Monday's Beauty Bits: Round the beauty blogosphere

It's that time of the month again when we trawl around the realm of beauty blogs and pick out our favourites:

RedLusciousLips:- No one makes me crave lipsticks the way this evil woman can. Just look at her sporting that RM95 lippy. Boo, cravings...
MyWomenStuff:- Maybe I can compensate with this more affordable lippy by Revlon that ParisB has managed to make me crave as well!
LipGlossEater:- I'd managed to convince myself that I didn't need the Neutrogena Wave, until Jenn reviewed it. Oh dear.
SkinDeco:- I gotta hand the trophy of creativity to Connie. She created this look from Twitter suggestions of all things. And as usual, she looks gorgeous.
PrettyBeautiful:- If you ever decide to do your wedding photoshoot in Korea like she did (or you can travel to Seoul, sans weddding) this skincare shopping article may come in handy!

Review: My Lip Stuff Lip Balm in Pink Lemonade, Pink Grapefruit and Raspberry Lemonade

Yeah, yeah, I know you saw the flavours and rolled your eyes (note: the image is a stock photo). What else would I choose? :P I ordered these balms sometime back from the US site, but held off reviewing it till now because, to be honest, they fell into the "meh" category for me. So why review them now? Because they're available in Malaysia for RM12 each via this blogshop.

My Lip Stuff is an immensely popular brand of vegan lipbalm. Thst they were "meh" for me was largely the fault of the flavours, not the formula. I delayed the review because I wanted to see if I could land a flavour I really liked and give the balms a fair chance but ordering from the US was annoying. The first batch got lost but customer service was awesome and they immediately sent a replacement. Still, it's not exactly conducive to "just keep trying". now it's available here I'm about to give it another go!

Formula
If you're not used to vegan, organic lip balms the formula may come as a shock to you. As it has no wax, it goes on almost like a clear oil. It also melts really easily, so do NOT leave these in the car!

Once you get the hang of it, these make great day balms because they last surprisingly long and are craaaazy glossy. If you prefer matte lips this isn't for you since even under lipstick the gloss shines through!

I'm not sure how moisturising the formula is but I find it keeps my lips comfy even though it doesn't have the waxy feel we're so used to. All three tubes also taste faintly sweet along with a hint of the flavour on the tube.

Pink Lemonade
While I don't mind this flavour, it's rather disappointing. While it does smell of sweet lemons there's an undertone of plastic that makes it faintly unpleasant. I'll use it up but not repurchase.

Pink Grapefruit
This one was BAD. It was so rank I had to toss it as I simply could not use it. It smelt and tasted like crazy concentrated, rancid, redoxen. Think Nivea Pink Grapefruit at 20x the scent cocentration with bitter undertones. Eugh!

Raspberry Lemonade
At first whiff I loved this! I could smell the raspberry and the lemonade! But then the plastic came through and for some reason, the faint taste of cough mixture. Argh. Again I cn tolerate it and will use it up, but won't repurchase.

Conclusion
The lady who runs the blogshop is going to send me her fave flavour - a mix of citrus flavours called Cat Pee. Yep, Cat Pee - complete with appalling image. I haven't given up on this lip balm and who knows, I may just LOVE cat pee!

Wonder Product: Cetaphil for the Face, Body and... Hair?

My hair has been going through a rough patch lately. I took it off the no-poo, conditioner-wash routine as there are no affordable 'cone-free hair products on the Malaysian market (would you believe that the L'oreal Elvive and Elseve lines use different ingredients?) and all that chlorine from the swimming pool is drying out my hair dreadfully. On top of that, the humidity here is making my curls look limp and lifeless. My hair can't decide if it wants to look like a poof ball or a piece of wilted veggie.

If I didn't know better, I would say that my hair is sulking and throwing a fit at me.

It was desperation which made me reach out for Cetaphil instead of shampoo yesterday. My roots have been pretty oily lately and while Johnson's head to toe shampoo does a decent job, it does leave my poor scalp feeling itchy. If Cetaphil was gentle for the whole body, I figured it would be gentle enough on my poor scalp and hair.

