BeautyMate Anti-Blemish Repairing Nano Mask review

I must be on my 6th box of these masks by now so it's really high time for me to review them.
Whenever I have a particularly nasty breakout, the first thing I do is slap on one of these masks. After a single use, the swelling and redness is noticeably lessened and after the 2nd application the pimple is almost completely flat. My pimple healing time has pretty much been cut down to 3 days. Damn, where were these during my teenage years where I would inevitably breakout just before an important event?!

Observe, the photo diary of a pimple:

  Day 1 ---------------------------->Day 2------------------------------>Day 3

After 2 applications. Tada!

The BeautyMate Anti-Blemish mask comes in a box of 7 individually wrapped masks and retails for $7.70 on Sasa.com (they go OOS pretty often so stock up!). Each mask comes packaged with a perforated backing sheet and is loaded with serum. The cut of the mask fits my face pretty well, but I have a quite a wide face so maybe those with a smaller face might find it too big. I especially like how the eye holes have additional slits on the sides so that those with wider set eyes won't suffer the fate of having serum drip into their eyes because the holes are too small.
I experience some mild stinging whenever I use this mask, I'm not sure which ingredient is causing this but since it goes away after a few minutes and I don't break out in hives or anything, I'm willing to endure a few minutes of stinging for the sake of clear skin.
I usually keep the mask on for 30-40 minutes. Other than pimple zapping abilities, this mask also brightens and hydrates. The brightening effect is, however, temporary,
If you suffer from breakouts, I definitely recommend giving this mask a try!

Ingredients and instructions:

Flower Beauty Balm BB Cream review

Flower Beauty is a new cosmetics line launched by Hollywood actress Drew Barrymore. With a focus on affordable luxury, all products are priced under $15.
Currently available exclusively in US Walmarts, the entire line is made in the USA and products are not tested on animals. No word yet on when or if the line will be available at Canadian Walmarts, but I have been seeing bits and pieces pop up on E(vil)bay.
I managed to pick up a few items from the line and will be reviewing them in the next few weeks (with luck heh).
The Flower Beauty Balm BB Cream is available in 4 shades and retails for $12.98.
From the Walmart website:

"Flower Beauty Balm BB Cream can be used daily to eliminate skin dullness. It covers imperfections, pores and discolorations.

Flower Beauty Balm BB Cream:

• Smoothes and softens skin
• Helps eliminate unwanted shine
• Primer, foundation, and concealer in 1
• Talc free"

 Hide yo kids, hide yo wife and hide yo husband for the before photo:

 After:

 Look left, look right:

After about 5 or 6 hours of wear time:

I've been using this BB Cream for the past 2 weeks and haven't been able to stop raving about it!
I got shade 01 and find it a bit too light for my NC20ish skin so I either use bronzer or mix it with a darker foundation if I want a better colour match, however, the colour difference isn't severe and it gets less noticeable after a while (oxidation perhaps?). Definitely look into shade 01 if you have fair, yellow toned skin. Next time I'll try 02.
Texture wise it reminds me a bit of the Coffret D'or Soft Gel Foundation, it's quite thick and feels almost like a gel. It's definitely not like thin tinted moisturisers that Western cosmetics brands have been passing as a BB cream.
Due to the thicker formula, it does feel a little heavier than some of my lighter foundations and takes longer to set. A little goes a long way with this BB cream, too much and it'll look cakey and mask-like, especially on areas with dryer skin such as the under eye area. I use a wide, flat top brush and work from the middle of my face outwards. I did find that it required a bit more work to blend and that if you don't blend it well, it has a tendency to sink into fine lines.
I would rate the coverage as medium and buildable, most redness and imperfections are covered by this BB cream alone without the addition of concealer. Finish is matte.
Unlike Asian BB creams the Flower Beauty Balm BB cream does not have any skincare properties or SPF.
The oil control of the BB cream is amazing, the matte finish lasts about 6 hours before it started showing shine. For reference I had this on from 7am in the morning and this was what I looked like by 9pm after a full day of work and a heavy cardio class with no blotting:

Close up:

Pros:

• Amazing oil control;
• Great coverage;
• Long lasting; 
• Yellow based;
• Lightest shade will match palest of the pale;
• Affordable.

Cons:

• Small colour range;
• Thicker formula;
• Not available outside of America;
• No SPF;
• Contains parabens and silicones;

I really love this BB cream for it's oil control properties and its long-lasting ability and would recommend the Flower Beauty Balm BB Cream for anyone with oily or combination skin looking for an affordable Western BB cream.

p.s Don't forget to enter my contest to win $100 worth of Shu Uemura products! Last day for entry is 30 April, 2013!

Giveaway time!!! Win $100 of Shu Uemura products!!

Internationally renowned Japanese cosmetics brand Shu Uemura recently launched their Canadian e-boutique. The entire range of Shu Uemura and Shu Uemura Art of Hair products are now available on shuuemura.ca!!
This is awesome news for those of us who don't live near a Holt Renfrew or prefer to do their shopping in their pajamas...or in a vengeful rage from the office at 9pm on a weekend...
To celebrate the opening of their e-boutique, Shu Uemura has given yours truly, $100 worth of products to give away to one lucky blog reader!
Sooooo, what would you pick?

 Their famous cleansing oil?

 Their amazing eyelash curler?

Some of their beautiful lashes?

(psst you can get the curler plus TWO pairs of lashes for under $100!)

Their new, highly squee-worthy, ob collection?

 Or maybe even something from their Art of Hair range?

The choice is up to you! Because as winner, you will receive your choice of Shu Uemura products up to the value of $100!! I am quite jealous actually because I don't get to enter boooo-urns :'(

How to enter:

1. Live in Canada;

2. Visit Shu Uemura's new Canadian e-boutique at shuuemura.ca;

3. Leave a comment on this blog with the URL to your favourite Shu Uemura product;

4. Bite nails frantically in anticipation until April 30.

A winner will be drawn on April 30 using random.org. I will contact the winner so please leave a valid email address. Shu Uemura will send the winner their favourite products for a value of $100 max.

Alas, not everyone will win, but to soothe the burn, Shu Uemura is offering everyone $10 off their order  $50 or more from their e-boutique. Simply enter promo code "SHUBLOG" at checkout. To further sweeten the deal, they are currently running a free shipping with any order promo right now!

GOOD LUCK!!