Rounding Up September '10: Great Reads + Recent Launches + Sampling Program

Lancome's giving out free samples of their new Teint Miracle Foundation. Details after the jump!

September has come to an end, which means I need to start attending classes *groans*. It has been a busy month for me and productive too. Let's see what the girls were up to:

• You apply this deodorant once week and you're good to go. "Really works!", says Prettybeautiful
• If you're finding yourself spending too much time concealing, you wanna applying concealer after foundation -- My Women Stuff
• Don't be fooled by the Watsons VIP Card! Thanks, So Loverly, for the exposé
• Jenn from Lipglosseater is one sexy kitten with her MAC Fabulous Felines makeover
• Oldie but goodie. Beauty Up My Life tells how Bedak Sejuk makes a good oil-control mask!
• Askmewhats asks if I hide my beauty mark. As conflicting as my beauty mark is, I don't
• Can a blue/black mascara help to brighten the eyes? Read the review on Beetrice's Reviews
  

Read on to see which new brand and products have been recently launched.

Olay expanded several new products to their line -- Micro-Sculpting Serum (which I'm currently using) and Superstructure Cream for Olay Regenerist as well as CelLucent White Essence and CelLucent White Cream for Olay White Radiance.

Hugo Boss launched the sexy new fragrance for men, Bottled Night, at Zouk last Saturday. No appearance by the tantalizing Ryan Reynolds though *sighs*. Get your man a bottle, play the commercial and start imagining that he's Ryan.

Dr. Brandt Skin Care opens its first flagship store in Malaysia, located at Bangsar Shopping Center. The products are formulated with botanical ingredients using sophisticated technology as researched by the doctor himself. Now you can "Take The Doctor Home With You".

In conjunction with the opening was the launching of a new range called Time Arrest with Age Reversing Platinum Technology for loss of elasticity and sagging skin. The price point is comparable with high end departmental store brands with roughly a 20% mark-up from the US price.


Lancome has a new foundation called Teint Miracle and I've been excited to check it out since my favorable experience with the Maquiliquide Foundation. From October 1st onwards until the 31st, you can obtain a sample of this foundation from all Lancome counters upon consultation. The beauty consultant will match you to a shade and apply the foundation for you so that you can see the difference as well as learn the proper way to use it.

This sheer, lightweight foundation promises to give skin a 3-dimensional glow that looks great from every angle.


If you haven't already checked out the Skin Deco Stash Sale, please do! I have things lying around that I don't use and maybe they'd have a better home with you. At a price, of course ;)


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Beauty Budgeting Chp. 11: Don't Go Plastic Fantastic

Let's talk about that piece of PVC with the capabilities of causing bankruptcies, broken families and suicides.

How many times have you heard yourself saying:

"I'm getting my pay next month. I can pay it off!"
"But there's a 5% discount if I buy with my card."
"I'll pay the minimum first and when I get my bonus, I'll pay off everything."
"It's an emergency! It's the last one!"

What was the worse excuse you've given yourself to justify using your credit card when you shouldn't have?

Let's take a look at the reality of credit cards.

Reasoning: "I'm getting my pay next month. I can pay it off!"
Reality: Car breaks down next month and the extra from your pay goes to the mechanic.

Reasoning: "But there's a 5% discount if I buy with my card."
Reality: You can't pay up promptly an there's a penalty, your outstanding balance increases, so does the interest rate. How much was your discount again? RM5?

Reasoning: "I'll pay the minimum first and when I get my bonus, I'll pay off everything."
Reality: And when you get your bonus, you sign for a holiday to Hong Kong.

Reasoning: "It's an emergency! It's the last one!"
Reality: I understand that the palette is limited edition but it's not a matter of life and death. If you don't have the money to buy it, don't. If you wanted it so bad, you should've saved up for it. Try "My dog's sick and needs surgery" instead.

Personally, I own two Platinum cards and I don't need to be cutting them up in order to control myself. We're humans and we're gifted to have self-control, which is what prevents (some of) us from hacking that-bitch-who-stole-my-boyfriend to death. Besides, if you cut up a card, it doesn't mean that your card has been terminated. You can simply call up the bank, report it missing and get a new card within a few days. Don't forget the RM12 charge.

