Isabel Lee | Malaysian Beauty & Lifestyle Blogger: July 2011

Max Factor Liquid Effect Pencil Eye Liner (Green Glow)

Pencil eyeliners tend to smudge, run with water, fade or tug too much on my eyelid. Which is why sometimes I prefer gel or liquid liner.

"The new MAX FACTOR Liquid Effect Pencil Eye Liner is a modern day eye liner with an edge; incorporating the easy application of an eye pencil and the smooth and lasting effects of a liquid eye liner"

There's a purple smudger tip on one end but I find it quite useless since it is so hard and the liner is not really smudge-able (doesn't look good, IMO. I need to play with it more). Instead, I use it once in a while to remove mistakes (kinda like an eraser).

This liner went on really really REALLY smooth and fast. I felt like I was spreading butter on hot toast! The colour intensity is not buildable (one layer is pigmented enough) and going over the line does not cause it to clump.

I wore it to work, pairing it with black liquid liner (I don't like using green liners by themselves). By doing this, it brightened up my eye area (my eyes were looking tired after working at a fair + I was terribly sick).

The liner did not budge, fade nor smudge on me at all! It's also long lasting and every single bit was still there by the end of the day. As for the waterproof test, it doesn't run under running water but it will disappear if rubbed.

Price : RM 38

Pros : Smooth application, pigmented, long lasting, doesn't smudge, waterproof

Cons : Useless smudge tip, comes off if rubbed

My conclusion : This is almost a liquid liner packaged as a pencil liner. Since only a small amount is needed each time (it still looks new after a couple of uses), the price is quite reasonable =)

** Product was provided by Yuberactive for review purposes. However, this has not affected my thoughts on the product in any way.

Organic Aid Vitamin E Moisturizing Cream Review

After trying out the facial foam, the Organic Aid vitamin E moisturizer caught my interest. A moisturizing cream that's not sticky nor greasy? Yes please..

I think Organic Aid seriously needs to put more time towards developing their packaging (remember the screw cap on the facial foam?). The inner cover is so soft and flimsy, it's hard to remove (it's stuck on the cream). I also spot some leakage on the external cover.

Organic Aid Vitamin E moisturizing cream

Then when I replaced the inner cover, the cream was oozing out from the sides. Perhaps not so travel safe... But I do like the light plastic jar.

The cream itself is thicker than my usual gel cream moisturizers and is harder to spread. After massaging it in, it dries quickly to a powdery finish that's matte, not sticky and non greasy, just as claimed!

Organic Aid Vitamin E moisturizing cream review

Summarized from leaflet :

D-alpha-Tocopherol is a natural Vitamin E that is extracted from wheat germ. It's a powerful antioxidant that reduces the effects of wrinkles, blemishes and pigmentation while replenishing the upper skin barriers with an ideal moisture level, heals & soothes skin.

Glycerine is an effective moisturizer that further improves softness by maximizing hydration, for that silky smooth touch.

Product says :

It contains natural Vitamin E. Non-comedogenic and hypo-allergenic.

Benefits:

•Enhances the skin elasticity which tones and smoothes out fine wrinkle.

•Soothes and refreshes dry, irritated skin.

•Protects skin against sun and wind.

•Moisturizes and nourishes dry skin.

•Non-greasy and quickly absorbed.

•Helps retain and enhance skin moisture balance.

I had some dry flaking spots on my face and this fixed them. I thought the fine lines on my forehead were less visible but dismissed that cos there's no way I'm seeing the results this fast? o_O

Since my face naturally produces a lot of oil, it does turn quite oily after a while but other areas like my hands and elbows remained non-greasy.

Organic Aid Vitamin E moisturizer review

While I was sick for the past week, I had abandoned my skincare and used only this with the facial wash. Yes, I look sickly and pale now but my face seems to look fairer or more radiant than before o_O

Ingredients : Deionized Water, Glycol Monostearate, Propylene Glycol Monostearate, Diglycol Stearate, Triethanolamine, Hydrolyzed Amino Acids, Vitamin E (1000 I.U. d-Alpha Tocopheryl) and Fragrance.

Size : 1 oz / 28.3 g

Price : RM 14.90

Sold at : Pharmacies

Made in USA

My conclusion : Maybe I'll repurchase this. Not sure. Since I have dehydrated skin, I may need more moisture but I'm trying to layer it over my usual moisturizer.

** Product was provided by Yuberactive for review purposes. However, this has not affected my thoughts on the product in any way.

MUFE Aqua Cream (20)

Argh.. Can't believe I'm writing this now.. Photos have been lying around since May =_="

Product says : Aqua Cream is a multi-use product that can be applied on the eyes, cheeks or lips. The waterproof and long-lasting formula provides an impeccable hold that does not crease or run. Its creamy texture allows an easy and quick application with a brush or fingers. Highly concentrated with mother of pearls, Aqua Cream delivers a rich result.

Even though it's a multi-use product, I only used this on my eyes (for obvious reasons.. lol). First 4 on the left were applied using the Elf Smudge Brush while the 3 on the right were applied using a slanted eyeliner brush (this is better). The colour intensity is controllable by layering. However, if you wait for it to dry too much before layering, it may 'chip off'. Make sure you smudge it during application (it goes on smoothly) then it'll be waterproof & smudge proof =) I did not have problems with the colour moving about. It stayed in place for 10 hours!

