Review: Sukin Cream Cleanser

I have been cautiously dabbling in organic products for the past few months as SLS-free products help reduce my after-bathing rashes (read here). Keyword being "cautious" as I have encountered some organic products with essential oils which caused rashes to bloom in spectacular patterns and sizes.

You can imagine that I approached this cream cleanser with some amount of trepidation then. I like Sukin as it's a really affordable Aussie organic brand and as a general rule, I prefer cream cleansers for double cleansing instead of oil. Oil cleansers just wreck havoc on my poor skin.

Sukin products tend to come with a citrus scent and this is no exception (sorry, Kahani. It's an orange citrus scent, not grapefruit). The product itself is a rather thick cream which spreads out quite easily over the face. It is easily removed as well with some warm water or damp cotton without leaving your skin feeling odd.

Unfortunately, it doesn't remove makeup as effectively as I hoped it would. I could still find some traces of foundation on my skin after washing the cream off and had to take extra care in washing my face with my second cleanser. On another note, it didn't seem to cause any breakouts or skin problems while I was using this (I have since finished the bottle).

Verdict? I would give this 3 out 5. Not great but not a bad product either. You could either use this in the morning on its own or doubled up with another cleanser in the evening. I am not planning to repurchase it though.

Sukin cream cleanser is pretty affordable at AUD 9.90 for 125ml but I would give this a miss unless you are planning to try organic products.

Monday's Beauty Bit: Scrub that face!

Yes, just one Bit. Seeing as I don't really have bits to share with you girls today, I thought I'd introduce you to a neat little product I've only recently found.

On a trip to Daiso last week, I was slightly heartbroken to find my (new) favourite variety of blotters gone. I don't know if they're just sold-out, or Daiso doesn't carry blotters anymore, but I sure hope they put it back on the racks. Fast.

But all the scouring around led to finding something else instead - a Face Washing Brush. Yes, you read me right.

As you can see, that thingy I'm holding is a brush for the face. And for RM5 a piece, it was cheap enough for me to entertain my curiosity. Kahani took a look at it and went, "I think I'll pass."

So how did the face brush perform?

Rather well, actually. No wait, let me rephrase that. I was MIGHTY impressed. You'll find out why a little further down.

The packaging states that the brush is made of silicone, and it's really soft enough to not irritate or hurt the skin. Although, I'm not quite sure if people with "weak skin" should be using it. Whatever THAT means. =P

(Just a little note of caution though. If you have sensitive or acne-prone skin, you might want to use scrubby very gently.)

After round 1 of cleansing my face, I gave scrubby a quick rinse, squeezed some Johnson's Top-to-Toe wash in my palm, and started lathering it up with it. After that I just started scrubbing my face in a circular motion, covering my entire face, and focusing on my nose area. I also scrubbed along my hairline and jawline, which resulted in a really clean, and well-exfoliated face. Nice.

So what's so great, you ask? Just a little additional information I think I should share with you. Sitting atop my nose, for the last few MONTHS I might add, has been this enormous black/white head which just refuses to go away no matter what I do. Facials, squeezing, Neem face mask, Kose face mask (which works great at removing the minor white heads) etc etc, NOTHING worked. This evil head had given itself permanent residence status.

But lo' and behold. By the time scrubby (who comes with bad translation) was done, the black head just popped to the surface, and squeezing it out (all 3mm of it) was easy peasy. Awesome.

I was very impressed. Aren't you??

I also love the fact that scrubby is small enough for me to bring along should I go travelling. And it works with whatever cleanser you have. I personally prefer one that lathers up to go with it.

PS: Kahani told me to give her time to get it before this post came up. Just in case she can't find any left. LOL.

Inconclusive Review: Clinique Derma White Brightening City Block SPF40++

The hardest reviews are always on the products you can't decide if you love or hate. There are so many reasons to love this sunblock / moisturiser but just one or two near-fatal flaws make me teeter on a seesaw over whether or not I'd repurchase. Let me tell you what I think and you draw your own conclusions.

Formula (Love)
This lotion is tinted a skintone shade that I believe is to cancel out the white-out look that Titanium Dioxide (the main sunblock in this lotion) can give. Although not intended as a tinted moisturiser it does help even out my skintone somewhat and I find I use slightly less foundation after using this. It is lightweight and non-greasy which my oily skin loves, but ladies with dry skin may want to use a separate moisturiser.

Effects (love)
After 2 weeks of daily use I can already see my skintone brightening and evening out. Dark marks left by big pimples were fading, I was DELIGHTED. My skin looked so pretty. Yet it didn't make me look a scary white - just brighter and more even. Precisely what I want!

