Shu Uemura Nobara Cream Cover Stick Foundation…

** Have you signed up for the Maybelline Simply Fabulous Giveaway yet?


At the recent launch of the red:juvenus skincare line (review on the range coming up soon), there were another two new products introduced that I didn’t talk about previously. One of them is the Nobara Cream Foundation, which is a stick version of their trademark foundation.

Description:
A new stick version of Shu Uemura's cult favorite, Nobara Cream Foundation is formulated to give the instant high coverage of a concealer with the smooth glide of a foundation. Imperfections are evened out for a naturally flawless complexion, while the stick format allows for professionally precise application. The beautiful finish lasts for a long time, leaving a comfortable feeling on skin throughout the day.

The Verdict:
I was initially given shade #764 which was a bit too pink for me and the Shu Uemura people managed to swap it for #784 which is a much better match to my skintone. I’m usually a 2-way cake or liquid foundation girl since they’re the easiest to apply on the go, but after this I may have to reconsider as it really is a breeze to use.

The stick foundation may be a cream formula, but works quite well with my oily skin and doesn’t cake on like some other foundations. According to Shu’s makeup artist Fredrick, you apply it like applying warpaint – draw stripes across your cheek and forehead with the stick, and then blend in. With a dusting of loose powder on top, this pretty much stays put for the whole day – I tried it out for a 15-hour day and there was minimal shifting if at all. I did need to blot though halfway through so if you have oily skin like I do it might be good to apply an oil-control primer underneath before using this.

I like the fact that it’s not too heavy duty to cover up absolutely everything since I usually only use foundation to even out my skin tone and camouflage any minor flaws – looking like I’m wearing a mask is a big no-no for me! Besides, piling on a thick layer of makeup isn’t doing it any favours…you’re heaps better off with one that lets your real skin shine through, trust me. :)

There are a total of 13 shades available, where Malaysia has 10 out of the 13 shades available locally.

Shu Uemura Nobara Cream Cover Stick Foundation retails at RM140 for a 11g stick and will be available at all Shu Uemura counters nationwide from October 2009. Comes in 10 shades.


Rating: 4.5 / 5
Value: $$

PS: And the other product? LOL…hey, I’m not giving out everything at one go! Stay tuned for that one… :)

Silky Care Feminine Hygiene Wash…

LOL..yes, you read the title right – this is a review of a feminine hygiene wash. :D No, I will obviously not be posting up pictures of step by step, but I thought it would be something interesting to share with the rest of you ladies.

Description:
Silky Care Feminine Hygiene Wash gently cleanses, soothes and provides hygienic protection for the delicate feminine area. Formulated at pH3.5 with lactic acid to maintain the natural pH and flora of the intimate area. Completely soap-free, it gently cleanses without irritation. Enriched with eucalyptus to cool, soothe and refresh.

The Verdict:
Before I go into the bits of this review (pun most intended…LOL…), the bottle I picked up was the Refreshing variant – there’s also a Gentle variant that contains chamomile. Please note that this is very different from douching and is only meant for external use.

In general, we ladies have several reasons to use feminine hygiene wash – for one, normal soaps are usually alkaline and aren’t suitable for your delicate bits. Secondly, the scents and fragrances in ordinary soaps can irritate your nether regions, causing excessive and possibly nasally offensive discharge (quite the opposite of the desired effect, no?)

I must admit I hadn’t given much thought to using a feminine hygiene wash in my younger years, but after a friend introduced me to it, I’m wondering why I didn’t use it earlier. LOL…the Silky Care wash has a very mild but pleasant scent, and with a pH of 3.5, won’t irritate your bits when you use it.

Usage is really quite simple – just tip a little bit into your palm at the end of your shower (after you’re done washing off shampoo, soap and whatnot), lather it up with some water and wash. It’s a no-brainer!

While I can’t actually pinpoint exact results ie. fragrance of nether regions is greatly improved (LOL…that would be quite interesting to explain, wouldn’t it?), I do feel a lot fresher and in a sense, ‘drier’ when I use it. More notably is that after using it on a daily basis for quite some time, I can actually tell the difference when I haven’t used it.

As mentioned, this isn’t a topic that I’ve addressed very often, but still an area that should be as equally important as colour cosmetics and skincare, right? I hope it was useful! :)


Silky Care Feminine Hygiene Wash retails at RM6.90 for a 100ml bottle and is available at all major personal care stores nationwide.


Rating: 4.5 / 5
Value: $$$

Bonne Bell Lipsticks at Guardian…

For local Bonne Bell fans that have been despairing of finding them locally, it might interest you to know that there are a range of Bonne Bell lipsticks available in selected Guardians (this was taken at the Guardian at Damansara Uptown).

