Monday Masks : SexyLook Intensive Moisturising Black Cotton Mask

Hey all! Merry Christmas! Hope you're all in the holiday mood. For me, I'm definitely in the holiday spirit as I've been on holiday the past few days (yes, I've turned over a hardworking leaf, and I'm schedulling posts even when I'm away now!). It hasn't been very relaxing though because I've been muthatrucking tramping up and down the streets of Bangkok. I thought I would've lost massive amount of weight by the time I come back to KL, but it seems like I've gained even more, wtf? My ideal weight goal is looking damn damn far off... *pissed off Leech*

On a good note, I've had time to review even more stuff and despite my own restraining order, I've got even more haul posts to publish! My husband said that the shelves are actually warped from carrying the weight of so many beauty products. *guilty* At first, I was a very hardworking reviewer in Thailand, trying out new make-up, new creams... but then I had an awful break-out, which I've never gotten before for so long. It's like taunting me... I'm on holiday and I can't have nice pics of myself! Really brings my mood down. Never mind, it's Christmas! Gotta cheer myself out though I am now fat and have bad skin. Seriously fat, ok! I've never weighed this much IN MY LIFE.

Well, now for the review. This was from my Penang trip early this month --- I don't know why, when I'm on holiday, my skin gets really dry. I don't know if it's because of the trip there (car air-conditioning? Aeroplane environment?) or what... but I will get my dry-skin syndrome. Since I'm already saddled with extra weight and pimples, I didn't get dry skin this round. :-) Small consolation, I just grab it. Anyway, since I was having dry skin, I decided to use my SexyLook Intensive Moisturising Black Cotton Mask. It was free with the Vanity Trove x Watsons box I got. :)

I first read about this mask on Xiaxue's blog, and if I'm not mistaken, one single sheet is quite expensive already. Like RM8-RM10? I am glad that I got it for free! Hehehe...

What is "Black Cotton", I hear you asking. Well, it's apparently cotton fibers with activated carbon fibers meshed together. Carbon is used because it helps to absorb dirt, excessive sebum, and refine pores. The mask says that it will help rehydrate and repair skin, leaving you with a natural, glowing complexion. The mask is also rich in vitamins, anti-oxidants, ocean nurtured black pearl --- all which will help to moisturise your skin, leaving you with pearl-like radiance. Interesting.. using pearl to give you a pearl-like appearance. Why not diamonds so that I can sparkle like a diamond too? Don't need to answer rhetorical questions, btw. ;)

Well, one thing is for sure.. the mask is of REALLY good quality, putting to shame all the cheapo masks that I've been using so far. It's thin, soft & silky,  able to absorb and retain a lot of essence, and stretchable! Except for the gaping large eye holes (maybe i didn't position the mask *that* well), I think it's a pretty good fit. However, I definitely did not look as sexy as the girl on the mask packaging. I look more like I'm ready to rob someone's house.

She's climbin in your windows
She's snatchin your people up

However, the mask was really a nice fit, it smelled pleasant enough (but can't remember of WHAT, just that it smelled really nice!) and it felt oh-so-soft against my skin. I fell asleep while I was wearing it! I don't know how long I slept off for, but I woke up with a jolt when I heard my sister coming in to the hotel room (they had gone for swimming... I had gone for a "pampering nap"!). I didn't want her to walk in and shriek, seeing me with my mask on! :) No matter how long I had been asleep (definitely longer than the recommended time to have the mask on!), the mask was still super wet and cold against my skin. :S

When I washed everything off, my skin did indeed feel very moisturised and silky-smooth as well. There was not even a bit of grimy black stuff on my face, so rest assured that the mask was not just merely dyed black in color! Hahaha...

Not sure whether I would repurchase because it's really above-average drugstore prices. Maybe if they have promotions / boxsets? Anyway, I'm starting to be more keen on "spread masks" already. :)

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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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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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Monday Masks : Skinlite Refining Herb Mask

Whoa, haven't been updating in a bit, and it's a whole new month! I've been mad busy at work, and now that I'm monitoring some wonky servers with a tendency to restart themselves, and a feverish husband  with a propensity to shout out various demands, what better time than to fill up my beauty blog a bit more? Should be feeling good about myself because our lean team managed to rollout a pretty cool project to 3 different countries. However, now is the "stabilisation" period - only, you're stabilising 3 different countries and you are supposed to prepare for the next!

