It’s mid summer now here in Australia and with Valentine’s Day coming, I thought it’d be a good time for a little mid summer clearance sale at my e-boutique, Femme Habitat throughout the month of February.

Its a massive storewide sale for the Femme Collection – everything’s marked down plus an additional 10% discount for orders more than $200 in one transaction! We’re also offering free shipping worldwide for orders above $250!

A little self-advertising…sorry…hehe…but this is one of the few spaces I’ve got to advertise the e-boutique at. So, ladies, if you’re after some cute and sweet pieces for V-day, head over to my e-boutique Femme Habitat.

As a little incentive specially for my Indulgent Reviews Blog readers, enter this code FEB10SALE and get an additional 5% discount on top of all the other incentives available for the general public!

I would certainly appreciate your help to spread the word on this sale. Thanks, girls!

*muahz*

Oh one other thing, Indulgent Reviews is now on Facebook!

Thank you to the many of you who had participated in this fantastic giveaway sponsored by Skin MD Naturals.

I have pulled out the winner’s name using a list randomizer and the winner is:

Brenda Helgeson

Brenda, I’ll be contacting you soon via email and once I receive your response, I’ll send it off to 21st Century Formulations so they can get their gift out to you asap!

I’m back from the Whitsundays…I’ll share some pics of the place with you all soon!

It was a wonderful break and I truly enjoyed it! Very, very relaxing indeed and whilst I was bummed that it wasn’t all sunny and bursting with the sun rays every single day, I did get to go on most of my planned itinerary, so it was great! I got myself all tanned now thanks to staying out in the sun enjoying the beach!

That’s the good news.

The bad news is off late I’ve noticed some milia appearing around my cheeks. It started at the very bottom of my cheeks but has now spread upwards and I’m horrified! It isn’t that noticeable unless you look super closely, but since I’ve always had clear skin, this is indeed a horrifying thing for me!

I now realized that the probable reason for their appearance is due to the amount of intensely moisturizing products I used. See, I’ve always had dry skin and as such, have been concentrating on extremely nourishing and high in moisture products which are thick in texture and heavy in consistency. However, ever since I used Clinique’s products last year, I had actually unknowingly repaired my skin from dry to a normal combination state. My T-zone have gotten a bit oilier lately and I have just been ignoring it, always thinking my skin will forever be parched and dry.

How stupid of me! Anyway, I have a strong feeling that this is really the case since in December, I had actually bought for myself the richest moisturizing cream from Skin Food which had probably caused the milia condition to exacerbate as it must be a bit too heavy for my newly repaired skin to handle, particularly during the hot and sweltering summer months.

Two days ago, I decided I’ll do something about this and am now switching to a whole new skincare regime for normal and balanced or combination skin.

I’ve noticed that my skin doesn’t feel so parched and I actually feel quite comfortable using these lighter products, and I must admit I am pleasantly surprised since I’ve been so used to those heavy consistency products! I now know that my skin no longer needs those thick textured products and I can now switch my skin care regime to combination skin type products.

I’m so hoping that this will work for me and remove the milia from spreading and slowly, eventually, I’m hoping that it’ll go away!

Hello darlings!

I know I haven’t been updating much lately, that’s because since I got back to Melbourne from Malaysia earlier this month, I’ve been crazy busy with work and everything else. Also, since I’m really trying super, duper hard as part of my 2010 resolution (let’s see how long it lasts) to save my expenditure on beauty products and really, really finish what now have. Hence, I’m running out of juice for my blog or rather I’m really trying hard to stretch the products I have to blog about slowly so that I don’t run out of steam in one month!

Anyway, I received an email from Amber from 21st Century Formulations on the cute giveaway basket they’re running on their website and she’d like me to let my readers know about it! Basically this giveaway is now live and will run until February 8th to allow for ample shipping time prior to Valentine’s Day.

To enter, VISIT http://www.skinmdnatural.com/forms/valentines-giveaway.php

Enter your name and Email Address!

It’s that EASY! I’ve entered it myself!

