Female Magazines: Which one suit you most

This time I'm going to do a totally different review. I'm going to write a review on female magazines that are available in the news stand. Sometimes you can get really clueless, whether you should buy Female or Women's Weekly. I'm going to start off with 5 magazines first and then the next month I will review another five more.

Cleo
Price: RM5
Content: The fashion items featured are affordable and easily available in stores. There are loads of articles but only very few that are worth reading. Majority of the articles focus on boy-girl-relationship matters and the opposite sex psychology.
Who should buy: College students and young working adults.

Harper's Bazaar
Price: RM7.40
Content: The stuff they feature are 99% from high fashion brands such as Chanel, Valentino, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, etc. Although the price of the stuff they feature is quite ridiculous (RM27k green snake-skin clutch from Bottega Veneta), but it helps a lot in determining what's hot in the high fashion scene. You can get some inspiration by browsing through and then shop for similar trend at high street fashion. The articles are all industry based and the interviews with successful profiles are source of inspiration. I love their travel section which always feature underrated travel destinations.

Who should buy: Professionals, executives and rich tai tai. 

Women's Weekly

Price: RM5.80

Content: The products featured in this magazine are of average price. There are some celebrity gossips section to entertain you. At the same time there are good quality health articles and recipes. I think it's quite worth the money if you're a reader type of person. But if you like more product reviews then this magazine may disappoint you. 

Who should buy: Mid-age working adults, housewives

Style

Price: RM8
Content: I call this the no-nonsense fashion magazine. From the front cover to the back cover it is jam packed with clothes, handbags, shoes, beauty products and jewelry. The products they featured are skewed towards high end brands. I really love this magazine because I'm a visual learner when it comes to fashion.

Who should buy: Anyone who take fashion trend seriously.

Female

Price: RM8
Content: This magazine is one hell of an information overloaded. Their focus is on fashion and beauty products, no lifestyle writeups, motivation journal, whatsoever. And they don't only throw in stuff on their pages, they also take an extra step to teach you how to put on your makeup, hairdo, etc. It is really thick compared to other magazines and their pages are extra glossy Maybe this does not interest you, but there are a lot of small brand advertisers in it.
Who should buy: Anyone with great interest in styling.

These are the major title that we often pick up from the news stand. I hope this will help you. There are some other titles such as Marie Claire, Seventeen, Her World, Shape, etc. that I didn't put up. Let me know in the comments below if you want me to review them and I'll put it in the next month. 

Eco Friendly Makeups

Happy Earth Day everyone!!!


I am sure we constantly remind ourselves to reduce, reuse and recycle. Am I right?


I wouldn't say I'm super environmental friendly, but when I am conscious about things I should do, then I would play my part. So far I am proud of few things I practice to keep the earth healthy, like refusing plastic bags, and buying detergent from BYOB so I reduce my use of plastic bottles.  Whatever it is, we have our own ways doing things to protect mother earth.


Yesterday, when I was shopping for my beauty stuff, I was wondering what if I change all my beauty products to environmental-friendly products... That way, I can still have the usual stuff I use and on top of that, I can help promoting greener earth. I know if I'm the only one doing that, there's so little that I can help. But if all of you who read this doing the same thing... Then there might be a better impact.


Therefore, I am going to introduce you some eco-friendly beauty products so you can check it out when you're doing your beauty shopping.

1. Eco Tools Brushes
   It is made of bamboo, recycled aluminium, and natural bristles. The packaging are also recycled. The company has their own 1% to the Planet program which works hand in hand with Wildlife Alliance for various causes.
   
2. LUSH
   Do you know that LUSH was one of the very first company that produce biodegradable products. After using your shampoo and body wash, the remains that you rinse off is totally environmental friendly and chemical free. Their packaging are also made of recycled plastics. LUSH also have the policy where you can return to them the bottles and for every 5 empty bottles you will receive one complimentary product from them.
   
3. Body Shop
   Body Shop is well known for their company policy where they use mostly natural resources from fair trade community. Currently Body Shop just launched their biodegradable body shampoo called Earth Lovers. You might want to check it out. They're pretty nice.
   
