First day of 2015

Happy New Year!!

With that said, I don’t celebrate New Year’s Day. To me, it’s just another new day, just like the other 364 days.

As we usher in 2015, I’m happy to be healthy, my parents are healthy and my friends are all still alive. I wish that for everyone for a very long time.

This year, I will be continuing with regular postings. I write here solely for my own entertainment and to help those who can’t decide if they should buy a certain product and want to read more about it. Yes, I do this because I want to say what I think and you happen to read it (hopefully enjoyed reading it too).

Nobody has yet to pay me anything for writing stuff here. I don’t think anyone will give me their products for review too. I take too long to post up a review of products because I always try to make sure that I use at least half of it before writing a review. First impressions almost always lie. This goes for people I meet too.

I know I ramble a bit too much sometimes and so, I am grateful to everyone who reads my blog. Happy new year to you guys and have a good year and many more years ahead. ♪（ｖ＾＿＾）ｖ

Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15/PA++

As promised, here’s another moisturiser review of the Daily Facial Moisturizer from Cetaphil.

I first saw this in AndreasChoice YouTube channel and I thought it wouldn’t be too bad. I occasionally use the Cetaphil cleanser (not mine, it’s my mum’s) and it works well so I thought this would be good too.

Well, it’s a mistake. I normally don’t buy moisturisers with SPF because they usually feel greasier and I can only use it in the morning. I always apply another sunscreen after applying moisturiser anyway. In fact, this is the only moisturiser with SPF 15 PA++ lying on my cabinet right now.

It doesn’t smell bad, but it made my face greasy so fast, I can’t even be bothered with it. If I just apply this without my sunscreen (which also has a mattifying effect), my face becomes a grease ball in less than 30 minutes. This feels like a bottle of sun block for the body. It broke me out and sort of warmed a little when I apply it on my face so I suspect that I might be slightly allergic to it. I can’t believe how it can be made by the very same company that makes such awesome cleansers.

I don’t recommend this. It’s about S$20 plus, I can’t remember the exact price, it’s not worth it anyway. I think I’ll use the rest as a body sunscreen but, the greasy texture is just disgusting, especially in hot tropical Singapore. To think that it states Non-comedogenic, Lightweight, non-greasy in the front. Blatant lie is what it is.

#FlipsTable (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

That’s all for today. (^O^)／

Eau Thermale Avène Oil Control Milk

Today’s review is another moisturiser. It’s the Oil Control Milk from Eau Thermale Avène.

Yup, there’s a crack on the lid. I drop my stuff all the time, I’m just glad the bottle itself didn’t break.

I bought this last year for about S$50 from Watsons. It’s pretty pricey in my opinion because there was no tester and I pretty much just bought it because my moisturiser ran out and I needed something. Their thermal water spray is pretty good and I thought why not give the moisturiser a try?

It says apply in the morning and evening on face and neck. Apply I did. First thing I noticed straight away was the smell. It smells metallic to me (some kind of zinc or magnesium smell). I think that’s what controls the oil. I don’t like it but that’s just a small annoyance, at least it’s not overly fragranced.

Initially, it did curb the oiliness but after a few weeks of use, my skin gradually got used to the moisturiser and it became oilier. I suspect it dries out my skin so I stopped using it.

Not going to repurchase this, because I think the best way to stop excessive sebum production is hydration. If the skin is hydrated, it won’t produce as much oil.

That’s all for this post. The posts for the next few days will also be on moisturisers. I think I’m on a roll. ^_^

Mizon Multi Function Formula All In One Snail Repair Cream

A review of the Mizon Multi Function Formula All In One Snail Repair Cream.

For starters, the name is too long. I’ve noticed that this is something that is fairly common in Taiwanese and Korea facial products and it’s so difficult to remember (not to say tedious to type out too). Very unnecessary, IMO.

I ordered mine from a seller in Qoo10 for about S$20 plus (can’t remember the actual price) and this came in a box.

Can’t find the box now, it’s not important anyway.

As the name suggests, there’s snail slime extracts in the cream that helps to repair the skin. This is a moisturising facial cream that can be used in the morning and at night. I love products like this without SPF because I always apply a sunscreen on my face after using a moisturiser.

