Busy November - A Month Of Beauty Workshops And Shopping Marathon

In a few minutes, it will be December and I would like to round up the busy month of November with a short summary of why November has been such a busy month for me!

Let's see.....starting from the eve of November, that was on Halloween, I had been attending workshop(s) every weekend, be it makeup and/or skincare workshops.

So here's a list of the workshops which I have attended but the lazy me, had yet to blog about them:

1) HELLO Magazine-Good Skin Labs Workshop;
2) Malaysian Women's Weekly-Clinique Workshop;
3) Cleo-MAC Colorview Workshop;
4) Estee Lauder The Ultimate Party Makeover Workshop (which included a section on Party
Etiquette by Wendy Lee, an internationally trained and qualified image consultant in Malaysia);
5) REN Skincare Workshop;
6) Laneige Power of 4 Workshop; and
7) Peter Thomas Roth Skincare Workshop (this one was a private workshop).

Huh!!! That was quite a record-breaking feat for me, as I have never attended so many workshops in a month.

And I still have workshops from the Summer months which I haven't even blogged about. Yea, I am lazy....that's 1 reason. But for me, to blog about a workshop is not merely posting photos taken during the workshops and some short bla-bla-bla. The perfectionist in me with a bit of OCD always want to write about these things in details and especially to make sure that whatever I learned from these workshops, I can also incorporate into my blog posts for the benefits of my dear readers. For me, reporting/reviewing these workshops is not only to share with my readers, but also a way for me to express my appreciation for the organizers and brands(companies) which have made the effort to organize such events. Hence, it's not fair to just write for the sake of writing and come up with some mediocre post(s) on any workshop. So, please bear with me if I am taking a long time to blog about the workshops which I have attended.

Then....let's go on to shopping.............Definitely, did quite a lot of retail therapy for the past month, what with the Christmas/Holiday Collections of many brands are already out. Some have been posted up. As for the retail therapies, I will do photo posts on them with captions for each photo and may be short reviews on certain items. After all, a picture speaks a thousand words.

OK, enough said....I am going back to editing the many photos of the workshops and of my retail therapies......

Stay tuned!

FEMALE Magazine December 09 Issue & Freebies

A friend of mine told me about the December issue of FEMALE magazine with its FREE booklet of vouchers and I quickly went to get a copy for myself, and right away, started hunting for the freebies which the vouchers have to offer.

Most of the vouchers are discount vouchers whereby you must purchase something to be entitled to the discount, etc.

But there was this Bio-Essence voucher which enabled me to redeem a trial set of its slimming product FOC. And also the voucher for Shiseido where no purchase was necessary.

FEMALE Dec 09 comes with a sample of Pantene No-rinse hair conditioner.
FREE booklet filled with vouchers....

Redeemed this Bio-essence set at Guardian Midvalley. The other place to redeem this set with the voucher is Guardian KLCC.

Got this lot of samples from the Shiseido counter at Isetan the Gardens, but the SA was a bit blur and stingy, but thank God, my friend had gone earlier to redeem her lot and she told me what the counter manager gave her. So when the SA stinge with the samples with me, I knew what to ask for!!! Just happened, the counter manager had gone off when I got there. That's why gotta deal with the SA!

And flipping through magazines in the month of December is always a very 'dangerous' thing to do....dangerous to your and my pockets, at the very least!

I saw these pages in the FEMALE magazine, and I realised...WOW!! I already had 3 of the sets featured....and I am lemming for another.......

Already gotten myself the RMK Christmas Palette but still haven't taken photos of it.
And I am so lemming for the Elizabeth Arden set (the one in the photo) and another set with the maroon-colored tote bag!

Got the Estee Lauder Good As Gold set, and also the Shu Uemura lip gloss trio....

Review: REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash - By The Intrepid Beauty

Shower gels are one of my many bath passion, which if you remember, I have shelves-load of them....I am simply spoilt for choice when it comes to shower time! And ROSE is my favorite-st scent among so many scents!

Today, The Intrepid Beauty will review yet, another REN product, but this time, a body care product, instead of skincare, which she so loves! It's the award-winning REN Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash.

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Having used some of REN's skincare products with positive results, I've been fortunate to have had the opportunity to also try REN's Moroccan Rose Otto Body Wash which I understand is their star body product.



This body wash has been awarded InStyle's Best Beauty Buys of 2008 and Harper's Bazaar (Malaysia) Beauty Awards 2009 for Best Shower/Body Wash! It isn't hard to see why right from the first sniff. REN's product brochure describes it was "a multi award-winning luxurious body wash, formulated with Moroccan Rose Otto Oil, one of the world's most expensive and revered essential oils. Moroccan Rose Otto Oil is steam distilled from petals harvested at dawn and is beneficial to dry and sensitive skin while its exquisite scent has stress relieving and soothing properties".



As REN products do not contain any synthetic colours, the slight yellow tinge of the body wash is derived solely from ingredients such as Rosa Damascena flower water & oil and grapefruit. The scent is primarily of roses but it isn't overpowering as is the case with other body products which have a synthetic rose fragrance. There is nothing artificial about the fragrance of this product, it's the real McCoy, truly scent-sational. You feel as if you have been transported to the middle of a rose garden when you use it in the shower/bath.

This body wash is neither too thick nor runny and you really do not need a lot to create a luxurious later. As it is said to be free from harsh sulfates, my skin did not feel tight after washing off the lather. On the contrary, the result was soft skin which normally I don't get with other body washes or even with handmade soaps. Best of all, the scent of roses lingers on your skin long after you have emerged from the shower. It's truly among the creme de la creme of body washes and it's a product everyone should indulge in once in a while if only for the occasional pampering.

The 200ml bottle of this body wash retails for RM118.


The Intrepid Beauty

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At the REN counters, you can get the full-sized (200ml) bottle of this body wash in a trio set which consists the body wash, Moroccan Rose Otto Bath Oil (RM194) and Damask Rose Body Cream (RM182) (all full-sized) for RM376 (quite a savings as individually all 3 would cost you RM494).



Alternatively, you can try the samples of the body wash (50ml) together with the Damask Rose Body Cream (50ml) and Neroli and Grapefruit Body Wash (50ml) and Grape seed, Jojoba and Shea Butter Body Cream (50ml).....all 4 come in a nice gift box and retails for only RM98! Yes, RM98 for 200ml of products and you get to sample 4 different types of REN bath and body care! Really a good deal, especially if you are looking for gifts for your loved ones and/or even yourself come this festive season. Individually, they make great stocking stuffers too.



So what are you waiting for?? Check out your nearest REN counters at Escentials@Tangs Pavilion, Parkson Pavilion, Parkson KLCC and/or Metrojaya Midvalley if you are heading to these places today or anytime you are going to do your holiday shopping!

Quick Update: Tsuya-Tsuya At Beauty & Spa Show '09

I was at the Tsuya-Tsuya booth at Beauty & Spa Show '09 this afternoon.

Just wanna update on the prices of the 2 Tsuya-Tsuya products which I have reviewed recently.

Angel Eyes Pack (White fiber + Black fiber + Long lasting mascara) plus some additional free gifts....NOW at the Expo is only RM180 (Usual price: RM217)

Gel Eyeliner Pack (Gel eyeliner + Eyeliner brush).....NOW at the Expo is only RM49 (Usual price: RM79)
Colors available: I saw Cedar Brown and Tanzanite Purple there. Tanzanite Purple is a dark purple shade with black undertone......could be your new black!!

Do check out their booth at the Beauty & Spa Show at Midvalley Exhibition Hall! The Expo is on till 29th November 2009 (this Sunday)!

Photos: Laneige X'mas Set Plus Freebies From Jusco

So, on Tuesday, I gave a quick update of what was on offer at the Laneige counter in Jusco 1 Utama. And my friend helped me to grab another X'mas set from Laneige and got a 3-pc gift set with just the purchase of that set which costs RM130.

My friend passed the stuff to me today.....and here they are........

For RM130........I got...............

Hydra Solution Mask set (RM130)
Comes with a 3-pc Hydra Solution trial kit and a 15ml Hydra Solution Essence
and a light blue and white polka dot makeup pouch.
I had wanted that pouch when I saw it at Isetan The Gardens when I did my 1st haul, but somehow the vanity case and red makeup case took precedence over this.

Hydra Solution Mask
8 sheet/box

Sample-sized items which come with the set

And the cute little makeup pouch which the whole set came in.

And with just the purchase of the set above,
I received a 3-pc gift set which, when my friend passed to me, was quite a shock to me!
The 3-pc gift set includes a tote bag and 2 samples (a cleansing gel and an eye cream)!!!

The tote bag

2 samples

Wow!!! By far, Laneige is a very generous brand when it comes to their GWPs!
From my own experience, to get something like a tote bag as part of GWP, you would have to purchase at least a few hundred Ringgit, not RM100 or 200, but at least a minimum of RM300. And if you take my Laneige haul from Isetan the other day and this, I spent only RM275, and I got 3 makeup pouches/bags and 2 samples as GWPs!!! Not to mention the sets which I have purchased also came with many charm-sized items!

Speaking of GREAT DEAL!!!!!!

Photos: theBalm Retail Therapy

Been making several small hauls from theBalm, the new makeup brand in town from San Francisco!

Here are some little eye candies.........

theBalm Shady Lady Palette
only RM120

9 gorgeous pigmented eyeshadow colors

3 mini eyeliners that comes with a sharpener
only RM55

I bought the Christmas gift set as well.....but didn't take photos of them yet.

Just a short post for now....am out having lunch at Tony Roma's with my little girl and some girl friends.........

Review: Tsuya-Tsuya Gel Eyeliner In Cedar Brown Shimmer - A Multi-Tasking Eye Product

Besides the Tsuya-Tsuya Long Lasting Mascara and Angel Eyes which I have reviewed, I also received Tsuya-Tsuya Gel Eyeliner in Cedar Brown Shimmer for review purpose.


When I got this product, the adventurous ME thought to myself....what can I use this gel eyeliner for, other than as an eyeliner, of course?

And I managed to come up with several ways to use this gel eyeliner.

Before that, let's get acquainted with the product first.

This gel eyeliner comes sealed with an aluminum foil to preserve its freshness, and prevention of it from drying up. *Thumbs up for this kind of packaging!
I have owned so many cream/gel eye products, and none of them, not even those from the higher-end luxury brands, comes with a seal!

This gel eyeliner comes in a set with a pointed eyeliner brush known as the Beauty Eye Pack. The size of the gel eyeliner is 4g. The Beauty Eye Pack retails for RM79.


Some words on the product itself.....

Swatch of Cedar Brown Gel eyeliner, without flash(top), and with flash(bottom)

Cedar Brown Shimmer gel eyeliner is a dark brown color with gold shimmer. Its texture is so light, smooth and soft and despite its shimmer, it doesn't feel gritty to the touch. The product glides on smoothly on my lids when applied with the pointed eyeliner brush provided, without any clumping. Although it is long-wearing and waterproof, it doesn't dry on my lids so quickly, hence giving me time to blend/smudge it the way I want. And because of its light texture, I don't feel like there's anything on my lids after application, which is good should you want to layer it.


Some words on the brush.....


