From the folks that bring you Redoxon and other health supplements, here is Bepanthen® Ointment — an ointment targetted at treating nappy rash.

Now before the term 'nappy rash' has you clicking out this post, hear me out.

While predominantly advertised for soothing Nappy Rash in babies (or even elderly folks who rely on adult diapers), it does have other skin healing and soothing properties as well.

What's more if it is gentle enough for a baby's bottom you can be rest assured that it will be free of any harmful or strong subtances that could irritate or ignite sensitivity in skin.

For a start, you would be glad to know that this is paraben-free, fragrance and preservative free.

That aside some nappy rash creams, or multi-purpose skin soothing ointments, rely on Zinc Oxide to help construct that waxy film of ointment.

While Zinc Oxide is an approved chemical to be used within creams, there are some parents who have raised concerns regarding that and I don't blame their cautious-ness. After all, a baby's delicate skin is about 30-50% thinner than ours.

(From Bepanthen)

In a sleek, handy and sturdy tube, Bepanthen can easily fit into and withstand some tossing around in your diaper bag.

Healing –

The main healing tool in Bepanthen is Vitamin B5, which is crucial and optimal for healing rash. The science of it is when this vitamin comes in contact with skin, it converts to something called pantothenic acid, which boosts cell regeneration and promotes the healing of skin. Vitamin B5 is also known as a moisturizing agent in certain skincare and hair care products.

Anti-Bacterial –

While not an antiseptic (because that can be harsh on delicate skin), Bepanthen does have anti-bacterial properties through the ingredient benzalkonium chloride.

Lubricating –

Bepanthen also contains almond oil which works great for lubricating the skin, softening and also soothing the affected area. The soothing effect works especially well to rid of any discomfort caused by the rash.

– As A Nappy Cream —

Because the main point of this item is it being a Nappy Cream, with my experience with it on baby, I'd say this gets the job done.

I did not know how easy it would be for little ones to develop Nappy Rash, until I experienced it for myself (not literally of course). Nappy rash can get quite severe, from what I have seen on it and I doubt I want to scare or shock you with an inflamed baby's bum but google at your own risk.

Previously I was using PURE by Phyto (Paw paw) which also worked rather well but because it is of an oilier nature and extremely natural (as proclaimed by the brand), it does separate into oil and paste and could get quite messy with use.

Bepathen dispenses like a creamy balm that spreads on very easily and 'sticks' firmly on the skin.

For the effectiveness of this on a baby's bum, I'd say like skincare it should vary from child to child but there are loads of positive feedback about Bepanthen and I guess I am adding mine to the sea of it.

With one application (once any redness is detected), I have noticed that the redness subsides and any mild bumps that may have been forming would ease off and the skin appears normal and clear once more.

Speaking of adults, while this is a Nappy Rash cream, who says we can't snitch a little bit of it for ourselves too.

– As a Multi-purpose Cream —

Nappy cream aside, I have tried this on myself for skin issues such as dry patches, eczema itches, mosquito bites and moisturizing dry areas (like elbows).

The cream is of a rather thick texture but blends out quite well and doesn't leave a greasy patch. It is tacky due to the ointment factor but it does not slip and slide all over the place, I find.

I have enjoyed it for protecting and aiding with healing on dry and rash patches of my skin. With that said, those battling eczema or rash may find this quite a nice product to have around to soothe the dry itch and also facilitate with skin healing. It isn't a miracle worker and doesn't yield overnight results (because it is meant to be somewhat gentle still) but it certainly is a good duo to use on top of any eczema medication you may already be using.

Afterall, I personally find while eczema medication zaps the rash, it totally sucks the skin dry as well so a bit of tender loving care balm would be nice.

That aside, something I uncovered (because of the interesting Google Suggestion) is that Bepanthen is recommended by tattoo artists to help condition and soothe the itch you get from a new tattoo. It also helps to protect the agitated skin and encourages it to heal!

❧

Though enough of all that talk, instead of just reading about what I have to think about it, why don't you give it a shot yourself!

Bayers is offering a set of Full-sized Bepanthen Ointment + Diaper Clutch for the first 300 readers* who register for this freebie via their website!

*after the first 300 have redeemed, subsequent readers will still receive a 3.5g Bepanthen sample!