4. Kiehl's 
   Kiehl's is also one of the big player that pays great concern on the environment. If you purchase their Rare Earth Facial Mask, 100% of the sale proceeds will go directly to their selected environmental charities. I think it is nice of them to create a product specially for charity purposes. 

Lastly, let me just remind you that you should reduce the amount of chemicals on your beauty products. Hence, you should go green and go vegan when selecting your skincare and makeups.


Anyway...... what are you going to do on Earth Hour?

FREE RM100 FACIAL VOUCHER FROM CELLNIQUE

I'm so stressed up with my studies right now, you can ask my friends how we share our tension together. As a result, I don't have time to bother about anything else, let alone taking care of my skin. I have too many concerns on my skin – blackheads, uneven skin tone, large pores, too dry, scar, dark circle, fine lines, you name it...I got it. Therefore, it’s time I get some serious professional treatment before it’s too late.



Cellnique is having a promotion for their treatment, I thought I should take advantage on the discount. Read on for the procedure and how you can get a discount voucher at the end of this post.

As I arrived, I was greeted by Carmen and she gone through the normal procedure to understand my skin condition more.

A series of questionnaire for me to fill up to see which area I want to focus on. I was so tempted to tick all of the boxes. Of course I want a perfect flawless skin! Who doesn't?

Carmen recommended that I go for the Reversal Shaping Carboxy Therapy because the main purpose for the procedure is to restore oxygen back to the skin cells so that the skin cells can easily recover from any damage. She further explain the benefits of this treatment, which includes:

• ·         Activate longevity genes and recondition blemished DNA
• ·         Optimize skin behaviour for a healthy looking skin
• ·         Soften fine lines and heighten skin firmness
• ·         Promote a sharper, lighter and more lifted facial features
• ·         Revive and energize the skin to create a healthy rosy glow.

The treatment room is quite cosy. Air con at the right temperature, soothing songs playing and scented oil burning. It’s so relaxing! Totally a luxury for a busy person like me. The room is also equipped with its own locker so you can store your belongings safely. 

The treatment begins with milk cleansing, followed by seaweed gel wash to remove grease and dirt from your skin. And then the Bio Renewal Masque comes next. It has pineapple extract in it which contains enzymes to fight free-radical damage and can reduce age spots and fine lines.

After that, the carboxy masque was applied for about 10 minutes. This is to restore the oxygen level in the skin cells.

After that, my face was exposed to the steamer for about 10 minutes, while Carmen did a point massage on my face. As usual, after the steamer, it’s time for extraction. This is one of the most frightening procedures for me because I had experience with really reckless beauticians elsewhere. To my surprise, it wasn’t that painful this time because Carmen didn’t forcefully press on my blackheads. In fact, she uses tweezers to pull out the blackheads, one by one diligently. Here, take a look at it:

OK. Now forget about seeing my black heads and move on with your life.

After the extraction, then comes the face massage. This is so good! And then two types of serum were applied on my face before the face gua sha. You MUST try the face gua sha. Carmen did half of my face and let me see the comparison. It’s like magic! She uses an energy stone to help me scrape my face in an upward motion to lift up my sagging skin and contour my facial features. What’s more obvious is that my dark circles were totally lightened. I’ve been looking for different remedies to reduce my dark circles but they never work. I never thought gua sha can help reduce dark circles! Totally a new discovery! When you do it, do ask the beautician to do half of your face and then you can see the result yourself. Damn... I should have took a photo for you guys to see.

The relief masque was the applied to sooth the skin after the extraction and gua sha. At the same time, Carmen did a shoulder massage to help me loosen the knots. And the entire procedure ended with a soft masque with aroma therapy eye mask.

Do I look like a mummy?

Overall, the procedure took about 2 and half hours for me. The duration is totally up to your skin condition. I feel really refreshed after the treatment. It feels as if my skin is softer and there are no rough patches around my nose area. There is an obvious difference. I’ll let you see it for yourself (this is going to be the once in my life time that I’ll show my face on this blog with completely no makeup on!!!!!!).

