Laqa & Co. Fat Lip Pencil in Wolfman

I was introduced to Laqa & Co. sometime back via the ArglyDuckling event. This beauty brand makes only (nail polish) pens and (lip) pencils, packaged in boxes adorned with unique artwork of young designers. 

Back at the event, I swatched all the colors at the back of my hand. I was truly impressed with the buttery smooth texture and the good color payoff. Not to mention, it requires no sharpening. You just have to twist the (pink) end, to wind it up. Easy peasy! 

The color given to me was Wolfman, a name that doesn't sound cute (lol)... sounds really dark. As you can see, the actual color is contradicting indeed.  A light innocent shade of pink. Such a sweet color, isn't it?

Fyi, its packaging artwork is created by Mark Mawson. He specializes in shooting fashion & people underwater.

Wolfman looks somewhat pale on me, a lil' frosty. To balance the look, I'll pair it up with strong smoky eyes. If not, I'll look sickly. 

The lip pencil is easy to apply, the way you apply a lipstick. It feels lightweight on my lips, and adds a sheer (buildable) color with a hint of gloss. Do make sure your lips are well exfoliated prior application as it tends to accentuate fine lines and dry flakes.

On a random note, I'm pretty interested in getting Lampchop, a beautiful bold pink color. Will see how it goes... (:

Laqa & Co. Fat Lip Pencil in Wolfman ($26) is available at ArglyDuckling.

Good-bye Blackhead! Ciracle Blackhead Off Cotton Mask

I've been using nose packs to remove blackheads and whiteheads. And, I've got to say they're pretty effective. In this post, I'm going to show y'all another product that works (but in a different approach) - Ciracle Blackhead Off Cotton Mask. 

Ciracle Blackhead Off Cotton Mask is a 100% cotton mask that removes sebum, blackheads and whiteheads. It helps to manage the pores around the nose by dissolving and removing sebum, blackheads and whiteheads without any skin irritation.

Retail Price: $32.90 [20pcs of Blackhead Off Cotton Mask + black plastic dual-ended cotton swab + blackhead removal tools] 

This is the upgraded version of Ciracle Pore Control Blackhead Off Sheet. It looks like a nose pack, in a cotton mask form. I like that they are individually packed, very convenient for travel use.

How to use?

• Cleanse face and nose with warm water or steamed towel to open up pores.
• Place the pre-moistened Ciracle Blackhead Off Cotton Mask on the nose area and spread the mask evenly with your fingers.
• Make sure the mask stays moist. For longer lasting moisture, cover the masked area with a plastic wrap.
• Leave the mask on for at least 15 minutes for maximum results. Do not leave it beyond the stipulated time.
• After removal, wipe off exposed sebum, blackheads and whiteheads with the cotton swab (of dual-ended tool) or cotton pad.
• Use the blackhead removal end to gently extract.
• Rinse off with water.

Oh my, just see the amount of gunk accumulated... and I usually do this at least 3-4 times! Hmm... I personally prefer to use a metal blackhead removal tool instead of the provided plastic one. Easier to extract, in my opinion. The plastic one is gentler on the skin though.

As you can see the difference before and after using the Blackhead Off Cotton Mask. The mask helps to dissolve sebum, blackheads and whiteheads, which makes extraction so much easier. After mask-ing and gentle extraction, my nose looks so much cleaner! No skin oirritation at all. It's just that my skin easily gets a lil' red after extraction. Anyway, do remember to use a pore tightening serum to soothe and tighten pores after which.

The price is quite reasonable as there're 20pcs of cotton masks plus plastic tools. What's more, it is an interesting product which works really well. If you think you need help to get rid of those pesky blackheads AND whiteheads gently and easily, this is definitely the product for you. Good-bye Blackheads!

You can purchase Ciracle Blackhead Off Cotton Mask at ArglyDuckling, Ciracle.sg and BHG.

***All info are extracted from ArglyDuckling.***

 

ArglyDuckling, The New Chic in Town

When I was a kid, I read the story about "The Ugly Duckling" - a tale about an ugly-looking "duckling", which "transforms" into a beautiful swan eventually. The bottom line is... as long as we put in effort to look good, the word "ugly" will cease to exist in our vocabulary. That's what ArglyDuckling believes in, hence the clever (quirky) twist of word.

ArglyDuckling is the new chic in town - an online beauty boutique and beauty guide that scours the world to bring in cutting edge brands and simple, personalized beauty tips. 

Let's go get gorgeous - NOW!

I was invited to the preview of ArglyDuckling (late last month). It was an enjoyable friday night spent with the lovely team, along with a few bloggers (:

I shall briefly go through the brands available at ArglyDuckling, starting with Butter London...

Butter London is the cult phenomenon of the nail industry. They are non-toxic; formulated without the use of harmful ingredients like formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, parabens. So many colors to choose from, you'll be spoilt for choices!

Price range: $23 - $29

Nature Girl uses only the finest, all natural, organically grown and wildcrafted ingredients that are carefully cultivated on small, family-run organic farms from all regions of the world. Ahh... smells so soothing and nothing too OTT! I like Ylang Ylang & Orange Blossom :D

Free from: synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, animal testing

Price range: $39 - $69

Exclusively available at ArglyDuckling.

Rosebud Perfume Co. Smith's Rosebud Salve Balm is a cult-favorite, multi-purpose lip balm that soothes dry lips, calms and heals irritation, and soothes the sting of minor burns. A daily must-have in your bag, definitely.

Retail Price: $14 each

kaia - highly recommended by Coco! 

