One Post Later But First....

Hello Gorgeous!!!

 

Been drifting in and out of work and busy as a mad hatter, thus got lazy.

 

I can understand if you are mad at me. I would be mad at me too.

 

So I came up with a brillant idea. I will still do posts here but only once a week.

 

For more regular updates, add me on instagram @danielruth as i take quite a bit of photos there. And I will muse about random stuff on my old blog which i think works brillantly for me at:

http://www.epitome-ruth.blogspot.sg/ 

 

I promise to do a post and contest later. As sick as I am today. Finally feeling slightly better.

The Skin Savers!!! (Part 1)

(THIS IS NOT AN ADVERTISEMENT BUT A REVIEW OF WHAT I TRIED.)

Hi Happy People!!!

Ok, I hope you are happy as we are a mere 4 days away to the weekend and these products which I am sharing about today are real life savers for me during my entire 2.5 months when my skin literally gave up on me.

Please be warned this post is relatively long, I will try, to keep it short since it is the first of three parts.

These products may or may not work for you as skin is as different as DNA. But they certainly contain either 1) medical grade wonders and / or 2) tons of botanicals.

It is like your body is sick, do you just head to the doctor's and pop pills? I mean, that is all good to do, but in the long run, to really build up immunity and give your body all the goodness it deserves, you ought to really look into what you put into that tummy of yours. Same goes for your skin.

You ARE REALLY WHAT YOU EAT.

Besides these "life-saving" products which totally turn my skin condition around and gave me glowing skin every morning and allowed my makeup to adhere better, plus I applied way lesser foundation... one of them offered me a cheat-sheet method of getting little hours of rest (super bad habit to be a night owl... I am trying my best to correct that.) yet awake to BEAUTIFUL skin. Not merely just good skin but really BEAUTIFUL!

I also increased my intake of fruits and veggies: the first types of veggies I included are Okra (lady's finger), broccoli, shanghai greens and pasley. All cooked in a variety of ways as I started to rebuild my health and immune system as my body's system went into a reboot mode. Mainly, I try to steam them or stir fry them lightly trying hard to avoid spices. And I added apples, pineapples, avocados, pears, kiwis and grapes to increase my intake of vitamins and minerals that are not just good for different parts of my organs but for the skin too!!!

First up, a light-weight gel moisturizer that pulls its strength in weight and is just so fantastic for sensitive skin, clogged pores folks and pimple-laden skin peeps & it is SOOOOOOOOO suitable for humid weather as it is OIL FREE.

Finally, a commercially available oil free moisturizer that is easily found and you need not spend more than needed for the same effect as those expensive creams you purchase from your dermatologist (i went to one prior to discovering this! will share more on it tomorrow. *heartache coz skin doctors are so expensive*)

I present:

This mega tub will last me a long time, and it is a limited edition 125ml the usual one is 50ml only. I got hold of a sample thru a gf and it started turning my skin around in about 3 days so I went to the shop at Vivo to get one. It costs $82 for this hugeass 125ml tub and it really does everything it says plus more. My combination sensitive skin did not once itch nor turn oily yet it stayed dewy soft and cooling, my skin had bounce! If my skin was a noodle, it would be a very QQ noodle!!! It was just bouncy, I cannot find a more apt word.

See how the inside looks:

See how colourless and ordourless the product is....

 thus making it very very suitable for seriously sensitive skin.

Ease of Use: Just a 10cent coin for entire face, absorbs fast

Would I buy this again: YES! Made it into my Holy Grail List.

Rating: 5/5

And they have another version of the same kickass moisturizer but with oil for dry skin folks or those who take flight a lot, as the air at how many thousand feet about ground is certainly much harshier and will dry your skin faster thus aging you, if you are blessed with babyface and do not mind looker older, then its fine to use the oil free one, if not, please head to the shop and get their with oil version to prevent lines.

Btw, Kiehl's staff are trained to be really generous with samples as they believe that by offering samples, and their products are really medical grade (for some), you will head back to get the full size bottles / jars as soon as you are convinced of their prowess! Love them!

