L’Oréal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base. I love this.  

End of review. 

Okay, okay – I’ll gush a bit more. 

I’ve had my eye on this since I first read about it a couple of years ago, so no, this isn’t a new product. Sadly, it’s also not available here in Malaysia, or even Asia. I think you can only find this in the States and in the United Kingdom. (Please correct me if I’m wrong here). 

Now I shall start by first stating the one bit about this primer that I don’t like, just to get that out of the way. It comes in a little tub, and now that I’m past the halfway point, it’s getting increasingly difficult to scoop out, not to mention terribly unhygienic. To get past this issue, I’ve resorted to using a spatula (get the ones from a finished face cream), although I don’t think it would’ve cost L’Oréal that much more to throw one into the packaging, y’know?  

Moving along to the best bits. 

The primer has texture like souffle, or thick whipped cream. It’s spongy to the touch, and is the same shade of baby pink as a Johnson baby lotion, though it goes on colourless. And you only need very little – the size of a small pearl for me – and just rub it in using circular motions, blending out. 

Once on skin, this feels really comfortable, not heavy and smoothes skin out. What you get is a matte, even finish. And while the primer is silicone-based, I’ve not had problems of it clogging my pores. What I love most about its finish is also the fact that the fine lines around my eyes seem to have disappeared. So this smoothes out fine lines, minimises pores, camouflages imperfections, and leaves my skin looking matte and feeling silky – great or what? I’m also thinking that the ones who’ll appreciate this the most are those with slightly more mature skin, or girls with uneven skin tone.

But ultimately, this is a primer, which means it’s meant to prep and prime the skin for make-up. Happily for me, this works as well. The Magic Perfecting Base keeps foundation on, so much so there’s no need for me to touch-up by noon – and why should I, because there’s no shine! By the end of the day, with the right foundation – either my GAC Designer Modelling Compact or my Diorskin Nude, my make-up stays fresh-looking.  

So yes, thumbs up for this one.  

The side without the Magic Base 

And the side with! 

Kimora did it, M.A.C did it, and now Maybelline’s tied up with one of Japan’s most well-loved icon of cuteness, Hello Kitty. I mean, this little bobcat is a worldwide phenomenon, and has been so for decades. 

Ladies, feast your eyes on the Maybelline Volum’ Express Cat Eyes Mascara. 

What I liked … An adorable metallic pink shell. It still resembles the original packaging in terms of colour and some stripey bits. But heck, we’re all suckers for pretty things – and this has to be one of the prettiest mascara packaging I’ve laid eye on.  

Not too great … was the formulation. Like all volumising formulas, this clumps. First layer is fine, second layer starts getting all sticky and clumpy. It’s interesting to note that the “feline” brush is supposed to fatten lashes up – most comb applicators tend to work to lengthen, not fatten. Having said that, the comb applicator does allow for more control.

But does it work? That said, this one works pretty much like the original – it separates your lashes as you comb up, although I’m not too convinced that this does major volumising. What I do like about the comb is that it’s great for defining lower lashes, because unlike fat brushes, this one combs out every single lash. 

It stays on well enough – even at the end of a long day, my lashes look they way they did in the morning – which is good, because the packaging promises up to 18 hours of curl! And being waterproof, this takes extra work to take off – so you need to be a little patient and really soak in your lashes with your remover before you can really get it all off.  

All right then – as they always say, the proof is in the pudding. On to the pudding! 

 Before 

After 

Before

After 

Hang on – I’ve got more Hello Kitty for you!

Did you know … 

• The Kitty was first introduced in Japan 35 years ago? It’s as old as me!
• In 1999, a murderer in Hong Kong stuffed his victim’s head into a Hello Kitty doll. The murder was then known as the Hello Kitty Murder.
• Thai police officers who commit minor transgressions (like showing up late, or parking in the wrong spot) must wear Hello Kitty armbands for a few days as penance.
• There is a Hello Kitty-themed maternity hospital in Taiwan! Walk in and you will be overwhelmed – Hello Kitty is on the receiving blankets, room decor, linens, nurses’ uniforms, and even the birth certificate covers!

Available now exclusively at all Watsons for RM36.90

This is the most – for lack of a better word – bland lip balm I have ever come across. And it is also one of the best.

If you’re looking for something frou-frou that smells of mangoes or cherries or strawberries, something that imparts high shine, or even something that tastes of chocolate or vanilla, don’t look this way, because this lip balm ain’t it. In fact, come to think of it, rubbing this on feels no different from rubbing candle wax on your lips.

What this is, is a no-fuss lip balm, with the most delightful packaging!

