Valen’s Vanity Square

My Cellnique pro-sebum gel is going to be used up soon, not sure if I should get another bottle now. Am a little bit tight in money this month since I’m waiting for my paychecks, hehe.

But if I don’t get it now, I will miss the current promotion at Sasa. The original price of this product is RM139, offer price is something like RM99.99. Plus, I now know of someone working in Sasa, I can get further discount if I buy it through this person.

If my main problem is blackhead, I won’t be so troubled about it because, in my opinion, blackhead removal is relatively easier compared to whitehead removal. I believe my beautician won’t complain as much if she were to extract blackhead instead of whiteheads or closed comedones during my facial! Haha!

Of course, it would be good if I can get hold of a product that can treat both blackheads and whiteheads at the same time. Although I sometimes use pore strips to get rid off blackheads and whiteheads, I also understand that it may cause some damage to the skin when pulling the strip. While it may clean up the nose in 10 minutes, it does not permanently stop the formation of blackheads and whiteheads. It is still preferable to use a product that targets the underlying cause of blackhead and whitehead formation.

So, to buy or not to buy now?

I don’t get it, why at my age, err thirty something, I still experience pimple problem on and off. I blame it to the dusty environment, blame it to the weather, blame it to skincare products that cause my face to be oily. Other than that, I can’t think of any other reasons.

Fortunately, my pimple problem is not some serious case. I don’t need a whole range of acne care products or some best acne pills to treat them. I think all my skin need is extra tender loving care from me, haha!

So what I do in the evening is, when I apply my SIMPLE soothing facial toner, I add 3-4 drops of The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil onto the cotton pad damped with the toner. I first wipe it all over my face, and then lightly pat the still damped cotton pad on affected areas more intensely. This helps remove traces of oil and dirt from my face, and at the same time it’s cooling and hydrating. This is followed by application of night moisturizer.

I know it’s probably more convenient just to get hold of a bottle of The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Toner, but I’m just trying to be resourceful, hehe, using whatever I have on my dressing table. Well, after doing this for more than a week, it seems to work for me so far. My pimples are under control now.

I started using Garnier’s Age-Lift anti-wrinkle day cream more than a month ago, and now decided to switch back to L’Oreal’s Revitalift anti-wrinkle firming day cream (I refer it as ‘Gong Li cream’ when I talk to hubby). Why?

Firstly, I don’t really like its smell, it’s so fruity. May be it’s the blueberry extract ingredient?

Secondly, my face seemed to become more oily than before since I started using it, even though its texture is lighter than Revitalift. And it didn’t give me the instant glowing complexion after application, as what I have had with Revitalift.

Thirdly, the cream neither improves the fine lines on my face nor preventing them from becoming worse. I wonder if that’s why my beautician said that my skin sagged a lot recently.

I bought Garnier’s Age-Lift because it was RM10 ringgit cheaper than Revitalift, ha! Luckily, there was a promotion for Revitalift (now with elastin) in Jaya Jusco last week (not sure if the promotion is still on now). I got it at RM34.90, the actual retail price is RM49.90. So now I’m back to using ‘Gong Li cream’ again, my face ‘feels’ so much better now, haha!

I have been using Elianto Duo Wear Pressed Powder for more than a year and like it very much. Its powder is light, soft and provides certain extent of shine control. Although its coverage is consider light, I’m fine with it because it does help to brighten up my complexion naturally and does not look like I have put on any make up.

The only problem I have with it is, I tend to break its casing; all three that I’ve used!

Should I blame their design, casing quality or myself? I don’t know! Haha! May be I’m just a rough gal.

To avoid more ‘casing casualties’ (that’s my excuse) I decided to try a new product - Maybelline’s Clear Smooth Minerals Powder Foundation (current price: RM49.90).

I’ve never used any mineral face products before, but since they are generally claimed as the most natural and healthy products for the skin, so I thought I could give it a try. Using Elianto has not triggered any pore clogging or blemish problems (also one of the reasons why I like it). I hope this mineral powder one won’t, too.

So far, I’ve used it once. The coverage is considered satisfactory, but one has to be careful when applying. Start with just a little amount of the powder on the brush and slowly add on if you need heavier coverage. In fact, the point of using this mineral powder is to be able to use the least amount of powder to achieve the intended coverage. The result looked pretty natural if applied correctly (remember to read the instruction first).

Make sure your face is dry or not oily when applying. Otherwise the powder will stuck at those areas and makes your face looks patchy.

Maybelline Clear Smooth Minerals Powder Foundation comes with a kabuki brush. I also got a casing to contain the powder and the brush because there was a promotion 2 weeks ago at one of the pharmacies.

The kabuki brush - made from soft goat hair - is, well, not as soft as I interpreted from its name. It’s rather ‘pokish’, haha! (is there such a word at all?) But may be it is supposed to be in such a way so that the application is more even.

Anyway, I will be using this mineral powder foundation often from now onwards. If I don’t update any further about this product, that means everything is fine. If there’s bad news, I will let you know!

What do you wish to receive as Christmas gift this year?

If you are a fan of playing online games, perhaps your biggest dream come true this Christmas will be a brand new, redesigned PS2 system to play your favorite games such as NCAA Football ‘08, Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80’s, Guitar Hero III, WWE Smackdown vs.

I probably would have get addicted to these games too, hehe, IF I was given a PS2. However, the only gift I hope Santa would give me this year is a bottle of Cellnique Pro Sebum Gel. Hahaha!

