Johnson & Johnson Clean and Clear Deep Action Daily Pore Cleanser

 

Johnson & Johnson's always have affordable facial cleansers - it's one of those brands that are familiar and you can almost guarantee you can find it in any pharmacy that you walk in to. I loved how this is another product that targets blackheads (I think companies just know that we are ALL on a warpath against blackheads!). What a great guarantee -- less blackheads with each wash - and gentle micro-scrubbing beads that unblocks pores for clear skin! 

And yes, it doesn't burn a hole in your pocket. This set me back slightly more than RM10 only, and seemed to last a really, really long time. A few months at least, I just finished it! And I think I started using it in the first half of the year! 

It was really hard to capture how the cleanser actually looks like, but it's a light blue, with dark blue buffing beads. 

So far, it sounds like I like the product right? Well, actually I don't! I find the buffing beads are a bit too rough on my skin. Maybe you would think this means EFFECTIVENESS, but I find that it is more like trying to make me bleed from my face.

There is no special scent as well, so kinda boring there. I don't even like the texture of the facial cleanser. It is too watery and slimey for me. Just --- totally weird. Finally, it also leaves a really weird feeling after rinsing off. Like there's some oily residue left on my skin. Have no idea why this should even be so, because it is NOT an oil based cleanser. 

Just weird, weird and more weirdness. Life is too short to waste time on cleansers like this. :(

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Mangosteen Soap from Beauty Soap & Scent

So I splurged about RM4 for this teeny tiny sliver of mangosteen soap when I was at Alpro, Jaya 33. Why? Cos I love handmade soaps, and I thought mangosteen was an interesting "flavor" to try!

The soap could barely last me 2 weeks, if even that, but it was a pretty joyful time in the shower during those 14 days. It smells really nice - sweet and refreshing (like the fruit itself!) but not sickeningly sweet. The bubbles are slightly purple too, which makes me think that it's really au naturel. Lathers up really well, and the scent still lingers behind after the shower. I kind of miss this soap now! My only complaint is that it REALLY goes down the drain quickly, so it might be a bit pricey. Then again, I always buy hideously expensive soaps from Lush, so how hypocritical can I get, right?

If you're interested to try the homemade soaps, you can check out Alpro (they have a small shelf dedicated to this products), or you can check out the website here. The next time Alpro is having their sales, I must remember to grab myself more mangosteen soap. It's really a repurchase for me! :)

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Monday Masks : Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure Skin Clarifying Mask

Let me introduce you to two special additions to my skincare routine. Trying to use these fellers at least twice a week, but I keep forgetting. I've shifted them from some darkened corner of the toilet to the display right by the sink so that I won't forget. Check it out:

I will definitely review both when the time comes, but today, I want to talk about Formula 10.0.6's Pores Be Pure Skin-Clarifying mud mask. I think I've mentioned before that I bought this when I was in Singapore, under Ben's recommendation. Well, it was actually Abby that recommended it to Ben, who then recommended it to me because he knows I'm mad about stuff like this. I would also like to think that with my curiosity and love for the simple packaging (all fonts printed all over, nothing cutesy -- but really attention grabbing IMHO), I would have bought it sooner or later ANYWAY.

Well, Ben knows about my hatred for blackheads and my complaints about dirty pores, and he said that Abby swears by the stuff. I'm not really keen on "spread masks" as they term it, much prefering the simpler "sheet masks". After using this mask, I'm getting more keen on spread masks because :
:: in fact, you have spread masks on for a shorter amount of time compared to sheet masks
:: more economical by far... I've been using the spread masks for such a long amount of time --- and during that period I would probably have spend 10x the amount if I were to use sheet masks twice a week!
:: more effective --- especially when you're a cheapo like me who buys 3 for RM10 sheet masks that are very dubious

It's quite easy to use, just start off with a dry face :

Squeeze out just a small amount ... spread it thinly over your face. To be honest, the smell is not that fantastic. Smells a bit too herbal for me. It also doesn't look very appetising when squeezed out from the tube. Despite containing STRAWBERRIES, it doesn't really smell much of the fruit. Have to remind myself that it's a "mud mask", so this is what I should expect in the first place.

