I Wear Flats

Homemade Scones

2010-02-22T12:35:00.000+08:00

I was bitten by the baking bug last weekend and decided to make myself a batch of scones. I managed to dig out an old formula from my grandmother’s recipe collection but found that most recipes from the Internet are pretty much the same.

The scones were surprisingly easy to make and mine turned out really well. So if you’re in the mood for afternoon tea, do try out the recipe.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
3 cups self rising flour
80g butter
1 ¼ cups milk
2 tbsp sugar
1 small box of raisins (optional)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 200°C.
2. Rub in butter into sieved flour
3. Beat eggs. Mix eggs with sugar and milk.
4. Make a hole in the centre of the flour and pour in the egg mixture slowly. Knead well.
5. Knead into long strip about 1’’ in width and cut into triangles.
6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Estee Lauder Cyber White EX Extra Intensive Illuminating Mask

2010-02-15T11:35:00.000+08:00

Radiant!

Glowing!

Healthy!

Fresh!

These are some of the promises made by almost every skincare product in the market. Undeniably some products work better than others, some better suited for certain skin types while some products work for certain people and not for others. For me, the Estee Lauder Cyber White Extra Intensive Illuminating Mask delivers all that is promised in a skin care product.

The product description and directions read

"Highly targeted, detoxifying treatment with anti-oxidants to help neutralize free radical damage that can lead to future spots. Massage on this intensive, concentrated mask with our exclusive Melanin Interception Technology and feel its power as a potent blend of anti-oxidants and anti-irritants are infused deep within skin's surface. 10 minutes later, skin is soothed, revitalized. Radiates with an amazing clarity and inner light. To be used as needed. Apply generous layer over clean face and throat. Wait 10 minutes then tissue off. Rinse thoroughly."

The first time I tried this mask was during the Cyber White workshop I attended last year. I liked it a lot. Participants who brought along a friend for the workshop were also given a sample sized jar and when I finished my sample, I went back for a full sized jar. Priced at RM 200 for a 50ml jar, the mask is exorbitant but worth every cent.

As is with most Estee Lauder cream based skincare products, the mask is nicely packed in a screw top jar with an internal plastic lid and comes with a small spatula. That gets a plus point from me as I do dislike digging into products with fingers, product are much easily contaminated that way.

White and lightly scented, the mask spreads nicely. It leaves a nice calming feel on the face and does not sting the eyes or skin in any way.

The effects of the mask are totally visible. Almost immediately after application complexion is smooth and even. And for days after it leaves the skin with a fresh, healthy and radiant glow. I’ve been complimented a couple of time by my girlfriends on how my skin seemed to glow. (Ahem! Ahem!) They ask if I go for facials regularly, but I don’t. I do however make it a point to mask my face a day or two before attending wedding dinners or social gatherings. (Did the word ‘vain’ pop into you head? :P) At first, I couldn’t quite place what it was that made the difference but came to realize that it was the mask (plus a regular skincare routine of course!).

Although a bit pricey, the Cyber White Extra Intensive Illuminating Mask is fabulous. A mask worth splurging on and it gets 9.5 out of 10 from me.

Poll Results: Would You Use "Made In China?"

2010-02-09T20:21:00.004+08:00

I did it again! Forgot to post the last poll results. But anyways, better late than never so here it is...

I asked:

Would you use made in China skincare and beauty products?

You answered:

Thanks to everyone who voted.

Happy Chinese New Year!

2010-02-09T11:26:00.004+08:00

You know it’s the Chinese New Year season when...

1. It’s hot, hot, hot!
2. You buy more cookies in a week than you do in a year!
3. The queues at the hypermarket checkout counters are a mile long with fully loaded trolleys!
4. Everyone rushes to the banks to get fresh crisp notes and the smell of $$$ is in the air! (in my case the smell if $$ I’ll have to give away)
5. Red clothes, bags and shoes dominate the departmental stores and oranges dominate the hypermarkets!
6. You hear “tong-tong-chang” almost everywhere you go!
7. Relatives start arriving home from all corners of the earth!

Happy Chinese New Year!
Here’s wishing you a happy and prosperous year of the Tiger.

I’ll Settle For These Instead

2010-02-04T07:30:00.001+08:00

It’s always a thrill to make shopping lists….ahh, the anticipation of owning the beautiful dress or bag or just anything you have been longing for. Before Christmas last year, I made a wish list of some things I really wanted. I was determined to treat myself at least one item on the list and had already coerced the hubby into buying me another.

A gal could always hope but in sad reality I couldn’t find any of the things I wanted in Malaysia, not even when I went to Kuala Lumpur for Christmas shopping. I was really gutted but consoled myself with substitutes instead. Far from the real thing but much kinder to the pockets.

1. Red dress from Laura Ashley
Going on 70% discount, the dress was a real steal; I paid only RM150. The perfect dress to wear for Chinese New Year, mother would approve.

2. Tote from Forever 21
Not Coach and not leather but I made do with soft PVC at only RM149! The Kristin Tote I originally wanted was priced at USD598 (approximately RM 2000). The hubby was absolutely delighted to buy me the bag.

3. Skincare from Kiehl’s
I’ve wanted to try the brand for a while now but Kiehl’s is not available in Penang and I didn’t hesitate whilst I was in KL when I found that they were taking RM10 off for every RM100 spent.

Crabtree and Evelyn Gardeners Hand Therapy Cream

2010-01-29T19:30:00.001+08:00

The Crabtree and Evelyn Gardeners Hand Therapy is one product I love and have been using for a while now. I find that while I enjoy trying out new hand creams, the Gardeners Hand Therapy is something like a classic for me which I always go back to.

The texture of the hand cream is smooth and light, white and has a very light scent, something I can’t quite place….to me the scent is a bit soapy but not quite so. According to the Crabtree and Evelyn website it is the scent of fresh green clover, lavender, sage rosemary and thyme. (Sounds good to me!)

The Hand Therapy cream indeed protects hands from drying. When rubbed on, there is always a pleasant feel on the skin. It keeps the hands moisturized and smooth with none of the uncomfortable oily feel. Everything you would want in a hand cream!

Apart for the Gardeners range, Crabtree and Evelyn also has quite a selection of other Hand Therapy Cream ranges such as Rosewater, La Source, Lavender and Summer Hill, each with different scents.

The Hand Therapy comes in many different sizes; 250ml pump bottle, 100ml & 50ml tube and a box of three 25ml tubes. The 50ml tube I have pictured is RM 43 (about 86sen per ml) while a box of three costs RM75 (RM1 per ml). Price wise it is definitely cheaper to get the bigger bottle but the small tubes are also handy to carry around in your handbag or even on the carry on luggage during flights.

There is nothing about this product I do not like. I rate this product 10 out of 10.

Would You Use "Made In China"?

2010-01-12T06:30:00.001+08:00

Such is globalization that we consumers today hardly know or bother to check where the products we buy come from. I for one buy item after item without any thought of its origin. Recently though, I’ve come to realize that quite a number of the makeup and skincare products I have bought, albeit from international brands are made in China.

My most recent purchase was Maybelline’s Eye Studio Brow Definist. I picked it off the shelf and only noticed the “Made in China” stamp when I got home. I also discovered not too long ago that some of the lip glosses from Softlips (one of my favorite brands) are made in China while a majority are made in the U.S.A. Garnier’s Aqua Defense Non Stop Moisturizing Essence I reviewed recently is another made in China example.

I have absolutely nothing against made in China products in general but with their notorious lack of quality control and scandals such as melamine in milk and lead in toys, I draw the line when it comes to skin and beauty products (and food if I can help it). Knowing that the products are made in China, I always wonder if what I apply to my face is actually made from the listed ingredients or some “goodness knows what” substitute. Unable to know to certain degree of certainty that the products are safe, I’ve opted not to use them. Call me paranoid or plain silly but I just feel safer using products made in U.S.A., U.K, Japan or even Malaysia for that matter.

How do you ladies feel about using made in China skincare and beauty products? Do share your thoughts or vote in the poll section!

L'Occitane Revitalizing Shower Gel

2010-01-05T06:00:00.001+08:00

I am addicted.

On to my second bottle and the third already stashed, the L'Occitane Revitalizing Shower Gel is my most current love affair.

And it all has to do with its wonderful, wonderful scent. The scent, a perfect blend of mint, pine and rosemary really sooths and calms the nerves and will leave you sighing (or dare I say moaning) with content in the shower. You are guaranteed to come out of the shower relaxed and rejuvenated.

The description of the product from the L’Occitane website reads:
“Combines a plant cleansing base with natural copra and sugar foaming action. The revitalizing result is a luxurious lather that leaves skin silky clean, and gently scented with the aromas of mint, pine and rosemary. Non-drying: leaves even sensitive skin soft and supple.”

If you plan to pamper or treat yourself, the Revitalizing Shower Gel is just the thing. True to its description the shower gel is non-drying. The colourless and lightweight gel leaves you feeling clean but does not make skin feel stripped of its natural layer of oil.

The downside of the product however is its price tag. At RM73 (5% discount for L’Occitane members) for a 250ml bottle, it sure burns a big hole in the pocket. Additionally, you will need to use a loofah and a rather generous amount of gel to work up a good lather. Not the most “cost effective” of products but then again addictions are costly :P

A luxury indeed.

To sum up:
Scent – absolutely fantastic!,
Texture and feel of gel – good,
Effectiveness – good (cleans and is non-drying),
Price – ouch!

Overall, I rate the product 7.5 out of 10.

Hello 2010!!!

2010-01-01T09:13:00.003+08:00

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

~William Arthur Ward~

Happy New Year! Here's to new beginnings and better tomorrows.

Biore Shower Cream Whitening Scrub with Vitamin E & Green Tea Extract

2009-12-09T09:47:00.004+08:00

I’m no stranger to Biore’s line of shower creams – good and value for money. I have been using them on and off (rotating with other brands such as Pamolive, Lux and Shokubutsu) for as long as I can remember. Their shower creams have become so familiar to me and I use it without giving the products much thought.

Let me try to explain. For me, using Biore shower creams is like drinking water. You don’t rate water. You drink it and don’t spare it another thought. Unlike if you were to drink say, Ice Lemon Tea; it could be too sweet, too sour, tasteless etc. You tend to form an opinion. Getting back to the Biore shower creams, they have never struck me as fantastic, so there is nothing to rave about and they are not bad, so no complaints either. They do their job – get you clean and that’s that.

However, seeing that I am writing about Biore shower creams now, something has definitely brought me out of the “no opinion” state of mind and that would be the Biore Shower Cream Whitening Scrub with Vitamin E & Green Tea Extract.

The product description from the Biore website reads:
“Biore Shower Cream Whitening Scrub treats & pampers dull skin to an exfoliating massaging using gentle Brightening Beads, Vitamin E & Green Tea Extract to thoroughly remove dull skin cells, leaving skin brighter, smoother & more radiant. Using Biore’s proprietary Vital Plus, it protects the skin’s inner layer & restores lost moisture on the surface for a supple after feel. Experience love touch skin after every shower. Suitable for all skin types.”

The first thing I noticed – the strong scent. It smelled like Breeze laundry detergent! Worse, being a scrub, the texture was not thick and smooth like all other Biore shower creams. Instead, it had a rough grainy feel and it was as though I had taken a fistful of the laundry detergent, added water and was spreading it all over my body. In short, it was not the most pleasant of firsts.

The product still does its job in getting me all cleaned up and it did not leave the skin feeling dry. The uneasy feeling lessened after a few times but I doubt I’d be buying a second bottle. To me the Biore Shower Cream Whitening Scrub is somewhere between a shower cream and a proper body scrub. Just like a 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner, a 2 in 2 body wash/scrub is not for me.

I’d rate it between average and good and it gets 5.5 out of 10 from me.

All I Want For Christmas

2009-12-04T09:59:00.008+08:00

It’s December!!!!

And oh my……how time flies……. it’s the best time of the year again, Christmas time.

First (and most importantly ;P) the time for SHOPPING, the time for giving and sharing, the time for joy and celebration and finally the time for that “Dear Santa” list. Every year I mentally come up with a long, long list of items I long for (but sadly never get) but this year, my Christmas wish list this year is surprisingly short. And all I want for Christmas is:

1. Banana Republic red satin-trim sheath dress

Image from www. bananarepublic.gap.com

I have a thing for the sheath dresses from Banana Republic. They look super chic.

2. Coach Kristin Tote in brown

Image from www.coach.com

I have been on the lookout for a nice tote. The one I carry around is a bit worn so nothing better that a nice soft leather one from Coach. :P

3. Aesop Rossetti Gift Pack

Image from www.aesop.net.au

The set contains Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash, Rejuvenate Aromatique Body Balm, Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm, Rosehip Seed Lip Cream, Coriander Seed Soap Slab. No faster way to send a gal to heaven.

Ladies, what’s on your wish list this year?

p/s: Dear Hubby, if you are reading this 1 out of 3 would send me over the moon.

Garnier Aqua Defence Non Stop Moisturizing Essence and Moizturizing Body Lotion

2009-11-13T19:40:00.000+08:00

After reading many good reviews about the Garnier Aqua Defense Non Stop Moisturizing Essence, I decided to check it out for myself. I figured that if it was anything close to the Biotherm Non-spot Moisturizing Lotion I use regularly the Garnier could be a real steal.

The Garnier essence is easily available and I got mine from Watsons in Queensbay Mall. Browsing the shelves, I also found a body lotion from the same range; the Aqua Defense Fresh Non Stop Moisturizing Body Lotion and could not resist picking it up too.

The essence was a very lightweight greenish gel, very similar to the Biotherm moisturizer. It had a lovely, light and refreshing scent of apples. The gel felt light and cooling and it did not feel sticky on the hands and face. I really liked the product and started using it regularly. Unfortunately about a month later, I started to notice my skin getting dry. Sadly, I had to go back to using my regular and slightly heavier moisturizers from Biotherm or Estee Lauder.

The Garnier would definitely be great for people with normal to oily skin but I feel that it is not moisturizing enough for people with normal to dry skin like me. A good product overall and it would have been even better if there had been some indication of the suitable skin type on the box to save people with drier skin from purchasing the product. Overall I give it 7 out of 10.

Next, the Garnier Body Lotion.

Next, the Garnier Body Lotion. The gel was also green, smooth but heavier than the essence. It had a similar refreshing apple scent. But I was very, very disappointed when I rubbed it on my legs because the gel was very sticky and uncomfortable. It felt like I had rubbed diluted glue all over my legs and was nowhere near “refreshing texture that instantly quenches the skin” as claimed.

The gel just felt horrid. I washed it off immediately and that was it for me. Bad!!! This one is a NO for me and only 2 out of 10.

