Acne and Dry skin?

I have always known and heard about the greatness of Argan Oil, but I have never really tried it for myself. Until now! I am so impressed by the Melvita Argan Oil that I had to blog about it instantly - like now, on my Blogger phone app.

Situation: I had a massive crazy breakout of those tiny bumps all over my face! To stop it in it tracks before it became something more i proceed to start on my acne care regime.

Attempt: I started mild. My standard pimple creams. And even loaded on "repair" serums and such. From here, i slowly increased the strength of the creams i use.

(Many pimple creams later, increasing in treatment strength)

Results: Nothing worked.

Solution: i decided to bring in the big boys! I picked this up from GossMakeupArtist (link), and since I first tried it out and it cleared my face, it has been my go-to remedy - but I try not to do it too often as it is quite invasive (i dub the treatment, the OXY mask)

Results: the next day, the bumps are gone (used OXY 5 only at breakout areas).

Side Effects: It left me with irritated, red, and super itchy dry skin (as expected).

Solution: Spam the moisturizer! I tried all my creams and serums, nothing worked. I had flaky itchy painful skin for about a week.

Epiphany: Something hit me to try oils (no idea why I didn't think of it sooner!) And I took my Melvita Argan Oil out of the drawer and slap on 2 pumps on my face and neck.

Results: i woke up the next day with the dry patches, flakiness, and the itchiness gone! While my skin is still slightly on the dry side..it has almost 90% recovered from my OXY mask treatment overnight. Needless to say I was impressed!

Conclusion: the OXY mask treatment works! (but it may be too harsh for some skin types). And Argan Oil rock socks!

Ok good night.

Bookmonster #2

decided to blog.

here is a little book review. :)

so, one fine afternoon, i decided to read!

so i whipped up a book i bought some months ago, settled with some coffee & a sandwich..and read.

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

genre: historical fiction

book description (from Amazon): Brother turns on brother to win the ultimate prize, the throne of England, in this dazzling account of the wars of the Plantagenets. They are the claimants and kings who ruled England before the Tudors, and now Philippa Gregory brings them to life through the dramatic and intimate stories of the secret players: the indomitable women, starting with Elizabeth Woodville, the White Queen.

The White Queen tells the story of a woman of extraordinary beauty and ambition who, catching the eye of the newly crowned boy king, marries him in secret and ascends to royalty. While Elizabeth rises to the demands of her exalted position and fights for the success of her family, her two sons become central figures in a mystery that has confounded historians for centuries: the missing princes in the Tower of London whose fate is still unknown. From her uniquely qualified perspective, Philippa Gregory explores this most famous unsolved mystery of English history, informed by impeccable research and framed by her inimitable storytelling skills.

my views: (3.5 of 5)

well, this was new and a first for me. mainly cause i hardly read historical fiction. im more of a romance, crime, thriller, fantasy kind of girl. ive always wanted to venture into reading historical based books, but never got around to it. so i finally did with this book. 

ps: ive never really did any book reviews before..and i dont really know how. LOL..so spare me while i type what comes to mind.

and i must say, i did enjoy this book! finished the book in 3 days.

and i was pleasantly surprised that i didnt get bored of the book like i feared. history never being my strong suit. LOL. the author really did her research (i read the author's note) and i was really impressed by it. the fact that most of what happend are what really happend! the mist, the great rain, and the missing princes! through the book i learn bits of the history behind the English royalties. it was actually a fun way to learn about the history behind it all. and honestly, this has intrigue me a little. :) i admit i did some Googling about it after i finished the book. :3
well, i wouldnt rave about the book as a must read, for ME, personally, simply because like i said, its not my genre of choice. but nonetheless, the book was a good read and worth the time to read it. i do recommend it! especially to people who love historical fiction. i would say the book did not bore me nor disappointed me. i enjoyed reading it, it was good and it entertained me as well as educated me! LOL. i would say, i dont think you would regret reading this book! :)

and i do plan to read the other books in this collection, The Red Queen.

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

the book its not a sequel to The White Queen, but an  parallel story to The White Queen. the story happens the same time as The White Queen, but it follows The Red Queen.

book description (from Amazon): Heiress to the red rose of Lancaster, Margaret Beaufort never surrenders her belief that her house is the true ruler of England and that she has a great destiny before her. Her ambitions are disappointed when her sainted cousin Henry VI fails to recognize her as a kindred spirit, and she is even more dismayed when he sinks into madness. Her mother mocks her plans, revealing that Margaret will always be burdened with the reputation of her father, one of the most famously incompetent English commanders in France. But worst of all for Margaret is when she discovers that her mother is sending her to a loveless marriage in remote Wales.

