Testing new skincare or foundations

With my finicky skin, testing skincare, primer or foundation is... well... it's an act of either courage or desperation which is why unless I'm on the hunt for a solution I've stopped accepting skincare for reviews. 

When I do have to test something though, here's what I do.

1. I wait till my skin is either completely or mostly clear OR it's been breaking out for awhile and I can't stop it (this is desperation). The problem is if my skin IS clear I hate to disrupt it at all and sometimes will hold off trying a new product for ages because of this.
2. When I finally get the guts to try it out, motivated by curiosity or some form of mild insanity, I apply a light layer for a night event. Why night? Because it's cooler and shorter and thus less likely to greatly piss off my skin.
3. I wait a week and watch my skin anxiously for breakouts. Because these things can take a few days to surface, it's best to wait a week. 
4. If I DO breakout, I clear up again and repeat step 1 to be sure it's the product.
5. If nothing bad happens I test it for a day. Then stop again for a week.
6. If nothing happens again I move on to alternate use. The idea here is that if I DO breakout, it won't be as bad or last as long.
7. By this time I'm pretty sure if my skin likes the product or hates it and I either dump it or use it daily. 

The entire process takes a month and is fraught with fear.

I'm hostage to my own skin. Damn.

How do you test out new products? Hope you're having an easier time of it than I am!

The trick to Lisa Eldridge's concealer "airbrush technique" for silicone-free products

When I first saw Lisa Eldridge use, and recommend a tiny eyeliner brush for pinpoint concealing of blemishes I desperately wanted to make it work for me.

Who wouldn't want "airbrushed skin" after all?

But despite doing my best to replicate her technique, and even finding a tiny Pupa concealer brush (the little silver one in the picture), it never quite worked for me. The concealer would go on cakey and if I tried to blend it out, it'd just rub off.

My theory is that Lisa uses products that have silicone which makes blending a whole lot easier. My silicone-free concealer on silicone-free foundation however was having a much harder time of it.

Then one morning, I remembered a tip I heard once somewhere long ago, from a makeup artist video which I can't quite remember right now. It said that "The lighter a hand you use to apply your makeup, the better it looks". 

Beauty Blender sponge - a lifesaver for non-silicone foundation users

Sorry ladies, I know I haven't been posting much lately,but it's been an exceptionally busy time. If I'm not travelling, I'm hosting someone. Right now actually Syen's staying with me. Whee! It's all been fun but has left me little time or energy for posting.

Still I was so thrilled about this wee pink egg that I had to share!

Reading reviews online I was never quite convinced that the Beauty Blender Sponge was that much better than a regular damp sponge. While some ladies gave it rave reviews, others said they preferred their buffing brushes to it (more on that later). Also, it wasn't available in Asia.

When I spotted this in the Sasa outlet on D'Aguilar St, Central for HKD170 (ouch yes I know, but it retails for USD19.90 so the price is fair) I bought it and gave it a go... also gave it death threats all the way home should it fail to perform. Good thing for its hot pink skin that it did!

Best pocket Tissues - Tempo Petit 4-Ply Handkerchiefs

Yes I really am reviewing tissue paper - but hey, I had to suffer through packet after inferior packet because no one reviews tissue paper. Well now I intend to benefit the world with my hard-earned wisdom. 

If you want tissues that will mop sweaty brows without disintegrating and leaving embarassing nasty white pills all over your face these are it. They really hold together and as they're 4-ply they're so nice and thick I generally only need one sheet after I huff and puff my way up Lan Kwai Fong on the way to work (No, I don't work in a bar!). 

And because they're "petit" packs they're perfect for handbags. These also come in Jasmine, apple cinnamon and menthol - all of them actually smell really good! But I opted for boring neutral as my face tends to break out when in direct contact with fragranced products. 

If you're in sweltering hot Hong Kong, you need these. Trust me. 

Help: What should I do & where should I go in Hong Kong?

