Carolyn's Best of Beauty 2018 Review

2018 has almost come to an end. In this review, I'm gonna talk about things that I used throughout the year of 2018, including press samples and gifts from friends and family, as well as things that I started using but lasted through 2018. I will include a brief thoughts on each category sharing with you guys why I choose that particular product.

Below are the top 10 beauty products that I used and loved in 2018:

• Belif Numero 10 Essence 
• Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser 
• Glow Recipe Watermelon Sleeping Mask 
• Althea Real Fresh Skin Detoxer #Rose
• Krave Beauty Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser 
• Laneige Water Bank Gel Cream 
• SK-II Radical New Age Power Eye Cream 
• SK-II Facial Treatment Essence 
• Yadah Oh My Sun Protection Milk SPF50+ PA++++
• Pyunkang Yul Mist Toner

Cushion Foundation

Makeup Primer / Powder / Fixer

Concealer

Althea Petal Velvet Powder #Pink Lavender ★★★☆
April Skin Magic Snow Cushion 2.0 #23 ★★★
Aritaum Full Cover Liquid Concealer ★★★★
Belif Moisture Bomb Cushion #Natural Beige ★★★☆
J.One Jelly Pack ★★★☆
Saat Konstante Elganz Fixer ★★★

I don't have any special feeling towards all of these products. I think if I were to pick one, the Aritaum Full Cover Liquid Concealer would be the best that I have. It has done a great job covering my dark spots and dark circles. And it is not drying or cakey at all, which I really enjoy. The rest are quite meh and I think I would prefer to use skincare to keep my skin clear and radiant, instead of putting a layer of cushion foundation on top of my skin that cannot last for the whole day.

Eyebrow / Mascara / Eye Shadow / Eyeliner 

16brand 16 Brickit Shadow Hit 10 "Choco" ★★★★★
Etude House Play Color Eyes Juice Bar Palette ★★★★☆
Innisfree Auto Eyebrow Pencil #4 ★★★★
Kiss Me Heroine Make Smooth Liquid Eyeliner Super Keep #01 ★★★★☆
Kiss Me Heroine Make Volume & Curl Mascara Advanced Film #01 ★★★★☆
Laneige Eyebrow Cushion Cara #Brown ★★★★☆
Maybelline Tattoo Brow Ink Pen #Grey Brown ★★★★
Missha The Style 4d Mascara ★★★★
Rire Gel Eyeliner #01 Kill Black ★★★★☆
Rire Luxe Slim Eyebrow #Grey Brown ★★★★
Romand Perfect Styling Eye Palette #Glam Day ★★★☆
Romand Perfect Styling Eye Palette #Temptation Night ★★★☆
Son & Park All That Smoky Kit ★★★★☆

I have a lot of loves for my eye makeup recently probably because these are items I curated after some careful consideration and research. I was also sent some of these items by Althea and Charis Net.

Among the eye palette that I owned, I love 16 Brands the most. They are super pigmented with a natural finish. They blend well with each other and can create perfect look.

Laneige Eyebrow Cushion Cara is my favourite eye brow for the year. However, at the price of RM80 if not mistaken, this is not the cheapest eye brow, or the one with the highest cost-to-performance ratio. As such, I am not gonna repurchase. I think I will probably stick to those RM15 eye brow that I can find from Rire, Innisfree or Missha. Laneige Eyebrow Cushion was better, but not 4x better, as the price suggests.

My favourite eye liner is from Kiss Me, so is my favourite mascara for 2018. Both of them offer long-lasting, natural and smudge-proof finish. I love how you can draw pretty line using Kiss Me eyeliner. Although Rire one is really great too, but I like Kiss Me a little bit better.

Lip Tint / Lip Stick

Milky Dress Barbie Make Color Pop Tint #Delight Coral ★★★☆
Keep In Touch Water Lip Tattoo #05 Rose Gold ★★★☆
Laneige Silk Intense Lipstick #335 Get The Red ★★★★
Eyenlip Vampire Tint ☆

I can't really pick a favourite lip tint or lip stick because my lips don't enjoy them as much. Thus I am less inclined to purchase newer lip tint as I won't be wearing them as much anyway. But in terms of colour, I think Laneige offers vivid and long-lasting colours compared to the rest. I also love how Keep in Touch doesn't dry out my lips. Milky Dress is great too, with super long-lasting tint, despite the difficulty of properly removing it even with eyes and lips makeup remover.

Cotton Pads

Calmia Natural Pure Cotton Pads ★★★★★
Huxley Cotton Pad ★★★★★
Innisfree Premium Cotton Pads For Toner ★★
Missha Soft 5 Layer Cotton Sheet ★★★★
Silcot Uru-Uru Sponge ★★★☆
Suz Attirer Cotton Pad ★★★★☆
Watson's Air Laid Facial Cotton ★★★★
Watsons Side-Sealed Facial Puffs ★★★

I think good facial cotton is essential for essence or toner application. The cotton must be soft, thin, resistant/tear-free, and will not absorb an excessive amount of product. Having said all these, my favourite for 2018 would be the Calmia Natural Pure Cotton Pads that I just bought from Althea. It is an embossed cotton that is perfect for toner or essence application. It fits all my requirement and the price is also acceptable at RM0.12 for each pad. Next, Huxley 5-Layer Cotton Pads are nice too and can be doubled up as lotion mask. I also used Suz Attirer almost everyday for makeup removing. It is economic and practical too!

