No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Serum

幾年前，英國的朋友介紹我用No7的beauty serum，說用完以後皮膚滑得很。

當時閒著沒事幹，使跑去boots買了一支來試試，才知說那是英國銷量第一哩！

用畢以後真的覺得皮膚質感變滑了，可是除此之外也沒有見到有什麼明顯改進（毛孔還是很粗…）。

在此之後，我搬回香港，有時候朋友從英國回來也有拜託他們幫我買beauty serum，不過我多半是有一天沒一天地用（其他日子使用別的產品），所以效果也不怎麼顯著。

最近去布吉旅行，知道當地有boots的分店，而且在做買一送一的優惠，我便把這個加強版的Intense Beauty Serum帶回港。

現在晚每天晚上使用一點點，不知道是我年紀漸長還是怎樣，滑的效果是以前的兩倍～！（當然也與Intense這個配方有點關係）所以我覺得也可以在這裡推介一下。

其實，Intense配方是讓35歲以上的女性使用的，而一般的配方則是針對25歲以上的女性。似乎我的膚齡已經……!?

不過，還是除了滑以外就沒有什麼明顯改善。

我覺得這個產品還是適合一些本身皮膚便已經不錯的女生用，主要是讓皮膚再滑嫩一點，至於膚色、毛孔、幼紋等等便不要太有期望了。

最近~Boots已經把分店開到香港來！身處香港的大家想試的話，就不用飄洋過海了！

No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Serum @ Boots:
http://www.hk.boots.com/en/no7-protect-and-perfect-intense-serum-30ml.aspx

-by Wendy

NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner 眼線筆

我的膚質屬於油性皮膚，所以眼線沒多久便溶掉對我而言是一大問題。

以前，我曾使用MAC的眼線筆－－當然它也很不錯，但是到下午的時候已經溶得七七八八，所以還不算是最好的。

最近，有人介紹我用NARS larger than life long-wear eyeliner －－雖然在紐西蘭它真是貴得要命（Mecca Cosmetica賣NZD 50），但真是物超所值！

Source: http://www.narscosmetics.com

除了顏色很夠黑以外，它的質感非常滑，而且很容易使用。即使在一整天的工作後，它仍然沒溶掉！唯一的短處恐怕就是它附送的筆刨有點難用。

官方網站： http://www.narscosmetics.com/color/eyes/larger-than-life-long-wear-eyeliner

-by Petula

中文翻譯：http://www.laucuz.com/?p=428
Original English post: http://www.laucuz.com/?p=334

惹人厭的疤痕增生 – 瘢痕疙瘩 (keloid)

當我穿背心的時候，不少人都會指著我的肩膀問：「這是怎麼了？」

我的肩上有著如姆指第一截那麼長的疤痕，又紅又腫，所以很惹人注目。這道疤痕正式來說是叫瘢痕疙瘩 (keloid)。

Keloid簡單來說就是疤痕增生。我肩上的疤痕本來只是一個小小的劃傷，怎料過了一陣子，它沒有像一般傷口那樣好起來，而是變成了一個像痘痘大小的紅色小疤痕，而且隨著年月的增長，又癢又痛。

我曾經問過兩位醫生有關治療的方法，他們皆不建議以手術移除它，主要原因是超過九成病人的keloid會在手術後重生，變得比原來更大。再加上在手術後，keloid的傷口位置必須穿著壓力衣，但我的keloid在肩上，並非壓力衣可發揮太大功效的位置。

第一位醫生介紹我用疤痕貼，但是完全沒有作用，而且疤痕貼的使用（對我而言）也很麻煩。

至於第二位醫生，在檢查過我的keloid後，覺得它十分活躍，便替我打針（類固醇）。這類針是直接打到keloid內，打的時候真的痛得$#@&Z! 醫生還要一邊打一邊大力按平keloid，每次都痛得齜牙咧嘴……不過，打完針keloid真的會變扁喔！醫生說，一般病人都是打兩到三針（每隔三星期打一針）keloid便會變扁，效果能維持多久則因人而異，有些人能幾年都維持扁扁的。我的話，打完兩針，醫生便說不用打第三針，可是效果只能維持半年左右。

由於我自己不想打太多類固醇（畢竟半年一次真的太頻密了…），而且我的keloid在由扁變回凸的時候會很痛，範圍好像也變得更大（不曉得是不是心理作用），所以我現在便沒有再打了。

不過，keloid又癢又痛始終是個問題，所以我還是想努力解決一下這個問題。最後我做了一個大家應該會覺得很好笑的決定－－是時候試試秀碧除疤膏。

大家意想不到的是，秀碧除疤膏真的可以幫到我耶！

我每天努力塗啊塗（一天兩至三次，有時忘了也最少會塗一次），它真的沒有再痛／癢，我也覺得它變扁了一點。當然，它沒有打針那種完全變扁平的效果，還是凸凸的 ，但用一個一到十的scale來比喻的話，以往如果它凸的程度有十分，塗了秀碧除疤膏後，大概是七分凸，打針的話則是兩至三分凸。

