[Lipglosseater]

Hiatus

2013-01-18T00:00:00.000+08:00

I'm off for a loooong awaited holiday in Thailand! I'll try to update if I can get my cranky phone to work, otherwise I'll talk you all in two weeks' time ya! See you and in the meanwhile, stay pretty and remember to wear sunscreen! Lol! :D

#011 - Crustacean Heaven

2013-01-17T00:00:00.000+08:00

Read on for today's Smile! :D

Was craving for some seafood, so the husband brought me to have baked crabs for dinner a few days ago. The sweet, heavenly taste was worth the hour long wait! :D~~~

Argh, so craving for more after typing this out! >.<

Jenn Asks: Do you wear makeup when travelling?

2013-01-16T00:00:00.000+08:00

Do you wear makeup when you're on vacation, especially if you'll be spending alot of time at the beach? :D

I typically wear minimal makeup when going on a holiday and I don't wear makeup at all if I'm going on a beach holiday (just lots of sunblock! :D), but a friend insists that one must not go without makeup at all times, especially if there's gonna be lots of pictures to be taken! Lol!

I'm still not totally on board with wearing makeup on beach holidays (smudgy eyeliner = not pretty), but hey if it works for her who am I to say anything (I must add, she looked absolutely GORGEOUS in her vacation pics)! :D So over to you - do you wear makeup on vacations, especially beach vacations? If yes, do share which products you use to keep you looking pretty at the beach and in pictures! :D

#010 - Yum Yum Dim Sum! :D

2013-01-15T00:00:00.000+08:00

Read on for today's Smile! :D

Had Dim Sum for dinner with the husband and brother! Twas a great time of catching up and simply stuffing our faces silly! :D

My favouritest dim sum ever is the steamed pork ribs in the 2nd top row - it's sooo tender and the gravy is just AMAZING!! :D~

What is your favourite dim sum? :D

Product Review: MAC Mineralize Satinfinish SPF 15 Foundation

2013-01-14T00:00:00.000+08:00

At a Glance:
Price: RM115
Weight: 30ml / 1 US. Fl. Oz.
Made in: USA
Likes: Beautiful dewy finish, blends easily, photographs beautifully
Gripes: Sheer coverage, makes my skin oilier than usual, breaks me out
Repurchase: No

Ingredients:

Product Description:

A fluid foundation that blends the natural light-reflecting properties of micro-minerals with a smooth satin finish. Provides a low-to-medium buildable coverage with a skin-flattering, slightly luminous look. Helps make your skin appear, radiant, healthy, re- energized. Contains vitamins A, C and E to help nurture and condition the skin. Provides everyday broad spectrum UVA/UVB SPF 15 sun protection. Long-wearing. Good for all skins. Especially suitable for normal-dry skins.

Pigmentation & Color:

This foundation comes in 16 shades - 11 NC shades (yellow-based) and 5 NW shades (pink-based). I was matched to NW20, and it matches my skintone nicely! :)

This foundation does not offer much coverage despite its claims as a low to medium coverage foundation, but it still does a nice job at correcting redness and to even out my skintone.

Finger swatch:

Compared to the Studio Sculpt foundation:

Compared to the Studio Sculpt one in the same shade (NW20), this one is pinker in terms of colour. Texture-wise it is

And this is how it looks on me:

As you can see, this foundation gives a really dewy finish that even powder can hardly subdue! Lol! But it does photograph beautifully without looking like an oily mess so do wear this one out when you know you'll be taking lots of pictures of yourself! :D

Texture:
This foundation feels a little thick straight out of the bottle, but after blending it into your skin it feels really comfortable. It spreads easily too so application is smooth and easy.

Packaging:

This foundation comes in a glass bottle with a pump. I personally love the twist lock mechanism of the pump because its quite neat! :D

Time Test:
This foundation lasts the entire day on my skin. However, I notice that this foundation makes my skin oilier than usual starting from the 4th hour or so.

Price & Availability:
This foundation is priced at RM115 and is available at all MAC counters. It has been discontinued in the US though, so if you're a fan of this product, do grab backups while you can! :)

My $0.02:

Ugh this review has been sitting in my drafts for EONS - until this product is now discontinued in the US already! Lol! I figured I better publish it before this is gone from the marketplace for good! Haha! :D

This foundation is famous (or infamous depending on personal taste) for giving a beautiful dewy finish. Personally I find it abit TOO dewy for my liking, but I prefer my foundations matte so don't listen to me if you like it! :) It also has a beautiful, light texture that blends into the skin easily and it lasts the whole day too!

