The Lilac Box #3 Beauty Box in Malaysia Review

This is the first beauty box I’ve purchased in a while. My first ever beauty box company was Fabulous Finds which was actually the first Beauty box in Malaysia but it closed down after due to the owner having personal health issues. Quite sad actually, I wonder how she is now.

Anyway I read about Lilac Box is some magazine some time ago and apparently its founder by 2-3 guys. Interesting. Its also a higher price point then most other beauty boxes available here because, they say, they focus on higher end products and are the “first premium beauty box in Malaysia”

The Lilac Box also ignores the usual monthly subscription model and instead sells on a box by box basis. I think this really works for them because not only do they have to scramble every month to get good enough products but also they can build hype on their social media accounts to drive sales when the box actually arrives. This is proven in their fast sales : Box 1 sold out in 3 days, Box #2 in less than a week and Box #3 in 36 hours.

Firstly it comes in plain brown box with no markings or logos. They believe in getting customers to reuse their packaging and hence why they left it unmarked with minimal embellishments (which can be removed easily). This box has a purple lace decoration. The box itself is pretty sturdy and was wrapped in more cardboard for shipping. Note that there is no product sheet/unnecessary paper in the box to avoid wastage. All details of the products as well as vouchers are on their website once you login. Very eco-friendly = plus points in my book.

The whole concept of The Lilac Box is “blind dates”. Getting to know the product via samples to get a first impression of it, to try it out, kinda like the first time you’re meeting a person. When you login online, some products allow you to download a product list to “meet the family”. Or details to their website or more information to “get a second date”. It the same concept and messaging they use on their social media accounts. Just thought it was quite an interesting presentation.

So without further ado, lets see what inside The Lilac Box #3. Products available in this box are :

• Babor HSR Lifting Extra Firming Cream
• Phyto Phytodéfrisant Botanical Relaxing Balm
• Chloé See (perfume)
• Max Factor Ageless Elixir (foundation)
• Payot Pâte Grise and Spéciale 5
• Yves Rocher Rose Fraîche Shower Gel

Babor HSR Lifting Extra Firming Cream

Description :
HSR® lifting extra firming cream: The exclusive Lifting treatment with its intense anti-wrinkle effect creates an all around lifting effect together with the HSR® Lifting Integral Complex leaving skin looking smoother and tighter. Hyaluronic acid and shea butter provide additional skin care while vitamin E serves as an effective "radical catcher."
HSR® lifting extra firming eye cream: With the HSR® Lifting Integral Complex this highly effective anti-wrinkle eye cream gives the delicate skin around the eye area more elasticity. In addition, an active ingredient composition made from peptides, green beans and rutin compresses the collagen network making skin look visibly tighter and smoother. Natural oils like macadamia oil, corn seed oil and shea butter provide additional treatment. Vitamin E acts as a "radical catcher". This perfume-free formula has been tested by dermatologists and eye doctors and meets the highest standards.

I’ve never heard of Babor and in fact I didn’t realize at first that I got both the eye cream and the (normal) cream. The actual packaging is really cute and its all gold. 

Phyto Phytodéfrisant Botanical Relaxing Balm (0.5 fl oz)

Description: A 99% plant-based formula containing Ferula, Horseradish, Chamomile Matricaria and Sage to protect hair and provide natural hair relaxing benefits. The innovative alcohol-free formula works to hydrate and strengthen hair without making it greasy or weighing it down.

This is a French brand and this is the first time I heard about a hair balm.

Chloé See (1.2 ml)

Description:  The fusing top of juicy bergamot translates her energy and her urban edginess. Like a sweet smile, the sparkling notes of bergamot stir the senses. Her natural femininity is conveyed through a beautiful floral bouquet of apple blossom and jasmine that caresses this natural seductress. The delicate floral notes bring elegance and a touch of seduction to the fragrance. An olfactory game of hide and seek grows into a sexy veil of warm and sensual vanilla, and addictive sandalwood.

A perfume vial. I haven’t quite decided if I like the scent or not.

Max Factor Ageless Elixir (1ml x 10)

Description : The Ageless Elixir 2 in 1 Foundation + Serum goes beyond delivering just cosmetics coverage; the built-in protective serum with SPF 15 containing Vitamin E and Green Tea, will help fight the signs of ageing by providing UV protection and moisturization for long-term beauty benefits, when used daily.