Breakouts / Clogged pores (Hate)
This is where I have some problems. It doesn't break me out badly or instantly but daily use does result in clogged pores that lead to smaller breakouts. So although my skin is more even in tone it isn't better in terms of clarity. I'm considering using this on alternate days, or using it for a few days and then giving my skin a cleansing mask and a break. It's not awful enough that I want to ditch it, but for me after all these years of fighting for clear skin, I don't want to endanger it!

Price (hate)
I have a sample tube of 7ml that's lasted me the 2 weeks and still has some more in it. I do use it quite sparingly and only on my face though. The fullsize tube of 30ml is RM130 though (I think, it could be RM160 - must check) so it isn't cheap. While I would happily shell out this amount if it kept my skin beeyootifully clear, I'm ambivalent about paying for something that may, in the long run, cause my skin to breakout.

Conclusion
What do you ladies think?

Kahani & Syen's Review: L'Oreal Elseve Nutri-Gloss Light Caring Range

When I saw this version of the lovely L'Oreal "pink range" I sat up and paid attention. I love the hair mask and have used the original range but found it too heavy for my very fine straight hair. It does smell lovely and makes my hair very shiny though. So getting the same benefits but in a lighter formula sounded amazing!

So, how did it work out?

Shampoo
This really is meant for greasy hair, the shampoo cuts through grease and is almost clarifying. I haven't had the need to clarify my hair since I started using this shampoo 3 weeks ago.

I find that a little goes a long way and if I feel my hair's really greasy I just leave it in a little longer.

The shampoo is quite volumnising simply by leaving your hair light and not weighed down by silicones. However if your hair is prone to frizziness, you may like an additional smoothing serum.

Conditioner
I'm unsure how I feel towards the condi. It's very very light and does smooth my hair and make it shiny. But I feel that my dry ends could use a little more TLC.

Also because it's so light I'm tearing through it at an alarming speed. So when I have run out of condi I will try the one from the regular pink range.

Scent
Light, fruity and tangy the scent is truly lovely and one of the best points about this version. The regular range is sweeter and more perfumey in comparison. With my love of citrus I of course prefer the light version - even though it isn't exactly straightup citrus.

Conclusion
At about RM16 per 250ml I find the range pricier than my other favourite shamp and condi - Dove Anti Breakage Formula. I will wait to test the shampoo with the regular condi before concluding which I prefer, but at present I'm leaning towards making Dove my staple once again.

Syen's two-cents worth: Now that Kahani has given you quite the low-down on the shampoo and conditioner, I'll just be adding my experience on the product. I've only ever tried the shampoo from this range, so I can't quite comment on the conditioner.

About two years ago, I tried the original shampoo formulation.The shocking pink bottle had promised to keep my locks gorgeous and shiny, and I was fell for it hook, line and sinker. The shampoo did deliver soft, shiny hair after shampooing - if only for a quite a few happy hours. To my dismay, the rich formulation had proved too much for my oily scalp. I like to wash my hair at the end of the day (on alternate days), and frighteningly, my hair would be oily and limp by the next afternoon. That just simply will not do.

So, after I (finally) crawled through a bottle, I never bothered repurchasing. Until a few weeks ago, when Kahani pointed out the new Lite formula.

I've been using it rather regularly since, and I find it so much better for my hair than the old formula. One wash can now last me through all almost-two days up till the next wash with my hair still feeling rather fresh. Paired with my beloved John Frieda conditioner, or the original pink hairmask, (which I have also come to love greatly) my hair is unbelievably soft and shiny. Seriously. Awesome.

So will I be repurchasing this? At this point, I'll be waiting until I finish up the bottle first, but I have a strong feeling that I might just will.

Review: Physicians Formula Organic Wear Mascara

Okay, fine. I admit to being a hippie green chick at heart. When the Physicians Formula Organic Wear range finally launched in Australia a couple of months back, my little heart skipped a beat for joy.

Unfortunately, the prices are really high and the while the packaging and designs are really cute, the colours wouldn't show up on my skin. The only thing I would consider getting is the pressed powder and that will have to wait until I am done with the rest of my powder foundations.

What I really was lusting after though was the Organic Wear Mascara. I had read some really nice things about it and the cute packaging was irresistible. A leaf handle! How cool is that? I had to get it.

Justifications over, let's get on with the review.

The mascara formula is not waterproof so it was pretty runny when I first opened it and took ages to dry on my eyelashes. Blink too hard and you are left with black smears under your eyes. Thankfully, the formula is less runny after a week or so's use and it dries much faster now.

The Physicians Formula website claims that the mascara has a 5x Lash Boosting effect. Err.. right. It lengthens and holds a curl pretty well but 5x? Nope. I just get very pretty and natural eyelashes with no clumping. I like the effect but I could do with a leetle bit more volume.