Foam Cleanser

Acwell Bubble-Free Ph Balancing Cleanser ★★★★
Belif Creamy Cleansing Foam Moist ★★★★☆
Celeb Face Sparkling Cleanser ★★★★
Earth's Recipe Steamwater Cleanser ★★★☆
Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser ★★★★☆
Hyggee All-In-One H2 Soap ★★★☆
Innisfree 20% Sea Salt Jelly Cleanser ★★★☆
Kose Sekkisei White Liquid Wash ★★★★
Krave Beauty Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser ★★★★★
Neogen Real Fresh Cleansing Stick Green Tea ★★★★☆
Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Foam ★★☆
SUM37 Skin Saver Essential Cleansing Foam ★★★☆
Whoo Brightening Cleansing Foam ★★★☆

I think I am getting better at picking the best foaming cleanser for myself. I met three wonderful foaming cleanser this year, and they are from Glow Recipe, Krave Beauty and Neogen.

But if I were to pick my number one favourite, it would be this highly-raved and super gentle foaming cleanser from Krave Beauty. This Krave Beauty Matcha Hemp Hydrating Cleanser is created by Liah Yoo, a YouTuber with over 500k subscribers. She shares a lot of beauty insights and tips on her channel. Her skincare goal is to achieve the maximum efficacy using the simplest steps. I love how this cleanser is super gentle and effective at cleansing my skin. A little goes a long way so the price is not very expensive if you consider how long a tube like this can last. This cleanser is more suitable for those with sensitive to drier skin types. Oilier skin who likes squeaky clean cleanser may not like it that much, but trust me, once you are used to gentle cleanser, you'll never get enough, and you will see real skin improvements over the long term period.

My second favourite would be the Glow Recipe Blueberry Bounce Gentle Cleanser. It is gel-based with real blueberry extracts inside. It also has AHA for gentle exfoliating properties. It leaves my skin really hydrated, fresher and clean. I love how this feels on my skin!

Next of course the makeup and sunscreen dissolving Neogen Green Tea Cleansing Stick created by Soko Glam co-founder Charlotte Cho. It smells nice with all the green tea leaves particles, and it has 13 different botanical oils inside to melt down makeup and whisk away dirt and pollutants! Nice!

I am still loving my Belif Creamy Cleansing Foam Moist but I think those three that I mentioned above are the real rivals to Belif. I think Celeb Face is nice too but I prefer something gentler this year. As for Kose, I think it feels quite drying now on my skin. After all, it is a cleanser with a pH of 8.0, which is quite high so my skin likes it less and less. And you'll be surprised that I don't have any feelings over those expensive brands like Sulwhasoo, The History of Whoo and SU:M37. They are those "conventional" foaming cleanser that is not very moisturizing, soothing or... interesting maybe?

Cleansing Oil / Makeup Remover / Makeup Removing Wipes

A'pieu Mineral Lip&Eye Remover ★★★
A'pieu Clean Up Herb Source Deep Cleansing Oil Tissue ★★
Lapalette Floral Peace Cleansing Oil ★★★☆
Primera Moisture Cleansing Tissue ★★★
Sulwhasoo Gentle Cleansing Oil ★★

I didn't have a personal favourite for this category. None of these cleansing oils actually impress me. They just do whatever they are supposed to. And that's just it. For those with a relatively score of ★★ and below, it simply means I don't like their texture.

Cleansing Water

A'pieu Clean Up Herb Source Cleansing Water ★★★★☆
Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water ★★★★☆
Huxley Cleansing Water: Be Clean, Be Moist ★
Neogen Real Flower Cleansing Water #Rose ★
Nature Republic Jeju Sparkling Cleansing Water ★★★★☆
Primera Micellar 5.5 Cleansing Water ★★★★★

Cleansing water can last you a pretty long time so many of these are actually carried forward from 2017. I only finished them in earlier or mid-2018s, which is why I include them here. Among all the cleansing waters that I've used, I think the Primera Micellar 5.5 Cleansing Water serves me best. Not only is it super gentle, but it is also hydrating and effective at the same times. I also love how it is non-sticky compared to other cleansing water. Garnier was my old favourite but I find that one kinda soapy and it may still dry out my skin by a bit so I prefer Primera that is gentler although pricier.

