Vrai Argan Oil

I tend to shy away from argan oil products since I consider it too expensive and my experience with argan oil products hasnt been satisfactory recently.

So, when my parents brought me Vrai Argan Oil from Fragonard Paris last month, I just tried a shy single pump on my skin and leave the bottle on my desk. Pretty much untouched, since I have other body oils on rotation.

But yesterday, I was running out of my regular Etude House hair essence, which I always apply prior to straight ironing. at times combined with Ma Cherie milk. In desperate effort to find replacement, I stumbled upon white minimalistic Vrai Argan Oil bottle. I applied it on my towel dried hair then go on straight ironing (no Ma Cherie milk here). To my delight... it worked very well. My hair feels less dry and more smooth to touch.

Vrai Argan oil is fragranced with fresh citrusy fragrance. It is not as thick as other argan oil products I tried. Clear, light (but not as light as dry oils) and fresh oil. It got absorbed easily. Those who dont like fragrance, dont worry, the pleaseant smell pretty much disappear in few minutes upon application

According to the bottle, this oil can be used on body also. But I find exceptional result when used on my hair, not skin. On skin, I still prefer dry oils like Nuxe.

Unfortunately, I cant point to you where to get this in other countries outside France, since I dont think Fragonard has shop outside France. Prior to Vrai, I know Fragonard for their fragrances.

Bottomline,
I would highly reccomend this for those with dried, fried, baked hair. This one is my staple now.

However, I dont think I would reccomend this for those with oily hair...might be too sticky/oily.

Shiseido Ma Cherie End Cure Milk

Japanese giant Shiseido certainly has specialized brand for every single beauty lover! This line, called Ma Cherie, is hair care range with lovely and fresh light fragrance. Totally caught my eye because of.... the pinky winky pretty sweetie bottle design! ha!

End cure milk is pretty much a non-wash conditioner. light lotion -textured and lightly fragranced. this baby got absorbed easily to my ultra dry-super processed hair.

I used it before and after my daily flat-ironing, and I find the product helps keep my hair feel softer all day long. The fragrance is gone by the time I massaged the milk in my hair.

Bottomline,
helpful addition in my haircare box, but not essential. I can replicate the result with other more readily available products.

I got mine in Sasa Taiwan.

Things I finished this month...

No doubt I am a self confessed product hoarder. I like to try new stuff and tend not to finish them. Yet, I also buy numerous repurchases of stuff I really like. So, when i do finish something, especially those random purchases, I am so proud of myself... So, drumroll please... These are stuff I finished this month!!!

Sasatinnie magic fairy aloe Vera and tea tree mask

okay, this is not thing I'm proud of, since a box only contain 3 sheets. The mask is traditional Asian sheet mask from non woven material, soaked in serum/ essence. The material in this mask is thicker than my usual My Beauty Diary masks. It smells like tea tree and feels soothing when worn. The mask contains ingredients like moisturizing aloe, blemish reducing-pore minimizing-sebum secretion balancing tea tree and pore minimizing-anti blemish-anti oxidation edelweiss. The aloe and edelweiss is claimed to be of organic origin. As with most oil balancing mask i've tried, this doesn't really help my oily t zone. But I do enjoy the soothing, cooling feeling when wearing this mask.

Cussons first years nourishing stretch mark cream

not like I need stretch mark cream. I got this as part of cussons first years box I purchased during a boring day. I do end up with most useless purchases during boring days... Anyways, it is light and easily absorbed. But not moisturizing enough for me. May be because it is designed for stretch mark, but not moisturizing? I do liked the fragrance in this cussons first years series thou.. Light airy fruity floral. Just enjoyable.

Tony moly red appletox honey cream

another purchase I made just because I can't resist the cute apple shaped jar. The cream contains apple, honey and collagen to Moisturize and enhance elasticity of skin.It is recommended for tired, dehydrated sensitive skin. Don't expect cream here, you are getting gel with honey consistency. It even comes with a tiny spatula to take the product from the jar. I find it too moisturizing, borderline sticky for my combination face skin. Since I don't want to waste it, I ended up using it for my hands. But it is not moisturizing enough for my dry hands. feels like the gel just sits on top and does nothing. I'm glad I'm done with the content and now, i can clean the cute apple shaped jar up and use it to store my tiny trinkets.

Kose Cosmeport Rose of Heaven Hand Cream

Seems like I finished a few creams this month! I still remember this cream being so fragrant, however, the fragrance doesnt last very long, as last I applied it, the fragrance has subdued to light sweetened rose scent. I do like the sweetened rose scent, but I expect longer lasting perfume on my hand creams. The texture itself is enjoyable, easily absorbed and moisturizing. But I wont repurchase this one.

L'occitane Amande Pomme Velvet Face Fluid

Been using this since my lazy days...this light yet moisturizing fluid is suitable for my combination face. Doesn't make my face too oily, yet provides enough moisture. It has SPF of 40 as well. However, won't repurchase, as nowadays I prefer separate moisturizer and sunblock. Right now I am using moisturizer still from Amande Pomme -the non SPF version.