Married to a man twice her age, quickly widowed, and a mother at only fourteen, Margaret is determined to turn her lonely life into a triumph. She sets her heart on putting her son on the throne of England regardless of the cost to herself, to England, and even to the little boy. Disregarding rival heirs and the overwhelming power of the York dynasty, she names him Henry, like the king; sends him into exile; and pledges him in marriage to her enemy Elizabeth of York’s daughter. As the political tides constantly move and shift, Margaret charts her own way through another loveless marriage, treacherous alliances, and secret plots. She feigns loyalty to the usurper Richard III and even carries his wife’s train at her coronation.

Widowed a second time, Margaret marries the ruthless, deceitful Thomas, Lord Stanley, and her fate stands on the knife edge of his will. Gambling her life that he will support her, she then masterminds one of the greatest rebellions of the time—all the while knowing that her son has grown to manhood, recruited an army, and now waits for his opportunity to win the greatest prize.

In a novel of conspiracy, passion, and coldhearted ambition, number one bestselling author Philippa Gregory has brought to life the story of a proud and determined woman who believes that she alone is destined, by her piety and lineage, to shape the course of history.

the other books in this collection are

• The Lady of the Rivers (Amazon) -- which is about The White Queen's mother who is said to be the descended of the water goddess, Melusina.
• The White Princess (TBA- the author mentioned this in her note at the end of The White Queen) -- it will cover The White Queen's daughter, grandmother to England's greatest queen, Elizabeth I.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:
ive finish reading The Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy (right after exams ended)

The Wolfs of Mercy Falls trilogy
(Shiver; Linger; Forever)
by Maggie Stiefvater

my views: (2.5 of 5)
it was a pleasant and easy read. if ure looking for love-fantasy like books that are easy reads to pass the time, then this book is up your ally! mmm..and thats all i have to say on these books. it was a good pass-timer.


Happy Reading! :)

bookshelf

2nd UPDATE!: bought 2 new books yesterday (27.03.2012) with the coupon again!

The Red Queen
by Philippa Gregory

this book is the parallel book to The White Queen.

can't wait to start reading these books!

A Discovery of Witches (from the All-Souls Trilogy, book 1)
by Deborah Harkness

i didnt know this book was a trilogy! noooo...
and the 2nd book is set to be released in 10 July 2012!

depending on how i like the book, i shall look forward to that day!

Also, last night, i have finished reading The Hunger Games trilogy! i wouldnt say i super love it like Harry Potter, but i LIKE it enough! :) but i think the ending should give more ... like at least a brief sweep on the changes and what happend to Panem! rather than just focusing on her only. (shall.not.leak.out.spoilers.)

id keep updating my "Currently Reading" section! keep a look out on what im reading! :)

UPDATE: new book! bought today! (11.03.2011) LOL!

The White Queen
by Philippa Gregory

RM35.90 @ Popular

(bought with the RM200 book voucher)

***

this blog deserves an update! as ive mentioned in my previous post, i am having problems with my SD card! so no real updates with pictures!

but here is an update that i am able to provide that allows me to "steal" the pictures online! xD

see over the course on my 3 months break, i have spammed the bookstores sales and book fairs alike! MPH was generous with their prices during the fair (and when i say fair, i just mean like a medium-sized set up infront of the actual store that sell certain titles for cheap!). so, ive been to a few of those, a relocating sale (also MPH), book sales at Popular, and have hauled a relatively good amount of books.

also, this is somewhat a haul post, so id skip the reviews on the books ive read,  kay? :)

i am going to group the list into 3 (so i wont have to keep repeating myself):

1. Books that i bought cause it was cheap! and the back sounded cool/appealing/good-enough!

Night World Series book 1 - 3
by L. J. Smith

RM9 per book

ive only read the first book, it was ok, but i stopped cause i found out that the series was incomplete, and i didnt want to be left hanging, so i stopped. the 4th book and final book, i think is just released.

Everyone Worth Knowing
by Lauren Weisberger

RM9 @ Popular

(read)

2. Books that i have been meaning to get!

The Wolfs of Mercy Falls trilogy
(Shiver; Linger; Forever)
by Maggie Stiefvater

the box set cost me RM52.90 @ Popular!

again, i have only read the first book, Shiver; and as ive mentioned on Twitter,

i have stopped reading the second book, Linger (am currently in about the first quarter of the book), to start reading The Hunger Games.

Safe Haven
by Nicholas Sparks

RM10 @ MPH relocation sale

3. books that the little blurp behind enticed me.