Then there was this major outbreak after I was recovering, besides clogged pores all over my cheeks and forehead, my entire face felt like scales. Can you imagine? It was a nightmare for me, considering how vain I am and how helpless I felt. I was not only desperate but frustrated so I went thru all the products that I had and knew would give me brillant skin day in and out, even those I raved about here plus I had no money to keep on buying SK-II which I believe will work ... so I tried other products which I still had on-hand e.g. the water sleeping pack but all of them seemed to "die" on me or had little effect coz the scale(ly) skin felt thick, like some 'elephant' hide, so I guess the product could not penetrate in.

The above 2 photos only shows you the clogged pores that popped out like mad all over, they seem to setup cluters of residences all over my face. I shall spare you the photos of me having the super bad outbreak. From a distance, I still looked normal but as you walked up to me... you will see the horrid outbreak, distressing I tell you!!!

So some kind soul told me, put aloe vera on, its natural, very good. So I did. Went to buy this for less than $20 at Watsons or was it Guardian, cannot recall:

Ease of Use: Just a 20cent coin for entire face.

Would I buy this again: No. Unless i got sunburn.

Rating: 2.5/5

Supposed to be solid good! The person who told me about this, was raving about how pure and blah blah blah this was.... Okay, so i tried. Desperate ma.... plus its natural. WRONG... so sa-la can?

This aloe vera baby, which was great for my sun burns (that is another story for another time) totally worked wonders on my sun burns BUT did nothing much for my poor face. So I wasted $18 bucks and had like a HUGE pile up of aloe vera on my skin every morning even though I applied a thin layer at night before bed.

I had to even use my fingers to gently rub it off before cleansing my face, and it went on for 2 weeks before I gave up. So Aloe Vera did not work to declog and save the day!

So I went on to search for my superhero product and I went back to Kiehl's once more coz the oil free moisturizer did a wondrous job! Guess what? I found the secret to forevermore no more clogged pores, no more small bumps on my skin. Its......

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Ease of Use: Just apply a thin layer where needed, avoid eye area.

Would I buy this again: A RESOUNDING YES! Made it into my Holy Grail List.

Rating: 6/5

Yah, it seems to be only for people with Acne right? WRONG, you can use it like a pimple cream but if you want to declog those pores and small bumps, apply this everyday and night, a thin layer (PLEASE DO NOT BE GREEDY & USE A THICK LAYER coz you will dry up your skin & cause wrinkles and for those with dry skin, use once a day will suffice) and the magic will take place!!! Zomg... OMG!!!! So exciting!!! It not only clears blemishes, rids my clogged pores, lessen my blackheads (yah I use on whole face, thin layer mah!) and .... ARE YOU READY FOR THIS??? IT REDUCES MY OLD PIMPLE SCARS and lessen the redness till they are almost gone now!

This is a God-sent. Literally.

I am so buying a full size once the sample finishes, which is taking me forever to finish, as only a thin layer is needed. Using the sample for slightly over 2 weeks already. Incredible right?

Alright, I shall end here for Part 1. Tomorrow, I will share my experience and the creams given by the skin specialist. Plus, the MAGIC Cheat sheet product!

Hello Beautiful Peeps!!

Hey Peeps,

I was very sick for a long period coz of blood and chest infection (a whole month!!! coz it was that bad....) and was even hospitalized. My skin got wonky and my usual makeup and skincare routine was rejected by my skin then, it got worse when I went to Jakarta for a holiday and suffered from pollen and bad air pollution, thus, I had to recover from the horrid, horrid outbreak on my face!!!

For the life of me, I was so upset that my skin not only had bumps that almost refused to go away, I even sought a skincare specialist and to no avail.  

But, some "life-saving" products were found, tested and remedied my skin to its crystal clear condition once more. In fact, these products are on my Holy Grail list now, I will NEVER ever do without them. I will be sharing them with you, bit by bit over next week.