The Launch of Sweet Contemplation Accessories

2009-10-21T17:21:00.004+08:00

I’m a huge fan and ardent reader of Tine’s blog, Beautyholics Anonymous and I’m really thrilled to share the news of the launch of her very own online jewelry store Sweet Contemplation Accessories.

Congratulations Tine!!!

Her collections of hand-crafted pieces are elegant and chic and you’ll definitely be tempted to own a few. And what better time to get your hand on her pieces now as she is offering a 15% discount on all items in store.

Even better, join the giveaway for a chance to win a Byzantium bracelet or a pair of Isabella earrings. Click here to learn how to enter and don’t forget to post you entry before 6 November 2009!

Burt's Bees Essential Body Kit

2009-10-14T11:15:00.003+08:00

My story with Burt's Bees is a bit of an odd one. I came to know about the brand some years back when I was researching venture opportunities and did a case study on the company and its founder Roxanne Quimby. The company started out from very humble beginnings and its story inspiring. (Don't worry I shall not be going into those details! :P)

Burt's Bees is not available in Penang and I've never had the opportunity to try any of its products. So when I saw the Burt's Bees counter at David Jones while I was in Australia, I happily picked out the Essential Body Kit.

The description on the back of the pack read...

"The pure essentials to nourish, treat and protect every part of your body, naturally! Our most popular cleansers, creams, lotions and salves for naturally soft, healthy skin all over. Softening Buttermilk, emollient Beeswax, vitamin enriched oils and healing botanicals nourish, sooth and restore essential moisture, feeding your skin from the bounty of nature. Natural personal care isn't just the right thing for you body, it's essential!"

I figured the Essential Body Kit would be a great starter kit and with such an alluring description, I could not resist. The kit contained 8 items.

1. Milk and Honey Body Lotion
Creamy white lotion with a milky smell (of course). Didn't fancy smelling like milk so I gave the bottle away.

2. Aloe and Buttermilk Body Lotion
The scent of this lotion was much lighter than the first and not so milky. The lotion was also white and creamy and didn't leave much of an impression on me.

3. Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme
The packing was delightful; a small glass bottle with screw on cap. However, I took one whiff of the cream, totally disliked the smell of almond and decided to give the bottle away.

4. Beeswax and Banana Hand Creme
Same packing as the Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Creme. I wasn't crazy about the smell of bananas either but I did finish this small bottle of creme. It left my hand feeling and looking rather oily. I was not very impressed with the product.

5. Peppermint Foot Lotion
My favourite product of the lot! The smell of peppermint was really great and very relaxing. When applied, the lotion did not feel sticky or oily. It absorbed quickly into the skin and I could still walk around barefooted on tiled floor of the house without slipping and falling.

6. Lemon Butter Cuticle Creme
The Creme came packed in a small flat metal (I'm sot sure what metal alloy exactly) case and was super difficult to open. I had to pry on the lid for a while before I got it open. By then my fingers had gone a bit numb. The hard work did somewhat pay off because I was greeted with a very refreshing scent of lemon. The creme was more like a hardened gel and was difficult to scoop out. I never like it when I get product stuck under the fingernails. In the end it was sufficient to just run my fingers across the surface. The product was a bit oily but otherwise good.

7. Hand Salve
The Hand Salve is very similar to the Cuticle Creme and apart for the package and slight difference in scent I can hardly tell the two products apart.

8. Honey Lip Balm
I did not like the smell of the lip balm at all which I believe to be coconut. The product was very average for me.

Overall, I was not very impressed with the products in the kit. Unfortunately if I dislike the scent, the product would most definitely not agree with me no matter how good the item. In this case, I only liked the scent of 3 out of 8 items in the kit. Most of the items also had an oily feel not to my liking.

If you ask me if I would be trying out any more products from Burts Bees, my answer would be "perhaps". Something may catch my eye in the future, or if a specific product product came highly recommended I may be tempted to try. However, the chances of me picking up another kit to try would be very slim. Sadly, I'd have to say from this experience, Burts Bess is not really my cup of tea.

Manbo

2009-10-09T17:04:00.002+08:00

A bimbo defined by the Collins Essential English Dictionary (2nd Edition) is “An attractive but empty-headed young woman”. However, prior to doing some research for this post, I knew not of any term for “an attractive but empty-headed young MAN”. Surely empty-headedness is not bound by gender? Urban slangs refer to the male bimbo as “Himbo” or “Mimbo”.

So here’s my very biased description of a male bimbo whom I’ll call Manbo. You can spot or more often hear a Manbo from miles away. They have this childlike sometimes funny, sometimes annoying, sometimes pitiful air about them.

Some of Manbo’s traits include
1. Somewhat good looking (till you take a close look)
2. Boy-band hair (Long and floppy)
3. Prides his biceps
4. Has a distinctive and irritating laugh.
5. Laughs after every other sentence.
6. A ~~lady's~~ girl's man – knows how to talk sweet to the ~~ladies~~ little girls
7. A broken record. Topic of conversation is always the same when talking to certain people. For example when he talks to person A (a female), he usually comments on how long her legs are and how she should wear shorter skirts. When Manbo talks to person B (a male) he always comments on how B is growing around the waistline and recommends that B joins him at the gym.
8. Manic mood swings. Sunny a minute, stormy the next.

A pest no doubt. A fly you itch to swat but sometimes Manbo reminds you to laugh and feel better about yourself.

Neutrogena Rapid Clear Spot Eliminating Gel

2009-09-26T14:10:00.000+08:00

Another buy of mine from Australia (yes I know it was months ago now) was Neutrogena’s Rapid Clear Spot Eliminating Gel. While I was there I often had the TV on in the evenings and could not help but take notice of the flashy Neutrogena commercial which promised to clear pimples within 8 hours. I was skeptical (8 hours…really?) but the ad was playing so frequently and I was really tempted to try it out for myself. I found the product easily at the chemist in Sydney and I think I paid $14.95 AUD for it.

I didn’t pay much attention to the product again till I arrived home. I was a bit surprised to see how small the size of the tube was compared to the bright orange box. My bad for not studying the box carefully before buying because the actual size was printed (camouflaged) at the back of the box.

The product description reads “Neutrogena’s Rapid Clear Spot Eliminating Gel is a highly effective spot gel that can give you visibly clearer skin in as little as 8 hours. The breakthrough formula features Microclear a revolutionary spot-cleaning technology which has been clinically proven to help fight the cause of pimples fast.

Specifically, this clear gel effectively unclogs congested pores by penetrating deep into the pore, noosting the delivery of powerful pore-cleansing ingredients to remove trapped dirt, oil and bacteria that can cause pimples, redness and inflammation.”

I was also a bit disappointed that on the box the claim was only to “unblock pores to reduce breakouts in 8 hours”. It didn’t exactly boast of totally clearing the pimple as was the message of the TV ad (or at least that was the message I got).

The Spot Eliminating Gel is white in color and the texture is light. Once spread the gel becomes transparent and does not leave oily marks. The gel did not burn or sting when applied so that’s a good thing. It has a very light smell and is barely detectable. However for the sake of writing this post I took a big wiff and could say a slight alcoholic smell was detectable.

Everthing fine about the gel except the part where it has not managed to clear any pimples (or significantly reduce the appearance of pimples) within 8 hours as claimed. Too be sure, I’ve tried it on myself 3 times now and it’s a definite no. No reduction in 8 hours. Actually, I couldn’t even see any difference after a day. After waiting a day, I gave up and went back to using my favorite Avon pimple gel and zap….pimple gone the next morning.

I just can’t get over the fact that it didn’t work. Perhaps it was because I was waiting and expecting to pimple to clear. What law is it that says “when you wait for something to happen, it never does and things happen when you least expect it”? It is rather hard for me to give this product a score so I’m just going to leave it at “it just doesn’t work for me”.

* Just a note that this product is presently not available in Malaysia (or at least in Penang).

Is It Just Me Or....

2009-09-24T09:00:00.000+08:00

Got myself the October issue of CLEO last weekend and it came with a catalogue from Carlo Rino. Flipping through the catalogue, I knew I had seen the designs before. Is it just me or are the bags just a bit too similar to the designs from Coach?

Nuff said. See for yourselves...

L'Occitane Shea Butter Lip Balm

2009-09-21T07:00:00.001+08:00

I picked up the Shea Butter Lip Balm Stick when L'Occitane was having a promotion on the Shea Butter range a few months ago.

The product description from the L'Occitane site reads "This Balsam repairs, calm and protects the lips of the climatic aggressions. Immediately gives back the smooth aspect and the well-being of them. It preserves the youth of the lips, leaving them smoother and smooth."

The balm is supposed to repair and nourish dry lips but it has done none of that for me. And after using it for a couple of months I've decided with a rather heavy heart to throw it away. It does not apply smoothly (I’ve used tones others that apply better) and it feels heavy on the lips. What’s more, the scent or shall I say smell is almost like stale oil, similar to that of a lipstick that has been kept for way too long. Perhaps it had been sitting on the shelf for a while.

Given it did prevent peeling around my mouth (I sometimes have a red ring form round my mouth when it gets too dry) but when applied the lip balm made the lips feel dry instead and (this may sound odd) made me always want to nibble on the membrane of my lips.

I’ve actually read great reviews about this product but unfortunately it just does not work for me. The L’Occitane Shea Butter Lip Balm Stick is disappointing for its price and I give it only 3 out of 10.

Lets Hear It For The Lady

2009-09-16T08:26:00.007+08:00

I'm all about the classic look. Clean lines and sophisticated simplicity. When I think style icons I think Nicole Kidman, Anne Hathaway and Audrey Hepburn (but of course). Funky and edgy styles do not agree with me.

Lady Gaga however, is an exception. I ♥ her flamboyant and over the top style. If anyone can carry off an outrageous look; it’s her. That said; check out her outfit at the recent VMA!

Photo from www.omg.yahoo.com

A Victorian era do (photo below) with a Gaga twist, totally befitting her persona. Normally, outrageous outfits get celebs on the worst dressed list but omg! seems to love her outfit as much as I do. Omg! gave her an A+ quote “for her sheer originality, willingness to take incredible fashion risks, and that insane ensemble consisting of a feathered Jean-Paul Gaultier frock, bedazzled neck brace, and gold mask, Lady Gaga undoubtedly earned one of the night's highest marks.”

A word of caution though, “This stunt was carried out by a professional. Do NOT try it at home”.

Do check out the rest of the 2009 VMA Red Carpet Report Card from omg!

Of Going Green and Bad Customer Service

2009-09-15T13:35:00.002+08:00

I was picking out a gift for my sister in-law to be at The Body Shop (Queensbay Mall) yesterday and I must say I am beyond disappointed by their service. After making my selection of products, I informed the assistant who was attending to me that I was picking out a gift and that I would to also like purchase a gift box (at 7 Ringgit each mind you) to wrap the products in.

She pulled out a box for me but it was stained at the side so I asked her if she had another in better condition. She then brought out several more which were in equal or worse condition. I then thanked her and said that I would not be getting the box. But the assistant took out a box that was torn at the sides (very visible tears at the corners) and tried convinced me to buy it because ‘the tears would not be visible once the sliding cover of the box was on’. It was astonishing that she was trying to tell me that it was ok to give someone a gift in a torn box.

I flatly said no and asked her to ring up my purchases. Body Shop has a no plastic bag policy (which is fine by me) so she asked if I would like to pay 50 Sen for a paper bag. Gladly, I said fine and that the least I could do was pack my gift in a nice Body Shop paper bag. To my utter disgust and disappointment she stuffed my items into a paper bag that was crumpled and had tears concealed with sticky tape.

Unbelievable! After the big hoo-haa I made about the packaging of the “gift” you’d think she’d have the cow sense to give me a decent bag! Gift wrapping aside, since when was it ok to have your customers pay for torn and tattered paper bags?

The Body Shop is an activist and has launched many campaigns in support of many worthy causes. “Protect our planet” is the slogan for The Body Shop’s campaign to conserve the environment and as part of the campaign they have done away with plastic bags. Kudos to that! I’d gladly pay 50 Sen for a paper bag in aid of the environment. But paying for rubbish in the name of protecting the planet? I don’t think so.

To be fair, this incident may not reflect the policy and values of The Body Shop (and I sincerely hope it doesn’t) but then I’d have to say their staff should be much better trained because they are a disgrace to the brand name.

And just to go on about how poorly their staff is trained, I had another unrelated incident at the same outlet. I wanted a kabuki brush and they had two types; a full sized one and a baby kabuki. I held both up, turned to the assistant attending to me and asked something along the lines of “What is the difference between a kabuki and a baby kabuki and which would you recommend?” to which she replied “We don’t sell kabuki brushes. What is that?”

Catwalk Lip Gloss

2009-09-13T06:30:00.000+08:00

I never thought I'd ever try on purple lipstick but when a colleague of mine was raving about a purple lip gloss she had bought I was intrigued. While I was in Australia, I came across a bin of reduced priced purple lip glosses and temptation won over. So, I ended up with a Catwalk lipgloss in purple. The brand Catwalk was unfamiliar to me but if I was going to try out a new color, I thought I could also try out a new brand.

The lipgloss came in stick with brush applicator and screw bottom. Not exactly my favorite kind. I find that with this type of packaging I either can’t seem to get enough gloss out on the applicator or I give the screw bottom a bit too many turns and too much gloss oozes out instead. I can never seem to get it just right with this kind of applicators.

Package aside, I was surprised. Purple agreed with me! The color was lovely on my lips and the consistency of the gloss just nice, making it easy to apply. Applied on bare lips, the gloss was a light purplish pink and gave bit of a shimmer although the finish appeared more matte than glossy. The smell and taste of the gloss were also pleasant. Fruity with hints of grape. This gloss leaped instantly into my list of favorites but sadly I think (although not 100% certain) its not available in Malaysia plus the product has been discontinued.

I tried looking up the Catwalk webpage at http://www.catwalkcosmetics.com.au/ but the gloss does not appear in the product lineup. After all I did pick it up from a clearance bin. Although there does not seem to be much of a point to my review, I did learn something here. When choosing lip colours, don't knock it till you've tried it. You might just end up pleasantly surprised! :)

Women's Rights: Do You Take It For Granted?

2009-09-08T15:32:00.003+08:00

I was stirred by the article “Sudan trouser case woman jailed but not whipped” from The Star online and feel that it is a campaign that deserves our attention. Just to share, here are some excerpts from the article by Andrew Heavens dated 8 September 2009,

“Lubna Hussein was arrested at a Khartoum party in July with 12 other women and had faced the possibility of 40 lashes for wearing trousers deemed indecent. Ten of the women were flogged in July. Women have often been convicted of similar offences in recent years and sentenced to beatings, say Hussein's supporters. They say she is the first to challenge such treatment.”

