The Body Shop Nature's Minerals Collection

It seems as though no one has mentioned this yet at the time of my writing this post, and even I didn't know about it until I walked past The Body Shop at MidValley Megamall earlier today!



My only foray into mineral makeup was through e.l.f.'s mineral makeup range quite some time ago, which I didn't really enjoy because their foundation and concealer didn't have a matte finish and thus the "shimmer" kind of emphasised my rather large pores back then.

Since then I have always been on a lookout for a good mineral makeup range. L'Oreal came out with their mineral makeup range but I was quite put off by their bulky packaging and their brush which feels incredibly stiff. Revlon also recently came out with a mineral makeup range, but I wasn't too inclined to try it either for some reason.

However, I've always loved The Body Shop products and have always been wishing they'd come out with their own mineral makeup range. Looks like my wish has come true! :P



The Body Shop's Nature's Minerals range has foundation, blusher and eyeshadow, and being the minimalist makeup person I decided to get just the foundation. Look at how pretty and decadent-looking the packaging for the items are!



According to the sales representative that served me, the foundation has 6 shades, but they had only shades 01, 02, 04 and 05 available. I was recommended shade 01, the lightest shade, which came as a surprise to me as I normally use shade 03 for their loose powder. To my surprise, shade 01 suited me quite nicely with a slightly pinkish tinge, while shade 02 was more brownish. I'll have to try it on for a few more days before I can really comment on the foundation completely though.

It's not pictured but the sifter for the mineral foundation, instead of being holes like normal powder sifter jars, is actually a mesh-like net. I find it unique. The texture of the powder is also fine, very fine. It's comparable to the fineness of Make Up For Ever Super Matte Loose Powder (Which I also have and will review). Prior to purchasing The Body Shop's Nature's Minerals foundation I have tried Revlon's and Laura Mercier's mineral foundations, but didn't really like them compared to The Body Shop's. Revlon's was nice but lost in terms of powder texture, and Laura Mercier's was shimmery, which I didn't like.



The kabuki brush for the foundation. It's one of the softest brush I have ever touched and the bristles are incredibly dense. Feels very nice against the skin. It even comes with its own pouch for storage, which is really wonderful! That's all I can say for now about the brush. I will have to do a re-review after I've tried the products on for a few days obviously :P I already have one kabuki brush from Everyday Minerals and I love it a lot too!

The foundation alone costs RM 99 and the brush RM 79, but they're having a promotion in which you buy both for only RM 147.90! Really worth giving it a try I'd say. I'm not sure if the other The Body Shop outlets have it yet, as I went to the one at The Curve yesterday and they didn't have it, so yeah.

Semi-Hiatus

As mentioned in topic. I am on a holiday in Labuan and K.K. with my sweetheart and family. Updates will resume as soon as I return, which is by end of August :)

How Vain Am I?

I've decided to take this little quiz while reading the archives of My Women Stuff :P

You Are 65% Vain

You're a little vain, but you also work hard for your good looks. Just remember, everyone knows you are a total hottie. You don't have to remind them.

How Vain Are You?

Here are the questions and what I think of them and how I answer them:

1. You check out your reflection in windows.
- Always. I always check to see if there's any shine on my face, if there's anything stuck between my teeth, etc. Sometimes when there are mirrors around I'd just admire myself and if possible assess how I look in my clothes that day too. Yeah. A very vain thing to do :P

2. Your closet is chock full of the latest styles, even if your credit card suffers for it a little.
- Never. I shop for clothes and styles that SUIT and fit me, and I don't follow fashion trends. That's why I never have trapeze dresses or bubble skirts/dresses even if they're in the vogue at that particular time. Simply put it they just don't fit me, so I'm not and won't be getting them... despite racks and racks of them everywhere.

3. You buy tons of personal care products, from expensive moisturisers to specialty shampoo.
- Always. Guilty as charged. I attribute this to the fact that I am curious person and my skin condition has been rather temperamental to say the least, hence the tendency of trying out different brands and such. Regarding hair, I used to have really frizzy hair that was neither straight nor wavy/curly, then I had them straightened but hated the regrowth period, so now they're permanently permed. Hence the "specialty" shampoo and styling products bit >_>

4. You dream of being a movie star or model.
- Sometimes. Who doesn't really? :x I'd like to be more of a model, but I don't have the height (I'm about 5'3") and my looks are pretty single tracked- as in I usually only have one expression that looks presentable on camera, or so I am always told. Plus, being a model is tiring. That said, I have been doing a bit of modeling for a friend lately... (Re: Tiring part)

5. If you started to lose your looks, your self esteem would likely suffer.
- Always. I used to have severe acne back when I was in my teens. So severe that I had to go for facials twice a week to rescue my skin, but *Touch wood* thankfully it did work and my acne was cured. Having people stating the obvious that you have severe acne problems isn't very pleasant, hence the paranoia. Even now I am not without skin problems (Especially enlarged pores!) and when I have minor breakouts I do kind of tend to panic. Although my skin has improved by a lot, it does affect my self-esteem, so if I started losing my looks I would be very sad.

