Review ~ The Girl in the Ice by Robert Bryndza

 

I'd give this 3.5 stars. It's his first book so there's that. 

The plot ran smoothly with realistic dynamics between characters. The way the characters expressed emotions tho, you know they were written by a man. It wasn't bad, just obviously masculine way of expressing. 

The complexity required for a thriller/mystery was pretty good, it kept me guessing and engaged. Erika Foster is a solid female character. Props to that. 

While the plot ran smoothly, it was painfully obvious too, that he's hoping a studio would pickup this book and turn it into a movie. Some of the twists and turn were very much movie magic and written cinematically, almost like a script. 

It WOULD be interesting to turn this into a movie tho. 

Good effort and great read, overall but he definitely needs more experience. Looking forward to his future works. 

Movement Control in Malaysia: The Clusterfuck

This is more for those outside quarantined outside of Malaysia. Just wanna let y'all know what it's like down here.

So when the Covid-19 cases spiked up to hundreds within a day around March 16, our government (Malaysians were still reeling from the shock of Mahathir's resignation and the unexpected appointment of Muhiddin as the new PM btw) declared Movement Control Order (MCO) from March 18-31.

We saw the usual cold-blooded and cutthroat companies using this opportunity to lay off staffs and illegally arranging for covert rotation of staffs that were asked to come to work. The people should be given the leverage to report these companies after all this is over.

My company included. When I made it clear to my boss that I would not be coming in I was scolded for not "caring about my work". First of all, bitch. Second of all, I care more about my family and the people around me than yo crusty company.

It was a time we saw our already bad-reputed company show it's true ugly colours. I hope something horrible happens to my company.

On top of this, the reason behind the huge spike of new cases came from an Islamic religious gathering that happened around late February. Someone in that gathering had, at that time, carrying asymptomatic infection and unknowingly spread to some 14,500 people. Yes, that's the right number.

Among these many thousands, 1,500 were foreigners. Others were a mixed of locals and expats. The most irritating part of this is, NOT ONE of those participants admitted to have attended the gathering and remained silent, thus endangering ANYONE who came into contact with them.

Thankfully our Malaysian Police is an efficient one and quickly tracked down a great number of these fuckers.

A few many thousands are still at large though.

On top of this, we've seen people display the ugliest nature of humanity. We have those with symptoms spit on surfaces people normally touch like lift buttons, car/door/train handles.

Fucking assholes. Why do you want people to suffer? You're definitely going to hell.

I expected nothing less from Kali Yuga.

And there are also those who defied the MCO and had the temerity to go out as usual and eat in restaurants, frolic in malls etc. It is unknown how many have transmitted their latent virus to others.

Remember, getting better from this virus very much depends on how strong your immune system is.

The death count so far had been the elderly and the immunocompromised.

I am very thankful that so far food shortage is not an issue though we do have those selfish food mongers.

The MCO defier issue had come to a terrible level where the government had to deploy the fucking army to ensure we all stay at home. The new rule is that only one representative from a household is allowed to leave the house to buy essentials. How badly does a nation has to fuck up for gov (who in all sincerity is trying their damnest to protect us) to take drastic measures like this? I won't be surprised if there's a state of emergency declared. Remember this folks, Malaysia is an incredibly peaceful country, despite the usual riff-raffs. If a country known for it's peace has declared state of emergency, we've done fucked up good.

Since the 2-week MCO coincide with the virus' incubation period, we expect a third wave of those infected showing symptoms and hospitalized accordingly. When that happens, we might have a total lockdown to curb the spread completely.

Great, getting fatter at home.

Self-care tips during lockdown:

1. Take this opportunity to exercise twice a day. You won't have much to do anyway. Yoga/Aerobics/HIIT/Tabata is the best since it really doesn't need any equipment.

2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Set a timer to drink water every hour. I had dehydration last night because I spent most of the day watching youtube videos and forgetting to drink. Lessons learned.

3. If you live within an apartment complex or gated community, it's okay to get fresh air from your porch or your balcony. Just don't leave the goddamned door/gate.