It’s just so hard to believe that this is still happening today, in year 2009. It’s just something so incomprehensible to me. I cannot see how the punishment fits the crime. More correctly I should be asking “WHAT CRIME”? How does wearing trousers that are “deemed” indecent warrant 40 lashes while (I’m pretty sure) child molesters and rapists get away with fewer strokes? It is absolutely insane.

I am clad in a pair of cargo pants as I write this now. This morning, I thought nothing of it as I pulled out the pair of pants from my cupboard and slipped it on.

Tonight as I take them off however, I shall be reminded that there are still women in this world who do not have the benefit of the freedom I enjoy; the free will and the choice to pull on a pair of jeans, or shorts or a tank top or a mini dress for that matter.

This has made me realize how much I take women’s rights for granted and that the battle for women’s liberation is still an important one today. I’m embarrassed to say that I have been ignorant to the plight of women who still live under oppression. But I’m determined not to remain in oblivion and hope to contribute what ever little I can, starting with this post. For now I offer but a miniscule gesture, a reminder that liberated women should not take women’s rights for granted!

p/s: Do Google “Lubna Hussein” to read more….

Aesop Primrose Facial Cleansing Masque

2009-09-05T12:35:00.000+08:00

I have been meaning to write this review for a while now and finally, finally decided to get this post out because I've been in love with the Aesop Primrose Facial Cleansing Masque since my first try and I simply must gush about it.

Just a note that this the the first ever Aesop skincare product I've tried so I'll start with the description on label:

"Deep cleansing anti-oxidant clay masque suitable for most skin types. An excellent clarifying treatment for combination, sensitive and congested skin".

I've never used a mask that came packaged in a bottle as all the ones I've used used before came in tubes. So, for me this was different and interesting. It had a tamper proof seal which gets 2 thumbs up from me.

Opening the bottle, the mild and soothing scent of the mask was distinctly different from the sharper and sometimes almost clinical scents of other masks I've previously used. I'd say that the scent of primrose was most prominent but overall it had a very natural earthy scent which was very relaxing.

Muddy green french clay. The texture was great as the clay is extremely fine, without the slightest grainy feel and very easy to spread. However, I found a bit of a down side to the package as I had clay stuck under my fingernails when scooping out the mask from the bottle with my fingers. It would have been much better if the product had come with a spatula.

Here's the masque applied to my face. The clay felt cool and yummy on my skin and took about 10 to 15 minutes to dry. When dried, the sight of enlarged pores on my face were ghastly. I must have spent a whole minute just staring at my pores in the mirror the first time I applied this mask going "Eeeeeks!".

The masque is now part of my skincare routine. I used to have a lot of whiteheads on my nose and cheeks and could never get rid of them, no matter how often I scrubbed and masked my face or how many different products I tried. The Primrose Cleansing Masque is the first that produced noticeable results - my whiteheads have lessened significantly. Deep pore cleansing effect - definitely!

Love the scent, the texture and the visible effect on my skin. Love the product. It gets a 9 out of 10 from me. The Aesop Primrose Facial Cleansing Masque is priced at RM135 for a 120ml bottle and is a must try!

Progress?

2009-08-17T14:10:00.001+08:00

I've moved from lifeless to just plain bored.

Making some progress you think?

S.O.S

2009-08-07T16:20:00.004+08:00

Can't write.

The life force has been sucked out of me.

SIGH................

Splurge At The Aesop Counter

2009-07-04T19:21:00.000+08:00

That time of the month again and another retail therapy session to lift my spirits. This time was a splurge at the Aesop Counter.

I don't know why but I've always thought Aesop products to be very, very expensive and had never gone near the counter. However, when I was in Australia, two of the restaurants I went to supplied Aesop hand wash and hand cream in their washrooms. Needless to say I was very delighted having gotten to try the products (for free!!!! :P) and came home itching to get my own. If having their products in the washrooms is an advertising gimmick I'd say kudos to Aesop. They couldn't have done any better!

So lo and behold....(drum roll) my precious buys, nicely packed in a box. Its always a thrill for me to come home, unpack my shopping and savour my purchases.

Taa daa....

Here's what I got...

1. Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash

2. Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm

3. Primrose Facial Cleansing Masque

And for spending more than RM300 at the counter I got a 50ml bottle of Gentle Scalp Cleansing Shampoo for free. The nice lady at the counter also threw in many packets of samples and a product catalog. I must say Aesop has sure mastered the art of dangling carrots.

I'll be reviewing the products really soon, so stay tuned!

Do You Have A Poweder Area In Your Office Toilet?

2009-07-01T13:30:00.000+08:00

In my post Office Drawer Makeup Bag I mentioned envying the office girls in Japan for their beautiful makeup bags and the fact that they are allocated a small powder area in the ladies room complete with huge mirrors. Most of the Japanese girls I know only have some essentials in their makeup bags such as a toothbrush, toothpaste and lipstick. Some however, practically have their whole makeup tables in the office and I’ve even seen a lady taking out hair rollers from her make-up bag in the ladies room. She would then leave the rollers in her hair while she brushed her teeth and touched up her makeup! (The secret to why Japanese ladies always look so picture perfect).

Anyways, when I was in Japan last, I managed to sneak a quick photo of the powder area in the ladies room.

I don’t know bout you but there’s definitely no such thing in my office back here in Malaysia. I wonder if management would consider the idea if I submitted a proposal to request for one? :P

Dinner at Fifteen

2009-06-28T22:30:00.001+08:00

One of the things on my "Must Do" list during my holiday in Australia was to have dinner at one of Jaime Oliver’s restaurants, Fifteen. I had a friend of my living in Melbourne make a reservation a month ahead and could not wait to go.

Photo from http://www.fifteen.net/restaurants/fifteenmelbourne/Pages/default.aspx

Housed in a building basement, the entrance of Fifteen is located in a alley along Collins Street, a short walk from Flinders Station. Entering the restaurant, we were shown to our table in the Dark Room. The restaurant was nice, with a bar out front and an open kitchen where you could see the food preparation. Even on a Thursday night the restaurant was rather packed. Once seated, we were introduced to the menu and served bread with Fifteen’s home brand of olive oil. I ordered “Grilled leg of spring lamb with verdura 'alla Griglia', crispy pancetta (fatte e casa) and bagna cauda” (don't ask me what the long fancy smancy name means) while the hubby had “Pan-roasted pork chop glazed with brown sugar and home made red wine vinegar, new season zucchini trifolati and salsa verde”. We had opted to skip the entrée and have dessert instead. My friend and her husband each ordered an entrée and shared the "Beef 'alla Fiorentina' served with crispy potatoes roasted in duck fat, lemon zest and sage, grilled Spanish onion, confit double smoked bacon, dressed rocket and fresh lemon”. We had to wait for quite a while for our food. It was a while before the entrée was finally served and we waited even longer for the main course. By the time the food arrived, my tummy was rumbling but we managed to snap a few shots before digging into the food.

The food was not as good as I had expected. Actually, I would even call it bad. The lamb I had was tender but other than that there were no bursts of flavor. The only thing I remember about the meal – very, very salty. My husband’s roast pork was not as bad but there was nothing special about it. If you ask me the “Sio Bak” we get back home from the market tastes better. My friend and her husband also complained about the vegetable serving on their beef being salty.

Long wait and salty food. To top it off, the service was also rather poor. The serving staff was not attentive as it was difficult to get their attention and our water glasses were never refilled. Apart for the wonderful company of my friends, I'd conclude and say that the meal was a disappointment.

Gone Too Soon

2009-06-26T08:13:00.002+08:00

Goodbye Michael. I hope you finally find peace.

My love and prayers be with you.

Shopping Haul From Down Under (Part 3)

2009-06-26T07:00:00.001+08:00

This is old, old news.....I know!!!! So I've decided to make this the last post about my holiday shopping. I'm still cursing myself for being too lazy to get my posts up earlier. All the thrill's gone and I'm not getting much of a kick out of writing this post now. But the reason I'm doing it is so that one day I can look back at the photos and shake my head at the crazy nonsense I actually bought, packed and lugged all the way home from Australia.

First up, food and food related stuff..... I got a variety of stuff, first on the left, what I call an "Aussie style bento box". I found that Japanese bento boxes were too small for big eaters like me so when I saw this one, I just grabbed it. Have been putting it to good use to. Super good for packing lunch to the office. Also got wine, olive oil and jam from the vineyards and farms we visited at Mornington Peninsula and chocolates from the chocolate factory on Phillip Island. And the final foodie item, what I think is my craziest buy of all, a rechargeable wine bottle opener. Paid 3.99 (Aussie Dollars) for it. :P

Next clothes..... 4 cardigans, souvenir tee from Cirque Du Soleil and a skirt. I paid less than a hundred dollars for 5 of these combined and burned a serious hole in my pocket for the other. Anyone care to guess which one? :P

Finally, more scrapbooking stuff. Materials from Australia were just so cheap compared to the prices I pay back here in Malaysia. *shake head*

Shopping Haul From Down Under (Part 2)

2009-06-25T20:30:00.000+08:00

A gal's shopping spree is never complete without bags or shoes and so to complete mine, I got one of each. I'm just gonna let the photos do the talking....

Handmade Wedding Card

2009-06-17T06:00:00.000+08:00

I've realised that when I write about scrapbooking, its usually about hauls of scrapbooking materials and not so much about the projects I've completed. You see, its a bit of a tricky situation for me. I do want to post and share my finished layouts or projects because looking at them makes me happy but the thing is I usually scrap about very personal moments with friends and family and I would like to keep it that way - personal. So handmade cards seem the easiest to share for now and here's a project I recently completed ...a wedding card for a colleague of mine.

The type of cards I love and make are simple ones. I used a metallic card as the base of my card and decorated it with lace cardstock. The lace cardstock seems to be popping out in many of my designs cos I seem to be in love with it. At the bottom of the card is a simple embellished message that says 'For Your Wedding' with a white ribbon running behind it across the card and Walla! - the front of the card completed.

Inside, I distressed a white piece of paper, stamped on the word 'congratulations' and attached it to the card with glue tape. The whole process must have taken me all of 30 minutes but I'm pleased because then I would have a very personalized and one of a kind gift for my colleague.

Shopping Haul From Down Under (Part 1)

2009-06-13T18:35:00.001+08:00

Before leaving for our holiday in Australia, I told the hubby that it was going to be a sightseeing trip. The priorities were the Opera House, vineyards, kangaroos, koalas and penguins. And we actually did spend most of the time visiting tourist attractions but somewhere in that 2 weeks I still managed to accumulate a huge amount of shopping. I don't know how I did it but here it is...Part 1 of my shopping; cosmetics, skincare and bath and body products.

The entire haul!

First some tools, a light and fluffy airbrush for the cheeks and set of nail files.

Accessories

Prices at the Crabtree and Evelyn's outlet store in Melbourne were super low and I cannot believe this now but I actually carried home about 2.5 liters of body lotion! I also found a whole range of Burt's Bess products. This might sound like a weird thing to say but I actually did a case review about the company a while back and have been wanting to try their products ever since. When I saw the Essential Body Kit at David Jones, I grabbed it!

Bath and body products

I wonder if Estee Lauder would give me a prize for being a loyal customer cos even in Australia, I couldn't resist picking up the Advance Night Repair and Hydra Complete moisturizer. Another thing I got was Neutrogena's Rapid Clear Spot Eliminating Gel. I kept on seeing the TV commercial for this "miracle" spot eliminating gel that was supposed to clear pimples in only eight hours and so wanted to give it a try.

Skincare

Next, lipsticks and lip glosses. Feeling a bit of buyers remorse now cos I promised myself that I would not be getting anymore until I used up about 50% of my stash but well here's what I got nevertheless.

Lipsticks and glosses

Finally, still shopping on the flight home, I got Lancome's Travel Must Have Beauty set.

Lancome Travel Must Have Beauty

I don't know about you but by my standards, I think I went a bit overboard. Oops!

Back Again!

2009-06-13T16:49:00.002+08:00

I know my poor blog has totally been neglected the past month. Not because I got quarantined for H1N1 or anything like that but more because I've just been finding it hard to get writing again. Every time I started typing I just felt tired and gave up.

When I was away all I wanted to do was come home but now that I'm back my holiday seems so long ago and I'm so ready for another one. I just want to get away from the heat, the haze, the dull routines and that damn job of mine.

I can't be going off for another holiday anytime soon so I decided to do the next best thing; get down to blogging bout my holiday buys!!! :) Seems to be a good way for a girl to cheer herself up. I'm already feeling the thrill of going through all my shopping again. Yup, going SIMOS and after that, maybe I'll even hit the stores for some actual retail therapy!

Greetings From Japan

2009-05-14T21:44:00.002+08:00

Greetings from Japan!

I was a bit apprehensive about coming due to the Swine Flu and the fact that Japan has 4 confirmed cases but I'm grateful I got here in one piece without showing any symptoms of the flu. I've been obsessively sticking a thermometer into my mouth to check my temperature and so far - normal.

But now that I'm here, sigh...I just want to go home. Bad news is I will be stuck here for 3 weeks but the good news; I managed to log on to some unsecured wireless network from my apartment here giving me access to the Internet. Hehe joy!!!!

Although, I must say that all the travelling in the past couple of week has finally worn me down. Usually when I'm in Japan I try to get off work as early as possible and rush off to a nearby shopping district and shop till the shops close. This time however, I've not had much of an urge to shop and all I've done is head back to my apartment right after work and hop right into bed.

I'm hoping that the dry spell will be short and I will be up for some serious shopping by the weekend. Else there wouldn't be much point coming here now would there?

Poll Results: What Is Your Weakness?

2009-05-09T08:07:00.006+08:00

Sorry, sorry. This should have been out two weeks ago before I left for my holiday but due to some technical errors *ahem* I never got the result post out. So here it is, the poll results.

I asked:

Clothes, Bags or Shoes: What Is Your Weakness?

Your answer:

Shoes rule!

A big thank you to everyone who voted.

Back From Down Under

2009-05-09T07:54:00.004+08:00

Finally home from my holiday. I had a very wonderful time... catching up with relatives, meeting up with dear friends, spending quality "us" time with the hubby, gorgeous Australian scenery, great food and crazy, massive, over the top shopping (by my standards anyways).

However, I must say although I had a wonderful time I'm actually glad to be home. They say "home is where the heart is" and I believe it to be true.

I hope to be writing about my crazy shopping and culinary adventures (if I may call it that) but the posts may take a while. I'm scheduled to be off to Japan in 2 days. Not a great time to be jet setting with the Swine Flu outbreak but the holiday was planned before the flu outbreak and its off to work in Japan. So, say a little prayer for me k?

