Face Good

Last Saturday, I finally got a chance to try out my new Revlon False Lashes when I met up with an old friend for an entire day of shopping and dinner. This is actually my first time reviewing false eyelashes. I hardly ever wear them because I always had issues with the ones I've tried on, so I always stick to mascara. But too much mascara on a regular basis is bad for eyelashes so it's good to be able to switch to false lashes every so often, and I'm really glad that these new lashes from Revlon have given me one more viable option for make-up.


While the Revlon 99501 Defining Lashes aren’t dramatic in the ‘hey-look-at-me-I’m-wearing-falsies’ way, they are perfect for people with short, sparse lashes (like myself) who don’t want to draw the wrong sort of attention to oneself. ‘Beautiful lashes!’ is after all, different from ‘hey you’re wearing fake lashes!’. They do define your eyes without making you look overly made up, which means you can actually use them on a daily basis and for work.

The lashes have just the right amount of curvature. I didn’t even have to press them with a curler to make them curl upwards. And they don’t cast an annoying curtain over my eyes like some of my other fake lashes would.

The lashes are self-adhesive, which means no need to deal with sticky glue that goes all over the wrong places. They last really long too; I used them for 8 hours and they’re still in perfect condition. Although you can’t reuse the adhesive strip, you can reuse the eyelashes for a few more times by using the good ol’ eyelash glue if you have been careful with handling them.

While the lashes look very natural because they are so fine, they are also rather fragile. The first time I tried to put one of them on, I accidentally folded some of the lashes with my clumsy fingers and failed to get them back into shape. So do be careful when putting them on. Use tweezers if possible, and avoid holding the adhesive with your fingers. It really sticks.

No complaints other than that. I’m in love with these lashes. They’re easy to stick on, and just the right length for me. I didn’t even have to cut them. I’ll be trying the Intensifying one for Halloween, so I’ll be back with more reviews!

For people who love luxury skin care products, this website The Skinny will interest you. It’s a Skin Care Sample Sale website which promises to sell luxury skin care products and spa services at huge discounts.

If you’ve read Confessions of a Shopaholic or live in New York, the concept of sample sales should be familiar to you. Sample sales are usually invitation-only sales events organized by designer fashion companies or distributors. Quantities of sale items are limited, but you can get designer fashions at bargain prices - up to 70% or more off retail. Sample sales have gone online, and while they are not uncommon, The Skinny seems to be the first online sample sales platform dedicated to skin care products.

The reason that spawned the creation of this website, quoted from the press release I was sent by the website's staff, is something that I fully empathize with, “You can take one look at a CHANEL© bag and know that it's perfect for you. You can't glance at a bottle of moisturizer and know if it's right for your skin.”

That’s why I rarely buy designer beauty products unless I’ve had good experiences with it. Just like non-designer beauty products, designer ones, too, produce varying effects on different users. Sadly, few designer beauty brands see the need to put out free samples since they are already well-established in the beauty industry. But if I could get Lancome, for example, at half its price, I would certainly try it to see if it's worth the original hefty costs.

If online shopping isn't your cup of tea, you might still want to stay for the original videos that The Skinny will be producing to evaluate beauty products. The website seems to be under preparation, but you can register for a free membership or at least add it to your bookmarks. Personally, I’m quite excited about it and I hope they get some stuff up for the public soon!

Your hot date is sitting right across you, staring deep into your… enlarged pores?

Don’t let worries over bad skin spoil your romantic moments. While permanent reduction of pore size doesn’t occur within a short period of time, you can temporarily reduce pore sizes very quickly!

It is important to note that deliberately piling layers of foundation over your face is simply going to make you look like you’re trying to hide something. The trick is to apply a reasonable amount of coverage that actually covers while still looking natural.

1. Spray some spring mist all over your face. After a few seconds, gently dab (not wipe) your face with a clean tissue paper.

2. Dab on some liquid foundation with the tips of your fingers. Tap the foundation over portions with large pores.

3. Use a powder puff to apply powder foundation to the rest of your face, ensuring that both the liquid foundation and powder foundation blends.

4. Spray on some spring mist again, then place a clean tissue paper flat over your face to absorb the extra moisture so that the make-up looks more natural and stays on longer. You should notice that your pores have vanished for the time being.

If your pores are really huge and still visible after doing the above, it’s time to bring out the ice. After washing your face, dip a clean face towel into a basin of ice water, rinse and dab one part of your face with it. Keep repeating with different parts of your face. This not only reduces the size of your pores, but also aids with blood circulation, giving your face a natural blush. When you’ve covered your entire face, apply make-up as above.

During your date, order an iced beverage. Wrap your fingers around the bottom of your cup to make them cold and touch your face (the parts with the huge pores) occasionally to stimulate blood circulation as well as keep your pores contracted!

Few people are blessed with glamorous-looking silky hair with the right amount of curls and springiness. Us Asians especially typically have straight, fine hair that looks very average. But when we’re trying to impress someone, looking average is simply not enough. Furthermore,most of us have too little time in the morning to style our hair before going to work.Now imagine you’re having a hectic day at the office and your unstyled hair is as listless as your tired self. Suddenly, a client demands a meeting with you and you only have a few minutes to make yourself look presentable.

