June Instablog!

- follow me on instagram @zlee212 ;) 

Announcement: Year Abroad Sub-blog!

For those that don't know, I'm migrating to Australia for a year from July onwards to do my year abroad in Brisbane! I've never been to Australia so there are going to be many new things to experience! =D 

So to document what I'm up to over there, I'm planning to create a new sub-blog dedicated just to my Ozzie adventures and my other travel plans outside of Australia. If you're keen to find out more about Brisbane through an international student's eyes, make sure to check it out! =))

www.zoetakesonaustralia.blogspot.hk

Review: Bare Minerals Foundation

One thing that was on my last-minute to-pack list for Hong Kong was to find some mineral foundation, so that my face can survive the hot and humid weather without my pores being clogged up. In the past, I've always used the Skin79 Hot pink BB Cream, but seeing as it just melted off my face whenever I get super sweaty and hot, it leaves my skin looking majorly oily-- not particularly attractive..

One thing that I do know about mineral foundation is that it is supposedly good for the skin, and it contains elements in the powder that doesn't make your skin look as oily when its humid outside. And this is the sole reason why I opted to try out Bare Escentuals' mineral foundation.

So I wore it for a few days in England, and my skin was fine. But I found that I had to put a lot to cover my blemishes (because it also acts as a concealer) which looked heavy on the skin and slightly off my skin-tone the more you apply.

However, once I touched down Hong Kong, my skin did not look too great after 2 days of use. My face became incredibly dry and bumps and dry patches on my skin appeared. The more I sweat, the more my face burned and became itchy! Needless to say, I had an allergic reaction to the mineral foundation.

I googled searched the stuff and found that Bare Escentuals mineral foundation actually contains a chemical called Bismuth Oxychloride which is the culprit for causing my face to burn and itch so intensely! It is used to help the product blend more smoothly on the skin and some of its by-products contain metals of lead and copper nature which enhances acne growth. -_____- ughh. This also explains why I've been breaking out so much too!

I am not one to usually have such sensitive skin, but I would definitely not recommend this to anyone who does!! This product has seriously damaged my skin and I'm still having a hard time trying to fully recover from the scaring and bouts of breakouts that I'm having.

Despite my unfavoured reaction to the product, it is possibly not to say that I should never try mineral foundation again, but in the future, it is noteworthy to look at the ingredients beforehand and watch out for the deadly Bismuth.

(All) things sweet and beautiful ;)

I don't have much experience in baking, so deciding to make Red Velvet Cupcakes the other day was definitely an ambitious attempt to eliminate my post-exam boredom! I found a cookbook at home which contained a series of sweet recipes in which I saw red velvet! In hope it would taste anything like the ones you get at LOLA's, London.. I tried as hard as possible to stick to the instructions so I don't screw up. Lols. 

And the end result... 

It tasted like salty crap. lol 

Yea... in the cookbook, it said I should add 1 tsp of salt, and instead of interpreting it as teaspoon, I used a tablespoon. *facepalm* MAJOR FAIL! lol Oh wells, I guess I'll learn for next time! On the other hand, it looks like one? xP 

Lola's Cupcakes -- what they should taste like ;P 

Laduree Macaroons -- absolute LUSH! 

My next goal -- some ridiculously expensive Macaroons which you can make under £5 for a batch of at least 10. ;) Watch this space! Haha 

Glossy Box UK - May, 1st Birthday Edition 2012

This month's glossybox arrived incredibly on time, I mean so quick that I got a confirmation email saying that it has been dispatched in the early hours of Wednesday morning and then just a couple of hours later it was sitting outside my bedroom door! Whoop for speed and efficiency! xP

Following on my slight disappointment with my last glossybox, I was hoping that this box would be more promising, and boy am I happy with what I got! Since its the birthday edition, a pink balloon and a compact mirror was also thrown in for good measure!

Despite all the negative comments I read about this box on their facebook page, I think all the products that I received are decent and would be things that I would try out. I know I said I'm not a big fan of sample sized shampoo/shower gel, but the one that I got smells absolutely divineee! My favourite so far is the Berber hair oil which has made my hair amazingly silky smooth.