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

2009-04-30T06:30:00.000+08:00

I've tried many cream of mushroom soup recipes and here I've modified, combined and even added some ingredients to make this recipe my own. The husband and I love it and I hope you will too.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

250g mushrooms, roughly chopped for texture (I use fresh white button mushrooms)

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon chicken stock

800ml water

250ml cream

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon thyme

½ teaspoon oregano

1 Bay leaf

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Ground black pepper (to garnish)

Directions

In a non-stick saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, onion and celery. Stir frequently until tender and golden for about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for another minute.
Stir in flour slowly until blended.
Dilute the chicken stock in 850ml of water and stir in gradually. Add bay leaf, thyme, oregano and nutmeg. Bring to boil stirring constantly.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
Stir in cream and bring to another simmer. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
Garnish with ground black pepper and serve.

Do try out the recipe and I really look forward to your feedback!

Hannah Montana Perfume?

2009-04-27T06:55:00.000+08:00

It’s a trend these days; celebrities and their line of perfumes - Sarah Jessica Parker’s Lovely and Covet, Patrick Dempsey’s Unscripted for Avon, J.Lo’s Glow, Paris Hilton’s Fairy Dust, Britney’s Curious and Fantasy, Christina Aguilera's Inspire...the list goes on.

But Hannah Montana Perfume?? Am I the last person on earth to know about this? Launched two years ago in 2007 by Disney for teenagers, the perfume’s fragrance notes include Peach, Orange, Champagne, Passion Fruit, Grenadine, Honeysuckle, Blonde Woods, Violet, Vetiver, Dewberry, Tonka Bean and Jasmine(long list).

Has anyone tried this?

I mean the stationary, books, bed sheets, clothes, backpacks and dolls I get but perfume? I’m dumbstruck. Hannah Montana perfume?

I'm Off

2009-04-24T14:10:00.003+08:00

Off for a much needed vacation Down Under. Will be back in about 2 weeks. I have a couple of scheduled posts lined up but I'm not sure if I will be doing any writing while on vacation. I should have quite a bit of updates when I get back so till then......tata!

Almost Empty Tubes

2009-04-23T07:00:00.000+08:00

Many of the skincare products we use are creams packaged in plastic tubes with screw caps; facial wash, mask and sunscreen to name a few. I personally fell tubes are one of the best forms of packaging as they are hygienic, easy to use and light (hence easy to pack and carry around without worries of leakage or breakage).

However, what do you do when you the tube is almost finished? Do you use every ounce of you energy to run your fingers down the length of the tube to force every bit of cream out of the tip? Do you squeeze till your fingers get numb and finally convince yourself that the tube is empty and ready to be discarded?

Well don't! Take out a (clean) pair of scissors and cut the tube in half. Dip your fingers into the tube and you will find that you will have enough cream left inside for at least another two or three or even four applications!

Here's what I did to tubes of facial scrub and sunscreen of mine. Cut them into half.

Once opened, remember to always use clean fingers to dip in. Slide the top of the tube back on the bottom half and you can store the tube for another day or 2 by placing it vertically. Hygiene is a bit compromised because of the opened tube so store your product for another day or two max and throw it out when you completely empty the contents of the tube.

A bit primitive but you'd be saving $$ because we all know skincare products don't come cheap.

Supplies from Scrap.n.Crop

2009-04-21T06:55:00.003+08:00

Call me dinosaur but I’m rather new to online shopping. I prefer the old fashion way of shopping and enjoy the freedom to browse, touch and feel to my heart’s content before I make a purchase. Sure I browse online shopping sites all the time, sometimes even add items to My Cart but never hit the Checkout button.

So, my very first online purchase of scrapbooking materials came when a good friend of mine gave me a gift voucher for my birthday from Scrap.n.Crop, an online scrapbooking supply store. Thanks girl! After some hassle deciding on a delivery option and making a payment (my selections exceeded the gift voucher amount), I managed to complete all the online transactions and waited anxiously for my purchases to arrive. Needless to say I was very excited to finally receive the parcel of goodies.

Here’s what I got:
1. Various patterned papers

2. Basic Grey Motifica Letter Stickers

3. Chatterbox Card Kit

4. Prima Artful Collage Flowers

5. American Craft 12x12 Page Protectors

I would say that everything went smoothly except for one minor problem. One of the patterned papers I ordered, a piece of “My Mind's Eye Bohemia Collection - Family Small Stripe / Turqoise” paper was not as it looked online.

I checked the product code and there was no mistake, so I am a bit disappointed that the displayed picture did not match the actual paper. I thought of asking for an exchange but to go through the return process over a piece of paper was just not worth the effort. However, I’m not gonna let this little glitch get in the way of the projects I have planned for my new haul of material. I’ll be getting started very soon!

Planning A Holiday

2009-04-20T10:57:00.001+08:00

Holidays are exciting but planning a holiday, no fun at all!

I’ve been preparing for an upcoming trip and at this point I feel as though “not planning a holiday would in itself be a holiday”. Off the top of my head, here are some of the things I’ve done or will have to do just to go on holiday (and not go on a tour).

1. Visit the travel agent to book international flight tickets.
2. Apply for VISA (via travel agent)
3. Buy travel insurance (from travel agent)
4. Make hotel reservations
5. Rent a car
6. Get an international drivers license
7. Book domestic flight tickets (flying interstate)
8. Make another hotel reservation
9. Check out places of interests to visit
10. Plan an itinerary
11. Check out opening times, admission prices and how to get to the places I want to visit
12. Book a guided day tour
13. Check out public transportation – busses, trains
14. Check out plays/concerts/musicals/shows I want to watch and hassle a friend to book tickets
15. Get emergency contact and Malaysian embassy phone numbers
16. Check out international roaming for my mobile and international phone cards
17. Currency exchange
18. Buy travelers cheques
19. Pack for trip – clothes, skincare and toiletries, medicine, gifts for friends and relatives I plan to visit
20. Make sure the husband is packed as well *men*
21. Make arrangements for being away – pets, someone to check up on the house etc.
22. What else am I missing??

See what I mean? Not having to do all of the above would be a holiday in itself!

Beautyholics Anonymous Birthday Extravaganza

2009-04-17T09:12:00.004+08:00

Beautyholics Anonymous turns two in May and to celebrate, Tine has a very, very and I mean VERY generous giveaway lined up. To enter the Beautyholics Anonymous Birthday Extravaganza, just subscribe and tell Tine where you are from and what the best birthday present you've ever received was. Very Easy!

Check out Beautyholics Anonymous page on how to boost your chances of winning but don’t just check it out for the prize. Have a read and be enticed by Tine’s raves and reviews on lipstick, eyeshadow, mascara, skincare, bags and more. Definitely soup for a girl’s soul.

Congratulations on turning two! I love your blog Tine! Keep the fun coming!

Just Pondering

2009-04-16T13:20:00.000+08:00

Tiger Park in Relau.
Relau, a densely populated area. Not exactly far from where I live.
What about safety?
What are the chances I get mauled to death by an escaped tiger?
What if my little dog gets eaten up?
Why don’t people come up with intelligent suggestions?
Why not try easing the massive traffic jams in Relau first?

SIMOS: My Makeup Bag Collection

2009-04-14T07:31:00.002+08:00

I recently saw a beautiful makeup bag from the Body Shop and it took a lot of willpower to stop myself from buying it. So I decided to go SIMOS to remind myself of the many bags I already own in an effort to reduce the need to buy, buy, buy! Here are some of the many makeup bags and cases I own; old and new, big and small. Way too many for one person to use.

Red foldable case with hanger from Clarins. I love this bag and use it every time I travel. The size is perfect and the compartments make it very functional.

Pink and orange draw-string bag from Crabtree and Evelyn. Given to me by great friends of mine. Another bag I love and use frequently. You can tell that it’s a bit dirty and in need of a good wash.

Another drawstring bag from Crabtree and Evelyn. Haven’t used this one yet.

Red and black stripe case from Triumph. Given to me by my mother, I've had this since I was very young. Don't use it anymore.

Beautiful Hessian (at least I think the material is Hessian or burlap) bag from Crabtree and Evelyn. Another of my favourites.

Cute cream bag with floral motif, laminated with plastic. I got this from the 3 coin shop in Japan (i.e it costs 300 yen, approximately RM10).

Ochre makeup case set from Estee Lauder. These are sold yearly in a makeup set and are available usually in August or September (if I’m not mistaken). Different designs are available every year.

Gold makeup case set also from Estee Lauder bought in a different year.

From Paul and Joe. I bought a matching bag too. They were just so attractive I just couldn't resist.

Makeup brush case from GAP. I got this in Japan for about 1/3 the price sold in Malaysia. Never used it though.

Transparent case from the 100 yen shop. Got this because it is semi-transparent and can be used on board international flights in compliance with the restrictions on liquids as carry-on cabin luggage. Impulse buy, never actually used it.

Another impulse buy from the 100 yen shop in Japan.

White soft case bag with green trimmings from Clinique. Great for carrying large items such as cans of hairspray, deodorant, full size bottles of perfume etc.

Red box-like case from Estee Lauder. I use this one as a mini first aid kit. I just had to find a use for it.

Free case from Elizabeth Arden. I don’t really like this one. The make isn't very good.

Another free one from Elizabeth Arden. Somehow, I just don’t like their makeup bags.

Set of 3 bags from Avon. Got it a while back but I've never used them. Another set just sitting in the closet.

Free bag from the Estee Lauder CyberWhite Beauty Workshop I attended last month. Yet another unused bag.

In summary, Only 5 of the bags above are used frequently. At least 8 are still new. The others are just lying around. Huge reminder to myself:

YOU DO NOT NEED ANOTHER MAKEUP BAG!

My S.O.S Outfit

2009-04-13T11:45:00.003+08:00

Have you ever noticed that there’s always a function to attend (family gathering/ day out with the girls/office party) when you are feeling a bit bloated or “fat”? I sometimes go through “fat” periods, a time when almost everything I pull out of the closet seems to be tight and unflattering. This is usually brought on by some emotional over eating or just plain hormones and when just when I think I can hide out at home for a couple of days, there somewhere I need to be looking my best. After having experienced this a few times, I now have a special outfit ready for times like these to hide well, whatever that needs to be hidden. For me, that would usually be my hips and thighs. I call it my S.O.S outfit.

It is normally recommended that women wear black to look slimmer but my S.O.S outfit however is not something black but a greenish shirtdress with bold patterns.

As the name goes, the dress has a shirt collar, buttons down the length of the dress and cap sleeves. The skirt of the dress is A-line and hides the problem area well while the cap sleeves tend to fill out my shoulder area giving the illusion of bigger shoulders. Additionally, the bold patterns work well as camouflage in preference to a one-toned, plain dress which may accentuate any unsightly bulges.

I pair this outfit with a big metallic handbag to shift the focus point away from my body and chunkier heels or sandals with wider straps to give an illusion of slimmer legs. For night time, I add on chunky bangles and a simple and long beaded necklace that falls just above the waistline to give the outfit a more “dressed up” effect.

So that’s my outfit for when I have somewhere to go on my “fat” days. Having this ready saves me a lot of time rummaging through my closet to find something that will fit.

Blemishes Be Gone!

2009-04-08T21:08:00.007+08:00

Do you fret when you find a pimple on you face? Do you check yourself out in the mirror a dozen times a day to see if your pimple has manifested into a huge visible lump on you face? I do!

I hate it when pimples appear. Hate it even more when people tell you "Hey you have a pimple on your face/nose/forehead!" So, once I notice a pimple forming, I rush for my pimple/acne/ blemish gels!

For a very long time, I was using one pimple gel and one only. Blackmores Skin Treatments Pimple Gel worked wonders for my skin.

As great as it was, this product is sadly no longer available in the market today.

So I have been searching for a replacement and ended up with these 3:
1. Avon Clear Skin Overnight Acne Gel
2. The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Blemish Stick
3. Origins Spot Remover

	Avon	Body Shop	Origins
Package	Tube	Vial with applicator	Bottle
Contents (ml)	15ml	2.5ml	10ml
Scent	NIL	Tea Tree	Medicinal
Feel on skin	Cool	Cool	Burning
Effectiveness	Effective	Moderate	Moderate
Price	RM9.90	RM29	RM50
My Ranking	8/10	7/10	5/10

I guess the table pretty much sums that my favourite is the Avon Clear Skin Overnight Acne Gel. I rate it effective because pimples starting to disappear by day 2 and is almost gone by day 3. It works and is really value for money. The only problem I seem to have with this product is the tube. It could just be me but I find it difficult to use and can never seem to press out just a small. I always end up pressing out much much more than I need.

On the other hand, using The Body Shop Blemish Stick and Origins Spot Remover, pimples take slightly over 3 day to disappear. The Body Shop Blemish Stick is very very,expensive compared to the other 2 at Rm29 for only a 2.5ml bottle but it's small size makes it very easy to carry around.

The one I rank lowest is the Origins Spot Remover. It feels like Acid on my face and leaves a smarting and burning sensation every time. Ouch! When the burning subsides, the area around the pimple feels stiff. Not a good sensation at all. I will definitely not be buying another bottle.

Although I'm using these 3 now, I'm still on the hunt for something better. Any recommendations? Do share!

Dress For Your Body

2009-04-08T17:20:00.001+08:00

I'm not sure if many of you have seen this photo of Beyonce but it seems to have been popping up everywhere with a lot of hoo-hah surrounding it. Naturally, many negative comments were made about the photo and it was recently reported that her rep was firing back at critics who said that Beyonce was gaining weight.

Allow me to quote omg.yahoo.com:

"After Beyonce was photographed in NYC March 8 for her I ... Am tour in a Thierry Mugler couture dress, online commenters blasted her curves ("Why does she look so deformed?" one quipped). But her rep tells Usmagazine.com the dress -- which was originally designed for Jerry Hall -- is to blame. "This is not a weight-gain issue," her rep tells Us. "Beyonce is in the best shape of her life. The exaggerated hips are a design element of a truly couture dress. Beyonce has always loved this dress." What's more, a rep for designer Mugler tells Us the waist on Hall's dress was 23 inches and was reduced to 19 for Beyonce. Says the Mugler rep, "The padded hips intentionally focus attention to the waist.""

Beyonce, Beyonce *shake head*. Beautiful girl. Awful, appalling, dreadful, terrible, horrible sense of ~~style~~ dressing (My apologies to all Beyonce fans). A self declared bootylicious girl wearing a dress with padded hips. What on earth for? Somebody tell me why? Why?