The plastic brush is okay but not fantastic at combing out eyelashes. The mascara tends to gather up at the sides of the brush and encourage clumps so wiping lightly on a piece of tissue beforehand prevents this. The comb tips are kind of pointy so be careful. I accidentally knocked my pupil with it and was dancing with pain for a while.

Concealers and eye sunscreens usually cause some amount of smudging with my good ol' Full 'n Soft but I didn't experience that with this mascara. No smudging or flaking even at the end of a hot day. Woo hoo!

The only smudging I got was when my eyes teared up from yawning and cutting onions. Well, the first gave me slight inky marks while the latter left me with a big black smear. Both were quickly remedied with a bit of damp cotton.

One of the drawbacks to this mascara is that it has a bit of an odd smell. I don't know how to describe it but the nearest thing it reminds me of is cow dung, only in a less pungent-I-am-going-to-puke-now way. It definitely makes you do a double-take and while the smell fades off, you still get whiffs of it through the rest of the day to remind you of what you are wearing.

Rest assured, you won't be losing any friends. I got friends to sniff around me (yes, I make my friends do weird things) and they said that they couldn't smell anything.

For a product which is supposed to be earth-friendly, this mascara sure uses a lot of packaging. Check it out. One huge cardboard box and additional plastic holders to package one tube of mascara. What wastage!



Being eco-friendly sadly does not come cheap. This mascara retails for AUD 24.95. Ouchie. I got it on sale for about AUD 21 but it's still pricey for a drugstore mascara.

Review: Sunplay Skin Aqua UV Moisture Milk SPF50

While tromping around in sunny Greece, I was a good girl and made sure that me and the hubs were well protected from the harmful rays of the suns. I had brought along a new bottle of Sunplay Skin Aqua UV Moisture Milk, and after two weeks of daily use, I think it's time to jolly well review it.

I had tried Sunplay Clear Water SPF50 before, and had liked it. So when Sunplay came out with this one, I had decided to give it a whirl too.

The texture is light and milky/watery, similar to its sister product. It applies very easily and smooth, and it dries down quickly into a clear finish which is just slightly glowy. It is non-greasy, as it claims, and being water resistant, it's long-lasting.

I used this sunscreen, which boasts of SPF50 PA+++, on my face and body, and I believe it does work to a certain extent. I was certainly not as tan as I had imagined I would be. Even though we were in the hot hot sun a lot.

However, this sunscreen also boasts of being hydrating, and I think this is where it doesn't quite work for a combi/oily girl like me. The glow upon initial application soon turns into shiny. And not in a glowy-shiny way. Oily-shiny, more like.

Also, it might have been quite a few other factors, but I do believe it might have contributed to causing a few tiny bumps on my face especially around my forehead.

So there goes that. I'll keep it around to continue using it on my body, but I don't think it'll be going anywhere near my face now.

Priced at less than RM30 for a 50ml bottle, it's definitely a reasonable buy, especially if you're a drier girl. But unfortunately for me, this isn't really a keeper.

Monday's beauty bits

Much as I hate to talk up Sasa, it's selective store also carries Prestige Loving Minerals (but not the regular line) and Natio. While Natio is very reasonably priced (the eye gel Eli recommended is only RM44) Prestige is decidedly overpriced!

Maybe I'm feeling mellow toward Sasa for once because, for the first time ever, I received excellent sales service! *gasp* She hovered but at a decent distance and gave off benevolent helpful vibes instead of stalkerish, i-know-you-wanna-steal-something vibes. She was also knowledgeable and spoke good English. Must go back and get her name!


Beware of the brown Maybelline Volume Express Hypercurl Mascara - unless that is you WANT brown mascara. I didn't. But except for a small brown sticker on the base of the tube there is no warning that the mascara is anything but black. Having said that I love the formula so far!

If you have dry cuticles like I do and don't have cuticle balm or hand cream to use
, use your lipbalm. It works just as well. just be sure to clean your hands well before using and don't use tinted balm - your fingers will look gory!

Review: ~H20+ Raspberry Guava body balm

Several months ago, I bought this on a whim with Kahani, when we were introduced to several ~H20+ products. Spotting a little trial size pack of three flavours - Raspberry Guava, Tango Mango and Lemon Lust - Kahani and I decided it wasn't half bad to share a set.

Lemon Lust was hers (no arguments there), while I took home Raspberry Guava and Tango Mango.

And I think I just might have fallen in love with Raspberry Guava. How can you not, when you have men telling you "you smell delicious" when you're wearing it?

The balm itself feels light, more like a lotion than cream or balm. When applied, it disappears almost instantly into the skin, without any greasy residue. It does help with dry skin, but don't expect miracles. It's a light lotion by any standard, so if your skin has decided to go the way of the Sahara, I honestly think this would not be sufficient help.

