Practical Charm

The Dior fan in me wants to burst into song at the thought of SPRING!

I couldn't stop oogling and nearly left a pool of drool at the Dior Counters just admiring the intricacy of design and colors.

As I dusted some all over my face, It left the most beautiful pinkish iridescence that was just glowing! I'm chucking all my bronzers aside for summer and saying hello to sweet pastel colors!

Just a few more days until I can purchase one. It's a shame I will have to ruin the lovely prints on it just to make myself beautiful.

In my conquest for looking great, I try very hard not to ever neglect my hair. On times when I do disregard my mane, I go hunting for a hair treatment cream

It definitely passed the test of leaving a nice delicious scent to the hair and I when I used it to soak all the nasty clubbing cigarette stench, it only took one soak (I usually have to soak my hair twice!) On the first wash, it did leave my hair smoother, silkier and easier to handle, but treatments should last your hair for the next couple of days; Am I not right?

At a steep MYR49.00 per bottle of 150grams, aside from it's multiple reviews on how good it is, It never quite worked for me (I've definitely tried better). Perhaps owing to the fact that I'm Asian and it probably doesn't work as well on Asian hair as compared to (yes that's why you see different products in the different regions of the world)

Product : Fudge's Dynamite Hair Finishing Treatment
Price : MYR49.00 at Shins
Application : For chemically damaged hair
Shelf Life : 12 months
One Tube of 150gms: Lasts for a maximum of 8-10 washes for shoulder length hair. Go figure.

I got my hands on this while I was in Bangkok! THANK YOU BOOTS Pharmacy.

It was sitting quietly looking pretty in a 'kitsch' Pink and with a name as cheeky as" Sexy Motherpucker", i ask you, which chick that easily gets intoxicated by makeup can resist?

It's a slim tube of lip enhancing wonder. Working well as a lip gloss and a lip plumper.

The greatest thing about this that it smells like chocolate! The lip plumper leaves a minty tingly sensation that feels like a very shy first kiss. Does it really work? Yes it does, I have incredibly full lips and just when I thought my lips couldn't get any sexier, this baby does the job. I've also run some testing on some friends and it works!

Though leaving a glossy finish, it can be rather sticky. Somewhat like Lancome Juicy Tube sticky that you'll have to keep your hair away from your face. So if you want to pose for that 'come get me boys' look with pouty lips and a couple of strands of hair in your face, this is not the gloss for you. It also may be a little too much to handle for sensitive lips (like all lip plumpers) so if there is a tester available, do test it out first

The verdict? Asides from the fact that it is only available at Boots Pharmacies (which I am praying will open in Malaysia very soon), It's surpasses the standard for a Pharmacy OTC product! I've bought two tubes to keep for myself already!

Product : Soap & Glory's Sexy Mother Pucker lip plumper and gloss
Price : 2890 Baht (~MYR30.00)
Application : For surreal sexy lips
Shelf Life : 12 months
One Tube : I've been using mine everyday since November and it's still great. Word has it that it can last up to a year in everyday use.

I'm getting Married in November, so obviously there's the planning and fussing around to do (and lots of spending, granted). I've got the day-gown out of the way, but planning what to wear for the dinner (and the cut, the design, since I haven't quite decided on whether it's a off-the-rack random or a custom made one from Pretty In White) is now on the top of lists to things to do.

Well it should have been a great time planning, since this IS awards season, but thanks to the cancellation of the Golden Globes, alas, I'm stuck with waiting for the Oscars, or on taking a stroll back in time.

April's told me that they've got some pretty cheap off-the-racks over in Bangkok btw, but for some reason, biased me is bent on believing that Bangkok cuts would probably be sequinful fit for a Shanghai cabaret, and I'm really not too keen so far. But there's definite some stuff I DON'T want to wear… and they're these:

So yah imagine yah walking down the dinner aisle in feathers (GOD FORBID!!), it's HERE COMES THE CHICKEN… tak boleh tak boleh!!

Produced in Spain, this has got to be one of the better eye drops in the optical and contact lens care market.

I never encourage the use of Normal saline for rewetting your contact lenses. They don't contain any antibacterial properties, and some of them are not pH buffered. I borrowed a friends normal saline solution once and it stung when I tried rewetting my contacts! He even soaks his lenses in that stuff. Cheap yes. But really bad and uncomfortable for your eyes!

AMO's blink contains Hyaluronate, a dissacharide unit mostly found widely distributed in connective, epithelial and neural tissues. In most opthamological surgical procedures these days, (e.g. cataract surgery, retinal detachment, glaucoma etc). This bottle claims to create 'moisture cushion so eyes stay refreshed and comfortable'

The people at AMO sure know how to make its consumers feel more comfortable. OcuPure, a peroxide-free preservative which later breaks down to water and sodium chloride when exposed to light (And thats why it's in a opaque green bottle). Very gentle stuff

Product : Amo's Blink contacts eye drops
Price : RM11.90
Application : Lubrication for soft and Rigid Gas Permeable Contact Lenses
Shelf Life : 45 days after opening
One Tube of 10mL: Regardless of frequency of use, bottle is to be disposed of 45 days after use.
Tips: No real tips! This product is so good, if i could afford it I'd slather it on every minute of the hour!

