Organic Hydra for Youthful, Hydrated Skin

Posted on by
1
Having dry skin is not really an option for any of us. Why? Aside from the fact that dry skin makes our face look dull and rough, it also tends to be more sensitive because of lack of protective moisture barrier against external elements that can easily irritate the skin. Even a slight change in temperature can lead to itchiness and redness. 

Dry skin makes fine lines appear more visible including rough texture and other imperfections. When dry skin is not properly treated, it can lead to more severe problems such as dermatitis.

Dry skin is caused by environmental factors, skin care habits, lifestyle or internal factors. Weather and climate conditions can lead to dry skin. Ever noticed your hands getting very dry inside your air-conditioned office that you regularly need to apply hand cream? Bathing too long with hot water also strips away your skin’s natural moisture. If you really need a hot bath, make it short or try lukewarm water instead. The soap you use is also important. For those with dry skin, it is highly recommended to use fragrance-free soaps or cleansers. And while bathing, avoid scrubbing your skin too hard as you will strip away protective layers and natural oils. Exfoliate once a week if you really cannot escape exfoliation, and if you want to use body scrubs, just do it gently and don’t scrub like you have the skin of some 4-legged mammal. Remember that our skin is even thinner than paper. 

Drinking enough water is very important to our body and to our skin’s condition as well. Make sure you drink enough water. The key, don’t wait until your thirsty before you drink water. 

Having a healthy diet, as everyone has been telling us, also has an impact on how we look on the outside. Minimize intake of junk food and sugar drinks. Increase your fruits and vegetable diet. Take your daily supplements as there are a lot of nutrients that we need which we cannot ingest completely from our daily diet. 

And, of course, having the right skincare products to address dry, dull skin will be of great importance in treating our skin right. I came across Elianto’s Organic Hydra skincare range, a 5-piece collection of products formulated to give superior hydration to all skin types. 



Organic Hydra has combined gentle yet effective ingredients to deliver hydration and anti-aging benefits:


Organic Rose Water – maintains the skin’s optimal hydration level to keep the skin supple, soft and smooth. Known for its antibacterial and antiseptic properties, rose water has been a precious ingredient for beauty and skin-healing treatments for centuries.


Organic Hydrosalinol (Salicorne) – provides extreme moisture, helps retain skin moisture, prevents moisture loss and restores the skin’s natural moisture barrier. Organic Salicorne is a plant rich in antioxidants with over 90 kinds of ocean minerals.


Hydrolyzed Collagen – helps fight the aging process, keeps the skin suppler and prevents formation of wrinkles and sagging skin. Hydrolysed Collagen leaves the skin with improved elasticity, tone and texture. 

Organic Hydra has 5 products:

Gel Cleanser (RM43/ 150ml) – thoroughly yet gently removes impurities and make-up without irritation while maintaining the skin’s natural moisture. Suitable for all skin types. Oil-free and soap free.
Face Toner (RM55/ 150ml) – cleans, soothes and repairs the skin with its hydration-rich components. Suitable for all skin types.
Serum (RM59/ 50ml) – hydrates the skin and protects against free radicals, prevents and reduces the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and improves skin tone and firmness. Suitable for all skin types.
Moist Gel (RM65/ 150ml) – prevents moisture loss while stimulating collagen production,  eliminates dull, flaky skin while reducing the appearance or formation of wrinkles. Works well with make-up and foundation. Suitable for all skin types.
Intensive Mask (RM75/ 50ml) – restores radiance, combats dryness, rejuvenates the skin, plumps up wrinkles and fine lines, improves elasticity, skin tone and texture. Suitable for all skin types.

Step-by-step use:
DAY – Cleanser — Toner — Serum — Moist Gel, and for those who need extra hydration, use the Intensive Mask after moist gel.

NIGHT – Cleanser — Toner — Serum — Moist Gel — Intensive Mask (no need to wash off)


The Organic Hydra range is available at all Elianto outlets across Malaysia. 




Enuca’s Light Me Up…lightened me up!

Posted on by
Reply
Pigmentation and dark skin have always been a challenge for us women. As for me, my main skin concerns are huge pores, oily skin and fine lines around the eyes. But when presented with the opportunity to test drive a new whitening skincare range, I said to myself, “why not?”. 


I was asked to try this range from Enuca called Light Me Up (well, isn’t that just cool and straight forward?). This is my first time introduction to the brand and it is no surprise as Enuca just started in 2011. It is based on a multi-level marketing business model which gives proprietorship opportunities to anyone who has the passion in beauty products and would like to build their financial freedom through this industry.

