The Make Up Store from Sweden is now in Malaysia

I was walking around in The Gardens at Midvalley a couple of days ago, when I noticed that a new makeup store was open. Incidentally, its the Make Up Store. The Make Up Store is from Sweden and their makeup selection is certainly wide ranging.

They brought to my mind MAC Cosmetics but without the scary and rude sales girls and conventional layout. The makeup is displayed all around the sides of the store, which leaves you space to walk around without looking too self conscious. Actually, it felt rather like browsing in a clothes store or a warehouse - not sure if that’s the effect they wanted to achieve! Prices are on the average side i.e. MAC and Stila style prices. If you look on the website however, you’ll notice that the prices in USD are actually very reasonable but it isn’t being translated into RM here - pity else they would give MAC a run for their money!

Actually, even the packaging is very MAC Cosmetics, but the selection of each type of product far outclasses MAC and in my view so does the quality. Just for eyeshadows alone, there are 2-3 different types - small pans, large pans, with shimmer, without shimmer, loose powder eyeshadow… and then blusher - pressed, loose… the list goes on.

I was quite impressed by the quality of the eyeshadows. The pressed eyeshadows had good shimmer and were smooth to the touch. The eye dusts fascinated me most. They are loose powder eyeshadows and reminded me of Make Up For Ever’s star powder but their colour range looks to outstrip that of Make Up For Ever! I will return to consider those.

Here is a look from Make Up Store’s Spring Summer 2008 collection.

If you ask me, only the bridal collection “I do” due in February 2008 enchants me. The others (January 2008) look like MAC Cosmetics knock-offs. Sorry Make Up Store, but I think you should have your own look not aim for the in-your-face style of MAC which in my view is just too overdone and no longer a novelty.

All that said, Make Up Store does have some potential and I will return another day to look at the eye dusts and blush. I walked away with a wand concealer for the under eye at RM79, which I will review in due course after test running it.

So, if you are like me and don’t like MAC run along now to the Make Up Store and see what they have to offer - I think it’ll be a lot! Stores are at The Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and The Gardens Midvalley.

adDress your Heart with Campbells

When I started my site, my target readers were women because I’m a woman and I know that I would identify best with women from all over the world. And because I’m a woman, I know how important health is to a woman. For those with families, more often than not it is the woman of the house who keeps the household ticking away like clockwork, keeping the house clean and tidy and putting hot Campbell’s soup on the table for her kids. Just think of the times you or your mom fell ill or was away. Life just doesn’t seem the same does it?

Heart Disease is the #1 killer of men and women but it can be prevented. The American Heart Association has come out with a Go Red for Women movement to provide women with the knowledge and tools to take action to protect their health.

Campbells (yes the soup and food and beverage company) has teamed up with Toni Braxton the singer, to highlight the awareness of heart disease to the American public. Did you know that Toni Braxton was diagnosed with heart disease yet she is a survivor who lives a full life? I didn’t but now I do. To raise funds for the American Heart Association, designer Jean Perry has designed 3 dresses which Toni Braxton will wear to the Woman’s Day Red Dress Awards to kick off American Heart Month (February). You get to vote on which dress gets worn and for each vote received, Campbells will donate $1 to the fund. Just click on the image below to proceed.

So, have you adDress-ed your heart?

Review: Skin Care: Kanebo Impress Emulsion moisturizer

The Kanebo Impress Emulsion 2 is going to be my holy grail of night moisturizers. This is the final step in the basic skincare regime of double moisturizing and follows the Kanebo Impress Lotion.

I test drove this moisturizer in 2 conditions. The first time was while I was on holiday. I was out in the sun during the day, and in a hotel at night. Both situations are very drying and my hands and feet suffered the effects. However, my face never looked better! Granted, I was test driving the whole Kanebo Impress skin care line at the time, but it was really wow! I was already pretty impressed at this stage.