I used a couple of squirts and made sure that my roots were mostly covered with Cetaphil before I started gently working into my scalp and out towards the ends. Then I left it on my head for a while before rinsing it out and letting it air-dry as usual.

Voila! Soft, managable hair with enough volume. Better yet, my waves were back and all I had to do was some finger twirling to make it perfect.

There is a wee bit of roughness but that's probably because I didn't use any conditioner. I have a feeling that I will have to use less conditioner than usual to make my hair silkier.

I know that Cetaphil is a bit pricey for shampoo but since it takes me over 6 months to finish a bottle, I figured that a bottle of Cetaphil would now last me over 3 months for my face and hair. RM35+ isn't too high a price to pay for nice hair and less clutter in my bathroom. =P

Cetaphil. Good for the skin and great hair days. It has been a while since my hair looked this pretty.

Review: Johnson's Body Care Melt Away Stress Daily Calming Lotion

With a name like "melt away stress" this lotion is an irressistable purchase on a bad day if only in wistful hope that it will work.scented with chamomile and lavender it's still a Johnson's baby scent. Faintly powdery, clean and sweet smelling. So, does it work?

It could be pure marketing, but I think it does! I initially kept it on my desk as a hand and multipurpose lotion but found it was so relaxing it popped me into a happy coma. So I swapped it for the pink version of the lotion, which is lighter and fresher in scent and texture. (It's awsome btw, consider this a mini review. :P )

While Melt Away Stress is sweet and warm scented and sports a heavier formula, I found it useable even in the recent crazy hot weather we've been having as it's not too heavy nor too cloying. When used before bed my skin is smooth and moisturised the next day without stickiness.

For RM4.99 per 100ml bottle there's really no reason why you shouldn't give at least one of Johnson's latest range of body lotions a try.

What's Your Number: Face Masks

Hello lovelies,

Since I had previously already asked you to count your blushers, lippies and body lotions, today we're gonna do the math on face masks.

Unlike my previous posts where my numbers might have caused a few of you to go into semi cardiac-arrest, today's post, I am quite sure, will do no such thing. I only have 10 kinds of face masks, and most of them are of the affordable drugstore variety.

So read on for the breakdown!

1. Bayer Aspirin - aspirin mask
2. Himalaya Herbals Neem Face Pack
3. St Ives Timeless Skin Mineral Clay Firming Mask
4. Kose Seikisho Mask White (peel off mask)
5. Neutrogena Deep Hydrating Mask
6. ~H20+ Face Oasis - Yes, it's a moisturiser. But slap it on a little thicker to make it a hydrating mask too!
7. Parrs Thermal Mud Warm Face Pack - a gift from my dear cousin in NZ.
8. Yes to Carrots Exfoliating and Soothing Mud Mask
9. LUSH Mask of Magnaminty
10. Himalaya Herbals Purifying Mud Mask (not photographed)

It would seem that I've got quite a few I haven't gotten down to reviewing. So anyway, what's YOUR number?

Wet your sponge woman! And why I love Revlon Colorstay

I actually had another post scheduled for today. But a combination of insane work load and a niggling flu has left me bereft of the ability to review anything coherently. So I've bumped the review to next week and will instead share with you a revelation I've recently had.

WET YOUR SPONGE, WOMAN!

ParisB's new method of applying liquid foundie is probably awesome for all things but very thick makeup like Revlon Colorstay and cream, pancake makeup. For all those things, watch the following vid:



Convinced? Now move on for a confirmation of why I absolutely adore Revlon Colorstay for my acne-ridden skin. And now I've discovered the joys of the wet sponge, I love it EVEN MORE. L

I'll be honest with you girls. I do damned near everything she does. I don't bother with the tiny brush or additional concealer unless it's a very special occassion and I use ZA 2-Way Foundation instead of mineral foundation these days (for convenience sake). But otherwise, it's scarily similar. And it works! Thank god for this foundation, Revlon please don't improve it out of existence!

Sunscreen Series: Ego Sunsense Daily Face SPF30+ Invisible Tint Finish

My aunt swears by this stuff. She works under the hot sun in the paddy fields and each time sun spots start forming on her face, she immediately reaches out for this sunscreen. The brown spots are gone within a few days and last time I saw my aunt, her skin was still pretty good.