I was approached by Organic Island a few months ago to test drive their Shell Lip Balm, and I said yes just from looking at looks of the product. Yes, I was swayed by how pretty it looked. Now what this Australian company does, is scour around for real recycled or damaged seashells, to be used as the containers for their all-natural lip balms. But, the seashells first go through a special blasting process (using sand and water) to clean them, and get the outer shells all nice and glossy. A silver wire cleverly entwined around the shell then holds both sides together.

Inside, you get a tiny mirror that is glued on one side, and your puddle of wax on the other. Depending on the size of your shell, the amount of balm ranges from 3-14g.

The balm itself is made of a natural mixture of coconut oil, mango-seed butter, macadamia oil, jojoba oil, rosehip oil, lanolin and beeswax. There’s no smell or colour as you apply (which you have to do with your finger).

It will remind you of plain ol’ candle wax, but it feels surprisingly light on the lips, and really, you don’t need much. Just a layer works nicely for me in the morning, and perhaps one more later in the evening. This thing moisturises lips really, really well. So well, that this is what’s been keeping my lips from getting all dried and chapped this Ramadhan. It also seems to hold colour nicely too, no issues with my reds sliding off.

All in all, this is a very rustic and charming little thing. And the fact that no two shells are alike makes it even more special. And this not only looks good, it works! Just don’t ask me what to do with the shells it’s finished. Melt my other lip balms to pour in perhaps?

To get your very own Shell Lip Balm, visit www.organicisland.com.au. Of course, do bear in mind that the shells will vary in pattern and size, and that not all shells would be completely sealed due to the varying shapes. The Shell Lip Balm is US$14.50 (before postage) each.

We all, to a certain extent – suffer for fashion. But for this particular review, I suffered for beauty. Okay, it was accidental, I admit – I went through a phase where I just couldn’t be bothered to be as diligent as I normally was with my skincare regime. And so, out came the facial wipes – as in wipe off make-up and go (to sleep). I know, I know … horrible of me for even admitting this out loud.

Anyway, turned out that it was – in a rather twisted way – a good thing, because after a couple of times of doing this, it was beginning to take its toll on my poor skin – I started to break out, and my skin got dull and tired looking. Nothing, nothing could’ve helped it the way The Regenerating Serum from La Mer did!

So you know I love La Mer products, but they’ve not all worked on me. But yes, I will gush about this product.

This anti-aging product is the loveliest-smelling La Mer product ever, kinda like a combination of the ocean and the sun. Its texture is silky, milky and light – and because of this, spreads on really well on the skin (three drops for my entire face, and one more for my neck). It dries on beautifully too.

The bottle cradles a dropper dispenser, and this is my only gripe – it can get things a little messy because you have to balance and negotiate carefully when you’re done. And no matter how careful I am, my dropper (dripping with some serum) ends up touching the outside of the top of the bottle. And after a few uses, I have to wipe down the mouth of the bottle. It’s messy and you get quite a bit of wastage. Not only that, I’m not looking forward to when the serum finishes, because for the life of me, I’m not sure how I’ll get the last bits. Dropper dispenser – not great.

But the efficacy of the product? Great. 

Such lightweight texture also means I get to use it during the day, which I do. It helps my make-up stay put, and I hardly need to powder. It minimises pores, and helps control sebum production as I don’t shine the wrong way, y’know? The first time I used the serum, I woke up with amazing skin. And with continuous use, my fine lines are now less visible, my nasolabial folds aren’t as saggy, and my skin feels like velvet all the time.

To explain the science behind the serum, I’ve also extracted a short Q&A from the press release with the lovely Loretta Miraglia who is La Mer’s Senior Vice President, Product Innovation for your reading pleasure.

What is inflammation and how does it age the skin?

Inflammation is caused by anything from over-exposure to ultraviolet light to environmental aggressors to the ingestion of unhealthy foods, and is basically a stress reaction in the body. Inflammation triggers immune cells, which can damage healthy collagen and elastin. Once collagen and elastin are compromised, skin can develop “micro-scars”, or tiny wounds beneath the skin. Long term inflammation can lead to deeper wrinkles, stubborn age spots, skin redness and sagging.

How does The Regenerating Serum ‘interrupt’ the appearance of premature skin aging?

The Regenerating Serum combines the original Miracle Broth with another powerful plant-based anti-aging compound called The Regenerating Ferment and an antioxidant rich Lime Tea.

While the Miracle Broth helps soothe the skin and fight the appearance of irritation, The Regenerating Ferment incorporates the powerhouse cell of the plant, the stem cell. These Marine Plant Stem Cells are nurtured in a lab specifically to enhance their ability to help support skin as it naturally produces collagen and elastin. The Lime Tea gives a further antioxidant boost. Together, these components give a new vitality to the skin. It’s a multi-pronged approach designed to support and enhance the skin’s natural ability to renew its appearance.