Here's how I applied it on my eyes. Tutorial HERE. I lined closer to my lashline with black eyeliner.

I cringed at the blue at first but it came out alright.. The colour and wing brought out my eye and I liked the look ^_^

I did try applying this with my finger but it was an utter failure so I do not have photos of that =_="

Ingredients :

Size : 6 g / 0.21 oz

Made in Belgium

Pros : Pigmented, colour intensity controllable, can be smudged/sharp, waterproof, smudge proof, long lasting, smooth application

Cons : -

My conclusion : This product is actually quite impressive! I'm glad I had the chance to try it out. I may repurchase this (perhaps in another shade?) but I have a feeling the price is more that what I'm willing to pay =/

** Product is not mine but I used it for 2 weeks.

Urbanscapes, Macaron Soaps & A New Bag

Last Sat, Nicole & I decided to hop down to Urbanscapes without actually knowing what is it about. We reached at 4+ and it was so so so soooo HOT! I think I got slightly sunburnt as there wasn't much shade nor places to sit down. There were blogshops, F&B and concerts going on but nothing quite caught our attention. Maybe we were too distracted by the heat and sun.

That's me on my phone trying to track someone down. Bad idea! So many concerts, so many The Bees, such a big field! They should have separated it into zones or something to make it easier for people to identify.

I like this pic cos my eyes are all shiny xD I slathered on crazy amounts of sunblock =_= Oddly enough, nobody sold caps there o_O On the ticket, it also said no umbrellas and cameras allowed. However, on the website, they mentioned that you can shoot with cameras.

Me and a squinty eyed Nicole lol

The price of the stuff there wasn't exactly cheap (especially after I've been shopping at Sungei Wang lol) so I only left with an RM 8 strawberry macaron soap from Soapstars.

Then we went off to dinner at New Paris cos we were bored out of our minds.

Omelette, baby kai lan & squid (this was good). The leong cha here is nice also!

Oh and I won the 'most wanted bag' from Sustainability ESG 2020 lol That's Zul, one of the volunteers.

Collected it at Malaya Optical, one of the sponsors. Thanks again! Ryan & Zul are such friendly people.. =)

Like me, you might be wondering what is ESG about.. Click HERE to read about it. Do join the contest while you're at it!

You could win yourself vouchers, bags or a pair of sunglasses!~

M9 Saloon, Kota Damansara

I bought a deal from I Love Discounts for Hair Colour/Highlights + Scrub Treatment for Scalp + Wash + Blow (RM 68) at M9 Saloon & Beauty Center. Last shot of my long curly ~~horse mane~~ hair!

My hair was having serious black roots. Urgh! Oh yea.. I just realized that they crimped my hair for the shoot after taking this shot =_= How blur can I be?

It's located in Kota Damansara, somewhere opposite Chatime. You won't miss the stairs as M9 is written all over it.

Honestly, this is the first time I've been to a saloon or beauty center and have NOT been offered something to drink even though I was coughing non stop since I was sick. The lady boss (Coco) was brewing tea for herself though..

The deal was for hair up to 20 inches only (extra charge of RM 30 if exceeding) so I asked for a hair cut (RM40) and took the opportunity to get a fringe as well. There goes my curls! Can you believe that Coco said she didn't see any curls on my hair hence she blew straight my hair? I don't like the fact that she didn't even bother to ask! She just assumed my hair was naturally wavy.

As for the colour, I chose a brown with reddish undertone. David, the artistic director rinsed my hair to wash away all the hair styling products from the shoot from the day before. It is best not to wash your hair for 2-3 days before dyeing it to protect your scalp or something. After applying the dye, they simply wrapped my hair in cling wrap. How come I didn't get a shower cap like Nicole? The wrap started to slide off halfway and I was so afraid of the dye getting everywhere.

During my entire visit there, I noticed one thing..

There was water, hair and dye flying everywhere!

If you're going to wear makeup, please wear waterproof makeup! I had water running down my neck, going in my eye, spritzed all over my face and had my face smooshed on the sides on the sink. During my haircut, she was literally throwing my hair all over me and onto the pages of the magazine so if you're going to read the female magazine July edition, you're probably gonna see bits of my hair. Nicole had hair dye on her face and because they massaged the dye into my scalp, there was some on my face (around the hairline) as well.

"Master Professional Hairstylists
With over 25 years of experience in the industry, you'll be in the best hands throughout your 1 1/2 to 2 hour long session."

Well.. I wouldn't say they're the gentlest (some hair pulling moments and uncomfortable head massages) but quite friendly and easy to talk to. Also didn't roll their eyes when I couldn't tell the difference between two shades of dye.

^ That's their son, btw. Massaging the very nice cooling scalp treatment into Nicole's scalp.

