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Wednesday 27 November 2013

Community: Help victims of Typhoon Haiyan with your ChurpChurp or Nuffnang!

So I guess everyone has heard of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) which hit Philipines on 8th November 2013. According to UNICEF Malaysia:

"Super Typhoon #Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda) is this year's most powerful tropical storm and is also the latest natural disaster to strike a country already reeling from monsoon flooding and a massive earthquake that struck in October. 

UNICEF is appealing for US$ 61.5 million (approximately RM 185 million) to meet the urgent needs of hundreds of thousands of children who fought to survive #Haiyan, but now need life-saving aid to survive the aftermath. "




I'm sure most of you are touched by the heart-wrenching scenes of children and their families, struggling to survive after the disaster. Over 600,000 people are affected with no access to food, water or medicine. I also know that most of you are bloggers here with a Nuffnang or ChurpChurp account. Here's how you can help with Churp Churp.:

1. Log on to http://www.churpchurp.com/ and look for the "Donate to Help the Victims of Typhoon Haiyan" campaign.


2. Understand the campaign tasks.


3. Choose the amount you will like to donate (RM5, RM10, RM25, RM50). This amount will be deducted from your Churp2 earnings and you may donate as many times as you want. After you have chosen, click "Donate".

3. You will receive a confirmation email from Churp Churp.

That's it! Isn't it simple? I'm sure the victims will appreciate your kind gesture. It is always nice to give back to those who have nothing, even if it's in small amounts. You never know how much it will mean to them. We get so caught up in our daily lives, that event like these really open our eyes to the real world. 

Alternatively, you can choose to donate at UNICEF's website. Details here.

Do remember to spread the word on your Facebook, Twitter or even blogs for this worthy cause! Keyword: #ChurpforPH. Together, we can help them regain their lives and build a better future. 

Love,
Carinn







Tuesday 26 November 2013

Eats & Treats: Anmour Cafe Concept, Taman Mount Austin

Hello, y'all! I'm so sorry for the lack of posts. My reason being.. Exams are finally OVER! I've been busy hanging out with friends and packing to come back home and showing my friends around my hometown. All in all, it's great to unwind after exams! I have successfully passed Year 2 and I'm pretty pleased w my results :) Helllloooooo, summer break! R

ANYHOO, DO YOU LIKE MY NEW BLOG LAYOUT? :D 
I'm still working on my ad placements, header and signature, so watch out for it.

This is a late post, as I blogged about it a while ago but didn't have the chance to update. Even though I'm back in JB, I will still be introducing some cafes in KL for all my KL friends to go try! Some I really enjoued and I just wanna share my experience with you guys. Hee. So please don't be weirded out when you see my posts jump between JB and KL lol.

I had dinner w the boy a few weeks back at AnMour Cafe. This is their second branch, the first one is in Sutera Utama. They've been in operation for a few years now as a homegrown American concept restaurant and I can't believe I've only tried it three times so far! Why do I like this place? Because the food is good and it is reasonably priced! Maybe that's why they always have a long queue everytime I go.

The interior is very simple, very minimalistic. Newer and neater than the Sutera branch IMO. But if you're me, you will love the posters and hangups of various classic artists like Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Bruce Lee and the gorgeous Audrey Hepburn <3 No idea whats the meaning behind the name of the cafe or how the interior or posters fit the theme though.



The last time we went to the Sutera branch, we ordered one appetizer and two mains and it amounted to RM32+ only. But we couldn't finish the food! So this time we got smarter and ordered two mains only. 


Shot from the previous visit. Crab stuffed Vietnamese roll, Cheese baked rice and their signature Mini Burger Party. Maybe too many people, but food wasn't so good that night. The rice was a bit burnt and Vietnamese roll were a bit dry. Didn't really like the burgers too, unfortunately. 



Another thing I like about them is the good service. AAAANNNDDD they serve bread rolls with some gravy as starter to every table. Ya, for free XD Super yums can the gravy, especially when served warm and dipped with bread. 




