Hydrate Much?

Okay, try rank these following concerns according to your priority.

Anti-aging / Hydration / Brightening & Whitening / Clarifying

Mine's:
1. Hydration
2. Clarifying
3. Anti-aging
4. Brightening/Whitening

I cannot say how much I value hydration. I know it's all aqua but seriously, I tell you, hydration has helped me achieved the current skin that I have today.

From my experience, if your skin is well-hydrated...

• You skin will be less oily, especially during midday (I know, funny right. You need to hydrate for your skin to produce less oil)
• Your skin is blemishes-free, zit-free (except during that time of the month)
• Your skin will look more healthy & radiant
• Your skin doesn't wrinkle way earlier than it should! Yeayyy...

YES!!! The clarifying, brightening and anti-aging thing really boils down to one important factor - HYDRATION people!

And that's why I reaaaaallllllyyyyy hydrate well. Plus it doesn't help that I am an avid coffee-drinker and I hate air masak cause its tasteless! Heehee.

Here's the products I used to combat oily + blemish skin:-

Ta-daaaaaa!!!
Okay, next post...I promise to talk more about Laneige super hydrating skincare line.
Believe me, it will not be so hard on your wallet. Very affordable!

For now, I need to pack for Ipoh.
Any Ipoh people out there? I need to know the best place to eat in Ipoh :)

Road Trip! Yeayyy!

Pick Up A Trend : Red Nude

Hello dear beauty friends,

Moi, the LocoLola
Crinkle Shawl by Shreedha Fadhreen Collection

I have to admit, ever since I donned the hijab. I try my best not to wear over the top (OTT) makeup. In Islam, aurath (Aurat) is not only about covering parts of your body but also to up dress and carry yourself modestly. And OTT makeup is a big No-No in being modest. :)

Get this look:-

Face
Laura Mercier Foundation with SPF15
Estee Lauder Cyberwhite Loose Powder with SPF15

Eyes
MAC Expensive Pink - all over lid
MAC Woodwinked - Outer V-corner
MAC Satin Taupe - Inner V-corner
MAC Naked Lunch - beneath brows
Elianto Charocoal Black crayon eyeliner
Maybelline Brow Liner in Dark Brown

Cheeks
MAC Mineralise Blusher in Rhapsody 2 (my all time favourite blusher & highlighter)

Lips
Revlon Colorburst Lipstick in Fuschia (not in the picture. I only put it on when I was to about to go out)

I had to go a bit nude cause the outfit I was wearing for the day was quite intense. Especially the red & black shawl. Here's what I wore...

Top by Dorothy Perkins RM75, Crinkle Shawl by Shyreedha RM20
*Note: Please ignore the hint of my double chin -__-'

Eid Mubarak | Discount Diva

Salam,

I hope it's not too late to wish all Muslims Eid Mubarak!
I hope you had fun sharing great moments with family and your closed ones.

I have always been a believer that NOT all things Expensive are Good and NOT all things Good are Expensive. I believe to look & feel good on a joyous celebration such as the recent Raya Aidiladha one need not spend extravagantly.

I am proud to call myself a Bargain/Discount Diva.
I usually put a limit to the amount of money I'm willing to spend on certain items. For me, a Blouse/Top/Shirt should be LESS than RM100, unless of course if it is made of high grade material i.e. Silk, Batik Crepe and the likes.

Why? Simply because I've been in trading business since young and frankly I know how much it costs to make a top. Heh. I'm calculative like that. And being trained as an accountant makes me more frugal. I am shrewd and picky when it comes to spending. However when I do find a good bargain with equally great product, I'll be sure to purchase at least 2 or 3 pieces in different colors. That's where my shopaholic side kicks in ^__^

Being frugal doesn't mean that I look frumpy and that I'm a cheapskate. I do spend lavishly at times, mostly during a special occasion or to reward myself after a job-well-done (will discuss on this topic in my posts later). But most of the time, I prefer the thrill of hunting for a great bargain.

