Another Reason To Like Singapore..

Randomly walking around Orchard Road also can get free samples! By the way, I'm so keen on getting more free samples aka stuff I use on holiday that I sign up for all kinds of Facebook promotions. I've been getting all kinds of shampoo samples til I don't even know where I've chucked everything! And of course - lots of spam mail too. -_-"

I got two random free samples in Singapore earlier this month. Both also not cheapo stuff, so quite happy with it:

Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil. Randomly handed a sachet when walking past the counter in ION, I think...

Rainforest Shampoo & Conditioner from The Body Shop. They were having "Christmas Giveaways" along Orchard Road. All you have to do is line-up and grope around inside a bin (no peeking) and grab a sample. After I got the shampoo sample, Tron said he groped around for something that is "different size" and claimed he brushed against something HUMONGOUS... but since he was taking so long, and the line getting longer, he decided against really finding it. Hahahaha... so he got a shampoo sample too in the end...

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Fresh Sugar Lychee EDP

This was an impulse buy in Sephora, Singapore back in November 2011. I thought Fresh was a new brand, but apparently they've been around for yonks. Another popular product in their range is their brown sugar scrubs (lip scrub, body scrub) and brown sugar perfume. I've tried it before, but I still prefer my Sugar Lychee EDP. A 30ml bottle would cost you somewhere between RM100 - RM150. I don't know exactly because I bought a couple of items from Sephora and I don't keep receipts to remind me of how much I spend. I pay the painful bulk amount to the credit card company and then lick my wounds alone in my room while staring at all the stuff around me.

True story, bro.

This perfume captured my boyfriend's and my heart after just one spritz. It definitely catches your attention, but not in a "I'm jamming my fingers up your nostril" kind of way. It's supposed to be a fresh, fruity scent, but it's really like no other fruity scent (I know of) around. It's so unique, and I bet that if you tell the admirers around you who ask you just WHAT is that wonderful perfume, they won't even have heard about it.

[Maybe I should keep this secret to myself too..]

It is also a sweet scent, but not cloyingly so. It just isn't typical. Trust me... go to Sephora and try it yourself. It smells so delicious, so edible, so REFRESHING. Like a cold glass of juice on a hot day. Just smelling it awakens the senses and invigorates me. I just can't tell you how much I like this scent because I'm not that great with words and I won't do the product justice.

Just don't look down on it's humble, unassuming packaging. You don't have to be so fancy to smell great. ;) Anyway, I personally like the bottle as it is easy to handle, looks classy with it's shiny silver cap

• Top notes are grapefruit, Italian lemon, lime blossom
• Heart notes are lychee, lotus flower, freesia
• Base notes are sandalwood, tonka bean, amber

I guess the top citrusy notes are the reason why it smells so refreshing and invigorating.. I like the middle notes the most, as that's when you can really smell the lychee. However, by the time it reaches the base note, the perfume is not that strong anymore, and to be honest - base notes like sandalwood, tonka bean and amber are pretty common. Sure, you'd still be able to sniff out some traces of lychee if you sniff hard enough, but why don't you just give yourself another spritz and enjoy it all over again. :D

As for repurchasing, I would... but I have a LOT of other perfume already! I would rather just try to finish up what I *do* have than repurchase one item that has finished. Therefore, although I love this perfume a lot, I only use it on special, special occassions. If I were to give this perfume to someone like my mom, she would probably finish it for me within a month. Hehehe...

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Skinlite Aloe Essence Mask

This is the Skinlite face mask that I bought from Sasa, Hong Kong for about RM2. The Skinlite Aloe Essence mask is for ultra hydration and soothing skin. It is enriched with vitamin E, phyto collagen & aloe extract. It is supposedly good for dry skin - claiming to be able to relieve and soften skin within 15-20 minutes!

