Tips to Buying from Wholesale Sites

I know I've used to buy a lot of stuff from wholesale sites, but I've since stopped. It's really tempting because the outfits are really cute, and they are REALLY cheap! Like, if I spend RM500 at VS or ASOS, that's like 5-6 pieces of clothes. For that amount, I can get more than 15 pieces of clothes! In fact, it's literally a SACK that arrives in my house when I buy from a wholesale site. Of course, with anything, there's cons, and there were enough cons that made me stop buying. Here are my personal tips on buying from wholesale sites. Some may seem like simple LOGIC, and I apologise. But better safe than sorry!

1. Check the measurements!
Wholesale sites, especially those which promote Korean-style fashion, really do cater to VERY PETITE girls. For myself, I'm only 160cm, but almost 60% of the dresses that I buy there are too short for me! After that, my personal mantra is to buy something that is at LEAST 85cm in length, or only go for the long dresses. That really cuts out a LOT of the cute dresses though. -__-"

2. Don't bother to look at the model for estimations
It's not as simple as "you won't look as good as her", the fact is that on wholesale sites, the material used for the clothes on the model is not the same as the one they will be sending to you. Hence, refer back to item (1). =) After all, the model is 165cm, and the dress looks normal on the model who is taller than me, but it doesn't look as obscene on her. -__-" At least on VS, what is being modelled is actually probably from the same batch manufactured to be sent to you. Yeah, they might pin bits and pieces of it to look nicer for photographs, but I'm talking like, something that looks like silk in pictures, but is chiffon when it comes to you. -__-" So just know that whatever is draping so nicely on the model won't do the same for you.

3. The material is super thin 
I hope you're the type who likes to wear multiple layers, because the stuff is super thin. If possible, don't buy things that are white in color because it's guaranteed to be see-through. If you land yourself in such a situation, I hope you have a few singlets and petticoats handy. =)

As above, don't bother looking at the model for hints on how the clothes will look like... they probably use better material for whatever they are advertising

4. No to button-downs
If you are bigger than an A-cup, even if you are able to button up, there will be these huge gaps caused by the material just stretching out. Obscene obscene!

5. Keep it simple 
After explaining to you items 1-4, you will understand that your best bets are always the simple stuff. The less sparkle, the less dingle-dangle, the less fanciful pleats and stuff will ensure that your items are more like what is advertised than a complete surprise. I've had stuff that looked so high-class on the site turns out to look really tacky when it arrived, with cheap "jewels" hot glue-gunned. A flapper-inspired top that totally did not have the "flapper" feel to it, with very cheap materials for the fringe. Even a crochet collar top ended up pissing me off because it was crocheted in such a way that the collar WOULD NOT STAY DOWN.

6. Shipping
There is no such thing as free shipping, and usually, you have to pay by weight. Which can be a pain, especially since you will have to buy at least USD$100 in a wholesale site. And USD$100 of clothing is a LOT of clothes and VERY HEAVY when it comes to a wholesale site! Usually I choose a long shipping time (by BOAT) so that it's cheaper, and then dealing with the kinda delivery services these sites use.... *fainted*. It's no Fedex and you can say that again.

At the end of the day, I guess you could find a site that actually sieves through the good and bad for you, and pay double to triple of what you could get from a wholesale site (I've seen SOOOO many bloggers promoting something that is 100% the same as what I got from a wholesale site --- of course, it was one of the "good buys" following my 1-6 mantra). Or, you can try and scour for good deals, but of course... will you be able to buy USD$100 worth of stuff once you've whittled it down by so much? For me, I couldn't... so that's why I stopped buying... for once in my life actually wish that I could be shorter so I would have more options!

Ending my depressing entry with some nice SIMPLE stuff I saw from my fave wholesale site today. All the shirts are around USD5- USD6, and the dresses are cheaper than USD8. Where else can get these kind of prices, you tell me?!

 

 

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Monday Masks : Watsons Anti-Aging Facial Mask with Lycopene Extract

Kickstarted my Monday Masks again because I'm once more undergoing weekly masks sessions after my period of lazing around. ^^ I have to say, my skin thanks me for it. My colleagues say that I look more energetic now and actually --- I do feel more energetic as well! Anyway, this here is one of my drugstore purchases --- a mask from Watsons! They frequently have promotions on their in-store brands, so do be on a lookout for them. When they are on discounts, you can get 2 for RM5 or thereabouts. I find that quite worth it, don't you think?