First, head to the ladies with a comb, hair ties (or rubber bands) and 2 fat highlighters (bring several if you only have thin ones). Wet a comb and comb it through your hair. This will smoothen out all your tangles and frizzes, making your hair easier to manage.

Pull all your hair from the back and place in front of your shoulders. Part them properly so that there’s a similar amount on each side.

If you have curly hair, apply some styling cream for curly hair to the end portions of hair on both sides. As a matter of fact, it’s good to keep some hair styling cream at your desk as there are no alternatives for it. Take hold of all the hair on one side and curl it around a fat highlighter (or bunch of pens). Use a hair tie (or rubber band, but mind you, it'll hurt your hair when you remove it) to secure the highlighter so that it doesn’t drop when you release it. Do the same for the other side. This is resourceful utilization of items at hand. If you have proper curlers, please use those by all means.

Wait for whatever duration that the instructions on your styling cream advise you to. Typically it’s no longer than 5 minutes, during which you might want to hide in the toilet cubicle in case someone walks in on your strange ritual.

When the 5 minutes are up, lower your head under the hand dryer to blow dry your hair into shape. This shouldn’t take long since your hair shouldn’t be very wet in the first place. Gently dislodge the highlighter from your hair as your hair dries. And there you are, livelier hair to see you through your emergency meeting!

If you have dull and listless straight hair, apply styling cream on your hair and braid it. Leave your hair in the braid for up to half an hour. If you haven’t got that amount of time, keep applying pressure on it so that it gets into shape quickly. You can do this while taking public transport too! Release the braid for temporary waves that add a little life to your hair!

Acne is stubborn and a real headache for all sufferers. What’s more, there is no one guaranteed method that works on everyone and sometimes, they just keep coming back after disappearing for a couple of days. But don’t despair just yet. On the battle ground, one wrong move can cause you to lose a winning battle. You may have simply made one mistake that keeps the little buggers hanging around. Hopefully through this article, you’ll learn what you did wrong and correct it!

Mistake 1: Acne and pimples are different

Acne and pimples are the same. Or rather, pimples come from acne. Past research has proven that acne and pimples arise from the same source. Even if you have just a couple of pimples, that’s a mild acne problem that can escalate if nothing’s done about it. If you’re simply trying to get rid of those couple of pimples, they will come back again. Pimple cream is insufficient to make them go away. You need to have a healthy lifestyle by drinking more water, eating more vegetables, having sufficient sleep and exercise to curb your acne problem to prevent the pimples from coming back.

Mistake 2: Acne is common and nothing to worry about

Yes, lots of people have acne at some point of their lives, but that doesn’t mean it’s nothing to worry about. This is simply because more people are leading unhealthy lifestyles and neglecting hygiene practices. If you’re spotting pimples, stop and reflect on what unhealthy lifestyle or eating habits you may have picked up to aggravate your pimples, and curb them.

Mistake 3: Acne results from not washing face properly. Blackheads are proof of this.

There are many reasons for acne formation and poor hygiene is definitely one of them, but the most common reason is a an unhealthy physique – a result of eating oily foods, not exercising or drinking enough water to purge toxins, and sleeping late. That’s why it’s so important to change your lifestyle if you want to curb your acne problem.

On a side note, blackheads are not dirt. They are simply the result of your comedogenes being oxidized by air.

Mistake 4: Acne is a result of oil. Simply stop using oily products and I’ll be fine.

Acne is formed from oil and cutin, so simply switching out your rich moisturizers isn’t going to curb the acne completely, though it would help to some extent.

Mistake 5: Frequent masks and cutin removal facials will solve my acne problem

Our skin naturally has oil and cutin, so even if remove them on the surface, your skin will produce them and they will combine and form acne again. Ridding acne isn’t as simplistic as this. It requires an overhaul in your lifestyle.

Mistake 6: I can get rid of acne by squeezing them out

Some people believe that by having a beautician extract them professionally or doing it yourself with a pimple stick, the problem is solved. Truth is, while it does make you look clear for a few days and helps you salvage a date threatened by a nasty pimple, you will soon find pimples growing over the same spot again. Notice how ‘pimple removal stick’ is not called ‘acne removal stick’? The worst is, if pimple extraction is not done carefully, you may end up with facial scares.

Mistake 7: I give up! Nothing I do will make acne go away

If your acne is serious and improving your lifestyle doesn’t help much, consult a doctor qualified in dealing with dermatological problems. Some general practitioners have diplomas in dermatology and will be able to help with minor acne problems, or refer you to a dermatologist if it’s serious. In the worst case, pay a visit to the National Skin Care Centre.

However, bear in mind that doctors are not miracle makers. Again, not all medicines work on everyone, and most medication take at least a couple of months to create visible improvement. The important thing is to lead a healthy lifestyle, practise good hygiene habits, including not picking your face, and have a positive mindset!

My only grouse would be its price. For a small and shallow little pot, it is rather pricey (24USD on Shu Uemura's website). But you probably won't be using it on a daily basis. Besides, just a little of that white gel works well as a highlighter that accentuates your eyes. I would recommend it to anyone who wants eye makeup that stays on and gives them a fresh look.

On the subject of eye make-up, I've received samples of false eyelashes from Revlon. I'll be trying them out for a party in a couple of weeks, so if you have any specific questions about any of the 3 products in this series, feel free to email them to me!