Ask Petite Chou - Skincare routine
Hi MPC,
Just a simple question…I was wondering what your skincare routine is like right now. Do you use everything from the same skincare line? How much do you spend on the products?
xoxo,
Julie
I’d like to simplify my skincare routine for the summer ’cause it’s hot and uncomfortable, my face doesn’t like having too much stuff on it. Easier said than done ’cause you can probably tell I like trying all kinds of beauty products. I don’t keep everything I use from the same line. I mix and match. For cleansers I use drugstore brands and I’ll splurge on serums and moisturizers. I don’t believe in spending too much money on them because whatever the high-tech precious ingredients included in the cleanser will just be washed down the drainer. I only need a good gentle cleanser to wash the grime and dirt off my skin and not dry out my skin. Right now, I’m alternating between two cleansers for night and morning.
Neutrogena One Step Gentle Cleanser $7.49, for the night ’cause it really takes off all my makeup and cleanses in one shot. I’m lazy, I don’t want to use a makeup remover. I know we are supposed to. I actually got lectured by my friend T. who is meticulous about removing makeup, she actually uses three separate ones for face, lips and eyes!
Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser, Normal to Oily Skin $11.99, for the morning since my face is not that dirty and only needs an extra gentle cleanser. The original Cetaphil formula is great for dry and sensitive skin.
I’m just around running out of my Kose Medicated Sekkisei
($25) (which is fantastic at brightening the skin tone), this week I’ll be switching back to my old-time favorite toner Biotherm Biosource Softening Toner
($35), it’s actually aimed at dry skin, but I find it works great on my oily skin too. It’s gentle (alcohol-free) and refreshing, I think it can probably work on all kinds of skin types.
I’m obsessed with anti-aging products. I have these in rotation. For daytime, I only use one of them (sometimes I even skip it and go straight to sunscreen when my skin’s oilier than usual). At night I layer them.
philosophy booster serum treatment for aging skin $60. I just got this one and I’m loving it. The super lightweight serum texture is great for warm weather and it’s very moisturizing, I can go without another moisturizer sometimes after putting it on. It has a ton of peptides and anti-oxidants.
Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum, Fragrance Free
$19.47 $17.52. I’m pretty I gushed about this Olay serum before. It works great and it’s not expensive 
Yves Rocher Optimizing Moisturizer Day 1st Lines $28 $14. Has lots of botanical anti-oxidants. I’m using this as eye cream actually ’cause it’s pretty rich, my oily t-zone definitely doesn’t need it, but it’s just perfect for around the eyes.
Neutrogena Oil-Free Oil-Free Acne Stress Control, 3-in-1 Hydrating Acne Treatment
$7.99 $5.99. I use this baby every other day at night layered under other moisturizers ’cause my skin is blemish-prone. This one has BHA, it really exfoliates down into the pores making my skin really smooth and glowy, no kidding. For such little money, it’s really one of the best products I have.
And of course it’s very very important to me that I wear sunscreen everyday. Long time readers probably know I’m a die-hard Shiseido sunscreen fan. This Shiseido Extra Smooth Sun Protection Lotion SPF 34 PA++
($34.50) is what I’m using. I always have it even if I switch to other sunscreens. Last time I stopped by a duty-free shop, I bought three bottles just so I wouldn’t run out.
Clarins has some of the best sun care products too. On the days that I don’t need heavy-duty sun protection, this anti-aging non-oily Clarins HydraQuench Lotion SPF 15 ($48) lets me skip all the other steps and go straight from toner to sunscreen.