Kao Essential Damage Care Rich Premier Shampoo

I had high hopes for this one, especially that is promises smooth & manageable hair. it contains honey, shea butter and sunflower oil. Sounds wonderful. however... it doesnt work on me as much as I would like it to be. Somehow it makes my hair tangle more- that's the opposite of smooth and manageable . I am so glad I have finished this bottle, surely I wont be repurchasing. I still have the conditioner and leave-on serum from the line which I havent try...lets hope the conditioner and serum works better.

Kao Essential damage care rich premier hair essence

Kao is another Japanese cosmetic company which makes various hair care and skin care products. The Essential brand is one of them.

The last time I checked, this rich premier line from Essential features shampoo, conditioner and hair essence. The rich premier is targetted to this with damaged hair, with treatment focused on last 15cm of your hair. Which the brand believe is to be the most damaged section of your hair. I do agree with this, just ask my split ends...

 The hair essence is supposed to work as hair lotion. Just apply it on clean hair, dont rinse off. Honestly, this stuff is not potent enough for my regularly straightened hair. My hair still feel dry and coarse after few application. Just not to throw it away, now I am using it after I used wash off conditioner. Just to add little extra moisture for my hair.

Golden Rose Terracotta Sparkle Trio Eye Shadow in 408

Golden Rose is Turkish make up brand which offers quite complete range of make up from shadows to powders. I picked this pretty sparkly looking trio eye shadows during my recent trip to Turkey.

Usually I am a sucker for pretty packaging and attractive well made boxes. Rest assured, when I got this one, it was not the packaging that called me. it is packaged in simple plastic pan with clear plastic top and golden plastic bottom. very light, which means feels cheap. and the box doesnt help... hologram golden box doesnt scream luxury to me.

The color though, is my favorite! Teals! 408 is a dome consisting three stripes: 2 colors and one glitter. Just like the name imply, these are sparkly. The mint green has greenish iridescent sparkle to it. While I was expecting the mint to be sheer, it was a pleasant surprise to found out it is quite well pigmented. one swipe already shows color on my lids. The warm teal is standard sparkly teal. not sheer, but not superbly pigmented either.

Silver glitter shade in the middle is pretty much clear shade with chunks of silver glitter. let me repeat... CHUNKS... these are huge. super sparkly due to the random size fo the glitter. It doesnt add any color, only disco-ball glitter. and it falls like nobody's business.

I am surely gonna wear the mint and teal only. and forget about the chunky, prone-to-falls silver glitter.

Bottomline,
considering the price, this is an okay purchase for me. I adore the mint, neutral about the teal and hate the glitter. I dont think i see Golden Rose in other countries, beside Turkey.

Got mine in Golden Rose shop in Istiklal area, Istanbul.

Poshe nail strengthening treatment base coat

I always have problem with my weak, easily chipped, at times peeling nails. gross, i know. Until, my best buddy reccomended me Poshe treatment base coat!

I have been wearing it pretty much for over a year. and I can see my nails r getting stronger, not as brittle as it used to be. it is amazing, remembering how long I have worn and loved this baby, but havent manage to blog about it until i nearly finish my last bottle!

One problem with Poshe though, it tends to make certain formula of polish (like my favorite holos) pools and look unsightly. Overly watery polish formula also tend to have similar problem when applied over Poshe.

Poshe dries glossy and clear. it really helps to prevent staining. my nail is not as badly stained as it used to be as well!

Bottomline...
wonderful and really working, protecting base coat for my nails. it suits most nail polish formulas I have been using (I wear mainly OPI, China Glaze, Zoya and occasional Color Club & korean brands like Etude House).

Make Up Forever Aqua Liner in 14

I havent been using MUFE products recently... the last thing I bought from them was a nude-mauve lippie. THen I was interested in their spring bohemian eye shadow palette, but it turned out sheer and not to my liking. And then i forget their make up products (MUFE brush cleanser remains a favorite, though...).

Until.. yesterday my lovely cousin sent me this eye liner. She very well knows I dont need yet another black liner, but she insisted this one is special and different.

She is correct! this liquid eye liner is lovely in many ways! the formula, the brush tip, the color! everything!

first the brush, it is made of foam, similar to MAC's Superslick eyeliners. Yet somehow it feels more easier to control and use than MAC's.

then the color! how wonderful... multi colored shimmer suspended in black base. it gives certain colorful sparkle when I wear it. I wont post any picture here, Temptalia's website posted a wonderful swatch of all the series.

The most important feature is... the formula! Okay, I have to shake it a little before wearing, to make sure the shimemer got mixed nicely with the black base. it dries fast and it last long! until I decided to remove it. On my oily lids, this one lasts longer than MAC's superslick. Superslick might peel off (not smudge, people, but peel off) by the end of a long day. But with MUFE (which I have tried few days in a row by now), it never happens!

much like its twin sister from MAC, MUFE Aqua Liner is easily off with regular soap or make up remover. I dont have to use my FANCL oil cleanser arsenal to clean this up. again, it doesnt smudge, it simply 'peels off' when i gently massaged in make up remover or facial wash.

Bottomline,
I am running to my nearest MUFE counter to grab some more colors!
Easy to use, lasts long and easy to remove. PLUS it doesnt ever smudge! What more can I ask?

One thing though, Why oh Why they named their colors with numbers?!? MUFE, give them names for easier reference please...