Coco, the other artistic director (David's wife) offered a hair treatment for RM 66, which I accepted since my hair was in dire need of some pampering (and she was telling us to get it non stop). The treatment aims to preserve hair colour and protect hair. I'm annoyed cos I saw the deal for the treatment on another discount website for RM19.90 only. Seriously?! =_=

The result! I like the colour ^_^

The colour went all the way in cos Coco applied it even on my scalp. Look how shiny my hair is o_O

Then.. I washed my hair and it returned to it's poofy curly form lol Even with the treatment, I feel my hair is very dry and definitely gotten more damaged. I was warned by another stylist that my hair cannot be layered much or else it'll be super fluffy =_= Now I'm considering going back to straight hair but I don't think my hair can stand anymore abuse plus it'll look so flat!

Price list :

46-2, Jalan PJU 5/10,
Dataran Sunway,
Kota Damansara,
47810 Selangor

Tel: 017-393 4391 / 03-6148 3193

Business Hours:
Thursday - Tuesday : 11.30 am to 8.00pm

Take note that Wednesday is their rest day =)

Sophie Monk Whitening Double Lifting Mask

Picked up a random mask while I was bored and browsing at Watson's =_="

It caught my attention cos it's one of those masks with hooks. I have not tried any masks like that until this. One bad thing is that because it's stretched, some parts of the mask don't touch my skin anymore =/

There's an extra flap below the chin which also has hooks for the ear so I have 2 hooks on each ear. At first the chin flap reached just my ear lobes so I had to pull hard on it to hoop over my ears =/ Maybe I have a big face? =_=

Erm well.. I did feel a temporary lifting effect (not visible to eye) and slight brightening. It's a little moisturizing but I still prefer the plump and hydrated feel My Beauty Diary masks give me.

This mask is scented but I don't remember what it smells like zzzz.. I think it was rose?

Ingredients : Tranexamic Acid, Gigawhite (Malva Sylvestris, Mentha Piperita, Primula Veris, Alchemilla Vulgaris, Veronica Officinalis, Melissa Officinalis, Achillea Millefouum), Clairju Extract, Ellagic Acid Extract, Acerola Extract, Job's Tears Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sodium PCA, Niacinamide, Glycerin, 1,3 Butylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycrtthetinate, Xanthan Gum, Tocopropynyl Butylcarbamate, Methylisothiazolinone, Perfume, Water

Price : RM 5+

Bought from : Drugstore

Pros : Temporary lifting effect, slight brightening & moisturizing

Cons : Some parts don't have contact with skin, messy as it touches my hair, small

My conclusion : I don't think I'll be purchasing another mask with ear hooks. I don't like getting mask essence or skincare on my hair ~_~" I would prefer something more moisturizing so I think I'll stick to MBD. Not impressed enough to repurchase this.

Samsung Galaxy S2 Shots

So I finally got a new phone cos...

I dropped my old one on the road and it got a major crack on the screen =x oops.. (It also has plenty of other problems and finally died on me)

After some research and asking around, I decided to get the Samsung Galaxy S2 which set me back a little over 2k inclusive of the protective case and some kinda anti-fingerprint screen protector which totally blurs the screen. This is such a bummer cos the S2 has beautiful colours.

Yeah well.. I'm not gonna go all techy and review this cos you can read it elsewhere =/ I'm just gonna... Show you some photos I took with it cos you know bloggers love taking pictures (at least I do anyway lol!)

*Click on photos in this post to enlarge

It has a rear 8.0 MP camera which is not bad.. With flash, you can really see all the details (pores, blackheads, fine lines, more pores etc..). Photo has been resized but you can still see how clear it is.

Without flash, it came out all reddish. I tried multiple shots and they all came out the same. Nothing major.. I can correct this using Photoshop (there are many photo editing apps that can be downloaded into the phone as well).

As for the front 2.0 MP camera, it's obviously not as clear but great for camwhoring! xD

Outdoor shot using front camera. It's actually not bad... Much better than my Nokia's 3.2 MP which usually looks very faded and dull.

If you didn't notice it.. It has a tendency to saturate the colour in the middle only, which I cannot understand. Maybe I have it on the wrong setting, huh? Still have not fully tested it out yet. Being the tech noob I am, I'm slowly exploring it =/

There also isn't a camera button on the side so you gotta press the button on the touch screen which isn't so convenient if you're camwhoring with the rear mirror (I have to hold the phone with both hands and simply press the screen until I hear a click).

As for photo transferring, I have not installed Kies or used the USB cable yet =/ I've been transferring photos through Kies Air which is quite convenient. You just enter a URL into the computer and you can transfer data using the shared wifi connection.

Audio is awesome.. Really loud and clear. I think it may have been better than my Nokia 5800 ExpressMusic. Only con is that the speaker is on the back! So when you have the device facing upwards, the sound is muffled =_= Also, there's this option to silent your phone when you face it downwards so it's either no audio or muffled sounds Zzzz...

Battery life wasn't so good for the first few days as I was going gaga over the live wallpaper, games, super vibrant colour, going online and listening to music. It only lasted a day. But then I turned down everything to the minimum and it lasts for 2 days now.

Aaaanyway.. Back to the photos. Sometimes I have a hard time getting it to focus since there isn't a button to press halfway to focus so I end up with blur shots.