News: Physicians Formula Media Launch

If you are a hardcore beauty addict, I guess you will know all about who and what this brand is. 

If the name sounds foreign to you, fret not. I shall story you.

I have personally known of the brand, Physicians Formula (PF), for about 6 years now ever since I started going serious with makeup. But back then, it was extremely tough to get their products as it was only available in the US and other parts of the world except Malaysia. One of the ways I am aware of on obtaining PF products are through US Sprees which was quite popular on Lowyat forums back then, or if you have a relative or friend visiting or living in the US, then you can get them to help purchase. Anyway, away with the tedious and painful long waits! PF has finally graced our humble shores and into one of our most popular pharmacies/local drugstores, exclusively at Watsons. 

Who & What is Physicians Formula?

It is said that the birth of Physicians Formula was from, the seed of love. According to PF's website, Physicians Formula's founding father, Dr. Frank Crandall, was an eminent allergist. His beloved wife had sensitive skin and probably most cosmetics back then terrorized her poor skin. It is because of her and his love for her, he created a unique line of cosmetics that changed the face of cosmetics. Fuh, drama. 

PF's claim

Physicians Formula's Media Launch in Malaysia

On the 21st of January 2016, Physicians Formula had their media launch at EIG. The event area was fairly spacious and the decorations were put together prettily and they had food, oh yes. Food. I mean, refreshments. Food is important, ok. 

I did not manage to get great photos and catch the names of the important people who officiated the event but I will leave them for the newspapers/magazines to cover. I shall cover the most important part, the makeup itself. Teehee. 

FYI: All photos were taken with my One Plus One hand phone camera. 

After the pink balloons were released.

To be honest, I was glad that Physicians Formula took the effort to set up makeup stations filled with their products for us to try and swatch to our heart's content! But unfortunately, the lighting was bad and it didn't help that my phone's camera couldn't pick up the colours well or do it justice. So no swatches this time round darlings. Sorry! I will try to invest in a good camera when I see a good deal. Any recommendations? :) 

About their products, I helped Jessica from JessytheKLChic with her makeup using Physicians Formula products. The products used were: 

Face:

• Organic wear® 100% Natural Origin CC Color + Correction Cream SPF 20 in Light/Medium.
• Youthful Wear™ Cosmeceutical Youth-Boosting Concealer in Light/Light.
• Youthful Wear™ Cosmeceutical Youth-Boosting Illuminating Face Powder in Creamy Natural.

Eyes:

• Shimmer Strips Custom Bronzer, Blush & Eye Shadow
• Eye Booster™2-in-1 Lash Boosting Felt-Tip Eyeliner + Serum 

All I can do is give my first impression on the products I have used. This is not a review but my initial thoughts of the products. 

Products	Shades	Initial Thoughts
Organic wear® 100% Natural Origin CC Color + Correction Cream SPF 20	Light/Medium	The consistency is light but not very runny. Light coverage but enough to even out the skin if your skin does not have a lot of imperfections. I would use this on my good skin days but that rarely happens.
Youthful Wear™ Cosmeceutical Youth-Boosting Concealer	Light/Light	Its consistency is fairly thick. Not thin and runny which is a good thing because you want coverage for dark circles under your eyes. You will have to warm it up first at the back of your hand for an even and smooth application. You will need to be careful to not apply too much as it can be quite cakey or look like an eye mask gone wrong.
Youthful Wear™ Cosmeceutical Youth-Boosting Illuminating Face Powder	Creamy Natural	This powder was love at first sight. I love how the powder is finely milled and it goes on smoothly on top of the CC Cream. It didn't leave the skin feeling extremely matte. It felt silky and gives a soft-looking finish. I was so in love with it that I bought one for myself!
Shimmer Strips Custom Bronzer, Blush & Eye Shadow	Can't recall	There wasn't any eyeshadows around so I used this as eyeshadows on Jessica's eyes. Boy, this needs brushes because I tried using my fingers and it didn't budge. So I had to use my little finger's nail to scrape a little off the surface to get some powder out. But the shades are beautiful if you love shimmery eyeshadows. The shimmer is made of fine particles, it looks more like a sheen. It is not like the Japanese/Korean kind of shimmery where there's fallouts.
Eye Booster™2-in-1 Lash Boosting Felt-Tip Eyeliner + Serum	Black	One of the liquid eyeliners that actually looks black. It's a pretty okay liquid eyeliner but I wouldn't recommend it if you don't like huge felt tips or have small-shaped eyes. Nothing to shout about.

I'm on Snapchat! @lashesnstrokes

I made new friends!
From the left: Jessica, me, Aliza Sara, Jessica's friend (sorry dear, I forgot your name!! T^T)

ERMAGD, you gotta love the app B612! Made my skin look extra glowy! So ridiculous.

My #eotd of the day.
Was supposed to be inspired by the Pantone colours of the year but it ended up looking like a unicorn inspired look. HAHA.
Find out what products I used for this look from my Instagram: @lashesandstrokes

Have you tried Physicians Formula's products? 

Which one is your favourite?

Share with me in the comments below! :D

Love,

Sarah :)

Review : Make Up Forever STEP 1 Skin Equalizer in Hydrating Primer - It has finally reached Malaysia's shores!

Gone were the days where primers are products that simply smoothen out those pesky pores and holes on our faces by filling them up. It's undeniable that when there's technology and science involved, there will be and always be something new, something revolutionary, something extraordinary. Make Up Forever has done just that.

Being a curious cat as usual, I literally stalked/swatched/compared Make Up Forever's products in one of the local Sephora outlets. I love studying the different textures, functions, and finishes various products and brands has to offer. Most of the time, I would silently scoff at highly-raved products from certain brands because there are other products offers the exact same or similar function with just a fraction of the price. But there will always be products that are just simply... irreplaceable.

Make Up Forever has made sure their products are up a notch or two compared to other brands. Just do a random google of any best makeup products, there you will see one or two Make Up Forever product in one of some beauty guru or youtuber's must-have list of products. #fact

What is Make Up Forever STEP 1 Skin Equalizer?

STEP1 is the range of skin equalizers developed to refine, smooth and even out. Our exclusive Equalizer Complex delivers 3 key actions:

- APPLICATION : makeup goes on seamlessly
- RESULT : optimized color & finish
- WEAR: longer staying power

*source

As you can see the picture below, MUFE's old primer packaging comes in plastic, transparent pump bottle with a black, plastic cap. Below that picture, is the all new revamped product and packaging of MUFE's STEP 1 Skin Equalizer. I managed to find swatches of every primer available from MUFE's STEP 1 Skin Eqaulizer line. Picture credits to pixiwoo. 

Make Up Forever STEP 1 Skin Equalizer comes in 10 different shades and textures. It is without a doubt there's something for everyone. Listed below are the description and provided by MUFE :

• MATTIFYING PRIMER *(BLACK/DARK GREY) is the answer to unwanted shine, fighting against excess oil to ensure a matte makeup result. Formulated with our specific Sebustop Vegetal Complex, this first step equalizer instantly reduces pore size and controls shine for a flawless makeup all day long.

• SMOOTHING PRIMER (LIGHT GREY) instantly fills in and blurs imperfections for silky soft skin. This satiny, non-oily formula evens out skin texture by minimizing pores, wrinkles and fine lines. Skin looks resurfaced and perfectly smooth for a flawless makeup all day long.

• HYDRATING PRIMER (LIGHT BLUE) instantly quenches skin's thirst by helping boost and refreshing tired skin. Formulated with our specific H₂O Complex, it provides moisture transforming dehydrated skin into a supple, healthy, plump surface for a flawless makeup all day long.

• NOURISHING PRIMER (WHITE) instantly replenishes dry and dehydrated skin with a moisture-rich soothing formula. Our specific Vegetal Complex feeds skin, hydrating and reviving it while antioxidants protect from the elements. Its rich and creamy texture melts on the skin to nourish and sooth. Restores elasticity and revitalizes skin to ensure a more uniform texture and a flawless makeup all day long.

• REDNESS CORRECTING PRIMER (GREEN) instantly neutralizes and evens out red tones for flawless foundation coverage. Green Spectraflex® pigments color correct redness and boost radiance while moisturizing agents provide hydration. Skin tone is evened out for a flawless makeup all day long.

• RADIANT PRIMERS instantly color correct according to skin tone giving what looks like new bare skin. These tailored equalizers transform radiance levels and bring more hydration and light to the face. Formulated with our blend of Spectraflex® pigments to neutralize imperfections and banish dullness, Radiant Primers give immediate radiance and even skin tone for a flawless makeup all day long.

