Photos: Food Shopping

After having our lunch yesterday, we went to a Chinese supermarket next to the restaurant and bought some food stuffs. Yea, I bought quite a bit of stuffs to cook for Chinese New Year parties and dinners we are going to give for our friends and neighbors here.

There were many Malaysian products, and brands like Adabi flour mix, different types of White Coffees, and even Eu Yan Sang ready-pack soup mixes, just to name a few...... Basically, strolling along the aisles of the market, was similar to going to Tesco or Carrefour in Malaysia, except, even better, with more variety and choices.... :D

All the pre-packed soup mixes

Red dates and Chinese herbs

So Malaysian.......
Adabi flour mix for fried chicken....haha!

Ipoh white coffee, anyone?

And guess what I found in the frozen food section???
DURIANS!!!!
Durians, in frozen forms....the whole fruits, and packed into boxes already.....

And see what the Germans call DURIANS????

STINKFRUCHT!!!!! Haha!!!
Guess there's no need for translation....
STINK + FRUCHT (fruit)

Our Chinese Food Fix

Yes, we love our Chinese food, no matter where we go..... and to ease our longing for dear old Malaysia, yesterday Hubby took us to a Chinese restaurant for some authentic Chinese food, and dim sum!

Princess loves Shanghai xiao long bao, but she only drinks the soup inside the dumplings... ;) So Mummy has to pour out the soup from the dumplings to feed it to her. But alas, there wasn't too much soup in these dumplings.

The dim sum served in this place was slightly different from the Malaysian dim sum. I think it's more the Hong Kong-style dim sum. Most of the dishes were similar but somehow the taste was slightly different, but most important of all, they were YUMMY! :P

Princess and me.........

Yesterday, I was wearing MAC Birds & Berries eyeshadow on my lids, with Siahi fluidline from MAC + Mickey Contractor collection, on my upper lash lines, and Maybelline Magnum Super-Film Mascara on my lashes.
Face: Sunplay Skin Aqua BB Cream, MAC By Candlelight MSF, The Body Shop Roseflower blush.
Lips: Dodo Cosmetics Lipgloss #08

Top: GAP Boyfriend Sweater

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After having our sumptuous lunch, we went to do some shopping at the Chinese supermarket nearby..... and I felt like I was back in Malaysia (may be even better), looking at the variety of stuffs available there...... in the next post! :)

Frosty Monday Morning......Brrrr!

I was wondering why the thermostat was set to 25 degrees Celcius and yet, I still need to wear layers and even my body warmer in my salon......

Then, when the day breaks, I draw the curtain to see the following.............




Brrr.......cold!!! The thermometer is showing -5 degrees Celcius earlier...but with the impending sunshine, it should warm up later during the day.......

Wonder what happened to me who had survived 8 harsh winters with snow knee-deep in Russia and the Ukraine with temperatures down to -21 degrees Celcius, and now I am whining about -5 degrees??? My friends over there must be laughing their heads off...... ;D

But I gotta tell ya......must be the age.....haha! :P I was young then...... LOL!

EOTD/FOTD: MAC Peacocky Mega Metal Eyeshadow in Mating Call, MAC Azalea Blossom Blush Ombre, et al.

After writing the quick review for MAC Peacocky Mega Metal Eyeshadow in Mating Call yesterday, I couldn't contain my curiosity on how the eyeshadow would work on my lids, and used it right away for the following EOTD. There is no step-by-step for the EOTD this time, as I used the monochromatic technique of application. Yes, just Mating Call alone on my lids, and blended lightly upward to the brow as 'highlight'. And thank God, the eyeshadow, applied on my lids, definitely looked so much better, with better color pay-off, and more intense shade than in the swatches I made. I don't know what 'fluke' happened with my swatches that day. ;)

I applied the eyeshadow with a brush, and the color glided on my lids smoothly, spread easily, and I could build up the intensity of the shade gradually. And I could even sheer out the shade from the crease up to the brow, for a monochromatic effect. After more than 6 hours of wear, there was no creasing but I noticed a slight fading. That was without any eye primer/base.