I will be blogging on the entire series of what i used over 3 parts, starting tomorrow night.

Please let your friends know.... spread word that the Beauty Guru is well, healthy and back to her usual first love!!! And I will be regularly blogging PLUS, a big bribe would be a giveaway contest is coming up!!!!!!! And this contest would be simple, I promise, as it is a bribe. :)

The prizes are from good brand names. ;)



Lots and lots of LOVE,
The Beauty Guru.

Seriously...

wanted to take a break from trying all the Korean Masks...

so thought I do a hair review:

I saw this at Watsons and thought to myself,

it is $5.00 cheaper than the Sunsilk Premium Range Mask

that I am using so, why not try it?

The inside was a pale pink

smelt real good

BUT

the mask did not do its job!!!

In fact, for $15.90

it was money wasted

and I totally regretted buying it,

I should have stuck to my usual Sunsilk Keratinology range

and I would still have better hair condition

than the hay residing on my head now.

My ends are so dry,

I feel like cutting it off!!! ARGH!  

This did not have ample moisture for my chemically treated hair

(if you have permed / coloured/ rebonded / blow dry often)

then you would fall under the same category as me

but if your hair is a virgin,

maybe this product might work on you.

In any case, stick to Sunsilk Premium range.

Seems to work wonders for my other gfs too!

Rating: 1/5 (great smell other than that... its a bleh!)

Ease of Use: Same as other Hair Masks

Would I Buy It Again: No, can i get a refund for this one?

Korean Series - 3D Masks

Hello Good-Looking!

The Weekend is finally here

and I have been busy with testing out an entire series of

KOREAN products.

Yup,

I almost, seriously, almost madeover

my entire range of products

that were sitting pretty on my dresser once 

to give all the Korean brands (reputable ones)

a try and I must say,

I have been enjoying the process.

I went to Korea towards the end of last year

and hauled back like 5 FULL BAGS

I seriously meant 5 FILLED TO THE BRIM TYPE

(scared my hubby but the entire haul costs only $300 to $400,

Cheap hor? I so think its dirt cheap)

of skincare, makeup and masks

(I had 3 BAGS CHOKED UP IN SHEET MASKS)

my skincare and makeup will last for 2012 ...heehe~~

In general, Korean Skincare (and makeup) products

have a certain quality standard to it

suits sensitive, combination, acne to oily skin best

and for those who undergo IPL, Microderm and laser peels,

not sure if dry skin will lap up the goodness

of all the MAGICAL ingredients that Korean skincare

is renowned for...

as the products mainly are lighter in texture

and are WATER BASED

which incidentally spells good news

for our Tropical weather here on

Sunny Ol' Singapore!!!

What's more,

they have all kinds of interesting products

ranging for the neck to bust to face to eyes

and I will start with paper sheet masks

and there are tons of brands.

Here is just one:

FOODHOLIC

This brand derives its ingredients mainly from

food and fruits

I tried quite a few,

it is supposed to be a 3D mask

where it adheres better to face shape

and provides all the nutrients

up to area under your chin

and will cover your face area,

till the sides of your hairline, all round

unlike the more traditional paper sheet mask

AND

I also found out that you can purchase this in SINGAPORE

on GMARKET for a mere 49cents!!! when it is on promotion

if not, it costs you 69cents per piece.

They offer more than 15 different types to choose from.

BUT

I really do not like the mask per se

cos

The 3D-ness of it, the shape, the way it is supposed to fit

is odd. Makes the mask tear quite easily.

SO EVEN IF IT ONLY COSTS ME

49 CENTS PER PIECE

AND IT IS SOOOOO DIRT CHEAP

AND COVERS CERTAIN PARTS OF MY FACE DECENTLY

I have reservations towards this brand.

Rating: 2.5 / 5 Stars

Will I Buy This Again: NO

Ease of Use: Same as Traditional Paper Sheet Masks

but tricky as it is prone to tearing

Taking a Break

Hey Dearies,

Am taking a break from blogging till 11 March 2012. Would be back then. In the meantime, if you have any requests for selected products to be reviewed, please drop me an email at limweiyan@gmail.com and have FUN in the meantime!