It is completely fuss-free and after filling in some quick details you would have a full-sized tube of Bepanthen Ointment to try on your baby, gift a friend or relative with a baby or even use it on yourself to soothe dry skin and rash!

Redeeming Your FREE Bepanthen Ointment!

Very simply, visit Bepanthen's website by clicking here!

Once on the site, click on button to 'Claim Your Free Sample!'

Next, fill in a simple form with quick information for Bepanthen to arrange for a delivery of the product to you.

BUT!

don't forget to input 'icyabstract' within the 'Promotional Code' area so they will know if you are within the first 300!

It's as simple as that!

Quick ground rules would be:

• This sample redemption is only opened to those residing in Singapore only.
• 1 residential address is only entitled to 1 sample redemption
• Lastly, do allow up to 14 days for the delivery of the product (handled from Bayer's end, not mine)

It's that quick and fuss-free. Though if you prefer to purchase or are considering to after trying your sample, Bayer retails at Watsons or Guardian for S$8.95.

Redeem Your Free Sample! >>

Well thanks for reading and hope while it is baby-news it is also informative and helpful to everyone reading!

Disclosure:
Products were provided to me for review consideration.
I am not affiliated to them and all opinions expressed are my own.

Hello everyone!

Okay, I am officially on hiatus but I wanted to clear up this post first because it is duly belated.

Technically I have more Poh Heng x Minnie Mouse Limited Edition pendants to play around with and showcase and my original plans were to perhaps amp it up and mix some colors in with Gold and Silver (representing White Gold) looks as opposed to my initial smokier ones.

However, on the day I set out to do those looks, the little one decided to see the world so... plans were changed. While I'm home all the while, it's almost impossible to throw on even simple looks now, much less complicated ones so a close up feature / mention is all I have for you all right now.

Though do carry on reading the post if you are interested to find out how you can snag 1 of the 3 Limited Edition Minnie Totes that I have to give away!

❧

So for this second feature, I was presented with the Signatures Limited Edition pieces, which is a real shame because I only wore this out once! Both are pretty statement pieces and at 4cm in length, they definitely draw some attention!

Of the two, my favorite is the 18k White Gold Minnie Stellar pendant just because of Minnie's super playful stance on the pendant and not forgetting the sparkly diamonds!

The 22K Yellow Gold Minnie Fashionista is actually a little 'loud' for me. I don't mind little pieces of gold such as the rose pendant or as arm candy but on the neck, this 4cm pendant pulls too gold for my liking. Though those who favor gold would find this perfecto.

As mentioned, the Signature Pieces are Limited Edition and there are only 100 pieces each!

While pricey, they are definitely something precious to gift for that someone extra, extra special!

Now if you happen to be looking at something more petite that will be around for you to ponder your purchase, why not the Bow pendant.

While a seemingly simple bow to represent Minnie's trademark hair accessory, this pendant is probably my favorite of the whole lot.

It is dainty, simple and yet detailed enough with the diamonds around the heart of the pendant. Maybe it is just my jewelry preference but while I loud statement pieces are fun, these smaller and simpler ones are easy to pair with any outfit and rather timeless too - like Minnie!

On my nails - MAC Mean & Green (chopped down at the hospital, ha!)

Well, now that I have gone through these lovely pendants and while it is a pity I couldn't showcase them better let's not dwell on that sad bit because it's....

GIVEAWAY TIME!

So I have three Limited Edition Poh Heng x Minnie Mouse Totes to giveaway! The totes I am giving away are brand new, not the one pictured below :)

(oops, didn't manage to get a better shot of the tote after all the busy-ness!)

These totes are only available via this giveaway and also a giveaway on Poh Heng's website (giveaway is going on till 19th December on there). They are otherwise not available or redeemable at Poh Heng outlets so, in a way, these are also Limited Edition and only available in select quantities!

Here's how you can take part to win 1 of the 3 totes up for grabs:

• Answer this question:
  Which year did Poh Heng partner with Disney as the first official jewellery licensee in Singapore? (ahem, hint here)
• Leave your name & email address
• Only 1 entry per person
• Open to those residing in Singapore only

Example:
[the correct answer]
Sara, icyabstract@gmail.com

Winners will be drawn at random from the pool of right answers!