Phew, there you have it. Ask me again in a few months, I’ll probably have a different routine, which reminds me I need to spring clean my bathroom to get rid of old stuff that I don’t like and only takes up more space 
Juvenesse - a great skincare line with a great cause
I get so many promotions and coupon codes from stores that I want to pass on to you guys, but I found it hard to keep track of them all. A lot of times I would find coupons that expired before I could have the chance to post it. Now I’m trying to be better organized. So I’ve created a new page called “Promotions” you can on the right top corner of the page, under the “About Me” page. This is where you’ll find most up-to-date collection of promotions, exclusive sale links, coupon codes. Check it out often if you, like me, love a deal
Anyway, onto a new topic. I want to introduce you to a small yet fantastic skincare line called Juvenesse. Juvenesse was founded 20 years ago by Chicago entrepreneur Elaine Gayle. It’s a private label line of skin care, anti-aging and cosmetic products that use a bevy of state-of-the-art ingredients to treat your skin luxuriously. The brand found an immediate and growing following in major department stores including Marshall Fields, Bloomindales and Carson Pirie Scott. The company has taken its following and appealing line of products to the Internet at Juvenesse.com. What I really like about this small company, besides its fabulous skincare and beauty products, is that it sponsors a wonderful program from sponsorKIDS Charities called Peace Journey. The Peace Journey, created by Jeannette Kravitz guides global friendships among children of the world through technology and education. Here, youth lead as we build a global bridge of communication and cultural tolerance. In 2001 Peace Journey Adventures launched with their first official trip to Tanzania to build computer labs for a school there. Every since, the Peace Journey has taken teens on exciting trips around the globe, produced music concerts with bands like Little Feat and Ben Taylor, and build computer labs, trained students as journalist and created publishing and educational partnerships online and offline. Juvenesse supports the work of The Peace Journey by donating proceeds from product sales. How wonderful is that! Now when you use Juvenesse to pamper your skin, you know you are doing something good for yourself AND for the kids in need
Sleep Tight Collection $84.99, including Advanced Retinol Eye Cream, Sea & ‘C’ Serum, and Rejuvenate While You Sleep Creme. Rejuvenate your skin while you sleep.
Basics Grande Collection $79.99, including Aloe Milk Wash, Aloe Toner, Anti-Time Serum, Crème de la Crème.
Bye Bye Face Lines $60. Optic micro lenses soften harsh skin tones. Algae from Brittany ’s Shores revive skin’s strengthening proteins. Reduces lines, enlarged pores and redness.
Collagen Therapy $35, combines deep moisture and nutrients. A moisture surge masque and a luxurious overnight therapy. Contains soluble collagen, vegetable oil and aromatherapy ylang ylang oil.
Care by Stella McCartney skincare
I know I’m really late in the whole reviewing this all natural organic skincare line by Stella McCartney. By now I’m sure you’ve read tons of reviews by other beauty bloggers, mostly raving. That’s what prompted me to head over to Sephora to get it. The individual products are quite pricy so I thought I’d try out the Discovery Set
($38) first. And well, I’m glad I only got the trial kit ’cause I’m really disappointed in this line (No offense to anyone who loves it). I still commend Stella McCartney for her valiant effort in creating an all-organic line. I guess it just doesn’t suit every skin type.
The 5 Benefits Moisturising Cream is not good for my oily skin. My face ended up looking like an oil slick after an hour. And because this day cream doesn’t have SPF I had to layer another sunscreen over it, which made matters worse. And the strong flowery smell doesn’t appeal to me. I prefer my moisturizer fragrance-free. I suppose this cream might work for you if you have really dry skin.
The Nourishing Elixir again made my skin really oily, which is the weirdest thing ’cause the consistency of the lotion is not that thick. It really made me wonder if I kept using these products inevitably my face would break out like crazy.
The Radiance+Youth Elixir was a real disappointment. It was actually pretty irritating. I can’t believe she put alcohol in it. You might think it feels nice and cool but it is not good for your skin. It made my cheeks red.
The Calming+Soothing Elixir has a much thinner texture which wasn’t too bad for my oily parts. It felt nice going on, but I did need another cream for my cheeks for more moisture. The smell is pretty smoothing but again I’m paranoid about what all the fragrance oils are doing to my skin, i.e. irritating it.
Secret Clarisonic Weekend Sale!
