Two Thousand Things : October 2013

[Beauty Clinic] Review: IPL Treatment at TOUCH

So if you read my blog closely you would know that I have had experience with IPL treatment which is my current favorite way to remove unwanted hairs. For you who doesn't know it yet, IPL stands for Intense Pulsed Light, a modern technology in the beauty world usually used for hair removal or skin rejuvenation treatment.

For hair removal treatment, this IPL technology is said to be able to remove your unwanted hair permanently. But since I haven't fully experienced it so I can not personally vouched for that. But I do know that IPL is kind of a miracle in hair removal treatment because I can see that it really does work towards permanent removal of those unwanted hairs.

It works by penetrating intense pulsed light deeply into the hair follicle that makes it grow slower and much thinner, and would gradually stop permanently. So it usually took several times of treatments to get the permanent result.

I personally have done an IPL treatment for 3 - 4 times now and I can already see a very huuuge different on my underarms where I did the treatment for the last several months. I have tried different places to do this IPL treatment and one of them is at Touch Beauty Clinic in FX Lifestyle X'nter Sudirman, Jakarta.

I did my previous IPL treatment at Touch Beauty a couple of weeks ago. It was my first time at Touch Beauty and all I can say is I really recommend this beauty clinic especially for IPL treatment because I was very satisfied with the overall service, the professional staff, and the comfortness of the place. Touch Beauty is located at the 4th floor of the FX mall and it was situated in a cozy corner with an apothecary style windows, you wouldn't missed it's pretty decor from the outside ;)

The inside is even lovelier and very cozy with a waiting corner (perfect for your guy to wait for your treatment) complete with a sofa and TV. There are only two treatment rooms in this clinic, one for hair removal and the other one is for doctor consultation and skin treatment / face rejuvenation. So you have to call and make appointment first before you came to make sure that you don't have to wait long.

I made the reservation by phone and when I went there I was greeted very warmly and then ushered to the treatment room immediately. There were nobody there but me because it was my appointment hour.

I chose the underarm hair removal treatment with the IPL technology. As this is my 4th time getting the IPL treatment so I kindly told the staff that they don't have to explain to me about IPL all over again. I was handled by a very friendly but professional staff called Desti that day. She gave me great service and did a very thorough job with the IPL treatment.

The hair removal treatment room itself is bedecked in a simple but super comfy way, with just a bed, a fridge, a large standing mirror, a long cabinet and the IPL machine. The light was not too bright nor too dark. I felt very relaxed in that room ;)

When doing an IPL treatment, firstly you have to change into something more comfortable of course. They provide a salon cloth for you but I always wear tanktop when I went for an IPL so I don't have to change my clothes and save time.

After you changed clothes, if you haven't shaved the area you want to treat then the staff would shave and clean it first, and then they would wipe a damp cloth before putting on a very thick layer of gel on the area that you want to treat. This gel's function is to absorb the heat caused by the IPL machine so that your skin won't get shocked and irritated. They would also put a specialized glasses for you to avoid exposure from the IPL light.

With a thick gel layered on my underarm I almost couldn't feel the hot IPL machine. I only felt a little warm, and probably because this is already my 4th time so I don't really feel the tingly electrifying feeling anymore. But if it's your first time then be prepared to feel a little bit of sting. You can always tell the staff if it's too hot or too stingy for you because then they would lower the level.

The whole process only took about 15 minutes for underarm treatment so it's a very time-saving treatment compared to waxing treatment. Unlike waxing which caused irritation and sensitivity afterwards, with IPL there's no irritation or redness after treatment. So I really prefer IPL to waxing.

Compared to waxing, IPL also gave much greater result with just 15 minutes of treatment. Usually with waxing my hair would grow back in about 3 - 4 weeks, but with IPL treatment my hair seems to not grow back ;) These results are of course different to every person depending on their hormones.

The staff said that my treatment is quite fast because there are already only about 5% of hair left on my underarm now and that was just from 3 times of treatments. Some women needed minimal 4 - 5 treatments before their hairs started to grow really slow. So basically everybody is different, but nonetheless you would see a huge difference on your hair growth from the first treatment, and the result would keep on gradually keeps getting better, and you would gradually see less hair after every treatment until they're totally gone away.

