My Top Choice for Toner: Perricone MD Intensive Pore Minimizer

Posted on by
Reply
I’ve always been so addicted to try pore minimizing products. If you’ve read my other blogs, you’ll know that I’m a pore thing junkee. I have every right to be one because my pores are really HUGE. And my daily morning routine before going to work involves layers of products to conceal my pores. Yes, it’s that bad.





Not a lot of people might be familiar with Perricone MD. Just to share a bit about this brand, Perricone MD is from US which is actually the name of the amazing doctor who develops and formulates the products. Dr. Nicholas Perricone is a well-respected dermatologist and nutritionist who strongly advocates “beauty from the inside out”. He is so passionate about what he does and has written several books about healthy lifestyle and how it affects our skin conditions. Dr. Perricone promotes a healthy diet, supplements and topical anti-aging products to combat or slow down the aging process versus Botox. Some of the books he wrote are Forever Young, the Wrinkle Cure, Weight-Loss Diet, The Perricone Promise, The Acne Prescription and The Clear Skin Prescription. I believe some of his books are available in MPH, Borders and Popular. 


I personally find Perricone MD a very interesting and sincere brand. If you noticed, not a lot of brands out there will say that their skincare products are not enough to give you that healthy, radiant skin or fight the early signs of aging. But this brand has always been advocating a 3-tier program to ensure youthful skin: anti-inflammatory diet, anti-inflammatory supplements and topical anti-inflammatory products.

Perricone MD has this interesting product that was immediately ‘tattooed’ on my mind the moment I saw it: Intensive Pore Minimizer. It functions as a toner so you basically apply after cleansing your face.  Being a Perricone product, it is free from parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances or phthalates. But it does contain superb nutrients such as Alpha Lipoic Acid and DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol). Alpha Lipoic Acid reduces the appearance of lines, wrinkles and enlarged pores. DMAE helps to firm and lift the appearance of skin.



On the box: A multi-functional treatment that tightens the appearance of pores for healthy, more youthful-looking skin.

Application: Shake well before use. Dr. Perricone recommends first cleansing the skin with a non-oil stripping cleanser then following with Intensive Pore Minimizer. Dab a cotton pad liberally and smooth over face. Allow a few moments to dry then follow with a Perricone MD treatment and a moisturizer.

I just love shaking the bottle. After a few shakes, you will see foam of bubbles forming on top of the toner.

See…

BEFORE SHAKING
AFTER SHAKING


The scent is very lovely. It’s somewhat like fresh powder smell and feels so great on the face. Very refreshing and no stinging feel at all. I’ve tried a lot of toners made for oily skin and most of them tend to have high alcohol content so you actually get that stinging feel.

So I’ve tried the Intensive Pore Minimizer for the past 3 weeks and I’ve noticed significant improvement in the appearance of my pores. And take note, I don’t have time to use it during the day every weekday so I was using it only once a day during weekdays and 2x a day during weekends.

Here, notice the improvement pointed at by the red lines. I’m particularly observing those ugly holes on my nose that don’t seem to be pores anymore because of their shape. See how they’ve diminished!

Week 2 of using Perricone MD Intensive Pore Minimizer


Week 3 of using Perricone MD Intensive Pore Minimizer
(pls ignore the change in skin tone, I think this is lighting inconsistency)


The results within 3 weeks were amazing. The pores on my cheeks were also diminishing. I’ve tried a lot of toners before and nothing compares to what Perricone MD has done for my huge pores. Although not on the mass-price side, selling at RM225/ 118ml, it is worth the investment if you are seriously looking for a seriously-working product. Perricone MD products are available in Isetan KLCC, Isetan The Gardens, Isetan 1U, Parkson KLCC, Parkson Pavilion, Metrojaya Mid Valley and Sephora.

But take note that 1 product alone will not solve everything. There must be a proper skincare routine, you need other complementary products such as cleanser, serum and moisturizer. The improvement in my pores is definitely attributed to this Perricone MD product but I was also using a pore minimizing serum (from another brand), pore minimizing moisturizer (also from another brand), and I do weekly cleansing of my pores using nose strips.

I’ve heard that Perricone MD Intensive Pore Treatment is also out so I might be checking it out soon within the coming weeks.



Watch out, huge pores! I’ll have more weapons to fight you!


