6. If you weren't happy with your looks in some way, you would consider cosmetic surgery.
- Sometimes. I have rather "droopy" eyes (Eyes that "droop" at the ends), which even Mum comments upon, so I have considered going for surgery to rectify that. I have even considered cosmetic surgery for my nose and improvement (More of an enhancement) of my side profile (Which I dislike). But the urge isn't serious enough to get me doing them, and I'm just comfortable with the way I am for now.

7. You wear designer underwear.
- Sometimes. It makes a woman feel decadent and sexy sometimes ;)

8. Besides showering, it takes you at least 20 minutes to get dressed and primped for the day.
- Always. 20 minutes alone on average for my skincare, from cleansing to BB cream and foundation. However, the time also may include the application of eyeliner and/or mascara and wearing contact lenses, so it's pretty dependent really.

9. You enjoy getting your picture taken.
- Rarely. I'm pretty camera-shy (Re: model question) and don't really like the way I look on photos most of the time :x

10. If you see someone of your gender who is hot, you immediately start silently critiquing them.
- Sometimes. I can be a bitch at times :(

Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

This is one Dermalogica product that left me in a state of awe for it. It is supposed to be a scrub for exfoliation. According the the Dermalogica website:

" This unique, Rice-based enzyme powder activates upon contact with water, releasing Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes to smooth the skin and accelerate cell renewal. Our unique Skin Brightening Complex of Rice Bran, Salicylic Acid, Green Tea, Grapefruit and Licorice helps to balance uneven skin pigmentation. Papain and other active agents derived from Rice Bran and Rice Extract help to regulate melanin production while micro-exfoliating dead cells. A super-soothing blend of Green Tea, Ginkgo and Colloidal Oatmeal calms inflammation, leaving the skin extraordinarily clear and refreshed. Gentle enough to use on a daily basis. Contains no artificial fragrance or color. Professional recommendation advised.

How It Works:

• Rice Bran and Rice Starch gently microfoliate skin surface to facilitate penetration of the Skin Brightening Complex.
• Papain Enzyme and Salicylic Acid help dissolve excess surface cells.
• Skin Brightening Complex of Rice Bran, Salicylic Acid, Green Tea, Grapefruit and Licorice helps even skin tone."

Let's see now. First of all, the packaging for the product, in my opinion, looks cheap-ish. The impression it gives me it that it looks like a cheap normal plastic container of some imitation bottle, as compared to the packaging for the cleansers which looks more "high class" and nicer. But that's my opinion anyway.

This exfoliant comes in powder form. Yes. Powder. Basically what you do with it is cleanse your face with a Dermalogica cleanser (Or any other cleanser really), wash off, then pour a bit of this powder into your hands, add a but of water, rub them together to form a milky-looking liquid and apply it to the face just like washing again. Directions say that it's best to massage into skin for about a minute. It's really very unique in a way- it does not feel like a scrub at all since it's so fine, but upon washing off the skin really does feel as though you have scrubbed/exfoliated it so it does work. Another thing to note is that it smells like... rice. Rice being the main ingredient of it, it really does smell like it XD These few factors are what left me in awe of it.

It really does a good job of exfoliating without being harsh on the skin- in fact, you can barely feel the exfoliation until after rinsing off since it's that fine. So yeah, if you prefer large, rough-ish granules in your scrub this wouldn't be a scrub for you. My gripe with this product would also be dispensing (Just like the cleansers)- it's either too much or too little, which can lead to wastage :(

Despite it's name of Daily Microfoliant, it's best to use it at most twice a week. I don't think anyone has actually recommended its use as a daily cleanser. For my skin condition though, I only use it once a week. Dermalogica (Or at least Fion, my consultant) suggests a at most a twice weekly routine of cleansing > exfoliating > mask > toner > moisturiser, but I've yet to get the Dermalogica mask I want... so yeah. But either way for me it's going to be a once a week thing as overdoing it would just aggravate my skin condition further and that would be defeating the purpose.