But you know what? Cheap masks are cheap. -___-" This is one mask that I truly felt silly using. Firstly, there is barely enough essence in the mask. Stingy max! There is absolutely NO scent, and the essence could just be water. Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference. And ergonomically, the mask is so totally off! I just find it so irksome when areas that I feel totally need the care of the mask is not covered properly. Like the flap to cover my nose is sooooo big. And the holes for the eyes are so big, and it's so hard to manouver a mask to cover my eye bags when they cut the holes so huge. What, they really think all asians have manga eyes?


Usually, after using a mask, I would feel that my skin is immediately softer & more moisturised. There is TRULY no difference with this one.

Yeah, sure it's "only RM2", but why waste your money on something that doesn't work? For cheap masks, I'm sure you could find other better brands. One of which I'm going to review soon enough. ;)

The bad part? After this rather boring experience with Skinlite, I still have 2 more masks from them! Grrr... this is the problem when you see cheap things - you tend to buy a lot and then wind up with a lot of stuff you don't want!

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Johnson's Body Care 24 Hour Lasting Moisture Body Lotion

I've got a lot of Johnson's products, thanks to contests that tempt me with the dream of owning my own "dream house". -___- In fact, I've used this product before, but never reviewed it before. Never too late, I suppose. ;) This is part of Johnson's new Body Care range, and it is the "24 Hour Lasting Moisture Body Lotion" with shea butter, vitamin E and jojoba oil for touchably baby-soft skin.

There are actually 3 products in their Body Care range. Aside from this one, there is the "Melt Away Stress Daily Calming Lotion" and the "Naturally White Daily UV Lotion". I've only tried this and the calming lotion as I generally TRY to avoid whitening lotions as whitening my skin is not top priority for me.

So how does this lotion fare for me? Straight out of the bottle, the scent is a little bit too STRONG for me, a little too FLORAL. However, the scent doesn't really last for a long time, and after an hour, you can barely smell anything on your skin. Strange, considering they call it a 24 hour moisturiser. Then again, if it's so strong that it smells strongly for 24 hours straight, it would be too scary.

By the way, some says that the perfume smells PEACHY, and some says it smells like TUBEROSE. To me, it smells NOTHING like the abovementioned. It just smells like some generic floral scent. Sorry, can't pinpoint the exact plant for you.

I'm not understanding why so many people are saying how moisturising it is, wonderful, etc etc. To me, yeah, I guess my skin is moisturised, but it isn't extra super soft or something. Maybe I just have extra leathery skin, lol. Maybe within 30 minutes of having this on, you would feel a significant difference, but the effects definitely fade with time. I don't care if this product claims that it's still moisturising you up to 24 hours even after you have washed it off, I really do not feel the difference.

However, having said that --- for the PRICE, I suppose it is quite "worth it". You can get a 200ml bottle for around RM6-7. It's a pretty handy, travel-friendly size, so you can cart it around with you everywhere. I usually take this around when I go to the gym because I can't be lugging around my Vaseline (which is almost double the size of the Johnson's one), which also has a pump-style dispenser, which means I could accidentally pump some moisturiser into my clothes. -__-"

Johnson's claims that this product helps your dry skin in 3 different ways :
1) shea butter helps reduce skin tightness
2) vitamin E helps lessen skin flakiness
3) jojoba oil helps revive dull looking skin

For better results, recommended to use this with the 24 Hour Lasting Moisture Body Wash.

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Christmas Eve Celebration FOTD

Haven't been doing FOTD for a long time, and with reason. :) Cos I always use my webcam and I end up finding it pointless because the quality is sooooo bad. But I decided to document this round because :
a. it's Christmas!
b. my boyfriend saw me with the make-up on and said I looked different and "it feels like I'm dating another girl"
c. using a lot of new stuff recently... so not so boring?

That's me with no make-up on, and I'm not wearing my cardigan yet, cos I need to slather all kinds of stuff over myself before dressing up completely...

