Of course I would buy macarons just to celebrate. Why wouldn’t I?

Beautyholics Anonymous celebrates its 5th birthday this month. Hello wood anniversary!

The last year has been an amazing journey. The opportunities I’ve been given and the friends I’ve made make all the hard work and lack of sleep completely worth it. When I think about how it all started, how I started blogging as a distraction from what my life was back then and fast forward many years later to what I am now, all I can say is that I’m blessed. Incredibly blessed.

I wouldn’t have been able to do it all if it weren’t for you, dear readers. You are the reason I want to write better. You are the reason I want to take better pictures. You are the reason I spend hours on the computer trying to get everything just right on the blog. You heard my tiny voice on the vast Internet. Your words of encouragement lifted me from my blogging ditch.

For all this I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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To celebrate this momentous occasion, I would like to give away the following items to two lucky readers. All prizes are sponsored by yours truly.

One Australian reader will win these:

• 1 copy of Shoe String Chic by Kerrie Hess
• Illamasqua Powder Blusher in Hussy
• LipFusion Infatuation Liquid Shine Multi-action Lip Fattener
• Dior Addict lipstick in 745 New Look
• ck Calvin Klein Delicious Pout lip gloss in 407 Fiesta
• Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Lollipop
• Natio Mineral Pressed Powder in Soft Tan
• Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Curl mascara
• $50 gift voucher from Sweet Contemplation Accessories
• (and more)

One international reader will win these:

• 1 copy of Shoe String Chic by Kerrie Hess
• Illamasqua Cream Blusher in Rude
• Bloom lip gloss in Sparkle
• Dior Addict lipstick in 745 New Look
• Burt’s Bees Refreshing lip balm with pink grapefruit
• Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter in Strawberry Shortcake
• Bourjois Rose Exclusif lip gloss
• ck Calvin Klein Tempting Glance Intense Eyeshadow in 109 Darkened Green
• $50 gift voucher from Sweet Contemplation Accessories
• (and more)

HOW TO ENTER

1. Subscribe to my feed via email or an RSS feed reader.
AND
2. I’d love to know this, so please leave a comment below answering this question – “What would you like to see more on Beautyholics Anonymous?”

That’s it!

TERMS & CONDITIONS

1. This contest is open to all readers, local and international.
2. Anyone can enter regardless of whether you’ve won anything here before.
3. One comment per contestant please. Let’s give a chance to everyone, yeah?
4. When you subscribe for email updates, please remember to verify your subscription (please check your email for a confirmation notice). If not, you will not be subscribed to my feed.
5. Please keep it clean and spam-free.
6. Winners will be selected at random.

CLOSING DATE

The closing date for this giveaway is 5 June 2012 (Melbourne time, +10 GMT). Coincidentally, also my birthday! All comments will be closed, and results tabulated. A random winner will be picked, and will be announced on 7 June.

Feel free to spread the word. I’d really appreciate it.

Good luck!

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Copyright © Beautyholics Anonymous

Ahh…God bless easy beauty fixes, especially for the time-poor. I’d love me anything I can use that can cut down waiting time, especially when it comes to painting my nails. A month ago, I reviewed nail stickers by Sally Hansen. Today, it’s going to be another one of ‘em stickum nails, but from Kiss Nail Dress. The one I received for review was in KDS11 Fashion Strips. The question is, did these nail stickers deliver?

These nail stickers are thicker than the Sally Hansen strips (perhaps twice the thickness). Initially I found the enclosed nail file too rough and harsh to remove the nail strips. But after dealing with the first couple of strips, I realised why it was rough. These strips are quite difficult file off. Still, the rough bits gave the first few stickers a very jagged finish at the tips, so I ended up using my own nail file instead.

The strips went on every finger well but the index ones. My index fingernails are curvier than the other nails and that made it difficult for the strips to adhere to without bumps.

Unfortunately, these nail stickers did not last long. After a couple of days, some of them began to peel despite me pressing them on my nails constantly. ‘Tis a pity because the design was actually pretty good and I was hoping it would last longer. On the other hand, it’s very easy to remove. All you have to do is peel the stickers off (compared to Sally Hansen’s Salon Effects where you have to use a nail polish remover to rub it off, and some were difficult to remove). I had quite a lot of glue residue on my nails after peeling the stickers off, but they were easily removed with a nail polish remover.

Am I game on trying these again despite a few shortcomings? You know what, I am. I’ve seen some really good designs from Kiss Nail Dress that Sally Hansen doesn’t have. What makes them interesting is that they are 3-D. Ish. You can actually feel the ones with the studs or crystals on, which is pretty cool. You can even cut the stickers to the shapes you want and stick them on your nails (on top of nail polish). I used to do that with actual stickers when I was in my early teens

Kiss Nail Dress nail stickers come in 12 various designs and retail at AU$13.99 each. Available at Priceline and selected pharmacies nationwide.

