Something Borrowed Something Blue

The "Blue" refers to the colour of the sky where I am now: Indonesia. So far I've been to Jakarta, Bandung, and Yogyakarta to visit my parents and the many relatives that come with them - my mum and dad have 6 (six) siblings each. It has been good to be here, as hubby gets to meet lots of my relatives he hasn't met before.

The "Borrowed" refers to the fact that I'm typing this from my cousin's computer, which also explains my absence. Not to fear, I have loads of photos to upload from this trip. I still don't know when or where I would be able to update this blog next. If I don't see you 'till the new year, rest assured that I'm (hopefully) still alive and well, but computer-less. :)

With this I'd like to wish you all a blessed new year ahead. Thank you for being my cyber-friends. :D

Mystery Giveaway

Originally I was planning to do a "Relocation Giveaway" since I found out that we're moving overseas again. Then last week I was sick with nanovirus. Plus I had to sort out lots of things. God willing, in less than 12 hours we're flying off to meet my parents for Christmas in Indonesia. In short, I didn't have time to take pictures of things I wanted to share with you. Therefore the "Mystery Giveaway"! :)

All good things comes in three. So you could be amongst the THREE winners who would receive any of these goodies (and more):

- something pink and something green,

- something silver and something black,

- something white and something rainbows.

Rules:

1. The giveaway is open internationally, excluding Martians and aliens from other planets.

2. You get 1 chance for being my follower/subscriber (buttons on the left) - only do it if you like reading my musings, skincare/makeup rave & rants, and love seeing my travel pictures. Make sure you leave a comment under this post to say you're entering, otherwise I'm asumming you're not interested to enter.

3. You get 2 more chances for spreading the word about this mystery giveaway. Do a blog post (using the above picture)/Tweet/Facebook/Friendster/whatever about it. Please attach the link so I know you've done that.

4. Open from now until end of 31Dec 09 31 Jan 10. Three (3) winners will be chosen using random.org after the closing date.

I'll give you glimpses of the prezzies through pictures once I get the time and the internet connection to do it. (edit: I've added the photos of some of the prezzies here and also here.)

All for now, have to sleep, ready for my flight later! :)

 

Random Acts Of Kindness from The Fairy

I'm a very grateful recipient of a RAOK today. Few days ago I asked Karen from The Graphic Fairies whether she has any graphic of "Christmasy musical cats". When I opened my computer this morning, there was this message from her sitting in my mailbox, saying that my request has been granted!

Here is the fabulous picture she hunted for me. It really brightens my otherwise disastrous week - and I'm supposed to be flying off on Thursday!!!

No7 Quick Thinking 4 in 1 wipes

I bought No7 Quick Thinking 4 in 1 Wipes when Boots had £5 discount voucher sometime ago. I wouldn't have paid the £6.50 otherwise, as to me cleansing wipes are just wipes that can't replace the job of a proper cleanser.

The blurbs on the webpage: "These gentle, fragrance-free wipes are especially created for your busiest days. No7's make-up wipes are enriched with Pro Vitamin B5 to moisturise and soften, plus natural extracts of Witch Hazel and Fennel to clear pores and leave your skin feeling smooth and fresh. ■Hypo-allergenic ■Dermatologically tested ■Fragrance free"

Well, the "hypo-allergenic" tag didn't go well with me, the wipes produced stinging sensation on my skin. Especially when used near the eyes. How am I supposed to remove my eye makeup and mascaras without being able to wipe comfortably near my eyes?! Those wipes are a bit on the small side, too.

Yes, I used the whole packet up to wipe my neck, purely because I don't like to waste anything. No, I won't be buying another one. It's not making it to my Christmas list either.

Verdict: an expensive face wipes that stings my skin.

Ingredients: Aqua, Cetearyl isononanoate, Ceteareth-20, Cetearyl alcohol, Sodium citrate, Propylene glycol, Foeniculum vulgare, Panthenol, Hamamelis virginiana, Phenoxyethanol, Glyceryl stearate, Glycerin, Citric acid, Methylparaben, Ceteareth-12, Disodium EDTA, Propylparaben, 2-Bromo-2-nitropropane-1, 3-Diol.