When I apply it on my skin, I get a pretty tingly feeling, the same feeling I get when I apply "natural whitening" creams that actually contain natural acids to exfoliate the skin. Well, this product claims to contain  "berry boosters" that "go straight to clear out clogged pores". I think I've blogged before about the goodness of strawberries for the skin - strawberry oils contain anti-oxidants, anti-bacterial properties and high amounts of vitamin A & C. Hey, the fruit doesn't only taste good, you can smear it on your skin too. ;)

Rosemary is also one of the major ingredients, and is used for toning and "lifting" sagging skin. Hmmm... a facelift in a bottle? I was merely looking for something that would clear out my pores!

Finally, we have yarrow -- what I suspect causes this mask to smell oh-so-herbal. This traditional ingredient is used to improve skin conditions such as rashes and abrasions. Generally, just to calm inflamed skin. All in all, it sounds like a product to soothe sensitive skin rather than to clear out the pores. However, after I rinse off the mask, I am always left with baby soft skin that feels squeaky clean and clear! I love this mask! Thank you Ben (and Abby) for the recommendation!

The mask dries off to a clear finish --- I had a photo of it, but my laptop was being a bitch and hung on me when I was transferring the photos. They are lost, but no biggie. :\ Oh, there's a slight "tightening" effect when the mask dries off... like when you apply an egg white mask. Quite nice... another "uplifting" side of the mask!

Forgot how much I paid for it, but it's not too pricey. Really looking forward to checking out more Formula 10.0.6 stuff the next time I visit Singapore!

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NYX in Malaysia?

I didn't see it personally for myself, but based on the Sephora newsletter, certain NYX products are now available at their outlets since September this year. Boy am I behind on the news! The newsletter shows 6 different types of NYX products that are available in Sephora:

a. Stay Matte But Not Flat Powder foundation @ RM39
b. The Curve Liner @ RM62
c. Slide on Eye Pencil @ RM35
d. Shine Killer @ RM54
e. Mega Shine Lip Gloss @ RM24
f. Stick Blush @ RM26 

Except for first two items which are not available,  the NYX discount site that I go to sells :
c. Slide on Eye Pencil @ USD$7.45

d. Shine Killer @ USD$12.25

e. Megashine lip gloss @ USD4.75

f. Stick Blush @  USD$4.85

In case you are wondering, shipping for me was USD13 for about 10 items, and they threw in a bunch of free gifts, so if you have lots of friends who want to purchase with you, you could group together! The best part about NYX is the affordability, though I love Sephora for bringing in new labels, I find that it's not as fun when the prices are so high. It completely obliterates the best part about NYX stuff. Maybe you feel it's not such a mark-up, considering you can check out the products before purchasing it. Well, I trust the online seller... so to each their own. If you're interested, I can pass you the deets of the NYX reseller, but most probably you gals already know the site I'm talking about... ;)

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ASOS Sales!

Help me! Though I had pretty bad experiences ordering from ASOS, I wind up going back there "just to see whether got anything nice" and now I have wayyyy too many things in my shopping basket. ~_~" Always the problem. Help me dwindle down the selection (and I feel very comforted writing this because I'm trying to explain to myself why I *need* so many new dresses / shirts/ tops... :)

Everything below is all between £10- £25, except for one which is £40.

This loose white dress stands out from the ordinary with neon orange details. Feeling my age at the moment, and I'm especially taken by dresses that are loose fitting, at least knee-length and with sleeves, lol. So this is totally number one with a bullet for me.

As mentioned above, it's quite rare to find a nice, classy dress with sleeves. And this one comes in the season's fashionable hi-lo cut / mullet cut skirt.  I love how swishy and comfortable the chiffon dress looks like, and the dark green is a unique color (IMHO). Oh -- and the sequin collar! Isn't it just fabulous? 

   

Cheerful yellow scarf-print skirt. What can I say, I'm trying to spice up my wardrobe. Except for the typical floral print, I think all my other skirts are just plain solids. Maybe I am afraid of drawing attention to my hips, or that printed skirts are just not sensible... but this one is just too pretty to miss out. Don't you agree? 

And talking about sensible skirts, here's one that I can't resist because of the cute lace detailing and embroidery. Taking the ordinary to the extraordinary... 

