My Beauty Diary Masks Sampler - 8 Top Sellers for Brightening (Limited Edition)

Guardian carries - exclusively - two variations of the 8-pack sampler. I got the pack with masks for brightening because it included the cooling mask which I like. I wanted to try the sakura-scented mask, and I wanted a pearl powder mask. Other flavours in this pack are Red Vine, Bird's Nest, Q10 and Sake Yeast. The pack of eight costs $14.90.

All of the masks contain sodium hyaluronate and aloe vera gel. Some of them also contain soluble collagen. However, these are not free from parabens and triethanolamine.

The cloth masks are very lightly-scented, well-saturated with serum, and fit the contours of the face rather well. They are to be left on for 20 to 30 minutes and after removal, the remaining serum massaged in. I prefer to dab it off with a tissue, and though it's hydrating enough on its own, follow up with a moisturizer.

A Free Box of Macarons from Bakerzin

I remember it was about two years back that I started having a craving for macarons. So much so that the boy bought me macaron birthday cakes two years in a row. Since then, I had always wanted to try my hand at making my own, but I guess it was just too much effort and so, although it's been nearly a year since I've gotten my own place, I have not attempted to make any.

Recently I got to satisfy my craving for free. We had signed up for the Bakerzin membership card, and along with it came quite a number of vouchers, including a free box of macarons.

If I remember correctly, it used to come in a clear plastic bag and not nicely boxed. This is so much better as the box protects the macarons from getting smashed as they are being transported back home.

Flavours are pre-packed, which means no choosing!


I liked this one the best. I'm not sure what this is, but the deep maroon color is lovely.

Kose Skincare

In my opinion all washing powders are more or less alike, Fancl or even those papaya enzyme powders. Kose's Sekkisei Powder Wash is scentless as well, and cleans so well it leaves the skin taut.

Personally, I don't fancy washing powders as I prefer my cleansing routine to be aromatherapeutic. That's why I have more than five different cleansers alone on my vanity top, including John Master's Rose Foaming Face Wash, Perfect Potion's Neroli Face Cleansing Gel, Anna Sui's Cleanser White (artificially rose-scented), Kenzoki's Chilly Foaming Cleanser (muted floral), and Burt's Bees Soap Bark and Camomile Deep Cleansing Cream (minty). I like to have a variety of choices, and what I use that morning depends on the mood I'm in.

I bought the Junkisui Refreshing Lotion, hoping it would clear my skin up. This has the typical scent of most Kose products. A slightly minty herbal scent which is a little plasticky, but maybe that's just me. It contains cnidium officinale root extract which is an antioxidant, sodium hyaluronate and glycerin which are hydrates, poeny extract and menthol. It cleans well when used as a toner and hydrates well as a lotion.


The Sekkisei Herbal Esthetic Mask is the product I like best among the few mentioned here. It does not have the typical Kose scent, but smells like baby powder. It is to be spread onto the skin like a mask, massaged in for a couple of minutes, and then washed off. Despite my doubts, I did notice an immediate whitening effect, though like most products that provide instant whitening, the effect does not last. If adding another minute or two to your daily cleansing routine isn't too much of a trouble, this would be a rather good product to have.

I got the Sekisho Exfoliating Masssge Gel not knowing what it actually was - a scrub, an AHA product, or something similar to Ginvera Marvel Gel. I would have to say it's none of the above. You use it as you would a face scrub, except that there's hardly any scrub particles in it. Whatever particles you do feel are rather similar to jojoba beads, but they dissolve rather quickly as you massage the gel in. In a minute or under, the gel turns from dark blue to grey, and you wash it off. No, it doesn't remove makeup, but I would have to say it leaves my skin feeling smooth, almost as if I had used a cleansing oil, but without the mess! That's probably why even though this has the typical Kose scent which I'm not fond of, I'd probably carry on using it.

The Kose Mask White looks exactly like the Exfoliating Massage Gel- hence I did not include a picture- both in terms of packaging and content. The Mask White has gotten raves for removing blackheads and whiteheads but I personally feel that Biore Pore Pack works much better for me. The Mask White is still great for the contours of the face though, which wouldn't take well to the pore pack, for example the area between the eyes.