I Lied

Yes, I lied, my dear readers. Not intentionally, you'll read my excuses further down this post. Since it's a season of goodwill, I trust you'll find it in your heart to forgive me my transgressions.

1. My photo of my many eyeliners: they're not pictures of every single eyeliners I have. There are more inside the storage space in other town that I've forgotten about. Oops...

2. My post about turning orange: Warm Peach only turned me slightly orange, not totally orange. It was "In the Buff" (original shade) that turned shockingly orangey on my skin. It wasn't that bad when mixed with the Finishing Powder.  Eh, why am I apologizing for, turning me orange in whatever degree is still turning me orange, right? Right?! (Note to self: should've deleted this confession, I didn't really lie about it.)

3. I said I prefer to use the Emergency Gel in the evening. It was true at the time I wrote it, but not anymore. Bear with me, it's going to be a long list of "because" here... At that time I was in the early stage of using A'kin White Tea & Aloe Vital Hydration Gel Creme that was sent to me by A'kin. I thought I could use this in the mornings instead of the Emergency Gel.

As it turned out, my skin didn't love the Gel Creme. In the few weeks of using it, I discovered that everytime I used it in the morning, in the evening I would find some congested spots on my skin. This little spots stopped happening when I stopped using it.

I was really sad, as I LOVE everything else about it: the gorgeous scent, the texture, the way it worked well as a base, and being a "natural" product with an ingredients list that looks yummy & wholesome... I thought I had found an HG moisturiser! Sad.... :(

As you know I have acne-prone oily/combination skin, which could be why the phrase "for combination & oily skin" on this product didn't apply to me. Having said that, I still think it has the potential to be a really good moisturiser for the right skin type for the reasons I mentioned above.

So yeah, that's my confessions for today. I don't think I've lied to you about anything else. As far as I'm aware of.

Oh, yeah. The ingredients list, as always: lovingly typed by yours truly from the box. Please don't copy it (or any part of my blog posts in that matter) without linking back to me, it's called "stealing the work of others who've spent time and efforts typing it". I can easily trace you through my Fair Share feeds.

Ingredients: Aqua (purified Australian water), aloe barbadensis leaf juice (50%), cetearyl olivate (and) sorbitan olivate (from cold pressed olive oil), panthenol (pro Vit B5), tocopheryl acetate (Vit E) (botanical source), glycerin (botanical source), sorbitol (from GMO free maize), glycerin (and) aqua (and) anthyliss vulneraria (woundwort) flower extract, maltodextrin (GMO free) (and) camellia sinensis (white tea) leaf extract, maltodextrin (GMO free), centaurea cyanus (cornflower) flower extract, phenoxyethanol, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, bisabolol (botanical source), xanthan gum, alpha lipoic acid (botanical source), ethylhexylglycerin, sodium gluconate (from GMO free corn), citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil (bergapten-free), caprylic/capric triglyceride (from coconut & palm) (and) carotenoids (from marine algae), rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract [CO2] (and) caprylic/capric triglyceride (and) lecithin (and) tocopherol, citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) flower oil (neroli), citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) leaf oil (petitgrain), fusanus spicatus wood (West Australian sandalwood) oil, d-limonene, farnesol, geraniol, linalool.

Norovirus

Don't let the pretty pastel colours deceive you (originally from here). They're not an advert of the latest makeup range that I'm interested to get. They're actually pictures of horrible creatures called Noroviruses.

Why the sudden interest? They're the cause of my recent suffering. The doctor at A&E told me so this morning. It's also somehow beauty-related, as being infected has left me feeling (and looking) very dehydrated, my combination/oily skin becoming very dry. Flaky skin isn't a trendy look, I'll say! Not to mention the effect dehydration has on my brains - personally I think my IQ level has gone down a couple of notches...

Here are some descriptions taken from NHS webpage.

"The symptoms of a norovirus usually start between 24-48 hours after the initial infection, although they can start after as little as 12 hours. The first symptom is usually a sudden onset of nausea, which is followed by projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea. Some people may also have: a mild fever, headaches, stomach cramps, or aching limbs.

