okay.. i actually don't need anymore lipsticks.. but somehow they are calling me to buy them.. ahhaa.. and i've been attracted to red shades particularly lately. not that i have time or occasion to wear them, but somehow i just did. and i decided to go for it and buy another mac samples. this time i buy relentlessly red. ever since i knew there were mac lipstick samples and my usual online shop sells them, i've been eyeing on several shades. but having a little baby and no more occasion to use them make me stop at one point, but the urge never go away. so i decided to give myself free gift every now and then.. and lipstick is one of them. moreover, the sample is quite small, so i believe i can finish it. or i have to push myself to finish it.. hahaha.. i have to admit though, selling the samples is genius. i can try high-end mac lipstick without spending a lot of money.. win-win for me.

and yes, before you're saying anything, i know, that relentlessly red, though the name has "red" in it, the shades is more like pink than red. it's more like a bright fuchsia pink. not neon pink, but bright punchy fuchsia.

the color payoff: it's pigmented, only a swipe or two can cover your lips nicely.

the lasting power: i have to say the lasting power is pretty good thanks to the formula. it can last through eating and drinking. but you don't have to worry, even when it's start dissipating, it will leave beautiful pink tint on your lips.

the formula: it's classified as retro matte in mac collection. retro matte is drier than the matte formula in mac lipsticks. when i applied it, it's quite difficult to apply evenly in one swipe, but again.. i don't use the bullet, i use lip brush to apply it, so maybe it can interfere with the application. and being drier than usual.. wheww.. i can say that it's very drying. and i've used lip balm beforehand.. so i don't recommend this one for those who have dry lips. if you want to try this, then use a lot of lip balms, and don't forget to exfoliate.

overall, i'm very happy with my first reddish shade purchase from mac collection. i can imagine using this not only for special occasion but also for everyday use, since i can use it as tint. did i mention it looks very pretty? i hope my next purchases will keep me happy..

the sample clam

swatch on my hand (L - without flash, R - with flash)

full face swatch (L -without flash, R- with flash)

top: without flash bottom: with flash

yeah.. it's "body butters" since i've been using a lot of the body shop body butters before but never write any review about them. so let's cramp it into one post, shall we?

for all of you who're not familiar with body butter yet, let me inform you a little bit about it. it's like body lotion, but in solid form. just like butter for your skin. the consistency just like butter. it's solid, but since i'm on tropical country and sometimes the weather gets so hot, sometimes the body butter will melt a little. just like butter...

my all time favorite is the strawberry one. it smells like strawberry, though it's supposed for dry skin. the body shop divides their body butters to 2 groups, for dry skin which will last for 24 hours, and for very dry skin which will last for 48 hours. usually the dry skin type will only work as normal body lotion for me. and the very dry type gives me the moisture that i need. but.... lately i don't like most of the fragrances from the very dry type, so i just buy whatever scent i like. and the strawberry one is for dry skin, so it doesn't help much with my super duper dry skin. okay.. back to the strawberry body butter, i don't experience melting with this one.. but maybe the weather is not that hot when i use it.. so i'm not sure.

the only very dry type that i bought is the chocolate one. it does smell like chocolate, it's also brown in color like chocolate so somehow sometimes it gives me weird feeling about it. like slathering chocolate butter on my body. ewww.. and this one is the first one that i experience the melting at the end of my usage. but the ordinary chocolate body butter is gone now, and the new chocomania is only on the gift set kit.. sooooo... there goes my favorite 48 hours body butter.

and lately, i've been trying a lot of body butter scents, mostly because i get it from my mum. she received it as christmas gift and passed it on to me. i'm gladly accepted it.. though it was from olive line. i don't know what olive should smell like in real world, so i can't say if the olive scent is also similar to natural olive scent. but, i think olive will be very moisturizing, but turns out it's only for dry skin. but texture-wise, it's thicker than strawberry, but not melted easily like chocolate.

and my new favorite one is the last year christmas limited edition, glazed apple. the scent is nice.. fragrant but not too much, since i can't stand very fragrant scent. i loveeee itttt... but it's not that moisturizing though. texture-wise it's not as buttery as the other body butter, quite easily to melt, almost like chocolate. but probably since the weather is not as hot as usual, my body butter can hold its shape.

and for now i'm trying the wild argan oil line. i thought argan oil will be very moisturizing, but again.. the body shop put it under 24 hours type. the scent? i don't know how argan oil will smell like, but it's not that fragrant. perhaps like olive.. not sweet like apple and certainly not fruity like strawberry. more like floral scent if i can classify it..texture wise, i think it's very buttery. since it's also come in pale yellow color, which like butter, so i feel like slathering the real butter on my skin. hahaa.. feels weird. for now, it still hold its shape, but the weather is warming up now, so i'll update you whether it will melt or not.

and last one.. i'm tempted to buy another body butter yet again... though i haven't finished my wild argan one, but i have the urge to buy another one just in stock. i do like to pile my body butters, since the normal body lotion won't help with the dryness. okay.. the new body butter. lately the body shop has just released their new line, the fuji green tea line, which supposed to be relaxing due to green tea ingredients. but when i tried the tester, i don't feel like smelling green tea. it's very fragrant too.. but i want to try it since i've read in some bloggers that they dig it. so why not try it? after all, most of the body butters' scent won't last that long, so i'll manage.. i'll update about that later...

all the body butter that i have now

wild argan oil body butter

this is the renewed alphabet mask sheet

well, according to the etude's website, this korean ginseng mask is supposed to contains nourishing korean ginseng extract, enhancing youthful complexion by revitalizing exhausted and lifeless skin. exhausted and lifeless skin.. well, i think that's my skin's condition right now.. very dull and non radiating.. though partly because of my own laziness to use my usual regime everyday.. but hey.. i'm exhausted.. and sometimes all i want is sleep, not slapping my face with tons of products.

