2015 Weekend Spa Routine

I always treasure my weekends as time seems like fly by especially when I am busy working. Most of the time, my weekends are spent recuperating at home or spending time with my family. Personal well-being is definitely one of my top priorities in life! Pampering myself makes me feel good :)

Starting off with my crown jewel, Biolange SmoothProof cleanses my hair and controls the frizz, which gives me smooth hair all day! Of course, I will need to use the conditioner & serum as well. It wouldn't work with just shampoo alone! Moving on, I will use the Garnier Sakura White Pink Radiance Gentle Cleaning Foam as it deeply cleanses my skin. Just a pea size and it really lathers well and the scent is lovely too! This formula is suitable for sensitive skin which is suitable for me as it does not irritate my skin :) A moisturizer is very important after cleansing the face which the Garnier Sakura White Pinkish Radiance Moisturizing Cream provides with a blend of Sakura Extracts, Vitamin B3 and Vitamin CG to nourish the skin deeply and help to lighten the skin tone and dark spots. It also has SPF21 properties which is great for day time usage.

To boost the skin's moisture, I will apply the Glam Glow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment which is a hydrating mask that provides deep instant hydration. The product looks creamy but when applied on, it goes on smoothly. It does have a sticky feeling though but it's not uncomfortable or anything. I also experience a tingling/cooling sensation after a few minutes. It contains many moisturizing ingredients like ground olive leaf, coconut oil, honey blossom honey and ginger root, botanimoist ams, hydraclay, oat beta glucan, hyaluronic acid and citric acid. Usually, I just apply it on for about 20 minutes and then wipe it off with a warm cloth instead of leaving it on the whole night.

Face masks is essential to lock in the moisture and let the skin further absorb the benefits! Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Mask does the job by further hydrating the skin. It contains the next generation 3D hyaluronic acid which claims to hydrate the skin from beneath the surface for 24 hours of long lasting moisture retention. I can't vouch for the 24 hours moisture thing but my skin definitely feels softer, smoother and plumped after putting on the mask for 15 minutes! Another option is the Nature Republic Snail Solution Hydrogel Mask Sheet. Snail extract is a popular ingredient in Korean skincare products which claims to regenerate cells and moisturize the skin. This mask really sits well onto the skin due to the texture of the gel mask which also gives a cool feeling to the skin without the need of putting it into the fridge first!

Not forgetting the body, it also needs some additional moisture to keep the skin smooth and moisturized! I take in particular consideration for the hands as it is constantly exposed to all forms of elements! The L'occitane En Provence hand cream is really handy for me to bring around to keep my hand constantly moisturized and the scent is lovely too! I would also apply the hand cream on the dry area of my elbows as well!

To keep myself refreshed throughout the day, I always carry around the Always 21 Aloe Vera Soothing Gel Mist which contains 96% of aloe vera. Especially under the air conditioned environment, the skin tends to get dry and this gel mist helps to keep my skin moisturized and refreshed. Not forgetting the unforgiving hot weather lately, I also use it to sooth my skin from the heat. 

That is all for my weekend spa routine! Any products that you'd recommend?

2015 Make Up Routine

As usual, I will say time flies! Its 2015 already and we are already heading towards the end of January. February is another short month where I foresee it is going to pass in a blink of an eye! Especially with Chinese New Year coming around, there is so many things to prepare!

Anyway, I would like to share with you my makeup routine that I usually go for. I don't wear makeup often as it my skin breaks out pretty easily. I am more of a skincare type of gal and I often let my skin breath as much as possible, but here is my simple & basic makeup routine!

Usually, I started by prepping my face with concealer or sometimes foundation (depending on my skin condition) by trying to conceal away those dark circles and pimples! Then, I will move on to eyeliner where liquid eyeliner is my favourite choice. I have used Dolly Wink when I was in college which was introduced to me by a friend and absolutely loved it!

As time passed, I moved on to using other brands as well but recently revisited Dollywink again as it was part of the Butterfly Project Beauty Box that I received last year. One of the main reason I like Dolly Wink eyeliner is because of its intense black colour and also their thin tip which makes application an easy one. I am able to build up the eyeliner slowly without much error.

It is pretty much smudge proof and stays put throughout the day. However for my case, my eyelids get pretty oily and sometimes it smudges off easily towards the edge of my cat eye flick which irks me. Till today, I still haven't found a brand of liquid eyeliner that is extremely waterproof and smudge proof except for the Elianto eyeliner that was discontinued few years back.