So the next question would be - are they even worth your RM2.50? :) Today I will be reviewing the anti-aging facial mask. Well, obviously with most anti-aging products, I wouldn't expect instantaneous results. And from the packaging, you can probably guess that the lycopene extract is something found in tomatoes! Sadly, the mask doesn't smell like tomatoes, or anything fruity / veg-like. It just smells like normal facial cleanser.. something inoffensive, but rather clinical.

So what is it about lycopene that has made it such a buzz word in the beauty industry? Well, it's apparently suitable to be used on all skintypes, and though most websites recommend you to eat lycopene-rich products (tomatoes, watermelons),  topical application of lycopene extracts has benefits too. "It is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that helps protect skin from environmental agents that can contribute to clogged pores and breakouts."- source [here] 

There's also gentle lightening effects from using lycopene products, which helps sun-damaged skin and even excessive pigmentation. Anti-aging properties include helping to prevent the breakdown of collagen, which is one of the main causes of wrinkles. 

As you can see from the above, very unattractive picture, the sheet mask is pretty thick, and really soaked with the essence. It's not exactly a good fit, but somehow, it still felt like much of my face got a good dosage from the mask. I guess I can attribute it to being super drippy, so everything just slid around and mixed with each other. After leaving it on for 30 minutes, you need not rinse (but I always do, just that I don't rinse SUPER thoroughly), but can massage the rest of the essence into your face.

Obviously, no amaaaazing immediate anti-aging results, but I did feel that the skin was more moisturised. Watsons recommends using it 2-3 times a week. Would I repurchase it? Why not, it is a cheap and cheerful way to pamper my skin every now and then. But would only repurchase when there's a sale. :P

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Lipstick Sundays : Cherimoya Lipstick in Her Majesty

Got the "Her Majesty" lip shade from Cherimoya last time I bought a bunch of makeup from Nyx. It was super cheap, like less than RM10, and I just thought "why not?" If it sucks, it would not have been that bad of a mistake, and if it turned out good, it would be another alternative to Nyx lipsticks. I chose "Her Majesty" because it was a bright and shimmery, I thought it would be a fun weekend color. Not like the muted apricots, peach and pink-reds that I usually wear to work. This is the swatch from the website :

The packaging is a bit ho-hum, but really, what do you expect from a lipstick that could cost less than my average lunch during the work week? =p The tube is just a simple black matte plastic with some slight curves. The brand is stamped in with slightly raised letters... all in all, pretty low-key.

 

I was pretty surprised with how BRIGHT the shade is right off the tube. And SUPER DUPER SHIMMERY. Honestly, this is not a plus for me. Yes, I was looking for something brighter than normal, but it looked a bit too plasticky when applied. It only starts to look better after you've eaten something. Or maybe I'm just getting too old for fun colors. I don't think the name "Her Majesty" suits this kind of shade ... it really should be more regal...! :) Anyway, I wanted a pink shade, so pink was *really* what I got.

So... this is how it looks like on my lips. You see what I mean about the plasticky-ness? It just seems to make my dry lips look dryer!

But one plus point - I do have to say that it was very smooth and creamy, easy to apply! :

I guess I won't be repurchasing Cherimoya stuff after all. It *was* too cheap to be true. Going to have to find ways to make this lipstick werk though... maybe apply a gloss on top? Spam loads of lip balm before applying it... ?

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Friday Cheapies : Free Zalora Discount & Free Lanvin Me Perfume with Cleo!

I had a totally different idea on what to blog about for my "Friday Cheapies" edition, but it all changed when :
a. I got a free Zalora voucher just because I have a UOB Lady's Card
b. I bought the latest issue of Cleo!

First off, the free voucher - just key in "ZU0B9" at the checkout and get an RM20 discount with every purchase above RM80 in a single receipt. By the way, I am not sure if the middle digit is a zero or the letter "O", so try try lah. And first come first served, if someone else came to my blog and used it, then probably the 2nd person won't be able to get the discount. It's valid til 30th June 2013, and not valid with other ongoing offers, promotions and discounts on Zalora.

