Lush Angels on Bare Skin Cleanser Review.

To start off, I'm a bit obsessed with this solid cleanser. 

According to Lush's website, Angels on Bare Skin is:

"An incredibly gentle cleanser is made from 100% natural ingredients. Inspired by a medieval recipe and topped off with lavender flowers, this contains kaolin to absorb grease and dirt, leaving skin clean and nourished. Lavender oil and rose absolute calm the skin. As you mix your solid cleanser with water to form a paste, the ground almonds create almond milk which helps to tone and brighten the skin. This can be used all over your body and your face as well."

Yes, I know I've been overusing the pinecone in pictures :P

Anyway, I bought this whilst in Melbourne after my mom mentioned how much she loves the scent of AOBS. According to her, it smells very "natural and good for the skin." LOL.
I'll be honest. I hated this initially. It probably took me 2 weeks to get used to the scent as well as the texture.

As you can see, AOBS isn't like your regular liquid facial cleanser. This comes in the form of a gritty, ugly-looking paste, sprinkled with dried lavender buds that end up looking like bugs. (Sorry for the gross description!)

Here's a full list of the ingredients to reassure you there aren't any bugs:

Ground Almonds, Glycerine, Kaolin, Water (Aqua), Lavender Oil, Rose Absolute Chamomile Blue Oil, Tagetes Oil, Benzoin Resinoid, Lavender Flowers, Limonene, Linalool.

See? All really natural. No nasties like sulfates or parabens.


Tbh, this took me a while to get used to. The first few attempts were pretty much disastrous: I either took way too much product and ended up sorrowfully witnessing the excess cleanser fall and crumble away in the sink; or took too little and had to reach for more by dipping my wet fingers into the pot. *shudders at the thought*

Please dry your hands before pinching a pea-size amount of this baby! You don't want water slushing around at the bottom of the tub. Gross!

Also, it is good to know that as AOBS is made without any preservatives, its shelf-life is pretty short: 3 months. Be sure to check the 'use-by' date before purchasing! Dishing out 16.95AUD and realising you only have 2 weeks to finish all 100g of this bug-looking paste is just SAD.

I've been using this day and night for the past 2 months and am absolutely loving the results! This cleanser cleans without making my skin all tight with dry patches, and leaves it soft and glowy (thanks to the exfoliating properties of the ground almonds).

This isn't overly moistursing as well - I have oily skin and this doesn't give me an oil-slick of a face. THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT.

Overall, I highly recommend trying this product! It's like my ultimate holy grail cleanser at the moment :D  Whoopee whoopee!


I got my tub of AOBS at 16.95AUD for 100g. Of course, it's much more worthwhile getting the larger tub. Too bad the shelf-life is so damn miserable. 3 months?!?! So 100g would do :/

x

Ocean Royale by James Bond 007 Review.

With the past two fragrance reviews being for women, here's one for the guys lest they feel unappreciated :P

James Bond's Ocean Royale EDT: an oldie but a goodie. Launched in 2013, the fragrance pulls inspiration from the sunny blue sea surroundings of the Caribbean and Bond's adventurous nature.

Ocean Royale opens with refreshing notes of bergamot, lime, aniseed and sea breeze accords, creating an energizing essence as stimulating as crisp seawater.
The heart includes orris, cedar and teak wood, while the base is masculine and sensual thanks to the woody accords of sandalwood and guaiac, rounded by intense aromas of tonka and Jamaican coffee.

Ocean Royale maintains the timeless design famed by the orginal 007 fragrance. The sleek mesh-textured glass flacon, an ode to the luxury of Bond's world, is this time presented in a cool sea blue, perfectly representing the fresh and invigorating essence of the scent encased within. The 'twist' cap revealing the fragrance nozzle continues to reflect Bond's indispensable, state-of-the-art gadgets with the 007 logo maintaining its presence at the forefront of the bottle design.

While I personally prefer Boss fragrances for guys, this is definitely a more refreshing, invigorating scent. It's pretty energising so perfect for daytime wear, yet still has that touch of sophistication. Do go give this a whiff!

Disclaimer: Product sent to me by James Bond 007 as PR sample for review consideration. As with everything on my blog, my opinions remain 100% honest.

x 

Recapping 2014 Part 1.

