Movie review: Law Abiding Citizen And Shutter Island

Law Abiding Citizen

Watched this movie and quite like it. I loved Criminal Minds and SAW and all this sadistic psychopath killer, physical torture,gore, gruesome whatever you called it.hehe. So, this movie is about Clyde (Gerald Butler) that loss his wife and daughter after they were brutally raped and murdered. After an injustice prosecution, he waited 10 years to orchestrate high-profile murder of everyone involved including the broken justice system. Jamie Foxx was the case public prosecutor for the case.To Clyde, Jamie Foxx wasn't doing hard enough for his case in order to maintain the high prosecution rate. Too many 'insufficient and inconclusive' evidence. Clyde was a smart and rich guy equipped with high tech machine and military experience to help him get justice the way he want it. Even though he was placed in the jail, he managed to killed many people. How did he do it? Easy. He bought the whole prison land, make a tunnel under it for him to crawl out and do his business. I like the third quarter of this movie but after the revelation, the director probably running out of time or money or whatever, he sort of end this movie in hurry. I don't know really, I just wish more actions from Butler and Foxx. Probably like Clyde kidnapped Foxx's family and threatened him, pushing him to his limit because I think Foxx should be punished too. But, a very nice movie though. Love the emotion and pain displayed by Butler. I think he's a very versatile actor. He can do action, romantic, thriller, cartoon, just named it.


Shutter Island



This is a psychological thriller about two detectives (Leonardo Di Caprio and Mark Ruffalo) that investigating a missing patient in a mental hospital in Shutter Island. This movie is very interesting because almost half of the movie, you'll be thinking that the staff in the hospital were bad people and they were actually been experimenting on the patient. But, there were some clues that pointing out that was not the case as Di Caprio kept having frequent delusions and signs of withdrawal syndrome syndrome such as headache, tremor, sweating and worsening of his delusion. The whole hospital had to 'roleplay' Di Caprio delusions in order to 'wake' him up and bring him back to reality and acceptance. If you love movies like Beautiful Mind and Fight Club and this is definitely a great movie to watch.Di Caprio played a veteran army who experienced psychological and emotion trauma after her wife who suffered manic depression killed their three children. He blamed himself for not taking appropriate medical treatment for his wife when she told him about her hallucinations. Because of such great trauma, he kept relapsing to his delusional world in order for him to escape from such painful reality. I think Di Caprio has matured so much in term of his acting skills. He's definitely a serious actor and looking from his latest movies such as Blood Diamond, Body of Lies and this one, I think he managed to prove himself more than just another hollywood pretty face.

Jalan2 lagi..

Last jumaat kitorg sempat pergi jalan2 after my husband abis keje. Kitorg gi Summit USJ.Ingat nak tgk wayang citer How To Train Your Dragon tapi lewat sgt. So kitorg just makan2 je. Makan kat Hainan Kopitiam. Ingatkan restoran ni dh move kat tempat lain. Sebelum ni kitorg dh pernah makan kat sini. Dish paling best ialah Lamb Stew. Mmg sedap sgt. Nyum2..rasa tak puas. Definitely we'll come back again for more...hehe

Sabtu kitorg gi Taman Tasik Shah Alam.Jalan2 jap sambil minum air kat Kedai Kopi. Amir excited sgt tgk air pancut. Dia ingat boleh mandi mcm kat KLCC tu kot.hehe. Masa suruh amir berjalan, dia asyik melambai2 je kat org yg lalu lalang, mcm Miss World pulak.hehe

Ahadnya kitorg gi tgk wayang citer How To Train Your Dragon. Last couple of weeks ago bawak amir gi tgk citer Up In the Air tapi sbb citer tu bosan and banyak cakap, dia pun start dh bosan.Tp nampak lah dia seronok tgk wayang. Mmg betul pun. Masa tgk wayang tu amir tak berkelip mata, siap joget2 lagi tgk citer tu. Dia mm suka tgk citer cartoon ni. Tapi halfway citer je dia tertido. Kecian dia. hehe. Mmg best citer How To Train Your Dragon tu. Even we adult pun enjoy. Citer tu 90mins tapi rasa tak puas sgt. Budak2 pun enjoy tgk.hehe.Plan lepas ni nak bawak amir tgk citer Toy Story 3 plak.hehe. Last week mmg rasa tak puas sgt spend masa with my family. Next week kena gi Induction kat Morib pulak.And lps abis induction maybe start keje.Not sure which hospital I get. Not sure what to expect really. On one hand, seronok jgk sbb finally akn start my career and make money to help ekonomi family. Tapi on one hand rasa risau plak sape nak jaga amir nnti. Rasa sedih plak sbb sebelum ni kita yang jaga dia sepenuh masa. Huhu..Semoga dipermudahkan semuanya, InsyaAllah...


Yes!!! InsyaAllah, semuanya bolehkn mak & abah..hehe

Review of Elizabeth Arden: Visible Difference Complex and Ceramide Advanced TIme Capsule

I bought these about 2 years ago and been quite disappointed with my first and probably my last purchase from Elizabeth Arden. There was a cheap sale at My Chemist when I was in Melbourne and that was during winter time and my face was a bit dry and I needed a bit more moisture than what Olay cream can gave me. So, I decided to give this a try. At first I was thinking about the Eight Hour cream but looking at the texture of this cream on the tester, I quickly back off. The texture is soooooo greasy like vaseline. This is probably the liquid version of the vaseline. It has 58% vaseline in it and don't think I'll be putting on my face. Too greasy and not worth it. Just use vaseline instead.It costs like AUD2 in Safeway.hehe

So, I tried the Visible Difference Refining Moisture Cream Complex instead. I think they have like 80% discount on this. Here is the product description:

" The classic moisturizing formula. Rich, emollient, protective, it cushions skin with moisture and provides an occlusive barrier to prevent moisture loss.Tests show a significant reduction in the appearance of fine dryness lines and a dramatic improvement in skin's appearance in just 14-21 days"

I'm not impressed with the cream and the ingredients of this cream. It has glycerin, beeswax and olive oil to provide hydration and moisture. So classic that its boring.And nothing really that special about this cream.Its pretty thick but absorb well. A bit greasy for me during the day, so I only used this at night. All sole purpose for this cream is to provide moisture. and nothing else.And looking at the full price of this, it simply not worth it and overpriced. I don't see any dramatic "visible difference" that worth mentioning. And the cream smell like your grandma cheap cold cream. Probably will work well for dry or normal/dry skin.