Holiday - where for art thou? My Singapore jaunt seems so, so far away. :(

Anyway, keeping up with the "Monday Masks" theme from before, here's my review on Skinlite's Refreshing Herb mask. Incidentally, I have not been religiously doing my masks, and I haven't gone for a facial in a while. My skin condition is horrid! [Reminding self to schedule another appointment with Cellnique]

So this is the last of my Skinlite mask from HK, the really cheap, worth-your-money but kinda-hit-and-miss one. I think the refining herb is one of the misses. Though it is totally inoffensive, and my skin felt moisturised after using it, I felt that it was not good enough for me to disregard the wonky fit of the masks. Plus, it was too inoffensive --- totally no scent. I might have been using just plain water soaked paper masks. Who would've known?

The refining herb mask from Skinlite contains 19ml of essence and  contains Korean natural herbal extracts such as honeysuckle flowers, licorice, colx lacryma-jobi seed, phaseolus lunatus seed and hoelen. I must admit, most of that sounds alien to me, but maybe it won't be to the Koreans. ;P The mask helps to clarify skin by controlling oil & sebum secretion, but also gives you a healthy glow by helping blood circulation. The last bit is a bit of an epic tale, really. I really do not see how this would help blood circulation - the herbs in the mask don't get absorbed into the blood stream, do they?

Here I am giving you a really grisly photo of myself... there's enough essence, I would say and the quality of the mask is really good, albeit on the thick side. Off topic, but I do not like how it looks like I have quadruple eyelids in the photo - blame it on the lack of sleep!

All in all, a mask that did no wonders to my skin, but given my love for cheap products, I should be thankful it didn't cause any adverse reactions. Upon further research, I was pleasantly surprised to find that honeysuckle flowers and licorice are indeed used as antibiotics to sooth irritated or itchy skin, so for those people who are suffering from redness or inflamed skin, using this could give more marked improvements than for someone using it just for fun and to get more moisturised and pampered skin. ;)

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Monday Masks : Aspirin Mask

I first got to know about this "infamous" mask thanks to Michelle Phan. Yes, I had been reading Ricebunny since her Xanga days, and this was one of her firsts skincare / make-up tips that she shared way back in Xanga. I loved her make-up tips, so I felt that I could try her skincare tips as well. Even though it was to use ASPIRIN as a face mask. O_O"

As she mentioned, it's really not such a big deal - aspirin contains acetasalicylic acid, which is chemically like salicylic acid, a very potent BHA (beta hydroxy acid) which is used in a lot of cosmetic products. It's used as an exfoliation method, I even wrote about AHAs and BHAs before in my Hada Labo entries. =) Aspirin masks are really cheap and effective (for me), just be sure that you're not allergic to it (don't bother to use if so!) and that you don't get aspirin with coating.

I've always used Bayer Aspirin, which you can get in any drugstore in Malaysia. You can get a box of 3 strips (8 tablets per strip) for about RM6. When I first used this aspirin mask, it was SO amazing. I didn't even realise how bad my skin was til I felt the before and after effects of this mask. It was as if my skin was sandpaper and it had became as smooth as a baby's bottom after that! It REALLY exfoliates! Okie, it does sting a little, but nothing until you run around your house screaming that your face is on fire.

All you need to do is take 1-2 pills and put a few drops of water on to it. You can do it on a plate or (like me) just use the palm of your hand. You need to put enough water that the aspirin crumbs (it melts pretty fast) but not enough that it completely dissolves. I find 3 drops of water is just nice. Some people like to add in more stuff to make it adhere to the skin better. Think of all the stuff you've read about that is good for your skin. Things like honey, olive oil, sugar, etc. For me, I can't be arsed. ;) Water and aspirin and I'm good to go.