As for its scent, if you're into sweet and fruity, then this is definitely it for you. The scent smells gloriously refreshing and I love taking a sniff at my hands after applying this balm.

And now for the good news. While replenishing my fast depleting Face Oasis moisturiser last night, I discovered that ~H20+ is having a promotion on their Raspberry Guava range. The usual price for a full-sized 240ml body balm is about RM69, but currently, a gift set, comprising the full-sized shower and bath gel, body balm, body buffer and refreshing body mist is going for RM69.90.




To me, this is truly a steal. The SA said this promo would be "while stock lasts", as they're said to be having new products and packaging for Christmas. Naturally, I snapped up a gift set.

So ladies, I'd be running if I were you. =P

Review: Liposan/Labello/Nivea Starfruits lipbalm in Pink Grapefruit

Stemming from my shameless love of Nivea Starfruits Lip Balms in Strawberry and Cherry was a longing for the version in Pink Grapefruit - not sold here. Now this is where a mutual love for makeup transcends time and space and goes cosmic.

The day BEFORE Syen read my review on the Cherry balm where I wailed my longing for the pink grapefruit version, she picked up two tubes for me in Greece. She just knew the moment she saw it that I would love it and want it. Then she logged in the next day (in Greece) and read my post. Cool, huh?

Scent
I had high hopes that the scent would be crisply pink grapefruit and am slightly disappointed that it mostly smells like Redoxen. I don't hate it, it's quite fun, but I am slightly disappointed.

Formula
Like its strawberry and cherry sisters, the balm's colour and glossy finish is what really makes it special. The warm pink is sheer, but visible and it is beautifully glossy. It works brilliantly over stains

The interesting thing is, the balm resembles in colour and scent Benefit's Coralista! I find that pairing up a blush and lippie that matches perfectly creates a uniquely beautiful look and this is no exception. Used together, Coralista and Pink Grapefruit results in a lovely fresh and natural look that glows.

Conclusion
Me likey! And will be smuggling more in when I run out. I wish Nivea would market this in M'sia.

A note about the name
For some reason, Nivea markets its lipbalms under other names Labello and Liposan in Europe. All are manufactured by Beiersdorf and the packaging and formulas appear identical.

Review: Australis Primer

This particular product was a bit of a cult hit when it first launched in Australia last year. Aussie beauty forums are still arguing about how good it actually is but whenever Australis happens to be on sale in Priceline and Target, the first product to disappear from the shelves is this primer. It takes aaaaaages for new stock to arrive.

It took me quite a while before I could lay my hands on this elusive product. Now that I have, I don’t have any problems finding it in stores. Just another one of those perverse mysteries of life, eh?

The main reasons for this primer’s hit status are it is cheap and it delivers. They just hiked up the price a few months ago but it is still pretty affordable at AUD 13.95 for 40 ml. Priceline has 20% discount sales on Australis products pretty often anyway, so it is just a matter of watching and waiting.

‘cone haters like Kahani would be pleased to know this primer doesn’t have any silicone. A quick glance at the ingredients list gives me a wave of déjà vu though as it seems pretty similar to many BB cream ingredients lists I have read before: orange water, green tea extract, aloe extract and retinyl palmitrate.

The primer is a little watery and feels cool and tingly going on. It sinks quite quickly into the skin for me so I don’t have to waste much time waiting before putting on my foundation. It is also safe to use around your eye area (I emailed the company to check) and I have never experienced any stinging or itching although the cool sensation feels a bit odd.

I use this quite frequently under my BB cream and mineral foundation and prefer it over Monistat. Monistat makes me feel as if I am wearing a heavy mask while this is nice and light. It isn’t as mattifying as I would like it to be but it keeps the oilies down to certain extent and keeps my foundation from wearing off or turning splotchy. This was during winter though and I am wondering how it will deliver now that the weather is warming up rapidly.

Verdict? Cheapie but a goody. There are probably better primers out there but if you are on a budget, this is worth a go.

Warning: Terrible experience with Lush Serendipity Blogshop

So ladies here's the reason behind my Guide to Blogshops post. I have had a very infuriating and negative experience with popular blogshop, Lush Serendipity. By all accounts it's a popular and well run blogshop, but to my surprise the owner who goes by "Grace", "Shen", and "May Jern" is dishonest, unpleasant and downright nasty. She's also terribly clueless about consumer rights.

Here's my tale of woe:


On Aug 29 I ordered a pair of black flat "satin" shoes from her site in size 37, they retail at RM35 + RM8 postage. The transaction was effortless and pleasant, but when I received my shoes a few days later, the right side was a size 36 while the left was a 37.