Keeping her recommendation in mind, I picked this up just before I left Australia.

Let me get straight to the point. I am not in love with this sunscreen. It simply doesn't work for me despite my trying it out off and on for the past few months.

This sunscreen is a bit on the thick side and takes a while to work into the skin. As indicated, the formula is tinted a light brown which would show up on most fair people but doesn't have any effect on my NC32-ish skin. If you are around an NC30, forget about using this as a light foundation alternative.

Ego Sunsense, let me count the ways I hate thee... Hmm, where do I start?

Right, I have no problems with the thick formula but I do dislike the sticky, shiny effect it leaves behind. So much for an invisible matt finish. *huffs* Plus, the sunscreen doesn't adhere well to the skin. It tends to ball up on my skin after a few hours. I have tried using the sunscreen on my bare skin (not moisturiser, serum or toner) to see if it was a product layering problem but I got the result each time.

To top it all off, my pores get terribly clogged each time I use this. I get clusters of white heads, blackheads and pimples which take ages to clear.

Mum was quite surprised by my violent dislike for this sunscreen as she has been using it as well and doesn't have any problems. No clogged skin or shiny problems.

It is a pity that this particular sunscreen doesn't work for me as it provides pretty broad spectrum protection.

The active ingredients are:
1. Butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane/ Avobenzone: Long wave UVA protection
2. Octyl triazone: UVB protection
3. Oxybenzone: Short wave UVA
4. Titanium dioxide: UVB and short wave UVA protection

For the life of me, I can't remember how much this sunscreen cost but it was probably around AUD 20. For a while, I only saw this in Sabah pharmacies but it seems that pharmacies in KL are finally beginning to carry this sunscreen as well.

Has anyone used this and loved it?

Come to Mama: My UK Wishlist ~

By the time you ladies get around to reading this, I'm happy to report that I'm already tromping around in ye 'olde England (and Scotland too)!

As it's my second trip there, I'm well prepared to make a beeline for skincare/haircare/makeup haven - Boots (and a place or two else)! And to show you just how serious I am, here's my wishlist!

FROM BOOTS:

John Frieda
1. Brilliant Brunette Illuminating Conditioner - John Frieda makes my all-time fave condi, so I'm really tempted to try this one out.

Vaseline
1. Stratys-3 Mineral Renewal body moisturiser - I hope I'll finally be able to get my grubby paws on this!
2. Rosy Lips

Prestige
1. Eyeshadows - these are awesome, and I hope to check them out again.

Cargo
1. Suede Blush in Sunshine Coast or Montebello (or both? I can't seem to get enough of Cargo blushers!)

Front Cover
1. Rainbow Eyes - I saw this somewhere, and it looks mighty tempting. They call it an eyeshadow encyclopedia!

FROM SpaceNK:

Frederic Fekkai
1. Olive Glossing Cream - my absolute HG hair product for shiny, shiny hair! It's time to stock up.

FROM LUSH:

1. Sweet Lips
2. Honey I Washed the Kids
3. Vanilla in the Midst Soap - Vanilla. Enough said.
4. Creamed Almond & Coconut Smoothie - this sounds terribly me!

While I'm at it, I might as well add that it's possible I'll be hauling whatever else strikes my fancy which doesn't leave me broke.

*Muahaha*

Monday's Beauty Bits

Here's a crazy tip Connie from SkinDeco fed me today at PrettyB's wedding lunch: KY Jelly is a great moisturiser for oily, pimple-prone skin. Some googling (to make sure she isn't pulling my leg) turns up this thread in a forum. Lord help me I'm tempted. I don't suppose any of you have tried this yet and do you think I should?

Another less unusual and very old fashioned treatment I came across online recently is lemon juice to help with oily, acne prone skin. It also lightens pigmentation. I was surprised at the high ratings on makeup alley. Easily available and I love the scent. I think I'll give this a try! My skin is an awful place right now and I honestly think it can't hurt. I think.

Does anyone know where I can buy a hair sock bun? I'm dying to try this hairstyle out. I know you can make one out of rolled up stockings but I'm honestly not that keen! I'd like to try the real thing out first before I give substitutes a go.