They were nice enough to include two shades in Light Ivory (#40) and Natural (#5) and 5 packs of each! That’s quite a lot of samples and having different shades is really good to cater for different skin/shades.

Payot Pâte Grise (0.03 fl oz) and Spéciale 5 (0.05 oz)

Description : Pâte Grise has been a beauty secret handed down from mother to daughter to treat small blemishes. It works overnight to clear them up – just like magic – and it is a favourite with the women who use it! In 2008, Pâte Grise was reformulated for improved antibacterial efficacy and a more pleasant texture.
An essential complement to Pâte Grise, Spéciale 5 has cleared up the blemishes of thousands of girls and women. This dual-phase lotion used to require shaking before use to mix all the active ingredients.

Another French product in two tiny sachets. I don’t really have badly blemished skin so I’m not sure if it’ll work for me. Also the samples are a bit too small and I don’t know if its enough to show any different at all.

Yves Rocher Rose Fraîche Shower Gel (200ml)

Description: "Discover the delicate freshness of a fresh picked rose in this eau de toilette with floral-citrus notes that leaves your skin delicately scented. The charm of a fragrance that recreates the freshness and delicate perfume of a rose in a garden at daybreak. Composed of Rose absolute and Grapefruit, Bergamot and Mandarin essential oils."

I believe this is a full sized bottle at 200ml and I love the smell! Generally I don’t fancy rose smells because it reminds me of “oldness” or worst that overpowering “Lovely Lace” smell but this was a very fresh smelling rose, not like The Body Shop types of smell but more like when you brew a pot of rosebud tea. Very delicate smell. Its RM39 for the whole bottle (the price tag was on it).

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Now was it worth it? I think for RM 49.90, I think it’s a pretty good deal seeing as the shower gel cost covers about 4/5 of the cost. Besides the Payot products, most of the other samples are reasonably sized and good for more than 1 application. And while I’ve not actually used any of the products, the brands seem quite good, though mostly unfamiliar to me.

I also like the whole no-subscription model so I’m not tied in to a “contract” of sorts where I already pay for the box and get good items one month and crap items the next (this actually happened in one other beauty box my friend subscribed to).

Now would I purchase the next one? I think I will. Well, that is, if it doesn’t sell out first.

LUSH Sweet Lips Scrub

Guest writer G

LUSH usually places their lip products on the cashier counter. I suppose it’s a marketing gimmick to tempt you to just pick one up and include in with your other LUSH goodies. Well, it worked because that was exactly what I did! I was just looking at the lip scrub and smelling it while the LUSH assistant was processing my goodies.

The one I picked up was the vanilla & chocolate one and it smells heavenly! I was busy weighing out the option of putting it back or picking one up for myself, when the sales assistant said “You can just scrub your lips and then lick it up because it’s edible!”. That was the tipping point for me because, (1) that sounded so cool/easy and (2) this would be fun to show the bf that my lips are irresistible! (haha). So I bought it and was happy.

Right: LUSH Sweet Lips Scrub
""Our fabulous lip scrubs are here to keep your kissers sweet. Sweet Lips is the lip scrub for chocolate fanatics. It smells like a bar of creamy milk chocolate. Vanilla extract keeps your lips moist, castor sugar gently exfoliates, and the rich, deep fragrance of cocoa absolute gives this an irresistible touch. Rub it over your lips when they're feeling the need for some sugar."

The scrub: It does scrub and exfoliate the lips well I must say and the sugar melts a little into your lips as you’re scrubbing it in a circular motion. I licked it a little and well it tastes like sugary chocolate. But after I licked it, it dawned on me that I could be eating up my dead skin / lip bits if I licked my lips after using the scrub! (Eek!). So no more licking my lips after using the scrub = totally defeated the whole purpose of me getting excited about this product!

Pro: Nice smelling and nice tasting; does what it is supposed to

Cons: Not worth the cash; when you put it on, you must do it over a sink because it gets all over the place once you start scrubbing

Overall, it’s just a sugar scrub that tastes and smells like chocolate and vanilla. There is nothing much to shout about this product. Infact, I think it would be cheaper for you to DIY at home with sugar and honey OR just by using a soft toothbrush and rub your lips in a soft circular motion. Judging by the length of this post, it is apparent that I will not repurchase ever again. Infact, I have only used it once and now its stashed somewhere.