The next other thing that I bought was the Ceramide Advanced Time Capsule. This is the older version of their new capsule, Ceramide Gold Ultra Restorative Capsules. I tried both and hated it. I know it has oil it and I was suprised that despite that it absorb really well on skin, this make my skin more oily during the day, with ever growing blackheads and small bumps. I tried Dermalogica AGE Smart Multivitamin Power concentrate and Trilogy Booster Capsule before and this doesn't make my skin any oilier. It was a bit oily when I'm using it but not after I washed it. Among the three capsule that I've tried, Dermalogica probably more superior. All of these capsule contains high concentration of active ingredients that need to be protected from air, so not to loss the potency when exposed to air. Most commonly are antioxidants such as Vitamins A, C and E. These capsules tend to cause a bit of oiliness, so I used this only at night. With Elizabeth Arden capsule, I didn't notice any improvements or whatsoever. I don't think I'll buy any of Elizabeth Arden products because of their unimpressive ingredients and this line probably more suitable for dry skin people.

I saw their latest product in Malaysia called White Glove Extreme skincare. Elizabeth Arden marketing team sure know how to come out with gloriously 'different' and outrageous name. This range helps to brighten skin complexion with Marine Extract and Vitamin C. This line has day cream (in a typical jar just like visible difference), brightening essence and serum in capsules. Worth a try? Hmmm...nahhh..hahaha

Review of Olay Total Effects with Cooling Essence

When this first came to the market last month, I was so excited to try it since I loved Olay Total Effect with touch of foundation. I'm looking for non-SPF lotion to use at night, so since this doesn't have any SPF and come from the Olay Total Effect range, this must be suitable on my skin.Price wise, I think its probably has the same price as the Olay touch of foundation (RM32 +). When I first heard about this product, I thought that this might come in gel-creme form since it has a cooling properties. So this is the product description:

" Olay Total Effects Advanced Daily Moisturiser with Cooling Essence fights the seven signs of ageing and keeps skin refreshed all day with an innovative, lightweight formula. It features mint extracts that work together with a burst of cooling water to provide a breezy sensation. Glycerol and age-fighting vitaniacin complex is absorbed deeply in the skin surface, with pigments and emollients that stay on the surface to cover imperfections and smooth the skin"

Actually this come in white color lotion. The lotion has a nice refreshing smell. The smell remind me of the normal version of Olay Total effect. The lotion is lightweight and absorb really well on skin. Even though on their ad, mentioned about this lotion being anti-aging lotion but without an oil. Suprisingly, this makes my skin a bit greasy compared to the touch of foundation. And the most shocking thing is that this has stinging instead of cooling effect. I don't feel any cooling or breeze sensation at all. Maybe they should call this Olay Total Effect with Stinging Essence instead.hehe.The stinging does dissipates slowly. I used this for almost 4 weeks and I don't think this is suitable for my skin. This caused tiny bumps all over my face. I did see how it improved my skin making it more rejuvenated, the same effect like high-end anti-aging creams such as Clarins Multi-active and SK-II Skin signature cream. But all these cream are just too heavy on my skin. I'm suprise that this is marketed for combination/oily skin since this cream does grease up pretty quickly. Maybe this suits people with dry skin and the total effect with touch of foundation suit people with combination/oily skin.

I don't see the hyped on this latest product from Olay. Its definitely a waste. I think they should come out with the night cream version for this range instead. Its available in United States called the Total Effects Night Firming cream but not yet in Malaysia. Actually I preferred the Total Effect with salicylic acid for acne-prone skin but this has been discontinued in Malaysia. All in all, I like the effect of this but definitely not for me.

Review of SK-II facial clear lotion and SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

I used to be one of those girls that hate to use toner. I just don't see the point of doing it (more like laziness I think..haha). In addition, I haven't found the right toner for me. Most toner either dries my skin out (from too much alcohol) or add another sticky film on top of my face. If I want an extra moisture, I just use heavier moisturizer or serum. My last toner was Estee Lauder Pore Optimizer. I don't like this toner because it feels sticky on my face and my makes my skin oily. So, I only used it like 2-3X/week.Gave it to my mum and she loves it. Just not for me I think.

I had minor breakout from Avon Rejuvenate last few weeks, so I'm desperate to find something that can help with the breakout. So, I decided to try SK-II. I bought 150ml Facial clear lotion and 75ml Facial treatment essence. The essence come in a Pitera set that consists of 75ml Facial Treatment Essence and free 40ml Facial clear lotion, one piece of facial treatment mask and a box of cloth pad.I've used this after cleansing my face. At first I used Dermalogica Pre-cleanse and Special Cleansing gel and then applied the clear lotion and essence. To my suprise, there was still few traces of makeup. I thought by using only precleanse and cleanser were just enough. So, I've been very disciplined since then to include toners in my routine. Not only one but two toners.