Secondly, I went to Borders seeing if I could still get the Harpers Bazaar bumper issue that so many bloggers are raving about. I know, a bit toooo late right, lol. I was just keeping my hopes up because the Borders near where I stay now doesn't receive a lot of traffic. Of course, they don't have it anymore, but no fear, still could get some freebies with the May "collector's edition" of Cleo. =) Actually, the collector's edition is just that the magazine comes in a very nice, hard, box and it has a free 4.5ml Lanvin Me perfume inside! =))) It smells damn nice, I'm so glad that I managed to get it in the end! There's also a free Starbucks drink with the magazine (not related, I think the non-collector's editions also get it), so this month's issue quite worth it leh. Although, still regret didn't get the Harper's Bazaar version, that one has a free hardcover notebook and a toiletries bag as well.

Usually I buy the mags to enter contests, and I've always been quite blessed in contest winnings. I pray my lucky streak never ends. When I have children in the future, I will also make them take part in contests, hahaha.

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Karma Soap from Lush

Hello! Tried to update this yesterday, but Blogger was behaving wonkily. I only have a certain slot in my daily schedule to update, and if Blogger misbehaves.... well! There goes the opportunity! A pity, because I had the pictures all ready for uploading. Not like there's many pictures for this entry, hehe.

Lush is supposedly known as "that crazy soap company", but most of the time I'm not raving about their soaps. I guess I'm just so used to shower gels, and I really don't like using a soap dish. It seems like the best place for dirt to pile up. However, in my last trip to Singapore, I couldn't resist that HUGE table piled up with soap in the Lush store, and kept trying to find something that sounds nice, smells nice and that I've not tried before. I was once recommended "Karma" soap when I was in London, but it smelled too "oriental" to me. I don't know why, when I was in SG, I quite liked it! They don't have Karma shower gels, so I decided to treat myself to a slice of Karma. At nearly SGD20 for 150g, it's super pricy, but I was drawn in to the perfume emanating from the soap...

Sorry for the bad picture --- I should have taken a pic of the soap agaist a white background instead of my bright pink soap dish! Sadly, this is the only picture I have! It's a rather see-through soap in an orange-amber color. The creator says that he tried to create bottle the atmosphere of Kensington Market in the 60s in the Karma scent. I have no idea what that is, but it's one of Lush's signature scents. You can find Karma perfume, bath melts, solid shampoo bars and hand & body lotion.

The soap contains patchouli oil, lemongrass oil and sweet orange oil, that gives the earthy base scent a rather refreshing & tangy taste as well. I find it rather invigorating, though I do think that in heavier doses, it will start smelling like incense. The soap also tends to get clearer and clearer with each wash, and be careful not to rub the wet soap against anything.... it STAINS! At the moment, the bottom of my Cellnique face wash is tinged orange because flotsam from this soap somehow landed on it. -_-"

Which brings me to a point of contention with me about this soap --- IT MELTS SO EASILY! Seriously, I think this bar was gone in 2-3 weeks. Most unsatisfying. And it is really hard to dry. Instead, if the soap is the slightest bit wet, it seems to continue melting and melting away at the soap dish until there is a layer of scum. Ugh! Such a waste.

But still, when the soap is behaving itself, it is sooooo nice in the shower. The smell of Karma in the shower is like an aromatherapy session, and the scent really lingers for a long time on your skin! As I said, it smells invigorating (to me), and at the same time, towards the end of the day, it smells more homey, more warm and cosy. Seriously a good scent, but too bad it comes in a form that disperses so quickly! It's literally watching my money go down the drain. At those prices, I expected it to last me nearer to 2 months than a month!

It is definitely NOT a repurchase for me, sad to say. However, will check out the other Karma-fragranced stuff. I think the body lotion would be a great purchase in the future. And honestly, I find my other Lush soaps lasting longer. This one just seems like the odd one out.

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Monday Masks : My Melody Lavender & Lemongrass Brightened Mask

Yay! Back to Monday Masks! This is a really belated edition, cos this was a mask I used during the aforementioned Singapore trip (refer to my previous haul post!). Yes, I've got a whole backlog of stuff to blog about! Apologies in advance for the quality of the photos to follow, cos I took the pics in the hotel room, and they have the dimmest, yellow-est lights ever. Plus, didn't want to use too much flash cos my husband was sleeping already!