A Memorable Wine Experience with Wine Talk (ep 2)

Posted on by
Reply
And here’s the rest of my story. Apologies for the long suspense…
David Stephan, Wine Talk’s sommelier, revealed the 6 bottles of wine that we will go through. There were 2 whites, 1 rosé and 3 reds.

1st wine: Monte da Peceguina – White Wine
Region and Country – Alentejo, Portugal
Grape – 60% Antão Vaz, 20% Verdelho, 10% Roupeiro, 10% Arinto
Vintage – 2010
David’s Notes:
Monte de Peceguina is a collection of wines from the Herdade de Malhadinha Nova estate, based in the Alentejo region, in South Portugal. What began as a dream for the Soares Family (João and Paulo, along with João´s wife Rita), became reality in the late 90’s when they discovered that deserted farm in the inland Alentejo region. After planting their 1st vines in 2000, they built a Top-of-the-Art winery in 2003. Combining modern & traditional technics in the winery, they focused mostly on local, traditional grapes, used to the extreme conditions (Alentejo is one of the hottest and driest region in Europe) while maintaining a good level of freshness and acidity. All works in the vineyards and other plantations (olive trees, hay, corn fields) are farmed with an organic approach, with upmost respect of the terroirs.
The Branco (white) cuvée is a classic blend of local varieties. It showcases a very aromatic expression of the grapes, with citrus, peach, apricot and floral notes; intense flavors but balanced with great acidity. Enjoy with prawns, rich fishes or grilled white meat.
MY VERDICT on Monte da Peceguina White: Great wine! Quite easy to like and very suitable to those who prefer light or low alcohol taste. And David also mentioned that this wine label is exclusive to Wine Talk in Malaysia. Meaning you won’t find it anywhere else within the country but through them.
2nd wine: Arthur Metz Pinot – White Wine  




Region and Country – Alsace, France
Grape – 100% Pinot Gris
Vintage – 2007
David’s Notes:
Maison Arthur Metz have been based since 1904 in the Village of Marlenheim, in the northern entrance of the famous ‘Route Des Vins’, which follow the Alsace wine regions from North to South. Since its creation, they have been one of the major promoters of the wines from this majestic region across the World. Alsace, situated in the North-East side of France, across the border from Germany, produces mainly white wines, due to the cooler climate, less sun exposure, but also very dry condition and amazing arrays of terroirs, which help develop a palette of flavors and complexity across each wine.
Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio are exactly the same grapes, meanwhile present different characteristics. Pinot Grigio are picked up earlier, and offer crisp, light and fresh wines. Pinot Gris on the other side is left longer to mature on the vines, and displays fruitier, richer and more concentrated flavors.
This wine is a great example: It is generous, displays classic peach and apricot flavors, with a touch of honey and minerality. Enjoy it with dishes in cream sauce, either fish or white meats, or try it with slightly spicy dishes, they can handle some heat too.
MY VERDICT on Arthur Metz Pinot Gris: Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve found my favorite wine! I’ve been trying different white wines for the past few weeks and this, so far, is a seriously must-have stock! It’s sweet and light and smooth to the mouth. Wonderful aromas! Some of the other bloggers kept refilling their glasses… 
3rd wine: Monte de Peceguina – Rosé Wine



Region and Country – Alentejo, Portugal
Grape – Touriga Nacional, Aragonês, Tinta Miuda
Vintage – 2010
David’s Notes:
The Rosé cuvée is a blend of popular local varieties; very clean aroma with good fruit, great evidence of red fruit aromas. It demonstrates great expression and smoothness in the mouth. Young and round with fruit in the beginning; it’s a very friendly wine, best match with a BBQ selection, light meats dishes.
MY VERDICT on Monte da Peceguina Rosé:
It’s nice and easy. I didn’t taste much fruits or other stuff, though. I found the alcohol more prominent or maybe I’m not used to this type of wine yet as I am still on my whites.