"No problem!" thought I. Mistakes happen and are easily rectified. I gave her mobile a buzz and she, while sounding oddly disinterested and unapologetic (she did say "sorry" I think, but her heart wasn't in it). We agreed to meet up at The Curve the next day in the late afternoon and swap my size 36 for a size 37.

That Saturday (Sep 4) I dropped her a message at 4pm reminding her of our meeting and the agreed-upon swap. No reply.

I go to the mall, and try calling her. She doesn't answer, and doesn't respond to my SMS. I call her a few more times and she never answers. I get home and leave her an email, and no reply. She stood me up.

At this point I'm not exactly angry I'm just annoyed. But you know, stuff happens and maybe she has no internet access or her phone got stolen. Who knows right?

Then she sends out an email and her site updates. Immediately I write her another email, leave a comment on her site, call her and drop her sms's. Again absolutely NO reply or contact from her. But her site updates again. Clearly, she has internet access.

I would like to point out that while I was firm and stated my annoyance with her, I was never rude and even assured her that if her reasons were good I would forgive and forget.

I got frustrated enough to email the lovely girl running A Shopaholics Den asking if she made announcements on her site because I could not get this girl to reply. She said she knew her personally and would see what she could do.

Immediately I get an sms from "Grace". "Hey babe.so sorry had probs past few dats, can we meet tmrw?"

Apology? Not enough by half. I try giving her a call but she doesn't answer so I message back, "I don't think so. I'm working and tomorrow is a full day. Email me and we can discuss this."

Grace: Then when r u able to make it?

By this point I'm very annoyed. She has not had personal troubles to a point where she can't reply my messages and emails. If you can update your blog, you can email. And the implication that I'm being difficult is just too much.

To me, all I wanted to do was get rid of the shoes, get back my money and forget all about this child who has no business running a shop. "I was able to make it over the past 3 days, I was there saturday as prearranged" I pointed out and asked her to meet me at my office (near the curve), take back her shoes and refund my money,

Grace: All sales r final.no refunds.just give me ur add n i'l mail it to u.

Me: All sales are final if you actually sell me what I wanted. I gave you a chance to make this right with no penalties and you didn't honour your end. For obvious reasons the shoes have never been worn. Just take them back and return my money.

Grace: Excuse me.who r u to give me d attitude?no way m i refunding.u just give me ur add!

ME? Attitude? And I might add that any decent blogshop owner would KNOW the add she sent my things to.

So I replied, "I am an adult in full cognizance of my rights as a consumer. You made a mistake in the order. You stood me up. you failed to make contact or apologize. You have not provided adequate reasons nor accepted responsibility as a store owner." I pointed out that if I were to take her to consumer claims she would be at fault and as I never received the goods I purchased the transaction was incomplete and thus not "final".

Grace: Give me ur add.period.

I agreed to email her my delivery address but decide to be fair and warn her that I do run blogs and will review my negative experience of her. If she does choose to do the right thing and refund my money then I will consider the issue closed and may not choose to write her up.

Grace: Dere's no need to threaten me as I'm very connected w public figures working s lawyers.so dat's de end to it. i wil post out tmw.thx

I'll admit I laughed. I pointed out (gently I thought) that technically she'd commited transaction fraud by selling me goods I did not pay for. Also I wasn't giving her a threat, I was warning her that I felt she was someone who others should be aware of. Finally I told her that if she chose to post out the shoe she was not getting the size 36 she sent me as there was no way I'd incur further postage cost or trouble on my part.

So that's the story ladies. I received my replacement size 37 on Thursday and have not heard from her since. She chose not to honour my request.

As blogshops are built on trust and consumer service I believe Lush Serendipity has failed on both counts. I think that had I not contacted A Shopaholics Den, she would simply have avoided me and never bothered to correct her error.

I would love your comments on this and if I've been unreasonable in anyway I'd like your opinions. But if you agree with me, I encourage you to repost this on your web blogs and warn your friends away from Lush Serendipity. Believe me, no one needs this kind of drama.

Monday's Beauty BIts

Hello ladies, happy Monday! This is my first Bits after a while, and I seem to be cracking my head for Bits to share with you girls. So do bear with me if seem to be a-rambling on.

For all MAC fans out there, you should be happy to note that MAC Springsheen blush is BACK! I walked into MAC yesterday, looking for Style Snob (a lovely taupe-ish shadow I've been eyeing), and walked out with definitely MORE than I had intended to buy. Anyhoo, what really caught my eye was a blush named Springsheen, which was previously said to have been discontinued. It's official, ladies. Springsheen is back. Huzzah! *cough Kahani cough*

Next stop at Watson's, I spotted a new range of many many Maybelline Watershine lipsticks (18, I believe). Boo factor, though, there are no testers at all. So if you want testers, hop over to Sasa. They don't have all the shades, but enough to give you a good idea of how the lipsticks are. I swatched them, and I'm in loooove. They're sheer but with a gorgeous sheen. And they currently sell for less than RM20 in Watson's. I waaant!