After applying eyeliner, it is time for the lips to be prepped! I would start off with lip balm to keep my lips moisturized before putting on lipstick. With Maybelline Baby Lips Electro Lip Balm, I am able to keep things simple. It is both moisturizing and adds a lovely colour to the lips which saves me time whenever I am in a rush. The colour pigmentation is pretty sheer and suitable for an everyday look which gives pop of colour to my lips :) 

Sometimes, I would add on lip gloss to give my lips a more glossy finish / plump look. The Hotlights Lipgloss from Collection is very unique as it has a built in light which is super convenient especially during the night when you are in a dark-lit restaurant or washroom. It is also equipped with a side mirror which I found it pointless as the mirror is not really clear where you can't see the shape of your own lips perfectly. 

Whenever I am in the mood, nail polish is my go to item! I don't usually apply them on my fingers as I am a very rough person which I have mentioned many times before. So I only apply nail polish on my toes. The Maybelline Colour Show nail polish in Pink Voltage (#010) is a pretty sheer pink nail polish which needs to be layered up to at least 2 layers for the colour to show.

Here's my complete makeup look! Products used are:

1. Dolly Wink Liquid Eyeliner (Black)
2. Maybelline Baby Lips Electro Lip Balm (Pink Shock)
3. Collection Cosmetics Hotlights Lipgloss (#4 Sparkle)
4. Maybelline Colour Show (#010 Pink Voltage)

What's your 2015 makeup routine?

[Review] Shizens Lip Tattoo

Shizens is an up and coming skin care and cosmetic brand, propelling its expansion in Malaysia as well as regional market. Inspired and infused by bountiful natural ingredients, Shizens offers a wide range of products, from makeup, skin protection to skin care, all created to revive and nourish your natural beauty.

Combining eastern values emphasizing benefits from botanical extracts and the advancement of western technology, Shizens products are enriched with natural ingredients selected from different parts of the world. Shizens believes everyone has a unique natural beauty that should not be concealed but to be revealed. Shizens is here to enhance the confidence level of everyone in revealing their uniqueness.

I have heard about Shizens before but never actually tried their products. Thanks to Butterfly Project Malaysia, I got to try out Shizens star product which is the Lip Tattoo! 

What is a lip tattoo? If you search the term 'lip tattoo' on google you will actually see images of people having tattoo's on their lips which is kinda scary but don't worry, Shizens Lip Tattoo does not hurt at all!

Shizens Lip Tattoo consists of a special white colour formula that when applied on, transforms your lips into a lovely natural pink or rosy tone. It also adds a spread of moisture and relieves the formation of fine lines.

The rose gold packaging is gorgeous and the applicator makes it easy to apply onto the lips. For hygiene purpose, it is best to apply it onto the back of your hand and then use your fingers or cotton bud to apply it onto your lips. Reason being is that we humans carry bacteria especially at the mouth area which may affect the effectiveness of the product after some time.

From a clear white formula, the product slowly change into a lovely shade of pink! Before applying the Lip Tattoo, I will apply a layer of lip balm first to lock the moisture in as the lip tattoo can be drying when applied directly onto the lips.

Usually lip products tend to fade away or go off after a few hours or when you eat and drink but with Shizens Lip Tattoo, the product actually lasts almost the whole day! So there is no need to reapply constantly! I also love the fact that the colour is really natural, which makes it suitable for all occasions :)

Shizens Lip Tattoo retails at RM168 and you can find their stores here: http://bit.ly/1IQTFwp

For more information, visit Shizens Malaysia:
Facebook Page | Website

[Review] Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara Review

Recently, I have been introduced to the new Maybelline range of mascara which is The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara.

This new mascara is the first mascara with two brushes - 1 big brush and 1 small brush that has multiple usage!

The big brush is mainly used on the upper lashes where it is to create volume and a more dramatic effect on the eyes.

The smaller brush is to have a better application at areas like the lower lashes, inner and outer corner of the lashes where the big brush can't reach as much.

I love how the mascara applies easily onto my lashes. Some of the mascara that I have used before tend to get very clumpy which makes my eye feel uncomfortable due to the heavy feeling it gives and also smudges easily, which is why I choose to forgo mascara as part of my make up routine. However, with the Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara, it makes my eyes look bigger and livelier. Even after 3 coats of application, the mascara feels very lightweight on my eyes which I love!

I have created 2 different looks with Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara where it is suitable for day and night!