If you’re the lucky winner, you’ll get:

The prize basket is valued at $100 and contains the following
- Bottle of Skin MD Natural shielding lotion
- Bottle of Skin MD Natural + SPF 15 shielding lotion
- One pound of See’s dark assorted chocolates
- Pack of Starbucks VIA Ready brew coffee pouches
- Kiss Me coffee mug
- A Cuddly teddy bear
- Lollipop Bouquet

Go on, enter away!

Having said that, don’t forget the other Skin MD giveaway that I’m running on my blog where the winner will be getting a full size Shielding Lotion and a few samples. This finishes end of next week Jan 31st!

On another note……

I celebrated my first wedding anniversary last weekend….and next Wednesday’s my birthday, so…..we have planned for a two-in-one holiday to the Whitsundays Island.

I’m so excited! I’m flying off tomorrow and will be back Thursday next week!

Till then…hello Whitsunday and I’ll blog again when I get back! Take care my lovelies!

Brightly coloured tins, filled with delectable glosses, beckon to be sampled like sweet confections. Kaleidoscopes of colour, like the plume of the regal peacock, recall Bollywood nights and harmonious fantasy. Like music to the mouth, the sheerest of sheens provides rich indulgence for lips that dream of being quenched.

These delectable and absolutely gorgeous lip balms were part of the pack I received from MOR recently. I absolutely love their lip balms and these two lip balms I got just affirms my love for them.

They come packaged in such beautiful vintage looking tins which I absolutely dig! Often, it is quite easy to open the tin as the lid comes off quite easily without having to use too much effort to pry it open. However, for some reason, the Apple one I got this time was a bit tough! Probably just a little tight. Nevertheless, I still love them!

The balm looks hard but it’s actually quite smooth to apply and glides easily onto lips. Once applied, lips feel absolutely smooth. It is a petroleum based balm as such has the same consistency and texture as Vaseline, however with such a delectable and yummy flavour! Plus, it’s really moisturizing and has helped me alleviate dry and chapped lips. It’s absolutely wonderful!

I’ve tried almost 4 of MOR’s lip delights and I absolutely swear by them. It leaves lips moist enough but not sticky. It has a melting characteristic which I really like.

Lychee Flower

A splash of sweet lychee fruit is mixed with a whisper of soft floral.

This is my favourite so far. The scent is mild but I really love the soft scent of fruity floral that it has. It feels good to wear this on my lips, feels and taste so, so sweet.

Apples

An orchard full of crisp, green, granny smith apples leaves a lingering honeyed sweetness.

If you like green apples, you’ll absolutely love this one. The sweetness of apples on the lips is absolutely appealing indeed.

MOR’s lip delights are now my HG lip balms as not only are they packaged in pretty vintage tins and are beautifully scented, it’s incredibly smooth and moisturizing. A tin lasts a long time as a little of the balm goes a long way. Absolutely love it! Try it if you get the chance!

I was recently contacted by MOR Cosmetics to review a few of it’s products. Imagine my delight of being contacted by one of my favorite brands! I’ve been a fan of MOR Cosmetics since I first discovered it last year! I went to the warehouse sale and got tons of products as gifts and even hauled a few for myself.

Needless to say, I’m honored and happy to be given the opportunity of reviewing such fantastic products!

I’m sure you can already tell that I love the products I got!

One of the items I got in my pack was a Body Butter in the Cucumber and Casaba scent.

It is described as "Fresh cut Melon and Green nuances blend with White Jasmine, Muguet and Rose Petals. Under tones of Beige Woods and White Musk soften and leave an uplifting scent”.

One thing absolutely unique and beautiful about MOR Cosmetics’ Body Butters are that it comes in this beautiful packaging as you can see in the above picture. I swoon all the time when I have a MOR Cosmetics Body Butter in my hand. It’s just so, so pretty! It looks so exclusive and makes you feel so sophisticated using it. Such is the power of pretty packaging, ladies!

MOR’s Body Butters are an intense body moisturizer meant for dry skin or skin in need of a little repair. I would say it’s a perfect aid for winter, however, for me, even in summer, its a usable product despite its intensity and thick-cream-like texture.