In rare cases of the norovirus, seizures can occur. Symptoms normally last between 12-60 hours, although most people make a full recovery within one to two days. However, the diarrhoea may last slightly longer."

If you're interested to know more, clicking on "NHS webpage" will bring you straight there.

A Happy Bunny...

... I am not.  Warning: this post can be gory for some people

It all started on Wednesday evening. I felt a bit unwell, like having a little cold. Then in the middle of the night I suddenly woke up feeling terrible, I felt like vomitting. Which I did. Big time.

Yesterday I had fever & couldn't eat anything whatsoever. I tried eating a piece of oatcake, the poor oatcake didn't stay down for long. That was all I ate. I tried to drink loads of water to compensate & failed miserably. Only managed to sip about 500ml of water throughout the day.

This morning I felt much better (after throwing up in the middle of the night). So I asked hubby to make me some scrambled egg. It's been an hour & it's still down. Fingers crossed I can start eating again today. I LOVE my food!! I hate not being able to eat anything. Most of all: I hate being sick. Just before we fly away to visit my parents next week...

End of WOTD (= whinge of the day).

Edit: food managed to stay down all day. Then I had dodgy tummy... :(

Travel photos from Delhi, India

Welcome to India! The "India" sign decorating the top of the arch was the official start of our adventure in Delhi back in 2002. :)

One of the amazing minarets we saw there.

Suprisingly lush garden surrounding the minaret - we went at the height of summer! As you can tell I'm over-compensating the freezing English weather with dreams of hotter weather. Mind you, not too hot or I'll die...

You know how much I love quirky old buildings & architecture. Here I present some for your enjoyment. Hope you like them. :)

Which one is your favourite?

If you missed it, check out my previous post: pictures from my visit to Taj Mahal in Agra.

English Winter Wonderland

No, it isn't snowing yet here, the above picture was taken last winter.

It's freezing today. I tell you, walking in a winter wonderland it is not. I like cool weather, not cold and wet windy weather! All my winter coats are in the storage in other town. Not in the mood to buy another one as we might be heading to the southern hemisphere soon...

Just curious, what's the weather like in your part of the world at the moment?

Lily Lolo Finishing Powder: Flawless Matte

I bought Lily Lolo Finishing Powder in Flawless Matte together with some sample size mineral foundations. It's been a long day for me, travelling to other town and sorting out some stuffs in anticipation of another move to another place. So I'll keep my review short and direct.

The blurb on the webpage, "A white mineral powder with oil absorbing properties for a flawless matte finish."

Is it a white mineral powder? Yes - see the ingredients list below.

Does it absorb oil? Yes - must be the kaolin absorbing all the oil. It kept my face matte for an hour or two before my face started shining again. Have to keep on re-applying: not so practical.

Does it give flawless finish? Kind of. IMO it works just like other mattifying powders.

What do I use it for? To lighten the shade of mineral foundations that are too dark for me.

Verdict: my normal powder works as well as this finishing powder. The only reason I would purchase it again is because it contains minimum amount of ingredients. Which means lesser chance of my skin being irritated by it. Perfect for sensitive skin.

Ingredients: Kaolin, Mica, Cl77019

Crime Against Humanity

I've given you pictures of the suspects and the crime scene. Now I'm telling you about the incident that lends it's nature to the title of this post.

It all started on a lovely morning at Fowey on that fateful day. Hubby & I had been enjoying our walk around the area, our eyes alertly spying for interesting things to see (and eat). Old buildings, fudge shop, numerous eateries and craft shops - including one weird one that sold jewelleries & trinkets made in Indonesia. Weird, I thought they're supposed to sell local crafts, as in made in Cornwall, not Indo!

Originally we wanted to eat fish & chips. Got distracted, bought the scrumptious-looking Cornish pasties instead. I bought a normal-sized vegetable pasty. Hubby bought the biggest meat pasty available. It was HUGE, much bigger than the giant size that are normally sold as "extra large". I tried persuading him to downsize his order as he was supposed to be on diet. He didn't budge. Well, he's definitely Mr Greedy where food is concerned!

