Friday, March 26, 2010

[CLOSED] Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion: Giveaway

In my last post, I reviewed the Skin MD Natural shielding lotion & at the end of the post I mentioned that I will be posting the giveaway details for that lotion soon. Well, here you have it...
The Skin MD Natural shielding lotion giveaway details:

To enter, copy the mini form below & paste it in the comment form of this post. Make sure you delete all the text that's bolded & in capital letters & replace that with your own information.

Enter me, please! My e-mail address is: [MISS.SAIMSHAIKH] @ [GMAIL/COM]

For additional entries
The format that I provided for the e-mail address is weird, I know. My e-mail address is miss.saimshaikh@gmail.com so you can see how I've typed it out. The weird e-mail formatting is for your own safety so that you don't get junk mail!

I hope the form isn't too confusing. Just delete all the words that are bolded/in capital letters & this way all the entries will follow 1 format, which makes things easier for you & me! You also have the chance to win additional entries. Providing your e-mail address gives you one entry & the +1 or +2 on the additional entries show how many additional entries you can get for completing that specific task. You can choose to do more than one additional entry as well.

Not interested in the additional entries? No worries, but you must leave your e-mail address to enter! Read over the details carefully because all entries that do not follow the rules/format provided will be disqualified.

This giveaway is open to people living in any part of the world! Thank you to Skin MD Natural for sponsoring this giveaway.

The deadline for this giveaway is Friday, April 9th at 12:00 am! Since this giveaway is open worldwide & different timings tend to screw people over, I have added a time widget below. The contest will end as soon as it says Apr-9-2010 Fri 00:00:00 AM.


Enter away darlings :) xx
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Thursday, March 25, 2010

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion: Review

When I was first contacted by Skin MD Natural to try out & review their shielding lotion, I was a bit hesitant because I hadn't heard much of the company before. I did a quick Google search & came across a few reviews. None of the reviews were harsh or really negative so I requested a sample to review.

I also visited the website in hopes of finding out what a shielding lotion was because I had never heard of one before. I was interested in the product more when I read this quote by Dr. Brian Zogg, a dermatologist in Albert Lea, MN:
"Shielding lotion is a lotion that forms a protective barrier on the skin and keeps out irritants and chemicals. It also allows the natural oils and moisture to remain in the skin so it can heal better. It is a big advantage that shielding lotions are light and go on without a greasy mess."
After reading that quote, I really wondered if the lotion would be light & non-greasy but was looking forward to trying it.

What I received

I received my package from Skin MD Natural at the end of January 2010. From doing the Google search, I knew that I would be receiving a full sized bottle. The full sized bottle is 120 ml or 4 oz. Now a lot of people can't exactly picture how big a 120 ml/4 oz. bottle of lotion would be, so for starters I thought I'd provide a size comparison picture using standard sized objects.

[Click images to enlarge]

Size comparison [L to R]: Revlon matte lipstick, Skin MD Natural shielding lotion, a new pencil
The package also included 2 pamphlets (one pamphlet was solely dedicated to testimonials & the other pamphlet included information about the lotion) & 3 sample lotion sachets. Two of the sachets state that each can be used up to 3 to 5 times! One of the sachets is of the shielding lotion with SPF 15 (they have this in the larger bottle as well).
First Impressions

The bottle itself has a very minimalistic design. Nothing fancy besides the red cap & the picture on the front of the bottle which gives off a natural & medicated vibe at first glance.

The lotion has a 'press' cap, so you're not digging your fingers in a jar (& getting the lotion under your nails) or using a pump bottle (which I just find annoying for lotions). The only negative thing about this kind of cap is if you want to carry it with you in your purse, then there's always the chance that something in your purse is going to 'press' the cap & you'll get lotion over everything.
The front of the bottle says that the lotion is for your face, hands, & body! An all-in-1 lotion.. how great is that? I only used the lotion on my face though except for the patch test that I did on my arm. It's also not tested on animals & is paraben free. The back of the bottle has the ingredients (obviously!) & directions. I never use a product without reading the directions first. I've even read the directions on shampoo bottles when I'm in the shower.. haha, loser much? Anyway, I'm glad I read directions because this isn't a lotion that you can easily replace your previous once with. Why do I say that? Well, the directions on the back of the bottle say:
"Apply small amount, initially every 2-8 hours until moisture level improves, then just once every 12-24 hours."
If I hadn't read that & didn't apply it every 2-8 hours in the beginning, I would've used the lotion in the morning & before bed & thought it doesn't work. After that I would've probably left it in my drawer for months!
The back of the bottle also has some claims & the product expiry symbol. If you don't know what symbol I'm talking about, you can find it under the ingredients & above the safety sections on the back of this lotions bottle. The symbol says 18 M, which means that this lotion is good for 18 months after you've opened it. Beside that symbol, it says that the lotion is fragrance free. I would have to disagree with this claim because the lotion does have a light, medicated scent. I could smell that medicated scent while applying the lotion on my face but that only lasted for about 5 seconds & I could not smell it anymore.