After reading The Balm's Shady Lady palette from Pretty Beautiful, I had to run over to Sasa (in Mid Val) to check it out. I hadn't intended to buy the palette, but upon swatching, I caved. The texture is gorgeous and the colours are so beautifully pigmented. For RM120, it's a real steal. However, Sasa in Mid Val only has the Shady Lady and Bahama Mama (the bronzer). But Kahani tells me that the other blushers are available in Selective Sasa in 1 Utama. So, when are we meeting up there? =P

Greek (Makeup) Spree!

And where to shop for them, of course.

When I boarded the plane to Greece, I had no inkling of what was there to buy. And not much idea of where to shop, either. All I knew was, "They have Sephora!" Which sounded good enough for me.

Initially.

But now that I've been there, and bought that, let me tell you that Greece is, in fact, quite the little haven for a makeup mad blogger. Oh what joy. =P

If you're anything like me, you'd be a mad woman who spends a significant amount of time during your travels trying to find out what you can buy in that country that you can't in your home country. Or what to buy that would be cheaper than back home.

And if you're like me, you'd really want to remember these four places I'm going to tell you about so you can go hauling mad too and spend all that hard-earned cash.


1. Sephora

As much I was looking forward to Sephora, I must say I was slightly disappointed. If you're from the US, or France, or any of those countries that carry all the brands found in Sephora (here's me glaring at you), I'd suggest you not bother with Sephora Greece. It has your usual Estee, and Dior, and it's Sephora home brand, but none of that Smashbox and Cargo, which I'd been looking forward to. I found one on Ermou St (major shopping street), right in the heart of Athens city, situated right next to H & M, which I'll talk about a little more later.

What I bought: A little bottle of vanilla scented bubble bath (yum), a Sephora blush and bronzer duo, and a small tube of John Frieda's Brilliant Brunette Shine Shock Highshine Perfecting Glosser. I must add here, that I adore the hubs. Shopping with me in Sephora (my first time there, and his 2nd or 3rd), he actually ENCOURAGED me to shop.

"What? Only three products?" asked he, in all earnestness.

"You should get more stuff, you've been drooling over Sephora for so long! Make your trip here worth it."

My my. Where is the world going to. Not that I'm complaining, of course. And I did run back there for two Sephora makeup corrector sticks.

Me, smug, with my fresh Sephora purchase on Ermou St. =P

2. H & M

Thou shalt not diss H & M. Even if the makeup section is terribly small, you never know what little gems you can find here. Located just next to Sephora, it's a store I make a quick pit-stop in before browsing through the other stores. =P Yes, I went there more than once. And based on my good experience with H & M products before, why the heck not?

What I bought: A blush, a bronzer, an eye-shadow duo and a tin of chocolate-scented lip balm. Yum.

3. Hondos Centre


Ladies, if you're still reading this, pay attention. Hondos Centre is where you'd REALLY wanna be. Think UK Boots, and Aussie Priceline, and this is like three times bigger than the drugstores I've been to in both countries. Now THAT'S saying something. Packed to the brim with products of all ranges, from YSL to Nivea, this is drugstore Mecca, ladies. You can find a Hondos Centre almost anywhere in Greece, and there's a huge one (also) on Ermou St. How convenient.






What I bought: Dove moisturisers (to stock up), bars and bars of soap of various scents, Pantene hair mask, a HUGE tub of chocolate-scented Vaseline (madness, I know), Liposan (Nivea in Malaysia) pink grapefruit lipbalms for Kahani, and a Foxy hairbrush. It took willpower not to buy even more, I tell you.


What's that you said about buying more products, honey? =P

4. Farmakeio (aka Pharmacy)

While Hondos Centre is the Boots or Priceline equivalent (or better), there's one home brand here which you should ALL look out for in a farmakeio when you come to Greece - Korres. I was first introduced to Korres in Australia. They had a blush called Peach. Not the most creative, but if you know me... it's a blush, and it's peach. But it was AU$49 (~RM140). A Korres blush is €15.50 (~RM77.50) here. Need I say more? PLUS, some farmakeios have discounts, so I paid less than €15 for a blush.

What I bought: Two blushers, one lipstick, and a set of 6 lipglosses for €19 (~RM95) duty free in Dubai's airport. Nice. And oh, one of the hotels we stayed in supplies guests with Korres products, so I'm quite Korres-happy at the moment.