Now, forget about my ugly face. I shall redeem myself by posting a lot of my pretty photos soon. Let’s move on to the promotion and freebies which you're more interested in.

The treatment cost RM280 for normal price. Because I love you guys so much, I’ll tell you guys how you can receive a RM100 free voucher for any treatment you want to redeem.

Step 1: “LIKE” Cellnique Facebook page by click this link. 

Step 2: Comment on this blog post. Yes, click on the comment section below and let me know if you want the voucher. 

Step 3: Cellnique will contact you via personal message on Facebook and send you the e-voucher. 

Step 4: Arrange your appointment accordingly.

Easy right? This contest is opened for all age 18 above. But you better be quick! Because Cellnique will only issue 50 vouchers to first 50 commenters. 

Home Deco Ideas That Cost You Zero Money

A lot of you thought that home decorations will cost a lot of money and it's not worth buying useless things for display purposes only. It is wrong. Pretty home decorations depend on your creativity, not how fat your pocket is. Simply look around you, you can pick up anything as home decorations - fruits, cloth, paper bags, basically anything.


Personally, I like to use fashion accessories as home decor because they are pretty by itself (well, if it's not pretty then I wouldn't own it in the first place). If you arrange it in a way like how the boutique does, then it won't clutter your space. That way you can kill 2 birds with one stone - using it as home decor and at the same time storing your goods neatly.


Usually the fashion pieces that I use as decor would be statement rings, necklace, dresses, shoes, clutches, and perfume bottles.

Find dresses that compliment your wall color and your bed sheet. Hang them on and it will blend in as part of decor in your room. 

Pick your favorite shoe or clutch and place them in an obvious place like on the table or dresser. They look great with some embellishment such as miniature eiffel tower or photo frame or vase or flowers or anything. Put them together and you'll have a set of decor on your table.

Perfume bottles are my favorite decor items. They're so pretty and you cannot go wrong with it. Well, it smells nice too.

Hang your necklace on the wall with pretty hangers, it will instantly turn into a wall decor. It is also easier to organize your necklace when you hang them so they won't get tangled easily.

They say don't judge a book by its cover. But books with beautiful covers can make a perfect home decor. Pick up some of your books with pretty cover and put it on the chair (it was Carrie Bradshaw who started the trend of stacking up books on the chair. Not her old apartment, the books are all stacked on top of the old turquoise chair) or on your coffee table. 

If you have clear jars, fill it with smaller items such as buttons, candy, rings, beans or any colorful stuff in that matter. Pretty box is a must have for home decor. You can always hide un-glamorous stuff inside such as plaster, rubber bands, name cards, etc.


Anyway, I hope you like this post. I'll share with you some other home decor ideas the next time.

GET THE GLAMOUR IN GLITZYLAND

Notice I copied the entire blogpost previously from the site called Glitzyland? That's because I am now writing on Glitzyland.

Glitzyland is a site started by my gorgeous and bubbly friend, Christine. She is looking for writers to contribute to the site and I am the chosen one. LOL!

The content in this site is inspiring, yet fun. Go check out the site because it's the happiest place for girls on the internet!!! 

How to deal with dark circles

Dark circle is one of the hardest skin condition to get rid off. The most effective step to eliminate dark circles is to find out what is the cause. There are many causes to dark circles which include hereditary (there's no remedy for this), pigmentation, rubbing and scratching of the eyes, sun exposure, emotional stress, shadows, allergy and thinning of the skin around eye areas.

People often mistaken dark circles as one of the result of sleeping late. It is not. Sleeping late will cause puffiness around the eye area and creates shadow under the eye. It is not dark circles per se.

Below are the ways you can rely to eliminate dark circles once you know its cause:

1.  Pigmentation - Use eye cream that has whitening effect. 
2. Rubbing and scratching - Simply stop doing so.
3. Sun exposure - avoid going under the sun. Use shade and parasol if you really have to.
4. Emotional stress - Caffeine, alcohol and nicotine can be one of the cause of dark circles. Reduce its consumption and look for a healthier way to curb emotional stress.
5. Allergy - This is a serious matter. Consult your doctor.
6. Thinning of skin around the eyes - This is because the collagen level in your skin reduced as you age. When the skin starts to thin, the vascular vessels become more obvious. Take collagen supplement or food that contains high collagen.

