A Surprise Welcome from HiShop!

♫ TVXQ - Easy Mind

A couple of weeks back, I received an email from HiShop Malaysia inviting me to be one of their Beauty Ambassadors. Being a total beauty junkie, I of course happily agreed. (。⌒∇⌒)。

Last week, a mysterious package from HiShop appeared at my doorstep. Hmm... I wonder what's inside? (¬‿¬)
HiShop Beauty Welcome Box
One look at the bright pink box, and you can guess that it's for girls. :P

What is HiShop?
HiShop [pronounced as 'hai-shop'] is an online beauty and cosmetics store. They carry only genuine products, and their main philosophy is the belief that beauty can and should be made accessible for everyone - anytime and anywhere.

HiShop Beauty Welcome Kit
Okay, now that you've been formally introduced to HiShop, let me show you what I received in my welcome kit! :)

Deoproce Hydro Green Tea Face Mist (100ml)
The first item that caught my eye is the Deoproce Hydro Green Tea Face Mist. It comes in a 100ml mist spray bottle, and retails at RM19.90. The product is made in Korea, and even though the packaging is simple, the mist smells really, really nice! The details at the back are all written in Hangul though, so I can't understand a word of it. ^^;;

As a self-confessed lip product lover, I'm really glad to see this Bloop LV Lip Gloss (shade 215) in my welcome box. The simple tube packaging contains 2.5g of lip gloss, and retails at RM28.00. There are 8 shades of lip gloss to choose from, but I'm glad they sent me this one because it's a pretty pink gloss with tiny pink and purple shimmer. (*⌒∇⌒*)ノ

Nature & Co Pure White Lotion Light; Nature & Co Pure White Milky Lotion Light
Nature & Co Vital Purity Lift Mask
I also received two Nature & Co sample packs, which includes the Pure White Lotion Light (toner) and Pure White Milky Lotion Light (moisturizer), as well as the Nature & Co Vital Purity Lift Mask. I've always been eager to try Nature & Co products, as they are under the same company as Kose.

MilkADeal and HiShop vouchers
Last but not least, there were also two vouchers included in the beauty kit. One is an 8% discount voucher for MilkADeal, and another is a RM20 cash voucher for HiShop.


Special code for Winter Blossoms readers!
Exclusively for Winter Blossoms readers, HiShop is giving away RM20 off any purchases above RM100 from now until 30 June 2013. Just key in the code LOVEHISHOP during checkout and your discount will be applied! o(≧∇≦)o

HiShop Malaysia website
HiShop Malaysia Facebook page
HiShop Malaysia Twitter (@hishopmy)


*This item was sent to me by HiShop Malaysia for review without financial compensation. All opinions expressed are completely honest and strictly my own.

Timeless Truth Instantaneous Brightening Cooling Mask 极透瞬白冰沁面膜

♫ B.A.P - One Shot

Timeless Truth Malaysia recently had a mega awesome mask review party, and I'm glad to join in as one of the bloggers to review their Instantaneous Brightening Cooling Mask. :D

Timeless Truth masks
3 pieces of the Instantaneous Brightening Cooling Mask were sent for review, while the Q-10 mask is from their Facebook Easter giveaway event. (◠‿◠)

Timeless Truth Instantaneous Brightening Cooling Mask
The mask contains a generous 25ml of essence, which is more than enough to fully soak the mask sheet. There's also enough leftover essence inside the packet (after taking out the mask) for you to apply on your arms and legs.

Click to enlarge
 Here's the ingredients list and instructions on the back of the packet. :D The original instructions are printed in Chinese, since it's made in Taiwan.

Close-up of the sheet mask
The mask sheet is fairly thin, and has tiny holes all over it to enable your skin to 'breathe' and help in absorbing the essence. As you can see from the inset, the mask sheet is well soaked with the essence with plenty leftover for the body.