Looking to buy Urban Decay products in deprived Malaysia? I believe Yaya's blogshop does occasional UD hauls. The latest one is just over but check it out and see if you think it's worth a try. I merely came across the shop on A Shopaholics Den and haven't tried it out so I can't recommend it personally.

Review: Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense with SPF 50PA+++

From the start I had mixed feelings about this sunscreen. Hope that it would finally be THE ONE - the high SPF sunscreen I could use without breaking out. But also dread that I would have to fork out RM140 for 30ml to replace it

Alas it seems that this sunscreen was not to be the one. It seemed like it at first though. It was light (when a wee bit is used), fragranceless and hydrating enough that I could skip using my usual Clinique DDMG.

I used a tiny smidgen without moisturiser on my chin for three days and no breakouts or excessive oiliness. So I started using it all over my face.

After two weeks though whiteheads started appearing. I stopped using the sunscreen for two days and with exfoliation they went away. I started again, and they came back.

Now, usually you don't get away with using a whitehead-causing product for 2 weeks with impunity and I'm no exception. Even though I've stopped using it for a week now, cystic acne has started surfacing as my skin purges. I haven't tried any new skincare or foundation product in all this time, so I'm afraid I have only this sunscreen to blame.

Now, bear in mind that my skin hates so many things that it really is breakout prone and hypersensitive. I also have never been able to use any of the sunscreens others swear by. So it seems I'm doomed to be old and wrinkly. *wails*

So for a more thorough perspective, please check out reviews by ParisB and Connie.

Obviously I won't be repurchasing and I may end up passing this on. Although I am tempted to keep it handy for single-day use when I know I'll be out in the sun a lot and a breakout is better than long-term skin damage. It's an awful choice to make though, isn't it?

My Take on Maybelline Colour Sensational Moisture Extreme Lipcolour

When Kahani buzzed told us that Maybelline was sending us lipsticks from their Colour Sensational Moisture Extreme range, I wasn't too thrilled. I had a Maybelline lippie in the old Moisture Extreme formula and hated it. The lipstick went on unevenly and left my lips feeling cracked and dry.

Happily, the new formula is a vast improvement on the old one. The colour is rich, the lippie goes on smoothly and while it isn't as moisturising (easily dealt with some lipbalm underneath) or as long-lasting as I would like it to be , it isn't half bad. Maybelline has a winner with this range.

Read on for swatches of the two lippies I got!

Buff is the swatch on top while Coral Pink is below. I got that much colour with one swipe, by the way.

Buff fell to my share to review. At first glance (or swatch), the colour seemed great for my skin tone. Once I applied it at home though, I realised that the colour was too dark and brown for me. Not a usable shade since I don't have a Lipstick Anger Index like big sister (more on that one day). I did fall in love with the formula though and ended up buying Coral Pink for every day use.

Although Coral Pink seems to be on the coral pink side in the swatch (look, there's no other way to describe the colour), it comes off as having a slightly mauve tint on my lips. A very interesting colour which I find great for pairing with some bronzer and mauve eyeshadow. I had to slap my cousins' hands away from my tube of Coral Pink once I was done applying it.

Now, I tried taking pictures of myself wearing both lippies but it looked as if I was wearing the same lippie in all the pictures. *shakes head* Maybe it's the morning sun in my room or I need to wake up an hour earlier to catch the right light. I'll taking another picture this week and will update this post if the pictures come out great.

I wish that the Colour Sensational range had more nude shades for my skin tone. All of the shades under the Elegant Nudes group are way too brown for me.

Otherwise, not too bad for RM24.90, don't you think?

Dove Go Fresh Spray On Deodorant in Grapefruit & Lemongrass

While not quite the unmitigated disaster that the roll-on version was, this failed to impress and I won't be repurchasing. However, I've never been a fan of spray-ons so if you are maybe you'll like this as online reviews in general are quite positive.

The Good
It does smell nice, not as tangy or grapefruity as I'd like but still quite fresh, the scent lasts all day but isn't so strong that it'll get on your nerves. It is strong enough to interfere with your perfume though so pair it with bright citrus scents.

