Diamonds n Duds Discoveries Along The Way

20% off in Covent Garden this Thursday 2 December 2010

2010-11-30T15:14:00.001+00:00

For those who are still getting on with your christmas shopping, pop over to Covent Garden where there is 20% off a number of shops and restaurants!

Click here for more details and to download your voucher!

L'egere Water Drop Shiny Pearl BB Cream

2010-11-26T02:38:00.001+00:00

Another BB cream that I bought when I was in Taipei. The sales lady demonstrated the product and when she tapped the product on my hand, you can literally see the water droplets. Seems like a good one especially in winter.

(Images/Info from L'egere website)

This is an oil free formula with added moisturising properties to lock in the moisture in the skin. It doesn’t have SPF coverage though.

As shown in the website:

It provides the skin with a pearl like natural gloss. The fine pearl particles refract light, providing your face with more 3D facial feature.

Contains the following ingredients

Trehalos – water locking, water maintenance and saturation. Allow the skin to always maintain a watery condition.
Vitamin E – anti-oxidant
Vitamin C – restrains the formation of pigments to obtain whitening purpose.
Sea collagen – recovers skin elasticity and tightnes.
Aloe – soothe uncomfortable feelings of the skin.
Iron oxide – natural mineral powder to provide natural colouring

This also comes in an easy to squeeze bottle and the texture is of watery liquid. It provides a light to medium coverage and blends well into the skin. When applying, if you use a bit of a tapping motion, you can see the water droplets appearing and forming a protective layer on the skin to provide moisture.

I really like this one for its moisturising properties and my skin stays supple. The pearl particles really helped to emit a glow from beneath the skin look which is an understated dewy look. Really makes it look like you have really dewy and fantastic looking skin.

It provides a medium coverage for me and is a good all in one product for me.

As it doesn’t contain any SPF, I only use this during autumn or winter where the UV index is on a constant 1 – 2.

Luv ~ Love the dewy and glow from beneath the skin finish, locks in the moisture and keeps skin supple, all in one primer, moisturiser and foundation

Don’t luv ~ Doesn't have SPF but I don't mind.

Facial reinvented?

2010-11-25T22:32:00.000+00:00

Sometimes I get really surprised at the advancement in technology. Saw this at Britain's Next Top Model Live. What is it??

L'EGERE SPF34 UV Whitening Blemish Balm Cream

2010-11-23T02:26:00.002+00:00

Ever since BB cream pop into the market and became available to the mass market, it has become a popular favourite! Especially for people who are short on time or who loves to wear minimal makeup like me!

I like the fact that it combines a number of things into one, most notably a moisturizer, primer, foundation and sun screen protection.

On a recent trip to Taipei, I came back with quite a number of them as they are definitely cheaper over there. I bought a few from L’egere including this one.

(Images/Info from L'egere website)

Based on their website, it is touted to have the following properties:

Arbutin which deeply penetrates into the bottom of the skin and stabilize free radicals and restrains the activity of the Tyrosinase enzyme. Effectively reducing skin pigments and whiten spots. I take it that this is the whitening bit.
Gingko which resists free radicals, resists inflammatory and stabilizes the skin.
Sodium Hyaluronate and Ceramide for moisturizing, anti wrinkling and regulates oil.
Polymeric powder which reduces oil secretion and absorbs oil.
Astaxanthin to prevent skin aging and increases the redness and glossiness of the skin.
Aloe to sooth any uncomfortable skin feelings.
It contains Titanium Oxide as the sunscreen ingredient. A check on the ingredients dictionary on Cosmeticscop.com, this is considered to be a non-irritant to skin and provides coverage for both UVA and UVB.

It is meant to perform as a day cream, protection cream, liquid foundation and decorative cream. Hide pores, pocks dark eye bags and other defects. It is also touted to be waterproof, and sweat-proof.

Having used another BB cream, I was looking forward to this one as it comes with SPF34. On lazy days, I can just use this one bottle instead of having to apply layer upon layer of moisturiser, primer, foundation and sunscreen.