And oh, it photographs really really nicely:

The thing I'm bummed about is that it breaks me out for some reason if I wear it for long hours. I also didn't like how it makes my skin oilier than usual.

Since I own this and the Studio Sculpt in the same shade, I thought I'd do a quick comparison between the two:

The Studio Sculpt is priced at RM120 for 40ml, which makes it a tad cheaper than this product (RM115 / 30ml). The Studio Sculpt has a glowy but primarily matte finish, while this one is pretty dewy.

Colour wise, this one leans a little pink than the Studio Sculpt, but both match my skintone nicely.

Left: Mineralize Satinfinish in NW20, Right: Studio Sculpt in NW20

I personally will not repurchase this foundation because I prefer the Studio Sculpt which gives a glowy matte finish. But do let me know if you like this product or not! :D

#009 - Aromatherapy for the tired soul

2013-01-12T15:07:00.001+08:00

Read on for today's Smile! :D

Bought my first essential oil for some relaxing aromatherapy before bed time. A cool, dark room with chamomile oil lightly scenting the air really does soothe the tired mind and soul! :)

Here's this week laundry monster:

Product Review: Essence Stay with Me Longlasting Lipgloss in 04 Trendsetter

2013-01-11T00:00:00.000+08:00

At a Glance:
Price: RM9.90 (approx. US$3)
Weight: 4ml / 0.13 fl. oz.
Made in: Poland
Likes: Beautiful color, super glossy, even finishing, cheap! :D
Gripes: No ingredient list, sickly sweet scent, not a fan of the applicator, has a tendency to separate
Repurchase: Yes, in other colors

Ingredients:
NA

Product Description

Colourful lipgloss for glossy lips

Pigmentation & Color:
The one I got is called Trendsetter, which is a fuchsia berry shade that leans a little bubblegum pink! It is rather pigmented so it is possible to get a nice, opaque finish without layering it over lipstick.

Skin swatch:

On my lips:

Texture & Taste:
This lipgloss has a wonderful texture! It goes on really smoothly and forms an even finish on the lips, even if your lips are dry like mine in the picture above!

This lipgloss has a strong sweetish scent that I don't like (but apparently alot of people do so don't let my opinion bother yours! :D), but it doesn't have a nasty taste to it so I guess I can live with it! :)

Packaging:
This lipgloss comes in the usual tube with a the applicator attached to the cap.

I'm not a fan of the applicator though - I find that its hourglass shape makes application a little more difficult than usual. I would much prefer to have a doe-foot or brush instead! :)

Time Test:
Unfortunately this lipgloss does not last very long on my lips - I find that it starts to disappear within the hour. It also has a tendency to separate as shown in the pictures below:

Left is freshly applied, Right shows the separation at about 1 hour after application

Price & Availability:
This is priced at RM9.90 which is super cheap! This is available at selected Watsons nationwide.

My $0.02:

I got this lipgloss as part of the now (sadly) defunct September Fabulous Finds box (Get well soon, Hui Ling!). This was before Essence was available locally so I'm really excited and grateful for that! :D

This lipgloss did not disappoint indeed! It's incredibly glossy, goes on evenly and oh, at that price you can afford to keep one each at the office, at home and one in your purse! :D

Sure, it isn't terribly lasting and I would love it if they included a doe-foot or brush applicator instead, but hey, in terms of finishing it looks as good as many of the mid to high end glosses I've tried so far! :D

Here's how it looks against my skintone:

Featuring this lipgloss on my lips, and the fabulous NARS Torrid on my cheeks.

This really is a drugstore gem! I will not repurchase this shade as it's not quite "ME", but I'll definitely check out the other shades! :D

Have you tried this lipgloss before? :D

#008 - Cheap Massages! :D

2013-01-10T00:00:00.000+08:00

Read on for today's Smile! :D

Finally redeemed my RM28 massage session which I bought yonks ago from Groupon! The session started out with the usual foot bath:

While enjoying a cup of hot red date tea:

Then we were ushered into a super pretty room for our massage:

The masseuses were from Thailand so the massage felt similar to the ones I've experienced in BKK. Mine was really skillful so I thoroughly enjoyed the session.

