I’m not the most disciplined person when it comes to my facial skincare. After my skin dried the heck out at Burning Man and i contracted allergies due to the dust and heat (super painful and sad case), i couldn’t wait to come home and get a facial — not something i usually prioritize at all.
Every skin therapist and doctor i’ve seen has begged me to hydrate hydrate hydrate my skin more. I say yes, do it for a while, then nada. A couple of months ago, i went for a Cryo Facial at Astute Clinic, and the same thing happened – “Joyce, please hydrate your skin more! Wear masks every two days!”
Every two days? Damn… It just seems like a lot of effort!
I placed all the skin masks i have on my bathroom counter in plain sight so i’d be constantly reminded to put one on… at some point!
Every two days isn’t realistic for me… but the mounting definition of fine lines pushed me TO JUST DO IT. I think i got a facial mask in every 3-5 days, and wanted to credit some of the organic ones i’ve been letting my skin drink in.
I’ve been using The Herb Farm moisturizer on my holidays, and when i feel like a more earthy scent (it seriously smells like a rich salad!). Actually, all their products i’ve tried so far smell amazing, you should just go sniff it some time at TNS Skinlab stores. Been gifting their serums to gfs who are into organic products for their birthdays!
The brand uses traditional herb knowledge with latest innovations and is made in New Zealand with 100% natural products. Of course, it has no parabens, SLS, GMO, artificial colours/fragrances, silicones, and all those nasties we read about.
It’s a creamy face mask that smells sweet without being overpowering, and is applied overnight to deeply hydrate skin so you wake up to nourished skin.
? Powerful natural extracts help to prevent moisture loss and provide collagen support as your skin repairs while you sleep
? Borealine® Expert is scientifically proven to help minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
? Peony extract is a powerful antioxidant and promotes repair and rejuvenation for soft, smooth skin
Trilogy is a fully certified natural brand, also from NZ, whose cult Rosehip Oil is sold every 20 seconds globally. They’re the brand who introduced the world’s first rosehip oil skincare range in 2002.
The first product i used from them was the Rosehip Transformation Cleansing Oil. I’m BIG on cleansing oil to effectively glide off all the event make up (and layers of eyeshadow) without tugging at my skin with remover and cotton pads. For awhile, i stuck the cleansing oil at the back of my cupboard cos i had eyelash extensions and you can’t get oil near those lashes. But now, i’ve given up on extensions (just too much trouble atm… and my natural ones have grown back nicely and i want them to stay!) so the cleansing oil is back in my shower.
Out of all the organic facial products i’ve had the pleasure of trying, this one below has been my absolute favourite. There was one night i wanted to test how many times i could apply this overnight mask to my skin cos it kept on absorbing so easily, and i counted 6 applications where my skin just DRANK IT ALL UP.
Can’t tell you how plump it felt after…
Now, i don’t just use it as an overnight cream, i even use it as a morning cream when i’m staying in having a no-make up day cos it smells like a spa >>>
If that sounded like a riddle, here’s why the above sentence makes sense to me! When I was in primary school, someone brought a birthday cake to class. A sponge cake delicately sandwiched coffee-flavoured cream, topped off with even MORE coffee cream. Everyone in class hated it except me (and probably the poor child or parent who decided it was a good idea).
Because there was half a cake left untouched, I was given most of it to take home since I was the only kid who loved the taste so much. One of my fondest childhood decadent-eating memories is experimenting with that coffee cream by freezing it and eating it solid. I decided right then that I adored the flavour that is coffee.
My relationship with actual coffee has evolved from one of necessity—19 years ago while cramming for exams—to one of pure enjoyment today. A steaming mug of it was my go-to when I needed to stay awake to study for SPM. Then, in my days of entertainment journalism, I’d sip on cups in the middle of the night to plough through article deadlines.
I learnt how to enjoy it at the end of dinner when I was in London and France, but decided I wouldn’t have it past 6 p.m. in Malaysia lest I couldn’t sleep. It got a little out of control during my advertising days, with me consuming 3 to 5 cups of it daily… Then I went off it cold turkey for a whole year, wanting to prove to myself that I could focus without it.
After I was convinced and satisfied with my self-control, I turned back to it. Not because I needed it to function, but because I loved the taste and smell of it so much! I would smell the aroma of it when people had it in the mornings and lust after having its flavour in my mouth.
So I am a little different. Most people drink coffee because they need it—I drink it because I want to.
The easiest way to have a perfect cup of espresso coffee at home is to use a capsule machine like Nespresso—the brand that revolutionised the way millions of people have been enjoying their coffee since 1986. I used to have a machine in #CasaFairy that Jun brought over, but when we split he took it back with him. Now I have one all to myself in lipstick-red, a perfect match to my vintage enamel basin and table fan.
Pictured above is the Nespresso Inissia, with a compact design that fits perfectly into any space cos it’s so small and cute! Barely any effort is required to make a cuppa… i just need to momentarily press a button and wait for 25 seconds. If you’re looking to save time especially when it comes to shopping, then some caffeine is gonna have your back.