So. Food bought, we made our way to the waterside, hoping to find a seat where we can eat our pasties. The seats were full, so we decided to start munching on our food while strolling near the water. The view was absolutely stunning.

Hubby was happily enjoying his Jumbo pasty when suddenly, lo & behold, three docile-looking seaguls started attacking him. One swooped down from above, one from the front and one from the back. They were all aiming for one thing: the Jumbo pasty!! The attack was so sudden, so organized and so vicious, hubby couldn't defend himself.

Imagine the scene: the half-eaten pasty fell to the ground, hubby almost fell to the sea below, I screamed in shock as the seagul who attacked from behind came very close to my head, people nearby shocked by the commotions. Next, still in a daze, hubby was determined not to let the seaguls win, so he kicked the pasty to the corner, hoping the seaguls won't be able to pick his (now fallen) prized pasty. It went down to the sea instead, afterwhich the culprits merrily consumed their loot.

It was a really good home-video material, pity no one had their video on us at that time.

A man (possibly a local?) approached us and said, "I hope you're okay. This kind of thing makes me really angry. Not long ago I saw someone feeding the seaguls even though there are signs saying you're not supposed to do it. It makes the seaguls vicious." We nodded our heads in unison, feeling somewhat consoled that we weren't the only victims. Hubby was quite upset with the lost of his Jumbo pasty, so we went back to the fudge shop and bought a big bag of fudge.

Moral of the story: let this be a warning to you - in Cornwall, if you feel like eating takeaway fish & chips/cornish pasty/ice cream/whatever, please guard your food carefully. Especially if you're around the beach area. In case similar thing happens to you. Also, as a common courtesy to your fellow human beings, please do NOT feed the seaguls. It gets them into the vicious habit of snatching food from humans instead of eating what nature provides. We don't want "the crime against humanity" to spread further, do we?!

Post script: I did say to hubby, "Perhaps you weren't meant to eat that huge pasty anyway as you're on diet?" To which he replied, "Hm." As far as I know, he's still fighting a war against seaguls.

* the last picture was taken in Looe, not Fowey. I thought the picture fits in perfectly with the story. :)

Dr. Hauschka Daily Face Care Kit

A few months ago I decided to buy Dr. Hauschka Daily Face Care Kit for Oily Skin when my face seemed to be more oily than fried aubergine saturated in oil, it was as if an oil rig had decided to move in!!! I think it was the after-effect of having adult chicken pox.

Originally I only wanted to get the Rejuvenating Mask but didn't want to splurge on the full size without trying it first - in case my skin reacted to it. I was also interested to have a little try of everything, thus buying the this "deep cleansing kit" seemed to be the perfect solution. In no order of importance, here's what I think about them.

Cleansing Cream - I really wanted this to work as I like the pressing and rolling movements that are supposed to be used with it. Sadly my skin became congested everytime I used it.

Clarifying Toner - Although it contains alcohol, it didn't irritate my skin like other "alcoholic" toner do (Clinique, I'm talking about you!). It's this toner that helped to tone down the oiliness without drying my skin.

Normalizing Day Oil - I still can't make up my mind about it. Firstly, I'm not so keen on the smell. Secondly, I've read about cocoa butter being acnegenic, so I'm a bit suspicious of products that has it in the ingredients list. I've used it a few times with mixed result: first few times my skin seemed to have no problem with it, on other occasions my skin developed some acnes after using the oil. IMO it's probably better suited for people who don't have acne-prone skin like me.

Facial Steam Bath - As the name suggests, it's to be mixed with water for facial steaming. I love the gorgeous scent. Apart from that, I'm not sure whether it actually did anything for my skin.

Rejuvenating Mask - I like the fact that I can put this mask on before sleep to wake up with a smoother/plumper skin. It hasn't really had any effect on my flat red marks/scarring like it claimed to be, so I only use it for treat when my combination skin feels in need of an extra moisturising boost. I really love the scent.