GIVEAWAY ENDS 22nd DECEMBER and I'll be sure to contact the winners the minute I can!

Due to my slightly random schedule, don't worry if I haven't announced the winners the minute the contest closes!

❧

So phew! This post was partly done via my phone, partly done on the few minutes I have on my computer so I hope I didn't overlook any typos etc!

Feels a bit like Mission Impossible each time I open my laptop up!

But anyway, I'll leave you all now and see you again! Do take part in the giveaway (totes are forever handy to have, ha!) and good luck!

Quite a bit of NIP + FAB floating around on here but hey, this is a giveaway and how can I possibly just keep it to myself and not spread the word, yes?

NIP + FAB is currently giving away Bust Fix through a simple contest such as telling them which celebrity uses NIP + FAB (ahem, hint in my previous entry....)

Simple as that!

To take part in the contest, simply click here.

I believe it should be a one week long contest but I can't be too sure!

There is no mention of how many pieces are up for grabs but based on their earlier giveaway for Cellulite Fix, 5 winners were selected hence it could be the same!

COntest aside, you may hop on over to stalk NIP + FAB Singapore's Facebook page as they did mention during the event that they would have loads of fun giveaways to come!

Thanks for reading!

Alas!

Here are the winners for the Lancôme Rouge in Love contest I ran on my blog a couple of entries back.

I wanted to do something a little fun or different with picking the winners but as it turns out, I hardly even had time to and resorted to my usual means. Random.org, the giveaway life-saver.

After filtering through the comments, I ended up with 49 legit entries (point of contact + right answer) and these are the 3 winners!

Congratulations to the following 3 for winning a Rouge in Love deluxe sample lipstick!

(counted as one entry)

I will be sending out an email to you all shortly!

For everyone else, thank you so much for participating and if you are interested in the Rouge in Love collection, it is currently out island-wide so you can get busy swatching the 27 different shades available!

Also a big thank you to Lancôme for giving me the opportunity to share these giveaways with you all!

Seeing that (Rouge in) love is in the air, I would be posting up some lip swatches and sharing my thoughts about these lippies, since I haven't done that just yet.

Thanks for reading and hope your weekend has been going smashing so far!

I'm pretty late with this giveaway so I am assuming I can skip out all information and you can scroll straight down and enter yourself in it?

Nah I'm just kidding and while I'm certain most of you ladies know what to do, I'm still rambling on about the prizes up for grabs and how you can enter yourself, for those who might not know.

Lancôme had generously sponsored the prizes for this giveaway and 3 readers can stand to win a

Ombre Absolue impact 3d Palette + Deluxe Sample of Doll Eyes Hypnose Mascara

All you have to do to enter is create a little doll-ed up version of yourself with Lancôme's adorable app (Found on their facebook) and comment below with the link to your dolled up image. More information on how to enter at the end!

It's honestly quite fun and I am guessing majority of you have tried and will agree it's one of those girly things where we can spend ages on just with minor tweaks to make it all look good.

Your final doll outcome could also end up looking very much like yourself!

Because I took some screenshots along the way while creating my doll I shall post them below for those who might not know how the process goes.

❧

First, hop on over to Lancôme Singapore's Facebook page and Like the page if you haven't!

Once done, click on the Hypnôse Doll Eyes App tab or click here to be directed to the app because oddly enough the tab doesn't work for me.

Step one is choosing your doll's skintone, hairstyle, color and clothing.

Next up would be customizing your dolls by selecting a photo of yourself. You can select from your existing facebook albums or upload one!

It's best to use a photo where all your features are seen (not covered by bangs) and you are pretty much looking at the camera straight on.

Trawled through my LOTDs to find this. I realize I almost never look at the camera dead-on and when I do... my bangs are covering something.

Using the nifty tools, choose the face shape of your choice and tweak your image so it falls within, as such:

Then you're set to hit next and clip your doll!

By default the 'marker's are all over the place (lol at the doll preview above, I look like an alien!) and you'll have to tweak each frame to fit your features.

I find this is step is that one where girls can spend forever tweaking a tiny bit here and there so it looks perfect (to us). After this step, your doll's general features are pretty much set!

Next, it's time to glam up the eyes!

Simply move, scale and adjust the upper and lower lashes provided to emphasize those peepers! Like with real life, there is indeed a difference once mascara or lashes go on!