So there. Your four makeup pit-stops there. Greece, anyone?

Review: Revlon Matte Lipsticks in Mauve it Over and Really Red

I know I've been reviewing a lot of Revlon stuff lately, but the sweet people who run it gave me a stash to try out. I was going to review these lippies as part of their entire Matte collection but girls they're so stand-out good they deserve a post of their own!

While the rest of the collection is great these two lipsticks are really something special. Reasonably priced, light and creamy feeling they nevertheless impart a matte finish which, to my surprise I like! The matte finish isn't dry or caked, it has the same natural sheen bare lips with a hint of non-glossy lip balm has. For different reasons the finish flatters differently with each colour.


The shades
I received two shades to try, and may I add they appear to be the nicest two shades out of the four available?

Mauve it over is actually a very neutral shade with enough peachy pink tones to not wash me out. Perfect for day, the matte finish gives is a natural and surprisigingly natural look. These are lips that don't scream for attention, but are pretty polished and professional. While today's beauty world is all about va-va-voom lips there are days when you just want to pull the whole look together without having any one feature stand out by being glossy, shimmery, and pouty.

Really Red is... REALLY RED. Pure va-va-voom. Think Roger Rabbit's girlfriend, Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich and Edith Piaf. This neutral classic red imparts old-time hollywood glamour (that ties in perfectly with my recent love for vintage) with its matte finish. But there's nothing old or dowdy about it's look. There is something about the matte look that makes it even more edgy, not less. This lipstick is vixen come out to play. Slick this on and turn heads all night.

Wear
Although both lipsticks are comfortable and non-drying to wear they do require some prepping ahead of time. While the creamy formula provides some cushioning, filling in lines and giving lips a smoother surface, it can't fully hide flaws the way a gloss or a more shimmery light reflecting lipstick can. So exfoliate lips and slick on some balm, allow it to sink in a little then apply the lipstick.

Mauve it over can be easily applied straight from the tube but for optimal smooth, precise and even coverage, Really Red, like most red lippies require work. Not that much work though. Thanks to its matte formula I find the lipstick can be applied without a liner and it doesn't travel. However I don't have fine lines around the mouth so I can't testify to whether it will stay put on more mature ladies.

The best way to apply Really Red is to apply directly from the tube staying well within the lipline. Then using a lipbrush blend it outwards for a more precise application. Applying directly from the tube makes it hard to be precise. But the brush doesn't pick up this lipstick very well. This way gets the best of both worlds.

Conclusion
If there's one item in the range you must try, this is it. At about RM33 each they won't break the bank and you'll get a quality lippie in a finish you probably haven't got. And of course I recommend Really Red as it's truly special.

Riding the Wave: Keeping Curls in Place

Quick pop quiz: What is the similarity between these 3 products?

A) Sunsilk Curl Booster
B) FOTE Aloe Vera Gel
C) KY Jelly

Hint: The answer is not "They all come in squeeze tubes".

They are all used to define curls!

Yes, I know. KY JELLY. I had a wtf face when I first saw it on a list of CG-friendly styling products. But remember how I kept yammering ON about using water-based and silicone-free products? KY jelly is water-based and silicone-free so it washes right out of your hair, making it perfect for the job. Though I have no idea who was the person who read the ingredients list and thought, "Hmm... this would be good for styling my hair." Probably a descendant of the person who thought of milking cows.

I still wrapping my head around the idea of using KY jelly so the only products I have used for defining my curls are the Sunsilk Balm and the FOTE Aloe Vera gel. Both work pretty well but the results aren't consistent. Boo.

The Sunsilk Balm has a mind of its own. Some days, it makes me look lovely and defined. Other days, it leaves my hair feeling crunchy and encourages my frizz to misbehave. And, I really have to be careful of how much I use. Too much and my curls feel crunchy.

FOTE Aloe Vera Gel is better as it leaves me with soft, touchable curls. BUT I can only use it with sopping wet hair and when the air isn't too dry. Aloe vera is a humecant so it works by drawing in moisture and keeping it in your hair. When the air is dry and it can't absorb any moisture, it takes it out of your hair and takes you looking poodle like. *sigh*

I am thinking of trying a combo of Sunsilk and FOTE next week but I not sure how to layer the products on top of each other. Maybe I should get KY jelly next week...

CG Week 4 Update
Confession here: I fell off the CG boat because of university work and used dry shampoo a couple of times. Let's just say that my hair has returned to poodle like status and its going to take me another month to whip it back into shape. Oh dear.

Conclusion? Once you go CG, you have to stick to a routine. My hair loves it though so the effort is worth it. I don't think I'll be looking back.

Now, what should I do with that can of dry shampoo?

My Big Fat Greek Honeymoon!