Hello lovely ladies, 

I need your help on this one, you see I've got a job in Hong Kong and will be moving there in a month or so. I've visited it once with Syen but a few days just isn't the same as going to live in a place now is it? 

I'm working in Central area and will be looking for a place to stay around Northpoint.

So my question to you is, what are your favourite places there? Great eateries, places to shop, things to do, bars to hang out in? Please share - along with the name of the place, address and nearest MTR stop if you can manage it!

Love,

Kahani

Ps: Know any good Hong Kong fashion & beauty blogs I can start following?

Monday's beauty bits: Top travel ideas

I love travel. I love planning for it, packing for it, I even love being on the plane - although I have as many plane-horror stories to share as anyone. But perhaps my most obsessive aspect is crafting the PERFECT away-from-home beauty kits.

Be prepared for a peek into my insanity.

Bath

It's not perfect, but for now it works. This is a net shower bag from Daiso, it has a plastic base and netting all around so it dries super quick. The idea is to hang it in the shower but this has its drawbacks - there's not always a convenient place to hang it, and the drawstrings make getting stuff out of it hard. Still, I haven't found anything as lightweight or handy to compete yet.

Shopping in Bangkok!

Hello lovelies,

So I'm guessing you would have already seen what I got from Bangkok. And while it's not exactly a big haul... I was rather happy all the same.

I was wandering around pretty much on my own for a couple of days, and getting around via a taxi or their subway or sky train is easy enough. Both are extremely affordable and safe enough.

Just a little note about taxis though. They are supposed to use the metre (insist on it), but I think they try to circumvent that by tipping themselves! So check your change after you pay them. You never know if the taxi driver has helped himself to a lot more than he should.

And as promised, here's a list of some of the places where I had better luck at splashing my cash.

So here goes... read on!

Monday's Beauty Bits: How to look alive when you feel undead

Feeling hungover?

I got the idea for this post from my absolute new favourite Makeup Guru Lisa Eldridge. I work pretty hard and as a result, for my sanity, I do tend to play pretty hard. Over time I've amassed a few ideas which help me look alive the morning after a night on the town. As proof that this works, I've had compliments on how "fresh" I look at 8am when I've tumbled into bed slightly tiddly at 3am the night before. Now if only I could find a way to FEEL as good.

Before going to sleep
This is where self-control really kicks in because if you can do ALL this before going to bed you'll look and feel much much better the next day.

1. Drink as much water as you can hold - hangovers are the result of toxins and dehydration so DRIIINK!
2. Have a shower - it gives you a few precious minutes extra the next morning and also helps sober you up.
3. Don't go to bed drunk - seriously. Eat eggs (new one I've heard recently),  shower, drink water, staying up that extra hour sobering up helps you more the next morning that going straight to bed. 
4. Take off ALL your makeup - hurrah for cleansing oils!

It's a Rip Off: Watsons VIP Card

Ladies, don't get the Watsons VIP Card. It's an absolute rip off and a ridiculous waste of RM 12 which you are never going to get back in a year.

Let me lay out the facts for you.

The Watsons so-called VIP Card is like any other customer card we get from Isetan, Robinson's and the like. The idea is simple: the more you spend, the more points you earn and the higher the rebate.

Monday's Beauty Bits: Dealing with eczema

Hello lovelies,

It's Monday again. Ah the blues.

Anyway, today I've decided to share with you some tips on dealing with eczema.

I don't have eczema. But the hubs does. Nothing severe, thankfully, but they do need some looking after. So after almost a year of having to remind him to take his meds, apply his ointments and "no, you shouldn't use the (heavily) fruity (scented) bodywash", I thought I'd just share a few handy tips in dealing with eczema.

1. Firstly, if you do have eczema, go see a doctor to get treated. Proper advice with the right medication will help treat your condition immediately. So instead of surfing around the Internet hoping to find a self-cure for that impossible itch, just go see the doc, will you?

