Really, Really Dark Eye Circles

I have really, really dark eye circles as well as wrinkles at the side of my eyes. Have you ever gone for a skin analysis where they tell you how hydrated or dehydrated your skin is and also the condition of your skin. Well, generally the comments on my skin from the Lancome, Biotherm and Shiseido SAs are - dry and dehydrated but quite small pores and very dark eye circles. But the latest skin analysis done by a SKII SA was - the result : your skin condition and around your eye area is older than my actual age, which is 41. EEEEKKKK!!!!!

Beware of what you are going to view.......

Dark eye circles and wrinkles

You know how women are - very, very sensitive on how they look. Whenever people in general know of my age, 99.9% of the time, they are quite shocked as I do not look my age at all. They said I look like in my late 20s to early 30s : D. Maybe because we always have a pre-conceived idea how a 40 over year old should look like - "auntie" which I am definitely not.

So, when the SKII SA said my eye area condition look beyond my age, PANIC was my immediate reaction. I had to do something quick. I could not afford SKII which she was trying very hard to sell to me, so I started buying other eye cream products.

The first I started off was Bioxil's Advanced Wrinkle Lifting Eye Cream (15ml), which I bought at a promotional price of just RM99 (NP : RM199). It was supposed to reduce eye wrinkles and lighten my dark eye circles within 2 weeks. After 2 weeks of usage, I did not see any improvement so, I thought with my serious condition I would need a bit longer for it to take effect. After 1 month of usage - still nothing. 2 months - NOTHING. Finished the product - NOTHING AT ALL !!!!

OK, one day I saw my god auntie who is close to 50 but look more 30s. I immediately asked her what skincare she is using. Answer - LAMER's the eye concentrate and LAMER's moisturizing cream. My heart dropped when I heard LAMER. With just the small pot of eye cream costing RM600++, I knew my life was doomed. But being quite persistent, I went to LAMER in Metrojaya, Midvalley to enquire about the eye cream and got myself a free sample (came in a little pot of 3ml) which I used day and night for 1 month plus. Result : NOTHING either. What !!! How many bottles must I use to see the results.

Subsequently, I used Benefit's Eyecon (14g ?), Clinique's All About Eyes (5ml - sample size), Shu Uemura's Smoothing Anti-Wrinkle Emulsion (10ml - travel size). I have finished using all of them. Results the same for all - NOTHING, NO IMPROVEMENT AT ALL !!!

I have yet to use Clinique's Repairwear Intensive Eye Cream (5ml - sample size) and Laneige's Star White Eye Spot (15ml) which I bought recently during the Laniege Beauty Fair at Parkson Pavillion for RM90.

My used and unused eye products

Oops, forgot about the Laniege eye cream

I'm at a loss and cannot decide - should I be patient and stick with one product until I see results (but what if I don't after multiple bottles) or continue my search for THE ONE or resigned to having dark eye circles because of genetic and late nights.

School Holidays Are Coming

My son will be having his year end holidays soon and we always try to plan a holiday destination to go to. At first, my hubby suggested Pulau Pangkor. So I surfed the web and came out with Pangkor Island Beach Resort. The rates are :

Garden wing - RM190 per night

Pacific wing - RM230 to RM280 per night

Ocean wing - RM280 to RM350 per night

All the prices quoted are without breakfast. Why is it that all the hotels and resorts in Malaysia are quite pricey (to me at least) ? One would have to fork out a couple of hundred RMs to get a decent hotel. I was almost on the verge of booking my accomodation when my friend asked "What are you going to do in Pangkor?" I said "Uhhh, the beach ?" My friend started laughing and said "There is no shopping to be done in Pulau Pangkor."  You see, I'm a city girl who loves everything a city can offer - shopping, sales, entertainment, good food, etc.

Hmmm, I then thought why not go to Singapore : D. I can go shopping and also follow the family to Sentosa Island. Heehee, kill 2 birds with 1 stone. As usual, I surfed the web to search for the best deals and promotions (a typical bargainhunter - goes with the territory of being a shopaholic). I found the official website for tourist information on Singapore. For being a Malaysian, you get some good deals, like you stay the 1st night at the normal rate and get the 2nd night at 50% off. The hotels offering these deals are Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, M Hotel, Orchard Hotel and Copthorne King's Hotel. I immediately opted for Orchard Hotel (wink wink... shopping). I emailed my enquiry and found out I have to pay $357 (RM800++) for 2 nights including breakfast. My friends say "cheap, cheap". I started calculating the total cost for the Singapore trip :

Accomodation            RM880

Sentosa Island           RM1,200 (according to a friend, she spent $200/person on the rides and entrance fees)

Aeroline bus fare        RM500++

Food                          RM500 ???

Shopping                    RM1,000 ?????

OMG !!!!! I have to spend like RM4,000++ just visiting my neighbouring country !!!  

Bye ! Bye ! Orchard Road (boo hoo hoo)

Sentosa Island Beach

Water Show on Sentosa Island

I don't think we want to spend so much money, considering the fact that I have not gotten a bonus for the past 2 years and already a direct hint from the boss that we are not getting any either this coming year end (so very sad : ( So, nothing to look forward to this year end.