4. If you're allowed to go out to buy essentials, try to buy a thermometer. Keep your temperatures in check. Any fever and dry cough that lasts more than 4 days ought to be checked.

5. Good time to do spring cleaning and reorganization of our rooms and house. Arrange your bookshelves, game library or any shelves accordingly. Dust those hard to reach surfaces. Trim those plants/bushes, deep clean your prayer altars, purses, handbags anything that looks cluttered. Make use of these trying time to be productive.

6. Time to REALLY spend time on your skincare routine. We don't have to come out of quarantine looking like a demented teletubby. We can come out of quarantine looking like a much healthier version of ourselves.

7. For those battling mental illness, take this time to rejuvenate yourselves. Meditate, learn that new instrument, do whatever it takes to have your senses re-aligned.

Blossom Beauty Scented Lip Gloss Review

Before you ask, yes, those are actual flower petals in a bottle.

I have seen this floating around instagram from time to time. Of course the incredibly cute packaging got me, since I am an absolute sucker for anything cute and floral.

This was a must have even though I really do have too much lipsticks and lip glosses.

I mean look at this pretty shit.
It's a roll-on clear gloss that boasts to hydrate lips.

They come in many scents but I went with Watermelon (Mango was a close contender) because I liked the flower colour combos and to me watermelon smelled the least tackiest and closest to the real thing. They had Mint too but boy someone should make that gloss illegal.

Imagine my glee when I spotted this in Watsons Malaysia. YAAAAAYYYYY!!!

They had everything: lip gloss, perfume oil, cuticle oil.

I was starry-eyed really when I saw them. My eyes just glazed on which one to buy!!!

The star point for these glosses lies in their colourful ensemble of infused actual flowers and pleasant scents (except Mint fuck you).

The clear gloss is incredibly hydrating. Actually, it calling them lip OIL would be a better description since their base is mineral oil.

Yes, that. I was hesitant too, since I avoid mineral oils and linoleum like the plague.
But my hands were itching, and heart burned for this cute shit I decided to purchase one. RM19.90.


Okay we've covered the part where it's hydrating. I also meant to tell you this works well for dry, chapped lips. The oil sort of "fills up" the cracks and lines and gives your lips a smooth, plumping effect.

The only downside is that it wears off too easily. You'd find yourself whipping out this lip oil for re-application every hour. But with such a cute little thing, you'd look really cool doing so.

Is this worth it? My verdict is yes. This is an excellent everyday lip oil, or just a quick perk me up in cold environments. I am keen to try their cuticle oil too in Lavender (I literally sniffed each scents but Lavender won by a landslide. Rose and Honeysuckle were strong contenders).

Will I repurchase? Definitely. Recommended? Oh yes. Worth the price? A little pricey for very basic ingredients and presentation but this IS a USA import.

It's a yas from me. 

Thayer's Witch Hazel + Aloe Vera + Rose Petal Toner review

Finally, this gem of a product is available in Malaysia.

In retail, it's only available in selected stores. I bought the Rose Petal one online via nattacosme.com and the cucumber one from M+ Pharmacy in Bangsar Village.

Thayer's is a generational household staple. And for a good reason.

This shit works. There's no other way to talk about it.

This is a generous bottle at 350ml priced around RM40. I think it's a reasonable price. It'll last 3-4 months if you use it twice a day.

It refreshes and boosts your skin's natural oils without drying. Mind you the Rose Petal and Cucumber ones are NOT astringents, they're alcohol-free. The Lemon one is. When a toner is alcohol-free, it is meant for hydration. Astringents as you know, combat skin problems.

And Witch Hazel, apart from Tea Tree Oil is an effective acne combatant.

But many don't know that Rose and Lavender are actually quiet effective for problematic skin. I used this when I had bumps along my cheek area and it took one week to disappear. I did use this toner only after face wash to see how effective it is by itself.

Very, would be my answer. The Vitamin C in the Rose Petal one gives skin a considerable boost, hydration and suppleness. When used in combo with other products (moiturizer, facial oils etc) this product is seriously fucking bomb.