First step is to spritz my hair with some Liese Cocktail Berry Mist thingy (but I'm still using my Free & Free Damage Aid botle!). Get it all moisturised and crap before I do my hair up. :)

Felt like I've been having good skin for a pretty long time and can get away with just using Hazeline Snow for mositurisation instead of putting on foundation / BB cream or even face primer!

I'm happy cos it's finishing! And I have already selected out two new moisturisers to take its place. I actually simultaneously use 2 moisturisers. The more expensive one, I use it for work. The cheaper, for weekends. :P In case you're wondering, the "more expensive one" is my Dr. Feelgood from Benefit. It's also finishing - to my dismay. Not because I love it SO much, but because I think it is finishing way too quickly! I've been using the Hazeline one for what seems like forever, so it's NORMAL that it should be finishing!

Need my Johnson's Baby Powder to feel all comfortable and loved. :)

Now that the face is moisturised, need the rest of my body to be moisturised too. :D I'm going to review the Johnson's Body Care Body Lotion soon. Guess what? I use THREE different type of moisturisers at the same time and I don't even know why. I use the Vaseline Healthy White one for the morning, and I use the Fruit of the Earth Cocoa Butter at night. I use this one when I'm going somewhere that requires me to bathe, but it's somewhat towards the evening. And because I'm going out, it doesn't qualify for the Cocoa Butter (no real logical reason behind this).

Decided to put on my cardigan and accessorise with my Lazo Diamond necklace cos no need to concentrate on limbs anymore. Totally focused on FACE make-up from this point onwards.

For some reason, today I decided to start with the cheeks first. I'll do a proper review of this later, but this is my Jelly Pong Pong Jelly Flush that I blogged about in my JPP haul. You can see how messy the packaging is now, with that weird liquid collecting at the bottle. I don't even know...

Basically just rub it on like this... you need to really rub a LOT on because the tint is very very subtle...

Decided I didn't want to be too adventurous with COLOR today, so stuck to the Naked palette from Urban Decay. :)

I just put an all-over wash of "Virgin" and "Half-Baked" for the main color. I like how when you string the names together, I had "Half-Baked / Virgin" on my eyelids. :P

For some reason, decided curling my lashes were a good idea...

But there really wasn't much difference before & after. Perhaps I'm doing it wrong.

Decided to use my Maybelline Hypersharp eyeliner because I wanted to draw "cat eyes" today..!!

I always love how I look with one eye with eyeliner and one eye without. It's not that apparent until you really look at the picture!

I didn't really get the cat eye effect I wanted. For some reason, I think this looks like a poor man's version of Amy Winehouse...

Again, eyeliner not that apparent once my eyes are open. FTS. Decided to use mascara to open my eyes up more, and this is the new mascara I got from Maybelline.. it's called Super Film.

My look up to this point.. I just need some lipgloss!

What better lipgloss to use than the Benefit's one Tron's sis gave me from the Glossytown set? :D

Picked this pinkish-coral one called Spiked Punch

Spritz on some Burberry Body...

Okie, *now* I'm ready to go rock around the Christmas Tree!

Have a good holiday, ya'll. :)

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Estee Lauder x Michael Kors Gift Set

Merry Christmas ya'll!! I guess there is nothing more apt to post on Christmas Day than my CHRISTMAS PRESENT from my man Tron. :)

Actually, I didn't expect to get anything from him cos he gave me something really, really big already and I felt really bad (but happy), so I told him NO NEED for Christmas presents this year. And I'm really, really sincere! I feel like there's no drugstore products I really want (at the moment), no more make up I can possibly hoard (I seriously balk when I see how much I have to "use up"), more haircare products than I have hair (hehe!)... sure, there's always pretty stuff in pretty packaging tempting us... but I am slowly trying to build up R.E.S.I.S.T.A.N.C.E against it. For the moment, anyway. :)

So I was really, really surprised when Tron gave me this :

