Back in my teens years, I had pretty bad skin. Black heads, oily skin, dry & flaky skin, freckles (still have these) and every teenager's nightmare, ACNE! I didn't have serious acne, thank goodness, but I had random zits all over. It was disgusting and really annoying, especially when I want to meet cute boys.

So my solution to cover up all the zits were foundation & concealer.

I have to say that was the worst idea ever! Powders and liquid foundation just clogs up your pores even more and makes your skin condition go from bad to worse. I have a good share of blemishes and breakouts in my teen life. Blame it on the hormones as well, but I think it was also due to my lack of knowledge on proper skincare. Thankfully for the current generation now, there are such great products like Benzac to help alleviate these problems.

I wished these products existed back then!


Using the right skincare range is important, and Benzac by Galderma proves suitable for all skin types, from sensitive to dry and oily variants. I tried and tested these three products – the Foaming Cleanser, Liquid Cleanser and Facial Scrub. These three differ in terms of texture, but works to provide the same acne-free results for all skin types.






My absolute favorite of the lot is the Foaming Cleanser. The bottle dispenses the liquid in foam-form, which is great because you can just apply it directly onto your face, rub it in and rinse. It feels light but it does a heavy-duty job of getting the oil and grime off! My face feels impressively clean and moisturized after use.

The Liquid Cleanser has a much denser and stronger texture, which means that it works just as hard to remove impurities while still cleaning and retaining skin moisture. I didn't like the texture as much as the Foaming Cleanser, but my face does feel much cleaner (if that's even possible) with this product. I'd probably suggest this for those of you who use heavy and full makeup coverage on a daily basis.

Last but not least, the Facial Scrub. You only need it twice a week to scrub off dead skin cells of the surface, and to remove a majority of accumulated impurities. This my friends, is the key to maintaining radiant skin. Never skip your weekly scrub, you should keep the routine at the very least, once a week.

Each of the products here lather up pretty well. I actually did an experiement to show you the quality of the lather:



Okay well the foam clearly wins hands down because it is already foamy and the lather is quite a given. The liquid cleanser manages quite a good bit of lather also, even though it dissipates pretty quickly.

So now you know, if you need a quick fix for your zits – Benzac is here to aid you!

If you read my last post about the new range from Dettol, you may want to see the pH pen mentioned, in action. It's a quick demonstration, plus a quick video education on the importance of maintaining a good pH balance for your skin.

In my day-to-day life, I cram in many activities into my meagre 24 hours allowance. Everything from work, gym, playing with my cats, events and photoshoots take up a lot of time and energy. Not only that, these things expose me to a lot of pollution, germs and dirt. You can't really avoid these things out in the open, polluted air (Malaysia being famous for its 180 PSI haze, on and off), the UV-rays from sun exposure (yes, even when you drive) and neither can you avoid sweat and grime in the gym.

Even if you stay indoors all day long, you still get polluted air filtering in via your air-conditioning (home or office) and contaminants that are stuck onto things you carry around with you (I mean, honestly, how many of you clean your phones or handbags daily?). I am guilty of never cleaning my bags and only cleaning my phone when the screen gets too grimy. Eeeks. So you see, contaminants are everywhere, and they follow you everywhere too, because your material items are a mode of transportation.

These things are the main causes of inflammation, infection and stress on your skin. You can shower after each and every task and clean everything everyday – but honestly, how many germs can you actually clean off over and over again? Not to mention, what a waste of water!


Which brings me to my point: Stay clean with the right shower gel, so you can still have lesser showers a day, and still stay fresh and clean!




Introducing, Dettol pH Balance Shower Gels. This new range comes in 7 smashing variants: Cool, Re-energize, Skincare, Original, Fresh, Nourishing and Radiance. Each denotes a different scent and use – but they have one thing in common – help your skin stay germ-free, moisturized and of course, keeps your skin's pH-levels balanced.