The bottle is user friendly and it contents is easily squeezed out. The colour comes out a bit dark and once you have let it set on your face, it will acclimatised to a natural finish. It provides a light to light medium coverage. The texture itself is between medium to think density but applies quite easily.

It is quite easy to apply and my skin had no irritant feeling to it.

In terms of whether it is waterproof or sweat-proof, I did not test it out so can’t tell. It didn’t work for me when it comes to controlling oil especially from the T zone area. If I don’t dust some loose powder as a final finishing touch, my T zone actually became quite shiny after an hour or two and this is not even summer time. I also had to do touch ups throughout the day which I didn’t need to do with my previous BB cream.

Luv ~ All in one primer, foundation and sunscreen. Creates a natural finish and has SPF34.

Don’t luv ~ Doesn't control oil sebum as touted.

Paul and Joe eye colour (#9 Ombre A Poppieres)

2010-11-20T01:43:00.002+00:00

I went to the Paul and Joe counter looking for a replacement for an eye crayon that I bought there previously that I really like but it seems that they no longer sell that and the lady recommended me something else.

So I ended up getting the eye colour in ‘Ombre A Poppieres’. This is a pink based eye colour that is meant to be quite close to the previous one that I owned. I kept this for the longest time really before I finally opened it to start using.

The eye colour has a very fine pigment interspersed with a medium shimmer.

I wished I started using this earlier as I really love it. I use it as a base and the colour matches my skin really well to give a very natural matte finish and the shimmer is not too sparkly that it makes it unsuitable for day wear. I find that it gives my eye area a bright and refreshed look and definitely make you eyes stand out but in a natural way.

It has superb lasting power and even after the whole day, the colour has not faded and is still staying strong on my eye lids.

Luv ~ Great colour for a day look, makes the eye lid area bright and sparkly, lasts the whole day.

Don’t luv ~ Nothing.

Frizz Ease Overnight Serum by John Frieda

2010-11-16T23:45:00.004+00:00

In my quest to look for a good serum, I had to make an emergency purchase when I forgot to bring my hair serum on an away trip. Left with limited time and choice, I picked up the Frizz Ease overnight serum by John Frieda.

(Images/Info from John Frieda website)

How It Works

• This revolutionary bedtime solution is designed to transform all types of dry, damaged and frizzy hair into visibly healthier condition whilst you sleep
• Cocoons each strand of hair to make it dazzle with health after just one nights sleep
• Deeply nourishes hair so you wake up to dramatically improved hair texture with a silky, soft feel
• Infused with 3 ground breaking technologies to repair hair from the inside out to deliver stunning results

How To Use

APPLY TO DRY HAIR BEFORE BEDTIME. Dispense a 10p size coin amount of crème serum into palms, distribute evenly concentrating on dry, damaged ends and leave on overnight. Use more or less depending on hair length and thickness. For best results, use 2-3 times per month.

I find this product totally useless for me. It does emit a nice fragrance but in terms of transforming dry, damaged and frizzy hair, I did not see any difference in my hair. In fact it made it even worse the next morning. my hair was twice the volume!!

To only use this 2 – 3 times a month as per the instruction, I doubt it really does my hair anything. In fact, the Oil essence by Sexy Girl and Pantene lightweight hair mist does a much better job of making my hair soft and smooth.

Luv ~ Nothing

Don’t Luv ~ It made my hair worse!

Victoria Secret Model, Go Liu Wen!

2010-11-12T23:36:00.000+00:00

I happen to be browsing and was looking at the photos for the Victoria Secret Show 2010 and one angel caught my eye. It was an angel of Asian Chinese descent. I couldn’t believe it.

This Angel is knows as Liu Wen and I did some research (ie. Wikipedia)!

Liu Wen was born in Yongzhou, China and started catching the eye of the international fashion industry in 2007. She was only 19 at that time. She got onto the Victoria Secret Fashion Show in 2009.

It’s so great seeing an Asian making it!

Aqualight Lightweight Nourishing Mist by Pantene

2010-11-12T23:21:00.009+00:00

I have long hair that can be dry and frizzy. I am always on the lookout for serums or hair mist that can help to tame it. While browsing Boots, I came across this which have good reviews on the website.