The pointed eyeliner brush comes with a cover which can double up as a long handle for the brush. The bristle of the brush is made of synthetic material, and feels soft to the touch, but at the same time, is stiff enough to draw a fine line on my upper eyelids. The small slender size of the brush makes it easy to draw a fine line, but when I want to apply a thicker line, I need to sort of layer it on.


And the ways to use this product......

So, in total, I managed to come up with 6 different ways to use this gel eyeliner, from just being an eyeliner to the use as an eyeshadow and/base.

Let's take a look.............

As an eyeliner

Just 1 swipe of the brush with the eyeliner on the upper lashline.


As an eyeliner, but winged

Drawn the same way as above, but extended on the outer corner of the eye to create a winged liner look.

As a thick liner

Several swipes and layered to get a thicker line.

To line the lower lashline

To line the lower lashline from the outer corner of the eye inward. In the photo above, I did it with just one swipe across the lower lashline. The soft and smooth texture of the liner coupled with the softness of the slightly stiff bristle of the brush allow for the ease of application in just a stroke.

As a base for MAC Gilt By Association Mineralize eyeshadow

Using the gel liner as a base: I applied MAC Gilt By Association with a small shadow brush over the gel liner, and gently blending it upward to create a soft smoky look.

As an eyeshadow; toned down with a light-colored eyeshadow

In the past, I had tried using pencil eyeliners as eyeshadows. You can read it here and here.
So, I thought to myself why not try using this too?
But since this is quite a dark color (see top left photo), I decided to try using a light-colored eyeshadow over the dark brown color, to tone it down (perhaps for a day look).

Photos #1 and #1A: I applied Estee Lauder Pure Color Eyeshadow #10 Ivory Box (a shimmery white-cream shade) over the liner and blended it all the way upward to the brow bone (as a highlight). It tones down the dark brown color and also acts as a highlight.

Photo #2: Taken under natural daylight.

So, what do you think of these looks? Isn't it something that a simple shimmery gel eyeliner can be used in so many different ways? Speaking of multi-tasking, and value for money!!!

I wore the above different looks on different days under different environmental conditions of heat, rain and humidity, and the color was just as fresh at the end of the day as I had applied it initially. No fading and no smudging at the end of the day! And the shimmer remains as shimmery!

And as easy to apply as it is, it is equally easy to remove by an eye makeup remover for waterproof makeup. Just saturate a cotton pad with it and a few swipes, everything comes off.

Actually, there are still many ways which you can use this product. Just need to let your imagination stretched a bit, coupled with loads of adventure and start your experiment!!!



Tsuya-Tsuya will be at the Beauty & Spa Show 2009 this weekend (27-29th November 2009) at Midvalley. Click here for more information.

For more product information, please visit Tsuya-Tsuya website.

Quick Update: LANEIGE at Jusco 1 Utama Members' Day

Just a quick update....

My friend was just at Jusco 1 Utama Members' Day, and Laneige counter there has some of the X'mas gift sets which I had purchased from Isetan The Gardens last week. But quantities are limited and selling fast.

So hurry up if you can spare the time to go now. And they are giving out 3-pc gift set with any purchase for the 1st 50 customers....

No pics as yet.......so I have no idea what my friend had gotten for me....but it's a skincare set with a box of masks (the last box).

Reviews: Tsuya-Tsuya Long Lasting Mascara And Angel Eyes

I have received from Tsuya-Tsuya the following items for review purposes:

-Tsuya-Tsuya Long Lasting Mascara
-Angel Eyes Volume (black fiber)
-Angel Eyes Length (white fiber)

The 3 items received from Tsuya-Tsuya for review purpose

Angel Eyes treatment set

Angel Eyes for Volume
(Black fiber)
It comes with a little brush to brush off excessive fibers around the eye area and cheeks.

Angel Eyes for Length
(White Fiber)

The instruction on the Angel Eyes Volume and Angel Eyes Length are the same, but I have taken the photo of the instruction from the Angel Eyes Length box as it's white background.

Precaution on using the product, and its ingredient list

Tsuya-Tsuya Long Lasting Mascara

So I have decided to review this in a step-by-step guide (with photos on each step) on how to use these 3 products together based on the instruction provided.


Firstly, let me show you how long (or rather, short) my eyelashes are......

My short eyelashes - approximately 4mm long only

STEP 1:
I applied the mascara on my eyelashes.




STEP 2:
I applied Black Fiber (Angel Eyes Volume) on the inner eyelashes, that is nearer to the roots for more volume.

While applying the Black Fiber, I experienced some fallout around my eyes and cheeks.
Note some of the Black Fibers on my cheeks in the lateral view photo.

STEP 3:
I applied another coat of mascara again to hold the Black Fiber in place.






STEP 4:
I applied White Fiber on the tips of my eyelashes for more length.

I applied only to the tips of my lashes, but somehow the fibers have some affinity for one another and start to stick to the areas near the roots.

STEP 5:
I finished off with another coat of mascara.

After applying another coat of mascara, I swept off the excess fallout of fiber with the little brush provided.

My lashes were lengthened by approximately 3 times, from the original of ~4mm to the final result ~12mm.
That was just 1 time following STEPS 1-5.

I decided to test how long can my eyelashes 'grow' by repeating STEPS 1-5 another 2 times.
And the result.......

After repeating STEPS 1-5 2 more times, my lashes lengthened to ~15mm.

Despite its long lasting and waterproof properties, the fibers were easy to remove with an eye makeup remover for waterproof eye makeup and so was the mascara. All I needed to do was saturate a cotton pad with the eye makeup remover and then gently rubbed onto my lashes in a downward stroke following the length of my lashes. The fibers were the first to come off, followed by the mascara.




Some things to consider prior to and while using this set of products.......

-This is definitely a very long lasting and waterproof mascara! I wore it for the whole day, was out in our humid tropical weather, walked in some slight drizzle without an umbrella, and yet at the end of the day, there is NO PANDA EYES! No smudging at all!!

-Due to some fallout of the fibers no matter how careful one can be, it is advisable to start putting on your makeup from the eyes first. I don't see the reason to start off with foundation and powder first, because you will have to clean up some of the fibers on your face after application and then touch-up your foundation and powder again.

-As I am wearing glasses, the extended lashes tend to touch the lenses of my spectacles and transfer some fibers onto them. So you might want to consider how long would you like to extend your lashes if you are planning to put on your glasses after.

-I do wear contact lenses for certain occasions, but I haven't tested this while wearing my contact lenses. However, 1 thing to note is that some of the fibers might go into your eyes. It's claimed to be safe, but if you are used to wearing contact lenses, you would understand how it feels like when there is even a speck of dust fell on your contact lens. Hence, I would advise contact lens wearer using this to be extra careful while using the fibers to prevent fibers from getting into your eyes. Just as a precautionary measure.


Angel Eye Set: White Fiber + Black Fiber + Mascara - NP: RM217

For more information, visit Tsuya-Tsuya website.

EOTD: MAC Magic Mirth & Mischief - Devil-May-Care Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo

It's been a while since I made an EOTD post.

So on this lazy gloomy afternoon, after a very tiring week and busy Saturday with 2 REN workshops, I am going to do an easy and non-thought-provoking post. Btw, the response to the REN workshops, was to my surprise, really good. Many came and bought their vouchers on the spot. Will write about it soon. Need to upload the photos 1st.


Anyways, here's another EOTD from another favorite Mineralize eyeshadow duo from MAC Magic, Mirth & Mischief collection - Devil-May-Care.

Photos taken under indoor lighting

This was just a quick play with Devil-May-Care Mineralize Eyeshadow duo.
1st, applied Prep+Prime eye as a base, then shimmery lilac color on the lids by dabbing the color on, followed by dabbing the silver (basically glitter) on the brow bone area. There was a little fall out while using the silver glitter.
Line the upper lash line with Technakohl Liner in Graphblack.
Then, line the lower lash line with Softsparkle Eye Pencil in Iris Accents.
To further define the eye, draw a thin line with the same Technakohl Liner in Graphblack on the outer half of the lower lash line.

Photos taken under outdoor lighting

Photos: Laneige X'mas Set Hauls

This wasn't a planned purchase but a mere impromptu one! First of all, I didn't receive the Isetan mailer on the current ongoing pre-sale which started yesterday. But I was in Midvalley yesterday with my good friend, who happened to stumble upon the many lovely yet super-affordable X'mas sets at the Laneige counter in Isetan, The Gardens, which also came with their equally wonderful gift of makeup pouches each!!! That's not inclusive of the generous GWPs yet!!

Anyways.......before I could digest her excitement while conveying her super-WOW findings to me, I found myself standing right in front of the Laneige counter, and a gorgeous black vanity case was 'shoved' right in front of my eyes! "Here......you'll get this when you purchase one of their value buy sets!" Still in a daze.....my jaw dropped open..... "just a value buy set and I can get this case?" I asked my friend.....bla bla bla...

OK, fine, what a crazy babbling...but basically, I think you get the idea.....ladies and shopping and especially when there were super good and super crazy deals.....the excitement, the craziness...

So, what's so great a deal????

OK, no guessing how much?
For everything in the photo above, I paid only RM145!!!


Now the break down........

Value buy set RM90 (the last one) consisting of a duo eye color pencil and sharpener, a charm size makeup remover, and toner and even an eyeshadow brush!

The cover of the box above

And the freebie which comes with only the purchase of the value buy set above................

A solid faux leather vanity case in black color, with the inside containing brush holder, and a small detachable mirror to the side

Another value set............with another freebie......

Even greater value buy set (RM55 only!) consisting of Makeup Mist in Bergamot 80ml, mini mascara, mini lip gloss, and 10ml UV base, and 10ml Multi Shimmering Cream and a very cute red color vinyl pouch with prints as the accompanying freebie.........

That's all....just a little eye candy..........

Hardly ever had such good deal.....and definitely never paid so little and got so many stuff, except may be at warehouse sales!

My REN Skincare Regime And Reviews On Some Of Its Moisturisers And Serum

While my guest writers are hard at work reviewing the many REN products which they so love, of course Vonvon doesn't want to be left out as well. I have been following a REN Skincare Regime for a while (almost 3 weeks) which consists of the following products:

- REN Rosa Centifolia Facial Cleansing Gel (Day and Night)
-REN Active 7 Radiant Eye Maintenance Gel (Day and Night)
-REN Vita-Mineral Radiant Day Cream (Day)
-REN Omega 3 Overnight Lipid Renewal Serum (Night)
-REN Frankincense and Boswellia Serrata Revitalising Night/Repair Cream (Night)

-REN Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask (once a week)

And of course not to forget my daily sunscreen which I am using RMK Face Protector SPF 31.

Three of the products which I have been using have been reviewed by my team of guest writers (you can click on the product name to read the review), and I shall be reviewing the day moisturiser, night serum, and night moisturiser.


Just an overview........

Normally, my skincare regime would consist of more than the 6 types of similar items listed above, including several masks (including sheet masks) a week, exfoliation up to 3 times a week and almost nightly use of a sleeping pack.

But to test out the efficacy of REN products, I stopped my usual skincare regime for the whole time I am using REN products (what a big sacrifice had I made since my usual skincare regime has been working very well for me!), which means no additional usage of (sheet) masks, and not even exfoliating, and in place of my nightly sleeping pack, I use the REN Omega 3 Overnight Lipid Renewal Serum. The serum does not function as a sleeping pack, of course.