My first thoughts is that it MUST be perfume because Tron always buys me perfume. I think he has gotten me 4-5 perfumes so far. *scratch my head* But at the same time, I was confused cos in the car he was telling me, "You know, I chose every single bit by myself ok! The exact color, the gold, this product or that product..." so I was confused and I thought he ventured out of his comfort zone and bought me clothes! :P

Anyway, this is what I got :

The Estee Lauder x Michael Kors set!! It's a special Christmas set that they have been doing promos in all local malls. I did see it around and I thought of getting the Estee Lauder Blockbuster set (as I always do), but you have to buy above a certain amount in order to get the Michael Kors Set / Blockbuster Set at a cheaper price. So Tron *did* buy me a perfume after all. He bought the perfume so he could get the Michael Kors set at a cheaper price, hahaha! The perfume he got for me is Estee Lauder's Sensuous Nude, which I have not heard / tried before. But it sounds kinky! ;P

Actually, I should have suspected he would get this for me because he actually asked me if he could get me the Blockbuster set. I said no because the Blockbuster set this year doesn't come in that nice a bag. *picky* But as mentioned, it's pricey, I don't want him to spend this kind of money! Especially when I didn't spend as much.. *small voice*

More on the set he got me :

Double Wear Moisture Powder for Stay-In-Place Makeup in Warm Vanilla

Estee Lauder Pure Color Eyeshadow.
Top row - Sugar Cube, Winking Periwinkle, Lavish Mink, Purple Passion
Bottom row - Ivory Slipper, Lilac Whimsy, Ivy Envy, Nude Fresco

Pure Color gloss in Star Pink Shimmer

Estee Lauder double wear eyeliner... Looks so nice! But guess what? I have about 4 full eyeliners at the moment + 1 gel eyeliner! Hehehee... but anyway eyeliners are a necessity!

Pure Color Cream Lipstick in Pink Parfait

Estee Lauder x Michael Kors compact.
It has 6 Pure Color eyeshadows and 1 Signature Silky Powder Blush.
Eyeshadow from L-R, top to bottom : Polished Platinum, Candy Crave, Pink Flash, Sandbar Beige, Sugar Cube and Iridescent Violet.
The Powder Blush is in Pink Kiss. Looks pretty matte to me, with a very light bit of shimmer.

The compact is so shiny that I can't get a proper photo of it cos everything keeps getting reflected! :(

Travel-size bottle of Sensuous Nude EDP.

Did I mention that it also comes with two brushes and the Michael Kors pouch / clutch? There's actually two colors - gold or dark silver. So that was what Tron was saying about colors and what not! :)

Anyway, Christmas is really not about the presents. Take the holiday season as a time to spend time with your family & loved ones. Meet up with friends and give them presents "just because". If you feel guilty about indulging in "Xmas Specials" in restaurants, indulge in the "Xmas Special" at the gym too. ;) And remember... go to church! :P

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Cellnique Skin Action Sebum Gel

The Cellnique Skin Action Sebum Gel was recommended to me by my facial therapist because she knows about my war on blackheads. Yes, I am quite a fan of Cellnique products, so I bought this even though it's on the pricier end. I think around RM200+? But I had an RM30 discount coupon as well, so some small consolation for myself lah.

What is the function of the sebum gel? To be honest, my expectations were that it either scrubs off all blackheads foreverly forever (like when I rub it in, I can rub out blackheads... lololol) or that it can stop blackheads from even APPEARING. Of course, I was disappointed when it did not happen. I wanted to blog a hate entry about it, but then I went for my 2nd facial...