2. Shower with a gentle and mild bodywash. Try to avoid heavily scented ones, as the perfumes in the bodywash could trigger off your eczema. For that reason, the hubs has had to quit his fave bodywash, and is now only on Johnson's pH5.5, and Dermaveen. And his skin seems to be liking it.

3. After a shower, pat dry, not wipe/rub dry. Patting dry will still leave some moisture on your skin, which works really well with the next tip. Besides, the rubbing action can also trigger a spot to go itchy.

4. Apply a gentle moisturiser all over (such as Dove or Vaseline), preferably the unscented ones. If you have patches of rash, you can apply your topical ointment on the rash spots before applying the moisturiser all over.

5. In the case of the hubs, he has eczema, and he has allergies as well, which triggers of his rash, and as a result of that, aggravates his eczema. If you have a similar problem, it would do you good to identify the source of your allergies. Allergies could caused by certain kinds of material (eg. wool), or a particular food (eg. seafood), or animal fur or pollen from flowers etc. I think the hubs has narrowed his down to seafood, which is really too bad, because he loves it.

6.Take your medicine and apply that ointment. All that consultation with the doctor or skin specialist won't do you any good if you're not going to follow the doc's advise. After a really bad bout of rash the other day, he went to a doc, got the medication and was diligently applying his ointments (because the itch was REALLY bad). Two days after, when the itch had gone, he started slacking, and then one day asked: "Why is my skin SO ITCHY?" Uhh... DUH?

7. If you're travelling and have forgotten to bring your eczema ointment, fear not. Products like Papaw ointment and Vaseline (petroleum jelly - original or Aloe) should work quite decently as a replacement for those itchy spots until you get home, or get another tube of your steroid cream. I was keen to try out the Papaw ointment for his eczema after my cousin introduced my to this post by Karen Cheng.

8. Lastly, I notice that the hub's eczema always flares up when he's stressed out. So keep those stress levels in check, take one day at a time.

Here's to happy skin!

Note: Please note that So Loverly DOES NOT dispense medical advice. If you suffer from eczema, please consult a doctor.

Video: Selling Skincare

If you have 10 minutes, do watch this really funny and true discussion about selling skincare. What agencies and companies do and how evil they can be.

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!

Monday's Beauty Bits: Advanced Date Tips

Hey ladies, I recently came across this online article and I was horrified that "be clean" was even necessary. Come on. We're all so much more evolved than that. Unless you're dating a Cavemen I honestly doubt basic cleanliness will "impress".

But let's grant them the benefit of the doubt, let's pretend that the basics are truly necessary. But now you've mastered bathing and walking upright, let's move on to the more advanced techniques. Should you use this on a first date? Well, only if you're very sure you definitely want to impress the man.

Perfume your hair

The key to using perfume on a date (or frankly in general) is to keep it as close to yourself as possible instead of say, a 30 ft radius of overpowering scent. Just a whiff of something delicious everytime he gets close enough to you, or when you flick your hair. It's pavlovian, after awhile he'll associate being near you with delectable scents. If you do this right, he'll get amorous around lavender, cucumber, green apples, cookies, take your pick! =P

I find the best way to manage this is to perfume your hair and not yourself (yourself can use a perfumed body lotion). Hair retains scent longer, and yet, because there is no body heat it won't project the scent quite as far either. So try spritzing the ends of your hair with your favourite perfume, or do what I do when I have a hot date. Bring out that gorgeous perfumed shampoo - mine's Philosophy's Amazing Grace.

Dress strategically

There is no hard and fast rule as to how you should dress on a date. Who's to say where you're going? It could be a ball it could be paintball. And tips like "wear heels" or "stick to skirts" drive me mad. What if you can't wear heels or have weird knees? Janet Jackson's never been seen in a short skirt, Audrey Hepburn wore flats or low heels. Think about it.