Find your Radiant Primer color:
6. Cool Pink: for  yellow fair skin (PINK)
7. Blue: for yellow red fair skin (BLUE)
8. Peach: for  fair skin (PEACH)
9. Yellow: for tanned skin (YELLOW)
10. Caramel: for dark skin (BURNT ORANGE)
11. Mauve: for yellow dark skin (LAVENDER) -not in the pictures-

*The colours in the brackets is to identify the packaging not the content.

It really does look amazing (* ^ *)

Review : MUFE STEP 1 Skin Equalizer in Hydrating Primer

Alright, let's get down to business. I have been using the primer for almost two months - hence the delay in reviewing this product. I believe in really testing and experimenting with the product to be able to provide a solid review. Before I start, this product was given to me as gift with reviewing purposes by Make Up Forever Malaysia. I'm not paid nor sponsored. The review is based solely on my experience and not influenced by any parties. 

Now, those of you who knows me pretty well - I have an extremely oily skin with loads of imperfections. Primers are a must for me because anything and everything will slide off my face, with the contribution of the Malaysian humid weather. Since I have oily skin, why did I choose the Hydrating Primer instead of the Mattifying Primer?

It's simple. Quite a lot of my face products has mattifying properties and I was thinking about my hours spent in air-conditioned classrooms. I once paired a mattifying primer along with a mattifying bb cream and finishing powder and after a long day walking around in the shopping mall - BOOM. MY SKIN LOOKED LIKE A PALE PRUNE. I kid you not. It looked dry and really horrible. Since then, I realized that even my makeup products has to be used in moderation. 

Plus I also noticed that my skin is oily on the outside but dry on the inside. This condition is commonly known as dehydrated skin. Dehydrated, combination skin - not a great combo. There's only so much makeup can conceal. Hence, I decided to switch up my products here and there to achieve a happy balance.

I used the Hydrating Primer with a few products and found that it works very well with powder foundations. Here's quick review of products used with MUFE STEP 1 Skin Equalizer in Hydrating Primer : 

• ZA Perfect Fit Two-Way Foundation in OC10 :
  The powder went on smoothly. Only extremely big pores can still be seen but it's fine with me because the main functions of this primer is hydrating and providing a smooth canvas which it did on both accounts. Wear time lasted about 5 - 6 hours in a humid environment/moving about whereas if it was in an air-conditioning room, it lasted from 9am - 6.30pm. 
  
  I checked on and off throughout the 10 hours period, my powder foundation melted quite well and it began to look like my second skin. By the 8th or 9th hour, I can feel my cheeks and T-Zone feeling a little greasy but the glowy kind of oily. Not the frying pan oily-kind. 

• KATE Liquid Touch Powder Foundation in OC-B :
  The results were quite amazing. The powder went on smoothly and my pores were nowhere to be seen! The Kate powder might have helped a little in covering up the excess pores. I wore this combo throughout the Chinese New Year celebration back in Malacca. It was the best time to really put the primer to the test because of the hot, melting weather.
  
  My younger cousins (there's not much privacy when 4 families live under one roof. LOL!) watched as I put on my makeup and they were like "Wah!", "Omg. How did you do that?", "Your skin looks so smooth now!". Hahaha! Kids :) I must admit that I was quite impressed with how the primer performed. Okay, here's the honest part - this Hydrating Primer did not fare well with the heat and humidity. I had to use Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray to help my makeup last till late night. 

• Laneige Pore Control BB Cushion in shade 21 :
  This BB cushion had mattifying properties and it worked quite harmoniously with it. I set the combo with Wet n Wild Cover All pressed powder and dusted Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay pressed finishing powder. I applied at 12pm and had it on till 11pm. My makeup lasted the whole day! Not forgetting, my skin looked glowing and pretty flawless, I must say. #perasaan  

• MUFE Mat Velvet+ Mattifying Foundation in shade 30 :
  I tried this combo last because I had a breakout when I used the foundation. It seemed to clog my pores. I am not sure whether it is just me or there are ingredients in the foundation that doesn't go well my skin.
  
  Anyway, I closed one eye and applied. Being paranoid, I checked my makeup on and off and found that there were slight bumps on my left cheek and red bumps on my right eventhough my bf said there wasn't any. HMM. I must be going mad. Okay back to the combo, I observed that my skin looked all-glowy and smooth throughout the day as if I did not put on any foundation at all. My bf even commented that it looked good. HEHE. 
  