Money on credit is money that you don't have. It's borrowed money. How would you like to borrow money from your friends and family every time you shop? Unless of course, you have no shame. You'd prefer to borrow money from a stranger, right? And hope that you never see that person again so you won't have to pay them back? Sorry, honey. The bank's closer to you than you think and they're most definitely less forgiving than family members.

The credit card is not completely evil. It does come in handy for many situations -- purchasing air tickets online, avoid carrying a lot of money when you have to make a big purchase or travel, real emergencies, etc. For those reasons, you're using the credit card for its convenience. That's what the credit card is essentially for.

Here are a few suggestions on how you can control your credit card spending:

1. Don't own a credit card. Live on cash terms. You don't really need a credit card. Even if you do, don't make a habit out of paying with your card when you have the cash. You may not feel it now but you'll most definitely feel it later on.
   
2. If you need a credit card, you can get someone to subsidize one for you so that the principle will always know of your spending. And trust me, when it goes overboard, the principle will hunt you down.
3. Set a realistic limit to your card. For most cards, you can get the bank to set a credit limit for your card so that it'll act as a reminder if you're about to overspend.
4. Before you spend on credit, make sure that you already have the cash to pay back. In instances like purchasing air tickets, it's easier to use a credit card but if you don't have the money in hand for the ticket, you probably shouldn't be buying it in the first place. Real emergencies aside.
   
5. Put that cash aside for when you need to pay back. Some banks allow you to pay through auto-deduction from your bank account so make sure you have enough in your bank account and avoid from spending more that you have. If you're about to spend more than you have, make sure to deposit the difference into your account before the due date for payment.
   

Ultimately, the best way to not be a slave to your card is to understand the consequences of being in debt.

Growing up, I was a rather privileged child, enjoying spa treatments in places fancy enough to have elevators for cars, all at the tender age of 9. That's what well-off people do, right? What I didn't know was that my parents were living in debt and that includes credit card debts.

Fast forward into my teenage years, my parents got separated, we don't have our weekly spa trips anymore and the house is gone. Sounds tragic?

When my mom finally decided that it was time to stop making excuses and pay off her debts, it didn't take long before she stopped seeing minuses. Now in the present, we have a modest house that was bought and we can actually afford to keep and my mom still drives a 14-year-old car while I don't have my own. But we're now richer than we seemingly were before. We're now debt-free.

A lady who holds a Louis Vuitton and is RM3'000 in debt.
Or a lady who holds a Rootote and has no debt.
Who's the richer person here?

It wouldn't matter if you have all the material things to show the world when you don't actually have the money to pay for them.


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Western Mascara Review: Almay Intense i-Color Mascara + Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume Waterproof

Queen of mascaras, B, was sweet to give me two Western mascaras to try out and yes, I segregate my mascaras. If you've read some of my previous posts regarding Western mascaras, you'd know what I mean!

This time, I'm here to be proved wrong by two drugstore volumizing mascaras -- Almay Intense i-Color Mascara and Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume Waterproof.

Believe it or not, I actually like them *GASPS!*. Read on for the full review.


The Almay Intense i-Color Mascara in Black Flash is formulated to enhance the appearance of brown eyes using light Interplay technology. I don't know how the technology works but I do know that Almay has several types of black for this range, each catered to different eye colors.

The brush is pretty big but (lol. big but) it has a pointed tip with long brush bristles. Every lash gets coated and separated including the bottom lashes.

What I love most about this mascara is the fact that it curls lashes without needing an eyelash curler. That’s a very rare feature for a mascara! The curl looks natural and holds up throughout the day. For a more dramatic effect, the mascara can be layered on but at times it may turn clumpy. It’s not stated on the package that this mascara is waterproof but I’ve experienced no smudging or flaking. It’s non-washable so you’d need to use a makeup remover to remove this one.

I know it doesn't look all that impressive in pictures but this is one of those mascaras that I reach for often and tote around in my bag. The mascara lengthens and thickens lashes modestly, which I really like for daily use.

