Lifestyle | Flowers for Every Occasions

Most women love everything beauty related but it’s not just makeup, skincare and fashion. You can also add beautiful flowers into that mix because flowers can be such an important element at home as they make everything more beautiful and sophisticated and at some point, I'd say you might be a total junkie like me when it comes to flowers. Therefore, if you do your fair share of the research when it comes to florist services in this country, you'll find that A Better Florist is by far the best florist in Malaysia and I bet you will have the pleasure of trying out. This florist is just what you need if you want to have those blooms that you're seeing here in my blog or my Instagram feed right to your doorstep and not just on the screen.

This amazing florist has this beautiful collection of flowers on their website and it’s all neatly organised into different categories. This system makes it easy for anyone to jump on the website and find exactly the type of flower bouquets they need. At first, you might be a bit hesitant because there’s no way a florist can deliver exactly what’s on their website as it might seemed impossible but A Better Florist will totally come through. Not only did they deliver the exact same flowers from the picture on the website, it looks even more amazing in person when you get to smell them and see how fresh they are.

Experience your first purchase and I bet you will be immediately hooked. You can also find gift options on their website, such as hampers and fruit baskets. You will love their baby hamper selection, and you can too customise everything so that it really is personal to you and who you are gifting it to.

In Malaysia, they have an Ipoh florist and a Penang florist, as well as KL flower delivery and a Johor Bahru flower delivery, and outside of Malaysia they also have several shops open. They have an UAE flower delivery that’s known for their gorgeous UAE flowers, as well as a HK florist that is known for the fastest flower delivery Hong Kong has. And, of course, they have several flower shops in Singapore, as this is where they initially started.

To mention their flower delivery, which kind of makes this florist the entire package. They have a couple of options when it comes to delivery, but one that definitely stands out the most is their free, same day delivery. As long as you order before 3pm, you are eligible for a free delivery on the same day!

A Better Florist can’t be compared to other florist, simply for the fact that they do things differently. If you haven’t yet experience a service like theirs and not to mention how creative they get when it comes to their designs. Trying them out will be the best decision you will make in a while!

I guess that's all from me! I'll see you guys on my next post. Annyeong~

Blogger Mail | Althea Petal Velvet Sunaway SPF50+ PA++++

Yesterday, I've received another lovely blogger mail as I'm part of Althea's Beauty Ambassador  Community; Althea Angels and this time it's about sun protection! I know! You've seen my Instagram feed and I've got to say that it's definitely not my intention to actually done many reviews on different sunscreens from various brands but my dear, most brands that I personally currently using are releasing their own sun protection products! I can never have enough SPF so isn't it amazing?

This time around, Althea sent us their latest Althea Exclusive; Althea Petal Velvet Sunaway SPF50+ PA++++ along with their Petal Velvet Powders, all in 3 variants; #0 Translucent, #23 Warm Beige and their 3rd  Anniversary Special Edition, #Pink Lavender including that super cute Althea hologram makeup pouch! These are such aesthetically pleasing products to my eyes as you guys know how much I love minimal design.

As I'm going to at least give these products a try within the next few weeks; except those powders as I've already been using them since like way back when they first launched and I've been loving the Translucent one for the past year or so; finished my first tub back in July so in the meantime, do check out current promotions on these pretty babies on their website as Althea is having promotion where you can get the new sunscreen and one of the powder at special introductory price! Check out the links below! If you're new to Althea and planning to purchase more than RM150, use my link (click here!) for 20% discount off your first purchase!

I guess that's all for now and I'll be seeing you guys on my next post. Annyeong~

|||   SHOP THE POST   |||

Althea Petal Velvet Set RM53.10 (Malaysia only)

||| Official links |||

Website | http://my.althea.kr/

Facebook | http://www.facebook.com/altheamalaysia

Instagram | http://www.instagram.com/altheakorea

Blogger Mail | Jayeon Raspberry, Aloe and Pearl Masks

I guess it's official. I'm a certified sheet mask addict that has been acknowledged by brands so they sent me bundle of sheet masks to try! Okay, just kidding! haha but I'm not kidding about the part that I'm addicted to sheet masks to the point that I've been sheet masking for almost every single day as I'm living in colder environment for weeks now. Still, let's keep calm and rehydrate our skin, drink plenty of water and just continue on shortlisting the things we're going to buy during the upcoming sale season. What?