  I applied it at 7.30am and removed it at around 9pm. When I removed it, I noticed that there were new formations of pimples on my right cheek. I'm not sure whether it was coincidence or my skin is disagreeing with the foundation. Sigh :( I have to test and do some research on it again before I can confirm anything.

Left to Right : Bare face with moisturiser and freshly applied primer, 10 minutes after primer applied, and full make-up

I honestly do not know how to have that same perfect selfie everytime. I find it quite time consuming (><)'''

Hope this doesn't scare ya. 

Conclusion

Based on my experience and experiments, I would recommend MUFE STEP 1 Skin Equalizer in Hydrating Primer to :

• Ladies who sits in an air-conditioning room for super long hours 
• Ladies who finds their skin dehydrated 
• Ladies who wants a gentle primer for sensitive skin 
• Ladies who love that glowy look 

I won't recommend it to :

• Matte skin lovers 
• Ladies with extremely oily skin 
• Ladies who moves about a lot 
• Ladies who wants extreme pore coverage 
• Ladies who dislikes glowy finishes 

Please know that our skin types are different and what I have experienced may not be the same as you. So do drop by at MUFE counters to get the trained makeup sales assistants to help you choose the right primer for you. You can go bare faced to Sephora and try out a full makeup using the primer as your base to help you decide whether its for you or not. There's no harm in trying out ;)

Oops, silly me. I left out the most important information. It's priced at RM160 for 30ml tube. It's available at all MUFE counters in Sephora Malaysia.

Don't forget to follow them on social media to get latest news or launches -
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/Makeupforevermy
Instagram : @makeupforevermy
Website : http://www.makeupforever.com/

Have you tried these brand new MUFE primers yet? 

If yes, how did it fare for you? 

If no, do you think you will give it a go?

I would love to hear from you in my comments below. 

Thank you for reading!

Love,

Sarah :)

Review : The Brush Guard

Are you tired of seeing the bristles of your brush crinkle, shed, or get caught by the zip of your makeup pouch ruining the soft, gentle bristles? Seeing the bristles getting caught by the zip is even worse when the brush costs an arm and a leg. Regardless of the value of the brush, all brushes should be kept protected and well-maintained to prolong the life of the brushes.

How to protect and maintain your baby brushes? I had been personally using The Brush Guard for about four years now when it was introduced by the Youtube makeup guru star, Michelle Phan. Being an excited, budding makeup fiend, I purchased mine from a forum in Lowyat (which is no longer active). That was four years ago.

With all that chatter, let's not forget to introduce "The Brush Guard",

Who is 'The Brush Guard'?

THEIR PRODUCTS The Brush Guard is a stretchable, breathable polyester tube that protects your make-up bristles, and brings them back to new! We know that brushes can be a pricey investment, we don't believe in throwing them away because they are over used and splayed.  With one use of The Brush Guard, your brushes will look as good as new!  We have brush guards for all shapes and sizes from eye liner brushes to kabuki brushes.  Did you know that in each make-up brush lives oil, old make-up, skin cells, bacteria, dust & dirt? Ew! We call these the ICKIES!  Not cleaning your make-up brushes can cause breakouts, clogged pores and blackheads.  A simple clean from our Brush Guard Cleaning Kit will solve all those problems!  Since 2005, The Brush Guard has created innovative methods in brush care and maintenance which are available in their popular patented line of product including: The Brush Guard, The Brush Defender, The Brush Guard Cleaning Kit, and the Squeaky Clean Brush Shampoo. THEIR STORY The Brush Guard began with a problem - how to wash and dry makeup brushes while keeping their shape perfect and their bristles intact.  Founder Diane Baker struggled with this problem until, during a dinner party with a long-time friend and mechanical engineer, Malcolm Plant, (after several glasses of wine!) they figured out for the first time ever how to safely cover and shape brushes, and so The Brush Guard was born! THEIR PHILOSOPHY We believe that our products revolutionize brush care.  We also believe in keeping our tools at their best.  We are devoted to brush care and hygiene.  We believe that brush hygiene is the missing link in our skin care routine. Nobody should put clean makeup on clean skin with a dirty brush.  Everybody should get the most from their brushes!