Chemical Exfoliant / Scrub / Exfoliating Pads

Blithe Patting Splash Mask Energy Yellow Citrus & Honey ★★★★☆
Blithe Patting Splash Mask Soothing And Healing Green Tea ★★★★★
CNP Laboratory Invisible Peeling Booster ★★
Cosrx One Step Pimple Clear Pad ★★★
Dr. Wu Intensive Renewal Serum With Mandelic Acid 18% ★★★★☆
Krave Beauty Kale-Lalu-yAHA ★★★★☆
Make P:rem Radiance Peeling Serum ★★★
Neogen Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling - Wine ★★☆
Nightingale Toning Eraser Level 2 ★★☆
The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% In Squalane ★
Whoo Brightening Gel ★★★
Whamisa Organic Flowers Finger Mitt ☆

My favourite exfoliating products in 2018 is Blithe Splash Mask, Dr. Wu Mandelic Acid 18% and Krave Beauty Kale-lalu-yAHA. Well.. Blithe is simple and effective at removing dead skin cells and dullness on your skin within 1-2 minutes in your shower time. You just gotta make sure your skin is sun-protected after that. The same goes for Dr. Wu. Dr. Wu offers effective peeling. It is great for acne-prone, dull and sensitive skin. My mom’s pores appear smaller and her blackheads are mostly gone after adding this into her routine. She loves it so much that she took a picture of herself and show it to me everyday! Finally, I love Krave Beauty because it is green, gentle and effective. I love how it doesn’t have any funky smell too!

First Essence

Biotherm Life Plankton Essence ★
Blithe 5 Energy Roots Essence ★★★
Hera Cell Essence ★★★★
Manyo Factory Galactomyces Niacin Special Treatment Essence ★
Naruko Face Renewal Miracle Essence ★★★★☆
SK-II Facial Treatment Essence ★★★★★
Su:M37 Secret Essence Advanced Sync Program ★★★★

It is clear that my favourite first treatment essence in 2018 is SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. It is definitely the best of all. It hydrates, preps, balances, lifts, exfoliates and revitalizes your skin really well. Your skin will be brighter, younger, plumper and troubled-free after adding this into your routine. I just can't get enough of it!

First Serum

Belif Numero 10 Essence ★★★★★
Belif The True Decoction - Anti Aging Shaking Water ★★★★☆
Belif The True Tincture Of Chamomile ★★★★
Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum ★★★★☆
Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum_EX ★★★★★
Whoo Soon Hwan Essence ★★★★

All of these are the best of best that I have filtered and hand-picked after many years of trials and errors, so you can see that most scores ★★★★ and above. Among them, my current favourite is Sulwhasoo. It is lightweight and hydrating. Ginseng is proven to have anti-wrinkles and anti-aging effects on the skin. I notice that my skin is always clearer, brighter and less prone to acne and dryness whenever I am using it before anything else’s. Of course, my next best would be Belif Numero 10 which is a moisturizing powerhouse, and also Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum that is lightweight and hydrating at affordable prices. My routine is not complete without them!

Toner

Belif Bergamot Herbal Extract Toner ★★★★
Dr. Wu Intensive Hydrating Essence Toner With Hyaluronic Acid ★★★★☆
Eyenlip Pure Snail Repair Toner ☆
Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Facial Toner ★★★☆
Half Moon Eyes Milky Jelly Toning Essence ★
Huxley Extract It Toner ★★★☆
Innisfree Jeju Lava Seawater Ampoule Skin ★★★☆
IOPE Hyaluronic Softener ★★★★☆
Iunik Vitamin Hyaluronic Acid Vitalizing Toner ★★★
Kose Sekkisei Lotion ★★★★
Laneige Fresh Calming Toner ★★★★
Laneige White Dew Skin Refiner ★★★★
Make P:Rem Hydrate Me Micro Essence Toner ★★★☆
Pixi Glow Tonic ★★★☆
Primary Raw Soy Milk Ferment Essence Skin ★★★★
Primera Wild Seed Firming Water ★★★☆
Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner ★★★★☆
SK-II Facial Treatment Clear Lotion ★★★★☆
Sulwhasoo Snowise Brightening Water ★★★★☆
SUM37 Secret Repair Toner ★★★★
SUM37 Water-Full Radiant Hydrating Glow Toner ★★★★☆
SUM37 Water-Full Skin Refresher ★★★★☆
Tomaru Pure White Blossom Toner ★★★
Whoo Radiant White Balancer ★★★★☆
Yehwadam Revitalizing Moisturizing Fluid ★★★★
Yuripibu Artichoke Power Toner ★★★★

I used a lot of toners in 2018 without-knowingly! You can see that I give most toners a score between 3.5 to 4.5 and these are mostly due to its how user-friendly the texture of these toners are. Toners are mostly used to hydrate, prep, and tone the skin after cleansing, and before a serum. I sometimes even skip toner for essence so toners are more or less a hydrator kind of thing for me. I would prefer my toner to be super hydrating, lightweight and watery, so my rating here might be more biased towards those characteristics.

