Rojak Reviews - Should it be a weekly thing?

now who's hungry? 
http://www.gobentong.com/en/food/snacks/rojak-1

There are just so many facts that you can find on the internet on just about anything (I just hope no one opens my search history)! And I'm about to add on to that overwhelming list of facts because why the hell not.

But since my post on my Instagram regarding sunscreen, I noticed that THERE ARE quite a number of you that value my opinion on things. Thank you for making me feel useful! But you know what? I can't take full credit for that. Because surprise surprise, my opinions were shaped by other people's opinions and their opinions were shaped by other unworldly creatures and the chain goes on.

I can just share my thoughts based on what I've personally tried, combined with things I've read on the web for more factual stuff (definition, ingredients, pros and cons, etc.) and my skepticism towards life. And TADAA~ I present to you my rojak reviews!

I can't promise you as to how often I will be doing these, but I will try my very best to feed you with interesting facts on skincare that I pick up along the way. I'm not sure how this blog world works but if there's a subscribe button or something, do click on it to stay updated!

Until my next post!

Have an awesome week ahead, or die trying. ♥

Meghan Markle's Signature Makeup Look

So with the Royal Wedding just around the corner, thought I'd share some tips I snagged off the internet while I was searching for the perfect bridal makeup (unfortunately not for myself yet lah).

Makeup artist, Hannah Sorcha, came up with a dumbdumb-proof step-by-step guide to looking like Meghan Markle. I personally call it the Trap-Your-Very-Own-Prince makeup look. 

Meghan (YAH, we're on first-name basis already because we're tight like that...) has this chic natural makeup going on for her. It's almost like she just put on eyeliner and mascara, went for a walk, took a nap and woke up with her skin slightly greasy and eyeliner a little smudged. AND IT WORKS!

Hannah Sorcha, a sought-after makeup artist in London, has so kindly broken down Meghan's signature makeup look into steps that all of us can easily follow. 

Meghan's Signature Makeup Look:

1. Moisturise and prime the skin 

2. Apply foundation, then set with powder

3. Fill in the eyebrows with a gel or pencil, creating a fuller, straighter brow rather than a heavily arched look

4. Set the eyebrows with a brow gel

5. Apply eyeshadow primer, then apply a light brown shadow all over the lid

6. Work a darker shade of brown into the crease and dust some along the bottom lashes

7. Apply a brown liner along the top lash line and blend to create a soft, smoky look

8. Apply brown liner to the lower lash line for extra definition

9. Apply highlighter to the inner corner of each eye

10. Curl the lashed and add mascara

11. Prep the lips with a hydrating lip balm, then line with a nude liner before applying a nude cream lipstick over the top

12. Dust a peach blush over the cheeks

13. Apply highlighter around the outer corner of the eyes in a C shape and slightly along the nose

CLICK HERE to read the full article.

While I love a minimalistic makeup look like this, I've added my own twist to it to make it more Wiwin/pinggan-face-friendly. 

I almost always apply a medium shade cream contour to every makeup look that I do on myself because I like to fool myself into thinking that my Japanese ancestors passed down a bit of their high cheekbone genes to me (see how I managed to slip in an "interesting" fact about myself to sound exotic there?).

That's all I have for now. Do let me know if you would like to see an actual footage of me applying this makeup look on my face in the future. Possibly on YouTube, which I have abandoned for the longest time.

Till my next post!

Satisfy your food cravings before puasa begins! ♥

pinggan - plate

puasa - fasting

CLINIQUE Anti Blemish Solutions BB Cream SPF 40/PA+++ Review

I was in a love-hate relationship with my foundation. I felt like it did its job at covering my cipets and I look BOOTIFUL (from a distance). But in the long run, I realize that it was causing more damage than good (like most relationships I'm exposed to).

I didn't think much of it and continued using that foundation. It was not until one day I found myself strolling down the foundation aisle in Clinique and came across the Anti-Blemish Solution BB Cream. I swatched a few shades on my face and found one that was the closest to my neck. The finish was exactly what I was looking for in an "everyday" foundation. It was lightweight and had a light-to-medium coverage that evened out my skin tone effortlessly.

But with any foundations we try in the store, first impressions aren't always a reliable factor. I've purchased some foundations in the past that eventually turned out to be quite crappy (sounds familiar?). That was not the case with this BB cream. I have been using it for a good 3 months and with each application, I fell deeper in love with it.