Next, add some color to the look with the Lancôme Ombre Absolute 3D Palettes in Baby Nu (pink) or Baby Pop (greens).

With the applicator, simply draw on the color! Be it if you want a full lid (left lid below) of color or a small peek of color (right)

Of course the above is to show you the options and like in real life, I wouldn't head out with wonky unbalanced lid colors! I personally opted for the right design for myself.

Last but not least, the final tab is labelled 'Attitude' and it's basically where you choose how you want to pose your doll!

And after that long graphic explanation.... here is my doll! What do you think, does it seem to resemble me?

I personally feel it doesn't entirely. I can kind of see it in the eyes yet the doll is too demure looking (ha!). Though it was still fun to put this doll together and everyone's doll looks so different (because everyone looks different, duh..).

❧

Alright, now... here's the important part, how to take part and things to note!

• Do up your Lancôme Doll and copy the URL to it
• Leave your email along with the URL for the doll
• This giveaway is opened locally (within Singapore) only
• Each person is only entitled to one 'entry'

If your Facebook account is extremely private (and I am not your FB friend), you can set it such that only that doll is visible. Click the little tab (as seen below) and select 'Public'

However if you wish to keep your Facebook account private, you can upload your doll to a fileshare site (imgur.com) and share that link.

Example entry:
icyabstract@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150630949148358&set=a.10150630949083358.385641.712713357&type=1&theater

Oops... long url but yes, that's the idea!

This giveaway will run till the 3rd of April 9pm GMT+8

There are 3 prizes up for grabs so enter now! I would love to see how all your dolls look!

If you have any questions feel free to ask via comment or email me if you prefer, thanks for reading and good luck!

In other news, check out my Lancôme Hypnôse Doll Eyes Mascara review if you haven't!

A little late and not as instantaneous in announcing this but I hope you will forgive me. All the more to coincide with Friday, right?

So..... in total I received 76 valid entries and I did the usual of running it through the trusty ole random.org generator. By now you should be able to tell that I'm rambling on to occupy the full space in the preview section (if you are viewing this on onsugar's feed).

*drumroll~~~*

Congratulations to rhaindropz / rhania!

I will be contacting you shortly and to everyone else, a big thank you for taking part and leaving fun (and some very sweet) comments too! I think the whole random comment aspect is a little interesting. Makes it fun when compiling the list. aha!

Alright, it seems 'tis the season for giveaways, so I have another one coming up shortly! A sponsored one this time but more soon!

Thanks for reading and... TGIF! Not so much for me since weekends are the optimal (freelance) work period but... anyway, rambling here!

As I had mentioned in my previous entry, where I shared my thoughts about the Shu Uemura lash curler, I picked up the duty free set and ended up with 2 pairs of lash curlers. So... here's the other pair up for a give away!

I certainly have no need for a back up lash curler so here's an opportunity for those who wish to try this cult favorite.

The rules and things you have to do is really simple:

1. Simply be a follower of my blog, be it onsugar, rss feeds or bloglovin
2. Leave your email address in the comment
3. You can say anything else - hellooo, yay, etc or the default "enter me", which sounds wrong to me now, after Evonne's comment ;)
4. This giveaway is open internationally.

example entry:
:DDDDDDDD icyabstract@gmail.com

Closing date: 15th of March 9.00pm (+8 GMT)

❧

Ending note: Entries haven't been entirely regular and such of late. I can't quite do the one a day thing though I'm trying but we'll see how this works out! Things have picked up loads in terms of my freelance design portion and while I'm glad (because that's one step closer to what we aim for), at the same time I can't wait to take a breather. I need a holiday, pronto! Or an even simpler bargain, just some quiet me-time to relax.

In all, I will still be making time to blog as best as I can because I do have loads I wish to share, to chat and to ramble about. Also, more giveaways coming up shortly but one thing at a time :)

Thanks for sticking with me and good luck for this!

Another quick post announcing the winner for the Lit Cosmetics giveaway I held which closed yesterday (since it's 1AM now..).

I jus realized the name shows up on the short blurb, if you re reading this from the tracker, so here's some extra sentences to push that down. I have to still keep some form of suspense, yes? :)

So the winner for this is...... *drumroll*

Shimmerpole!

