NOTD: Glitter tips for the weekend…

I’m not typically a nails sort of gal, but after seeing the amazing creations ladies like Nikki and Xin come up with week after week, and having a bit of spare time yesterday evening – you know what they say about itchy fingers… :P

This is what you end up with! Of course, there were a few ‘trial and error’ sessions prior to settling for this, since I had originally thought the base colour was too light. But after trying out the glitter tips with other hues I had on hand, this combination grew on me.

These are the products I ended up using – Missha WH02, OPI ‘Suzi Sells Sushi By The Seashore’ (what a name!) and Sally Hansen Double Duty. Given my skills (or lack thereof!) in all things nails and polish related, the less products and fuss, all the better! :D

I started off with a coat of the Sally Hansen Double Duty, which functions both as a base and top coat. Since coming across this some years back, I’ve never looked at any other base or top coat the same way again, because this stuff is the BOMB! Keeps my nails from staining (unless the polish is SERIOUSLY harsh), and looks awesome on its own. No surprise that I’ve got two bottles with me in Singapore, and one more back in KL eh?

This was followed by two coats of OPI’s ‘Suzi Sells Sushi By The Seashore’, which I can only imagine is meant to mimic a salmon-ish shade? OPI has some of the oddest names I’ve come across for their shades, but in my own description, it’s a lovely rosy-peachy-pink (okay, my naming skills aren’t that fab either!) that works great with my skin tone.

Once the two coats of OPI polish dried a bit, it was time for Missha WH02 to shine. I have no idea why they have to label their polishes only by code name, which seems a shame, since this is a gorgeous silvery glitter polish. I prefer finer glitter compared to the chunky ones you typically see, so this suited me to a ‘T’.

Two coats of this just on the tips of my nails (and I didn’t even have to be exact – yay for klutzy people like me!), left to dry for a minute, one more coat of Double Duty to seal in the layers, and I was done! The rest of the evening was spent trying not to muck up my nails (as I inevitably end up doing more often than not!)

Here’s a closer look at my nails – and yay, they’re still intact!

Oh, and it’s already Friday! Yay! Time to kick back and enjoy the weekend…I’ll definitely be having fun, since some bloggie ladies will be making their way into Singapore for the weekend, plus a special bloggie guest all the way from the Philippines will be arriving on Sunday – can you guess who? :D

(Hint: She’s probably the reason I need to make sure my nails don’t look all grotty and unkempt before I see her!)

Figured it out yet? If not…you’ll just have to wait and see! Enjoy the weekend ladies!

Could This Be The One? Clarins UV Plus HP SPF40 Sunscreen…

Oh dearie me…I just realised that while I’ve been using the Clarins UV Plus HP SPF40 sunscreen for the longest time now, I still haven’t shared about it! I’d actually started using this early this year, but with all the changes and flurry of activity, it slipped my mind.

There are two versions of the sunscreen – transparent and pink-tinted. I had initially thought the transparent one would be better as opposed to trying to work with a pink-tinted formula, but surprisingly the pink-tinted version leaves my skin looking positively radiant! :D

Clarins UV Plus HP isn’t a new product per se (having launched back in 2005), but rather a new formulation with added benefits. The product touts a breakthrough “Triple Protection” against UV rays, pollution and oxidation.

The secret ingredient? This fruit.

Yup, you’re looking at a melon – a cantaloupe, to be precise. These cantaloupes from Provence contain an enzyme that fights oxidation and neutralises free radicals.

I like that the bottle they designed is also fuss-free with a screw top to make it travel-friendly. No worries about flip-tops that can come off in your luggage! Also, the narrow nozzle makes it easy to control the amount I squeeze out. There is a very light scent to it, but this doesn’t bother me.

Now, all of this sounds great on paper (or in this case, the screen), but does it really work?

I would say so – I’ve been using this after my moisturiser for almost 6 months now (shows just how far 30ml can go!), and even on blisteringly hot days I don’t feel the ‘burn’ I would usually get after running around outdoors. And despite the sunscreen using titanium dioxide as a blocker, I didn’t get that typical whitish cast (although I can’t say the same for the transparent version of the sunscreen since I haven’t tried that).