Well, I don't usually wear an eye base anyways. That's why I always like MAC Veluxe Pearl eyeshadows as their colors have good pigmentation and pay-off, don't crease and don't fade on my lids! But I digress....

Eye Of The Day

1 - Define the brow with Dodo Cosmetics Tip Brow 03;
2 - Using the short end of Stila brush #30, apply MAC Peacocky Mega Metal Eyeshadow in Mating Call on the entire lid;
3 - Sweep the remaining color on the brush upward all the way to the brow (you will see a gradation of the lavender tone);
4 - Line the upper lash line with MAC Superslick Liquid Eyeliner in Smoky Heir;
5 - Finish off with Maybelline Magnum Volum'Express Super Film Mascara to the upper lashes.

Products Used

Top row, L to R: MAC Mating Call, MAC Azalea Blossom Blush Ombre, MAC By Candlelight MSF;
MAC Superslick Liquid Eyeliner in Smoky Heir;
Maybelline Magnum Volum'Express Super Film Mascara;
Estee Lauder Signature Lipstick #19 Orchid Light.

Face Of The Day

Face: Juice Beauty Perfecting Foundation in Organic Sand
MAC By Candlelight Mineralize Skinfinish as an all-over face powder and highlight

Cheeks: MAC Azalea Blossom Blush Ombre (the purple part)

Lips: Estee Lauder Signature Lipstick #19 Orchid Light

I am glad that in the end, Mating Call turned out to be a pretty shade on my lids, but still with moderate pigmentation. I am sure the color could be intensified with the use of an eye base. Somehow, it still fell short of my expectation of the Mega Metal eyeshadows. I had expected it to be super-pigmented whereby one swipe would give an intense color with good color pay-off. Well, I can't say for all the Mega Metal eyeshadows, as I have tried only Mating Call at the time of writing.

I am definitely looking forward to trying out other shades. Now, when will I have the time to visit the MAC counter here??? Hopefully, my sis has gotten the shades I reserved for me. ;)

So, tell me, how's your Chinese New Year preparation coming along?

Finished shopping for everything?

Have a nice day and happy shopping!

Hair Care Products: C. Michael (TM) London Trichologica Hairomatherapy

Recently, I was contacted by a PR firm which requested me to test out and review some haircare products. It's called the Trichologica Hairomatherpy, C.Michael (TM) London. This range of hair care products is available at Jusco AEON Wellness stores, Isetan, Sogo and Watsons Malaysia stores.

I chose the products from the Anti Hair Loss range as I have been battling hair loss problem since the birth of Princess and I have tried numerous hair care products previously which did not quite give me the result that I wished for. Though recently I tried one which had significantly reduced my hair loss - that is for another post.

I have been using the Anti Hair Loss Shampoo and Treatment Spray for the past 1 week, on every other day, as that's the frequency of my hair washing, in Malaysia and wherever I am. However, in Malaysia, I may wash my hair everyday depending on the weather condition which might make my scalp oily and sweaty.

Reviews coming up soon......

You can check out their Facebook page here.


*Products were sent by PR firm, Magma Communications, to me for review purpose.

NEW! Kao Launches Asience Shine Therapy

KAO Malaysia launched their latest addition to the Asience range, Asience Shine Therapy recently. Shine Therapy is specially created to mend hair that are dull, brittle, and chemically damaged by intensively restoring from the inner fibres for stronger, smoother and bouncier hair that shines.




As I couldn't attend their Media Launch recently, here is some info based on their News Release......

Asience Shine Therapy contains Asian Energy Essence, a mix of five key precious natural nourishing ingredients which consists of Pearl Protein, Shell Ginger Extract, Aloe Extract, Camellia Oil and Ginseng Extract. It is enhanced with Soybean extract for its repairing quality. Shine Therapy is also fortified with the M-18 Hair Beautifying technology that helps to deliver the organic elements of the Asian Energy Essence by penetrating into the core of hair, repairing and increasing the density of each strand. Hair is beautiful as it restores hair protective coating, without which hair would deplete on its own by exposure to styling, blow-drying, UV rays and chemical products.