The consistency of this lotion is very watery/liquidy so at first I was skeptical about how well the lotion would work. But I realized that my skin absorbed this lotion as soon as I applied it & my skin felt soft after that. When I had the lotion on, it felt very light & wasn't greasy at all. The watery consistency did not get in the way of letting the lotion work it's magic on my skin in the winter. The lotion worked just as well (if not better) as any other thicker lotion that I've tried before.

Consistency = watery

Does it actually work?

I was ready to review the lotion a month ago (after I had used it for a month), but during the last week of February, the weather decided to take another turn & it got really cold & dry. During that week, I noticed a dry spot emerge on my chin. I applied extra lotion on the spot that day & at night as well so I didn't see it the next day. However, the dry spot making an appearance made me want to test out the lotion a bit more before I did an official review. Since that was the only time I saw a dry spot, I have to say that even though this lotion works great (even during winter), it might not pass the test during the few harsh winter days that I've seen in Canada from time to time.

Once again, keep in mind that the whole time period that I tried this lotion out was during winter & it was just the one really cold day when I found a dry spot. Also, different products work differently for everyone. Your skin might completely reject something that my skin loved. Also, make sure that whenever you read reviews on a product & you want to try it out, you do a patch test before laying it out all over your arm, face, body, etc.

Other than that one time, the lotion worked great & I only needed a very little amount each time. I also loved how my skin absorbed the lotion almost immediately. You always hear that a little goes a long way but at times it's just hard to believe. However, when you use this lotion, you really do need just a tiny bit & your skin absorbs it right away! I've been using this lotion since the end of January. It is now March 25th & I still have a little less than half left. I can't tell how much exactly because the bottle is white & opaque & the lotion is white as well but I definitely have at least one-third of the lotion left.

What's wrong with it?

Besides the dry spot that I saw once, one thing that might stop people from purchasing this lotion is the price! The 120 ml/4 oz. bottle is for $18 (US dollars). Obviously, some people might not want to or have that much money to buy a lotion that's that expensive, but each persons situation varies. I know people who spend $40+ on a jar of face cream. It also depends on what you expect from a product. The Skin MD Natural shielding lotion is all natural & a little goes a long way (once you follow the directions & your skin gets used to it).

The only reason why I wouldn't purchase this lotion again is because of the medicated scent. I know a lot of people who have reviewed it have said that it does not have a scent, but I am sensitive to smells & this is definitely not something that I want to smell every morning or every night before I go to bed. Even though I can only smell it for 5 seconds, I'd rather avoid that scent completely if I can.

Another negative thing about this lotion is that you have to apply it a few times a day for a few days till your skin's moisture level improves. This wasn't a problem for me because I started using the lotion on a weekend when I was studying & bare faced the whole time. However, this might be a negative thing for those who want to use this as a lotion for their face but wear makeup on a daily basis & cannot apply lotion every 2-8 hours.

Also, to make my point about how long this lotion lasts , I tried to open the bottle & check it out. However, as mentioned above, the lotion is white & the bottle is white & opaque, so the only way that I could find out how much lotion I had left was to insert my finger in the bottle. I suppose I could have inserted the pencil that I used in the comparison pic, but no thanks.. I'll stick to my clean finger testing method! This is a negative if you want to find out how much lotion you have left so you know when to purchase your next bottle.

More...

For more information, visit the Skin MD Natural website. & if you're brave enough, take a look at the (disturbing) before & after pictures that were included in one of the pamphlets.

If you like what you've read & would like to try out the Skin MD Natural shielding lotion, I will be hosting a giveaway sponsored by Skin MD Natural soon so look out for that!
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Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I felt a little festive today, so I wore green for St. Patty's Day.