 
The scary mask face photo! (HAHAHAHA) The mask fits well on my face, and feels very fresh and cool upon application. However, I the eye holes seem to be slightly too big (I find this to be a common problem with most sheet masks though). As this Instantaneous Brightening Cooling Mask is also known as the 'ice mask', it has a very cool feeling when you put it on. For an even cooler mask experience, I'd recommend you place the mask packet in the fridge about 15 minutes before using. I did that, and it feels totally cool and refreshing indeed! (≧∇≦)

极透瞬白冰沁面膜
Overall, I liked how it feels very cool and refreshing, and it does help to moisturize my skin. The mask it self fits quite well on my face, and the generous amount of essence makes sure that my arms and legs also get some well-deserved treatment as well when I'm chilling with the mask. :D

The Timeless Truth Instantaneous Brightening Cooling Mask (25ml) is sold at RM8 per piece. You can purchase it from the Timeless Truth e-store, or at MaskSlim outlets around the Klang Valley. Check out their Facebook page too for all their latest updates!

Review: Lioele Dollish Lipstick in #9 Bordeaux Wine

♫ G-Dragon - 미치GO

Lioele Dollish Lipstick
Remember my Lioele mascara review? Well, earlier this year I was lucky enough to win this Lioele lipstick from Sara's giveaway, so I'm gonna test it out and share my thoughts with you. :D

#9 Bordeaux Wine
The Lioele Dollish Lipstick shade I received was #9 Bordeaux Wine. Wine red, plum red - I can never really tell the difference between these 2 shades, so I'll just go along with the lipstick shade name and call it a wine red lipstick. Sara described it as a deep raspberry shade, and I guess that's a pretty accurate description.

Lioele Dollish Lipstick packaging
The colour theme for the Lioele Dollish Lipstick packaging is primarily metallic pink and classic black. The lipstick tube is matte black with a metallic pink band in the middle, and with the words "Lioele Dollish Lipstick" printed in light pink on the cover. It feels like holding a MAC lipstick, but very much lighter.

Removing the black cover will reveal a pink and silver inner tube, printed with the signature Lioele carriage logo. It looks very girly but elegant. :)

Lioele Dollish Lipstick in #9 Bordeaux Wine
Swatch of Lioele Dollish Lipstick #9 Bordeaux Wine
This particular shade is very pigmented, as you can see from the swatches above. 1 swipe is good enough for a burst of colour on the lips, but you can add a couple more layers to get a deeper and richer colour.
Lioele Dollish Lipstick #9 Bordeaux Wine lip swatch
This is how it looks like on the lips. It's actually a deeper shade than shown in the swatches, but you get the idea that it is very pigmented, and true to the colour in the tube.

This Lioele Dollish Lipstick has a very creamy texture, and glides smoothly onto the lips in one swipe. It has a faintly sweet scent, which dissipates very quickly after application. The colour is very pigmented indeed, and lasts around 4-5 hours with minimal eating and drinking. One good thing about this lipstick, besides its vibrant colour, is that it feels very moisturizing and doesn't dry out my lips.

Nerd look (O-O)

The Lioele Dollish Lipstick  range retails at RM43.90, and can be purchased from the MyLioele online store, or at selected counters in Parkson. Made in Korea.

✓ Pros: Smooth and creamy texture, pigmented, moisturizing (does not dry out lips), long-lasting, wide variety of colours, nice packaging.
✗ Cons: Has faintly sweet scent, slightly higher price than drugstore brands.

Blanc to Noir - Your Online Makeup Store


What is Blanc to Noir?
Blanc to Noir is a USA-based online makeup store which carries a good range of affordable drugstore makeup products and brands. All your beauty needs can be met within the convenience of a one-stop, one-click, fun online shopping experience at Blanc to Nour. Their trained and friendly Blanc to Noir staff are sure to help you through a trustworthy, credible, and effective shopping experience. I cannot agree more, as my queries have always been replied promptly and efficiently by their customer service. :)


Why should I shop at Blanc to Noir?
Blanc to Noir offers a great variety of affordable beauty products, cosmetics and beauty tools. Brands available include Rimmel London, Sally Hansen, NYX Cosmetics, Revlon, Maybelline, and L'Oréal. Best of all, many of the products are available at discounted prices, sometimes up to 70%!

