October Beauty Highlights

I’ve been splurging on beauty products this month. Reasons: complimentary Parkson birthday gift voucher, impromptu drugstore visits and Sephora’s Black Card Member Sale (how could I pass on 20% off storewide!). On the plus side, stocking up on beauty essentials at a discounted price isn’t necessary a bad thing. On the minus side, I’m spending on things that I probably don’t need right now. Here’s my list from my recent beauty haul.

Laneige Sun Screen Supreme SPF 50 PA++ (Parkson, MYR95)

The perfect sunscreen is hard to find. My criteria checklist is pretty strict: non-oily, minimal/no scent and non-tinted. I’ve been using Laneige Sun Screen Supreme SPF 50 PA++ for over a year and I’m pretty pleased with how it’s been treating my skin. Light, no breakouts, dewy finish. I would encourage everybody to wear sunscreen on a daily basis to protect the face from harsh ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Exposure to UV radiation may cause pigmentation and accelerate skin aging. Like the old saying goes, prevention is always better than cure!

Stila Stay All Day® Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Intense Black (Sephora, MYR84)

Let me be honest, wandering around the aisles in Sephora brought me to this sleek black beauty. The bestsellers sign on Stila Stay All Day® Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner caught my immediate attention. The next thing I knew, I was paying for it at cashier!  Stila’s eyeliner comes in 13 different colors. It’s fine marker-like tip lets you create thin or thick lines according to your personal preference. Stila Cosmetics state that their #1 selling waterproof liquid liner won’t smudge or run day-into-night. I can’t wait to put this liquid liner to the test!

NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Ibiza and Sydney (Sephora, MYR33)

Matte lipstick trends are on the rise. A friend of mine recommended me to try NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream. Mind you, I noticed there are always so many people crowding around the NYX aisle during a Sephora sale! NYX price range is pretty affordable. After much swatching, I decided on two matte shades. Sydney is described as a soft lavender shade; Ibiza is a matte deep rose pink.

Pantene Pro-V 3 Minute Miracle 9 Day Treatment Program (Guardian Pharmacy, MYR17.85)

No time for hair treatment at your local hair salon? DIY! Pantene Pro-V 9 Day Treatment Program is catered for severely damaged hair to help reduce split ends. The product comes in 3 x 15ml tubes. After conditioner, apply 1 tube onto damp hair; leave it on for 3 minutes then rinse off; repeat every 3 days. Now, my hair isn’t all that damaged but it doesn’t mind some extra pampering. There’s something about the scent of Pantene products… it just smells so good.

Pantene Pro-V 10 BB Crème for Hair (Guardian Pharmacy, MYR17.90)

Pantene BB Crème for Hair is a leave on treatment helps your hair to achieve 10 factors: to prevent split ends, strength against breakage, smoothes, moisturized feel, shine, manageable, detangling, frizz control, heat protection and softness. I usually use this in the morning to control morning frizzy hair. It leaves my hair feeling moisturized and smelling absolutely heavenly before I step out to conquer my day.

Have you tried any of these products? I would love to know!

Bobbi Brown Nude Pink Blush vs. 3CE New Pink Cream Blusher Review

What type of blusher would you choose in your time of need? 

Pink/coral colours are my go-to shades for my fair pale skin.

Today, I will be comparing 2 types of blushes: Bobbi Brown Nude Pink Blush vs. 3CE New Pink Cream Blusher.

Bobbi Brown Nude Pink Blush (MYR115 from Bobbi Brown)

Bobbi Brown Nude Pink Blush 

Powder blushes are the 'traditional' type of blushes. Powder blushes work for anyone but is particularly effective for people with an oily complexion. They do such a great job at absorbing oil and grease from the surface of the skin.

The Bobbi Brown Nude Pink Blush is a silky powder blush that offers a matte finish. It is one of Bobbi's palest pink shades. Matte blushes are great for work or daytime looks.