Information taken from The Brush Guard

When I first received it, I wondered what was so special about this plastic-like netting that strongly reminded me of the nettings found wrapped on small fruits in the supermarket. I also questioned my judgement on purchasing something that seemed replaceable with something else. Fast forward, I continued using them and haven't given much thought about them till today. So, when Mesmerize Online approached me to review The Brush Guard, it struck me that I had the Brush Guard for four years already! I quickly rummaged through my cupboard and gathered my scattered Brush Guard. I was impressed that its still usable till this very day, except it looks slightly discoloured and worn but it's still good. 

The Variety Pack

The Brush Guard's Variety Pack consists of 6 brush guards of different sizes:  

• 1 Shadow 1/4" extra small
• 2 Blush 3/8" small
• 2 Foundation 5/8" medium 
• 1 Powder/Kabuki 1" large

My very first 'The Brush Guard' was the The Variety Pack. If you are not exactly sure which pack to get or would prefer a range of variety (pun intended), I'd suggest to get 'The Variety Pack'. You won't be disappointed because it usually covers the basic brushes in your collection, may it be small or big. 

How to Use: 

1. Slip The Brush Guard over your brush’s handle until it extends ¼” to ½” beyond the bristles.
2. Select the size that fits snugly over your brush’s ferrule (the metal part) and it will not slide back towards the brush handle nor crush the bristles. 
3. Never slide from bristle towards handle!

Below are some comparison pictures of my old Brush Guards and new Brush Guards. 

See the difference after 4 years?

If you are still not convinced, below are some pictures and video taken by me with my collection of brushes. 

Medium-sized Brush Guard with Sigma Flat Kabuki F80 and Sigma Round Kabuki F82

Small-sized Brush Guards with Sigma Large Angled Contour F40 and (new version) Ecotools Blush Brush

Left: Large-sized Brush Guard with Covo HD Kabuki Brush and ELF Kabuki Face Brush
Right: The Variety Pack in Action

The Brush Guard's Shadow/Liner Pack

Now, if you have a beautiful collection of dedicated eye brushes like my Sigma Eye Performance Kit. I would suggest this little gem (the kit isn't cheap alright). These would protect and prolong your well-invested babies. The best part is, you can bring your babies around when you travel. Hint, hint: Chinese New Year is just around the corner! :D

A close-up picture of the Shadow/Liner Pack. Sorry for the poor quality photo :/ 

The Brush Guard's Shadow/Liner Pack in action with my beautiful Sigma Eye Performace Kit :)

The Shadow/Liner Pack in action with Zoeva 232 Classic Shader and Sigma Small Tapered Blending in E45

Conclusion

The thing I like about The Brush Guard is their honesty and non-outrageous marketing claims. Such as, they did note : With use, The Brush Guard may fray. Moderate fraying will not impair The Brush Guard’s effectiveness. Admitting that the product has a lifespan is like admitting we are human beings. It doesn't claim to keep your brushes forever young, and all that crap. I'm serious. It can be quite tiring and disappointing to part with our hard-earned money falling for a marketing gimmick. It's not to say that I am against marketing gimmicks/claims but I believe there's a beautiful balance between truth and pure exaggeration. Think about the long run. 

Anyway, the bottomline is that I love The Brush Guard as it has served me well for the past 4 years. It keeps my brushes' bristles in an orderly fashion and it does help prolongs the lifespan of my brushes but of course, with the proper care from cleaning to storage. Think about it. If you have spent about RM50++ on a brush (especially Sigma/MAC/MUFE brushes), I'm pretty sure you would like to show some extra love to make sure it lasts you for years to come. Well, I hope all of you find this review helpful in deciding which pack would be suitable for your makeup brushes. 

Where to purchase The Brush Guard? 

You can purchase it from Mesmerize Online at RM30 per pack (here). They have:

• Variety Pack
• Shadow/Liner Pack
• Powder/Kabuki Pack

It's free shipping for purchases above RM150. So gather your friends and family to share the joy and prep your makeup brushes for this coming Chinese New Year! Travel with a peace of mind. #onlymakeuploversunderstand. 

Thank you for reading!

Love,
Sarah :)

Disclaimer : The products were provided for reviewing purposes. Please know that all of the information above are my own thoughts and views on the product. This is not a paid review. And, no I don't get any commission from the sales of this item. 