It is priced at GBP4.75/0.25g (now I am wondering how did I buy this thing when I could have gotten a tub of Magnaminty for the same price!! ARGH) available at LUSH's website.

Or one of the Lowyat.net LUSH / USA sprees.

LUSH Mask of Magnaminty!

Guest writer: G

LUSH’s Magnaminty is my HG (holy – grail) for facial masks for my skin type. Frankly, my skin can be quite problematic. Besides the combination (oily on the T –zone and dry on the cheeks) & sensitive skin type, I always get pimples when it’s my time of the month. Let’s not forget blackhead and whiteheads on the T – zone!

Obviously for me, it is very hard for me to find a brand / mask that will not make my sensitive skin react. I have tried the Dermatologica skincare range and although it is supposed to be suitable for sensitive skin ( hypo allergenic etc etc), my skin had a reaction towards it. From then on, I usually do not take risks and stick to whatever works with my skin (which also means I am usually scared to take chances in terms of trying new products / brands).

I decided to try LUSH because they use natural ingredients and it just smells and feels so yummy! Plus the sales assistants are very helpful and if you ask, you can get free samples of their products!

Anyway, I have tried the Cupcake facial mask(review coming soon) before and found that nice but this one is stupendous. The sales assistant recommended this because I told her I needed something for my blackheads & whiteheads. LUSH does not sell those sticky peel off strips or anything similar to that, for blackheads/whiteheads because doing that will strip the moisture and healthy oils off your face making it create more oil. So they believe in nipping things in the bud and using this facemask regularly will(supposedly) help with the blackheads/whiteheads.

The mask is a "deeply cleansing, detoxifying & exfoliating pepperminty mask. Refreshes and brightens everything it touches."

It feels minty and cooling. The texture’s quite thick yet you can choose to put on a thin layer or a thick layer. It is specifically for detoxifying, toning and helps with blemishes. You just slather it on, leave it to dry and scrub it off in a circular motion with warm water.

Why do I like it?

1. You don’t have to keep it in the fridge

2. It lasts long because of the reason above

3. You can use it for “bacne”( back acne ), I don’t have bacne but I use it when I have dry patches of skin sometimes and it helps soothes the skin. I have also used this when I had an allergic reaction to seafood where I got bumpy skin around my neck and it helped soothe the bumps with regular use.

4. It’s the best for my skin type and really does detoxify tone and cleanse my skin. I can feel my skin feeling better internally and externally.

I keep going back to LUSH for this mask and I honestly swear by it. It actually reminds me of the Himalaya Herbals Neem Face Pack (check out So Loverly's great review here) which I have used before. If you have used the Himalaya Neem mask before, you would know that it helps detoxify and cleanse the face properly and after using it you’ll feel like your face is so clean internally and externally. This LUSH mask works quite similar to the Himalaya Neem mask BUT it is minty & cooling, smells so so much better and the texture is thicker.

Don’t get me wrong I love the Himalaya Neem mask but the LUSH Magnaminty is just so much better, in my opinion.

It is priced at GBP4.75/125g (this is the size I bought) OR GBP8.25/315g at www.lush.co.uk

You can get it on Lowyat.net LUSH or USA sprees ( please correct me if I'm wrong)

*p/s: I found that So Loverly also blogs about LUSH's Magnaminty here

Soap & Glory Girligo Body Moisturizing Mist

I read about this on a beauty blog and I was curious to find out how it smells but unfortunately, the only place I can get it (besides online) is in Sephora and the nearest ones are in KL. But seriously with results like “Sensible men have been driven to dizziness by this moisturizing mist”, how could I resist?

I got my dad to pick it up from Sephora KLCC and it was surprisingly cheaper than I thought. On the website its GDP 6.38 for 250ml and in Sephora its RM 32.00. Not too bad considering the exchange rate is about 4.8 or so.

I believe you can also get it at Boots (nearest is in Thailand) and in Malaysia, there are two Sephora outlets in Kuala Lumpur – namely Pavilion & KLCC.

A description from the site :

A fragranced spray-on body moisturizing mist. Do your own flirty work: Spritz Girligo™ on all-over post shower for temptingly fragrant, softer, smoother, more supple skin.

Scented with a tempting blend of bergamot, peach, strawberry, jasmine, mandarin and musk.

  

My verdict: It’s a sweet but musky scent. Well basically its like spraying a light lotion on your body. Its quite moisturizing but I have quite okay skin anyway so I can’t say if it’ll work for dry skin. But I really really like the scent!