The only thing that I don’t like about this mascara is that it dries out too quickly and then it’d start to look flaky. But then again, it could be because I’ve been using this mascara so often that it dries out faster than my other mascaras do.

For daily use, this one’s a keeper.


This has got to be one of the most popular drugstore mascara available in the Western market. The Cover Girl Lash Blast Volume Waterproof Mascara. There are several other variations in the Lash Blast range -- Length, Luxe, and Fusion. The color that I have is in Very Black.

The biggest issue with this mascara is its obscenely massive brush. Look at it. It’s huge! The silicone brush has short stubby bristles that don’t comb through lashes well. It’s also almost impossible for me to coat my bottom lashes without getting mascara all over the place, which means I’ll always need cotton buds on hand when I use this mascara. Even the tube is super bulky.

This one’s waterproof and was relatively difficult to remove. Waterproof formulas repel water thus, it prevents water droplets in the air from weighing the lashes down which is often the cause of non-waterproof mascaras not being able to hold a curl. For that reason, I have doubts that the non-waterproof Lash Blast would be able to hold a curl just as good as this one can. However, this "theory" may not apply to all non-waterproof mascaras. My Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash holds a curl pretty well!

The effect is quite impressive as the mascara gives me significantly lengthened, individually thickened lashes and holds up the curl insanely well. My eyes look completely opened up – as though I’m surprised. Constantly. A rather peculiar expression to hold, don’t you think?

Despite how well the mascara worked, I just couldn’t deem it a favorite. The humongous brush itself was unbearable and I guess the mascara made my lashes lack wispiness. I like dark, thick, curly lashes that flutter. The Lash Blast makes my lashes look straight and stiff. It doesn’t look bad, as you may agree, just weird.

Almay Intense i-Color Mascara and Cover Girl Lash Blast Waterproof Mascara retail at Drugstore.com for USD$7.49 and USD$8.50 respectively. Both brands are not available in Malaysia. They're available in Australia so if you have friends there, you know what to do!


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Calling Out All Pet Lovers!

Every one of them has a story.
Some begin with the sound of a rustling plastic bag sealed tight, running out of air.
Or live several chapters begging for food to feed their young ones only to be kicked and beaten.
Others are left in a cardboard box, cold and wet, not knowing if they'd live another day.
Pet Epicure has given them a new beginning.
Now it's your turn to love them and give them a chance to have a happy ending.

Pet Epicure will be running a Cat Adoption Drive on the 23rd and 24th of October, 2010. If you're thinking of adopting a cat, take your pick.

Even if you're not, please spread the word. It wouldn't take much to share an image or this link on your Facebook profile, blog or twitter. Someone out there is looking for a cat and they're all waiting to be loved. Who knows? You may just fall in love, like I did.

*Pet Epicure is also looking for sponsors to help fill their goodie bags (will be given to adopters). If you think you'd be able to contribute, please drop me a line at skindeco.net@gmail.com

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Review: Milani Glimmer Stripes -- Dupe Alert!

What does the Milani Glimmer Stripes remind you of?

Concentrate on the pan...

1/5 the price and possible dupe? Read on.

One look at the Milani Glimmer Stripes in Terra Glimmer and I'm reminded of Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Apricot (Limited Edition color). A square with five strips of colors somewhat corresponding to each other. The function's the same: use individually as an eyeshadow, blush and highlight or swirl together for an overall glow. The size's about the same too.

Terra Glimmer has one highlight shade, two bronzer shades and two blush shades. However, they're all on the sheer side so don't expect the colors to show up intense, especially when swirled.

After looking at swatches of Apricot Shimmer Brick, I believe that both colors are in the same region when swirled, which is sheer and warm. The biggest distinction would be that Shimmer Brick is a lot more, um, shimmery. Read this review and you'd know that the shimmers were the biggest turn-off for me.

First I'd take the bronzer strips and apply it to the bottom portion of my cheeks, the blush strips to the middle and the highlight strip to the cheekbones.