I am running out of Rose Petal, but I have the Cucumber one ready to replace. The Cucumber one  boasts to soothe and reduce pigmentation, acne, oiliness, among other things.

The smell for Rose Petal is absolutely amazing. It makes you look forward to use them on your face. You will feel instantly cleansed and refreshed.

I would recommend Thayer's to anybody.  Especially to those with really bad skin. 

Senka Speedy Perfect Whip, Perfect Whip White & Perfect Whip Collagen In Review

If you frequent KL Sentral LRT Station, you'd be familiar with the advertisement (as you descend the escalator) where this Japanese woman holds a shit-shaped foam on both her hands and a blue bottle next to it claiming it to be the No.1 face wash in Japan.

They ain't lying actually. People (Japanese or otherwise) have known to buy this by the cart. It is not unusual to see this product sold out almost everywhere.

Especially when Senka is only available in retail in Asia part of the world, the west struggle to get their hands on this coveted product.

How did I come to fall hopelessly head over heels in love with this brand?

It all started when I was afflicted with viral fever the week before and during Raya. I fell back on my skin care routine because I was literally too sick to pamper my skin.

Shit went south, deep south overall on my skin.

My skin darkened by a few shades, had hyperpigmentation on my skin, don't even get started on the acne shit broke out in a vengeance. I loathed looking at myself in the mirror. Felt like all those years of obtaining a skincare routine that worked for me got flushed down the drain.

I learned that to "fix" skin afflicted by illness, you have to treat it like sensitive skin.
So I let go of my daily face scrub and masking since I wanted literally love my skin back to perfection. Ahems.

I learned that foam cleansers and facial oils are best.

Being the scholar that I am, I researched extensively on best, trusted and tried foam cleansers. Senka always pops out with rave reviews. I kinda fell in love with it too with it's straightforward function, simplicity of concept and of course the extremely affordable price.

And I was elated to know Watsons Malaysia carries this.

It was soon in my vanity.

Why I chose more than 3 types to use?

Because I have specific skin issues to address.

1. To gently clear up my face while moisturizing it. 

Speedy Perfect Whip is merely a "fast" version of their original Perfect Whip. You see, the product itself is cream cleanser. But you sort of rub it between your hands to work it into a fluffy foam.

The Speedy version comes with a pump where it foams for you. Very useful for those are hard-pressed for time. Sadly, only the original comes with a pump version while the rest of it don't.

The product makes for a rich dense foam with a light scent. And I found that it cleanses better when you apply directly on skin that's not wetted with water. My super oily skin is indeed cleansed thoroughly and moisturized.

You can see it plumper and healthier.

2. To brighten my skin tone

Apart from the skin darkening that dastardly viral fever caused me, I also have a job where I am considerably exposed to the sun.

So a little bit of suntan ain't an issue for me since I am a dark-skinned Indian girl. I own my skin. But you also want your face to match the rest of your body.

So I also choose Senka's Perfect Whip White. It claims to brighten your skin while moisturizing it. And it's oil-free so my oily skin is drinking this up.

I use this face wash right after I come back from work. I've seen instant skin brightening, and the moisturizing effect on this is fucktons better than the original perfect whip. Smells the same like the original Perfect Whip. This only comes with a regular tube packaging so you work this with your hands.

3. To start working on giving my skin the anti-aging it needs

You're supposed to start anti-aging shit after 25. I've always been a late-bloomer so I am only starting to get on the collagen bandwagon shy before turning 30.

The Collagen In series comes in a pretty pink plastic tube that smells and works the best out of the 2 above in my honest opinion.

I was incredibly satisfied with just one use itself. The Collagen In series, to me, did the job of both the original and White series. It moisturized and brightened my skin tone, made my skin soft and supple.

Out of all three, I would definitely repurchase the Collagen In since it worked the best for me. I will just use up the original Perfect Whip series and immediately switch to Collagen In and keep it a staple from then on.

When it comes to facial oils, Farsali's Volcanic Elixir is definitely my go to. See my post about it here.