The Cucumber and Casaba scent that I got is absolutely heavenly! It’s fresh and certainly very, very uplifting. I use this body butter at night prior to going to bed and it just makes my skin absolutely fantastic. The big plus point is I wake up to absolutely smooth skin!

This luxurious body butter which is made of shea and cocoa butter is a heavenly product that would make any lady feel luxurious and sophisticated using it! The packaging is certainly enough to turn the whole experience into a luxe and and beautiful one.

As it is thick in texture, it is quite hard to spread it. However, really, a little product goes a long way and it gets absorbed really quickly despite its thickness, and your skin will really thank you for it! Apart from smelling absolutely delicious, you’ll really have nice and smooth skin after using any one of MOR’s body butters. Trust me, I’ve tried two of them already! I’ll review my Lavender Periwinkle scent soon.

In summary, I’d say if you have the opportunity to try any of MOR’s body butters, do so! It’s beautiful! It’s also beautiful as a gift!

I did a review on Skin MD a while ago and they have recently contacted me to run a giveaway for my readers!

As a recap, the Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion is an incredibly light in texture lotion which has done tremendous wonders for my skin. Skin felt so much more hydrated, moistened and best of all, incredibly silky and smooth.

A little goes such a long way and this fast absorbing lotion is perfect even in the sweltering heat of Australian summer.

Re-visit my entry and have a quick read on the wonders of this lotion.

The great thing is 21st Century Formulations has kindly offered a giveaway of the Skin MD Shielding Lotion to one lucky winner. This contest is to run from now until January 31st, 2010 – Sunday.

All you have to do is visit the Skin MD Natural Website at http://www.skinmdnatural.com.

Check out the Store Locator page http://www.skinmdnatural.com/store-locator.html then email me at indulgentreviews@gmail.com and tell me at least one location Skin MD can be found at.

A cute little scavenger hunt to send you on your way to possibly winning this beautiful lotion.

I’ll post the winner on this blog on February 1st, 2010. I’ll then contact the winner within 24 hours on announcing and 21st Century Formulations will be sending the prize directly.

Come on, enter away! Good luck!

Take care and have a great week ahead! Stay indulgent!

I thought I’d be a follower to everyone else’s year end wrap up. Though mine’s a few days late (5 to be exact), hey, better late than never right?

Where should I start? All right, in my head, I’ll go month by month and think through of what I did throughout the year…

Personal Life

I got married in January 2009 and our first anniversary is coming in two weeks!

Indulgent Reviews Blog

This blog which I started in 2008 as a platform to indulge in my two greatest loves – beauty and writing – seemingly reached a wider audience in 2009. I hosted my first giveaway in March and since then have managed to host many giveaways, a few sponsored and a few of my own. Being a freshie to the beauty blogging scene, this feels like a true achievement for me.

Beauty

- I think I’ve overindulged myself in beauty spending this year, but, its all worth it! For 2010, I will try my hardest not to overspend on beauty products I don’t need and slowly finish them first before buying a new one to try out. My beauty corner’s getting all too cram, what with the various creams and lotions, and let’s not even mention makeup! Plus, I think Hubs might be getting a tad bit annoyed with the many products that I’ve got! Tee hee hee

- Went to beauty school at Gorgeous Cosmetics! So, so worth it!

- Had my hair cut twice in Melbourne at pricey salons like Seri and Picone! I hated having the money going out of my wallet, but the results were so good…

- My sis-in-law treated me to an amazing body spa experience back home in KL recently! Absolutely delightful! I’m contemplating going for more regular facials and indulgent sessions here in Melbourne. Perhaps once every quarter??

- I’m trying hard to scale back the amount of skincare products I use to just basic ones and not add in all the frills. I’m also trying to use more affordable products so the money that used to be spent on the likes of Shiseido and Biotherm could perhaps be spent on something else.

- 2009 was a year I discovered that Clinique products were actually quite good and has served me well this year. I found it to be fairly affordable too, most of it anyway! This used to be a brand I never even had a glance at. Now, Clinique, Paula’s Choice and Olay are my three coveted skincare products for 2009.

