Wednesday, July 15, 2009

I Made History With MAC Cheeky Bronze

Note: Just to warn you, I will be doing a lot of gushing over something fairly normal to the average human being. So, before you roll your eyes and make snide remarks, you may wanna look at things from my perspective. If you know me well enough (Carmen, Plue...) you'd understand how big of a deal this is to me and share my joy :) If not, well, you can simply ignore this post or cringe for the review and swatch.

I own MAC products, yes, but I've never bought a single MAC product for myself at full price in Malaysia (I've purchased full price from the US). Might as well flush that stand down the toilet now because on one fateful Monday, Connie history happened.

I paid full price for a MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Cheeky Bronze from the Color Craft Collection from a Malaysian MAC store. Man, I hate pay day. Read on for the full story with excruciating details and the more relevant review and swatch.

There was zero expectancy to buy anything from the Color Craft Collection even after coming across a few reviews and swatches. I was hardly paying attention. On Monday, Carmen and I went to Mid Valley to pick up our cheques then we ran some errands, bought corndog from Jusco (eating corndog in public is obscene)...

As we were heading to Watsons (I needed to replenish my Cetaphil Cleanser and Simple Toner), I casually mentioned that I wanted to stop by MAC to check out the new collection. Unless I have a friend with me, I don't step into MAC. The store makes me feel poor, inferior and intimidated. Just so happened, there was a free standing MAC (which I thought was for a promotion but rather the store's under renovation and that was their temporary counter). Mind you, we weren't even eager to look at the Collection. Just randomly browsing the new Lightful Foundation packaging and being nosy, like always.

Finally swatching the MSFs, I wasn't wowed but Triple Fusion intrigued me with the three stripes of colors. Unfortunately, they appeared too gritty. Double-swatching Cheeky Bronze got me curious so I thought I'd ask the SA (Watie, sweet girl!) to try it on for me. I only did it with hope that it'll look "meh" and I can get over it. When I looked into the mirror, first thing that came to mind was "Oh Crap. This looks good".

Then Carmen had to be nodding at the back... *sighs* How could I not? Especially when I couldn't stop grinning! This is a whole new feeling to me. Sane Connie would've gone home, think it through, read more reviews, do some calculations, look around for discounts online, purchase from the US ($27 = RM97) or at the very least walk around the mall a couple of times... Buying the MSF isn't a big deal. It's buying spontaneously that's shocking. It was definitely temporary insanity.

I convinced Carmen to try an MSF for herself too and suggested Porcelain Pink but she wanted something with more color. Watie suggested Triple Fusion, applied it on her and I started nodding too. The words "We accept debit card" and "It's limited edition" sold Carmen straightaway. She's a lot more easy to persuade than I am :) While I was still contemplating Triple Fusion, Watie did not encourage it hence I didn't try it. There was just enough cash in my wallet for one MSF (RM115) and my transport home. I couldn't be happier.

Remember I mentioned "fateful"? What happened after the MSF purchase was rather peculiar. We wanted to buy Krispy Kreme but Original Glaze was sold out until hours later. Cetaphil was out of stock in Watsons... The heavens knew that we won't be able to get what we intended to get and led us to the MSFs instead. Fine, I'm just trying to justify my surreal action.

Cheeky Bronze is only two nipples away from looking like boobies (excuse me). It's a soft golden coral with bronze pearl as described by MAC. This would be my third MSF and I pinky swear that I'm not a "collector" although I do wonder why I'm having more of these when they're impossible to finish using.

I love the peachy bronze and golden sheen. The shimmer isn't too intense and the powder blends effortlessly with my Silk Naturals Fiber Optic Brush (MAC 188 dupe). This shade is a lot more pigmented than my other two MSFs -- Light Flush and New Vegas. It's also not as powdery compared to New Vegas.

There's also this duochrome effect which reminds me of a bronzier version of Melon pigment. This could work as a blush, bronzer and eyeshadow.

Ehh.... I applied too much. It was dark, I couldn't see and the MAC187 was too big. Nevertherless, the color is pure hotness. I love this MSF to bits! The glow, the color... is everything I hope for in a blush. Unlike most blush/bronzers, less is more (ob-vi-ously) with Cheeky Bronze. You'll get to see what I mean in future FOTDs.

I bought more Beauty Diary masks :D Now I have Cooling, Rice, Red Wine, Natto, Q10, Bulgarian White Rose, Sake Yeast and another Lavender. I'll be reviewing them all in one post after I've tried each and every one of them.