Asience provides a full range of products for varying hair types and hair care needs. Aside from Shine Therapy, Asience offers the Inner Rich and Nature Smooth range. Asience Inner Rich is specially formulated to replenish dry, frizzy and damaged hair that is prone to breakage to help restore hair to its original luster. It contains Asian Energy Essence and is enhanced with Royal Jelly Exract to keep hair strong healthy from the core. Asience Nature Smooth is created for hair that is prone to tangling and lacks volume. It is enriched with Asian Energy Essence and Rockweed Extract that helps revitalise and enliven limp and dull hair due to oily scalp and damage caused by tangles. It leaves hair feeling light, bouncy and lively from root to tip.

Asience aspires to reach out to Asian women beyond their hair care needs. In line with the ‘Empowering Asian Beauty’ tagline, Asience aims to give women healthy, lively and envy-worthy hair that will boost their confidence whilst giving them the pleasure of joy that comes with it. “When women feel confident and beautiful, we believe they will be able to channel their inner potential and fully utilise it in all circumstances”, exclaimed Elizabeth Choon. “With that, Asience is constantly improving its products with state of the art technologies and latest innovations to give Asian women the best hair care solutions to reveal their most attractive and confident personality.”

The Asience ranges are available at selected Watson’s, JUSCO Supermarkets and AEON Wellness outlets. The shampoos and conditioners are priced at RM14.90 for 220ml and RM26.80 for 530ml, whereas the treatments are priced at RM26.80 for 180g.

Swatches & Quick Review Of MAC Peacocky Mega Metal Eyeshadow in MATING CALL

I have only this eyeshadow (above) out of the 15 new Peacocky Mega Metal eyeshadows from MAC's latest Peacocky collection, for now. Again, where I am now, the nearest MAC to me is about 22 miles away. So I have instructed my sis to liaise with my dear Stephen, the MAC SA, to get a whole long list of the Mega Metal eyeshadows I want. ;) Initially, my list was long, a whopping 9 from the 15.....but I managed to cut it down to only 3, for now, with Mating Call in my hand now, only waiting for another 2 - Dalliance and Odalisque! Thanks to Temptalia and her dupe list, I found some dupes for certain shades that I had planned to get. I have Melon Pigment, which is similar to Tweet Me, Urban Decay Goddess which is similar to Dandizette..... and a few more, which I couldn't recall at the moment.


So, back to Mating Call.....

At first impression, yes, it's Vonvon's kind of color, cool-toned lavender. And it has been said that Lavender and Honeysuckle are the hottest shades for Spring 2011. So, Mating Call would be a great addition to my makeup for Spring, right?

But till I swatched it a few days ago, *sigh.... somehow it swatched quite a light shade with just moderate color pay-off I'd say. When I first saw the swatch of Mating Call on Temptalia, I was really excited but for me, after several swipes, the shade showed up on my fingertips but not on my skin. (You can see some of the swatches I made below). While the texture feels smooth, I find it a bit hard.

Well, that was my initial encounter with Mating Call. I haven't really played with it and apply it to my lids yet.... Perhaps, the brand new eyeshadow needs a little more attention and some tender loving care to show its 'prowess' as have been raved about.....

Full review and EOTD will follow.......

MAC Peacocky Mega Metal Eyeshadow - Mating Call
(indoor under white light)

Please click to enlarge the photo to see the silver sheen in the middle in the eyeshadow

Mega Metal eyeshadow has similar packaging size to the Tartan eyeshadow, but Mega Metal has 2.2grams (like the Mineralize eyeshadows), while the Tartan eyeshadow has 3grams.

Swatches of Mating Call (under yellow light)
Top swatch: Swiped 3 times
Middle swatch: Swiped once
Bottom swatch: Swiped several times

MAC Peacocky Mega Metal Eyeshadow - Mating Call
(under daylight but on a cloudy day)

Swatches of Mating Call (under daylight but on a cloudy day)
Top swatch: Swiped 3 times
Middle swatch: Swiped once
Bottom swatch: Swiped several times

Photo: MAC Mating Call

A close-up and macro shot of MAC Peacocky Mega Metal Eyeshadow in Mating Call
- a soft lavender shade with pink undertones and a silvery sheen.