[Click image to enlarge]

I was supposed to be studying in the library, but got bored & decided to take a webcam break :)
I noticed that I don't have a lot of green in my closet. The blouse that I'm wearing is from Sirens' classier days. Anyone know that short, classy phase which Sirens went through? It used to have mainly clubbing wear, then it came out with some really sophisticated pieces, & now it's back to blah. I always get compliments on this blouse & people are somewhat shocked when I tell them it's from Sirens so I thought I'd share.

Happy St. Patrick's Day once again!


Drink & party responsibly.
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Wednesday, March 3, 2010

My Wishlist

The consumer culture that we live in is our worst enemy. Companies push products out constantly! In order to entice people to buy them, PR firms, marketing agencies, & tons of ads are produced. Celebrities that the common people look up to are used to endorse products. The result? People wishing to buy products that they can't afford to, which can lead to consumer debt!

It's not that we don't recognize that the media is bombarding us with ads for products that we "need". In my opinion, it's just that to this date, our generations have not effectively learned how to critically analyze what the media tells us from a young age. So we find ourselves trapped in a culture where most of us want to live the luxurious lifestyles that we see celebrities living, but we just don't have the money to.

I find myself trapped in such a consumer culture.

This summer I plan on vacationing in Dubai, U.A.E & in a few cities in India. I've started thinking of what I want to take on my trip & I have to say.. whoever came up with the concept of traveling light must have been crazy! Haha, okay definitely not crazy.. in fact, they must have been very smart because I've already realized that traveling light is probably one of the hardest things to do! I mean, look at the amount of things that I have on my wishlist already..

[Click images to enlarge]

Make Up For Ever High Definition Powder
The MUFE HD Powder is on top of my list because this year is going to be an exciting one. Not only am I planning on vacationing at the end of the summer, but this summer my best friend is getting married as well! How does any of this relate to the HD Powder?
Well, right now I am SO pale because of winter, but by my friends wedding I am hoping to achieve a light tan so that my skin looks healthy once again. Right after the wedding, I'll take off to countries with extreme temperatures & I will get super tanned! & then back to the chilly nights in Canada. Since my skin colour will be changing a lot, I don't want to worry about having to carry around foundations or face powders in different colours. How much of a hassle would that be? The MUFE HD Powder would be great because it can be used on all skin colours! Yup, you read that right! It will make life much easier + I've heard great things about it, so I can't wait to try this one out.

Canon Powershot S90

Wedding + vacation = tons of pictures! Isn't that a bit too obvious? I currently own a Sony CyberShot & Nikon P80. The Nikon is big to carry around at all times & the Sony is old, so I've been looking for a new compact point-&-shoot camera & so far the Canon Powershot S90 looks promising.

Aldo gladiators in Chantha (black synthetic)
Summer vacationing means a lot of walking around & for that I'll need comfy shoes. These ones at Aldo are stylish, yet practical.

Sunglasses
I never buy expensive glasses. I'm one of those people who likes changing things up all the time, so usually each summer I buy 2 pairs of sunglasses. This year, I want to buy a good pair because I get headaches easily in the summer. I LOVE these Louis Vuitton ones, but I don't think I'm willing to spend that much on sunglasses just yet.

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler
Ever since the first time that I used an eyelash curler, I've used it every day (with the exception of a few days of course)! It's definitely a staple in my make-up routine/bag. I've heard rave reviews about the Shu Uemura & Shiseido eyelash curlers, so I'd love to try one of those. I know they're a bit pricey, but for something that you use everyday & it doesn't pinch your skin or give you bent/L-shaped eyelashes, they would definitely be worth the price.

Z-Palette (large)
I cannot express how convenient this product is! Not only can you depot all your eyeshadows into one magnetic palette, but the cover is clear so you can see what's in the palette without having to add extra labels or open the palette to see what's inside. So it's obvious why I want one of these especially while traveling. You can either put all your depotted shadows in a palette, or make a palette with your face powder, blush, (neutral) eyeshadows, etc. all in one palette that you can carry around with you everyday. The Z palette comes in 3 different colours: black, pink, & a zebra print. I want 2 of these palettes & the colours that I would choose would be black & the zebra print.