The biggest plus for me personally? The lightweight, oil-free texture. With my super oily/ combination skin, it’s usually a challenge to keep makeup from sliding off but this sunscreen worked well with my makeup, AND I didn’t look like an oil slick at the end of the day. Woots!

This could well be my HG sunscreen… :D

You can read what some of the other blogging ladies had to say about it here:

Xin

Connie

Paris

Clarins UV Plus HP Day Screen High Protection SPF40 sunscreen is available at from all Clarins counters and Skin Spas nationwide and come in two versions – transparent and pink-tinted, retailing at RM158 for a 30ml bottle.

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Value: $$

It’s Mine!! Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette…

This can be considered my one major splurge for September… :D

After hankering for the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary Palette for the longest time, I finally decided to get it – only to find out that it had been sold out at Sephora in Singapore (boo!). But thankfully, the lovely Von (half of Belle Demoiselle) came to the rescue and offered to pick one up for me from the Sephora in KLCC.

When we finally met for the first time last Saturday, she had my palette with her (see, who says shopping doesn’t bring people together? Heehee…) and let’s just say I foresee many noisy meet ups coming up! :D

Ta-daaahh!! The package was a lot bigger and heftier than I had expected from photos, but it doesn’t bother me…all the more to enjoy, I say!

I love, love, LOVE the design of the box! I do wish it the smooth metal wasn’t so much of a fingerprint magnet and the edges weren't so sharp, but I’ll overlook that since the velvet box, base and logo on the palette are all in my favourite colour purple.

Price-wise, I also lucked out since the palette was being sold for RM180 in Malaysia, and SG$80 in Singapore so buying it in Malaysia was definitely cheaper! :D

Oh, and if I thought the colours had looked lovely in Paris’ review, I was sadly mistaken – they’re even more gorgeous in real life! *melts* Can’t wait to get stuck into them good and proper…swatches coming up! :D

PS: Haven’t been able to stop staring at the shades since I got the palette…God help me, I may just turn into Gollum and start calling it “myy preeeesshhuuusss”! :O

Of Nails Princess Designer Nail Art Pens and Group Deals…

Hello hello! How was everyone’s weekend? Mine was pretty good despite a plane delay (yet again!) heading back to KL, but there were a lot of things to keep me occupied for sure. For one, meet my first Groupon product purchase – a box of 8 Nails Princess Designer Nail Art Pens for RM68 instead of RM138. This is not to say I haven’t purchased any group deals before, but this is the first product I’ve purchased with a group deal – the rest were all F&B or excursion deals.

I got the London Kit, which came with white, black, pastel pink, yellow, purple, green, red and blue pens.

For the price, I actually got a pretty good deal since the kit also comes with a booklet of nail art suggestions and instructions (I can’t read the instructions since they’re in Korean, but the pictures are easy enough to decipher). Wonder which one I should try out first…any suggestions?

Now, it seems fitting that Paris wrote a post today about group deal sites, because I had quite a time trying to get these nail art pens.

It all started with the Groupon instructions, which said to email the details and voucher to this person in order to redeem the nail art pens. On the website, it said the products would be delivered within 7 working days from confirmation.

On 22 August, I sent off my order and got a prompt confirmation from the person Alice, which I was quite pleased with. However, what ensued afterwards was almost 2 weeks of radio silence. Not a single word of where my order was, or whether it had been sent.

After waiting past the 7 working days which had been detailed out, I emailed her again to check on the status, and got this reply the next day:

“Good Day! Due of long holiday at Malaysia, our shipment have a bit delay it, don't worry the shipment will reach Malaysia next week.

We will distribute the item to you without any charges within Five weeks from Date 25th August 2011. If you haven’t receive it after 30th September 2011 please contact me.

Sorry for the inconvenience caused.”

This left me a little flabbergasted. She had initially only asked me for my mailing address, and nothing about lack of stock. Furthermore, she only replied me after I chased her for an update. As it turns out, my nail art pens finally arrived last Saturday (17 Sept), almost a month after I’d sent my order.

What’s more, I found out that Xin had also bought the same deal and sent off her order on the same day, but she still hasn’t gotten hers. Is anyone else in the same boat I wonder…?

Friday Smiles – A 5-yr old Makeup Guru (?) and more…

Happy Friday ladies! :D For those of you in Malaysia, you’re undoubtedly already into the weekend thanks to today’s public holiday, eh?