How to use : I’ve read some blogs/forums saying that it drips when they spray it but it didn’t for me. spray it some distance away from your body and well distributed. At first I tried to rub it in but realized that it made my fingers overly scented. SO right after I come out of the shower, I spray it on and let it dry naturally before putting on clothes.

At this price and such a huge bottle, I think I will definitely buy this again after this one finishes. This is my first Soap & Glory purchase. I’ve tried the hand cream before so I might want to try out more stuff. Anything to recommend?

SILKYGIRL Double Intense Waterproof Mascara

I recently threw all my  mascara away when cleaning up some makeup because it already started to smell funky so was in the market for a new (and inexpensive) mascara. I actually don’t really use mascara that often because I sometimes have flu and when I sneeze, my eyes become very watery. I also have a tendency to rub my eyes when I’m tired (which is quite often) thus smearing everything – eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara - everywhere.

So I read a review about this in So Loverly (one of my fav beauty blogs btw) about this SILKYGIRL (yes its one word and all CAPS) and picked it up the “Bonus Pack” next time I was at Guardian. For some reason the price tag was RM 24.88 but I actually got it for RM18+. It came with a mini Gentle Eye Makeup Remover (55ml) which is worth RM9.90 so I guess the mascara ended up to be about RM10.

 

Review : Logic BigEyes Series

To be honest, I’ve not heard of this brand of contact lenses before. Then again, I haven’t really been wearing/buying coloured contact lenses. These lenses are worth RM90 but I got em slightly cheaper at a promotional price.

I took the Monthly COLORVIEW in Irradiance (Black) and Brown Irradiance. The lenses have a base curve of 8.60mm and have a dark ring around the edge with spike-like designs pointing towards the inside. The pic below shows how it looks like.

The lenses are comfortable and easy to wear. I have a problem of lenses that are too big sometimes with certain brands but this is not too big (base curve & diameter) that the lenses move around in the eye.

The effect of these lenses are subtle as you can see from the photo above. The photos below show a comparison of how my eyes look with and without the lenses. Not too sure why it looks darker in the above photo but in this picture you can see that my eye with the lenses look bigger.

Would I buy this again? Yes, if the price is right. This is because I seldom wear coloured contact lenses. However, if you are looking for the big-eyed look without looking to obviously barbie-doll and fake, this contact lenses are recommended.

*Disclaimer* This pair of contact lenses were given to me for review purposes by Malaya Optical. I liked the contact lenses so I bought some pairs for  myself. Read my experience at their outlet – http://me.zestful.org*

Brush Guard Variety Pack

I’m sure you’ve heard from The Brush Guard. They are a pack of mesh tubes to keep your brushes in to prevent fraying or “kembang” bristles. I decided to try it out and got myself the variety pack from Ryan @ sgdrugstore on LYN.

The Variety pack consists of SIX (6) different brush guards:

• 1 x Shadow/Liner (1/4” extra small)
• 2 x Blush (3.8” small)
• 2 x Foundation (5/8” medium)
• 1 x Powder/kabuki (1” large)

As I don’t have many brushes, I split the pack with my sister who has more brushes. I took the extra small, medium and large brush guards. My little ELF Kabuki fits nicely into the large one. One tip about the brush guards is that you can use them to dry your brushes upright, bristles down so that your brushes retain their shape as they dry. This tip was from Michelle Phan in one of her videos.

I guess the question is, should you get it? My answer is YES. Especially if you have lots of expensive brushes, you would want to keep them in the best condition to make it last longer. I use cheap brushes (because I mostly use my fingers) and I find these brush guards very useful to keep the shape of the bristles/hairs when my brushes are in my makeup bag.

Where to get it:

• www.thebrushguard.com ($5.50 + Shipping frm US)
• Ryan @ sgDrugstore’s USA Cosmetics Spree (RM20 + waiting time + local shipping)

What are your tips to keeping your brushes in good condition?

Review : Daiso Cream Blush

Yes, yet another Daiso product. What can I say? Im pretty adventurous in trying out new and cheap makeup because I don't agree with the stigma that cheap is not good. And this is one example.

This is a cream blush that is packaged in cute flowerish shape. The actual blush itself is in a plastic rounded pot with a dome see-through screwtop cover. The blush is not a mousse or soft creamy type as many would expect. Its actually solid and retains its dome shape, something like a soap bar where it won't loose its shape when you touch it.