So far, as per beauty advise that I picked up in the internet, I have been washing my face with Senka, toning (DO NOT EVER SKIP ON TONERS), and then Farsali's Volcanic Elixir for a month now. My skin has improved fucktons, drastically, incredibly, you name it.

My skin is back to it's even tone, it's bright and healthy looking, the hyperpigmentation is diminishing by day.

The only thing left is the acne. But that's ok, in my experience acne does take more time to go away.

But if you're reading this, maybe this could be something you can try if you're still looking for a skincare routine that works for you.

Drugstore facials oils are getting more popular now so you can pick up a vial of Vitamin E, C or Rosehip oil in Watsons or Guardian.  

Colourpop: So Juicy lipgloss review

I'm so glad I'm rich.

Because I can think about splurging on cute stuff like this.

Okay I've seen this lipgloss occasionally POP (see what I did there) in instagram. I think it was a love at first sight with the packaging.

It's in this really cute tube packaging where you can see the colour inside.

While some of the So Juicy glosses are pigmented, some are more sheer with glitter on it.

They were having buy 2 for $12 promo at that time so my greedy ass spent an eternity just looking at the lucky colours I would purchase.

Type of Way got kicked in the mail when she was delivered I think hence the dent. 😝

I chose Va Va Voom ( a glittery orange gloss with a sheer finish) and Type Of Way (a muted plum-pink with glitter, mild pigment enough to show on lips).

Aren't they absolutely pretty?

You cannot see the glitter but they're there!

The package itself is very strong and luxurious to the feel. You won't need to worry about spillage since it is quite sturdy. The cap is just normal silver chrome plastic lid. I would recommend wiping off the applicator after each use to prevent gunk and goop build-up in the cap interior. It's just hygiene really.

The So Juicy range is a high-shine, hydrating lip gloss that claims to plump the lip.

Was it shiny? Yes. Was she sticky? Yes, Was she hydrating? It was like being kissed by a unicorn.

Was she plumping? You can bet on it. Some people claimed it did nothing plumping, but I can see mine a bit well, juicier.

She smells like peppermint, and feels tingly on the lips. The pleasant kind not the ouchie ouch ouch kind.

Her applicator is not plastic but rubber instead so she glides on lips better. 

She's quite stubborn on staying on the lips, so you need to wipe her off with some determination.
That's what you get with a quality lipgloss.

Colourpop unfortunately doesn't sell retail in Malaysia, so I bought directly from their webby. She took 3 weeks to be shipped from the US.

I choose Va Va Voom because I cannot, for the life of me find any colour swatch on this orange beauty.

I think she is a rare and stunning colour and would look bomb on dark-skinned beauties. Her sheer orange hue with rich glitter is every teen girl's dream. And a fun colour to boot.

Type of Way is more popular and is a frequent choice for swatching. On darker skin tones, she looks beige nude. She's gorgeous and makes me feel cute.

There was some nostalgia aspect in deciding to buy this too.

During the early 2000's when I was a teenager, I was obsessed with this Maybelline lip gloss that only came in one colour (sheer baby pink). I remember being obsessed with this lipgloss so much that I would insist my mom to get it for me when the tube finishes. Unfortunately I cannot remember the name of the lipgloss or what the series was, I only remember it was Maybelline. I cannot find anything about this long-discontinued lip gloss on the internet either. Even the formula feels damn near the same.

So Juicy range from Colourpop even looks exactly like the Maybelline one. It's like being a girl again. *pokes at wrinkles* oh well.

This is more of an everyday wear when you're out with your girls. Or about to suck someone's dick. Whichever.

I am overall very happy with this gloss. I wore both of them to test out colour run and last-ability.

She's surprisingly loyal on the lips. The longer you keep her on, the better for your lips since she REALLY hydrates your lips.

I would recommend everyone to have at least one their vanity. She's worth it.

Part 1 Sheet Masks Review: Dr. Jart, St.Ives, Utena Golden Jelly, Origins Flower Fusion, Secret Nature, Saborino, Innisfree, Leaders Mediu and MORE~!

Everything and anything I have ever said about sheet masks, I take it back.