Daily Microfoliant is available at Dermalogica salons (e.g. Leonard Drake) for RM 212 for a 75 g bottle. Pricey indeed. But I got mine from Rayanne of LowYat.NET so it was very much cheaper for me :P

Dermalogica Cleansers

Urgh. Been caught up with work and all that, hence the lack of updates.

In the meantime, I am a true Dermalogica fan now. I've always wanted to try out the brand but could never justify their price... but seeing how I'm displeased with my skin condition decided to just go ahead (I've mentioned this in my previous post) :P Anyway, in this post I will review the Dermalogica cleansers that I am using. I've been using them for about a week already (Religiously along with my other Dermalogica products), and I have seen a marked improvement in my skin condition.



We have the Ultracalming Cleanser and the Essential Cleansing Solution to review here. I use the Essential Cleansing Solution for daytime, and the Ultracalming Cleanser for night. Reason being the Ultracalming Cleanser removes any traces of pollution or trigger factors that may have accumulated on the skin during the course of the day, while the Essential Cleansing Solution is for my dehydrated-ish skin condition which also needs attention.

The Essential Cleansing Solution, according to the Dermalogica website:

"A milky cleanser for drier skin conditions to gently lift impurities and remove make-up. Water-soluble, this soothing emulsion rinses off easily, leaving the skin refreshingly clean, soft and supple. Contains no artificial fragrance or color. Professional recommendation advised.

How It Works:

• Natural Safflower Oil softens and conditions skin.
• Antioxidant vitamins C and E smooth and condition the skin.
• Mild astringents, extracts of Rosemary and Lemon, refresh tired skin."

The first impression I got from this was that the smell and texture reminds me of melted butter! Well, not exactly like cow's butter and not exactly strong, but you get the idea. It's really creamy rather than milky as described, and goes on soft and smooth on skin (Really like butter). If you're the kind that likes a good foamy lather, this is not for you. However, washing off does not leave a filmy residue like "uncleansed" skin that you sometimes get with milky cleansers but rather this washes off cleanly and skin feels hydrated and supple afterwards. I even use it to wash around my eye area, but gently of course. Doesn't really work well to remove even light facial makeup though- if you have light makeup on I'd still recommend you to remove it first before cleansing, although I am not sure about eye makeup but I wouldn't count on it. Pores doesn't seem to be obviously minimised though.

Overall it works well combating against my skin's dehydration as I can really feel an improvement in my skin's hydration levels. Normally after washing my face (But not immediately after) before toning my skin would start to feel a bit dry and you can see little dry skin flakes on it. After using this cleanser the problem has minimised by a lot, but it hasn't completely gone away yet XD Skin tends to look more dewy rather than oily later in the day, but still, a bit of blotting solves the problem.

Essential Cleansing Solution is available at Dermalogica salons (e.g. Leonard Drake) for RM 149 for a 250 ml bottle.

The Ultracalming Cleanser, according to the Dermalogica website:

" An extremely-gentle cleansing gel-cream that combats environmental assault with Dermalogica's exclusive Anti-Ozonate Complex. Protects and soothes skin sensitized by pollution, temperature extremes, irritating cosmetic products, harsh detergents, chemical exposure, stress, poor diet or hormonal factors. Also contains Lavender, Echinacea and Raspberry extracts for their anti-inflammatory, calming and healing properties. This cleanser is effective enough to remove eye make-up, and can be either rinsed off or gently removed with cotton. Leaves no irritating residue and is formulated for even the most hypersensitive skin that cannot tolerate water. Contains no artificial fragrance or color. Professional recommendation advised.

How It Works

• Anti-Ozonate Complex helps to shield skin from environmental assault.
• Lavender, Echinacea, Raspberry and Cucumber extracts help calm the skin.
• Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5) help heal irritated skin."

This gel-cream-based cleanser is milkier compared to Essential Cleansing Solution, and like Essential Cleansing Solution, doesn't lather or foam too. I've not tried wiping it off with cotton as I prefer washing off with water, and this cleanser doesn't leave a residue on the skin after washing either. After washing any redness on the face is instantly diminished and my skin feels soft and smooth. This cleanser also effectively minimises pores after washing! Also doesn't really work well to remove even light facial makeup, so remove makeup properly :P Not so sure about eye makeup as I prefer using the proper remover instead, but this cleanser also can be used to cleanse around the eye area. The scent is pretty normal for this one- more lavender-ish really, but doesn't really leave a strong impression on me and neither does the the texture of it. It's just like a milky cleanser.