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for curvier girls and stars. There's nothing wrong with gaining weight or being naturally curvy. I salute women who are body confident BUT

"Is that the point Beyonce is trying to make or does she have it all wrong?"

I personally think it's the latter.

Curvier girls do not have to be ashamed of their bodies, they just have to dress for their body. Take America Ferrera for instance. The star of Real Women Have Curves is a shining example of how beautiful curvier girls are.

And just to prove my points:

1. Curvier girls are beautiful

2. Beyonce has a horrible sense of dressing

...here are some comparisons of the 2 stars on the red carpet.

Comparison 1: America Ferrera looking splendid in a well formed and figure hugging purple dress with train. Just the right amount of cleavage. Beyonce looking like she wrapped a piece of cloth around herself in a hurry with her boobs and thighs hanging out.

Comparison 2: America Ferrera gets it right again with a cream dress with halter neck and flowing skirt. Beyonce in a plunging dress with her boobs practically hanging out and over accentuated bum due to the mermaid skirt of her dress.

Comparison 3: America Ferrera beautiful as always by keeping it simple and elegant. Beyonce wearing the ugliest dress I've ever seen. Again playing peek-a-boo with a plunging neckline and check out those "exploding" buttons around the belly. And to complete the cheap, slutty look a slit right up the middle of the dress up to her "C U Next Tuesday". And as if the outfit is not bad enough, check out her slutty pose. I read her body language saying " Look at me, I'm beautiful" but I'm thinking "Oh my eyes! Have some dignity!"

Comparison 4: America Ferrera in a blue flowing asymmetrical dress. She looks like a Greek Goddess. There's no denying that she looks gorgeous in dresses of different cuts and colours. Beyonce on the other hand, well almost got it right this time. Beautiful dress, accessories and makeup. Though she just can't seem to part with her signature slit nor does she realise that she does not always have to display her cantaloupes to be labelled beautiful.

At this point it looks like I've written a whole post about nothing but negative remarks directed at Beyonce. But there are some lessons here...

1. Girls DO NOT have to bare their chests and thighs to look beautiful and sexy

2. All girls are beautiful,curvy or not; you just have to accept you body and dress for your body shape

3. Even if you are a beautiful girl, you have to respect and love yourself because what you wear reflects on you.

When "Fat Jeans" Are Tight

2009-04-07T14:07:00.003+08:00

What do you do when you find that you are bulging out of the pair of jeans, the one that is two sizes larger than usual, the one stored at the back of your cupboard for "fat" emergencies?

Do you stare at yourself in disgust?

Do you ask yourself "How did I let it get so far?"

Do you give yourself a kick?

Do you go on a crash diet?

Do you drag yourself to the gym?

What do you do?????

Papaya Foaming Bath From The Body Shop.

2009-04-02T07:03:00.000+08:00

I love, love, love taking long hot soaks. I do not have a long bath at home but I try taking one at every opportunity I get, usually when I stay at hotels. (The amount of time and effort I spend cleaning the tub before I get in is another story all together :P). The year I lived in Japan, I had a bath in my apartment and had the luxury to soak myself a few times week. Sometimes I use bath salts, mostly I enjoy bubble baths. Unlike in Malaysia, there are so many different bath tablets, salts, foams etc. sold in the Japanese departmental stores and I can never resist picking up new ones to try.

So, I never expected I’d say this but the best bubble bath I’ve used so far is one I randomly picked up from back home. When I last went to Kuala Lumpur, the long bath in the hotel room was just so inviting I couldn’t resist. So I went out to get myself the first bottle of bubble bath I could find - Papaya Foaming Bath from The Body Shop.

Oooooh the pure pleasure!

The suds were overflowing with just a small amount of the bath (about 3/4 of a palm) and the bath water was a delightfully light, fruity fresh scent. It felt like paradise lying in the hot bath, fully covered in bubbles and light music playing in the background. After my soaked, I emerged from the bath to find my skin soft, smooth and moisturized.

Never have I had such a great soak before and so I agree a hundred percent with Body Shop’s Papaya Foaming Bath description:

"Best if you want to: Indulge in a tropical fruit treat for your skin with a moisturizing, soap-free bath soak that makes loads of rich, creamy suds.
Best for: normal skin
How it works: Papaya seed oil moisturizes skin and is rich in essential fatty acids that help to repair skin's moisture barrier, leaving skin smooth and supple. A cleansing ingredient derived from Community Trade cocoa butter acts as a gentle detergent that creates foaming bubbles."

Delightful product but only available in huge 400ml bottles. That's a lot of bubble bath to finish but I can’t wait for the chance to use the rest of the bottle! I give it a 9.5 out of 10.

Office Drawer Makeup Bag

2009-04-01T14:50:00.001+08:00

Do you ladies keep a makeup bag in you office drawer?

When I was working in Japan, the girls in the office have a huge makeup bag each containing everything from their toothbrush and toothpaste to hair brush to lipstick, eyeshadow and mascara. They are even allocated a small powder area in the ladies room to store their bags. I turn green with envy every time I see the lovely display of beautiful makeup bags and cases. In Malaysia however, the office toilet is horrible and I’m sure if I left a makeup bag in the ladies room it would be gone in 15 minutes. So, I keep a small humble one in my desk drawer and in my little yellow bag are a few daily essentials and some ‘just in case’ items.

The daily essentials are:
1. Softlips Lip Protectant, Gelato Citrus Crush & Lip Ice Lip Balm SPF15, Lemon – my lips chap easily and I tend to misplace my lippies so I have 2, just in case!
2. Crabtree & Evelyn Gardeners Hand Therapy – therapy for dry hands
3. Optrex eye drops – for tired eyes that stare at the computer screen all day long
4. Tissue paper – a pack of 2-ply facial tissues in the makeup bag and a box of cheapo ones on the table.

The things I keep just in case:
5. Clean and Clear Oil Control Film – for when the t-zone gets very, very oily
6. Avene Thermal Spring Water – comes in handy when I need to refresh my face on those super hot days. Also very important when I’m exposed to greasy cooking in the office canteen.
7. Estee Lauder pressed powder – and old and almost finished compact in case an emergency touch-up is needed.
8. Clinique blusher (sample size) – again for emergency touch-ups
9. Decanter of L’Occitane Aromachologie Discipline Hair Mist – if grilled fish or chicken chop is on the menu of the day, I can be sure to leave the canteen smelling *yuck*. The hair mist removes the unwanted odor.

So there, the contents of my office drawer make-up bag! I don’t keep lipstick in the office as I may not use the same shade everyday. I take along the one I put on in the mornings to work.

Hmm, I think I also have a few strips of plasters somewhere in my drawers. Shall add those into the bag.

Celebrities: Eye-catching Styles

2009-03-31T09:04:00.001+08:00

"Celebrity looks that caught my eye!"

I wouldn't exactly call Reese Witherspoon's dress conventional but there's something striking about the space trooper-like dress, perfectly paired with metallic peep toes (kudos to her for not pairing them with a pair of knee high boots). Me likey!

I've always had the perception that tiered/layered dresses are unflattering but Eva Longoria totally proved that there can be exceptions in her white Badgley Mischka dress. Beautiful!

Photos from omg.yahoo.com

Drop-Dead Gorgeous

2009-03-31T08:25:00.007+08:00

Beautiful photos, I love them. Do check out this photo presentation at slate.com in celebration of International Women’s Month:
http://todayspictures.slate.com/20090325/

Estee Lauder CyberWhite EX Express Beauty Workshop

2009-03-27T14:33:00.002+08:00

A friend and I recently attended Estee Lauder's CyberWhite EX Express beauty workshop held at G Hotel Penang. We signed up at the Estee counter in Parkson Gurney Plaza and paid RM150 for the workshop, RM120 redeemable for Estee Lauder products after the workshop.

When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by the Estee staff at the foyer and were given a goodie bag and a skin analysis form each. We were then ushered to a small buffet spread of cream puff, fried bihun, spring roll and an assortment of teas and coffee.

The event hall was rather impressive, with 5 tables set up with mirrors, bibs, hair clips and a complete range of CyberWhite products. Participants were also provided with a pencil, pad of paper, bottled water and mints.

An overhead projector lined the front of the room sending me the message "We take our workshops seriously" :P

Two of their consultants were stationed at the back of the room to conduct a quick skin analysis on the participants and a complete range of CyberWhite products were also displayed, ready to be sold at the end of the workshop.

A short briefing on the effects of the sun other facts about the skin was given by Estee Lauder Malaysia's marketing manager. I was a bit annoyed because she spoke mainly in Cantonese. "Like HELLO? This is Penang, not KL! If you have to speak in a dialect you should at least speak in Hokkien!" Being a true bread Penangite, I understood nothing so halfway through the talk I couldn't stand it anymore and raised my hand to ask her to speak in English. She switched to English but could not stop Cantonese phrases from popping out here and there. Annoying woman!

Other than the bit of language problem, I rather enjoyed the workshop. Participants were given a hands-on skincare session, starting from makeup removal, cleansing, masking to eye cream, serum, moisturizer and sunblock application. Two consultants were stationed at each table to assist participants with the routine. I also managed to pick up a thing or two about proper skincare methods. Finally, participants were given a quick makeup touch up.

I ended up not getting anything from the CyberWhite range because I already had everything I needed. I redeemed a tube of facial scrub instead. The promoter at the counter were not exactly thrilled at my choice but she very politely accommodated. Here's the thing about Estee Lauder that always keeps me going back to the counter at Parkson Gurney Plaza: their service. The promoters (and particularly Cally, the counter manager) are polite, friendly, helpful, knowledgeable about their products and never ever too pushy. I give them a 10 out of 10 for their service.

All in all, it was a good workshop and I shall be looking out for makeup workshops next.

Modifications

2009-03-27T10:50:00.005+08:00

For the past few days, I've been experimenting with a bit of html coding and made small changes to the blog layout. I know Blogger has a GUI for modifications, but I chose to modify the html coding instead. Among others, I've changed the colour scheme, sorted out post labels and added a poll section on the sidebar. I personally love polls, I can never resist answering them and finding out what other people think. I do hope you ladies will share your thoughts with me as well.

On the down side, I accidentally deleted a couple of posts and I'm seriously regretting not having backups. I always thought that I'd be fine even if by some misfortune I lost the whole blog but I'm gutted and I only lost two posts. I can only conclude that I've grown a tad more attached to my blog. Like I said before, I started writing primarily for myself, to fill up my time and to remind myself about the good things in life by writing about the things I enjoy so this attachment I'm feeling was not part of the plan.

Now I'm in a bit a dillema; to take blogging more seriously or not? I still can't decide but I've learnt a lesson from all this...backup first, worry later.

Estee Lauder’s Ideal Light Brush On Illuminator

2009-03-25T08:04:00.005+08:00

Bobbi Brown wrote “concealers are the secret of the universe" in her book, Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual. She made a good point and I decided to heed her advice. It would be great to hide the bags under my eyes (caused by stress and fitful sleep from having a full time job I hate) and look fresh for a change. That’s when I decided to buy the Ideal Light Brush On Illuminator form Estee Lauder. Being a loyal user of Estee Lauder products, I didn’t look any further. Plus, it got good reviews from my mum who said that it worked very well for her. Here’s the product description from the Estee Lauder website...

PRODUCT DETAILS
Reveal radiance. Conceal flaws. It's a stroke of brilliance.

Sweep On a Flawless Look

With the sweep of a brush, Ideal Light corrects, highlights and refreshes your look.
Brightens dark circles, age spots and shadows.
Corrects flaws.
Great as a quick pick-me-up when makeup starts to fade.

2 Ways to Wear It

"Soft Pink" highlighter shade is ideal for all skintones. Brings light to your face and focus to your features.
The skintone shade that best matches your skin will correct flaws and freshen up your look as a portable makeup retoucher.
Brush-tip pen makes precise application and blending easy either way you wear it. A twist or two saturates the brush and you're ready to go.
Advanced Illumination for Your Skin. Light-reflective Photo Optic™ technology diffuses light to minimize the look of fine lines, wrinkles and imperfections.

HOW TO USE

Choose a concealer shade that matches your foundation or is one shade lighter.
For best results, apply concealer after applying your foundation.
Each time you use Ideal Light, twist once or twice, as needed to saturate the brush.

To highlight:

For light to medium skintones—brush onto browbone, along bridge of nose and around the eye area to brighten.
For deeper skintones—apply a sheer sweep to corners of eyes and browbone. Blend.

To correct:

Apply to darker areas around the eye, starting at inner corner near bridge of nose, blending outward, away from lashline.
Use tip of brush for pinpoint application to cover blemishes and discolorations. Blend evenly.

The Ideal Light Brush On Illuminator is available in several shades.

I got the Light Medium to match my skin tone. After using the concealer a few times, I have no complains. The brush tip makes it very easy to use. Two twists of the tube is all I need each time. As a corrector for the eyes, I apply one stroke along the inner corner of the eye and another one or two under the eye and blend. It blends easily and spreads over the skin evenly. Its consistency is just perfect. Not too thick or dry and not to light. I’ve used Red Earth All Round Concealer before and it was too heavy, making it difficult to apply.

I took photos of my eyes before and after application. The effect of Estee Lauder's Ideal Light Illuminator was very natural and it made my eyes look brighter. I also tried it as a concealer for the pimple I had above my lips and the results were good as well.

Great stuff and I give it a 9/10.

Caring For My Canvas

2009-03-20T17:32:00.016+08:00

Motivated by Tine’s post “Caring For Our Canvas”, I decided to take another shot at persuading my colleague to start her skincare regime before investing in a “start-up makeup kit”. Although I haven’t quite convinced her, all that talk about skincare spurred another lady colleague to take her regime a little beyond 1-2-3 and start on scrubs and pore minimizing masks (upon inspection I saw that she has rather enlarged pores on her cheeks and nose).

Can you feel the love spreading? :P

Inspired, I decided to write this post on how I care for my canvas. My skincare regime has gone a long way from the basic 1-2-3. Sometimes I wonder if I over indulge but then again it’s my face and it deserves to pampered.

Firstly, it’s always important to properly remove makeup and I use Estee Lauder’s Gentle Eye Makeup Remover to clean the eye area. I then proceed to use Biotherm’s Biosource Cleansing Milk for the rest of the face.

On a daily basis I wash my face with Estee Lauder’s Perfectly Clean Splash Away Foaming Cleanser or Biotherm’s Biosource Clarifying Cleansing Gel. I alternate between these 2 and I love them both. (From here on you’ll see that I’m a very loyal user of Estee Lauder and Biotherm products).

Although there are literature that suggest that toner is unnecessary, I never skip it. I cannot do without its clean and tingling sensation. My favourite is Biotherm’s Biosource Invigorating Toner.