Camwhoring before dinner (as usual)


Ocean Blue (RM6.50) Basically just green apple extract and soda water. I quite like it, it's very refreshing. Don't ask me why it's blue when it's apple. I stirred it and it reminded me of the toilet cleaner detergent LOOOOL let's not go there~ 



First mains: Creamy Alfredo Cheesy Baked Rice (I forgot the name so I made it up) for RM10.90. It's quite a big portion for that price! Even if you ordered the seafood one it's just RM1 difference but my pasta was seafood dy so yeah.. This time was a better experience cos the cheese melted JUST NICE on top of the rice and topped with generous amount of bacon and mushrooms. If you only wanna try one thing here, I suggest you try this. Thumbs up! 


Look at that mozarella~~



I ordered the Seafood Aglio Olio (RM11.90) just because I wanted to eat the mussels ._. But I kind of regretted it as it tastes a little funny.. Not the best aglio olio I've eaten. Hmm. But there's quite a lot of prawns, squids and mussels and they were fresh.



This time, we STILL couldn't finish our food -_- Thank goodness we didn't order dessert but the next time, we DEFINITELY will! I would say this place is worth a visit if you're looking for wallet-friendly yet good Western/ fusion food or just a nice place to hang out with your friends and family. I think it's real smart of them to open in Taman Mount Austin, near Sunway College cos they'll have never ending supply of students! Loool. 

Oh ya, random story. There was an uncle sitting alone next to us and he ordered a salad, appetizer of crab stuffed Vietnamese roll, burger meal and clam soup.. and HE FINISHED IT ALL BY HIMSELF. Plus a smoothie and the complimentary bun with gravy. Salute him, both of us couldn't even finish our food but he finished it all by himself. We didn't mean to stare, but he kept ordering and eating in silence without stopping that we couldn't help but notice his table ._. And I saw that he only paid RM45 for his meal when the bill came. Worth it for so much food!

Ok, nuff said. So maybe you'd like to go there for your dinner tonight? Next time intro more restaurants in JB to you guys. Ciaoz!


No. 33-A, Jalan Austin Heights 3/1
Taman Mount Austin, 
81100, Johor Bahru,
Johor.

(Main branch)
No 34, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, 
Taman Sutera Utama, 
81300, Skudai, 
Johor.

Mon-Thurs: 12pm-11pm
Fri-Sat: 12pm-12am
Sun: 12pm-11pm
(operating hours same for both branches)


Love,
Carinn





Thursday 14 November 2013

Community Project: Philips Innovation That Matters To You Contest

UPDATE: GOOD NEWS! Philips has decided to extend the contest to the public till 24th of November, so hurry up and join to win some EXCITING prizes! <3



Have you ever joined a contest that is not only beneficial to you, but to the environment as well? Well, I first heard about the Philips Innovation That Matters To You Contest from The Butterfly Project Malaysia. It is a contest for anyone to submit their ideas for healthier homes, or safer cities. To quote Tammy, bloggers should use the power of social media to reach out to others and in this case, don't you think the project is very meaningful and is worth joining?

Have you ever felt like you're not living healthily enough? Or, I'm sure everyone of us feels this, that Malaysia is getting more and more unsafe to live in? It's like....


You know, we all do mope around and complain about it, but there's nothing that we have really done or can do about certain issues. But Philips is giving us an opportunity to give back and contribute our ideas to the community now! LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD. /throws confetti

How does it work?

It is actually very simple. All you gotta do is log on to http://www.meaningfulinnovation.asia/malaysia/ and select between 'Healthier Homes' or 'Safer Cities'.




Click on 'Contribute an Idea'. Make sure you write within 500 characters! Your idea can be anything, be it an activity or an invention, just let the world know!



After you have keyed in your ideas and submitted your details, your idea will be recorded! You can choose to share your ideas to Facebook or Twitter. Here's mine:


Carparks not only look eerie with inadequate lighting, but can invite danger too. A well-lit carpark with a built in alarm system in the bulbs could reduce crime rates, I feel.

Don't worry if you're stuck though. Scroll to the bottom of the page to read more of other people's ideas and get an idea on what YOU feel needs to be improved. Some of the ideas are actually really good! Alternatively, you can share the link and ask your friends to think with/ for you. In fact, share it more and get more people to join!



