The Body Shop Cream Eye Colour…

During the recent Body Shop sales, I decided to get a tube of their cream eye colour since my usual guy there said it was really good…and ended up with the Body Shop Cream Eye Colour in Mink.

Description:
The Body Shop Cream Eye Colour provides satin soft colour in a variety of textures and finishes, with a wand for flawless application. Dermatologically and opthalmalogically tested. Also contains…

• Marula Oil – an effective moisturiser that also helps to condition the skin over time.
• Glycerin – helps improve softness and maximize hydration.
• Light diffusing particles and pearl pigments – provides shimmer and sparkle which highlight the skin and help to disguise fine lines around the eye area.
• Cucumber extract – cools and soothes the skin, particularly ideal for use around the delicate eye area or when the weather heats up!

Directions:
Use the applicator wand to apply directly onto the eyelid. Blend and adjust colour coverage using a blender brush, or just tap with a fingertip.

The Verdict:
I must admit, for the most part I bought this because it was so cheap – from the original price of RM35, it was marked down 50% PLUS another 10% for TBS members, bringing the price to a BARGAIN RM15.75. However, after trying it out, I’m quite pleasantly surprised.

I do have several of Body Shop’s powder eyeshadows, and even had one of their cream eyeshadows quite some time back in a very pretty iridescent baby blue (it didn’t come with a wand back then), and I must say, I’m quite happy with my collection so far. Their powder eyeshadows are not the most pigmented ones around, but still provide decent hues, and blend well.

As for their cream eyeshadow, I liked the blue one I had previously, but that one creased almost immediately. Then again, if I had known the tricks I’ve picked up over the years, that could have probably been prevented (what to do, I was really quite ‘suaku’ back then!)

This time around, it’s a lot better – after evening out my skin tone with a light layer of foundation and my newfound MMU love, I prepped my lids with a bit of powder foundation, scooped a bit of the cream eye colour onto the back of my hand using the handy wand and dabbed it onto my eyelids, blending upwards.

The result was a natural ‘wash’ of colour. This is pretty enough to be worn on its own without having to add other colours for highlights or accents, since you can layer it. At its thinnest, it’s almost translucent with just shimmer…and at its strongest, it gives a natural brown colour with a hint of peach undertones. Just dust over with some loose powder to set the eye colour, and I was good to go.

It lasted me for a good four hours, after which I had to swipe my finger over my eyelid to smooth out the crease that had formed. But otherwise, the hue slowly wore off during the day, so much so by the end of work I was left with just the faintest sheen. Not the best result you want from your eye colour, but at least it didn’t look tacky like with some of the other ones I’ve tried. There’s also a cooling effect when you apply it on your eyelids, probably due to the cucumber extract.

There are six shades available in the selection per the swatch above, but if I’m not mistaken, only three are available in Malaysia – Mink, Arctic Ivy and Blueberry. It’s a pity, since I reckon the Starry Silver would be really nice for blending with other shades.

Would I get this again? If it was at RM15, yeah, why not? It’s fun to play with. However, at the full price it’s a bit out of my ‘play cosmetic’ range – I’d rather save my moola for something like Bloop instead.


The Body Shop Cream Eye Colour normally retails at RM35.00 and is available from Body Shop outlets nationwide.


Rating: 3 / 5
Value: $$$

Citibella Beauty Club & Atelier…

It’s been a long while since I’ve actually pampered myself with a manicure and pedicure, so since I had a course just idling away at Citibella (and their staff called to remind me about it!), I decided to go back on Saturday for some much needed R&R.

The interior of the outlet in 1 Utama isn’t that big, actually. If you want to check it out, I’d really suggest you go at off-peak times, or make an appointment, since they can probably accommodate about 3-4 people comfortably at any given time. But looks are not to be reckoned with – this is the reason I was parted with my hard-earned $$ for a course here:

They have customized OMO massage chairs for those doing their pedicures. There’s really nothing quite like having your lumbar region and shoulders rolled and pummeled while having your nails done…*bliss*…

Having my toes done in the spa was also really comfortable. I’m not into places that make me sit in all awkward positions just so they can get my feet at the right angle on the cushion. The massage chairs are fully adjustable for height and length, which makes for a VERY comfortable experience. Better yet, you can have both your hands AND feet done at the same time, with the aid of a small cushioned arm rest, so you don’t need to move about.