The Pretender; The Empress Last Days
by Jane Stevenson

both books was about RM15+/- @ the MPH relocation sale

i have not touch these books cause well, they are book 2 and 3 respectively!

i couldnt find book 1, Astraea.

so naturally, i need to find book 1 first!

The Courtesan and the Samurai
by Lesley Downer

about RM19 @ the MPH relocation sale

Black Magic Sanction
by Kim Harrison

about RM19 @ the MPH relocation sale

this. again. is another series. a series with 10 books! and this is book 8!

=_____= clearly, i didnt know this.

now i have to collect the first 7! 

not to forget e-books.

the new additions are,

The Hunger Games trilogy
(The Hunger Games; Catching Fire; Mockingjay)
by Suzanne Collins

am currently reading, The Hunger Games! and i am hooked! xD

so, the first half of my holidays, i was really into my books. and book sales was just fueling my addiction. LOL. (i say the first half cause towards the end of my holidays, i was hooked watching TV, so not much reading was done.) but now its back! mainly because there is nothing for me to watch! or more specifically, nothing that i have interest in watching. 

needless to say, my list of wanted books have expanded! and trust me there is more to come! what with the RM200 book voucher! :D

ps: my Uni has started! and oh boy! so much for it being a easy and smooth sailing! T.T

LAST SEM! I CAN DO THIS!

update & BOTD #7

been spending a lot lately..despite my empty bank account!
anywho, here’s a brief update on the past week or so!
` my youngest brother (smelly boy, Kin Sing) turned 14 on Saturday [23.07.2011]! *confetti in the air* HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOYYYY! YOUR PRESENT WILL COME SOON! :P I PROMISE!!
` I finally booked my flight for a last minute holiday trip to Hong Kong with my sister! im just going to bunk off her like a useless younger sister should! :P <3 much love che, much love. just fyi, im going to Hong Kong on the 14th of August and returning on the 18th!! *excited!*
` read up a lot during the hols I must say..I finished most of my Cecelia Ahern books that I bought/borrowed that I never got round to reading! I finished A Place Called Here and Where Rainbows End..and am currently reading The Book Of Tomorrow..

mini review: A Place Called Here didn’t suck me in at the beginning! the 1st quarter of the book, it was mmmm..okayyyy..I started reading it I think in May I would say, but I stopped cause of school work and stuff..but u know, I didn’t get my usual urges to pick up the book again..and I only picked it up when I had nothing to do one afternoon…but I enjoyed the rest of the book.
Where Rainbows End, for me at first it got me wondering if the whole book would be in notes, letters, instant text form..and for a moment I didn’t think id like it..I mean I do read those kinds of books and enjoy them, but I wasn’t sure for this book..as it went..I loved it! I must say I like this book more compared to A Place Called Here. but I got annoyed at the characters at one point! *one line spoiler alert!* cause well, their love is SO strong and obvious but it took them SO LONG to admit it! grrr..but the book was good.

lol! I know that in my sidebar, the book listed under “Currently Reading,” is The Witching Hour..but I have that on my ipad and I don’t know where the heck the ipad is!! my siblings have taken possession of it and I have yet to see the shadow of it! I should update the sidebar! id do it after this post!
` remember the previous post about me applying for an overload in subjects!? well I GOT IT! WOO HOO! need to go to Uni to sort out the timetable!! which brings me to the next point,
` today marks the last day of holidays, and tomorrow would be the first day of my fourth year in Monash, my final year! and this semester, id be going FIVE subjects!! oh please have mercy on me…
` on a random, I-don’t-know-why-im-blogging-about-this note…I wrote a draft of my resume on Friday (to apply for intern, yes I know im late! but I didn’t think id be able to do intern this year..but it turns out I can!)..and LOL I didn’t know I did so much shit in highschool! I got certificates for the FUNNIEST things and even things I don’t remember doing..like winning FIRST PLACE FOR MALAY POEM WRITING!!! LOL wth?! where did that come from! I got that cert in form 2! heck my Malay then was,..shall I say, not very fluent yet! LOLLLL!! heck even now, my Malay is still inferior to many! majority! how the heck did I create a Malay poem?! LOL! ok shall stop LOL-ing at myself now!

of the day/night series:

[24.07.2011]

I FINALLY bought my much wanted Evil Eye charm (#790529EB, Dangle Eye Blue Enamel) from Pandora!!
can finally cross this off my “Wish Upon A Star” list..

I don’t have / didn’t buy the Pandora bracelet/chain..
I just really want this charm!

id show u what I plan to do with this charm when I do.. :D

but for now..im off..

ps: I started watch Heartstring..
and I like it..