Happy Halloween Everyone!

I was going for the evil look..lol

I just dressed up for fun earlier and clicked some pics. I feel too lazy to go anywhere, so will just watch a scary movie at home.

For all of you going out, I wish you have tons  of F-U-N.

BOO!!!

Happy Halloween Everyone!

♥ DBA ^_^

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The Brazilian Wax

This is for all the Brazilian wax virgins out there who are considering getting it done but are afraid you may never come back out of that little room. Believe me, it is worth it! It'll grow back at a much slower pace and a lot sparser and softer too, minus the prickly ingrowns.

Tips from a first-timer:

• Pick a reputed place with experienced professionals.
• Book your appointment on a weekday, when it's not so busy.
• On D-day, SHOWER before leaving home. If you're going to work first, carry some feminine  wipes to 'freshen up' before the session and wear soft cotton underwear (no G's or thongs and definitely nothing lacy!)
• You could take a painkiller 15-30 minutes before you reach the place. 
• Let your beautician know it's your first time.
• She will ask you whether you want the hard wax or soft wax. Pick the hard wax. It'll cost a little more but will hurt a lot less than with the regular soft wax (used with strips.)
• You'll also need to decide what type you want- Full, heart, landing strip, and lots more. Nowadays even initials, colored designs and whatnot.

This video will give you an idea of the procedure with hard wax:

• It will take about half an hour to 45 minutes
• Try not to tense up before the 'pulling' and please, there's no need to screeeam on top of your voice.
• Divert your mind. Think- sitting on a beach sipping margaritas...ballroom dancing with Shah Rukh Khan or Edward Cullen...being in a MAC store. Whatever pumps up your happy hormones.
• It'll be over before you know it.
• Treat yourself to your favorite Baskin Robbins ice-cream or anything nice and cold (You'll know why.) And afterwards, maybe a lipstick or lingerie, to reward your bravery.

Things you might need for after-care: Aloe vera gel, a cooling ice pack, and a gentle lightening scrub (for later.)

***Don't do it yourself the first time.

I got it done at a place called Strip in Singapore. 

For girls in India looking for places that provide this service, I wish you the best of luck and please let me know when you find any, coz I'm at my wit's end trying to find one myself. I called some popular beauty salons and most didn't even know what it means.

Some salons do bikini waxing though (some list as "V"), which doesn't mean a full Brazilian.

Good luck ladies! =)

Garnier Aqua Defense Review

This range is made with grape water, apple water and natural vitamin E. I think it is Garnier's best so far, in my opinion.
These are the 3 products I'm using:

Non stop moisturizing Gel Cream & Non stop intensive moisturizing Essence (It's almost finished T_T )

These two are quite similar, except that the gel cream is creamier and thicker. But if I had to pick just one out of the two, I'd pick the Essence. I absolutely ♥ it! Here's why-->

•  It's light juicy texture soothes, cools and hydrates my skin after cleansing like no other product I've used. I can almost hear my skin saying "Thank you" :)
• Enough said.

I only hope they launch this range in India too, because the Essence is becoming my holy grail "right after cleansing" product. Actually, I thought of buying two jars of the essence instead of the cream at first, but decided to make a wiser decision. NOT!!!

Don't get me wrong, the cream is nice too. It's just that I've fallen in ♥ with the essence.

.
Eye Roll-on - It feels good to roll a cooling ball around my sensitive eyes that always sting, but that feeling doesn't last for long. I can live without it, to be honest. Because, apart from moisturizing my eyes and cooling them for a minute, I don't see any difference in their appearance.

***DO try the Essence girls and boys ('coz it feels good after shaving too.) I bet you'll love it!

♥ DBA...^_^

Scars and Stretch Marks Removal

Scars and stretch marks are really annoying, aren't they? I haven't met a woman who doesn't have these concerns.
I'm using some products at the moment, although I've not been using them regularly, to be honest.
This is not a review. I'm going to start using them religiously and let you know my verdict in a few months time.

My skin concerns/type: Scar tissue on my belly button from a 2-time piercing I really regret, a few stretch marks on hips, uneven skin tone and occasional dryness.

