Saturday 28 December 2013

Weekend Mani: Elianto Nail Colour - 08 Baby Shine

Elianto, which was made available to where I lived during my high school days, is the nostalgic brand where I got my first nail polish from!

They certainly provide budget items for beginners to venture into the world of makeup without burning a big hole in their wallets. I remember those days when my BFF and I used to stroll around in the shopping mall, lusting and swatching each and every new polish color they had, back then, selling at the small price tag of RM5.


Elianto Nail Colour - 08 Baby Shine, 14mL, RM8




This is a pink peach polish with extremely fine silver and fuchsia shimmers in it, so fine that it almost appears sheen. It applies quite evenly on my slightly pitted nails and covers up the irregularities.

The texture is smooth and not goopy, and the drying time is around 20 to 30 minutes. I however did not wait for it to dry completely before applying the second layer. I needed 2 layers in order to get the desired opacity.




The colour is so soft and lovely, which in my opinion, will look flattering on most skin tone. The shimmers in it helps to make mistakes forgivable.


Under fluorescent light, without flash


 Under fluorescent light, with flash


If there is one negative thing to say about this polish, that would be the slightly uneven surface when it dries completely, which is only noticeable up close. This can be easily fixed by layering with a top coat.

Elianto nail polishes will generally last a good 2-3 days on my nails without chipping away. Their longevity however is never my concern as they will most probably need to be removed by the end of my off days (usually 2 days at max), as I am not suppose to wear any nail polish at work.



My Verdict:  ★★★★

-yay for the small price tag!
-sweet colour that will appear flattering for most
-smooth texture and relatively quick drying time



I believe that I'll never ever repurchase anything from the makeup category as the brands will always churn out something new and exciting on each new day!

So no, I'm not gonna repurchase any makeup item! :D

Friday 20 December 2013

A Mask A Day: Color Combo Honey Moisturising Facial Sheet Mask


Ever since I started the “a mask a day” campaign, I’ve been very obedient to treat myself with a sheet mask for the night routine everyday.

I believe that one can never see the true result of sheet mask with just 1 application per week. At most, they will leave you with the instant effect of brightened and well-nourished skin, which tends to disappear as you wake up the next morning. Consistent application of masks with similar function is the key to really help target your skin concern.

The first 2 weeks of the campaign, I tried to use up all the masks which I owned as singles, just to get a rough idea as to whether I shall purchase them in bulk for consistent use. And now, I’m moving on to review those that I can use for few days in a row, to see whether it is really doing any good.


Color Combos Honey Moisturising Facial Sheet Mask, 30g


“A deep moisturizing mask to help with dehydrated skin as dryness is one of the major causes of wrinkle formation.

Contains Honey Extract, Hyaluronic Acid, Cucumber Extract and Multi-Vitamin to keep skin soft and supple.

An excellent treatment to replenish dry, rough skin.

Suitable for all skin types.”




I got this from Sasa a while ago when they were having promotion, where 4 masks were sold at the price of RM10. It was a good deal as one sheet mask will usually cost RM3-5 even if you buy them in boxes.

Nothing exciting about the packaging.


And there isn’t much essence left in the bag.


It was a big turn off when I opened the mask pack for the first time. BY.THE.SMELL!!

This definitely smells like decomposed something, or a vagabond who didn’t bathe for few weeks! Imagine putting that mask onto your face and so near to your nose! O.M.G.

o.O

Never mind the smell; I still put it on to see what good it can do --- holding my breath! :x




The mask cutting was below my standard as you can see there isn’t any nip on it that enables you to shape it to fit your individual face contour.

It is surely making an effort to impress by designing it in a way that you can hook on the mask and be able to walk around, watching TV without worrying that the mask will drop from your face.


 I seriously dislike the thick ear hook which tends to transfer the essence to my hair, and make them sticky.


