Vanity Trove: Avene Event and Review ! [EVENT, SHOW and TELL, REVIEW]

Hi everyone, 

This is going to be a more upbeat post about Avene Workshop that I attended.

But before I tell you about what Avene is, I think you should watch this video. 

Avene is actually a region in France and as far as I know all of its products contains Avene Thermal Spring Water. 

Now... some facts you did not know about Avene

1. Each can of Avene Thermal Spring Water contains only the actual Thermal Spring Water from Avene and carbon dioxide. 
2.  The canister (or can) containing Avene Thermal Spring Water is specially made so that the mist released are very fine. 
3. In 1891 Avene Thermal Spring Water was used as treatment of severe burns after the Great Fire of Chicago in the United States. 
4. The Avene company has a  Hydrotherapy Centre in Avene which every year from April to October welcomes more than 2600 patients and provides exclusive medically-controlled treatments which treats complaints such as atopic dermatitis, chronic eczema, proriasis, burns, scarring problems and treatment after plastic or reconstructive surgery to name a few.
5. Avene Thermal Spring Water can be used for sunburn, rashes, eczema, after surgery (even lazer surgery), to set makeup, itching, burns and wounds. 

PHEW... that was a mouth full and its only the tip of the iceberg. 

If you want more information about certain products visit the USA webpage here: http://www.aveneusa.com/

If you want the latest news and promotions in Malaysia visit their facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/AveneMY

AVENE WORKSHOP

The workshop was conducted on one sunny morning at an Italian Restaurant and Cafe called Cafe Barbera @ No.8, Lorong Maarof, 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The place was trendy and large and oh... does it serve a smooth cup of luxurious cappuccino. 

There were tons of Avene product to see at this workshop

And lastly... my new found product worship.... 

Eau Thermale Avene 

(or to us mere mortals.. Avene Thermal Spring Water)

Bloggers invited to this workshop were offered to have a hands on experience with Avene products.

 We each had a bowl, sponge, water and a set of products to use. 

These were the products that I got a chance to try. 

Participants in the mist of trying out the products and taking note

My table's participants... including me! 

PS: I tried taking a video at this event but it didn't turn out alright so this post will not have a video.  

I was so impressed by the Avene products that I got to try out that I was ready to go out and purchase some that particularly caught my eye. 

But at the end of this event I received a suprise! All the partipants got receive a customized Avene Box from Vanity Trove Malaysia! Each box has a mix of products that suits the participants skin be i t oily, dry, dehydrated, combination or acne. 

 This is my customised box! 

  Gentle Gel Clenser (Rinse off formula)

for normal to combination sensitive skin

50ml

Micellar Lotion (Cleanser and Makeup Remover) 

for sensitive skin and skin prone to redness

 25ml x bottles 

Cleanance (Lotion - Toner)

Purifying and Mattifying for oily, blemish prone skin

25ml

 Cleanance K  (Cream - Gel)

Exfoliating Hydrating for oily, blemish prone skin

5ml

Avene Thermal Spring Water

Soothing and softening for sensitive skin

150 ml

Dear Readers, I have to tell you.. 

I am now a convert and am absolutely, 100% in LOVE with Avene Thermal Spring Water! I've tried it out in every way possible. On cuts, bruises, inflammation,  puffy eyes (yes puffy eyes... I used it a lot when my grandmother passed away)

My face and eyes for some reason looks like it got punch and is super puffy. (I look like a blowfish or got sting by a bee)

But during the time that I used Avene Thermal Spring Water what you see in the picture above for once did not happen!!! I looked normal! 

I also used the spray for other inflammations and pimples on my face. 

BEFORE 1st wash

You can see that there is redness due to acne, irritation and pimples on my cheeks and chin. 

AFTER 1st wash

For the 1st wash I used every thing that Vanity Trove and Avene gave me in my customized box. That would be: 

1. Micellar Lotion
2. Gentle Gel Cleanser
3. Avene Thermal Spring Water
4. Cleanance (Lotion - Toner)
5. Cleanance K

After 2 weeks of daily use, using only Avene Products...

The Review:

What are my other favorites from the box? 

Well second to the Avene Thermal Spring Water, I really really love the Gentle Gel Cleanser and Micellar lotion. 