Look 1

A natural makeup look by just applying mascara and no eyeliner. This look is suitable for those who are just started to use makeup where if you're not sure how to use liquid eyeliner yet, mascara is definitely a good way to make your eyes stand out! It also creates a soft and feminine image. If you think by just applying mascara is not enough, you can apply eyeshadow to create more depth. Mascara and eyeshadow gives a clean finish to the eye makeup that creates a simple yet polished look. Of course, not forgetting your lip gloss or pink lipstick to complete the makeup!

Look 2

A more dramatic effect is by drawing a cat eye using the eyeliner before applying mascara. This look is great for a night out or dinner event. Of course, you can add in darker colours of eyeshadow and blend accordingly to bring more attention to the eyes. About 3 to 5 coats of Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara will be enough to make your lashes stay!

Left - Applied with Maybelline The Falsies Big Eye Mascara
Right - No mascara applied

It might be hard to see the effect of top lashes due to the eyeliner but the bottom lashes that is applied with mascara definitely makes the left side look bigger compared to the right side! Overall, I love the big eyes effect that this mascara gives but it has the tendency to have clumps after a few coats. However, I find it avoidable when I apply the mascara at a much speedier pace! :D

Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes Mascara retails at RM45.90 and is sold at major pharmacies! For more information, visit Maybelline's Malaysia:

Website | Facebook Page

Arte Belle Beauty Scraping Therapy Review

When I came across the world ' Beauty Scraping Therapy', I was really curious to find out what it is as it was my first time hearing about it and honestly, it sounded scary because of the word 'scraping'. When I was told that 'Beauty Scraping Therapy' is actually Facial Gua Sha, I had a lightbulb moment as I have tried it before and the results were amazing! When Arte Belle approached me to review their Facial Gua Sha service, I was onboard for it.

Gua Sha is a traditional treatment that has been used for thousands of years. "Gua" means scrape and "Sha" means the sandy looking spots which might develops after Gua Sha. It can be in red, purple, black or brown colour. Not everyone will develops "Sha". If you develop "Sha", it might indicate some part of your body is not in a healthy state.

Usually, Gua Sha is done on your back to stimulate blood flow and healing. Same goes for Facial Gua Sha, as the face reflects the vitality and overall state of our health. Different areas of the face correlate to specific internal organs. So if you have repeated skin problem occurring at certain area of the face (e.g. discoloration, wrinkles), it could be due to an internal health problem.

Facial Gua Sha is also an effective beauty treatment as it helps to:

1) Enchance facial complexion and skin radiance

2) Increases cell turnover rates

3) Detoxification

4) Improves blood circulation and skin texture

5) Eliminates puffiness due to water retention

6) Removes dead skin cells, leaving the skin smoother and more radiant

7) Reduce pore size

8) Improves elasticity of skin

9) Reduce fine lines and wrinkles

10) Prevents blackheads and whiteheads

11) Lighten freckles and dark spots

12) Lifting and firming

13) Reduce dark eye circles and eye puffiness

Arte Belle provides on-site Facial Gua Sha services which means that they come over to your house! It is really convenient as you don't need to travel all the way and go into the trouble of getting stuck in the jam or finding parking. It is all in the comfort of your own home. If you're afraid that your house is not suitable for such services, fret not as the setup is very simple where you just need a chair for you to sit and the rest will be provided by the beauticians!

If you are iffy about strangers coming over to your house, fret not as these girls are really friendly :) Or if you're still uncomfortable, you can get your family members to be with you throughout the session. I had my appointment with Yee Mun and Fiona on a weekend afternoon which I looked forward to as I needed a good facial treatment!

When they came over, the first step was to do a skin analysis where they looked at my skin condition and asked me what are my main concerns and did a checklist on skin problems that I am facing. Basically, I am concerned my T-Zone as that area is prone to pimples, especially my chin! They said my skin generally looks fine except my acne prone T-zone and enlarged pores at certain area.

They also shared that the 3 steps routine is not enough and should have at least 6 steps which is cleanse, exfoliate, tone, treatment, eye cream, and moisturise.

Normally, the Facial Gua Sha will take around 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes depending on your skin condition as sometimes certain area need extra care. As for me, my session took about 2 hours because I spent most of the time talking to them! It was pretty fun as we are around the same age and interesting to see them working on things that they are passionate about!

Like normal facial treatment, we need to start off by cleansing the face to remove impurities. It is important to keep the skin moisturized / hydrated before Gua Sha as it pulls the skin and we don't want to hurt our skin in the process. A moisturized skin helps the Gua Sha tool to glide through the skin smoothly and increases blood circulation. Look at all the products used above!  Facial Gua Sha helps to skin to absorb the benefits of the facial products we use better as Yee Mun mentioned that sometimes we may buy a good product and use it for some time but not see the result which may be caused due to the skin absorption rate, clogged pores, dead skin cells and blood circulation. With Facial Gua Sha, good blood circulation in our skin allows the product to penetrate deep into the skin!

