When Things go bad....

Do you know when to throw out a product?

Since I am idling at home, I was thinking of honing my falsies application skills and the above was what I saw when I sqeezed out the eyelash glue from the tube. What was supposed to be a whitish liquid is now yellowish and runny. No doubt about it, time to toss out this tube of eyelash glue.

Even for most vicious and iron-fisted purgers out there, there is definitely still a dirty little secret lying at the bottom of our cosmetics / skincare drawers. Eyeshadow from mom's younger years? Foundation that have separated? Your favorite lipgloss color that they discontinued 5 years ago?

 

Chances are, some of them have already gone bad, really bad. There is no right or wrong when it comes to this. How long a product is dependent on the below:

1. 
   
   Content of the product. Oil based products tend to last longer. So if that foundation of yours is water based, chances are you'll be tossing that out faster than your oil-based ones. With the advent of skincare and cosmetic technology, companies are able to come up with better products by using better ingredients. And no, that does not mean these products would last longer. It just means that these products are better for your skin, not your wallet because very often than not, products with good ingredients are the ones to spoil the earliest.
   
   This is because companies are able to stabilise and extract ingredients that were technological impossible ten years ago. But these ingredients might not last that long compared to traditional ingredients.
   
   Furthermore, with the increased awareness for natural and paraben-free products, products today are not meant for shelf life maximization but rather, results optimization. The product may still look and smell alright, but the active ingredient / potency of the product may degrade over time due to exposure to the air and bacteria.
2. 
   
   Container and Packaging
   Products housed in tubes and bottles usually last longer as compared to jars as there is less bacteria contact. Jars are usually the ones that are the hotbed for bacteria and germs since most of us would dip our fingers into it rather than use a clean spatula.
   
   So, the next time you grab that favourite moisturizer of yours, remember to use a spatula or Q-tip. Always use quality cotton. Inferior cotton are usually bleached with harsh chemicals that would probably do more harm than good.
3. 
   
   Storage, Climate and Environment
   The gurus say it all. Always store your products in a cool and dry place, away from the sunlight. And that includes all opened and unopened products. As to why, I think we all know well enough so for me not to further elaborate.
   
   Typically, for a tropical climate such as Singapore, our products tend to go bad faster compared to someone using the same product in a temperate region. This is due to the extra sun and humidity that we get over here. Room temperatures are higher and with the higher water content in the air, our products are more vulnerable to bacteria growth. So, if you have the additional buget, you can invest in either air-conditioning or better still, a cosmetic fridge for storing your little bottles, to prolong their shelf-life.
   
   And always always cap your products to reduce anymore dust from settling into your products.

Little Tips:

• 
  
  For major skincare and cosmetics line, there is usually an indication of how long the product can last after opening. Look around the container and you would sometimes find what looks like a picture of a opended tub with numbers on it. The number is usually 6, 12, 24 or 36. What this means is that you can safely use this opened product for the number of months it says. So always write down the date of opening on your product with a marker on the container. But do remember that this number is just a guide and there are many other factors.
• 
  
  Opened that jar of La Mer creame and cant bear to use it? Thinking of using it sparingly or for that special occassion? Chances are, it will spoil even faster. The theory is the same as not airing your wardrobe periodically. Moisture and bacteria gets trapped in and like all living organisms do, starts to grow. So, use up that jar asap once it is opened to get your pennies really worthed and maximise the ROI.
• 
  
  Always use your senses. See that the product has separated, have a funny color or texture, or smells rancid? Do not doubt your senses, these products have already gone bad, no matter that the product information says.
• 
  
  Although most products stay alright as long as it has not been opened before, but I guess no-one would want to use a product that have been sitting on a cosmetics counter for 5 years. Companies nowadays have labels indicating either the date of manufacturing or expiry date. Do not buy anything that is obviously passed the expiry date or has a manufacturing date of more than 5 years ago. Most major departmental stores would not have this problem due to high product turnover rate.
• 
  
  For natural and organic products, due to their zero / low preservatives content, they tend to go bad the fastest. Always check with the company on their product lifes when you are purchasing, to reduce any chances.
• 
  
  Always buy from verified and reliable sources. That MAC lipstick may feel like a great bargain but for all we know, it could be a counterfeit and worst, it might have been sitting in the warehouse for years. And yes, counterfeiting is a lucrative business that is not restricted to the world of designer bags.
• 
  
  There is really no right or wrong on this. You'll probably not have adverse effects on a moisturizer that still looks and smells good, despite having been opened for 3 years, and neither would you go blind from using eyeliner that is past the 5 years mark. Even if you do use any rancid products despite what your senses tell you, the worst you can get is a serious case of skin allergy / reaction.
• 
  
  General guide to product shelf life after being opened.
  