Just remember though, there are a few criterias when submitting your idea. You can submit as many as you want but it has to be:
  • Realistic - it must be practical to implement.
  • Sustainable  - it should demonstrate long term viability.
  • Benefit many, not a few - the more people it benefits the better your chance of having your idea implemented.


Oh, what's there to be won, you ask? Some amazing prizes, of course! Philips is so generous.



Grand Prize for Winning Idea:
1 unit of Philips Viva Collection Airfryer (worth RM1199.00)
1 unit of Philips Viva Collection ME Computerized Electric Pressure Cooker (worth RM499.00)

5 Consolation Prizes for Shortlisted Entries:
1 unit of Philips Living Colors Bloom Black (worth RM499.00)
1 unit of Philips RaGa MP3 Player (worth RM169.00)

SAH AMAZINGGGGG

It's never too late ro share your ideas, just make sure your ideas have the well-being of the community in mind! Cheers :)




Love,
Carinn






Monday 4 November 2013

Beauty: October Bag of Love Review

Chapter 3 of Blogging School 101: Bag of Love x Butterfly Project Malaysia

As promised, this is my other beauty box review. This time, it's a BAG! 


Introducing The Bag of Lice. Full of lice, duh..... 
I kid. It's filled with something waaayyyy better! 


A little bit about the bag first. Bag of Love was developed by entrepreneur Mimi Teh in March 2013 and I am amazed to see how far they've come! As a mother of two, it's impressive that she still has time for the business. The beauty bag carries all kinds of brands from luxury to drugstore brands, from local to international. You can choose your subscription plan and each month you will receive 5-6 surprise products for you to try! This is their second collaboration with The Butterfly Project - Beauty Bloggers Malaysia after the April/May edition bag. 25 bloggers were picked randomly to review the October bag and I thank my lucky stars I was one of them! 

For your information, The Butterfly Project Malaysia is a community for beauty and lifestyle bloggers. Each month, there will be new project(s) that benefit and motivate bloggers to learn from each other and make friends through various events. This is my first time reviewing a product for Chapter 3 of the Butterfly School of Blogging. Hopefully will bloom from a "caterpillar" to a butterfly soon :p Thank you, "mamasan" Tammy for this opportunity and for coming up with this awesome community! :')

What makes Bag of Love stand out from other beauty boxes is that it comes in pretty bag with different designs every month! For RM39.90 a month, you get to sample awesome products (including full-sized ones) AND keep the bag. Usually you don't want to keep boxes lying around, right? Thoughtful Mimi sends out her products in bags which can be reused and to quote her, "A girl can never have too many bags." Amen to that!

I know Halloween is way over, but I just got the bag today due to some complications, and put aside my studies to share it with you! First off, the bag.


It's cute and of good quality! Usually it's a makeup bag with different designs but this month it's a drawstring bag. Personally love how they played with the name hehe. I'm gonna bring it to uni to store my powerbank or as a non-conventional pencil case (Y)

SAY BOO! There's a cute note attached for everybody with instructions on how to use the products. As you can guess, the October bag is meant for Halloween. Mimi is so attentive to think of including products that will give you the perfect silhoutte, skin, hair, eyes and nails for Halloween! 

Now for the exciting 'unzipping' part. What's in the bag?



Items 1&2: System Professional Shampoo & Hair Mask


Received: 30ml for both
Retail: Shampoo (RM72/ 250ml) and Mask (RM109/ 200ml)

SP products from Wella Professionals which I crazy love. They are mostly used in salons. This time, we got the repair shampoo which will repair damaged hair. Also, the mask is for contouring or styling and smoothening the hair. So need this :D It smells good btw.

Item 3: Collistar Biorevitalizing Anti-Cellulite Concentrate


Received: 30ml
Retail: RM185/ 200ml

Kinda laughed when I saw this. I'm so skinny, idk when I'll get to use this. XD It's said to have 'mesotherapy' effect. I googled it and its supposed to mean multiple homeopathic and pharmaceutical medicine combined to target fat cells. Cool! Who wants this? 
There's already slimming cream, wonder when someone will come up with something for increasing height..... I kid.