Been so swamped at work.... plus I got a new series of products to test out, so need some time for testing to let you know if they work. Please miss me ok?? :)

XoXo,
Ruth

Bio Oil

Hey Beautiful...

As promised, today there will be 3 different posts, so stay tuned, this is the first one, featuring BIO OIL. I know I am late, apologies as I was real busy with work and then prepping for Vday's special meal! Hope your Valentine's day went well.

Bio Oil is something I decided to explore after they have launched it for quite a while as I am not a super early adopter, esp if the product is an unknown or new brand in the market.

Some of the Good Stuff said to be inside:

Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract (Calendula Oil)
Lavandula Angustifolia Oil (Lavender Oil)
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil (Rosemary Oil)
Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil (Chamomile Oil)

Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A)
Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E)

Mineral Oil (Paraffinum Liquidum) - I DISAGREE THAT THIS IS GOOD
Triisononanoin
Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate
Isopropyl Myristate
Glycine Soja Oil
Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil
BHT
Bisabolol

Bio‑Oil is a specialist skincare oil that helps improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone. It is also effective for aging and dehydrated skin. Bio‑Oil has won 80 skincare awards and has become the No.1 selling scar and stretch mark product in 11 countries since its global launch in 2002.

The Bio‑Oil formulation is a combination of plant extracts and vitamins suspended in an oil base. It contains the breakthrough ingredient PurCellin Oil™, which changes the formulation’s overall consistency, making it light and non-greasy. This ensures that the goodness contained in the vitamins and plant extracts is easily absorbed.

Bio‑Oil has undergone safety assessments in accordance with the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on Cosmetic Products. The toxicological profile, chemical structure, level of inclusion and total level of daily exposure of each ingredient used has been assessed and deemed safe for use (including for use by pregnant women).

Bio‑Oil is a member of Beauty Without Cruelty International.

What  I love about this oil

is how smooth my skin feels after applying

it will be absorbed into your skin

after a decent 3 to 4 mins

I had a reddish mark on the bottom of my left eye and

after using this

it lighten considerably after 3 weeks

of day and night application.

I hated it at first though.

Cos, its oil

but when I went Korea

and then back...

I realized it is a God-sent

as it can be used on the ENTIRE body

so, you not bring so many bottles of skincare

while travelling.

And this size, allows you to hand carry it in.

Ease of Use: Just 2 drops for the entire face,more for your body

Rating: 3/5

Would I Buy it again: Will try other brands (as it is in my nature)

On a lil' break....

Hi All...

I am away on a short break. In need of it. Will be back by Monday latest! If not, tomorrow. Got 3 posts at one go for you.... to makeup for the absence. :)

Cheerios!

MAC Eyeshadow Pot - Ricepaper

Hi Good Looking!!!

Don't you ever wished there was a

universal eye colour that will suit

like almost 90% of you out there

whatever your skin tone?

Well,

today's product review shall uncover that.

We shall look at a

MAC's Eyeshadow Pot called

Ricepaper

As this colour is a semi shimmery pot

looks golden to the naked eye

but when you apply on your lids

it ends up with the MOST FLATTERING

colour ever!

It enhances your smokey eye

brings out your iris colour

(whether your eyecolour is

blue / green / grey / brown)
and it suits all functions
and can take you from day to night
office to formal gatherings!

See...

and it does not cause ceasing

nor does it ever show wrinkles

as opposed to some other

eyeshadows...

Plus, it makes you look

very polished.

Like you have been to a makeup school

and learnt the art of makeup.

(Cheat Sheet here...haha!)

Costs only SGD$25 or so

the last I checked

at all good MAC counters

located at Ion Orchard,

CK Tangs.

I applied it below,

check it out:

Have fun dolls!

The shade is worth the buy!!!

(the blusher was actually

Urban Decay's Baked Bronzer)

Rating: 4.5/5

Ease of Use: just use any eyeshadow brush

apply a little, if you want more,

then repeat and load up.

