Friday, November 28, 2014

Bite Into Both Beauty And Food At IsMe Beauty & Cafe

These photos are from IsMe Beauty & Café: a beauty parlour and café all thrown into one! It is the first of its kind in Malaysia and is designed for ladies in mind. We can browse Cuscos's products leisurely while sipping on a drink or nibbling on a treat.




Everything and I really mean every single item on the menu is practically guilt free because they are all lesser than 400 calories each. I had the pleasure to sample their hot chocolate and I am yearning for another cuppa as I write type this. 맛있는!




So, I touched upon Cuscos earlier right? It is KFDA certified - yes, a Korean brand in the house (literally too!) - ergo you can be certain of its safety and efficacy. Cuscos only consists of 9 products. It is true that the selection is a little on the small side but no worries seeing that they address a variety of concerns. These 9 products can be broken down into 3 different categories.

✤ Daily care
Aqua 2 Bubble Cleanser RM 198/100 ml
Amethyst Snail Toner RM 188/120 ml
Amethyst Snail Essence RM 388/50 ml
Amethyst Snail Lotion RM 218/120 ml

✤ Special care
*Diamond Syn-Ake Eye Cream RM 588/30 ml
*Sapphire Steam Cream RM 288/50 ml
Topaz Day Defense Cream RM 218/50 ml
Ruby Lifting Pack RM 218/50 ml

✤ Whitening
Opal Whitening Body Cream RM 288/100 ml

The products that are marked with an asterisk are fortified with 2 carats worth of diamonds. If that does not result in luminous skin, I don't know what will! The bottles are also embellished with Swarovski Zirconia but I know that I already had your attention when I mentioned diamonds earlier on. In case I was not clear enough, each bottle (or jar) will contain 2 carats of diamonds!



I have one last eye opener for you. See this before and after picture? Do you want to know which product produced this awesome result? The secret will be let out in an upcoming blog post. Please look forward to it!


Interested in the products or the menu? This cozy establishment sits right behind the heart of Jalan Bukit Bintang. A most convenient location yet it offers sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Address:
Lot B-1-1, Block B, 1st Floor,
Bintang Fairlane,
23, Jalan Padang Walter Grenier,
55100 Kuala Lumpur.

Telephone:
03-2110 6191

Hours:
9 AM - 9 PM

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/IsMeBeautyCafe

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Etude House Pink Wish Tree Kissful Lip Care Box

Find the magic of Christmas in Etude House's Pink Wish Tree collection! Pink Wish Tree supports 'Save The Children' which funds the 'School Me' campaign to provide educational opportunities for girls in four African countries: Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire and Uganda. ₩ 100 will be donated to this great cause for every product purchased.


A goodly number of items are bundled up in this special collector's edition packaging including the Kissful Lip Care Box.

(Source: etudehouse.com/)


Name: Etude House 에뛰드하우스 Pink Wish Tree Kissful Lip Care Box 핑크 위시 트리 키스풀 립케어 3종세트
Price: US$ 12 for 1 box (3.5 g ×3)
Made in: Korea

The Kissful Lip Care Box consists of three lip balms. What's more, they have scents that corresponds to their names!


01 Peach 피치 is a light peach.


02 Strawberry 스트로베리 is a baby pink.


03 Cherry 체리 is a fuschia pink.


Peach and Strawberry imparts the slightest hint of colour. Even Cherry barely shows up - well I am not the most partial of judges considering I own a pair of pigmented lips. In spite of that, the addition of SPF will be most appreciated seeing that most people will want wear them in the AM to avoid staining pillowcases and bedsheets. Just in case, y'know?


Peach - Strawberry - Cherry

This is for a good cause, so there is no excuse for you to not amass some beauty treats. I for one would be more than happy to see it in my Christmas stocking. What are you waiting for? Shop away!


Disclosure: Pink Bird sample.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Yuan Soap Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Lotion & Gel

From my little spiel on the brand a year ago (how time flies!) you know that Yuan Soap 阿原肥皂 backs their products with the best of what technology has to offer. I am reminded how effective it is once again when I took on these new arrivals: Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Lotion and Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Gel. My cleansing routine is all laid out for me: I use the lotion first, then the gel.


Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Lotion 月桃卸妝乳 (RM 149/150 ml) feels like a body lotion. For something with this texture to do a good job of removing makeup – I knew I was onto something special. I need a separate eye makeup remover when I am wearing lots of liner and mascara though. One of the brilliant things about this cleanser is the inclusion of Vibrio Exopolysaccharide Extract (a type of algae) to stimulate collagen synthesis.



The full ingredient list for Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Lotion:
Water, Caprylic/Capric Triglycendes, C12-C15 Alkyl Benzoate, Alpinia Speciosa Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Decyl Glucoside, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Cynara Scolymus (Artichoke) Leaf Extract, Vibrio Exopolysaccharide Extract, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isopropyl Palmitate, Steareth-21, Sodium Polyacrylate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol.

Other than Alpinia Speciosa, Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Gel 月桃潔面露 (RM 139/150 ml) is enriched with White Fungus for hydration purposes along with an extract from the Ayurvedic plant Gotu Kola to stimulate collagen production and promote wound healing. It is adept at breaking down impurities while leaving the skin moisturised and with its natural defences intact. I can't even begin to articulate how beautifully it works in spite of the gentle formulation. Thumbs up! Toes up too if that is possible!!



The full ingredient list for Alpinia Speciosa Facial Cleansing Gel:
Water, Potassium Cocoyl Glycinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Alpinia Speciosa Flower/Leaf/Stem Water, Tremella Fuciformis Sporocarp Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Hydrolyzed Royal Jelly Protein, Glycerin, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Oil, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Zingiber Officinale (Ginger) Root Oil, Xanthan Gum, PEG-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Isoceteth-20.

Head on over to yuansoap.com.my for more information!

Disclosure: Press samples.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Oxy Anti-Bacterial Acne Patch



Name: Oxy Anti-Bacterial Acne Patch
Price: RM 13.90
Made in: Taiwan

The all new Oxy Anti-Bacterial Acne Patch comes with a double action formula proven by SGS (the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company) to effectively inhibit acne and also absorb oil.

It promises to
◆ Blend right in thanks to the ultra-thin 0.03 cm translucent design
◆ Remain in place so that internal (itchy fingers) as well as external (the environment) pollutants are kept away

A pack goes for RM 13.90 at leading pharmacies and major supermarket outlets nationwide. In it are 26 patches (made up of 0.8 cm, 1.0 cm and 1.2 cm sizes) and 2 tweezers.

The full ingredient list for Anti-Bacterial Acne Patch:
Cellulose Gum, Pentaerythrityl Hydrogenated Rosinate, Chlorhexidine Diacetate, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-di-t-butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate.

Disclosure: Press sample.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Etude House My Castle Hand Creams Review: Sweet Cookie, Pink Wish, Forever Rose, Ice Frozen

I went gaga over the I Can Fly collection in 2012 and bought 'em all (a complete collection is a must!) and this year, Etude House decided that they shall reward my devotion with the entirety of the My Castle series. Waah!!

(Source: facebook.com/etude.kr)


Name: Etude House 에뛰드하우스 My Castle Hand Cream 마이캐슬 핸드크림
Price: US$ 24 for 1 set (30 ml ×4)
Made in: Korea

These hand creams are enriched with Shea Butter, White Mallow Extract, Lavender Extract, Chamomile Extract, Centella Extract, Lemon Verbena Extract and Aloe Extract. They take 10 minutes or so to completely sink in, leaving my hands (as well as elbows and knobby knees) really, really soft. I can't wish for more, can I?


From left:
Sweet Cookie 스윗 쿠키: Butterscotch candy
Pink Wish 핑크 위시: Fruity floral
Forever Rose 포에버 로즈: Rose
Ice Frozen 아이스 프로즌: Icy popsicle



They ALL smell amazing which a step up from the I Can Fly days, where I only enjoyed two out of four scents. Nonetheless, Sweet Cookie would be my choice if I had to pick a favourite. Why? I am all for my hands smelling like confectionery - makes it so easy for me to fantasize that I am stuffing my face with sugary treats when I catch a whiff of the delectable aroma.



Clockwise from bottom left: Sweet Cookie, Pink Wish, Forever Rose, Ice Frozen

The jars are worthy of being displayed on my desk (for everyone who passes by to salivate over) plus they cost a reasonable US$ 6 each. Collectors may prefer the set of four where the creams will be housed in a cardboard toolbox. You can check out both options at etudehouse.com.

Disclosure: Pink Bird samples.