We advise you to exercise home remedy such as placing chilled tea bags, spoon, cucumber or ice on your eyes to relax the veins. It works for temporary relief if you do it frequently.

Copied from: Glitzyland 

Where to buy OPI at cheaper price and tips

Happy Monday everyone!

The title is quite misleading. The more comprehensive title would be "Where to buy cheap branded nail polish". But one blogger has to push for the pagerank right?

Anyway, I have some sites to recommend. And these are local (Malaysia & Singapore) sites. I'm not too sure if they ship out of Malaysia & Singapore.

1. HiShop
This site is easy to navigate. They accept various methods of payment. But it's more pricey. A bottle of OPI cost about RM44. Still cheaper than buying retail.

2. Nail Fiesta
Besides nail polish, they also sell makeups and skincare products. The brands that they carry include OPI, Nubar, Essie, China Glaze, Color Club, Nail Tek, Seche, NYX, and Poshe'. This site is quite updated with new products from the different brands. But it sold out pretty fast. A bottle of OPI cost about RM33. Do check out their bargain corner. Sometimes you can find RM9 OPI.

3. Secret Allure
I've never buy from this site directly. My friend ordered from this site and I was only tumpang-ing order. The good thing about this site is they take pre-order. When there's new collection, you can pre-order the colors before it is even released. And it's not even that expensive. In fact, she sells the cheapest OPI, about RM30 per bottle. But they have very limited brands. She only sells OPI and Glitter Gal. Currently she's selling original and ready stock Banana Taipei bags too.

4. Slammin' Tips 'n' Toes
This is my favorite site because the seller is quite helpful. She has OPI, Essie, China Glaze and NYX products on her site. A bottle of OPI cost about RM33. It's pretty much updated and sold out fast. She also has loyalty program system where you can claim for voucher. For example, if you send RM400 then you'll receive a RM30 voucher.

Tips on buying nail polish online

1. Get your friends to order at the same time so you guys can share on the postage.
2. Before placing your order, go to drug store or Sephora or any shop to test out the color on your nails. Remember the name and then buy online. That way you can decide better if the color suits you or not. And you can see the real thing, whether it is too sheer or too glittery, etc. 
3. If you don't have time to go to the physical store and do swatches, there are plenty of online photos on nail polish swatches. While you're doing your online shopping, check out the swatch colors so you can decide which one to get. Normally the color on the bottles and commercial photos don't reflect the original color of the nail polish. I recommend you guys Scrangie. This blog is updated ahead of the market. She receives samples of nail polish to try out even before it is released for sale. And her photos are simply amazing. The color does reflect the real color of the nail polish. 

Tips for Sheet Mask & My Scheming Mask Review

As I am writing this, I'm actually doing my weekly mask routine. Because this mask is so damn awesome, I decided to share it with you guys. What's this super awesome mask? It's this....

It's from My Scheming 我的心機. I've tried other masks from My Scheming and they were all so so. The best is the Bird's Nest Collagen Hydrating Mask. 

As written on the back of the packet:

Bird's nest has been regarded as rare material for skin beauty, which contain natural proteins and minerals. Collagen is able to enhance skin moisture, brighten skin, and give you a red glow face. The mask which contains bird nest and collagen provide skin double moisture, and keeps sheen and lightness and elasticity on your face. Its advanced moisture factor prevents skin from dryness, coarseness and aging to improve and renew skin, and enhance metabolism. It has good effects on reinforcing skin elasticity and prevent from wrinkles and lines.

I think they have to fire their copywriter and hire a new one. Anyway, I love this mask because of its after effect, it leaves your skin squeaky clean and soft for the entire week!  And I can feel that it does slightly improves elasticity of the skin. The skin feels immediately moisturized after you rinse it. It's the most perfect moisturizing mask ever!!!

However, the downside of this product is that it is quite expensive (RM6.90 per sheet) and it is only sold in Watson. It is sold in loose sheet and it doesn't come in a box of 6 or 12 like the other My Scheming masks. I know some of you might tell me that I can find it cheaper somewhere. But let me warn you.... BEWARE OF FAKE MY SCHEMING MASKS!