Facial treatment essence is the SK-II's signature product and the best product from this line. Its damn expensive but so worth it.It has more than 90% Pitera that is isolated from sake/yeast (Saccharomycopis Ferment Filtrate) fermentation process. So, what is Pitera? Pitera is a naturally- occuring liquid that consists of vitamins, minerals and amino acids to help stimulate the skin's natural renewal cycle. As I mentioned in my previous post, P&G is so obsessed with the lucky number 7. So, Pitera also has number 7 assigned to it.

7 benefits of Pitera includes:

• Helps moderate the natural functions of skin
• Replenish skin moisture
• Smoothens skin surface
• Help make skin crystal clear
• Helps skin achive a good balance of sebum
• Helps sooth sunburned skin
• Helps balance the skin's pH level

So, the Facial treatment essence is more than just a toner. And by using Facial Treatment Clear solution, more Pitera is absorbed on the skin. The clear lotion contains AHAs that gently removes dirt and dead skin cell to condition the skin for maximum absorption of tbhe essence and moisturizer.The clear lotion is not exactly a lotion. It has a consistency just like water and the color is obviously clear. The essence has a bit of yellowish color and has stronger scent. For those with dry skin , I think the whitening source clear lotion is a good option because it has a bit more moisture added to it. After using the lotion and essence for almost 2 months, it helps with my breakout and give a healthy radiance on my skin and sort of 'normalize' my skin making it less oily.

The clear lotion has also Pitera in it but less than the one in the essence. It has hyaluronic acid (act as moisture-binder and plump the skin) and AHAs such as Citric acid, Malic acid, Lactic acid and Salicylic acid. The essence on the other hand has Pitera (9O%) and Sorbic acid in it. This two does sting a little bit upon application and even make your usual moisturizer to sting especially for those skin that are not used to AHAs. I also don't have any problem mixing my products with these toners.

I'm going to continue using these duo because I think these might be my HG. The clear lotion come in two size, 150ml (RM154) and 215ml. The essence also come in two size, 75ml (RM187) and 150ml (RM338)

Breastfeeding: My experience

I've been breastfeeding Amir since he was born. I was fortunate not to encounter any problems with latching, cracked nipples or even worse, mastitis. It was all good for us. I enjoyed breastfeeding very much. I think of breastfeeding as a special connection for a mother and her baby. Its not just a source of nutrient but also, comfort and security.It was difficult at first since I have to wake up every 2-3 hours to breastfed him and straight 8 hours sleep seems like a thing in the past for me. But when Amir was around 4 months that we start noticed itchy red patch all over his body.Even by looking at it, I know that he had eczema. But it just got worse and worse. I tried everything 'natural' over- the counter pharmacy but nothing worked. Every effort seems futile. Even our GP visit was useless.All she said was, use the steroid cream and moisturize, moisturize and moisturize.But Amir's body was covered with eczema. It was a huge struggle for my husband and I. He woke up every 1-2 hour, itchy and stratching. We were both physically and emotionally drained. I loss all focus on my study.

Only when Amir was admitted to Royal Children's Hospital that we knew that the underlying cause of her eczema was multiple food allergy. His eczema was complicated by Staph infection.He was allergic to milk, egg, wheat and soy. He was only 5 months at that time. It was so devastating to know that what I ate was a poison to him. Even though Amir was exclusively breastfed, the foods can still cross the breastmilk and cause his eczema to flare up. Eczema is a cruel disease. It has unpredictable course and most children went into a cycle of stable and then relapse. Its definitely one of parent's worse nightmare.As a new parent, never had anything like this crossed our mind.Knowing that amir was allergic to the food that I ate, the immunologist that we saw at RCH was keen on putting Amir on total hydrolysed milk protein. In our case, she want me to wean amir and feed him with Pepti-Jr. I vomit the first time I tasted the milk.Euuuwww..how can I feed my baby with this stuff? There were not many option for amir since he was allergic to soy and he refuse to bottlefed. We tried so many times feeding him with bottle but useless. I've spent so much money on buying different bottles, different teats but none works. I gave-up. The only thing for me was to continue breastfeed but I can't have any milk, egg, wheat and soy in my diet.It was difficult for me.I was very weak and tired when I first eliminate all these foods from my diet. On top of that, I also had iron and vitamin D deficiency. But the will to continue breastfeeding was still strong for me.Every time I went shopping, I felt really sad because I couldn't find any foods that didn't have any milk, egg, soy or wheat.I ate rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner.A lot of the time, I said to my husband, I want to stop it.But knowing how resistance Amir was and I was not ready to wean him, I managed to keep on going with diet elimination. Amir eczema was under control with diet elimination and he flares up once in while when I accidentally ate the wrong foods. I had to read every label on every foods in the market. Knowing different name for these foods such as whey and casein for milk and albumin for eggs. Every mistake I made, Amir had to suffer the consequences.

After I graduated, we went home to Malaysia. Amir eczema has improved a lot. Much2 better than he was in Melbourne. When we were in Melbourne, I had to use thick petroleum based moisturizer such as Dermeze for him because his skin was too dry that it cracked and bleed every time he scratch himself.Now I only put Gohnson's moisturizer on him and his skin is still soft. I think he probably had outgrew his soy and wheat allergy.We gave him soy milk as an addition to his daily diets. And he like it. But he still preferred breastfeed. I'm glad that I didn't stop breastfeeding when he was 5 months. And amir rarely get sick. I think he probably had a bit of runny nose a few times and never any fever or range of common ailments in children such as ear infection, upper and lower and respiratory infection. I did my general practice rotation in Coburg clinic and I saw very sick children every day from all range of infections. Not only that, most of these children get infected every 2-3X a month and been put on strong antibiotic to treat the infection that not just increase the resistance of the bacteria but also worse side-effects to their body. I encouraged every mother or future mother to breastfed your baby. If you want to give them a good head start to their life, this is it. It has so many good nutrients, amino and fatty acids that are good for brain development and most importantly, passive immunity from the transfer of mother's antibodies through the breastmilk. No matter how good or how expensive the milk formula, the companies only managed to replicate 1-2 fatty acid from all 2o fatty acids in mother's milk and not to mention antibodies and so many protein factors that are good for their immunity and digestive system. Its cheap, easy, portable and most importantly the best bond that ensure good physical and emotional development for your baby.


