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Cosmetics Review: How to Make Make-Up Last Longer On Oily Skin

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Hello, kittens! I just want to share some make-up steps that worked for me last week at the company dinner. FYI the event was from 4pm to 1am but I started prepping my face around 12pm. Quite pleased to say that with a few times of blotting and minimal touch-ups, my make-up lasted me the entire night. 

Allow me to give you a little intro to my skin before I start this Stuff I Swear By marathon post. Besides being oily, my face:

• Occasionally has acne when Bloody Mary is in town
• Has residual acne scars from hormonal uni days
• Has uneven tone
• Has some pigmentation spots from exposure to the sun 

Anyhoo, here are the tried and tested seven steps to make your make-up last longer on your oily skin:

1.  Exfoliate

Get an exfoliating facial a few days before your event, or make it a habit to use a facial scrub twice a week

Make-up looks better on a smooth face versus one with dead skin half-peeling all over (yes it happens to me whenever I skip my facial scrub)

I was lucky to get a free facial treatment (one of the perks of writing for a beauty brand!) a few days before the event. I swear I could see the effects immediately: brightened, smoother and bouncier skin.

2. Wash your face. Duh.

Long-lasting make-up needs a clean base. Use a gentle cleanser unless a reddish face is the look that you're going for. Harsh cleaners is a huge no-no because it can strip off the oil from your face, making your skin work overtime to produce more oil.

How do you know if a cleanser is too harsh on you? For me, my personal yardstick is this: if my skin feels too tight or dry after cleansing, then it's too harsh for me.

3. Tone

A toner  helps prep the skin to lock moisture and other products you may be using afterwards. Some may even help brighten and smoothen your skin.

I have been using L'oreal Paris Dermo-Expertise HydraFresh Anti-Shine Icy Toner for a few years now and I love how it makes my skin feel fresh. If the drugstore is out of it, I'll get L'oreal Paris Dermo-Expertise White Perfect Toner instead.

4. Employ some milk of magnesia magic

I've heard about using milk of magnesia to control your oiliness from years ago, but only got brave enough to try it after reading Sam's review here. I got my bottle of milk of magnesia, otherwise known as magnesium hydroxide, at a drugstore. You just need to dab it onto your face with a cotton pad. Re-apply on areas that are frequently oily, such as your T-zone.

Once the milk has dried up, you might see some powdery whitish patches on your face. Just rub them gently with a cotton pad to get them off.

5. Moisturise

Gently massage your moisturiser into your face, then leave it alone for 15 mins.

I use my fave non-oily and non-sticky moisturiser, which is the Follow Me Oil Control + Whitening Mattifying Moisturiser. You can check out my review here. 

6. Prime

I have my own DIY primer, thanks to Vivi who introduced me to V&N Pure Marine Collagen Powder. Just scoop a pinch onto your palm, then mix it with a few drops of water before patting it onto your face. Try to avoid your eyebrows and eyelashes when doing this.

If you spot any white powdery spots on your face once the primer has dried up, that means you are using wayyyy too much of the good stuff. Just wipe them off gentle with a cotton pad.

This primer really helps to control my skin from being oily and shiny, even when I use it on my bare face.

7. Base

I've been using two way foundation for almost ten years and I find it to be the most practical type of foundation: it's not as messy as a liquid foundation, it doesn't suffocate my oily skin like a cream foundation, and it helps to control shine. 

A few weeks ago, I discovered Revlon Photoready Two Way Powder Foundation and a test drive (without a primer) lasted me for about 3 hours before my skin became shiny. 

I like to wear my two way foundation wet, followed by a dry application. Just use a damp sponge to pat the foundation on your face. Once it has dried up, follow up with a dry sponge to pat the powder on.

By using both methods, it guarantees me a medium to full coverage. You can build up coverage with the wet sponge on areas that need more coverage.

The best bit about this is that I don't even have to use a concealer afterwards, which is a huge relief because I really have no idea how to use it!

Seven steps??? Are we done yet?

Not really, unless you want to head out with a colourless face!

After step #7, you can start putting on some war paint lol. If you're adventurous enough, feel free to use strong colours in one or two areas of your face (e.g. smoky eyes and a vibrant lippy shade).

Just don't go overboard and highlight every.single.area. of your face or you'll risk looking like a toddler who just discovered her mum's make-up stash. 

Have fun!

