LookFantastic Beauty Box May 2016

LookFantastic Beauty Box May 2016

Wet Brush Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, May 23, 2016

LookFantastic's May 2016 edition is themed #LFHelloBeautiful. Last month, they released spoilers that this box would contain body and hair products - the April box was supposed to be au naturel face care but contained mostly bath and body products. The product magazine says this month's products will give you a flawless and radiant complexion. A copy of this month's issue of Elle UK is included with the exclusively-designed green box.

Scroll down to take a look at the contents of the May 2016 LookFantastic Beauty Box.

Beauty Products Emptied in March 2016

Beauty Products Emptied in March 2016

Treatment Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, April 04, 2016

T.S. Eliot's opinion notwithstanding, my favourite month has begun. Too bad there are only 30 days.
In March, I got back to a somewhat decent facial care routine. Gentle cleansing, acid and hydration toning, serum, facial oil, moisturiser and spot treatment daily; clay masks every week. There is still pigmentation after the infection, though it is fading. Just two breakouts. Baby steps.

Scroll down to check out the beauty products I emptied in March 2016 and my quick thoughts on each.

Lilla Rose Flexi Hair Clips Giveaway

Lilla Rose Flexi Hair Clips Giveaway

Hair Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, April 01, 2016

Yes, the March Makeup Madness Giveaway is not quite over and here we are with a new one.
This giveaway features the beautiful Lilla Rose Flexi Hair Clips reviewed here - up for grabs are the classy, vintage-looking Scrollwork Heart Flexi Clips you see in the photograph below. There will be two winners.

Details on how to enter the Lilla Rose Flexi Hair Clips Giveaway are further below.

Lilla Rose Flexi Hair Clips Review

Lilla Rose Flexi Hair Clips Review

Reviews Cosmetopia Digest   Saturday, March 19, 2016

Despite never going out without makeup, I am lazy when it comes to styling my hair. On most days, I cannot be bothered to blow-dry, iron or curl it and prefer the wash-untangle-air-dry-go-out routine. It would take all day to style my hip-length hair anyway. Invisibobble ties and scrunchies - yes, scrunchies - are usually my go-to, even to flashy events.
Lilla Rose Flexi Clips (PR sample) effortlessly add some zing to my otherwise listless hairstyles. They are a breeze to use and remove and are tough enough to endure my rough handling.

Scroll down for my review of the Lilla Rose Flexi Hair Clips and how I use them.

Best Beauty Gadgets 2015: Holiday Gift Guide, Round-Up

Best Beauty Gadgets 2015: Holiday Gift Guide, Round-Up

Tools Cosmetopia Digest   Wednesday, December 16, 2015

There is still time to get some last minute gifts - or well-deserved treats for yourself - in. These beauty gadgets may be spendy, but they are certainly great investments for your skin and help save on other skincare and treatment expenses. Plus, having tried all seven, I can tell you they WORK, and are therefore good value for money.

Scroll down for the lowdown on the top beauty gadgets out there, from cleansers to hair stylers.

Holiday Gift Ideas 2015: 10 Hair Care Products, Tools and Accessories

Holiday Gift Ideas 2015: 10 Hair Care Products, Tools and Accessories

Shopping Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, November 26, 2015

This day next month, it will be Christmas Eve! Have you started or even finished decorating your tree? I am about halfway through. I need to get some new ornaments - I get new ones each year.
Meanwhile, for your shopping list, here is a selection of hair care products, styling tools and accessories - treat yourself to one or more, or gift them! All of these are delivered worldwide.

Scroll down for 10 hair care products, styling tools and accessories for your Holiday 2015 shopping list. 

Linziclip Claw Hair Clip Accessories Intl Giveaway

Linziclip Claw Hair Clip Accessories Intl Giveaway

Tools Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, October 12, 2015

My favourite hair accessories are the revolutionary cylindrical and flat-backed Linziclips, reviewed here. I am willing to shout this out from the rooftops. These are comfortable and sturdy and come with hidden springs, so no danger of getting my already-tangly hair caught. Best of all, I can lean back without the clip digging right into my brain. And, they come in beautiful designs, and in three sizes. They are must-haves and they make great stocking stuffers. 