This powder is silky, light, pigmented and so easy to apply. It gives a subtle pink flush on the cheeks that will not go unnoticed. The colour is on the lighter side so you don't have to be too cautious if you're heavy handed with blushes during applications. I used a blusher brush to apply the powder on my cheekbones. I like how it blends so naturally on my skin.

Retailing in at MYR115, you can rest assured that you are getting a good quality product. I am guilty of dropping this case on the floor, twice! Thankful, my product is still in one piece!

Wearing Bobbi Brown Nude Pink Blush

3CE New Pink Cream Blusher (MYR69 from Sephora)

3CE New Pink Cream Blusher 

On the other hand, cream blushers are great if you are after a more youthful and dewy look. Cream formulas are excellent for people who have normal to dry skin, living in cold climates or are constantly exposed to the air-conditioned environment. Cold winds and low humidity can dry out the skin causing it to lose moisture over time.

3 Concept Eyes (3CE) is a Korean makeup brand from Stylenanda that has gained popularity in recent years. Instead of a pot packaging, this product comes in a tube with a pointy lid. Personally, I find tube packaging more hygienic compared to traditional pot packaging.

The actual product is pretty in pink, smooth and creamy. There are a couple of ways you can apply the cream blusher on your cheeks: using a beauty blender, stippling brush or clean fingertips. I find using my fingertips so much more convenient.

The results: Even after applying a generous amount onto my cheeks, the colour doesn't seem to reflect on my skin. I would prefer if the colours were to stand out more. Nevertheless, it did produce a glow like dewy effect.

Wearing 3CE Cream Blusher New Pink 

Wearing 3CE Cream Blusher New Pink 

The Verdict:

Winner: Bobbi Brown Nude Pink Blush is a beautiful shade that highlights a natural pink flush on the cheeks. I would definitely recommend this product to people with a fair to medium skin tone. 

Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush Review

These were the exact thoughts that went through my mind as I glanced upon a sonic cleansing brush on display.

Question 1: 

What is a sonic cleansing brush?

Question 2 (and the most important question of all): 

Do I need to spend MYR368 on a brush to wash my face when I can use my hands for free?

Those thoughts lingered on my mind for a few months, until I saw a promotional pack for Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush. It cost me MYR378 (Original price: MYR564). What a steal!

The promotional pack consists of the following: 

- Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush with Head (MYR368)

- Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush Head (MYR97)

- Clinique Foaming Sonic Facial Soap (MYR99)

Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush is an addition to their well-known 3 step skin care regime. Unlike circular motion brushes, its sonic movement allows for gentle and deep cleansing even for sensitive skin types.

The brush head consists of two types of bristles. The white bristles are gentle and soft, suitable for cheeks. The green bristles on the other hand, are slightly firmer, targeted for hard to reach areas such as blackheads on the nose and oily T zone areas.

You can't really go wrong with this device, as there is only one button. Press once for it to start. It automatically goes off after 30 seconds so you won't overdo it. I usually spend 1 minute on my face twice a day- 30 seconds on my cheeks and chin area, and the other 30 seconds on my T-zone area (forehead and nose).

This waterproof device comes with a charging dock which charges up to 180 minutes. That's 90 days worth of battery life if you use this twice a day! I would love to bring this along in my travels but I'm afraid my 40L Deuter will not permit.

Clinique recommends the brush head to be changed every 3 months.

Clinique Foaming Sonic Facial Soap is a creamy foaming facial soap created especially for sonic cleansing and goes hand in hand with the sonic cleansing brush. This cleanser does the usual thing a good cleanser should do: remove dirt, excess oil and impurities. A pea sized amount is sufficient for me to create enough foam to cover my entire face.

Feel free to use other cleansers as long it is able to create sufficient foam. Be sure to avoid milk cleansers because they don’t create as much foam. Scrubs should be avoided as well because the combination effect of the sonic motion and scrub beads might be too harsh on the skin.