When I complained to the facial therapist that the product not really working for me, she said that it's not supposed to stop blackheads from appearing... it makes blackheads EASIER to remove. It "softens" the stubborn blackheads that are "stuck" there, and next time it can be washed off or squeezed out easier. She said sometimes some blackheads are so stubborn that even when you squeeze and squeeze, it won't come out, and it just causes you a lot of unnecessary pain. However, as with all products, you have to use this CONSTANTLY, and really make it part of your skincare regime. After she told me that, I decided to take on the challenge and include it in. I usually apply the sebum gel to my nose (most of the gel winds up here), a little on the T-zone and the rest on my chin. I don't usually squeeze or even notice blackheads on my forehead and chin, but the facial therapist often squeezes those areas also, so ... just in case lah.

The gel is actually quite fun to use. The first time I applied it, it was soooo cooling and tingly. I really thought it was activating something magnificent and I could see bits of blackheads coming out. Lol! However, subsequent reactions using the gel not as tingly as before. Wonder why! It is still cooling and smells minty though.

Personally, after using it for a few months, I think there is slight improvement. Warning : disturbing pictures to come.

Previously, even after applying the pore strip, my nose still looks like this :

Now, after applying the pore strip, my nose looks much cleaner :

I will definitely continue using this... cos it's showing better results than the blackhead cleaning series I bought from Neutrogena!

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Dermalogica Precleanse

This is one old product that I have, bought because of Ben. I always trust his recommendations cos he is really a skincare freak. Usually the stuff that he recommends are pricey, and this is no different! But the word he uses that always gets me to fork out the moolah is, "Even Abby says it is good." Abby is another skincare lover friend of Ben's, who has the kinda porcelain smooth skin that is usually synonymous with rich people (who can afford to eat birds nest everyday, and probably uses crushed pearls to exfoliate or something like that). So I bought this bottle.

And I have no idea what to use it for!

Ben says it is a precleanse, to be used BEFORE you clean your face. Is it like a makeup remover then? He says something like that, but not really also. More of like, it strips dirt off your face to the core, and then you wash your face.

I'm really confused. If it strips dirt off my face TO THE CORE already, then why do I need to wash my face some more? It's already done the job right? What more is there to cleanse my face of, if it's already cleansed to the core?

It would make more sense if this is a POSTcleanse. Like, you think you got all the shit off your face already, but one swipe of PRECLEANSE and you note that your cotton pad is filled with black crap. That would make a killer advertisement, right?

So honestly, I have no idea what to use it for. I always trust in my face wash to take off dirt, make-up, whatever crap there is, I want it off. When I use Dermalogica's Precleanse, I feel like it's an extra, unnecessary step. Totally useless. And the product is oil-based, and I hate oil-based cleansers. I read some where that it is stronger than water-based cleansers, but I just can't get used to the slimey feeling it has on my skin. And Heaven help you if you get it into your eyes! It stings like crazy!

However, there was one time that I accidentally DROPPED the Precleanse from my sink, and I think like, one-third of the bottle just spilled onto my toilet tiles. And the DIRT WAS FREAKING STRIPPED OFF THE TILES. Like, TOTALLY GONE. It was the most amazing moment of my life. I mean, it is the most expensive toilet cleaner ever, but you could totally see how effective it is at cleansing.

But still don't get it... why precleanse? Why not just make it so that you only use this and this alone.

If you're saying, "then use it alone la! Who is stopping you?" Well, I don't like the oily feeling on my skin after using this. So I use the face wash. But the face wash becomes something of an irony, because it's not washing my face. It's washing off something that was REALLY used to wash my face. Do you get me?

Anyway, in conclusion, sometimes really expensive and high-tech stuff are just too complicated for the hoi polloi...

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Hada Labo AHA/BHA Face Wash

After using (and hating) the Ginvera Exfoliating Face Wash Gel in Singapore, I was so thankful that I had bought another sample face wash to use! Didn't want to depend on that horrible green gel for the rest of the trip! The second sample face wash I used is from Hada Labo. Since I've used their mosituriser before, I was somewhat assured that this wouldn't end in tragedy.