  Liquid foundation: 6 months to 1 year
  
  
  Mascara: 3 to 4 months
  
  Lip gloss and lipstick: 1 to 2 years
  
  Eye/lip pencils: at least 1 year and up to 3
  
  Facial cleansers and moisturizers: 6 months to 2 years
  
  Anti-aging and acne treatments: 3 months to 2 years
  
  Body lotion: 2 to 3 years
  
  Hair styling products: 3+ years

Livejournal Sprees 101

Lemming for something not available in Singapore, or refuse to pay the exorbitant prices charged by some of the retailers? Welcome to the world of online shopping and spree communities.


Why shop online?
There are many products not available in Singapore. Even if they are available, the prices charged by local retailers are usually very much higher compared to buying online due to margin markup, import tax and rental.


Why spree?
Overseas retail websites may sell items at much lower prices, however, the shipping costs are usually very high. By consolidating orders, one can stretch the per unit charge to the minimum.




How to participate in a Livejournal Community Spree?
First and foremost, you'll need to have internet banking facility for transfer of funds. Sometimes spree-organizers do accept ATM transfer but that is at sole discretion of the Spree-organizer. Please visit DBS website to apply for Internet Banking Facility if you haven got one.


You'll need to wait a few days for the bank to process your request and send you the IB Security Device. Once you get the device, follow the instructions to activate your Internet Banking Facility and ooh la la, welcome to the world of Internet Banking.


Next, to be able to post your orders, you'll need a livejournal account. Please visit livejournal.com to sign up for a new account if you haven't got one.

Then to be able to post in a spree community, you'll need to join this community. After joining the spree community, you now can post your orders under the various sprees that you want to participate.

Posting your Order
Most spree organizers have an ordering format already in place. To lock in your orders, you'll need to post a comment, and following the ordering format, put in your required items.

Thereafter, calculate the amount that you'll need to transfer for your first payment, and IB the funds over to the spree-organizer.

Once the spree-organizer acknowledges and confirm that orders have been placed, you just have to wait for your lovelies to reach Singapore.

* If you do not receive any acknowledgement or status updates, please do contact the spree-organizer for information. Of course, please do not be a psycho and hound the spree-organizer on a daily basis.

** If you are unsure about how to post, I always advocate the Monkey See; Monkey Do method. Reference from orders placed by others and follow through.


Collection of Payments and Top-Ups
To deter punk shoppers and since spree-organizers are not millionaires, it is only right that we promptly pay up for our orders and the upfront shipping from the site of origin to Singapore.

Once the items arrive in Singapore, depending on how the spree-organizer split the costs, another round of top-up would be required based on actual shipping charges and local postage.

Prompt payment is also very important or else, run the risk of having your orders rejected.

Think of it this way, would you want that great bargain of yours to be cancelled because it was OOS by the time the spree organizer checked out the orders? All because someone delayed the funds transfer and the spree-organizer was soft-hearted enough to wait for that ONE person to transfer the money? I doubt so. Hence, please be prompt when it comes to payment.

Shipping and other miscellaneous costs
There are many ways shipping is incurred. There are flat rate shipping, shipping based on total purchase amount, shipping based on total no. of items and shipping based on volumetric weight.

Hence, there are many ways to divide out the shipping per unit. Please do understand how the spree-organizer is going to split the shipping cost out.

Please do keep in mind that when it comes to shipping, it is not always possible to divide it to the exact. Sometimes, it is really based on estimation. If you are not happy with the method chosen by the spree-organizer, then do not participate in that spree to avoid future disputes.

In addition, spree organizers will usually collect a nominal transaction fee between $0.50-$1.00 for purchase of packaging material and what's not. This is a well followed practice and I really think such nominal amounts are very insignificant. Please do not be a miser on this!

Items receipt and collection
Once the items reach Singapore, the spree-organizers would need to re-distribute the items to the individual spree-ers. Most spree organizers would usually opted for normal / registered local postage.

For bigger items, spree organizers may sometimes provide mass meetups or self collection options.

Self Collect - Spree-er go down to spree organizer's homes to collect their items.
Mass Meetups - A fixed date, location and timing for distribution of items to spree-ers.
Individual Meetups - A fixed date, location and timing based on spree organizer and spree-ers convience.


Spree Organizer Terms and Conditions
Sometimes, the more structured and organized th T&Cs are, the more experience a particular spree-organizer is when it comes to organizing sprees.

Every spree-organizer have their own T&Cs. Please do read them properly and make sure you can accept these T&Cs before joining the spree.

Protecting ourselves and chosing your spree organizer
Most of the livejournal spree communities have regulating mechanisms and precautionary measures to keep errant spree-organizers at bay. Example are feedback links, strict rules against profiteering, strict spree-organizer qualification procedures, etc.

However, participation in a spree is still at our very own risk. To minimize this risk, we can chose to spree with established organizers based on the feedbacks obtained and how well managed a spree community is.

Always remember that if you feel uncomfortable spree-ing with a particular person, then drop it. Popular sites usually have several spree-organizers spree-ing around the same time. Chose the one that you feel most comfortable with.

Other risks
Other than delinquent spree organizers, we also need to know that there are other risks associated with spreeing online.

Risk such as wrong items shipped out by merchant, goods damaged in transit, to whole shipment being lost.


As much as we can lower these risks, they are inherent in any online sprees and is to be shared by everyone. DO NOT expect for the spree organizers to bear the cost of all the risks. Of course, if you have sufficient evidence to suspect a spree organizer of any delinquent actions, you may contact the spree community mods to lodge a complaint and launch investigations.

Spree Community Ettiquette
Sprees held in these spree communities are usually run by people on goodwill basis. Many spree sites do not allow spree-organizers to profit via additional fees except for a nominal amount meant for postage packaging material.

We are not paying these spree organizers for the service that they are providing, neither do they owe us for a living. Furthermore, no one should be rude to anyone, even if they are paying consumers. And hence, please be considerate and polite between correspondences.

While it is acceptable that you check up on the status of your orders, hounding spree-organizers on a daily basis is somewhat psychotic.

Frankly speaking, based on my previous own experience as a spree-organizer, I would gladly pay a nominal fee for the effort that these girls (and guys) put in to organize a spree.

In addition, some sites provide samples and GWP. Unless the sample and GWP is specific to the product that you have purchased (Eg: Buy two X brand product and get Y free), it is only right that the spree-organizer get these items (Eg: Free samples for every order; X for orders above $Y). Of course, whether to share with the first few orders would be solely at the spree organizer's discretion.

This also applies to special one-time offers and discounts. It is only right that spree-organizers get priority to utilize these special discounts and offers.

If you are really so hung up on these freebies, then organize your own spree.


Individual Spree sites and their risks
There are some individual sites that run sprees on their own. Unlike structured spree communities, these sites don't exactly have a regulating and watchdog party to oversee their actions. So the risk is very much higher compared to participating in sprees within spree communities.

However, majority of these individual spree sites are honest people offering very quality spree services and products.


Some common Livejournal Community Spree Sites
SG Spree (one of my preferred spree communities.)
Sprees Galore (one of my preferred spree communities.)
SG Live Spree (one of my preferred spree communities.)
_Spreee
Join Spree
Spree House
I love SG Spree
Spree Paradize
I Heart Spree


Frequently seen terms

• IB = Internet Banking
• Cap = The limit in which the spree ends
• Batch = Due to the Singapore customs rule, all packages should not exceed a value of $400.00, including the postage and insurance. Otherwise, GST would be incurred.
• VPost = Many online retailers either don't ship internationally or charges very high for international shipping. Mail forwarding and concierge services such as VPost come into the picture by providing an alternative to getting our lovelies.
• CWG / Comgateway = Mail forwarding and concierge services similar to that of Vpost. Some spree organizers prefer this provider to that of VPost. It really depends on situation and type of product.
• Concierge = Some retailers do not accept non-US drawn credit cards. In this case, concierge services offered by VPost and CGW comes into play by helping consumers to check out and pay via a US Credit Card. However, please note that there are transaction charges tied to these services.
• OOS = Out of Stock
• DNB = Do Not Buy
• Prohibited items = Singapore Customs and major mail forwarding companies have a list of items that are prohibited to be brought in. You can refer to the Singapore Customs website for more information.
• Supplier Sprees = Sprees that are from an unpublished supplier. The prices of the merchandise are usually nett price that includes shipping and any other hidden markups. This is somewhat similar to shopping in a normal retail store whereby you pay a fixed price for a product, not knowing the price breakdown. Some spree communities prohibit such sprees due to the low transparency of price breakdowns.
• Website Sprees = Spree from a published website such as asos.com, drugstore.com, etc. All the prices of the products are published on the site and cost of shipping determined on a separate basis.
• GWP = Gift with purchase

* Copyright of klutzbeauty.blogspot.com. Please get permission if you want to reproduce.*

Your outbreaks reflect your physical health....

I was sourcing the WWW for instructions to create something when I chanced upon this article...

Now, kind of intriguing since my outbreaks usually happens around the cheeks area and it is a known fact that I have a weak digestive system... So, for those who are interested, might want to take a look....

Click URL for the article

Reads: Sun Protection

I was reading one of the sites when I chanced upon an article and inspired me to make an entry on sun protection.
I must once again stress the importance of sunblock to all of you people out there. Especially to people with fair skin like me. Studies have shown that fair skin people are more likely to get sun burns as compared to dark skin friends.
However, this does not mean that dark skin people are not proned to the effects of UVA.

The sun
The sun emits three kinds of rays. UVA, UVB and UVC.

UVC is mainly blocked out by the ozone layer and we don't really need to worry about that although the depletion of the ozone layer means that technologies have to be invented to protect against UVC in the future.

UVB is the one that burns the skin and gives the red burning on the skin after exposure to it.

UVA tends to penetrate the skin deeper and although the skin damage is not apparent (usually it gives a very nice even tan), it has a long term effect. It is the long term effect that is more worrying. UVA is the main culprit for premature aging, photoaging, wrinkles, blotching, yellowing and spots.

Long term exposure to the sun without protection of any sort could also lead to skin cancer.

Sunscreens.
Sunscreens are best protection against UV rays and here is the breakdown.
Sunscreens work by either reflecting off the UV rays or by absorbing the rays through the use of physical filters or chemical filters.

Broad spectrum filters refers to the ability to protect the skin against both UVA and UVB rays. The photostability refers to whether the compound would break down when exposed to sunlight. If the active ingredients (filters) of the sunscreen are not photostable, then repeat and frequent application is recommended. Studies have shown that if the the suncreen is not photostable and frequent applications is not done, it might do even MORE harm to the skin than protect it.

Physical Filters are usually opaque minerals pigments that reflect and scatter UV rays over a broad spectrum of wavelengths that include UVB, UVA, visible light and infra red rays. These are micronised metal salts in the form of titanium and zinc oxide and are usually combined with chemical filters. Comparison between zinc oxide and titanium dioxide shows that zinc oxide is superior for UVA protection in the 340-380 nm range (UVA-I) and tends to be less pasty on the skin. It has been said that physical filters clog pores but they are gentle on sensitive skin since they are inert and photostable.

Chemical filters absorb the sun rays and convert them into heat. There are several types of chemical filters and they have varying properties. Being chemicals, they are usually light and invisible. Unfortunately, there are some which are not photostable and is sometimes associated with sensitivity issues.
There is a alot of studies in the area of chemical filters as a lot of them are not photostable and can cause skin irritations.

There are also known cases of chemical filters degrading each other when formulated together.The ones that are well known on the market for being photostable would be Mexoryl (L'oreal) , Tinosorb (Ciba), 4-Methylbenzilidene Camphor and Uvinul.

Formulations with avobenzone needs to be stabilised with
* octocrylene
* 4-methylbenzylidene camphor
* tinosorb s
* tinosorb m
* butyloctyl salicylate
* hexadecyl benzoate
* butyloctyl benzoate
* mexoryl sx
* diethyhexyl 2,6-naphthalate
European sunscreens with Mexoryl or Tinosorb
by Barbara Kwiatkowska
Manufacturers:-
TINOSORB S / TINOSORB M
- Avene
- Bioderma
- Castalia
- Caudalie
- Cosmedex
- Daylong
- Ducray
- Evaux
- Galenic
- Johnson's Suncare Baby
- Laboratories SVR
- Laviderm
- Lierac
- Mustela
- Nivea
- Oenobiol
- RoC
- Synchroline
MEXORYL SX (water soluble) / MEXORYL XL (Oil Soluble)
Patent by French company L'oreal
- Biotherm
- Garnier
- Lancome
- La Roche-Posay (Anthelios Fluid Sunscreens)
- L'Oreal
- Vichy
**L'oreal, Lancome, La Roche Posay, Biotherm and Vichy are some locally available brands that offer Mexoryl sunscreens. The more lightweight ones include Lancome UV Expert, L'oreal UV Perfect, and LRP Anthelios Fluide Extreme.

If your sunscreen contains chemical filters, be sure to apply 15-30 minutes before exposure to the sun. If it contains only physical filters, applying it just before exposure is fine.
In addition to the active ingredients, the 'vehicle' is also very important.
-Emulsions (cream or lotions):
Most acceptable photoprotectors. Creams spread easily and offer better photoprotection than lotions. Water-in-oil emulsions gives up more moisture, offers better protection and more water and sweat resist.

- Sticks are excellent sunscreens for lips.

- Gels are unstable and poorly water resistant.
Sensitivity and Comedogenicity
In addition to chemical filters causing sensitive issues, the vehicle is also a main factor. Many cream formulations are highly emollient and likely to be comedogenic when used by an acne-prone person. Lotions (laits) are somewhat less so. European and USA gels or sprays tend to be the lightest and least comedogenic, along with many Asian lotion formulations. If you are breakout-prone, look for a gel, a spray, or an Asian sunscreen.
SPF, PA, PPD and Boots Star Ratings
After understanding the make-up of a sunscreen, another problem comes up to choosing one. So what is SPF, PA and all the words on the bottles mean??

SPF: Sun Protection Factor
The SPF rating is primarily the amount of UVB protection the sunscreen provides. The rating (SPF15, SPF20, etc.) indicates how much longer a person can be in the Sun before burning than when not wearing sunscreen.

Example:
if I can stay in the sun for 8 minutes before burning starts without a sunscreen, an SPF 50 sunscreen means that I can in the sun for 400 mins (8mins*50) without getting a burn. Frequent application is encouraged to provide higher protection but it does not mean that applying more and you can stay in the sun longer.

** Although American FDA advice is SPF 15 for normal usage, many dermetologist argue that at least SPF 30 to be used. There are also some debate on SPF50++ on the capabilities of the product and consumers being misled.

PA, PPD, PFA
PA, PPD and PFA are usually used as a measure of protection against UVA. There is still no international standards to how protection is measure and neither how much is enough.

Products made for the Asian market typically include the Japanese PA rating (PA+, PA++, PA+++). You will see more of IPD and PPD ratings on european products. Apparently PA+++ corresponds to a PPD rating of at least 8, with PPD 15 being the ideal minimum. PA ratings are derived from PFA (Protection Factor A) values and below is the breakdown:-
PFA Value : PA (Protection grade of UVA)
2 or more but less than 4 : PA+
4 or more but less than 8 : PA++
8 or more : PA+++
However, the IPD, PPD and PA rating systems are based on in vivo test methods, and are not regarded to be as reliable as in vitro rating systems such as the Australian Standard (The expression of the results are carried out as a percentage of UVA radiation absorbed by the sun product) or the Boots Star Rating System (England) (latter as seen on Boots sunscreens: *, **, ***, ****).
In Vivo:-
* IDP method (Immediate Pigment Darkening)
* PPD method (Persistent Pigment Darkening)
* APF method (Erythemal UVA- Protection Factor)
* PPF method (Phototoxic Protection Factor)
In-vitro test methods:-
* Australian Standard AS,
* the Boots Star Rating system
* the Broad Spectrum Rating
* APP–Method / UVA-Protection Percentage

Examples of UVA Protection labelling:-
* Contains UVA-protection
* Broad-Spectrum protection PA+-PA+++ (Asian)
* B20A6
* SPF60-IPD 55-PPD 12 (European)

European sunscreens with high PPD ratings and multiple chemical UVA filters are far more protective than the best currently formulated Asian and USA sunscreens.They can provide:
* at least 3 times as much protection as the most protective USA formulations
* at least 3 times as much protection in UVA as a product that employs only physical UVA filters
* probably 3 times the protection of the most protective Asian formulations

The preponderance of evidence from over 140 primary medical studies suggests that using the highest UVA protection is more important for cancer prevention and minimization of photodamage than avoidance of chemical UVA filters.

Asian formulas:
Look for a formulation that has the rating PA+++. This corresponds to a PPD protective factor of at least 8. If you seek a higher PPD rating, you should consider European formulations.

After all that is said, these are some of the products that I think is suitable and available locally.

Kiss Me Sunkiller series
Biotherm White Detox UV
La Roche-Posay Anthelios Fluid series
Vichy sunscreens
Avene
L'oreal UV Perfect

Remember: It may seem a little expensive to purchase good sunscreens but think of the money that you will save later on wrinkle and uplifting creams. It is never too late to protect yourselves. And that includes the male counterparts too!!!

Sources:
http://www.dermatology.org.my/resources/res03.asp
http://forums.cozycot.com/showthread.php?t=5631
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/iyh-vsv/life-vie/sun_soleil_e.html
http://www.realself.com/blog