Ahhhh... my shoulders says thank you! :D

Jenn Asks: Do you subconsciously buy stuff in the same colour?

2013-01-09T00:00:00.000+08:00

Do you subconsciously purchase items in the same colour? I know I do!

I have no idea why every single time I come across a clothing item, I will definitely pick the blue one if there are a few colour choices. Case in point for my purchases in the past month or so:

Dress on left censored as its my CNY dress! Hehehe! :D

And blue is not even my favourite colour! >.< According to the husband and a friend, this has been going on for sometime already, until they have somewhat associated the colour blue with mua! *gasp*

Ok, perhaps I should include not buying stuff in blue anymore as one of my NY resolutions this year! :P

Over to you, do you subconsciously purchase stuff in the same colour?

#007 - Hotels for Krabi and Phuket Booked! :D

2013-01-08T00:00:00.000+08:00

Read on for today's Smile! :D

After MUCH delay the hotels for my week-long holiday across the border are finally BOOKED and CONFIRMED! Whoots!!! :D

So looking forward to the 4-Ses - Sea, Sun, Sand and Scuba! Can't wait! :D

#006 - Lucky Buy! :D

2013-01-07T13:42:00.001+08:00

Read on for today's Smile! :D

Happiness is...

Scoring the last pair of flats on sale... in your size!! ;)

Products that healed my skin

2013-01-07T00:00:00.000+08:00

I know I've been ranting alot about my skin for the past year, but I can honestly say that my skin has never been shittier. I'm not blowing my own trumpet but I have always had clear, good skin prior to this (thanks, Dad and Mum!) but the stress of academia really took a toll on my face. That, coupled with using a wrong product (thanks, Mac Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Moisture Creme! Grrrr), wrecked havoc on my skin like never before.

Pictures to prove my point:

My skin was dull, sallow, dehydrated yet oily at the surface, and full of clogs and zits. See how dark my freckles have gotten too! Gimme back my crystal clear skin!!! *sobs pitifully*

That sent me into a frantic mode trying to heal my skin. Read on to see which products did the trick! :D

I knew that the first step I needed to take was to get rid of the pimples first. I went back to my old zit-busting routine - cleansing with an anti-acne cleanser and spot treating them zits with pimple cream. And oh, moisturize, moisturize and moisturize thereafter because pimple busting products are quite drying (at least for my skin)! :)

Products that helped cleared them zits:

Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask, St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Cleanser, St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub, Bayer Aspirin and Aiken 100% Pure Tea Tree Oil.

I just found out that it's an unspoken rule for all anti-acne products to be green in colour! Lol! Anyways, I have long ran out of the amazing Hada Labo Tamagohada AHA / BHA Foaming Wash, so I was really glad to be provided with two cleansers containing Salicylic Acid from St. Ives a month prior to my breakouts (thank you, DKSH!!). I also went back to my long forsaken Aspirin Mask routine and rediscovered the lovely Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask, both of which really helped with the congestion and inflammation. I used to spot treat the monthly zits with the Mint Julep Mask previously, but this time around I can't do that since I have pimples all over my forehead and chin - it would dry out my skin even further and I can't apply moisturizer over it, so I opted to use my trusty 100% pure tea tree oil from Aiken (oldie but goodie - I've been using this product for almost 10 years already!) :D

It took about 3 weeks for zits and clogs to go away. Then, I started to use these:

Skinz Infinite Youth Recall Serum, MAC Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Gel, Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_Ex, Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion.

In hindsight, it was probably quite unwise for me to incorporate three new products at one go - I've been using the Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_Ex on and off previously, but the other three were new. I also don't know what was I thinking buying another MAC moisturizer right after the Mac Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Moisture Creme broke me out something aweful. Thankfully they did not cause any problems for my skin! :)

I've been keeping at it for 3 months now, and the above products really did help my skin tremendously. My forehead went from this:

to this:

And this is how my current skin look like (photo taken yesterday):

Of course, it's nowhere as luminous and as bright as it was in its glory days, but I'll take better skin over shitty skin anyday! :) This year, my mission is to achieve glowing skin. To give me a head start, the husband got me these:

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair and Lancome Blanc Expert Melanolyser Whiteness Activating Spot Eraser.