At RM5 each, they’re pretty cheap and come in matte or shimmer finishes – however, do be careful before you buy. They do have testers of the shades available, but personally I thought some of the testers smelt rather icky. No sign yet of any other Bonne Bell products (I was actually hoping they brought in some of the lipbalms) but who knows? :)

Happy Birthday Pinkelle!! :)

L’Oreal Color Riche Shine Gelée...

Description:
L'Oréal Paris Color Riche Shine Gelée is L’Oreal’s first lip gelée enriched with Royal Jelly. This formula provides the delicious colour of a lipstick, the crystal-shine of a lip gloss and the nourishing moisture of a lip balm and cocoons lips in a conditioning formula that nourishes like a balm and shines like a gloss. Lips are left hydrated, nourished and even dry lips feel soothed. The smooth texture glides on effortlessly for a subtle boost of colour with a non-sticky finish.

The Verdict:
Unexpected presents from friends are always a source of great delight, especially when they’ve been picked out with love. This little gift travelled quite a way to get here, and the gifter couldn’t have picked out a nicer item or colour. The shade I got was #101 – Shiny Grapefruit which is reminiscent of a shimmery “pink grapefruit” shade.

Given my penchant for pink grapefruit and all things citrus, it’s not surprising I went “ooo…grapefruit!!” the minute I saw it. Sadly it didn’t smell of grapefruit, but had more of a rose scent. The colour is lovely albeit slightly sheerer than what you see in the tube but feels simply smooth and glossy on my lips, not to mention lasts quite a while too. Truth be told, there isn’t much (if any) to not like about this lippie. Sadly this isn’t available locally, otherwise I’d have bought a few more just because! :D


L’Oreal Color Riche Shine Gelée is available in 11 shades. It was a gift from a friend (hence the lack of pricing), and is available in Australia as well as UK if I’m not mistaken.


Rating: 4 / 5
Value: N/A (you can’t put a price on a gift like this! :D)

Maybelline Simply Fabulous Giveaway…

As of today, Maybelline’s Simply Fabulous episodes will be running on 8TV’s website (www.8tv.com.my/simplyfabulous) so do go and check it out!

There’s a good reason for doing so too – remember previously in my sneak peek post that I mentioned there will be something simply fabulous in store for Beetrice’s Reviews readers in conjunction with Maybelline New York Simply Fabulous? Well, here it is! :)

Maybelline Simply Fabulous Giveaway

Thanks to the lovely people at Maybelline New York, I have some Maybelline products and exclusive passes to the Simply Fabulous Grand Finale event on 14th October (Wed) for some lucky readers to see the actual winner announcement live. Basically, there will be three prizes given out as follows:

1st Prize: RM100 worth of Maybelline products + 2 passes to the Grand Finale
2nd Prize: RM80 worth of Maybelline products + 2 passes to the Grand Finale
3rd Prize: RM50 worth of Maybelline products + 2 passes to the Grand Finale

** And who knows, if I really like your entry I may personally throw in something extra for you as well! :D

How To Enter:
How to enter? Simple…just follow the instructions below (please read them carefully as incomplete entries will be disqualified)

1. Leave me a comment with the answer to the following question – Name me two of the 10 finalists participating in Maybelline New York Simply Fabulous. (Hint: The answer is on the 8TV website)
2. Tell me why you want to attend the Maybelline New York Simply Fabulous Grand Finale.
3. Include your email address for me to contact you. (If you’re concerned about spam, you could write it in this format – beetricesreviews[at]gmail[dot]com)

Example: “My name is ***. Two of the finalists in Simply Fabulous are *** and ***, and I’d love to attend the Grand Finale because it sounds like a lot of fun! My email is ****.”

Bonus Entry:
If you want an additional entry, you can pick one of the two methods below:

1. If you have a blog, you can obtain 1 (one) additional entry by linking to this blog post on your site. No need for a full post on it, just a link and passing mention is fine. Please email me the link to the relevant post (together with the name you made your original comment with – so that I know who gets the extra entry!) to beetricesreviews[at]gmail[dot]com.

2. If you follow me on Twitter, get 1 (one) extra entry by Retweeting this:-
RT @beetrice Maybelline makeup and passes to Simply Fabulous Grand Finale up for grabs! http://tinyurl.com/lo8yyo

Easy enough for an additional entry, yes? :)

And you’re set! :) All you have to do after that is follow the series and check back here to see if you’ve been selected.

Closing Date:
Closing date for this giveaway is 11.59pm on 4th October 2009 Malaysian time (GMT+8.00), after which all comments will be tabulated. The winners will be selected and announced shortly thereafter.