(Images/Info from Pantene website)

This is advertised as:

“New Aqua Light Lightweight Nourishing Mist is designed to instantly nourish your hair with zero weight. Its clever dual phase formulation has an instant nourishing phase at the top and light detangling ingredients at the bottom. So just shake and spray the fine, delicate and lightweight mist on areas of hair that need nourishment. Use on damp or dry hair... no need to rinse!”

First impressions, I really like that this can be used on both damp and dry hair. It is really difficult to find similar products which can be used on dry hair. This product allows me to used it in the mornings or in between washes.

After finishing a bottle, I really like it and have to say I use it abundantly. It emits a very nice cool floral fragrance and it really helps to nourish and keep my hair smooth. This can even be used as a hair fragrance. This is a very good daily hair mist and it is definitely lightweight. It doesn’t weigh down your hair or make it feel greasy with product overload. Another plus is that it gives my hair an incredibly rich and lustrous shine.

Luv ~ Lightweight, love the fragrance. Works very well to smooth the hair ends. Can be used on both damp and dry hair.

Don’t luv ~ Wish it was a bigger bottle.

Hang Ten Jeans (endorsed by Coco Lee)

2010-11-12T14:17:00.001+00:00

When I was in Taipei, I stopped by Hang Ten and found myself leaving with 3 pairs of jeans!

One thing I like about the sales people in Taiwan is that they are very friendly and helpful. Even when my limited Mandarin friend went shopping by herself, she still managed to buy stuff.

(Images from HangTen website)

I’ve always associated Hang Ten as a youthful vibrant brand that is akin to GAP or Baleno. Being a mass market brand, it is a place to look for basics and staples of simple cuts. Hence, if you’re looking for jeans that contained little secrets here and there, I wouldn’t expect any of the mass market brand to include that given the prices.

I was pleasantly surprised when I tried on a pair when I was at the Taipei store. There has been some clever tailoring involved because instantly, you have a perkier bum and slimming effect. As the shop was closing soon, my friend and I found a few other designs that we like and tried and bought in a jiff!

Months since and throwing out my old jeans, I have started to wear the ones from Hang Ten. Even with the different designs (one was a dark blue jeans colour and plain and another had glitter on bits and pieces), they all still give you perkier bums. No joke as I definitely would not even be in the running for best bum of the year! All those tiny designs here and there that I thought was just fashion actually have a purpose to help to accentuate your lower half!

Seriously, I am really impressed. It comes as no surprise that Coco Lee is the ambassador because she is renowned for her body and curves and seriously, these jeans can take you towards that path! Check out those photos!

I’ve tried on those from Uniqlo (not from Japan, as apparently the cuts are different), GAP, DKNY etc…and price and style and function-wise, I am most impressed by Hang Ten so far.

A lady can never have too many jeans, especially if they are the right ones. The next time that you are scouting for a new pair, why not pop into a Hang Ten store.

Lip gloss keychain from Burberry Beauty

2010-11-11T13:36:00.000+00:00

I love charms and most friends can attest to my love for Swarovski charms. I quite like the Burberry beauty collection which is more about natural looking makeup to complete your look.

Check out their lip gloss keychain. It is a keychain with three check engraved cube charms with the last one opening to reveal a nude beige lip gloss. Fashion accessory + practicality combined into one. I heart!

Sleep the weight away

2010-11-08T12:55:00.002+00:00

I came across this article on the web which caused me to pause and ponder. I can't remember where I read it but this is what it states:

"Women who sleep for five or fewer hours a night are 32 percent more likely to gain weight and 15 percent more likely to become obese than women who sleep for seven or more hours. That’s the finding from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland where researchers studied 68,183 women over a period of 16 years.

Why? It is believed that lack of sleep may slow metabolism or decrease the calories burned by spontaneous activities such as fidgeting. What better reason could there be to dive under that duvet this winter?"

I sometime barely get that 5 hours of sleep and although I know of the whole beauty hour sleeping time and how it affects our skin, it now affects our weight too! I say the more reason to sleep more...ZZzzzzzzz

24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil #Bourbon by Urban Decay

2010-11-05T16:16:00.000+00:00

(Images/Info from Urban Decay website)

The lady at Sephora used this when applying the smoky eye on me and she and the eye pencil did such a good job that I just had to get it.