Since I had no makeup on, Yee Mun started off with cleansing my face! I love the scrub they used as it was not harsh on the skin.

The pore cleansing masque was applied to suck out the impurities from the pores as sometimes just by cleansing is not enough when we are exposed to dust and pollution.

They did the Facial Gua Sha on half of my face first to let me compare the difference.

You can see that on the left side, the pores are smaller and my eyes look more 'awake' as they did the gua sha at the eye area to improve blood circulation and it also helps to remove dark circles. Best not to wear contact lens when you are doing this treatment!

After comparing the difference, they proceeded to finish up the other half.

Got a massage on my head to stimulate blood flow and also towards the outer area of my face to flush out the toxins in my skin!

After | Before

During the session, I can really feel that my blood is circulating where my skin felt warm like when you are blushing. I felt thirsty after the Facial Gua Sha was advised to drink loads of water to flush out the toxins. The acne on my chin area was lighter and the next day the headless pimple that I had was subsided! Yee Mun said that if this treatment done continuously, it can also give the V-shape face that most girls are looking for. My skin felt more energized after the Facial Gua Sha.

With Fiona and Yee Mun :)

If you are interested in getting Facial Gua Sha, you can contact Yee Mun or Fiona to make an appointment! Their services are available in Klang Valley only and they are having a first trial promotion where is is only RM128 instead of RM168 (limited to first 50 customers).

For more information, you can visit Arte Belle's Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/ArteBellezzaAvanti

[Review] Maybelline White Superfresh Long Lasting UV Cake Powder

Maybelline White Superfresh Long Lasting UV Cake Powder was launched in June 2014. It comes in four shades and the one I received for review was in 02 Nude Beige. With SPF 34 PA+++, the White Super Fresh Cake Powder helps to protect the skin from harmful UV rays. Due to the hot & humid weather in Malaysia, sweat and sebum always cause our skin to look oily most of the time. Maybelline White Superfresh gives the skin a matte finish, enabling us to look fresh all day!

Thanks to its unique Clean Touch Powder System, White Superfresh Cake Powder SPF34 PA+++ leaves behind an ultra-smooth surface onto the skin. It goes beyond sebum absorption where it helps to speed up sweat drying and evaporation so the skin remains clean. On top of that, the Clean Touch Powder System’s Mineral Perlite content contains 5X the absorbing powder of talc, making it more effective towards sweat and sebum. With one application, White Superfresh Long Lasting UV Cake Powder SPF34 PA+++ absorbs and entraps sweat and sebum, as well as speeds up sweat evaporation to prevent build-up. This faster drying action results in a clean touch and fresh makeup all day. You no longer need touch-ups!

I love the clean and white sleek design of this product where the embossed logo on it makes it extra chic! It is compact, easy to carry around and the cake powder is refillable too! I have combination skin where my T-zone tends to get oily very easily. However, after applying the White Superfresh Cake Powder, I noticed that my skin doesn't get oily as fast. I only the White Superfresh Cake Powder onto my skin as I do not want to put on too much layers like foundation, etc which will result in clogged pores due to my sensitive skin. So, a layer or two of the White Superfresh Cake Powder is enough to for my face where it lightly conceal and evens out my skin tone as well. I find that this product does not clog my pores :D

With the White Superfresh Cake Powder, I don't need to touch up as often as it keeps my skin matte all day! If I am in the office under air conditioner, I do not need to touch up at all. But if I am out in the sun, I just need to touch up once and it keeps my skin looking smooth and fresh for the rest of the day. Sometimes when I apply BB cream onto my skin, I will use it onto my skin using my powder brush for a matte finish.

Maybelline New York White Superfresh Long Lasting UV Cake Powder SPF34 PA+++ is available at major pharmacies, hypermarket and supermarket. It is sold at RM23.90, and the refills are available at RM11.90.

For more information, visit www.maybelline.com.my

Neutrogena Deep Hydrating Mask Review & Giveaway

With the hot weather and haze that is currently still ongoing, our skin has the tendency to get oily more often due to the air pollution that causes clogged pores. It also affect the skin's ability to regulate moisture level.