My hubby then suggested, Penang. I said, "Huh, Penang again ! This will be the 3rd time in 2 years." My 8 year old son heard and said "Yes ! Yesssss! Penang !! I want to stay in Holiday Inn again." Ok, I then booked ourselves into Holiday Inn, Penang again for 2 nights costing me RM600++. It's quite ok I suppose, we get the beach, sun, shopping, food, some sight seeing (temples and whatelse ?) and support our local tourism.

Yum Yum

PENANG, HERE WE COME AGAIN !!!!!

Jewelry Photo Taking Skills

I have always admired those blogs with really beautiful photos taken. You can visit Mona's beauty and travel blog for her amazing travel photos as well as her jewelry blog for her pretty jewelry photos.

I have tried to take some shots of my jewelry made using my Canon Digital IXUS 860 IS. But they still come out short of my expectations. Am I doing something not right ?

This is by DSK Jewelry

Any advice ?

Stila Lippies

I hardly use eyeshadow and blusher products, so I indulge myself with lippies, i.e. lipsticks, lip glosses, lip glaze sticks, etc. Looking at my collection, one would expect a wide variation of colours. But, I tend to buy the same shades over and over again. My favourite shades are the natural, earthy, pinkish colour. I especially love Stila lippies, so when Stila Malaysia had its closing down sales, I took the opportunity to get myself "some" lippies.

Stila Lippies

From top to bottom :

silk shimmer gloss in kitten

plumping lip glaze

   - mocha

   - pon pon gerbera

   - daiquiri

   - praline

lip polish in sheen

plumping lip glaze in citrus mint

it lip gloss

lip glaze stick

   - brown sugar

   - vanilla

   - apricot

long wear lip colour

   - exquisite

   - serenade

lip pot in amande

The 5 lipsticks I have are diane, tina, aida, pixie and serena. Hmmm, not that many huh ? Stila is my largest collection of lippies and coming in a distant second will be my Anna Sui lippies. Other than that, I have a few each from Paul & Joe and Laneige.

At first, I thought of doing a swatch of all my Stila lippies but after taking stock, I decided not to. My lips would be a disaster after the swatches. But, I can still do the ones that are requested.

Follow Up On The Shu Uemura Incident

I received a call from Sharina, the Floor Manager of Cosmetics & Fragrances from Parkson, KLCC a few days ago. I did not expect the call at all. She was really nice and enquired when would I like to do my eyebrow trimming. After the incident, I told her I did not really feel like doing it. She was very understanding and asked me to contact her directly if I so happen to drop by Parkson, KLCC. She would bring me to the Shu Uemura counter herself. This is what Customer Service is about - making the customers feel valued and appreciated.

But seriously, I do not feel like having my eyebrows trimmed by the Shu Uemura SAs anymore.

Am I being too petty about the whole incident ?

My Beauty Diary Masks

Recently, I bought a few "My Beauty Diary" masks to try. My friend got them for me at a night market in Kuala Lumpur. I bought Pearl Powder, Bulgarian White Rose, Cooling, Q10 Rejuvenating, Wild Berries & Japanese Cherry Blossom Masks.

My Beauty Diary Masks

The prices range from RM10 for 4 pieces to RM10 for 3 pieces. My friend finally bought the RM10 for 3 pieces. Why did she buy the more expensive ones when she can get 4 pieces for RM10 ? According to the seller, her masks are genuines and not fakes. Huh ? they even make fake facial masks !!!! How can you tell the difference ? Apparently, there is a serial number at the bottom right on each piece of facial mask. This is the genuine one. The sellers selling the 4 pieces for RM10, theirs do not have the serial numbers.

Oops ! Wrong way

Hmm, a bit sceptical about the story, I compared this serial number thingy to the ones I bought from Guardian - RM16.90 for only 2 pieces !!! - I was desperate : ( and also some bought from Sasa, Hong Kong. You know what - both places sell the "My Beauty Diary" masks with the serial numbers. Amazing, people nowadays copy just about everything they can get their hands on, be it RM3 or RM3,000.

Jewelry For Sale

I have been on a jewelry making rampage these couple of weeks. I've really, really enjoyed myself making these jewelry as they are kinda therapeutic other than my other treatment - retail theraphy : )

Anyhow, I'm thinking of putting up some of my jewelry for sale. If you like anyone of them, please feel free to email me (email address at the right hand side).

6" Swarovski white pearl bracelet

6" Swarovski white pearl and leaf bracelet

6.5" Swarovski pearl, purple heart, clear & clear AB crystal bracelet

6" Swarovski white pearl (big) bracelet

6.5" Swarovski white pearl (small) bracelet

20" Swarovski white pearl & clear crystal necklace

16" green & white stone necklace

16" Swarovski clear flower crystal & shell leaf necklace

16" Swarovski Golden Shadow & clear teardrop crystal necklace

16" green & orange stone necklace

Orange stone & Swarovski topaz teardrop crystal trinket

Swarovski pearl, clear & clear AB heart crystals trinket

Swarovski white pearl & Jonquil flower crystal trinket

Orange & black stone trinket

That is about all for now. Hope some of you guys like them.