So after almost 3 weeks, I'd say that my skin is just as good as when I was using my previous skincare regime. And I actually noticed that even without doing any scrub and exfoliation but just cleansing my skin with the Rosa Centifolia Facial Cleansing Gel only, my skin does not appear to look dull. And the day moisturiser I used was sufficient to keep my skin moisturised throughout the day. But it's the combo of the Omega 3 Overnight Lipid Renewal Serum and the Frankincense and Boswellia Serrata Revitalising Night/Repair Cream which is my favorite!


Let's start with the REN Vita-Mineral Radiant Day Cream.



Product Description:
A day cream formulated to moisturise and protect normal skin A moisturiser formulated to leave skin looking beautifully healthy - energized, radiant, smooth and hydrated. Bio actives include trace elements (copper, magnesium, zinc), vitamin A from Rosehip Seed Oil, vitamin F from Arctic Cranberry Seed Oil and vitamin P from rose petals. Together they boost collagen production to help tone, firm and energize the skin giving a natural radiance to the complexion. In addition, REN’s Global Protection Complex with its synergistic blend of powerful anti-oxidants and free radical scavengers helps purify the skin and protect it against inflammation and premature aging. Skin type: Normal skin. To use: Massage into face and neck as required.



Vonvon says....
I applied this cream every morning after cleansing my face with the Rosa Centifolia Facial Cleansing Gel. I squeezed out about 1.5cm of the product and spread it between my fingers to warm it up slightly, then gently massaged it into my skin. The cream is white in color, with slightly thick texture but it's not oily and absorbs quickly upon application. It has a slight rose scent which is a little similar to that of the Rosa Centifolia cleanser. After applying the cream, I waited for a few minutes before applying my sunscreen.

This cream leaves my skin feeling smooth and well-moisturised throughout the day, and after its first application, I noticed that it enhanced further the radiance which I acquired just from using the cleanser. After about 1 week of using, I went for a makeover and my makeup artist actually commented that my skin had become smoother and more refined. And this is my MA who has been doing makeover for me from time to time. So, he knows my skin very well! I suppose a comment like this from a beauty expert would have attested to the efficacy of this cream. :)

The full-sized version of this cream which comes in a pump bottle (50ml) retails for RM174 in all REN counters.


Of course, using only the day cream is not enough. So I decided to complement it at night with the famous bestseller, Omega 3 Overnight Lipid Renewal Serum, and followed by Frankincense and Boswellia Serrata Revitalising Night/Repair Cream, also another bestseller.

Omega 3 Overnight Lipid Renewal Serum



Product Description:
A nutrifying facial serum suitable for all skin types.
Ideally used at night, this serum will boost the skin with essential bio active nutrients that stimulate its natural process of renewal and regeneration helping to restore suppleness and elasticity. In addition it stimulates the skin's natural protection mechanism helping fight moisture loss and free radical attack. Vegetal Plankton Extract and Gold Of Pleasure Oil both rich in Omega 3 promote cell membrane development while Rosehip Seed Oil and Wheat Germ Oil intensively nourish and protect.
To use: Massage a small amount into face and neck with upward strokes until absorbed.



Vonvon says.......
The #1 thing that comes to my mind about this serum is its.....ewwwww......fishy sea, ocean-like smell!! Yes, it's Omega 3.......and you get lots of Omega 3 from, none other than the organisms living in the sea! OK, OK, it's not that bad...at least, it doesn't smell like a fish market, you know?

When I pumped out the serum onto my palm (just 1 pump is sufficient for my face and neck), it gave off a slight fishy sea air aroma which I would not say is unpleasant, but simply fishy smells like fresh sea air. It is basically an oil, with very fluid consistency and almost colorless. Following the instruction, I massaged the oil in upward strokes onto my neck and face. As the oil absorbed into my skin, the fishy smell disappeared. Despite it being an oil, those with oily skin (or oily T-zone like me) need not worry. The serum absorbs completely into the skin with continuous massage. For me, I always take the opportunity while applying the serum to give myself a facial massage. After that, my skin felt very smooth and almost no trace of oiliness on my face. And because of the massage, I noticed my skin is glowing.

The full-sized version of this serum which comes in a pump bottle (50ml) retails for RM238 in all REN counters. A very reasonable price for a bottle of facial serum.


After the serum, I applied the night moisturiser, Frankincense and Boswellia Serrata Revitalising Night/Repair Cream.




Product Description:
A vitamin rich cream suitable for all skin types.
A cream high in bio actives that is formulated to moisturise, nourish and help rejuvenate the skin, particularly at night. Boswellic acid from Boswellia Serrata Bark works in harmony with resinoid from Frankincense to relax facial muscles and ease micro-contractions, helping to reduce and prevent the appearance of expression lines and wrinkles. In addition, vitamin C and citroflavonoids from Calabrian Oranges and vitamins A and E boost collagen formation and cell renewal to firm and repair the skin.
To use: Massage into face and neck until absorbed. For all skin types.

Vonvon says.........
While the Omega 3 serum smells fishy like sea air, this night cream is just so heavenly scented and exudes some kind of warmth, especially when the last few nights have been a bit cold, and I slept with the air-conditioning turned off! Afterall, it's frankincense....Boswellia Serrata is also a species of frankincense. The scent is somewhere between herbal and spicy (not chilli-spicy), somewhat woody and somehow reminds me of an old apothecary.

The cream is light yellow in color and feels slightly lighter than the day moisturiser which I am using concurrently. I squeezed out about 1.5cm onto my finger and then warm it between my fingers. It 'thinned out' the cream and made it glide smoothly across my face. As I massaged it into my face, I inhaled deeply taking in the rich warm aroma of frankincense and instantly I felt very relaxed and calm.

The cream doesn't leave behind any residue on my face, but I did notice that there is a slight dampness on my skin which didn't really bother me. I attributed this to it being a night cream and hence the layer of moisture works in keeping my skin moisturised and hydrated throughout the night.

The full-sized version of this serum which comes in a pump bottle (50ml) retails for RM223 in all REN counters.


And the result of this combo???

The next morning, I woke up with very well-hydrated and plump skin and after about a week of using, I noticed that the fine lines on my face were less visible (attributable to the renewal effects of the overnight serum, perhaps?) and my skin definitely felt firmer (frankincense at work?).

Will I repurchase these 3 products? Definitely YES!!!

Review: REN Biomimetic Perfect Lip Honey - By The Beauty Apprentice

My team of guest writers who are full-time working professionals are really ardent fans of REN Skincare. They are definitely very discerning when it comes to choosing skincare for their skin. And how about you, my highly esteemed readers? What do you think of REN so far, after reading reviews on some of its products here? Would you like to try it out now?

Tomorrow is the day for REN Hands-On Skincare Workshop. If you have not signed up, don't worry, as some of the vouchers are still being sold tomorrow before each session starts. So, when you come by the workshop venue tomorrow morning at Escentials @ Tangs Pavilion (10AM) or in the afternoon at Parkson Pavilion (2.30PM), remember to let me know so that I can add the little extra gift into your goodie bag!


The Beauty Apprentice will review REN Biomimetic Perfect Lip Honey today.

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Today, I shall be writing about REN’s Biomimetic Perfect Lip Honey. This product is described as a multi-active lip balm which will nourish, plump and protect one’s lips. In addition, this lipcare essential claims to deliver REN's exclusive Biomimetic Hydra+ Complex, which not only hydrates and nourishes, but also contains plumping hydroxy-peptides, antileukines, which is a remarkably powerful skin protectant, and Omega 3 and 6 oils.

Apparently, REN's Biomimetic Hydra+ Complex is a unique complex rich in Omega 6 ceramides, phospholipids, and essential fatty acids, which is supposed to help strengthen the lip barrier and prevent moisture loss. This product does not contain any T.E.A, D.E.A, glycols, silicones, or PEGs. Since it is a REN product, it is formulated without any parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, or petrochemicals.

Hydroxy-peptides, antileukines, and also Omega 3 and 6 oils! Wow, I thought. That’s a very potent combination indeed! How would this lip balm compare with my old faithful, which is Neutrogena’s Lip Moisturizer with SPF 15, I wondered.

I decided to put it to the test and see. Like Lancome’s Juicy Tubes, this product comes in a 10ml white plastic tube which also doubles as its applicator. I squeezed a small amount of the product out and applied it on my upper and lower lips that night before I went to sleep. This lip balm is transparent and is in the form of a gel. On application it is somewhat like a liquid gloss in texture. It is slightly yellowish in colour, and has a very light honey-like aroma. It glided on smoothly on my lips without any sticky or waxy feeling, unlike lip balms from other brands which I had used before.

When I woke up the next morning, I took a good look at my lips in the mirror. Well it definitely wasn’t plumped up a la Angelina Jolie’s, but it certainly felt very soft and smooth indeed. This lip balm managed to get rid of whatever flakiness I had, and my lips felt very much improved as a result. My goodness, I think this lip balm must have some kind of exfoliating properties too! I must say that this product is indeed very different from Neutrogena’s Lip Moisturizer with SPF 15 which I normally use.

Would I recommend it? Well, yes of course! In terms of beneficial ingredients it definitely packs a knock-out punch when compared with similar products by other brands. The REN Biomimetic Perfect Lip Honey can be found at all REN counters in Malaysia and retails for RM74.00. For more information, do check out REN’s website at renskincare.com or REN at sephora.com


The Beauty Apprentice

Lemmings And Ramblings And Shopping!

Just a short post on my lemmings and ramblings to keep you entertained while I am working on some big and more serious posts......

It's that time of the year again when all the Christmas and/or Holiday collections from so many beauty brands are out and this morning, I was with my little girl at Pavilion and later KLCC....yea, it's another mother-daughter shopping day. My purpose was to go to Laneige to collect my Ultra Hydro Essence which was not available at the counter yesterday morning when I purchased the vouchers for the Laneige workshop.

Saw the Estee Lauder staff preparing their limited edition solid perfume displays which are exclusively available in Parkson Pavilion and Isetan KLCC this holiday season.

Then, my little girl was so happy to see the Christmas decorations at the Bintang Circle concourse, and I guess my blogging and all the photo-taking has given her a huge influence when she asked me for my camera and started snapping away at the trees, and baubles and tinsels......

During any visit to Pavilion, my little girl would always want to pay a visit to Kiehl's to have her little 'fix' of playing with the rocking horse at the kid's corner. While Mommy has her own 'fix' of browsing through....what else, but Kiehl's stuff! And their Christmas packaging have arrived, brightly-colored gift boxes of different sizes and shapes.

Next, we headed to Bobbi Brown.....and got a little sneak preview of the RM850 Black Plum Collection set. In the mailer I received yesterday, it was stated as RM900, but the tag on the item which I saw today stated RM850! It is indeed RM900! Boy, was it a gorgeous set, and every shadow, bronzer, blush and lippies in the palette are full-sized!! And the quality of the mini brushes are just as good as their regular ones. Of course, I checked out the mini shimmerbricks as well, and are they really really tiny but their colors are GORGEOUS!!!!!!