I have said only bad things about sheet masks so this is my formal apology to sheet masks everywhere. 

Let me tell you how I have formed this faulty opinion of mine.

I’ve always had bad skin. My skin was riddled with acne, pimples, hyperpigmentation, congested skin and premature wrinkles for the longest time. I truly believed something more invasive like clay masks would save me.

Boy was I wrong. Boy was I so wrong. The root of this faulty opinion happened when I was still under the stupid understanding that oily/acne prone skin won’t ever benefit from moisturizing.

How could I have been so stupid? I’m glad I’m not the same person I was 5 years ago, or even yesterday.

The importance of moisturizing oily/acne prone skin is something that isn’t talked about enough, because there aren’t enough girls like me documenting their new-found holy grail.

Here’s the summary on why oily skin needs as much moisturizing as the Sahara Desert: the moisture introduced to your skin would counterbalance the sebum produced naturally from your skin.

You won’t believe this until you’ve taken the brave step of trying this like I did. There’s a reason I’m a Princess. Cheh wah poyo.

I think sheet masks are the answer.

Sheet masks function to cover your face in a skin-safe cotton, marinated in beneficial serums/boosters/and other awesome ingredients to suit your skin’s needs.

You can not (and may not) come under the believe that if your skin is bumpy or terrible like mine, sheet masks would not do anything for you.

Sis, let me serve you some tea: my skin improved fucktons since the last three months I first tried sheet masks, from all the bullshit I did 5 years ago to clear my shitty skin.

There are sheet masks formulated for unfortunate fucks like us and very thankfully they’re kind to our wallets and pockets. We do not need to fork out our entire inheritance just to get that sheet mask that you know will work for our skin type.

Always apply sheet masks on cleaned and toned skin. I use Thayers’ Rose Petal Toner. Will write a review about this much later.

1. Origins Flower Fusion Masks

Beautiful and attractive packaging. I could not believe these masks are only RM13 in Sephora. Origins is definitely on the high-end scale so seeing this particular product with drugstore price felt like getting a Christmas present. I bought the rose mask because I’m an absolute sucker for anything rose.

Check out that gorgeous packaging

And did you know that anything-rose is extremely beneficial for oily, acne-prone skin? Rose-anything is usually marketed for dry skins as a moisturizing agent but the Vitamic C and other nutrients in rose is very effective in combating any blemishes on the skin. Plus due to it’s high hydration factor, it does lock in moisture so that your own natural sebum production is controlled. Plus who doesn’t like smelling like unicorn fart? Their rose mask gave me a clearer, more clarified skin and cleaned any imperfections on my skin. The entire time the mask was on, there was this pleasant tingly feeling like your skin was being massaged. That’s defo a plus point for me: to be able to FEEL the mask work on your skin as you wear them. I just massaged the extra essence into my skin and went to sleep, to wake up with the most glowing, beautiful skin. Hallelujah.

That’s the beauty of sheet masks, when it is extracted from natural stuff like fruit, flowers or vegetables, it smells like it! So for a rose sheet mask, just picture yourself relaxing with the scent of roses wafting in your nostrils while the rose essence works her magic into your shitty skin. HEAVEN.

They also have other scents: I am keen to try all of it tbh.

Okay, much, MUCH, later after writing the above I went to Sephora again and collected the rest of the Origins Flower Fusion sheet masks. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I started feeling guilty on how greedy I was getting all of those sheet masks at once. I thought, “why not try them one by one, it’s more economical and plus it gives you an excuse to come to Sephora”. Insert troll face meme here.

Have you ever seen Jasmine masks anywhere? Because I’ve never. I’ve seen all kind of flower-infused masks, but never Jasmine. And being South Indian, Jasmine is a big part of my life. We Southies will always have a soft spot for Jasmine. So this time I picked up their Jasmine Flower Fusion mask. Review for this will come in Part 2.

Definitely a repurchase!

2. Secret Nature Sheet Masks

That packaging for Rose is to DIE FOR.

Now THIS was an accidental find. A very pleasant, welcome accidental find.

