Showing posts with label Za. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Za. Show all posts

Tuesday, 9 December 2014

Za withdraws from Japan

WWD Japan reports that Za will be pulled from the Japanese market in end-March 2015. Za was only launched in Japan in September 2012 and is currently available in 377 locations. The brand will continue to focus on its other 13 Asian markets including China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. My guess is that the brand's plain packaging was just not attractive or unique enough to stand out in the ultra-competitive Japanese market.

Sunday, 29 September 2013

Operation Use It Up

Another month has passed by, which means another clutch of product empties on their way out of here.

1. Ettusais Foamy Rich Mousse: True to its name, this produces a firm foam that does not dissipate quickly. It is supposed to be a 5-in-1 product that removes makeup, acts as a cleanser, foam massage, foam pack and moisturises the skin. This can lasted four months with once daily usage in the mornings. It rinses off cleanly but can leave the skin feeling a tad dry. You need less than a ping-pong ball size for each use. Ettusais has just released an extra large version with 25% more product for the same price (S$35/1365yen). I would repurchase this except it is not available here.

2. Za Total Hydration Fresh Foamy Cleanser: This is a typical white foaming cleanser with some small blue particles mixed in. I usually use this after using a cleansing oil or micellar water to remove my makeup, just to make sure my skin is thoroughly cleansed. It does leave the skin feeling stripped, so I would not repurchase this.

3. Ren Rose Centifolia Cleansing Gel: This watery clear gel cleanser is extremely gentle on the skin, perfect for use in the mornings when you only need a light cleanse. The rose scent is also subtle enough not to be irritating. This would work well for all skintypes. Ren has just revamped and expanded its Rosa Centifolia range, to include a cleansing balm, foaming cleanser, cleansing water and makeup remover. Check it out here.

4. Malin + Goetz Grapefruit Face Cleanser: This is a clear gel cleanser that thoroughly cleanses my skin without leaving it feeling dry. It contains 0.5% grapefruit extract and amino-acid based cleansing agents which is supposed to help purify and hydrate without irritation. It is also supposed to help prevent blemishes but I did not find it to have much effect in that area.

5. Lush Cosmetic Warrior: This is supposed to be targeted at acne-prone skin but I did not find it to be that effective. It was also thick and hard to spread, unlike Ayesha, perhaps due to the egg content. Ingredient list below.


6. Lush Breath of Fresh Air: This lightweight toner helps refresh the skin but does not really hydrate or soften it despite containing aloe vera, so even in the hot summer months, it can leave my skin feeling in need of extra moisture. I would not repurchase it. Ingredient list below.

7. Origins Brighter By Nature: This contained cotton pads soaked with a fruit-acid based solution that is supposed to help brighten the skin tone. Sadly, the pads dried out before I had used even half of them, despite the fact that I kept the pot tightly shut. The few that I did use did not do much for my skin and felt a tad rough actually. Definitely will not repurchase this.

8. K-Palette Lasting 2Way Eyebrow: A daily staple which I just stocked up on again.

9. Paul & Joe Fragranced Body Cream: This light body cream was from a Christmas set a few years ago yet it has kept its scent surprisingly well without any visible change in the texture. I liked the scent and moisturising effect but it did leave a slightly oily residue on the skin.

10. H20+ Moisturizing Body Balm: This has a nice clean scent and lightweight texture that absorbs easily without making the skin feel greasy.

11. Steam Cream: As this is very emollient, I use it mainly on my legs which are prone to dryness instead of my face. It hydrates effectively, getting rid of dry patches but it can feel a tad greasy especially in the summer.

12. Philosophy Limoncello Italian Soda: I love Philosophy shower gels for their extensive variety of scents and that they do not dry out my skin. This had a light sweet fizzy scent that was a pleasure to use and it lathers up easily.

13. Korres Vanilla Cinnamon Showergel: Not a fan of this due to the heavy cinnamon note, which I do not like in fragrances. It does lather up easily and did not strip the skin. This was part of a set of three Korres showergels.

14. Peter Thomas Roth Mega-rich Body Wash: This gel cleanser contained microbeads that burst on contact with the skin. It had a lovely refreshing citrus scent but otherwise, it was pretty average overall so I would not re-purchase it.

15. Anna Sui Rose Hair Shampoo: I adore the rose scent but it does not linger strongly on my hair. This worked quite well with my dry hair, rinsing out cleanly without leaving it tangled but it's probably too pricey for me to use on a regular basis.

16. Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Conditioner: This helped to detangle my hair but there was no extra glossiness or brilliance.

17. Pantene Repair & Protect Shampoo: This was a freebie with a magazine. While this lathered up easily, it left my hair slightly tangled and in need of conditioner so I would not repurchase this.

18. Philip B. Lovin' Leave-in Conditioner: This helped to tame the frizz and make my hair more manageable. I usually apply it in the mornings to the ends of my hair and then follow up with a styling spray.

19. L'Oreal Studio Indestructible Gel Spray: This helped to control flyaways around my fringe and provided moderate hold without making my hair hard or sticky.