Once it dries down it keeps your underarms dry and fresh giving out only slightly on a visit to the gym.

The Bad
The bit that annoys me most is that it doesn't spray evenly or invisibly. Sometimes it goes on so thickly, even when held at a distance, that it cakes up in a thick white layer that flakes off! Argh!

Also, like most spray ons it takes awhile to dry down which is always annoying.

Finally, it seems that Rexona Skin Lightening dry stick deodorant really does lighten! When I switched to this my left underarm developed a slight discolouration. Like patchy freckles. I immediately switched back to Rexona and in a week the discolouration is barely noticeable. I have no idea what caused it but at least there's a cure!

Conclusion
Grapefruit or no grapefruit I won't be repurchasing. BUT if they bring in the drystick version, at the same pricepoint of about RM12, I'll probably cave and buy it!

Monday's Beauty Bit: Dermaveen

Hello lovelies!

Lookie what I found here when I went back me hometown last week?

(By hometown I mean the housing area in Kuala Lumpur which I was brought up in. I've lived in KL all my life. Just in a different suburb now.)


Anyway, at this place called Farmasi Maluri, I spotted an item I've never seen before - Dermaveen.

A Soap Free Wash pH5.5, it claims to relieve dry, itchy or sensitive skin and apparently contains natural collodial oatmeal. It also claims to be lanolin, paraben, dye and fragrance free.

A little Cetaphil sounding, if you ask me. Anyway, I'll use it for a while more, then come back with a full report.

Have any of you seen this anywhere?

Lazy Friday + A Lipstick Review... Sorta

Right. It's Friday.

About darn time, if you ask me! *winks*

So since my post earlier this week was so horrendously long, I'll go the other direction and keep this one short and sweet.

Since Kahani's already talked about how much she loved her two Maybelline Colour Sensational Moisture Extreme lipsticks (Lordy, what a mouthful), I'll just add my two cents' worth to the one I picked from the lot - Pink Bloom.

If you've read Kahani's review, you'll know most of the details about this lippie already. When I was handed the four (Pink Bloom, Buff, Summer Sunset and Papaya Milk) to pick from, I picked this up right away.


And then put it back down without even swatching.

"Waaay too pink," said I, just by looking at it in the tube.


And ended up picking it up again. After swatching all, I found I liked this best, as it was a little different from the rest which were VERY pigmented. This one was sheerer and glossier. My kind of lipstick.

When worn, it's sheer enough so my lips don't scream PINK, but it adds a little colour to my lips, which can sometimes be really pale. At a glance, it seems pretty neutral, but at closer inspection, you'll notice it leans towards the cooler end of pinks. Just a tad.


And I likes it very, very much.

That's it. That's my review.

Now, just to tell you ladies a little something extra. I gone done something with my hair! Nothing serious. I ended up just trimming my hair, and did mild copper highlights (which is a wee bit more natural that I thought it would be, but it's okay). Because I'm safe and boring like that.


So you get a better look at what it looks like. What d'ya think?

Latest indulgence: Crabtree & Evelyn Citron Honey & Coriander Hand Therapy Collection

I have my first tube of C&E handcream thanks to an incredibly generous and dear friend who gave me an RM50 coupon for C&E -specifically to buy this hand cream because she knows I'm batty about handcreams and citrus cents. Normally I can't bring myself to blow so much dough on a hand cream but after using this for two weeks I don't know how I'll ever give it up!

C&E handcreams are famous for a reason. They're thick, a little goes a long way, your hands are beautifully moisturised BUT the cream sinks in fast and does not leave your hands feeling greasy. What more could you ask for?

While using this hand cream just once or twice a day and every night (I keep it by my bedside) all my nasty hangnails have gone away. My cuticles now look healthy and normal and I haven't even had to use my Burts Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream very much. Mostly I use it when I'm bored and because I adore the scent. =P

And ah yes the scent. If you love citrus scents, this hand cream is gorgeous. No it does NOT smell like detergent. It's a cleaner greener citrus scent with a hint of spices that makes it yummy, refreshing and very sophisticated. If this were a perfume I'd be spritzing it all over me.

