Year: 2018

Althea Pore Purifying Serum Cleanser & Althea X Titi Kamal Stay Fresh Body Sparkling Mist

Posted on By sweet surrender No Comments on Althea Pore Purifying Serum Cleanser & Althea X Titi Kamal Stay Fresh Body Sparkling Mist

I received the new cleanser from Althea for review few weeks back. They are really expanding their product range now. You’ll see more next year. WOW!

Anyway, let’s talk about Althea Pore Purifying Serum Cleanser. It’s a makeup remover that is suitable for sensitive skin which is mild enough to be used daily. The texture is serum-like which can remove makeup, dirt, and oil without making your skin feeling taut or felt like left with a layer of ‘something’ after cleansing. It also helps in balance the pH levels of the skin for a healthier skin.

See the colours on my arm? They made up of very stubborn mascara, smudge-proof eyeliners, eyeshadows, and blusher. I took the challenge of using this cleanser to remove all these products from my arm in one wipe without holding the cotton on them for a period of time to dissolve them. Check out my video below that I posted in my Instagram.

The key ingredients are mint leaf extract which is able to cool down the skin and soothes irritations; jojoba seed oil can deeply moisturize any dryness without feeling heavy; tea tree leaf extract has antibacterial properties that purify the skin.


Impressive! Even the most-stubborn mascara(the biggest black mark that was still there after first wipe in the photo on the left) that I could only remove with specific makeup remover can be removed without much hassle. Even though not one wipe, three wipes did clean it well. Other brands will not be able to clean it at all no matter how much product I used.

The way to use it is just like any makeup remover, you can use cotton pad or just use it by massage onto your face with your finger to melt everything away. After that, you can just clean it with water or do a second cleansing. I notice that there is no need for second cleansing though.

It’s a very good makeup remover, I highly recommend it. The only down side that I experienced was having difficulty in getting the product out. You might want to replace the top with a pump dispenser(suggested by a fellow Angel) for easier dispensing without making the whole bottle covered with the cleanser from your hand. It can be slippery if you are not careful.

The price is RM33.00 for 150ml. You can get it from Althea website or mobile app.

Full ingredients:

Water, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Cyclomethicone, Isononyl Isononanoate, Dipropylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Mentha Arvensis Leaf Extract, Glycerin, Citric Acid, Hydroxyacetophenone, Disodium Edta, Ethylhexylglycerin, Sodium Citrate, Butylene Glycol, Fragrance.

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Next, Althea has body mist now! It’s called Althea X Titi Kamal Stay Fresh Body Sparkling Mist which is a collaboration with a very pretty celebrity from Indonesia, Titi Kamal. It comes in 100ml, quite big in size fpr me. Even though there’s mention that it is small enough to be carried around, it really depends on the bag you’re using. I don’t carry big bag, it definitely cannot fit into my bag hehehe…

The smell is very light with sweet orange and peach, followed by rosy floral notes. I like the scent, not bad, was quite worry that it will be overly sweet. Not overpowering at all. Very lightweight to use. However, do not expect it to last because it is not perfume. The scent on me lasted for less than 1 hour. You can keep the smell longer by spraying it on your clothes which I did by accident *lol*. Bear in mind though, there’s alcohol in the ingredient hmmm… It’s not advisable to spray on your expensive clothes such as clothes made from silk.

The key ingredients consist of Damask rose water that can keep the skin hydrated and give a gentle fragrance; sweet orange oil to refresh the senses; and elder flower extract to cools and soothes the skin.

It’s now available in Althea website or mobile app at the price of RM35.00 per 100ml. Only available in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Philippines.

Full ingredients:

Alcohol, Water, Glycerin, Fragrance, Pentylene Glycol, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Butylene Glycol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sambucus Nigra Flower Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Flower Extract, Magnolia Liliflora Flower Extract, Plumeria Rubra Flower Extract, Lilium Tigrinum Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin

There you go… Few more days to 2019… Then not long later Lunar New Year is around the corner! How time flies.

