My Path to Greater Skin

Hello beauties! I have finally done it! After years of searching high and low, experimentation and delving into the deepest depths of the beauty underworld, I have finally found the secret to maintaining the softness and clarity of my skin. And that, my friends is through the use of natural ingredients. I'm not talking about products that claim to be made from natural ingredients but the actual plants and fruits themselves. 

Avocados, Oranges, Lemons, Honey, Mangoes and so much more! One fine day, I noticed my skin looking very bumpy and decided to stop using this new Neem extract face wash. Then I took the initiative and bought myself two avocados and beat them to a paste, added some lemon juice and created a face mask which I have been using these past two weeks. And I'm telling you, the results have been amazing! My insanely large pores are smaller, my discoloration is fading plus my scars are fading. 

I have even resorted to replacing my expensive facial toner with just simple lemon juice, twice a day and it has definitely made my skin look luminous and visibly stunning. Seeing such positive results has prompted me to keep experimenting with other fruit induced masks and facial washes so as to have an au-naturel complexion and that way I can easily break up with my foundation and concealer :)

My road to better skin starts here. 

When will yours begin?

Remember, It's beauty, not war. 

xo

REVIEW: Avon Naturals Papaya Whitening Smoothies Face Mask

Yay! 

Hello beautiful people! I know it's been a while but I have been striving long and hard to find something to review on. I've found several products so far but today I'll be reviewing this teeny tiny undermined product from the Avon Naturals range of natural face wash and masks. This face mask is made out of natural ingredients and is void of any harmful parabens and chemicals. The main ingredient here is Papaya which acts as a skin exfoliator and deep cleanser. The overall appearance of the product is very basic and very simple too. This is how the packaging looks like in Asia (I believe avon has different packaging for this product in different parts of the world):

When you first squeeze out the contents, you will notice that the fluid has the consistency of a moisturizer and feels like a moisturizer when applied to the face. It also contains micro-granules that help with the exfoliation of dead skin cells. Apply the product all over your face in slow circular motions-  so the granules can work their magic- and then leave it on for 15 minutes or more. I personally like leaving my masks on for 30 minutes to an hour because I believe that it gives it enough time to really absorb itself into my skin and repair it too. Here is what the mask looked like after I applied it:

 

After almost an hour of wearing it, it hardened into a clear film as shown below before I washed it all away to reveal clear, beautiful and newly regenerated skin! Honestly, the feeling of washing a mask off to reveal beautiful skin is amazing! My vote for this product is 8 out of 10. It smells great, feels great and leaves you with a great feeling! I encourage you all to try it!

 

DISCLAIMER: Sorry for the terrible looking photos! This is my first post where I used actual photos of myself instead of stock photos! :D

As usual, have fun trying it because it's beauty, not war :* 

Best Facial Products So Far!

Hi guys! I know it has been a really long while since I posted anything at all beauty relates but now I don't have an excuse not to because I just figured out how to edit two blogs using the Blogger App. Now I do. 

So today's post is about my facial favourite for the beginning of the year 2014. These are the products that I have been using so far for these two and so months and have been giving me great results! Not a single pimple or blemish has been seen and my skin tone is just amazing now. 

I have been using a range of facial washes and facial care products from Savee which is a Singaporean (or Paraguayan) brand that sells cosmetics and face care ranges. I was a little skeptical about their products because they sold them a super cheap prices (Masks for less than a dollar! Wow!) and didn't want to subject my terrible skin to that kind of torture. One fine day I decided to test out a four of their products.

 The four products that I have been using are:

Savee Strawberry face scrub, Savee Apple face cream, Savee Milk makeup remover & Savee Tea Tree Face night repair Mask

The first product I will talk about is the Strawberry facial scrub. Now, personally I'm a slave for any facial scrub simply because I am the type of person who doesn't feel like my face is 'clean' after using a cleanser. Or at least, when it comes to using a cleanser, I prefer one with microbeads. I guess it has something to do with the feeling I get after knowing that those microbeads cleaned right into my pores! I've gotta say, this scrub is just amazing! Unlike St.Ives (whose scrubs have very large and painfully rough microbeads that cut through one's skin), Savee's microbeads are very subtle, gentle but at the same time scrub the dirt from your pores and leaves your skin feeling fresh. It comes in two different flavours- strawberry and grape. Oh but a good tip would be to moisturize your face after using it! The retail price for this was RM29 (about $10) but I got this for free when I bought the makeup remover.

 

The next product is the  Apple cream face scrub. Now when I first bought it, I really believed that it would have the normal soapy texture but instead it's actually very creamy and it smells really good! [PS: I am a sucker for any facial product that smells really good!] It's used the same way as any other scrub and washed away like any other scrub plus it also leaves your skin moisturized after that. It's just amazing! This one also comes in different flavours but the only one  I'm familiar with is the apple flavour. The retail price for this was RM30 (about $10).