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Copyright © Beautyholics Anonymous

No lemons in my beauty cabinet, thank goodness

A few weeks ago, I decided to try out a new skincare product. It’s a serum, and it’s supposed to do wonders to the skin (well, you and I know that there are any miracles in products, but we hope for the best nevertheless). But after just one application, I started breaking out the next day, and all hell broke loose. Pimples sprouted around my nose, chin, cheeks and forehead. The one on my forehead is going through very long labour; it’s been weeks and the damn thing just wouldn’t come out.

Dare I try that serum again? To be honest, I wouldn’t even touch it with a ten foot pole now. If I could drop that into an incinerator and never see it again, I’d be very happy.

Then again, to be fair, I wouldn’t say the same for all products. If I get a tiny bump on my face, I’d be willing to forgive and try it again. But if it creates all kinds of havoc on my skin, into the bin it goes.

A bad beauty product is like a bad first date. If it doesn’t work out, you very rarely want to do it again.

What about you? If a new beauty product breaks you out, are you willing to give it a second chance?

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Copyright © Beautyholics Anonymous

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Copyright © Beautyholics Anonymous

I’ve never even heard of a-england nail polishes until a group of gorgeous, nail polish-crazy friends from Malaysia (the #evurl gang) began raving about them. When Beetrice asked me if I wanted to get some on the action too, I figured why not? I selected Dragon and Saint George, and today I’m going to show you Saint George.

Saint George – Bearer of a valiant & courageous heart, this fathomless teal reveals the strength of the brave knight’s convictions with his gleaming, fiery core.

When I swatched this, I gasped at how absolutely stunning the colour was. This, sadly, does not happen often. I don’t even know how to describe the colour. It looks like holographic green pines. One coat is enough for full opacity; however, in the pictures, two coats were used.

The finish is beautifully glossy. Application is a breeze as the formula is lovely to use. I have no issues with the brush at all. Longevity-wise, I did get tip wear after just a couple of days which isn’t too good. I wasn’t expecting it, not when I haven’t even been using my hands very much then (just my usual routine). Still, the gorgeous colour alone is good enough for me to forgive that problem.

Saint George is part of the “Legends” range and retails at £9.00. A-England nail polishes are available exclusively on their website.

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Copyright © Beautyholics Anonymous

You know how blogs about blogging always say that content is king? They tell you that you need to create quality content and that great content will draw readers to your blog.

Often when I see bloggers write that, I feel like screaming the question – what the heck is this content you keep telling us about? What do you mean by quality content? Isn’t it annoying when they don’t tell you what that content is?

Gah!

What does creating quality content mean for beauty bloggers? Beauty blogs are somewhat synonymous to product review websites; it seems that that is what the world thinks it’s all we do. We review beauty products (purchased by us or provided by brands for consideration) on our blogs. Is that it? Is that the only content we can create for our blogs?

Au contraire mon amie!

First of all, that’s not all there is to is to beauty blogs. In fact, I’ve said on more than one occasion that I find perpetual reviews dull and uninspiring. Even I find writing product reviews over and over boring, what more for my readers who have to read them?

Secondly, I’m all for mixing it up. Throw in something different once in a while. You don’t have to just do product reviews to be a good beauty blogger.

Here’s what you can do for your beauty blog other than product reviews:

• Write about what you know. If I can stress just one point of this post, it would be this. It’s very important to write what you know and what you’re familiar with. For example, I’m hardly going to write about applying false eyelashes because I sure as heck don’t know how to (things might change though; perhaps one day I will master the darn thing). You can step out of the box and venture into unfamiliar territory, but be sure to do plenty of research and get your facts right.
• Everyone loves a good DIY. Are you good at beauty DIY? Perhaps you know how to make your own facial masks, lip balms, etc. Share that with your readers.
• Beauty tips. Some may already be general knowledge, but you’d be surprised that there are still a lot of things we do not know. What you know may not be what I know. Found a creative way in using cotton swabs/Q-tips? Share it with your readers.
• Share something about you. We like to know more about the person behind the blog. Sure we know what your skin shade and type is, but what about what you like to do in your free time? Perhaps you enjoy reading or gardening. Let us know.
• Shopping hauls. Now this might be a little sensitive to share, especially on a very regular basis because it can be misconstrued as “damn, this blogger has a lot of money; she’s always buying something new!“. I know of bloggers who have had bad experience with some readers who didn’t like seeing shopping hauls. I would say, try keeping it to maybe once or twice a month. We still like to see what new stuff you’ve bought, maybe not every other day.
• What’s in your bag/makeup bag/travel bag/kitchen cabinets. I’ve Googled this topic (okay, maybe not for kitchen cabinets. Although I would still be interested to know what’s in yours ), searched for it on YouTube and Flickr, and hot damn, it’s a highly popular one. So many voyeurs out there (count me one of them) who wants to take a peek in your bag.
• Memes. I know, this isn’t 2005, but what’s wrong with doing memes once in a while? They’re fun, and it’s a break out of the routine.
• Lists. Lists of stuff you like, stuff you hate, what you’re currently doing, what you had for lunch, what you’re currently reading, etc. A lot of us are sucker for lists (okay, I am), and they’re easy to read too.
• Makeup tutorials. If you’re good at applying makeup, show us how! I know that makeup tutorials aren’t easy to do. If you’re not comfortable doing a video about it, then it’s hard work taking step-by-step photos. That is why I highly commend bloggers who create such comprehensive makeup tutorials, written or via videos. So much effort goes into them.
• Questions. Create a topic and ask your readers what their opinions are. This generates discussion amongst your readers. Sometimes you don’t even need to know about the topic at all to ask your readers. For example, you’re stumped on a subject you’re not familiar with. Perhaps you’re racking your brains to remember a certain makeup shade you saw but can’t recall. Ask your readers!
• Surveys. This is a great way to get to know your reader demographic.
• Personal style. This is new to me, but oh how I enjoy reading blogs that also show their personal style and fashion sense. Perhaps you purchased a new scarf and cute accessories. Show us!
• Organisational skills. Like “what’s in your bag” posts, maybe your readers would like to see how your organise your makeup collection. Perhaps you found something (or better yet, made it yourself) that could organise your stuff very well. Share it with your readers.
• News and promotions. It’s good to let your readers know of any good sales or interesting news but beware of regurgitating press releases. Give it your own spin.
• Write about what you’re good at. If you’re great at photography, share some tips and tricks with how we can improve ours.
• If a picture is worth a thousand words, then what is 10? Sometimes you don’t need words to tell the story.

I could go on and on, but see how much you can do on your beauty blog other than product reviews? Quality content does not necessarily just mean write good product reviews. There’s so much more you can do.

You can also check Google AdWords for keywords to know what people are looking for when they land on your blog. This is an interesting subject, which I will leave for another post.

So now you know what creating content means for beauty bloggers when you read about it on blogs about blogging. There are so many ways to go about it. Beauty blogging does not just mean writing product reviews. Inject your personality into your words and pictures in whatever topic you wish to write.

Now that, my friends, is quality content.

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Copyright © Beautyholics Anonymous

You know those “I-simply-can’t-be-arsed” days? Yeah I’m having one today. And on days like these, there are just some things I really cannot be bothered with. Yes, even on skincare.

Waking up on the wrong side of the bed, having to rush out of the house still feeling like poo, I just don’t have the time and energy to slap on my usual 5 layers of day lotions and potions that I normally do. And this is even before putting makeup on! I need a good multitasker and I need it pronto.

That’s when I have good multitasking skincare products on standby. One of them is Olay’s Complete Defence Daily UV Moisturising Lotion SPF30+, which I picked up from one of my grocery runs at Coles.

To be honest, I’m not really a big fan of Olay moisturisers. My paternal grandma has been for probably the last 70 years, and so has my mum. As for me, it was …. meh. I don’t fancy the scent, and the ones that don’t break me out was just so-so. I can’t point my finger at why I didn’t like them. So what possessed me to buy the Olay Complete Defence? Beats the hell out of me.

Well, whaddyaknow? I reckon there must be some sort of reformulation to this lotion, because I don’t hate it. In fact, I quite like it.

It’s rather odd that I would like such a thick day moisturiser when I would normally prefer very light creams or better yet, gels, for my day moisturisers. This Olay lotion goes on quite rich but spreads out nicely and there’s no icky, greasy feeling after application. The scent is still typical of Olay moisturisers, but not as strong as I remembered so it doesn’t bother me anymore.

As a moisturiser, it ticks all the boxes for me. Oil-free and keeps the skin well-hydrated throughout the day. I wasn’t expecting any miracles with this lotion; I just needed something simple and effective, and it delivers. Good enough for me.

Best of all, it has broad spectrum sun protection of SPF30+. Right, so this is where I cheat on the “I-simply-can’t-be-arsed” days. I use this as a moisturiser-sunscreen multitasker. Skipping moisturiser altogether, I spray some toning mist on my skin and then go directly to this. It’s not something I would do on a regular basis, and especially not on sunny days because I still believe in applying a layer of sunscreen over the moisturiser. But for quick and lazy days, this works a treat.