Plenty of magazines to read, regardless of your preference. I personally only read magazines like Cleo, MWW and Cosmopolitan, so it’s good that there’s a decent mix of relatively new English and Chinese magazines (as opposed to the only-Chinese ones at certain salons)…definitely a plus point in my book.

And so, after two hours of back massage (to the point where I nearly fell asleep), I came out with shiny new nails…

Brown-copperish shade on my toes…


…and a pretty pale pink on my fingers (not the colour I’d usually pick, but still, very pretty)

The salon uses Jessica products, which is probably not extremely well-known alongside brands such as OPI, but after a couple of days, the polish actually holds up quite well. Doesn’t flake or peel like what you’d see with cheaper polishes, and from previous experience, doesn’t stain my nails with that sickly yellow shade when I take off the polish.

However, be careful which manicurist you get if you decide to go there...there are only four girls working there, and one of them in particular is rather rough with her instruments. It’s probably a wise decision to make a specific request – Ling is pretty good, and she can definitely keep you entertained while doing your nails.

Cost-wise, I bought a course during their previous 5 + 5 promotion, where if you bought 5 sets of manicure and pedicure, you get an additional 5 sets – 10 manicures and pedicures in total for the bargain price of RM400.

Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to go back and stare at my nails… :)

Citibella Beauty Club & Atelier
Lot S24A, 1 Utama Shopping Centre,
1 Lebuh Bandar Utama,
47800 Petaling Jaya
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday, 10am - 8pm

Rating: 3.5 / 5
Value: $$

Results: Maybelline Watershine Liquid Pearl Lipgloss Giveaway

*phew*…it wasn’t easy picking a winner, I tell you! To make sure this remained arbitrary, I wrote all the names on pieces of paper and had someone pick out a name for me.

But the results are in, and the winner of a Maybelline Watershine Liquid Pearl Lipgloss is……

JENNIFER CHEW

Congratulations on winning the giveaway, and I will be emailing you shortly for your mailing details. :)

For those that didn’t win, don’t feel bad…I have at least two more giveaways in the pipeline for the next month, so do check back regularly for the latest updates and promotions k? Hope you all enjoyed your weekend!

Revlon Colorstay® Mineral Foundation…

Revlon’s finally released their minerals collection in the wake of the minerals mania flooding the cosmetic market, and I was given a chance to try their foundation and blush a while back. I’ll post up the blush review soon, but today it’s all about the Mineral Foundation – the shade I reviewed was #030 (Light/ Pale).

Description:
Revlon Colorstay® Mineral Foundation is the longwearing, lightweight, flawless face makeup that is food for skin all day and night while remaining comfortable. It contains an exclusive skin-loving Mineral Complex of Rose Quartz, Mother of Pearl and Topaz, and exclusive Colorstay® Technology for up to 16 hours of wear and care.

Directions:
Twist the cap to release a full size brush.
Swirl brush into powder and tap off the excess.
Blend powder evenly all over face in circular motions.

The Verdict:
First off, this foundation claims to be suitable for sensitive, acne-prone skin and oily/ combination skin. This is good since in most instances, wearing mineral makeup on oily skin compounds the problem, making it look like you’ve got an oil slick on your nose. Being one of those unfortunate ones with a chronically oily T-zone (but fortunate enough for it to not seem that way), I was quite impressed by the coverage it gave, as well as the skintone-evening effect.

Most mineral makeup nowadays come with sifters, but these usually end up in a cloud of powder every time you open the jar, which is inconvenient and wasteful. However, the Colorstay® foundation comes with a small ‘plug’ for the sifter that keeps the powder in the lower reservoir when not in use, eliminating that problem. The cap also opens up into a brush, making it an all-in-one item.

I found that the makeup held quite well for about 12 hours (I haven’t had the chance to test it up to its 16-hr claim yet) and only required blotting in the afternoon to get rid of a little shine. However, I did find a fab tip for this – just apply a VERY THIN dusting of baby powder prior to my T-zone before applying the foundation, and I don’t have to blot at all! I’m not too sure how scientifically sound this is, but hey, it works for me. :D Baby powder doesn’t dry out my skin like the other mattefying products available, but absorbs the moisture so that the foundation spreads evenly.

