Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment SPF15 in Passion

I certainly hope y'all have had a good 2011 and are looking forward to a more fabulous year ahead :-)

I have been meaning to order these Sugar Lip Treatments for a number of years now but never really got around to it. However our local Sephora has brought Fresh in, I'm not sure when but it may have been around two months ago. This makes me so happy! I have used a number of the face products before but these Lip Treatments weren't available back then.

The Sugar Lip Treatment each comes in a cardboard box. There is a colourless version, which is their mainstay lipbalm and there are four tinted versions in Honey, Rose, Plum and Passion.

GIVEAWAY : Coming Clean with Biore Makeup Remover for Eye and Lip

newsflash!

The lovely folks from Biore is organising a sampling campaign for all my dear readers, so read on to find out more.


Update:
We have increased the number of giveaway to 50 samples, so do continue commenting or writing in!
Details of giveaway listed at the bottom!

☆ﾟ･:,｡*:..｡o○☆ﾟ･:,｡*:..｡o○☆ﾟ･:,｡*:..｡o○☆ﾟ

I had actually purchased a bottle of the Biore Eye & Lip Makeup Remover even before the Biore team contacted me about the sampling campaign. They did get hold of me at an opportune time as I have been using the product for nearly two months and really quite like it. Since I use eye makeup and mascaras nearly everyday, makeup removal has become part of my evening routine and I have been on a lookout for an effective eye makeup remover. So, the new Biore remover fits the bill quite well!

This Biore Eye & Lip Makeup Remover is relatively new in our local market although their oil-cleansing wipes and oil cleansers have been available for some time. The wipes are not as effective on eye makeup as I'd hope but they do remove face makeup quite well.

Description:

With its micro cleansing formula, Biore Makeup Remover for Eye and Lip softens even heavily layered waterproof mascara for easy removal. Gentle on the eye and lashes, it reduces the need for excessive, hard and repeated wiping around eye area. It also contains Hyaluronic Acid moisturizing ingredients to keep skin around eyes moist. Leaves no oily residue. Also suitable for removing lip makeup.

You need to shake the bottle up to mix the oil and water together. Pour a small amount onto a cotton pad, place it over an eyelid for about 5 to 10 seconds, then gently swipe the makeup off. Fold the cotton in half and very softly wipe the undereye area to remove any excess. Repeat with the other eye.

* mascara removed ... sorry about the grotty photo *

I usually find bi-phase removers to be more effective when it comes to removing eye makeup and am generally quite pleased with the Biore remover. I don't have to wipe as many times, which is a good thing as excessive wiping may cause fine lines and dryness. However, if you are wearing particularly stubborn waterproof mascaras, this remover may not be able to remove all at one go.

Other than its eye makeup removing capabilities, I like the fact that it does not sting my eyes. It does leave a slightly oily residue so the description is not entirely accurate. At least it doesn't cloud my vision, which can happen with many other oil cleansers. As I wash my face after, the residue does not bother me much.

If you are looking for an effective and affordable option, the Biore Makeup Remover for Eye and Lip is definitely one to consider. It costs RM29.90 for a 130ml bottle and can be purchased at most drugstores and Sasa. Depending on usage, a bottle should last between 3 to 6 months.

☆ﾟ･:,｡*:..｡o○☆ﾟ･:,｡*:..｡o○☆ﾟ･:,｡*:..｡o○☆ﾟ

And now onto the FUN GIVEAWAY bit! If would like to receive a cute travel-friendly sample version (as pictured below), please follow the instructions.

RULES:

1. Leave a message in the comment box saying "I Love the new Biore Makeup Remover for Eye & Lip" or something to that effect. You can be creative ;-)
2. Please provide your email address in the comment box.
3. Alternatively, you can write to me directly at lyn@beautycabby.com with the same slogan in the subject line.

• This giveaway is only valid for the first 30 50 who leave a comment or write in.

• This giveaway is open to those with a valid Malaysian address only.

• If you are below 18 years old, kindly check with your parent / guardian about participating as I will be requesting your address from you.

• Offer will close at midnight GMT+8 on 10th December 25th November 2011 and you will hear from me soon after (edit : had to push forward the closing date due to the positive responses received so far).

