Product Review: Za Total Hydration BB Cream UV

Za Total Hydration BB Cream UV

BB cream might be the latest fad now when it comes to beauty products. In fact, as soon as I've learned about BB cream, I was immediately amazed by the concept behind this product. Who wouldn't love a product that offers coverage for skin flaws, and at the same time, moisturizes and protects the skin - a makeup but with the added benefits? 

I've already heard and seen a lot of brands of BB cream - from Maybelline to Neutrogena, from BodyShop to Ponds, and from Skin79 to Missha. Yet, I ended up buying my first ever tube of BB cream from Za. I got the Za Total Hydration BB cream UV (natural color) during my shopping spree in a Hong Kong beauty store (Sasa).
Because BB creams are a bit pricey compared to my other beauty products in my regimen, I had to be extra careful in choosing the right product. I took Za Total Hydration BB cream UV (Price: HKD 78 for 20g) because it had a tester available and when I tried it on my backhand, it blended perfectly.

Product Name: Za Total Hydration BB cream UV 
Price and Availability:  Amazon
Ingredients: Water, dimethicone, titanium dioxide, ethyhexyl methoxycinnamate, glycerin, butylene glycol, pentaerythrityl tetraethylhexanoate, PEG-9 polydemethylsiloxyethyl dimethicone, alcohol, polymethyl methacrylate, disteardimonium hectorite, hydrogenated polydecene, aluminium hydroxide, sorbitol, silica, phenylbenzimidazole sulfonic acid, PEG-6, PEG-32, trimethylsiloxysilicate, PEG/PPG-14/7 dimethyl ether, hydroxypropyl cyclodextrin, sodium glutamate, betaine, panthenyl ethyl ether, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, glycine, stearic acid, isostearic acid, aminomethyl propanol, disodium EDTA, aluminium distearate, alumina, PEG-150, triethoxycaprylylsilane, polysilicone-2, BHT, limonene, linalool, citronellol, hydrogen dimethicone, tocopherol, tin oxide, phenoxyethanol, fragrance, iron oxides, mica
Remarks: According to cosdna.com database, none of the ingredients above went above a score of 2 out of 5 scale in terms of comedogenicity and irritancy.


Review:

Here's what the tube looks like without the cap:

Though the tube looks very simple, I didn't have any complaints about it. The cream inside came out easily. And a few squirts of the product can cover up a large portion of the skin.

I could say Za was able to prove the wonders of a BB cream. It has an SPF 43 PA+++ which is a plus as I wanted to have protection for UVA and UVB. Though the coverage it offers wasn't that thorough, but it did made the skin flaws less visible and hideous. I didn't have any severe acne scars nor breakouts, so this product is just what I needed. 

What I really loved about Za BB cream is it lessens my skin's oiliness. It wasn't a real heavy-duty oil control BB cream so in the midday, I still had to blot oil from my skin. I did notice though that my acne dries out quickly whenever I use the product. With the impressive oil control function of Za, I got less breakouts and my acne became more controllable.

Here's a swatch of Za Total Hydration BB Cream UV:

Here how it looks like after spreading out the cream. It looks matte doesn't it?

Now with a camera flash:

Although it appeared to match my hand's skin tone the first time I tried it, I later noticed that the BB cream actually was a bit darker than my face's natural color. Despite that, I did received some comments that my skin appeared smoother and healthier, with these nice people having no idea I was in fact wearing makeup. 

Here's how the BB cream looks like on my face (Notice how the BB cream gave my skin a softer, smoother, and mattified appearance).

One minor gripe I have about the product is that it dries too quickly on the skin, thereby making it difficult to spread across the skin. So before I apply the BB cream, I apply a moisturizer first underneath to make the product spread more easily. If you have dry skin, this product might even appear powdery or cakey on your face.


Verdict:

Overall, the product is great. I recommend it to people with oily and acne-prone skin, as the product can effectively dry out the pimples and give off a matte finish. It makes the blemishes less visible while allowing the skin to heal. If you want a product with only light coverage and sun protection while giving your face a natural look, then Za Total Hydration BB Cream UV is definitely for you.


Rating:  4.5/5


If you're interested in more Za's cosmetics products, here's Za's Official Website.

So what's your favorite BB cream? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.