Advertised as:

"The best Eye Pencil ever, ever, ever! Never before has a pencil this creamy and brilliant been waterproof, too. Velvety-soft, this never-before-seen formula stays soft and creamy for blending (about 30 seconds), then dries down to a long-lasting finish that WILL NOT budge. Line eyes with a hint of color or go for the full artistic, multi-hued effect with the wide selection of lush tropical hues, deep metallics and unusually vibrant neutrals. Incredible with Urban Decay Eyeshadows!

Created with 50% moisturizing ingredients suspended in a sophisticated waterproof formula, 24/7 Eye Pencils offer long-lasting color and a dreamy, creamy feel when applied. With Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E and Cottonseed Oil. "

The eyeliner gives a sort of creamy texture with a solid finish. The creaminess coming from the moisturing ingrredients. I didn't realised that it was waterproof until after I bought it. The colour that I bought is Bourbon which carries a teeny bit of gold sparkle in it.

This glides on really smoothly and is easy to use. It blends quite well and can be fixed quite easily for minor mistakes. It gives you that 30 seconds to blend and correct any mistakes. After the whole day, the colour does fade away. Maybe using an eyeshadow primer might help to minimise that.

The eyeliner comes out in a medium to thick size, so if you’re trying to obtain a tiny line, this might not really work.

Luv ~ Glides on easily and blends well.

Don’t luv ~ Doesn't last the whole day.

Eye Crayon #2 Bouton De Nacre by Paul and Joe

2010-11-01T23:36:00.000+00:00

(Images/Info from beautybay.com)

I really like this eye crayon from Paul and Joe and there are only two locations in London that has their counters as far as I know. I think that this eye crayon has been discontinued but it can still be bought online.

This eye crayon is advertised as:

This eye crayon glides on smoothly and gives eyes a soft-focus finish. Formulated from a base of lustrous macadamia nut oil then embedded into a lattice wax, Paul & Joe developed a creamy, glossy Eye Crayon with a velvety smooth texture. It spreads softly and gently over the eye lid and since the formula uses microscopic, sphere shaped powder particles, there's no gritty texture or discomfort.

I find it really easy to use and the #2 Bouton De Nacre complements my skintone really well. It is actually leaning towards a pink shade but when you put it on, it sort of disappears and blends into the eyelid to give that soft focus finish. Glides on smoothly with just a hint of sparkle more like a hightlight.

If you just use it in the middle part of the eyelid, it really brightens up the eyes. It looks really natural and lasts the whole day. I used it nearly everyday and after months, I have yet to finish it.

Luv ~ It has a rich velvety texture as advertised that glides on smoothly and lasts the whole day.
Don’t luv ~ It is discontinued.

Waterproof your eyelashes

2010-10-28T23:23:00.003+01:00

This was something that just strike me the other day when I was putting on mascara. Although most mascaras do come out with their waterproof sister version. Sometimes I like to get the non waterproof version as it means that less effort and pressure is needed when it comes to removing time.

Sometimes one mascara doesn't achieve everything that you want and I just end up using different mascaras to get the effect I want.

So when I used a non waterproof mascara and still want my eyelashes to be waterproof, I will use a waterproof mascara as my final coat and Voila! Your eyelashes will be waterproof. I find that it works for me really well.

Does anyone else do this?

Volum' Express® Waterproof Mascara by Maybelline

2010-10-24T11:04:00.001+01:00

(Images/Info from Maybelline website)

For an Asian, I am blessed with longer lashes than the norm (although not as long as falsies!) and I tend to look for volumising mascaras more than lengthening ones.

Seeing this in the drugstore, I decided to give this a try as I've had good ones from Maybelline in the past.

This is what was advertised:

This waterproof mascara delivers up to 3X the volume instantly for a dramatic lash look.
Patented Anti-Clump Brush and volume-building express formula quickly thicken lashes without clumps or globs.
Contact lens safe and hypoallergenic
Waterproof; Also available in washable and curved brush

Directions:

Apply mascara from your outer lash to inner lash, sweeping brush slowly from root to tip. Do not let dry between coats.

