Taking a short break...

I’m off for a short break this weekend – desperately need to recharge my batteries (and it has been a LOOONG week like you wouldn't believe!), so will be heading off to sunny Krabi, Thailand for the long weekend. :) Also, there has been this irritating spammer that’s been leaving lewd comments on my blog, resulting in me having to enforce comment moderation.

All will be explained when I get back…till then, have a good weekend ahead. To my Malaysian readers, enjoy the long Merdeka weekend! I’ll see you all soon…muax!

Crabtree & Evelyn Naturals Soothing Garden Mint Lip Balm…

After trying the lipbalm I bought over the weekend for a few days, I just had to write about it. I’ve been wanting to get one of these for the longest time, but never managed to since I thought it was too expensive. However, after the recent discounts I snagged myself a tube for RM29.75 – not too bad for Crabtree & Evelyn I reckon.

Description:
Crabtree & Evelyn Naturals Soothing Garden Mint Lip Balm is an extra-moisturising daily lip care blended with olive oil, beeswax and cooling peppermint oil to condition lips and help maintain softness with a subtle gardenia mint fragrance. Contains no paraffin, mineral oil, parabens, nitrosamines, propylene glycol or synthetic colorants. Reapply as needed especially in dry, cold or windy conditions.

Ingredients include:
Olive oil (moisturizing, conditioning), peppermint oil (cooling, refreshing), beeswax (emollient), shea butter (moisturizing, emollient), soybean oil (moisturizing), tocotrienol (vitamin E) (rejuvenating), glycerin (moisturizing), soybean oil (moisturizing), safflower seed oil (moisturizing), jojoba oil (moisturizing), aloe leaf extract (soothing)

The Verdict:
The first thing that will catch your eye (or rather, nose) of this balm is that it’s absolutely minty fresh! The peppermint oil really brings a nice aroma for the time you’re using it – similar to Wrigley’s chewing gum, but slightly stronger. Since I’m a mint lover this is pure heaven for me.

When I first opened the tube, I got this film of oil on top, which I had to use up before I reached the balm itself. This part was a bit messy, but not too bad. When you think about it, the oil helps to stop the balm from drying out. Once I got past the oil layer, it wasn’t too bad. This balm is a fair bit more ‘liquidy’ than I’d prefer, but the tingly sensation on my lips after application is enough to keep me chilled out for the better part of the day. In this tropical heat, tingly chills are good! :) Best part is, when I suck in air through my lips, I get a fresh blast of cool…teeheehee…

For those who don’t like the tingly bit though, this may be a bit much. One clear warning – do NOT get it anywhere near your eyes! Also, if you’re the kind that has over-sensitive lips, they may be a bit more than rosy as this can be a bit strong…I like it, but if you’re thinking of getting it please do try it before you buy k?


Crabtree & Evelyn Naturals Soothing Lip Balm (13g/0.45oz tube) retails for RM35.00 and is available at all Crabtree & Evelyn outlets nationwide.


Rating: 3.5 / 5
Value: $$

Cuppacake cake anyone?

Okay, so this isn’t exactly a review post, but quite fun nevertheless…the next time you’re stuck for ideas on what cake to get for someone’s birthday, give this a try…

The cupcake cake! Hehe…


It was made up of various cupcakes from Delicious by Ms Read…these cupcakes range from RM3.80 to RM7.80 each…


So pretty!!


My favourites are the peanut butter one with drizzled chocolate…


And the chocolate marshmallow – it’s recommended to microwave it to melt the marshmallows…it also makes the chocolate all gooey…sinful indulgence!!

Midvalley Shopping Saturday…

Aihh…so much for a safe weekend. I ended up going to the Origins outlet in Gardens Midvalley for their birthday promotion. It was worth going though – the deals were pretty good!

Every patron to the outlet got a small gift in a pretty organza bag, decorated with a sprig of real mint leaves…


The contents – a mini tube of Peace of Mind (3ml) and some Peace of Mind gumballs… :)

For every purchase exceeding RM30, Origins gave a RM30 voucher that could be redeemed on the spot. I picked up a replacement bottle of Peace of Mind – and paid just RM18 after the discount! (normal price: RM48). Ooh yeah… :)

After some lunch at the Shihlin Taiwanese Street Snack place in Gardens, I headed over to my other favourite outlet – Crabtree & Evelyn…all because I happened to see my regular SA there. Oh this girl is evil…she always knows how to package stuff to entice me to buy!!