Terms & Conditions:

• This giveaway is open to Malaysian residents only.
• One comment per person – please play fair and let everyone have a fair chance.
• Entries submitted via email are not eligible.
• Please play nice – keep it clean and spam-free. Comments with advertising links and such will be promptly deleted.
• I will be contacting the lucky winners 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.
  

Of course, even if you’re not participating (although you’re most nicely encouraged to!) do feel free to spread the word. Let’s spread the love a bit, shall we? Thanks a lot, and good luck!

PS: If you'd like to increase your chances of winning, you could also enter the contest on Prettybeautiful's site HERE. :)

Maybelline Angelfit Blush in Strawberry...

When I’m in a hurry (typically that’s most mornings!), I tend to throw anything and everything into my bag in a bid to be over-prepared rather than under-prepared. This also extends to my makeup – thankfully I’ve always got a small pouch with all the essentials on hand for quick touch-ups on the go, and believe you me, this pouch has been a lifesaver on more than one occasion! Suffice to say, the contents of the pouch would have to be those that have been tried and tested (I try to save new items for the more leisurely days in case it all goes wrong) and one of the items in this arsenal is the Maybelline Angelfit Blush in Strawberry.

Description:
Luminous cheek blush that naturally brightens up and sculpts your face. Contains radiant pearls and pure colour pigments that diffuse light and highlight your natural complexion with luminous colour. Ultra-blendable refined powders which fit perfectly to your skin. Expert brush that enables quick and easy application. Dermatologist tested.

The Verdict:
Strawberry is a pink shade with some shimmer – think Strawberry Shortcake pink, if your memory permits. :) The part I like about this is the brush with angled bristles which makes it easy to contour under my cheekbones on days I’m feeling rather “face-shapeless” (I think you ladies get what I’m trying to say!). There’s a tiny mirror hidden under the brush, but I wouldn’t suggest using it unless you have no other alternative as it’s seriously small.

The colour itself looks great on my cheeks, and brightens up my entire face. I usually opt to have two light swipes of it on and just below my cheekbones for a very subtle glow, and darken it slightly for evening use. The lasting power of this blush is pretty decent as well. Once, when I was trying to fix some overdone dark eye makeup done by some mad sales assistant, I swiped a little bit of the blush on my eyelids (I wouldn’t recommend this for all, but hey, I was feeling rather desperate at the time since I was rushing to meet some friends and couldn’t go home to wash it off) and it actually brightened the flat dark brown shade to something a little lighter and added enough shimmer to soften the look – it worked out to be a shade close to dark burgundy-brown which worked a lot better than the scary ‘I-forgot-to-take-off-my-sh*t-coloured-eye-mask’ look I’d been given. At less than RM30 a pop this is really quite affordable too, so there’s not much wrong with it other than the tiny mirror. :)

You can also read Paris’ take on the blush here, while swatches of the four colours are available on Lipglosseater’s site.


Maybelline Angelfit Blush is available in 4 shades and retails at RM29.90 each.


Rating: 4 / 5
Value: $$

Vaseline Intensive Care Healthy Sunblock...

I first mentioned coming across the Vaseline Intensive Care Healthy Sunblock Water Resistant UV Protection Lotion SPF30 (What a mouthful!) as one of my finds during my Batam trip. To date I still have not seen it on our local shelves, although admittedly I haven’t really gone shopping (window or otherwise) in the past month or so. I’ve liked most of Vaseline’s lotions, and was intrigued by a lotion with SPF30. Being the lazy bum that I am, anything that does double duty is great! :D

Description:
Vaseline Intensive Care Healthy Sunblock Water Resistant UV Protection Lotion SPF30 is a non-sticky water resistant sunblock lotion designed to protect and keep your skin healthy. Ingredients include yogurt protein to help treat skin and Aloe Vera Extract which is known for maintaining skin moisture levels. Also contains SPF30 and Broad Spectrum Sunscreen PA+++ which shields skin from the effects of UVA and UVB rays.

The Verdict:
In a nutshell, there’s nothing that I don’t like about this...I love it! I had initially thought it would have a typical ‘sunblock’ smell thanks to the zinc oxide, but it’s actually quite pleasant with the sunblock smell only making a fleeting waft if I really stick my nose to the nozzle and squeeze (not to be tried at home, you might just get a whole noseful of lotion!)

Otherwise, it smells pretty fresh and goes on smoothly like the other lotions in the Vaseline range. The lotion does take slightly longer to be absorbed into skin though due to the slightly thicker formula, but it definitely delivers on its promise of a non-sticky formula – I can type on my keyboard almost immediately after applying the lotion and it doesn’t leave greasy prints on the keys or give me that icky tacky feeling. The moisture facture is also really good since I only need to apply it once in the morning to keep dry skin at bay especially on my legs which are the first to show signs of scaly skin.