Now for the not-so-good part – the brush was a bit of a disappointment. Although the bristles are relatively soft, and it holds the foundation quite well, the bristles didn’t stay put. After the first application, there were at least 6-7 dropped bristles, and perhaps 10-11 more the next round. This is really not good as you don’t want bristles stuck to your makeup. I gave up using the built-in brush after that and reverted to my own set of brushes.

It’s a pity, because the product really is good. If it hadn’t been for the brush, I’d be completely over the moon (especially since it contains that super-important SPF 10). But then again, it may have just been a faulty unit. If anyone else tries it out, can you let me know if you had the same problem with your brush?


Revlon Colorstay® Mineral Foundation is now available at Revlon counters nationwide. It comes in four shades locally and retails for RM69.00.


Rating: 3.5 / 5 (it would have scored a 4 if not for the brush)
Value: $$

Have you submitted your entry yet?

There's only a few more hours left before the Maybelline Watershine Liquid Pearl Lipgloss giveaway is closed - better submit your entry now if you haven't already! :)

I will announce the winner's name tomorrow morning. Hope y'all are having a fab weekend!

SpaSensials* Moisturising Socks and Gloves…

The last time I met up with Paris, she very kindly gave me a set of the SpaSensials* moisturising socks and gloves to try. The directions are simple enough – just slip on the gloves and socks for 15 minutes.

Description:
SpaSensials* Intensive Moisturizing & Conditioning Gloves and Socks is a patent-pending, dermatologist-tested and clinically proven treatment to soothe and deeply moisturize dry, cracked skin in minutes, leaving your hands and feet feeling as refreshed and rejuvenated as your mind. Socks and gloves are already infused with Aloe, Avocado Extract, Jojoba Extract, and Vitamins A, B5 and E.

SpaSensials* Socks and Gloves feature unique moisture barriers that keep moisture on the inside and not on the outside. Each sock or glove features an outer protective layer, and stretchy moisture barrier and a moisture retainer. Socks and gloves will not leave or leave stains on furniture or bedding. See visible results after just one treatment.

SpaSensials* socks and gloves also feature our gentle signature fragrance, Mandarin Ginger Flower

Directions:
1. Put on gloves/ socks
2. Leave on for 15 minutes or longer
3. Massage in residual moisturizer after removing gloves/ socks

The Verdict:
This was quite a new experience for me. As far as the product itself goes, I was quite impressed by their spiel of ‘moisturiser stays on the inside, not the outside’ bit, as the material really did feel as if the lotion was going to come squeezing out of the pores (but it didn’t).

When I put on the gloves and socks, the first thing that struck me was the size. The fingers on the gloves were rather long, but since it’s ‘one size fits all’, this didn’t bother me much (I’ve always been teased for having short fingers!). However, the socks were an extremely snug fit, and I actually had trouble slipping it over my heels. As it is, I usually range between a size 7-9 for shoes, but if these are being distributed in the US, I can imagine anyone with larger size feet would have a problem putting on the socks.

I left the gloves and socks on for about 25 minutes, and then rubbed in the residual moisturizer per the instructions. It was a bit sticky, but it quickly dissipated leaving me with nicely moisturized skin with a faint scent. The results were definitely quite impressive for a ‘quick fix’, and I’d consider using this again sometime. However, I hope SpaSensials* will consider making slightly bigger or adjustable socks – the socks actually left a red pressure line around my ankle after I removed it…not good.

As far as a travel implement, it’s quite useful during holidays where you’ve done a lot of walking, but pricey if you want to use it on a regular basis. The socks size is also a concern for me, which means that I’m more liable to go back for just the gloves rather than the complete treatment pack.


SpaSensials* moisturizing socks and gloves retails at USD$11.99 for a treatment pack of 2 exfoliating buffs, 2 pairs of socks, and 2 pairs of gloves.


Rating: 3.5 / 5
Value: $$

Hunt for Cheap & Good Eyeshadows – Bloop de Paris (Part 1)…

Some time back, Paris contacted me about wanting to experiment with some of the eyeshadows on the lower price range to see if there was really such a thing as cheap AND good. As you know, most of the time the saying goes – “You pay peanuts, you get monkeys”…but are there gems to be found?