Among all the toners that I've tried, I prefer Dr. Wu, Pyunkang Yul, Sulwhasoo Snowise, and SK-II the most. Dr. Wu and Pyunkang Yul are similar in many ways. They come in a gel-like consistency and are extremely good at moisturizing your skin. Pyunkang Yul focuses more on skin soothing whereas Dr. Wu moisturizes excellently. It gets absorbed almost immediately into your skin and you can feel how plump and velvety your skin is afterwards!

Next, Sulwhasoo Snowise because the texture is watery and lightweight, and that it really helps to brighten up my skin! This is the most effective brightening toner I have ever tried! SK-II Clear Lotion doesn't do much on its own but it complements my SK-II FTE really well. And I love that lightweight, refreshing texture of this SK-II toner with its mild skin exfoliating properties. My skin is a lot smoother and zits-free after using this toner!

Despite the long list of toners I have tried, not many really goes into my heart so these will be my honeys for the moment. Any of you who are interested in knowing my thoughts on any of these toners, do feel free to drop me a comment down below!

Mist

CNP Laboratory Propolis Ampule Mist ★★★★☆
Dr Jmeelab Frozen Jelly And Capsule Mist ★
Hada Labo Kiwamizu Lotion ☆
Innisfree Green Tea Mineral Mist ★★★★★
Laneige Water Bank Hydro Facial Mist ★★★★☆
Laneige Water Bank Mineral Skin Mist ★★★★☆
Laneige Water Science Mist Time Freeze Face-Fit ★★★☆
Primary Raw Azulene Calming Water ★★
Pyunkang Yul Mist Toner ★★★★★
Whamisa Organic Flowers Olive Leaf Mist ★★★★

Innisfree Green Tea Mineral Mist is my 2018 favourite, due to its hydrating properties and refreshing scent. It is also cheaper compared to other ones at similar quantity. CNP Laboratory is equally good but is pricier in that sense. I also adore Pyunkang Yul Mist Toner a lot lately. It is cooling, refreshing and hydrating at the same time. It is also super soothing so it is good for some hot summer outing! You can also use this between your skincare steps to achieve that water glow effect!

I love Laneige Water Bank Hydro Facial Mist over the Mineral Skin Mist this year, as the Hydro Facial Mist feels a tad more refreshing and cooling on my skin, although the Mineral Mist is more moisturizing. I guess it really depends on your personal preferences when coming down to your personal favourites of the year.

Eye Cream / Eye Mask

AHC Real Eye Cream For Face (Special Day) ★★★☆
AHC The Pure Real Eye Cream For Face (Season 5) ★★★★☆
AHC Ultimate Real Eye Cream For Face (Season 6) ☆
Blossom Jeju Pink Camellia Soombi Eye Cream ★★★★
IOPE Hyaluronic Eye Serum ★★★★
Laneige Eye Sleeping Mask ★★★
Medi Heally Eye Patches ★★★
Primera Wild Seed Firming Eye Cream ★★★
SK-II Radical New Age Power Eye Cream ★★★★★
Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Eye Cream ★★★★☆
SUM37 Water-Full Timeless Water Gel Eye Lifting Essence ★★★★
Whoo Radiant White Eye Serum ★★★★

My favourite eye cream for the year 2018 would be SK-II Radical New Age Power Eye Cream, simply because it works effectively against my dark circles. I can see a real reduction in the shadow under my eyes after shifting to this SK-II Eye Cream plus its Magic Wand. Of course, it is not cheap, so I precious every drop of it. I know it is helping my skin to get better day by day.

If you were on a budget, then A.H.C The Pure Real Eye Cream for Face (Season 5) would be your next best choice. It is cheap, at roughly RM40-60 each directly shipped from Korea, and the ingredients are nourishing enough to keep your eyes area moisturized without being too greasy. There must be a reason why A.H.C keeps renovating and coming out with so many seasons and there are still many people buying it, right? Don't get the Season 6 one though. The smell will really turn you off if you have sensitive nose.

Moisturizing Serum / Essence / Ampoule

Huxley Secret Of Sahara Grab Water Essence ★★★★
Huxley Secret Of Sahara Oil Essence; Essence-Like, Oil-Like ★★★★☆
Innisfree Jeju Lava Seawater Essence ★★★★★
IOPE Hyaluronic Serum ★★★★
Laneige Water Bank Hydro Essence ★★★★
Lirikos Marine Hydro Ampoule EX ★★★☆
Lirikos Marine Oxygenic Essence EX ★★★★
Loveisderma Hydramax Serum ★★★
Make P:rem Hydrate Me Micro Ampoule Essence ★★★
SUM37 Water-Full Radiant Hydrating Glow Serum ★★★★

I think it is not surprisingly that my favourite is Innisfree Jeju Lava Seawater Essence. I was on my second bottle this year and this stuff never disappoints. I also love Huxley Secret of Sahara Oil Essence, and Laneige Water Bank Hydro Essence. Huxley is a tad bit more moisturizing whereas Laneige quenches my skin of thirst. Both are great, and I think they deserve my top three favourites for 2018. The rest that I used couldn't beat them yet.