This round, I'll be reviewing the My Melody Lavender & Lemongrass Brightened Mask. Nope, there's no spelling error, it is "Brightened Mask" and not "Brightening Mask". =) Once again, my shallowness rears its ugly head and I bought something "for the cute factor" and not because it's a super good brand or whatever. I bought the mask in Singapore, but converted, it's around RM7-RM8, which is on the pricier end of masks for me!

Cute? Of course no point having nice packaging la, it's the contents that matter, right? I chose this because lavender and lemongrass sounds so soothing... it's like aromatherapy! It's so typical of what you might find in a spa, right? The My Melody masks actually boasts of having "double the ingredients", with lavender and lemongrass to soothe and firm the skin, while ginseng & ginger will rejuvenate the skin whilst promoting blood circulation.

Some additional skin benefits of lavender - it has antiseptic and anti-fungal properties, which means the chances of experiencing acne breakouts and infections are lessened. It also reduces scarring and speeds up healing. Maybe if you like this mask a lot, you should think about investing in lavender oil specially made for your skin! Lavender is also anti-inflammatory, so it reduces redness and blotchiness. Hence the more "even" appearance of your skintone. I think this is what makes the mask "brightening"!

I think I've mentioned about the benefits of lemongrass for the skin, but it is somewhat similar to lavender - it also contains anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties that help ward off skin infections. Not to mention, I think lemongrass smells awesomeeeeee.

The benefits of ginseng on the skin are more iffy --- most of the things I've read up on mention that it should be consumed, not applied on the skin. As for ginger oil, mainly used for aromatherapy, and in fact is really suggested not to apply on the skin because it may cause irritation in sensitive skin!

The fit of the mask is excellent, and I love how the mask adheres tightly to my face. Though it is a very thin "breathable" sheet, it can soak up a lot of essence, which is what helps it adhere so well to the skin! Recommended to leave this on for 15-20 minutes, and best effects are seen if you use this mask 2-3 times a week! Madness... use one time and enjoy it fully, hahaha. I also don't have time to treat myself to 2-3 masks a week. Though I did read one gal who said she uses 7 masks a week. Yes, everyday also got mask!

That went a bit off topic, but I just want to say that unlike other "brightening" masks, this one didn't sting, and it really smelled NICE! I really enjoyed myself while I was wearing the mask, and thought that I won't mind so much if I don't see a "brightening" effect, cos I already felt my skin was pampered and moisturised. =)

Although I don't have any "Before" pictures, I was truly surprised IRL when I took off the mask because my skin was really visibly brightened! It was such a shock that I had to take another photo. Anyway, the mask also helped moisturised and softened my skin, so I don't really mind the non-brightening, haha. I also think it soothed away tiny little spots that I have on my forehead. Quite like this mask! Maybe I should pick up a few extra sheets next time... =)

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Singapore Haul 2013! :)

I didn't get any good pictures for Lipstick Sunday, so here's a VERY belated post! I went to Singapore some time in January this year, and I just realised that I didn't post up all the good stuff I managed to grab when I was down South! Anyway, here's the usual sharing post. :)

First day haul from Watsons. Craziness!  I bought the shampoo, conditioner and hair spray collection from Ma Cherie (after I bought it, then I heard it's available in Malaysia too, zzz), Garnier grapefruit kinda face wash that looked so nice and refreshing I just had to. A MyMelody mask (because of the cute packaging, lol), 2 1-Day Tattoo Eyeliner from K-Palette, because they were having a buy-one-free-one sale, and another packet of masks from some random brand. My husband really wanted to vomit blood when he saw my shopping...

Second day not-very-haul from Guardian. In fact, I only bought the two L'oreal Glam Shine lip glosses on your left because I thought it was a buy-one-free-one, but there was some mislabelling. Apparently the one that had that promotion was for another  lipgloss... this was buy-one and 20% off the second. NOT THAT GOOD A DEAL, but I had spent such a long time looking for the perfect shades that I boh pian, just paid for it. :( The other 3 items are free samples from the Guardian magazine...

Popped by Watsons again just to see if there's anything I missed out (felt like I didn't spend that much this round) and decided to get the Senka Perfect Whip cleansing foam and Neutrogena Deep Clean mulberry ultra foam cleanser as wel. Lol! So many face washes that I bought this round! Maybe cos I feel that in my collection of stuff, I really lack this. I have the most shower gels though... 