And so I tried the Enuca Light Me Up products: Cleanser, Toner, Serum, Spot Concentrate, and Day & Night Moisturizer. This range is supposed to brighten, lighten the skin and reduce pigmentation including freckles. Its key ingredients are 7 powerful Alpine plant-derived skin lightening extracts. 



The Cleanser is a non-foaming type but the great thing is it cleanses my skin just nice. One of my disappointments with some non-foaming cleansers is that it doesn’t really clean the skin. The Light Me Up Cleanser claims to brighten, lighten and purify the complexion gently without stripping the skin’s natural moisture. The product itself is white in color, milky and has a gentle fragrance. 

This is suitable for dry to normal skin. As with a normal cleanser or facial wash, use a small amount in between palms and gently massage over wet face and neck in circular motion. 





After using the cleanser, I apply the Light Me Up Toner. This toner is not your usual water-like base type. It is actually milky, more like a facial lotion, white in color. Just apply it on a cotton pad then wipe over the face and neck. There is no stinging feel at all. And right after applying this, I can feel that my face is already supple and smooth. Very refreshing. 


The Serum is quite interesting as it has a rather unconventional pump cover which has a button on top to dispense the serum. The serum is very clear, gel-like in texture to be spread all over the face using your fingertips. Safe to use day and night.



The spot concentrate is a concentrated formula targeted for specific areas that require special attention. So you look closely at the mirror, look at your cheeks and the area near your eyes and you just might notice some small dots there…yes, might be sun exposure or you are just very cute and inherited some freckles. Nevertheless, the spot concentrate will be a good weapon against those pigmented spots. This product, like the serum, is gel-like liquid, to be applied on targeted areas only. Not on the entire face, unlike some other brands which have the spot concentrate and yet you have to apply it on the entire face. Isn’t that just weird? 



And the last product on this skincare range is the Day & Night Moisturizer. This one has a very nice jar, not your usual plastic and it has that elegant, gold brand logo on the cover. All the other products have black logo and only this one is in gold. It comes with a spatula so you can just use this to scoop the right amount that you need and makes it more hygienic as you don’t need to dip your finger inside. Pretty cool. It has a rich texture, easy to spread over the face and neck. This one feels good on the skin and you immediately feel moisturized. The only disappointment for me is that there’s no SPF content so I still need to add another layer of either my BB cream or sunscreen which could feel a bit heavy during the day. 
HOW TO USE ALTOGETHER:
Cleanser – Toner – Serum – Spot Concentrate – Day & Night Moisturizer

The VERDICT:
After 2 weeks of daily use, there was an obvious and visible improvement on my skin tone and pigmentation. On the photo below, you can see on the encircled area that the pigmentation was reduced after 2 weeks. On the square area, you can see that my stubborn spot (it’s really just 1 big dot there) was visibly lighter. The size is not yet reduced but the color improved. And look at my overall complexion! Really lighter and brighter!


Prices:
Cleanser – RM108
Toner – RM128
Serum – RM198
Spot Concentrate – RM88
Day & Night Moisturizer – RM138

Get Baby Silky Feet in 7 Days???

Posted on by
2

Ok, this gotta be good. I stumbled upon this new beauty section at 1F in Isetan KLCC. I actually didn’t realize that they now have this part at the 1st floor. They have a few brands within this area which obviously caters to the younger shoppers. It has Shizens, TheFaceShop, Canmake, Holika Holika and Nature Republic (er, I’ve only heard of Shizens and TheFaceShop, the rest are all new to me.

Honestly, I am not young anymore to be really attracted to these brands BUT (!) I saw this very interesting product and it really captured my addiction to baby feet…a product by Holika Holika from Korea — BABY Silky FOOT One Shot Peeling, and in smaller text, it says: Seven day miracle! A simple one-step foot peeling pack for smoothening dead skin cells on coarse and chapped feet. 



The product costed me RM38.60 (well, that’s just weird pricing). It’s so darn cute and interesting, look at that cute baby feet shot. And I guess I was intrigued with the seven day miracle…

I’ve had dry and chapped feet for as long as I can remember. I have been using Soap & Glory Righteous Butter Body Lotion and it has really done wonders for my feet. But this Baby Silky Foot thing should be interesting to try.


Inside this cute box are plastic disposable socks and the peeling solution inside babyfeet-shaped pack. Again, cuteness…


Here are the step-by-step directions:

1) Wear the plastic socks on both feet (best to start after bathing or washing your feet)
2) Put each liquid of the pouch into each foot sock


Tie the plastic strings to keep the liquid and moisture inside the socks (and to prevent spills as well)


Watch some TV first, chill, relax…read a book or something…

3) Take off the socks after one and a half hours

4) Wash feet gently with water

And the wait is on for the seven-day-miracle. Right after washing my feet, it feels soft and tender. During the 1st day after this peeling solution, the skin on my feet started to peel off, especially at those areas with dry and thick skin.

I am now on my 4th day and the peeling has become more evident. Sorry, I won’t be posting photos for this as it’s quite unsightly. The great thing is my calluses are actually peeling off, too. It’s quite amazing to see (hehe, goodbye thick skin).

Overall, I see that this was worth a try. You just need to do this peeling solution once every 28 days so it’s not too much of a hassle. It’s just like going for a foot spa every now and then. I’d definitely repeat next month to fully peel off my calluses and to make my feet even more silky…of course, I would still be using my indispensable Soap & Glory Righteous Butter Body Lotion.

Perricone MD Chia Serum…magic in a bottle.

Posted on by
Reply

Ever heard of chia seeds? This seed sounds really new and interesting to me. Upon some research, I’ve learned that chia is an edible seed that comes from a desert plant called Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows abundantly in the country of Mexico. It is said that this small yet amazing seed was used as a staple food by the Indians of the south west and Mexico as well. Just a teaspoon full is good enough to sustain the energy of the Indians of the south west when going on a 24-hour march. 24-hour?!!! Wow, look how small this seed is…


This small little seed is also notable for its high oil content and it is the RICHEST vegetable source for Omega-3. And if you can well remember, omega-3 is an essential fatty acid which is vital for normal metabolism and has a lot of health benefits. 



So why am I talking about chia seeds? Well, it’s because the chia oil found in chia seeds is the main component of this new revolutionary product from Perricone MD called Chia Serum. Chia Serum is a multi-tasking serum with rare extracts of chia oil and fat-soluble essential vitamins: vitamins A, C and E. It is scientifically-formulated to rapidly transform dull, dry skin to a visibly vibrant, glowing and healthy complexion. And because of the powers of chia oil, the Chia Serum also protects the skin from oxidative stress that accelerates the signs of aging. 

The application and usage of the Chia Serum is also very amazing and convenient. You can apply it directly after cleansing your face or after treatment or before make-up application or as a make-up finish. Talk about multi-tasking! Just rub 1-3 drops in between your palms and pat gently in circular motions over the entire face. You can even mix it with your favorite Perricone MD moisturizer. You can apply it several times a day, as often as you feel your skin needs. The bottle can easily be placed inside your cosmetic pouch and bring it with you the whole day! 

RESULTS based on Perricone MD tests:

– 90% said their skin felt more hydrated immediately after use
– 88% agreed after using for 1 week it helped their skin retain moisture
– 73% agreed it boosted the effects of their daily moisturizer
– 88% agreed when used under make-up, make-up applied more smoothly


Perricone MD Chia Serum is now available in Malaysia at Isetan KLCC, The Gardens, 1 Utama; Parkson KLCC and Pavilion, and Metrojaya Mid Valley. Retails at RM306/ 30ml.






Reminiscing: Those Old Childhood Shows!

Posted on by
Reply

Nowadays, kids have so many choices of shows to watch on TV. They have Disney Junior and Cartoon Network that play kiddie shows day in and out. Thomas & Friends, Chuggington, Little Einsteins, Barney, Powerpuff Girls, Powerpuff Girls Z, and the list goes on and on. And this is just on TV. They still have their DVDs so they can watch their have movies or shows again and again…agh, Barney the whole day…but eventually, I actually got used to that purple thing.

Looking back at the way things were during my childhood (yes, that’s almost 30 years ago), I can’t help but wonder if my son would be able to appreciate those shows. Just for the fun of it and maybe you would also be amused to remember these shows, here are some of those old childhood shows that can bring you way back to memory land:

VOLTRON: Defenders of the Universe

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to watch this from beginning to end. But the formation of this robot is just so cool. There are 5 lion robots that form together to become Voltron and fight the robeasts, monsters created by the witch Haggar, together with the evil King Zarkon and his son Lotor. The Voltron Force protect Princess Allura, ruler of the planet Arus.

And here’s the news! They are making a movie! Hopefully it will push through…let’s just sit tight and wait for further announcements.