RM73 gets you 100g and RM46 gets you 50g. While I would like the more portable size, the Chinese Hokkien streak in me did the math and you definitely get more bang for your buck if you go for the 100g tube. I really hope this scent is permanent, I'm not sure if I can do without it!

Lessons from My Mother

Today's post is not completely beauty related.

Mother's Day is around the corner and while I was initially toying with the idea of asking Mum to review one of her favourite products or drawing up a list of nice things to get for your Mum, I realised that it wouldn't really ring true seeing how my own mother is the last person who would approve of me buying stuff for her or of enabling others to buy stuff.

"Why bother?" My Cancerian mother will automatically ask.

Note: Cancerians are noted for being homebodies, practical and have a habit of feeding (nearly) anything which moves.

So this is my gift to my mother. A tribute of the most important things she has taught (or tried to teach) me over the years.

1. Have a GTH account.
Chances are, you would have never heard of this at any bank because this particular account doesn't exist outside of our family lexicon. My mother advocates having, what she calls, a "Go To H*ll" (GTH) account.

"A what?" you squawk with an incredulous face.

The idea is to open a basic savings account at a bank you are never going to use and then deposit a sum of money in the account every month. It can be a set percentage of your income or a predetermined sum of money, it doesn't matter. All that matters is that you put in some money every month and NOT TOUCH IT (hence the GTH prefix). This is different from your normal savings which you can dip into when you are short on money. This money is for your old age and when some dire situation arises e.g. you are close to dying and need a life-giving operation, or your house burns down and the banks refuse to give you a loan for a new house down payment.

You get the gist.

2. Invest in Good Things
My mother often laments my and big sister's expensive taste. We point out that it is her fault for instilling us with values which put quality, instead of quantity, first.

Always go for good food i.e. food that is fresh and nutritious. It's okay to pay a bit more for health.

It's nice to have a wide variety of clothes but if they don't last, you might as well save up to buy something really nice. When you buy clothes, look at the cut, drape and material. If the cloth creases easily, forget it. Does the cloth fall and drape the right way? Is it of the right heaviness? Is that skirt cut to sit properly on your waist?

Always invest in good shoes and bags. Good shoe leather takes you a long way and takes care of your feet and back. At the same time, a great bag can last you a lifetime. The same goes for furniture.

(That said, she enjoys using the cheap NYX lippie I bought for her just as much as her favourite Chanel lipstick.)

3. Don't Touch Your Face Too Much
Need I say more? Mum used to nag me all the time for popping my pimples (Nexcare, where were you during my teenage years?) and 10 years later, I have to bow my head and shamefacedly admit it:

"Yes, Mum, you were right."

4. Be Good
By "good", I mean the whole package. Be honest, don't be malicious and be guided by your conscience. If you are sure that what you are doing is right, stick to your guns. If you really have to, it's okay to compromise a little as long as you aren't doing anything criminal. As long as you can meet your mother's eyes at the end of the day and honestly say that everything is alright, thing usually turn out for the best.

Or as my late grandfather (Mum's father) used to say: Go ahead and do anything you wish just as long as it isn't something which will embarass the family name.

5. Count Your Blessings and have Faith in the Future
Be grateful for everything you have now, even when things don't seem to be going well. Everything really does work out for the best. My parents went through a lot of setbacks over the years but somehow, things fell into place.

Happy Mother's Day this Sunday to all So Loverly readers and their mothers! Mum and I are planning to spend the morning at our favourite street market

What will you and your mother be doing? ;)

My Favourite Things: Clarins Facials

This review has been a long time coming. And it's made it all the way into my list of Favourite Things.

The first time I ever started going for facials was only just last year, about three months prior to my wedding. Sad, but true. I've never been for a facial before that.

After considering several options, I decided to give Clarins' a try. And boy, am I in love!

A little note here before we continue that this won't be a detailed post about the facials I've gone for, but my experience in general and the results, which have been fantastic.

So like I said, I only started going for facials about three months prior to my wedding last August, so you can imagine it would have been one heck of a marathon to get my skin in top form, and it was. Of course, I'm not complaining about the fortnightly facial pleasures I had back then.