Geek Goddess

(Review) Stuff I Swear By: Apple Stem Cell Serum

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The next product in the Stuff I Swear By series comes highly recommended by my friend and doctor, Lily. She bought a set of three bottles and gave me one as a gift. According to her, this serum from Avail Beauty really moisturises her face that she no longer needed to use her moisturiser.

A.B. Series Apple Stem Cell Serum

It comes in a glass dropper bottle, minimising contamination during each application. It doesn't have any scent, and absorbs into the skin easily.

A bottle lasted me for about two months, perhaps because I only needed one drop instead of the recommended three drops per usage. It might also be due to my once per day usage instead of the recommended twice a day.

Despite not following the recommended usage, the serum made my skin fairer and smoother. I think if I use it consistently for 6 months, my acne scars might be gone completely!

In terms of oil control, my skin was still as oily as usual. I think V&N Pure Marine Collagen Powder that I blogged about previously was a better mattifier, but I stopped using it when I started using the serum so that I can see the serum's effects on my skin.

According to Lily, she bought the set of three bottles from a cousin who is an Avail member for about RM180, but I have seen people selling the bottles online separately at RM98 each! As much as I love this product, I would never buy it at such a marked-up price! 

I have this habit of deciding on whether to splurge on items based on *ahem* comparative analysis. For example, I can get lunch for only RM5 at my office, so it would cost 36 lunches to buy a set of this serum at RM180. 

Is it worth it to spend the cost of  36 lunches on 3 tiny bottles? 

Or perhaps I should think of RM180 as an extra RM1 per day of expenses, as three bottles can last me for 6 months. Hmmm.

While the jury's still out, I guess it's better to buy from a friend who is an Avail Beauty member, because they might sell it at the recommended price of RM188 per set instead of cleaning out your pockets at a whopping RM98 per bottle.

Price aside, it is a great product and I highly recommend it to those who want to lighten their acne scars like me. 

For more info, there's a New Straits Times article on this product. You can also check out the FAQ on Avail Beauty's website.

The Geek Goddess

(Review) Stuff I Swear By: Signature Scent

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Years ago, I read in a novel with quite a forgettable title and an equally forgettable writer that a woman's perfume should be lingering, while a man's perfume should be fleeting. I beg to disagree, having had many encounters with people who smell like they bathed in a tub filled with eau de parfum. *vomits*

Personally, I am in favour of light and fresh scents, because I get migraine headaches regularly and strong scents make them worse. Boo.

I do love the smell of cucumbers, melons and green tea. An ideal scent to wear, in my opinion, would be one that smells like you just stepped out of the shower. Fresh, clean refreshing.

I have yet to find this scent though. Major bummer.

Although citrus might be a fresh scent, but I hate it to the moon and back! I blame a childhood spent riding in my dad's car that was (and still is!) enveloped in a strong scent of headache-inducing citrus. Till this day I still blame his car scent for my motion sickness hahahaha!

Moving on, look what we have here today:

Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Cherry Blossom Eau de Toilette Spray

Say hello to my signature scent, Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Cherry Blossom Eau de Toilette Spray!

My mum wears Elizabeth Arden Green Tea Spray, and she loves it so much that it's become my dad's must-buy gift for her whenever he travelled. Like yours truly, she is not a fan of strong, headache-inducing perfume. 

When I started working and finally could afford a proper perfume (bye-bye, drugstore colognes!), I got myself the same spray.

Unfortunately the scent did not last long on my oily skin, nor was it as strong as I had preferred. Most perfume stores that I went to here did not sell its stronger version, which is the Green Tea Intense Eau de Parfum, so I got Green Tea Cherry Blossom Eau de Toilette Spray instead.

While Green Tea Cherry Blossom proved to be a much sweeter and stronger scent that the Green Tea Spray, but being an EDT, it did not last as long as I liked whenever I sprayed it on my pulse points. So I improvised and sprayed it on my clothes instead. There, problem solved.

Why do I like this product? First of all, its light and refreshing scent is a great choice for when you need a little pick-me-up in our hot and humid weather. 

Secondly, I am prone to migraine headaches so whenever I need a little relief, I just spray a bit of this and feel slightly rejuvenated for the rest of the day.

Thirdly, it comes in a spray form so you won't risk spilling it up, even if you have it lying upside down in your bag. 

Lastly, this scent is affordable compared to other EDTs. You can get a 100 ml bottle for less than RM200. I usually get mine from this perfume store called Parfum Jewel in Tropicana City Mall. The sole salesman is as friendly as a lamp post, but I keep coming again and again because: a) convenient location, b) good price, and c) I am always a pick-and-pay kind of customer, so there's minimum interaction time with the said lamp post salesman.

