How I Test and Review Products

While working on an upcoming project, I went looking for a post to link that detailed my testing and review process, and I realized I didn't really have one.  Whoops!  I do have a pretty in-depth post about my spreadsheet which focuses on how my stash is organized and how the testing schedule works, but I don't really have a stand-alone post about the testing process despite being pretty passionate about it ... so here we go!

An automated testing schedule is a lovely thing.

In this post:

• Why (isolation) testing is important
• How I test products for review
• My testing schedule because I'm nerdy and unrepentant about it

While this post is intended to offer people a behind-the-scenes look into my process because I'm really keen about transparency and sharing my nerdy testing schedule with people, it's also going to be beneficial to anyone who's keen on a multi-step Asian skincare routine.

Fair Skin Friendly: BB cream swatches vs NC15 Pt 2

Since my last BB cream megaswatch post was both more than a year and many, many BB creams ago, after receiving several BB and CC cream samples with Haulzilla, it was high time I stopped procrastinating and got swatching!

Swatching is challenging for me; I have short arms, lots of BB creams but minimal swatching real estate unless I want to stripe things up to my armpit and find an assistant who won't think I'm completely crazy (the neighbours already do), and worst of all, I have a point-and-shoot camera that likes to treat my in-direct-sunlight-skin as white balance.   

Take a look at the image below, which was the only picture I managed to get in direct light that didn't wash my skin out to complete white and give it an unearthly nimbus, like some sort of pudgy extra from the vampire scenes in Twilight.

Note: I did not edit this image in any way other than cropping out my scowling face.  I did not adjust the colours, or lighten the image, or anything else that would increase the freakish whiteness of that arm.  That's 100% pure natural pallidness.  Urgh.  Click for huge, if you're that brave and/or curious!

As a result, I look forward to swatching with the same excitement as an overdue dentist appointment; something that you dread with only the silver lining to look for of it finally being over.

Nature Republic Aloe Vera 92% Soothing Gel Review

This week's review was featured in last week's airless pump bottle Demo, so here's the review of the Nature Republic Aloe Vera 92% Soothing Gel, just in time for summer!

This product is meant to be an all-over gel for soothing and cooling skin that is hot from either irritation or from exposure to heat.  Aloe Vera was something we always had growing up when I was a kid, and in the event of a burn (or sunburn) my mother would break off a leaf and rub the cool slimy inside of the leaf on my skin for instant relief and to promote healing.

Read on for the review of this old-timey remedy in a new and refined form!