PACKAGING

Calling all my girls with attachment issues! If you're anything like me and can't leave the house without bringing your whole makeup bag with you because you fear the day a thief might come into your house and steal your June favourites. Then this BB cream is for you. It's tiny, which means that it won't take up too much space in your bag, which also means you can bring more unnecessary shit in your bag!

COLOUR RANGE

Clinique Malaysia carries this BB cream in 3 shades. Fair, Natural and Natural Beige. I am in the colour Natural Beige, which is the darkest shade available. I have to admit that I wish they had a wider range of colours so that more people can enjoy using this BB cream as much as I do. 

COVERAGE

This BB cream offers a light-to-medium coverage that is easily built to a full coverage depending on the severity of your skin. For an everyday foundation routine, I recommend just using one layer of this to even out the skin tone and then top it off with a setting powder of your choice. But say if you're someone with more pigmentation and texture on the skin, you can get away with 2 to 3 layers of this without looking like a crepe cake.

FINISH

Semi-matte to the touch! As much as I love a dewy finish, my skin can get quite oily by midday. So instead of going for an all-over glow, I keep my whole face matte with this BB cream and use a cream highlighter on the high points of my cheekbones. The perfect solution for my berminyak girls who still want a glow without the sapi.

STAYING POWER

According to the website, it's supposed to stay on for a good 12 hours. Although I do think that it could, I can't say that it does for my nose. I notice that I have to go in with a powder foundation on my nose as the BB cream would have completely worn off by the 6th hour (my nose is an oil rig).

MY TWO CENTS

Hands down, my FAVOURITE everyday foundation. I've been asked whether this BB cream helped cure my acne. And to a certain degree, yes, I think this BB cream did play a part. Looking at the ingredients, I don't think this BB cream is meant to cure or even treat acne. But what I've noticed is that the oil-free and fragrance-free properties of this cream does not aggravate my sensitive skin.

This might come to you as a surprise (or not... Let me feel like a smartass jap..) but fragrance does absolutely nothing to your skin. In fact, fragrance might be the underlying cause to your breakouts. Fragrance causes irritation that may or may not be visible on the surface. If it helps, think of it like smoking a cigarette. You may not see the effects immediately but you know for sure that it will take a toll on your health one day. If you're doing both fragrance and smoking cigarettes, then you're pretty much f@!^ked. 

FINAL VERDICT

★★★★★

Share your thoughts in the comment box below if you've tried this product!

Till my next post!

Be happy! ♥

cipets - what I call my pimples

berminyak - oily 

sapi - ghee

Everyday Catfishing Makeup (ft. my first quarter favourites)

I don’t wake up looking anywhere near how I look like in pictures. Don’t give me crap for saying this but we ALL upload photos that WE look good in. It doesn’t matter if your friends look like a piece of chewed up gum. As long as your face (butt, tits, jawline) slays, then that photo is going up on Instagram whether your friends like it or not.

I figured I would share with you some of my tips and tricks on how to look human in photos and in person. You’d be doing your friends and yourself a favour by just looking decent in photos. Think of all the fights with your friends that you can avoid!

1 --> PRIME

I recently got the In Transit Camera Close-up primer from This Works. Highly recommended by my makeup hoarder of a sister, @sophiacintalee, who I might add has the most flawless skin I have ever seen.

I’ve used it for a good month now and let me tell you, it has changed how my foundation looks at the end of the day. It keeps the crustiness (ew.) of my dry scars and patches at bay for hours.

I apply this primer after my moisturiser. Nothing fancy to it. Just slap it on like how you would apply a moisturiser.

2 --> CONCEAL don't feel

The Soft Matte Complete Concealer from NARS has been my go-to since I got it, which was honestly not too long ago. Instead of going in with a foundation to even out my skin tone, I like to apply concealer on my cipets (pimples/dark spots/all that not-so-good stuff). Bear in mind that this is an everyday makeup look, so you’ll be doing this EVERYDAY. I suggest you try to use less products on your face so you can save some moolas.

Next, you can fake a well-rested face by applying a little bit of concealer under the eyes. Preferably something more hydrating like the Born This Way Naturally Radiant Concealer from Too Faced.

Blend this all out with a beauty blender/brush or if you’re a savage, your fingers.