VOLTES V

And who wouldn’t find that formation song addictive? Even if we don’t understand the meaning? Voltes V is about the heroic exploits of 5 young robot pilots (3 of which are brothers) against the Boazanians, aliens from the planet Boazan. The Voltes V pilots consist of Steve, John, Big Bert, Jaime and Mark. They endlessly protect the earth while searching for the 3 brothers’ long lost father, Dr. Armstrong.

HE-MAN and the Masters of the Universe

Who would name a hero He-Man? Anyway, this show is about Prince Adam, the son of the king and queen of Eternia, a planet of magic and fantasy. Prince Adam uses a power sword, holds it up high and says, “By the power of gray skull, I have the powwweeeerrr”. Then he transforms into a macho man with just minimal clothing, haha! Of course, he becomes very strong and fight against Skeletor, as you might have guessed, ya, he looks like a skeleton, or he’s actually a skeleton.

SHE-RA

Okay, so I guess they needed a version to appeal to the young girls…or young boys? She-Ra is about Princess Adora, twin sister of Prince Adam.  Princess Adora has a sword of protection and when she says, “for the honor of gray skull”, she becomes She-Ra. She fights against the Evil Horde to set planet Etheria free.

POPEYE the Sailorman

Spinach, anyone? Maybe the creators of Popeye had spinach farms, ahahaha! The show is about Popeye’s daily adventures where he would often need extra strength to overcome obstacles such as rescuing Olive from Bluto or rescuing Olive from Bluto (well, the episodes are quite predictable with Olive always being taken by Bluto). And to have that extra strength, he would take out his canned spinach, eat everything and then he becomes superhuman.

That’s it for now. Need to go back to the present time as my Aden wants milk and his Thomas & Friends show already. Hope you had a fun time reminiscing those old childhood shows!

Dry Skin? Rough Heels? Righteous Butter Body Lotion to the Rescue!

Posted on by
Reply

Always had those irritating rough and cracked heels? Dry and itchy legs? Fret no more…I’ve found the righteous solution to these problems…Soap & Glory’s The Righteous Butter Body Lotion!


I think most of the butter lotions or creme available in the market are too sticky, greasy or oily. But I guess a lot of us are looking for a moisturizing product that will REALLY moisturize the body, solve those dry heels but won’t be sticky. Otherwise, with the hot weather, it’s just gonna be icky the whole day. I’ve tried different foot creams, foot lotion and body butter to hopefully improve my cracked heels. But after applying on the heels and soles, I just cannot walk too soon or I would feel the floor very slippery. 

But with The Righteous Butter Body Lotion, it’s just so great! First, it’s NOT greasy at all. Second, my skin immediately feels moisturized. Third, I can actually walk without the slippery feeling. And fourth, it smells so good, it’s sooo addicting. So yeah, I apply it all over my arms, legs and feet. Sometimes, on Aden’s feet as well. 

The packaging is also very functional and interesting. Because it comes in a pump, it’s very convenient to use. Unlike most of the other body butter products which come in a twist container. Too troublesome to open and close (especially when your hands are so greasy after application). 

And on the side, you will see this very interesting and cute message. Informative and yet very catchy and cool. 


BUTTER SAFE THAN SORRY! 











This lotion contains shea and cocoa seed butters, sweet almond and rose hip seed oils, aloe vera, vitamin E, a special seaweed-sourced rough skin smoother, and Soap & Glory’s bergamot, peach, vanilla and sandalwood classic ‘pink’ fragrance. 

Purchased this addiction at Sephora KLCC. Around RM39. 




Finally…a non-sticky serum for my hair! Oh my, Ouidad Shine Glaze Serum!

Posted on by
Reply

I’ve always been so irritated with my dry, frizzy, unruly hair. Even with hair rebounding treatment, my hair easily goes back to its terrible condition. I actually have to iron my hair every day before going to work. Quite troublesome and also bad for the hair. That’s why it’s even drier than before and very dull.

I have tried a few products to make my hair shiny but I’ve always had trouble with the stickiness. I am always hurrying in the morning to go to work and avoid the bad traffic jam so I have to be quick with my hair. Of course, I’d rather spend those precious minutes with fixing and doing my face and eye make-up.

Anyway, in my never-ending quest and curiosity to explore new beauty products (hair products for my dull hair included), I went to Sephora in Suria KLCC to browse around. And to my delight, I came across this brand that I haven’t heard of before, OUIDAD, and it has a wide range of interesting hair treatment products. I was caught by the Shine Glaze Serum which is supposed to make hair smoother and more luminous. It can be used for curly hair and straight hair.