At this point of using numbers of sheet mask, I bet you're already know that there are different types of sheet mask and currently there are about 10 types of fabric for the sheets that I've discovered and personally used. The most common ones; cotton fibres which are used in regular daily sheet masks then there are the sheets made from silk, my favourites; cupra sheet, and tencel sheet and not forgetting those bio-cellulose sheet and hydrogels. But no matter what kind of sheet being used for sheet masks, the ultimate goal would be delivering hydration and moisture as instant remedy to dehydrated skin mostly added with active ingredients for different skin concerns e.g. brightening, anti-wrinkle/ageing, soothing, etc.


Whether you're adding sheet mask to your simple skincare routine as the essence, serum or ampoules step or to boost hydration or moisture level to your skincare routine of the day, just make sure to seal everything in with hydrator or moisturiser as your last step; be it a water-based hydrators like cream and sleeping mask or oil-based moisturisers like facial oils.

Now, before we're jumping right into these minimally packaged sheet masks, let me just go through quickly about the brand; Jayeon Cosmetics.

• A brand that offers the ideal personal care from top to toe affordably. Jayeon also means nature and kind! 
• Focuses on providing the best of natural skincare products from Korea. Since July 2016, Jayeon has released Aloe Vera Gel as it's first in the Aloe Vera skin care series and manage to secure the fan favourite 300ml as one of the best sellers. Upon popular demand, Jayeon has successfully introduced an addition of two cleansers for men & women. 
• Recognizes the struggle for good and affordable skincare products. Bringing natural skin food for sensitive, dry & combination skin, the brand offers an affordable and easy way to keep your skin healthy and restore your confidence. This year, the brand aims to expand its Korean skin care line with many more surprises to come!

First, I'd like to note that these sheet masks are Made in Korea and Jayeon is the first brand that I have ever encountered with product description provided in our national language, Bahasa Melayu printed on the packaging itself; not a label sticker at the back of the sachet like we usually seen on imported Korean beauty products locally available in beauty stores and drugstores. Not only that, the brand also guaranteed that these sheet masks contain no alcohol, paraben, benzophenone, artificial colour, mineral oil, and animal oil.

Secondly, if you're already gotten this in your hands and wondering on how to read the expiring date, the format is MMDDYY. 

Now, let's go to each and every variant of sheet mask the brand offers.

JAYEON RASPBERRY BRIGHTENING MASK

 

Product Description: Infused with a powerful blend of Noni, Raspberry and Aloe Vera that hydrates, nurtures and supports skin by offering intense nutrient and provide long-lasting hydration while lighten skin toner, making your skin beautiful and glowing. ​

How to Use: Take out the mask from package and spread evenly over entire face. Remove after 15 to 20 minutes and gently pat to allow the remaining essence to absorb into the skin.

Ingredients:

Aqua, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Morinda Citrifolia (Noni) Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Cyclopentasiloxane, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Centaurea Cyanus Flower Extract, Borago Officinalis Extract, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Extract, Salvia Sclarea (Clary) Extract, Hyacinthus Orientalis (Hyacinth) Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Allantoin.

Notable ingredients:

• Morinda Citrifolia (Noni) Extract: Improve skin health.
  Has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; plays a big role in enhancing skin health especially for those with dry and rough skin.
  
• Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract: Antioxidant, brightening.Packed with antioxidants and Vitamin C that work great to protect skin from damaging effect of the harmful rays, help slow down aging and brighten skin tone.

Capacity: 23g

JAYEON ALOE HYDRATING MASK

 

Product Description: Rehydrate your skin with this gentle formula containing active moisturising and soothing agents. Helping skin retain essential moisture and strengthening skin barriers, your skin will look visibly healthier and easily achieved a smooth complexion.

How to Use: Take out the mask from package and spread evenly over entire face. Remove after 15 to 20 minutes and gently pat to allow the remaining essence to absorb into the skin.

Ingredients:

Aqua, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Sodium Hyaluronate, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Diospyros Kaki (Persimmon) Extract, Morus Alba (Mulberry) Bark Extract, Opuntia Coccinellifera Fruit Extract, Portulaca Oleracea (Purslane) Extract, Panthenol (Vitamin B5), Carbomer, Cyclopentasiloxane, PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil,  Chlorphenesin, Triethanolamine, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Phenoxyethanol, Allantoin, Disodium EDTA, Fragrance.