I find that the sheet material was unable to hold the essence on for too long a time. On my face, I feel that it starts to dry out by 5 minutes, and rarely last till the recommended 15 minutes of masking time. However, when I remove it by the end of 15 minutes, I was surprise to find that the essence is mostly retained on the sheet mask and was not delivered deep into the skin.

What I realized after each treatment was that the essence remained sitting on the superficial layer of the skin, and leaves a super sticky feeling. And foul smelling. No amount of massaging could get the essence absorbed, trust me. I end up have to wipe them off and follow with a heavily scented moisturizer --- Etude House Skin Mal:gem Emulsion --- to cover up the awful scent.

As you can expect, I did not derive any benefit from this mask and certainly won’t be giving it a second chance A.N.Y.M.O.R.E.!

Still have to struggle with it for another day T.T



My Verdict:  ☆☆☆☆

-absolutely no reason for me to like this
-one helluva smelly mask which did NOTHING!!



Repurchase? HELL NO!!


Lesson learned: Never buy anything in bulk if uncertain of its performance.

Sunday 15 December 2013

100-days-spending-ban: Day 14

It's been 2 weeks since the launching of my 100-days-spending-ban and WOOT! I've put aside RM420 for my trip already! :D

I'm glad that I have not broken any rules yet, and hope to be able to stay calm despite all the seducing SMS/ flyers/ brochures from various cosmetic and fashion companies that I received during this gifting season. *praying hard for strength*

I have decided to remove Sephora Makeup Academy from my wish list, and there will be no new product added this time round. Will update my wishlist on the new year day! Steady!

Review: Beauty Mate Purifying and Hydating Nano Toner

I find that I go through toners very quickly so here’s another review of one that is going to reach its bottom within the next few days, the Beauty Mate Purifying and Hydrating Nano Toner.


Beauty Mate Purifying and Hydrating Nano Toner, 120mL


“Purifying and Hydrating Nano Toner is extracted by Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Pearl and Glycoproteins.

Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract which helps to hydrate your skin and facilitate the metabolism which prepares fast absorbing of lotion.

Formulated with the natural mineral of Hydrolyzed Pearl can bright up the skin tone and balance the pH value, it makes your skin soften and smooth.

Glycoproteins helps to increase the moisture level of skin by 60% and keep the moisture balance in cuticle up to 15 hours or above.”


I got this Beauty Mate Purifying and Hydrating Nano Toner from my June 2013 Wonderbox subscription, which made my heart skipped a beat as I have always wanted to try other products from their Purifying and Hydrating range, besides the much raved sheet mask.




The product comes in a sturdy glass bottle with convenient pump system, which is still functioning well up till the last bit of product left. The only gripe was that each pump only dispenses little amount of liquid and I have to use about 8 pumps to get my facial cotton adequately soaked. The silver top cap however didn’t loosen a little after repeated covering and uncovering, so there's no need to worry about the glass bottle slipping off when one picks up the bottle by its cap. Nonetheless, packaging in glass bottle is definitely a plus point for me!

The toner itself has a consistency near to plain water that would easily escape from your palm, which is why I preferred applying this with facial cottons. It has a hint of herbal/ floral that smells similar to their Purifying and Hydrating sheet mask.




I like the fact that it lives up to its claim, as it really soften my skin and keep it hydrated. The lasting moisture for 15 hours however is yet to be tested. Recently I was working on shifts instead of calls, thus temporarily free from those “working-30-hours-continuously” schedule. I would have already washed my face and reapplied everything necessary in less than 15 hours interval.

I absolutely love the dewy skin that it gives! Not a bit of stickiness that most toners will leave, and my skin feels oh so lovely! It also prepares the skin for better absorption of serum and moisturizer that follow. My skin tone does brightened a little over the past 2 months of using this toner, but I can’t be sure whether it is the effect of this alone, or the combined effect of my current skincare regime.