"Here's for you, YS! I changed my mind.....now, all 3 of them are my favorites!!!!!! But I am considering to get the Black Plum Collection as well..........sob sob.....like you said, can't we just have them all???"

"And hubby dearest, are you reading thissssss?"

Then drove to KLCC to get my stuff from Crabtree & Evelyn. Errr....you must be wondering there's a C&E in Pavilion as well.... Nay, I prefer to buy from the C&E outlet in KLCC, I know most of the staff there quite well and they know me and my little girl too. And it was a wise decision as I met a long-time friend there. :D Today is the start of their Christmas Preview Sale, and there was a huge crowd at lunch time....

OK......for now.........

Offer At Kiehl's Pavilion

Just came back from Kiehl's Pavilion.

Now that they are having the Christmas event from 13-22nd November 2009(this Sunday), Kiehl's outlet in Pavilion KL is having the offer of RM10 off for every purchase of RM100!!

So hurry up, the offer ends this Sunday, 22nd November. So plan your weekend well, and start your Christmas shopping now!!

I just had a small retail therapy from there....did not take pix yet, but OK, let me tell you, it's the Kiehl's limited edition lip balm in Pear (yummy, and probably only 3 left, after I bought 2...hehe), Cranberry and Mint. There's still a lot of Cranberry and Mint left.... I didn't buy Mint, but 2 Cranberry ones....yummylicious....

Photos: My Gifts

So, as promised this afternoon.....

My friend knew I'd always wanted to try something from Bloom, a brand from Australia. But every time we go to any Shins outlet here which carry this brand in Malaysia, there weren't too many stuff on their display.
Hence, she added this Bloom lip gloss in Amour into the gift box which contained all the other theBalm items above!!

Thank you, my dear friend!!

Photos: theBalm Lucky Draw Grand Prize!

So about 2 Saturdays ago, I mentioned about theBalm lucky draw and Christmas came early, bla bla.....and yes, indeed, Christmas came early....err....not for me, but for my friend! Haha!

So here's what's in the grand prize..............

Photos of the individual prizes

So she won all those above, but we made a pact....whoever wins the grand prize will share with the other.....so I will show you what I got next.....

Right now....off to my facial.....

Review: REN Rosa Centifolia Facial Cleansing Gel - By The Beauty Apprentice

The Beauty Apprentice is back again and this time, she will be reviewing REN Rosa Centifolia Facial Cleansing Gel.

Wow!! I didn't realize that some of my readers, especially silent readers, including The Beauty Apprentice, are such ardent fans of REN products. My dearly esteemed silent readers, please kindly do speak up if you have tried and love REN products. You are welcome to come forward and contribute your reviews.

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Since my inaugural review of REN’s Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask, I decided to review REN’s Rosa Centifolia Facial Cleansing Gel. According to write-up of the product at sephora.com, the Rosa Centifolia is believed to be one of the most expensive roses in the world and has antioxidant properties which make it a powerful protective ingredient.



The product is said to be a gentle sulfate-free facial cleanser for normal skin. It is formulated with oat and corn-based purifying agents to remove dirt and pollution while refreshing and soothing the complexion. It also contains polyphenols and mucilages from cold-pressed Centifolia Rose petals which fight free radicals, and tone the skin, whilst bioactives from Aloe Vera calm and moisturise the skin.

As usual, since it is a REN product, you can be rest assured that it is formulated without any parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, or petrochemicals. Neither does it contain any T.E.A, D.E.A, glycols, silicones, or PEGs.

Since the product was touted to be a gentle facial cleanser for normal skin, I wondered whether it would work on me, since I have oily skin? The day I tested it, I had applied Bobbi Brown’s new Extreme Party Mascara on my eyelashes. Although according to the instructions on the bottle, one is supposed to avoid contact with the eyes, nevertheless, I wondered whether this cleansing gel would be able to remove the mascara. So I decided to test it and see.

Without using any kind of eye make-up remover beforehand, I dampened my face and pumped out a portion of the transparent gel larger than the size of a twenty-cent coin on my palm and proceeded to rub it between my hands. I then massaged it well on my entire face including my eye area for about ten seconds. I noticed that this gel is only very lightly scented. In fact, the rose-like scent was barely detectable to me.

After that, I rinsed it off with warm water and pat my face dry with a towel. Yes indeed, my skin felt clean and soft, and to my surprise, it also managed to remove the Bobbi Brown mascara! Furthermore this product did not make the skin on my face feel tight at all! So, there is more to this product than meets the eye! Indeed it really did leave my skin thoroughly cleansed, refreshed and soothed without any feeling of tightness as claimed. In fact, in my opinion, this product can also be used by those who have combination-oily skins.

By the way, for those who would like to check it out, the Rosa Centifolia Facial Cleansing Gel comes in a 150ml plastic pump bottle and retails for RM123.00 at all REN counters in Malaysia. You can also find REN at sephora.com and for more information, do check out the REN’s very own website at renskincare.com.


The Beauty Apprentice


So have you registered for the REN Skincare Hands-On Workshop? What are you waiting for? Click here to sign up!

Why You Shouldn't Miss The REN Hands-On Skincare Workshops

REN Skincare together with Yours Truly from Vonvon's Interests will be co-organizing a REN Hands-On Skincare Workshop for everyone (ladies and gentlemen as REN also has a range for men!), but there will be some specials for Followers of Vonvon's Interests!

Before I go on with the long-winded details............let me tell you WHY YOU SHOULDN'T MISS THIS WORKSHOP!

#1 - Low workshop fee, ONLY RM80 and it's fully redeemable for any REN products, including some value buy sets. Yes, you can use your voucher to purchase some sample sets and/or starter kit to try out! Check out the sets that will be available for purchase below. (Photos courtesy of REN)

Sets available for purchase

#2 - You will receive door gifts worth RM95!!!

#3 - For those who register under Vonvon's Interests, will receive an additional mystery gift in their goodie bag, and I mean it when I mentioned earlier that this mystery gift is not as tiny as my little girl's pinky! The mystery gift will be a deluxe-sized Grape Seed & Shea Butter Body Cream (100ml) - that's half the size of the actual full-sized bottle (200ml)! The full-sized bottle retails for RM125, so which means your additional mystery gift is worth more than RM60!!!!

#4 - The prizes for Q&A sessions during the workshop will be full-sized REN product(s)!!! Yes, you stand a chance(s) to win FULL-SIZED products and NOT samples!

#5 - The workshop will be conducted NOT by local REN trainers but WILL BE CONDUCTED BY REN SKINCARE HEAD OF EDUCATION, MS KIRSTY MAWHINNEY! The last time I attended a workshop by an International Trainer / makeup artist of a brand, I really had a good time and learned a whole great deal from them!

So, my dear readers, do your Maths, pay RM80 and you'll gain a whole lot more than you pay for, not to mention a new experience with Clean Bio Active Skincare, which has done wonders for my skin in the short time I have used them!!! :D

Read on for the details............


Date of Workshop: 21st November 2009 (Saturday)
Time of Workshop: Session 1 - 10AM - 12.30PM at Escentials@TANGS Pavilion KL
Session 2 - 2.30PM - 5PM at Personal Shopper Room, 4th Floor, Parkson
Pavilion KL

There are 20 seats per session.

The Workshop will be conducted by REN Skincare Head of Education, Ms Kirsty Mawhinney.

Content of Workshop: Introduction to REN Skincare, Hands-On testing of different REN products (participants are advised to come to the workshop with minimal makeup or just your daily skincare
preferably). The Workshop will be an interactive one whereby there will be some Q&A and interesting prizes to be won!! And the prizes will be full-sized product(s)!


Cost of Workshop: Purchase a RM80 voucher (fully redeemable for any REN products) and each participant will receive a door gift worth RM95.


Workshop-Exclusive GWP Offer! Only for participants of the workshops and available for 1 day only!

Purchase REN Products worth RM280 to receive: (Wow!! Only RM280 to get the 1st tier of GWP??? Unbelievable!! Incredible Deal!!)
A 4-pc gift set consisting of Deluxe Size Neroli Shower Gel (100ml) + Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask 5ml + Hydra Calm Global Protection Day Cream 3ml + Active 7 Eye Gel 3ml

Top Up to RM450 to receive additional:
Seaweed & Sage Shower Gel 200ml(full-sized)



EXCLUSIVE for Followers/readers of Vonvon's Interests

In addition to the door gift worth RM95, anyone who purchases the vouchers via my blog will receive a mystery gift as well in their goody bag. Hint, hint!! The mystery gift is definitely not as tiny as my little girl's pinky. :D
You will get a deluxe-sized Grape Seed and Shea Butter Body Cream (100ml) worth more than RM60!!

Alternatively, you can purchase the vouchers at Escentials TANGS@Pavilion or REN Counter in Parkson Pavilion. Errmm....Don't you wanna have an extra gift in your goody bag as well?


For those who are interested to purchase the vouchers via my blog, please leave a comment below with your email contact and Follower ID, and I will get back to you with payment details, etc.
Or you could email me directly at vonbeautyexpress@gmail.com if you want me to help you purchase the vouchers or have any questions regarding the Workshop.

Do register as soon as possible because seats are limited!!!

Monday Morning Grays........

Yes, you read correctly. It's Monday morning GRAY, not blue........ Just look out your window wherever you are now, and all you see is gray and hazy and foggy, perhaps even some drizzles in certain places....

And this reminds me of the typical Aberdonian weather....cold and gray, wet, damp and I even had to turn on the lights in the house (during the day) in the hope of cheering myself up. The only person who wasn't really affected by the gloominess of the weather then, was my little girl. Yes, around this time last year, we were staying in Scotland for a little more than a month....and that's enough to make me appreciate the warm sunny weather in Malaysia more, despite always complaining about it at that same time.

But it seems that lately, the Aberdonian weather has followed us back to Malaysia?? At least, in Scotland, when the weather was this gloomy, we could expect it to snow anytime soon. And when it snows, things will turn from gray to pristine white sheet enveloping the yards and ground. But not here! All we can expect is when the heavy downpour will come and then, heavy traffic will ensue....not that traffic in Aberdeen is any better.

The one good thing when staying in Aberdeen was I got to do some Christmas shopping there last year and Boots had really good deals for the last holiday season....... Speaking of which, I should check out the Boots website, at least, to drool over the many Christmas gifts sets and special great deals they have for the coming holiday season.......
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AND I JUST DID!!!!!!!!!!! (which I shouldn't have....bad bad Vonvon!)

And they have the 3 for 2 deal again!!!

Check this out and let's drool together.........Sigh....anyone can help me get this No 7 gift set??? :P *slurp

OK, OK, I should stop now, and close the Boots page before my lemmings get the better of me! ;P

I think I better go get myself a cup of coffee now, then get some laundry done......

Will be back after lunch with some GOOD NEWS!!!!!!!!!

Promotions From SASA: Collistar, theBalm & Caudalie

The following are some of the latest promotions available at SELECTED SASA outlets............

Review: REN Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask - By The Beauty Apprentice

This week, Vonvon is proud to present another guest writer for Vonvon's Interests, who calls herself The Beauty Apprentice.