Here is your chance to win these gorgeous clips for yourself. You can choose sizes and also if you want subtle or bright designs. Exact designs may not be chosen, and photographs in this post are for illustrative purposes only and may not depict the actual prize.
I bet the winners will LOVE these - if you win, do share photos of yourself wearing your clips.
Now, I know there can only be a few winners, so what you can do is, you can head over and enter my Instagram giveaway of these as well (live now)! Double the winners; double the Linziclips! What are you waiting for?

Scroll down for more on Linziclips, eye-candy photographs of the clips, and to enter the giveaway!

Soap & Glory Hair Turban

Soap & Glory Hair Turban

Soap and Glory Cosmetopia Digest   Saturday, October 10, 2015

Remember the Turbie Twists? My Mum used to swear by them. I had stuck to regular towels, because at the time, I had short, short hair - think Princess Di - and only grew it after completing my Masters'. But my hair grows very quickly (the hairdresser says it is because of two decades of constant cutting) and dries very slowly each time I wash it - if I wash my hair in the morning, it dries by bedtime. If I wash my hair at night, it is still wet the following morning. And I try to avoid heat-drying whenever possible.
I came across the Soap & Glory Hair Turban in Boots when they had a 3-for-3 offer across the brand and picked up two of these.

Scroll down for my thoughts on the Soap & Glory Hair Turban.

Maple Holistics Hair Care Giveaway (US only)

Maple Holistics Hair Care Giveaway (US only)

Vegan Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, September 20, 2015

Aromatherapy-based, vegan, and cruelty-free, Maple Holistics products contain no sulphates and are safe for coloured hair. They have offered a shampoo and a conditioner (towel in photo not included!) for my friends in the US to try. Since the majority of my readership is from the US, I am delighted to host this giveaway for you people.
So, what will you be winning? An Argan Shampoo and a Silk 18 Conditioner, from Maple Holistics (again, towel in photo is not included). Both are suited for all hair types. The Argan Shampoo contains a plethora of ingredients such as - duh - argan oil, peach kernel, jojoba, avocado, camellia seed, almond oil, botanical keratin and honey and vanilla. Six essential oils in there.
The Silk 18 condish has silk amino acids, shea butter, green tea, aloe vera, seabuckthorn, pomegranate, hibiscus, argan, jojoba, vanilla and botanical keratin.
Sounds good? Want these? Here are the rules and the giveaway widget.

Tony Moly Angel Glow Ring Hair Mask review

Tony Moly Angel Glow Ring Hair Mask review

Tony Moly Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, April 02, 2015

  A concentrated nourishing treatment mask for the hair.

For some 12-15 years, I washed my short hair every day, with a sulphate-shampoo and never conditioned. I sported a Princess-Di haircut from childhood until my Masters' degree, and never bothered to oil or treat my hair and only began caring for it about two years ago. Obviously, the decades of neglect told on my hair, which is now dry, damaged, brittle and incredibly frizzy. Plus, I want to grow it for as long as I can. What I do now is, wash it two times a week with a mild sulphate-free shampoo, condition, air-dry and use a de-frizzing serum. Once a week, I apply a deep-conditioning pack.
The Tony Moly Angel Glow Ring Hair Mask (PR sample) is a very affordable, two-step concentrated nourishing treatment for damaged hair. It costs just $5.33 on Jolse.com, who ship worldwide (usually free, though tracking costs $2.50). The product has a funny name, but promises bouncier and smoother locks, which I've always coveted. Best of all, once you apply it to the hair, it is not going to transfer to the head-rest, chair or the pillow, as you will see below.

Read on for my review of the Tony Moly Angel Glow Ring Hair Mask.

Fuss-free Half-up, Half-down Ponytail Tutorial For Frizzy Hair

Fuss-free Half-up, Half-down Ponytail Tutorial For Frizzy Hair

Tutorials Cosmetopia Digest   Monday, February 23, 2015

Try out this super-easy, everyday ponytail that is voluminous and bouncy. 

Ponytails are usually synonymous with sleek hair but my super-frizzy hair does not give a toss. My go-to hairstyle for almost everything from work to play is a half-up, half-down ponytail. It keeps the hair tangle-free and away from my back, and is not flat, but bouncy and voluminous. Not as serious as a bun and far more convenient than open hair. My hair is quite long and leaving it open and loose everyday would mean serious detangling every night.
All you need for this look are two accessories - a hair tie or a scrunchie, and a claw clip. I recommend the flat-backed revolutionary Linziclip, with hidden springs - reviewed here. The beauty of this style is that the hair tie is hidden, so you can actually wear a scrunchie without feeling that the world is laughing at you for staying back in the 1990s.
Here's how you get this fuss-free, wearable frizzy-hair ponytail. 