Avene Thermal Spring Water
So in love with this. This is in all of Avene's products and the one I love the most. More details above. Nothing bad to say and everything good. A super plus for adding it to my daily routine permanently (most likely forever) ^_^

Cost: Avène Thermal Spring Water
50ml spray….. RM 19.00
150ml spray….. RM 39.00

300ml spray….. RM 55.00

Gentle Gel Cleanser

This product is non sticky and if you have a non-sensitive face and do not use makeup of any kind (including sunblock) then this would be the only product you could possibly need for cleansing. After wash it does not leave the face feeling dry.

Micellar lotion

This is essentially a makeup remover. It removes light mascara even though its waterproof. (remember light mascara. It would not remove the heavy duty type mascara). This product works best if you only have light makeup on. At the event, for my foundation I needed nearly half the bottle (that is a whopping 20ml) to remove my makeup and 12 square pieces of cotton. However if you're willing to shell out the money then this product would be the best because even though I used so much product and took some time to completely remove my makeup it did not irritate my face during the process nor did my face show any signs of irritation after. 

What about the other 2 products? 

Well the Clearance series did work but only minimally compared to the others products I tested. However it has come to my attention that Avene has a stronger product in their line that better treats acne and a scar cream. 

However this line can only be purchased through a dermatologist in Malaysia. I'm trying to see if I can find out which dermatologist carry this product. If any of you know where I can get it do let me know in the comment box below. 

A quick look on the Avene products I received again: 

This is the list of product to get to suit your skin type:

Please save this picture if you want to closely look at it. I'm hoping to get a download link installed if I can. 

Alright readers, that's all for this post, hope you liked it. Please let me know in the comments if any of you have tried out any products.

PS: Do stay tuned for a more through review of individual Avene Products.

CUSTOMIZABLE VANITY TROVE! You can now Pick & Choose Your Own Beauty Samples! [LAUNCH AND GUIDE]

Hey all! 

Let's get this post on to a happier place. 

Vanity Trove, Malaysia edition is now customizable!  You can pick and choose your own beauty samples! 

As of the 11th July 2013 Vanity Trove has achieved more than 100 beauty brand partnership and 10,000 new activities. What does this mean for us? More selection! VT is also currently expanding to set up in its 7th country so watch out for that. In line with all this achievement, VT has introduced a new smart system of personalizing the Vanity Trove box beauty discovery.

Now... The question we want an answer for. 

1. What does it do?

With the new system you must first complete your Beauty Profile and preferences.

Then based on this profile and preference, Vanity Trove recommends the products best suited for you.

Click this link to head on to the beauty profile 

>> http://bit.ly/14HBVQs

You will be prompted to fill up your beauty profile by answering a few simple questions.

How to complete the profile? 

1. Log into your Vanity Trove account and to go "Accounts".
2. Click on "Face"and start answering questions.
3. Continue on to "Eyes", "Body" and "Hair".

How does this new system work?

You are then required to pick and choose 8 beauty samples from the wide array of beauty samples which will go into your personalised VT box. 

Once done you should receive this exiting self-pick trove within 7 working days. 

So in a nutshell...

Now have you heard of the wishlist? 

Want to be the first to try out new products that you've been wishing for? Add them to your wishlist, like the brand and the product! This helps you to unlock more samples, and when its released, you will be able to pick it!

You can also tell Vanity Trove how you feel about certain products by adding them to your beauty table and write a review. 

Whats more, I heard from Vanity Trove that they will introducing a new phrase of beauty discovery where you, as customers will be plugged into the latest happenings of the people you follow on Vanity Trove. You can read up on their reviews, see what products they like and have on their wishlist. You can also follow people of your interest to know what is up in their beauty regime. Its supposed to be just like facebook except its about beauty. 

I'm one of those persons!!! Look me up on Vanity Trove at https://www.vanitytrove.com/u/7qjvoyve9 for Marie Maman or Beautychatter! 


See you peeps soon! 

Update of my life : In memory of Mary Magdalen

Dear friends and readers,

Before I start I need to warn you that this is not a beauty post but an update post of my life and what has occurred in it.

I am sad to say that I have been away too long. Too much has happened to me in the last 2 months. 