4th wine:  Finca Las Moras, ‘Pacha Mama’ Organic Malbec
 

Region and Country – Mendoza, Argentina 2011
Grape – 100% Malbec
Vintage – 2011
David’s Notes:
Finca Las Moras is the pioneer winery in the production of high-end wines in San Juan since the vineyard conversion in 1993. The name originates from the blackberry bushes present in the estates located in the three main valleys of San Juan. The blackberries are called “moras” in Spanish. Malbec grapes come originally from the Bordeaux region and were imported to Argentina in the mid-19th Century. Malbec is now a secondary grape in Bordeaux but has thrived in Argentina to become the national iconic red grape variety. The Pacha Mama series comes from organically-grown grapes, which means that they have never been in contact with chemicals like pesticides or herbicides. This is a feature that I cherish, and we will offer more organic wines in the future. Finca Las Moras produces a great, flavorful wine, with intense colour and body. A good match with grilled steaks, duck breast, or rich meat stews.
MY VERDICT on Pacha Mama Organic Malbec:
I’m not much into red wines but it was a surprise that I wasn’t repulsed by this one. It was a sweet and good wine. The others liked it as well.

5th wine: De Bortoli ‘Family Selection’ Cabernet-Merlot
 

Country – South Australia
Grape – 50% Cabernet, 50% Merlot
Vintage – 2008
David’s Notes:
Created in 1928 by Italian immigrants Vittorio and Giuseppina De Bortoli, the domain is now leaded by the 3rd generation of descendants, which established De Bortoli’s reputation for premium wine including icon dessert wine Noble One and the Yarra Valley wines, in the Victoria Region. Members of the ‘Australia’s First Families’ an association formed by some of Australia’s oldest and most respected wine families, they focus on careful site selection, sustainable approach in the vineyards in order to get an exceptional fruit quality throughout their all collection of wines.
This generous wine shows sweet and vibrant fruit on the fleshy palate with soft mouth -coating tannins, Sweet fragrant aromas of blackberries with underlying mint and hints of milk chocolate oak. Pair it with grilled steaks and pepper sauce.
MY VERDICT on DB Cabernet Merlot:
Quite nice, I’d say. The tannins felt soft and smooth in the mouth. It went pretty delicious with The Pressroom’s serving of cold cuts. Yummm…  
Last wine (sniff, sniff): Monte de Peceguina – Red Wine
David decanting our last wine, Monte da Peceguina
Region and Country – Alentejo, Portugal
Grape – 35% Aragonês, 30% Alicante Bouschet, 15% Touriga Nacional, 10% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon
Vintage – 2010
David’s Notes:
Monte de Peceguina is a collection of wines from the Herdade de Malhadinha Nova estate, based in the Alentejo region, in South Portugal. What began as a dream for the Soares Family (João and Paulo, along with João´s wife Rita), became reality in the late 90’s when they discovered that deserted farm in the inland Alentejo region. After plantings their 1st vines in 2000, they build a Top-of-the-Art winery in 2003. Combining modern & traditional technics in the winery, they focus mostly on local, traditional grapes, used to the extreme conditions (Alentejo is one of the hottest and driest region in Europe) while maintaining a good level of freshness and acidity. All works in the vineyards and other plantations (olive trees, hay, corn fields) are farmed with an organic approach, with upmost respect of the terroirs.
The Tinto (red) cuvée is made from local varieties, blended with a dash of more famous ones. Oak aged for about 7 months, it shows very lively and fruity aromas, with refreshing notes of berries, plums and red ripe fruit. In the mouth, the wine is full-body, but still very smooth and fresh with silky tannins, balanced with a good structure. Enjoy with roasted beef, grilled lamb chops or a nice cheese platter.
MY VERDICT on Monte da Peceguina Red Wine:
This is the best among the 3 red wines for me. The taste is invigorating and the tannins felt great in the mouth.
David also mentioned a great way to learn more about wines and expand our palate. It’s a unique offering from Wine Talk called the Wine Club. Apparently, this is something popular in Europe and the US wherein members of the club receive a case of wines on a regular basis. You simply choose the type of wine you want to receive (whites only, reds only, whites & reds, or a mixed of both plus rosé), the frequency (every month or every 2 months), the quantity (6 or 12 bottles), and voilà! Your case of wines will be delivered to your address automatically. Another great thing is that the price of the wine case every time will be the same: RM428 for 6 bottles and RM788 for 12 bottles.
I think this is a wonderful service. The wine case will also be sent together with tasting notes from David so you will know more about what you’re drinking. You can read through while having a glass of wine. You can also write down your own notes as there are spaces provided for you to write on. So you can actually remember what you experienced with each wine. And share it with friends (or impress someone, maybe your boss or whoever, yeah). 
Overall, the event was really exquisite. Now, I have 6 new labels to add to my list of ‘familar, tried and tested wines’. Thanks to Wine Talk and The Pressroom for the wonderful experience.
And my journey into wine goes on. Cheers, everyone!!! 