I chose the moisturising lotion for sensitive skin as it contained less active ingredients. You never know if another Olay was going to break me out, so better to use something that might have less chances of giving me a faceful of zits.

I reckon this will be a great addition to my travel bag. A good multitasking product with one less item to carry is always fine by me!

Olay’s Complete Defence Daily UV Moisturising Lotion SPF30+ retails at AU$14.69 for 75ml and is available at leading supermarkets and pharmacies nationwide.

What I like about it: Oil-free, high SPF, good multitasking product

What I do not like about it: Nothing (even I was surprised )

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Copyright © Beautyholics Anonymous

I’ve never really been a fan of Lunasol makeup, especially the eyeshadows. Sure they’re very pretty to look at it, but they’re usually too sheer and shimmery for my liking. Val suggested that I check out their foundations, and that was when I picked up the Water Gel Foundation on my trip to Malaysia. Little did I know she actually meant the cream foundation. Oh well, a gel foundie sounded good enough for my combination skin

The packaging’s a simple one. Brown plastic and opaque with a shiny cap. The mouth of the tube is a thin one, which is what I like. I really do not like foundations that have a big opening (I’m looking at you, Clinique!). They create more opportunities for spills. Either make it with a small opening, or attach a pump that allows easy and mess-free dispensing. Easy peasy.

The name Water Gel Foundation would probably make you think of Bourjois’ Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation. The name is where the similarity ends. Bourjois’ Serum Gel Foundations are slightly runny with cool tones whereas Lunasol’s is quite creamy with warm tones.

Like many Asian foundations, this one is is yellow-tone-based. My skin has warm, yellow undertones, so it suits me, but it might not suit those with cool undertones. It spreads smoothly on the skin and covers my open pores and imperfections well. This foundation offers almost full coverage, so you have to be careful with the amount used lest it turns out cakey on the skin, especially around the nose.

Longevity-wise, this foundie aced it out of the park. I’ve had this one for about 10 hours and nothing has slipped off. It’s oil-free, but given that I do have an exceptionally oily nose, I did get a bit of shine on my T-zone after an hour.

I have the shade in OC02. Here’s a comparison in shades with other foundations and a BB cream.

Lunasol Water Gel Foundation in OC02, Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in B30 (Beige-Sable), Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation in 52 Vanilla, Revlon Age Defying DNA Advantage Cream Makeup in 25 Medium Beige and Skinfood Mushroom Multi Care BB cream in #1

Do I like it? Yes I do. It’s great for the evenings, when I need extra coverage and I particularly like using it when it’s cold outside. It’s not heavy on the skin either. I don’t have much experience with Asian foundations so this Lunasol foundation is a good foray for me into more Asian foundies.

I’m afraid I don’t really remember how much I got the Lunasol Water Gel Foundation for. It was purchased during my holiday in Malaysia; perhaps it’s somewhere along the RM150 (approximately AU$50) mark? If you do know how much it actually costs, please let me know and I’ll update this post

Have you tried foundations from Lunasol before? What are your thoughts about them?

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Copyright © Beautyholics Anonymous

What do you call your mother? Mum? Mummy? Ma? I call mine Mee. I have ever since I can remember. She said I was too lazy to call her Mummy so I shortened it to Mee. Incidentally, I call my dad Dee

My mother was the one who started me on skincare at a young age. I was 11 years old when I started using Kao Biore and Clinique. Mum was an avid of Clinique back then, and she would hand me gift-with-purchase deluxe samples to use. She had the biggest dressing table I’ve seen (to my young eyes anyway), and it was always full with different types of beauty products and makeup.

For Mother’s Day, I thought it would be an interesting idea to do a little Q&A with her, on what her beauty regime was when she was young. Mee is a little shy about this, so do give her a warm welcome. Some sentences have been edited for clarity, but everything else was verbatim. My comments are in italics.

Over to you, Mama Beautyholic!

How old were you when you first started using skincare products?
When I started working around the age of 17. Kung Kung (what I called my late maternal grandfather) at that time worked for Georgetown Dispensary where it sold a lot of imported US and European cosmetics. He brought back Oil of Ulan (now known as Olay) and Max Factor which was one of the many popular brands at that time.

Unedited photo of my mum at age 22, just before she married my dad. What a stunning lady

What were the first brand of skincare products you used?
I started off with Oil of Ulan as a moisturiser for several years. No other lotions whatsoever. About 2~3 years later, I found white patches on 2 sides of the face. I visited a local skin specialist and was told that this cannot be cured. I went for a 2nd opinion. This time the dermatologist diagnosed as a simple fungus growth. Mr Singh treated it and introduced me to using the brand Clinique. From that time onwards, the whole range of Clinique products came to the picture.