Just so that we’re all on the same page, the lower price range is set at eyeshadows that cost RM25 and below for a single colour (if you get more bang for your buck, all the better). After looking around, we settled on three – Elianto, Skin Food and Bloop de Paris. As Paris mentions, we did consider a couple of other brands, but they looked rather dodgy so we decided not to risk it and stick to those that were more mainstream.

My review series starts off with the Bloop de Paris Eyeshadow in Emerald Green.

Description:
Bloop de Paris is a brand of cosmetics designed by a local company, FE Parfum, specially made for the Asian face. Their range of cosmetics include lipstick, eyeshadow, blusher and nail polish.

Bloop ultra-fine eyeshadows have a Super Velvety Texture, allowing colours to simply glide on smoothly. Available in 12 bold and exciting colours, the eyeshadow is crease and smudge-free with a long-lasting finish.

The Verdict:
I bought this eyeshadow during a sale some time back, and at the time, it wasn’t launched in the market yet. It’s now available at RM20 per eyeshadow (RM15 if you buy just the eyeshadow pan). The range of colours are certainly very strong – we’re talking shades like Prussian Blue, Violet, Midnight Black, Snow White and Fuschia. Most of them come with shimmer save for one or two matte shades.

As you can see in the picture above, the eyeshadow goes on VERY smoothly and gives a rich pigmented colour. You don’t need much of it for solid colour. However, due to the velvety texture, it may be a good idea to apply some base powder on your eyelids before applying the shadow, otherwise it will crease just the slightest bit.

However, it did last pretty much the entire day. Even faded, it has a pretty sheen to it which is still flattering, unlike some other eyeshadows that just look tacky when they fade. Also, what you see in the pan is the colour you get when applied on skin. That said, this shadow should be used sparingly as it’s very easy to pick up too much rubbing your makeup brush over the surface.

I tried this for a night out with a base of loose powder, black eyeliner and a sweep of Emerald Green eyeshadow on top of the eyeliner – and immediately found that the eyeshadow blended with the eyeliner to produce a sparkly greeny-black eyeliner…very flattering. However, if you want your eyeliner to stay black, I’d suggest using liquid liner after applying your eyeshadow.

All in all, this was a pleasant surprise. I’d definitely want to try some of the other colours since they are definitely suited for Asian skin tones, and blend very well with other shades (not to mention the ‘looks ok even when faded’ bit is really quite appealing!).


Bloop de Paris is available at selected FE Parfum, Shins Cosmetics, Giant, Jaya Jusco and Metrojaya outlets nationwide.


Rating: 5 / 5
Value: $$$

** Paris started off her review series with Elianto Shimmer Shadow in Forest Green. Check it out!

Yogur Berry @ Sunway Pyramid…

While I was checking out the new wing at Sunway Pyramid (yes, very behind time I know, but what to do…I don’t go by that area very often – and it’s HUGE!), I chanced upon the Yogur Berry outlet. Quite hard to miss with its bright pink storefront.

See what I mean about the pink…but it’s quite cool isn’t it?


I loved what they did with the interior…especially the booth seats!


They even had special seats for the kiddies (if I could have sat there without looking like a total doofus or breaking the chairs, I would have!)

Yogur Berry’s ‘hot seller’ would be the frozen yogurt…basically pay per what you order, per serving of topping. We ordered a double scoop of the Frozen Yogurt Ice Cream (RM12.00) with Mango (RM1.05), Peach (RM1.05) and Fruit Cocktail (RM1.05). There’s also Snow Yogurt available, which I didn’t try but it’s more expensive than their original frozen yogurt.

While waiting for our order, I noticed there were quite a lot of games lying around. Turns out that you can actually play with them while you’re having your ice cream…quite a cute concept, no? They had the usual Uno cards and Games Compendiums and this…

I dunno about you, but I used to call this Jenga…


This was what our order looked like…so nice. To be frank, the frozen yogurt tasted like…Vitagen? The white bottle one…hmmm…but it was super yummy at any rate.


Glutton me…so greedy I had to have two goes at once!