ABOUT TIME!

Instead of doing it the usual way (words, words, words and more words on what happened the year before blabla), I've decided to go through my phone's camera roll and pick out photos that I feel are worth posting up. God bless the iPhone's photo collection feature for categorizing my pictures by date.

This post is PHOTO HEAVY coz I'd much rather let the pictures do the talking for this one. Don't bother if you have shitty wifi. Bookmark me and come back later, okay? <3

1/ January

I had to rush to get everything done before leaving for Melbourne. Hectic as f.

 The highlight of the month: My article "How to Act Like a Malaysian" got featured on FunnyMalaysia! 64.6k shares!!! Does that count as having gone viral?! PLEASE SAY YES. Please read it HERE if you haven't already read it!

 I got a haircut.

Made the flower crown myself using fake flowers from Daiso. And Photoshopped the heck of out the original picture.  I really like how it turned out!

More photos for you viewing pleasure. :3

2/ February

CNY before leaving for Melbourne. Sad.

 With my lovely grandma and brother. Heh.

'STRAYA! Where suntanning is free. You can't call me pale anymore! Muahaha.

3/ March

The start of Year 1 Sem 1.


My first few attempts at cooking. Not too shabby eh?



 First time clubbing in Melbourne. Hello ForeverFridays@Alumbra!
(PS: I WORK THERE NOW. CONTACT ME FOR GUESTLIST KTHXBAI.)

 Wine and dine at Hilton SouthWharf.

 Finally got to meet up with this boy. Are you even reading my blog, Tzelik!?

4/ April

My birthday month!


Finally 19!



Wanna thank them for making my first birthday away from home so special (':
6M for life!



So happy!


SO HAPPY!!!

 Cold.

:3

5/ May

Supposed to be grinding for mid years. But ofc, I do everything but that.

 Edward's bike. I can't even get on. #short

With Wesleyans celebrating Edward's birthday!!



With the gang at some Malaysian food festival at Federation Square!

Omnomnom ridiculously priced satay.

I fell sick, Oh yes, FeverCoughCold, feel free to visit me anytime! Love having you guys around. BFFs!!

Ah yes, wind. Keep blowing. No need shy one.

6/ June

Midyears. Don't even wanna think about the nights I spent binging away instead of revising.
Also the month I became a promoter at ALUMBRA!

Law cheat sheet. #callmecrazy

Me attempting to study in uni.

 Sick again.



#ootn for first night out post-exams!

Club hopped.

Took more pictures.

 Threw a house party. Sort of...
I'm a better cook now okay!!!

Retail therapy. Those jelly beans = EVIL.

That's all for Part 1!

Second half of the year will be up soon I promise!

Here's an unglam picture for you.

x

Flora by Gucci Review.

Hello, I'm back with another perfume review! 

Hehe, yes, I am a perfume hoarder. Like for real, I have an actual collection. As in, I don't throw the bottles away even if I'm down to the very last drop. Instead, I keep them. Coz I'm a hoarder. 

And perfume bottles are so pretty.

Today's fragrance is probably one most of you are already familiar with since it's been around for some time. 

FLORA!

Gucci Flora, as the name suggests, smells very floral-ish. Whaddaya expect, right?

Flora opens with top notes of citruses and peony, before evolving into this sensual scent of rose and osmanthus (Chinese flower which enhances fruity-floral aromas with leather notes). The base notes are patchouli and sandalwood. 

Flora is a fragrance conceived in homage to the floral pattern created specially for Princess Grace of Monaco in 1966. Its distinctive packaging references the original Flora print, with a modernized black and white version. 

To me, Flora is fresh and clean. It's floral and citrusy, yet not overly so. Undeniably pleasant. It's very familiar yet unique and is a perfect everyday fragrance targeted at younger women.
There will be an intense floral scent the first few seconds you spritz this on, but all is good once it mellows down to this soft and lovely faint feminine waft.

In terms of longevity, it's quite decent, and will last a good 5-6 hours before needing another quick touchup.

Overall, I really like this perfume a lot and have been switching between this and Dolce by Dolce and Gabbana. Would definitely recommend!