3 --> POWDER

You can opt for a full/medium/light coverage powder, depending on the severity of your cipets. For me, I use a high coverage powder like the Studio Fix from MAC in place of a foundation since I skip that step on most days. This powder is LIFE.

Coverage: Cipets what? Where? Who?

Staying power: Forever (MAC’s Fix Plus helps too I guess)

Apply this all over your face like you would normally do, with a fluffy brush. Please don’t try to apply this with your fingers (I hope we are all somewhat on the same makeup-knowledge-wavelength)…

4 --> WARMTH, ROSEATE and BEAM like the Greek Goddesses

To add dimension to the face without having to contour is easy. Take your favourite bronzer, mine is Laguna from NARS, lightly dust it –

1.     into your hairline

2.     underneath your cheekbones but be sure to stop before your pupils

3.     along the sides of your jawline

As for blush, I personally love a bright pink flush on the cheeks. I’m not shy when it comes to blush because the red hues in a blush camouflage my cipets very well. My all time favourite blush is Angelika from NARS. Sweep this shade all over your cheeks, placing most of the pigments onto the apples and fading it into the hairline for an unrealistic flush.

I have two highlighters that I always reach for. The first is the NARS Multiple in Copacabana. I use this before setting my face with a powder because balms don’t blend in too well on top of talc. The places that I would normally highlight are my–

1.     eyebrow bone

2.     top of the cheekbones

3.     bridge of the nose

4.     cupid’s bow

5.     eyelids (so we can skip eyeshadow all together)

 A balm leaves you looking very dewy. If you’re an oily mess like myself, then setting your highlight with a powder highlighter is the way to go. My ride-or-die powder highlight is the Illuminator in Sunlight from Cover FX. To be quite honest, the highlight looks so sad in the pan. It is nowhere near the blinding highlighters that are flooding your Instagram feed. It gives the most subdued yet breathtaking glow when applied onto the face. I gush over this highlight every time I talk about it! #dorkysnort

5 --> Define the BROWS and EYES

I don’t do anything crazy with my eyebrows on a daily basis. I simply fill them in with the Instant Lift for Brows Crayon in Deep Brown from Clinique. This is my current go-to eyebrow pencil mainly because it has a waxy finish, which keeps my brow hairs in place without having to go in with a separate product like a brow gel (kill two stones with one bird. eh?).

I have learned to love my eyes without eyeliner. It took a lot of courage to leave the house without my crooked wings but I did it. I figured curling my lashes and applying a few layers of mascara instead would put me in a better mood, since it’s impossible to screw mascara up.

I’m a drugstore-mascara fan (only because I can’t afford expensive ones) and I’m open to trying new ones all the time. The one that I have on hand at the moment is the Lashionista by Maybelline. This mascara has tiny little fibers that extends and thickens your lashes for days.

A little trick that I like to do when applying mascara is to tease my lashes with the wand. Yes. Just tease them like how you would tease your hair (don’t poke your eyeballs out please). This keeps your lashes curled all day!

---

I would be lying to you if I said I use lipstick everyday because I really don't. Unless I know that I won't be eating as much that day, which is highly unlikely. So lipsticks, hmm, use it, don't use, I don't care.

And TADAA! You can now have a pose off with your friends and not be the most hideous of them all!

You're welcome.

Till my next post, hun buns!

♥

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Lipstick Hunt ft. Marcella & Co Review

I'm not a lipstick kind of girl. Never have been and probably never will be. But will that stop me from trying them in the stores and thinking "Hmm.. I'm going to wear this EVERYDAY.", and end up checking out with 4 new lipsticks? Probably not. And I'm sick in the head like that.

I'm not the perfect candidate to be making reviews for lipstick but I can share with you what goes on in my deranged little mind when deciding which lipstick is worth buying. 

Deciding Factor #1: FORMULA

I'm not a fan of sheer and glossy lipsticks. I also don't like the feel of having lipstick on my lips, which makes my hunt for lipsticks 10x easier kan? 

Something that goes on like water but dries down to a matte-finish and also completely blanks out my natural lip colour, THAT is what makes a good lipstick in my books.

Deciding Factor #2: SHADE

For an everyday lipstick, I tend to go for shades that are 1 to 2 shades lighter or darker than my lips. But I'm also an extremist by nature when it comes to picking out a bold lipstick for all the "events" that I'm invited to (pfft...). Dark vampy lips are for days when I'm feeling ballsy. So if you see me out in an almost-black shade of lipstick, you know I mean business.