okay.. enough about my miserable life.. let's talk about the mask..
the packaging: like the other mask sheet, this one has ginseng picture at the front of the mask sheet packaging. it's easy to grab which mask you want from the main ingredient that pictured in front.

the smell: oh, i should've known better... it smells like ginseng.. not too strong though, but still.. if you can't stand the smell of ginseng of medicated mask sheet, then.. skip this one.. let me remind you that you have to put the mask on your face for about 15 minutes or so.. so you'll imagine that the scent will linger for some time.

the product: the size.. i don't remember the other mask sheet's size, but since it was quite some time from using it, i might be mistaken. somehow i think the sheet is smaller.. it's quite difficult to adjust the size, and the eye hole smaller than i remembered. the essence though.. it's quite a lot. i even scratch it from the packet to tap the excess on my mask sheet. well, i must say that this one is drenched in essence, not just soaked.. but somehow in 15 minutes or so, most of the essence has gone onto my skin. well, literally.. not all of them being absorbed instantly. when i remove the mask, the mask is quite dry (unlike the innisfree that seems will never dry), but my face still drench in essence. i do massage it afterwards, but it doesn't help. the essence still sits on my face. and i don't like my face being soaking wet, though in goodness of essence, so i wash it with water. yeah.. i know.. you might say it's a waste..

the result: well, i believe it will nourish my skin with all that essence.. but as for the revitalizing.. probably regular use will prove it.

will i buy it again? hell no.. i hate the smell.. even though i'm intrigued to prove the revitalizing part of the mask.. but i will skip it.. as for you.. i'll leave it to you..

the mask packaging. the main ingredient is pictured at front

the essence excess inside

left: before using middle: the somehow ill-fitted mask sheet right: my face is wet after using the mask sheet

hi everyone.. i've been trying this product for a couple times but i always forget to blog the review. i've finished my black sugar scrub foam, and i wanted to try their black sugar mask wash-off, but i don't think i'll like the scent since some bloggers mentioned that it smells weird.. so i decided to try the strawberry version instead..


actually.. this is another blind buy again.. i only read for a couple of reviews and bought this straight. and that's why i miss the moisturizing part.. okay well, let's move to the review..shall we?

the packaging: i guess korean like big tub.. since the mask comes in a big tub again. the whole black sugar range usually comes in brown label, but this strawberry one comes in greyish label with red text. and yes, thankfully there's english instructions.

the smell: oh those bloggers are right.. the smell is divine.. nice strawberry scent.. not a little bit similar to usual black sugar family range.

the product: well, i can say that it looks like strawberry jam. if i put it on my dining table, i bet my husband will easily mistaken it for strawberry jam. it looks and feels just like strawberry jam. a little bit sticky as well.. and yes, the scrub is not as harsh as the usual scrub beads in the other black sugar family range.

the result: okay.. i must say the scrub is quite gentle, despite the fact that skinfood put directions to mix it with water or toner if we feel it's too harsh. more gentle than the scrub foam. as scrub, yes, i do feel my skin softer afterwards.

overall, i don't quite like this scrub mask. well, it does clean my skin, but i don't like the afterward feeling. when i'm writing this review, i found out that it has moisturizing part. well, i don't like it. my skin feels damp after using this scrub, while i was hoping i can feel my skin squeaky clean, just when i use the scrub foam. so, instead of using this mask after cleaning my face, i switch it and use my facial foam after this mask. if you're looking for a gentle mask, don't have problem with 10-15 minutes waiting time, and fond of sweet scents, then go for this mask. otherwise, look for something else. for me, i might not try wash off mask again in the meantime, since bath time is luxury.. but, probably i will switch back to scrub foam. or peeling gel. or something else. ahaha.

the packaging of the scrub bottom right: the strawberry 'jam' inside

i just found this brand recently.. accidentally.. or not. i forgot how i got across this brand, but i can say i'm happy i read about this brand. this is new brand, literally.. and so far they only sell their products online.. no retail stores yet. and i saw on instagram that they give personal handwritten notes with each purchase.. hahaha.. pretty personal. but i hope they will continue to do that when they get bigger.

the major products that caught me are their lipsticks and lip liners. they call it lippie stix and pencil. most of the shades of the lippie stix have matching lip liner. though people say it's affordable for being under $5 for each lippie stix, but i noticed that it only has almost the same as mac's lipstick sample, which means, if they come in full size version like other lipsticks, it will be as expensive as mac lipstick. as for the formula, most lippie stix are matte, though they have satin and hyper glossy formula as well. most of them said that the matte formula is great, comparable to mac's. well, i've tried mac kinda sexy sample, which is matte, and i can say i don't like it. well.. if i finally get it, i will update you about the formula. as for colors, you can pick whatever color you want.. they have it all.. from nude to vampy.. even weird blues and purples and blacks..

their other products are single eyeshadows, blushes and recently highlighter. the blushes come in a huge range of colors, just like the lip products. the highlighters too.. i even wonder why they make blushes colors as highlighter. i think most of them are cream.. though it's packaged like powder..

since they're selling online, i've visited their website to see their products. well, i like their websites. it's customer friendly. and they have swatches too! very helpful. they will swatch the products on 3 different skin tones, so it will help a lot since you can see how it will look like on you.. or close to you.

(+) budget friendly, huge range of colors, great pigmentation, great information on web (swatches available).
(-) small product size