I’ve completely used up mine and I will be repurchasing because it’s one of the few moisturisers that suits my skin.

When I first tried it, I felt that the texture is a bit oily, weird considering that I expected a gel texture. But the cream sinks in and my skin becomes more moisturised and I noticed improvements in my skin after a few weeks. It’s softer, and the blemishes heal faster.

I can’t read Korean but here’s the back of the tub for those who can and are interested.

I give this a thumbs up. It beats so many of my other more expensive moisturisers and I’m glad I gave it a try despite the snail slime ewww factor.

Highly recommend this to people with sensitive skin that turns red easily. This is so mild and I like it a lot. In short, go get it if you don’t mind snails. That’s all for today. ヾ(＠⌒ー⌒＠)ノ

Smith’s Minted Rose Lip Balm

A review of Smith’s Minted Rose Lip Balm.

I think I got mine for about S$16 (USD12.80) from Sephora Singapore. Or was it S$22? It was quite a while back so I may remember the price wrongly. Doesn’t matter, it’s still overpriced in my opinion.

The lip balm is minty. I like how it makes my lips tingle. I love it when products have mint in them because they just make me feel more refreshed. However, I don’t get any rose scent from it so if you are looking for a sweet or floral scent then you’ll be disappointed.

The back of the lip balm, for those interested in the ingredients.

It is thin and easy to store in my bag. The slanted applicator is also very convenient.

I used to dislike this kind of applicator as it looks unhygienic, but now I just find it awesomely convenient. Just wipe after each application and it stays clean.

It’s just a normal lip balm. Too expensive for something so normal. I also dislike how it makes my lips glossy, I’m just not a fan of glossy lips. Added points for the convenience, but then, there are better and cheaper lip balms with the same type of applicator.

In short, I will use finish mine because it is not bad, but I won’t repurchase. Try it if you’re curious, they’ve many different flavours and the lip balm works, but the cheapskate in me thinks that this is just flavoured Vaseline petroleum jelly.

Pure Radiance Crackling Café by Yankee Candle

Candle review of Crackling Café from Pure Radiance by Yankee Candle.

Had to dig through my photo album for this old photo of the candle before it was used.

Bought the large jar. It has a wooden wick and cost about S$10 more than the usual large jars. This candle is supposed to crackle like a fireplace when burning and so I bought it for the novelty (it was my first wooden wick candle) and also for the cappuccino scent that I picked up on cold sniff.

I’ve to say, it’s a complete waste of money. The first few times I burnt it, the damn candle didn’t crackle. I thought I had a dud, but a kind soul on Instagram commented and told me that it would only crackle after the third or fourth burn. In case you don’t know, by the third or fourth burn, that’s about 4 to 6 hours into the candle because each wax pool takes about an hour (or more).

Dafug?! I got about a quarter into the candle before it started crackling and it was dismal. The crackling sound was so subtle, I can’t imagine anyone can hear it unless the candle is placed beside them.

The scent is different when burning. The rich creamy coffee cocoa smell is gone. It smells like cheap coffee and the scent is very faint. It disgusts me. You have no idea how sad it was to fork out more for something so much less. This is bloody robbery.

FYI, I’ve low expectations for candles. I generally don’t mind candle with a weak throw (unless I can’t smell anything then it’s another matter) and I’m in no way a candle expert. But this is not how a coffee candle should be. I do not recommend this to anyone, and because of this candle, I’ll definitely be thinking twice before purchasing anything from the Pure Radiance line.

If you guys have any recommendation of a good coffee candle, let me know in the comment. I want something that smells of grounded coffee and warmth.

P.s. I’ve burnt about a third of the candle and it’s just not me to exchange something I’ve used so much of. The anticipation of the stupid crackling made me burn so much of it. Argh.. I just haven’t had the best of luck with candles lately, even a few of my Bath and Body Works candles were duds. It’s annoying.

Merry Christmas 2014

Just popping in to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!!