Congratulations to you and I have sent an email out to you!

To everyone else that had taken part, thank you so much for your participation! Stick around as there may be news of another giveaway sooner than you think!

Thanks for reading!

Where does glitter come from? According to the folks over at Lit Cosmetics, apparently it all comes from a big glitter tree!

Jokes aside, Lit Cosmetics is a brand that focuses on bringing some sparkle into our lives with their wide selection of glittery shades. While glitter isn't something I embrace and hold dear, I still like it from time to time and you certainly never know when you need that added bling to spice up a look.

Now, glitter is just about everywhere but Lit Cosmetics was founded in 2001 when Jodie Perks, the owner of Lit Cosmetics, felt a need to reinvent and introduce some sparkle and fun into the makeup that was then.

"No Glitter, No Glory"

Lit Cosmetics would be ideal for those who have a need to glitz up their makeup such as cheerleaders, dancers, performers, models and more. Though, I don't fit into any of the above categories, they still extended their product to me as part of their vision to spread the glitter to any and everyone!

Naturally I would be taking a more neutral, simple and everyday approach with these glitter-bombs instead of the fancy face painting you can see on their website.

Nonetheless, introduction aside, lets have a look at the items they had provided me with.

With the package came 3 glitter pots, 2 (liner) brushes, a glitter base and this odd ball.

This product here is supposed to help clear and dust off glitter particles (to be used dry) though I have not put it to the test. Typically if I know I will encounter some fall-out with a certain look, I prefer to do my foundation after my eyelook is done. This way I don't have to delicately dust fall-out off, I can go at it with a wet wipe, way more effective.

Lit Cosmetic's online catalog is flash-based and scripted so you flip through it, like a book. It's pretty nifty and it's the first time I have seen a company integrate this flash frame with a shopping cart, it's typically used (to death) for photo-books or online portfolios.

With this many colors, the representation method does save you the trouble from having to scroll through too many things but the downside is you can't search (Ctrl/Apple + F) a shade on the page. The 'content page' links along the front page are pretty handy if you looking through a select color group.

The choices are aplenty so I left it up to the folks at Lit Cosmetics to choose what they would like to recommend to me and these are the 3 that I ended up with!

Lit Glitter Colors

The colors they picked out are Pretty in Pink, Twisted Sistah and Beach Baby

The bottom of these pots function as a screw on top so you can 'stack' them up to save space or store them individually.

These glitter pots are going for CA$12.95 (approx S$16 / USD13). The glitters have a 'glitter-cut' which defines how large or how fine the glitter bits are. The shade names indicate which size they are so be sure to look out for that, it would be the last 2 digits (e.g. MADMS2 - Size 2!).

(click to enlarge)

Notice that I don't quite refer to these as glitter eyeshadows because they are certainly more true-glitter than say a glitter shadow. They have a different texture and seem to be packed looser than if you compare it to a mica-shot eyeshadow loose powder. These are full-on glitter without an underlying base color to hold it together.

If swatched alone, they look pitiful because they do not have a base to grab on to, so as with most glitter usages, a base or some sort of mixing medium is necessary!

Enter, Clearly Liquid Glitter Base™, a product with great responsibilities in the Lit Cosmetics inventory.

Clearly Liquid Glitter Base™

Mentioned to be the backbone of Lit Cosmetics, the newly formulated Glitter Base is paraben-free and made of natural ingredients, costing CA$22.95 (S$29 / USD23). A mixing medium isn't something you need to run out to get because you can easily find your own or in most cases, we use simple ole water.

As far as glitter goes, I advise against using just water because that dries up and disappears, leaving the glitter to hold themselves together. We all know with glitter that doesn't happen thus traveling and fall-out will occur.

The good news is most people reach for things like eyedrops or hydrating facial mists as a mixing medium since those are not, just water. One point I have noticed, from prior experience is that to make something really stick and hold together, get a product with a good amount of Glycerin because that really puts the 's' in stick!

Comparing this to a commonly used mixing medium (also glycerin infused), MAC Fix + I would say the Clearly Liquid Glitter Base™ has more stick, with a slightly thicker consistency, since it's formulated for that purpose. Just like how we can't possible spritz a mixing medium all over our face since that would be too thick and sticky on.