My family have always used Dettol's shower gels (my grandmother especially), but I've always detested the clinical and medicinal scents – like what Dettol's older and stronger products smell like. Not for this range – they have completely reworked the formula into one that smells like flora and fruits, depending on which range you're getting. I personally like the Skincare & Re-energize scents, but you can always pop one open at the store for free smells. You'd be spoilt for choice.





Why the emphasis on pH balance? Because your skin is protected by a natural secretion called the acid mantle. It is a very fine layer of film that keeps skin protected from bacteria, viruses and contaminants. At the same time, this layer of protective film also keeps your skin soft and supple, preventing it from drying out by trapping moisture in. So basically when you bathe, you are keeping the acid mantle clean so that it can do its job and keep you safe!


To maintain your acid mantle, you need to help it maintain a healthy pH level, which is between 4 to 6. Any level from 1-6 are acidic, 7 being neutral and levels 8-13 are alkaline. Because it is an 'acid' mantle, the 4–6 range is great because it's closer to the neutral pH level, and not too acidic (because we need moderation for everything in life). Now, let me show you how Dettol works in maintaining skin's pH level, with the Hydrion pH pen – that tests your pH levels.



I first washed my hands with Brand X body wash and drew the first line. Next I used Dettol's pH Balance shower gel, and drew the second line. The results are as below. As you can see, the first line for Brand X, shows a pH color between 2-3, whereas the second line shows a healthier pH level between 4-5. It's quite a difference, no?



Of course, many people get a little skeptical about the pen. Therefore I drew a third line, using toothpaste to cover that section. You can see the alkaline pH showing a greenish color, ranging between a 7-8 (not so obvious because of my skin tone). When it dried up later on, the color was much closer to 8.




Now you see why Dettol pH Balance Shower Gels works so well for your daily skincare (it's so easy too!). A proper caring regimen for your acid mantle includes proper cleansing, followed by a good moisturizer (or body lotion). As this range already contains anti-bacterial properties, you can let Dettol take care of that for you! For further care, use a good sunscreen with at least an SPF30 daily. UV-rays are not to be fooled around with.

Staying germ-free is very important, especially if you're a mother with babies and kids. As for myself, I only have my cats, a hamster and a guinea pig to care for – but pets carry certain harmful microorganisms with them too! I'm glad I have Dettol pH Balance Shower Gel to rely on, to remove all the germs and bacteria after playing with them and especially before I eat or go to bed. I love my pets but I don't want to carry their germs with me, so Dettol pretty much helps keep us happy and germ-free!


Have I also mentioned that these are perfect for the gym?





The new packaging for this is also much handler-friendly as well. My boyfriend carries a bottle for the gym, and we are packing this into the luggage bag for our next travel destination! Love how the snap-shut cover is tight enough to keep from spillage.





Take the Dettol pH Challenge!
Why? Because if you understood everything I mentioned about pH levels, you should get this challenge right! And once you get it right, you'd get RM5 OFF any Dettol pH Balance Shower Gels (625ml) at Guardian stores nationwide, on top on in store promotions, between 1 Nov – 31 Dec. Don't forget to share it out, with the hashtag #DettolphBalance, okay? Protect your skin and stay healthy!

Tis' the season to be jolly indeed!

This Christmas, I have a lovely round-up of items that each girl should have. Christmas is a time for food, laughter and giving so these are great ideas for your girlfriends, for yourself (or for your boyfriend/husband to get for you, hint hint), your moms, sisters and aunts or even your boss. Look your best (and smell as chic) with these personally curated items on my wishlist, that I love!




FOR YOUR SENSES: WINTER NOTES OF ÉPICE, HIVER & RÉSINE
This season, Diptyque brings you three festive scents from their Winter collection, to give your senses a reminisce of winter memories. Épice is warm and vibrant in red, with its enticing cinnamon and plum notes. Hiver, comes in blue – with a scent to embody the North wind, wood fire and roasted chestnuts. The white-washed evergreen of winter is presented by résine, comprising of nature's fresh scent of bark, resin and crushed pine needles. May these three wonderful scents be the bringer of wonderful memories of winter time – even after it is over.