Hurry, expires 03.31.08!
Powers of Rice - Origins’ new exfoliation products
I eat rice every time I visit my parents’ place. There are so many kinds of rice and they are all very nutritious to various degrees. Origins‘ new exfoliation product line called Modern Friction has ingredients derived from purple rice. Have you had purple rice? It is the king of all rice. Its nutritional values are 10 times better than the regular ol’ white rice. It’s high in anti-oxidants and fiber. And it’s so delicious Chinese people usually use it to make dessert. There’s even purple rice ice cream! Next time you visit China, you must try it. Yum! With Modern Friction, the rice starch wrapped in shea butter and aloe cream is said to be extra gentle yet extremely effective at sloughing the dead skin cells leaving your skin radiant, both for face and body. I tried to keep up with the scrubs in the long winter, but the skin on my body just can’t stay smooth and supple long enough. Don’t you just hate that crepiness on the legs? Now soon we’ll be ditching our tights, we gotta make sure our legs are shiny and smooth for the world, right girls? I just tried a sample and I loved it. I’m going to get a full-size and continue with it and see if the benefits are really long-lasting.
Modern Friction™ for the Body $49.
Modern Friction™ Nature’s gentle dermabrasion $39.50. This one is for the face.
Modern Fusion™ Skin transforming catalyst $36. I must try this purple rice serum since after the exfoliation you gotta treat your skin to some serious care. Load ‘em anti-oxidants!
dr. brandt Anti-Oxidant Water Booster - Blueberry
If you want to get a ton of anti-oxidants into your body instantly, you might want to try Dr. Brandt Skincare Anti-Oxidant Water Booster - Blueberry 2 oz
($35). You add a drop of this blueberry flavored water booster to your water and get the same amount of anti-oxidants from 15 cups of green tea! I am a green tea fiend. But I have yet to drink 15 cups of green tea in a day! Believe me I have tried, I ended up going to the bathroom a LOT, lol. If you are already drinking green (or black, red, white) tea daily and taking multi-vitamin pills, this is a convenient way to add more anti-oxidants. A girl can never have enough anti-oxidants to have youthful-looking skin, a stronger immune system, and overall body health. This is also available in the original and pomegranate flavors.
Philosophy the microdelivery peel mini peel pads
Do any of you get regular chemical peels? I’m scared of the whole idea of chemical peels. They always sound tres harsh for me. Besides I try to exfoliate regularly so I don’t know if they are that helpful for me yet. But once in a while my skin really needs a good sloughing, especially now after a long winter when my skin’s at its dullest. philosophy the microdelivery peel mini peel pads (60 pads) ($35) is the perfect solution for those of us who are a little timid about a full-on peel. Wiping on these pads is more like applying toner after you wash your face. They are really gentle, but with lactic acid it gets rid of the dead skin cells easily. And they are infused with loads of antioxidants to replenish the skin so it doesn’t feel like you are putting your face through a vigorous workout like when you are scrubbing your face. And if you are into the hard-core chemical peels, these can be a complement for between them. And remember to wear sunscreen ’cause your new smooth skin will need extra protection.
Clarins Summer Slimming Program
Even though we are still having so much snow here, but summer’s not that far away if I really think about it. Wanna get a jump on getting your body bikini ready? Join the Clarins Summer Slimming Program! I haven’t worked out one bit this winter. Like my guy says, I have been hibernating. I plan on dusting off my sneakers and stepper soon after we move into our new house. But I’m a lazy bum, if there’s a lotion out there that I can rub on myself in hopes of smooth tight legs, I will do it. Clarins’ anti-cellulite lotions have dominated the market for many years now. My best friend at work used it the whole time she was pregnant and a year after she had the baby. Her legs are dimple free. I suspect her healthy diet had a lot to do with that too. But hey, if you can get extra help from this, why not? Don’t expect to lose weight or inches using these. But if you are looking to tighten, tone, and smooth out the orange-peel thighs, definitely try them. In addition, I have a secret weapon too, drink loads of green tea, the loose leaf kind (I don’t trust the tea bag variety, you don’t know what kind of quality of tea was used to put in the bag). Green tea’s like the garage cleaner for your body.
Total Body Lift Double Edition $81 for two tubes!
With Bamboo Powders - Softens, Smoothes, Firms $34
Firming, Toning - 100% Pure Plant Extracts $47
Streamlines, Reshapes Waistline, Tightens Skin $87
SpaLook.com coupons galore
Anyone shopping for popular spa and boutique skincare and beauty brands? Spalook.com’s the best place to go to for its huge selection and low prices. Its lowest prices are guaranteed, or they’ll refund you for 115% of the difference in price! And every order comes with free samples. It’s a great site to load up on your dr. brandt, Molton Brown, Peter Thomas Roth, Freeze 24/7, Thalgo, etc. I have found a bunch of SpaLook’s coupons. Hope you find them useful! 
Get 10% off your $100 or more purchase at SpaLook.com. Coupon Code: Spa10
Get a FREE Sundari 5-piece set for dry skin when you spend $125 or more! Code: ASUND
Get a FREE SuperSmile Whitening Toothpaste (a $19 value) when you spend $45 or more. Code: AST
My new favorite store - StrawberryNET.com
On the weekend I went to Toronto’s Pacific Mall (North America’s biggest Chinese mall. Anybody from Toronto? Raise your hand :). I freaking love that mall, I can spend a whole afternoon there. With some vendors you can even haggle the prices ;). You can find all the popular skincare brands from Asia there. I splurged on some Kose products. Kose is so immensely popular in Asia, and its toner is one of the most highly demanded skin-brightening products. My cousins all sear by it. I got this Kose Medicated Sekkisei for $65. Then I went on StrawberryNET.com and it’s only $45! Now I know where to check first before going to the stores. StrawberryNET.com’s awesome. Their prices are really competitive, up to 50% off all skincare, cosmetics, and fragrances’ retail prices. And they offer FREE SHIPPING worldwide! So it’s great to try out brands that aren’t available in your area or if they are, they are probably marked up ridiculously in stores. If you become a new customer this month you can get a FREE Lancome lip color with any purchase over $25
!
Ask Petite Chou - favorite drugstore brand moisturizers
So dear reader Lisa emailed me asking what my favorite drugstore brand moisturizers are. I love to experiment when it comes to skincare and I’m open to both department store brand ones and drugstore ones, I literally will try anything except the ridiculously priced ones (’cause the claims usually are ridiculous too). I definitely have my drugstore favorites. If they work great on you, why go for the pricier version, right?
Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum, Fragrance Free $17.52. Olay used to be such a ho-hum brand. But ever since the Regenerist line came out, it’s been a favorite for me. This serum’s truly amazing, it makes my skin unbelievably silky and smooth and because it’s so light weight it’s perfect for my oily T-zone. And it fights the appearance of skin discoloration and wrinkles. There’s also a SPF 15 version, which is perfect for day wear. It goes perfectly under makeup, doesn’t pill or ball up like many other sunscreens, which is tres icky!
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle, Anti-Blemish Cream $11.60. I’ve been using Neutrogena since my teen years. It used to be a line focusing on teenage pimple-proned skin. But they’ve expanded to have great anti-aging products too. When this anti-wrinkle and anti-blemish cream came out, I thought it was really thoughtful of Neutrogena to address two problems in one cream. It is antioxidant-rich and also contains salicylic acid which exfoliates the pores to help prevent blemishes.
Almay Daily Moisturizer for normal/combo skin with grape seed SPF 15 $10.49. I didn’t pay too attention to Almay’s skincare stuff until not long ago when I read some great reviews about this excellent moisturizer (Almay’s One Coat Nourishing Waterproof Thickening Mascara
is amazing!). I figured anything that is suitable for my oily t-zone and has sun protection AND has antioxidants (ones extracted from grape seed are potent) is definitely worth a try. It’s been one of those moisturizers that I recommend to friends and usually get a surprising reaction out of them.
Dove Sensitive Essentials Sensitive Skin Facial Lotion, Sensitive Skin $6.75. Definitely not a fancy one, but a really solid moisturizer that does its job. I find sometimes after I put on a very light-weight serum, some parts of my face still need more moisture, this is a great way to layer over the serum to seal in the moisture. The antioxidants and anti-irritants (hence good for sensitive skin) ingredients are terrific for everybody
Aloette Night & Day Face Cream Duo
Aloette’s been around for almost 30 years. It’s one of those brands that aren’t interested in being trendy or gimmicky. Their products contain ingredients that are proven to be effective with aloe being their star ingredient, and over the years they have made incredible advances in the technology. I remember watching Aloette’s CEO Christie Cohen sell her line on the Shopping Channel over 10 years ago and last week I was killing time channel surfing and she happened to be on the Shopping Channel promoting her latest new products. She still looked so youthful. It’s like she doesn’t age, she’s been looking the same forever. The latest anti-aging powerhouse from Aloette is this Night & Day Face Cream Duo ($119.90). I love it when beauty companies put SPF in their day cream. It’s really a necessity. Like all Aloette skin care products, these two contain a high percentage of aloe, an antioxidant with anti-microbial and antiviral agents. Aloe is so gentle, perfect for sensitive skin. I’m definitely putting this duo on my wishlist.
Ask Petite Chou - doctor’s skincare lines
This is a question that I’ve been wondering too.
Dear Ma Petite Chou,
There seems to be so many Doctor and Dermatologist created skincare lines. They all have incredible claims and because they are doctors they must know things that we don’t, right? It’s really hard to pick one. Do you have a favorite?
Dana
Doctor created skincare lines are so seductive, aren’t they? Every time I hear about a doctor’s line, I want to try it. I naturally want to believe what the doctor says about the miracles their products can perform. But alas I can’t try them all, most of them tend to be very expensive. I love reading reviews about these products. If you don’t regularly check out MakeupAlley, you should. It’s my fave cosmetics review site. So back to the question, I wish I had a much better picture of all the doctor lines on the market, I can only speak with my very limited knowledge that MD Skincare by Dr. Dennis Gross is my favorite. All of the products are fragrance-free so they do not irritate any sensitive skin. The serums and moisturizers aim to protect and repair skin. So if you are looking for great anti-aging products, invest your money in some of its moisturizers and sunscreens.
MD Skincare Hydra-Pure Oil Free Moisture $75. The best seller for the brand, seriously a formidable moisturizer. I wish this could be a staple on my bathroom counter, but it’s just not cheap. I got it when I was going through a pretty bad phase of breakouts on my face. My doctor prescribed Diffrin for me. It made my skin so dry, red and itchy. But I was scared of putting any moisturizer on my face in fear of making the breakouts worse. My pores just love to trap everything and anything inside them. This moisturizer really helped me through the tough time. Besides containing a boatload of antioxidants and cell-repairing agents that your skin will just happily soak up, it also has this high-tech compound called Chelating Complex which prevents metals in the tap water from binding to your skin cells. Sounds complicated huh? I don’t understand it. I just know the moisturizer makes the skin all nice and smooth.
Powerful Sun Protection SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion $42. I have a friend who swears by this sunscreen, says it’s much more than a sunscreen, it’s got all the good stuff of a moisturizer plus the sun protection. She just forgoes any moisturizer and wears the sunscreen alone. It also contains the compound Chelating Complex.
Continuous Eye Hydration Advanced Technology $45. This is an all-encompassing eye serum. It provides intense hydration, delivers antioxidants, boosts collagen production, de-puffs the eye area, AND protects against milia-causing residue, you know those pesky white little bumps that grow around the eye when you use a cream that’s way too rich for your skin, well you don’t have to worry about that with this eye serum.
So does anybody use MD Skincare and love it? What other lines do you like? If you have a favorite, please recommend!
Filed under Skincare | Comments (2)Yves Rocher - your best botanical beauty care line
I think I mentioned before that my mom is a loyal customer of Yves Rocher, has been for as long as I can remember since way back when she was ordering from a catalog. Yves Rocher, originally a French company now also available in North America (they have an American site and a Canadian site), believes that the nature is the source of beauty. They use organic botanical ingredients in their products. As a teenager, I had my own skincare problems and I had my own favorite products (still do) so it never occurred to me to try any of Yves Rocher’s products just because my mom was using them, although they do have products geared towards young skin. But now as my skincare needs are changing, I’m open to try different lines. My mom always has a ton of the stuff in stock (she’s a little compulsive about ordering from Yves Rocher’s catalog). And she gets free gifts and samples to try all the time. That’s a company that knows how to take care of their customers. So I’ve been stealing from her stash when I ran out of moisturizer, face wash, and shampoo. I’ve been very happy about using them and I really recommend these to you girls. The price point is very affordable too.
Phytum Nutrition Replenishing Shampoo $8 and Phytum Nutrition Replenishing Conditioner $8. These are the shampoo and conditioner that I’m using for dry damaged hair. Silky texture and fabulous scent. Many of the shampoos and conditioners are having the “Buy 1 get 1 Free” deal right now!
Inositol Végétal Optimizing Moisturizer Day 1st Lines Refill $24. I get a little neurotic about aging signs on my fac e sometimes. I’m not happy when I see fine lines under my eyes even if they are temporary. I’m using this anti-wrinkle cream as an eye cream. It’s a little too rich for the oily parts of my face, but just rich enough for the delicate skin around the eye. I don’t like to shell big bucks for a tiny jar of eye cream, this works out great.
Bio Specific Pore Regulation Purifying Cleanser $12.50 and Bio Specific Pore Regulation Mattifying Toner $12.50 $6.25. This cleanser and toner combo works great for my oily/combo skin. Because of the micro-particles in the cleanser, my face is super clean after the wash, the scrub is not harsh at all. I don’t know what the magic is in the toner, it really controls the shine in my T-zone.
Hamamélis Moisturizing Body Lotion $11 $5.50. I seriously love this lotion because it works great and it’s so cheap, you can almost always get it half off. The fruity scent is not fancy, but is very comforting. If you get this, get the shower gel $9, too.
Avon’s Spring Trimmings 6 Piece Beauty Collection
Boy, does Avon have a hot deal for you — Spring Trimmings Beauty Collection a $70 value for only $22.50!
Choose from 2 palettes (Warn Honey or Cool Rose) in this 6-piece collection. Each collection includes:
1. Ruffled Beauty Bag
2. Glazewear Liquid Lip Color
3. ANEW Alternative Intensive Age Treatment SPF 25 Day AM
4. Daring Definition Mousse Mascara
5. True Color Eyeshadow Single
6. Ultra Luxury Eye Liner
Here’s what they say about the collection:
“For skin: Anew Alternative Intensive Age Treatment SPF 25 Day moisturizes, evens out skin tone and protects against age damage.
For a fresh, flirty Spring look: Apply Ultra Luxury Eye Liner along the lash line. Smudge for a subtle look. Apply True Color Eyeshadow Single shade all over eyelid from lash line to crease and lightly under your lower lashes for a halo of color. Finish eyes with one to two coats of Daring Definition Mousse Mascara, starting at the base of lashes and gently moving wand back and forth while sweeping out to the tips. Finish your look with Glazewear Liquid Lip Color for irresistibly colorful shine.”
Sounds pretty good to me! I need to try Anew’s SPF 25 daytime moisturizer. Anew is Avon’s hottest anti-aging line. This moisturizer alone costs more than $22.50. And I love the Glazewear lip glosses. The colors are much richer than the other glosses and they are uber moisturizing.
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