Philosophy | Brand Impression Part II

As mentioned in my previous post, I attended a Philosophy skin care workshop and was able to walk away with some travel-sized goodies! So here's what I got:

Miracle Worker Anti-ageing Moisteriser & Miracle Worker Overnight

If comparing ingredients alone between the two, the miracle worker ( left) has more essential oils ( corn, sunflower, macadamia, olive, linseed, rapeseed and sesame) while the other has more plant extracts and lactic acid (read my previous post to find out more). Although it's a different form of vitamin C in both creams, the idea of having vitamin C in both day and night moisturisers is nice as well.

Take Shelter UVA/UVB SPF 30 PA+++ sunscreen

I'm actually quite impressed with the broad range of sun protection it provides. It has the highest UVA protection of PA+++ which protects the skin from premature ageing.

Also, as I was checking the ingredients (as I would usually do) , I was really surprised. On their website, Philosophy only said that there was a 'complex blend that helps neutralise skin radicals'. Nowhere did it market that there were multiple fruit and plant extracts ( namely watermelon, orange, ginko, green tea),  lactic acid, vitamin C ( in form of ascorbic acid and ascorbyl palmitate) , coffee extract and caffeine in it!

If you've been following my posts you would know that have a big love for lactic acid. I have mentioned products that contain it in my Philosophy Brand Impression and Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask recently. It's basically an AHA that acts as a chemical exfoliant to slough off the outermost dead skin cells on your skin. This is commonly used in anti-ageing products and often would leave your skin smoother and might even reduce appearances of fine lines. It's nice to know that this sunscreen would actually benefit my skin in the long run.

(To read in depth of lactic acid click: Clear Skin & Anti-aging; AHAs (pop-up window) )

I was surprised that the anti-oxidants chosen to 'neutralise skin radicals' was Vitamin C. Surprised that there was ascorbyl palmitate in it, which is decently stable. More surprised that Philosophy did not push market that there were vitamin C in it, as most brands would do.

(To read in depth on how your skin benefits from vitamin C read: 5 Reasons Why You Need Vitamin C in Your Skincare Routine)

Lastly, there's coffee extract and caffeine in it. Who would've known? A possible reason I think why Philosophy would add this into this is that they may want their customers to feel more rejuvenated after using their product. It is a known fact that caffeine can be absorbed through the skin quickly. Ladies should also know that caffeine can constrict the blood vessels under the face, which would temporarily slim down the face. However, those concerned over caffeine intake should be warned away from this product. Having personally suffered from a bloated face in some mornings, there's a home made caffeine mask I would make to effectively slim down my face for that day. The recipe for the home-made mask can be found in my post : One trick for a slimmer 'V-shaped face.  So I guess this is an added bonus to the sunscreen.

Microdelivery Exfoliating  Facial Wash

I was expecting this to be a chemical exfoliator. When I found no chemical exfoliants in it's ingredients a search online simply showed that it had exfoliating beads to physically exfoliate the skin, which I'm not too excited for.

Comparing it to other physical exfoliators, this fares pretty well. The beads are fine, offering decent exfoliation without feeling too scratchy. 

Total matteness: oil-free mattifying pore refiner

This toner aims to minimise oil production throughout the day which it did - when paired with an oil-control primer. It also contains lactic acid which provides chemical exfoliation as well.

Be warned that this can cause slight stinging sensations and is best used when chilled.

Coconut frosting lipgloss ( full sized) 

Oh my, I love the coconut scent so much. It smells so tropical and creamy, it's just a divine experience putting it on my lips. I have accidentally ate some of it ( yes, it was an accident) and it is sweet! I can't make this up. I'm not recommending any of you to taste it either, but it tastes sweet!

I don't know how else to put it but I really love this. It was really unexpected because I didn't expect much from a brand that specialises in skincare. Plus, the tube packaging isn't a very good indicator of a good lipgloss in the makeup world. It reminds me of those Forever 21 lipglosses they sell by the cashier actually.


On to the texture itself, it comes off thick and sticky on the hands, but rest assured it does not feel sticky on the lips. In fact, it feels extremely comfortable to wear. It may look awfully white, but it also does not alter the colour of your lipstick as well. The best part, it gives your lips a beautiful subtle sheen! Major plus points to philosophy on nailing that part down. I personally do not fancy an overly shiny lips that some lip glosses provide. I don't think it's flattering on me. I was quite apprehensive at first when I saw that the lipgloss had some shimmer, but the effect was minimal.

Overall, this is one yummy lipgloss that happens to be a very flattering for a daytime look. It retails for SGD $18 at Sephora. I highly recommend this if you love a good transparent gloss and the coconut scent.


So thats all for the samples! I hope this post was useful and do tell me if you've tried any of it.




-C