Just carefully put it to your face .... the water will help it stick to your face. For me, when it starts to fall off (when the water dries up), it means it's time to go to the next step. Just be careful not to breathe in the aspirin, I honestly do not know what happens when you do that! Some people also claim that the aspirin can be absorbed in dermally and it thins the blood. I really do not know if that can happen! O_O" 

I use a toothbrush to exfoliate nearer to the edges of my nose. I don't actually need to do that cos the aspirin bits can really get in to any nook and cranny. It's just that when I was taking the pictures for this blog entry, I had rather sensitive skin, so I wanted a lighter exfoliation. By using a soft toothbrush, I could brush lighter than if I used my hands. Well, that's what I feel anyway.

Skin will feel softer and more refreshed and SUPER clean and clear after you've washed everything off.  I also felt that I had exceptionally better skin for the next week or so. No new pimples, etc.

Have you tried the aspirin mask before? Do you like it as much as I do? :)

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Montagne Jeunesse Skin Clearing Blemish Mud in Aloe Vera & Willow

So this is one of the Montagne Jeunesse mask that I bought from a pack of 3 recently. Was feeling lazy so I decided to use one that was easy to use. You must be wondering --- how lazy can I get that there's differing levels of difficulties in using masks. Hehe. Well, there was one that required me to put on some extra serum AFTER using the mask, so yeah, that was some extra hard work I was not prepared to do. ;P

I decided to use the Skin Clearing Blemish Mud in Aloe Vera & Willow today, and this is how it looks like :

This mask is supposed to help to clear & clean and combat blemishes, which is awesome because I'm starting to feel like a breakout coming on. :( Particularly on my forehead. Apparently, the "soothing aloe juice" is what does the trick! Montagne Jeunesse blemish mud masks are quite fast and easy to use... you don't have to keep it on your face for a really long time like what I do with my My Beauty Diary masks. The instructions for this one says to just keep it on for 10-15 minutes.

I'm kinda sad / disappointed that the mask is not as green as what it looks like on the packet, but then I'm really stingy and I only used 1/3 of what is in the packet. Yup, you can really stretch it out to 3 uses if you want to, haha. This mask will dry up and leave your skin feeling "tighter". It's kinda like this clay, pore-refining mask that I bought from Burt's Bees last time. I didn't like using that one because I had to mix the clay powder with water before usage, and that was annoying. Anyway, same thing, think this has some clay stuff in it. Skin feels slightly softer after using it, but I won't be repurchasing this because...

It smells like chinese medication when it's fresh out the packet!! ARgh! Really stinky, I don't know how to describe it. A mixture of those "minyak angin" stuff plus chinese boiled medicine herbs or something. Thank goodness that the smell fades away as your are using it, so the torture is really only when you're applying it on. :)

Actually, I'm thinking of using the remainding 2/3s in one go because... maybe it works better all at once? :)

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Stuff I Rarely Use (But Still Use!) Pt Quatre

1. Soap & Glory : Scrub of Your Life
Similar to Soap & Glory's Peaches & Clean shower gel, actually. This one is also buffing-bead-filled-goodness. You will definitely be able to scrub your body into a high shine and skin feels smoother after the massive exfoliation you get with this scrub. My only complain is that Peaches & Clean is *definitely* better smelling. This one doesn't smell like anything fruity or floral... I really can't explain it. It just smells like a cleanser... all formulaic and stuff. This, despite it being supposed to smell like peaches, jasmine and all kinds of goodness.

The buffing beads are also much bigger than the peach scrub (normal I suppose, since the other is supposed to be a shower gel!), and harder to melt under water. So I think you can say that it is more value for money, because with just a small amount of product, you can go on scrubbing and buffing for a long time. When I say that it's hard to melt, it really is! I was buffing away WHILE I was under the shower, and the buffing beads just won't go away, lol. =)

2. Simple Kind To Skin Deep Cleansing Face Mask
I use this deep cleansing mask on my face whenever I feel like my face needs a treat, but I don't have the time. The Deep Cleansing mask goes on liquid, and washes off liquid-y. It's not one of those masks that dries off and you peel it off. It also doesn't need to be on your face for very long - you can wash off after 5 minutes.