Figure out what about you IS seductive and work that angle. Got a lovely neck? Scoop necklines an upswept hair will make him think of nuzzling you. He looks glazed? Not paying attention? Chances are he's thinking about it. If you have gorgeous skin, make it glow, if you have great curves, WORK them and walk up stairs ahead of him. Peek back, he'll be cross-eyed. If you're petite, well go ahead, make him want to protect you and be your knight. Are you insanely tall? Well babe you're a model. Walk it with confidence.

Some more ideas is to wear something that looks touchable, obvious zippers in interesting places gives them something to think about, and finally, short OR plunging, not BOTH. You're his date not his ho! (umm unless you like that idea, am not judging here!)

Keep the lips kissable

Whether you kiss on the first date or not, here's the fact. While glossy, sparkly megawatt lips are distracting, guys honestly hate kissing them. Unless he has an odd fetish - always possible. It takes all kinds.

You know I'm maaad about lipstains and here's where they really come to the fore. They make your lips look pretty but with a natural finish. You won't be touching them up all through the date, and most men find minty lipbalm slicked over scrummy.

Have great conversation

Now this one's dubious. Not all men appreciate wit, or conversation for that matter. If that makes you happy, then great for you! But if not, and you find that first dates especially tend to be awkward with no one talking or one person monopolising there are some conversation tricks you can use.

1. Generalise then personalise
Choose a topic like movies (I'd say books, but sadly the reading populace is declining). Analyse what you like about movies, elements, and check if he feels likewise or not. This actually helps you get to know each other without it turning into a list-fest. It works for just about everything.

2. Undivided interest
Few things are more delightful than someone who is actively interested in what you have to say, smiling at all the right points and enjoying your chatter. As a journalist, I find that people LOVE to be interviewed - once they're convinced you're not out to get them and humiliate them all over the front paper. It's the attention. Of course only use this if you like the guy. If he's dull as a mudmuppet then you'll probably not want to put yourself through this. It's torture.

Oh and be interested in what YOU are saying. If you're not, who will?

3. Passions and interests
Don't be afraid to bring them up as the date goes on. You don't need someone to share your love for nailpolish or teapots, but most people like knowing you like something. I find people with no interests at all disturbing. Be amused by your interest, see it for what it is - something fun to be enjoyed and communicate it. Don't be the crazy teapot cat girl.

After this point you're on your own because chances are the conversation's either died or hotted up to automatic-pilot mode. Don't forget the real goal of a date is to get to know the other person and let him get to know you.

Warning

Some of these techniques have worked a wee bitty too well for me in the past. Should this be the case for you, then you may need to read this article.

Good luck ladies. What are your advanced dating tips?

Monday's Beauty Bits

Kahani is on leave this week so I will be feeding you our Monday beauty bites, err, I mean bits.

Not a beauty bit but a reminder to stay cool. The Sydney heat wave started over the weekend, with temperatures hitting 40 C on Sunday. Goodness knows how the rest of this week will turn out but don't forget to carry water, facial spray and sunscreen with you to cool down. I have a stash of face masks cooling in my fridge as I write this.

I hate wastage so it always irritates me whenever I get a perfectly good product in terribly inefficient packaging. Half the time, I end up cutting the bottle in half (if I can) and decanting the remainder into an small tub. This isn't a new idea as most of our mothers do it but I was just wondering how many of you bother doing this as well.

Remember this Skunk Brush? I mentioned in my review that it bled quite a bit and it took a couple of washes to get the dye out. Guess what? The dye is STILL coming off and after an indefinite number of washes, I have given up on this brush. Into the bin it goes.

I try to keep my hair off my back as much as possible because of bacne. This poses a bit of a problem in the shower so after applying a hair mask or conditioner to my hair, I bundle it up into a shower cap, leave for a bit, rinse and put my hair back into the (rinsed) showercap. Not only has this reduced the number of pimples on my back, but allows my conditioner to penetrate the hair shaft more effectively.