I've encountered once. My friend told me that she bought it for me and it's only RM1.50 per sheet because it is sold in a box of 10. So I tried it on. The smell is different. The texture of the sheet mask is more rough and it feels different after I washed my face. After that incident, when I went back to Watson, I saw the stickers stuck on each of the mask and it says, "Sold in Watson only". So, you can't get it anywhere else but Watson.

It is seriously good. Give it a try and thank me later.

Since I'm still on the topic of sheet mask. Sheeeeeeeeeet mask ok... not shit mask. I shall also drop some tips for you all.

1. Never store your sheet mask in the fridge for more than a month. We all have tendency to buy a lot of mask and keep it in the fridge for convenience. But the fridge can actually dry up the extract of the mask. It's best to keep in room temperature and when you need to apply the mask, store it in the fridge one hour before that.
   
2. Make sure you exfoliate your skin (that means scrub in plain English) before apply the mask. It keeps your skin thoroughly clean and no dirt stuck in your pores before you put on the mask. It won't be effective if you have grease or dirt blocking your pores. The nutrients from the mask won't get absorbed into your skin.
   
3. Do apply toner with cotton pad onto your skin before you apply your mask. I suggest you use the Estee Lauder Soft Clean Silky Hydrating Lotion.This is because your skin gets softer after you tone it and it is much easier for your skin to absorb the extract of the mask.
   
4. Do not leave your sheet mask until its completely dry on your face, especially if it's moisturizer mask. A dermatologist from Aster Spring told me this. It defeats the purpose because your skin cells will also dry up and then it is as good as you're not putting any mask. 15 minutes is the maximum you can put your sheet mask on.
   
5. Immediately after you wash off your mask, towel dry and apply moisturizer to lock the moisture on your skin. May I suggest the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream. It's the best moisturizer I've ever had.
   
6. It's best to apply your mask before you sleep because after you applied it then you can go to sleep! That also means it will give your skin cells a rest. 

Enough of sharing in this post with overloaded information. Remember to try out that My Scheming Bird's Nest Mask (this is not an ad). Have a great weekend!

Imperfect Stones Ring

Currently in trend.... The imperfect stones which makes a perfect ring!

Don't you think the ring is so imperfectly beautiful? By the way, it is not my ring and the reason why I'm blogging this is because I can't seem to find it anywhere in Malaysia. I'm hoping someone might stumble upon this and tell me where I can get them.

I'm particularly attracted by the facet on the stones on the rings. I think it's simply stunning. 

If I'm not mistaken, there's a handmade jewelry shop in Auckland Parnell Street that makes these kind of ring. You just need to choose your stone and the lady will make it on the spot for you. I used to go there and sit down there for couple of hours chit chatting with the lady. Now I totally forgotten her name.

I really want the aquamarine because it's my birthstone and I am attracted to it without any explanation. Maybe it's the turquoise color. I love turquoise. It reminds me of calm blue sea.

Although they're all pretty, but I don't really like the purple stone. I think it's quartz, isn't it? 

I'm sorry if I got it wrong because I'm not good with stones other than my birthstone. Jade is not too bad. I just love any stone that's green-blue in color. It calms me everytime I see it. But jade is just too matured as most of the Chinese aunties would wear it :S

Please please please let me know where I can buy it in Malaysia. Although there are plenty online, but I don't want to buy it because the real thing they send might not be the one in the photo. I want to touch it and feel it first before I decided to buy. 

Keep Calm and Carry On

Well... Keep Calm and Carry On is the British version of our "Relaks lah babe!". I bet you see the poster like everywhere on the internet and hearing the phrase over and over again. But what's the history behind this Keep Calm thing?


This is the original Keep Calm and Carry On poster:

The rest of the history, you can watch it here:



Thanks to so many innovative awesome people, they've change the phrase to suit their situation. Here are some which I love:

And what I would hang on the wall would be these:

OK. That's all I want to share today. Now I'm going back to finish my work. Keep Calm yo!