The water boy!

Makan at Uncle K kopitiam SACC

Tadi kitorg gi makan kat Uncle K kopitiam. After a dreadful and traumatic experience at Palma Cafe, we decided to eat at Uncle K. My husband ordered their new menu, Nasi goreng ikan tenggiri dengan kerang.Hmmm..biasa je.Rasa mcm nasi grg kampung je. Nothing new there.Sy just order Mee Hoon goreng.Pagi td my sis-in law bawak balik mee hoon.Sedap plak.Rasa tak puas.Tapi rasa mee hoon kat uncle K ni biasa je.Tak berapa sedap pun.Actually before this kitorg dh selalu sgt pergi makan restoran ni.Dah try almost semua makanan kat situ.Mmg variety of food.Rasa dia ok, tp dh lama2 pergi rasa mcm biasa je.Amir suka betul naik kereta remote control kat sacc tu.RM3 for 5 mins.Dh abis 5 mins je nak lagi.hehe..lain kali ye sayang...

Amir at 1 year 2 months

100% pure cuteness...muahxxx

Makan2 at Palma Cafe

Last nite kitorg decided to eat outside.And because hujan semlm kitorang terpaksa lah makan kat SACC je.Kitorg rasa mcm dh bosan sgt makan kat Uncle K kopitiam sbb kitorg dh selalu sgt makan kat situ before this. So kitorg singgahlah makan kat Palma Cafe.The last time we went there, nama cafe tu Rumbia Cafe and makanan diorg tak sedap. So, ingatkan nama dh tukar lain and deco pun nampak menarik, we thought maybe makanan diorg makin sedap jgk. Deco and ambience kat Palma Cafe ni mmg tenang and nampak menarik.Saya order Tenderloin Beaf Steak, husband order Spaghetti Sea Bass and untuk amir kitorg order Buttered Rice je. The waitress yg amik order kitorg tu seems to have zero idea ape benda yg kitorg order. Dia tak tahu pun rasa spaghetti sea bass tu mcm mana order my steak rare or medium ke.Punya lah lama kitorg tunggu makanan sampi.Ader family kat sebelah kitorg yg smpi lambat dr kitorg tu dh dpt order diorg pun.Tunggu punya tunggu, baru lah smpi. My steak nampak sgt lah tak menarik.Tak kisah lah tp rasa dia pun tak sedap. Dahlah daging and potato keras, french bean (kacang buncis) yang patut ader dengan steak tu pun digantikan dgn green bean je. Potato yang nak diserved with beaf should be boiled first and then fried.Kalau malas sgt nk fry, just boiled je. Punyer lah keras potato tu.Kuah pulak berketul2, mcm tepung gravy yang tak betul2 larut. My husband punyer dish lagi lah kesian. Spaghetti dgn ikan sea bass yang tawar. Dahlah takde ape2 kuah pun.kering je.nasib baik tak tercekik suami I..hahaa.Ader ke spagetti ti dia just tabur cheese and cili besar yang dipotong2 kecik.Not sure lah dr mana diorg dpt idea fusion ni. Tgk husband makan pun dh tau tak sedap. Kesian husband sy..huhu. Kitorg punye meals dh nak abis dh, amir punya buttered rice tak smpi2 lagi. Bukannya a full dish, cuma buttered rice je.Adoi...maybe diorg tunggu nasi masak kot.Sangat2 lah mengecewakan restoran ni. Dahlah mahal, tak sedap pulak tu. My mother-in law pun pernah ader bad experience makan kat situ. Dapat popiah hangus and stapler dlm mee. Last night I even had nightmare about spagetthi sea bass tu. In my dream, I have to eat that dish. Not again!!!heheh

All in all, mmg kecewa restoran ni.Masakan yg dihidangkan tak sepadan dgn harga and deco kedai ni. Mmg kitorg takkan jejakkan kaki lagi kat sini.hehe

Amir pulak learn a new skill. Makan guna mulut terus,takyah pakai tangan.Cut the middle man off, my husband said.Hehe

Review of Clarins Multi-active

I've been reading so much great comment on this line in my favorite local magazine, In-Trend.

So, I decided to give it a try. Clarins also has been actively promoting this line in Malaysia.I bought a mini size set for this range that consists of 1) Multi-active Skin Renewal Serum (10ml), 2) Multi-active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream (15ml), 3) Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser (20ml), 4) UV Plus HP Day Screen High Protection SPF 40 UVA/UVB PA+++ (10ml). All this for RM88. This are my first Clarins product so I sort of wish that this will be my HG line. This range has been created since 1988 and has been reformulated for the benefit of women who lead busy, active lifestyles without compromising their youthful beauty. This product target women at their prime age who exposed to high degree of stress, pollution and UV rays that in excess amount caused breakdown of collagen and damage DNA an in turn cause premature aging. So this line work as PREVENTION of the early signs of aging that start as early as 25 to 35 years of age. Other lifestyle factors for active women such as smoking, late hours party,lack of sleep, alcohol, air-conditioner environment and busy lifestyle all this can accelerate premature aging. Signs of premature aging include fine lines, dull looking skin, lack of firmness, uneven skin tone and pigmentation. I used all this products together so its kinda hard to review them individually.