April has run out of moisturizing hand cream! What a perfect excuse to go do some shopping and try a new product!

So happens I was passing by a Crabtree and Evelyn branch when my then bottle of moisturiser exuded it’s last drop. A bright pink sticker for ‘Women’s Weekly Malaysia choice of best hand treatment’ was plastered next to a wide selection of tubes of fragrant hand creams

Results are immediate and you'll have hands that anyone would die to hold!

The great secret in these products is mostly can be explained through it's chemistry.

Shea Butter: Used particularly in high end moisturising products for a softening effect and as an emollient

Bisabolol: A natural extraction from chamomile that works to soothe irritated skin and stimulate skin healing.

Glycerin: I figure very much that this works as a humectant (moisture attractor) Chemically, it's hygroscopic

Either way, one is sure to tickle your fancy

Rosewater
Goats Milk
La Source
Summer Hill
Nantucket Briar
Gardener's Hand Therapy cream

I personally had this rubbed on my shoulders one night while out for a club and there was a guy who just couldn't stop breathing me in. (Most decently of course!)

Product : Crabtree and Evelyn's 'Hand Treatment' Cream range (Available in 50mL & 100mL tubes while gift packs come in three tubes of 25mL)
Price : RM43.00-120.00
Application : For instant soft silky hands
Shelf Life : Not available
One Tube of 50mL: I'll be using one tube so often i think i can run through one tube in a month!
Tips: No real tips! This product is so good, if i could afford it I'd slather it on every minute of the hour!

Everyone!

April will be away for the week and be back with more to bring you features from the wonderful world of Bangkok shopping!

Please leave me a message or comment if there is anything that you'd like me to check out for you over there!

I'll still be sending my usual updates for the site over here!

Be back soon and don't miss me!

Love,
April

If you're looking for a exfoiliator of a decent price, with an afterglow, look no further than searching the shelves for Za's Metavoltage cream.

Marketed under it's True White whitening range aimed to promote translucent, milky white skin by exfoilating excess keratin and melanin (dead skin)

Like all exfoiliating products, you can't use it too often. I found it rather tiring to keep moving my fingers in circular motions and to really rub the cream against your skin

This is a product of various mixed reviews. It is the job of a critic to be sincere about what I think. From my own personal take there was a noticeable improvement to my skin. With all the dead cells taken off, there is a slight snowy glow to it. However upon first use there was a tinge of redness from overrubbing. It's hard to actually draw a line between rubbing and over-rubbing until the product is used.

Some tell me that there is no glow but a softer feel to it. The only way is to try it out yourselves. Would I really recommend this product? Yes. As a choice of a smoother exfoilating product.

Product : ZA's Metavoltage cream
Price : About RM28.90 per tube
Application : For removal of horny cells (cells of the stratum corneum) and a bright glow to skin
Shelf Life : Not noted
One Tube: Used as an exfoilant: 2-3 times a week. Lasts for 3-5 months depending on frequency of use

I first of all would like to thank the first people who came up the with the ingenious idea of inventing facial wipes. You are life savers I don't have to bring a bottle of heavy liquid makeup remover all the time.

However, you have got to love this product! I have a pack at home, one in my car and one in my bag ALL THE TIME! Now you know why there are over 6,000 packs sold a day alone in the U.K.!

I've used a couple of brands along the way (including alcohol baby wipes) before landing this God Sent package. It's Alcohol free, oil free, pH balanced, neither colored nor perfumed! I mostly use this as a daily refresher to wipe all the sweat and grime off me face.

It's proclaimed use as a makeup remover is however debate-able. Some ladies are able to completely remove makeup with just one sheet. Others find it a little more difficult to get a complete cleanse from this. My personal take is that, it depends how much make up you slab on your pretty face, of course its difficult to take out all of that makeup with a single wipe. I would still strongly advise on still using a cleanser at the end of the day to completely remove the makeup.

It's proclaimed use as a makeup remover is however debate-able. It depends how much make up you slab on your face. However I would still strongly advise on still using a cleanser at the end of the day to completely remove the makeup.

What sets this apart from other brands available in the local market is it's fresh after feeling. Some brands leave a real sticky feeling after a good wipe but this doesn't. Simple has also been really generous with the surface area of each strong bound towel like sheet. You can practically stretch the entire sheet to cloak your face!

As of recent there has been a slight change in the packaging but personally, if there was something more that could be done to the re sealant, I'd gladly appreciate it!

Product : Simple Facial Cleansing Wipes, Available in most pharmacies
Price : Ranging from RM13.00 to RM16.00 depending of available discounts
Application : For basic makeup removal, refreshing and cleansing face on the go.
Shelf Life : Not available
One Pack: Of 25 sheets usually lasts me a fortnight
Tips: Cleanse even after use to completely remove makeup.