This toner gained so much love from me that I even use them on those warm, stuffy afternoons to quickly refresh myself, and it works! I’m yet to try using this as lotion mask and facial mist, which I think I should have. Maybe I shall get another bottle and try that out once the spending ban is over. Hehe :D



My Verdict: 

-nice packaging
-soften skin and prepare skin well for serum and moisturizer
-brighten complexion
-moisturizing
-quick pick-me-up
-affordable and easily available at Watson pharmacy


Drawback:
-each pump only dispenses a little amount of product


Repurchase? YES!

I'm really grateful that Wonderbox included this in their June 2013 box that I finally have the opportunity to try, not only a sample size but the generous full bottle so that I can make up my mind as to whether I shall include this in my daily routine. However, I'm still open to experience more toners out there that might pull this one down from its throne!

So I thought that's the spirit of a true beauty junkie NYAAHAHAHAH!!

Sunday 8 December 2013

Review: Elianto REVEAL Nourishing Cleansing Milk



 Elianto REVEAL Nourishing Cleansing Milk, 150mL


"Elianto Reveal Nourishing Cleansing Milk leaves your skin feeling soft and nourished after cleansing.
Formulated with Rice starch, Rice oil, Granatum extract to protect against free radicals, it also contains sweet almond oil and avocado oil to nourish skin and boost skin regeneration."


I have wanted to review this cleansing milk for the longest time ever but due to my ultra laziness, the thought has just been sitting in my mind for the past 1 month or so.

This, was one of my impulsive purchases from Elianto which I regretted afterwards. Fortunately it didn’t burn a big hole in my wallet with the acceptable price of RM39.90.

Packaging wise, I do like the stopper provided to avoid unwanted wastage when one accidentally pressed on the pump. However, the pump system was a failure as you can see from here that the last 5% of product was extremely difficult to be pumped up from the bottom. The transparent purplish bottle was nice to see with its classy appearance.


Texture wise, this Nourishing Cleansing Milk is quite runny and could easily flow off your palm if you aren’t careful. Once applied to face, it turns even runnier and almost liquid, so it will flow down your neck and cause a mess.

And this, has absolutely no foam at all and does not lather, which does not hit the right button for me as I prefer foamy cleansers as mentioned earlier. I was forewarned by the BA about this so no surprise.  Reminded me of the olden days when we used to remove make up by using baby lotion. This feels exactly the same, but stings a little if I were to use it after my facial session with Dermalogica.

I usually use a full 2-3 pump for each wash, partly because I wanted to finish it fast. The cleansing power is quite poor and leaves behind a filmy sensation. No squeaky clean feeling at all. Maybe this is the “moisturizing” part it says on the bottle? But this totally puts me off, so I had to wipe my face with warm towel to get rid of the yucky feeling. Simply splashing with water is definitely not adequate to remove the film.

After using this continuously for the past 3 months, I must say this should have been tossed away earlier. It did absolutely NOTHING for my skin and the main reason of me continue to use it, is because I don’t like to waste my money just like that. Wondering why they named it as “REVEAL” as it really did not reveal any beautiful skin at all. Lucky though, it also did not “reveal” bumps and acnes on my face.

No comment on the firming and anti-oxidant properties as I don’t usually believe that cleansers are able to take care of these issues. Leave that to serums, masks and moisturizers.

The scent is not heavenly, but was nice to sniff at. Smells like a mixture of rice and milk, with some floral hint. It does contain fragrance in its ingredient list.

Now that I have only 5% of product left in the bottle and find it difficult to dispense from the pump, I shall just forget about it and start a new journey with another cleanser on my stash. No more looking back!



My Verdict:  ★☆☆☆☆


-smells nice
-packaging looks classy with stopper provided to avoid potential disaster
-friendly cost at RM39.90


Drawbacks:
-pump system fails to deliver last bit of product
-poor cleansing power
-leave behind filmy sensation
-stings a little if used after chemical peeling


Repurchase? Definitely NO.



7 days into my 100-days-spending-ban challenge and I’m staying strong! Still sticking to my “a mask a day” campaign and not seeing any drastic changes on my skin condition yet.