Cleansing Clay Mask - once it's mixed with water (plus a sprinkle of Facial Steam Bath), it has smoother consistency to other clay masks I've used. I love the herby smell. I found it troublesome to follow the instruction to keep my face "damp at all times" in the 10 minutes of using it. Not surprising, really, since I'm a girl who likes slap-it-and-leave-it approach when it comes to face masks.

Verdict: I would probably re-purchase the Clarifying Toner, Rejuvenating Mask, and Cleansing Clay Mask again. Especially if they're priced better. :)

Make Up For Ever Goodies

These Make Up For Ever goodies are my latest haul (or "loot" in hubby-speak).

They are:

- Super Lip Gloss (no.21)

- Diamond Powder

- Smoky Lash: Extra Black Mascara

- Aqua Eyes waterproof eyeliner pencils: in 0L-Black and 10L-Copper

- Aqua Lip waterproof lipliner pencil in 02C-Rosewood

I've never used MUFE before, so I'm keeping them for occasions when "mood booster" is needed. So far I've only used the mascara and the black eyeliner a few times. The rest are still unopened, in happily-being-starred-at stage. *Starring at them some more ^.^

I'll post my reviews of the mascara and eyeliner after I've used them a bit longer. And yes, they are already included in my Post & Shame Challenge pictures. If you don't believe me, check it yourself on my previous posts about my many eyeliners and being a mascara addict on-the-mend.

CSI England: The Crime Scene

You have seen pictures of the suspects, it's time to reveal more about the crime committed not long ago in Fowey, Cornwall, United Kingdom. As a surviving eyewitness I'm going to help you see the events in pictures, from the victim's point-of-view, not long before he fell victim to one of the most outrageous crime in history (read: his-story). This is where the story begins.

We're getting closer to the crime scene now.Below the crime scene:

Next time I'll tell you the crime itself. Watch the space.

Fowey, Cornwall

I'm fond of nook and crannies, so I especially love the first two photos. If I remember it correctly, that particular building has it's own ghost story. For that matter, everything in Fowey seemed to have a ghost story or two attached to it. I'm not fond of scary things, so I didn't make an effort to remember them. I love my sleep, I don't like nightmares!

More photos and a funny story to come. Please bear with me, I'm still trying to figure out how to use the new netbook hubby bought me - so we don't have to fight over computer time. We only have one broadband dongle though, so I can still see some fighting going on in the next few days, especially seeing most of my stuffs are still in his laptop. So yeah, please let me know if the post comes out wonky or anything like that. Thanks! :D

Mixed Heritage, Mineral Foundations, and Turning Orange

As you know it's not easy to find a perfect foundation. Especially if you have light Chinese colouring that's more pinky than yellow, thanks to a mixed-blood heritage way up in the ancestry line. To avoid repeating myself, read here if you're curious about how I turned out this way.

I found my most favourite mineral foundation (read here) when living overseas. I ran out of it, so I've been on the mission to find a decent replacement. I wanted to find something that's available locally (read: UK) so that I don't need to spend a bomb on postage cost.

After some research I ordered Lily Lolo Mineral Foundation. I bought 4 sample sizes (0.75gr each) of Blondie, In the Buff, Candy Cane, and Warm Peach. I also bought the Finishing Powder in Flawless Matte - out of curiosity and in case I need it to tone down the colour.

I've been experimenting with them for a month. So here's what I think, with the description taken from the website in italic.

1. Blondie: "A light neutral shade with balanced undertones for paler skins." This seemed to be the closest one to my skintone. Good enough but not to the point of being HG.

2. In the Buff: "A light-medium neutral shade with balanced undertones." It's supposed to be the darker version of Blondie. It's way too dark for my skin. When mixed with the Finishing Powder it's obvious that it has different tone to Blondie, slightly pinker. IMO it might suit me if I've acquired plenty of holiday tan, which is very unlikely to happen, as I'm scared of getting skin cancer from too much sun exposure.

3. Candy Cane: "A light pinkish shade with cool undertones for paler skins." To fussy me it's a tiny winy bit too pinky. The difference of the colour on my neck and my face is a little obvious, so it's not too bad for when I'm wearing turtleneck shirts.