 

The third product I'll talk about is the milk makeup remover. As we all know, makeup removers are oily and watery in consistency, but this one is cream-like, almost like a lotion. I just love how this makeup remover works! It comes in a pump bottle which you just have to press a little bit out of, spread it all over your face and leave it on for 5 minutes. And then wash it off or just rub it off with a warm towel and voila! All your makeup is gone, gone, gone! It just dissolves the makeup away and makes it much easier to remove instead of endlessly rubbing the makeup away. I also like the milk essence as it helps moisturize the skin afterwards. The retail price is RM29 ($10) for this too. 

The last product is the Tea Tree Night Repair mask. If there is ANYTHING that can save your skin from the horrible plague that is pimples, it's definitely Tea Tree oil! It's much better than Salycylic acid and less harsh too. I have been using this mask 5 times a week and have been very pleased with the progress so far. I haven't found a single pimple, blemish or unevenness yet and I pray and hope that it continues to be that way. This mask is to be used at night so that it canrepair your skin while sleeping (That's about 8 hours of skin repair!). The smell of this product is very woody but no unpleasant. It can be a little sticky but when you wake up, your pores will be visibly smaller and you will have a clearer complexion! The retail price for this is RM40 or so ($15) and trust me, it is definitely worth your money!

That is the rundown of the Savee products that I've been using to help beautify my skin these few months. Actually Savee is well known in South-East Asia for it's masks that come in different proportions and for different uses. I have bought a couple of masks from them too and will try them out and post the results here! 

Here are a link to their main social pages and products and hopefully you can buy and try some! 

Savee Facebook Page 

Savee Twitter Account 

 

Good luck and remember, It's beauty, not war!

Top 3 Neutral Eyeshadow Palettes For Women of Color

Hello Bloggers! I know it's been a VERY long while since I've updated this blog but I do have valid reasons for that. I was busy with my primary blog and other issues relating to college. I hope to be  able to update this blog at least once a week. Now, the topic of today's post is a review on the top five neutral eyeshadow palettes for women of color aka women who aren't white. Also, the price range for these products are within $20.00 - $100.00. Not more, not less. I've used a lot of neutral palettes and these five are the ones that I found to be very vibrant and most neutral looking on tanned skin. Here are the top 5 eyeshadow palettes:

1. Urban Decay Naked Palette 

This is my ultimate favorite palette out of the five simply because of the diversity of neutral looks that can be created with it. From very subtle and almost non existent to a warm, smoky, classy look. 12 different shades ranging from light pink to black and silver, the Naked Palette from Urban Decay is the most versatile makeup palette that can be used by anyone to create that simple look. The colors are very vibrant and the palette would last you up to a year of usage. The best thing about this is that it comes with its own eye primer and good quality eyeshadow brush.  Saves you the bucks on purchasing a primer and a brush! The packaging is very beautiful with its brown felt cover which is very comfortable to hold. The colors reflect very well on tanned skin and it has a long lasting effect. The current market price for this shouldn't exceed $60.00.

2. Too Faced Natural Eyeshadow

For those of you who are well acquainted with the Too Faced product range, you will notice that their most attractive feature is their Venetian inspired design for the packaging. I absolutely love this about their products, especially the cute and artsy designs that they have on the palette! The reason this palette is on my list is that the colors are very smooth and almost creme like in texture so it's much easier to apply onto the eyelids without requiring a brush. This palette also allows for a variety of looks ranging from smoky to neutral, barely-there looks. The fact that this palette is also small and compact makes it easier to carry around for emergency situations. 

Tanned women would benefit the most from this palette because the richness of the colors set off a very nice glow to the face as well as great depth for the 'naked' look. 

The price range for this is between $25.00-$40.00 and can be bought from any Sephora or online store. (Although it's much better to buy it at Sephora in order to avoid buying any fake/imitation palettes)

3. Bobbi Brown Rich Chocolate Eye Palette

Personally, Bobbi Brown has one of the best ranges for makeup when it comes to finding the right shade for women of color. This Rich Chocolate eye palette is amazing! The colors could not have been more fitting for tanned women/darker skinned women. Its almost as if, Bobbi Brown had that in mind when coming up with the colors for this palette. The colors are suitable for daytime and nighttime looks. Also perfect for formal or informal events. It comes with a great quality brush and the colors last up to 20 hours with a primer and 12 hours without a primer. 

The price range for this product won't exceed $60.00 (Last time I checked, it was priced at $52.00). This can be bought at a Bobbi brown Outlet, Sephora or ordered online at Sephora or the Bobbi Brown website. 

