Waste of money: Benefit Stay Don't Stray Primer

It sounds like a good idea doesn't it? A primer for your eyeshadow AND your undereye concealer. 

Unfortunately, to put none too find a point on it, this product is absolute crap at both functions.

First, even after shaking it for ages, over several days, the damned thing still excretes an oily siliconey liquid before popping out some lumps of brown clay-like material. 

When you've managed to smooth this over your eyes, initially it does even out your undereye circles and if you have pigmented eyelids, would probably help those too. 

This is where it gets even crappier.

It not only doesn't help eyeshadow to stay AT ALL, it makes your undereye concealer look even heavier and cakier. It's supposed to prevent fading and caking! 

Bottom line is, don't waste your money on this garbage. I'm deeply disappointed in Benefit for having put out a product that is this awful. 

At full price, it's US$26 - expensive for a primer, INSANE for garbage. 

Thank goodness I got it as part of a kit with a mini cream eyeshadow and a mini tub of erase paste. Neither have been superbly impressive but neither have gone straight into my bin either.

Definitely stay away from this one. 

Note (Sept 27, 2012): Have contacted Benefit Customer Care about this three days ago and have received absolutely no response. 

Beauty Mistakes: Mixing Up Products

My camera is on the frizz and it's been a while since we had a discussion post so the Hot Topic today is...

How many of you have accidentally mixed up your beauty products and used something else instead? Or had a family member/ friend accidentally use the wrong product?

Quite a long while back, my father was convinced that he had caught lice from somewhere as his scalp was itching like there was no tomorrow. Mum walked in on us kids looking through his hair with a magnifying glass (yes, he was that paranoid) and after listening to Dad's explanation, she walked into the bathroom and came out with a funny look on her face.

Bitterly disappointed: Eucerin White Solution Oil-Control Day Fluid SPF30

This product is living proof why beauty bloggers shouldn't review skincare after only two or even three days. Because what was clogged pores after three days turned into the dreaded cystic acne a week and half after I STOPPED using it. Argh! >_< style="font-weight: bold;"
What they promise:
Attributes:

* For combination to oily skin
* Non-comedogenic
* With High UVA and UVB protection (SPF 30)
* Excellent make-up base
* Fragrance free

Benefits:
* Continuously supports dull & damaged skin to enhance skin regeneration from inside with
* Micro ACTIVE Complex WHITE Particles.
* Regulates skin oiliness for a mattified tone.
* Broadband UV Filters shield skin from UVA & UVB against the formation of new damages, dark spots and skin darkening.


Review
Don't the promises sound good? Although this product contains dimethicone, I thought I'd be safe as the ingredient is really far down the list. No dice.

The first time I used it I screwed up and tried out a new powder on the second day. When my pores clogged up I gave my skin a break, let it clear up entirely and gave this moisturiser a second go. After three days of use, my skin was REALLY clogged up with tiny whiteheads appearing. During this period I used nothing else that wasn't already part of my regular skincare routine.

I immediately stopped using it on my face and only used it on my neck. But it was too late. Despite masking daily and using exfoliating scrubs, my skin began to break out. On the plus side, I do believe the masks and scrubs drew the clogs to the surface and so the pimples didn't get to fester and grow into volcanoes.

Unfortunately, one on my chin made it that far - but again with Nexcare Acne Patches, Himalaya Herbals Neem Mask and Soap & Glory Scrub Your Nose In It, the cystic pimple only lasted all of two days before dying. Huzzah! Ding dong the evil bump is dead! (the things I wish I had as a pimply teen. *sighs* )

My face is finally on the path to recovery.

Conclusion
The only reason I risked trying this was because of Guardian's RM15 off coupon reducing its price to about RM52. Fie on you evil coupon for leading me astray! I'll continue to used this on my neck (with caution) - it seems ok so far, but for the price I'll stick with Clean & Clear Clear Fairness after this bottle's finished thank you very much.