7 x 30 = 210

I now have RM210 in my travel fund!
Hooray and keep it up, Eliz!

Monday 2 December 2013

Discipline! Discipline! Discipline! - 100 Days Spending Ban Campaign! Roll The Drums!!!




Excuse me for the ugly drawing. Teehee~ :D


Oh yes I know I’ve been M.I.A. for waaaaayyyy too long and had my blog all piled up with dust already.

Sorry for not having any update for the past 4 months, thanks to the super busy schedule at A&E department with double shift (ie. working from 7:30am to 3:30pm then continues from 9:30pm to 10:30am the next day) almost every other day. BUT! Finally I’m done with my housemanship training! Hooray!! :D :D :D

Today is my first day working as a medical officer, but temporarily “floating” in A&E department until I get my definite posting in, hopefully Alor Star. Till then, I guess I shall remain “floating” till February or March 2014.

Work apart.

I have to admit that I was splurging too much on beauty products and fashions for the past 1 year or so. Up till the point that I actually am having difficulty to store and keep them within the limited space in my room. So during my 2 weeks of applied leave, I took out all my “properties” and “precious” to have an idea of what I actually own, and how many of them am I really using or wearing. Talking about money well spent.

To my surprise (or maybe not so surprising as I do have a good insight that I was overspending), I could say that I will have enough new clothes and shoes for EVERY SINGLE DAY from the first to fifteenth day of Chinese New Year, and enough sheet masks for a year if I want to practice “a mask a day” as advocated by Taiwan celebrity Fan Wei Qi, the spokesperson for Kose.

It’s also not surprising to see a lot of hair clips, hair bands, belts, earrings, necklaces and bangles in my room, brand new, unused, but fortunately neatly organized by the OCD me. Worse still, I have like a hundred of nail polishes to try on, and dozens of lipsticks, lipglosses, and BLUSHES, yet to be painted on me. Luckily I have my sister to help with the nail polishes. Oh ya, and bags too.