Once the 30 50 spots are filled, I will contact you for your delivery details to be forwarded to Biore. Please respond in 48 hours otherwise it will go to the next person on the list. It's that easy so hurry on up and get your free sample!

review : l'occitane immortelle eye balm

I started noticing some fine lines showing up around my eyes in recent years. I never quite took care of them and since I was going through a stage where I had "let go" for a while, they didn't bother me. But they are starting to worry me a little now, especially when new lines are appearing. I have tried several different eyecreams in the past but none were particularly miraculous.

Since December last year, my younger sister introduced me to L'Occitane skincare. I tried their products many, many years ago but wasn't impressed so I've always given them a miss. But Sis was going on about some apple cream that she was using and her skin has always been in fantastic condition (well, she is in her early twenties and I am much older). I thought I might as well give L'Occitane a shot and returned with a few items from their Immortelle line.

One of the products was the Immortelle Eye Balm. I did not get the eye serum because it stung a little.

Description (from L'Occitane) :

An eye cream with anti-aging benefits: Reduce dark circles, puffiness and signs of tiredness around the eyes with this gentle cream. Formulated with Immortelle essential oil, this cream will soothe, moisturize, nourish and tone the delicate skin around the eyes. To apply, tap a small amount of Eye Balm on the bone around the eye twice daily.

Ingredients :

Water, Rosa Centifolia Flower Water, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Proplyene Glycol, Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract, Glycerin, Myreth-3-Myristate, Neopentyl Glycol Diethylhexanoate, Decyl Oleate, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Polyacrylamide, Helichrysum Italicum Extract, Sorbitol, Dimethicone, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Hedera Helix (Ivy) Extract, Phenoxyethanol, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) Extract, Tocopherol, Carbomer, Laureth-7, Xanthan Gum, Benzoic Acid, Sucrose Palmitate, Sodium Hydroxide, Dehydroacetic Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Glyceryl Linoleate, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Borago Officinalis Seed Oil

The L'Occitane Immortelle Eye Balm comes in a dark blue jar. It would be better if came in a tube or pump container so I won't need to use a tiny spatula to scoop it out each time. The balm goes on with quite a watery consistency, which I prefer because I'm always afraid the more creamy or oily ones will be too rich on me. Once the eye balm is patted on, you can see there is a slight improvement in terms of brightening properties (as shown in the photo above). I cannot say it helped with my dark circles because they are still there and have gotten worse over the Chinese New Year week as I hardly got any sleep. Anyway, the brightening effect is somewhat temporary and once the balm sinks in, it leaves my eye area smooth and moisturised.

* my eye area after applying the balm *

I cannot say it performed any miracles but it does help with moisturising so the fine lines are not as bad as before. I don't suffer from puffiness so I won't know if it will reduce it. All in all, I would say this is a pretty nice eye treatment for those who don't have deep wrinkles or very dark circles. The reviews on MakeupAlley did not rate well because a number of users experienced a pilling effect after applying concealer or foundation. I guess I am lucky not to have that so far.

I am still on the lookout for a better eye treatment and have tried a few others in the last couple of months but they were terrible (enhanced more lines!). So, I kept going back to L'Occitane's. I have read a number of good things about La Mer's and will try to get a sample the next time. ParisB also wrote a glowing review on StriVectin's but the counter did not have any samples the last I visited.

Availability (local) :

The Immortelle Eye Balm can be purchased at any L'Occitane boutique stores and retails at RM140 for a 15ml jar. With daily usage, I estimate a jar to last approximately three to six months (depending on how much is used).

super quick and easy lip scrub recipe

Happy Lunar New Year! I really hope all those who celebrate had or are still having a wonderful time this festive season. For me, it's been a rather hectic week since last Thursday. Also, the weather has become very hot and dry, which was expected since it tends to get this way during this time of the year. Good thing it rained the past couple of evenings. I have been feeling unwell and I think I caught a bug from my mum when she visited.

My lips have a tendency to be dry. This is something I have suffered since teenage-hood. Coupled with the heat and stress from the festivities, my lips were in a rather grotty state. I have tried a variety of store-bought lip scrubs before but didn't think they worked well. When LUSH recently came out with a small range of sugar lip scrubs, I was really intrigued. I love LUSH to death but they are not available here. So, I searched the net for homemade recipes and came across a super easy one. It is so easy, I wonder why I never thought of it before.

sugar lip scrub ingredients:

- Vaseline (I used Lucas' Papaw Ointment)

- sugar (I used organic brown sugar)

- a finger

- a wet washcloth