The Beauty Apprentice is from the the northern region of the country (Malaysia), and has been a silent reader of Vonvon's Interests for a long time. We met up recently when she was in town and to my surprise, she has been using some REN products for a while. And since I will be co-organizing a REN Skincare Hands-On Workshop this coming Saturday, she offered to help me review some REN Skincare products which she had tried out.

Although she calls herself The Beauty Apprentice, she definitely is no Apprentice when it comes to beauty stuff, be it skincare or makeup.

So, for her inaugural guest post in Vonvon's Interests, she will be reviewing REN Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask.

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I was recently given a sample-sized version of REN's Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask to try. I had read about the brand, REN, which is from the UK, on Sephora some time ago. Apparently this mask was voted by InStyle Magazine USA as one of the Best Beauty Buys of 2008. The mask is recommended for all skin types and is described as a potent bio active peel mask which is designed to renew one's complexion, reduce fine lines and dramatically improve the skin tone, firmness and radiance. It is also described as formulated with a fruit acid complex which consists of the following: lactic, glycolic, tartaric and citric and also contains papain enzyme. It is supposed to give a gentle but potent exfoliating peel which will leave the skin glowing and in optimum health.



At first I wasn't sure what to expect out of it. I had used peel masks from other brands before but would this one be any different? To my surprise, this mask was different. In fact it turned out to be a rather good product. According to the instructions on the tube, it is supposed to be used weekly. However, the sample which I received was only enough for one use.

Anyway, I started by applying a thin layer of the mask on my face. On application of the mask, you get a pleasant whiff of a light pineapple fragrance, which is not overpowering in any way at all. I then left it on my face for about ten minutes as recommended. It is also stated on the tube that a slight tingling may be experienced during application but I did not experience any such tingling at all when I applied it. After waiting for about ten minutes, I rinsed it off with warm water. I then took a good look at my face in the mirror. Wow, my face definitely looked very much more refined, brighter and my skin felt so baby soft. Would I recommend it to a friend? Well yes of course! This mask certainly does what it is supposed to do and more, in my opinion. By the way, I have oily skin but this mask will most definitely work on other skin types as well.

The full-sized version of the product comes in a 50ml plastic pump bottle which is supposed to preserve its freshness and potency. The full-sized product costs RM209.00.


The Beauty Apprentice

MAC Magic, Mirth & Mischief: My Haul, But That's Not All...........

Been lemming and yearning, pining and whining, and finally, after many considerations, decided to get the following from MAC Magic, Mirth & Mischief Holiday Collection............

My Retail Therapy from the MAC Magic, Mirth & Mischief collection

My SA gave me 2 bottles of bubble solutions for my little girl to play

Put A Spell On You Pink Lip Bag
-Dream lipstick (Glaze)
-Dervish Lip Pencil (promo-sized)
-Baby Sparkles Dazzleglass

Alakazam! Chocolate Eye Bag
-Melon Pigment
-Rich Ground Fluidline
-Zoomblack Zoom Lash
-209SE Eyeliner brush

Pinkzapoppin! Mineralize Kit
-Light Flush Mineralize Skinfinish
-Dainty Mineralize Blush
-Love Connection Mineralize Eyeshadow (duo)
-181SE Mini Buffer

Love Connection Mineralize Eyeshadwo (duo)

Dainty Mineralize Blush

Light Flush Mineralize Skinfinish


Bet you could guess it's the cute little pouches which really got me into getting them ;)
But that's not all...........still lemming for more.........
Decisions, decisions.............

Kiehl's X'mas Party

The Kiehl's Times for November/December 2009 is out!!!

And there's loads of X'mas gift sets featured in the newsletter, but the best thing of all is the Kiehl's X'mas Party at Pavilion!!!!

Date: 17th December 2009 (Thursday)
Time: 6PM-9PM
Venue: Kiehl's Pavilion KL

The party is open to 1st 100 guests who RSVP by calling Kiehl's Pavilion 03-2141 7160 or by clicking "Attending" at the Events page at Kiehl's Malaysia Facebook.

And starting tomorrow, at various Kiehl's outlet, you'll get to experience the spectacular New York year-end season right here in Malaysia!!! See the schedule below:

Pavilion KL from November 13-22
Isetan, Suria KLCC from December 2-20
1Utama Shopping Centre from December 1-27
Midvalley Megamall from December 1-25

So, if you can't go to New York, Kiehl's will bring New York to you!!!

Love ya, Kiehl's....muaks muaks!

*Images scanned from Kiehl's Times November/December 2009 issue

Today Is Kiehl's Day

The Intrepid Beauty and I happened to pass by a Kiehl's outlet just now, and guess what??

Today is KIEHL'S DAY!!
Yes, November 12th is Kiehl's Day, to commemorate the re-planting of the Pear Tree in the Kiehl's shop in New York!

And just specially for today, Kiehl's is offering a 10% off storewide on any purchase.

So, hurry up!!! You can do some early Christmas shopping this evening!!!

Review: REN Active 7 Radiant Eye Maintenance Gel - By The Intrepid Beauty

The Intrepid Beauty will review an eye gel from REN today.

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I tried the 3ml sample of this product which was one of the 6 items in the REN Perfect Skincare Set. As the skin under my eyes is rather dry, I tend to favour eye creams over eye gels. The last time I used an eye gel was 2 years ago when I purchased Clarins eye contour gel. I didn't finish using the Clarins eye contour gel then as I preferred the texture of eye creams. According to REN's Product Catalogue, the Active 7 Radiant Eye Maintenance Gel is "a light and cooling gel formulated with mucilages from Fig to cool, refresh and revive tired eyes. Other bio actives include gypenoside (source Jiaogulan), ginsenoside (source Ginseng), laminaria and arnica to enhance circulation and reduce puffiness. Tyrosinase inhibitor from Wild Rumex and vitamin P address dark circles under the eyes, while Pectins from Sea Grass and natural hyaluronic acid from Corn smooth and tone the eye contour whilst providing lasting hydration".

I was surprised at the watery texture of this eye gel as I'd expected it to be a thicker gel like the Clarins eye contour gel. However, the good thing about a runnier texture is that you don't need a lot of the product for each application so I reckon this little tube will last a few good weeks. My eyes didn't itch or water and what I like most about it is that it gives an immediate cooling and soothing sensation around the eyes. It is especially good when your eyes are feeling tired, the sensation kind of perks you up a bit particularly when you've had a long and tiring day. It doesn't absorb immediately into the skin but I did feel that the skin around my eyes was receiving lots of hydration.

Although I can't say that the dark circles under my eyes are gone after using thie product for a week, I can definitely say that it helps reduce the puffiness under my eyes. There were mornings when I would wake up with ginormous eye bags but this condition has drastically improved ever since I started using this eye gel. If you are looking for an eye gel which eliminates fine lines, then this probably would not suit your requirements but if you are looking for an eye treatment to help reduce the size of eye bags/puffiness, then you need look no further.

The eye gel comes in a 15ml pump bottle and retails for RM133. (Vonvon says, "that's one of the very few eye cream/gel in the market which is very affordable!")


The Intrepid Beauty


So have you registered for the REN Skincare Hands-On Workshop? What are you waiting for? Click here to sign up!

Photos: Kanebo Warehouse Sale Haul

Last Saturday, after the MWW-Clinique Workshop, my friend and I stopped by at Bangsar for lunch before heading to our next 'rendezvous' in Midvalley. Running short of time, my friend 'dragged' me to the Kanebo Warehouse Sale which was only a short distance away from where we were having lunch.

So here's my even smaller and humbler little haul than the Loreal Luxury Product Division haul from the previous week.

From the Kanebo haul..............

A little haul
Total damage??
Only RM118...haha!!
The palette was what really brought me there, and when I saw the 2 liquid eyeliners which were so matching to the palette....I am sold!!

Colors of my newest obsession.....
Blues, greens, teals, aqua........and the likes

Just a short post this morning.....

Writing this while waiting for my little girl at her music class....bad mommy....no longer sitting with her through her class ;P

REN Hands-On Skincare Workshops

REN Skincare together with Yours Truly from Vonvon's Interests will be co-organizing a REN Hands-On Skincare Workshop for everyone (ladies and gentlemen as REN also has a range for men!), but there will be some specials for Followers of Vonvon's Interests!

Read on for the details............


Date of Workshop: 21st November 2009 (Saturday)
Time of Workshop: Session 1 - 10AM - 12.30PM at Escentials@TANGS Pavilion KL
Session 2 - 2.30PM - 5PM at Personal Shopper Room, 4th Floor, Parkson
Pavilion KL

There are 20 seats per session.

The Workshop will be conducted by REN Skincare Head of Education, Ms Kirsty Mawhinney.

Content of Workshop: Introduction to REN Skincare, Hands-On testing of different REN products (participants are advised to come to the workshop with minimal makeup or just your daily skincare
preferably). The Workshop will be an interactive one whereby there will be some Q&A and interesting prizes to be won!!


Cost of Workshop: Purchase a RM80 voucher (fully redeemable for REN products) and each participant will receive a door gift worth RM95.


Workshop-Exclusive GWP Offer! Only for participants of the workshops and available for 1 day only!

Purchase REN Products worth RM280 to receive: (Wow!! Only RM280 to get the 1st tier of GWP??? Unbelievable!! Incredible Deal!!)
A 4-pc gift set consisting of Deluxe Size Neroli Shower Gel (100ml) + Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask 5ml + Hydra Calm Global Protection Day Cream 3ml + Active 7 Eye Gel 3ml

Top Up to RM450 to receive additional:
Seaweed & Sage Shower Gel 200ml(full-sized)



EXCLUSIVE for Followers/readers of Vonvon's Interests

In addition to the door gift worth RM95, anyone who purchases the vouchers via my blog will receive a mystery gift as well in their goody bag. Hint, hint!! The mystery gift is definitely not as tiny as my little girl's pinky. :D

Alternatively, you can purchase the vouchers at Escentials TANGS@Pavilion or REN Counter in Parkson Pavilion. Errmm....Don't you wanna have an extra gift in your goody bag as well?


For those who are interested to purchase the vouchers via my blog, please leave a comment below with your email contact and Follower ID, and I will get back to you with payment details, etc.
Or you could email me directly at vonbeautyexpress@gmail.com if you want me to help you purchase the vouchers or have any questions regarding the Workshop.

Do register as soon as possible because seats are limited!!!

Already Reached The 200th Published Post

Whoooppsss....I haven been posting and posting lately and didn't realize that I have passed the 200th published post!! Not too much, you may think....but for Vonvon and my humble little blog, it's another little milestone, with my blog's 1st BIRTHDAY coming up soon!!!

I want to thank all my dear readers, and faithful blog followers for all your support.

From blogging, I get to know many people, and also learn the many colors of people's characters, and the fact that how fast people can change under different circumstances. Haha!!

So for the run-up to my blog's 1st BIRTHDAY and also in the spirit of the coming Holiday Season, I have many interesting activities and events lined up for my dear readers and followers of my blog, to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

So STAY TUNED and quick!!!
Be a follower of my blog, as some of the activities/events will be solely and exclusively for followers of Vonvon's Interests!!!

Vonvon's Introduction To REN Clean Bio Active Skincare And REN Hands-On Workshops For You

Huh! What a long title to the post!

Firstly, some introduction to REN Bio Active Clean Skincare...........