Brightening Serum / Essence / Ampoule

Belif The White Decoction Ultimate Brightening Essence ★★
CNP Laboratory Propolis Energy Ampule ★★★
Dr. Wu Intensive Whitening Serum With Vitamin C+ ★★★★☆
Earth's Recipe Gigawhite Radiance Serum ★★★★
Huxley Brightly Ever After Essence ★★★★
Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution ★★★★
Laneige White Dew Original Ampoule Essence ★★
LJH Vita Propolis Ampoule ★★★★☆
Sulwhasoo Snowise Brightening Serum ★★★
Tomaru Pure White Blossom Essence ★★
Whoo Whitening Essence ★★★
Whoo Whitening Intensive Spot Corrector ★★★
Yuripibu Kakadu Spot Essence ★★★

I used many brightening serums this year, but most are quite meh. I reserved my opinion on Huxley because I am re-testing it. Kiehl’s is great, but the price doesn’t justify its lack of performance on old sun spot. Laneige, after reformulating its White Plus Original Essence, doesn’t jive well in the skin brightening journey. The White Dew has short shelf life, feels itchy on the skin and just doesn’t seem to do much on my dark spots. LJH does brighten up your skin, but it works little for dark spots. I haven’t tested The History of Whoo enough (those I got are miniatures) to see any skin brightening effects. So, my best of brightening serum award for 2018 goes to the Dr. Wu Intensive Whitening Serum with Vitamin C+ that works to lighten up my freckles and old sun spot. This is different from the previous version. Dr. Wu reformulates it in 2016 if not mistaken so the formulation is much more powerful and works better for my dark spots. Good job!

Anti-Aging Serum / Essence / Ampoule

Belif Peat Miracle Revital Serum Concentrate ★★★★☆
Belif The True Decoction - Firming Essence ★★★★
Blossom Jeju Pink Camellia Soombi Essence Serum ★★★
Dr Jmeelab Proteo Ampoule ★★★
Iunik Rose Galactomyces Synergy Serum ★★★
Karatica I'm Fill Patch ☆
Sulwhasoo Capsulized Ginseng Fortifying Serum ★★★★
SUM37 Secret Repair Concentrated Serum ★★★
The Ordinary Buffet ★★★☆
Whoo Ja Saeng Essence ★★★★☆

I think it depends on your skincare needs when choosing the best anti-aging serum here. I am in my late 20s, and my skin is a bit saggy due to stress (cortisol-related skin sagging) and sleeping very late at night. So my anti-aging serum always focuses on lightweight, antioxidizing properties. I don't like really nourishing products. Ja Saeng Essence from The History of Whoo is the maximum that I can tolerate. It's also my favourite anti-aging amber of all time. I also find myself going back to Belif Peat Miracle Serum Concentrate a lot. Not only is it super lightweight, something in it really keeps my skin healthy and vitalized. My skin is less prone to acne, oiliness or itchiness whenever I am using it. It also looks brighter over prolonged usage.

Anti-Acne / Soothing Serum / Essence / Ampoule

CNP Laboratory Mugener Ampule ★★★
Cosrx Acne Pimple Master Patch ★★★★★
Dr Jmeelab Madeca Intensive Calming Gel ★★★★☆
Innisfree Sulfur Sebum Clean Gel ★★★
Innisfree Truecare Cica Intensive Balm ★★★★
Primera Repair Bean Cica Essence ★★★★☆
Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Asiatica 100 Ampoule ★★★☆
Some by Mi Miracle Serum ★★

If I were to choose, my favourite anti-acne treatment would still be this Pimple Master Patch from Cosrx. It is really effective, compared to other anti-acne serum. But if you are looking for something soothing, then Dr. Jmeelab would do the job. It is lightweight (like, REALLY LIGHTWEIGHT) and your skin will thank you for the refreshing and hydrating touch you give. Despite my high expectation on Skin1004, it kinda fail to live up to my expectation. I gave it to a friend with ultra sensitive skin and she finds it kinda meh too. It doesn't irritate her further, but it doesn't do much for her skin either.

Emulsion / Lotion

Earth's Recipe Moisture Light Cream ★
Eyenlip Pure Snail Repair Emulsion ☆
IOPE Hyaluronic Emulsion ★★★☆
Laneige White Dew Emulsion ★★★★
Primera Wild Seed Firming Emulsion ★★★
SUM37 Secret Repair Emulsion ★★★
SUM37 Water-Full Balancing Gel Lotion ★★★★☆
SUM37 Water-Full Radiant Hydrating Glow Emulsion ★☆
Whoo Radiant White Emulsion ★☆

Again, I wouldn't choose a "favourite" emulsion or lotion because I don't like the entire category. I am just not into emulsion, no matter how many I am using, or how lightweight they are. I don't like how the oils are emulsified in an emulsion, and how they feel on my skin. If I were to really choose, then the S:UM37 Water-Full Balancing Gel Lotion would be the best I have due to its lightweight and hydrating texture.