I thought I’d share some happy things from this past week – not all beauty related, but fun nonetheless.

First up is a video on YouTube of a 5-year old makeup ‘guru’ (in the pic above). Her name’s Madison, and I reckon she’s definitely watched her mum do one too many makeup tutorials (try to count how many times she says "I really love this.."!). But props, this girl has access to Sigma brushes! :O I couldn’t embed the video since it’s not allowed, but the YouTube link is here: http://youtu.be/4NIpIr1X9Kc

Oh, and how many of you celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival this year? Lanterns are of course a must, but give me the old-style paper or cellophane ones any day over the plastic music-playing, light-flashing, bubble-blowing (yes! I saw a Hello Kitty one that blew bubbles out its mouth).

My whole office here got into it as well, with a bunch of us crazy fellows traipsing with our lanterns all the way from Raffles to Clarke Quay, taking heaps of photos along the way (and getting plenty of amused stares too). But hey, how many can say their office is as much fun? :D

And last but definitely not least, this arrived at my office this morning for me…

How not to end the week on a fuzzy note? The flowers were from the bf, and definitely made my day (oh heck, my weekend too!) especially since work had been rather trying the past couple of days.

I’m hoping they’ll last and/or dry out nicely since I’m headed back to KL in a bit and won’t be able to bring them with me. Will also get a chance to meet up with some of my blogging ladies tomorrow for breakfast as well, so my weekend is set!

I hope all of you have just as awesome a weekend! *hugz*

Jumping on the D-I-Y nail wrap wagon – First Kiss New York Nail Dress…

After seeing all the buzz around Sally Hansen nail wraps recently, I was most intrigued and decided to try them for myself. Unfortunately, I had problems finding them initially and ended up picking this pack from Sasa just to try them out since they looked quite similar.

This is the First Kiss New York Nail Dress in leopard print. Oddly enough, I haven’t been able to find much of this company online, and attempts to access the online site at www.kissusa.com also failed, which left me with some doubts as to the useability of the product.

Even more curious, the instructions at the back are in Korean (I think), and says the product is made in Korea, although the main company is from New York. See what I mean by confusing?

The contents were straightforward enough though – a pack of 28 strips, together with a nail buffer / emery board combo in the pack. Instructions were obviously difficult given the language barrier, but I just tried my luck following the pictures at the back.

I basically just applied a base coat (Sally Hansen’s Double Duty – love the stuff!) and waited for it to dry a bit before applying the nail wrap. After using the pink (buffer) side to make sure the wrap adhered properly to the nail, the excess was then filed off using the black (emery) side.

The whole process was relatively painless, except for my thumbs and forefingers which I’m guessing aren’t the best shape to take these wraps. As a result, you can see my third to pinky fingers above look great, while the forefinger, not so great. >.<

As for how long they’ll last, I have no idea – I guess I’ll have to wait a bit and see how they fare (if I can resist the urge to rip them off thanks to the uneven application on my thumbs and forefingers!) Price wise, they’re retailing at RM33.90 per pack for 28 pieces, which makes them a bit cheaper than the Sally Hansen wraps.

I will probably be able to give you a better idea once I’ve tested out the Sally Hansen wraps (which I will get to after this set of wraps comes off!) and let you know which one I prefer. However, for those who want fuss-free nails, no drying time and sturdier wraps to work with (since I hear the Sally Hansen ones tear easily if you're not careful), you may want to ‘practise’ with this one before moving on to the more expensive ones.

First Kiss New York Nail Dress Stick-On Wraps retail at RM33.90 per pack and is available at Sasa outlets in a number of patterns.

Rating: 2.5 / 5

Value: $

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque – Enter the Dragon…

Another Monday beckons eh, ladies? I realise I’m probably the last person to write about the Chanel Rouge Allure Laque, but since I need a boost after the weekend here it is! 

 

Description: 

Discover the pure indulgence of liquid lip lacquer, a colour innovation that could only come from Chanel. Intensely rich colour and shine last for hours -- and the temptingly creamy formula conditions as it hydrates lips. All this, with full coverage in eight stunning shades.