While I am on the subject of hair, the curly girl routine is working great for me. It has been 4 months since I started and while I don't get great waves and curls everyday, my hair has been looking better since I gave up shampoo (well, I still do shampoo my hair but only once in a reeeeeeally long while). Not only do I have less split ends, but my hair seems to be growing faster -- which may be a minus point for some people.

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

Monday's Beauty Bit

I seem to find myself bereft of tips this week so instead I thought I'd share a little gem I've found recently.

Cotton buds are among the most handy beauty tools out there. Now there's not very much you can do to improve cotton buds, right? Think again. For starters you could make the cotton buds real cotton instead of synthetic. Then...

Instead of a plastic baggie or a box with a lid you never replace and eventually lose, you could give the dispenser a lid you can twist to open and close. How hygenic! How convenient! Finally...

You could give give each bud two different tips. One rounded and one pointed for precise removal of errant eyeliner.

They cost about RM4 for 200 cotton buds and can be found at Guardian pharmacies.

What do you girls think?

Video: Five mins and you're out the dooor!

Wake up late often? While I don't really wake up late I have a bad habit of lounging in bed denying that I have to get up. Which means by the time I've dragged myself out from under my comfy quilt - I'm late. I'll give this 5-minute look a whirl the next time this happens. Maybe it will let me lie in bed basking in denial a little longer.

Monday's Beauty Bits

I've started doing this and I think it helps. When you wake up, before doing ANYTHING else drink a large glass of water. By the time you've popped in those contacts, had a shower and come time for makeup your skin should look awake-r than if you'd skipped and gone straight for coffee. In any case I'm convinced it's good for me!

Posietint is absolutely awesome for days when you feel like death warmed over. I reach for it when I know I look a little grey and hey presto I spend the day basking in "you look fresh" and "you look chirpy" comments. It's just the perfect shade of fresh-faced pink. Don't have Posietint? Reach for a bright pink with slight warm undertones for your blush and a matching shade for lips. Go light on eyes but slap on mascara. Voila!

Dry shampoo like Batiste is hard to come by here, but I find I can achieve a similar look by dusting my roots with silica powder and brushing it vigorously out. Need scent? Spritz some on your hair!

Speaking of hair - I love how Eli is working with her hair instead of against it. I too decided to work with my straight fine black hair. It may seem a "duh" at the moment, but dyes are still in and there was a phase when perming was too. I've always been glad I didn't indulge and kept my iconic waist-length poker-straight hair. ;)

Video: Gym / Sports Makeup!

Yes, yes I know ideally the skin should be left bare. But there are CUTE GUYS at the gym ladies! (uhh I think so, I don't actually go to the gym so my info is suspect) So we all wanna primp a little. I was researching sweat-friendly makeup for The Edge KL Rat Race on Tuesday. Now I couldn't wear a dress and no makeup could I? I'll be writing about what I used and how it worked out next week. =)

This slightly goofy video is by far my favourite. Although... I won't actually be doing much of anything she recommends. But then she clearly has perfect skin and oil control isn't a big issue for her. *sighs*

Monday's Beauty Bits

Monday's Beauty Bits will be short and sweet this week as I'm exhausted from getting Syen married off! She looked absolutely radiant by the way and the wedding was lovely. When she gets back from her honeymoon she'll tell you more herself. =)

Love Lucas' Paw Paw Ointment but find it impossible to find in Malaysia? While I've spotted it in a Caring Pharmacy or two, there's no guarantee you'll find it. Why not try Simmons Paw Paw Salve for RM18 stocked by Tiny Tapir?

Concealer too thick? ParisB shows you how to warm it up and thin it out for a more even, less caked application.

Professional PR exec and beauty blogger Beetrice offers some words of advice for companies wishing to approach bloggers. As a professional journalist as well as a blogger I can testify that the treatment can sometimes be quite different. And othertimes not so. I've been asked what my paper is about quite a few times by PR "professionals" quite a few times. When both are easily available not knowing is not an excuse. After all, you're approaching me, not me you.