FOR BEAUTIFUL SKIN: THE FULL-CARE PACKAGE
Nothing compares to La Mer when it comes to the perfect care package for your face and well-being of your skin. With the perfect concoction for almost any beauty-goals you want to achieve, La Mer has it all. Select between their collections comprising of Regenerating, Rejuvenating, Sculpting or the ever popular Crème De La Mer. There's even a Limited Edition La Mer Candle to help soothe the sense. It is the perfect way to up the ante on your holiday glam.





FOR DOLLING UP: TAKE A LEAF OUT OF KATE UPTON'S LOOK
Look your best this Christmas with Bobbi Brown's amazing holiday collection; Scotch On The Rocks. The look is a gorgeous combination of sexy, strong and confident. Get a beautiful warmed-by-the-fireside glow, shimmer with metallic golds and deep ambers and paint your lips with a choice between a soft beige gold, up to a bold bordeaux. As you can see how amazing & sultry Kate Upton looks with the new collection, choose from a variety of colors and palettes that will suit just any look for the season.


FOR YOUR HANDS: MAGIC & SPARKLE!
Your festivities should not be marred by chapped hands! Marks & Spencer brings you the Alice & Eliza range of products, from creams to lip balms. I personally love this design and scent of their hand creams. They are perfect for gifting to girlfriends and even your mom.




FOR HOLIDAYS: SCANDALOUS SCENTS & MAJOR GILTS
Your travels will always be highlighted by a fabulosity which Victoria's Secret's products lend to. From their latest scent, Scandalous – a sexy fragrance that carries the sweet seductive notes of raspberry liqueur, black peony and pralines; which comes in a full collection of body lotions, mists, wicked candles and of course, the eau de parfum itself. On the other hand, pick a beautiful caviar leather passport holder from the VS Jet Set collection, between hues of pink and gold for a truly gilted travel experience.




FOR SPLURGING ON: CHILDHOOD FAVORITES MADE FASHIONABLE
Anya Hindmarch, a brand renowned for designing very chic totes, have come up with a beautiful collection line for their Featherweight Ebury bags. This collection is centered on the juxtaposition of everyday supermarket items with luxury. Their bags and clutches all feature a very vivid and unique designs – a favorite of mine are the Featherweight Ebury Frosties bags,  featuring the well-loved Tony the tiger and the cockerel from the famous Frosties line of cereals. This is definitely on my wishlist! Doesn't Tony look so smashing on a beautifully crafted leather tote? Personalize your totes with an Anya Hindmarch tassell for an extra touch!

Nothing says indulgence like an hour-long facial designed to not only pamper you, but rejuvenate your skin and leave you feeling pampered. Such luxury is attainable at Dr Sebagh's store in Bangsar Village 2. Nestled in a cosy spot on the ground floor, the retail space looks deceivingly small, but unbeknownst to me and most passers by, hidden behind a door is yet another space for facial treatment. Now, most people think 'the young generation' does not need to worry about their youthful looks until they hit at least 30 – Dr Sebagh thinks otherwise. He says that everyone, from the moment they hit their teenage years, should start a proper skincare regimen.

In short, it's never too early to start an anti-ageing skin regimen – the key to ageing gracefully.

Upon arriving, I was greeted with some tea and cupcakes – while the beautician conducted a quick survey of my skin condition. I'll be receiving Dr Sebagh's Anti-ageing Facial (worth RM350), as well as an Eye Treatment (worth RM65), in a duration of one-hour. I think hour-long facials are the best, because you get to relax and power nap – it helps with being more productive later on.




I was led into the cosy facial room, and given time to change into a robe for comfort. The bed is clean and the room smells of roses, immediately giving me that nice, calming effect. I settled down as the beautician started cleaning off my make-up, before applying a very fragrant Foaming Cleanser to wash off any dirt/oil. This was followed by a cream cleanser, and a soft face massage.