Hada Labo says that this product :
a. contains AHA/BHA for gentle exfoliation to remove impurities, dirt & oil trapped within pores
b. polishes away dullness and refines skin's texture for visibly clear, smooth and radiant skin
c. skin pH balanced, low irritation
d. free of fragrances, mineral oil, alcohol and colorant

Ever noticed that those "Free of fragrance" products usually smell crappy? It usually smells toooooo medicated and clinical, and this is not any different. It's something that you just have to get used to.

As a face wash, it's pretty decent. It gets the job done - removes make-up, and leaves the face feeling nicely cleansed and refresh. However, I really balk at the statements that claim that there are gentle exfoliation... maybe it's so gentle that I didn't even realise that my skin was getting exfoliated! There are no micro exfoliating beads, fyi. It's a very normal, simple, unassuming white cream. -__- *unimpressed*

Wondering what is AHA and BHA? Well, AHA, or alpha hydroxy acid, is a skin care product ingredient made from fruit, milk or sugar cane. The makers of products with AHA promote its ability to reduce the signs of aging and to improve acne. Lactic (from milk), glycolic (from sugar cane) and citric acids (from oranges and lemons) are the most commonly used AHAs.AHAs penetrate the dead surface cells of the skin, loosening the molecular bonds that attach them to the underlying tissues. The loose cells slough off, exposing newer skin.

Most of the skin care products with AHA have it in concentrations of between 5 and 8 percent. Lower concentrations are ineffective and higher ones can increase the severity of AHA's potential side effects.

two most common side effects are increased sun sensitivity and skin irritation. Over a course of 12 years, between 1992 and the introduction of AHAs in skin care products, and 2004, the FDA received 114 complaints about side effects. [Source : eHow]

Interesting huh? I find it quite disturbing how the AHAs can "slough off our dead skin cells" (so this is the exfoliation that they are talking about!) and it winds up making us sensitive to the sun. Obviously Hada Labo knows about this because they put an advisory on the sample saying, "This product should be used with a sunscreen product." I was thinking WTF, because this is a face wash. How many face wash do you own that actually tells you, "Please use a sunscreen with this."

As for BHAs, they sound less scary. BHA or beta hydroxy acid has only one source – salicylic acid – derived from acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin. Like AHAs, beta hydroxy acid (BHA) acts as an exfoliant increasing the shedding of dead skin cells to allow newer, healthier skin cells to show through.

Studies have shown BHA to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, improve skin roughness and assist in reducing skin pigmentation disorders. BHA is also extremely useful in the treatment of breakouts and helpful in the management of keratosis pilaris, conditions that involve blocked or clogged pores. [Source : eHow]

You can get your own dose of BHAs by using the "Michelle Phan Aspirin Mask" technique. It's such an oldie but goodie that I'm going to blog about it on blog too! Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, the AHA thing is kinda scaring me... gotta do more research on it!

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Vera Wang Rock Princess Perfume

I always bring perfume samples when I travel, because aside from the lighter luggage, it's like "oh, I'm in a totally exotic place right now, let me try something ELSE that is totally out of norm too!" Yea, I know Singapore is not THAT exotic, but it's still something different from the norm for me! (Though at the rate I keep returning there, turning to the norm pretty fast.)

Back home, I'm pretty typical with my perfume choices. I always use green tea perfumes for work (cos it's calming, not-offensive, not screaming for attention, but sweet and somewhat serious too, IMHO). Right now, I'm using Estee Lauder's Green Tea Lavender.
For weekend dates, I usually use stuff that my boyfriend bought for me... because, hey, that's what he wants me to smell like, right? It's usually Vera Wang's Princess or Burberry Body (yes, quite new perfumes the boy bought for me... he's a perfume freak!).
Occasionally when I see the other 15 or so bottles sitting on my dresser, I feel bad and spritz something else. But usually it's one of these 3.

I got this Vera Wang Rock Princess sample along with the birthday gift Tron got for me. I love Vera Wang's Princess, so Rock Princess should be good too, right?