4. Warm Peach: "A light peachy shade with warm undertones for paler skins." You know when you're wearing a foundation shade that make you look orangey? This is it. Doesn't make me look like I'm having badly-applied-tan orange, but still a little orange. For not wanting to waste it, I'm considering using it for eyelid primer. Having said that, everyone's skin is different, the shade might work perfectly for your skintone.

I guess having Oriental blood doesn't mean I have warm undertones, like what some sales assistants insisted on. I've turned orange thanks to past experience with said SAs from Shiseido, Revlon, and Dior counters. If my memory serves me right, the most orangey award goes to Diorskin medium beige. I shocked myself, I shocked hubby, and I shocked everyone else that day. Since then I refused to try anything that said "medium beige" or anything that's not "light" when foundation is concerned. Enough said.

Back to topic. Lily Lolo foundation gives light/medium coverage, so it's not for people with lots of blemishes. I have to apply many extra layers (using concealer brush) on the areas of my face that has brownish chicken pox marks from 6 months ago.

I've read reviews from people who said the foundation makes their face looked "flat". It's true. I have to use blusher (on my forehead, cheeks, and chin) when I'm using this foundation, otherwise my face looked one dimensional. Perhaps because it doesn't contain enough shimmering agent like bismuth oxychloride (which can cause itchiness on some people). I'm not an expert, but if I'm guessing putting more Mica could make it more shimmery, thus eradicating the flat-face effect.

Verdict: personally I like Blondie for everyday use. For special occasions I would stick to using non-powder foundation.

Ingredients: Mica, Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Ultramarine Blue.

Ready Money...

Guess the connection between this:

And these:

Left: Suspect A


Right: Suspect B

Post and Shame Challenge

It's official now. Read the original story here.

Rules:

1. Choose 2 types of products that you already have very much in excess. Be honest! :)

2. Take a picture of them, show everyone what you already have.

3. You are not allowed to buy anything from those two categories, not even from "it's-cheaper-than-chocolates-I-can't-afford-not-to-buy-it-now" sales, until you have finished at least 4 products from each category.

Why? Because 4+4=8 which is the perfect number for me. Hehehe...

Exceptions: products received as gifts and swaps are allowed. I'm not uncle Scrooge! :)

Therefore I declare that starting from today I'm not allowed to buy mascaras and eyeliners until I've finished using 4 mascaras and 4 eyeliners in total.

Edit: for you loopholes finders, I'm not counting the 2 mascaras I already binned after I took my photo! Hehehe... righteous me...

My Many Eyeliners

Above: 15 eyeliners on the go

Below: 5 black eyeliners

After showing you my many mascaras on the go, I decided to start my own Post & Shame Campaign. It's to encourage me to use up things I have first before buying new ones. You see, I felt quite embarrassed when I lined up those mascaras and eyeliners for everyone to see. I'm not going to be ambitious, I'll start with these 2 types of eye products before moving on to my other "weakness" next. Please join me in this campaign if you're interested.

Edit: I've posted the logo and rules here.

Confession of An Addict: on the Mend

I've been wanting to tell you this for ages. Now that I'm feeling brave, the picture (taken last night) should make the story clearer.

On the left are the new/un-opened mascaras: Rimmel Max Lash, BeneFit Get Bent, Barry M Intense Black Mascara, and Make Up For Ever (MUFE) Smoky Lash.

On the right are the ones I'm using: Rimmel Volume Extend, Rimmel Volume Flash, Rimmel 100% Waterproof, Clinique High Definition Lashes (thanks, Jayne!), and YSL Effet Faux Cils.

I opened and used the MUFE this morning (which by the way is really good) - total mascaras being used = 6. Afterwards I felt guilty for having so many on the go, so I binned the Volume Flash (time to go) and 100% Waterproof (didn't like it anyway).

What say you, am I being excessive in having that many on the go? To put it in perspective, I've had more on the go in the past... (I'm not telling you how many)... so I really am on the mend... I think... At least I'm using them and not leaving them to rot in the cupboard. Thinking about it, tomorrow I might open another one, for "research purposes"...

I Want Sally Lunn's Buns!