Would I Buy it again: YES!

Head over Heels over HEAD & Shoulders?

Shampoos are meant to

give one shiny healthy hair.

Right?

These days, they offer more...

way more...

Like Vitamins inside,

omega-3 even,

some have collagen,

some contain pearls,

others, UV protection and blah blah blah..

I managed to try "Head & Shoulders"

Anti-Hairfall shampoo

for her

Which, in my humble opinion...

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SUCKS big time!!

To me, it failed in the aspect of

scent,

doing what it promises

(my hair dropped more!!)

gave me more pimples on my head! ARGH...

And my hair got frizzy.

The only redeeming factor

was how smooth my hair felt.

In any case,

would suggest,

please DO NOT buy it.

This For Her Shampoo,

is also supposed to make your scalp

feel better and rid dandruff,

which concidentally,

I do not have dandruff.

Not sure if it would have helped

to assist in getting rid of dandruff

since, it cannot even fulfill

the "anti-hairfall" promise as labelled.

Bronze is the New Gold??!! by Urban Decay

Hi People!

How was your Lunar New Year Holidays?

Are you still on leave?

Lucky you...

Wish I was still.... sleeping in sounds like a

fantastic idea at this time,

I'll take anything, even a half day sounds great.

Anyways,

the product I am checking out today is

<URBAN DECAY> Baked Bronzer

It's marbled, see:

So, it will suit ALL skin types

plus it has gold specks in it

giving you an au natural glow

upon application,

best applied with a long-ish blusher brush,

not the round types but the long-ish ones

or slanting ones, to help you sculpt your cheeks

giving one an optical illusion of

slim, V-shape face, with contours

like the ones below:

There has been no "over-tan" or

"over-baked" look even if I used a heavy hand

to apply...

TIPS: Use it under your chin, making

a U-shape to slim your face,

if you have angular faceline,

esp at the sides, dust a little over there too.

Bronzer is meant to give one a

"Sun-Kissed" look

without ending up with

 TOO MUCH, else, you will end up looking

like someone bashed you up!

Below are some examples of bad use of bronzer:

Catherine Zeta-Jones, too orangey man!!

Some Model (look at the sides of her cheeks! Yikes)

Lindsay Lohan.. looking like she got bashed major!

You should look good,

and get the effect... like the ones

who got it right... below:

Bronzers are the IN thing for all

summer.

Dinners, Weddings or special occassions!

It can be used on your body

esp on the top of your shoulders,

your neckline

and create a slight "Y-shape"

where your cleavage ends

to create some definition...

ya' know, like a cheat sheet!

Not exactly for the VA-VA Voom effect

but for better clarity, outline them.

And to give you the Sun Goddess effect.

The bronzer should GLAM you up,

not make you look otherwise.

Also, use sparingly,

a little goes a long way.

Get those with Gold in it,

it gives you instant radiance,

complements most skin colour

without the need to apply a lot!

This one by UD costs about $33

at all good Sephora outlets

I got the one called Baked.

They have Toasted and Glide too.

Rating: 3.5/5

Ease of Use: Easy Peasey

Would I Buy It Again: Doubt I will finish this anytime soon,

plus it can be kept for up to 3 years!

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR!!

Hi Beautiful . . .

I will be taking a short CNY break,
will blog next week.

Huat Ah!!!!

XoXo...

Glow with GloMinerals Pressed Powder

Hey Gorgeous!

Today, I will be reviewing on this pressed powder.
Beige Medium colour.

I came to a conclusion about mineral makeup in general.
It is not suitable for the average normal person, in fact,
it has a smell about it. That includes the Rachel K range
which I reviewed earlier.

Mineral makeup seems more dense
goes on thicker
so you got to be light-handed when applying.
It is better for those of us who are intending to
go for 1) diamond type microdermabrasion
2) Laser skin peels or those
3) with bad skin (pimples, scars).