Photo: Some MAC Peacocky......

Apart from readers in the US, has anyone of you seen MAC Peacocky collection? I received emails from several readers from Malaysia that the Peacocky is out......

From top to bottom: MAC Peacocky Scandelicious Kissable Lipcolour,
MAC Peacocky Woo Me Kissable Lipcolour,
MAC Peacocky Love Peck Kissable Lipcolour,
MAC Peacocky Mega Metal Eyeshadow in Mating Call


Swatch of Mating Call coming up..............
Today is my blogging day........... :)

Burberry Makeup In Isetan KLCC, Malaysia

OK, this is just a quick post which is an excerpt from the email of a loyal reader of Vonvon's Interests. :) Thanks, dear! I couldn't go to see the Burberry makeup at Isetan KLCC right now, so I am very thankful for readers for the updates on the pricing, etc etc.

I know, I know, it's very unlike Vonvon to do such things, but I am out of town at the moment.

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This email is about the pricing of some of the Burberry makeup products:

Liquid foundation: rm165
Compact foundation: rm180
Lipstick: rm96 (yes, I also read in a magazine stated rm95)
Lipgloss: rm89
Eyeshadow: rm105 (the colours are nice but don't you think it's expensive for a single colour?)
Eyeliner: rm75 (really intense and pigmented-the dark blue is gorgeous!)
Mascara: rm108 (only in black)
Blusher: rm140
Not sure about the bronzer's price.

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Hope this is of some help. :)

Photos: Uniqlo Haul; Outfit Of The Day

Hello my dear readers!
It's been a few days, no, actually, quite a while, since I wrote a proper post. I really miss blogging, but there are things which warrant top priority in my life and I just have to tend to them first. :)

I was in Uniqlo at Fahrenheit 88 last week. Thinking there was no sale/special offer going on, I was in for a surprise. Their Micro Fleece and a few other products were on sale/special offer and still are, if I am not mistaken.

I grabbed a Micro Fleece and some Heat-Tech clothing for myself since I needed some warm clothing.

Micro Fleece (RM49.90, Original price: RM79.90)
Heat-Tech Scoop Neck T-shirt
Heat-Tech Body Warmers
Heat-Tech shorts

Sorry, can't recall the exact prices for each Heat-Tech item. But total, I paid RM164 or something, which I think is really reasonable.

Outfit Of The Day

Please pardon the un-made-up look, and messy hair, etc.

Top: Uniqlo Heat-Tech Scoop Neck T-shirt
Uniqlo Micro Fleece
Scarf: Esprit (it's actually a multi-purpose piece of clothing, can be worn as a 'vest' too)


That's all for now.
I will try to prepare more posts for later and the days to follow......

Have a good evening to my readers in Malaysia.
To my other readers, hope you are having a good day/time wherever you are. :)

Daily Updates In Vonvon's Interests Facebook Page

Good morning, my dear readers!

Sorry for the lack of updates these few days. However, I do update Vonvon's Interests Facebook page almost everyday quite often - with random stuffs of myself, product(s) I am currently using but have not the time to blog about yet, look(s) of the day (yes, the look I wear on that particular day), new products, news, etc etc etc......

So, if you don't see any update here, please do divert your gaze to the right side of the page to see my FB page update(s)! ;)

I am in a little 'transition' now...... but I hope to resume my regular blogging soon..... I have so much to share with you, lovelies!


Have a nice day!

xoxo

Lucky Trendy Hair Accessories From Japan

Recently, I was introduced to Lucky Trendy hair accessories from Japan by the beautiful ladies at Cubbees.com. I have to admit that I am not one who is into the hair too much, as I prefer to wear my hair simple as it is, long and straight, with slight natural waves at the ends. But on my bad hair day, I do tie up my hair, or twist it up and secure with a hair clip.

For those of you who are aware of Lucky Trendy products, now they are available online in Malaysia at Cubbees.com. (link above)

Besides Lucky Trendy products, Cubbees.com also has a wide range of different pretty and fashionable hair bands, and the higher end Littlemoon hair accessories which come with crystals.

Here are some photos of the Lucky Trendy products, price ranging form RM19.90 to RM39.90. Some of the materials are metals, while others are durable plastic.