I'm also thinking of repurchasing the Lancome Emulsion since that had worked well for my skin previously, but I'm still weighing my options! Feel free to recommend me any product that made your skin glow, and wish me lots of luck! :D

Do you have any similar story to share? Which products aved your skin?

#005 - Psychic Uncle and Hanging Out with my Little Brother!

2013-01-06T09:47:00.000+08:00

Read on for today's Smile! :D

Yesterday, I ordered Milo Peng (Iced Milo - a kind of chocolate malt drink) at a coffee shop. I don't usually drink this because most of the time they are quite watered down (gross) but they have run out of the herbal tea that I usually order so I had no choice but to go with this (as I don't drink local coffee or tea - they're too strong for me!).

I was secretly wishing that the drink would at least be bearably drinkable and not too gross when the kopitiam (coffee shop) uncle served my drink. He gave me a smile and said, "Uncle made super KAO (thick) one for you... you try and see ho liao (good stuff) or not?"

It was REALLY KAO and just wonderful! Thank you, psychic uncle! XD

Not the actual photo - I was so excited that I have forgotten to snap a pic! :P

The husband and I also spent the day just hanging out with my little brother! It's been awhile since we've done that so I really enjoyed myself! :D

What made you smile today? :D

#004 - Laundry Monster

2013-01-04T15:49:00.000+08:00

Read on for today's Smile! :D

Fridays are laundry days for me, and every single time without fail, Cookie will sniff through the lot and plant herself at the top of the pile!

For a dog who runs away at the smell of her own poo, she sure is making up for lost fun by rolling in dirty laundry! Thankfully my husband and I aren't terribly stinky people and Fridays are bath days for her too! :D

Product Review: MAC Lightful Marine-Bright Formula Moisture Creme

2013-01-04T00:00:00.000+08:00

At a Glance:
Price: RM165 / US$40
Weight: 50ml / 1.7 US. Fl. Oz.
Made in: Canada
Likes: Moisturizing, brightens skin well, sinks in quickly without being sticky.
Gripes: Broke me out and clogged my skin like crazy! >.<
Repurchase: No

Ingredients:

Product Description (taken from Maccosmetics.com):

Texture & Scent:

This moisturizer feels more like a gel instead of a cream due to its lightweight nature. It sinks in quickly without leaving a film on the face, which is great! :D

This cream has a fresh scent similar to the Deep Ultramoisture one.

Packaging:

This moisturizer comes in a plastic tub and a plastic lid is provided to keep the contents fresh. However, you know how I feel about them tubs - while I like how I can use up every morsel of product, it isn't very hygienic. I wish MAC would make all their moisturizers in tubes or something! :D

You get this much product brand new:

And this is how the box looks like - I love the packaging! :D

Price & Availability:
This moisturizer is priced at RM165 / US$40, and is available at all MAC counters as well as their dot com! :)

My $0.02:

I adored the original Deep Ultramoisture one and went through 3 tubs before this product came into the market replacing the aforementioned one. Since I loved the original and it worked so well for my skin, I thought nothing about diving into this product, thinking that it'll work similarly as the previous model.

In alot of ways, they are quite similar. In fact, both products feel and smells the same to me, and worked brilliantly to brighten my complexion.

However, for some strange reasons unbeknown (probably the Algae extract as that's the only thing that is different from the first few ingredients), this cream broke me out like no tomorrow:

It took me a loong time to clear them clogs and pimples away... so I'm definitely staying away from this one! >.<

Have you tried this moisturizer before? What is your favourite moisturizer? :D

#003 - One craving satisfied

2013-01-03T00:00:00.000+08:00

Read on for today's Smile! :D

I've been craving for a piping hot bowl of pork noodles with innards (especially my favourite KIDNEY!! :D~~) for the past few days already. The husband, bless his heart, sacrificed his own craving for McDonalds to bring me to this fabulous place serving seafood noodles to have he would term as "sick people's food" for dinner! Lol!