 

The shade I got was a gorgeous blood red called Dragon (#75), which had caught my eye after seeing it on Yani (she and Paris are huge fans of red lips, and it’s a pretty hard pull to resist!). And since I had some Robinsons vouchers to use up in Singapore, why not? 

 

I love how understated Chanel products are, and the Rouge Allure Laque is no different – coming in a black glossy tube with the gold Chanel logo on the top, it’s also got a nice heft to it too. The Dragon shade itself though, is LOVE. Just one swipe of this is enough to make my lips pop, although I found I had to seriously exfoliate my lips before wearing this to avoid my lipstick bleeding at the edges.

Texture-wise, I don’t have any complaints either – creamy without being too thick, and lasted me a whole day at work without any touch ups. Even after it got wiped off, my lips still had a red stain to it which looked pretty good when topped off with a light gloss.

 

At the risk of taking a close up of my lips which would have looked like two slices of red tuna, I decided to show you the full face instead (pardon the eye bags!), and it’s not difficult to see why I’m so in love with this shade. :D

You can read Yani’s take on the Rouge Allure Laque here, or see Paris’ take on the Mandarin shade here.


Chanel Rouge Allure Laque retails at RM110 or SG$49 for a 6ml tube, and is available in 8 shades at all Chanel counters nationwide.


Rating: 4.5 / 5 
Value: $$

Getting lashed at Apronbay…

I’m just going to come out and say it – I have the most pathetically straight eyelashes ever! Without a curler and mascara, they may as well be aesthetically non-existent. All part and parcel of my lovely combination of genes, but since these are the same genes that gave me prominent double eyelids I can’t really complain too much right? :D 

In Singapore, semi-permanent lash extensions are quite common among the ladies, but I didn’t want to look quite so extreme, plus I’d seen instances of lash extensions done so wrong they remind me of Snuffleopagus from Sesame Street! (seriously, when in doubt err on the side of caution) 

 

Enter Apronbay – a pretty beauty boutique with an Air Travel concept that specialises in brow and waxing services. Now I don’t have enough hair on my arms and legs to justify going for waxing, nor have I plucked up the courage to go for a bikini wax just yet. 

When I was introduced to Apronbay last year, I noticed that they had lash perming services on the menu, which intrigued me. After checking with the boutique owner Ashley that the perming solution was safe and that I wasn’t allergic to it, I gave in to the call of the lash perm…and have never looked back!

 

One of the rooms at Apronbay – they’re all just as pretty with different themes, but this is the one I like the most…it’s like escaping to a seaside holiday, even if just visually. 

The whole process is very simple – I just had to lie there 45 minutes with my eyes closed while Ashley did her magic. First, the eye area is cleansed before glue is applied to fix small flexible rods to the base of your lashes. This is the rod your lashes will be wrapped around to hold its shape while the perming solution takes effect. 

Next, the perming solution is applied. After applying the protective film, there’s a 10 minute wait for the solution to work. A setting solution is used next, which is also left on for 10 minutes. Once done, the rods are gently taken off and the solution is cleaned from the eye area. A comb is used to separate and ‘spread’ the lashes, not unlike what a hairdresser would do to your hair after a perm (except this involves a lot less hair and Ashley’s a lot gentler!) 

Once the eye area is cleaned thoroughly and lashes combed into place, you’re good to go! Results typically last about 6 weeks, although personally mine can last 8-10 weeks with no problems. 

 

I love the results, and you can clearly see the big difference! I haven’t been able to catch a photo that shows off the effect of my permed lashes on my daily look, but it’s quite pretty in person if I do say so myself…*ahem* :P 

Will I go back? You bet I will! I’m already on to my 3rd lash perm over the course of the last year, which is pretty good. For those considering doing last perming, here are a couple of tips you may find useful: 

• Don’t wear eye makeup to your lash perming – it’s most unnecessary, wearing eye makeup means the more makeup remover the beautician will have to use, and it will just add time to your appointment. 
• Try to use a lash serum before and after your lash perming – this will help condition your lashes so they’re more receptive to the perming solution, as well as keep them pliable afterwards. 
• Don’t use mascara for the first 24 hours after your lash perm – this is to give your perm some time to set without being weighed down.
• Get your lashes done at Apronbay! 