And of course, did not forget to stop by Lush at Wisma Atria to restock. Actually, looking for nice new stuff to get, but I feel like I tried most of them before and there wasn't any new soaps that I really wanted to try out. Instead, I bought American Cream again (IMHO the best conditioner ever, but I am starting to tire of it. Maybe my hair got immune to the wonders of American Cream already... *sob*), and bought Cynthia Sylvia Stout again too.... (again, I feel that it didn't work such wonders on me the 2nd time around. Or maybe the smell of stout was really too much for my sensitive nose). I got the Snow Fairy because they had a buy-2-free-1 promotion, and this was the "free" one I got. The only new item I bought is the "It's Raining Men" shower gel. Oh yea, I also got the "Dirty Springwash" shower gel for my husband, hence buy 2-free-1. :P 

And.. this was bought at the airport. Finally got Burberry Brit Sheer after thinking about it for so long (few years, actually!), Guerlain Meteorites and Clinique Chubby Sticks. FYI, all 3 items are still totally unopened cos I was thinking whether I should give them away as gifts. =p Cos I came back from the trip and I was still in my I-don't-feel-like-myself stupor, couldn't be arsed to even put on makeup to go to work some times, what more try out new beauty products. Not anymore! Vain me is back! :)

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Leech In The Papers!

So, way back in January, I posted that I helped a friend do an interview in the papers. Well, it finally came out about 2 weeks ago... in The Star! Yes, it took nearly 3 months + to go into print, and to be honest I am quite afraid to read the article because people who did see it (my MIL, my ex-line manager, my parents & brother, 2 of my ex-colleagues) all seem to tell me warped things. My MIL thought that I had become an ambassador for Watsons (if so, please send me more freebies! -_-). My ex-line manager thought that I had become a skincare specialist and started asking me my thoughts about Hada Labo (lol!). My parents just liked to pick on things that they thought was funny, e.g: the journalist stating that I'm "in my twenties" which my dad LOL-ed and said that I'm a liar. I AM NOT! I have not turned 30 yet!

And the #1 thing that they all harped on was whether I got to keep the things that was photographed. Whut? Those ARE MY THINGS TO BEGIN WITH! I didn't get anything to do the interview, hahaha. I guess I do feel like a right idiot, especially if people got the impression that I was advertising for Watsons (I wasn't! But I like the pharmacy, but I also like Guardian, ok?). I did debate whether I should ask the journalist to put my blog address in the article as a favor as well.. but I decided I didn't want the attention. I am quite ok with the Google adsense that comes trickling in, and besides, with the timing that the article came out... it wouldn't look good for me to promote such an inactive blog. :P Also, I do NOT want my MIL, ex-line manager and my parents reading this blog! They are all aghast that I spend so much on skincare and bath products now! (Now that they found out the "props" in the photo are ALL MINE.)

FYI, I am really impressed with MYSELF that they would think that the photo was professionally taken. It was taken with my Olympus non-SLR camera, and it was balanced on a stool and a pile of books (makeshift tripod). I dressed myself up, and after pressing the timer, I had to run and pose cheesily behind my pile of products. LOL! I think I took a total of 4-5 photos ONLY and then edited the photo a little to make it more presentable. Simple things like brightening the picture (because the only area I could take a photo was pretty dark, so I just lightened it ONCE in Photoscape. Yeah, not even Photoshop! Which is no use, cos in the end, the paper made me look so ORANGE wtf.

Anyway, here's the paper in question... and ohai, I see you Michelle & Tashny. *heart*
 

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Cellnique Seaweed Cleansing Gel

Kept my promise of updating, and here I am again! ^^ Think I mentioned before that I bought a skincare set from my facial center because I wanted to enter some Cellnique contest? Evidently I didn't win (sob!), but I really did fall in love with the products that they used on me during my facial, so no regrets purchasing the skincare set. FYI, not all products that they use during a facial is available for purchase. Out of all the items that they *say* that they use on me, only the cleansers, vital repairing milk and the sunblock are available for purchase for personal use (apologies if I left out anything extra! Memory is a bit fuzzy). My favorite - their masks - are only for the facial centers to use!