And books. ö

Hoarder me.


~~~x~~~  ~~~X~~~  ~~~x~~~  ~~~X~~~  ~~~x~~~  ~~~X~~~  ~~~x~~~  ~~~X~~~  ~~~x~~~


I can’t help but to force myself to go through a 100-days-spending-ban campaign. Else my impulsive shopping spree will be never-ending, and getting more and more unhealthy. Wish me luck.

And I guess today is the best day to start my 100-days-spending-ban, now that I am starting a new phase of life as a medical officer, yes? :)



So, let’s first set the rules and regulations for this campaign.

      1.       No spending on beauty products and fashions from 2/12/2013 to 11/3/2014
      2.       For each day of success, I shall put RM30 as a fund for my Hong Kong trip, intended in September 2014(still in discussion phase with the boyfriend)
      3.       Any violation of rules shall extend my spending ban for 10 days
      4.       Exceptions if spending is unavoidable (ie. uniform/activity t-shirt if needed)
      5.       During the period of spending ban, I shall still go for monthly facial session and 2 monthly permanent underarm hair removal at Dermalogica, which I had already signed up for earlier
      6.       I shall try to use up my skincare products as much as possible, but I only have 1 face to work on
7.       I shall be expecting more sheet masks from Taiwan, which I had asked my brother to get for me during his trip
      8.       I shall make a list of the things that I wanted to buy during spending ban and go through it fortnightly, so that I can think twice and even thrice, before I make my purchase at the end of the campaign
      9.       And yes, I shall grant myself a RM500 allowance at the end of my spending ban for all those items that I was eyeing on for the past 100 days (Average RM5 per day is reasonable right?)
      10.   I shall try to update my blog more frequent for the benefit of the readers and myself, set it once a week ok?



I have prepared 100 pieces of masks and will be really practicing the “a mask a day” from today onwards. Gonna have to pamper myself a little during this long period of spending ban. Let’s see if my skin will go glowing like nobody’s business or will it be breaking out like crazy at the end of the campaign. And that will contribute quite a number of blog posts too rite? :p

2 campaigns running at one go ya?

I’m currently having the urge to purchase few items (Etude House &Rose Eye Shadow Palette, Sephora Makeup Academy Palette, Estee Lauder ANR2, Laneige Water Sleeping Pack, Bag of Love/ BeauBox subscription) , and I can’t seem to get rid of the idea for the past 3 weeks or so. Shall give myself 100 days to see how they will weigh in my wish list, and whether I will bring them home with my RM500 allowance!

Feeling excited already!

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Review: Biore Cleansing Oil (For All Skin Types)

I've been using this Biore Cleansing Oil for more than a year now, and I think it's time to give it a fair review.

"Gentle cleansing oil washes away long-lasting makeup, even waterproof mascara!
This oil-based makeup remover from Japan has excellent cleansing ability that makes makeup removal so quick and easy!
It effectively dissolves and removes long-lasting makeup, even waterproof mascara, while lifting away dirt and impurities.
Specially formulated to provide optimum cleansing performance at all times.
It does not emulsify upon contact with water and can be used during showers."


I decided to give it a try after reading so many raves online and how highly recommended it is by my favorite fashion and beauty magazine "With". Number 1 makeup remover in Japan it says!

I love the crystal clear jelly purple bottle with the small cap on top to prevent unnecessary wastage when one accidentally pressed on the dispenser.


It has a very nice scent which reminds me of fresh green apple.

The texture is kinda runny, but I usually pump it onto the cotton pad instead of applying directly onto my face, so it's not a problem for me.

To remove eye makeup, I'll dispense a nice 2-3 pumps onto the cotton pad and apply it over the eyelids for half a minute. While waiting, I'll gently massage the eyes so to get the makeup thoroughly dissolved into the oil. Then, I just need to wipe away all the residues with the same cotton pad, leaving behind the oily eyelids. Be careful though as it does sting when the product gets into your eyes. Repeat the same to remove your lipstick. A lazy girl like me will just massage the oil quickly all over my face after this step.

Finally, you just need to rinse your face with water and watch the cleansing oil turns into milky liquid! Follow-up with your skincare routine as soon as possible, or you might have the dry skin feeling as I do.

Here are the before and after pictures:


I used eye shadows, liner and eyebrow pencil from Elianto, and waterproof mascara from Silky Girl (which I'm thinking of throwing away after this post as it is getting clumpy already).

Look at how clean it gets after just 1 cleaning. No residual eyeliner or mascara which gives me panda eyes.


 I tried removing the Etude House Aloha Dear Darling Tint 04, and the color disappeared like a magic! Even for lip tint, seriously?!!

The only downside is the drying effect it leaves behind. Honestly not recommended for daily double cleansing. I prefer cleansing cream for daily usage.



My Verdict:  ★★★★

-easily available
-low cost (RM17.90 from AEON)
-fast and effective cleansing
-nice, soothing scent
-can be used on eyes and lips

Drawbacks:
-sting your eyes