This time around, it’s a 1+1 promotion on their shampoo and conditioner – every bottle of shampoo bought (RM65) comes with a free tube of conditioner, with options to choose from the Aloe Vera, La Source or Jojoba variants. Knowing my propensity for La Source, it’s not much surprise which one I chose…

La Source volumising seaweed shampoo & conditioner


Naturals Soothing Lip Balm in Garden Mint

After a couple (okay, so QUITE a few!) more items added to the list, my total purchases exceeded RM250, which snagged me a mini 60-second Fix for Hands. Score!

The 60-second Fix for Hands consists of 25g tubes of Gardeners Hand Recovery and Hand Therapy

And…because of my purchase that exceeded RM250, I qualified for several freebies from Mastercard and Midvalley. The one I liked most was this one…

Isn’t it just so cute?? “I’m ‘NOT’ a shopaholic” bag…hehe..


Inside were a pack of lavender tissues, wet wipes as well as a plaster – not something you’d usually expect to find as a ‘freebie’, but oh well…

A separate voucher was given for KFC as well. My only thought on the entire redemption process? It was just so messy…Mastercard is supposed to be the official card for these sales, but their redemption booths were all over the place, and I had to go all over the place to redeem various items. Errgghh…

The final freebie was free dessert for two at Flying Chillies – water chestnut in coconut milk. This was a dark blotch on my good weekend though – the advertisements they put out were misleading. On the voucher, it says you can have the dessert FREE but when we went to the outlet, the waiter INSISTED that we had to order at least drinks before we could redeem the desserts.

NOWHERE was it stated on the voucher that any purchase was necessary. I wouldn’t have minded if the voucher had stated a minimum purchase was necessary, but to say “FREE” when you have to buy something else (and not clarifying it in the terms and conditions stated on the overleaf of the voucher) is cheating. If it’s “buy something and get something free”, that’s called a PROMOTION. You’d think an organisation like Mastercard would know that.


How was your weekend?

The Body Shop Deadly Desires Collection Swatches…

After seeing Paris’ post on The Body Shop Deadly Desires collection, I was passing by my usual Body Shop outlet and managed to get some swatches of the new makeup… :)

First up was the Cheek Bloom blush in Desert Rose and Dune Pink. I loved it with the shimmer pattern, but out of the two, I preferred Dune Pink for a girly flush. Along the bottom are the swatches for the Duo Shadow compacts in Eucalyptus Grey (shades of deep and light silver) and Khaki Green (shades of brown green shimmer). They’ve got great texture, with a good pigment.

Their Eye Pencils in Cactus Green and Rocky Blue are really nice! I can so see this making my regular makeup list. There are also two Lip Click glosses in Dusky Pink and Spiced Red.

However, while I was there, I couldn’t resist trying out The Body Shop Eye Lustre Liner in Mercury Shine and Glistening Blue. Simply gorgeous, aren’t they? I found the brush really easy to use, and ooh, the Mercury Shine green was SO enticing!!

Err…I have a confession to make…*cough cough* I succumbed – ended up getting the Lip Click in Dusky Pink and The Eye Lustre Liner in Mercury Shine! :D

Cheek Bloom – RM79.00
Duo Shadow – RM55.00
Lip Click – RM49.90
Eye Pencil – RM35.00
Eye Lustre Liner – RM48.00


The new Body Shop Deadly Desires Collection is out in selected Body Shop outlets nationwide.

The Body Shop Green Tea Shower Gel…

This particular Limited Edition range is actually from the 2007 holiday lineup, but as usual hit our shores rather late early this year. Their range of shower gels includes Ginger as well as a Green Tea variant, which is the one that caught my eye.

Description:
A refreshing and zesty soap-free cleansing gel with a fresh vibrant fragrance to cleanse and refresh skin. Contains green tea from China for all-over floral freshness; organic honey to moisturize and condition; and glycerin to help improve softness and maximize hydration.

