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Iman Ridzuan


First and foremost, let me talk about my skin type. I have a combination skin type. This means that it is usually dry on the cheek areas and oily on the T-Zone. Clogged pores are my major skin problem ever since I was in high school. My pores are prone to congestion especially on the cheeks and the forehead area. I don't really get blackheads, but I often get whiteheads and tiny bumps.  Even when my face is free from acne, the annoying bumps on my skin has been my insecurity when going out with bare face. Fortunately over time, I have learn some tips and tricks that had helped me to reduce the bumps, and overall improve my skin condition and confidence. If you're experiencing the same problem as me, then keep on reading!

How can we get clogged pores?

The pores on our face function as openings for the sebaceous glands underneath our skin to secrete oil for sweat, and to moisturize our skin. However, the pores can get clogged due to overproduction of oil, or simply clogged with dry or dead skin cells and everyday dirt that you get from the environment. This can overtime turn into acne and breakouts. Therefore, proper skin care routine need to be practiced in order to avoid our skin from getting clogged.

Tips and Tricks

1. Exfoliate

Exfoliation is an important key in combating clogged pores. In my own experience, I seemed to get less clogged pores when I was first introduced with face scrub. Washing alone is not enough to remove clogged pores. What exfoliation does is, it helps to remove the build up that is clogging your pores as well as improving skin's renewal rate. When choosing an exfoliator, note that chemical exfoliate is usually better than physical exfoliate because the chemical ones helps to 'melt' away the substances in your clogged pores. So the next time you want to buy a face scrub, always pick the ones that includes ingredients such as Salicylic acid or AHA. My favorite face scrub would be the Apricot Scrub by St. Ives. It really did wonders for my skin!



Otherwise, you can try a DIY exfoliating toner by mixing 3 parts of filtered water with 1 part of Apple Cider Vinegar into a spray bottle and use a cotton pad to distribute the mixture on your face, and wash your face when it dries. Another DIY is to mix brown sugar with honey to scrub away the dead skin cells off your face. It is that easy!

2. Moisturize

It is very important to keep your skin hydrated throughout the day because dry skin can contribute to clogged pores by having the dead skin cells congested into your pores. However, it is also important to read the ingredients on your moisturizer to make sure that none of the ingredients in your product would contribute to your pores getting clogged. Some of the common ingredients that can clog pores includes silicone, zinc oxide (usually in products that contains SPF) and Sodium Laureth Sulfate. Products that claims to be 'Non-Comedogenic' means that they are not tending to clog your pores. So, this can be a good reference when you're looking for a good moisturizer. My current moisturizer is Super Aqua Max Moisture Watery Cream from Nature Republic. Comment below if you want a more in depth review about this product!





3. Hygiene

Clean Clean Clean! You should wash all your makeup tools such as sponges and brushes at least once a week. I know it sounds like a lot but some of us really just don't care that much to wash their makeup tools that regularly whilst it being important. Dirty sponges and brushes simply provide a suitable environment for bacteria growth. Moreover, the oils and dirts that transfer from your skin to your make up tools might be the cause for your acne and bumps because you're basically transferring back all the bacteria from the tools back to your face, thus clogging your pores. Gross! Therefore, practice a good washing routine for your makeup sponges and brushes to avoid things like this from happening.

You can make your own DIY brush or sponge cleaner by dipping your brush into a boil of olive oil, swirl it onto a tissue paper to get the products off of the brushes and rinse it under the tap water. By doing this, your brushes can stay conditioned and cleaned, and your face free from the dirt. Another option is to use baby shampoo like I do to wash your makeup brushes. Very easy and very gentle.



So these are my top three tips and tricks on how to get our skin free from clogged pores. Remember that the result won't be an overnight achievement. Keeping a good skincare routine and be consistent in the routine is the key! Good luck.
Monday, August 31, 2015 No comments
For your information, I have tried tons and tons of lip balms for my very dry lips. From Vaseline to Burt's Bees, you name it. Lip balms have been my bestfriend since middle school. I still remember my very first lip balm when I was 12, it was the basic colourless Nivea Essential Care lip balm given by my big sis. And I carried it every single day to school, hiding it from the teachers in my kurung pocket. Ahh, the memories.




In2it is a budget friendly makeup product that is now widely spreading across Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand. If you're a Malaysian like me, I'm sure you've come across this brand at least once when going to Watsons or Guardian. I was introduced of this Lip Treat range by a friend of mine. I'm always into trying out tinted lip balms, as I thought that they have a more 'natural' look for everyday look as they have a more sheer finish than a regular lipstick.