When I do find a marked down, on sale, stock clearance items or the last chance clothes, I'll be sure to check all of the following:-

1) Material - must be reasonably thick and strong. Not the cheapo easy to break type of material
2) Design - must not be TOO outdated. I prefer to stick to the classic-evergreen design, much safer
3) Cutting / Color - must flaunt and hide certain features of mine. Unfortunately, everything looks good in a super-skinny-tall model (mannequin too!) but not everything looks good on us.*sigh*
4) No defects / discoloration - very important!!!

So here's some of the items I scored during my recent shopping adventure....

For Raya Aidiladha, I found this really beautiful ready to wear cotton baju kurung with flower embroidery all over. Am so happy with my purchase and received a lot of compliments too! Weee!!!

Cotton Baju Kurung with flower embroidery,
RM80 Kompleks PKNS, Shah Alam

Dorothy Perkins floral chiffon top at 50% off. Yeap, half off! ^_________________^

Chiffon Jungle Leaves Printed Top
RM75 after 50% discount, Dorothy Perkins Pavilion KL

I've been eyeing the shawls from DreamCloud by Natasha Hudson for awhile now and pounced on 2 lovely shawls during their Raya Sale :))

Luna Breeze in Mustard & Peach Mustard
Before RM85, Raya Haji promo RM35 only!
from DreamCloud by Natasha Hudson

Luna Jade Shawl in Green Leopard print
Before RM90, on sale for RM55
from DreamCloud by Natasha Hudson

Now that's my kind of shopping spree :)
However, bargain-hunting shopping requires patience and it is an impromptu shopping habit. So you'll never know what you'll buy next and sometimes this may hurt your wallet a bit. -___-

Also, do be careful with the word SALE, especially those that shows you the before price on the tag and gives you crazy deals like 70% discount. Cause sometimes what some retailers do is that they will increase the price on the price tag than konon-konon give a 50%-70% to you. I've seen this happened before by notable retailers & departmental stores.

So, who said it is expensive to look beautiful? What's your shopping style and are you a Discount Diva too like me?

Guess Who's Back from Outerspace?!

 Did you miss me? 

Awwww..... :)

Well, I'm back after a year long sabbatical from my blog.

And a lot have changed since then. 

I have a new image now *beaming with pride*

I have a new job now.

I have a new freelance job now (yes, 1 job aint enough to support my shopping~!)

I changed my pen name to Lily Liyana. 

Cause I found out a lot of people can't pronounce 'Mariella' well. Including my parents! (Hi Abah~!). Plus nothing wrong with my real name anyway, cuma tak glamour sangat je.

I added 'LocoLola' behind my blog name. Cause I'm a 'loco' girl who just can't stop shopping. 

Yeap, that part of me has never improved. Only worsen. *sigh*

I'm addicted to Instagram now. Add me: liyanalalala

So, let's do a bit of catch up yeah?

(^___^)

Till then....

Love,

Lily Liyana

Product Review: SimplySiti Clear Solution Charcoal Cleanser

Happy Tuesday!

To be honest, (yes, this time I am NOT lying *peace*) I wanted to blog about a month ago but decided not to cause of my recent not-so-great-skin condition.

My event - HALFEST was quite different to the other event we organise. During HALFEST we invited local celebrities to grace our event in order to build up the hype and attract more people to our event. We invited local celebrities such as Vanidah Imran (my favourite!), Aaron Aziz (ehem,ehem), legendary Sheila Majid, Awie, M.Nasir, Francessca Peters, Ziana Zain and many more.

So, one of these famous people was Dato' Siti Nurhaliza and boy, was I in awe with her. She's so pretty, I must say she's really slim in real life and on top of that; very, very friendly. I fell in love with her instantly. I wasn't really a fan before, but now I'm goo-goo-ga-ga-ing over her!

Man, I'm easily drowned in all the power of charisma and fame. I know right, SUCKER! T__T

Bedazzled...I gave in and finally bought my first SimplySiti product. I know right, HOPELESS SUCKER!! T____T

Source

To be safe, I bought the SimplySiti Clear Solution Charcoal Cleanser. I thought hey, a cleanser wouldn't do as much harm as a moisturiser/lotion/cream etc. right?

Nope. I was WRONG!

In my defense I'm not trying to bring Siti Nurhaliza's products down. After all she is one of our valued exhibitor. I believe her products have made a lot of ladies happy. (I know, triple SUCKER!!! Can't help it...she's really nice O.O and I like her, OK!)

But unfortunately for me, it didn't really do its job. Maybe I am allergic to charcoal, kan? 
*cricket sounds*


(Sejak bila pun entahlah. God woman! Stop making stupid excuses. Honest review...you promised honest review to your readers!)

Ok, yeah...the SimplySiti Charcoal Cleanser gave me these! (warning: gross picture ahead)

I really want to love it. So badly that I tried and...I was really forcing myself to believe that the Siti Nurhaliza cleanser didn't gave me these bumps. But, who am I kidding. My daily beauty regime is the same and the only thing which was different was the cleanser.

Muka excited tak boleh blah!

*Sigh*

I'm sorry Siti Nurhaliza *puppy eyes* I guess, we were not meant to be together....
(ok, drama giler!)

And FYI, those bumps are ridiculously hard to get rid off. I'm back to my good 'ol Hada Labo beauty regime and those bumps are still there! Heaven sake it's been a month already. Pfftt.....

So, have you tried any of SimplySiti's product?
Do share *winks*

Till then, good luck & stay flawless...

xoxo,

Mariella Liyana

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Sharing is Caring: My New Elliptical

You know you've gained pounds and pounds of kgs when the people closest to you has to whisper it in your ear (cause you're in denial) that you  look ermm well, different in a bad way. o_O

*sigh*

Yes, I am in denial, no scratch that....I am NOT in denial. I acknowledged the fact that I have...well, 'changed'. But I kept telling myself that "I can always go back to my original size anytime. Hmph!". And I forgot to include age factor into the whole equation. Hah!

Yes, it's true...the 'wiser' you get, the harder it is for you to shed those love handles. In fact, I'm sad to report that it takes you double, no triple the effort if YOUR MARRIED!!!! Aaahh...the downside of being happy. Sheesshhh...

So, for my 2nd year Wedding Anniversary. Instead of asking for my typical presents i.e. handbags, shoes, vacation; (things that I wouldn't spend my money on hence makeup is not in the list), I made up my mind that I wanted an Elliptical machine as my anniversary present.

Oh, and I also got this White Toshiba notebook <3 Thanks, sayang :)

On the other hand.

*Sobs* Sobs *
Goodbye, my Lambskin Chanel...T__T
AHAHAHAHAHAHA....as if!!! (=.=')


But I'm pretty proud of myself. At least, this time...I placed necessity above wants :)
And, I sure as hell can tell you it ain't easy for me. It was like having a civil war...Liyana vs Liyana T_T

So, about two weeks ago...my Elliptical or some may call it a Cross Trainer, arrived! Weeeeee~!

(Baby talk) I'm so gonna love you, yes I do. I'm so gonna ride you everyday.
And use you and abuse you...muahahaha!

Ok, I dunno why this picture is senget

I was so excited I called Nas (my husband) to tell him that the Elliptical has arrived. And guess what was his response to me; "Oh ok, that's good. So bila nak start?". *Gasp* Do I hear a mockery?? Is that a challenge? Grrrrr....that IS a challenge???!!!

I say, "Bring it on sayang..."*squinting my eyes and blows off my fringe*
I'm so gonna win.
(Yes, as you can see...I AM a bit of a kiasu!)


Why am I telling you this?
Cause I'm a big believer that beauty also comes from within.

Sure you have the look, the brain, the superb make up and hairstyle...but you're not complete untill you truly have the 'BODY' and the right attitude to go with it, no?
I mean, who you're kidding...everybody tries their best to be perfect, right?
And that includes yours truly.

However, I will still hold on dearly to my mantra...
"Gemuk boleh kurus, tapi kalau cun tetap cun. So read between the line honey, hmph~!"
*Raise eyebrow*

Muahahahahahahahahaha....I know, I'm mean!

So, on and off I will write an update on how everything is going with my workout etc etc.
Hopefully, a few months down the road...I can look back at today's entry and smile cause by then I'l be donning a super-HOT bodyyyy! yeah!