A Memorable Wine Experience with Wine Talk (Ep 1)

Posted on by
Reply
Wine Talk held a blogger event last 21st March at The Pressroom in Bangsar Shopping Centre. Upon entering the venue, guests were welcomed by an enticing display of wine glasses, waiting for sumptuous and aromatic wines (well, I’m forecasting).

The reception table was even more delicious. Wine Talk’s wine selection for the event were nicely displayed together with crystal glasses, a bottle opener and their magazines. Upon signing your name, you’d immediately want to start uncorking the bottles (if you do know how!) since all the things you need are all there!



Makes you wanna start uncorking the bottles, right?

The Pressroom’s ambience is just wonderful. You’d immediately notice several groups hanging out with friends and probably corporate managers having meetings over a delicious serving of food and drinks. It’s really a perfect place for chatting with friends, hanging out, business meetings or even for some fun time with the family. The staff were also very friendly and attentive.

So the event starts with some greeting from the marketing manager. Then Wine Talk’s managing director, Mark Simmons, talked about the company. Wine Talk is a collaboration between 2 reliable and trusted companies: Room Service Deliveries and Gastrodome. Room Service is an online food delivery service while Gastrodome is well-known for operating prestigious restaurants, La Bodega and The Pressroom, and Espressamente Illy, a warm and youthful cafe. Wine Talk is an online delivery service for wines and wine accessories like crystal glasses, decanter, wine cabinets…



Wine Talk’s Managing Director, Mark Simmons, talking about the brand’s story

Mark Simmons talked about the common challenge of a lot of people on searching for great wines. The truth is a lot of wine enthusiasts do not necessarily know what wine to pick from a supermarket or a wine shop. And if you’re searching for good quality wines, you might not entirely rely on the shop staff as most of them do not know wines well (unless they are sommeliers!). So choosing great wines becomes complicated without someone reliable to give advice. And this challenge became an inspiration for the 2 companies to provide a solution to those who want to enjoy great wines but don’t really know how to get hold of them. Wine Talk aims to make great wines easy for anyone who is interested to know more about wines or simply needs a good choice of wine to serve for dinner.

It is very interesting and enlightening to know that even those who have been consuming wines on a regular basis actually face the same challenge when it comes to buying or choosing wines. I thought that only wine newbies (like me) have this insecurity when it comes to wines. Mark Simmons stressed Wine Talk’s simple tagline: Great Wines Made Easy. What makes Wine Talk unique and trustworthy is that they have an exclusive French sommelier, David Stephan, who personally handpicks the wines. So all the wines that Wine Talk offers have passed through David’s tasting first to ensure that all are in good quality.

And then we started with the wine tasting which was wonderfully guided by their sommelier. David was born in France but he has been in Malaysia for a few years. David has been in the wine industry for more than 15 years.



Wine Talk’s Sommelier, David Stephan, guiding us through each wine

David was fun and he was not boring at all. But, OMG, the amount of knowledge that he was pouring out about wines was amazing. Another blogger even said that he’s like a walking encyclopedia of wines (haha!).



See all the 6 wine samples served by David for me to try? Yummm…

Will share more about the offers plus the exciting part of this event where we had 6, yes, 6 different wines — white, rose and red in Ep 2. Gotta sleep soon as my son has school tomorrow!



Wine Talk’s Sommelier, David Stephan

David Stephan’s bio:

Wine Talk’s sommelier, David Stephan, grew up in a fishing village in the Bretagne region of Western France. He studied hospitality and sommelerie in professional school for 4 years, with internship including stints in various hotels & renowned restaurants of his region or in Paris. In late 1999, a good opportunity allowed him to move to the Caribbean, in the small, exclusive island of St Barthelemy, working in 5-Star Resorts. The island is famous for stunning beaches and locations, but also high-end hotels and restaurants, frequented by the rich and famous. Working two seasons in that hotel, and two more seasons in ‘L’Esprit Salines’, one of the island top restaurants at that time, where he managed a splendid premium wine list. He spent summers in France working in a catering company but also visited diverse wine regions across countries for personal development. In late 2003, he decided that it was time for a change, and started looking for new opportunity that brought him to an interview in Paris for a position in China, which he took. He managed one of the city’s first French Brasserie, and participated to open 2 new outlets. In 2006, he joined a local wine importer& distributor, selling and supplying fine wines to hotels, restaurants and private clients across the country. David fell in love with Malaysia at his 1st visit back in 2006, and if he and his wife were to leave China, it would be the 1st destination targeted. It happened in 2011, when they relocated to Kuala Lumpur, and are now calling it home.
Check out their website for more info:   www.winetalk.com.my