My only gripe? It’s not available in Malaysia. If it was, I’d be buying up quite a stock since it’s pretty cheap – I suspect this is a trial batch in Indonesia, since it was only available at the larger supermarkets and even then only in the 100ml bottle size (the rest of Vaseline’s lotions were available in a variety of sizes). Either way, I do hope they’ll bring it in soon...otherwise I’ll probably have to make another trip to Batam to stock up, or beg/bribe someone to bring it back for me!

Vaseline Intensive Care Healthy Sunblock Water Resistant UV Protection Lotion SPF30 comes in a 100ml and retails for approximately Rp.15,000 (roughly RM5 at time of conversion).


Rating: 5 / 5
Value: $$$

Benefit Cosmetics Silky Finish Lipstick...

Benefit Cosmetics – it’s a bit of a love-hate relationship for me, really. Why? Because I love their packaging and some of their products, but detest others and gripe over the ridiculously inflated local prices. I usually resort to combining with other friends to buy off the US website which works out to a more decent price, and I don’t have to deal with staff desperate to boost sales. The other option would be to wait for their annual warehouse sale where prices are greatly reduced, but with limited colour options.

The last time I ordered from the US website, I chanced upon a ‘Buh-Byes’ special on their Spring ’08 collection and snapped up a few items, one of which was a Limited Edition Silky Finish Lipstick. Read on for my thoughts on this! :)

Description:
Benefit Cosmetics Silky Finish Lipsticks are sheer and buildable, so you can customise your look – a light wash of colour for au naturel gals or an amped-up POP of colour for the drama queen in you! For instant glamour, slick on our Silky Finish Lipstick with a brush or straight from the tube.

The Verdict:
Benefit Cosmetics Silky Finish Lipsticks come in cream or pearl finishes and are categorised as Lana, Gabbi or Betty to indicate light, medium or deep tones respectively. It’s a nice way to identify your lipstick rather than the usual “light, medium, dark” don’cha think? :D

The black metal tube with Benefit’s signature stylised loop in white gives it a bit of an edgy/arty look, which I like, and it’s slim enough to fit into any pocket or pouch for touch-ups. This is a good thing – I’ll explain later on in the post.

The shade I got is I Do I Do I Do which is a pearl finish lipstick that was released as one of three neutral shades under their Spring ’08 Limited Edition colours (the other two were Bouquet Dive which is a pearl finish coppery shade, and Party Crasher which is a cream finish deep pink sapphire). The colour comes across as a pink pearl shade which I thought was very pretty and great for brightening up my face.

There’s a slight hint of yellow to this lipstick, which I think is the reason it works so nicely with my skintone. When applied, the lipstick does come across as sheerer than the colour of the stick itself, but I’ve never been one for opaque colours to begin with. It didn’t dry out my lips, but did not score in lasting factor either – a glass of water and some light snacking and it simply disappears!

However, I did find the pearl flecks in the lipstick tended to collect in the lines on my lips, especially once the colour starts to fade. I tried exfoliating and applying a lipbalm prior to applying the lipstick, but the results were still similar. I’m not sure if I’m the only one having this problem as I haven’t seen anyone else complain about it though. This means that in order to keep me from looking like I ate a glitter sandwich I have to apply this rather frequently, which is why it’s a good thing that this lipstick is easily tote-able.

They are rather pricey as well, so I might hold off on trying another colour until one really catches my eye or try one with a cream finish instead. For reviews on other colours you could also head over to My Women Stuff where Paris has reviewed these lipsticks in Frenched and Nice Knickers.


Benefit Cosmetics Silky Finish Lipsticks retail for RM73 at Benefit counters locally and US$18 online. Presently there are 24 shades available while Limited Edition shades may be available from time to time.


Rating: 3.5 / 5
Value: $

Kiehl’s Bath and Shower Liquid Body Cleanser – Pear Tree Corner…

After trying out Kiehl’s Gently Exfoliating Body Scrub in ‘Grapefruit’ which worked well but left me disappointed on the scent front, some readers suggested trying the Pear Tree Corner variant of the scrub. Since I already had an almost full tube of the grapefruit one, I passed on the Pear Tree Corner scrub, but remembered reading about the Pear Tree Corner shower gel on My Women Stuff and ended up picking the Pear Tree Corner Bath and Shower Liquid Body Cleanser (I have to stop reading Paris’ site…REALLY…she’s disastrous for my pocketbook!!) since the first whiff had me swooning in the shop.

Description:
Kiehl’s Bath and Shower Liquid Body Cleanser “Pear Tree Corner” with plant protein and sodium PCA is a refreshing, gentle, yet effective cleanser for the body. Formulated with humectants to help skin maintain its moisture. Used in the shower or bath, our formula leaves skin clean with a lovely texture.