As much as I really reeeeally wanted to show you girls the events in sequence (ie. wedding first, honeymoon second), I find I'm unable to do so as my official wedding photos is STILL a work-in-progress.

(The photographer promised it within this week. Sigh. But he does good work, so I'll be patient.)

Anyhoo, while we're all waiting for my wedding photos, I'll give you a whirlwind summary (with piccies) of my Greek honeymoon.

(Note: Picture heavy post)

The hubs and I flew in to Athens, and then we took a big ferry to Mykonos Island, and from there took a speedboat to Santorini Island. The weather was generally HOT (about 34 degrees), but thankfully it drops at night on the islands (to 18 degrees? less?), which I really liked. For anyone who's thinking of whether or not to visit Greece, it's definitely a great place for a relaxing holiday. Think sipping coffee by a roadside cafe and lots of sunset watching. If you're into super-shopping holidays, then give Greece a pass.

So, enjoy the piccies!

First stop- Athens

One can.not. visit Athens without going to the Parthenon.

We strolled down the streets in Monastiraki where there were plenty of restaurants and souvenir shops.

The Greeks have a thing for shoes. Seriously. About five out of 10 shops are shoe shops. I saw one in here which I liked, and it cost €65. Back on the rack it went!

A view of the Parthenon and the sprawling city of Athens from Lycabettus Hill at sunset. It was beautiful. Too bad I didn't have a DSLR camera with me. Boo.

Next stop- Mykonos: Party town!!!

Me posing somewhere near the hotel at Aghios Ioannis on Mykonos Island.

A street in Mykonos town. A very pretty and quaint place.



Taken from Little Venice in Mykonos town. People having a cuppa (or a moussaka) while the waves crash in, with a view of the windmills.

Final stop - Santorini Island: Land of the Caldera

A church with white-washed walls and blue domes, the typical architecture of the Cyclades islands.



Views of the caldera from Fira and Oia in Santorini. Just breathtaking. The water and sky are both just so blue!

The hubs and I on our sunset tour on a sailboat. With a view of the sunset as in the first photo. Lovely.

Next post - where to shop for makeup in Greece and honeymoon hauls! So stay tuned! =D

Monday's Beauty Bits

A standalone Benefit counter is about to be opened in New Wing 1 Utama. When? I don't know. While I don't recommend buying products locally (order online!) it's still fun to have a counter handy to test products out, and I'm sure they'll run promos when the new counter is launched.

There's a show called "Stripped" that screens Sundays on E! and it goes behind the scenes for products. Two things I learnt are:

Cetaphil is pronounced see-tuh-fil not seh-tah-fil.

Girls who work at Clinique say they use DDML as a leave-in condi for hair. Anyone tried this?


Spotted at Sasa selective (2nd floor, new wing 1U) is gorgeous makeup range The Balm. PrettyB spotted their lovely eyeshadow palette, Shady Lady (RM120) and prices are quite reasonable with blushes for RM65 and concealers for RM55. No pics though. The geniuses who run sasa won't allow pics so no advertising for them. Morons. It's a shame when a store selling great products shoots itself in the foot by having terrifying salesgirls and idiotic management.

Review: Revlon Nailpolish in Opulent Pink

Dare I say it? I think I've finally found my HG pink shade for my nails! Meet a new shade from Revlon - 904 Opulent Pink. A lovely neutral pink infused with fine shimmer, it's bright enough and warm enough not to make my fingers look corpse-like and not so brilliant that my colleagues get distracted by the shiny pinkness.

Since testing this shade out I've gotten countless compliments on my nails and who doesn't love compliments?

Formula
One coat lays down an almost opaque layer. However there is a fault with this nailpolish - it can be streaky. So two thin layers, replacing the cap and shaking well every now and then, definitely helps

Oddly enough I find it doesn't apply well over a base coat at all. Then it gets REALLY streaky. It performs much better on bare nails - so it's a good thing it doesn't stain.

While not promising to be quick-dry it really doesn't take too long. I have no trouble finishing my nails complete with a top coat in the 40 mins it takes to watch an episode of Leverage.

Wear and tear
With a top coat this polish lasts a week easily with little wear on the tips of my nails. Oddly enough I do find it peels near the cuticle first before it chips at the tips. I do prefer to top up with another layer of top coat mid-week to preserve that shiny finish though.

Conclusion
Despite it's slightly streaky formula (it really isn't bad) I do believe I've found a winner here at RM19.90. I hope they never stop making this lovely shade.

Edit 03/09/09: Sorry ladies forgot to add two things. One, I got this bottle free to review, and two, at 14.7 ml I think it contains more nailpolish than most. Whether it's a good thing depends on how long it lasts before it dries out.