Review : Yogurugen Colon D'Tox

Do you know that there's only about 58 days between 2014's Christmas and 2015's Chinese New Year celebration? It's hardly 2 months and we are back to eating. Eating. Eating. More eating. Oh, glorious food! From piping hot and freshly prepared dishes to baked delicacies. Oh yes. Not forgetting, food is available 24/7 in Malaysia. If you are hungry, all you need is a car and cash to satisfy your late night cravings. There's 24/7 fast food outlets, mamaks, and odd-hours eateries like this famous Flying Char Siew Wan Tan Mee at Seapark, PJ. 

I caught your attention with the word 'flying', eh? Dear foodies, you should google it up and make a trip there one day. I used have supper almost every other night when I was in my first of university at another famous eatery, fondly known as the Nasi Lemak Bumbung in Seapark, Petaling Jaya. Being a freshie, social life was quite happening back then. Now, I kinda regret all that nasi lemak I had at 1am. Oyvey. 

With all that eating, there weren't enough vegetables or fruits in my diet because it's quite difficult to obtain and maintain fresh food. It is due to the fact that there's no fridge to store fresh food in my small, residential college room. Unlike back at home, I had my mom to force me to eat vegetables or fruits. So, without a balanced diet and overeating, I started to experience poor digestive system and weak immune system. Falling sick was easy because of the lifestyle. 

I wished I had found out about Yogurugen Colon D'Tox during my university days. Well, it's better late than never! I was given the opportunity to test out Yogurugen Colon D'Tox by Sasa Malaysia. Based on the instructions, I'm supposed to consume it for 3 consecutive days for the first time and once every week after that. So on with the review!

Cute, cartoon looking faeces on the top left.

There're 5 sachets in a box. Enlarge the picture to zoom in.

Important information

Easy peasy to make and drink!

How to Use

1. Mix 1/2 or 1 sachet with 200ml of lukewarm water below 40C. 
2. Consume on an empty stomach.
3. Consume for 3 consecutive days for the first treatment, and once every week thereafter. 
4. Avoid taking solid food at least 2 hours after drinking. 
5. Be physically active to improve bowel movement. 

Review

Day 1 (Thursday)

• Took Yogurugen Colon D'Tox drink at 11am and waited till 1pm before I had solid food.  
• Stomach felt terribly uneasy. 
• Ran to the toilet twice within the first hour after consuming Yogurugen Colon D'Tox. 
• When I passed motion, it felt like I had serious food poisoning. 
• Felt dehydrated after the two 'sessions' in the toilet. 
• My stomach felt extremely uneasy for the whole day. 
• Conclusion : Felt pretty useless and unproductive throughout the whole day. 

Day 2 (Friday)

• Took Yogurugen Colon D'Tox drink at 10am and waited till 12pm before consuming solid food. 
• Went to the toilet only once after the first hour. 
• Felt slight uneasiness in my stomach but it was much better than Day 1. 
• Passed motion with much ease. 
• Felt less bloated but was extremely gassy - farted quite a lot but there wasn't any terrible scent. 
• Conclusion : Felt much better than Day 1 and could carry out tasks normally.  

*** I skipped 'Day 3' on Saturday as I had work from morning till evening. I dare not risk it because I had no breaks in between my classes and I can't leave my students for more than 5 minutes. So I decided to push it to Sunday instead.  

Day 3 (Sunday)

• Took Yogurugen Colon D'Tox drink at 9.15am and waited till 11.15am before consuming solid food. 
• My stomach felt uneasy throughout the 2 hours but wasn't as bad as Day 1. 
• There was no urge to run to the toilet during the 2 hours. 
• Went to the toilet after an hour of consuming solid food. 
• Experienced a lot of wind and farted quite frequently but thank goodness I mastered the art of suppressing the sound and smell. I was in the midst of a church service, ok.  
• Conclusion : Thank goodness I did not embarrassed myself in church. I felt so much better than Day 1. 

Today is the second day of not consuming Yogurugen Colon D'Tox drink and I did not experience any side effects. Everything seems normal but I feel much 'lighter' compared to the days before I took the Yogurugen Colon D'Tox drink. Overall, I am glad that my system has been cleared out and trips to the toilet aren't much of a struggle now.

Let's talk about the taste. On the box, it states that it's an orange flavoured drink. When I first opened the sachet, the citrus scent burst out and it smelt lovely. When I mixed it with lukewarm water and drank, all I can say is that it is an acquired taste. It wasn't very sweet or sour and tasted something like Eno. But I learnt how to gulp it down without letting the taste bother me. You have to try it out yourself. As the saying goes, 'one man's meat is another man's poison'. 