The Verdict:
I guess the statement in the first picture said it all – I love love LOVE the smell! It reminds me of those juicy pears I used to love sinking my teeth into when I was younger. I used to pass over the crunchy yellow pears from China and zoom in on the green…err…pear-shaped ones, especially those that yielded slightly under gentle pressure. More often than not, they were just nice after being left to ripen for a few days, which had me many a time happily nibbling one in front of the TV after dinner…gosh, I’m already dreaming of those pears just writing this!

I noticed that the bottle that Paris tried and the one that I got had different labels – I believe that hers was from a previous batch when Pear Tree Corner was first introduced as a ‘Limited Edition’ collection, and proved popular enough to be incorporated into their regular range (for the time being at least, since my bottle doesn’t mention Limited Edition anywhere…yay!!)

This has been giving me absolutely dreamy showers in the morning – okay, maybe not the desired effect when you’re trying to drag your eyelids open, but it smells so good I simply don’t want to get out of the shower. Damn, this is more addictive than crack!! Texture-wise the solution is rather liquidy and it doesn’t lather up much, but the amount in my palm above suffices when used with a pouf.

A 250ml bottle retails at RM60 which is a bit on the high end for a body cleanser, but what price would you put on something that conjures up thoughts that are nothing but pleasant? For me, I'd probably be a bit more restrained with the amount I use, but I'd still get it nonetheless. :)


Ingredients: Aqua/Water, Glycerin, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Propylene Glycol, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, PEG-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Parfum/Fragrance, Glyceryl Oleate, Coco-Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, PPG-26-Buteth-26, Sodium Benzoate, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Benzyl Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, PEG-30 Glyceryl Cocoate, Citric Acid, Sodium PCA, Aloe Barbadensis/Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Sodium Hydroxide Fmla

Now the million dollar question is – Kiehl’s, can you pretty please (with lots of sugar on it) come up with a Pear Tree Corner fragrance? I’ll buy up the lot if it smells like the cleanser!! :D


Kiehl’s Bath and Shower Liquid Body Cleanser is available at all Kiehl’s outlets nationwide, and retails at RM60 for a 250ml bottle.


Rating: 5 / 5
Value: $$

Dove Fresh Moisture Facial Foam…

When I finished my Nivea Visage Oxygen Power Reviving Cleansing Gel recently, I was sifting through my products when I came across a tube of Dove Fresh Moisture Facial Foam. I’d had my reservations about Dove’s haircare range which to me smelt more like a body wash than shampoo and tended to make my hair go flat, but decided to try out the facial foam (all for the sake of roadtesting! LOL…)

Description:
Dove Fresh Moisture Facial Foam gently and effectively purifies and refreshes your skin to reveal perfectly clean and hydrated skin. It contains natural cucumber and green tea extract to help cleanse and purify pores. Nourished with Dove’s ¼ hydrating milk, your skin will feel softer and smoother.

The Verdict:
First things first…Dove’s Fresh Moisture Facial Foam thankfully doesn’t smell too much like a body wash! I literally heaved a sigh of relief when I caught a whiff of the light green tea scent, but note that the ‘cream wash’ smell typically associated with Dove is still present albeit muted.

The texture itself is similar to other foaming cleansers I’ve tried – Ginvera and Lancome would be the most similar in comparison. However, upon soaping up the facial foam generated a rather generous amount of foam – considerably more than my Lancome facial foam for sure. Many would assume that more foam equals better cleaning power, but really, the bubbles aren’t an accurate indication.

As far as its performance goes, Dove’s Fresh Moisture Facial Foam is meant for oily or combination skin which was supposed to be perfect for me with my combination skin and extremely oily T-zone. The facial foam managed to clear off most of my makeup, my skin felt seriously tight afterwards - I had problems pulling any facial expression until I applied moisturiser, which is not good! A decent cleanser should leave your skin clean, not stripped of its natural moisture…where was Dove’s famed hydrating milk??

To give it a chance, I tried it one night on a full face of makeup (the previous time I had only applied a base and loose powder, whereas this time it would have to contend with base, primer, foundation, loose powder and colour cosmetics). This time, my skin was left within normal margins afterwards without feeling tight.

At this rate, I’ll probably have to keep this for when I need to remove heavy makeup (which is rare) and get another cleanser for daily use since I don’t really use that much makeup to work. I wonder though, if my already extremely oily skin can get dried out by this, what would happen to those with combination skin? *shudder*

Dove Fresh Moisture Facial Foam comes in a 100g tube and is available at most personal care stores.