Remember to shake the tube a little before you start using because of the composition inside... sometimes liquid just comes out, and then your "mask" will end up too watery. Otherwise, I smear it over my face, and upon washing off, the skin feels softer and smells like a baby! I personally feel that it calms down spots or pimples that were already on my face.

The cons? I don't like the slightly greasy feeling I get after washing this off, and I don't really feel that this is "deep cleansing" because of the aforementioned greasy feeling. I would expect a deep cleansing mask to really make your skin feel oil-free and squeaky clean. Also, a bit pricey for a mask that I only use occasionally. I think it was almost RM20, but the curious cat in me was drawn in. Plus, my boyfriend swears by Simple... he has sensitive skin, and unlike me, is not drawn to fruity smells. *laughs*

Some yummy descriptions about this product :
VITAL VITAMINs :
PRO-VITAMIN B5 - actively restores, softens and smoothes (agree on this!)
VITAMIN E - moisturises to improve skin condition (it is quite moisturising, maybe a little bit too much!)

SKIN LOVING NUTRIENTS
NATURAL CLAY - detoxifies and purifies (yup! but I wish it was stronger in a way)
SEAWEED EXTRACT - cleanses, soothes and softens (ugh, I don't like seaweed, and this does soothe and soften, but the cleansing property ... hmmm... this is just the wrong product for me to get the squeaky cleanness I like)
BISABOL - soothes and calms (yup!)

Item is 3rd from the left

3. Boots Oriental Floral Yuzu Bath Essence
I got this free with the Boots "Oriental Bloom" gift set, otherwise I definitely will not buy it. For one, I am not sure what a bath essence is. I thought it would be like essential oils, but this one looks like a shower gel. It *can't* be used as a shower gel though, because there's no cleaning properties. I suppose if you use a body scrub and you want to add a little fragrance into your scrub, you could mix it with this. And it *does* smell very nice.

The bath essence has a mild fruity smell that is not too zesty. Perfect for relaxing in a bath, I suppose. Hmm.. if only I had a bath tub, then perhaps I could give this a more thorough review...

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Stuff I'm Using Now ( My first beauty blog entry!)

Ok, I decided to create a separate blog for my posts about drug store products that I'm using right now, and also for erm... contests, swag grabbing and such. What better place to place ads than at a place where I'm talking about brand names for free... Hmm... ;)

Anyway, a little background about moi... I was introduced to the world of drugstore beauty by my colleague Pauline. It's been about 4 years + of checking out what goodies places like Guardian, Watsons, Boots (in Thailand) and even places like Carrefour can reveal to drugstore addicts like us. My love with make-up goes a bit further back though --- been dabbling since I was in high school, though I'm definitely no expert. In fact, I've been a bit lazy nowadays and just going to work with moisturiser and lipgloss. *gasp* Sacre bleu!

I digressed... back to the topic. Stuff I'm using right now :


1. Clairol Herbal Essences None of Your Frizzness Shampoo & Conditioner at the gym for my hair. This is my go-to shampoo since I go to the gym about 4x a week and I ALWAYS shampoo and condition after every workout. It's just gross not to. I love this shampoo for its fruity smell and to me, you can't go wrong with Clairol Herbal Essences. All the shampoos just smell so awesome. :) However, in terms of whether this ACTUALLY works out all the frizziness... well, I was hoping for miracles, so I guess it's a no for me. I'm about to finish both bottles soon, so I'm looking forward to trying something new and reporting it back here. ;)


2. Schwarzkopf Asia Glatt shampoo & conditioner for home use. Yup, I hate repacking my gym bag and stuff I use at home, and this way, I get to try out more stuff! :D I'm also going to finish this pretty soon, and I say, I CAN'T WAIT. This shampoo is awful... it smells really weird when lathering up, and it smells even worse after the hair has dried. :( My friend Sidney quipped, "With a shampoo name like Asia GLATT how did you expect it to even smell nice?" I guess I was drawn in by the fact that it's supposedly formulated for Asian hair, but it does squat for me. Not interested, nuh-uh...