I hope you enjoy this post and try out these products yourself! Have fun because it's makeup, not war! :) 

xoxo

Let your lips do the talking

Hello fashion fanatics! Before you accuse me of being a liar, I have to justify myself by saying, I was honestly really busy these past two weeks and i have sincerely not forgotten about this blog. I actually spent that time trying to come up with some fashion tips (which honestly takes time) and some beauty essentials too. So finally i decided to write a piece about the ever famous color red. And the red that I am referring to is actually lipstick! Red lipstick has always been prevalent from the time of Cleopatra until the time of Selena Gomez. Even though to some its considered a very bold color it is actually good for brightening up a person's skin tone and giving a certain glow to the person's face.

The best thing about red lipstick is that it suits every occasion depending on how much you wear. It can be used for a night look with some smokey eyes and bright red blush or it can be used for a daytime look with some natural brown toned eye makeup (or no makeup at all) and bronzed cheeks for contouring. Different shades of red can give a different effect to the skin tone and the look of an individual which is why it is very crucial to choose the right color for your skin tone.

For The Fair Skinned (Caucasian)

If you are European, American, Canadian, Arab or are generally Caucasian then the best tones for you would be bright red. Why? Because it would enhance the glow of your skin and it would reduce the appearance of an oily face. For an everyday look, the red lipstick can be paired with simple black eyeliner and lightly bronzed cheeks and for a more dramatic look (as always) pair it up with orange or red blushed cheeks and dark eye makeup. My recommendation for some colors for the Caucasian skinned are Estee Lauder Rich Red and Shiseido 415. 

For the Dark Skinned/ Caramel Skinned:

If you are either dark skinned or creole (or a caramel African , Indian or Hispanic) then bright red is not the right color for you. Then again it depends on the darkness of your skin tone but on a more general note, it doesn't work for all dark skinned women. A more suitable color would be a deep, dark red that's almost close to plum colored. this works great for any occasion but when overdone it can look cheap and disturbing. If you are extremely dark skinned then a deep red would only make your skin look more dull. Maybe a mix of some deep orange and red would brighten up your lips and make your skin dance with a bright glow. I would recommend a mix of MAC Russian Red (the regular one or the Wonder Woman series) and Neon Orange Lipstick from Max Factor.

For the Asian or Ivory Skinned:

If you are Malaysian, Thai, Filipino, Korean, Japanese, Kazakhstani or are generally Asian then the best tones for you would be a deep, rich shade of red and orange. Now orange might seems likea very risky choice here but trust me, I've seen it work really well on ivory skin. it gives it that polished and sophisticated look. The best recommendation for some colors for the Ivory skinned are Tangerine Tango from Bobbi Brown and Lipstick Queen Rouge Sinner by Poppy King.

So overall, red lipstick is the golden glue for both a sophisticated and fun look. try it today! 

LBDT: Fashion Must have #50

Good day readers and fashion fanatics worldwide and welcome to  the very first and official post on fashion in this blog. This feature is all about the most basic accessory that every single female should have in her wardrobe- the Little Black Dress or fondly acronym-ed, the LBD. From a fashion perspective an LBD is something that has to be there irregardless of whether you are rich or poor, a goth or dressy fashionista. Its the ultimate piece of the puzzle and its what makes one's wardrobe complete. From my point of view, I don't think an LBD is sufficient ergo, the introduction of what I like to call the LBDT (Little Black Dress Tops).

An LBDT is basically a simple black dress that can be used two ways: as a top or a dress. Basically any black dress that reaches above the knee can be an LBDT but once it goes below the knee, It cannot be used as an LBDT as it will give you a chunky appearance and make your legs look shorter. The most versatile clothing item which can be worn with jeans for a casual look for casual events like hanging out with friends or work days, paired with tights for a sophisticated, preppy look or worn as it is with a chunky necklace/bracelet for that sleek and polished look that is suitable for black tie events and parties. The versatility of LBDTs is what makes it my fashion must have number 50. Its sleek and casual at the same time, suitable for any event and gives you the appearance of having longer legs and a slimmer body. If I were you, I'd go to the nearest Saks, Walmart or any clothes store and purchase your own LBDT to get the look!

Fashion Wonderland: The Beginning

Hello everyone! All my old and new readers as well. It seems as if I'm on a roll with this second blog and the first one. Many of you are probably unaware that I am a huge fashion fanatic and that I thrive on sarcastic fashion reviews. What makes this blog different from the other one is that it wouldn't be as socially adhesive nor as wordy but 95% of the content will be on fashion, style, casting calls for any modeling competitions and some clips here and there. There will also be an "Accessory of the Week" feature every week and also other recurrent features like "Favorite model" or "Must Have Fashion Item Countdowns", "Makeup tips" and some tips on how to look great with a minimum budget. The inspiration for the name of this blog stems from a line that is always commonly used ---> "Those shoes with that dress?".

I hope this blog can be a fashion inspiration for a lot of people and that I will continue to inspire people. And so my fashion journey begins.  Enjoy, and for any suggestions or fashion advice, Just email me and I will definitely reply :) Happy Reading!