One underarm treatment costs IDR 200,000 and there are packages available with cheaper prices. Above are the total price list for Hair Removal treatment at Touch Beauty Clinic (you can click the pic for clearer image).

Aside from hair removal treatment, Touch Beauty also offer skin consultation with their in-house doctor and their signature skin treatment solutions such as the popular face rejuvenation treatment. Remember, the doctor consultation is counted as Free!

Overall, I really love my experience at Touch beauty clinic. Trust me, I've had bad experience with a beauty clinic before that makes me never want to go there again, but after my wonderful time at Touch I truly recommend this place if you want to try the IPL treatment or another skincare treatment available.

The strategic location at the middle of the city center, and the professional staff and service, as well as the great result it gave me, all are the reason why I highly recommend this place. I would also definitely go there again for my next IPL treatment which is scheduled for next month :)

Thank You so much Touch!

Touch Beauty

FX Lifestyle X'nter Lt 4
Jl. Jendral Sudirman Pintu Satu Senayan
Jakarta Pusat
Ph: 021 25554522 / 081906020295

Hugs & Kisses,

2 thoughts & comments

, by Yuri

Face Serum

V10 Plus Collagen Serum

5 thoughts & comments

, by Yuri

Fragrance

[ Perfume ] : BALMAIN Ivoire edp

If you read my previous post about the Ivoire Balmain media release event that I attended a while ago, you probably remember that I promised a full review of the perfume. Well now here is the full review about the Ivoire Balmain.

To remind you, Ivoire Balmain is the newly re-launched and re-introduced perfume from the house of Balmain. This perfume was the last perfume created by Pierre Balmain himself before he passed away, and it is being re-introduced with updated scents that still keep its originality but with a little touch of modernity.

Scent & Packaging:

This is an Eau de Parfum, and the scent is slightly updated compared to its predecessor. The new version of Ivoire has an overall classic and feminine scent with fruity floral notes and powdery base.

Top Notes:

Mandarin Essence, Orange Essence, Violet Leaves

Heart Notes:

Galbanum, Ylang-Ylang Essence, Jasmine, Rose Pepper, Vanilla

Base Notes:

Patchouli Essence, Vetiver Essence, Cedarwood

The bottle itself is a classic glass bottle with transparent body, just like the original bottle. This type of bottle is very typical of the classic style perfumes. I already love the classic appearance of the bottle that looks elegant and sophisticated, it looks pretty sitting on top of my vanity right now.

First Impression:

My first impression when I first sniffed the sample at the event was: "powdery". Which then quickly turns into a very elegant fruity floral scent with hints of citrusy notes.

Then I tried spraying it again at home, and it is definitely a very classic-feminine type of scent. It's not an "old-lady" kind of scent, but more like "sophisticated Parisian lady" type of scent, if you know what I mean ;p

A mature type of fragrance with powdery notes that would gradually turns into a softer and delicate white floral scent. This might not be suitable for teenagers or younger generation, but if you're 20 + and up you can definitely try this one especially for a special night out with your loved one, or for special occasions.

It has moderate sillage and you can put several layers or several sprays of this perfume to achieve a stronger scent if you like. But if you prefer a lighter and more subtle scent then you can just wear this perfume 2-3 sprays only, just to get that elegant floral-fruity scent that does not overpower.

Overall, it's a classic-feminine scent with powdery top notes and delicate white floral tones imbued with sweet fruitiness. It might come off a little bit on the strong side at first spray but then it'll gradually subsides into more delicate scent that will linger on your skin. After a few hours it will dry down into a sweet fruity scent that feels elegant yet luxurious. You can wear this as you like, whether you like it subdued or more well-defined.

My Take:

After trying it for a few days, this perfume seems to really goes well with my body chemistry. Believe me, there are perfumes that does not work with my body chemistry but works well with others. But this one seems to really works well with my body chemistry and many people think that I smell nice whenever I wear this perfume ;)

I usually wear 2 - 3 sprays of this perfume so that I can bring the soft trail of classic floral scent with me everywhere I go. The durability of the scent is quite everlasting too. On me the scent stays for hours and hours. I wore it in the afternoon and the scent still lingers on me when I'm about to get to sleep at midnight and I can even smell the trail of scent the next morning!

So I gave this perfume a thumbs-up for that. Remember, that perfume works differently on different people so this is only based on my experience.

What did the guys say?