Notable ingredients:

• Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract: Moisturising, soothing.
  Provides a protective layer to the skin which help retain moisture, alleviates skin discomfort and improve skin texture.
  
• Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract: Antioxidant, brightening.
  Helpful for sensitive skin, it has powerful antioxidants that help protect the skin from environmental stressor. It also helps to lighten dark spots and even out skin tone.

Capacity: 23g

JAYEON PEARL WHITENING MASK

 

Product Description: Our Pearl Mask perfects and brightens your skin. Contain amino acids and vitamins, this mask helps to accelerate the natural metabolism of the skin, tone it and reduce skin impurities. Skin becomes fairer, softer and moisturised.

How to Use: Take out the mask from package and spread evenly over entire face. Remove after 15 to 20 minutes and gently pat to allow the remaining essence to absorb into the skin.

Ingredients:

Aqua, Glycerin, Dipropylene Glycol,  PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Carbomer, Triethanolamine, Pearl Extract, Chlorphenesin, Phenoxyethanol, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite,  Tin Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Fragrance, Allantoin.

Notable ingredients:

• Pearl Extract: Antioxidant, brightening.
  Rich in antioxidant which works to protect your skin from sun damage and other environmental aggressor. Also helps to lighten skin and gives a glowing complexion.
  
• Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract: Soothing, antioxidants
  Commonly used plant extract that can have potent antioxidant properties and some soothing properties. However, witch hazel’s high tannin content (tannin is a potent antioxidant) can also make it sensitizing if used repeatedly on skin. The bark of the witch hazel plant has a higher tannin content than the leaves. Producing witch hazel water by steam distillation removes the tannins, but the plant’s astringent qualities are what most believe give it benefit. - Paula's Choice

Capacity: 23g

USING THE SHEET MASKS

Overall, I find the packaging is super cute with the taglines on each front of the sachets are totally on point for their respective featured ingredients. The cotton sheet is actually quite thin and adheres to my facial curve well with minimal bubbles. The essence is serum-like, almost clear and smells nicely. ​

All 3 variants contain Vitamin E to supply nutrients to the skin, restores and rejuvenated dehydrated skin plus it's also an antioxidants which helps to neutralise free radicals that caused by environmental exposures such as pollution and UV radiation. Also, Aloe extracts that contribute to soothing sensation which helps giving me refreshed look every time I've used this on.

I've used all the sheet masks in my morning skincare routine; having them incorporated in brightening skin care line of products that I've been using for the past months at the serum step i.e. after toner and before moisturiser and all of them did helped in boosting the hydration level I need as I find my skin feeling dry whenever I used the whole skincare line without adding any hydrating product like hydrating first essence or toner even though I'm using hydrating sunscreen on top.

      

Out of all three, I do find myself liking the Aloe Hydrating Mask the most. All these while I've been preferring brightening sheet masks in every sheet mask line that I've tried from other brands but this moisturising variant is the winning variant for me. This particular sheet mask made my skin not only feeling nice and smooth like its other two sisters but also looking plumped and well hydrated; I feel like I can skip the brightening lotion and go ahead with my sunscreen. Of course, I didn't skip as I need all the hydration I can get from my skincare products.

On Monday this week, Jayeon Cosmetics contacted me about sending the above sheet masks to try and then bam! The package arrived on Wednesday via GDEX and that's when I found out that they actually have HQ here in Malaysia which explains the super-fast delivery to my place here in East Malaysia.

These sheet masks are available for purchase individually or in set on Hermo, 11Street and their on website (below linked) so feel free to check out their current promotions. I'd be sure to recommend buying in bulk so you can save more.


I guess that's all from me. Do let me know your thoughts on these daily sheet masks and tell me your favourites by leaving comments down below.

||| SHOP THE POST |||

Jayeon Raspberry, Aloe and Pearl Masks.

Click the images above to purchase respectively.

||| Official Links |||

Website | https://jayeoncosmetics.com/

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/jayeoncosmetics/ 

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/jayeoncosmetics/

Disclaimer: Links provided are non-affiliated and for your sole convenience. The above sheet masks were sent to me for review purposes and my thoughts here are based on personal use of the products. 