The Verdict:
To be honest, I can’t find much to say about this shower gel (what DOES one say about a shower gel?) I like the distinct-but-not-too-overpowering smell of this shower gel, as it reminds me of Elizabeth Arden’s Green Tea fragrance. I only need about a tablespoon at a time, which is good since a bottle can last me for quite a while. The gel also lathers up well when used with a mesh puff. I stocked up on this during the last sale – hey, I don’t know how long it’ll be on the shelves… :)


The Body Shop Green Tea Shower Gel is available for a limited time at all Body Shop outlets nationwide, and retails at RM24.90 for a 250ml bottle.


Rating: 4 / 5
Value: $$

LUSH Ocean Salt…

LUSH is a brand that I got to know in my mid-teens while flipping through overseas teen magazines – I still remember the first item I ever tried from the range…their Green Pea soap, when I was about 15 – and got super upset when they stopped making that particular soap some years later.

When I went to Perth to study I was delighted to find LUSH in Australia, although the prices were less than endearing (due to the exchange rate of importing the products into Australia and living on a lowly non-earning student’s budget!) so purchases were few and far between…

So you can imagine how crazy I went when I finally got myself to England (where LUSH originates from)…hehe…ever since then, I’ve kept myself with a steady supply of LUSH – at least for a few months at a time, since their products contain fresh ingredients (read: short expiry date!) One of my most recent purchases was the Ocean Salt, which I fell for after trying it at the outlet.

Description:
Generous portions of fine and coarse sea salt line the rim of an enriching facial scrub to wash away everyday grime. Ocean Salt refreshes, nourishes, and tones, all while smelling deliciously of violet and lime. Butters of the avocado and coconut variety take the edge off, moisturizing and softening your face to reveal a brighter you. Try it on other parts of your body as well and take a trip to Margaritaville without the hangover.

Directions:
Splash water on your face and apply about a teaspoonful of scrub using an upward, circular motion to exfoliate, detoxify and refresh the skin. Rinse thoroughly after. Can also be used on other parts of the body including chest, back, arms and legs.

The Verdict:
Quite the shocking colour, isn’t it? :) The colour in the picture above is after I’ve used it a few times – the original colour when I first opened the pot was an almost-turquoise green-blue swirled in pearly white (a very roundabout description, but that’s as close as I can get!) I suppose the colour was meant to either denote the ocean, or a margarita?

First things first…this – scrub – smells – great! The violet, grapefruit and lime scents give a lovely note, with a hint of vodka – perfect for the subliminated alcoholic in me…LOL! I usually try to stay clear of products that have too much perfume in the mix especially if they’re going to be applied on my face, but in this case the scent is mostly from essential oils and fresh extract and is not strong at all.

When rubbing some scrub between my palms before applying it to my face, I noticed that the coarse sea salt is really coarse – you can see it clearly from the picture above. This was a bit worrying, but as soon as I applied it to my skin it was a different matter altogether…*bliss*

The salt granules in the scrub melted once I dampened it to gently exfoliate and cleanse my skin. Thanks to the glycerin, lanolin, fresh avocado butter and coconut fat, my skin felt amazing afterwards, without feeling ‘greased up’ – I felt like doing that ‘toiing toiing’ bounce on my cheek with my finger (can’t remember which facewash commercial I saw that in on TV) because my skin really felt like that…two thumbs up!

The directions recommend a teaspoonful of scrub, but that’s being a bit generous – about ¾ that amount is more than sufficient for my face. And did I mention that it’s fab for scrubbing those rough patches from my elbows and heels? Talk about multi-purpose!

Given the amount I use on my face and the contents of the pot, they’ve estimated the expiry date quite well…you can easily finish up one tub in 3 months or so if you use it on your face every other day. *sigh*… I regret buying the 120g pot though – should’ve gotten the 250g pot instead! There’s only one warning I have for potential users though – it does contain alcohol so be warned that it could sting if you have very sensitive skin or raw blemishes.


LUSH Ocean Salt retails at £5.95 (approximately RM37) for a 120g pot, and is available at all LUSH outlets.


Rating: 4 / 5
Value: $$$

Stila Girlfriend Card & Birthday Promo…

Thanks to Miss Paris Beaverbanks’ post on Stila's 14th Birthday promotions being the *tsk tsk* driving factor and as the holder of a Citibank credit card, I sheepishly found myself at the Stila counter a couple of days back asking about the Citibank promotion. Apart from the sales girl there being a complete noob and not knowing what on earth I was talking about and after me having to answer HER questions (shouldn't it be the other way around??), I finally got my Stila Girlfriend membership card.