Here on, I use separate products for day and night. In the mornings, I use Estee Lauder’s Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher followed by Kose’s Rutina Pure White Day Care Essence with SPF 42/PA++. This is usually topped with compact powder and then light makeup.

At night I use Biotherm’s Source Therapie Superactiv boosted spa concentrate revitalizing skin perfector (this is optional, I use it when I feel in need of extra moisturization and a bit of repair). I then dab on Biotherm’s Aquasource Non-Stop oligo thermal gel intense moisturisation moisturizer or Estee Lauder’s Hydra Bright Skin-Tone Perfecting Moisturizer Crème. Again I alternate between the two although my preference leans toward the Aquasource moisturizer.

The last thing I do at night, (if I remember) is apply Estee Lauder’s Hydra Complete Multi-Level Eye Gel Crème before going to bed.

Scrubbing is done about twice a week with Estee Lauder’s So Polished Exfoliating Scrub. I mask my face once a week, alternating weekly between Biotherm’s Bioupur Purifying, Pore Reducer Mask or Aquasource Non Stop Hydrating Mask. Depending on how my skin is feeling, I sometimes use both, one after the other.

Finally, I treat myself to Biotherm’s Source Therapie boosted spa concentrate tissue mask once a month. I do not go for facials. I think what I do at home is facial enough.

So there you have it, my skincare regime. There is no one correct or proper skincare regime. It depends on your skintype, age, lifestyle, preferences etc. That being said, ladies do share your regime!

Budget Makeup Starter-Kit

2009-03-19T15:05:00.008+08:00

A few months ago, I was chatting to a colleague of mine when she mentioned that she didn’t know the first ting about skincare and makeup and asked what I used. I was a very surprised to learn that at 26 years old, she had yet to start a daily skincare regime. She uses soap to wash her face and has never used moisturizer. Giving her face a closer inspection I realized that she indeed had a problem with acne, her lips were chapped and she wore no makeup. Something you’d expect on a teenager.

I recommended that she should at least start with moisturizer and that I use Biotherm’s Aquasource. Her eyes bulged and her chin fell to the floor when I told her the price. She actually thought to get something around RM20! She asked if there was anything cheaper and the first name I could think of was the Body Shop.

Then a few weeks ago, she asked about makeup. She wanted me to recommend a “full set”; from foundation to eyeshadow & mascara, blush, and lipstick. However, she gave me a budget of around RM100. Although she may be able to find a “full set” for that price, I seriously doubt the quality of the products. So I came up with a list of products for her to start with which I think are ok in quality and average in price.

* A little disclaimer here...to me there’s no such thing as a “full or complete set” of makeup. You never have enough and you’ll never have everything!

Here’s what I came up with...before starting on makeup, I recommended that she try to clear up the blemishes on her face and though that Body Shop’s Tree Tea Oil range would be suitable. As she already has moisturizer, it would be good to start a regime with facial wash, toner, blemish gel and scrub. Also, it is very important to have any makeup applied removed thoroughly to maintain good skin, so I recommend eye makeup remover and cleanser. I estimate that everything on my list would cost about RM150.

Now, moving on to makeup. I recommended products from various brands including Revlon, L’Oreal, Maybelline, Body Shop and Avon.

Note that because of budget constraint I only recommended 1 makeup brush i.e. the blusher brush. It is possible to apply eyeshadow using the supplied applicators (and blend with fingers) but when it comes to applying blush, there is no compromise for a proper full sized brush. Again, I roughly estimate that all the products on the list would total about RM300.

What products do you think should be in the “makeup starter-kit” for beginners? I would love to hear from you as I myself have limited knowledge about makeup.

Ins And Outs

2009-03-17T22:40:00.006+08:00

I was tagged by Tine on my 5 ins and outs, so here goes...

And just to add, these are some evergreens for me...

Quick and Easy Pan Fried Salmon

2009-03-17T02:00:00.001+08:00

Some meals are real easy to make and good to eat and this is one of the easiest I’ve come across so far. The ingredients are simple and so is the method. See for yourself.

Ingredients
1 salmon block
Cajun Seasoning (I use McCormick)
Cooking oil
½ teaspoon salt

Preparation
1. Rub ½ teaspoon salt over the salmon block and rinse off immediately.
2. Dry with a paper towel and cover both surfaces of the salmon with the Cajun Seasoning.
3. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and fry salmon over low flame till evenly browned on both sides. Tilt the pan a bit when cooking to make sure sides of the fish is cooked as well. (A tip I picked up from watching Hell’s Kitchen :P)
4. Remove when salmon is cooked and serve.

This goes well with rice (Japanese style) or with salad or coleslaw and chips.

Here are some photos I took during the preparation.

Slumdog Millonaire

2009-03-16T11:04:00.003+08:00

I can’t say that I've watched any good movie in while but what I will say is that Slumdog Millionaire is a great one. Among other awards, the movie had 10 nominations at the 81st Academy Awards and bagged 8 Oscars including Best Picture.

Like past Oscar winners for Best Picture like Schindler’s List, Braveheart, The English Patient, Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind, Slumdog Millionaire tells a poignant and beautiful story about life and love but unlike those past winners, it is (to me) easier and lighter to watch. Let me explain myself, while the previous Best Pictures left me teary eyed and overwhelmed, Slumdog Millionaire left me with a smile on my face but with the same profound feeling.

The movie tells the tale of Jamal Malik from the slums of Mumbai and who is one correct answer away from winning 20 million rupees on India’s version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?”. When the game show breaks for the night, he is arrested on suspicion of cheating for “how can a slumdog possibly know the answers to questions which even doctors and lawyers have failed to answer?” To prove his innocence, Jamal reveals tales of his life’s journey, explaining how his experiences have thought him answers to the questions on the game show.

I don’t want this review to be a spoiler so I’ll just say that the story of Jamal’s early life in the slums, life’s tribulations and exploits with brother Salim and relationship with Latika were all beautifully weaved into the story and injected with a right dose of humour. A wonderful movie to watch and I enjoyed it very much.

I rate this show as a 9.5 of out 10 and would label it as a “must watch”.

Birthday Treat or Trap?

2009-03-13T14:18:00.008+08:00

It's my birthday this month and I've been receiving quite a few birthday cards and sms messages since late February!

Feeling jealous yet?... Well don't be! These cards and smses are not from friends nor family but actually from stores and outlets entitling me for birthday "treats" or "presents". I'm a bit embarassed to admit this but it sure makes me feel good to get a gift from this shop and a discount from that but, I'm sure it comes as no surprise that all of these so called presents come with big strings attached; to my pockets that is. I have to conciously remind myself not to fall too deep into these "feel good traps".

So now that I've established that the treats are potential treats to my pockets, let have a look at what's instore for me this month...

First up, a 15% discount off any icecream purchase in a single receipt. My first thought when I got this was to take my whole family out for a fondue treat. See, its tugging at my pockets already!

Next, a surprise gift from L'Occitane. Amazingly, there were no terms and conditions attached to this one and I hope I will not be disappointed when I go to get my gift.

Moving on, card and RM100 voucher from Amee Phillips, redeemable against purchases of RM1000 and above. This one is a bit of a rip off because I was just at the shop a few weeks ago and they already offered me the RM100 discount even whithout the voucher.

Finally, another card from Wah Chan with 3 vouchers for a free gift redemption, a RM100 off RM1000 purchace and a 70% + 10% discount off any normal price item purchace.

I also received several birthday smses. First, was a makeover session from Estee Lauder. Although this come with unstated terms and conditions. I bet I would have to purchace hundreds of ringgits worth of their products before I will be entitile for the makeover though.The other sms was from Biotherm, giving me bonus member points for any purchaces made whithin the month of March. And the final sms I've received so far was from Parkson, also offering me vouchers and Elite points with a minimum purchace of RM100.

Phew! I can only imagine the amount of money I would be forking out if I accepted each and every one of these birthday treats! So there you have it trick or treat? You decide :P

This Is Art

2009-03-12T08:50:00.007+08:00

As I browsed through the “Best Of what’s New: Spring 2009 Collections” slideshow on harpersbazarr.com, I realized lure of the glossy pages of fashion magazines the like of Harpers Bazaar and Vogue; it’s the artistic and beautiful fashion spreads. Funny, it never hit me till now that when I get a magazine, I would automatically pour over the snazzy advertisements and fashion spreads before I focus any attention on the other sections or feature articles. I could spend a lot of time engrossed in every detail of these photos and look through them over and over again.

All images from harpersbazarr.com

To me, perfect photo compositions like these are great works of art. While each photo conveys a different message, they are usually lucid expressions of the designs, be it bold, sexy, serene, fresh or mysterious etc. The clothes featured in the photos are already masterpieces and add to that the well captured details and flow of the clothes, beautiful models, hair and makeup, their expressions and body language.

All in one single photo equals genius.

I don’t know if there are any galleries with a collection of magnificent portraits like these, but if there was one I would love to loose myself in one.

Estee Lauder's Idealist Micro-D Deep Thermal Refinisher

2009-03-08T23:23:00.004+08:00

I had a very wrong idea of what I was buying when I got the Idealist Micro-D Thermal Refinisher. I wanted exfoliating scrub but somehow there was a miscommunication between me and the Estee Lauder promoter. From my conversation with her, I got the impression that the exfoliating scrub I always used was discontinued and she recommended this instead. I didn’t doubt her recommendation (they are usually right on) and bought the Idealist Micro-D, no questions asked.

The first time I used it I was greatly surprised. Once in contact with water, the cream became hot. Mind you hot, not warm. It felt really harsh on the face and stung a bit, especially on the cheeks. It smelled like burnt paper and there was a very slight chemical taste in my mouth. I was totally unprepared for all that. What I had expected was the sight abrasive feel exfoliating scrubs but there was none of that. During subsequent use, I totally avoided the cheeks and areas around the mouth.

So trying to figure out what on earth I had gotten, I finally read the description;
" The ideal partner to Idealist Skin Refinisher, Idealist Micro-D is a gentle, at-home alternative to micro-dermabrasion. Our exclusive TripleSphere Refinishing System delivers dramatic skin resurfacing benefits. Deep thermal action warms the skin to open, detoxify and minimize the look of pores. One application-and the radiant skin you want is revealed. Feel it. Smooth, polished and free of dry, dulling flakes. See it. Clearer, less visibly lined and virtually poreless"

Imagine that, “at-home alternative to micro-dermabrasion”; as in some sort of chemical peel? Just to be sure I looked it up and I was on the right track. Microdermabrasion according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons is “a skin-freshening technique that helps repair facial skin that takes a beating from the sun and the effects of aging. The plastic surgeon uses a device like a fine sandblaster to spray tiny crystals across the face, mixing gentle abrasion with suction to remove the dead, outer layer of skin. As with other skin rejuvenation techniques, more than one treatment may be needed to reduce or remove fine wrinkles and unwanted pigmentation.”

Explains a lot, doesn’t it? And also taught me a lesson, never buy any product blindly.

So, in conclusion, as an exfoliating scrub The Idealist Micro-D is a no-no. (Duh! For very obvious reasons) but for micro-dermabrasion, I would guess that it should work (with the hot hot feeling and burning smell and all). I cannot comment on the claims of “smooth, polished skin free of dry, dulling flakes” and “clearer, less visibly lined and virtually poreles skin” because I do not have dry, dull or lined skin to begin with.

This product is just not for me. I will be speaking to the Estee promoter regarding her suggestion. Recommending someone under 30 with clear skin to buy the Idealist Thermal-D is just wrong.

The Sun and Sunscreen

2009-03-06T15:22:00.006+08:00

The Neutrogena Sunscreen I bought came with lots of jargon on its packaging. I couldn’t understand half of it and stuff like UVA/UVB made no sense to me. So I did a little reading here’s a little of what I’ve learnt about the sun and sunscreen.

The sun emits energy in the form of radiation with varying intensity. The sun’s spectrum is shown below.

Image from www.nivea.com

Sunscreen or also called sunblock is needed to protect our skin against the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays.
SPF or sun protection factor is a measure of the standard used to measure the effectiveness of sunscreen against UV-B, ultraviolet rays that causes sunburn.
According to www.medterms.com, the SPF rating is calculated by comparing the amount of time needed to produce a sunburn on protected skin to the amount of time needed to cause a sunburn on unprotected skin. For instance, a person who would normally turn red after 10 minutes in the sun. Ten minutes is their "initial burning time." If that person uses a sunscreen with SPF 2, it takes 20 minutes in the sun for that person's skin to turn red. Now, if that person uses a sunscreen with SPF 15, it multiplies the initial burning time by 15, so it takes 150 minutes, or 2 and half hours, for that person's skin to turn red.
However, it has been found that the SPF factor is an imperfect measure of skin damage because it does not take into account the effects of invisible damage and skin aging caused by UV-A.
UV-A is measured by the Persistent Pigment Darkening (PPD) method. This method uses UV-A radiation to cause a permanent darkening or tanning of the skin. Theoretically, a sunscreen with a PPD rating of 10 should allow you to endure 10 times as much UV-A as you would without protection.
Sunscreens today protect against both UV-B and UV-A.

Some great sites that have information about the sun and sunscreen include the Nivea and Neutrigena websites; www.nivea.com and www.neutrogena.com.

Buys from Estee Lauder

2009-03-04T22:31:00.001+08:00

So I went just a little overboard the last time I was at the Estee Lauder counter but then again, I was running low on supplies, it was free gifts galore at the Estee counter and Parkson was giving its usual RM20 voucher for every RM120 purchase. How could I have resisted? I ended up with only seven items, ALL of which I promise to finish.

Here's what I got...
1. Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher
2. Hydra Complete Multi-Level Moisture Cream for Normal/Combination Skin
3. Optimizer Pore Minimizing Boosting Lotion
4. Idealist Micro-D Deep Thermal Refinisher
5. Perfectly Clean Splash Away Foaming Cleanser
6. Ideal Light Brush-on Illuminator
7. Cyber White Ex Extra Brightening Powder Makeup SPF 20 Refill

I think many of Estee's products are fantastic and will try to come up with more detailed reviews of laziness does not get the better of me. :P

Fendi Selleria Roll Bag

2009-03-03T07:04:00.002+08:00

I'm about two months too late but if there's one thing I could ask Santa for it would be a Fendi Selleria roll bag. I saw this on harpersbazaar.com and instantly fell in love with it. I can only imagine the wonderful bag made of leather so soft it can be rolled up in a little plastic case. Purr-fect for travelling (in style i might add).

The bag is priced at $1,590USD *huge sigh*.

Ohh baby, I'll be dreaming of you at night......

