Archives for July 2009

Ask & Answer : What is a good heat protection hair serum?

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When we last discussed whether to use conditioner after shampoo, Hasegawa Ayane left a comment and asked a very good question regarding heat protection serums before blow drying.

I don’t think I can do without conditioning after shampooing. My hair will feel really dry and will tangle really easily. However, I do not find the need to wash my hair everyday, I’ll wash it on alternate days.

On the topic of blow drying, I heard that it’s best to use a heat protection serum/spray before blow drying. Do you know of any to recommend?

Well, as I answered Hasegawa, I do not use a heat protection serum for my hair before blowdrying. I blowdry at night before after my shower and after washing and conditioning my hair.

Previously I used to use Redken Extreme Anti-snap serum for long hair. It was lovely. Kept my hair smooth, shiny and manageable and was very good if you planned on keeping your hair long as it kept the ends of the hair sealed.

However, I realized that it was giving me spots on my face wherever my hair touched my face and I quickly stopped using it.

So lets answer Hasegawa’s question:-

What heat protection serum/ spray do you recommend to apply before blow drying your hair?

I’m all ears too! I could learn something!

Stay beautiful,

Paris B

Clarins Hydraquench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase & Clarins Smoothing Gel

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The weather’s been hot and dry recently here in Kuala Lumpur and its taken a bit of a toll on my skin, leaving it feeling parched. I’ve been using the Clarins Hydraquench Cream Mask quite often and regular spritzing of Vichy Thermal Spa Water which helps some. I was also using some samples of the Clarins Hydraquench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase and the new Clarins Smoothing Gel since they are after all “Hydraquench”!

Clarins Hydraquench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase – RM225 /30ml

This serum comes in a spray glass bottle. I have a sample but I’m assuming the full size is the same. Clarins calls it an SOS essence to help with dehydrated skin to leave skin looking soft and young.

I must say that I rather like how it feels when I use it at night. 2 squirts of essence in my palm and it goes on my skin and does its job like a SWAT team, getting in deep to plump up my skin, leaving it looking firm and hydrated. I wake up and my skin looks rested and lovely.

BUT… but but but… the scent! Its too strong and floral for me – is that jasmine I smell? 🙁

So yes my skin drinks up this essence and loves me when I use it, but I cannot quite get over the strong floral scent to use it long term. If you have dry or dehydrated skin, this is a seriously effective serum and works with all moisturizers. I like it especially with my Lancome Primordiale Nuit cream but please sniff it at the counter to see how you like it. I might just have an over sensitive nose 🙂 If the scent was not so strong, I’d get it in a heartbeat. It actually works well with the Smoothing Gel too…
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Vichy Thermal Spa Water Spray : Staying Cool in this heat!

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Vichy Thermal Spray Water

I don’t know about you but the recent heatwave in KL is killing me! We were having bouts of cooling rain in the past weeks and then suddenly in the past 2 weeks, nary a drop to be seen with the burning sun beating down on us. If you drive, its even worse – it feels like being in a microwave oven, which when you think about, probably is. 😛

Anyway, this Vichy Thermal Spa Water is what I’ve been staying cool with. This isn’t just your run of the mill water. Its pure Thermal Spa Water containing minerals and if you taste some of it (don’t go drinking it!) it actually tastes a little salty (No one else reports this. Maybe its just my wonky tongue)

In this never ending heatwave, this can of Vichy Thermal Spa Water has been like a God-send. In the morning, I spritz it on before my moisturizer and again before my makeup to help cool down and after applying my makeup to help set it. It helps my makeup lasts the whole day this way. Add to the fact I apply my makeup over the Vichy Normaderm Pore Refining Essence which unwittingly acts as a primer but that is the subject of a different review 😉

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Lancome Launches Declaring Indigo for Fall 2009

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Allons enfants de la Patrie,
Le jour de gloire est arrivé !
Contre nous de la tyrannie,
L’étendard sanglant est levé !
L’étendard sanglant est levé !

~ La Marseillaise – French Anthem

Bastille Day is celebrated in France on 14 July every year. This year, what with being known as “Paris” and all… I found myself having wine and cheese and admiring the new Lancome Declaring Indigo collection (again!) at their press launch. 😀 How fitting!

Lancome Declaring Indigo launch

Fittingly held in Le Bouchon, a French restaurant in KL, the Declaring Indigo collection was launched with quite a bit of fanfare, with each of the Lancome makeup artists showing their interpretation of the looks created by Aaron de Mey.

Here were the looks produced by the Lancome Color Design team of makeup artists using products from the Fall 2009 Declaring Indigo collection:-

Lancome Declaring Indigo
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The fun and previews happen on Instagram @parisbmws