Mineral makeup is bad for:
1) peeps with oily or combination skin
2) those who are heavy handed
3) people with large pores
AS THE MAKEUP WON'T ADHERE WELL.

GloMinerals gave me mixed feeling,
like it worked on my U-zone but
not my T-zone, it turned out wonky there.
Suppose to have good stuff for my face and all...

But according to what I managed to research,
it does all these:
Delivers flawless, matte coverage with an advanced mineral formula.

What it's used for:
This base is designed to provide a flawless, matte complexion with long-lasting mineral coverage. Broad-spectrum UV protection keeps the skin protected from both UVA and UVB rays, which helps to prevent premature signs of aging, hyperpigmentation and even skin cancer. gloPressed Base applies quickly and easily, and provides ideal coverage for the occasional blemish and most skin conditions. Packaged in a slim, mirrored compact with application sponge.

The following colours are available. You can purchase them, from selected Facial Salons. Or from eBay. At $48++

Rating: 3/5 (Barely passed, suggest not to get it, price is a huge factor)

Would I Buy It Again: Depending...

Ease of Use: Like how you use Any Press Powder

Bonjour... Viva La BOURJOIS!

Hello Babes...

So glad you made it here.

Wah... you must be thinking,

some contact lens review right?

No lar.... sa-la already.

I am reviewing another brand of pencil eyeliner,

and comparing it to all the others I used thus far.

The thing with pencil eyeliner is . . .

it is suitable for amatuers

who would love to start lining their water lines

and bring out the confidence in themselves

yet, not wanting to look like a panda...

Yah, if you do not buy good eyeliners,

esp the pencil ones,

you WILL END UP A PANDA!!!

Liquid eyeliners will never have this issue

just ensure they are waterproof,

just like their pencil type sisters..

but for liquid eyeliners once you draw them wrong,

esp if you are attempting the "winged" cat eye look,

you run the risk of turning out like

the Wicked Witch of the West.

I mentioned a few posts ago that I use Revlon's

non-sharpening eyeliner right?

Then a gf of mine reviewed MAC's eyeliner

and I also tried that.

Lately, I got a Xmas Pressie

and I love receiving branded makeup

from those who know me!!! Haha....

(Anyways, I love receiving presents, period.)

So anyways...

I present:

Ta Da!

The smoky effect pencil eyeliner...

comes in both matte and glitter types.

Great for every whim and fancy

comes in colours that suit every occassion

mood, and is so smooth to glide on.

Plus, the other side of this pencil has

a Nifty Little Brush!!!

NOW HOW COOL IS THAT!!???!!!

Awesome!

(Very worthwhile lar!! For $17.90

and now got 20% OFF some more!)

This brush is to help you fill in the gaps.

You know how most girls you come across

do not know how to line their eyeliner

that when you look at them,

you see Black and then in between their lashes

and the black line is GASP!

their own skin...

meaning to say,

THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO LINE FULLY!

So... this brush is saving grace.

It will help noobs / rookies who are new to this process

and those who *ahem*

do not know how to line their eyes

by brushing the colour after you first draw a line

along your eyelid, the brush can

help you extend the line

so that you get

A PERFECT CAT EYE!

And, if you like it intense,

just line it again, after you have brushed and

covered the gaps and done your cat eye.

Viola... simple right?

If you are afraid of making mistakes,

do it one small stroke at a time,

you can clean the wrong bits off

with a Q-tip (cotton bud).

I personally prefer this brand

over all the rest i have used in the past.

Including my lazy Revlon & MAC ones...

this one may require a sharpener

but it has a brush...

I got one brown in glitter (glitzy mocha)

and a super black one (intense black)

plus it is cheap & always

during festive season,

Bourjois always conducts A SALE!

LIKE NOW...

I leave you with a pic of me

with the intense black on..

Rating: 4/5

Ease of Use (to me): Super Easy but it is not waterproof so there maybe some running.

Will I Buy it again: Yes, in fact, I will switch to this permanently if

the running of colour under my eye isn't so bad.