Pretty, isn’t it? It also came with a complimentary makeover which I’ll have to KIV to another time since it was near closing time, but I’m not too fussed over it. This promotion is running until 31 December 2008, so you’d better head over to your nearest Stila counter before then!

Citibank credit card holders can also get a Stila Lookbook Palette and Gloss set worth RM140 with a minimum purchase of RM380 of Stila products on your Citibank card…there are three variants available, but this was the most fetching one to me…*lemming lemming*

According to Paris, Stila is celebrating its 14th Birthday, and will be running a promotion between 21st and 27th August at Pavilion KL. There are also quite a few freebies to be gotten, so I suppose it’s a good thing I’ve picked up my card nice and early instead of fighting with the hordes at Pavilion. :) You can get the full details on the promotions from Paris’ post here.

Ooohh…I am SO going to be there on the 23rd (what to do, some people have to work, can only go on weekends…*sigh*…betcha it’s going to be packed!) Anyone wanna come along too? The L’Oreal Luxury Division Warehouse Sale is also happening on Sat, so I COULD technically hit up both sales – although I don’t think my bank account could take the damage!


PS: For those that don’t have a Citibank credit card, don’t despair – you can still get the Stila Girlfriend card with a RM300 purchase in a single receipt. :)

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Bold Volume™ Lifting Mascara deluxe samples!

Good news for my Malaysian readers – Estee Lauder is inviting their readers to try the new Sumptuous Mascara, said to create daringly full, lavishly lifted lashes without the clumping. All you have to do is simply bring your old mascara to any Estee Lauder counter to receive a complimentary deluxe sample of the new Sumptuous Bold Volume™ Lifting Mascara deluxe size (worth RM43).

Hehe…true to my Malaysian heritage, I’ve already collected my sample. This is available from all Estee Lauder counters, but please check to see that they still have stock. I know that the counter in Jusco Midvalley has already depleted their stocks, but the counter at Metrojaya Midvalley (where I picked up my sample) is still doing the exchange.

The deluxe sample size given out is a 1.5ml tube in #01 Black (only one shade for samples) and despite its small size, comes with a full sized BrushComber™ for easy application.

Description:
Unprecedented Bold Volume™ formula with extremely lightweight, soft-spun lash-thickening fibers, gives lashes soaring lift with audacious volume and curl. Lifts and plumps even sparse lashes into big, lush lashes that are all lightness and flirtatious curl. BrushComber™ thickens like a brush, defines like a comb. Wraps your entire lash in air-light volume for a 360° effect. Ophthalmologist-tested. Fragrance-free.

I must say I’m quite impressed by the way Estee Lauder has done this. Somehow to me, I’ve always seen the brand as quite ‘auntie’ – maybe it has something to do with the fact that all the ‘aunties’ I knew growing up were using it! However, after trying out a couple of their products (particularly the Pure Colour Eye Shadow which I now LOVE to bits), this brand definitely warrants closer scrutiny.

The product advisor at the counter was also pretty good, and advised me to try the new Perfectionist [CP+] serum for the ‘soon developing’ crease between my eyes (eeps!!). I’ve got a sample to try out for the next few days as well, so will let you guys know how that one works out. I’m loving the velvety texture so far though.

The new Estee Lauder Sumptuous Bold Volume™ Lifting Mascara is retailing for RM85 at Estee Lauder counters nationwide. Check the website for further details on the Sumptuous exchange. Better grab yours while there are still stocks available!

Clinique Moisture Surge Extra Thirsty Skin Relief…

I got two 30ml jars of Clinique Moisture Surge Extra Thirsty Skin Relief as part of my Clinique ‘freebie haul’ from London…after 7 weeks or so, I’ve already finished one and about a quarter of the way through my 2nd jar…eeps!

Description:
Rapidly boosts skin’s moisture levels, restoring balance. Even plumps up skin’s resistance to fine dry lines. Use whenever, wherever needed, under or over makeup.

The Verdict:
This is by far, one of the best moisturizers I have ever used! I love the way the gel formula literally melts into my skin and evens out my skin tone without a greasy residue on my skin. I’ve been using this ever since returning from my London trip, and since then my skin has been very well behaved. :) No untoward breakouts, even during my PMS. I usually use this twice a day, in the morning and at night before I go to bed together with the ‘All About Eyes’ as well.