Blogger Mail | 50GRAM X Swanicoco Show the Velvet Lipstick Black Edition in No. 3 Juliet Red

I know what you guys probably thinking right now; I'm all about nude/MLBB lipsticks kinda girl and I'm aware of the fact that I have previously bought just the wrong lipsticks with undertones that have made my lips looking grey or lipsticks that are too light for my medium skin tone but I have never bought or wear a bright red lipstick. When 50GRAM first contacted me for this collaboration, I'm going to admit that I'm a little bit worried as I'm not sure whether I can pull off this colour but when I received the package few weeks later after that I suddenly feel like this is some sort of a challenge and I do want to level up in my makeup game. 

But before we jump right into the lipstick itself, let's go a little bit into this 2018's hottest brand in South Korea; Swanicoco, Natural Bio Cosmetics.

• The brand started off its business by creating naturally fermented soaps and currently, they are the top natural cosmetics company in the Republic of Korea with their corporate philosophy that only those obtained from nature; not artificial chemical products, are the best. They are putting foremost priority on obtaining high-quality ingredients, engaging in ceaseless bio development research to create a natural bio system, and relentlessly accepting challenges.

• Brand identity. The word “Nature” on the upper part of the Swanicoco logo means that the brand is a natural cosmetics company. The peony blossom at the center symbolizes abundance and elegance while on the lower part of the logo, the word “Swanicoco” means that they pursue the elegance of a “swan” (feminine), and “coco” means “coconut” (as they offer botanical natural cosmetics) as well as “cuteness” in French. They want to shows that they are working hard to create natural cosmetics not only for women but also for men, that is, for everyone.

• Beauty Secret; Bio Fermentation. The brand applies the same technology for their fermented cosmetics that is used for fermented foods. During the fermentation process, particles become smaller thereby enhancing their absorption rate on the skin. In addition, as they are natural components, they do not irritate the skin. Furthermore, during fermentation, nutrients that hitherto did not exist; amino acids and antioxidants, are generated to treat damaged skin and prevent skin aging. The brand uses grains, fruits, vegetables, and Korean medicinal herbs as ingredients for fermentation, and integrates biotechnology into eco-friendly natural components to help improve the skin. Moreover, instead of purified water, they use fermented extracts, which accounts for 80% of their cosmetics.

• Natural biotechnology research. The brand does not use ingredients that are harmful to the skin such as dyes, artificial fragrances, chemical preservatives, steroids, alcohol, mineral oil, parabens, and benzophenones. Instead, they try to use only natural and fermented extracts, and have engaged in ceaseless research to make sure that natural components do not conflict one another when combined. They have thus obtained the optimal mixing method. Due to their efforts in creating natural cosmetics that are safe, hypoallergenic, mild, and ideal for all skin types, they have succeeded at integrating biotechnology into eco-friendly natural ingredients for their cosmetics to have maximum skin-improving effect.

• Natural Korean and patented ingredients (natural ingredients in Korea and patented ingredients from various countries).
  The main ingredients of  the brand’s cosmetics are either extracted from Korean natural plants, patented ingredients from Europe; including France, which leads the global cosmetics ingredients market; or organically certified ingredients from the United States and Australia. Their products are created to be safe and to have great effects, with Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF), and protein peptides.

SWANICOCO SHOW THE VELVET LIPSTICK BLACK EDITION IN NO. 3 JULIET RED

About the Product:

• 3 attractive vivid colours launched but currently available is this beautiful Juliet Red.
• Contains natural moisturizing ingredients; carnauba wax and natural oils that also provide long-lastingness.
• Contains fermented extracts instead of purified water and free of chemical ingredients, improving the skin while covering it well. 

Ingredients: Octyldodecanol, Isononyl Isononanoate, Silica, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Isoeicosane, Ozokerite, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Microcrystalline Wax, Paraffin, Phenyl Trimethicone, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Polyhydroxystearic Acid, Kaolin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Caprylyl Glycol, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butyl Hydroxyhydrocinnamate, Hexylene Glycol, Fragrance, Phenoxyethanol, Ci 15850, Ci 45410, Ci 15985, Ci 19140, Ci 15850

Packaging:

The lipstick came in its own box; black design with simple sketch of the lipstick itself and of course, with the shade of red for its lid. The lipstick is housed within that velvety-looking black case which reminds me of my first luxury lipstick from Western brand especially when there is the click sound when the top part of the case being swirled down to close; kind of sound when two opposite magnets clicked to each other.