Linziclip Hair Accessories Valentine's Day Giveaway: Open Worldwide

Linziclip Hair Accessories Valentine's Day Giveaway: Open Worldwide

Linziclip Cosmetopia Digest   Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Win these beautiful red or pink hair clips as a Valentine's Day gift for yourself!

Some of us love Valentine's Day, while others hate it. But whether you are single at the moment or have someone in your life right now, you can definitely treat yourself to the gorgeous Linziclips - beautiful claw hair clips that are flat with hidden springs and do not dig into the hair. These beautiful hair accessories will help with corkscrew curls, tumbling waves, tousled tresses - you name it, with ease. Check out my review here, ye who came in late.
As a Valentine's Day treat, the Linshell Group is offering three of my readers a generous number of Linziclips in red and pink designs, to fit in with the theme.  The giveaway will be open for a month, from January 14 until Valentine's Day.  Check out the details below.

Linziclip claw hairclips worldwide giveaway

Linziclip claw hairclips worldwide giveaway

Linziclip Cosmetopia Digest   Saturday, November 01, 2014

I seem to have caught some kind of bug from the trekking holiday I took last week. The doctor has given me antibiotics and told me to take it easy, so I hope to get more time to blog!
Yesterday, I had reviewed the Linziclip claw hair clips and shared some of their gorgeous designs. Today, I am delighted to announce a giveaway of Linziclips, open worldwide, to three winners, thanks to the generosity of the Linshell Group. The photograph above is for illustrative purposes only and may not depict the Linziclips that the winners will receive.

If you have not heard of the Linziclips yet, do click here to read my feature straightaway. These are revolutionary improvements on the traditional butterfly clips, and do not dig into your head even when you lean back. And, because the springs are hidden, hair does not get caught in the clips. They come in three sizes, Maxi, Midi and Mini. More details, including where to purchase, are in my feature.

Scroll down for a chance to win some gorgeous Linziclips.

Linziclip claw hairclips review

Linziclip claw hairclips review

Tools Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, October 30, 2014

Hair up, I'm driving home at the end of the day. There is a traffic jam. Sigh. I hit the brakes, change gears, look around for a bit and lean back... OUCH! Darn hairclip goes right through my scalp. Brain, it feels like. Happened to you? I have lost count of the number of times in one DAY that I flinch, when this happens.
It happened to entrepreneur Lindsey Walker and fashion lawyer and columnist Shelley-Anne Salisbury when both were at a party. They found themselves trying to pin their hair back at the same time, using the traditional butterfly or claw clip, which, Lindsey tells me hasn't changed in design since 1989! Mutual rants turned into a mutual decision to come up with a less painful hair clip - it was, as Lindsey calls it, a "eureka moment". And thus, the Linziclip was born.

Read on for more about the Linziclip, including making, review, hairdos, sizes, and celebrities who love it!

LookFantastic October 2014 beauty box unboxing

LookFantastic October 2014 beauty box unboxing

This Works Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, October 10, 2014

After the runaway success of the inaugural September 2014 LookFantastic beauty box, which I had reviewed here, expectations were sky-high where the second edition was concerned. I could hardly wait. I love that they start shipping on the very first of every month and that you get your box - shipped worldwide tracked - in four business days! And no, I have not had to pay customs duties till date. A number of boxes, where shipping begins on the 20th and you get your box well into the following month, could learn from LookFantastic. And, rather than being hastily put together, the contents of these boxes are well-curated and chosen thoughtfully.

Read on for my review and unboxing of the October 2014 LookFantastic Beauty Box.

Klairs natural soap int'l giveaway from Wishtrend

Klairs natural soap int'l giveaway from Wishtrend

Wishtrend Cosmetopia Digest   Sunday, September 07, 2014

Klairs is a brand I discovered thanks to Wishtrend, the Korean beauty box and skincare retailer that ships worldwide. In December 2013, I had bought two Wish Boxes, which you can see here and here. Both contained Klairs products and I loved using them. Their latest Cleansing box, which is equally brilliant and reviewed here, contains a Klairs cleansing foam, which I am currently using. 

