Bliss Fabulous Everyday Eye Cream

By Min

Recently, Megan and I went shopping at Sephora. Although I needed a few products, I prefer to buy them at a pharmacy so that I can get Airmiles or some form of points. So I browsed a bit with no intention of buying. A friend of Megan’s sent me some samples for Arbonne and although I had a bad experience (all my fault), I wanted to try the eye cream because I had a ugly bump on my rosacea star (that people have confused for a zit.) I was really surprised that it worked, the bump went away.  This made me want an eye cream even though I have always thought that I was still too young to use one. From looking at recent pictures, I've learned that I have to stop living in the past...by which I mean I am not as young as I used to be. So whilst in Sephora, I took a gander at some eye creams but I was astounded by the price. It’s such a small tube...no points...not sure of efficacy. Then, as Megan was piling up her basket, I came across a brand that I did not recognize.  Bliss. It sounded divine and the packaging was clean and simple. I picked up a tube of Fabulous Everyday Eye Cream 15ml for $36. It is supposed to help keep the skin around our eyes hydrated and brighten the look of dark circles.  I actually think that nothing can help with the dark circles until the kids are off to boarding school but I was interested in the promise that moisture would be locked-in. At first there was very little going on. I don’t believe in miracles so I didn't expect too much but maybe a bit of improvement on the bump situation. Then after a week I noticed that the veins of the rosacea star were diminishing. And after two weeks, the bump was growing smaller as well.  Well, colour me surprised! I thought that a laser treatment at the dermatologist’s office was the only cure for my rosacea but this blissful little eye cream has really been working wonders. I might even try some more products from this spa brand. When trying new brands and products, there is always a possibility that you are wasting your money, so I’m super happy to report that this time it was worth the risk! 

Jergens vs St. Ives

By Min

When I was 11 years old, I used to put deodorant on my legs because I thought they looked dry and I didn't have any money. I thought it was more ridiculous to ask my mum to buy me body lotion so I got creative, or maybe just silly. Who cares what your legs look like at 11?!  But for some reason having soft skin was really important for me (probably from reading Seventeen magazines), so I have always used lotion after my shower and I do have soft skin probably owing to the fact that I don't have a lot of body hair and I use a little bit of lotion everyday. Since the deodorant on the leg phase, I have altered my methods and use real lotion. But nothing fancy for regular use. For awhile it was Vaseline but then I switched to Jergens when I saw they had a Naturals line.  It smells awesome! Love it! It quenches the thirsty skin from the dry winters and leaves me super hydrated while not making my skin sticky in the humid summers. It is also really affordable at about $5-$7 for a big bottle. Then suddenly, Jergens only had one lotion in their Naturals line. Weird. So when my pharmacy had no Jergens Naturals, I bought St. Ives.  Megs had previously bought St. Ives after running into the same problem with Jergens.  She wasn’t impressed, and said that it smelled like rabbit poop or something like that. That is weird too.  I thought she was probably just being picky like she tends to be sometimes so I went ahead and bought a bottle. The smell is okay.  I don’t hate it. It’s not bad but it’s very very thick and it almost like rubbing lard on your body, but the kind that doesn’t melt (not that I’ve ever done that).  It does absorb quickly but I prefer a cream that goes on smoother.  But at $4 a bottle, it doesn’t get any cheaper and in a pinch, I’d buy it again. (After writing this blog post, I bought the last 2 Jergens remaining at the store. I should be good for awhile.)

Mascara to Avoid!

By Min

What not to buy!

Asian eyelashes are often short, straight and not good friends with just any old mascara.

I have tried my fair share over the ages and my fave is still Shiseido Perfect Mascara Defining  Volume (which I reviewed in a previous blog post). It is made by a Japanese company so obviously a good match for Asian eyelashes. This review is dedicated to some brands that are not Asian-eyelash friendly. My first pick is Physician’s Formula Organic Wear Natural Origin Mascara, $15.  It made my eyelashes go flat and it smudged and had no discernible benefits. If this mascara had added volume or length to my eyelashes, it could be forgivable but it did nothing at all.  


Next, was Benefit’s Beyond Mascara They’re Real! $29.  The box looked so appealing with a before and after picture and some consumer panel results. I admit that it did create an appealing amount of length, however there was absolutely no volume.  It claims that 90% of users saw a base-to-tip curl, but it made my lashes go flatter than they were before (is that possible?) Therefore, there was no visible lift that 94% of consumers supposedly obtained. I guess I'm part of the unique 6%. I was really disappointed.  

And finally, Dior Show, $31.  It promised  build-able volume. I give it that much but it did not keep the original curl I'd created with my eyelash curler. So while my lashes did not go completely flat, they were definitely not something to write home about.  If you have Asian eyelashes, I definitely recommend Shiseido Perfect Mascara Defining Volume (not Full Definition). If you don't have Asian eyelashes, I still recommend  Shiseido Perfect Mascara and also the DiorShow.  Happy mascara-ing!