Viña Casablanca Cefiro Chardonnay

Posted on by
2

My 1stWine Review: Viña Casablanca Cefiro Chardonnay
This is so exciting! My very first wine review. Again, reminder to readers, the opinions written here are purely from the point of view of a consumer who does not have professional or expert background with wines. Not yet.
A brief background about the wine in subject:
Viña Casablanca Cefiro Chardonnay
Vintage: 2010
Country: Chile
Bottle size: 750ml
Alcohol content: 14%
Price: RM65
White wine; fruity and smooth




What the bottle says:
Cefiro, God of the spring breeze manifests all his power in the fruit of this Chardonnay from Casablanca Valley. It is yellow in appearance with amber tinges and pineapple and passion fruit aromas. The palate is striking with its fruit character and balanced acidity. Ideal to accompany all fish and dishes with creamy sauces.
—————————————
And so I opened the bottle, er, technically, my husband did it as I don’t know how to uncork a bottle yet. It has a very pleasant aroma, delicious and enticing, indeed. I served it for dinner with some Chinese food cooked by my mother-in-law. We had some fish, a few other dishes, nothing so spicy.
The wine was wonderful. It’s light and easy, very pleasant and blended well with several dishes. I find the acidity quite lingering, though. It’s not offensive but it stays for a second or two so you would find it notable. For a beginner like me who doesn’t have the palate for complex aromas or tannins yet, this bottle is one of the ideal ones to start with.
We weren’t able to finish the bottle in 1 shot. The men of the house prefer to drink whiskey and beer so it was up to me to finish (oh, thank God for that!). But I also couldn’t take much in a day. I kept the half bottle back in the fridge.
I had a glass for three more dinners and I was surprised that it actually went well with a lot of food. The most notable was with white sauce pasta and lots of cheese (by the way, I’m also a cheese maniac). So the note on the bottle was actually accurate. The packaging was also one of the things that I liked with this Chardonnay. Since it’s a New World wine, this Chilean bottle gave information including the recommended dish to match with it. I find this very useful so I don’t really wonder what aromas or tastes am I getting. And it’s also quite nice to know more about the wine than just simply gulping 14% alcohol…
The verdict: For a sensible, even cheap, price of RM65, I would say that this is a good bottle of Chardonnay to pick from the shelves or order online.

Ep 1: Finally, uncorked.

Posted on by
Reply

Well, this is something entirely new to me. But since I started working for a wine company in January this year, it definitely became a mission for me to learn more about this intriguing beverage.
 
I am not much of an alcohol lover before, definitely not a regular drinker in that sense. Of course, I also had those youth days when I drink liquor with friends…Jose Cuervo, Vodka Ice, Gilbey’s Gin, etc. When I was already working and went to bars instead of just drinking at friends’ homes, I got exposed to frozen margarita and it became a personal favorite. But it’s more like having juice rather than real alcohol drinking. I enjoyed a few sparkling wines but not on a regular basis.
I still remember those days in my home country where we order frozen margarita by the pitcher. Yes, it’s much cheaper than here in Malaysia. My husband likes the fact that alcohol is cheap when we were there which to me is a bad thing.  You can just imagine the daily drinking binges that he does there.
Since I arrived here 4 years ago, I barely had drinks. First, it was expensive and then I became a mother so my world totally changed.
But then here I am. Out of curiosity and search for something different to explore, I decided to join the wine industry. Aside from the undeniable truth that wine is simply classy, it will also challenge me to learn and explore something that is completely new to me. 
I already had several wine tastings and I’m so delighted to have a boss who happens to be a GM and sommelier at the same time. So from a total ‘wine idiot’ who knew almost nothing about the drink, I am learning to appreciate the drink bit by bit, getting more interested to understand the heritage and intricate process involved in this beverage. 
So this marks my ‘uncorking’. I’ve started having dinner with a regular glass of wine. Every bottle is something new that I’ve never tried before. Previously had a Chardonnay, Portuguese rosé from an exclusive label, Riesling, Pinot Gris and now browsing for more new wines to buy…and review. I want to share my personal feedback so at least there will be more wine opinions out there from ordinary people like me who are not experts but simply enjoy a glass (or two!) of wines. 
To all wine lovers or to anyone interested with wines, cheers! Wine reviews from a mummy who loves wine (not an expert) coming soon…




Thank Goodness for PediaSure!