3. Original Source Lemon Tea Tree Shower Gel for the gym. I love Original Source, and was first introduced to this brand by my buddy Ben when I was in London. And was so glad to see that Singapore has it too, so at least I will be able to stock up MUCH easier. Sucks when Malaysia doesn't have awesome products like this. ;) It's awesome for use after a workout, cos the lemon really invigorates your tired muscles.. and tea tree has some healing properties as well right? Plus you feel really, really CLEAN after showering with this. I just love citrus fragrances for shower gels, so this shower gel is pretty much THE BOMB for me. I've tried about 90% of the whole Original Source range, and I loved every single one. If not for the fact that I'm really in love with trying out more stuff, I would be 100% loyal to this brand. Lol... in fact, I have a bit of a problem with shower gels cos I have sensitive skin... I cannot use stuff from Fruiser and from Palmolive (this includes Lux), cos I'll get rashy after that. Blehk. So hard to find cheap stuff that won't irritate me... My boyfriend is recommending that I stick to solely Eucerin or Dettol, but ... I like variety. :) And yummy smells. :)

4. Johnson & Johnson's Peach Baby Bath for morning showers at home and when I don't go to the gym. I have a LOT of Johnson & Johnson's stuff to try out, cos I've been entering one of those "Buy & Win" contests. -___- I first tried J&J baby bath's when my skin was getting rashy - no thanks to crappy brands - and I thought --- they won't try to break out a baby's skin right? It was cheaper than brands like Sebamed and Eucerin, so I thought it won't hurt to try. After finishing an entire 1l of J&J baby bath with no untoward results, I'm sold. :) This works for me too and I'm happy. The peach baby bath has a very mild smell, and because it's soooo gentle, I don't really recommend using this if you've been rolling around in mud or something. However, for showers in the morning, and especially before bedtime ... this is perfect. =) Really makes you feel like a baby.

5. Peaches & Clean Shower gel from Soap & Glory for body scrub --- every now and then. You'll need a body scrub every now and then, especially if you're like me and you don't use one of those bath mitt thingys... I got scared of them ever since my dad had one and it never really dried out properly and fungus grew all over the dang thing. *shivers* I bought my shower gel some time back in Thailand's Boots. Soap & Glory is pretty pricey, but the packaging is soooo witty and cute and dang, the stuff works! Peaches & Clean has a strong (but lovely) peach smell with bits of what feels like smashed peach pit (it's really just exfoliating beads) to really scrub off your dead skin. I'm loving it! And I heard that the new Sephora that opened opposite Pavilion stocks up on Soap & Glory stuff, so that's good news for all Malaysians! :)

6. Simple Refreshing face wash gel for the gym. This facial wash really lives up to the name of being GENTLE on the skin... you can't really feel it cleaning your skin up, but the results show. I have this bad habit of not removing my make-up with a make-up remover.. but I head straight for the face wash. Note : I don't wear really thick make-up, so I think it's ok?

There's no fragrance, no exfoliating beads... so although this is a product that works for me, it's not 100% me... in the sense that I like fragrances, and I like squeaky clean feeling after washing my face. I know, I know.. that's supposed to be really bad for you because that would mean the face wash is too harsh. It never did anything bad to my face before this... *sulks* I guess what I'm trying to say is that this face wash is just too boring for me... but it works! However, I've been getting really horrible pimples recently, and I don't know whether it's because this product is too gentle or because of the other face stuff I've been using...

7. Garnier Light Fairness face wash for home use is a lemon-y facial wash, also without exfoliating beads and is also awesome for me because it removes my make-up without need for make-up remover. I quite liked it when I first started using it, but now feels that it leaves a rather oily feeling residue on my face after I'm done. I also don't feel the squeaky clean feeling of a fresh face after finishing with it, so I'm disappointed. Also have a feeling that this facial wash could've contributed to the sudden emergence of pimples. Hmmm... and the bad news is that I bought two of these face wash because there was a 2 for 1 deal in Watsons... hahaha. -__-

Oh and I don't think I got any fairer after using this... but I don't really mind because I think it's odd if my face ends up fairer than my body.... =p