Bio Oil- It contains the breakthrough ingredient 'PurCellin oil', which they claim it improves the appearance of scars, stretch marks, uneven skin tone, aging and dry skin. The minute I read people raving about this on the net, I just couldn't wait to try it out. The little bottle is so cute too!
Price- RM 32.80 (Rs.460.00)

Mederma Gel- I first tried this between 2006-2007, probably the year it was first advertised in India. I didn't see any improvement of my scars and stretch marks then, even after I'd used up the tube. I bought another tube again 2 months ago, to give it another shot. It is a topical gel formulated with Cepalin, a botanical extract derived from onions. Meant for scars from injuries, surgery, acne; and also stretch marks.
Price- Rs.500.00

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula-  This has been around for a while now but I've never tried it before. Formulated with a combination of cocoa butter, vitamin E, collagen, elastin and shea butter. It is specially meant for preventing and reducing stretch marks.
These three came in a pack for RM 30.32 (Rs.425.00)







I can only hope that they won't turn out to be a total waste of money and effort.
***We just need to remind ourselves that when it comes to scars, we ought to be more patient than when we're waiting for our nail polish to dry, or during the commercials when watching 'Lost' or 'Desperate Housewives.'

Good luck meee...!

**Only Palmer's Cocoa Butter and Mederma are available in India right now.

♥ DBA...^_^

Lucky Number '22' Giveaways!!!

To all my readers, this is just a very out-of the-blue and impulsive thought ...I've decided to host a giveaway contest just because my followers have reached '22' today. 22 is my lucky number aka my birth date! :)

Prizes are 2 products I bought, tried once and never used again:

Practically new!

The fan blew that missing one out of my hand a min ago. Can't find it! ;p

1. Bourjois blush #13 Bonne Mine. 
2. Shu Uemura Flare Eyelashes Under (Black)

If you want them, simply leave your name and email address in the comments box!
Winner to be chosen by a lucky draw.
Open to ALL! Indian and international contestants.
Closing date for contest: 8th November,'09. 
Winner will be announced in my blog shortly after.

♥ DBA...XX.

My History With Maybelline

If you ever had to, which cosmetics brand would you pick to be the last one on earth?

For me, it's MAYBELLINE, without a doubt. It's affordable, fun, rarely disappoints me and always the first counter I head over to in a department/drug store.
**(2nd choice- Bourjois, 3rd choice- Mac.)
I love the history behind the brand as much as I love the products.

Brief history (Old news to some of you, I bet. But this is my version, so READ PLEASE! =D) :

Once upon a time, a woman named Maybel Williams, used to stare at herself in the mirror, wishing she had darker and more enticing eyelashes. So, she began using soot from an oil lamp to darken her lashes everyday, especially on days, when she knew, she would be running into "that man" of her dreams.

Seeing this, her brother Thomas.L.Williams, thought a mixture of coal dust and Vaseline would be better for Maybel to use (What a brother, huh?!)

I used to apply Vaseline to my lashes when I was younger and now I'm hitting my head thinking, "Why didn't I think of coal dust too!!!" =)

Then in the year 1915 the brand "Maybelline" was born. The name is a combination of Maybel + Vaseline. (Again, what a brother!)
The first cake mascara was introduced by Maybelline in 1917 and many formulations followed after.
From then on, the name Maybelline became synonymous with mascaras and today it is the No.1 mascara brand all over the world. I like to call it "The Queen of Mascaras"
Today, Maybelline boasts not only of their incomparable mascaras but other innovative cosmetic products as well. One, in particular, took the world by storm- the Dream Matte Mousse Foundation.


Check out these old Maybelline magazine and newspaper ads I found from the net:

                                           Kissing Slicks.. LOL :)

I somehow really want to have the products in the black & white pics. So Vintage!  =)

My first Maybelline Product:

Diamond Shine Lip Gloss in some beige-ish shade. I can't even remember the exact name.

Finished, dried up or given away:

• Dream Matte Mousse Foundation, blush, bronzer. highlighter.
• Lash Stylist Mascara
• Expert Eyes eye pencil-Brownish Black
• Ever Fresh concealer
• Shiny-licious 
• Moisture Extreme lip color- Chestnut, Cranberry
• Water Shine Lip color- Dragonfly Red
• Great Lash Mascara (Over-hyped)
• Sky high Curves Mascara
• XXL Mascara (don't remember which type)
• Volume Express Turbo Boost Mascara
• Lip Smooth(s)

**Definitely forgetting a few.

Using right now:

Face: Angelfit Flawless Affinity Two Way Cake Foundation in #OC1 Light Ochre, Perfect Concealer in #01 Light Beige, Expert Finishing Loose Powder in #02 Natural Beige.

