts. I am not saying that’s not the case. I am
pretty sure everyone agrees that wool and cashmere-made scarves are warmer
compared to polyester, cotton-made scarves. Another example is shoes as well,
be it for men or women, comfy shoes (i.e. Hush Puppies, Ara, easy step, etc)
are more expensive compared to cheaper shoes. However, admittedly, they are
uglier too or less fashionable in another word. A while back, I hurt the sole
of my feet and now I can’t walk with flats that have no proper cushion soles
because my feel would swell and it did in the past. Hence, when I go to work, I
tend to wear comfy shoes and I only wear heels during the weekend for a night
out.
In general, I assume people agree that one of the reasons
one is willing to fork out that much money to purchase upmarket products is
because they hope that they won’t get replaced as often. Of course you will
have people who collect branded merchandises for a status statement purpose or
they simply just appreciate original designers who put so much effort to make
their work-of-art a trademark, hence the origin of “copyright”. Anyways, the
focus of my post this time is more on facial/cosmetics products, specifically
facial care products.
I remember a very long time ago when I was still a poor
student back at home. I didn’t care much about my skin, hair etc. Looking back
at the photos, I was petrified. All I used were very basic products, the
cheapest ones I could find which would give me the best result. Well, let’s be
honest here, it doesn’t exist! Especially, if you were not born with flawless
skin. If your face is full of acnes, oily/dry, uneven skin tone etc, using any
kind of facial care product will only make it worse. I used to use whatever
that is available at the local supermarkets. To be honest, till date, I can’t
tell the difference on whether my skin condition has improved. I had a
complimentary skin analysis with Shiseido a while back and the consultant told
me my skin condition is pretty decent. Well, I guess if you look after it well,
it still works. Fast forward, I upgraded from skin care such as Nivea, Biore,
Dove etc to L’Occitane, Body Shop and then to Shiseido White Lucent range
without the toner because my L’Occitane’s red rice toner is still in use.
After I switched from L’Occitane to Shiseido for a few
months now, something horribly went wrong. My skin started to itch, red patches
appeared randomly on my skin, it stung when I washed my face, my skin around my
nose went extremely dry and started peeling off. I wasn’t sure whether it was
my make up or my skin care causing this allergic reaction to my face because I
have been using both for a while and it only appeared recently. The burning
sensation was just unbearable and I was trying so hard not to scratch my face
as well because it would only get worse. In the end, I decided to go to the
pharmacy and ask for a soothing cream. The pharmacist suggested me to swap my
cleanser and moisturizer with Cetaphil instead. Can you imagine getting rid of
$180++ worth of products to less than $20 worth of products?????
BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!
I must say, Cetaphil works magic on my skin! Just after 2-3
days of using the cleanser and the moisturizer, the allergic reaction stopped!
Well, I had to stop applying make-up on my face for 2 days on top of that just
to give my face a break but I was mortified because I had to go to work bare
face which I rarely did before, maybe once in the past. I don’t wear thick
make-up but even just applying an eye-liner will make my face so much fresher
than without anything at all. I don’t feel confident and I look tired all the
time without any make-up on. Anyways, back to Cetaphil, you can either wash
your face with water or without water. I know some of you feel like your face
is still dirty if you don’t rinse it with water but you need to know as well
that water will only make your skin drier if you wash it too often. I usually
rinse my face with water first after removing all my make-ups, dry it with a
towel, apply an even amount of Cetaphil cleanser onto the face avoiding the
eyes’ area. Afterwards, use cotton pads to remove the excess, then voila!!!!
Your face is instantly brightened up and feels good too!
Moving on to the moisturizer, it is by far THE most amazing
moisturizer I have ever used in my entire life!!! You know how a normal
moisturizer just absorbs quickly into your skin? This one actually stays on
your skin, you can touch it without feeling greasy or heavy. It absorbs in your
skin, however it keeps the surface of your skin moisturized at the same time. It
even could stay there for hours and trust me, you will not feel disgusted at
all! It is definitely a good sign, especially in the middle of a harsh winter
in Australia, which dries out your face very quickly when you step out of the
house. I am not too sure about people with oily skin as this may aggravate the
oil to surface more. Other than that, this is a must have facial care product
during winter. Now, I am not too sure what am I going to do with my Shiseido
& L’Occitane’s skin care range now L
Oh, by the way Cetaphil brand has a lot of ranges in terms of their skin care
product and they are available at local pharmacies. Don’t think they are
available in the supermarkets, I suppose you can always google it.
P.S: The moisturizer can be applied all over the body area
too, not limited to face only. Also, major apology for I don't have the photos of before and after using Cetaphil because I only thought about sharing the goodness of it now :( I guess according to my experience, I won't go back to my other facial care products for a while :)
