New In: SK-II Mid-Day and Mid-Night Miracle Essence

Good news for SK-II Facial Treatment Essence fans! 

To celebrate its 35^th anniversary, SK-II will be releasing Mid-Day and Mid-Night Miracle Essence in Japan on the 21^st of April.

Coming in convenient 50ml spray bottles, they make the beloved Facial Treatment Essence more portable. Apart from a high level of Pitera, the new Miracle Essence also comes with added MoistureLock Complex, which contains natural moisturizing factors that bind water with skin tissue to lock in moisture. Using Mid-Day MiracleEssence
in your morning skincare routine can help make skin more hydrated. 

According to SK-II’s studies, the skin’s moisture levels drop significantly from 4pm to 8pm as compared to in the morning, which can explain why our makeup usually dries out around that time. With fine mist particles that are 1/4 the size of visible skin pores, a spray of the Miracles Essence instantly penetrates and replenishes skin with moisture. A single application can give long-lasting moisture for up to 4 hours.

Mid-Night Miracle Essence is also infused with cooling agent to soothe environmental stresses during the day and give a refreshing feeling to the skin.

SK-II recommends using the Miracle Essences 5 times daily for best results. Using 14 days continuously can make the skin a lot more hydrated and clear, with less visible wrinkles.

I’m already adding these two bottles to my wish list, how can you miss it? 

Skin Care Routine: Tips For A Relaxing Evening

Feeling tired? Don’t get under the covers just yet.

Working all day can be really exhausting. There would be occasional headaches and even back pains. However, have you ever imagined what it actually does to your skin? Other than making it wrinkly and dull, constant exposure to makeup, dirt and pollution can actually make you look older than you really are! Sounds scary, right?

Before you get in your bed, you may want to take a look at this night routine. It can keep you away from beauty nightmares.

    ❖     Clean it.

        Perhaps, it’s one of the most heard beauty advices but it really does help to clean your face before going to bed. At night, your skin needs the time to rest, breathe and heal itself. However, it won’t be able to do that when there are still products clogging up your pores.

        Before washing your face, you can use a makeup remover to make sure you get everything off. There are some makeup that can’t be removed by just using soap and water. Applying an oil based makeup remover can make sure you take longwear mascaras and eyeliners completely off.  Just make sure that you find one that doesn’t contain any alcohol so it won’t make your skin dry.

❖     Wash it.

        After removing your makeup, wash your face thoroughly with water including your neck area. You can choose to use warm water to make your pores more open. This helps make sure you get a more thorough cleaning. You can also try exfoliating with a facial scrub to remove dead skin cells.

      ❖     Toner.

        Using a toner after washing your face maintains your skin’s natural pH level. It also prepares the skin to better absorb the moisturizers you’re going to apply. However, just make sure you get one that’s alcohol-free.

❖     Eye cream.

        Keep it in check to use eye creams to help keep the skin around your eyes hydrated. Doing this step prevents dark circles and reduces your eyes’ puffiness. Just avoid tugging the skin around your eyes as these areas are more sensitive compared with the rest of your face. Other than eye cream, you can use an eye serum for better absorption. It has the same formulation as your eye cream but with a different preparation. If you like to soak your skin in moisturizer, you can use a cream. However, if you prefer easy absorption, opt for the serum.

       ❖     Lip care.

        Chapped lips are never beautiful nor comfortable. You can remedy this simply by exfoliating your lips. You can use warm water and a towel to scrub off dead skin cells or you can make your very own sugar lip scrub. After exfoliation, be sure to hydrate your lips using a lip balm.

        ❖     Serum.

        Using serum is a good way to meet what your skin needs. If you want anti-aging effects, you can choose to use a Vitamin A serum. If your skin feels dull, you can try a Vitamin C serum. The wide range of serums can really be confusing at certain times. To be sure you get what you want you can consult for customized skin serums.

        ❖     Moisturize it.

There are also several types of moisturizers you can use for your skin. But before you can actually apply some on your face, you have to know first your skin type. There are natural moisturizers you can choose for a maximized effect. You’ll not only keep your skin hydrated, you’ll also be staying away from chemicals and synthetic ingredients.

Taking care of your skin requires dedication and discipline. The five or ten minutes you’re going to spend on pampering your skin at night is incomparable to the long term effects you’ll experience. Decide on a routine now and you’ll be so glad you did!

7th Anniversary Celebration Promotions

COSME-DE.COM 7^th Anniversary Celebration

Happy birthday to COSME-DE.COM!

In celebration of our 7^th Anniversary this April and to thank our customers’ continued support, we have prepared various attractive promotions that are not to be missed.