Amen.

Till then, good luck & stay flawless...

xoxo,

Mariella Liyana

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I Know, I Owe You LOADS!

Hi there,

How was your weekend?
Mine was super busy with a number of weddings to attend. Thanks to the super-famous date to get hitched -  11.11.11 ! Some even waited till 11.11pm. Yeap, that's right...11pm at night. Poor Tok Kadi ;)

A lot of things happened to me for the past 3 months.
If you notice, I would go missing in action for 3 months and this year I went MIA twice!
I tried my best to blog religiously, however due to my work overload (from my day-job), I'm not proud to admit that I waved the white flag of defeat!

If you have been following me at my other blog; Mariellasays you'd notice that I made a post inviting readers to a trade fair - the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) organised annually by my company. You can read more on MIHAS here. 

This year, my CEO moved the game up a notch and we organised the inaugural Halal expo for consumers called HALFEST. You can read more here. What does this mean? I have a back-to-back gigantic event to organise and managing advertising & promotions as well as the public relations aspect was super-duper crazy!

We spent 1 year to prepare and organise MIHAS successfully, now two mega events in a year!!!! I better be looking forward to an enormous increment and a nice big-fat cheque as my bonus this year! Hell yeah...I know I deserve it!

So, ladies....
Forgive me. *bats eyelashes*

Source

Please....
Pretty please with Chanel lipstick on top?
No? You sure?

Ahhh...I knew it, no one can resist a good Chanel lipstick

*hugs & kisses*



Till then, good luck & stay flawless...

xoxo,

Mariella Liyana

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Beauty FAQ #10: Did You Know?

Q: I've forgotten my make-up bag. What's a quick pick-me-up for skin?

A: In a makeup SOS, use that lip balm floating around in your purse and dab it along the cheek bones, in the inner corner of the eye, down the middle of the nose and on your mouth to add instant luminescence.


Till then, good luck & stay flawless...

xoxo,

Mariella Liyana

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Source: Ask; the 1,000 most asked questions about BEAUTY by Bella Blissett

Product Review: Inglot YSM Cream Foundation

I promised a good friend of mine this review....
This is for you my dear... =)

Source

I received some sample from Inglot during my recent visit to their brand new store in Malaysia, which is in Sunway Pyramid. I was ecstatic during my trip there, even if it was my 3rd visit by then. Still, there's nothing better than a posh, elegantly decorated beauty boutique that offers you a gazillion vibrant, wonderful colors to decorate your face.

Even describing it gives me the jitters.
I'm proud to be an addict. A makeup addict that is ^__^

I took a few pictures of their boutique.

[to be uploaded soon]




Since the interior was mainly made of squeaky-shiny-black top, every now and then, you'll see the MUA frantically wiping these tops so they stay finger-prints free.

Beauty FAQ #9: Did You Know?

Q: Is there a quick-fix remedy for combating acne?

A: Crush an aspirin with a few drops of water and dab to the acne at bedtime. It's antibacterial and will reduce the redness.


Till then, good luck & stay flawless...

xoxo,

Mariella Liyana

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Source: Ask; the 1,000 most asked questions about BEAUTY by Bella Blissett

Pickup A Trend: Crimson Red

Hey beautiful...

Recently, I picked up a couple of hawt eyeshadows from Inglot. 

As I've mentioned before in my previous posts, I am deeply in love with Inglot eyeshadows because of its colors and how pigmented they are. Of course, also cause they're super affordable!!! Oh, did I mentioned that before, no?

As a person who is easily influenced by commercials and beauty blogger reviews, I picked up a couple of unique colors from Inglot based on recommendations from fellow beauty blogger cyber-pals. 

One of it is this nice, rich crimson red - #495

I hesitated at first. When on earth am I gonna use this color? It's RED, for God's sake!! 

The Malays would cringe and say 'Merah, mak ngah!'...LOL

But, I proceed to the cashiers with confidence...chewah!

Last weekend, while walking around Pavillion with my besties, Lynn and Yas, I bought this top from Forever21. Yeap, you guessed it....now, I have a reason to use that red eyeshadow from Inglot.