Its small size and product makes it very conviniently portable. The colour is also surprisingly quite nice. Its a pinkish, almost coral kind of shade (as you can see from the swatch above). With just one swipe, the colour would stick on your cheeks. Its really easy to use by just rubbing/swiping it over your cheeks in a circular motion. Then you may want to smoothen it out more by using your fingers or your brush.

All in all, this is one of the products that I liked from Daiso. If I'm not mistaken, it comes in 2-3 colours. Because the packaging is see through, I think it shouldn't be a problem to choose your preferred shade.

Rating : 4/5

Shop/Store : Daiso outlets (Curve, Mutiara Damansara & IOI Mall, Puchong)

Price : RM 5

Splurge : Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Makeup SPF10

After the Missha Liquid Foundation, I was determined to find the perfect liquid foundation shade for my skin. The problem with my skin is that I have uneven skin tone. My chin area is darker than other areas of my face, i have pimple scars and fresh ones ( ie, red and ugly ). So one fine day after class, my sister dragged me to KLCC's Estee Lauder counter. She wanted to get their Blockbuster set which required a min of RM250 spent on products, to purchase the set for RM220.

The beauty advisor was a nice lady who was very helpful. I wanted something with heavy coverage because I was so obssessed with addressing my uneven skintone, so she recommended this particular foundation. She applied it and was explaining abt what to do to achieve flawlessness.

Tip 1: Exfoliate regularly ( IMPORTANT STEP ) to ensure the skin is not clogged with dead skin cells etc.

Tip 2: Always moisturize first before foundation so that the foundation adheres better.

Tip 3: DONT forget to apply on the neck also!

Tip 4: MUST use loose powder after foundation to set the foundation and avoiding it from melting.

I must say that this foundation made my skin looked so flawless! No doubt it is abit heavy, I would use this for party/clubbing nights where I require a heavy coverage with all the dancing and sweating. Cant risk pictures on facebook with my makeup melting = patchy skin ( makeup FAUX PAS! ). Haha.

However, I went to a house party one night and from the pictures, my face & neck looked white (flash lighting) as opposed to my body. I was HORRIFIED to see those pictures. I looked SO pasty! So I tested my foundation in natural lighting, and it was abit too light for my skin color :(:(

NOTE: The beauty advisor tested out this foundation at the counter under yellow lighting and it looks so fantabulous.

Tips I think are important:

1. Try the foundation, walk out of the mall and check it out under natural lighting. Even though you may think you look stupid ( especially if its the wrong shade)

I totally regretted not checking it in natural lighting after she applied it on me ( boo hoo). I was blinded by the flawlessness(under yellow lighting) that I immediately bought it on the spot. ( impulsive i know ).

I should have taken a shade or two darker than what she recommended under the yellow lighting. It was a pricy mistake as Im now left with a foundation that I cant use.

2. I would recommend you go to a beauty counter where they use white lighting ( ie. Jusco One Utama ) so that it would be easier. BUt still go out and check it in natural lighting. Cause if the foundation looks good under natural lighting, it would look good under yellow lighting too.  There is no need to feel shy to tell the beauty advisor that you want to walk around with it first. After all you are making a purchase for something that should complement your skin ( no matter what the price is ).

3. Also, it is best if you apply the foundation (tester) on your own. And use your own loose powder to set the foundation. This is because, you want to recreate a flawless look on your own, at home where there arent any beauty advisor to help you. So you would know how to work with the product you want to buy, with your own skill. Or you can watch the beauty advisor apply foundation on your face and perhaps opt to use your own loose powder.

Pros:

1. Gave me a FLAWLESS face.
2. Coverage was true to the description, it lasted almost 8 hours without melting although my skin was oily and so i needed to blot the shine after 4 hours.
3. I am in LOVE with it
4. I thought the price was worth it.

Cons:

1. I thought the screw top bottle was kinda unhygenic because I have to pour out the foundation everytime I needed it, exposing it to the air thus inviting bacteria/germs, also possibly drying it out faster.
2. Because the coverage was heavy, the foundation was thick and velvety, making me use alot for my skin and face = finish faster.
3. Apart from my mistake, the coverage for this foundation is AWESOME. I would love to repurchase this product ( and get the right shade of course haha ).

Retails at RM125/30ml at Estee Lauder counters.