另外，不是任何品牌的除疤膏都有效喔～我有一次不小心買錯了喜●●牌的去疤膏，完全沒有用。

你可能會嫌扁平的效果不夠明顯，但是對我而言，因為打針雖然會讓它變扁，但是還是不能完全弄走它，所以扁不扁並不是我主要的考慮，反而可以讓它不再變大和不再痛／癢才是重點。打針的費用高，而且我的keloid在由扁變凸時也會變大，所以我反而更滿意秀碧除疤膏的效果。

當然啦，不論哪種治療，用在不同的人身上，效果也可能截然不同，適合我的方法未必會適合你，上述的經驗只是讓大家參考、參考。最後，你還是應該問問醫生的意見喔！

-by Wendy

紐西蘭Dermatech Glycolic Cream 10%

Source: www.dermatech.co.nz
最近，我換了新美容院做蜜蠟脫毛 (waxing)。

跟美容姐姐聊著聊著，便聊到我的皮膚狀況：毛孔粗大， 間中會出痘痘，lunch還未到已滿臉都是油， 而且還開始有頸紋（討厭的皺紋啊！）

平日，我主要用Environ AVST 的護膚品（我在使用三號）。事實上， 它們大大改善了我的痘痘問題， 所以我對Environ的護膚品感到十分滿意。 而我的美容姐姐建議我在Environ面霜以外，可以再使用De rmatech Glycolic Cream 10%。

Dermatech是一個紐西蘭牌子， 它們的產品全都是在紐西蘭製造。

不過，大家一定疑問，到底什麼是Glycolic Cream？以下是Dermatech網站的解釋：

＂乙醇酸是一組稱之為阿爾法羥基酸AHAs（果酸）的酸基團。 果酸是在天然產品（如牛奶、蔗糖和水果）找到。 它們都有著很類似的分子結構，而乙醇酸（從甘蔗中找到） 有著最小的分子結構，所以較易被較底層的皮膚吸收。

Glycolic Cream®是含有乙醇酸的保濕潤膚霜。 它是一種針對老化和曬傷皮膚問題的家用治療產品。”

已經約有一個月的時間，我每晚在塗Environ AVST前都先使用大概一粒豆份量的glycolic cream。

起初塗上時，有點刺刺和癢癢的，但是只是剛開始時會這樣。另外， 剛使用時，我有出粒粒的情況，不過美容姐姐說這是正常的。

到目前為止，我注意到：

* 膚質改善了

* 毛孔收細

* 面油比以往少

Dermatech 亦提醒大家要注意：

＂Glycolic Cream®能在首兩至三週改善膚質，讓皮膚變滑。在三至六週， 你會注意到毛孔收細，而六至十二週後會改善色斑， 八至二十四週後會明顯減淡幼紋和皺紋。＂

暫時我都不覺得頸變有減淡的跡象，可能因為我只是用了很短時間。

有興趣的話，你可以到它們的網站訂購：

http://www.dermatech.co.nz/ Our-Products/Treat/

想知道它對頸紋有沒有效，便記得留意我之後的更新啦～

Petula <3

[此乃中文翻譯，以英文原文為準］

中文翻譯：http://www.laucuz.com/?p=266
Original English post: http://www.laucuz.com/?p=40

No 7 Protect and Perfect Intense Serum

A few years ago, my UK friend introduced No. 7 beauty serum to me, saying that it will give your skin silk-like smoothness. I got one from Boots to try, and only then, I noticed that it was the No. 1 best seller in the UK! My skin really felt smoother after using the serum, but no other significant improvement was shown (my pores were still huge...). After I moved back to Hong Kong, when a friend returns to the UK, I would ask him/her to help me buy the beauty serum. However, since I wasn't using it on a daily basis (I was using other products), the effect wasn't very noticeable. Recently, I traveled to Phuket, and Boots were doing a buy-one-get-one-free promotion, so I brought this intense beauty serum home. Now I am using a little bit of it every night. Not sure if it's because of the fact that I am now older, I feel that the smoothness effect has doubled~! (of course it has something to do with the "intense" formula), so I guess it is worth reviewing here. But, still there are no signs of other improvements. I think this product is great for girls who have average skin and hope to further improve the smoothness of their skin. However, please don't have too much expectation on evening your skin tone, minimizing your pores and reducing your lines as it is advertised to do. Recently, Boots has extended to Hong Kong! If you are living in Hong Kong would like to try this out, there is no need for you to fly all the way to Phuket/UK!