Eyes: Eyestudio Gel Creamy gel liner (Brown), Long Double Stretch Mascara, Volume' Express Hypercurl Mascara
Eyebrows: BrowDefinist by Eyestudio in #02 Brown.

Lips:  Water Shine 3D Collagen Lipstick #402, Watershine Pure #P21, Shine Seduction #130, Moisture Extreme lip color #807 Light Berry.

Below are pictures from a fun 'Maybelline Make-over and Photoshoot' in Kuala Lumpur...

Hope you enjoyed reading my looonnngg...post ;)

See ya.....

♥ Cynthia Z ^.^

Sexy Girl Hair Products

I'm so..so.. hooked on Japanese and Korean brands these days. I just want to try them ALL! 

It's like they have some magical powers to tempt us girly girls :)

Sexy Girl is a Japanese brand which  carries a range of haircare and body care products.

I'm religiously using two Sexy Girl hair products and I'm dreading the day I finish them up because they're not  available in India :(

1. Oil Essence Night Repair Leave-in Treatment-- Made with 12 plant-derived oils- jojoba, rice bran, avocado, soybean, camelia, meadow foam, grape seed,  hazelnut, macadamia nut, mango, squalene, olive.
2. Treatment Water Day & Night Leave-in Treatment-- Not exactly like a drink of water for my porous hair, but it smells nice-sweet, but not overpowering.

Having very dry and chemically-damaged hair, these really makes my hair more manageable, frizz-free and shiny.

Bought them both for  RM 46.58 = about Rs.700

You can check out their cute website here: http://www.sexy-girl.jp/e/product/index.html

♥ Cynthia Z *.*

Guerlain Rouge G Lipstick Review

If you read this: http://delhisbeautyaddict.blogspot.com/search/label/Guerlain you'll know how much I've been craving this lipstick. And now I'm holding it! *she grins*
I got #63 Guilette, which is a vivid golden pink:

The lipstick is made with shimmering ruby powder. Honestly, there's nothing extraordinary about it, but nothing to dislike about it either. I think most people (me included) buy it  for the case and don't care much about what's inside.

The Parisian case is fabulous and quite heavy. If you are a klutzy "dropper" or you just like your stuff to look as good as new always, it's better to keep the case inside the box that comes with it at all times, even in your handbag. You wouldn't want any scratches on the fancy little thing because: (1) The case would still make a cool handbag accessory even after you've used up the lipstick; and (2) It's bloody expensive!!!

Bought it for RM 158.00 (Rs.2212.00, $45.00)

Love it, but this is for sure a one-time buy, unless...nah...yeah one-time ;)

Beauty Buys From Malaysia

Don't they all look happy together?! ;)

I'm very happy with my beauty shopping from Malaysia. I got mostly everything I wanted and more. I'll be leaving KL tomorrow so I'm hoping for a bit more duty free stuff ;)

Reviews coming soon.

♥ Cynthia Z ^.^

Indian Skin tones

The first thing you should know is that skin tones are divided into 3 categories: Cool, Neutral and Warm.

Cool-- Veins on underside of wrist are more blue, look better in silver jewelry, look great in white and cool colors.

Neutral-- Veins are neither totally green nor blue, look good in both silver and gold jewelry, and both warm and cool colors.

Warm-- Veins are green, look good in gold jewelry, look great in cream color.

Now, here's my classification of Indian skin tones, fully knowing I might totally miss the bull's eye.

Cool (Fair)

• Aishwarya Rai
• Dia Mirza
• Kareena Kapoor

Cool (Medium)

• Genelia D'souza
• Freida Pinto

Cool (Dark)

• Konkona Sen

Neutral ( Fair)

• Preity Zinta
• Lara Dutta

Neutral (Medium)

• Deepika Padukone
• Priyanka Chopra
• Rani Mukherjee

Neutral (Dark)

• Carol Gracias
• Bipasha Basu

Warm (Fair)

• Kalki Koechlin

                      
Warm (Medium)

• Kajol

Warm (Dark)

• Nina Manuel

The best foundations for Indian skin tones are L'oreal True Match, Revlon Colorstay, and MAC Studio Fix Fluid, because you will easily find your shade from their wide range of blendable shades.

♥ DBA ^_^