Benefits of Natural Ingredients

When shopping for skin care products, you may notice a lot of products boasting about certain natural ingredients that they contain through their labels. As I've mentioned in my earlier post about natural ingredients, to benefit more from them, check if they're listed as the first few ingredients in the label. That would mean that the product contains a relatively larger percentage of that ingredient compared to the rest of the ingredients.  If you're rather clueless about the specific benefits of certain natural ingredients, the following list might help you choose the right product for you. Do keep come back to this post as I will keep adding new ingredients in the list.

Aloe Vera Extracts

Aloe Vera extracts are commonly found in lotions and moisturizers. It soothes dry and flaky skin. Aloe Vera can also be used to treat burns and insect bites, as well as relieve skin inflammation.

Avocado Oil

Not only avocado is beneficial for one's health, the good oils that make it a healthy fruit also function as a nourishing skin care ingredient. Avocado oil functions as a moisturizer that can reduce age spots and scars. Studies have shown that this natural ingredient has anti-aging properties by its ability to increase the collagen in the skin's dermis.

Chamomile Extracts

Extracts from chamomile have soothing benefits on the skin. The essential oils found in chamomile extracts help relieve symptoms of allergies and irritation. It is therefore suitable to be used on acne. Chamomile is also rich in flavonoids, an antioxidant component of chamomile that helps protect the skin from damaging effects of free radicals, most commonly caused by the sun's UV rays.

Cocoa Butter

Cocoa butter is an essential ingredient to chocolates. It comes from cacao beans and is what makes chocolate melts in the mouth. Aside from being a food ingredient, it is also a well known natural ingredient for skin care products. Not only does this ingredient add a sweet and chocolaty aroma to the product, it also has some useful cosmetic properties. Cocoa butter is commonly found in moisturizers due to its hydrating properties. It acts as an effective barrier against the environmental elements that may lead to drying of the skin. Some users of cocoa butter products even claim it reduces stretch marks, but is not yet scientifically proven. Cocoa butter is a comedogenic substance, so to those with acne-prone skin, beware. Avoid applying it on the face as it may lead to breakouts.

Grapefruit Extract

Grapefruit when eaten can provide your body with a rich amount of Vitamin C and Lycopene. But it is not only useful in the diet, it has the ability to reduce inflammation when applied to skin. Skin care products with grapefruit extract increases pH level that may help reduce acne. It is also used to relieve rashes, itchiness and even dandruff.

Green Tea

We've heard about a lot of benefits of drinking tea. But green tea extracts can also be beneficial when applied topically. The high content of catechins found in green tea reduces the oxidative stress to skin cells and inflammation. In simple English, it means that green tea extract can counteract the damaging effects of the environment, such as the harmful UV rays from the sun. I wouldn't suggest using green tea creams as the only sunscreen though while outdoors. But indeed, green tea extract is a highly useful natural ingredient when it comes to lessening the damaging effects of the sun.

Lemon Extract

The acidic extracts of the lemon fruit can be used as astringent. It can remove blemishes and blackheads on the skin. Lemon extract also functions as skin conditioning agent to reduce the appearance of dry and flaky skin. The citrus smell of lemon makes it a common fragrance ingredient to skin care products.

Rose Hip Oil

Rose Hip Oil contains high level amount of Vitamin A, which gives the oil its anti-aging benefits. It is also a fatty acid rich in Vitamin E, which promotes healthy skin. Rose Hip Oil doesn't clog the pores and can be used to treat dermatitis, wrinkles, acne, scarring, hyper-pigmentation, and sunburns.

Royal Jelly 

Royal Jelly is a substance secreted from the pharynx of the worker bees to feed larvae, including the larva of a new Queen Bee. In skincare products, the royal jelly is mostly used as a skin conditioning agent. The substance is also believed to have anti-aging properties.

Shea Butter

Shea Butter is a common natural ingredient found in skin care products, probably because of its sweet fragrance. But Shea butter is not only fragrant, but is also highly beneficial to the skin. The Shea butter is an effective moisturizer and offers antioxidant properties. It contains Vitamins A, E, and F that are all nourishing to the skin. It also has a low SPF property and is noncomedogenic (won't clogged pores). Be careful when buying Shea Butter products. A pure white Shea Butter is already highly processed which means the it may already have lessened some healing properties. Unrefined Shea Butter is creamy in color but it doesn't mean that a product with such color is made of authentic Shea butter.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea Tree Oil, or melaleuca oil, is a plant oil extracted from leaves native to Australia. It is a natural antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial oil. These properties make it a useful ingredient in skin care products that aim to fight acne. Since acne develops from bacteria, the tea tea oil can prevent breakouts by eliminating the bacteria in the pores.