As you well know if you've been reading my blog (thank you!), my last post said that I would be busy and away for my exams in July 2013. What you did not know was that when I completed the post it was actually early June just a few days in. 

(taken Christmas 2012)

What most of you would not know was that my beloved grandmother, Mary Magdalen was ill. She has been ill for some time and was in a decline especially since March 2013. This decline became quite rapid shortly after my post. There was a drastic decline every 2 days or so. 

Soon after the very last event I attended last month my grandmother had decline to the point where she had to be hospitalized. Through it all I was studying my ass off trying to pass this exam and was rarely home during the day. But I made sure to spend some time with her every night when I reached home before I went to my room.

Through this I had a bad feeling, a very bad feeling that... she won't be with us for long. Oh, I still hoped and prayed. I did my fair share of denial and hopeless hope. But some how I sort of knew, and was torn between studying and being with her. 

You see I had fail this exam once and she knew that I wanted to pass it and she wanted me to pass it too so that I can get on with my life. 

I was torn you see while in my heart I could have put the exam off until next year. At that point in time, while her condition was bad it did not seem dire and I was hoping against hope that I would be able to pass this exam this time around and would be able to show her that I passed the stupid exam before she passed away. 

I wanted her to be proud of me and to make her proud that I passed the exam.  I wanted her to be at ease because now I can stand on my own 2 feet without worry. It was the final point in my studies. 

But she told me just the day before she was admitted into the hospital that she wanted me to pass the exam and to try hard.  Because of what she said, I did not stay with her overnight at the hospital, I did not visited her each and every day and at every visiting hour and worse... I was not there to visit her on the day she passed away nor was I there when she took her last breath. I arrived moments too late.

I could not be there all the time because... I could not study and be heartbroken at the same time.  So I visited her every other day and studied in between. Tried so d*mn hard to focus when I was studying and not crying my heart out. 

Also as fate would have it, she passed away a week and half before my exam. At this point I wanted to say F*** it and to H*ll with exam.  But this remained, the time I had sacrificed from spending with her will all go to waste if I did not sit for the exam. 

Also a week before the exam, there was a terrible haze in Malaysia that made the news. I got very sick and couldn't breath. Then I broke a mirror. A mirror that I've had for years. 

At this moment I just wanted to break down and cry and cry and cry. I felt so heartbroken. So, what did I do to keep the promise to my grandmother? I put my thoughts and heart away. But worse of all? To deal with it, the day after she passes away, I sort of went into some sort of denial. So it like when I was studying abroad and could not see her for some time. I pretended that I could still talk to her and it went on until the day we buried her.

After that I decided to put my heart and feelings for her away. Keep it locked up tight and try my hardest to fulfill my promise. I did not want  the time I had sacrificed from spending with her will all go to waste if I did not sit for the exam. It will haunt me for the rest of my life. 

Now my exams are over and I'm finally taking the time to grieve.

My grandmother means the world to me. We fight, bicker and nag each other but she was always, always there for me. She used to be the good cop and I then bad cop when it came to disciplining the younger children, the person who made the compliant and the person who meted out the punishment or scolding. She would be the good cop that made it all right. I did not mind, in fact I asked her why she wanted me to do it. But she'll just smile and laugh evilly when I asked and said that I'm scarier. 

She was the one who taught me to cook, was patient with me while I made a mess in the kitchen and taught me all about produce and the wet market. She taught me to sew, clean and forgive. She was the one adult in my life who would say sorry if she was wrong. Who taught me to say sorry when I did wrong. 

Who would hold and hug me if I was insecure without being sarcastic or say anything hurtful. Who would always encourage and believe in me when I needed it without saying anything. Who would help me in a second if she could. Who worries about whether I had eaten or when I was sick and took care of me. She was strict without hurting my heart. 

She was my heart and the person who feed food to my soul since I was born. She gave me spirituality. In a word, she was my shelter in the storm and the place where I found peace when I was restless or worried. She had that special gift of kindness that I would never be able to match.

So this is my goodbye. It has not been the same since she left but I will always, always love her and she will be in everything I do and achieve in my life.

Thank you everyone who came to her wake and those who sent their condolences. I appreciate each and everyone and apologise if I did not reply you. I was not able to at the time.