Then came the exfoliation part; she warned me that it might sting a little but I didn't feel anything partly because I didn't have any open acne wounds. I'm guessing it would have been more 'stinging' for those who have fresh acne spots. The Deep Exfoliating Mask was left for about 10 minutes before she washed it off and blasted warm steam – presumably to open up my pores. While waiting, I was given a nice hand massage.

Next comes the more painful part – the extraction. Again, this would hurt depending on your skin condition. In my case, my beautician sounded a little disappointed as she told me "your forehead is clean.. so are your cheeks.." which means, nothing to extract! Until she came to my nose, then she started prodding and digging for those nasty impurities nestled in my nose's pores. I won't lie – it hurt quite a bit (as it usually would anyways), seeing as my nose is quite a sensitive spot. I cannot imagine if I had more areas for her to work on, I'd cry and beg to be let out. However, it's not too bad because it was over in mere minutes.

This was followed by the application of the Rose de Vie serum, which I love, because it smells of the actual rose extract it is made of. It was massaged all over with this serum machine, that felt ice cold – which I assume is to help close up all those open pores. Despite the initial shocking coldness, I began to enjoy the sensation.

After this, I was given an eye mask which smelled of honey. Once again, all natural extracts with no fragrance added. This covered the top half of my face and over my eyes. While I was left to wait for the mask's goodness to be absorbed, I was given a nice head and shoulder massage. I sort of dozed off in between semi-consciousness. I had another soft face massage later on when the mask was removed, mostly around the eye area.



Towards the end, I was given another few rounds of moisturizing face massages with various creams, and sunblock application (due to my freckles) before ending with a leg and back massage. Then I was left to change out of the robes and given some soothing tea. I felt so rejuvenated and still a little sleepy, but it was a good hour-break from my busy daily routine.

It was a perfectly good end to a slow afternoon, and a good start to a productive evening. The wonderful people at Dr Sebagh had also kindly gifted me a bag of goodies: my favorite Rose de Vie Serum, their amazing Foaming Cleanser, the Hyaluronic Acid Repair Serum, one sachet of SPF 30 Sunblock and a sachet of Eye Treatment Cream. How pampered can I get? Thank you!






Following the facial, my skin felt dewy and glowy – aside from the redness from the extraction – my skin was quite luminous. At 26 I'm probably not the best candidate for an Anti-ageing Facial, but why wait till the crows feet and wrinkles come out? Starting young is always the best prevention.



The facial services are available exclusively at Dr Sebagh, Bangsar Village 2.
For booking appointments, call: 03 2282 4352

As much as we love dressing up, us girls also love playing with makeup. It's one of those things that boys will never understand. :) The previous weekend, I had a fun makeup lesson at the Bobbi Brown outlet in Pavilion. One of the biggest and nicer outlets, the whole store just screams 'fun times'.

I met my makeup guru, Grace Tan, who came highly recommended. One glance at her, you just know that she knows her stuff. One of the biggest (and best) impression I got were from her amazing eyebrows. They were bold and thick (unlike the many girls who like em' razor thin and... pathetic), Grace just pulled them brows off gracefully (pun intended).

*I think 3 brackets in a paragraph is probably my highest score yet for multiple use of brackets. That one pun, is a bonus.

The lesson began with Grace cleaning off my existing makeup, which is my daily staple of dark brown eyeliner and brow-liner. I'm a very boring person when it comes to makeup. Browns are my best friend, with zero skin foundation. My skin is then prepped with Bobbi Brown's Hydrating Face Tonic, Hydrating Eye Cream and Hydrating Gel Cream.

Grace says,"A well-moisturized face is important to get a good canvas for makeup."




Grace decided to show me the magic of a good skin foundation, and concealer can do. Working on only one half of my face, she worked the Bobbi Brown concealer (peach and beige hues) into my skin. Using an array of brushes (and her fingers), she then blends and smoothens the foundation stick (in beige) all over my face into porcelain perfection. Gone are my freckles and that uneven skin tone, and best yet – my averagely-dark eyebags are gone with a swipe of concealer.

Lesson #1: Concealer, it really works. Use them.