A bonus plus point is that I get compliments for this scent, even from random strangers!

I just hope one day Elizabeth Arden will come up with an Eau de Parfum Spray version of Green Tea Cherry Blossom for a personal touch with a stronger punch.

If you're thinking of buying a new perfume soon, just remember that your scent should be like your fingerprint: unique and represents who you are as a person. Your perfume is your calling card, so choose  your scent wisely. :)

The Geek Goddess

(Review) Stuff I Swear By: Collagen Supplement

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Yes, kittens, here's yet another Stuff I Swear By post.

When I started uni, I had the worst acne known to men (ok I'm obviously exaggerating here but it was horrendous!) and my mum marched me down to a skin specialist for a prescription of antibiotics, retin-A gel, and a liquid cleanser. 

Three years later, I graduated with much less acne but the scars remain. When I started working, I stopped my acne treatment regimen because I hate swallowing pills, I was lazy and the liquid cleanser dried out my hands. Frequent work travels also made it quite hard to stick to the routine.

A home beautician I once met told me I only need a facial scrub to get rid of the scars. Maybe she uses an industrial grade one because the ones I've bought from drug stores did nothing for me.

The worst thing is, I used to cover the scars with two layers of foundation every single day. Needless to say, my thick foundation resulted in clogged pores and yeah, you guessed it...MORE ACNE.

So when my old friend Vivi, a medical scientist, shared that her V&N Pure Marine Collagen Powder could help with acne scars, I bought a bottle immediately!

V&N Pure Marine Collagen Powder

As for usage, Vivi recommended that I sprinkle it in cold drinks and also use it as my moisturiser. 

In just two months, I noticed less hair fall and a fairer, smoother skin (I have two comparison photos in my phone, but I am too shy to show my mugshot here hahaha). 

The most wonderful thing about this powder is that it really mattifies my oily skin. I kid you not. During my pre-collagen days, my foundation would start to rub off around 10 am, even when I stayed indoors. With this powder, my foundation stayed on until around 4 pm, provided I don't go out in the hot sun and sweat buckets.

Since it helps with joint pains, I decided to buy a bottle for my mum. She said that it reduces her joint pains, so much so that she no longer takes glucosamine and chrondoitin supplements from the pharmacy.

There are so many collagen supplements sold in the market, but I believe in V&N Pure Marine Collagen Powder for three reasons:

• Vivi had acne problems before but her skin is smooth now
• As a medical scientist, she did her due diligence before deciding to sell this product
• At RM60 per bottle, it is a great value for money as a bottle can last you for a month

However, this product only works IF you are willing to invest the time and effort to consume and apply it. 

For consumption, you will need to sprinkle the powder in a flavoured cold drink. I say flavoured as the powder has a fishy smell that you need to mask, or you won't be able to stomach it. I usually use Sunquick fruit juice concentrate.

As for facial application, you will need to dilute a pinch of the powder on your palm before you can use it. A pinch is enough as too much powder will result in a powdery residue on your face when it has dried off. If you use too much your face will smell fishy as well (you can say goodbye to ever being kissed by your kid or your partner if this happens hahaha).

Anyway, if you're interested to purchase V&N Pure Marine Collagen Powder, just head on over to Vivi's blog or send her an e-mail to order now!

The Geek Goddess

(Review) Stuff I Swear By: Facial Moisturiser

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My face is super oily, perhaps because my daily diet usually includes at least one fried dish (typical Malaysian trait, tsk tsk).

I don't know about you, but for me it's been pretty hard find an affordable moisturiser for oily skin that absorbs easily, and does not feel sticky on your face. 

Which brings me to the next item in the Stuff I Swear By series: my favourite moisturiser.

Follow Me Oil Control + Whitening Mattifying Moisturiser

A few years ago, Mrs Plain Jane and I entered a Follow Me contest online and won a few Follow Me products. One of them is the Oil Control + Whitening Mattifying Moisturiser.

It has a gel-like consistency and absorbs easily. The first time I used it, I remember feeling so relieved that it didn't feel sticky like a lot of oil control moisturisers that I have tried before. As for its whitening properties, my face did get slightly fairer and I had to switch my foundation shade to one shade lighter.

Unfortunately it did nothing to mattify my oily skin. Nada. 

But all is not lost. I did eventually find something that really helped to control my oiliness. Stay tuned for my next Stuff I Swear By series to find out!

The Geek Goddess

(Review) Stuff I Swear By: Deodorant Spray

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"And so you're back, from outer space!"

