Practical Charm

Do you have one of those days that you indulge yourself in finger licking good dishes with bowl-loads of sauces? Then when you walk to the tap to find out that there is no water running to wash your hands?

It doesn't have to happen everyday but day in and day out, I can actually feel grime and dirt accumulate on my hands and it gives this really uncomfortable feeling.

Being a sucker for anything that's easy to carry around, this is a must for any tissue pack carrying obsessed female. Simply squeeze and rub. If your hands are super dirty, you may see and feel little balls of dirt on the hands. It's a fast drying and fast acting cleanser gel and I enjoy using it especially when I have to use my fingers to touch up on facial makeup. And we don't want any dirt on our face, yes siree.

Using any hand held materials for public use during entertainment? (e.g. cue sticks, bike handles, gloves for archery or rock climbing) The stench of sweat from other people's palm end up on yours you say? Then this is the baby for you.

For the lazy folks like me, It saves me that trip to the toilet when my stilettos are killing me just to wash my hands, or I'll use it when there is just NO SOAP. What's more it's even more affordable than some small bottles of liquid hand soaps!

Product : Waterless Hand Cleanser by Guardian Pharmacy
Price : RM3.99
Application : Use as and when needed.
Shelf Life : 1 1/2 years
One bottle : Depending on how much you use, this bottle lasts me for about 3 months.
Tips: Don;t go buying it from other pharmacies except Guardian (of course!) Great to keep in the car to clean those 'frequently handled' areas

A wise top hair stylist once told me.

"If you want what you see in the magazines and on models, It's not really the hair cut. It's how you style it after the cut"

And ever since I one day mindlessly decided to get a boyish hair cut to start the new year, it didn't occur to me that my hair would look so terribly flat very much unlike the cute Japanese girly girl I saw in the magazine.

Never mind, I popped by the nearest pharmacy and got myself a starter tub for my styling needs.

I love how Lucidol market their products. They've got this hearts as gauges for holding power of each of their individual gels and waxes. This little tub is carries an amazing white cream that upon opening, resembles a frosting of cream on cake.

It hasn't got this overpowering smell like most hair products that are produced for hair hold, and the finished style gives me a volumed bob, Bye, bye flat hair! It's so small, I can dump it in my
bag and use it as and when i like, even if I'm rushing off to work. Each time I use it, it produces a soft natural yet volumised look.

It comes in 25g and 80g tubs in Singapore but so far I've only seen an 80g tub here in Malaysia.

It's a styling savior for chicks with short hair

Product :Creamy Souffle Hair Wax by Lucidol
Price : RM13.88 at most major Pharmacies for a tub of 80g
Application : For that flat hair. I personally like to tap the tips of my hair brush into the tub and evenly brush it in. Use fingers and to scrunch up hair for the 'out of bed' look. Or you can follow Singapore's Lucidol for funky hair styling tips!
Shelf Life : 18 months
One tub: Lasts approximately 12 months for daily application once a day.
Tips: There is no really no need to wait for as price drop. Unless, you're Singaporean and ever want to save that wee bit of dough, it's definitely cheaper in Malaysia But I would like to go down to Sg to get myself an even smaller tub to carry round!

Since April's been gushing about her eye-gel collection, I thought I'd talk a bit on what I use.

Actually, this is what my mom uses, I actually use eye gel too since I've got oily-combination skin. (Note, if you have oily skin like I do, avoid creams like the plague, like I do). I'll probably tell you what brand I'm on for the eyes another time.

Mayaltha's Better Eyes. Retailing for about RM89, I think (can't quite remember cause my mom bought this, but I'll update this section the moment I find out the real price). Now Better Eyes comes in a 35 ml pot, so it can last quite some time. Of course, there's the concern for hygiene, since you literally have to dip your finger tip into the pot just to get what you need out. But what my mother does is scoop out a small amount into a smaller sample pot, and gets her daily serum doses from there.