This mascara is available in 2 colours, black and brown. I bought the black version.

My initial take when I first used this.

It has a fat brush with a thicker middle section and large bristles. It was quite easy to put on and doesn’t clump at all. Their patented anti-clump brush works!After using it numerous times, I never had a problem with clumping.

The effect is a really natural finish though, almost as if you have no mascara on. The volume is not on the extreme end, what it gives is a stronger definition on the lashes. I guess this is where their anti-clumping brush shines, because the amount of mascara that comes out is not thick, less chance of clumping.

A good option for days when you want to have minimal makeup or for those who want to look a la naturale!

I also discovered that if you continue to coat your lashes a few more times before the initial coat dries out, you do build up more volume.

Luv ~ A good option for those who prefer minimal/natural makeup. Easy to apply and the result is very natural looking lashes.

Don’t luv ~ For those who are looking for more volumising mascara, this is not the one.

Facial Treatment Cleanser by SKII

2010-10-21T22:41:00.003+01:00

(Images/Info from SK-II website)

I got this when I was in Taipei as part of a promotion, it came as a free gift. Free gifts such as a full size cleanser from SKII is hard to come by and it was without hesitation that I bought it.

Having heard a lot about SKII especially their Pitera ingredient in the Facial Treatment Essence, I wondered how the cleanser from the range would be.

According to the website :

Purifying Cream Cleanser. Cleanses. Purifies. Leaves the skin hydrated. A luxurious lathering cream containing moisturisers, soothing Wild Rose Extract and Pitera. Leaves skin feeling comfortably conditioned and smooth.

Usage:

Wet face then use water to foam cleanser into a generous lather. Softly massage onto face and neck. Rinse with water.

Squeezing the cleanser onto the palm, it has a medium density texture and with just enough foam to rub on smoothly onto the face. The fragrance is really light and you could hardly smell it. After washing it off, my skin felt really tight like it has been scrubbed clean, this might make it too strong a cleanser for people who have dry skin. Otherwise, could try using a lesser amount but that will reduce the effectiveness of the cleanser.

Using it to wash off makeup especially waterproof ones is not as good. There are still traces of makeup left, this is where using a make up cleanser beforehand will help.

This feels like a standard cleanser and it doesn’t beat the plethora of low to high range options available in the market.

Luv ~ Standard cleanser with minimal fragrance. Just using a small amount is sufficient.

Don’t luv ~ Can be too drying. Might be better suited for oily skin or in the summer.

Post Delay

2010-04-10T11:46:00.001+01:00

Apologies for the lack of post, can't access Blogger in China. Have to wait until I am out of the country.

Taipei 大豐收!!

2010-04-03T18:01:00.001+01:00

大豐收!!!

Taipei is a shopping wonderland! This is what I have bought today, can't wait to start using and reviews will come soon.

Are you using the right colour correcting primer/make up base?

2010-03-26T06:21:00.013+00:00

Was recently watching an episode on a Taiwan beauty program and the topic was on selecting the right colour primer.

Primers have only become popular in the past couple of years and the beauty industry has responded with more selections and variety. However, do you get confused when you see all the colours that are available? Green, blue, pink, purple, I sometimes get confused.

The lovely makeup artist Kevin posted up a board on his blog that he used in the show that splits out what colour you should use for the different types of problems that we might have.

Skintone Primer colour

Fair to very fair ~ transparent or skin colour

Yellowish/dull ~ transparent + purple

Dark ~ skin colour

Unevenness ~ skin colour + purple

Redness/pimple scars ~ skin colour + green

Freckles ~ skin colour + transparent + blue

Dark and freckles ~ skin colour + blue

Or use this colour wheel, just pick the colour on the opposite side of the wheel to correct the colour you have.

Pantene Clinicare 时光修護系列

2010-03-22T08:52:00.002+00:00

(Images/Info from Pantene Clinicare)

This series was a collaboration between Wella and Pantene. It is specially targeted at those who have dry hair and split ends. From what I know, once you have split ends, the hair shaft will not rebond back. You can only cut the split ends away and work at preventing future split ends.