Excited and eager to see if it will work or not, I immediately used it the following day after my usual hair straightening schedule via iron. As instructed, just rub 2-3 drops in between your palm then apply to damp or dried hair. Comb through. Since my hair needs more-than-normal glazing, I applied another 2 drops of Shine Glaze then combed through and…voila! Finally, a non-sticky serum that actually made my hair looked healthy and shiny! The glaze lasted the whole day without making my hair sticky at all. Now that’s what a serum should be…




More product information:
Name: Ouidad Shine Glaze Serum
Price: RM58 for 75ml

Product Description:
Shine Glaze Serum is a unique finishing product that smoothes and polishes the hair to a glass-like shine. It reflects light to add luminosity and smoothes to control and eliminate frizz.

How to use:
Rub 2 to 3 drops in palms and apply to damp or dried hair. Comb through. It’s a great finishing product as a quick fix for fly-aways—just a drop at the end of your styling routine!

The end result:
Hair has a glass-like, healthy shine. Frizz and static disappear into thin air.




Baby Skincare

Posted on by
Reply
I used to wonder why aren’t there more brands of baby skincare products aside from the basic mass-market brands? Furthermore, why aren’t there skincare products that would provide daily skincare regimen for toddlers/kids? I honestly don’t understand why this need is not yet considered in a lot of countries long time ago. As a mother, I definitely want to take good care of my baby’s skin. And for a person who has been in branding/marketing for skincare products, all the more that I am very conscious and cautious with what I will put on my son’s precious skin. 

Anyway, the good news is that new brands with baby skincare range have arrived in Malaysia. Burt’s Bees has ranges for mothers and babies. Come on, admit it, the Baby Bee range is just so cute and adorable. Would you look at that…
I particularly loved Baby Bee Skin Creme, RM62.80. It’s meant to soothe all rough spots on the skin. I use this on my son’s arms and legs after swimming as the skin gets very dry after. Of course, I cannot forget his precious feet which need extra care so it will stay kissable. And by the way, Burt’s Bees products are natural so no need to worry about harsh chemicals, no parabens. It contains sweet almond oil, aloe vera and beeswax which make this cream very rich and soothing plus very nice to smell, too! 
Another new brand that just arrived via Isetan KLCC and 1 Utama is Neal’s Yard from London. Very interesting, packaging has the look and feel of organic products, simple yet informative. What caught my attention was this baby balm (ok, have you noticed that I’m quite addicted to baby creams or anything that would keep skin moisturized?). I haven’t bought one yet but I might be encouraged to try next time. The Baby Balm protects and calms the skin with a combination of gentle, moisturizing ingredients including olive oil, coconut oil and shea nut butter. It can be applied as required to dry or chafed areas, safe to use on face, body and bottom. The oils lubricate the skin while beeswax and shea nut butter provide a thin protective layer that keeps normal skin moisture in and nappy moisture out. Feels good and smells nice. 
Anyway, one of the products that I am actually looking for is a cream or serum that can actually minimize or brighten those dark spots from mosquito bites and wounds. The thing is my son likes to scratch the bites and I cannot blame him as those can get very itchy. So my quest goes on for new baby products. And in the next few years, I will be looking for kids’ skincare products. Is it just me…yah, maybe I’m just too obsessed with skincare. 

My Baby’s Feet

Posted on by
Reply

Some may find it weird, some may even find it disgusting but I am simply addicted to my baby’s feet. No day passes by without feet-biting and feet-kissing sessions with my son. Since the day he was born, I’ve fallen in love with those tiny, chubby feet. So soft, so kissable and so good to nibble.

Now, he’s already 2 1/2 years old. We still enjoy our feet-biting and feet-kissing sessions. In fact, he’s gotten so used to it that he would voluntarily stretch out his legs and tell me, “Mommy, bite my baby feet.” Priceless. 
Well, I’ve taken extra effort to take care of this treasure. His feet must always be clean, moisturized, nails always kept well-trimmed. I wish I can maintain his beautiful skin as long as possible. Surprisingly, though, there are not enough skincare products in the market that are specifically-made for baby or children’s skin. I honestly don’t want to rely on mass-market brands that have, of course, flooded the beauty shops. Hopefully, one day, there might be a brand to join me in my quest to maintain my baby’s skin…especially his beautiful feet.