- My makeup brand of the year? Always a loyal fan to Benefit, but some of MAC’s collection definitely captivated my interest this year too…

- Didn’t buy a single perfume this year. A true feat since I’d usually get at least 3 bottles in a year whenever a new release strikes me. Felt that I’d better finish the 7 bottles I have on my dressing table at the moment

Fashion

- My wardrobe is ever expanding and is bursting at the seams. Time to hit the Salvos?

- As I get older, I’m beginning to sense a personal style developing for myself.

- Shoes…I used to buy cheapo shoes that looked absolutely fab and dressy, but weren’t comfy at all. My feet are absolutely disastrous at the moment. Hence, 2009 was a year I opted for comfort rather than fashion and style. I’ve started buying Geox, Hush Puppies, Scholl and even walk to work in sneakers at times. However, I still have the bug to buy fashion shoes every now and again, so I settle for slightly more expensive fashion shoes from the likes of Nine West and Witchery.

Handbags

I only got myself two handbags this year – a Burberry Prossum and a Coach Leather Bag (this was a gift from my mum). I used to buy heaps of bags a year, but somehow, Nine West’s bags just didn’t quite cut it for me this year and everyone in Australia wears an Oroton! Wanting something different, I saved up and now am absolutely pleased that I did! I have myself the two most gorgeous bags and am such a happy camper because of them this year!

Health & Fitness

Like everyone else, my goal this year is to eat healthy, stay healthy and get absolutely fit. I intend to boost up my immune system by actually eating the multitudes of vitamins and supplements I buy instead of just storing them and also hitting the gym which I diligently pay for on a monthly basis.

Two years ago, due to an extremely high stress work environment, I put my health and fitness in shambles and since then, have been suffering all sorts of health problems. Now, I’m aiming to make sure I bring myself up to scratch again in that department, for my own sake, if nobody else’s.

Femme Habitat – my new business venture

Throughout 2009, I managed to get in touch with a few contacts and then slowly, painstakingly but enjoying every minute of it, I put up my e-boutique online for its launch on November 1st. Sales have been slow, but stock’s moving, so that’s a plus side! The fact that it’s only two months old keeps me looking on the brighter side and hopefully 2010 will bring more fresh introductions and breath into my e-boutique. Hopefully also 2010 will be the year it’s propelled to success! Can’t wait! I have always wanted to be a boutique owner, an entrepreneur…and I’m finally there…the whole experience of getting contacts, negotiations, building the website and more was a true learning experience. An extremely enjoyable one at that!

That seems to be my wrap up for 2009! A beautiful year indeed – full of mishaps, life experience, adventures, splurges and steals!

To all my amazing readers, thank you for a great 2009 year with you and may 2010 bring you all beautiful things physically, emotionally and financially!

Take care, all, and stay indulgent!

Happy New Year everyone!

Hope you’ve all had an awesome festive season! I sure did! I just got back from Malaysia yesterday and I’m extremely tired but I had a splendid, fantastic time back home meeting up with family and friends.

I started work again this morning hence why I missed posting on the winner of my Let’s Welcome 2010 giveaway at 8am!

Anyway, here goes……

The winner is:

Congrats Anne-Marie! An email has been sent to you!

Take care all and stay beautiful and indulgent throughout 2010!

PS/- Postings will resume soon, I promise, once I’m settled in again! There’s just heaps to do and I’ve only left town for one and a half weeks! Gosh!

I’m going for a short vacation back home over the Christmas holiday period to attend a family wedding and spend the rest of the time with family and friends! Wish I could go back for longer, but unfortunately, that’s all the annual leave I could get. Normally I’d go back for a month at least! December’s the busiest period for us at work and 5 annual leave days was all I could manage to squeeze in! Oh well, better than nothing I guess! 5 annual leave during Christmas period is the best coz you get 10 days out of it for free!

Anyway, I will be back on Jan 4th, postings will resume then. Have a safe and fantastic festive season ahead and take care!

Stay indulgent, stay fabulous!