PS: Quick update on the All About Eyes – it ROCKS! I can seriously tell the difference if I haven’t been using it, and has managed to reduce my eye bags substantially.

As far as this gem goes, I’ve got no complaints. Oh, and with regards to my ranting and raving about Clinique’s front line staff? I’m still as peeved about the counters in 1Utama, Jusco Midvalley and Parkson KLCC (amongst others!), but perhaps there’s one ray of light in the whole lot – the girl at the Clinique counter at Metrojaya Midvalley…passable, and not too pushy. I just happened by there to check out the prices of some of the products, and from my previous experiences, was ready to ‘do battle’ if needed…didn’t need it after all…*phew*

However, the price point is still a bit of a sore point for me…in the UK, the Moisture Surge retails for under £20 for a 50ml jar (under RM130), which is at least RM30 cheaper than it is here. Considering that I got 2 jars of 30ml FREE, that’s almost RM200 worth in the freebie haul! :O Add that to the fact that you get a whole pack of freebies (and NICE bags compared to the fugly ones we get here) for every 2 items purchased (inclusive of one skincare item), it’s really not worth buying in Malaysia. *sigh*…I guess I’ll have to start bribing my UK friends to bring it back for me when they come back then…arrrgghh!!


Clinique Moisture Surge Extra Thirsty Skin Relief retails at RM160 for a 50ml jar and is available from all Clinique counters nationwide.


Rating: 4 / 5
Value: $$$ (but only if you buy it in the UK!)

Too Faced Shadow Duos…

Too Faced Cosmetics has earned a reputation for being trendy with its products and packaging. With a brand philosophy like “why be pretty when you can be gorgeous?”, I was definitely taken with the cute names they had for their eyeshadow duos…

Description:
Too Faced Shadow Duos cast a glamorous, sparkling starlet of shade combinations. These shadows have a brightening effect, paired with a perfectly matched, rich and powerful shadow colour to create a long-wearing, crease-resistant and pigment drenched love affair.

The Verdict:
The shades I got were ‘I Know What Boys Want’ (a pink and brown combo) and ‘Steel Magnolias’ (a green and pink). I loved the design of the Shadow Duos, with the silhouette of a girl and the brand’s name on the front of the cases.

Texture wise, I think the Steel Magnolias had a better texture compared to the other one. The ‘I Know What Boys Want’ duo was a little hard compared to ‘Steel Magnolias’, but Steel Magnolias was really very soft and silky. Otherwise, both have pretty good pigmentation.

The duos actually have pretty good staying power, and I’m quite taken by the pink/green combination. Usually, pink on my eyelids makes me look like I’ve been smacked in the eye but the green in Steel Magnolias offsets that for a rather striking combination. The pink in I Know What Boys Want is a little deeper than the one in Steel Magnolias, and I usually mix it with the brown before applying it on my lids.

On the whole, the Too Faced Shadow Duos get a relatively good score, but I’d recommend testing out the texture before buying, as it can vary depending on the shade. Too Faced is made in the USA, but also available in London and Australia, as well as via a variety of websites. Their Shadow Duos retail for approximately USD$17.


Rating: 3.5 / 5
Value: $$

Just to let y’all know I’ll be away for the next couple of days. No, it’s not all fun and games – it’s my company offsite/ training session. I’ll be back over the weekend with some new posts (and my review of the Tastematters experience at Westin Living Room…hoo boy!) so stay tuned!

Rimmel London Color Rush Quad Eyeshadow...

I had the opportunity to try a Rimmel London Color Rush Quad Eyeshadow recently, and after trying their Glam’eyes Mascara (and liking it), I was expecting some good things from this. Sad to say, it didn’t quite pass the test.

Description:
Rimmel London Color Rush Quad Eyeshadow features four shades of shadow perfect for highlighting, layering and contouring. The quads are presented in four rich, complementary hues for pure colour impact and blends easily for hours of crease-proof wear.