Some of you may have heard of this skincare brand from the UK, which was founded in 2000 by Robert Calcraft and Antony Buck, and debuted in Malaysia this past summer. That's right, it was
around that time I saw REN's counter in Tangs Pavilion, if my memory did not fail me. Anyways, I was invited by the lovely people at REN Malaysia recently for an introductory session so I could get acquainted with their products, including many award-winning ones, and share my impressions with you, my dear readers!

So, bear with me for a few more minutes, my esteemed readers, as I shall unveil a little early Christmas pressies for you all..........

Excited already?

Let me share a little history and the idea behind REN Clean Bio Active Skincare....... (pssttt....History wasn't my favorite subject at all in high school) but just wait till you hear how REN came about.

(Mummies and Mummies-to-be, you might want to take note.)

It all happened one day when Antony Buck's wife, during her first pregnancy, began to develop adverse reactions to almost every kind of cosmetic and skincare in the market. And a great idea
was born............. *To create a new brand that offered the "holy grail" of skincare - advanced, effective, sophisticated, high-tech products that smelt great and were a real pleasure to use but, at the same time, were free from all the skin-unfriendly chemicals routinely used in the skincare industry. They summarised the idea as Clean Skincare and called the brand REN - which means 'clean' in Swedish (and as they later discovered, mean 'honourable endeavour' in Chinese).

However, coming up with the idea was easy and soon Robert and Antony found that producing their Clean Skincare was no child's play. With unfailing enthusiasm and the expertise of a brilliant
French cosmetic pharmacologist, Dr Colette Haydon, REN began to take shape and in September 2000, Robert and Antony launched the first-ever truly desirable skincare range that was free from synthetic fragrance and colours, petrochemicals, propylene glycol, animal ingredients, genetically-modified (GM) ingredients, PEGS, TEA/DEA, sulfates and parabens. And the response to it was simply fantastic. Some of the celebs who are REN fans include Alanis Morisette, Jude Law, Kate Winslett, Nigella Lawson....to name a few.

The ultimate aim of REN is to create advanced, effective products that are 100% plant- and mineral-derived. "We are convinced that REN's approach is the blueprint for skincare of the future," says Buck, "With Clean Skincare you can have the best of both worlds - brilliant products that really work and the comfort of knowing that you're avoiding the chemical nasties'.



The philosophy of REN is summarised in 5 principles as follow:

RIGHT INGREDIENTS

RIGHT SCIENCE

RIGHT PRODUCT EXPERIENCE

RIGHT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

RIGHT ATTITUDE



REN's Approach To Organic Skincare

REN is concerned that a focus on the word "organic" is being used to distract consumers away from the more serious issues about the ingredients contained in the skincare products they are
buying. For eg: an "organic" sulfate (derived from organic coconut oil) is still as harsh a detergent as one that is derived from ordinary coconut oil. The real challenge is to create foaming products
that use more gentle alternatives to sulfates.

REN's approach is to make Clean products. By Clean, they mean: modern, sophisticated, effective, pleasurable to use products that are free from the skin-unfriendly ingredients routinely used in the skincare industry today. REN do not use synthetic fragrances or colours, petrochemicals, sulfates, TEA/DEA, parabens, urea or animal ingredients in their products.

From a technical point of view, it is difficult to make excellent products without using these standard ingredients. However, the feedback they get from their customers clearly demonstrates the value of the time and effort that they and their chemists put into finding new ways of formulating products.

"As part of this aim to produce only Clean products, we believe that sourcing organic essential oils and plant oils wherever possible is worthwhile. We are already using a significant number of
organic plant extracts and oils and we are working to ensure that ultimately all the plant extracts and oils we use are organic".

*Narrated by Yours Truly based on information obtained from the Press Release.


Alright, enough of facts and info..............now it's the FUN TIME!!!

REN Skincare together with Yours Truly from Vonvon's Interests will be co-organizing a REN Hands-On Skincare Workshop for everyone (ladies and gentlemen as REN also has a range for men!), but there will be some specials for Followers of Vonvon's Interests!

Read on for the details............


Date of Workshop: 21st November 2009 (Saturday)
Time of Workshop: Session 1 - 10AM - 12.30PM at Escentials@TANGS Pavilion KL
Session 2 - 2.30PM - 5PM at Personal Shopper Room, 4th Floor, Parkson
Pavilion KL

There are 20 seats per session.

The Workshop will be conducted by REN Skincare Head of Education, Ms Kirsty Mawhinney.

Content of Workshop: Introduction to REN Skincare, Hands-On testing of different REN products (participants are advised to come to the workshop with minimal makeup or just your daily skincare
preferably). The Workshop will be an interactive one whereby there will be some Q&A and interesting prizes to be won!!


Cost of Workshop: Purchase a RM80 voucher (fully redeemable for REN products) and each participant will receive a door gift worth RM95.


Workshop-Exclusive GWP Offer! Only for participants of the workshops and available for 1 day only!

Purchase REN Products worth RM280 to receive: (Wow!! Only RM280 to get the 1st tier of GWP??? Unbelievable!! Incredible Deal!!)
A 4-pc gift set consisting of Deluxe Size Neroli Shower Gel (100ml) + Glycolactic Skin Renewal Peel Mask 5ml + Hydra Calm Global Protection Day Cream 3ml + Active 7 Eye Gel 3ml

Top Up to RM450 to receive additional:
Seaweed & Sage Shower Gel 200ml(full-sized)



EXCLUSIVE for Followers/readers of Vonvon's Interests

In addition to the door gift worth RM95, anyone who purchases the vouchers via my blog will receive a mystery gift as well in their goody bag. Hint, hint!! The mystery gift is definitely not as tiny as my little girl's pinky. :D

Alternatively, you can purchase the vouchers at Escentials TANGS@Pavilion or REN Counter in Parkson Pavilion.


For those who are interested to purchase the vouchers via my blog, please leave a comment below with your email contact and Follower ID, and I will get back to you with payment details, etc.
Or you could email me directly at vonbeautyexpress@gmail.com if you want me to help you purchase the vouchers or have any questions regarding the Workshop.

Do register as soon as possible because seats are limited!!!

*First posted on November 5 2009, 6.20PM

Photos: Retail Therapy From Loreal Luxury Product Division Sale

So here's my modest little haul from last week's Loreal Luxury Product Division Warehouse Sale.

Total damage?
Very little only...........RM313.
In fact, I should thank some people for hogging the last of certain items, hence I got to save some money.

From Kiehl's
My fav body scrub in Grapefruit, and since I have the Pear Tree Corner scrub, I thought why not complete the set with the Pear Tree Corner Shower Gel? ;)

From Lancome
My favorite eye masks from Lancome. Retails for RM220 over-the-counter, but at the sale only RM120!
Just realised I haven't done a review on this...coming up!

A modest Shu Uemura haul

Shu Uemura brush roll/makeup pouch
Guess how much?
...
...
Only RM10!

Shu Uemura lip tint (left) and Holiday Palette Enchanting Charisma (right)

Shu Uemura lip tint

Shu Uemura Holiday Palette Enchanting Charisma
And swatches of the eyeshadows and blush
Review on this palette coming up.....

Dior Noel Collection 2009 & Christmas Party

A few weeks ago, I attended a Dior Christmas Party and got to try out their new Christmas/Noel collection 2009. I thought it was a bit too early to write about Christmas then, hence waited till now to write about it. It will be Thanksgiving in a little more than 2 weeks, then Christmas will come real soon......

This collection consists of two 5-Couleurs Iridescent Eye Palettes in lovely shades of silver, grey, lilac and purple, 2 lipsticks, 2 lip glosses, 2 Cristal Boreale eyeshadows and a blush/highlighter. And of course, the highlight of this collection would be the Cristal Boreale Lip Gloss Pendant studded with 52 Swarovski crystals of different shades, shapes and sizes.

Dior 5-Couleurs Iridescent Eye Palette
Top: 169 Purple Crystal
Bottom: 089 Smoky Crystal

Dior Cristal Boreale Eyeshadow
Top: 012 Silver Gem
Bottom: 152 Purple Gem
Right: 001 Blush

Dior Cristal Boreale Lip Gloss Pendant

And there was a makeup demonstration by Dior's Makeup Artist, Zaidi Zain, on a model.

After the makeup demonstration, Zaidi was rushing off to another appointment, but I managed to speak to him, and he offered to do a makeover for me. Wow!! I thanked my lucky star. :D

A very rare photo of me without makeup
Yup, not even powder, just applied my skincare and sunblock in the morning before going to the party.

When I reached the venue, one of the SAs prepped my face with Dior Nudeskin foundation and powder, while waiting for the makeup demo to start.

My makeover by Dior's Makeup Artist

Face Of The Day

Zaidi used the 001 blush on my cheeks, and lipstick color (oppss..I don't remember), and on top of the rosy pink lipstick, he applied the lip gloss from the Cristal Boreale pendant in 001 Silver white color.

Eye Of The Day

For my eyes, he used:
A black eyeliner pencil to line my upper lash line with a slightly thick line, then lightly smudge it to create a base for the eyeshadows;
Dior 5-Couleurs Iridescent Eye Palette in 169 Purple Crystal, as he had earlier demonstrated on the model with colors from the 089 Smoky Crystal palette. So I decided to try on different colors; And he used Cristal Boreale Eyeshadow in 012 Silver Gem for highlighting the area below the brows.

And I didn't leave empty-handed as there was door gift for everyone who attended the party - a set of Dior Youth Essential Hydrating Program starter kit each.

Review: REN Jojoba Micro Bead Purifying Facial Scrub - By The Intrepid Beauty

For the run-up to the Vonvon's Interests-REN Skincare Hands-On Workshops, my guest writer, The Intrepid Beauty and I will take turns reviewing some of the REN Skincare products that we have tried out.

Since The Intrepid Beauty has been using some REN products for a while, she will start of this series of reviews (some may be only sample reviews) with a product from REN which I think, will be of some interests for many of you who are having problems with blackheads and whiteheads.

She will be reviewing REN Jojoba Micro Bead Purifying Facial Scrub today.

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Product Description*

A deep cleansing, non-abrasive, facial scrub that will leave your skin feeling purified, invigorated and smoothed. Formulated with micro-beads of Jojoba Oil it gently removes dead skin cells and promotes healthy cell renewal. It also contains essential oils of Juniper and Peppermint to detoxify, soothe and cool.



Review

I've been using this product twice a week for the past month and I can say that it is by far the most gentle facial scrub I've ever used. The beads in this scrub are quite small though by no means minuscule. There isn't the harsh abrasive feel of some other scrubs and given the gentle nature of this scrub, it would be very suitable for people with sensitive skins.

This facial scrub contains Jojoba Oil, Juniper Oil and Peppermint Oil. It's white in colour and creamy in consistency. There is a slight peppermint scent which I find refreshing. My immediate sensation after the scrub had been washed off was how soft and smooth my face felt. I was pleased with the results because I'd initially thought that it wouldn't do much since I wasn't used to the gentleness of the scrub. This scrub washes off very easily unlike other scrubs I've used which leave some residue on the face.

I feel that this scrub is very effective at keeping blackheads at bay. Ever since I started using this scrub (twice a week for about a month, at the time of writing), I've noticed less blackheads on my nose (the part of my face which is most prone to the horrible black stuff).