Posted on by
2

Having a child who’s a picky-eater is probably one of the biggest challenges for parents. But having a child who doesn’t want to eat at all is a dilemma. My son is already 3 years and 3 months old but until now, he’s main food every day is just milk. Doctors said that there’s nothing to worry about as he gets sufficient nutrition from milk but I am still worried because he doesn’t eat any meal. He would only taste a bit of this and that then spit after sucking and chewing for a while.




Lucky there’s PediaSure. Long time ago, during my single days, I remember a colleague facing the same problem with his son. Her pediatrician also advised her to give PediaSure and in my home country, this brand is considered very, very expensive. Though hard and heavy on the pocket, parents who have problem-eater kids would still spend and buy this milk. At that time, I actually thought, how could milk be this expensive??? Little did I know that I’d be spending so much every month on the exact product around 8 years later, haha.

My son used to eat a bowl of rice when he was around 12 months. My mother in-law cooked different meals for him every day (lucky for me as I am such an idiot cook). Then suddenly, when he was around 24 months or so, he just didn’t want to eat. After several months of failed attempts to get him back to eating, that’s when we decided to shift to PediaSure. Costing around RM130 per 1.8kg, it was my best option since my son is entirely dependent on milk for his daily nutrition. Until now, he still doesn’t eat much, except for a few slices of cheese, a few bites of cookies or a few strands of mee. I am worried but so far, doctors have assured that he’s doing fine, he’s growing well and his weight is ok. He drinks around 6-7 bottles of 6oz milk everyday, poops once to thrice daily, so he’s pretty much normal.
I’m just thankful that there’s milk for this challenge. Otherwise, I would be panicking on what to feed my son. I’m sure there are a lot of mothers who might be facing the same problem and for me, PediaSure is worth a try and its price. Aden never had problem with his weight, unless he was sick and vomiting for a few days. Our friends still get surprised when we tell them that he doesn’t eat meals and just drinks milk everyday. He looks as healthy and normal as other kids who eat.
I can foresee that I still have more cans of PediaSure to open for Aden. But I really hope and pray that he would start eating proper meals soon. In the meantime, PediaSure is still my son’s best daily meal.

Laneige Sun Block Triple SPF Product Review

Posted on by
Reply
So here’s my review on the 2nd Laneige item I bought and used – Sun Block Triple SPF 40 PA++, 70ml at RM90. 

Let’s start with the packaging and presentation. The box is very interesting as it added embossed graphic and metallic print aside from the normal printing. A shape that somewhat looks like snowflake is embossed in front and side. I just don’t understand the snowflake-looking shape’s connection with sun block. The product’s packaging itself is in plastic tube with a twist cap. A bit inconvenient when in a hurry, specially for us working women who have to quickly finish our skincare and makeup every morning, in addition to preparing our child for school. It would have been better if it comes in a flip top or in a one-pull cap. 


The product claims to have 3 functions: blocking UV rays, relieving photo-aging and correcting skin tone. And according to the beauty consultant, it also serves as a make-up base. Main ingredients include cyclopentasiloxane, titanium dioxide, ethlyhexyl methoxycinnamate, butylene glycol, zinc oxide and ethyl dimethicone, contains parabens. 



I’ve started using it for a few days, together with my daily morning skincare and makeup routine. After my pore minimizing moisturizer, I apply the sun block then my RMK liquid foundation. The sun block smells nice. However, although the ingredients surely serve a good function in blocking the sun, I am quite disappointed with the texture and blending properties. It’s a bit thick and leaves an obvious white film, probably because of the titanium dioxide. Also difficult to spread and blend even on top of a moisturizer. Considering that it’s supposed to have color-correcting properties, I don’t think that making my face whiter than my neck would be the right effect. Lucky I have a good liquid foundation so I get my correct tone again after applying on top of the sun block. I hope Laneige will improve on this, or better yet, launch a CC cream that will be better than this item. The product is not bad as the 3 main claims are very great functions, just need to improve texture and blending properties and maybe a more convenient bottle. 