Rating: 2 / 5
Value: $$

The long weekend is over…and a FOTD…

Seems like the weekends are just flying by, isn’t it? I feel as if I’ve blinked and suddenly the year is almost over! I’d originally planned to take the long Raya weekend to relax, but in the end those plans went flying out the window thanks to a whole slew of activities…but more on that later. Today, I thought I’d ease back into typing with a look I did for an ex-colleague’s wedding.

- requisite picture with the bride and groom…congratulations!! -

As you can (sort of) make out in the picture, I chose to wear a cheongsam for the dinner (if you want more pics, you can check out the post on my personal site here) Anyway, it was black with blue and purple dragonflies (yes Kahani, dragonflies! And it's mine!!) so I thought something bluish would work nicely.

Taken after the wedding…sorry about the bad flash as was working in lowlight conditions.

And yes! Those are false eyelashes (my own? I wish!)…I think I’ve finally mastered the art of applying false eyelashes…at least the half-to-three-quarter-lash ones anyway…

The base colour I used for this look was actually brown and charcoal, but the final touch completely changed the shade completely – these are the products I used:

Australis Pencil Eyeliner in Charcoal – on my upper lids
Kanebo Media eyeshadow duo – shimmery beige and brown shade across the lids
Stage Angel Lash Sculpting Mascara – used with an eyelash curler
inuovi ProLash #05
Stage Mono Eyeshadow in Waterfall – one sweep close to the lashline
Revlon Matte Blush in Perfectly Peach
Revlon Superlustrous Lipgloss in Glossy Rose

The Stage Mono Eyeshadow in Waterfall completely changed the overall colour combo of the brown I’d originally applied to something more bluish to go with my dress. If you look closely you can actually see hints of the brown underneath, which worked in my favour. :)

So, what did you girls get up to over the weekend? Share share!! :D

*ouch*…

What a (long) weekend…haven’t posted up anything in the past couple of days, mostly due to this…

Happened on Sunday while I was cleaning out some containers. My grip slipped on one, I heard a ‘snap’ sound…lo and behold, the entire white portion of my nail had ripped almost clean off. Thankfully it hadn’t cut into the nail bed, but still stung as I suspect the edge was a bit raw after clipping off the broken bits.

This makes it pretty difficult to type on the keyboard *ouch* but as long as I don’t put too much pressure on it it’s not too bad. Regular posting will be back up tomorrow, and there are some surprises in store for readers coming up! :) Stay tuned!

Selamat Hari Raya!!

Elianto Makeup Cleansing Tissue with Tea Tree Extract...

I’m a big advocate for anything that serves to make my life easier...add the words ‘travel friendly’ into the mix and I’m definitely going to want to try it out. When I came across Elianto’s makeup cleansing tissues during a sale, I decided to pick up a pack to try, just for the heck of it.

Description:
Elianto Makeup Cleansing Tissue with Tea Tree Extract contains the extract most commonly known for its antiseptic and antifungal properties, well known for its healing of blemishes or infected skin.

The Verdict:
The cleansing tissues come in a resealable foil pouch to lock in the moisture of the tissues. This is pretty standard fare with most moist towelettes I’ve come in contact with. One thing that I noticed when I took out a tissue was the faint but unmistakable scent of green tea fragrance. This is undoubtedly an added fragrance to the mix, which didn’t bother me much but definitely a point to note for those sensitive to fragrance additives.

The tissues themselves are a decent size, and there’s a fair amount of moisture on the tissue, but not so much that it drips – a definite plus point since the whole point of having the cleansing tissues is to make life easier...how could life be easier if you have to worry about dripping cleanser all over your dressing table while cleaning your face? Definitely not! :D

As far as it performs, my daily foundation and colour cosmetics are no match for it. But the real test came when I wanted to use it to remove waterproof mascara...

It turns out that there’s a knack to using the tissue if you want to remove waterproof makeup. Merely swiping at my lashes didn’t remove much, but I found that if I gently press it on my eyelid for a few seconds for the moisture to soak into my lashes and then gently wipe it off, I can clean off almost all the mascara in one go. Not half bad for a budget makeup remover!

Personally, I don’t like the feeling of cleansing without water, so usually after wiping off my makeup with the tissue I rinse it off in running water and go over my face one more time. This removes any remnants of makeup still on my face, along with any residue from the cleansing solution. It’s worked pretty well for me so far, considering that I’ve been taking them with me when I go outstation – saves me the trouble of having liquid restrictions for hand luggage on flights, and also sets my mind at ease for any potential leakages/breakage in my luggage (ever tried to clean out oil-based makeup remover when it’s spilt all over the contents of your bag? Not a pretty sight!)