1) Multi-active Skin Renewal Serum and Multi-active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream

I used this duo together most of the time. The serum has a peachy color and the smell just so divine. This light-weight serum just absorbed really well without sticky or oily feeling. The day cream on the other hands, has white color with a really nice smell. It just glides smoothly on skin leaving your skin glow with radiance and just a luxurious feeling. Both this duo just give almost like an instant result giving your skin more youthful and rejuvenated look.It doesn't make my skin oily and I really love both of this. During the day I will also use the sunscreen on top of this.Can't really comment much on the sunscreen but the sunscreen absorb really well, smell really nice and doesn't have any oiliness or sticky feeling to it. After 2 weeks using these I almost believe that this is it. The end of my search.But then I start to develop clogged pore and minor breakouts from this. I'm pretty disappointed but I just don't wanna believe that this wasn't for me.But then it just getting worse that I decided to stop using this after 4 weeks. What a disappointment. I used a lot of Estee Lauder serum and cream before but I think Clarins are definitely better.And the smell just so divine.I think this could be my HG skincare in the next 5 years maybe.Just keep my finger crossed on this one. The full size serum is 30ml and the cream is 50ml and the price for both are around RM200+

So, for the serum. The serum works by dual age-fighting and self-exfoliating action. This is what is said in the product description:

Triple Action Correction:

• Phytosphingosine and Cangzhu helps to activate collagen and repair skin damage by reinforce skin’s barrier function, reinforces the dermal-epidermal junction, reinforces skin resistance to early signs of aging

• Stimulate the skin's natural self renewal. Nopal flower extract, organic lemon acids and Papaya reveal youthful glow from within by enzymatic exfoliation process

• Soothes stressful skin with anti-inflammation power of phytosphingosine

So, what is this strange and peculiar "phytosphingosine" is?

Phytosphingosine is a free base lipid that derives from various plant that are also identical to the one that naturally present in the Stratum Corneum (outer layer) of our skin. It improves the appearance of red, inflamed and blemished skin by soothes irritated skin and balancing its microflora. It also helps with wound healing. So this definitely work to repair skin from oxidizing stress that damages our skin.

The nopal flower extract derives from prickly pear cactus known as nopal in Mexico and it helps to smoothes the skin surface and reduces small age spots and give a radiance skin. Nopal extract has been used widely as medicinal plant to helps support immune, glandular, nervous, circulatory, respiratory and digestive systems.It act as a 'detoxifier' and anti-oxidants to protect from oxidative stress from all stressors that I mentioned before.

The day cream also has Ambiaty Extract to correct early wrinkles. It is a shrub growing in the edges of forest in Madagascar and used by local people to treat injuries as this has known to help prevent infection and scarring.

Wowww..really good stuff.

2) Clarins Not-so Gentle Foaming Cleanser with cottonseed

This cleanser has white mousse-y feeling that foams really well. It cleans skin very well too. I like this cleanser but be careful because this stings any open breakout and minor wound on skin.This cleanser is formulated with Glysophilia Extract that helps create a fine and lightweight cleansing foam to gently clean skin of dirt and makeup. It also has Polymnia that preserves the skin’s natural moisture balance, while cottonseed softens and cares for skin to unveil a velvety soft complexion.Yes, this does give a temporary radiance post-wash and doesn't cause any dryness on my combination skin.

All in all, I'm so disappointed that this line didn't work so well on me. But Clarins really amaze me with their high quality product. Definitely a treat!

Review of Avon Anew Rejuvenate

I'm in search of a good and potent anti-aging skincare that suits my combination skin. After reading good reviews on Avon Anew Rejuvenate, I decided to try the samples of this product. I bought their sample for RM1 each at Avon shop. I bought samples of Revitalizing Day Cream and Flash Facial Revitalizing Concentrate. I'm not a big fan of Avon. I've been quite disappointed with Avon products that I've tried. Avon lipstick makes my lips dry, limited shade of Avon foundation that either make you look like you have a fake tan or ghastly white, runny makeup base,eye shadow that lasts only like 5 minutes, their dry clumpy mascara and not to mention their perfume that smell as if you just pour a bottle of perfume on your body .But I always try to buy some of their products because they are so cheap and most of the Avon ladies that I met are so nice and friendly. I know that's probably their marketing manipulation technique but its hard to say NO to the nice avon ladies. So, I really hope that this line can make me trust Avon again.

When I first looking at their ingredients, I'm pretty impressed. Long lists of ingredients that sound so mouthful. In their product description, this is what is said:

• Exfo-Smoothing Complex:Designed to exfoliate, smooth lines and clarify to help reveal fresher, younger-looking skin. Smoothes rough texture. Lines become less deep

• Mini-Extraction Technology:Formulated to work like thousands of micro-extractions to help deep-clean impurities and tighten pores. Shrinks pore size and strengthens pore structure

• Revitafresh Technology:Engineered to reinforce cell bonds and help make skin look more even and smoother. Cells come together to form smooth seamless skin

This products has potent anti-aging ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid (Sodium Hyaluronate), Hydroxy Acid (salicylic acid), peptide, retinoid (Retinyl Palmitate-in Flash Facial), vitamins (A, B, C, E), Yeast Extract and long lists of humectant and lipids. All this ingredients has been proven to prevent aging by making skin more plump and smooth wrinkles (Hyaluronic acid, retinoid, peptide), gentle exfoliation (hydroxy acid), increase moisture (humectant) and rejuvenate overall complexion (vitamins). The flash facial concentrate has 3X more concentrated ingredients than night cream.