Here’s a list of our promotions:

Our lovely, cuddly Limited Edition Teddy Bears collection

These exclusively designed bears each have their own name and meaning – Septima (Seventh), Kishi (Happiness to the Earth), Vanessa (Butterfly) and Francis (Freedom). Coming in 4 different outfits, they are great collectibles for your office and home. Want to bring them home? Simply spend over US$ 169 (or equivalent) and you can get one of these limited teddy bears. Each bear has a specific order period. Hurry! They are going fast.

Top Spender Contest

Since our customers love to shop with us, we have created this contest in return for your continued support. From Apr 15 to May 7, 2015, the top member with the highest cumulative spend will win US$1,000 vouchers. The 2^nd prize will be US$800 vouchers and 3^rd prize US$ 600. Buy more with your friends and family to reach the top easily! Check out the rest of the prizes here.

Gift bundles

Bundles that include assorted products from luxury brands such as La Mer, SK-II, and Marc Jacobs are irresistible for ladies. A range of bundles at a bargain price that care from your head to toes are available. There is something for everyone and they are perfect for one’s own use or as a present. The bundles are one of our best-ever promotions, so make sure you don’t miss out on these incredible savings.

Also, take a look at our attractive site-wide promotion that offers discounts upon purchase. Make sure to stay tuned for more updates, there’s lots more to come!

Meanwhile, you can check out the daily featured products from now to Apr 30 on our website.

ISO 9001 Certification Award

Besides the fabulous promotions for our 7^th anniversary, we are also proud to announce that COSME-DE.COM has been awarded ISO 9001:2008 certification in December, 2014. It is a demonstration of our commitment to quality and ability to satisfy customers’ requirements to an international standard. Through setting quality objectives and measuring results with business metrics, we strive to continue improving our product and service quality.

Survey Shows Strong Customer Satisfaction

As part of our ongoing effort to improve services, we carried out a customer survey in January. It was conducted in English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and Portuguese, with a total number of 861 respondents. Among the 370 respondents in English, 95% said they would recommend COSME-DE.COM. We also rank no. 1 as their favourite beauty website with 124 votes.

In terms of qualities, our customers are highly satisfied with our Product Quality, Delivery Packaging and Customer Service, obtaining a score of 4.3, 4.2 and 4.0 out of 5 respectively. 

Once again, we would like to say Thank You for your continuous support and we hope you enjoy our 7^th anniversary promotions.

Make sure you visit our promotion page! 

Is It Important to Alternate Shampoo?

Is It Important to Alternate Shampoo?

It’s a common belief in the beauty industry that it’s necessary to change shampoos periodically to revitalize your hair. This comes from the idea that hair “adapts” to a shampoo and your hair no longer gets the same benefits that it did when you first started using it. Many sources will tell you to alternate shampoos periodically to keep hair looking fresh, clean, and shiny. 

Although it may seem that using the same shampoo over a long period of time leads to reduced performance, this isn’t due to adaptation to the shampoo. If you use any hair product, over a period of time, some of the ingredients will build up on the hair and scalp, and reduce the natural shine and body you experienced when you originally started using the product. If you alternate shampoos for a short period of time, you’ll probably wash out some of the build-up left over from the previous shampoo and experience renewed body and shine.

To reduce the need to alternate shampoos, pick a shampoo formulation that doesn’t have added conditioners or other ingredients that build-up easily on the hair shaft, roots or scalp. Keep in mind that it’s not just shampoo ingredients that build up over time, but also conditioning and styling products. In fact, these products are more likely to be the culprit when hair starts looking dull than build-up of shampoo ingredients. 

One alternative to switching shampoos is to keep using your old one and use a clarifying shampoo once a week to remove all the “gunk and junk” that’s weighing down your hair. Clarifying shampoos are essentially shampoos with extra surfactants that help remove residue. The problem is these shampoos can dry hair out and change the look of color treated hair by slowly stripping away the tint. That’s why it’s important to use a clarifying shampoo no more than once a week and even less if you can.

The best way to avoid the problem of having to alternate shampoos is to limit the use of hair styling products, particularly ones containing silicone which can be difficult to remove even with a clarifying shampoo. Use conditioner only where it’s needed such as on the ends of the hair. Hard water can also cause buildup that can lead to dull, lifeless hair, so consider having your water tested if your hair is difficult to manage.

The bottom line? There’s no need to alternate shampoos. Keep a bottle of clarifying shampoo around and use it when your hair starts to look dull. Meanwhile, keep using the shampoo you enjoy.

Tips for Keeping Long Hair Healthy

Healthy, long hair is beautiful to look but caring for it can be a challenge. Long hair is prone to split ends and breaking, especially if you color, perm, or straighten it. If you don't care for it properly, you can end up with hair that's frazzled and damaged beyond repair. Don't let that happen to your hair. 