While googling sheet masks for oily skin, this came up a few times in lists and searches. And very pleasantly surprised to find out Watsons Malaysia carries this for incredibly affordable price at RM6.90 each. That’s a fucking steal man, for a mask that works extremely well.

I bought their Brightening Lemon Mask and Moisturizing Rose Mask. I tried their Lemon Mask first and let me tell you this: I was unimpressed after I’ve used this mask. Unlike with the Origins, I did not see any immediate difference. My skin looked hydrated, with the shitty imperfections intact. I massaged the extra essence onto my face and went to sleep.

Oh with sheet mask essences you can rub them on your lips too for pumpler, hydrated lips!

I only saw difference when I woke up the next morning and immediately had a better impression of this mask. I had some breakouts near my jaw and cheek area prior to wearing this mask.

The bumps shrunk considerably and guess what – made my skin brighter. Definitely a mask you use before you sleep. I woke up with a matte, fresh skin. Oily skin gals would testify that they usually wake up like they were greased with frying oil all over their face. This Lemon Mask actually kept my skin looking normal. On a heatwave night.

Talk about miracle.

This mask package comes with a lot of essence and when you take it out, it’ll be very drippy. Store the remaining essence and use them up nightly. Mine took 3 days to use up. So I think this is a very, very good and economic deal for a sheet mask. I definitely have no regrets purchasing this mask and will be purchasing the 10-pack sheet with each of their flavours. By the time I used up the remaining essences of the Lemon Mask my bumps have completely disappeared. So for y’all bumpy gals out there: I highly recommend this.

I then immediately went for their Rose Mask, I was just THAT excited. The content was similar, white cotton fabric dripping with beautiful aroma of roses. There were loads of leftover essence in this too. So I guess I’ll be pampering myself with roses for a few days.

Now little Rosie here from Secret Nature family didn’t disappoint too. She was incredibly moisturizing, and was excellent at controlling my sebum. Plus who doesn’t like falling asleep smelling like roses? The essence for this particular flavour minimized pores and moisturized my skin. Definitely another winner from Secret Nature.

3. Innisfree My Real Squeeze Mask

I wonder if something got lost in translation from Korean to English. The name does sound a bit off. Again, if you google for tried and tested sheet masks I guarantee Innisfree masks would somehow come into the mixture. And for a good reason. I have been using their Jeju Melting Volcanic Clay  mask for months now and it’s the best shit ever to clean out your pores.

But we’re here to talk about their sheet mask and if it’s up to par with claims out there.

I bought the Rose and Tomato ones. Trust me, the My Real Squeeze mask has many flavours and you’d be wide-eyed to choose from which one. I tried the Tomato one first because, hello, a tomato mask? Never heard that one before.

The sheet mask material is made of a luxurious thin woven cloth. It’s hands down the best quality I’ve ever held in my hands and slathered on my face. 

The feeling was cool and very hydrating. The smell incredibly pleasant. The sheet mask would be a welcome change for us small-faced ladies. This is the only sheet mask that fit my face somewhat.

And that’s where it stops. Really.

The essence didn’t really do anything for my face. I only saw hydration and brightening. And very minimally at that too. There were a lot of serum left so I stored it like I did with the Secret Nature one. Again didn’t really so anything. My personal opinion is that this is a gimmick product marketed to those who like cute and fanciful things.

Now what about the Rose one? Ah. That will be in Part 2.

4. Leaders Mediu Sheet Masks

I’ve used so many sheet masks by now I’m definitely an expert. And I’ll tell you sheet masks by Leaders Mediu is absolutely, hands down, without a doubt, THE BEST out there. I don’t care what you say about YOUR favourite sheet mask. Zip it. THIS is the real deal. THIS should be everyone’s staple. THIS should win all kinds of awards.

This line of Korean mask DOES NOT BULLSHIT you. It makes sure you get what you paid for (RM12.90 each, available only online I bought via iHerb). For something I consider affordable, this mask delivers FAR MORE than it promises. It outdone itself. Seriously, it’s THAT good.