Would I get this again? Definitely...it’s cheap, effective and let’s face it, at less than RM15 for a pack of 30 tissues, this is value enough to make it my travel buddy for some time to come! :D


Elianto Makeup Cleansing Tissue with Green Tea Extract comes in a pack of 30 tissues, and can be found at Elianto outlets nationwide.


Rating: 4.5 / 5
Value: $$$

Brand’s® InnerShine® Balance – The Results…

Remember I said I’d check back in after finishing the 12-day course of Brand’s® InnerShine® Balance? Well, it’s a bit later than I expected since other things got in the way, but here’s my thoughts after going through two weeks’ worth (I took a bottle every day except Sunday for two weeks).

Improved digestive system
This is probably one of the most obvious things I noticed when taking InnerShine® Balance – usually when dealing with the likes of carbohydrates, I end up having that ‘haven’t quite digested’ feeling for a good day afterwards. But while taking InnerShine® Balance, no problems! Even *cough* bowel movements *cough* were easier, and I didn’t have those ‘I want to hide in trackpants because my pants are tight’ days.

Better skin
Hmm…I don’t know if this should be attributed to InnerShine® Balance or the Estee Lauder ANR I was testing out at the time, but my skin did look a lot better while I was taking a bottle a day. The downside? Immediately after stopping InnerShine® Balance, I had two whoppers pop up around my chin area which took a week to clear…dammit!

Increased energy levels
Hoo boy…now I know what Xin meant by being super-energized on InnerShine® Balance…I was happily zooming around (even outstation!) not to mention coming across as ‘super-awake’ at 7.30am, and if you know me, that’s literally unheard of! (My brain usually doesn’t start functioning until 9.00am at LEAST, hence any responses prior to that are either a garbled mumble or dead silence). An ex-colleague I met with during this time likened me to an ‘Energizer bunny on crack’…hmm…now if only this energy could be channeled into doing actual work…LOL…

Sadly, after returning to my regular habits the energy levels have dipped somewhat, and presently while typing this out I’m feeling rather…lethargic. Errrgghh…

Taste-wise, I found this rather cloying for my tastebuds, but downing a chilled bottle of it every morning followed immediately with a glass of cold water helped (not to mention boosted my liquid intake). At approximately RM23.90 per box of 6 bottles, this is not something I can maintain indefinitely but it’s certainly something to keep in mind the next time I need the extra boost.

Hmm…actually, considering the long list of activities I have lined up for this long Raya weekend, that may not be a bad idea. Anyone want to join me? :)


Rating: 4.5 / 5
Value: $$

Paul & Joe Exclusive 3-day Autumn ‘09 Offer…

From today until Sunday (18th – 20th September), the Paul & Joe counter in Parkson will be having some exclusive offers on its new Autumn 2009 Collection. This includes free Dual Crayon Pencil (worth RM69), mini paper bag, pouch, bucket bag or makeovers from the Autumn 2009 collection with purchases. The details are all below, so if you’re looking for some last minute Raya gifts or just a good weekend deal, check it out. :)

Garnier Brightening Eye Roll-On…

After having gone through two of these Eye Roll-Ons, I just realized that I haven’t reviewed them at all…how terrible is that? I bought the first one during a promotion at Guardian, while the second tube came as a part of the gift pack L’Oreal gave when I attended their centenary celebrations in June.

Description:
Garnier Brightening Eye Roll-On is a massaging roll-on to boost natural drainage while the cooling ball works to decongest the eye area. The Eye Roll-On is formulated with Caffeine, well-known for its stimulating properties on cutaneous micro-circulation and natural drainage. In 28 days, skin looks more radiant, bags and dark circles are reduced. Dermatologically and opthalmologically tested.

The Verdict:
Quite simply, I love this for its cooling properties. The roller ball feels really nice when rolled across my under-eye area, particularly when I’ve had a rough night or just haven’t had enough sleep (which is quite often!). The solution itself has a mild scent likened to that of zesty lemon, just what you’d need to perk up your senses. I usually apply this twice a day in the morning and at night, as well as any other time I need a boost.

You might think that applying it at night sounds funny since the lemon scent perks up the senses, but it actually helps with natural drainage of fluid from the eye area (especially on those days you wake up in the morning with puffy eyes), which is really good for those days that you need to look bright and bushy-tailed from the get go (hello, morning meetings...sigh...).

The solution itself is light and rapidly absorbed. When rolled across it leaves just a smudge of moisture which almost immediately disappears into my skin. A note though to be careful not to get too carried away rolling it though – you don’t want to apply too much pressure or end up stretching the skin around the delicate eye area.

One tube of this will safely last you about two months used on a twice-daily basis. For something to make the ‘repeat purchase/use’ on my list, this is pretty good! Only drawback? It can get rather addictive since the roller ball feels nice and cool…I don’t want to stop rolling it under my eyes! *eeeps*

For more information and step-by-step instructions on how to use it, you can check out this site.