Conclusion

It was truly an experience and it was a much better experience than the detox tea I had about 4 years ago which left me running to the toilet a few times every single time I drank it - which is not good. I chucked the entire box aside, leaving it to rot. RM70+ wasted. 

At least for Yogurugen Colon D'Tox drink, it had a gradual effect which is acceptable and most importantly it doesn't seriously interrupt our daily life by making us park our posterior at the toilet bowl for hours or days. If you are planning to try out the treatment, my suggestion would be :

• Start this treatment on your off days or days when you're sure you won't be driving around. 
• A clean, comfortable toilet is a must for the first 2 - 3 days. 
• Be mentally prepared to feel unproductive or paralyzed on Day 1 (varies from individuals). 
• Drink lots of water to replenish your body fluids. 

If you are interested in trying out this product, it's available at all Sasa Malaysia outlets priced at RM68 a box. But do check them out from time to time, as they have special offers. Well, I hope you have found this review useful in deciding whether you should give yourself some serious internal cleaning. Please do leave a comment below if you have any questions or if you have tried it. Sharing is caring! :) 

Thank you for reading!

Love,

Sarah :)

Disclaimer : This product was provided for reviewing purposes by Sasa Malaysia. My experience and thoughts are my own and it is not affected by any parties. 

Sharing: Golden Rose has reached our shores! Part 1

Woohoo! The third week of 2015! How has 2015 been treating you so far? I am jam-packed with worksheet preparation for my classes. Have to quickly find a way that saves time! 

Last month, I was invited by Joanne from Golden Rose Malaysia for a private viewing and testing of their new and upcoming make-up line from Turkey. Can I hear a WOOP WOOP from my Muslim readers?! :D 

I'm excited for you guys! Most of my close friends are Muslims and I can now confidently share awesome products with them. I love helping them look their best with minimal makeup, looking fresh and professional enough for work. To be honest, there aren't many halal products in the Malaysian market which is pretty disappointing. With that problem identified, CC Beauty Avenue decided to bring in Golden Rose to our Malaysian shores. No more Halal woes! 

As I was typing the post out, I realized that it was going to be a super lengthy one. Hence, for friendly-viewing purposes I divided this post into 3 parts. 

• Part 1 (Lips and Concealer Collection)
• Part 2 (Eyes Collection)
• Part 3 (Face and Nails Collection)

Who is Golden Rose?

Golden Rose has been around for 30 years in the European countries and they are one of the biggest few colour cosmetics manufacturer today with their very own production factory. According to a source, they are now available in more than 90 countries worldwide. Their products are basically 90% manufactured in Turkey, 10% from other Europe countries like Germany, C.Republic, etc. Hence, this brand is a much more safer option than products from China (pasar malam 'inspired/replica' branded makeup, I'm looking at you!).

Golden Rose is registered under their sister company, CC BEAUTY AVENUE, and they are the exclusive distributor in Malaysia. The products will be available in retail outlets by March/April 2015 and be rest assured they will be screened and approved by our Malaysian Health Ministry. 

For more information about the brand, you can read up here:

http://goldenrose.com.my/- prelaunching products only

http://www.goldenrose.com.tr/en/homepage - Official site @ Turkey

Do show them some love by following them on :

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goldenroseMY

Instagram : @goldenrosemalaysia

Lips Collection

Before we begin, I dare say I'll let the swatches do the talking. Their lipstick collection consists of breath-taking shades and amazing quality. The cherry on top of the cake, is their affordable pricing. So far, on their website they only have the Golden Rose Velvet Matte Lipstick but fret not, I'm sure there will be more selection coming soon this March/April 2015! The Velvet Matte Lipstick swatched beautifully with no tugging whatsoever. It glided on smoothly and required only one swipe to achieve full opacity. 

Golden Rose lipstick collection consists of :

• Ultra Rich Color Lipstick 
• Golden Rose Lipstick 
• Golden Rose Perfect Shine Lipstick 
• Golden Rose 2000 Lipstick
• Golden Rose Velvet Matte Lipstick
• GR Vision Lipstick 
• Golden Rose Ultra Diamonds Lipstick (not available in the picture)

I have listed them according to the picture below from top left to bottom right.

Some random swatches of the lipsticks above.

The entire range of Golden Rose Velvet Matte Lipstick. The variety of shades is simply mind-blowing!
There's something for everyone. 