So, looking for some new hair accessories for CNY?
Do check it out! :)

No-Makeup Makeup Look With Urban Decay Naked Palette On A Saturday

Good morning, my dear readers! It's 2 more Saturdays to Chinese New Year (CNY) or the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit. I believe today the shopping malls, Chinatown, etc, will be even more jam-packed with shoppers than the previous weekends as have been reported.

Have you done your new clothes shopping, new makeup shopping, new accessories shopping? Oh well, the list goes on and on......

Today, I will show you a no-makeup makeup look using the coveted Urban Decay Naked Palette.



Well, do you know that they are back in stock now? In the USA, and even Sephora Singapore which was quickly sold out again - I read from Sephora Singapore Facebook page. And it seems the new Naked Palette comes with a full-sized Good Karma Shadow Brush, instead of the dual-ended 24/7 Glide-on liner of Zero on one end, and Whiskey on the other. The reason is the nice folks at Urban Decay couldn't produce the Glide-on Liners fast enough to cope with the demand for Naked Palette. So they replace it with the Good Karma Shadow Brush which is worth more than the pencil, but the Naked Palette now costs USD48, instead of USD44.

Face Of The Day

You have probably seen this look before, as I had posted it on my Facebook page some weeks ago.

Eye Of The Day

Quick breakdown of the look:

Eye (all products used from UD Naked Palette):
Hustle eyeshadow on brows
Virgin eyeshadow on entire lids
Whiskey 24/7 Glide-On pencil on upper lash lines
Diorshow mascara on upper lashes

Face:
Sunplay Skin Aqua BB Cream SPF36/PA++
Guerlain Meteorites
Jelly Pong Pong Hawaiian Sun bronzer

Cheeks:
The Body Shop Roseflower blush

Lips:
RMK Gloss Lips 35 Translucent Shiny Pink

Have a nice weekend and Happy Shopping!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Vonvon's Interests!

Today is Vonvon's Interests 2nd blog anniversary!

How time flies! Yes, it was 2 years ago today that I wrote the first post for this blog, as a hobby, and this 'baby' of mine has definitely grown. :)

I haven't really planned what to do for the blogoversary (a term which has been quite widely used to call blog anniversary). A Giveaway would be too soon, as I just had 2 Giveaways last month. And I am tied down with lots of stuffs lately. Do you have any suggestion?

So for today, with my limited artistic ability and skills ;), I have put together a new blog header - a SYMBOLIC collage of photos of my many interests........



Beauty - represented by the pictures of eyeshadows, palettes, collection, nail polishes, some swatches and my red lips; and fashion

Makeup and making up - represented by the red lips

Skincare - represented by a strip of part of some skincare products photo

Shopping - represented by Sephora and my Beauty Insider card

Traveling - represented by the picturesque Oia in Santorini, Greece

Music and the arts - represented by the music scores of Chopin's Nocturne and Waltz and the song books of The Phantom Of The Opera and Les Miserables

Food - represented by a small picture of Sticky sweets, not only do I like good and yummy food, I like all things sweet! :P

Medicine - not represented in the banner, as I can't find a place to put in a picture of Siemens Magnetom Avanto MRI machine. ;)


Well, this header is to represent my blog symbolically, as a whole, which actually was started for me to write and share with you, all my interests. Of course, I blog mainly on beauty, skincare and makeup. But occasionally, I do write on other topics as well. So, I have decided to pick out random pictures from my photo folders to make this collage - my own piece of art, if you can call it an art. ;)

I have been advised by some well-meaning and supportive friends to seek the consultation and service of a professional web designer, but I thought, doing it by myself, with my limited techie knowledge and partially-acquired artistry, would be nice, as it's my own work and effort. Perhaps, one day, when Vonvon's Interests becomes more established, I will engage the help of professionals. Right now, even though it's been 2 years, and not only 2 months, I feel it is sufficed that I do the work for my blog all by myself! *applause for Vonvon :D

And I want to thank all of you, my beautiful beloved readers who have been ever so supportive of
me and my blog.


Hugs and kisses,

Vonvon