This all-in-1 bamboo facial cleansing cloth acts as makeup remover, cleanser and toner. 100% biodegradable and made with 99% natural ingredients.

One unbleached bamboo cloth contains:-

• 8 pure essential oils
• a special blend of citrus oils, spearmint, tangerine that help keep the skin fresh and balanced
• sunflower oil which helps lift impurities leaving your skin fresh and clean
• certfied organic honey for skin hydration
• oat amino acids to deep cleanse

Free from: paraben, sulfate, alcohol, synthetic fragrances, animal testing

Retail Price: $30 [box of 30 sheets]

Exclusively available at ArglyDuckling.

Laqa & Co. - of pens and pencils

Pronounced "Laquer and Co.", the brand has an interesting range of bright, high-gloss nail polish in a pen. And, they work just like a pen. These nifty pens let you quickly and neatly do your nails anywhere in a few clicks.

If you are a fan of Clinique's Chubby Stick, chances are you will be equally impressed with Laqa & Co.'s glossy fat lip pencil. The oh-so-smooth buttery texture coats lips in stunning, glossy colors. You'll be glad to know it requires no sharpening! I love the bright bold colors, especially Lambchop (on Coco's lips) :P

Free from: formaldehyde, toluene, DBP, parabens

Price range: $22 - $26

Ciracle Jeju Water Sleeping Mask is a moisturizing leave-on overnight sleeping pack, which contains Jeju water and pure gold flakes. It gives an intensive moisturizing effect on your skin. The pure gold flakes help to revitalize and detox skin. 

Retail price: $38.90 (80ml)

See the pure gold flakes?! It is easily absorbed into skin!

Ciracle Vitamin Source C-20 contains 20% of L-ascorbic acid, which is a high quality pure Vitamin C and powerful antioxidant. It helps rejuvenate the skin, giving your face a brighter and healthier glow. The product contains 6000mg of Vitamin C, equivalent to 40 oranges! 

Retail price: $39.90 (30ml)

Ciracle Blackhead Off Cotton Mask is a 100% cotton mask that removes sebum, blackheads and whiteheads. It helps manages the pores around the nose by dissolving and removing sebum, blackheads and whiteheads without any skin irritation. This must be good, coz I don't see any blackheads on Roy's nose (from a short distance away) :O

Retail price: $32.90 for 20 sheets

Benta Berry is the first cosmetics brand made from 100% natural active ingredients uniquely designed for young skin from all 5 continents.

Multi-cultural and multi-ethnic, Benta Berry was especially developed for boys and girls between the ages of 12 to 24 yrs because young skin is different from adult skin. Created in the research facilities of the Université Paris Descartes, paraben-free and non-comedogenic, the products come in convenient travel sizes to accommodate the nomadic nature of youth. Easily transportable, youth can carry products for use throughout the day in accordance with the chronobiology of young skin. Sensitive to the communication habits of youth, Benta Berry is a digital brand born online.

Phytocare’s PURE Papaya Ointment with Calendula is formulated to soothe, moisturize and protect your skin. Papaya fruit (also known as Paw Paw in Australia) is a fantastic source of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes. Their special fermentation process concentrates these nutrients and cultivates beneficial probiotics. The value of fermented papaya in health and skincare has been recognised for over 100 years.

Apply ointment topically to:

• Moisturize dry, chapped or sunburnt lips
• Soothe cracked nipples
• Calm and protect against nappy rash
• Care for dry, cracked or irritated skin
• Protect against and relieve the effects of wind and cold
• Promote skin elasticity

- Lash Primer, Mascara, Eyeliner & Eyebrow Mousse -

Blinc's mascara is highly raved by Jazlyn! This is not the conventional mascara. Once applied, these mascara tubes bind to your lashes, without running, smudging, clumping or flaking... EVEN if you cry or rub your eyes. Your mascara-ed lashes will look good all day long. Only upon removal, the mascara tubes will effortlssly slide off your lashes, using just warm water and gentle pressure from fingertips.

Free from: animal testing

Price range: $25 - $50

Here are the swatches of Eye Shadow Primer - Light Tone, Eyebrow Mousse - Dark Brunette & Eyeliner - Black.

Dinner @ Food For Thought was pretty good. I love the desserts especially! :d~

 

What's in my goodie bag?

Phytocare’s PURE Papaya Ointment with Calendula

Rebel Nails' fantastic range of nail wraps comes in various stunning designs and styles, perfect for any occasion. Unlike nail polish, they won't stain the nails and are super time-saving since there's no dry-time!

The nail wraps engage a heating mechanism that helps the finger wraps to stay intact for up to 14 days and toe wraps for 4 weeks. These versatile wraps can be easily trimmed with scissors to fit your finger/toe size.

Retail Price: $15

Exclusively available at ArglyDuckling.

Review(s) on a separate post.

Remember to check out ArglyDuckling storewide promotional discount!

That's all for now. Thanks for reading (:

***All info & unmarked images are extracted from press release and ArglyDuckling FB Page.***

 

Enjoy 20% OFF @ ArglyDuckling Storewide - For a Limited Time Only!

It's time to stock up on your favorite beauty products! Think Butter London, Deborah Lippmann, Blinc. Just to name a few. Hop over now to www.arglyduckling.com to enjoy 20% off your first purchase (storewide) + free shipping with minimum $50 spend. Do note that you need to register with the store in order to enjoy the offer. Offer is valid for one-time use only and for a limited time period.

For those who have already made a purchase via the website, they will be sending you a discount coupon to enjoy the offer.

***All info & image are extracted from press release.***