Well, I will still continue to use it and see how effective it will be against protecting my skin from the sun and correcting my skin tone. Over the year, I’ve developed tiny spots on my right cheek due to sun exposure while driving. And now that I am working further from my home than before, I will be even exposed longer to UV rays on the road. If it shows good results on my spots and skin tone then I probably would try to live with the unsatisfactory texture and blending. 




Off with those heads! Must-try: Laneige Blackhead Melting Gel

Posted on by
Reply


I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t have blackhead (or whitehead) problems. As for myself, I have major pore problem (maybe I am just exaggerated and too disturbed but I really have huge pores!).  So I have this itch to constantly clean up my pores. I use pore strips every week, particularly every Saturday. I’ve tried several brands, I’ll be sharing more about these during my next blogs but in the meantime, I am delighted to share my latest discovery: Laneige Blackhead Melting Gel. Doesn’t the name itself sound intriguing enough?

laneige_blackhead_melting_gel
Laneige Blackhead Melting Gel


I haven’t tried any Laneige product before. Not that I don’t trust the brand or anything but I guess the brand has been promoting mostly its hydrating products which I am not particularly interested in. My concern for the longest time is my oily skin and huge pores. Anyway, I was walking around the beauty section of Aeon at Mid Valley, planning to buy a sunscreen/ sun block because I want to replace the BB Cream I got from another brand (sadly, I am so disappointed and I’ve been using this brand for my other skincare items). It promises to adapt and flex to skin tone but I found out that it is not flexible at all. Really made my face darker than my neck and the product texture is too watery sometimes, soo weird. 

So I stumbled upon the Laneige counter and nosed through their products. The beauty advisor was friendly and assisted me, demonstrated their sun block items. She offered me 2 choices: 1 is normal sunblock and 1 has skin correction/ make-up base properties. The difference was only RM5 so I went for the one with make-up base properties. 



Looking around the counter, I noticed this pore care range and I was surprised. I didn’t realize they had this range, I always thought of Laneige as a hydration brand. Anyway, this particular product caught my attention: BLACKHEAD MELTING GEL. Never noticed any brand with this type of product before. Capturing my addiction to clearing my pores, this product gleamed and beamed at me (bwahaha!). And it also has a very interesting packaging, see the brush head on top and button at the side?

laneige_blackhead_melting_gel



So the beauty advisor explained how to use the product cum blackhead melting device. Just press the button on the side until you see the gel come out, apply on affected area then use the brush in circular motion over the applied gel. Wait for around 20 seconds then rinse your face with lukewarm water. Use 3-4x a week. It can also be used together with pore strips, although pore strips will only be used 2x a week.

I bought the sun block (RM90) and blackhead melting gel (RM90). Oh, I just love saying melting gel! I immediately used the melting gel last night. I loved it! Once you apply the gel on your face, you can feel the warmth like it’s really trying to melt those evil blackheads/ whiteheads. And the brush is just wonderful. It is soft and gentle to the face and felt like micro massage. After washing, the area feels smooth and clean. Just love the feeling. Of course, I can’t really see or tell yet if those heads disappeared but I’ll find out more within the next coming weeks. I used my pore strip this afternoon and there were less heads on the strip than my normal weekly result. So I guess the gel worked some miracle after all!

I’m happy with my first trial of Laneige products, at least with the blackhead melting gel. I’ll be using the sunscreen very soon and we’ll see if I will be happy with both. For now, I can say that this melting gel is a good product to try. Off with those heads!





Nuk Baby Bottles – Long-Lasting Print

Posted on by
Reply
Ever wished that those “mL” labels on feeding bottles stay clear and readable for months? On a plastic bottle and not the glass type which is a bit heavy for our kids to hold while drinking milk and lying down? I am delighted to share my personal choice of feeding bottle for my son — NUK!

Like a lot of Malaysian mommies, I actually started using the expensive bottle brand in the market. The quality is good, I am convinced with the BPA-FREE certification, anti-colic and all other stuff but over a course of 24 months, I got fed up with constantly changing the bottles every 2 or 3 months because the mL print just won’t last. I use sterilizing tablets to keep my son’s bottles clean and I guess the print easily wears off since the bottles are submerged in water a long time daily. But I expected better performance from a brand that’s supposed to be one of the best (and most expensive) bottles internationally. 