Personally, I don't really like it, because I find the scent a bit too in-your-face. It's LOUD and it is the type that makes me think that something is physically forcing itself up my nostrils. I also don't like the fruity scent. Usually I like fruity scents, but this one is very artificial. I can't quite put my finger on it. Thankfully, the middle and base notes are more subtle, so as the day goes by, it's more bearable. I guess I prefer the floral side of this perfume more than the jarring fruity top notes.

Perfume top notes : white peach, red raspberry, bergamot
Middle notes : heliotrope, vintage-inspired rose, night blossoming jasmine, lily
Base notes : cashmere, musk, iris and creamy coconut

Anyway, this perfume is apparently a limited edition (IMHO - thankfully), not sure if you can get it anymore. I haven't seen it being sold anyway. If you're thinking of getting Vera Wang for your girlfriend, be assured that Princess is a much, much better choice. Both in terms of the actual scent and the bottle design.

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Loreal Paris Elseve Smooth Intense Anti-Frizz Serum

I didn't want to pack my hair treatment bottles all the way to Singapore, so I was really stoked when I saw that I actually had a sample packet of hair serum! This is the Loreal Paris Elseve Smooth Intense Anti-Frizz Serum...

Confusingly, the front of the packet says, "Discover the power of Argan Oil for Smoother and Shinier Hair", but at the back, it says that the two precious ingredients that ensure your hair will be frizz free are "Nutrileum" and Silk Protein. As Loreal describes: "For the first time, the Loreal Laboratories have combined its patented ingredient Nutrileum, a combination of nutritive micro-oil and a smoothing agent, with Silk Protein, known for its smoothness and thermo-resistance, to deliver double action.

1. Intense nutrition : the creamy formula nourishes and calms your hair from root to tip, for easy and homogenous smoothness.

2. 48H* protection : like a shield, the formula helps to protect your hair against the effects of humid and dry conditions, eliminating frizz and puffiness. "

I have to say, I'm very freaking impressed with this product. The serum feels slick between my palms, but not oily and disgusting. There is NO smell associated with this product at all, so for those who are afraid of funky smelling hair treatments (that can be quite a hit or miss at times), this would be right up your alley.

It also really works. Almost instantaneously. Once it is applied on my hair, it's like my hair just says, "Ok, I'll behave now." Dry looking ends become smoothened down, and remains tame for the rest of the day! I'm really, really amazed.

Also, you only need to use a bit of the serum to get the effects that you want. So if you buy a big bottle, it's probably going to last you forever and a day. Then again, I have to say that I don't apply the serum ALL over my hair. I only use it for the ends. =)

The best part? I just checked online, and apparently you can get it for as low as RM20 for a 50ml bottle. That's cheaper than the RM80 I paid for my Kerastase Nutritive Oleo-Relax hair serum (125ml) that I got from my hair dresser. *sulk* And I just saw that the Keratase one is also from Loreal Laboratories. *double sulk* So it's probably just as good as this one. I think the only difference is that the Keratase one has a scent, and the serum feels a bit thicker, a bit gooey-er.

I haven't seen the Loreal one in drugstores, but then again I haven't been specifically looking out for it. If you're looking for an anti-frizz serum, I really think you should get this, it's really good!

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Playboy Play It Spicy Deodorant

I got this for FREE --- from my sister! This was from when we won some Kitschen vouchers x Cleo's Most Eligible Bachelor's roadshow tickets x Redken Shampoo x Playboy goodies! So awesome... but the bad part was that we had to play games with the Cleo Most Eligible bachelors la. ~_~" I know some girls will think "Huh? THAT'S the bad part?" But come on, we are two happily attached women. ;) Don't want our man to misunderstand. ;)

I was very happy with the perfume & deodorant set I got from Playboy, which was Play it Sexy. It was the one that I thought was the best out of all 3 when I went a-sniffing in Watsons. My sister got the Play it Spicy set, and she didn't like it, so she gave it all to me! Now I have two Playboy sets and I'm already overwhelmed with all kinds of perfume. Craziness!