The Lineup

Flora by Gucci 75ml RM361

Disclaimer: Product sent to me by Gucci as PR sample for review consideration. As with everything on my blog, my opinions remain 100% honest.

x 

2014 faves.

OMG. It's 2015!!

Yes yes, I know I'm stating the obvious. 

Hope you've all had a great end of 2014 and had heaps of fun celebrating NYE!

Anyway, the new year calls for a roundup of my favourite stuff from 2014! Why?
Errr, mainly because almost every YouTuber/Blogger's doing it. I might as well hop on the bandwagon and share with you guys what I've been reaching for without fail throughout the year!

Also, it's my first time making a pinboard-style collage. I can't believe how fun it was (zero sarcasm there) googling stock images of products, "quick selection"-ing on Photoshop, hitting Ctrl+C then Ctrl+V.

I'm pretty pleased with the end result. :D
Be prepared to see a whole lot of collages on my blog soon. Heh.

Okay let's go!

1. Benefit Boi-ing Concealer in 01
   I initially got this in the lightest shade by mistake, but soon fell in love with it as an undereye concealer/highlighter. This doesn't crease on me at all, and is so pigmented. I like slapping some of this on after pulling an all-nighter just to look a bit less zombielike. Only downside is the unhygienic packaging.


2. Arkadia Chai Tea in Spice
   I stock up on these like mad whenever I go to Woolsworth. Ask any of my housemates. Lololol. I don't do coffee, so this is my go-to source of caffeine. I drink so many cups of this awesomeness per day, it's crazy.  


3. Rimmel Apocalips in Big Bang 
   Cheap - got it whilst Priceline was having 40% off all Rimmel items! Also, it's hella red. Perfect for clubbing. This shade of perfection requires lipliner to prevent it from feathering though, fyi.


4. Toni and Guy Sea Salt Spray
   I'll be honest, I saw Zoella raving about this in one of her YouTube videos and just had to get it.
   Verdict? I LOVES IT.
   This gives my hair so much texture, making it super easy to style (by style, I mean casually twisting hair around my fingers while running to catch the tram). I guess this works on me coz my hair is naturally wavy anyway. I would call this.. my curl enhancer? Plus, it smells great!


5. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk
   Dunno what's the diff between this and the original version sans oat milk; dry shampoo is dry shampoo after all, but Klorane smells way better than Batiste. Trust me. I go through dry shampoo REAL fast.


6. Shu Uemura Hard 9 Brow Pencil
   Ahh, my holy grail. Been using this since I was 14 - that's 6 years! God knows the number of times I've repurchased this baby. Go get this!


7. Revlon Photoready Primer in 001
   Purchased this after fellow friend CarmenKhor recommended it to me. Cheap and lasts a long time. Also keeps me matte throughout the day! I always use this if I'm going somewhere. Doesn't matter if it's just uni, I still use at least half a pump!


8. Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm
   Read about it from Caroline Hirons (aka imba skincare guru). This, my friend, is magic. It's a really basic solid balm that melts into this oil upon contact with body heat. So luxurious and removes my stubborn waterproof mascara every single time. Flawless.


9. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation in 102 Light Nude
   Umm. Again, saw this in one of Zoella's monthly favourites. Is it bad that I'm such a sucker? *hides* This is the epitome of PR done right.
   This foundation has buildable coverage, smells great, and has a Zoella stamp of approval, so why not?!


10. Majolica Majorca Lash Enamel Glamour Volume On
    HG status mascara for the past 2-3 years. I must say, this is a wee bit on the pricier side for a drugstore brand, but it works and I love it and definitely wouldn't mind repurchasing this over and over again! Oh, it's also very very waterproof. Refer to #8.
    I will be heartbroken should they ever discontinue Glamour Volume On. For realz.
    I think Asian mascaras are on point. Western ones just don't make the cut.


11. Dolce by Dolce and Gabbana
    Got sent this, but I still love it more than the ones I purchased myself. What sorcery. Read the full review here.
    I'm not the only one who thinks Dolce smells great. I get guys complimenting me whenever I wear this, so it should be a sign that you should get yourself a bottle *wink wink*

That's all for my 2014 favourites, woohoo!
Thanks for reading and I'll see you guys soon.

x