As a promotion, every order above RM10 gets a try at this cute dart game, which allows you to win something for free. The items on the board range from a slice of pumpkin cake to a frozen single yogurt with three toppings (valued at approximately RM10 or so). Best part is, you can either redeem it then and there, or on your next visit – great if you don’t go there often (like me!)

We got a Mini Frozen Yogurt (RM4.90) free! *goes mad over all the frozen yogurt…brain freeze*

How about the actual taste of the ice cream? Quality? Well, the picture above should tell you all you need to know…scooped CLEAN!

I’d definitely go back there, just for the ice cream…it’s super yummy…think frozen Vitagen with fresh fruit…mmmm…the prices are a little bit on the steep side for ice cream especially when the toppings are separately charged, but it’s not half bad for what they’re offering.

Yogur Berry is located at LG2-135 in Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall. You can check their website for more locations.


Rating: 4 / 5
Value: $$

Silk Naturals Mineral Makeup…Project Time!

Since I had a long weekend, I decided to have a go at mixing my own minerals foundation. The Silk Naturals sample kit I ordered came with a guide on how to custom-make my own shade of Perfect Harmony Foundation.

All the equipment in my mixing kit…

The tools you need – a sifter mixing jar, scoop and the four shades of powder:

• White as a base for mixing
• Ebony – neutral to slightly cool or slightly pink undertones
• Warm Gold – warm golden undertones
• Buttery Gold – yellow golden undertones

Now, as an Asian I’ve got medium yellow undertones to my skin, but can take pink undertone shades to a certain extent. However, for this experiment, I decided to stick to just the Warm Gold and Buttery Gold mixed with the white base.

I started out as per the instructions in the leaflet with 5 scoops of white base to 1 scoop of Warm Gold, and then shook it together to blend.

Let me say that blending the powder together EVENLY in the sifter jar (or in any jar for that matter) is no easy feat. Even after it SEEMED to be mixed, the true test is when you pick up just a bit with your brush (I used the baby kabuki that came with my ‘Glow to Go’ kit). If it’s not thoroughly mixed, stripes of the colour will show up on your skin, and they're not easy to wipe off!

After the initial trial, I came up with my perfect match – fourteen scoops of white base, 2 ½ scoops of Warm Gold and 2 scoops of Buttery Gold…*bliss*

And voila! I have everything I need for my mineral foundation look…Skin Perfecting Powder to be used as a base, my Perfect Harmony Mix Foundation and the Angel Glow for a sun-kissed look.

Has anyone else tried mixing it yet? I know Tine has gotten the same kit, so I’m just dying waiting for her review. :)

Skin MD™ Natural…

After trying out Gloves in a Bottle, I was kindly sent Skin MD™ Natural to try. As far as the two products go, I’ve been told they’re quite similar, however in my case, I found that both products are equally good but for different purposes.

Description:
Skin MD™ Natural is far more effective than conventional moisturisers. The lotion is promptly absorbed, transforming the outer layer of skin into a hydrating invisible shield. The finest natural ingredients together with the latest advances in skin hydration are combined to exceptionally enhance skin’s hydrating and protective abilities.

This is an entirely new concept in skin care requiring a new classification: "Shielding Lotion". Shielding lotion is a lotion that forms a protective barrier on the skin and keeps out irritants and chemicals. It also allows the natural oils and moisture to remain in the skin so it can heal better. An accumulated effect and regeneration of skin moisture level is fully realized within a few days.

Skin MD™ Natural contains Vitamin E, Aloe Vera, Arnica, Comfrey, Yarrow and Camomile.

Directions:
Apply a small amount, initially every 2-8 hours until moisture level improves, then just once every 12-24 hours. Depending on your skin condition, the first few days may require repeated applications at regular intervals.

The Verdict:
After trying both shielding lotions, I’d have to say that I am absolutely in love with Skin MD™ Natural. The lotion sinks right into my skin almost immediately and leaves my skin feeling really nice afterwards and yet non-greasy. There’s also a lovely faint scent as well.

If aesthetics of the product played a part, I’d have to go for Skin MD™ Natural since the bottle is quite striking with its pretty red cap and image on the front. Very presentable as a gift as well. However, it didn’t have quite the same effect as I’d hoped on my ankle (which I’d written about in my Gloves in a Bottle review).