I started using different brands and, yes, I also tried a glass bottle which has a very good print but it is just too heavy and my son wasn’t comfortable with it. He always drinks milk lying down while watching TV and the glass bottle was heavy for him to lift. So okay, again, that fails. 

I needed a plastic bottle with the same requirements as BPA-FREE, anti-colic and all but with better quality print. I came across NUK bottles while doing my usual baby stuff shopping. Aside from the usual, it also has an Orthodontic feature for proper oral development AND I was attracted by the cartoon design. I’m sure it would be easier to convince my son to use this new bottle with those cartoons. There’s Winnie the Pooh, Mickey and other colorful designs. The price is a bit lower than the leading one. But if you catch the sale period, member’s specials then you can get it at a lower price. 

I’ve been using NUK for a year now and have bought 3 bottles to-date. I still replace his bottles regularly even with the amazingly long-lasting print. Here’s to show you the latest one I got during SOGO sale so I got it at a lower price:


Regular price is at RM52 but I got it for only RM41.60.

See the cute Mickey design? 

The thing is the nipples/bottles are only up to 12 months. My son is already 3 years old and he’s still a milk baby. So what I do is cut the nipple hole bigger. I also have to constantly change the nipples because my son keeps biting and spoils the nipples fast. The new nipples cost around RM22 per 2pc set.






















To show you how long-lasting the print is, check out his older bottle which I have used for more than 5 months already:




The bottle has turned color already (this also happens to the leading brand so no fuss) but the print is still so clear and vivid.
































Here are the 2 of them side-by-side:






Only the color has a difference but the prints are both clear and vivid. 




My son will be so happy to use his new bottle. But hopefully, he would start eating real meals soon. 

My 1st body scrub experience…Elianto’s Natural Therapy Botanicals Body Scrub

Posted on by
Reply

Surprising but honestly, I have never used a body scrub before. I am not really convinced with using an additional bath item which I only need to use once or twice a week. Will such a product make a difference on my skin? Really? Once a week use? 

I am not much of an exfoliation type. I somehow find it a burden to remember to use something once or twice a week as opposed to something that I just simply use everyday. Little did I know how these simple things can actually make a significant difference. 

So, okay, I decided to give scrubbing a try. I decided to use Elianto’s Natural Therapy Botanicals Body Scrub, also supposed to be whitening, moisturizing and an anti-oxidant. This is my first time to use a body scrub so I looked for a botanical or natural-based product. I was glad to come across this item while shopping for my usual nail colors at this brand’s outlet in MidValley, conveniently located at an island in front of Bread Story, lower ground floor. 


This body scrub is formulated with extracts from 10 different plants and flowers, meant to give hydration and nourishment to the skin. The 10 different plants and flowers as listed in its ingredients are Impatiens Balsamina, Oppuntia Coccinellifera, Artemisia Capillaris, Chrysanthemum Inula Britannica, Bambusa Vulgaris, Pinus Densiflora, Centella Asiatica, Broussonetia Kazinaki Root, Camellia Sinensis, and Nelumbo Nucifera. Ok, I only recognize chrysanthemum, haha!

It also contains Vitamin E Acetate and antioxidants which are good to prevent dryness and premature skin aging. 

Another good thing is that it doesn’t contain parabens. 



The scrub is brown in color with those small suds. Smells fantastic.


Quite easy to spread and apply all over the body when mixed with water. Feels great and very soothing. 



There is no recommendation on how often to use in a week so I just started with once a week (since this is my first time).  After using my usual body wash, I squeezed out 2-pea size amount for every area of my body: arms, chest and tummy, back, legs…feet. 

I’d say I’m enlightened…a revelation on how using scrub can actually make a difference. Aside from the fact that it’s so relaxing to use a body scrub, with the combined massaging and aroma, my skin actually feels a lot smoother and refreshed after. I’ve been using it for a  month already and my skin feels healthier. My legs used to feel dry before but I feel that  my once-a-week body scrub sessions using Elianto’s Natural Therapy have made my skin better. I’d definitely continue to use, maybe increase it to twice a week…

This item retails at RM31, available at Elianto outlets.