Althea Angels, Girl Stuffs, Review It!

Merry Christmas 2018

Posted on By sweet surrender 2 Comments on Merry Christmas 2018

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!! Few more days to 2019… What and how will the next year be?

Here’s the video of the Kuching Christmas Parade 2018 that happened on 8th December 2018.

Till then, enjoy your holiday seasons.

Bulletin Board, Me, myself and I, Public Events, Uniquely Kuching

Rohto Deoball Deoderant 24H

Posted on By sweet surrender No Comments on Rohto Deoball Deoderant 24H

You know… It can be really embarrassing at times when you have body odour especially from your armpit. Living in such humid country, it is easy to develop unpleasant smell because you sweat so much with air pollutant around as well. Even when you are nervous or angry, you will sweat a lot even in cold environment. You might notice the smell can be unpleasant when your adrenaline runs high compare to just normal sweating.

Anyway, I discovered Rohto Deoball Deoderant 24H from… I don’t remember where even though I’ve known about its existence for a long time! Hahaha… Can’t get it in Malaysia. When I saw it in Taiwan, I didn’t think twice and bought one to try.

I’ve tried various deodorant before and they’re all a disappointment. Either the smell is too strong or leaving stubborn stain on your clothes or it just didn’t work or it smell worst when it mixes with your sweat or it’s messy to use especially in liquid form.

I purchased the one in Bloom Rose scent. It was a gamble as I didn’t know how it smell like. Luckily, I do like it. Very mild and gentle rose scent, not overpowering. The scent will only activate when you sweat. Based on my personal experience, I still sweat in my armpit, still wet but there’s no unpleasant smell at all! I’ve been using it for over 8 months, almost everyday. It did not fail me and I go about more confidently in the Malaysian weather.

I restock when I went to Taiwan mid of this year. Saw it in Japan and was tempted to buy another one but I did not. I think the new one I got should last me until 2020. I figured I might be going to Taiwan or Japan again by then so I will stock it up by then.

It’s cheaper in Japan’s drugstores than Taiwan’s. I can’t remember the actual price though, below RM40 after conversion if not mistaken. It’s indeed more expensive than the usual deodorant in the market but with how well it keeps odour at bay, it’s totally worth it!

One down side will be having your dark colour clothes rubbing on your armpit when you wear them after application. However, it is not stubborn, you just need to rub it off with your hand or dust it away or use a damp towel to wipe it off. Another downside is that it doesn’t keep you dry but I don’t mind, it’s the body odour that is worst.

Overall, I highly recommend it. I don’t think I will look at other deodorant anymore. Hopefully it will be available in Malaysia soon(after so many years, I’ve never came across it in Malaysia… Go figure…).

Girl Stuffs, Review It!

A Quick Visit to Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City UNESCO World Heritage Site

Posted on By sweet surrender No Comments on A Quick Visit to Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City UNESCO World Heritage Site

Before we head to the next destination, we did a quick stop at Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City UNESCO World Heritage Site which is a riverside location in the city centre of Liverpool, England. We all know Liverpool when mention football, this time I had the opportunity to visit Liverpool not for the football though.

Source of Wikipedia:

It is part of the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was inscribed in 2004. As well as a collection of landmark buildings, recreational open space, and a number of memorials, the Pier Head was (and for some traffic still is) the landing site for passenger ships traveling to and from the city.

It’s definitely a must-visit for tourists, so many of them! Even coming in bus load of them.

Left: Royal Liver Building, the most recognizable landmark in Liverpool. It was the tallest in the United Kingdom from 1911 to 1961. Truth to be told, I didn’t even know all these landmarks until I’m doing this blog post hahaha!! You can imagine how carefree I was, didn’t even care where we visit and what’s around. No prior research was done too. Was just tagging along.

Right: When you’re there, you will see the The Wheel of Liverpool with the height of 60m. It is also known as the Echo Wheel of Liverpool due to its close proximity to the Echo Arena Liverpool.