Okay, so that last one was just my two cents worth – but I’ve been massively happy with the service and results from Apronbay, so needless to say I’ll keep going back. :D The lash perm costs RM65, which is pretty okay for two months of perky, perfectly curled lashes don’t you think? *bats eyelids*

Apronbay

6-1, 1st Floor, 

Jalan Telawi 4, 

Bangsar Baru, 

59100 Kuala Lumpur, 

MALAYSIA 

Tel: +603 2287 8081 

** Closed on Mondays 

You can also check out their website and Facebook page for information, or follow them on Twitter for updates. 

Rating: 4.5 / 5 

Value: $$$

A diet book for kids? Now this is seriously too much…

Was browsing through my usual feeds a while back and came across this – apparently, now they’ve come up with a diet book targeted at…wait for it...6 – 12 year olds. *winces*

The book, titled “Maggie Goes on a Diet” is written and self-published by Hawaii-based author Paul Kramer, and just check out the blurb:

Maggie has so much potential that has been hiding under her extra weight. This inspiring story about a 14 year old who goes on a diet and is transformed from being overweight and insecure to a normal sized teen who becomes the school soccer star. Through time, exercise and hard work, Maggie becomes more and more confident and develops a positive self image.

Err…seriously? Is there really a need to start kids obsessing with their weight at such a young age? You’d think that with the increasing numbers of younger and younger kids developing eating disorders and body issues, they’d come up with more encouraging reading materials. Ever heard of encouragement and building self-esteem, Aloha Publishers?

I don’t have any kids, but if I did I wouldn’t let them anywhere near this book. Fail!

The Body Shop Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer – Makes Scents…

Haha…apologies for the pun – I thought I’d grab your attention a bit since I’ve been gone for quite a while. Too many things have been happening, unfortunately. In early July, I found out I’d have to move apartments again (it was the second time in less than 6 months!), so most of the month was spent hunting for rooms, viewing the places, *shudder* packing up (a Herculean feat in itself!)…and moving yet again.

Of course, through all that I did find a few gems here and there. Admittedly, I haven’t been buying a lot in the past month – a conscious effort, since anything I bought would have added to the already humongous pile of boxes I had to pack!

One of the little gems I stumbled upon was The Body Shop Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer though…if you like the scents of their body washes, this will be a treat to use because they smell exactly like their soapy counterparts! :)

There are a total of 6 variants available overseas – Coconut, Satsuma, Mango, Pink Grapefruit, Lemon and Strawberry. I also spotted an Aloe Vera version in the Singapore store, although I haven’t seen it online. Sadly, this isn’t available in Malaysia at the present time, so if you want it you'll have to make your way across the Causeway (or bribe me to bring it back for you!).

No surprise here that I picked the pink grapefruit variant for myself – it smells EXACTLY like the pink grapefruit range in The Body Shop...yummy!

As far as hand sanitizers go, this gel is slightly less gloopier than most but melts pretty quickly once it comes into contact with your skin. This is great since I don’t like having that ‘wet’ feeling on my hands after using it, plus it doesn’t leave any sticky residue. The only problem I have is that I can’t stop sniffing my hands for a good 5 minutes afterwards thanks to the delicious scent! *oops*

Ingredients:
Alcohol Denat. (Solvent/Diluent), Water (Solvent/Diluent), Betaine (Hair Conditioning Agent), Glycerin (Humectant), Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer (Stabiliser/Viscosity Modifier), PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil (Emulsifier), Aminomethyl Propanol (pH Adjuster), Fragrance (Fragrance), Limonene (Fragrance Ingredient), Linalool (Fragrance Ingredient), Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract (Skin-Conditioning Agent), Hexyl Cinnamal (Fragrance Ingredient), Disodium EDTA (Chelating Agent), Citral (Fragrance Ingredient), Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract (Natural Additive).

You can get more information on the other variants here. I’m not sure why they listed it under their bath products, but oh well…


The Body Shop Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer retails in a 2.0 fl oz bottle for SGD$6.90 (or you can purchase 2 at SGD$10.90) and is available at all The Body Shop outlets in Singapore.


Rating: 5 / 5
Value: 4.5 / 5

PS: If you’re interested, I’ve actually moved into a room with my own attached bathroom...which means I have the space all to myself instead of sharing it with other people! *does a happy jig* I foresee more bath products in my future…