The full size of this product is 150ml and it retails at RM130. It will last a long time, my guess is between 6-9 months and perhaps even longer as you don't need a lot of the product to get good results.

The Intrepid Beauty


So have you registered for the REN Skincare Hands-On Workshop? What are you waiting for? Click here to sign up!


*Information sourced from REN's Product Catalogue

EOTD: MAC Magic Mirth & Mischief - Blue Sorcery Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo

Here is another EOTD by my MAC MUA, Stephen, using one of my favorite Mineralize Eyeshadow Duos from the Magic, Mirth & Mischief Collection - BLUE SORCERY. He combined it with Blue Flame from Style Black collection.

So, here is a look that I rarely, almost never spot on my own, if I were to do my own eye makeup for a dinner. And it was Halloween and I had a Mommies with babies/toddlers dinner to attend that night. OK, it wasn't like a masquerade Halloween party, just a gathering of a few high school friends whom I have known for almost 17 years!

But I think this eye makeup definitely drew a bit of shivers from my little girl..... hahahahaha............ When I got home, she commented on my lips, face ("so smooth" quoting my little girl), but when it came to my eyes...she stopped, shrugged her shoulders, gave me a sheepish smile and very tactfully and gently shook her head. "Why your eyeshadow so dark?" - that's her comment! Hah! My little girl is my biggest critic! :D

Eye Of The Day

Turquoise shade from Blue Sorcery all over the lids.
Blue Flame (from Style Black collection) from the outer corner of the lid blended inward to about outer 1/3.
Eyeliner: Blacktrack Fluidline

Face Of The Day

Lips: Surprise Me lipstick (Lustre) and Boy Bait Cremesheen Glass

Me and my MUA, Stephen

Overview : N.V. Perricone M.D. Cosmeceuticals (TM) Skincare And Some Sample Reviews - By The Intrepid Beauty

I am sure many of you have heard of the term "cosmeceutical". This week, The Intrepid Beauty will speak of one of the cosmeceutical brands in the market, that is Perricone MD.

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The creator of this brand, Perricone MD, is the famous dermatologist, Nicholas V. Perricone, M.D., who is an innovator of products for improving skin texture and decreasing the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles. I was curious to discover more about cosmeceutical products especially since there has been an influx of other brands in the local market recently which also purport to be cosmeceutical in nature.

The Encarta MSN Dictionary defines the term "cosmeceutical" as "a product that falls between the categories designated as pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, especially in terms of marketing". Wikipedia states that "cosmeceuticals represent the marriage of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Examples of products typically labeled as cosmeceuticals include anti-aging creams and moisturizers. Cosmeceuticals are cosmetic products with biologically active ingredients purporting to have medical or drug-like benefits. Dermatological research suggests that the bioactive ingredients used in cosmeceuticals do indeed have benefits beyond the traditional moisturizer. ....However, despite the reports of benefits from some cosmeceutical products, the term cosmeceutical remains a marketing term, as there are no requirements to prove that the products actually live up to their claims. Therefore it is up to the consumer to decide whether these claims are valid and worth the cost".


There are 4 prescriptions in this brand*, namely:-

1) RX1 - Prevent
2) RX2 - Correct
3) RX3 - Repair
4) RX4 - Restore

I had been given 3 sachets of products from the RX2 Correct range to try out, namely:-

1) Advanced Face Firming Activator (59ml/2 fl. oz. pump bottle - RM600);
2) Restorative Night Treatment (59ml/2 fl.oz. jar - RM515); and
3) Face Finishing Moisturiser (59ml/2 fl.oz. jar - RM300).

I had been advised by the SA to apply the Advanced Face Firming Activator followed by the Face Finishing Moisturiser for day and the Restorative Night Treatment followed by the Face Finishing Moisturiser for evening. The Advanced Face Firming Activator and Restorative Night Treatment are both serums. These products contain Vitamin C Ester, DMAE, Sodium Hyaluronate & Alpha Lipoic Acid and are intended to*, (inter alia):-

(a) diminish fine lines and wrinkles, refine skin texture, reduce pore size, puffiness and uneven skin tone;

(b) provide ultimate contouring benefits to skin beginning to lose elasticity;

(c) deliver lifted, tightened and toned appearance to the skin; and

(d) impart a radiant, smooth and luminous appearance.

Since I only had samples sufficient for a week, I can't speak for long term results but I can make the following observations:-

(a) all the products smell wonderful especially the Advanced Face Firming Activator which is sweet smelling and the Face Finishing Moisturizer which smells of roses;

(b) I loved the texture of the products as they absorbed quickly into the skin so much so that I was amazed at the speed of absorption;

(c) skin felt smooth immediately after and even when I woke up, my skin felt hydrated; and

(d) the products do make the skin more radiant and plumped up.

Generally, I am impressed with the products as they do give the immediate effect of providing maximum hydration to skin by locking in moisture all day and night. With other moisturizers tried and tested, I find myself reaching for moisturizer almost as soon as I wake up but with the Perricone products, I feel that I don't even need moisturizer in the morning. Out of all the samples given, I am most tempted to purchase the Face Finishing Moisturizer as it feels simply luxurious on the skin and the scent is out of this world.

*Information on the product ranges, product descriptions and ingredients are sourced from the Perricone website and product brochure.


The Intrepid Beauty

On A Quiet Sunday Morning.............

.....my phone rang..........a text came from a very good friend of mine........

My good friend from high school and still is a good friend now, after 17 years of friendship, has just given birth to her 2nd child, a healthy bouncy baby boy 3.7kg...Wow!! No, not by C-section but normal delivery. Tough Mommy she is!

Congratulations my dear friend!!

Fun Busy Saturday!

Just some short Saturday updates from me.....

Attended the Malaysian Women's Weekly - Clinique Workshop in the morning. It was a very interesting and informative workshop filled with lots of fun elements.

Then, stopped by for lunch at Bangsar, and dropped in to have a look at Kanebo warehouse sale, got myself a little haul.

Rushed to Midvalley just in time for theBalm lucky draw.....and guess what??? :D Christmas came early.............

OK.......had a long long day.........

Will continue to write tomorrow.........

Nites....

Photos: Another Gift From Hubby

Today, I got a surprise from Hubby!

Yep, finally, I got a train case to store my ever-growing makeup collection...from Hubby!
And since Hubby decided to get me one, he also got a smaller one for our little girl. How thoughtful! :D
He thought she would like to be like her Mommy, which she does. Nowadays, my little girl just wants to be the same like me - wears similar-looking clothes like me, does her hair like I do mine, etc etc....



For me..........

For our little girl......

Sample Review: Botani Boost Balancing Moisturizer

I got the Botani Boost Balancing Moisturizer in a 3ml jar as well. The jar was filled with the product to the brim, and the little jar of moisturizer lasted me slightly longer than the Purify Facial Cleanser(which lasted me 5 days).



Some facts and product description..........
According to the Nature In A Box website, Botani Boost Balancing Moisturizer is enriched with Olive Squalene and recommended for oily and combination skin types. It's a light intensive day and night moisturizing treatment, with anti-bacterial properties.

Some interesting features of this product include:
- Non-clogging and non-oily
- Light formulation with maximum coverage
- Ideal for under make-up
- Effective as a men's aftershave lotion


Vonvon says......
This moisturizer is recommended for oily and combination skin, and my skin type is of the latter, that is combination - oily on the T-zone and normal to slightly dry on the cheeks.

When I read the label on the jar, I saw the word "balancing" and I presumed that this product would somehow 'balance out' the condition of the skin on my face.

So after cleansing with Purify Facial Cleanser, I applied toner and eye cream, followed by Boost Balancing Moisturizer. Since it came in a jar(the actual full-sized product comes in a 50ml bottle with a pump), I applied the moisturizer using the 5-dot method. And then massaged into my face.

It has a light emulsion-like texture though slightly oily on my fingers. The scent is quite refreshing with some herbal note, and not overpowering. Once applied on the skin, I could feel the product absorbed instantly into my skin, but it did leave behind a slightly sticky feel. Fortunately, the stickiness just lasted a few minutes, and then, I ended up with smooth and radiant skin. Applied at night before bedtime, I woke up the next morning with well-hydrated supple skin.

During the day, my T-zone did feel less oily after using this moisturizer. And despite the momentary stickiness after application, I waited till it subsided before starting to apply my makeup base and foundation. It didn't interfere with my makeup application, and with my T-zone less oily, my nose area 'shone' lesser throughout the course of the day.


This moisturizer retails for RM82.50 for a 50ml bottle.

Sample Review: Botani Purify Facial Cleanser

I received several samples from Nature In A Box, the Malaysian company which distributes products from the Australian organic skincare brand, Botani, some weeks ago. And now after testing them out, of course, it's time for some reviews.

Let's start with the facial cleanser which I got, which is Botani Purify Facial Cleanser.

Some facts and product description first....

According to the Nature In A Box website, Botani Purify Facial Cleanser is recommended for all skin types, particularly normal, oily and combination skin and highly beneficial for blemished skin. It is a mild gel based cleanser which remove surface bacteria and debris. It improves skin texture without stripping away natural oils, thus minimising dryness and irritation.

Some interesting features of this product include:
- SULPHATE-FREE
- Dual action cleanser and toner
- Mild shaving lather for men prone to shaving irritations
- Removes surface bacteria and impurities
- Gentle eye make-up remover
- pH-balanced for skin




Vonvon says.....
The actual full-sized product comes in a 50ml bottle which is dispensed via a pump. However, the sample I received was in a 3ml jar (see photo). So during my 1st time using it, I poured a little too much onto my palm and hence, my skin felt a bit tight after cleansing.

Subsequently, I was more careful and reduced the amount of cleanser poured out and that's when I reaped in some of the benefits of this product.

OK, this cleanser has a light gel-like texture and consistency of honey(if you talk in terms of viscosity in Physics). And in fact, just by looking at the product, one could actually mistook it for honey, as the scent is slightly sweet with a slight hint of olive tree fragrance - 'green' and fresh. Well, you might wonder how could honey smell 'green' and fresh? There are many variants of honey, and I had smelled honey with a tinge of 'fresh' scent while in Greece. Of course, that's subjective though. Errr....a little diversion.

Back to the cleanser. So I poured a small amount onto my palm, and added a little water, and worked it into a lather. Well, you wouldn't see foamy kind of lather. I applied it to my face and worked in circular motion. Then, I rinsed it off with warm water, and this is the tricky part. It's quite slippery and it did take me a while to completely rinse my face clean. But.....before I could complain further, I looked into the mirror and WOW!! Instantly, all the trouble of having to rinse my face a little longer, or my 1st time of using too much which resulted in slightly tight skin, VANISHED!!!

All I saw in the mirror was a bright and clear complexion, and velvety smooth to the touch. It was as though I had just exfoliated my skin. But the cleanser was as smooth as anything with not a single tiny granule for exfoliation!

I used the cleanser twice a day, in the morning and night, and the 3ml jar lasted me about 5 days. So a little definitely goes a long way.