Golden Rose Velvet Matte Lipstick swatches. Close to colour as much as possible.

Here I have two out of three lip pencils from Golden Rose, which are Golden Rose Dream Lips Lipliner and Golden Rose Waterproof Lipliner Pencil.  I am in love with the shades here. The third picture shows what's left of the lipliners after I have used a baby wet wipe to rub them off. They did not give in easily as I did rub hard. They really do stay and that's a good thing! The lipliners glided on smoothly without any hiccups and I personally love the Golden Rose Waterproof Lipliner Pencil because of its retractable feature. After years of using makeup, retractable pencils are my go-to items because it does not require sharpening to use them. 

Here are the two types of concealers from Golden Rose - Golden Rose Stick Concealer and Golden Rose Liquid Concealer. Golden Rose Stick Concealer's packaging strongly reminds me of Physicians Formula's Stick Concealer I once had. It is shaped like a lipstick and you'll need to twist up the product to use. The shade here is Shade 04 and I am very much aware with the fact that it is appears almost white and seem impossible to use. I had a mini heart-attack when I swatched it. I'm guessing this Shade 04 would be great for highlighting or contouring purposes unless you have a porcelain white skintone.

Whereas for the Golden Rose Liquid Concealer, it's application strongly reminds me of Loreal Paris Magic Lumi Highlighter Concealer Pen that I have. I love it's smooth, hydrating texture and forsee that this would be an excellent undereye concealer for non-serious dark circles. I'm personally looking out for this concealer when it hits the shelves because with my upcoming classes (yesh, I'll be pursuing my Masters this coming February!) I'm gonna need serious pick-me ups to look more human and less like a dead duck (no offense, Daffy.). 

If I were to compare it to the famous YSL Touche Eclat Concealer, I am not sure because I don't have one yet (#wishlist) but will let you know if this is a dupe! In addition to that, it's transparent plastic packaging reminds me more of ELF Essential Hypershine Lipgloss minus the brush applicator. Yes, when you use alot of products you'll realize that a lot of cosmetics have the same or similiar packaging. 

Now for the lipglosses! Here I have Golden Rose Luxury Lip Color Lipgloss, Golden Rose Color Sensation Lipgloss, and Golden Rose Ultimate Color Lipgloss. There are actually 10 types of lipgloss in GR's collection. TEN!! SEPULUH!! (O - O)''' That's alot. So, calling all lipgloss fiends! If you are looking to expand your lipgloss collection, go ahead and tweet/FB Golden Rose Malaysia and they might, I repeat, MIGHT hear your cravings out ;)

Because I love my readers, I shall list them down here :

• Golden Rose Luxury Lip Color Lipgloss
• Golden Rose Color Sensation Lipgloss *NEW*
• Golden Rose Ultimate Color Lipgloss
• Golden Rose Pearl Gloss Lipgloss
• Golden Rose Shimmer Gloss Lipgloss
• Golden Rose Beauty Ultra Diamonds Volume Lipgloss - that's a mouthful.
• Golden Rose Beauty Ultra Shine Volume Lipgloss
• Golden Rose Beauty Multicolor Diamonds Lipgloss
• Golden Rose Ultra Brilliant Tube Lipgloss
• Golden Rose Fruit Roll On Lipgloss

*phew* 

The Golden Rose Luxury Lip Color Lipgloss's packaging strongly resembles Makeup Revolution's Wow Lipgloss but texture-wise I am not sure as I don't own any MR Wow Lipgloss at the moment. I didn't find it sticky and it applied pretty well. I love the fact that it is pigmented for a lipgloss and personally, I cannot stand sheer lip products unless it states lipbalm or a clear/transparent lipgloss. I'm weird that way. For me, lip products besides lip balm or clear lipgloss should be pigmented enough to be seen when worn on the lips. Yeah, I think it's just me. 

Anyway, this Golden Rose Luxury Lip Color Lipgloss in shade 09 had me at hello. I fell in love immediately when I swatched it. Yep, swatch at first sight. The color is just right for anyone who wants color but not come off too strong. It gives that youthful, sweet, and happy vibe everytime I see it. Ah, can't wait to own you, little one! I won't be talking about the other two lipglosses as I can't remember much about them. I'll let the swatches do the talking. 

Well, that's all for Part 1. See you in Part 2! :D 

Thanks for reading!

Love,

Sarah :)