So, what you'd get from Terra Glimmer is slightly sculpted cheeks and a warm peachy glow minus the shimmer. While the glow isn't as intense as those provided by regular glow powder, this one is certainly daytime and workplace appropriate. Of course, I wish the color was more pigmented thus, those with lighter skin tones would probably look great with this.

I wouldn't say that the Glimmer Stripes is an exact dupe of a Shimmer Brick but they serve the same purpose and I actually prefer using Glimmer Stripes. Say "NO" to disco fever!!
Available in many colors.

Now that I think of it, Milani makes a lot of dupes. Their blush in Luminous is a dupe for NARS Orgasm and a select few of their eyeshadows are similar to MAC colors (will feature them next time).

Milani's not available in Malaysia but they're sold on Nonpareil Boutique and Cherry Culture for less than USD$8. Both websites ship internationally but the rates are high. Another option would be to purchase this via sgDrugstore.
He's currently doing a Cherry Culture spree!


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Bee-stung Lips, Anyone?

Katy Perry's "I Kissed A Girl" was inspired by Scarlett Johanson's luscious pucker.
Google "Bee-stung lips" and hundreds of Angelina Jolie's pictures pop up.

Do you have aspirations for bee-stung lips?
What lip plumpers have you tried?
Did they work?
Would you ever consider cosmetics procedures to get fuller lips?

Read on.

This post was initially meant to be a review post but as it turns out, Benefit.com no longer sells Color Plump and I'm not sure if it's still available locally. Oh well.

The color that I'm wearing is Yoo Hoo. After 30 seconds of application I can feel my lips tingling and I think it did make my lips fuller just a tad. The effect looks the most obvious when a layer of gloss is slicked over the Color Plump. Besides, I'm not a fan of the metallic color that accentuates lines.

With lip plumpers, I believe in keeping expectations low. If the product is able to make the lips look more supple and "cushiony", it's good enough for me.

Besides, nobody really wants bee-stung lips, do they?

Photo credits: Allure, LiveIndia, W.H.Y. Trap


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Review: Bonaquin Gold Mask

Yes, I'm well aware that it's not Halloween yet but I can't help booming "I. AM. IRONMAN!" every time I put on the Bonaquin Gold Mask.

Though the mask doesn't give me superhuman strength, it has the power to whiten, moisturize, minimize pores, control oil, tone, lift and restore elasticity.

Let's find out if the Bonaquin Gold Mask is as powerful as it claims to be or if we need to call in the War Machine instead.



The mask's sachet is A4 size -- pretty huge! The label's printed on gold foil to symbolize the 24k gold flakes contained in the mask. Kinda had to squint to make out the words but it's just basic instructions on how to apply the mask, the benefits as well as the ingredients.

"Gentle, but highly effective, 24K Gold Flakes/Collagen Mask penetrates quickly & deeply into the skin layers and boosts rejuvenation on the cellular level. Gold Collagen Mask delivers its nutrients deep below the skin, thereby fighting the underlying causes of facial wrinkles and aging skin. Not only does it help reduce the appearance of existing signs of aging, but also helps prevent future wrinkles from forming and restores a healthy, radiant complexion." -- Zetafera

Unlike most sheet masks that are made of cotton sheets, the Gold Mask is a jelly-like sheet that conforms to the contours of your face as it warms up with your body temperature.

Upon application, it felt like I was putting Kool Fever on my face but the cooling effect only lasted for a minute or two. The mask, while packed in herbal-smelling essence, isn't exactly soaked so it sort of traps the essence underneath. No drippy and constantly wet feeling. You'd think that a face-conforming mask would adhere very well but this one doesn't at all. If you remain in an upright position, which I do because I like to do other things while I mask, the mask will start to slide and peel off. In other words, you'll be forced to lie on your back as you mask. Annoying but in a way it's a good thing because you're encouraged to relax.

Another thing that annoyed me was the shape of the mask. The slits were small and not well-positioned so even if it adhered well, I wouldn't have been able to see or speak properly with this on. The nose flap also does not cover the nose area thoroughly which is a shame because the nose area is one that's most in need of pore-minimizing and oil-control.

Overlooking its faults, does the Bonaquin Gold Mask really work?

If you use it often enough, probably.

