A few months ago, I was treated to a Cefenere "Fair Passion" skincare set - a set of products that promised results in a mere 7 days! I was, of course, very intrigued, and set out to test this promise.

This trial kit comes with 3 products - a serum, moisturiser, and sunscreen. The range is targeted at spots and pigmentation, and contains the latest PHA technology (polyhydroxy acids), that help both reduce pigmentation and prevent acne. Cefenere says that this product will help to even out the skin tone, and get rid of dull, discoloured patches in your skin.

Here's what I thought:

Packaging

These are beautifully packaged - the jars are plastic lined with silver accents, and the bottle cap holds a dropper that helps with application and hygiene.

Product

The serum is not at all greasy and applies well, with only a tiny bit of a scent that goes away within a couple of minutes. I love when serums absorb very quickly into the skin, and this does just that. Same goes with the moisturiser. The sunscreen isn't greasy, but does have a hint of that typical sunscreen smell - nothing too offensive though.

Note that both the serum and the Ultralizing cream (night moisturiser) contain active ingredients, so remember to apply plenty of sun protection and do your best to stay away from the sun when using skincare like this.

Performance

Within 7 days, I noticed an improvement in the clarity of my skin. I would always wake up in the morning to dewy, clear skin, and my makeup went on more smoothly as well. 

The star product of the range, in my opinion, is the sunscreen. It sits beautifully on the skin and does a great job of evening out the skin tone immediately upon application. It makes a gorgeous primer for the skin, because it also helps to smooth the skin, helping makeup to glide on smoothly.

If you're interested in checking out Cefenere for yourself, head over to their website where you can purchase the range online.

I'm sure a lot of you have heard of the brand Kosé. If you haven't, it's a Japanese brand famous for its whitening and brightening essence - the Sekkisei lotion.

I was lucky enough to be able to trial the lotion recently, and am now sharing my review of it, along with pictures and tips on how you can transform this essence into a hydrating mask.

Product

The Kosé Sekkisei Lotion is a lightweight, cooling liquid that comes in a medicinal-looking blue bottle with a white cap. It smells refreshing and slightly floral, with a tinge of that astringent smell that can sometimes sting your nose if you get too close.

Packaging

The blue bottle that houses the lotion is sturdy, and made of a plastic material. It is heavy and well-made (as is the cap), and feels luxurious despite the fact that it isn't a glass bottle. It looks very authentic because the feature of the bottle is the large Chinese text printed down the centre of the bottle. The silver tip of the cap also makes the bottle look very luxe.

Performance

My first use of this product was as a hydrating and brightening mask. I was given these mask sheets (they look like large tablets, and can be soaked in any essence to act as a mask. You can buy them at Kose counters) to use, and basically just poured the lotion out into the cap, where a line is marked to show you how much to pour. I then popped the mask sheet, sized perfectly for the cap, into the liquid, and waited for it to expand. Once it expanded, I simply opened up the mask all the way, and applied it to my face. It doesn't take too long for the mask to absorb into the skin - after about 10 minutes, the lotion had fully absorbed into my skin and the mask sheet was almost dry. I then applied whatever was left in the bottle cap onto my skin using my hands and a patting motion - and I was done!

The results were immediately visible. My skin was a touch brighter, and it looked plump and radiant. The mask also helped me soften a couple of blackheads near my nose.

Japan Beauty Week

If you want to experience the Kosé Sekkisei lotion for yourself, come to the Japan Beauty Week where Kosé will be exhibiting their products, as well as bringing in their resident international makeup guru Mr Dobashi, to share with you makeup trends ans application techniques. I will also be at the event, sharing my experience with Kosé and hopefully to meet some of you guys there. If you want to grab a goodie bag containing the famous Sekkisei Mask (pictured below), then make sure you come over and visit their stand at Japan Beauty Week! For more information about JBW, click here.