 I originally wanted this skirt in black color, cos I love pleats and the paperbag waist... but they don't have it anymore! They only have my size in "miami blue" - as pictured above. It so reminds me of my secondary school pinafore.. should I still get it? Are pleats too youthful anyway? **feeling my age**

 So there's something about playsuits that just make them look so.... comfortable... and FUN! This one tries to take it up a notch with classier fabrics and styling, so that if you throw on a blazer, it would be a totally chic look for even a day event!

 Yes, I love boyfriend shirts. Yes, if I wear this, my husband will ask me if I'm wearing my pajamas out. But it looks so damn comfy and so effortlessly classy. Like "oh, I just threw this old thing on and accessorised with whatever was in my drawer". And come out looking like a million bucks. :) 

 I have cardigans in almost every color... but I don't have one in RAINBOW. Awesome, right? 

 

Trying to think whether I already have a vibrant colorful floral dress in my closet. Hmmm... nope. Love the cutting for this one, and I love florals that aren't too sissy-fied. This one is more tropical, wild, fun! Loving it! 

 I love vibrant colors, and at the moment, orange is really one of my fave colors this year. The chiffon also looks deliciously wearable in hot Malaysia. The only doubts I have? The draping at the hips. It's gonna make one look too "pearish", right? 

 I know lace dresses are so overdone, but I like the way the short sleeve lace top overlays a halter dress. A bit too bodycon for me, but it's sweet without being saccharinely so. Also, a sucker for Peter Pan collars. Overall, finding this dress uber unique. 

 This dress is not something I would usually get because I'm not big on prints, especially big prints! But for some reason, I find myself thinking of the various ways I could wear this, and I'm loving all the ideas that I have in my head! Also, for some reason I find it very oriental and again, thinking it's suitable for CNY. Yes, I shop for CNY in October, is that so wrong? *rolls eyes* 

 

And finally, yes, I love orange! I told you! A simple summer dress made fully of embroidered lace. Notice the jagged hem? So cute. I don't "need" this dress, it's definitely just a plain old want. :( 

I'm glad that I wrote this entry... I actually started with 18 pictures originally and whittled them down to what you see now. Boy, blogging does help you sort out your thoughts...

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Monday Masks : Dermal Kiwi Collagen Sheet Mask

As far as cheap masks go, I really do like the Dermal series. I always feel really moisturised after using the sheet mask and the fit is really good! Must remind myself to grab more the next time I'm in Watsons Singapore! Sure, not all of them are super good like the South of France Apricot (or something like that) mask from My Beauty Diary, which is like, my ultimate fave sheet mask ever.

The Kiwi Collagen sheet mask from Dermal is not bad ... but rather unmemorable. I expected more of it, expecting it to be more fruity, but there really wasn't much of a smell. Nothing much to say after 4 similar reviews on the Dermal series, so far, I only really like the apple collagen mask and the apricot one.

The kiwi collagen mask is suitable for all skin types and  is touted to make your tired skin more elastic, mositurised and clear. It is a mild mask for brightening and nutrition.  Whenever there is "brightening" the mask stings! It made me think that there must be some bleaching ingredient of some sort. But then I found out that when there's vitamin C in the sheet mask, vitamin C contains natural acids that will exfoliate your skin. This is why some people say their skin "glows" or "feels smoother" after the mask! Aside from the high vitamin C content, I tried to search for benefits of kiwi fruit for your skin... and it generally says that you eat the fruit. Not sure if it works when you just lay it on your face. -_-" Kiwi fruit contains high amounts of vitamin E & vitamin C and antioxidants that will help slow down the aging process.

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Lipstick Sundays : Victoria's Secrets Supermodel Glosses in Yearning (Selita)

Who wouldn't want a supermodel pout, especially a Victoria's Secret Supermodel pout, like say.. Selita Ebanks? Well, Victoria's Secret says that you can --- with their very own set of lip glosses! I bought this way back when I was in the States, and I am still loving it very much. It actually comes in a set of 4, like this :

Yes, this limited edition pack of 4 lipglosses is teeeeeny, weighing 0.09 oz each, but they can last forever cos you really only need a little bit to keep you going. It's very long lasting and STICKY, so your lips gets full moisturised coverage. My only complaint is that out of the 4 colors in this little cute package, only Selita (Yearning) is very wearable. Izabel (Make Out) is super bright, Alessandra (Bling) is too party like and I never found an occassion to wear it to, and Karolina (Password) is actually super light and sickly sweet. It just doens't go with my skintone. The brownish lipgloss called "Yearning" represented by Selita is the best! It is understated, but with lots of shine, so it's suitable for work. A very general, go-to lipgloss. Call me unadventurous, but I like something I can use all the time instead of a wild color that I would use only once a month!