The Royal Albert Dock Liverpool is a complex of dock buildings and warehouses. This is the first structure in Britain to be built from cast iron, brick and stone, with no structural wood.


In other words, it was the first non-combustible warehouse system in the world. WOW! Ok… WOW! Now I know… I didn’t know at all when I was there. Hahaha… Look what we found?!?! The portrait of The Beatles made with jellybeans!


This is parts of the surroundings. No idea what are those buildings LOL!!


Left: Love The Beatles, then you should visit The Beatles Story where you can learn all about the Beatles and their history.

Right: The Beatles Statue is surely one of the most photographed statue in Liverpool hahaha… So many people! I didn’t take a photo with them, just too many people waiting for their turn.


Look! A huge cat! You will surely spot this sculpture there. It’s known as the Ship’s Cat. It is entirely made out of milk bottles by Faith Bebbington. Actually there’s also Super Rat sculpture nearby too but I didn’t take the photo because of the angle and people around blocking it too.


Lastly, Museum of Liverpool can be seen on the left of this photo. Didn’t visit though, just quick stop for toilet break at one of the nearest buildings and take photos of The Beatles statue.

In fact there’s a lot more to see in this area but we do not have the luxury of time for that. Would recommend you to stay nearby if you do not drive. Many accommodations around the area too.

Still a long way to go to complete my July trip… Guess it will stretch till 2019 hahaha… Osaka trip in August still in queue…

Driving All the Way - England, Going Places

My Top 10 K-Beauty Products Below RM90.00

Posted on By sweet surrender

2018 is ending… I’m very glad and happy to be accepted to be one of the Althea Angels in Malaysia mid of this year. To close the year, I would love to share the K-Beauty products that I’ve been using in my skincare and beauty routine. Don’t worry, my post on my reflections of 2018 will come for sure.

The top 10 products that I’ve been using and had blogged about are all listed down here. They are all below RM90! I highly recommend them. Even friends are happy using them. I’ve been stocking up from Althea since 2017 mainly because of free shipping and the amazing prices offered in the site. What’s more?!?! They are shipped directly from Korea.

Let’s see what I’m using…

1. Facial Cleanser:
Elizavecca Milky Piggy 24K Gold Snail Cleansing Foam (RM25.00)

Very affordable with 180ml of product. It consists of snail filtrate (1000ppm) which can sooth and protect your skin from environment harm and gold (10ppm) which is able to provide moisture and brighten your skin. A little goes a long way. The foam is very luxurious and wash off easily. No dry and tight feeling after wash. Face felt so clean and soft to touch.
Read the original post here http://www.irenelaw.com/?p=17170

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2. Bubble Mask:
Althea Milk Peel Cream Mask (RM36.00)

Very gentle bubble mask, dense bubble with baby powder smell, not overpowering. Easily wash off revealing soft clean skin without feeling dry and tight. Great packaging with pump to ensure freshness of the product.
Read the original post here http://www.irenelaw.com/?p=18038
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3. Skin Detoxer:
Real Fresh Skin Detoxer Rose & Green Tea (RM86.00 per set; RM43.00 per tube)

Rose for morning, Green Tea for evening. Daily 10-second mask with real rose petals and green tea leaves to get your skin ready for your daily morning and evening skincare routine. It enhances skincare products absorption. Rose Skin Detoxer is made with French rose petals and extract to refine the skin; while Green Tea contains Jeju green tea leaves and extracts to purify.
Read the original post here http://www.irenelaw.com/?p=17648
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4. Toner:
Real Skin Healthy Vinegar Skin Toner (RM43.00)