Sarah Brightman's Symphony Concert

2009-03-01T14:28:00.004+08:00

The first time I noticed her voice was when she sang Amigos Para Siempre with Jose Carreras at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and since then I've been a huge fan. Not many people (around me anyways) know Sarah Brightman by name but I’m sure they have heard her music.

Me, I've been a huge fan since I was 11 and have collected almost all of her albums, save for 1 or 2 compilations. So you can imagine how ecstatic, delighted and thrilled I am to be going for her Symphony Concert at the Plenary Hall, KL Convention Center next weekend. I got myself and the hubby rather good seats for the concert and I’m happy, very happy.

This is her second concert in Malaysia, I missed the first one a few years ago because I had just returned form overseas and could not make it. I tried going for her concert in Japan but tickets were sold out. But I’m finally going for one of her concerts now. It may not seem much to everyone else, but to me it’s a dream come true!

The hubby warned me not to cry at the concert. I never pegged myself as the emotional type but now that he mentioned it, I wonder if I just might?

L'Occitane’s Aromachologie Dry & Damaged Hair Shampoo and Conditioner

2009-02-27T07:45:00.006+08:00

After using L'Occitane's shampoo and conditioner for over two weeks now, I must say I’m a tad disappointed. Although I got the shampoo and conditioner set as a gift, for its retail price I expected a “spa” like experience but that was not the case.

The description of the shampoo & conditioner from L'occitane's web site read:

“L'Occitane’s blend of pure and natural angelica, lavender and geranium essential oils works to revive and refresh dry and damaged hair. Soothing, repairing and stimulating, this vegetable complex brings vitality, shine, softness and lustre to dry, damaged, color-treated or permed hair.”

“L'Occitane’s blend of pure and natural angelica, lavender and geranium essential oils works to revive and refresh dry and damaged hair. Soothing, repairing and stimulating, this vegetable complex will detangle, soften and add luster to dry, damaged, color-treated or permed hair.”

The shampoo had little lather and I needed large amounts before I could get my hair to feel clean. After rinsing, the shampoo left my hair tangled and dry. The conditioner was similar; I needed to apply large amounts before I could even run my fingers through my tangled mess (and mind you, I only have a shoulder length bob). I felt that it didn't live up to its description of detangling and softening hair.

After the shampooing and conditioning, I had to apply their Aromachologie Discipline Mist before I could run my fingers through my hair. Although the set was supposedly for dry/damage hair I feel my hair and scalp now dryer than before.

The only great thing about the set was its wonderful scent, similar to that of the hair mist.

I really would not really recommend this to anyone, especially if you’re hoping to repair dry and damaged hair. I’d only give both shampoo and conditioner 4 out of 10.

Gray Lips: Do or Don't?

2009-02-26T15:50:00.001+08:00

Gray lips made a debut on the fashion runways for Fall 2009 and was discussed on glamour.com’s Girls In The Beauty Department blog. They pegged the look as creepy, creepier than black lips but I beg to differ. Here’s the picture discussed, a model backstage wearing grey lipstick.

Image from glamour.com

I think she pulled off the look really well, eluding this dark yet intriguing and cool aura. The look is a bit goth, not something I would normally try but I’m very tempted go try on some grey lipstick.

I would definitely raise my hand and say “aye” to gray lips, quote “kinda, sorta, maybe work in real life”. Not during the day or to the office, but I see it working at a night out at the clubs or for after dinner drinks.

What do you think? Would you say “yes”, “no” or “maybe”?

In My Head

2009-02-26T07:58:00.003+08:00

It’s funny how I have the most unexpected of songs keep playing on in my head. I dunno how it happened but I just can’t get Taylor Swift’s Love Story to stop playing.

This is my very own biased and odd opinion but I never liked Taylor Swift. To me, she's been “packaged” a bit too old for her age (According to Wikipedia, she turns 20 at the end of this year) and she looks mean and a tad evil. I think it’s her eyes and crown of tight curls. She comes across as uptight and all too poised in her photos and I never understood what the hype about her was all about. She has a nice voice and she can sing yes, but so can thousands of others with more emotion and power.

But I guess there’s some truth in the saying “there's a fine line between love and hate” because although I may not actually like the crooner, I’m sure hooked on her Love Story!

"Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone

I’ll be waiting all theres left to do is run

You’ll be the prince and i’ll be the princess

Its a love story baby just say yes"

You can catch the Love Story music video on You Tube:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0WzY1cvuF8

My MIL Wants My Shoes!

2009-02-25T08:31:00.012+08:00

Remember that pair of red peep toe pumps I mentioned in my post Homage to Red Part 2? Well, my mother in law saw me wearing them and wants me to get her a pair from Tangs the next time I go to Kuala Lumpur. Gave me the money for the shoes and her size and all...

God forbid we should end up wearing the same pair of shoes when we're out for dinner or something. EEK!!

I'm really hoping the shoes are no longer available when I get to KL, or maybe I'll just tell her they ran out of her size. In the mean time I'm trying to stay Zen and repeat the phrase “Imitation is the best form of flattery” over and over and over and over AND OVER in my head!!!!

Preoccupied

2009-02-25T08:27:00.002+08:00

I've been preoccupied the whole of last week and never got down to writing. Nevertheless, there are many new and exciting things to gush about and I should be doing quite a bit of that soon...

Layout With Foam Cut Flowers

2009-02-17T09:44:00.001+08:00

A freind of mine who knew I was into scrapbooking recently bought me pack of foam cut flowers. This is the first time I have worked with them and I really wanted to try them out. I put them to good use on a layout I made of my wedding (Yes, the wedding was 6 months ago and I'm still scrapping about it).

I layered the foam flowers on lace cardstock on purple background with lots of distressing. I think the layout turned out rather well and I managed to achieve a sort of retro look. Hmm, not too bad for a person of little artistic skills.

Plus Sizes at Liz Claiborne

2009-02-13T13:00:00.002+08:00

Okay, I know I've been going on and on about Liz Claiborne for a bit now. One last post I promise. I was browsing their site again and was just so impressed with the (same) attractive spring collection for plus sizes. Its just good to know that great clothes are available for everyone and not only the super skinny.

I might have to start shopping plus sizes soon myself if I don't stop this binge I'm on and start that exercise regime I put on my new year's resolution.

All images from www.lizclaiborne.com

Heads Up! L'occitane Sales

2009-02-12T16:51:00.005+08:00

Just a heads up that L'occitane will be having a sale up to 50% discount from Friday, 13 Feb 09 on some of their product ranges including Grape, Olive Harvest, Verbena harvest and Rose. The sale will be while stocks last (that's what their mailer said anyways).

I'm definitely gonna be there tomorrow but hopefully I wont burn too big a hole in my pocket. :P

Isaac Mizrahi for Liz Claiborne

2009-02-12T15:00:00.007+08:00

This year Liz Claiborne launches its first collection by designer and personality Isaac Mizrahi. Admittedly I've only watched a few episodes of his show Isaac but I've no doubt enjoyed them.

The show is fun and witty as is his collection for Liz Claiborne. Although I would personally never wear any tiered dresses or tiered anything, I still like the designs.

Image from www.lizclaiborne.com

Only 4 of his designs are currently displayed on the Liz Claiborne website but you can get some fantastic behind the scenes photos of the Liz Claiborne photo shoot of the collection on Isaac's blog at http://www.isaacmizrahiny.com/meet_isaac/isaacs_blog

And Isaac's blog is definitely worth checking out!

Homage to Red Part 2

2009-02-09T16:40:00.006+08:00

It might be the last day of the Chinese New Year today but, red is still the colour of the season because Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! You can’t go wrong with this sexy colour while you’re out (or in) celebrating with your sweetheart this coming Saturday!

Still paying homage to red…and this time, I’ve raided my cupboard and dresser for all things in the colour that symbolises luck and love!

1. Strapless dress, Salabianca
2. Peep toe pumps, Tangs Studio
3. Revlon nail colour in Raven Red
4. Elizabeth Arden Exceptional Lipstick in Autumn
5. Multi-coloured shawl, Parkson Avenue
6. Handbag, Liz Claiborne
7. Mary Jane pumps, Clarks
8. Shift dress, Melange

Homage To Red

2009-02-08T10:20:00.007+08:00

In my family, Chinese New Year has always been about tradition. Some traditions can be arduous but others can be fun. For me one fun thing is bringing out all the tacky RED decorations for the house. So, for about 3 weeks every year its red, red, red around my house!

However, in a blink of an eye, it's the 14th day day of Chinese New Year today and tomorrow's "Chap Goh Meh" celebrations will mark the end of Chinese New Year. Tacky or not, I love my red pieces and just thought that they warrant an appearance here before I pack and store them for the rest of the year.

Bride Wars

2009-02-07T12:40:00.006+08:00

The first chick flick of the year starring 2 of my favourite stars. Naturally I had to go watch it, only to find Bride Wars sadly disappointing.

Bride Wars is about 2 best friends, Emma and Liv who have planned their dream wedding at the Plaza Hotel (and in June) since they were little girls. Getting engaged within days of one another, they both promptly make reservations at the Plaza. However, things get ugly when a slip up in the reservations occur, leaving them booked on the same date.

Flimsy plot aside, I felt that the star studded cast portrayed the characters in the movie unconvincingly. Firstly, Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway who were supposed to play best friends Liz and Emma turn bridezilla enemies had no chemistry from the start. The few attempts to portray any intimacy between the girls came across to me as superficial.

Anne Hathaway was apt playing the (usual) sweet and meek role but Kate Hudson was a wrong choice to play sophisticated, aggressive and though lawyer Liv. I’ve got her pegged more as a carefree bohemian and next to Anne Hathaway she came across as a bit too old. Even Candice Bergen gave a weak performance as sought after wedding planner Marion St. Clair. She hardly displayed any of her usual commanding screen presence nor wit and sarcasm.

The only part I enjoyed about the movie was Anne Hathaway’s “dancing” or should I say strutting around in the scene at the strip club. Other than that, I would say the only other interesting thing about the movie is clothes; the beautiful Vera Wang wedding gown and the few other stylish outfits donned by the girls.

This movie gets a 4 out of 10 from me. Disappointing.

Dress for the Occasion

2009-02-05T09:18:00.008+08:00

For me, Chinese New Year has always been a time for "celebration". (Translation: excuse to eat). Through out the 15 days of Chinese New Year, I often meet up with relatives and friends for lunch or dinners.

One very important dinner during this time is the one with the tossing of the "Yee Sang". Its a Chinese tradition to improve or "raise" one's luck for the coming year. So I was a surprised and not to mention a tad annoyed when a couple of invited guests turned up for that important dinner wearing this...

She wore a white spaghetti strap top and black short shorts with a pair of red flats while he turned up in khaki shorts, polo tee and slippers!

Mind you we were not eating at a roadside "kopitiam", it was a respectable Chinese restaurant. I'm not sure if the hosts were offended but me, I hold to the principle that the way you dress reflects on you. Turning up poorly dressed for dinner shows disrespect, not only to the hosts but also to the other invited guests. I'm not saying wear a ballgown/tux, I just felt that they could have at the very least put on a pair of jeans or slacks and shoes.

I can't help but wonder if I'm just being a prude. Since "casual" is a widely accepted dress code these days, should people wear whatever they feel comfortable in or should they make an effort to "dress up"?

Any thoughts?

Valentine's Day Card

2009-02-04T12:14:00.006+08:00

I decided to make the hubby a Valentine's Day card this year to celebrate our first Valentine's as a married couple. I thought it would be more personal and heartfelt compared to buying another overpriced one off the shelf.

The card is nothing fancy. I used red Brazilian Cardstock as the base (the actual card) with a big "LOVE" embellishment and lace cardstock on a black background and placed this over a white ribbon running across the card. Simple, but I must say I am really proud of the finished product!

More Fireworks

2009-02-04T07:52:00.002+08:00

Another beautiful display of fireworks right from my apartment window on the 3rd day of the Chinese New Year! I managed to get slightly better photos this time :)

SIMOS: My Lipstick Collection

2009-02-03T15:56:00.001+08:00

For a girl who doesn't have a lot of lipsticks, I sure have plenty!

That was what I found out when I was shopping in my own stash (SIMOS) the other day. When you take the time to go through all the things you own, you'll find that you actually have more than you can remember. I honestly did not realise that I had so many lipsticks, lip glosses and lip balms till now.

Just to prevent myself from feeling guilty however, I have to add that many of these were hand me downs from my mother (yup, nearly 30 and I'm still taking my mother's lipsticks), gifts from friends, colours that come in makeup sets or freebies. Out of the lot I own, I only pruchased about 10 of them individually.

Let's start with the lipsticks shall we?

From left to right
1. Avon Ultra Rich Mousse Lipstick, Mango Sorbet
2. Estee Lauder Pure Color Crystal Lipstick, Crystal Baby
3. Estee Lauder Pure Color Crystal Lipstick, Tiramisu
4. Estee Lauder Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick, Pinkberry
5. Elizabeth Arden Exceptional Lipstick, Starlight
6. Elizabeth Arden Exceptional Lipstick, Solar
7. Elizabeth Arden Exceptional Lipstick, Autumn
8. The Body Shop no. 29
9. Maybelline Water Shine, Material Girl
10. Avon Sheer Nourishment Luminous Lip Colour, Berry Violet

Plus 3 new lipsticks in the same shades as the ones I'm currently using...

From left to right
1. The Body Shop no. 29 (I accenditally bought the same shade)
2. Estee Lauder Pure Color Crystal Lipstick, Crystal Baby (free gift, no choice in colour)
3. Estee Lauder Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick, Pinkberry (replacement for my current one which is about to finish)

Next, lip glosses...

Lying horizontal from top to bottom
1. Avon Ultra Moisture Rich Lip Gloss, Spice
2. Avon Ultra Moisture Rich Lip Gloss, Dreamy Plum
3. Elf Hypershine Gloss, Blossom
4. In2it Mega Shine Lip Gloss, Colour 07
5. Models Prefer Lip Gloss
6. Dior Lipgloss, Colour 151
7. Sokamoka Lipgloss (Japanese Brand), Colour 41

Vertical from left to right
1. Estee Lauder High Gloss Ultra Brilliance, Ivory
2. Estee Lauder High Gloss Ultra Brilliance, Pearl
3. Estee Lauder Pure Pops Lip Gloss, Pink Cupcake

Finally the lip balms...

Lying horizontal from top to bottom
1. Lip Smacker, Coca-Cola
2. Menturm Medicated Stick

Vertical from left to right
1. Softlips Lip Protectant, Wildberry
2. Softlips Lip Protectant, Gelato Citrus Crush
3. Lip Ice Lip Balm SPF15, Lemon
4. Biotherm Aquasource Moisturizing Balm SPF8
5. Crabtree & Evelyn Naturals Protective Lip Balm SPF8, Cocoa Butter and Cardamom

One thing is for sure, I will not be buying anymore lipsticks until this collection of mine has shrunk to 50% of its current size.