Please click to expand

I bought the Pantene one wash treatment that is meant for permed hair (purple range). According to Pantene Clinicare, the one wash treatment contains three main ingredients:

Vitamin E
Ingredients that imitates the function of stimulating hair regeneration
Positive ions that is charges into the system

One Wash Treatment repairs the surface of damaged hair, creates a barrier to help with the regeneration process. Restores moisture and shine. Packaging designed to protect the contents to give your hair the best hair reparation possible.

Usage:

Place contents onto the palms of your hand

Start with the hair ends and massage the treatment in.

Massage the treatment in for 5 minutes (you can also use a hot towel wrap to increase the absorption)

The one wash treatment comes in a twist tube package which makes it really easy to open. I used the entire tube on my hair as it is rather long and left it for about 10 minutes. The current state of my hair has become really dry due to the harsh cold wind and weather. What I noticed after using this, hair became a lot shiner and glossy. Hair is way smoother especially the ends, I can really feel the difference especially when I slide the rubber band on and off my hair when tying and untying it.

I still prefer the Opal Hair Oil Treatment but this 15g size is very convenient for carrying around when travelling. Compared to other hair treatments available, this will be my alternative choice.

Luv ~ Easy twist off tube design, convenient 15g sizes, hair is smoother and silkier (especially the ends).

Don’t luv ~ Not available in all countries.

Hydro Boost Mousse Cleanser by Neutrogena

2010-03-16T11:56:00.009+00:00

I was in search of a new cleanser when I came across this mousse cleanser. Mousse based products is a recent invention in the past few years. Air is whipped through the content which results in it coming out as a mousse.

Benefits of mousse based skin products is that the product comes out in a light and airy foam which is touted to be more stable. The atoms/particles are much tinier which means that the benefits/purpose is more readily absorbed/function on the skin.

A mousse based cleanser is meant to leave the skin feeling not taut and dry, but moisturized, soft and smooth.

(Images/Info from Neutrogena)

Hydro Boost is a new range from Neutrogena and was developed to restore inner skin dryness. Neutrogena's new Hydro Boost series contains hyaluronic acid to help skin hold more water and olive oil to prevent moisture loss

Please click to expand

The cleanser comes in a simple and clean looking 150ml blue bottle. No spillage even though it travels in my luggage to a lot of places.

I tend to give the bottle a few shakes before using the pump to release the cleanser. The cleanser comes out really light and airy. You don’t need a lot to be able to cover the whole face. I tend to massage it for at least a minute to allow the cleanser to do its work before washing it off. Do have to watch out that you don't rub any foam along your nose air passage as it does block the air flow!

The smell is not strong (reminds me of the ocean breeze) but can be a tad overpowering for those who are sensitive. My skin feels clean and smooth and the mousse cleanser seems to have done its job

Luv ~ Love the mousse concept, good size bottle, does a good job of cleansing but skin does not feel dry.

Don't Luv ~ Careful not to get any foam blocking your nose air passage while cleansing

BodyLight Whitening Hydrating UV lotion by Garnier

2010-03-10T14:32:00.001+00:00

This product came out in the market over a year ago and I bought it during its launch!

As I was going to be in tropical country where the UV rays are something to be concerned about, this seems to be the right product to use.

(Images/Info from www.garnier.com)

It comes in a 250ml bottle with a measuring tape attach which has skin tones in different shades for you to compare after using it for 4 weeks.

It promises to lighten and illuminate the skin complexion while giveing long lasting moisturizing efficiency. Its non-greasy milky lotion penetrates immediately, leaves skin soft, smooth and supple.

Please click to expand

How it works?

Pure lemon essence - contains AHA known to have exfoliating properties to illuminate skin.
Mulberry extract to help regulate the melanin production.

Opened the bottle and pour some of the lotion to use, it gives out a citrusy scent which is quite zesty if that is your thing. The texture is quite light, like body milk which suits me just fine as I don’t like the skin feeling greasy after applying.