Were you shopping last 11.11?
I didn’t think i was going to… then i kinda (totally) lost the plot and spent hours on my phone. HOURS. The timer on shopping websites displayed countdowns, and i kept casually throwing products into my cart. When it was finally time to re-evaluate them all – i was freaking out in a daze of sleepiness because i didn’t want to throw in the towel after ALL THAT effort and time spent selecting products!
Val was waiting for me to watch a movie on Netflix, but I told him to give me more time.
“I have 25 items in my cart!! Just… go do something else first!” So he gamed, while I mulled over what to keep and buy. After a successful shopping spree, I mentally patted myself numerous times for a good job done. :p
Yet another upcoming (read: dangerous) sale is Black Friday this 23rd November.
To keep us alert and away from committing regrettable shopping decisions, Nespresso will be having a Long Black Friday sale two days prior for promotions on their machines! For example, the Inissia machine that’s in my apartment is going for RM399.
And they’re also giving KBF readers an additional fairy discount!😉
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Last Thursday, I attended the ENTERTAINER Malaysia launch party for its 2019 products at Hugo’s KL @ Ramada Suites KLCC. I was one of the few people to arrive early at the launch and was greeted with a drink and extremely cute little canapés. With a drink in hand and a happy tummy, I walked around to explore the place, and boy did I fall in love with the aesthetics right away!
The colourful lights that hung from the ceiling of the bar gave the place a strikingly picturesque appearance. I loved the vibe and how beautiful the setting was.
Organised and hosted by Michelle Francis, the Marketing Manager for the ENTERTAINER Malaysia; we learnt how the ENTERTAINER is a lifestyle Buy-1-Get-1 free app that offers amazing deals from food & beverages at your favourite cafes + restaurants, epic weekender activities like rock climbing and theme parks, and pampering sessions with 50% off facials and massages. Back with a bang, The ENTERTAINER 2019 has even bigger and better deals for us to look forward to!
The launch kicked off with a speech from Paul Hue, the Country Manager of the ENTERTAINER Malaysia, who welcomed everyone to the party. Once the speeches were done, modern soulful jazz band New Village Music Lab featuring Mazlina Manan serenaded us with her beautifuuul voice. She’s an amazing singer! I’m a pretty big fan. The crowd was on their feet and undeniably having a great time, mingling around while enjoying the delightful tunes by the band.
While being entertained by the band, our stomachs started to rumble! Dayana and I headed to the buffet table and found an amazing spread from Nasi Lemak to Aglio Olio.
Oh yeah! There was also a photo booth set up by BROTHER&CO where guests at the launch could take as many photos as we wished with extremely cute and funny props.
Despite having drank many-a number of Mount Gay cocktails, i recently learnt that the handcrafted rum is the world’s oldest rum producer..! Proven by a legal deed dated from 1703 confirming the existence on their sugar cane estate in Barbados, Mount Gay rum is still made using only the finest sugar cane molasses and pure water filtered through the coral heart of the island.
“Perpetuating a long-standing Barbadian tradition for more than 310 years, Mount Gay rums are handcrafted from a blend of single column and double copper pot distillates and matured in toasted oak barrels, delivering aromatic, flavorful taste, body and refined character.”
If you’re wondering why it’s called Mount Gay rum, its name honours the dude who perfected it back in the day, dear Sir John Gay.
I walked into Joloko to be greeted to select a cocktail. Managed to sample both that afternoon 🙂
The Woulinewa had Mount Gay Eclipse, roasted coconut water, creme de cacao white, and fino sherry.
The Mondo Bongo had a funky name alongside ingredients of Mount Gay Eclipse, saffron & mint liqueur, passionfruit, pineapple and lime.
Mount Gay International Brand Ambassador, Miguel Smith, was present at the luncheon to take us through the brand story.
Born in Barbados and based in London, Miguel amassed over 15 years of experience in the drinks industry in Barbados and the UK (including time at Brompton Brands’ Mahiki, which i went to in 2010!, and Brompton Club); before joining the Mount Gay team to run marketing initiatives for for Europe, Asia and Pacific regions.
“Being born and bred in Barbados, I have a personal passion for this award-winning rum. […] what makes Mount Gay so unique and special: our unparalleled history, our British heritage, our Caribbean roots, our artisanal production and of course our complex flavours.
By understanding that rum has a real history and over 300 years of refinement into the quality spirit that it is today, people can appreciate rum as a fine drink for all occasions.”
The Mount Gay portfolio in Malaysia includes Black Barrel, XO, and Eclipse.
Mount Gay Eclipse is matured between 2-7 years in American whiskey casks. Its intensity hits you at first sip, before your tastebuds adjust – allowing a smooth disposition to follow. So if you’re doing a tasting and tempted to reach for water, don’t! Let your body do its thing.