The one I’m using is Red Viengar but there is also other variant. 300ml of vinegar skin toner to prep the skin for the next step of skincare routine. No sourish smell even though it’s vinegar. There’s mild citrus scent. The PH of the toner is 5.5 which is recommended for healthy skin. I would pour a few drops on my palm and pat it on my face until it absorb(it won’t take long, very fast absorbing) before applying serum or moisturizer. My face is instantly refreshed and hydrated. No stickiness on the skin too. No breakout or redness after using it.
Read the original post here http://www.irenelaw.com/?p=17246
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5. Facial Serum:
Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum (RM89.00)

I’m using it as my daily serum+moisturizer for both day and night. Even though it is serum, it is rich enough for me. Contains organic Jeju green tea and green tea seeds that hydrate your skin from deep within as it is rich in amino acids and minerals. They are using Dual Moisture-Rising Technology™ in which fresh green tea can deeply hydrates your skin while green tea seed oil creates a strong moisture barrier to keep your skin moisturized for longer.
Read the original post here http://www.irenelaw.com/?p=17789
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6. Multi-purpose Cream:
Guerisson 9-Complex Cream (RM46.00)

The scent is very pleasant and the texture is just like butter. Use it sparingly, just a little will work wonder. If you have normal, oily or combination skin, use very little, don’t be too greedy. When it is applied on the skin, it has emollient effect. If you are staying in places where the air is dry, this is God-sent! I tried it myself when traveling to those dry places or sleeping in air-conditioned room, no itchiness and flaky skin developed on the face and other body parts. It can be used anywhere you feel it’s dry. My friend even applied it on her lips when she was in Japan, she suffered very bad cracked lips and it helped a lot. I have few pigmentation spots on my cheek area and it is lighter now. My pores are smaller too. I did not develop any sensitiveness to the cream.
Read the original post here http://www.irenelaw.com/?p=17391
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7. Sunscreen:
Petal Velvet Sunaway with SPF 50+ PA++++ (RM43.00)

This bottle is 55ml, that’s rather huge. Love the simple and minimalist design of the bottle. Sebum control was quite a surprise! I tried blotting my face with one layer of facial tissue after 6 hours, it didn’t soak up the tissue, just a little. Contains Damask rose extract can deeply hydrate and sooth irritations, leaving the skin feeling healthy; hyaluronic acid attracts moisture to the skin, preventing dehydration; and Geranium oil to provide the skin with a radiant boost and help in acne healing.
Read the original post here http://www.irenelaw.com/?p=17972
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8. Eyebrow Pencil:
Etude Drawing Eye Brow (RM11.00)

Been using this for over 4 years. Easy to use. The head is slanted, it’s great for the brow. No sharpener needed, just twist it to reveal more product. Sweat and smudge proof.
Read the original post here http://www.irenelaw.com/?p=16076
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9. Blusher:
Etude House Lovely Cookie Blusher (RM26.00)

The packaging is so cute. Very pigmented and smooth blusher, you don’t need a lot. No shimmer in this. Easily build up. It has sebum control powder and coating pigment. This means it can absorb oil and sweat as well as preventing oxidation. The colour on the cheek can be quite lasting, I did not do any retouch. When I remove my makeup at the end of the day, can still see it on the cotton pad.
Read the original post here http://www.irenelaw.com/?p=17605
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10. Sebum Control and Make-up Setting Powder:
Althea Petal Velvet Powder (RM16.00 for #0 Translucent or #23 Warm Beige; RM17.00 for Pink Lavender)

The powder is lightweight and smell really good. Puff is included. You can also apply it with brush. It can be used as makeup setting powder because it has sebum control properties and translucent enough.
#0 Translucent – No coverage, transparent.
#23 Warm Beige – Minimal coverage, can even out skin tone. Not suitable for very fair skin but it’s ok for me.
#Pink Lavender – Not much coverage but gave the skin an illusion of healthy pinkish glow.
Read the original post here http://www.irenelaw.com/?p=17972
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There you go! In fact, 9 out of 10 items are below RM50!! Get them from Althea if you want. They are tried and tested by me and I blogged about every single one of them before too.

Althea Angels, Girl Stuffs, Review It!