Sharing: Celebrating Althea's 1st Birthday! #AltheaTurns1

WHAT? IT'S ALMOST THE END OF JULY ALREADY?! Somebody stop the train! D:

*blink blink*
*rubs eyes*
*squints*
.
.
.
..... *sinks into the chair*

As dramatic this entry may seem but without a doubt, in a blink of an eye or two, we have reach the third quarter of 2016. BUT, this post is not going to talk about the progression of new year resolutions..

This post is specially dedicated to... *drum rollsssssss*

ALTHEA MALAYSIA

A Heartiest Congratulations on turning 1 years old, Althea! 💜

Looking forward to many years to come :) 

Yep, you saw that right. Althea is celebrating it's first birthday TODAY! I am super happy for you, Althea and not forgetting, kudos to Tammy and her team of amazing Altheans! 

If you went, "Huh?" "Who's Althea?" or "What's Althea?" - fret not. I am slightly embarrassed to share the fact that I was a little late in joining the Althean bandwagon. After seeing Arisa and Laura going on about Althea, I knew I had to try it.  

WHO OR WHAT IS ALTHEA? 

They are Korea's premier online beauty destination providing the lowest prices to our consumers and strive to introduce K-beauty to the world. - source. In addition to that, here are a list of Althea's promises.

Okay, Althea in my own words: 

I have shopped about 3 times at Althea and had little or no trouble with all three of my orders except one tiny problem which was professionally solved. #customerservicebestweh. That's another story to tell next time but for now, be rest assured and know that you are in safe hands :)
  

Besides the extremely competitive prices, I love their shipping provider. Like, capital 'L-O-V-E'. My parcels always arrived on time or if not, earlier than expected. The delivery guy had the initiative to call to check my current whereabouts and to see if I was available to receive the parcel (unlike Sephora's delivery provider. *rolls eyes*). To add on, ALL of my POWDER/GLASS items ALWAYS reaches me INTACT and in PERFECT CONDITION. So yes, not only you are in safe hands but your 'babies' too! 😍 

So what I have experienced with Althea, I want you to have an experience at Althea too! Now if you have been holding back shopping at Althea's, THIS IS THE BEST TIME TO CHECK THAT MONTHS OLD CART OUT!. 😂 Why? Althea's Birthday Celebration starts (TODAY) on the 20th - 31st July, 2016 with friggin' awesome line ups of goodies and deals for YOU: 

Limited Edition Birthday Box + DIY Party Kit

*For orders placed on 20/7 onwards. While stocks last.*

If you are an in-denial-box-collector like lil' old me, these boxes are must haves. The box is super pretty, I tell youuuu.. (*auntie mode*). Not kidding weh. I managed to get my hands on their CNY version and boy, it's like Pokemon GO. GOTTA CATCH 'EM ALL! 😜 I know some of you may think that it's just a box but I must stressed on the fact that this box is the closest you can get to touching Seoul, Korea's air particles/dust/microorganisms. That is, if you are a Korean beauty product fanatic and can't afford to fly to Korea. Like me. Teehee.

Free Goodies for first 1,500 shoppers

*Full size beauty products. While stocks last.* 

YEP, you saw these beautiful words right - it is F.R.E.E. Free what? FREE FULL SIZE BEAUTY PRODUCTS for the FIRST 1,500 shoppers. Uh..what are you waiting for? Go. Go now. Check that cart out. P.S. If you feel guilty purchasing, buy something for your mom/sister/girlfriend. Without you realizing it, the guilt will magically melt away 🎁 You generous woman, you. 😉

Birthday Giveaway. 

Pick 3 Top Sellers for 100% REBATE!

*Rebate will be credited into your account.*

Okay, how this works - When you purchase 3 items under the 'Best Sellers' category, you are entitled to a 100% rebate which will be credited into your account in a form of Althea Reward Points. Do note that it is non-cashable nor transferable. The rebate will be credited into your Althea account once the order has been successfully completed and delivered. If you would like further clarification, please do not hesitate to double-check with Althea. You can connect with them via Facebook :)

#AltheaTurns1 Instagram Contest

• Got your Althea party kit? Wish us a happy birthday with #altheaturns1 and stand a chance to win amazing prizes such as Macbook Air, Ipad Air 2, iPhone 6S, Galaxy S6 Edge, Canon EOS M10 Selfie Camera, Althea credits and beauty hampers from Althea! 
• Prizes total worth KRW10,000,000 to be won.
• Contest starts from 20th July - 15th August, 2016.

Calling all mah selfie queens! Time to look FABULOUS *flips hair* and WIN YERSELF SELFIE-WORTHY PRIZES! What? How? It's simple. If you managed to get Althea's party kit, put the kit together and wish Althea happy birthday (be creative!). Don't forget to #altheaturns1 that picture to stand a chance in winning prizes!   