Lightweight Gel Cream

Acwell Aqua Clinity Cream ★★★
Belif The True - Whitening Cream ★★★★★
Belif The True Cream - Aqua Bomb ★★★★★
Belif The True Cream - Water Bomb ★★★★☆
CNP Laboratory Aqua Soothing Gel Cream ★★★★
Earth's Recipe Moisture Brightening Cream ★★★★
Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Hydrating Water Gel ★★★★☆
Huxley Secret Of Sahara Cream #Fresh And More ★★★☆
IOPE Hyaluronic Cream ★★★★
Kose Sekkisei Herbal Gel ★★★☆
Laneige Water Bank Gel Cream ★★★★★
S:UM37 Water-Full Radiant Hydrating Glow Cream ★★★★☆
S:UM37 Water-Full Timeless Water Gel Cream ★★★★☆
Tomaru Soulful Morning Drop ★★★☆
Verite Ultra Moist Skin Watery Cream ★★★
Yehwadam Revitalizing Moisturizing Cream ★★★★

Laneige adds oxygen into their Water Bank Gel Cream in 2016, making it super hydrating and refreshing, which deeply captured my heart. The rest is incomparable, not even Belif Aqua Bomb which now feels a bit sticky for me. This change in preference really tells how our skin changes with environment, diet and weather. I used to adore Belif Aqua Bomb a lot but recently I find it a bit sticky, so I am more into Laneige than Belif in the past few months. 

Tone-Up Cream / Heavy Cream / Occlusive

Belif The True Cream - Anti Aging Soft Bomb ★★★☆
Blithe Tundra Chaga Pressed Serum ★★★★☆
Eyenlip Black Snail All In One Cream ☆
Half Moon Eyes Milky Jelly Moisture Cream ★★
Hanyul Seo Ri Tae Anti-Aging Cream ★★★☆
Huxley Secret Of Sahara Anti-Gravity Cream ★★★☆
Huxley Secret Of Sahara Glow Awakening Cream ★★★
Innisfree Black Green Tea Cream ★★★☆
J.One Hana Cream ★★★★☆
Laneige White Dew Tone-Up Cream ★★★☆
LJH Vita Propolis Cream ☆
L'occitane Reine Blanche Whitening Cream ★★★★
Mamonde Pure White Ultra Active Cream ★★★
Primary Raw Doyou Original Soy Milk Facial Cream ★★★★☆
Primera Alpine Berry Water Cream ★★★★☆
Primera Alpine Berry Watery Cream - Intensive ★★★★
Primera Repair Bean Cica Cream ★★★★
Primera Wild Seed Firming Cream ★★★☆
SUM37 Secret Repair Concentrated Cream ★★★
Whoo Bichup Jayoon Cream ★★★★★
Whoo Radiant White Moisture Cream ★★★★☆
Yehwadam Nokyong Collagen Contour Lift Gold Capsule Cream ★★★☆

I don't want to choose Blithe or Primary Raw for 2018. I want to choose something slightly different from the previous year, and I ended up with The History of Whoo Bichup Jayoon Cream. I guess, if I were to compare, Blithe is slightly lighter in consistency, thus fits my taste better. Whoo is great too, it is super lightweight yet nourishing, which is why I put it as my favourite heavy cream for 2018. All dry and mature skin will love its non-sticky, non-greasy and fast-absorbing texture. And the best thing is? It is ultra nourishing!!!

Oil

3rific Premium Face Oil ★☆
Belif Rose Gemma Concentrate Oil ★★★★☆
Goodal Waterest Lasting Water Oil ★★★
Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate ★★★
Olivarrier Fluid Oil ★★★
Sulwhasoo Ginseng Renewing Essential Oil ★★★

My favourite for 2018 is indisputably the Rose Gemma Concentrate Oil from Belif. Not only does it look beautiful, it also smells wonderful and blends greatly with my other skincare products. It is definitely a luxury experience to have in your body and bath.

Sunscreen

Althea Petal Velvet Sunaway SPF50+ PA++++ ★★★☆
Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Rose SPF50+ PA++++ ★★★★☆
Huxley Sun Cream Stay Sun Safe ★★☆
Innisfree Extreme Safety 60 Sun Gel ☆
Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF50 PA+++ ★★★★☆
Kose Sekkisei Sun Protect Essence Gel Spf50++++ N ★★★★☆
Laneige Marshmallow Sun Cushion Spf50/+++ ★★★☆
Laneige Sun Screen Aqua+ Spf35 Pa++ ★★★★★
L'Oreal Paris UV Perfect Super Aqua Essence Spf50/++++ ★★★★☆
Loveisderma UV Clear SPF50+++ ★★
Make P:rem UV Defense Me Blue Ray Sun Gel Spf50++++ ★☆
Make P:rem UV Defense Me Capsule Sun Gel SPF50+ PA+++ ★★★★
Missha Airy Sun Water SPF50++++ ★★★★
Neogen Day-Light Protection Sunscreen SPF50/PA+++ ★★★☆
Primera Uv Protector Pure Brightening Spf50++++ ★★
Sulwhasoo Snowise Brightening UV Protector #Soft Peach ★
Yadah Oh My Sun Protection Milk SPF50++++ ★★★★★