Recognise the song? 

No? 

Boo.

Seems pretty random to start a Stuff I Swear By post with a line from a song, I know. Here's a confession: I sometimes have jukebox-on-steroids moments, breaking into a song, one after another, for no reason at all. 

Anyway, let's move on to the next Stuff I Swear By item: my deo spray.

Rexona Women Free Spirit Spray

Ever feel icky whenever you apply a liquid or stick deodorant? What about the souvenir that it almost always leaves behind: a white or yellow stubborn stain on your clothes that will never come off no matter how hard you scrub it? Urgh.

For the past three years or so, I have said goodbye to liquid and stick deodorants ever since I found Rexona Women Free Spirit Spray. Good riddance!

My friend Raz, who introduced it to me after I crashed at her apartment for a gin and tonic session, aptly described it as portable shower. I could see (err feel) why after just one spray. It has a fresh scent (see the theme here, kittens? I am quite obviously addicted to fresh scents) and while it is not overpowering, the invigorating scent stays with you all day long. 

However, while it does not stain your clothes, it does leave a sticky layer on your armpits that you have to scrub off unless you fancy dark underarms. 

If you hate sticky deodorants, then this is the absolute product for you.

ZOMG shooooooooo cute!

That's all for now, kittens. Time to get my pretty ugly sleep. Night!

The Geek Goddess

(Review) Stuff I Swear By: Lip Moisturiser

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Hello! It's another Stuff I Swear By post. This time around, I'll be sharing what I use daily to moisturise my lips.

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly

I've always had dry lips that are partial to peeling for as long as I can remember, so I never went anywhere without a tube of lip balm in my bag. My favourite would be a cool, menthol lip balm because of its refreshing scent and its cooling sensation.

About two years ago, my upper lip started to become sensitive to every.single.thing that it came into contact with.

It would start to chap after I ate or drank anything, but the peeling was always worse when I had something spicy as it would look lobster red!

I had to stop wearing lipsticks (boo!) because none of them could stay smooth on my flaky upper lip, and (ok this bit is disgusting) I sometimes picked on the dry flakes in order to make my upper lip appear smooth. In end I would end up with a red AND bleeding upper lip (told you it's disgusting). 

No amount of exfoliating, whether with brown sugar or an old toothbrush, could help my upper lip to stay smooth.

When I went to my doctor, he theorised that I was allergic to the lip balm that I was using and ordered me to stay off any scented and flavoured lip balms for the rest of my life. He also recommended that I stick to nothing else but petroleum jelly as it is not scented and flavoured.

Fast forward to today, I still can't wear lipstick, or eat and drink anything without chapping my upper lip. The chapping didn't stop even after I swore off scented and flavoured lip balms. But thanks to my arsenal of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly (I have two big jars for home and office use, and tiny ones in my handbags), at least I can moisturise it the very second it starts to peel.

Ok folks, that's it for today. I'll write another Stuff I Swear By post soon. Ta!

The Geek Goddess

(Review) Stuff I Swear By: Body Cream

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I'm sure everyone has a few things (or many things!) that they use regularly and can't do without. It could be your signature perfume, a favourite soap, or even a shampoo you've used since you were a baby.

Same here, kittens. But being a cent-savvy shopper, I usually turn to drug stores for my toiletries.

So over the next few days, I will be sharing Stuff I Swear By and why I can't do without these products.

NIVEA Creme

I first used NIVEA Body Lotion during my pre-U days. A lot of my roommates used it, recommended it and I absolutely love the scent!

But I have dry hands and soles, and after a few years of trying other brands of body lotion, I finally upgraded to its heavy duty cousin: the NIVEA Creme.

The word "cream" might be scary to some because you know it's thicker than a lotion. Would it clog your pores? Would it be sticky? Results may vary as it is up to each individual's skin type and personal preferences.

For me, I've used this creme for years, and I honestly cannot think of why I should stop using it. Not only does it smell fresh (I'm not a fan of strong fruity or floral scents), but it really does a great job at moisturising my hands, especially after I wash them. For some reason, most tap water and hand soap dry out my hands, and it's quite an uncomfortable feeling. Blergh.

I have two big fat tins of NIVEA Creme for my usage at home, and also in the office, where the A/C can be quite drying. If you think that body lotion doesn't quite cut it, then go ahead and give this iconic product a try for a well-moisturised skin.

So there you go: a body cream I absolutely swear by. Stay tuned for my next post in the Stuff I Swear By series! :)

The Geek Goddess