DIY : Brightening Body Scrub

Most of us take good care of our face,but tend to neglect our body. Here's a recipe that will help to restore the glow to our skin. Happy bath time!

Ingredients:
1 big handful of coarse salt
1 big handful of fine salt
Juice of 1 large lemon

-Mix coarse and fine3 salt together.
-Mix in lemon juice thoroughly without using a mixer or blender.
-Wet skin. Rub in circular motions, concentrating on elbows and kneecaps.
-Rinse thoroughly.


* Lemon juice helps to lighten darkened patches, while salt exfoliates. Coarse salt rubs away flaky skin, while fine salt smooths and polishes.

*Be sure to apply moisturizer, as this scrub can be drying. Avoid the sun as the lemon juice can cause your sun to become sun sensitive. If you really must go out into the sun, apply sunblock with a high SPF. Better still, do this scrub at night. Do this scrub weekly, and say hello to a fairer you!

Mummy's Helpers

Being a wife and a mother is a tiring job. For working mothers, even more so. Changing diapers, laundry, attending to The Husband's needs... the list goes on. So with what little time left for oneself, how does one still manage to look polished? Simple. Multi-taskers to the rescue. Here goes the list.

BB Cream- Moisturizer, Sunblock, makeup base, concealer and foundation in one. Need I say more?

Blusher-Use to add colour to a tired face, and sculpt facial features. Magic!

Aloe Vera Gel- Use as a leave in conditioner and hair gel. Voila! Shiny hair that stays in place. Can also be used on baby/toddler/adult/child/teenager for rashes, insect bites, cuts, pimples, as moisturizer...

Sleeping Mask- Just slather on after your usual nightly moisturizer. No more waiting= More sleep! (I like The Face Shop's Raspberry Roots Sleeping Mask)

Stay Beautiful, everyone!

Review: Clarins High Definition Body LIft

This is my favourite body shaping/firming product to date. Having tried it and being pleased with the resualts years ago, It did not take a lot of convincing for me to purchase this. This little gem of a product helped me through my more insecure 'fat' days years go. So, I decided to give it another try.

Likes:
-Begins working from very first application
-Almost immediate absorption
-Draining effect on spongy area with water retention
-Following the Clarins self massage method, texture of 'fat' areas are visibly improved.

Gripes:
-None, except the price. But then again, you do need to pay a price for beauty.

Put together the brand's expertise in body products and premium ingredients, you have a definite winner.

I do understand that there are those who say that this product does not live up to its claims and is overrated, but I beg to differ. Of course, if you are expecting to apply this product and shed the kilos without any other effort, you will be sorely disappointed.

A lastingly beautiful body (save for going under the knife) can ONLY come about through exercise and a consistently health lifestyle. Do not be so deluded to think that there really is a magic pill that will give you those tight, toned abs.

A good product can only help you so much. The rest is up to you. And yes, this product will be on my repurchase list.

Review:Clarins Body Shaping Cream

The time has come for me to face the fact that enemy forces have taken control of the lower half of my body: Cellulite.

So what's a lazy vainpot to do? Turn to technology for help. And so, I did. I was lucky that Clarins was (probably still is having) a promotion pack together with the High Definition Body Lift. This was used on my tummy and arms, the HD Body Lift on the rest of my jiggly bits.

Likes:
-Smooth, silky texture
-Great scent
-Firming effect.

Gripes:
-Expensive.
-Requires massage

I have mixed feelings towards this product. While it does smooth and tighten skin, rubbing it in somehow conjures up images for me of rubbing in the Sunday roast. Having said that, the texture is probably to allow for massage to help break up fatty deposits.

Verdict? A good product that assists in removing water retention, and promoting drainage. Not yet holy grail, but a close contender to my beloved HD Body Lift(review coming later).

Nothing, for now, except for cosmetic/surgical procedures, can ever take the place of exercise.

But one can always hope...

Review:Watson's Honey Hair Treatment Wax

I'm not the sort who spends a lot of time on my hair save for the daily combing and brushing.(Which I insist on) So, for someone like me, who does not habitually do hair treatments, I need an efficient daily conditioner to keep my tresses smooth and tangle free. It looks like I've found a winner in this little beauty gem from the ever trusty Watson's. Here's my review.

Likes:
-Hair is left smooth and untangled. Flyaways are tamed.
-Great smell.
-Cheap enough to use daily.

Gripes:
-Weighs down fine hair if not rinsed properly
-Large amount needed for good results (But that's ok. A tub costs less than 10sgd and lasts quite awhile.)

Quite simply, beauty on the cheap.

Skin Deep:Really?

Every day, we are bombarded with images of beautiful people,be it on TV, magazines, or in the newspaper. (So much, it seems, that we have forgotten what real beauty is.)

Back to the topic. Today, beauty is literally more than 'skin deep'. The advent of technology has proved this by revolutionizing the definition of beauty beyond our wildest dreams. Sagging face? A face lift should do the trick. Jiggly bits? Liposuction. One can literally come out of the cosmetic surgeon's with a new face and body.

Don't get me wrong. I am neither trying to be sarcastic, no condemning plastic surgery. In fact, I say; Go ahead if you thing it will improve the quality of your life. But only after careful consideration.

Plastic surgery is but a cosmetic aid.It can add to your confidence, or even change your life. But it can never change what you truly are.

"I see your true colours, and that's why I love you..."
-True Colours

Love yourselves, everyone!

Beauty Sins

We all know that there are things that we should not be doing en-route the path of beauty. I'm sure most of us have that one or 2 habits that are considered cardinal beauty sins.

For me, first and foremost, is picking at my skin. Gross as it may sound, doesn't the aftermath of picking at that juicy zit leave you with a sense of satisfaction? But just think of the bacteria and disgusting stuff that is getting on and into the skin...yuck...(well, at least I wash my hands with Dettol first..)

Second, would be my horrible diet of junk food and intake (or rather, the lack of) of water. No wonder my skin'd been looking so lacklustre lately...

Looks like its time for a diet overhaul...Keep your fingers crossed for updates...

What are your beauty sins?