I did experience every benefit that the mask claimed. My skin was brightened, more plumped up and firm, my pores looked smaller, my skin felt more hydrated but at the same time, not oily. The benefits seem contradicting (moisturizing vs oil control?) but I'm assuming that the mask strives to bring skin to a balance which is what everyone ultimately hopes to achieve.

I like to call this an easy home facial. Exfoliate and follow with this mask, by the end of it, you'll look like you've been freshly out of a facial.

Check out Ee Von's review. She has pretty convincing pictures!

At RM10 per sheet, it's cheaper than going to a facial salon but don't expect any long term effects unless you use this several times a week.

Ingredients: Water, Propanediol, Glycerol, Phyto-collagen, Seaweed Polysaccharides, Vitamin-C, Methyl Glycine, Allantoin, Rose Oil, Hyaluronic Acid, Coenzyme Q10, Gold Powder, Phenoxyethanol

Bonaquin Gold Mask is available from Zetafera.

*The product featured in this post was provided by Zetafera for the purpose of review on Skin Deco


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Review: Skinfood Salmon Dark Circle Concealer Cream

Nikki's posts can be very persuasive and her amazing before-after pictures did me in. Thanks to Xin who picked up the Skinfood Salmon Dark Circle Concealer Cream for me when she was in Korea! Don't worry, this one's easily available in Malaysia, just a tad more expensive.

Read on for the full review and MY before-after shots.

Skinfood believes in makeup that's good for the skin and they didn't put the word "Salmon" in the name of this product without a reason. This concealer contains -- VEGAN ALERT! -- Salmon oil (rich in Omega-3 and Vitamins A and E) that helps moisturize your under eye area as you conceal. I doubt that the amount is sufficient to make any difference at all but hey, if you aren't a skeptic like I am, you could experience faith-healing! By the way, the concealer doesn't smell like fish. I checked.

As you can probably tell just by looking at the jar, this peachy concealer is creamy. One dab with your finger will pick up ample of product (enough for one eye if you have a mild case) that spreads like a dream. Pat pat pat and the concealer will look streak free. The pot's not only pretty, it's huge too so the 10g will last you!

The result is rather impressive if you're not expecting to completely erase your dark circles rather, to even out the color and brighten your eye area. My eye area did not dry out from it, my lines did not accentuate and the staying power was good. I was pretty much settled that this was gonna be my newest favorite concealer.

Sadly, in time, I found a few things that I didn't like. Despite getting the darker color in #2 Salmon Beige, it's still a shade too fair than how I usually prefer my concealers. If I got too tanned, I can pretty much forget about using this concealer. Also, at times, the concealer can give a pink cast that would look oddly cool against the rest of my warm complexion. Ok, it's not a big deal and I doubt anyone could even notice it but when something seems "off", it irritates the hell out of me no matter how petty.

In the end, I had to treat this as a corrector rather than a concealer, which means I'll use a light layer of this first and then top with a concealer that is closer to my skin color. Nevertheless, this concealer gets used quite often but I rotate it with the Graftobian HD Creme Corrector in Soft Orange. If only Skinfood had Graftobian's color!

Skinfood Salmon Dark Circle Concealer retails at all Skinfood counters and outlets for RM46.90/10g.


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Beauty News: Graftobian and Max Factor in Malaysia!

A massive thank you to Cecobi for tipping me off with this info.

After my review on the Graftobian HD Creme Foundation, many of you asked me where you can purchase this in Malaysia and truthfully, I had no idea. Recently, a Beauty Expo was held in the KL Convention Center and apparently, there was a booth selling Graftobian. Cecobi purchased the HD Creme Foundation for RM120. Not cheap! But if you're a certified makeup artist (or have friends who are) they may be able to get a discount. I'm guessing that they supply to makeup schools and makeup artists but I'm not sure if they sell to end users. You can try though. Here's the seller's info:

HD Makeup Asia
Showroom
Unit 3A20, 4th Floor, Block A, Lift Lobby 4, Damansara Intan
No 1, Jalan SS20/27, 47400 Petaling Jaya
Tel (office): 03-92079673
Tel (sales): 016-206 6337

Read on for details of Max Factor in Malaysia!

