Fairification Process

As the fascination for whitening goes on, Shryh and I came up with a proper term for this process. Just as the Westerners have a tanning process, we have a fairification process in which the body undergoes treatments for that much-coveted for fairness.

Upon penning this post, I realized I looked healthy because of the tan on my face. However, because of my Asian heritage, my skin has yellow undertones giving it an uneven unkempt look. Then, it struck me why almost Asians are spending millions each year to get fair just as how our counterparts in America and Europe are spending millions to get that healthy tan.

So, I started slathering my arms each morning with whitening milk from the Nivea Body range. Because I simply don't believe in whitening products, I didn't really take note of it. I couple the whitening milk with a SPF50 sunscreen for my arms each morning before I head out.

This whitening milk claims to:

• reduce discolouration and blemishes for a more even skin tone
• lighten current skin tone for fairer skin
• protect the skin and prevent future skin darkening (frankly, without SPF protection, how this is achieved, it is really questionable)

One fine morning, I peered closely into my arms and found that they had indeed gotten fairer upon application of the whitening milk! I was absolutely stupefied by my observation that I had to sit down to calm myself down. Of course being the scientist-wannabe, I replicated the "experiment" a few more times under the identical conditions.

Each time, I found that my skin really had become fairer almost immediately upon application of the milk. Watch the milk sink in and watch how your skin tone changes. However, after an hour or so, the skin tone returns to normal i.e. its original condition.

After a few weeks or so, I noticed that I really had become fairer. Face and arms in general.

I would attribute it to:
1. A more diligent routine in exfoliating my skin (with Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant everyday as opposed to whenever I felt like it in the past)
2. The use of a sunscreen on my arms
3. The lack of sun in Penang over the past few weeks.

In conclusion? Whitening products still don't work as they claim to. At least, it's not a permanent solution. It would clarify and even out the skin tone, it would give the impression that it's whitened but in reality, sunscreen is really your best bet in getting fair. Having said that, it's still a pretty good body lotion to have. It's non-greasy and it's easily absorbed into the skin. A good bottle to keep with you at work but don't expect any miracles!

Review on Dior Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss in 631 (A Blush of Wine)

Nothing fails to cheer me up more than a new tube of lipgloss. Especially since I'd been consistently finishing tubes after tubes of glosses and yet good enough in not replenishing them. So, a new tube of gloss is just perfect. A colour that's good for everyday wear and yet glamourously subtle enough for evenings when heavy eye makeup is applied.

Colour: Don't you just love this name? A Blush of Wine. I would associate wine to be deep red, even maroon, to a certain extent. A Blush of Wine. A whisper of red. That describes the colour of this perfectly. There's a hint of gold to it which warms the colour up perfectly and yet not too warm for my skin tone.

Gloss: This is from the Ultra-Gloss range. Although the name depicts it to be highly glossy, it is not so. The glossiness is subtle enough for everyday wear and yet the hint of gloss is unmistakably there to give the illusion of fuller lips.

Shimmer/Glitter: No glitter whatsoever.

Smell/Taste: Upon unscrewing the wand from the tube, a slight smell of old-school lipstick wafted to my nostrils. Having applied the gloss to my lips, the scent all but disappeared. No taste whatsoever could be detected.

Texture: Smooth and non-sticky at all.

Moisturizing Effect: This gloss comes with SPF 8 protection but I don't see how it can be moisturizing. In fact, after half a day, I see my lips flaking. It's either the colour or the skin off my lips. I had to wipe everything off clean before re-applying.

Long-lasting: This is one of the strongest point of this gloss. It lasted from way when I slicked it on at 730 in the morning till I wiped it off clean after lunch. No re-application is needed in the morning until I noticed the flaking at about 4pm. I re-applied after lunch.

Packaging: A clear square cylindrical tube with the wand encased in the cap in dark blue that's synonymous with the Dior packaging, completed with the gold top. The brand Dior is embossed onto one side of the clear tube.

Price: RM69.00 for 6ml. Not a bad value for a high-end gloss. For something that's long-lasting, it's certainly a good deal!

Others: None.

Overall: This is an excellent product not only because I absolutely adore the colour. It's perfect for daywear where you can slick it on as you go. Because the colour is rather sheer, there's no fear of looking like an idiot when going out of the lipline. I'm more of a run-and-slick gloss-on-the-go kind of girl. My worst fear is that my lip colour is way out of line and I look like a bozo on her way for a circus act. In fact, someone saw it on me today and loved it so much and asked for my help to make the purchase. I was all too happy to collect more points on my Dior card.

My rating for this? A whopping 4.80/5.0! I doubt I'd ever ranked a product this highly before. I love that this is tasteless, almost odourless and for its lasting power. Not to mention it is completely unsticky with a just the right amount of gloss.

This fascination for whiteness

Ever since this post, I'd been wondering if I'd tanned enough to buy a whole new range of makeup. Unfortunately for me, I hadn't tanned enough to warrant such a purchase, tempting as it might all seem. However, I admit that I have taken to slathering on sunblock on my arms. Not sure it's making any difference and not sure if I really want to be bothered anymore.

So, as I peered into the mirror this morning, I noticed that I actually looked ... lo and behold! Healthy! My dark circles are not so prominent anymore (even without my magical concealer) and with a dash of Dandelion, I looked like I'd spent some time in the sun for games and sports! And, even better news is that my M.A.C. blusher in Pinch O' Peach is perfect on my skintone now!

That's it. No more trying to remove batteries from the sun. No more silly worries about how I look when I'd tanned. I look healthy and that's a far cry from the white princess I'd been.

Having said that, neither am I going to be a sun worshipper. I'd avoid the sun if I can because I detest the heat and the sweat. I'd still slap on sunblock because sunspots are the bane of my life. And so are pre-mature wrinkles. But, hey, if I need to go out into the sun, I need to go out into the sun.

Thankfully, I have a choice if I want to be fair or tanned. Oh, a little tip for those of you who crave and yearn to be fairer than what you actually are. Past experience tells me that coloured hair of light brown will make the skin look fairer than it actually is. The lighter brown/blonder you go, the lighter the skin looks.