In short, is a mixing medium necessary? Yes it is.
Is this particular one necessary? No it's not but I find it really holds the glitter well.

Brushes

The folks at Lit Cosmetics were also kind enough to include 2 eyeshadow brushes within the package so I have a complete set of things to use, from mixing medium to glitter and now brushes.

Round brush - CA$16.95 (S$21 / USD17)

Liner Brush - CA$15.95 (S$20 / USD16)

I've tried both and would say the small (Liner) one doesn't quite do it for me. While it's thin and very precise, I find it a tad filmsy with use and much prefer something firmer. I don't mind the thickness of the Round brush and it gives better control too. This paragraph can go very awry if you aren't in the right state of mind.

So anyway... after using the Liner brush once, I've since put it aside and only reach for the Round brush now.

Eyeliner brushes are easily available here and we all might have one or two so I'm not putting much emphasis on these ones since they are... functional yet, that's about it? Though if brushes are your thing, you could pick one up for the sake of the sparkly handle.

To combine all the elements together, here's a swatch I did with the brush, mixing medium and glitters.

What a vast difference from the earlier swatch!

If you are worried about the mess or hassle of washing the brush each time after use, you would be surprised to know that if using the right mixing medium, the glitter bits would come right off the brush. Maybe a little flicking the bristles after is required but no thorough rinsing, I assure you that.

Here's a somewhat step-by-step pictorial of how I apply them and evidence of a clean brush after!

Voila, clean brush! I didn't 'set up' the shot, I swear!

While I didn't compare it to another mixing medium, which I totally should have, I compared swatching it with Clearly Liquid Glitter base VS plain water.

At first glance it's quite obvious that the Glitter Base helps pack the glitter particles closer together while the water mixed one seems a little runny. I let both swatches sit for awhile to dry down before I continued with Step 2!

Annihilation!

While I didn't go berserk on them I did rub the tissue across with good strength, probably a little harder than you would if you rubbed your eye but it's all for demo purposes! I honestly wouldn't think anyone would go berserk on their eye with makeup on, right?

The Glitter Base holds the glitter bits well despite the test while the water-base one is completely gone. How sad...

Well I suppose my point of this is really just to show case that the Glitter base holds well and that you honestly should use a mixing medium if using glitter flecks. I might try this again with Fix + since it's not all a fair fight putting water up against a proper mixing medium.

Lit Cosmetics has stores within the US and Canada, you can check their store locator for more information. For the other countries, us included, we will have to purchase from their online store. There is a flat rate of CA$10 world-wide shipping so I suggest spree-ing together with pals to split that cost!

❧

I know this post is waaaaaay long so to reward those who have read this far,
I have a MiniMe Lit Kit (worth CA$35.95) to giveaway!

The kit contains:

• Sparkle duster
• Mini detailer & eyeshadow brush
• 1 glitter color - Beach baby (brand new)
• 30ml Clearly Liquid Glitter Base

The highlight of this would honestly be that Glitter Base because it's enough to last a long while and to mix with loose/glitter polishes of other brands.

All you have to do to take part is simply:

1. Be a follower of my blog, via onsugar or RSS feeds.
2. Leave your email in the comment along with 'Enter Me'
3. You can only comment once in this giveaway
4. Open to those residing in Singapore only.

Sample entry:
Enter me! icyabstract@gmail.com

Giveaway closes on the 23rd of February 10.00PM GMT+8.

Thanks for reading and good luck!

Disclosure:
Products were provided to me for review consideration.
I am not affiliated to them and all opinions expressed are my own.

Hello!

Slipping into a mild state of food coma right now (super crazy full reunion dinner) but am still in the right state of mind to put this up.

The Luxola Gift Bag giveaway closed about an hour ago and I wanted to announce the winners before tomorrow where everyone will be rushing about for Chinese New Year.

So.... the 2 winners for the Gift Bags are....

Congratulations to She Shops Makeup for winning the Khaki set and rainyydays for winning the Sparkle one!

I will be sending out an email to you both sometime tonight and as for everyone else, thank you so much for taking part. Also a thank you to Luxola for sponsoring this!

Thanks for reading and a very prospereous Chinese New Year to everyone be it if you celebrate it or not. Let the feasting begin (again)!