Lynn & Yas
(perempuan senget!)

So here's the look I did...

:: CRIMSON RED ::

My Latest MakeUp Haul July 2011

Heyy....

Howz your week going so far? Mine's great! cause both my CEO and my boss are not around today. Weehooo.....!

I was MIA last month and during that phase I did buy a LOT of cosmetic in between. Like I said, I might not be blogging but my insatiable desire for cosmetic goodies goes on....

I didn't really take a picture of all the things I bought, nor can I recall some of the things I bought. So, here's the latest I purchased thus far.

The story goes....I was looking high and low for a good foundation and I stumbled upon a Vlog reviewing the Laura Mercier Silk Creme foundation. But a few days before that, during my visit to KLCC I happened to try the new Guerlain Lingerie de Peau and fell in love with its texture.

So, I was torn between the two foundations. Hmmm...

I finally made up my mind, I'm getting the Guerlain foundation mainly because I've tested it and loved it. So off I went to the Gardens, Mid Valley since the two brands are available at each ends of the shopping complex. Laura Mercier at Robinson's and Guerlain at Isetan. At least, if I changed my mind...I can still get the other, no? Smart thinking...ha-ha-ha. Ya, ya...I know it's NOT rocket science. :P

I was super excited (everytime before any expensive purchase) and once I was at the Guerlain counter, I was dissapointed by the treatment given to me by the Guerlain staff. She was rather lethargic, not warm and friendly and certainly wasn't helpful AT ALL and I would say...she seems not interested with my business. Macam nak tak nak layan je! Pfftt....

Product Review: Lancome Maqui Blanc Miracle

Bonjour!
How is your day so far? Mine's pretty packed, as usual.

Today, let's do a quick review on the new Lancome Maqui Blanc Miracle with SPF 26.
I wasn't sure of Lancome based on my previous 'bleh' experience with its compact powder. Infact, Lancome was not one of those brands I yearn for. Lancome and I do not share any chemistry, so to speak.

However, I was called (or in Bahasa Malaysia - terpanggil. Haha, funny seh!) to test Lancome's new liquid foundation. So, off I went to one of their counter in Jusco, Mid Valley.

I tried a couple of colors to see which color suits me well and asked a few questions to the SA. Unfortunately, when I requested for some sample. The SA rolled her eyes and told me that they ran out of samples. From her face, I could see that she wasn't really telling the truth. This irked me. Gravely irked me.

I have NO tolerance to BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE. I am a firm believer that the customer is ALWAYS right. And 70% of the time people buy a product because they like the person selling it. So, if you want your products to sell sista, you better have the right attitude. Kapish?!

Finally, after a few question-answer session, she came up with a tiny sample jar that 'happens to be lying around on the counter'. Pump me two pumps of the foundation, gave it to me while passing a sarcastic remark that goes like this..."Don't forget to come back ar and buy the foundation..." and smiled sarcastically.

Dalam hati, sabar je lah. Ape, kau ingat aku takde duit nak beli setakat foundation kau yang takde lah mahal gila pun?!!! I vow, even if the product is good...I'm never buying it from her!! Grrr...

Fine, water under the bridge. See, I can be forgiving =_=

Apart from the bad service, here's what I think of the foundation...

What's New: Theodora, the Empress of the Byzantine

In case you didn't know what is a Byzantine? No, it is not some kind of metal nor is it some kind of insect.

BYZANTINE is the name of an empire during the Middle Ages. The empire built its influence in the central of Constantinople. Inspired by Theodora an Empress of Byzantine, a potrait shown to Chanel Global Creative Director of Makeup, Peter Philips,created the Chanel 2011 Paris-Byzance Pre-Fall collection. The potrait was shown to him by Karl Lagerfield.

Theodora, the most holy Empress of Byzantine
Source

Chanel 2011 Fall Collection inspired by Theodora
Source

Backstage during the Chanel 2011 Paris-Byzance show
Source

According to Style:, “We re-created the red eye shadow/liner that she wears on the arch of her eyebrows by drawing the shape with Le Crayon Lèvres in Rouge.” He dusted the eyelids with “a game of luminous golds and bronzes” by mixing the gold shades in Chanel’s upcoming Les 4 Ombres Eye Shadow Quad in Topkapi with Joues Contraste blush in Or and Mocha. Next, he added two more black lines along the outer edge of the upper and lower lash lines to create a “choreography between gold, bronze, black, and red.”