What exactly is a Marine Plant Stem Cell?

Plant stem cells typically come from bud or the root of the plant, where the plants generate new growth. Some scientists describe a plant stem cell as an energetic seed – a pure concentration of life. These are the cells that are the very basis of the plant’s growth, and have the ability to become any part of the plant – a stem, a leaf or a petal.

We started researching marine plants with self-regenerating and stress-resistant properties and discovered a unique marine shore plant on the Brittany coast in France that had an amazing potential for anti-aging called Eryngium Maritimum. This plant is incredibly rigorous – the more it is attacked by its natural environment, the more it thrives. The plant is found along coastal areas, and its roots reach deep into the sea water while the top part of the plant grows out of the ground. As a result, the root structure is continually stressed and therefore forced to be adaptable and perform at a high level. We harvest the plant stem cells in a sustainable way without killing the plant. Once the cells are harvested, we nurture them in the lab to grow them in a larger scale before they go through La Mer’s transformative bio-fermentation process. The resulting ferment, which we call The Regeneration Ferment, helps skin trigger its natural production of “youth proteins”, collagen and elastin to rejuvenate its appearance.

What kind of results can you expect to see after initial, and then continued use of the Regenerating Serum?

We’re seeing phenomenal results instantly and over time. The Regenerating Serum starts to work on contact. You actually feel it. You put it on and you feel something is transformed. It’s absolutely ephemeral, so lightweight, it imparts an immediate dewiness. The four to eight weeks out, something has really changed: Tone and texture are markedly improved; skin looks firmer, stronger and healthier. It works beautifully in combination with Creme de la Mer, The Moisturizing Lotion, The Moisturizing Gel Cream and The Oil Absorbing Lotion. We say that you see the difference in a day, but with continued use it’s really remarkable.

Sounds almost too good to be true, huh? All I can say is that this serum saved my skin. Now all I need to do is stop being so lazy!

Like all La Mer products, expect it to cost.

The Regenerating Serum costs RM950 (30ml) and is available at La Mer counters in Metrojaya, Mid Valley Megamall, Isetan Suria KLCC and Parkson Pavilion KL.

Okay, okay, I admit – I succumbed.

To begin with, I first heard about BB creams through local bloggers, and since I’m not a huge fan of “200 products rolled into 1” kinda product, I passed.

But with all the hype that surrounded BB Creams, I didn’t say no when I was offered to try one. My curiosity was piqued.

BB stands for ‘Blemish Balm’, and thanks to the Koreans, BB creams have taken the beauty world by storm – but y’all know that, so I will skip this bit. The original BB creams are meant to encourage skin regeneration, keep skin youthful and at the same time, provide coverage for scars, acne and all kinds of blemishes. It’s supposed to be skincare and make-up rolled into one, but if you ask me – that’s describing every other make-up product out there.

On to Lancôme’s UV Expert GN-Shield High Potency Active Protection BB Base. Since this is my first go at a BB Cream, I will not be able to compare it against the others. So this post is all about how much I like (or dislike?) this one – and note how Lancome calls it a BB Base.

The tube looks very similar to the UV Expert, and the cream itself is rather fluid. Colour-wise, it’s a little little nude, a little pink. But when I applied it on my face, it gives my skin a weird white/grey tint.

And it felt sticky.

Yup, sticky.

Such a weird product, but after about 10 minutes it was all forgotten, because I had dewy skin. It takes a while to settle in, and the grey cast disappears quickly enough.

Coverage is not enough for me, so I still cover up with my trusted concealer, and top up with MAC’s Mineralize Skin Finish in Light.

I shot my tube long after I started using this – as you can tell in the picture, but to be honest with you, I’m still undecided about this BB Base – which I’ve decided to use as a tinted sunblock, by the way.

The sticky finish, for starters – if not for the fact that it was countered with the fact that my skin looked more awake with this, would have gotten my thumbs-down. Then there’s the tint – for those of you who are tan, olive or darker – forget it.

And here’s the worst news – this one sometimes sinks into my pores like nobody’s business. So I’ve kept the usage of the BB Base to weekends – sometimes it’s all good and I’ll still look presentable at the end of the day, and sometimes, well, it’s not so great. 

Like today, I decided to give this a shot again before finally writing my review on this. So here are more plus points: 

• I don’t need to blot, or touch up. This really keeps my make-up in place.
• My skin feels nice and plump, after a long day of running around in the sun, then back in air-conditioned rooms, then back in the sun …

There you have it.

And now you get to see me without make-up, and only Lancôme’s BB Base on. (Okay, I cheated – still needed my eyebrows!)

Available at Lancôme counters and outlets for RM165 (30ml)