Veteran makeup brand, Max Factor, will be coming (back) to Malaysian shores as confirmed by this article. You may have heard that Max Factor is pulling out from the US but it will remain available in other countries. What's perplexing to me is that Max Factor will be sold through department stores. You see, Max Factor has always been a drugstore brand with drugstore prices. Here's to hoping that they won't jack up the prices too much! As much as I lixed Max Factor's legendary 2000 Calorie Mascara, I wouldn't want to be paying a MAC-equivalent price for it!


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Review: Liese Designing Jelly + Hair Cocktail

My hair enjoys going against my will but at the same time, I don’t like dealing with it. I have a hair straightener that I use more often on my clothes than on my hair. So, what’s a lazy girl to do?

That’s where Liese’s Designing Jelly and Hair Cocktail come in to make hair-styling effortless just by using fingers.


Designing Jelly

The gooey serum has a floral fragrance and as it dries it’ll start to feel a little tacky. Initially, I expected the Designing Jelly to be some sort of substitute for hair gel or wax especially when IV: Move & Flow (for Movement and Definition) claims to have the strongest hold. However, it’s really more of a moisturizing serum that keeps hair from straying and to create body without the heaviness.

What I like to do is spread one pump of the serum on my palms and crunch the ends of my hair to bring out its natural wave. My hair wouldn’t feel oily or hard at all and a lot more comfortable than using wax.


I passed the product on to a friend of mine with permed hair. She too found it moisturizing and it prevented her hair from frizzing. It didn’t hold the curls as well as wax and hairspray did but it made her curls look softer at the end of the day.

If you have natural waves like AngMoGirl does, you'll love the Designing Jelly for making your waves look "well-pronounced".

Hair Cocktail

When I’m going for something more natural that doesn’t look like I just got out of bed, I reach for the Hair Cocktail. The hair serum comprises of two layers of liquids which need to be mixed before using. The scent is divine. It smells like a blend of tropical mangoes and peaches, I could almost gulp it down.


I use about a 20 sen size, smoothed all over my hair and comb through with my fingers. In no time, my hair would all be in place. However, it can make my hair oilier and flatter than usual which is not a good thing since I don’t wash my hair every day. There’s a lighter version though.

Liese Designing Jelly and Hair Cocktail are available from leading pharmacies (Watsons, Guardian, AEON Wellness) for RM32 each.


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Review: Clarins Shaping Facial Lift Lipo-Drain Serum

Asian women often hope for sharper facial features. However, it’s a challenge even for a thin person since Asian women have particularly prominent fat pockets on their faces (two on the cheeks, two under the jaw and one under the chin). Some have even gone to extremes such as getting their molars pulled out or facial liposuction just to achieve the perfect V –shaped contour.

The new formulation of Clarins Shaping Facial Lift Lipo-Drain Serum addresses this concern safely and painlessly.

The Shaping Facial Lift is used as a pre-treatment thus, it wouldn’t interfere with your current skin care regimen. Instead, it prepares the skin for better absorption of following treatments. The serum works by achieving an optimal lymphatic and blood circulation which in turn will help release toxins and fats from the skin and also prevent water retention that causes puffiness.

First and foremost, let's talk packaging. As elegant as the pump bottle looks, it doesn't function very well. The pump feels as though it's not strong enough that when I pump out the product, some of it will drool down the side, creating a bit of a mess. Also, it's slightly irritating not being able to see how much product is left in the opaque tube especially when the tube already feels rather light when it was new.

Thankfully, the content satisfied. The serum pumps out to look like lotion and has a rather distinct herbal-floral scent. Once the serum is spread on the palms, the lotion warms and immediately melts into a gel, which is then patted onto the face, from the center outwards. The enveloping scent is almost aromatherapeutic and lingers during the Manual Auto-Lifting Method. As the serum is pressed into the skin, it absorbs readily without feeling sticky or heavy at all.