The cold and windy weather makes me want to eat Sally Lunn's Buns. They're sold at Sally Lunn's (where else?!) in Bath, Somerset. Apparently the place is the oldest house in Bath. I've been there twice, I like mine toasted with rum butter. Yum...

Click here for the history of "the original Bath Bun".

What do you feel like eating right now?

Heavenly Body Scrub

I think I've just found one of the most amazing body scrubs I've ever used.

I have to confess that I didn't fall in love with it on the first whiff. My very first thought was, "Oh no, not another coconut smelling product!" It's not the coconut's fault, really. It reminded me of being on a crowded bus in an unnamed country at the height of summer (38-40C). My nose found the mix of everyone's coconut scented sun lotions and heavy perspiration offensive enough to cause dizziness... shudders... Don't get me wrong, I do like coconut smell and I love cooking with coconut oil, I'm not sure why this particularly bad experience came to my mind...

Anyway, back to the original topic. I should stop trying to judge a product by smelling it alone. Like I said, it's actually a superb product. As it turned out, in the shower it smelled more like an Asian sesame seeds dessert-soup, or like sesame ice cream pictured on the left. Just thinking about the smell makes my mouth waters... yum... :D

The scrub bits are just right: not to gentle and not too rough. I also love the texture of the liquid part of the product.

My skin felt super smooth when I came out from the shower. I'm not sure whether it's the scrubby bits or the moisturising agent (or both) that produces the effect. I do wonder if it contains sesame oil/shea butter/sunflower oil/glycerin/a bit of everything.

Why don't I have the ingredients list? Because this product is still in the development process. I'm testing a little sample of this "Heavenly Body Scrub" (that's what it says on the tester bottle) courtesy of Laura from Evolve. There, the cat is out of the bag. :)

I jumped at the chance to test the body scrub when I read the invitation on their newsletter. Mainly because I've read on their webpage that Evolve products are developed by people who were previously involved with product developments at Nude and Elemis! Most of you know that I'm a huge Elemis fan and I love Nude Cleansing Oil, so I had high hopes for Evolve. Hehehe... Suffice to say this body scrub satisfied my high expectation.

Verdict: my "potential HG body scrub" radar is blinking furiously, I can't wait for it to be on sale! I'm shamelessly in love with this product.

I haven't tried other products from Evolve yet, so I can't tell you more about them. As usual, I'm not being paid to write this post, it's purely out of interest. :D

Cosline Green Tea Mask

I've just finished Cosline Green Tea Mask (wash off type) I bought from SaSa on my last trip to Singapore. That was last April, how time flies!

From what I can read from the package, this "Green Tea Natural Powder Pack" is made in Korea. Apart from that and the ingredients list, I can't read anything else on the package. All thanks to my very dodgy Chinese reading skill (couldn't be bothered to learn properly when I was a child - to my regret) and my non-existent knowledge of Korean language. Means I can't tell you what it's supposed to do.

Goggling it didn't help either. I tried typing in the address of the korean website, it didn't want to give me access. So you have to make do with what I can tell you.

- the mask has cooling effect on my skin, even when I mixed the powder with warm water: I like.

- it has yummy green tea scent: I like.

- my skin feels tighter and smoother after application: I like.

- my skin gets a bit red (well, it was more like pinky than red) afterwards, but no stingy/uncomfortable feeling: so I use it in the evenings.

- the sachet lasts a long time, very economical (not including flight tickets to S'pore): I like.

- powder mask can be messy: I sometimes like, I sometimes don't.

Verdict: I can't really make up my mind, as it caused temporary pinkness on my skin. I'm also a little suspicious that sometimes it caused a little "purging". So I'm going to try the other 2 masks I bought from the same range before letting you know whether I like them.

P.S. Sorry if the tone of the post come across as un-friendly, I'm quite tired after travelling for 9 hours straight today. I'm going to have a nice hot shower and try out a NEW scrub that's not even on sale yet. You have to wait for another post to find out more. :D

Ingredients: Starch, Wheat, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Kaolin, Diatomite, Methyl Paraben, Green Tea, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Alginic Acid, D.P.G.