Once my skin has been perfected, she started work on my eyes. Today I will be going out of my comfort zone (no browns) with the new Surf & Sand palette. Grace told me she will be using the shimmery aqua green on me, to create a fun summer look. Now, the thing with shimmery colors, they never last on my eyes. I told Grace about how I stay away from shimmers because they either lose themselves into my eyes, or decorate my lashes like a bone-bare Christmas tree. She bestowed one of the most valuable lessons about shimmers to me that day.

Lesson #2: Apply shimmery eyeshadows vertically (with a proper brush) in a pressing motion, and do not swipe them horizontally.

This works because instead of just swiping the colors on (the way we amateurs usually do it) left and right, you are supposed to press it onto your eyelids in a vertical motion – because it pushes the shimmers into your eyelid crease where it will stay, as opposed to just brushing it over. Yes, a small lesson to learn, but a big difference in getting the most out of your product (and your buck).

After that, she applied a dark aqua eyeliner to my under-lids, Pacific. This is to help the green shimmer stand out more on my Asian eyes, where the double lid is almost nonexistent. So Asians have to make up for that by drawing on the under-lids, very close to your lashes. I'm not gonna lie, it's very, very itchy. I had to keep my face from grimacing with discomfort and itchiness (dying to scratch my eyelids) as Grace drew the eyeliner on. I started tearing just as she was finishing off. It takes some a lot of practice and a certain amount of tolerance (like Herculean effort-sort-of-tolerance) to perfect this sort of thing, according to Grace. I for one, don't think I can do it. Will stick to my plebeian style of eyeliner art.




One last touch for the eyes is a swish of mascara. I learnt another thing here – eyelash curlers are redundant and not a necessity. Grace told me that if you zigzag your mascara from the roots, and then pull it upwards, you will have naturally curled lashes. Of course, I tried it myself and voila, au naturale curls. They aren't babydoll perfect, but they curl.

Lesson #3: Zigzag your way with the mascara from the roots of your eyelash and swish upwards – for natural curls, no eyelash curler needed.


The eyebrows, she filled them up with a Mahogany hue, need as much precision in brush handling (perhaps even more) than the eyes. But it is a basic thing all girls should know: Fill in the gaps, draw a starting point from the inner brow (straight/curved, up to you) and sharpen the lines to taper out towards the outer end of the brow.

Now for the enhancements. I love this part because it involves using a big, soft brush and brushing powder all over my face. She brought out the 'rainbow powder' or what's known as the Brightening Finishing Powder in Porcelain Pearl. You are supposed to mix and blend all the pastel colors together – to create a wondrous 'highlight' for your cheeks and forehead. It creates this subtle highlight that makes you sort of.. glow.

But that's not my favorite part, it's the bronzer powder that I love. The Brightening Finishing Powder in Bronze Glow, is a rich combo of brown hues, she taught me to swill the brush in a reverse 'E' shape on my face and the difference? A lovely, healthy glow and a more defined face contour. No wonder the bronzer is Kim Kardashian's favorite tool!





Lesson #4: Use the bronzer and brush it in a reverse 'E' shape on the face (top rung starts from the forehead, second rung on the cheek bone and third rung along the jawline to chin) for a healthy glow.


Eyes, check. Skin, check. Now for the lips. Apply lip balm first, as a rule of thumb before applying any lipstick, so you'll get a smoother finish. Grace gave me two shades to try, one is a natural match to my lips, the Sandwash Peach. The other, a party color in Coral. I personally don't like bright colors on me, and I was quite mortified by the brightness of the coral. But no matter, I gave it a go anyways. The coral turned out quite nice, surprisingly, but I would still stick to natural shades.




It made me realize that having a pro choose your lip color for you, makes a pleasant difference in the expected outcome. However, it doesn't mean it will change your preferences. The fun was in trying out new things. I wore the coral lip like a boss and walked around Pavilion for a good hour, before ruining it by drinking a Boost Juice, and hence giving me a reason to take it all off, lest I look like an orange-gummy gobbler.

After that's done (remember, that's only half my face) Grace told me I could do the other half of my face on my own. *gulp*

Took a short breather to admire the store a bit before going on.






Here I go...

The foundation part was easy enough, as Bobbi Brown has a very handy foundation stick. Just smear and blend with a brush, finishing off with powder – easy peasy. The eye part, was a little tricky. I got the eyeshadow part down pat, but the eyeliner – Grace had to do it for me again. Can't have the eyeliner on one side that's thicker that the other, right?



I enjoyed highlighting and contouring with the bronzer, but need to improve my brush skills. Notably, holding a paintbrush and a face brush are two different things. The wrist needs to learn how to bend in other directions. Practice, practice, practice.

Lesson #5: If I can hold a paintbrush with expert ease, I can learn to hold a face brush too.


The lip part was pretty simple too, since I only have half a lip to fill. And voila, my look is complete! It was loads of fun learning from such a patient person like Grace. Goodness knows how many times she adjusted my brush hand and taught me a bit on brush pressure.






And at the end of it all, I not only look refreshingly great, I learnt a whole new load of things too! Grace had so very kindly listed down the products she used during the lesson, so that I can refer to it easily if I ever need to get something I like. This is the perfect close to a wonderful experience with the lovely people at Bobbi Brown.

If you're looking to learn something new, head on over to any Bobbi Brown outlet where the lessons are offered. Bring along your Bobbi Brown products and they can teach you how to use them too!

I have last raved about the very much sought-after Crème de la Mer essence that are bottle within all the perfectly formulated La Mer products. I have even tried and reviewed its sea kelp goodness that keeps skin so fresh and moisturized throughout the day.

Now, La Mer is introducing The Refreshing Collection, a limited edition offer that presents three core products in introductory sizes. With the crazy-humid weather in Malaysia these days, we will all need a wonder product like this to keep our skin from drying out.



The collection features the following products, that contains the legendary Crème de la Mer, and infused with their nurturing Miracle Broth. As we all know, Dr Max Huber harvested this legendary concoction from the miraculous sea kelp – that has an ability to regenerate itself, retain moisture and also contains a lot of nourishing properties. With The Refreshing Collection, you can find the following products to supplement your daily routine.

• The Moisturizing Soft Cream, 30ml 
• The Eye Balm Intense, 5ml 
• The Regenerating Serum, 15ml 
• The Hydrating Facial (one mask application)

This limited edition set launches this July 2014, and will retail at RM1,200 in stores nationwide.

Keeping up to the summer trend, let us all be radiant as the sun, and as colorful as the nature that surrounds us. Who can live without colors? As much as I love black & white, I still love colors – especially when it's paired beautifully!





This summer, NARS has brought us the ultimate poolside setting in an array of colorful palettes! The new NARS Summer 2014 Collection screams sleek bikinis, towering stilettos and provocative power.

As such, one of the most eye-popping eyeshadow palettes they are bringing in features a sharp neon lemon lime paired with an icy lavender. You can also go for a more defined evening look with the golden pewter and lilac snow palette.

Let your skin shine with the help of the Illuminator,  while making those lips pop with a shocking pink touch of shimmery lip gloss.


The NARS Summer Collection 2014 is available at all NARS Cosmetics outlets nationwide.






As much as you need all that fun in the sun, you should also keep your skin protected from sun damage – lest you wake up to find brown spots and uneven skin tone. The new AUPRES Ultimate White range can help see to that. It is a new technology, and formula that helps brighten skin while fighting the woes of dull skin. Who needs dull skin in this summer heat? We want to be glowing, like the setting sun!



The range includes basic skincare products like the Cleansing Foam, Moisture Lotion and the Moisture Emulsion. For a more advanced care, they also have a BB Cream, Eye Gel and an Intensive Spot Serum. These products not only provides brightening, but it also gives hydration and has anti-oxidation qualities to help achieve better skin translucency and brightness. May the sun reflect off you!


The APRES Ultimate White range will be launched this August 2014. Stay tuned!