20. Muji Sweet Orange & Clove Essential Oil: I purchased this in London to use with the Muji Aroma Diffuser. I adore the uplifting scent which has just enough sweetness to soothe the senses. I would definitely repurchase this except I have several other Muji essential oils to use up first.

21. Clarins Body Treatment Oil: This is supposed to help firm and tone the skin. I liked the clean, green scent but found that the oil was surprisingly not hydrating enough for my skin which ended up flaking.

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Za BB Cream UV

According to UrCosme.com, Za will be releasing its first BB Cream UV SPF43 PA+++. Formulated with an amino acid mineral complex, Vitamin B derivative and sebum-absorbing powder, it offers a total of 12 benefits such as pore coverage, skin brightening, sun protection etc.

Saturday, 6 August 2011

Watsons Health, Wellness & Beauty Awards 2011 Winners by Shiseido, Majolica Majorca and Za

Several Shiseido masstige brand products were winners of this year's Watsons Health, Wellness & Beauty Awards across the makeup, skincare and haircare categories.

Majolica Majorca was a big winner with three awards for the Lash Beautifying Mascara, Jewelling Eyes palettes and Perfect Automatic Liner.

The Lash Beautifying Mascara ($25.90), also known as Lash Expander Frame Plus in Japan, is the brand's bestselling lengthening mascara. The waterproof fibre-based jet black mascara has a unique coil and comb wand for producing longer and fuller lashes, plus Vitamin E and macadamia nut oil to fortify lashes. Majolica's mascaras are notorious for being tough to be remove but I find that a cleansing oil always does the trick. The pic below shows various Majolica mascaras, including past limited editions.

Earlier in January, Lash Expander Frame Plus was released in a limited edition shade, BR666 (red-based chocolate), as part of the Sugary Trap collection. It rapidly sold out in drugstores in Japan. Due to popular demand, Majolica has just re-released it in Japan as a limited edition.


The Perfect Automatic Liner ($22.90) is a long-lasting, waterproof liquid eyeliner with a soft brush tip. It comes in seven pearlescent shades with a black base. You can read my earlier review of it here.


Below is the ingredients list.

The Jewelling Eyes ($27.90) are well-coordinated quads with a lovely pearl shimmer. While the colour payoff tends to be on the sheer side, I think they are a good option for ladies who are just starting to get into makeup. My favourite remains the Jewelling Eyes GR791 from the baroque-themed Queen of Decoration collection of Fall 2010. From now to 24 August, Watsons is offering a $5 discount off these three Majolica products.

Za did equally well with three award-winning products. Their Ever Brows pencil ($11.90) is very affordable and easy to use. Available in three shades, the eyebrow pencil requires no sharpening. Simply twist up, fill in the brows and then use the comb side to smoothen out the strokes for a seamless finish.

The shade BR21 is a good match for my brows. Correcting any mistakes is also simple as the pencil can be easily rubbed off.

After using this virtually every day for the past three weeks, about three-quarters of the Ever Brows is still left, which means that one pencil can probably last about three months with daily usage.

I was surprised to see that the Ever Brows is actually made in Japan, as most Za products are usually made in Taiwan.

The Za Concealer ($13.90) has a creamy texture that is supposed to blend easily and conceal skin imperfections without clogging pores. I haven't used this yet but Mag likes it. This was also recommended in ELLE Singapore's recent Beauty Book as being good for use on the under eye area. It is available in three shades.

This is made in China.

Za's Skin Beauty 2-Way Foundation ($18.50 for refill; $9.90 for case) continues to be the number one selling foundation while their True White Plus 2-Way Foundation ($20.50 for refill) is the number one whitening foundation (see my earlier review here). Made in Taiwan, both have SPF20 PA++. The Skin Beauty foundation contains hyaluronic acid, Vitamin E, minerals and spherically-shaped "poreless powder" for creating the look of flawless skin while the True White foundation creates bright, luminous skin with a Spotless Brightening Powder and a Whitening C ingredient based on Vitamin C.

From now till 24 August, Watsons is offering $2 off the Skin Beauty Packset which includes a sheet of decoration stickers alongside the powder foundation. Watsons is also offering a $3 discount on the True White foundation refill, the Concealer Perfection and the Ever Brows.

In the skincare category, the Aqualabel White Clear Foam ($16.90, 30g) is the best-selling whitening cleanser. Aside from containing white clay powder to remove impurities, it also has granules containing hyaluronic acid which are then released into the skin while cleansing. Mag likes this but I find it a tad drying, like most Japanese foaming cleansers. From now till 24 August, you can purchase two tubes of the White Clear Foam for $25 at Watsons.


And finally in the haircare category, the Tsubaki Damage Care range was a winner, thanks to the combination of high purity camellia oil, amino acids and a "deep radiance and shine pearl lipid" for restoring beautiful shiny hair. The Tsubaki line has always been a favourite of mine as it leaves my dyed hair wonderfully soft and untangled.