As far as the two shielding lotions go, I’d stick to the Gloves in a Bottle for my ankle and heels, but Skin MD™ Natural for the rest of my body. :) If I’m not mistaken, it’s available in Singapore so you can imagine I’ll be pestering my friends there to keep me supplied!


Rating: 4.5 / 5
Value: $$$ (worth its weight in gold!)

PS: To all my readers with blogs - if you’d like a sample of Gloves in a Bottle or Skin MD™ Natural in return for a blog review, you can contact Pete Grimaldi at petegrimaldi[at]earthlink.net.

Maybelline Watershine Liquid Pearl Lipgloss…and a GIVEAWAY…

Yes, you read the title correctly…there’s a nice giveaway at the bottom, so keep reading!

I must admit, I’ve never been that big a fan of Maybelline’s lipglosses…they were alright, but most of the time I only used them because they were given to me. However, this brand new variant of their Watershine lipglosses are in a different class altogether.

Description:
Maybelline has come up with several variants of Watershine (lipsticks and glosses) over the years – Watershine Diamonds, Watershine Fusion, Watershine Liquid Diamonds, Watershine Diamonds 3D Prisms…just to name a few.

The latest Maybelline Watershine Liquid Pearl glossy liquid lip colour is infused with pearl iridescence for glistening lips with a glamorous sheen. The liquid gloss feels smooth on lips without being sticky, and glides on like silk.

* I couldn’t find any product site for this just yet since it’s so new.

The Verdict:
The shade I got for review was Pink Praline, which I initially had my reservations about because I’m not usually a ‘pink’ person (seeing that colour a bit too much during my uni days left its mark). It’s not a colour I’d normally pick out since I tend towards more burgundy and rose-ish shades.

As far as the colour goes, what you see is what you get. The gloss isn’t sticky at all, which is just an okay thing for me since I prefer my glosses a little bit stickier (they last longer that way). But that said, it actually has pretty good staying power, and doesn’t slide off your lips.

The effect after I’d road-tested it was quite pleasant – the shade wasn’t TOO pink as I feared…it actually comes off as a very pretty “girl next door” pink (if there’s such a thing!). Safe to say, this little baby’s going into my handbag as well right alongside my current Revlon Superlustrous Lipgloss…who knows, maybe I’ll even mix and match the two. :)

Previously, I tried Maybelline’s original Watershine lipgloss, and wasn’t too pleased with the results. Don’t get me wrong, the colour was absolutely fabulous, but the glitter was a little too coarse and the gloss didn’t last long, which left me with dry, glittery lips – not a very good look.

However, this time around, I’m pleasantly surprised by the effects. Even after being rubbed off, my lips still remained relatively moist, and there’s none of the irritating glitter to be seen…a better holding agent, maybe? Whatever it is, this gloss has definitely managed to push up my perception of Maybelline’s lipglosses.

Maybelline’s Watershine Liquid Pearl lip glosses are available at all Maybelline counters nationwide.


Rating: 4 / 5
Value: $$


Now for the good stuff…the GIVEAWAY…

Thanks to the nice people at Maybelline, I’ve got 1 (one) Watershine Liquid Pearl lipgloss in the colour Shimmer Brown to give away to a lucky reader. The colour is likened to a coppery sheen, but do check it out at your local Maybelline counter to see if it suits you.

How to get it? Simple…just drop an email to communicationz[at]gmail.com with the title “Maybelline Lipgloss”. The closing date for entries is by 12 midnight on Sunday 25 May 2008, so get cracking!

Terms & Conditions:

• This giveaway is open to residents of Malaysia only.
• One entry per person – please play fair and let everyone have an equal chance.
• Entries submitted via comments will not be eligible. Kindly use the email provided above.
• I will be contacting the lucky winner via email, so please use a valid email address. If I do not get a response from you within 2 (two) days, I will pick another winner.

That’s about it from me…hope y’all are enjoying your Wesak Day break!

Brief note...

I've been completely bogged at work the past few days (and if you were wondering, no, I don't work in the beauty industry, otherwise that'd be conflict of interest!)

But with the long weekend, I finally have some time to get cracking on all those overdue reviews, so expect a fair bit to be posted up in the next day or two k? Till then, happy reading! :)

UPDATE: Silk Naturals

When I first ordered makeup samples from the Silk Naturals website (you can read the original post here), I mentioned that the mirror and scoops arrived damaged and wrote back to them.