Witch Hazel Extract

Witch Hazel Extract is derived from the witch hazel shrub grown in parts of North America. It is used in skincare products as an astringent and antioxidant. It can also fight acne and treat skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. 

Meizitang Original IDR 45.000

ISI 36 CAPSULLL
Buat yang pengen coba dulu, daripada beli ratusan ribu, takut ga cocok, kini aku jual meizitang ketengan.Dalam 1 pak meizitang ada 3 strip, dalam 1 strip berisi 12 gel capsule yang dapat dipakai selama 12 hari..nah, yang aku jual itu per 1 strip isi 12 gel capsule.

Meizitang Botanical Slimming Capsule salah satu produk terbaik untuk menurunkan berat badan yang berlebihan.
salah satu suplemen diet yang terbuat dari herbal yang akan mengkontrol napsu makan, jadi kalian bisa menurunkan berat badan dengan aman & efektif. dapat dirasakan efeknya sejak pertama kali minum!!

Kelebihan dari soft gel :
1. bentuknya yang unik seperti minyak ikan, BUKAN CAPSULE
2. sangat aman dikonsumsi karena 100% dari herbal
3. mengandung berbagai macam tumbuhan yang bisa buat jadi awet muda dan tidak membuat kulit kusam.
4. sangat cocok dikonsumsi BAGI YANG MAU DIET CEPAT & SEHAT

ingredients
nice slimming grass, jobstears, tarragon, psyllium shell, hoof bamboo shoot, lotus, etc.

Petunjuk pemakaian :
1. minum hanya 1 hari 1 pil..minum SAAT perut dalam keadaan kosong alias sebelum makan pagi DENGAN AIR HANGAT.
2. hanya boleh 1 hari 1 pil..tidak boleh lebih.
3. wanita hamil,penyakit hati,dan lainnya yang berhubungan dengan fungsi dlm tubuh disarankan tidak meminum obat ini.
4. jaga ditempat yang bersih dan kering.
5. BANYAK MAKANAN YANG BERSERAT..dan hindari meizitang apabila sedang mengkonsumsi obat lain.

efek dari soft gel :
- akan timbul rasa haus yang berlebihan karena pembuangan lemak lewat air seni (buang air kecil).
- napsu makan ditekan sehingga kita tidak mau ngemil & makan banyak2.
- selebihnya tidak menganggu tidur atau aktifitas apapun.

BISA TURUN 5-10 KG DALAM BEBERAPA MINGGU
BAHKAN TURUN 20 KG DALAM 1 BULAN
TANPA EFEK SAMPING : buang air besar, keringetan, susah tidur , dll.
masing-masing keberhasilan menurunkan berat tubuh berbeda-beda, tergantung dari metabolisme tubuh.

 CARA ORDER : NAMA PRODUK + BANYAKNYA + NAMA ALAMAT LENGKAP NOMOR HP + REK UTK TRANSFER BRI BCA MANDIRI KIRIM SMS KE 085786277700 ... (PIN BB BY REQUEST UTK YANG SERIUS ORDER SAJA)

White Light Pemutih Gigi IDR 38.000

WhiteLight merupakan produk yang sangat ampuh untuk mengembalikan warna putih alami gigi Anda. Gigi kuning karena merokok, gigi kuning karena bawaan, dan lain sebagainya, dapat kembali putih bersih dengan WhiteLight.

Pemutih gigi revolusioner dengan teknologi Blue Light

- Efektif memutihkan gigi secara cepat dan aman
- Disarankan oleh dokter gigi diseluruh dunia
- US patent brand
- Best seller di Europe

1 Paket terdiri dari:
- 2 GeL Pemutih
- LED Light
- Baterai Lithium 2 buah
- Buku Petunjuk
- Wadah

Cara Pemakaian
- Campurkan kedua gel untuk hasil maksimal.
- Oleskan pada mika LED Light bagian atas dan bawah.
- Letakkan di depan gigi (posisi tombol Light di atas)
- Tunggu 10-15 menit.
- Gunakan sehabis sikat gigi.
- Setelah penyinaran, bersihkan gigi.