Now I wonder if I'm brave enough to try Eucerin's Sun Mattifying Face Fluid it has NO dimethicone whatsoever and is currently on sale for about RM45. They insist it's completely safe for users with acne, and let's face it I DO need a sunscreen. To risk or not to risk?

Beauty Dodo Disaster: When Brazilian Waxes go very very wrong...

The following was submitted by a traumatised reader who wishes to only remain known as the Beauty Dodo. So those who know her PLEASE don't howl out her name in the comments section, k?

Brazillian waxes are funny things. I once found myself at a party full of lawyers, with a lovable and boisterous woman next to me regaling the rest with stories of how she led men to the torture chamber. We compared salon experiences in Bangsar – my RM 45 experience and her RM 88 one at the Strip (which she loved).

These men, corporate bad boys and human rights defenders, were traumatised.

Some of my friends are odd creatures: one cheerfully waxed his crack and sac for his wife. “It wasn’t too bad,” he said cheerfully. He looked very satisfied.

Note to self: love of life must be willing to undergo pain.

After food hunting in Bangsar, a friend suggested popping into Impressions. Located next to Chawan on Jalan Telawi 3, she insisted they were great for eyebrows and good enough for Brazillians.

I was nursing a broken heart so I decided to give a wax a go. Pain can comfort. This was nothing, I have been known to sign up for white water rafting out of boredom the day before.

In we went. We were greeted by a woman with impeccable eyebrows.

“Eyebrows? Eyebrows? You – Brazillian? WHAT? YOU BRAZILLIAN?”

Everyone knew who were getting their bits done and who were not. Meaning: us, the clients waiting for a haircut next door and the few browsing the clothes in front of us (the beauty salon was located within a tailoring shop).

A woman squealed from inside the salon. “I am never doing this again! What was I thinking?”

Pussy, I thought.

“Don’t worry honey, you’ll forget all about it tonight,” soothed a John Goodman lookalike. A couple of women cracked dirty jokes.

A friend who got her Brazillian done in Thailand lay on newspaper during the procedure. Yet, it was effective, neat and quick. Mine was not. I had really good experiences with this place with the eyebrow threaders – they were polite. In contrast, my waxer whacked the top of the bed grumpily and glared at the side of my body to climb up. I did.

“Take off your clothes!”

I obeyed meekly.

Then, she started whacking, not patting, talcum powder onto my bits. WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK. Her fingers went places. Oh God, I thought, molestation. I had waxes when beauticians were extremely careful to limit contact. She was less cautious.

After I got intimate with powder, she dipped her spatula into the wax. IT WAS TOO HOT. For those of you who have never done a wax, too-hot wax scalds and takes a while to harden. It dripped all over my thighs.

A moment after she pressed the spatula to my skin I noticed to my horror there was pubic hair on the stick. SOMEONE ELSE’S HAIR.

I expected her to wait a while before tearing the hair off. No. In she went. The wax seared my bits. Another no-no – beauticians should apply neatly. She slopped the stuff all over like she was trying to seal every orifice because her life depended on it. A mess of white powder, wax and hair, I peered down and saw a furry animal that threw up all over itself.

She went over the same place a few times because the wax was too molten to grip and pull hair effectively.

I do not recall whether she applied powder or lotion at the end. I was too focused on how her fingers were indiscriminately whacking crevices and surfaces. WHACK WHACK WHACK WHACK all over my bits.

I paid her RM45 and flew.

The area smelt funny for about 24 hours despite extensive washing. I found wax clinging stubbornly to my skin for the next few days during showers. And, it was not the neatest job.

Since then, I have returned to thread my eyebrows. Never a wax.

- Beauty Dodo

*Impressions is no longer located next to Chawan.

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.

*Edited! Beauty Mistake: Pressing Silk Naturals Mineral Eyeshadows with Fyrinnae Powder Modifier

I had such high hopes for this pressing medium.wonderfully affordable, and sold in an eye-drop bottle it was perfect, shipping and quantity-wise.
As you can see I had everything all laid out neatly, ready to boast about my perfect, lovely eyeshadow palette with my four favourite Silk Naturals colours - Honey, Velvet, Vogue, and Olive You.