My favourite sunscreen in 2018 was Yadah Oh My Sun Protection Milk SPF50+ PA++++. It was a nice, gentle and lightweight sun milk with only physical filters. It is literally the best physical sunscreen that I've ever used before! Next, is the ultra-lightweight and hydrating Laneige Sun Screen Aqua SPF35+ PA++. I like it slightly less than Yadah because it is pricier, and that the SPF is also lower compared to Yadah. But I really like how refreshing and feathery light this feels on my skin! Finally, I also really enjoy L'Oreal Paris that feels a bit tacky on the skin, but is considered pretty lightweight, with highly rated sun filters used! Meroxyl is a patented sun ingredient by L'Oreal and I love how I can get to enjoy this effective UVA filter with significant lesser prices than other L'Oreal sunscreens!

Sleeping Mask / Overnight Pack

Belif Aqua Bomb Sleeping Mask ★★★★☆
CNP Laboratory Mugener Deep Soothing Pack ★★★★
Glow Recipe Watermelon Sleeping Mask ★★★★★
Goodal Waterest Vital Sleeping Pack ★★★★
Huxley Good Night Sleeping Mask ★★★★
Laneige Water Sleeping Mask ★★★★☆
Laneige Water Sleeping Mask - Lavender ★★★★
Laneige Whitening Sleeping Ball ★★★★
Primera Pure Brightening Sleeping Mask ★★★☆
Sulwhasoo Radiance Energy Mask ★★★★☆
Sulwhasoo Trufresh Soothing Mask ★★★★☆
Yehwadam Revitalizing Moisturizing Sleeping Pack ★★★★

I was hesitating between Glow Recipe, Laneige, and Sulwhasoo Radiance Energy Mask. But finally I landed on Glow Recipe. Not only is it super lightweight, it also smells like real watermelon, giving you a really sweet treat as you sleep. The texture gets absorbed into your skin well and you will wake up to a brighter and chok-chok looking skin the next day! Of course, the price point is a massive blow-off but performance-wise, I think Glow Recipe is the best. I also like Sulwhasoo, but it is on the heavier side so I don't find myself reaching out for it most of the skin. Laneige is great too, but Glow does better this time.

Wash-off Pack / Clay Mask

Althea Real Fresh Skin Detoxer #Green Tea ★★★★
Althea Real Fresh Skin Detoxer #Rose ★★★★★
Bonanza Olibanum Repairing Gel Mask ★★★☆
Innisfree Black Green Tea Mask ★★★★
Loveisderma B12+ Mandelic Acid Gelly Masque ★★★☆
Make Prem In Shower Mask Pack ★★★★

If there is only one wash-off mask that I will use regularly, then it has to be this Real Fresh Skin Detoxer from Althea! It is a multi-tasking hydrating mask and cleanser in one, with the soothing benefits of rose. Most importantly, it is so damn cheap compared to other not-so-pleasant masks out there! I use it as and when necessary, and it will always calm and hydrate my skin within seconds. It is also really easy to rinse as well. You also can save your cleansing step after using this mask! How convenient can that be?

Clay Mask / Deep-Cleansing Mask

Belif The White Decoction - Ultimate Brightening Bubble Mask ★★★★
Innisfree Capsule Recipe Pack #Bija & Tea Tree ★★★
Innisfree Capsule Recipe Pack #Rose & Calamine ★★★★☆
Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Melting Clay Mask ★★★
Make P:rem Clean Me Radiance Cleansing Pack ★★★★☆

I really enjoy the Rose & Calamine Capsule Recipe Pack from Innisfree. It smells like rose, and it feels so calming and deep-cleansing on the skin after using. I am a skincare junkee so a pack like this makes me less guilt of having to finish off an entire jar every time. I can always try out new things without breaking my bank or having left with tonnes of unfinished skincare items!

Lip Mask / Lip Balm

Huxley Secret Of Sahara Lip Balm Moisture Wear ☆
Primera Seaberry Extract Natural Berry Lip Balm ☆

As the rating suggests, I don't have a favourite lip balm for this year. I didn't use any either. I find my lips a bit dry recently so I am going back to the Mentholatum Natural Lip Wax that is so much cheaper and better.

Hair Shampoo

Innisfree 0% Zero Shampoo For Dry Scalp Refill ★★★★
Innisfree Anti Dandruff Shampoo ★★★★☆
Kiehl's Smoothing Oil-Infused Shampoo ★★★★
Lador Triple X 3 Natural Shampoo ★★★
Mentholatum Selsun Blue Dandruff Treatment Shampoo ★★★

Nizoral Shampoo with Ketoconazole 20mg/gm ★★★★★

My 2018 was a thankful one after meeting the Nizoral Shampoo. It literally clears off all the bacterial and fungus problems I have since 2011. And the problem never recurs so I can't say how happy I was when I found Nizoral. But for normal days, I think Innisfree Anti Dandruff Shampoo was my best buddy. It is a gel shampoo that is easily lathered and rinsed. It is not cheap, at RM45, but it is not that pricier either compared to other "better-shampoos" out there. My skin feels clean, but not stripped, which makes it different from many other anti-dandruff shampoos that I have found over the counter.