This is ONE of the cleansers they use on me during the early bits of the facial, and it's called the Cellnique Seaweed Cleansing Gel. It is retailing for RM109 per bottle (200ml), but since I bought in a set (together with a toner + 5 pc mask), it was slightly cheaper la. As I've mentioned before, Cellnique prides itself on being a paramedical skincare range. This means that the use is not only for superficial cleansing, but they hope to remedy root causes of skincare problems.

By the way, I'm not sure if this cleansing gel is suitable for all skintypes. Mine is a combination of normal / oily at T-zone and this was what was recommended for me. =) It is supposed to help replenish hydration, soothe skin with its anti-irritation properties and as skin protection.

 

The bottle is very steady and solid... in fact, it's so steady and solid that when first using, it's very hard to "squeeze" out the cleansing gel! In a way, it's also good because being so hard to squeeze, the perfect dollop size of cleansing gel comes out (it's a really light green in color, see-thru, no exfoliating beads, gel-type of er... cleansing gel!) comes out each time, just enough to clean ones face! I can also guarantee 100% that this 200ml bottle will last you a long time. I started using this early January ... and it's now April... and it still hasn't finished! So RM109 is going to go the mile for you. 

As you can see from the bottle, it states that it contains algae & pennywort extracts. It also contains cucumber extracts, and all this serves to remove pore clogging debris and impurities without over drying. Leaves skin feeling super clean, smooth and refreshed! I definitely agree with the super clean and refreshed feeling! And yes, even without moisturiser, my face feels moisturised. But me being me, have to put some moisturiser anyway lah (this is after my "lazy hormonal period"... back to business! Bring on the face creams!).

Maybe I should tell you WHY I liked it so much when they used this on me during the facial. Well, it smells SUPER FRESH and invigorating. I really didn't know it was "seaweed" cleansing gel they were using... cos .. seaweed brings to mind something slimy and smelly. When they told me what they were using, I was like, WHAT? Did it have to be seaweed? I thought it's mint or something! It feels so tingly against my skin. Sadly, though the refreshing smell is really there when I use it by myself, the tingly sensation is just not the same as in the facial parlor. It seems like they had turned the gel to something really bubbly, and that bubble-popping kind of sensation was what I felt during the facial, and that was the huge turn on, LOL. I tried to replicate it by foaming up the gel cleanser during each face wash, but it turns into a thick foam instead. No big bubbles! No bubble popping feelin'!

I also found out that they do advise you to lather up the gel a bit before you use directly on your DAMPENED skin. If you don't, you might feel your skin get a bit taut / tight. Actually, I don't know anyone that actually applies cleansers directly onto dry skin, so erm... I guess it's common sense? But yeah, I noticed that I do get a nicer feeling if I lather up the cleansing gel first instead of putting it directly on! 

So what are the benefits of algae, pennywort and and cucumber?
ALGAE : algae is touted as the new miracle ingredient thanks to its ability to hydrate skin by improving the skin's barrier and ability to retain water. It is also rich in minerals, vitamins and amino acids, which helps to nourish and purify skin.

PENNYWORT : Has bioactive ingredients that can help with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and moisturising activity for the skin. Pennywort could be used to:

Support blood vessel disorders in the skin;

Control cellulite marks;

Complement anti-stretch treatments;

Help to tone and firm skin

CUCUMBER : Cucumber Extract is known for its antioxidant and natural moisturizing properties. It manages to reduce skin irritation, shield the skin from pollution due to freely suspended particles in the air, and acts wonderfully as natural skin emollient, making skin smooth and shiny.

Hope this helps you decide whether you really need to use this cleansing gel. I'm not sure where else you can get it, but I got it from Lissage De Beauty in SS 15, which stocks a lot of other Cellnique products as well. As for me, I might probably get another Cellnique cleanser just to try, but who knows, it is a product worth returning to. Maybe if they have another contest promotion. =p

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Irish Spring Shower Scrub

Hello! I'm back! I've been very, very lazy these couple of months, but I kind of have a good reason! With my current condition, I don't think I make for a very good beauty reviewer. First of all, I'm feeling all kinds of fatigue, and it shows. I think if I piled on make-up on a fatigued face, it would still show, so might as well not scare my readers. My nose is also ultra sensitive, so something that might smell good to normal humans just smells really OTT to me. Case in point - my husband's perfume. When he first bought it, I really adored the smell. Now, whenever he sprays it on when he goes to the office, I feel like hurling. It's really bad! For myself, I'm sticking to my Estee Lauder Green Tea Lavender. To me, it's the mildest-yet-nicest-and-can-get-quite-good-mileage perfume that I have. It's my go-to and it's finishing fast.

Whoever wrote that when you have a condition like mine, you rather forgo the 5 minutes of applying moisturiser for another 5 minutes in bed --- you are spot on. I haven't used moisturisers since January. Thankfully, after years and years of patient servicing, my skin is still in an alright condition.

When I went for my last facial a few weeks ago, the skin care consultant was appalled. She was a professional though --- she never used it as a tactic for a hard sell. Maybe cos once upon a time, I didn't renew my package, and I still wound up going to them ON MY OWN to renew it at a later date. So maybe she thinks that I'll be back again. Probably not, cos I've mentioned before that the old place I used to go to was SS15 in Subang, and I don't stay there anymore. :)

Anyway, I'm feeling loads better, so to keep myself busy (still busy working - I don't know how I get through each day, seriously! - and being a wife --- my husband doesn't let me off ALL the chores...), I have been trying to pick up new hobbies. One of them is learning a new language, and I will probably tell you what it is after I've finished the beginner's stage. After thinking for a bit, I decided I really liked my beauty blog, so I decided to revive it. Also, I kind of re-started my skincare regime, so hopefully I will have lots to blog about. At the moment, I have tonnes of backlog, so no worries. :)

* * * * * * * 

Well, that's enough about me and my situation. This will be a short and sweet review of the Irish Spring Shower Scrub [Clean Scrub] that I got when I was in Thailand last year. Actually, my husband spotted in on the shelves of Gourmet Market, and said it looked nice. It was totally sealed up, so we couldn't try a test sniff, but it looked very welcoming. I'm so sorry, I forgot how much it cost, but probably somewhere around RM15-RM20 for 443ml? I don't think you can get it in Malaysia though.

Anyway, I thought that he would be the one using it, as he picked it out. Indeed, some time around January, he ran out of shower gel and asked me to get the Irish Spring out. After one measley use, he decided HE DIDN'T WANT TO USE IT ANYMORE. WTF!! @#$%^& Some people think that I'm very spendthrift because I "care to spend on toiletries", but I've never ever NOT finished my products. And by the way, I'm very proud of the fact that I try to use at least half of whatever I am using before I review it. I don't really care about being the first to update, so might as well make sure I really like something before I endorse it. Since he refused to use it anymore, I decided to use it even though the tagline says, "Smell like a real man". WTF.

It took me about 2 months to finish the entire bottle, so I guess it's quite a good deal for the price (considering), I had to adverse skin reactions to it, and the "8 hour scent system" is quite accurate. You don't smell as ripe at the end of the work day, and if you press your nose right against your skin and take a deeppppppp breath, you can still catch a whiff of that super clean scent. The bad part? Well, I don't know if it's because of my nose sensitivity or what... but that "super clean scent" is REALLY strong in the shower. And it smells like... DETERGENT. Yes, imagine spreading your laundry detergent all over yourself. IT IS NOT PLEASANT IN THE LEAST. At the same time, it is a scrub, so there are some exfoliating bits inside, and they are really big and rough. Thankfully, they melt quite fast in the shower to something more tolerable.

But please lah, the first few moments feel like it is trying to scrub my skin raw.

Then again, this shower scrub is really not marketed towards us women, with our much softer skin. And probably men are so smelly that they really need the laundry detergent powers of Irish Spring to make them moderately presentable. Yet, my husband hates it too, though he didn't whine as much as I did about the smell and the exfoliating beads. Heh.

All in all --- please avoid at all costs, unless you are a guy. With very rough skin.

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Vanity Trove : April Edition "The Shower Of Summer"

I know, I'm behind on this blog. :) And once again, updating because I just received yet another trove from Vanity Trove! It arrived a bit late, due to some unforeseen circumstances, but I received a personal call and update from the company to check on whether I got my delivery or not. Super efficient ok, right after I got the call, the delivery people came with my trove the next day. And I have to say, this is probably the best trove that I received so far. I'm so excited to share them with you! :)

 

Yup, yet another BEAUTIFUL SURPRISE~ :)

This round, we have six products, and there's a LOT of full-size products, and a lot of make-up and interesting stuff to play with! However... there's no product card with this months' trove, so I don't know the exact pricing of each item. :( Anyway, my own personal thoughts and some descriptions I managed to find on the Internet!

 

   

1) 5 sachets of Clarins White Plus Total Luminescent

"The most advanced skin care for a flawless complexion and skin that glows with a youthful radiance. Apply with light pressing motions, to the face, neck and decollete, before your day or night moisturizer." This serum promises fairer skin and complexion through 3 actions : 

- reflect ultimate translucency from the surface layer 

- reveal absolute even, fair skin from the middle layer

- revive healthy-looking, rosy luminescence from the deep layers

I'm really intrigued by this serum, and I'm really happy that there are 5 sachets, so I can really test this product out. I know I'm always talking about not being into whitening, but I'm into EVENING OUT my skin tone, so sign me right up! :)

2) One full-size sachet of Kila Doll Black Pearl Mask 
The black pearl mask is for all skin types and will help in firming and increasing elasticity of the skin. :)

I have seen Kila Doll masks in pharmacies plenty of times, but never got them because I'm more familiar with  My Beauty Diary. Well, if it turns out good, I know I can easily get them from any drugstore around. :)

 

3) One full-size (1.6g) eyeshadow from Kate in GN-1 

Ok, super excited about this please! I love Kate eyeshadows, I have one I bought that is STILL my go-to for work days. This one is an eyeshadow duo in light / dark green, very shimmery. I haven't even swatched it yet, but  if it's anything like the Kate eyeshadows that I already have, it would be long lasting and with just the right amount of pigmentation. :) Super great of Vanity Trove to include this in, please! 

 

4) Oriks Gemstone Nano Platinum Aqua Watery Cream (3 sachets, 1g each) 

When I saw the box, I thought it looked so pretty and cute. Doesn't it? With all the shimmers. I also thought "Oriks? Again?". Got some samples in the last trove that I hadn't gotten around to trying out. :( They also included a product sheet in the box, but I don't seem to find the exact description for this product. Anyway, the box description states : "Our NP Gemstone Soothing Cream protects and repairs your skin. The fresh texture and the aquatic scent and the formula provide vitality, freshness and hydration that lasts all day long."

 

5) Narciso Rodriguez For Her EDT (1ml)

Yeay! I love perfume samples, and I'm so happy that Vanity Trove finally included perfume samples with this month's trove.  I haven't sprayed it on myself yet, but the description on Fragrantica.com says " The new modern aroma is aimed at the modern and free woman, who is aware of her sexuality. Popularity of this fragrance (regardless of its unusual composition and a heavy character, and perhaps exactly because of that) is easy to explain because it reflects a desire of every woman to attract and seduce, and this fragrance has openly sexual character. Unusual lustful composition is created with the sensual musk in its centre, surrounded by orange, osmanthus and amber. The base unites vanilla, amber and vetiver. Intensive sharp scent with hidden and scarcely discernible densely-sweet nuance in the centre later turns into a soft and balmy powder. The aggression disappears and the fragrance becomes tame and gentle." Sounds sexy!

6) Perkins Nail Wrap 
Easy manicure with Perkins nail wrap! I have heard about stick-on nails before, but haven't heard about Perkins before. Just stick on, and it will last for 14 days. This sailor theme looks quite cute, am wondering should I stick all pink and all blue or I should stick alternating colors when I actually do use it. Hmmm.. plus, it's kinda not suitable for work. For shame... it would be a waste just to use it for the weekend and then remove it just 2 days later. :(

 

Finally, we have the voucher  of the month. This round is a really good one - 50% discount voucher for any face or body treatment at Clarins Skin Spa KLCC. :) The voucher also includes a free consultation and a free 3-pc skincare set, valid til the middle of the year. Pretty good deal indeed, especially after I used up my last facial with Cellnique already.

All in all, MY FAVORITE TROVE OF ALL TIME! :D The only complaint that I have is that it doesn't really fit the "Shower of Summer" theme.... I was thinking there would be lots of fruity and cocktail like things. Body shower gels, soaps, etc. But heck - Clarins, Narciso Rodrigeuz... really can't complain. Can't wait for the next trove, the May edition is "Awesome Wholesome". I'm thinking lots of organic stuff.... can't wait indeed!

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