Item 4: Nanowhite Infinity Color Correction (CC) Cream (in Light Beige)


Received: Full-sized!
Retail: RM49.90/ 30ml

Most excited to receive this as I've heard so much about CC Creams but have yet to try it! Fyi, the difference between BB Cream and CC Cream is that CC creams have lighter coverage as they are used to treat redness or sallowness (yellowish skin), thus the meaning behind colour correcting. Light Beige seems to be the perfect shade for me as I am quite fair. Bonusss. It has SPF 50/PA+++, perfect for outdoors!


It appears white and milky when squeezed out of the tube. Then I got so amazed... Come, I show you magic.


It changes colour when blended! :O Turns from white to yellowish to nude. Apparently there are Color Control Capsules in it that auto-adjusts the cream to suit your skin colour. Also contains Vegetamin ACE for long-lasting radiance.


As you can see, it definitely makes my skin brighter. It is quite greasy at first but it will go away. Oh, and it is so light but has quite good coverage as it can also cover up my greenish veins. It is very blendable, so a small amount is sufficient for your face. It does settle into the fine lines and look a bit orangey when dried though. I guess I'll be using the CC cream more often now (but I still love my BB cream), but I think I will appear fairer than I already am..

Item 5: Splassh Mini Glow in the Dark Nail Polish (in shade pink)


Received: Full-sized! (of course)
Retails: RM3.90/ 7.5ml

Used to love nail polish and nail art a lot in college, but I've no time to practice nowadays :( Quite interesting to try out this product and I wondered if it glows. 


 I'm pretty sure you're supposed to apply a base colour for the pink colour to stand out. Also, I forgot to apply a base coat but even without it, the product is easy to apply and is fast-drying. After 3 coats, it will glow. So I put it to the test.. And it did glow! Faintly. Maybe must apply more. Too bad my camera isn't good enough to capture the effect.

Item 6: Definite Eye Blender Brush


Received: Full-sized
Retail: RM69

WHAT? Another full-sized product?! So kind of them to include 3 this time! There were either a smudger brush or a blender brush and I'm pretty satisfied to get this. It's a sign to practice my eye makeup more! :p
The soft bristles of the brush is perfect for blending eye powder or cream. Ahhh this product and the CC Cream, being the two most expensive, is already enough to offset the cost of the bag, right?


Another surprise is that they included a RM100 discount voucher for Lovely Chocolate Spa Treatment at Jojoba Spa! (oops a bit crumpled) Would go if I have the chance to.. Imagine, chocolate + spa... ♥.

Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with this month's bag. I would also like to apologise for being quite troublesome as I had them deliver the bag to me in my hostel instead of in my hometown. But the people behind the FB page are so nice and friendly, so thank you very much! Other bloggers received their bags within a day so I'm sure the delivery is efficient too. Oh yeah, you can take part in their monthly mini contests on their Facebook to win full-sized products each month so remember to watch out for that! Also, for each subscription, they donate RM1 to the Bag of Love fund. Do check out their cute website for more details! 

Oh, and remember to subscribe for the November & Special Edition bags! *winks*


This is a collaboration between The Butterfly Project Malaysia and The Bag of Love
 For more information, check out the links below:

Bag of Love

Butterfly Project Beauty Bloggers


Now back to my books. Wish me luck!

Disclaimer: Even though the bag was sponsored, the review is based on my personal thoughts, experiences and preference after trying out the products and services.

Love, 
Carinn





Saturday 2 November 2013

Beauty: ModBox October Box Review

Hello! It's been awhile since I've updated my blog cos I've been busy with exams :/

Today I'm going to review my first beauty box - Modbox! There's another beauty box/bag review coming, watch out for that ;) This box is mainly to pamper myself a little during the stressful exam period. And also my reward. I didn't shop for a month okay.. *ahem*

I first heard about beauty boxes in the US (Michelle Phan's IPSY) and I didn't know Malaysia had beauty boxes till this year. Have always wanted to get one for myself but didn't get the chance to. So yeah, I'm pretty excited about this! :) A beauty box lets you sample products you want before you buy them. Don't you hate it when you buy something expensive and it doesn't suit you? Modbox partners with various brands to help you save money and make your lives easier. From the Modbox website:

"We are a beauty box discovery service - dedicating our lives to hunt down great beauty products for you to try before you buy". 