I received the blue one (Amino Moisture Mask) for free and it has been sitting in my vanity for months. At this point I was still stupid about sheet masks. Imagine having a precious gem and not knowing it’s worth. I thought, “eh what if this thing is gonna expire soon (it was not expiring anytime soon lol)? Might as well use it.”

I did. My God. My skin practically CURED. It was softer, plumper, hydrated, brightened and holy shit where are the acne scars? Where they at??? The dark circles under my eyes practically disappeared by a few shades. And I cursed and beat myself up for not using this sooner. I stared at myself in the mirror because I did not know what the fuck was I looking at. Have I finally found my magic elixir? These Koreans do not fuck with their cosmetics man. HOLY.

So a few months ago I bought the red one (Amino AC-Free Mask) as it is targeted for oily/acne-prone skin. I’m almost sorry to use it, because I love these line of masks so much and they’re only available online. But this mask contains BHA (Salicylic Acid) and my recent experience by BHA sort of made me think twice about slathering it on my face.

5. Premium Puresa Utena Golden Jelly Mask

No, this is not a sheet mask inspired by everyone’s favourite lesbian anime space warrior princess. They just have the same name.

The packaging of this extremely popular mask (in Japan) screams expensive and luxurious. Just try holding it you’ll feel like you’re holding something precious. There’s a reason Japanese women insists to have this mask as a staple in their skincare routine.

Both the packaging and product are luxurious quality

I bought the purple one (lavender extract, limited edition) because like I said before I’m a huge sucker for anything flower-based. Especially weak against rose.

This is my verdict for this highly-touted mask: I love it! I am especially in love with the scent. The one I bought is the purple one, which I understood was a limited edition lavender scented one for relaxation and moisturizing.

The mask was an absolute pain in the hiney to unravel. It was so richly soaked in jelly essence. But it’s not drippy though so that’s a plus point. The remaining jelly essence you can use up gradually.

I got frustrated on how complicated it was to unravel. But I eventually got there and fitted this on my face, which was surprisingly a good fit. It was a better fit than the Innisfree My Real Squeeze Mask.

Upon application this mask had a constant pleasant tingling sensation. The pleasant scent just wafting as it sits on your face. The mask itself is very heavyweight, though, but it doesn’t slide off your skin.

The excess jelly that’s on your hands can be spread around as a lotion on your hands. It feels very soft and silky when it’s fully absorbed.

I used the remainder essence for 3 days too. And I am extremely satisfied with the results. Skin was plump and hydrated and fresh.

A definitely repurchase and potential staple. 

Oh and they have Rose-scented and Peach-scented one too. Guess who's credit card is flying off her purse. 

6. St.Ives Sheet Mask

You have to be living under a rock if you don’t know who or what St.Ives is. Seriously they’ve been around for many, many years. And they’re undoubtedly a family staple when it comes to skincare. Everyone and their grandmother have used a St.Ives products sometime in their life.

They’re coming up with new and more diverse skincare products to catch up with others but yo no complaints here.

Recently, they’ve created sheet masks line (YAY) and woooooo they’re finally in Malaysia. Though I only saw them in Guardian for like RM10 each. And they only had oatmeal and apricot sheet masks (2 of their best selling flavours). I bought the Oatmeal one because I’ve used their Apricot scrub before and I know what it’s like.

The sheet mask is easy and durable to handle. You can be one of those perkins type and still won’t accidentally tear up this mask. There’s a lot of leftover essence too in this. The face mask size is a standard one and it was pretty awkward adjusting it to my face.

I DO NOT LIKE IT ONE BIT.

I in fact, FUCKING HATE IT.

The smell was god awful. It did not smell like oatmeal. It smelled like stale Nestum. Seriously this shit smelled TERRIBLE. I couldn’t wait for the 20-minute mark to finish. I usually keep my sheet masks for 30-45 minutes. This one? I removed it after the timestamp and WIPED IT OFF MY FACE. I didn’t even want to see what it had done to my face. I went to sleep incredibly disappointed.

But the next morning my face did look fresher and brighter. So that’s the only plus point. I give this 1/5.