So this perfume ranks pretty high on the boys department. Amongst all the perfumes on my vanity, my husband picked this one as his favorite because the scent reminds him of a feminine / elegant lady, just what a lady should smells like ;)

So this is a date-approved perfume especially if you're in your late twenties or beyond, or simply for mature women, a modern woman who already knows what she likes and wants, and is independent, and appreciate the beauty of heritage.

This Ivoire Balmain Eau de Parfum is available in big department stores with retail prices of:
IDR 920,000 for 50ml
IDR 1,340,000 for 100ml

So how about you? Do you like a feminine scent or a classic floral scent? Or have you tried or sniff this Balmain Ivoire before? What do you think of it?

Hugs & Kisses,

2 thoughts & comments

, by Yuri

Events

Event: BALMAIN Ivoire Media Release

Last week I was invited to the media release of the new Balmain Ivoire Eau de Parfum. The event was held at Orient 8 Hotel Mulia, and the place was set into such a pretty place with a classic romantic feel, just like the characteristics of the perfume itself.

First of all, if you haven't already know, Balmain is a big fashion house founded in 1945 by Pierre Balmain. One of their current iconic designs are the military-style jacket with full-on detailing and expert cutting that are very popular in the fashion world.

Aside from fashion, the house of Balmain also added perfumes to their lines. So far, there were four perfumes created by the house of Balmain, and this Ivoire Eau de Parfum is one of them. According to the Balmain website this perfume is a quintessential of a dream, and a tribute to the beauty of women.

This newly relaunched perfume from the house of Balmain was one of the best-seller of the four Balmain perfume collection, being one of the most sought-after perfume back in the 80s. And it was also the last perfume that Pierre Balmain created before he passed away. So the new designer-in-charge for the house of Balmain, Olivier Rousteing decided to relaunch this perfume specifically to honor Balmain himself.

This re-launched Ivoire perfume is a little bit different than it's predecessor in terms of scents, because Rousteing wanted this new version to be more acceptable for the modern culture and today's woman.

Taken from the press-release:

"This is Ivoire by Balmain, a re-writing of the last signature perfume created by Balmain in 1979.This 2012 version of Ivoire incarnates the perfect translation of today's Balmain woman with a combination of heritage, richness, a touch of nostalgia and remarkable modernity".

The Ivoire perfume was created by Pierre Balmain himself and the inspiration came when one evening in 1979 he saw a beautiful lady in the Paris opera wearing a pale silk gown, with a pearl necklace on her neck, and a brimmed white hat on her hair. This woman's silhouette infatuated Balmain and he created a perfume based on his imagination of this perfect Parisian woman. A silhouette of a free and elegant woman who has a taste for adventure and a hint of casualness.

That's the infatuating history behind this perfume. The general history of the house of Balmain itself is based on true luxury and French elegance, so said Rousteing. Moreover, this perfume is created with the elegant Parisian woman in mind, who has a sense of heritage, a touch of nostalgia, and a modern mind.

The original Ivoire perfume is a scent with strong personality which was admired by lots of women back then, the newer version of Ivoire is simply updated without coming too far-off from the original scent. It is to remain familiar but with a bit of modern twist to it.

The new Ivoire perfume has an iris-green floral chypre type of scent. A classic yet feminine scent with fruity top notes of orange and mandarin essence powdered with violet leaves; a middle notes of floral accords from jasmine, rose pepper, ylang-ylang and galbanum; and a base note of vetiver, cedarwood, and patchouli.

It is classified as a timeless scent that can be worn by both older and younger mature women. And it is also considered as a sublime fragment of Paris heritage.

NOTE:

This post is an event-report post so I'm not gonna write much details about the scent of this perfume here because I'm gonna make a full review about the perfume shortly on my next post. I have tried this perfume by wearing it for several days to see how it reacts with my body chemistry, and how long the scent lingered on my body, etc. So if you're curious about the scent please stay tune to this blog for my full review ^___^

Meanwhile, here's some other photos from the event:

(this photo is courtesy of PT.Multi Wangi Alami)

Ms. Marine Obin-Ratto, the representative from France (PT.Multi Wangi Alami doc)

Me with Marine after discussing the perfume

See you on my next post!