Source: Tumblr
The inspiration behind Blanc to Noir is...?
Blanc to Noir is inspired by the true beauty and just love makeup! As their name suggests, anything from 'blanc' (white) to 'noir' (black) and every colour in between can be used to inspire you and your makeup creations. So for all of you out there saying: “K'aime le maquillage!”, “Amo maquiagem!”, “Me encanta el maquillaje y cosméticos!”; “I love makeup!”, "我爱化妆!”, remember to keep a look out for their promotions and discounts! Don’t forget to join the Blanc to Noir e-newsletter for extra discounts and promotions.

Winter Blossoms x WishTrend Giveaway: Argan Treatment Oil

It's time for another Winter Blossoms giveaway! :D

Update: The winners have been chosen and contacted! Congratulations to Nicole S, Siew S and Sabrina T! :)

Use this image to share on your blog sidebar

What is argan oil?
Argan oil is the oil extracted from the fruit of the Argania tree, which only grows in the desert of Sahara, Morocco.
It contains twice as much vitamin E than olive oil, and its moisturing ability is 4 times that of olive oil. Argan oil also contains oleic acid and linolenic acid to help maintain healthy hair and skin. It helps protect hair from external damage, as well as alleviates skin trouble and aging.

Besides using it on hair, you can also use this Confume Argan Treatment Oil on your body, hands and nails.
How do I use this argan oil?
Just pour a small amount into your palm, and apply it on dry/damp hair before drying, body (dry parts like elbows and heels) and hands + nails.

WishTrend has very kindly provided 3 bottles of Confume Argan Treatment Oil (25ml) for my giveaway. This giveaway is international, so everybody can join, and there will be 3 winners! (≧∇≦)

Prize(s):
3 random winners will win a bottle of Confume Argan Treatment Oil (25ml) each

Rules:
♠ This giveaway is international.
♠ Giveaway ends on 28 April 2013 (GMT+8 Kuala Lumpur time)
♠ Participants must create an account on www.wishtrend.com (so that WishTrend can directly send the prizes from Korea)
♠ Be a public follower of "Winter Blossoms" via GFC.

Ready to enter the giveaway? Just fill in the Rafflecopter form below, and good luck! ^^
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*The prizes for this giveaway are sponsored by WishTrend.

Review: Tony Moly Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream

♫ 김재중 Kim Jaejoong - 나만의 위로 (On My Own)

I can never get enough of Korean cosmetics. They're effective, affordable (usually), come in the cutest packaging ever, and are usually endorsed by famous Korean artists. Good job, Tony Moly, for choosing JYJ as your ambassadors and thus earning you a bunch of money from fangirls like me. (。-_-。)
Tony Moly Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream
Anyway, I decided to jump on the CC (which stands for 'color change') cream bandwagon and try out the Tony Moly Luminous Aura CC Cream with SPF30 PA++. I bought it online via Qoo10 Malaysia, and my order - which included 2 free samples - arrived safely within 2 weeks. Not bad, considering that I opted for free shipping. (¬‿¬)
Tony Moly Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream SPF30 PA++
The packaging for this CC cream (50ml) is a simple white plastic bottle with a black cap, and the words "Pure Aura" embossed in silver on the surface. The bottle, although made from plastic, feels very sturdy and the cap also closes firmly so you don't have to worry about it accidentally falling off.
Pump dispenser for Tony Moly CC Cream
The CC cream bottle comes with a pump dispenser, which is my preferred packaging for all liquid/cream products. It's more hygienic, and  you can control the amount you want to use.
You can see how the cream changes colour in the photos below.
Cream adapts to skin tone! (Pic taken from official source)
Swatches before and after blending
The CC cream (before blending) is a white colour with tiny micro-capsules. Once blended out, the cream adapts to your natural skin colour, giving your skin a natural dewy finish. This CC cream claims to have 7-in-1 effects, which are sunscreen + whitening + wrinkle repair + radiance + moisture + primer + base make-up. Sounds pretty amazing, right?
Cheek: before and after comparison
Above is the before and after comparison photo. My skin looks less dry and skin tone is also slightly evened out after application, although the blemishes are still quite obvious. The main difference I can feel is the moisture - it really does have good moisturizing effect, so I'd definitely recommend this for those with dry skin, but those with oily skin might have to stay away, or at least skip the moisturizer step. =/

SPF30 PA++
One thing I love about this CC cream is that it has SPF30! C'mon, we all know that UV rays are harmful to our precious skin, so any makeup products that have UV protection are always a welcome addition. :D

This is after I've added concealer, foundation and setting powder ^^;;
To be honest, I expected this CC cream to provide more coverage, so I was kinda disappointed to discover that it works more like a base/primer. Nevertheless, I like that it has SPF30, and it does work to moisturize skin and even out skin tone, so I can just touch up some concealer and compact powder on days that I don't feel like going all out with makeup. On good skin days, the fact that the cream blends effortlessly with my skin tone means that I don't have to put on any extra foundation or BB cream.