At times like this, I feel pretty stressed because I get breakouts more often and my skin looks dull as well. I rely mostly on masks to keep my skin moisturized and healthy but sometimes, you will just go through a period of bad skin :(

Neutrogena's Deep Hydrating Mask is an intensive facial treatment mask that replenishes and restores moisture for deeply hydrated and bouncy skin. It instantly boosts the skin moisture level up to 12 times with penetrating Vitamin C formula that provides an instant and long lasting moisture. This deeply hydrates the skin cells to leave skin bouncy and also improving the skin texture, leaving it soft and smooth with a healthy glow.

Ingredients:

Water, Butylene Glycol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Mulberry Root Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Extract, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Cyclomethicone, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Trioctanoin, Propylene Glycol, BHT, Sodium Myristoyl Glutamate, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Methylparaben, Ethylparaben, Sodium Hydroxide.

Best to use the mask after cleansing your face by unfolding the sheet and then place accordingly to your face shape. I think I have mentioned this previously in my other blog post that I love to place the mask in the refrigerator first as the cold mask feels really good on the skin especially during such a hot weather :)

Make sure that the mask fits nicely onto the skin. If there are some air trapped on certain ends or some areas that are not covered, just press lightly onto the mask with your fingertips to set it in place. After 15 minutes, remove the mask and massage the remaining fluid into the skin. I would also lightly pat my skin so that the fluids are absorbed more easily.

Although the masks doesn't fit perfectly onto my skin, I still love the intensive moisturization that it gives. It leaves my skin well hydrated and soft, which is a great for prepping the skin before putting on makeup.

Thanks to Neutrogena Malaysia, I will be giving away one Deep Hydrating Mask to five lucky readers!

All you have to do is submit your entires via the Rafflecopter app below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Montagne Jeunesse Face Mask Review + Giveaway

Montagne Jeunesse is a beauty brand based in the UK where they are renowned for their extensive range of peel off masks and mud/clay based masks. It is the number 1 face mask brand that is loved and trusted by women in over 80 countries worldwide. Their products is paraben free, cruelty free and vegetarian approved! This is the first time I am hearing that there are face mask that is vegetarian friendly...

This year, Montagne Jeunesse brought in two new range of face masks which is the Creamy Coconut Mud and Manuka Honey Peel Off Mask where I had the opportunity to review them!

For people with combination and oily skin, the Manuka Honey Peel Off mask is beneficial to the skin as manuka honey is a natural anti-bacterial cleanser. Added on with Jasmine for its fragrance, it has a soothing aroma that also has the ability to increase the skin elasticity, improve tone and texture, and reduce scarring.

Smells so good that I felt like eating it xD


Best to use after cleansing your face with warm water. Apply the mask and leave to dry for 20 minutes :)

It is easy to peel off once it is fully dried. I had it on for about 20 minutes and loved the skin tightening feeling while the masque dries. Of course there will be some tiny bits here and there which can be solved by just washing if off with water. Follow up with your normal skincare routine after :)

My skin definitely felt smoother after the mask!


Creamy Coconut Mud Mask

Unlike the normal sheet mask, mud based mask will reach deep down into pores to draw out impurities and excess sebum before it becomes a problem! The consistency of this mask is really thick due to natural ingredients like Coconut Water and Shea Butter to soothe and moisturize skin. It is suitable for all skin types!

You'll just need to apply a thin layer on a clean face and relax for 20 minutes. Rinse it off with warm water after that! Things might get a little messy when washing off due to the mask creamy texture where you need to wash it off more thoroughly. The coconut smell is especially strong in this one. I felt that my face was smelling like coconut for days after applying the mask but I love it! Best thing about this mask is that you get to use it up to 2 - 3 times due to the sachet size! My skin felt really moisturized after using this mask!

Besides that they have also given me an extra mask to review, which is the Green Tea Peel Off Face Masque! :D This masque deep cleanses the pores, removes impurities and peel to reveal a healthier skin! It also contains ingredients like:

1. Ginger - contains antibacterial element that helps to reduce skin inflammation, cleans skin and removing trapped dirt.

2. Green Tea - contains anti-oxidant properties that helps protect skin skin from free radicals that can speed up the aging process.

3. Evening Primrose - provides hydration, rejuvenates and repairs the skin.

Montagne Jeunesse Face Mask is available at Watson Stores! Get yours today :D

Good news for my readers!

Montagne Jeunesse has allocated 20 free masques for you! It means there will be 20 lucky winners who will win one masque each from the new range of mask. All you have to do is:
1. Like Montagne Jeunesse Malaysia Facebook Page
2. Fill in the details at http://bit.ly/1hiVgwS
3. Wait and see if you are the lucky one and they will post the item to you!