The Verdict:
The quad I tested was Café Latte, which is a combination of a shimmery white, lilac, a slightly darker shade (close to aubergine) and a matte brown. At first glance, I was quite taken by the shades – they definitely looked very pretty and looked like they would suit my skin tone well. However, once actually testing it out, I had an entirely different opinion. For one, the surface of the powders are HARD! I had to literally scrape at the surface to pick up the colour, and even then it was nothing close to the colour in the pan unless I heaped it on.

As you can see from the swatch above, there’s very little colour (except for the bottom right one, which had a more matte shade and more powdery than the rest) and the bottom left one is barely discernable. This was already based on me twisting my forefinger onto the colour before applying it to my arm, and still barely any colour.

Their US website claims to have a lot of comments that say their users love this, but I beg to disagree. I didn’t like the way it felt on my eyelids…slightly gritty/ powdery, and it just felt quite uncomfortable blinking. Even using a base didn’t help, as I felt like I was rubbing off the base when applying the eyeshadow. Blending was also a big problem since I ended up with stripes on my eyelids – the colours just refused to blend, to the point I had to resort to my Kanebo eyeshadow duo to finish the job. Safe to say, this is not going make my beauty bag anytime soon.

There are eight different colour combinations for the Quad, and the colours are definitely very pretty, but for the price and the quality, I’d rather spend my money on something else. In my opinion, I could literally buy 4 of Elianto’s eyeshadows, plop it in a case and use that instead – it may cost just RM3-4 more, but I’d get a lot more eyeshadow for my money, and the texture would be a lot better (not to mention a better colour pigment!)


Color Rush Quad Eyeshadows by Rimmel London retails for approximately USD8.


Rating: 2 / 5
Value: $

Results: Benefit Some Kind-a Gorgeous Giveaway

Rights…entries for the giveaway are closed, and the results from BriteTix are in…the winner of a Benefit Some Kind-a Gorgeous (deep) is……

FAYE LIEW

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


Thanks for all the entries girls…I was really rooting for some of you to win it, but hey, I’ve gotta be fair right? But don’t feel bad – there’s another giveaway happening soon, so check back shortly for that. Hope you all had a good weekend!

PS: I noticed there were quite a few foreign entries in the mix – girls, I know you all wanna win stuff too…trying to work out something in the schematics to include overseas readers too k? :)

Have you submitted your entry yet?

There’s just a few hours left for you to enter the Benefit Some Kind-a Gorgeous Giveaway! If you haven’t submitted your entry yet, you’d better hurry! :) For those of you that have already entered, I’ll be announcing the winner tomorrow so check back to see if you’re the lucky winner!

Weekend bliss…

Lookie what arrived in the mail yesterday!! Thanks to a new blogger friend Daphne, this package arrived for lil’ old me… :)

The envelope got rather wet and soggy, but she packed in all the contents in a plastic bag and securely sealed it with cellophane tape, so no worries there…they arrived safe and sound…and I have a feeling my parents are getting increasingly curious about the packages that keep arriving in the mail, thanks to my itchy fingers ordering stuff off the internet!

And I’ve got my mask fix for the weekend! :) Thanks so much for the package Daphne, keep an eye out on your mailbox yea? A brilliant weekend to all, and have fun watching the Olympics opening!!

Wanna get Capzooed this weekend?

(click for larger version)

If you’re free this weekend, or just looking for a bargain, go and check out one of the most exclusive flea markets in town at Cap Square – featuring music, food, fun and fashion. :) There are heaps of shopping to be found at great prices and rare bargains (shopaholics, you have been warned) Known as Capzooed (a mix of Threadszoo and Cap Square obviously!), this is the congregating of Woodstock and lifestyle traders of all sorts to sell their wares in an indoor facility with the ambience likened to hipsters, gliterattis and fashionistas alike.

And since all the hipsters have congregated, the hip buyers will congregate to rough the garbs and materials from the sellers, to adorn themselves and betroth the world with pride and pulchritude. (I didn’t write this!)

Threadszoo is a zoo unlike any other zoo you've been to because here, our animals love to party, dress to party, and sell to party!! Threadszoo is a collaborative effort, a concept which is still in its kneading stages in this country, but has slowly and surely grown in popularity where it functions as an EXCLUSIVE flea market.

Map to Cap Square

Details:
Sat 9th August 08 (12pm to 10pm)
Sun 10th August 08 (12pm to 8pm)


For more information, you can visit the respective sites below:
The Threadszoo
Cap Square