Hugs & Kisses,

2 thoughts & comments

, by Yuri

Beauty Box

Lola Box - October Edition

Just a couple of days ago I received my October Lolabox! It was a bit late, and everyone seems to receive theirs while I was still waiting for my box. So I was excited when my Lolabox finally came knocking on the door ;)

And to my surprise, I received a note from Lola inside the box, mentioning they're sorry for the late shipment of my box and therefore they also include a little something extra as a bonus for my box. Talk about special service! Oh wow. Thank you so much Lola!

So let's get to the box now...

Every month Lolabox always have different box designs, and this time the box was in a muted-green color which is a very nice pastel color. The orange Lola logo adorn the center of the box lid.

As I told you above, when I first opened the box I found a personal note from Lola, saying sorry about the late shipment of my box. I also mentioned above that they include something extra as a special bonus for me for having to wait longer for my box than everybody else. The extra item they included in the box is the Skin Food Omija White sample set which luckily I haven't tried before. So thank you so much dear Lolabox! I really appreciate it :)

I always like the element of surprise from these beauty box subscriptions, sometimes I love everything in the box, but other times I only love just a couple of the items. But I always keep an open mind so that I can always try something new ;)

Now let's see what I got this time, shall we?

This month's theme is "Makeup & Beyond", and as you probably know we're supposed to receive items according to our beauty profiles that we created on Lolabox website, and here's what's inside my Lolabox this month:

In random order:

Rudy Hadisuwarno Hair Intense Repair Serum box set
Elianto Ultra Define Eyebrow Pencil
Laneige Water Sleeping Pack (sachet)
Laneige Water Bank Gel Cream (sachet)
Vitamin Science Vita Advanced Whitening - Multi BB Cream (sachet)
Vitamin Science Vita Advanced Multi-Facial Gel - Moisturizing and Shooting (sachet)
La Perla Divina Eau De Parfum (vial)

Manicare Magic Buffer

The real size products in this box are the Rudy Hadisuwarno Hair Intense Repair Serum box set which contains 6 vials of the serum, and also the Elianto Ultra-Define Eyebrow Pencil. I already have the Rudy Hadisuwarno Hair Intense Repair Serum and been currently using and loving it because it brings great results for my hair. Making it smoother and shinier, and adds a little bit of sweet scents to my hair too. I even put this amazing product in my Monthly Favorites post last July! So I won't mind an extra box of this product because I can use it as a stock, yay!

The Elianto Eyebrow Pencil is the item I was most excited about, because this is a new brand that has just recently came to Indonesia, and it couldn't have come at the more perfect timing because I am currently in need of a new eyebrow pencil!! My current VIVA eyebrow pencil is getting shorter now so I need a new brow pencil, and I was so delighted to see this brow pencil from Elianto in my box, what a great coincidence! I got mine in the color dark brown which is pretty much a neutral color for eyebrows.

Here's a little bit details about all the products:

Elianto Ultra-Define Eyebrow Pencil

This eyebrow pencil has fine and precise lining on dry or moist skin and it even has color that pays-off.

La Perla Divina Eau de Parfum (vial)

The fragrance opens with euphoric fusion of Calabrian mandarin, pear, strawberries and champagne, which gives a touch of glamour to the composition. The heart is a vibrant bouquet made from fresh orange blossoms, roses and jasmine. The base notes are warm and captivating due to the vanilla, ambergris, blonde woods bark and crystal musk.

Rudy Hadisuwarno Hair Intense Repair Serum Pack

This intensive treatment serum works optimally and provides vitamins and nutrients for your hair. It protects your hair before and after chemical and heat process. It makes your hair feel soft, shiny, and manageable.

SkinFood Omija Whitening Gift Set (bonus!)

A whitening range from the Korean brand SkinFood. Consisting of Omija Whitening Emulsion and Omija Whitening Tea Toner.

Laneige Water Sleeping Pack - EX (sachet)

A sample pack that gives intensive hydration, vitality and brightening effect during sleep.

Laneige Water Bank Gel Cream (sachet)

A hydrating gel type cream that supplies moisture and soothes the skin with a non-sticky, refreshing texture.

Vitamin Science Vita-Advanced Whitening Multi BB Cream (sachet)

This whitening BB Cream contains phytoncide to treat and calm irritated skin while enhancing the skin's appearance and protecting against aging and pollutants.