In case you don't know, Playboy's perfume range is called Play it Lovely, Play it Sexy and Play it Spicy. I think they have a new one now called Play it Rock, but I haven't tested it yet. The original trio (Lovely, Sexy, Spicy) were supposed to represent the 3 steps a woman takes to seduce a man.

Play It Lovely entices him (piques his interest?)
Play It Sexy ensnares him (turns on the lust?)
Play It Spicy binds him (he's yours forever! *evil laughter*)

Play It Spicy is an oriental, floral scent and is supposed to make you smell like a WINNER. The girl who has managed to win the man. Well played, well played.

Top notes: pomegranate, Bellini cocktail and pink berries. Heart: tiger lily, passion flower and heliotrope. Base: amber, sandalwood and vanilla. [Source : Fragrantica]

Maybe it's because it is just the perfume deodorant, but I personally felt that this scent is quite light, casual and sweet. Nothing very spicy or sexy or alluring about it. Quite disappointing, cos you would expect more. It's easygoing on the nose, but very unmemorable. I like to wear it on casual dates with my boyfriend on Friday. Smell good for the 2 hours or so when we're together and practically no trace of the fragrance anymore when I get home. Hahaha.

I honestly can't smell the woody base because it really doesn't last long enough for me to perceive that it is even there. *_* I suppose the perfume would be much better, but you'll just have to wait til I review it... next time. ;)

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Montagne Jeunesse Anti-Stress Mud Pac

So THIS is my "mask" of choice when I was in Singapore! It is the Montagne Jeunesse Anti-Stress Mud Pac! I was really looking forward to painting my face bright blue, just like the model on the packaging! ;)

I have stressed time and time again how worth-it the MJ masks are because one packet is great for multiple uses. YET, I keep going back to paper masks due to convenience and because I cannot store the "leftover" masks properly. I usually keep it in the toilet (in the half-opened packaging) and it dries up, it is icky, it doesn't look inviting anymore... sigh. However, because I was on holiday and I could ~luxuriate~, I wound up doing a mud pack everyday when I was there. And let me tell you ... it was HEAVENLY!!

I was there for 3 nights, and every day when I got back to the hotel, all sticky... this would feel like such a great comfort to my skin. It was cooling and tingly, smelled oh-so-refreshing and left my skin feeling pampered up. I didn't even need to put it on for very long. 10 -15 minutes is enough for the skin to absorb the goodness, and because of all the minty, tingly sensations, it really does help me feel more relaxed and stress-free!

MJ claims that they have harvested ultra deep cleansing Dead Sea Mud to draw out impurities and blocked pores to leave skin feeling clear and soft. Dead Sea Salt is also one of the ingredients and you might be wondering what are the benefits of the Dead Sea Salt anyway?

"The waters from the Dead Sea are unique in that they contain 27% of various salts as compared to 3% in normal sea water. Further, while sodium accounts for approximately 80% of the salt content of normal sea water, it comprises much less of the salt total in water from the Dead Sea. The balance of the salts in Dead Sea water are magnesium, potassium, calcium chloride and bromides.

Magnesium is important for both combating stress and fluid retention, slowing skin aging and calming the nervous system. Calcium is effective at preventing water retention, increasing circulation and strengthening bones and nails. Potassium energizes the body, helps to balance skin moisture and is a crucial mineral to replenish following intense exercise. Bromides act to ease muscle stiffness and relax muscles. Sodium is important for the lymphatic fluid balance (this in turn is important for immune system function). So we can see that bathing in high quality sea salt could replenish the minerals which are critical to our skin metabolism." [Source : SaltWorks ]

Regardless of all the technical mumbo-jumbo, all I know is that it feels really good on my skin. One of the best products I've used from MJ!

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