-skin feels a little dry after usage

 

Repurchase? Maybe, but not in short future

as I already have a list of makeup removal products awaiting to be used and reviewed.

Thursday 27 June 2013

Wonderbox: June 2013 Edition

Finally received my first ever WONDERBOX on my postcall morning!
This has certainly brightened my day ^^

The pretty box was neatly tied with a sweet purple ribbon, which made me feel reluctant to destroy this piece of art. The box itself is not as sturdy as I thought it is. I liked the Fabulous Finds box better.


Now let's quickly go through the contents.



The first item that caught my attention in this month's box is the Beautymate Purifying and Hydrating Nano Toner (120mL).


"Beautymate's Purifying and Hydrating Nano Toner contain Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract, Hydrolyzed Pearl and Glycoproteins.
The Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract helps by hydrating your skin and facilitates the skin cell's metabolism rate which prepares the skin for faster active ingredient absorption.
Formulated with the natural mineral, Hydrolyzed Pearl can bright up the skin tone and balance the pH value, that transform your skin soften and smooth.
Glycoprotein helps to increase the moisture balance in cuticle up to 15 hours."

I was too happy to see this full size toner sitting in my beauty box! I've tried the sheet mask from the same line and absolutely loving it! The sheet masks really brighten and hydrate my skin in mere 15 minutes of application and the effect usually will last for 2-3 days. Will start to use this once my Haruhada Sake Skin Lotion reaches the bottom.


The second full size item is the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Night Concentrate Sleeping Pack (50g).


"As skin cell renew at night, this product is formulated with "Progressive Release System" to continuously release intensive moisture throughout the night.
Contains purified Hyaluronic acid, Olive extract and Ionic Mineral complex that helps enhance skin translucency, firms up skin and reduces fine lines so that you wake up to amazingly hydrated, soft and supple skin in the morning."

This was a big surprise for me as I thought I missed it when it appeared in the May 2013 edition. I was so envious that the May subscribers had received it and raved about it so much! I so wanted to have this when I read their good reviews on this sleeping pack and nearly wanted to get it from Watson. Luckily I didn't :D

I think God has answered my prayer. Will definitely try this out when I'm done with my current Bio-essence sleeping mask.


Then I got 2 deluxe size products from L'oreal:


1) L'oreal Professional Liss Ultime Shampoo (100mL)

"Cleanse, calm and smooth rebellious, frizzy hair with this enriching shampoo containing Olive and Argan oils.
Its conditioning action provides lasting smoothness & humidity protection.
Tip: If your hair is thicker, two applications of shampoo may be necessary to help manage frizz." 

2) L'oreal Professional Liss Ultime Masque (75mL)

"This super-smoothing masque bathes hair in hydration, polishing its surface and providing humidity protection.
Shine is enhanced and control is regained.
For unmanageable, frizzy hair."

These are probably no new to beauty box subscribers as I've seen them appearing in other boxes as well. Neither am I too happy nor too frustrated to receive them. Nevertheless, they will come handy when traveling on board.


Next item, the Murad Exfoliating Pomegranate Mask (7.5mL).


"Murad's Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask instantly smoothes and hydrates skin, restoring brightness and balances combination skin."

I've been wanting to try Murad's product ever since I knew about the existence of this brand. It is always not a bad decision to include a mask or two in the beauty box. Furthermore, I've been trying out quite a lot of pomegranate products lately and loved them. Will definitely try this out during my next mask session. Sadly they only gave me 1 sachet of this product, as I'm yet to find any Murad here in Ipoh.


And here goes the extra sample for this month, the Ginvera Green Tea Whitening Marvel Gel (8mL).


"Zero Blackheads in 1 Step.
Use daily on dry face with dry fingers.
Squeeze a sufficient amount and dot on forehead, cheeks, chin, nose and neck.
Massage about one minute.
Rinse off with water/ facial cleanser."

This is something that I never thought of buying, despite many claims that it produces good results. I prefer peeling/ melting method to fight black heads instead. However, I'll give it a chance and see what it can do for my black heads. Who knows I might like it and decide to go on to get a full size?


Last but not least, the vouchers:


1) Kado New Hair Studio: 50% discount on all hair chemical services
2) Murad: RM30 gift voucher

Both are very unlikely to be used due to my current whereabout.


Overall, I'm satisfied with the Wonderbox June 2013 Edition. However, I can understand that some of the existing subscribers would be frustrated to receive the same products in both May and June boxes, which are the Neutrogena Sleeping Pack and the Ginvera Green Tea Marvel Gel. Next month round I have to pray harder so that I don't get the same products again. Truly hope that Wonderbox can improve on this issue.

Interested in Wonderbox subscription? You can subscribe at RM 45.00 per box including shipping fee. Like their facebook page here!

**Fingers crossed for makeup products to be included in next month's box!**