Just for the record, during the time I tested the Purify Cleanser and Boost Balancing Moisturizer(to be reviewed next), I used solely these 2 products with a toner and eye cream before applying the moisturizer. I didn't exfoliate for that 5-day duration and after finishing off the samples, my skin looked bright and exuded a radiance which I would normally obtain after some form of exfoliation(be it with a facial polish or scrub).

As for its function as a gentle eye make-up remover, I didn't test it out because I am just used to removing my eye makeup with a specific eye makeup remover. It's more of a habit than a refusal to try. (Pardon me for this).

This is something which you might want to try if you are looking for an organic skincare which will not break your bank, as it retails for RM67.50 for a 50ml bottle.

EOTD: MAC Magic Mirth & Mischief - Devil-May-Dare Eye Palette

So MAC has come out with its Holiday Collection called the Magic, Mirth & Mischief with the classy and elegant poster depicting the ribbons and baubles.......feels like Christmas came early this year.... And might as well be.....more surprises coming up.....and I don't mean only surprises in this post. ;)

MAC Magic, Mirth & Mischief 2009

KLCC Concourse was decorated with baubles and even bauble-like design chairs

Anyways, my little girl and I were at KLCC when MAC was having their event there last week and my all-time fav MAC MA, Stephen, did a makeover for me using colors from Devil-May-Dare eye palette. This is one of the 2 of my fav eye palettes from this collection.

Me having my makeover done by Stephen (top) and
my little girl also didn't want to be left out. She asked Stephen to put on lipstick for her. The shade she chose was Total Wow!.

My little girl and I after our makeovers

Eye Of The Day

Photo taken indoor, without flash

Photo taken under daylight

Face Of The Day

OutRageously PiNk Nite 2009 - Programme

I have just received the programme for the OutRageously PiNk Nite 2009 from the Organizer....and there'll be lots of activities on breast health, fun and prizes to be won!!!!!!

I'll be there....hope to see you all there too!

OutRageously PiNk Nite “ iCheck iAct iLive”

Date: 7 Nov 2009 (Saturday),

Time: 5pm

Venue: Main Concourse, Bangsar Village II, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur

Attire: Something in Pink, the more outrageous, the more likely you might get spotted and win a prize!!

Programme (please note, this may be subject to change on the day of the OPN itself due to circumstances beyond our control)
5.00pm Arrival of Guests & Media

5.30pm KL Dumline Corps Kicks Off
5.40pm Abseilling by Rene’e Aziz Ahmad Aziz (guided by Ms Chan Yuen Li, Malaysian Eco-Challenge (BVII wall outside Coffee Bean)
6.00 pm Arrival of Harley Owners Group (Malaysia Chapter) with Pink Challengers (Dragon Boat team)
6.10pm Arrival of Mini Club

6.20pm Pink Fashion Show

6.40pm Welcoming Remarks by MC Reuben Anson

6.50pm Opening Songs by Juwita Suwito (singer-songwriter)

7.00pm Bhangra Jam by Celebrity Fitness

7.10pm “Boob Bobbing” Game

7.25pm Salsa Demonstration by DanceKL.com

7.40pm Radiology Malaysia OPN2009 Prize Presentation for Slogan and Digital Video Contests Winners!

7.50pm Laughter Yoga by Nomad Adventures

8.05pm Swing Demonstration by KL Swing!

8.15pm Topless Contest

8.35pm Jazzexercise by Celebrity Fitness

8.45pm Singing Performance by Elvira Arul

9.00pm Closing Performance by Sem Poi Fire Crew

Other activities:

· Get Spotted

· Face Painting

· Balloon Sculpting

· Hair & Nails…

· Health Care Booths: Sime Darby Healthcare, Gleneagles Intan

· OPN Opinion Polls

Harley Owners Group Ride for OutRageously PiNK Nite 2009
4.30pm: Harley Owners Group (Malaysia Chapter) – dressing of Harley Bikes at HQ, Lot 1480 Jalan 51A/221.
5.30pm: HOGs with Pink Challengers will take off from HQ , via Jln 222, Federal Highway to Bangsar. The HOGS will be wearing pink bras, sponsored by Xixili in support of breast health/cancer awareness.

The OPN2009 is sponsored by Bangsar Village II in collaboration with Venusbuzz, Lariche Community, College of Radiology Academy of Medicine of Malaysia and the Malaysian Breast Cancer Council. OutRageously PiNk Nite 2009 will be a culmination of the month-long Stand Up For Pink celebration in October at Bangsar Village.

It’s going to be an exciting night, 7 Nov 2009! SEE YOU THERE!!!

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Retail Therapy From RMK

Last month during the Isetan members' pre-sale, I got myself some items from the RMK Autumn Mystique collection.

So here they are.............

My RMK Autumn Mystique haul

The packaging of the eye palette

2 Mystique Eye Palettes

Ingenious Gel Eyeliner in Shiny Green
Comes with a dual-sided retractable brush

2 Pencil Eyeliners

Multi-functional Pencil Eyeliner

And I didn't make such a big haul for no reason. This time, RMK had been very generous with its GWPs which was one of the factors in my decision to purchase so much. The other being I am a sucker for palettes, and eye makeup!!!

So this time, the GWP was a 5-piece set with purchase of RM380.



Top up to RM480, I got an additional 15ml makeup base.


And top up to RM550, I got a deluxe-sized powder.

Swatches: Stila Kajal Eye Liners

I have seen several web searches for "Stila Kajal (eye liner) swatches" which brought them to this blog. And since I have quite a number of Stila Kajal Eye Liners which I hauled from the Stila clearance sale this Spring in Malaysia, I decided to swatch them, 8 of them, and do a "Swatch" post on them.

So this is for those who have visited/stumbled upon this humble little blog when you were searching for "Stila Kajal Eye Liner swatches"......and to all my readers, many of whom are Stila lovers!

My little Stila Kajal Eye Liner collection
-In beautiful shades and named after some precious and semi-precious gemstones.
From left to right: Smoky Quartz, Sapphire, Amethyst, Emerald, Pearl, Rose Quartz and Tigers Eye.
I missed out Topaz (which many were searching and came here), but I found Topaz later and the swatch is below.

Stila Kajal Eye Liner swatches
From left to right: Smoky Quartz, Sapphire, Amethyst, Emerald, Pearl, Rose Quartz, Tigers Eye.

Stila Kajal Eye Liner in Topaz

Some questions to ponder..............

The darker colors I usually use for lining my upper lash lines, but they are not waterproof not smudge-proof, for me at least. I have also tried using the Sapphire as an eyeshadow and as it turned out, received some WOW! from some of my readers, and I also used Rose Quartz for some nude look.

MY QUESTION: How would you wear the lighter colors, such as Rose Quartz (besides as an eyeshadow for a nude look), Pearl and Topaz?

I wanna hear what do you think, my dear readers...........

Reviews: Marks & Spencer's FORMULA Body Exfoliator Cream & Sumber Ayu Lulur Mandi (West vs East) - By The Intrepid Beauty

This week, The Intrepid Beauty will review 2 different types of very affordable body scrubs.

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Despite having shelves of beauty products, I have relatively few body scrubs as I have never found anything that came close to my all-time favourite, MAC's Volcanic Ash Exfoliator which sadly for me, is unavailable here despite its relaunch a few months ago, in a new packaging overseas. However, I recently stumbled upon these 2 products within weeks of each other.


Marks & Spencer's FORMULA Body Exfoliator Cream

This product comes in a sleek, no-frills white tube and I would probably have given it a miss had it not been for the words "shea butter to nourish" and "ginseng to revitalize" printed in front of the tube. That was enough to make me stop dead in my tracks as I love anything with shea butter in it. I have not tried many products which purport to have ginseng as one of the ingredients so at first, I thought the product would smell strange but I squeezed a bit from the tester on to my hands and that was enough to make me plonk down my money at the counter with immediate effect.



This creamy scrub contains fine particles which imparts a refreshing yet indescribable scent (neither floral nor fruity). This is the perfect scent for a body scrub, not too intoxicating, it lifts your senses and makes you feel relaxed and rejuvenated, if only for a few minutes. It does a very decent job of exfoliating dead skin cells as my skin feels very smooth and soft afterwards. The recommended usage is once or twice a week but I feel that it is gentle enough to be used everyday. I try to restrain myself from reaching for this product more than twice a week because...and here's the bad news.....it is no longer available at any M&S stores here. According to one of the managers in M&S The Gardens, this product has been discontinued here. Now, why would they discontinue a product that I would repurchase in a heartbeat?

This product's retail price is RM22 which is ultra reasonable for a 200ml tube, especially in view of the fact that many body scrubs which are made in Malaysia or in neighbouring countries are of a similar, if not higher price. If and when this product does come back to M&S Malaysia, I'll be the first to sweep a few off its shelves. This product will definitely be on the shopping list I will pass to any of my friends should they be going to UK soon.



Sumber Ayu Lulur Mandi

For some time, I'd wanted to try a traditional Indonesian scrub so when I saw this product on Watson's shelves, I didn't think twice about buying one to try. There are 2 variations of this product, one contains flower extract(pink tub) and the other contains yam bean/sengkuang extract(brown tub).



I tried the pink tub first and was astonished at how well it worked to soften my skin. Like the M&S Formula exfoliator cream, the texture of the "Lulur Mandi" is somewhat creamy and the particles are similarly fine but the difference is that the "Lulur Mandi" feels grittier on the skin though by no means does it feel rough or coarse. The "Lulur Mandi" has a stronger scent than than the M&S product which may not be pleasing to everyone but I can live with it as it's a floral scent.






The "Lulur Mandi" purports to have "pencerah" or brightening properties, I have not noticed any brightening effects but that isn't what I look for in a body scrub so it doesn't bother me that it doesn't live up to its claim. Some may not be enamoured by the fact that you have to twist the cap of the tub to open it and dip your fingers into it to take out the appropriate amount so it is a less user-friendly product than than M&S Exfoliator Cream.

This product is even more value for money than the M&S exfoliator cream as it is a mere RM4.50 (230g) but I got it at a bargain for RM3.60. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the price after discount. For this kind of price, you tend to ignore the nitty-gritty details like packaging. After trying the "Lulur Mandi Ekstrak Bunga", I scooted off to Watson's post-haste to purchase another 4 tubs (there were only 5 tubs left on the shelves) as I was concerned that it'd be sold out. The problem is this product seems to be only available in Watson's Amcorp Mall (of all places!) and despite an intensive search at almost all Watson's outlets (both big & small) in KL & PJ, I could not find this product at any other Watson's. A week after I swiped the 4 tubs, I returned to Watson's, Amcorp to see whether they had restocked and just as I feared, there were none left. It looks like I'll have to get it from Indonesia if I can't find any more on our shores.

If I had to choose between the M&S exfoliator cream and the "Lulur Mandi", it'd have to be the former as I am in love with its scent. It makes you forget you've had a bad day and is worth every cent. However, the "Lulur Mandi" has got to be on the list of best budget beauty buys. I'd purchase a box of the stuff if it was available. At that kind of price, it'll hardly hurt the pocket and a tub of it lasts a rather long time. I've considered myself very fortunate to have found affordable body scrubs that are of excellent quality but to my greatest regret, I've not been so fortunate in re-purchasing the 3 different (including the MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator which I consider THE BEST) body scrubs I've extolled here.


The Intrepid Beauty