  

As this is the first product I've tried from the brand, I'm not sure whether the products distributed through their US stores have English description or not but as for the sheet mask (bought from local drugstore) that I've used last week, there's indeed English product label in the form of sticker slapped at the back of the packet for our convenience but not this lipstick.  Everything here is printed in Korean so if you're like me who are keen on finding informations and reading product ingredients before trying or buying products, seems that we have to rely on the product information provided by the seller; 50GRAM but knowing that products released by the brand are made of natural ingredients and free of harmful agents, I just took out the lipstick and swipe on my lips to actually see how it goes on my own lips.

That's the whole lipstick swirled out!

By the way, this Show the Velvet Lipstick Black Edition is indeed comes in limited release and once out of stock, it'll be gone forever! Also, do you know that Swanicoco’s collection of various basic makeup products boasts of great coverage, long-lasting effects, and UV protection? Go check them out!

There's the product expiry date printed at the bottom of the lipstick but just to be safe, most lipsticks are to be thrown out after 18 months; whichever comes first.

Swatches:

This Juliet Red shade appears to be like a bright red that leans towards coral to me. You guys probably already know that there are different kinds of reds and this particular red looks great on olive skinned people. 

Applications:

As I'm someone who have dark lips, I can't really pull off the gradation lips that I've always want to sport; not without lip concealer so I always do full lips. For first applications, I need at least 2 swipes across my lips then I proceed with evening out the colour using lip brush. I learned that it's important to line the lips with lip liners to get that full lips look but I don't have lip liner in that colour so in the next few attempts after that I took small amount of the lipstick using lip brush to outline the lips and then filled the inner area with the lipstick directly.

The finish is indeed velvety and feels weightless on lips. It doesn't bleed into the lip lines and I do feel my lips being moisturised thanks to the natural oils as I go along with my routines throughout the day. The colour do transfer although just slightly so after few tries, I think applying the lipstick layer by layer helps with the evenness of the colour on lips therefore I used less product hence less transfer. I do remember my makeup geek best friend used similar eyeshadow colour or loose translucent powder to really set her lips but I think that's only appropriate if your whole makeup looks need to be on point for a long time; photo shoots or just window shopping at the mall. 

Thoughts:

I've got to say that wearing a bright red lipstick is kind of frightening for someone who only wear nude lipsticks but the experience is somewhat empowering. I'm not exaggerating, I'm telling you guys! For the longest time, I thought it's not an everyday nor office appropriate shade of red but now I do think that wearing this kind colour especially on days you're feeling down or less motivated can help lightening up your mood.


I also think that this 'point makeup' as South Korean would call it, could be some sort of statement lip colour where you can just dress minimally and let your perfect bold lips giving you the edge that you need for that important meeting , night out with girlfriends even on modelling jobs in Australia.


Overall, I'd give this 4.5/5. With lots of other K-beauty brands already have different packaging for their overseas customers, they should at least provide English description label on product itself. As this isn't a liquid lipstick that you want it to be long lasting throughout the day so I actually don't mind the transfer and even after hours of wearing, there's still shade of colour left on my lips so I don't need to upkeep every hour which is a huge plus.

Thank you so much to 50GRAM and Swanicoco for sending this product to me! It's such a pleasure to discover something new enough to make me want to play with makeup again after almost a year focusing merely on skincare. I can't wait to see more products made available in Malaysian market!


This lipstick is made from natural ingredients first brought to you by 50GRAM with nationwide delivery now available for purchase at introductory price of RM88.85 (Retail Price RM98.72).

I guess that's all from me. Do let me know your thoughts on this lipstick and tell me your favourite lipstick for daily look or when you want to paint the whole town red. I'll see you guys on my next post, annyeong~

||| SHOP THIS POST |||

Swanicoco Show the Velvet Lipstick Black Edition in No. 3 Juliet Red

Click the image above to purchase.

||| Official Links |||

Facebook: 

• 50GRAM | https://www.facebook.com/50grammalaysia/
• Swanicoco Global | https://www.facebook.com/swanicocoen/

Instagram:

• 50GRAM | https://www.instagram.com/50gram.com.my/
• Swanicoco Korea | https://www.instagram.com/swanicoco.official/

Disclaimer: Links provided are non-affiliated and for your convenience. The products were sent to me for review purposes and all opinions here are based on my personal use of the products.