Body America Body Butter [Vermont Va Va Voom]

Spotted "Body America" products when I was in Singapore quite a while back. Though it is pretty pricey (I don't remember the exact price, but it was about RM50, or more!), I was desperate because I didn't bring ANY beauty products along with me and I am really particular about getting moisturised. :) I think I've complained many times about using tub-products (hygiene hygiene hygiene!), but body butters usually come in this type of package. I usually don't like body butters because they are usually too thick and don't sink in quickly, but it's undeniable that they make your skin feel oh~so~soft!

Body America uses 50-styles pin-up girls in all their packaging, and admittedly, I do like this style. :) It's also prevalent in the Filthy Farmgirl soaps that I really like (but never got to buy, geez!). Also, if you are big on organic products, you would love this! It is chock-full of organic ingredients, made with natural extracts from green apples, maple and blueberries (for the Vermont Va Va Voom range), and further enriched with organic aloe vera juice to really help lock in moisture. As with all body butters (that I've encountered so far) it contains shea and cocoa butter as well for long-lasting softness. Body America states that this body butter :
-- is water resistant
-- absorbs quickly, leaving no residue
-- non-greasy, leaving a silky feeling
-- suitable for all skin types!

There are 3 other ranges in the body butter category, and they all sound so yummy! I didn't see all 4 together in Singapore, maybe just one other, and apple scent seemed quite unique, which is why I got Vermont Va Va Voom in the end. The other 3 are:
-- New York Cheesecake With An Edge (vanilla & strawberry)
-- Toast to the Coast (ocean, grapeseed)
-- Southern Belle (peach, mango)

This is how the body butter looks like on the inside - a very, very, very pale green color! And believe me, that is how a half-finished tub looks like, and it took me a great amount of time to even get this far. So far, it's really stretching my dollar, and if you compare it to the Body Shop, it is about the same in terms of price. The formula for Body America is a lot more concentrated (IMHO), so I really need the teensiest amount to feel moisturised. However, (and to me this is a really big drawback) I really disagree that it is non-greasy, or that it absorbs quickly. I really feel the body butter sitting heavily on my skin no matter how much I try to massage the product in. I can actually see a film of oil (?) on the top of my skin and yes it lasts forever!!!!! Ok, at least til I get home from work.

The scent is nothing like fresh, crisp apples - instead, it is really sweet (sickly so!) and NOT fruity in any manner. Like a synthetic version of apples? And it is SUPER STRONG OMG. You can just forget about wearing perfume when you put this body butter on. It's like there will be two scents fighting for attention and you will be gagging in between. Usually when I put this on, I go without perfume and pretend that I'm wearing some version of DKNY's Be Delicious fragrance. -_-"

On the PLUS side, it is really, really long lasting and my skin condition really improves under the care of Body America. I noticed that skin is really softer and more moisturised, even when I am not using it that day. I love how soft my skin is towards the end of the day - when the initial greasiness is not that apparent any more. -_-"

I'm very hesitant to say whether this is a repurchase for me or not. Really, I feel like I've had enough of body butters, but the rest of the Body America items sound so nice. It feels greasy, but hey - at the end of the day it does its job! It smells really weird - but maybe the others smell better? I guess I MIGHT repurchase it if the other ranges catch my eye (or nose!), too bad they don't have samplers when I was in Singapore...

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Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel

My current shower gel - Lush's Snow Fairy shower gel. It is a special edition specially for Christmas, but I think you can still buy it online. I got it when I was in Singapore (where I seem to get all my Lush supplies nowadays!), and it was packaged into a buy 2 free 1 sale to move the stock quickly. Don't think you can get it anymore!

The bright pink shower gel would be great for pre-teen girls - if I had a daughter, I can imagine her going crazy for this stuff. It also smells very sweet and girly, much more suitable for someone younger than me! If you've used Lush products before, it is supposed to smell like The Godmother, which also smells like Rockstar. I personally feel it's more Rockstar than The Godmother. The Godmother is way more subtle! This smells like cotton candy, sweets and gum drops. Some might say it's sickly sweet, and some might even say it smells like children's medicine! To me, it definitely smells better in the shower, but still something I find more suitable for kids.

The shower gel comes in 3 sizes - 100ml, 250ml and 500ml. The one that I got was 250ml, and I think without the sale, it would be about RM50. It lasts about just a month, but if you love the scent, you will love how long lasting the smell is on your skin. Really lingers on you til the next shower! Lush also claims that there is little bits of glitter in the shower gel as well to make shower time that much more fun (glitter does not linger on the skin though, it washes off!), but it really doesn't seem that noticable to me at all... Cleaning power is just normal - what you would expect from a shower gel lah... and at least unlike some cheap brands that I used to use, it doesn't make me break out in rashes.

As always, I love the way their packaging and what they write on their labels. :-) It always puts a smile on my face. However, at the end of the day, NO repurchase for me, unless it is for my kids. :) This is just way too "youthful" for me.

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Friday Cheapies : Johnson & Johnson Oxygen Fresh Gel Lotion

I seem to keep featuring the same brands for Friday Cheapies --- well, what to do? These are the brands that are the most budget-friendly. One item that is a constant in my years growing up is Johnson & Johnson. I was a bit anti-J&J for a bit because they went a wee bit overboard with online advertising at one point. It was so annoying to read people suddenly claim to use the products, but I am pretty sure they don't use it to completion or never repurchased again because suddenly they don't ever use it again. After the hype has died down, only then did I decide to get the "latest" item in Johnson & Johnson skincare range - the blue-colored "Oxygen Fresh" gel lotion. [You can read about the other items in my posts over here!]

I'm currently using this as my go-to night-time moisturiser (I will blog about my day-time moisturiser soon!). My criteria for night-time moisturiser is usually something cheap and doesn't smell too strongly. If it's one of those that have some kind of calming scent, all the better! Though "Oxygen Fresh" doesn't exactly fit the bill, I find it quite suitable for night time use. It absorbs SUPER quickly, so even if I'm lazy and only remember to put on the moisturiser RIGHT before bed, I know that it'll dry off quickly and not stick to the sheets. It leaves a very clean scent... nothing offensive, but nothing super memorable. I'm kind of struggling to describe it, because it's neither floral nor grassy or anything you can classify in a perfume. Maybe... it's supposed to smell like oxygen.... wtf.

A lot of people are raving about how it makes their skin extra soft and smooth with this product.... to me it's decent, but I'm not going to say it's extra super soft and nice. You should check out my day time moisturiser for that! But it's good enough to protect me from the air-conditioning in the room at night, doesn't dry my skin out badly. There's no "oily" feeling left on the skin as well, so that's really good. Skin really feels comfortable and "breathable", sometimes it just makes me feel like I'm having a good skin day, except when I smell a little bit closer and can detect that clean-scent-that-I-just-can't-place smell...

Johnson & Johnson also claims that this gel lotion has been infused with ocean minerals and coraline extracts to help skin cells absorb oxygen and help revitalize skin. It also contains aqua moisture essences for long lasting hydration. I don't know about helping my skin to absorb more oxygen, but skin definitely does feel hydrated!

The gel lotion is lightest shade of baby blue, and is probably my biggest pet peeve about this product. It is soooooooo watery. ~_~ I really do prefer cream based moisturisers, it's so watery that it feels a bit weird spreading it on. It feels slimy.... thank goodness that it absorbs so quickly, so I don't have to deal with the slimy feeling for long. But seriously... *brrRRrrr* Very geli lah. And you know, usually I'm quite "indulgent" when I use my moisturisers. I use one full pump of a moisturiser PER LIMB. Because of how slimy this is, I use one full pump for TWO limbs. You might see this as a "pro" - feeling good while using less. For me, it's more like I cannot bear to use more, because it's really too slimey! I just cannot bear it, and it feels sooooo cold against my skin. I'm super scared of cold things, haha. Probably good for those who like things like that though!

For a 400ml bottle, it costs about RM12, and Johnson & Johnson always has promotions in Guardian / Watson, you might be able to score an even better deal. Happy Budget Shopping!

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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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