I probably got lucky with the set of eyelashes, as I've seen some not-so-great ones which people got. I'm also looking forward to try the masks and the only thing I'm not so keen on are the sample perfumes which aren't really to my taste.

Glossybox can either be a hit or a miss, and I'm glad this month's one has given me some great products for me to try. Sadly I'm not able to continue using this service in the UK, since I'm moving to Australia for a year! But I'm most likely to try Glossybox Australian edition just to see what products they have to offer!

Overall, I'd give this box a ☆☆☆☆/★★★★★, 

For more info on the May Glossybox, click here.

GRAZE - Healthy Snacking

Healthy snacks for a healthy mind! 

That was the selling point for me aside from the first free box offer and my vicarious attempt to eat more healthily. It was amidst exams that I decided to give these a try since I tend to snack a lot on junk food when it comes to revision. >_< Graze is an online-delivery service in which you subscribe and pay £3.79 per box filled with 4 different snacks sent to your home/office on an allocated day of the week. Its not one of those services where you are committed to buying one every week, it allows you to be flexible and unsubscribe at any time or change the date of your delivery.

I love how they have layout the site! Once you sign up, you are asked to rate over 100 different types of snacking foods, and if you see something you don't particularly like, you 'bin' them, and they won't send them to you, its worth the money that way.

My first two boxes arrived promptly last week, and I'm really impressed with the quality of the foods. My favourites so far have to got to be the honeycomb flapjacks, the basil garlic olives, and the strawberry milkshake. The one which I have taken the least liking to is the healthy nuts - just because I'm not a huge fan of nuts, and I forgot to 'bin' this one.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is aiming to eat more healthily! They even personalise each box with printing my name on the info booklets and adding a serviette in the box for that extra touch! Its definitely the small gestures that counts! ;)

If you're interested, try your first box for free using this link!

May Instablog

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GLOSSY BOX UK - April Organic Edition 2012

Glossy Box has become a renowned company within the Beauty blogasphere for the past year in which for a monthly subscription of £10 (+ £2.95 for p&p) you receive a box filled with 5 luxury skincare/make-up/hair products varying in sample to full size for beauty junkies to test out. I've always been interested in subscribing to one, but I've always been put off to try it out due to the varying products and opinions that I've read or seen from other beauty bloggers. I gathered its a rather hit or miss for some, and especially for people like me who aren't so keen on getting body cream or skincare products which you generally find you get given to for a thoughtless christmas present, it usually gets pushed to one corner gathering dust.

In all honesty, I was much more excited in trying out the alternative make-up products which glossy box has to offer. Skincare on the one hand can be tricky to distribute to the mass as everyone has different skin conditions. Therefore, after seeing previous monthly Glossy boxes, I thought they looked pretty promising so I decided to give it a try.

April was an organic edition and in my box I received an organic eye liner, organic lip balm, body cream (oh dear), serum, and straightening baum to contain frizzy hair.

I liked the fact they went for an organic edition to the products as I'm not particularly aware of organic beauty items that are on the market right now. But to be honest, I was a little disappointed with what I got.. my least favourite has got to be the body cream, followed by the straightening baum. The straightening serum for frizzy hair is definitely not a product suited for me, just because I don't really straighten my hair and my hair is already dead straight anyway let alone the fact I need it to prevent frizzyness. And the body cream...... -___- need I say more?

I have however, tried out the organic lip balm which is a reasonable product. It has a nice peppermint taste to it but I found it didn't hydrate my lips as much as my other lips balms that I own.
My thoughts on the serum is neither good nor bad, I've tested it out for the past week, it has definitely hydrated my skin a little, but for the time being, I have not noticed anything drastic that has changed in my skin. I probably have to use it for a longer period of time to see any changes, if at all.

The eyeliner is possibly one of the better aspects in the box, but I actually swapped this with my housemate who also ordered the April box for the INKA lip liner that she got. I'm not a big fan of blue eyeliner, but I wanted to try out the lip liner so she was happy to exchange. =) I haven't used it yet.. so I can't comment on how its like.

Overall, I'd give this box a ☆☆/★★★★★, 
I'm hopeful the next box will be better as it's the birthday box for Glossy Box's one year anniversary.

For more info on other products of the April glossy box go here.

- Photos credit to Zoe Lee