This is what I call really good service – not only did I get a quick reply to my email the same day, but they immediately said they would send me a replacement (some companies usually offer to replace the items if you really complain, and I mean REALLY complain!)

Well, the replacements arrived today, PLASTERED in bubble wrap – the sticky kind (they really took no chances in making sure it arrived in one piece), with a handwritten note scribbled on the card apologizing for the damaged items even though it probably wasn’t their fault.

It is experiences like these that will spur me on to going back to their website to order more items. Even though it was a small purchase, Karen Stark and her staff made me feel like they valued my business and provided EXCELLENT customer service(Beautilicious and Clinique, you should take a leaf out of their book!)

So to Karen and her staff, kudos on the excellent products and service!

(I love the items I ordered, by the way - just haven’t gotten round to writing about it yet…soon, soon!)

Boots Gorgeous Feet Invisible Anti-Rub Stick…

If you’re anything like me, you probably place fashion over comfort (bad, I know…but sadly very true). And who hasn’t gotten blisters from wearing uncomfortable shoes that chafe and rub against your heel?

There are a whole lot of woes to cover when talking about shoes, but the biggest culprit for me when it comes to blisters are slingbacks and court shoes. Every time I get a new pair, I can pretty much count on not being able to walk much by the end of the day thanks to the strap rubbing along my heel…*ouch*…another problem is the strap on the slingback slipping off while I’m walking.

Not anymore…*big grin*

Description & Directions:
Boots Gorgeous Feet Invisible Anti-Rub Stick is the answer to chafing straps and shoes. The formula comes in a compact stick designed for easy application and won't leave a stain on your footwear. Just rub the stick along straps or back of shoes before wearing, and reapply as needed.

The Verdict:
This has been a godsend to me…all I have to do is rub a little bit along the strap (works great for sandals too!) and leave it for about 5 minutes before wearing it. This effectively gets rid of the friction you’d normally get with new shoes, and eases the ‘blister-forming’ burn.

The texture of this stick is thankfully NOT greasy – instead, it feels more like wax/ silicone in a tube, which is great. From experience, it may have to be applied a couple of times before the shoes get comfortable, particularly if they’re brand new. The good thing is, this stick is small and discreet enough to be slipped into your bag for quick and easy relief if your shoes start chafing during your night out (link your forefinger and thumb in a circle to get the circumference, and it’s about 5-6cm in length)

I haven’t seen these anywhere else other than London and Bangkok yet, but a number of similar products are cropping up locally. However, after trying a couple of them, I’d still have to go back to Boots as the others were rather clumpy and irritated my heels, and what’s more got really slippery when wet. The last thing I want to be doing is performing balance acrobatics in the rain thanks to my shoes!! The texture of the Boots Anti-Rub stick is not affected by water, and is water-repellent to a certain extent.

One key thing to note though – if you want to use it, it has to be applied BEFORE you wear the shoe…this won’t work once friction has started (since your heels would already be tender by then). Oh, and a tip? It works great for strappy shoes too – yeah, I’m talking about those straps that cut into the front of your feet near the toes!


Boots Gorgeous Feet Invisible Anti-Rub Stick retails at approximately £4.00 in the UK.


Rating: 4 / 5
Value: $$$

PS: I’ll be in London end June on holiday, so if you want me to pick one up for you let me know quick! :)

Warehouse Sales Destruction?

Just because it’s mid-week, I thought I’d share something a little more humorous with you all today…I saw this on the box I got from the L’Oreal warehouse sale recently:

Sales & Destruction??

I’ve heard of ‘Sales & Promotions’, maybe even Distribution…but Destruction? (then again, judging by the hordes of people that flocked to the place, maybe this WAS appropriate)…*grins*

Another package in the mail!

I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of getting packages in the mail – there’s just such a nice feeling when you come back from work, and there’s something waiting for you on the table (ok, apart from the credit card bills, which is NOT so nice!)

This time, it’s my samples of Skin MD Natural Shielding lotion. I really have Pete to thank for this – he’s been an absolute darling to send it all the way here (not many companies will bother sending stuff when you tell them you're based in Malaysia).

Time to get cracking on more reviews then… :)