After using up half the bottle, I won’t say that my skin tone has lightened significantly. However, skin tone has become more even and luminous. It also provides sufficient moisture for normal skin.

For whitening purpose, as long as you are not expecting a miracle (I would be quite suspicious of any body product that significantly whitens your skin as the ingredients used might not be too safe!), this can be something to consider.

Luv ~ Non greasy, skin becomes more even-tone and luminous. Inexpensive

Don't Luv ~ Scent might not agree with everyone

Powdery finish

2010-03-03T02:22:00.000+00:00

All ready to attend a big day out, a party or even just daily life and spend all the time and effort putting on make up and looking great! Somehow, do you sometimes find that putting on that final dusting of powder on your face or all those subsequent touch ups of powder makes your face end up looking very powdery thick/cakey?

I swapped from using sponges to using brushes but you can sometimes end up with the thick swat of powder that the brush initially picks up and it lands and stays on the part of the face where the brush first hits.

Rather than doing what the professionals do where they do a quick flick of the brush in the air to get rid of excess powder as I think that is a lot of wastage, I recently discovered a neat little trick with minimal wastage.

I bought myself a puff box that has a mesh in it separating the puff from the powder in the box. What I do is to pour some of the loose powder into the puff box. When you shake the box, the mesh will distribute some of it onto the puff. Taking out the puff and placing it so that the powder is at the top, I then use a brush to pick up the powder from the puff.

This process takes less than a minute and what it does is that the powder that gets picked up on the brush is much less and much more even.

Oil Essence by Sexy Girl

2010-02-24T13:00:00.002+00:00

Ever since my hair went through perming, the hair structure has definitely weakened and I need to start using more intense products to get it back to being smooth and silky.

With winter being here in the harsh London weather, I definitely had to do something. I came upon this product and decided to give it a try.

(Images/Info from http://www.sexy-girl.jp)

According to the website, it contains 12 kinds of botanical oils which includes grapeseed oil, hazelnut oil and 5 essences for beautiful hair, the 3-in-1 (Repair, Moisture and Protect) hair product leaves your hair smooth and moisturized. It sounds almost too edible!

The fact that it is a leave in night treatment works even better. Hair being repaired while sleeping!

The essence is definitely oil and after rubbing it between my palm to heat it up a bit, I started applying it to my hair. It does have a nice floral fragrance that isn’t strong at all, very mild. As expected with oil essence, it leaves a nice shine and my hair has a rich texture look to it as it tames any frizzies.

I used this whenever my hair is going to be exposed to any harsh elements as the oil essence forms a coat/film around your hair to protect it. This is quite a good and inexpensive, I would definitely keep using it.

The pump allows you to control how much you use, I usually only need about 3-4 drops.

Luv ~ mild floral fragrance, hair feels silkier and smoother with a rich texture finish. Inexpensive as a bottle lasts quite a while.

Don’t Luv ~ Nothing

Essence Water by Asience

2010-02-18T13:12:00.027+00:00

I’ve never been a fan of leave in treatments or sprays as they all tend to have an element of styling products which makes your hair a bit stiff and when you touch your hair, you can feel the product in your hair.

(Images/Info from http://www.kao.com/sg/asience)

For some reason which I can’t remember now, I bought this. Maybe it was due to the positive results I get from their shampoos and conditioners. To my surprise, this treatment spray does not produce any of my concerns. Instead, my hair still feels soft smooth and silky.

The website advertises it as a light leave-on formula that instantly tames and softens frizziness and flyaways, making hair more manageable.

Asience got the balance of the leave-on formula just right as I don't feel any residue of the product feel in my hair at all. My hair still feels soft to the touch and smooth.

This has become a fixed product in my regime. I always use it to spray on my hair before I head out. I find that because the mist leaves my hair slightly damp, my curls become more pronounced and curls better.

I end up with a sweet floral scent emitting from my hair and a boost of protection before leaving the house.

I find that this works better than the milk wax I tried for curls or even straight hair.

Luv ~ Nice scent, helps me style and retain the curls in my hair, tames frizzies.

Don’t Luv ~ Nothing