Mmm rich fish broth with plenty of cholesterol goodness... craving satisfied, for now! Thanks my Dear!!! Your "sacrifice" was not in vain! :D :D :D

#002 - Friends who gift hand creams! :D

2013-01-02T15:00:00.000+08:00

Read on for today's Smile! :D

Received this super adorable hand cream from a friend for Christmas:

It's now adorning my dressing table! :) Oh yeah, the plant on the squirrel's head is actually a phone pluggie:

How cute is that!! Thank you, you know who you are ;)

What made you smile today?

Product Review: Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies Mascara in Waterproof Black

2013-01-02T00:00:00.000+08:00

At a Glance:
Price: RM42.90 (approx. US$13)
Weight: 9.2ml
Made in: China
Likes: Super volumizing, smudgeproof, doesn't flake
Gripes: Weighs curls down a little, feels "crunchy", needs to be combed out with a lash comb, pricier than the average drugstore mascaras.
Repurchase: Maybe

Ingredients:

Product Description:

NA

Color & Pigmentation:
I got the black shade, and it's super black! :D

Texture & Scent:
I'm not terribly fond of the formula - for some reason it goes on unevenly on my lashes (not quite enough for it to clump, but enough to show tiny bumps here and there). This can be fixed with a lash comb though, but it does require considerable effort.

This one has a pretty strong scent once on, but it dissipates quickly so it's not an issue for me.

Packaging:

This mascara comes in the cute fat purple tube without a box or cardboard packaging. I'm pretty happy that manufacturers are starting to print the production date on products nowadays, and this one's found on the shrink wrap:

The applicator is shaped somewhat like a half moon - Maybelline recommends using the inner curved part to apply the mascara.

Time Test:
This mascara lasts the entire day on my lashes.

Price & Availability:
This mascara costs RM42.90 and is available at all Maybelline displayers in Watsons, Guardian, as well as your local pharmacies / supermarket :)

My $0.02:

This is the 3rd Volum' Express mascara I've tried from Maybelline!

While I wasn't terribly excited about the Hypercurl one nor the Magnum, this one manage to pique my interest!

Upon the first swipe, this really impressed me with the volume it gives. However, application is a little tricky as you'll have to figure out your sweet spot in terms of the amount of product on the wand. I find that it works best for me if I clean off some of the excess product with a tissue.

I'm not a fan of the texture to be honest. It somehow goes on a bit (for the lack of a better word) "lumpy" - it doesn't quite clump, but it doesn't have an even finish either. A few comb-throughs with the lash comb should fix this problem :) I also didn't like how my lashes feel crunchy, especially from the 2nd coat onwards.

But, if I can live through all that, the end result is beautifully full and loooong lashes that last the entire day! :D

As usual, here's a bunch of pics for you to judge for yourself:

Quite a difference ya! :D

In a nutshell, while I'm impressed with the volume this one gives, I'm not a fan of the texture. I may repurchase this one though, because I like how it looks after I comb it out with a lash comb! :D

Have you tried this mascara before? :D

Introducing Project Smile365 - #001 - SMS from Dad

2013-01-01T15:31:00.000+08:00

I was doing quite abit of soul searching in the past few weeks. With the close of the year and the start of a brand new one, I can't help but to wonder if anything could be done differently this year. 2012 was a year with plenty of ups, but there were moments that I thought I had hit rock bottom too. One of the things that stuck me was how little memories I have of the wonderful moments I've had family and friends. Perhaps I have become exceedingly cynical and critical of things and people in general that all I do is to question people's motives and stop allowing myself to be genuinely happy for fear that once again my gut feeling was right about the person or situation.

Well, that has to stop, and stop it shall in 2013! :D I'm hereby implementing Project Smile365, which is simply a 365 project documenting at least one thing that made me smile for the day. I can't promise to post every day (I do have quite a boring life - I don't think anybody would care to read "Oh look, I poured myself a HUGE glass of ice cold coca cola WHOOTS!" anymore after the 235th time I posted it), but I do hope that at the end of the year, I will have hundreds of smiles recorded to, well, smile at! ;)

I've chosen the pink rose because it signifies perfect happiness (ok fine, it's a camellia but the only picture I had of a pink rose was one that looks half wilted so camellia it is!). It is my sincere wish that 2013 is a year filled with joy and happiness for everyone and myself! :D

You're most welcome to join me either by posting what made you smile today in the comments below or starting your own Project and sending me the link which I'll include in the daily post! Keep smiling everyone and spread the happiness! :D

Read on for today's Smile! :D

My Daddy dearest is someone who remembers every single date that matters - our birthdays, my wedding anniversary, not to mention new year and Christmas! I always get an SMS from him on that day itself and it never fails to warm my heart whenever I receive them! :) I find his formal SMSes so true to himself and and it's super endearing to me! Hehehe! :D

Right at the start of the new year, he send me this:

It's a really nice thing to wake up to! :)

What made you smile today?