Here's the TV ad for your viewing pleasure:
*거짓말 gojitmal = lies; you're lying.
These guys are so cute and funny together I can't even- *cough* (Ahem, gotta keep my fangirling in check; we're doing a review here!) 
(✿◠‿◠)
I purchased the Tony Moly Luminous Aura Pure CC Cream (50ml) online via Qoo10 for RM48, although the price may vary at physical stores. You can check out the Tonymoly Malaysia Facebook page for updates on their latest arrivals and promotions.

✓ Pros: Very moisturizing, has SPF30, works well as makeup base, cream adapts to skin colour, smoothens and evens out skin tone, affordable price, pump-type dispenser, endorsed by JYJ and therefore legit.
✗ Cons: Very minimal coverage, not recommended for oily skin.

VanityTrove Malaysia - The Shower of Summer (April) Edition

♫ 林俊杰 - 友人说 (feat.怀秋)
“Sweet, sweet burn of sun and summer wind, and you my friend, my new fun thing, my summer fling.”
VanityTrove Malaysia
It's summer! This particular season always brings to mind sun, sea and sand. Living in sunny Malaysia means that it's summer all year round though, so it doesn't really make a difference, lol.

'The Shower of Summer' April edition
"The Shower of Summer" is the theme for VanityTrove Malaysia's April edition, so let's take a look at what's in store for this month's trove!

April edition info card
Items inside April's VanityTrove
Perkins Nail Wrap (full-size, 20 strips)
This was the first item that caught my eye when I opened the box.The pattern I received was a simple orange, gold and green stripey design. I didn't really like it at first, but it does kinda fit the summer theme for this box. (^_^;)
Perkins Nail Wrap
Clarins White Plus Intensive Brightening Serum (5 sample sachets)
Clarins Spa Treatment Voucher
I'm pretty hesitant to try out skincare items because I'm afraid of breakouts, but one of my colleagues loves using Clarins products, so I gave both the samples and voucher away. :)
Clarins White Plus Intensive Brightening Serum samples
Clarins Spa Treatment voucher
Kate Eyeshadow DB in BK1 (full-size, 1.6g)
I was pretty excited to see this in my trove, but unfortunately, the eyeshadow isn't really pigmented and doesn't show up well on my lids. It's great for those who prefer natural nude eyemakes though.
Kate Eyeshadow DB in BK1
Issey Miyake L'eau D'Issey Florale (1ml)
This scent from Issey Miyake is very light, floral and girly, but somehow it just doesn't appeal to me even though I usually love floral scents. More of a spring rather than summer kind of scent.
L'eau D'Issey Florale

ORIKS Gemstone Nano Platinum Aqua Watery Cream (1g x 3)
This cream is a moisturizer that is supposed to help smoothen wrinkles, tighten pores and brighten your complexion. Sounds like a pretty good product, just that I feel that a sunblock would be more suitable for this month's trove instead of a moisturizing cream.
ORIKS Gemstone Nano Platinum Aqua Watery Cream
Kila Doll Red Wine Q10 Mask (1 piece)
I enjoy using masks these days to boost moisture and also to relax after a long day, so I'm glad to see this in my trove. I've heard of this brand before but never tried it. Made in Taiwan.
Kila Doll Red Wine Q10 mask
I must say, this month's VanityTrove Malaysia is better than last month's, with 3 full-size items and a good mixture of cosmetics and skincare. However, it would have been better if they'd included something that had sunblock properties, in line with the 'summer' theme.


Eager for more beautiful surprises to arrive at your doorstep each month? Subscribe to VanityTrove Malaysia now, or check out their Facebook page for more updates! ;)