When I first tried it on, it completely blew off my mind. I know it sounds so exaggerating but I've never tried any lip balm that is THIS moisturizing my whole life! Considering that I've tried so many lip balms throughout my life, I have to say that this is the best for my very dry chapped lips. It instantly absorbs into your lips and moisturizes like a dream. If I put this on my cracked and chapped lips, I will only have to wait a few minutes for it to do its magic and Poof! The cracks are gone and my lips become so smooth afterwards. I have no idea which ingredient in this lip balm that is responsible to work outstandingly from my other lip balms, or it's probably the Dipalmitoyl Hydroxyproline (DPHP), a plant-based amino acid that is known to feed the collagen fibers in your skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles.

Before

After

Sorry for the camera quality! But I think that they did a very good job for the color pigmentation as well. The one that I have is in raspberry, which is the deepest shade. It also comes in orange, strawberry and vanilla As I said earlier, tinted lip balms usually gives a more sheer look, and it's the same case for this one but with better pigmentation. I don't have to worry about my lips looking pale because it gives just the right amount of color for everyday basis like going to classes or meetings. 


Price point, this is a very affordable tinted lip balm. I got it for only RM7.30, which you can imagine how inexpensive it is if there is sales going on. Another bonus is that it also comes with SPF20 PA++ to protect your lips from the harmful UV rays that can further darken your lips. How can you beat this lip balm? 

Overall, for the quality and price of this lip balm, I can't find any reason to try out any others out there because it has been my holy grail lip balm ever since I tried it. You should give it a try too! 

Pros : 
  • Amazing moisturizing ability
  • Smooths out chapped lips
  • SPF20 PA++
  • Inexpensive
  • Excellent color payoff
Cons : 
  • None!
Will I repurchase ? 
Absolutely Yes. Actually this has been like my 8th tube or something. I've gone through so many of this lip balm and will keep on repurchasing it.
Saturday, August 29, 2015 No comments

1. Glamglow Masks


I first heard about this mud mask from Rachel Talbott on Youtube. She raved about this mask a lot and totally sold me when she used this mask in one of her skincare routine videos. It comes in other different variations for different purposes depending on your skin problem. I've read so many good things about this mask online and it's like I can't even find a single complain about this mask. It must be so good! The only thing that draws me back from trying it is that it is too expensive for a student like me. You can find this at Sephora ranging about RM240 and above. But I guess for the quality and result that you're gonna get, this is definitely a must try! I will definitely give it a try when my budget allows me to. 

2. Revlon PhotoReady Foundation


When buying face makeup products, i usually opt for a bb cream or cc cream due to the multi benefits that I'm gonna get from them. And also because my skin is prone to congestion so I'm always aware when buying makeup products, to make sure that they're not going to clog my pores. My cousin recommended me Revlon PhotoReady foundation but I don't even know why I still haven't pick it up for myself. Probably because I don't always wear foundation when going out. But if I will, someday, I'll be sure to pick this one up. Maybe for special occasions and events.

3. MAC Giambattista Valli Lipsticks



The new MAC liptstick range! Omg, it's like love at first sight when I saw the pictures on twitter. The shade that I fall in love  with is second from right, named Charlotte and described as rich yellow with red lipstick. It costs around RM80 and above if I'm not mistaken. Gotta save!
Saturday, August 29, 2015 No comments
Hello again!

For the past few weeks my skin has been acting up by sudden acne attack especially on my cheeks and my forehead. I thought it was just a normal reaction since it was almost 'that time of the month' so it's just my imbalance hormone. But after awhile, I observed that my skin was not clearing up and instead the break out keeps coming back after the old ones were gone away.





And I realized that there's only one thing that has been changing in my daily skincare routine, which is my cleanser. I recently switched my Biore Acne Clear Facial Foam cleanser to Biore Anti-Blemish Facial Foam cleanser. This cleanser have tiny micro-scrubs and I enjoyed the feeling of the scrub when I used this to wash my face, every single day. I thought it was gentle enough to use on our daily basis but I guess my skin is a little too sensitive to use this cleanser twice a day. As the irritation occurs, I guess I was over exfoliating my skin and did a little research about it. So today I thought I will share with you guys about my findings. Hope it helps!

Why should we exfoliate?

Just like our hair, our skin produces oils and the cells on our skin keeps renewing themselves everyday. So, exfoliating is important in order to help shed away the dead and dry skin cells from on top of our skin layer to reveal the renewed skin underneath. Besides, it also helps to combat blackheads and whiteheads which are the major cause for clogged pores.

How often should we exfoliate?

Whether you are using chemical exfoliant or physical exfoliant, it is important not to over exfoliate your skin. As much as we want the dead skin cells to go away, we actually need the epidermal layer of our skin to be thick for protection against bacteria or any environmental toxins, thus promoting acne. And if we exfoliate every single day, we might also be removing the cells that has been renewed from our skin layer. Therefore, the recommended times to exfoliate our skin is once to twice a week. This way, we are still getting the dead skin cells off and at the same time giving our skin a chance to reveal the new skin cells.