Petunjuk cara membersihkan alat ada di dalam kemasan

Sunscreen: Is it Safe?

Sunscreens are one of the protective measures you use against UV radiation. Having enough sun protection is a good way to slow down aging process as the sun's rays are one of the culprits why people get wrinkles and age spots. In fact, it is the best anti-aging product you could use! In addition, sunscreens contain UV filters to protect your from the harmful UV rays that increases your risks of skin cancer. However, a bottle of sunscreen might not be as helpful as it promises.

The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit organization that studies research information on consumer safety, raises its alarms on sunscreen use. The entity says that most sunscreens contain harmful chemicals. Some of them might even increase skin cancer.

There is no need to panic, dear readers. You just need to be aware of what your sunscreen bottle contains. Always read the labels! Here's a guide on how to understand sunscreen labels.

As for me, I will still keep using my sunscreen. But of course, I will stay away from the harmful ingredients. As long as you know how to choose your sunscreen, and how to apply it properly, then you can be protected. While you use sunscreen, don't forget that it is just one line of defense against UV radiation. There are several additional ways for you to be protected.

Natural Ingredients in Skin Care Products

Source: Photorack.net

When shopping for skin care products, you often see catchy labels claiming that the bottle's content is made from natural ingredients or extracts. But are natural products any better than synthetic ones? Or are they similar in terms of effectiveness on the skin? 

Each natural ingredient addresses to certain problem areas. Say, cocoa butter. Cocoa butter is believed to be effective for reducing stretch marks and soothing dry flaky skin. Another common natural ingredient is the soy, which is used to reduce brown spots. Green tea helps protect the skin against UV damage. The list for natural ingredients goes on. A helpful tip when buying skin care products is to find the ones containing specific ingredients that will solve your skin problems.

Don't be led to believe though that natural ingredients are always better for you in terms of effectiveness. According to WebMD, some products become more effective when ingredients are derived synthetically, particularly anti-aging products. Beauty products that were synthesized in the laboratory are more effective in reducing wrinkles that already exist whereas natural products only prevent wrinkles that are yet to appear. Some of the natural ingredients become even more potent when treated in the laboratory. Also, despite the many benefits of natural ingredients, most of the manufacturers use them in trace amounts, leading to little or no benefit at all on the skin. 

So, the label "natural" is merely a marketing ploy. Besides, the term "natural" may not be as natural as you think. Because this aspect isn't really regulated by the government, manufacturers may claim their product as such even by just putting in a few drops of natural ingredients in the bottle. I have seen many sellers claiming their skin care products to be natural or even organic when the fact is, their ingredients list show parabens and sulfates. Even if the product is genuinely natural, but not all natural ingredients are suitable for sensitive skin. Certain ingredients such as coconut oil may even lead to acne breakouts. If you still prefer natural products, look at the ingredients list instead of the front label, and read the fine print carefully. If the natural ingredient is listed as one of the first few components, then it means the concentration is relatively higher than the other ingredients listed after it.

Source: WebMD

Acne and Hormonal Imbalances

Acne is a skin condition that most people suffer from. It comes and it goes. To some people, some acne just won't go away. If you have acne that are very stubborn despite following a quality skin care routine, then you might just have a hormonal imbalance.

As I've mentioned in an earlier post, acne develops mainly due to three contributing factors: oil, bacteria, and genetics. To be able to control acne, you have to address to these culprits. However, when your acne is caused by hormonal imbalances, the problem wouldn't be completely solved by simply applying skin care products. When your hormones are in chaos, your body responds by producing too much oil. Oil clogs the hair follicles and traps dead skin cells, producing the much hated pimples.

Controlling the excess oil by washing the face and applying oil-free products might help. But since the cause is rooted far beyond the skin, then the acne would just keep coming back. Dealing with the hormonal imbalances is a far better approach.

Stress is one of the main factors of hormonal imbalances. Your body responds to stress by producing too much hormones that lead to too much oil production. As one hormone increases, an imbalance occurs, and this imbalance is reflected by the skin. Besides stress, diet and synthetic products (such as some plastics) also disrupt the hormones.

So the solution to better skin health does not only lie on topical products. Lifestyle, health, diet, and stress all contribute to skin health. Here's a useful article that teaches about how to deal with hormonal imbalances in order to fight acne:

http://www.highonhealth.org/suffering-from-hormonal-acne-here%E2%80%99s-what-you-can-do-about-it/