Keloid - hypertrophic scarring

When I am wearing a tank top, many would point to my shoulder and ask, "What happened?" There is a scar on my shoulder which is as long as the first section of my thumb. It's red and swollen, and hence, draws a lot of attention. A more proper name for this scar is Keloid. In short, keloid is hypertrophic scarring. I had a scratch on my shoulder and it didn't heal like other wounds, and it kept growing after a while, becoming a red scar which looked like acne. It is itchy and painful during all these years of scar proliferation. I consulted two doctors about the cure. Both of them advised not to do any surgery. The reason was that over 90% patients' keloid grew back after the operation, and it got even bigger than before. Nonetheless, it was necessary to wear pressure garments after operation, but my keloid is on the shoulder, so pressure garment's effectiveness is highly in doubt. The first doctor recommended scar bandage, but it was totally useless, and the application was quite troublesome (to me). The second doctor used steroid injection on my keloid as he believed that my keloid was very active. The steroid was injected directly into the keloid, and it hurt like hell! The doctor had to press the keloid flat during the process and it drove me to tears every time he did it. BUT, after the injection, the keloid would really become flat! According to the doctor, most of his patients needed to inject two to three times (once every three weeks) to make the keloid flat. How long the effect can last is different for every one, some can lasts for a couple of years. For me, I only needed two injections to make my keloid flat, but the effect would only last for 1/2 year. I don't want to inject the steroid too often (once every six months is a bit too much) because my keloid hurts a lot when the effect subsides and it even grows bigger (not sure if it's psychological effect) - so I don't do the injection anymore. My keloid being itchy and painful is still a problem though. So I made a decision which most of you would think ridiculous -- it's time for Contractubex. The unexpected happens - it actually helps! I applied Contractubex every day (2-3 times a day, sometimes only once when I was too busy), it doesn't itch/hurt anymore, and i think it flattened a little. Of course, it is not as flat as post-steroid-injection, but on a scale of one to ten, if it was ten before any treatment, after contractubex, it's around seven, while injection would be two to three. Also, not all the scar removal cream works, I tried H●r●scar with no success. You may think the flatness wasn't enough, but for me, since the injection only makes it flat, it doesn't remove the whole thing, being flat or not is not my major concern. I care more about if it can stop growing and stop feeling itchy and painful. Steroid injection costs a fortune, and my keloid grows even bigger when the effect subsides, so I actually prefer contractubex more. Needless to say, treatments have different effectiveness on different individuals. Contractubex may not work for you. I am just blogging to share my very own experience, you should consult your doctor's advice before trying anything!

NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="315"] Source: http://www.narscosmetics.com[/caption] I have oily skin, so my eyeliner not lasting is a huge issue for me. I used to use MAC eyeliner - it was fine, but wasn't the best because by mid day you couldn't really see it anymore. I got introduced to the NARS larger than life long-wear eyeliner - although it costs a fortune in New Zealand (NZD 50 at Mecca Cosmetica) I am never using anything else! The color is dark, and it is really smooth and easy to apply.  It lasts all day at work! My only complaint is that the built in sharpener is hard to use. Official site here: http://www.narscosmetics.com/color/eyes/larger-than-life-long-wear-eyeliner

Dermatech Glycolic Cream 10%

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="190"] Source: www.dermatech.co.nz[/caption]

Recently I switched to a new beautician for my waxing.

Got chatting to my wax lady and discussed my skin conditions: enlarged pores, a few pimples from time to time, super oily by lunch time, and starting to get neck lines (wrinkles yikes!)

My face care consisted of the Environ AVST line (I'm up to 3).  I love Environ products and it has greatly helped my previous acne prone skin.  She recommended to supplement my Environ cream I try this product called Dermatech Glycolic Cream 10%.

Dermatech is a New Zealand company and all products are New Zealand made.

What is Glycolic Cream? According to the Dermatech website:

" Glycolic acid is one of a group of acids known as Alpha Hydroxy Acids or AHAs. AHAs are found in natural products such as milk, sugar cane, and fruit. They all have a similar molecular structure, with Glycolic (from sugar cane) being the smallest in the family and therefore it will penetrate to the deeper layers of skin more easily.

Glycolic Cream® is a hydrophilic emollient containing Glycolic acid. It is a home care treatment product, developed to address the problems of ageing and sundamaged skin. "

I have been using a pea sized amount of glycolic cream every night under my Environ AVST for about a month now.

When you put it on, it tingles and sometimes feels a bit itchy - but only to start.  Also it brought out spots on my face in the beginning, which according to my beautician is normal.

What I have noticed so far:

* Improved skin texture

* Smaller pores

* Less oil production

And what Dermatech says you should notice:

"Glycolic Cream® will produce an improvement in the skin texture within the first 2 to 3 weeks. Your skin will feel smoother. In 3 to 6 weeks you will notice a reduction in the size of pores, in 6 to 12 weeks an improvement in pigmented spots (hyperpigmentation) and 8 to 24 weeks you will see a visible reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles."

However I haven't seen any improvements in my neck lines yet - but I have hardly made a dent in the big jar of cream.

If you are interested in trying it out, you can buy online at their website

http://www.dermatech.co.nz/Our-Products/Treat/

Watch this space for updates on neck lines!