But bear in mind, this is only the oatmeal one. The rest of the sheet masks in this brand might actually be better than this travesty. What a real fucking shame. I am a huge fan of their scrubs!

7. Dr.Jart+ Brightening Solution Sheet Mask

I intended to buy the red one (Clearing Solution?) because it contains Salicylic Acid. My recent experience with The Ordinary’s 2% Salicylic Acid drop serum was an absolute disaster so I am truly concerned about buying a sheet mask with that acid’s concentration. It’s gonna go on my entire face. I took about 5 years to get my skin cleared to this stage I don’t want to fuck it up omg. So I bought the Brightening Solution instead (orange) because I do suffer from dull skin caused by those acne scars. It’s only available in Sephora at RM20.

Dr.Jart+ masks and products are a Sephora staple (like Mario Badescu and Murad) and so far there aren’t bad reviews of this product. God I really hope this works for me.

I wore this mask actually couple of months back before writing this exact paragraph. I’m moving to a new place so this sort of slipped my mind.

I liked it, really liked it. But I will not be repurchasing this anymore.

While it did good as a sheet mask, I did not see any immediate improvements like the other sheet masks provided. Did it make my face brighter? It did. Did the leftover essence justify the price and popularity of this mask? Not one bit.

I don’t regret purchasing this mask, but I would not be a repeat buyer. The Flower Fusion by Origins was so much better for ¼ of the price of this brightening mask.

To be fair, this is only the brightening mask. Maybe the rest of it works really well.

8. Saborino Morning Facial Sheet Mask Fresh White

The packaging is seriously beautiful. ALL of their series do.

Okay this sheet mask had been BLOWING UP in the Instagram and internet in general because of how resourceful they are.

Being in my sheet mask obsession phase, I immediately made extensive research about which one would suit my face more (oily, acne-prone gal here). Apparently the green one (Grapefruit as the first ingredient listed) and the brown one (Almond Koukou Limited Edition) should suit me the best.

BUT.

I work in a job where I am significantly exposed to the sun, you see. So I need something that sloughs away the suntan or brighten my skin. So this mask from their many lineup was the winner for me.

Even though this is a morning mask (the cooling effect is high in this one to awaken the skin), I used it before I sleep. I wash my face with Shiseido’s Senka Speedy Perfect Whip (review is coming soon for this one), tone my face with Thayer’s Alcohol-free Witch Hazel Rose Petal (review also coming soon) and then put this mask on for 15 minutes.

That’s right. 15 minutes. The instructions on this mask asks only for 60 seconds. That’s one minute. This mask costs RM65 in Watsons. The Fresh White series only has 28pcs (every other series has like 32 pieces). That’s RM2.30 that you’re wasting for a meagre 60-second use.

The first time I used it my skin stung and burned and I literally had this on for 60 secs. Then gradually my skin built a tolerance for it and I can keep it on for 15 minutes, because that’s when it dries up.

When you remove the mask, you massage the remaining essence into your skin.

I can always see a difference each time. The skin is indeed brighter. This is an absolutely worthwhile purchase especially if you’re a super busy person that comes home late after work. You can really rely on this fella to give you that skin care boost on the go.

And the packet comes in resealable packaging and you take out a piece like a wet wipe, and close the lid on this one again.

This is a definite repurchase and a must-have in my opinion. I want to try the pink on next.

Sadly this is NOT FOR SENSITIVE SKIN, as it is chockfull of ingredients.

Also it contains parabens, which did make me think a long time before going ahead with it. 

Coming Soon~

1. Senka Speedy Perfect Whip

2. Senka Perfect Whip White

3. Senka Perfect Whip Collagen In
For the above 3, see them here.

4. Thayer's Alcohol-free Witch Hazel Rose Petal Toner

5. Blossom Lip Gloss

6. Dudu-Osun African Black Soap

7. Aztec Indian Healing Clay

8. Coco & Eve Like a Virgin Hair Masque

9. MegRhytm Steam Eye Mask

10. Ogx Shampoo and Conditioners (selected)