Liz Claiborne's Spring 2009 Collection

2009-02-02T02:18:00.007+08:00

I chanced upon Liz Claiborne's Spring 2009 Collection and I must say the pieces rather caught my fancy. A beautiful collection - fun, fresh and trendy!

I wonder if I can get some of these pieces from the Liz Claiborne boutique here in Penang.

I'm a fan of shirtdresses and I totally adore this one!

Orange and earth tones... My favourite colour combination in the whole world! Love the bag and shoes.

I'm so going to get myself a lime green cardigan!

I don't usually put on bright clothing but I'd wear this yellow shirtdress in a heartbeat!

The shoes!!! I wonder if I can get them here in Penang? I've never seen footwear in the Penang boutique before.

All images from www.lizclaiborne.com

Smile

2009-01-30T10:47:00.009+08:00

I saw these pictures and they just put a smile on my face so I thought I'd share them.

Enjoy! :)

Flames of the Past

2009-01-30T07:25:00.012+08:00

Since my post on Simon Baker, I’ve been thinking about all my past “flames” and what attracted me to them. I’ve always been more of a cold, cynical person so realizing that I’ve actually had girlish crushes makes me feel a bit more human. Plus its kind of fun to think of how crazy I used to be and to go “What was I thinking?”

Jordan Knight – My first “love”. I remember telling my mum I would marry him someday but now I can’t even remember why I even like him. A definite “What was I thinking?” It’s funny cos although I don’t remember why I was crazy over the guy (I have all the cassettes, videos, badges, photos, posters, storybooks, the works) I totally remember how picked out Jordan to “love”. NOKTB was the IT band in the 80’s and it was my 2 cousins who first introduced them to me. I remember them telling me “Joey and Donnie are ours so you have to pick one of the 3 remaining guys in the band”. And so I did.

Nick Carter – Another member of an IT boy band. Why I liked him? I don’t know really...floppy hair maybe? Another "What was I thinking?"

Tom Cruise – Ahh Tom. The gorgeous pilot in Top Gun. It was definitely the handsome face. I used to love him and Nicole and thought they were the perfect couple. Somehow when their marriage ended so did my “affection”. I started disliking him for flaunting his relationship with Penelope Cruz and totally hated his infamous hop, jump (whatever) on Oprah’s couch. I still think he’s handsome but that’s all. I still adore Nicole Kidman though.

Brad Pitt – All that sex appeal in Legends Of The Fall. I’m sure three quarters of the female population were in love with him then. I still think he’s a great actor and one of the most flexible. He’s portrayed many different characters and if I may say so, portrayed them well. Never wanted to marry him although I was totally against his marriage to Jennifer Anniston. I think he’s better off with Angelina Jolie.

Leonardo Dicaprio – Jack Dawson in Titanic and Romeo himself. Need I say more?

Jon Bon Jovi – I primarily enjoy classical music and jazz but Bon Jovi is one of a kind. I wanted to marry him around the time of “Keep The Faith” and “Crossroads” when he had sexy shoulder length hair. I’ve been listening to him since I was 12 and I still enjoy his music today. I think it’s the bad boy image and rugged voice which drew me to him.

Jean-Claude Van Damme – Rippling muscles and beautiful kickboxing moves. I fell in love with him in Maximum Risk. The scene where he was fighting in the sauna wearing only a towel was hubba-hubba!

Hugh Jackman – That sexy smile and chiseled body...sigh.

Orlando Bloom (or rather Legolas in LORT) – All that intense dialog in elvish and heroic moves with bow and arrows were really appealing. Double sigh.

What about you girls? Who did you use to swoon over?

Layer Cake for Chinese New Year

2009-01-28T21:54:00.001+08:00

Another Chinese New Year treat straight from the oven ... layer cake! I got into a baking mood this year and decided to try out the layer cake, something I have not made in over 10 years.

It took me over 4 hours to make the cake; from mixing to grilling it layer by layer. A lot of hard work but really worth the effort. The hubby says its the best cake I've made so far and has been helping himself to very generous helpings. That's about the best gratification I can get! Here are some photos of the cake... baking in the over, on the cooling rack and cut into pieces ready to be served.

Chinese New Year Fireworks

2009-01-27T09:05:00.001+08:00

Chinese New Year started of with a bang for me this year!
What better way to usher in the year of the Ox than to catch a stunning display of fireworks from my own apartment window. The fireworks came on at twelve midnight on the first day of the Chinese New Year, 26 Jan 2009.

Surprisingly this beautiful diplay was put on by the residents of one of the neighbouring houses near my apartment. As my apartment is on a hill and the source of the fireworks on slightly lower ground, the view was perfect! I'm glad I ran for my camera and managed to get a few shots of the display.

Goodie Bag from Tine

2009-01-24T00:15:00.013+08:00

Tine always reminds me of Santa Clause. Like a kid who waits for Santa to come every year, I wait for her to come home from Melbourne maybe once or twice a year. Together with another pal, we would get together to swap gossip, complains and updates on our lives.

Then Santa Tine would whip out lovely gifts for each of us. Here's her wonderful goodie bag...

Tine's goodie bags are always generously filled and usually with things we share a passion for, cosmetics and skincare products; lip balms, lip gloss from Models Prefer, hand cream, body balm and toner and moisturizer from Biotherm.

The thing I love most about the goodie bags from Tine is the variety. She has a knack for mixing things she knows I love with things that are "new" or mostly unavailable in Penang. For instance, the Biotherm products are things that are part of my skincare regime. The Softlips lip balm I absolutely adore but cannot get from here and she makes it a point to get me one every time while the others are not commonly available here and are items I have never tried.

I was already beyond thrilled with all the products I pulled out of the bag but I found the best thing of all at the bottom; a beautiful bracelet, handmade by Tine herself. The photo below does not do the bracelet any justice (Sorry, I'm quite a bad photographer :P) but the actual bracelet is simply beautiful. If Tine had not told me she made it herself I would have thought she bought it. So when she becomes a famous jewelry designer someday I can proudly say I own one of the first few pieces she made!

So Tine, thank you so much for the gifts. Now I'll have to print a t-shirt for you that says

"I gave her this beautiful gift bag and all I got was a lousy scrapbook".

"Ribbon Biscuits" for Chinese New Year

2009-01-21T23:34:00.002+08:00

Last weekend my two girlfriends and I decided to make "ribbon biscuits" for Chinese New Year! I'm not sure if this biscuit actually has a proper name but as far as I know it's called the ribbon biscuit because it looks like a nicely tied "ribbon" or more accurately bow.

The ribbon biscuits are really easy to make. The dough comes ready in strips. All we did were slice the dough into small pieces, make a slit in the middle of each piece and make a twist. Here's a picture of the nicely twisted dough.

The dough is then deep fried. It's important to control the intensity if the flames to ensure that the ribbons are neither undercooked nor burnt. Once golden, the ribbons are removed from the wok to cool.

We then packed the ribbons into clear plastic jars. A nice snack for guests who come visit during the festive season and also the perfect gift for friends, family and especially you mother in law for the Chinese New Year!

Beware though. I got myself a bit of a sore troat from standing so long near the stove. Still I had a lovely afternoon making the biscuits. I'd say it was the perfect activity for a "girly" afternoon with friends.

Comfort Food

2009-01-19T08:48:00.001+08:00

Comfort Food, a novel by Kate Jacobs revolves around Gus Simpson, veteran host on the Cooking Channel. Due to decreasing ratings of her popular show Cooking With Gusto, Gus is paired up with Carmen Vega, a former Miss Spain who is trying to break into cooking television on a new live show, Eat, Live and Be. Also, accidentally forced on the show are Gus's daughters Aimee and Sabrina, Sabrina's ex-boyfriend Troy, Gus's neighbour, disgraced tennis star Hannah and Gus's culinary producer Oliver. Together they battle out their differences and personal problems.

I felt that the pace of the book was rather slow at the beginning. I could not relate or connect to any of the characters of the book at first as they were not very well developed. However, things got upbeat and more interesting halfway through the book. Unfortunately, by the time I started to feel for the characters the story was near its finale and the story was ended rather abruptly.

Although the story could have been laid out better, it was not entirely a disappointing read. I rather enjoyed the story line and only wished it was more well developed.

I rate the book as a 6 out of 10 but would still recommend it if you are looking for some light reading material.

Yet Another Haul of Scrapbooking Material

2009-01-16T08:43:00.001+08:00

I just couldn't help myself. Smidapaper was having a sale and I found myself making plans with a pal of mine to go get more supplies together. I mean it's better to stock up when the shop is giving discounts right? That's called spending smart! (You can tell that I'm trying hard to convince myself right?)

Anyways, here's what I got:
1. Papers

2. White lace cardstock

3. Label fetti stickers (chat stickers)

4. Epoxy stickers (Dill Blossom Design)

5. Cardstock stickers

6. Distress ink in walnut satin

7. Flower embelishment

8. Tape runner refil

9. Glitter icons (it was a free gift)

Scrapbooks As Gifts

2009-01-15T08:00:00.001+08:00

There's something hugely rewarding when your friends tell you how much they love the gift you gave them. Even more rewarding when that gift is a handmade scrapbook, something you spend hours making with much love and care.

I made more copies of the So Loved minibook for 2 good friends of mine. Although I spent a few days on each of them, I sure enjoyed making the.

Girls, I hope you'll enjoy the books!

New Heartthrob

2009-01-14T10:16:00.007+08:00

Like most other girls, I've had a string of heartthrobs, hunks who would fill up the walls of my room since young. It started with Jordan Knight of NKOTB (I was about 10 ok?) Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys, Tom Cruise, Leonardo Dicaprio, Brad Pitt, Jon Bon Jovi, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Hugh Jackman, Orlando Bloom (actually the character Legolas)…. and then there’s that guy I married.

However that’s all water under the bridge now. There’s a new guy in my life, his name is Simon Baker.

I loved him as the sultry lawyer Nick Fallin in The Guardian and he was intriguing as Christian Thompsom alongside Anne Hataway in The Devil Wears Prada. (I can’t decide to love or hate his character). However, it was a recent picture of him at the 66th Golden Globes that made my heart skip a beat!

“Ohh lala!!”

I wouldn't call him drop dead gorgeous but there’s just something about him, maybe it’s the cute smile or the simple elegance he eludes but he’s my man from now (besides the one I married :P).

Another Haul of Scrapbooking Material

2009-01-06T13:05:00.002+08:00

I love scrapbooking, I honestly do! So to be a serious scrapbooker (is there such a word?) I need proper tools and materials right? At least that’s what I tell myself when I walk into a scrapbook supply store.

Every time I enter one, I loose all self control. Everything in there is just lovely and I want everything in sight. And I usually end up picking up a handful of items on each visit.

I got some essentials from Smidapaper in Penang in early December…
1. Craft punch
2. Scrapbook colors in Manila and Rose Petal
3. Distress ink in pine needles
4. Snowflake rubber stamp (which I promised myself I’d use to make lovely Christmas cards for all my friends but which has been idle till now)
5. Lovely buttons (from a craft shop in Queensbay Mall)

And even more from Papier at The Curve at the end of December…
1. More scrapbook colors in Sky and Marine
2. Liquid pearls in Platinum
3. More rubber stamps (which I promise to use for birthday and other greeting cards)
4. Chipboard frames
5. Chipboard accents
6. “Bouquet Dew” lace cardstock
7. Brown Sugar cardstock
8. Rotary Cutter

I’ll put them all to good use. I promise!...I said that the last time, didn’t I?

Bobbi Brown Makeup Manual

2009-01-05T20:52:00.008+08:00

I came across an article about Bobbi Brown’s Makeup Manual For Everyone from Beginner to Pro when I was surfing the Internet a few weeks ago. The thought of having a guide or textbook on makeup from Bobbi Brown, the makeup guru herself was totally appealing. Although the book had mixed reviews, I wanted to check it out for myself.

I had a bit of trouble finding the book at first, not being able to locate it in Boarders and Popular at Queensbay Mall, Penang. Couldn’t find it in Boarders at Times Square in KL either, but I finally located a copy at MPH, The Curve. One flip through the book and I knew I had to get it.

The book covered many basics including an introduction to the various makeup brushes, skincare and also a section on choosing the fight foundation shade. Plus, the photos in the book are absolutely lovely and there are even step by step guides on how to apply concealers, eye shadow, lipstick etc.

Another plus in the book for me was the section on makeup for Asian women especially for the eyes. I think it is fantastic that she had this in the book.

And finally, I thought the section on Who’s Who in Makeup was also great for clueless people like me.

I love Bobbi’s concept; “Women want to look like themselves, only prettier and more confident”. I think the book is great and it has inspired me to experiment a bit more with makeup. Sort of a “Makeup For Dummies” except that the advice is coming from Bobbi Brown herself.

This is one textbook I’ll be reading from cover to cover!

The Sleeping Doll

2008-12-30T17:27:00.000+08:00

What started out as just a book to fill my time while waiting for connecting flights on my last trip to Tokyo ended up keeping me awake in the hotel till 2am. The Sleeping Doll, another crime thriller by one of my favorite authors, Jeffery Deaver debuts Detective Kathryn Dance, a psychoanalyst tracking down escapee murderer Daniel Pell.

Like all Jeffery Deaver books, the main plot of The Sleeping Doll was simple; a detective trying to catch a criminal. Yet the book was intriguing with twists and turns that were totally unpredictable. I love the way the story unfolded from two different perspectives, both Kathryn’s and Daniel’s. It really plotted out their strengths and weaknesses against each other.

Halfway through the book, the story became gripping and I was not able to put the book down, hence staying up till the wee hours of the morning to finish it. A great read, with a “just right” build up, climax and ending.

And just to diverge a bit to the subject of the authour, Jeffery Deaver; many may not have heard of him, but most would have watched his book turn movie, The Bone Collector, starring Danzel Washington, Angelina Jolie and Queen Latifah.

Oddly, I read my first Jeffery Deaver novel, “The Empty Chair” on my Palm Pilot. It was one of the free e-novels that came with the Palm. The Empty Chair was the third book in his Lincoln Rhyme series (The Bone Collector was the first), and after reading it I was hooked.

I would definitely recommend the Lincoln Rhyme series to anyone who is in a void of good books to read. Not chick lit I agree but this I must add, the underlying chemistry and romance between Lincoln Rhyme and his partner Amelia Sachs so just as good, if not more alluring than any old Mill & Boons novel.

New Year's Resolutions

2008-12-28T13:00:00.000+08:00