What I like about the serum: The scent! It's naughty to say this, but somehow the scent gives me the feeling that there's a lot of goodness within a pot. The ingredients section mentions Rose Hip Oil, Sodium PCA, Methyl Glucose, Vitamins K and A-Retinol, which are active ingredients which ensure your eyes get the nutrients they need. For my mom, whose been using brands ranging from Shiseido to L'oreal to Christian Dior, she personally attests that Mayaltha is a 'dream -come-true' not only because of the value for money, but also because it's the best eye-cream she's ever used.

'It's not as oily as Shiseido!' says my mom.

My mother is 57 this year, btw. I can't use the serum, because I noticed that after a week of using it, a tiny milia seed appeared at the corners. SO REMEMBER, this serum is not for those of you with oily skin.

Product : Mayaltha, Better Eyes
Price : About RM89, available at all The Natural Source stoes
Application : After daily morning and night cleansing, apply to eye areas.
Shelf Life : 1 1/2 years
One bottle : It's been only 6 months and my mom still has 3/4 left in her pot.

I fully advocate the early protection of skin around the eyes before those nasty lines start to appear!

I have been using this since I was 16 years old and this never fails to do me good! Mom had it over the dresser counter, and curious me decided to experiment with it before getting out of the house.

But don't let it's name fool you; Although specifically designed for the eyes, I slap and smoothen it around my whole face.

It's amazing as a skin refresher and cooler. This gel like texture is Non Oily and leaves a suprisingly smooth, moisturised yet matte finish on the skin. I love to put this as a base on my face before the makeup and foundation application, It makes removal so much easier by keeping my face almost makeup-contact-free.

What's more is that it's a very affordable tube to have

Product : St. Ives, Eye Stress Gel
Price : Approx. RM19.90
Application : Put on and let it COMPLETELY DRY before applying makeup. Also use as daily eye reviver and for night time eye stress reliever
Shelf Life : Approximately 12-18 months
One bottle : Lasts me for about 3 - 6 months depending on frequency of usage
Tips : Available at most retail pharmacies and retail stores. Do hang on until sales like the Great Guardian Sale or Watson's sales for at least 15% discount on the item.

I've been looking for the ideal concealer pack for sometime, and when Benefit came to our shores, I was most interested in Boi-ing… but I wasn't sure if it would work for my skin. After sneaking a peek at their site, I found out about the Realness of Concealness compact set which contains a sampling of all their favourite concealing products.

It doesn't take a makeover, just this crafty little kit containing our famous concealers and enhancers. Kit contains: lemon-aid to correct discoloration on eyelids; boi-ing to hide even the darkest under eye circles; ooh la lift to brighten, lighten and tighten the eye area; lip plump to prime, smooth, and plump lips; and high beam to give your skin an ethereal glow.

Sounds like a fantastic way to check out five different products, eh? Unfortunately, the package wasn't available in Malaysia, but since S-kay was making her orders from the site, I decided to split the shipping costs with her and got myself this package. The moisture you see on the Boi-ing pan came due to the shipping, but it dried up after a night in my air-conditioned room.

And the verdict? It turned out that Boi-ing isn't nearly as fantastic as they say it is, but I do love Ooh La Life, dubbed as Benefit's 'Magic-Eye Balm', simply for the refreshing and cooling feel it leaves just after application. I don't use Lip Plump at all, but I heard that it works wonders for thinner lips. Lemon-aid works quite well to highlight the browbones, but Bobbi Brown's concealer pans do a far superior job at this.

Anyway, Benefit's made an ingenious marketing move to pack all five concealing products into a nifty little cardbox package, and I liked being able to test the items without spending a bomb. When my Ooh La Lift runs out, I'm getting a full-sized version!

Product : Benefit's Realness of Concealness, compact kit including Ooh La Lift, High Beam, Lip Plump and small pans of Boi-ing and Lemon-aid.
Price : USD 28.00
Application : Use sparingly where needed, either get innovative or follow the instructions given in the mini-booklet included in the packaging.
Shelf Life : 6-12 months
Tips : I've found out that it's a lot cheaper to order Benefit direct from their US-based website, even though you've got to pay for the shipping. Plus you can't get Realness of Concealness anywhere in Malaysia, so if you want to find out which item will best work for you, going online is the best way.