Lipsticks with warm undertones somehow don't flatter my skin tone. My logic behind this is that the orange tinge in a warm lipstick brings out the redness in my acne. At least that's how I see it. Therefore, when picking out a lipstick shade, I prefer blue/cool undertones for my skin tone.

Deciding Factor #3: STAYING POWER

Reapplying my lipstick in a social setting is the least of my worries, especially with all the canapés just waiting for me to devour and pretty much destroy my red lippie. I mean, if you're destined to look like the Joker by the end of the night, then you will. You can't fight fate.

However, liquid matte lipsticks are perfect for those kind of situations. Or for those of you who are socially awkward and don't quite know how to behave in public. (Tip: Act like you're busy eating. Works like a charm for me!)

Liquid matte lipsticks are known for their staying power. Some of my favourites are from M.A.C. and also Huda Beauty because they don't suck the life out of your lips. Provided that you apply a thin layer rather than going ham with the wand. 

Which brings me to my latest find, Marcella & Co!  

VENOM

EVA

KALISTA

While the formula (and the price, RM55) of this lipstick hits my sweet spot,

Opacity: Two thin layers for an opaque finish

Non-drying: Did not dry my lips out, in fact it was rather hydrating (Rose hip oil & Argan oil)

Longevity: 2 to 3 hours wear

These shades weren't exactly Wiwin-friendly but don't let my personal preference get in the way. Venom is too warm for my liking, Eva would look incredible on someone with a bit of a tan and Kalista made my teeth look yellow. But again, that's just me.

It also has a very strong scent, which is not exactly a problem for me per se. But if rosey-Crabtree-&-Evelyn-potpourri smelling things bother you, then you might want to test this out first before buying all 5 shades (Venom, Gia, Nikita, Eva, Kalista).

For more info on their lipsticks, check out their Instagram, @marcellaandco!

FINAL VERDICT

★★★

Till next time, boobies!

Spread love, not diseases!  ♥

kan? - right?

The Perpetual Girlfriend

I spent 10 years of my life going in and out of relationships. Hahaha what a way to start my first post for 2017. But before anyone judges me, I also want to say that I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I didn’t meet these interesting men whom I’ve had the pleasure of spending at least 2 to 4 years of my life with.

Love comes in different forms. To say one is greater than the other isn’t fair. But being human, I’ve compared and contrasted my relationships more than all the heavily filtered photos you see on Instagram combined. This habit has left me feeling ungrateful and unappreciative (when you want to hit your 150 word mark lol) of what I have in front of me.

Each person I’ve dated had something different to bring to the table. Not all of them were bad, but not all of them were good either. But for the sake of keeping this entry light, let’s focus on the good (sounds like some Ashtanga Vinyasa shit haha).

In no particular order, here is a list of things I’ve learned (the keyword here is "I", therefore, I don't expect all of you to agree with me) from being a perpetual girlfriend:

• Have your own thing. This “thing” can be anything. From your cat to your passion. What ever it may be, always have something else going on for you besides your relationship. Not out of fear that he or she will leave you and then you’re left with nothing, but more so that you have something to share and talk about with your partner.
• The desire for reciprocation is inevitable. Yes, unconditional love sounds lovely. But in all honesty, you want what you give/are willing to give. Which brings me to my next point.
• You can't force your partner to reciprocate. Cus.. Umm, that doesn't feel good either. If it doesn't come naturally for the both of you, ciao cincau. 
• DMC. Deep meaningful conversations. They keep relationships healthy. Almost like a supplement for the two souls involved (orrr you can shove an estrogen pill up his throat...).
• Don’t be afraid to fight once in a while. I’m not telling you to pick a fight with your partner (although I may or may not have done that a couple of times just to spice my relationship up a little…). But when you manage to come to an understanding over a certain matter, you're indirectly learning more about each other thus growing your relationship.
• Love yourself more than your relationship, but not to the point where you start taking your partner for granted. 
• Don't lose sight of the moon while you are busy counting stars. Because it will hit you one day. As tempting as it may be, compose yourself and remember why you love who you love. Or get your best friends to smack you with a lamp. 
• I was told I'm a retaliating goblin. Don't be one. Don't waste your time. It doesn't solve anything. If you need to get your message across, communicate. Not only will this strain your relationship, but it will bite you in the ass. So don't. Just don't.