The options

Unlike most saloons where you decide what skin problem you want to tackle (ie. acne/ hydration/ freckles etc), then sign up for a facial package, Clarins kind of goes the other way around. You can either pick a one-off facial session, or sign up for a package.

Then every time you go for a session, the uhh... facialist, will help you choose what treatment you need most urgently, depending on your skin condition at the present time. Of course, however, me being me, I sometimes override her suggestions anyway and just go for what I want. And she usually obliges. Because she's nice like that. (More on my facialist later.)

My favourite, by far, is Truly Matte from Mogok. Having oily skin, this works great as a deep cleansing treatment, and tackles the problem of having oily and pimple-prone skin.

The only other one I've tried is Whitening from the Alps, which I used to help brighten up my skintone, on that last visit before the big day.

Can't say much about the rest here, although you can read what Kahani has to say about Hydration from Madagascar here.

The experience


What I really love about these facials is the fact that their treatment focus is on the hands. There are no fancy or elaborate machines. Everything the facialist does, she uses her hands, which really feels incredibly soft. The cleansing milk, cleanser, scrub, mask, serum etc. goes on, gets massaged in, wiped off, repeat. Pretty much along those lines.

What I also like is that they're not big on extraction, which I sometimes feel can do more harm than good to one's face.

The facial also comes with a shoulder, hands and head massage - which seems like a pretty good deal to me. At the end of the session, I feel incredibly relaxed, and my skin feels uber happy.

Here I'd like to add a little note. I've pretty much had all my facials done by the same girl - Corinne (Midvalley Metrojaya counter) and she's been very lovely. She's very professional and after so many sessions, she seems more of a friend already. This is not an endorsement, but more of a personal recommendation based on my own experience.

The results

After three months, my skin was at its all-time best. It was clear, it was glowy, it was pretty much problem free. I was incredibly happy. I think the photos below will be able to say enough.

Photo taken in Dec 2008 - before this and before facials. I've selected both photos with makeup, because my skin condition is evident even with makeup on. And my makeup application is generally light. Just powder foundation and blush for a base.

Photo taken Oct 2009 - after facials. Makeup would generally only be powder foundation, blush and lipbalm/lipstick.

Cost


Of course, good things in life never come cheap. But you can try to save some cash even while you're having a good time. Clarins has two set of prices - their counter prices and their boutique prices. For example: Counters charge RM148 for a 45min session for Truly Matte, while their boutiques charge RM208 (I believe) for 60mins of the same treatment.

I've never tried the boutique but I'm perfectly happy with the ones the counters have been providing. Also ask the beauty therapist if they are having any promotions/packages to help you further save. Clarins is currently having a buy-4-facials-free-4-eye treatment package, which I exchanged for a buy-4-free-1 facial package. That cost me RM592, which averages out to be about RM118 per session. Not cheap still, but worth it, in my opinion.

Conclusion

So anyway. After the wedding, since I already had glowing skin and all (and since funds were running a little short), I figured I could manage my skin on my own right? Not quite. It's been about 8 months since the wedding, and my skin has gone shites. So there. I'm back at Clarins for my monthly pleasure.

And it looks much happier already.

Monday's Beauty Bits

Desperation can be the mother of discovery. When my poor visiting Norwegian friend was eaten alive by our local mozzies I was horrified at just how big the bites swelled on him. Not having mopiko or zambug on hand, I pulled out he only tingly thing I did have - Origins Peace of Mind (thanks Beetrice!). Would you believe, after 3 mins the itching had faded and the swelling was down? Amazing! It's pricey for this use but if you're going mad from a mozzie bite you may find this tip handy.

I'm sure all you ladies know by now that the Burts Bees store is open at The Curve. At present they only have full sized items but in another few weeks the store manager believes that they'll be bringing in the travel sized items. So if you're keen to try but not looking to invest in huge bottles be a wee bitty patient and the smaller ones will come your way.

Now I'm going to wimp out because it's too freaking hot to THINK. So no more beauty tips from me. However I do have a question for your ladies. I'm starting to think of joining a gym so I'd like to ask the ladies who go regularly... What do you keep in your gym bag? Please share, I'd love ideas.