The Manual Auto-Lifting Method is recommended when using Shaping Facial Lift because it aids lymphatic and blood circulation, consequently boosting the efficiency of the serum. It felt kinda odd having to do those steps but after getting a hang of it, it didn't take up much of my time and I actually found it to be a bit of a stress-reliever and relaxant before bed. Step #2 feels especially good as the tension is released and Clarins even suggests to do that step longer if you wish. The method relies on the weight of your own head so you won't be applying any strength to create extra pressure on your face.

Immediately after using the serum, I could feel that my skin was especially smooth and supple. In addition to that, the texture of my skin looked fantastic -- tightened pores and plumped up lines. After a month of using this together with my existing skin care products, I've noticed my skin to be firmer, toned and more lifted with less expression lines especially on my neck and forehead. Which made me think, this is almost the same as getting a neck liposuction. With better blood circulation, I looked less pale too even without makeup.

While I couldn't think of a sure fire way to measure the efficiency of this serum in shaping my face (PrettyBeautiful thought of a brilliant method!), I did notice that my jawline looked more prominent and my cheekbones were more noticeable. Also, I've had more angles to choose from in photos which was interesting because I usually only have that one angle. To a certain extent, the product did help to create more obvious contours but not necessarily a V shape. I'd need to lose weight first! ParisB has visual proof that the Shaping Facial Lift works.

Nevertheless, I can definitely attest to it being great for reducing water retention. On the rare occasion, I like to have supper and whenever I eat anything salty, my face will just balloon up the next morning. For the past two months, I haven't had that problem and I took things for granted. Just one week of not using the serum (because I was testing out some other products) and one fine night of sinful instant noodles in the wee hours, I woke up the next day looking like a blimp.

All in all, this would be a product for those with concerns of their facial contours or if you're just looking for something that acts as a pre-treatment. You may even want to consider this as a lipo alternative. I wouldn't say that this is a necessity but if it fits your budget, it'd make a decent addition to your skin care regime.

Clarins Shaping Facial Lift retails at Clarins counters and Institute Clarins for RM225/50ml

Take the Clarins Perfect V Challenge and you could stand a chance to win a stay at the Four Seasons Resort, Langkawi!
Receive a complementary consultation and two samples when you register with Clarins.

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Music Video Inspired Tutorial: "Love The Way You Lie" by Eminem Ft. Rihanna

I asked on Twitter and Facebook if anyone could guess the inspiration for this look and only one managed to! And I thought the hoodie would be a dead giveaway. "Love The Way You Lie" by Eminem featuring Rihanna is one of my favorite songs at the moment and the moment I saw Rihanna's makeup, I knew I had to recreate it. Uh, Megan Fox is so hot in the video too. Should I do a tut for her makeup? It's pretty simple though.

Read on for more pics and product listing!

Thank goodness the music video was HD on YouTube. I based this look off the stills. It was a dark greyish purple smokey, black-rimmed with fluttery lashes. The cheeks were orange and lips were a glossy nude pink.

My interpretation is not completely exact but the idea is there, I think.


Items Used:

Face:
I Nuovi Illumina Skin Illuminating Pre-Makeup Base in Divine
Revlon PhotoReady Foundation in 006 Medium Beige
Skinfood Salmon Dark Circle Concealer Cream in #2
Maybelline Mineral Power Natural Perfecting Concealer in Sand
Ben Nye Banana Visage Luxury Powder

Eyes:
elf Mineral Eyeshadow Primer
Ben Nye Lumiere Creme Color Wheel -- Purple
MAC Eyeshadow in Fig. 1
MAC Eyeshadow in Tete a Tint
MAC Eyeshadow in Thunder
MAC Eyeshadow in Signed Sealer
Stila Eyeshadow in Wheat
I Nuovi Pencil Liner in Black
MAC Eyeshadow in Typographic
Maybelline The Colossal Mascara
Red Cherry Lashes in #523
Shu Uemura Hard 9 Eyebrow Pencil in Seal Brown

Cheeks:
I Nuovi D36 Colours Blush in Astro
MAC Blush in The Perfect Cheek

Lips:
MAC Lip Liner (neutral color, don't know the name)
MAC Lipstick in Marquise D'
Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss Reflect in #127

Without Flash

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