The second time I tried it was after I had a bad breakout after using some cream that did not agree with my face. After bringing the breakout under control and returning to my Kanebo Blanchir skin care line, I came upon another sachet of the Kanebo Impress Emulsion 2 and thought to give it another go, but this time, I only used it at night. In 4 days, my skin was glowing and radiant and never looking better!

I knew I’d found my holy grail night moisturizer. I like the Kanebo Blanchir Milky Conditioner for the day because its light and non oily. For the night however, although the Blanchir Night Conditioner is nice and all, I found something lacking in it, possibly because I sleep in an air-conditioned room which can be drying. Kanebo Impress Emulsion 2 seems to be the answer.

The Emulsion comes in 2 types:

• Kanebo Impress Emulsion 1 - Fresh for Normal and Combination skin
• Kanebo Impress Emulsion 2- Moist and Smooth for Normal to Dry skin

The emulsion is white liquid with a viscous texture. I find that very little is needed because it spreads very easily and then you help it adhere with the Adhesive application method. As an example, a 2g sachet lasted me about 4 to 5 uses and that is saying a lot!

Prolonged use of the Impress Emulsion is supposed to help with coarse and dry skin and to refine the skin and help it retain moisture. From personal experience, I can say it does all this and more. My skin is radiant (even my facialist commented on it) and my pores are much less noticable.

Even when I do my makeup, I find I only need some concealer and light powder foundation and I have as close to flawless skin as I can get. It is pretty amazing for me because its been years since I’ve had anything resembling flawless skin.

I also tested the Impress Emulsion 1 which has a lighter texture. However, I did not find it moisturising enough for me and I prefer the suppleness of the skin after using Emulsion 2.

So, whats the price of radiant close-to-flawless skin? RM380 for a 100ml bottle. Ouch? Very. I’m going to wait till I’ve used up my Blanchir night conditioner before I switch over to this Impress Emulsion. It’ll give me time to set aside the money in the meantime and I’m consoling myself with the fact that it will last me a long while if used only at night because only so little is really needed.

Pros: Effect of radiant skin, reduced pore size, better skin texture
Cons: Expensive

Rating:

Review: Skin Care: Kanebo Impress Lotion

The Kanebo Impress Lotion comes in what is commonly known as the toning step. In the Impress line it is known as the first step of double moisturizing. In Kanebo skincare, there is double cleansing and double moisturizing. The Lotion acts as the first layer of moisturizer.

The Impress Lotion comes in 2 formulas:

• Kanebo Impress Lotion 1- normal and combination skin (Fresh)
• Kanebo Impress Lotion 2- normal to dry skin (Moist and Smooth)

I test drove the Impress Lotion 1. The texture is quite different from the Kanebo Blanchir Whitening Clear Conditioner which I am used to. The Blanchir Clear Conditioner is very liquid and soaks into a cotton pad quite easily. The Impress Lotion however is more viscous and less watery.

Pour some into a cotton pad, soaking about 60% of the pad and pat lightly over the face. For Impress skincare however, there is a specific method of application called the “Adhesive application method“. You can read the specifics on their website. Essentially, what you do is lightly press the cotton pad on your skin to apply the lotion all over the face, then with your palm and fingertips, lightly apply pressure to help the lotion “adhere” to the skin.

I love my Blanchir Clear Conditioner but this one takes the cake! My skin immediately feels soft and dewy and prolonged use is supposed to help refine the skin and reduce and treat problems like coarse skin or dry skin, to leave the complexion looking clear and radiant.

I briefly tested the Impress Lotion 2 and the difference lies in the texture. Lotion 2 is even more viscous than Lotion 1 and I can imagine would be wonderful for dry skin because it feels very moist.

There is a light fragrance that doesn’t bother me. The setback however, is the price. The Kanebo Impress Lotion retails for RM330 for 150ml, at Kanebo International Salons and Kanebo cosmetic counters at Isetan only for now (Malaysia).

Pros: Makes skin feel soft and dewy

Cons: Very expensive

Rating: