Friday Cheapies : Latest Drugstore Haul

I don't have any Friday Cheapies to review for this week... err, does this mean that I'm not using many cheap stuff any more? :O I bought a stack of drugstore stuff recently though, so hopefully I'll be able to write more on affordable & good stuff in the future!

Wetty - Two packs (30 wipes per pack) for RM4.50
Dettol menthol body powder
Carnation & Rosemary masks - RM8 for two
Biore pore pack
Luxury Gold Collagen Eye Mask - RM6.90

From a pharmacy in Midvalley (near the adjoining walk to Gardens) and Watsons!

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Burberry Body Eau De Parfum

The Burberry Body EDP was my birthday present last year from my (then) boyfriend. =) He is always buying me perfumes, and this one was really bought on a random whim. I was walking in a mall in Hong Kong and they had just launched this perfume. They passed me a sample, I sniffed it and I just exclaimed, "Oh my God, this smells so good!" I didn't know my boyfriend caught on to that! To be honest, this perfume is not really "me", cos I prefer something lighter, fruitier, more fun. This is a more serious, musky, sensual perfume. I still love it any way because you need different scents for different occasions. I find that this is pretty darn suitable for work!

This is only a 60ml bottle, but it can really last me a long time. I use this daily for work and I only need ONE spritz. And it lasts the whole day. Sometimes it smells so good that I keep sniffing at my clothes or my wrists. :P It dries off to a very nice floral, deep rosy scent mixed with vanilla. The best part of all this for me was really how long lasting it is. I really feel that I get to enjoy the full notes of this perfume, unlike other perfumes I've used.

Body Burberry is a luxury chypre - fruity composition that begins with notes of fresh green absinthe, peach and freesia. Roses and iris are in the heart, leaning on the base of sandalwood, cashmere, musk, amber and vanilla. [Source : Fragrantica.com ]

On the flipside, I don't really like the bottle. It's shaped like a pencil! And it's so inconvenient --- it's very long (phallic?) so I can't stand it up, but it has to be lying down. I find it sooooo odd. The bottle is also VERY heavy... the glass is REALLY thick. It looks and feels very luxurious, I suppose... but it's really not my style. Prefer a prettier kind of bottle!

Loving Rosie Huntington-Whitely's campaign spread for this perfume though... hot!

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Freebies From Crabtree & Evelyn

Got a free gift from Crabtree & Evelyn thanks to Empire Shopping Gallery. If you buy above RM500 worth of stuff in a day (non-electronics!), you get this surprise gift bag full of vouchers, and this lovely giftset from C&E. I thought of giving it to my mom for Mother's Day, but (unfilial daughter!) the scent of the Lily of the Valley was so nice that I plan to keep it. :X

It's a pretty travel set which contains bath & shower gel, perfumed body soap, body cream and body lotion. All between 30ml - 50ml in size. I'm a bit confused between the body cream and the body lotion --- isn't it the same thing? Hmmm....

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Dial NutriSkin Ultra Hydrating Body Wash with Fruit Oil

Bought this when I was in Carrefour, Singapore. I've tried Dial before when I was in the States and was really stoked to find it in Singapore. :)

Why do I like Dial body washes so much? Well, they are REALLY refreshing and they come in pretty unique scents. Well, I don't remember the exact name of the ones I used in the States, but I think it had something to do with sea breeze or something corny like that. The one that I got in Singapore is something that I have not used before. It's called Dial Nutriskin with Fruit Oil Ultra Hydrating Body Wash. It contains grape seed oil and lemongrass, although I smell more grape than lemongrass during each shower. Now tell me that ain't unique! I can't think of any other shower gel on the market that has a grape scent! :)

The shower gel itself also looks sooooo cute. It's a refreshing light green in color with golden exfoliating beads inside it. It just looks so luxurious, haha. The exfoliating beads has double duty - both for exfoliating and it also actually contains the ultra nourishing fruit oil.

It's a very refreshing and relaxing shower gel. I don't use it in the mornings because I'm still trying to finish my Lush Happy Hippy (enough to last me just 2 more showers... *sob!*). I use it after work, and it is a real pick-me-upper. The lemongrass could be more invigorating, but at the moment, I'm just so in love with the grape scent that I can overlook anything.