Now here is a chance for you to win something from Klairs - your choice of their Be Clean Natural Soap, from Wishtrend. This is a recent launch, and worth $10.90 per soap. There are five types of soaps - cleansers, more than just soaps - for the hair, face, body, hands and feet. Having tried a couple of Korean bar soaps, I can definitely say they are great to use. You can check out more details, including ingredients of each soap, here. Incidentally, if you want to order something from Wishtrend now, you get $5 if you sign up through this link, and 10% off on using the voucher code WISHSEP2014. Alternately, if you want three Klairs Black Sugar Scrub samples instead of 10% off, use code WISHGIFTSEP2014.

Here are more details about the Klairs Be Clean Natural Soap giveaway from Wishtrend.

Hair special Memebox review, unboxing

Hair special Memebox review, unboxing

Unboxing Cosmetopia Digest   Friday, June 27, 2014

After some 10 years of everyday washing with a sulphate-shampoo and no conditioning, oiling or treatment, is it any wonder that my hair is dry, frizzy and brittle? The daily-washing did not do much damage when I had short, Princess Diana-style hair. But the frizz began to show once I grew it. It was only since late-2012 that I stopped using sulphates and began using hair packs. So is it any wonder that I bought the hair-special Memebox when it came out?
This beauty box, which is still available here, contains products that claim to transform dry, frizzy hair into lustrous, healthy locks. At $29, that sounded too good to resist, especially since they kept giving out Memepoints generously at the time.

Here is my review and unboxing of the Memebox for Hair.

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Multi-purpose Dry Oil review, usage, photos

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Multi-purpose Dry Oil review, usage, photos

Skin care Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, February 27, 2014

From the time Feelunique sent me samples of the NUXE Multi-Purpose Dry Oil or Huile Prodigieuse in August, I have been hooked to it, purchasing the 10ml bottle in the NUXE Essentials Set and finally the 100ml bottle. As the name says, this is a multi-purpose product for the face, body and hair, though I use it as a regular overnight oiling treatment for my dry hair.
Any leave-in oil treatment usually gives me a stiff or sprained neck - always on the right side - the following day, even if I apply the oil for just an hour. This can last for a week and poses problems while driving (sprain-prone muscles inherited from aunt) and, if I dare to use an oil overnight, the stiffness can radiate from my neck all the way down my right arm. I use the Yarok Feed Your Youth serum for the scalp reviewed here, but that is for dandruff and you only need a few drops on flaky areas. I do experiment with new oils and suffer the consequences, but my dry hair does not get the much-needed deep conditioning that overnight oiling provides. My hair remained dry until the first sample from Feelunique came in.

Here is my review of the NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil.

Yarok Feed Your Youth Hair and Scalp Serum review and anti-dandruff usage

Yarok Feed Your Youth Hair and Scalp Serum review and anti-dandruff usage

Yarok Cosmetopia Digest   Thursday, February 06, 2014

As the weather changes, my scalp becomes flakier, except during the rains, when it is perfectly fine. So I opt for anti-dandruff treatments which dry my already-frizzy hair further. This vicious cycle goes on for a while every year. Worse, any overnight scalp treatment or oil gives me a stiff neck the following day. And I tend to scratch away at the flakes till my scalp bleeds. The only thing to suit me is Lush Snake Oil and they've stopped stocking it, for some reason.
I received the Yarok Feed Your Youth Hair and Scalp Serum in my Christmas Edition A Beautiful World Box (reviewed here), a seasonal beauty box from the UK that features natural products. Yarok is a New York-based, salon-exclusive hair care range. The full-sized bottle first took me aback, because it said, "Feed Your Youth" and "anti-ageing treatment". The idea of an anti-ageing product for the hair and scalp seemed a bit funny to me. What was it supposed to do, give me fuzzy baby locks on a softer scalp? I hit the ABW website and read up on the product and gave it a try. Now that I've used up more than three-fourths of the contents of the bottle, I can share my experience.

Here's the review of the Yarok Feed Your Youth Hair and Scalp Serum and how I use it.

Gillette Venus review: Best razor for hair removal

Gillette Venus review: Best razor for hair removal

Skin care Cosmetopia Digest   Saturday, December 14, 2013

In my post on the products I use in the shower, I had mentioned that the Gillette Venus shaving razor and Satin Care Skin Soothing shaving gel were essentials for me. I've been seeing both Venus razors and cartridges and Satin Care gel in outlets nearby for at least two or three years now - I thought I would share the story of my body hair removal methods and my thoughts on Venus.