Archives for August 2013

Save your pennies – NARS Cosmetics is coming to Kuala Lumpur!

August 31, 2013 Paris B 55 Comments

Alrighty, I briefly mentioned this earlier this week but let’s make this official. This is the biggest news to hit the local beauty scene since the opening of Sephora Malaysia, I’m sure many will agree. Never have I felt this level of electric excitement sparking through the beauty industry at the mere whisper of the brand name.

NARSssssss……

A famous makeup artist whom I met again at the pre-launch party, who I’d only ever seen with a very serious face prior to this, had the biggest grin on his face. It wasn’t just the drink talking either. It was the thrill of a makeup artist who knew that he could finally get his hands on all his favourite products right here in Kuala Lumpur, without having to make that trip down cross the causeway to our neighbour, Singapore or overseas. He was very pleased.

Yes makeup mavens, if you did not already know this, NARS Cosmetics is coming to town, with the first store slated to open at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur in November 2013.

New! Shiseido Ibuki Skincare – Building inner resistence for skin that is ready for anything

August 30, 2013 Paris B 21 Comments

We haven’t had a major brand launch a new skincare line recently have we? Many of the new releases we’ve been getting are reformulations of existing products or additions to an existing range. So, learning of a brand new addition to the Shiseido skincare stable about 2 months ago was very exciting.

The new range is Ibuki and you will be seeing it roll out at Shiseido counters starting from about now or early September 2013. I believe this is a worldwide launch date, which puts us in Malaysia up there with the rest of the world! We are getting with it, peeps! 😀

Ibuki will replace The Skincare which you may be familiar with under Shiseido’s skincare range. This new range is targeted at the men and women of the new millenia – working long hours, leading fantastic and hectic lifestyles, battling city pollution and free radicals, staying up date chatting on whatsapp and scanning Instagram feeds… oh wait. That’s just me I think hehe… 😉

Ibuki intends to address these stresses on the skin and help build the skin’s resistance to UV rays, dryness, pollution and strengthen it from inside out, making skin stronger, so your skin looks better and is ready for anything. This is done using something called a “Shape Memorizing Cell Technology™ which works to return cells to their ideal condition by plumping them up and restoring skin moisture. Basically, it rehydrates dehydrated cells, much like how you rehydrate your dried shiitake mushrooms before cooking. Erm… yes. Very culinary and very scientific! Here’s a quick run down of the products – only 7 for now.

9 out of 10 women love the Clarins Double Serum – Meet the odd one out!

August 29, 2013 Paris B 56 Comments

I was talking to a friend last week and was quite incredulous when told that said friend used to think “LOL” stood for “Lots of Love”. I honestly, hand on heart, believed it was an urban myth! A joke popularised by the internet, but nope. Here was someone telling me in all seriousness that was what they believed. I didn’t know what to say… except LOL

But I can tell you, hand on heart, that this product did not get any LOL from me. Neither love, nor laughter.

I have to be quite careful with this one because I know it’s very popular with the beauty netizens, so I might get crucified. It was launched first in Asia last year and thereafter in Europe. The buzz was incredible. Here was a product that promised that you’d look younger and have better skin almost immediately. The effects were said to be instantaneous. You could and should expect to see a lovely glow to the skin the next morning.

Nope, nope and nope! 9 out of 10 women may have found this more effective than their usual serum. 94% may have had their wrinkles reduced and have more even skintone. 100% found their skin was more elastic. That makes me wonder where that leaves me.

I am that 1 woman in 10 who is sitting on the sidelines clutching on to my usual serum. I am that 6% who did not experience a more even skintone and I am that 0% <- how is this possible, statisticians?!?! who found no change to their skin elasticity. How can?!

Ah, Pink Cherie! Take lipstick to a new dimension with the Mary Kay True Dimensions Lipstick

August 28, 2013 Paris B 26 Comments

An anti-aging lipstick? Like the sound of that? Well, then you may want to take a look at the Mary Kay True Dimensions lipsticks.

These are touted to have a creamy texture reminiscent of the balm-lipstick hybrids we’ve been seeing a lot of, with the inclusion of a peptide that attracts moisture and boosts collagen production in the lips for the appearance of firm, smooth lips. So, you know I’m a lipstick buff – how did I like it?

In all honestly, the texture is quite pleasing and I can say, is very comfortable on. If you hate how lipsticks feel, you should take a look at these because they feel weightless yet have an almost opaque colour on lips, that isn’t drying at all.

The colour I have however, is less appealing to my senses. Pink Cherie is a bubblegum pink shade in tube that applies pretty much as it looks on lips. If you love pink lipstick then you will like this one. It has a youthful feel and pink lips are popularly known to make you look younger (the same way red lips can make a person look more mature). Another thing that makes this Mary Kay True Dimensions lipstick interesting is the packaging.