In case you're wondering what is the magical properties related to grapeseed oil, it is a very powerful antioxidant. It contains even more antioxidants than Vitamin E & C and can protect the skin from premature aging, fights acne and shrinks varicose veins. As for this being ultra nourishing, well, I don't feel super moisturised or notice a marked improvement in my skin, but I really can't complain. Anyway, I've only been using it for a few weeks. :)

Not sure about the price, I think it could be anywhere between RM15-RM20 for a 473ml bottle. I may or may not buy this shower gel again, but I will definitely repurchase stuff from Dial. Love the brand!

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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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Lipstick Sundays : NYX Diamond Sparkle

Out of all my "cheapie" NYX hauls, I decided to indulge in a more expensive lipstick among all the "less than RM10" lipsticks. The NYX Diamond Sparkle Lipstick costs USD$4.75, about RM15.20, which is still cheaper than most lipsticks that you can get in a drugstore in Malaysia.

I chose "Sparkling Apricot" - DS22. I know, a peachy shade sounds exactly like the "watermelon" shade that I reviewed earlier, butfrom the website, you can see that there's clearly a difference! The sparkling apricot is more peachy and the watermelon one looks more pinkish to me. I don't know about you, but the watermelon was just pure disappointment for me. Not so for the Sparkling Apricot. I love it!

The packaging for this lipstickis slightly more classy than the normal round lipstick range. I like how you can see the color of the lipstick via the see-through bottom part of the lipstick. If you have more than one Diamond Sparkle Lipstick, you can tell which color it is without opening the cover or flipping to the bottom to see the name of the color. Besides, with lipsticks, a visual cue is better than looking at the name of the color at the bottom of the lipstick, right? So yeah, a BIGGGG thumbs up for me in terms of packaging.

The lipstick looks peachy with no pink undertones, and lots of shimmer and sparkle! When applied, it has just the perfect amount of shine. Enough that it is able to hide my dry lips, and not too much that it becomes inappropriate for work. It's really my go-to lipstick for the moment. See the pictures below! :)

Quite liking the Diamond Sparkle range now. :) Won't mind paying the teeny bit extra cos it's my favorite lipstick from all the Nyx lipsticks that I bought so far!

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At The Langkawi Airport...

I have no idea why I haven't posted this sooner --- pics of stuff I bought at the airport when I went to Langkawi in March last month. I only bought two items :

 

Gucci Flora set for my mom! She asked me for perfume and said she would pay me back. I said that it was her be-earlied Mother's Day present. :P The moisturiser was a free gift from the SA. 

 Bought the Victoria's Secret Hello Bombshell Makeup Kit for RM137. Pretty, pretty packaging, and as I've always said --- I'm a sucker for sets! Just love how convenient it is to have everything all in one pretty box. This one is pretty big so I can't take it with me for travelling though. But great for overnighters!

Pictures of the set:

 The cover of the box is a mirror, so you can see I was trying VERY hard not to be in the picture because when I took these pics, I had just gotten home from the plane ride. Very haggard!

This is how it looks like when its opened up. In total, the Victoria's Secret Hello Bombshell Makeup Kit contains 30 eyeshadows (a whole rainbow of colors!), 5 lipsticks, 5 lipglosses, 4 blushers, 1 bronzer, 1 luminous powder, 1 translucent powder, 1 mascara, 1 lip liner, 1 eyeliner, 2 lip brushes and 1 face brush.

Close-up of the products.

Size / weight of the products :
Eyeshadows @ 0.75g
Lipsticks and lipglosses @ 0.4g
Blush @ 2.5g
Bronzer, Luminizer powder, Translucent powder @ 5g
Lip liner, Eye liner @ 0.5g
Eye mascara @ 3.24g

The eyeshadows are more towards the shimmery type. Softer kinda looks. The lipsticks are creamy and matte with no shimmer. Of course, the glosses have shimer in them. 3 of the blushers are shimmery, only one matte.Based on the sizes of the lip liners, eye liners and mascara, you can gauge that they are pretty small, "cute sized" stuff.

I will do a more thorough review when I actually use the stuff. Yes, right now I'm NOT using it. :) I'm simply showing off right now... muwahahhaa. Will share more later!

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