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Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Life Savers for When Eczema Attacks

I don't believe that there is a cure for eczema and I've accepted that it's something that I'll have to live with for as long as I have it. The only thing that I can do is to suppress the rash and in my 20 years of "suffering", I've probably used over 50 types of lotions, creams, ointments, supplements, and medication to treat this inherited skin disease.

In this post, I'll briefly review some of the products that I've used in the recent years to help ease the itch.

Note: Responsiveness and effectiveness may vary from person to person

Products That Are Currently Working

Betnovate-N Cream is your classic steroid cream. It offers quick relief but you'll also be risking major skin discoloration and increased skin sensitivity. Nevertheless, it's inexpensive (less than RM20) and it works. [read steroid side effects]

Some say Creme De La Mer is overrated, I say that it's a life-saver. This thick cream soothes and immediately relieves itchiness and redness while softening the rash. Since it's so gentle, it doesn't cause any trauma to the skin, instead it heals the skin from scars and sensitivity with its healing ingredient (Miracle Broth). Problem is, it's RM505 for a 30ml jar.

With its main ingredient being petrolatum, you'd assume that Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream is an overpriced tube of Vaseline. The balm is very oily but it's incredibly effective in softening and removing flakey skin. It also helps to soothe. Retailing at RM82 for 50ml, you'd wonder why I don't just settle for Vaseline. Unfortunately, I'm allergic to vaseline.

Similar to Betnovate, Kenalog is a steroid ointment but specifically for the mouth area. I use this when I have severe attack on the lips and also for cold sores. The ointment sorta exfolaites and peels the skin of the lips. Wanna know the secret to my "naturally" nude lips? This is it. You can get this tiny tube from pharmacies at about RM25 or so.
NOTE: This product not only depigmented my lips but also blurred my lip line. The steroid and chemical peeling caused discoloration and also made my lips hyper sensitive. Please don't use this because you wanna have lighter-colored lips. Trust me, you'd rather have dark lips than sensitive lips. And if you don't wear any lip color, people WILL think that you're sick and dying. If you insist on using this for the wrong reasons, I can't be responsible. I am NOT recommending this.

When you have eczema, it's important that you avoid using products that are drying to the skin. Many skin cleaners (facial cleansers, body wash, etc.) can irritate the skin and I find no better gentle cleanser than Cetaphil. Your skin will never feel dry and your eczema patches will not be irritated. [read full review here]

In my search for a non-steroid solution, I gave Protopic a try. At RM100 for 10g, I had high hopes for this ointment. Although claimed to be gentle, this product burns my eyes. I only use this on my fingers and neck and though it works, it makes the skin dry so you'd have to follow with a moisturizer after using this product.

Buds Super Soothing Rescue Lotion works for mild eczema and it's very gentle (meant for babies). I primarily use this on my face if the rash isn't too severe. Look for this at pharmacies such as Caring or Vitacare. Retails for RM50 or so.


Products That Used To Work
This is the lip balm version of the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream. It worked miraculously at first but then one of my allergies got triggered... I'm thinking it's the beeswax. RM68 [read review here]

Mom ordered FreeDerm from the US and it wasn't cheap ($30USD excluding shipping). It was working wonderfully for about a month and one fine day, it gave me an opposite reaction. I started to itch from using this. Huge bummer since there were so many incredible testimonials. [read about FreeDerm here]

Same thing happened with the Clinique All About Lips (RM80) as with the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Protect Lip Balm. Miracle for the first few days and then total hell for the rest. I hate that we don't get to return products in Malaysia *sighs*


Products That Were Supposed To Work But Didn't

I was approached by Albolene's representative to test Albolene for my eczema. Although clinically proven [read study here], Newton's third law of motion happened... And I have no idea why my rash erupted instead of being surpressed when the product was applied. Albolene's not expensive ($7.30 USD for 6oz) so I suppose it's still worth the try.


Products That I'd Like To Try
The Egyptian Magic Cream is very much hyped about and it's supposedly a miracle worker. However, there has been several mixed reviews so I'm still on the fence [read testimonials here]. $36USD for 4oz
I've heard so much about how Lush Dream Cream helps treat eczema [read testimonial here]. The company itself is in my good books. Only thing that's holding me back is not knowing if I can use this on my face... $22.50 USD ofr 8.4oz is not too bad.

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Revealed: I Nuovi Spunk Funk Mystery Celebrity

Avril Lavigne

This one was practically a giveaway! Yes, I look nothing like her. She's white while I'm not. Hope y'all have been enjoying this little guessing game, whether or not you're participating in the contest. Week Two's Smoked Siren is already up and next week we'll have the last one. Keep those entries coming!

Read on to see the looks submitted by some of the contest participants!


Aly brings the focus to the smokey eyes and keeps the rest of her makeup neutral

Kimberly creates a smokey-eyed look using dark colored eyeshadows instead of black

Arrie wears her smokey eyes dark and shiny with false lashes

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Monday, July 13, 2009

Review: Stage Opening Act Complexion Enhancer

One of Stage Cosmetics' bestseller is the Opening Act Complexion Enhancer. Used before foundation, it acts as a primer to prep skin for makeup. And from what I've read, this one's a dupe for Benefit That Gal [Read Beetrice's comparison]...

Read on for the full review and my two cents on how it compares to That Gal.

"Color-correct and re-texturize skin for perfect makeup application. Mulberry Root Extract and Soft Focus Complex optically brightens skin tone and minimizes imperfections. Hawthorn Extract prevents the appearance of lines. SPF 12. Suits all skin types. Non-comedogenic."

This pearly pale pink cream comes in a handy squeeze tube of 30ml. I'm all in favor of the simple yet practical packaging and what it contains isn't too bad either. Pink supposedly perks up sallow (typically Asian) skin but once blended, the pink in this primer is hardly noticeable.

As the primer blends easily, it smooths the skin but doesn't really reduce any imperfections nor brighten all that much. However, it does help foundation go on and stay on better with minimal oxidation.

In both pictures, I'm wearing Revlon ColorStay foundation which is a little on the dry side for me. With Opening Act, the foundation looks smoother, more glowy and a lot less cakey. Because of its moiturizing benefits, I tend to pair this primer with drier foundation formulas. If you have oily skin, I would not recommend this product as it will contribute to mid-day shine.

Overall, it's a functional foundation primer and decently priced at RM68. Available from Stage Cosmetics outlets.

How Does Opening Act Compare to That Gal?

Packaging wise, Stage's is much more practical although not as cute. Benefit's cream is pinkier and makse more of a difference in minimizing imperfections and brightening the complexion. It smells better too (plus for me, minus for some). I like the fact that Benefit doesn't dry out my skin but it also doesn't cause oiliness and the brightening effect is truly proven when after hours, foundation still looks bright and fresh.

To compare it side by side, That Gal appears as a sure winner but both primers actually serve me differently. I use Opening Act to moisturize drying foundations while That Gal helps to brighten up darker foundations. It's safe to say that I don't like one more than the other rather, I like each of them for different purposes.

Oh, Opening Act is more than half the price and almost triple the amount of That Gal (RM138/11.65ml) though which makes it a close enough dupe.

[Read Benefit That Gal review here]
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I Nuovi Celebrity Series - Week Two: Smoked Siren





Can you guess which celebrity inspired this sultry purple look?
This is a tricky one so watch out for the Bonus Clue towards the end of the video

Post your answer below! (by July 19th 2009, 11:59pm)
[CLICK] PLEASE READ CONTEST DETAILS BEFORE ENTERING

Read on for prize detail, Task info, pictures and full description of items used.

The winner for Week Two will receive...


  • D27 Eyeshadow in Pop Art
  • Metallogy Eyeshadow in Ore
  • Linerpac in Jet Black
  • Prolash in EX 04
  • Ivoluxe Lipstick in Flirt
  • Ultragloss in Rock

Task A

Post this video on your blog using the Embed code from the video's YouTube page. See info box.

Task B

Send me a picture of yourself wearing a look using purple eyeshadow.


Items Used:

Face:
Stage Opening Act Complexion Enhancer
Revlon Color Stay Foundation is Golden Beige
Revlon Skinlights in Peach Light
Giorgio Armani Loose Powder

Cheeks:
I Nuovi D36 Blush in Chiffon

Eyes:
Urban Decay Primer Potion
Mixing Medium
I Nuovi D27 Eyeshadow in Spotlight
I Nuovi D27 Eyeshadow in Pop Art
I Nuovi Metallogy Eyeshadow in Ore
I Nuovi Linerpac in Jet Black
Stage Drama Lash Mascara
I Nuovi Prolash EX 04
Daiso Auto Eyebrow Pencil
elf Brow Kit in Light

Lips:
I Nuovi Ivoluxe Lipstick in Flirt
I Nuovi Ultragloss in Rock


Read the rest of this entry...
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