The ingredients list for the shampoo is below. From now till 24 August, Watsons is offering a $3 discount off the Damage Care range.

Friday, 15 April 2011

Za True White Plus Two-Way Foundation and Instant Brightener

Za recently launched a new True White Plus Two-Way Foundation SPF20 PA++ and Instant Brightener SPF30 PA+++. The previous True White Foundation was the no. 1 whitening 2-way foundation in Singapore for the past 7 years, with one sold every 2 minutes. The newly reformulated True White Plus foundation (S$20.50 for 9g refill; S$9.90 for case) contains a "Spotless Brightening Powder" and "Whitening C ingredient" to help create the look of radiant, luminous skin while helping to lighten dark spots and acne scars.

The Spotless Brightening Powder is a blend of a lightweight flat powder that evens out the skin surface, and an inner lighting powder to help create a natural radiance. The Whitening C ingredient is Vitamin C Derivative APM, comprising Vitamin C and magnesium phospate (which helps to stabilise the Vitamin C).

The foundation is available in 4 shades. I picked the lightest shade #20, which turned out to be a pretty good match for my skintone.

The True White Plus Instant Brightener (S$15.90, 30ml) helps to correct dull skin, conceal imperfections such as spots, pores and lines for a beautiful pearly finish that lasts up to 8 hours. This can be used as a primer for the powder foundation.

The Instant Brightener has a very lightweight, watery texture that is a breeze to apply. With cyclomethicone as the first ingredient listed, it's not surprising that the Instant Brightener has that slightly slippery, silicone-y feel to it.


Below is the ingredients list for the Instant Brightener.

After using the foundation and the Instant Brightener daily over the past week, I quite like the foundation but the Instant Brightener feels too silicone-y for me. I prefer primers that feel slightly more hydrating. The Instant Brightener does help the foundation to apply more smoothly but it didn't seem to help enhance the oil control. I do like the fact that it has SPF30 PA+++, so I'll probably save it for days when I'm spending some time in the sun. The oil control was average with blotting required about every couple of hours.

The foundation applies quite sheer at first but can be layered for greater coverage. It helps to conceal the redness in my skin, minimise the appearance of my pores and makes my skin appear more even-toned. The finish looks natural and healthy. Oil control was average. I haven't used it long enough to say if it actually does help to lighten dark spots and acne scars but in general, using products with adequate sun protection will help to prevent skin pigmentation from getting darker and more prominent. At midday, I usually blot and then touch up with Ettusais Quick Fix Powder.

For this look, I also used Topshop Solar Cell and Meteoric Duo Eye Shadows, Tundra Eyeshadow Mousse and Desert Sun Cheek Duo, Esprique Precious True Black Mascara WP (Volume Separate), Benefit It Stick, Majolica Majorca Perfect Automatic Liner VI 606, and Za Plumper Lips #2 Rosy Flush topped with Plumper Lip Gloss #9 Playful Pink.



Below is the ingredients list for the True White Plus Two-Way Foundation. Both the foundation and the Instant Brightener are made in Taiwan by Shiseido. The ZA Cosmetics Singapore Facebook page can be viewed here.

Monday, 22 November 2010

Shiseido Sale

Shiseido is holding another sale at its office this week! Entry is free and no ticket is required. There are usually many good bargains to be had so the crowds are usually a bit crazy (although it gets much better in the afternoon when most people have gone back to work). I don't have any information on the products/prices and will probably not be going to the sale. Happy shopping!

Wednesday, 17 November 2010

Sightings at Watsons

Stopped by the Watsons in Ngee Ann City earlier today with my mother and found lots of new stuff for the holidays! The Paul Frank Lip Smacker sets are already in store.


Za has released new limited edition powder foundation cases that are packaged with deluxe samples of its skincare. If I'm not wrong, Za is still the number one drugstore brand for powder foundation in Singapore.

According to the Za Facebook page, there are 8 sets altogether.

Za also has five new shimmery eyeshadow singles retailing at around S$11+.

The colour payoff is sheer to medium with quite a bit of sparkle.


A new fantasy-themed Majolica Majorca display. The cardboard display for the Fall in Girl collection is already in store but the products have not arrived yet.



Plumplus lipglosses for creating the Japanese nude lip look.

Tsubasa Masuwaka's Dolly Wink line of nail polishes.



Skin79 deluxe sample set of four BB Creams. My favourite is still VIP Gold.

Asience haircare bundles.

Watsons is also running a Rirakkuma promotion. If you make a S$15 purchase, you can buy any number of the Rirakkuma merchandise at S$4.90 instead of the usual S$9.90. The selection includes small pillows, fleece blankets, thermal mugs and umbrellas. So I got a few boxes of my favourite Melty Kiss chocolates (S$3.60), a Rirakkuma blanket and umbrella.


The three designs for the fleece blankets.

The umbrella material feels very thin and a bit flimsy but then again, it's less than five bucks. And the design is just too adorable!

You can check out Watsons' Christmas catalogue for more information on their holiday promotions.