And just LOOK isn't it absolutely lovely? I got the magnetic compact from Coastal Scents for $4.99 sometime back with a project like this in mind. It's solid and professional looking and magnetised so you can well worth the price. But...

Edit: ladies I'm so sorry - I seem to be having some problems with using blogger on the blackberry. In this case half my post disappeared! Ish.

Anyway, this gorgeous palette was a beauty mistake because as soon as I touched it with a brush the next morning it crumbled to bits!

I tried mixing one with water, another with alcohol, a third with a bit of both, and one more with a lot of alcohol - none of them worked! All fell apart. Boo!

Fortunately I was able to carefully scrape out the shadow and save most of it in jars so they aren't wasted. But oh I was so sad!

Anyone know of a way to press SN shadows?

DIY Beauty/ Beauty Disaster: Carrot Face Mask

This isn’t so much of a tutorial than a warning. Always, always, ALWAYS do a patch test first before you decide to try anything, especially when it comes to DIY kitchen stuff. Your brilliant guinea pig here went all gung ho, decided not to patch test and owie, I ended up with rashes all over my face.

But you are still willing to give this a try and want to follow in the footsteps of Sung Hye-Kyo,* the recipe is... 3 portions grated carrot, 2 portions yogurt and 1 portion flour to bind it all up. If you have forgotten your ratios from school, think of it as 3 teaspoons carrot, 2 teaspoons yogurt and 1 teaspoon flour.

Of course, you don’t have to follow these proportions strictly. I used very much less and still ended up with rashes. *sigh*

Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes and then wash off to hopefully clearer skin.

Anyway, what this mask is supposed to do – if it doesn't give you rashes, that is – is help clear up acne and brighten up your complexion. It seems that Song Hye-Kyo attributes her perfect skin to this face mask and does it a few times every week.

Takers, anyone?

* For non-Korean drama fanatics, she’s a Korean actress who shot to fame after acting opposite Rain in Full House.

Guest Review: Benefit's Mascara Gets Eli Bent out of shape

Yes, I'm afraid I really did just perpetrate that godawful pun. But.. but.. the mascara's called Get Bent Lash.. and Eli hates it... so, how could I resist? Oh ignore me, and read on!

Has anyone flipped through the British Vogue’s December issue? If you haven’t, you should. It’s very thick, very lovely and has a few good articles in there. I would have bought it if it wasn’t for the AUD 20 price tag. Happily, my sister bought a copy so I am hijacking it when I visit her in a few days.

I ended up with the Australian Vogue instead. They are giving away free tubes of Benefit’s “Get Bent” mascara with each copy. Reading material and makeup for AUD 7.95? How is a girl to resist?

On hindsight, I should have resisted.


“Get Bent” is Benefit’s version of a push-up bra for eyelashes: it’s supposed to lengthen, lift and add more oomph to eyelashes. The reason why this mascara is called “Bent” is because the pine cone-shaped brush is bent to allow better application to one’s eyelashes.

I dislike this mascara so much; I am having trouble deciding where to begin.

Angled mascara brushes are supposed to make life easier for those of us with large rounded eyes. The “Get Bent” brush makes life a lot harder. Trying to get an even application is near impossible with the tiny bristles while the combination of a huge brush head with an angle makes the brush difficult to handle. I actually ended up getting mascara on my eyelids – something which has never happened before.

The mascara formula itself does a pretty good job of lengthening eyelashes and of holding a curl for a few hours. I could feel my lashes brushing against my glasses when I slipped my spectacles on. However, any attempt at Bambi eyes with “Get Bent” would be spoilt by excessive smudging and flaking around the eyes within an hour of application. The formula also clumps madly and the long lashes created by this mascara look spidery rather than au natural.

Luckily, “Get Bent” washes right off with some warm water and a bit of cleanser. Halloween passed too long ago for me to trot around looking like a zombie.

Verdict? Stay far away, girls. Unless you like going around looking like a ghost from a horror flick. (Kahani: Or like Cullen? *grins*)