Here are some simple tips you can use to keep your long hair soft and healthy.

Treat Long Hair Kindly

It takes years to grow long and healthy hair. Of course, you already knew that!  Don't destroy years of growth by pulling your hair back tightly with a rubber band. The traction will lead to breakage and damage. Instead, pull your hair back with a coated band made specially designed for hair. You can find them at most drugstores in the hair care section.

Be gentle when combing or brushing. Never use a brush on wet hair. Keep a wide-toothed comb on hand to gently comb wet hair in small sections - starting from the ends and working up . Don't brush your hair unless it's completely dry. Use a natural bristle brush to reduce the risk of damage.

To Have Long, Healthy Hair, Here's What to Avoida

The two biggest enemies of long, beautiful hair are heat and chemical treatments. It's tempting to use a blow dryer to dry your hair fast, especially when you're in a rush, but it's healthier to let it dry naturally. An alternative is to let it dry naturally until it's seventy percent dry and then finish it off with the blow dryer.

Use a heat activated conditioner to protect your hair when drying it and keep the hair dryer as far from your hair as possible. Keep the dryer moving so it doesn't stay in one place too long. Stay away from curling irons, flat irons, hot rollers, and crimpers.

Thinking about perming or straightening your long hair? Don't. Perms are usually too damaging. Hair coloring can also be damaging -- especially if you lighten your hair too many shades. Never use bleach on long hair and let a professional do a coloring job -- preferably with a low peroxide formulation or henna.

How to Care for Long Hair: Other Tips

Don't shampoo too often and always use a conditioner -- at least on the ends. Do a hot oil or deep conditioning treatment every two weeks, religiously. Conditioners don't repair damage but they do help moisten and protect the hair shaft.

Trim your hair at least every two months. Many people neglect this step because they don't want to lose the length. Don't be shortsighted. Not doing regular trims will lead to split ends which can't be repaired. Find a hairdresser who understands that a half-an-inch means just that and no more.

Caring for Long Hair: The Bottom Line?

Treat long hair with a little T.L.C. and enjoy the many benefits of having long, healthy hair that turns heads and raises eyebrows.

 

2015 Spring Makeup Trends

We saw a lot of different trends in 2014. We saw plenty of hair colors, no makeup selfies, baby bangs, and colorful nail arts. Now that fashion weeks are on, a lot of 2015 spring trends are being predicted. We have already seen models walking with damp skin, air dried waves, wet hair looks and bold eye lines in recent shows. Based on some smart talks with top makeup artists, here are the big 5 2015 makeup trends for you this spring. 2015 certainly is going to be a fab season for makeup experiments.

1.   Supernatural Skin

Yes the barely-there look is in. A lot of makeup artists have used bare minimum in many shows this season. You can perfect this look so easily by enhancing your natural beauty and achieving a flawless bare look with minimal/natural makeup. So the next time you’re prepping for a party, just go with a nude foundation or a BB, no mascara, no liner, no eyeshadow, just come-as-you-are. You can try the all new LANCÔME City Miracle CC CreamComplexion Beautifier Daily Defense SPF50 / PA+++, which has it all the illuminator, hydrator, sun protection and complexion care foundation.

2.   All-Over Eyeshadow

Shows like Dior, Fendi and Peter Som have used bright colored stickers made of leather or satin to surround the upper and lower eye lids and make a bold statement. Cream foundations and wipes of lipstick are perfect to achieve this look. Achieve this look with the Pro Longwear Paint Pot from M.A.C. It is cream based and will work perfect with any M.A.C. shadow or liner.

3.   Red lips

Red lips have always been in trend irrespective of the season and irrespective of the era. Just a tint of red lipstick with no other makeup on will enhance your entire look for a perfect party night. Bloody red or deep berry, softly defused around the edges and pressed with a fingertip. You can achieve this look so easy with the Giorgio Armani Rouge Ecstasy CC Lipstick that feels soft and light, gives you color plus care for quite a long and is also available in many other shades.

4.   Rock Star Statements

Weird rock star experiments were seen a lot in this spring season. Some statements such as gothic wings or glam-rock pops of glitter at the corners of or around eyes, choppy bowl cut in a roman style, and brow piercing were seen everywhere this fashion season. So pick any style and make it your own gypset boho statement this spring.

5.   Undone Hair

It feels young and cool to just air dry your hair or leave deconstructed knots and loose. Not done hair rather the polished ponytail is in this spring. You can style perceptible bend at the ends with center partings with any spring’s prints and it will go.

Fashion is what you confidently wear. So wear your confidence and rock any style that pleases you. 2015 fashion is easy and doable all by yourself. So, leave those knots at the end of your hair undone and apply some dark red lipstick on a nude makeup and you are all set for any occasion.