Thanks to the Modbox Crew for being so efficient! It states delivery takes 3-7 days and since I ordered on Thursday, I expected it to arrive on Monday but surprisingly they deliver on Saturdays too?? The box is priced at RM9 (+RM6 for postage to Peninsular Malaysia/ RM9 for East Malaysia) and it is the CHEAPEST beauty box around. Trust me, I've done my homework. A unique part of Modbox that sets it apart from other beauty boxes in Malaysia is that it lets you select what products you wish to sample instead of surprising you. Sometimes surprises can be disappointing if you don't like what you get. Also, no monthly subscriptions is needed so if you don't like what they offer that month, you can always wait for the next month's box.



The box was smaller than I expected XD Everything came in perfect condition! 
Let's see what I chose.




I read this as "For the lonely Carinn". Hahaha. Thank you for calling me loVely.. and awesome. :p
Attached are cards stating the product's price, instructions and benefits. The cards have made my review sooo much easier.

Sample 1: Dermedex Challenge Pack (consists of the Biotox Cleanser and Refining Cream 2)

(didn't lomo-fy the samples and swatches cos I wanted it to look clear and real)

Received: 10g for the cleanser and 5g for the refining cream
Retails: Biotox Cleanser (RM120/ 50ml)
Refining Cream 2 (RM165/ 30ml)

To be honest, this product is the main reason why I bought the October box. XD Exams have been draining my skin and it's pimples-galore on my face, ity. The challenge pack saved my life back then in Form 4/5 when I had really bad breakouts on my forehead. I loved using this so much but sadly, they discontinued the product due to some reason. :(
I guess that's the reason why they renamed it to Refining Cream 2 cos it's back and better than ever! 

(please ignore my skinny veiny hand)


Some people might not like the cleanser because it does not produce any foam. But I'm fine with it as the smell is bearable and a small amount is sufficient for the whole face. It is said to unclog pores for brighter complexion and leaves skin softer!


The Refining Cream 2 used to be orange in colour!!! Now it's yellowish. It smells minty and leaves a cooling sensation on the skin. The cream also helps to clear acne and resist blackhead. Let's hope it's as efficient as before!

Sample 2: Human Nature Strengthening Shampoo with Cream Foam (in Soothing Aloe)


Received: RM11.90/ 50ml
Retails: RM22.90/ 200ml and RM44.90/ 500ml

I badly need this as my hair keeps falling especially during stressful periods T_T This shampoo is an all-natural, SLS-free shampoo to strengthen and reduce hair fall. It contains Philippine coco nectar and hydrolysed protein to help retain moisture as well. Sounds too good to be true, can't wait to try it! 

 Sample 3: Ronasutra 2-in-1 Mineral Foundation & Powder (in shade 00 Ivory)


Received: 1g tub
Retails: RM48/ 8g

So obviously I lack sleep during exams and I need something to cover up my dark eye rings and eyebags. Also, I've never tried makep base nor setting powder before and this product does both?? What's so special about this is that it is made from 100% mineral powder which is good for the skin. The powder is so, so fine that I'm afraid to breathe near it. 


A little goes a long way. See how fair my hand looks after application? (idk why the other half looks like I have jaundice -.-)
It feels so light and like a second skin as it gives off a natural and dewy look after application. Layer on for extra coverage. Mm one thing though, there was no brush or sponge attached so idk how to apply it now. XD There was an option to add-on a brush for RM38 but I didn't choose so for my box this time. 



So far, I like what I got but I hope the results are as good as they say on paper! Did I mention that behind every card there is a surprise and it's usually discounts and offers for full-sized products you can get from the Modshop?

I am satisfied with my choices this time. Hopefully there are better options next time so I can customise my own box again! Sometimes the scent or shade that you want depends on availability so be quick. I feel the box is super worth it for RM15 and you can receive Modpoints to use as credits the next time! The mineral base alone is enough to offset the cost of the whole box already. Do check out Modbox's website and they have a Modshop for you to get full sized products if you like it after sampling it. Same delivery charges apply and free delivery is given for orders above RM100. 

Can't wait for next month's box!

Disclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored post and the review is based solely on my experience and personal thoughts after using the products.

Love,