2012

2012-12-29T00:00:00.000+08:00

This year, I:

Dove the beautiful Perhentians:

Made an annual pilgrimage to the City of Angels:

Sold my faithful SLK (Small Little Kenari):

Crashed the new car within two weeks of getting it (>.<):

Graduated:

Visited Cameron Highlands:

Finally lost the 7 kilos of excess baggage I always wanted to get rid of:

Gained the most expensive paperweight (T_T T_T T_T):

Got my Advanced Open Water diving licence:

Almost went down a road I swore never to go down on again:

All in all, 2012 is a year that is no short of laughter, joy, tears and hurt. There were times when the nights seemed so long and the tears wouldn't stop flowing, but all these moments seemed so trivial, selfish even, when interspersed with those tender moments that I would not trade for anything in the world. They taught me to be fearless, to wait for no one, and that the best things in life are free.

2013 will be a better year, I promise. I will make it a better year.

Product Review: Tresemme Thermal Recovery Nourish & Renew Conditioner for Heat Damaged Hair

2012-10-12T00:00:00.000+08:00

At a Glance:
Price: RM29.90
Weight: 900ml
Made in: Australia
Availability: Watsons, Guardian
Likes: Rinses out clean, makes my hair super soft, cheap, easily available! :)
Gripes: None!
Repurchase: Yes!! :D

Ingredients:

Product Description:

Deeply nourishes where hair needs it most to help replenish and strengthen heat styled hair. Ideal for those who regularly use blow dryer and heat stylers, this advanced recovery and protect system with aloe vera and almond oil extract gently cleanses to restore essential lost nutrients to transform dried out, damaged hair to soft, shiny, healthy looking hair.

Texture & Scent:

This conditioner actually feels a little siliconey, but I'm happy to report that it rinses out clean. It also spreads easily unto the hair, but due to its thinner than usual texture I find that I have to use a little more product to adequately cover my waist long hair.

This has their signature floral + fruity scent! :)

Packaging:

This conditioner comes in a white opaque bottle. I was provided with the larger bottle which comes with a pump:

Price & Availability:
This conditioner is priced at RM29.90 for the larger 900ml bottle. The smaller 500ml flip top bottle retails for RM19.90 each. This should be available at Watsons and Guardian outlets, though I personally can only find the larger bottles in Guardian near where I live! :)

My $0.02:

Remember how I said I can never get any conditioner to work for my fried hair and can only use hair masks as conditioner daily to tame my mane? Well, I take all of that back, because this conditioner really is the bomb! :D

It makes my hair really soft and manageable without weighing it down or greasing up my scalp! :D I also like how it rinses clean and does not leave my bathroom floor slippery.

I honestly cannot fault this conditioner in any way, maybe except that it comes in an opaque bottle. I personally prefer it to be in a transparent bottle so that I can see how much product there is left in there, but hey I'm more than willing to overlook that because I LOVE this product! Needless to say I'll definitely repurchase when I run out! :)

Have you tried this conditioner before? If you haven't, what are you waiting for? Lol! Its hands down the best conditioner I've tried ever, and at that price and size, it is probably the cheapest too! :D

This product is provided for consideration. I am in no way affiliated with them nor do I get compensated monetarily for this post. Kindly purchase at your own discretion.

Product Review: Tresemme Thermal Recovery Nourish & Renew Shampoo for Heat Damaged Hair

2012-10-08T13:57:00.001+08:00

At a Glance:
Price: RM29.90
Weight: 900ml
Made in: Australia
Availability: Watsons, Guardian
Likes: Cleanses well, does not leave a residue, cheap, easily available
Gripes: Abit drying for my hair
Repurchase: Yes

Ingredients:

Product Description:

Deeply nourishes where hair needs it most to help replenish and strengthen heat styled hair. Ideal for those who regularly use blow dryer and heat stylers, this advanced recovery and protect system with aloe vera and almond oil extract gently cleanses to restore essential lost nutrients to transform dried out, damaged hair to soft, shiny, healthy looking hair.