Scalp Treatment / Hair Serum / Hair Mask / Hair Conditioner

Innisfree Green Tea Mint Fresh Scalp Tonic Essence ★★
Lador Hydro LPP Treatment ★★★
Lador Tea Tree Scalp Clinic Hair Pack ★★★
Mise En Scene Perfect Base Up Essence ★★★
Mise En Scene Perfect Repair Light Serum ★★
Mise En Scene Perfect Repair Serum ★★★★★
Mise En Scene Perfect Repair Serum #Rose Edition ★★★★☆
Nature Republic Argan Essential Deep Care Hair Pack ★★★★★
Vmaz Scalp Sensi Balance Scalp Spa Treatment ★★★☆

My favourite hair serum and hair mask in 2018 remains Mise en Scene Perfect Repair Serum and Nature Republic Argan Essential Hair Pack. Mise en Scene is a non-greasy but highly nourishing hair serum that almost every k-beauty lover will recommend. It smells divine and luxurious. Most importantly, it is so cheap at only RM25-30. Each one can last you for about 6 months or more so I think it is really worth the price.

Nature Republic, on the other hand, is like a hair mask version of the Mise en Scene. It is also highly nourishing but not greasy. You can feel that your hair is being nourished without the silicony feeling that goes away after rinsing. I love how it feels on my skin, so velvety and silky soft!

Body Lotion / Body Moisturizer / Hand Cream

Belif In The Rose Garden Hand Cream ★★★☆
Belif Lavender Sky Hand Cream ★★★☆
Beyond Body Healing Moisturizer ★★★★
Eyenlip Aloe Soothing Gel ☆
Illi Total Aging Care Body Lotion ★★★★
Innisfree Hand Cream #Bamboo ★★★☆
Innisfree Hand Cream #Ceddar Wood ★★★☆
Nature Republic Soothing & Moisture Aloe Vera Soothing Gel ★★★★☆
Sulwhasoo Essentrue Deep Nourishing Body Cream Ex ★★★★☆
The Body Shop French Lavender Massage Oil ★★★★
Tony Moly Cucumber Water Gel ★★★★

I don't have many feelings towards body lotion or hand cream. They are more or less the same, only difference is the scent. If I were to choose, I think Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Gel is the best with its enticing scent and lightweight texture. I won't spend so much on body lotion nowadays. Maybe I might repurchase the The Body Shop Shea Whip Body Lotion that I really like, but that's the maximum I think I want to spend on a body lotion that can probably last me ages.

Feminine Care

Innisfree Chrysanthemum Lady Cleanser ★★
Primera Artemisia Sprout Extract Free & Free Tissue ★★★★☆
Primera Free & Free Soft Foam ★★★★★

As usual, my highly recommended feminine care is Free & Free series from Primera. No other that I have tried is as good as this. And I will definitely repurchase when Gmarket drops its shipping price!

My Husband's Personal Favourites

Dr Wu Hydrating Toner ★★★★☆
Earth's Recipe Steamwater Cleanser ★★★☆
Innisfree 20% Sea Salt Jelly Cleanser ★★★★☆
Iunik Centella Calming Gel Cream ★★★★★
Laneige Homme Active Cream ★★★
Laneige Homme Active Toner ★★★★★
Laneige Homme Active Water Foam Cleanser ★★
Some By Mi Miracle Cream ★★★☆
Some By Mi Miracle Toner ★★★★
Somebymi Miracle Cleansing Bar ★★

Finally, a throw-back on my husband personal favourites! In 2018, he is mostly using the Dr. Wu Hydrating Toner I bought for him in Taiwan, the products I received from the brands, Laneige Homme Active products as well as the super hyped up Some by Mi Miracle babies.

Among these, I think his favourite moisturizer would be the Centella Calming Gel Cream from iUNIK! It is super hydrating, soothing, and sebum regulating. Some by Mi is great too, but I think it is not as miraculous as it claims. My husband's skin is definitely much clearer, but not up to the extent where his skin is acne- or sebum-free. 

CONCLUSION

Above are the conclusions that I made after trials and errors in 2018. I can dare say that I have less trials and errors this year, and less buys also. Most of the things I used are hauls made in 2017 or even 2016. I tried to limit myself to buying only things I truly want. I also manage to do that with better skincare knowledge and insights. It is like how you cook better with every failed recipes, eh?

I hope you guys like my share today. And let me know if you have any questions or comments in the comment section below!


[Disclaimer] This article is not sponsored. All copyright of contents and images in this article is strictly mine.