8. The Neutrogena Deep Clean Blackhead removal range was a total disappointment! Also bought it because of the Johnson's & Johnson's contest, and also because I was wondering if there WAS another way to get rid of blackheads. I've always heard good stuff about Neutrogena, although I personally did not like the smell of their face wash (the deep yellow in color one... I forgot if it's supposed to be fragrance-free or not, but it had a weird smell! Since I said it had a weird smell, you'd think that it must NOT be fragrance free... but you never know! I just remember it as being weird!). Anyway, the Deep Clean Blackhead range consists of a face wash, these weird "heating" cream things which is supposed to open up your pores and make it easier for the blackheads to be removed, and finally, a cooling toner. The whole set set me back about RM75... so you could say I'm SERIOUSBUSINESS about removing blackheads.


However, I was very disappointed with the whole thing. I did like the face wash because it had exfoliating beads, and you definitely get a very clean, very fresh feeling after washing your face. Did it eliminate blackheads? No. So I proceeded with the warming treatment. The warming treatment was interesting... it really does heat up in your hands very quickly... but did it magically make all my blackheads dropped out or easier to be squeezed? Another resounding no. Finally the cooling toner was... like what a toner should be. Nothing extra special that made it ought to belong on a blackhead removal range. Very sad.

I guess the warming treatment was nice to play with... but will it be worth your money? It's expensive lor... and so far I've only used one tube. And somehow or other, it seems like it's not heating up so fast or so much anymore. Disappointment. And I have been getting those pimples (this is the third time I'm repeating this...) is this the cause!?!?!

If you've read til this point, yes I'm using 3 different facial cleansers at the moment, no wonder I can't figure out what's the root cause of any skin problems that I face. Tsk! And if you're really wondering what you can do about those dang blackheads, instead of using the deep clean range, may I just recommend to you the cheap & lovely Biore pore strips?! They now come in orange & pineapple fragrance which I love. I also have the regular and the black colored strips (I don't even know why I bought the black color one... just fatt hao I guess...). If you're not one for the pain, you could always remove it slowly, but I just love ripping out the dang thing and then studying the massive whiteheads and blackheads stuck. Gives me so much pleasure. At least there's a difference after using the Biore pore strips. I study myself after using the deep clean range and more often than not, you're back to squeezing out your whiteheads and blackheads, as if you didn't even use the range at all. Why spend the money then?

Ewww... I just Googled for the pore strips, and check out what some people managed to yank out on their pore strips... I'm glad that I don't have such severe problems! Lol!

9. Phytodefrisant Anti-frizz Balm for the hair... yes, I'm facing frizzy hair as evident from the shampoo I use, and the hair care products I use. I bought this when I was in France, so I don't think you can get it here... Pretty pricey (it is about RM80+!!), and the only reason I bought this was because I Google-d for "good pharmaceutical buys in France".. what a freak! ;) Ben bought something from Phyto as well, and he said it was shite (don't remember what he got). So how goes this balm? Well, I have to say that I must be quite insane to buy something where the directions are all in French, so I had to guess what I was supposed to do with it. In the end, I reckoned that it is a leave-in type of balm, and I have to say... this works. It really makes your hair more manageable and less frizzy. However, I have to use a LOT of it and I hate the texture of this anti-frizz product. It's very watery and slimey and reminds me of erm... baby juice. It also has a rather unpleasant smell about it, so I'm very careful not to use this before I meet my boyfriend, haha! For something nicer smelling, and rather effective (though not as POWERFUL as Phyto..), may I recommend...

10. Free&Free Damage Aid Serum that I got from Carrefour Thailand! Hahaha... actually, the current bottle that I have is given to me from Pauline (the one who introduced me to all this madness) as she knows how much I love this green bottle. This smells AWESOME.. very fresh and fruity, and really tames your hair. For the price you pay, this is more bang for your buck than Phyto is. Sadly, can't find this brand in Malaysia!