Texture & Scent:

This shampoo is not as runny as some of the other shampoos I've tried, but it still spreads and lathers up easily:

This shampoo features their signature scent which is a little floral and a little fruity at the same time! Hehehe! :D

Packaging:

This shampoo comes in a black opaque bottle (also their signature packaging). I was provided with the larger bottle which comes with a pump:

This shampoo also comes in a smaller bottle with a flip top cap. Click here to see how it looks like.

Price & Availability:
This shampoo is priced at RM29.90 for the larger 900ml bottle. The smaller 500ml flip top bottle retails for RM19.90 each. This shampoo should be available at Watsons and Guardian outlets, though I personally can only find the larger bottles in Guardian near where I live! :)

My $0.02:

First of all I would like to thank DKSH for the super generous samples! I was provided the largest 900ml bottle for this, along with alot of other goodies to try out, so thank you so much! :D

I personally am a fan of Tresemme products - they're cheap, easily available and they work! :) My bathroom staple is my favourite Tresemme Deep Cleansing Shampoo though I've been meaning to review their Smooth Conditioner which kept my hair soft and managable when I was diving the Perhentians! :)

This shampoo is no different - it's cheap, easily available, and it works for me! I also find that I can get away with shampooing my hair every alternate day instead of daily with this shampoo. It's a little drying for my fried hair though, but its nothing a good conditioner can't fix (my hair is super fried anyway). Other than that I really have no complaints about this product! :D

Have you tried this product before?

This product is provided for consideration. I am in no way affiliated with them nor do I get compensated monetarily for this post. Kindly purchase at your own discretion.

Jenn Asks: Do you follow the latest fashion trends? :)

2012-10-03T00:00:00.000+08:00

Let's take a break from all things beauty-related, and talk about fashion instead today! :)

I'm usually quite the boring dresser - I do not dress radically nor do I chase after the latest trends. In fact, I've been known to hoard clothes from, yes, wait for it... 18 years ago! :O Yes, you have my permission to shudder now! Hahaha!! XD

But recently, I found myself drawn to beautiful, flowy mullet dresses that are all the rage right now:

And let me tell you, its a struggle to walk away from them each time - my heart says "GO BUY IT", but my head is screaming "THEY'LL BE SO YESTERYEAR IN NO TIME!". There's something really feminine about these mullet dresses (especially the chiffon ones!) - oh so flowy and romantic. There's just one catch - I do not have the gams to carry them off, so my head is winning right now... until I can find a beautiful maxi one, that is! Lol!

How about you? Do you consciously or unconsciously follow fashion? And oh, do you like mullet dresses? Hehehe! :D

Product Review: NARS Blush in Dolce Vita

2012-10-02T00:00:00.000+08:00

At a Glance:
Price: US$28 / 1150 Baht
Weight: 4.8g / 0.16 Oz
Made in: Canada
Likes: GORGEOUS color, lasts the entire day!
Gripes: Not available locally, rubber casing melts after a few years.
Repurchase: Yes! :)

Ingredients:

Product Description

NA

Pigmentation & Color:

This blush is described as a "matte dusty rose" on the NARS website, which I think accurately describes this shade! :)

This color looks a little yucky and dirty in the pan, and it swatches the same way too:

However, on the cheeks it gives such a lovely flush to my NW20 complexion (stippled once unto my cheeks with the MAC 187):

Featuring this blush on my cheeks, and the Nivea Fruity Shine in Pink Guava on my lips! :)

This blush is rather pigmented though (as you can see from the finger swatch) - so it can look dirty and muddy on your face if you apply too much. I suggest using a skunk brush and the lightest hand possible - its always better to add on slowly than to apply too much at one go! :)

Texture:
This blush is really finely milled, so it glides on beautifully.

Packaging:

This blush comes in the regular rubbery NARS compact which is prone to melting and become sticky in our humid whether :( Storing it out of the sun and using a dehumidifier may prolong its lifespan, but I wish they would change the packaging altogether to something more robust.