The soft brush is not very precise when applying on gloss, but I generally just smear in on and go out of the house. The color is pretty nude, so I don't think people would know if I color outside the lines wtf *lazy beauty blogger*.

Here's a picture of me under natural light. Have my make-up on, but no lipgloss. Still look like there's not enough color on my face right? And yes, my lips are in pretty bad condition.. dry lips!

To the rescue ---- lip gloss! Yay! 

And is it just me or does it just look much much better? What a difference lipgloss can make!!

As you can see, the color of the lip gloss looks very natural, but with a bit of sparkle and gloss in it to really give out this great shine. It does look very kissable, but lipgloss is too sticky to be kissable, hahaha. How ironic! =)

Meanwhile, in case you're wondering how Selita looks like, she's one foxy lady. Perhaps you could channel your inner Selita while wearing "Yearning".

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Fabulous Finds?

Wow, I just found out that Malaysia has their own beauty box subscription now, called Fabulous Finds. The July and August Fabulous Find box didn't look to interesting to me (a lot of samples, and full size for stuff I already use / know about), but the September box blew me away! I'm really thinking about finally subscribing to one, as it's only RM35 a month. However, I haven't even used the Vanity Trove box that I got in Singapore last time, do I really need so many "samples" when I can't finish what I own? Still, I think it's really a steal, so sharing it out here in case there's anyone else interested!

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Organix Revitalizing Pomegranate & Green Tea Conditioner

Ooh, have I mentioned before that I love how luxe & professional looking the Organix packaging is? Well, it's something worth repeating : I love the packaging! I've always been drawn to purchasing something from the brand (and spending the moolah) because it always gives me the feeling that they know what they are talking about. It helps that it's not in Japanese / Korean / funny Engrish that makes you feel dubious about applying mystery creams onto your visage. Plus, the roundness of the packaging just makes it stand out from the crowd. :)

 

I forgot how much this bottle costs me, but I can guarantee you that for a smaller-than-average bottle of conditioner, it was pricey. Maybe close to the RM30 range? Slightly below that, I'm sure. I bought it in Singapore when I was desperate for a conditioner and used it as an excuse to splurge on the brand that I've-always-wanted-to-try-but-can't-justify-the-pricetag. 

You can read from the cherry red bottle what the Organix Revitalizing Pomegranate & Green Tea conditioner is supposed to do, but Imma write it out here anyway : "revitalize your senses with sensual and exotic antioxidant rich organic pomegranate extracts and green tea which target dry and brittle hair while awakening follicles to create a clean and rejuvenating experience, adding a brilliant and luminescent shine."

Remember my bad experience with the citrus lift shampoo from Clairol? This was seriously the savior to the dry hair that I was getting! Not only did I think that it was doing wonders to my hair (making it soft and manageable, more moisturised, easier to comb through, etc etc!), it also smells totally fabulous! I never knew that pomegranate is supposed to smell like that! I thought it was pretty much a fruit with no scent! It smells both citrusy and floral at the same time... I can't explain! My only pet peeve is that I have to use a lot of it to get my hair to the softness level that I want ---- because it really is quite mild.

Like the bottle says - it really does invigorate your scalp, which is something that I never thought a conditioner would do. For me, a conditioner is the ultra-important step to make sure your hair is uber smooth and silky after shampooing, but I never expect it to be the picker-upper, the one that makes your scalp feel tingling refreshing. This is really a different experience for me! Conditioners are usually the serious ones with loads of chemicals. And I admit - those with lots of chemicals and no "natural extracts" actually do leave my hair feeling way more smooth, though sometimes unpleasantly so (because it feels like there is some soapy residue left behind). I never expect conditioners to be so fun and still resolves my kinky hair issues. :)

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