Garnier Brightening Eye Roll-On is available at all leading pharmacies and supermarkets and retails for approximately RM24.88.


Rating: 4 / 5
Value: $$$

Origins A Perfect World Intensely Hydrating Body Cream with White Tea…

Thanks to the hot weather and sleeping with the air-cond on at night almost constantly, I’ve had to resort to using a richer body cream at night before going to bed to avoid scaly skin. One of the products I’ve tried so far is the Origins A Perfect World Intensely Hydrating Body Cream with White Tea, which came as a part of my Origins Peace of Mind set.

Description:
Slip into something a little more comfortable. It’s paradise found as this creamy-rich, aromatic oasis coddles body skin to noticeable smoothness. Highly-hydrating Shea butter deletes scratchy, flaky dryness. Mimosa sleekens slacking skin-texture so it looks and feels tauter, more toned. And to preserve body skin’s vibrant, healthful lift and life, utopia’s own silver tip white tea banishes youth offenders long before they can cause oxidation, deterioration, dehydration.

The Verdict:
I usually apply this after my evening shower as well as before I go to bed. The cream says that it’s best for dry-to-very-dry body skin, which I can believe since the texture of this cream is really thick (you can pretty much hold the jar upside down and it’ll stay IN the jar!) and takes a while to be absorbed into my skin. The scent has a hint of white tea in it which isn’t surprising given its name.

When I first used this, I’d gone and used it during the daytime where I found myself leaving oily prints on almost every surface I touched for a good half hour afterwards. After that first try, I promptly relegated it to the back of the pile until the renovations started on my house a while back. Coupled with the heat, I was sleeping with the air-conditioning on every night, causing the skin on my legs to become rather scaly.

On an impulse, I tried out the Perfect World body cream one night (since it was the richest cream I had on hand at the moment) and have been using it every night since. Applying it just before I go to bed gives it time to sink into my skin and I wake up with smooth hydrated skin rather than scales. And if you were wondering, no, it didn’t leave marks on my bedsheets. :)

I’d have liked it to have worked out for my day use since I do like the smell of this body cream, but since I can’t, smelling it as I drift off to sleep isn’t a bad alternative. Just a note though that you do need to take the time to really work it into your skin so applying this in a hurry is a big no-no.

What’s the best body cream you’ve tried for dry skin? :D I’d love to try another alternative once I’m done with this tub (I’m already about halfway through).


Origins A Perfect World Intensely Hydrating Body Cream with White Tea comes in a 200ml tub and is available at all Origins outlets.


Rating: 3 / 5
Value: $$

Random Ramblings…

As the image on the left implies, this is sort of a mix of random thoughts and bits of information that don’t qualify for a post on its own, or simply a taste of what’s to come. It’ll be popping up randomly (there’s that word again! Heehee...) so keep an eye out for it!

This round of Random Ramblings will cover Shu Uemura's red:juvenus range, Aiken Tea Tree Oil range and Estee Lauder's Breast Cancer Awareness walk. Read on for more details...

Shu Uemura has launched its red:juvenus skin rejuvenating program designed to prevent and correct the first signs of aging (prevention and cure in one?) This range will replace the blue DepSea range which is being discontinued, and contains red phyto-ingredients from Amalaki fruit, pomegranate and lycopene (extracted from tomatoes) along with Depsea water.

The red:juvenus range is made up of vitalizing refining lotion/ lotion enriched, intense vitalizing concentrate, vitalizing line-reducing eye essence, vitalizing retexturizing emulsion and vitalizing retexturizing cream, now available at all Shu Uemura counters. I’ll be doing an in-depth look at this range once I’ve finished trying out the products. :)

Tea Tree Oil is well known for its antibacterial properties and is widely used in spot and pimple treatments across many brands. Aiken has come up with the Aiken Tea Tree Oil Spot Away range made up of cleanser, toner, moisturizing lotion and pimple cream, as well as a 100% Pure Tea Tree Oil solution to combat problem skin.

Having tried Aiken back in my younger days (I used to use the toner), this is probably a good option for teenagers looking for a solution to adolescent skin problems since the range is very affordable (prices range from RM5.40 – RM12.30) and is pretty effective when used as part of a skincare regimen.

As part of their ongoing breast cancer awareness campaign, Estee Lauder will be holding its Walk for World Pink “World Without Breast Cancer” walk on 3rd October this year at Menara Kuala Lumpur. Entries are open for 1,200 participants with an entry fee of RM30 per person with a T-shirt and goodie bag to be given out at the end of the 3.8km evening walk. More details and the entry form can be downloaded from HERE.