This blush comes with a plastic covering the surface of the blush when new. There's a mirror in there too for your convenience:

This is the box it comes in:

Time Test:
This product lasts more than 10 hours on my cheeks! <3 b="b">Price & Availability:

This blush is priced at US$28 / 1150 baht, and is available at all NARS counters. Sadly, this is not available in Malaysia as of now - I bought mine from the Beauty Hall at Siam Paragon, Bangkok.

Usage:
Since this looks really natural when applied with a light hand, methinks that it can be used for all occasions! :D

My $0.02:

I have always been a peachy blush kind of girl (my husband will attest to that - he actually counted the amount of peachy blushes I have and gave me this horrified look while asking "Why do you need SO MANY of the same thing?" o.O ~~He is right you know...~~ Men... they will never understand! >.<), but nowadays I'm really trying to branch out and try using other colors! :)

I have always been wary of dirty, muddy looking colors such as this one despite reading so many good things about it. My fears were confirmed when the SA at the counter actually PILED ON this blush unto my skin! Oh the horror!! :O That sent me frantically trying to wipe off most of it using a tissue (discretely of course, didn't want to offend the SA)... and when I got most of it off, I realized that it actually looks quite nice against my skin! :D

The rest, as they say, is history! :D I have been using this blush almost exclusively since then... this is how much I like it! :D Like all NARS blushes, this is really finely milled and it is super pigmented and lasts the entire day, which I really like. However, I'm not a fan of the rubbery compact - my 5 year old NARS Orgasm is starting to melt already. Ok I know that you're not supposed to keep a blush for that long, but hey its still not rancid or anything and I'm the only one using it so Imma keep on using it! Hehehe! :D

All in all I do not regret purchasing this blush, and I'll definitely repurchase if I run out! :)

What about you? Do you own this blush? How do you find it? :D

Setember's Fabulous Finds! :D

2012-10-01T00:00:00.000+08:00

Happy Mid-Autumn everyone! :D Ok, happy BELATED Mid-Autumn, I hope you guys had a wonderful one! :D

Guess what came in the mail two days ago? :D

September's Fabulous Finds Beauty Box baybeh!!! :D :D :D :D :D

For those who don't know about this brand, Fabulous Finds is a beauty box subscription service based in Malaysia. For RM35 a month, subscribers will receive 4 - 5 deluxe samples from high end and niche brands which will be delivered by courier free of charge to their doorsteps. Customers can also opt for a yearly subscription for RM420 and receive an additional box for free :)

Are you excited to know what's in this month's box? :D

Wait for it...

Tada! Their signature silver paper and matching melon pink ribbon! :D

Open that up, and you'll be greeted with a personal note from the founder of Fabulous Finds, Hui Ling! :)

Love how my favourite quote by Coco Chanel is featured at the bottom of the note each month... a great reminder to us ladies to always be classy and fabulous! :)

Ok enough teasing! Hehehe! :D Lets look at what this month's box offers:

September's box contains the following goodies:

More information is listed on the flip side of the personal note by Hui Ling:

Along with the abovementioned goodies, the box also includes a special offer to purchase a set of EDT, travel-sized EDT and Hand Cream from Narciso Rodriguez for RM378:

There's also a Clairol Professional catalog for your perusal :D

Personally I'm most excited about trying the cosmetics from Essence! I've been hearing about this budget brand from Europe for quite sometime now and how their stuff are cheap and good (things like that are hard to come by nowadays), and am trilled to be able to test them out (I haven't came across any shops selling this brand locally)!

The eyeshadow I got is called 10 Best Friends - a pretty lavender and periwinkle blue duo! :)

The lipgloss I got is a pretty fuschia shade called Trendsetter:

Can't wait to try them out! :D :D

Overall, methinks that Fabulous Finds did yet another great job this month! This month's box is definitely value for money, and I'm actually really eager to try out everything in this month's box! :D I know I said that I'm a little hesitant to commit to a subscription in my review for last month's box, but I'm definitely starting to warm up to the idea :) Keep up the good job, Hui Ling and Team! :D

September's Fabulous Finds Beauty Box is provided for consideration. I am in no way affiliated with them nor do I get compensated monetarily for this post. Kindly subscribe at your own discretion.