Chanel Paris-Byzance Fall Collection

A piece of Art! The Chanel Les 4 Ombres Topkapi eyeshadows.
Only 1,500 pcs ever created, a designer collectible indeed!
Source: Cafe Makeup

Beauty FAQ #8: Did You Know?

Q: What shade of blush is best for my skin tone?

A:

Very pale skin tones - stick to pale pinks, apricots and beiges. Anything stronger will overpower your face

Yellowish skins - counterbalance your natural tone with warm coral tones

Pinkish skins - minimize red tones, which will highlight your natural tone; opt instead for a contrasting apricot

Olive/Tan Skins - go for pinks or peaches with gold undertones


Till then, good luck & stay flawless...

xoxo,

Mariella Liyana

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Source: Ask; the 1,000 most asked questions about BEAUTY by Bella Blissett

a) I've gone Dot Com, Yay! b) Reason behind 'dan'

Hello beautiful people,

Yeap, you read it RIGHT....I'm officially a DOT COM now. So it'll be easier for you girls to find me.

Pen this in your diary - www.kissdanmakeup.com

If you're wondering why the word 'dan' is used, it's because...

a) all the other and, N, n, were taken up

b) it's not cool to be a dot net, people get confused. I know I do :P

c) heck no way I'm going dot org.

d) 'dan' means 'and' in Malay language (for my readers from US, UK, Canada and all other countries)

e) I feel a little patriotic tonight so I was attracted to the idea behind the word 'dan'. Going back to my roots babeh, 'perempuan Melayu terakhir'  =__=

Since I've invested some money to become a dot com blog, "you better start blogging seriously, Liyana."
Sorry...that was a reminder to MYSELF T__T


Till then, good luck & stay flawless...

xoxo,

Mariella Liyana

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Beauty FAQ #7: Did You Know?

Q: Should I apply a concealer over or under my foundation?

A: If you are trying to cover a blemish then foundation comes first and concealer is dabbed on afterward. If you are covering dark under eye circles use concealer only and keep foundation away from this delicate area.


Till then, good luck & stay flawless...

xoxo,

Mariella Liyana

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Source: Ask; the 1,000 most asked questions about BEAUTY by Bella Blissett

Pickup A Trend: Au Naturalle

Aloha!

In the spirit of embracing summer, the sun and the beach...I did this quick and simple do for those who want to get the effortless natural look.

Remember, a sun-kissed Goddess should not be OTT (over the top). Try to keep the makeup natural and neutral. So, more emphasis is given on the coral lips. :)

:: Au Naturalle ::

Product Review: Dove Intense Repair Overnight Cream

I did a little experiment with my hair earlier. To see what happens when you stinge and try to color your hair on your own. This is after your previous hair color crawled down to your ear-level and you look like Cruealla De Vil's sister, the half blonde half brunetter sister.

I have very fine and limp hair and to actually go to a proper hair saloon and color my hair was a complete waste of money for me. Why? Because my hair is too little (sangat miskin) and fine and I'd only end up using 1/3 of the hair color, BUT pay for it in FULL. (that's the Accountant part of me talking, heh)

So, I cheated and bought Revlon's Hair Dye, Ammonia-free in Golden Brown from the nearest drugstore.

The result...

Frizzy, uneven carrot top for hair. And what makes it worst is that my hair is now coarse like a broom. Right after coloring it, I can barely comb my hair right. Heck, I can't even run my fingers through my hair without my fingers getting stuck in between it!

Yes, pretty stupid of me. But, this is all for the sake of an experiment (gone wrong!). I know, I'm in denial...so sue me!

What did I do next?
Well, nothing. I couldn't cause I had to fly off the next day. S**t!

Once landed safely, the first thing I hunt for is a conditioner. But luckily, while frantically searching for a good conditioner, I bumped into this....

Well, hello there...would you be my friend???