So.. what are you waiting for? 😉

ALTHEA MALAYSIA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/altheakorea/

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

See you at Althea!

Love,

Sarah 💜

Sharing: What's Your Love Language?

Picture taken from Google.

It may be late to be blogging at this hour but I guess its better now or never especially when it comes random thoughts or emotions.What I would like to address now is the baby steps in getting to know oneself better, which is, do you know what's your love language? Knowing this little part of yourself may help you understand why you do the things you do or feel.

I got to know about this love languages back in 2012 and I really cannot recall how I stumble upon it. To be honest, when I took the test for the first time in 2012, all I thought was "ok, cool" and soon it faded into the archives of my brain.

The thing that brought this back was the conversation with my friend which somehow revealed to me what a horrible and awful person I am, Irresponsible with my emotions and actions which caused grief or bitterness in people around me, especially the people I love, When I thought I got it all in control or covered, it is things like these that comes knocking down on that ego throne I have made myself comfortable in. I guess it is true that He works in ways we cannot see.

I shan't talk much about the founder of this love languages test but I have attached a link to his profile with his name. Just click on it if you would like to read more about him.

Gary Chapman revealed that there are 5 types of love languages:

• Quality Time
• Acts of Service
• Physical Touch
• Words of Affirmation
• Receiving Gifts

The definitions are: 

Freakishly enough, it has been exactly 4 years and 13 days I last took the test. The same month but 4 years later! What are the odds. Hmm. Anyhow, here are my results: 

So here's the summary (actually I did this table so that it is easier for me to summarize, LOL): 

2012			2016
Acts of Service	8	11	Acts of Service
Physical Touch	8	5	Physical Touch
Quality Time	7	9	Quality Time
Words of Affirmation	6	4	Words of Affirmation
Receiving Gifts	1	1	Receiving Gifts

Based on the table, Acts of Services and Quality Time turns out to be my highest form of receiving love or perceiving love from someone and I had a mini epiphany that may also be my way of showing love to others as well. Yep, an 'Ah' moment happened when I saw the results. 

Let me try to explain. I did receive comments throughout these four years on how I am 'motherly' or I exude that 'motherly' vibe that can be good but also bad if I don't keep it in check. How?  

Good = caring, loving, etc.
Bad = possessive, bossy, etc. 

Being the eldest of 5 children, I guess doing things for people have been wired in my brain since young. Examples: Helping my siblings (indirectly helping my mom) such as helping them to take a bath/helping them get dressed/helping them read or with their homework means = I love my siblings. This could explain why the "Acts of Service" ranks high on my list of love languages as I grow older, wider, and hopefully in maturity as well. So if I offer to do something for you, know that I like you enough and I am glad to be able to help. Please don't mistaken this as an opportunity to ask people of this love language to do things for you when they did not offer to help. HAHA. 

Next on the list is 'Quality Time'. This is quite self-explanatory. As you grow over the years with good and bad experiences that makes you see and decide who and what is important in your life. Prioritizing. Also something that is still quite new to me. Quality time also requires commitment. One example could be, 'keeping to the agreed time' so that you will have more time to spend with one another instead of waiting on each other that may lead or encourage the simmering of contempt if not dealt with healthily. 

Okay, it is best for me to stop typing now before I start spouting utter rubbish or go on some random sharing as my eyelids are starting to feel heavy. Anyway, before I end my post, I would just like to make it clear that I am in no way affiliated with the website. Just sharing it as I found it helpful in understanding myself better and those around me. You can give this love languages test a try at this link: 

http://www.5lovelanguages.com/

Take the test and share your story in the comments below. 

I would love to hear from you. 

Till next post,

Love,

Sarah :)

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 :)

Hello! err.. 2016?

     

     

            Wow. It has many moons since I last blogged an entry. I am truly sorry for leaving you in the dark for so long. There are so many emotions, memories, thoughts, rants I want to share. All of them contained inside of me, bursting at the seams. But every time when I get the chance to do so, something comes up.

          I just completed my second semester of my Masters’ Degree and I hope to (no, damn well need to) start my dissertation as soon as possible. It was a packed and trying semester as the learning curve was painfully steep and I literally felt I was struggling to swim in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with only an orange, doughnut float that is keeping me from drowning.

          But I managed to pull through and learnt how to piece the parts of research from scratch and managed to not fail any of my continuous assessments. Now with silent prayers laced with immense fear and hope, I am waiting for my exam results hoping I won’t have to repeat both papers. 

          As the wise Maya Angelou once said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better” - After discovering this quote, I felt some sense of relief and calmness. It hit a cord within me and its unlike any those quotes that says, “YOU CAN DO IT” or “AIM FOR THE STARS” etc. Her advice is a logical and achievable target, doing the best that you can until you know how to do it better. Something all struggling postgraduate students need to acknowledge and understand.

          Well, I shall put my personal entry on hold for now and share with you on what happened last Thursday in my next post. See ya! :D