What about makeup? When did you begin using makeup?
When I started working. I used Max Factor in the beginning and later changed to Clinique. That was the time when all you gals including the Seremban kids were having lots of samples and gifts like Clinique purses, lipsticks, eyeshadow, etc. (By Seremban kids, she meant my cousins, which included Beetrice).

Did you have a favourite skincare product when you were young?
Yes, the Clinique yellow moisturiser (Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion) was and still is my favourite to this day. This item serves as my daily and nightly face cream during my younger days. Of course now at this age, it cannot serve its purpose 100%. I need to use different layers of stronger creams/serums to prevent the appearance of more wrinkles. This yellow lotion has been on my dressing table since 30 over years ago. I remembered attending a beauty seminar. A male beautician once told me that this is the best moisturiser he came across (even though he was representing another famous Japanese brand).

Mee and I on my 3rd birthday. I want that dress! No, not my 3yo one

Did you make any beauty mistakes you wished you didn’t make?
Yes, of course. I used to rub the areas around my eyes all the time. Thus to date, I have more wrinkles and crow feet around the eyes compared to the rest of the face. Mee always warned you never, never to do that, remember? (yes Mee. Learning my lesson big time). Other than this, the next is always the neck which we always neglected. The neck area is as important as the face. One can know the age of the person by noticing the neck area. So whatever regime you apply on the face, you have to do the same for the neck.

What’s your favourite beauty products now?
I have a few favourites :
a. My old faithful Clinique moisturiser
b. Estee translucent loose powder – have tried many brands but found that this is the best. Powder is fine and not cakey when applied. Very natural looking.
c. Latest Kanebo Milano compact powder – This is a limited edition and heard that this is only available once per year. Heard from the sales lady that only 7 units were allocated to her shop. Found that most of the fine lines were no longer noticeable. But a bit pricey though. Only used it on special occasions. (I saw this back in Malaysia. Kicking myself silly for not buying one. It’s a beautiful, highly fine-milled powder in a gorgeous case).
Now looking forward to trying a new Korean brand called “History of Whoo“. Heard of the very good reviews from the internet and needed the whitening range to combat my current pigmentation problems resulted from too much sun exposure (golfing)

What’s your skincare routine like now?
At night: Kanebo cleansing foam (using the Clarisonic), Faceship Flebote Collagenic Massage Cream (alternate days), Clinique Clarifying Lotion, Kanebo Reviving Marine Mist, Medik8 White Balance, A’kin Cellular Radiance Serum, ROC Retinol Correxion Eye Cream, Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Age Correcting Cream
During the day: Kanebo Cleansing Foam, Clinique Clarifying Lotion, Medik8 White Balance, ROC Eye Cream, ROC Deep Wrinkle Daily Moisturiser, Clinique Yellow Moisturiser, Sunsense Daily Face SPF30+

What beauty advice would you like to impart on the readers of Beautyholics Anonymous?
2 items:
A) The use of sunscreen.
This is of utmost importance especially in tropical countries like us where the sun is so intense. Even at home, one has to apply sunscreen to the face and neck. Of course, sunscreen is required for outdoors on the rest of the body as well.
B) Body and Hair Care
The outward beauty of a woman does not necessarily refers to the face only. The silky smoothness of the body and the hair come as a totality of beauty. Daily use of body lotion and cream are a must. Take special care of the drier areas like elbows, knee cap and feet. Scrub should be used minimum twice per week. (all these years I have been using Body Shop African spa hand & foot cream, and lotions from Crabtree & Evelyn or L’Occitane). After a hair wash, I use a hair moisturiser and Redken smoothdown cream to give the hair a soft and bouncy look.

Thanks, Mee! Now you know where my obsession with beauty and makeup is from There are heaps more interesting stories from my mum, but I’ll leave that to another day and another post.

For now, I’d just like to wish her (and all mothers) a very lovely Mother’s Day. There’s nothing more important I can say but a huge thank you with plenty of hugs and kisses. Without you, there’s no me.

Love,
Tine xx

PS: I’m also on Daily Makeover today where I show you what I learned from Mee

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Copyright © Beautyholics Anonymous

{Etsy}

{Tory Burch}

{Marc Jacobs}

{Miu Miu}

{Etsy}

{Proenza Schouler}

{Dodocase}

{Diane von Furstenberg}

{Smythson}

{Etsy}

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Copyright © Beautyholics Anonymous