I find that the Ultracalming Cleanser really works well in battling my skin problems in the area of enlarged pores and sensitivity as my face looks less red (With less itches as well) and pores do look very minimised after cleansing. Skin remains pretty matte after usage too. If I had to choose I would prefer this cleanser more for the obvious reasons :x But then, my skin is also dehydrated, and although this cleanser does help up my moisture level, it's not as much compared to the Essential Cleansing Solution.

Ultracalming Cleanser is also available at Dermalogica salons (e.g. Leonard Drake) at RM 152 for a 250 ml bottle.

My only "gripe" about the cleansers are that it can be quite hard to squeeze out the proper and required amount of cleanser needed. Sometimes I squeeze out too much and sometimes too little. Not a lot is required, but still, I don't want to waste them T.T

Naughty Naughty Me

I've been naughty in a sense that I am supposed to curb my expenditure, but still end up spending anyway! :x

I have actually finished my post on my second part of my makeup reviews... but I forgot the retail prices for my mascara! Being the perfectionist I am, I will not be posting it yet until I stop by a pharmacy and get the price tag for it first... so yeah >_> Please be patient with me.

For the past few days my intolerance for my skin condition has worsened. My gripes are mainly large pores, oily T-zone (Especially the nose) and the occasional little breakouts, and as you can see from my previous posts I have mentioned these several times and spent quite a lot of money on trying to solve them, but to no real avail or result. Perhaps I am not patient enough, but I have been using the products for quite some time and my spending was getting a bit out of hand... so I thought it was time to throw in the towel.

So I went for a session of Face Mapping at the Dermalogica Consultation Pod at The Curve's Metrojaya. I have done my Face Mapping there once before, about 4-5 months ago and once a few years back at 1 Utama. The few years back I got samples and found that they work nicely on my skin, but since then I could never find the reason to fork out money for their products since it's expensive, although I have always wanted them :|

Not to mention that the ladies at the Dermalogica Consultation Pod at The Curve's Metrojaya were generally nice and not pushy. I was attended by Fion that day, and she was very patient in explaining my skin condition and the products she recommended. Turns out that I have what they call sensitised skin, which is basically the cause of all my problems.

I walked out with these:



Actually I bought the Essential Cleansing Solution a day before I decided to go for the Face Mapping and find out for once and for all what's wrong with my skin, but when I mentioned this to Fion she said that it would suit me too, to keep my hydration level up, although our priority is to deal with my sensitised skin.

There was also a 5% discount for all Dermalogica products there too! I would buy from Rayanne from LowYat.NET as she sells them for way cheaper (About 20% cheaper than retail if I'm not mistaken), but since I'm not going to be using my own cash :P

So let's see. We have:

• Ultracalming Cleanser- RM 144.40 for 250 ml.
• Essential Cleansing Solution- RM 141.55 for 250 ml.
• Soothing Protection Spray- RM 147.25 for 250 ml.
• Skin Smoothing Cream- RM 166.25 for 50 ml.

But I am happy, because in spite of all these, I also got:



All for free! @.@ Exfoliating Face Brush, travel sized bottles of the set I bought, which is really handy because I'll be travelling from 19th-29th August and samples. I was also recommended the Skin Hydrating Masque and Daily Microfoliant, but I didn't want to break my budget. Maybe I'll buy them from Rayanne myself :)

Overall I had a nice experience there. I'm interested in getting facials there, particularly from Fion since she was really patient with my incessant questioning about my skin concerns and problems, and was not pushy and overall professional. Admittedly, her English isn't THAT good, but still, I like her.

I will most probably review the items one by one. I've only been using them a few days, so I can't really tell yet, but so far so good and I am happy!

Whoops.

I know I haven't been updating lately, but I've been working on my draft for the next part of my reviews, plus I'm having internship priority work... so yeah. Do forgive the lack of updates dear readers :(

In the meantime, I've had several other buys (Which will most likely result in changes to my skincare regiment now) and I am going to get the oil control BB cream from Etude House tomorrow. Will definitely post up about them ;)

Also, I will most likely be getting (And reviewing) some Dermalogica samples I will get from Rayanne, a lovely seller on LowYat.NET (I get most of my clothes and skincare from her XD) soon. So much to write about, so little time!