Lah tu je? I really thought the list was going to be longer... Oh well, for as long as I'm breathing, I will continue to learn, make mistakes along the way, nag, complain and come to a realization that I don't know shit.

This is clearly not a beauty-related post but I do want to start writing about things that are happening or have happened to me on my blog.

Till my next post, my darlings!

♥

cincau - grass jelly

lah tu je - that's it??

CLINIQUE Cheek Pop Review

I feel like blushers don’t get enough credit. We just swirl our brushes into them for a good 20 seconds and make a whole mess before applying it onto our cheeks. Have you ever thought of thanking them for making you look less dead or maybe compliment them every now and then for the variety of looks you can achieve by changing the shade or even the placement of the blusher? I don’t think so because most of you take your cheek rouge for granted. And why is that? Is it because they’re not the “Windows to your soul” therefore, they don’t deserve a minute of your time like how you would go out of your way perfecting that annoying winged liner? Well guess what?

That’s completely up to you! Haha! I recently discovered the power of blushers. So this is me preaching like any new hardcore believer of something. Be prepared to hear me shove the idea of changing your entire look up with the assortment of shades of blushers available in the market or just by changing the placement of the blusher on your face, over and over again in this blog post. (Don’t say I didn’t warn ya!)

We often see people smoke up their eyes or vamp up their lips when going from a day to a date night look. If I had a life, I would do this too. And while this is completely optional, I also want to point out that I’ve seen some stranded raccoons and the ghost of Heath Ledger as Joker roaming around at night. What I’m trying to say here is that A LOT can go wrong when you’re trying to play up your eye or lip game. It’s risky! Lol not really, I’m just being annoying ✌️.

But a good alternative for beginners or lazy humans like myself, can amp up the cheek colour for a change. Depending on your agenda for the day, whether it is to look innocent (when you’re actually a promiscuous b!tch inside) or to trap a man (yes, I’m quoting Ali Wong because she’s god), a blusher can do all that. I’ll list some of my favourites as well as how I would use them for different scenarios.

08 Melon Pop

This is a satin peachy pink blusher that gives you the perfect flush without looking like you have much on, at least for my skin tone that is. The product itself is finely milled but nowhere near powdery, and this applies to the other two shades as well, which means that you can get great colour payoff without the fallout.

For that perfect "no-makeup makeup look" flush that boys love so much, this shade gives you a very natural punch of colour without scaring them away. Thus, making it the perfect blusher shade for a first date (because remember, you want to reel them in with innocence before you can show them your inner dragqueen).

03 Berry Pop

This is a satin hot pink blusher full stop. What you see in the pan is what you will get on the cheeks. The colour payoff for this blusher is a little scary but when used with a light hand, it is a great pick-me-up blusher shade that can make you look instantly fresh and awake.

I do have to say that this shade looks stunning on medium-to-darker skin tones on its own. But fret not my hot-pink-addict-albinos! You can warm your face up slightly with a touch bronzer and add this blusher shade on top for a smooth transition. I’ve also used this shade on my eyes; so if you would like to check that out, CLICK HERE to be redirected to that video.

15 Pansy Pop

I was a little hesitant to pop this shade on my cheeks when I first got it. It’s purple… But much to my surprise, this is actually a very friendly shade. And by friendly, I mean that it looks amazing on both fair and darker skin tones.

The shade leans more towards the cooler end of the spectrum, which I think is an interesting twist to the common bronzed-beach-bum look I myself am guilty of always going for. A cool pop of colour on the cheeks is a great way to make you look chic, especially when it’s paired with a clean makeup look (think Karima McKimmie from Shameless Fripperies).

These blushers are great to have in your makeup bag because they don't shatter easily. But with that in mind, please don't go throwing them on the ground on purpose just because I said that. I've been using them for close to 2 months now and I've hardly made a dent, so YEAYY for you cheapskates out there! A great value for money since you won't go through them so quickly. Thumbs up for Clinique for keeping us cheapeedees in mind when manufacturing these blushers!

Price point wise, I think it's reasonable for the amount and quality you're getting. Only RM83 a pop! This is turning into an infomercial really quick so I better stop now haha!

Your cheeks are a great place to start when planning your makeup look for the day or night. Give it a try the next time you're caking up for an event!

Till next time, babies!

♥

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