Signs that you're over exfoliating

Stripping te protective barrier on the skin surface can cause drying to your skin and other problems such as :

  • Irritation
  • Tightness
  • Excessive dryness/dry patches
  • Flaking skin
  • Uncomfortable stinging that persists
  • Burning sensation 
So, the next time you want to buy a cleanser that contains exfoliant, make sure that claims to be gentle on the skin for everyday uses, and be sure that the beads are not too much and too rough. Otherwise you might ended up to over-exfoliating your skin like me. Remember, be gentle to your skin is the key! I still enjoy using the Biore Anti-Blemish Facial Foam, for twice a week as exfoliator, not for daily cleanser.
Thursday, August 27, 2015 No comments
I'm always on search for a good hair serum for the dry ends of my hair but ended up always being disappointed with what I bought. It's a different case with this one.
I picked up this hair serum randomly from Watsons counter a week ago when I was running out of my Etude House Silk Scarf Hair Serum. ( Which I did not really enjoy) And to my surprise, I'm quite liking it considering that it is really cheap as well. It costed me around RM15 for this 100ml bottle.


What attracts me the most on the packaging is the claim that it is free from Mineral Oil, Parabens and Synthetic colorants! Those ingredients can be damaging to your lovely locks.Plus, they don't do test on animal. That is a huge bonus for an animal lover like me. But as you can see from the ingredients listed, it's not 100% made from natural ingredients. 


And it got such a cute bottle too, i'm in love.

 The consistency of this serum is very runny, almost like an oil but it is not greasy on the hand and hair. My hair absorbs this serum really quickly. It smells really good too. This serum contains Black Seed, also known as Habbatus Sauda that is well known for its plenty healthy benefits. Google it! Usually I can't really stand the scent of Black Seed, but this product somehow makes me want to smell my hair every seconds. It's really sweet!

I usually only use half of a pump of this serum. One pump is too much for my mid length hair. It significantly reduces frizziness and dryness of my hair. The effect also lasts for all day. Sometimes will apply this serum before bed and I'll wake up with soft, frizz-free, easy-to-manage hair, That's why I love it so much.


Pros : 
  • Very affordable
  • Controls frizz
  • Reduce dryness
  • Smells good
  • Makes your hair really soft
Cons :
  • Non so far
Will I repurchase? 
Definitely!
Wednesday, August 26, 2015 No comments
I have always been a huge fan of lip colors. Name it lipsticks, lip glosses, lip pigments, and even tinted lip balms. My favorite part when doing make up is definitely putting on colors on my lips. I feel like it gives such a different glow to the face depending on the color of lips that you choose to put on that day. And when I first saw my cousin had a Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream on her lips, I knew I had to head to Sephora immediately to get one for myself.

Left : Antwerp
Right : Copenhagen

First, lets talk about the color pigmentation. I currently these in two shades;  Antwerp and Copenhagen. I believe they have a total of 22 shades available. I used to have Cannes and Amsterdam in my collection but unfortunately I misplaced them somewhere I guess I'll never be able to find them again. lol! Anyway, the pigmentation of these lip creams is AMAZING. Sometimes I only put little dabs on my lips and blend with my fingers to go for a more natural look. (for the Antwerp shade of course) And yet the color is buildable, so for instance if you want to go for a wine-maroon color, apply Copenhagen with 1 layer, and if you want a more of a burgundy-maroon lips, just put on more coats of it.


Longevity wise, the color stays put all day even after having a burger for meal. It dries to a soft velvety matte finish. It is not totally transfer-proof, but some tint will still stay on your lips after eating or drinking. I usually will put on lip balm first because my lips are naturally dry, no matter how many liters of water I drink per day, (sad life) and I put on a thick layer of it, so that might be the reason for the lip cream to easily transfer sometimes. I should try a lip primer for a solution next time. Comment below if you know a good one!

If you think Copenhagen is a little too dark for daily wear, you're totally wrong! I'm wearing Copenhagen in this picture.

Overall, this if definitely worth to buy if you're looking for a perfect lipstick that is matte. It is not so drying, though if you don't apply a lip balm beforehand, the darker colors might settle into your your lip cracks. So always exfoliate and moisturize your lips! Another downside is probably that they are always sold out at Sephora. It is that good. So if you can't find your favourite shade, you can always find them from instagram sellers with #nyxlipcream. Just make sure they are authentic before buying :D

Pros :
  • Beautiful color selections
  • Matte finish
  • Affordable
  • Very pigmented
Cons :
  • Could settle into lips cracks
  • Always sold out at Sephora
Will I repurchase?
Yes, I can't wait to try out the other shades available.
Wednesday, August 26, 2015 No comments
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      • Clogged Pores?
      • Review : In2it Lip Treat
      • Beauty Wishlist
      • Are You Over-Exfoliating Your Skin?
      • Review : Good Virtues Co. Helpful & Delightful Hai...
      • Review : Nyx Soft Matte Lip Cream

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