Vitamin Science Vita-Advanced Multi Facial Gel Moisturizing and Soothing (sachet)

The magic of the VITA Advanced Whitening Multi Facial Gel is revealed in its ability to provide the skin with multiple benefits. This refreshing and smoothly textured multi-functional gel enhances whitening, moisturizes, calms and relieves irritated skin. Increases the skin's absorption level.

I also received some vouchers inside the box, from Luxola and Elianto (both with minimum purchase).

So far I have only tried the Elianto eyebrow pencil and sniffed the La Perla perfume. The perfume smells very nice, quite a warming floral scent, the type of sweetly sophisticated scent that would not come on strong. In fact, it is quite subdued so I think it's perfect for day/morning use because I don't think it's strong enough for night use (imho).

Here's a tip for you regarding the Elianto eyebrow pencil:

Some people mention that the tip is hard and it feels dry on the skin, the trick is to put the tip of the pencil on your finger for several seconds to warm it first, and that will soften the tip of the pencil ^o^

If you want to subscribe to Lolabox you can click the link below to go to their website. The box is IDR 145.000 per month but there are special discounts if you decided to pay for 3 months or more in advance:

Lolabox!

To see my previous Lolabox (August box), click HERE.

Hugs & Kisses,

5 thoughts & comments

, by Yuri

Beauty Stuffs

OSCAR BLANDI Dry Styling Heat Protect Spray

This is the third Oscar Blandi product that I've tried and so far I am liking them all. I love Oscar Blandi products because their products seems to always deliver what they promised. Starting from the Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo and the Instant Glossing Cream, and now this Dry Styling Heat Protect Spray.

If you use hot hair tools such as hair dryer, flat iron, curling iron, etc than it is suggested that you should put on a heat protective serum / spray on your hair before you use those tools. It's important to protect the strands of your hair from the heat of the hair tools that sometimes are too hot for your hair without you realizing it.

The heat from your hair tools can heat up to over 200 degree celcius and while this heat gives you style but it can also damage your hair and would cause dull, coarse, and dry hair if you use them too often without protecting your hair.

That's why using some kind of heat protector on your hair before you use any hot styling tools is a must. I've been using heat protective spray for several years now ever since I found out about that fact. I always use it before hair drying or using any hot tools. I don't want to end up with coarse dull hair (eek!).

Nowadays my choice of option is the Oscar Blandi Dry Styling Heat Protect Spray that can also act as a light hair spray beside as a heat protector. This dry spray formula is enriched with keratin proteins to help nourish, strengthen, and also protect the hair. The Keratin protein helps hair withstand the extremely hot temperatures while repairing the damage caused by the hot tools.

This Dry Styling Heat Protect Spray also provides instant style-refreshing benefits, allowing us to easily and effortlessly reshape and hold our hair style.

It comes in a nozzle / spray bottle with a light mist that spreads away on areas of hair. The formula is quick-drying so we can use the hot tools right away without having to wait too long.

The quick-dry spray blends seamlessly with all hair colors while infusing a zesty lemon verbena scent on to the hair, a signature scent of Oscar Blandi products.

I love using this because the scent is subtle but refreshing at the same time. It also got absorbed by my hair very quickly, and my hair seems to love it. I usually parted my hairs into several sections and then sprayed this sections by sections, followed by using the curler / ironing tools. If I use hair dryer then I would usually just spray this all over my hair all at once because I usually don't part my hairs into sections when I blow dry, usually I just blow dry all over ;)

I love that it cuts the time to dry my hair when I use hair dryer, it only took half the length of my usual time, which is so awesome! I also found that flat-ironing my hair is now easier if I'm using this heat protect spray, and it does seems to help my curls stay a little bit longer, probably because of it's ability to also act as a light hairspray.

I want to keep my hair healthy and I believe this heat protect spray can help me with that by protecting it from overheating. This Dry Styling Heat Protect Spray is also paraben-free and alcohol-free, and also contain patented polymer complex that are clinically proven to protect hair from the heat & also prevent breakage on hair.

Mine is just a travel size / sample bottle but the one in the market is a big 4oz / 113gr bottle which retailed at IDR 330,000. You can stop by at Oscar Blandi boutique counter at Plaza Senayan and Kota Kasablanka to try them on or to know more details about the product.

Let me know in the comment box below if you already use a heat protective spray before using hot hair tools ;)

Hugs & Kisses,

2 thoughts & comments

, by Yuri