That gel helped me solve whitehead problem last year. And now, I really need it to stop the whiteheads that went rampant on my forehead! But I don’t think I can afford to wait till Christmas for my bottle of Cellnique Pro Sebum Gel to be delivered through the chimney. I’d better get one myself as soon as possible before the problem gets worse!

Saw L’Oreal’s latest product - Derma Genesis - on display last week. And that ticked off my ‘experimental’ desire (more like shopping desire actually). Anything that claims to be able to restore the youth of my skin, I will certainly buy into it, haha!

The two ‘magical’ ingredients in Derma Genesis are Pro-Xylane and Hyaluronic acid. Pro-Xylane is a naturally-derived, bio-degradable anti-aging molecule that creates an optimal environment for cellular growth, thus promoting creation of new cells, while hyaluronic acid is a well-known moisturizing agent.

The full Derma Genesis Cellular-Youth Creating Skincare series comprises 5 main products:

• Foam wash - Gently exfoliates and removes skin irregularities
• Day cream (with or without SPF15) - Re-plumps, tightens and illuminates
• Intensive night cream - Re-news, tightens and relaxes
• Essence concentrate - Intense smoothing action for a radiant glow
• Eye contour cream - Anti-fine lines and anti-dark circles

See, I want to look as good as Penelope Cruz. But I have to wait, gotta finish my L’Oreal anti-wrinkle cream first!

Since my financial status is not so optimistic recently, one way to stop myself from shopping for beauty products (or even just considering about it) is to stay away from women magazines that are loaded with luring advertisements and advertorials.

I basically have not bought any fashion or lifestyle magazines over the past few weeks! And suddenly, I felt like I am lagging so far behind this fast-moving beauty industry. I saw my sister applying some cream from an unfamiliar tube this afternoon. It was “Missha BB Cream”.

I asked her what BB cream is. She looked at me astonishingly, “you don’t know what BB cream is??!! It’s the most popular type of foundation now! Jeez, you are so outdated.” Duh!

Errr, okay. I had to check it out on the internet.

Oh, I see, the “BB” stands for “blemish balm”. Apparently, it is said that BB creams are as good as foundation in providing coverage (the one my sister used looked like a tinted moisturizer), and at the same time confer benefits to the skin, e.g. soften the skin texture, promote skin regeneration. Hmm, interesting indeed.

*Sigh* Too bad, this is not the right time for me to splurge myself on these stuffs. Well, may be I can ask my sister to let me try it out from hers… hehe.

Anti-aging products are on the top of my must-have list nowadays. As my current financial status refrains me from buying goods from cosmetic brands, I diverted my radar to bottles and jars on the open shelves in pharmacies, hehe. And as mentioned in my previous post, I have started using products of L’Oreal and Bio-essence.

They are:
L’Oreal’s Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Day Cream SPF18

1. Anti-wrinkle and firming action with:

• Pro-Retinol A Forte - stimulate the regeneration of skin’s cells and to strengthen the epidermis.
• Fibre-Elastyl - a L’Oreal patented firming active ingredient, protects the elastic fibers from degeneration.

2. Optimal protection against skin aging with:

• Enriched, powerful UVA and UVB filters, preventing photo-aging and the appearance of new wrinkles, and for a complete and daily shield against time effects.

I’m glad that I picked up Revitalift. I have used it for more than a week, and found it quite friendly to my skin. It’s not oily even though its texture is rather thick. Just make sure that you gently massage the cream on your face until it’s well absorbed into the skin. On the packaging it says that “Within 3 weeks, wrinkles are reduced, skin is firmer”. Well, let me use it for another week or two then we’ll know if it really works.

(Somehow I believe that, coupled with my facial sessions with NYSS, this cream will work fine for me. )

Bio-essence’s Cell Renew Essence

• Enriched with Bio-mineral essence, herbal ingredients and moisturizing agents that penetrate into the skin to deeply nourish ultra dry areas.
• Revitalizes the skin structure and promotes cell renewal.
• Fine lines and wrinkles diminish progressively and skin becomes finer and smoother.

Errr, I think I’m a person that changes my mind rather quickly and spontaneously. Initially I planned to buy Radiant Youth Essence, but instead I ended up paying for Cell Renew Essence. I didn’t change my mind for no reasons. Firstly, Cell Renew Essence is almost half the price of Radiant Youth Essence (RM80 plus vs RM40 plus for the same volume). Secondly, I think the the former offers benefits more relevant to my skin needs.

Unlike Radiant Youth Essence, Cell Renew Essence is not oily in nature and has more of a water-based texture. It absorbs well into the skin, and I feel that it is providing adequate hydration to my skin. I’m using it day and night before the moisturizer. Again, I think this product is able to do some good for my skin. We’ll see.

Jeez, I have spent too much on e-books recently! And there goes my paycheck that just came in last week.

But it’s for my benefit, believe me. I’m currently actively learning about internet business. Hopefully that, eventually, I would have a successful online business and I could splurge all I like on skincare and beauty stuffs!

While there are so many mortgage lenders around to help people buy properties, how come there’s no short-term loan to cater specifically to women’s beauty needs? Haha! If there is one, the first thing I would do is to grab all these anti-aging potions!

Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Youth Crème 50ml - RM850!

Chanel Sublimage Essential Regenerating Fluid 50ml - RM712!

La Prairie Advanced Marine Biology Cream 40ml - RM700!

Lancome Absolute beta-White Advanced Whitening
Anti-age Spot Concentrate 30ml
RM480!

Sothys Global Anti-age De-stressing Serum 40ml
RM749!

Look at their prices. Now you understand why I said I need a beauty loan.