Evian Facial Spray

The summer can easily make you tired. What better way to pick you up than a facial spray? I have a picture of the Evian spray up, which is in an aerosol can but I would love to get a facial mist that comes in a spray bottle so I can customize it by adding a few drops of peppermint oil, lemon juice, & other oils as well.

Hype Mia Tote in Aztec 2 or Smoke
No girl can have enough bags, but I fell in love with this tote as soon as I saw it. Too bad it was for $270 & there was no way I was paying that much especially since I knew nothing about the brand. The colour that I saw in the store was the one above & it's called Aztec 2, however, since it's so bright & wont match with everything I'd probably get it in the colour Smoke. I want a bag that will match most outfits & I want it to be exactly like that: with smaller handles but I can wear it with the strap across my body as well. I want a bag so big so that I can carry everything with me including my sunglasses, facial spray, bottled water, camera, mini makeup pouch, & whatever else I think I might need.

Swarovski:
Stonehenge Black Diamond Mini Pendant
Holy Night Pierced Earrings

I love how casual the pendant is. I've seen the larger one on a black string & it looks gorgeous. The one I have above comes with a chain (for a more formal look) or a black string (that will give the pendant a very casual look). I want something that I can wear most of the time & I love how chic this one looks.
I've neglected my big earrings ever since I've started university & even though I'm not a big fan of star earrings, these caught my eye because they're perfect for everyday wear. Usually when I find a pair of earrings that I like, I stick to them till I wear them out. Currently, I sport diamond-like studs every day. It gets boring, but I have them out on my dresser & just put them on every morning.

Valentino Watch
I can't get this Valentino watch out of my head. It's just so pretty! It's not very practical since you might not be able to tell the time because of the small dial, but it's too cute to pass. Plus, I've been getting into watches lately since I wear one everyday now, so any sexy watch would probably make it on my wishlist!

OPI Nail Lacquer in Done Out in Deco
I have the small, sample size bottle in this & I love the shade. It's a beautiful dusty lavender shade. If you're familiar with OPI nail lacquers, it's a little darker that Do You Lilac It? A lot of people love Do You Lilac It? but I think Done Out in Deco suits my skin tone better. Plus, it's the perfect shade for spring!

Lancome Hypnose Mascara
I highly doubt that I'll be wearing a lot of makeup in a lot of heat, so I'll opt for fresh looks instead & for that a good mascara is a must! Lancome's Hypnose is said to be one of the best mascaras on the market, which is why it made it on my list.

Blush Brushes: Angled & Retractable
If you asked me about one beauty product that I cannot live without, it would be blush! So it should come as no surprise that a good blush brush is important as well. The blush brush that I currently use is from a Sephora travel set. I love it & in order to protect the bristles from going bad or bending, I still put the plastic covering on the brush after each use.. crazy, I know! That's why I would love to have a good, soft, retractable blush brush. If it's angled, it would be even better, or I could probably just get an angled one to keep at home.

MAC Blacktrack Fluidline gel liner

I've heard so much about gel & creme eyeliners, but I've never used them. I've heard they last really long, which is great in the hot weather when you feel like all your makeup is melting off your face, haha!

Angled Eyeliner Brush
If I get a gel or creme eyeliner, I'll need an eyeliner brush as well & I've heard that the angled brushes are easier to use.

NARS blush
I ♥ blush! & that's why I'd like to try NARS, since it's supposed to be AMAZING. The colours that I would like to try would be (in no particular order) Outlaw, Amour, Dolce Vita, Lovejoy, Sin, & Oasis. Yes, it's a pricey product again but if a little goes a long way, then it's worth it!

Urban Decay Primer Potion

For the times when I do wear eyeshadow, I'll probably need UDPP to stop my eyeshadows from creasing. I don't have that problem now & it usually takes hours before my eyeshadow creases, but I think it might be a problem in the heat.

Coastal Scents 88 matte palette
& lastly, for those special occasions when I need a full makeup face, I'd like to have every eyeshadow colour possible on my hands. Since I don't want to be traveling with a gazillion eyeshadows & a lot of palettes filled with depotted eyeshadows, I'd love to take this palette with me!


& that's it.. for now! Told you my wishlist was long.

So do you believe that hegemonic ideas, which tell people what products to buy in order to portray a certain image of themselves have taken over our lives? On a less serious note, what are some products that you're itching to get your hands on?
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