In addition, the revitalizing cream also has SPF 25 to protects skin from UVA/UVB radiation. The price in pretty reasonable, RM 89.90 for Flash Facial (30g) and RM 79.90 for Day cream (30 g). When I first tried this product, the first thing that struck me was the smell. It smells like Kao Merit anti-dandruff shampoo. It has the strongest chemical-y smell I've ever smell for a facial moisturizer.Maybe okay for a shampoo but a NO-NO for moisturizer.The smell managed to give me a temporary headache. But the smell dissipates slowly but you probably have to use your breath-holding technique when using this cream. The flash facial has a pale yellow color while the day cream has white color. Flash facial has thicker texture compared to the day cream. Despite being light-weight, this cause my combination skin to get really oily after just 1 hour.It absorbed very well onto skin and I can definitely see that my skin looking rejuvenate and just glowing. It definitely soften my fine lines and looking as if I just had chemical peel. I really liked it despite being a bit oily. So, after one week using these duo, I started to have clogged pores and tiny bumps all over my face. After two weeks of using this, I stopped because my skin just worsened. Maybe this will suit more mature/dry skin.So, that's the end for me and Avon. Luckily I only have sample of this. I really hope that this is going to work for me but sadly not. So long AVON!!!

Lesen P and makan2 at Jom lepak cafe

Semalam sy buat JPJ test and lulus. Alhamdulillah. Rasa macam tak percaya pun ader jgk.hehe.Yeayyyyy!!!! JPJ officer yang sy dapat tu pun ok.Tak garang.Takde marah2.Dia duduk diam2 je sepanjang jalan tu.Nak last2 tu baru dia bersuara skit.Dia kata sy bawak kereta mcm bawak lori, asyik guna gear 2 je.hahaha..tak kisah lah.Janji kereta tak berenti.And masa kat roundabout (tempat yang saya paling cuak sekali), banyak pulak kereta. Menitik peluh saya.Sekali sy terbunyikan hon pulak.Dia pun tegur apesal awk tekan hon?Sy pun jawab..tertekan encik.Mmg TERTEKAN pun.Stress!!!haha

Masa dalam litar pulak nak buat tiga penjuru tu, masukkan kereta and reverse ok, pastu tiba2 enjin stop.Adoiiii..pastu sy cepat2 start enjin balik and keluar.Sy sempat pandang JPJ officer tu, rasa mcm dia pandang sy jgk.Alamak..gagal lah ni!Pastu keluar and nak amik borang je, tgk2 lulus.Tak sure lah dia tak perasan ke or dia lepaskan sebab kesian tengok muka seposen saya and mata kucing ala2 si Puss in Boots dlm citer Shrek tu.Takpelah, alhamdulillah.Malam nya kitorang keluar makan.Nak celebrate lah 'kejayaan besar' saya ni.Yelah, umur dah nak masuk 28 tahun, tapi br dapat lesen. Yang ader masa test tu kebanyakannya budak lepas SPM.Rasa macam sy paling tua kat situ.Dulu sy pernah amik lesen jgk lepas SPM tu tp sy penakut.Lepas masuk kolej and U, terus tak drive langsung.Br sekarang nak belajar betul. Kiranya sy berjaya lah conquer my inner fear.haha.dulu tiap kali kereta bergerak rasa mcm nak accident je.baru 20km/j tapi rasa mcm dah pergi 100km/j.asyik nak tekan brek je.hahaha..

Kitorang pun singgah makan malam kat Jom Lepak cafe kat seksyen 13, shah alam owned by Diana Rafar and husband. This restaurant hidangkan makanan cina. Kitorang order set utk 2 persons. Ader nasi 2 pinggan, tomyam, chicken black pepper in hotplate and 2 air sirap limau. And tambah mixed veges with prawn. Mmg not disappointed makanan dia. Boleh tahan sedap. Seafoods dalam tomyam pun fresh and generous. Chicken black pepper dia pun sedap and kuah dia pekat. Foods ok cuma ambience dalam restaurant ni kurang sikit lah. Deco can be improved from wall down to the floor.Customer service pun ok.Amir nampak selera makan biler ddk kat babyseat skrg.Mayb we should get one jgk for him. Skrg ni dh nampak amir nak mula pandai belajar berjalan.Mak and abah dia pulak yang seronok.Amir pun tengah nak amik lesen P berjalan jgk kan?..hehehe

My HG moisturiser- Olay Total Effect with Touch of Foundation

I've been a great fan of Olay since I was a teenager. I've tried almost all of Olay products but nothing works as this one. Olay White Radiance caused white cast on my face and has poor absorption on skin. Olay Regenerist is too thick and too oily for my combination skin. Probably this line suit people with more mature or dry skin.

Previously I used Olay Total Effect for Normal skin but when this come out in the market, I quickly tried it and this has become my HG moisturizer.This daily facial moisturizer combines the benefits of 7 anti-aging therapies PLUS a touch of sheer foundation to delicately even out skin's tone since I preferred light coverage tinted moisturizer most of the time. I have combination skin and this moisturizer doesn't cause my face looking oily. I hate looking like an oil slick. Who does right?. However, I don't think this has enough moisture for mature/dry skin cause this dries out my mother's skin but just enough moisture for my combination skin. I think this moisturizer is probably suitable to people aged 25-30 that want a good anti-aging moisturizer without looking too oily and cause breakout. Most products that prevent aging tend to be heavy, oily and cause breakouts. This does sting a little upon application because it has vitamin C but it dissipates very quickly.

As you can see, Procter and Gambler has been so obsessed with number 7. They also has Pantene Shampoo with 7 benefits. So, seven is definitely their lucky number.hehe. So, what are the seven benefits of Olay Total Effect?