Bring back cute adorable face powder puffs! Although it doesn't come with that compact flat pop open casing, Skin Food's 'Cheek Color Pan' is an adorable thing to have in your makeup collection.

Aside form the fluffy soft ribbon held puff applicator, I love the fact that I don't have to literally 'sweep' and lose precious blushing color away or having it leaving sprinkles on my white attire left and right. I just dunk the powder puff in and all of it stays in one place.

One application can last me almost a whole day. Like all Fashionable Korean make up products, it comes in a cute silver lined plastic pan with Skin Food's trademark cherub on a screw metal cover fashioned in a Rennaisance manner.

My Favourite Colour? Has got to be "Vanilla Cappuccino" cause i personally feel that it looks the most natural on asian skin tone.

Product : Skin Food's Cheek Color Pan, available in 4 colors.
Price : RM35.90 (or some sort around that price)
Application : One application may last the whole day! Dab on a little for touch up
Shelf Life : 6-12 months
One unit : Lasts me for 6-12 months depending on frequency of usage
Tips : Skin Food has a tier system for Purchasing items. Each tier will consist of a different fixed product where a series of stamps will represent each tier. The more stamps, the higher the tier. Each stamp is given for RM20 of purchases.

Though there are still no signs to tell that I'm againg, I'm dreadfully terrified of the thought of one day looking into the mirror to find that I have interstate lines making their way round the edges.

This helps me prevent all that, or at least to a certain point delay the aging of my skin arond my eyes. Since I'm constantly exposed to a myraid of fluctuating environments, this moisturising eye reviver protects my skin with just the right amount of moisture. It's very light citrusy scent is guaranteed to wake up tired eyes.

I love it cause as a base around my eyes, it's makes it easier to remove make up too!

Gotta love it's small compact size (about the size of an average bottle of nail polish) makes it easy to carry around. One pump about the size of a teardrop is good enough to keep you going for half the day.

Product : Body Shop's Vitamin C range Eye Reviver
Price : RM65.00
Application : Best results, twice daily
Shelf Life : 6-12 months
One bottle : Lasts me for 3 - 6 months depending on frequency of usage
Tips : Purchasing above RM90 in a single receipt entitles you to a Love Your Body membership card. RM1 = 1 point. In a period of 6 months where an accumulated points total up to 350 points. Members can redeem RM35 worth of Body Shop products.

Practical Charm's got a brand new member on board, and she's someone who loves fashion and lives fashion. April owns her very personal homemade costume jewellery line, and is ten times the sucker for high fashion than I am. If I'm always seeking Practicality first, then April's the one who'll pay up for Charm.

Having this in mind I also took the liberty to update our 'About' page to reflect the ownership of this website.

Next up in our plans: blog promotions, signing up for payperpost, on route to problogging (just for kicks), and installing zencart!!

When I first joined the gym, I was a religious weights visitor. Each time after my cardio workout, I'd head to the weight section to do targeted lifting.

And then I tried Yoga. Previously I had never dared to walk in because the class was always full of 'experts,' and if you looked in from the gym area, you'd be petrified at what these people could do with their bodies.

During one early visit, I found out that the morning's class had less than 9 people.  So I walked in, raised my hands when the instructor, Foo, asked if there was anyone who had never done Yoga before. And since then, I've substituted weight-lifting with Yoga.

Right now, I still do my cardio whenever I can, and try to attend at least 2 yoga lessons a week. The variations I'm attending including Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga (flow) and Power Yoga (the super fast version). And I love all of them.

Since joining TNB I've had an awful pimple outbreak, on the forehead, and especially on my right cheek. I've tried so many things, even going all out to get that Cellnique Pro-Sebum thingy, and using Apple Cider Vinegar + Mineral Water as a daily toner. Nada, my pimples are stubborn dots. They keep resurfacing…

The other day I came across http://www.acne.org/ and found out about the Clear Skin Regimen. When you're desperate, you'll try anything (despite knowing it's not exactly safe to try everything)… but you know what?

OXY WORKS.

My right cheek is clearing up, thank God. It's been 3 weeks. Hopefully it'll get better and I can go on to attacking those dreaded milia seeds under the eyes.