I am thankful and grateful to everyone that took the time to read my blog. I’ll continue writing here even if no one reads them, but it’s nice to know that there are people who reads my ramblings. ^_^

I do want to end the post with a photo of the candle I’m burning right now in my bedroom, but I couldn’t decide which photo to use simply because they both look kinda shitty. =_=

When it came to lighting candle earlier on, I was so fickle minded. (╥﹏╥)

If you do follow me on Instagram, you’ll see that I posted a photo of my Fluffy Towels (which I snuffed off after a few hours because it didn’t feel Christmassy to me, and lit Mistletoe in the living room) and then I got bored and am now burning Tis The Season in my bedroom. It’s just so hard to make up my mind what to burn but I think I’m set with Tis The Season for the rest of tonight. It’s so Christmassy, it’s awesome.

Thank you for reading so far, and have a jolly good time, everyone!

The Body Shop Strawberry Beautifying Oil

Another dry oil review. This time it’s Strawberry Beautifying Oil from The Body Shop.

It’s dry oil for body, face & hair. Moisturised, smoothed, illuminates.

Or so they claim on the front. The following is what is written on the back.

Dry oil with cold-pressed strawberry seed oil and three precious nut oils: kukul, sweet almond and Community Fair Trade marula oil. Apply to damp or dry skin and dry hair.

As you can see, I’ve already used up about half of mine.

I bought it during the last warehouse sale and it was no doubt, cheaper than the stores, but it was manufactured in Oct 2012. All product from The Body Shop expires 3 years from their manufacturing date if you don’t open them, so mine should expire by October next year.

I’m glad I didn’t buy those that were even cheaper, but were expiring in 6 months because some of them had a different colour and smell than usual.

Digressing a little here.. It’s a bit annoying that they’re selling these products that have obviously gone bad (despite not having reached their expiration date) during a warehouse sale. I mean, we as customers are paying, no matter how discounted, for stuff. They’re not free.

Anyways, my bottle is alright. The oil works well on my hair. I love how it is poured and not pumped because I could control how much I dispense out. A little amount, about 5 drops, usually is enough for my hair ends. I use it on damp hair and then blow dry, and that’ll leave my hair softer. However, using too much will make my hair limp and oily so a little goes a long way.

I’ve tried it on my skin and it is not moisturising enough. It’s not as good as my Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse and I find that it also cause my face to break out if I apply on my face. I wasn’t expecting much in that area with my sensitive skin and I bought it for my hair so that wasn’t really an issue.

All in all, a pretty okay dry oil for hair but not so much for skin. I also dislike the strawberry scent. It smells more sour, quite different from their strawberry shower gel. It is quite expensive selling for $20 over (can’t remember the actual price) for only 100ml and I don’t think it wowed me enough to make a repurchase. I’m sure there’s dry oil out there much cheaper that can do as well if not better so I can’t recommend this.

That’s all for today. I hope this was helpful. I don’t write bad reviews to put down any company or anyone, it’s just my honest opinion and there can’t be improvements without feedback right? ヾ(＠⌒ー⌒＠)ノ

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse

Here’s a review of Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse. It is a dry oil that can be used on hair, face and body to soften and moisturise.

Here’s a photo of mine, placed on a piece of tissue paper to show the design on the bottle.

This product has been around even before Argan oil was popular. You can say that it’s one of the pioneers. ^_^

As you can see, I’ve already used up a lot of mine (only a fifth of it is left).

I always try to use at least half of a product before doing a review because first impression almost always lies. >_<

Anyways, after using most of this bottle, I'm pretty sad that I only kept one of the three bottles that I bought during an opening sale. Gave one to my friend, Harmony, and one to my sister. Sharing is caring but sometimes I just wish I kept everything to myself. Lol. This is awesomeness in a bottle.

It works exceptionally well on towel dried hair. A little goes a long way for this product. I used one pump on the ends of my shoulder length hair (and the rest I rub on my elbows and knees to soften the skin) before blow drying and it just makes my hair so smooth and nice for the the rest of the day.

You can also use it on completely dried hair but I find that most hair oil works better on towel dried hair as it sinks in better and won't just stay on the surface making the hair look oily and lank. It'll also protect the hair from heat damage if you apply before blow drying.

As it can be used on hair, body and face, I had to try everything before writing a review.