The Verdict:

My skin feels smoother and looks more radiant compared to regular hand washing. I used to have random oil seeds popping out every now and then. So far no oil seeds! Those with sensitive combination skin with an oily T zone similar to mine would be happy to hear that this product doesn't irritate or dry out the skin.

However, I was hoping that perhaps the brush could eliminate my blackheads problem for good. Though there has been a significant reduction in build ups from using this product, those stubborn blackheads require more heavy duty work  - I still require my trusty Oxy Nose Pore Strips and Laneige Blackhead Melting Gel in order to achieve better results.

Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush range caters to men and acne-prone skin too.

Word of caution: Just make sure you don't get carried away and apply too much pressure when brushing your face! It is not necessary as the sonic action will do all the work for you.

Happy brushing!

Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Christmas Set Review

In this season of advent, many beauty brand counters are offering Christmas gift sets at a discounted price.

It's also my favourite time of the year to stock up on my beauty essentials which will last me for a year. 

Origins never fail to impress me with their attractive year end deals. Not only was I smitten by their Christmas themed boxes and free beauty bags/pouches, I managed to save up to ~MYR80 on each gift set. 

I've tested A Perfect World and Dr Weil Mega-Mushroon ranges but Make A Difference is hands down, my all time favourite. 

The original set comes with:

Make A Difference Rejuvenating Cleansing Milk 50ml

Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Serum 15ml

Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment Lotion 50ml

Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment 50ml

You might want to consider trading off the cleansing milk for Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask if you have combination skin. Cleansing milk is best suited for dry skin but it isn't strong enough for oil control. Origins counter was nice enough to amend the gift set to suit my skin needs.

Make A Difference Rejuvenating Treatment is the first product I've used from Origins. It's also my favourite moisturiser at the moment. Unfortunately, they discontinued the range but it was replace by the Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment, which works just as well for me. 

It's gel crème texture makes it suitable for combination skin. Although the official website states that it's recommended for oily combination skin, I found many good reviews for dry and acne-prone skin. 

Don't be deceived by this little pot, as it can last me up to 6 months. A small amount is needed to apply throughout the entire face. No spamming required.

There is a night version of this product called Make A Difference Night. Compared to the original, it's slightly oilier and claims to have additional key ingredients to help replenish moisture lost after dark. Unless you have an extra MYR200+ lying around for a splurge, the original works just fine when applied twice a day. Results are fairly the same.  

I'm never a fan of toners that instructs one to "Drop a small amount on your palms and apply onto your face, pat dry". A cotton pad is a must for me so that I can remove any existing dirt and oil that was missed during cleansing.

Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Treatment Lotion is ultra hydrating yet able to sweep away dirt and oil to prepare skin for treatments to follow. Skin feels hydrated and light after every application.

Make A Difference Plus+ Rejuvenating Serum is my optional bit. Two reasons:

(1) Serum are generally more pricier.

(2) Adds a step to my already long enough daily regime (Cleanse, tone, moisturize, sunblock)

This product does wonders for problematic skin (e.g. dehydrated, red and rough skin). Although it is not on my must haves list, I would recommend this if you want to take that extra care and step in your daily skin care regime.

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask is a mask that you can apply before you go to bed.

If you're guilty of falling asleep with a disposable sheet mask on, this would be the perfect solution for you. Leaving on a disposable sheet mask longer than the recommended time might dry up the skin due to lack of oxygen. Unless the product clearly states that it should be left overnight, always follow the recommended time.

This concentrated creamy product will linger on your skin for the whole 8 hours during your sleep. As a result, you get to wake up to soft and supple skin to conquer your day. It smells heavenly due to its key ingredients: apricot, avocado and japanese seaweed.

Works best for dry, rough or normal skin.

Personally, I like to bring this to cold climate countries as my skin tends to get really dry during winter season.

The Verdict:

I absolutely love this gift set. It comes once in a year so quickly get them while stocks last.

In any case, Origins still have plenty of other gift sets to choose from even if you don't find this suiting your skin needs.

Merry Christmas everybody!