1. Line Minimization: Reduces the appearance of fine wrinkles
2. Nourishing Moisturization: For a radiant, healthy glow
3. Subtle Lifting: Hydrates for firmer skin appearance
4. Brightening: Improves skin surface dullness
5. Gentle Exfoliation: Smoothes and evens skin texture
6. Pore Refinement: Minimizes the appearance of pores
7. Free Radical Defense: Helps prevent damage to skin's surface

Too good to be true right? Looking at the ingredients of this moisturizer, I can pretty much agreed with this. Why? Because this water-based moisturizer contains anti-oxidants and vitamins such as Vitamin C (ascorbyl phosphate), Vitamin B5 (panthenol), Vitamin E (tocopheryl acetate) and Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide). This moisturizer also contains Camellia Oleifera Leaf Extract (Japanese Green Tea) which is a potent anti-oxidant that helps to protect skin from the effects of free radical and soothing on the inflamed skin.It has zinc oxide that known to have soothing properties on the skin. Sometimes I strayed away from this product to try out new product for no reason or just boredom and suffered from minor breakouts. I always come back to this moisturizer and it calm my skin down and helps my breakouts. Definitely a keeper.

This moisturizer also has titanium dioxide that protects skin from both UVA and UVB radiation.This moisturizer has only SPF 15 which I don't think enough for people with fairer skin living in humid climate like in Malaysia. I usually breakout from most sunscreen with higher SPF. So, this is definitely my choice because this doesn't cause any breakout. I'm not really sure about the gentle exfoliation or pore refinement effect because there are no ingredients such as AHA, BHA or salicylic acid.

This tinted moisturizer has sheer touch of foundation that gave light coverage. It covers some acne marks and even out the skin tone. The foundation adapts to all skin color. Its quite thick but spread easily on skin. So, anyone can use this moisturizer. If you're looking for heavy coverage foundation, this is definitely not for you. I usually use this after toner followed with my Mac Studio Fix Compact and Mac Prep+ Prime translucent loose powder.

All in all, I loved this moisturizer so much. I can definitely see results with this moisturizer. It makes my skin smoother and rejuvenate. It relatively inexpensive and for 50ml, and this lasts a long time. Probably about 2-3 months even with everyday use. Highly recommended!!

Review of Himalaya Herbals Mask

This is probably the worst product I've ever bought. I'm looking for a tube mask to replace my Dermalogica Hydrating Mask. Since my husband and I love their hair oil, so I decided maybe I might give this a try. In the product description, this is what it said,

" A cooling Fruit Pack that cleans clogged pores and removes deeply embedded impurities. Restores your skin's elasticity and improves skin texture. Helps control blemishes and blackheads and minimizes wrinkles"

This mask has Apple, which is the natural source of AHAs with Fig and cucumber to provide cooling effect to skin. It also has Papaya that lightens freckles and Mineral Clay that improves circulation. Sound fancy right? I know. But WRONG. They should call this a "stinging" mask because this masks sting your face like acid. Ive tried this three times and even used it on my husband, we both literally 'cried'.hehe. Its really that painful. Urgghhh!!! Even though the pain dissipates after 3-4 minutes but it feels as if this mask erodes my face like an acid. I tried to put a thin layer of this mask but still the same effect.

This mask is so thick and has bright yellow colour. This mask also has a strong scent. It dries pretty quickly but this cause my face to become red and sensitive. No positive effect at all.Such a disappointing product. This one goes straight to the bin!!!

Dermalogica Review Part 2

Here is the list of Dermalogica products that I hate :

1. Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

This is a gentle physical exfoliant that has rice-based enzyme powder that activates upon contact with water, releasing Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes to smooth the skin and accelerate cell renewal. This product is also part of Dermalogica Brightening system because it helps with pigmentation and melanin production while micro-exfoliating the dead skin layer. This scrub is very gentle but so much hassle to use. You need to dispense about a half teaspoon of the powder into wet hands, and form a creamy paste by rubbing hands together. And you just massage this in circular motions. Personally, I hate this product because its difficult to control how much powder to use and if you use to much water, it will be too watery and you won't feel the exfoliating effect. Pretty expensive too. The price I think is double than Skin Prep Scrub.

2. Dermalogica Active Moist

I love Dermalogica cleanser and mask but I hate their moisturiser. I've used this but this is really not for me. It doesn't absorb well and I look like an oil slick even though it was winter. It doesn't give me any breakout but an oil face is a big NO NO.

3. Dermalogica AGE Smart Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque

After reading Victoria Beckham's rave on this mask as her favourite mask, I decided to give this a try. And I hate it.This mask is yellow in color and has a very thick consistency. It sting a little bit upon application. This mask feels like a thick moisturiser on my face. It doesn't dries up and feel so uncomfortable. If I used this more than 10 minutes, it makes my skin red. I just wanna quickly wash this off. Its very expensive and probably more suitable on dry, matured or photodamaged skin. A cheaper alternative is MD Forte, Skin Rejuvenation Hydra- masque only half the price of this mask.I,ve used this and it has exactly same color, smell and ingredients (AHA, BHA, vitamins) but different brand.

4. Dermalogica Multivitamin Thermafoliant

After reading great reviews on this scrub on Makeupalley.com, I managed to get a sample of this. This skin polisher combines both physical and chemical exfoliants. It has microgranules with Lactic Acid that activates upon contact with water. As advised by the sale's lady, I used this on dry skin and I think its too harsh on my skin. It makes my skin red and raw. The thermal effect dissipate pretty quickly. I only used sample, so I can't tell the long-term effect of this. This scrub is pretty expensive too.