Hence, I tried it on my legs and it leaves them with a glow so normally I'll use them when I'm wearing shorts. However, I find that it cannot entirely replace body lotions and butters because it's too light weight. I tested it out by using it only and nothing else for a week, and my skin was a bit drier. Guess I still need my body butters at night.

As for the face, the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse caused me to break out a little when I used it on my face. I’ve sensitive skin so it’s not for me, but I’ve read glowing reviews on Makeupalley about how this works well on their faces.

It has a distinct scent that not everyone can accept. I like it. Harmony like it but you might not. The scent does not linger so even if you don’t like it, it’s not going to stay around for long anyway. I still feel that it’s best to try it out in the store first before making a purchase.

I just checked the other day, and Watsons and Guardian sell them for S$70 (USD56), up from the S$68 (USD54.40) last year. I bought mine at a sale; 3 bottles for S$84 which makes it only S$28 (USD22.40) per bottle. Practically a steal!!

I love it and will repurchase once I’m done with my bottle. I’m saving it though because I’m trying out other dry oil for my body and hair to see if I can find something as awesome for less money. More bang for my buck. Lol. So far not much luck. If you remember, I wrote a post about the Miracle Solid Oil from The Body Shop here and I gave it a thumbs up. Honestly, this is better because if you use this in the long run, the hair will become silkier. And to me, this smells much better.

That’s all for this post, I’ll be posting about the other oils I’m using in the next few blog entries. Hopefully that’ll be helpful. ヾ(＠⌒ー⌒＠)ノ

Yankee Candle Votives as Tarts with the Scroll Lantern

About two weeks ago, I bought three votives from Yankee Candle Singapore as they were going for 3 for $9.90. Got them in Pink Sands, Mandrian Cranberry and Good Air which I gave to Harmony.

I wanted to get an illuma-lid for my large jars and it was 20% off with any candle purchase. Hence, I bought the votives to try out some of the scents I’ve been thinking of getting in the large jars.

I tried burning my Pink Sands but it was dismal at best. Not much scent but then I wasn’t really expecting much. I mean the votives are only so small, they can’t scent the whole room right?

Then, I came across a video from Jdazzler15 that showed how to use a votive as a tart on YouTube. Click here for her video. And here I was thinking why Yankee Candle Singapore don’t carry tarts when all along, I could simply use a votive as a tart!

I don’t want to go into the specifics here on how to make a votive into a tart, you can click on the link and watch the video to learn more.

Once I had my “tart” ready, I realised that I had no hot plate or crock warmer and I wondered if my light warmer could work the same. Tried it and work it did. (I did a review on my Scroll Lantern candle warmer yesterday so scroll down to read more in the previous entry.)

All you need is a cup to hold the wax and put it into the warmer.

I’ve this beautiful cup bought ages ago from Ikea.

And also this cute cup from my student, Megan.

Both perfect for use and right then, I thought to myself, “I don’t want to wash the cup every single time I use a different scent.” Can you imagine the scrubbing I’ve to do to get the wax out of the cup? No thanks.

So, I got myself these aluminium cups for baking muffins/cupcakes.

They’re only $2.40 for 10. I got mine from SKP but I’m sure you can get them for cheaper elsewhere.

I’ve to say, this was inspired by Jdazzler15 again. In her video (which I linked above), she had this metal cupcake holder. Well, hers can’t bend but it dawned on me to get the aluminium ones, so all I have to do is to lightly tap the base after use and the solidified wax will pop right out because aluminium can bend.

I tried it with Pink Sands and it worked.

After it melted and cooled.

See, the wax popped right out and the aluminium cup is not even out of shape.

When it’s no longer scented, discard the unscented wax and put in another tart to melt.

Even if I decided to change a scent, there’s no need to waste paper tissues to wipe the container, no need to wait for the wax to harden before removing it from the holder. All I’ve to do is to use another aluminium cupcake holder and remove this one to cool.

What wax was left from my candles are also scrapped off and put into plastic bags to use as tarts too.

Top left is Coconut Lime Verbena from Bath and Body Works and bottom right is Fluffy Towels from Yankee Candle.

I’ve filed all my little tips under the section “Tips” so that they’re easier to find. That’s all for this post. I hope this is helpful to you. Until next time.
ヾ(＠⌒ー⌒＠)ノ