I guess it's unfair to compare Phyto and my favorite Free&Free because one is for damaged hair and the other one is just to control frizzy hair... but the outcome from both products are smoother hair ends and generally more manageability... so that's why I'm pitting them against each other. :) Free&Free, I would continue to buy, but Phyto is definitely a one-off. :)

11. My Beauty Diary masks... got a pack of 16 masks for about RM65 from Guardian... in fact, I'm currently using one (which I may review separately after this). When I first started using these masks, I loved it... the smell, the shape of the masks (there are some brands that get the anatomy of the face so, so wrong.. with bits and pieces of the mask hanging out every which way) and it's like... such a nice indulgence to have a mask once a week, am I right ladies? After the pimple fiasco (which now I'm wondering whether it's hormonal...), I'm also a little bit wary of the masks. I have about 8 more masks to go though, so I really hope it isn't! Anyway, the packaging for MBD masks are really cute, and the name of the masks are all so yummy sounding. Like, right now I'm using an apple one and it makes me think as if I'm putting real mushed up green apples all over my face. Haha, I'm not sure what good THAT would do, but generally after a MBD mask, my face feels softer and smoother. =) Because of the Guardian deal, I got MBD mask cheaper per mask (usual price is about RM6+ per mask), but if you want to try cheaper alternatives, I super recommend Purederm (any mask is good, but I like the aloe one), MJ (usually they have the type of gooey mask that you spread on your face and then peel off when it dries) and even the in-house brands of Watsons and Guardian have good masks for a little less than RM5. Watsons bird nest mask is super good, but that one is considered "premium" and is way more than RM5. I only got to use it because it was given to me as a free gift. =)

12. Vaseline Aloe Cool & Fresh light moisturising lotion for my day moisturiser... just broke in a brand new bottle! Previously was using Palmer's Cocoa Butter and that is one helluva good moisturiser! Palmer's Cocoa Butter has a distinctive smell... for me, I didn't like it at first, but since I just finished a big bottle... obviously I got used to it in the end. :) The cream is a bit thick and you really have to rub yourself (sounds dirty!) to get it all smoothened out. However, the moisturising effects are really just ooh-la-la~! I find myself constantly in wonder that my skin is soooo smooth and soooooo nice to touch. My boyfriend agrees with me. ;) I bought the Cocoa Butter in London for about 2 pounds, and when it first came to Malaysia, the Cocoa Butter was being sold so ridiculously expensive.. now it's ok-ly priced, so I might buy again... though I have a LOT of other moisturisers to try out.

Well look at me go on and on about Palmer's and not talk about Vaseline.. tsk tsk. Well, I really like the smell of the aloe body moisturiser.. and it's really cooling, which is good for the recent hot weather. However, in terms of moist-ness, I would say that it is left farrrrr behind compared to Palmers. Coincidentally, my boyfriend just bought a bottle of the exact same moisturiser today, and he randomly uses it to cool himself down! Hahaha! I guess I can't expect so much from this moisturiser anyway because it clearly states on the bottle that it is a "LIGHT" moisturising lotion. I must look out for the "HEAVY" one then. ;)

13. Nivea Extra Whitening Inner Cell Repair Body Milk for my night time moisturiser... why do I use it at night? Cos it's for whitening purpose, and I reckon it'll be better to use it when there isn't any sun rays combatting with it's whitening mission. ^^ (I just feel dumb now cos I'm studying the bottle now and I see that it has some advanced UV protection, so this IS for usage in the daytime!). I've loved Nivea body lotion for a really long time. I like the comforting fragrance, which makes it all the more apt for me to use it for night. For WHITENING... I don't think it works on me, because I don't see myself getting any fairer. My skin is more evenly-toned, I guess... but I can't comment on becoming FAIRER. I also can't comment on the inner cell repair thingy that they are promoting as I don't know the mechanics of how something that is applied externally can get absorbed into my inner cells... that kinda sounds scary.

But in terms of having softer, more I~wanna~touch~you~ooh~yeah~baby skin... then yes! A million times over that this works. =) I also like the face absorption rate, which is definitely a must for body moisturisers. The Vaseline one is also quickly absorbed... I suppose it's only the Palmer's one which takes quite a while, but since it is so awesome, it's forgiven. =p

Well, I guess that's lucky 13 items that I use rather frequently. My next entry will be on not-used-so-frequently stuff and on my daily make-up! Stay tuned, I guess!

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