5. Dermalogica Day Bright SPF 15

This reminds me so much of Shiseido White Lucent Day Cream which I hate. First of all,both of this creams make my skin PINK. Seriously noticeable pink. How am I supposed to go out looking like a pink pather. Secondly, both of this does nothing on my skin. No brightening or whitening effect..NADA! Both doesn't cause any breakout but pretty mediocre products considering how expensive these are.

6. Dermalogica Climate Control Lip Balm

I'm pretty disappointed with this lip balm. First of all, it smell and taste like a lemongrass which I don't prefer. And secondly, I used this at night, so I don't wake up with dry chapped lips but this cause whitish stuff on my lips in the morning.Urgghh!!. This product actually enhance the skin's natural lipid barrier. Could the white stuff be lipid? Not sure. It doesn't moisturise my lips that well though. There are so many great lip balm out there but this one is not one of them.

* All in all, I'm going to end my relationship with most of Dermalogica products. I'm going to keep using my Gentle Cream Exfoliant. Definitely a keeper. The price of dermalogica products are more expensive than the price offered by Skincarestore. For example, the price of Special Cleansing Gel is RM15o (AUD 50) compared to AUD38 from Skincarestore. So overpriced (come on dermalogica!). Dermalogica should be aggressive in term of promoting their products in Malaysia because they have such great range of products.

Dermalogica Review Part 1

I've been an avid user of Dermalogica products since 4 years ago.Only recently that I change to other brand.I used to live in Australia, so I bought all my products through online website called Skincarestore.com because their price are cheaper and postage is free all around Australia.I had pretty bad experience with Dermalogica sale's assistant in Malaysia. Recently I purchased Dermalogica Mini Size set for my mother because she love their Special Cleansing Gel. The sale's assistant followed me around so closely everywhere in the shop and she was also very persuasive.After I made my purchase, I asked them for a sample of Dermalogica Thermafoliant which I've been dying to try. She asked the other lady (probably her superior) whether they should gave me the sample for free or I should pay for it. What??? I ended up paying RM1 for 2 sample of Dermalogica Thermafoliant. So kedekut!!!Dermalogica is one of those brand that are not easy to find.I only saw their product being sold at branch called Aster Springs and Leonard Drake in Malaysia. Its not a very famous brand in Malaysia but in my opinion is probably one of the best brand I've ever came across.

My love with Dermalogica begin with my visit for a facial in QV Victoria at pharmacy near Lonsdale St. I had terrible breakout from using Shiseido. I actually can see an instant result from the facial.I tried their acne-prone set and I instanly fall in love with Dermalogica and this line has help to 'normalised' my skin and really keep my acne at bay.

Dermalogica products that I love:

1. Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel

A soap-free, translucent gel that foams easily and suitable for all skin types.No drying or tight feeling on the skin post-wash.One of the best I've used so far.It cleans make-up very well too. Lasts a long time. Probably around 6 months for 25oml bottle.Packaging is very hygiencic and easy to use.

2. Dermalogica Pre-cleanse

An oil that I used on dry skin using dry hands and spread it all over the face. Put a little bit of water to make the make-up emulsify.Rub a little bit more on area where you used a lot of makeup. It just sucks up all the oil and dirt on your face. Be careful with area around the eye as this can sting like crazy if it gets into the eye. Effective even with water-proof makeup. It has a very nice aromatherapy scent that smell relaxing.At first its hard to imagine using an oil on your face to clean your makeup.I was afraid too that this will cause more breakout. But it make sense, because oil has hydrophobic (water hating, fat loving) properties and it will attract oil on your skin. When I first used Mac Studio Fix fluid, I have lots of breakout. And I blame Mac for this but the reason that I'm having breakout after using foundation is because I didn't use any oil based pre-cleanser to properly clean my skin. And surely, after I used this with my cleanser, I have no breakout from Mac again. Dermalogica recommends using pre-cleanse with the cleanser as an effective double cleansing.150 ml bottle last me over one and a half year.

3. Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant

1

This is once or twice a week mask and suitable for all skin type except for sensitive skin. A bit drying on people with dry or mature skin. It has thick, yellowish consistency.This is a chemical exfoliant that is so gentle to removes dead skin cells. Th

is works better on dry skin that has been properly washed. It contains both AHA and BHA from natural fruit enzymes to detach the outer layer of skin (stratum corneum) and stimulate cell renewal. It can sting a little if you're not used to AHA/BHA based products but it dissipate quickly. Its recommended that you follow this with moisturing mask such as Intensive Moisture Mask of Skin Hydrating Mask or any cloth mask. Leave it for 10-15 minutes and you can see that a little bit of your skin exfoliate.Probably the best chemical exfoliant I've tried. You need to use sunscreen at least spf 15 if you use this product as this product can make your skin more senstive to sun exposure.I usually use this at night and only a thin layer of this mask is needed and this last a long time too.

4. Dermalogica Skin Prep Scrub

This is a skin-polishing physical exfoliant that you used about 3-4 times a week. It has thick consistency and colour like Gentle Cream Exfoliant. It has finely-granulated Corn Cob Meal that gently removes outer layer of your skin. I preferred this than their Daily Microfoliant. I usually mixed this with Special Cleansing Gel. It gives your skin a healthy and more polished look.

5. Dermalogica Medi Bac Clearing Skin Wash

I used this when I had terrible breakout and this helps a lot. It has salicylic acid that sloughs off dead skin cells to clear congested follicles, helping to prevent future breakout.It also has naturally-antiseptic extracts to calm congested, aggravated skin. But I didn't use this for long because this helps to control oil on my face and it sort of make my skin normal again. Using this for long cause a bit of drying on my skin.

Continued....